persuade king Redwald that neyther he himselfe shuld hurte yowe nor yealde yowe vp to your enemies that they myght slaye yow When Edwyne answered that he would geaue all that he possible could to anie suche a one for reward of so good a turne this maÌ„ added moreouer and sayde But what if besyde this he do warrant you that ye shal be a kinge and all your enemies vanquished yea and that in suche sorte that you shall not only excell all your auncient progenitours but also far passe in powre all the kinges of Englishemen which haue euer ben in this couÌ„trie Here Edwyne being made more firme and constant by ofte questioning doubted not to promis that in all pointes and at all tymes he wold be answerable with worthie thankes geauing to the man that shuld bestowe on him such greate benefites Then this man spake the thyrd tyme and sayde But tell me againe what yf besyde all this the same man which sheweth yow now before truly and vnfaynedly that yow shall hereafter surely and vndoubtedly doubtedly haue suche and so greate benefites can geaue yowe also better couÌ„sell and more profitable for your sowles health and saluation then euer any your parentes and auncesters heard of could ye then consent and obey him and harken to his holsome sayenges Here Edwyne promised owt of hand without anie lenger delaye that he would altogether followe his lerning and doctrine which both could and would deliuer him presently from so manie miseries and so greate daungers as he was in and exalte him afterward to the raygne and souerantie of his countrie Which his answer was heard and taken Then this man straightwaye which had so long talked with him layde his right hande vpon Edwines heade and said when these thinges therfore shall happen herafter in suche sorte to yowe remember well this tyme and this our talke And differ not at that time to fulfil and accomplishe this that yow do nowe promesse me Which being sayde by and by he vanished awaye To the entent that Edwine might vnderstand and perceaue that it was no man but a ghoste which appeared to him Now when this younge prince was lefte alone and sate there solitarie reioysing with himselfe for this gentle consolation and good comforte but yet very careful and muche counting with himselfe who it shuld be or whence he shuld come which had thus spoken and talked familiarly with him beholde his forsayd frende came againe and greating him cherfully Arise Edwine sayde he and come in Let passe this your carke and cares Set your harte at rest and take your quiet sleape For the kinges minde is chaunged Neither dothe he purpose nowe or intend to doe yow any wronge but ratheâ— to defend yowe and accomplishe his promised fayth vnto yowe For after he had shewed the Quene in secret that his purpose which I told yowe of before â—he dehorted him moste ernestly and withdrew him from so euill and so deadly an intention saying that it was in no wise mete for suche a king of so greate proweâ—e and honour as he was to sell his best and derest frend being now browght into straightes and miserie for a litle gold Nor that he should breake his faith and promesse which owght to be more estemed then al treasures or not bide by his word for the coueit and loue of monie But to be shorte the king did euen as his Ladie had counselled him to doe For he not only not betrayed and yelded to thembassadours this his banished man Edwine but helped him rather to the kingdome For as sone as these embassad ours were thus with deniall departed home againe he gathered incontineÌ„tly a myghtie armie to conquer king Edelfrede Whome he slewe without difficultie bicause he marched forth against him hastely and with a weake and vnordred oste in the borders of the Marchland men at the Este syde of the riuer called Idle For in deade kinge Edelfride had not time and space enowgh grawnted him to gather all his force together and to ioygne his powre with well disposing his hoste and sowldiers in order In this skirmishe Renier king Redwalds sonne was slayne And thus Edwin according to the oracle which he had receiued not only auoyded the dawnger of his most dedly enemie but also by his death succeded in thonor of his Souerainte and kingdome Now therfore to returne againe vnto my purpose thowgh Bishop Pawline seriously preched the word of God yet kinge Edwine slacked and lengered to beleaue him Vsing yet for a certaine space at diuers competent howres to sitte solitarie as I haue sayde before and diligently to compte with him selfe what were best to be donne and what religion was best to be folowed At which solitary meditation of the prince this good and godly bishoppe Pawline entred on a daye in to the palace and cominge to the kinge laied his right hand on his heade and asked hym whether he remembred that sygne or no The king sodenly trembled therat for feare And when he wold haue fallen downe at Paulinus feate the bishoppe lyfted him vppe and spake after a familiar sorte thus vnto him Behold o Soueraine Prince by the bountifull hand and powre of our Lorde and God you haue eskaped the hande and vengeance of your moste hated and dredfull enemie Behold also by his most gratiouse goodnes you haue obtained the Soueraintie of raigne and rule of the kingdome Remember now therfore the third thinge which yowe promised him and differ no lenger to performe and accomplishe the same by receauing his faithe and keaping his commaundements who hath deliuered you from your temporall aduersities and exalted you to the honour and maieste of a king Whose holy will yf you will hereafter obey and euer more doe his pleasure which by me he preacheth and declareth to yowe he will also deliuer you from the perpetuall tormente of hell and make you partakener with him in heauen of eternall kingdome and blesse without end What counsell king Edwyne had of the nobles and peares of his royalme for the receiuing of Christian faithe and how one of his Bisshops profaned and brake downe the Idols aulters The 13. Chapter WHich worde when the kinge heard he answered immediatly bothe that he would and also that he was bounde to receaue this faithe which B. Pauline had preched and taught But yet I thinke it good quoth he first to confer and common herof with my frendes the nobilitie and peares of my realme that if they shall happely thinke herein as I doe then we maye be Christened all together in the founte of lyfe Whereunto when Byshop Pauline agreed king Edwyne calling the states together consulted with them And asked seuerally eche of them what maner of doctrine this semed to be which vntill that daye had neuer ben head of before And how they liked the honour and worshipping of this new God whiche was preached nowe emongest them To whome Bishop Coyfi first of all his Bishops
country Writing thus Vnto his deare beloued son Mellitus abbat Gregorius the seruaunt of the seruauntes of God After the departure of you and the company which was with you we wer in dought what becam of you for that we could heare nothing how you sped in yower iourny When then God shall bring you vnto our reuerend brother Augustine bishop tell him what I haue of longe time deuised with my selfe of the cause of the English men That is to with that not the temples of the Idols but the Idoles which be in them be broken that holy water be made and sprinkled about the same temples altars buylded relikes placed For if the sayd churches be well made it is nedefull that they be altered frō the worshipping of diuels in to the seruice of God that whiles the people doth not see their temples spoiled they may forsaking their error be moued the more ofte to haunt their wont place to the honor and seruice of God And for that they are wōte to kill oxē in sacrifice to the diuells they shal vse the same slaughter now but chaunged to a better purpose It may therefore be permitted them that in the dedication dayes or other solemne daies of martyrs they maketh them bowers about their churches and feasting together after a good religious sorte kill their oxen now to the refreshing of them selues to the praise of God and encrease of charite which before they wer wont to offer vp in sacrifice to the diuells that whiles sum outward comfortes ar reserued vnto them they may thereby be brought the rather to the inward comfortes of grace in God For it is doutlesse impossible from men being so rooted in euell customes to cut of all their abuses vppon the sodaine He that laboreth to clim vpp vnto a highe place he goeth vpward by steppes and pases not by leapes So vnto the childrē of Israel being in Aegipt our Lord was wel knowē But yet he suffered them to doe sacrifice vnto him still in offring vp of beastes vnto him which otherwise they wold haue offered vpp vnto the diuels as they wer wont to doe in the land of Egypt that altering their intente they should leue sum and also kepe sum of their ould sacrifices that is that the beastes which they offred before they should now offer still But yet in offring them vnto the true God and not vnto the diuels they should not be the same sacrifices in all pointes as they wer before These be the thinges which I think expedient you declare vnto our sayd brother to th entent that he being there may consider with him selfe how ech thing is to be disposed God kepe you in helth dearly beloued son in Christ. Geuen the xv day of Iune The xix yere of the raigne of our soueraine Lord Mauricius Tyberius emperour and the xvij yere after his consulship Indictione quarta A letter of S. Gregorie to Augustine exhorting him that he should not glorie in him selfe of his vertues and miracles The. 31. Chap. ABout this time he sent Augustine an epistle touching such miracles as he had knowen to be done by the said Augustine In the which epistle he exhorteth him that he should take no pride of minde therefore I know saith he deare brother that it pleaseth god to shewe by thee great miracles amōg the people which by thee he hath called to his faith Wherevpon it is nedefull that of that heauenly gifte both thou ioyest with feare and fearest with ioye Thou hast to ioye for that by meanes of the said miracles the Englishmens soules are wonne to the faith Thou hast to feare leste through the miracles which be don by thee thy weake mind be lifted vp in presumption falling as farre inwardly by vaine glory as thou arte by outward praise puffed vp We must remember that the disciples returning with ioy from their preaching when they saied vnto their heauenly master Lorde in thy name the very diuells were obedient vnto vs it was by and by aunswered vnto them Doe you not reioyce tereat but rather reioyce for that your names are written in heauen For they had fastened their mind vppon a priuate and temporall ioye when they ioyed of their miracles But Christ calleth them backe from priuate ioy vnto commune and from temporall to