almighty God to the contentatioÌ„ of your Maiesties pleasure and to the vvelth of your graces dominioÌ„s The vvhich God of his tendre mercy through the merites of his dere Son and intercession of all blessed Saints in heauen graunt Amen Your highnes most lovvly subiect and bounden oratour Thomas Stapleton DIFFERENCES BETWENE THE PRIMITIVE FAITHE OF ENGLAND CONTINEVVED ALMOST THEse thousand yâ—res and the late pretensed faith of protestants gathered out of the History of the churche of England compiled by Venerable Bede an English man aboue DCCC yeares paste BEcause if the saith first plaÌ„ted amoÌ„g vs englishmen was no right Christen faith at all then protestants if their faithe be right are nâ—w the Apostles of England let vs coÌ„sidre what Apostolicall markes we finde in our first preachers wanâ—ing in protestants S. Augustin our Apostle shewed Signum Apostolatus sui in omni paâ—ientia in signis prodigijs the token of his Apostleship in all patience in signes and miracles as S Paule writeth of him selfe to the Corinihians whose Apostle also he was And of such miracles wrought by our Apostle S. Augustin and howe Ethâ—lbert the first Christen king of englishmâ—n was thereby induced to the faith the first booke the xxxvj and the xxxi chapters Item the second booke the second chapter do evidenly testifie Miracles in confirmation of their doctrine protestants haue yet wrought none In the primitiue church of the Apostles we read Creden inÌ„ erat cor vnum anima vna The multitude of them that beleued were of one harte and of one minde How much our Apostles tendred this vnite it may appeare in the second booke the ii Chapter where they labour to reduce the olde Brittons to the vnite of Christes church Nothing is more notorious in protestants then their infamous dissension Our Apostles and first preachers wer sent by an ordinary vocatioÌ„ as Christ was sent of his Father and of him the Apostles The history reporteth their vocation in the first book the xxiij Chap. ProtestaÌ„ts haue first preched their doctrine without vocatioÌ„ or sending at al such as the church of Christ requireth as it is other where at large proued If this enterprise be of men saied Gaâ—aliel of the Apostles preaching it shall perish But if it be of God it shall not perish Our faith of England hath continued 900. yeres and vpward The protestants faith is already chaunged from Lutheran to sacramentary in the compassâ— of lesse then 20. yeres and their primitiue faith is loste Luther being now accompted a very papist S. Paule sâ—ieth Fides est sperandarum substantia rerum Faith is the grounde or substaunce of thinges to be hoped for And againe that the Iust maÌ„ liueth by his faith Such faith putteth thinges by the belefe and practise wher off we may be saued Such a faith our Apostles taught vs. Our Crede our sacraments our lawes and Canons ecclesiastical receaued of them do witnesse The faith off protestants is as I may so saie ablatarum substantia rerum A substaunce or masse off things taken away and denied It is a negatiue religion It hath no affirmatiue doctrine but that which catholikes had befor Al that is their own is but the denial of oures This other wher is proued and may also presently appere by the differences which folow in doctrin betwene them and vs. Differences in doctrine Our Apostles saied masse In the first book the xxv Chap. it is mentioned Item of their successours in the fourth book the xiiij and xxij chap. Nothing is more horrible in the sight of protestants then Masse In the Masse is an externall sacrifice offred to God the Father the blessed body and bloud off Christ him selfe In the fiâ—fe booke the xxij chap. this doctrine is expressely reported This semeth an extreme blasphemy to protestants This sacrifice is taught to â—e propitiatory in the iiii booke the xxii chap. Protestants abhorre vtterly such doctrine Off confession off sinnes made to the priest the fourth booke doth witnesse in the xxv chap. and xxvii chap. This sacrament in the faith off protestants off our countre is abolished Satisfaction and penaunce for sinne enioyned appereth in the fourth book the xxv chap. also which in like maner the court off protestants admitteth not Merit off good works in the history is eftesoones iustified In the. 4. book the 14. and 15. chap. This doctrine semeth to protestants preiudicâ—all they saie to Gods glory but in dede to their licentious liberte Intercession off Saints protestants abhorre The practise theroff appeareth in this history in the first booke the xx chapter before we had the faith and in the iiii booke the xiiii chap. after the faith receaued The clergy off our primitiue church after holy orders taken do not mary In the first booke the xxvii chap. Now after holy orders and vowe both to the contrary priestes do mary In our primitiue church the vow of chastite both off men and wemen was thought godly and practised See the history the 3. book the 8. and 27. chap. the 4. b. the 23. chap. and in many other places Such vowes now are broken are estemed damnable are not so much as allowed in suche as woulde embrace that perfection commended in the ghospell and vniuersally practised in the primitiue church off the first v. C. yeares Such monkes and virgins liued in cloister in obedieÌ„ce in pouerty It appeareth through out all the three last bookes off the history Namely in the 3. booke the 8. chap. and the 4. booke the 6. chap. All such cloysters and orders the religion off protestants hath ouer throwen as a state damnable and wicked Praier for the dead dirige ouer night and RequieÌ„ Masse on the morniÌ„g was an accustomed matter in our primitiue church Witnesseth this history the iij. booke and ij chap. I teÌ„ the iiij boo the xxj chap. This deuotioÌ„ the sober faith of protestaÌ„ts estemeth as abhominatioÌ„ before god Reseruation of the blessed SacrameÌ„t thought no superstitioÌ„ in our primitiue church or prophanation of the sacrament lib. 4. cap. 24. Howseling before death vsed as necessary for al true christiaÌ„s As the practise specified in this history witnesseth lib. 4. ca. 3. 24. ProtestaÌ„ts vnder pretence of a coÌ„munioÌ„ do wickedly bereue christeÌ„ folcke thereof Consecrating of MoÌ„kes and Nunnes by the haÌ„ds of bishops a practised soleÌ„nite in our primitiue church It appeareth in the 4. booke the 19. and 23. chap. ProtestaÌ„ts by the liberty of their gospel laugh and scorne thereat Commemoration of Saintes at Masse time In the fourth booke the 14. and 18. chapters In the communion of protestants such commemorations are excluded as superstitious and vnlaufull Pilgrimage to holy places especially to Rome a much wount matter of all estates of our countre in our primitiue church the history witnesseth in the iiij booke the 3. aâ—d xxiij chapter Item in the v. booke the vii chap. Nothing soundeth more prophane or barbarous in the
of Amos and Antony the eremites also of Piammon the monk of the miraculous cures and prophecies by Ioannes a monke also of the visions and miraculous cures wrought at CoÌ„statinople in the Catholike oratory of Gregory Nazianzen if I should againe touche the miracles wrought by Symeones that famous Anchoret and of a number of other out of the History of Euagrius and Theodoret I should passe the bondes and measure of a preface It shall be sufficieÌ„t generally as I saied to note that al ecclesiasticall Histories such as this History of Venerable Bede is do alwaies by occasion intermingle miracles in the liues of holy men and lightes of Christes church Yea this kinde of write hath beÌ„ thought so profitable and necessary for the church of Christ for coÌ„firmation of the faith for exaÌ„ple of good life for the glory of God that the best and most lerned writers in Christes church haue occupied their studies therein Athanasius wrote the life of S. Antony the Abbat and so much commendeth the knowleadg thereof that in the preface he saieth Perfectaest ad virtutem via Antonium scire quid fuerit It is a perfect waie to vertu to know what a man Antony was Gregory bishop of Nissa brother to S. Basill wrote the liues of holy Ephrem and Theodorus the Martyr S. Hierom wrote the liues of Paulus Hilarion and Antony monkes S. Ambrose wrote the liues of S. Agnes S. Thecla S. Soter and Pelagia all Martyrs and virgins of Christes church Eusebius Emissenus wrote the liues of Genesius Epiphodius Alexander Martyrs of Christes church also Prudentius wrote in verse the liues and miracles of many Saints Theodoret that lerned bishop of Cyrrha wrote a great book of Saints liues intituled Philotheus whereof he maketh ofteÌ„ mention in his ecclesiastical history Seuerus Sulpitius an eloquent writer of more then twelue hundred yeares paste wrote the miraculous life off Saint Martine Saint Augustine in his bookes De ciuiDei among other arguments and tokens of the Christen faith reakoneth vp in a sette chapter sondry miracles wrought at the toumbes and relikes of holy Martyrs especially of S. Steuen Brefely if we will haue an eye to holy scripture it selfe we finde in the foure euangelistes beside the heauenly doctrine beside the tydinges of our saluation beside the mysteries of oure redemption the miracles also wrought by our Sauiour moste diligently expressed and of the three which first wrote particularly repeted we finde in in the Actes of the Apostles many miraculous cures and expulsions of wicked spirits wrought by the Apostles In the bookes of the kinges likewise manifolde miracles and thinges otherwise vncredibâ—e are reported to be done by Elias and Heliseus the prophets To conclude therefore this present history of Venerable Bede this history of the church of England our dere countre containing in it beside the historical narratioÌ„ of the coming in of vs englishmen into this lande and of attaining to the faith off Christ in the same manifold miracles and particular liues of holy men as of saint Augustin Paulinus Mellitus and other our first Apostles off lerned Theodoret and Wilfrid of the holy bishops Aidan of Scotland S. Cutbert S. Iohn of Beuerlake S. Chadde S. Erkenwald of England of S. Oswald of S. Audery and diuers other religious virgins in the very springe and first frutes of our Christen faith ought not to any Christen man seme a vaine fabulous or incredible narration more then the histories of other Saintes liues no lesse miraculous and different from the common trade of men especially in the lewde loose liberty of this wicked time than are the liues and doinges mentioned in this history ought to seme being yet writen of the most lerned fathers in Christes church aboue named and in the purest time of Christianite by the aduersaries owne confession to witt all within the compasse off the first V. C. yeares And as Theodoret in the preface of his Philotheus warneth the Christen Readers not to discredit any thinge by him to be mentioned in that history of saintes liues so will I with his wordes warne the studious Reader hereof such as esteme the iudgement of the holy and lerned Fathers Theodoret saieth and I in the name of Venerable Bede saie the same Eos qui in huius historiae lectionem inciderint oro atque obsecro c Those whiche shall happen to reade this history saieth Theodoret I praye and beseche that if they finde any thing writen which passeth their power they do yet beleue it not measuring the vertu and power of holy men with their owne vertu or power For God geueth giftes of the holy Ghoste to the godly and more excellent to such as excell in godlynes And this I speake to them which are not acquainted with the secret works of God For suche as haue wel serched and tried the secrets of the holy Ghost they knowe and feele his bountifulnes and do wel vnderstand what God among men worketh by meÌ„ when by the mighty power of miracles he draweth the vnbeleuers to the knowleadg of him Truly whosoeuer will sticke to credit such thinges as we shal report no doubt but he will also sticke and stagger to beleue the miraculous workes of Moyses of Iosue of Elias and of Elizeus Yea the miraculous workes of the Apostles he will accompt for very fables Otherwise if he wil beleue those other thinges to be al true why wil he mistrust these for false For the same grace of god which wrought in the other hath also wrought in these holy men all such thinges as they did For this grace being continual and euer running tendring alwaies such as make them selues worthy thereof by suche men as by certain riuers kepeth her mayne course and floweth most plentifully Thus farre Theodoret. For in dede as S. Augustin saieth serching out the reason how we that liue are visited of holy men departed this worlde A lij sunt humaâ—arum limites rerum alia diuinaerum signa virtutum alia sunt quae naturaliter alia mirabiliter fiunt quamuis naturae Deus assit vt sit miraculis natura non desit The bondes of mans abilite and the signes off Gods power be diuerse Some thinges are done naturally some miraculously though yet bothe God helpeth nature and nature concurreth in miracles And therefore S. Augustin though being yet so excellently lerned he could by no reason finde out how holy men departed this worlde miraculously worke here on earth as in the same place he expressely confesseth yet he reporting how that Iohn that holy Monke appeared in a vision by night to a godly woman feruently desiring to see and talke with him and how he heard it by the mouth of one which lerned it of the party her selfe and of her husband he saieth Qui hoc ab eis comperit retulit mihi vir grauis nohilis dignissimus credidi One which vnderstode this of
vnfained fayth dyd sett vpp this baner of the holy Crosse when he should fight agaynst his cruell ennemie It shall not be beside owr purpose to recounte of many which were done yet one miracle more mightely wrought at this holy Crosse. One of the religiouse men of the foresaide church of Hagstalden called Bothelme who lyueth yet at this daye a few yeres past when by chaunce in the night he went vnwares on the yse sodaynely falling downe brake his arme and began to be so vexed with greauous anguishe thereof that for vehemency of payne he was not able to bryng his arme to his mouth This man hearing that one of the brethren had appointed to go vp to the place of the same holy crosse prayed him that at his returne he would bring him a piece of that blessed wood saying that he beleeued that by Gods grace he might haue his helth thereby He dyd so as he was desired and when he was come home agayne about euening the brethren being sett at the table to eate he gaue the deseased party some of the old mosse wherewyth the ouermoste part of the wodde was couered Who sitting also then at table and hauing at hand no better place to laie vp the gift wherewith he was presented put it in to his bosome After going to bed and forgetting to laye it a side he lett it lye all night in his bosome At midnight he waked and feling a colde thing lying nere to his side sturring him selfe to finde what that should be sodenly he findeth his arme and hand hole and sounde as if he had neuer had the desease Howe the same kinge at his owne request receiued Aidan of the Scottishe nacion and gaue him a byshops see in the yle of Lindisfarne Now called Holy Ilond The. 3. Chap. SHortly after that the same Oswald was come to the Crowne he being desirous that all the people which he began to rule should be instructed in the grace of Christē faith wherof now he had very great proufes in vanquishing his forein ennemies he sente to the Peeres of Scotland among whome he lyuing in banishment and the souldiours whiche wer with him wer Christened making a request vnto thē that thei wold send him a prelate by whose doctrine and ministerie the realme of Englād which he ruled might both learne the giftes and also receiue the sacramēts of our Lordes faith Neither was this godly request denied him For bishop Aidan was directed straight vnto him a mā of maruailous mekenesse godlinesse and modestie and one that had a zele in Gods quarrell although not in euery point according to knouledg For he was wont to kepe Easter sunday from the fourtenth day after the chaūge of the mone vntil the twētith according to the custome of his country wherof we haue diuers times made menciō For the north part of Scotlād and al the Redshanks did in that maner euen at the same time solemnise Easter sunday thinking that in this keeping of Easter they folowed the aduertisement writen by the holy praise worthy father Anatholius which how well it was done of them the skilfull in Christen religion are not ignorant Truly the Scottes which dwelt in the southe coastes of the yle of Ireland had long a gone learned to keepe the fest of Easter by the Canonicall approued custome being aduised thereto by the Pope sitting in the see Apostolike To this bishop Aidan king Oswald appointed holye Ilond for his see and bishoprick according as he had him selfe desyred This place with flowing and ebbing is twyse euery daye like an yle enuyroned with the surges of the sea twyse made to stand as maine lande the bankes being voided againe of the sea waues By the vertuous aduise of this good bishop the kinge glad and ready to follow the same muche enlarged the Church of Christe throughe his dominions And in this most godly endeuour bothe of the Prince and of the bishop this was a gracious and pleasaunt sight that whereas the bishop was vnskillfull of the English tonge and the kinge by reason of his longe banishement in Scotland vnderstode and spake the scottish very well when the bisshop preached the faith of Christ the king was interpreter of the heauenly worde to his dukes and subiectes Hereupon for the space of a longe time people flocked out of Scotland into Britaine and such as were called to the high degree of priesthod began with great and feruent deuotion to preache the worde of faith to those prouinces of England which king Oswalde gouerned baptising all such as beleued Therefore churches wer builded in places conuenient the people reioycing assembled together to heare the woord of God possessions and territories wer geuen by the kinges bountifulnesse for the foundation of religiouse houses the litle children of England and elder folkes wer by the Scottes their instructours trained and traded vp in obseruation of regular discipline For they wer for the most parte mōkes all such as came to preache Aidan the bishop himselfe was a monke of the yle which is called Hydestinate The house of his religion was no small time the head house of all the monasteries almost of the northren Scottes and of abbyes of all the Redshankes and had the soueraintie in ruling of their people Which yle in very deede belongeth to the right of Britaine being seuered from it with a narow sea but by the free gifte of the Redshankes who inhabited those partes of Britanie it was now lately bestowed vpon the Scottishe monkes in consideration of their vertuous sermons and painefull preaching whereby they receiued the faith of Christ. When the nacion of the Pictes otherwise Redshankes receaued the Christen faith The. 4. Chapter FOr in the fiue hundreth three score and fifte yere of our Lordes incarnation at which time Iustine the younger succeding I ustinian had receiued the gouernaunce of the Romayne empire a priest and abbot notable by his habit and religious life called Columban cam from Ireland into Britany to preache the woord of God to the Redshankes that dwelt in the North that is to say to those that by high and hideous ridges of hylles wer disseuered from such Redshankes as dwelt in the south quarters For the southerne Redshankes who had there dwelling places in the same mountaines did long before as they say receiue the true faith and abandonned idolatry at what time the woord was preached vnto them by the right reuerend bishop and blessed man Ninia a Briton borne Who was at Rome perfitly taught the faith and misteries of the truthe Whose see the English nacion hath enen now notable for the name and church of Saint Martin the bishop where he also doth rest together with many holy men Which place appertaining to the Bernicians prouince is commonly called Ad candidam casam at the white cottage for somuch as ther he made a church of stone after an other facion then the Britons wer wont to builde Columban came
the byshop the possession of the land of CCC tenementes Whiche portion the Bishop gaue and committed to one of his clerkes named Bernwini his sisters sonne and appointed there to a priest named Hildila to minister the worde and baptisme of lyfe to all that would be saued And here I thinke it not to be passed ouer in silence that for the first frutes of them that were saued throwgh beleuing in the same I le two children of the blood royall being bretherne to Aruald king of the Iland were crouned with a speciall grace of God For when the ennemies came on the Iland they â—led and scaped to the next prouince of the Vites And there they gat to a place called Stonestat hoping to hyde themselues from the face and sighte of the king that had conquered their countree but they were betrayed and fownd owt and commaunded to be put to death Which thing when a certaine abbat and priest named Cimberth had heard of whose monasterie was not far from thence at a place called Redford he came to the king which was than in the same parties lying secretly to be cured of his woundes that he had taken fighting in the I le of Wighte and desired of him that if he would nedes haue the childerne put to death yet they might first receaue the sacramentes of the Christian fayth The kinge graunted his request and than he tooke them and catechised them in the right faith of Christe and wasshing them withe the holesome fonte of baptisme made them sure and in perfyt hope to enter into the kingdome euerlasting Anon after came the hangeman to put them to death which death of this world they ioyfully toke by the which they douted not but they should passe to the eternall life of the soule When after this order all the prouince of great Britaine had receaued the faythe of Christe the I le of Wight receaued the same also in whiche notwitstanding bicause of the miserie and state of forayne subiection no man tooke the degree of the ministerie and place of a bysshopp before Daniel who nowe is bysshopp of the west Saxons and of the Geuisses The situation of this I le is ouer against the middes of the South Saxons and Geuisses the sea comming betwene of the breadth of three myles which sea is called Solent in which two armes of the Ocean sea that breake out from the maine north sea about Britanie do dayly mete and violently ronne together beyond the mouth of the riuer Homelea which ronneth along by the countree off the Vites that belong to the prouince of the Genisses and so entreth into the foresaid sea And after this meting and striuing together of the two seas they goe backe and flowe againe into the Ocean from whence they came Of the Synode made at Hetdfield Theodore the Archebishop being there president The 17. Chap. AT this time Theodore hauing worde that the faith of the church at CoÌ„stantinople was sore troubled through the heresie of Eutiches and wishing that the churches of the english nation ouer which he gouuerned might continew free and clere from such a spot gathered an assemble of Reuerend priestes and many doctours and enquired diligently of eche of them what faith they were of where he found one consent and agrement of them all in the catholique faith Which consent he procured to set forth and commende with letters sent from the whole Synode for the instruction and remembrance of the aftercommers the beginning of which letters was this In the name of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and in the raignes of our most good and vertuouse Lordes Ecgfride king of the Humbers the x. yere of his raigne the viij yere of the Indiction and the xvij day of September and Edilrede king of the Marshes in the vj. yeare of his raigne and Aldulphe king of the Estenglish in the xvij yere of his raigne and Lothar king of kent in the vij yeare of his raigne being there president and chief Theodore by the grace of God Archebishop of the I le of Britanie and of the citie of Caunterbury and with him sitting in assemblee the other bishops of the same land most Reuerend men and prelates hauing the holy ghospelles set before them at a place called in the Saxon tong Hedtfield after commoning and conference together had thereuppon we haue expounded and set fourth the right and true catholique faith in such sort as our Lorde Iesus being incarnate in this worlde deliuered it to his disciples which presently sawe and heard his wordes and doctrine and as the crede of the holy fathers hath leaft by tradition and generally as all holy men all generall Councells and all the whole company of the authentique doctours of the catholique churche haue taught and deliuered Whome we following in good dewe godly and rightbeleuing maner according to their doctrine inspired into them from God do professe and beleue and stedfastly do confesse with the holy fathers the Father and the Sonne and the holy ghoste most verily and in true and formall proprietie the Trinitie in the vnitie of one substance and the vnitie in Trinitye that is to saye one God in three persons of one substance and of equall glorie and honour And after many like thinges pertaining to the confession of the right faith the holy Synode dyd also adde to their letters these thinges folowing We haue receaued the fiue holy and generall Synodes of the blessed and derebeloued fathers of God that is to saye of CCC xviij which wer asseÌ„bled at Nice against the most wicked and blasphemous Arrius and his opinions And of Cl. at Constantinople against the madenesse and fond secte of Macedonius and Eudoxius and their opinions And at Ephesus the first time of CC. against the most wicked Nestorius and his opinions And at ChalcedoÌ„ of CCxxx against Eutiches and Nestorius and their opinions And at Constantinople the second time where was assembled the fifte Councell in the time of the emperour Iustinian the yonger against Theodore and Theodorete and Ibe and their epistles and their opinions And a litle after against Cyrill Also we receaue and admit the Synode made at the citie of Rome in the time of the most holy and blessed Pope Martin the viij yere of the Indiction and the ix yere of the most godly and good Emperour Constantine And we worship and glorifie our Lorde Iesus Christ in such sort as these men haue done adding or diminishing nothing and we accurse with hart and mouth them whome these fathers haue accursed and whome they haue receaued we receaue glorifyeng God the father without beginning and his only begotten sonne begotten of the father before all ages and times and the holy ghost proceding of the father and the sonne in vnspeakeable wise according as these aboue mentioned holy Apostles and prohetes and doctours haue preached and taught And all we that with Theodore the Archebishop haue set forth and declared
