was the place destined to be the sacristie of soe rich a treasure it was receaued by those holy virgins of CHRIST in most honourable and stately manner and reuerently entombed on the north side of the high His bodie is eushrined at Shaftsburie aultar the eighteenth day of February And afterwards by reason of the manie miracles wrought at this holy martyrs tombe that monasterie was commonly called S. Edwards And the miracles wrought there were such soe great and soe authenticall esteemed by King Ethelred that in respect thereof he adorned the monasterie of Shaftsbury with manie rich guifts and possessions and in the donation thereof made in the yeare 1001. he acknowledgeth Gods scourging of his Countrey by the Danes to haue befalne them for the vniust murder of King EDWARD whom togeather with the bishops and Abbots of that time he honoureth with the title of Blessed martyr Part of his reliques were afterwards brought to enriche the monasterie of Lemster in Herefordshire This historie we haue gathered out of the author of his life in an aunciët manuscript recited by Surius tom 3. William Malmesbury de reg Ang. lib. 2. cap. 9. Iohn Capgraue in his legend Nicholas Harpsfield saec 10. cap. 4. and other English Historiographers who doe all largely speake his prayses The life of S. VLFRICK Confessor and Hermite FEBR. 20 THE worthie champion and braue follower of a monasticall and solitarie life S. Vlfrick was borne in a village called Lenton or Litton eight miles from Bristoll of a meane yet an honest parentage In the same place he was bred and brought vpp till he came to such age and learning that he was made priest Which office he exercised His māner of life in his youth for some yeares space hauing as it was thought receaued it in the feruour of his youth more out of a youthfull leuitie incident to that age then anie way guided by the raynes of true reason For as yet being not well acquainted with the true spirituall knowledge of allmightie God he was ruled more by the impetuous motions of wordly pleasures and delights then by the inward inspiration of the soule Whece it came to passe that he stuck not to staine his priestly function by dayly imploying of him self in the gentlemans slauerie of keeping hawkes and Doggs and following the toilesome sports those dumb beasts could allow him when he had better and more befitting his calling been quietly busied in studie and contemplation But being on a time in hott pursuite of this A poore man foretelleth him of his future life kind of a game he mett by chance with a man that bore the habitt and countenance of a poore begger who verie humbly demaunded for an almes a piece of new money which as yet by reason of the newnes of the coyne comming out of the mint of Henry the first was not verie common in England Therefore VLFRICK answeared him that he knew not whether he had anie of that Kind or noe Looke in thy purse replied the other and there thou shalt find two pence halfpēnie VLFRICK being amazed at this answeare opened his purse and finding as the poore man had sayd he deuoutly gaue him what he asked Who receauing his pennie let him reward thee said he for whose loue thou giuest it And I in his name declare vnto thee that shortly thou shalt depart from this place where now thou liuest vnto an other dwelling thēce againe to another where thou shalt find a quiet habitatiō till after lōg perseuerāce in the seruice of god thou art called to enioy the ioyfull societie of the saincts in heauen II. VLFRICK therefore after a while liued like a poore Priest in He abstayneth from flesh the house of one VVilliam Lord of the village where he was borne had his diet dayly at his table where he layd the first foundation of a new life and entred into a perpetuall abstinence from flesh Till at length his good purposes and deuotion still encreasing he was greatly taken with an earnest desire to embrace an eremiticall and solitarie life and to that end the foresayd Lord doubtlesse not without the particular inspiratiō of the holy Ghost sent him to a village called Hasleburrow in Dorsetshire distant eastward from Excester His austeritie of life about thirtie miles There in a little cell neere adioyning vnto the Church setting aside all thoughts sauouring of the world with great austeritie and mortification of his bodie he purchased the grace and fauour of IESVS CHRIST to his soule For with such an exact and seuere an obseruance of abstinence fasting and watching he mortified his bodie vppon earth that the skinne only sticking vnto the bones he appeared vnto the behoulders as the true picture not of a carnall but of a spirituall man in a humaine shape His daintiest His poore diet and cloathing meate was oaten bread and a kind of gruell or pottage made of oatmeale He neuer dranke wine or anie other drinkes which cause dronkennes but only on principall feastes and then he would tast a little more for the solemnitie of the feast then anie contentment of bodie In watching he was soe diligent and vnwearied that he passed manie nights without anie sleepe nether would he euer giue himself to anie rest but when extreme necessitie and weaknes of nature cōpelled him and then not in bed but leaning his head to a wall he tooke a short allowance of sleepe out of which presently rowsing him self he would much blame chastise his bodie as yielding vnto ouermuch nicenesse His pillow yf that may be called so which he vsed to putt vnder his head was made of rowles or ropes of hay wound vp together He was content with poore simple cloathing lined next to the skinne with a rude shirt of hayre-cloath Till after a while being growne from a freshman to be an old beaten souldier of Christ insteed of his hayre-cloath he wore next vnto his skinne an iron coate of maile which his old lord and master vnderstanding his desire thereof had sent vnto him consecrating that warlick armour His mortification of bodie to the warrefarre of heauen To these his dayly austerities he added others by night farre exceeding them in rigour for in the sharpest cold of winter he was wont hauing first putt of his iron coate to entier naked into a vessell of cold mater where he would remayne reciting psalmes himnes in prayse of allmightie God vntill he had throughly mortified and quēched those dishonest fiers importune motions of the flesh which verie furiously and often assayling his mind sought the ruine of his chastitie but his breast was a firme rock of pure marble that vtterly denied entertaynment to anie such vncleannes And in all this rigour soe vnmercifully exercised vppon him self both in discourse and behauiour he was euer humble and pleasant vnto all others and allthough he seldom or neuer spake to anie man but vnseene and with his window
holy virgin and courteously saluted her rauished with the beautifull beames of her fayre face he began with these sugred words to batter her pious resolution DIMPENA my onely daughter my loue my desire my All what necessitie moued thee soe to contemne the royall dignitie of thy natiue countrey to liue amongst strangers and soe to forgett all filiall loue as to forsake a king thy father and follow this decrepite old Priest obeying his commaundements as his daughter Why hast thou thus despised the royall court who art the only heyresse of the Kingdom of Ireland after thy father Be ruled therefore by my counsell and returne againe into thy countrey with vs for yf thou wilt but consent to thy fathers affections thy head shall be crowned with a royall diadem and thou shalt haue soueraigntie ouer all the princes matrones and Virgins of my kingdom Moreouer I will giue thee a place amongst the Goddesses and cause a temple of white marble to be built into which an image of thy beautie curiously wrought of gould and pretious stones shall be sett to be adored of all the countrey To these words as the holy Virgin thought to answere the venerable Priest Gereberne tooke the word out of her Gereberne reprehendâ— the king mouth and verie sharply rebuked the king with the titles of most wicked and abominable wretch in that he desired incestuously to defile his owne daughter a thing scarse euer within the thoughts of the most lasciuious lechers of the world Admonishing allsoe the then trembling Virgin not to consent to this filthy king lest she should incurre the indignation of the eternall king her spouse whose sweetnes she had allreadie tasted Hereat the king and all his followers pronounced the sentence of death against Gereberne as the authour of the flight and subuersion of Dimpna Therefore with great furie they drew him out of her sight and with their swords cutt him into peeces whereby he Gereberne is martired receaued the glorious crowne of martirdom for the defence of iustice V. THE KING hauing satisfied his furie on the bodie of this holy martir returned againe to his daughter and with a pleasing countenance began againe to perswade her to yeeld to his desire vsing all the reasons and arguments in loues Logick to winne her all which were but as soe manie arrowes shott against a fayre marble for the holy virgin retorted them with S. Dimpna answereth her father these words Wherefore thou vnhappie Tyrant doest thou endeauour with thy wilie promises to peruert me from my holy purpose of chastitie Doest thou thinke thou wretch that I will betray my deare spouse CHRIST IESVS and giue vp my bodie to be possessed by an other Thy princely delights I contemne desiring with my whole soule to obtayne the promises of my heauenly spouse which farre excell all other desires and in comparison hereof I disdaine to be adored in thy countrey as a Goddesse therefore vrge me noe more with these vaine friuolous speeches Then the kings lust turned into furie and his loue into a deadly hate the more he found the feruour of Christian religion to boyle in the brest of his daughter the more fiercely he endeauoured to peruert her And doe not think sayd he to wearie and delude me with thy vaine answers eyther suddenly graunt what I aske or expect to feele the smart of thy fathers anger as thy impostour Gereberne hath done who hath lost his head for the libertie of his tongue VI. WHEREFORE replied she most cruell tyrant hast thou slaine the beloued seruant of God Gereberns in whom thy malice could find noe fault Surely thou shalt not escape the iudgement of allmightie God for this foule act thy Gods and Goddesses I detest and wholly committ my self to the protection of IESVS CHRIST He is my spouse my glorie my health and my only desire Torture me kill me cutt me in peeces I am readie to suffer ioyfully for his sake all the studied cruelties thou canst imagine or inuent It was noe more hate and furie but rage and madnes that now possessed the soule of that miserable king hearing these words from his daughter whom presently he commaunded to be beheadded But all his companie fearing to execute his Dimpâ—a martired by her father cruell commaundment on soe fayre a subject him self quite forgeting all royall nobilitie and clemencie with his owne hands armed with his owne sword cutt off his owne daughters head who when his cruell arme bent that deadly blow against her coursgiously implored and recoÌ„mended her soule to the diuine goodnes which by that cruelly-happie separation was receaued into the heauenly pallace with the glorie of virginitie wayting on the triumph of martirdom O barbarous crueltie of the father I Oglorious triumph of the virgin The father was not ashamed to defile his hands in the bloud of his daughter and she was ioyfull to winne by that meanes the possession of a neuer ending glorie VII THE murderer with his followers returned into his countrey leauing the bodies of those holy martirs in the fields to be deuoured with wild beasts and fowles but CHRIST the king and crownâ— of his martirs did not permitt them to be torne whilst they lay exposed to the open ayre hauing at length stirred vpp some oâ— the adioyning inhabitants who moued with compassion buried their bodies in a caue where our Lord began straight to magnifie their glorie with manie great miracles which were dayly done in that place This gaue occasion to the neighbours thereabouts Miracles at her tomb to seeke those holie reliques and hauing digged deepe in the ground they found two tombs of pure white marble allbeit that countrey yeelds noe stones but what are black and browne and to shew that it was the worke of angels the marble was soe curiously wrought that both the tombs seemed to be of the same peece allthough they were seperated one from the other This miracle encreased the fayth and deuotion of the poeple that flocked thither from all partes to obtaine their health and other fauours of God by the intercession of these holy martirs which were verie liberally bestowed vppon them Afterwards the bodie of S. GEREBERNE was carried to Xaintes and and S. DIMPNAS remayned at Ghole the place of her martitdom till after some yeares the Bishop of Camâ—ray accompained with all his Clergie and an innumerable multitude of poeple translated Translation of her bodie her sacred reliques out of the tomb of marble into a shrine of siluer guilt and adorned with manie pretious stones the fifteenth day of May her martirdom was the thirtith of the same about the yeare of our Lord 600. At this time when the sepulcher was opened they found on the breast of saint DIMPNA a pretious stone like a rubie in which was written DIMPNA VIRGIN AND MARTIR VIII WHO can reade this life without amazement in acknowledging the frailtie and miserie of a man that should fall into such Consideration
inuincible valour strength of bodie others iudged it a safer way to preferre ALFRED thereby to gaine the power of the Normans in that Richard then Duke of Normandie was hâ— vncle But the high and mightie ruler of all things p 〈…〉 t and fâ—ture foreseeing the short life of the one and the immature death of the other turned all their voices and consents to the châ—ldâ—nborne and mooued them to elect for their king an insant â—â—â—vard 〈…〉 as yet â—onâ—ayâ—eâ— in the weake cloisters of his mothers wombe sâ—e thâ—t the whom the land did not yet enioy was ordayned Lord Gorernor of the land and the nobles and Peeres with great ioy did sweare alleageance vnto him of whose birth they were ignorant and vncertaine But this vncertaintie was shortly after taken away by the happie and wished birth of king EDWARD soone after which the fuâ—â—rie of the Danes cruelly inuaded the realme of England spoyling and destroying a great part thereof with fier and sword which mooued king Ethelred to send the queene with her children into Normandie out of the reach of the Danish crueltie where our princely EDWARD S. Edward his vertues being a boy liued in his vncles house a child among others his equalls but allwaies free from such vices as that age is wont to bee inclined vnto He was chast of bodie sparing of his speach plaine in his actions pure in his affections He tooke great delight often to frequent Churches more often to be busied in his prayers to be present at the holy sacrifice of Masse to visit Monasteries religious houses and to enter into a strict league of friendship particularly with such monkes whom true vertue and Religion made worthie to be loued aboue others II. IN THE meane time the enemies sword committed such outrage The Barbarians waste England within the realme of England that all places were filled with slaughter and destruction nothing appeared that was not masked with the grimme vizard of sorrow lamentations clamours and desolation Churches were burnt Monasteries pulled downe and Priests chased out of their seates compelled to lie in secret and desert places to bewaile the coÌ„mon miseries of their countrey When among others the venerable man BRITHWOLD Bishop of Winchester as full of agonie as pittie greif and sorrow could make a pious heart retired to the Monastery of Glassenburie putting his whole confidence in prayers and psalmes to allmightie God Where as in great abundance he powred out his deuotions washt in teares for the deliuerie of the kingdom and people out of these calamities at length he burst out into such like words saying And thou 〈◊〉 Lord how long â—s 12. 43. 87. 〈◊〉 3. how long doest thou turne away thy face doest thou forgett our miseries afflictions They haue slaine thy Saincts destroyed thy aâ—ltars and there is none that can redeeme vs nor bring health vnto vs. I know ô Lord I know that whatsoeuer thou hast done vnto vs is by thy iust iudgement done But what wilt thou for euer cast vs off and wilt thou not beginne to be Psal 76. more pacified as yet When when ô my Lord God shall there be an end of these calamities Or will the sword of thy wrath for euer exercise his crueltie and make a generall slaughter among vs A vision shewed to Bish. Brith wold At length amidst these prayers and teares a sweet slumber seased on his sorrowfull senâ—es wherein as it were in a dreame he beheld the B. Apostle S. PETER seated in an eminent place and king Edward clad in Royall ornaments standing before him with an amiable countenance in most comly and decent manner vnto whom the holy Apostle hauing first with his owne hands consecrated and anneiled him King piously imparted some admonitions and precepts tending to the health and saluation of his soule aboue all things recommending vnto him a single life he reuealed how manie yeares he should raigne and gouerne the Kingdom The Bishop much amazed at this strange vision humbly craued of the Apostle to make knowne the misterie thereof vnto him desiring withall to vnderstand of the present state of the realme and to know his sentence touching the end of their instant miseries To whoÌ„ the Apostle with a pleasing countenance This kingdom said he is our lords who will raigne ouer the sonnes of men he it is that transferreth Dan. 2. kingdoms and chaingeth Empires and to punish the sinnes of the people giueth the gouernement to an hipocrite By sinne the people haue offended our Lord who hath deliuered them captiue into the hands of the Gentils and their hatefull enemies and strangers haue obtained soueraignâ—ie ouer them But God will not forgett to be mercifull neither in his ire will he containe his mercie from you And it shall Psalm 76. come to passe after thy death that our Lord will visitt his people and worke their redemption For he hath selected a man according to his owne heart who in all points shall fulfill his will pleasure and who hauing by my assistance obtained the kingdom of England shall sett a periode to the Danish furie He will be acceptable vnto God gratefull to men dreadfull to his enemies louing to his countrey profitable to the whole Church and at length shall conclude his worthy life with a most blessed and happie end But as the Bishop A Worthie commendation of king Edw. enquired further of Saint EDWARDS posteritie The kingdom of England answeared the holy Apostle belongeth vnto God himself who after this will prouide a king according to the diuine ordinance of his owne will and pleasure III. BVT as yet the furie of this Danish tempest continued and the waues thereof were exalted to the height of an insulting and imperious pride in so much that the common miseries of the land were much encreased by a ciuill discord inward iarring of mens minds amoÌ„gst them selues noe man knowing whom to trust with the secrets of his heart The whole Iland was full of traytours noe true faith to be found noe friendship but was scarred with suspition no coÌ„mon conference but was cloaked with deceitfull dissimulation Till at Canutus king of the Danes a ChristiaÌ„ of great piety chosen king of EnglaÌ„d ann 1016. the lawfull heires being reiected for the vniust murder of S. Edw. the martir halfbrother to Ethelred length the treason of the countrey the craft of the enemie preuayâ—â—ed soe farre that king Ethelred being dead most part of the realme â—or saking the lawfull heyres of their late king gaue vp obedieÌ„ce vnto Canutus that wroÌ„gfully had inuaded cruelly spoyled the kingdom and the mightie Edmond Jronside when he had valiantly ouerthrowne the Danes in three seuerall battles being at length by the treacherie of Eadrick Duke of the Mercians cruelly murdred his little children were taken out of their cradles deliuered to the pittilesse furie of the Barbarians to be slaine And ALFRED S. EDWARDS elder
desires he feared to discouer and betray the sweet secret of his holy purpose on the other side by consenting to their petitions he mistrusted the vtter ruine of hâ—s vowed chastetie At length iudging it the safer way to yeeld to their earnest importunities he recommended his chastetie vnto God his only hope and refuge in distresse saying O good Lord thy mercie hâ—eretofore preserued the three children from harme in the midst of the Chaldeans fierie furnace By thee holy Ioseph leauing his cloake in the hands of the adultrous woman escaped with the iust Dan. 3. Gen. 39. Dan. 13. Iuâ—ith 12 title of chastetie By thy vertue the incomparable constance of Susanna triumphed ouer the wicked allurements of the dishonest Elders and holy Judiths virginitie vnder the wings of thy safegard could receaue neither taint nor blemish from the wicked minded Holosâ—rnes Behould ô Lord how I thy poore seruant the sonne of thy handmayd and after a fashion an honorer and louer of thee and thy Virgin-mother doe humbly beseech thy ayde and assistance that soe I may receiue this Sacrament of mariage that I may not incurâ—e the hazard of my vowed chastetie Therefore forcing himself Maâ—â—ieth against â—is will vnwillingly to consent to his nobilitie he tooke to wife Edith the daughter of Count Godwin This Godwin was a man of great wealth but of a notable subtletie a traitour both to the King and countrey who trained vp in the schoole of deceipt was accustomed soe craftily to dissemble in all things that he could winne the peoples consent to anie manner of seditious faction at his pleasure And therefore Edith his wife a vertuouâ— brache of a wicked sâ—ocke to his daughter was applied this verse as a prouerb Sicut spina rosam genuit Godwinus Editham which may be thus englished From rugged thorne as springs the sweetest rose Soe EDITH fayre from wicked GODWINgrowes For she was a holy Virgin whom it seemes Chrâ—st our Sauiour had prepared for his beloued EDWARD infusing into her from the verie cradle the loue of chastetie hate of all vices and a singular affectioÌ„ to vertue By continuall reading and labour of her hands she â—uoyded idlenes and secured her self from the staines of lasciuious thoughts and the danger of youthfull conferences prouoking thereâ—nto Therefore this godly couple being mett together agreed both â—n one holy purpose vowing alwaies to spend their liues in chasteâ—ie â—udging it expedient to admitt noe other witnes of this faithfull promise He coâ—enanteth vvith his vvife to liue cast then God him self Soe that she became a wife in mind but not in bodie he a husband in outward coÌ„sent but not in act A matrimoniall loue remained betweene them without the act of matrimonie an vnion of two chaste affections without anie preiudice to virginitie He was loued but not corruptedly she affected but left vn touched and like vnto an other Abisag she warmed the king with loue but did not prouoke him to lust delighted him with obedience 3. Reg. 1. but did not make him effeminate with vnchast desires VII BVT THE good name and fame of queene Emme his mother Thomas Rudburn mon. winton in chron Queene Emme his mother wroÌ„gfully accused of incontinencie was branded with manie false reports by the instigation of Robert A chbishop of Canturbury and Godwin Earle of Kent who iointly accused her before the king of diuers crimes and especially that vnder colour of priuate deuotions she vsed the companie of Alwin Bishop of Winchester with more then honest familiaritie to her owne great dishonor and the kings disgrace And they aggrauated the matter with manie vehement exclamations that such offences soe scandalous ought not to be left vnpunished for that it would be an instaÌ„ce for others to committ the like With these and such like speeches the good king whose pious simplicitie was not acquainted with the subtleties of their falsehood was perswaded to giue vp the whole examination of the matter to Robert the Archbishop who presently caused a Councell of other Bishops to be assembled at Winchester and imprisoned Queene Emme in the Monasterie of Werwell and Alwine at Winchester In the meane time the miserable Queene more greiued at the infamie raysed against Alwine then at her She complaines to the councell of Bishops owne made her complaint before the Bishops that she was grieuously oppressed and wronged by the malicious detractions of her aduersaries earnestly craueâ—ng some helpe and redresse from them and withall shewing a great readines on her part to make knowne her innocencie by anie reasonable meanes and conditions as should be thought conuenient when the Bishops with the king had easily composed all these troubles if Robert of Canturbury had not soe vehemently withstood their good endeauours by aggrauating his malice against her and heaping togeather manie falâ—e crimes to her infamie in soe much that she was content for the satisfaction of the world and cleering the imputation of her innocencie to purge her self with as sharpe a triall as anie that is recorded by vndergoeing the ouer hard law of Ordalium which is to passe ouer hott burning irons barefooted and for this end the king drawne therevnto by their importunitie assigned her a day to be tried at Winchester in S. SWITHVNES Church whither she came the night before and imploying She cleerâ—th her self miraculously all that time in prayer at his tombe she deuoutly recommended her self her cause vnto God and his B. Sainct And on the morrow in presence of the king her sonne manie of his Nobles and Peeres and an infinite number of people of all sortes and sexes being led betweene two Bishops clad in a meane and simple garment her eyes and hands lifted vp towards heauen she passed ouer nine glowing red hott shares barefooted without anie feeling of hurt vseing this speech to her leaders as not knowing she was past the danger O Lord when shall J come to the place of my purgation But vnderstanding she had alreadie walked vppon and ouer those fierie instruments she presently looked back and then first beheld the burning shares when straight falling vppon her knees with teares she gaue thankes to her deliuerer whereby she recouered both the loue and her auncient estate of the king who now seeing the manifest proofes of her integritie cast him self downe at his mothers feete humbly desiring pardon for his oueâ— much facilitie in permitting her spotlesse innocencie to be soe hardly tried and exposed to the perill of such an infamie and the better to expiate this vnaduised fault of his he willingly submitted him self to receiue some few blowes with a rodd on the bare back giuen by the hands of the Bishops and his weeping mother But the nine plough-shares were A rare example of huâ—â—lâ—tie in S. Edw. in memorie hereof reserued in the Beneâ—icâ—ine Monasterie of Winchester and for the better recording of the same the king gaue three mannours the Queene nine
his bishoprick led a priuate life in the Kingdom of Mercia or Middle England This done our holy SWIBERT adorned with episcopall authoritie fortified with the comfortable speeches of S. WILFRID returned againe to Utreight He iâ— famous ouer the coutrey courragiously to follow on his pious enterprise adorning his new receaued dignities with a new list of vertues behauing him self from hence forth with great humilitie meeknes simplicitie iustice and all other degrees of perfection and making these vertues as it were the baites to take and winne soules out of the deluge of Idolatrie to the secure and quiet shore of CHRISTS Church by the force of his diuine learning and vnwearied labour of preaching Which tooke soe good effect that in diuers parts of Friseland and allmost all the countrie of Teisterband the poeple were conuerted to the fayth and manie Churches raysed and built on the ruines of Idolatrie were consecrated to the seruice of IESVS-CHRIST Soe that S. SWIBERT growing to be of great fame and estimation in all those countries for his singular vertue and miracles and being an amazement to the Pagans and Pagan priests it pleased the diuine goodnes to glorifie him more and more with wonders to the confusion of the â—â—ntils and great aduancement of his Church VII FOR being to dedicate a Church at Malsen in the Countie of Teisterband vppon the riuer Linghen a yong gentleman called Splinter van Andengin desiring out of curiositie to see the rites and ceremonies which the Christians vsed in the dedication of Churches and chiefly to see SWIBERT their bishop of whom he had heard such wonders coming ouer the riuer Rhene fell by chaunce out of the boate drowned leauing both the shores full of the fruitlesse lamentations and teares of his fellowes and seruants that dolefully bewayled their losse The same day about noone he was taken vp by certaine fishers and brought as dead as a hearing to Duerstat to the sorowfull house of his vnconsolable parents who through the perswasion of their Idolatrous Priests caused him to be carried to the Temple of Mars trusting that he could cure the wound giuen by Neptune and to that end they besought his warlik power with The God mars called vppon in vaine manie sacrifices to restore the yong man to life but all in vaine Which his father perceauiÌ„g coÌ„sidering that their poore Gods were not wont to bestow guifts of life soe liberally he was perswaded by some deuout Christians to entreate B. SWIBERT to come to his ay de who was the likelier to prooue a better Aduocate in his behalf in that matter of life and Death To him thereforeÌ„ he went and falling at his feet he began to open his miserie when a floud of teares soe stopt the current of his discourse that in them and his sighs the whole force of his eloquence seemed to consist But the holy Bishop S Swib entreated to ralsea dead maÌ„ refuseth gathering his meaning out of that dolefull speech was very vnwilling to vndertake a matter of soe great presumption till ouercome with the weeping rhetorick of his importunitie the prayers of Werenfride and Marcellin his fellowes he went with him whom an infinite multitude of poeple stood expecting on the banks of the Riuer Rhene When entring the village Duerstat the dolefull mother of the drowned youth carried beyond all degrees of sorrow ranne to meet him and falling at his feet in the midst of the street cried out O seruant of the true God helpe me and reuiue my sonne by the power of thy God for our Gods are all too weake to doe it S. SWIBERT applying a salue of comfort to the deepe wound of her sorow went to the house where the dead bodie was layd and commaunding his fellow-disciples to fall hartily to their prayers he allso betooke him self earnestly to his in the midst of that weeping multitude of poeple and trembling Flamins of the Pagans His prayer ended he arose and putting his whole confidence in our Lord IESVS-CHRIST he sayd O thou only comforter of our sadnes who didest once affirme with thy sacred mouth whosoeuer beleeueth Ioan. 14. v. 12 in me the works that I doe he allsoe shall doe and greater then these he shall doe voutchafe to shew the power of thy Diuinitie in raysing this man from death to life And taking him by the hand he sayd 〈◊〉 He rayseh a dead man to life the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST crucified I bid thee rise and liue and prayse thy creatour At these words he that before was dead opened his eyes and waking as it were out of a profound sleepe he arose and embracing the holy Sainct cried out with great sighs there is noe other God in heauen and earth but IESVS-CHRIST crucified whom SWIBERT preacheth O the wonderfull life of this blessed Sainct whose prayers banished death from the bodie of an other and spoiled hell of its pray And presently all the beholders much astonished with the noueltie of this great miracle highly extolled the diuine pietie with loud shouts of ioy and thanksgiuing that daigned to ennoble his seruant with soe miraculous a remonstrance of his goodnes And the Heathen Priests togeather with the parents of the new reuiued youth and a great multitude of poeple renouncing the errours of Idolatrie beleeued in IESVS-CHRIST soe that there were baptised 126. persons besides woemen and children When soe great a noise and clamour was raysed in 126. persons conuerted the street by the Pagans that desired to see the newly reuiued yong man that S. SWIBERT compelled therevnto for the greater honour and glorie of God lead him out amongst them in his hand as a liuing trophie of his owne vertue to be seene of all that pressing multitude of poeple who when they beheld him walking in the street with lowd shoutes and cries they made the heauens resound with the Ecchos of these words Great is the God of the Christians and manie beleeued in CHRIST the worker of miracles through the perswasion of the holie Bishop and had their soules reuiued in the sacred font of baptisme With whom S. SWIBERT remayned a good while feeding and confirming the weakenes of their fayth with the solid foode of his learning till the whole village of Duerstat was throughly conuerted to the truth VIII IN the meane time S. WILLIBRORD ordayned Bishop of Frizeland by the speciall authoritie of Pope Sergius returned from Rome and placed his episcopall sea in the towne of Vtreight in a Cathedrall Church of Benedictin Monks-Canons dedicated to S. MARTIN Willibrord Bishop of Vtreight Bishop of Tours vnto whom the Benedictines were allwaies peculiarly deuoted And Radbod king of Frizeland being dead the two holy Bishops obtained greater libertie publickly â—opreach the ghospell of CHRIST throughout the whole couÌ„trey whereby their holy labours tooke soe good effect that the couÌ„tie of TeisterbaÌ„d allmost all HollaÌ„d a great part of neather Friseland were awaked out of the
in morall matters ought to be preferred before allmost all the doctours of the Church He died the twelfth day of March in the yeare of our Lord 607. the third of Phocas the Emperour But that I may end where I began how farre is the greatest part of our wretched Countrey fallen from that religion which this The conclusion holy Pope first planted therein Nay such as he him self and the Apostles he sent were that is Priests and Monks are now held for wicked traitours and whatsoeuer slanders worse can be vttered against their holy profession and function O what would Blessed Sainct GREGORY say yf he liued now to see his pious labours come at length to soe vnhappie a periode to see Churches pulled downe Monasteries robbed priests tortured imprisoned and hanged all goodnes pietie and religion expelled and beatten into corners all vice impietie and heresie set abroach to lead men hedlong into the bottomlesse gulphes of damnation But let vs hope at lest for better and expect till the goodnes of allmightie God shal please to receaue vs againe into his fauour whose eternall prouidence doubtlesse hath permitted vs to fall into these miseries being pulled therevnto with the weight of our owne heauie sinnes and offences Let vs make our dayly prayers vnto our Lord I. C. that by the merits and intercession of this glorious Sainct our first Father and Apostle whom he soe highly exalted both in heauen and earth that he would graunt vs the grace to imitate that patterne of life and religioÌ„ which he hath layd before vs in his owne workes and sent vs at first by his disciples Whose care of our Countrey as in his life it was verie great soe since his death eueÌ„ to this day he hath not forgotten vs for as then he sent his Benedictin Monks to bring the first tidings of catholick religion amongst vs English soe yet he ceaseth not to send from a monasterie lately built and dedicated to his holy name manie learned men of the same Benedictin order and religion to labour in the conuersion of soules to their auncient catholique and Apostolique fayth For whom I the vnworthiest amongst them dare bouldly auouch soe much that they are all readie to seale the writing of that fayth religioÌ„ which they preach with the testimonie of their owne dearest bloud God of his infinite mercie through the merits of this glorious sainct graunt grace vnto our wretched countrey soe to listen vnto those and others her teachers that she may returne againe to the vnitie of our holy mother the Catholique and Apostolique Church Amen The life of S. PATRICK Bishop and confessor Apostle of Jreland MAR. 17 VVriten by Ioceline a Monk of Furnes SAINCT PATRICK for the excellencie of his vertues worthyly surnamed the Great was borne of the race of auncient Britans in that part of Wales now called Pembrookshire but the glorie and fame of his diuine learning life and miracles shined chiefly among His parents the inhabitans of Jreland who then were called Scotts His fathers name was Calphurnius his mothers Conquessa sister to the great Sainct MARTIN Archbishop of Tours In his Youth togeather with his two sisters and a brother he was taken Captiue and like an other Joseph sould into Ireland to a king named Milcho And as Joseph He is sould into IrelaÌ„d being a Slaue in Egipt was after a long â—uffring of aduersitie raysed at length to the supreme power Princedom of the countrey soe PATRICK hauing endured the affliction of his sale and slauerie in Ireland receaued the dignitie and primacie of the spirituall gouernment of the same Joseph furnished the hunger-starud EgiptiaÌ„s with graine PATRICK in his time nourished the poore Jrish languishing in the blindnes of Idolatrie with the wholesom foode of the Christian fayth They both tasted the smart of bodyly affliction for the greater good of the soule and were as gould in a furnace purified in the scorching flames of aduersitie Then by the commaund of the Prince PATRICK was made gardian of the Kings hoggs in the north part of the Countrey when it was strange to see He keepeth swine the wonderfull encrease of that ffock vnder soe pious a guide The holy youth bowing humbly to his fortune turned that necessitie His exercise of pietie being in miâ—erie into a vertue and hauing by this office purchased to him self a solitarines he piously laboured in the sauation of his owne soule Dwelling in the mountaines woods and caues of a desert he exercised him self in prayer fasting and meditation wherein he tasted the diuine sweetnes of allmightie God being amidst these afflictions often visited and conforted with angels from heauen It was not the crueltie eyther of heate cold frost or snow or anie other roughnes of weather that could fright him from his spirituall exercises But he still went on corragiously in his pious course dayly encreasing and profitting more and more in the way of vertue and growing stronger in fayth and the loue of IESVS-CHRIST II. AT LENGTH the allmightie goodnes that freed the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egipt deliuered his seruant Patrick by speciall miracle out of this affliction and restored him after six yeares seruitude in Ireland to his natiue contrey and friends He hath a vision againe to the great ioy and confort of his parents and kinsfolks He remayned some dayes with them till by the occasioÌ„ of a dreame or vision he was inspired otherwise For he saw a man in his sleepe who as he throught came out of Ireland with manie letters in his hand whereof he gaue him one which began thus This is the voice of the Irishmen And hauing read soe much he seemed at the same instant to heare the voyces of manie infants in Jreland crying out of their mothers wombs We beseech thee holy Father come walke amongst vs and deliuer vs. And a waking he gaue thanks vnto allmigtie God iudging for certaine that God had called him to coÌ„uert that couÌ„trey Therefore he resolueed to settle him self to the studie of holy learning and the better to putt his resolution in practise like an other Abraham he left his countrey parents friends and all and went ouer into France where vnder the learned tutorship of He studieth in France vnder S. German S. GERMANS Bishop of Aâ—xer he spent eighteen yeares in the continuall studie and reading of holy scriptures And at length the fame holy bishop seeing the great signes of vertue learning and religion in PATRICK promoted him to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood Then he departed to his vncle S. MARTIN Archbishop of Tours with whom he stayed some daies reading and conferring what he had learned And because S. MARTIN was a monk he gaue likewise the monasticall habit to his cozen togeather with all his manner of regular obseruance which PATRICK not only receaued with deuotion but perseuering euer after therein was an ornameÌ„t to the habitt he wore with the
