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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20849	The second part, or a continuance of Poly-Olbion from the eighteenth song Containing all the tracts, riuers, mountaines, and forrests: intermixed with the most remarkable stories, antiquities, wonders, rarities, pleasures, and commodities of the east, and northerne parts of this isle, lying betwixt the two famous riuers of Thames, and Tweed. By Michael Drayton, Esq.; Poly-Olbion. Part 2	Drayton, Michael, 1563-1631.	1622 (1622)	STC 7229; ESTC S121634	140,318	213

so vnbeleeuing then Next holy Ioseph came the mercifulst of men The Sauiour of mankind in Sepulchre that layd That to the Britans was th'Apostle in his ayd Saint Duvian and with him Saint Fagan both which were His Scollers likewise left their sacred Reliques here All Denizens of ours t' aduaunce the Christian state At Glastenbury long that were commemorate When Amphtball againe our Martyrdome began In that most bloody raigne of Dioclesian This man into the truth that blessed Alban led Our Proto-Martyr call'd who strongly discipled In Christian Patience learnt his tortures to appease His fellow-Martyrs then Stephen and Socrates At holy Albans Towne their Festiuall should hold So of that Martyr nam'd which Ver'lam was of old A thousand other Saints whom Amphiball had taught Flying the Pagan foe their liues that strictly sought Were slaine where Lichfield is whose name doth rightly sound There of those Christians slaine Dead field or burying ground Then for the Christian faith two other here that stood And teaching brauely seald their Doctrine with their blood Saint Ialius and with him Saint Aron haue their roome At Carleon suffring death by Dioclesians doome Whose persecuting raigne tempestuously that rag'd Gainst those here for the Faith their vtmost that ingag'd Saint Angule put to death one of our holiest men At London of that See the godly Bishop then In that our Infant Church so resolute was he A second Martyr too grace Londons ancient See Though it were after long good Voadine who reprou'd Proud Vortiger his King vnlawfully that lou'd Anothers wanton wife and wrong'd his Nuptiall bed For which by that sterne Prince vniustly murthered As he a Martyr dy'd is Sainted with the rest The third Saint of that See though onely he confest Was Guithelme vnto whom those times that reuerence gaue As he a place with them eternally shall haue So Melior may they bring the Duke of Cornwalls sonne By his false brothers hands to death who being done In hate of Christian faith whose zeale lest time should taint As he a Martyr was they iustly made a Saint Those godly Romans then who as mine Authour saith Wanne good King Lucius first t' imbrace the Christian faith Fugatius and his friend Saint Damian as they were Made Denizens of ours haue their remembrance here As two more neere that time Christ Iesus that confest And that most liuely faith by their good works exprest Saint Eluan with his pheere Saint Midwin who to win The Britans com'n from Rome where Christned they had bin Conuerted to the Faith then thousands whose deare graue That Glastenbury grac'd there their memoriall haue As they their sacred Bones in Britaine here bestow'd So Britaine likewise sent her Saints to them abroad Marsellus that iust man who hauing gathered in The scattered Christian Flocke instructed that had bin By holy Ioseph here to congregate he wan This iustly named Saint this neuer-wearied man Next to the Germans preach'd till voyd of earthly feare By his couragious death he much renown'd Treuere Then of our Natiue Saints the first that di'd abroad Beatus next to him shall fitly be bestow'd In Switzerland who preach'd whom there those Paynims slue When greater in their place though not in Faith ensue Saint Lucius call'd of vs the primer christned King Of th' ancient Britons then who led the glorious ring To all the Saxon Race that here did him succeed Changing his regall Robe to a religious Weed His rule in Britaine left and to Heluetia hied Where he a Bishop liu'd a Martyr lastly died As Constantine the Great that godly Emperour Here first the Christian Church that did to peace restore Whose euer blessed birth as by the power diuine The Roman Empire brought into the British Line Constantinoples Crowne and