speake a word He foretould vnto one of his brethren the hower of his death two dayes before which being at hand he caused them all to come togeather and exhorting them to the loue of patience humilitie and other vertues full of good workes and meritts he yeelded vp his blessed soule to receaue a crowne of iustice at the hands of the iust iudge the twelfth day of Ianuary in the yeare of our redemption 1166. during the raigne of Henry the second And in successe of time he was registred into the number of canonized Saincts This life is gathered chiefly out of IOHN CAPGRAVE or IOANNES ANGLICVS most of our English Historiographers doe largely speake his prayses The life of S. KENTIGERNE Bishop and Confessor IAN. 13. Written by Joscelinus LOTHVS the Heathen King of the Picts had a fayre daughter called Thamet who by the often hearing and attending to the preachings of Gods seruants the power of the diuine grace concurring therevnto was conuerted to the Christian faith This Thamet hauing been rauished by the lasciuious violence of a noble man of the court was in punishment of that faultlesse fault by His parents the lawes of the countrey and her owne fathers decree adiudged to be cast downe headlong from the toppe of a steepe hill soe to perish In the execution of which crueltie recommending her self to allmightie God and lifting vp her hands and eyes towards heauen for ayde she was throwne downe backwards but by the hand of him that saueth those who truly call vppon him she was deliuered from receauing anie hurt at all Which miracle her Pagan father ascribing to the power of art magick caused her presently to be putt into a leather boate and without eyther sayle or oare to be committed to the vncertaine conduct of the winds and waues But the allmightie protectour and ruler of the sâ—as brought her safe to an other port where she went on land and came at length to the towne of Elâ—e or Assaph in Flintshire His byrth and there she was deliuered of a boy who being baptised by Seruanus a holy man of that countrey was named KENTIGERNE Such was the byrth and parentage of this Sainct who allthough he may seeme to haue contracted some stayne of honour therein yet his worthy manner of life soe cleerly washt away all spott of anie such imputation that for true vertue life and learning he became an example to be sett in ballance with anie holy man of those times His youth was first trained vp in the vertuous schoole of Seruanus vnder whom he profitted in a short time beyond all his other schoole fellowes both in learning and vertue purchasing by his owne towardnes such a singular loue with his good master that he was wont to call him Munghu that is most deare friend and by that name he was euer after honoured and called vppon by the people of that countrey in their deuotions vnto him But the malice of enuious persons who because they could not attaine began to hate soe great goodnes foreing him to depart from his master Sernanus he went into Scotland to a place called Glasghu where he led a His anstere life and pennance very austere and holy life In his poore cloathing and diet he bore the true patterne of an other IOHN BAPTISTE His cloathes were made of goate-skinnes he would fast oft times without tasting anie meate the space of three dayes neyther would he then seeke after dainties but was content to eate such things as first came to hand He abstained from flesh and wine perpetually His sleepe was verie litle which when nature compelled him vnto he tooke lieing along in a hollow stone with a great stone vnder his head in steed of a pillow To this austerie he added the rudenes of a shirt of hayre-cloathe which he allwaies wore next his skinne And in this pouertie did he trauell ouer that countrey preaching teaching and conuerting great multitudes of people of the faith till at length by He is made Bishop the common consent of the King and Clergie but much against his owne will he was exalted to the sacred dignitie of Bishop in the sea of Glasghu Which honour nothing altered him in his rigid and strict kind of life but rather serued as a spurre to encrease his wonted austeritie II. HE WOVLD walke abroade allwaies in his albe and stole with his crosier-staffe in his hand which allthough it were but of plaine wood yet he was if I may so call him a golden Bishop shining His manner of prayer mortification to the world with great examples of charitie and good workes Euerie night after a short refreshing of sleepe he would goe naked into the cold water and in that manner recite ouer the whole Psalter and this custom he allwaies obserued in despight of winters frost and snow vnlesse his sicknes or some other necessarie iourney did hinder him and then he would make amends with some other spirituall exercise Soe entierly had he mortified and deadened in him self all the lafciuious instigations and motions of the flesh that as he would often tell his disciples he was noe more prouoked to lust at the sight or touching of the fayrest woeman in the world then in the cold embracing of a hard stone Often times whilest he preached there appeared a white doue ouer his head with a beake as it were of gould Euerie lent he would segregate His obseruance of Lent him self from all companie and liue in some desert place eating noe other food but herbes and rootes On Maundie thursday he was wont for the exercise of his humilitie hauing gathered a companie of poore people and leapers togeather to wash their feete with water his owne teares in the meane time concurring therevnto and hauing wiped and dried them first with a towell and then with his owne kisses he would attend on them at table with all submission and diligence On good Friday in memorie of our Lords Passion he spent allmost the whole day and some part of the night in scouâ—ging chastising his bodie with sharpe whipps and stripes vntill his owne nakednes did blush at this his piously cruell pietie On holy Saturday or Easter Eue excepting the time of the diuine office he allwaies lay hid in a certaine graue or sepulcher within the ground in contemplation of our Lords passion and punishing him self with stripes till the hower of our Sauiours resurrection the next morning By his preaching he reduced the infidels oâ— his diocese vnto the Catholick faith and with the force of his sacred doctrine he reduced all Apostates and hereticks to the safe bosome of our holie mother the Church he demolished all diabolicall Idolls built some Churches allotted certaine limitts and bounds vnto Parishes and where soeuer he trauelled in this spirituall trafick to gaine soules he would not make his iourneies on horse back but allwaies on foote as did the Apostles And lest he might seeme to eate his
from this wickednes but finding their cruell minds to be soe obstinately bent to that blouddie purpose as they grew rather worse by entreaties she had recourse vnto allmightie God her only refuge in distresse humbly desiring him to hinder the execution of their malitious intent On the day appointed when they went about to act this blouddie scene they saw the verie for me and figure of the man they meant to murder and taking a figure for the true body as our ProtestaÌ„ts doe they ranne after with great furie to kill one whoe was dead allreadie and hauing giuen him as manie mortall wounds as were sufficient to haue murdered the strongest liuing man they returned victorious to bring newes of their triumphe vnto S. BRIGITT who smiling at their mistake tould them the man they thought they had slaine was yet aliue and that their courage had exercised his crueltie only vppon the imaginarie figure of their enemie and noe man Herevppon being much astonished they acknowledged their fault and repenting them of their wicked purposes corrected their liues euer after XII OVR Lord wrought diuers other miracles by the holy meritts Manie miracles done by S. Brigitt of this blessed virgin the blind their sight the dumbe their speech leapers and other diseased persons recouered their health By her prayers she turned water into beere and stones into salt she chainged the course of a great riuer and which is more by her good perswasions manie desperate wicked fellowes withdrew them selues out of the gulphes of their vicious manner of life and entred into the sure port of religion where they finished their dayes in the seruice of IESVS CHRIST When this blessed virgin â—ad happily ended the course of her life and endured maniÌ„e great labours for the loue of IESVS CHCIST her deare spouse being aduertised of her death and hauing made it knowne vnto one of her sisters specifiing Her death the day hower thereof she gaue vp her pure soule into the hands of her deare Redeemer the first day of February in the yeare of our Lord according to Sigebert 518. but Marianus Scotus sayth 521. in the raigne of the Emperour Iustin the elder Her life was written by an aâ—thour of her time named COGITOSVS and by IOANNES ANGLICVS IOHN CAPGRAVE whom we haue followed The Roman Martirologe maketh mention of S. BRIGITT as allsoe that of S. BEDE VSVARD and ADON and BARONIVS in his seauenth tome of Annalls But GYRALDVS CAMBRENSIS a verie graue authour in his Topographie of Ireland amongst manie other miracles of this Blessed sainct maketh mention of S. BRIGITTS fier Miracle of S. Brigitts fiâ—r which is reported to be vnextinguished not that it cannot be extinguished but because the Nunnes did soe carefully and continually nourish and feed it wich new matter that from her time for manie hundred yeares after it neuerwent out and in the consuming of soe much wood which had bin burnt there in all this time the ashes neuer encreased This fier was compassed about with a little hedge of twigges within which noe man dared to enter yf at anie time some did presume soe to doe their presumption was punished by a reuenge from heauen Woemen only did blow it and that not with their mouthes but eyther with bellowes or a fanne An Archer that rashly attempted to leape ouer the headge and blow S. BRIGITTS fier with his mouth suddenly lost his witts and fell into madnes and running vpp and downe the towne putt his breath in the faces of all he mett saying doest thou see thus I blew BRIGITS fier and wheresoeuer he found anie fier he would blow it still repeating the same words till at length being taken by his companions and bound hand and foote he desired to be brought to the next water where he dranke soe much to quench his extreme drought that he burst his bellie and died Manie others sayth GIRALDVS were punished for the like attempt XIV But who doeth not behould admire in the life of this glorious A breef coÌ„sideration of her vettues and miracles Sainct the wonderfull greatnes of the goodnes of allmightie God who out of the sinne of her Parents drew soe pretious a iewell as S. BRIGITT making a poore slaue to be the mother vnto her that deliuerâ—â— soe manie captiue soules out of the seruitude and slauerie of sinne How could the fraile vessell of a poore bondslaue gyrlo be capable of the noble condition of soe great loue vnto vertue and of such a boyling desire of pure Virginitie that for the preseruing thereof she chose rather to loose the tendrest part of her bodie her eies and to deface her beantie the verie Idoll of woemen then to consent vnto a lawfull mariage How manifestly it appreares hereby that our B. Sauiour is sweet and gratious to his true seruants in restoring vnto BRIGITT her beautie of which at her owne request and for her greater good he had before depriued her Soe that it is noe wonder yf she that knew soe well how to keepe her owne virginitie vntouched and sacrifice it vnto her deare lord was allsoe of power by her prayers to obtaine the like fauour for other yong woemen and deliuer the innocence of the good Bishop from the calumnie which that wicked woeman layd vppon him and that God hath wrought by this blessed virgin the miracles before rehearsed Let him be euer Praysed and glorified as well for that which he is in him self as allsoe for what he worketh by his saincts Amen S. LAVRENTIVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVARIEN Monachus Benedictinus Feb. 2. The life of S. LAVRENCE Archbishop of Canturbury of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 2. Out of Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT LAVRENCE was one of those Benedictin Monks whom Pope GREGORIE the great sent with S. AVGVSTIN to preach the Ghospell of IESVS CHRIST to our English nation in which pious worke he laboured wonderfully to gaine soules out of the blindnes of Idolatrie to the light of the true Catholicke faith He was a man of excellent learning and vertuous life And when Ethelbert King of Kent and most part of his kingdom were baptised S. AVGVSTIN sent the holy monkes LAVRENCE and PETER to Rome to bring vnto the holy Pope the ioyfull tidings of their happie successe S. Austin chooseth Laurence for his successouâ— in Canturbury After his returne into England when S. AVGVSTIN Archbishop of Canturburic perceaued the time of his death to draw neere lest that Church as yet but raw rude in religion being one hower destitute of a pastour should begin to wauer he ordayned Laurence for his successour plainly following herein the example of the first Pastour of the vniuersall Church the Prince of the Apostles Sainct PETER who in like manner instituted Clement to succeed him in the primacie of the sea of Rome S. LAVRENCE being installed in the dignitie of the Archbishoprick beganne with great courage and industrie to augment and promote the foundations of
certaine poore pilgrim his Chamberlaine being absent importunately asked him an almes in the name of God and S. IOHN He hauing nothing else in a readines gaue him a ring of great value of his finger Not long after two Englishmen going in pilgrimage to visitt the holy sepulcher at Hierusalem lost their way and wandered a long time throught strainge and vncouth places till the sunne goeing to sett the darksom night approached and encreased their ignorance soe that not knowing what to doe nor which way to turne there appeared a venerable graue old man that brought them to a towne hard by where they were receaued kindly and entertayned very sufficiently with diet and lodging The next morning as they were departing the same old man putt them in their right way and in takeing leaue of them Brethren sayd he be of good cheere and doubt not but you shall returne to your countrey in safetie for allmightie God will make your iourney prosperous and I my self for your good kings sake will haue care to direct you in all your waies For I am IOHN the Apostle who affect your King with all loue for his pure vertue of chastetie S. Iohn loueth him for his chastetie j which highly deserues it Take therefore this ring which he gaue me for an almes appearing in the habit of a pilgrim and deliuer it vnto him againe telling him withall that the time of his death drawes neere for six moneths hence I will visitt him and bring him where togeather with me he shall follow the lambe which way soeuer he goeth At these words he vanished away and Apoc. 14. v. 4. they hauing visitted the holy land returned safely into their countrey and related orderly to the King what they had seene and heard And in testimonie of all gaue him the ring which was afterwards kept with great reuerence as a holy relique in the great Church of Westminster and by vertue of it manie were cured of the falling sicknes and of the contractions of their limmes XXIII NOT LONG after the blessed man fell into a grieuous sicknes during which he was in such an extasie that for the S. Edw. in an extasie space of allmost two daies he lay without anie signe of life At length waking as it were out of a deepe sleepe he opened his eyes and sitting vpp in his bed spake to the attendants in this manner When in my youth I liued a banished man in Normandie I euer held the friendship and companie of good and vertuous persons as most deare and gratefull vnto me and chiefly those Monks and Religious men that excelled others in vertue and religion I obserued and with them I conuersed most familiarly among whom two Monks Benedictines had obliged me in the bands of charitie verle particularly vnto them by their honest His loue to Benedictine Monks conuersation their holy life their sweet behauiour and their affable and courteous discourse These I more frequently visitted their discourses being to my soule as sweet meates to my pallate And these being some yeares since translated out of this world to the ioyes of heauen I beheld in this my sleepe standing before my face rehearsing according to the will of God what shall befall this countrey after my decease They say that the wickednes of the English nation is growne soe full and to such a height that it prouoketh Gods wrath and hasteneth his His prophesie of England reuenge The Priests haue broken their couenant with God they handle the sacred misteries with polluted soules and defiled hands They are not true pastours but mercenaties that doe noe protect their flock but expose it to the deuouring iawes of wolues seeking only their owne priuate commoditie of the milke and the wooll neglecting the good of their sheepe that at last eternall death may iustly deuoure and swallow both sheepe and sheapheard in the bottomlesse pitt of hell The Princes allsoe and gouernours of the land are vnfaythfull companions of theeues and wasters of the countrey they neyther seare God nor honour the lawes men to whom truth is grieuous and burdensom righteousnes contemptible and crueltie delightfull soe that neyther the Prelates heare anie respect to iustice nor the subiects haue anie regard of good order and discipline And therefore our Lord And the comeing in of the Normans hath drawne his dreadfull sword he hath bent and prepared his bow to shoote-forth the arrow of his iust wrath and reuenge against this nation into which he will send a mission of wicked spiritts to whose power they shall be deliuered in one yeare and one day to be punished with fier and sword With that sighing and grieuing at the newes of this calamitie threatned against my wretched countrey ô yee witnesses of the heauenly secrets sayd I what if this people beiog conuerted from their wickedenes shall doe worthie works of penance will not God graunt thē pardon leaue his blessing among them Penance is of such force that it suspended the dreadfull sentence of death pronounced by Gods owne mouth against the Niniuites and allso differed Joan. 2. 3. Reg. 21. the imminent reuenge due to wicked Achab. Therefore I will perswade my people to doe penance for their offences past and carefully beware those to come and perhaps our Lord will be mercifull and not powre out these great calamities vppon them but with his wonted pietie will receiue them then returned vnto his seruice whom peruerted from him by their wicked life he was prepared to punish and destroy with this heauie iudgement No no replied they it will not fall out soe happily for the hearts of this miserable people are soe hardned their eyes soe blinded and their eares soe fast dammed vp against all goodnes that they will neyther hearken to anie correction nor vnderstand anie good counsell they are neyther with threats terrified from euill nor with benefits prouoked vnto good At these their words my grief and care encreasing What sayd I will our Lord shew his anger for euer will he not at last beginne to be more pacified When then shall ioyes succeed these soe manie miseries what comfort or consolation shall moderate Psal 76. these great aduersities What remedie is to be expected in these An obscure promise of Gods mercie towards England euills that as on the one side we are terrified and contristated at our future rebukes soe we may be a little comforted with the promise of the diuine mercie that followes them Herevnto the Saincts proposed vnto me this Parable When a greene tree cutt downe from the stock remooued three furlongs distant from his owne roote shall without the helpe of anie mās hand or by anie externall ayde returne againe to his owne roote and placing it self thereon shall resume iuice againe to florish and bring forth fruit then and not before some comfort may be hoped for in this tribulation and a remedie against the foretould aduersitie may be expected Hauing
