wonted deuotions he went this round Masse and prayers for the dead and added to the end of his prayers Requiescant in pace he heard from the ground the voyces as it were of an infinite armie that answeared Amen Whereby he found his labours and prayers to be verie gratefull and profitable vnto the soules departed The same holy man being an ardent follower of our Lords example would euerie day without anie spectatours execute acts of profound humilitie in washing with his owne hands the feete of diuers poore people couering them a table giuing them sufficiencie of meate and at length His works of humilitie as their deuout seruant taking away what was left This seruice being finished and his poore guests dismissed he would remaine in the same roome the space of two or three howers at his prayers Vntill once entring according to custom to exercise these pions offices not hauing bene before troubled with signe of anie sicknes suddenly vnknowne to all his soule departed out of his mortall lodging The māner of his death leauing it void of all vitall spiritt His familie and seruants that had long bene acquainted with his customs thinking that then he was alsoe busied at his prayers let him lie there a whole day And the next morning breaking into his chamber they found a dead bodie starke and stiffe without anie signe of life Therefore with great cryes and lamentations they buried him in the Church of Winchester But the Citizens of the towne because they sawe him intercepted by a kind of suddaine death buried the worthie memorie of the holy man in the deepe caues of silence being ignorant that it is written The man that liueth well cannot die ill And by what Sap. 4. death soeuer the iust man shall be preuented and ouertaken he shall be in a place of refreshing and comfort But a long time after this their rashnes was corrected by the allmightie power of him that cannot erre for to Ethelwold Bishop of the same place as one night he watched and He appeareth to S. Ethelwold prayed according to his custom before the reliques of the Saincts in the Church of Winchester there appeared three persons which stood by him not in an extasie but fully awake The middest of the three spake these words I am BIRSTAN in times past Bishop of this cittie This on my right hand is BIRINE the first preacher and that on my left is SWITHINE the speciall Patron of this Church and Cittie And thou must know that as thou seest me here present with them soe doe I enioy the same glorie with them in heauen Why therefore am I depriued of the honour and reuerence of mortall men who am highly exalted in the companie of heauenly spirits Saincts are to honoured At these words they vanished and euer after by the commaundement of S. ETHELWOLD his memorie was celebrated with great veneration By this we may learne that holy men the prouidence of heauen soe disposing may sometimes be taken away by suddaine death and not without a speciall fauour in getting by a minute of paine that which others cannot obtaine but by manie yeares torments of sicknes This holy man was consecrated B. an 932. died in the yeare of our Lord 934. Thus much of him we haue gathered out of WILLIAM MALMESBVRY lib. 2. de Pontific Angl. and MATHEW WESTMINSTER ann 932. NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 10. cap. 8. POLIDORE VIRGILL lib. 6. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. lig vitae and others mak◠worthie mention of him The life of S. WILGIS Confessor and Monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 31. Out of S. Alcuinus in the life of S. willibrord THERE was in that part of the Brittsh Iland called Northumberland a househoulder named Wilgis by byrth a Saxon or Englishman who hauing bene naturall father vnto WILLIBRORD afterwards a Sainct and Archbishop of Vtreight as if he had perfourmed the whole dutie of his mariage resolued both he and his wife to leaue the world and vndertake a religious course of life which holy purpose how vertuously he accōplished was by miracles afterwards sufficiently testified and made knowne to the world For hauing left his secular garments he putt on the black monasticall habitt of the holy order of S. BENEDICT and made profession of a Monk not He taketh the habit of S. Benedict vppon a forced seruice but out of a true will and desire to religion And because in leauing his house and temporall goods enrouling him self into a spirituall warrefare in the campe of IESVS CHRIST he had vndertaken a perfect life he would not therefore be backward in what he professed but in all things shewed him self to be a most perfect seruant vnto the deare master he serued But when he had for a while giuen a patterne of his vertuous life in the schoole of the monasterie he became soe braue a souldier that the rudnes of the fearefull desert could not afright him for shutting vp him self within the limitts of a streight and narrow cottage that stoode between He leadeth an eremiticall life the Ocean and the riuer Humber dedicated to S. ANDREW the Apostle he laboured in the exercise of a solitarie conuersation and imitating his grand master S. BENEDICT he led a heauenly and angelicall life on earth in purenes exceeding the ruddie blush of the rose or the whitenes of the fayre lillie but delightfully shining with a more sweete varietie of vertues then doth a doue in the beames of the sunne with diuersitie of colours Within a short space his desire to lie hid was betrayed by the wonder of his frequent miracles and his name was blowne soe farre abroade with the trumpet IAN. 31. of fame till it arriued at the Kings Court and sounded such an alarum all ouer the countrey of Scotland that great store of people flocked vnto him whom he neuer sent away emptie but allwaies loaden with the sweet instructions and admonitions of his heauenlie learning The fame of his vertue drawes manie schollers being compelled herevppon to labour sometimes in a contemplatiue and other times in a practicall manner of life He became at last of soe great esteeme and honour with the King and Nobles of the Realme that they gaue him the possession of some lands neere adioining and bestowed manie other rich guifts vppon him by help whereof he built an honourable Church on the Sea side in honour of the B. Virgin MARIE and gathered togeather a Conuent of Beuedictine Monks small in number but great in the exercise of true vertue and religion These he gouerned as Abbott with all sainctitie of He buildeth a monasterie life doctrine vntill the diuine clemencie willing to set a period to the conflicts of his holy labours absolued this his worthy champion from the most painfull warrefare of this present life to raigne in his heauenly Court which soe long he had thirsted for and desired He was very honourably buried
his bishoprick led a priuate life in the Kingdom of Mercia or Middle England This done our holy SWIBERT adorned with episcopall authoritie fortified with the comfortable speeches of S. WILFRID returned againe to Utreight He iâ— famous ouer the coutrey courragiously to follow on his pious enterprise adorning his new receaued dignities with a new list of vertues behauing him self from hence forth with great humilitie meeknes simplicitie iustice and all other degrees of perfection and making these vertues as it were the baites to take and winne soules out of the deluge of Idolatrie to the secure and quiet shore of CHRISTS Church by the force of his diuine learning and vnwearied labour of preaching Which tooke soe good effect that in diuers parts of Friseland and allmost all the countrie of Teisterband the poeple were conuerted to the fayth and manie Churches raysed and built on the ruines of Idolatrie were consecrated to the seruice of IESVS-CHRIST Soe that S. SWIBERT growing to be of great fame and estimation in all those countries for his singular vertue and miracles and being an amazement to the Pagans and Pagan priests it pleased the diuine goodnes to glorifie him more and more with wonders to the confusion of the â—â—ntils and great aduancement of his Church VII FOR being to dedicate a Church at Malsen in the Countie of Teisterband vppon the riuer Linghen a yong gentleman called Splinter van Andengin desiring out of curiositie to see the rites and ceremonies which the Christians vsed in the dedication of Churches and chiefly to see SWIBERT their bishop of whom he had heard such wonders coming ouer the riuer Rhene fell by chaunce out of the boate drowned leauing both the shores full of the fruitlesse lamentations and teares of his fellowes and seruants that dolefully bewayled their losse The same day about noone he was taken vp by certaine fishers and brought as dead as a hearing to Duerstat to the sorowfull house of his vnconsolable parents who through the perswasion of their Idolatrous Priests caused him to be carried to the Temple of Mars trusting that he could cure the wound giuen by Neptune and to that end they besought his warlik power with The God mars called vppon in vaine manie sacrifices to restore the yong man to life but all in vaine Which his father perceauiÌ„g coÌ„sidering that their poore Gods were not wont to bestow guifts of life soe liberally he was perswaded by some deuout Christians to entreate B. SWIBERT to come to his ay de who was the likelier to prooue a better Aduocate in his behalf in that matter of life and Death To him thereforeÌ„ he went and falling at his feet he began to open his miserie when a floud of teares soe stopt the current of his discourse that in them and his sighs the whole force of his eloquence seemed to consist But the holy Bishop S Swib entreated to ralsea dead maÌ„ refuseth gathering his meaning out of that dolefull speech was very vnwilling to vndertake a matter of soe great presumption till ouercome with the weeping rhetorick of his importunitie the prayers of Werenfride and Marcellin his fellowes he went with him whom an infinite multitude of poeple stood expecting on the banks of the Riuer Rhene When entring the village Duerstat the dolefull mother of the drowned youth carried beyond all degrees of sorrow ranne to meet him and falling at his feet in the midst of the street cried out O seruant of the true God helpe me and reuiue my sonne by the power of thy God for our Gods are all too weake to doe it S. SWIBERT applying a salue of comfort to the deepe wound of her sorow went to the house where the dead bodie was layd and commaunding his fellow-disciples to fall hartily to their prayers he allso betooke him self earnestly to his in the midst of that weeping multitude of poeple and trembling Flamins of the Pagans His prayer ended he arose and putting his whole confidence in our Lord IESVS-CHRIST he sayd O thou only comforter of our sadnes who didest once affirme with thy sacred mouth whosoeuer beleeueth Ioan. 14. v. 12 in me the works that I doe he allsoe shall doe and greater then these he shall doe voutchafe to shew the power of thy Diuinitie in raysing this man from death to life And taking him by the hand he sayd 〈◊〉 He rayseh a dead man to life the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST crucified I bid thee rise and liue and prayse thy creatour At these words he that before was dead opened his eyes and waking as it were out of a profound sleepe he arose and embracing the holy Sainct cried out with great sighs there is noe other God in heauen and earth but IESVS-CHRIST crucified whom SWIBERT preacheth O the wonderfull life of this blessed Sainct whose prayers banished death from the bodie of an other and spoiled hell of its pray And presently all the beholders much astonished with the noueltie of this great miracle highly extolled the diuine pietie with loud shouts of ioy and thanksgiuing that daigned to ennoble his seruant with soe miraculous a remonstrance of his goodnes And the Heathen Priests togeather with the parents of the new reuiued youth and a great multitude of poeple renouncing the errours of Idolatrie beleeued in IESVS-CHRIST soe that there were baptised 126. persons besides woemen and children When soe great a noise and clamour was raysed in 126. persons conuerted the street by the Pagans that desired to see the newly reuiued yong man that S. SWIBERT compelled therevnto for the greater honour and glorie of God lead him out amongst them in his hand as a liuing trophie of his owne vertue to be seene of all that pressing multitude of poeple who when they beheld him walking in the street with lowd shoutes and cries they made the heauens resound with the Ecchos of these words Great is the God of the Christians and manie beleeued in CHRIST the worker of miracles through the perswasion of the holie Bishop and had their soules reuiued in the sacred font of baptisme With whom S. SWIBERT remayned a good while feeding and confirming the weakenes of their fayth with the solid foode of his learning till the whole village of Duerstat was throughly conuerted to the truth VIII IN the meane time S. WILLIBRORD ordayned Bishop of Frizeland by the speciall authoritie of Pope Sergius returned from Rome and placed his episcopall sea in the towne of Vtreight in a Cathedrall Church of Benedictin Monks-Canons dedicated to S. MARTIN Willibrord Bishop of Vtreight Bishop of Tours vnto whom the Benedictines were allwaies peculiarly deuoted And Radbod king of Frizeland being dead the two holy Bishops obtained greater libertie publickly â—opreach the ghospell of CHRIST throughout the whole couÌ„trey whereby their holy labours tooke soe good effect that the couÌ„tie of TeisterbaÌ„d allmost all HollaÌ„d a great part of neather Friseland were awaked out of the
prayers with weeping till falling as it weere into a sweet sleepe he was rapt in an extasie in which he vnderstood by reuelation that his prayer was heard but that he should noe more presume to make the like petition for anie that died without Baptisme he deserued to be punished Vppon which matteÌ„r curious witts that haue perfect fayth may moue some questions and more such as beleeue the truth faythfully related those things which among men are or seeme to be impossible are easie with allmightie God and profitable to be declared Yet in this act the safest way for all is to reuerence the secret iudgment of the diuine power and pietie and noe man to discusse and examine the same XVIII To conclude after his death it hath been faythfully related vnto vs by Peter Deacon a vertuous and religious man and Peter Deacon seeth the holy Ghost in forme of a Doue ouâ—r S. Gregorie for the deserued worth of his religion and seruice very familiar with this our most holy father that when the neuer enough named vessell of election and house of the holy ghost GREGORY did interprete the last vision of the Prophet Ezechiel the curtaine being spread betweene him and the same Peter who writt as he did dictate the holy Doctour being silent at times his seruant bored a little hole in the curtaine and spying through it by chance he saw a doue whiter then anie snow sitting on his head that held her beake along time close to his mouth and when she withdrew it thence the holy Pope began to speake and his scribe to write what he sayd But when that Sacred organ of the holy ghost was silent againe his seruant Peter layd his eye to the hole and he beheld him his hands and eyes lifted vp to heauen as at his prayers receauing the beake of the white doue into his mouth as before Which the holy man at length vnderstanding by the reuelation of the same B. spiritt he became wonderfully sad seuerely threatning and forbidding him by Apostolicque authoritie euer to reueale to anie man what he had seene during his life Which commaund he faythfully obserued till after the death of the Blessed Pope being compelled thereunto by the enuie of some wicked persons who did condemne the holy man of pride and presumption for speaking such and soe great matters touching the misteries of heauenly secrets he faythfully reuealed that he had seene all these things which are here related After the holy Popes A famine in Rome death when a migthie famine raged too too much not only in the cittie of Rome it self but in all the adiacent countreies there abouts and the Pope his successour opened the barnes of the Church to those that would buy corne and shutt them to those whom B. GREGORY had ordered to be maintayned with Church-stipends in the monasteries Deanries and hospitals in and about the Cittie they began compelled with extremitie want to crie out vnto the Pope My Lord let not your holines suffer those to perish with hunger whom our holy father your predecessour S. GREGORIE endeauoured hitherunto to nourish He grieuing at their lamentations answeared that albeit GREGORY to the renowne of his prayse was carefull to maintaine all the poeple yet we are not able soe to doe and soe he lett them depart voyd of comfort Which answeare hauing bene often times repeated to those that cried vnto him B GREGORY appeared thrise in a vision vnto him and S. Gregory appeareth to the Pope rebuked him with a mild chiding for detracting of him and his owne niggardlines warning him withall of the extreme want of those poore poeple But he was nether mooued therewith to fullfill his commaunds nor refrained his tongue from those ill reports nor yet opened his hands to the exercise of bountie towards the needie Whereuppon S. GREGORY appearing the fourth time vnto him gaue him a horrible check and threatningly struck him a blow on the head with the grief whereof he died not long after XIX THVS much briefly of the life and deeds of S. GREGORY But as long as the sphere of this world shall hould its course his memorable name shall allwaies receaue increase For doubtlesse it is ascribed to his glorie that the English Church becomes allwaies fruictfuller with a new ofspring of sainctitie and allsoe that by his diuine learning manie throughout the world forsaking their offences are conuerted to the mercie of CHRIST and others incensed with his pious admonitions more earnestly labour to attaine to the Kingdom of heauen Which most Blessed Pope when he had gloriously gouerned the sea of the Apostolicque Roman Church thirteene yeares six moueths and ten dayes being taken out of this mortall light he was translated to the indeficient glorie of the Kingdome of heaueÌ„ His body was buried in the Church of S. PETER the Apostle before the Sacristie the thirteenth day of March to rise hereafter in glorie with the others Pastours of the holy Church On his tombe was written an Epitaph which bicause it comes short of the worth of soe great a Sainct we omitt AND This is the life of S. GREGORY as it was briefly written The Authours of his life by Paul Warenfrid commonly called Paul Deacon much more might be sayd of this glorious Pope and much more is sayd of him by manie graue authours of his life Onuphrius Panuinus in his Epitome of the Roman Bishops S. ILDEPHONSE a Benedictin monk Arch-Bishop of Toledo in his booke of the writings of famous men Photius Patriark of Constantinople and more amply then all John Deacon a Benedictin Monk hath written fower bookes of his life in a word the world is full of graue authours and learned men which endeauour to speake his prayses but in the end all confesse their pennes farre too weake and vnable worthyly to write what he soe excellently was able to doe He is stiled by them to be A man of wonderfull A worthie commendation of S. Gregory learning Prince of the Diuines light of the Philosophers splendour of the Orators Mirrour of Sainctity and Organ of the holy Ghost But out of a large Catalogue of other famous writers the trumpets of his glorie I will only recite some few words which Sainct ILDEPHONSE before named sayth of him Sainct GREGORY full of a seeling of the feare of God and exceeding in humility was through the grace of the holy Ghost endowed with soe great a light of science that not onely these present times but nether could the time past euer shew his equall For soe highly he excelled in the perfection of all deserts that setting aside all comparisons of famous men antiquitie can shew vs nothing to paralell him For he ouercame ANTHONIE in sainctity CIPRIAN in eloquence and AVSTIN in science c. And saint ISIDORE writeth that not anie doctour of his time nor of the auncients nether was comparable to him And as it is in the 8. Councell of Toledo that saint GREGORIE
which best becomes all teachers making his owne example and outward manner of conuersation the perfect rule of what he taught And of his internall vertues perfection the signes and miracles which he wrought as he trauelled ouer Manie miracles his diocesse preaching teaching and confirming his poeple gaue sufficiét testimonie One Baldhelm a seruāt of one of King Egsrids noble men and the wife of a great Count drinking only of the water hallowed by his prayers were both suddenly perfectly cured of most grieuous and mortall diseases when all men quite despayred of their health An other holy Virgin who a long time had layn languishing of a grieuous payne in her head and side being annointed with holy oile hallowed by S. CVTHBERT felt her self better at the verie same instant and within a few daies was perfectly cured And Hildmer an officer of King Egsrid in drinking a little water into which was putt some bread hallowed by S. CVTHBERT receaued a perfect recouerie of a disease incurable by anie humane skill XIII As ONCE he visited his diocese he chaunced to come among the rude mountaines and rocks to teach and confirme those rustick poeple who not hauing anie Church neere to receaue the holy man into they erected tents and boothes in the way such as they could make of boughs branches cutt from the greene trees where he remayned for the space of two dayes preaching ministring the The sacrament of confirmation giuen by S. Cuth He cureth two of the Plague sacrament of Confirmation to such as had not yet receaued it whē in the midest of all behould there came some woemen to him carrying a youth grieuously infected with the plague humbly desiring the helpe of his holy prayers benediction by vertue of which presently he restored that diseased person to perfect health whose disease had allreadie giuen the foile to all the skill of phisick But hauing receaued his holy benediction he whose weaknes was carried thither walked home with the rest in health and iollitie In like manner he cured an other child dying of the plague by giuing him a kisse and making the signe of the Crosse vppon him And by vertue of the same Crosse he turned water into wine But we should neuer haue an endyf we rehearse all his vertues in particular XIV THEREFORE hauing exercised the office and dignitie of a Bishop for the space of two yeares with an admirable applause both He leaueth his Bishoprick and returne to the desert of holines and miracles foreseeing by the spiritt of prophesie that the hower of his death was at hand he resigned vp his pastorall charge and withdrew him self againe to the beloued habitation of his solitarie and eremiticall life there to consume with the flames of his auncient compunction whatsoeuer staines he had contracted in the managing of his worldly care and charge At that time of his departure being demaunded by one of his ancient monks when they should hope for his returne He answeared When you shall carrie my bodie hither And hauing passed ouer allmost two moneths in the great ioy of his recouered quietnes bruising his mind and bodie with the rigour of his accustomed peanance being taken with a sudden infirmitie he began through the fiers of a temporall grief to prepare his way to the sweet ioies and refreshments of eternall happines Three weekes togeather he was continually afflicted with sicknes vppon a wednsday he fell first into his disease and vppon a wednsday he died But what sore grieuances he endured all this time as well by his sicknes as the infernall spirits it is not easie to expresse especially for the space of fiue daies in which being destitute of all humane helpe and companie he was not able to mooue out of the place and being tormented with an extremitie of thirst he had nothing wherewith to refresh him self and quench it but one poore onion of which in those fiue dayes space he had scarse consumed the one half Then he desired his brethren to burie him in the same Iland of Farne on the East side of his Oratorie nere vnto a Crosse which him self had there erected but being ouercome with the vehement persuasions and earnest entreaties of the monks of Lindisfarne with much difficultie he consented they should burie him in their Church And at the same time a monk which only touched Touching the holy Bishop cureth the bloudie fluxe his bodie as he assisted him in his sicknes was cured of an otherwise incurable disease of the blouddie fluxe At length coming to the extremitie of his infirmitie which scarse allowed him strength to speake he began to bid his last adiew to his brethren earnestly recommending vnto them the obseruance of mutuall peace and charitie the care of keeping hospitalitie and aboue all things he strictly chardged them to remaine in the vnitie of the Church and in noe sort to haue anie communication with those who contrarie to the rites and custom of the same Catholick Church swearued from the Scismaticques must be auoyded true obseruance of Easter and he wished that they should rather leaue their monasterie and goe seek an habitation where it should please God to direct them then to vnite with such who like Schismaticks celebrated the feast of Easter at a wrong time Moroeuer endeauour most diligently sayd he to learne and obserue the Catholick statuts of our forefathers and particularly be verie carefull to follow those institutions of regular life which by my meanes the diuine goodnes hath voutchafed to bestow vppon you For His departure and buriall I know allthough in the iudgement of some I haue liued contemptibly yet after my death it will appeare what manner of man I haue bin and how my doctrine is not to be contemned With these and such like words this holy man hauing exhorted his dolefull brethrē and the night following hauing armed him self with the Sacred Viaticum of our Lords bodie lifting vp his hands and eyes towards heauen he yeelded vp his Blessed soule to the euerlasting ioies of heauen the twentith day of March in the yeare of our Lord 698. as sayth Baronius but 687. according to Sigebert His Sacred bodie was brought to Lindisfarne and there receaued by the conuent of Monks singing the prayles of allmightie God and with the resounding notes thereof it was buried with great solemnitie in S. PETERS Church in a coffin of stone on the right side of the aultar where with working of new miracles he witnessed the greatnes of the glorie and fauour he enioyed before the face of allmightie God XV. THERE was a child soe vehemently oppressed tormented by A Child miraculously dispossossed by the merit◠of S. Cuthbert the deuil that noe prayers nor exorcismes could worke anie good towards his deliuery from that wicked guest vntill a priest hauing compassion on his dolefull parents tooke some of that earth whereon the water was shed wherewith S. CVTHBERTS bodie was
hissing of serpents the neighing of horses the howling of wolues the roaring of lions the braying of asses the groning of beares the grunting of swine and diuers other most horrid noises which furiously encompasled him Against all which he vsed as braue patience and vertue as in times past those He confoundeth the deuils that assault him famous Ermites of Egipt so much praysed by S. HIEROM S. ATHONIE S. HILLARION and others and not long since our most worthie and memorable S. CVTHBERT in the Iland of Farne For being besieged as is aforesayd he armed him self with the signe of the holy Crosse saying It is in vaine Satan for thee to tempt me our Lord is my assistance and I will despise mine enemies It this the similitude of the Most-High which in times past thou wouldest assume to thy self in heauen art thou he who theÌ„ through pride didst aspire to the forme and liknes of God him self and now dost vilely and filthyly transforme thy self into the vglie shapes of brute and vncleane beasts Verely thou dost persecute CHRISTS poore seruants to thy owne great domage for by how much the more thou endeauourest to build vpon their backs by soe much the more resplendent crownes of glorie thou heapest on their heads to thyne owne confusion But turne into what shape thou wilt I am certaine that nether death nor Rom. 3. life nor angels nor powers nor principalities nor anie other creature shall be able to seperate me from the charitie and â—oue of God With these and such like words he putt to flight all those troupes of infernall monsters and euer after he not only ouercame all their hellish delusions plotts and sleights but allsoe gott absolute power and commaund ouer them as his slaues VII THEREFORE those wicked spiritts seeing they could not preuaile against him with their owne practises of mischief they incensed a clergiman that liued vnder his spirituall rules and gouernment called Bertheline with a wicked cogitation and temptation secretly to murder his holy master thereby to enioy as it were by inheritance that little house whatsoeuer else belonged vnto him But Bertilines He seeth the wicked practises of Berteline impious meaning being reuealed vnto the Sainct he sent for him and discouered vnto him all his secret counsels purposes to witt where when and by what meanes he had determined to execute that bloudie exploit Who presently falling prostrate at the holy mans feet with repeÌ„tant teares humbly craued obtained pardon euer after he was verie faythfull to S. GVTHIAKE remayned with him vntill death and had the honour to lay him in his graue Furthermore whilst he liued in this solitude his excellent counsell was ven profitable vnto manie for the good both of soule and bodie being famous allsoe for expelling deuils and curing diuers corporall diseases Manie things done a farre off he saw and declared as present and by the spirit of prophesie he foretould manie things to come long time before they happened He liued in this solitarines for the space of fifteen yeares in which time all his actions words and ininwardest His vertues in this solitarines cogitations breathed nothing else but sweet odours of pietie towards God and peace and charitie towards men Noe man euer saw him giue the lest signes of pride of mind or make the lest shew of anger in his countenance but in both he allwaies obserued one self-same setled and vnremoued constancie His aspect euer calme and quiet curteous and affable in his speech very prudent in giuing counsell of a singular humilitie of mind and a wonderfull continencie in his diett cloathing all things But allbeit the greatnes of the labours and afflictions whereunto he exposed him self in The loue of God ouercometh all difficulties this desert seeme after a manner to exceede all humane strength and power yet out of his immense loue to allmightie God and the allmost vndoubted and tried hope of future glorie they seemed verie light and pleasant vnto him All which God the only crowne of his saincts and their labours did wonderfully asswage and moderate with manie externe and interne consolations when besides others allreadie named the fowles of the ayre and fishes of the waters were seruicable and obedient to his commaunds and twise a day after he had been two yeares in the Ermitage morning and euening he He discour seth with an Angell deserued to intermingle most heauenly and vnexplicable discourses with an Angel which a little before his death being coniured thereunto him self confessed to Berteline who before had often heard him discourse but knew not with whom VIII IN the meane time he was visitted in this rude place by manie He is made Priest He coÌ„forteth King Ethelbald and ore relleth the restitution of his kingdom greate men by Hedda bishop who promoted him much against his will to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood by Ethelbald theÌ„ a banished man afterwards King of the Mercians who coming often to receaue some comfort in affliction from S. GVTHLAKE had great confidence by his prayers to be deliuered from the bloud-seeking hands his enemies Nether did his hope deceaue him for the holy man with the efficacie of his good counsell not only gaue new courage to his mind allmost quite ouerthrowne with sorrow and afflict ion bâ— allsoe by a propheticque spiritt foretould that through his prayers he should obtaine his kingdom and glorie againe and that his enemie had not long to line Only sayd he be mindfull that when allmightie God shall haue done well for thee thou be not vngratefull A certaine Abbot allsoe that came to visitt S. GVTHLAKE had giuen leaue to two of his clearks fayning some necessarie busines to goe to a village hard by where in a widdowes house they most wickedly gaue themselues to the works of gluttonie dronkennes and dishonestie In the meane time all their actions were reuealed to the holy man who tould the Abbot where they were what they sayd and did as distinctly as yf he had feene them The Abbot returning to his monasterie tould his clerkes where they had been with all other circumstances of words and works that had past whereby being much ashamed they humbly craued pardon for their fault IX A noble man belonging to the foresayd King Ethelbald and a yong man of Eastanglia both violently vexed and possessed by the He freeth two possessed persons deuill but the later soe extremely that he was madd allsoe in soe much that he would sett vppon all that came neere him with stones and staues and whatsoeuer else he could lay hould on whereby he slew three men that sought to bind him nether in his furie did he spare his owne bodie for with his teeth and nayles he would teare his flesh in peeces At length hauing been led by his friends to manie holie places all in vaine he was brought to S. GVTHLAKE who by a triduall perseuerance in fasting and
the other bishops the first of Nouember the day he was made Bishops and this day of his deposition which is allsoe yearly celebrated with great honour among the Welchmen in a Church dedicated to him called in Welch Llanpaternan that is saint Paternus Church Thus much of his life we haue gathered out of loannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Nicholas Harpsfield that at lest the memorie of soe great a sainct vnto whom our Welchmen are highly bound might not perish The life of Sainct STEPHEN Confessor and Abbot vnder the holy rule of Sainct BENEDICT APR. 17. Written by VVilliam Mal mesbury lib. 4. reg Ang. cap 1. STEPHEN surnamed Harding borne in England of noble parents was brought vp froÌ„ his verie childhood in Dorset-shire in the monasterie of Sherburne vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT till being now in the flower of his youth when the nettles of the world began to sting his mind farre otherwise inclined he fled out of the danger into France where carefully laying the grounds of true learning he receiued the first efficatious motiue to ver tue and the loue of God For when his riper yeares had banished all boyish inclinations he tooke a iourney to Rome with one other in his companie In which allbeit the way were long and difficult and their pouertie little able to defray that charge both going and returning they dayly recited and sung the whole psalter Hauing piously visited the sacred tombes of the Apostles they returned into Burgundie where STEPHEN in a new built monasterie of S. BENEDICTS order called Molismus putt on the habitt and conuersation of a Benedictin Monk And at verie first he grew easily He taketh the habit of S Benedict familiar with the precepts of S. BENEDICTS Rule in which he had beeÌ„ conuersant long before but finding other statuts proposed which he had not read in the rule before he began all waies keeping religious modestie to demaund the ground and reason of those lawes All things sayd he are gouerned with reason but because through slouth and negligence humane frailtie oftentimes falls from reason manie lawes were made in times past and from our holy father S. BENEDICT we receaued a Rule to recall the scattered mutabilitie of nature to the bounds of reason In which allbeit manie things be for which I can giue no reason yet the authoritie of the Author who questionlesse receiued them from heauen bids me yield thereunto Therefore shew an instance out of the Rule vpheld with reason and authoritie and dictated by him who was replenished with the spiritt of all iust men this yf you cannot doe you doe in vaine make profession of his prerogatiue whose doctrine you refuse to follow II. THIS opinion creeping from one to an other much mooued their hearts that feared God lest perchance hitherunto they had or might hereafter follow a wrong course Therefore after a frequent disputation thereof in Chapter S. ROBERT the Abbott approued STEPHENS opinion and concluded that they should surcease from following superfluous statutes and search only into the marrow He departeth to cifterce of S. BENEDICTS Rule But manie refusing to leaue their old customs some few only embraced S. STEPHENS opinion and departed thence with him to the hermitage of Cisterce which at that time was a desert vnhabited place but since through his meanes soe florishing with a worthie conuent of holy monks that it might seeme a litle paradise on earth Here togeather with his fellowes he began to lead a verie holie life in the strict and punctuall obseruance of saint BENEDICTS Rule soe that ROBERT Abbott of Molismus hearing the same of their holy conuersation tooke with him twentie fower other monks and went thither as well to be made a partner of their holy purpose as a promoter of their intended course But his owne monkes caused him shortly after to be recalled back to his monasterie by the authoritie of the Pope And Alberick was created abbot of Cisterce in his stead after whose death and he liued but eight yeares more our STEPHEN succeeded in the gouernment of that new borne-Conuent in whose time the holy Congregation of Cisterce began to extend it self and florish He is made Abbot of Cisterce with a great name of religion and all by the vertue and prudence of S. STEPHEN who with the almes of deuout poeple and happie was the man that through his hands offered his money to God built sixteene monasteries in his life time of all which he was Generall Soe that indeed he may be iustly termed the chief founder of the whole Cistercian Congregation which afterwards florished all the world ouer as may be seene at this present day for that Boore beginning in time of his predecessor Robert and Alberick was soe small and soe vnsetled that excepting the wonderfull and peculias prouidence of allmightie God and this holy mans prudent care and endeauours it was likely to haue taken noâ—great hould in the Church that as at the first he was the occasion and cause of the first planting soe now he was the authour of the great propagation of this famous reforme of the Benedictin order When among other titles of his prayses it is not the lest that he gaue the Benedictin habitt He gaue the habit to S. Bernard to that bright Ornament of the Order S. BERNARD who vnder the obedience of our STEPMEN suckt the sweet milke of his mellifluous learning and deuotion And the same S. STEPHEN composed and left to his brethren as his last will and testament that worthie writing called CHARTA CHARITATIS the Charter or carde of charitie wherein is contayned an admirable manner of maintayning a connection of true peace and charitie in all the monasteries of that Congregation throughout the whole world that all exhibiting honour to each other their whole multitude of Abbeys and monks should make all but one Bodie or Chapter vnder one head and Superior And this was called Charta Charitatis because it chiefly tended to the conseruing of loue and charitie amongst them III. AT LENGTH when this blessed man had setled established and confirmed this new plantation with manie holy lawes of order and discipline and worthyly gouerned his stock according to our Lords true example of humilitie till old age had quite depriued him of his sight he gaue vp his pastorall chardge desiring wholly to betake him self to the contemplation of diuine things according to the royall prophets counsell tast and see for our Lord is sweet In this holie Psal 33. sweetnes he spent the remaynder of his life allwaies expecting the approach of the happie minute wherein he should be released out of that prison to the enioying of the eternall freedom Therefore his time drawing neere manie of the Abbots of his new erected Congregation and a great number of the monks came to offer him the last seruice of their loue and dutie VVho talking amongst them selues as the holy man say gasping