th' ancient Britans glory So other here we haue to furnish vp our Story Saint Melon welneere when the British Church began Euen early in the raigne of Romes Valerian Here leuing vs for Rome from thence to Roan was cald To preach vnto the French where soone he was instauld Her Bishop Britaine so may of her Gudwall vaunt Who first the Flemmings taught whose feast is held at Gaunt So others foorth she brought to little Britaine vow'd Saint Wenlocke and with him Saint Sampson both 〈◊〉 Apostles of that place the first the Abbot sole Of Tawrac and the last sate on the See of Dole Where dying Maglor then thereof was Bishop made Sent purposely from hence that people to perswade To keepe the Christian faith so Goluin gaue we thither Who sainted being there we set them here together As of the weaker Sex that ages haue enshrin'd Amongst the British Dames and worthily diuin'd The finder of the Crosse Queene Helena doth lead Who tough Rome set a Crowne on her Emperiall head Yet in our Britaine borne and bred vp choicely here Emerita the next King Lucius sister deare Who in Heluetia with her martyred brother di'd Bright Vrsula the third who vndertooke to guide Th'eleuen thousand Mayds to little Britaine sent By Seas and bloody men deuoured as they went Of which we find these foure haue been for Saints preferd And with their Leader still doe liue incalenderd Saint Agnes Cordula Odillia Florence which With wondrous sumptuous shrines those ages did inrich At Cullen where their Liues most clearely are exprest And yearely Feasts obseru'd to them and all the rest But when it came to passe the Saxon powers had put The Britans from these parts and them o'r Seuerne shut The Christian Faith with her then Cambria had alone With those that it receiu'd from this now England gone Whose Cambrobritans so their Saints as duely brought T' aduance the Christian Faith effectually that wrought Their Dauid one deriu'd of th'royall British blood Who gainst Palagius false and damn'd opinions stood And turn'd Menenias name to Dauids sacred See Th Patron of the Welsh deseruing well to be With Cadock next to whom comes Canock both which were Prince Brechans sonnes who gaue the name to Brecnocksheere The first a Martyr made a Confessor the other So Clintanck Brecknocks Prince as from one selfe same mother A Saint vpon that sear the other doth ensue Whom for the Christian Faith a Pagan Souldier slue So Bishops can shee bring which of her Saints shall bee As Asaph who first gaue that name vnto that See Of Bangor and may boast Saint Dauid which her wan Much reuerence and with these Owdock and Telean Both Bishops of Landaff and Saints in their Succession Two other following these both in the 〈◊〉 profession Saint Dubric whose report old Carleon yet doth carry And Elery in Northwales who built a Monastery In which himselfe became the Abot to his praise And spent in Almes and Prayer the remnant of his dayes But leauing these Diuin'd to Decuman we come In Northwales who was crown'd with glorious Martyrdome Iustinian as that man a Sainted place deseru'd Who still to feed his soule his sinfull body steru'd And for

vp a Trine the name of Saints that wonn Who was a Yorkshire man and Prior of Berlington So Biren can we boast a man most highly blest With the title of a Saint whose ashes long did rest At Dorchester where he was honoured many a day But of the place he held books diuersly dare say As they of Gilbert doe who founded those Diuines Monasticks all that were of him nam'd Gilbertines To which his Order here he thirteene houses built When that most thankfull time to shew he had not spilt His wealth on it in vaine a Saint hath made him here At Sempringham enshrin'd a towne of Lincolneshire Of sainted Hermits then a company we haue To whom deuouter times this veneration gaue As Gwir in Cornwall kept his solitary Cage And Neoth by Hunstock there his holy Hermitage As Guthlake from his youth who liu'd a Souldier long Detesting the rude spoyles done by the armed throng The mad tumultuous world contemptibly forsooke And to his quiet Cell by Crowland him betooke Free from all publique crowds in that low Fenny ground As Bertiline againe was neere to Stafford found Then in a Forrest there for solitude most fit Blest in a Hermits life by there enioying it An Hermit Arnulph so in Bedfordshire became