discretion instruct euery one of their hearers and also with how great consideration they shuld daily weigh their owne weakenes Moreouer he wrote 40. homilies vppon the Gospell which he hath diuided by equall nuÌ„ber into 2. volumes He made also 4. bookes of dialogues in which at the request of his Deacon Peter he hath gathered the vertuous dedes of holy men which him selfe could either knowe in Italie or heare of for their same to the example of good lyfe for all the posterite That like as in his bookes of Expositions he teacheth in what vertues a man must laboure so by the describing of holy mens miracles he might shewe what and how greate the excellencie of those vertues is Furdermore bicauseâ— the first and last partes of Ezechiel the prophet semed obscure and darke he hath fully shewed by 22. Homilies how much light and good matter is within them That I nede not speake of his smal booke of answers which he wrot back to the questioÌ„s of S. Austin the first bishop of Englishmen as I haue declared before placing the whole booke it self in this mine historie Neither of his other littell booke of Synodes or CouÌ„cels which he hath made moste profitably conferring with the bishops of Italie for the necessarie affaires of the church Nor of his familiar letters sent vnto diuers men Surely it is my thinke maruaile that he should write so manie and such great volumes being as he saith of him self almost in al his youth vexed with the paines of his bowells and entralles by the weakenes of his stomake euer more sickly and made faint and feble with agues though not verie feruent for the time yet with quotidians continually trubling him But in these his greate griefes counting carefully with him selfe that the scripture saithe Euerie sonne which is receiued is scourged before the harder he was kept downe with these present aduersities the more certainly did he lifte vp himselfe with the hope of euerlasting comforte And this muche haue I sayde hitherto in the praise of his excellent witte which could not no not with so greate weakenes of the bodie be any thing debated Now whereas other bishops bestowed their laboure in building of churches and decking the same with gold and siluer this man gaue him selfe all together to the gayning of soules Whatsoeuer monie he had he diligently distributed and gaue the same to poore men that his righteousnes might remayne worlde without end and his horne be exalted in glorie for euer Who might truely saye of himselfe that saying of blessed Iob The eare hearing did bring me to blesse and the eye seing did beare witnes for me bycause I had delyuered the poore man crieng out and the fatherles childe who had no helper The blessing of the perishing man came vppon me and the heauy harte of the wydowe did I comforte I haue put on iustice and decked me theer with as with a garment and pretiouse crowne in my iudgement I haue ben an eye to the blinde and a foote to the lame I was a father of poore men and the cause which I knewe not I diligently sought for I dyd breake in peaces the iawes of the vniuste man and euen out of his teath pluckt I the praye And a litle after Yf I haue denied saith Iob to poore men what they haue asked and haue made the eyen of the widowe looke longe for her healpe Yf I haue eaten my meate alone and the poore fatherles childe hath not eaten thereof with me For euen from myne infancie mercie hath growen with me and out of my mothers wombe hit was borne with me c. Moreouer to this good S. Gregories piete and perfecte righteousnes this pertaineth also that he hath made our nation by preachers which he sent hither partetaker nowe of eternall libertie taking vs from the teeth of our old ennemie the dyule For which our faith and saluation reioysing with himselfe and commending the same with worthie prayse he saith thus in his exposition of blessed Iob Beholde the tongue of Britannie which ons knew nothing but to rore rudely hath of late begonne to sing the Hebrewe Alleluya in geauing praise to God Beholde the Ocean sea on s rough and high but now milde and calme obeyeth to the feate of holie men and the furiouse fluddes thereof which earthly Princes with force could neuer fraye the same for feare of God the poore priestes doe binde with bare wordes And that Ocean sea whiche neuer feared the mightie hostes of infidels and heathen souldiers doth now treÌ„ble at the tongues of humble faithful men For wheras by good preceptes and heauenly wordes yea and with manifest miracles too the grace and knowledge of God is powred into it by the terrour of his diuinitie it is so bridled and kept lowe that now it feareth to be troublesâ—me and most ernestly desireth to come to the glorie of immortalitie By which wordes this holye father Gregory doth de clare that S. Austin and his companie brought the EnglishmeÌ„ to the knowledg of trueth not only by preaching to them in worde but also by shewing them heauenly signes and miracles This holie Pope Gregory amongest his other doinges caused that in the chappels of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule masses should be said ouer their bodies In the celebratioÌ„ of which masses he added these three words and petitioÌ„s ful of greate goodnes and perfectioÌ„ Diesque nostros in tua pace disponas atque ab aeterna daÌ„natione nos eripi et in electoruÌ„ tuoruÌ„ iubeas grege numerari Which is to saye And dispose our dayes in thy peace coÌ„maunde vs to be takeÌ„ froÌ„ eternal daÌ„natioÌ„ and to be numbred in the flocke of thine electes He gouerned the church of Christ in the reygne of the Emperoures Morys