the way to purchase a crowne by flying out of the lists of the battle Or how can he glorie in the prize of the victorie who would not runne to the end of the race To whom when the bishop had answeared that he did not flie but obeyed the commaund of heauens messenger This was not a message from God replied the other but a false inuention of the deuils malice who did not soe much desire to educe thee out of prison as to seduce thee being out For he is shrewdly netled with the pious workes of thy life past and to see thee allwaies enioy the present consolation of the holy Ghost in all thy afflictions whose presence giueth constancie to all men constancie getts victorie and victorie purchaseth euerlasting glorie Returne theÌ„ to the place deputed to thee from aboue to obtaine thee a crowne and know that to morrow our heauenly father will honour thee in heauen with that eternall happines to liue with his sonne for euer XII Now that Sainct ELPHEGVS was brought back to the Againe he is cruelly tormented place of his triall with great ioy he expected the hower wherein he should receaue the crowne of martirdom But being come neere to the prison gate he was apprehended by a troupe of those butchers who hauing cruelly beaten him with stripes and hurt his braine with greuious blowes vppon the head lockt him vpp in a prison allmost half dead where euery hower of the night they cast on a fier made of purpose whatsoeuer they could imagine would yeeld the filthiest stink and smoake to annoy the holy man in that close roome But a good part of the night being past the gates of heauen opened and those glorious spirits began to be compartners in The Saincts come to visitt him his suffrings and to breath forth the sweet odours of eternall life resounding with their melodious voyces himmes of celestiall ioy and melodie Whom as S. ELPHEGVS heard and considered to the great comfort of his painfull soule he beheld saint DVNSTAN late Archbishop of Canturbury glorious in countenance and habitt asisting amongst them who stretching forth his hand spake to him in these words To thee ô Inuincible Champion of our eternall King to honour thee with our dutie we come sent from him who hath graunted thee victorie ouer thine enemies and prepared thee an euer-florishing crowne in heauen Behould what companie thou shalt perpetually enioy after this mortall life the citizens of our heauenly Hierusalem and the most glorious domestiks of God yf thou ouercome with patience what remaines to be suffered for the loue of CHRIST For we haue beheld the manifold labours of the cittie the burning of the Churches the slaughter of our children thy chaines and reproches and the redoubling of thy torments after benefitts bestowed vppon them Armed then with the power of heauen doe thou willingly vndergoe what remaines knowing that the suffrances of this time are not Rom. 8. wort ie of the future glorie which shall be reuealed in vs. For the time of torment is but one day and that a short one too but that of rewarde is infinite and without anie end Take good courage then and fight manfully to obtaine the eternall glory promised to those that for the loue of God ouercome the world At these words those glorious spirits vanished XIII IN THE meane time his fetters chaines fell off and all his sores All his wounds are healed miraculously and wounds were perfectly healed When it was an excellent sight to behould ELPHEGVS singing with those heauenly quiristers and reioycing amongst their ioyes But the next morning had noe sooner made a glorious shew of a good meaning but he was led out of prison with an armed band of souldiers and carried ca horseback to receiue his sentence before the iudgement seate of impious tiranny Where this choise was giuen him Eyther pay gould for thy ransom or this day thou shalt be made a miserable spectacle to the world I offer you answeared he with an vndaunted courage the gould of diuine wisedom which warnes you to leaue the vanitie you His indgement loue soe dearly and turne the whole care and endeuour of your minds to the true seruice of the only liuing God which diuine counsell soe oâ—en proposed yf yet obstinately yee despise to follow yee will perish by a worle death then euer Sodom did nether shall you or your succession take anie long-during roote in this land At these words those officers of hell leaped furiously vppon him and hauing beaten him with their halberds to the ground they began to lay aâ— him with stones and whatsoeuer else came to hand Whilst he being gott vppon his knees powred out this prayer to allmightie God O IESVS-CHRIST only sonne of the eternall father who camest into this world through the womb of the imaculate Virgin MARIE to saue sinners receiue my soule in peace and haue mercie on these my tormentors with that he was stricken flatt to the ground but rising againe he went on O good Pastour O only Pastour defend the children of thy Church which with a dying voice I recommend vnto thy diuine care Then one called Thrum whom the day before he had confirmed ranne violently vppon him and with a cruell blow fastened his mercilesse axe in his sacred head whereby that conquering spiritt was sett at libertie to receaue a glorious and triumphant crowne of martirdom in heauen But the Princes of the Danes desiring to hide the wickednes of their owne fact and darken the lustre of the Martirs glorie decreed to drowne He goeth to heauen a martir his dead bodie in the riuer supposing thereby that the foulnes of their crime would soe much the more easily be kept close by how much the more the memorie of the Sainct was blotted out of the minds of the poeple But what the Danes intended for his reproche CHRIST turned to his glorie For all that multitude of poeple which by his preaching had renounced their errours stood vp in armes for his defence choosing rather to accompanie him in death then to suffer his dead bodie by whose meanes while it liued they had receaued the ablution of life to be buried in the vnsatiable A controsie about his bodie gulph of the waters Therefore that sacred relique being a cause of controuersie betweene two poeple of disageeing opinions remayned vnburied and vndrowned But the consellours of both parties meeting in the euening with the force of reason to decide the cause of that contention it was concluded by common consent of both sides ioyntly to make intercession to the Sainct him self that yf he were of anie power or estimation before the face of allmightie God he would shew the strength of his authoritie in the decision of this doubtfull question Behould sayd the impious Danes a bough cutt from its nourishing stock depriued both of barke and moisture yf this embrewed in ELPHEGVS his bloud shall appeare the next
to yeeld and giue way to the prayers and teares of such and soe manie great Lords he esteemed most discourteous and inhumane At length he resolued to deferre his pilgrimage vntill he had consulted the Pope him self therewith meaning to follow his He c 〈…〉 teth Pope 〈…〉 aduise and counsell and to know whether in this case his vow were to be fullfilled or otherwise to be satisfied and redeemed X. THE POPE hauing seriously considered and diligently discussed Pope his 〈…〉 to S. the matter wrote his answeare to the King in this manner LEO Bishop seruant of the seruaÌ„ts of God to his beloued sonne EDWARD King of England sendeth health and Apostolicall benediction Because we haue vnderstood of thy desire both laudable and gratefull to God we giue thanks to him by whom Kings doe raigne and Princes decree iustice But in euerie place our Lord is neere vnto DispeÌ„seth with his vow of pilgrimage them that truely call vppon him and the holy Apostles vnited with their head are one spiritt and equally giue eare to deuout prayers and bicause it is manifest that the English nation will be indomaged by thy absence who with the raynes of iustice doest restraine the seditious insurrections thereof by the authoritie of God and the holy Apostles we doe absolue thee from the bond of that vow for which thou fearest to offend God and from all thy sinnes and offences by vertue of that power which our Lord in B. PETER graunted vnto vs saying Whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be Mat. 16. loosed alsoe in heauen Furthermore we commaund thee vnder title of holy obedience and peanance to distribute the expenses prepared for thy iourney to the poore and that eyther thou build a new one or repayre an old Monasterie of Monks to the honour of S. PETER Prince of the Apostles and prouide the brethren therein sufficient maintenance out of thy owne reuenewes that their continuall prayers sung there to allmightie God may adde an encrease of glorie to his Saincts and purchase more abundant pardon vnto thee And whatsoeuer thou shalt giue or is allreadie giuen or shall heereafter be giuen to that place we commaund that it be ratified by Apostolicall authoritie and that for euer there be an habitation for Monks subiect to noe other lay person but the King himself and we graunt and confirme by most strong authoritie whatsoeuer priuiledges thou shalt there ordaine to the honour of God and lastly we pronounce the heauie sentence of eternall damnation against all that shall presume to infringe or violate the same XI BVT FOR the greater confirmation of the Popes letters The visioÌ„ of a holy man and answere to the King an oracle was sent from heauen and reuealed to a holy man then liuing in England shutt vp in a hollow caue vnder ground who now being well struck in yeares both of age and sainctetie dayly expected a release to the desired reward of his meritorious labours To him the blessed Apostle S. PETER appeared one night in a vision with these words King EDWARD sollicitous for the vow wherewith he obliged him self being in banishment and carefull for the peace of his Realme and the necessities and prayers of the poore hath consulted the Pope to be aduised of all things by the authoritie of the Roman Church Therefore let him know that by my authoritie he is absolued from this obligation and that he hath receaued a commaund from the Pope to erect a Monasterie in honour of my name Let him then without delay giue creditt to the Apostolicall letters be sure he obey the Popes precepts and yeeld vnto his counsells for whatsoeuer they containe cometh from me whom in times past he chose to be his speciall Patrone the companion of his iourney and his obtainer of grace But there is a place on the west side of the cittie of London which long since I haue both chosen and loued S. Peters loue to Vvestminster Abbey and the Monks thereof and which heeretofore I consecrated with mine owne hands ennobled with my presence and honoured with manie miracles The name of the place is Thorney which heeretofore for the sinnes of the people was giuen vp to the enraged power of the Barbarians and by them brought downe from wealth to pouertie from maiestie to deiection and from a place of respect and honour to an estate vile and contemptible By my commaund the King must vndertake worthily to repaire and reedifie this Monasterie and to amplifie and enrich it with large possessions There shall be nothing but the house of God and the gate of heauen There a ladder shall be erected by which the Angels ascending and descending shall present the prayers and petitions of men before allmightie God and obtaine grace vnto them I will lay open the gates of heauen to those that ascend from thence and by vertue of the office which my Lord and Sauiour hath giuen me I will absolue those that are tied in the bands of sinne and receaue them being absolued and iustified in at the gates of the heauenly courte which sinne had barred vp against them But doe thou write vnto the King whatsoeuer thou hast heard and sâ—ene that by a redoubled benefitt of God he may be securer of his absolution deuouter in the execution of his precept and become more feruently possessed with loue and dutie towards me With these words he vanished in the glorious light that garded him and the old man according to his commaund related what he had heard by letters directed to the King which at the verie instant that the Popes answer was opened were allso receaued and read Whereat the good King takeing great consolation with King Edw. obeyeth the Pope a ioyfull cheerfullnes a cheerfull ioy bestowed the money prepared for his iourney amongst the poore and reedified the Monasterie XII WHEN Ethelred king of Kent by the preaching of S. AVGVSTIN the Benedictin monk had receaued the ChristiaÌ„ faith Sebert his nephew then king of the East-Angles by the same holymans endeauour was purged from Paganisme in the sacred font of Baptisme This Sebert erected a famous Church in honour of S. PAVL within the walls of London which was esteemed the cheif head of his kingdom and placed Mellitus the Monk therein honouring him with Episcopall S. Mellitus made Bishop of London dignitie But without the walls in the West part of the cittie he founded a goodly Monastery for Monks of S. BENEDICTS order in honour of S. PETER the Apostle enriching it with verie large reuenews When the night before the Dedication of the Church s. PETER him self in an vnknowne habitt appeared to a fisherman on the other side of the riuer Thames running by the sayd Abbey desiring him to passe him ouer and he would reward his paines which was performed when goeing out of the boate in sight of the fisherman he entred the new-built Church where suddenly was seene a strainge light from heauen
certaine poore pilgrim his Chamberlaine being absent importunately asked him an almes in the name of God and S. IOHN He hauing nothing else in a readines gaue him a ring of great value of his finger Not long after two Englishmen going in pilgrimage to visitt the holy sepulcher at Hierusalem lost their way and wandered a long time throught strainge and vncouth places till the sunne goeing to sett the darksom night approached and encreased their ignorance soe that not knowing what to doe nor which way to turne there appeared a venerable graue old man that brought them to a towne hard by where they were receaued kindly and entertayned very sufficiently with diet and lodging The next morning as they were departing the same old man putt them in their right way and in takeing leaue of them Brethren sayd he be of good cheere and doubt not but you shall returne to your countrey in safetie for allmightie God will make your iourney prosperous and I my self for your good kings sake will haue care to direct you in all your waies For I am IOHN the Apostle who affect your King with all loue for his pure vertue of chastetie S. Iohn loueth him for his chastetie j which highly deserues it Take therefore this ring which he gaue me for an almes appearing in the habit of a pilgrim and deliuer it vnto him againe telling him withall that the time of his death drawes neere for six moneths hence I will visitt him and bring him where togeather with me he shall follow the lambe which way soeuer he goeth At these words he vanished away and Apoc. 14. v. 4. they hauing visitted the holy land returned safely into their countrey and related orderly to the King what they had seene and heard And in testimonie of all gaue him the ring which was afterwards kept with great reuerence as a holy relique in the great Church of Westminster and by vertue of it manie were cured of the falling sicknes and of the contractions of their limmes XXIII NOT LONG after the blessed man fell into a grieuous sicknes during which he was in such an extasie that for the S. Edw. in an extasie space of allmost two daies he lay without anie signe of life At length waking as it were out of a deepe sleepe he opened his eyes and sitting vpp in his bed spake to the attendants in this manner When in my youth I liued a banished man in Normandie I euer held the friendship and companie of good and vertuous persons as most deare and gratefull vnto me and chiefly those Monks and Religious men that excelled others in vertue and religion I obserued and with them I conuersed most familiarly among whom two Monks Benedictines had obliged me in the bands of charitie verle particularly vnto them by their honest His loue to Benedictine Monks conuersation their holy life their sweet behauiour and their affable and courteous discourse These I more frequently visitted their discourses being to my soule as sweet meates to my pallate And these being some yeares since translated out of this world to the ioyes of heauen I beheld in this my sleepe standing before my face rehearsing according to the will of God what shall befall this countrey after my decease They say that the wickednes of the English nation is growne soe full and to such a height that it prouoketh Gods wrath and hasteneth his His prophesie of England reuenge The Priests haue broken their couenant with God they handle the sacred misteries with polluted soules and defiled hands They are not true pastours but mercenaties that doe noe protect their flock but expose it to the deuouring iawes of wolues seeking only their owne priuate commoditie of the milke and the wooll neglecting the good of their sheepe that at last eternall death may iustly deuoure and swallow both sheepe and sheapheard in the bottomlesse pitt of hell The Princes allsoe and gouernours of the land are vnfaythfull companions of theeues and wasters of the countrey they neyther seare God nor honour the lawes men to whom truth is grieuous and burdensom righteousnes contemptible and crueltie delightfull soe that neyther the Prelates heare anie respect to iustice nor the subiects haue anie regard of good order and discipline And therefore our Lord And the comeing in of the Normans hath drawne his dreadfull sword he hath bent and prepared his bow to shoote-forth the arrow of his iust wrath and reuenge against this nation into which he will send a mission of wicked spiritts to whose power they shall be deliuered in one yeare and one day to be punished with fier and sword With that sighing and grieuing at the newes of this calamitie threatned against my wretched countrey ô yee witnesses of the heauenly secrets sayd I what if this people beiog conuerted from their wickedenes shall doe worthie works of penance will not God graunt thē pardon leaue his blessing among them Penance is of such force that it suspended the dreadfull sentence of death pronounced by Gods owne mouth against the Niniuites and allso differed Joan. 2. 3. Reg. 21. the imminent reuenge due to wicked Achab. Therefore I will perswade my people to doe penance for their offences past and carefully beware those to come and perhaps our Lord will be mercifull and not powre out these great calamities vppon them but with his wonted pietie will receiue them then returned vnto his seruice whom peruerted from him by their wicked life he was prepared to punish and destroy with this heauie iudgement No no replied they it will not fall out soe happily for the hearts of this miserable people are soe hardned their eyes soe blinded and their eares soe fast dammed vp against all goodnes that they will neyther hearken to anie correction nor vnderstand anie good counsell they are neyther with threats terrified from euill nor with benefits prouoked vnto good At these their words my grief and care encreasing What sayd I will our Lord shew his anger for euer will he not at last beginne to be more pacified When then shall ioyes succeed these soe manie miseries what comfort or consolation shall moderate Psal 76. these great aduersities What remedie is to be expected in these An obscure promise of Gods mercie towards England euills that as on the one side we are terrified and contristated at our future rebukes soe we may be a little comforted with the promise of the diuine mercie that followes them Herevnto the Saincts proposed vnto me this Parable When a greene tree cutt downe from the stock remooued three furlongs distant from his owne roote shall without the helpe of anie mās hand or by anie externall ayde returne againe to his owne roote and placing it self thereon shall resume iuice againe to florish and bring forth fruit then and not before some comfort may be hoped for in this tribulation and a remedie against the foretould aduersitie may be expected Hauing
MOLANVS and GALESINVS in their Martyrologes make worthie mention of S. BRITHWALD S. BENEDICTVS BISCOP ABBAS PATRONVS Congregationis â—enedictinorum Angliae Jan. 12º The life of S. BENNET surnamed Biscop Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 12. Written by venerable Bede his disciple THE GLORIOVS seruant of God S. BENNET by byrth descended from the auncient race of the nobilitie of England but the nobilitie of his mind was such as farre more deserued the fellowship and companie of the noblest and worthiest sort of the English nation He was borne in Yorkshire and in his youth followed the discipline of warre in the Royall seruice of Oswy king of the Northumbers from whose princely liberalitie he receaued as the reward of his faithfull seruice no small possession of lands His life during his youth meanes suteable to his degree and calling These for a time he enioyed till he attayned to the florishing age of twentie fiue yeares and then a diuine inspiration mouing him therevnto he forsoke left the world and fading worldly goods for loue of the eternall he despised the warre fare of these lower regions the vaine rewards thereof that seruing vnder the enseigne of our true King CHRIST IESVS he might receaue an euerlasting kingdom aboue He left his countrey house and kinred for the loue of CHRIST and his Ghospell that he might gaine the hundredfould reward he promiseth and possesse life euerlasting he refused to enter into worldly mariage that in the court of heauen he might be worthie to follow the holy lambe soe candid with the glorie of virginitie he loathed to be a carnall father of children being ordayned by CHRIST to His first iourney to Rome traine vp his children in the spirituall doctrine of heauen Hauing left therefore his countrey because the Christian faith and Ecclesiasticall discipline was yet but rawly established in England he went to Rome there as in the source and fountaine of all true religion to learne a perfect forme oflife where CHRISTS chief Apostles had planted the first and principall foundation and head of the whole Catholicke Church He visitted the sacred tombes of the Apostles with great deuotion vnto whom his loue was allwaies such as the teares now shed ouer their shrines were sufficient witnesses to prooue it excellent But he made no long stay at Rome but returned back into England where he was verie diligent and carefull to honour and as farre as he was able to practise him self and teach others those rules of Ecclesiasticall discipline at home which he had learnt and seene abroade II. ABOVT that time Alchifridus sonne to Oswy hauing a great His secoÌ„d iourney to Rome desire to goe to Rome to visitt the holy shrines of the Apostles would needes take that iourney with S. BENNET notwithstanding the earnest persuasions and entreaties of his father to stay at home Their iourney succeeded well and shortly after they returned in safetie againe during the time of Pope Vitalian When S. BENNET came not emptie but loaden with the sweetnes of good and wholesom doctrine as before which the better to digest after some He taketh the habitt of S. Benedict moneths he departed out of England and went to the Benedictin monasterie of Lirin in France where he tooke leaue of the world and putt on the monasticall habitt of the great Patriark of Monks S. BENEDICT and receaued the Ecclesiasticall tonsure In this pious schoole of regular discipline he liued for the space of two yeares very carefully learning and obseruing the rules of a true monasticall and religious life But noe sooner was he a litle hardened in the surnace of religion and made perfectly strong and able to resist the temptations and aduersities of the world but his loue to the Prince of the Apostles which it seemes lay buried at Rome serued as a loadstone to draw him thither againe And finding a fitt opportunitie of shipping he committed him self to that much desired iourney which most prosperously he performed It was at the time when Egbert King of Kent as we haue sayd in the life of S. ADRIAN had sent Wighart to Rome to be consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury But Wighart dieing and Theodore being made Archbishop in his steede S. BENNET found to be a man very wise religious and industrious allthough at that time otherwise determined was by commaund of the Pope compelled to cease from the deuotion of his pilgrimage to attend vnto imployments of a higher calling which was to returne into England with Theodore now Elect of Canturbury and S. ADRIAN Abbot to serue them both for a guide and an interpreter by the way and in England BENNET whose chiefest lesson was obedience most willingly yeelded to the Popes desire and brought the Archbishop into Kent where they were both gratefully wellcome Theodore a scended the seate of the Archbishoprick and S. BENNET vndertooke the gouernment of the monasterie of S. PETER and PAVL in Canturbury of which afterwards S. ADRIAN was made Abbot For S. BENNET hauing ruled there two His third iourney to Rome yeares entred into his third iourney towards Rome which he performed with his wonted prosperitie And at his returne he brought with him not a few bookes fraught with diuine learning all which he had eyther bought at an easie rate or receaued gratis from his friends Coming thus loaden into England he betooke him self to haue some conference with the King of the West-Saxons called Kenewalk whose courteous friendship he had made vse of before bin much assisted by his benefitts to him-wards But this good King being about the same time taken away by an immature death the holy man was frustrated of his desire and therefore he turned his iourney directly into his owne countrey where he was borne and went to Egfrid then King of the Northumbers To whom he made relatioÌ„ of all whatsoeuer he had done since he departed a yonge man out of his countrey neyther did he keepe secret from him how he was enflamed with a feruent desire of religion then he tould him whatsoeuer he had learned both in Rome other places touching Ecclesiasticall and monasticall order and discipline and what store of diuine bookes he had purchased and with what great reliques of the Apostles and Martyrs he had enriched his countrey At length the King liked him soe well and preuayled soe farre with him and gott soe great loue and familiaritie that he gaue him out of his reuenews the lands of three score and tenne families to build a monasterie in honour of the Prince of the Apostles S. PETER which S. BENNET with great ioy and speed performed in the yeare of our Lord 674. the fourth yeare of King Egfrid III. IN THE meane time before the foundation of the Church was layd S. BENNET went ouer into France and brought thence masons other skillfull workemen to build it of stone according to the Roman fashion which he euer loued And
the venerable and beloued man of God Sigfrid Luc. 11. v. 17. hauing passed through the fier and water of temporall tribulation was by a wellcome death brought into the sweet refreshing of an euerlasting rest And at length after fower moneths more the excellent worker of vertues and great conquerour of vices S. BENNET conquered with the weakenes of his earthly body came to his last It was when the frozen night came on with his winter blasts to begett a sacred day of eternall and cleere light of felicitie His watchfull brethren mett togeather in the Church with prayers and psalmes to driue away nights horrid shadows and to comfort the grief of their deare fathers departure with the continuall singing of the diuine prayses Some would not bouge out of the chamber and from the beds side in which the strong sickman lay expecting by the passage of death to take the sweet entrance of life With desire they expected that as his example taught them how to liue well by the same they might likewise learne how to die For the further mitigating of his grief the Ghospell was read all night as it was wont by a Priest that attended on him The hower of his departure drawing neere the Sacrament of CHRISTS facaed bodie was giuen him for his viaticum and soe that blessed soule hauing bin a long time parched and examined in the flames of an happie tribulation forsaketh the earthly furnace of the flesh and being at libertie tooke a long desired flight to the neuer-dieing glory of His death celestiall happines This glorious Confessor died in the yeare of our Lord 690. the twelfth day of Ianuary when he had gouerned his monastery sixteene yeares eight by him self and other eight with the assistance of his holy Colleagues Eosterwin Sigfrid and Colfrid He was buried in the Church of S. PETER which he built that soe he might not be separated from him in death whom he euer loued in his life and by whose ayde the gates of heauen were opened vnto him His life is written by S. BEDE whom we haue followed VSVARD MALMESBVRY WIGORNIENSIS IOHN CAPGRAVE BARONIVS and other graue Authours make honourable mention of his vertues This Sainct BENNET was the first that reduced the BENEDICTIN order in S. Bennet Batrone of the moderne Congregation of England England into the forme and gouernment of a Congregation that is when manie monasteries are vnder owne head or superiour who during his time whether it be perpetuall or determined vppon yeares is supreme monarke as it were of them all And for this cause the English Congregation of Benedictin Monks now extant and deriued immediatly from the auncient Congregation of England both by succession and Apostolicall priuiledge honoureth this glorious Sainct as their chief Patrone next after the vniuersall Patriarke of the whole order great S. BENEDICT him self and Sainct AVGVSTIN our first Apostle For allbeit in the beginning the Congregation which he erected consisted only of two monasteries as may be seene in his life yet afterwards the whole number of the Black Benedictin Monks in England was ranged into one Congregation as appeares by the bulle of Pope Innocentius the third graunted vnto them And in like manner as the Congregation of Clunie and others beganne srom a small number to grow to such greatnes soe likewise did that of England from the vniting of the sayd two monasteries by S. BENNET BISCOP encrease to a generall vnion of all the Benedictin Monks throughout the vvhole Jland The life of S. ALVRED Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 12. Written by John Capgraue ALVRED borne in England of nobles parents was brought vp from his tender age in the feare of God and good learning he learnt euen in his youth to vndegoe the sweet yoake of our Lord remayning allwaies in the innocencie of his life pure from all spott of sinne His pietie and learning encreasing daily with his age he gayned soe great fauour and loue with Dauid King of the Scots that he esteemed him before most of his court and had exalted him to a Bishoprick had not his entrance into a He refuseth a Bishoprik religious order hindered it In all occasions this holy youth carried him self with soe great pietie and meeknes as noe iniurie could moue him to anger noe opprobrious speeches could prouoke him to reuenge he allwaies endeauoured to repay hatred with loue to render good for euill to ouâ—rcome enuie with dutie and seruice A certaine knight perceauing him to be beloued and honoured of the King more then anie other raysed a hatefull and malignant persecution against him and grew so fierce in his malice that he was not afray sometimes openly to vomitt part of his venom against him with iniurious words before the King him self To whom the holy man with a mild and vnmoued countenance You speake verie well sayd he and honestly I know your tongue was neuer acquainted with vntruths and therefore I take you to be His rare humilitie patieÌ„ce my verie good friend The knight finding him to be a firme rock whom all the outrageous stormes of his malice and hatred could not moue nor stirre from the ground of vertue suffred a willing ouerthrow in his wicked endeauours and shewing the effects of a repentant mind demaunded pardon for his great temeritie promising from thence forth euer to oblige himself vnto him in an vnsayned league of friendship To whom ALVRED I confesse sayd he I reioyce hartely at thy repentance and therefore I shall loue thee better farre then euer for thy hatred to me hath encreased my A good lesson loue to my deare Redeemer and my patience being exercised and tried hereby hath perhapps bina meanes to make me profitt a little in my dutie to allmightie God Thus this B. man froÌ„ the briers of other mens malice reaped the sweetroses of vertues vnto him self II. AFTER this meaning to bidd adieu to the world and all He taketh the habitt of a monk the vanities thereof he went vnto the Abbey of Rhieuall or Ridall in Yorkshire and putt on the habitt of a Bernardin Monk vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT In which solitarie kind of life giuing him self wholly to contemplation of heauenly things and the continuall exercise of true religious and monasticall vertues he attained to such perfection that like the moone amongst the lesser starres he shined amongst the rest of his brethren in all manner of vertuous life and behauiour And shortly aster he was soe He is made Master of the nouices good a proficient him selt that he waÌ„s thought able to read a lesson of vertue vnto others and therefore the education of the nouices or probationers was committed to this chardge But whilest he executed that office there was an vnconstant Clerk that entred into the order whose vocation after a small triall beganne to wauer like a reed in the wind His vnstedfast mind being
breade in Idlenes he laboured manie times with his owne hands in the tillage of his land III. AFTER the death of King Morken during whose raigne he was made Bishop the kinsmen of the same King like the sonnes of Beliall plotted and conspired his death whereof the holy man being admonished by reuelation from God he tooke his iourney into Southwalls which countrey was at that time richly beautified with the florishing vertues of S. DAVID with whom hauing spent some time he receaued of the King of that countrey called Cathwalla a peece of land to build a monasterie And hauing erected a He buildeth a monasterie monasterie at Elue in Flintshire he there constituted his Episcopall sea He gathered togeather in that monasterie the number of nine hundred threescore and odd Monks which all serued God vnder regular discipline in a verie strict and rigid manner of life Three hundred of the most vnlearned of them were deputed to the labour of husbandrie to toile and â—ill the fields and keepe sheepe other cattle other three hundred were employed in workes within the The manner of life of the ancieÌ„t moÌ„ks monasterie to prouide victualls and other necessaries and the rest which were sufficiently learned were allotted to the quier night and day to celebrate the diuine office and none of these were easily permitted to wander abroade but were bound to the limitts of their monasterie as to the Sanctuarie of our Lord. The holy Bishop diuided them into diuers companies or conuents and as one companie ended the diuine office in the Church an other presently entred to beginne the same againe and that hauing done comes a third companie in like manner soe that by the continuall succession of the diuers companies the diuine seruice was maintayned in that Church night and day without anie intermission Amongst these Monks there was one called Asaph a man of verie great vertue and a worker of manie miracles him S. KENTIGERNE loued aboue all the rest and for his vertuous life he deliuered vnto his hands the care of the monasterie and appointed him for his successour in the Bishoprick IV. THE HOLY man remayning on a time longer at his deuotions then his ordinarie custom was his face appeared fierie and glistening to the great admiration of the beholders and after his prayers were ended he fell into most grieuous lamentations which He hath a reuelation of S. Dauids death moued some of his disciples humbly to request him to declare the cause of his soe great sadnes To whom after a silent pawse You must know sayd he my deare children that the crowne and glorie of Britanie and worthy father of his countrey S. DAVID is now departed out of the prison of his bodie to receaue his rewards in heauen Beleeue me I beheld not only a great multitude of Angels but the Lord of Angels CHRIST IESVS him self come to meet him and leade him into the glorie of his heauenly paradise Know likewise that our Britanie being depriued of this her great light will groane for the losse of soe great a Patrone who Prayse of S. Dauid whilst he liued was the only buckler of our defence against the reuengefull sword of Gods iuste anger half drawne out to punish the malice of our Countrey and long since had not his vertue withheld it had made a generall slaughter amongst vs. Now therefore our Lord will deliuer this countrey into the hands of strange nations which neyther acknowledge him for God nor his religion for the truth And this our wretched Ile shall be inhabited He prophesieth the miserie of Brinie by Pagans and all Christian religion therein shall for a time be vtterly destroyed but afterwards by the wonderfull mercie of allmightie God all shall be repayred againe and the countrey reduced notonely into her auncient but into a farre better and more florishing state of religion V. THIS Blessed Sainct had bene seauen times at Rome where vnto S. GREGORIE the great afterwards Apostle of the English Bishops confirmed by the Pope he related the whole course of his life the manner of his election and consecration and all other chances which had befalne him The holy Pope vnderstanding him to be a man of God and ful of the grace of the holy Ghost confirmed his consecration which he knew to haue proceeded from God and supplieing according to his earnest desire such ceremonies as had bin omitted therein he dismissed him vnto his pious chardge by the holy Ghost inioyned VI. IN THE meane time death hauing exercised his reuenge on all the holie mans enemies in Albanie or Scotland the inhabitants thereof forsaking the way of truth and returning like doggs to feed vppon their owne vomitt fell againe into the riteâ— of flatt Idolatrie And therewithall the heauens and elements with drawing their vsuall influences caused a generall famine and dearth in their countrey Till at length allmightie God raysed a King named Redereth who hauing bin baptized in Ireland by the disciples of S. PATRICK with all his heart honoured allmightie God and studied by all meanes to restore his kingdom to the true faith of CHRIST He sent therefore messengers with letters directed vnto S. KENTIGERNE earnestly desiring him by the name and loue of our Lord to returne to his desolate flock that was left destitute of all care and cure affirming it to be a thing vnworthie for a pastour to forsake his sheepe a Bishop his Church for whose loue he ought to lay his soule at stake vnlesse he would turne a mercenarie who flies for feare of persecution Likewise he assured him that his enemies which sought his life had allreadie in seeking it lost their owne Therefore the holy man ordayning S. ASAPâ— his successour with six hundred and threescore of his Monks tooke his S. Kentigerne returned into Scotl. iourney towards Glasghn The king giuing thankes to allmightie God with a great multitude of people went to giue him the meeting and to receaue him with honour due vnto soe great a Sainct He hauing first giuen his benediction to the whole companie sayd All those whosoeuer enuie the saluation of men and are aduersaries vnto the word of God I commaund them by the vertue and power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST suddenly to depart hence lest they be an hinderance vnto those who will receaue the truth At Note a strainge miracle vertue of his words these words agreat multitude of most horrible and vglie spiritts was scene to flie out of that companie with wonderfull swiftnes at which sight they all trembled with the verie apprehension and feare But the Sainct exhorting them to take courage and comfort gaue them to vnderstand what goblins they did beleeue in and therevppon incited them to giue creditt vnto the true faith of IESVS CHRIST when in a short time by his continuall preaching and miracles he recouered all the inhabitants of that countrey out of the The fruits of his prechings black night of
