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
where she had first receaued her mortall breath In this authoritie she caried her self with soe great sainctitie and prudeÌ„ce that she worthily obtained a wonderfull prayse and name in the world of pietie wisedom and discretion For in such wise she exercised the authoritie of a mistresse that she seemed allsoe to beare the condition of a seruant instructing her subiects in the way of vertue more by her owne example then by imperious commaunding IV. AS ON a time she made some stay at her monasterie of Wedune neere Southampton newes was brought that an infinite companie of wild-geese yearly accustomed to make a verie great spoile in the corne and other pastures belonging to the monasterie Wherevpon she commaunded the messenger to returne and bring them all before him into the pound He allthough he imagined the holy Note a wonderfull miracle virgin flowted him went into the fields and seeking to driue those wild foules off the corne he found that not one of that allmost infinite multitude once offered to lift vpp his wings to flie away therefore perceauing now a possibilitie in what he iudged before impossible he began to driue them forward when they went before him like soe manie sheepe on a foote pace hanging downe their heads as it were out of the confusion of their owne guiltines till he had them in the place appoynted where he shutt them vpp as close prisoners all that night Neuer were soe manie wild The Wild fowle obeyeth her commaund creatures at once vnder lock and key before The next morning betimes with their cackling notes they began to crie out like poore prisoners for pardon for their offence or at lest for sustenance to maintaine nature aliue The holy virgin who was euer of a mild disposition towards all creatures commaunded them to be sett at libertie with a straight charge threatned against them neuer to returne againe into those parts She had noe sooner spoke then obedience followed for the whole troupe of those geese fled away soe farre that neuer after anie of the same kind once appeared within the confines of that monasterie V. A HEARDSMAN belonging vnto her monasterie called Alâ—…thus a man of verie good life was oftentimes much iniured and at length in presence of the holy Virgin sorely beaten and wounded by the Baylyf of the same place all which the good man quietly bore of with the buckler of patieÌ„ce whilst S. WERBVRG on her knees with prayers mingled with threatnings cried out on him to spare the One straingely punished for notobeying S. Werburg poore innocent but his furie and pride swelling in her humilitie disdayned to listeÌ„ to her pious entreaties but pursued his rude crueltie when by the iust iudgment of god he receaued his punishement for presently his stubborn eneck and frowning visage was after a horrid manner writhen and turned backwards to looke behind him since he refused a good looke to the seruant of god which kneeled for pittie before him This made his stout heart to relent and throwing him self prostrate at her feete with repentant teares he demaunded pardon of his offence soe that she from a defendant became a iudge by whose holie mediation and suffrage vnto the eternall iudge he had his face restored vnto the auncient seate againe And the same Heardsman Alnothus led a solitarie and anachoreticall life in a wood neere adioyning vntill he was martyred by the theeues that haunted the same VI. AT LENGTH the B. Virgin WEREBVRG hauing for manies yeares prudently done the office of a louing mother ouer her three monasteries foreseeing the time of her death to be at hand she commaunded her Nunnes that wheresoeuer she died they should burie her bodie at the monasterie of Handbury And within a short Her happie death time after being then at Trentham she went out of this world to goe to the heauently vnion and mariage of her deare and long desired spouse in Paradise She died the third day of February about the yeare of our Lord 676. and her bodie was honorably buried at Her bodie found vncorrupted the monastery of Handbury where her tombe was famous for manie miracles Nine yeares after her bodie being taken vpp it was found vncorrupted with her cloathes on her face lillie white only her cheekes a little sprinkled with red all in the same manner as when she was aliue and thus she remayned without corruption vntill by the iust iudgement of god the sinnes of our wretched countrey were punished by the Danish sword when left soe pure a relique should be profaned by the hands of those Barbarous and incredulous people her body resolued into dust and her bones were remoued to Westchester into the Benedictin monasterie where afterwards a goodly Church was built by Hugh Earle of Chester and dedicated to her name which to this day is called S. WEREBVRGS Church and is the Cathedrall of that cittie Manie miracles were wrought in those dayes at her holie reliques and the like without question would allsoe be done in these our times were not the present fayth of our countrey such and soe great as it is noe fayth at all Her life we haue gathered chiefly out of IOANNES ANGLICIVS or IOHN CAPGRAVE NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD hist Eccle. saee 7. cap. 23. and WILLIAM MALMESBVRY de gest reg Ang. lib. 2. cap. 13. and de gest Pontif. lib. 4. FLORBNTIVS WIGOâ—NIENSIS an 676. POLIDORE VIRGILL lib. 4. de regno Merciorum CONTINVATOR Bâ—DAE lib. 2. cap. 33. IOHN SPEED in his historie of England and others doe make honorable mention of her The life of S. GILBERT of Sempringham Confessor Author of the Gilbertin monks FEB 4. Out of Nicholas Harpsfield and others SAINCT GILBIRT was sonne to Ioceline a worthie Norman Souldier his mother was an English woeman who before his birth had a famous vision foreshewing his greatnes when in her sleepe the moone seemed to fall into her lappe He was borne at Sempringham in Lincolnshire In his fathers house he was of soe poore esteeme that the verie seruants would scarse daigne to eate their meate with him For in feature of bodie he was something rude and vnhandsom Being sett to schoole and profitting but poorely he went into France where by his good endeauours he attayned vnto the degree of master in the liberall sciences Afterwards returning into England His care in bringing vp yong children he bent his whole labours piously and freely to bring vpp children of both sexes whom he not only instructed in the rudiments of learning but allsoe gaue them exact and as it were monastical rules of good manners prescribing vnto them certaine times and places when to reade their lessons when to talke and when to be silent allwaies endeauouring from his verie youth to winne soules vnto CHRIST and to profitt whomsoeuer he could by word work and good example In the meane time his father who was Lord of the two Churches Sempringham and Tyrington being much delighted with the vertuous life
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
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
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
to shift for them selues abroade retayning only the aged men in the monasterie and a few children supposing belike that their weaknes would moue Crowland destroyed by the Danes the Barbarians to compassion But it fell out farre otherwise for when the same venerable Abbot had solemnly sung high Masse and made the remainder of his deuout Conuent participant of the most sacred body and bloud of our Lord suddenly a barbarous route of the Danes broke into the Church and hauing martired the Abbot before the high aultar with the like crueltie they murdered all the rest of the monks some in the refectorie some in the Chapter some in the Cloister soe that noe roome of that sacred Monastery remayned that was not full of bloud and horrour Only one yong Monk called Turgar whose beautifull forme of face and bodie allbeit he desired earnestly to beare his seniors companie in that expedition of death conquered the cruell mind of one of those blouddie Princes was saued and reserued for the companie and sake of a yong Count of the Danes called Sidrock Then those ministers of crueltie breaking vp the tombes of the saincts there buried committed all their bodies togeather with the Church and the whole Monasterie to the mercilesse power of the deuouring flames But Count Sidrok pulling yong Turgars cowle ouer his head gaue him a Danish iacket made him waite at his heeles wheresoeuer he went till the holy youth finding an opportunitie afterwards fled from that Barbarous master and returned againe to Crowland where he found his fellow monkes that had returned the day