perceaued his good Master earnestly requested allmighty God to giue him the grace of perseuerance Soone after the same Brother desiring to returne into the world opened the thoughts of his heart vnto his Master saying that his weaknes was not able to endure the hardnes of the order that all things therein were contrarie to his nature that he could not vndegoe their dayly paines and exercises that he was grieuously vexed and tortured with their long watching that he often fainted vnder his manuall and dayly labours that the roughnes and rudnes of his cloathes did pierce his tender skinne and that indeed his will was rather inclined to follow secular delights and worldly lusts and pleasures then to breake his back with such austeritie And I replied his Master will prepare thee daintier meates and gentler cloathing and in all things else belonging to thy profession I will be more indulgent vnto thee I will not stay sayd he allthough it were to be master of all the wealth in the house Neyther will I tast anie foode replied ALVRED vntill God all mightie bring thee back againe eyther willing or nilling The one runnes to the gate to be gone the other enters into his chamber to pray that he should not goe The holy man laments the losse of his sonne and with the deepe sighs of a sorrowfull heart bewayling his great temeritie refuseth to receaue anie consolation The fugitiue coming to the gate which to his sight A notable miracle was wide open found it eyther not to be soe indeed or else some thing else stronger then a gate to be shutt against him for hauing often times striuen with all his force to goe â—orth he fayled of his purpose and was not able to passe ouer that place where the gate was wont to stand being shutt Being strucken with admiration hereat he returned to his master before whom with great signes of repentance he humbly demaunded pardon of his follie promising to remayne constant and stedfast in his vocation euer after His Master with teares of ioy entertayned him giuing humble thankes to allmightie God for his goodnes III. S. ALYRED was second to none in those daies in all manner of learning both diuine and humane and his knowledge being ennobled with the rich ornaments of vertue and religion moued his brethren by common consent to elect him for their Abbot of Rhieuall In which dignitie as if all his former life had bin but a He is chosen Abbot of Rhieuall shadow or figure of true religion he beganne as it were to reforme and wind him self vp into a farre higher degree of austeritie and deuotion and when as now he might assume more libertie he contrarie to custom did quite abridge him self of all such things as might giue his bodie content in his diet soe sparing that his extreme abstinence made him seeme to beare the shape rather of a spiritt then of a man He encreased the number of his Monks to one hundred and fiftie and fiue hundred brethren For the space of tenne yeares before his death being cruelly vexed with the stone-collick and the gowt he made vse thereof for the better triall of his humilitie and patience in which vertues he was excellent not ceasing neuerthelesse to write spirituall bookes and homelies vppon the Ghospell to preach often vnto his brethren allwaies conforming his owne life to whatsoeuer proceeded eyther from his penne or tongue In his writings sayings doeings and all his manner of life he was a most diligent imitatour of the great father of his Order S. BERNARD Allwaies meeke humble patient and one that both in him self and with others and amongst all men was soe peaceable that it farre exceeds the force of this penne to expresse or anie heart to thinke how entierely and sincerely he did embrace purchase and nourish true peace and concorde IV. AS ONCE he sate before the fier being soe cruelly tormented with the collick that through the sharp conuulsions of his griefe he was forced to sitt double with his head bent downe betweene his knees there comes into the roome one of the brethren that long before hated him for his goodnes and now spieing this opportunitie to be aduantageous for his reuenge stole behind him sitting in that manner and with all his force thrust him violently into the fier crieing out aloud Now thou art iustly punished'for thy hypocrisie and falsehood Herevppon some of the Monks coming to the noyse gott vpp the holy Abbot out of the fier and out of a zealous anger beganne to lay violent hands vppon the authour of this mischief But the blessed Sainct forgetting his infirmitie His wonderfull patience and still mindfull of charitie strictly forbadd them from that enterprise Cease cease sayd he my deare children and doe not robb your wretched father of his garment of patience Alas I am not angrie I am not hurt I am not troubled at this my child it was that cast me into the fier and hereby he hath not vrged me my death but purged my imperfections He is my child allbeit weake and imperfect And indeed I am not sound in bodie my self but his weakenes hath cured the imperfection of my soule And here withall embracing him about the neck he gaue him the louing salutatioÌ„ of peace and as though he had endured no wrong at all he studied with all gentlenes to mitigate the furie of his heart which without cause was enraged against him V. FOWER yeares before his death he had his bodie perfectly exempted dischardged from all pleasure of enioying this life for he brought it soe leane and bare with continuall fasting watching sicknes and other voluntarie austerities that nothing but the skinne was left to couer the naked bone And in all his infirmities he would not heare of a phisitian but contemning for the loue of God all remedies of the bodie he only busied him self about that one thing which is necessarie to prouide for the health of his soule He read such bookes as would moue his heart to melt into teares of sorrow and compunction and instruct him in the way of good life and manners and amongst manie others he vsed verie much to reade S. AVGVSTINS confessions He was often wont to sitt in a hollow place made in the floore of his Oratorie piously ruminating with him self that from earth he came and into earth she should returne In a word liuing on earth his conuer sation was in heauen for often times he enioyed the viâ—ion of the blessed Angels with whom he conuersed as familiarly as with his owne brethren Manie other miracles are reported to haue bin wrought by this holy Sainct which we omitt VI. A YEARE before his death vnto his other infirmities was added the crueltie of a drie cough which finding a bodie allreadie weakened brought him to such extremitie that often times hauing sayd Masse he was compelled to lie downe on his bed for the space of an hower being neyther able to moue nor
breade in Idlenes he laboured manie times with his owne hands in the tillage of his land III. AFTER the death of King Morken during whose raigne he was made Bishop the kinsmen of the same King like the sonnes of Beliall plotted and conspired his death whereof the holy man being admonished by reuelation from God he tooke his iourney into Southwalls which countrey was at that time richly beautified with the florishing vertues of S. DAVID with whom hauing spent some time he receaued of the King of that countrey called Cathwalla a peece of land to build a monasterie And hauing erected a He buildeth a monasterie monasterie at Elue in Flintshire he there constituted his Episcopall sea He gathered togeather in that monasterie the number of nine hundred threescore and odd Monks which all serued God vnder regular discipline in a verie strict and rigid manner of life Three hundred of the most vnlearned of them were deputed to the labour of husbandrie to toile and â—ill the fields and keepe sheepe other cattle other three hundred were employed in workes within the The manner of life of the ancieÌ„t moÌ„ks monasterie to prouide victualls and other necessaries and the rest which were sufficiently learned were allotted to the quier night and day to celebrate the diuine office and none of these were easily permitted to wander abroade but were bound to the limitts of their monasterie as to the Sanctuarie of our Lord. The holy Bishop diuided them into diuers companies or conuents and as one companie ended the diuine office in the Church an other presently entred to beginne the same againe and that hauing done comes a third companie in like manner soe that by the continuall succession of the diuers companies the diuine seruice was maintayned in that Church night and day without anie intermission Amongst these Monks there was one called Asaph a man of verie great vertue and a worker of manie miracles him S. KENTIGERNE loued aboue all the rest and for his vertuous life he deliuered vnto his hands the care of the monasterie and appointed him for his successour in the Bishoprick IV. THE HOLY man remayning on a time longer at his deuotions then his ordinarie custom was his face appeared fierie and glistening to the great admiration of the beholders and after his prayers were ended he fell into most grieuous lamentations which He hath a reuelation of S. Dauids death moued some of his disciples humbly to request him to declare the cause of his soe great sadnes To whom after a silent pawse You must know sayd he my deare children that the crowne and glorie of Britanie and worthy father of his countrey S. DAVID is now departed out of the prison of his bodie to receaue his rewards in heauen Beleeue me I beheld not only a great multitude of Angels but the Lord of Angels CHRIST IESVS him self come to meet him and leade him into the glorie of his heauenly paradise Know likewise that our Britanie being depriued of this her great light will groane for the losse of soe great a Patrone who Prayse of S. Dauid whilst he liued was the only buckler of our defence against the reuengefull sword of Gods iuste anger half drawne out to punish the malice of our Countrey and long since had not his vertue withheld it had made a generall slaughter amongst vs. Now therefore our Lord will deliuer this countrey into the hands of strange nations which neyther acknowledge him for God nor his religion for the truth And this our wretched Ile shall be inhabited He prophesieth the miserie of Brinie by Pagans and all Christian religion therein shall for a time be vtterly destroyed but afterwards by the wonderfull mercie of allmightie God all shall be repayred againe and the countrey reduced notonely into her auncient but into a farre better and more florishing state of religion V. THIS Blessed Sainct had bene seauen times at Rome where vnto S. GREGORIE the great afterwards Apostle of the English Bishops confirmed by the Pope he related the whole course of his life the manner of his election and consecration and all other chances which had befalne him The holy Pope vnderstanding him to be a man of God and ful of the grace of the holy Ghost confirmed his consecration which he knew to haue proceeded from God and supplieing according to his earnest desire such ceremonies as had bin omitted therein he dismissed him vnto his pious chardge by the holy Ghost inioyned VI. IN THE meane time death hauing exercised his reuenge on all the holie mans enemies in Albanie or Scotland the inhabitants thereof forsaking the way of truth and returning like doggs to feed vppon their owne vomitt fell againe into the riteâ— of flatt Idolatrie And therewithall the heauens and elements with drawing their vsuall influences caused a generall famine and dearth in their countrey Till at length allmightie God raysed a King named Redereth who hauing bin baptized in Ireland by the disciples of S. PATRICK with all his heart honoured allmightie God and studied by all meanes to restore his kingdom to the true faith of CHRIST He sent therefore messengers with letters directed vnto S. KENTIGERNE earnestly desiring him by the name and loue of our Lord to returne to his desolate flock that was left destitute of all care and cure affirming it to be a thing vnworthie for a pastour to forsake his sheepe a Bishop his Church for whose loue he ought to lay his soule at stake vnlesse he would turne a mercenarie who flies for feare of persecution Likewise he assured him that his enemies which sought his life had allreadie in seeking it lost their owne Therefore the holy man ordayning S. ASAPâ— his successour with six hundred and threescore of his Monks tooke his S. Kentigerne returned into Scotl. iourney towards Glasghn The king giuing thankes to allmightie God with a great multitude of people went to giue him the meeting and to receaue him with honour due vnto soe great a Sainct He hauing first giuen his benediction to the whole companie sayd All those whosoeuer enuie the saluation of men and are aduersaries vnto the word of God I commaund them by the vertue and power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST suddenly to depart hence lest they be an hinderance vnto those who will receaue the truth At Note a strainge miracle vertue of his words these words agreat multitude of most horrible and vglie spiritts was scene to flie out of that companie with wonderfull swiftnes at which sight they all trembled with the verie apprehension and feare But the Sainct exhorting them to take courage and comfort gaue them to vnderstand what goblins they did beleeue in and therevppon incited them to giue creditt vnto the true faith of IESVS CHRIST when in a short time by his continuall preaching and miracles he recouered all the inhabitants of that countrey out of the The fruits of his prechings black night of
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
want of other instruments they broke vp the cement and lesser stones which fastened the tomb-stone with an iron candlestick found there by chaunce Then putting all their confidence in God and the holy Saincts intercession they fell vpon their knees and sett vppon a work which they knew farre exceeded their owne strength and laying their shoulders to that huge stone with great ease they mooued it to the other side When presently they beheld that sacred bodie to be most entier and vncorrupted and Willam Malmesbury affirmeth for ceataine that it remay ned in the same integritie for the space of one hundred yeares after Degâ—t Pont. lib. 1 de gest reg l. 1. cap. 16. But now an other thought troubled our two busied monks which was that they wanted a boord to carrie the holy bodie to the boate in which perplexitie as they composed and wrapped it in linnen cloathes they found vnder the bodie a boord as it were prepared for the same purpose Then lifting vp that sacred treasure on their shoulders they carried it to the water side the king and Archbishop following after who in the meane time had disposed garrisons throughout the cittie and on both sides of the riuer Thames to preuent all occasion of tumult among the cittizens Being wafted ouer to the next shoare Canutus with his owne hands putt the bodie into the waggon and thus with great pompe and honour garded with a mightie troupe of souldiers it was transported to Canturbury and there receiued with great reuerence and ioy of the whole cittie His bodie translated to Canturbury And the third day after Queene Emme with her some Hardecaunt very deuoutly visited it leauing behind her manie verie ample and rich offerings as euident witnesses of her fayth and deuotion XVII NETHER was there wanting store of diuine miracles which at that time honoured this translation and allsoe in after ages and from thence forth he was held not only for a most holy bishop but for a Martir too VVherein when S. LANFRANK Archbishop of Canturbury made some doubt because he did not die directly for the confession of the fayth but in that he would not satisfie the couetousnes of the pirats and ransom his owne life and proposed the reason of his doubt to the worthie S. ANSELME then Abbott of the Benedictin monastery of Bec in France who afterwards succeeded LANFRANK in the Archbishoprick S. ANSELME most grauely and elegantly handled that question affirming that it was a thing not to Eadm in vita Anselmi l. 2. be doubted but that ELPHEGVS who was enflamed with soe great loue to wards God and his neighbour that he chose rather to suffer a cruell death then to see his neighbours vniustly depriued of their goods and money would with a farre greater inclination and burning desire haue embraced a death offered him for the profession of CHRIST and his Ghospell Therefore the loue and desire he had to see iustice exactly defended and maintayned brought him to those strieghts Now CHRIST who is both iustice and Veritie pronounceth those all soe to bee blessed that sâ—ffer persecution for Iustice Againe the martirdom of S. IONH Baptist endured not for the Math. cap. 1. Fayth but for the truth in reprehending Herod for adulterie is of most famous memorie throughout the whole Church and why not that of S. ELPHEGVS suffered for the maintenance of iustice which and the works of all other vertues as they are referred to allmightie God may be true causes of Martirdom These and such like reasoÌ„s mooued LANFRANK not only to honour hiâ—h euer afterfor a Martir but caused his life to be faythfully written by Osberne a monke of Canturbury whom we haue followed which he confirmed by his authoritie and made to be read in the English Church The day of his glorious martirdom was celebrated the ninteenth of Aprill on which he was martired The historie written of him by the foresayd Osberne S. Thom. 22. qu. 124 art 5. is recited by Laurence Surius tom 4. The particulars of his translation we haue taken out of Nicholas Harpsfield saec 11. cap. 9. The Roman martirologe maketh mention of him And Baronius tom 10. 11. Malmesbury de gest reg lib. 1. de gest pontis lib. 1. Roger Houedon priori parte Annal. an 1011 and 1012. Mathew Westminster an 1011. Iohn Capgraue and all our English writters are full of his prayses In the Breuiary of Sarum he hath anoffice of three lessons But in an auncient manuscript of S. BENEDICTS Order which belonged to the monastery of Burton vppon Trent he is serued with twelue lessons S. ANSELMVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVARIENSIS Monachuâ— Benedictinus April 21. 〈…〉 The life of S. ANSELME Archbishop of Canturb of the holy order of S. BENEDICT APR. 21. Anno. 1080. Written by Edmerus a moÌ„k of Cant. that liued in the same time with S. Anselme IN WRITING the excellent life and incomparable vertues of the worthie Prelat S. ANSELME who from the humilitie of a Benedictin monk was raysed to the Metropolitan dignitie of Canturbury we most perforce imitate the art of Geographers who in the com-of a little card describe the globe of the whole world I will coÌ„preheÌ„d APR. 2â— in a few words that which well deserues a volume and giue you a brief pourtraict or a bridgemeÌ„t of the works of this glorious Sainct this great doctour this mirrour of Bishops this ornament of our English Church and bright sunne of the Benectin familie Vnto whoÌ„ that nothing might be wanting for the making vp of a man perfect in all things was added the nobilitie of a godly honourable parentage He was borne in the cittie Augusta neere the coÌ„fines of Burgandy His His worthie pareâ—tage father was called Gundulphus by nation a Lumbard who vsing much to the cittie of Augusta married there a ladie called Ermerberg by whoÌ„ he had the happines to haue ANSELME They were both of noble bloud rich but very contrarie in life and manners for his fathers greatest care was to spend his time in worldly mirth and pleasure and to liue merrily when on the order side his wife carefully gouerned her house constantly perseuering in the coÌ„tinuall exercise of pious vertuous workes to the last gaspe of her life But Gundulphus being by the death of his good wife freed froÌ„ the bonds of matrimonie His father becometh a monke it pleased allmightie God to make him enter into more pious coÌ„siderations reclaime his old age tired with sayling amoÌ„g the turbulent pleasures of the world to retire to the quiet shoare of a monasticall life wherein he spent the rest of his daies happily But ANSSELME the worthie branch of this noble stock in whoÌ„ from his teÌ„der age it seemed vertue was incorporate to become visible to mortall eyes with the siluer innoceÌ„cie of his sweet carriage behauiour purchased the loue affection of all men Well doeing which other men gett by labour industrie
