being arriv'd in the place where a Church is new built to his memory it fell down and was there buried by St. David with spiritual Hymns and Canticles In which Church our Lord vouchsafes frequently to attest the Sanctity of his Servant by many Miracles F. Cressi's Church-History p. 234. How S. Ositha walk'd when dead with her Head in her hands and knock'd at a Church-door St. Ositha was Daughter of a Mercian Prince named Frithwald and of Wilterburga Daughter of Pende King of the Mercians She was bred up in great Piety and through her Parents Authority became Wife to Sighere Companion of S. Seb. in the Kingdom of the East Angles But preferring the Love of a heavenly Bridegroom before the Embraccs of a King her Husband complied with her Devotion and moreover not only permitted her to consecrate her self to our Lord but bestowed on her a Village situated near the Sea called Chic where building a Monastery she enclosed her self And after she had spent some time in the service of God it hapned that a Troop of Danish Pirats landed there who going out of their Ships wasted and burnt the Countrey thereabout using all manner of Cruelty against the Christian Inhabitants Then he who was the Captain of that impious Band having learnt the Condition and Religious Life of the blessed Virgin St. Ositha began by Entreaties and Presents to tempt her to Idolatry adding withal Threats of Scourging and other Torments if she refused to adore the gods which he worshipped But the Holy Virgin despising his Flatteries and not fearing his Threats made small account of the Torments attending her Whereupon the said Captain enraged at her Constancy and scorn of his Idols pronounced Sentence of Death against her commmanding her to lay down her Head to be cut off And in the same place where the Holy Virgin suffered Martyrdom a clear Fountain broke forth which cured several kinds of Diseases As soon as her Head was off the Body presently rose up and taking up the Head in the hands by the conduct of Angels walked firmly the straight way to the Church of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul about a quarter of a Mile distant from the place of her suffering And when it was come there it knocked at the Door with the bloody hands as desiring it might be opened and thereon left marks of Blood. Having done this it fell there down to the ground now her Parents having heard of her death earnestly desired as some recompence for their loss to enjoy the comfort of burying with them her headless Body which being brought to them they Interred it in a Coffin of Lead in the Church of Aylesbury where many Miracles were wrought by her Intercession At length her sacred Reliques by a Divine Vision were translated thence back again to the Church of Chic which Maurice Bishop of London reposed in a precious Coffer at which time the Bishop of Rochester then present was cured of a grievous Infirmity F. Crâ—ssâ—'s Church-History p. 424. The History of St. Claire a Martyr to Chastity St. Claire by Birth an English-man of a veâ—y Noble Descent and Illustrious for his outward Comeliness inward natural Endowments singular Piety rare Chastity Being at years of maturity his Parents would have matcht him to a Noble and Beautiful Virgin But to preserve his Virginal Purity on his very Marriage-day he stole away into France where he espous'd an Hermit's life and spent his days in strict Exercises of Piety But the Enemy of Man's salvation could not long support the brightness of Divine Graces shining in this Saint to obscure which he inflamed with Lust the Mind of a certain Noble-woman dwelling near who immediately attempted to expugn the Chastity of the Servant of God But St. Claire resolutely resisted the shameless Lady notwithstanding which resistance when her Sollicitations more increased he was forced for his own quietness and liberty to forsake his Monastery The lascivious Woman desperately enraged with his departure sent two Murderers in search of him who at last found him in a poor Cottage where he had fixed his Habitation with one onely Companion named Cyrinus There they first set upon him with many opprobrious Speeches and at last drawing out their Swords they most cruelly cut off his Head whil'st he devoutly kneeling offered his Sacrifice of Chastity to our Lord the Lover of pure