the catholique faith do hereunto subscribe with our owne handes How Iohn the Chantour of the sea Apostolique came into Englande to teache his conninge The. 18. Chap. AT this Synode there was present and also confirmed the decrees of the catholique faith a most reuerēd man named Ihon the chief Chantour of S. Peters churche and abbot of the monasterie of S. Martyns whiche was come of late from Rome by the commaundement of Pope Agatho hauing for his guyde the most reuerend Abbot Bishop surnamed Benedict of whome we spake before For when the sayed Benedict had buylt a monasterie in England in the honour of the most bessed chief of thapostles S. Peter by the mouth of the riuer Were he came to Rome as he had ofte bene wont to do before with his felowe and helper in the same worke Ceolfride who after him was abbot of the same monasterie and was receaued most honourably of Pope Agatho of worthy memorie of whome he desyred and obtained for the warrant and assurance of the libertie of the monasterie that he had erected a letter of priuilege confirmed by the authoritie Apostolique in such forme as he knewe the will and graunt of king Ecgfride to be by whose leaue and liberall gyfte of possession and land he had made the sayd monasterie He obtained also to haue with him the foresayd Abbot Ihon into England to the entente he might teache in his monasterie the yearly course and order of singing as it was in S. Peters at Rome And so the sayd Abbot Ihon did as sone as he had commaundemente by the Pope both with his owne voyce and presence teaching the chantours and singing men of the saied monastery the order and forme of singing and reading and also putting in writing those thinges that appertained to the celebration of highe feastes and holy dayes for the whole cōpasse of the yere Which things of his writing haue bene hitherto kept in the same monastery and are now euery wher copied out by diuerse And the same Ihon did not only teache the brethren of that monasterie but such as were skilled in songe came together to here him almost from all the monasteries of the same prouince And many to did earnestly desyre and entreat him in such places where he taught to come to them him selfe Beside this office and skill to teache synging and reading he had also an other charge in commaundement from the Pope Apostolike which was that he should diligently learne of what faith the churche of England was and bring worde thereof at his retourne to Rome For not longe before there had ben kepte at Rome a Synod by the holy Pope Martin of the consent of Cv. bishops against them principally that preached one only working and will in Christe Which Synode he brought with him and gaue it to be writen and copyed out in the foresayd monasterie of the moste vertuouse Abbot Benedict For such men had at that time very sore troubled the faith of the churche of Constantinople but by the goodnes and gyfte of our Lorde they were anon espied out and conuicted at the same time Wherefore Agatho the Pope minding as in other prouinces so also in England to be enformed what the Churche was and howe clere it was from the pestilent contagions of heretikes committed this charge and busynes to the most Reuerend Abbot Ihon being nowe appointed to go to England And therefore when the synode which we spake of before was called together in England for this purpose the catholike faith was in them all found clere sownd and vncorrupted And a copie of the same was geuen him to carie to Rome But in his retourning homewarde not long after he passed the sea he fell sicke by the way and died His body for the loue of S. Martin whose monasterie he gouerned was by his frendes brought vnto Tours and there buried honorably For as he went toward England he was gentelly receaued and lodged in that churche and desired earnestly of the bretherne ther that whē he retourned to Rome he wold come that way and lodge with them Finally he toke with him from thence certaine to helpe and succour him both in his iourney and also in his busynes that he was charged withall who althoughe he thus died by the way yet neuerthelesse the copie of the Catholique faith of England was brought to Rome and receaued most gladly and ioyfully of the Pope apostolike and of al that heard or read the same How quene Edildred continewed a perpetuall virgin whose body could not be corrupted nor rot in her tombe The. 19. Chapter KIng Egfride tooke to wife a woman named Edildride the doughter of Anna king of the East english of whom we haue ofte made mention a man meruailouse godly and in al pointes notable for vertu both of thought and dede This sayd woman had bene wedded to an other man before him that is to saye to the prince of the South Giruians named Tonbert But he died a litle after he had maried her and then she was geuen to wife to the foresayd kinge With whome she liued xij yeres and yet remained continually a pure and glorious virgin euen as bishop Wilfrid a man of blessed memorie did shewe me enquiring of purpose of the matter bicause many did doubte thereof and saied vnto me that he coulde of all men be a very sure witnesse of her virginitie for so much as kinge Ecgfrid promised to geue him landes and much money if he coulde persuade the quene to vse his companie though yet he knewe well that she loued no man in the world more then him And it is not to be mystrusted but that the same thinge may be done in our time also which hathe ben sometime done in times paste as trewe histories do witnesse whereas one and the same lorde geueth the grace which promiseth to abyde with vs vnto the end of the world For besyde this the signe and token of the diuine miracle in that the flesh of the same virgin buryed could not be corrupted and putrefied doth well shewe that she lyued alway vncorrupted and vntouched of any man Againe it is well knowen she besowght the king very much and a long time that she mighte forsake the cares of the world and haue leaue to go into a monasterie and ther◠only to serue Christ the true king Which when she had at last obtayned she entred into the monasterie of Abbesse Ebbe who bare a good affection to kinge Ecgfride The monasterie standeth in a towne called Coludi and the aforesayd byshop VVilfride gaue her the veale and habit of a nonne Within a yere after whiche she was herselfe made an Abbesse in the I le of Ely in which place there was built a monastery of virgins dedicated to God amonge whom she began to be a very good mother and virgin bothe in examples and also good lessons of heauenly lyfe Of her it is sayd that after the
were iustly punished in the same countree for their spoyling The same yeare that the holy and good father Ecgbert died as we saied before on Easter streyt after Easter king Osric hauinge the Souerainte in Northumberlande departed outâ— of this lyfe the 9. off Maye after that he had appointed Ceolwulff brother to kinge Coenrede his predecessour to be his successour in the kingedome hauing raigned xj yeares The beginning and processe of whose raigne is so full of troublesâ— hath had such diuerse successe of thinges contrary one to the other that we can not yet well tell what may be written of them nor what ende euery thinge will haue The yeare of our Lorde 731. Archebisshoppe Berthwalde worne oute with olde age died the 8. of Ianuary 37. yeares 6. moneths and xiiij daies after he had ben bisshoppe In his place the same yeare Tacwine of the prouince off the Marshes was made archebisshop a longe time after he had bene prieste in the monastery of Bruiden He was consecrated in Caunterbury by the reuerend fathers Daniel bishop of Winchester Ingualde bishoppe of London Alduine bishoppe of Lichfelde and Aldwulff bishoppe of Rochester the x. of Iune beinge the soundaye a man certes notable for his godlynesse and wisedome and well conuersaunt in holy scriptures Wherefore at this present Tacwine and Aldwulff are bishoppes of kent Ingualde of the east Saxons Eadbert and Hadulac of the east english Daniel and Forthere of the Weast Saxons Aldwine of the Marshes and VValstode of them which dwell beyonde the ryuer Seuerne towarde the Weast VVilfrid of the Viccij Cymbert of Lindisfarne The isle of Wight is vnder the iurisdiction of Daniel bishop of Winchester The prouince off the Sowthsaxons continuinge certaine yeares without a bishoppe is gouuerned of the bishoppe of the Westsaxons in suche cases as the bishoppes helpe is necessarye Al these prouinces and others of the south eueÌ„ to Humber with their kinges are in subiection and owe homage to Edilbalde kinge of the Marshes But of Northumberlande where Ceolwulff is kinge there ar but iiij bishops Wilfride of Yorke Edilwalde of Lindisfarne Acca of Hagulstalde Pethchelme of Whitchurch which being made a bishopps see of late when the faithfull people beganne to multiplie hath now this Pechthelme for their first bishop The Pictes also at this time are in leage with the Englishemen and in vnite with the catholike church The Scottes which inhabitt Brytannye content to keape their owne lymittes and bordres worke no treason towardes England The Britons albeit for the most parte euen of pryuie malice and grudge they maligne the Englishmen and impugne with their lewde manner the tyme of Easter ordained by the catholique churche yet the allmightye power off God and man resistinge their malyce they can haue their purpose in neither off them For thoughe they are in some parte free yet for the more parte they are insubiection to englishmen And now all warre and tumult ceasing all thinges being brought to an vnity and concorde many in Northumberlande as well noble men as poore layinge away al armour and practise of chiualry become both they and their children religious men Which what successe it is leeke to haue al the posterity shal see Thus for this present standeth the whole state of Britanny The yere sence the English men came into Britanny 285. and 733. sence the incarnation of Christe In whose raigne let the earth alwaies reioyse And seing Britanny taketh ioye and comfort now in his faith let many ilandes be glad and sing praise to the remembraunce of his holy name THVS ENDETH THE FIFTE AND LAST BOOKE OF THE Historie of the Church of England The wordes of Venerable Bede folowing after the abridgement of this whole history in the 3. Tome of his workes which we haue thought good to place here at the ende of the History it selfe THIS much touching the ecclesiasticall history of the Britons and especially of the english nation as I could lerne by the writinges of my aunceters by the tradition of my elders or by my owne knowleadg I haue by the helpe of God brought vnto this order and issue I Bede the seruaunt of God and priest of the monasterie of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul at Weimouth Which being borne in the territorie of the same monastery when I was seuen yeares of age I was deliuered by the handes of my frendes and kinsfolkes to be brought vp of the most Reuerend Abbat Benet and afterward to Ceolfrid From the which time spending all the daies of my life in the mansion of the same monastery I applied all my study to the meditation of holy scripture and obseruing withal the regular discipline and keping the daily singing of Gods seruice in the church the rest of my time I was delighted alwaies to lerne of other to teache my selfe or els to write In the xix yere of my age I was made deacon and in the xxx yeare Priest Bothe which orders I receaued by the handes of the most Reuerend bishop Iohn of Beuerlake at the commaundement of Ceolfrid my Abbat From which time of my priesthood vntell the yere of my age lix I haue vpon holy scripture for my owne instruction and others partly brestly noted and gathered what other holy fathers haue writen partly I haue at large expounded after the maner of their interpration and meaning FINIS A TABLE OF THE SPECIAL MATTERS The figure signifieth the leafe A. B. the first and second side A A Buses of religious persons punished by God from heauen 144. b An army of infidels put to flight by singing Alleluia 27. b. The martyrdom of S. Alban and miracles thereat befalling 17. b. 18. Apostafie from the faith punished 76. a. 82. b. The life of our Apostles and first preachers 32. a. Arrian heresies in Britanny 19â— a. S. Augustin sent by S. Gregory to preach the faith to englishmen 29. b. S. Augustin preacheth the faith to Ethelbert or Elbert kinge of kent 31. a. b. he was a monke 33. a. made bishop in Fraunce 32. b. he prophecieth the destruction of the Britons 50. b. S. Augustin the first bishop of CaÌ„terbury created of the bishops of Fraunce by the commaundement of Pope Gregory 32. b. The death of S. Augustin our Apostle 51. b. An Epitaphe vpon him 52. a. The life and vertu of S. Edilrede now called S. Audery 133. a. Miracles and cures doâ—e at her tombe 134. b. A songin the praise of virginite and in the honour of S. Audery 135. a Aultar of stone 68. b. B Of the Author of this History Venerable Bede reade the preface to the Reader Berkinge abbay in Essex 120. b King Elbert the first Christen kinge of englishmen endued the Bisshoprikes of Caunterbury of London and Rochester with landes and possâ—ssions 51. b Consecration of bishops with a number of bishops 910. a. 149. a. The deuotioÌ„ of bishops in the primitiue church of englaÌ„d 151. a. 109. 113. b The example of a
in the memory off saintes 128. a. The sacrifice off the Masse propitiatory 137. a. S. Cutberts deuotion at Masse tyme. 149. a. The first chrysteninge off the Marshes or middleland englishemen anno Domini 650. 97. a. S. Augustin conuinceth the schismaticall traditions off the Britoâ—s by miracle 49. b. Why miracles reported in the history ought not to be mistrusted 133. a. Miracles at the place where kinge Oswald was slaine 85. b. Off miracles mentioned in the historye reade the preface to the Reader The foundation off monasterys 99. b. 101. b. N. Nonnes consecrated off bishops 133. a. A Nunnerie burned for the sinne off the inhabitans 143. a. The first christeninge in the Northe countre 59. b. The first christendome off the english Prince in the Northe 68. a. Children brought vp in Nonneries 121. b. Off nightly pollutions how and when they restraine from the blissed sacrament 39. a. The inuention off the golden Numbre 186. a. O. The commendation of king Osuuius 90. b. Oblations of the people distributed by Bishops 33. a. S. Of waldes day kept holy with Masses and seruice 129. a. The persuasion off kinge Oswine withe the heathen kinge Sigberte 93. a. Kinge Oswald a great prayer 88. b. P. Pelagians heresies in Britanny 20. a. The pope is informed of the state of the church 132. a. Letters from the popes off Rome for the increasing of the Faith in England 57. a. 60. a. 62. a. 70. b. 71. b. The letters off S. Gregory see in the letter G. Fire quenched by praiers 27. a. Mellitus quenched a great fire by prayer 56. b. S. Gregory pope off Rome the chiefest bishoppe off the whole worlde 45. a. A tempest on the sea alayed by the praier 154. a. A great desease sodainly healed by prayer 165. a. 1â—7 a. The behauiour of priestes in our primitiue church 107. b. The primitiue churche att the first dyd not abrogate all Iuysshe ceremonies 104. a. A rare zele to the preaching of Gods worde in a worldly prince folio 78. b. 88. a. An olde prouerbe 88. b. 17. b. An example for the confirmation off purgatory 136. b. The paynes off Purgatory 95. b. R. Religouse men our primitiue church reuerenced 107. b. Reseruation of the blessed sacrament 142. b. The goodnes of God and our faithe worketh miracles by holy relikes 89. b. Enormouse crimes in the rightuouse sooner punished 99. a. Relikes of holy maâ—tyrs 26. a. The Pantheon or temple of all idolls in Rome conuerted by pope Boniface into the church of our Lady and all Saincts 53. b. Mellitus the first bishop of London goeth to Rome and counselleth pope Boniface aboute matters touching the english church 53. a. The see Apostolike off Rome 177. b. 109. b. Priuilege from Rome for the liberty off monasteries 131. b. Authorite from Rome to make bishops 57. a. Constitutions from Rome touching the clergy 71. a. The See of Rome 33. a. 35. a. Going to Rome accompted a matter of great deuotion in our primitiue church 139. a. 160. b. The first destruction of Rome and decaie of that empire 20. b. S. The arriual of the Saxons in to Britanny 23. b. Discipline of the church vpon such as committed sacrilege 33. b. The gouernement off the olde Saxons 163. a. The sacrifice off the Masse 183. a. The blessed sacrament bread off life 55â— a The praier and fasting of schismatikes auaile not 5â— a. Commendation off the scottishe monks which gouerned first the english church in the northe country 10â— a. Palladius the first bishop off ScotlaÌ„d sent froÌ„ Caelestinus the Pope 22. a. The order of english seruice chose of the bâ—st orders of other couÌ„tres 33. b. The deuill fighteth with synne against man 95. b. Synne purged by paine in this life 122. b. How sinne bredeth in the hart of man 39. a. Singing in churches thorought out all Englande 114. a. Order off singing and church seruice from Rome 132. a. The gifte off singing off holy thinges only geuen miraculously to a simple laie man 141. and. 142. A lesson for vngodly studentes 89. a. Example off a trusty subiect 59. a. The conuersion off Sussex to the faith 126. Miracles in the monastery of â—â—lâ—ee in Sussex 127. b. Selsee the first monastery in Sussex now brought to the faith ibidem In Bosam a monastery before the faith openly receiued in Sussex 126. b A miserable famine in Sussex before the faith receiued 127. a. The first Christeninge in Sussex miraculouse ibdem. The dioceses off Sussex and Hampshere diuided 175. a. The first Synod off the English Church 118. b. The second 130. b. The third 148. b. T. Difference betwene the new Testament and the old 37. b. Temples in the honour of Martirs 19. a. Theodore a greke borne the first Primat of all England 113. b. He deposeth VVinfride bishop of Litchfield 120. a. The felicite of the english church vnder him 113. b. Sickenesse and tribulation sent of God for triall of vertu 139. b. V. Vertu persecuted of the euill euen to death 99. a. Virgins in monasteries 84. a. Edwine the first Christen king of the North brought to the faith by a vision 63. b. Vniuersalite prescribeth 104. a. Vowe of obedience in religion 119. b Vowes in sykenesse 108. b. Vowes to godde 101. a. The first Christeninge in the west contry 82. b. A tempest ceased by holy water 25. a. Sicknesse healed by holy water 156. b. Vniust warres reuenged from God 145. The life of bishop VVilfrid the Apostle of Sussex 175. b. The faith first preached and receiued in the I le of wight 139. b. The situation of the I le off wight 130. a. VVilbrorde an englishman the Apostle off Friseland 164. a. Good workes 122. b. Yâ— The bishop of Yorke made archebishop by the Pope 41. Faultes escaped in Printing Leafe Side Line Faulte Correction 27. b. Margen Hósius Hoste 25.   Insidels Infidels    lleluya Alleluya 29. a 25 aut and. 30. a. â— vvoÌ„h vvhoÌ„ 41. a. â—8 consuship consulship 74. b. 3. Oure Ouer. 75. a. Mar. good golde 88. b. 16. recei receined   6. isis â—â— Â Â Mar. verbe prouerbe 90. a. 30. by by by 95. a. Mar. vvde vvorlde 99. a. 10. elemency elemency 104. b. 15. out on 106. a. 20. can he can he not 112. b. 27. tis this 129. a. 1. sor for 134. a. 24. lymnes lymmes 151. b. 23. to do 160. b. 23. generati generation 177. a. 9. for such for such FINIS Coloss. 1â— Esaiae 49. Niceph. li. â— cap. 12. Cap. 13. In praefat Nic. Con. Nicep lib. 8. cap. 14. Idem li. 7. cap. 42. Hist. tripart libr. 8. c. 13. 2. par 19â— 25. L. Omnes Vetâ—â—ae cod de he et Manich. Socrates li. 5. c. 10. Sâ—zomenus lib. 1. c. 17. Niceph. li. 13. c. 5. Tom. 7. Niceph. li. 17. c. 2â— Cap. 9. Cap. 27. De â—ello vandalico lib. 4. Act. 13. Prâ—copius lib. 1. 2. 3. 4. Michael Ritiuâ— Nâ—a politanus
churches through out all England Byshop Chadd a man of great huÌ„blenesse Lincolne diocese and Lichfield and VVorceter * Lincolne shere Eccles. 3. How seling before death The great feare of God in B. Chadd Psal. 17. Lincolne shere Charite beleueth all things 1. Cor. 13. Miracles at the tombe of S. Chead Lincolne dyocese Holy IloÌ„d An. 670. The first Synode or Conuocation of the english church The determinations of the holy fathers to be folowed Vowe of obedience â— religioÌ„ An. 673. Theodore the Archebishop of Caunterbury deposeth VVinfride bishop of Lichefilde c. Essex Saint Erkenwalde the 4. bishop of London Berking in Essex Children browght vp in NoÌ„â—eries 2. Câ— 1â— Sinne purged by paine in this lyfe Good workes * The like maner of deuotion vsed Constantia a holy woman at the â—â—mbe of Hilarion the monk as S. Hierom recordeth in the life of Hilarion writen by him Tom. 1. Beholde how farre differeÌ„t the faith of our primitiue church is from the false faith of protestants Note the iudgemeÌ„t of S. Bede An. 677. An. 678. The dioceâ—es of Yorke Carlele and Dyrham Holy â—â—nd Lincolne shere The first bishops of Lincolne The CoÌ„uersion of Sussex to the faith Sussex In Bosam a monasterie before the faith openly receiued in Sussex A miserable famine in Sussex before the faith receaued The first christeniÌ„g in Sussex miraculous Selsee Selsee the first monasterie in Sussex now brought to the faith Miracles in the monasterie of Sâ—â—â—ee in Sussex Fasting against the plage Intercession of Saintes Masse in the memory of Saints That is of Hampshere The Vites inhabited HaÌ„pshere as the Saxons Sussex Sussex and HaÌ„psphere The secoÌ„d Synode of the church of EnglaÌ„de The v. firste general councels receaued by a coÌ„moÌ„ consent of the church of EnglaÌ„d about 800 yeares past The 5â— In this monasterie S. Bede was brought vp Priuilege from Rome for the libertie of monasteries Order of singing and churche seruice from Rome The heresy of the Monotholite The Pope is informed of the state of the church Lege Cipr. lib. 1. epist 3. et Aug. ep 92. 93. VVhy the miracles here reported ought not to be mistrusted Luc. 22. Nonnes coÌ„secrated of bishops The I le of Eelye VVhat burdens are borne now a dayes of lesse then kinges children and yet no grief felt at all * The napkins and partlets taken from S. Paules body healed the sicke and expelled diuels Act. cap. 19. c. In Cambridge shere An example for the coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of purgatory The sacrifice of the Masse propitiatory An. 680â— Vow and habit monasticall Colchester Dorchester in Barkeshere In holy Ilond Going to Rome accompted a matter of deuotion in our primitiue church 2. Cor. 22. The ferâ—â—ry Reseruation of the blessed Sacrament Howseling befoer death Blessing with the signe of the crosse A Nunnerie burned for the sinnes of the inhabitaÌ„s CoÌ„fessioÌ„ to the priest Psal. 94. Penaunce enioyned Abuses of religious persons punished by God from heauen An. 684. The welâ—hmen An. 635. Holy IloÌ„de The I le of Cochette The life of S. Cutbert being yet a monke In the first booke the. 27. chap. The life of S. Cutbert writen by S. Bede is ex tant in the. 3. tome of his workes The third Synod of the english church CoÌ„secration of bishops with a number of bisshops S. Cutbert the example of a good Bisshoppe S. Cutberts deuotion at masse time Quomodo in vâ—â—asua dilexerunt se iâ—a in merâ—e noÌ„ sunt separati As they loued in their lyfe so in their death they were not seuered Holy Ilond The deuotion of bisshops in times past In the third tome of S. Bedes workes If they which now preach only faith had such faith they should see such miracles now Holy Ilond Of S. Iohn of Beuerlake Act. cap. 3. Dedication of churches The faith of our primitiue church An. 689. Pilgrimage to Rome a woÌ„t matter in our primitiue church An. 690. An. 692. * People of high Allemaigne about the cyte of Camin * People of the higher part of â—â—iseland VVe reade in the Actes of the Apostles that S. Paul and Stlas were forbidden of the holy Ghost which was by reuelatioÌ„ to preache the worde in Asia and in Bithinia Act. cap. 16. The Redshankes Friseland conuerted to the faithe The gouuernemeÌ„t of the old Saxons The martyrâ—ome o◠〈◊〉 english priests in Saxony * People of the higher Frisia An. 696. VVilbrord an english man the first Archebishop of Vltraict in FrisselaÌ„d Let the Christian reader here aduise him self whether he may scorne at this vision bicause in heathen writers as in the Menippus of Lucian and other such fonde tales are fained or rather to beleue it bicause so lerned and holy a man râ—porteth it the time also of our first coming to the faith considered Truly I thinke therefore the heathen and infidell faineth such thinges in his false religion bycause he knoweth thaâ— God reueleth the lâ—ke to such as serue him in true religion Euen as S. Augustin noteth that therefore the diuell is delighted with externall sacrifice of man bicause he knoweth that kinde of worship to be due and proper to God him selfe Lib. 10. de Ciuit. dei Cap. 19. Holy Ilond A true and necessary doctrine for this wicked time Psal. 13. A old prouerbe Actor 7. In Northumberland Catholike â—osâ—ruations to be preferrâ—d The place of Christes natiuite * Of this church erected by Helena mother of Constantin Paulinus Nolensis maketh mention Epist. 11. ad Seuerum The deuotion of the Christians in Ierusalem aboue a thousand yeres past Et erit sepulchrum eius glorisum And the place of his buriall shall be glorious sayth the prophet Esaie Cap. 11. * VVho thinketh this incredible lett him geue a reason of the pathe way by Salisbury called S. Thomas pathe by Clarengdon parke * This abridgement is extant in the 3. tome of S. Bedes workes An. 705. * In the borders of VVilshere The dioceses of Sussex and HaÌ„pshere diuided Celse fouÌ„ded by Eadbert the first bishop of Celse in Sussex by Chichester Lib. 3. cap. 52. The lyfe of bishop VVilfrid the Apostle of Sussex Holy Ilond * The countre about Salisbury Lib. 3. cap. 28. Lib. 4. cap. 12. The heresie of the monothelites condemned The See Apostolique Bishopp VVilfride the Apostle of Sussex * Now called weimouth in which Abâ—by vnder this Ceolfrid S. Bede was brought vp and liued al daies of his life A lerned letter of the Abbat Ceolfridâ— vnto Naitan kinge of the Peyghtes or Redshankes A proufe out of holy Scripture of the Catholique obseruation off Easter Exodi 12. a. 2 c. 18. This first moneth beginneth in the first moone after the Aequiuâ—ctium Exodi 12. a. 2. Exod. 12. c. 15. Nume 33. a. 3. Exod. 12. c. 17. It is so called Act. 20. and Ioan. 20. The B. Sacrament is offred vp to god the father Leuit. 23. a. 5. Leuit. 23. The contrary opinion is refuted * The xxj daie of marche Gene. 1. * The moneth of Aprill * Dies Dominicâ— He meaneth the Pelagians The inuention of the golden number Matt. 16. Act. 8. They did beare the signe of the crossâ— in their so rehead which vsed to bleâ—se them selues therewith This accompt is now called the golden numbre An. 716. Rom. 10. An. 728. An. 725. An. 729. An. 731. * Of Yorke * Of holy Iland and al NorthuÌ„berland