the Roman which being prouoked to battle he had taken from his conquered enemie wherevppon he afterwards was surnamed Torquatus from Torques which in Latine signifies a chaine But let vs returne to Sainct ETHELDRED XI THEREFORE whilst this holy Virgin lying amidst the tormeÌ„ts of a most cruell sicknes gaue thankes vnto her Creatour for soe pious a visitation boyling with a desire to be dissolued to liue with CHRIST some of the assistants in whom yet remayned a small hope of her recouery caused a skillfull chirurgean to launce the swelled place and make way for that corrupted matter to issue forth as being stuffe to base and loathsome to be imprisonned in soe pure a bodie Which done the holy Virgin seemed for two daies space to be greatly eased of her payne and to wax better in health soe She seemeth to recouer that manie conceaued a new hope that she might escape this danger which was cause of great ioy vnto her friends and Sisters But all this was but as a glimpse of lightuing before death for the third day when all wounds and incisions are most panifull she her self perceauing that the happie minute of her wished departure was at hand caused the whole Conuent of Nunnes to be gathered togeather about her vnto whom hauing first signified that her hower of death was come she imparted as well as the violence of her payne would suffer her the dying words of her last farewell soe full of the sweetnes of diuine documents and deuotion that she wonderfully moued the minds and hearts of them all to the loue of heauen and heauenly things Then hauing strengthened her iourney with the Viaticum of our Lords holy bodie she rendred vp her pure soule into the pure hands of her Creatour and ending this mortall Her happy deâ—th life entered into that which neuer ends leauing the whole Conuent of her deuout Sisters soe ouercharged with sorrow that not being able to containe so hard a burden within doores their coÌ„passionate eies let forth liuely signes thereof to ease the heauines of their pious hearts This glorious Virgin died the 23. day of Iune in the yeare of our Lord six hundred seauentie nine when she had been Abbesse seauen yeares Aldulph her Brother then raygning ouer the East-Angles XII BVT when her sacred bodie had layne buried in the earth the space of sixteen yeares her holy sister SEXBVRG who had succeeded in the gonernment of the same Monasterie moued with the manie miracles dayly wrought at her tombe was desirous to take vp those sacred spoiles and honour them with a more eminent place in the Church Therefore a day being appoynted for the more solemne execution of this translation a great multitude of deuout poeple flocked thither to be present at that act amongst whom allso was S. WILFRID Archbishop of Yorke and Kinefrid the Chirurgean that two daies before her departure had made the incision in her neck which we spoke of before But before they opened her sepulcher the holy Abbesse SEXBVRG sent some of the Monkes to prouide A tombâ—stone miraculously found for her bodie a stone to be the tombe of those sacred reliques Who because the I le of Ely it self being a place encompassed round with waters Marshes was voyde of all manner of stones of such greatnes went to a litle towne not farre from thence called Grandacester where neere vnto the walles of the same towne they streight found a fayre tombe curiously cutt in white marble with a couer of the same matter most iustly fitted thereunto All much amazed at this good fortune especially because the neighbouring poeple affirmed that they had neuer before seene anie such stone in that place they vnderstood that our Lord the wonder-working spouse of the glorious Virgin ETHELDRED had miraculously prospered their iourney and prouided a shrine for her holy bodie Therefore singing himnes of prayse thankes vnto his diuine goodnes they brought the new-found tombe-stone to the Monastery which was a great comfort and encouragement to the vertuous Abbesse to hearten her to proceed in the execution of her intended purpose Her body found vncorrupted after sixteen yeares XIII THEREFORE all things being worthyly ordered and prepared the whole Conuent came in procession and stood singing about the sepulcher which was couered and hidden vnder a pauillion Then the Abbesse with some others entered into it to take vp the holy body which being discouered they fouÌ„d to be as whole fayre fresh and vncorrupted as the same day it was layd in the earth and appeared vnto the amazed beholders more like vnto one asleepe then dead Nay which is most wonderfull the incision in her neck which at her buriall was a wide and open wound was now soe perfectly cured that there remayned only to be seene a small and slender skarre as a token of what it had been before Soe that the earth which is wont to corrupt and consume the dead bodies of other mortall men serued here as a soueraigne baulme not only to preserue her virginall flesh vncorrupted but euen to cure and heale the wounds made therein Then the bodie being eleuated to the publick view of the whole multitude of assistants with astonished eyes they all beheld the wonder of allmightie God who worketh his owne will and pleasure both in heauen and earth and here to shew the integritie of this holy Virgins chastitie during her life had preserued her bodie allsoe from all spott of corruption for the space of sixteen yeares after her death And of this were witnesses besides manie others great S. WILFRID and Kinfrid the Chirurgean who being a faythfull recorder of this accident was De gest lib. 4. c. 9. wont to relate the same as it is here writteÌ„ vnto Venerable BEDE and others as BEDE him self doeth testifie affirming allso that not only the bodie but the linnen cloathes in which it was wrapped were found allso to be as entier and new as the first day they were employed to enclose that chast bodie XIV THEN hauing washed the sacred bodie and shrowded it in fresh cloathes fitt to containe soe worthie a treasure they placed it with great reuerence in the new and miraculous tombe of white marble which they found to be soe fitt in length and bignes to containe that sacred relique that the cunningest workman by line and measure could not haue made one fitter and brought it with Miracles at her tombe great ioy and solemnitie into the Church of the B. Virgin MARY which she had founded in her life time This translation or eleuation of her holy bodie was performed on the seauenteenth day of October and sixteeÌ„ yeares after her death Manie great miracles were afterwards wrought there at her toÌ„be the only touching of the cloathes that her bodie had been wrapped in droue deuills out of the bodies of possessed persons and cured manie diseases by the power of Him that is all waies wonderfull in his Saincts And the woddeÌ„
powers both of his bodie and soule In humilitie he was most lowly in obedience most readie and full of charitable affection towards all men Hauing passed ouer his youth in the continuall exercise of these and other Monasticall vertues he receiued the dignitie of Priesthood and then he did not only shine vnto his He is made Priest brethren and draw them to vertue by his good example but allsoe by reading and expounding the holy scriptures by pious exhortations and preachings he would winne them to the loue of true religion and deuotion At length by the meanes of that great pillar of the Benedictine familie S. DVNSTAN he was chosen Abbot of the same Monasterie in the performance of which holy charge it is beyond the force of weake words to expresse how much he laboured And Abbot of westminster for the saluation of foules and what excellent examples of vertue and godly life he shewed vnto his brethren But such were his rare vertues that long they could not be contayned within the bounds of a weake Cloister For king Ethelred called him thence as it were from vnder the obscure bushell of his Monasterie to be placed in the view and admiration of the world in the Bishoprick of Sherburne and by the free election of the Clergie and greate applause of the poeple he was exalted to the gouernment of that Sea Then it was rare to behould how worthily he beganne to rule his people thundring at first a dutifull respect into their The true vertues of a good Bishop hearts he afterwards shined all loue among them his first and principall care being to appeare vnto his subjectss such as he would haue them be and to be such as he appeared making his godly life the example of his owne doctrine and his doctrine to arise as it were out of his deeds Soe that in a small time he wanne singular loue in his people and engraffed singular confidence His dayly exercise was to exhorte his subjects to comfort the afflicted to feed the hungrie to cloath the naked to redeeme captiues to entertaine poore pilgrims to teach the ignorant to withould the desperate from the shipwrack of their soules to enflame the tepid and animate the seruent to prouide carefully for those vnder his charge and punctually to performe the dutie of his profession and calling He was wont to spend the time of Lent within the Monks cloister were freed from the tumultuous affaires of the world he led a rigid monasticall life exercising him self in fasting and prayer and heauenly contemplation On maundie thursday he came abroade and hauing consecrated holy Chrisme according to the custome of Consecration of Chrisme the Catholicke Church he would preach vnto the people giue them his benediction After the celebration of the feast of Easter he was wont to visitt his whole diocesse as well to teach instruct and direct his vnder-pastours and clergiemen worthily to performe their duties as allsoe to amend correct and punish whatsoeuer was done amisse contrarie to the rules of good order discipline and iustice II. HE WAS wonderfull carefull both to augment and exalt that auncient sea of Sherburne and to establish it in a continuall peace in good order and discipline and to that end he cast out from thence Nichol. Harp saec 10. c. 9. William Malm. Monks ought nor to be subiect to Bishops the secular clergimen for their bad life and in their steede brought in the Benedictine Monks ouer whom he would haue placed an Abbot but they desired rather to liue vnder his gouernment whereunto though vnwilling he consented foretelling them that it would be a beginning of great calamities vnto their successours to be subiect to the Bishops But in all that he did for the Monks he neuer detracted anie part of the meanes belonging to the Bishoprick to sett them vp withall but prouided elsewhere sufficient reuenews for them allwaies preseruing the Episcopall Sea in her owne auncient and splendour in all things III. THVS hauing for the space of fiue yeares worthily gouerned his flock and done the office of a good pastour he fell into a vehement sicknes togeather with a vertuous knight and his deare S. Wulsine falls sick friend named Egeline who hearing of his lords infirmitie seemed to suffer more therein then in his owne and therefore not able to goe him self he sent to know in what danger he was The languishing holy man by the messenger willed his siâ—kly friend suddenly to dispose of him self and his estate and to prepare for his last iourney for to morrow next sayd he we shall goe both togeather to the court of our eternall King where he shall receiue the reward of his faithfull seruice The messenger being departed he vsed these words to his Monks By the filiall loue you haue euer shewed vnto me I doe coniure you my deare children that before you committ my bones to the earth you cause the bodie of this our faithfull friend to be brought hither and to be buried with me in this Church of Sherburne that in death our bodies be not separated whose soules during life were tied faithfully togeather in the bands of true loue and friendship To these words the Monks that were present could giue noe other answere but teares the woefull witnesses of the sorrow they conceaued to depart from soe deare a father But he exhorted them all to be rather ioyfull then grieued at his neere approching happines and alwaies to liue in the feare and loue of God till he felt the pangs of death beginne to cutt of his discourse when lifting vp his hands and eyes towards heauen he cried out with the first martir S. STEPHEN Behould I see the heauens opened and Iesus standing on the right hand of God and with the breath of these words he breathed forth his pure soule to receaue her reward in the purest He dieth place the eight day of Ianuary about the yeare of our Lord 985. Of this B. Sainct doe make mention ARNOLD WION in the appendix of his martirologe WILLIAM MALMESBVRY IOHN CAPGRAVE NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD and others whom we haue followed The life of S. ADRIAN Confessor and Abbot of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 9. SAINCT ADRIAN borne in Africa for his great vertue Out of venerable Bede and learning was chosen Abbot of the Benedictin Monasterie of Niridan in Campania not farre from Naples He was a great diuine and very skillfull both in the Greek and Latine tongue and to these sciences was added as an ornament of all a true zeale of the seruice of allmightie God and monasticall discipline with a perfect knowledge of Ecclesiasticall gouernment All which shined soe cleerly in him as they gaue sufficient testimonie with how sincere a desire of vertue he had first forsaken the world and putt on the habitt of religion II. IT happened during the time of this holy Abbot that the Metropolitan Sea of Canturbury by the death
vnder a hedge being exposed to the iniurie of the wind and weather But allmightie god who neuer forsaketh his seruants sent forth a bright shining light which incompassed the holie man with such splendour that the next approching morning might well blush at the luster of his brightsom night And the same allmightie power shott a dreadfull thunderbolt into that village which had refused to harbour his messenger whereby it was fiered destroyed and buried for euer in its owne ruines Afterwards Tonanus a Bishop of Jreland vnderstanding of the fame of S. LAVRENCE and of his preaching came to see him and hauing heard him dispute of the Apostolique institutions of the Catholick Church and of the true obseruance of Easter he embraced the truth and earnestly endeauoured to reduce his owne countrey vnto the same V. LAVRENCE returning againe into Kent happened by the way to lodge in a house where his Hosts sonne was newly dead and He rayseth a dead boy to life the father and mother wonderfully lamenting their losse desired him yf he would haue them beleeue in the fayth of him he preached to restore their sonne to life againe The Holy Bishop hauing made his prayer vnto allmightie God full of faith and confidence in him that promised whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name shall be graunted vnto you coÌ„maunded the boy to rise and he arose forth with and related how when S. LAVRENCE prayed for him he was by the hand of bright-shining Angels taken out of the vgly clawes of the black horrid spirits and restored to his bodie againe Moued with this miracle the father and mother of the boy togeather with all their whole houshould and Kinred receaued the faith of CHRIST and were at the same time washed in the sacred font of Baptisme At length this holie Prelat hauing for the space almost of eleuen yeares gouerned the Sea of Canturburie continually labouring in His happie death the promotion of gods cause left this world to receaue the euerlasting rewards of his labours in a better the second day of February in the yeare of our Lord 619. He was buried neer vnto S. AVGVSTIN his predecessour in the Benedictin Abbey of Canturbury dedicated vnto S. PETER and S. PAVL which had bin founded in S. AVGVSTINS time but was perfected and consecrated by S. LAVRENCE And in the Epitaph ouer his tombe mention is made of his scourging in this verse Pro populo Christi Scapulas dorsumque dedisti A long time after his death togeather with his fellow-Bishops and Saincts AVGVSTINE and MELLITVS he appeared in glorie to a lame cripple whose legges by the contraction of the sinews grew fast to his haunches but as he prayed for help in the same Church the Blessed Sainct with his owne hands seemed to dissolue his ioynts sinews soe that he suddenly found him self to be perfectly cured This life me haue gathered cheefly out of VENERABLE BEDE de geft Ang. lib. 2. and IOANNES ANGLICVS recited by IOHN CAPGRAVE Mention is made of him in the Roman Martirologe this day TRITHEMIVS of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order lib. 3. cap. 59. Harpsfield sâ—c 7. cap. 7. MALMESBVRY de gest reg Angl. lib. 1. cap. 1. and de gest Pâ—ntif Angl. lib. 1. and all our English historiographers doe whorthyly speaks his prayses The life of S. WEREBVRG Virgin and Abbesse of the Holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 3. Out of diuers graue onthors AS a pretious diamond when it is artificially and well sett in a gould ring giueth a double lustre and grace vnto the eye soe the vertues of the mind which are engraffed in the nobilitie of birth and beautie of bodie doe shine with a farre greater glorie and dazle the beholders with more admiration A strong proofe hereof we haue in the life of the glorious virgin S. WEREBVRG who by the Sainctitie and vertues of her good life ennobled the resplendent royaltie and no blencs of her birth She was daughter vnto Wulfere Her royall parentage King of the Mercians and S. ERMENILD his Queene Being therefore borne of a noble and holie race and in beautie excelling manie other of her equalls she iudged it a thing verie vnseemly to degenerate from the vertue and glorie of her Ancestours or that the vilences of a corrupted soule should blemish and deforme the beaâ—teous grace of soe faire a bodie And because she had her beginning from noble progenitors she abhorred the terrene desires of the louers of this world to vnite her self to the most worthie spouse of all chast soules CHRIST IESVS vnto whom she betrothed the pure and holie soule of her vnstained bodie Gould gemmes costly apparell and whatsoeuer else the gorgeous pompe of this world doth bragge of seemed vnto her rather odious then glorious II. AT LENGTH the time being come when she was resolued to celebrate her spirituall spousage she went to the monasterie of Benedictin She taketh the habitt of S. Benedict Nunnes at Ely where CHRIST and his angels being witnesses she receaued the sacred vaile of virginitie and ranged her self into the companie of those holie virgins vnder the rule of S. BENEDICT and the gouernment of Etheldred her aunt theÌ„ abbesse of the same place From which time treading vnder foote the vaine pride of the world she euer shewed her self an humble handmayd of CHRIST by submitting her self to all her other sisters she ouercame them all in the vertue of true humilitie allwaies seruing their necessitie with the pious workes of a boyling charitie not forgetting likewise to keepe a speciall guard ouer her owne actioÌ„s lest she should committ anie small ouersight which might be displeasing vnto her heauenly spouse for whose loue she had forsaken the pompe of the world which mortalls soe much admire The whole forces powers of her soule were bent only to endeauour which way she might become excellent in silence abstinence watchings pious reading and holie Her pious exercises meditations That in a short time she went as farre beyond her other companions in these and all other vertues as she excelled the in the nobilitie of bloud yet allwaies thinking soe humbly of her self that she was euer most readie to obey them all and to vndergoe the basest offices of the howse In a word all her life was such that allthough as others doe she carried her bodie vppon earth yet she alwaies had her mind fixed in heauen and heauenly things III. AFTER she had a long time giuen such a patterne of vertue and religion in the monasterie of Ely king Wulfere her father being She is made Abbesse of three Nunneries dead Etheldred her vncle then raigning ouer the kingdom of Mercia sent for her home into her owne countrey and gaue her the gouernment of three monasteries of Benedictine Nunnes to wit Trentam and Hindbury in Staffordsshire and Wedune in Northamptonshire that with her good and pious example she might there promote the obseruance of heauenly and immortall life