eternall when he said Ioy for that your names are written in heauen For not all the chosen of god doth miracles but yet all their names are written in heauen For why They which be the disciples of the truth ought to ioye in nothing but only in that good thing which all other good shall haue as well as they and whereof they all shall haue ioy without ende This therefore remaineth deare beloued brother that of the thinges whiche by the power of god thou workest outwardly thou exactly euer discusse thy selfe inwardly and thourouly vnderstand both thy selfe who thou arte and what plenty of grace god hath bestowed vppon that countrie for whose sake to th entēt it might be the rather conuerted thou hast receiued the gift of working miracles And if thou remember that thou haste at any time ether by worde or dede offended god haue that euer in thy remembraunce that the ofte thinking vppon thy synne may presse doune the mounting pride of thy hart And what so euer grace thou ether hast or shalt receiue to worke miracles think it geuen thee not for thine owne sake but for theirs the minister of whose saluation thou art ordained How Saynt Gregorie sent letters and presentes to king Ethelberte The 32. Chapter THe said holy pope Gregorie at the selfe same time sent vnto king Ethelberte a letter with rich presentes of diuerse sortes doing vnto the king temporall honours which through his helpe was growē in knowledg of the glory of heauen The coppy of the said letter is this Vnto the right honorable and his most worthy sonne Ethelbert king of the English Gregorie bishop God almighty for this cause dothe calle good men to the gouernaunce of his people that by their handes he may distribute the giftes of his mercy and grace vnto all such ouer whom they haue the gouernaunce Which thing we know to haue ben done among the nation of the English ouer whom you are chosen to haue the rule that by the giftes of God employed vppon you the like benefites of grace might by your meanes be geuen to all such as are vnder your dominiō And therfor O Noble Son labour diligently to kepe the grace which you haue receiued from god and seeke with spede to set forth the faith of Christ to your subiectes Haue a good zele to procure the conuersion of as many as you can possibly forbid the worshipping of Idoles ouerthrow their temples edifie the maners of your people with exāple of your owne integrite with wordes of exhortation feare fayer speach and well doing that he may be your rewarder in heauen whose knowledg and name you make to be enlarged vppon the earth
waggene walke but lyke a stone set fast in one place so are they buylded vpp hauing no vnderstanding in the wordle but be dull with insensiblenes hitselfe and starcke deade Therfore we can not by any discretion and iugement finde owte vppon what blindnes and deceite of minde ye worshipp and obey those Godes to whome your owne selues haue geauen the image and representance of a bodie Yt behoueth you then to receiue nowe the signe of that holie crosse by which mankinde was redemed and execrating all dangerous deceites of the dyuell shake from your hart his subtiltie and guyle who euer maliceth and enuyeth at the workes of Godes goodnes Yt behoueth yowe also to set handes on these Godes which hetherto ye haue made your selfe of one metal or other Ye must I saye teare thē rent them and squasshe them to peeces For the verie dissoluing and breaking of them that neuer had lyue sprite or breathe in them nor could not by any meanes take of their makers sense and feeling the breaking I saye of them shall playnly shew yow that in deade it was nothing at all which yow haue hitherto so reuerently worshipped Wheras yow are your selfe far better then they be For yow haue receiued of our Lorde a lyue sprite and Almightie God hath browght yow althowgh by manie ages and diuers degrees and kindreds from the stocke of the first man Adam Whome God himselfe made and gaue life vnto Come yow therfore to the acknowleging of him that hath created yow that hath breathed into yow the sprite of life that for your redēption hath sent his only begotten sonne who should take yow owt of originall sinne and reward yow after with the ioyes of heauen being now delyuered from the diuels powre and malice Receiue ye therfore the wordes of the prechers and harken to the gospell of God whiche they shew yow that beleuing as we haue alredie sayde in God the father and Iesus Christ his sonne and in the holie Ghost that blessed and inseparable Trinite forsaking al honour and worshipp to diuels and expelling from yow the ernest entising of that poysoned and your most deceytfull enemie ye maye be borne againe by water and the holie ghost and by the only healpe and bountifulnes of God dwell with God in whome ye shall beleaue in all brightnes of euerlasting glorie And here we haue sent yow the blessing of S. Peter heade of thapostels and your good guide and gouernour that is a sherte laide with gold and a cloke of the finest sorte we haue from Ancyra Which we beseche your hyghnes to acept with so good a hart and will as ye vnderstande it is sent from vs. How this Pope exhorted the Quene also that she shuld diligently and ernestly seeke for the kinges saluation The. 11. Chap. THis bishop sent also letters to the Quene And the transcript of that epistle which this holie and Apostolike Pope Boniface directed from Rome to Quene Edelburge wyfe to kinge Edwyne was suche To the most high and veriuous Princesse Quene Edelburge his dere daughter bishop Boniface seruant to thē that serue God The boūtifulnes of our redemer by his greate prouidence hath offred mankinde whome by the shedding of his owne pretiouse bloude he hath deliuered from the bonde and captiuite of the dyuel sundry waies and manie healpes by which they might be saued insinuating by diuers meanes into the mindes of gentiles the knowledge of his name that therby they might be Christened and acknowledge their creatour Which thinge that it hath ben by the gifte of God bestowed on your honour the mysticall regeneration of your purifying in baptisme doth plainly declare And truly our hart hath ioyfully reioysed for this greate benefite of our Lordes bountefulnes to yow who hath vouchesafed to enkendle a sparke of right religiō in you being now cōuerted to him that therby he might after easely enflame with the loue and knowleadg of him self the harte and mindes not only of your most renomed and dere husbād but also of al your subiectes For we haue lerned by thē which came to declare vnto vs the laudable conuersion of our most gratious and wel beloued son kinge Audubald that your honour also after ye had receiued the wōderful sacramēt and veryte of Christiā faith do shyne and excel in good workes and such as be euer pleasaūt in the sight of God Therfore let your highnes refraine alwaies and diligētly kepe you self from worshipping of idols frō thalluremēte of tēples and from fond south saynges And so persisting with a sure and vnchāgeable deuotiō in the loue of your redemer watch ye and labour neuer ceassing to bestow your paines cōtinually to thēcrease and enlarging of Christiā faith For when as for our fatherly charite we had enquired sumwhat of the state of youre derely beloued husband we vnderstoode that he serued and obeyed so far furth to the abomination of idolatrie that he wold not yet shewe anie obedience or geue eare to the voice and counsell of Gods preachers which newes was vnto vs no small griefe that a parte of your owne bodie shulde remaine in this sorte alienated from knowledge of the highest and the inseparable holy Trinite wherefore as becometh a father to doe we haue differred no lenger to send vnto you our daughter in Christe Iesu our good counsell and frendfull warninge Exhorting you that whereas ye are now your selfe endued with Gods grace and diuine inspiration ye differ not henceforth to be instant at all times warning him in season or out of season and still calling on him vntill he also by the healping hand of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe may be coupled with you in the number of Christians that you may so much the better and with a surer bond of societe accōpany him and hold the lawes and rightes of wedlock with him For it is writē They shal be ij in one fleshe and how can it be sayd that there is vnite of coniunction betwene yowe yf your husband by the darknes of detestable errour shall abide still alienated from the brightnes of your faith Ceasse not therfore to aske with continuall prayer of the greate mercie and longe suffringe of our Lorde the benefite of his illumining and conuersion that whom the knotte of carnall affection hath made now as one bodie those also the vnitie of faith may preserue in perpetuall societe after their dedeparture out of this life Be you then instant most vertuous daughter and with endeuour hasten spedely to mollefie the hardnes of his harte with godly remembraunces and diuine precepts Shew him plainly how excellēt a misterie it is that you by beleuing haue your self obtained And how meruailous a rewarde you shall haue hereafter bicause yow are nowe regenerat by baptisme Enflame his colde stony harte with ofte expressing the manyfolde graces of the holy ghost That he settinge a side by suche often exhortations this bodely and earthly worshipping of Idols the heate
