mercie of God doe hope and beleaue that not only king Adelwaldes subiectes but also all the next dwellers and inhabitauntes abowt him shall receiue by your preching parfect saluation and life euerlasting To the entent that as it is writen the reward of your pâ—rfit and ended worke be geuen yowe from our Lorde the geauer of all good thinges And at the length the vniuersall confession of all nations receiuing the veritie of Christian fayth maye manifestly declare that their sounde hath gon for the ouer all the earth and their wordes euen to the vttermost partes of all the wordle Wherfore of our bounteousnes we haue sent yow by the bearers of our present letters a palle Which we geue yow lycence to vse only in the celebration of the moste holy mysteries graunting yow moreouer by the grace and mercye of our Lorde the ordeyning of Bishops when occasion shall require For so the gospell of Christe by the preching of manye maye the better be spredd ouer all nations that be not yet conuerted Let therefore your brotherly charite keape with a pure minde and sincere intention this authorite which it hath nowe receiued by the bountifulnes of the see Apostolique In remembrance and token whereof yowe shall here receiue to your vse as prelat there this Robe which we send you It remaineth that calling continually for the mercye and grace of our Lorde you endeuoure to be such a man as maie vse the rewarde of this our graunted and geauen autorite worthelye and not to anye daunger or losse of sowles but rather that yow maye be able to shewe and present thesame hereafter before the iudgement seate of the hiest and most assured Iudge to come with the gaine of manie sowles to God Who keape and preserue yow alwayes in healthe most derely beloued brother Of the raigne of king Edwyne and how Pauline comming thither to preche the gospell first baptised his daughter in Christian faith an others with her The. 9. Chapter ABout this time the people also of Northumberlande that is the English men which dwelled towarde the Northsyde of the fludde Humber receiued together with their king Edwyne the worde of faith by the preching of Pauline of whome I haue sumwhat spoken aboue To the which king in a good abodement of receiuing the faithe was graunted both possibilite of the kingdome of heauen and also greater poure by thincrease of his kingdome on earthe For he had subdued all the coastes of Britannie whersoeuer anie prouinces or of Englishmen or Britons were inhabited which thing no one kinge of English men had done before him Moreouer he added as we haue shewed before the Meuian yles to the Englishe kingdome Of which yles the first that is nerest the South and in situation larger and for the plentifulnes of corne more fertyle hath dwelling rome for the number of 960. families to the estimate of English men The seconde hath space of grounde but for 300. tenements or somwhat more Now the occasion that these peoples came to the faith was suche The before named king Edwine was ioyned in affinite to the kinge of kent by the marriage of Ladie Edelburge otherwise called Tate daughter to king Elbert Which Ladie when king Edwine woed sending thether his embassadours answer was geuen by her hrother Edbald then king of Kent that it was not lawfull for a Christian woman and virgin to be maried or spoused to a paynime leste the faith and sacramente of the king of heauen might be profaned by the companie of suche a king as knew not the trew worshipping of God Which answer when the embassadours brought backe to kinge Edwine he promised that in anie case he wold doe nothing that shuld be contrarie to the Christian faith which this virgin professed but rather permitte that she with all the men and women priestes or seruaÌ„ts which came with her shuld keape and obserue after the ChristiaÌ„s maner their faith and customes of their religion Neither did he denie but that himselfe also would receaue the same religion so that after the examination of wise men it were founde more holie then his and meter for God Then vppon these conditions this virgin was promised and sent also vnto kinge Edwine And according to appointment made the man of God Paulinus was ordained Bishop and chosen to goe with her to confirme her and her companie that they might not be polluted with the felowship of painimes Who did so by his daylie exhortations and ministringe the blessed sacrameÌ„te vnto theÌ„ This Paulinus was made bishop by Iustus tharchbishop of Caunterbury aboute the 21. daye of Iulie the yeare of our Lorde 625. Being ordained he is directed in company with the aboue mentioned virgin vnto king Edwine as if he had ben her bodely compagnion but the vertuous bishop entended wholly in his harte nought els then to call that countrie to which he weÌ„t to thacknowleadging of the truth that according to the sayeng of the Apostle he might exhibet and present hit as a chaste virgin to the true and only spouse which is Christe When he was now commen into this countrie with the healpe and ayde of God he laboured ernestly to keape them which came with him from falling froÌ„ their faith And sought also how he might possibly conuert by preching some of those painims to faith and grace But as the Apostle saith Although he loÌ„g laboured in preching the word of our Lord to them yet the God of this worlde so blinded the hartes of thâ—sâ— infidels that the light of the gospell and the glorie of Christe could not shyne before them The yeare folowing there came into this cuntrie a desperate ruffian named Ewmere sent thither by Euichelme kinge of the west Saxons Who entending to dispatche kinge Edwine both of his kingdome and life to brought priuely vnder his garment a double egged short swerd to this entent dipped in poyson that if the stroke of the swerde were not forceable enough to kill the king out of hand yet it might be healped forward with the infection of the poison He came therfore on Ester Sondaye vnto the king who laye at the ryuer Deruent where was the courte then He entred ther into the palace as an embassadour which had earnest message from his prince and when with craftie speache he had a litle made the prince attent to his fained embassaye he steppeth forth sodenly and drawing his swerd from vnder his garment flew to the kinge Which when Lilla the kinges moste faithful seruant sawe and hauing no buckler readie at hand wherewith he might defend the king from present deathe stept straightwaie with his owne bodie betwen the kinge and the stroke But this murderer strooke his swerd so farre and feercely in them bothe that through the bodie of this seruaunt now quight slayne he wounded the king himselfe greuously Which thing when he had thus donne being straightwaye besette with the weapons of the kinges garde
him and his who were then taking their iourney The bishop blessing them and committing them to the goodnes of god gaue them also hallowed oyle saying I know that when you shall haue shipping a tempest and a contrary winde shall rise vpon you sodeinly But remember that you cast into the sea this oyle that I geue you and anon the winde being laied comfortable fayer weather shall ensue on the sea which shall send you home againe with as pleasaunt a passage as you haue wished All these thinges were fulfilled in order as the bishop prophesied Truly at the beginning of the tempest when the waues and surges of the sea did chiefely rage the shipmen assayed to cast ancar but all in vaine For the tempest encreased the whaues multiplied so faste and water so filled the shippe that nothing but present death was looked for In this distresse the priest at the length remembring the bishop wordes toke the oyle pot and did cast of the oyle into the sea which being done according as the vertuous bishop had forsaide the sea calmed the bright sonne appeared the ship passed on with a most prosperous viage Thus the man of God by the sprit of prophecy forshewed the tempest to come and by the same holy Spirit though bodely absent appaised the same No common reporter of vncertain rumours but a very credible man a priest of our church Cynimund by name shewed me the processe of this miracle who saied that he had hearde it of that same Vtta the priest in whome the miracle was wrought How the same man by prayer ceased the fyre that ennemies had put to the kinges citee The. 13. Chap. AN other miracle worthy temembraunce wrought by the same father is reported of many such as were moste likely to haue perfect knowledge of it At what time Penda capitain of the Marshes inuaded the prouince of Northumberland this Aidan being bishop and wasting and spoyling the whole countre euen vnto Bebba the cite of the kinges owne abode being not able neither by battaile neither by siege to winne it minded to sett it a fire and had for that purpose caried thither in certaine chaines and gables cut of by mayne force in the suburbes of the cyte a great quantitye of beames rafters postes and small twigges wherewith he had compassed that part of the cyte that adioyneth to the land in a great height and the winde now seruing at will the fire was kindled and the cite began to consume this reuerent prelate Aidan being then in holy Ilond about two myles from the cite whether oftentimes he vsed to departe to kepe his secret trade of deuotions and solitary contemplacions as euen to this day the place is well knowen beholding the flakes of fire and great smoke ouer the cyte lifting vp his eyes and handes to heauen with teares as it is reported cryed out and sayed Behold O Lorde how great mischeif Penda worketh Which wordes of that blessed man being pronounced the windes being turned from the cyte turned backe the light fyre againe vppon them who had kindled it In so much that some being hurte all made afraied they were fayne to leaue the assault of the cyte which they sawe to be holpen by the hande of God How the post of the church whereunto that holy bishop leaning departed this life could not be burned when all the rest of the church burned and of his inward life The. 16. Chap. THis vertuous bishop Aidanus at what tyme he shoulde depart this worlde hauing laboured in the office of a bishop xvij yeres remained in a village of the kinges not far from the cyte of Bebba for hauing there a church and a chamber he vsed oftentimes to stay and abyde there taking from thence his yourney rounde about the countre to preache the word of God as he did in al other tounes subiect to the kinge not resting longe in any place as hauing no possessions of his owne but his church only and a small plotte of grounde lying there aboute Being therfore sicke they pitched him a pauilion fastening it hard to the church wall on the west syde thereof In this pauilion leaning to a post ioyned to the out side of the church to fortefy it he gaue vp the ghost in the xvij yere of his bishopricke