chastitie and giue twelue Vâ—wes of chastity pleasing vnto God farmes with the land therevnto belonging to the erection and foundation of monasteries yf by his diuine assistance and to his greater honour he should ouerthrow the insolent pride of his Barbarous enemie This sayd with a heart full of coÌ„fidence he prepared him self and his small armie for the battle The number of his aduersaries are reported to haue redoubled thirtie times his all well repoynted and old tried souldiers against whom bouldly marched King Oswy with his sonne Alâ—frid The battle was fought were the riuer Junet which at that time ouerflowed his banks soe that the Victorie falling with Oswy more by flight were drowned in the water then King Oswy victorious ouer Penda slaine with the sword And herein proud Penda payd death his due with the ouerthrow of all his Mercian power This noble victorie being by gods holy assistance soe nobly or rather miraculously wonne King Oswy gaue infinite thankes vnto allmightie God and for performance of his vow made he deliuered his daughter ELFLED as yet scarse a yeare old to be brought vpp in a monasterie of Benedictine nunnes called Heretheu vnder the pious conduct of S. HILDA And withall he gaue the lands of one hundred and twentie families for the building and maintayning of monasteries But two yeares afterwards S. HILDA purchased the possession of tenne Elfled taketh the habit of S. Benedict families and built the monasterie of Streanshall where ELFLED being come to age first receaued the habit of S. BENEDICTS order and hauing bin long trained vp in this holy schoole of vertue in the continuall exercise of monastical discipline she afterwards succeeded S. HILDA being for her holy life chosen Abbesse of that place and became a mistresse of vertue vnto the whole coÌ„uent gouerning her virgin subiects in the ioyes of virginitie with the care of a motherly pietie and inuiting them to the true obseruance of religion by the vertuous and pious example of her owne life II. WHILST thus she ennobled the nobilitie of her stock with the greater nobilitie of vertue she fell into a grieuous sicknes that made her allmost tast the bitternes of deaths pangs and when the skill of phisick could nothing auayle her suddely by the grace of the She falleth sick diuine phisition she was taken out of the gates of death and freed from all her inward paines yet still remained in soe great weaknes of her limmes that she could nether stand nor goe but was forc't to creepe on all fower in soe much that with sorrow she began to feare a perpetuall lamenes hauing long since despayred of the phisitians helpe Till one day sitting pensiuely in the anguish of her sorrowfull thoughts the great sainctity of S. CVTHBERT whoÌ„ she loued dearly came into her mind and presently she wished to haue somthing from him firmely beleeuing and trusting thereby to receaue perfect health Not long after there comes one which She recouereth by miracle brought her a linnen gyrdle sent from S. CVTBERT She greatly reioyced with that present and vnderstanding that her desire was made knowne by diuine reuelation vnto the holy man gyrt her self with the same gyrdle and one the morrow after she became able to stand on her feet and the third day she was restored to perfect health to the great admiration of all Within a short time after being desirous to coÌ„municate to others the great blessing bestowed vppon her self she applied the same gyrdle vnto one of her Nunnes that was allmost dead with an insufferable payne which dayly increased more more in her head but noe sooner had this holy Virgin of CHRIST bound her about the temples with that gyrdle but the payne ceased perfect health succeeded Afterwards B. S. CVTHBERT Bishop of Linsdisfarne came him self in person to visitt this holy Virgin and to consecrate a Church Where as the holy man sate at table he saw in a vision the soule of a seruant that died at her monasterie at that verie time The holy virgin being desirous to know who it was to morrow replied S. CVTHBERT before I goe to masse thou wilt tell me his name She sent to know and on the morrow as the bishop was dedicating the Church she came running Masse for the dead to him in a womanish amazement as yf she had brought some great newes I desire you my Lord sayd she to be mindfull in your Masse of Hadwald thas was his name who died falling from a tree as he was cutting wood III. WHEN this most noble and holy virgin of CHRIST ELLFED had for manie yeares ruled her monasterie in great Sainctitie and preserued the sacred treasure of her virginitie from her tendrest infancie to the age of threescore yeares she deliuered vpp her pure soule to the most happie and long desired mariage of her heauenly spouse about the yeare of our Lord 714. She was buried in the Church of the same monasterie dedicated to S. PETER togeather with her father King Oswy and Queene Enfleda her mother But by the Danish furie that as manie other monasteries was vtterly destroyed till afterwards it was againe reedified for monkes of S. BENEDICTS order and called by the name of Whiteby And lastly is was translated to the walles of the cittie of Yorke and dedicated to our Lady But after the raigne of William conquerour the sacred reliques of S. ELFLED with others being found amongst those ruines were honourably placed in a more eminent degree worthy the meritts of soe great a sainct Thus much of S. ELFLED we haue gathered chiefly out of S BEDE de gest lib. 3. c. 24. William malmesbury de gest PoÌ„t Ang. lib. 3 Mathew Westmin an 655. NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD hist. Eccl. saec 7. cap. 27. other English writers The life of S. THELIAN Bishop and confessor FEB 9. Out of an auncient Authour SAINCT THELIAN an auncient Britan borne of noble parents ' much more ennobled his stock by the splendor of his vertues He was Scholler vnto Dubricius bishop of Landaff vnder whose holy care he attayned vnto that height of wisedome learning that as yet He was called 〈◊〉 and way but a youth he obtained the name of Helios which in Greeke signifieth the Sunne for his sacred doctrine shined like the sunne and dispersing the darknes of sinne and infidelity lightened the hearts of the faythfull poeple of his countrey with the sacred beames of true religion and vertue But hearing the fame of a prudent and holy man called Paulin he went vnto him and conferred with him concerning the more secret and abstruse places of the holy scripture where he entred into acquintaince with great S. DAVID Bishop of His loue to S. Dauid Meneuia betweene whom the grace of the holy ghost tied soe strict a knott of true loue and friendship that they were esteemed in those dayes as a noble payre of friends of one mind and soule But while they liued togeather in
of her byrth and hauing the prerogatiue of senioritie among her Fathers children was soe farr from glorying therein that for the only deare loue of allmightie god her creatour and the pure desire of heauen she vtterlie contemned those honours which worldlings soe highly admire and wholely setled and tied her self with all the thoughts studies cares desires and powers of her soule to find out the best and readiest meanes to attaine to that kind of vertuous life in which being free from all broiles and troubles of the vaine world she might spend the short time of her mortalitie in the contemplation of allmightie God and his heauenly guifts and graces thereby to ennoble the royaltie of her bloud which the nobilitie of perfection and vertue And the better to put these her good thoughts and purposes in perfect execution she â—â—â—â—ged her fath 〈…〉 littering and princely pallace for a monaâ—â—erie her royal◠〈…〉 irple for a hayre-cloathe her princely diadem for a little black vayle and in summe insteed of her worldly dowrie which could not but be exceeding rich and honourable she made a happie choyse of IESVS-CHRIST to be the only spouse and spirituall ornament of her soule II. ALL this she performed in a monasterie which her self had built She becometh a Nunne of S. Benedicts order at Wenlock in Shropsâ—irâ— where at 〈◊〉 hands of S. THEODORE a Benedictin monk then Archbishop of Canturburie she receaued the vayle of perpetuall virginttie and was ranged into the order of Nunnes of S. BENEDICTS or dâ—â—â—â—d 〈…〉 er made Abbesse of the virgins that she had gathered togeather in the same place and vnder the same rule This monasterie her father and her vncle Merwald and Wulfere both kings of Mercia verie richly adorned afterwards with large and ample possessions of lands manie pretious reliques of Saincts and diuers other great priuiledges and prerogatiues And now by reason of that holie societie soe worthyly addicted to the diuine seruice of God and cheefly for S. MILBVRG her self a mother worthie such a progenie or for that holie progenie worthie soe good a mother that sacred place beganne to represent a new kind of little paradise in which amongst the inhabitants was a holie contention striuing who should gett the prize in the aduancement of true pietie chastitie and humilitie to triumph ouer the vaine delights fond pleasures and fading glories of the world III. BVT yet S. MILBVRG farre excelled the rest especially in all humilitie and demission of mind preseruing her self for the spirituall vnion which her heauenly spouse most chast pure and vnspotted in all and through all her actions And as a bright A yong man taken with loue of her sunne to the lesser planets she gaue light vnto her other sisters by the rare example of her vertues to shew them the high way to perfection In this her holy course of soe great vertues CHRIST was not wanting to his pious virgin nether did he only giue her dayly a greater ardour of will and a fresh supplie of force to further her progresse in the path of vertue but allsoe honoured her with famous testimonies of his care and loue towards her and bestowed by her manie excellent documents to posteritie Amongst which one and not the lest was that being on a time out of her monasterie in a village called Stokes a yong gallant sonne to a prince of that countrey was soe taken with her beautie that he had a vehement desire to carrie her away by force and marrie her And hauing gathered a band of men togeather to putt his wicked thoughts in execution he endeauoured to make the holy virgin his prey but she that had intelligence hereof by reuelation from her heauenly spouse presently with her companie betooke her self to flight when the rash yong maÌ„ fiercer then anie wolf followed the pure lambe of CHRIST till coming to a little shallow brooke called Corse through which the Virgin with her companie had easily waded his furie receaued a stopp for the water as it were displeased at soe bad an enterprise suddenly She it miraculously preserued swelled vp and filling his bankes with angrie streames seemed to threaten those passengers with destruction The yong gallant much confounded and astonished herewith declared by his cessing to persecute the holy virgin anie further that the flames of his vnchast affection were vtterly quenched with the sudden inundation of that coole water In like manner as the water the fowles which we call Wild-geese did obey the will and commaundement of S. MILBVRG for when those creatures The fowleâ— of the ayre obey her made greate spoile and hauock in the corne fields neere vnto her monasterie the holy Virgin full of fayth which as our sauiour sayth can remooue mountaines commaunded them presently to be gone and chardged that nether they nor anie other of the same kind should euer dare to trespasse those fields anie more To whom a Syf they had been capable of reason the birds forth with obeyed neuer more endomaged those places this miracle lasted not only during her life but allsoe to our later ages as it is recorded both by the testimonie of the inhabitants thereabouts manie ancient writers Whereby you may see how it pleased the diuine goodnes to shew a miraculous fauour in our England to this his blessed Virgin like vnto that which in times past he shewed to S. ANTHONH the Hermite when he gaue him power and commaund ouer the wild boares in the desert IV. MANIE other wonderfull workes are related of this holy Virgin which the breuitie of this discourse will not permitt vs to rehearse of which these are that she restored sight vnto a blind man life vnto the dead sonne of a poore widdow Which deedes as in theÌ„ selues they are verie great soe in respect of those other benefitts and graces wherein by her pious exhortations and holy example of life she restored vnto manie desperate persons the heauenly light of the soule which they had lost and life euerlasting whereof their sinfull actions and vnworthines had depriued them they seeme to bee of farre lesse accompt in as much as the spirituall light and death of the Soule doth excell the mortall light and death of the Bodie V Now this holie spouse of IESVS CHRIST S. MILBVRG hauing made soe worthie a progresse in all kind of goodnes and vertue that Her speech to her Nuns before death euen in the winter of her old age the sweete flowers of her good workes euer florishing and encreasing more and more in perfection she became to desire aspire vnto nothing more then by the end of her labours in this world to attaine to the ioyfull fruition and presence of the only deare spouse of her soule who through the burning and purging affliction of a long and teadious feauer called her at length vnto him But during the time of this her last sicknes hauing gathered her Nunnes about her with great deuotion she
instant He died the sixth of March and was buried in Cornwall in a chappell in the towne of Padstow which chappell remayneth there to this day He is reported to haue wrought manie wonderfull miracles in his life time which bicause they tend rather to breed an incredulous amazement in the readers then mooue to anie workes of vertues or pietie we haue willingly omitted His life is written by IOANNES Anglicus and recited by IOHN CAPGRAVE and mention is made of him in the Chronicles of Ireland and other anncient monuments The life of Sainct KYNEBVRG queene and Abbesse and of Sainct Kineswide and Tibbe Virgins all of the holy order of S. Benedict MAR. 6. TakeÌ„ out of diuers graue Authours SAINCT KYNEBVRG and KYNESWIDE daughters to wicked Penda the Heathen king of the Mercians inherited soe little of their fathers impietie and were soe farre from following the blind waies of his Paganisme that contrariwise like two bright starres they shined in the true profession of Christian religion and vertue Soe that their father though euer rebellious against allmightie God Kyneburg marieth King Alfred yet in them he furnished his heuenly Kingdom with two most sacred branches of sainctitie KYNEBVRG to gett out of the reach of his crueltie maried Alfred King of the Northumbers which was rather an aduancement then a hindrance to her in the continuall exercise of vertue pietie The poore needie and afflicted had soe pious a mother of her that she seemed to be borne for noe other end then to relieue their miserie And yet did she not soe excell in this one grace as yf she were dead to all other vertues for there was allmost noe prayse due vnto a pious-noble woeman wherein she might not iustly challege her part all waies performing with a singular care and diligence whatsoeuer appertayned vnto God and his diuine Her desire of a chast life seruice The feruour of her pietie dayly encreasing she became at length soe rauished with the sacred loue of her immortall spouse the King of heauen that she earnestly desired to renounce her terrene King Kingdom thereby to beare the sweet yoke of CHRIST with more freedom and loathing all mortall embracements she aspired only to vnite her soule with allmightie God in the sacred linkes of his diuine loue Which that with more libertie and profitt she might bring to passe she neuer ceased with her pious perswasions to sollicite the King her husband vntill he had graunted her licence to liue according to her owne free will The King at length honouring and admiring soe great feruour of pietie and religion in his wife as it were violently forced and compelled him self contrarie to the inclination of his owne will to forgoe his power of matrimonie otherwise lawfull and not only gaue her way to follow her owne desires but him self allsoe putt on a constant and setled resolution and purpose to keepe perpetuall continencie euer after Therefore within a short time the Kings Pallace it self contrarie to A royall râ—soâ—ution of chastitie custom in such places was changed as it were into a monasterie of religion and a shop where was practised all manner of discipline of more exact vertue and pietie The King his queene liued as brotheir and sister vnited togeather in a stricter vnion of minds then before they were of bodies KYNEBVRG not a little glad hereat when after a while she perceaued the King her husband to be sufficiently confirmed in this new course of pietie she departed with his leaue to a monasterie which she had prepared for her self and other virgins where changing her kind of life she made the splendour and greatnes of her former estate stoope to the plainnes of humilitie her riches to grow richer by a voluÌ„tarie pouertie her delights to be an ordinarie slender diet and insteed of the ambitions traine of her noble ladies of honour she was accompanied with a few poore Virgin-Nunnes with whom she led a vertuous and religious life vnder the rule of our most holy father Sainct BENEDICT This monastery was built at a place then called Dormundcaster and afterwards Chineburgcastle some two miles distant from the famous Benedictine Abbey of Peterborrough II. IN THE meane time her sister KYNESWIDE as yet but yong had S. Kyneswide not attayned the sacred vaile of religion but waiting as it were at the chamber doore of her diuine spouse admired and imitated the sainctity of her sister soe well that she gaue great signes and tokens of her owne future sainctity When S. KYNEBVRG serued her for a true patterne or sampler whence she might take out the pious workes and flowers of vertue and religion being brought vp vnder her gouernment in the sacred schoole of a vertuous good life S. Kyneburg made Abbesse Afterwards S. KYNEBVRG being made Abbesse of the same monasterie it farre exceeds the force of weake wordes this poore penne to expresse with what loue she gayned soules to CHRISTS seruice with what care being gained she nourished them in the bosome of her charitie and how watchfull a guardian teacher she was of the diuine lawes and monasticall discipline dayly heaping vp a new encrease of vertues to her former till at length she left this life and Her death made a happie iourney vnto him for whose sake she had forsaken the world and the vanities thereof leauing vnto her dolefull sisters manie worthy examples of charitie and religion She was buried in the same monasterie which she had built III. AFTER the departure of this sacred Virgin Offa King of the East-Angles became wonderfully affected to the holy Virgin Kyneswide her sister and earnestly desired to make her his wife queene But KINESWIDE who was quite of an other mind and had allreadie betrothed her self to be a spouse of the King of heauen vtterly refused to yeeld vnto his desires And being with much importunitie sollicited therevnto by the perswasions yea and threatnings of her brethren she had recourse vnto the Mother of all puritie the Blessed Virgin MARIE whom with prayers and teares she earnestly implored to ridd her of these troubles The B. Virgin appearing in a The Virgin Marie appeareth to Kyneswide vision vnto her gaue her counsell couragiously to persist in her purpose of perpetuall chastitie promising withall to obtaine of her sonne CHRIST-IESVS whom she had chose for her spouse to graunt strength and helpe to her holy intentions Herevppon KYNESVIDE receauing new force and courage sent messengers to giue a defiance vnto King Offa breake of all hope of anie such league to be betwixt them beseeching and coniuring him by the dreadfull name She refuseth the marriage of King Offa. of our Lord not to sollicite her anie further with his loue which she iudged to be violence nor to make warre against heauen to take her from CHRIST her chosen spowse nor to trouble his angels the louers of virginitie but peaceably to permitt her with an vntouched freedom