predecessours had before him ouer the prouinces of the Marshes and myddle english and also of Lindisfar dioecese In all whiche countrees VVulpher who yet lyued dyd holde the crowne and scepter This VVinfrid was of the clergy of the same byshop whome he succeded and had executed the office of deacon vnder him no small tyme. Howe by shopp Colman leauing England made two monasteries in Scotland one for Scottes and an other for the English men that he had browght with him The. 4. Chap. IN the meane tyme byshop Colman who was a Scottish byshop lefte England and tooke with him all the Scottes that he had gathered together in the I le of Lindisfar and abowt xxx englysh men also which were all browght vp in the orders of monasticall lyfe and conuersation And leauing in his owne churche certaine bretherne he came first to the I le of Hij from whence he was first sent to preache the word of God to the English men Afterward he went to a certaine litle I le which lieth on the west syde cut of a good way from Ireland and is called in the Scottysh tonge Inhisbowinde that is to saye VVhitecalfe I le In to whiche he came and buylte a monasterie and placed the monkes in the same which he had browght with him and gathered of bothe nations Whiche bicawse they cowld not agree together for that the Scottes in somer tyme when haruest was getting in wold leaue the monasteries and go wander abrode in places of their acquayntaunce and than at winter wold come againe and require to enioy in cōmon such thinges as the english mē had prouided and layed vp Colman seking remedie for this discorde and vewing all places far and nere found at length in Ireland a mete place for his purpose called in the Scottish tonge Magio Of that grounde he bought a small parcell to buyld a monasterie therein of the Erle that possessed the same vppon this condition with all that the monkes there abydinge shoulde remembre in their praiers the Lorde of the soile who lett them haue that place Thus the monasterie being spedely erected by the helpe of the Erle and of all such as dwelled thereby he placed the Englishmen alone therein the Scottes being leafte in the foresaid Iland The which monasterie vnto this day is holden of Englishmen and is the same which is commonly called Iniugeo being nowe much enlarged and amplified of that it was at first This monastery also all thinges being since brought to a better order hath in it at this present a notable company of vertuous monkes that come thither out of England and liue after the example of the worthy olde fathers vnder their rule and appointed Abbat in great continencie and synceritie getting their lyuing with the labour of their owne handes Of the death of king Oswin aud king Egbert and of the Synode made at Hereford at which the Archebishop Theodore was chiefe and president The. 5. Chap. THe yere of the incarnation of our Lorde 670. whiche was the second yere after that Theodore came to England Oswy king of Northumberland was taken with a greuous sickenesse whereof he dyed the yere of his age lviij Who at that time bare such loue and affection to the Apostolike see of Rome that if he might haue scaped his sicknes he purposed to go to Rome and to end his lyfe in those holy places there hauing for that purpose intreated bishop Wilfride to be his guyde in his iourney and promised him a greate somme of mony to cōduct him thither But he departed this life in that sickenesse the xv day of Februarie and leafte Egfride his sonne enheritour of the realme In the third yeare of whose raigne Theodore gathered a Councell of bishops with many other doctours and prelates of the churche suche as diligently studied and knewe the canonicall statutes and ordinances of the fathers Who being assembled together he began with such minde and zeale as became a bishop to teache diligently to obserue those thinges that were conuenient for the vnitie and peace of the churche The forme and tenour of whiche Synode is this In the name of our Lorde God and Sauiour Christ Iesus who raigneth and gouuerneth his church for euer it semed good vnto vs to assemble our selues together according to the custome prescribed in the ecclesiasticall Canons to treate of necessarie affaires of the church we the bishops vndernamed that is I Theodore although vnworthy appointed by the See Apostolike Archebishop of Caunterbury our felowe priest and brother the most reuerend bishop of the Eastenglish B. Bisi our felow priest and brother VVilfrid bishop of the Northumbrians by his deputed legates present Also our felowe priestes and brethern Putta bishop of Rochester Leutherius bishop of the West Saxons and VVinfrid bishop of the Marshes or Middleenglish men we all being assembled together and placed euery one in order in the church of Hereforde the xxiiij of September in the first Indiction I beseke you saied I most derely beloued brethern for the feare and loue of our Redemer let vs all in common treate and debate such thinges as appertaine to the right faith keging vprightly and straighly the decrees and determinations of our lerned auncetours and holy fathers These and such like thinges for the preseruation of charite and vnite amonge vs and in the church when I had saied and made an end of that exhortation and preface I demaunded of eche of them in order whether they agreed to kepe those thinges which are canonically decreed of the auncient fathers of old time Whereto al our fellow priestes aunsweared and saied It pleaseth vs all very well that those things which the canons of the holy fathers haue defined and appointed we all do kepe and obserue the same And then straight way did I bringe furth vnto them the booke of canons and out of the same booke I shewed before them ten articles which I had noted out of diuerse places bycause I knew them to be most necessarie for vs and I besought them that the same mougthe be receaued and kepte diligently of all men The first article was that we al in common do kepe the holy feast of Ester on the sonday after the xiiij day of the moone in the moneth of Marche The second that no bishop should haue ought to do in an others diocese but be contented with the chardge of the people committed vnto him The third that no bishop should moleste or anye wise troble such monasteries as were consecrated and giuen to God nor violently take from thē ought that was theirs The fourth that monks shuld not go from place to place that is to say from one monasterie to an other onlesse by the leaue of their own abbot but should continew in the obedience which they promised at the time of their cōuersiō and entring into religiō The fift that none of the clergy forsaking his own bishop shuld runne vp
and down wher he list nor whē he came any whither should be receaued without letters of commendation from his diocesan And if that he be ones receaued and will not retourne being warned and called both the receauer and he that is receaued shall incurre the sentence of excommunication The sixte that such bishops and clerkes as are strangers be content with such hospitalitie as is giuen them and that it be laufull for none of them to execute any office of a priest without the permission of the bishop in whose diocese they are knowen to be The seuenth that whereas by the auncient decrees a synode and conuocation ought to be assembled twise a yere yet bicause diuerse inconueniences doo happen amonge vs it hath semed good to vs all that it should be assembled onse a yere the first day of August at the place called Clofeshooh The eight that no bishop should ambitiously preferre him selfe before an other but should all acknowledge the time and order of their consecration In the ix article it was generally entreated that the nomber of bishops should be encreased the nomber of Christian folke waxing daily greater but hereof at this time we sayed no farther The x. for mariages that noman cōmit aduoutrie nor formication that noman forsake his owne wife but for only fornication as the holy ghospell teacheth And if any man put away his wif being laufully maried vnto him if he wil be a right Christian man let him be ioyned to none other but let him so continewe still sole or els be reconciled againe to his owne wife And thus these articles being in common treated of and agreed vpon that no offence of contention should ryse from any of vs hereafter or any other decrees should be published in stede of these it semed good that eche of vs should confirme these thinges that were decreed subscribing thereto with his owne hand Which sentence and somme of our appointement I gaue Titillus the notarie to write out Yeuen the moneth and Indiction aboue written Who soeuer therefore go about any wise to doo against this ordinaunce and sentence prescribed according to the decrees of the canons and confirmed also with our consent and subscribinge of our handes let him knowe himselfe in so doinge to be excluded from all charge and office of priesthood and also from our felowship and companie The grace of God kepe vs safe liuing in the vnitie of his holy churche This synode was kepte the yere from thincarnation of our Lord 673. in which yere Ecgbert king of kent died in Iulie and his brother Lother succeded him in the kingdome the which he enioyed xj yeres and vij moneths Bisi also Bishop of the East english who was present at the foresaid Synode did succede Bonifacius of whom we made mētion aboue This Bisi was a man of much holynes and deuotion and when Boniface was dead after he had bene bishop xvij yeres this man was made bishop in his place being consecrated and appointed ther to by Theodore This Bisi yet liuing but greuously vexed with sickenesse in such sort that he could not execute the office of a bishop two other for him Aecci and Badwine wer chosen and consecrated bishops from which time vnto this day that prouince hath bene wont to haue two bishoppse How VVinfride was deposed and Sexulfe made bishop in his place and Ercanwald made bishop of the East Saxons The. 6. Chapter NOt long after these thinges were done Theodore tharchebishop being off ended with VVinfrid bishop of the Marshes for a certaine crime of disobedience deposed him of his bishopprike not many yeres after that he had receaued the same and in his place appointed Sexulphe for bishop who was the builder and Abbot of the monasterie that is called Medes hansted in the countre of the Giruians Which VVinfride being deposed retourned to his monasterie which is named Artbearue and there ended his life in holy conuersation At that time also when Sebbe and Sighere of whome we spake before ruled the east Saxons tharchebishop appointed ouer them Earconwald to be their bishop in the citie of London The life and conuersation of which man both before he was bishop and after was reported and taken for most holy as also euen yet the signes and tokens of heauenly vertues and miracles do well declare For vntill this day his horselitter being kept and reserued by his scholers wherein he was wont to be caried when he was sicke and weake doth daily cure such as haue agewes or are diseased any otherwise And not only the sicke parties that are put vnder or layed by the sayd horselitter be so healed but also the chippes and pieces that are cut of from it and brought to the sicke folke are wont to bring them spedie remedie This man before he was made bishop had builded two goodly monasteries one for him selfe and an other for his syster Edilburge and had instructed and disposed thē both very well with good rules and disciplines That which was for himself was in Surry by the riuer of Thems at the place that is called Crotesee that is to say the I le of Crote And that other for his syster in the prouince of the East Saxons at the place that is called Berching where she should be a mother of Nonnes And so in dede after she had taken vpon her the rule of the sayd monasterie she behaued herselfe in all thinges as became one that had a byshop to her brother both for her owne vertuowse lyuing and also in the good and godly guyding of them that were vnder her chardge Which thing was also well proued by miracles from heauen Howe in the monasterie of Berking it was shewed by a light from heauen in what place the bodyes of the nonnes should be buried The. 7. Chapter FOr in this monasterie many wonderfull signes of vertues and miracles were shewed which for the memorie and edifieng of thaftercommers are yet kept of many men being written of them that knewe the same Some of the which we will also put in our ecclesiasticall historie When the tempest of the same plage so often mentioned storming ouer all the Ilond came to this monasterye and had entred vpon that part thereof where the men dyd lyue and dayly one or other was taken owt of the worlde to our Lorde this good mother being carefull of her companie at such tyme as also the same visitation of God towched that part of the monasterie in whiche the flocke of Goddes hand maydes dwelled by them selues from the mens companye began ofte tymes in the couent to aske the sisters in what place abowt the monasterie they wold haue their bodies to be layed against suche tyme as it showlde happen them to be taken out of this world with the same hand of Gods visitation as other were And when she could get no certaine awnswere of the systers although she often enquired the same of them she receaued both her selfe