before labouring and sweating to quench the vnsatiable flames that yet raged among those dolefull ruines where he and fower other monks hauing according as they were able repayred a little habitation of defence only against the violeÌ„ce of the weather made choise of one Godrick for their Abbot and liued in a religious pouertie and a pious expectance to be restored to their auncient state for the space of an hundred yeares and more Till an aged man called Turketill Chancelour to worthy King Edred passing by Crowland as he went on busines for the King to Yorke was mett by those blessed old monkes and with a pious curtesie compelled to lodge in their ruined Monasterie And hearing The monasterie of Crowland reedisied the woefull storie of their miserable desolation he was soe moued to compassion that hauing with much difficultie obtayned leaue of the King he became a Benedictine Monke in the same place and began in his old age to beare the yoake of our Lord in the profession of a monasticall life When by his meanes King Edred helping therevnto that Monasterie was gloriously reedified and the lands liuings and Lorships anciently belonging vnto it restored and confirmed vnto it by the royall charters of the two Noble Kings Edred and Edgar to the great consolation of those good aged Monks who now gaue thanks vnto allmightie God that he had giuen them the grace and patience to see the destruction and restauration of that worthy Monasterie whereof the venerable man Turketill was afterwards made Abbot And herein may be seene a rare example of the wonderfull prouidence of allmightie God who from soe small beginnings bringeth to passe workes of such greatnes and excellencie as from the dwelling of one poore man saint GVTHLAKE in that abiect and horrid place first to lay the foundation of soe mightie an Abbey of worthie monkes as this was and then to conserue the succession thereof soe strangely in those â—â—ueâ— old men of whom one called Clarenbald liued to see the age of an hundred threescore and eight yeares an other named Swarling to the age of an hundred fortie two the third Turgar to an hundred and fifteene all venerable in gray hayre and the profession of a monasticall life The life of S. GVTHLAKE was saythfully written by one Felix a monk of the same monasterie as he receaued it from the forenamed BERTELIN his companion and CISSA his successour in the Ermitage and dedicated to king Elwald of the East-Angles Out of which we haue gathered the foresayd historie All other English Historiographers doe worthâ—y speake his prayses This Felix florished about the yeare of our Lord 730. and S. GVTHLAKI about 706. of whose glorious meritts God of his infinite merciâ— make vs all partakers Amen The life of S. PATERNVS Bishop and Confessor APR. 15. Out of Ioannes Anglicus PATERNVS borne in little Brittanie of noble parents when he came to ripenes of yeares iudging all true nobilitie to be seated in the lappe of vertue he contemned all those things which the world soe much admireth and in the nakednes of religious pouertie followed CHRIST naked And lest his friends and kinred should hinder his pious resolutions he willingly banished him self from his countrey into Jreland where he led a most holy monasticall life in watching fasting and prayer Afterwards he came into South-wales where he built manie Churches and monasteries in the Countrey now called Cardigan-shire and ordered them according to the monasticall rules and disciplines of those times in soe much that in that countrey he gayned his greatest opinion of sainctitie and authoritie But some iarres arising betweene the kings of Southwalles and North-wales which were readie to be decided but by the sword by the mediation of S. PETERNVS they were easily pacified and the He maketh peace betweene Princes princes entred againe into a strict league of friendship Great was the familiaritie and friendship which grew betweene these three Saincts DAVID TTELIAN and PATERNVS And they three deuided all Wales into three bishopricks one whereof fell to the share of S. PATERNVS in a place then called Mauritania where as he exercised the office of a good Pastour teaching and preaching to his poeple he was called back into little Britanie and there through his strictnes of life and doctrine which manie would not endure he Sampson Bishop suffered much affliction of false brethren with patience But Sampson Bishop who aboue all other was magnified in that prouince for vertue and holines of life vsed him with great honour and reuerence as well becomed soe great a sainct And allbeit by the instigation of some of his brethren he once yeelded to make triall of S. PATERNVS his obedience and sainctitie which was then testified vnto him by a wonderfull miracle yet afterwards he humbly craued pardon and became his verie great friend and defender against the other bishops that impugned him commaunding that the Episcopall sea of S. PATERNVS which was in the towne called Guenet should be free from all externe authoritie At length when peace was concluded on all sides S. PATERNVS hauing gouerned his Church manie yeares in a miraculous sainctitie of life in this world he departed hence to receaue an immortall recompence of his labours the fifteenth of Aprill The Inhabitans of little Britanie obserue three festiuall daies in honour of this sainct the day of the peacemaking with
Ecclesiasticall causes risen which can no longer be left without examination we haue need of learned men to conserre with we exhort the godly and He is sent for to Rome beloued goodnes of thy pietie that as it becomes a deuout maintayner of our holy mother the vniuersall Church thou fayle not to leud obedient deuotion to this our desire but without anie delay send the religious seruant of God Bede the Venerable Priest of thy monastery to the shrines of the Princes of the Apostles Peter and Paul thy louers and protectours and to the sight of my meaunes and by the grace of God and thy holy prayers thou needest not mistrust but that he will returne safely againe vnto thee after the celebration of the foresayd articles by the helpe of God are finished For we hope it will be profitable to all vnder thy charge whatsoeuer by his worth shall be made famous and imparted to the whole Church V. BVT doeth not this greatly redound to the prayse and honour of our saint BEDE that the Roman greatnes should desire his counsell in matter of learning who lay hid in a poore cowle and cloister in the farthest corner of the world Surely William De gest Reg. Ang. l. 1. c. 3. Malmesbury iudged aright when he calls him A man whom one may with more ease admire then worthyly prayse who borne in the furthest corner of the world dazeled all countreies with the lightning of his learning Nay more his writings were of soe reuerend esteeme and authoritie in the Christian world that during his life time first by the ordonance of an English Synod and afterwards the whole Catholick and Apostolick Church approouing it they were read and sung publickly in the Ecclesiasticall office a thing which after the Apostles and their immediate disciples was neuer graunted to anie of the auncient Fathers or Doctours of Gods Church And hence it was to omitt other fabulous Why he is called Venerable stories hereof that both in his life time and after his death he was qualified with the title of VENERABLE BEDE For his homelies being to be read in the Church he yet liuing and a title of the Author to be prefixed before the lessons as the manner is because they could not stile him Sainct Ante obitum nemo Supremaque funera faelix They worthyly adorned him with the name of VENERABLE eyther by reason of the singular grauitie and modestie of his cariage or else because that Pope Sergius in the aboue cited epistle qualified him with that Epithete And the same title grew soe vniuersally then in vse that to this present day he is commonly called thereby and it remaynes still prefixed to all his Homelies which are read or sung in the Church VI. SVCH then was the incomparable learning of this our famous Doctour of England Sainct BEDE who liuing in a Benedictine Six hundred Benedictine Monks in his Monastery Abbey in which were at that time aboue six hundred monkes he not only excelled them all and became a Master to them all but an amazement to the whole Christian world besides But what was BEDE soe eagerly bent to the studies of learning during the time of his life that he neglected the studie of vertue and pietie It can not be sayd For as an auncient authour doeth testifie aâ— his very first entrance into the lists of the sciences togeather with his yeares the grace of spirituall