Minds and Patron of Innocence This glorious Champion of Chastity being thus victorious by Patience presently after arose and with his hands taking up his Head by the assistance of Angels carried it to a Fountain not far distant into which he cast it and then carried the same back to the Oratory of his Cell and going on a little further towards a Village seated near the River Epta which since took a new Name from this glorious Martyr he there consummated his Course and transmitted his blessed Soul to Heaven As for his Companion Cyrinus he being first dangerously wounded was by the Prayers of St. Clarus wonderfully restored to health The distinct place where this holy Martyr suffered is said to be in the Territory near Rouen in Normandy near the River Seyne S. Decumanus does himself wash his own Head after it was cut off St. Decumanus born of Noble Parents in the South-western parts of Wales forsaking his Countrey the more freely to give himself to Mortification and Devotion passed the River Severne upon a Hurdle of Rods and retired himself into a mountainous vast Solitude covered with Shrubs and Bryars where he spent his Life in the repose of Contemplation till in the end he was slain by a Murderer But it so hapned that when his Head was cut from his Body the Trunk raising it self up took the Head which it carried from the place where he was slain to a Spring not far off which flowed with a most chrystal Water in which with the Hands it washed the Blood away which Spring in memory of the Saint is to this day called St. Decumansis's Spring near to which place the Body together with the Head was Honourably buried by the neighbouring Inhabitants F. Cressi's Church-History p. 526. S. Ruadanus and S. Finnian Counterâ— Miracle one another St. Ruadanus obtained this special favour of God that from a certain Tree in his Cell Tilia it's call'd from the hour of Sun-setting till Nine a Clock the next Day dropt a Liquor of a peculiar taste pleasing to every Palate which then fill'd a Vessel which sufficed for a Dinner for him and all his Brotherhood and from Nine a Clock to Sun-setting it dropt half a Vessel fullâ— with which Strangers were entertained Upon the fame of this Miracle many of the Saints came to St. Finnian desiring him to go along with them to that place and persuade Ruadanus to live a Life common with others St. Finnian went with them and when they came to the Tree that gave the admirable Liquor he sign'd it with
their own Tongue Here here here neither did it cease to cry out in the same Words till it had brought them to the Place And to add to the Wonder there they found a mighty and fierce Wolf which with its Fore-feet held the Head as if appointed to watch and defend it from other Beasts When they were come the Wolf quietly resigned it to them so with joyful Hymns to God they carried and joyn'd it to the Body the Wolf in the mean time following it to the Place where they buried it after which the Beast returned into the Wood In all which time neither did the Wolf hurt any one neither did any one shew the least Intention to hurt the Wolf. F. Cressey's Church History P. 734 735 736. A Monk Divinely punished for his neglect to venerate the Holy Cross. A Monk of Glastenbury named Ailsi refusing to bow as others did to a Crucifix at last either out of Compunction or by Command of his Superior he bowed himself but a Voice proceeding from the Image said these words distinctly Now too late Ailsi now too late Ailsi Which Voice so affrighted him that falling down he presently expired St. Dunstan's Miracles ONce upon a time a mighty Beam from the top of the Church threatning the Destruction of many by its fall St. Dunstan with his Right hand making the sign of the Cross lift it up again Further As this Saint was praying one Night the Devil assails him in the shape of a Bear and endeavoured with his Teeth to snatch the Staff out of his Hands upon which the Man of God leaned he unaffrighted lifts up his Staff and followed the horrid Monster beating him and singing these words Let God arise and let his Enemies be scattered And the Ugly Phantasm vanished A Miracle to assert the Real Presence WHen St Odo was celebrating the Mass in the presence of certain of the Clergy of Canterbury who maintained that the Bread and Wine after Consecration do remain in