baylie vnder whome he was and tolde him of the gifte that he had receaued and being browght to the Abbesse he was commaunded in the presence of many learned men to tell his dreame and rehearse the song that it might by the iudgement of them all be examyned and tryed what or whence the thing was which he reported And it semed to them all that some heauenly grace and gifte was graunted him of our Lorde For more triall whereof they recited vnto him the processe of some holy storie or example willing him if he cowld to tourne the same into meter and verse Which he tooke vpon him to doo and went his way and on the morowe after came againe and browght the same made in very good meter which they had willed him to doo Whereupon straight way the Abbesse acknowledging and embracing this grace and gifte of God in the man enstructed and exhorted him to forsake the world and the lyfe thereof and to take the monasticall lyfe and profession vpon him Which he did and was thereupon by the commaundment of the Abbesse placed in the company of the bretherne and by her appointement tawght and enstructed in the course of holy scripture But he what soeuer he cowld heare and learne would afterwarde thinke vpon the same againe by him selfe and chewinge theron lyke a cleane beast at his cudd would turne it into very swete meter and melodiously singinge the same made his teachers to become his hearers againe His songes were of the creation of the world and beginnyng of mankynd and al the storie of Genesis of the going of Israel out of Aegipt and their entring into the land of promise and of many other histories of the holy scriptures Of thin carnation of our Lord of his passion resurrectiō and ascensiō into heauē of the cōming of the holy ghost of the doctrine and preaching of the Apostles Also he was wont to make many songes and meters of the dread of domes day and iudgement to come of the horrible paynes of hell and of the ioyes and swetenes of the kingdome of heauen And many other also of the benefits and iudgementes of God In al which his endeuour was to pull away men from the loue of wickednesse and styrre them vp to the loue and readinesse of vertue and good lyfe For he was a man very deuout and religiouse and humbly obedient to his rules and disciplines And very zelouse and feruently bent against them that would doo otherwise And therefore he ended his lyfe with a good ende For when the houre of his departing was at hande he was taken before and diseased xiiij dayes with bodyly sickenesse and yet so temperatly that he might all that tyme both speake and walke There was there by a litle house into whiche they that were sicke were wont to be brought and such as were lykely shortly to dye This man desyred him that serued him the same eueninge before the night that he should depart out of the world to go and prouide him a place to reast and lye in that house The other maruailed why he desired the same for he was nothing likely to dye so sone But yet he did as he was bid When they were there placed and were meryly talking and sporting amonge themselues and them that were there before being now about midnight he asked and enquired of them all whether they had the sacrament there within What nede quoth they is there of the sacrament for your tyme is not come to dye yet that are so meryly talking with vs as a man in good health But yet quoth he againe doo ye bring me hither the sacrament Which when he had taken in his hand he asked them whether they were all of a quiet minde and persit charitie toward him without any quarell grudge debate and rancour They aunsweared all that they were of very good mynd and will toward him and far from al wrath and displeasure and they asked him againe whether he bare good will and affection toward them He aunsweared by and by I do beare my dere children a quiet and good mynd to all Gods seruauntes And there withall arming him selfe with that heauenly foode made him ready to enter into the other lyfe Then he asked howe nyghe the houre was that the bretherne should ryse to saye their night laudes and seruice to our Lord◠It is not far of quoth they Wel than quoth he let vs abyde and tarie for that houre And blessinge himselfe with the signe of the holy crosse he layd downe his head on the bolster and so falling a litle in a slomber ended his lyfe in quiet and silence And thus God wrought with him that euē as he had serued our Lord with a simple plaine pure mynde and quiet deuotion so lykewise he might come to the fight and vision of God leauing this worlde with a quiet and still death And that also the tounge whiche had made and inuented so many goodly meters and holesome wordes in the prayse of the creatour of all might conclude and shut vp the last wordes in the praise and lawde of the same blessing himselfe and commending his spirite into the hands of our Lord. It appereth also by these thinges that we haue tolde that he knewe before and forsawe the time of his departing Of a vision that appered to a certaine man of God before that the monasterie of the towne Colodon was burned The 25. Chap. ABout this time the monasterie of virgins which standeth in the towne of Coludon of which we haue made mention aboue was through negligence by a great misfortune consumed with fire Which thing notwithstanding happened also for the wyckednes of them that dwelled in the same and specially of the chief and elders thereof as all men might easyly see that knewe it And the open scourge of God dyd mercifully whippe them euen at the beginning that being thereby corrected they might lyke the Niniuites tourne awaye the wrath of the iust iudge from them by fastings weaping and prayers In the same monasterie there was a certaine man a Scotborne named Adaman leading a very deuout lyfe vnto God in chastitie abstinence and prayer in such sort that he neuer dyd eate nor drinke saue only eche Sonday and thursday and oftētimes also he passed ouer whole nightes watching in prayer which straightnes of hard lyfe he began at the first of dewtie and necessitie to amend his former syn and ylliuing but in processe of time he had tourned that necessitie into a continuall custome For whereas in his youth he had committed a certain greuouse offense and sin that coming ofte to his mynd and remembrance considering in his hart the greatnes thereof he abhorred it and trembled therat excedingly and feared the pounishement of the sharp iudge vppon him for the same Resorting therefore to a priest and hoping of him to lerne some remedy of saluation he confessed his syn to him and
astonyd at the sight of so straunge a miracle and in all their harts the catholik fayth therby confirmed After that he preacheth to the people of the redresse of the said heresies And by the assent of them all the first authors thereof ar condemned to be banished the land and ar deliuered vnto the priestes to be coÌ„ueyed beyound the sea that by this punishement both the country might be ridd of them and they of their heresy Wherby it came to passe that in that places the fayth longe time after remayned sound and vndefiled All thinges thus ordered the holy priestes retourned with like good spede as they came Saynt Germane after this went to Rauenna to treate for peace for the people of litle Britanny in fraunce and there wyth great reuerence being receiued of Valentinian the emperour and Placidia his mother he deceased vnto Christ whose corps wyth an honorable company was conueyed vnto his owne church not wythout miracles donne by the way therby Not long after Valentinian is kylled of the souldiars of Etius patricius whom he had slayne before the syxt yere of Marcianus raygne with whom the west empire decayed and came to ruine How the Britannes being free from all foraine warres fell at warres with in them selues and to all other myscheifes The. 22. Chap. AT this time the Britannes wer at peace with all other forayne ennemies but yet at warres with in them selues Their citties and townes lay waste which the ennemies had destroyed and they which had eskaped the handes of the enemies wer slayne many of them of their owne felowes But hauing yet as freshe in mynd the late calamites and slawghters they sustayned their priestes peres and subiectes kept theÌ„ selues sumwhat in order But after their death the generation that followed litle knowing and lesse regarding the stormes paste in their fathers dayes and hauing respecte only to that present prosperous estate in the which they then liued wer so set to breake al good orders of truth and iustice that skant any tokeÌ„ or remembrance thereof remayned but only in few ant that in very few Among many other of their horrible doinges which their owne historiographer Gildas doth lamentably set forth in writing he sayeth of theÌ„ thus that they neuer tooke care to preache the gospell of Christ vnto the English and Saxons which inhabited the land among them But yet the goodnes of God did not so forsake his people whom he foreknew to be saued But prouided for the sayd nation of the English much more worthy preachers by whome they might be brought vnto his fayth How Saynt Gregory the Pope sent Saynt Augustine with certaine religious men to conuert the Englishmen and with letters of exhortation encouraged them in their enterprise The. 23. Chap. THe yere of chincarnatioÌ„ of our Lord 582. Mauritius the 54. Emperour after August raigned Emperour of Rome 21. yeres The x. yere of whose raygne Gregorius being a maÌ„ of the greatest vertu and learning of his time was theÌ„ bishop of the Romane and Apostolick see which he gouerned xiij yeres vj. monethes x. dayes Which the xiiij yere of the raygne of the sayd emperour and about the huÌ„dreth and fiftyth yere of the English meÌ„s coming in to BritaÌ„ny being