But now perceauing him againe to come to himself their lamentation was changed into a fearefull admiration and their admiration bred ioy to see him aliue Then the holy man looking about him and finding noe man vnto whose wisedom he could committ the knowledge of the vision he had seene was verie sorrowfull choosing for that time rather to burie it within the secret of his owne heart then reueale it vnto such as knew not how to vnderstand it II. BVT the third day afterwards being againe taken with the like rauishment he beheld nor only greater ioyes of the blessed companie An other visiō most strange of heauen but allsoe the wonderfull warres which the wicked spirits raysed against him striuing to hinder his iourney towards heauen allbeit the protection of the Angels frustrated their malicious endeauours Manie false accusations they brought against him and layd diuers crimes to his chardge of all which by his guides the Angels he was freely disengaged And as he was lifted vp by these blessed spirits towards heauen they commaunded him to looke downe into the world Which done he saw like a darke and indeous The 4. fiers of vice that burne the world valley vnderneath him And in the ayre he beheld fower fiers not farre distant one from the other which they tould him were the fiers that should burne and consume the world The first they sayd was the fier of Liars which those fall into that neglect to fullfill their promise made in Baptisme in renouncing the deuill and all his workes The secōd was the fier of Couetousnes appointed for such as preferre the riches of the world before the loue of heauen and heauenly things The third was the fier of Discord prouided for those that sticke not to offend their neighbours euen in trifling and superfluous matters The fourth was the fier of Jmpietie allotted for such as care not how they spoile and oppres se the inferiour and weaker sorte of people He beheld these fiers to encrease soe by little and little till at length by spreading they came togeather and made one mightie huge and dreadfull flame which seemed to approach neere vnto him Whereat he cried out to his guide the Angel O Lord behold it cometh vppon me Feare not replied he that which thou hast not kindled shall not burne thee For allthough this seeme to be a mightie great and terrible fier yet it only tries and examines men according as their workes haue deserued the worldly desires of men shall burne in these flames For euen as one is enflamed in bodie by vnlawfull lust and pleasure soe released from his bodie he shall suffer his deserued torments in fier Then he beheld one of the three Angels his guides to walke before and diuide the flames and the other two conducting him on each side through the fier defended him from the danger thereof He saw likewise the deuils flieing through the flames making fierie warres against the iust then followed their manie accusations against him and the Angels defence in his behalf with a vision of a greater companie of heauenly spirits as allsoe of manie men of his countrey and acquaintance that he had knowne not vnworthily to haue behaued them selues in the sacred function of Priesthood of whom he learnt manie things verie profitable as well for him self as for all such as would heare them When these had ended their discourse and returned vnto heauen with the troupes of Angels there only remained with B. FVRSEVS the three Angels his guides with whom returned againe towards the foresayd fier the Angel diuided the flame as before but as the holy man entred into the way layd open for him the wicked spirits caught vp one of those wretched soules which they broyled in those flames and threw it at him at the verie touch whereof he found his shoulder and cheeke to be scorched and burnt The holy man well knēw the person and remembred that at his death he had giuen him a garment which he receaued But the holy Angell taking the tormented soule cast him againe into the fier whereat the wicked spirit cried out Why doe you cast him of now whom you receaued before For as you tooke the goods of that sinner soe ought you to partake of his torments Not out of couetousnes replied the Angel but to saue his soule did he receaue it and therewith the fier ceased And the Angel turning vnto the holy man sayd that which thou didest kindle now hath burnt thee for hadest not thou taken the goods of this man dieing in sinne the torment of his fier had not touched thee And speaking further he taught him what was to be done for the saluation of those that did repent III. BEING restored to him self againe he bore all his life time after a visible signe of the burning which he had endured in his soule vppon his shoulders and cheeke the Flesh euidently shewing to the wonder of all beholders what the soule had inwardly and hiddenly suffered But he retained allwaies his wonted care and diligence of following vertuous pious courses by word worke and example to teach and preach the way of truth and iustice vnto the world Yet he would neuer manifest the order and manner of his visions but vnto such only as out of a desire of repentance or compunction of hearth desired to know them There liueth yet saith Proofe of the foresayd vision venerable BEDE an auncient Monke of our monasterie who is wont to relate that a certaine religious and trustie man tould him that he had both seene S. FVRSEVS in the prouince of the East-Angles and heard the manner of these visions out of his owne mouth Adding moreouer that in the middest of winter when the frost was most sharp cold that sitting in a light and single garment recounting these visions eyther out of the greatnes of the feare he conceaued or of the sweetnes he receaued by the remembrance of them he would sweate as much as if it had bin the hottest day of sommer IV. HAVING therefore a long time preached the word of God in Jreland his owne countrey being not able anie longer easily to endure the great multitude of people that flocked vnto him he forsooke all that he seemed to enioy goeing out of his natiue countrey with some few of his brethren in his companie he passed the seas and came through Wales into the prouince of the English where he was honourably receaued and worthily entertained by Sigebert then King of the East-Angles But he that desired wheresoeuer he went allwaies to promote the seruice of allmightie God beganne presently to putt in practise his accustomed trade of preadhing labouring by the example of his vertues or the inciting forces of his speeches eyther to conuert the incredulous to the truth or to strengthn and confirme the faithfull more and more in the truth and loue of IESVS CHRIST Such were his daily labours such were the pious employments in which
Bishops compelled me and when holy King EDWARD my s 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ed me to this 〈◊〉 He by the au 〈…〉 of the Sea Apostolicke layed this burden on my 〈…〉 ke shoulders and by this staffe commaunded me to be 〈…〉 sted with Episcopâ—ll dignitie now you exact me to giue vp the pâ—stâ—r all 〈◊〉 which you bestowed 〈◊〉 you take away the office which you 〈◊〉 me 〈…〉 And 〈…〉 ly I am soe farre from being ignorant of mi 〈…〉 wâ—â— insufficiencie that submitting my self to the sentence of this holy con 〈…〉 rie I will indeed resigne vp my staffe of offices but to whom to you â—â—e but rather to him by whose authoritie 〈◊〉 first receaued it Hauing sayd these words he went directly to S. EDWARDS sâ—rine and there speaking to the holy Sainct Thou know oft my 〈…〉 aigne Lord sayd he His speech before S. Edwards shrine how vnwillingly I vnderâ—ookâ— this charâ—ge how ofâ—eÌ„ I auoiyded iâ— how often I hidd and absented my self when I was sought for to 〈◊〉 it I confesse I playd not the part of a wise man in taking it but thou di 〈…〉 force me to it For allâ—hough 〈◊〉 neyther the election of my brethren â—on the desire of the people the consent of the Bishopâ— noâ— the fauoâ—â— of the Nobles yet tâ—y sole authoritie ouer me weighed downe all these thy will vrged me more then all the rest But now new Lordâ— new lawes our new Archbishop and our new King make new 〈…〉 rees and promulgate new op 〈…〉 They seeme to condemne thee of errour who diâ—â—â—â— co 〈…〉 d and me of presumption who consented And then 〈◊〉 as a mortall man thou mightest well be deceaued but canst thou now being vnited by the liuing God Therefore I will not resigne to them that exact what they gaue not who as being humane creatures may deceaue and be d 〈…〉 ed but to thee who didst first giue it and who now translated into the very truth it self hast escaped thâ— darke night of errour and ignorance to thee I say I willingly resigne my staffe of office to thy cure I committ the chardge of those thou hast commended vnto mee and to thee I may securely leaue them thy meritts being soe well knowne vnto me IX HAVING spoken these wordes a little lifting vp his hand full of a confidence more then humane he struck his crosier staffe into the stone which couered the holy Kings bodie saying Take He yeeldeth vp his office it my soueraigne Lord and giue it to whom thee pleaseth And putting of his Episâ—â—pall robes returned againe to his cowlâ—â—â—d hood and became a simple Monk among the Monks All men wondred to see the staffe soe stedfastly fastned in the stone as if there it had taken roote But when some attempting to take it away had fayled of their intent the matter was related to the Councell whence 〈…〉 frank A notable miracle presently sent Gundulf Bishop of Rochester to the tombe to fetch it who was not able to stirre 〈◊〉 with all his force Lanfrank astonished with the strangenes of the miracle hastened to the tombe him self togeather with the King and the other Bishops and hauing first made his prayer to allmightie God he tried with all the force he had to take away the staffe but in vaine Hereat the King being strickeâ— with admiration cried out that this was all the handie worke of God him self The Archbishop in like manner now dissoluing into tearâ—â— ingenuously confessed his errour vnto the holy man saying Verily our Lord is iust and he walketh with the simple and his communication is with those that are humble Deare brother â—e haâ—â— derided thy holy simplicitie but God hath brought forth thy iustice as the day light Our rash iudgment hath erred against thee and hath made knowne to the world thy simplicitie soe gratefull vnto God By the authoritie therefore of the office we exercise or rather by the iudgment of God himself which hath conuinced He is rest o red to his bishoprick vs we againe restore thee to the dignitie and impose the chardge vppon thee which vnaduisedly we endeauoured to take away But WOLSTAN alleadging his owne vnabl 〈…〉 and pretending the burden to be beyond his forces did contend that in soe sacred a place ought to be placed a holy prelate Notwithstanding ouercome with their instant intreaties in sight of them all he came vnto the sepâ—lcâ—â—r and taking the crosier staffe in his â—and drew it forth with as great facilitie as if it had stuck but in 〈◊〉 peece of soft clay or 〈◊〉 Then the King and Lâ—â—frank both fell pnostrate at his feete desiring pardon of their errour and ear 〈…〉 tly recommending them selues to his holy prayers finding hereby to be most true that God hath made foolish the wisdom of this world and the foolish things thereof he hath chosen that he may 〈◊〉 the wife The holyman that would 1. Cor. 1. not be behind them in 〈…〉 litie and courtesie seeing them prostrate before him with all submission of mind prostrated likewise at their feete whence he would not rise without the Archbishops benediction which done he returned to his chardge X. A WOEMAN possessed with a wild deuill that caused her â—auingly to wander vpp and downe the fields and desert war by the He cureth possessed persons benediction of S. WOLSTAN restored to her self againe and deliuered from the power of that wicked spiritt the Sainct commaunding her to giue prayse thankes vnto allmightie God not to WOLSTAN to loue vertue and liue chastly left some worse mischief should befall vnto her She following his holy admonitions entred into a Nunnerie and led a life therein both gratefull and acceptable vnto allmightie God â—n other possessed person that was bound to a post with iron chaines speaking and roaring out a confusion of soe mavoyces that those that heard thought he had had an armie of men in his bellie which spake through his mouth The holy Bishop coming towards him he beganne to tremble and quake in all the parts of his bodie to gnash and grind his teeth to foâ—me at the mouth and horridly to bellow out against him The Bishop much pittying his woefull case lifted vp his hands to heauen and deuoutly made his prayers vnto allmightie God for his deliuerie and the end of his prayer brought a beginning of perfect health and libertie to the tormented person XI A LEAPER vglie and horrid to behold spotted all ouer his He healeth a leaper bodie with the vnseemely markes of his disease washed him self in a bath wherein was putt the water that had washed S. WOLSTANS haÌ„ds and presently the swelling of his blister◠〈◊〉 â—â—asswaged the contagious matter ranne out and all his bodie became as pure and cleere as a yong childs 〈◊〉 a nunne daughter to King Harold was troubled with such a dangerous swelling in her eyes that her â—ylidds being growne to thick lumpes of flesh had quite couered her
the rules of a monasticall life The monasterie was called Llancarnanan that is the seruice of Harts because it is reported that in that work he had wild Harts familiar and obedient vnto him There in very great abstinence he led a solitarie life night and day applying him self vnto the contemplation of heauen and heauenly things But the same of his learning and sainctitie was a cause that manie famous men flocked vnto him and putt themselues into the ranke of his schollers and by the instructions of soe good a master made a wonderfull progresse both in learning and vertue Amongst these was Gildas surnamed the Wise and Ellenius that afterwards succeeded him in the gouernment of the monasterie and manie others II IN HIS time a certaine Captaine or Duke of the BritaÌ„s hauing slaine A Duke flieth to him for Succor three of noble king Arthurs souldiers was compelled being cruelly persecuted by the king to flie for refuge to S. CADOCK who comiserating his case verie courteously entertained him till the king being somwhat pacified at the holie mans entreaties it was determined by the iudges of the Countrey that to redeeme the men slaine he should giue for each one three of his best kine according to the auncient law of the Britaines But King Arthur refusing to take such kine a were of one colour with much wrangling demaunded such as had their fore parts red and hinder partes diuersly spotted with white black wherevppo the nine beasts were by the paayers of S. CADOCK chainged into the forenamed colours and presently againe in the kings owne sight turned into soe manie buÌ„dells or faggotts of fearne Whereat much astonished he humbly demaunded pardon for his vniust demaund Manie other wonderfull miracles are reported to haue been done by the prayers of this holy man which bicause they seeme to be not verie authentically reported are wittingly ommitted Only this we haue that being afterwards made Bishop he desired of allmightie God to passe out of this life throngh martirdoÌ„ which was graunted him For as he celebrated the misterie of the dreadfull sacrifice of He is martired daying maâ—le at the Aultar the masse a tirannous ring leader of an armie of other wicked spirits wasting and spoyling the towne were he liued a knight of this blouddie compaine ruled by a madding furie ranne into the Church and with his lanuce pearced the fides of the holie man at the aultars who with his hands lifted vp to heauen recommended his soule vnto allmightie God and earnestly crauing pardon for his murderers departed out of this world to receaue a place amongst the holy Martirs in heauen the twentie fourth day of January about the year of our Lord fiue hundred seauentie In the raigne of Malgocune ouer the tottering state of Britanie The memorie of this sainct is conserued to these our dayes in manie Churches in Wales and one in Glocester-shire dedicated to his name and honour By an other name he t was called Sophias which gaue occasion of errour to the Authour of he English Martirologe when he makes Cadock and Sophias to be diuers Saincts His life we haue gathered out of IOANNES ANGLICVS recited by IOHN CAPGRAVE Nicolas Harpsfield saec 6. cap. 27. and others The life of S. BATHILDE Queene and Nunne of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 26. Written by an author of the same time The Authours Prologue BY how much the vertuous life of widddowes is more famous in meritts by soe much it is worthier of prayse in the mouth of the world for they noe sooner shew an example of pious conuersation vnto others but they stirre vpp the tongues of all to celebrate their praises Calling therefore to mind the excellent vertues and meritts of the glorious and religious widdow worthiest Queene S. BATHILDE once wife to the famous king of France Clodouens let vs giue praise and glorie vnto IESVS CHRIST our Redeemer who is allwaies knowne to be wonderfull in his saincts and to lay open the way of iustice vnto vs not only by men but by the frailtie of woemen allsoe he sheweth both to vs and to all those that loue him rare examples of religion and vertue For indeed our God hath a speciall care of all and will haue none of those to perish that he hath redeemed by the shedding of his owne pretious bloud Holy men he exhorteth to remaine in their Sainctitie and admonisheth sinners to forsake their sinnes and follow good workes that they may walk the high way to heauen Which being vnderstood and well vnderstood by this venerable Ladie she studied with great care to fullfill it for she was both religious and verie deuout towards God and taking vppon her the care of the Churches and the poore with a wonderfull courage of mind she stoutly gouerned the Palace and vncontrolled she ruled the Kingdom of France in soe much that her owne deserts exacting it she was reuerenced of all the Bishops Peeres and People through out her Kingdom with more then ordinary loue and affection The renowne of whose life because she was borne in England I haue here sett forth amongst our English Saincts I. S. BATHILDE descended by byrth from the noble bloud of the Saxons in England but being taken away in her youth not without the particular prouidence of allmightie God and as a prey carried into France she was sould at a rate farre to base for soe incomparable a parcell of marchandise There this pretious and admirable iewell of God was first entertained by a famous Prince of the French by name Erchinoaldus then chief ruler of the Kings Pallace in whose seruice being but yong she behaued her self soe decently that her She serueth the Prince Erchinoald vertuous conuersation and admirable condition was verie pleasing both to the Prince and all his familie For she was of a generous mind most chast in her behauiour sober prudent and friendly plotting harme to none In her speech neyther light nor presumptuous but guiding all her actions with the sinceritie of a noble witt The forme of her bodie was correspondent to the nobilitie of her byrth verle gratefull and beautifull to all beholders of a countenance merrie and constant and in her gate graue In a word she behaued her self in all things soe well becoming her self that she pleased the Prince Erchinoald infinitely and gott great fauour in his sight in soe much that he appointed her to waite at his elbow where often times she playd the part of an honest cuppbearer carefully filling wine vnto him She grew not proud with this fauour but rather being well grounded in humilitie became more obedient and louing to all her coÌ„panions seruing her elders with such reuerence as she disdained not with her owne hands to vntie pull of their shoes at night and make them cleane to prouide them water to wash and the like all which works of humilitie she did exercise with a prompt and willing mind By this her
came not to passe soe much by their counsels as by the secret prouidence of the diuine wisedome to the end her intended deuotion might by some occasion be fullfilled according to her desire Being therefore conueyed by some of the most auncient Princes of France vnto the long desired monasterie of Chelles and there by the Nunnes honourably receaued into their companie she gaue heartie She becometh a Nunne thankes vnto allmightie God who hithereunto had preserued her vnder the shadow of his holy protection and now had brought her vnto the sweet hauen of her desires Now she that before swayed the Her obedience scepter of France submitted her self to the obedience of a poore Abbesse as her mother appearing to the rest of her sisters not as a mistresse but as a discret seruant in all things pioufly bearing a seruiceable dutie vnto them And with such courage of mind she shewed Her humilitie vnto all an example of sincere humilitie that in her turne she would serue her sisters according to S. BENEDICTS rule in the office of the kitchin washing and clensing all implements therevnto be longing and performing all other base offices of the house And these acts of humilitie she did with a merrie and willing mind for the pure loue of him that sayth in the Ghospell J came not to be serued but to serue For what heart could euer think that the height of soe Mat. 20. v. 28. great power should become a feruant in things soe base and abiect vnlesse the mightie loue of CHRIST had graunted this speciall grace vnto her With teares she daily insisted at her deuotions and prayers and often times frequented her spirituall lecture and in her visitations of the sick which were verie frequent her custom was to impart some pious consolation and godly exhortation vnto them Her charitie She was soe well practified in the studie of charitie as she sorrowed with the sorrowfull reioyced with the ioyfull and for the weake and sickly she would often with humilitie putt the Abbesse in mind Rom. 12. to gett them prouided with necessarie helpes both for bodie and soule whose pious desire she like a good mother did very carefully see performed for indeed according to the rule of the Apostles Act. 4. they had but one heart and one soule soe dearely and tenderly they loued each other in the true loue of IESVS CHRIST VI. IN THE meane time this blessed woeman beganne to be afflicted She falleth sick with a sicknes of bodie and to labour grieuously with a certaine griping in the gutts which had brought her neere her end had not the grief bin something asswaged by the power of phisick But allthough the force of her paine did cruelly torment her tender bodie yet she ceased not out of the puritie of a holy conscience to giue thankes vnto the heauenly phisitian who succoureth those that labour in tribulation and from whom she confidently expected to receaue the euerlasting rewards of her suffering And shewing her self a great example of vertue vnto others she studied to giue her sisters a patterne of true pietie obedience and humilitie often admonishing the Abbesse to be likewise mindfull of her dutie towards the King and Queene and other Nobles their friends that the house of God might not loose the good name fame it had gotten but rather encease it more and more in the true affection of charitie towards their friends and chiefly to gett strength and constancie in the sacred loue of God and their neighbours for according to S. PAVL We ought alsoe to haue the good testimonie of those which are 1. Tim. 3. without But aboue all by the mercie and loue of IESVS CHRIST she recommended vnto her to haue a verie speciall care of the poore and of strangers VII THEREFORE the death of this holy Sainct being at hand there appeared a famous vision vnto her in which she beheld a ladder standing vp right before the altar of the B. Virgin Marie the Her vision before she died topp whereof seemed to reach vnto the heauens and manie Angels ascended thereon which seemed to accompanie and leade her herself to the neuer dieing ioyes of Paradise O truely happie who in her iourney had Angels her companions This is the ladder which she erected to heauen in her life time These are her fellow Angels whom by her exercise of good workes she made her friends The degrees of this ladder are the twelue degrees of humilitie contained in the holy rule of S. BENEDICT which she professed by the continuall exercise whereof she deserued to be exalted to the cleere vision of of CHRIST IESVS the master of all humilitie By this vision the holy woeman plainly vnderstood that shortly she was to leaue this world and take her iourney thither where long since she had hidden her greatest and chiefest treasure commaunding those that had bene eye witnesses of the vision to conceale it from the rest of her sisters that they might not be contristated vntill it pleased allmightie God to call her vnto him In midst of these ioyes she beganne more and more with pietie and alacritie of mind to insist at her prayers neuer ceasing with humilitie and compunction of heart to recommend her self vnto her heauenly King CHRIST IESVS and hiding as much as she was able the vehemency of her grief she consorted the Abbesse Bertilia and the rest of her sisters with some hope of her recouerie easing them hereby of a present sorrow which afterwards tooke them before they expected it VIII BVT perceauing within a short time after that now she She yeeldeth vp her soule was to pay nature her due and feeling the violence of her payne to be readie to cutt asunder the vnion of her soule and body confidently arming her self with the signe of our redemption and lifting vp her hands and eyes towards heauen she yeelded vp her blessed soule out of the teadious fetters of the bodie to be crowned with the diadem of eternall glorie For at the same instant a diuine splendour She is caried into heauen by Angels shined ouer all the chamber and with that verie light there appeared to the standers by a troupe of Angels with whom came her faithfull friend Genesins the Bishop to meet her and by this heauenly troupe her blessed soule long tried in the furnace of affliction was caried vpp out of their sight to receaue the rewards of her holy meritts amongst the Angels and Saincts in heauen She was buried in the little Church which she had built in honour of the holy Crosse But afterwards the manie miracles wrought at her tombe were cause that her bodie was taken vp and translated into the great Church of our Ladie which was not finished in her life time where it is kept with great reuerence in a rich shrine ouer the high aultar and manie times I my self haue seene it solemnly caried in procession This holy Nunne and
great benefactour of S. BENEDICTS order died the thirtith day of January but her feast is celebrated this day She flourished about the yeare of our Lord 669. Besides the authour of her life extant in the first tome of LAVRENCE SVRIVS whom we haue followed the Roman Martirologe VSVARD BARONIVS tom 〈◊〉 ann 665. TRITHEMIVS of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. c. 112. and manie others doe largely celebrate her prayses The life of S. SEXVLPH Bishop and Confessor of S. BENEDICTS order IAN. 28. THIS holy man was the first Abbot and in some kind founder of the Benedictine Abbey of Medishamsted dedieated to S. PETER which afterwards by reason of the greatnes was called Peterborough In which office hauing for some yeares dischardged the By his per swasion king wulfere built this Abbey part of a good and religious Prelat by the authoritie of Theodore Archbishop of Canturbury he was consecrated Bishop of Lichfield in place of Winfrid deposed from that Sea for his disobedience He gouerned his people with verie great sainctetie of life and examples of good workes for the space of three yeares when being loaden with vertuous deeds he left this world to take his place among his fellow Benedictin Monks in heauen about the yeare of our Lord 700. MATHEW WESTMINSTER ann 614. HARPSFIELD saec 7. c. 23. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. c. 46. TRITHEMIVS in his worke of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order lib. 4. cap. 158. CAMDEN in desoritt com Northampt. and others make worthie mention of S. SEXVLPH The life of S. GYLDAS Abbot and Confessor IAN. 29. Out of an anncient authour recited by Iohn Capgraue GYLDAS borne in that part of Brittanie now called Scotland and one of the twentie fower sonnes which a King of that countrey had by one wife was from his youth of a verie vertuous disposition and much inclined to the knowledge of all manner of learning for the better obtaining of his desire therein he passed ouer into France where he employed seauen yeares in the continuall studie of all goods sciences and returned into Britanie loaden with great store of bookes and learning But to the end he might with more freedom attend vnto the contemplation of heauenly He goeth into Frace to studie things he with drew him self from the tumults of the world into a solitarie place of aboade where he led the life of an hermite continually chastising his bodie with fasting prayer watchings and hayre-cloath Yet his vertue could not lie soe hidd but that manie were drawne to him with the noyse of his great fame to be instructed both in religion and learning and at their departure they serued as trumpetts to inuite others vnto him such great content they receaued in his vertuous life and rare learning Whatsoeuer guifts he receaued from the charitie of the richer sort he allwaies distributed vnto the poore contenting him self with the riches of his His great austerity of life owne pouertie He neuer tasted anie flesh his ordinarie foode was herbes and barly bread mingled with ashes in steede of spice his drinke pure water out of the fountaine His continuall abstinence had brought his face to such leannes that he all waies appeared like a man that had a feauer At midnight his custome was to enter into the riuer vpp to the neck and in that sort he powered out his prayers to almighty God while his teares stroue with the streames which should runne fastest afterwards he repaired to his oratorie and spent the rest of the night in prayer His cloathing was one single garment in which only he tooke his rest lieing vppon the downe of a hard rock Hauing taught manie both in word and deed to follow the rules of good life he departed into Jreland where he conuerted a great multitude of that rude people to the faith of CHRIST Shortly after returning into Britanie he found his brother Howell slaine by King Arthur who humbly crauing pardon of his fault receaued from the Sainct a salutation of peace friendship and forgiuenes He was a perpetuall enemie vnto the Pelagian Hereticks and to be the better informed against them and their doctrine he made a iourney Against heresies he consulteth the Roman Church to the fountaine of true religion Rome and returned not only better instructed against them him self but able to fortifie and strengthen others with such sound principles of Catholicke religion that they might easily defend their cause against all the vaine batteries and proud bull warks of heresie II. AT LENGTH he built a little Church vppon a rock in an Iland neere vnto the riuer Seauerne where spending his time night He buildeth an ermitage and day in continuall prayer he kept his mind wholly vacant and free from the world and worldly creatures seriously attending the contemplation of the diuine goodnes of his Creatour But being in such want of fresh water that he had noe other store but what was retained after a shower in little holes of the rock he made his prayer to allmightie God who sent him a cleere spring of water gâ—shing out of the same place But by the frequent iniuries and incursions He departeth to Glasten bury of Pirats he was compelled to depart from hence to Glastenbury being honourably receaued of the Abbott he instructed the Monkes and people thereabouts in the science both of humane diuine things and building a little Church not farre from thence he led there an eremiticall life in great austeritie and penance Vnto whom as vnto an oracle manie came from all parts of Britanie to partake of his wisedome and learning He whose holy desires tended only towards heauen striued with all the force of eloquence he could to diuert their minds from the transitorie things of this world and settle them on the only consideration of heauen Hauing in this manner spent some yeares in this habitation the holy man fell into a grieuous sicknes which made him quickly vnderstand that the hower of his death was nigh therefore earnestly desiring of the Abbot to haue his bodie buried at Glastenbury and recommending his soule vnto the hands of allmightie God he left this miserable world to receaue his reward in a better the twentie ninth day of January in the yeare of our Lord 512. His bodie according to his desire was buried at Glastenbury in the middest of the ould Church Of this holy Sainct make mention MATHEW WESTMINST N. HARPSFIELD saec 6. cap. 23. IOHN CAPGRAVE and others whom we haue followed The life of S. BIRSTAN Bishop and Confessor IAN. 30. Out of William Malmesbury and Westminster SAINCT BIRSTAN being a man of most pure and sincere life was chosen Bishop of Winchester where he ruled the space of fower yeares He was wont euerie day to sing or say Masse for the soules departed and by night without anie feare he would walke about the Church-yard reciting psalmes and other prayers to the same end And as once in his
a delightfull and mutuall accord of sainctitie certaine barbarous poeple who eyther from their painted garments as from some markes in their eyes were called Picts landed with a great nauie vppon the coastes of Britannie and being taken with a loue of the countrey set vppon the Brittans more by deceipt then force and for a time bore a tirannous sway amongst them One of theyr princes murdring the countrey before him and burning Churches and howses at he went arriued at length neere vnto Meneuia where he built him self a pallace And perceauing Enuie plotteth mischief against him the liues of S. DAVID and THELIAN to be soe holy and soe contrarie to his proceedings he greatly enuied them and spitt much of his venom in opprobrious reproachfull speeches against them whom he could not iustly condemne of anie fault And at length to make his malice bring forth the child of wickednes he commaunded his wife to send her mayds and make them the instruments of mischief by their lewd art and lasciuious allurements and motions of their naked bodies to atâ—empt the ouerthrow of the holy mens good purposes But as those wanton things followed their mistresses A iust punishment of malice directions and in the dishonest execution thereof exercised a kind of fayned phrensie or madnes in presence of the saincts suddenly they became mad indeed and returned to their commaunders without sufficient discourse to relate their owne misfortune Which being seene of that cruel persecutour turned all his furie into meekenes and both he and his whole familie receaued the fayth of CHRIST and were washed in the sacred font of Baptisme II. NOT long after S. THELIAN togeather with S. DAVID made a He goeth to Hierusalem iourney to Hierusalem where they spent some time in continuall prayer and visitation of the sacred places wherein our deare Sauiour wrought the miracles of his bitter passion and our deare redemption in those places they were wrapt in holy contemplatlon that they had noe memorie or thought of anie thing that was in this world Vnto S. THELIAN as he returned home they gaue a Cimball of more worth then greatnes and more precious then it was fayre for the sweet tunes thereof seemed to excell the sound of an organ it rung at euerie hower of its owne accord And this was a true figure of S. THELIAN who like vnto a cimball or bell which rayseth men from the dullnes of sleepe and slouth to prayse and serue God in the Church did he by his vertues and holie sermons stirre vpp By his prayers he expelleth the plague the hearts of the poeple vnto God out of the dungeon of sinne and wickednes Being returned prosperously into Wales by his prayers vnto allmightie God he freed the poeple froÌ„ a cruell plague which miserably wasted and deuoured the countrey Afterwards succeeding Dubritius in the Bishoprick of Landaff in that sacred dignitie he spent the whole remnant of his life gouerning his diocesse rather with his sainctitie and example of good life then by the exercise of his poewr and authoritie At length loaden with merits and old age by the happie losse of this fading world he purchased an euerlasting dwelling in heauen the ninth day of February about the yere of our Lord 563. The manie Churches in South Wales dedicated to S. THELIAN which to this day retayne his memorie by the Manie Churches dedicated to his name name of Llanthilo or Llanthilio are vnresistables witnesses and proofes of his great Sainctitie and as yet his prayse is fresh in the mouthes of all faythfull Whelchmen allthough the greatest part of that wretched nation doe liue in such blindnes that they would rather pluck him out of heauen then doe him or anie other of Gods Saincts anie honour at all contemning herein the counsell of the kingly prophet who inuiteth vs to prayse God in his Saincts with Psal 150. v 1. whom he liueth for euer Amen Thus much of this Saincts life we haue gathered out of IOANNES ANGLICVS recited by IOHN CAPGRAVE in his legend and NICOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 6. cap. 27. The life of S. TRVMWINE Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 11. Out of venerable Bede de gest An. lib. 4. TRVMWINE a maÌ„ of verie holy life was by Theodore Archbishop of Canturbury ordayned Bishop of the Picts then subiect to the English But after the ouerthrow and death of Egfrid king of the Northumbers caused by the same Picts S. TRVMWINE togeather with manie other monks of the monasterie of Ebbercune in the coÌ„fines of the Picts and English retired him self out of that Prouince and hauing recommended the greatest part of his monks to diuers monasteries according as he was able he him self chose his habitation at the Monasterie of Streanshall where vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT with a few of his companion-monks he led a most strict monasticall life profitable not only to him self as tending to the height of perfection but to manie others allsoe The Princely virgin S. ELFLED of whom the eigth of this moneth was the Abbesse of that monasterie who by the coming of this holy Bishop receaued great helpes in her regencie and much comfort for the directing of her owne life in the way of pietie The place where the Bishop with his monks liued was separate from the monasterie of enclosed Nunnes but not soe farre but that they were readie in all occasions to helpe them with the sacraments and all other spirituall comforts of their priestly function and dignitie The most holy Bishop TRVMWINE Hist l. 4. c. 2â— as venerable BEDE stiles him hauing liued there in great holines of life the space of manie yeares at length yeelded vp his Blessed soule to make One in the glorious quier of Benedictin Bishops in heauen His bodie was buried in the Church of S. PETER according De gest Pon. l. 3. §. de Pont. Eborac to the honour due vnto his blessed life and degree of sacred dignitie His holy reliques sayth Malmesburie togeather with others were found in the quier of that Monasterie and translated to a more eminent place becoming the sainctitie of soe great a Sainct Of him make honorable mention besides the aforesayd authors Mathew Westminster Trithemius in his 3. Booke of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order chap. 167. Arnold Wion and all our English historiographers He florished about the yeare of our Lord 700. The life of S. CEDMON confessor and monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 10. Taken out of Ve nerable Bede AS THE diuine guifts of tongues wisedome learning and such like wherewith it pleased allmigtie God to furnish his holy Apostles and adorne the primitiue Church haue not been wanting in later ages soe haue they not fayled in the time when our Englishmen first receaued the Catholick fayth An abundant and worthy example hereof we may behould in this holy Benedictin monke CEDMON He becometh learned by miracle who