A man austere of life in honour of whose name Time after built a Towne where this good man did liue And did to it the name of Arnulphsbury giue These men this wicked world respected not a hayre But true Professors were of pouertie and prayer Amongst these men which times haue honoured with the Stile Of Confessors made Saints so euery little while Our Martyrs haue com'n in who sealed with their blood That faith which th' other preach'd gainst them that it withstood As 〈◊〉 who had liu'd a Herdsman left his Seat Though in the quiet fields whereas he kept his Neat And leauing that his Charge he left the world withall An Anchorite and became within a Cloystred wall Inclosing vp himselfe in prayer to spend his breath But was too soone alas by Pagans put to death Then Woolstan one of these by his owne kinsman slaine At Eusham for that he did zealously maintaine The veritie of Christ. As Thomas whom we call Of Douer adding Monke and 〈◊〉 therewithall For that the barbarous Danes he brauely did withstand From ransacking the Church when here they put on land By them was done to death which rather he did chuse Then see their Heathen hands those holy things abuse Two Boyes of tender age those elder Saints ensue Of Norwich William was of Lincolne little Hugh Whom 〈◊〉 Iewes rebellious that abide In mockery of our Christ at Easter ciucifi'd Those times 〈◊〉 euery one should their due honour haue His freedome or his life for Iesus Christ that gaue So Wiltshire with the rest her Hermit Vlfrick hath Related for a Saint so famous in the Faith That 〈◊〉 ages since his Cell haue sought to find At Hasselburg who had his Obijts him assign'd So 〈◊〉 we many Kings most holy here at home As 〈◊〉 of meaner ranke which haue attaind that roome Northumberland thy seat with Saints did vs supply Of thy 〈◊〉 Kings of which high Hierarchy Was Edwin for the Faith by Heathenish hands inthrald Whom Penda which to him the Welsh Cadwallyn cald Without all mercy slew But he alone not dide By that proud Mercian King but Penda yet beside Iust Oswald likewise slew at Oswaldstree who gaue That name vnto that place as though time meant to saue His memory thereby there suffring for the Faith As one whose life deseru'd that memory in death So likewise in the Roule of these Northumbrian Kings With those that Martyrs were so foorth that Country brings Th'annoynted Oswin next in Deira to ensue Whom Osway that bruit King of wild Bernitia slue Two kingdomes which whilst then Northumberland remain'd In greatnesse were within her larger bounds contain'd This Kingly Martyr so a Saint was rightly crown'd As Alkmond one of hers for sanctity renown'd King Alreds Christned sonne a most religious Prince Whom when the Heathenish here by no meanes could conuince Their Paganisme a pace declining to the wane At Darby put to death whom in a goodly Phane Cald by his glorious name his corpse the Christians layd What fame deseru'd your faith were it but rightly wayd You pious Princes then in godlinesse so great Why should not full-mouthd Fame your praises oft repeat So 〈◊〉 her King Northumbria notes againe In 〈◊〉 the next though not the next in raigne Whom his false Subiects slue for that he did deface The Heathenish Saxon gods and bound them to embrace The liuely quickning Faith which then began to spread So for our Sauiour Christ as these were martyred There other holy Kings were likewise who confest Which those most zealous times haue Sainted with the rest King Alfred that his Christ he might more surely hold Left his Northumbrian Crowne and soone became encould At Malroyse in the land whereof he had been King So Egbert to that Prince a Paralell we bring To Oswoolph his next heire his kingdome that resign'd And presently himselfe at Lindisferne confin'd Contemning Courtly state which earthly fooles adore So Ceonulph againe as this had done before In that religious house a cloystred man became Which many a blessed Saint hath honoured with the name Nor those Northumbrian Kings the onely Martyrs were That in this seuen-fold Rule the scepters once did beare But that the Mercian raigne which Pagan Princes long Did terribly infest had some her Lords among To the true Christian Faith much reuerence which did add Our Martyrologe to helpe so happily shee had Rufin and Vlfad sonnes to Wulphere for desire They had