the last day of August His body was from thence caryed to holy Iland and in the church yarde of the monastery buried But shortly after a greater church there being erected and dedicated in the honour of the most blessed prince of the Apostles S. Peter his bones were transposed thither and layed at the right side of the aultar with much honour as that vertuous bishop deserued Finanus a holy man directed thither from the Ilond and monastery of Hij in Scotland succeded Aidan and was bishop a long tyme. It fortuned not long after that Penda king of the Marshes or Vplandish english men inuading the coastes of Northumberland with a mighty armie destroying with fire and sworde all that he mette burned also that village and the church wherein that holy man Aidan died But behold al the rest of the church burning that only poste whereunto this holy man leaned at the moment of his departure could by no force of fyre be consumed The miracle being knowen and ◠the church was builded vp againe in the selfe same place and the post also to fortefy the wall as before Which being done not long after by the ouersight of the inhabitants the village and churche also chaunced to be sett all on fyre that poste yet escaping the flame and fyre as before And wheras the fyre passed through the holes of the post whereby it was fastened to the churche wall yet the church burning the poste could not be hurt Whereupon a third churche being builded that poste was no more sett withowt to bolster vpp the wall as before but for remembraunce of the miracle it was had into the church and layed as a threshold for people to knele vpon and make their deuoute prayers to almighty God And it is well knowen that sithen that tyme diuers haue in that place ben cured of deseases and with water wherein chippes cut from that poste haue ben dipped many haue recouered health This much haue I written of this holy man and of his workes not yet commending in him his wronge and euill accustomed obseruation of Easter according to the coūte of the Iewes but detesting that in hym vtterly as also I haue euidently declared in my booke De temporibus But as it behoueth a true historiographer I haue reported of him and of his doings suche thinges as were cōmendable and might profit the readers As that he was a man of greate charity and quyet of great contynency and humilitie a conquerer of wrathe and couuetousnes and one that was far from all pride and vaine glory Againe I commend in him his greatindustry both in keping and in teaching the
time that she went to the monasterie she wold neuer weare any lynnen but only wollen clothes and seldome wash herselfe in warme bathes saue against solemne highe feastes as Easter whitsontyde or twelfetyde and than would she be the last of all and with her owne handes and helpe of her handemaydes wold first wash the reast of Christes virgins that were there Very seldom also excepte on high feastes or for great necessitie dyd she eate more than onse a day and that continually on lesse a greater feblenesse dyd let her From the time of the first comming to prayer together vntill the rysing of the day she abode in the Churche still continewing at her prayers And there are that say that by the spirite of prophecie she dyd foretell both the pestilence wherof she should dye herselfe and also did openly in all their presence declare the nomber of them that showld be taken from this world owt of her monasterie She was takē away to our Lord in the mids of her company seuen yeres after she was made Abbesse And as she her self had willed she was buryed in a tombe of wood in none other place than in the myds of them in such order and sort as she departed After whome succeded her sister Sexburg in the office of Abbesse which woman Earcombert king of Kent had had to wyfe And when Edildride had lyen buried xvj yeres it semed good to her sayd syster nowe Abbesse to haue her bones taken vpp and put in a newe tombe and remoued into the churche Whereupon she wylled certaine of the bretherne to seke a stone whereof they mighte make a tombe for this purpose And they taking ship for the countree of Eelye is round abowt compassed with waters and fennes nor hathe any great stones for such purposes came to a certaine litle citie leafte desolate and vnhabited the which was not far from thence and in the englysh tonge is called Grandchester and straight way they found by the walles of the citie a tombe of white marble ready made very fayre and couered very trym and fyt with a couer of the same stone wherby vnderstanding that our Lorde hadd prospered their iourney they gaue him thankes therefore and browght it to the monasterie And when the graue was opened and the body of the holy virgin and spouse of Christ taken owt into the light it was found so cleane from corruption as if she had dyed or bene put in the grownd the very same daye euen as bothe the aforesayd byshop Wilfride and many other that knewe it beare wytnesse But Cinfride a certaine phisition whiche was present by her bothe when she dyed and when she was taken owt of the tombe was wonte of more certaine knowledge to tell that when she lay sicke she had a very great swelling vnder her arme pit and they bad me quoth he to launce that swelling that the yll humour that was within might issue owt Which when I had done for the space of two dayes after she semed to be somewhat better at ease so that some thowght that she might be cured of her grief But the third day her former paynes tooke her againe and straight way was she taken owt of the worlde and chaunged all paine and death with health and life euerlasting And when after so many yeres her bones showld be taken owt of the graue they spred a tent ouer the same and all the company of the bretherne on the one syde and systers on the other stode round about synging and the Abbesse with a fewe other went in to take vp and bring forth the bones But sodainly we heard her within crye owt withe a lowde voyce Glorie be to the name of God And anon after they called me in opening the entraunce of the tente where I sawe the body of the holy virgin of God being taken out of the tombe and lyeng on the bead like one that were a slepe Then dyd they also open the couering of her face and shewed me the wound of the cut that I had made healed and cured so that in meruailous wyse in the place of the open and gaping wound wherwith she was buried there appered than but litle smal signes of the scar. Byside this all the lynnen clothes wherein the body was winded appered hole and so newe that they semed to be put abowt those chast lymnes but that very daye And the report is that when she was grieued with the forsayd swelling and paine of her cheeke bone and necke she tooke great ioye in this kind of disease and was wont to saye I knowe most certainly that I worthely doo beare this bourden of paine in my necke in which I remember that when I was a gyrle I did beare the superfluouse and vaine bourdens of tablettes and owches and I beleue that the soueraine pitie of God doth therefore send me this grief and paine in my necke that he may so absoyle and quit me from that gylte of vanitie and lightenesse whereas nowe in stede of gold and pretious stones the read fire heate and burning swelling breaketh out off my necke It happened also that by the touching of the same Clothes wherein the corse lay both spirits were driuen oute of certaine bodies possessed and also other diseases healed sometimes And it is said that the tumbe in which she was firste layd and buried did heale certaine that were pained in their eyes which as sone as they set their head to the same tombe and prayed straightway had the griefe of their sore or dymme eyes taken away The body of the virgin was taken and washed and layd in newe clothes and so caried into the churche and put in the other tombe that was brought where it is kepte vnto this daye and is had in great reuerence The said tumbe founde ready made was not without a miracle so apte and fyt for the virgins bodie as if it had bene of purpose made and cut out for her the place also of the head was made by it selfe seuerally and semed to haue bene fasshioned as iuste as could be for the bygnesse of her head This countree of Ely is in the prouince of the East english and conteyneth about CC. housholdes and is compassed on eche syde as we haue said lyke an Iland round about with either fennes or waters And therefore of the eeles which are plentifully taken in those waters it hath his name In this I le this sayd handmayde of Christ desired to haue a monasterie bicause as we sayd before she came of the nation and bloud of the East english An hymne of the sayd virgin The 20. Chap. THe occasion semeth conuenient to put in this historie an hymne of virginitie which many yeares past we made in meter in the lawde and prayse of the sayde Quene and virgin which is in dede therfore verely a Queene for that she is the spouse of Christ. And herein we shall followe the custome of the holy scripture
was Oswy his brother keping the kingdome almost within equall boundes for a certaine time But after he cōquered for the most part the Pictes and Scotte mē which dwelled in the North quarters of Britāny and made thē tributarie But we wil speak of that here after King Elbert died the 24. day of February the 2. yere after that he had receiued the faith being ful past and is layde in S. Martins porch within the church of the blessed Apostels Peter and Paul wher also Quene Bertha is buried Which king beside other his deades that he boūtefully bestowed vpō his subiectes gaue and appointed them by the coūsel of wise mē certaine lawes and iudicial decrees according to thexāple of the Romans which being writē in the English tōgue are vntil this day kept of thē and as occasiō serueth practised In which his lawes and decrees he first and chiefly ordeined what amends he ought to make which had by thefte taken away anie thinge from the churches bishops or other orders Wherein the king prouided a safegard aud surtie for them whom and whose doctrine he had now receiued This Elbert was the son of Irminrike whose father was Octa and Octaes father Orrich called also Oiske Of whom the kinges of kēt are wont to be called Oiskinges This Orriches fathers name was Hengist who with his Oiske being sent for of Vortiger first entred into Britannie as I haue shewed before But after the death of Elbert when Eadbald his sonne had taken on him the rule of the royalme he greately hindered and dammaged there the younge springes and tender encreases of the churche For he would not only not accept and mainteyne the faith of Christ but he was also polluted and defiled with suche a fornication as the Apostle witnesseth neuer to haue ben heard of amongest the gentils which is that he had married his fathers wife With which ij heynouse factes