recōmended that holy societie to the protection of the diuine goodnes and the B. Virgin MARIE earnestly desiring them to make choise of such a gouernesse after her death whom they iudged for true pietie and religion to be the fittest among them to vndergoe that charge FEB 25. and withall exhorting thē chiefly to preserue true peace purenes of heart she often repeated the words of CHRIST her spouse vnto thē Blessed sayd she are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God Blessed are the cleane of heart for they shall see God Hauing giuen thē Matt. 5. v. 8. 9. these and such like pious admonitions and religiously armed her self and her death with the holy sacramēts she happyly yeelded vpp her vnstayned soule to enioy an euerlasting kingdom with her sacred spouse in heauen aboue for whose sake she had contemned the kingdom and pompe of this lower world she died the three twentith day of February and was buried in her monasterie of Wenlock Who as she is by a pious certaintie thought gloriously to raigne with her deare spouse IESVS soe lest perchance anie small cloud of Her happie death mistrust might darken that pious beleef all mightie God him self hath shewed manie cleere testimonies of his loue to his holie spouse able to conuince the most incredulous When manie ages after the death of this holy Virgin in the yeare of our lord 1101. and the raigne of Henry the first her holy bodie was discouered and brought out of the ruines of obliuion to the open view and veneration of the world It happened in this manner VI. THE monasterie of Wenlock being destroyed afterwards by the violence of Englands sauage and barbarous enemies the holy virgins bodie lay for a long time hidden amongst those ruines till by the mnnificence of Roger Earle of Mountgomerie it was reedified and turned to a Priorie of Benedictine Monks of the Congregation of Cluny about the yeare aforesayd when by the speciall prouidence of allmightie God S. MILBVRGS bodie came to light vppon this occasion VII A workeman called Raymund being at work in the monasterie The miraculous inuention of her bodie of the holie Trinitie he happened to find an old chest or Box in which was contayned a writing written by one Alstan a Priest which testified that the bodie of the holy Virgin lay buried there neere vnto the aultar But noe remnant of the aultar appearing was cause that yet there was noe certaintie of anie thing Till he that gouerns all things with certaintie soone after tooke away all this vncertaintie for as two children plaied togeather vppon the pauement of that Church suddenly the earth opened and they both sunk in vpp to the knees This accident being a cause of great admiration amongst the Monkes gaue them occasion to haue the earth digged vpp deeper in that place by which meanes they found some bones which sent forth a wonderfull sweet sauour ouer all the Church and the next day after they lighted on the foundation of the aultar spoken off before To the greater creditt Miracles wrought by her reliques euidence hereof and more cleere manifesting of the glorie of God and his holy spouse S. MILBVRG manie other verie worthie and notable testimonies concurred For by the only touch of those sacred reliques but then new raked out of earth and dust two woemen were cured of most horrid leaprosies an other was restored to her sight lost and a boy that neuer saw light before receaued perfect power to distinguish of colours In summe such and soe famous where the miracles which God allwaies wonderfull in his saincts whrought there by the merits of this glorious Virgin that whole inundations of poeple flocked thither in such troupes as the open fields thereabouts were scarse sufficient to receaue them where rich and poore were in equall contention to obey the guide and conduct of their pious fayth Nether was the labour of their pietie spent in vaine for none returned without comfort sick persons receauing a perfect recouerie of health and a cure of manie such mortall diseases which had giuen the foyle to phisitians and their skill had left in desperation Of which one and not the lest was that a woeman dwelling in the village hard by called Patton hauing for the space of fiue yeares been cruelly tormented with a verie desperate disease incureable by phisick dranke only of the water wherein the holy virgins reliques had been washed and presently she shaked of her teadious sicknes and withall disburdened her stomack of a filthie worme vgly and horrible to behould hauing six feete two hornes on his head and two on his tayle The woeman being freed of this monstruous guest had the happines of her perfect health restored and in testimonie Note a strainge miracle and memorie of the fact that worme was shutt vp in a hollow peece of wood and reserued afterwards in the Monasterie as a trophie and monument of S. MILBVRG vntill by the lasciuious furie of him that destroyed all goodnes in England that with other religious houses and monasteries went to ruine that whereas before our fruitfull Ile for true religion pietie continencie and other vertues was the miracle of the world soe now for atheisme heresie and manie other vices it yeelds to no other realme in Christendom The life of this holy Virgin S. MILBVRG is written by Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Nicholas Harpsfield out of whom we haue gathered it But of the inmention of her bodie and miracles thereat we haue taken chiefely out of Ato Bishop and Cardinal of Ostia who writt the miracles that happened after her inmention and William Malmesburie de Pont. Angl. lib. 4. de gest reg Angl. l◠2. cap. 15. The Roman Martyrologe Camden in descriptione com Salopiae Polidore Virgil lib. 4. de regno Merciorum Vincentius Lirinensis in speculo lib. 25. cap. 33. Mathew Westminster anno 676. Florentius Wigorniensis anno 675. and manie others make ample mention of her The life of S. ETHELBERT King and Confessor FEB 24 Out of Venerable Bede de gest Angl. THE diuine wisedom whose allmightie power only is able to produce light out of the middest of darkenes and good out of euill during the raigne of ETHELBERT fift king of Kent voutchafed to sett Ethelbert the first Christian King of England a period to the diabolicall rites of Idolatrie in England and called ETHELBERT out of a race of Pagan Ancestors to be the first English king that sound the true Christian way to the kingdom of heauen And whatsoeuer gaine of soules our holy Apostle S. AVGVSTIN the Benedictine monke and his Euangelicall brethren reaped in the spirituall haruest and vineyard of our lord excepting allwaies the premotion and preuention of Gods grace is wholly due vnto holy King ETHELBERT For in as much as it lay in humane power vnlesse his royall graunt and assistance had stood with those diuine labourers nether the
tilling not fruict of true saluation had then arriued to our English His royall curtesie land He being as yet incredulous receaued CHRIST in his legats commended the messengers of eternall happines whom yet he mistrusted harboured those strange guests in his eittie of Doner whom he knew not and at first gaue them a dwelling with necessarie sustenance for a time which afterwards he confirmed for euer vnto them whose profession of fayth and religion he did not yet admitt off He did not abhorre the strangenes of their habitt nor manners he did not repell them as straingers nor contemne them as humble and deiected persons nor condemne them as men that vtterly condemned the follie of his gods and auncient lawes but out of the sweet meekenes of a royall mind fauoured their sacred labours and with a clement patience suffered them to conuert whom they could to their fayth shewing himself allwayes courteous to Christians being yet but a Heathen Till at length hauing himself receaued the Christian fayth and washed away the filth of Idolatrie in the sacred font of baptisme he confirmed with his royall authoritie whatsoeuer S. AVGVSTIN and his fellowes preached and what they Apostolically planted he royally encreased sweetly drawing and winning his subiects His zeale in promoting the Christian fayth to abandon their Idolatrie and embrace the Christian religion with his pious exhortations and promises of eternall happines without anie force or compulsion and ranging them vnder the banner of the holy warrefarre of CHRIST as troupes of Voluntaries and not pressed souldiers He allsoe encouraged other Princes who were ether his subiects or colleagues with all curtesie and mildnes to the fayth of CHRIST heartyly louing all true beleeuers as his brethren kinsmen and fellow-citezins of the Kingdom of heauen soe that in a short time his holy endeauours tooke soe good effect that the honour and worship of the true God florished ouer all his Kingdom manie Churches were erected the temples and aultars of Idolls were destroyed or consecrated for the vse of diuine seruice II. IN THE meane time the holy Pope S. GREGORIE with wonderfull affection did congratulate this good Kings pietie encouraging him with the sweete lines of his Epistles as soe manie heauenly salutations to proceede in his Christian zeale inciting him to embrace true pietie and vertue and stirring him vp by the example of Constantine the great to aspire to the vnspeakeable reward of those who striue to enlarge and amplifie the Kingdom of IESVS CHRIST Mooued herewith and the labour of S. AVGVSTIN and the propension of his owne pietie inclining him therevnto he built a goodly Church in Canturbury in honour of our Sauiour commonly called Christ Church and without the walles of the same towne he He buildeth Churches erected a monastery in honour of S. PETER and PAVL called afterwards S. AVGVSTINS to be a place for his owne buriall and of his successor-Kings of Kent and the Archbishops of Canturbury Both these places were furnished with Benedictine monks the first Conuerters of England from Idolatrie to Christianitie S. PAVLS Church in London was allsoe the worke of this worthie King where MELLITVS a Benedictin monk was first Bishop He allsoe founded the Cathedrall Church of Rochester and dedicated it to the honour of S. ANDREW the Apostle He is likewise reported by antiquitie to haue been the Authour of the monasterie of Elie for Benedictin Nunnes allbeit S. ETHELDRED a nunne of the same order did reedifie it afterwards and restore it after long desolation to the former state and glorie All these monasteries Churches and bishops seas this pious king not only built but enriched with manie large possesions of lands guifts and ornaments omitting nothing which did anie way tend to the propagation aduanoement of true Christian religion III. BVT amidst all these good workes and all the glorie of his Princely diadem seeptre and large commaund of his Kingdom extending His great pietie and humilitie it self to the riuer Humber in Yorkshire he soe honoured Christian pouertie in the magnificence of his royaltie that in possessing all things he seemed to enioy nothing only making vse of his greatnes thereby the better to exercise and dilate his goodnes A most glorious sight it was to see or rather to admire him that held a sceptre ouer soe large a dominion carefully to serue the poore to behould him that terrified Kings and Princes of the earth to feare the humble Priests of CHRIST IESVS and to see the ruler of the poeple to obey the clergie and reuerence the lest and lowest members of his holie flock In summe in repressing of vice aduancing of vertue fulfilling the commaundments of God and in exercising all manner of workes of pietie and deuotion he excelled beyond the power of weake words to expresse At length when he had raygned ouer his poeple in all sainctitie of life the space of one and twentie yeares after his conuersion he left his temporall Kingdom and gaue vp his blessed soule to enioy the neuer dyeing happines of the Kingdom of heauen the foure and twentith day of February in the yeare of our Lord 616. All antiquitie and the authoritie of auncient Saincts are vnresistable witnesses of his holie life for from the time of his death he was numbred in the Catologue of Saincts and his festiuitie was honorably celebrated in the English Church The neglect whereof he is reported by an apparition after his death to haue blamed and caused to be amended IV. AMONGST manie other vertues which doe soe highly sett forth this good King one was that as he promoted the Christian religion His good lawes soe likewise he established his common wealth with manie excellent lawes which he published in English and were of great accompt amongst Englishmen wherein among other things he had a speciall care to preserue the common good of the Church commaunding vnder great penalties that none should eyther by theft or anie other meanes alienate or depriue Gods Church or the Bishops thereof of anie thing whatsoeuer that was bestowed vppon them and allotted â—o the diuine seruice But ô miseriel how directly Contrarie to this our first Christian King are now our moderne kings whose lawes and endeauours haue and doe tend mainly to the destruction of Churches abbeyes and religious he uses robbing them of their ornaments and riches dedicated to God seruice and leauing them to stand with fower bare walls like soe manie emptie barnes placing in stead of the holy image of CHRIST crucified the pictures of beares leopards vnicornes or some such beast houlding â—p in a scu cheon lions or flower de luces as the ensignes of their destroiers O yf our first Christian king the noble Eâ—HELBERT liued now what would he say to see the pious labours of his haÌ„ds thus miserably demolisht his aultars destroyed his lawes contemned Veryly he might iustly crie out with the Royall prophet O Lord the Gentils haue entred thy inheritance they haue
polluted thy Psalm 7â— v. 2. holy temple They haue cast the dead bodies of thy seruà nts for meate to the birds of the ayre the flesh of thy Saincts to the beasts of the earth God of his infinite goodnes voutchafe once more to looke with a mercifull eye on this wretched countrey and deliuer it out of the deluge of sinne and Heresie The life of S. Eâ—HELBET is written by Venerable Bede degest Ang. lib. 1. Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 4. and other English writers whom we haue followed The Roman Martirologe maketh mention of him this 24. of February The life of Sainct WALLBVRG Virgin and Abbesse of the sacred order of S. BENEDICT FEB 25. WritteÌ„ by Wolphar dus a Monke SAINCT WALBVRG borne of English parents of a royall race sister to the two holy Benedictine Monks S. WILLIBALD and WINEBALD was from her tender yeares first trayned vp in England in the exercise of the monasticall discipline of S. Bâ—NEDICT afterwards by the appoyntment of that great ornament of the Benedictine order BONIFACE Apostle of Germanie she was sent for into that countrey She is made Abbesse in Germanie of Germanie to plant there the rootes of those holy monasticall vertues which she had gathered in England And in the monasterie of Heydenbeim which her Brother S. WINEBALD built in the Diocesse of Eistat S. WALBVRG was made gouernesse abbesse of a conuent of nunnes which charge S. WIN BALD him self gouerning an other of monkes both of sainct BENEDICTS order the brother sister dischardged with soe great sainctity and good example of life that by their meanes that holy order floriâ—â—ed wonderfully in those parts and S. WALBVRG became in soe great fauour with allmightie God that by the vertue of her prayers she obtained all her desires II. ONE night through the negligence and malice of him that A heauenly light caused by her prayers should haue lighted the laÌ„pe in the Church the conuent of Nuns was left in darknes wherevppon the holie virgin being more in paine for them then her self made her prayer vnto her deare spouse the only true and indeficient Light and at the same instant they saw a wonderfull great lustre in all parts of the monasterie which dured till the next morning to the great ast onishment and comfort of that chast familie who togeather with S. WALBVRG gaue humble thankes vnto allmightie God for soe great a remonstrance of his fauour and loue towards them III. AN OTHER time she stole priuately out of the monasterie in the euening not perceaued of anie of her religious woemen and went to the gate of a verie rich man not farre off where she stood like a poore vnknowne pilgrim till being brought in by some of the seruants she made knowne to the man of the house who and what she was He admiring how she had passed through the furie of the mad doggs about his house soe quietly without hurt entertayned her with great ioy and reuerence and brought her as she desired into the chamber where at that time his daughter lay languishing of a cruell disease expecting euerie instant when her soule would yeeld vp her house of clay to take her last iourney when her dolefull parents despayring of her rerouerie with teares and sighs had allreadie prepared for her funerall rites But the diuine goodnes of him that kills and reuiues strikes and heales againe A sick woeman cured by her prayers through the prayers intercessions which the holy Virgin S. WALBVRG powered out all that night to his infinitie mercie recalled that dying gyrle out of the iawes of her threatned death and restored her againe vnto perfect health against the next morning Her parents seeing this wonderfull miracle gaue great thankes vnto that heauenly phisitian and offered manie rich guifts and presents vnto the holie Virgin as an acknowledgment of the great fauour they had receaued by her meanes but she that long since had forsaken the world and the vaine wealth thereof for the pure loue of heauen refused to receaue anie worldly fauours for a spirituall and diuine benefitt Therefore returning againe to her monasterie she followed on the course of her vertuous and holie life and the more she perceaued the diuine clemencie to extend it self with greater fauour vnto her the more she encreased and aduanced her self in the exercise of religion and pietie and shewed more excellent examples of Sainctitie and perfection to her religious subiects and inferiours IV. AT LENGTH this holy Virgin and deare spouse of CHTIST hauing passed through the course of a most happy life and setled her self wholely in the pure loue her creatour hauing conquered the world and the desires thereof strong in fayth excellent in her Her happie death behauiour stored with charitie beautified with wisedom enriched with chastetie grounded with humilitie and furnished with the ornaments of all vertues she receaued the embassage of death by the calling of her deare spouse and departed out of the miserable thraldom of this world to receaue the euerlasting rewards of her good works in heauen the fiue twentith day of February about the yere of our Lord 776. And immediatly after her departure her dead bodie appeared to manie of the standers by in forme of a creature allreadie glorified and a wonderfull sweet and fragrant odour issued from that holy vessell of chastity and filled the whole house Moreouer when her bodie was carried into the Church that heauenly light which obeyed her in her life serued her likewise after her death and lighted all the candles in the same Church without anie humane helpe to the glorie of this holy Virgin and great admiration and comfort of the beholders She was buried in the same monasterie where she had liued neere vnto her brother S. WINEBALD by the hands of her other brother S. WILLIBALD Bishop that the same earth might contayne them whom the like loue of religion vertue and pietie truely made to be brother and sister V. HER bodie was afterwards honourably translated to the Benedictin monastery at Eistadt And in the yeare 893. her sacred tombe being againe opened her holy ashes seemed all bedewed with water which might be pressed out dropp by dropp and yet not one mite of the dust would stick to their hands that touched it At this time a great part of her holy reliques was translated to the monasterie of Benedictine nunnes at Monheim in Germanie And at both these places manie rare miracles haue been wrought by the merits of this glorious Virgin which for breuitie we omitt But one is soe wonderfull that I cannot passe it ouer in silence For out of those chast reliques sayth Phillipp Bishop of Eistadt the authour of her life issueth a sacred oyle which by the grace of God and the intercession of the blessed S. WALBVRG giues sight to the blind hearing to the deafe cureth the lame and restores the wished recouerie of
applie his mind to the diuine seruice of allmigtie God In which place The deuill ennieth his studie of vertue being remooued from the noyse and disquiet of others he bent all the endeauour and power of his soule to prayer meditation and contemplation of diuine and heauenly mysteries which his pious exercise serued as bellowes to blow the coales of the Deuils enuie and hatred against him For as the holy man was one night earnestly bent Oâ—wald vaquishâ—h his diabolicall practises with the signe of the crosse to his prayers and meditations the wicked spiritt raysed the most horrid noyses and cries that humane eares euer heard intending therby ether to make him desist from his holy enterprise or at lest to performe it more slouthfully or neuer more to attempt the practise of anie such deuotion But he was deceaued in all for OSWALD keeping fast his footing vnder the approoued protection and bucklar of a firme and constant fayth was noe more terrified with the roaring of lions the hissing of serpents and the horrid cries and howling of other beasts which that wicked authour of mischief did faine then yf he had heard the sillie bleating of soe manies innocent lambs or sheepe and therefore he contemned and scorned all those vglie cries togeather with the diabolicall author of them The deuill confounded hereat suddenly vanished away and straight appeared vnto him traÌ„sformed into the shape of an angel of light Whe he that knew a good angel would not be troubled at the signe of the holy crosse presently armed himself therewith which the wicked tempter noe sooner perceaued butihe be trayed himself to be a Messenger of darkenes vanishing out of his sight like a puffe of smoke and he remayned free euer after from his hellish practises III. NEERE vnto his priuate oratorie was a place where twelue poore men receaued their dayly sustenance from the monasterie one of which dayly assisted S. OSWALD at the dreadfull sacrifice of Masse It happened one day that as the holy man being past the ghospell lifted vp his eyes to heauen in his prayers his seruant saw a person of a verie reuerend countenance houlding with great reuerence a little peece of white bread in his hands lifted ouer his head The poore man allthough wonderfully terrified with this visioÌ„ yet he stood stiffely to it and would not offer to runne away But perceauing the same bread to encrease more and more as the Priest went forward in his masse and at length to become of an vnaccustomed bignes he durst stay noe longer but fled out of the Church with all the hast he could Therefore S. OSWALD the Priest remayned alone with the Angel on his right hand that seemed to assist him In the meane time the poore man would euer now and then trembling peepe in at the Church doore to hearken and espie what was done about the aultar and when the seruanr of God as the manner is pronounced Per omnia saecula saeeuloruÌ„ other such like he heard the Angel answeare him distinctly to euery thing and saw him verie officiously wayting vppon him Masse being ended his fugitiue seruant returned and perceauing the Angel to be gone he ranne quaking to S. OSWALD and related the cause of his running away inquiring of him yf he likewise had seene the Angel Truely sayd he I both saw and heard what thou doest rehearse all mightie Gods name be for euer blessed who did not forsake me being destitute of helpe in his holie sacrifice And I strictly commaund thee neuer to reueale this vision while I liue IV. SAINCT ODO Archbyshop of Canturburie hearing the fame of S. OSWALDS holie conuersatioÌ„ and manner of life gaue infinite thankes vnto the authour of all goodnes and with manie guifts sent to the monasterie shewed declared him self in name of his nephew very gratefull and thankfull both to the Abbott and Monks thereof withall fignifying vnto them that he greatly desired to enioy his presence in England as well for that now being tired with old age he supposed his death to be neere at hand as allsoe for that he was determined by his meanes to order and traine vp those of his owne Countrey in regular and monasticall discipline This message sorely troubled the monks of Fleurie who were verie vnwilling to parâ— with OSWALD and OSWALD was as vnwilling to leaue them soe desirous he was to liue a priuate retired life But nether daring to contend against the Archbishops will they obeyed and sent him back with due honour and respect But before he arriued at Conturbury his vncle S. ODO had taken his iourney to heauen V. But he had an other Vnkle called Osketill who at that time gouerned Osketill Archbishop of Yorke the Church of Dorcester and hearing of Oswalds arriuall not only entertayned him very courteously but gaue him soe high a seate in his fauour that he made him of his counsell in the more secret affayres of his soule Till not long after Osketill being elected to the Archiepiscopall sea of York S. DVNSTAN with his prayses and commendations of OSWALD brought him into great grace and familiaritie with noble King Edgar who caused DVNSTAN to aduance him to the Episcopall sea of Worcester In this sacred dignitie he behaued him self worthyly both for the benefitt of the English Church and restoring William Malm. de gest reg Ang. cap. 7. of monasticall disc pline which by the barbarous incursions of the Danes and the lasciuious furie of late king Edwy who totally fauoured the vices of the secular Clergie was much impayred And first in the village of Westberie he gathered a little Conuent of twelue Benedictin monkes whom he vsed verie often times to visitt and confort with his pious exhortatioÌ„s togeather with them to labour him self in the pious exercise of a retired life in watching fasting and prayer Afterwards he built the Benedictine Abbey of Ramsey among the fennes of Huntingtonshire which florished from that time to the vnfortunate age of Henry the eight It was first founded vppon this occasion VI COVNT Ailwin a neere kinsman to King Edgar had for manie Records of Ramsey yeares endured the cruell torments of the goute When a certaine fishermaÌ„ of his called Vulget entring with his boate into the water of Ramesmere soe the place was called endeauoured to take some fish for his master but hauing laboured a long while in vaine at length much wearied he fell asleepe when our holy father S. BENEDICT appeared vnto him with these words at the rising of the morning sayd he cast thy netts into the water and according to thy desire thou shall take great store of fish of which take the greatest called a Pike The vision of a Fisherman and present it to Alwin thy master in my name bidding him that he receaue my guift courteously and out of hand build a monasterie for monks in this Iland to the honour of the most holy Mother of God mine and all the
SWIBERT Bishop and Confessor Apostle of Frizeland and Saxonie monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR. 1 Written by S. Mar celline priest his companioÌ„ and fellow preacher IN THE yeare of our Lord six hundred fortie seauen S. SWIBERT was borne in Northumberland of noble princely pareÌ„ts couÌ„t Sigebert and Berta his wife Before his byrth his deuout mother had a vision The vision of his mother as she lay in her bed wherein she beheld one starre in the heauens farre excelling all the rest in brightnes whose glittering beames seemed to giue light to the whole countrey and presently the same starre appeared to fall vppon the bed where she lay This was then interpreted by S. AYDAN bishop of Lindisfarne to be a presage of the child that she bore in her wombe who as he sayd should be a light vnto his Countrey and the whole Church of God And in confirmation hereof at the very hower she was deliuered A strange light appeared at his birth a wonderfull great splendour shined in the chamber whose beames seemed to dazle the daies light and much astonish the beholders The Child being borne the same light decreased by degrees and vanished In baptisme he was called SWIBERT and being from his verie Cradle trayned vp in the feare of God and good learning he soe carefully auoyded all vices incident to that age and soe manfully embraced the hard waies of vertue that he gaue great hopes of his future greatnes which caused manie allreadie to prognosticate wonders of his sainctitie And to the end he might dayly He embraceth a monasticall life proceed the better from vertue to vertue aâ— the age of fifteene yeares he departed with the good leaue of his parents to the Benedictine abbey of Bardâ—â—â—â— in Lincolneâ—â—ire where he forsoke all worldly hopes and became a monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT vnder the gouerment of the good Abbot Higbald In this vertuous schoole our noble youth carefully endeauoured to ennoble his mind with all manner of vertue in all things behauing him self with such prompt obedience humble modestie and sweet innocencie of life that in short time he grew to he much loued esteemed admired and reuerenced euen of the greatest and auncientest monks in the house Hauing liued nine yeares in the same monasterie in continuall continencie abstinence and the exercise of regular and monasticall discipline he was aduanced to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood in the execution of which holy function He is made Priest worthyly corresponding with his vertuous actions he offered dayly to allmightie God a most acceptable sacrifice For in true pietie and religion he was second to none adorned with the glorie of all Christian vertues most attentiue and frequent in his prayers and most exactly rigid in fasting and mortifying his owne bodie in soe much that he gaue great examples of edification to his brethren and the famous report of his vertues was published and admired throughout the Countrey II. WHILST thus he shined in the excellencie of a religious life among his other brethren as a bright sunne amongst the rest of the planets the Bishop of Yorke hauing vnderstood the incomparable Benedictine Monks sometimes Canons prayses of his vertue reioyced much thereat and sending for him made him a Canon of the Cathedrall Church of S. Peters at Yorke Whereat the reader need not wonder since heretofore is hath been a laudable custom much practised in the Church of God for Monks of S. BENEDICTS order to gouerne cathedrall Churches as Canons were indeed monasticall canons and of this kind S. SWIBERT was ordayned one at Yorke In which CONVENT sayth the authour to shew that they were monks since a quire of secular Canons is called a CHAPTER and not a CONVENT he liued for the space of two yeares in soe great austeritie of life such strict obseruance of Monasticall discipline that he seemed to leade an angelicall life vpoÌ„ S. Swibert of a Benectin Canon made Abbot of Monks earth And now being come to that height of perfection that he was fitt to be proposed as a mirrour to all such as professed a regular life he was created abbott of the monasterie of Dacore soe called froÌ„ the riuer Dacor running thereby In the meane time the venerable man S. EGBERT a Benedictin monk of whom see Aprill the 24. wonderfully zealing the gaine of soules the promulgatioÌ„ of CHRISTS holy Ghospel his owne resolution to goe into those countreyes being hindered by reuelatioÌ„ froÌ„ heauen made choise of twelue learned English monkes all zealous of the Catholick cause out of diuers monasteries Twelue English Benedictins sent to preach in Germanie of EnglaÌ„d Jreland to preach the ChristiaÌ„ fayth in FrizelaÌ„d One not the lest of these elect preachers was our S. SWIBERT S. MARCELINE that wrote his life an other they were eleuen priests one decon who hauing all happyly passed the sea towards the vineyard of CHRIST allotted to their holy charge they ariued at Vtreicht about the yeare 690. And following the same institution order and conuersation of life that the Apostles and disciples of CHRIST vsed in the primitiue Church noe man presuming to call anie thing his owne but all obseruing the rules of the monasticall and religious pouertie which they professed They began with verie great constancie and resolution to preach the Christian fayth amongst those barbarous poeple But the Frisons that were men of an vntamed and stubborne nature stoode stiffely in defence of their Idoatrie refusing to listen to the sacred tidings of the true Ghospell soe that these holy preachers being threatned with death for annouÌ„cing the words of life were compelled to depart thence hauing at first reaped litle or noeprofitt at all III. THEREFORE they went into an Iland called Fosteland where Radbode the persidious King of Friseland being beaten out of his Kingdome by the most Christian Prince Pepin of France theÌ„ remayned And in this it being a place of verie great and solemne resort among those Pagans by reason of the superstitious Idolatrie vsed there to a God of theirs called Foste from whom the Iland tooke name the Preachers of CHRIST began to announce the holy ghospell and hauing destroyed the profane aultars of those stonie-hearted Gods Iupiter and Foste they laboured to conuert the poeple to the knowledge of the only true God creatour of the world where their paines were rewarded with the conuersion but of three soules only But Radbode vnderstanding hereof caused one of them Wigbert martired called Wigbert to be cruelly putt to death a glorie which long before he had desired and banished all the rest out of the Iland When they perceiuing the tirannie of the worldly prince to withstand their good endeauours in preaching the sweet ghospell of the king of heauen retired them selues to the forenamed worthie Prince Pepin who sent them to preach in the lower parts of Frizeland with a strict charge to all
the Bishoprick vnto S. WILFRID and returned againe to his beloued solitude in the monasterie of Lesting where he remayned in the continuall exercise of pietie till Wulser King of the Mercians desiring the assistance of a Bishop in his countrey Theodore of Canturbury He is made Bishop of the mercians who would not graunt him a new one obtained of Oswy King of the Northumbers to haue S. CHAD sent into Mercia And because it was all waies S. CHADS custom as we haue sayd to trauell on foote to preach and teach the ghospell S. THEODORE finding him to be a verie holy man commaunded him hereafter to performe his longer iourneyes on horseback and he him self lifted him on his horse and forced him who out of the desire and loue of his pious labour on foote made great resistance to ride where soeuer his occasions should call him III. BEING therefore installed in the bishoprick of the Mercians and Lindisfarne he endeauoured according to the example of the auncient fathers and masters of vertue to administer his office with admirable great perfection of life and example The King Wulfere admiring the sainctity of the mā gaue him in the prouince of Lindisfarne or Lincolne the lands possessions of fiftie families for the erecting of a monasterie He held his episcopall seate at Lichfied where for his owne priuate vse he built a place not farre distant from the Church in which togeather with seauen or eight of his monkes he was wont more secretly and earnestely to exercise him self in deuout prayer meditation and reading holy scripture at such times as his ordinarie imployments and labour of preaching and diuine seruice did giue him leaue But amongst manie other his notable examples of A notable example vertue and pietie he bore in heart such a liuely impression of the feare of God which the royall prophet cals the beginning of wisedom Psal 110. v. 9. was in all his workes soe mindfull of the terrible dreadfull day of iudgement that whensoeuer there arose a more vehement and violent blast of winde and tempest he would straight fall most earnestly to his prayers and yf the storme were such that it were accompanied with the terrour of boisterous thunder or lightning he would instantly gett into the Church and neuer cease from praying and reading of psalmes vntill the heauens were cleered from those tempestuous commotions Being demaunded the Psal 17. v 15. 16. A good Lesson reason hereof Haue you not read answeared he that our Lord hath thundred frō heauē the most high hath sent forth his voyce He threw his darts and dispersed the people he redoubled his lightnings and troubled them For our Lord shaketh the ayre stirreth vp winds darteth lightnings and thunderbolts from heauen to stirre vp mortals to feare him to giue them a remembrance of his dreadfull iudgment to come that he may ouerthrow their pride confound their presumption by putting them in mind of that terrible hower wherein heauen and earth being on fier he will come with mightie power and maiestie to iudge the liuing and the dead It is our parts therefore to correspond to these his heauenly admonitions with the dutie of feare and loue that as often as by such violent commotions of the ayre and heauens he lifteth vp his threatning hand to strike and yet doeth not let fall his blow vppon vs we ought straight humbly to implore his mercie and by a diligent discussion of the secret closetts of our hearts to purge them from all vncleannes of vice lest at anie time we bee strucken vnawares With these terrible remembrances did this blessed Sainct endeauour to sharpen the minds of his monkes and other subiects to giue them a greater appetite to follow the sweete-hard way of vertue and good workes IV. AT LENGTH when he had most gloriously gouerned his Bishoprick for the space of two yeares and a half some daies before his holy departure out of this world that happie minute was reuealed vnto him For being one day alone in his oratorie a holie monk of his called Owen heard a most rauishing consort of celestiall tunes The Vision of a certaine Monke ouer and about the place where the Bishop prayed whīch dured for the space of half an hower After this the holy man opened his window and with a knock as his custom was called some from without vnto him Owen whose office it was to attend vppon him entred into his chamber whom he sent to call the rest of his brethren who were but seauen Then he admonished them faythfully to conserue the vertues of loue and peace with one and other and with an vntired diligence to follow and obserue the rules of regular The day of his departure is re 〈…〉 led vnto him discipline which he had planted amōgst them For sayd he the day of my departure is neere at hand that beloued guest which was wont to visit our brethren voutchafed allsoe this verie day to giue me warning of my long desired end Desire then the rest of our brethren to recommend my departure in their prayers to allmightie God allwaies remembring with fasting prayer and good workes to prepare themselues for their owne end the time whereof is soe vncertaine But the rest being departed out of the chamber the holy monk Owen who had seene and heard the vision aboue mentioned fell prostrat at the blessed Bishops feete humbly entreating him to declare the meaning of those heauenly ditties which that holy troupe of angels sung ouer his oratorie Indeed answeared he those blessed spiritts came to summon me to the holy court of heauen there to receaue the vnspeakeable rewards which soe long I haue aspired vnto and after seauen dayes are past they haue promised to returne to fetch me thither But I commaunde thee in the name of our Lord that thou presume not to reueale this vision before my death And it fell out according to this reuclation for the seauenth day after he yeelded vp his pure soule to the hands of his redeemer At which verie instant one Egbert a monke saw S. CEDDE S. Cedde cometh in glory to mecte him his brother incompassed with a blessed troupe of angels descend from the celestiall vaultes and carrie vp the vnspotted soule of this glorious Bishop into the euerlasting ioies of the heauenly Kingdom He died the second day of March and was buried first neere to the Church of our Ladie but afterwards a Church being erected there to the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER his sacred bones were translated into it in both which places for the greater testimonie of his vertues manie miraculous cures of diseases were wrought V. A MAD man who lead by the lightnes of his frantick braine A mad man cureed at his tomb ranne wandring vp and downe happened one euening as it were to stūble happily on that place vnawares of the watchmē that kept it and hauing rested there all that night in the