their former substance and are not Christ's true Body and Blood but a Figure of it When he was come to Confraction presently the Fragments of the Body of Christ which he held in his hands began to pour forth blood into the Chalice Whereupon he shed tears of joy and beckning to them that wavered in their Faith to come near and see the wonderful Work of God as soon as they beheld it they cryed out O holy Prelate to whom the Son of God has been pleased to reveal himself visibly in the Flesh pray for us that the Blood we see here present to our Eyes may again be chaâ—ged but for our Unbelâ—ef the Divine Vengeance fall upon us he prayed accordingly after which looking into the Chalice he saw the Species of Bread and Wine where he had left Blood. How our Saviour let St. Wittekundus know the Worthy and Vnworthy Receivers St. Wittekundus in the Administration of the Eucharist saw a Child enter into every ones Mouth playing and smiling when some received him and with an abhorring Countenance when he went into the Mouths of others Christ thus shewing this Saint in his Countenance who were Worthy and who Unworthy Receivers St. Wereburga's Wild-Goose Miracle THE Memory of Wâ—lfere King of the Mercians received a great lustre from the wonderful Sanctity of his Daughter St. Wereburga Who after her Father's Death undertook a Religious Profession and by her Brother was persuaded to accept the Government of three Monasteries of Religious Virgins Frickingham since called Trent in Staffordshire Wedum and Hamburgh in Northamtonshire In this Station she not only found due Obedience from her Devout Daughtersâ— but even Irrational and Wild Creatures became subject to her Commandâ— as if by her Sanctity she had recovered that Empire which Man enjoy'd in his Primitive Innocence This will be made appear by her banishing from her Territory great flocks of Wild Geese for their Importunity and wastful Devouring her Corn and other Fruits The manner of it was as followeth There was near the Walls of the Town a Farm belonging to the Monastery the Corn whereof was much wasted by Flocks of wild Geese which the Steward of the place endeavouredâ— but in vain to chase away of which incommodity he made complaint to the Holy Virgin Whereupon she commanded him saying Go your ways and shut them all up in a House He wondering at so strange a Command thought the Saint spoke those words in jest But when she renew'd the same Injunction constantly and in a serious manner he returned amongst the Corn where seeing great numbers of such Fowl devouring the Grain he with a loud voice commanded them in his Mistrisses name to follow him Hereupon immediately they all in one Drove follow'd him and were shut up together in a House Now it hapned that a certain Servant privately stole one of the same Birds which he hid with intention to eat it The next morning early the Holy Virgin went to the House where after she had in a Chiding manner reprehended the Birds for usurping that which belonged not to them she commanded them to flâ—e away and not return Immediately the whole Army of them took wing but being sensible of the injury done them they flew not away but hovering over the Holy Virgins head with wonderful noise made complaint of their loss She hearing their importunate Clamours understood by Inspiration the cause thereof and after search made the Offender confessed his Theft whereupon she commanded the Bird to be restored to her Companions After which they all with one consent flew away so as that not any Bird of that kind was afterwards seen in that Territory And William of Malmsbury affirms That the stolen Bird was kill'd and again restored to life by the Saint F. Cressi's Church History p. 427. Of St. Justinian's being beheaded and of his crossing the Seas on foot afterwards with his Head in his hand St. Iustinian was born of a Noble Family in Lesser Britany where after having spent his Youth in Study and Learning he received the Order of Priesthood Then he travelled and at length came to an Island then called Lemency now Ramsy Afterwards he became St. David's Confessor and a mighty Promoter of Christianity This set the Devil to work against him and by that Enemy of Mankind's Instigation three of this holy Mans Servants who had been reprov'd by him for their Idleness and mispending their time rusht upon him threw him to the ground and most cruelly cut off his Head. But in the place where the sacred Head fell to the ground a Fountain of pure Water presently flow'd by drinking of which in following times many were miraculously restored to health But Miracles greater than these immediately succeeded his death For the Body of the blessed Martyr presently rose and taking the Head between the two Arms went down to the Sea shore and walking thence on the Sea passed over to the Port called by his Name and