thereof he went in pilgrimage to Durcham where in his sacred tomb he deposed a worthie guift as a holy testimonie of his deuout loue At length after some yeares in his bishoprick coming to the last poynt of this mortall life as long as his voyce would serue him he sung his accustomed Anthem of S. CVTHBERT but his speech fayling with his hand he made a signe to the monks to goe on and soe he happily breathed forth the testimonie of his loue to that Sainct togeather with his blessed soule which at the same instant tooke her flight to receaue His happie departure her prepared seate and reward amongst the quires of Benedictin Monks in heauen Thus much out of Malmesburie depont lib. 2. Harpsfield saec 11. cap. 9. and others He florished about the yeares 1050. THE END OF MARCH The life of Sainct RICHARD Bishop of Chicester and Confessor APR. 3. VVritten by Radulphus Cicestrius about the yeare 1270 SAINCT RICHARD of blessed and neuer dying memorie was an Englishman borne of honest parents in Worcester-shire at a Village which from the salt-pitts thereabouts was called the Wiche S Richards parents c countrey His fathers name was Richard too and his mothers Alice It was not without some presage of his future excellencie that he was borne in a towne of salt for indeed he seasoned the whole countrey with the salt of his wisedom learning and holy life From his tendrest yeares contrarie to the custō of that age he so farre abandoned dancing His happie witt plaies and other such vanities that his other fellowes and equalls in yeares could by noe allurements nor perswasions draw him thereunto on the other side within a short time he farre excelled all his riualls both in learning integritie of life good manners His elder brother during the time of his nonage was kept in ward and by that meanes he came to his lands in great pouertie and want Whose case RICHARD much pittied and hauing not anie thing wherewith to comfort and succour him in that necessitie he He serues his brother gaue him self wholly into his seruice in which he spent noe small time in great pouertie and abiection and with noe lesse patience humilitie and modestie toyling and sweating now at the plough now at the cart and other such hard imployments and labours of husbandrie Whereby he wonne to him self soe great good will and affection from his brother that by a sealed writing he assured all his lands vppon him Then his friends and kinsfolks began to treate of a marriage to be solemnized between him and a yong gentlewoman of that Countrey VVhich when his brother perceaued he beganne to repent that he had resigned ouer his meanes because he knew that with that gentlewoman he should come in possession of a verie large and ample dowry RICHARD hauing intelligēce hereof He forsaketh all for loue of leaning You haue noe reasō deare brother sayd he to be afflicted at this for the same liberalitie and curtesie which you haue shewed towards me will I returne to you againe Therefore behould I not only surrender vp your writings and bonds but allsoe all the interest I haue in this my future wife yf soe it may stand with the good will and liking of her frends and for mine owne part I neuer once kissed her lippes Hēceforth hauing abandoned all he had his lands his spouse his friends he betooke him self to his studies first at Oxford thē at Paris in France where he learnt his Logick And he was soe violently carried away with ā extreme loue desire to apparell his mind with learning that he scarse euer thought ether offoode or apparell for his bodie For as him self afterwards was wōt to say whē he was one of the three schollers that liued in one chamber they had but one capp or hatt betwixt them each of them but one gowne Soe that like some of our courtiers now a dayes whē one of them went forth to lesson with the hatt the other two remayned barcheaded at home And soe the same capp serued them all by turnes to goe heare their lectures Their ordinary food was bread and a little herbe-pottage or some such poore dish For their pouertie would not allow them to eate eyther flesh or fish vnlesse it were vppon sundaies and high dayes and when their friends and comrades did inuite them And yet the holy man was wont to say that in all his life times he neuer enuoyed merrier and sweeter dayes then those II. IN THE meane time our hopefull yong man prositted soe excellently Hefs made master of art in his studies that by the publick applause and acclamations of all men he was iudged worthie to be honoured with the title of master But refusing to take anie degrees at Paris he returned againe to his Countrey and to the Vniuersitie of Oxford where within a short time he was promoted to be Master of the liberall arts He studies Canon law when liberally he imparted that learning to others which before with much labour he had purchased to him self And goeing afterwards into Italic for seauē years space he gaue his mind to studie the Canon law in the vniuersitie of Bolognia that with soe great encrease of learning that his master falling sick made choise of him amongst all his other schollers to supplie his place and continue the lecture begunne Which for more then half a yeare he performed with soe great modestie readines of witt and iudgement that he purchased to him self great affectiō praise throughout all the vniuersitie gott soe high a place of fauour and good will with his master that he desired and aspired to nothing more willingly then to giue him his only daughter in marriage But RICH. who moued by a diuine inspiration was farre otherwise bent gaue him verie humble thanks for his noble loue courteously pretending some reasōs for his excuse adding withall that for the present he had a lōg iourney to make promising that at his returne yf soe it pleased God his dutie should be yielding to the leuell of his desires And taking leaue of his master his daughter in this sort he returned into England to the vniuersitie of Oxford where he led a verie rigid austere life in He is made Chancelour of oxford cōtinuall labours watching other bodily afflictiōs Whē his fame renowne encreased to such a height in the eares of the world that by the cōsent of all he was made Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie III. ABOVT the same time S. EDMOND sate at the helme in the gouernmēt of the metropolitā sea of Canturbury who long before had had certaine intelligence of his great prudence and integritie and Robert surnamed grosse teste a mā famous for holines was thē bishop of Lincolne who both being wholly ignorant of one others meaning herein And to the Archbishop of Cauturbury at one the same time earnestly
the way to purchase a crowne by flying out of the lists of the battle Or how can he glorie in the prize of the victorie who would not runne to the end of the race To whom when the bishop had answeared that he did not flie but obeyed the commaund of heauens messenger This was not a message from God replied the other but a false inuention of the deuils malice who did not soe much desire to educe thee out of prison as to seduce thee being out For he is shrewdly netled with the pious workes of thy life past and to see thee allwaies enioy the present consolation of the holy Ghost in all thy afflictions whose presence giueth constancie to all men constancie getts victorie and victorie purchaseth euerlasting glorie Returne theÌ„ to the place deputed to thee from aboue to obtaine thee a crowne and know that to morrow our heauenly father will honour thee in heauen with that eternall happines to liue with his sonne for euer XII Now that Sainct ELPHEGVS was brought back to the Againe he is cruelly tormented place of his triall with great ioy he expected the hower wherein he should receaue the crowne of martirdom But being come neere to the prison gate he was apprehended by a troupe of those butchers who hauing cruelly beaten him with stripes and hurt his braine with greuious blowes vppon the head lockt him vpp in a prison allmost half dead where euery hower of the night they cast on a fier made of purpose whatsoeuer they could imagine would yeeld the filthiest stink and smoake to annoy the holy man in that close roome But a good part of the night being past the gates of heauen opened and those glorious spirits began to be compartners in The Saincts come to visitt him his suffrings and to breath forth the sweet odours of eternall life resounding with their melodious voyces himmes of celestiall ioy and melodie Whom as S. ELPHEGVS heard and considered to the great comfort of his painfull soule he beheld saint DVNSTAN late Archbishop of Canturbury glorious in countenance and habitt asisting amongst them who stretching forth his hand spake to him in these words To thee ô Inuincible Champion of our eternall King to honour thee with our dutie we come sent from him who hath graunted thee victorie ouer thine enemies and prepared thee an euer-florishing crowne in heauen Behould what companie thou shalt perpetually enioy after this mortall life the citizens of our heauenly Hierusalem and the most glorious domestiks of God yf thou ouercome with patience what remaines to be suffered for the loue of CHRIST For we haue beheld the manifold labours of the cittie the burning of the Churches the slaughter of our children thy chaines and reproches and the redoubling of thy torments after benefitts bestowed vppon them Armed then with the power of heauen doe thou willingly vndergoe what remaines knowing that the suffrances of this time are not Rom. 8. wort ie of the future glorie which shall be reuealed in vs. For the time of torment is but one day and that a short one too but that of rewarde is infinite and without anie end Take good courage then and fight manfully to obtaine the eternall glory promised to those that for the loue of God ouercome the world At these words those glorious spirits vanished XIII IN THE meane time his fetters chaines fell off and all his sores All his wounds are healed miraculously and wounds were perfectly healed When it was an excellent sight to behould ELPHEGVS singing with those heauenly quiristers and reioycing amongst their ioyes But the next morning had noe sooner made a glorious shew of a good meaning but he was led out of prison with an armed band of souldiers and carried ca horseback to receiue his sentence before the iudgement seate of impious tiranny Where this choise was giuen him Eyther pay gould for thy ransom or this day thou shalt be made a miserable spectacle to the world I offer you answeared he with an vndaunted courage the gould of diuine wisedom which warnes you to leaue the vanitie you His indgement loue soe dearly and turne the whole care and endeuour of your minds to the true seruice of the only liuing God which diuine counsell soe oâ—en proposed yf yet obstinately yee despise to follow yee will perish by a worle death then euer Sodom did nether shall you or your succession take anie long-during roote in this land At these words those officers of hell leaped furiously vppon him and hauing beaten him with their halberds to the ground they began to lay aâ— him with stones and whatsoeuer else came to hand Whilst he being gott vppon his knees powred out this prayer to allmightie God O IESVS-CHRIST only sonne of the eternall father who camest into this world through the womb of the imaculate Virgin MARIE to saue sinners receiue my soule in peace and haue mercie on these my tormentors with that he was stricken flatt to the ground but rising againe he went on O good Pastour O only Pastour defend the children of thy Church which with a dying voice I recommend vnto thy diuine care Then one called Thrum whom the day before he had confirmed ranne violently vppon him and with a cruell blow fastened his mercilesse axe in his sacred head whereby that conquering spiritt was sett at libertie to receaue a glorious and triumphant crowne of martirdom in heauen But the Princes of the Danes desiring to hide the wickednes of their owne fact and darken the lustre of the Martirs glorie decreed to drowne He goeth to heauen a martir his dead bodie in the riuer supposing thereby that the foulnes of their crime would soe much the more easily be kept close by how much the more the memorie of the Sainct was blotted out of the minds of the poeple But what the Danes intended for his reproche CHRIST turned to his glorie For all that multitude of poeple which by his preaching had renounced their errours stood vp in armes for his defence choosing rather to accompanie him in death then to suffer his dead bodie by whose meanes while it liued they had receaued the ablution of life to be buried in the vnsatiable A controsie about his bodie gulph of the waters Therefore that sacred relique being a cause of controuersie betweene two poeple of disageeing opinions remayned vnburied and vndrowned But the consellours of both parties meeting in the euening with the force of reason to decide the cause of that contention it was concluded by common consent of both sides ioyntly to make intercession to the Sainct him self that yf he were of anie power or estimation before the face of allmightie God he would shew the strength of his authoritie in the decision of this doubtfull question Behould sayd the impious Danes a bough cutt from its nourishing stock depriued both of barke and moisture yf this embrewed in ELPHEGVS his bloud shall appeare the next
the instant when King Edgar sonne of Edmond was borne he heard sing an Anthime foretelling peace to the English Church by that happie byrth Allsoe at the Church of Bathe being verie seriously detayned in his prayer he beheld the soule of a yong Monke whom he had brought vp at Glastenbury carried vp by troupes of Angels into heauen And it was found that that youth The deâ—ill appearâ—th died at the same instant Being afterwards in his iourney to the King who in great hast had sent for him he was mett in the way by the deuill who very petulantly and like a Buffoone reioyced and sported him self before him Being demaunded the cause of his mirth he answered that the King DVNSTANS friend would shortly die which should be a cause of great trouble in the kingdom and he hoped that the next king would not fauour DVNSTAN nor his adherents But this Master of lies could The death of king Edmond as 946. not vtter two true tales togeather for allbeit it fell out indeed that king Edmond was slaine in his Pallace within seauen daies after yet his Brother Edred succeeded a man worthyly feruent in the seruice of Allmightie God and whoe honoured DVNSTAN with noe lesse loue fauour and reuerence then his predecessor Nay Elphâ—gâ—s Bishop of Winchester being dead king Edred with manic prayers sollicited sainct DVNSTAN to succeed in that Sea whose absolute refusall of that dignitie much grieued the good kings mind made him deale with good Queene Edgine his mother to perswade DVNSTAN to accept it but all in vaine for nether the mothers nor the sonnes entreaties could preuayle to make him take it IX AFTERWARDS sainct DVNSTAN went to visitt his The death of king Edred brethren at Glastenbury where he had not stayd long but king Edred being fallen mortally sick sent for him in all hast Who trauelling speedyly towards the Court heard a voyce from heauen that sayd King EDRED rests in peace And at the very sound of those words his horse fell dead vnder him without anie hurt to the rider Then going sorrowfully to the sorrowfull Court togeather with his fellowes he committed the bodie of the King to the Mother The bad life of king Edwin Earth Edwin the sonne of King Edmond succeeded in the gouernment of the Kingdom who filthyly defiled both the beginning and progresse of his whole raigne For omitting the impietie crueltie and tyrannie wherewith he outraged all sacred and prosane things he was a man soe beyond measure addicted to the pleasures of lust and lasciuiousnes that he languished in the loue of the mother and her daughter both togeather vsing both their bodies at his pleasure And which is horrible to be spoken on the verie day of his Coronation dinner being ended he forsoke the companie of all the Bishops Abbots Princes and Nobles of the realme and went into his priuate chamber where he sate in the midst embracing the mother and daughtér his ordinary strumpets Which act caused a great scandall and indignation amongst the Princes and Nobles then present Wherevppon the rest excusing them selues out of feare to incurre the kings anger S. DVNSTAN was seÌ„t to draw Note the great zeale of S. Dunstan him out off that lewd companie Who entring the chamber and finding the king hauing layd by his royall crowne dallying on the bed betweene those two naughtie woemen first with a sterne looke he sharply rebuked their lasciuiousnes and then with a low voyce he humbly entreated the king to redeeme this publick scandall and to returne to his Peeres to gladden them with his royall presence But the King anger and shame striuing in his mind for the mastrie absolutly refused to come Then DVNSTAN in the zeale of a holy anger tooke him fast by the hand and clapping the Diadem vppon his head drew him violently into the Hall amongst his Nobles These wicked woemen were soe ashamed and offended herewith that they perswaded the King allsoe highly enraged against S. DVNSTAN to banish him out of the kingdom Who not only banished S. DVNSTAN but sent wicked officers to the monasteries of Glastenbury to seaze vppon all the goods that belonged vnto it The like iniustice he vsed to manie other monasteries of England not only despoyling them of their lands goods and reuenewes but banishing the Monks allsoe that maintayned the profession and defence of a chast life Then the Abbey of Malmesbury sayth William a monke of the same place which sor the space of two hundred threescore and ten yeares before had been inhabited by Monkes Dereg l. 2. c. 7. was made a stable of secular Clerkes X. S. DVNSTAN therefore hauing receaued the decree of his banishment departed out of England ioyfull in his heart that he was worthy to suffer for the defence of iustice and loue of chaâ—itie He went into Flanders where the Lord of that countrey courteously entertayned him at the Cittie of Gaunt and there in the exercise of true pietie and religion he expected how it should please the diuine See the crueltie of a detestable woeman wisedon to dispose of him But the foresayd woeman or rather infernall furies were not satisfied with his banishment but plotted to haue him surprised by the way and robbed of his eyes which they fayled to execute for when the instruments of this crueltie arriued at the Port the Sainct had allreadie hoist sayles and was gone Our Lord greatly conforted Sainct DVNSTAN in this banishment by the meanes of his holy Apostle Sainct ANDREW to whom he was euer peculiarly denoted who visited him often and appeared vnto him with words and promises of great consolation In the meane time the allmightie and heauenly wisedome cast a mercifull eye on the English nation and vsed meanes for the perpetuall consolation thereof againe to restore DVNSTAN the Father of the countrey into his former and farre greater degrees of place and dignitie For the Northumbers and Mercians withdrew themselues King Edwin iustly punished from the subiection of King Edwin and made the Noble Edgar his brother their Prince vnder whose conduct they persecuted Edwin and droue him beyond the riuer Thames soe that all the couÌ„trey from thence to Humber was wholly subiect vnto Edgar And with in a short time death hauing ended the quarrell and taken away Edwin Edgar remayned Monarke of all England Who being desirous Edgar recalleth S. Dunstati to establish his kingdome with peace and iustice caused all the outrages committed by his predecessor to be repayred monasticall and Church-goods to be restored and by messengers sent into Flanders recalled S. DVNSTAN into the Countrey with great honour and reuerence committing him self and all his affayres to be ruled He is made Bishop of Worcester and ordered by the prudence of his care and counsell Moreouer that greater dignitie might authorise all his proceedings with manie prayers he perswaded him to accept the bishoprick of Worcester and he was consecrated at Canturbury