morning to the great admiration and ioy of all he made knowne by the soundnes of his witt and vnderstanding that he had there receaued the cure of his madding phrensie The place of his buriall is inclosed with a wodden chest which hath a hole on the one side through which those that came thither for deuotion were wont to reach forth some of the dust and hauing dissolued it in water it cured both man and beast that drank it of what disease soeuer they were infected The life of this B. Sainct we haue gathered chiefly out of S. Bedes History of England Iohn Capgrane hath the same in his lines of English Saincts Trithemius in his treatise of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. cap. 117. Arnould Wion Baronius Camden and others make worthie mention of him In the Prouinciall CoÌ„stitutions of England his feast is ordayned to be celebrated with nine lessons and soe it was obserued in the Sarum Breuiarie But since Breuiaries were made treason in England all goodnes was banished the Psal 150. v. 1. publick view of that vnhappie Countrey and God whom the Psalmist bids vs to praise in his Saincts is depriued of his due honour and glorie and his Saincts are quite robbed of their part therein The life of Sainct WILLEICK Priest and Confessor monck of the holy order of S. Benedict MAR. 2. Out of Marceline in the life of S. Swibert S. WILLEICK borne in England went ouer into lower Germanie S. Willeick a Monk-Canon of Vtteicht in low Germanie where togeather wich S. SWIBERT and other English Benedictine Monks he preached CHRISTS ghospell to the Pagans and conuerted manie to the true fayth He was one of the first Monk-Canons of the new Cathedrall Church of Vtreiâ—ght where he who had left the world with a pure intention soe sincerely endeauoured to perfect him self in the seruice of CHRIST IESVS that he appeared as a sweet vessell of vertues to the rest of his brethren For from his youth he had liued allwaies with the great S. SWIBERT in the continuall exercise of prayer continencie and meditation of the holy scriptures euer striuing to make him self as pure wax to receiue the impression and seale of that worthie Saincts vertues He was skillfull in holy scriptures and well practised in the Latin and Dutch tongue verie cloquent in his discourse but meeke and humble in his behauiour a conquerour of wrath and couetousnes a despiser of pride and vaine glorie and a comfortable father to the poore and sickly For whom carefully to prouide he was inclined not only out of an innate pietie of mind but made that appeare by his great labour and paines taken in prouiding and succouring their necessities him self He conuerted allsoe manie Heathens through the Prouinces as he trauelled from the venom of Idolatrie to the sweetnes of CHRIST fayth II. AFTERWARDS being made Priour of S. SWIBERTS Benedictine monasterie at Werdt he became a true mirrour and paterne of all He is made Priour of the Monasterie of Werdt true vertues to his brethren whereby manie by his example and authoritie were curbed within the rules of a regular life Neyther was he profitable with his vertues and good example to the monasterie only but by his deuout exhortations and pious sermons he conuerted the neighbouring poeple from the sottish customs of their Idolatrous life to the loue of CHRIST heauenly things And the greatnes of his vertue and meritt was testified by miracle For being on a time at Cullen with the most deuout Dutchesse Plectrude of whom mention is made in the life of S. SWIBERT one Gothebald a chief man of the towne lay languishing vnder the pittilesse burden of such a cruell disease that depriued of all vse of his limmes he seemed indeed to be quite dead when his funerall rites were allreadie prepared and his graue gaped to receiue him In the meane time Marie that was his wiues name obtained of the Dutchesse to haue Willeick the disciple and priest of great S. SWIBERT to come visitt He cureth a sickman that diyng man Who coming into the chamber and hauing made his prayers to allmightie God he gaue him his benediction when presently the sick man arose in perfect health out of his bed gaue thanks to the supreme giuer of all goodnes and sate at table with the rest in great ioy and alacritie and S. Willeick whose companie he much desired could hardly be drawne from his deuotions of thanks giuing to take his repast with the rest Herevppon the deuout Dutchesse Plectrude held this holy man in farre greater honour and esteeme theÌ„ before yeelding infinite prayses to the omnipotent worker of wonders But S. WILLEICK hauing gouerned his monasterie His death the space of thirteene yeares in all tenne after the death of his master S. SWIBERT in great holines of life and conuersation gaue vp his blessed soule to the neuer-dieing rewards of his labours to beare a part in the quire of Benedictin Monks in heauen He died the second day of March in the yeare of Our Lord 727. At whose tombe in testimonie of his vertues and holy life were wrought maine miraculous cures of diseases Of him make mention besides the foresayd Marcelline Trithemius in his 3. booke and 167. chap. of the famous men of S. Benedicts Order Molanus in his additions to Vsuard Wion in his Benedictine Martirologe and others The life of Sainct WINWALOKE Abbott and Confessor MAR. 3. Gathered by Surius out of auÌ„cient manuscripts SAINCT WINWALOKE sonne to Fracanus cosen germane of Cotton king of the Brittaines began from his tender age to giue greate signes of his ensuing vertue and good life despising the pleasures of the world and wholly bequeathing him self to the diuine seruice of allmigthy God His desire of a deuout life And the better to put his good purposes and pious inspirations in execution he desired leaue of his father to goe to a holy man of that countrey to perfect him self in that diuine schoole in the studie of vertue and learning But his father who desired rather to see him aduanced to worldy preferment and honour flatly denied his godly request Wherevppon this blessed yong man appealed to his allmightie father in heauen earnestly crauing his assistance in this case And his prayers were not in vaine for not long after his father being abrode in the plaine fields in a sayre sunny day on the suddaine there happened such a horrible tempest of rayne hayle and snow seconded with the roaring of such dreadfull thunder and flashes of lightning falling thick about him that strucken with the exceeding terrour thereof he fell flatt on the ground where musing with him self what might be the reason of such an vnexpected storme it came into his mind that perhaps it was a punishment sent him from God aboue for detayning his sonne in the tempestuous world out of the sweet hauen of his diuine His father giueth him to God seruice HerevppoÌ„ he
his feete humbly desiring his prayers for the remission of his sinnes The Sainct lifting him vp encouraged him with a familiar exhortation to the conteÌ„pt He connetteth a King to good life of the world the diuine loue of heaueÌ„ with such a liuely moouing discourse that the king receaued wonderfull great cofort thereat and returning againe to his pallace reformed his bad life euer after Manie other miracles are reported to haue been wrought by the meritts of this blessed sainct which exceede our breuitie to relate our discourse hasteneth now towards his death which as it could not come vnto soe holie man in an ill season soe it could not befall him in a better time then it did For the night before his departure hauing had a reuelation of that happie hower he made it knowne vnto the rest of his brethren who with bitter teares witnessed the sorrow they conceaued for the losse of soe good a father and entreated him to appoint one to succeed him in the gouernmeÌ„t of the Monasterie whereunto he willingly consented And on the morrow hauing celebrated The mannâ—r of his death the holy Sacrifice of Masse and receaued the sacred bodie bloud of our lord standing yet at the aultar he sweetly rendred vp his blessed soule into the hands of his deare redeemer without anie apparance of sensuall paine at all After which quiet separation his bodie by the hands of his brethren was reuerently committed to a poore house of clay in the earth and his vnspotted soule freed from her terrene habitation was coÌ„ueyed into the heauenly court of allmightie God by a Sacred Conuoy of celestiall spiritts He florished about the yeare of our lord 459. and died the third day of March in the first weeke of Lent His holy reliques were translated afterwards to S. PETERS Abbey of Benedictin Monks in the cittie of Gaunt in Flanders The memorie of which translation is celebrated the first day of August His life is found written by Joannes Anglicus JOHN Capgraue and other auncient manuscripts sort downe by SVRIVS on t of which me haue gathered it VSVARD MOLANVS doe make mention of him The life of Sainct OWEN Confessor and Monk of the holy Order of S. Benedict MAR. 4. Out of venerable Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT OWEN being chief steward of the royall familie of S. ETHELDRED wife to Egfrid King of the Northumbers encreased so excellently in the feruour of vertue that forsaking that princely seruice and all the pleasures and riches he enioyed in the world he putt on poore apparell and went to the monasterie of Lesting where the holy Bishop S. CHAD then liued He brought nothing with him but an axe in his hand to shew that he came not to the monasterie He forsaketh the world to liue idlely as manie doe but to gett his liuing by the labour of his hands which afterwards by his great industrie he prooued for hauing receaued the habitt of a Benedictin monk in the same place by how much his want of learning did disfurnish him of abilitie to meditate on the misteries of the holy scriptures by soe much the more he employed and applied his whole endeauours to serue the monasterie with the labour of his hands But when the holy Bishop S. CHAD remooued his seate to Lichfield he tooke this holy monk along with him and iudged him worthie to be one of those eight whom as we haue sayd in his life he made his more familiar companion in that little retiring place of his deuotions which he built neere adioyning vnto the Church for his more priuate exercise of pietie There S. OWEN being for reuerence and respect of his deuotion numbred a mongst the other brethren when the rest were earnestly busied at their prayers and meditations he laboured abrode in making prouision of such things as were necessarie He was a man of verie great meritts and one who had left the world with a pure intention sincere desire of the eternall reward promised to such as follow the footstepps of CHRIST and his Apostles And therefore he His guift of reuelation was esteemed of allmightie God to be in all things most worthie to whom he might more peculiarly reueale his heauenly secrets being for his sinceritie most worthie to be beleeued in his relations For this cause the glorious vision of the Angelicall troupes which came from heauen with their melodious tunes to bring newes of the neere-approching death of S. CHAD was shewed vnto this holy Monke as he laboured without when the holy Bishop was at his prayers within This you may reade in the life of S. CHAD the second of March And this only testimonie of alimightie Gods particular fauour vnto this holy sainct may serue for a sufficient proofe of his great vertue and sainctitie who after the death of the holy Bishop hauing long exercised him self in the execution of his His happie death pious vocation left the world the second time to receaue an euerlasting reward in heauen for hauing renounced it at first and yielded vp his pure soule into the hands of his most deare redeemer Thus much of him we haue gathered chiefly out of S. BEDES-historie of England Trithemius in his third booke and 118. Chapter of the illustrious men of S. BENEDICTS order and Arnold Wion in his Appendix to his Martirologe doe both make worthy mention of him What day he died it is not knowne The life of Sainct PIRAN Bishop and Confessor MAR. 5. Written by Joannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue SAINCT PIRAN borne in Jreland of a noble race for the loue of God contemned the riches of the world and became an Hermite in the same countrey leading the space of manie yeares a very strict and rigid manner of life by which and his concontinuall preaching and working of manie miracles he drew diuers out of the blindnes of Idolatrie to the true fayth of CHRIST He was His vertuous life wonderfull sparing in his diet continuall in watching and prayer and from his very childhood to the hower of his death allwaies employed in reading teaching practising the workes of charitie humilitie coÌ„tinencie all other vertues Being made Priest he omitted noe dutie belonging to that dignitie feeding the hungry cloathing the naked instructing the ignorant restrayning froÌ„ vice moouing to vertue At length he departed out of Jreland came into that part of England called Cornwall where with some others in a poore little habitation he prepared himself for death the hower whereof being The manner of his death partly by a grieuious sicknes of which neuer in his life he had tasted before and partly by a diuine inspiration made knowne vnto him he caused his graue to be opened and entring him self into it yielded vp his blessed soule out of that house of clay to be carried vpp to the neuer dying ioyes of heauen in the glorie of a great light and splendour that appeared at the same
instant He died the sixth of March and was buried in Cornwall in a chappell in the towne of Padstow which chappell remayneth there to this day He is reported to haue wrought manie wonderfull miracles in his life time which bicause they tend rather to breed an incredulous amazement in the readers then mooue to anie workes of vertues or pietie we haue willingly omitted His life is written by IOANNES Anglicus and recited by IOHN CAPGRAVE and mention is made of him in the Chronicles of Ireland and other anncient monuments The life of Sainct KYNEBVRG queene and Abbesse and of Sainct Kineswide and Tibbe Virgins all of the holy order of S. Benedict MAR. 6. TakeÌ„ out of diuers graue Authours SAINCT KYNEBVRG and KYNESWIDE daughters to wicked Penda the Heathen king of the Mercians inherited soe little of their fathers impietie and were soe farre from following the blind waies of his Paganisme that contrariwise like two bright starres they shined in the true profession of Christian religion and vertue Soe that their father though euer rebellious against allmightie God Kyneburg marieth King Alfred yet in them he furnished his heuenly Kingdom with two most sacred branches of sainctitie KYNEBVRG to gett out of the reach of his crueltie maried Alfred King of the Northumbers which was rather an aduancement then a hindrance to her in the continuall exercise of vertue pietie The poore needie and afflicted had soe pious a mother of her that she seemed to be borne for noe other end then to relieue their miserie And yet did she not soe excell in this one grace as yf she were dead to all other vertues for there was allmost noe prayse due vnto a pious-noble woeman wherein she might not iustly challege her part all waies performing with a singular care and diligence whatsoeuer appertayned vnto God and his diuine Her desire of a chast life seruice The feruour of her pietie dayly encreasing she became at length soe rauished with the sacred loue of her immortall spouse the King of heauen that she earnestly desired to renounce her terrene King Kingdom thereby to beare the sweet yoke of CHRIST with more freedom and loathing all mortall embracements she aspired only to vnite her soule with allmightie God in the sacred linkes of his diuine loue Which that with more libertie and profitt she might bring to passe she neuer ceased with her pious perswasions to sollicite the King her husband vntill he had graunted her licence to liue according to her owne free will The King at length honouring and admiring soe great feruour of pietie and religion in his wife as it were violently forced and compelled him self contrarie to the inclination of his owne will to forgoe his power of matrimonie otherwise lawfull and not only gaue her way to follow her owne desires but him self allsoe putt on a constant and setled resolution and purpose to keepe perpetuall continencie euer after Therefore within a short time the Kings Pallace it self contrarie to A royall râ—soâ—ution of chastitie custom in such places was changed as it were into a monasterie of religion and a shop where was practised all manner of discipline of more exact vertue and pietie The King his queene liued as brotheir and sister vnited togeather in a stricter vnion of minds then before they were of bodies KYNEBVRG not a little glad hereat when after a while she perceaued the King her husband to be sufficiently confirmed in this new course of pietie she departed with his leaue to a monasterie which she had prepared for her self and other virgins where changing her kind of life she made the splendour and greatnes of her former estate stoope to the plainnes of humilitie her riches to grow richer by a voluÌ„tarie pouertie her delights to be an ordinarie slender diet and insteed of the ambitions traine of her noble ladies of honour she was accompanied with a few poore Virgin-Nunnes with whom she led a vertuous and religious life vnder the rule of our most holy father Sainct BENEDICT This monastery was built at a place then called Dormundcaster and afterwards Chineburgcastle some two miles distant from the famous Benedictine Abbey of Peterborrough II. IN THE meane time her sister KYNESWIDE as yet but yong had S. Kyneswide not attayned the sacred vaile of religion but waiting as it were at the chamber doore of her diuine spouse admired and imitated the sainctity of her sister soe well that she gaue great signes and tokens of her owne future sainctity When S. KYNEBVRG serued her for a true patterne or sampler whence she might take out the pious workes and flowers of vertue and religion being brought vp vnder her gouernment in the sacred schoole of a vertuous good life S. Kyneburg made Abbesse Afterwards S. KYNEBVRG being made Abbesse of the same monasterie it farre exceeds the force of weake wordes this poore penne to expresse with what loue she gayned soules to CHRISTS seruice with what care being gained she nourished them in the bosome of her charitie and how watchfull a guardian teacher she was of the diuine lawes and monasticall discipline dayly heaping vp a new encrease of vertues to her former till at length she left this life and Her death made a happie iourney vnto him for whose sake she had forsaken the world and the vanities thereof leauing vnto her dolefull sisters manie worthy examples of charitie and religion She was buried in the same monasterie which she had built III. AFTER the departure of this sacred Virgin Offa King of the East-Angles became wonderfully affected to the holy Virgin Kyneswide her sister and earnestly desired to make her his wife queene But KINESWIDE who was quite of an other mind and had allreadie betrothed her self to be a spouse of the King of heauen vtterly refused to yeeld vnto his desires And being with much importunitie sollicited therevnto by the perswasions yea and threatnings of her brethren she had recourse vnto the Mother of all puritie the Blessed Virgin MARIE whom with prayers and teares she earnestly implored to ridd her of these troubles The B. Virgin appearing in a The Virgin Marie appeareth to Kyneswide vision vnto her gaue her counsell couragiously to persist in her purpose of perpetuall chastitie promising withall to obtaine of her sonne CHRIST-IESVS whom she had chose for her spouse to graunt strength and helpe to her holy intentions Herevppon KYNESVIDE receauing new force and courage sent messengers to giue a defiance vnto King Offa breake of all hope of anie such league to be betwixt them beseeching and coniuring him by the dreadfull name She refuseth the marriage of King Offa. of our Lord not to sollicite her anie further with his loue which she iudged to be violence nor to make warre against heauen to take her from CHRIST her chosen spowse nor to trouble his angels the louers of virginitie but peaceably to permitt her with an vntouched freedom
was wont presently to sett his helping hands therevnto eyther in guiding or houlding of the plough or anie other such labour For he was a yong man of great strength of a sweet discourse a merrie hart bountifull in good workes and of an honest and decent aspect He allwaies cate of the same meate and in the same place that his other brethren did and slept in the same common dorter that he did before he was made Abbot Yea when he fell fick and foresaw by certaine signes that death was at hand yet he remayned two daies after in the dorter of the other Brethren And other fiue daies before his He taketh leaue of his monkes departure he was placed in a more secret house a part till goeing forth one day into the open ayre he assembled all his monkes togeather and tooke a solemne leaue of them imparting to euery one a charitable salutation of peace they in the meane time pittifully weeping and wayling to depart from soe holy a father and soe pious a pastour He died the seauenth day of March in the night when the monkes were singing mattings in the Church He was twentie fower yeares of age when he came to the monasterie he liued twelue yeares therein seauen whereof he exercised the function of Priestood and fower His death he gouerned the Monasterie with the dignitie of Abbot till at leÌ„gth leauing his mortall limmes he tooke a happie flight to the Kingdom of heauen saint BENNET Bishop being then absent in his fift iourney to Rome The life of this Sainct is thus written by saint BEDE as we haue found it in an auncient manuscript togeather with the lines of other Abbots of the same mònastery where saint BEDE him self liued a Monke Besides him FLORENTIVS WIGORNIENSIS an 682. MATHEW WESTMINSTER an 703. NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 7. cap. 37. IOHN CAPGRAVE and others doe northily speake his prayses The life of sainct FELIX Bishop and Confessor MAR. 8. Out of diuers Authours FELIX was the first Bishop of the East-Angles But a man of how great pietie he was it appeareth chiefly in this He leaueth his countrey to preach in England one famous example that being natiue of Burgundis and vnderstanding how few labourers there were in soe fruictfull an haruest of CHRIST as England of his owne accord he left his Bishoprick friends Kinred and riches and all other maintenances and promotions of his state to come into our contrey and employ his best endeauours in soe pious a work Whose holy purpose being vnderstood admired by Honorius Archbishop of Canturbury he allotted him the Prouince of the East-Engles which hauing He conuerteth the East-Angles forsaken the Christian fayth before receaued was fallen againe into the blindnes of Idolatrie But FELIX being in effect correspondent to his name which signifieth Happie with soe great happines discharged the prouince he vndertooke that in a short time he wholly happily reduced it from the Idolatrous bondage of the deuill to the sweet freedoÌ„ of CHRISTS sacred Ghospell He held his Episcopall sea in a towne then called Dimmock but afterwards from his name it was named FELIXTOWE or FELSTOWE In which place and dignitie happie FELIX hauing discharged the part of a good pastour for the space of seauenteene yeares continually labouring with inuincible patience for the aduancement of CHRISTS holy Ghospel loden with vertue His death and good workes made a most happie iourney to the eternall happines the eigth day of March was buried in the same towne but his reliques were after wards traÌ„slated to a place called Schaâ— where appeares yet sayth Malmesbury some signes of a Church destroyed and burnt by the Danes But the Sacred body of this sainct being sought for and found a long time after was againe translated to the famous Abbey of Benedictin Monkes at Ramsey This life we haue gathered out of S. Bede de gest lib. 2. c. 15. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 16. and William Malmesbury de Pontif. The life of Sainct BOSA or Boso Bishop and Confessor Monke of the holy Order of S. Benedict MAR 11. Out of ve nerable Bede de gest Ang. BOSA from a monke of the Benedictin monasterie of Streanshall in Northumberland was at the instaÌ„ce of Egfrid king of that Prouince elected Bishop of Yorke in the place of the most reuerend Bishop He is made Bishop of Yorke S. WILFRID then vniustly banished out of that sea and countrey by the meanes of the forefayd king and the authoritie of Theodore Archbishop of Canturbury in the yeare 678. This sea he gouerned in great holines of good life and learning till by the death of king Egfrid his brother Alfrîd obtayned the kingdome who recalled S. WILFRID out of banishment and restored him to his Bishoprick againe But after the space of fiue yeares Alfred expelled saint WILFRID againe and BOSA was once more restored to the sea of Yorke in the gouernment whereof and the continuall exercise of all true vertues belonging to a holy Bishop he rendred vp his blessed soule to the neuer dying ioyes of heauen about the yeare of our Lord. 700. but what day he died it is vncertaine this eleuenth of March is made a commemoration of him whom S. BEDE calleth a man well beloued of God of great holines and humilitie Besides whom WILLIAM MALMESBVRY TRITEMIVS in his fourth booke of the famous men of S. Benedicts order cap. 64. MATHEW WESTMINSTER an 678. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. cap. 23. and others doe make worthie mention of him aâ— allsoe Pope IONH the seauenth in his letters written in behalf of S. WILFRID The life of the most Glorious Pope Doctour of the Catholike Church S. GREGORY surnamed the Great Apostle of England and glorie of S. BENEDICTS Order MAR 12. written by Paulus Diaconus SOE great and soe manie are the incomparable deeds and vertues wherewith this thrice happie Sainct hath adorned the The translatours Proloâ—ne Church of God and soe manie holy and learned men haue endeauoured by their writings to make him famous to posteritie that we find our witts farre to weake to comprehend the one this poore penne farre to barren to sett downe among soe manie worthies anie thing worthie soe worthie a subiect Yet on the other side because the benefitts which not only the Benedictin Order in England but allsoe all England it self hath from him receaued are soe infinite we cannot choose but straine according to our power to make some small shew of acknowledgment thereof imitating those herein who in a little mappe or carde to the great pleasure and profitt of the beholders doe describe the mightie compasse of the whole world And here now o Romeâ— doe thou first acknowledge thine happines and diligently endeauour to imitate soe great a worthy Manie euerlasting monuments there are which haue eternised thy name to posteritie thy Kings thy Dictatours thy Consuls thy Emperours thy Trophies yea and the Empire of the world seated in
towards him who demaunded yf he would shew anie seruice or dutie to such a guest most willingly replied CVTHBERT shewing his knee did not this paine hould me prisonner for faults past For this is a griefe which exceeds all art of phisick to remedie Hereat the horseman lighted diligeÌ„tly viewing reviewing the sore Boyle sayd he some wheaten flower in milk and applie it hott to the swelling thou shalt be He is cured of a payne in his knee cured This sayd he ridd swiftly on his way and at the same instant CVTHBERT came to know that he was an angel sent from God And froÌ„ that time this deuout child as he him self was wont to assure his familiar friends being often-times besett with aduersities through his prayers to allmightie God deserued to be garded by an Angel by the same meanes to deliuer others out of the streights of manie eminent dangers II. BVT it happened afterwards that he was turned to the wild mountaines to become a sheapheard where as one night all his fellowes being asleepe he watched carefully ouer his flock and passed ouer the teadious howers of the night in prayer he beheld a glittering light which dispersed the nights horrid shades and a great troupe of bright shining creatures which came downe from heauen carried vp the soule of S. AIDAN Bishop of Lindisfarne a man of wonderfull vertue and pietie to the ioyes of euerlasting happines Being greatly astonished and reioyced with this vision If for one nights watching and prayer sayd he to him self I haue deserued to behould such wonders what reward shall I receaue yf I bend all the forces of my soule wholly to the contemplation of diuine things And at the same instant he resolued to forsake his flocks and embrace a monasticall life Therefore shaking off the fetters of the world he departed thence and entred into the way of heauen trauelling night and day alone without eyther meate or drinke to find out a quiet hauen wherein he might securely harbour at the sweete shore of contemplation At length he arriued at a Village where he stayed only to refresh his wearied horse for he him self could not be entreated to tast anie foode because it was Friday which he fasted in honour of our Lords passion Thence therefore he Fasting on Fridaies departed fasting and held on his iourney through deserts and forlorne places which he could not ouercome before he was ouertaken with night soe that he was constrained at length to lodge in a poore forsaken cabbin expecting the next day-light Where falling to his prayers as his custom was greatly moued with compassion to see the poore beast his horse quite toiled and tired out with the iourney allmost fainting for want of food he gathered vpp a handfull of hay which the wind had blowne of that weake cottage and gaue it him to eate which done againe he betooke him self to his prayers for the space of a long hower When in the meane time he saw his horse lift vpp his head and hunger compelling him therevnto He is fed miraculously he began to vnthatch that poore cabbin still drawing it downe by morsels till at length there fell out a white linnen cloath wrapt vp togeather which the holy yong man perceiuing hauing ended his deuotions he opened it found therein half a hott loafe and as much meate as was sufficient for one meale Being greatly astonished hereat he lifted vp his hands and eyes towards heauen and gaue thanks vnto allmightie God I acknowledgs o Lord sayd he that it is the bountie of thy goodnes which hath voutchafed to feed me in this forlorne sollitude as in times past thou didest nourish Elias in the desert III. AT length he arriued at the desired end of his iourney the monasterie of Mailros where at his first coming he was prophetically commended by a holy man named Boisil who noe sooner beheld CVTHBERT but he cried aut to the assistants Behould a true seruant of God and hauing vnderstood his pious desires he made them He taketh the habitt of a monk knowne vnto the holy Abbot Eata who presently gaue him the Benedictin habitt and tonsure whereby being ranged vnder the spirituall warrfare of IESVS CHRIST he became straight an inuincible champion therein excelling all his other brethren in watching fasting and prayer and other exercises of a monasticall life And after some yeares king Alchfrid hauing bestowed some land at Rippon for the building of a new monasterie Eata made choise of CVTHBERT with other religious Monks to furnish the same vnder the same rule and monasticall discipline as the other And within a while he was put into the office of receauing and entertayning the guests and other poore pilgrims which came to the monasterie wherein he discharged his dutie with soe great ioy and diligence that euerie one highly commended their good entertaynment and his extraordinarie good will Goeing forth early one morning to visitt He entertayneth aâ— Angel in a humanâ— shape the cell of his guests he found amongst the rest a yong man of a verie beautifull countenance and taking him to be a man indeed he entertayned him after his sweet manner of courtesie gaue him water for his hands washed and dried his feet couered the table and let passe noe dutie of his charitable office And as he vrged him to eate and repaire his forces weakened with trauelling the guest refused I coniure thee by the name of allmightie God replied CVTHBERT to refresh thy felf a litle whilest I goe fetch thee a loafe of He receaueth three loaues of an Angel bread newly bakt He went and returning with all speed possible found that his new guest was gone whereat being much amazed he sought in the snow newly fallen to trace which way he was gone but finding no signe of him he was more amazed then before and casting his eyes about he perceaued that he had left three milke white loaues behind him from which came a most sweet odour and then with trembling he began to imagine that it was an Angel he had entertayned who came not to be fedd but to feed And from that time his vertues all waies encreasing he was dayly adorned more and more with heauenly fauours for he deserued often times to see and conuerse with angels to haue his hunger refreshed with heauenly meates seasoned by angelicall hands And because he was affable and pleasant in his discourse and behauiour for the most part when he proposed the pious workes of the auncient fathers for patternes of good life to his brethren he was wont allsoe humbly to intermingle what speciall graces and fauours the diuine goodnes had bestowed on his owne person And this he would doe some times openly and plainly and some times more hiddenly vnder the name of a third person according to the example of the great Doctour of the Gentils S. PAVL IV. BVT within a short time Eaâ—a the Abbot was compelled to
will I am most readie to endure all Thren 1. reproches and torments and death it self for thy sake and as thou knowest I speake the truth soe I beseeth thee to haue mercie vppon me for into thy hands I commend my soule And he repeated often times that of the Psalmist Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spiritt Turning him self allsoe to the B. Virgin MARIE Psal 10 Mother of God he sayd Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae tu nos ab hoste protegs hora mortis suscipe commaunding his Chaplains continually to sound those words in his cares And soe betweene the sighs of his pious deuotion and the words of sacred prayer in presence of manie religious priests and Clergimen and other faithfull Christians sainct RICHARD yielded vp his His blessed death soule into the hands of his Creatour to liue in the most happie societie of the heauenly citizens for euer about the six and fiftith yeare of his age the 9. yeare of his bishoprick the third day of Aprill about midnight At what time the heauenly spouse is sayd to Matth. 25. come to the eternall wedding His soule was noe sooner departed but his sacred bodie which in his life time had been tired with The beautie of his dead bodie much watching worne out with lying on the ground consumed with fasting torne and afflicted with stripes and other voluntarie punishments beyond humane suffrance appeared most cleere and beautifull in soe much that it seemed to beare a notable signe or token of the future resurrectior and next his skinne was found a sharp hayre-shirt and manie other iron girdles He was buried in the Church which he had newly consecrated a huge concurse of people coming from all parts of England to the celebration of his venerable exequies euerie one thinking himself happie that could but gett to touch ether the biere he was carried on or the lowest hemme of his sacred garments Rings and bracelets that had but touched his bodie they held for verie holy things and kept as reliques XIV AFTERWARDS his sacred bodie was translated to Chicester according to his desire and buried in a meane place before S. EDMONDS Altar which himself had erected in the north side of the Church Where as in his life time God allwaies wonderfull in his Saincts had wrought by him manie miracles curing the blind lame Manie miracles and diseased soe after his death he shewed by the merits of this holy man noe lesse but rather more wonderfull signes of holines when besides manie other benefitts and strange cures he restored three men from death to life and one child borne dead but reuiued by his meritts was presented at the age of fower yeares before the Inquisitours that were appoynted to take the information of saint RICHARDS life and miracles Nay his apparell being worne or but touched cured manie diseases and the sick persons that lay in his bed presently recouered their health All which miracles and manie more for breuities sake here omitted were written in those dayes as manifest and certaine truths and the booke was reserued in the Benedictin Abbey of saint Albans Which moued Pope Boniface the fourth to enroll him into the number of canonized Saincts about 20. yeares after his death in the raigne of Edward the first and his feast was celebrated in the Breuiarie of Sarum with an office of nine lessons this third day of Aprill This historie of his life is gathered out of that which is written at large by Radulph Bocking his confessor about the yeare 1240. Mathew Paris an 1259. Mathew Westminister an 1262. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 13. cap. 17. Camden and other graue authours make verie worthie mention of his vertues And Baronius sayth that Vrban the fourths letters for his canonization are extant in the Vatican librarie at Rome The life of Sainct ELSTAN Bishop of Wilton and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT APR. 6. Out of William Malmesbury de gest Pont. Anglo ELSTAN first a monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT in the monasterie of Abington vnder the gouernment of the famous S. ETHELWOLD afterwards bishop of Winchester was a man of wonderfull simplicitie and obedience A rare proofe thereof is seene in this accident For being commaunded by his foresayd Abbot to see that the workemen and artificers of the monasterie were dayly and duely prouided with necessary victualls he vndertooke that labour with great deuotion and playd the cooke himself in the preparing of their accustomed diet and serued them verie diligently and afterwards washed the dishes and other vessels with his owne hands whilst the Abbot all waies thought he had performed this dutie of obedience by the helpe of a seruant Till one day goeing about the offices of the monasterie as his custom was he chāced vnawares to to find ELSTAN standing by the cauldron that boyled on the fier and all the vessels verie neate and cleane and the roome newly swept The Abbot much delighted hereat Brother ELSTAN said he this Not the vertue of Prompt obedience obedience thou hast stolne from me But if thou art such a champiō as thou seemest to be putt thy bare hand presently into the boyling cauldron and fetch me a peece of meate out of the bottom The commaund was noe sooner out of his mouth but FLSTANS hand was in the boyling water whose vnresistable heate yeelded to the courage of his true fayth and obedience and did him noe hurt at all to the great admiration and comfort of the holy Abbot ELSTAN afterwards was made Abbot of Abington and lastly Bishop of Wilton in both which charges he discharged the part of a holy Prelate and ended his dayes verie happyly to receaue the reward of his obedience in heauen He florished about the yeare of our Lord 980. Thus much of him we haue gathered out of William Malmesbury de Pont. l. 3. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 10 cap. 9 and Wolstan in the life of S. Ethelwold the first day of August The life of Sainct GISLA and Sainct RICTRVDE Virgins of the sacred order of Sainct BENEDICT APR. 9. Out of diuers Authours GISLA and RICTRVDE borne in Kent of noble parents but much more ennobled with vertue and good learning from their verie youth gaue them selues to the studie of the elegancie of the latin tongue and other sciences vnder that excellent master S. ALCVINE a Benedictin Monk After whose departure out of England they liued in a monasterie at Canturbury vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT labouring and profitting dayly in the continuall exercises of vertue and learning diligently imitating S. MARIE Magdalen◠in the sweetnes of a contemplatiue and MARTHA in the labours of Their skill in learning an actiue life Being carefull first to profitt them selues in mortifications and meditations and then to shew external workes of charitie to their neighbours and peculiarly to comfort the afflicted Whence it was that hauing attayned to a sufficiencie of