moued by inspiratioÌ„ of god there vnto sent the seruaunt of God S. Augustine and certaine other moÌ„kes which feared god with him to preach the word of God vnto the nation of the English men Which obeying the bishops coÌ„maundement when they beganne to take the sayd enterprise in hand and had allready trauailed part of the way they bethought them selues it should be better for them to returne home againe then to goe vnto that barbarous and saluage countrie whose language they knew not And thus by common assent they determined to do as being the more surer way Wher vppon they sendeth Augustine backe againe to the Pope whom he had appoynted to be bishop ther if they wer receiued of the English men humbly to require him that they might not go forward in that so vncertaine so perilous and paynfull peregrination Whom he yet exhorted by letters that putting their trust in the helpe of God they should procede in their good purpose of the which letters this is the coppy Gregorius the sâ—ruaunt of the seruauntes of God c. For so much as better it wer neuer to begynne a good worke then after it is once begonne to goe from it againe yow must nedes my deare sonnes now fullfill the good worke which by the helpe of God yow haue taken in hand Let therfor neither the trauail of the iourney neither the talke of euil toÌ„gued meÌ„ dismay yow But with all force and feruour make vp that yow haue by the motioÌ„ of God begoÌ„ne assuring your selues that after your great labour eternal reward shal follow Be yow in al pointes obedieÌ„t vnto Augustine woÌ„h I haue sent back vnto yow and appoynted him to be yower Abbate knowyng that shall much profitt yower soules which yow shall do vpon obedience of his commaundement Ower almighty Lord defend yow with his grace and graunte me to see the frute of your labours in his kyngdom of heaueÌ„ and though I can not labour my selfe wyth yow yet I may enioy part of yower reward for that I haue a wil to labour God kepe yow helthy my deare beloued children dated the. 23. of Iuly ower Lord Mauricius Tiberius raigning ower most vertuous emperour in the xiiij yere of his empier the xiij yere after his Consullship Indictione 14. How he sent to the bishopp of Arells a letter to receiue them The. 24. Chap. HE sent also at the same time letters vnto Etherius archbishop of Arells that he should fauorably entertaine Augustine going in to BritaÌ„ny of the which letters this is the tenor To the Right Reuerend and most holy his brother and felowe bishop Etherius Gregory the seruaunte of the seruauntes of God Though with such priestes as loueth god religious men nedeth no commendation yet bycause oportunite to write did serue we thought it good to directe our letters to your brotherhood aduertising yow that we haue sent Augustine the bearer herof wyth other seruauntes of god accompanyeng him for the helth of soules whom it behoueth yower holines to helpe and comfort as the holy order of priesthood requireth Ant to th enteÌ„t yow may be the better willing so to doe I haue willed him to discouer vnto yow the cause of his iourney not dowting but that knowen yow wil gladly shew him what comfort you may We commend also vnto your charitie ower common son Candidus priest whom we haue sent to ouersee ower church belonging to ower patrymonye God kepe yow in safete reuereÌ„d brother Datum vt supra How that Augustine cumming in to Britanny first preached vnto the kyng of kent in the I le of Tenet and so being licenced of him cam after in to kent to preache The. 25. Chap. AVgustine being muche
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
But how shal we proue sayd they that he is a man of God The Anchoret answered our Lord sayth take ye on yow my yooke and lerne ye of me For I am milde and humble of haerte Yf therfore this Austin be milde and humble of harte it is likely that him selfe beareth the yooke of Christ and will offer you the same to beare But if he be curst and proude it is certaine that he is not of God neither must we much esteme his wordes Then they enquired againe of him how they might know whether this Austin were proude or no Marry quoth he prouide ye that he with his compaine come firste to the place of the Synode or counsell house And if when ye approche nere he ariseth courteously to you thinke ye that he is the seruant of Christe and so heare ye him obediently But if he despise yow nor will vouchesafe to ryse at your presence which are the more in number let him likewise be despised of yowe And truly as this Anchoret bad them so did they For it happened that when they came thither S. Austin was alredy thereâ— and sate in his chayre Which when they sawe straight waye wexing wrothe they noted him of pride and therfore endeuored to ouerthwarte and gainsaye what soeuer he proposed His oracion briefly was thus Although though dere brethern in manie other points ye doe contrarie to our custome or rather contrarie to the custome of the vniuersall churche of Christe yet not withstanding if ye will in these 3. thinges consent and obey vnto me that is to celebrate the Easter in dew time to accomplish the ministerie of baptisme by which we are borne againe to God according to the maner of the holie Roman and Apostolike churche and last of all to preache with vs to this English natioÌ„ the word of our Lordâ—ll your other ceremonies rites fashions and customs though they be contrary to oures yet we will willingly suffer theÌ„ and be content to beare with theÌ„ But they answered that they would doe none of the thinges requested neither would compre him for their Archebishop sayeng with them selues Nay if he would not so muche as rise to vs truely the more we shoulde now subiecte our selues to him the more woulde he hereafter despise vs and set vs at naught To whome the good man of God S. Austen thretfully proficied that if they would not take peace and be at accord with their brethern they should receaue and feele warre from their enemies And yf they wold not preache to the English men the waye of lyfe they should suffer at their hande and by their power the vengeance of death Which thing in al pointes came so to passe as he forsayed by the secret working of Gods iudgement For it happened afterward that the most mighty king of English men Edilfrede of whome I haue spoken before gathering a greate armie made at the citie which the English men call Legacester but the Britons better Carlege a foule slaughter of this vnfaithfull and naughty people For being now redy to geue the onset of the fight when he had spidde their priestes which came together to praye to God for the souldiers warringe stand a parte from the rest in a sure and safe place he demaunded what they were and to what end they came thither Now the most parte of these priestes were of the monasterie of Bangor where was sayde to be so great a number of monkes that this monasterie being diuided in to seauen companies with eche companie his seuerall assigned ruler none of these compaines had lesse then 3. hundred persons who all did euer lyue by the labour of their owne handes Manie therefore of them after their 3. dayes fast came with the rest to thafforsaide armie to pray for the souldiers hauing also by them a defendour named Brockmal who should keape and preserue them from the weapons and strokes of their enemies while they were thus ernestly bent to their prayers This the cause of their comminge thither when king Edelfrede had vnderstoode he sayd Yf these men crie and call vppon their God against vs truly although they haue no armoure yet they fight against vs who with their wicked wordes and hatefull curses persecute vs. Therefore he commaunded his souldiers first to assault them And so he vanquished after the other parte of this detestable hoste but yet not without greate losse of his owne men It is reported that there were slaine in that warres of them which came to praye aboute a thousande and two hundred men and only fiftie to haue escaped by flight For Brockmale at the first comming of his ennemies fled straight with all his souldiers and whome he ought to haue defended lefte them all naked and bare to the strokes of the sworde So in this manner was fulfilled the prophetie of holye bishop Austin Who was himself longe before that taken out of this life to the kingdom of heauen And thus these vngratiouse and false people suffred the punishment of temporal death bicause they had refused and despised the holsome counsell of perpetuall life and saluation offered them How the saide Austin made Mellite and Iustus Byshops and of his death The. 3. Chap. IN the yere of thincarnation of our Lord. 604. Austin Archebishop of Britannie consecrated ij Byshops Mellite and Iustus The one that is Mellite to preache to the prouince of the Este Saxons which are separated from kent with the Tems And are fast ioyned to the Este sea Whose chiefe citie is London of situation nere sette vppon the banckes of the fludde called the Temsâ— a princely mart towne of manie people arriuing thither by sea and lande In the which countrie at that time raygned Sabereth Elberts nefue by his syster Ricula Although this Sabereth was himselfe vnder the dominion of the same Elbert who was as I haue before saide king ouer all the Englishmen euen vnto the end of the fludde Humber Kinge Elbert the first Christen king of Englishmen buildeth S. Poules in LondoÌ„ and S. An â—rewes in Rochester for the ij first bisshops of both those Secs Mellitus and Iustê° Wher also wer interred the bodies of all the Archebishops folowing except ij only that is Theodore and Berthwold Whose bodies were layed in the church it selfe bycause the porche could receiue no more This church hath almost in the middest of hit an aulter dedicated in the honour of S. Gregory the Pope at the whiche aulter euery saterday their memories are solemnely celebrated by the priest of that place In the tumbe of this same Austin was writen such and epitaphe as foloweth Here lyeth and resteth blessed S. Austin the first Archebisshop of Caunterbury who was sent hether of holye S. Gregory Bisshop of Rome and strengthened of God by working of miracles VVho conuerted king Elbert and his royaulme from the worshypping of idols to the faith of Christe and so fulfilling