the farthest parts of England and to Carlile where he retired him self into a certaine He leadeth a most strict solitary life vast and horrid wildernes to spend his time in the deuotion of a solitarie life Hauing liued a while in that fearefull place he happened at length to find the caue of an other verie old Hermite liuing there into whose societie according to his earnest desire he was admitted This good old souldier of CHRIST was a lay-man ignorant allmost of all booke-learning but hauing been conuersant before among the Benedictine Monkes of Durrham he was soe much the fitter more exactly to direct our GODRICK in the discipline of a monasticall life Then it was a rare spectacle to behould the most sweet and alltogeather heauenly manner of life of these two holy men night and day singing the diuine praises of allmightie God between whom was no other contention then whether more officiously should serue and obey his fellow After the space of allmost two yeares a deadly sicknes seased on the weake bodie of the old man during which it is allmost incredible to be spoken with how great loue and dutie GODRICK serued Godwin that was the holy mans name For the space of fifteen daies and as manie nights he tooke noe rest at all And when the force of human nature and infirmitie compelled him to sleepe he coniured the soule of that dying man by the dreadfull name of allmightie God not to depart out of his bodie whilst he was asleepe He had his desire for the strength of that aged bodie being dissolued he saw his soule He seeâ—h the soule of his companion dying more white then anie snow depart like vnto a burning hot breath of wind or like vnto a globe or sphere of most bright-shining cristall The bodie was buried in the Monasterie of Durrham And our holy GODRICKE hauing lost the comfort of his beloued companion pondering exactly with him self after what manner to spend the remaynder of his life in that desert and earnestly imploring the helpe of his singular Patrone saint CVTHBERT suddenly the same saint CVTHBERT appeared visibly vnto him and commaunded S. Cuthbert appeareth vnto him him to goe againe to Hierusalem to be made partaker of CHRISTS Crosse and after his returne to inhabite the desert of Finckley not farre distant from Durrham Whose admonitions without anie delay he obeyed and performed a iourney soe laborious and painfull that truly euen out of this soe great labour and ardour of the way he may iustly be thought to haue participated of the Crosse and Passion of IESVS-CHRIST For he vsed no other meate by the way but barly bread that now was well dried and hardened with age His second iourney to Hierusalem his drinke was only pure water and his cloathes and shoes he neuer ether putt off or changed Soe that the soles of his shoes being worne and he neglecting to mend them certaine lumpes of durt and grauell growne togeather stuck to the soles of his feete which gaue him a feeling of most grieuous paines Nether did he desist therefore from his iourney nor shorten his dayly accustomed length thereof His admirable deâ—otion there IV. BEING come at length to Hierusalem the long desired end of his painfull voyage it is wonderfull to be spoken how great pleasantnes and agilitie of mind and bodie he found and felt in him self with how great ardour pietie and deuotion he watched and prayed in those holy places with what streames of teares he watered the sacred sepulcher and the other sorowfull monuments and trophies of our Lords bitter passion and our redemption Then togeather with others he entred into the riuer Jordan which was the first time that he putt off his garments since he beganne this teadious iourney He returned barefoote home hauing there made a religious and solemne vow neuer more to weare shoes while he liued After his returne into England he went to an Ermitage in the North at a place in times past Streanshall but now more vsually called Whiteby famous for the Benedictine Monasterie of saint Hilda where when he had remayned a yeare and some moneths he departed to Durrham And there he not only frequented the Churches for his deuotion His desire to learne psalmes but allsoe the Childrens schooles and diligently listened to heare them recite their lessons to their Masters whereby he learned manie psalmes himnes and prayers For he was bent with a deuout earnestnes to learne the Psalmes by heart and the booke of them he allwaies caried about with him hanging by a string to his litle finger whereby it came to passe that that finger was allwaies bended crooked all his life after But now he was totally carried towards his desired solitude and at Durham he earnestly implored S. CVTHBERT the chiefe captaine and Fore-man of his vndertakings that by the helpe of his intercession and prayers he might fight valiantly and fruit fully for the health of his soule in the ermitage of Finckley allotted for his habitation In which once entred he remayned afterwards for the space of threescore and three yeares He liueth threescore and three yeares an Ermite and neuer went out but thrice in all that time which was to Durrham three miles distant The first time that he went was on a Christmas night to be present at the diuine office and sacrifices of the Monkes When there fell an incredible abundance of snow which being seconded with a most sharpe and bitter frost soe grieuously wounded the bare feet of the holy man that euerie steppe he made left behind it a bleeding witnes of his suffrance At an Easter againe he came once to Durham to receaue the dreadfull and venerable Sacrament of the aultar And the last time he came being sent for by Ranulphus the Bishop V. Now if one would as the greatnes of the matter requires exactly sett downe and describe all the manner of life of this thrice happie Sainct whilst he liued in this desert he might fill whole volumes of wonders Vs it shall â—uffiâ—e to giue the readers some litle tast thereof and to gather as it were a short table of his famous deedes In summe this I will say that in him there appeared in England a second CVTHBERT a new HILLARION and an other ANTHONIE Will you know what clothing this worthie champion vÌ„fed Truely His rude clothing to outward shew he wore such that allbeit they were corresponto his manner of life yet were they not tokens of soe great austeritie But vnder these next vnto the bare skinne o vnspeakable rigour eyther a most rude shirt of hayre-cloth of which kind he wore out manie in that desert or an iron coate of maile of which he allsoe consumed three in the space of fiftie yeares or both these rough garments togeather night and day braced his inuincible bodie Will you know with what daintie meates he liued Verily for a time with noe other then what the wild
horrid desert affoorded His hard and spare diet to him liuing in Commons with other beasts Till after some yeares he was wont to make his owne bread of barly flower mingled with a third part of ashes which he would not vse vntill it had been dried and hardened for the space of three or fower yea sometimes six moneths whereby it lost all gust sauour of bread Insteed of herbes sallets he made him self a kind of straÌ„ge gruell or pottage of the wild and sauage leaues weedes of the desert pounded and beaten togeather in water and soe boyled without eyther salt or spice which allsoe fearing too daintie a feeding he would nether tast before it was growne aged with hoarnes nor make new before the wormes and maggots began to take possession of the old Nether did he euer vse anie other food but this nor anie other drinke but pure water vnlesse when the extremitie of his hunger or thrist was such that it threatned him with the losse of his life Sometimes he continued his fasting for the space of three whole daies togeather and sometimes more To this soe rare and spare diet his sleepe was allsoe correspondent which he did not take in bed but His manner of sleeping lying vppon the ground or leaning his wearied limmes to a stone or wall neuer yeelding to this short and hard allowance of rest vntill the verie necessitie of nature by force compelled him therevnto after the heauie toyles of his day and night-labourâ— His continuall labours For he laboured not only by the sunne but by the light of the moone allso as well in the parching heates of summer as through the rigid sharpnes of winters frost and snow being in the meane time allwaies loaden with his coate of maile And in these exercises as often as he was not busied in meditation and prayer allthough indeed at this time he was not idle from both he spent his whole nights and daies banishing from him self thereby all signes of sloth and dullnes of mind and bodie VI. BVT amidst all these labours he seuerely exacted and obliged His dayly and nightly prayers him self to certaine sett howers and times by night and day in which according to the custom of the Church he performed his whole and dayly taske of prayer as at midnight at sunne-rising at the third sixt and ninth hower and Euensong At which times no occasion or hindrance neuer soe great could withdraw him from his deuotion the punctuall obseruance of his times of prayer and diuine office which was not that of the Church to which his learning would not reach but such Psalmes as he him self by a diuine grace had allotted to him self for his deuotion And to these times of prayer he called him self and his fellowes by the sound of a litle bell prepared for that purpose And because ouer and aboue this exercise he was wont to adde a great number of other prayers at each of them lest he should omitt some through obliuion he layd by a litle stone to signifie how manie were past and how manie were to come giuing him self allso a triple remembrance at the end of each prayer with three blowes on the breast the better to incline allmightie God to mercie But of all these prayses nothing deserued more fame and admiration then that when not only in the summer but allsoe in the cold winter and chiefly those nights in His inuincible pacience which the waters were cruelly frozen breaking the ice he would enter vp to the neck into a freezing pond and watch a whole night therein in prayer teares and a self-punishing suffrance All which austeritie of cruell winters cold by the force and power of the flames of the diuine loue that inhabited his soule he easily eyther contemned or patiently and couragiously endured And when the vehemencie of the cold made his teeth to chatter and beate one other for heate when all his limmes were starke and stiffe with that extremitie he vsed these words to him self These suffrings are indeed grieâ—ous enough but nothing in comparison of Hells torments Such a generous He endured manie diseases and vnshaken mind this braue champion bore in the suffrance of worldly paynes Of which I know not whether he euer gaue a more liuely example then in the painfull diseases which it pleased the goodnes of allmightie God to send him for the greater triall of his patience and more glorious encrease of his heauenly crowne and reward Which diuine trialls he was soe farre from taking in ill part that contrariwise he most dutifully rendred thankes vnto allmightie God as to a most indulgent father who voutchased to chastise his vnworthy child seruant with temporall and light punishments and mercifully to free him from the eternall paines which he deserued VII BVT what He not only endured with a quiet mind these Note a rare example of patience griefes of proofe sent from heauen but caused vnto himself a new paine noe lesse grieuous and painfull then the former For when his whole bodie was couered ouer with loathsom vlcers and clothed as it were in a horrid scurfe of vgly scabbes which opening and separating them-selues in manie places from the flesh sett forth to be seene the picture of a most ill-faucured and foule spectacle How gently and courteously sayd he our Lord deales with me by preuenting my eternall torments with such mild and sweet remedies But why am J myself soe remisse and soe great a sluggard in punishing and expiating my owne offences And presently he caused salt to be brought and powred into those gaping and open vlcers and moued with a cruell pietie he made his seruant rubbe and scoure those places with a rope of rude straw in most dolefull and pittifull manner In which labour when his Seruant did sweat with tormenting and he was not wearied with suffring he tooke the rope him self and with much more pittilesse violence he chafed and rubbed the same vexed sores O miraculous example of patience In which and manie other vertues His wonderfull humâ—â—â—e allthough he were excellent and great yet he neuer seemeth greater in my eyes then when I consider the humble meeke and low mind of the man and soe farre from all that vaine human prayse and glorie the only plague that manie times is wont to defile yea and vtterly to ruine the famous deedes and praises of worthy and renowned men But our GODRICK suffered not his prayse-worthie deeds to come to light and the knowlege of men but endeauoured by all meanes to suppresse them vnder the vayle of humilitie Nay to him it was a griefe to come in person to the sight and speech of men Whence it was lawfull for noe man but on certaine daies in the weeke and that but with the good leaue of the Benedictin Prior of Durham vnder whose obedience he liued to haue accesse vnto him The Authour of his life a man verie familiar
because he exactly made his prayers vnto allmightie God for them for whose amendment he writt and his holy prayers tooke a fruitfull and happie effect V. BVT amongst the rest this Blessed man built a Church to saint Note a miracle MICHAELL the Archangel and an other farre more magnificent to the Blessed Virgin MARIE in which worke he is reported miraculously by his prayers to haue restored a beame that was too short to a iust length for the purpose to the great astonishement of all that were present And that which encreased the miracle was that all the rest of that Church being twise consumed with fier that beame only remayned without iniurie amidst those deuouring flames But now the renowned fame of saint ALDELME could not be contayned within the bounds of the Ocean it was past ouer the seas tranâ—eeâ—ded the Alpes and entred into the Seauen-hill'd Cittie of Rome Whither being sent for by Pope Sergius he went and was verie honourably receaued where two memorable things happened One was that hauing sayd masse one day in the Lateran Church he putt off his vestment which the seruant neglecting to take was miraculously sustayned from falling in the sunne-beames that shined through the window on which it hung a while to the wonderfull admiration of the beholders And the same Vestment being brought to Malmesbury Abbey was preserued there vntill our Authours time as allsoe a white marble altar-stone which being broken was made sound againe by his prayers And the other that Pope Sergius being falsely accused of incest by some euill-minded persons of He freeth the Pope from â—nfamâ—e by miracle Rome saint ALDELME caused the child to be brought into the presence and commaunded it in the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST to confesse whether Sergius were guiltie of the incest or not When to the great amazement of all and the vtter confusion of the detractors the child that was scarse nine daies old spake in the hearing of all the standers by and plainly declared the Popes innocencie Whereby saint ALDELME freed his friend from the imputation of infamie and purchased an increase of loue fauour and admiration to him self And these things are not only rehersed for truths by our Authour and others whom it were a temeritie to reiect but allsoe which moues me more these amongst other the like were curiously engraued in the outside of the old chest in which his sacred reliques were kept long before our Authours time VI. THE Pope greatly honoured saint ALDELME for the foresayd He is made Bishop of Sherburne benefitt and hauing liberally graunted him verie ample priueleges and prerogatiues for his monasteries dismissed him to returne into his Countrey Where his fame dayly encreasing he was at length found to be the worthiest to succeede Hedda bishop of Winchester to whose gouernment then all that Prouince was subiect which now is deuided into fower bishopricks Cicester VVinchaster Sherburne afterwards translated to Salsebury and Oxford But Hedda being dead it had two bishops Daniel of VVinchester and S. ALDELME of Sherburne To which dignitie the more constantly and obstinatly he resisted the more eargerly and earnestly he was desired At Canturbury therefore by the hands of BRITHWAID the Archbishop he was consecrated and ordayned bishop of Sherburne When going to Douer he bought of some French marchants the new and old Testaments a thing of venerable antiquitie which remayned at Malmesbury vntill our Authours time But walking then on the sea shore the mariners that petulantly derided and scoffed at the humilitie and pouertie of the holy man were suddenly as they sett out of the hauen taken with such a horrible tempest that they were sooner in danger then they were aware of change Soe that necessitie and feare of death compelled them to acknowledge their fault and call to saint ALDELME for helpe Who entring He calmeth a tempest into a boate to succour those distressed creatures he had noe sooner committed his holy bodie to the supportment of the waters but the winds ceased the sea was calmed and those wretched marriners were deliuered out of all danger Afterwards saint ALDELME being returned to his episcopall Sea of Sherburne he gouerned his subiects with all holines of life and learning omitting nothing that belonged to the office and dutie of a most holy and learned Prelate And when he desired to haue an other to succeede him in the regencie of his monasterie his monkes were soe bent in affection to him that during his life they could not be drawne to admitt anie other to be their Abbot To whose will he yeelded because he knew not how to resist it and graunted that he being dead they and their successours in after ages might freely chose their Abbot according to the tenour and practise of sainct BENEDICTS Rule Which decree of his was afterwards ratified by the authoritie of a Synod and of holy King INAS VII AT LENGTH this blessed Sainct when he had worthily gouerned his bishoprick for the space of fiue yeares in the yeare of His happie death our Lord seauen hundred and nine gaue vp his pure soule into the pure hands of him who had created him for his glorie He died at a place called Doulting in Sommersetshire in a poore wodden Church into which he had caused him self to be carried being aliue Which being afterwards built of stone when it was consecrated according to the Catholick custom a blind woman running to the aultar recouered her sight Yea and at the stone on which he fate there at his death manie were cured of mortall diseases That place was fiftie miles distant from Malmesbury But EGVINE the holy bishop of Worcester being admonished by a heauenly vision of the death of S. ALDELME hastened â—o the place where his bodie was and caused it to be brought with great pompe and solemnitie to the Abbey of Malmesbury and at euerie seauen miles end by the way where they rested Note the auneâ—â—nt Practâ—â—e of setting vp Crosses with those sacred spoiles he erected a crosse of stone as soe manie monuments and memories of saint ALDELME Which were afterwards made more famous because manie that flocked to them for deuotion were wonderfully cured of diuers diseases and these trophies and benefitts lasted to our Authours dayes These and suâ—â— like memorable wonders moued the King in the yeare of grace nine hundred fortie nine to cause his sacred reliques to be inclosed in a verie rich shrine on the top of which stood a cristall with his name inscribed in goulden letters Till saint DVNSTAN miraculously foreseeing the insuing destruction of all humane ad diuine things His bodie obscured for feare of the Danes which the barbarous Danes should bring to our wretched couÌ„trey translated those sacred reliques out of the rich shrine into a plaine one of stone lest perchance the splendour and price of the other might giue occasion to haue the reliques taken away or iniured Nether was his diuine prophesie false for