guifts encreased in his soule that with the spirit of wisedom vnderstanding he might receaue allsoe the spirit of the feare of our Lord where with chastising his bodie and bringing it into obedience to his mind he learned to Malmesb de reg lib. 1. cap. 3. possesse the vessell of the flesh in sanctification and honour Furthermore all doubt of the holines of his life is banished from humane thoughts by this irrefragable sentence which the Maiestie of diuine wisedom left to the world In animam maleuolam non introibit sapientia nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis Wisedom will not enter into a malitious soule nor dwell in a bodie subiect to sinne Which is not spoken of worldly wisedom that entreth indifferently into the harts of all men and in which oftentimes wicked persons and those that to the last gaspe set noe limits to their wickednes are found to excell according to that of our Sauiour The children of this world are wiser then the children of light But that the Wiseman calls wisedom which auoydes the faynednes of good discipline and which separateth it self from thoughts that are without the true vnderstanding of well-liuing and well-saying Whence it is that Quintilian rightly defined a true Oratour when he sayd Orator est vir bonus dicendi peritus An Oratour is a good man skillfull in speaking Therefore this our Ecclesiasticall Oratour saint BEDE did first purifie his owne conscience that soe he might worthyly attayne to a diuine knowlege to discouer the vnderstanding of the misteries of holy scripture For how could that man be subiect to vice who tasted the most inward marrow of those diuine writings and employed all the thoughts powers of his soule in the continuall explication thereof This his owne words doe proue when he sayth that his expositions Lib. 3. sup Sam yf they brought noe other profitt to the readers at lest they were anayleable to him in this that whilst he applied his whole studie thereunto he sett aside and auoyded the lightnes of the world and all vaine cogitations Therefore this holy man being free from all vice displayed the vayle of the hidden misteries and with a modest and deuout eloquence layd open to the world those diuine secrets which he had learned VII HIS custom was to be by his reading greatly enkindled to Trithem de vir illust l. 3. c. 155. deuotion and compunction which he oftentimes witnessed with bitter teares that flowed from him at his booke And after his reading and studie our pious Doctour betooke him self to his prayers hauing learnt that the way to attayne the knowledge of holy Scripture lay more in the grace of God then his owne forces O man worthy to be honoured of all ages who enriched the treasure of his mind with vertue and prayer and adorned the Christian world with learning Noe man euer saw him idle soe vehemently he burned with the loue of sacred studie and deuotion He had manie famous schollers whom he not only taught by his owne studie and example the secrets of all humane and diuine learning but which is the chiefest made them excellently perfect in religion and holy life He was a man in all things most worthy of prayse and according to his title VENERABIE in learning and good manners In charitie towards God and his neighbour most excellent admirable in deuotion and glorious in chastitie of life Of a decent and comly stature graue in his gate of a high voyce an eloquent tongue and a goodly aspect or
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
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
hands couering them a table prouiding them meate and drink wayting on them at table and lastly hauing well satisfied their hunger he bestowed on each a peece of siluer and dismissed them Vnto these at Easter he gaue new cloathes and retayned them with him in his hall as his principall guests for certaine daies Noe sicknes could detayne him from these pious offices nay the weaker he found his body the more he forced him self with greater diligence to execute his seruice to these poore men worthyly following herein the humble example and exemplar humilitie of our deare Redeemer washing the feete of his twelue Apostles XVI AT LENGTH hauing for the space of manie yeares ruled both his bishopricks with great wisedom and sainctity to the wonderfull He foreâ—â—eth his â—â—ne death admiration of England the notable encrease of Gods Church the reformation of vice and the worthy aduancement of monasticall discipline hauing outliued his two Bretheren in religion and noble Equals in sainctitie Dunstan and Ethelwold the first fiue yeares the other tenne the day before his departure out of this life goeing forth with his monkes out of the Church into the open ayre he stood with his eyes most attentiuely bent towards heauen making his prayer with a mouth and heart full of pietie vnto IESVS CHRIST whom soe feruently he desired to enioy Nether did he as at other times quickly draw back his eyes from looking vpwards but as yf he did comtemplate with great pleasure of mind some strange noueltie he remayned very long fixed on what he beheld Being demaunded what he saw I contemplate sayd he the place whither I am goeing which to morrow next you shall plainly vnderstand For the eternall happines is now at hand to attaine which I haue hithervnto laboured on earth nether shall the morrow-sunne be sett before my Lord as he hath promised will call me into the ioyes of his euer flourishing paradise Therefore returning into the Church he called his monkes togeather and exhorted them to giue him the He receaueth the last Sacraments sacrament of extreme vnction and the sacred viaticum of our Lords bodie The night following forgetting this his sicknes soe attentiue he was to prepare for his happy iourney he went into the Church and hauing finished his diuine office he spent the rest of the night in prayers In the morning according to custom he gyrt him self with a towell and washed dried and kissed the feete of his twelue poore men and hauing performed the fifteene psalmes which he vsed to recite in that pious seruice he added thereunto Gloria patri c. and the poore rising as their manner was to giue thankes In his piouâ— exercise he happyly departeth at those wordes Spiritui Sancto in sight of them all he yeelded vp his blessed soule into the hands of his deere Redeemer the twentie eight day of February in the yeare of our Lord 992 hauing been bishop thirtie yeares When his bodie was carried to buriall a white doue appeared to descend from heauen and flieing gently ouer it couered and protected it with her wings Allsoe a fierie globe seemed miraculously to hang ouer the biere whereon his holy bodie was layd And when his sacred reliques were placed before the high aultar that fierie vision as it were to designe the place for his buriall wauered to the south side of the Church ouer against the aultar and suddenly vanished out of sight His Bodie was committed to the earth in the Church of our blessed Ladie which him self as we haue sayd before had erected And Count Alwin after the death of this holy man being oppressed with an vnspeabeable anguish and grief of mind departed out of this teadious life and was buried in his Abbey of Ramsey with this Epitaph Here resteth Alwin cozen of the famous King Edgar Alderman of all England and the miraculous founder of this sacred Monasterie The holy Bishop Sainct OSWALD as in his life he was wonderfull soe after his death it pleased the allmightie worker of wonders to shew manie miracles at his tombe by his holy intercession and meritts whereof we will speake more at large on the feast of his translation the 15. day of October when his greatest festiuitie was celebrated in the English Church It resteth only now that wee pray vnto his glorious Sainct who is soe potent and powerfull a fauorite with allmightie God to obtaine his diuine grace for vs in this world and to be partakers of the glorie of his blessed Saincts in the next through our lord IESVS-CHRIST who be for eâ—er blessed praysed glorified AmeÌ„ His life was writteÌ„ by one Senatus Brauonius a moÌ„k of Worcester about the yeare of our Lord 1170. which is recited by Laurence Surius in his tenth tome and praysed by Baronius for a historie saythfully written We haue only added thereuÌ„to some few things out Malmesbury Baronius Harpsfield The verie same history with this of Surius is recited by Iohn Capgraue out of Ioannes Anglicus only different in the stile which Surius corrected The mouthes of all historiographers English and others are full of the prayses of S. OSWALD The life of S. AIDO or Aidus Abbot and Confessor FEB 28. Out of an auncient authour