he gaue occasion to his subiectes to returne to their former filthe and vomit which vnder his fathers raigne or for fauour or feare of the king had yelded to the lawes of Christen faith and chastite But the scourges of God and vengaunce from heauen wanted not to the punishing and correcting of this vnfaithfull kinge For he was plaged with often frensy of minde and raging fury of an vncleane sprite Nowe besides all this the death also of king Sabareth king of the Este Saxons muche encreased the trouble and persecution of the churche Who departing hence to the euerlasting kingdome of heauen left his iij. sonnes remaining yet paynims heyres of his temporall kingdome in earth After the death of their father they began straightwaie and openly to folowe idolatrie which while their father liued they semed somewhat to haue relented geuing also free licence to al their subiects to worship idols These princes on a certaine time when they sawe the bisshop in the churche after he had celebrated the solemnites of the masse geaue the people the sacrament being puffed vpp with barbarouse and rude folie saide as the common reporte is thus vnto him Why doest thou not geaue vs also some of that white breade which thou diddest geue our father Saba for so they were wont to call their father Sabareth and which thou doest not yet cease to geaue the people in the churche To whome he answered Yf ye wil be washed in that holsome font wherein your father was ye maye likewise eate of this blessed breade whereof he was partakener But if ye contemne the lauetorie of life ye can in no wise taste the breade of life We will not said they enter into this font of water for we knowe we haue no nede thereof But yet neuertheles we will eate of that breade And when they had ben often and ernestly warned off the bishop that it could not be that without holy purging and clensing by baptisme any man might communicate of this most holie oblation they at last in their furie and rage sayde to the bishop well if thou wilt not consent to vs in so smalle a matter as we aske of the thou shalt not hensforth abide in our prouince and dominions And straightway they expelled him Commaunding him and all his companie to depart their royalme Who being expelled thence went into kent to common there with Laurence and Iustus his fellow bishops what were best to be done in this case And by cōmon consent it was concluded that better it were for them all to returne into their countries and there to serue God with a free minde and quiet conscience then to abide with those barbarouse men or liue amongest such rebelles of the faith without all fruit or profit Therfore Mellite and Iustus departed first and came to the coastes of Fraunce purposing there to expecte and attende for the issue of these matters So shortly after these kinges which had driuen from them this preacher of trueth fell freely to idolatrie and worshipping of diuells But yet not without the vengeance of God For on a time waging battaile against the Genissans they with their whole armie were slaine But although the authors of this misscheffe were thus destroied yet could not the common people ons stirred to naughtynes be amended and reuoked to the simplicite of faith and charite which is in Christ. How Lawrence chastened by S. Peter conuerted king Edbald to Christe who immediatly after called backe Mellite and Iustus to preache The. 6. Chap. WHen Laurence was now ready to forsake Britannie and goe after Mellite and Iustus he commaunded the night before he went his bed to be brought forth and layed in S. Peter and Paules churche of which churche we haue oftentimes spoken Where when after manie his praiers and teares powred out to God for the state of the church reposing his body to rest and sleaping in his bedde the blessed Apostle S. Peter appeared to him who scourging him with sharp stripes a greate while in the close and secret night chalenged him with Apostolicall auctorite and asked why he would forsake the flocke which he himselfe had committed vnto him and to what shepeherd renning now awaye he would leaue the sheape of Christe besette in the middest of wolfes Hast thou quoth he forgotte myne example who for the lytle ones of Christe which he commended to me in witnes and token of his loue dyd suffer fetters strypes enprisoninges afflictions and att the laste death it selfe yea the death of the crosse by infidels and the enemies of Christe that I mought be crowned with him By these S. Peters strypes and with these his exhortations Lawrence the seruant of Iesus Christe being styrred vp and encouraged came boldly to the king erly in the morning and loosing his garment shewed him how sore he was beaten and pitifully his flesh was torne The king amased therat meruayled much with himselfe And enquyred who durst be so bold as to whyp and scourge such a man as this Lawrence
persuade king Redwald that neyther he himselfe shuld hurte yowe nor yealde yowe vp to your enemies that they myght slaye yow When Edwyne answered that he would geaue all that he possible could to anie suche a one for reward of so good a turne this maÌ„ added moreouer and sayde But what if besyde this he do warrant you that ye shal be a kinge and all your enemies vanquished yea and that in suche sorte that you shall not only excell all your auncient progenitours but also far passe in powre all the kinges of Englishemen which haue euer ben in this couÌ„trie Here Edwyne being made more firme and constant by ofte questioning doubted not to promis that in all pointes and at all tymes he wold be answerable with worthie thankes geauing to the man that shuld bestowe on him such greate benefites Then this man spake the thyrd tyme and sayde But tell me againe what yf besyde all this the same man which sheweth yow now before truly and vnfaynedly that yow shall hereafter surely and vndoubtedly doubtedly haue suche and so greate benefites can geaue yowe also better couÌ„sell and more profitable for your sowles health and saluation then euer any your parentes and auncesters heard of could ye then consent and obey him and harken to his holsome sayenges Here Edwyne promised owt of hand without anie lenger delaye that he would altogether followe his lerning and doctrine which both could and would deliuer him presently from so manie miseries and so greate daungers as he was in and exalte him afterward to the raygne and souerantie of his countrie Which his answer was heard and taken Then this man straightwaye which had so long talked with him layde his right hande vpon Edwines heade and said when these thinges therfore shall happen herafter in suche sorte to yowe remember well this tyme and this our talke And differ not at that time to fulfil and accomplishe this that yow do nowe promesse me Which being sayde by and by he vanished awaye To the entent that Edwine might vnderstand and perceaue that it was no man but a ghoste which appeared to him Now when this younge prince was lefte alone and sate there solitarie reioysing with himselfe for this gentle consolation and good comforte but yet very careful and muche counting with himselfe who it shuld be or whence he shuld come which had thus spoken and talked familiarly with him beholde his forsayd frende came againe and greating him cherfully Arise Edwine sayde he and come in Let passe this your carke and cares Set your harte at rest and take your quiet sleape For the kinges minde is chaunged Neither dothe he purpose nowe or intend to doe yow any wronge but ratheâ— to defend yowe and accomplishe his promised fayth vnto yowe For after he had shewed the Quene in secret that his purpose which I told yowe of before â—he dehorted him moste ernestly and withdrew him from so euill and so deadly an intention saying that it was in no wise mete for suche a king of so greate proweâ—e and honour as he was to sell his best and derest frend being now browght into straightes and miserie for a litle gold Nor that he should breake his faith and promesse which owght to be more estemed then al treasures or not bide by his word for the coueit and loue of monie But to be shorte the king did euen as his Ladie had counselled him to doe For he not only not betrayed and yelded to thembassadours this his banished man Edwine but helped him rather to the kingdome For as sone as these embassad ours were thus with deniall departed home againe he gathered incontineÌ„tly a myghtie armie to conquer king Edelfrede Whome he slewe without difficultie bicause he marched forth against him hastely and with a weake and vnordred oste in the borders of the Marchland men at the Este syde of the riuer called Idle For in deade kinge Edelfride had not time and space enowgh grawnted him to gather all his force together and to ioygne his powre with well disposing his hoste and sowldiers in order In this skirmishe Renier king Redwalds sonne was slayne And thus Edwin according to the oracle which he had receiued not only auoyded the dawnger of his most dedly enemie but also by his death succeded in thonor of his Souerainte and kingdome Now therfore to returne againe vnto my purpose thowgh Bishop Pawline seriously preched the word of God yet kinge Edwine slacked and lengered to beleaue him Vsing yet for a certaine space at diuers competent howres to sitte solitarie as I haue sayde before and diligently to compte with him selfe what were best to be donne and what religion was best to be folowed At which solitary meditation of the prince this good and godly bishoppe Pawline entred on a daye in to the palace and cominge to the kinge laied his right hand on his heade and asked hym whether he remembred that sygne or no The king sodenly trembled therat for feare And when he wold haue fallen downe at Paulinus feate the bishoppe lyfted him vppe and spake after a familiar sorte thus vnto him Behold o Soueraine Prince by the bountifull hand and powre of our Lorde and God you haue eskaped the hande and vengeance of your moste hated and dredfull enemie Behold also by his most gratiouse goodnes you haue obtained the Soueraintie of raigne and rule of the kingdome Remember now therfore the third thinge which yowe promised him and differ no lenger to performe and accomplishe the same by receauing his faithe and keaping his commaundements who hath deliuered you from your temporall aduersities and exalted you to the honour and maieste of a king Whose holy will yf you will hereafter obey and euer more doe his pleasure which by me he preacheth and declareth to yowe he will also deliuer you from the perpetuall tormente of hell and make you partakener with him in heauen of eternall kingdome and blesse without end What counsell king Edwyne had of the nobles and peares of his royalme for the receiuing of Christian faithe and how one of his Bisshops profaned and brake downe the Idols aulters The 13. Chapter WHich worde when the kinge heard he answered immediatly bothe that he would and also that he was bounde to receaue this faithe which B. Pauline had preched and taught But yet I thinke it good quoth he first to confer and common herof with my frendes the nobilitie and peares of my realme that if they shall happely thinke herein as I doe then we maye be Christened all together in the founte of lyfe Whereunto when Byshop Pauline agreed king Edwyne calling the states together consulted with them And asked seuerally eche of them what maner of doctrine this semed to be which vntill that daye had neuer ben head of before And how they liked the honour and worshipping of this new God whiche was preached nowe emongest them To whome Bishop Coyfi first of all his Bishops