learning a rare thing in their sex they writt manie spirituall and consolatorie workes which enuious time hath suffered to perish but some epistles of theirs and specially one to S. ALCVINE and his answer therevnto are extant amongst his workes The inscription of his to them is thus To the most noble in holines of Christian religion the most deuoted to the studie of wisedome the two Virgins consecrated to God Gisla his sister and RICTRVDE his daughter the humble Brother and Father ALCVINE wisheth the health of perpetuall Blessednes At length these holy Virgins after the long exercise of vertue and good workes est this world toreceiue the crowne of their virginitie in heauen amongst that glorious quire of other holy Benedictine Nunnes They florished about the yeare 770. in the raigne of Alrick King of Kent Thus much we haue taken out of Nicholas Harpsfield soec 8. c. 6. Arnould Wion Iohn Pitts de scrip Aug. an 770. and others S. GVTHLACVS MONACHVS ET EREMITA ORD S. Benedicti April 11. 〈◊〉 f. The life of S. GVTHLAKE Priest and Anacherite of the holy order of S. Benedict APR. 11. Written by Felix a Benedictin monk of Croyland THE WORTHIE seruant of IESVS-CHRIST Saint GVTHLAKE borne of noble parents Guthlakes Parents Pâ—nwald and Tecta descended lineally from the royall stemme of the Mercian Kings but he ennobled his princely progeniture with the nobilitie and spendour of religion and vertues Which his future excellencie and incomparable vertue a strainge and admirable presage seemed to make knowne and A strange apparition at his abyrth manifest at his verie byrth For the same hower that his mother lay in child-bed of this holy offspring a fayre yellow hand as it were of a man appeared by the crosse which stoodâ— opposite to her house casting forth wonderfull beames of brightnes And when the poeple of the countrey flocked togeather in great troupes to behould that miraculous apparition the same hand made the signe of the Crosse on the house doore of the labouring woeman presently vanished A happy signe precursour of his birth foreshewing that in his life time he should allwaies carrie in his bodie the peanance of Christs holy crosse But the multitude of poeple much astonished amazed at this vnacustomed spectacle began as the manner is with diuers and doubtfull opinios to wauer in their sundrie expositions of that diuine miracle the greatest part affirming that surely it betokened some great heauenly misterie when the mid wiue came forth with newes that the child for whose sake that wonder appeared was borne In baptisme he was named GVTHLAKE and during the time of his childhood he appeared to beare in a cleere louing countenance soe gratefull and acceptable a grace that his sole looks were of force sufficient to purchase loue in the minds hearts of all men II. AT THE age of twentie fower yeares he began verie hotly to follow and practise the noble acts of militarie discipline to defend him self and his whole race against the aduersaries which tooke head against them and being sett forth in warlick ornaments and hauing mustered togeather some troupes of souldiers he began cruelly to He giueth him self to the warres in his youth inuade his enemies to besiege to wâ—es to ouerthrow castles in soemuch that out of his worthie deeds of armes he purchased to him self manie titles trophies and monuments of fame throughout the countrey But in the midest and heate of all this crueltie he was not soe farre corrupted with a desire of militarie glorie but euen in that blouddie kind of life he gaue some fignes of true pietie for oftentimes he would restore back the third part of his spoiles to those he had vanquished thereby ouercoming his enemies the second time with curtesie as before he had done with the sword At leÌ„gth calling to mind by a diuine inspiration the lamentable ends of manie great kings and princes of his ancestors and considering that the secular pompe of the world is but as a puffe of smoake and a vapour quickly vanishing and remembring the shortnes of mans daies the vneertaintie of his death the terrour of his departure out of this life the seueritie of Gods tribunall and the eternitie of the paines in the life to come he resolued to giue ouer that course of life and calling his fellow souldiers togeather he bad them adiew in these words Hitherunto my deare friends I haue waged warre in the regiment of the worlds vanities froÌ„ hence forth I am determined to beare armes only vnder the ensignes of IESVS-CHRIST our true and dearest captaine Choose your selues an other leader whose colours ye may follow for I will follow the banner of our Lords holy Crosse sainctified in his pretions bloud And noe reasons nor prayers being able to turne him from this pious resolution he cast of his martiall armes and went to the famous monasterie of Benedictin monkes at Ripendown in the Kingdom of Mercia where hauing taken the habitt He becometh a Benedictine monk of a monk vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT he entred into a verie strict and seuere manner of life depriuing him self not only of the superfluous but allmost of the necessarie vse of meate drinke and sleepe The Psalmes himnes and other knowledge of holy scripture he learned with a wonderfull facilitie within the space of two yeares He was of a pleasant couÌ„tenance humble in his behauiour and gate religious and full of the feare of God in his workes coÌ„stant in fayth His manner of life in the monasterie perseuerant in hope abounding in charitie prouidet in his counsell and verie circomspect mild in his words And liuing amongst his brethren he imitated the diligent laborious bee which auoyding all infectious weeds sucks whatsoeuer is good and profitable out of all the sweet flowers round about and brings it to her hiue For as he highly detested all manner of vice soe he striued and endeuoured with a great contention of mind to expresse in him self not only one but all the good manners and vertues of those with whom he liued Therefore whatsoeuer was excellent or notable in each of theÌ„ he heaped it all to him self the learning of one the continencie of an other this mans pacience the others submission humilitie the silence of some the strict diet of others and their night and day watchings and in a word he ranked into him self alone a goodly traine or lift of all others vertues and pious actions III. Now when he had made good triall of him self for the space of two yeares and shewed a worthie example of vertue and holines in that excellent schoole of religion he beganne to aspire His desire of a solitarie life to a higher manner of perfection being taken with a wonderfull desire of an eremiticall and solitarie life Therefore hauing communicated his purpose with his Abbott and brethren with their good leaue and well-wishes he was dismissed to his
S. DVNSTAN Archbishop of Canturbury perceauing had recourse to the refuge of prayer making an humble suplication to the all-foreseeing wisedome of God to voutchafe to shew whom his diuine maiestie iudged worthy for the gouernment of that Church And as he deuoutly and often repeated ouer his prayers S. ANDREW the Apostle appeared to him with these words Why art thou soe sad why doest make such lamentable complaints Arise and place the Abbot ELPHEGVS in the vacant Episcopall sea of that desolate Church Nether let anie contrarie power withstand thee in this for not from anie man but from God him self this sentence of him hath proceeded And left thou distrust anie thing in mee know that I am He is made Bishop the yeare 984. ANDREW the Apostle of IESVS-CHRIST and a most faythfull guardian of thy health and saluation DVNSTAN much encouraged herewith consecrated Blessed ELPHEGVS bishop as he was commaunded and sent him honourably to the sea of Winchester IV. BEING installed in that sacred dignitie he soe wisely framed and The seueritie of his life conformed him self to the manners and humours of all men that he became most beloued of all and which is rare among mortals noe man enuied at his glorie He was most mercifull vnto all others but to him self he appeared most cruell and seuere For in the verie dead time of winter amidest the frost and snow at midnight when all his poeple lay buried vnder the heauines of sleepe he was wont secretly to rise out of his bed and goe out barefooted with one single garment See the holy mans wonderfull â—eannes a bout him to busie him self at his prayers and meditation till morning In his diet he was soe extreÌ„ly sparing that he would rise froÌ„ table all most as emptie as he sate downe wheÌ„ce it came to passe that his bodie was taken downe to such a low degree of leannes that wheÌ„ at Masse he eleuated the holy sacrament the cleernes of the light might be seene through the ioynts in the palmes of his hands He knew how to temper fashion his mind and speech to all kind of men He permitted none of his diocessans to beg publickly froÌ„ doore to doore nether did he suffer the poore of other places to depart without an almes iudging it an vnreafonable horrible offence for a man to vsurpe that as a propertie of his owne which nature ordayned to be common to all Wherefore he carefully maintayned that he was noe true member of our Lords bodie that did not succour the necessities of the poore For yf when one member of the bodie is in paine the rest out of a coÌ„passioÌ„ doe not suffer with it it is manifest that that is not a member of the same bodie which in the suffrance of an other is not disposed to compassion But when those meanes were exhausted which by right of the Church belonged to the maintenance of the poore he caused the manie treasures which he had layd vp for that purpose to be distributed amongst them giuing posteritie a lesson hereby that Churches were endowed with store of riches to serue in time of plentie for an ornament and in time of want for profitt V. BVT when that worthie Pillar of our English Church S. DVNSTAN perceaued death to be at hand and feared by the succession of some wicked person the coming of trouble into the Church which now was well setled in peace and tranquillitie he sollicited with manie prayers the diuine mercle that he might haue Eâ—PHEGVS his successour in the sea of Canturbury His petition was heard in the holy court of heauen and a graunt promised allbeit the promise were not straight fullfilled Which perchance was deferred that more cleerly it might appeare vnto the world how highly S. DVNSTAN was beloued of God who soe truelie performed a long time after his death that which he promised in his life time and that S. ELPHEGVS might fall into such times as should aduance him to the glorious crowne of martyrdome Therefore in the yeare of our lord 1006 and from the coming of the English into Britalne 578. S. ELPHEGVS in the two fiftith yeare of his age when he had gouerned the sea of Winchester twentie two He is made Archbishop of Cant urburie yeares was raysed to the Archiepiscopal dignitie of CaÌ„turbury Who trauayling towards Rome to obtaine his Palle as he entred to lodge in a certaine towne by the way the townsmen perceauing him to be a straÌ„ger being verie greedie of their owne gaine brake into his lodging robbed him of what he had with stripes coÌ„pelled him poore bare as he was to gett out of their towne Which Iniuries man bearing away with patience only a little grieued for his companies sake returned the same way as he came When he had not gone farr from thence but horrible cries were heard from the walls which proclaimed the sudden ruine of the whole towne For an outrageous flame layd hould of the buildings which furiously began to consume all to ashes and seeing it still soe vehemently â—ncreasing that there was scarse anie hope of escaping a generall destruction suspecting that it might be a punishment for that rude violation of hospitalitie they ranne after the holy man humbly coÌ„fessing their fault and desiring pardon The sainct present taking compassion on their miserie made his prayers to allmightie God He receaneth his pall of Pope Iohn the 19 and these horrible flames were presently extinguished and their furie ceased Therefore his goods being restored be happily ended the rest of his iourney and returned againe into England with his Palle And being setled in the Metropolitan sea of Canturburie he excellently performed whatsoeuer belonged to the dignitie and function of a good bishop The vertue of chastitie commaunded soe high a seate in his soule that noe man in his hearing durst bring forth a word anie way drawing to obscenitie nor as much as relate anie dishonest storie He was the comfort of the poore the relieuer of the oppressed and the sole refuge of the afflicted VI. BVT ô the variable condition and inconstant state of this world The holy man had gouerned his Church but fower yeares The Danes spoyle England These miseries were reâ—ealed to S. Dâ—nstan long before when behould two Danish Princes called Swane and Turkill entred into England vsing great outrage in some parts thereof as a punishment for the poeples sinnes But Swane being by the secret disposition of god terribly slaine Turkill hauing obtained the principalitie of a wicked inheritance wasted and spoiled manie Prouinces in England with fier and sword For king Etheldred being a weake impotent man not giuen to warlick affayres made shew in his actions rather of a monk then a souldier and the people of the Countrey corrupted with the possession of their riches and tied to their owne pleasures thought nothing honourable but the sole priuate commoditie of their owne bodies Therefore euerie one
familie and he is one of the fower renowned Doctours of the same order that haue written in prayse and defence of the B. Virgin and consequently are The Benedictine Doctours of our B. Ladie stiled and called by the name of the fower Doctours of our Lady the other three are S. HILDEPHONSE Archbishop of Siuill in Spaine B. RVPERT Abbott of Twy in Germanie and S. BERNARD Abbott of Clareuall in France And our S. ANSELME second to none of the rest was the first that caused the feast of our Ladies immaculate Conception to be celebrated in the Church the seauenth of December when he had learned by the reuelation of an other Benedictin monk from the same Virgin that such was her will and pleasure God of his infinite mercie make vs partakers of his glorious meritts Amen His life wee haue gathered out of Eadmer a monk of Canturbury and the companion of all his troubles and Edmond monk of the same place who added a treatise of the discord between S. ANSELME and the two vnruly Kings William Malmesbury de Pont. lib. 1. the Roman martirologe Baronius tom 11. an 1109. and innumerable others doe highly speake his prayses The life of saint MELLITVS Bishop and confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT APR. 24. Out of venerable Bede AMONGST the holy Benedictine Monks which S. GREGORY Pope of Rome sent into England to supplie the want of Preathers in soe great an haruest and to helpe S. AVGVSTINE and his fellowe Benedictins in the conuersioÌ„ of that Kingdom MELLITVS an abbott of the same order was the first and chiefest Whom about three yeares after his arriuall S. AVGVSTIN Archbishop of Canturbury made Bishop of London the principall head cittie of the East-Angles where Sebert nephew to Ethelbert King of Kent kept his royall Mellitus first bishop of London Court allbeit he were vnder the power of Ethelbert whose authoritie ouer the English stretched to the riuer Humber But when this prouince by the industrious preaching and labour of saint MELLITVS had receaued the Christian fayth King Ethelbert built that famous Church of saint PAVL the Apostle within the walls of London for the Episcopall seate of Mellitvs and his successours But how greatly this holy man was beloued of God and the whole court of heauen manifestly appeareth in the consecration of the Church of Westminster which office of his S. PETER the Apostle performed for Bishop MELLITVS with his owne hands as may be seene more at large in the life of S. EDWARD the fist of Ianuary S. AVGVSTIN being dead Mellitvs bishop of London went to Rome to coÌ„sult Pope Boniâ—ace the fourth touching manie necessarie affayres of the English Church And namely for the good establishment of the new-built Baron an 610. monasterie of Westminster as allso to know whether the consecration of a Church performed in the aforesayd manner were valid The Pope in a Synod held at Rome in which S. MELLITVS had a place ordayned manie lawes for the peace of the Benedictine moÌ„ks and conseruation of monasticall discipline and decreed against the enuious that monks were the fittest instruments in Gods Church for Apostolicall functions which decrees Mellitvs brought with him into England for the confirmation and establishment of the Benedictine order and Mission in that countrey II. BVT the death of the two good Kings Ethelbert and Sebâ—â—â— was cause of great domage to the tenden beginnings of that new See in S. Laurence 2. of Febr. Church for the three sonnes of King Sebert who during the time of their father dissembled a litle in religion for feare of him fell after his death to flatt Idolatrie and gaue licence to all their subiects to doe the like And when they saw the holy bishop MELLITVS hauing celebrated the sacred solemnities of Masse giue the Eucharist to the poeple Why sayd they swelling with Looke prorestant our first Apoles sayd masse a barbarous foolishnes doest thou not giue vs the white bread which thou didest giue to our father Saba soe they were wont to call him and doest yet giue to manie of the poeple Yf you will be washed answeared MELLITVS in the same sacred font as your father was you may be partakers of the holy bread as well as the but yf you contemne the Bath of life you can by noe meanes receaue the Bread of life But they refused to enter into the font of baptisme as a thing vnnecessarie but desired earnestly to eate of the sacred bread Till at length when the holy mans perswasions could not draw them from this sâ—nd request they banished him out of their Prouince because he S. Mellitus Banished from his Bishoprick would not giue them blessed Sacrament of aultar before haptisme Veryly I am of opinion to my great grief that at this present our Protestant-Bishops haue soe litle respect to that which they call the Lords Supper that rather then be forced with their wiues to leaue their bishopricks they would giue their sacrament of bread to a soe farr alas they are fallen from the religion of our first Apostles III. SAINT MELLITVS went to Canturbury to consult S. LAVRENCE and IVSTVS the other bishops what was to bee done in these troubles And finding no other meanes nor hopes of redresse MELLITVS and IVSTVS went ouer into France to expect the calme of this tempestuous See in S. Lau. 2. Febr. motion Till Edbald King of Kent renouncing his Idolatrie and baptised by saint LAVRENCE Archbishop of Carturbury recalled the two bishops out of France and restored IVSTVS to his seat of Rochester but the Londoners refused to receaue their bishop Mellitus ouer whom Edbald had not such absolute and coercitiue power that he could force them to it as his father could In the meane time Saint LAVRENCE departing this life MELLITVS succeeded in the sea of Canturbury whence he cast forth the bright beames of his vertue fayth and learning ouer all England with which noble ornaments he greatly ennobled the countrey and He is made Archbishop of Canturbury excelled the nobilitie of his birth and parcentage which was verie honorable In bodie he was wonderfull weake and sickly specially being greeuously afflicted with the gout but most sound in mind cherefully despising all terrene things and still aspiring to the loue and possession of the Kingdom of heauen And here I will relate one example of his excellent vertue and confidence in allmightie God which may serue as a witnesse of his other noble vertues IV. A MIGHTIE fier happened to make hauock in the cittie of Canturbury which soe furiously deuoured whole streets as it went that noe force of water could quench the rage of that vnresistable element And now with great violence it drew neere to the place where the holy Bishop was who would not giue way to those deuouring flames but trusting in the diuine goodnes He quencheth a great fier by his prayers where humane help was wanting caused him self to be
belonging to a good bishop yet in his mind there remayned allwaies a pious desire to goe in pilgrimage which his intention allbeit hidden from mans knowledge yet to God it was most knowne whose diuine goodnes shewed him the fauour at length to attayne the end of his wished desires III. FOR finding a fitt opportunitie he left his bishoprick and He forsaketh his bishoprick togeather with his auncient companions Plechelme and Otgerus he trauelled into France choosing rather to lead a poore and humble life amoÌ„gst straingers then to liue in pompe and glorie in his owne countrey But the more he sought to flie the glorie and honours of the world the more they followed him for in France King Pepin hearing of his great sainctitie receaued him and his fellowes with He is honorably entert ayned by King Pepin wonderfull ioy and honour And hauing vnderstood of their desire to a priuate manner of life he gaue them a place proper for that purpose called Peter-mount in the Diocesse of Liege neere Ruremond where was built a chappell dedicated to the B. Virgin MARY and a famous monasterie of sainct BENEDICTS order in honour of the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER In this place sainct WYRE finding him self seated according to his owne desire beganne againe to enter into the course of a monasticall life vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT which long since he had professed in England amongst His holy exercises the English monks setting forth him self and his fellowes as liuely patternes of religion and vertue to be imitated CHRIST only was the end of all his actions his tongue spake nothing but CHRIST his heart was acquainted with no other thought but of CHRIST for whose loue he dayly sacrificed him selfe to his seruice in watchings prayers fasting and all other mortifications and vertues belonging to a true religious and monasticall life Shining to the countrey both in learming holy coÌ„uersation And being adorned with manie vertues in bodie he liued on earth but in mind he was wholely conuersant in the diuine contemplation of heauen In fine it were too long worthyly to rehearse all the vertues of this holy man IV IN THE meane time King Pepin held him in soe great veneration that to him only as the spirituall guyde of his soule and the King Pepins humilitie in coÌ„fession patrone of his life he was wont to confesse and reueale the sinnes and deformities of his soule Nether was this good Prince ashamed to goe barefooted to confession vnto him and humbly to submitt him self to the arbitrement of his will soe highly he esteemed his sanctitie Moreouer he often made vse of the mature counsell of this holy man in the managing of the chiefest and weightiest affayres of his Kingdom At length Sainct WYRE began to perceaue the neere approach of death by the feeling of his two harbengers old age and sicknes that came vppoÌ„ him When decreasing dayly in strength he still encreased in vertue couragiously expecting that blessed minute which should sett free his soule to flie to the eternall reward of his meritts till by the violence of an ague he chainged the fall of his mortall bodie with the rising of an mmortall life and gaue vp his holy spiritt into the hands of his deare redeemer the eight day of May about the yeare of our Lord 763. His bodie was honourably buried in the foresayd chappell of the B. Virgin were manie miracles are wrought through the meritts of this glorious Sainct His bodie or the greatest part thereof was afterwards translated to Maâ—stricht in Germanie into the Cathedrall Church of that cittie where it is kept with great veneration of the inhabitants and his feast celebrated with an office of a double His life we haue gathered out of the author thereof recited by Surius tom 5. and Molanus in indic Sainct Belgii The Roman Martyrologe this day Baronius tom 8. anno 631. Trithemius of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. cap. 63. Arnold Wion lib. 2. cap. 53. Vsuard and mâ—nie others doe make aâ—ple mention of S. WIRE The life of Sainct FREMVND King and Martyr MAY 11. Written by Burchard a Monk of the same time FREMVND descending from a royall stock inherited the gouernement of the Kingdom when his father Offa was soe ouerthrowne wich old age that he was vnfit to manage those affayres anie longer But FREMVND when he had raygned a yeare and an half ruling his state by the balance of true iustistice He forsaketh his kingdom he soe litle esteemed the vaine pompe of the world in respect of the loue of heauen that vnawares of his parents and subiects of his Kingdom with two only in his companie whereof one was Burchard that writt his life and liued with him while he liued he departed to a secret and vnknowne Ermitage in the Iland called Ilefage which at that time was inhabited only by deuils and wicked spirits In this place hauing built a litle cottage and an oratorie in honour of the B. Virgin MARY he spent the space of seaueÌ„ yeares in continuall watching fasting and prayer dayly sacrifycing himself to God by the rude mortification of his bodie and ouercoming the rebellious passions of the mind When the deuill enuying soe great sainctitie in sainct FREMVND with manie grieuous batteries of temptations sought to ouerthrow his godly resolution bringing into his memory the pompe and glory of the world ly dignitie which he had forsaken and filling his mind with manie thoughts of the great good which his youtfull dayes might haue brought to his countrey But he found this souldier of CHRIST soe firme a rock that all his vaine assaults could nether shake nor stirre him from the seate and ground of vertue for hauing his heart alltogeather erected towards heauen and heauenly things he loathed to returne againe to the vanities of the world once despised for the loue of CHRIST therefore well might he be wearied with the temptations of the deuill but ouercome he could not be He is sent for to defend the Countrey II. IN the meane time the Danes breaking into England wasted and spoyled all with fier and sword as they went and hauing martired King EDMOND Offa much fearing their power sent for his sonne Fremund home Whom when the messengers had most straingely found out in his poore cell at his prayers falling downe at his feet they bewayled and declared the necessitie of his friends and parents the arriuall of their enemies the threatned ruine of the Christians and the vtter ouerthrow of their fayth vnlesse by his prudence and courage the countrey were defended against the furie of their barbarous enemies The champion of CHRIST much amazed at this newes staggered in his resolution not knowing what course to take Till recommending the matter to allmightie God by prayer he vnderstood it to be his will that he should goe Therefore armed with the shield of fayth he returned Fremund returneth to his couÌ„trey
afterwards in due time by the hands of the same Bishop his cozen he He liueth in a moâ—â— narrow cell was promoted to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood Neere vnto the Church of our Ladies of Glastenbury he built him self a little Cell soe straight that all that saw it were astonished how a liuing man could dwell in it For I my self saith the Authour of his life haue measured the place contayning but fower foote in length and two and a half in breadth The height was proportionable to the ordinarie stature of a man In the midst of the doore was a litle window In this slender lodging he led his life in prayer and contemplation working in such things as the narrownes of the place would permitt but aboue all things labouring to please allmightie God in all and through all his actions He braue's vanquisheth the de uill dayly gayning to him self an higher place in his diuine fauour But the deuill enuying his pious exercises endeauoured to disturbe his deuotions presenting him self one day vnto him in the forme of a mayd that fayned to be in want of his helpe about some peece of worke and as the holy man prepared him self to satisfie her demaund he perceaued that enemie of mankind to transforme him self into diuers shapes that he seemed to see the forme and heare the voyce now of an old man now of a yong man and straight of some lasciuious woeman that stood before him Then vnderstanding what it was he caught the fierie tongues out of the fier and tooke that hellish monster by the nose and held him fast There then was to be seene a braue combat between the friend and enemie of Allmightie God Till at length sainct DVNSTAN remayning conquerour the deuill fled away with confusion horribly roaring and complayning that his pride and cauie had receaued the foyle and neuer after aduentured to molest the holy man in that place When from this time DVNSTAN was indued with soe great puritie of heart and His rare puritie of mind and body such a rare chastitie of bodie that he more ressembled an Angel of heauen then a mortall man Whence it came that manie poore and rich flocked vnto him from all parts to vse his counsell for the health of their soules and to be by him informed and directed in the way of good life and vertue Amongst others that came to be instructed by his zeale and prudence one was a vertuous Matrone called Elsgine whom when he had piously directed and well grounded in the way of vertue for a long time and armed at length with the last sacraments the happyly ended this life and left all her goods and possessions to the disposition of her pious Father sainct DVNSTAN who presently distributed the moueables to the poore Fiue monasteries built by his meanes and with the rest and his owne inheritance being the only child of his parents he built and enriched afterwards fiue monasteries and filled them with holy Conuents of Benedictine Monks VII NOT long after king Ethelstan being dead Edmond his brother succeeded in the kingdom of England who vnderstanding of An. 940. the rare prudence sainctitie and discretion of sainct DVNSTAN sent for him to his Court that by his worthy counsell and industrie he Dunstan in great fauour with King Edmond might the easier rule the scepter of his kingdom with iustice DVNSTAN offring this seruice to God and the good of the common wealth condescended to his desire When it was rare to behould how prudently he behaued him self in disposing of the affayres of the realme in composing of contentions that arose and establishing true peace and concord among the subiects to the great comfort and ioy both of the king and Nobles Neuerthelesse within a while he lost all fauour and grace with them both by the enuious detractions By enuiâ—he he i. expelled the Court. of those that could not support the lustre of his resplendent vertues nor endure one alone to beare more sway and be in greater credit then all the rest What shall I say The malignant words of his aduersaries preuayled soe farre that DVNSTAN was not only depriued of all auncient honour but allso banished the Court. This done after three daies the King goeing on hunting and being carried by the vntamed courage of his horse pursuing the game towards a mightie precipice that threatned both him and his beast with destruction seeing iminent death before him the iniurie done to DVNSTAN came suddenly into his mind whereat sighing from the bottom of his heart he was much grieued promising straight in his mind that yf by Gods helpe he escaped that danger aliue he would againe receaue him into his fauour When to his great comfort and admiration his horse which before noe force could hould stopped suddely on the ridge of that huge downfall He is recalled to sauour and deliuered him from his expected ruine Then hauing related this accident to his Nobles and caused DVNSTAN to be sent for he humbly demaunded pardon for his fault did worthy peanance for the iniurie and restored him to his ancient honour place and dignitie faithfully promising to be his true friend and protectour euer after Moreouer as a testimonie of his future friendship he gaue him the lands of Glastenbury where he was borne and bred to be disposed according to his good will and liking Sainct DVNSTAN by the kings meanes built there a goodly Monasterie and gathered He buildeth the monasterie of Glastenbury into it a worthie Conuent of Benedictine Monkes whom he himself gouerned in quallitie of Abbot Soe that by his good example and industrie that Abbey encreased wonderfully both in the excellencie of monasticall profession and in the abundant possession of temporall goods And that place became a Nurserie of learned and holy men that through all England cast the foundations of a religious life vnder the rule of sainct BENEDICT like soe manie Pillars of the Catholick Church And now it came to passe that as in this Church as it is about sayd the whole multitude of people recouered light from sainct DVNSTANS Mothers candle soe out of this place thus instituted by the learning and industrie of DVNSTAN him self all the Churches of England receaued the light of true Religion and monasticall discipline by the example and vertue of manie worthie men called hence to the dignitie of Abbots and Bishops in the kingdome VIII AMIDST these things the holy life and conuersation of sainct DVNSTAN purchased him wonderfull hatred from the deuill the perpetuall enemie to the Benedictine order But he allwaies found him to be as his name signifies a firme Rock of the mountaine He hearet 〈◊〉 the songs of Angles whom all the hellish practises of that Master of mischief could not mooue from the ground of vertue And by soe worthyly triumphing ouer that infernall monster he deserued to to be partaker of the sweet harmonie of Angelicall voyces which at
vtterly against it as others affirme or whether at length he did winke at her wicked course and seeme to be ignorant of her mischieuous practise as manie asseuer howsoeuer I say it came to passe certaine it is that betweene them was shewne an example of as detestable perfidiousnes as anie that is recorded in historie For breaking the sacred lawes not only of hospitalitie but allsoe of all goodnes and pietie they caused holy king ETHELBERT to be cruelly murdered in king Offas owne house by the bloudie hands of one winebert who had been brought vp a seruant Ethelbert cruelly murdered vnder Sainct ETHELBERTS father and now to recompence his former fauours receaued became the cruell Minister of his death being drawne thereunto with the couetous desire of reward To what wickednes doeth not the vnsatiable hunger of gould compell mortall hearts This false winebert brought holy ETHELBERT from his faythfull companie into a priuate roome who like an innocent lambe suspecting noe harme at all went securely with him Then hauing bound him fast with a most cruell blow he strake off his head who with his hands and eyes lifted vp towards heauen yeelded vp his soule soe pure in innocencie and soe glorious with martirdom into the hands of his deare creatour and redeemer the twentith day of May. Which being perceaued by his intended spouse Alfrid with a mind quite ouerthrowne with sorrow to see her royall hope soe suddenly dasht she went forth to his companie that without doores expected the coming of their beloued Master and with a lamentable noyse related the crueltie of this tragicall scene Who bearing this sorrowfull newes and being not able to reuenge his death returned in dolefull manner into their downe countrey being compelled insteed of a wedding-song to sing an Epitaphe for the losse of their holy King Then Alfrid renewing her complaints Alfrid becometh a Nunne Jngulphus in hist Croyland foretould manie miseries to her Mother which afterwards fell out accordingly And she her self refusing to admitt anie other mortall woers consecrated her virginitie to her immortall spouse CHRIST-IESVS and in the fennes of Crowland she tooke the habit of a Nunne and lead a solitarie liâ—e vnder the holy rule of saint BENEDICT for the space of fortie yeares after But King Offa her father which much encreased the suspition that he had been allsoe consenting to saint ETHELBERTS death presently lead his armie into the prouince of the East-Angles soe suddenly depriued of their King and by force of armes subdued it to his owne dominion IV. THE bodie of this holy King thus traiterously slaine was by the commaund of Offa committed to an ignoble buriall in the bankes of the riuer Lugge at a place now called Marden Whither as those cruell ministers carried it in great scorne it was found to be soe light as if it had been allreadie ennobled with the dotes of heauenly glory But the allmightie Goodnes euer zealous of his seruants suffered not the holy reliques of this Sainct to be buried in obliuion in that base place but miraculously testified his vertue and pietie to the world For the night following was made glorious with a heauenly A light appeareth ouer his graâ—e light that appeared ouer the graue of this holy martir to the great astonishment and terrour of the countrey adioyning And the third night after his sacred Martirdom saint ETHELBERT appeared in a vision to a simple man thereabouts and commaunded him to transport his bodie to the monasterie built on the bankes of the riuer Wye Which was faythfully performed and by the way a blind man was restored to sight by the merits of the holy Sainct It was then buried in a place aunciently called Ferne-wood where now stands the towne of Hereford And ouer his holy sepulcher for the space of manie yeares glittered euery night a heauenly splendour to shew of how great merit his blessed soule was in the sight of Allmightie God V. BVT King Offâ— greatly terrified with these miracles and the A Church dedicated to S-Ethel bert guilt of his owne conscience became wonderfull penitent for his former life and making his sonne Egfrid a King with him self in great deuotion went to Rome the better to expiate his foule and bloudie deeds past At Rome following the zeale and example of INAS King of the West-Saxons he made his Kingdome subiect to a Tribute then called Peter-pence afterwards Rom-scot After his retune into England for the greater satisfaction of his sinnes at a place in Hartfordshire then called Holmehurst now saint ALBANS he built a magnificent Monastery in honour of the worthy Protomartir of great Britaine saint ALBANE whose sacred reliques See more in the life of S Albane Iune 22. after long lying hid came miraculously to light about the same time which was in the yeare of our Lord 795. He allsoe endowed the same Monastery with manie lands and rich reuenewes for the maintenance of a goodly Conuent of aboue an hundred Monkes of the holy Order of saint BENEDICT Allsoe for a further testimonie of his penance he gaue the tenth of all his goods vnto the Church and the poore He founded allso the Benedictine Abbey of Bathe and in Warwickshire he built a Church where the adioyning towne from it and him beareth the name of Off-Church But after the death of King Offâ— which was in the yeare of our Lord 797. Milfrid a pettie King of the Mericans moued with the continuall and dayly miracles wrought at saint ETHELBERTS Tombe gaue infinite treasure thereunto and built a famous Church of stone to his honour which remayneth to this day in Hereford by the name of saint ETHELBERTS Church and is the Cathedrall of that cittie S. Ethelberts well And then that place was first made a Bishops-sea But out of the place where the holy bodie of saint ETHELBERT had layne before issued forth a fountaine of most cleere water called saint ETHELBERTS well ouer which now stands a Church which without doubt was built in honour of this holy martirs buriall there For it must needes be some strange motiue that made men build a Church in that place which is within tenne yards of the riuer Lugge which at euerie floud ouerflowes it soe that it cannot be come at but by boate The well I haue seene my self it is of a most pure water and much esteemed of all good Christians thereabouts In which one thing to this day is most strange and miraculous that when the riuer Lugge adioyning ouerflowes his bankes and that within Note a strange thing the forsayd Church it is knee-deepe and more of that muddie-red water this Well of saint ETHELBERT allbeit it be quite â—uerâ—lowne yet it remaynes most pure and cleere amidst those â—roubled waters vnworthy to be mingled with the puritie thereof And this I haue heard constantly and faythfully affirmed by manie of the Inhabitants thereabouts who are not ashamed to acknowledge a miracle done by the meritts of