recited by Iohn Cap graue AIDO borne in the prouince of Conaght in Jreland and giuen to his barren parents by the speciall fauour of allmightie God when he came to such age that he was able to make choise of a course of life he departed to the Prouince of Leinster where he led a solitarie life in all manner of vertue and holines Afterwards he came into Wales where liuing vnder the discipline of great S. Dauid he dayly shewed manie strange examples of miraculous workes and vertues in soe much that during the time of his abode there the Saxons then mortall enemies to the Britans durst neuer presume to inuade their dominions fearing the power vertue of this Sainct Returned as he was againe into Ireland he built a monasterie He buildeth a monasterie in Ireland wherein he became the spirituall father and teacher of verie manie monks whom he instructed in all good learning and the monasticall discipline of those times Manie strange and allmost incredible miracles are reported of this holy man which I willingly omitt It sufficeth for proofe of his Sainctitie that he liued in the continuall exercise of vertues and died loden with the meritts of manie good works as he did this twentie eigth day of February At S. DAVIDS in Meneuia he was called Moâ—dock that is Jrish and there his feast was celebrated with verie great reuerence and deuotion Thus much of his life I haue gathered out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue with whom only let the truth of his relation stand for I find noe other Authour that maketh mention of this Sainct The end of February S. SWIBERTVS EPISC. WLRDENSIS APOSTOLVS Frisia Monachus Anglus Ord. S. Benedicti M. baâ—… f. The life of S
day not only in Wales but all England ouer is most famous in memorie of him But in these our vnhappie daies the greatest part of his solemnitie consisteth in wearing of a greene leeke it is a sufficieÌ„t theame for a zealous VVelchman to ground a quarrell against him that doeth not honour his capp with the like ornament that day VII THE miracles which were wrought by his meritts after his death are such soe manie that they farre exceed the limitts of this short discourse we will only relate some which haue the testimonie of an eye-witnesse to prooue them true In the raigne of King Stephen Gyrald Cambr. in Topogr Camb. Iâ—â—uers miracles the brooke which runnes aboue the Church-yarde of Meneuia or S. DAVIDS flowed with wine and the same time out of a Well or fountaine there called Pisteldewy that is the Conduit of Dauid sprang forth a great quantitie of milke And this is reported by him that liued at the fame time and most exactly was acquanited with the matters of that countrey A litle portable bell called S. DAVIDS Note a strange miracle was of great fame and admiration in VVales which when the souldiers presumed to retaine at the Castle of Raidnock contrarie to the desire of a woman that brought it suddenly the night following the whole towne was deuowred with fier the wall only excepted where that bell was hanged A boy that endeauoured to take yong pigeons out of a nest in S. DAVIDS Church of Lhanuaos had his fingers soe fastened to the stone that he could by noe meanes gett loose All much amazed at this miracle specially his parents and friends who togeather with the boy before the aultar of the same Church gaue them selues to continuall watching fasting and prayer the space of three dayes as manie nights when to the great ioy of all the stone fell from his hand The Authour of this storie not only liued at the same time but both saw and spake to the man to whom it happened who confessed him self that it was soe And which is more that stone being conserued in the Church remayned as an euerlasting witnes of the miracle with the plaine forme of his fingers imprinted in it as in a peece of waxe VIII MANIE thousands of other miracles haue been wrought by the meritts of this holy man both in his life and after his death which for breuities sake me omitt And here now could I willingly enter into a large field of this holy Saincts prayses did not feare of being ouer teadious withould my penne as vnworthy to be the truÌ„pett of the same of soe renowned a man I will only desire all true hearted VVelchmen allwaies to honour this their great Patrone and Protectour and humbly desire him that as in his life time he ouerthrew with his learning all the bullwarkes of the Palagian heresie soe now with his prayers and intercession to allmightie God he would supplicate the diuine Goodnes to cast a mercifull eye vppon his poeple and reduce his sometimes beloued countrey out of the Blindnes of Protestancie groueling in which it languisheth more lamentably then euer it did in the former errour that once againe those hills and valleies may resound with the Ecchoes of Gods diuine prayses sung in such monasticall quiers as haue been the ornaments there of in former ages and now are only the sad monuments of their auncient glorie God of his infinite mercie by the intercession of this glorious Sainct giue strength to those few that are in the truth soe to remayne and grace to the rest to acknowledge the same truth and forsake their present errours The life of S. Dauid was written by S. Kentigerne but whether the same be extant it is vncertaine Ioannes Anglicus and Giraldus Cambrensis haue written the same allsoe out of whom and Nicholas Harpsfield me haue gathered the foresayd historie Manie other authors make worthie mention of him The life of Sainct CHAD Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR 2. Gathered out of Venerable Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT CHADDE borne in Northumberland brother to S. CEDDE Bishop of London of whom you may reade the seauenth of January was at first scholler vnto S. AIDAN Bishop of Lindisfarne in whose vertuous schole he made a great progresse in learning and good manners being allwaies verie carefull to execute in deed whatsoeuer he learned by studie In his youth he went into Jreland where tohgeather with S. EGBERT he led a strict monasticall life in continuall continencie exercising him self with great diligenâ— in the pious art of prayer and meditation of the holy scripture Returning into England after that famous controuersie betweeue S. WILFRID the Benedictine monk and Bishop Colman concerning the due celebration of Easter and other Church-rites was decided togeather with his brother S. CEDDE he receaued the rule of our holy father S. BENEDICT and succeeded his brother in the gouernment of the Benedictine Abbey of Lesting in Yorke-shire Which charge he discharged with great sainctitie and example of good life till in the yeare of our Lord 664. when S. WILFRID being chosen Bishop of Yorke and sent into France to be consecrated by the Bishop of Paris stayed soe long beyond the seas that Sainct CHADD by the meanes of king Oswy was consecrated and installed in the Episcopall sea of Yorke by the hands of Wini Bishop of the West-saxons and the only He is cousecrated Bishop of Yorke Bishop lawfully ordayned Bishop extant then in England II. SAINCT CHAD being aduanced to this height of dignitie began presently to make the pietie and vertue of his life correspond to the eminencie of his sacred function bending all his endeauours for the conseruing of the Ecclesiasticall veritie and ordinances of the Catholick Church and making his owne dayly exercise a true patterne of deuotion humilitie and continencie vnto his subiects He was wont to read much preach often trauell abrod after the true Apostolicall manner allwaies on foote from towne and village piously furnishing the whole countrey with the sacred doctrine of CHRISTS ghospel At length S. THEODORE being consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury made a visitt ouer the Churches of England correcting as he went whatsoeuer he found amisse when amongst the rest he chanced to rebuke S. CHAD as not lawfully consecrated See the wonderfull humilitie of the Sainct If thou His great humilitie knowest answeared he verie modestly that I haue not rightly vndertaken the bishoprick I most willingly giue vp my office for indeed I allwaies iudged my self farre vnworthie thereof and it was meere obedience which forced mee at first to take this sacred charge vppon mee But THEODORE being ouercome with the resigned humilitie of this answeare replied that it was not necessarie to leaue his bishoprick but only to haue his installement approoued after the Catholick manner But S. CHAD after three yeares gouernment of that sea being more desirous of a priuate and quiet life resigned vp