them which faythe fully seeke therfore In this churche after Iustus departure hence vnto Christe Pawlyne consecrated Honorius Archebishopp of Caunterbury as I shall shewe more conueniently herafter Nowe as towching the faythe and belefe of this prouince a certaine preist and abbot a man of good credit and to be beleued whose name is Deda of the monasterie of Peartan told me that one of the elders of that couent as he reported him selfe was baptised with manie other of the people there at none daye by bishop Pawline in the presence of king Edwine and in the fludde of Trent nere the citie Thwolfing acester the which father and elderly man was wont to describe Paulinus personne saying that he was a taule man sumwhat crooked backe and blacke of heare lene in face and hauing a hooked and thinne nose in countenance bothe dredful and reuerent Who had in his chappel one Iames by name who was a deacoÌ„ and an industrious and diligent maÌ„ noble certes and of greate fame in Christ and the church Who liued also eueÌ„ vnto our time But in those dayes such was the peace and tranquillite through out all Britannie which waye soeuer king Edwynes dominions laye that as it is yet in a coÌ„mon prouerbe a weake womaÌ„ might haue walked with her new borne babe ouer al the yland euen from sea to sea without anie dammage or danger Moreouer this king did so muche tender his subiectes and the welth of the commons that in most places where he sawe fayâ—e clere wel springes breaking out by the highwaies syde he enclosed them in quicke sett boures for the refreshing of wayfaring men hauing by greate brasen basens to bathe or washe in Which basens either for feare of the kinges displeasure no man durst touche farder then to his owne present vse and necessite or no man wold take them awaye for the loue and good will they boore to their prince Who was for the time of his raigne so honoured and loued that the triumphing banners and flagges were borne before him not in warre only but in peace too whersoeuer he went abrode or rode with his garde in progresse aboute the greate cities townes and sheres of his dominions Yea euen when he passed through the stretes to any place there was carried before him that kinde of flag or stremer which the Romans calle Tufa and the English men now a Thuuffe How king Edwyne receaued letters of exhortation from Pope Honorius who sent therwith a palle to bishop Pauline The. 17. Chapter AT what time Honorius Boniface his successor was bishop of Rome and sate in the see Apostolike when he had vnderstoode that the kinge of Northumberland and all his subiectes in that countrie were conuerted to the faithe and confession of Christe by Paulinus preaching he sent the same bishop Pauline a palle and letters to king Edwyne exhorting him and his subiectes with fatherly loue and charite to persist or rather go forward in this true faithe which they had now receiued The tenor of which letters is suche To the most puissant prince and his most vertuous sonne in our Lorde Iesus Christe Edwyne king of the English men bishop Honorius seruant to them that serue God sendeth greating So is your Christian loue and integrite fyred with the flame of faith to the worshipping of your creator and maker that it shineth far and wyde and being declared through all the worlde bringeth furth fruyt of your doinge And truly so doe ye know your selfe best to be a king when that after ye are taught by the right and true preching ye beleaue in almightie God your king and creator Worshipping him adoring him and rendring vp to him the syncere deuotion of your hart as far forthe as mans weaknes and poore abilite can attaine vnto For what other thinge I praye you are we able to offer vnto our God then that persisting in good workes and confessing him to be the author of mankinde we worship him and spedely render our vowes and prayers vnto him Therfore we exhorte you our most derely beloued sonne in our Sauiour Christe Iesu as it is mete for a louing father to doe that ye endeuour al maner of wayes ye caÌ„ with ernest will and daily prayer to hold and kepe this that the mercy of God hath wrought in you calling you and all yours vnto his grace And so shall he which hath voucheâ—afed to bring you in this present world from all errour to the knowlege of his holy name prepare for you in the worlde to come a mansion place in heauen Be ye therfore often occupied in the reading of S. Gregories workes Who was a man certes of blessed memorie our good predecessour and your true precher and Apostle Haue before your eyes continually the greate zele of his doctrine and good affection which he gladly practised for your soules health and saluation That by this meanes his verâ—â—ouse prayer may both encrease your kingdome and also prosper yoâ—â—eople And that in the end he may represent you all as clene soules and without fault before the throne of almighty God Now as concerning these thinges which your grace desyred to be ordeined and appointed by vs for your priestes we haue without all delay prouided the same and truly the rather for your syncere and vnfayned faithes sake Which hath ben at diuers times and by diuers relatioÌ„s as also now by the bearers of these our presentes commendably declared vnto vs. We haue therfore with the rest of our rules and orders sent here ij palles for the ij metropolitans of your countre that is for bishop Honorius and bishop Pauline Willing and commaunding that when one of them is called out of this mortall lyfe to the mercie of God then shall his make and felowe which is yet a lyue subro gate by this our authorite an other bishop metropolitane in his place which is deceased which thinge we doe graunte vnto them as well for your good affection to vs and loue to the truthe as also for the distance of places and of so greate prouinces and cuntries as lye betwene Rome and Britannie And last to thintent that we might in all pointes shewe your highnes howe our consent and agrement is euer more redie at hand to your deuoute zele and ernest desyre of Gods glorie Who keape your grace alwaies in parfecte healthe and prosperite How bishop Honorius who succeded Iustus in the byshoprike of Caunterbury receiued from Pope Honorius a palle and letters The 18. Chapter NOW about this tyme died Archebishop Iustus the x. daie of Nouember And Honorius was chosen in his place Who comming to Archebishop Pauline to be appointed thereto met him at Lincolne And there was consecrated and instituted byshop of Caunterbury And is nowe numbred fifthe after S. Austin To whome also Pope Honorius sent a palle with letters in the which he commaunded the verie selfe same thinge that he wrote before in his epistle to king Edwine Which is
his owne sonne Alcfride did lykewise rebell and resist him Last of all Adilwalde his nephew sonne to Oswald withstoode him In the second yere of this Oswins raigne that is to witt in the. 644. yere after the incarnation of owr Lord the right reuerent father Pauline somtime bishope of yorke but then gouerning the diocese of Rochester went to God the twentieth day of October He was byshop 19. yeres and two monthes and one and twentie dayes and was buried in the chappell of the blessed Apostle S. Andrewe which king Edilbert builded vp euen from the foundation in the same cytee of Rochester In whose place the archebishop Honorius aduanced Thamar a kentish man a man comparable to any of his auncestours bothe in vertue of life and excellencie of learning Oswin at the beginnying of his reigne had a partaker of his estate royall named Osuuius who descended of kinge Edwines bloud that is to say the sonne of Osrike of whom we haue made mention before a maruaylous deuoute and godly man who seuen yeres together ruled the prouince of the Deirans in most pleÌ„ty of things and with the loue of al his subiects But Oswin who gouerned the other part of Northumberland toward the north to witt the prouince of the Bernicians cold not long liue peasibly with him but rather forging and encreasing causes of debate murdered him at leÌ„gth most cruelly For vpon these variaunces an armie beyng on bothe partes assembled Osuuius seyng hym self to weake to ioygne battayle withe Oswin thought it more expedient to breake of warr at that time and refrayne vntill better occasion serued Therfore he discharged the army which he had gathered together coÌ„maunding euery man to returne home againe The field where they met is called VVilfares downe and standeth almost ten myle from the village of Cataracton toward the west Osuuius conueighed him selfe out of the waye with only one that was his most faithfull souldiour named Condher to one Hunwald an Earle whom he toke for his very frend But alas he was much deceaued for being by the same Earle betrayed withe his forsaid souldiour vnto Oswin by by his lieutenant Edelwin he slew him most cruelly and traiterously This was done the xx of August in the ninthe yere of his reigne in a place whiche he called Ingethlâ—ng wher for the satisfaction of this heynous acte there was afterwarde a monastery buylded in the which daily prayers should be offered vp to God for the redemption of bothe the kinges soules as well the murderer as the partye murthered King Osuuius was of countenance beautifull of stature high in talke courtyous and gentle in all pointes ciuill and amiable no lesse honourable and bounttfull to the noble then free and liberall to persons of lowe degree Wherby it happened that for his outward personage inward hart and princely port he had the loue of all men Especially the nobilitie of all countres frequented his court and coueted to be receiued in his seruice Amonge other his rare vertues and princely qualites his humilitie and passing lowlynesse excelled Wherof we wil be contented to recite one most worthy example He had geuen to bishop Aidan a very faire and proper gelding which that vertuous bishop though he vsed most to trauail on foote might vse to passe ouer waters and ditches or when any other necessite constrained It fortuned shortly after a certain poore weake man met the bishop