obtayned commaund and obedience not only ouer be wild beastes of the desert but allsoe a great multitude of serpents that without anie harme frequented his companie obeyed his desires and these were not only to him vnhurtfull but fawning in a manner vppon him remayned with him in his cell not without his consent but lest their familiaritie and aspect should hinder and distract the intention of his mind fixed in the meditation of heauenly things he commaunded all these vipers and serpents to depart and noe more to frequent his lodging To which his commaund as the wild beasts at other times had oftentimes done soe now the serpents most exactly obeyed XI FVRTHERMORE he was endowed with such a rare guift of His rare guift of prophesie prophesie that with the spirituall eye and light of his cleere soule he saw thngs that were absent and distant in remote places as plainly and distinctly as if they had been within the reach sphere of his corporall sight and at the verie instant that manie things were done in farre distant places he would faythfully relate them vnto those that were present as it was manie times found by experience And soe often he foresaw and foretould things to come that it were a great worke to rehearse all the particulars Amongst which one and not the lest was that he foretould what should befall vnto saint THOMAS of Canturbury long before it happened He foretelleth what should hap pen to S. Thomas of Canturbury For when that renowned bucklar of the Church florished yet in great grace and fauour with King Henry GODRICK foretould that he should shortly loose that place and be cast into banishment And bad him withall to be of a couragious and manly resolution and not to droope vnder the good cause which he had take in hand to defend for it would come to passe that within seauen yeares he should returne to greater honour out of banishment then euer he enioyed before But the same yeare that saint THOMAS came out of banishment he sent a messenger to this holy Hermite to know what he should now expect after his long exile and what would be the euent of his tottering state that stood now allmost out of all hope To whom GODRICK in the presence and hearing of our Authour answered that a kind of verball peace should be made between THOMAS and the king before the end of the next six moneths following and that within nine moneths more he should be restored to his Archiepiscopall sea which he should not long enioy before a happie death that should be to him healthfull and glorious and to the whole countrey profitable did end the whole controuersie betweene them And at the same time this holy man He foreâ—eâ—leth his owne death foretould that the time of his owne death should be within the space of the six moneths following All which most certainly happened as he had foretould For saint THOMAS returned being made Legat of the Sea Apostolick an honour which he enioyed not before and was crowned at his death with the glorie of a most happie martirdom XII BVT now of how great reuerence and admiration is this to He hath the guâ—â—c of toÌ„gues be esteemed in saint GODRICK that both at other times and principally at the sacred feast of Pentecost he was suddenly by a heauenly grace adorned with the guifts of tongues which on that day was bestowed vppon the Apostles soe that he both vnderstood those that spoke Latin of which tongue he was wholly ignorant before and spake manie things in Latin verie readily and distinctly Againe He commaundeth the waters how notable and excellent a wonder is this that when the riuer Were with a mightie inundation ouerflowed all the adioyning countrey and possessed places farre higher and stronger yea ouerwhelmed and ouerturned manie trees and houses yet the humble and allmost straw-built habitation of GODRICK was not touched with one drop of water standing safe amongst those confused streames to the great amazement of the whole countrey that iudged him and house both to be buried togeather in destruction An other time when the same riuer began furiously to runne ouer the bankes he went forth as it were to meete that inundation and setting vp a little Crosse three paces from his poore Cell he coÌ„maunded those waters in the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST not to come beyond that marke when it was strange to see the waters being come to that place swell vp in height like vnto a wall soe that his humble cottage stoode vpon a drie shore entrenched round about with a bullwarke The fier obeyes 〈◊〉 or sconce of water And in like manner as the waters soe did the fier likewise obey the voice of this holy man when hauing furiously layd hould of his weake buildings it was suddenly depriued of its deuouring force and at his only commaund ceafed from making anie further spoyle He raysed a dead man XIII AND now if according to the dignitie worth of the matter I should sett downe the holy cures of afflicted lost persons which by miracle he performed in soe much that he raysed one to life that had layne three daies vnder the cruell arrest of death that alone would require a long discourse much exceeding the bounds of my purpose TheÌ„ which his soe great good exercised towards the soules of the dead whom by his deuout prayers watches fasts and other holy workes he deliuerd from the clensing paines of Purgatorie to the possession of the ioies of heauen seemeth to me to be a benefitt farre greater and more to be admired But aboue all these admirable workes of GODRICK this holdeth the highest place in my opinion that he was soe diuinely adorned with such an heauenly grace that being yet in this mortall state he vnderstood and saw not only the soule of his fellow-champion of whom we haue allreadie spoken but allsoe the spirits of manie other blessed men both rewarded with eternall glorie and receaued into the heauenly dwellings And out of his diuine manner of life which he led here on earth he deserued to enioy the companie and conuersation of Angels and other heauenly citizens and especially of our great 8. CVTHBERT S. NICHOLAS the Prince of the Apostles S. PETTR S. His familiaritie with the Angels Saincts IOHN Baptist S. MARIE Magdalen blessed MARIE the mother of CHRIST yea and CHRIST him self of whom he receaued manie heauenly rauishing â—onsolations farre beyond the force of weake words to expresse And namely by the blessed Virgin MARIE he was taught a diuine canticle or song which afterwards with great deuotion he vsed oftentimes to repeate This allsoe was a most wonderfull and an vnspeakable benefitt shewed him by S. PETER the Apostle who celebrated the sacred misteries of masse before him S Peter giueth him the B. Sacrament and hauing heard the Confession which GODRICK made of all his sinnes gaue him a generall and an
matter allsoe some solemnitie must be chainged that on the day of the dedication or the feasts of the Saincts whose reliques rest there they build them selues boothes and harbours of boughs about the same Church soe chainged from a prophane Temple and with religious banquets obserue the solemnitie therein not sacrificing beastes to the â—â—uill but to the prayse of God killing them for their owne eating and giuing thankes to the Giuer of all things for their plentie For doubtlesse it is impossible at once to cutt of all things from such hard minds because he that endeauoureth to clime to the highest place must ascend by paces and degrees and not by leapes c. These things therefore it behooueth thy charitie to intimate to our foresayd Brother that being present there in person he may consider how to dispose all things God keepe thee safe most beloued sonne Giuen c. XIII ALLSOE at the same time this boly Pope sent letters S. Augustine famous for great miracles to saint AVGVSTINE him self touching the miracles which he had vnderstood were wrought by his meanes in which he exhorteth him in these words I know most deare Brother that allmightie God sheweth great miracles by thy Charitie in that nation which he hath disposed to be elected Whence it is necessarie that thou reioyce with feare and feare with ioy for that heauenly guist Thou mayest reioyce indeed because by thy exteriour miracles the soules of the English are drawne to an interiour grace But thou oughtest to feare lest among those signes which are done thy weake mind be raised in presumption of it self and whence it is exteriourly listed vp to honour thence it fall interiourly through vaine glorie For it behooues vs to remember how the disciples when returning with ioy from their preaching thy sayd to their heauenly Master O Lord in Luc. 10. thy name the deuils are allsoe subiect vnto vs They presently heard Reioyce not for this but rather reioyce that your names are written in heauen For they had fixed their minds on a priuate and temporall ioy who reioyced of their miracles but they are recalled from a priuate ioy to a generall from a temporall to an euerlasting gladnes to whom it is sayd Reioyce in this that your names are written in heauen For all the elect doe not worke miracles and yet the names of them all are held written in heauen And the disciples ought to haue noe ioy but of that good which they haue common with all and in which they haue noe end of gladnes Jt remaynes therefore most deare brother that amongst those things which by the power of God thou A remedie against vaine glorie doest outwardly worke thou doe all waies exactly iudge thy self interiourly and curiously vnderstand both who thou art and how great grace is in that nation for whose conuersion thou hast receaued the guifts of working miracles And if at ame time thou remember that eyther by word or worke thou hast offended our Creatour call allwaies those things to thy memorie that the remembrance of thy owne guiltines may keepe downe the rising glorie of thy heart and whatsoeuer thou ether shalt or hast receaued of doing miracles impute it not as giuen to thy self but to them for whose saluation they are bestowed c. XIV MOREOVER the same blessed Pope sent an Epistle allso to King ETHELBERT with manie rich presents endeauouring with temporall honours to glorifie the King to whom by his industrie the knowledge of the Kingdom of heauen was arriued In his letters he giueth thankes to allmightie God for his conuersion admonishing and encouraging him with the example of Constantine the Great to maintayne and aduance the profession of the Christian fayth in his dominions And amongst others he thus exhorteth him to follow the direction and counsell of saint AVGVSâ—Iâ—E Our S. Augustine pray sed by S. Gregory most reuerend Brother and Bishop Augustine being tanght in the Rule of a monasterie replenished with the science of holy scripture indued by the handy-worke of God with good workes you ought willingly to heare deuoutly to performe and carefully to keepe in mind whatsoeuer he doeth admonish you Because yf you heare him in what he speaketh in behalf of allmightie God the same god will sooner heare him making intercession for you For if which God forbid you contemne his words how can allmightie God heare him from you whom you neglect to heare speaking for God With all your heart therefore bind your self with him in the feruour of fayth and helpe his endeauours with the power which God hath giuen you that he may make you partaker of his kingdom whose fayth you cause to be receaued and kept in yours Therefore these and such other writings and Epistles of the most holy and zealous Pope saint GREGORY replenished King ETHELBERT with soe great ioy that he was much more enkindled to the aduancement of the Catholick cause and the desire and loue of heauen Augustine buildeth a Mo nastery to the Apoâ—â—â— XV. BVT Sainct AVGVSTINE when he had placed his Episcopall Sea at Christs Church in Canturbury and made it a perpetuall habitation for him self and his successours he allsoe built a Monasterie by the meanes of King Ethelbert without the walles of the same towne towards the East dedicated to the Princes of the Apostles PETER and PAVL which he adorned with manie guifts and possessions and ordayned it to be the buriall place of him self and all his successor-Bishops as allsoe of the Kings of Kent which Church notwithstanding was not consecrated by saint AVGVSTINE but by S. LAVRENCE his successour The first Abbot of this Monasterie was one PETER a BENEDICTINE Monke whose life you may reade the thirteenth of Ianuary And this Monasterie with the appurtenances was giuen graunted and confirmed to the Benedictine Monkes by the royall charters of King ETHELBERT whereof this is one King Ethelberts Charter to the monastery of S. Peter Paul at Canturbery Iâ— the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST be it knowne vnto all men as well present as future that I ETHELBERT by the grace of God King of the English from an Idolater made a Christian by my Euangelicall father AVGVSTINE haue deliuered by the same bishop some part of the land of my owne right situate vnder the east-wall of the Cittie of Canturbury to wit where by the same teacher in CHRIST I haue built a monasterie in honour of the Princes of the Apostles PETER and PAVL and togeather with the same land and all things which belong to the Monastery itself I haue endowed with perpetuall libertie soe that it may not be lawfull nether for me nor anie of my successor-Kings nor for anie other person eyther Ecclesiasticall or secular euer to vsurpe anie thing from thence but let all things be in the free power of the Abbot him self But if anie one shall attempt to diminish or disannull anie part of this our donation by the authoritie
accident in an epistle written to Eulogius Patriarke of Alexandria And in A church dedicated to S. August perpetuall memory of the fact a Church was built by the same riuer and dedicated to our wonderfull Baprist saint AVGVSTINE in which the petitions of the faythfull were miraculously heard and graunted XX. RETVRNING againe from Torke by the way he cured one of a most horrid leaprosie by making the signe of the Crosse and calling vppon his diuine name that cures all diseases But comming into the Countie of Dorsett all waies announcing CHRISTS holy Ghospell His aduersaries instly punished he arriued at a Village where the wicked poeple not only refused to obey his doctrine but very impiously and opprobriously beat him and his fellowes out of their Village and in mockerie fastened Fish-tayles at their backs which became a new purchase of eternall glory to the Saincts but a perpetuall ignominie to the doers For it is reported that all that generation had that giuen them by nature which soe contemptibly they fastened on the backs of these holy men And saint AVGVSTINE hauing left these wicked poeple to carrie the markes of their owne shame and trauelled with his holy companie about fiue miles further through desert and vnhabited places being cruelly oppressed with the three familiar discomodities of trauellers hunger thirst and wearines he that sate vppon the fountaine wearied with his iourney CHRIST IESVS voutchsafed to appeare visibly vnto him with words of heauenly comfort and Christ appeareâ—h vnto him encouragement Then the holy man being refreshed with the sweet fountaine of eternall life fell presently vppon his knees and adored the place of CHRISTS footsteps and striking his staffe into the ground there straight sprung forth a cleere fountaine of cristall streames in which all his fellowes quenched the extremitie of their thirst and gaue infinite thankes to allmightie God who had voutchsafed to helpe them in that necessitie And the same place The monastery of Cernell was afterwards called CERNEL a name composed of Latine and He brew for Cerno in Latine signifies to see and El in Hebrew signifies God because there our holy Apostle AVGVSTINE was honoured with the cleere vision of him that is true God and man Moreouer vppon the some fountaine in memorie here of a chappell was built dedicated to our Sauiour which togeather with the fountaine my Authour had seene and the water cured manie diseases Afterwards one Egelward a rich man founded a fayre Monastery of Benedictine monks in the same place dedicated to saint PETER the Apostle which was called the monastery of Cernel and dured to the last fatall destruction of Abbeies in the vnfortunate raigne of Henry the eight XXI BVT Sainct AVGVSTINE hauing trauelled ouer the greatest He returneth to Canturbury part of England like a true Apostle allwaies on foote and by the vertue of his preaching and miracles conuerted infinitie poeple to the fayth soe that be may deseruedly be called our Apostle who not only layd the first foundation of Catholicque religion amongst vs but by his owne preaching lightened allmost all the whole Iland he returned to his perpetuall and Metropolitan seate of Canturbury where he was receaued by the poeple as the angelicall messenger of their peace and happines with great ioy and triumphe When a troupe of diseased persons flocking about this diuine Phisitian behould a threefold wretched creature bound with a triple chaine of calamitie was presented He was lame of both his legges dease and dumbe His prayers were sighes his wordes bellowings and his discourse signes But saint AVGVSTINE heard him that could not speake spake to him that could not heare and directed him that could not goe For in the name of the blessed TRINITIE he gaue that thrise miserable wretch a threefold cure Soe that he was able to He cureth one lame deafe and dumbe 〈◊〉 firmely to speake plainly and to heare distinctly But he ouerioyed with his new receaued health became soe vainely merrie that with his troublesom tongue newly taught to speake he molested the whole Church and poeple with babling euen in the time of the diuine office soe that for punishment he suffered a relapse into his former miserie till hauing done worthy satisfaction for that fault he was againe released by the powerfull prayers of S. AVGVSTINE and togeather with the outward health of bodie he was restored allso to the stablenes of a more setled gouernment of mind in his soule The testimonie of an old ma baptised by Augustane XXII HERE it shall not be amisse to sett downe the attestation of a verie old man that liued in my Authours time who affirmed that his grandfather had been baptised by saint AVGVSTIN and had often seene the holy man encompassed about with troupes of poeple preach and worke manie miracles He had learnt allsoe from his father and grandfather the forme of bodie of saint AVGVSTINE and that he was of a verie maiesticque person and in stature tall and that his grandfather hauing been baptised by the hands of the holy man liued manie yeares aboue an hundred and the blessing of old age descending likewise to his father and from his father to him who now when he made this relation had long outliued an hundred yeares Thus this old man But now our holy Apostle being wholly wounded with the loue of heauen and aspiring to nothing more then out of the tumults of this world to attaine to the eternall rest of our Lord knocked dayly at the heauenly gates with the continuall peales of his prayers sighes and teares desiring to be dissolued to liue with CHRIST Till at length vnderstanding by diuine reuelation that his desire was heard and that shortly he should be deliuered out of the thraldom of the flesh he solemnly in presence of the King and all his court ordayned the holy monke and his chiefe fellow-preacher saint LAVRENCE to succeed him in the Sea of Canturbury as in times past the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER appoynted CLEMENT for his successor in the Roman Primacie For long before he had made MELLITVS bishop of LONDON by whose meanes the countrey of the East-Angles was conuerted and IVSTVS his suffragane in Rochester Soe that allmost all the dominion of King ETHELBERT which raught from Canturbury to the riuer Humber in Yorke-shire was wholly conuerted to Christianitie by the labours of these holy Benedictine Monkes saint AVGVSTINE and his fellowes XXIII BEHOVLD now ô thou blessed Archparent of the regeneration An Apostropâ—â— to S. Augustine of the English nation by leauing thy stately Mother Rome thou hast gayned England for thy Daughter whom thou maiest nourish as a fayre spouse for the King of heauen Now after the iourney of the great world thou hast taken this other world of the vast Ocean breathing a most fayre and temperate ayre most pleasant and fertill with fields meadowes pastures brookes riuers and seas most gratefull with woods hills and plaines most abounding
depriued both 〈◊〉 his Kingdom and youthfull age All so Charles a Prince of the â—rench being a destroyer of maâ—â— Monasteries and one that turned Church-goods to his owne vles was coâ—â—med with the long torment of a fearfull death Wherefore most deare sonne with f 〈…〉 and earnest prayers we beseeâ—h sheâ— not to despise the counsell of thy Fathers who for the loue of God endeauour to call vppon thy Highnes to remember thy dutie for nothing is more wholesom for a good King then yf such faults be willingly amended when they are reprehended because Salomon sayth Who â—oneth 〈…〉 â—oueth wisedome Therefore most â—eare sonne making 〈◊〉 our counsell we Prou. 12. v. 1. be 〈…〉 h and conâ—â—re thee by the â—uing God and by his deare sonne 〈◊〉 and by the holy Ghost to remember how fleeâ—ing this present life is and how short and momentarlâ— are the delights of the 〈…〉 thy flesh and how igâ—omiâ—â—â—ous a thing it is that a man but of a short life should leaue a pâ—â—perâ—â—â— remembrance of bad examples to his posteâ—â—e Beginne then to or 〈◊〉 thy life with 〈◊〉 manners and to correct the former 〈◊〉 of thy youth that here thou â—â—iest purchase prayâ—â— before men and ioies of eternall glory in future Who wish thy Highnes to enjoy health and profit dayly in good 〈◊〉 XIII The â—hould saint 〈…〉 CAL 〈◊〉 King E the 〈…〉 wherein 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 wholly loose his labour 〈◊〉 the King being Etherbald reformed by â—aint Boniface terrified with this sha 〈…〉 and pioâ—s remem 〈…〉 in maâ—le things reformed his 〈◊〉 and restored di 〈…〉 so the 〈…〉 riâ—s of soâ— great 〈◊〉 was the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of the holy manâ—◠〈…〉 kes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meane time saint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 btayned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince K 〈…〉 man a peâ—ce of land in the desert of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the â—iuer Fâ—ldâ— beganne to lay the foundation of the famous Benedictine Monasterie which 〈…〉 heth to this day and is called the Aâ—bey The building of the Benedictine Abbey of Fulda of Fulda famous for religion and 〈◊〉 The first Abbot thereof was called 〈◊〉 a man of Vâ—â—â—rible conâ—â—sation to whom and 〈◊〉 holy 〈◊〉 of Morikes the land where the 〈…〉 nasterie now stands was by the royall charter 〈◊〉 〈…〉 confirmed and graunted for euer Which done this ver 〈…〉 Prince growing dayly more and more perfect in the loue of God and finding that in the world he could not see purely and perfectly 〈…〉 ine to the height thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Magdalen of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caroloman beco meth a Benedictine Monke â—hall neuer be taken from him For leaâ—ning the ample Kingdom of his terrene dominions to the gouernment of his brother Pâ—piâ— he departed to Mount-Ca 〈…〉 in It 〈…〉 the place 〈…〉 holy Father saint BENEDICT layd the foundation of his ver 〈…〉 Order and in which was yet obserued a most strict discipline of 〈…〉 sticall life And now in that place this noble Prince chaâ—nged his â—oyall robes of maiestie to the simple weedes of a self-punishing humilitie and made profession of a Monke vnder the MASTER 〈…〉 OF DISCRETION the holy Rule of the great Patrianke of Monkes saint BENEDICT Then King 〈◊〉 hauing â—â—raynâ—â— the whole iâ—heritance to him self imitating the pl 〈…〉 of his brother 〈◊〉 all waies to loue honour and promote all the pi 〈…〉 〈…〉 rs of saint BONIFACE vnto whom by his owne letters he confirmed his Brâ—thers donation of the monastery of Fulda XIV BVT now saint BONIFACES time drâ—◠〈◊〉 wherein he should receaue from CHRIST the reward of his great hours and tast the most ample fruit of the soed of his Enangelicall preaching which he had 〈◊〉 worthily 〈◊〉 in the hearts of the G 〈…〉 poeple Therefore foreseeing the diss 〈…〉 of his owne body S â—onitace retor neth into Frisia to be neere at h 〈…〉 by the suggestion of the holy Ghost he returned into F 〈…〉 there to finish his humane 〈◊〉 where he tooke his beginning there he might all sâ—e make an end of his e 〈…〉 licall preaching and his mortall life together Thi 〈…〉 then he went not without a presage of what should befall vnto him For being 〈◊〉 take his iourney be appoynted his saythfull disciple and companion L 〈…〉 us to succeed him in the Metropolitan Sea of M 〈…〉 z diligently recommending vnto him carefully to sert forward the building of the Monasterie of Fulda and togeather with some bookes to send him a shrowd to mind his body in after death and cause it to be translated to Fulda These words 〈◊〉 blessed 〈◊〉 to performe with teares the holy mans commaunds XV. BEING arriued into Friseland by his preaching he conuerted a The sacra ment of Confirma tion great multitude to CHRIST and washed them in the sacred Font of baptisme vnto whom departing away he appoynted a day to returne in which by the imposition of hands and anneyling with sacred chris 〈…〉 they â—igh 〈…〉 the sacrament of Confirmation When in the meane time those Neophites had by a wicked persidiousnes suffered a relapse from the Fayth into their old errours and now being chainged from lambes to wolues they came not in peace to 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost by the imposition of hands but armed with fearfull weapons and countenances more terrible then their weapons and broke into the tents of the Saincts to lay violent hands on the spirituall father of their soules and to take away his life for whose â—afetie they ought to haue spent their owne Then some of Sainct Bonifaces companie prepared to defend them selues S. Bonifaces desire of Martirdom by resistance meaning to venter their owne bloud to saue the shedding of his but they were strictly by him forbidden that enterprise 〈◊〉 that desire of reuenge did not become true Christians and that they ought not to loose soe fayre an occasion of 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 them selues the purchase of soe great glory He sealeth the patent of his Apostles hip with his bloud as now one minutes patience would bring Therefore that surious multitude of P 〈…〉 sett vppon the holy Bishop and with their 〈◊〉 weapons madâ— soe manie wounds in his sacred body that through those bleeding sluses his blessed soule tooke a most happy flight to the immortall crowne of martirdom in heauen And thus this Apostolicall man hauing to his death performed true Apostolicall labours at length after the manner of the Apostles left his Apostle ship signed with his owne bloud that Germanie noe lesse then otâ—â—r Churches erected by Apostolicall men might glorie with the euerlasting memorie and high glory of soe great an Apostle and Martir from whom it receaued the Ghospell testified with his bloud sealed with his death confirmed with manie miracles and lastly that nothing might be wanting â—ortified with store of writings XVI THIS glorious bishop suffered martirdom the fiâ—t day of June The companions of his martirdom the sixtith yeare of his age and fortith after his
coming out of England in the yeare of grace 755. At the same time togeather with saint BONIFACE Eâ—banus whom he had newly made bishop in Frisia and fiâ—tie persons more some Priests some deacons and other sacred ministers of whom manie were English Monkes walked the same pathes of death to receaue the euer-florishing crowne of Martirdom But the wicked actours of this tragicall scene escaped not the diuine punishment of heauen for as they returned The iust punishment of the murderers from the slaughter a controuâ—rsie arose amongst them touching the diuision of the spoyles which they had taken which when they could not decide by words they fell to blowes and slew one an other with the same weapons which soe lately had been embrewed in the bloud of these glorious Martirs And as manie of them as escaped out of this mutuall slaughter were soone after slaine by the Christians and soe payd a iust tribute to death for their former sacrilege The sacred body of saint BONIFACE was first buried at Vtreâ—ctht afterwards translated to Mentz and lastly to the Benedictine His sacred buriall Abbey of Fulda according as he had desired in his life time And at all these three places his holy Tombe was adorned with manie wonderfull miracles as soe manie vnresistable witnesses of his holy life and meritts The life of this glorious Sainct was written by S. Willibald an English Benedictine first bishop of Eistat in Germanie and by Othlonus Priest and monke of the Benedictine Abbey of Fulda out of whom we haue gathered the foresayd Historie The Roman Martirologe maketh glorious mention of him the fifth day of Iune and all Historiographers doe largely speake his prayses The life of Sainct GVDWALL Bishop and Confessor IVNE 6 Extracted out of an auncient Authour GVDVVALL borne in great Britaine of the noble bloud of Britans seemed to be sent to that troubled countrey as the sonne of peace For at his birth the seucritie of the diuine iustice was chainged into clemencie and meeknes and the three common scourges of Kingdoms plague famin and warre which long had afflicted that nation ceased Being baptised togeather with his yeares the grace of the holy Ghost encreased in his soule and the vnderstanding and knowledge of diuine learning When he came to mans age all men presaging that he would one day prooue a worthy pillar of the Catholick Church he was adorned with the sacred dignitie of Priesthood Then he beganne to lay open the hidden treasures His learning and schollers of his wisedom and learning gotten in his tender yeares and to instruct others with the vndrayneable fountaine of his diuine science Whereby manie were soe rarely enkindled with the beames of the true Sunne that they became fitt to lighten and enflame others with the vertue and learning which they had suckt from his breast At length the fame of saint GVDVVALL was of soe He is made Bishop great estimation in the world that he was aduanced to the height of Ecclesiasticall dignitie and made Bishop when by how much he was exalted higher to honours amongst the poeple of Gods Church soe the more abundantly he spread abroad the sweet odours of his holy life and conuersation to the great consolation and ioy of the whole countrey He was borne to a very large and ample patrimonie but despising all the riches and wealth of the vaine mortall world he gaue all that he had to the Church of CHRIST his immortall King And perceauing allsoe that his pastorall He leaueth his Bishoprick chargetied his mind with the chaines of care to worldly affayres more then he desired he found meanes to discharge him self thereof and hauing substituted an other in his place retired him self to a Monasterie within his Diocese where he entred into a contemplatiue life seruing our Lord in watching fasting and prayer and all other austeritie and discipline of a perfect monasticall life II. BVT desiring within a short time after to enter into a more He leadeth an Heremiticall life secret solitarines wholly to apply his mind to the contemplation of diuine things he departed with one only companion and went to a great rock that stood like a litle Iland within the Sea where hauing cutt him self a litle caue in the hard stone he led a most retired and solitary life according to the example of the auncient Hermites Till the brethren of the monastery which he had left being not able to endure the hard burden of the absence of GVDVVALL who had endowed them with the learning of heauenly discipline made a pious search ouer all the countrey to find him And being found they ioyfully ranged them selues in the institution of his vertuous schoole carefully studying to imitate his holy simplicitie and liuely mortification But being pressed with the narrownes of the place they hewed manie litle habitations in that hard rock to defend them selues from the violence of the weather Therefore the rock which before bred a solitarie horrour to the behoulders The number of his disciples being now turned into a house of prayer was made an habitation of Monkes where solemne watches were obserued and the Ecchoes of Gods diuine prayses resounded amidst the roaring of those swelling waues When the fame of the holy man encreasing dayly the number of his disciples likewise encreased soe that one hundred fourescore and eight monkes are reported to haue liued vnder the gouernment of his pious institution in soe much that the quantitie of that place being not able to contayne soe great a number at a low water saint GVDVVALL went downe vppon the The seas obey his commaund sands and with an assured and strong confidence in the diuine goodnes making the signe of the crosse in the sand commaunded those vnruly waues in the name of IESVS-CHRIST noe more to flow beyond the limitts which he had there prescribed When to the great admiration and comfort of Gods seruants that vntamed element contayned the accustomed pride of its swelling furie and obeying the holy mans commaund neuer more dared to trangresse the bounds by him prefixed Hence it appeares that the miracles of the old law haue been reuiued in the Christian Church for Moyses deuided and our GVDVVALL bridled the waues of the vntamed He 〈…〉 prayers seas And not only in this but in an other act allsoe this holy man was replenished with the spirit of the Prophet Moyses when in the same place being in want of fresh water by his prayers he obtayned a fountaine of cleere streames to spring out of that hard rock III. WONDERFVLL surely was the life that this holy man led in this horrid place He dayly celebrated the dreadfull sacrifice of Masse Angels appeare at hâ—â— masse and that with soe great puritie of mind and such deuour preparations thereunto that sometimes the Angells descending visibly from heauen assisted at that venerable misterie and togeather with him sung the diuine prayses of allmightie God to the great
His wonderfull abstinence of a abstinence that he neuer rose from the table with a full stomake and in Lent for the most part his greatest dainties were bread and water Whence it came to passe that at an Easter time his appetite and gust of meate was soe vtterly mortified ouerthrowne that he could not eate the meate which was set before him And when the monke that wayted vppon him demaunded why he did not eate Yf I had some oaten bread replied he moistened with butter I thinke I should be able to eate it Therefore the Monke Soe holy Dauid refused to drinke the water which he had desiâ—red his seruant brought some such bread when the holy man reflecting with him self that he had giuen a litle fauourable scope to his appetite conceaued soe great feare thereat that becoming a rigid and seuere reuenge to himself he refused to tast it at all but remayned fasting And that meate soe prouided he commaunded to be giuen to the poore that wayted at the Monastery gate where they found a fayre yong man of a very beautifull countenance who tooke the meate with the dish and vanished Which as they related to the holy Abbot behould the same dish fell vppon the table before him Whereby they vnderstood that an Angell sent from heauen had receaued that almes from the holy man III. OVER and aboue the accustomed taske of his diuine office and His prayers and the effects thereof prayers he dayly recited the whole Psalter of Dauid contayning an hundred and fiftie Psalmes But as once more earnestly he made his prayers vnto allmightie God and with the teares of his deuotion abundantly trickling downe his cheekes he powred forth his soule before the court of heauen desiring that as well his owne as the seruice of his brethren might be acceptable to the diuine maiestie and that they might be found worthy to haue their names written in the booke of life he heard these comfortable words come from aboue Take courage my Sonne for thy prayers are written in heauen Only two of them whose hearts haue been allwaies fixed to the loue of terrene things are inscribed in the dust of the world And not long after two Conuerses commonly called Lay-brothers casting off their habits made a miserable end of their liues in the world whereby the diuine reuelation of the holy man was verified IV. PASSING on a time by New-Castle he happened into a great He hindeâ—â—â—â— the wicked endeauours of the deuill multitude of yong men where he saw one with a wonderfull curiositie runne vp and downe amongst them fawning vppon them with an insolent countenance and as it were exhort and stirre them vp to the execution of some great matter When perceauing that he played not the part of a Man but rather the deceiptfull games of some wicked deuill by the powerfull force of his diuine words he commaunded him to depart Ho thou gallant sayd he these men doe not want thy worke quickly therefore be gone and follow me Presently â—e as yf he had been tied to their horse tayles went afâ—â—t holy Abbot through the durtie streets to the great astonishment of those that were present When they were gone out of the towne and come into the turnings of the highway Who art thou sayd the holy man and what was thy busines there Thou art not ignorant who I am replied he and thou knowest well my endeauours There is a pompous celebration of a rich mans wedding Note the maâ—ice of the deuâ—â—l in that towne and I was earnestly labouring to haue the groome slayne in the buanquet by his riualls that the guests being incensed with anger thereat might endeauour to reuenge his death and soe blinded with wrath and dronkennes their mutuall wounds might cause a sedition in the cittie that by the cutting downe of manie bodies I might reape an haruest of soules into my possession And now I was perswaded by the purchase of this victorie to haue returned in ioyfull triumphe to my Prince when my whole plott and counsell being ouerthrowne by thee I am constrayned to go home without anie gaine at all At these wordes the holy Abbot detesting the wickednes of that insernall monster commaunded him to depart to the determined place of his torments and neuer more hereafter to attempt to deceaue minkind Whereat the wicked spirit vanished taking his farewell with soe great horrour that their horses growing furious with neighing snoring and tearing the ground with their feet could hardly be held vnder the possession of their riders V. AN OTHER time the monkes being at mattins the holy man saw the Deuill standing in the habit of a countrey fellow at the quire He seeth the deuill inquiring into the faults of his Monkes doore and oftentimes endeauouring but in vaine to enter into it Then falling heartily to his prayers and stirring vp the hearts of his brethren to deuotion that infernall spie perceauing after a long expectance that he profitted nothing vanished away with anger and confusion The same holy Abbot celebrating once the dreadfull sacrifice of Masse saw in a vision a mightie storme at sea wherein a ship was sorely tost vp and downe in those swelling waues till the sterne being broken she ranne violently on her owne ruine and beating her self against a cruell rock dissolued her ioynts and ribbes into peeces left all the men her rulers to shift for them selues in the mercilesse billowes of the Ocean The holy man being greatly moued to compassion with this vision hauing finished his masse sent his Monkes to the sea side to take vp the bodies of those drowned persons They went and the fourth day after in the very place designed by saint ROBERT the sea cast vp the dead bodies which by their hands were honoured with Christian buriall VI. A HOLY matrone who by the pious persuasions of S. ROBERT S. Robert freed from a faâ—se Suspition by S. Bernard had contemned the gorgeous pride and vanitie of the world and betaken her self to a retired and deuout life was oftentimes visited by the same holy man to be by his godly instructions dayly aduanced in the way of vertue Which thing was a cause of manie bad suspitions in the iealous minds of some of his brethren who iudged that current of familiaritie to proceed from an impure spring And now they had infected the eares of manie with their misdeeming opinion till their complaints arriued to the knowledge of the great Patrone of his Order saint BERNARD Abbot of Clareuall in France To whom saint ROBERT went in person and he hauing had a reuelation of his great same and merits tooke him secretly aside and sayd Brother ROBERT those things are most false which the sinister suspition of manie hath bruted abroade against thy innocencie And in testimonie of his loue he gaue him a gyrdle which afterwards by the merits of them both gaue the benefitt of health to manie sick persons VII THIS holy Confessor was