in the sight and conference he had of his old Master LANFRANCK the Archbishop between whom discoursing of manie graue affayres fell at this time that famous disputation mentioned in his life of S. ELPHEGVS the Martir Afterwards he returned againe to his Monasterie and gouerned the same the space of fifteene yeares with all vertue belonging to a good prelate In the meane time William Conquerour died leauing the crowne to his onne William Rufus who by all indirect waies possible sought to oppresse and empouerish the Clergie and Church thereby to satisfie his owne vnbridled couetousnes and with their gould to giue a glorious outside to his owne wickednes Wherevppon S. ANSELME at the earnest entreatie of the nobles resolued to come againe into England But in the meane time Lanfrank being dead a rumour arose of the aduancing of ANSELME to the Archiepiscopall sea of Canturbury which made him ô wonderfull contēmpt of honour to deferre his iourney for fiue yeares space How manie be there now adaies that would haue taken poste in this case X. COMING at length to Canturbury he was saluted by the Benedictine monks and others as their future Prelate which he tooke soe S. Anselme refuseth the stile of Archbishop heynously that the next day he departed before the sunne was guiltie of his being in towne allbeit it were the verie feast of the Natiuitie of our Ladie refusing to be wonne by anie prayers to celebrate there that solemnitie Thence he went to King William and dealt freely with him to amend his manner of life to order the common wealth in better fashion as well in Ecclesiasticall as temporall affayres telling him withall what an ill opinion of his bad life was blowne ouer the world But the king was deafe to all good counsell till falling into a grieuoussicknes he beganne to make him remember him self and hearken a litle more to his pious perswasions His is chosen Archbishop of Cauturbury In the meane time being putt in mind that the sea of Canturburie was void of a Pilot that that Mother-Church of England had manie yeares been a widdow he proclaimed ANSELME to be the most worthie of that dignitie that the disciple might succeed his master And this his proposition was presently accepted with the common consent and applause of the Benedictin monks of Canturbury vnto whom the election of the Archbishop belonged and the generall liking of the poeple Only ANSELME with might and maine resisted this election and obstinately refused to vndertake the dignitie with teares alleadging manie reasons and excuses he made manie protestations that it was a verie foolish and ouerthwart proceeding to ioyne to the plough an ould sheepe yoakt with an vntamed bull by the bull meaning king William But all in vaine for the pastorall staffe was forcibly thrust into his hands him self violently drawne into the next Church was proclaymed Archbishop and his election witnessed with manie ioyfull acclamations and singing of the himme Te Deum Laudamus c. And now the day of his consecration and installation at Canturbury was prefixed to the fourth of December when by the opening of the bible this Sentence fell to S. ANSELMES lott Homo quidam fecit caenam magnam vocanit multos c. XI AT THE first King William shewed goodwill and friendship Note the couetousnes of the king towards S. ANSELME in hope that being now aduanced to soe great dignitie he would bestow some worthie present vppon him but as soone as he perceaued that ANSELME had noe such meaning he beganne to repent him self of this one allbeit a rare good deed and being wholly giuen by hooke or by crooke as they say to gett money he not soe required as exacted a friendly guift of a thousand pound sterling for a gratuitie for his aduancement to the Archbishoprick But saint ANSELME hating that vnroyall couetousnes in the King was determined not to send him a pennie Till swayed by the counsell of manie friends lest he should greatly exasperate the king to the greater detriment of the whole English Church he sent him fiue hundred pound promising to gratifie his Maiestie more largely when occasion serued William vtterly refused to accept that present as too slender and sparing a reward for a king Whereat S. ANSELME greatly reioyced because by this meanes he cleered him self frō all staine of honour which for this fact malice might haue layd to King William mooued against S. Anselme his charge And without anie delay he distributed that whole summe of money to the poore Afterwards he began to call vppon the King to haue a Councell assembled for the reforming of the Clergie and establishing of Ecclesiasticall discipline in the Church But his good intētions receiued a sharpe rebuke from the king who sought by all meanes to breake all the liberties of the Church in persecuting the Clergie inuading the Ecclesiasticall goods and other such outrages that the holy man could nether hinder his vniust proceedings noe execute his function in peace Soe that allbeit he were wholely disposed to stand strongly in defence of the truth and the freedom of the Church yet then he iudged it more expedient for the auoyding of greater inconuenience which euen the other bishops and countrey backed with the authoritie and power of the King might cause to absent him self a while out of England imagining that to be the safest way both to appease the enraged king and qualifie the tempest of the countrey XII THEREFORE he made a supplication to the king to permitte him to goe to Rome to obtaine from Pope Urban the second the Pall due vnto his archiepiscopall seate The king amazed at this demaund answered that noe man in his kingdom should acknowledge anie Pope of Rome without his consent and that he him self was after a fashion Pope within his owne dominiōs Which answere infinitly afflicted the holy archbishop who to extinguish this sparke of infernall fier before it went anie further assembled a Councell He summoneth a Councell of the Bishops Abbbots and peeres of the realme wherein hauing declared the kings mind the consequence and importance of the matter he found the greatest part of the bishops inclined to subscribe to the Princes will soe great is the power of flatterie and ambition ioyned with the authoritie of a furious and resolute king for they cried out alowd that he was a person impious and rebellious to the king and state whosoeuer would attempt to maintaine anie obedience in England to be due to anie but king William alone as well in Ecclesiasticall as temporall matters robbing the Pope hereby of his primacie and soueraigne power ouer all the Catholick Church S. ANSELME seeing this vnlawfull proceeding and that he could not resist against soe horrible a streame desired leaue of the king to leaue the kingdom and goe to Rome but he receiued diuers times a bitter deniall The king allwaies affirming that he would hould him as an enemie to his crowne
the instant when King Edgar sonne of Edmond was borne he heard sing an Anthime foretelling peace to the English Church by that happie byrth Allsoe at the Church of Bathe being verie seriously detayned in his prayer he beheld the soule of a yong Monke whom he had brought vp at Glastenbury carried vp by troupes of Angels into heauen And it was found that that youth The deâ—ill appearâ—th died at the same instant Being afterwards in his iourney to the King who in great hast had sent for him he was mett in the way by the deuill who very petulantly and like a Buffoone reioyced and sported him self before him Being demaunded the cause of his mirth he answered that the King DVNSTANS friend would shortly die which should be a cause of great trouble in the kingdom and he hoped that the next king would not fauour DVNSTAN nor his adherents But this Master of lies could The death of king Edmond as 946. not vtter two true tales togeather for allbeit it fell out indeed that king Edmond was slaine in his Pallace within seauen daies after yet his Brother Edred succeeded a man worthyly feruent in the seruice of Allmightie God and whoe honoured DVNSTAN with noe lesse loue fauour and reuerence then his predecessor Nay Elphâ—gâ—s Bishop of Winchester being dead king Edred with manic prayers sollicited sainct DVNSTAN to succeed in that Sea whose absolute refusall of that dignitie much grieued the good kings mind made him deale with good Queene Edgine his mother to perswade DVNSTAN to accept it but all in vaine for nether the mothers nor the sonnes entreaties could preuayle to make him take it IX AFTERWARDS sainct DVNSTAN went to visitt his The death of king Edred brethren at Glastenbury where he had not stayd long but king Edred being fallen mortally sick sent for him in all hast Who trauelling speedyly towards the Court heard a voyce from heauen that sayd King EDRED rests in peace And at the very sound of those words his horse fell dead vnder him without anie hurt to the rider Then going sorrowfully to the sorrowfull Court togeather with his fellowes he committed the bodie of the King to the Mother The bad life of king Edwin Earth Edwin the sonne of King Edmond succeeded in the gouernment of the Kingdom who filthyly defiled both the beginning and progresse of his whole raigne For omitting the impietie crueltie and tyrannie wherewith he outraged all sacred and prosane things he was a man soe beyond measure addicted to the pleasures of lust and lasciuiousnes that he languished in the loue of the mother and her daughter both togeather vsing both their bodies at his pleasure And which is horrible to be spoken on the verie day of his Coronation dinner being ended he forsoke the companie of all the Bishops Abbots Princes and Nobles of the realme and went into his priuate chamber where he sate in the midst embracing the mother and daughtér his ordinary strumpets Which act caused a great scandall and indignation amongst the Princes and Nobles then present Wherevppon the rest excusing them selues out of feare to incurre the kings anger S. DVNSTAN was seÌ„t to draw Note the great zeale of S. Dunstan him out off that lewd companie Who entring the chamber and finding the king hauing layd by his royall crowne dallying on the bed betweene those two naughtie woemen first with a sterne looke he sharply rebuked their lasciuiousnes and then with a low voyce he humbly entreated the king to redeeme this publick scandall and to returne to his Peeres to gladden them with his royall presence But the King anger and shame striuing in his mind for the mastrie absolutly refused to come Then DVNSTAN in the zeale of a holy anger tooke him fast by the hand and clapping the Diadem vppon his head drew him violently into the Hall amongst his Nobles These wicked woemen were soe ashamed and offended herewith that they perswaded the King allsoe highly enraged against S. DVNSTAN to banish him out of the kingdom Who not only banished S. DVNSTAN but sent wicked officers to the monasteries of Glastenbury to seaze vppon all the goods that belonged vnto it The like iniustice he vsed to manie other monasteries of England not only despoyling them of their lands goods and reuenewes but banishing the Monks allsoe that maintayned the profession and defence of a chast life Then the Abbey of Malmesbury sayth William a monke of the same place which sor the space of two hundred threescore and ten yeares before had been inhabited by Monkes Dereg l. 2. c. 7. was made a stable of secular Clerkes X. S. DVNSTAN therefore hauing receaued the decree of his banishment departed out of England ioyfull in his heart that he was worthy to suffer for the defence of iustice and loue of chaâ—itie He went into Flanders where the Lord of that countrey courteously entertayned him at the Cittie of Gaunt and there in the exercise of true pietie and religion he expected how it should please the diuine See the crueltie of a detestable woeman wisedon to dispose of him But the foresayd woeman or rather infernall furies were not satisfied with his banishment but plotted to haue him surprised by the way and robbed of his eyes which they fayled to execute for when the instruments of this crueltie arriued at the Port the Sainct had allreadie hoist sayles and was gone Our Lord greatly conforted Sainct DVNSTAN in this banishment by the meanes of his holy Apostle Sainct ANDREW to whom he was euer peculiarly denoted who visited him often and appeared vnto him with words and promises of great consolation In the meane time the allmightie and heauenly wisedome cast a mercifull eye on the English nation and vsed meanes for the perpetuall consolation thereof againe to restore DVNSTAN the Father of the countrey into his former and farre greater degrees of place and dignitie For the Northumbers and Mercians withdrew themselues King Edwin iustly punished from the subiection of King Edwin and made the Noble Edgar his brother their Prince vnder whose conduct they persecuted Edwin and droue him beyond the riuer Thames soe that all the couÌ„trey from thence to Humber was wholly subiect vnto Edgar And with in a short time death hauing ended the quarrell and taken away Edwin Edgar remayned Monarke of all England Who being desirous Edgar recalleth S. Dunstati to establish his kingdome with peace and iustice caused all the outrages committed by his predecessor to be repayred monasticall and Church-goods to be restored and by messengers sent into Flanders recalled S. DVNSTAN into the Countrey with great honour and reuerence committing him self and all his affayres to be ruled He is made Bishop of Worcester and ordered by the prudence of his care and counsell Moreouer that greater dignitie might authorise all his proceedings with manie prayers he perswaded him to accept the bishoprick of Worcester and he was consecrated at Canturbury
by the hands of S. ODO the Archbishop Then this holy Prelat returning to his Church discharged the part of a most worthy Pastour vsing an extreme vigilance ouer his flock which he gouerned with wonderfull integritie vnremoued constancie and discrete seueritie XI BVT the bishop of London being dead after mature deliberation for a successour noe man was found soe worthy as S. DVNSTAN And of London soe that he was coÌ„pelled to vndertake the gouernment of that Sea allsoe wheÌ„ how rarely he did the office of a holy Prelat in both these places it goes beyond the force of weake words to declare At length by the vnanimous consent of all he was chosen Archbishop of Canturbury when he went to Rome according to the custom of those times and obtained his Palle of the Pope who sent him back with all the authoritie and dignitie belonging to the Metropolitan of England At his returne with great honour applause he was receaued and installed in the Archiepiscopall Sea of Canturbury when assuming for his armour of proofe the word of God he strengthened him self against the Prince of the world and began on all sides to destroy and ruine his members with a resolute constancie and a coÌ„stant resolution of true pietie vertue and religion XII A COVNT noe lesse rich the powerfull had vnlawfully married He excommunicateth an incestuous Count. his owne neece against whom S. DVNSTAN hauing the second and third time admonished and sharply rebuked for that incestuous offence seeing noe hope of amendment vsed the sword of abscision and by the sentence of excoÌ„munication cutt him off from the communion of the Church The Count much incensed herewith had recourse to the King and to the Pope to make his peace with DVNSTAN but finding that both their entreaties could nothing moue the holy Prelate who remayned firme as a rock that could not be shaken with anie thing admiring the coÌ„stancie of the Sainct fearing left his malediction should cause the ruine of his soule he diuorced him self from that vnlawfull wife And when DVNSTAN presided in a Nationall Synod of the whole realme the Count came barefoote Behould a rare example of publick peanance into the place cloathed in a poore wollen habit with a handfull of rods in his hand casting him self in that full assemblie at the feete of the holy Prelate with a woefull pietie craued pardon of his fault offring him the rods to be chastised and absolued from the excommunication and admitted to the sacrameÌ„ts of the Church At which sight the whole companie was mooued to pittie and coÌ„passion and DVNSTAN more then the rest Yet obseruing all waies the rigour of discipline in his countenance a while he coÌ„tayned his vrging teares but with difficultie till being entreated by the whole Councell with weeping words he gaue him pardon and absolution XIII BVT this was nothing in respect of that which he did to King King Edgars offence Edgar whom soe highly he honoured in the punishing of an enormious sinne which he had committed to the great scandall of the countrey The King coming once to the Monasterie of 〈◊〉 Nunnes at Wilton chanced to see a fayre yong mayde excelling both in nobilitie and beautie that liued there as a tabler amongst the other Nunnes of whom he became fondly amorous and desired to haue conference with her in a secret place The Mayde being carefull of her owne chastitie and fearing left the king might offer violeÌ„ce in such an opportunitie tooke the vayle froÌ„ one of the other religious woemen putt it on her owne head supposing that he would attempt noe dishonestie against her thus vayled Whom when the King beheld in that manner Thou art quickly made â—â— Nunne sayd he and pulling the vayle off her head rauished her by force such cruell enemies to the soule our eyes are that they robbe vs of our hearts This fact was cause of great scandall in the Kingdom till the newes arriued at the eares of saint DVNSTAN who was strucken with great sorow thereat Therefore hastening presently to the King and he as his manner was coming to meeâ—e him and offring to take him by the hand to leade him in with honour DVNSTAN with a frowning looke drew back his hand and Would not suffer him to touch it Whereat the King greatly amazed demaunded the reason of this strangnes To whom saint Note the zeale and constancie of S. Dunstan DVNSTAN Thou breaking all lawes of shamefastnes hast playd the adulterer thou despising God and not fearing the signe of chastitie hast robbed a Virgin of her integritie and doest thou aske why I giue the not my hand that sacrificeth the Sonne of the Virgin to his allmightie Father to be polluted with thy impure fingers First wash thy hands from filth with the teares of penance and then that thou maiest be reconciled to Gods grace honour and embrace the sacred hands of a Bishop The King who suspected nothing lesse then DVNSTAN to be guiltie of that secret was The great humilitie of King Edgar strangely amazed at these sharpe words and presently like an other Dauid he became penitent and throwing him self prostrate at the Bishops feete with words full of teares and sighs acknowledged his fault and desired penance DVNSTAN seeing soe great an example of humilitie in the King ranne to him and hauing lifted him from the ground began with a pleasing countenance to deale familiarly His seauen yeares peanance with him touching his soules health and inioyned him seauen yeares penance for satisfaction Who hauing obtayned a Pontisicall absolution ioyfully performed his penance and exercised manie other workes of pietie ouer and aboue by the instinct and counsell of S. DVNSTAN Moreouer remayning euer after constant in the loue and seruice of Allmightie God he very worthyly promoted both the ciuill and the Ecclesiasticall discipline of his realme was verie carefull to see iustice obserued to which end he established manie good lawes whereby he deserued to haue his kingdom adorned with soe manie heauenly benefitts and blessings that during his raigne nothing seemed to be wanting that any way belonged to the commoditie of a well-ordered and happie Common-wealth XIV NETHER doe I sayth Harpsfield beleeue this great felicitie Saec. 10. cap. 3. to haue flowed from anie other fountaine then that Edgar from a child allthough sometimes in his youth he suffered vnder human frailtie was allwaies piously affected to God and diuine things by which the rest of the common-wealth all his happines depended and that he vsed these most faythfull most friendly most wise and most holy Counsellours OSWALD ETHELWOLD and aboue all DVNSTAN who piously and holyly gouerned his youth in the way of vertue and good life And the holy documents which he suckt from their mouthes he afterwards fullfilled in his deedes and examples Whence it came to passe that by his royall meanes and by the counsâ—ll and ayde of these three worthie Bishops and
afterwards Queene of Scotland who according to her name appeared indeed as a pretious Margarite before God and man For in the prime of her florishing age when others of such royall byrth are wont to decline to the vaine pleasures of the world she beganne to order her life according to the rules of continencie to loue God aboue all things to applie her self to the reading of diuine learning and with a delight to exercise and follow the rules and precepts of her reading Afterwards compelled by the importunitie of her friends more She marrieth Malcoline King of Scotland then her owne desires she was giuen in marriage to Malcoline King of Scotland when allbeit necessitie constrayned her to deale in worldly affayres yet she neuer soe tied her mind thereto as to forgett or omitt her spirituall exercise for she was more delighted with doing good workes then in the royall possession of her wealth and riches By her prudent counsell discretion and industrie the lawes of the realme were maintayned and the Catholick religion encreased Then her nothing was more firme in fayth more constant in patience grauer in counsell iuster in giuing iudgement and pleasanter in discourse II. MOREOVER she was wonderfully liberall to adorne Churches Her liberalitie to the Churches enriching them with gould and siluer vessells and very pretious ornaments in the place where her royall wedding was celebrated she built a fayre Church in honour of the holy Trinitie and beautified it with great store of riches and amongst others with a fayre Crucifix garnished with gould and many pretious stones She gouerned her familie in the loue and feare of God and especially her The gouernment of her children and familie children whom she would her self iustruct oftentimes in Christian doctrine vsing soe sweet a seueritie and soe seuere a sweetnes towards those vnder her charge that they all loued her with feare and feared her with loue in soe much that noe man in her presence durst presume to speake an vnseemly word Nay besides the often admonitions and continuall instructions of her children this pious Mother who may rightly be termed the Margurite of mothers would dayly powre out her deuout prayers and teares for them that hauing attayned to the knowlege of allmightie God they might truely serue him and by seruing him come to his loue and by his diuine loue purchase eternall happines with his Saincts Manie times all soe she would putt the She moueth the King to good workes King her husband in mind to exercise the workes of iustice mercie almes-deeds and all other acts of Christian vertues whom by the inward working of allmightie God in his soule she made to be most obedient to all good things In summe she omitted nothing that belonged eyther to the maintenance of Christian religion and pietie or the prudent gouernment of the Kingdom III. WHEN the king went in progresse ouer the realme with his court and a great traine of attendants this holy Queene kept his followers in soe good order that noe man durst attempt to steale anie thign by the way nor wrong or oppresse the poore A rare vertue in so great a dame countrey poeple in the lest And as in all things she was carefull to correct faults in others soe was she most patient and willing to haue her owne reprehended by others And to this end she would her self oftentimes desire her Confessor to giue her notice of whatsoeuer in her words or deeds was worthy reprehension desiring that for an encrease of vertue which others are wont to take as a calumnie According to the counsell of the royall Psalmist Let the iust man correct me in mercie and rebuke mâ—â— but Psal 140. let not the oyle that is the flatterie of a Sinner fatten my head IV. SHE was carefull allsoe to correct manie errours and bad She correcteth an erronr in keeping the Lent customs which had crept into the Scottish Kingdom against the vniuersall practise of the Catholick Church First she reformed an abuse touching the obseruance of Lent For the Scots beganne not their Lent till the munday after Ashwensday endeauouring to couer their errour with the authoritie of the Scripture which relating the fast of Christ proposeth but fortie daies to be obserued But she on the other side in an assemblie before the King made it plainly appeare that taking away the six Sundaies on which the Church is not wont to fast there would remaine but thirtie six daies and therefore the fower daies of the precedent weeke ought to be reckoned in the number of fasting-daies to make vp the iust summe of fortie daies and that for this cause they ought to beginne the Lent vppon Ashwensday Moreouer when manie And an other touching communion at Easter 1. Cor. 11. refused to receaue the Sacrament of the Eucharist at Easter alleadging their owne vnworthines and these words of the Apostle He that eateth drinketh it vnworthily eateth drinketh his owne iudgement she shewed them that to compare the worth of that dreadfull Sacrament with our vnworthines is noe comparison for he that is most worthie is in some kind vnworthy considering the infinite worth of that excellent Sacrament neuerthelesse allthough we be all indeed Sinners yet we may haue recourse to the sacrament of Peanance which is instituted to reconcile sinners to our Lord who sayth Vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee shall haue noe life in you And this is it that the Apostle admonisheth Iâ—an 6. 53. sinners to doe when he cries Probet autem scipsâ—m hoâ—â—â— sic de paâ—â— illo edat de calice bibat Let euery one examine and discusse his owne conscience and by confessing his sinnes and doing peanance Who receaues the sacrament worthily come with feare and reuerence to to the sacred misteries and then he shall not eate his owne iudgement as those doe who presume to receaue that venerable banquet with their soules loaden with the filth of sinne Allsoe she reformed manie other abuses touching the due obseruance of the Sunday the celebration of Masse and the sacrament of mariage within the degrees of consanguinitie prohibited by the Church and others V. DISCOVRSING at times with her Ghostly father touching the health of her owne soule and the sweetnes of euerlasting life her words seemed to 〈◊〉 replenished with a certaine diuine grace and her self was touchâ—â— with soe great compunction of heart that she seemed wholly to resolue into teares During the diuine seruice in the Church she shewed soe great deuotion and attention that she would neuer speake word to anieman touching anie worldly or secular busines but atteÌ„ded wholly to her prayers which were oftentimes accompanied with dâ—uout teares I 〈◊〉 her singular charitie Her charitie to the poore towards the poore whom she would oftentimes relieue with her greatest iewells becoming her self more poore them they for they being in want deâ—ired to haue riches
blasphemous mouthes of Hereticks doe reiect as vaine superstitious and impious actions But farre otherwise did CHRIST his Apostles and SAINCTS teach both by words and deeds And what they thought and did can by noe other meanes be mamanifested but by the hystories of their liues Soe that both to conuince Heretiques and interpret the doubtfull Saincts liues the interpretation of Scripture and hard passages of holy scripture the Liues and examples of the SAINCTS doe greatly helpe Which made S. HIEROME call the Liues of SAINCTS the interpretation of holy scripture and S. AVGVSTINE say that the holy scripture treateth not only of the commaundements of God but alsoe of the liues and manners of the SAINCTS to the end that yf we chance at anie time to doubt of the true sense and vnderstanding thereof we way receaue light and instruction from that which they haue done For composing our liues and manners according to the imitation of the SAINCTS we need not feare falling into errour when we see how the supreme gouernour of all hath adorned them with manifest miracles and with euident signes declared that their Liues were gratefull vnto him Their liues therefore must allwaies serue vs as a mirrour besore our eyes therein to behould our owne vices Saincts liues a paterne for our actâ—â—s to learne to correct them and to looke vppon their heroicall vertues to endeauour to imitate them There the proud shall find how to become humble the hard-hearted how they may be mollified the cold how they may be warmed the tepid how they may be heated the pious and feruent of spirit how they may be more and more inflamed with the loue of heauen and in a word all of whatsoeuer age sex condition profession or calling may theÌ„ce reape sweet flowers of all kind of vertues documents of wholsom peanance and liuely examples of true pietie farre more efficacious to moue their minds to the practise of goodnes then the force of weake words only This S. AVSTEN affirmeth of him self This in times past manie noble Lords and Matrones of Rome did testifie who being all ether staggering in their faith or growing cold in charitie by only Hier. ad Marcell hearing of the most holy life of great S. ANTHONIE the Hermite were enflamed with soe great feruour of spirit and fier of deuotion that abhorring their former life and desiring euer after to slie all sinne and occa sions of sinne they bad adiew to the vaine world and the pompes pleasures thereof separated them selues from the conuersation and companie of men and applying their minds wholly to the diuine seruice followed the banner of CHRIST and his SAINCTS crucified their owne bodies togeather with all the vices coÌ„cupiscences thereof But not to these only but to manie others allsoe the same is read to haue happened in the like case Considering therefore and pondering oftentimes these things with my self I was much grieued that in Causes mouing the Authour to write these lines these lamentable times wherein our miserable countrey is afflicted spoyled and oppressed by heresie the Catholicks amidst these tribulations were depriued of the great profitt and consolation which they might receaue by the reading of the Liues of their SAINCTS because that eyther their workes were not written or yf they were written it was in such Authours that now are scarse to be found that in Latine which is not for the capacitie of the vnlearned I was noe lesse grieued allso that the SAINCTS them selues that heretofore were the ornaments and Lights of our countrey were now being vnknowne depriued of their part of that due honour which otherwise should haue beene done vnto them being made knowne For these reasons then and partly for myne owne priuate exercise but principally gentle Reader for thy consolation I haue here aduentured seeing noe better writer would take soe worthie a work in hand to trie my penne in behalf of our glorious SAINCTS and to sett forth though not as worthily as I should yet as truely and sincerely as I could the Liues of all the most renowned SAINCTS of our â—land of great Britaine and of the Iles thereunto belongingâ— and thereby I haue restored againe to all good Catholicks my Countreymen that which the cruell iniurie of the times had violently robbed them off and sought to haue buried in the darknes of perpetuall obliuion But because all workes that are exposed to the publick view of the world are exposed allso to the censure of diuers sortes of poeple diuersly affected I thought conuenient to set downe here some few aduertisemeÌ„ts aswell to preuent all occasions of misconstructions or cauills that might be taken in the reading of this treatise as allso to informe the well-inclined Reader against some doubtes or difficulties that may occurre in the perusing of the same First then because the most illustrious Cardinall Baronius a man that hath otherwise well deserued of the Baronius his mystake Church of God for his Ecclesiasticall historie doeth contrarie to the auncient and common opinion of the world robbe the Benedictine order of one of its greatest ornaments S. GREGORY the great and denie that euer he liued a Monke vnder the holy RVLE of the Great Patriarch of Monkes sainct BENEDICT and consequently affirmes that sainct AVGVSTINE and his fellow-Monkes whom he sent to conuert our countrey who were professed of the same Monasterie in Rome vnder sainct GREGORY were not of the same Order lest my Reader should chaunce to stumble vppon this new opinion which since hath been by manie famous and learned writers hissed out of the schoole of true Historie I will here for his better instruction briefly sett downe some few authorities of manie auncienter and later Authours then Baronius who doe all constantly asseuer the contrarie that is that both S. GREGORY him self and the Monkes he sent and made Apostles of England were indeed of the holy Order of sainct BENEDICT and not of I know not what Equitiam familie as Baronius pretends And omitting here to draw arguments from the auncient charters writings graunted to Monasteries euen in the time of sainct AVGVSTINE him self which all euidently conuince the same for a truth as of some you may reade in his life May the 26. I will first draw into the lists of this Combat that ornament of our Countrey sainct ALDELME Bishop of Sherburne who died aboue nine S. Aldelme against Baronius huÌ„dred yeares before Baronius was borne In his worke then which he writt in verse of the prayse of Virgins Virginitie hauing spoken much in commendation of out holy Father sainct BENEDICT whom he affirmeth to haue been the first that ordered the exercises of Monasteries and a monasticall life he maketh this epilogue to the paragraphe of sainct BENEDICTS prayses * Benedicti Huius alumnorum numero glomerantur ouantes Quos tenet in gremio facunda Britannia ciues A * Benedicto quo iam nobis Baptismi gratia
Antonine Bishop of Florence man and a Sainct He not only calleth our holy Father Sainct BENEDICT by a generall name Patriarch of all the Monkes of the west but peculiarly termes him the Spirituall Father of S. GREGORY and consequently of His disciples and our Apostles tit 15 cap. 12. His life replenished with vertues sayth he speaking of S. BENEDICT is written by GREGORY in the second of his dialogues throughout the whole booke the sweetnes whereof He himself allsoe sucked and liued a Monke and an Abbot vnder the same RVLE before he was made Pope thus S. ANTONINE who was a Dominican Frier But S. THOMAS of Aquin not only the ornament of the Dominicans S. Thomas of Aquine but the verie height and Zenith of the Deuines who had receaued the first rudimēts of his infancie in the Monasterie of Cassine and is sayd to haue breathed his last gaspe in an other Benedictin Abbey called Fossa noua being a most exquisite weigher of those things which he meant to affirme in that goulden work which he writt against the impugners of Religions and religious men speaketh these words for our purpose The same consideration sayth he is to be had of blessed GREGORIE who built Monasteries according to the Rule commenced by S. BENEDICT And Joannes de Turrecremata a Cardinall and an other fayre light of the Dominican Order writing vppon Joannes de Turrecremata S. BENEDICTS Rule affirmes the same in these words Saint GREGORIE confirmed the Rule of the Blessed Father BENEDICT vnder which allso he liued and was a most worthie Monke and Abbot Thus he And Wernerus Rolwinck in his historie confirmes it GREGORIE sayth he noble by byrth nobler in vertue but Wernerus Rolwinck most noble in sainctitie was a most worthy Monke of the Order of the most holy Father S. BENEDICT c. But it would be to long for vs in this short discourse to sett downe at length the words of all the graue Authours that strengthen this veritie it shall sufice to rehearse A list of Authour◠against Baronius the names only of some of the chiefest writers them selues and referre the reader to their owne writings The same therefore is auouched by IOANNES MARIANVS rerum Hispaniarum lib. 5. cap. 12. lib. 6. cap. 22. HIERONIMVS PLATVS in his second booke of a Religious state cap. 28. and 32. PETER RIBADENEIRA of the societie of IESVS in his Historie of the liues of Saincts which he writt in Spanish in the life of S. BENEDICT FRANCIS SVARER of the same societie in his last tome or treatise of Religion 2. booke chapt 17. FRANCIS RIBFRA in his prologue to S. Teresias life IOANNES AZORIVS in the first part of his morall institutions 12. booke chap. 22. GREGORIE LOPEZ of Madera Doctour of both lawes Counsellour and Iudge Palatine to Phillip the third King of Spaine who in a treatise of the veritie of the reliques which were miraculously found in the holy mont of Granado hath a very learned and solid discourse against Baronius in our behalfe And lastly to omitt thousand others of all orders conditions and professions IOANNES DIACONVS in the historie of S. GREGORIES life doeth constanly asseuer the same truth to wit that both S. GREGORY and the Monks he sent to preach in England were professours of the holy Order of S. BENEDICT Let vs bring in the last place some witnesses of our owne nation not all that haue written of this matter for they would require a whole volume but some whose authoritie is beyond all exception How great a man in all manner of learning and chiefly in the Ecclesiasticall history as well of the vniuersall Church as of our English nation was Doctour Nicholas Sanders it is well inough knowne to the world He in the beginning Nicholas Sanders of his historie intituled Of the English Schisme hath these words Gregory the great sent Augustine Mellitus other Monkes of S. BENEDICT to the English Saxōs who brought that nation from Idolatrie to Christianitie and indued Ethelbert King of Kent with the baptisme of Christ And NICHOLAS Harpsfield a man no lesse skillfull in the antiquities of England then SANDERS in his Dialogue written against the Magdeburgenses and in other places of his workes confirmes the same veritie But let the most illustrious Cardinall WILLIAM ALLEN conclude this Controuersie who in an Epistle to Athanasius an English Monke of Cassine in Italie writeth these words I could rehearse vnto thy pietie sayth he speaking of the Benedictine Order manie things out of the histories of our nation of the great reuowne and Sanctitie of this Order for both Sainct AVGVSTINE him self and the other disciples of Sainct GREGORY that conucrted the countrey to the Fayth were all of this Order and all the Monasteries first instituted which Venerable BEDE mentioneth and BEDE him self were of the same institution and all the Cathedrall Chapters which in after times came to be of Secular Canons were from their beginning of the Order of S. BENEDICT Truely the authority of these three men who in these later times were three fayre lights of our Countrey and second to none in the knowledge of the Ecclesiasticall history as their workes now extant doe declare who had searched into all the anncient monuments and charters of England deserueth soe much creditt that in respect of them the opinion of anie other man whatsoeuer may be neglected and contemned in this point It remaynes therefore confirmed by the authoritie of all the forenamed Authours that both S. GREGORY the great and the Monkes he sent to preach the fayth of Christ in England were all of the holie Order and institution of Sainct BENEDICT For no man I thinke can be soe peruerse vnlesse he be a professed enemie to the Benedictine Order as to forsake the assertion of soe manie Holy learned graue wise and prudent Writers both auncient and moderne and follow the innouation and noueltie of one Baronius whose arguments against vs are soe weake and whose coniectures soe vnlikely that the whole streame of his opinion seemeth rather to proceed from some other spring then from the mind and learning of soe great a man It would be too long to recite them here It shall suffise that ouer and aboue the foresayd Authours and thousands more we haue the auncient and common tradition of the whole world against Him It is a sufficient and more then a sufficient answer for him that our assertion hath been allwaies receaued in the Church for a truth euen since the time of sainct GREGORIE him self yea and that all the whole streame of antiquitie doeth conuince him of innouation in this poynt Of which his mistake I could easily pardon him for allthough by seeking to robbe the Benedictine familie of sainct GREGORY he thought to haue done a disparagement to the whole order yet it fell out farre otherwise for his deniall of a thing that had been alwaies before embraced for a truth in auncient times moued manie