t' imbrace the Faith by their most cruell Sire Were without pittie slaine long ere to manhood growne Whose tender bodies had their burying Rites at * Stone So Kenelme that the King of Mercia should haue beene Before his first seuen yeares he fully out had seene Was slaine by his owne Guard for feare lest waxing old That he the Christian Faith vndoubtedly would hold So long it was ere truth could Paganisme expell Then Fremund Offa's sonne of whom times long did tell Such wonders of his life and sanctitie who fled His fathers kingly Court and after meekly led An Hermits life in Wales where long he did remaine In Penitence and prayer till after he was slaine By cruell Oswayes hands the most inueterate foe The Christian faith here found so Etheldred shall goe With these our martyred Saints though onely he confest Since he of Mercia was a King who highly blest Faire Bardncy where his life religiously he spent And meditating Christ thence to his Sauiour went Nor our West-Saxon raigne was any whit behind Those of the other rules their best whose zeale wee find Amongst those sainted Kings whose fames are safeliest kept As Cedwall on whose head such praise all times haue heapt That from a Heathen Prince a holy Pilgrim turn'd Repenting in

his heart against the truth t' haue spurn'd To Rome on his bare feet his patience exercis'd And in the Christian faith there humbly was baptiz'd So Ethelwoolph who sat on Cedwalls ancient Seat For charitable deeds who almost was as great As any English King at Winchester enshrin'd A man amongst our Saints most worthily deuin'd Two other Kings as much our Martyrologe may sted Saint Edward and with him comes in Saint Ethelred By Alfreda the first his Stepmother was slaine That her most loued sonne young Ethelbert might raigne The other in a storme and deluge of the Dane For that he Christned was receau'd his deadly bane Both which with wondrous cost the English did interre At Wynburne this first Saint the last at Winchester Where that West-Saxon Prince good Alfred buried was Among our Sainted Kings that well deserues to passe Nor were these Westerne Kings of the old Saxon straine More studious in those times or stoutlier did maintaine The truth then these of ours the Angles of the East Their neer'st and deer'st Allies which strongly did invest The * Island with their name of whose most holy Kings Which iustly haue deseru'd their high Canonizings Are Sigfrid whose deare death him worthily hath crownd And Edmund in his end so wondrously renownd For Christs sake suffring death by that blood-drowning Dane To whom those times first built that Citie and that Phane Whose ruines Suffolke yet can to her glory show When shee will haue the world of her past greatnesse know As Ethelbert againe alur'd with the report Of more then earthly pompe then in the Mercian Court From the East-Angles went whilst mighty Offa raign'd Where for he christned was and Christian-like abstain'd To Idolatrize with them fierce Quenred Offa's Queene Most treacherously him slew out of th'inueterate spleene Shee bare vnto the Faith whom we a Saint adore So Edwald brother to Saint Edmund sang before A Confessor we call whom past times did interre At Dorcester by Tame now in our Calender Amongst those kingdomes here so Kent account shall yeeld Of three of her best blood who in this Christian Field Were mighty of the which King Ethelbert shall stand The first who hauing brought Saint Augustine to land Himselfe first christned was by whose example then The Faith grew after strong amongst his Kentishmen As Ethelbrit againe and Ethelred his pheere To Edbald King of Kent who naturall Nephewes were For Christ there suffring death assume them places hye Amongst our martyred Saints commemorate at Wye To these two brothers so two others come againe And of as great discent in the 〈◊〉 straine Arwaldi of one name whom ere King Cedwall knew The true and liuely Faith he tyranously slew Who still amongst the Saints haue their deserued right Whose Vigils were obseru'd long in the Isle of Wight Remembred too the more for being of one name As of th' East-Saxon line King Sebba so became A most religious Monke at London where he led A strict retyred life a Saint aliue and dead Related for the like so Edgar we admit That King who ouer eight did soly Monarch sit And with our