THE HISTORY OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLANDE Compiled by Venerable Bede Englishman Translated out of Latin in to English by Thomas Stapleton Student in Diuinite You being sometimes straungers and enemies in vnderstanding c. He hath now reconciled in the body of his fleshe through death c. If yet ye continew grounded and stedfast in the Faith and be not moued away from the hope of the ghospell which ye haue heard which hath ben preached amonge all creatures vnder heauen SPES ALIT AGRICOLAS Imprinted at Antwerp by Iohn Laet at the signe of the Rape with Priuilege Anno. 1565. E. R. God saue the Quene TO THE RIGHT EXCELLENT AND MOST GRATIOVSE PRINCESSE ELIZABETH BY THE GRACE OF God Quene of England Fraunce and Ireland Defendour of the Faith â—â— IF THE mind of man most gratiouse Souuerain in respect of vvhich vve are made after the image of the highest excelled not in passing degrees the lumpe of mortall fleshe by meanes vvhereof it vttereth his naturall functions iff the qualitees of the one surmounted not infinitly the conditions of the other neither should it seme vvorthe the vvhile to set penne to paper for defense of true religion in these perilous times of schisme and heresy neither vvould it be sitting for one of my calling to commend such labours to the vevve of your Maiesty For as in the vvriting I haue good cause to remembre that Truthe purchaseth hatred so in the commending of the same I can not forgett that a younge scholer and base subiect attempteth to talke vvith a right mighty Princesse and his lerned Souuerain Notvvithstanding considering the invvarde man and better portion off my selfe I haue to comforte me bothe in the one and in the other In the one respect of the profit vvhich may arise hereby to the deceiued consciences of my dere countremeÌ„ your highnes subiectes my regard to Gods honour and zeale to the truth do make me lesse to feare the displeasure that may ensue In the other your highnes most gratiouse Clemency and knovven good affection to be enformed of the truth enboldeth me to present particularly to your most Royall Maiesty that vvhich I publish to the vvhole Realmes commodite For as that vvhich the body receiueth the Head first vevveth and considereth so thought I most conuenient that the generall history of the realme off England shoulde first be commended to the princely head and Souuerain gouuernour of the same Againe the history in Latin being dedicated by the Author to a kinge of this realme one of your most Noble progenitours it semed no lesse then duty that the translatioÌ„ and nevv publishing of it ought to come forth vnder your highnes protection succeding in the Imperial Crovvne of the same The matter of the History is such that if it may stande vvith your Maiesties pleasure to vevve and consider the same in vvhole or in part your highnes shall clerely see as vvell the misse informations of a fevve for displacing the auncient and right Christen faith as also the vvay and meane of a spedy redresse that may be had for the same to the quietnesse of the greater part of your Maiesties most loyal and lovvly subiectes coÌ„sciences In this history it shall appeare in vvhat faith your noble Realme vvas christened and hath almost these thousaÌ„d yeres coÌ„tinevved to the glory of God the enriching of the crovvne and great vvelth and quiet of the realme In this history your highnes shall see in hovv many and vveighty pointes the preteÌ„ded refourmers of the church in your Graces dominioÌ„s haue departed froÌ„ the patern of that sounde and catholike faith planted first among Englishemen by holy S. Augustin our Apostle and his vertuous coÌ„pany described truly and sincerely by Venerable Bede so called in all Christendom for his passing vertues and rare lerning the Author of this History And to th entent your highnes intention bent to vveightier considerations and affaires may spende no longe time in espying oute the particulars I haue gathered out of the vvhole History a number of diuersities betvvene the pretended religion of Protestants and the primitiue faith of the english church and haue annexed them streight ioyning to this our simple preface Maie it please your most gracious highnes to take a short vevv of it and for more ample intelligence of euery particular if it shall so like your highnesse to haue a recourse to the booke and chapter quoted Beside the vvhole history of holy and lerned S. Bede I haue published a short and necessary discourse to mete vvith the only argument of such as vvill pronouÌ„ce this vvhole booke to be but a fardle of papistry a vvitnesse of corrupted doctrine a testimony of that age and time vvhich they haue already condeÌ„ned for the time of no true Christianite at all of such I saie as haue altered the faith vve vvere first Christened in condemning our dere forefathers of allmost these thousand yeares the Christen inhabitants of your graces dominions This I haue done principally in ijâ— partes In the firste by expresse testimonies of holy Scripture the psalmes the prophets and the nevv TestameÌ„t by remouing the obiections of the aduersaries taken out of holy Scripture by the glorious successe of these later 900. yeares in multiplying the faithe of Christ through the vvorlde last of all by clere and euident reasons I haue proued that the faith of vs Englishmen all these ix c. hundred yeares coulde not possibly be a corrupted faith traded vp in superstitions blindnesse and idolatry as it is falsely and vvickedly surmised of many but that it is the true and right Christianite no lesse then the firste vj. c. yeares and immediat succession of the Apostles In the second part vvhere vve gather a number of differences in doctrine in ecclesiasticall gouernement in the order and maner of proceding in the course and coÌ„sequeÌ„ces of both religioÌ„s that first plaÌ„ted among vs and so many hundred yeares coÌ„tinevved and this presently preached and preteÌ„ded I haue shevved by the testimonies of the moste auncient and approued Fathers of the Councels and histories of that time that in all such differences our faith first planted and hitherto continevved amonge vs agreeth and concurreth vvith the practise and bâ—elefe of the first vj. c. yeres the time approued by al mens consent for the right and pure Christianite If it may stande vvith your Maiesties pleasure to vveigh this double truthe so clerely proued first out of Gods holy vvorde and euident reason then out of the assured practise of the primitiue churche your Grace shall quickely see a ready redresse of present schismes a compendious quieting of troubled consciences and an open pathe to returne to the faith vvithoute vvhiche is no saluation As vve knovve right vvell the meaning of your gracious highnes to be already seriously bent to haue the truthe tried and to be sincerely published throughe all your Graces dominions so to the ende that this godly zeale maie in your Maiesties most
to be fouÌ„d And to speake somwhat particularly he that in this history will discredit such miracles as S. Bede reporteth vpoÌ„ report of one brother or sister let him geue a reason why he beleueth the tale of Elyzabeth Lawnson and SymoÌ„ Harlston Who mistrusteth miracles reported vpon coniecture let him considre the miracle tolde of Tindall If it seme incredible that the bodyes of dead men may remaine vncorrupted and sounde why is it tolde for a miracle that the hart off Zwinglius was found whole in the ashes all the rest of the body being burned vp If visions appearing to some not to al that are present seme fabulous let it be a fable as in dede it is being thereof eye witnesse my selfe that he telleth of Latimers hart bloud when he suffred in Oxford Iff the Crosse of saint Oswalde seme a superstitious tale how much more fonde and fabulous is the tale of one that suffred at Bramford with a greate white crosse appearing in his brest Thus if we may coÌ„pare truth with falshood light with darknes true miracles with light tales we see as much vncredibilite if we looke to reason as great vanite in respect of the matter it self in the one as in the other But how farre more credit this auncient history of Venerable Bede deserueth then the liyng libels of vpstert sectaries it shal as I haue already saied easely appeare if we consider but the Authour of this history and the time that he wrote in Whereof we haue spoken at large before One thinge remaineth which being saied I shall haue finished Concerning the proper names of places as of cyties and monasteries mencionâ—d in the history we haue many tymes kept the latâ—n or rather Saxon names where Polydore and other instructions coude not helpe vs to call them by their present names they now beare Wherein we desire the gentle Reader the rather to beare with vs considering that this translation being penned on this side of the seas we coulde not being out of the countre haue such speciall intelligence of eche shere and Countie as to that purpose was requisit and as we might perhaps easely hadd yff we had ben at home and trauailed the countre our selues Notwithstanding as touching the sheres principall cytes and diners monasteries by the helpe of Polidore we haue termed them as they are now called Whereby the whole course of the history shall be euery where perspicuous and euident thoughe some certaine small monasteries and villages remaine vnknowen How so euer it be the principall intente bothe of Venerable Bede and of vs being the honour of God the publishing off our first Christen faith the course and proceding thereof we haue chosen rather to sett forth the history in some part barbarous theÌ„ to câ—nceale froÌ„ our dere countre in these necessary times of instruction the precious treasure of our ChristeÌ„ belefe wherein we were first baptised and haue so many hundred yeares in such quiet and felicite continued Trusting verely in almighty God that the perusing hereof with the Fortresse and defence of our faith presently also set forth may staie the conscience of some from daungerous deceites of this later religion so directly and in so many pointes repugning the other Which if it may please the goodnesse of God to worke in the hart of any one of my dere countremen I shall thinke all my labour happely bestowed and my simple paines abundantly rewarded In the meane we haue declared our good wil and done in part our duty VVhiche with all that is amisse if any thinge so be I beseche euery gentle Reader to accept in good part Fare well At Louain The 12. of Iune 1565. Thomas Stapleton THE LIFE OF S. BEDE WRITEN BY TRITHEMIVS BEde a monke and priest of the monastery of S. Peter and Paul of S. Benets order in England a man in holy scripture much conuersant and very well lerned In other good lerning of great knowleadg As in philosophie Astronomie Algorisme and Poetry Skilful of the greke toung of an excellent witt His tounge and stile not curious but pleasaunt and semely He wrote many volumes in the which his witt and lerning is tried This man at the age of seuen yeares was by his frendes committed to Benedictus and after to Ceolfridus the Abbbat of the forsaied monastery at Murmouth to be brought vp and instructed From the which age continuing all daies of his life in that monastery he bestowed all diligence in the study of holy scripture And obseruing with all the rule of his order singing daily gods seruice in the church in the rest he delighted allwaies to lerne to teache or to write In the nintenth yere of his age he was ordred deacon In the xxx yere he was made priest Bothe which orders he receiued at the handes of the holy Bishop Iohn of Beuerlake by the coÌ„maundment of Ceolfrid his Abbat FroÌ„ which time of his pristhood vntel the ende of his life he wrote the workes here folowing In Genesim vsque ad I saac lib. 4. In Exodum lib. 1. De tabernaculo vasiseius lib. 3. In Numeros lib. 1. In Leuiticum lib. 1. In Regum 30. quest lib. 1. In Deuteronomium lib. 1. In Iudicum lib. 1. De aedificatione templi lib. 2. In principium Regum lib. 3. In Iâ—suae lib. 1. In Prouerbia Salomonis lib. 3. In Paralipomenon lib. 2. In Ecclesiastem lib. 1. In Cantica Canticorum lib. 6. In Esdram Neemiâ—m lib. 3. In Tobiam lib. 1. In Ezaiam prophetam lib. 2. In Ezechielem lib. 1. In Hieremiam lib. 2. In Danielem lib. 1. In xij prophetas minores lib. 12. In epistolas Pauli lib. 14. In epistolas Canonicas lib. 7. In Euangelium Marci lib. 4. In Apocalypsim lib. 3. In actus Apostolorum lib. 2. In Euangelium Lucae lib. 6. Gesta Anglorum lib. 5. Flores B. Gregorij in CaÌ„tica lib. 2. Homilias euangeliorum lib. 2. Chronicam sui coenobij lib. 2. Gâ—sta diuersorum sanctoruÌ„ lib. 1. De teÌ„poribus natura reruÌ„ lib. 1. Martyrologium lib. 1. De passione Sancti Felicis lib. 1. Aliud minus volumen lib. 2. De Locis sanctis lib. 1. Vitam S. Alberti episcopi lib. 2. ScintillaruÌ„ ex senteÌ„tijs patruÌ„ lib. 1. Epigrammata hero lib. 1. Himnorum diuerso carmine lib. 1. Distinctiones in Hieremiam lib. 1. Lectiones noui Testam lib. 1. Lectiones in vetus Testam lib. 1. De Christo Ecclesia lib. 2. Distinctiones in Iob. lib. 1. Epistolarum ad diuersos lib. 1. De cantico Abacuc lib. 1. De orthographia lib. 1. De arte metrica lib. 1. De schematibus lib. 1. He wrote also many other thinges which are not come to my knowleadge This mans workes were of such authorite euen while he yet liued and wrote allwaies newe that they were openly read in Churches by the appointment of the bysshops of England And bicause that his homelies then read in the church
of the history which I read and partely also haue added thereunto such things as I could learne my selfe by the faithful testimony of such as knew him I humbly beseche the Reader that if he shal finde any thing otherwise then truth in this treatise he wil not impute it vnto me as the which hath endeuoured to put in writing to the instruction of our after-commers such thinges as we could gather by common report which is the true lawe of an history THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE church of Englande Of the situation of Britanny and Ireland and of the people which inhabited there of owld time The 1. Chapter BRitāny an Iland of the Oceane which of owld time was called Albion doth stande betwext the north and the west right ouer against Germany Fraunce and Spayne iij of the greatest countries of Europe Which being eight hundred myles longe Northward is but ij hundred myles broade excepte yow reckon the cabes or poyntes of the mountaynes which runneth owt a long far into the sea wherby the Iland is in cumpasse forty and eight times lxxv myles Of the sowth side it hath Flaunders the first hauen towne wherof to arriue at for a man comyng owt of England is called Ruthubi the hauen whereof is now corruptely called Reptacester 50 myles of from Calleis or as some write 60. myles On the back syde of it where it lyeth open vnto the mayne Oceane it hath the Iles called Orcades It is an Iland very batfull of corne frute and pasture In sum places it beareth vines it hath plentif of fowles of diuerse sortes both by sea and by land of sprynges also and riuers full of fysh but specially of lampriles and eles Ther be many times also takē porposes Dolphyns and whales beside many kynde of shellfishes among other of muskles in whom be founde perles of all coulours as red purple crymson but specially white ther is also great store of cockles whereof is made the dye of crymson whose rudd will be appalled nether with heate of sonne nether with wette of wether but the oulder it is the more bright and beutifull glasse it casteth It hath also sprynges fitt to make salt and others of whott waters where ar buylded seuerall places meete for all ages as well for men as women to bathe them selues For the water as saynt Basill writeth runnyng thowrogh certayne metalles receiueth therof such vertue of heate that it is not only made warme therby but also skalding whot This Iland is stored wyth mynes of sundry metalles as of brasse lead iron and syluer It bringeth furth also great plētyf of the Geate stone and that of the best This stone is blacke and burneth being put to the fire and then is of vertu good to chase away serpentes If you rub him till he be warme he holdeth fast such thinges as ar layd vnto him euen as Aumber doth This Iland had in it sumtimes xxviij fayre cities beside an innumerable sort of castles whiche also wer well and strongly fensyd wyth walles turrettes gates and bullwarkes And for as much as it is placed right in manner vnder the north pole it hath light nightes in the sommer so that at mydnight many times men dowteth whether it be yet twylight of the euening past or breach of the day followyng Wherby the daies be of a great length there in sommer as contrary the nighte in wynter that is to wytt xviij howers by reason the sonne there is so farre gō sowthward And so in like maner the nightes in the sommer ar there very shorte and the daies in the wynter that is to wytt vj. equinoctiall howers where as in Armenia Macedonia Italia and other countries subiect to the same line the longest day or night passeth not xv the shortest ix howers This Iland at this present to the number of the v. bookes of Moses wyth v. sundry languages doth study and set furth the knowledge of one perfecte truth that is wyth the language of the English the Britannes the Scotts the Pictes and the latine which by study of the scriptures is made common to all the rest At the first this land was inhabited of none other nation but only of the Britānes of whom it receiueth his name which Britānes comyng out of Armorica called now litle Britāny as it is thought chose vnto them selues the sowth parte of this land And after when they from the sowth forward had in their possession a great parte of the I le it chaūced that certaine people of the Pictes coming owt of Scythia as it is sayd trauailing vppō the seas with a few long shippes the winde dryuing them in cumpasse rownde about the coaste of Britannye blewe them a land on Irelands syde on the north partes therof Which they finding inhabited of the Scottes besought thē to allow them some part of the land where they might plante them selues But they coulde not obtayne their desire This Ireland next vnto Britanny is the greatest lland of the Oceane sea and standeth westward of Britanny But as Northward it is not so longe as it so westward it is much longer and reacheth vnto the North partes of Spayne hauing the mayne sea runnyng betwext The Pictes as I haue sayd arriuing wyth their nauy in Ireland required of the inhabitants that they might be suffered there to rest and place them selues The Scottes aunsered that the Iland was not bigg inowgh to hold them both But we can geue you good counsel quoth they what we thynke best for you to doe We know well there is an other Iland not farre from oures standing easte ward from hence which we may see owt of this land in a fayer sonnye day If you will goe thether you may inhabit ther at will And if there be any resistance made against you we wil ayde you Whervpon the Pictes arriuing in Britanny planted them selues in the North partes therof For as for the sowth partes the Britānes had taken vpp before And wheras the Pictes hauing no wyues did require of the Scottes to marry their dawghters the Skottes agreed to graunt them their bone vnder condition that as often as the matter was in dowt they should choose their kyng rather of the next of the howse of the woman then of the man Which order it is well knowen the Pictes kepeth euen to this day In processe of yeres after the Britās and the Pictes the Skottes also wer receiued in to Britanny amōg the Pictes Which coming owt of Ireland vnder Rewda their Capitaine either by force or frendship entered and inhabited the country in Scotland which they possessed Of which capitaine euen vnto this day they ar callid dall reudini for in their language dall signifieth part Irelande both in bredth holsomnes and fines of ayre for passeth Britanny so that there snow remayneth skant iij. dayse to gether and no man there for foddering of his beastes ether maketh hay in the sommer or buyldeth stawles for