to serue allmightie God vnto whom she had allreadie consecrated her self to liue a perpetuall Virgin At this newes the diuine prouidence soe disposing the King approoued of her counsell and in his answeare promised that her sacred vowes should be ratified Thus then this holy virgin being freed from these troubles held on her pious course and purposes and hauing receaued the sacred vaile of virginitie in the same monasterie that her sister she endeauoured with great care and vigilancie to obserue the rules of a monasticall life in all puritie both of soule bodie And at length King Offa him self being ouercome with the inuincible vertue of the holy virgin blushed to see a tender gyrle soe stoutly Off a becometh a Benedictin Monk refuse such glorie and riches and grieuing at his owne subiection to vanitie and reputing him self but as the slaue of his Kingdom he forsoke both it and all the pompe of the world and went to Rome where he became a Monke of Sainct BENEDICTS order and happily ended his daies in that holy state IV. BVT S. KINESWIDE seruing allmightie God all her life time in continuall watchings prayers and good workes was called at Of S. Tibbe Virgin length out of the thraldom of this world to enioy the happie companie of her deare spouse CHRIST-IESVS among the pure quiers of his angels in heauen She was buried in the same monasterie by her sister S. KYNEBVRG These two sisters had a Kinswoman called TIBBE who liued manie yeares in the same monasterie in soe high a degree of sainctitie that after her death she was numbred in the catalogue of Saincts The sacred reliques of these three Saincts were afterwards translated to the Benedictin Abbey of Peterborough where their feast was celebrated the sixt day of March Allthough saint TIBBE died on saint LVCIES day the thirteenth of December as she her self reuealed in an apparition after her death Other particulars of the liues of these blessed Saincts were burnt lost in that outrageous ransacke committed by the Danes against the monasterie of Peterborrough when 〈◊〉 Abbot as Ingulphus a graue authour sayth with the greater part of his Conuent and the sacred reliques of the holy Virgins Kineburg Kineswide and Tibbe fled to Thorney for succour And William Camden out of an auncient Authour Robert Swaphaâ—â— reporteth that saint KYNEBVRG and KYNESWIDE conferred not a little to the first foundation and building of the famous Benedictine Abbey of Peterborough The liues of these Saincts we haue gathered chiefly out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 23. Besides these Rannlphus Cicestrensis lib. 5. cap. 18. Polidor Virgil l. 4. william Malmesbury de gâ—st Pont. l. 4. Mathew West an 705. Arnold Wyon lib. 4. cap. 14. and others doe make honorable 〈…〉 tion of them The life of saint ESTERWINE Abbot and confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR 7. Written by venerable Bede ESTERWINE borne in Yorkeshire of noble parents was neere allied to saint BENNET Bishop Abbot whose life we haue written the twelfth of Ianuary wherein something hath been sayd of this holy man sainct ESTERWINE a vertuous proficient in the aforenamed sainct BENNETS Benedictin schoole of religion For when he as we haue sayd in his life had built two monasteries one in honour of the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER at the mouth of the riuer Were and an other to the name of the Teacher of the Gentils sainct PAVL not farre from the mouth of the riuer Tine in the towne Esterwin made Abbot 〈◊〉 Yarrow and placed Sigfrid in the gouernment of saint PAVLS about the yeare of CHRIST 682 at the same time he made choise of ESTERWINE then a Priest of S. PETERS monasterie and gaue him the gouernement of the same that the labour which alone him self was not able to vnder 〈…〉 â—ight be made more easie by the helping vertue of soe beloued a 〈…〉 lleague Nether need it seeme strange to anie fayth venerable BEDE that one monastery had two abbotts at once to wit S. BENNET Bishop and S. ESTERWINE S. BENNETS Two Abboâ—â— of one â—onasterie often iourneies ouer the seas for the good of his monasterie and the vncertaintie of his returne was cause hereof For our histories recount that the most Blessed Apostle S. PETER vppon an instant iust cause appointed vnder him two Bishops one after an other at Rome to gouerne the vniuersall Church And the great Abbot S. BENEDICT him self as S. GREGORIE Pope writes of him ordayned twelue abbots vnder him to rule his disciples as he throught best without anie detriment to charitie yea to the great encrease and conseruation thereof S. ESTERWINE therefore vndertooke the chardge to gouerne that monasterie the ninth yeare after the foundation And he remayned in the same as long as he liued and he liued but fower yeares after II. HE WAS a man by byrth noble but he did not make vse of the nobilitie of his bloud as somâ— doe to suggest matter of arrogancie and contempt of others but as best befitted the seruant of God he turned it to the greater ennobling of his mind Greatnes of vertue not byrth to be respected with vertue For being cozen german vnto saint BENNET Bishop they were both soe truely allied in the nobilitie of the world that nether ESTERWINE entring into the monasterie did expect anie greater honour in regard of his nobilitie of birth and Kinred nor BENNET iudged it fitt to be offered him vppon those respects But liuing in an equall measure of his good purpose with his other brethren he reioyced chiefly that in all things he punctually obserued the rules of regular discipline And being before one of the royall traine of King Egfrid hauing once ridd him selfe of worldly affayres layd by his armes and entred into the spirituall warrefare he remayned allwaies soe humble and soe equall with his other brethren that togeather with them he would labour in the haruest winow corne looke to the cat 〈…〉 〈◊〉 good â—â—ample of humilitie and in all base inferiour offices and drudgeries of the monasterie he was ioyfull and glad to exercise his obedience and humilitie And which is more being raysed to the degree and calling of an Abbot he remayned in the same mind as before toward all according to a wise mans admonition that sayth Haue they ordayned thee to bee a gouernour doe not grow proud but be among thy â—â—â—â—ects at one of them meeke affable and courteous vnto all Nether did he yet neglect to bridle offenders with regular discipline but he choose rather out of his innate custom of loue to gouerne by fayre meanes and to winne his subiects with his pious admonitions from offending and entreating them not to hide from him the bright light of their countenances with the clowd of their vnruly disquietnes III. OFTEN times goeing abroad to ouersee the affaires of the monasterie when he found his brethren at their work he
for breath that a man of His wonderfull humilitie soe great meritts and good works in the Church of God might securely passe out of this world to God Peace Brethren peace sayd he for I am as fearfull and carefull of this my iourney towards God as yf I had neuer done good work in all my life For yf by the assistance of diuine grace anie good hath been in me or anie fruit proceeded from my weaknes I greatly tremble and feare lest I haue not conserued the same grace with that reuerence and humilitie as was necessarie And armed with the shield of this prefect humilitie which his dying words testified to be well grounded in his heart he sweetly reposed in our Lord the 28. day of March but his feast is celebrated this seauenth of Aprill which is the day of his canonization This life is taken chiefly out of William Malmesbury who liued in the same time with S. Stephen The Roman mart maketh mention of him this day Baronius tom 11. Sigebertus in Chron. ann 1107. Arnould Wion lib. 1. c. 42. Nicholas Harps field and manie others doe amply speakâ— his prayses S. ELPHEGVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVAâ— Martir 〈…〉 The life of S. ELPHEGVS Archbishop of Canturbury and Martir of the holy order of S. BENEDICT APR. 19. Written by Osborne a monk of Canturbury ELPHEGVS desceÌ„ding by byrth from most noble Ancestors ordered the whole course of his life according to the rules of excelleÌ„t prudence and humilitie His parents much admiring the inocencie of his industrious mind and life putt him to be worthyly brought vp in the knowledge of good learning and the true wisedome of He taketh the habitt of a Benedictin Monk Christian religion Whâ—n this godly youth made it the whole studie of his philosophie to learne how to loâ—â— God desiring only to know and obey him and all wales to subâ—â—â—â— him self and his actions to the sweet yoake of his diuine seruice Being touched therefore with a