MOLANVS and GALESINVS in their Martyrologes make worthie mention of S. BRITHWALD S. BENEDICTVS BISCOP ABBAS PATRONVS Congregationis â—enedictinorum Angliae Jan. 12º The life of S. BENNET surnamed Biscop Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 12. Written by venerable Bede his disciple THE GLORIOVS seruant of God S. BENNET by byrth descended from the auncient race of the nobilitie of England but the nobilitie of his mind was such as farre more deserued the fellowship and companie of the noblest and worthiest sort of the English nation He was borne in Yorkshire and in his youth followed the discipline of warre in the Royall seruice of Oswy king of the Northumbers from whose princely liberalitie he receaued as the reward of his faithfull seruice no small possession of lands His life during his youth meanes suteable to his degree and calling These for a time he enioyed till he attayned to the florishing age of twentie fiue yeares and then a diuine inspiration mouing him therevnto he forsoke left the world and fading worldly goods for loue of the eternall he despised the warre fare of these lower regions the vaine rewards thereof that seruing vnder the enseigne of our true King CHRIST IESVS he might receaue an euerlasting kingdom aboue He left his countrey house and kinred for the loue of CHRIST and his Ghospell that he might gaine the hundredfould reward he promiseth and possesse life euerlasting he refused to enter into worldly mariage that in the court of heauen he might be worthie to follow the holy lambe soe candid with the glorie of virginitie he loathed to be a carnall father of children being ordayned by CHRIST to His first iourney to Rome traine vp his children in the spirituall doctrine of heauen Hauing left therefore his countrey because the Christian faith and Ecclesiasticall discipline was yet but rawly established in England he went to Rome there as in the source and fountaine of all true religion to learne a perfect forme oflife where CHRISTS chief Apostles had planted the first and principall foundation and head of the whole Catholicke Church He visitted the sacred tombes of the Apostles with great deuotion vnto whom his loue was allwaies such as the teares now shed ouer their shrines were sufficient witnesses to prooue it excellent But he made no long stay at Rome but returned back into England where he was verie diligent and carefull to honour and as farre as he was able to practise him self and teach others those rules of Ecclesiasticall discipline at home which he had learnt and seene abroade II. ABOVT that time Alchifridus sonne to Oswy hauing a great His secoÌ„d iourney to Rome desire to goe to Rome to visitt the holy shrines of the Apostles would needes take that iourney with S. BENNET notwithstanding the earnest persuasions and entreaties of his father to stay at home Their iourney succeeded well and shortly after they returned in safetie againe during the time of Pope Vitalian When S. BENNET came not emptie but loaden with the sweetnes of good and wholesom doctrine as before which the better to digest after some He taketh the habitt of S. Benedict moneths he departed out of England and went to the Benedictin monasterie of Lirin in France where he tooke leaue of the world and putt on the monasticall habitt of the great Patriark of Monks S. BENEDICT and receaued the Ecclesiasticall tonsure In this pious schoole of regular discipline he liued for the space of two yeares very carefully learning and obseruing the rules of a true monasticall and religious life But noe sooner was he a litle hardened in the surnace of religion and made perfectly strong and able to resist the temptations and aduersities of the world but his loue to the Prince of the Apostles which it seemes lay buried at Rome serued as a loadstone to draw him thither againe And finding a fitt opportunitie of shipping he committed him self to that much desired iourney which most prosperously he performed It was at the time when Egbert King of Kent as we haue sayd in the life of S. ADRIAN had sent Wighart to Rome to be consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury But Wighart dieing and Theodore being made Archbishop in his steede S. BENNET found to be a man very wise religious and industrious allthough at that time otherwise determined was by commaund of the Pope compelled to cease from the deuotion of his pilgrimage to attend vnto imployments of a higher calling which was to returne into England with Theodore now Elect of Canturbury and S. ADRIAN Abbot to serue them both for a guide and an interpreter by the way and in England BENNET whose chiefest lesson was obedience most willingly yeelded to the Popes desire and brought the Archbishop into Kent where they were both gratefully wellcome Theodore a scended the seate of the Archbishoprick and S. BENNET vndertooke the gouernment of the monasterie of S. PETER and PAVL in Canturbury of which afterwards S. ADRIAN was made Abbot For S. BENNET hauing ruled there two His third iourney to Rome yeares entred into his third iourney towards Rome which he performed with his wonted prosperitie And at his returne he brought with him not a few bookes fraught with diuine learning all which he had eyther bought at an easie rate or receaued gratis from his friends Coming thus loaden into England he betooke him self to haue some conference with the King of the West-Saxons called Kenewalk whose courteous friendship he had made vse of before bin much assisted by his benefitts to him-wards But this good King being about the same time taken away by an immature death the holy man was frustrated of his desire and therefore he turned his iourney directly into his owne countrey where he was borne and went to Egfrid then King of the Northumbers To whom he made relatioÌ„ of all whatsoeuer he had done since he departed a yonge man out of his countrey neyther did he keepe secret from him how he was enflamed with a feruent desire of religion then he tould him whatsoeuer he had learned both in Rome other places touching Ecclesiasticall and monasticall order and discipline and what store of diuine bookes he had purchased and with what great reliques of the Apostles and Martyrs he had enriched his countrey At length the King liked him soe well and preuayled soe farre with him and gott soe great loue and familiaritie that he gaue him out of his reuenews the lands of three score and tenne families to build a monasterie in honour of the Prince of the Apostles S. PETER which S. BENNET with great ioy and speed performed in the yeare of our Lord 674. the fourth yeare of King Egfrid III. IN THE meane time before the foundation of the Church was layd S. BENNET went ouer into France and brought thence masons other skillfull workemen to build it of stone according to the Roman fashion which he euer loued And
speake a word He foretould vnto one of his brethren the hower of his death two dayes before which being at hand he caused them all to come togeather and exhorting them to the loue of patience humilitie and other vertues full of good workes and meritts he yeelded vp his blessed soule to receaue a crowne of iustice at the hands of the iust iudge the twelfth day of Ianuary in the yeare of our redemption 1166. during the raigne of Henry the second And in successe of time he was registred into the number of canonized Saincts This life is gathered chiefly out of IOHN CAPGRAVE or IOANNES ANGLICVS most of our English Historiographers doe largely speake his prayses The life of S. KENTIGERNE Bishop and Confessor IAN. 13. Written by Joscelinus LOTHVS the Heathen King of the Picts had a fayre daughter called Thamet who by the often hearing and attending to the preachings of Gods seruants the power of the diuine grace concurring therevnto was conuerted to the Christian faith This Thamet hauing been rauished by the lasciuious violence of a noble man of the court was in punishment of that faultlesse fault by His parents the lawes of the countrey and her owne fathers decree adiudged to be cast downe headlong from the toppe of a steepe hill soe to perish In the execution of which crueltie recommending her self to allmightie God and lifting vp her hands and eyes towards heauen for ayde she was throwne downe backwards but by the hand of him that saueth those who truly call vppon him she was deliuered from receauing anie hurt at all Which miracle her Pagan father ascribing to the power of art magick caused her presently to be putt into a leather boate and without eyther sayle or oare to be committed to the vncertaine conduct of the winds and waues But the allmightie protectour and ruler of the sâ—as brought her safe to an other port where she went on land and came at length to the towne of Elâ—e or Assaph in Flintshire His byrth and there she was deliuered of a boy who being baptised by Seruanus a holy man of that countrey was named KENTIGERNE Such was the byrth and parentage of this Sainct who allthough he may seeme to haue contracted some stayne of honour therein yet his worthy manner of life soe cleerly washt away all spott of anie such imputation that for true vertue life and learning he became an example to be sett in ballance with anie holy man of those times His youth was first trained vp in the vertuous schoole of Seruanus vnder whom he profitted in a short time beyond all his other schoole fellowes both in learning and vertue purchasing by his owne towardnes such a singular loue with his good master that he was wont to call him Munghu that is most deare friend and by that name he was euer after honoured and called vppon by the people of that countrey in their deuotions vnto him But the malice of enuious persons who because they could not attaine began to hate soe great goodnes foreing him to depart from his master Sernanus he went into Scotland to a place called Glasghu where he led a His anstere life and pennance very austere and holy life In his poore cloathing and diet he bore the true patterne of an other IOHN BAPTISTE His cloathes were made of goate-skinnes he would fast oft times without tasting anie meate the space of three dayes neyther would he then seeke after dainties but was content to eate such things as first came to hand He abstained from flesh and wine perpetually His sleepe was verie litle which when nature compelled him vnto he tooke lieing along in a hollow stone with a great stone vnder his head in steed of a pillow To this austerie he added the rudenes of a shirt of hayre-cloathe which he allwaies wore next his skinne And in this pouertie did he trauell ouer that countrey preaching teaching and conuerting great multitudes of people of the faith till at length by He is made Bishop the common consent of the King and Clergie but much against his owne will he was exalted to the sacred dignitie of Bishop in the sea of Glasghu Which honour nothing altered him in his rigid and strict kind of life but rather serued as a spurre to encrease his wonted austeritie II. HE WOVLD walke abroade allwaies in his albe and stole with his crosier-staffe in his hand which allthough it were but of plaine wood yet he was if I may so call him a golden Bishop shining His manner of prayer mortification to the world with great examples of charitie and good workes Euerie night after a short refreshing of sleepe he would goe naked into the cold water and in that manner recite ouer the whole Psalter and this custom he allwaies obserued in despight of winters frost and snow vnlesse his sicknes or some other necessarie iourney did hinder him and then he would make amends with some other spirituall exercise Soe entierly had he mortified and deadened in him self all the lafciuious instigations and motions of the flesh that as he would often tell his disciples he was noe more prouoked to lust at the sight or touching of the fayrest woeman in the world then in the cold embracing of a hard stone Often times whilest he preached there appeared a white doue ouer his head with a beake as it were of gould Euerie lent he would segregate His obseruance of Lent him self from all companie and liue in some desert place eating noe other food but herbes and rootes On Maundie thursday he was wont for the exercise of his humilitie hauing gathered a companie of poore people and leapers togeather to wash their feete with water his owne teares in the meane time concurring therevnto and hauing wiped and dried them first with a towell and then with his owne kisses he would attend on them at table with all submission and diligence On good Friday in memorie of our Lords Passion he spent allmost the whole day and some part of the night in scouâ—ging chastising his bodie with sharpe whipps and stripes vntill his owne nakednes did blush at this his piously cruell pietie On holy Saturday or Easter Eue excepting the time of the diuine office he allwaies lay hid in a certaine graue or sepulcher within the ground in contemplation of our Lords passion and punishing him self with stripes till the hower of our Sauiours resurrection the next morning By his preaching he reduced the infidels oâ— his diocese vnto the Catholick faith and with the force of his sacred doctrine he reduced all Apostates and hereticks to the safe bosome of our holie mother the Church he demolished all diabolicall Idolls built some Churches allotted certaine limitts and bounds vnto Parishes and where soeuer he trauelled in this spirituall trafick to gaine soules he would not make his iourneies on horse back but allwaies on foote as did the Apostles And lest he might seeme to eate his
breade in Idlenes he laboured manie times with his owne hands in the tillage of his land III. AFTER the death of King Morken during whose raigne he was made Bishop the kinsmen of the same King like the sonnes of Beliall plotted and conspired his death whereof the holy man being admonished by reuelation from God he tooke his iourney into Southwalls which countrey was at that time richly beautified with the florishing vertues of S. DAVID with whom hauing spent some time he receaued of the King of that countrey called Cathwalla a peece of land to build a monasterie And hauing erected a He buildeth a monasterie monasterie at Elue in Flintshire he there constituted his Episcopall sea He gathered togeather in that monasterie the number of nine hundred threescore and odd Monks which all serued God vnder regular discipline in a verie strict and rigid manner of life Three hundred of the most vnlearned of them were deputed to the labour of husbandrie to toile and â—ill the fields and keepe sheepe other cattle other three hundred were employed in workes within the The manner of life of the ancieÌ„t moÌ„ks monasterie to prouide victualls and other necessaries and the rest which were sufficiently learned were allotted to the quier night and day to celebrate the diuine office and none of these were easily permitted to wander abroade but were bound to the limitts of their monasterie as to the Sanctuarie of our Lord. The holy Bishop diuided them into diuers companies or conuents and as one companie ended the diuine office in the Church an other presently entred to beginne the same againe and that hauing done comes a third companie in like manner soe that by the continuall succession of the diuers companies the diuine seruice was maintayned in that Church night and day without anie intermission Amongst these Monks there was one called Asaph a man of verie great vertue and a worker of manie miracles him S. KENTIGERNE loued aboue all the rest and for his vertuous life he deliuered vnto his hands the care of the monasterie and appointed him for his successour in the Bishoprick IV. THE HOLY man remayning on a time longer at his deuotions then his ordinarie custom was his face appeared fierie and glistening to the great admiration of the beholders and after his prayers were ended he fell into most grieuous lamentations which He hath a reuelation of S. Dauids death moued some of his disciples humbly to request him to declare the cause of his soe great sadnes To whom after a silent pawse You must know sayd he my deare children that the crowne and glorie of Britanie and worthy father of his countrey S. DAVID is now departed out of the prison of his bodie to receaue his rewards in heauen Beleeue me I beheld not only a great multitude of Angels but the Lord of Angels CHRIST IESVS him self come to meet him and leade him into the glorie of his heauenly paradise Know likewise that our Britanie being depriued of this her great light will groane for the losse of soe great a Patrone who Prayse of S. Dauid whilst he liued was the only buckler of our defence against the reuengefull sword of Gods iuste anger half drawne out to punish the malice of our Countrey and long since had not his vertue withheld it had made a generall slaughter amongst vs. Now therefore our Lord will deliuer this countrey into the hands of strange nations which neyther acknowledge him for God nor his religion for the truth And this our wretched Ile shall be inhabited He prophesieth the miserie of Brinie by Pagans and all Christian religion therein shall for a time be vtterly destroyed but afterwards by the wonderfull mercie of allmightie God all shall be repayred againe and the countrey reduced notonely into her auncient but into a farre better and more florishing state of religion V. THIS Blessed Sainct had bene seauen times at Rome where vnto S. GREGORIE the great afterwards Apostle of the English Bishops confirmed by the Pope he related the whole course of his life the manner of his election and consecration and all other chances which had befalne him The holy Pope vnderstanding him to be a man of God and ful of the grace of the holy Ghost confirmed his consecration which he knew to haue proceeded from God and supplieing according to his earnest desire such ceremonies as had bin omitted therein he dismissed him vnto his pious chardge by the holy Ghost inioyned VI. IN THE meane time death hauing exercised his reuenge on all the holie mans enemies in Albanie or Scotland the inhabitants thereof forsaking the way of truth and returning like doggs to feed vppon their owne vomitt fell againe into the riteâ— of flatt Idolatrie And therewithall the heauens and elements with drawing their vsuall influences caused a generall famine and dearth in their countrey Till at length allmightie God raysed a King named Redereth who hauing bin baptized in Ireland by the disciples of S. PATRICK with all his heart honoured allmightie God and studied by all meanes to restore his kingdom to the true faith of CHRIST He sent therefore messengers with letters directed vnto S. KENTIGERNE earnestly desiring him by the name and loue of our Lord to returne to his desolate flock that was left destitute of all care and cure affirming it to be a thing vnworthie for a pastour to forsake his sheepe a Bishop his Church for whose loue he ought to lay his soule at stake vnlesse he would turne a mercenarie who flies for feare of persecution Likewise he assured him that his enemies which sought his life had allreadie in seeking it lost their owne Therefore the holy man ordayning S. ASAPâ— his successour with six hundred and threescore of his Monks tooke his S. Kentigerne returned into Scotl. iourney towards Glasghn The king giuing thankes to allmightie God with a great multitude of people went to giue him the meeting and to receaue him with honour due vnto soe great a Sainct He hauing first giuen his benediction to the whole companie sayd All those whosoeuer enuie the saluation of men and are aduersaries vnto the word of God I commaund them by the vertue and power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST suddenly to depart hence lest they be an hinderance vnto those who will receaue the truth At Note a strainge miracle vertue of his words these words agreat multitude of most horrible and vglie spiritts was scene to flie out of that companie with wonderfull swiftnes at which sight they all trembled with the verie apprehension and feare But the Sainct exhorting them to take courage and comfort gaue them to vnderstand what goblins they did beleeue in and therevppon incited them to giue creditt vnto the true faith of IESVS CHRIST when in a short time by his continuall preaching and miracles he recouered all the inhabitants of that countrey out of the The fruits of his prechings black night of
But now perceauing him againe to come to himself their lamentation was changed into a fearefull admiration and their admiration bred ioy to see him aliue Then the holy man looking about him and finding noe man vnto whose wisedom he could committ the knowledge of the vision he had seene was verie sorrowfull choosing for that time rather to burie it within the secret of his owne heart then reueale it vnto such as knew not how to vnderstand it II. BVT the third day afterwards being againe taken with the like rauishment he beheld nor only greater ioyes of the blessed companie An other visiō most strange of heauen but allsoe the wonderfull warres which the wicked spirits raysed against him striuing to hinder his iourney towards heauen allbeit the protection of the Angels frustrated their malicious endeauours Manie false accusations they brought against him and layd diuers crimes to his chardge of all which by his guides the Angels he was freely disengaged And as he was lifted vp by these blessed spirits towards heauen they commaunded him to looke downe into the world Which done he saw like a darke and indeous The 4. fiers of vice that burne the world valley vnderneath him And in the ayre he beheld fower fiers not farre distant one from the other which they tould him were the fiers that should burne and consume the world The first they sayd was the fier of Liars which those fall into that neglect to fullfill their promise made in Baptisme in renouncing the deuill and all his workes The secōd was the fier of Couetousnes appointed for such as preferre the riches of the world before the loue of heauen and heauenly things The third was the fier of Discord prouided for those that sticke not to offend their neighbours euen in trifling and superfluous matters The fourth was the fier of Jmpietie allotted for such as care not how they spoile and oppres se the inferiour and weaker sorte of people He beheld these fiers to encrease soe by little and little till at length by spreading they came togeather and made one mightie huge and dreadfull flame which seemed to approach neere vnto him Whereat he cried out to his guide the Angel O Lord behold it cometh vppon me Feare not replied he that which thou hast not kindled shall not burne thee For allthough this seeme to be a mightie great and terrible fier yet it only tries and examines men according as their workes haue deserued the worldly desires of men shall burne in these flames For euen as one is enflamed in bodie by vnlawfull lust and pleasure soe released from his bodie he shall suffer his deserued torments in fier Then he beheld one of the three Angels his guides to walke before and diuide the flames and the other two conducting him on each side through the fier defended him from the danger thereof He saw likewise the deuils flieing through the flames making fierie warres against the iust then followed their manie accusations against him and the Angels defence in his behalf with a vision of a greater companie of heauenly spirits as allsoe of manie men of his countrey and acquaintance that he had knowne not vnworthily to haue behaued them selues in the sacred function of Priesthood of whom he learnt manie things verie profitable as well for him self as for all such as would heare them When these had ended their discourse and returned vnto heauen with the troupes of Angels there only remained with B. FVRSEVS the three Angels his guides with whom returned againe towards the foresayd fier the Angel diuided the flame as before but as the holy man entred into the way layd open for him the wicked spirits caught vp one of those wretched soules which they broyled in those flames and threw it at him at the verie touch whereof he found his shoulder and cheeke to be scorched and burnt The holy man well knēw the person and remembred that at his death he had giuen him a garment which he receaued But the holy Angell taking the tormented soule cast him againe into the fier whereat the wicked spirit cried out Why doe you cast him of now whom you receaued before For as you tooke the goods of that sinner soe ought you to partake of his torments Not out of couetousnes replied the Angel but to saue his soule did he receaue it and therewith the fier ceased And the Angel turning vnto the holy man sayd that which thou didest kindle now hath burnt thee for hadest not thou taken the goods of this man dieing in sinne the torment of his fier had not touched thee And speaking further he taught him what was to be done for the saluation of those that did repent III. BEING restored to him self againe he bore all his life time after a visible signe of the burning which he had endured in his soule vppon his shoulders and cheeke the Flesh euidently shewing to the wonder of all beholders what the soule had inwardly and hiddenly suffered But he retained allwaies his wonted care and diligence of following vertuous pious courses by word worke and example to teach and preach the way of truth and iustice vnto the world Yet he would neuer manifest the order and manner of his visions but vnto such only as out of a desire of repentance or compunction of hearth desired to know them There liueth yet saith Proofe of the foresayd vision venerable BEDE an auncient Monke of our monasterie who is wont to relate that a certaine religious and trustie man tould him that he had both seene S. FVRSEVS in the prouince of the East-Angles and heard the manner of these visions out of his owne mouth Adding moreouer that in the middest of winter when the frost was most sharp cold that sitting in a light and single garment recounting these visions eyther out of the greatnes of the feare he conceaued or of the sweetnes he receaued by the remembrance of them he would sweate as much as if it had bin the hottest day of sommer IV. HAVING therefore a long time preached the word of God in Jreland his owne countrey being not able anie longer easily to endure the great multitude of people that flocked vnto him he forsooke all that he seemed to enioy goeing out of his natiue countrey with some few of his brethren in his companie he passed the seas and came through Wales into the prouince of the English where he was honourably receaued and worthily entertained by Sigebert then King of the East-Angles But he that desired wheresoeuer he went allwaies to promote the seruice of allmightie God beganne presently to putt in practise his accustomed trade of preadhing labouring by the example of his vertues or the inciting forces of his speeches eyther to conuert the incredulous to the truth or to strengthn and confirme the faithfull more and more in the truth and loue of IESVS CHRIST Such were his daily labours such were the pious employments in which
Christian religion soe nobly layd and by his frequent preaching exhortations and continuall examples of pious workes he endeauoured to aduance them to due height of perfection Neyther did he only His care of all the Churches take the chardge and care of the new Church of the English but was allsoe verie sollicitous and carefull of the auncient inhabitants of Britaine not forgetting allsoe to be a pastorall gardian of the Scotts and Irish. For vnderstanding the manner of life and profession of faith of the Britans and Scotts to be in manie things scarse Ecclesiasticall and chiefly that they did not celebrate their Easter in due time but iudged it to be obserued between the fourteenth of the Moone and the twentith he togeather with his fellow-Bishops writt vnto them an epistle of exhortation desiring and coniuring them to keepe the same vnitie of peace and Catholicke obseruance which was obserued in the Church of CHRIST ouer all the world Of which his Epistle this was the beginning His Epistle to the Scotish or Irish Bishops LAVRENCE MELLITVS and IVSTVS seruants of the sernants of God vnto our most deare brothren the Bishops and Abbotts throughout all Scotland When the Sea Apostolicke according to the accustomed manner thereof which is to send to all parts of the world directed vs into these Westerne quarters to preach the word of God vnto Pagans and heathens and we happened to enter this Iland called Britaine indging before we knew that all who were Christians walked according to the custom of the vntuersall Church we honoured with great reuerence of sainctitie as well the Britans as the Scotts But now hauing had some knowledge of the Britans errours we iudged better of the Scotts Till we vnderstood by Dagamus Bishop that came into this foresayd Iland and by Columban Abbot in Fraunce that the Scotts in their conuersation doe nothing differre from the Brittans For Dagamus Bishop being here refused not only to eate with vs but would not tast anie meate vnder the same Roofe with vs c. In like manner S. LAVRENCE togeather with his other fellow-Bishops sent letters worthie his calling vnto the Priests of the Britans whereby he endeauoured to reduce them to the vnitie of the Catholick Church But all his labour profitted little so obstinate and peruerse they were in their fore-taken opinions II. IN the meane time a most grieuous tempest and perturbation arose in the Church For B. Ethelbert King of Kent being dead Eabald his successour vtterly destroying his Fathers holie institutions of A perturbaâ—â—on in the English Chur. Christianitie ranne hedlong into all manner of vice and wickednes marrying his stepmother he liued in that foule fornication which the Apostle soe highly detested in the Corinthian Together with him the Noblemen and manie of the people choosing rather to offend God then not to follow the Kings fashioÌ„ fell as the manner is from their Catholick institution into all manner of loosenes and lewdnes of life and religion To augment these miseries about the same time Sigebert King of the East-Angles being dead his sonnes fell from the Catholick religion which in their Fathers time they seemed to approoue into the flatt profession of their ancient Idolatrie Therefore in the midst of these soe great difficulties the holy Monks Bishops Mellitus of London and Justus of Rochester mett at Canturbury to deliberate with S. LAVRENCE what was best to be done At length they were brought to such straights that they determined rather to returne into their owne countrey there to serue God in peace and quietnes then to loose their labours among these barbarous people soe rebellious to the faith of CHRIST Mellitus and Justus departed into France there to expect what would be the euent of these mi The Bishops flie into Frace series whom S. LAVRENCE promised shortly to follow vnlesse the wickednes of the time did change In the meane space he ceased not to admonish and perswade the King and people with all the force of arguments he could inuent that they ought not soe silthyly to forsake such excellent precepts of religion and soevnaduisedly fall from the great happines allreadie obtained But the king finding the holy Bishop to withstand him and his desires began dayly to haue a greater auersion from him and grew at length to be soe malitiously bent against him that LAVRENCE inteded wise to goe after his Brother-Bishops into France III. THE night before he meaÌ„t to depart he coÌ„mauÌ„ded his bed to be prepared in the verie Church of S. PETER PAVL where hauing Laurence meaning to flie is scourgedby S. PETER powred out his heartie prayers bathed in teares for the present miserable state of the Church he betooke him self to his rest fell asleepe During which the Prince of the Apostles S. PETER appeared vnto him and hauing seuerely scourged his nacked back shoulders with sharpe stripes a good space of the night he asked him by a strict apostolicall authoritie wherefore he would forsake the flock which he had coÌ„mitted to his chardge to what other pastour he would dismisse the sheepe of CHRIST froÌ„ which he intended to flie leaue them in the midst of wolues Hast thou forgott mine exaple said he who for the little ones of IESVS-CHRIST which in testimonie of his loue he recoÌ„meÌ„ded vnto mee haue suffered chaines stripes imprisonments afflictions and at last death it self vppon a crosse S. LAVRENCE with these stripes of the Apostle allthough wounded in bodie yet much encouraged in mind went the next morning to the king discouering his back shewed him how cruelly he was scourged and tome The king much amazed hereat demaunded who durst be soe bould as to exercise such crueltie on soe great and worthie King Edbald renounceth Idolatrie a man and vnderstanding that the holie Bishop had endured those cruell blowes from the Apostle S. PETER all for his healths sake he was exceedingly affrighted therevppon abandonning all Idolatrie and reiecting his vnlawfull mariage he embraced the fayth of CHRIST and was baptised by S. LAVRENCE which done he called Melliâ—us and Iustus out of France remayning euer after constant in the Catholicque fayth BVT S. LAVRENCE hauing againe setled his bishoprick in good order and reduced the people of the countrey to the fould of CHRIST being desirous allsoe as we S. Laurence Preacheth in Scotland haue said to bring the Scots and Brittans to the vnitie of Gods Church went into Scotland In which iourney he is reported to haue walked like an other S. PETER ouer an arme of the sea on foote wheÌ„ the marriner that refused to carrie him ouâ—r was in his sight punished with fier froÌ„ heaueÌ„ swallowed vp togeather with his boate in the mercilesse gulphes of the Sea Preaching in a certaine village finding noe man that would receaue ether him or his doctrine but rashly expelled him from amongst them he was forced that night to take a hard lodging
a delightfull and mutuall accord of sainctitie certaine barbarous poeple who eyther from their painted garments as from some markes in their eyes were called Picts landed with a great nauie vppon the coastes of Britannie and being taken with a loue of the countrey set vppon the Brittans more by deceipt then force and for a time bore a tirannous sway amongst them One of theyr princes murdring the countrey before him and burning Churches and howses at he went arriued at length neere vnto Meneuia where he built him self a pallace And perceauing Enuie plotteth mischief against him the liues of S. DAVID and THELIAN to be soe holy and soe contrarie to his proceedings he greatly enuied them and spitt much of his venom in opprobrious reproachfull speeches against them whom he could not iustly condemne of anie fault And at length to make his malice bring forth the child of wickednes he commaunded his wife to send her mayds and make them the instruments of mischief by their lewd art and lasciuious allurements and motions of their naked bodies to atâ—empt the ouerthrow of the holy mens good purposes But as those wanton things followed their mistresses A iust punishment of malice directions and in the dishonest execution thereof exercised a kind of fayned phrensie or madnes in presence of the saincts suddenly they became mad indeed and returned to their commaunders without sufficient discourse to relate their owne misfortune Which being seene of that cruel persecutour turned all his furie into meekenes and both he and his whole familie receaued the fayth of CHRIST and were washed in the sacred font of Baptisme II. NOT long after S. THELIAN togeather with S. DAVID made a He goeth to Hierusalem iourney to Hierusalem where they spent some time in continuall prayer and visitation of the sacred places wherein our deare Sauiour wrought the miracles of his bitter passion and our deare redemption in those places they were wrapt in holy contemplatlon that they had noe memorie or thought of anie thing that was in this world Vnto S. THELIAN as he returned home they gaue a Cimball of more worth then greatnes and more precious then it was fayre for the sweet tunes thereof seemed to excell the sound of an organ it rung at euerie hower of its owne accord And this was a true figure of S. THELIAN who like vnto a cimball or bell which rayseth men from the dullnes of sleepe and slouth to prayse and serue God in the Church did he by his vertues and holie sermons stirre vpp By his prayers he expelleth the plague the hearts of the poeple vnto God out of the dungeon of sinne and wickednes Being returned prosperously into Wales by his prayers vnto allmightie God he freed the poeple froÌ„ a cruell plague which miserably wasted and deuoured the countrey Afterwards succeeding Dubritius in the Bishoprick of Landaff in that sacred dignitie he spent the whole remnant of his life gouerning his diocesse rather with his sainctitie and example of good life then by the exercise of his poewr and authoritie At length loaden with merits and old age by the happie losse of this fading world he purchased an euerlasting dwelling in heauen the ninth day of February about the yere of our Lord 563. The manie Churches in South Wales dedicated to S. THELIAN which to this day retayne his memorie by the Manie Churches dedicated to his name name of Llanthilo or Llanthilio are vnresistables witnesses and proofes of his great Sainctitie and as yet his prayse is fresh in the mouthes of all faythfull Whelchmen allthough the greatest part of that wretched nation doe liue in such blindnes that they would rather pluck him out of heauen then doe him or anie other of Gods Saincts anie honour at all contemning herein the counsell of the kingly prophet who inuiteth vs to prayse God in his Saincts with Psal 150. v 1. whom he liueth for euer Amen Thus much of this Saincts life we haue gathered out of IOANNES ANGLICVS recited by IOHN CAPGRAVE in his legend and NICOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 6. cap. 27. The life of S. TRVMWINE Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 11. Out of venerable Bede de gest An. lib. 4. TRVMWINE a maÌ„ of verie holy life was by Theodore Archbishop of Canturbury ordayned Bishop of the Picts then subiect to the English But after the ouerthrow and death of Egfrid king of the Northumbers caused by the same Picts S. TRVMWINE togeather with manie other monks of the monasterie of Ebbercune in the coÌ„fines of the Picts and English retired him self out of that Prouince and hauing recommended the greatest part of his monks to diuers monasteries according as he was able he him self chose his habitation at the Monasterie of Streanshall where vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT with a few of his companion-monks he led a most strict monasticall life profitable not only to him self as tending to the height of perfection but to manie others allsoe The Princely virgin S. ELFLED of whom the eigth of this moneth was the Abbesse of that monasterie who by the coming of this holy Bishop receaued great helpes in her regencie and much comfort for the directing of her owne life in the way of pietie The place where the Bishop with his monks liued was separate from the monasterie of enclosed Nunnes but not soe farre but that they were readie in all occasions to helpe them with the sacraments and all other spirituall comforts of their priestly function and dignitie The most holy Bishop TRVMWINE Hist l. 4. c. 2â— as venerable BEDE stiles him hauing liued there in great holines of life the space of manie yeares at length yeelded vp his Blessed soule to make One in the glorious quier of Benedictin Bishops in heauen His bodie was buried in the Church of S. PETER according De gest Pon. l. 3. §. de Pont. Eborac to the honour due vnto his blessed life and degree of sacred dignitie His holy reliques sayth Malmesburie togeather with others were found in the quier of that Monasterie and translated to a more eminent place becoming the sainctitie of soe great a Sainct Of him make honorable mention besides the aforesayd authors Mathew Westminster Trithemius in his 3. Booke of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order chap. 167. Arnold Wion and all our English historiographers He florished about the yeare of our Lord 700. The life of S. CEDMON confessor and monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 10. Taken out of Ve nerable Bede AS THE diuine guifts of tongues wisedome learning and such like wherewith it pleased allmigtie God to furnish his holy Apostles and adorne the primitiue Church haue not been wanting in later ages soe haue they not fayled in the time when our Englishmen first receaued the Catholick fayth An abundant and worthy example hereof we may behould in this holy Benedictin monke CEDMON He becometh learned by miracle who