riding on his gelding and craued an almes of him The bishop as he was a passing pitefull man and a very father to needy persons lighted of and gaue the poore man the gelding gorgeously trapped as he was The king hearing after hereof talked of it with the bishop as they were entring the palace to diner and saied What meaned you my Lord to geue awaie to the begger that faire gelding which we gaue you for your owne vse Haue we no other horses of lesse price and other kinde of rewardes to bestowe vpon the poore but that you must geaue awaie that princely horse which we gaue you for your owne ryding To whom the bishop answered Why talketh your grace thus Is that broode of the mare derer in your sight then that sonne of God the poore man Which being said they entred for to dyne The bishop toke his place appointed But the knge coming then from hunting would stand a while by the fyre to warme him Where standing and musing with himselfe vpon the wordes which the bishop had spoken vnto him sodenly put of his sworde geuing it to his seruant and came in greate hast to the bishop falling downe at his feete and beseching him not to be displeased with him for the wordes he had spoken vnto him saying he would neuer more speake of it nor measure any more hereafter what or how much he should bestow of his goods vpon the sonnes of God the poore At which sight the bishop being much astonned arose sodenly and lifted vp the king telling him that he should quickely be pleased yf it would please him to fitt downe and cast awaie al heauynesse Afterward the kinge being at the bishops request mery the bishop contrary wise began to be heauy and sory in such sorte that the teares trickled downe by his chekes Of whom when his chapleyne in his mother tonge which the king and his court vnderstoode not had demanded why he wept I know said he that the king shall not lyue long For neuer before this time haue I seen an humble king Wherby I perceiue that he shall spedely be taken out of this life for this people is not worthy to haue such a prince and gouernour Shortly after the bishops dredful abodement was fullfilled with the kinges cruel death as we haue before declared Bishop Aidan him self also was taken awaie out of this world and receiued of God the euerlasting rewardes of his labours euen on the twelfthe day after the kinge whom he so much loued was slaine that is to wit the 30. daye of August How that bishop Aidan both tolde the shippemen of a storme that was to comeâ— and also gaue them holy oyle wherewith they did cease it The. 15. Chapter HOW worthy a man this bishop Aidan was God the high and secret iudge of mens hartes by sundry miracles the proper workes of his maiesty declared to all the world Thre of the which it shall be sufficient presently to recite for remembraunces sake A certaine priest called Vtta â— man of great grauitye and truth and one that for his qualites was much reuerenced and estemed of men of honour at what time he was sent into kent to fetch Eanflede kinge Edwines daughter who after the death of her father had ben sent thither to be maried to king Oswin appointing so his iourney that he minded to trauail thither by land but to retourne with the youÌ„g lady by water he weÌ„t to bishop AidaÌ„ beseching him to make his humble prayers to god to prosper
the porche of his church vntell the church it selfe was consecrated in Perone Which being solemnely done within six and twēty daies after the body was brought thither and being remoued from the porche to be layed by the high aultar it was founde as whole and vncorrupted as if the man had but that houre departed Foure yeares after a litle chappell being erected at the east syde of the aultar wher the body shuld more honourably betoumed being takē vp againe to be transposed thither it was founde in like maner without any blemish of corruption In the which place it is well knowen that his merites haue much ben renowned by sundry miracles wrought by the allmighty power of God Thus much of the incorruption of his body we haue brefely touched that the reader might more clerely vnderstande of what excellency and vertu this man was All which thinges and of other his vertuous companyons in the booke writen of his life he that readeth shall finde more ample mencion made How after the death of Honorius Deusdedit succeded and who in that time were bishops of Rochester and in the east partes of England The. 20. Chap. IN this meane Felix the bishop of the east englishmen departing this worlde hauing ben their bishop 17. yeares Honorius the Archebishopp of Caunterbury created in his place Thomas one of his deacons borne in the prouince of Giruij after whose death liuing in that bishoprick fyue yeares he substituded in his roome Beretgilsus surnamed Bonifacius a kentishman borne Honorius also the Archebishop the measure of his life expired passed to a better in the yeare of our Lord 653. the last daye of October Whom Deusdedit a west Saxon borne succeded after a yeare and a halfe the see being vacant all that tyme. For whose creation and consecration Ithamar byshop of Rochester came to Cannterbury He was consecrated the. xxiiij of Marche and gouuerned that see ix yeares iiij moneths and two dayes After whose departure Ithamar consecrated in his place Damianus a Sussex man borne Howe the Marshes or vplandish englishmen that is the sheres of Lincolne Couentry Lichefield and worceter receaued the Christen faith vnder Penda their kinge The. 21. Chapter AT this time the Middelenglishmē that is of the sheres aboue named receiued the Christen faith and the sacramentes thereof vnder Penda their kinge sonne to Pendam that cruell and vnmercifull hethen This being a vertuous young man worthy of the name and person of a kinge was of his father put in gouuernement of that countre Who coming after to Oswin kinge of Northumberland requiring Alcfled his daughter to wife could in no other wise obtaine his suite vnlesse he would as that countre was receiue the Christen faith and be baptised Hereupon the ghospell was preached vnto him Who hearing the promis of euerlasting life the hope of resurrection and immortalite of the soule yelded him self gladly to be Christned though he shoulde not spede of his suite To this he was muche persuaded by Alcfrid king Oswins son who had maried his sister Cymburg kinge Pendan his daughter Thus then he with the Erles and kinghtes that waited vpon him and all their seruauntes were baptised of Finanus the bishopp in a famous towne of the kinges called Admurum From whence he returned home with much ioye and comfort accompained with foure priestes notable bothe for lerning and for vertue whiche shoulde instruct and baptise his people These priestes were called Cedda Adda Betti and Diuna who was a scottesman borne the other thre english Adda was brother to Vtta that holy and vertuous priest that we mencioned before and Abbot of the monastery called Cubeshead These foresaied priestes entring the prouince of the middleland with the Prince preached the worde of God and were gladly heard Whereby many daily as well noble as of the base forte renouncing the filth of idolatry were clensed in the fonte of life Neither king Pendam father to this young prince did withstande or gainsaie the preaching of the ghospell in his dominions yf any would heare it But hated in dede and persecuted all such as bearing the name of Christians liued not according to the faithe they professed saying commonly that suche men were wretched and worthely to be spited whiche regarded not to please their God in whom they beleued These thinges began two yeares before the death of kinge Penda the younger who being after slayne and Oswin a moste Christen kinge succeding him in the crowne Diuna one of the foure foresaied priestes was consecrated of Finanus and created bishop of all the middle or vplandish english men For the scarcety of priestes made that ouer all that people one Bishop was sett Who winning to the faith in short time a great multitude of people in Fepping died leauing for his successour Ceollach a Scottish man also borne Who not longe after leauing the bishoprike returned to his countre the Iland of Hij where the chief and principall monasteries of Scotland were To him succeded Trumher a vertuous man and brought vpp in religion an Englishman borne but consecrated byshopp of the Scottes in the raigne of kinge VVillher as we shall hereafter more at larg declare How the East Saxons at the preaching of Cedda receiued again the faith◠which vnder kinge Sigibert they had loste The 22. Chapter AT this very time the east Saxōs by the meanes of kinge Oswin receiued againe the faith which before expelling Melitus the first bishop of Londō out of the coūtre they abandonned Their kinge then was Sigbert succeding to Sigibert surnamed the litle This Sigbert being a nere and familiar frende of kinge Oswin then king of the Northumbrians came by that occasion oftentimes to Northumberland At which metinges the vertuous kinge Oswin vsed eftsoones to persuade with him that such could not be Gods which were made with mens handes that wodde or stone coulde not be any quicke matter to make a liuing God the pieces and remnants whereof either were wasted with fire or serued to make vessels for the vse of man or otherwise being naught worthe were caste forth troden vnder foote and turned into earth God rather saied he must be vnderstanded to be of maiesty incomprehensible to mens eyes vnuisible almighty and euerlasting who made bothe heauen and earth and all mankinde gouerned them also and should iugde the whole worlde in equite whose mansion place is euerlastinge Finally that al such as would lerne and perfourme the will of their Creatour should vndoubtedly receiue of him euerlasting rewarde therefore These and such other godly aduertissemtēs being frendly and brotherly from time to time made and repeted to king Sigbert by Oswin he began at lenght his other frendes agreing therunto to sauour them and beleue them Whereupon aduise being taken with his company and all bothe consenting and pricking him fore ward he was baptised of Finanus the bisshop in the cite of Admurum nigh vnto the walle wherewith the