wont oftentimes to visitt the blessed Hermite GODRICK between whom past manie pious discourses of the diseases of vices and the remedies of vertues as allsoe of the heauenly secrets angelicall visitations and the Patronage of the Saincts spending whole nights and daies in the delightfull mixture of such diuine speeches But here I must admonish my good reader An errour in the History of his life corrected that there is a mistake slipt into the life of saint ROBERT sett forth by Surius when it is sayd that saint GODRICK heard the confessions of saint ROBERT for saint GODRICK as we haue sayd in his life the 21. May was a man wholly without learning and neuer made Priest Perchance Surius correcting the stile of the Authour destroyed the sense for in Ioannes Anglicus recited by Capgrane We find contrariwise that saint ROBERT who vsed oftentimes to visitt saint GODRICK was his Phisitian in matter of confession and conscience Therefore let not this errour in Surius deceaue my reader as allreadie it hath done manie others who are vnacquainted with our English histories VIII BVT this holy Abbot saint ROBERT when he had gloriously finished the spirituall conflict of a monasticall life which he had vndertaken in this mortall world yeelded vp his blessed soule to receaue the immortall prize and reward of his labours in heauen And S. Godrick hath a vision of his glory at the same instant the forenamed saint GODRICK being then in his cell in the Hermitage of Finckley saw his soule in the forme of a fiery globe carried vp in great glory to the heauenly Kingdoms by the ministerie and assistance of angelicall hands He died the seauenth day of June in the yeare of our saluation 1159. He was buried in his owne Monasterie called New Abbey where his tombe was famous for manie miracles there the blind receaued their sight the dumbe their speech the lame the vse of their limmes and manie others the benefitt of their desired health The memorie of Sainct ROBERT was famous in times past at Knaresborow in Yorkeshire where by some he is reported to haue led an Heremiticall life But whether that saint ROBERT be the same of whom now we treate I dare not certainly affirme especially because the Authours of his life doe make noe mention that euer he was an Hermite The historie of his life we haue taken out of the Authour thereof recited by Surius tom 3. the same it sett downe by Iohn Capgraue out of Ioannes Anglicus The Roman Martirologe Molanus in his additions to Vsuard Mathew Paris anno 1238. Mathew Westminster in the same yeare doe make worthy mention of him The life of Sainct WILLIAM Archbishop of Yorke and Confessor IVNE 8. Gathered out of diuers Authours SAINCT WILLIAM borne of noble Parents Count Herbert and Emma Sister to King Stephen of England excelled the splendour of his parentage with the bright lustre of his vertues and the heauenly graces and guifts wherewith he was adorned by the diuine goodnes of allmightie God When his tender yeares beganne to be more soundly gouerned with the raynes of discretion he allso endeauoured carefully to rule his life with all the pious discipline of good manners Till by the dayly encrease of his vertues and holy conuersation he purchased vnto him self aduancement to Ecclesiasticall dignitie and was chosen treasurer of the Church of Yorke He is made Treasurer of the Church of Yorke vnder Thurstin Archbishop of the same Sea When WILLIAM iudging no treasure to be more pretious then that which succoureth those that suffer want made his riches serue to enrich the poore and needie At length Thurstin the Archbishop hauing payed the tribut of nature vnto death our WILLIAM being found to be a man in whom the vertues of meeknes pietie charitie did a bound was by the common consent of the Chanons chosen to succeed in He is falsely accused the gouernment of that sea But by the factious and turbulent resistance of Osbert Archdeacō of the same Church by the manie false complaints and crimes which he and his adherents preferred to the court of Rome against this election the matter was held in suspense and controuersie for fiue yeares space allbeit the acclamations of the Clergie and the generall applause of the people not only testified the innocencie of S. WILLIAM but allsoe proclaymed him to be a worthie louer of iustice and good life II. AT length Eugenius a Cistercian Monke succeeding in the Roman Primacie pronounced his sentence for Henry Mordach a pious Mōke of the same profession who was sustayned by Osbert the Archdeacon not that he iudged WILLIAM vnfitt for the dignitie but because he was more inclined to the other being a man of his owne order Therefore the same of saint WILLIAM being thus vniustly His great patience torne with the venomous detractions of his aduersaries he made vse of noe other weapons for his owne defence in all these broiles but the bucklar of a contented patience with which and the vnshaken constancie of a vertuous mind he conquered all his troubles He retired himself to Henry Bishop of Winchester of whom being his Vncle he was soe courteously entertayned that he made his whole familie to be obseruant and dutifull vnto him But the holyman abhorring the pompe of the world affecting more the solitarines of a retired life contented him self His pious life and exercises with a litle corner of the Bishops house where he piously spent his time in watching fasting and prayer and the contemplation of diuine and heauenly things He reioyced to haue found the leasure of this good occasion to bewaile the faults of his life past and to drowne the reuengefull flames of the paynes due thereunto with the sorrowfull streames of his deuout teares He liued in great silence and tranquillitie suffering noe vaine word or idle speech to hinder his mind from the continuall contemplation of the diuine goodnes In a word he led soe holy a life full of vertue and goods workes that those that beheld him seemed to see in him an angelicall creature in a humane shape III. BVT after the course of seauen yeares in one and the same day Pope Engenius and Henry Archbishop of Yorke chainged this life for a better whose death was by a diuine reuelation made knowne to He is made Archbishop of Yorke saint WILLIAM Then the Chanons of Yorke againe made choise of him to succeed in that Sea Who going to Rome had his election confirmed by Pope Anastasius was by him consecrated Bishop and adorned with the honour of the Archiepiscopall Palle Which done he returned into England and at Canturbury he was for honours sake courteously visited by Roger Archdeacon of the same cittie of whom he being departed saint WILLIAM thus foretould to his owne companie This is the He foretelleth his successour man sayd he that after my death shall succeed in my place Which prophesie the euent prooued true soe admirable
to see the ruine of those perishing soules and perceauing his iourney to the desired place of martirdom to be hindered by that huge concourse of poeple fell downe on his knees and humbly made his prayer to him whose side flowed water and bloud for the redemption of the world to giue a safe passage to that poeple soe desirous to be present at his death Then by the allmightie power A notable miracle of him that diuided the red sea for the Israelites the furie of that great riuer was stopped and the channell made drie for the holy Martir to passe the flowing of his prayers and teares before allmightie God tooke from the riuer the power of flowing and layd open a fayre passage for him self and the poeple through the waters VII BVT the vertue of this wonderfull miracle gaue grace to the Officer that was appoynted to be ALBANS executioner to cast off all The executioner conuerted thought of such like woluish crueltie and become a meeke lambe of CHRISTS flock For throwing away his sword that should haue done that blouddie deed he fell prostrate at the holy Martirs feet confessed his errour and humbly demaunded pardon crying alowd that there was noe other true God but the God of the Christians and earnestly desiring to die in steed of him whom he was commaunded to putt to death But his beliefe moued the rest of those ministers of mischiefe to greater rage and furie and falling vppon that new Confessour of CHRIST they beate out his teeth tore his mouth that had giuen testimonie to the truth and soe bruised all his limmes with cruell blowes that in his whole bodie scarse anie one part was left vnhurt yet in heart he remayned firme and sound in the confession of his fayth But leauing this wretched creature in that miserable plight they arriued at length Is cruelly beaten to the toppe of the hill where an infinite number of poeple were expecting to behould the action of this tragicall scene Who being generally tormented with an extremitie of heate drought He obtayneth a fountaine by his prayers S. ALBAN by his prayers obtayned to haue a cleere fouÌ„taine spring out of that dried earth by which the multitude queÌ„ched their thirst yet allwaies thirsted for the effusion of his bloud by whose meritts they had receaued that benefitt soe great was the vngratefull crueltie cruell ingratitude of their blinded minds which ascribed all these most seÌ„sible miracles to the power of their owne seÌ„slesse Gods VIII THEREFORE whetting still the edge of their owne furie on the vnshaken rock of the holy Martirs constancie and vertue they He is beheadded were more and more incensed to the shedding of his innocent bloud A new executioner was chosen to giue the deadly blow for them all who at once made a cruell separation of his head from the bodie that his blessed soule might take a happie flight to the crowne of euerlasting life which our Lord hath promised to those that suffer for his sake But the cruell executioner was not permitted to triumphe in his wicked fact for his eyes ashamed as it were to The punishment of his executioner behould their Masters crueltie fell miraculously out of his head at the very instant that he gaue the Martir his death soe that loosing the guides that had directed him to doe what he did he lost allsoe the power to see what he had done Which miracle caused manie of the Gentils there present to confesse that he was iustly punished Meane while the poore souldier whom they had left halfe dead below had cralled to the toppe of the hill and coming to the holy body of saint ALBAN he was presently restored againe to the perfect vse of all his limmes But that happines was soone after seconded with a farre greater for making profession of the fayth of A souldier martired CHRIST he was forthwith beheadded and by being baptised in his owne bloud was made worthie to follow his leader saint ALBAN into the euerlasting ioyes of CHRIST-IESVS the eternall crowne and glory of his Martirs S. ALBAN was martired about the yeare of our saluation three hundred and three and his bodie was buried in the same place of his martirdom IX BVT about the yeare of our Lord fower hundred fortie six and an hundred fortie three yeares after the passion of S. ALBAN the Pelagian Heresie as ouer the rest of the world soe chiefely it raygned in great Britaine in which it is reported to haue first begunne To suppresse this infection sainct GERMAN Bishop of Auâ—er The Pelagian â—eresie suppressed and Lupus Bishop of Troy came out of France into our Iland by the force of whose arguments and miracles the impudent mouthes of the Pelagians were stopt And at that very time manie great miracles and cures of diseased persons being wrought at the sacred tombe of S. ALBAN thither the holy Bishops went for deuotion sake to giue thankes vnto allmightie God for their successe and S. GERMAN hauing opened the holy monument layd therein manie reliques of the Apostles and other Martirs that the same place might containe the bones of them whose soules enioyed one and the same glory in heauen Which done he tooke thence some part of the earth which had receaued the holy Martirs bloud and which yet blushed therewith to be by him reserued as a most pretious treasure The auncient Britans ouer come by the Saxons and a worthy reward of his labour Afterwards the English and Saxons that were Pagans like vnto a furious tempest inuaded the Iland of great Britaine and by force of armes droue the auncient inhabitants thereof to the mountaines and farthest parts of the countrey now called Wales persecuting not only the men but the Christian fayth which they professed Then amongst others the auncient cittie of Verulam being destroyed and all sacred monuments and Churches demolisht the memory of the glorious Martir Sainct ALBAN was extinguished for the space of three hundred fortie fower yeares and to the raygne of the most famous King of the Mercians Ossa who following a diuine reuelation that commaunded him to search out those holy reliques and place them in a more worthy monument assembled the poeple and Clergie togeather and armed with fasting and prayer they ascended the mountaine where the holy Martir suffered In the meane time the diuine goodnes that would not haue that treasure lie hid anie longer sent forth a heauenly splendour which glittered ouer his sepulcher and lighted them to find out those desired reliques For hauing digged in the same place they found his sacred bodie in a The inuention of S. Albans bodie wodden chest togeather with the reliques of the Apostles and Martirs which Sainct GERMAN had placed therein Therefore the King and whole assemblie being replenished with inestimable ioy translated that sacred treasure with great veneration and solemnitie singing of himnes and prayses to allmightie into an auncient Church neere Verulam
obtayned leaue of his Priour who fearing lest soe strict a life might be too hard for him to vndertake hauing yet liued but a yeare in the obseruance of the Monastery was the more vnwilling to consent to his purpose II. TO the Hermitage of Farne then he went where he led a most His strict life in the the Ermitage strict and rigid manner of life He wore a hayre shirt next his skinne for manie yeares vntill his Priour commaunded the contrarie His bed was no other then the hard ground his diet bread and herbes he neuer tasted anie flesh and after some yeares he abstayned from fish allso his drinke was fayre water and seauen yeares before his death he is reported not to haue dronke at all His cloathing was a wollen stamin a cowle and a black cloake lined with skinnes His stockins were allso of leather which he neuer putt of vntill they were quite consumed with age For he was wont to say to his brethren that our bodies were to be vsed to all manner of hardnes and filth yf we desired to bring our soules to the perfection of beautie and puritie But in all this rigorous manner of life he allwaies carried so pleasant and merrie a countenance and had his face soe well tempered with its naturall colours that all that beheld it would haue iudged him rather a great louer of bodily delights and dainties then soe seuere a chastiser and tamer of his owne flesh In prayer soe vnwearied that besides his ordinarie office he recited ouer Dauids Psalter sometimes twise sometimes thrise euery day In the mean He ouercometh the temptations of the deuill time he was grieuously vexed and assaulted by manie hellish temptations of the deuill all which with a firme confidence in allmightie God and by the figne of the holy crosse and the vertue of holy water he vtterly vanquished and ouerthrew III. HE is reported allso to haue wrought manie miracles in his life time and to haue beene comforted with diuers heanenly visions during the time of his strict life in this Hermitage amongst which he beheld the soule of Thomas Priour of Durham who hauing left the regeÌ„cie of the Monasterie had liued a retired life togeather with him died in the same Iland caried vp into heauen by the ministerie of angelicall hands And at length sainct BARTHOLOMEW him self when he had liued fortie yeares and six moneths in this hermitage in all sainctitie and holines of life hauing a long time before had a reuelation of the hower and time of his death was called out of the thraldom of this world to receaue the euerlasting rewards of his labours in heauen on the very feast of sainct IOHN the Baptist the fower and twentith day of Iune He was buried in his Oratorie in the same place at whose tombe manie miraculous cures were wrought by the all mightie power of him who is for euer glorious in his saincts What yeare he died is not specified by the Authours of his life but he must needs haue flourished since the yeare 1100. about which time the Benedictine Monkes were first introduced into the Cathedrall Church of Durham in the reigne of William Rufus The life of S. Bartholomew we haue gathered out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue in his legend of English Saincts with whom let the truth of this history stand for J haue not yet found anie other Authour that makes mention of him The life of sainct ADALBERT Deacon Confessour and Monke of the holy Order of saint BENEDICT IVNE 25. Out of an auncient manuscript recited by Surius to 3. THIS holy man was one of those twelue Benedictine Monkes which S. EGBERT sent as soe manie elect Apostles to preach the fayth of Christ in Germanie of which mission you may reade more in the life of sainct Swibert March the first and in that of saint EGBERT Aprill the twentie fourth He was sonne to Edilbald king of the Deiri and nephew to saint OSWALD king of the Northumbers But esteeming the gayne of the kingdom of heauen before all worldly greatnes he despised the royall wealth dignities and honours of his birth embraced first a Monasticall life in England afterwards he became a disciple to sainct EGBERT in Ireland in a more rigid strict obseruance of the Benedictine rule and profession and lastly being made Deacon he was ioyned to eleauen other Priests and Benedictine Monkes to make vp the number of twelue Apostolicall men which as we haue sayd sainct EGBERT sent to announce the He conuerted manie in Germanie Christian fayth to the barbarous Pagans of Germanie ADALBERT therefore for the loue of CHRIST and the aduancement of his holy Ghospell went couragiously with the rest and at Egmond in Holland he employed his best labours for the coÌ„uersion of soules to CHRIST and his Church Where after he had reaped a most happie and fruitfull haruest in the vineyard of our Lord and reduced great multitudes of Heathens out of the blind night of Idolatrie to the comfortable light of Christs Ghospell famous for his holy life and miracles which it pleased allmighiie God to worke by his meritts for the better confirming of what he preached he ended his toilesome daies in this world and departed to the eternall reward of his labours in heauen the fiue and twentith day of Iune about the yeare of our Lord 705. He was buried at Egmond in Holland where his tombe flourished wonderfully with manie great miracles wrought thereat II Afterwards in the time of Theodoricke the first Duke of Holland his holy bodie was taken out of the earth where vnder his coffin there appeared a fountaine of most pure water springing out of the ground and the palle in which that sacred treasure was wrapped they found to be as entier and vncorrupted as it was at the first And The eleuation of his bodie the same Theodoricke built a chappell in a place called Hallen in which the holy bodie was placed with great reuerence and solemnitie But his sonne Theodoricke the Yonger being a most feruent follower of his fathers deuotioÌ„ founded there a goodly Monasterie of S. Bâ—nedicts order in honour of S. ADALBERT by whose meritts his sonne Egbert A monastery dedicated to his name afterwards Archbishop of Treuirs was cured of a teadious cruell feauer which had giuen the foyle to all the skill of human phisick This Monasterie of Egmond is held for antiquitie and dignitie the noblest in all Holland in which lie buried the bodies of manie Princes expecting the deadfull summons of the last trumpett who in their liues endowed it with manie rich guifts and possessions Manie other miracles were wrought at the same place by the merits of this glorious Sainct which are contayned in the history of his life written by the Monkes of Medeloc and recited by Surius in his third tome out of which we haue gathered thus much of him The Roman Martirologe maketh mention of him as allso that of Ado and Wion Allso Molanus in his Index of the Saincts of Belgia Trithemius in his third booke of the famous men of S. Benedicts order chap. 294. Baronius tom 8. anno Christi 697. Marcellinus in the life of S. Swibert and others The end of Iune and the first Tome TO THE READER VOutchsafe good Reader courteously to receaue this first tome of our Saincts liues which allthough it come alone to thy view and sâ—e beare an imperfect face yet I doubt not it will giue thee some consolation in the reading The second part is going to the presse and shall by Gods holy assistance come with as much speed as is possible to thy hands In the meane time let thy kind acceptance of this adde wings of courage and hast to the accomplishment of the other Farewell AN ALPHABETICALL TABLE OF THE SAINCTS CONTAYNED IN THIS FIRST TOME A. A DELBERT Deacon 612. Adrian Abbott 42. Alban Martir 574. Aldelme Bishop 487. Alfwold Bishop 325. Alured Abbot 56. Amphibalus Martir 587. Anselme Archbishop 380. Asaph Bishop 412. Augustine Archbishop 496. Aydo Abbott 200. B. Bartholomew Priest 610. Bathilde Queene 104 Bede Priest 523. Bennet Biscop Abbott 46. Birstan Bishop 114. Boniface Martyr 535. Bosa Bishop 245. Botulphe Abbott 571. Brigitt Virgin 118. Brithune Abbot 432. Brithwald Bishop 45. C. Cadock Martir 102. Cedde Bishop 35. Cedmon Monke 153. Ceolulphe King 70. Chad Bishop 224. Columba Abbott 562. Cuthbert Bishop D. Dauid Bishop 218. Deicola Abbot 82. Dimpna Martir 426. Dunstan Archbishop 434. E. Eadburg Virgin 569. Eadbert Bishop 413. Edilwald Priest 324. Edward King Confessor 1. Edward King Martir 292. Egbert Priest 402. Elfled Virgin 14â— Elphegus Bishop Martir 361. Elstan Bishop 340. Erkenwald Bishop 407. Ermenburg Queene 100. Ermenild Abbesse 157. Ethelbert King Confessor 179. Ethelbert King Martir 466. Etheldred Queene Abbesse 593. F. Felix bishop 244 Fremund King 424. Furseus Abbot 72 G. Gilbert Confessour 135 Gregory Pope 246 Godrick Hermite 472 Gudwall Bishop 505 Guthlake Confessour 343 Gyldas Abbot 112 Gysla and Rictrude 341 H. Henry Hermite 78 Herebert Priest 322 I. Inas King 142 Iohn of Beuerley 415 K. Kentigerne bishop 61 Kyneburg Abbesse and Kineswide virgin 237 L. Laurence Archbishop 126 M. Margaret Queene 564. Melliâ—us Bishop 399. Milburg Abbesse 173. Milgith Virgin 187. O. Oswald Bishop 188. Owen Confessour 235. P. Paternus Bishop 356. Patrick Bishop 270. Peter Abbot 69. Pyran Bishop 236. R. Richard Bishop 327. Robert Abbot 554. S. Sexulphe Bishop 111. Stephen Abbot 357. Swibert Bishop 202. T. Thelian Bishop 149. Theorithgid Virgin 101. Translation of S. Edward King and Martir 159. Trumwine Bishop 152. V. Vlrick Confeffour 162. W. Walburg Virgin 183. Wereburg Abbesse 131. Wilgis Confessour 116. Willeick Priest 229. William Archbishop 559. Winwaloke Abbott 231. Wolstan Bishop 84. Wulsine Bishop 39. Wyre Bishop 421.
bequeathed him in his mind to allmightie God at the same instant and within a weeke after went him self in person and presented him to the charge of a holy man to be instructed according to his owne desires In that good schoole of vnited vertue and learning WINWALOKE profitted soe exceedingly that in a short time he became verie learned in holie scripture and most deuout in the seruice of allmightie God II. HIS master happening to be absent vppon a time the schollers fell to sport and recreate them selues in the fields whereby some misfortune one of them chaunced to breake his legge which turned By his prayers the signe of the Crosse he cureth a broken thigh all their mirth into morning and their play into earnest condoling their fellowes vnhappines But WINWALOKE exhorting them to take courrage and comfort caused the whole companie to fall to their praiers for the repayring of this disastrous losse he him self heartily beseeched the omnipotent worker of wonders to graunt this their humble request Which done he made the signe of the crosse on the wound saying In the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST rise and giue thankes vnto allmightie God and at the same instant he arose prefectly cured of his wound and restored againe to the vse of his legge as sound as he was before it was broken WINWALOKE earnestly desired and coniured his companions to conceale the miracle in silence but the will of God was otherwise whereby it was made knowne and publick to the world for the greater honour both of him and his Sainct III. HE WAS soe wonderfully pittifull coÌ„passionate on the poore His coÌ„passion to the poore that when he saw them begge an almes he would sigh and weepe with the grief he suffered in their miserie and not hauing wherewithall to feed their bodies he would at lest with the comfort of his admonitions endeauour to enrich their soules in which pious exercise he dayly employed some part of his time allthough he wanted not some wicked spiritts who spitefully reuiled and reproched him for this pietie saying that he spent the best part of his time idly amongst lazie beggers But he tooke all their blowes on the buckler of patience rendring sweet wordes for their rude exclamations and humble answeares for their insulting reproches And meeting on a time among those poore poeple with one that was blind to make knowne that his seruice was gratefull to God by his prayers he restored him to perfect sight IV. HE grew at lenght soe perfect in vertue and learning that With hallowed oyle he cureth onâ— stung with a serp 〈…〉 from a scholler he became a master when manie were glad to putt them selues into his schoole vnder his discipline to learne the diuine misteries of the holie scripture One of his schollers falling asleepe in the fields as he sate musing on his lesson happrened to be soe greiuously stung by a venemous serpent that the poison dispersing it self ouer all his bodie caused it to swell in a most strange manner and putt him in iminent danger of death But WNIWALOKE gining him oileto drinke which he him self had hallowed the swelling was forthwith asswaged the venom expelled and the man perfectly cured Not long after he vnderstood by reuelation that it was the will of allmightie God that he should depart with some of his associates to liue in an other place Therefore taking leaue of his master he departed with eleuen others not knowing as yet where to take vp his dwelling but with a firme fayth and confidence in allmightie God he committed him self and his companie to his sacred conduct At length he arriued into an Iland where togeather with his disciples for the space of three yeares he led a verie retired and solitarie life But finding that place to be verie subiect to stormie and tempestuous weather and withall soe barren that it was allmost inhabitable he went to seeke an other habitation beyond the sea whither by a diuine reuelation he was appointed to goe and there he found a place soe fitt and commodious for his purpose that he setled him self and his fellowes therein with intention neuer to stirre more while he liued One discomoditie it had which was want of water but that his deuout prayers supplied for the indeficient By his prayers he obtayneth a fresh fouÌ„taiâ—e fountaine of all goodnes that made water spring out of the rocks for the Jsraelites furnished his Seruant in this necessitie with an abundant spring of sweete cristall streames V. IN THIS place he beganne to leade a most celestiall and angelicall A summarie of his vertues life shining vnto his schollers like a bright starre of deuotion vertue and perfection He was of a verie venerable aspect sweete and modest in his discourse allwaies paynfull and vnwearied in the seruice of allmightie God of a pure bodie a sincere minde a sharpe witt a sound iudgement and verie prouident and wise in his aduise and counsell most firme and constant in hope and excellently perfect in charitie From the twentith yeare of his age to the last hower of his life he was neuer seene to fitt in the Church noe man euer found him ether fondly merrie or idly giuen to melancholy He was mild familiar and courteous to all In bodie he walked on earth but his minde and soule was allwaies fixed in heauen His custom was to reade ouer the psalter of Dauid euery day and to kneele in his prayers to God a hundred times a day and as oft by night His cloathing was poore made of goate-skinnes his bed hard his diet only barley bread and pottage of herbes Saturdaies sundaies he added thereunto some small quantitie of fish and a little châ—ese In lent he eate but twise a weeke he neuer dranke wine nor anie other liquour He vanquisheth the Deuill with the signe of the Cros se which might intoxicate the braine The Deuill enuying soe great sainctitie endeauoured with his hellish plotts to trouble and molest his pious labours appearing vnto him as he prayed in his oratorie in the most vglie and horrid shapes that master of wickednes could inuet vomitting out of his infernall throate manie reprochfull wordes against him when he nothing dismayed thereat couragiously proceeded in his deuotions and brandishing the chief armes of life the holy crosse against that black messenger of death he compelled him to vanish away in confusion VI. Now the excelleÌ„cie of his vertues begaÌ„ to be soe famous all ouer Brittaine that manie blind lame leaprous and other diseased persons flocked vnto him as to an Oracle whom he not only wonderfully cured in bodie but with the sacred baulme of his pious aduise and counsell healed the sinfull infections of their soules His fame arriued at length to the eares of a king of that countrey whose lewdnes of life did little answeare the dignitie of his calling but coming in a poore habitt vnto the holy man he fell prostrate at
vnder them whereby manie of them were sorely hurt whilst the other part where S. DVNSTAN his adherents were remayned vnshaken and moueable And with this fall fell likewise the cause of the secular Clerkes and the Monkes remayned more firmely and miraculously established and confirmed in the possession of their Monasteries Soe that as we haue sayd by the meanes of saint DVNSTAN and the assistance of the worthy Bishops saint OSWALD and saint Fortie eight monasteries of Benedictines ETHELWOLD the number of fortie eight Monasteries of Monkes and Nunnes of the holy Order of S. BENEDICT were founded and repayred and replenished with Conuents of religious persons that night and day sung the prayses of allmightie God and liued a most holy and vertuous life XVIII BVT allthough this most holy Bishop hath deserued eternall How he conformed the Benedictine Order prayse and glory for his worthie endeauours bestowed thus in restoring the Monasticall Order yet the chiefest title of honour is due vnto him in that he laboured not only to repayre the outward walles and buildings of monasteries to replenish them with store of Monkes but allsoe made it the highest point of his ayme and studie to reduce the Monasticall discipline it self to the auncient and primitiue rigour and vigour of our holy father saint BENEDICTS Rule And to this end he sent for manie learned and vertuouâ— Monkes out of the most reformed Monasteries of France to teach the true pactise of the Benedictine discipline in England and him self left written a notable monument of monasticall obseruance and and auncient pietie which is called A regular Concordance of the Monkes and Nunnes of the English Nation whereby all the monasteries throughout England allbeit before they all obserued the Rule of the most holy Patriarke of monkes saint BENEDICT yet because allmost euery one had some diuers customs and Ceremonies different from the rest were reduced to one and the same vnanimous obseruance of regular discipline in all things to the great conseruation and encrease of charitie and true religion He that desires to reade this foresayd Regular Concordance of saint DVNSTAN may find it sett forth not long since in the third Appendix to that worthy latine treatise Intituled The Apostleship of the 〈◊〉 in England XIX FVRTHERMORE how zealous this holy Bishop was in the S. Dunstans zeale to iustice execution of iustice and rooting out of wicked persons out of the Countrey is made manifest by this example Three false coyners of money being by the lawes of the realme condemned to death the officers differred their execution by reason of the feast of Pentecost which the holy man vnderstanding refused to celebrate his Masse before iustice was done allbeit some thought this act to be too rigorous and inhumane yet our Lord made it manifestly appeare that it proceeded from a true zeale of iustice of the good of the common-wealth for as soone as those malefactours were dispatched the holy Bishop went to Masse when being in the midst of that dreadfull sacrifice a doue as white as snow was seene by all the A whiâ—e doue â—uer his heâ—d at Masse assistants to descend from aboue and sitt vppon his head whence it did not stirre vntill he had finished that sacred Offring with extraordinarie teares and deuotion in testimonie that allmightie God was pleased with the affection of his seruant which was more iust then seuere without which it is most hard to conserue Kingdoms in peace XX. BVT the busines which had hindred King Edgar from being crowned in royall manner being now buried in obliuion saint DVNSTAN in presence of all the Lords and Peeres of the realme placed the Royall diademon his head to the wonderfull great ioy and exultation of the whole Kingdom And after two yeares space this noble King and worthie Benefactour of the Benedictine Order by a happie death chainged his mortall Kingdom for an King Edgars death immortall raigne in heauen whom a graue Authour affirmeth to haue been no lesse memorable among the English then Romulus to the Romans Cyrus to the Persians Alexander to the Macedonians Arsaces to the Parthians and Carolus Magnus to the French He was buried in the Monasterie of Glastenbury where as the records of the same Monasterie doe testifie his bodie was found without anie spott of corruption after manie yeares lying in the ground EDWARD his Sonne succeeded in the Kingdom who being consecrated by S. DVNSTAN against the will of his step-mother Edward the Martir and manie of the nobles that tooke her part was within few yeares cruelly martired through her malice as is aboue sayd in his life the eighteenth of March. Ethesred the sonne of that wicked mother inherited the Kingdom being indued rather with the ignominie of his mother then anie good part of his fathers Vnto whom S 〈◊〉 Prophesietâ—â— being installed in the royall throne S. DVNSTAN opening his prophetick mouth foretould that because he had obtayned the Kingdom by the shedding of his brothers bloud his whole gouernment should be in bloud by the frequent inuasions of barbarous and forreigne enemies Which words by time were too truly verified And not only in this but in manie others saint DVNSTAN had the guift of prophesie by which he foretould to the Bishop of Râ—chester and Saint ETHELWOLD of Winchester the time and hower of their deaths XXI WEE shall neuer come to an end yf we goe about to load this paper with all the noble vertues and excellencies of this thrice happie and glorious Prelate S. DVNSTAN our discourse now hasteneth towards his blessed death the end and reward of his labours It was on the celebration of that day in which our Sauiour hauing triumphed ouer death ascended gloriously into heauen when this holy Bishop after the performance of the night-office in the quire remayning alone in the Church of CHRIST at Canturbury more seriously A most pleasant vi fion shewed to S. Dunstan to contemplate those great ioies and as it were to vnite him self in soule to the glorie of our glorious Redeemer he beheld a heauenly vision of a great multitude of celestiall citizens shining with inestimable spleÌ„dour to enter into the Church with glittering crownes vpoÌ„ their heads who brought him this message from IESVS-CHRIST that if he were readie and disposed he might goe with them to celebrate the glorie of that Solemnitie in the triumphaÌ„t cittie of heaueÌ„ To whom the blessed man with inestimable ioy and vndaunted alacritie See his great perfection of mind answered What honour what hope and what ioy by this Ascension of the Sonne of God hath happened vnto mankind it is well knowne vnto you who are participant of his vnspeakable glorie Yee know allsoe that it is my dutie and office who haue the sheepe of my Lord commended to my charge to feede them this day with the bread of euerlasting life and to informe them how to follow his footsteps to heauen therefore I
cannot come this day to the desired place yee inuite mee The Saincts finding his hindrance reasonable bad him be readie prouided against the saturday following to enioy their companie sing with them Holy Holy Holy for euer DVNSTAN promised he would and those glorious spirits vanished out of his sight A holy Priest named Elfgar was at the same The witnes of his vision time made participant of this heauenly vision who afterwards became a faythfull witnes thereof vnto the world XXII THEREFORE S. DVNSTAN acknowledging that the time of his death was at hand and being secure of his eternall happines piously reioyced in our Lord and was replenished with a spicituall mirth towards all men And now the hower of the diuine office was come when the holy Bishop went ioyfully to the Aultar to sacrifice the Sonne of God to his eternall Father The Church was filled with a greater multitude of poeple then euer drawne thither by I know not what instinct as it were to heare some strange newes that had not been spoken off before Therefore the Ghospell at Masse being sung the Bishop went to preache vnto the The excellencie of his â—ast sermon poeple when the holy Ghost gouerning his heart and tongue he spoke more excellently then euer he had done before Then returning to the aultar he finished that dreadfull sacrifice and being come to the Benediction at the end of Masse which by bishops is more solemnly giuen he went againe into the pulpit where soe admirably he treated of the reall presence of the future resurrection of our bodies of the ioies of euerlasting life that one vnacquainted The reall presence with him before would haue iudged those words to haue proceded from the mouth of an Angell This done he returned to the aultar and solemnly gaue the poeple his benediction But being much wounded in his mind with a pious feare lest his dearest friends and children being strucken with the sudden blow of his death should grieue more vehemently then they would being forewarned of that dolefull separation to the great admiration of all he went the third time to the poeple WheÌ„ he noe sooner opened The wonderfull brightnes of his face his mouth to speake but like an other Moyses his face shined with such glittering beames of glorie that not one of all that huge assemblie was able to fixe his sight vppon him The inestimable sweetnes and ioy that then possessed the hearts of the assistants noe penne is able to describe But when the Seruant of God began to discouer the day of his death then all that mirth was turned to mourning and such mourning that DVNSTAN him self who was now destined to euerlasting ioies being mooued with naturall pittie and compassion seemed to beare a part in that dolefull consort But vsing violence to him self weeping he endeauoured to comfort the weeping affirming that they ought not to be sorow full for his departure whom noe labour or payâ—e but eternall rest and glorie would receaue and noe man that is grounded in the roote of true charitie should more esteeme his owne priuate and temporall comoditie then the eternall benefitt of his neighbour And allbeit he were absent from them in bodie yet The spirituall presence of the Saincts in spirit he would be allwaies present to helpe and ayde them with his prayers Hauing spoken to this purpose he recommenced them all to CHRIST and left them vnwilling to be depriued of the sight of his glorious countenance XXIII THE same day after dinner accompanied with a venerable troupe of monkes and other his friends he returned to the Church and hauing designed a place for his buriall he commaunded S. Dunstan falâ—eth sick to haue his graue opened And then a cruell sicknes seazing one his holy bodie confined his weake limmes to rest in bed where he lay all the friday following incessantly attending to God and diuine things and inciting all that came about him to adhere to the examples and footstepps of CHRIST-IESVS Thus conquering the strength of his disease with the weapons of a fir me fayth and deuotion he passed ouer that day till the morow which was the last of his labours and first of his desired rest arriued Then the Clergie and poeple flocked about him with a fearfull expectation of the euent which he had foretould of him self And DVNSTAN being most desirous to enter into the ioy of his Lord and hauing strengthened him self with the sacred bodie and bloud of CHRIST ioyfull expected the happie hower foretould in He is miraculously raysed togeather with his bed the foresayd vision When suddenly to the great astonishment of them all by the hidden power of the allmightie Deitie togeather with the bed wherein he lay he was miraculously eleuated three times to the top of the chamber and as often let quietly downe againe Then the holy man behoulding a companie of his amazed monkes and spirituall children about him sayd My most deare brethreÌ„ His last speech the beloued sheepe of my pasture your owne eyes haue beheld whither I am called whither I am going Yee are well acquainted with the path of my footstepps yee know the labour of my life past behould now the consummation thereof lifts me on high Wherefore with the briefe admonition of my dying voyce I exhort and counsell yee that yf yee desire to come whither I am going yee be not flack to apprehend the way that I haue walked in Allmightie God him self who hath directed my iourney to him self direct allsoe your hearts and bodies to fullfill his diuine will in peace And the whole coÌ„panie hauing answered Amen that blessed soule passed His glorious departure out of this world and by a sacred conuoy of heauenly spirits was coÌ„ducted into the heauenly lodgings to enioy the ineffable vision of Iâ—SVS-CHRIST God and man the glorious crowne and euerlasting reward of his labours XXIV THIS glorious Prelate died in the yeare of our Lord 988. His buriall when he had gouerned the Mettopolitan Sea of Canturbury twentie seauen yeares He was buried with greate reuerence and lamentation of his Monkes in the place which him self had designed within the quire before the degrees ascending to the high aultar in CHRISTS-Church Which we doubt not to haue been by him with great affection of pietie soe disposed that lying in bodie before the face of his beloued children whom he had left in the turbulent dangers of the world they might confidently haue recourse to him in thier necessities who in spirit according to his promise made would allwaies be present amongst them And indeed the manie miraculous effects wrought there at his intercession are manifest testimonies hereof Of which we will briefly relate some few only out of such authors as were Manie miraces wrought at his Tombe eye-witnesse of them Fiue woemen and one man receaued their sight as they prayed at his tomb others recouered their legges and other parts of their