polluted thy Psalm 7â— v. 2. holy temple They haue cast the dead bodies of thy seruà nts for meate to the birds of the ayre the flesh of thy Saincts to the beasts of the earth God of his infinite goodnes voutchafe once more to looke with a mercifull eye on this wretched countrey and deliuer it out of the deluge of sinne and Heresie The life of S. Eâ—HELBET is written by Venerable Bede degest Ang. lib. 1. Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 4. and other English writers whom we haue followed The Roman Martirologe maketh mention of him this 24. of February The life of Sainct WALLBVRG Virgin and Abbesse of the sacred order of S. BENEDICT FEB 25. WritteÌ„ by Wolphar dus a Monke SAINCT WALBVRG borne of English parents of a royall race sister to the two holy Benedictine Monks S. WILLIBALD and WINEBALD was from her tender yeares first trayned vp in England in the exercise of the monasticall discipline of S. Bâ—NEDICT afterwards by the appoyntment of that great ornament of the Benedictine order BONIFACE Apostle of Germanie she was sent for into that countrey She is made Abbesse in Germanie of Germanie to plant there the rootes of those holy monasticall vertues which she had gathered in England And in the monasterie of Heydenbeim which her Brother S. WINEBALD built in the Diocesse of Eistat S. WALBVRG was made gouernesse abbesse of a conuent of nunnes which charge S. WIN BALD him self gouerning an other of monkes both of sainct BENEDICTS order the brother sister dischardged with soe great sainctity and good example of life that by their meanes that holy order floriâ—â—ed wonderfully in those parts and S. WALBVRG became in soe great fauour with allmightie God that by the vertue of her prayers she obtained all her desires II. ONE night through the negligence and malice of him that A heauenly light caused by her prayers should haue lighted the laÌ„pe in the Church the conuent of Nuns was left in darknes wherevppon the holie virgin being more in paine for them then her self made her prayer vnto her deare spouse the only true and indeficient Light and at the same instant they saw a wonderfull great lustre in all parts of the monasterie which dured till the next morning to the great ast onishment and comfort of that chast familie who togeather with S. WALBVRG gaue humble thankes vnto allmightie God for soe great a remonstrance of his fauour and loue towards them III. AN OTHER time she stole priuately out of the monasterie in the euening not perceaued of anie of her religious woemen and went to the gate of a verie rich man not farre off where she stood like a poore vnknowne pilgrim till being brought in by some of the seruants she made knowne to the man of the house who and what she was He admiring how she had passed through the furie of the mad doggs about his house soe quietly without hurt entertayned her with great ioy and reuerence and brought her as she desired into the chamber where at that time his daughter lay languishing of a cruell disease expecting euerie instant when her soule would yeeld vp her house of clay to take her last iourney when her dolefull parents despayring of her rerouerie with teares and sighs had allreadie prepared for her funerall rites But the diuine goodnes of him that kills and reuiues strikes and heales againe A sick woeman cured by her prayers through the prayers intercessions which the holy Virgin S. WALBVRG powered out all that night to his infinitie mercie recalled that dying gyrle out of the iawes of her threatned death and restored her againe vnto perfect health against the next morning Her parents seeing this wonderfull miracle gaue great thankes vnto that heauenly phisitian and offered manie rich guifts and presents vnto the holie Virgin as an acknowledgment of the great fauour they had receaued by her meanes but she that long since had forsaken the world and the vaine wealth thereof for the pure loue of heauen refused to receaue anie worldly fauours for a spirituall and diuine benefitt Therefore returning againe to her monasterie she followed on the course of her vertuous and holie life and the more she perceaued the diuine clemencie to extend it self with greater fauour vnto her the more she encreased and aduanced her self in the exercise of religion and pietie and shewed more excellent examples of Sainctitie and perfection to her religious subiects and inferiours IV. AT LENGTH this holy Virgin and deare spouse of CHTIST hauing passed through the course of a most happy life and setled her self wholely in the pure loue her creatour hauing conquered the world and the desires thereof strong in fayth excellent in her Her happie death behauiour stored with charitie beautified with wisedom enriched with chastetie grounded with humilitie and furnished with the ornaments of all vertues she receaued the embassage of death by the calling of her deare spouse and departed out of the miserable thraldom of this world to receaue the euerlasting rewards of her good works in heauen the fiue twentith day of February about the yere of our Lord 776. And immediatly after her departure her dead bodie appeared to manie of the standers by in forme of a creature allreadie glorified and a wonderfull sweet and fragrant odour issued from that holy vessell of chastity and filled the whole house Moreouer when her bodie was carried into the Church that heauenly light which obeyed her in her life serued her likewise after her death and lighted all the candles in the same Church without anie humane helpe to the glorie of this holy Virgin and great admiration and comfort of the beholders She was buried in the same monasterie where she had liued neere vnto her brother S. WINEBALD by the hands of her other brother S. WILLIBALD Bishop that the same earth might contayne them whom the like loue of religion vertue and pietie truely made to be brother and sister V. HER bodie was afterwards honourably translated to the Benedictin monastery at Eistadt And in the yeare 893. her sacred tombe being againe opened her holy ashes seemed all bedewed with water which might be pressed out dropp by dropp and yet not one mite of the dust would stick to their hands that touched it At this time a great part of her holy reliques was translated to the monasterie of Benedictine nunnes at Monheim in Germanie And at both these places manie rare miracles haue been wrought by the merits of this glorious Virgin which for breuitie we omitt But one is soe wonderfull that I cannot passe it ouer in silence For out of those chast reliques sayth Phillipp Bishop of Eistadt the authour of her life issueth a sacred oyle which by the grace of God and the intercession of the blessed S. WALBVRG giues sight to the blind hearing to the deafe cureth the lame and restores the wished recouerie of
SWIBERT Bishop and Confessor Apostle of Frizeland and Saxonie monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR. 1 Written by S. Mar celline priest his companioÌ„ and fellow preacher IN THE yeare of our Lord six hundred fortie seauen S. SWIBERT was borne in Northumberland of noble princely pareÌ„ts couÌ„t Sigebert and Berta his wife Before his byrth his deuout mother had a vision The vision of his mother as she lay in her bed wherein she beheld one starre in the heauens farre excelling all the rest in brightnes whose glittering beames seemed to giue light to the whole countrey and presently the same starre appeared to fall vppon the bed where she lay This was then interpreted by S. AYDAN bishop of Lindisfarne to be a presage of the child that she bore in her wombe who as he sayd should be a light vnto his Countrey and the whole Church of God And in confirmation hereof at the very hower she was deliuered A strange light appeared at his birth a wonderfull great splendour shined in the chamber whose beames seemed to dazle the daies light and much astonish the beholders The Child being borne the same light decreased by degrees and vanished In baptisme he was called SWIBERT and being from his verie Cradle trayned vp in the feare of God and good learning he soe carefully auoyded all vices incident to that age and soe manfully embraced the hard waies of vertue that he gaue great hopes of his future greatnes which caused manie allreadie to prognosticate wonders of his sainctitie And to the end he might dayly He embraceth a monasticall life proceed the better from vertue to vertue aâ— the age of fifteene yeares he departed with the good leaue of his parents to the Benedictine abbey of Bardâ—â—â—â— in Lincolneâ—â—ire where he forsoke all worldly hopes and became a monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT vnder the gouerment of the good Abbot Higbald In this vertuous schoole our noble youth carefully endeauoured to ennoble his mind with all manner of vertue in all things behauing him self with such prompt obedience humble modestie and sweet innocencie of life that in short time he grew to he much loued esteemed admired and reuerenced euen of the greatest and auncientest monks in the house Hauing liued nine yeares in the same monasterie in continuall continencie abstinence and the exercise of regular and monasticall discipline he was aduanced to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood in the execution of which holy function He is made Priest worthyly corresponding with his vertuous actions he offered dayly to allmightie God a most acceptable sacrifice For in true pietie and religion he was second to none adorned with the glorie of all Christian vertues most attentiue and frequent in his prayers and most exactly rigid in fasting and mortifying his owne bodie in soe much that he gaue great examples of edification to his brethren and the famous report of his vertues was published and admired throughout the Countrey II. WHILST thus he shined in the excellencie of a religious life among his other brethren as a bright sunne amongst the rest of the planets the Bishop of Yorke hauing vnderstood the incomparable Benedictine Monks sometimes Canons prayses of his vertue reioyced much thereat and sending for him made him a Canon of the Cathedrall Church of S. Peters at Yorke Whereat the reader need not wonder since heretofore is hath been a laudable custom much practised in the Church of God for Monks of S. BENEDICTS order to gouerne cathedrall Churches as Canons were indeed monasticall canons and of this kind S. SWIBERT was ordayned one at Yorke In which CONVENT sayth the authour to shew that they were monks since a quire of secular Canons is called a CHAPTER and not a CONVENT he liued for the space of two yeares in soe great austeritie of life such strict obseruance of Monasticall discipline that he seemed to leade an angelicall life vpoÌ„ S. Swibert of a Benectin Canon made Abbot of Monks earth And now being come to that height of perfection that he was fitt to be proposed as a mirrour to all such as professed a regular life he was created abbott of the monasterie of Dacore soe called froÌ„ the riuer Dacor running thereby In the meane time the venerable man S. EGBERT a Benedictin monk of whom see Aprill the 24. wonderfully zealing the gaine of soules the promulgatioÌ„ of CHRISTS holy Ghospel his owne resolution to goe into those countreyes being hindered by reuelatioÌ„ froÌ„ heauen made choise of twelue learned English monkes all zealous of the Catholick cause out of diuers monasteries Twelue English Benedictins sent to preach in Germanie of EnglaÌ„d Jreland to preach the ChristiaÌ„ fayth in FrizelaÌ„d One not the lest of these elect preachers was our S. SWIBERT S. MARCELINE that wrote his life an other they were eleuen priests one decon who hauing all happyly passed the sea towards the vineyard of CHRIST allotted to their holy charge they ariued at Vtreicht about the yeare 690. And following the same institution order and conuersation of life that the Apostles and disciples of CHRIST vsed in the primitiue Church noe man presuming to call anie thing his owne but all obseruing the rules of the monasticall and religious pouertie which they professed They began with verie great constancie and resolution to preach the Christian fayth amongst those barbarous poeple But the Frisons that were men of an vntamed and stubborne nature stoode stiffely in defence of their Idoatrie refusing to listen to the sacred tidings of the true Ghospell soe that these holy preachers being threatned with death for annouÌ„cing the words of life were compelled to depart thence hauing at first reaped litle or noeprofitt at all III. THEREFORE they went into an Iland called Fosteland where Radbode the persidious King of Friseland being beaten out of his Kingdome by the most Christian Prince Pepin of France theÌ„ remayned And in this it being a place of verie great and solemne resort among those Pagans by reason of the superstitious Idolatrie vsed there to a God of theirs called Foste from whom the Iland tooke name the Preachers of CHRIST began to announce the holy ghospell and hauing destroyed the profane aultars of those stonie-hearted Gods Iupiter and Foste they laboured to conuert the poeple to the knowledge of the only true God creatour of the world where their paines were rewarded with the conuersion but of three soules only But Radbode vnderstanding hereof caused one of them Wigbert martired called Wigbert to be cruelly putt to death a glorie which long before he had desired and banished all the rest out of the Iland When they perceiuing the tirannie of the worldly prince to withstand their good endeauours in preaching the sweet ghospell of the king of heauen retired them selues to the forenamed worthie Prince Pepin who sent them to preach in the lower parts of Frizeland with a strict charge to all
day not only in Wales but all England ouer is most famous in memorie of him But in these our vnhappie daies the greatest part of his solemnitie consisteth in wearing of a greene leeke it is a sufficieÌ„t theame for a zealous VVelchman to ground a quarrell against him that doeth not honour his capp with the like ornament that day VII THE miracles which were wrought by his meritts after his death are such soe manie that they farre exceed the limitts of this short discourse we will only relate some which haue the testimonie of an eye-witnesse to prooue them true In the raigne of King Stephen Gyrald Cambr. in Topogr Camb. Iâ—â—uers miracles the brooke which runnes aboue the Church-yarde of Meneuia or S. DAVIDS flowed with wine and the same time out of a Well or fountaine there called Pisteldewy that is the Conduit of Dauid sprang forth a great quantitie of milke And this is reported by him that liued at the fame time and most exactly was acquanited with the matters of that countrey A litle portable bell called S. DAVIDS Note a strange miracle was of great fame and admiration in VVales which when the souldiers presumed to retaine at the Castle of Raidnock contrarie to the desire of a woman that brought it suddenly the night following the whole towne was deuowred with fier the wall only excepted where that bell was hanged A boy that endeauoured to take yong pigeons out of a nest in S. DAVIDS Church of Lhanuaos had his fingers soe fastened to the stone that he could by noe meanes gett loose All much amazed at this miracle specially his parents and friends who togeather with the boy before the aultar of the same Church gaue them selues to continuall watching fasting and prayer the space of three dayes as manie nights when to the great ioy of all the stone fell from his hand The Authour of this storie not only liued at the same time but both saw and spake to the man to whom it happened who confessed him self that it was soe And which is more that stone being conserued in the Church remayned as an euerlasting witnes of the miracle with the plaine forme of his fingers imprinted in it as in a peece of waxe VIII MANIE thousands of other miracles haue been wrought by the meritts of this holy man both in his life and after his death which for breuities sake me omitt And here now could I willingly enter into a large field of this holy Saincts prayses did not feare of being ouer teadious withould my penne as vnworthy to be the truÌ„pett of the same of soe renowned a man I will only desire all true hearted VVelchmen allwaies to honour this their great Patrone and Protectour and humbly desire him that as in his life time he ouerthrew with his learning all the bullwarkes of the Palagian heresie soe now with his prayers and intercession to allmightie God he would supplicate the diuine Goodnes to cast a mercifull eye vppon his poeple and reduce his sometimes beloued countrey out of the Blindnes of Protestancie groueling in which it languisheth more lamentably then euer it did in the former errour that once againe those hills and valleies may resound with the Ecchoes of Gods diuine prayses sung in such monasticall quiers as haue been the ornaments there of in former ages and now are only the sad monuments of their auncient glorie God of his infinite mercie by the intercession of this glorious Sainct giue strength to those few that are in the truth soe to remayne and grace to the rest to acknowledge the same truth and forsake their present errours The life of S. Dauid was written by S. Kentigerne but whether the same be extant it is vncertaine Ioannes Anglicus and Giraldus Cambrensis haue written the same allsoe out of whom and Nicholas Harpsfield me haue gathered the foresayd historie Manie other authors make worthie mention of him The life of Sainct CHAD Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR 2. Gathered out of Venerable Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT CHADDE borne in Northumberland brother to S. CEDDE Bishop of London of whom you may reade the seauenth of January was at first scholler vnto S. AIDAN Bishop of Lindisfarne in whose vertuous schole he made a great progresse in learning and good manners being allwaies verie carefull to execute in deed whatsoeuer he learned by studie In his youth he went into Jreland where tohgeather with S. EGBERT he led a strict monasticall life in continuall continencie exercising him self with great diligenâ— in the pious art of prayer and meditation of the holy scripture Returning into England after that famous controuersie betweeue S. WILFRID the Benedictine monk and Bishop Colman concerning the due celebration of Easter and other Church-rites was decided togeather with his brother S. CEDDE he receaued the rule of our holy father S. BENEDICT and succeeded his brother in the gouernment of the Benedictine Abbey of Lesting in Yorke-shire Which charge he discharged with great sainctitie and example of good life till in the yeare of our Lord 664. when S. WILFRID being chosen Bishop of Yorke and sent into France to be consecrated by the Bishop of Paris stayed soe long beyond the seas that Sainct CHADD by the meanes of king Oswy was consecrated and installed in the Episcopall sea of Yorke by the hands of Wini Bishop of the West-saxons and the only He is cousecrated Bishop of Yorke Bishop lawfully ordayned Bishop extant then in England II. SAINCT CHAD being aduanced to this height of dignitie began presently to make the pietie and vertue of his life correspond to the eminencie of his sacred function bending all his endeauours for the conseruing of the Ecclesiasticall veritie and ordinances of the Catholick Church and making his owne dayly exercise a true patterne of deuotion humilitie and continencie vnto his subiects He was wont to read much preach often trauell abrod after the true Apostolicall manner allwaies on foote from towne and village piously furnishing the whole countrey with the sacred doctrine of CHRISTS ghospel At length S. THEODORE being consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury made a visitt ouer the Churches of England correcting as he went whatsoeuer he found amisse when amongst the rest he chanced to rebuke S. CHAD as not lawfully consecrated See the wonderfull humilitie of the Sainct If thou His great humilitie knowest answeared he verie modestly that I haue not rightly vndertaken the bishoprick I most willingly giue vp my office for indeed I allwaies iudged my self farre vnworthie thereof and it was meere obedience which forced mee at first to take this sacred charge vppon mee But THEODORE being ouercome with the resigned humilitie of this answeare replied that it was not necessarie to leaue his bishoprick but only to haue his installement approoued after the Catholick manner But S. CHAD after three yeares gouernment of that sea being more desirous of a priuate and quiet life resigned vp
was wont presently to sett his helping hands therevnto eyther in guiding or houlding of the plough or anie other such labour For he was a yong man of great strength of a sweet discourse a merrie hart bountifull in good workes and of an honest and decent aspect He allwaies cate of the same meate and in the same place that his other brethren did and slept in the same common dorter that he did before he was made Abbot Yea when he fell fick and foresaw by certaine signes that death was at hand yet he remayned two daies after in the dorter of the other Brethren And other fiue daies before his He taketh leaue of his monkes departure he was placed in a more secret house a part till goeing forth one day into the open ayre he assembled all his monkes togeather and tooke a solemne leaue of them imparting to euery one a charitable salutation of peace they in the meane time pittifully weeping and wayling to depart from soe holy a father and soe pious a pastour He died the seauenth day of March in the night when the monkes were singing mattings in the Church He was twentie fower yeares of age when he came to the monasterie he liued twelue yeares therein seauen whereof he exercised the function of Priestood and fower His death he gouerned the Monasterie with the dignitie of Abbot till at leÌ„gth leauing his mortall limmes he tooke a happie flight to the Kingdom of heauen saint BENNET Bishop being then absent in his fift iourney to Rome The life of this Sainct is thus written by saint BEDE as we haue found it in an auncient manuscript togeather with the lines of other Abbots of the same mònastery where saint BEDE him self liued a Monke Besides him FLORENTIVS WIGORNIENSIS an 682. MATHEW WESTMINSTER an 703. NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 7. cap. 37. IOHN CAPGRAVE and others doe northily speake his prayses The life of sainct FELIX Bishop and Confessor MAR. 8. Out of diuers Authours FELIX was the first Bishop of the East-Angles But a man of how great pietie he was it appeareth chiefly in this He leaueth his countrey to preach in England one famous example that being natiue of Burgundis and vnderstanding how few labourers there were in soe fruictfull an haruest of CHRIST as England of his owne accord he left his Bishoprick friends Kinred and riches and all other maintenances and promotions of his state to come into our contrey and employ his best endeauours in soe pious a work Whose holy purpose being vnderstood admired by Honorius Archbishop of Canturbury he allotted him the Prouince of the East-Engles which hauing He conuerteth the East-Angles forsaken the Christian fayth before receaued was fallen againe into the blindnes of Idolatrie But FELIX being in effect correspondent to his name which signifieth Happie with soe great happines discharged the prouince he vndertooke that in a short time he wholly happily reduced it from the Idolatrous bondage of the deuill to the sweet freedoÌ„ of CHRISTS sacred Ghospell He held his Episcopall sea in a towne then called Dimmock but afterwards from his name it was named FELIXTOWE or FELSTOWE In which place and dignitie happie FELIX hauing discharged the part of a good pastour for the space of seauenteene yeares continually labouring with inuincible patience for the aduancement of CHRISTS holy Ghospel loden with vertue His death and good workes made a most happie iourney to the eternall happines the eigth day of March was buried in the same towne but his reliques were after wards traÌ„slated to a place called Schaâ— where appeares yet sayth Malmesbury some signes of a Church destroyed and burnt by the Danes But the Sacred body of this sainct being sought for and found a long time after was againe translated to the famous Abbey of Benedictin Monkes at Ramsey This life we haue gathered out of S. Bede de gest lib. 2. c. 15. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 16. and William Malmesbury de Pontif. The life of Sainct BOSA or Boso Bishop and Confessor Monke of the holy Order of S. Benedict MAR 11. Out of ve nerable Bede de gest Ang. BOSA from a monke of the Benedictin monasterie of Streanshall in Northumberland was at the instaÌ„ce of Egfrid king of that Prouince elected Bishop of Yorke in the place of the most reuerend Bishop He is made Bishop of Yorke S. WILFRID then vniustly banished out of that sea and countrey by the meanes of the forefayd king and the authoritie of Theodore Archbishop of Canturbury in the yeare 678. This sea he gouerned in great holines of good life and learning till by the death of king Egfrid his brother Alfrîd obtayned the kingdome who recalled S. WILFRID out of banishment and restored him to his Bishoprick againe But after the space of fiue yeares Alfred expelled saint WILFRID againe and BOSA was once more restored to the sea of Yorke in the gouernment whereof and the continuall exercise of all true vertues belonging to a holy Bishop he rendred vp his blessed soule to the neuer dying ioyes of heauen about the yeare of our Lord. 700. but what day he died it is vncertaine this eleuenth of March is made a commemoration of him whom S. BEDE calleth a man well beloued of God of great holines and humilitie Besides whom WILLIAM MALMESBVRY TRITEMIVS in his fourth booke of the famous men of S. Benedicts order cap. 64. MATHEW WESTMINSTER an 678. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. cap. 23. and others doe make worthie mention of him aâ— allsoe Pope IONH the seauenth in his letters written in behalf of S. WILFRID The life of the most Glorious Pope Doctour of the Catholike Church S. GREGORY surnamed the Great Apostle of England and glorie of S. BENEDICTS Order MAR 12. written by Paulus Diaconus SOE great and soe manie are the incomparable deeds and vertues wherewith this thrice happie Sainct hath adorned the The translatours Proloâ—ne Church of God and soe manie holy and learned men haue endeauoured by their writings to make him famous to posteritie that we find our witts farre to weake to comprehend the one this poore penne farre to barren to sett downe among soe manie worthies anie thing worthie soe worthie a subiect Yet on the other side because the benefitts which not only the Benedictin Order in England but allsoe all England it self hath from him receaued are soe infinite we cannot choose but straine according to our power to make some small shew of acknowledgment thereof imitating those herein who in a little mappe or carde to the great pleasure and profitt of the beholders doe describe the mightie compasse of the whole world And here now o Romeâ— doe thou first acknowledge thine happines and diligently endeauour to imitate soe great a worthy Manie euerlasting monuments there are which haue eternised thy name to posteritie thy Kings thy Dictatours thy Consuls thy Emperours thy Trophies yea and the Empire of the world seated in
corespondencie of his vertuous life and actions And in all things shewed him self worthie of soe noble soe vertuous an vncle and soe excellent a master This done he returned to S. GERMAN with whom he had not stayed long before he reuealed vnto him an earnest desire he had to goe to Rome the fountaine and head of all true religion and Ecclesiasticall discipline S. GERMAN He goeth to Rome approued his good purpose and gaue him all the furtherance he could for his iourney But by the way he chanced to meete with an holy Hermite who gaue him a staffe which was sayd to haue been in the sacred hands of IESVS-CHRIST and by vertue of this staffe he wrought manie miracles afterwards and it was held in great veneration among the Irish and is to this day by the name of Iesus-staffe But S. PATRICK being safely arriued at Rome was very honourably entertayned by Pope Celestin the first who then gouerned the sea Apostolique and finding him to be of a most perfect approoued fayth learning and vertue first gaue him the name of PATRICK for before he was called Suchar or Suchet and hauing inuested him with episcopall dignitie afterwards he sent him to preach the fayth of CHRIST He is sent to Preach in Ireland to the rude inhabitans of Ireland Not long before he had sent thither for the same purpose one Paladius his ArchdeacoÌ„ but the Jrishmen refusing to receaue him and his doctrine he was forced to returne back to Rome and afterwards comming into England died in the confines of the Picts Therefore S. PATRICK not only succeeded him in that holy embassage and labour but farre exceeded him in the fruict he reaped out of both And truely the workes and miracles which are reported of him in the conuersion of that countrey are soe manie soe infinite and some soe beyond the degrees of admiration that they seeme allmost to be beyond fayth too At lest they are farre beyond the limitts of this short treatise and therefore I wittingly omitt the greatest part of them not that I thinke theÌ„ voyd of all truth God forbid but because some are reported with ouermuch pietie or credulitie and by such authours at first whose names are vnknowne and consequently their testimonie cannot carrie his iust weight in the ballaÌ„ce of true historie But before we enter into S. PATRICKS preaching in IrelaÌ„d let the great S. HIEROME tell vs what manner of men he had to deale with That nation sayth he had The rudenes of the Irish poeple not proper wines but as yf they had read PLATOS Policie and followed the example of CATO like beasts they satiated their lust according aâ— euerie one thought best He likewise affirmeth that he him self being in FraÌ„ce had seene lib. 2. contra Jouin. cap. 6. those poeple cate mans Flesh and that they were wont when they did light on shepheards that kept their flocks in woods and desert places to cutt of the buttocks of men and the paps of woemen affirming those to be the only delights of all other meates Noe wonder then that it pleased allmightie God to shew such strange signes and miracles by S. PATRICK as soe manie necessarie instrumeÌ„ts to worke the coÌ„uersion of that rude fierce barbarons poeple whose iron hearts could not be mollified but in the powerfull flames of wonderfull great vertue and sainctitie III. S. PATRICK therefore and his fellowes coming a shore amongst this rude poeple in the north part of the CouÌ„trey called Vlâ—ter found His entraÌ„ce into Ireland a multitude of Pagans expecting his arriuall come to meet him For their Magitians Negromancers had foretould his coming before and therefore the chief king of the Countrey Leogarie by name had prouided that watch thinking to make his entring into the Iland his goeing out of the world Against whom presently that dogged crew lett loose a cruell mastiffe to giue the gripes of death vnto the holy Bishop But the doggâ— forgetting his wonted fiercenes was strucken soe dumbe and starke at the sight of the holy maÌ„ that he stood like a stone without anie shew of motion giuing an euident token that his setters on who worshiped Idols of stone were like the Gods they worshiped Which being perceaued by one Dichu One Dichu endeauoureth to kill S. Patrick a man of mightie strength and stature he straight lifted vp his sword to giue the holy man his death But his strength became feeblenes hauing the force of the Allmightie opposing it for his arme and whole bodie grew in a moment soe stiffe that he could nether moue his foote to goe on nor bring downe the Dichu coÌ„uerâ—ed by miracle threatning blow he intended Wherevppon by the preaching of saint PATRICK he presently became a new man renounced his Idolatrie and was washed in the sacred font of baptisme togeather with all his familie Soe that he who in that Prouince was the greatest and chiefest impugner of Christianitie became the ring-leader and first professour thereof and constantly remayned in the same whilest he liued And as at that time his soule was released out of the bonds of sinne soe likewise all the parts of his bodie were restored againe to the function of their wonted strength and vigour Therefore he gaue vnto saint PATRICK as an argument of his newly conceaued deuotion to Christian religion that land with the appurtenances where this miracle happened to build a new Church thereon and this Church according to the desire of Dichu was not built from East to west as the manner is but from North to south perhapps that from the Northerne coldnes of Paganisme those Idolaters might be incited by the misterie of this edifice to the meridiaÌ„ feruour of Christian fayth and charitie In this place afterwards S. PATRICK built a famous monasterie into which he introduced a conuent of perfect monks and ordayned S. DVNNE his disciple abbot thereof with whom he him self returning from his labour of preaching was wont somes times to remayne IV. AS ONCE he celebrated the diuine sacrifice of masse in the same Church a wicked Magitian malitiously thrusting a loÌ„g rodd in at the window ouerturned his chalice and shed the most pretious Ransom of our Redemption vppon the aultar Whereat the holy man being exceedingly troubled grieued in mind burst out into teares wheÌ„ on the suddeÌ„ behould by the diuine handy work of God the chalice A magitiaÌ„ miracuâ—ously punished appeared againe standing vpright in the place before him and noe â—igne could be seene on the aulthar clothes of that diuine offring But the diabolicall worker of that mischieuous act escaped not a iust punishment for his temeritie for at the same instant the earth it self as it were wearie and ashamed to carrie such a hellish monster opened her bowells and swallowed him vp aliue to send him to his grand-master of darknes in hell And in the same place as a token of Gods reueÌ„ge there remayned a hollow
Idolatrie he began to preach the true fayth vnto them when a MagitiaÌ„ called Roâ—hait rising vp against him endeauoured to cutt of the thred of his exhortation life at once But the power of all mightie God who allwaies defendeth his seruants sent a thunderbolt suddeÌ„ly froÌ„ heauen which sent the soule of that minister of mischief to the perpetuall seruice of his black master in hell This soe manifest soe terrible a miracle being seene marked by all the multitude the seauen forsayd bretheren twelue thousand men besides were conuerted thereby to the ChristiaÌ„ fayth at the preaching of S. PATRICK and were all cleansed from the diabolicall markes of Paganisme by receauing the Sacred character of Twelue thousand persons conuerted Christianitie in the holy font of Baptisme And leauing the gouuernment of this poeple to a holy man called Mancenus He him self trauelled ouer all the Prouince of Conaght attending incessantly to his pious labour of preaching and teaching those barbarous poeple vntill by the helping grace of the holy ghost he had coÌ„uerted and baptised the whole Countrey He built Churches in manie places and ordayned therein Priests and other Ecclesiasticall ministers by whose prudence and pietie the soules of the poeple might be gouerned in the truth and the diuine office duely and reuerently performed VII THIS DONE S. PATRICK went againe into the North part of Ireland preaching teaching conuerting and baptising all the way as he went Thence through the confines of Meath he trauelled to the Prouince of Leinster leauing at certaine places some of his schollers to execute the office of Bishops amongst the poeple he had conuerted But how great miracles he wrought in all this and in other his iourneies ouer that rude countrey how manie sick persons he cured how manie Magitians he confounded how manie dead he raysed to life how manie things to come he foretould and vppon how manie his aduersaries allmightie God powred forth the renengfull ire of strange punishments it farre exceeds the bouÌ„ds of this weake penne to sett downe and this short treatise to containe He arriued at length at the cittie of Dublin where Aiphin the king thereof with his sonne and his daughter called Dublinia from whom the towne tooke name and allmost all the poeple The towne oâ— duâ—lin conuerted were conuerted at once to the Christan fayth Hence he trauelled to the Prouince of Mounster where being kindly receaued of the King called Oengus he baptised him the greatest part of his poeple And there he is sayd to haue raysed eighteen persons from death to life at once besides other particulars But seeing soe plentifull a haruest in Ireland and but few workmen he passed ouer the seas into Wales where with his learning and zealous labour he preuayled much against the Pelagian heresie then raygning and made manie places there allsoe famous for his miracles and sainctitie As he returned with a new supplie of holy and learned coadiutors towards Ireland he diuerted into the I le of Man theÌ„ subiect to the Britans He conuerteth the Iâ—e of Man which by his preaching and miracles he conuerted to the sayth and left some of his fellowes there to conserue it in the same VIII BEING returned into Jreland he chaÌ„ced to conuert a noble man called Darius who seeing and admiring the wonderfull vertues and miracles of the Sainct gaue him a large and fertile peece of land in the prouince of Vister where S. PARTICK hauing considered the He buildeth the towne of Armagh pleasantnes and commoditie of the place built a fayre cittie now called Armagh into which he induced noe other inhabitant but such as him self knew to be well and soundly grounded and instructed in the Catholick fayth He allsoe adorned the same with Churches Monasteries and Nunneries which he furnished with a learned Clergie vertuous monkes and religious woemen whoe all liued vnder the rules of Ecclesiasticall and monasticall perfection assigned vnto them by S. PATRICK In the same towne he ordayned his Archiepiscopall sea which he desired to make the Metropolitan Siluester ' Gyraldus in topagr Hib. of all Ireland and to that end he made a iourney to Rome to haue all confirmed by the supreme authoritie of the Sea Apostolicque The Pope receaued him with great curtesie as the Apostle of Ireland gaue him 〈◊〉 Palle made him his Vicegerent or Legat in that Countrey and confirmed by Apostolicall authority whatsoeuer he had ordayned disposed or done in that Kingdome And withall gratified his pious labours with the treasure of manie reliques of the Apostles S. STEPHEN and other Martirs to enrich the Countrey at his returne Moreouer he gaue him a certaine linnen cloath stained with the sacred Bloud of our Lord IESBS-CHRIST which he-esteemed aboue all Loade with this spirituall wealth the blessed man returned to his Prouince and hauing made his Archiepiscopall sea of Armagh the Metropolitan of all Ireland those reliques he placed with great reuerence in a shrine behind the high aultar And the custom of that Church hath been euer since the time of this glorious Reliques of Saincts worshiped in S. Patricks daics Sainct on the feasts of Easter and Whitsunday to produce those sacred treasures to the publick view of the poeple to be reuerenced and worshiped by their deuotion according as the worth of such sacred things required But in his returne from Râ—me this vnwearied seruant of IESVS-CHRIST made some stay in his natiue Countrey of great Britaine where againe he left manie rare memories and monuments of his excellent vertues and labours And being in Ireland he setled thirtie bishops which he had brought from beyond the seas in diuers places of that abundant Haruest to cultiuate and manure it with their learning vertues and good workes These he him self was wont oftentimes to visitt as their Metropolitan to call them to Councell to direct them in the Ecclesiasticall gouernment striuing all waies to roote out whatsoeuer was fouÌ„d coÌ„trarie to Christian law and iustice and to promote what was conformable to the holy Canons of the Church and good manners shining in the meane time as allwaies with allmost innumerable miracles that whatsoeuer he ether taught or ordayned by word of mouth like a true Apostle he strengthened and confirmed with wonderfull signes which followed Among which he shewed in nothing soe great and generall a benefitt to that countrey excepting their conuersion to Christianitie as this which now you shall heare S Paâ—rick frâ—eth â—eland from three pestâ—â—eÌ„ troubles XIX IRELAND from the first time it was inhabited grieuiously suffered the continuall troubles of three mortall discommodities an infinite number of venemous Serpents visible troupes of vglie deuils and a multitude of witches and magicians their seruants For the number and power of poysenous creat 〈…〉 s soe preuayled in that Iland that men and other beastes were not only infected with their venom but manie times slaine and deuoured The Deuils allsoe who were masters