spirit of maiestie neglecting his fathers inheritance and forgetting his mothers griefe who dearly loue â—im he forsoke the vaine world and putt on the habitt 〈◊〉 of a monk of S. BENEDICTS order in a little monasterie called 〈…〉 st where he began to sett aside all the self-will of his owne priuate desâ—â—es humbling him self to the seruice and obedience of all his bâ—ethren whose only instrument as it were the sâ—â—wed him self â—o be in aâ—â— occasions allwaies striâ—â—â—g with all to profitt more 〈…〉 ore in the loue of God and by much watching and fasting to 〈◊〉 the rebellious motions of his bodie to the rule and subiectioâ— of reason And indeed not only to him self but to whom soeuer else he was able to doe good he endeauoured carefully to performe it which yf he could not to some 〈◊〉 â—e abstained from doeing thâ—m harme Hauing piously spent 〈◊〉 yeares in a monasticall lifeâ— partly in the monasterie afâ—â—esayd 〈◊〉 partly in famous Ben 〈…〉 Abbey of Glasenbury when he 〈…〉 aued the florishing time of youth to steale away he resolued to vndertake a stricter course of life and to enter into a single câ—â—batâ— with the auncient enemie of mankind Therefore goeing out of hâ—s monasterie he came to the place He vndertaketh a solitarie liâ—e called Bathe where the warme strings that rise out of 〈◊〉 earth are profitable against manie diseases and there he remayne 〈…〉 tt close vp in a little lodge which he built him self chastising his bodie with fasting and abstinence after an incredible rigorous manner Within a short time manie of the better sort of the countrey flocked vnto him to discouer the spirituall wounds of their soules desiring to haue them tented with the sharpnes of his pious correction and cured with the salue of his good counsell Whence it came to passe that within a short time he had gathered togeather no small Conuent of monkes in the same place which him self gouerned according to the Benedictin rule and discipline which he had learned before II. HE WAS wont greatly to blame and rebuke those who did chainge their secular habitt but would not chainge their life Doth not that man sayd he seeme to be full of falsehood who maketh Against those that change their habits and not their manners shew to be what he is not indeed whilst he conterfaits one thing in his habitt and beares an other in his heart For it is better not to chainge our habitt at all then hauing chainged to neglect the conuersion of our manners But hauing erected an ample house for his disciples and prescribed a perfect law of sobrietie and continencie vnto them and taught them how to bridle and curbe their carnall desires he remayned him self shutt vp in a little narrow lodging where be attended only to the more important and weightier affayres of his monks In the meane time manie of his subiects being vnmindfull of their promise and profession made to allmightie God the raines of obedience being lett loose beganne to spend whole nights and dayes in imployments vnworthy their holy profession Against whose greuious offences allmightie God sent a reuengfull punishment For as one night S. ELPHEGVS as his custom The diuine punishmeÌ„t of a negligent monk was stood a holy sentinell at his prayers he heard a great noyse and clamour within the Monasterie And goeing forth found one of the brethren lying along in miserable affliction vppon whom stood two men of most horrid lookes and filthie apparell who cruellie scourged him with whippes and fierie serpents And as he awaked and roared out loud witnesses and signes of his extreme payne his tormentors did vpraid him that as he had not obeyed God nether would they obey him With which words they continued their crueltie till they had beaten his soule out of his bodie At this woefull fight the holy man quite resoluing into teares returned back to his Cell But the rest of the brethren being terrified with this accident confessed their faults did worthie peanance and amended their liues euer after III. BVT the incomparable S. ETHELWOLD Bishop of Winchester being dead a great contention arose betweene the Monks and the A contention about eleâ—ting a â—ishop of Winchâ—ster secular clergie touching the election of a successour For the Clergie of that Church that before led a most wicked life contrarie to the decrees of the holy canons and being oftentimes rebuked for the same by the forenamed Bishop they not only refused to correct their lewd manners but laboured with an obstinnate spiritt to defend their lewdnes it was decreed by a Regall law that they should be expelled and their function committed to others that were more worthie Therefore the clergie being driuen out the Benedictin Monks that feared God were introduced againe Whence it came to passe that in the choosing of a bishop the secular Clergie a Clergie man the Monks desired to promote a Monk to the place each striuing to aduance a man of his owne coate Which great
on this history extreme follie and blindnes as to seeke to marrie his owne daughter and that a father should bath him self in the bloud of his daughter that resisted against such a gulph of filthines O what Cimerean darknes compasseth the Gentills in respect of the light that lightens the Christians the impetuous furie of passions is easily ouerthrowne by the force courage and grace the God bestoweth on his seruants He adorned this virgin with chastitie with an inspiration to dedicate it to his seruice he fortified her to ouercom that which of all terrible things is the most terrible death in summe he honoured her with an angelicall tombe and with the triumphant trophie which she gayneth ouer the wicked spirits by soe manie diuers miracles Let vs for euer prayse the authour of soe great wonders Amen Peter a chanon of S. Auberts of Cambray writt her life recited by Laurence Surius tome 5. which we haue followed The Roman Martirologe makes mention of her and Cardinall Baronius in his Annotations Iohn Molanus in his vppon Vsuard and in his catalogue of the Saincts of Belgia and manie others The life of saint BRITHVNE Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT May 15. Recited by John Capgraue THE venerable Confessor of Christ BRITHVNE whom S. BEDE calleth a most reuerend man borne of English parents was a long time deacon to the B. Bishop saint IOHN of Beuerley vnto De gest l. 5. cap. 2. whom for his great Sainctitie of life and holy conuersation of manners he was allwais deare and familiar and at length by meanes of the same holy man he was made Abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Deirwood now called Beuerley which S. IOHN had built S. IOHN being dead holy BRITHVNE following the stepps of his good Master perseuered as long as he liued in all puritie of life in watchings fasting prayer and other monasticall exercises For he was a louer of vertues a conquerour of vices a contemner of this world a desirer of the world to come a faythfull teacher of the flock committed A summarie of his vertues to his charge an vntired executour of pietie and iustice a great giuer of almes and hospitallitie whatsoeuer he knew to be pleasing to allmightie God in that he was continually busied Till decrepite old age hauing ouertaken him in the seruice of our Lord ending his holy life with an happie end the fifteenth day of May he went out of this world to enter into that which neuer ends His bodie was buried with great honour in the same monasterie till in processe of time the manie signes and miracles wrought at his tomb moued the monks and poeple to translate it out of the earth and place it in a shrine neere vnto that of his Master S. IOHN of Beuerley where it was kept with great veneration Thus much of him out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue Venerable Bede de gest Angl. lib. 5. cap. 2. and Harpsfield hist. Eccl. saec 8. cap. 22. make mention of him S. DVNSTANVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVARIENSIS Monachus Benedictinus May. 19. Mart. baâ— f. The life of S. DVNSTAN Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT MAY 19. Written by Osberne a monk of Canturbury an 1020. THE allmightie wisedom to make the worth and greatnes of this renowned Prelat bright ornament of the English Church and excellent Pillar of the Benedictine familie His parents S. DVNSVAN more famous and manifest to the world voutchsafed miraculously to foreshew his future glorie before he was borne and to engraffe in the minds of all men a wonderfull expectation of him which afterwards abundantly he repayed His parents were â—â—rstan and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the estimation of the world but much more ennobled with