encouraged wyth the comfort of S. Gregorie returned to preache the word of God with the seruauntes of Christ which wer with him and came in to Brytanny Ethelbert at that time was kyng of kent a man of greate powessance as the whiche had enlarged the fruntures of his empier as far as the greate flud Humber by the whiche the west and northe Englishe ar diuided At the easte ende of kent there is the I le of Tenet 600. miles in cumpasse according to the estimation of Englishe miles whiche Ilande is parted from the lande by the flud VVantsome whiche is of iij. furlonges bredthe and in ij places only passable for bothe the heddes of him runeth in to the sea In that Iland was Augustine set on land and his fellowes to the number of almost forty persons They tooke withe them certayne Frenche men to be theyr interpretours according as Gregorye had commaunded And sendinge vnto the kynge Ethelbert they sent him worde that they came from Rome and that they brought him very good tydinges that is to wytt that such as shoulde followe and obey his doctrine they shoulde enioye an euerlasting kyngdome in heauen with the true and liuing God Whiche hearing this commaunded that they shoulde tarry in the said Iland hauing The first face shewe and maner of preaching the ghospel to vs Englishmen by S. Augustin our Apostle in the presence of Elbert then kinge of kent c An. 596. all thinges necessary ministred vnto them vntill they shoulde heare farder of his pleasure For the brute of Christian religion had come before vnto him as the whiche had maried a Christian woman of the countrye of Fraunce named Bertha whome he maried with these conditions taken of her parents that it shoulde be laufull for her to kepe vnbroken the rites of her faythe and religion wyth her bysshope Luidharde by name whome they appoynted her to assiste and helpe her in matters of her faythe Wythin fewe dayse herof the kynge came vnto the Iland and sitting a brode he bid Augustine with his fellowes to come to common wyth him He wold not suffer him to come vnto him into any house least if they wer skilfull in sorcery they might the rather deceiue him and preuaile against him But they came not armed with the force of the diuell but endewed withe the strength of God carying before them in place of a banner a Crosse ofsyluer and the image of ower Sauiour paynted in a table and singing the letanies prayed bothe for themselues and also for them to whome and for whose sake they came thether And when they sitting downe as the kyng did byd them preached vnto him the worde of life and also to all his houshoulde there present he answered them saying yow geue vs very fayer wordes and promisses but yet for that they ar straunge and vnknowen vnto me I can not rashly assent vnto them forsakyng that auncient religion whiche this longe both I and my people haue obserued But for so much as yow ar come so far to th entent yow might part vnto vs suche knowleadge as yow take to be right true and good we will not seeke yower troble but rather wyth all courtesey receiue yow and ministre yow such thinges as ar behouefull for yower liuelioud Nether do we let but that yow may wynne vnto yower profession wythe yower preaching as many as yow canne He allowed them therfore a lodging in the cittye of Cantorbury whiche was the head cittye of his dominion and as he promised prouided them of necessaries and freely licenced them to preach It is sayd that as they approched neare the citty hauing the crosse and image of our kyng and Sauiour Iesus Christ caried as their maner was before them they songe all in one tune this letany following VVe beseche the o Lord for thy great mercy sake that thy furye and thyn angre may be taken from this citty and from thy holy house bycause we haue synned Alleluya How the sayd Austen liuing in kent did follow the primatiue church both in teaching and liuing and of CauÌ„terbury the place of the kinges abode was created Bishop The. 26. Chapter AFter they wer now entred in to their lodging they began to expresse the very Apostolik order of liuing of the primitiue church seruing God in continuall prayer watching and fasting and preaching the worde of life to as many as they could despising the commodities of the worlde as thinges none of their owne taking of them whom they instructed only so much as might serue their necessities liuing them selues according to that they taught other and being ready to suffer both troubles and death it selfe in defense of the truth they taught Wherebye many did beleue and wer baptised maruailing much at the simplicite of their innocent liuing and the sweetnes of their heauenly doctrine There was at the east ende of the citty an auncient church buylt in the honor of saint Marâ—ine made while the Romans wer yet dwelling in England in the which the quene which as we haue sayd was a Christen woman did vse commonly to pray They also resorted commonly to the sayde church and began there first to syng seruice say masse pray preache and christen vntill such time as the kyng being conuerted vnto the faith they receiued more ample licence to preach where they would and either to buylde of new or repayre owld churches But when the kyng him selfe being much delighted wyth the purite of their life and thexample of their godly conuersation as also with their swete promises which to be true thei proued by the working of many miracles did beleue and was baptised there began more and more dayly to resort vnto their sermons and renouncing the rites of their owld gentilite to ioyne them selues by the fayth to the vnitie of the holy church of Christe Of whose faith and coÌ„uersion though the king much reioyced yet he would force none to becomme Christian but only shew him selfe in outward apparance more frendly vnto the faithfull as companions of one kingdome of heauen with him For why he had learned of these his masters that the seruice of Christ must be voluntary and not forced And without any farder delay he appointed out for his sayd doctours a place and see semely for their degrees in his head citty of Cantorbury and gaue them possessions necessary for the maintenance therof How he being created bishop did aduertise Gregory the Pope of such thinges as he had don in Britanny and required his counsell vppon certaine incident cases The. 27. Chap. AFter this the seruaunt of God Augustine came to Arles where of Etherius Archebishoppe of the sayd citty he was created Archebisshop of the nation of the Enhlish men according as S. Gregory the Pope had commaunded And returning vnto Britanny he sent forthwith Laurence priest and Peter monke vnto Rome which should make relation vnto saint Gregory how that the English men had receiued the
not to be kept from the communion of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christe least you may seeme to punish such thinges in them which they committed by ignorance before their baptisme For at this present time the holy church with a zele doth punish some thinges some other of a mekenes it doth tolerat at some other it winketh vppon consideration Yea it so beareth and dissembleth that the euill which it hateth by bearing and dissembling it redresseth All such as commeth to the faith ar to be warned that they committe no such thing and if they then doe they are to be restrained from receiuing the sacrameÌ„t For as they are sumwhat to be borne withall which of ignorance doth offend so they are sharply to be corrected which wittingly feare not to syn Augustines question If the bishops ar so far a part one from the other that they can not conueniently assemble together whether one may be ordained a bishop without the presence of other bishops Gregorius aunswereth In the church of England in which thou only art as yet a bishop thou canst ordaine none but without other bishops For when come there any bishops oute of Fraunce which might assist you in ordaining bishops We will therefore you ordaine bishops but so that they may not be one far from an other that there be no such necessitie but that they may hereafter come together at the creation of other The Curats also whose presence may do good ought easely come together When then by the helpe of god the bishops shall be so made that they shall not be far a sunder one from the other there shall be no bishop created without iij. or iiij bishops assembled together For in spirituall matters howe they may be wiselye and prouidently disposed we may take example of carnall matters We see when mariages ar solemnized in the worlde other that ar maried ar called there vnto that such as were married before should ioye with such as are married after Why then may it not be like in this spirituall ordinance in the which by spirituall ministerie a man is ioyned vnto God that such then should resort together whiche ether may reioyce of the worthines of him that is made bishop or may pray together vnto god for his continuance Augustines question How shall we deale with the bishops of Britanny and Fraunce Gregorius answereth We geue the none authorite ouer the bishops of Fraunce for that of auncient time of my predecessours the bishop of Arles receiued his palle whom we must not bereue of his authorite And if it chaunce you therfor to go to Fraunce you shall treate with the said bishop of Arles how such defaultes as ar in the bishops may be redressed Who if he be negligent in the execution of ecclesiasticall discipline you must moue him and prick him forward there vnto to whom also we haue written that ioyning with you being there present he will do his endeuoure to reforme the maners of the bishops in such thinges as ar contrary to our Lordes commaundement You by youre owne authoritie haue nothing to doe in sitting vppon the bishops matters But yet by courteously entreating them by counselling them by geuing good example for them to follow you may reforme to vertue the mindes of the euell disposed For why It is written in the law he that passeth through an other mans feilde shall not thrust his syckle in to his corne but rubbe the eares with his hande and so eate them Neither canst thou thrust the syckle of iudgment into the corne that is committed vnto an other mans charge but with the example of thy well doing thow mayst rub of the chaffe of syn from gods corne and by treating and persuading with them conuert them to the body of the church of Christ as a man doth the meate he eateth in to his owne But what so euer ther is to be don by authoriâ—e let it be don by the sayd bishop of Arles least that order should be broken which was ordayned by the auncient institution of oure forefathers As for all the bishops of Britany we commit theÌ„ vnto your charge that the vnlerned by holsom doctrine may be instructed the weake by good persuasions may be strengthened the froward by iust authorite may be corrected Augustines question Whether a woman that is great with childe may be baptised Or how long after she is brought a bed shall she tarry er she be receiued in to the church And the childe that is borne how longe shall it tarry er it be baptised lest it be preuented by death Or how long after she is brought a bed shall her husband forbeare her carnall company Or if she be in her monethly desease whether she may cum to the church or be receiued to the mystery of holy communion Or the maÌ„ after he hath carnally knowen his wife whether he may enter in to the church before he hath washed him self with water or receiue the mystery of the holy communion Of all the which the rude English nation had nede to be informed Gregorius answereth I doubt not but you haue ben required counsell in their matters and I think also I haue made you already aunswer herein Yet that which youerselfe could say and thinke herein I think you wold haue it confirmed with my aunswer The woman with child why should she not be christened seing to be teeming is no synne before the eyes of allmighty God For our first fathers when they had synned in paradise by the right iudgment of God they lost the immortalite which they had receiued And for so much as God wold not vtterly destroy mankynd for his syn in punishment of his syn he tooke from him the benefite of immortalite And yet of his mercy and goodnes he reserued vnto him the encrease of issue That then which of the gift of God is reserued vnto the nature of maÌ„ by what reason should it be restrained from the grace of baptisme For in that sacrament by the which all syn is vtterly taken away it is great folly to think any man to be restrayned from the gift of that grace which is willing to receiue it When the woman is deliuered how many daies after she shall cum to the church it is plaine to be knowen by the commaundement of the ould testament which saith thus The woman which hath borne a male childe shall remaine xxxiij daies in the blud of her purificationâ— she shall towch no holy thing nor shall enter into the sanctuary vntil the daies of her purification be fulfilled But if she haue brought fourth a femal child lxvj dayes she shall remaine in the blud of her purificatioÌ„ Which yet is to be knoweÌ„ that it is taken in mistery for if the same hower that she is deliuered she should cum to the church she should run in no danger of gods displeasure For it is the pleasure of the flesh not the paine that causeth the syn
He also shall make your memory the more famous vnto your posterite whose honour you seke and maintaine among your people For so Constantinus being sometimes a most vertuous Emperour him selfe and calling his subiectes from the wicked worshipping of Idoles brought them all with him selfe vnder the obeysance of God almighty our Lord Iesus Christe Whereby it was brought to passe that his name was of higher renoune then any of the princes that went before him and so much in glorie excelled all his auncetours howe much also he passed them in well doing Wherfore let your highnes also seeke now to publish vnto the kinges and countries subiecte to your dominion the knowledg of one god the Father the Son and the holy Goste to th entent thereby you may passe in honorable fame the aūcient kinges of your natiō and how much the more you trauail to do away sinne in your subiectes you may haue so much the lesse fear of your own sinnes before the dreadful bench of Gods iustice Our right reuerend brother Augustine bishop being brought vp in rule of religiō hauing good knowledg in the holy scriptures and a man through the grace of god of much vertue what so euer he shall aduertise you to doe gladly heare it deuoutly doe it diligently remember it For if you will heare him in that he speaketh vnto yow in Gods behalfe God also shall the soner heare him speaking and entreating for yow If otherwise as God forbid yow refuse to geue eare and heede to his wordes how can God heare him praying for yow whom yow despise to heare speaking to yow from god Wherfor with all yowr harte ioyne yower selfe with him and assiste him in gods busynes with all such authorite that God hath geuen yow that he may make yow partaker of his kyngdom whose fayth yow in your kyngdom cause to be receiued and obserued We will also yower highnes to know that according as we ar taught in the holy scriptures by the very wordes of God the end of this world draweth onward and the kyngdom of the sayntes of God shall follow which neuer shall haue ende And the ende of the world approching many thinges shall fall vppon vs which haue not ben heard of before that is to witt chaunge of the ayer terrible sightes from heauen tempestes contrary to the order of the times All which shall not yet fall in ower dayes Wherfor if yow shall know any of these to happen in your land let not yower mynd be dismayed therwyth For therfor shall there be signes sent before the end of the world to th entent we should the more diligently tender the helth of ower soules liue euer in dowte and feare of death ready prepared by good workes for the cumming of Criste our Iudge Thus much haue I sayd in few wordes right honorable Son intending to speak more at large as I shall heare the fayth to be enlarged in your kyngdom Then shall I be so much the more encouraged to speake how much the greater comfort I shall conceiue by the conuersion of your country I haue sent yow small presentes which yet shall not seme small vnto yow if yow shall accepte them as halowed wyth the blessing of S. Peter All mighty god make perfecte in yow his grace according as he hath begonne And send yow both longe life here vppon the earthe and that ended eternall life in his kyngdom of heauen The grace of God kepe yower highnes in safte my dere Son Datum vt supra How Augustine repayred the church of our Sauiour and buylded the abbay of S. Peter the Apostle The. 32. Chap. AVgustine after he had obtayned to haue a bishops see appoynted him in the kinges citty as is aboue sayd through the ayd of the kyng he recouered there a churche which was there of owld buylt by the Romans which wer Christianes and did dedicate it to the name of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and there made a house for him and his successors And not far eastward from the citty he buylded a monastery in the which kyng Ethelbert through his aduise buylded a new church in the honor of Saynt Peter and Paule and enriched it with sundry gyftes in which both the body of Augustine him selfe and of all the bishops of Cātorbury and of all the kinges of kent wer wont to be enterred Which church yet not Augustine him selfe but Laurentius his successor did consecrat The first Abbat of that monastery was one Petrus a priest which being legat vnto Fraunce was drowned in a creake called Amflete and burned after a homly maner of the inhabitours of the same place But ower Lord entending to haue it knowen how worthy a man he was made that euery night there appeared a light from heauen vppon the place where he lay buried which when the neyghbours about had espyed gathering therby that he was some good and holy man and searching out what and from whence he was remoued his body from thence and buried it honorablye in the towne of Bulleyne in a place of the churche conuenient sor so worthy a person How Edilfrith kyng of the Northumbers wasted Britanny and conquered the Scottes The. 33. Chap. ABout this time Edilfrith a man very valiaunt and much desirous of renowne was king of Northumberland one that more wasted the Land of Brytanny then any of the English Princes So that it semed he might be cōpared vnto Saul kyng of the Iraelites saue only in that he was voide and ignorant of Gods religion For none of all the coronells none of all the kinges did conquer more of the lande of Britanny ether makyng them tributary ether dreuing them cleane owt of the countrye and planting the Englsh in their places then did this Edilfrith To whom that might be wel applyed that the Patriarke Iacob sayd when he gaue his sonne Beniamin his blessing in the person of Saul Beniamin like a rauening wolfe in the morning shall eate his pray and at night shall diuide the spoyle Wherby Edanaden kyng of Skottes much grudging to see him goe forward after this sorte assembled a mayne and a strong army agaynste him But the sayd Edelfrith encountering him in the field with a few men gaue him the ouerthrow and in that famous place of Degsastone disconfited his great army In which field Theobald brother to Edilfrith was slayne with that parte of the army wherof he was generall This battell was foughtē in the yere of our lorde 603. and the xj yere of his raygne which lasted xxiiij yeres and the first yere of the raigne of Phocas then Emperour of Rome From that time forward vnto this present neuer was there king of Scottes which durst meete the English men in the field THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF the churche of Englande Of the life lerning and death of blessed Pope Gregory The. 1. Chapter IN the yeare of the incarnation of our Lord 605. the hollie pope Gregory when he had most
gloriously gouerned the see of the Roman and Apostolique churche 13. yeares 6. moneths and. 10. dayes departed this lyfe and was translated to the eternall seate of the kyngdome of heauen Of whome it becometh me in this our historie of the churche of England more largely to speake bycause by his diligence he conuerted our nation that is the Engleshmen from the powre of Satan to the fayth of Christ. Whome we maye well and also must call our Apostle For as sone as he was high Bishop ouer the whole wordle and appointed gouerner of the churches lately conuerted to the belefe of the trueth he made our nation the churche of Christe which had ben euer vntill that time the bondsclaue of Idolls So that we maye lawfully pronownce of him the sayng of the Apostle That althowgh he were not an Apostle to others yet he was vnto vs. For the signet and token of his Apostleship we are in our Lorde This Gregory was a Roman borne his fathers name Gordian his pedegre of awncient stocke not only noble but also religiouse For Felix somtime bishop of that same see Apostolique a man of greate renomme in Christe and the churche was his greate grandfathers father This nobilite of religion he kept and maintayned with no lesse vertue and deuotion then his parents and auncient kinsfolke had done befor him But his woldly nobilite he forsoke alltogether and by the speciall grace of God turned the same to the purchasing of eternall glorie in heauen For changing sodenly his secular habite he wēt into a monasterie Where he began to lyue in such grace of perfection that vnto his mynde as often after he was wont to wytnes with weeping teares all transitorie things were already subiecte that he far surmounted al worldly workes that he was wont to thinke of nothing but heauenly things yea that being yet clogged with his erthly bodie he now by contemplation did passe the verie naturall bounds of his flesh and that he derely loued death also whiche to most men is a paynfull payne as an entraunce of lyfe to him and reward of his labour All which things he sayd of him selfe not craking of his encrease in vertues but rather lamenting the lacke and decaye of thē In which defecte as he was wont to saye he thought himselfe nowe to haue fallen by reason of his ecclesiasticall charge and occasion of greater care For talking on a time secretly with Peter his deacon when he had recompted the olde giftes and vertuous graces of his minde strayght way he sayde sorowfully But nowe alas by the meanes of this my ecclesiastical charges my mynde is encombred againe with secular affayres and after the good quyet and rest whiche it had is nowe defiled againe with the dust of earthly busines And when condescending to manie it wandereth and roueth aboute owtward matters after desiring inward good thowghtes it returneth therunto no dowbte the weaker Therfore I weigh with my selfe what I doe now suffer and I weigh also well what I haue forgone And when I behold what I haue lost this that I suffer wexeth more greueouse Thus sayde this holie man of a greate and passing humilitie But we must thinke that he lost none of his monasticall perfection by anye occasion or trowble of ecclesiasticall charge or office of a Bishop but rather that then he did much more good and profited more in vertue by the laboure of conuerting manye to the faythe then he hadd done before with the priuate quiet of his owne conuersation onlye For euen being bisshopp he ordered his house like a monasterye For as sone as he was taken owte of the monasterye and ordayned to the ministerye of the aulter being afterwarde sent as legate from the see Apostolike to Constantinople he for all that in the earthly princes palace liued so that he neuer intermitted his purpose of heauenly conuersation For he toke with him certaine brethern of the monasterie which for verie brotherly loue folowed him to that Imperiall citie for the better keping of his regular obseruance that alwaie by their example for so he writeth he might be fastned as with a stronge cable or anker to the pleasaunte porte of prayer when soeuer he were tossed withe the raging whaues of wordly cares and might also strengthen his minde by daylie conference and reading with them whensoeuer it shuld be shaken with secular affaires And truly he was by these mens companie not only defended from the assaultes of the worlde and earthly troubles but also more and more stirred vp to the exercises of heauenly life For they exhorted him that he would discusse and expound with some godly and misticall interpretation the booke of blessed Iob which was enwrapped with manie greate obscurities Neither could he denie them his paines which of brotherly loue moued him to this profitable laboure but hath therfore meruelously declared in 35. bookes of Expositions how this worke of Iobes historie first is to be vnderstāded according to the letter them how it may be referred to Christe and the sacramentes of the church last in what sense the same may be applied to euerie particular faithfull man Which worke he began to write while he was legate in Constantinople but he finished it afterward when he was Bisshop of Rome This blessed man being in Constantinople supressed an heresie of the state of our resurrectiō which then there arose in the very beginning by the force of catholike trueth and verite For Eutychius Bishop of Constantinople began to preache a false doctrine which was that our bodies in the glorie of the resurrection shuld be so subtile as is either the winde or ayer so that it should not be possible to feele ' or touche them Which when S. Gregory had heard he proued this opinion to be quite contrary to the right faith by the reason of truth and also by the example of the resurrection of our Lorde For the right and catholike faith beleueth that our bodies being exalted in the glorie of immortalitie shal in dede be subtile by the effect of spiritual poure but yet not withstāding able to befelt and touched for the truth of our nature according to the example of the bodie of our Lorde of which now rosen from death him selfe sayde to his disciples Touche ye and see for aspirite hath nor flesh nor bones as ye see me haue In the assertion of this faith the right reuerend father Gregory did laboure so much against this vpstert heresie quenched the same with such diligence and so vanquished it by the healp of the vertuous Emperour Tiberius Constantinus that from thence forth noman was founde which durst be a styrrer vp againe or mainteiner therof He made also an other excellent booke which is called the Pastorall Wherin he declareth plainly what manner of man he ought to be which should be chosen to rule the churche And how the rulers therof ought to lyue them selues and with what