with populous townes and forreigne marchandise most famous for fayre poeple wealth and riches This huge and goodly Iland was long since destined for thee his elect Agent by the diuine prouidence of the mightie creatour of all things who from the beginning hauing made the world perfect in beautie gaue it into the possession of man his creature This nation soe fayre in face but black in soule with the filth of Idolatrie being by thee washed in the waters of Jordan ascendeth wholly pure and white as the Blackmoore woman by Moyses Now to the greater glory of God and thy owne crowne that new pillar of light which led the Israelites out of Egipt being erected in the fayth and Crosse of CHRIST thou leadest vs Heathens out of the Egiptian darknes of infidelitie and out of the shades of death into the true land of promise flowing with milke and honie For to thee as our Apostolicque Captaine the diuine grace of the Ghospell gaue that which was denied to Moyses the lawmaker of the Iewes and that which he could not obtaine in the law thou art found worthy to accomplish in IESVS-CHRIST the End of the law Now out of the spoiles of the fettered Tirant and out of the Kingdom of the captiue spoiler of our soules thou shalt make our God a Kingdom and a poeple of purchase now next to the heauenly Kingdom and those vnspeakable rewards of thy labours this countrey shall be thy perpetuall possession which by thee was purchased and gayned to CHRIST and whose temporall commodities thou hast forsaken thou shalt now possesse the hereditary gaines And being seated in the high towers of Paradise thou 〈…〉 iest as an holy sentinell perpetually watch and defend the whole countrey dedicated to thy honour and glory XXIV AT LENGTH this most victorious Champion of our Lord hauing runne the race of this mortall life in all sainctitie and perfâ—ction His last 〈◊〉 of coÌ„uersation hauing laboured in the conuersioÌ„ of our wretched countrey with continuall and vn wearies diligence care and industrie came to the goale and long desired rewards of the heauenly Kingdom Now our Lord knocking at the gates of his soule with sicknes he willingly opened with great and vnspeakable thanksgiuing Then with a couragious affection of a fatherly loue he exhorted as well the King Queene and princes as the Clergie and poeple allsoe inuiolably to remayne in the feare and seruice of allmightie God to obey the diuine precepts and obseruances proposed and preached vnto them by his Seruants Which done the end of his worldly tempests approched and the bright morning of his eternall ioies appeared and hauing giuen his benediction to the King and confirmed the infancie of his new-borne Church in CHRIST leauing vnto all manie holy pledges of his perpetuall loue and documents of his pious fellowes and disciples in presence of S. LAVRENCE his successour and a populous multitude of poeple he gaue vp his blessed soule into the hands of him that had created 〈◊〉 happy deaâ—â— it for his honour and in the triumphe glorie of the heauenly citizens he was receaued into the euer lasting blisse of all blessednes the 26 day of May about the yeare of our Lord 614. His sacred bodie was first buried without the Church of saint PETER and saint PAVL which me spoke off before and which was not yet finished nor dedicated But soone after it was consecrated by saint LAVRENCE and his bodie was honourably buried in the north Porch thereof where the bodies of the Archbishops his successors were allsoe buryed vntill the place would hould noe more Ouer Sainct AVGVSTINES tombe was written this Epitaphe in proâ—e Here resteth Lord Augustine the first Archbishop of Canturbury who His Epitaphe being in times past sent hither from blessed Gregory bishop of the Roman Cittie sustayned by God with the working of miracles brought King Ethelbert and his coâ—â—trey from the worshipping of Idols to the â—â—yth of Christ and the daies of his office being finished in peace he died the seamâ—â—th of the Calends of Iune the same King raygning XXV THE miracles wrought at is tombe are such soe manie and Miracles at his tombe soe great that they would require a whole volume farre beyond the limits of our purpose Gotzeline the Authour of his life whom we follow maketh mention of verie manie it shall suffice vs to relate one or two briefely When the Danes were outrageous in England the Benedictine Monasterie of saint PETER and S. PAVL without the walles of Canturbury which was afterwards called Sainct Augustines became allsoe a part of their prey But one of them as he endeauoured to steale the cloath that couered S. AVGVSTINES Tombe it stuck soe close to his hands as yf it had been his owne skinne till hauing asked pardon of the Sainct he restored it againe to the place Which miracle cloathed him and manie of his fellowes with the white robes of Christianitie and made them deuoted to sainct AVGVSTINE euer after Canutus King of the Danes and English being Canutus freed from shiprack at sea in imminent danger of shipracke calling vppon saint AVGVSTINE for helpe whose patronage he had oftentimes proued most comfortable the fearfull tempest ceased and he arriued quietly to a secure hauen and coming afterwards to the tombe of his holy Patrone with the royaltie of manie gratefull rewards and prayses of thankes he witnessed the great fauour he had receaued The Speech restored to the Dumbe same benefitt was bestowed vppon manie others in the like case that called to this holy Sainct for ayde A yong gyrle that by I know not what mischance was strucken dumbe when all art of phisicke had been foyled in curing her offering a candle at saint AVGVSTINES tombe and in heart recommending her self to his merits perfectly recouered her speech And the same fauour was shewed to an other of her sexe praying in the same place In a word all manner of diseases were cured at his holy reliques to those that humbly and religiously craued helpe And as to such he was allwaies mercifully indulgent soe those that endeauoured to wrong him his tombe or his Church escaped not the diuine punishment XXVI BVT O England England how farre art thou swerued An Apostrophe to England Thren 4 v. 1. from the religion of this thy first Apostle How is the gould made darke and the best colour chainged of thy first Fayth and charitie in IESVS-CHRIST In times past thou didest learne that Fayth only which is the beginning head and foundation of eternall saluation of those that were Catholick Roman Priests and Monkes whom now thou doest persecute they celebrated the dreadfull solemnities of Masse which now thou abhorrest they honoured and called vppon the Saincts in heauen whom thou despisest they acknowledged the supreme authoritie of the Bishop of the Roman and Apostolicque Sea whence they were sent to deliuer thee out of the blind night of Idolatrie to the bright day of
enemies of the Christian cause who enuying the aduancement thereof made complaint vnto the iudge of the cittie And he forth with commaunded both the master and the disciple to be cited to appeare before him which cruell-minded decree was soone made knowne to saint ALBAN Who desiring by all meanes to preuent the deceipts of the prince exhorted Amphibalus to Amphibalus flieth into Wales depart secretly out of towne giuing him a rich garment of his owne which at that time was of great dignitie and reuerence with all men thereby to passe with more security through his enemies But he him self retayned his Masters poore habit for his owne vse knowing for certaine that the very sight thereof would more vehemently incense the fury of his and CHRISTS cruell enemies against him Therefore the sunne had scarse cleered the day following but Amphibalus tooke leaue of his deare scholler when the teares shed on each side witnessed the greatnes of their mutuall loue Amphibalus hastened into Wales there to preach the fayth of CHRIST and find out a place of Martirdom and ALBAN cloathed in his masters weeds expected the same glory at Verâ—daâ— which afterwards he most gloriously obtayned IV. FOR the same day the furious officers brake violently into his S. Alban is apâ—rehended lodging searched narrowly in euery corner thereof and filled the whole house with noyse and tumult Till coming to the litle cottage where he and his Master had piously spent their time the daies before they found S. ALBAN in a strange habit barefcot humbly praying before the signe of CHRISTS holy Crosse Then rushing furiously in troupes vppon him they apprehended him bound him and violently haled him some by the garments some by the hayre to the presence of the Iudge who at that time in a great assembly of poeple was bysily employed in offring sacrifice to his diabolicall Idolls But seeing ALBAN led in that manner his heart boyled with rage and furie against him because of his owne accord he perceaued him bent to hazard his life for Amphibalus whom he had entertayned Therefore he commaunded him to be drawne before the Idolls threatning to make him suffer all the torments due vnto his sacrilegious guest so his wicked tongue termed holy Amphibalus because as a contemner of the Gods he had presumed to conceale him from the officers and now seemed him self to be departed from the profession of his auncient religion But S. ALBAN He contemneth the threats of the Iudge who had willingly betrayed him self to the persecutours of the Christian fayth without anie signe of feare let passe the storme of the Princes threats and furie and armed with the shield of the spirituall warrefare bouldly and plainly affirmed that he would not obey his commaund Then the Iudge demaunded of what familie and race he was It appertaines not to thee answered ALBAN to know my linage but yf thou desirest to vnderstand the truth of my religion know that I am a Christian and one that embraceth all Christian duties My Parents called me ALBAN and I adore and worship the true liuing God the maker and creatour of all things Then the Iudge swelling with wrath and furie Yf thou desire sayd he to enioy the happines of life offer forthwith sacrifice to our great Gods These sacrifices replied sainct ALBAN which by you are offered to deuills can nether helpe the supplicant sacrificers nor accomplish the end of their desires but reward them in the end with the euerlasting torments of Hell V. AT THESE words the Iudge could no longer containe his furie but commaunded the holy Confessor of CHRIST to be cruelly beaten He is cruelly beaten and tormented hoping with stripes to ouerthrow the resolution of his constancie which with words he could not mooue Therefore the Lictours executed their office of crueltie vppon his holy bodie in most rude manner when amidst the noyse of their pittilesse whippes he ioyfully called vppon the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST making a willing oblation and sacrifice of him self to his diuine goodnes Till the tormentours being wearied with their vaine punishing and he nothing wearied with constant suffering the poeple obtayned to haue him imprisoned for the space of six He is committed to prison moneths hoping that time would weare out the purpose of his resolution In the meane while the heauens witnessed the iniury done to the holy Martir for from the first day of his apprehension to the day of his martirdom such an intollerable drought by the extremitie of the sunnes heate raged in that Prouince that the fruicts of the earth were quite burnt vp and destroyed Which the Heathens whose hearts neuerthelesse were frozen vp against the holy flames of true charitie iudged to be done by the art magick of the imprisoned Christian Therefore the wisest of the countrey being assembled togeather to discusse this point saint ALBAN was called out of the horrour of the prison to answer for him self at the barre He is released of their examination And being found Not guiltie they all griened at the iniurie and suffered in his sufferings in soe much that a sedition being risen amongst the citizens and his friends all stood vp in his defence and freed him out of his beloued chaines by which they thought him iniured hauing all waies had the name and fame of a man of good life that he might render an accompt of his deeds before the Iudge But saint ALBAN taking this kind of mercie as an act of the greatest crueltie greatly feared lest his martirdom should be deferred He exclay meth a gainst Idolls VI. THEREFORE standing in the midst of the whole assembly he made a new inuectiue declamation against the weaknes of their profane Gods and their blind follie in worshipping those blind Idolls whereby they were all incensed afresh against him and with one voyce pronounced him guiltie of death Then arose a great contention amongst them in defining with what kind of death to punish him some as a disciple of the Crucifix iudged him to be crucified others would haue him buried aliue as enemie to their Gods the rest thought fitt to haue his eyes digged out and sent soe to seeke out his Master Amphibalus In fine the â—udge and all the poeple agreed He is condemned to death and condemned him to loose his head Therefore being againe bound in chaines he was rudely dragged to the designed place of his MartirdoÌ„ called Holmhurst on the toppe of a fayre plaine hill whose pleasantnes seemed worthie to be consecrated with the bloud of our glorious Martir But the thronging multitudes of poeple that hastened to see this strange spectacle were soe great that coming to a large riuer ouer which they must passe to the hill the bridge being not able to receaue them manie that for hast endeauoured to wade or swimme ouer were by the furie of those wild streames carried downe to an vntimely death Meane while S. ALBAN much grieued in mind
obtayned leaue of his Priour who fearing lest soe strict a life might be too hard for him to vndertake hauing yet liued but a yeare in the obseruance of the Monastery was the more vnwilling to consent to his purpose II. TO the Hermitage of Farne then he went where he led a most His strict life in the the Ermitage strict and rigid manner of life He wore a hayre shirt next his skinne for manie yeares vntill his Priour commaunded the contrarie His bed was no other then the hard ground his diet bread and herbes he neuer tasted anie flesh and after some yeares he abstayned from fish allso his drinke was fayre water and seauen yeares before his death he is reported not to haue dronke at all His cloathing was a wollen stamin a cowle and a black cloake lined with skinnes His stockins were allso of leather which he neuer putt of vntill they were quite consumed with age For he was wont to say to his brethren that our bodies were to be vsed to all manner of hardnes and filth yf we desired to bring our soules to the perfection of beautie and puritie But in all this rigorous manner of life he allwaies carried so pleasant and merrie a countenance and had his face soe well tempered with its naturall colours that all that beheld it would haue iudged him rather a great louer of bodily delights and dainties then soe seuere a chastiser and tamer of his owne flesh In prayer soe vnwearied that besides his ordinarie office he recited ouer Dauids Psalter sometimes twise sometimes thrise euery day In the mean He ouercometh the temptations of the deuill time he was grieuously vexed and assaulted by manie hellish temptations of the deuill all which with a firme confidence in allmightie God and by the figne of the holy crosse and the vertue of holy water he vtterly vanquished and ouerthrew III. HE is reported allso to haue wrought manie miracles in his life time and to haue beene comforted with diuers heanenly visions during the time of his strict life in this Hermitage amongst which he beheld the soule of Thomas Priour of Durham who hauing left the regeÌ„cie of the Monasterie had liued a retired life togeather with him died in the same Iland caried vp into heauen by the ministerie of angelicall hands And at length sainct BARTHOLOMEW him self when he had liued fortie yeares and six moneths in this hermitage in all sainctitie and holines of life hauing a long time before had a reuelation of the hower and time of his death was called out of the thraldom of this world to receaue the euerlasting rewards of his labours in heauen on the very feast of sainct IOHN the Baptist the fower and twentith day of Iune He was buried in his Oratorie in the same place at whose tombe manie miraculous cures were wrought by the all mightie power of him who is for euer glorious in his saincts What yeare he died is not specified by the Authours of his life but he must needs haue flourished since the yeare 1100. about which time the Benedictine Monkes were first introduced into the Cathedrall Church of Durham in the reigne of William Rufus The life of S. Bartholomew we haue gathered out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue in his legend of English Saincts with whom let the truth