holyest Saints for his endowments great Bestow'd vpon the Church With him we likewise seat That sumptuous shrined King good Edward from the rest Of that renowned name by Confessor exprest To these our sainted Kings remembred in our Song Those Mayds and widdowed Queenes doe worthily belong Incloystred that became and had the selfe same style For Fasting Almes and Prayer renowned in our Isle As those that foorth to France and Germany we gaue For holy charges there but here first let vs haue Our Mayd-made-Saints at home as Hilderlie with her We Theorid thinke most fit for whom those times auerre A Virgin strictlyer vow'd hath hardly liued here Saint Wulfshild then we bring all which of Barking were And reckoned for the best which most that house did grace The last of which was long the Abbesse of that place So Werburg Wulpheres child of Mercia that had been A persecuting King 〈◊〉 Ermineld his Queene At Ely honoured is where her deare mother late A Recluse had remain'd in her sole widdowed state Of which good Audry was King Ina's daughter bright Reflecting on those times so cleare a Vestall light As many a Virgin-breast she fired with her zeale The fruits of whose strong faith to ages still reueale The glory of those times by liberties she gaue By which those Easterne Shires their Priuiledges haue Of holy Audries too a sister here we haue Saint VVithburg who her selfe to Contemplation gaue At Deerham in her Cell where her due howres she kept Whose death with many a teare in Norfolke was bewept And in that Isle againe which beareth Elies name At Ramsey Merwin so a Vayled Mayd became Amongst our Virgin-Saints where 〈◊〉 is enrold The daughter that is nam'd of noble Ethelwold A great East-Anglian Earle of Ramsey Abbas long So of our Mayden-Saints the Female sex among With Milburg Mildred comes and Milwid daughters deere To Meruald who did then the Mercian Scepter beare At VVenlock Milburg dy'd a most religious mayd Of which great Abbay shee the first foundation layd And Thanet as her Saint euen to this age doth herye Her Mildred Milwid was the like at Canterbury Nor in this vtmost Isle of Thanet may we passe Saint Eadburg Abbesse there who the deare daughter was To Ethelbert her Lord and Kents first Christened King Who in this place most first we with the former bring Translated as some say to Flanders but that I As doubtfull of the truth here dare not iustifie King Edgars sister so Saint Edith place may haue With these our Maiden-Saints who to her Powlsworth gaue Immunities most large and goodly liuings layd Which Modwen long before a holy Irish mayd Had founded in that place with most deuout intent As Eanswine Eadwalds child one of the Kings of Kent At Foulkston found a place giuen by her father there In which she gaue her selfe to abstinence and prayer Of the West-Saxon rule borne to three seuerall Kings Foure holy Virgins more the Muse in order brings Saint Ethelgiue the child to Alfred which we find Those more deuouter times at Shaftsbury enshrin'd Then Tetta in we take at Winburne on our way Which Cuthreds sister was who in those times did sway On the West-Saxon Seat two other sacred Mayds As from their Cradels vow'd to bidding of their beads Saint Cuthburg and with her Saint Quinburg which we here Succeedingly doe set both as they Sisters were And Abbesses againe of VVilton which we gather Our Virgin-Band to grace both hauing to their father Religious Ina red with those which ruld the West Whose mothers sacred wombe with other Saints was blest As after shall be shew'd an other Virgin vow'd And likewise for a Saint amongst the rest allow'd To th' elder Edward borne bright Eadburg who for she As fiue related Saints of that blest name there be Of VVilton Abbasse was they