more quiet and the companie of faithfull began a litle and litle to encrease againe set vp a schole emongest them and professed to be a master of church musyke and singinge according to the fashion and maner of the Romās and the Diocesans of Cāterbury Which thinge whē he had so don a longe time with greate profyt at the lenght that I may vse the worde of scripture being a man well strooken in age full of yeares and hauing seen manie good dayes he walked the wayes whiche his fathers went THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND How the first successours of kinge Edwin did both forsake the faith of their nacion and also lost their kingdome Moreouer how the most christen kinge Oswald restored bothe The. 1. Chapter KYnge Edwin beinge in battaile the sonne of Elfrike his vncle by his fathers syde called Osrich who after that he had hearde Paulin preache receaued the faith succeded him in the gouernance of the Deirans of the whiche prouince he had the petigree of his parentage and the firste beginninge of his kingdome But the realme of the Bernicians for the nation of Northumberland had been deuided of olde time into these two countries was ruled by Edelfrides sonne named Eanfride who had of that prouince the beginning of his kinred and kingdome For during all the time of Edwines raigne the sonnes of kinge Edelfride who as we saied before raigned before Edwin were banished with a greate numbre of noble young gentill men and so liued amonge the Scottes or Redshankes where they wer instructed accordinge to the Scottes doctrine and had receiued the grace of baptisme These younge princes after the death of their ennemie kinge Edwin retourninge in to their countrie Osrich the eldest of them toke the kingdome of the Deirans and Eanfride the seconde sonne the kingdome of the Bernicians but alas as bothe had now receiued the yles of an earthly kingdome so likewise bothe in geuing and abandoning them selfes to the diuell lost the diuine mysteries of the heauenly kingdome wherein they were instructed and yelded them selues againe to be defiled with the former olde filth of Idolatrie This apostasie remained not longe vnpunished For Kadwallader the king of Britons with wicked force but with worthy vengeaunce slew them both the next sommer ensuing sodeinly issuing out with all his host At what time he murdereth first Osrich vnprepared and his whole armie pending themselues miserably with in the suburbes of their owne citie Then afterward when by the space of a whole yere hauing possessed the prouinces of the people of Northumberland not as a king that were a conquerour but as an outragious cruell tyranne destroying them and with tragicall slaughter renting them in pieces he put Eanfride also to death coming vnto him very vnaduisedly with twelue chosen souldiers minding to intreate vppon peace That same yere continueth vntill this daye vnhappy and hatefull to all good men as well for the Apostasie of the English kinges forsaking the religion of Christe as also for the king of Britanes furiouse tyrannie Wherefor the historiographers and writers of that time haue thought it best that the memorie of those Apostate kinges being vtterly forgotten the selfe same yere should be assigned to the raigne of the king that folowed next which was Oswald a man dearely beloued of God Who after that his brother Eanfride was slaine coming vnlooked for with a small armie but fenced with the faith of Christe the Britons cursed capitaine and that victorius hoste whereof he made his auant that nothing coulde be able to withstand it was vanquished and slaine in a certain place which in the English tonge is called Denises Burna that is to say the riuer of Denise How by the signe of the Crosse which the same kinge set vp when he fought against the Barbarous Britons he cōquered thē and among diuers other miraculous cures a certaine yownge man was healed of a desease in his arme The. 2. Chap. THe place is shewed vntill this daye and is had in greate reuerence where Oswald when he should come to this battayle did set vp a signe of the holy crosse amd beseeched God humbly vppon his knees that with his heauenly helpe he would succour his seruauntes being in so great a distresse The report also is that the crosse being made with quicke spede and the hole prepared wherein it should be sette the kinge being feruent in faithe did take it in hast and did put it in the hole and held it with both his handes when it was sett vp vntill it was fastened to the earth with duste which the souldiars heaped about it Nowe when this was done he cried out a loude to his whole armie Let vs all kneele apon our knees and let vs all together pray ernestly the almighty liuing and true God mercifully to defend vs from the proude and cruell ennemy for he knoweth that we enterprise warres in a ryghtfull quarell for the saulfegard of our subiectes All did as he commaunded them And thus in the dawning of the day they marched forth encountred with their enemie and according to the merite of their faith atchieued and wonne the victorie In the place of which prayer manifold miraculous cures are knowen to be done questionlesse in token and remembraunce of the kinges faith For euen vntill this present day many men do customablye cut chyppes out of the veraye tree of that holy crosse which casting into waters and geuing thereoff to sick men and beastes to drinke or sprinckling them therwith many forthwith are restored to their helth That place is in the Englishe tongue named heauen feld and was so called long before not without a sure and a certaine fore sight of thinges to come as signifieng vndoubtedly that in the same place a heauenly memoriall was to be set vp a heauenly victorie should be gotte heauenly miracles should be wrought and remembred euen vnto our dayes This place is nere to that wal which stādeth toward the northeast wherwith the Romaines did ones in time past cōpasse all whole Britaine frō sea vnto sea to kepe of the inuasions of forenners as we haue declared before In the self same place the religious mē of Hagstalden church which is not far frō thēce haue now of long time been accustomed to come euery yere the eue and the day that the same king Oswald was afterward slaine to kepe Diriges there for his soule and in the morning after psalmes being saied solemnely to offer for him the sacrifice of holy oblation This good custome longe continuing the place was made more holy and is now much honoured of al men by the reason of the church that was lately builded and dedicated in the same place And not without a cause considering that no signe of the Christen faith no church no aultar was sett vpp in all the whole countrey of the Bernicians before that this vertuous warrier moued wyth harty deuotion of
meane tyme kinge Alcfrid sent VVilfrid his priest vnto the kinge of Fraunce that he might in his dominions be consecrated bishop Who sent him to be consecrated of Agilbert of whom we made mencion before being then bishop of Paris where he was consecrated withe great honour of him and many other bishops meting for that purpose together in a Manour of the kinge called In compendio Bishop VVilfrid making some abode in Fraunce after his consecration kinge Oswin folowing the example and diligence of his sonne kinge Alcfrid sent in to kent a holy man vertuous sufficiently lerned in holy scripture and a diligent perfourmer of that he had lerned to be created bishop of Yorke This man was a priest and called Ceadda brother to the most Reuerend bishop Ceddi of whom we haue often mencioned before and Abbat of the monastery of Lesting The king sent also withe him an other of his priestes Eadhed by name who after in the reign of kinge Ecfrid was bishop of Rhyppon But they at their arriuall to kent finding the Archebishop of Caunterbury Deusdedi◠departed and no man yet supplying his rowme stroke ouer to the west Saxons where VVini was bishop and of him this vertuous man Ceadda was consecrated bishop hauing withe him to assist and accompany him at the consecration two other bishops of the olde Britons who continewed yet in their accustomed obseruation of Easter beginning from the fourtenth daye of the chaunge contrary to the canonicall and right order as we haue often saied before There was not at this tyme beside this bishop VVini any one true bishop and rightly consecrated in all Britanny Ceadda then being thus created and consecrated bishop began seriously to sett forthe the truthe of gods word to leade his life in chastite humilite and abstinence to study and much teaching For the which intent he visited continually the cytes townes villages yea and priuat houses in his diocese and that not making his iourney on horsebacke but going allwaies on foote as the Apostles vsed All this he had lerned of the vertuous bishop Aidan and of his brother bishop Ceddi whose vertuous examples he endeuoured him selfe allwaies to folowe and to teache the same to other VVilfrid also returning to England nowe a bishop instructed much the church of England and reduced them to the Catholike vnite touching externall rites and obseruations in many pointes Whereby it came to passe that Catholike ordonaunces taking place and beginning daily to be more and more embraced the whole company of the Scottes which then liued amonge the english men either yelded to the same or els returned backe to their countre Howe Wighard priest was sent to Rome to be consecrated Archebishop of Caunterbury and how he died there according as by letters from the Pope it was specified The. 29. Chap. AT this tyme the most worthy and renouned kinges of England Oswin of the North countre and Ecgbert of kent and the places adioyning deliberating betwene them selues touching the paisible gouuernment of the church for kinge Oswin had nowe perfitly lerned though he were brought vp of the Scottes that the church of Rome was the Catholike and Apostolicall churche by the choyse and consent of the holy clergy of England called vnto them one Wighard a priest a man of great vertu and worthy to be a bishop one of the clergy vnder Deusdedit the deceased Archebishopp and sent him to Rome to be consecrated to the intent that he being made Archebishop might consecrat and order other byshops for the Catholike churches of Englishe men through out all Britanny But Wighard coming to Rome before he could be consecrated bishop departed this life whereupon the Pope sent backe to kinge Oswin these letters To our most honorable Son Oswin kinge of the Saxons Vitalianus Byshop the seruaunt of those which serue God We haue receiued your excellencies wishefull letters by the perusall whereof we perceiued your excellencies most godly deuotion and feruent zele to attaine euerlasting life hoping assuredly that as you now reigne ouer your people so in the life to come you shal reighn with Christ for as much as by his Souuerain helpe and grace you are nowe conuerted to the true right and Apostolike faith Blessed is that people ouer whom God hath placed a prince of such wisedom vertu and desire of Gods honour As the which not only serueth God him selfe incessantly but also laboureth to draw all his subiects to the right vnite of the Catholike and Apostolicke faith purchasing them thereby vndoubted saluation of their soules For who hearing this ioyefull report of such a Prince will not also reioyse thereat What Christen hart will not leape for ioye and cōceiue singular cōfort of so zelous furdering of the faith Truly cōsidering the happy cōuersion of your natiō to the seruing of almighty God I remēbre and see in you the oracles of the diuine prophets accōplished as it is written in Esay In that day the roote of Iesse standeth vp for a tokē to the people him the natiōs shal cal vpon And againe Heare o ye Ilandes and harkē ye people that dwell a farre of And within a few wordes after the prophet crieth to the church It is not enough that thou shalt serue me in restoring the tribes of Iacob and in cōuerting the dragges of Israel I haue geuen the for a light to the nations that thou be my saluation euen to the furdermost of the earth And againe Kinges shal see princes shall arise and shall adore And a litle after I haue geuen the for a leage of my people that thou shouldest raise vp the earth and possesse the scattered inheritages and saye to those which laye hounde come ye for the and to those wich sate in darcknes be ye opened And againe I the Lord haue called thee in righteousnes and haue taken thy hand and haue saued thee and haue set thee to be a light vnto nations and to be a leage betwene my people that thou maiest open the eyes of the blind and deliuer from bondes the bounde the man sitting in darckenes out of the prison Beholde most honourable Sonne by the verdit of the prophets it is most clere that not onely you but all nations shall beleue in Christ the maker of all thinges It behoueth therefor your highnes being now a parte of Christe to folow in all thinges and allwaies the sure rules and ordonnaunces of the head of the Apostles as well in obseruing your Easter as in all other thinges deliuered by the holy Apostles Peter and Paule Whose doctrine doth daily lighten the hartes of all true beleuers no lesse then the two lightes of the element geue light to the whole worlde And after many other wordes writen touching the vniforme obseruation of Easter through out the whole worlde it foloweth in the letter As touching one well furnished with lerning and other qualites mete to be your bishop according to the tenour of your letters we could
yet so sodenly finde none ready the iourney being so longe to you Truly as soone as we shall espie out a mete person and and worthy of that vocation we shall direct him spedely to your countre That by his preaching and holy scripture he may thouroughly roote oute all the wicked darnel of the enemy out of your Ilond by the helpe and grace of allmighty God The presents which your highnes directed to the blessed prince of the Apostles for his perpetuall memory we haue receiued thanking therefore your highnes beseching with all our clergy incessantly the goodnes of God for your highnes preseruatiō and good estat The bringer of your presents is departed this life and is laied at the entry of the blessed Apostles towmes we much lamenting and bewailing at his departure here Notwithstanding by the bearers of these our presents we haue sent the iewels of holy Martyrs that is the relikes of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and of the holy Martyrs S. Laurens Iohn and Paule of S. Gregory and of Pancratius all to be deliuered to your highnes To your Lady and bedfelowe our spiritual daughter we haue sent by the saied bearers a crosse of golde hauing in it a nayle taken out of the most holy chaines of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule Of whose godly behauiour we vnderstanding haue all as farre reioysed as her vertuous dedes are before God pleasaunt and acceptable We beseche therefore your highnes to furder and sett forward the conuersation of your whole Ilond to the faith of Christ. You shall not vndoubtedly lacke herein the speciall protection of our Lorde Iesus Christ the redemer of all mankinde who will prosper you in all thinges to the encreasing of his true beleuers and planting of the catholike and Apostolike faith For it is written Seke ye first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and all these thinges shall be cast vnto you Truly your highnes seketh and shall no doubt obtaine and all partes of your Ilond as we wish and desire shall be brought vnder your allegeaunce We salute your highnes with most fatherly affection beseching continually the mercy of God that it will vouchesafe to assist you and all yours in the perfourmance of all good workes that in the worlde to come ye may all liue and raigne with Chrst. The heauenly grace frō aboue preserue alwaies your highnes In the next booke folowing we shall haue occasion to declare who was founde and appointed bishop in place of Wighard that died at Rome How the people of Essex and London in a time of plage retourning to Idolatry by the diligence of Iarumanus their bishop were soone brought home againe The 30. Chap. AT this time Sigher and Sebbi kinges ruled ouer the people of Essex and London after the death of Guidhelme of whom we haue spoken before althoughe these were also vnder the allegeannce of Wulfher king of the Middlelād englishmen This prouince being visited with that greate plague and mortalite which we mencioned before Sigher with the people ouer whom he ruled forsaking the sacramentes of Christes religion fell to Apostasie For bothe the kinge him selfe and many as well of the people as of the nobles louing this present life and not seking after the life to come or els not beleuing any such life at al begā to renew their temples which stode desolat and to worship idols as though they could therby escape the mortalite But Sebbi his cōpanion with al vnder him perseuered deuoutly in the faith and ended his life in great felicite as we shal herafter declare Wulfher the king vnderstanding parte of his dominions to fal from the faith for to call thembacke againe sent vnto them bishop Iarumannus the successor of Trumher who by much labour and diligence being a man of great vertu painfull and zelous as a certain priest waiting then vpō him and helping him in preaching the ghospell reported vnto me brought them to the faith againe bothe the kinge and all his people So that abandoning and throwing downe their tēples and altars they opened againe the churches confessed gladly the name of Christ and chose rather in hope of resurrection to dye then in the filth of idolatry to liue Which being so brought to passe their priestes and instructers returned home withe muche ioye and comfort THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND How after the death of Deusdedit Wighart being sent to be made bishop and dying there Theodore was consecrated Archebishop and sent in to England with a certain Abbat named Adrian The. 1. Chapter THe same yeare of the foresaied eclipse and pestilence that soone after folowed in which also bishop Colman ouercommed by the generall and vniforme sentence of the Catholikes returned home to his countre Deusdedit the sixt Archebishop of Caunterbury died the xiiij daye of Iuly Ercombert also kinke of kent departed this world the very same moneth and day and left to his sonne Ecgbert the Crowne and kingdom which he receiued and held by the space of ix yeres At that time the See of Caunterbury being vacant a great while and the diocese desirous of a bishop VVighart a vertuous priest a man very well lerned skilfull of the Canons rules and disciplines of the church and an english man borne was sent to Rome bothe by Ecgbert and also Oswin kinge of Northumberland as we haue mencioned before and with him certain presents to the Pope Apostolike as great store of plate bothe siluer and golde Being arriued to Rome in the time that Vitalianus gouuerned the Apostolike see and hauing declared the cause of his coming to the saied Pope within short space he and almost all his company were taken with the pestilence and died Whereupon the Pope with aduise and counsell enquired diligently whom he might direct for Archebishop ouer the churches of England In the monasterie of Niridan not farre from Naples in Campania there was an Abbat named Adrian an African borne a man very well lerned in the scriptures thouroughly instructed bothe in monasticall discipline and in ecclesiasticall gouuernement very skilfull of the greke and latin tounges This man being called to the Pope was willed of him to take the bishoprike vpon him and trauail vnto England But he answering that he was no mete man for so high a degree promised yet to bringe forth one which bothe for his lerning and for his age were more worthy of that vocation And offred to the Pope a certain monke liuing in a Nunnery there by called Andrew who though he were of all that knewe him estemed worthy of tke bishoprike yet for the impediment of his weake and sickely body it was not thought good to sende him Then Adrian being required againe to take it vpon him desired certain daies of respit if happely in the meane time he could finde any other mete to supplie that roume At this time there was in Rome a certain monke of Adriās acquaintaūce named Theodore borne
at Tarsus in Cilicia a maÌ„ bothe in prophane and diuine knowleadg and in the greke and latin tounge excellently lerned in maners and conuersation vertuous and for age reuerend being then lxvj yeres olde Him Adrian offered and presented to the pope and obtained that he was created bishop Yet with these conditions that Adrian should accompany him in to England bicause hauing twise before trauailed in to Fraunce for diuers matters he had therefore more experience in that iourney as also for that he was sufficiently fournished with men of his owne But chiefely that assisting him alwaies in preaching the ghospell he should geue diligent eye and waite that t is Theodore being a greke borne enduced not after the maner of the grekes any doctrine coÌ„trary to the true faith receaued in to the english church now subiect vnto him This man therfore being made subdeacon taried yet in Rome iiij moneths vnte â—l his heare was full growen to take the ecclesiasticall tonsure rounde which before he had taken like vnto the Last church after the maner of S. Paule whereof we shall hereafter treate more at large He was consecrated bishop of Vitalianus then Pope in the yeare of our Lorde 668. the xxvj daie of Marche vpon a Sonday After the xvij of May in the company of Adrian the Abbat he was directed to England Their iourney commenced first by see they arriued to Marsilia and so by lande to Arles where deliuering to Iohn the Archebishop letters of commendation from Vitalian the Pope they were receaued and enterteyned of him vntill that Ebroinus chief of the kinges Courte gaue them saulfeconduit to passe and go whither they entended and woulde Which being graunted them Theodore tooke his iourney to Agilbert bishop of Paris of whome we haue spoken before and was very frindly receaued of him and kept there a longe tyme. But Adrian went first to Emmeson and after to Faron bishop of Meldes and there continewed and rested withe them a good space For wynter was at hand and draue them to abyde quietly in such conuenient place as they could gett Now wheÌ„ word was browght to king Ecgbert that the bishop whom they had desired of the Pope of Rome was come and rested in Fraunce he sent thither straight waye Redfride his lieutenant to bringe and conducte him Who when he came thither tooke Theodore with the license of Ebroinus and browght him to the porte that is named Quentauic Where they continewed a space bicause Theodore was weake sicke and wery And as sone as he began to recouer health againe they sayled to England But Ebroinus with helde backe Adrian suspecting he had some embassie of the Emperours to the kinges of England against the realme of Fraunce wherof at that time he had speciall care and chardge But when he founde in dede that he had no such thinge he dimissed him and suffred him to go after Theodore Who as soone as Adrian came to him gaue him the monasterie of S. Peter thapostle where as I haue mentioned before the Archebishops of Cauntourbury are wonte to be buried For the Pope Apostolâ—que had required Theodore at his departinge to prouide and geane Adrian some place in his diocese where he and his company might commodiously continewe and liue together Howe Theodore visited the countree and howe the churches of England receaued the true Catholique faith and began also to studie the holy scriptures and how Putta was made bishop of Rochester for Damian The 2. Chap. THeodore came to his churche the 2. yere after his consecration the xxvij day of may being sonday and continewed in the same xxi yeres three moneths and xxvj daies And straight way he visyted all the countree ouer where soeuer any english people dwelled for all men did most gladly receaue him and heare him and hauing still with him the coÌ„panie and helpe of Adrian in all thinges dyd sowe abrode and teache the right wayes and pathes of good liuing and the canonical rite and order of keping the feast of Easter For he was the first Archebishop vnto whome all the whole churche of the English nation dyd consent to submit them selues And bicause both he and Adrian as we haue sayd were exceding well learned both in profane and holy literature they gathered a company of disciples or scholers vnto them into whose breastes they dayly dyd powre the flowing waters of holesome knowledge So that beside the expounding of holy scripture vnto them they dyd with al instructe their hearers in the sciences of musick Astronomie and Algorisme In the tounges they so brought vp their scholers that euen to this day some of theÌ„ yet liuing can speake both the Latin and Greeke tonge as well as their owne in which they were borne Neither was there euer since the English meÌ„ came first to Britaine any tyme more happie than at that present For England then had most valiant and Christian princes It was feared of all barbarowse and forrain nations The people at home was all wholly bent to the late ioyfull tydinges of the kingdome of heauen And if any man desired to be instructed in the reading of holy scriptures there lacked not men expert and cunning ready to teache him Againe at this time the tunes and notes of singing in the Churche whiche vntill than were only vsed and knowen in Kent began to be learned throwgh all the churches of EnglaÌ„d The first master of songe in the churches of Northumberland except Iames whome we spake of before was Eddi surnamed Stephen who was called and browght from kent by Wilfride a man most reuerend whiche first among all the byshops that were of the English nation dyd learne and deliuer the Catholique trade of life to the English Churches Thus Theodore vewing ouer and visiting eche where dyd in conuenient places appoynt bishops and with their helpe and assistance together amended such thinges as he found not well and perfecte And among all other when he reproued bisshopp Chaddâ— for that he was not rightly consecrated he made moste humble awnswer and sayde If yow thinke that I haue taken the office of a byshop not in dewe order and maner I am ready withe all my hart to giue vp the same for I did not thinke my selfe euer worthy therof but for obedience sake being so commaunded I dyd agree althowgh vnworthy to take it vpon me Whiche humble awnswere of his Theodore hearing sayd that he should not leaue his bisshopricque but dyd himselfe supplye and complete his consecration after the right and dewe Catholique maner The very same tyme in whiche after the death of Deusdedit an Archebysshopp of Caunterbury was sewed for consecrated and sent from Rome Wilfrid also was sent from England to Fraunce there to be consecrated Who bycause he retourned into kent before Theodore did make priestes and deacons vntill the time that the Archebisshop himselfe came to his see Who at his comming to the