of this history stand for J haue not yet found anie other Authour that makes mention of him The life of sainct ADALBERT Deacon Confessour and Monke of the holy Order of saint BENEDICT IVNE 25. Out of an auncient manuscript recited by Surius to 3. THIS holy man was one of those twelue Benedictine Monkes which S. EGBERT sent as soe manie elect Apostles to preach the fayth of Christ in Germanie of which mission you may reade more in the life of sainct Swibert March the first and in that of saint EGBERT Aprill the twentie fourth He was sonne to Edilbald king of the Deiri and nephew to saint OSWALD king of the Northumbers But esteeming the gayne of the kingdom of heauen before all worldly greatnes he despised the royall wealth dignities and honours of his birth embraced first a Monasticall life in England afterwards he became a disciple to sainct EGBERT in Ireland in a more rigid strict obseruance of the Benedictine rule and profession and lastly being made Deacon he was ioyned to eleauen other Priests and Benedictine Monkes to make vp the number of twelue Apostolicall men which as we haue sayd sainct EGBERT sent to announce the He conuerted manie in Germanie Christian fayth to the barbarous Pagans of Germanie ADALBERT therefore for the loue of CHRIST and the aduancement of his holy Ghospell went couragiously with the rest and at Egmond in Holland he employed his best labours for the coÌ„uersion of soules to CHRIST and his Church Where after he had reaped a most happie and fruitfull haruest in the vineyard of our Lord and reduced great multitudes of Heathens out of the blind night of Idolatrie to the comfortable light of Christs Ghospell famous for his holy life and miracles which it pleased allmighiie God to worke by his meritts for the better confirming of what he preached he ended his toilesome daies in this world and departed to the eternall reward of his labours in heauen the fiue and twentith day of Iune about the yeare of our Lord 705. He was buried at Egmond in Holland where his tombe flourished wonderfully with manie great miracles wrought thereat II Afterwards in the time of Theodoricke the first Duke of Holland his holy bodie was taken out of the earth where vnder his coffin there appeared a fountaine of most pure water springing out of the ground and the palle in which that sacred treasure was wrapped they found to be as entier and vncorrupted as it was at the first And The eleuation of his bodie the same Theodoricke built a chappell in a place called Hallen in which the holy bodie was placed with great reuerence and solemnitie But his sonne Theodoricke the Yonger being a most feruent follower of his fathers deuotioÌ„ founded there a goodly Monasterie of S. Bâ—nedicts order in honour of S. ADALBERT by whose meritts his sonne Egbert A monastery dedicated to his name afterwards Archbishop of Treuirs was cured of a teadious cruell feauer which had giuen the foyle to all the skill of human phisick This Monasterie of Egmond is held for antiquitie and dignitie the noblest in all Holland in which lie buried the bodies of manie Princes expecting the deadfull summons of the last trumpett who in their liues endowed it with manie rich guifts and possessions Manie other miracles were wrought at the same place by the merits of this glorious Sainct which are contayned in the history of his life written by the Monkes of Medeloc and recited by Surius in his third tome out of which we haue gathered thus much of him The Roman Martirologe maketh mention of him as allso that of Ado and Wion Allso Molanus in his Index of the Saincts of Belgia Trithemius in his third booke of the famous men of S. Benedicts order chap. 294. Baronius tom 8. anno Christi 697. Marcellinus in the life of S. Swibert and others The end of Iune and the first Tome TO THE READER VOutchsafe good Reader courteously to receaue this first tome of our Saincts liues which allthough it come alone to thy view and sâ—e beare an imperfect face yet I doubt not it will giue thee some consolation in the reading The second part is going to the presse and shall by Gods holy assistance come with as much speed as is possible to thy hands In the meane time let thy kind acceptance of this adde wings of courage and hast to the accomplishment of the other Farewell AN ALPHABETICALL TABLE OF THE SAINCTS CONTAYNED IN THIS FIRST TOME A. A DELBERT Deacon 612. Adrian Abbott 42. Alban Martir 574. Aldelme Bishop 487. Alfwold Bishop 325. Alured Abbot 56. Amphibalus Martir 587. Anselme Archbishop 380. Asaph Bishop 412. Augustine Archbishop 496. Aydo Abbott 200. B. Bartholomew Priest 610. Bathilde Queene 104 Bede Priest 523. Bennet Biscop Abbott 46. Birstan Bishop 114. Boniface Martyr 535. Bosa Bishop 245. Botulphe Abbott 571. Brigitt Virgin 118. Brithune Abbot 432. Brithwald Bishop 45. C. Cadock Martir 102. Cedde Bishop 35. Cedmon Monke 153. Ceolulphe King 70. Chad Bishop 224. Columba Abbott 562. Cuthbert Bishop D. Dauid Bishop 218. Deicola Abbot 82. Dimpna Martir 426. Dunstan Archbishop 434. E. Eadburg Virgin 569. Eadbert Bishop 413. Edilwald Priest 324. Edward King Confessor 1. Edward King Martir 292. Egbert Priest 402. Elfled Virgin 14â— Elphegus Bishop Martir 361. Elstan Bishop 340. Erkenwald Bishop 407. Ermenburg Queene 100. Ermenild Abbesse 157. Ethelbert King Confessor 179. Ethelbert King Martir 466. Etheldred Queene Abbesse 593. F. Felix bishop 244 Fremund King 424. Furseus Abbot 72 G. Gilbert Confessour 135 Gregory Pope 246 Godrick Hermite 472 Gudwall Bishop 505 Guthlake Confessour 343 Gyldas Abbot 112 Gysla and Rictrude 341 H. Henry Hermite 78 Herebert Priest 322 I. Inas King 142 Iohn of Beuerley 415 K. Kentigerne bishop 61 Kyneburg Abbesse and Kineswide virgin 237 L. Laurence Archbishop 126 M. Margaret Queene 564. Melliâ—us Bishop 399. Milburg Abbesse 173. Milgith Virgin 187. O. Oswald Bishop 188. Owen Confessour 235. P. Paternus Bishop 356. Patrick Bishop 270. Peter Abbot 69. Pyran Bishop 236. R. Richard Bishop 327. Robert Abbot 554. S. Sexulphe Bishop 111. Stephen Abbot 357. Swibert Bishop 202. T. Thelian Bishop 149. Theorithgid Virgin 101. Translation of S. Edward King and Martir 159. Trumwine Bishop 152. V. Vlrick Confeffour 162. W. Walburg Virgin 183. Wereburg Abbesse 131. Wilgis Confessour 116. Willeick Priest 229. William Archbishop 559. Winwaloke Abbott 231. Wolstan Bishop 84. Wulsine Bishop 39. Wyre Bishop 421.
But now perceauing him againe to come to himself their lamentation was changed into a fearefull admiration and their admiration bred ioy to see him aliue Then the holy man looking about him and finding noe man vnto whose wisedom he could committ the knowledge of the vision he had seene was verie sorrowfull choosing for that time rather to burie it within the secret of his owne heart then reueale it vnto such as knew not how to vnderstand it II. BVT the third day afterwards being againe taken with the like rauishment he beheld nor only greater ioyes of the blessed companie An other visiō most strange of heauen but allsoe the wonderfull warres which the wicked spirits raysed against him striuing to hinder his iourney towards heauen allbeit the protection of the Angels frustrated their malicious endeauours Manie false accusations they brought against him and layd diuers crimes to his chardge of all which by his guides the Angels he was freely disengaged And as he was lifted vp by these blessed spirits towards heauen they commaunded him to looke downe into the world Which done he saw like a darke and indeous The 4. fiers of vice that burne the world valley vnderneath him And in the ayre he beheld fower fiers not farre distant one from the other which they tould him were the fiers that should burne and consume the world The first they sayd was the fier of Liars which those fall into that neglect to fullfill their promise made in Baptisme in renouncing the deuill and all his workes The secōd was the fier of Couetousnes appointed for such as preferre the riches of the world before the loue of heauen and heauenly things The third was the fier of Discord prouided for those that sticke not to offend their neighbours euen in trifling and superfluous matters The fourth was the fier of Jmpietie allotted for such as care not how they spoile and oppres se the inferiour and weaker sorte of people He beheld these fiers to encrease soe by little and little till at length by spreading they came togeather and made one mightie huge and dreadfull flame which seemed to approach neere vnto him Whereat he cried out to his guide the Angel O Lord behold it cometh vppon me Feare not replied he that which thou hast not kindled shall not burne thee For allthough this seeme to be a mightie great and terrible fier yet it only tries and examines men according as their workes haue deserued the worldly desires of men shall burne in these flames For euen as one is enflamed in bodie by vnlawfull lust and pleasure soe released from his bodie he shall suffer his deserued torments in fier Then he beheld one of the three Angels his guides to walke before and diuide the flames and the other two conducting him on each side through the fier defended him from the danger thereof He saw likewise the deuils flieing through the flames making fierie warres against the iust then followed their manie accusations against him and the Angels defence in his behalf with a vision of a greater companie of heauenly spirits as allsoe of manie men of his countrey and acquaintance that he had knowne not vnworthily to haue behaued them selues in the sacred function of Priesthood of whom he learnt manie things verie profitable as well for him self as for all such as would heare them When these had ended their discourse and returned vnto heauen with the troupes of Angels there only remained with B. FVRSEVS the three Angels his guides with whom returned againe towards the foresayd fier the Angel diuided the flame as before but as the holy man entred into the way layd open for him the wicked spirits caught vp one of those wretched soules which they broyled in those flames and threw it at him at the verie touch whereof he found his shoulder and cheeke to be scorched and burnt The holy man well knēw the person and remembred that at his death he had giuen him a garment which he receaued But the holy Angell taking the tormented soule cast him againe into the fier whereat the wicked spirit cried out Why doe you cast him of now whom you receaued before For as you tooke the goods of that sinner soe ought you to partake of his torments Not out of couetousnes replied the Angel but to saue his soule did he receaue it and therewith the fier ceased And the Angel turning vnto the holy man sayd that which thou didest kindle now hath burnt thee for hadest not thou taken the goods of this man dieing in sinne the torment of his fier had not touched thee And speaking further he taught him what was to be done for the saluation of those that did repent III. BEING restored to him self againe he bore all his life time after a visible signe of the burning which he had endured in his soule vppon his shoulders and cheeke the Flesh euidently shewing to the wonder of all beholders what the soule had inwardly and hiddenly suffered But he retained allwaies his wonted care and diligence of following vertuous pious courses by word worke and example to teach and preach the way of truth and iustice vnto the world Yet he would neuer manifest the order and manner of his visions but vnto such only as out of a desire of repentance or compunction of hearth desired to know them There liueth yet saith Proofe of the foresayd vision venerable BEDE an auncient Monke of our monasterie who is wont to relate that a certaine religious and trustie man tould him that he had both seene S. FVRSEVS in the prouince of the East-Angles and heard the manner of these visions out of his owne mouth Adding moreouer that in the middest of winter when the frost was most sharp cold that sitting in a light and single garment recounting these visions eyther out of the greatnes of the feare he conceaued or of the sweetnes he receaued by the remembrance of them he would sweate as much as if it had bin the hottest day of sommer IV. HAVING therefore a long time preached the word of God in Jreland his owne countrey being not able anie longer easily to endure the great multitude of people that flocked vnto him he forsooke all that he seemed to enioy goeing out of his natiue countrey with some few of his brethren in his companie he passed the seas and came through Wales into the prouince of the English where he was honourably receaued and worthily entertained by Sigebert then King of the East-Angles But he that desired wheresoeuer he went allwaies to promote the seruice of allmightie God beganne presently to putt in practise his accustomed trade of preadhing labouring by the example of his vertues or the inciting forces of his speeches eyther to conuert the incredulous to the truth or to strengthn and confirme the faithfull more and more in the truth and loue of IESVS CHRIST Such were his daily labours such were the pious employments in which
he continually busied all the powers of his soule and forces of his body V. BVT while these things are thus doeing he fell againe into an other sicknes during which he enioyed the delightfull vision of An other vision Angels that admonished him to proceed with courage and diligence in the happily begunne worke of preaching as allso with an inuincible patience to hold on his accustomed exercise of watching fasting and prayer bicause that his death was certaine but the hower of his death most vncertaine With this vision being much confirmed in his pious courses he hastened to build a monasterie on the land which King Sigebert had giuen him for that purpose which done he instituted it with the regular discipline of a monasticall life vnder the holy rule of of S. BENEDICT The situation of this monasterie by reason of the neerenes of the sea and words was verie pleasant it being built in a certaine old castle called Cnobbersburg that is the towne of of Cnobber it was afterwards by Anna King of that prouince and manie other noblemen verie richly adorned with more stately edifices and enriched with diuers guifts of great worth VI. And in this verie monasterie King Sigebert him self being wearie Harp saec 7. cap. 15. King Sigebert becometh a Benedictin monk of the world and worldly cares and desiring to giue his mind only vnto God put of his princely robes and leauing the gouernment of his King do vnto his cozen Edrick betooke him self to liue vnder the humble weedes of a Benedictin Monke iudging it more honorable in a cloister to conquer him self by obeying then in the world to beare sway ouer others by commaunding But long he had not enioyed this quiet life when wicked Penda King of the Mercians making warre against his forsaken Kingdom he was by force taken out of the monasterie by his owne friends and made Generall of their armie which they presupposed would be much hartened and encouraged with his presence Who to shew that his profession was dearer to him then his life put on no other armour then a good conscience nor taking other weapon then a little rodd in The canfidence of a secure consciēce his hand went securely though vnwillingly against the bloud-thirsting armies of his and CHRISTS enemies where both he himself and King Egrick vnto whom he had left the kingdom happily lost this life to winne a better VII BVT le ts vs returne vnto S. FVRSEVS who now hauing as we haue sayd built a monasterie and established it with the rule and disciple of a monasticall order being desirous to free him self not only from all worldly cares but allsoe from the gouernment of his monasterie gaue vp the whole care thereof vnto his brother Fullanus and being at libertie he soe disposed of him self as meaning to spend and end the remainder of his life in an Anachoreticall or Eremiticall life He had an other brother called Vltanus who out of the continuall probation of the monasticall and claustrall manner of liuing had betaken him self to the solitarines of the desert Vnto him FVRSEVS went alone and togeather with him he liued by the labour of his hands for the space of a whole yeare in continuall fasting and prayer doeing of pennance But perceauing the countrey to be much disquieted by the frequent incursions of Pagans and foreseeing the eminent danger of the monasteries leauing all things in good order he sayled into Fraunce where being honorably entertained by the French King Clouis the second and Erconwald then Prouost of Peronne he built a monasterie in a place called Latiniacum into which were introduced the monkes of S. BENEDICTS order for as yet and manie yeares after there was noe other rule on foote but his in all the Occidentall Church And not long after S. FVRSEVS falling sick he quickly felt the vehemencie of his disease to grow soe strongly vppon him as he plainly perceaued his time to draw neere therefore recommending him self vnto God and lifting vp his eyes towards heauen he yeelded vp his pure soule into the hands of his Redeemer the sixteenth day of January Erconwald caused his bodie to be referued in the Church Porch of Peronne where it remained for the space of twentie fix daies till the consecration of the new-built Church in the same towne was finished at what time being taken vp it was found with no more signe of corruption then if he had died but that verie hower VIII FOWER yeares after a little chappell being erected on the East side of the high aultar and dedicated to S. FVRSEVS his bodie was taken vp againe by the worthy Bishops Eligius and Ausbertus and found to be vncorrupted as before it was translated thither in most honourable manner where it hath most manifestly appeared vnto the world that through his merits diuers miracles haue bene wrought by the allmightie worker of miracles who is wonderfull in his Saincts for euer He flourished about the yeare 636. or as others say 650. VSVARD TRITHEMIVS MOLANVS BARONIVS RABANVS MAVRVS and manie others doe make mention of S. FVRSEVS But this life we haue taken principally out of venerable BEDES historie of England The life of S. HENRY Hermite Confessor IAN. 16. HENRY was borne of the nobler sort of Danes being come to such age as his face betrayed his sexe his parents earnestly sollicited him to marrie whereunto in the beginning he seemed not vnwilling but the appointed day of his marriage drawing nigh it was reuealed vnto him in a vision that he ought to abstaine from all carnall copulation and to keepe him self chast and pure from this world by studieing rather how to please God then a wife Wherevppon suddainly leauing all his friends and freeing He refuseth to marrie him self of the possession of those goods he enioyed he tooke shipping at Tinemouth and sayled about twentie miles into the sea to an Iland on the East side of Northumberland named Cocket from the riuer Cocket running there by this Iland was in auncient times verie famous for a holy Conuent of Monkes that liued there S. HENRY being thither arriued with leaue of the Prior he entred the Iland and hauing built him self a little lodge scarse of force to beate of the iniurie of the weather he began to serue God in great rigour austerity of life For the space of some yeares he fasted continually His rigorous fasting only with bread and water afterwards he eate but thrise a weeke and three dayes in the weeke kept silence In fower yeares before he died he satisfied his hunger only with little cakes dried in the sunne made of barly meale mixed with pure water II. GOEING vppon a time in pilgrimage to Durham he came to the bankes of the riuer Wyre not finding a boate readie to carry him ouer he made his prayer to allmightie God and presently without the helpe of man a boate loosed of its owne accord from the other A strainge miracle