the splendour of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 His mother whilst she 〈◊〉 DVNSTAN in her â—omb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that solemne The ceremonie of offring candles feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin 〈◊〉 when in remembrance of the true and eternall â—â—ght bâ—â—aking forth to the darkesom world by CHRIST and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â— of aged Sâ—â—â—n w◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Glâ—seenbury amongst the rest â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sudâ—â—ine the 〈◊〉 mayning calme and 〈◊〉 all their lights 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With which accident the minds of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being strucken with a fearefull amazement presently with a new and woderfull miracle they were againe encouraged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admiration when they beheld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with light from A strange accident heauen from whence all the companie lighted 〈◊〉 which made euerie owne deuine that the child she 〈◊〉 her womâ— would be a light to lighten the world with the 〈◊〉 of his holy life and learning and therefore his mother was more 〈◊〉 and esteemed of all men euer after II. TIME at length brought to light that great light of the countrey signified by the former and in baptisme he was called DVNSTAN that is a Moâ—â—taine-stone As soone as he had passed the The vision of his parents yeares of his infancie his parents brought him to the Church of the Benedictine Abbey of Glastenbury and there for his good successe in vertue and good life they offered manie prayers and guifts where as they watched by night in their deuotions they vnderstood by reuelation from an Angel that that monasterie should afterwards be worthyly instructed reformed and adorned by the learning labour and vertuous life of their sonne DVNSTAN Being sett to He falleth sick schoole he applied him self soe eagerly to his studies that he fell into a grieuous sicknes which brought him euen to the last gaspe Neuerthelesse about midnight when all despayred of his life he was miraculously and suddenly restored to perfect health and to the great admiration of all he leapt out of his bed and went into He is miraculously cured the Church to giue God thankes for his recouery But the deuill enuying soe great pietie in the yong man endeauoured to hindâ—◠〈◊〉 iourney by appearing before him in the formes of a terrible â—â—â—panie of black enraged dogges When DVNSTAN calling on the He vanquiâ—heth the deuils name of IESVS-CHRIST armed him self with the signe of the â—â—ly Crosse and with a little rod in his hand putt that engine of 〈◊〉 chief to flight and held on his way to the Church doore which he found shutt but climing vp a ladder that by chance stood reared â—â— the wall he gott to the very top of the Church whence by the hands of Angelicall spirits he was miraculously transported into it and placed before the high Aultar On the morow all the doores being lockt he was found in a sweete slumber before the aultar to the great astonishment of those that the night before had followed him and seene him fayle to enter at the church doore which was shutt His greate humilitie III. NOW DVNSTAN had entred into the flower of his youth when his goodnes pietie and wisedom
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
astouishment of his amazed brethren And other whiles when the holy man began to recite his canonicall howers and pronounced those words Deus in aduitoriuÌ„ meuÌ„ intende the same celestiall spirits distinctly answered Domine ad adiuuandum me festina ioyning their heauenly harmonie to the sacred deuotion of S. GVDVVALL But now this glorious Confessor hauing wholly abandoned and forsaken the world crucified him self with CHRIST in soe much that for his sake he hated his owne soule according to the words of the Ghospell yet was he not satisfied herewith but endeauoured dayly to better him self in perfection He departeth to an other part of the countrey wherevpon after a consultation had with his brethren he resolued to leaue this habitation seeke a conuenient place to build a monastery elsewhere Therefore they sayled into an other Prouince where hauing obtayned of a great man a peece of land fitt for his purpose he layd the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of a monasterie in which togeather with his brethren he led a most heauenly and angelicall life on earth totally applying him self to the contemplation of heauen and heauenly things amidst the continuall exercises and mortification of a most deuout monasticall life IV. IN THE meane time manie miracles were wrought by the diuine He cureth a dumbe child power of allmightie God at the intercession of this holy man amoÌ„g which one was that he gaue speech to a child tenne yeares old that was borne dumbe others which for breuities sake are here omitted And manie heauenly fauours he receaued at the hands of the diuine goodnes whereof one and not the lest was that tenne daies before his death performing the sacred misteries of our redemption at the aultar the holy Archangell S. MICHAEL togeather with the two He hath an apparition and a reuelation of his death princes of the Apostolick companie PETER and PAVL appeared visibly vnto him and amongst other diuine consolations reuealed the happie minute of his death exhorting him withall to prepare him self thereunto with watching fasting and prayer to gaine a greater crowne of glory in heauen Therefore the next day hauing assembled his brethren togeather he made knowne the manner of this reuelation exhorting them to the contempt of the world and a constant perseuerance in the seruice of allmightie God Then a welcome His laâ—â— sicknes sicknes taking hould of his holy bodie made him more feelingly vnderstand that his time drew neere when being armed with the sacraments of the Church amidst the deuout prayers and recommendations of his weeping Brethren he ioyfully yeelded vp his blessed soule into the hands of his deere redeemer which in the forme of a white doue was seene to take her flight towards the heauenly dwellings He died the sixth day of Iune and ouer his sacred reliques shined a glorious splendour all the night following V. AMONGST others that were present at his death were his mother A controuersie miraculously decided and Sisters who very earnestly desired to haue his bodie transported into his owne natiue countrey to be honourably buried in the Church where he had been bishop But his Brethren aâ— first absolutly resisted their petitions till the controuersie was decided by miracle For putting the sacred bodie in a waggon the beasts that drew it were permitted to take their owne waies when contrary to the desire of both parties they went directly to be Iland called Plet which was the place yf I be not deceaued where the holy man led a solitarie life in a rock of the Sea as is aboue sayd And there his sacred body lay buried for the space of manie yeares famous for miracles all the couÌ„trey ouer Till that Prouince of the Britans being inuaded by barbarous enemies the Monkes of S. GVDVVALLS transported his bodie into France Arnulphus marquis of Flanders caused The tranâ— lation of his body it to be very honourably translated to the famous Benedictine Abbey of saint PETER and PAVL aâ— Gaunt togeather with the holy reliques of saint BERTVLPHE This translation happened in the raigne of Clotarins ouer the Kingdom of France and it is yearly celebrated in the sayd Monastery of Gaunt the third day of December His life is written by an auncient Authour recited by Laurence Surius tom 6. and by Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue both whom we haue followed Very honourable mention is made of his great vertue Sainctitie and Miracles in the life of Saint Bertulphe in the second tome of Surius February the fifth and by Vsuard Molanus and others The life of saint ROBERT Confessor and Abbot vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT IVNE 7. Written by an auncient Authour recited by Surius THE Venerable Abbot ROBERT borne in Yorkeshire shunning from his very infancie the vaine sports and pastimes of other Children his equalls soe worthyly profitted in the studie of good learning that he was afterwards promoted to the gouernment of a Church in that countrey But discharging him self within a while of that office and all care and cure of soules he went to the Benedictine Abbey of Whiteby where he putt on the habit and profession of a monke of saint BENEDICTS Order