leaue the monasterie he had built and returne with CVTHBERT and the rest of his Monkes to Mailros Where CVTHBERT holding on the pious course of his monasticall life gouerned him self and his actions chiefly by the good counsell admonitions of the most holy man Boisil Priour of that place At that time a great plague making He is straÌ„gely recouered of the Plague houock all ouer the countrey laid hould of him allsoe for whose health as a most necessarie and profitable member of that monasticall bodie all his brethren fell night and day to their prayers Which coming to the holy mans knowledge And why sayd he doe I keepe my bed anie longer For doubtlesse the prayers of such and soe manie holy men cannot be voyd of effect before allmightie God No no giue me my staffe and rising at the same instant he committed his weake bodie to the supportment of his legges and staffe when to the great admiration of all the assistants he straight recouered his strength and perfect health Afterwards S. BOISIL being dead CVTHBERT succeeded in the gouernment of the monasterie Which office de discharged with wonderfull great example of vertue and diligence not only for the spirituall profitt of his owne domesticques but allsoe by his fruitfull endeauour in conuerting the common poeple thereabouts from the bad waies of their vices and fond customs to the loue of heauen and heauenly ioyes partly by the good example of his vertuous and holy life partly with his wholsom sermons and exhortations and partly by the miraculous curing of manie diseases For diuers of that countrey had profaned their fayth and religion with their wicked vniust practises and some neglecting the Sacrament of their Christian baptisme made vse of diabolicall and magicall phisick to ridd them selues and their countrey of the plague To remedie these euils the holy man trauclled through that countrey preaching teaching the way of truth and iustice vnto all with verie great profitt and fruict of his pious labours For he had soe great skill in teaching such an amiable Confession of sins enioyning 〈◊〉 penance force in perswading bore such an angelicall maiestie in his couÌ„tenaÌ„ce that manie forsaking their wicked life of theyr owne accord would reueale and confesse their most secret hidden offences for they imagined nothiÌ„g could lie hid froÌ„ him being coÌ„fessed willingly vnderwent the workes of peanance which he enioyned them for satisfaction of their sinnes But he was wont chiefly to visitt those His labour in preaching places and preach in those villages which were seated in the rude and rugged mountaines and hard to come at where by reason of the rusticitie of the poeple and barrennes of the places they were in great want of teachers In these places which bred a horrour to other men were his greatest delights and in these he would stay sometimes a weeke togeather sometimes two three yea a whole moneth neuer returning to his monasterie but labouring with his dayly preachings and examples of good life to reduce that rude poeple to the true knowledge and loue of allmightie God V. IN THE meane time the holy man began to excell in the spiritt of prophesie to foretell things to come and to declare things absent For being vppon some important necessitie of his monasterie to take shipping with two other monks to passe ouer into the land of the Pists called Niduars and the faire calmnes of the weather putting them in hope to make a speedie returne they went forth wholly vnfurnished of prouision in victualls but it fell out otherwise for they were noe sooner on land but there arose such a blustering and tempestuous wind that the sea moued with those furious blasts began-allsoe to be puft vp into whole mountaines of outragious waues which hindred them quite from thinking how to returne soe that being there among the cruelties of cold and hunger for the space of some daies they were allmost starued to death through want of victuals when the holy man was neuer idle but watching night and day in prayers comforted his fellowes with pious discourses inuited them to fall to their prayers and committ them selues into the hands and protection of allmightie God Hee feedeth him self and his followes by mirâ—cle who doubtlesse would succour them in this necessitie as he did the children of Israel in the desert And now sayd he let vs goe to find out what sustenance our Lord hath sent vs his seruaÌ„ts Then leading them vnder the baÌ„ke where he had prayed a little before they found three peeces or portions of dolphins flesh readie cutt to be boiled with which they satisfied their hunger and gaue thankes vnto allmightie God for his benefitts You see deare brethren sayd he how great a grace it is to be confident in allmighty God Behould he hath He forelleth things to come not only sent food to his hungrie seruants but by the number of three signifies how manie daies we must yet remayne here before the tempest cease And it fell out as the holy man foretould VI. GOEING forth one day to preach accompanied only with a litle boy and being both wearied with their iourney and destitute of anie foode to repayre their weakened forces Tell me child sayd the holy man what courage thou hast by this time seeing that we haue nether meate nor drinck to satisfie our hunger nor noe place whither to retire our selues for shelter That is it replied he which greatly troubles mee since we haue nether victuals nor money to buy not friend to assist vs. Be confident An Eagle furnisheth him with meate my Child in the goodnes of allmightie God answeared CVTHBERT and rest assured that he will neuer abandon those in time of necessitie who giue them selues faythfully and with all their hearts to his diuine seruice Doest thou see that Eagle yonder which flies in the ayre marke her well for by her meanes our Lord will send vs succour in this extremitie With such like discourse they held on their iourney by a riuer side when the Eagle hauing taken a fish laid it for them vppon the bancke the owne half whereof the holy man caused to be left for their diuine puruey or and with the remainder he refreshed himself and his companion in the next village yielding most heartie thanks to the diuine goodnes for his benefitts where he allsoe sed the poeple with the spirituall food of the ghospell VII BVT AS he preached in one of those Villages the Deuill The deuill seeking to hinder his preaching a perpetuall enuier of goodnes fearing left he should draw his ministres out of the stench of their vices to the sweetnes of pietie and deuotion cast a fantasticall fier into a house neere to the Church during the time of his sermon But the holy man instructed by the diuine spiritt that is was but a deceipt of his hellish malice warned his auditors to listen only to the word of God
gemmes by the inclining of the ship on the one side fell accidentally into the water and afterwards the sea retiring it felf for the space of three miles was againe found in the bottom without anie domage by lying in the waters which was preserued with great care in the Abbey of Durrham vnto the Authours time that writeth this historie XVIII BVT peace and tranquillitie succeeding the turmoiles of warre and slaughter in the raigne of Cuthred and the Bishoprick of Lindissarne being traÌ„slated to Cunicacestre there Eadulphe setled him self with his coÌ„panie holy reliques of S. CVTHBERT Till after one hundred thirteene yeares the Danes making a new inuasion into the couÌ„trey putting all to fier sword Bishop Alwin togeather with his Clergie the same sacred bodie weÌ„t to Rippon And after three or fower turbulent moneths were past he resolued to transport that treasure to its auncient seate of Lindisfarne but being in the way His Sacred reliqueâ—remayâ—â—â—â—moueable at DurrhaÌ„ neere Durrham togeather with a great multitude of poeple the chest wherein the Sacred bodie was carried could by noe meanes nor forces nether of men nor beasts be moued anie further noe more then a mountaine All much astonished and grieued at this strange spectacle the Bishop perswaded the poeple to giue them selues to watching and prayer to allmightie God to make knowne his will and pleasure in this In the meane time it was reuealed to one Eadmer a holy monk that they should transport the neuer enough named bodie to Durrham and thither it was carried without anie difficultie or resistance At that time Durrham was a desert and horrid place filled and incompassed round about with vast woods and groues allthough by nature fortifieable enough The Bishop presently built a Church in great hast only of slender timber wherein the Sacred bodie was conserued for the space of three yeares In the meane time by the wonderfull great care diligence and labour of him and of Vtred Earle of Northumberland and the poeple that vast and thick wildernes of woods was cutt downe the place it self made habitable and a goodly Church all of stone erected into which the vnstayned bodie of the Sainct was translated with great reuerence of all And The Bishops sea placed at Durrham the Episcopall sea erected first at Lindisfarne remayned at Durrham togeather with that Sacred monumeÌ„t euer after which was the three hundredth and ninth yeare after his happie deposition Where manie famous miracles were wrought through his meritts intercession of which allsoe the place whence first he came was not depriued Among others a woeman whose feete and thighs were by a contraction of the finews writhen and turned backwards in soe much that as a miserable spectacle she crept from place to place on her hands praying at this holy tombe recouered the strength and vse of all her limmes And goeing afterwards to Rome and into Ireland to pray and giue thanks for her health receaued she diuulged all ouer the world as she weÌ„t the great benefitt she had receaued by the meritts of S. CVTHBERT Which the authour hereof doth affirme out of the mouth of diuers Priests that had seene and spoken with her The same man Simeon of Durrham rehearseth manie wonderfull miracles wrought by his holy meritts after his bodie was brought to DurrhaÌ„ We will only make a brief rehearsall of some few XIX ONE Osulphe a man of most wicked life was sett vppon by Miracles wrought at S Cuthberts tombe at Durrham a snake which way soeuer he went and albeit he reiected her very often and sometimes burst her in peeces notwithstanding by what meanes it was vnknowne she would hang about that wretched creatures neck though without hurting him at all But as often as he entred S. CVTHBERTS Church he was free and coming forth he was presently attached againe Which being a cause of great astonishment to all and of wonderfull calamitie to the poore man he went to S. CVTHBERTS where shrine hauing perseuered three daies and as manie nights earnestly imploring the helpe of God and the Sainct he was euer after released from that fearfull anoyance Which storie this authour asseuereth from their words that had seene the man About the same time one that had stollen some peeces of money from S. CVTHBERTS shrine and to conceale his theft putt them into his mouth on a suddaine his chops were miserably tortured with such an sufferable paine as yf they had bin seared with hott irons And endeauouring to spitt the money out of his mouth he was not able no nor to speake a word He ranne vpp and downe the Church nodding staring and shewing all other strange motions of countenance and bodie seeking to make knowne his torment which he could not vtter At length hoping to gaine a remedie where he had found his ill he ranne to the Sacred shrine and falling prostrate on his face humbly craued the pardon and assistance of S. CVTHBERT offring interest of his owne to expiate the offence committed where as he embraced and kissed that Sacred treasurie with the verie kisse the money fell out of his mouth and he was released Manie punished for iniuries done to his tombe from his paine But as men afflicted with diseases and miseries who humbly implored his ayde receaued oftentimes present and wonderfull remedies soe those that were iniurious to this B. Sainct and his Church were payd home for their temeritie with present and grieuous punishments And among others Osbert and Ella both kings slaine by the Danes may witnes and Duke Haden a Dane whom besides madnes a most cruell sicknes attached which infected his whole bodie with such an horrid stench that the armie not able to endure his presence thrust him out of the camp flying from Tinemouth with three ships he and all his companie were swallowed in the reuengfull billowes of the sea XX. AN other wicked Dane Oulasbald by name when he endeauoured Others for iniuries done to his Church to spoile the Church of S. CVTHBERT and to wast her lands and possessions being admonished by the Bishop to abstaine from his temerarious attempt lest he should incurre the heauie reuenge of the Sainct What sayd he dost thou think to terrifie me with the vanie buggs of thy speeches and with a death to be feared from a dead man I vow and protest by all my Gods he was a Heathen that hereafter I will be a cause of greater mischief to thee and all thine when this CVTHBERT of thine in whom thou hast soe great confidence shall auayle the nothing He had scarse sayd thus much when goeing ouer the threshold suddenly he became immoueable and falling downe to the ground vomitted forth his wretched soule William Conquerour sent one called Ranulphus to Durrham to exact tribute out of that countrey which hitherto had bin allwaies free To whom S. CVTHBERT appearing in a dreame with cruell threatnings and a disease which grieuously tormented him
thereof he went in pilgrimage to Durcham where in his sacred tomb he deposed a worthie guift as a holy testimonie of his deuout loue At length after some yeares in his bishoprick coming to the last poynt of this mortall life as long as his voyce would serue him he sung his accustomed Anthem of S. CVTHBERT but his speech fayling with his hand he made a signe to the monks to goe on and soe he happily breathed forth the testimonie of his loue to that Sainct togeather with his blessed soule which at the same instant tooke her flight to receaue His happie departure her prepared seate and reward amongst the quires of Benedictin Monks in heauen Thus much out of Malmesburie depont lib. 2. Harpsfield saec 11. cap. 9. and others He florished about the yeares 1050. THE END OF MARCH The life of Sainct RICHARD Bishop of Chicester and Confessor APR. 3. VVritten by Radulphus Cicestrius about the yeare 1270 SAINCT RICHARD of blessed and neuer dying memorie was an Englishman borne of honest parents in Worcester-shire at a Village which from the salt-pitts thereabouts was called the Wiche S Richards parents c countrey His fathers name was Richard too and his mothers Alice It was not without some presage of his future excellencie that he was borne in a towne of salt for indeed he seasoned the whole countrey with the salt of his wisedom learning and holy life From his tendrest yeares contrarie to the custō of that age he so farre abandoned dancing His happie witt plaies and other such vanities that his other fellowes and equalls in yeares could by noe allurements nor perswasions draw him thereunto on the other side within a short time he farre excelled all his riualls both in learning integritie of life good manners His elder brother during the time of his nonage was kept in ward and by that meanes he came to his lands in great pouertie and want Whose case RICHARD much pittied and hauing not anie thing wherewith to comfort and succour him in that necessitie he He serues his brother gaue him self wholly into his seruice in which he spent noe small time in great pouertie and abiection and with noe lesse patience humilitie and modestie toyling and sweating now at the plough now at the cart and other such hard imployments and labours of husbandrie Whereby he wonne to him self soe great good will and affection from his brother that by a sealed writing he assured all his lands vppon him Then his friends and kinsfolks began to treate of a marriage to be solemnized between him and a yong gentlewoman of that Countrey VVhich when his brother perceaued he beganne to repent that he had resigned ouer his meanes because he knew that with that gentlewoman he should come in possession of a verie large and ample dowry RICHARD hauing intelligēce hereof He forsaketh all for loue of leaning You haue noe reasō deare brother sayd he to be afflicted at this for the same liberalitie and curtesie which you haue shewed towards me will I returne to you againe Therefore behould I not only surrender vp your writings and bonds but allsoe all the interest I haue in this my future wife yf soe it may stand with the good will and liking of her frends and for mine owne part I neuer once kissed her lippes Hēceforth hauing abandoned all he had his lands his spouse his friends he betooke him self to his studies first at Oxford thē at Paris in France where he learnt his Logick And he was soe violently carried away with ā extreme loue desire to apparell his mind with learning that he scarse euer thought ether offoode or apparell for his bodie For as him self afterwards was wōt to say whē he was one of the three schollers that liued in one chamber they had but one capp or hatt betwixt them each of them but one gowne Soe that like some of our courtiers now a dayes whē one of them went forth to lesson with the hatt the other two remayned barcheaded at home And soe the same capp serued them all by turnes to goe heare their lectures Their ordinary food was bread and a little herbe-pottage or some such poore dish For their pouertie would not allow them to eate eyther flesh or fish vnlesse it were vppon sundaies and high dayes and when their friends and comrades did inuite them And yet the holy man was wont to say that in all his life times he neuer enuoyed merrier and sweeter dayes then those II. IN THE meane time our hopefull yong man prositted soe excellently Hefs made master of art in his studies that by the publick applause and acclamations of all men he was iudged worthie to be honoured with the title of master But refusing to take anie degrees at Paris he returned againe to his Countrey and to the Vniuersitie of Oxford where within a short time he was promoted to be Master of the liberall arts He studies Canon law when liberally he imparted that learning to others which before with much labour he had purchased to him self And goeing afterwards into Italic for seauē years space he gaue his mind to studie the Canon law in the vniuersitie of Bolognia that with soe great encrease of learning that his master falling sick made choise of him amongst all his other schollers to supplie his place and continue the lecture begunne Which for more then half a yeare he performed with soe great modestie readines of witt and iudgement that he purchased to him self great affectiō praise throughout all the vniuersitie gott soe high a place of fauour and good will with his master that he desired and aspired to nothing more willingly then to giue him his only daughter in marriage But RICH. who moued by a diuine inspiration was farre otherwise bent gaue him verie humble thanks for his noble loue courteously pretending some reasōs for his excuse adding withall that for the present he had a lōg iourney to make promising that at his returne yf soe it pleased God his dutie should be yielding to the leuell of his desires And taking leaue of his master his daughter in this sort he returned into England to the vniuersitie of Oxford where he led a verie rigid austere life in He is made Chancelour of oxford cōtinuall labours watching other bodily afflictiōs Whē his fame renowne encreased to such a height in the eares of the world that by the cōsent of all he was made Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie III. ABOVT the same time S. EDMOND sate at the helme in the gouernmēt of the metropolitā sea of Canturbury who long before had had certaine intelligence of his great prudence and integritie and Robert surnamed grosse teste a mā famous for holines was thē bishop of Lincolne who both being wholly ignorant of one others meaning herein And to the Archbishop of Cauturbury at one the same time earnestly
and the common wealth yf the attempted that iourney And that at his first installement in the Archbishoprick he had bound him self by oath to obserue the lawes and customs of the countrey which forbid goeing Rome without the kings leaue The holy man answered that it was not the part of a Christian prince to cutt of anie He appealeth to the Pope appellation to the Roman sea of PETER and that he had engaged him self to the obseruance of noe other lawes then what stood with the honour of God and good reason When the King and his replied that there had been no mention made eyther of God or Goodnes To which ANSELME O goodly doeings sayd he that shunne the name of God or Goodnes Which words putt all his aduersaries to silence for that time But the kings anger and hatred against him encreased more and more euerie day which allso soe terrified manie of the other bishops that they began openly to forsake their Metropolitan and not to defend his cause although in their hearts they did not vtterly disproue it XIII IN the meane time sainct ANSELME constantly tould the king that notwithstanding all this opposition he would goe to Rome and before his departure prouided that he king would not reiect it he promised to giue him his benediction which done he went to Canturbury where after one dayes stay hauing with an oration He goeth to Rome like a pilgrim full of pietie and affection exhorted his monks to follow the traine of vertue and to putt on the armour of constancie and patience against the imminent dangers that threatned to follow he putt on the habitt of a pilgrim to the great grief of all his friends and especially of the monks of Canturbury and went to take shipping at Douer and with him went Eadmerus a Benedictin monk of Canturbury who writt his life They passed ouer into France to Lions where S. ANSELME was entertayned with wonderfull magnificence and respect by Hugue Archbishop of the place The Pope vnderstaÌ„ding of his being there sent for him to come to Rome with all speed Where he was honoured by all the court and soe highly praysed by the Pope in presence of the Cardinalls and Lords of Rome for his great learning and pietie that the holy man much confounded and ashamed therewith durst not lift vp his eyes before the companie which humilitie made them all iudge him to be an other manner of man in the presence of allmightie God then he appeared by his outside Then he sollicited the Pope in nothing more then to gett leaue to lay aside his Episcopall dignitie for the loue of a priuate life But Pope Vrban would by no meanes graunt his request but aduised him to seiourne a while in a monasterie of Benedictine Monks neere the cittie of Capna where by the prayers of Sainct ANSELME a liuely fountaine of water sprung out of a hard rock which is called A fouÌ„taine out of a Rock by his prayers the Bishop of Canturburys Well and the water cured manie diseases XIV S. ANSELME was present by the commaund of the Pope in the Councell of Bar where he made shew of his knowledge and prudence in the conuincing of the Greeks prouing the holy Ghost to proceed from the father and the sonne as from one Beginning And mention being made in this Councell of king William and of his outrages committed against ANSELME and the Church his crimes appeared soe heynous that all proclaymed him worthie to be cutt off from the Church by the sentence of excommunication had not ANSELME interposed him self and falling on his knees The wonderfull humilitie meeknes of S. Anselme craued a time of respite which with difficultie he obtained And this his meekenes and humblenes of mind gayned him a wonderfull great fauour amongst them all The Pope being returned to Rome is mett by an embassadour from king William to defend the Kings cause against ANSELME who but newly came from playing the part of an aduocate in his behalf And by the importunitie of this embassadour the cause was committed to be heard in a Councell held at Rome where S. ANSELME him self was present and certaine seate was allotted to him and his successors of Canturbury if anie should afterwards chaunce to be present in a Roman Councell And here the Pope by the consent of all the Prelates thundered an excommunication against all lay persons for manie princes at that time were ouer busie in those affayres that intruded them selues in challenging the inuestitures of bishopricks and against all Ecclesiasticks that receaued them at their hands This done ANSELME returned to Lions in France quite hopelesse of coming into England during the raigne of King William Where as he was exercised in his The death oâ— William Rufus accustomed workes of pietie and vertue newes was brought that by the permission of allmightie God his greatest enemie was robbed of his power to hurt him for king William being on hunting the second of August in the midst of his game was shott through the heart with an arrow which gaue a miserable end to his miserable life It is not credible how greatly S. ANSELME was afflicted with this newes and cheefly at the manner thereof professing with manie sighs and teares that he would willingly haue redeemed his vnhappie death with the losse of his owne life XV. HENRY the first of that name and brother to William succeeded who with the great applause of the whole countrey recalled King Henry recalleâ—h S. Anselme S ANSELME into England and endeauoured to gaine his fauour thereby promising togeather with allmost all his Lords and Bishops of the realme that all things should be carried according to his owne liking But when ANSELME was come and the king vnderstoode of the Popes decree made in the sinod of Rome touching the inuestiture of bishopricks he was wonderfully enraged and conceaued soe great hatred against S. ANSELME that vnlesse he would receaue his Archbishoprick as restored vnto him by his only authoritie there should he noe place for him in the kingdome And this ANSELME absolutly refused to doe as being contrarie to the late decree of the Roman Councell Soe that the matter being tossed and disputed a long time to and fro the king at length perswaded him to go to Rome togeather with his Embassadours to gett this act recalled by Pope Pasehall the secoÌ„d who now had succeeded Vrban S. Ansel goeth againe to Rome The holy man to auoyde greater inconueniences vndertooke the iourney foretelling before he went that the Pope would doe nothing contrarie to the libertie and decrees of the Church Neuerthelesse he went and being arriued at Rome was receaued with farre greater honour and respect then euer before Then it was hottly disputed at the Lateran of the kings affayres and manie reasons brought in by William procuratour of the kings cause in defence thereof Who came at length to such a vehemencie and heate in
carried thither where the fier came on with greatest violence Which done this weake man began with his prayers to driue that away against which the force of manie strong labouring hands could not preuayle And suddenly as yf he had been the moderatour and ruler of the winds the wind that blew out of the south and was as the bellowes of those flames chainged into the North and soe constrayned that outragious element to forsake the food which soe eagerly it hunted after and turned it back to feed on its owne ruines whereby the cittie was freed from the imminent perill of ruine and the citizens ascribed the preseruation of them selues and their fortunes to their holy Archbishop MELLITVS who because he vehemently boyled with the fier of diuine loue and was wont by his often prayers and exhortations to driue away the stormes of the ayrie powers from hurting him and his he was found worthie to whom God gaue power to preuayle against the forces of the fiers and winds of this world At length when this Blessed Archbishop whom Trithemius a graue authour in his worke of the famous men of saint BENEDICTS order calls a man of most holy life a lib. 3. cap. 56. lib. 4. cap. 50. contemner of the world a louer of God the rule of all religion and a mirrour of vertue had gouerned the Sea of Canturbury the space of fiue yeares he left this mortall life to â—â—ke his long desired iourney to the immortall the foure and twentith day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord 624. He was buried in the Benedictin Monasterie of saint PETER and saint PAVL in Canturbury by his predecessours And in his Epitaph is made mention of the foresayd miracle of the fier in these two verses speaking to him Laudibus aeternis te predicat vrbs Dorouernis Cui simul ardenti rest as virtute potenti His life we haue gathered chiefly out of saint Bede de gest Ang. lib. 1. cap. 29. lib. 2. cap. 3. 4. sequ Ealred abbot of Rhienall Baronius tom 8. Malmesbury de pont l. 2. the Roman Martirologe Nicholas Harpsfield see 7. cap. 7. Vsuard Ado Arnold wion and others make honourable mention of hiâ—â— The life of S. EGBERT Priest and monke of the holy order of saint BENEDICT APR. 24. Out of Venerable Bede THE admirable master of humilitie and most zealous aduancer of Christs Ghospell saint EGBERT borne of a noble race of English parents in the south parts of England spent the flower of his youth in the monastery of Lindisfarne or Holy-Iland In which schoole of vertue he receaued the first grounds of true religion vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT which afterwards he communicated to other places to the great honour and encrease of the Benedictin order It was the manner in those dayes of manie of our English to goe ouer into Ireland there to apply them selues in a more strict course of holy meditation watching fasting and prayer and other exercises of a monasticall life Amongst the rest holy EGBERT forsaking friends and countrey went thither with a feruent desire to pietie accompanied He goeth into Ireland with an other noble Englishman called Ethelune And huing togeather in Jreland in a monasterie called in Irish Rathmelfigi they were both infected with the plague which at that time mustered whole troupes of poeple vnder the black banner of death When holy EGBERT expecting nothing but to be enrolled in the same number of deaths seruants went one morning out of that mournfull lodging where the sick monks lay expecting their end into a secret and solitarie place where sitting downe to entertayne him self with his owne throughts he beganne to cast vp a strict accompt of his former life wherein he found manie Items whose remembrance begott such contrition in his heart that the teares trickling downe his cheekes were worthy witnesses to prooue it excellent Then in the heate of true deuotion he humbly besought allmightie His petitioÌ„ to Allmigh tie God God to graunt him a litle longer respite in this world as well to bewaile the sinnes of his youth as allsoe more abundantly to exercise him self in the workes of religious perfection vowing withall neuer more to returne into his natiue conntrey of England but to liue a pilgrim all the dayes of his life Moreouer besides his canonicall office he was wont yf sicknes did not hinder him He dayly recited Dauids Psalter to recite euery day the whole psaker of Dauid in honour of allmightie God and to fast one whole day and a night euery weeke without anie food at all But when his prayers had set a periode to his teares and his vowes to his prayers he returned back to his lodging where he found his fellow Edelhune that laboured with the same disease fast asleepe and he him self layd downe his feeble limmes to recreate them a while with rest But long he had not reposed when his companion awaked and looking pittifully vppon him O brother Egbert sayd he what hast thou done I had hoped we should haue gone ioyfully togeather to the Kingdom of heauen but now by thy desire we must be seperated for know that thy request is graunted It had been reuealed vnto him in a vision what EGBERTS request was and that he had had a graunt there of from God II. THE night following Edelhune died happily and EGBERT by a He is miraculously cured of the plague speciall fauour of diuine grace recouering his health afterwards adorned his monasticall vocatioÌ„ with the dignitie of priesthood and â—nnobled that dignitie with worthie actions of vertue and good life Allwaies gouerning him self with the rules of perfect humilitie sweet meeknes pure continencie plaine simplicitte candid innocencie His example of life his labour in teaching his authoritie iâ— reprehending and his liberalitie in bestowing what the charitie of the rich gaue him was of wonderfull great profitt and edification to all the countrey where he liued in voluntarie banishment And His rigid fasting to encrease the austeritie of his owne life he added to the vowes aforesayd to make but one small meale a day throughout all the Lent which was a little bread and a poore quantitie of thinâ—e milke which he did eate cold after it had stoode a whole night and when the creame or fatter substance thereof was skimmed off This manner of fasting he obserued like wise fortie dayes before Christmas and as manie more after Whitsuntide Vppon these well setled foundations and grounds of holines in a short time saint EGBERT raysed a spirituall building of vertues to the very height of monasticall perfection soe that the same of his sainctitie was blowne into the royall eares of Kings of whom some much admired and honoured the man others that contemned his pious admonitions felt the heauie punishment of him that allwaies defends the cause of his true seruants as appeares by that which venerable BEDE recounts of Egfrid King of the Northumbers Who in the
at once gaue a double testimonie of his great vertue and sanctitie And as in his life he was replenished with manie wonderfull spirituall graces and vertues soe at his death as manie sick as touched the biere whereon his bodie lay receaued perfect health and were cured of all diseases His bodie was buried in sainct PAVLS Church at London by the high aultar where it lay manie yeares couered with a palle of verie He is buried in S. Pauls of London meane value But allmightie God decsared an length by a wonderfull miracle that the reliques of this glorious Sainct deserued greater honour and reuerence For during the raigne of William Conquerour in the yeare of our Lord 1087. a most cruell fier sayd hold on the cittie of London by night which consumed all before it from the west gate to the East at which horrid spectacle the cittizens greatly affrighted were glad to saue their owne lines by flight some of them leauing their cuill-gott goods to the mercie of those London fiered mercilesse flames which hauing entred the Cathedrall Church of sainct PAVL and soe entred that there was noe hope to dispossesse those outrageous guests the people were stricken with greater grief with the thought of loosing the sacred reliques of soe great a Patrone then with the sight of their owne harmes But allmightie God was zealous and carefull of the glorie of his Sainct For when His tombe miraculously preserued froÌ„ fier the Church was wholly in flames when the lead powred downe on all sides when whole beames of fier came tumbling to the earth amidst all this dolefull wrack of ruine where the conquest was the death of the conquerour the sacred tombe of sainct ERKENWALD allbeit of drie wood apt to take fier remayned most free and vntouched And which is more the cloath that couered it when the two Bishops of London and Wincester came to be eye-witnesses of this miracle was found most pure without anie hurt where the piercing force of the melted lead and eating fier was of noe force against the vertue and meritts of this worthie sainct O wonderfull sight whatsoeuer was in the Church within the power of fier was turned to ashes and yet in the midst of all the palle of his sepulcher was not one threed the worse eyther in matter or colour The poeple flocke thither in troupes to be witnesses of that strainge spectacle giuing manie thanks to allmightie God for his goodnes when the noueltie of this miracle banished out of their minds all thought of their owne misfortune receiued Mauritius then bishop Mauritius Bishop of London of London layd the foundation of the mightie Church of S. PAVL now extant which by his successours was brought to that wonder of perfection in which now it is And six and thirtie yeares agoe as I haue learned from faythfull witnesses that saw it there was in the vpper end of the Quire in Pauls Church a table which testified where the holy body of S. ERKENWALD lay in these words Vnder here lieth the bodie of S. ERKENWALD fourth Bishop of London Manie other miracles were wrought by the merits of this glorious sainct which here we omitt He died about the yeare of our Lord 690. His life is written by Gotzelinus Morimnensis sainct Bede William Malmesburie de Pont. lib. 2. Iohn Capgraue Nicolas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 13. and others out of whom and the records of sainct Pauls Church we haue taken this historie Polidore Virgil Trithemius amougst the Saincts of S. Benedicts order Baronius Matthew Paris the Romane Martirologe and all our English writers doe highly speake his prayses The end of Aprill The life of Sainct ASAPH Bishop and Confessor MAY 1. SAINCT ASAPH borne in that part of great Britaine now called His countrey and youth North-wales was from his youth brought vp vnder the gouernement and discipline of great sainct KENTIGERNE in the monasterie of Elue in Flint-shire where amongst nine hundred and three score other monks his fellow-schollers he sâ—ined in all manner of vertue and bore the prize of obedience and sainctitie from them all He descended from a noble race and seemed to haue the rootes of vertue engraffed in his soule from the cradle which by his diligent and carefull managing brought forth a worthie baruest of pious fruits at their time He putt forth him self in nothing soe much a sin labouring to make his owne conuersation and manner of life conformable to the austere patterne of vertue and mortification which appeared in his holy Master saint KENTIGERNL To whom his obedience was such that it deserued to be witnessed for excellent by miracle For saint KENTIGERNE coming one night out of the cold water in which as his custom was he had recited the whole psalter of Dauid and being soe extremly frozen that he was allmost quite depriued of heate the necessarie companion of life he The strainge vertue of prompt obedience sent his holy disciple ASAPH for fier to recouer the forces of his decaying bodie He that had noe lesson soe perfect as obedience ranne hastily to the fierie ouen and finding noe other instrument to carrie his fier tooke the hott scortching coales into his lapp and without anie signe of burning in his coate brought them to his master who admiring soe great vertue in his scholler held him in great estimation euer after and committed to his charge the whole regiment of the monasterie and made him his successour in the Bishoprick of Elue now called S. ASAPHS retayning allwaies the name but farre wide of the vertues and fayth of saint ASAPH Who when he had gouerned his sea for the space of manie yeares in great sainctitie and miraculous workes in venerable old age he gaue vp his blessed soule to receaue the crowne of euerlasting life the first day of May about the yeare of our Lord 569. whose name to this day is very famous throughout Wales in the mouthes of all true-hearted Welchmen to the great confusion of our Protestant-Heroticks who are not ashamed to honour the saincts by calling their Churches by their names to whom in catholick times they were dedicated and in their confession of fayth to denie anie honour at all to be due vnto them contrarie to the generall doctrine of the Catholick Church and all auncient fathers Thus much we haue gathered out of Molanus in his additions to Vsuard Arnold Wion Iohn Capgraue and others The Roman martirologe this first of May makes mention of S. Asaph The life of S. EADBERT Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT MAY. 6. Out of Venerable Bede hist. de gest Ang. lib. 4. EADBERT surnamed the Almner a man as excellent in learning the knowledge of diuine scriptures as in the obseruance of Ecclesiasticall and monasticall precepts and most excellent in the vertue of giuing almes was raysed from the humilitie of a Benedictine monk in the monasterie of Lindisfarne to succeede that glorious ornament He