time after the making of the monasterie she departed thence to the citie of Calcaria whiche is called of the english men Calcacester and there she appointed to abyde and continewe Now this other handmayd of Christ Hilda being placed to rule this monasterie dyd strayght procure to order and dispose the same in all pointes with regular lyfe and discipline in such wise as she could be best enstructed of them that were learned For both bishop Aydan and as many religious persons as knewe her for the great wysedome and loue to serue God that was in her were wont ofte times to visit her louingly to helpe her and diligently to instructe her Thus when she had certaine yeres gouuerned this monasterie in great obseruation and straighnes of regular lyfe and order it was her chaunce to take in hand the buylding and disposing of a monasterie in the place called Straneshalch which busynes committed vnto her she finished with all speede and diligence For she fournished and framed it with the same rules and orders of regular lyfe with which she had disposed the other monasterie before And truly she dyd there teache singularly the workes of righteousnes deuotion chastitie and other vertues but specially of peace and charitie in such wise that after the example of the primitiue church there was none riche there none poore but all thinges common to all for nothing semed peculiar and priuate to any one She was of such wysedome that not only all meane persons in their necessities but also kinges and princes dyd seke and find counsel of her Such religious men as liued vnder her gouernaÌ„ce she made to bestow their time in the reading of the holy scriptures and in the exercise of the workes of vertue that out of her monastery many might easely be founde mete and worthy meÌ„ to serue the church and the aultar And in dede we haue sene in a short space fiue bishops oute of the same monasterie all men of singular merite and holynesse whose names are these Bosa Adda Ostfor Iohn and VVilfride Of the first we haue spoken before howe he was consecrated bishop of Yorke Of the second to speake shortly he was made bishop of Dorcister Of the two last we shall speake afterwarde of which the one was consecrated bishop of Hagulstad and the other of Yorke Of the middlemost let vs nowe say somewhat When he had in both the monasteries of Abbesse Hilda diligently applied the reading and studieng of the scriptures at last desiring more perfecte exercises he came to keÌ„t to the Archebishop Theodore of blessed memorie Where hauing continewed a certaine space and spent his time in holy studies and reading he found also the meanes to go to Rome which at that time was counted a thing of great vertue and deuotion From thence retourning home againe to England he went vnto the prouince of the Victians ouer which king Osric raigned than and there he remained a long time preaching the word of faithe and also giuing himselfe for an example of life to all that knewe and heard him At which time the bishop of that prouince named Boselus being so sicke and weake that he could not himselfe fullfill the office a bishop by all mens iudgement and consent the foresaid man was elected and chosen bishop in his place and at the coÌ„maundment of king Edilred was consecrated by bishop VVilfride of blessed memorie who at that time was byshop of the Middleenglish For Theodore tharchebisshop was than dead and none other as yet made bishop for him In which prouince a litle befor that is to wytt before that foresaid man of God Boselus one Taâ—frid a man most stout couragiouse and well learned and of an excellent wyt was elected bishoppe out of the monasterie of the said Abbesse but he was taken away and died before his time ere that he might be consecrated This foresaid handmayde of Christ Abbesse Hilda whome all that knewe her were wont to call mother for her notable grace and godlinesse was not only in her owne monasterie an example of lyfe to them that were with her but also to many other that were far of the ministred occasion of saluation and amendement to whom the happy report of her doing and vertuous liuing came And so was fulfilled the dreame that her mother Bregoswid had when this was but an enfant For when her husband Heriric was out of his couÌ„tre as an outlawe vnder Cerdix kinge of the Britons where also he was att last poysonned she sawe in a dreame that he whom she sought with al diligeÌ„ce was as it wer sodainly takeÌ„ out of her sight that no signe aud token of him any where did appere But as she yet busily sought for him she fouÌ„d by and by a very pretious ouch and iewel vnder his garmeÌ„t which as she did wel marke and coÌ„sider it semed to shine and glister with brightnesse of so great a lighte that it filled all the borders of Britannie with the grace thereof The which dreame was proued true in her doughter whome we speake of Whose lyfe not to her selfe only but to many other that wold lyue well did geue examples of the workes of light But nowe when she had many yeres ruled this monasterie it pleased the mercifull worker of our saluation that her holy soule should also be examined and tried with long sicknesse of the body that after thexample of the Apostle her vertue might be made perfect in infirmitie and weakenesse For she was striken with feuers and begaÌ„ to be greuously vexed with the heate and was in the same wise sicke and deseased for the space of vj. yeres In all which time she did neuer omit and let passe both to giue thankes to her creatour and also to teache and enstructe openly and priuatly the flocke coÌ„mitted to her charge For by her owne example she warned them all both to serue our Lorde dewly when he geueth them their bodely health and also thanke him continually and faithfully in worldly aduersities or bodely infirmities and sickenesse And thus the seuenth yere of her sicknesse the grief and paine tourning toward the hart and inward partes she came to her ende and last day in this worlde and about the crowing of the cocke after she had receaued the viage prouision of holy howsell she called vnto her he handmaides of Christ that were in the same monasterie whome as she admonished and counselled to kepe the euangelicall vnite amonge them selues and with other at the very last worde and making of this her exhortatioÌ„ she gladly and willingly saw the houre of her death yea rather to speke with Christs owne wordes she passed from death vnto lyfe In which very night our almightie Lord vouchesafed to reuele her death and departing by a manifest and plaine vision in an other monasterie that was a good way of named Hacanes the which she had buylt the same yere For there was in the same monasterie a certaine Nonne
his tyme. For it was the maner of the people of England at that time that when any of the clergy or any priest came to a village they would all by and by at his calling come together to heare the worde and willingly harken to such thinges as were saied and more willingly followe in workes suche thinges as they could heare and vnderstande Nowe this man Cutbert had such a grace and skill in vtteraunce such a zele in persuading such an Angels face and countenaunce that none that was present durst presume to hyde the secrettes of his hart from him but dyd all openly declare in confession the thinges that they had done both for that they thoughte that the same could in no wyse be hid from him and also that they might be shryuen and cleansed from their synnes throughe the dewe frutes of penaunce as he should appoint them This good man was wont to resorte vnto those places and villages most commonly that stoode a far of in stipye and craggie hylles and whiche other men were afraid to come at or els being lerned lothed to visit bicause of the vnsemely dwelling and vplandish rudenesse of the inhabitants And yet he dyd so ioyefully giue himselfe to this godly and charitable labour and so diligently instructed them with good and holesome doctrine that he would go out of the monasterie oftetimes and not come home againe in an whole weke sometimes not in two or three yea not in a whole moneth but all that time tarie in the hylles among the poore folke of the countree exhorting them to the ioyes of heauen both with the worde of preaching and worke of vertuouse example When this reuerend seruante of our Lord had lyued many yeares in the monasterie of Mailros and excelled in great signes of vertues the most reuerend Abbot there Eata remoued him to the yle of Lindesfarne that he might there also set forth to the bretherne the keping of regular discipline both with the authoritie of an head and ruler and also expresse and shewe the same by his owne doing and example For this most reuerend father did at that time gouuerne the same place as Abbot there of Though of olde time in that place both the bishop was wont to abyde together with his clergie and ministers of his church and the Abbot with the monks who did also notwithstanding belong to the houshould and cure of the bishop For AidaÌ„ which was the first bishop of that place came thither with monkes being also a monke himself and did there place and begyn monasticall lyfe and conuersation eâ—en as before also the blessed father Augustine did in kent as is well knowen and as we haue declared before at what tyme as the moste reuerend Pope Gregorye wrote to him on this wyse For asmuch as dere brother it is not mete for you that are enstructed and brought vp in monasticall rules and orders to be and dwell seuerall from your clergie and chapplins in the churche of England which is of late by the worke and grace of God brought vnto the faith you must therefor vse this lyf and coÌ„uersation which our fathers vsed in the beginning and rysing of the primitiue churche amoÌ„g whom noman did call any thing his of all that they bad but all thinges were common among them Howe the same man lyuing an anchors solitarie life did by praying bring furth water out of a stone ground and also receaued graine by the labour of his hande out of sowing time The. 28. Chapter AFter this Cutberte encreasing in the merite of religiouse and holy deuotion came also to the secret silence of an Anchors lyfe and contemplation And bicause many yeres passed we haue sufficiently written of his life and vertues both in heroicall verse and in prose yt shall suffise at this present only to rehearse this much that at his going to the iland he protested to the bretherne and sayd If the grace and goodnes of God doo graunt me in that place that I may liue by the worke of mine owne hande I will gladly abyde there if not I will God willing very shortly retourne to you againe Now this place was quite destitute both of water and graine and wodde and also not mete for any man to dwell in bicause of the wicked spirits and fendes that haunted there Yet at the prayer and desyre of the man of God it became such in all respecte that it mighte well inough be enhabited For at his comming the euill spirits went their way Which enemies being so driuen out and that he had made himselfe a narrowe and small dwelling place compassed about with a trenche and with the helping hand of the bretherne had bylded necessarie howses in the same that is to saye a chappell and a common dwelling place he commaunded the brethern to make a pyt in the pauement of the same dwelling place Which they did and yet the earth was very hard and stonye and semed not to haue any moisture in the world nor any vaine of water or spring in it But the next day at the faith and praiers of the seruaunt of God the pyt was found full of water which vnto this day doth geue sufficient vse and aboundance of that heauenly grace to all that come thither Beside this he desyred to haue ploughing tooles brought him and wheate withall and when he had laboured and made ready ground before and sowen it in dewe season it so happened that at the very time of sommer ther grewe therof not only no eares but not so much as any blade or grasse Wherefore when the bretherne came to visit him as their maner was he willed barly to be brought him to see if happely the nature of that soile or the will of the highe geuer were that the sede of that graine could growe any better there Which when it was brought him and that he had sowen it in the same field out of all season of sowing and out of all hope of hauing any frute againe yet there arose and grewe vp anon corne plentifully and gaue to the man of God the ioyfull refresshing and sustenaunce of his owne labour And when he had there serued God solitarily many yeres for the banke wherewith his house was compassed and trenched about was so highe that he could see nothing els out of it but heauen which he thyrsted and longed to enter into it happened at the same time that there was a great synode assembled in the presence of king Egfride by the riuer of Alua at a place called Atwiforde which signifieth as much as at the two fordes in which Archebisshop Theodore of blessed memorie was president and there this foresayd man with one mind and consent of them all was chosen to be bishop of the churche of Lindisfarne Who when he could in no wise be drawen out of his monasterie for all the messengers and letters that were sent him at last the foresayd king himselfe hauing the most
paine and afflicton put vpon him And as he had deuised and purposed in his mynd so he did in dede and bearing vp and staying his feble lymmes with a staffe he went into the churche and there fell downe prostrate at the corse of the man of God praying with feruent entent and deuotion that through his helpe and intercession our Lorde wold be good and mercifull vnto him And as he was at his prayers falling as it were in a certaine softe slumber he felte as he him selfe was afterward wont to tell like as a great brode hand touche his head in that place where the grief was and with the same touching passe along ouer all his body to the very feete on that syde where the paine laye and there with al by litle and litle the grief weÌ„t away and straight theroÌ„ followed perfecte health which done he awoke forthwith and rose vp sound and hole and geuing thankes to our Lorde for his health came and shewed the brethern what had chaunced vnto him And at the great reioysing of all men he retourned againe to the office and seruice that he was wonte diligently to doo being nowe as it were made better and more seruisiable by this tryeng and examining scourge of God The clothes also wherewith the holy body of Cutberte was clad either before in his lyfe time or after when he was dead did not want the grace and gyfte of healing the sicke as who so will reade shall fynd in the booke of his lyfe and vertues How a certaine man of late at S. Cutbertes reliques was cured of a gâ—eat sore in his eye The. 32. Chapter YET this one thing is not to be passed ouer or vnspoken of which three yeares passed was done by and at his reliques as was tolde me by the same man on whome it was done And it was in the monasterie whiche is buylt by the riuer of Dacore and thereof hath his name in whiche that time Switbert a good religiouse man was head and Abbot In that monasterie there was a certaine young man that had a foule vnhansome swelling in the lead of his eye the which daily grewe bigger and was lyke to put him in danger of the losse of his eye The physitians layed salues and plaisters thereto to assuage the swelling but they could doo no good some men wold haue it to be cut of other sayed no for feare of a farther danger And thus the foresayd poore brother continewed in this case no small time and could get no helpe at mans hand against this perill of the losse of his eye but rather it daily encreased and waxed worse till at last it was his chaunce through the grace and goodnes of God to be healed sodainly by the reliliques of the most holy father S. Cutbert For when the monkes had found his body not rotten nor corrupted after it had many yeres lyen buried they tooke partes of the heare of his head which in maner of reliques they might giue or shewe for a signe of the miracle to their fryndes when they came and desyred the same A litle parte of these reliques were at that time in this monasterie in the keping of one of the priestes there named Thridred who now is Abbot of the house Which maÌ„ on a certaine daye went to the churche and opened the shrine of reliques to geue a parte therof to afrynd of his At what time it chaunced the yong man which had the sore eye was present in the churche And when the priest had geuen his frynd such parte therof as he wold he gaue the rest to the yong man to lay vp againe in his place Who by a good motion and minde that came to him as sone as he had receaued the heares of the holy head tooke theÌ„ and put them to his sore eye and helde them there a space to kepe downe and assuage the greuouse swelling therewith And that done he layed the reliques vp againe in the shrine as he was bidden beleuing that his eye should shortly be healed by the heare of the man of God wherewith he was touched And his faith and belief deceaued him not For it was at that time as he was wont to tel about vij of the clocke in the morning And as he thought vpoÌ„ his busynes and weÌ„t about other thinges as the daye required towarde none the same day he hapned sodainly to touche his eye the which he felte and found with the eyled and all as whole and sounde as if ther had neuer bene sene any blemyshe or swellinge therin THVS ENDETH THE FOVRTH BOOK FO THE HISTORIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND THE FIFTE BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND How Aedilwalde Cutberts successour lyuing a solitary and heremytes lyffe alayd by prayer for certaine of his Bretherne a greate tempest in the sea The. 1. Chapter THE famous and reuerende father Aedilwalde which by vertuous and worthy behauiour of him selfe many yeres in the monastery called Inripe brought the office of priesthoode taken vppon him in greate reuerence and estimation succeded Cutbert the man of God in practise of that solytary and lonefull lyffe which he passed in Farne island before he was made bishoppe Whose worthynesse and good lyfe that all men may more euidently perceaue I will declare one miracle wrought by him as one of the same company for and in whome it was wrought declared to me to wit Gutfride a faithfull seruante of Iesus Christe by vocation a priest who afterwarde was Abbot of the same church of Lyndisfarne where he was brought vpp I came saide he with ij other off my bretherne to Farne Island desyring to speake with the reuerend father Aedilwald And when we had talked with him a whyle to our greate comforte and afterwarde receiuing his blessing haste nyd homewarde againe beholde sodainly as we were in the mydest off the sea the caulme in which we sayled was taken awaye and so greate a tempest and terrible storme came vppon vs that neither with sayle nor ower we coulde preuaile nor presently looke for any thinge but deathe And when we striuing longe with the wynde and the seas to no effecte looked backe at the lenght if perchaunce by any possible meanes we might returne backe to the Iland agayne from whence we came we manifestly perceaued that on euery syde with leeke tempest our iourney was staied and retourne intercepted and no hope of escape in our selfes Afterwarde when we descried the lande a farre of and looked stedely towardes the same we sawe in Farne islande that vertuous and holy father Aedilwalde come out of his caue to loke howe we sayled awaye For as sone as he heard the blusteringe of the winde and rage of the Ocean sea he came foorthe to see what might happen and chaunce to vs. And when he sawe vs labouring harde against the surges of the sea and in cleane desperation of recouering the lande he fell downe vppon his knees and prayed
his chaplins archebisshop of Yorke and went to the said monasterie and there with good example and conuersation ended his lyfe Howe Cedwall kinge of the Weast Saxons came to Rome to be baptized and his successour of deuotion went to the sepulchres and monuments of the blessed Apostles The. 7. Chapter THe third yere of kinge Aldfrides raigne Cedwall kinge of the weast saxons when he had kept the souerainty in his country very stoutely for ij yeres space for Gods sake and hope of an eternall kingdome in heauen forsoke his owne vppon earthe and went to Rome He thought it to be a singular glorye and renowne for him to be regenerated at the sea Apostolique with the sacrament of baptisme by the which he lerned that all mankinde had entrye to the kingdome of heauen With all this hope he conceaued that as sone as by baptisme he was clensed from synne and made a member of Christes mysticall body he shoulde departe from this worlde to the eternall ioye the which bothe by the prouidence of God were fulfilled euen as he had secretly in his minde determined before For cominge to Rome when Sergius was Pope he was baptised on easter eue the yere after the incarnation of Christ 689. and wearing yet the white apparel and robes of innocency which were put vppon him in baptisme fell sicke and died the 20. day of Aprill Whome the Pope at his baptisme named Peter that he might beare that holy name of the Apstole whose sepulchre and tūbe he came to see with good zeale and deuotion many hundred myles and buried him honorably in his churche And at the Popes commaundement an Epitahphe was engraued vppon his toumbe◠that bothe the remembraunce of his good zeale and deuotion might continewe in admiration trough out all ages and the readers and hearers also might be stirred to the leeke godlynesse and deuotion The epitaphe was written after this sorte An Epitaphe vpon kinge Cedwall All dignities and wordly wealthe all princely ioye and mirth All palaces and castells stronge all ladies of greate birth All triumphe all princely attire all precious pearle and pride The feruent loue of heuenly blesse made Cedwalle set a syde And spedely to Peters seate and monuments at Rome His fleshly lustes and filthy synnes with baptisme to ouercome Through daungerous seas and hougely hilles a pilgrimage to make And happely the ioyfull starre to endlesse comforte take Incontinent when his repaire was knowen among the states Full courteously they met him all and brought him to their gates Pope Sergius perceauinge eke his zeale and godly minde Did ioyfully baptise him streyt and from his synnes vnbinde He altered his propre name and did him Peter calle Delyueringe him from Sathans snare from mysery and from mysery and from thral But innocent lyfe this worthy wight on earthe did not longe kepe VVithin fewe days death did approche and rocked him a slepe Vndoubtedly greate was his faith greate was the mercy of Christ VVhose iudgments who so seketh oute shall creke when he is highst From Britanny that famousisle to Rome he saffly past The monuments and Apostles tumbes he sawe al at his later cast Deathes fyery dart his hart did perce and brought him to the groūde VVhere foysteringe mans carcas lyeth vntill the trumpet sounde Here couered with marbel stone his body lyeth at ease In paradise his soule abideth Gods wrath he did appease Then euident it is that he who from his realme did range For earthly things did heauen obtaine and lost naught by exchange An other epitaphe Here Cedwall is buried otherwise named Peter kinge of the weast Saxons who died the xx of Aprill in the seconde indiction and lyued thyrty yeares or ther aboute when that noble and mighty prince Iustinian was Emperour of Rome and had raigned iiij yeres in the empire and Sergius a trewe paterne of the Apostles had sate ij yeres in Peters seate As this good kinge Cedwall was takinge his iourney to Rome Huu one of the kinges bloud suceeded into the croune of that realme who after he had raigned there 37. yeares gaue ouer his kingdome and committed the gouernaunce of it to his children and went him selfe to the tumbes and monuments of the Apostles in Rome Gregory beinge the Pope hauinge an ernest desyre to wander leeke a pilgreme here in earthe for a tyme aboute such holy places that at the lenght he mighte be more willingly receaued of the blessed saintes in heauen the which practise in those dayes many englishmen both of the nobility and commons spirituall and temporal men and women wer wonte to vse with much emulation Of the death of Archebishop Theodore The. 8. Chapter THE yere after kinge Cedwall died at Rome that is to say the yere of our Lorde 690. archebishop Theodore worthy of perpetuall remembraunce for his singular vertues beinge very olde and in those yeres to which men commonly by course of nature may come to wit foure score and eight departed out of this wordle The which number of yeres that he should lyue and see was signified vnto him by reuelation in a dreame as to his familiare fryndes he was wont to make reporte He continued in his bishoprike xxij yeres and was buried in sainct Peters church where al the other bishops of Cāterbury ar buried Of whom with the rest of his felowes equal both in dignity and degree it may be truly verified that their names shal liue in glory frō generati to generation time out of minde for that I may vse fewe woordes the church of Englande for the time he was archbisshoppe receaued so much comforte and encrease in spirituall matters as they could neuer before nor after As touching his personage his lyfe his age and manner of death the epytaphe written vppon his tumbe in fowre and thirthy heroicall verses dothe manyfestly sett owte to all that haue accesse thither of the which these are the iiij off the first A woorthy prelate lyeth here fast closed in this graue To whome the name of Theodore the greekes most iustly gaue VVith tytle ryght the souerayntye hauynge of eche degree Christes flocke he fed with trewe doctrine as almen do welsee iiij of the last His sowle was sett at liberty that lumpyshe lumpe of claye Dyssolued when September had put nynetene dayes away And couetinge their feloship that lyueth a godly lyfe Is companyd with angells hie voyd off all care and stryfe Howe after the death of Theodore Berechtwalde toke the archbysshopricke vppon hym and amongst many other bysshopps consecrated and orderyd by him he made Tobye a man very well lernyd bysshopp of Rochestre The. 9. Chap. BErechtwald succedyd Theodore and was archbysshoppe of Canterburye who before was abbot of a monastery lyinge hard by the north entree of the ryuer Glade otherwise callyd Rachwulf a man dowtlesse well traueled in the knowledge of holy scripture and very skyllfull both in ecclesiasticall and Monastical ordres censures and disciplynes but nothynge to be compared to