At that time one Richard Priour of our Ladies of Yorke had receaued a peece of land at a place called Fountaines where by the meanes of Thrustine Archbishop of Yorke he had built a Monasterie in which togeather with twelue other monkes ouer whom he was Abbott he led a Monasticall life according to the constitutions of the Congregation of Cisterce vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT Noe man there did eate his bread in idlenes nor gaue his bodie to rest but when it was ouerwearied with labour They all went hungry to the table and weary to bed Their diet only supplied necessitie not their appetite and yet without ether sadnes or murmuring they gaue God thankes with alacritie Therefore our saint ROBERT hauing He becometh a Cisterciaâ— Monke first obtayned leaue of his Abbot ioyned him self to this holy companie and chainged his black habit for a white that is from a Benedictine became a Cistercian still obseruing the Rule of our holy father saint BENEDICT And now it was rare to behould how strongly this holy man performed the accustomed labours of the monasterie how feruent he was in holy reading and contemplation and how deuoutly he followed his prayers and other monasticall exercises being venerable in his behauiour prouident in giuing of counsell and elegant in his speech II. IN THE meane time hauing spent fiue yeares in this place in He is made Abbot the yeare of grace a thousand one hundred thirtie seauen a noble man of Northumberland gaue an ample possession of land to the Church on which saint ROBERT built a new Monasterie and being chosen Abbot thereof he tooke with him eleuen other deuout monkes wherewith he furnished the same These he gouerned in the rigour of a monasticall life making him self soe perfect a patterne
diligence of her dutifull seruice she greatly inuited all the rest of her sisters and fellow-Nunnes highly to loue and honour her Nether did the greatnes of her bloud and royall byrth make her more nice or backward to vndergoe the austeritie of her profession because she iudged it a thing most glorious to be huÌ„bled vnder the sweet yoake of the seruice of CHRIST-IESVS Her sainctirie encreased with her age and her humilitie florished with her youthfull yeares in soe A rare example of humilitie much that by night she would play the part of a pious theefe and steale the sockes of all the other nunnes hauing carefully washed and annoynted them she restored them againe to their bed sides Wherefore allbeit allmightie God hath ennobled her aliue with manie famous miracles yet this one example is before all most worthie of prayse that charitie beganne and humilitie finished all the workes of her whole life At leÌ„gth passing happily out of this world Her happy death her pure and innocent soule was carried on the wings of these two vertues to be perfectly vnited with her euerlasting spouse in heauen the fifteenth day of Iune about the yeare of our Lord 920. Her bodie was first buried in the same Monasterie but some of her bones were afterwards translated to the Benedictine Abbey of Pershore in the Diocesse of Worcester where they were reserued with great reuerence and deuotion at both which places the holines and integritie of her life was witnessed with manie famous miracles as the gouernours of the same Churches could affirme in the time of my Authour The life of S. Eadburg sayth Iohn Pits is written by one Osbertus Clarentius a Benedictin Monke of Winchester about the yeare of Christ 1136. which I haue not seene But thus much of her I haue taken out of William Malmesbury de reg lib. 2. cap. 13. and de Episcop lib. 4. de monasterijs diocesis Vigorn and Nicholas Harpsfield saec 10. cap. 8. Mention is made of her by Roger Houedon priori part Annal. an 899. Polidore Virgill lib. 6. Molanus in his additions to Vsuard Peter de natalibus in his catalogue lib. 11. cap. 69. and others And in an auncient manuscript breniary of S. Benedicts order with belonged to the Monastery of Burton vppon Trent I find her feast celebrated this fisteenth of Iune with three lessons and a proper Collect. The life of Saint BOTVLPHE Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT IVNE 17 Written by Folchard a Monke of Thorney BOTVLPHE and ADOLPHE brothers borne of noble parents were both as neere of kinne in vertue as in byrth and both equally ennobled the nobilitie of their bloud with the resplendent excellencie of their holy life Who because in England then but newly conuerted the Catholick religion and discipline of a monasticall life was not yet established in that perfection as their minds aspired vnto went on pilgrimage ouer into France or Belgia Where because vertue is no where a stranger but is euery where honoured euen amongst strangers ADOLPHE was at length aduanced to the sacred dignitie of Bishop and BOTVLPHE hauing been a long time He professeth a religious life exercised in the stricter discipline of a monasticall life togeather with his brother and putt on the habit and profession of a Monke vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT resolued to returne into his owne countrey being courteously recommended to ETHELMVND king of the South-Saxons by his two Sisters who at that time led a religious life in France Therefore S. BOTVLPHE hauing passed the seas was kindly entertayned by king Ethelmund who hauing vnderstood the desire of his sisters gaue him a peece of land in Lincolneâ—hire not farre from the cittie of Lincolne The name of the place was Icanhoe a forsaken vnhabited desert where nothing but deuills and goblins were thought to dwell But S. BOTVLPHE with the vertue signe of the holy Crosse freed it from the possession of those hellish He buildeth a Monastery inhabitants and by the meanes and helpe of Ethelmund built a monasterie therein which he filled with a Conuent of religious monkes vnder the rule of our holy father S. BENEDICT II. THESE he gouerned both by word worke and example according to the stricter discipline of a monasticall life which he had learned in forreigne countreies drawing them by the mildnes of his dayly pious admonitions to embrace the sweet austeritie of a vertuous and holy life in soe much that he was highly esteemed and His pietie in sicknes beloued of all and by a speciall fauour of allmightie God ennobled with the guift of prophesie and working of manie miracles Being oppressed with sicknes of bodie he imitated the patience of holy Iob and gaue infinite thankes vnto the diuine goodnes for that visitation all waies discoursing of the soules departure out of the bodie and of the ioyes of euerlasting happines which followed With these and such like pious exercises he spent his whole time till he attayned to the happines to be by old age ouertaken in the diuine seruice When the end of his life drawing neere and the vehemencie of his sicknes encreasing he ceased not to exhorte his deuout children carefully to obserue the rules of monsticall life which he had planted amongst them and to maintaine peace and charitie in the Monasterie Till adorned with the long studies of all vertues this vntired Hâ—s happy death champion of CHRIT being oppressed with the crueltie of a teadious disease of bodie yeelded vp his blessed soule out of her mortall habitation to the immortall reward of her labours the seauenteenth day of Iune about the yeare of our Lord 680. He was buried in the same Monasterie where his memorie was yearly celebrated being famous for miracles both in his life and after his death But that place being afterwards destroyed by the Danes the worthy restorer of the Benedictine discipline S. ETHELWOLD bishop of Winchester caused his sacred reliques to be taken vp and translated to the Translation of his bodie two Benedictine Abbeies Ely and Thorney And it hath been found writteÌ„ in the booke of S. BOTVLPHES Church neere Aldergâ—â—e in London that part of his holy bodie was by King Edward giuen to the Abbey of Winchester The memory of this glorious Sainct hath in former times been very famous in our Iland of great Britaine and in Lincolneshire there remaines yet a renowned towne which from his name was called Botulphs-Towne but now by corruption of the word is named Bâ—ston situate on the bankes of the riuer Witham His life hath been written by Folchard a monke of Thorney and by Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue in his legend of English Saincts S. Bede in his history of England Florentius Wigorniensis an 654. Mathew Westminster in the same yeare Nicholas Harpsfied saec 7. cap. 24. William Camden in descriptione comitatus Lincolâ—iâ— Molanus in his additions to Vsuard and manie others make worthy iâ—eâ—tion