them which faythe fully seeke therfore In this churche after Iustus departure hence vnto Christe Pawlyne consecrated Honorius Archebishopp of Caunterbury as I shall shewe more conueniently herafter Nowe as towching the faythe and belefe of this prouince a certaine preist and abbot a man of good credit and to be beleued whose name is Deda of the monasterie of Peartan told me that one of the elders of that couent as he reported him selfe was baptised with manie other of the people there at none daye by bishop Pawline in the presence of king Edwine and in the fludde of Trent nere the citie Thwolfing acester the which father and elderly man was wont to describe Paulinus personne saying that he was a taule man sumwhat crooked backe and blacke of heare lene in face and hauing a hooked and thinne nose in countenance bothe dredful and reuerent Who had in his chappel one Iames by name who was a deacoÌ„ and an industrious and diligent maÌ„ noble certes and of greate fame in Christ and the church Who liued also eueÌ„ vnto our time But in those dayes such was the peace and tranquillite through out all Britannie which waye soeuer king Edwynes dominions laye that as it is yet in a coÌ„mon prouerbe a weake womaÌ„ might haue walked with her new borne babe ouer al the yland euen from sea to sea without anie dammage or danger Moreouer this king did so muche tender his subiectes and the welth of the commons that in most places where he sawe fayâ—e clere wel springes breaking out by the highwaies syde he enclosed them in quicke sett boures for the refreshing of wayfaring men hauing by greate brasen basens to bathe or washe in Which basens either for feare of the kinges displeasure no man durst touche farder then to his owne present vse and necessite or no man wold take them awaye for the loue and good will they boore to their prince Who was for the time of his raigne so honoured and loued that the triumphing banners and flagges were borne before him not in warre only but in peace too whersoeuer he went abrode or rode with his garde in progresse aboute the greate cities townes and sheres of his dominions Yea euen when he passed through the stretes to any place there was carried before him that kinde of flag or stremer which the Romans calle Tufa and the English men now a Thuuffe How king Edwyne receaued letters of exhortation from Pope Honorius who sent therwith a palle to bishop Pauline The. 17. Chapter AT what time Honorius Boniface his successor was bishop of Rome and sate in the see Apostolike when he had vnderstoode that the kinge of Northumberland and all his subiectes in that countrie were conuerted to the faithe and confession of Christe by Paulinus preaching he sent the same bishop Pauline a palle and letters to king Edwyne exhorting him and his subiectes with fatherly loue and charite to persist or rather go forward in this true faithe which they had now receiued The tenor of which letters is suche To the most puissant prince and his most vertuous sonne in our Lorde Iesus Christe Edwyne king of the English men bishop Honorius seruant to them that serue God sendeth greating So is your Christian loue and integrite fyred with the flame of faith to the worshipping of your creator and maker that it shineth far and wyde and being declared through all the worlde bringeth furth fruyt of your doinge And truly so doe ye know your selfe best to be a king when that after ye are taught by the right and true preching ye beleaue in almightie God your king and creator Worshipping him adoring him and rendring vp to him the syncere deuotion of your hart as far forthe as mans weaknes and poore abilite can attaine vnto For what other thinge I praye you are we able to offer vnto our God then that persisting in good workes and confessing him to be the author of mankinde we worship him and spedely render our vowes and prayers vnto him Therfore we exhorte you our most derely beloued sonne in our Sauiour Christe Iesu as it is mete for a louing father to doe that ye endeuour al maner of wayes ye caÌ„ with ernest will and daily prayer to hold and kepe this that the mercy of God hath wrought in you calling you and all yours vnto his grace And so shall he which hath voucheâ—afed to bring you in this present world from all errour to the knowlege of his holy name prepare for you in the worlde to come a mansion place in heauen Be ye therfore often occupied in the reading of S. Gregories workes Who was a man certes of blessed memorie our good predecessour and your true precher and Apostle Haue before your eyes continually the greate zele of his doctrine and good affection which he gladly practised for your soules health and saluation That by this meanes his verâ—â—ouse prayer may both encrease your kingdome and also prosper yoâ—â—eople And that in the end he may represent you all as clene soules and without fault before the throne of almighty God Now as concerning these thinges which your grace desyred to be ordeined and appointed by vs for your priestes we haue without all delay prouided the same and truly the rather for your syncere and vnfayned faithes sake Which hath ben at diuers times and by diuers relatioÌ„s as also now by the bearers of these our presentes commendably declared vnto vs. We haue therfore with the rest of our rules and orders sent here ij palles for the ij metropolitans of your countre that is for bishop Honorius and bishop Pauline Willing and commaunding that when one of them is called out of this mortall lyfe to the mercie of God then shall his make and felowe which is yet a lyue subro gate by this our authorite an other bishop metropolitane in his place which is deceased which thinge we doe graunte vnto them as well for your good affection to vs and loue to the truthe as also for the distance of places and of so greate prouinces and cuntries as lye betwene Rome and Britannie And last to thintent that we might in all pointes shewe your highnes howe our consent and agrement is euer more redie at hand to your deuoute zele and ernest desyre of Gods glorie Who keape your grace alwaies in parfecte healthe and prosperite How bishop Honorius who succeded Iustus in the byshoprike of Caunterbury receiued from Pope Honorius a palle and letters The 18. Chapter NOW about this tyme died Archebishop Iustus the x. daie of Nouember And Honorius was chosen in his place Who comming to Archebishop Pauline to be appointed thereto met him at Lincolne And there was consecrated and instituted byshop of Caunterbury And is nowe numbred fifthe after S. Austin To whome also Pope Honorius sent a palle with letters in the which he commaunded the verie selfe same thinge that he wrote before in his epistle to king Edwine Which is
him and his who were then taking their iourney The bishop blessing them and committing them to the goodnes of god gaue them also hallowed oyle saying I know that when you shall haue shipping a tempest and a contrary winde shall rise vpon you sodeinly But remember that you cast into the sea this oyle that I geue you and anon the winde being laied comfortable fayer weather shall ensue on the sea which shall send you home againe with as pleasaunt a passage as you haue wished All these thinges were fulfilled in order as the bishop prophesied Truly at the beginning of the tempest when the waues and surges of the sea did chiefely rage the shipmen assayed to cast ancar but all in vaine For the tempest encreased the whaues multiplied so faste and water so filled the shippe that nothing but present death was looked for In this distresse the priest at the length remembring the bishop wordes toke the oyle pot and did cast of the oyle into the sea which being done according as the vertuous bishop had forsaide the sea calmed the bright sonne appeared the ship passed on with a most prosperous viage Thus the man of God by the sprit of prophecy forshewed the tempest to come and by the same holy Spirit though bodely absent appaised the same No common reporter of vncertain rumours but a very credible man a priest of our church Cynimund by name shewed me the processe of this miracle who saied that he had hearde it of that same Vtta the priest in whome the miracle was wrought How the same man by prayer ceased the fyre that ennemies had put to the kinges citee The. 13. Chap. AN other miracle worthy temembraunce wrought by the same father is reported of many such as were moste likely to haue perfect knowledge of it At what time Penda capitain of the Marshes inuaded the prouince of Northumberland this Aidan being bishop and wasting and spoyling the whole countre euen vnto Bebba the cite of the kinges owne abode being not able neither by battaile neither by siege to winne it minded to sett it a fire and had for that purpose caried thither in certaine chaines and gables cut of by mayne force in the suburbes of the cyte a great quantitye of beames rafters postes and small twigges wherewith he had compassed that part of the cyte that adioyneth to the land in a great height and the winde now seruing at will the fire was kindled and the cite began to consume this reuerent prelate Aidan being then in holy Ilond about two myles from the cite whether oftentimes he vsed to departe to kepe his secret trade of deuotions and solitary contemplacions as euen to this day the place is well knowen beholding the flakes of fire and great smoke ouer the cyte lifting vp his eyes and handes to heauen with teares as it is reported cryed out and sayed Behold O Lorde how great mischeif Penda worketh Which wordes of that blessed man being pronounced the windes being turned from the cyte turned backe the light fyre againe vppon them who had kindled it In so much that some being hurte all made afraied they were fayne to leaue the assault of the cyte which they sawe to be holpen by the hande of God How the post of the church whereunto that holy bishop leaning departed this life could not be burned when all the rest of the church burned and of his inward life The. 16. Chap. THis vertuous bishop Aidanus at what tyme he shoulde depart this worlde hauing laboured in the office of a bishop xvij yeres remained in a village of the kinges not far from the cyte of Bebba for hauing there a church and a chamber he vsed oftentimes to stay and abyde there taking from thence his yourney rounde about the countre to preache the word of God as he did in al other tounes subiect to the kinge not resting longe in any place as hauing no possessions of his owne but his church only and a small plotte of grounde lying there aboute Being therfore sicke they pitched him a pauilion fastening it hard to the church wall on the west syde thereof In this pauilion leaning to a post ioyned to the out side of the church to fortefy it he gaue vp the ghost in the xvij yere of his bishopricke the last day of August His body was from thence caryed to holy Iland and in the church yarde of the monastery buried But shortly after a greater church there being erected and dedicated in the honour of the most blessed prince of the Apostles S. Peter his bones were transposed thither and layed at the right side of the aultar with much honour as that vertuous bishop deserued Finanus a holy man directed thither from the Ilond and monastery of Hij in Scotland succeded Aidan and was bishop a long tyme. It fortuned not long after that Penda king of the Marshes or Vplandish english men inuading the coastes of