sayed that a man of such authoritie which had bene bisshoppe xl yeares ought not to be condemned but once agayne dischardged and quitted from the false accusations and malicious surmises of his enemies and sent home againe with honour to his countrie With this iudgement returning towardes England he fell sodainly sicke when he came to Fraunce and was so weakened the desease growing vppon him more and more that he could not ryde nor kepe his horse but was caried in a bed by strength of his seruauntes Being thus brought to Meldune a citye in Fraunce he lay iiij dayes and iiij nights as though he had byn dead Only declaring by a litle breath which he drewe very fayntly and short that he was a lyue Thus continuing iiij dayes without meate and drinke as speachelesse and past hearing he rose the fifte daye and sate vppe in his bed as a man awaked out of a deape sleepe and when his eyes were open he sawe a company of his brethern aboute him some singing some weaping and fetting a litle sigthe asked for his chaplyn Acca By and by he was called Who entring into the chambre and seing his bishoppe somewhat better amended and able to speake he fell downe vpon his knees and gaue thankes to God with all the company that was present And when they had sate together a litle while and entred talke fearefully of the high iudgements of God the bishop commaunded al to auoide the chambre for an houre and beganne to talke after this manner to his chaplin Acca There appeared vnto me euen now a terrible vision the which I wil haue thee heare and concele withal vntill I know knowe furder the pleasure of almighty God what shal become of me A certaine man clothed all in white stode by me saying I am Michael the Archangell sent hither for this only purpose to deliuer thee from daunger of death For our Lord hathe geuen the longer tyme to lyue for the earnest prayers and lamentations which thy scholars and bretherne here haue made and also for the intercession of the blessed virgin Marie his mother Wherefore I say vnto the that presently thou shalt be healed of this infirmitie and sickenesse but yet be in a readynesse for after iiij yeares I will returne againe and visit the. Agayne as sone as thou art returned to thy countrye the greatest part of thy possessions that haue ben taken away from the thou shalt receiue againe and ende thy life in tranquillitie and peace Vppon which comfortable wordes the bisshoppe recouered to the greate ioye of all men reioysing and praysing God for him Thus going forward on his iourney he came to England When the letters brought from the see Apostolique were reade Berechtwald archebisshop and Edilrede sometimes kinge but then made an Abbot receiued him gladly in fauour againe Edilred also entreating Coenrede whom he had made kinge in his place to come and speake with him requested him to be a good and gratious Lord to the saied bisshopp which also he obtained But Aldfride king of Northumberland which would not receiue him died within a while after By which occasion it fel out in the raigne of kinge Osred his sonne that in a Synode assembled by the riuer Nid after greate contention and reasoning in both partes he was receiued into his church and bisshopprike againe with all fauour they coulde shewe him So iiij yeres space to witt to his dying daye he liued in peace and died the xij daye of October in a monasterie which he had in the prouince of Wundale vnder the gouuernement of Abbot Cudbalde From whence by the handes of the couent he was caried to his owne monasterie in Rhyppon and interred in the blessed Apostle S. Peter his churche harde by the aultar towarde the Sowth side as we signified before and ouer him is written this epitaphe An Epitaphe vppon Bisshop VVilfride VVilfrid that worthy prelat lyeth bodely in this graue VVho moued with godly zeale to Christ this temple gaue And of the Apostle Peters name S. Peters church did it call To whom the kayes of heauen Christ gaue cheaf gouernour of all He guilted it with golde most fyne and hanged it with scarlat rouÌ„d And sett vp there a Crucifix of golde euen from the ground The foure bookes of Christes ghospell in golden letters are wrote At his coÌ„maundmeÌ„t and charges eke right worthy to read and note A couer for the same also of beaten golde he did fitt The price and valew was great but his hart surmounted it Touching the course of Easter in dew time to be kept Bicause by wronge tradition many it ouerlept He taught the catholike order all England thourough out Extirping the contrary errour by authorite most stoute A numbre of religious men he assembled in this place Instructing them vertuously in the holy Fathers race VVith miseries and perills eke much vexed of longe time And of his owne dere countremen charged with many a crime But when fiue and fourty yeares he had kept a bishops state To heauen be past his bretherns cause with Christ for to debate And that with all alacrite with mirth and ioyfull hart Now graunto Christ that after his trace we folowe thee on our part How Albine succeded the holy Abbot Adrian and Acca the good bishop VVilfride The 21. Chapter THE next yere after the death of that forsaid holy father which was the fifte of king Oâ—rede his raigne the Reuerend and worthy father Adrian Abbot and coadiutour to Theodore Bishop of most blessed memory in preachinge the worde of God passed oute of this transitory lyff and was interred in his owne monastery in our ladyes church the one and fourtith yeare after he was directed from Pope Vitalian and made coadiutor to Theodore and the 39. after he came to Englande Of whose profounde knowledge and lerninge amongest other thinges this may be a sufficient testimony that Albine his schollar who had the gouernaunce of the Abbay after his decesse was so well practised in exercise of holy scripture that he had greate knowledge in the greeke tounge and did speake latin as eloquently withoute staggering or staying as he did english which was his naturall language After the death of bishop VVilfride Acca his priest succeded in the bishoprik of Hagulstad a man of a ioly courage and honorable in the sight of God and of men who enlarged his Cathedrall church dedicated in the honour of saincte Andrewe and set forth the buildinges with diuers comely and sightfull workes and moreouer imployed all his diligence and endeuour to gather together oute of all places the holy Apostles and Martirs reliques to the ende he might in honour of them builde certaine aultars a parte by them selues in litle chapels made for the same purpose within the precincte and walles of the same churche Besides he sought with al possible diligence the histories of their martyrdome and other ecclesiastical writers and made vp a very large and worthy library Moreouer he zelously
resurrection The thirde cawse is because we do then truely keepe this solemne feast if we endeuour to the vttermost of our power to make our passeouer that is to saye ower passage owte of this wordle to God the father with the triple knot of faith hope and charytie After theequalite of the daye and night we are commaunded yet to tary for the full moone of the moneth in which Easter falleth to thend that first the sonne may make the day longer then the night and afterward the moone also may appeare to the world in her full light to signifie vnto vs that the son of righteousnesse in whose beames is our saluation that is to sayour Lorde Iesus Christe by the victory and triumphe which he had in his resurrection hath ouercomed the darknesse of deathe and so ascendinge to heauen hath replenished his churche whiche is ofte signified by the moone with the inwarde light of his grace by sendinge downe the goly ghoste The which ordre of ower saluation the prophete beholdinge said Eleuatus est sol luna stetit in ordine sno The sonne is lyfted vppe and the moone stode in her ordre They therefore which contendeth that the full moone of the moneth in which Easter should fall may come before the Son maketh the daye and night of equall length as they disagree in the celebration of most high and greate misteries from the doctrine of holy scripture so they seme well to agree with them which trust to be saued with owt the preuenting grace of Christe Which in dede presume to teache that man myght haue had perfecte iustification though Christ the trewe lyght had neuer ouercomed the blyndnesse off the world with his painefull death and glorious resurrection To conclude therefore we about the equinoctiall springe when the day and night be of one length and when the full moone of the firste moneth orderly folowing the same that is to saye after the xiiij daye of the said moneth is fully expired the obseruation of all which tymes is commaunded in the lawe do expecte yet in that thirde weeke accordinge as in the ghospel we lerne the next Sonday folowing and then we keepe the solemne feaste of Ester And that to th ende we may testyfie by ower doings that we cellebrat not this solemnytie with the old fathers in remembraunce that the children off Israel had the harde yoke of bondage shaken from their neckes in Aegipte but that we woorshipp with deuoute faith and perfecte charitie the redemption of all the world prefigured in that deliuerance off gods old people owte of thrauldome and fully ended in Christes resurrection to th ende we may signifie that we reioyse in the assured hope of ower resurrection which we beleue shal be on the same Sonday also This accompte of Easter which we haue here declared vnto you to be folowed is comprised in the compasse of xix yeres which of late that is to saye in the Apostles time beganne to be obserued in the churche especially at Rome and Aegipte as I haue specified before But by the industry of Eusebius who of the blessed Martyr Pâ—amphilus hathe his surname it is more playnly and distinctly set in ordre So that where as before the bishop of Alexandria was wonte euery yeare to send abrod to euery particular church the true time of the Easter that yeare to be obserued now from hence forth the course of the full moone being brought in to this order and certainly tried out euery church by itselfe can finde it without failing This counte of Easter so distincted by Eusebius Theophilus bishop of Alexandria made to serue for one hundred yeres at the request of Theodosius the Emperour Cyril his successour made it for 95. yeres more comprising it in v. circles of the saied compasse of 19. yeares After whome Dionisius the yownger added as many circles in leeke ordre and style whiche reached euen to ouer tyme. The which now approching nigh to the date and terme prefixed there is nowe adayes such store of calculatours that in our churches through owte all England there be many which can by the olde preceptes of the Aegiptians which they haue lerned and committed to memory extende and drawe forthe the circle and course of Easter in to as many yeares as them listeth euen to the numbre of 532. yeares Which number of yeares being expired all that appertaineth to the course of the son moone moneth and weke returneth into the same ordre it did before The calculation or directory of which time we haue not at this present sent vnto you because demaunding only to be instructed of the reason and cause of this time of Easter it semeth you are allready informed of the time it selfe Hauing now hetherto brefly and compendiously spoken concerning the dew obseruation of Easter accordinge to yower highnesse requeste we exhorte you most humbly to prouide that your clergy haue the same tonsure which the church doth receiue and vse as most agreable to the Christian faith wherof you required also our letters We know right wel that the Apostles were not shauen all after one sorte Neither now the whole catholique church as it agreeth in one faith one hope and one charite towardes God so vseth also one and the self same order of tonsure Againe that we may consider the time befor vs to wit the time of the holy patriarches Iob a perfect patterne of patience when his tribulation and aduersite beganne shore his head Wherby we learne that in time of prosperity he was accustomed to lett his heare growe Yet Ioseph a trewe teacher and practiser of chastity humility piety and al other vertues is written to haue bene shauen when he came out of preson Wherby it appeareth that in prison for the tyme of his induraunce he was wounte to remaine with longe heare nor clipte nor shorne Lo here two vertuous and godly men who inwardly in hart and mind wer one shewed yet in outward behauiour some diuersite and contrariete But though we may boldly saye that the diuersite of ecclesiasticall tonsure hurteth nothing at all such as haue a pure faith in God and perfecte charitie towarde their neighbour especially seing we reade no controuersie betwene the catholike writers touching the differeÌ„ce and diuersitie of shauing as ther hathe bene for the celebration of Easter yet notwithstanding amongest all kynde off tonsures which we finde to haue ben vsed or in the church or vniuersally amongest all other men I may well saye that none is rather to be folowed and receaued of vs than the very same which he ware on his head to whom Christ saied after he had confessed him to be the sonne of God Thou arte Peter and vppon this rocke I will builde my churche and hell gates shall not preuaile against it To the will I geue the kayes of the kingdome of heauen And contrarywise we may well beleue that none is more to be abhorred and detested of all
trewe preacher and a vortuouse Byshop fol. 80. b. Vowe and habit monastical by the consâ—â—ration of bishops 138. b. S. Augustin ordeineth bishops by the appoynâ—ment of Pope Gregory folio 35. a. No bishop ordained without a number of other bishops 35. a. Blâ—ssing with the signe of the Crosse. 143. a. A dumme man brought to speache by blessing 155. a. â—58 b. Riot and euill lyfe the Brittains destruction 23. a. VVhy the olde Brittons became weake and open to forrain inuasions folio 20. b. The situation and description of Britanny 13. a. How Cesar conquered Britanny 15. a. The second conquest of Britanny 15. b. The faith receaued in britanny from Rome 16. a. Ciuill warres amonge the olde Brittons 29. a. C Christes church in Caunterbury builded by S. Augustin our Apostle and a monastery thereby 44. a. The byshopp of Canterbury created Archebishop of other bishops in britanny by Pope Gregory 35. b. The first Christening of Englishmen in Caunterbury 32. b. Catholike obseruations to be preferred 171. b. Heretikes confuâ—ed by Catholikes in open disputation 25. a. 26. b. Canonicall howers 108. b. Tâ—e vertuous first bishops of England labour to bringe the Britons and Scottes liuing in schisme to the vnite of the catholike church folio 53. a. Kinge Cedwall baptised and buried at Rome 159. b. Elbert the first christen kinge made lawes for the indemnite and quiet possession of churche goods and of the clergy 54. a. The places off Christes natiuitie passion Resurrection and Ascension described as they were a thousande yeares past 172. b. 173. a. and b. Cedda the second bishoppe of London and Essex 98. b. Dedication of Churches 15â— b. 100. a. Holy vessels altarclothes crnaments for the church priestly apparell certain reliques and church bookes sent by S. Gregory the Pope in to England at the first Christening of the same 40. b. Churchemusike first practised in the northe 75. a. The temples of idolls conuerted in to Christen churches being halowed with holy water and altered after the vse of Christen religion hauing altars sett vp and relikes placed in them 4â— b. Byshopp Chadda a man of greate humblenesse 114. The great feare of God in him 116. b. Myracles at his tombe 117. b. Cloysters of Nonnes in order fourme and proportion as to this daye folio 140. 141. a. 142. b. Such of the clergy as were out of holy Orders toke wiues 33. a. The maner of the clergy of the primitiue church of England 147. a. The people do communicat at Masse 54. b. The v. first general Councells receaued by a common consent of the church of England 131. a. Consecration of the B. Sacrament 19. a. Confession to the priest and penaunce enioyned 143. b. Our faith began with Crosse and procession 31. b. Crosse and chalice of golde 75. a. A crosse erectyd by kinge Oswald 76 b. Many restored vnto healthe by the chippes of the same crosse ibid. b. A broken arme made sownde and hole againe by the mosse of the crosse 78. a. VVhy the clergy weare shauen crownes 187. a. The life of S. Cutbert being yet a Monke 146. a. The life of S. Cutbert when he liued like an Anchoret 148. a. and. b. S. Cutberts body after xi yeres buriall founde whole and sound 151. a. Miracles and cures done thereat 151. and. 152. D. Prayer for the deade 90. b. The deuotion of owr primitiue churche 91. b. The deuotion of Christians in Hierusalem aboue a thousand yeares past in Constantins time 173. a. Memories of soules departed 52. a. Dyriges ouer night and Masse in the morninge for the dead 77. b. A necessary doctrine for this time 170. a. Dorchester in Barkeshere a bishoprick 82. b. 139. a. E. The Catholike obseruation of Easter 102. b. Item the same proued out of holy scripture 181. b. 182. 183. 184. 185. 186. The east parte of England conuerted to the faith 69. b. The english men at the first inuading of Britany by the forrain nations of the Saxons generally so called occupied all England except Sussex Essex Kent and part of the westcountre 24. a. The first spoyling of Britanny by the english men 24. a. Saint Erkenwald the. 4. bysshopp of London 120. b. Excommunication 99. a. F. The faith of our primitiue church 156. b. 157. a. 123. b. The faith and deuotion of the first 400. yeares after Christ. 26. b. Fastinge against the plage 128. a. The determinations off the holy fathers to be folowed 119. a. Friseland conuerted to be faith 163. a. VVensday and frydayes fast 80. b. G. Off the noble parentage and vertuous life off S. Gregory 45. a. S. Gregory brought vpp in a monastery after sent to Constantinople from Rome as legat quenched there by his lerning an heresie off Eutichius touching our resurrection 45. b. 46. a. b. A recitall off the lerned workes off S. Gregory 46. b. S. Gregory the pope off Rome our Apoâ—â—le 45. a. S. Gregory a great aulmes man 47. a. Letters off S. Gregory for the furderance of the faith in England to S. Augustin 29. b. to the Archebishopp off Arles 30. a. to S. Augustin againe 3â— a. to the B. off Arâ—â—s againe 40. a. to S. Augustin againe 40 b. to Mellitus the first B. off LondoÌ„ 41. b. to S. Augustin againe 42. a. to kinge Eâ—hâ—â—bert 43. a. A ioyfull reioysing off S. Gregory for the conuerting off our countre to the faith 47. a. An â—pitapâ—e vpon S. Gregory in meter 48. a. The occasion why he sent preachers to our countre 48. b. H. A trewe saying off an heathen 97. b. The heresie off the monothelites condemned 177. b. Heretikes banished the countre sett it in rest and quiet 28. b. Extirpation off heresy by counsell off forrain bisshops 25. a. The vertuous liffe off Hilda a lerned and famous Abbesse 138. 139. Howseling bâ—fore death 116. b. 142. b. I. Idols first throwen downe in Englande 83. b. Intercession off Saints 152. a. â—00 b. 128. b. Holly men worke miracles by intercession 88. b. The lyfe of S. Iohn off Bâ—â—uerlake 164. b. 165. 166. 167. The situation off Ireland 14. b. K. A rare and strange humilite off a kinge 91. a. Kinge Sigebert becommeth a monke 94. a. Reuolting from the faith in kent reuenged from God 54. a. Kent returneth to the faith 56. a. L. The first bishoppe off Lincolne 126. a. Lincolne conuerted to the faith 69. b. In the yere 60â— London receaued the faith and S. Paules church at that tyme builded Rochester also receaued the faith and S. Andrewes church at that tyme builded 51. b. Reuolting from the faithe in London plaged from God 55. a. Thr byshop off London consecrated off his owne Synod by the appointment off S. Gregory the pope 41. a. Fasting in lent vntill euening 100. a. M. VVhether in acte â—ff Mariage be any sinne 38. a. Mariage vnlaufull aboue the third degre 34. a. Our first Aposile sayed Masse 32. b. The martyrdom off ij english priestes in Saxony 163. b. Masse