Champaine shee lasciuiously doth roue Tow'rds faire Northampton which whilst Nen was Auon cald Resum'd that happy name as happily instald Vpon her * Northerne side where taking in a Rill Her long impouerish'd banks more plenteously to fill She flourishes in state along the fruitfull fields Where whilst her waters shee with wondrous pleasure yeelds To * Wellingborough comes whose Fountaines in shee takes Which quickening her againe imediately shee makes To Owndle which receiues contractedly the sound From Auondale t' expresse that Riuers lowest ground To Peterborough thence she maketh foorth her way Where Welland hand in hand goes on with her to Sea When Rockingham the Muse to her faire Forrest brings Thence lying to the North whose sundry gifts she sings O deare and daintie Nymph most gorgeously arayd Of all the Driades knowne the most delicious Mayd With all delights adorn'd that any way beseeme A Syluan by whose state we verily may deeme A Deitie in thee in whose delightfull Bowers The Fawnes and Fayries make the longest dayes but howers And ioying in the Soyle where thou assum'st thy seat Thou to thy Handmaid hast thy pleasures to awayt Faire Benefield whose care to thee doth surely cleaue Which beares a grasse as soft as is the daintie sleaue And thrum'd so thicke and deepe that the proud Palmed Deere Forsake the closser woods and make their quiet leyre In beds of platted fogge so eas'ly there they sit A Forrest and a Chase in euery thing so fit This Iland hardly hath so neere allide that be Braue Nymph such praise belongs to Benefield and thee Whilst Rockingham was heard with these Reports to ring The Muse by making on tow'rds Wellands ominous Spring With * Kelmarsh there is caught for coursing of the Hare Which scornes that any place should with her Plaines compare Which in the proper Tearmes the Muse doth thus report The man whose vacant mind prepares him to the sport The * Finder sendeth out to seeke out nimble Wat Which crosseth in the field each furlong euery Flat Till he this pretty Beast vpon the Forme hath found Then viewing for the Course which is the fairest ground The Greyhounds foorth are brought for coursing then in case And choycely in the Slip one leading forth a brace The Finder puts her vp and giues her Coursers law And whilst the eager dogs vpon the Start doe draw Shee riseth from her seat as though on earth she flew Forc'd by some yelping * Cute to giue the Greyhounds view Which are at length let slip when gunning out they goe As in respect of them the swiftest wind were slow When each man runnes his Horse with fixed eyes and notes Which Dog first turnes the Hare which first the other * coats They wrench her once or twice ere she a turne will take What 's offred by the first the other good doth make And turne for turne againe with equall speed they ply Bestirring their swift feet with strange agilitie A hardned ridge or way when if the Hare doe win Then as shot from a Bow she from the Dogs doth spin That striue to put her off but when hee cannot reach her This giuing him a Coat about againe doth fetch her To him that comes behind which seemes the Hare to beare But with a nimble turne shee casts them both arrere Till oft for want of breath to fall to ground they make her The Greyhounds both so spent that they want breath to take her Here leaue I whilst the Muse more serious things attends And with my Course at Hare my Canto likewise ends The foure and twentieth Song THE ARGVMENT The fatall Welland from her Springs This Song to th'Ile of Ely brings Our ancient English Saints reuiues Then in an oblique course contriues The Rarities that Rutland showes Which with this Canto shee doth close THis way to that faire Fount of Welland hath vs led At * Nasby to the North where from a second head Runs Auon which along to Seuerne shapes her course But pliant Muse proceed with our new-handled sourse Of whom from Ages past a prophecie there ran Which to this ominous flood much feare and reuerance wan That she alone should drowne all Holland and should see Her Stamford which so much forgotten seemes to bee Renown'd for Liberall Arts as highly honoured there As they in Cambridge are or Oxford euer were Whereby shee in her selfe a holinesse suppos'd That in her scantled banks though wandring long inclos'd Yet in her secret breast a Catalogue had kept Of our religious Saints which though they long had slept Yet through the chrystned world for they had wonne such fame Both to the British first then to the English name For their abundant Faith and sanctimony knowne Such as were hither sent or naturally our owne It much her Genius grieud to haue them now neglected Whose pietie so much those zealous times respected Wherefore she with her selfe resolued when that shee To Peterborough came where much shee long'd to be That in the wished view of Mcdhamsted that Towne Which he the greatst of Saints doth by his