Northumberland with a mighty armie destroying with fire and sworde all that he mette burned also that village and the church wherein that holy man Aidan died But behold al the rest of the church burning that only poste whereunto this holy man leaned at the moment of his departure could by no force of fyre be consumed The miracle being knowen and ◠the church was builded vp againe in the selfe same place and the post also to fortefy the wall as before Which being done not long after by the ouersight of the inhabitants the village and churche also chaunced to be sett all on fyre that poste yet escaping the flame and fyre as before And wheras the fyre passed through the holes of the post whereby it was fastened to the churche wall yet the church burning the poste could not be hurt Whereupon a third churche being builded that poste was no more sett withowt to bolster vpp the wall as before but for remembraunce of the miracle it was had into the church and layed as a threshold for people to knele vpon and make their deuoute prayers to almighty God And it is well knowen that sithen that tyme diuers haue in that place ben cured of deseases and with water wherein chippes cut from that poste haue ben dipped many haue recouered health This much haue I written of this holy man and of his workes not yet commending in him his wronge and euill accustomed obseruation of Easter according to the coūte of the Iewes but detesting that in hym vtterly as also I haue euidently declared in my booke De temporibus But as it behoueth a true historiographer I haue reported of him and of his doings suche thinges as were cōmendable and might profit the readers As that he was a man of greate charity and quyet of great contynency and humilitie a conquerer of wrathe and couuetousnes and one that was far from all pride and vaine glory Againe I commend in him his greatindustry both in keping and in teaching the
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
holy bishop Trumwine with him and many other religiouse parsons and men of power and authoritie did passe ouer vnto the Iland Also many of the bretherne of the I le of Lindesfar came thither for this purpose all which on their knees most earnestly desyred and required him for Gods sake and with weping teares in our Lords name they besought him so longe that they made his eyes stand full of swete teares to and so they gat him out of his caue and brought him to the Synode And when he came thither though much againe his owne will he was ouercomed by the one assent and will of all the reast and compelled to submit his necke to beare the yoke and office of a bishop And the wordes that forced him most were that the seruaunt of God Boisil who did with the propheticall spirite he had foreshew many things that should fall after him had also prophecied and fortelde that Cutberte should be bisshop Nowe his consecrating not appointed to be straight way but after the winter passed which then was at hand in the feast and solemnisation of Easter it was finished at Yorke in the presence of the foresayd king Egfride where there came to his consecrating vij bishops of whome Theodore of blessed memorie was chief and primate He was first elected and chosen to be bishop of Hagulstad diocese in Trumberts place who was deposed from the same But bycause he rather desired to be of Lindisfarne churche in which he had sometimes lyued it semed good and was appointed that Eata showld retourne to the see of Hagulstad of whiche he had first bene made byshop and Cutberte showld haue the chardge and iurisdiction of Lindisfarne Churche And when he had thus taken vpon him this degree and office of byshop he dyd setforth and adorne the same with the workes of vertues and holinesse following the example of the blessed Apostles For he dyd bothe with continuall prayers make intercession for the people committed vnto him and with most holesome exhortations styrred them to thirst after the ioyes of heauen And the thing which most of all is wont to helpe and farther teachers suche thinges as he towght other folke to doo he first in his owne dooing gaue example of the same For he was aboue all thinges feruent in the fyre of Gods loue and charitie modest and sober in the vertue of patience excedingly giuen to deuotion of praying affable and familiar to all men that came to him for comfort and counsell For he tooke this for a kynde of prayer too if he dyd helpe and succour with his exhortation such as were weake and vnperfecte knowing that he that sayed Thow shalt loue thy lord God sayed also Thow shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe He was also notable for his abstinence and straight lyuing euer panting after the hope of heauenly thinges with great contrition and compunction of harte Finally when he offred the hoste of the holesome sacrifice vnto God he commended his prayers to our Lord not with a voyce lyfted vp on highe but with teares powred owt from the botome of his harte Thus when he passed ouer two yeares in his bysshoppricke he went againe to his ile and monasterie being warned by the oracle and admonyshment of god that the day of his death was nowe at hand or rather the entraunce and beginning of that lyfe which only in dede should be called lyfe Which thing he himselfe at the same tyme dyd after his playne and simple maner open vnto certayne but in darke and obscure wordes yet such as were afterwardes playnely vnderstanded And to some to he dyd vtter and reuele the same in very open and playne wordes Howe the sayd byshop dyd foretell his death to be very nighe at hand vnto Herebert a vertuous priest The. xxix Chapter FOr there was a certayne priest reuerend for his vprightnes and perfection of lyfe and maners named Hereberte which had a longe time bene coupled to this man of God in the bond of spirituall loue and fryndship For lyuing a solitary lyfe in the yle of that great wyde lake owt of which ronneth the head and beginning of the ryuer of Derwent he was wont to visite Cutbert euery yere and to heare the good lessons of eternall lyfe at his mouth When this vertuous priest heard of his comming to the citie of Lugubalia he came after his accustomed maner desyryng to be enflamed more and more to the blysse and ioyes aboue by his holesome exhortations Who as they sate together and dyd inebriat one an other with the cuppes of the lyfe of heauen among other thinges the byshop sayd Remember brother Hereberte that what soeuer ye haue to say and aske of me yow doo it nowe for after we departe the one from the other we shall not mete againe and see one an other with the eyes of the body any more in this world For I knowe well that the time of my departing is at hand and the laying away of my bodyly tabernacle shal be very shortly Which thinges when he heard he fel downe at his feete and with heauy sighes and powring teares I beseke yow quoth he for our Lordes sake forsake me not but remember your most faythfull fellowe and companion and make intercession to the high and tender pitie of God that we may departe hence vnto heauen together to behold his grace and glorie whome we haue in the earth serued and honoured together For yow knowe that I haue euer studied and laboured to liue after your good and vertuous instructiōs and what soeuer I offended and omitted throughe ignoraunce and frailtie I dyd straight way doo mine endeuour to amēde the same after your ghostly coūsel wil and iudgement At this earnest and affectuouse request of his the bysshop gaue him selfe to his prayers and anon being certified in spirite that he had obtayned the thing that he besought of our Lorde Aryse quoth he my dere brother and wepe not but reioyce with all gladnesse For the highe mercy of God hath graunted vs that we haue praied for The truth of which promise and prophecie was well proued in that which befell after For after they departed a sonder they sawe not one an other bodyly any more but on one selfe same day which was the xix day of Marche their soules went out of their bodyes and wer straight ioyned together againe in the blessed sight and vision and caryed hence both to the kingdome of heauen by the handes and seruice of Angels But Herebert was first tried and pourged in the fyre of longe sickenesse by the dispensation of our Lordes goodnes and pitie as it is credible that such want of merite and perfection as he had more than blessed Cutbert the same might be supplied in the purging pain of long chastening sickenesse so that being made equall in Gods grace and fauour with his fellowe that was intercessour for him euen as he should depart out of the
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
and she shuld stratyways beginne to amende He asked them when she was lett blood and vnderstanding it was donne at the prime of the mone sayed that it was very vnskilfully and and vndiscretly donne to lett her blud at the prime of the mone I remember well quod he Archebishop Theodore renouned among all his posteritie tolde me that letting of blud and opening the vaine was very daungerous about the first quarter of the moone and rysinge of the sea And what can I do for this maiden nowe she is at deathes doore Not withstandinge she besought him very instantly for her daughter which she loued tenderly for she purposed to make her abbesse after her and at the lenght with much a doo obtained so much of him as to go into the chamber and see the sicke maiden Wherefore he tooke me with him and went to the maiden which lay languishinge as I said with greate and intolerable paine in her arme so swellinge that it coulde not once bowe at the elbowe And standinge there he sayd certaine prayers ouer her and after he had blest her went out againe When we had sate an houre at the table one came in and called for me and leading me a syde from the company sayde Coenburge for that was the maides name desyreth you to come to her as sone as you can When I came in to the chamber I founde her very cherefull and mery and as it were almost hole And when I had sate by her a whyle shall we call for some drinke saide she mary with a good will quod I and I am right glad you ar able so to do When we had bothe dronke she beganne to declare vnto me that sense the bishoppe had prayed for her and blest her and went out of the chamber she beganne to amend and waxe better and better and albeit I haue not recouered my former strength againe quod she yet all the anguishe and paine is gone bothe out of my arme where it was most feruent and also out of all other partes of my body the bishop as it were carying all out of doores with him though yet the swelling semeth scant all alayed in my arme As we were taking our leaue and departinge thence the swellinge also went away as the paines and anguishe of her body did before So the maiden deliuered from daunger of deathe and