much merit After devout Salutations and good Discourse the same Man of God gave to St. Patrick a Staff which he seriously affirmed had been bestowed on him immediately by the hand of our Lord Iesus himself who had appeared to him Now there were in the same Island at some distance other Men also who liv'd solitary Lives Of which some seem'd very fresh and youthful others were decrepid old Menâ— St. Patrick after some conversation with them was informed that those very old Men were Children to those who appeared so youthful At which being astonish'd and enquiring the occasion of so great a Miracle they thus acquainted him saying We from our Childhood by Divine Grace have been much addicted to Works of Mercy so that our Doors were always open to all Travellers which demanded Meat or Lodging On a certain Night it hapned that a Stranger having a Staff in his hand was entertain'd by us whom we used with all the Courtesie we could On the Morning after he gave us his Benediction and said I am Jesus Christ My Members you have hitherto oft ministred to and this Night entertain'd me in my own Person After this he gave the Staff which he had in his hand to a Man of God our Father both spiritually and carnally commanding him to keep it till in succeeding times a certain Stranger named Patrick should come to visit him and to him he should give it Having said this he presently ascended into Heaven And from that day we have remained in the same state of youthful Comliness and Vigour to this hour Whereas our Children who then were little Infants are now as you see become decrepid old Men. Farther in the vulgar Opinion with this Staff St. Patrick cast out of the Island all Venomous Beasts St. Patrick landed in the Province of Lenster in the Year 432. where having converted Sinel the Son of Finchado he directed his Journey into Ulster where one Dicon coming suddenly with Weapons intended to kill the Saint and his Companions But as soon as he saw the Holy Bishop's face he felt compunction in his heart led the Saint to his House had the Faith of Christ preacht to him and was converted While St. Patrick remain'd in Ireland the Holy Son of God shew'd him a Den into which whosoever entred and staid there the space of one Day and Night he was purged from all the Sins he had committed in his whole Life and continuing in the Love of God he might see all the Torments of the Wicked and the Joys of the Blessed And long after him an Irish Soldier in the Reign of King Stephen entred this Purgatory of St. Patrick saw all the Punishments there inflicted and had also a full view of the Terrestrial Paradise which Man lost by his Fall And at his return to Earth again gave the King a perfect Account of those Regions After eight years labouring in our Lord's Vineyard in Ireland to the Conversion of that Island St. Patrick return'd to Britany and so went on to Rome there to give an Account of his Apostleship At his return thence to his Native Countrey he retired to Glastenbury where he foretold with the Tongue and Spirit of Prophecy many unfortunate and many prosperous things which in â—uture times should befall Britany and moreover foresaw and foretold the Sanctity of St. David who was in his Mother 's Womb. And at last yielded to Nature in the thirty ninth year after his return to the said Island and was buried in the Old Church on the Right hand of the Altar by Direction of an Angel a great flame likewise in the sight of all breaking forth in the same place He lived one hundred and eleven years Certain Irish Saints that performed Wonderful Conversions St. Rioch entertained St. AEdus the Bishop and set a great Supper of Flesh before him but the Bishop would not eat Flesh but blessing the Meat it was turned into Bread and Fish and Honey And in the Life of St. Moedoc we are