belonging to a good bishop yet in his mind there remayned allwaies a pious desire to goe in pilgrimage which his intention allbeit hidden from mans knowledge yet to God it was most knowne whose diuine goodnes shewed him the fauour at length to attayne the end of his wished desires III. FOR finding a fitt opportunitie he left his bishoprick and He forsaketh his bishoprick togeather with his auncient companions Plechelme and Otgerus he trauelled into France choosing rather to lead a poore and humble life amoÌ„gst straingers then to liue in pompe and glorie in his owne countrey But the more he sought to flie the glorie and honours of the world the more they followed him for in France King Pepin hearing of his great sainctitie receaued him and his fellowes with He is honorably entert ayned by King Pepin wonderfull ioy and honour And hauing vnderstood of their desire to a priuate manner of life he gaue them a place proper for that purpose called Peter-mount in the Diocesse of Liege neere Ruremond where was built a chappell dedicated to the B. Virgin MARY and a famous monasterie of sainct BENEDICTS order in honour of the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER In this place sainct WYRE finding him self seated according to his owne desire beganne againe to enter into the course of a monasticall life vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT which long since he had professed in England amongst His holy exercises the English monks setting forth him self and his fellowes as liuely patternes of religion and vertue to be imitated CHRIST only was the end of all his actions his tongue spake nothing but CHRIST his heart was acquainted with no other thought but of CHRIST for whose loue he dayly sacrificed him selfe to his seruice in watchings prayers fasting and all other mortifications and vertues belonging to a true religious and monasticall life Shining to the countrey both in learming holy coÌ„uersation And being adorned with manie vertues in bodie he liued on earth but in mind he was wholely conuersant in the diuine contemplation of heauen In fine it were too long worthyly to rehearse all the vertues of this holy man IV IN THE meane time King Pepin held him in soe great veneration that to him only as the spirituall guyde of his soule and the King Pepins humilitie in coÌ„fession patrone of his life he was wont to confesse and reueale the sinnes and deformities of his soule Nether was this good Prince ashamed to goe barefooted to confession vnto him and humbly to submitt him self to the arbitrement of his will soe highly he esteemed his sanctitie Moreouer he often made vse of the mature counsell of this holy man in the managing of the chiefest and weightiest affayres of his Kingdom At length Sainct WYRE began to perceaue the neere approach of death by the feeling of his two harbengers old age and sicknes that came vppoÌ„ him When decreasing dayly in strength he still encreased in vertue couragiously expecting that blessed minute which should sett free his soule to flie to the eternall reward of his meritts till by the violence of an ague he chainged the fall of his mortall bodie with the rising of an mmortall life and gaue vp his holy spiritt into the hands of his deare redeemer the eight day of May about the yeare of our Lord 763. His bodie was honourably buried in the foresayd chappell of the B. Virgin were manie miracles are wrought through the meritts of this glorious Sainct His bodie or the greatest part thereof was afterwards translated to Maâ—stricht in Germanie into the Cathedrall Church of that cittie where it is kept with great veneration of the inhabitants and his feast celebrated with an office of a double His life we haue gathered out of the author thereof recited by Surius tom 5. and Molanus in indic Sainct Belgii The Roman Martyrologe this day Baronius tom 8. anno 631. Trithemius of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. cap. 63. Arnold Wion lib. 2. cap. 53. Vsuard and mâ—nie others doe make aâ—ple mention of S. WIRE The life of Sainct FREMVND King and Martyr MAY 11. Written by Burchard a Monk of the same time FREMVND descending from a royall stock inherited the gouernement of the Kingdom when his father Offa was soe ouerthrowne wich old age that he was vnfit to manage those affayres anie longer But FREMVND when he had raygned a yeare and an half ruling his state by the balance of true iustistice He forsaketh his kingdom he soe litle esteemed the vaine pompe of the world in respect of the loue of heauen that vnawares of his parents and subiects of his Kingdom with two only in his companie whereof one was Burchard that writt his life and liued with him while he liued he departed to a secret and vnknowne Ermitage in the Iland called Ilefage which at that time was inhabited only by deuils and wicked spirits In this place hauing built a litle cottage and an oratorie in honour of the B. Virgin MARY he spent the space of seaueÌ„ yeares in continuall watching fasting and prayer dayly sacrifycing himself to God by the rude mortification of his bodie and ouercoming the rebellious passions of the mind When the deuill enuying soe great sainctitie in sainct FREMVND with manie grieuous batteries of temptations sought to ouerthrow his godly resolution bringing into his memory the pompe and glory of the world ly dignitie which he had forsaken and filling his mind with manie thoughts of the great good which his youtfull dayes might haue brought to his countrey But he found this souldier of CHRIST soe firme a rock that all his vaine assaults could nether shake nor stirre him from the seate and ground of vertue for hauing his heart alltogeather erected towards heauen and heauenly things he loathed to returne againe to the vanities of the world once despised for the loue of CHRIST therefore well might he be wearied with the temptations of the deuill but ouercome he could not be He is sent for to defend the Countrey II. IN the meane time the Danes breaking into England wasted and spoyled all with fier and sword as they went and hauing martired King EDMOND Offa much fearing their power sent for his sonne Fremund home Whom when the messengers had most straingely found out in his poore cell at his prayers falling downe at his feet they bewayled and declared the necessitie of his friends and parents the arriuall of their enemies the threatned ruine of the Christians and the vtter ouerthrow of their fayth vnlesse by his prudence and courage the countrey were defended against the furie of their barbarous enemies The champion of CHRIST much amazed at this newes staggered in his resolution not knowing what course to take Till recommending the matter to allmightie God by prayer he vnderstood it to be his will that he should goe Therefore armed with the shield of fayth he returned Fremund returneth to his couÌ„trey
couragiously into his countrey where for his first welcom he found his father and a great part of the Christian armie slaine by the Pagans III. BVT one Oswy who formerly had been a great friend of sainct FREMVNDS father and now had forsaken the Christian fayth cooke part with the Danes hoping as they promised to inherite the Kingdom of Offa and now fearing lest by the arriuall of Sainct FREMVND into the countrey he should be putt by his hopes he came secretly vnto him and with a traiterous blow strake off his head when the bloud that issued out of that mortall wound and fell vppon the murderer like soe manie drops of scortching fier burnt his bodie with such an intollerable heate that presently he repented him self of his wicked deed and fell vppon his knees to demaund pardon of the Martirs dead bodie Sainct FREMVND was martired the eleauenth of May in the yeare of our Lord 466. His holy bodie was buried by Oswy his murderer and others in a place called Offe-Church within the compasse of the Kings pallace But afterwards it was translated to a place between Thâ—â—ranslâ—â—â—n of his bodie Charmell and Bradmere were the diuine prudence soe disposing it lay hid for manie yeares vnknowne till the place was reuealed to a holy man and the bodie taken vpp and honorably buried at Redick In the meane time manie wonderfull miracles were wrought through the merits of this B. Sainct in all these places Sainct FREMVND was enrolled into the number of canonized Saincts in the yeare 1257. during the raigne of Henry the third His memorie heretofore hath been very famous in the Iland of great Britaine His life is written by one Burchard of Dorcester a monk and his indiuiduall companion and bâ— Iohn Capgraue out of IoaÌ„nes Anglicus whom we haue followed Vsuard Molanus Nicholas Harpsfied saec 9. cap. 12. and Mathew Paris an 1257. make honourable mention of him The life of S. DIMPNA Virgin and martir MAY 15. Written by Peter a Canon of Cambray WE cannot better perceiue the weaknes of blind loue the horrible darknes that possesseth the Gentils depriued of the true light nor the vnderstanding and strength which our Lord giueth to the feeble sexe of woeman-kinde to defend their chastitie and shed their bloud for his loue then in reading the life and martirdom of this glorius Virgin sainct DIMPNA In Ireland there liued a verie potent King but a Heathen who had married a fayre woman whom as well in regard Her father a Pagan king of her beautie as her other goods parts he dearly loued Out of this marriage was borne a daughter called DIMPNA nothing behind her mother in beautie whom her parents verie carefully and daintily brought vp Neuerthelesse as soone as she had attayned to yeares of discretion coming to the knowledge of IESVS CHRIST she became a Christian and vowed perpetuall virginitie vnto him vtterly She voweth her virginitie to God despising all the Pompes banquets dances and other vanities of the Court. In the meane time her mother being dead her father hauing dried vp his superfluous teares for her death was desirous to marrie a secoÌ„d wife which he would haue to be a fayre yong mayd like vnto the former But fayling to find such an one in the countrey his flattring courtiers perswaded him to cast his eyes vppon his daughter DIMPNA then whom none could be fayrer and in whom being verie like her mother he might reuiue the figure of his late Her father â—â—keth her in marriage wife What more this detestable counsell noe sooner arriued at his eares but straight the deuill who desired to bring DIMPNA to Idolatrie incensed the king with the flames of an incestuous and impure loue towards his daughter Here vppon he beganne to souÌ„d her intention with all manner of sweet speeches and allurements promising to giue her her whole hearts desire yf she would but marrie him DIMPNA stopt her eares at the hissing of this venommous serpent and answered that she would neuer consent to such an abominable iâ—nceste The king still earnestly vrged and she as couragiously resisted till in the end growing extreamly angry he could her that he hould marrie her whether she would or no Then recommending her self heartyly to the deare spouse of her soule CHRIST IESVS she answered her father that since he was resolued therevnto she desired fortie daies respite and to haue all her rings and royall ornaments that she wanted to sett out her self for his greater aduantage He most willingly graunted her request thinking that his daughter had chainged her intention II. IN the meane time there was a holy priest in the countrey called Gerebert who had been Confessor to the Queene and had baptised DIMPNA and administred the venerable Sacrament of the Aultar both to her mother and her With him DIMPNA 〈◊〉 ted what was best to be done in this terrible case The Priest counselled her to flie away for feare of being forced to such a mischief and offered him self to be her companion Soe that they tooke shipping priuatly taking but one seruant and his wife in their companie God permitted them to arriue at Antwerp whence through vncouth wayes they passed from village to village fearing to be noted and followed At length they came to a secret wood where they clensed a place growne ouer with thornes and brakes to build a lodge in and there liued securely and vnknowne III. THE King her father ouercom with ioy and rauished with content in the impatience of loue expected the desired wedding-day The king her father goes to seeke her of his daughter but when he vnderstood she was escaped being allreadie dronke with the wine of his owne affection he began presently to make warre with himself with terrible cries and exclamations of grief and furie He resolued to goe seeke her him self and to search the verie bowells of the earth to find her where soeuer she was hid He trauelled all his countrey ouer and found noe newes of her He passed ouer the seas to Antwerp where he made some stay whilst his seruants ferretted all the countrey ouer for his daughter when by meere accident some of them hauing lodged in a village thereabouts payed their host with their countrey money who tould them that he had some money of the same kind but knew not the value of it These Jrishmen demaunded of the host how he came by it he answered not imagining to what purpose they asked that a very beautifull virgin come out of Jreland to liue in those parts gaue it him in payment for such necessaries She is found as belonged to her maintenance this gaue them sufficient ground to suspect and indeed to presume that it was the kings daughter they sought therefore by the Hosts direction they went and found her and returned with the glad newes thereof to her father IV. THE king like a man raysed from death to life went with all his companie and hauing found the
on this history extreme follie and blindnes as to seeke to marrie his owne daughter and that a father should bath him self in the bloud of his daughter that resisted against such a gulph of filthines O what Cimerean darknes compasseth the Gentills in respect of the light that lightens the Christians the impetuous furie of passions is easily ouerthrowne by the force courage and grace the God bestoweth on his seruants He adorned this virgin with chastitie with an inspiration to dedicate it to his seruice he fortified her to ouercom that which of all terrible things is the most terrible death in summe he honoured her with an angelicall tombe and with the triumphant trophie which she gayneth ouer the wicked spirits by soe manie diuers miracles Let vs for euer prayse the authour of soe great wonders Amen Peter a chanon of S. Auberts of Cambray writt her life recited by Laurence Surius tome 5. which we haue followed The Roman Martirologe makes mention of her and Cardinall Baronius in his Annotations Iohn Molanus in his vppon Vsuard and in his catalogue of the Saincts of Belgia and manie others The life of saint BRITHVNE Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT May 15. Recited by John Capgraue THE venerable Confessor of Christ BRITHVNE whom S. BEDE calleth a most reuerend man borne of English parents was a long time deacon to the B. Bishop saint IOHN of Beuerley vnto De gest l. 5. cap. 2. whom for his great Sainctitie of life and holy conuersation of manners he was allwais deare and familiar and at length by meanes of the same holy man he was made Abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Deirwood now called Beuerley which S. IOHN had built S. IOHN being dead holy BRITHVNE following the stepps of his good Master perseuered as long as he liued in all puritie of life in watchings fasting prayer and other monasticall exercises For he was a louer of vertues a conquerour of vices a contemner of this world a desirer of the world to come a faythfull teacher of the flock committed A summarie of his vertues to his charge an vntired executour of pietie and iustice a great giuer of almes and hospitallitie whatsoeuer he knew to be pleasing to allmightie God in that he was continually busied Till decrepite old age hauing ouertaken him in the seruice of our Lord ending his holy life with an happie end the fifteenth day of May he went out of this world to enter into that which neuer ends His bodie was buried with great honour in the same monasterie till in processe of time the manie signes and miracles wrought at his tomb moued the monks and poeple to translate it out of the earth and place it in a shrine neere vnto that of his Master S. IOHN of Beuerley where it was kept with great veneration Thus much of him out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue Venerable Bede de gest Angl. lib. 5. cap. 2. and Harpsfield hist. Eccl. saec 8. cap. 22. make mention of him S. DVNSTANVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVARIENSIS Monachus Benedictinus May. 19. Mart. baâ— f. The life of S. DVNSTAN Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT MAY 19. Written by Osberne a monk of Canturbury an 1020. THE allmightie wisedom to make the worth and greatnes of this renowned Prelat bright ornament of the English Church and excellent Pillar of the Benedictine familie His parents S. DVNSVAN more famous and manifest to the world voutchsafed miraculously to foreshew his future glorie before he was borne and to engraffe in the minds of all men a wonderfull expectation of him which afterwards abundantly he repayed His parents were â—â—rstan and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the estimation of the world but much more ennobled with the splendour of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 His mother whilst she 〈◊〉 DVNSTAN in her â—omb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that solemne The ceremonie of offring candles feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin 〈◊〉 when in remembrance of the true and eternall â—â—ght bâ—â—aking forth to the darkesom world by CHRIST and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â— of aged Sâ—â—â—n w◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Glâ—seenbury amongst the rest â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sudâ—â—ine the 〈◊〉 mayning calme and 〈◊〉 all their lights 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With which accident the minds of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being strucken with a fearefull amazement presently with a new and woderfull miracle they were againe encouraged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admiration when they beheld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with light from A strange accident heauen from whence all the companie lighted 〈◊〉 which made euerie owne deuine that the child she 〈◊〉 her womâ— would be a light to lighten the world with the 〈◊〉 of his holy life and learning and therefore his mother was more 〈◊〉 and esteemed of all men euer after II. TIME at length brought to light that great light of the countrey signified by the former and in baptisme he was called DVNSTAN that is a Moâ—â—taine-stone As soone as he had passed the The vision of his parents yeares of his infancie his parents brought him to the Church of the Benedictine Abbey of Glastenbury and there for his good successe in vertue and good life they offered manie prayers and guifts where as they watched by night in their deuotions they vnderstood by reuelation from an Angel that that monasterie should afterwards be worthyly instructed reformed and adorned by the learning labour and vertuous life of their sonne DVNSTAN Being sett to He falleth sick schoole he applied him self soe eagerly to his studies that he fell into a grieuous sicknes which brought him euen to the last gaspe Neuerthelesse about midnight when all despayred of his life he was miraculously and suddenly restored to perfect health and to the great admiration of all he leapt out of his bed and went into He is miraculously cured the Church to giue God thankes for his recouery But the deuill enuying soe great pietie in the yong man endeauoured to hindâ—◠〈◊〉 iourney by appearing before him in the formes of a terrible â—â—â—panie of black enraged dogges When DVNSTAN calling on the He vanquiâ—heth the deuils name of IESVS-CHRIST armed him self with the signe of the â—â—ly Crosse and with a little rod in his hand putt that engine of 〈◊〉 chief to flight and held on his way to the Church doore which he found shutt but climing vp a ladder that by chance stood reared â—â— the wall he gott to the very top of the Church whence by the hands of Angelicall spirits he was miraculously transported into it and placed before the high Aultar On the morow all the doores being lockt he was found in a sweete slumber before the aultar to the great astonishment of those that the night before had followed him and seene him fayle to enter at the church doore which was shutt His greate humilitie III. NOW DVNSTAN had entred into the flower of his youth when his goodnes pietie and wisedom
vtterly against it as others affirme or whether at length he did winke at her wicked course and seeme to be ignorant of her mischieuous practise as manie asseuer howsoeuer I say it came to passe certaine it is that betweene them was shewne an example of as detestable perfidiousnes as anie that is recorded in historie For breaking the sacred lawes not only of hospitalitie but allsoe of all goodnes and pietie they caused holy king ETHELBERT to be cruelly murdered in king Offas owne house by the bloudie hands of one winebert who had been brought vp a seruant Ethelbert cruelly murdered vnder Sainct ETHELBERTS father and now to recompence his former fauours receaued became the cruell Minister of his death being drawne thereunto with the couetous desire of reward To what wickednes doeth not the vnsatiable hunger of gould compell mortall hearts This false winebert brought holy ETHELBERT from his faythfull companie into a priuate roome who like an innocent lambe suspecting noe harme at all went securely with him Then hauing bound him fast with a most cruell blow he strake off his head who with his hands and eyes lifted vp towards heauen yeelded vp his soule soe pure in innocencie and soe glorious with martirdom into the hands of his deare creatour and redeemer the twentith day of May. Which being perceaued by his intended spouse Alfrid with a mind quite ouerthrowne with sorrow to see her royall hope soe suddenly dasht she went forth to his companie that without doores expected the coming of their beloued Master and with a lamentable noyse related the crueltie of this tragicall scene Who bearing this sorrowfull newes and being not able to reuenge his death returned in dolefull manner into their downe countrey being compelled insteed of a wedding-song to sing an Epitaphe for the losse of their holy King Then Alfrid renewing her complaints Alfrid becometh a Nunne Jngulphus in hist Croyland foretould manie miseries to her Mother which afterwards fell out accordingly And she her self refusing to admitt anie other mortall woers consecrated her virginitie to her immortall spouse CHRIST-IESVS and in the fennes of Crowland she tooke the habit of a Nunne and lead a solitarie liâ—e vnder the holy rule of saint BENEDICT for the space of fortie yeares after But King Offa her father which much encreased the suspition that he had been allsoe consenting to saint ETHELBERTS death presently lead his armie into the prouince of the East-Angles soe suddenly depriued of their King and by force of armes subdued it to his owne dominion IV. THE bodie of this holy King thus traiterously slaine was by the commaund of Offa committed to an ignoble buriall in the bankes of the riuer Lugge at a place now called Marden Whither as those cruell ministers carried it in great scorne it was found to be soe light as if it had been allreadie ennobled with the dotes of heauenly glory But the allmightie Goodnes euer zealous of his seruants suffered not the holy reliques of this Sainct to be buried in obliuion in that base place but miraculously testified his vertue and pietie to the world For the night following was made glorious with a heauenly A light appeareth ouer his graâ—e light that appeared ouer the graue of this holy martir to the great astonishment and terrour of the countrey adioyning And the third night after his sacred Martirdom saint ETHELBERT appeared in a vision to a simple man thereabouts and commaunded him to transport his bodie to the monasterie built on the bankes of the riuer Wye Which was faythfully performed and by the way a blind man was restored to sight by the merits of the holy Sainct It was then buried in a place aunciently called Ferne-wood where now stands the towne of Hereford And ouer his holy sepulcher for the space of manie yeares glittered euery night a heauenly splendour to shew of how great merit his blessed soule was in the sight of Allmightie God V. BVT King Offâ— greatly terrified with these miracles and the A Church dedicated to S-Ethel bert guilt of his owne conscience became wonderfull penitent for his former life and making his sonne Egfrid a King with him self in great deuotion went to Rome the better to expiate his foule and bloudie deeds past At Rome following the zeale and example of INAS King of the West-Saxons he made his Kingdome subiect to a Tribute then called Peter-pence afterwards Rom-scot After his retune into England for the greater satisfaction of his sinnes at a place in Hartfordshire then called Holmehurst now saint ALBANS he built a magnificent Monastery in honour of the worthy Protomartir of great Britaine saint ALBANE whose sacred reliques See more in the life of S Albane Iune 22. after long lying hid came miraculously to light about the same time which was in the yeare of our Lord 795. He allsoe endowed the same Monastery with manie lands and rich reuenewes for the maintenance of a goodly Conuent of aboue an hundred Monkes of the holy Order of saint BENEDICT Allsoe for a further testimonie of his penance he gaue the tenth of all his goods vnto the Church and the poore He founded allso the Benedictine Abbey of Bathe and in Warwickshire he built a Church where the adioyning towne from it and him beareth the name of Off-Church But after the death of King Offâ— which was in the yeare of our Lord 797. Milfrid a pettie King of the Mericans moued with the continuall and dayly miracles wrought at saint ETHELBERTS Tombe gaue infinite treasure thereunto and built a famous Church of stone to his honour which remayneth to this day in Hereford by the name of saint ETHELBERTS Church and is the Cathedrall of that cittie S. Ethelberts well And then that place was first made a Bishops-sea But out of the place where the holy bodie of saint ETHELBERT had layne before issued forth a fountaine of most cleere water called saint ETHELBERTS well ouer which now stands a Church which without doubt was built in honour of this holy martirs buriall there For it must needes be some strange motiue that made men build a Church in that place which is within tenne yards of the riuer Lugge which at euerie floud ouerflowes it soe that it cannot be come at but by boate The well I haue seene my self it is of a most pure water and much esteemed of all good Christians thereabouts In which one thing to this day is most strange and miraculous that when the riuer Lugge adioyning ouerflowes his bankes and that within Note a strange thing the forsayd Church it is knee-deepe and more of that muddie-red water this Well of saint ETHELBERT allbeit it be quite â—uerâ—lowne yet it remaynes most pure and cleere amidst those â—roubled waters vnworthy to be mingled with the puritie thereof And this I haue heard constantly and faythfully affirmed by manie of the Inhabitants thereabouts who are not ashamed to acknowledge a miracle done by the meritts of
this glorious Sainct and yet remayne in the blindnes of heresie to denie the Saincts of their due honour and worship iudging them as impotent creatures with allmightie God Whom of his infinite Goodnes we beseech to giue them grace once to wash away their blindnes in the indeficient fountayne of his grace that they may behould and see the truth The life of this glorious Martir we gathered out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Nicholas Harpsfield Hist. Eccle. saec 8. cap. 9. Mathew Westminster an 793. Polidore Virgil lib. 4. Molanus in addiâ— Gyraldus Cambrensis and others doe make honourable mention of him He was martired about the yeare 793. The life of Sainct GODRICKE Hermite and Confessor of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT May. 21 Written by Nicholas a Monke of DurrhaÌ„ his Confessor THIS blessed man was borne at a village called Walpole in the Countie of Norfolke but adorned polished and brought to the perfection of vertue and pietie in Northumberland In whom truely the allmightie wisedom seemeth to haue imprinted and left to the world a most sound and wonderfull figure of his immense Goodnes and mercie For from a man borne in a most poore and abiect place and indued with noe learning at all he aduanced him to that knowne height of vertue prudence perfection and other heauenly guifts and graces that manie of them doe seeme allmost to be beyond the bounds of credit Which indeed I would not committ to writing vnlesse I thought my self secure and certaine He becometh a marchant of the truth of his worthie deeds Therefore coming to the flower of his age he became a Marchant of pettie wares which he carried on his back to sell ouer the Countrey from Village to village Till his owne industrie hauing encreased his litle meanes he frequented the citties and Faires in the same trade And at length his riches dayly growing he became master or at lest a patner in a ship in which he transported his marchandise into Scotland Denmarke and Flanders soe that by much practise he grew to be a man verie skillfull in gouerning those walking houses and in all the art belonging to the floting trade of saylers In which being oftentimes â—ossed in most fearefull and dangerous tempests He allwaies fled for refuge to the diuine power of In seadangers he hath recourse to God and his Saincts God and his Saincts and the danger being past he was wont in signe of gratitude to visitt the more celebrated places where the memorie of Saincts was-obserued to recommend the safetie of his iourney and returne to their desired prayers But going often into Scotland he desired manie times to visitt the Episcopall Sea of Lindisfarne and the Iland of Farnen in which places our great saint CVTHBERT had liued a Bishop and an Hermite Where hauing learned of the Monkes the whole manner The first sparkes of his conuersion of saint CVTHBERTS holy life and deuoutly visitted all the corners of that Hermitage and humbly with manie teares implored the mercie of allmightie God in his owne behalfe he heganne euer after to haue his mind dayly more and more auerted from worldly things and by a secret and inward motion of his soule to be more vehemenly carried to a pious emulation of a solitarie and perfect life In the meane time he was taken with a wonderfull desire to goe in pilgrimage to Hierusalem there to visitt and adore the sacred sepulcher of our Lord and other monuments of his deare passion Thence he returned through Spaine where at Compostella he visitted the sacred bodie of the great Apostle S. IAMES Being come againe into England he vndertooke He becometh Steward to a Rich man the charge and gouernment of the house and familie of a certaine rich man of his owne countrey where when he perceaued the seruants to liue more licentiously and make dayly banquets of meates stolne as he feared from their neighbours and that his friendly admonitions could not preuayle to disswade them the master of the house him self refusing to correct them foe they diminished not his owne goods Godrick soone after ridde him self of that office not desiring to haue to doe with soe depraued a familie or with soe remisse and negligent a Master II. AND because allthough vawares he had sometimes been present and partaker of their vnlawfull banquetting the verie thought thereof gaue soe deepe a wound of sorrow to his soule He goeth to Rome that for the better expiation of that innocent fault he made a pilgrimage to saint GILES his Church and to the sacred shrines of the Apostles PETER and PAVL at Rome humbly to craue pardon Yea the very memorie of that mistake would often times draw flouds of teares from his eyes Being returned he remayned for a time at home with his parents till not long He is morâ— in the way by a stranger after togeather with his mother he beganne a new and barefoote iourney to Rome In which they had for a companion a certaine Virgin that of her owne accord came into their companie a litle beyond London and carefully wayted vppon them going and coming being vnseene of all men but GODRICK and his mother only Till being returned into England and to that verie place where first she mett them she departed out of their companie Nether did GODRICK in all that iourney euer aske her what she was or whence she came nor did she once demaund anie such thing of him Nor could GODRICK euer after resolue with him self what to imagine her to be nether would he euer relate this storie to anie man sauing only at the later end of his daies to our Authour who This was Nicholas a Monk of Durrham his Confessor was his Counsellour in the more secret affayres of his soule And I would not rehearse the same did I not thinke that the lest suspition of vanitie could not befall such a man soe vertuous and holy as he In whom from this very time it may be seene how excellently the seede of pietie cast in his heart did striue more and more to grow to the maturitie of perfection And now amongst all the other sacred admonitions of CHRIST which incite vs to embrace an absolutely perfect life that voyce of his If thou wilt be perfect Goe and sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore like a trumpet Godrick resolueth to leaue the world sounded such an alarum in our GODRICKS eares that he neuer rested vntill he had performed it in deed And yet did he not vnaduisedly make away with his goods as the Heathen Philosophers did but to the end he might more easily and freely follow CHRIST and performe that part of his speech allso Giue to the poore and follow me which they did in no sorte doe III. THEREFORE with the good leaue of his parents who endeauoured by all meanes to promote his religious desires with their prayers exhortations and well-wishes he departed to
obtayned commaund and obedience not only ouer be wild beastes of the desert but allsoe a great multitude of serpents that without anie harme frequented his companie obeyed his desires and these were not only to him vnhurtfull but fawning in a manner vppon him remayned with him in his cell not without his consent but lest their familiaritie and aspect should hinder and distract the intention of his mind fixed in the meditation of heauenly things he commaunded all these vipers and serpents to depart and noe more to frequent his lodging To which his commaund as the wild beasts at other times had oftentimes done soe now the serpents most exactly obeyed XI FVRTHERMORE he was endowed with such a rare guift of His rare guift of prophesie prophesie that with the spirituall eye and light of his cleere soule he saw thngs that were absent and distant in remote places as plainly and distinctly as if they had been within the reach sphere of his corporall sight and at the verie instant that manie things were done in farre distant places he would faythfully relate them vnto those that were present as it was manie times found by experience And soe often he foresaw and foretould things to come that it were a great worke to rehearse all the particulars Amongst which one and not the lest was that he foretould what should befall vnto saint THOMAS of Canturbury long before it happened He foretelleth what should hap pen to S. Thomas of Canturbury For when that renowned bucklar of the Church florished yet in great grace and fauour with King Henry GODRICK foretould that he should shortly loose that place and be cast into banishment And bad him withall to be of a couragious and manly resolution and not to droope vnder the good cause which he had take in hand to defend for it would come to passe that within seauen yeares he should returne to greater honour out of banishment then euer he enioyed before But the same yeare that saint THOMAS came out of banishment he sent a messenger to this holy Hermite to know what he should now expect after his long exile and what would be the euent of his tottering state that stood now allmost out of all hope To whom GODRICK in the presence and hearing of our Authour answered that a kind of verball peace should be made between THOMAS and the king before the end of the next six moneths following and that within nine moneths more he should be restored to his Archiepiscopall sea which he should not long enioy before a happie death that should be to him healthfull and glorious and to the whole countrey profitable did end the whole controuersie betweene them And at the same time this holy man He foreâ—eâ—leth his owne death foretould that the time of his owne death should be within the space of the six moneths following All which most certainly happened as he had foretould For saint THOMAS returned being made Legat of the Sea Apostolick an honour which he enioyed not before and was crowned at his death with the glorie of a most happie martirdom XII BVT now of how great reuerence and admiration is this to He hath the guâ—â—c of toÌ„gues be esteemed in saint GODRICK that both at other times and principally at the sacred feast of Pentecost he was suddenly by a heauenly grace adorned with the guifts of tongues which on that day was bestowed vppon the Apostles soe that he both vnderstood those that spoke Latin of which tongue he was wholly ignorant before and spake manie things in Latin verie readily and distinctly Againe He commaundeth the waters how notable and excellent a wonder is this that when the riuer Were with a mightie inundation ouerflowed all the adioyning countrey and possessed places farre higher and stronger yea ouerwhelmed and ouerturned manie trees and houses yet the humble and allmost straw-built habitation of GODRICK was not touched with one drop of water standing safe amongst those confused streames to the great amazement of the whole countrey that iudged him and house both to be buried togeather in destruction An other time when the same riuer began furiously to runne ouer the bankes he went forth as it were to meete that inundation and setting vp a little Crosse three paces from his poore Cell he coÌ„maunded those waters in the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST not to come beyond that marke when it was strange to see the waters being come to that place swell vp in height like vnto a wall soe that his humble cottage stoode vpon a drie shore entrenched round about with a bullwarke The fier obeyes 〈◊〉 or sconce of water And in like manner as the waters soe did the fier likewise obey the voice of this holy man when hauing furiously layd hould of his weake buildings it was suddenly depriued of its deuouring force and at his only commaund ceafed from making anie further spoyle He raysed a dead man XIII AND now if according to the dignitie worth of the matter I should sett downe the holy cures of afflicted lost persons which by miracle he performed in soe much that he raysed one to life that had layne three daies vnder the cruell arrest of death that alone would require a long discourse much exceeding the bounds of my purpose TheÌ„ which his soe great good exercised towards the soules of the dead whom by his deuout prayers watches fasts and other holy workes he deliuerd from the clensing paines of Purgatorie to the possession of the ioies of heauen seemeth to me to be a benefitt farre greater and more to be admired But aboue all these admirable workes of GODRICK this holdeth the highest place in my opinion that he was soe diuinely adorned with such an heauenly grace that being yet in this mortall state he vnderstood and saw not only the soule of his fellow-champion of whom we haue allreadie spoken but allsoe the spirits of manie other blessed men both rewarded with eternall glorie and receaued into the heauenly dwellings And out of his diuine manner of life which he led here on earth he deserued to enioy the companie and conuersation of Angels and other heauenly citizens and especially of our great 8. CVTHBERT S. NICHOLAS the Prince of the Apostles S. PETTR S. His familiaritie with the Angels Saincts IOHN Baptist S. MARIE Magdalen blessed MARIE the mother of CHRIST yea and CHRIST him self of whom he receaued manie heauenly rauishing â—onsolations farre beyond the force of weake words to expresse And namely by the blessed Virgin MARIE he was taught a diuine canticle or song which afterwards with great deuotion he vsed oftentimes to repeate This allsoe was a most wonderfull and an vnspeakable benefitt shewed him by S. PETER the Apostle who celebrated the sacred misteries of masse before him S Peter giueth him the B. Sacrament and hauing heard the Confession which GODRICK made of all his sinnes gaue him a generall and an