other wofull wooes gaue laude and praise to God with the rest that wer there attending and waytinge vppon her How he healed an Earles wife with holy water The. 4. Chapter OF this forsaid bishoppe Berecht abbot of Inderwodde told vs an other miracle not much vnleke this An earle called lord Puch had a manour abbout two miles from our monastery whose lady had bene trobled with such a vehement desease for xl dayes that in iij. weakes space she was not able to be caried out of the chamber where she lay It fortuned one day this deuoute and godly father to be sent for by the earle to dedycate and hallowe a churche and when the solemnity of this dedication was past and the churche halloed the earle inuited him home to his house and as ciuilite and courtesy required desired him to diner The bishop refused his gentilnesse sayinge that of dewty he must returne and go to the next abbaye But the earle most instantly entreatinge him promised that he wolde do great almes to the poore if he wolde vouchsaffe to go home to his house that daye and breake his fast I entreated him in leeke maner as the Earle did promisinge that I wold geue almes also to relieue the poore if he wolde go to dynner to the earles house and blesse him and his familie And when we had obtained so much of him with longe entreataunce we went to the earles house to take our repast The bishop sent the sick lady by one of the company that came with him some of the holy water which he hallowed in dedicatiō of the church commaunding him to will her to drinke of it and to washe that parte of her body with the same wher the grief was most vehemēt Al which being done she rose out of her bed whole and sounde And perceauing that she was not only cured of her longe infirmitie and desease but made also as lyuely lusty and stronge as euer she was before came to the table shewed her selfe very officious in caruinge and drynkinge to the bysshoppe and all the hole table and ceasyd not to vse such courteous officiosytye all the dynner time Folowing in this poynte saincte Peters mother in lawe who delyueryd from her hotte burnynge feuer by the only touche of Christes hande rose vpp as stronge and hole as euer she was before and seruyd them at the table Howe he curyd another earles sonne lyinge at the poynte of deathe The. 5. Chapter THis bysshoppe called another tyme in leeke manner to dedicate and halloe a churche of the earle Addi was desired after all the solemnitie were donne by the earle to go in to one of his children which was very sicke and redy to dye as being benūmyd of al senses and natural operations of the bodye the cophyn also or chest where he shuld be layd after his deathe was preparyd and made redy Furder more the good earle intreatyd hym with weapinge teares desirying for the passion of god that he wolde go in and pray for his sonne because his lyfe was both necessary and deare vnto him for his parte he stedfastly beleued that yff he wold lay his hande vppon hym and blesse him once he shulde streytwaye recouer At his desire and longe entreataunce the bysshoppe went in and sawe him to the greate dysconfort and heauynesse of all that were present redy to yelde vpp the ghoste and the cophyn hard by him in which he should be buryed He made his prayer to god and blest him and goying owte spake those comfortable wordes that men vse to syck folke to wytt I pray god send yow helthe and quyck recouery from this desease And when they had sate a whyle at the table the childe sent to the earle his father desyringe to haue a cuppe of wyne sent him for he was thrustye The earle being glad with all his harte that his sonne could drynk sent him a cuppe of wyne which the bishop had blessed As sone as he had dronke of yt he rose owte of his bed put on his clothes came downe from his chamber went to the greate hall saluted the bysshop welcomed the ghestes and sayde he had a good stomake and appetyte to eate They commaūdyd hym to the table and were glad that he was so well recoueryd He sate downe he eate he drank he lawght and made mery with them and in all pointes behaued hym selffe as the other ghestes and lyuinge many yeares after contynuyd in the same state with owte any grudge of his olde desease The abbot sayde this miracle was not donne in his syght and presence but he
heard yt by relation of them which were present when yt was done Howe by his prayer and blessinge he relieued one of his clerkes maruelously broosed with a fall from his horse and in greate danger of deathe The. 6. Chapter NEther do I thinke yt good to passe ouer in sylence that greate myracle which a faythful seruaunt of our sauiour Christe namyd Herebalde was wonte to reporte to haue bene done and practised vppoÌ„ hym selfe who at that time was one of his clergy and is nowe abbot in a monastery that borderyth harde vppon the ryuer VVyre So farre forth said he as yt was lauful for a man to iudge I fownde all the whole state and maÌ„ners of his life correspondeÌ„t to that grauytye and holynesse which is required in a byshoppe and of that I am ryght well assuryd because I was dayly conuersant with him But touchyng his wâ—nes in the sight of God and fauour before the myghthâ— which sercheth the secrets of all mens hartes I hâ—eâ— experience in many other but specially in my felff â— whome be in a manner restoryd from deathe to lyfe â— prayer and benediction For when in my first florysâ—â—yng and lusty yowthe I lyuyd amongest his clergy and was set to schole to lerne bothe to reade and singe and had not yet abandonyd all foolysh fantasies and yowthfull panges it fortuned one day that as we rode with him we came into a goodly playne waye and fayre grene which semed a very trymme place to runne and coorse ower horses in And the yowng men that were in his company especially of the lay sorte beganne to desire the Byshop to geue theÌ„ leaue to coorse and gallop their horses But at the first he vtterly denyed and sayd them nay with this checke It is but a foolysh fonde thinge yowe desire At the last not able to withstande nor gaynesay the ernest and importune request of all the whole company he sayd do if yowe wyl mary so that Herebald refrayne and abide with me Than I entreating as suppliantly as I could to haue licence to galloppe my horse and coorse vpp and downe with the other younge men for I trusted well my horse which the bishop him selfe had before geuen me I could not preuaile at all But when I sawe them take their horses vppe with the spurres and fetch nowe this way nowe that as couragiously with stoppe and turne as could be the bisshoppe and I beholding all their pastime I strayt waies ouercomed with wanton courage could not stay my selfe but went amongest the thickest of them and ranne with the best And as I tooke my horse vppe with the spurres I heard him behynde my backe with a deape sigth to saye O mercifull God what wofull woo woorkest thou to me in ryding after thus sorte I heard those wordes notwithstanding with willful will I minded to folow my pastime And behold euen straightwaye as my horse wilde fearce and couragious with greate violence and force lept ouer a deeke by the waye downe fell I to the grounde and as one ready to dye by and by lost all my senses and was not able to moue any one ioyncte of my bodye For whereas in the same place lay a stone close to the grounde couered with a litle greene turffe and not one other could be fouÌ„de in all that plaine vally and leuell grounde it fortuned by chaunce or rather by the diuine prouidence off God to punisshe my disobedience it happened that I pitched vppon the same stone with my head and hande which in the fal I putt vnder to stay my self and so broke my thumme and sculle off my head that as I said before I lay there leeke a dead man ready for his graue And bicause I coulde not be remoued thence they stretched foorth a pauilion and made me a lodging there This was aboute seuen of clocke in the morninge from that houre vntill night I taried there with out any noyse or disquietnes euen as it had ben a dead man than I beganne to reliue and came to my selfe againe and was caried home to the bishops lodging by certaine of my fellowes where I lay speachlesse al that night casting and vomiting blud because my bulcke and ynner partes were sore broysed with the fal But the bisshop for the tender affectioÌ„ and singular good fansie he bare to me was meruailous sory for my misfortune and deadly wounde and woulde not all that night after his accustomed manner tarry with his clergy but continuing alone in watch all that night as I may well coniecture besought the goodnesse of allmighty God for my health and preseruation And cominge to my chamber early in the morninge said certaine prayers ouer me and called me by my name and when I waked as it were oute of a greate slumber he asked me if I knewe who it was that spoke to me And I casting vpp my eyes saied yea right well you ar my dere bishop and master than said he can you recouer or liue Yea quoth I by yower good prayers if it please God So streytwaies laying his hand vppon my head and repeting the worde of benediction returned again to his praiers and coming to see me againe a litle while after founde me fitting vppe in my bed and well able to speake Then moued as it were with some inspiration from heauen asked whether I knewe without all scruple and dowte whether I was baptized or no to that I aunswered yea forsothe I knowe with oute all doute I was wasshed in the holly fonte of baptisme in remission of synnes and knowe the priestes name very well that baptized me but he foorthwith replyed saying if you were christened of him doubtlesse you are not well christened for I knowe him well and am right assured that when he was made priest he coulde not for his dulheddid witt lerne nor to instructe nor to baptise And for that cause I straightly chardged him not to presume to that mynisterie which he could not do accordingly As sone as he had spoken those wordes he beganne to instructe and informe me in the faith againe and it came to passe that as he breathed in my face the payne vanished awaye and I felt my body much better than it was before Than he called for a surgion and commaunded him to sett my skull againe and knitt it vpp together as it should be and by and by with his blessing I was so well recouered that the next daye I was able to mounte to my horse and ride with him to the next place where he minded to lodge And not longe after being fully recouered I was baptized This good bisshopp continued in the see three and thirty yeres and so translated thence to the ioyfull kingdome of heauen lyeth buried in sancte Peters porche in a monastery called Inderwodde the yeare of our Lorde 721. For when he was not able for olde age to preach teache and gouuerne his bisshopprike he consecrated and made Wilfride one of