Les annalâ—s de FiaÌ„â— Lib. 12. Cromerus iâ— eâ—ist ad Proceres Poloniae â— Cor. 12. Act. 4. 10. 〈◊〉 20. Act. 5. Heb. 11. Rom. 1. Hebr. 7. In postilla magna in Dom. â— Ad. Li. 2. ca. 3. lib. 4. ca. 3. 16. Li. 2. ca. 4. li. 3. ca. 25. Matt. 13. Act. 14. 1. Cor. 16. 1. Tim. 6. Colos. 1. Of the Author of this History Of his lerning Lib. de scri ecclesiasti Hieron in Cata. vir illust In Ioan. 6. Lib. 5. Histor. In Ioan. 6. Of his vertu In vitae Bedae In Ioan. 6. Lib. 1. Tripartâ— hist. lib. 1. cap. 1. In Epist. In Ioanne vj. 〈◊〉 VVhy the Author of this historyâ—s to be credited Of the matter of the history 〈◊〉 16. Sueton in Neronâ— â— Cor. 13. Of the miracles reported in this History Tobi. 12. Cap. 3. That the History ought not to seâ—e 〈…〉 Li. 6. câ— 9 Li. 7. ca. 18 Lib. 1. c. 5. Liâ— c. 8. 10. Lib. 2. cap. 8. Hist. tripart li. 1. c. 5. 10. 11. lib. 7 â— cap. 5. â—ozâ—m lib. 6. ca. 29. Lib. 7. c. 5. 〈◊〉 22. Li. 4. et in Philotheo The most lerned â—athers of the first â— â— yeres haâ—e wâ—â—ten Saints liues Tom. 3. Li. 1. 3. de virg Item inexhortat ad virgines In hom so 126. Li. 1. ca. 7. Li. 2. c. 30 Li. 4. c. 25 27. Li. 22. c. 8 In praefat ad Philotheum An admonition out of Theodoret touching miracles An other out of S. Augustin Lib. dâ— cura pro mor tuis gereÌ„da cap. 16. Cap. 17. Act. 9. 1. Cor. 12. Eccles. 3. Note Lib. eodem Cap. 16. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 13. Heretikes will not beleue miracles Confes. lib. Serm. 91. ProtestaÌ„ts pretende miracles Pag. 1677. Pag. 520. Pa. 444. Pag. 355. Pa 1670. * At VVei mouth at the riuer VVere whiche runneth by Dyrtham a Essex b Salisbury Exceter VVelles c Suffolck Norfolck and Cambrigd shere Northumbers are called in this stistory al. that dwel beyoÌ„d the riuer HuÌ„bre North ward d Sussex and Hapshere e Mercia or Marshland containeth the dioceses of Lâ—hfield and CoueÌ„try Lincolne and VVorcet f Essex g The countre of NorthuÌ„berland properly * That is 1800. miles * This hauen is now loste by the irruption of the sea * The Redshankes A description of Ireland * Colchester The yeare of our Lord 46. Actor 11. An. 156. An. 189. An. 286. The Martyrdom of saint Albane the firste Martyr of Britanny * â— which we call now dorsuolde â—odde Temples of Martyres holy daies CoÌ„secration of the B. sacrameÌ„t Heresies in BritaÌ„ny The Arrians heresie prospereth not with standing thâ— generall councell of Nice An. 377. An. 394. The propery of heretâ—kes An. 407. The first destruction of Rome The cause why the olde Brittons became weake and open to forain inuasioÌ„s * RedshaÌ„kes An. 403. Palladius the first bishop of Scotland An. 411. Ryâ— and euil life the Britains destructioÌ„ An. 429. The first arriuall of English meÌ„ in to Britanny Saxons English and Vites * The people of Essex of Sussex and of the westcountre The English meÌ„ occupied at the first all England except kent Essex Sussex and parte of the westcountre * The Redshankes The first spoilyng of BritaÌ„ny by the English men Counsell of the catholike bishops in Fraunce for extirping of Pelagianâ— heresy Tempest ceased by prayer and holy water An open disputatioÌ„ betwene Catholikes and heretikes of the pelagian secte in the yeare of our lorde 400. Relikes of holy Martirs The faith and deuotion of Christen bishops about the yere of our Lord. 400. The like Seuerâ— Sul piâ—ius writeth of S. Martin In epist. 2. presixa prologo in vitaÌ„ B. Martini The xl daies of LeÌ„t S. Germain putteth to flight an lioÌ„siâ—â— of insidels by singiÌ„g of lleluia Heretikes banished the countre sett it in rest and quiet S. Gregory sendeth S. Augustin to preache the faith to English men An. â— 96. A letter of S. Gregory exhorting S. Augustin to pursue his iourney to England An other letter of S. Gregory to the Archebishop of Aerls The I le of Tenet Our faith begann with Crosse and procession The life of our Apostles and first preacâ—ers Our first Apostle sayed masse The first Christening of Englishemen in Caunterbury This chapter is ful of much good lerning and godly instructioÌ„s The Sea Apostolike S. Augustin our Apostle was a moÌ„ke The clergy ouâ— of holy orders taketh wiues Luc. 11. The order of the English seruice choseÌ„ out of other diuers countres for the best Of church â—obberies Leuit. 18. Gen. 2. Of creatiÌ„g of bisshops The See of Rome The primacy of Caunterbury in England Leuit. 12. Oâ—â— 3. Luc. 8. Of natural infirmities Note DiffereÌ„ce betwene the new testament and the old lawe Math. 15. Ad TituÌ„ 1. Leuit. 15. VVhether in the acte of mariage be any sinne Psal. 50. Psal. 30. 1. Coâ— 7. Exod 19. â—â— ReguÌ„ 21. Of nightly pollutioÌ„s or iâ—lusions SuggestioÌ„ Delight Consent How sin bredeth in the hartes of meÌ„ Rom. 7. A palle from the Pope to Augustin the first Bishop of Caunterbury The priuilâ—ges of the Bysshops of yorke and London Holy water aultars and relikes Lucae 10. A godly letter of S. Gregory to Ethelbert the first Christen kinge of english men Christes church in Caunterbury * That monastery is now called the Augustines if itâ— stande yet An. 605. S. Gregory Bishop ouer the whole worlde 1. as head thereof S. Gregory our Apostle 1. Cor. 9. S. Gregory a religious maÌ„ S. Gregory the popes legat at Constantinople S. Gregory represseth an heresy riâ—ing in Constantinople Luc. 24. The workes of S. Gregory Lib. 1. cap. 27. Heb. 12. S. Gregory a great almes maÌ„ Psal. 111. Iob. 29â— A ioyfull â—eioysing of S. Gregory touching the conuersioÌ„ of EnglaÌ„d to the faith Masse said at the shrines of S. Peter and Paule in Rome An Epitaphe apon S. Gregory our Apostle The occasion why S. Gregory sent preachers vnto our countre * Angli * Angelicam * Of yorkeshere * Deiri * Deira eruâ—i Siclegit Polya lib. 1. Hist. Augl About South HamptoÌ„ Psal. 67. Our Apostles Faith coÌ„firmed by a miracle Matth. â—1 The generalâ— rule of our Sauiour euil construed in a particular case Thre 〈◊〉 proposed to the Bâ—tâ—n or wâ—â—ch bishopâ— A wrongâ— and 〈◊〉 te surmise A true prophecy of S. Augustin out Apostle The monastery of Bâ—gor in wales Fasting and praying in schismatikes auaileth not An. 604. Essex and the countre about London Memories of soules departed Agendae eorum The epitaphe vpoÌ„ S. Augustine touÌ„be in Caunteâ—bury Laurence the secoÌ„d Archebisshop of Caunterbury Our first Christen Bishops labour to reconcile the Scotts from their schisme to the Catholike vnitâ— The see Apostolike Mellite the first B. of London trauaileth to the Pope for instructioÌ„s c. This church stanâ—eth in Rome at this daye and is called S. Maâ—ia rotunda An. 613. The first English kinges of Britanny
Sussâ—x and HaÌ„pshere The west couÌ„trie suffolck nortfolck and CaÌ„bridgshere Temporall awes oâ— kinge 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 christen kinge of kent Reuolting from the faith in kent VengeauÌ„ce from God The people do coÌ„municat 〈◊〉 Masse The blessed sacrament bread of life Mellit the first Christen bishop of London expelled from theÌ„ce Reuoltig from the faith in Londonâ— The vengeauÌ„ce of God ensuing Kent returneth to the faith An. 618. Martyrium heat orum quatuor Coronatorum The praier of the righteous man much auaileth Iacob 5. At the Augustines â—n Caunterbury Authâ—rite fromâ— Rome to make Byshops A letter of Pope Bonâ—â—ace to Iustus the. iiij Archeb of Cauâ—â— terb Mattb. 2â— â— atth 10. Psal. 8. Hebrideâ— Insulae An. 625. 2. Cor. 11. 2. Cor. 4. A traiterous facte ExaÌ„ple of a trusty subiect The first Christening of Englishmen in Northâ—mberland A letter of Pope Boniface to kings Edwin exhorting him to the faith Matt. 28. Genes 1. 2. Psal. 95. A letter of Pope Boniface vnto Edelburge Quene of â—orthumberberland â—â— 2. 1. Cor. 7. A vision by the which Edwin the first Christen king of NorthuÌ„berland was called to the faithe A carnall reâ—pâ—ct of â—n aâ—hen Bishop occasiâ—n oâ— good The first Christendom of the English Prince in NorthuÌ„berland or in the North countre An. 627. The Cathedrall church of Yorke * In northuÌ„â—erlaÌ„d * In yorkeshere Aultar of stone The couÌ„tres of Suffolk Norfolck and of CaÌ„bridg sheres then called the East english counerted to the faith DuÌ„mocke Lincolne shere Prefectum Lindecoliâ—ae ciuitatis The epistle of Pope Honorius to Edwyn the first christen kinge of NorthuÌ„berland CoÌ„stitutions froÌ„ Rome touching the clergy The epistle of Pope Honorius to Honorius the Archebisshop of Caunterbury Matth. 11. Matth. 24. The copie of a letter froÌ„ the clergy of Rome to the clergy of Scotland Primicerâ— Against the pelagian heresie Psal. 50. An. 633. Crosse and chalice of good Churche musike first practised in the North. Apostasie from the faith punished A crosse erected by king Oswald Diriges ouer night and Masse in the morning for the dead Holy Ilond A rare zele to the preaching of Gods word in a wordly prince An. 563. Philip. 2. The exaÌ„ple of a true preacher and avertuous Bishop Siue adioÌ„si siue Laici VVensday and fridayes fast That Cite is now called BaÌ„brough The west countre of EnglaÌ„d as the dio ceses of Salisbury of Exceter of Bathe and VVelles and of HaÌ„psher The first Christening in the west countre Dorchester in Bar keshere VVinchester Apostasie from the faith punished VVinchester An. 640. Idols first threwen downe in England Virgins in Monanasteries The like is writen of S. Antony beholdiÌ„g in coÌ„pany of other the soule of Amos 2 religious eremite caried vp into heauen the Angels accoÌ„payniÌ„g with melody Hist. tri part lib. 1. cap. 11. S. Hierom also writeth the like of S. Antony in the life of Paule the Eremite Opera illo rum sequuÌ„tur illos Their workes de folow them Apoca. 14 Miracles at the place where kinge Oswald was slaine Lincoiâ—eshere Gregory B. of Nisso brother to S. Basill reporteth of miracles wrought by the duste lying vpon Martyrs tumâ—â—s In vita Theodori Martyrâ—s Paulinus a lerned bisshop of Nola in S. Augustins time reporteth sundry miracles of health restored to sick persoÌ„s at the tuÌ„be of S. Felix Natali 6. the like writeth S. Basill of the 40. Martyres S. Ambrose of the bodies of S. Geruasius and Protasius li. 10. epist. ad sororem epist. 85. et serm 19. All lerned stories arâ— full of such examples Kinge Oswalda greate praierâ— Holy men worke miracles by intercession O rare example of a Christen Prince An olde uerbe BaÌ„brough A lesson for vngodly studeÌ„ts The goodnes of God and our faithe worketh miracles by holy relikes An. 644. * Yorke shere Omnisque potestas impatiens consortis erit Lucanus lib. 1. Praier for the dead The commendatiâ— of kinge Osuuius Bishop And an â—â—ero S. Martinâ— who gaue halfe his doke to a naked poore man * A charitable saying but now more like to be mocked at then to be folowed A rare and straÌ„ge humilite of a kinge The deuotioÌ„ of our primitiue church BaÌ„brough Theodoret in his Philotheus reporteth of a great army of the PersiaÌ„s destroyed at Nisiba by the praier only of lames then a holy Bisâ—hop of that cite In vita lacâ—bi Nisibensis BaÌ„orough God whiche by the shadowe of Peter healed the sicke worketh the like in the dead relâ— kes of holy men Act. 5. Ioan. 20. Norfolck Suffolck and Cambridg shere King Sigibert becometh a monke S. Paule was comforted also by a vision from God to be stedfast in preaching the worde Act. 2â— Mat. 25. Psal. 83. Note the scâ—â—â—â— spirituall fires whiche shall burne theâ—wde Euery maÌ„ shall receiue according to the workes of his body 2. co 5. The paines of Purgatory The diuel fighteth with sinn against man Reade S. Paul Ephes. 6. b. 12. c. 16. As God is said in scripture to bende his bowe to strik with sword etc. Psal. 7 so here the writer applieth carnal termes to spiritual matters the names of fire to sinne of throwing by the diuels to the charge of sinne c. An. 653. The first Christening of the Marshes or middle-land english men An. 6â—0 By Barwick Ad Capreae Caput A true saying of an Heathen The couÌ„tre about London The persuasion of kinge Oswin vvith the heathen kinge Sigbert By Barwick Cedda the secoÌ„d Bishop of London and Essex Chemes-ford and Tilberi Vertu per secuted of the euill euen to death Enormous crimes in the righteous sooner punished Excommunication So Peter pronouÌ„ced Ananias to death Act. 5. The foundation of monasteries Esaiae 35. Fasting in Lent vntell euening Consecration of holy places IntercessioÌ„ of Saints Vowes to God The foundation of monasteries VVitby A coÌ„trouersic about theob seruatioÌ„ of Easter Gal. 2. Tonsurae ecclesiasticaecoronaÌ„ susceperaâ— Vniuersalitie prescribeth The primitiue church at the firste did not abrogat all Iuish ceremoâ—â—ies Actor 16. 21. 18. Act. 21. Eâ—â—o 12. Ioâ—n 20. This maner is obserued nowe vnifor mely in al Christendome Exod. 12. Russinus lib. 10. â—â— Eusab lib. 7. cap. 28. Hiâ—â—o Vide Eusâ—bium lib. 7 cap. 28. Hisâ— eccle Matâ—h 7. Math. 16. Note the conclusioÌ„ of the kinge An. 664. CoÌ„mendation of the Scottisâ— monkes which gouerned first the ongâ—â—â— church in the Northe couâ—tre Vertu winneth autâ—orite viceleseth Religious men in our primittiue church reuerenced The behauiour of priestes in our primitiue church An. 664. Lincolne shere Vowes in sickenesse Cononicall houres Consecration of Bisshops with a number of other Bysâ—ops The duty of a Byshop The churche of Rome A letter of Vitalianus the Pope to king Oswin Esaiâ— 11. Matth. 6. An. 668. The couÌ„tre abowt Lyons The Augustins in Caunterbury Dominus Papâ— Apostolicus The duty of a Byshop Theodore the first Primat of all England The felicite of the english churche vnâ—er Theodor the Archebishop of Canterb Singing in
faithfull men than that whiche he had to whom desiring to bye the grace and gifte of the holye ghoste with monie saincte Peter saied Thy mony perishe with the because thou thinkest the gifte of God may be obtained with monye There is no part nor felowship for thee in the ministerye of this worde And truly we are not shauen or clipte rounde for that consideration onely that saincte Peter was so shauen But because he was so shauen in the remembraunce of Christes passion therefore we also desiring to be saued by the merites off the same passion do beare vppon the toppe of our crowne beinge the highest parte of our bodye the signe of Christes passion as Peter dyd For as euery congregation of faithfull men which by the death of him that quickeneth and relyueth them is made in very dede a holy congregation commonly accustometh to beare the signe of the crosse in their forhead that by the diuine power of the same they may be defeÌ„ded from all assaultes of the deuill and may by often remembraunce and admonition of it be instructed howe they ought to crucifie the fleshe with all her sinne and concupiscence so in leeke manner it behoâ—eth them which either being made by vowe monks or by profession of the clergy do binde them selfes more streytly with the bridle of continency for Chistes sake to beare in their head by clipping the fourme of a crowne as our mercifull Sauiour caried vppon his precious head at the tyme of his passion a crowne of thorne to the entent he might thereby carie yea and carie awaye the thornes and briers of our sinnes To the end also they may protest vnto the worlde eâ—en by their open head that they are ready and gladde to suffer all mockery irrision and obloquy for his sake Last of all to testifie that they looke for the crowne of aeternall glorie which God hath promised to all that loue him and that for the purchasing of this they contemne all wordly shame and wanton wealthe But touching that fassion of shauinge which Symon Magus ennemye of Christes faith vsed who dothe not euen streyte at the beginning detest and abhorre it with all his magyke Which to outwarde sight semeth to haue the leeknesse of a crowne in the ouermost parte off the head but when a man cometh nere and beholdeth the hinder parte he shall finde that which semed to be a crowne to come very short thereof And truly such manner as it is voide of Christian considerations so for Symons secte it is very conuenient Who in dede by their simoniacall hypocrisie seme in this life to certain deceiued persons worthy the glorye of euerlasting ioye but in the lyfe whiche foloweth the dissolution of this bodye ar not only depryued of all hope of the crowne of glorie but which is more are condemned to euerlasting tormentes and payne And here tuly I would not your highnes shoulde thinke that I prosequute and debate this matter so largely as though I iudged them worthy to be condemned which vse this manner of shauinge yff they tender in hart and dede the vnytie of Christes catholique churche Nay I boldly protest and affirme that many of them haue bene vertuous and holy men Of the which Adamannus priest and Abbot of the Columbines is one To whom amongest all other thinges when he was sent in embasie for his owne countrie to kinge Alfride and as he passed was desyrous to see our monasterie and shewed in his behauiour and talke much wisdome humilitye and godlynesse I saied these wordes vnto him I beseke you good brother Why do you beleuing that you shall passe hence to a crowne of lyfe that hath no ende weare in your head the proportioÌ„ and fourme of a crowne which hath an ende seming in behauiour to be contrary to your faith And if you seke the felowshipp off S. Peter why do you follow that manner of shauing which he vsed whom S. Peter did ex communicate and deliuer to the deuil and do not rather shewe that you loue entierly with al your harte his habite with whom you desire to lyue in eternall blysse Knowe you for a suerty my derely beloued brother quoth he that albeit I vse the same fasshion of shauing which Symon Magus did after the custome and manner of my country yet I vtterly detest and abandone the vnfaithfulnesse and infidelyty of SymoÌ„ Magus and desire with al my hart to follow the steppes of the most blessed head of the Apostles S. Peter so farre forthe as my poore habilitie wil serue To that I replyed and saied I beleue it is so in very dede Yet it may be a more manifest declaratioÌ„ that you embrace euen froÌ„ the bottom of your hart al that the holy Apostle Peter taught if you kepe that outwardly which you knew was vsed of him generally For I thinke your wisdoÌ„ do easely iudge it most conuenient vtterly to seclude froÌ„ your presence and face dedicated to God the habit proportioÌ„ and figure of his couÌ„tinaunce whoÌ„ you abhorte with all harte and minde And contrariwise as you desyre to folow his steps and counsell whome you looke to haue as a patrone before God the father so it besemeth you to follow his outward behauiour This for that time I spoke to Adamanus Who after well declared how much he had profited by seinge the ordinaunces and rules of our churche For after his returne to Scotland he reduced by his preaching many of the same cuntry to the catholique obseruation of Easter Albeit he coulde not reduce the monkes that liued in the Iland Hij where he was Abbat thereto as yet He thought also to redresse the maÌ„ner of ecclesiasticall tonsure amongst them if his authority could haue preuailed And I nowe also most puissant prince do exhorte you to endeuour with all the country where the kinge of kinges and lorde of lordes hathe geuen you the souerainte to obserue and kepe all that agreeth with the vnity of Christes catholike and Apostolike church So it will come to passe that after you haue had dominion and rule here vpon earth the primat and head of the blessed Apostles will gladly open to you and yowers the gates of heauen to rest with the holy angells and other dere freÌ„des of God The grace of God of our Euerlasting kinge and lord preserue you most derely beloued sonne in Christe and graunte you longe prosperous raigne to our quietnesse and peace When this epistle was reade in the presence of kinge Naitane with many other lerned men besides being truly translated into the kinges natiue tounge by them which did well vnderstande it he much reioysed at that exhortation as some make reporte euen so much that rising from the place where he and many of the nobility were sate he fell downe vppon his knees and gaue God thankes that he had deserued to receiue such a benefit out of Englande And treuly saied he I knewe before that this was the trewe celebration and
kepinge of Easter but nowe I do so well knowe the cause and reason why it shuld be so obserued that me thinketh I had no knowledg of it at all before wherfore I professe and openly protest before you all that ar here present that from henceforth I and all my people wil kepe the feast of Easter at the time which is here described I thinke it good also that all priests and religious men in my realme ought to receaue this kinde and manner of shauing which we haue heard to be very reasonable And without any furder delaye by his princely authority he performed that which he spoke For forthwith the accompte of xix yeres were sent abrode by a publique edicte to be copied oute lerned and obserued through out al the prouinces of the Pictes the erroneous accomptes of 84. yeres altogether blotted oute All priestes and religious men had their heads shauen rounde after the trew shape aâ—d figure of a crowne And all the whole country being well reformed was glad that they were reduced now to the discipline and ordre of saincte Peter primate and head of the Apostles and committed as though it were to his patronage and protection How the monkes of Hij with other monasteries vnder their iurisdiction beganne at the preaching of Egbert to kepe Easter after the canonical ordonaunce of Christes church The 23. Chapter NOt longe after the monkes of Scotland which inhabitt the island Hij with al other monasteries vnder their iurisdiction were brought by gods great prouidence to the canonicall obseruation of Easter and ryght manner of ecclesiasticall tonsure For the yere after Christes incarnation 716. when Coenrede toke the gouuernaunce and souerayntye off Northumberlande after Osrede was slayne the derely beloued of God and honourably of me to be named the Father and priest Ecgbert cominge vnto them owt of Irelande was honourably receiued and ioyfully intertayned of them This Ecgbert beinge diligently heard of theÌ„ as one that had a singular good grace in preachinge and that practised in lyfe with much deuotioÌ„ which he taught openly in their congregation dyd chaunge by godly exhortations and aduertisements the olde tradition of their forefathers Of whom we may verifie that saying of the Apostle Aemulationem dei habebant sed non secundum scientiam They had an earnest desyre to folow God but not accordinge to knowleadge And he taught theÌ„ by one appointed compasse which shoulde be perpetuall to kepe the chefe and princypall feast after the Catholique churches institution and manner of the Apostles The which appeareth to be done to by the great goodnesse and infinit mercy of God that because the countre which had the knowleadge of God and his holy worde dyd freely and gladly communicate the same to englishmen shoulde them selues afterward come to a more perfect trade of life then they had before by the helpe and instruction of Englishmen also now associated and allied vnto them As contrary wise the Britons which woulde not ones open their mouthe to teache the Englishmen the knowleadge of Christ which they had before receiued are nowe hardned in blindnesse and halte allwaies from the right waie of truthe neither vsing the ecclesiasticall tonsure after dew maner neither celebrating the solemne feste of Easter in the societe of the Catholike church Whereas now all Englishmen are established in the faith and perfectly instructed in all pointes of Catholike religion The monkes of the Iland Hij in Scotland receiued at the preaching of the lerned father Ecgbert the Catholike rites and customes vnder their Abbat Dumchad about 80. yeares after they sent Bishopp Aidan to preache the faith to Englishmen This man of God Ecgbert remained in that Ilande xiij yeres which he had now as though it were newly and first consecrated vnto Christ by reducing it to the Catholike vnite and societe The same good father in the yere of our Lorde 728. vpon Easter daye which then fell vpon the xxiiij of Aprill after he had that day saied Masse in remembraunce of our Lordes resurrection departed this worlde and finished that day that ioyfull festiuite with our Lorde and all the blessed company in heauen which he had begonne with his brethern euen that day by him reduced to the Catholique vnite And truly the prouidence of God herein was wonderfull that that Reuerent father should passe out of this worlde to the Father not only vpoÌ„ an Easter day but also vpoÌ„ that Easter day which was the first Easter after the Catholike order celebrated in that place The brethern therefore reioysed bothe for the certaine and Catholike obseruation of Easter then lerned and also to see their teacher and master that time also to passe to God to be there their patrone and intercessour The good father also reioysed that he liued here so longe vntell he might see presently his scholers to celebrat with him that Easter whiche euer before they shunned and abhorred So this most reuerend Father being nowe certainly assured of their vndoubted amendment reioysed to see that day of our Lorde He sawe it I saie and reioysed What is the state of EnglishmeÌ„ or of all BrytaÌ„nie at this present with a brief recapitulation of the whole worâ— and with a note of the tyme. The. 24. Chap. THE yeare of Christes incarnation 725. which was the vij off Osric kinge of Northumberlandes raygne Vicbert Ecgbertes sonne kinge of kent passed oute of this transitorie lyfe the xxiij of Aprill leauing iij. sonnes Edilbert Eadbert and Aldric heires of his kingdome whiche he hadd gouuerned 34. yeares and a halffe After his death the next yeare folowing Tobias bishoppe of Rochester died a man certainly well lerned as I mentioned before for he was scholler to ij Masters of most blessed memory Archebishoppe Theodore and Abbat Adrian By which occasion beside his knowledge in diuinitie and all other sciences he so perfectly lerned the greeke tounge and the Latyn that he had them as perfecte and familiar as his owne propre language He is buried in a litle chappel of saincte Paule whiche he builded in S. Andrewes churche for a toumbe and place of buriall after his deathe After him Aldwulff succeded in the bishoppricke and was consecrated by Berthwalde the Archebishoppe The yeare of our Lorde 729. appeared ij greate blasinge starres aboute the sonne makinge all that behelde them maruelously afraied For one went before the sonne euery morninge the other appeared in the eueninge streyt after the sonne was downe presaging as it were to the east and weast some greate destruction Or if you wil saie one appeared before daye the other before night that by bothe the saied tymes they myght signifie diuerse miseries to hange ouer mens heads They helde vp a fyer brande towarde the Northe ready as it were to set all a fyer They appeared in Ianuarye and continued almoste ij weekes At what time the Saracenes wasted and spoiled Fraunce with much murder and bloudshed Who not longe after