Name renowne Shee to his glorious Phane an Offring as to bring Of her deare Countries Saints the Martyrologe would sing And therefore all in haste to Harborough she hy'd Whence Lestershire she leaues vpon the Northward side At Rutland then ariu'd where Stamford her sustaines By Deeping drawing out to Lincolneshire she leanes Vpon her Bank by North against this greater throng Northamptonshire to South still lyes with her along And now approching neere to this appointed place Where she and Nen make shew as though they would imbrace But onely they salute and each holds on her way When holy Welland thus was wisely heard to say I sing of Saints and yet my Song shall not be fraught With Myracles by them but fayned to be wrought That they which did their liues so palbably belye To times haue much impeach'd their holinesse thereby Though fooles I say on them such poore impostures lay Haue scandal'd them to ours farre foolisher then they Which thinke they haue by this so great aduantage got Their venerable names from memory to blot Which truth can ne'r permit and thou that art so pure The name of such a Saint that no way canst endure Know in respect of them to recompense that hate The wretchedst thing and thou haue both one death and date From all vaine worship too and yet am I as free As is the most precise I passe not who hee bee Antiquitie I loue nor by the worlds despight I can not be remoou'd from that my deare delight This spoke to her faire ayd her sister Nen shee winnes When shee of all her Saints now with that man beginnes The first that euer told Christ crucified to vs By Paul and Peter sent iust Aristobulus Renown'd in holy Writ a Labourer in the word For that most certaine Truth opposing fire and sword By th' Britans murthered here

her of VVilton styl'd Was euer any Mayd more mercifull more mild Or sanctimonious knowne But Muse on in our Song With other princely Mayds but first with those that sprung From Penda that great King of Mercia holy Tweed And Kinisdred with these their sisters Kinisweed And Eadburg last not least at Godmanchester all Incloystred and to these Saint Tibba let vs call In solitude to Christ that set her whole delight In Godmanchester made a constant Anchorite Amongst which of that house for Saints that reckoned be Yet neuer any one more grac'd the 〈◊〉 then she Deriu'd of royall Blood as th' other Elfled than Neece to that mighty King our English Athelstan At Glastenbury shrin'd and one as great as shee Being Edward Out-lawes child a Mayd that liu'd to see The Conquerour enter here Saint Christian to vs knowne Whose life by her cleere name diuinely was foreshowne For holinesse of life that as renowned were And not lesse nobly borne nor bred produce we here Saint Hilda and Saint Hien the first of noble name At Strenshalt tooke her vow the other sister came To Colchester and grac'd the rich Effexian shore Whose Reliques many a day the world did there adore And of our sainted Mayds the number to supply Of Eadburg we allow sometime at Alsbury To Redwald then a King of the East-Angles borne A Votresse as sincere as shee thereto was sworne Then Pandwine we produce whom this our natiue Isle As forraine parts much priz'd and higher did instyle The holyest English Mayd whose Vigils long were held In Lincolneshire yet not Saint Frideswid exceld The Abbesse of an house in Oxford of her kind The wonder nor that place could hope the like to find Two sisters so we haue both to deuotion plite And worthily made Saints the elder Margarite Of Katsby Abbesse was and Alice as we read Her sister on that seat did happily succeed At Abington which first receiu'd their liuing breath Then those Northumbrian Nymphs all vayld as full of Faith That Country sent vs in t' increase our Virgin-Band Faire Elfled Oswalds child King of Northumberland At Strenshalt that was vaild As mongst those many there O Ebba whose cleere fame time neuer shall out-weare At Coldingham farre hence within that Country plac'd The Abbesse who to keepe thy vayled Virgins chast Which else thou fearst the Danes would rauish which possest This Isle first of thy selfe and then of all the rest The Nose and vpper Lip from your fayre faces keru'd And from pollution so your hallowed house preseru'd Which when the Danes perceiu'd their hopes so farre deluded Setting the house