petition was heard and graunted for xij dayes after she was taken out of this life also and receaued euerlasting rewarde in chaunge of those temporall afflictions Nowe when Torithgid the foresaid handmayd of Christe had lyued three yeare more after the death of the Abbesse she was so far pyned away with the sickenesse that we spake of before that the skyn and bones did scant cleaue together And at last the time of her departing being nowe at hand she could not only styr none of all her limmes but was speachelesse and could not moue her tongue In which case as she lay three daies and as many nightes sodainly being relieued with a ghostly vision she opened her mouthe and eyes and looking vp to heauen begaÌ„ thus to speake to the vision which she sawe Thy comminge is to me moâ—â— ioyfull and thou arte hartely wellcome And when she had so sayd she held her peace a litle as it were abyding for an aunswere of him whome she sawe and spake to And then as it were a litle angerly she sayed againe I can not gladly suffer this And straightway holding her peace a litle she spake the third tyme and sayd If it may not by any meanes be to day I beseche the that the meane time be not longe delayed wherewith holding her peace a litle as she had done before she ended and concluded her talke thus And if it be fully so appointed and that this sentence and order can not be changed I beseke thee that there be no more but only this next night betwene After which wordes being demaunded of them that sate about her to whom she spake forsoth quoth she to my most dere mother Edilburge Whereby they vnderstode she came to bringe her word that the time of her passing hence was nye For euen as she made request after one day and one night passed she was deliuered both of the bond of the flesh and of her sickenesse and entred into the ioyes of eternall blesse How a certaine blynd woman praying in the Churchyard of the same monasterie receaued her sight The. 10. Chap. IN the place and office of Abbesse Edelburg succeded a deuout handmayd of God named Hildilhid the which many yeares euen till her very great and extreme age gouerned the same monasterie exceding diligently bothe in keping of regular discipline and order and also in prouiding such thinges as apperteined to daily vses This woman bicause of the straightnesse of the place wherein the monasterie was built thought good to haue the bones of the holy monkes and handmaydes of Christ which were there buried taken vp and remoued all to the churche of the blessed mother of God and there to be buried and laid in one place In which place how often the brightenes of the heauenly light appered howe often and howe great a flagrant odour of a meruailouse swete sauour and what other miracles were there shewed who so will know and reade he shal fynd the same aboundantly in that booke out of which we haue taken these thinges Yet my thinke I can in no case let passe a miracle of one that was healed which miracle as the same booke declareth was wrought in the Churcheyard of the sayd religiouse house There dwelled an Erle therby whose wyfe had a certaine darkenes sodainly comen ouer her eyes the griefe whereof daily encreasing she was so farre troubled and molested therewith that she could not see any litle light at all This lady remaining a space in this blindnesse it came sodainly to her mind on a time that if she were brought to the monasterie of the holy virgins and there prayed at the reliques of the Saintes she might receaue her sight againe And she made no delay till she had straight fulfilled that which she had ones conceaued in her mind For being lead by her maydes to the monasterie being hard by adioyning where she had full belefe to be holpeÌ„ and healed she was straight brought into the churchyard And as she praied ther for a space on her knees her petition was heard and obtained anon For rising vp from her prayer before she went out of the place she receaued the benefit of her sight that she sought And where she was lead thither by the handes of her wayting maydes she went ioyfully home by herselfe without any guide so that it might seme that she had lost the light of this world only for this end that she might shewe by her healinge what and howe great the light is that Christes Saintes haue in heauen and what grace of power and vertue How Sebbi king of the same prouince ended his lyfe in monasticall conuersation The. 11. Chapter AT that time as also the foresayd booke sheweth there raigned ouer the East Saxons a man very deuout and godly named Sebbi of whome we made mention aboue For he was very much geuen to exercises of religion and vertu to much and often praier and to charitable almesdedes esteming the solitarie and monastical life before all the rychesse and honours of a kingdome Which kinde of lyfe he had taken long time before and giuen vp his kingdome had not the selfewilled mind of his wife refused to separate from him And therfore some men thought as it had bene often sayed that a man of such a nature and well disposed mind was more mete to be made a bishop then a king Nowe when this souldiour of the ecclesiasticall kingdome had passed ouer xxx yeres in his temporall reigne at lenght he died But first he admonished his wife that then at least they should wholly geue themselues both together to serue God whereas they could no lenger now enioye or rather serue the world together Which thing when he had with much a doo obtained of her he came to the bisshop of London named Waldher who had succeded Erconwald and at his hand and blessing receaued the habit of religion which he had long desyred To which bishop he brought a great somme of mony to be bestowed and giueÌ„ to the poore reseruing nothing at all for him selfe but rather desyring to remaine poore in spirite for the kingdome of heauen And when he perceaued the day of his death to be at hand bicause the foresayd sicknesse grewe on still vpon him for the princely haught courage that he had he began to feare least at his death throughe the bitter pange of the same he might hap either to vtter with his mouth or with some other part of his body doo any thing that were not mete and comly for his person And therefore he sent for the bishop of London where he also then continewed and desyred him that at his departing and passing out of this world there should be no mo present but the bishop himselfe and two of his chapplens Which thing when the bishop had promised moste gladly to doo not long after the said man of God setting him selfe to slepe sawe a comfortable vision which toke from him all care of
to the faith a Saxon borne which was taken with the same sickenesse and had kept his bed no small time And when the second day of the said fasting and praying was nowe come it happened that about vij a clocke in the morning as the boy was leafte al alone in the place where he lay sicke sodainly by the appointement of God there vowtsafed to appere vnto him the most blessed two chiefe Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul For the boy was of a very innocent and meke mind and nature and with sincere deuocion kepte the sacramente of faith which he had receaued In this vision the Apostles first saluted him with most gentle wordes saying Feare not Sonne the death for which thou art so pensife for we wil this day bring thee to the kingdom of heauen But first thou must tary til the Masses be said and after thou hast receaued thy viage prouisioÌ„ the body and bloud of our Lord being so released both of sickenes and death thou shalt be lifted vp to the euerlasting ioyes in heauen Therefore doo thou call for priest Eappa vnto thee and tell him that our Lorde hath heard your prayers and deuocion and hath mercifully looked vpon your fastinge neither shall there any one more dye of this plage either in this monasterie or in any of the possessions that adioyne to the same But as many as belonge to you any where and lye sicke shall rise againe from their sickenes and be restored to their former health saue only thow which this daye shalt be deliuered from death and be brought to heauen to the vision of our Lord Christ whome thow haste faithfully serued Which thing it hath pleased the mercy of God to doo for you through the intercession of the godly and dere seruant of God king Oswald which sometime gouerned the countre of Northumberland most nobly both with the authoritie of this temporall kingdome and also in holynesse and deuotion of Christen pietie which leadeth to the euerlasting kingdom For on this very day the same king being bodely slaine in battaile of the infidels and miscreants was straight takeÌ„ vp to heaueÌ„ to the eternal ioyes of the soule and felowship of the chosen and electe companies Let them seke in their booke that haue the notes of the departing of the dead and they shall fynd that he was takeÌ„ out of the world on this selfe day as we haue sayd And therfor let theÌ„ say Masses and geue thankes that their prayer is heard and also for the memory of the sayd king Oswald which sometime gouerned their nation For therefore did he humbly pray our Lord for them as being strauÌ„gers and exiles of his people And when all the bretherne are come together to the churche let them all be houselled and so fynish their faste and refresh their bodies with sustenaunce All the which wordes when the boy had declared to the priest being called vnto him the priest enquired of him what maner of aray and lykenes the men had which appeared vnto him He aunsweared they were very notable and goodly in their aray and countenaunces and exceding ioyfull and beautifull such as he neuer had sene before nor beleued that any men could be of so great comlynesse and beautie The one was shauen like a priest the other had a long beard And they sayd that the one of them was called Peter and thother Paul and that they were the ministers and seruantes of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ of whome they were sent from heauen for the sauing and defense of our monasterie Wherefore the priest belieued the wordes of the boye and went out by aud by and sought in his booke of Cronicles and found that king Oswald was slaine on that very day Then called he the bretherne together and commaunded dyner to be prouided and masses to be sayd and that they should all communicat after the accustomed maner And also willed a parte of the same sacrifice of our Lordes oblation to be brought to the sicke boye which thinge so done not loÌ„g after the boy died the very same day and proued by his death that the wordes were true which he had heard of Christes Apostles And this morouer gaue witnesse to his wordes that at that time no creature of the same monasterie was taken out of the world except him only By which vision many that might heare of the same were meruaylowsly styrred and enflamed both to praye and call for Gods mercy in aduersitie and also to vse the holesome helpes and medicines of fastinge And from that time not in that monasterie only but in very many other places to the birthe day of the sayd kinge and champion of Christ began yearely to be kept holy with masses and deuout seruice most reuerently Howe king Ceadwall â—lew Edilwach king of the Genisses and wasted that prouince with cruell death and ruyn The. 15. Chap. IN this meane time Ceadwall a valiant yong man of the royall blood of the Genisses being bannyshed from his countre came with an hoste of men and slewe king Edilwach of Sussex and wasted that prouince