Apostolicall absolution and ministred the dreadfull sacrament of the aultar vnto him And when our Authour came thither the same morning to say Masse and demaunded in honour of what Sainct he should celebrate that diuine misterie Of the Blessed Virgin MARIE answeared Godrick for before thy coming sainct PETER the Apostle hath here offered the same sacrifice in honour of the most blessed 〈◊〉 But we should neuer come to an end if we eudeauour to loâ—â—â— this paper with all the vertues graces and wonderfull workes of this Blessed man XIV THEREFORE when he had liued in this admirable manner His last sicknes in one and the other desert for the space of threescore and six yeares and was as an Oracle that astonished all England with his holy life soe great a swelling tooke possession of his face and all the other limmes of his bodie that he appeared not to be like vnto the former shape of a man In his entrailes he endured a cruell griping paine as it were of liuing wormes which ranne vpp and downe his bellie and consumed him For which punishment as heretofore for others more grieuous he gaue humble thankes vnto allmightie God that soe gently he voutchafed to purge him from his sinnes in this world And to good purpose sayd he doe these wormes consume my bodie in this life that the neuer-dying worme should not gnaâ— and teare my soule in hell For the space of allmost eight yeares he lay languishing in bed being not able to rise but by the helpe of friendly hands At length his sicknes dayly encreasing and hauing now allmost conquered his old age he sent for his brethren who being come tooke him out of his bed and according to the manner of those deuout times layd him vppon the ground on a haire-cloth strewed with ashes putt on his stamin and coule for long since he had been a Benedictine monke of Durham and soe that blessed soule departed happily out of the thraldom of this His happie departure vale of miseries to receaue the perfect consummation of that heauenly life with CHRIST which he had begunne in this world And at the same instant was heard a most heauenly melodie ascending from his cell towards heauen He died the one and twentith day of May in the yeare of our Lord 1170. the same yeare that the worthy Archbishop of Canturbury saint THOMAS suffered martirdom for the defence of the Church His bodie was buried in the chappell of S. IOHN BAPTIST whom he euer worshipped with peculiar deuotion and in whose honour by the commaundment of God he Miracles after his death had caused that place to be built Within the space of a few yeares after his death two hundred twentie eight miracles were wrought at his tombe which are faythfully reported by the Authour of his life but for breuities sake I omitt them XV. AND here now I will end the life of this admirable man with these words of William Camden in the description of the bishoprick of Durham At Finckley sayd he by the riuer Were in the raigne of Henry the second Godrick a man of auncient and true Christian simplicitie fixed wholly to God liued and consummated a solitarie life Who gayned soe great admiration with this holy simplicitie adde and with the sainctitie and austeritie of his life and manie miracles before and A Church built to his honour after his death c. that Richard brother to the wealthie bishop of Durham Hugh of Puteack honoured his memorie with a litle Church built to his name Thus Camden who allbeit he were an Heretick yet could not but speake honourably of this glorious Sainct His life was written as we haue sayd by one Nicholas a Monke of Durham and spirituall father vnto Blessed GODRICK out of which being a large historie Nicholas Harpsfield brings an abridgement saec 12. cap. 45. whom we haue followed Iohn Capgraue hath written the same and William of Newbery lib. 2. cap. 20. Mathew Paris an 1170. Mathew Westminster an 1171. Molanus in his aditions to Vsuard and all our English writers doe make ample mention of him The life of saint ALDELME Bishop of Sherburne and Confessor of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT MAY 25. Writren by WilliaÌ„ malmesbu ry and others THE worthie ornament of the English Church and the Benedictine familie Sainct ALDELME borne of the royall stock of Saxon Kings his father Kentenius was neere of kinred to Jnas King of the His noble parentage West-Saxons with the generositie of mind and greatnes of learning and vertues farre excelled and outwent the nobilitie of his birth Some affirmed him to haue been sonne to Kentenius brother of King Jnas but it pleaseth not vs sayth Malmesbury to auouch that for truth which seemes rather to flatter a flying opinion then agree De gest reg Aâ—g l 1 c 2. with the soundnes of true historie especially since it is not found written in antiquitie the Chronicles plainly asseuer that Jnas had but one brother called Imgild who died a few yeares before him But S. ALDELME needeth not to be maintayned with vntruthes in whom abound soe manie famous things that are out of all question Hauing past ouer his Childhood his father deliuered him to be brought vp in the studie of all good learning vnder the discipline His youth and learning of the most famous Benedictine Abbot of saint AVGVSTINS at Canturbury saint ADRIAN who at that time happily adorned the whole countrey with all manner of vertue and learning In his renowned schoole our hopefull ALDELME made in a short time soe great progresse in science that he became a scholler worthie of soe learned a master Then returning back into his owne countrey loden with the balast of true vertue and learning he couragiously forsaked all the flattring allurements and vaine splendoâ—r of the world and resolued to vndertake such a course of life wherein he should meet with the lest impedimeÌ„ts to hinder him in the continuall seruice of allmightie God and the studie of holy learning Therefore in the Benedictine abbey of Malmesbury in which place He becometh a Benedictine Monke from his verie infancie he had been brought vp and instructed in the first rudiments of learning he bid adiew to the world and made profession of a monk vnder the holy rule of saint BENEDICT This monasterie was first founded by one Medulphus an Irish-Scott and a monk well learned in philosophie and from him it was called Meidulphesbury afterwards Malmesbury Which being but a small slender thing was by the meanes of saint ALDELME raysed afterwards to great splendour and magnificence II. BVT within a short time ALDELME returned to his old master into Kent to better his vnderstanding with more ornaments of true leaning and science and there he remayned vntill the weaknes and discomoditie of his health forced him to returne into his owne countrey How great worthie progresse he made in learning the His workes
the Danish furie broke allsoe into the Abbey of Malmesbury Where as one of that outrageous crew endeauoured to violate his sacred bodie he suddenly lost his witts which soe terrified the rest of his fellow-robbers that they had the witt to runne speedily away Soe that when all the Churches and religious houses round about were made a prey to their furie the Church of Malmesbury by the helpe and patronage of S. ALDELME remayned inuiolate VIII Now yf anie one desire more largely to know other strange Manie mi racles wrought at his tombe miracles which haue been wrought by the merits of this glorious Sainct I refer him to the authour of his life William Malmesbury where he shall find the blind recouer their sight the lame their limmes the dumbe their speech mad men restored to their senses possessed persons deliuered and others oppressed with manie other mortall diseases beyond the skill of phisick receaue their health by the diuine power of allmightie God and the intercession of glorious S. ALDELME Of which kind some were done in the time and memorie of our Authour Therefore Blessed Lanfranck Archbishop of Canturbury moued with the greatnes of these and such like miracles solemnly decreed that the memorie of S. Aldelmâ— should be honoured amongst the other Saincts of the Church throughout the realme of England But in the yeare of our redemption 1078. the thirteenth after the coming in of the Normans all things being His bodie translated to its auncient 〈◊〉 now safe from the incursious of the Danes and other feares of spoling by the hands of the Abbot Warine and Blessed OSMVND bishop of Sherburne the sacred bones and reliques of S. Aldelâ—e were restored into their auncient shrine that was soe rich From which time the number of manie wonderfull miracles encreased dayly more and more His life was largely written as we haue sayd by William malmesbury a verie graue authour out of whom Nicholas Harpsfield sec 8. cap. 11. relateth this Historie The same hath allsoe been written by S. Eguine bishop of Worcester and S. Osmund of Sarisbury of both which the iniurie of the times haue robbed vs. Trithemius of the famous men of S. Benedicts Order lib. 2. cap. 23. lib. 3. cap. 141. lib. 4. 175. Cardiuall Baronius tomâ— 8. an 699. 705. and 709. and tom 9. an 734. Mathew Vestminster an 704. and. 709. Camden in discript Com. Wilton and all Historiographers both English and else doe make honourable mention of him S. AVGVSTINVS PRIMVS ARCHIEPISCOP CANTVAR Aplus Apostolus Angliâ—â— Monachus Benedictinus M. Baâ—â— f. The life of Sainct AVGVSTINE Apostle of England Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAY 26. Written by Gotsellinus a Monke and S. Bede THE fruitfull countrey of England in times past called Britaine being oppressed and wholly subdued by the warlick power of the Saxons and other poeple of Germanie was compelled not only to receaue and beare their gouernance dominion and name but allso which is much worse to embrace their impious Idolatrie and the seruice of their false Gods Soe that the Christian Catholick religion which from King Lucius had florished in that happie Iland for the space of three hundred yeares was miserably banished and destroyed Till a hundred and fortie yeares after the eternall mercie of allmightie God cast a fouourable eye vppon our wretched countrey and putt such holy thoughts into the mind of saint GREGORIE the Great Pope of Rome that allthough our countrey S. Gregorie the great sendeth Augustine in to EnglaÌ„d were farre distant yet he embraced it with a pious affection seriously cast about how or by what meanes he might reduce it againe to the sweet subiectioÌ„ of CHRISTS holy Ghospell Which diuine worke when he himself as is sayd in his life could not bring to passe he committed the charge thereof to this our glorious Apostle saint AVGVSTINE who at that time was Prior of the Monasterie of saint BENEDICTS Order which saint GREGORIE bad built in Rome on the side of the hill Scaurus and dedicated to saint ANDREW the Apostle Out of this Monasterie therefore our saint AVGVSTINE when he had led a holy monasticall life vnder the rule of the great Patriarke of Monks saint BENEDICT for the space of manie yeares was called by great saint GREGORIE from the sweetnes of contemplation to labour for the aduancement of Gods Church in an actiue manner of life and sent togeather with other holy monkes of the same Order to preach the Ghospell of CHRIST to the English nation Who obeying the holy will of the Pope vndertooke that great worke and beganne their iourney towards Augustine beginneth his iourney England and now they had passed ouer the frozen hills of Jtalie and were entred into the confines of France when vnderstanding the English nation to be of a barbarous cruell and warlick disposition and peruerse in the profession of Idolatrie being terribly affrighted from their attempt after a consultation had among them selues they resolued rather to turne homewards againe then to loose their labours amongst those fierce and barbarous poeple whose language they knew not II. THEREFORE setting aside all delay the whole companie sent He returneth to Rome back AVGVSTINE to Rome humbly to obtaine of the Pope in name of them all to haue an exemption from that iourney soe dangerous laborious and soe vncertaine of reaping anie profitt To whom the holy Pope burning with zeale to gaine soules to the Church sent letters of exhortation to encourage them in their holy enterprise whereof this is the tenour GREGORIE seruant of the seruants S. Gregories Epistle to comfort them in they iourney of God to the sernants of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST Because it had been better neuer to haue begunne good workes then euen in thought to fall from them being once begunne yee ought with all diligence â—moct beloued children to accomplish the good worke which by the helpe of our Lord yee haue vndertaken Nether let the labour of the iourney nor the tongues of slanderous men deterre yee but God being your ruler performe with all instancie and feruour what ye haue begunne knowing that a greater glorie of eternall recoÌ„pence followeth the greatnes of your labour But in all things be humbly obedient to AVGVSTINE your Prior to you returning whom we allsoe constitute your Abbot knowing that through all things it will be profitable for your soules whatsoeuer yee shall doe by his admomtion Allmightie God protect yee with his grace and graunt me to see the fruits of your labour in the euerlasting kingdom to the end that allthough I cannot labour with yee I may haue a place with yee in the ioies of your recompence because indeed I desire to labour God keepe yee in health my most beloued children Giuen the third of the calends of August in the raygne of our most pious Emperour Mauritius Tiberius c. At the same time this most Blessed Pope sent letters allsoe to
was led in and placed amongst them And when the prayers and labours of the Britans could nothing auayle towards his cure saint AVGVSTINE compelled by a iust necessitie S. Augustine cureth a blind man bowed his knees to the father of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST humbly beseeching him to restore to that blind creature his lost sight and by the corporall illuminating of one to enkindle with his spirituall grace the hearts of manie of his faythfull His prayer being ended the blind man receaued his sight to the great confusion of his aduersaries and comfort of those of his side who with one voyce extolled saint AVGVSTINE as the true preacher of the eternall light And the Britans them selues confessed against their wills that indeed the way of iustice which AVGVSTINE followed was true but yet they could not without the consent and leaue of their countrey renounce their auncient customs XVIII THEREFORE they required a new synod to be summoned in which more of the learned men of their countrey might be present Which being appoynted seauen Bishops of the Britans and a great A Synod held in England number of the learned men chiefly out of their famous Monastery of Bangor then gouerned by an Abbot called Dinoth coming to the place of the councell went first to a certaine holy and prudent man that led an anachoreticall life in that countrey to consult him whether they should yeeld to the preaching of AVGVSTINE and abandon their owne tradition If AVGVSTINE be a man of God answered he why doe yee not follow his counsell without anie more delay And by what meanes replied they can we proue this It is written sayd the other Take my yoake vppon yee and learne of me Math. 11. because I am meeke and humble of heart If AVGVSTINE then be meeke and humble in heart it is likely that he carrieth the yoake of CHRIST and offers it to be carried by you allso But if he be proud it is manifest that he is not from God and that yee need not care for his speeches And how replied they againe can we be able to know soe much Be sure sayd he to let him come first to the place of the Councell and yf he humbly arise at your entrance know that he is the Seruant of CHRIST and to be of you obeyed but if he contemne you and disdaigne to rise in curtesy to you who are more in number yee may boldly despise him too What more They did The Britans contemne S. Augustine as he commaunded when coming into the Synod saint AVGVSTINE sate quietly in his chayre Which they noe sooner perceaued but iudging it to proceede out of pride laboured to contradict him in all things refusing not only to correct their auncient errours but allsoe denying to receaue him for their Archbishop conferring with one and other that yf now he would not daigne to rise to salute vs how much more will he contemne vs yf we become his subiects To whom the holy man inspired He foretelleth their ruine with the spiritt of prophesie foretould that because they refused to preach with him the way of life to the English nation by their hands they should feele the reuenge of death Whose words the euent proued true for after the death of saint AVGVSTINE Alfrid King of the Northumbers leading forth a great armie against the head-strong Britans made a huge slaughter amongst them neere vnto the towne now called West-Chester But goeing to the battle when he saw their Priests and a mightie troupe of the monkes of Bangor where aboue two thousand liued The Britans punished by the only labour of their hands standing in a place of defence and powring out their prayers to allmightie God against his successe he caused his souldiers first to sett vppon them of whom being wholly vnarmed and committed to the protection of one Brocmal who fled away with his fellowes at the first encounter were slaine one thousand and two hundred and the rest escaped by flight Which done he made head against the armed Britans when not without a great losse of his owne armie he vtterly defeated Whereby the prophesie of S. AVGVSTINE was fullfilled XIX BVT our most blessed Apostle saint AVGVSTINE leauing the rebellious Britans to expect the coming of this foresayd punishment trauelled with his holy companie to the Cittie of Yorke preaching the Ghospell of CHRIST as he went and by the way he cured S. Augustin cureth the palsey a wretched creature of a double disease a palsey and blindnes not only of bodie but of soule too for being by his prayers healed in bodie he beleeued and had his soule purged in the sacred font of Baptisme O most blessed man full of the spirit of God who when occasion was offered was as powerfull to worke miracles for the salution as to preach words for the instruction of his poeple For what penne is able to expresse with how manie shining miracles he illuminated the whole countrey in this iourney What tongue can number how manie troupes of Insidels in the confines of Yorkes and in all other places where he went he added to the number of the faythfull and reduced into the should of CHRISTS holy Church when only in one day and that on the feast of the natiuitie of our Lord which the whole multitude of heauenly Angels doeth perpetually celebrate he renewed ten thousand men in the sacred baptisme of life besides allmost an innumerable multitude of women and children But what number of Priests or other holy orders would suffice to baptise soe great a multitude Therefore hauing giuen He baptiseth ten thousand persons in one day his benediction to the riuer Swale he commaunded them all to enter through which it being otherwise farre too deepe to wade they passed to the other side with no lesse miracle then in times past the Jsraelites through the red sea and as they went they were baptised by the holy Father of our Fayth saint AVGVSTINE in the name of the holy Trinitie A most strainge spectacle In that soe deepe a bottom in soe great a throng and presse of poeple in such a diversitie of age sexe and condicion not one was lost not one was hurt not one was missing And which is most of all to be admired A strange miracle all that laboured with anie infirmitie or disease of bodie left that allsoe behind them in the water and euery lame or deformed person came out whole and sound O most pleasant sight O admirable spectacle worthie to haue Angels spectatours when soe manie thousand fayre faces of the English nation came out of the bellie of one Riuer as out of the wombe of one common Mother and out of one channell soe great a progenic was borne and deriued to the Kingdom of heauen Herevppon the most blessed Pope GREGORY Lib. 7. c. 30. bursting out in ioy togeather with the heauenly citizens could not hould but make his penne the trumpett of this admirable
the true Christian fayth by thee then piously and dutifully receaued heard and retayned and now like a degenerate child being fallen from the obedience of thy mother-Sea of Rome like vnto a ship without a sterne thou art blowne and tost in the deepes of the misteries of Fayth with euery wind of erroneous doctrine being not able to steere into the hauen of anie setled and well-grounded opinion Againe therefore I repeate those words of the Prophet How is the gould make darke and the best colour chainged In very deed thou hast now left thy first fayth Thren 4. v. 1. Apocal. 2. v. 4. 5. Serm. 92 and charitie Remember therefore whence thou hast fallen and doe penance and performe thy first workes It is now in vaine and vnnecessary for thee to dispute of matters of religion Saint AMBRISE assures thee as much We must know sayth that holy Doctour that not without great danger we doubt of the truth of that religion which we see confirmed with the bloud of soe manie great men It is a matter of mightie danger yf after the Oracles of the Prophets after the testimonies of the Apostles after the wounds of the Martirs thou presume to discusse the anncient sayth as new and after soe manie manifest guides thou remayne in errour and after the sweates of soe manie dying teachers thou contend with an idle disputation Therefore my beloued countrey I beseech and coniure thee by the bowells of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST thy deare redeemer to consider well this sentence of the Prophet Jeremie Stand vppon the wayes and behould and inquire of the auncient Ier. 6. 〈◊〉 16. pathes which is the good way walke in it and yee shall find a refreshment to your soules The holy Benedictine Monke saint AVGVSTINE who came to thee from old Rome taught these auncient pathes in CHRIST-IESVS he shewed thee the true way he shined in thy dominions with manie heauenly signes and miracles as soe manie vnresistable witnesses of the truth he with his holy labours rooted vp-the impious stockes of Idolatrie out of the hearts of thy poeple and planted there in the Christian fayth which he watred with his owne sweats and teares Insist in his waies follow his footstepps walke in his pathes and thou shalt find both in this and much more in the world to come a sweet refreshment for the soules of thy poeple That way which of late the Apostata Luther Caluin or Beza begane to lay in the world was neuer trodden eyther by the steppes of saint AVGVSTINE thy Apostle or anie other of his holy fellow-preachers but leadeth thee yf thou walke therin the high way to perdition Returne therefore to the counsell of the Prophet aboue sayd State Ier. 6. v. 16. super vias interrogate de semitis antiquis quae sit via bona ambulate in ca inueniâ—tis refrigerium animabus vestris God of his infinite mercie giue thee grace once againe to find the right way to him that is Via Veritas Vita the way the Truth the life who be euer glorified and praysed in his Saincts Amen The life of S. Augustine is written very largely by Gotzelinus a Benedictine Monke the manuscript whereof we haue out of which and Venerable Bedes history of England we haue taken it The same is written by manie other authours as Ioannes Anglicus Iohn Capgraue by S. Bede him self in a large volume apart The mouthes of all our English Historiographers are full of his prayses God make vs all partaker of his merits VENERABILIS BEDA PRESBITER LT MONCHVS ORDâ—… S. Benedicti May. 27. Mart. baâ— f. The life of Sainct BEDE Priest and Monke of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT MAY 27 Gathered out of diuers graue Authours AMONGST all the famous and holy men which haue euer florished in England and with which allmightie God hath adorned our sometimes happy Iland saint BEDE in the excellencie of learning both diuine and humane doeth deseruedly carrie away the prize whom for this we may worthyly call the Phenix of his time that liued in an Iland separated from the rest of the world He was borne in the northerne parts of England within the Bishoprick of Durham in a little Village called Iarrow not farre from the place where the riuer Tine falls into the maine Sea His parents allbeit The place of his brith and Pareâ—â—s they were not famous for riches or Nobilitie in the countrey yet was their stock more worthyly ennobled by BEDE then by the greatest nobilitie of bloud or descent and not their countrey only but the whole world was more enriched by this holy treasure of their race then by the greatest wealth that could be imagined For A Homer borne of an ignoble Spring Is Nohler then an Irus from a King Our Sainst BEDE then like vnto an other Samuel had noe sooner learnt to speake and outgrowne his infancie but he was dedicated to the temple of our Lord. For at the age of seauen yeares by the care of his friends and Kinred he was deliuered to the vertuous schoole of S. BENNET Bishop in the Benedictine Monasterie of Weremouth which the same Abbot had built Being planted therefore At seauen yeare old he is giuen to the diuine seruice in the house of God from his very infancie and watred with the fountaine of diuine grace like vnto a fayre palme-tree he grew to the height of perfection and sent forth dayly fruits and flowers of iustice and learning announcing the truth and mercie of allmightie God with word worke and example For being amongst holy men and by holy men nursed and trayned vp in the schoole of monasticall discipline and good learning passing ouer the course of his age piously with the pious and innocently with the innocent he endeauoured with all his power to preserue him self vnspotted from the vanitie and corruption of the world II. HE happened into the happy and goulden times of the two most learned Benedictines THEODORE Archbishop of Canturbury and ADRIAN Abbot of saint AVGVSTINS in the same cittie in whom was an equall contention between the excellencie of learning and holines of life Vnder these holy masters our BEDE became soe great a proficient in laying the foundation of all learning humane and diuine that afterwards what with his owne dayly studie and diligent labour both proceeding from a sharpe witt and sound vnderstanding he attayned to that height of perfection that he excelled all the learned men that England could euer boast off From His naturull inclination to learning his verie infancie he was extremly addicted and delighted with the purenes of an innocent life and the studie of good sciences that he seemed as it were by the weight of his owne naturall inclination to be drawne and carried to vertue and learning And togeather with those naturall seeds of vertue planted in his soule there shined allsoe in him beyond the force of humane witt a certaine diuine beame of
and the yeare he died in our writers are verie different He was first buried in his owne Monastery of Weremouth but afterwards his holy reliques were translated to Durham where togeather with the head of King Oswald and the bones of King Coolwulphe a Benedictine Monke of Lindisfarne they were found in a linnen bagge within the tombe of our great saint CVTHBERT during the raigne of William the second when Ranulphus the seauenth bishop of Durham translated the bodie of the same sainct CVTHBERT into the new Church which he had built where the sacred bones of saint BEDE remayne to this day with this Epitaphe too vnelegant for the shrine of soe learned a man Beda Dei famulus monachorum nobile sidus The Epitaphe of his Tombe Finibus e terrae profuit Ecclesiae Solers iste Patrum scrutando per omnia sensum Eloquio viguit plurima composuit Annos in vitater duxit * Quinque vitae triginta Praesbiter officio Maximus ingenio Iunij septenis viduatur carne Calendis Angligena Angelicam commeruit patriam They are in no sorte to be borne with or beleeued who haue A false opinion of his translation written or rather dreamed that his body was transported to Genua in Jtaly For hitherunto I doe not find this affirmed by anie approoued Authour And not a few asseuer that in his life time he neuer went out of the bounds of England and to say that he was transported after death into forreigne lands seemeth to be a monstrous and strainge opinion worthy to be banished into farre countreyes His life we haue collected out of diuers graue Authours William Malmesbury de gest reg Ang lib. 1. cap. 3. Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue in his legend of English Saincts and Trithemius in his worke of the illustrious men of saint Benedicts Order lib. 3. cap. 155. lib. 2. cap. 21. But his life hath been written by Cuthbert his disciple a Benedictine in the same Monasterie and one much auncienter then all those being an ey-witnes of what he writes out of whom and an other auncient manuscript written by one that suppressed his name we haue taken a great part of his life Mention is made of him in the Roman Martirologe and all our Historiographers as well English as others doe highly sound forth his prayses The end of May. S. BONIFACIVS MARTIR GERMANORVM APLVS APOSTOLVS Benedictinus Angluâ— Junij 5. M. baâ—â— f. The life of S. BONIFACE Archbishop Apostle of Germanie of the holy order of saint BENEDICT IVNE 5 Writen by S. Willibald Bishop of Eiâ—â—â—â—tadt in Germanie WHEN the Englishmen that came out of Germanie had coÌ„quered the Iland of great Britaine and giuen it the name of England the Catholick religion brought in by King Lucius was forced to giue place to Paganisâ—â—e till after an hundred and fortie yeares by the preaching of S. AVGVSTINE the Benedistine Monke it was againe restored to Christianitie Then manie holy men of the same order profession allthough they thought them selues most happy in the purchase of soe great good something notwithstanding they iudged to be wanting for the making vp of their felicitie because their owne auncient countrey of Germanie which they had left was yet detayned in the black night The place of his birth and desire of a religious life of Idolatrie The care and cogitation hereof much troubled and exercised the hearts of manie and chiefly of this holy Benedictine Monke WINFRID afterwards called BONIFACE Who being borne of very worthy parents at Kyrtâ—n in Deuonshire was from his very childhood possessed with a wonderfull loue of the heauenly wisedome and a perfect monasticall manner of life in soe much that he opened the secret of this desire vnto his father VVho greatly displeased thereat endeauoured partly with flattering enticements large promises and partly with threatnings to deterre him from that pious course But by how much the more earnestly the father stroue to reclaime his sonne to the loue of the world by soe much the more coÌ„staÌ„tly the holy child full of the diuine grace remayned firme in his good purpose and studied to attayne to the knowledge of heauenly learning VVhence by the wonderfull prouidence of allmightie God it came to passe that his father who was his only hindrance being taken with a sudden sicknes deposed all his former stubbornesse and sent his sonne to the Benedictine Abbey at Excester six miles He taketh the Habit of S. Bene dict distant from the place where he was borne commending him to the care of VVolphard the venerable Abbot of the same Monastery by whom he was courteously receaued where he beganne to performe all the duties of a monasticall life that were agreable to his tender age growing dayly as in age more perfect in the exercise of vertue II. BEING gone out of the yeares of his childhood he soe entierly subiected him self to the institutions of his ancients and the exercise of sacred reading that euery day his soule was enriched more and more with the diuine guifts of manie vertues In summe when vnder the obedience of the forenamed Abbot he had professed and obserued all the discipline of a regular life according to the Rule of the great Patriarch of Monkes saint BENEDICT for the space of manie yeares and being not able there for of want teachers to satiate his thirst of diuine learning according to the greatnes of his desire with the consent of his Abbot and brethren he went to the Monastery of Nutscelle where vnder the discipline of Winbert the Abbot he made soe wonderfull a progresse in all manner of His great progresse in learning learning and vertue that his fame being diuulged ouer the countrey manie flocked thither to become his schollers When he the more he was exalted to the height of science and excellencie of other vertues the more close he kept him self within the ward of humilitie euer honouring his iuferiours as his equalls and embracing them with the armes of true loue and charitie according to the counsell of the wiseman By how much thou art Eccl. 3. greater humble thy self in all things At the thirtith yeare of his age he was adorned with the sacred dignitie of Priestood when by reason of his great learning and vertue he was held in soe great He is made Priest veneration in that countrey that a Synod being assembled at the same time to difcusse some ecclesiasticall controuersies wherein some certaine decrees were ordayned which notwithstanding were submitted to the honourable suffrage of the Archbishop of Canturbury by the consent of the King and Councell BONIFACE was chosen to be most fitt to treate of soe weightie a matter with the Archbishop which busines he soe brauely and solidly dispatched that he purchased to him self grace and fauour with all men III. BVT retayning allwaies in his mind a pious desire to labour His ardent desire to conuert Insidels in the conuersion of Infidells
coming out of England in the yeare of grace 755. At the same time togeather with saint BONIFACE Eâ—banus whom he had newly made bishop in Frisia and fiâ—tie persons more some Priests some deacons and other sacred ministers of whom manie were English Monkes walked the same pathes of death to receaue the euer-florishing crowne of Martirdom But the wicked actours of this tragicall scene escaped not the diuine punishment of heauen for as they returned The iust punishment of the murderers from the slaughter a controuâ—rsie arose amongst them touching the diuision of the spoyles which they had taken which when they could not decide by words they fell to blowes and slew one an other with the same weapons which soe lately had been embrewed in the bloud of these glorious Martirs And as manie of them as escaped out of this mutuall slaughter were soone after slaine by the Christians and soe payd a iust tribute to death for their former sacrilege The sacred body of saint BONIFACE was first buried at Vtreâ—ctht afterwards translated to Mentz and lastly to the Benedictine His sacred buriall Abbey of Fulda according as he had desired in his life time And at all these three places his holy Tombe was adorned with manie wonderfull miracles as soe manie vnresistable witnesses of his holy life and meritts The life of this glorious Sainct was written by S. Willibald an English Benedictine first bishop of Eistat in Germanie and by Othlonus Priest and monke of the Benedictine Abbey of Fulda out of whom we haue gathered the foresayd Historie The Roman Martirologe maketh glorious mention of him the fifth day of Iune and all Historiographers doe largely speake his prayses The life of Sainct GVDWALL Bishop and Confessor IVNE 6 Extracted out of an auncient Authour GVDVVALL borne in great Britaine of the noble bloud of Britans seemed to be sent to that troubled countrey as the sonne of peace For at his birth the seucritie of the diuine iustice was chainged into clemencie and meeknes and the three common scourges of Kingdoms plague famin and warre which long had afflicted that nation ceased Being baptised togeather with his yeares the grace of the holy Ghost encreased in his soule and the vnderstanding and knowledge of diuine learning When he came to mans age all men presaging that he would one day prooue a worthy pillar of the Catholick Church he was adorned with the sacred dignitie of Priesthood Then he beganne to lay open the hidden treasures His learning and schollers of his wisedom and learning gotten in his tender yeares and to instruct others with the vndrayneable fountaine of his diuine science Whereby manie were soe rarely enkindled with the beames of the true Sunne that they became fitt to lighten and enflame others with the vertue and learning which they had suckt from his breast At length the fame of saint GVDVVALL was of soe He is made Bishop great estimation in the world that he was aduanced to the height of Ecclesiasticall dignitie and made Bishop when by how much he was exalted higher to honours amongst the poeple of Gods Church soe the more abundantly he spread abroad the sweet odours of his holy life and conuersation to the great consolation and ioy of the whole countrey He was borne to a very large and ample patrimonie but despising all the riches and wealth of the vaine mortall world he gaue all that he had to the Church of CHRIST his immortall King And perceauing allsoe that his pastorall He leaueth his Bishoprick chargetied his mind with the chaines of care to worldly affayres more then he desired he found meanes to discharge him self thereof and hauing substituted an other in his place retired him self to a Monasterie within his Diocese where he entred into a contemplatiue life seruing our Lord in watching fasting and prayer and all other austeritie and discipline of a perfect monasticall life II. BVT desiring within a short time after to enter into a more He leadeth an Heremiticall life secret solitarines wholly to apply his mind to the contemplation of diuine things he departed with one only companion and went to a great rock that stood like a litle Iland within the Sea where hauing cutt him self a litle caue in the hard stone he led a most retired and solitary life according to the example of the auncient Hermites Till the brethren of the monastery which he had left being not able to endure the hard burden of the absence of GVDVVALL who had endowed them with the learning of heauenly discipline made a pious search ouer all the countrey to find him And being found they ioyfully ranged them selues in the institution of his vertuous schoole carefully studying to imitate his holy simplicitie and liuely mortification But being pressed with the narrownes of the place they hewed manie litle habitations in that hard rock to defend them selues from the violence of the weather Therefore the rock which before bred a solitarie horrour to the behoulders The number of his disciples being now turned into a house of prayer was made an habitation of Monkes where solemne watches were obserued and the Ecchoes of Gods diuine prayses resounded amidst the roaring of those swelling waues When the fame of the holy man encreasing dayly the number of his disciples likewise encreased soe that one hundred fourescore and eight monkes are reported to haue liued vnder the gouernment of his pious institution in soe much that the quantitie of that place being not able to contayne soe great a number at a low water saint GVDVVALL went downe vppon the The seas obey his commaund sands and with an assured and strong confidence in the diuine goodnes making the signe of the crosse in the sand commaunded those vnruly waues in the name of IESVS-CHRIST noe more to flow beyond the limitts which he had there prescribed When to the great admiration and comfort of Gods seruants that vntamed element contayned the accustomed pride of its swelling furie and obeying the holy mans commaund neuer more dared to trangresse the bounds by him prefixed Hence it appeares that the miracles of the old law haue been reuiued in the Christian Church for Moyses deuided and our GVDVVALL bridled the waues of the vntamed He 〈…〉 prayers seas And not only in this but in an other act allsoe this holy man was replenished with the spirit of the Prophet Moyses when in the same place being in want of fresh water by his prayers he obtayned a fountaine of cleere streames to spring out of that hard rock III. WONDERFVLL surely was the life that this holy man led in this horrid place He dayly celebrated the dreadfull sacrifice of Masse Angels appeare at hâ—â— masse and that with soe great puritie of mind and such deuour preparations thereunto that sometimes the Angells descending visibly from heauen assisted at that venerable misterie and togeather with him sung the diuine prayses of allmightie God to the great