told That when St. Molua had killed a fat Calf for to receive him hearing that St. Moedoc did not eat Flesh he blessed eight pieces of Flesh and they became eight Fishes but the Bishop knowing by Inspiration how they were made Fishes he blessed them again and they were turned again into eight pieces of Flesh which St. Malua seeing he was displeased for he had no other Fishes in his Monastery and therefore before them all he blessed them again and they became right Fishes the second time and here the Contest ceased and for the Honour of St. Molua he was contented to seed upon them FINIS Some Books lately printed for R. Baldwin THE Tryal of Philip Stansfield Son to Sir Iames Stansfield of New-Milns for the murther of his Father and other Crimes Libell'd against him Feb. 7. 1688. The Revolter A Tragi-comedy Acted between the Hind and Panther and Religio Laici c. An Historical Relation of several Great and Learned Romanists who did embrace the Protestant Religion with the Reasons of their Change delivered in their own Words Collected chiefly from the most Eminent Historians of the Roman Persuasion to which is added a Catalogue of several Great Persons of the Roman Catholick Religion who hath all along oppos'd the Tenets of the Church of Rome A Letter of Advice to a Young Lady being Motives and Directions to establish her in the Protestant Religion written by a Person of Honour and made publick for the use of that Sex. A Seasonable Collection of Plain Texts of Scripture in words at length against several Points in the Romish Religion for the Use of English Protestants Trid. Catech Sub Artic. Symbol descendit ad Inferos Sect. 5. Flowers of the Lives of the Saints p. 223. The Flowers of the Lives of the Saints p. 324. The Flowers of the Lives of the Saints p. 793. Matt. Paris F. 181. The Flowers of the Lives of the Saints p. 828. Flowers of the Lives of the Saints p. 830. Flowers of the Lives of the Saints P. 856. * Part 4. Sum Major tit 14. ca. 10. de Septemp Purg. Sect. 7. * Sermones discipuli de tempore de sanctis promptuâ—rio exemplorum in the 160 Serm. of the Souls Of Prayer for Souls Departed P. 211. Eldred In vit Ed. Confess Cressey's Ch. Hist. p. 30â— Malms de Gest. Pontific L. 2. P. 350. F. Cressy's Church History p. 876. Sarisbury Breviary Lesson â—â— F. Cressy's Church History p. 842. Bollandâ— in vita ejus ad Jan 7. p. â—84 Malmsbur de Pontif. L. 4. Ap. Capgrav S. Wereburga Ap. Capgrav In Iustiniano Baron ad A. D. 653. Harcus in Martyrolog 7. Octob. Capgrav in S. Ositha Martyrolog Gall 4. Novemb. Ap. Capgrav in S. Claro A. D. 706. Martyr Angl. 27. August Capgrav in vit S. Decumani Ap. Capgrav Colganus vita Finniani 23 Febr. p. 395. Father Cressy's Church-History l. 13. c. 18. B. l. â— c. 2. The state of Church Affairs in this Island under British Kings The state of Church Affairs in this Island under the British Kings P. 115 Londonâ— Printed by N. Thomps 1687 The state of Church Affairs under the British Kings p. 138. Ib. p. 141. Ib. p. 146. Act. Sanctor Mart. 3. p. 25. Bull. Act. Sanct. in vit Genulph ad Jan. 17. The State of Church Affairs in this Island under British Kings p. 89. L. Herbert's History of Henry the Eighth p. 494. Genoni Chronicon SS Dei parve p. 177. Gonon Ibid. p. 176. Wickman's Sabbatismus Marianus p. 73. Polyd. Virgil. Angli Hist. Lib. 13. Hovedenâ— Hist. p. 299. Antonin Hist. To. 2. p. 70â— Antonin Hist. To. 2. p. 706. Harpsfields's Hist. Eccl. Angl. p. 334. Capgrave in the Life of St. Thomas f 292. Hoveden Hist. p. 299. Caesarius Dialog dist 8. c. 70. Festiv fol. 80. Antoninus loc citat p. 707. Lambert's Peramb of Kent p. 143. Antoninus Ibid. Capgr vit St. Cuthbert fol. 78. W. Sumner Antiq. of Canter p. 249. Cited by Foulis History of Popish Treasons c. p. 17. Brev. Roman antiq lect 9. * Membris genitalibus privati Stanihurâ—t ap Haraeum 17. Mart. St. Beda Antiq. Gluâ—â—on in Patricio Horaevas in Patricio Iocelin in vit S. Patricii c. 13. In Antiq. Glaston in Patricio Stanihurst in vit S. Patric Ap. Capgrav in S. Patricio Iocelin in vit S. Patricii c 26. Girald Cambrens in topograph l. 34. Matt. Paris fol. 73. Capgrave in Patric Jocelin in Patricio Antiâ— Glaston in Patricio Gul. Malmsbu Avam de Domerham Joan. Monachuâ— Colganus ad 6 Feb. in vitam St. Riochi per 268. Colganus Act Sanct. Hibern ad â—ac 31. p. 221.