cruelly murdering and spoyling euery where But he was sone after driuen owt by two Capitaines of the kinges Berthun and Authun whiche from that tyme dyd holde and kepe the dominion of the prouince The chief of whiche two was afterward slaine of the same Ceadwall being then kinge in the west countre and the prouince subdued and browght into more greuouse subiection then it was before Againe he that raigned after Ceadwall oppressed it with lyke miserie and bondage a great many yeres Whereby it came to passe that the people of Sussex in all that time could haue no bishop of their own but were faine their first byshop VVilfride being called home againe to be vnder the diocese of the byshop of the Genisses which belongeth to the VVest Saxons as many as were in the territory of Selsee Howe the Ile of Wyght receaued christen inhabitantes in which I le two childerne of the kinges blood as sone as they were Christened were slayne The. 16. Chap. AFter that Ceadwall had thus obtayned the kingdome of the Geuisses or west Saxons he tooke the I le of Wight also which was so all giuen to the worshipping of idols that he entended vtterly to bannysh and dryue owt thence all the old natiue inhabitantes and to put people of his owne countre in their place For thowghe he was not yet at that time christened and regenerated in Christ him selfe at it is sayd yet he bownd him selfe with a vowe that if he tooke the Iland he wold giue vnto God the fourth part therof and of all the pray Which thing he so perfourmed that bishop VVilfride happening to be there at that time a man of his own countree he gaue and offred the same vnto him to the vse and seruice of our Lorde The sayd Iland conteyned as the English doo rate it M. CC. tenementes Whereof was giuen to
the catholique faith do hereunto subscribe with our owne handes How Iohn the Chantour of the sea Apostolique came into Englande to teache his conninge The. 18. Chap. AT this Synode there was present and also confirmed the decrees of the catholique faith a most reuerēd man named Ihon the chief Chantour of S. Peters churche and abbot of the monasterie of S. Martyns whiche was come of late from Rome by the commaundement of Pope Agatho hauing for his guyde the most reuerend Abbot Bishop surnamed Benedict of whome we spake before For when the sayed Benedict had buylt a monasterie in England in the honour of the most bessed chief of thapostles S. Peter by the mouth of the riuer Were he came to Rome as he had ofte bene wont to do before with his felowe and helper in the same worke Ceolfride who after him was abbot of the same monasterie and was receaued most honourably of Pope Agatho of worthy memorie of whome he desyred and obtained for the warrant and assurance of the libertie of the monasterie that he had erected a letter of priuilege confirmed by the authoritie Apostolique in such forme as he knewe the will and graunt of king Ecgfride to be by whose leaue and liberall gyfte of possession and land he had made the sayd monasterie He obtained also to haue with him the foresayd Abbot Ihon into England to the entente he might teache in his monasterie the yearly course and order of singing as it was in S. Peters at Rome And so the sayd Abbot Ihon did as sone as he had commaundemente by the Pope both with his owne voyce and presence teaching the chantours and singing men of the saied monastery the order and forme of singing and reading and also putting in writing those thinges that appertained to the celebration of highe feastes and holy dayes for the whole cōpasse of the yere Which things of his writing haue bene hitherto kept in the same monastery and are now euery wher copied out by diuerse And the same Ihon did not only teache the brethren of that monasterie but such as were skilled in songe came together to here him almost from all the monasteries of the same prouince And many to did earnestly desyre and entreat him in such places where he taught to come to them him selfe Beside this office and skill to teache synging and reading he had also an other charge in commaundement from the Pope Apostolike which was that he should diligently learne of what faith the churche of England was and bring worde thereof at his retourne to Rome For not longe before there had ben kepte at Rome a Synod by the holy Pope Martin of the consent of Cv. bishops against them principally that preached one only working and will in Christe Which Synode he brought with him and gaue it to be writen and copyed out in the foresayd monasterie of the moste vertuouse Abbot Benedict For such men had at that time very sore troubled the faith of the churche of Constantinople but by the goodnes and gyfte of our Lorde they were anon espied out and conuicted at the same time Wherefore Agatho the Pope minding as in other prouinces so also in England to be enformed what the Churche was and howe clere it was from the pestilent contagions of heretikes committed this charge and busynes to the most Reuerend Abbot Ihon being nowe appointed to go to England And therefore when the synode which we spake of before was called together in England for this purpose the catholike faith was in them all found clere sownd and vncorrupted And a copie of the same was geuen him to carie to Rome But in his retourning homewarde not long after he passed the sea he fell sicke by the way and died His body for the loue of S. Martin whose monasterie he gouerned was by his frendes brought vnto Tours and there buried honorably For as he went toward England he was gentelly receaued and lodged in that churche and desired earnestly of the bretherne ther that whē he retourned to Rome he wold come that way and lodge with them Finally he toke with him from thence certaine to helpe and succour him both in his iourney and also in his busynes that he was charged withall who althoughe he thus died by the way yet neuerthelesse the copie of the Catholique faith of England was brought to Rome and receaued most gladly and ioyfully of the Pope apostolike and of al that heard or read the same How quene Edildred continewed a perpetuall virgin whose body could not be corrupted nor rot in her tombe The. 19. Chapter KIng Egfride tooke to wife a woman named Edildride the doughter of Anna king of the East english of whom we haue ofte made mention a man meruailouse godly and in al pointes notable for vertu both of thought and dede This sayd woman had bene wedded to an other man before him that is to saye to the prince of the South Giruians named Tonbert But he died a litle after he had maried her and then she was geuen to wife to the foresayd kinge With whome she liued xij yeres and yet remained continually a pure and glorious virgin euen as bishop Wilfrid a man of blessed memorie did shewe me enquiring of purpose of the matter bicause many did doubte thereof and saied vnto me that he coulde of all men be a very sure witnesse of her virginitie for so much as kinge Ecgfrid promised to geue him landes and much money if he coulde persuade the quene to vse his companie though yet he knewe well that she loued no man in the world more then him And it is not to be mystrusted but that the same thinge may be done in our time also which hathe ben sometime done in times paste as trewe histories do witnesse whereas one and the same lorde geueth the grace which promiseth to abyde with vs vnto the end of the world For besyde this the signe and token of the diuine miracle in that the flesh of the same virgin buryed could not be corrupted and putrefied doth well shewe that she lyued alway vncorrupted and vntouched of any man Againe it is well knowen she besowght the king very much and a long time that she mighte forsake the cares of the world and haue leaue to go into a monasterie and ther◠only to serue Christ the true king Which when she had at last obtayned she entred into the monasterie of Abbesse Ebbe who bare a good affection to kinge Ecgfride The monasterie standeth in a towne called Coludi and the aforesayd byshop VVilfride gaue her the veale and habit of a nonne Within a yere after whiche she was herselfe made an Abbesse in the I le of Ely in which place there was built a monastery of virgins dedicated to God amonge whom she began to be a very good mother and virgin bothe in examples and also good lessons of heauenly lyfe Of her it is sayd that after the
a priest and Abbot of a monastery in the citie which of his name is called vnto this day Tunnacester who when he heard that his brother was slaine in the battaile came to seeke if he might happely fynd his bodie Where he finding one that was in all pointes like him and thinking it to be him in dede brought him to his monasterie and buried him honorably and did often times cause masse to be saied for his soule By the saying of which masses that which I sayd came to passe that noman could bynd him but that he was straight way loused againe Then the Erle that kepte him began to wonder here at and to enquire of him what the cause was that he coulde not be bound and whether perhaps he had about him any loosing letters such as men talke of that he could not be bound by the vertue of them But he aunsweared that he knewe no such arte nor conning but I haue a brother quod he in my countre one that is a priest and I knowe that he thinkes I am slaine and therefore doth oft saye masse for me and if I were nowe in an other world my sowle showld be there loused from paynes throughe his intercessions and prayers as my body is here from bondes And while he was thus kept a certaine space in the Erles howse some that marked him more diligently sawe by his countenaunce behauiour and talke that he was not as he had sayd of the common poore sort of people but of some good house and degree Therefore the Erle called him secretly and examined him more straightly of whence he was Promising that he wold doo him no harme in the world if he wold playnly vtter and shewe himselfe what he was Which thing when he had done and declared himselfe to be one of the kinges seruauntes wel quoth the Erle I knewe by thy wordes and awnsweres that thow were no husbandman of the countre And thou art well worthy to dye nowe for that all my bretherne and kynnesmen were slaine in that battaile yet I will not put the to death for breaking of my faith and promyse And therfore as soone as he was full cured the Erle sent him to London and solde him to a marchant of Friseland But neither he nor any man els as he was lead thither could bynd him by any meanes And yet his enemies dyd lay on him many and sundry kindes of fetters which yet allwaies were loosed When he that hadd bowght him sawe that he cowld be kept and holden in no bondes he gaue him leaue to ransome himselfe if he were able For after abowt viij a clocke in the morning when masses began to be sayd his bondes and fetters were euer lowsed And thus vpon