His wonderfull abstinence of a abstinence that he neuer rose from the table with a full stomake and in Lent for the most part his greatest dainties were bread and water Whence it came to passe that at an Easter time his appetite and gust of meate was soe vtterly mortified ouerthrowne that he could not eate the meate which was set before him And when the monke that wayted vppon him demaunded why he did not eate Yf I had some oaten bread replied he moistened with butter I thinke I should be able to eate it Therefore the Monke Soe holy Dauid refused to drinke the water which he had desiâ—red his seruant brought some such bread when the holy man reflecting with him self that he had giuen a litle fauourable scope to his appetite conceaued soe great feare thereat that becoming a rigid and seuere reuenge to himself he refused to tast it at all but remayned fasting And that meate soe prouided he commaunded to be giuen to the poore that wayted at the Monastery gate where they found a fayre yong man of a very beautifull countenance who tooke the meate with the dish and vanished Which as they related to the holy Abbot behould the same dish fell vppon the table before him Whereby they vnderstood that an Angell sent from heauen had receaued that almes from the holy man III. OVER and aboue the accustomed taske of his diuine office and His prayers and the effects thereof prayers he dayly recited the whole Psalter of Dauid contayning an hundred and fiftie Psalmes But as once more earnestly he made his prayers vnto allmightie God and with the teares of his deuotion abundantly trickling downe his cheekes he powred forth his soule before the court of heauen desiring that as well his owne as the seruice of his brethren might be acceptable to the diuine maiestie and that they might be found worthy to haue their names written in the booke of life he heard these comfortable words come from aboue Take courage my Sonne for thy prayers are written in heauen Only two of them whose hearts haue been allwaies fixed to the loue of terrene things are inscribed in the dust of the world And not long after two Conuerses commonly called Lay-brothers casting off their habits made a miserable end of their liues in the world whereby the diuine reuelation of the holy man was verified IV. PASSING on a time by New-Castle he happened into a great He hindeâ—â—â—â— the wicked endeauours of the deuill multitude of yong men where he saw one with a wonderfull curiositie runne vp and downe amongst them fawning vppon them with an insolent countenance and as it were exhort and stirre them vp to the execution of some great matter When perceauing that he played not the part of a Man but rather the deceiptfull games of some wicked deuill by the powerfull force of his diuine words he commaunded him to depart Ho thou gallant sayd he these men doe not want thy worke quickly therefore be gone and follow me Presently â—e as yf he had been tied to their horse tayles went afâ—â—t holy Abbot through the durtie streets to the great astonishment of those that were present When they were gone out of the towne and come into the turnings of the highway Who art thou sayd the holy man and what was thy busines there Thou art not ignorant who I am replied he and thou knowest well my endeauours There is a pompous celebration of a rich mans wedding Note the maâ—ice of the deuâ—â—l in that towne and I was earnestly labouring to haue the groome slayne in the buanquet by his riualls that the guests being incensed with anger thereat might endeauour to reuenge his death and soe blinded with wrath and dronkennes their mutuall wounds might cause a sedition in the cittie that by the cutting downe of manie bodies I might reape an haruest of soules into my possession And now I was perswaded by the purchase of this victorie to haue returned in ioyfull triumphe to my Prince when my whole plott and counsell being ouerthrowne by thee I am constrayned to go home without anie gaine at all At these wordes the holy Abbot detesting the wickednes of that insernall monster commaunded him to depart to the determined place of his torments and neuer more hereafter to attempt to deceaue minkind Whereat the wicked spirit vanished taking his farewell with soe great horrour that their horses growing furious with neighing snoring and tearing the ground with their feet could hardly be held vnder the possession of their riders V. AN OTHER time the monkes being at mattins the holy man saw the Deuill standing in the habit of a countrey fellow at the quire He seeth the deuill inquiring into the faults of his Monkes doore and oftentimes endeauouring but in vaine to enter into it Then falling heartily to his prayers and stirring vp the hearts of his brethren to deuotion that infernall spie perceauing after a long expectance that he profitted nothing vanished away with anger and confusion The same holy Abbot celebrating once the dreadfull sacrifice of Masse saw in a vision a mightie storme at sea wherein a ship was sorely tost vp and downe in those swelling waues till the sterne being broken she ranne violently on her owne ruine and beating her self against a cruell rock dissolued her ioynts and ribbes into peeces left all the men her rulers to shift for them selues in the mercilesse billowes of the Ocean The holy man being greatly moued to compassion with this vision hauing finished his masse sent his Monkes to the sea side to take vp the bodies of those drowned persons They went and the fourth day after in the very place designed by saint ROBERT the sea cast vp the dead bodies which by their hands were honoured with Christian buriall VI. A HOLY matrone who by the pious persuasions of S. ROBERT S. Robert freed from a faâ—se Suspition by S. Bernard had contemned the gorgeous pride and vanitie of the world and betaken her self to a retired and deuout life was oftentimes visited by the same holy man to be by his godly instructions dayly aduanced in the way of vertue Which thing was a cause of manie bad suspitions in the iealous minds of some of his brethren who iudged that current of familiaritie to proceed from an impure spring And now they had infected the eares of manie with their misdeeming opinion till their complaints arriued to the knowledge of the great Patrone of his Order saint BERNARD Abbot of Clareuall in France To whom saint ROBERT went in person and he hauing had a reuelation of his great same and merits tooke him secretly aside and sayd Brother ROBERT those things are most false which the sinister suspition of manie hath bruted abroade against thy innocencie And in testimonie of his loue he gaue him a gyrdle which afterwards by the merits of them both gaue the benefitt of health to manie sick persons VII THIS holy Confessor was
to see the ruine of those perishing soules and perceauing his iourney to the desired place of martirdom to be hindered by that huge concourse of poeple fell downe on his knees and humbly made his prayer to him whose side flowed water and bloud for the redemption of the world to giue a safe passage to that poeple soe desirous to be present at his death Then by the allmightie power A notable miracle of him that diuided the red sea for the Israelites the furie of that great riuer was stopped and the channell made drie for the holy Martir to passe the flowing of his prayers and teares before allmightie God tooke from the riuer the power of flowing and layd open a fayre passage for him self and the poeple through the waters VII BVT the vertue of this wonderfull miracle gaue grace to the Officer that was appoynted to be ALBANS executioner to cast off all The executioner conuerted thought of such like woluish crueltie and become a meeke lambe of CHRISTS flock For throwing away his sword that should haue done that blouddie deed he fell prostrate at the holy Martirs feet confessed his errour and humbly demaunded pardon crying alowd that there was noe other true God but the God of the Christians and earnestly desiring to die in steed of him whom he was commaunded to putt to death But his beliefe moued the rest of those ministers of mischiefe to greater rage and furie and falling vppon that new Confessour of CHRIST they beate out his teeth tore his mouth that had giuen testimonie to the truth and soe bruised all his limmes with cruell blowes that in his whole bodie scarse anie one part was left vnhurt yet in heart he remayned firme and sound in the confession of his fayth But leauing this wretched creature in that miserable plight they arriued at length Is cruelly beaten to the toppe of the hill where an infinite number of poeple were expecting to behould the action of this tragicall scene Who being generally tormented with an extremitie of heate drought He obtayneth a fountaine by his prayers S. ALBAN by his prayers obtayned to haue a cleere fouÌ„taine spring out of that dried earth by which the multitude queÌ„ched their thirst yet allwaies thirsted for the effusion of his bloud by whose meritts they had receaued that benefitt soe great was the vngratefull crueltie cruell ingratitude of their blinded minds which ascribed all these most seÌ„sible miracles to the power of their owne seÌ„slesse Gods VIII THEREFORE whetting still the edge of their owne furie on the vnshaken rock of the holy Martirs constancie and vertue they He is beheadded were more and more incensed to the shedding of his innocent bloud A new executioner was chosen to giue the deadly blow for them all who at once made a cruell separation of his head from the bodie that his blessed soule might take a happie flight to the crowne of euerlasting life which our Lord hath promised to those that suffer for his sake But the cruell executioner was not permitted to triumphe in his wicked fact for his eyes ashamed as it were to The punishment of his executioner behould their Masters crueltie fell miraculously out of his head at the very instant that he gaue the Martir his death soe that loosing the guides that had directed him to doe what he did he lost allsoe the power to see what he had done Which miracle caused manie of the Gentils there present to confesse that he was iustly punished Meane while the poore souldier whom they had left halfe dead below had cralled to the toppe of the hill and coming to the holy body of saint ALBAN he was presently restored againe to the perfect vse of all his limmes But that happines was soone after seconded with a farre greater for making profession of the fayth of A souldier martired CHRIST he was forthwith beheadded and by being baptised in his owne bloud was made worthie to follow his leader saint ALBAN into the euerlasting ioyes of CHRIST-IESVS the eternall crowne and glory of his Martirs S. ALBAN was martired about the yeare of our saluation three hundred and three and his bodie was buried in the same place of his martirdom IX BVT about the yeare of our Lord fower hundred fortie six and an hundred fortie three yeares after the passion of S. ALBAN the Pelagian Heresie as ouer the rest of the world soe chiefely it raygned in great Britaine in which it is reported to haue first begunne To suppresse this infection sainct GERMAN Bishop of Auâ—er The Pelagian â—eresie suppressed and Lupus Bishop of Troy came out of France into our Iland by the force of whose arguments and miracles the impudent mouthes of the Pelagians were stopt And at that very time manie great miracles and cures of diseased persons being wrought at the sacred tombe of S. ALBAN thither the holy Bishops went for deuotion sake to giue thankes vnto allmightie God for their successe and S. GERMAN hauing opened the holy monument layd therein manie reliques of the Apostles and other Martirs that the same place might containe the bones of them whose soules enioyed one and the same glory in heauen Which done he tooke thence some part of the earth which had receaued the holy Martirs bloud and which yet blushed therewith to be by him reserued as a most pretious treasure The auncient Britans ouer come by the Saxons and a worthy reward of his labour Afterwards the English and Saxons that were Pagans like vnto a furious tempest inuaded the Iland of great Britaine and by force of armes droue the auncient inhabitants thereof to the mountaines and farthest parts of the countrey now called Wales persecuting not only the men but the Christian fayth which they professed Then amongst others the auncient cittie of Verulam being destroyed and all sacred monuments and Churches demolisht the memory of the glorious Martir Sainct ALBAN was extinguished for the space of three hundred fortie fower yeares and to the raygne of the most famous King of the Mercians Ossa who following a diuine reuelation that commaunded him to search out those holy reliques and place them in a more worthy monument assembled the poeple and Clergie togeather and armed with fasting and prayer they ascended the mountaine where the holy Martir suffered In the meane time the diuine goodnes that would not haue that treasure lie hid anie longer sent forth a heauenly splendour which glittered ouer his sepulcher and lighted them to find out those desired reliques For hauing digged in the same place they found his sacred bodie in a The inuention of S. Albans bodie wodden chest togeather with the reliques of the Apostles and Martirs which Sainct GERMAN had placed therein Therefore the King and whole assemblie being replenished with inestimable ioy translated that sacred treasure with great veneration and solemnitie singing of himnes and prayses to allmightie into an auncient Church neere Verulam
built in times past to the name and honour of saint ALBAN where in a very rich shrine made of gould and siluer and adorned with pretious gemmes they reposed those sacred spoiles Whereby it is made manifest that as in times past to Lucian Priest the bodie of the Protomartir of Iurie sainct STEPHEN and to King Dagobert the reliques of saint DENIS the first Martir of France soe to our noble Offa allmightie God miraculously reuealed the bodie of the prime Martir of great Britaine S. ALBAN But this inuention and translation of S. ALBAN happened in the yeare 794. the first day of August X. IN the meane time king Offa built founded a most magnificent King Oâ—â—a foundeth a Benedictine Abbey to S. Albau Church and a Monastery for the Benedictine Monkes to the honour of S. ALBAN in the very same place where the holy Martir had shed his bloud for the Christian fayth This Monastery he not only adorned with great wealth and reuenewes but went him self to Rome and obtayned for it large and ample priuileges of Pope Adrian whereby it was exempted from all Episeopall power and iurisdiction and by the royall charter of Offa the exercise of all ciuill authoritie within the territorre thereof was deliuered into the hands of the Abbott And lastly Pope Adrian defined in his Priuilege graunted thereunto that as S. ALBAN whom at the earnest desire of King Offa the whole countrey he had enrolled into the nuÌ„ber of canonized Sainct was knowne to be the first Martir of Britaine soe the Abbot of his Monasterie should allwaies haue the precedence before all the other Abbots of that Countrey and that Abbey be accompted the principall and head of the rest The Abbots of this S. Albans the head abâ—ey of England Monastery in times past were Barons of the realme and Parliament men and from the Abbey the towne built there abouâ—s is to this present called by the name of Sainct-Albans XI BVT a farre greater and more excellent honour came to this Monasterie by the wonderfull miracles which allmightie God wrought there by the merits of this glorious Martir S. ALBAN then by all the other glorie of priuileges wealth and riches added thereunto Nay more the whole countrey receaued infinite benefitts of cures of all manner of diseases as we may vnderstand out of Venerable BEDE an Authour beyond all exception who auoucheth miracles wrought there euen vnto his time and by the auncient annalls of the same Monasterie wherein the wonders which yearly happened are diligently and faythfully sett downe Let vs heare the Authours them selues make an Affidauit of their owne sinceritie Whatsoeuer we goe about to relate say they of the holy Martir let noe man esteeme as fayned or friuolous for we take God to witnes that they are such as eyther we haue seene with our owne eyes or heard reported by men of approued creditt Out of which it shall Miracles wrought at his Tombe suffice vs for the glory of our Protomartir briefly to rehearse some few 1. His reliques being opposed to a furious fier oftentimes extinguisht it 2. In extremitie of drought his holy bodie being carried in procession with the vsuall Litanies and supplications of the Church obtayned rayne and in time of immoderate rayne purchased fayre weather 3. Those that by an iniurious violence presumed to robbe him of land or riches dedicated to his honour were oftentimes punished with a miserable end 4. One A notable punishment Hugh who with an impious mouth vttered reproachfull speeches against the blessed Martir and his sacred solemnitie cast forth the excrements of his bodie at his blasphemous mouth all his life after being iustly punished in that part which had offended 5. A woman sick of a cruell palsey who for manie yeares was not able to goe her self being admonished from heauen entred into the holy Martirs Church where hauing made her prayer vnto God and his Sainct at the very time when the Priest at Masse offered the sacred Bodie of our Lord to his father she felt her self strongly recouered and presently walked home in perfect health of all her limmes 6. The water which had washed his holy shrine was oftentimes prooued soueraigne against manie deseases 7. And the dust gathered out of the place where he was buried and putt into drinke wrought the like miraculous effects But we shall neuer come to an end yf we goe about to loade this paper with all the miraculous cures done at his tombe blind lame deafe broken and contracted persons receaued the wished benefitt of their health by the meritts of this thrice glorious Martir Scarse anie disease could be named that was not here cured Yea and manie dead persons were recalled againe to life by the The dead raysed to life Beda Hist Eccl. Angl. lib. 1. cap. 18. And others as Constant. in vita S. Germ. Baronius tom 5. an 429. Camden in descrip Herford com Harpsfield sex primis sae culis cap. 9. Westm an 794. malm de gest reg l. 1. c. Surius â— Tom. 6. Iun. 22. intercession and patronage of this glorious Martir sainct ALBAN XII HERE it shall not be amisse to admonish my good reader yf perchance he light on the writtings of some forreigne Authours vnskilled in our English histories that affirme the bodie of our sainct ALBAN to haue been by the sorenamed sainct GERMAN translated to Rome and thence afterwards againe transported by the meanes of Theophana the Empresse to the Benedictine Abbey of sainct PANTALEON at Cullen that he suffer not him self to be easily deceaued for all our English writters maintaine the contrary First sainct BEDE following the auncient Annalls of sainct ALBANS auoucheth that sainct GERMAN tooke only with him some of the dust where his body was layd and not only left the bodie it self behind but as we haue sayd placed manie other reliques of other Martirs which he had thither brought in the tombe of sainct ALBAN as soe manie sacred witnesses and pledges of his deuotion to the holy Sainct which reliques to the manifest confutation of the contrary opinion were found there togeather with the bodie of S. ALBAN three hundred fortie and odde yeares after S. GERMANS coming into England as Mathew Westminster William of Malmesbury and other English writers doe testifie Therefore his bodie could not be carried out of England by saint GERMAN Moreouer in Surius whom I take to be the chiefe Authour of the aduerse opinion I cannot but admire one thing as a signe of great partialitie in him for hauing gathered the whole life of Saint ALBAN out of Venerable BEDE he willingly passeth ouer in silence that act of Sainct GERMANS putting the reliques into Saint ALBANS tombe and carrying away of the earth embrewed with his bloud And why doeth he soe I leaue the reason to the iudgement of the iudicious reader being loath to touch the authoritie of soe great a man It may be because he was him self of Cullen he had rather for
the honour of his towne report it to be enriched with the whole bodie of saint ALBAN then only with some of the dust of his tombe vsing a figuratiue speech of Rhetoricians and putting the VVhole for a Part. Or else the identitie Authours that affirme his bodie to be a S. Albaâ—s of the names of sainct ALBAN martir of Mentz and our saint ALBAN of England drew him to report that of ours which he should haue sayd of the other Howsoeuer he was deceaued this much we can say on our owne behalf ommitting to make an argument of the vnliklihood of the contrary assertion that Mathew Paris in the yeare 1179. Mathew VVestminster in the yeare 1259. VValsingham in the yeare 1313. Henry Huntington in the ninth booke of his history Thomas Rudburne in his greater Chronicle and others English writters of great creditt and authoritie and farre more conuersant in our histories then anie stranger can be doe constantly affirme that the sacred reliques of saint ALBAN remayned allwaies in his owne monastery in England and this the auncient records of the same place which I haue in my hands doe largely testifie by the vndiscontinued relation of the yearly miracles wrought at his tombe to the raygne of Heâ—â—y the second And in the yeare of grace 1257. Certaine workmen that were busied in repayring the Church of saint ALBANS digging somewhat deepe into the ground happened vppon the marble tombe in which his bodie had been layd presently after his martirdom at which time a heauenly splendour shined ouer his graue and the rauishing notes of Angelicall harmonie warbled fourth the prayses of the holy martir But the garment of Amphibalus sainct ALBANS His garment found spotted with fresh bloud Master in which sainct ALBAN suffered martirdom was afterwards carried to the Benedictiâ—e monasterie of Ely and there in a certaine tombe reserued which King Edward the second caused to be opened in his owne presence when it was found vncorrupted and stayned with fresh spotts of the bloud which he had sâ—ed for CHRIST who be for euer glorified in his Saincts Amen All Ecclesiasticall writers make very honourable mention of S. ALBAN of whom amongst others Fortunatus sings this verse Albanum egregium faecunda Britanniaprofert And Hiericus a Frenchman who florished seauen hundred yeares agoe hath these verses of him in the life of sainct GERMAN in which he mentioneth the executioners losse of his eyes Milliapaenarum Christi pro nomine passus Quem tandem rapuit capitis sententia caesi Sed non Lictoricessit res tuta superbo Vtque caput Sancto ceciderunt lumina soeuo His life we haue gathered out of Venerable Bede in his history of England and an other old Authour ancienter then Bede which we haue in written hand And besides the writers aboue named Gyldas Sapiens epist. de excidio Britanniae Geffrey of Monmouth hist Brit. lib. 5. cap. 5. the Roman Martirologe Vsuard Molanus and others doe largely speake his prayses In the Sarum Breuiary he hath an office of nine lessons in an auncient Manuscript breuiary of S. Benedicts Order which belonged to Burton vppon Trent he is serued with twelue lessons whereof eight are proper and which make large mention of his life and miracles An Appendix to the life of Sainct ALBAN contayning The Passion of Sainct AMPHIBALVS and other Martirs at the same time IVNE 22 Out of an auncient manuscript cited before THE famous miracles which went before and followed the death of our glorious Protomartir saint ALBAN moued The miracles of S. Alban conuerteth manie manie of the astonished assistants to be farre better affected to the Christian fayth then they were in soe much that had they had but a teacher it seemed they might easyly be brought not only to approoue but to embrace it for truth being of their owne accord allreadie well inclined thereunto Nether was the diuine goodnes wanting to their good will in this poynt by whose instinct one boulder then the rest stood vp and in this manner spake vnto them Yf only with words O fellow-citizens ALBAN had maintayned the truth of A citizeÌ„s speech to his fellovves his fayth it were not to be admired yf all men had reiected it as vayne and vnprofitable doctrine condemned by publick lawes and contrarie not only to the institutions of our ancestours but euen to reason the guide of all things But now since he hath confirmed his words and fayth with such admirable workes whosoeuer shall presume to denie it will seeme in resisting ALBAN to resist God him self by affirming that these wonderfull signes proceeded from anie other authour but God or that that fayth is not grounded in truth which is authorized by the testimonies of such diuine workes For when I pray you did our Gods euer performe the like When was the like heard off in our religion Moreouer the singular integritie The praise of S. Alban meekenes patience constancie pietie and other vertues of of this diuine man doe sett him forth amongst his other wonderfull workes for the greatest wonder Being vexed with soe manie taunts and reproches he reuiled noe man being afflicted with soe manie iniuries he was soe farre from making the lest shew of anie indignatioÌ„ of mind that he seemed more tobewayle our case then his owne Nay he went with soe ioyfull and cleere a countenance to his last deadly punishment that one would haue iudged him going to a banquet of mirth not to the scaffold of death Who doeth not see in this man a diuine power greater then humane frailtie Yf then these guifts doe proceed only from God surely he is not wont to bestow them on wicked impious and sacrilegious persons but on those that piously and holyly serue and worship him Nether is it to be doubted but that he will adorne vs and our common wealth with these and farre greater guifts then these yf we shew our selues plyant and dutifull to his diuine calling Let vs therefore follow ALBAN our Captaine and courragiously embrace his fayth and pietie which God graunt to be fortunate and happy to vs our children and our common wealth II. THESE and such like words being spoken in a great assembly of the Citizens of Verulam all publickly proclaymed that then the religion of CHRIST nothing was more diuine nothing more holy nothing more true Therefore they resolued to search the whole countrey ouer to find out AMPHIBALVS Aâ—BANS guest who was a teacher of the Christian discipline But he was gone into VVales where with soe happy successe he had cast abrode the diuine seed of the Ghospell that he had filled all the countrey thereabouts with fruits of the Euangelicall haruest and the sweet odour of his owne fame and name whereuppon the cittizens of Verulam to the number of about a thousand left their house home and following the sent of his holy deeds vertues came at length to AMPHIBALVS who hauing vnderstood of the martirdoÌ„ of his deare Host
ALBAN They are baptised and the cause of their coming thither receaued them all to the sacrament of the Christian fayth which they desired And they ioyfully embracing those diuine institutions were incensed dayly with soe ardent a desire to profitt and perfect them selues in their new-receaued fayth that the multitude of faythfull Christians grew euery day greater in number and more famous and renowned in Sainctitie III. BVT the ancient and common enemie of mankind perceauing the Euangelicall kingdom to be amplified dayly with such ioyfull increases and his possessions to be greatly diminished by these purchases iudged it high time to oppose him self against those proceedings and to that end he incensed the citizens against their fellow-Cittizens those remayning at Verulam against the others whom AMPHIBALVS had now made Cittizens of the kingdom of heauen Against whom the Burgesses of the earth being incensed with the furie of the Prince of darknes determined to rayse a cruell warre grounding their quarrell on noe other theame theÌ„ that their fellow Cittizens had forsaken the desire and loue of the world and were by the meanes of AMPHIBALVS raÌ„ged into the warrefare of CHRISTS A thousaÌ„d Christians cruelly murdered holy Ghospell Marching therefore against them when they perceaued them to be soe resolute in the opinion of their new-receaued fayth that with courragious minds they were readie to expose their necks to the furious swords of their persecutours setting aside all thought eyther of the name of fellow-CittizeÌ„s or affinitie of bloud or dignitie of their innocencie they made a furious assault vppon them being vnarmed and in most cruell manner bathed their swords in the bloud of their owne fellowes and countreymen they in the meane time ioyfully and willingly offring their bodies to the deadly blowes of CHRISTS enemies whereby his triumphant Church was adorned with the fresh roses of new troupes of holy Martyrs IV. BVT apprehending the Captaine of this holy warre AMPHIBALVS Amphibalus reserued for greater paines in the midst of those murdered bodies they brought him back to Verulam to be there reserued for greater and more exquisite torments Whither when the newes of his coming arriued all the towne flocked out to meet him though not in curtesie but to reuenge on him the losse of their fellow-cittizens and kinred of whose slaughter they iudged him to be the sole and principall authour Therefore falling violently vppon him with soe great inhumanitie they tormented and beat the bodie of the holy man that they left noe place thereof without the cruell markes of manie hurts and wounds All which he is reported to haue endured with soe great fortitude of mind that no signe of anger or trouble appeared in his countenance When all men held it for a miracle as indeed it was that his aged bodie was able to indure soe manie and soe great torments with such an vnmoued constancie and that they could not force his soule out of that weake lodging with such paines the lest whereof seemed more then sufficient to martire the strongest champion in the world V ALL being astonished and manie much grieued at this spectacle Manie coÌ„uerted to Christ made as the manner is diuers interpretations and constructioÌ„s of the matter some imputing it to witchcraft others to a diuine power in soe much that there waÌ„ted not those that affirmed it to be a most vnworthy act to exercise soe manie torments on an innocent man which without note of great crueltie could not be inflicted on the wickedest malefactour that euer was for what offence is it sayd they to draw men from the horrible rites of profane sacrifices and from a sauage manner of life to an holy and pious way of seruing God Therefore because AMPHIBALVS teacheth these things we ought rather to honour his vertue with all due reuerence and with benefitts to requite him labouring for the common good then soe vngratefully and cruelly to persecute his innocencie And this proceeding seemed to them to besoe vnwarrantable that they feafeared not to affirme the patient to be most gratefull to God in suffering such cruelties for vertues sake and the doers them selues to They are martyred with S. Amphibalus be of God most hated for soe outrageously persecuting a poore innocent On these then speaking in this manner and recommending them selues to CHRIST and the prayers of AMPHIBALVS the barbarous multitude exercised their madding crueltie and togeather with AMPHIBALVS their captaine with swords kniues and stones battered their soules out of their mortall lodgings to take an happie flight to the immortall VI THIS holy man was martired at the village of Rudburne three miles distant from Verulam where Thomas Rudburne reportes that two great kniues which had been instruments of this crueltie were reserued to his time And for the space of allmost seauen hundred yeares the reliques of this blessed Martyr lay buried in obscuritie The inuention of his bodie till about the yeare of our Lord 1178. they were miraculously found out and brought honourably in procession to the Benedictine Abbey of S ALBAN when the monkes of the same place went solemnly to meet that treasure carrying with them S. ALBANS shrine The towne of Verulam neuer beheld a more comfortable and ioyfull day One martyr mett an other the disciple his Master the Host his guest a heauenly citizen his fellow-citizen of heauen His deare guest whom S. ALBAN in times past had secretly dismissed lest he should fall into the hands of his enemies he now receaueth with publick honour and triumphe at his returne And whom then his weake lodging could not keepe secure from harme he now introduceth into a most magnificent Church And this happened in the The wonderfull miracles wrought at his toÌ„be yeare aboue sayd and the fiue and twentith day of Iune At what time that countrey was burnt vp with intollerable heate and drought but at the holy Martyrs returne there fell a great aboundance of rayne and they receaued a common medecine of allmost all diseases But the manie heauenly benefitts and miracles which were then wrought in the sight of the whole countrey that flocked thither drawne with the noueltie of the thing and the diseases that were cured after these sacred reliques were brought into the Church we omitt to recite here in particular being contented only to say thus much that nether Gallen nor Hipocrates nor anie other of the skillfullest phisitians that were could euer cure soe manie and such desperate diseases as this holy Martir being piously called vppon did without eyther potions or plaisters by his only intercession to allmightie God whereby some dead persons were recalled to life a thing which noe human phisick was euer knowne to performe Thus much of this blessed martir we haue gathered out of the annalls of S Albans Monastery Mathew Paris anno 1179. and 1217. Mathew Westminster anno 1178. Ioannes Anglicus in his goulden legend and manie â—â—â—er writers especially of the Britans doe make very
the names of those glorious saincts the diuine goodnes shewed him a heauenly token and signe of his mercie For S. BENEDICT and sainct ETHELDRED with her sister sainct SEXBVRG appeared visibly vnto him in the prison with such a glorious lustre to He hath an apparition that darke place and such a lightning of comfort to his weake soule darkened with sorrow that betwixt ioy and amazement he was allmost traÌ„sported beyond him self not knowing what to say or what to thinke Till those heauenly cittizens hauing made them selues knowne vnto him demaunded yf he would be deliuered out of that captiuitie At which words awaking as it were out of a deepe sleepe he answered that he would most willingly enioy libertie yf he thought he could anie longer liue but because the forces of his bodie were quite spent he had now no further hope to escape Then S. BENEDICT drawing neere vnto him very gently pulled off his He is releaâ—ed by S. Benedict shackles and threw them with such vehemencie against a beame in the same roome that they broke in peeces and the noyse awaked the keepers who fearing lest their prisoÌ„ners might haue made some escape came hastily with lights into the same roome where to theyr great astonishment they vnderstood first by an other of the prisoners and next of Brickstan him self what strainge guests had been there and how he had been miraculously loosed out of his fetters by the heauenly visitation of S. BENEDICT and S. ETHELDRED Therefore the next morning they made relation hereof to the vertuous Queene Mawde who happened to be in London at the same time and she presently sent one Raphe a chaplaine of the Court to be more certainly informed of the truth of this accident He hauing found how Brickstan was released out of his fetters and seeing the irons soe straingely burst in peeces brought him to the Queenes Great ioy for his releasement presence at court Then the noyse of this miraculous accident being blowne all ouer the cittie of London made the cittizens with their mouthes full of the prayses of allmightie God come flocking to the Court. And the Queene being replenished with an extreme ioy at the noueltie of the miracle caused all the bells in the towne to make the ayre resouÌ„d with peales of ioy for the straingenes thereof all Conuents of Ecclesiasticall persons to sing forth prayses of thanksgiuing vnto the allmightie worker of wonders for soe great a remonstrance of his goodnes And Brickstan him self going in pilgrimage to visitt manie Churches throughout the cittie to giue thankes for this heauenly fauour was followed with whole troupes of poeple that desired to looke vppon him as vppon a wonder and at the Benedictine Abbey of Westminster he was receaued by Gilebert the Abbot and the whole Conuent of Monkes that came in procession to meete him In fine by commaund of the Queene he was honourably conueyed out of all his troubles to the beloued hauen of his desires the Monasterie of Ely carying with him as the trophies of his victorie ouer the world the chaines and fetters which had bound him in prison and out of which he was soe miraculously released At Ely he was very honourable receaued where he brought Briestan becometh a Monke at Ely his former purpose to perfection and putt on the habitt and profession of a Benedictine moke And his fetters were hung vp in the same Church before the high aultar for a perpetuall spectacle and monument of the miracle This happened in the time of Herueus first bishop of the same place XVIII THOMAS WalsinghaÌ„ in his historie of England in Richard the secoÌ„d in the yeare 1389. relateth how during the same kings raygne the holy Virgin ETHELDRED appeared at two seuerall times to distinct persons and foretould strainge accidents and punishments that should happen vnto the Countrey yf they were not auerted by the prayers and sacrifices of good men Other particularities thereof we omitt fearing to be ouer teadious hauing shewed sufficiently how great a care this glorious Sainct had of her countrey Let vs make intercession vnto her that by her meritte and prayers she would obtaine vs grace of allmightie God to be freed from the yoake oppression of Heresie which in these our daies beareth soe great a head ouer onr miserable couÌ„trey Her life we haue gathered out of the Chronicles of Ely which we haue in an auncient manuscript written by Thomas of Ely a Monke of the same place aâ— allso out of Venerable Bede de gestis Ang. lib. 4. cap. 19. Nicholas Harpsfield sec 7. cap. 24. and Ionnes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue in his legend of English Saincts Mention is made of her in the Roman Martirologe and in that of Bede Ado Vsuard and Wion Allso William Malmesbury lib. 2. de gest reg cap. 13. Mathew Westminster anno 679. Polidore Virgill lib. 4. Wigorniensis annis 672. 673. and 679. Trithemius in his third booke of the famous men of sainct Benedicts Order chap. 122. and manie other writers doe worthyly sound forth her prayses and in auncient times her feast was celebrated in England with great solemnitie The life of sainct BARTHOLOMEW Priest and Monke of the holy Order of sainct BENEDICT IVNE 24 Written by Ioannes Anglicus SAINCT BARTHOLOMEW borne in Yorkeshire in the Prouince of Whiteby in times past called Streanshall was by his parents first named Tostius but when he left the world and entered into a monasticall life he left allso that name and was called BARTHOLOMEW In his verie infancie he gaue manie rare signes of future sainctitie and receaued from heauen manie speciall fauours to confirme the His diuine visions same being diuers times visited by our Lord IESVS-CHRIST him self in person and by his glorious Mother the Blessed Virgin MARY and the holy Apostles S. PETER and sainct IOHN In his youth he trauelled into manie forreigne countreys and in Norway he was adorned with the sacred dignitie of Priestood But returning into England he receaued the habitt of a Monke in the Benedictine monasterie Note a miracle of Durham where entring into the Church and making reuerence to the Crucifix the sacred Image of Christ hanging on the Crosse seemed with an humble bowing of the head to resalute him againe In this monasterie he led a verie regular and strict life profitting dayly more and more in humilitie obedience and all other vertues belonging to a Monasticall life Till at length aspiring to a more solitarie manner of liuing segregated from all humane companie the great Patrone of that Order and monasterie S. CVTHBERT appeared to him in a vision and inuited him to liue in the Iland of Farne which was the place that he him self in his life time had honoured with his holy conuersation BARTHOLOMEW being glad of soe heauenly an offer soe suting with his desires promised to spend the remnant of his life in that Iland to that end with much difficultie and importunitie he