on fire their Martyrdome concluded As Leofron whose faith with others rightly wayd Shall shew her not out-match'd by any English Mayd Who likewise when the Dane with persecution storm'd She here a Martyrs part most gloriously perform'd Two holy Mayds againe at Whitby were renown'd Both Abbesses thereof and Confessors are crown'd Saint Ethelfrid with her Saint Congill as a payre Of Abbesses therein the one of which by prayer The Wild-geese thence expeld that Island which annoy'd By which their grasse and graine was many times destroy'd Which fall from off their wings nor to the ayre can get From the forbidden place till they be fully set As these within this Isle in Cloysters were inclosd So we our Virgins had to forraine parts exposd As Eadburg Ana's child and Sethred borne our owne Were Abbesses of Bridge whose zeale to France was knowne And Ercongate againe we likewise thither sent Which Ercombert begot sometime a 〈◊〉 of Kent A Prioresse of that place Burgundosora bare At Eureux the chaste rule all which renowned are In France which as this Isle of them may freely boast So Germany some grac'd from this their natiue coast Saint Walburg heere extract from th'royall English Line Was in that Country made Abbesse of Heydentine Saint Tecla to that place at Ochenford they chose From Wynburne with the rest in Dorsetshire arose Chast Agatha with her went Lioba along From thence two not the least these sacred Mayds among At Biscopsen by time encloystred and became Saint Lewen so attayn'd an euerliuing name For Martyrdome which shee at 〈◊〉 wan Mayds seeming in their Sex t' exceed the holyest man Nor had our Virgins here for sanctitie the prize But widdowed Queenes as well that being godly wise Forsaking second beds the world with them forsooke To strict retyred liues and gladly them betooke To Abstinence and Prayer and as sincerely liu'd As when the Fates of life King Ethelwold depriu'd That o'r the East-Angles raign'd bright Heriswid his wife Betaking her to lead a strait Monasticke life Departing hence to France receau'd the holy Vayle And liued many a day incloystred there at Kale Then Keneburg in this our Sainted front shall stand To Alfred the lou'd wife King of Northumberland Daughter to Penda King of Mercia who though he Himselfe most Heathenish were yet liu'd that age to see Foure Virgins and this Queene his children consecrated Of Godmanchester all and after Saints related As likewise of this Sex with Saints that doth vs store Of the Northumbrian Line so haue we many more Saint Eanfled widdowed left by Osway raigning there At Strenshalt tooke her Vaile as Ethelburg the pheere To Edwin rightly nam'd the holy which possest Northumbers sacred seat her selfe that did inuest At Lymming farre in Kent which Country gaue her breath So Edeth as the rest after King Sethricks death Which had the selfe same rule of VVilton Abbesse was Where two VVest-Saxon Queenes for Saints shall likewise passe Which in that selfe same house Saint Edeth did succeed Saint Ethelwid which here put on her hallowed weed King Alreds worthy wife of VVestsex so againe Did VVilfrid Edgars Queene so famous in his raigne Then Eadburg Ana's wife receiued as the other Who as a Saint her selfe so likewise was she mother To two most holy Mayds as we before haue show'd At VVilton which we say their happy time bestow'd Though she of Barking was a holy Nunne profest Who in her husbands time had raigned in the West Th' East-Saxon Line againe so others to vs lent As Sexburg sometime Queene to Ercombert of Kent Though Ina's loued child and Audryes sister knowne Which Ely in those dayes did for her Abbesse owne Nor to Saint O sith we lesse honour ought to giue King Sethreds widdowed Queene who when death did depriue Th' Essexian King of life became enrould at Chich Whose Shrine to her there built the world did long enrich Two holy Mercian Queenes so widdowed Saints became For sanctity much like not much vnlike in name King Wulpheres widdowed Pheere Queene Ermineld whose life At Ely is renown'd and Ermenburg the wife To Meruald raigning there a Saint may safely passe Who to three Virgin-Saints the vertuous mother was The remnant of her dayes religiously that bare Immonastred in Kent where first she breath'd the ayre King Edgars mother so is for a Saint preferd Queene Algyue who they say at