his othe either to come againe or els to send his ransome he was let go and came to kent to kinge Lodhere who was sonne to the sister of Quene Edildrede of whom we haue spoken before and himselfe had bene sometime a seruaunt of the sayd Queenes There he sued to the kinge for so much as wold pay his ransome which he obtained and sent it as he had promised to him whose prisoner he was Afterward he retourned to his countree and came to his brother and declared him in order all the aduersities that had happened vnto him and also what comfortes and succours he had had in the same And he knewe by that his brother told him that his bondes were loosed at those times specially in which masses were said and songe for him He vnderstoode also that the other helpes and succours that happened to him in his danger came of the heauenly gyfte and grace throwgh his brothers intercessions and offring of the holy holsome hoste and sacrifice Many that heard these thinges of this man were styrred vp and enflamed in fayth and godly deuotion vnto prayer vnto almesse and charitable dedes and to offer to our Lorde hostes of the holy oblation and sacrifice for the deliuery and reliefe of their frindes that were departed this worlde For they vnderstood thereby and knewe that the holesome blessed sacrifice was effectuous to the euerlasting redemption and ransoming bothe of sowle and bodie This storie was told me of one of them that heard it of the very man in whome it was done and therfore knowinge it to be true and certaine I dowbted no whit to put it into this our ecclesiasticall historie Of the lyfe and death of Abbesse Hilda The 23. Chap. THe yere following after this which was the yere of thincarnation of our Lorde DClxxx the most deuowt and godly seruaunt of Christe Hilda Abbesse of the monasterie that is called Streanes halch as we before mentioned after many heauenly dedes that she did in this world passed owt of this lyfe to receaue the rewardes of the lyfe of heauen the xvij day of Nouember when she was three score and six yeres of age The which nomber of yeres equally diuided into two partes she lyued the first xxxiij in secular lyfe withe most noble and worthy conuersatiō and as many after did she dedicate to our Lord more nobly and worthely in monastical life For she was come of noble birth and was the dawghter of kinge Edwins nephewe named Hererike with which kinge also at the preaching of Paulinus of blessed memorie the first bysshopp of Northumberland she receaued the fayth and sacramentes of of Christe and dyd syncerely kepe the same vntill she deserued to come to his sight and vision whome only to serue after she had determined and forsaken this secular lyfe and world she went to the prouince of the East english For she was allied to the king there and from thence she desyred if she might by any meanes to forsake her countre and al that euer she had and go into Fraunce and there in the monasterie named Cate to leade a pilgrimes and exuls lyfe for our Lordes sake that she might the more easyly deserue to enioye an euerlasting countre in heauen For in the same monasterie her syster Hereswide mother to Adulphe king of the East english did at the same very tyme lyue vnder rules and disciplines of religion abyding and looking for the crowne euerlasting whose example she mynding to followe and liue a straunger out of her owne countree dyd abyde in the said prouince one hole yeare After which being called home againe into her countree by bisshopp Aidan she had deliuered her the landes of one Lordeship at the north coast of the riuer Were in which she liued also the space of one yeare and lead a monasticall lyfe with a fewe other of her companie After this she was made Abbesse in the monasterie that is called Heortheu which monasterie had bene builte not long before of the godly and deuout handmayed off Christ Heiu Which is said to be the first woman in the prouince of Northumberland that tooke the vowe and habit of a Nonne being blessed and consecrated by bisshop Aidan But not long
prepared holy vessels lightes and other necessaries appertaining to the better furniture and adorninge of the church of God Againe he sent for a cunning Musician named Mabam which was taught by the successours of Pope Gregory his schollars in Canterbury to teach him and his clergy to tune and singe For the which purpose he kept him xij yeares to the ende he might partly teach them certaine verses and songes of the church which they could not yet singe partly by his singular conninge bringe in vre againe suche songes and tunes as for lacke of vse had ben quite and cleane forgotten For bishop Acca him selfe was a very cunninge Musician wel lerned in holy scripture sounde and perfect in the Catholique faith expert and skilfull in all orders rules and disciplines of the churche and so continued vntil it pleased God to rewarde him for his good zeale and deuotion He was brought vp froÌ„ a childe in the most holy and vertuous prelate Bosa his clergy then bishop of yorke and afterward comminge to VVilfride vppon hope of some better lerning spent all his time in his seruice vntil deathe arrested him He went with him also to Rome and lerned many holy and necessary ordinaunces of the church which he could not attaine vnto in his own countrye How Abbot Ceolfride sent to the kinge of Pictes or Redshankes cunninge carpenters and workemen to builde him a churche and an epistle with all touchinge the Catholique celebration of the feast of Easter and after what maner priests and religious men should be shaâ—en The. 22. Chapter THE same time Naitane kinge of the Pictes which inhabit the Northe coaste of Britanny admonished by often meditation of holy scripture abandonned the errour which he and al his country had longe kept touching the keping of Easter and brought him selfe and al his subiectes to the catholike solemnising and dewe obseruation of the time of Christes resurrection Which that he might bring to passe with lesse difficulty and more authority he required ayde of the Englishmen whome he knewe to haue framed their religion after the counterpaine and example of the holy church of Rome and sea Apostolike For he sent ambassadoures to that Reuerend father Ceolfride Abbot of the monastery dedicated to the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule situated at the mouthe of the ryuer Were and not farre from the riuer Tyne in a place called Ingiruum where he ruled with great honour and admiration next after Benedict of whome we haue made mention before desyringe to receiue from him some earnest and forceable exhortation both to persuade him self and also to confute all other which wold presume to keape the fest of easter after their owne fansye and custome and not according to the ordinaunce of Christes churche He requested farder to haue instructions by his letters what maner of tonsure the clergy should vse Notwithstandinge he was partly already informed in many points requisite for that purpose With all he desired to haue some conninge and expert woork men to builde him a churche of great stone accordinge to the manner of building in Rome promising to dedicat the same in the honour of sainct Peter head and cheif of the apostles and to folowe euermore with all his wholle realme the ordre and fasshion of the churche of Rome and see Apostolique so farre forthe as men not knowing the Romayns tounge and farre distant from them might attaine to the knowledg thereof Vpon sight of these letters Ceolfride muche tendring his godly purpose and intent sent him such cunnyng and expert artificers as he required and withall letters indighted as it foloweth To the right honourable and moste renouned Prince Naitane Ceolfride Abbat sendeth greting in our Lorde The Catholik obseruation of holy Easter wherein you desire to be instructed right godly and renowned Prince we haue gladly and diligeÌ„ly endeuoured to set forth vnto you in these presents according as of the See Apostolique we haue our selues ben informed and taught Of whiche your zeale we thanke highly allmighty God knowing well that when princes and Lordes of the earth do employ their study to lerne to teache and to obserue the truth it is a singular benefit and speciall gift of God geuen vnto his Churche And most truly spake a heathen philosopher saying that the worlde should then be happy when either kinges embraced philosoply or els philosophers might beare the Soueraynte Now if by the philosophy of this world knowleadg of the worlde might be hadd where by the worlde might be beloued how much the more ought such as are cityzens of the heauenly countre aboue and but straungers in this worlde desire labour and with all meanes possible be suppliantes to God that the higher power and charge they beare in this world the more they applie them selues to harken after and vnderstande the will and pleasure of that highe Iudge which iudgeth all and bothe them selues obey gladly the same and moue also all other committed vnto their charge by their example and authoryte to fulfill and perfourme the same To come therefore to the matter wherein you require to be instructed you shall vnderstande we haue in holy scripture iij rules sett forthe vnto vs by the which the true and iust time of solemnising the feast of Easter is appointed which by no authorite of man can be chaunged Of the which rules two were taught by God in the lawe of Moyses the third is ioyned in the ghospell by the effecte off Christes passion and resurrection For the lawe off Moyses commaunded that in the first moneth of the yeare and in the third weke of that moneth that is from the fiftenth daye vntell the one and twentith Easter should be kept And it was added by the institution of the Apostles out of the ghospell that in the same third weke we should tary for the Sonday and in it celebrat our Easter This triple rule if a man diligently note and obserue he shall neuer misse in the cownte of Easter But if it be yower pleasure to haue euery particular poynte more pitthely and largely declared it is written in Exodus where the people of Israel ar commaunded to kepe the feast of Easter when they shulde be deliuered owte of Aegipte that God said to Moyses and Aaron This moneth shal be vnto yowe the begynninge of all monethes and cheafest in the hole yere Speake to all the children of Israel and tell them The x. day of this moneth lett euerye man take a lambe accordinge to their familiee and howseholde And a litle after he saith And you shall kepe him vntill the xiiij day of the same moneth And all the whole multitude of Israel shall offer the same vp in sacrifice at the euening By the which wordes it is euideÌ„t that in the obseruation of Easter though the fourtenth day of the first moneth be mentioned yet it is not so mentioned that on that day Easter should be kept but in the