and Phocas But in the. 2. yeare of this Phocas Empire departing owt of this life he went to the true lyfe which is in heauen His bodie was buryed in S. Peters churche before the Vesterie the xij daye of Marche With the which bodie he shall ryse agayne herafter in glorie with other Pastors of the holie church In his tuÌ„be was writen such an epitaphe as foloweth This corps o earth taken of the take now agayne to keape Vntyll the same the lord shall styrre to lyfe from deathfull sleape His spirite aboue the starres is gon where death shal not it presse VVhich rather was a waye to him the true lyfe to possesse The chefest Byshop buryd is in this sepulchre here VVhich euer and in euery place in goodnes dyd appere The hungrie man with foode he fedde the naked he arayde VVith sacred sermons Christen sowles from Satans powre he stayed He dyd in worke what thinge in word soeuer he dyd teach That he might be a sample set to men while he dyd preache The English land to Christe he turned by vertues force and guyde Making by that new nation all Christendom more wyde Toy howe thy care
Princely hart the more be kindled and coÌ„firmed most humbly and lovvly I beseche the same to beholde a fevve examples of the most puissant Princes that haue ben in Christendom vvhich in that singular vertu haue principally excelled At vvhat time Princes and Emperours hauing certaine hundred yeares fought and striued all in vaine against the light of the ghospel and publishing of Christen religion beganne at length them selues to take the svvete yoke of Christe to submit their Sceptres to his holy Crosse and ioyning deuoute humilite vvith vvordly policie began to procure their soule helth and to prouide for the vvorlde to come then the prophecy of Esaie vvas in them fullfilled saying to the churche of Christ. Beholde I will stretche out mine hande to the gentils and sett vpp my token to the people They shall bringe thee thy sonnes in their lappes and cary their daughters vnto thee vppon their shoulders For kinges shall be thy nursing Fathers and Quenes shall be thy nursing mothers They shall fall downe before thee c et Then their chiefe endeuour and principall care hath ben to maintaine the only Catholike faith in their dominions and to chase eftesoones all schismes and heresies that from time to time sprange vp amonge Constantin the great vvorthely so called for sondry respects the Arrian heresy vnder him arising laboured by all meanes possible and semely to his princely vocation to queÌ„che the same For this purpose first he directed that lerned and vertuous Father Osius bisshop of Corduba in Spayne to the churches of AEgypte vvhere the terrible tragedy of that hainous heresie beganne vvith his letters of exhortation to reconcile them againe vvhich vvere diuided in matters of the faith He vvrote also to Arrius him selfe and Alexander the bisshop of Alexandria persuading vvith them to come to agreement and accorde After al this fuffising not at the motion and order of the vertuous bishops of that time and by their ordinary meanes he caused the truthe of the controuersy to be enquired examined and discussed in a full and generall Councell helde at Nice vvhere he presented him selfe bearing the charges of the bishops that dvvelled farre of After this councell according to the determination of those holy Fathers for quieting the church he banished Arrius Theognis Euâ—ebius of Nicomedia and other masters of that secte He talked also and commoned vvith Acesius a bishopp of the Nouatians labouring to vvinne him to the Catholike church againe Being troubled also vvith Donatus and his complices breding then a nevve secte in Christes church against Caecilianus their lavvfull bishop he vvrote vnto Miltiades then Pope of Rome to decide the matter and directed a commission out of his ovvne Courte for the better expedition of the same Thus laboured that vertuous and Christen Emperour Constantin the great to maintaine the vnite of Christes church and to abolish all heresies in the prouinces of the vvhole vvorld then subiect vnto him This glasse he lefte to his posterite other Christen Princes to looke on Valentinian the first the next catholike Emperour of any continuaunce after Constantin so earnestly tâ—Ì„dred the catholike religion that vvhen ValeÌ„s his brother the ArriaÌ„ Emperour of the East demaunded aide of him against the Gotthes then breaking in to the Romain empire he ansvvered that being an heretike it could not stande vvith his conscience and religion to helpe him fearing vvorthely the checke that God by the mouth of Iehu gaue to Iosaphat kinge of â—uda for aiding the Apostata and Idolater Achab kinge of Israell Theodosius successour of Valens in the East called also the great for his vvorthy and princely qualities for the maintenaunce of the catholike faith of Christes church published an edict against the Arrians and the Manichees vvherby he imbarred them all maner of assembles preaching or teaching banished theÌ„ out of cites and places of resorte commaunding also no man should company vvith them Againe the same Emperour after much disputations and conferences had vvith the Arrians perceauing at lenght by the aduise of Sisâ—nius that they agreed not amonge them selues nor approued the lerned vvriters in Christes churche before their time bothe vvhich great faultes are euident in the principal promoters of this nevv pretended religion vtterly to extinguish all heresy and for a finall extirping of schisme he vvith Gratian commaunded expressely that such doctrine and religion only shoulde take place as Damasus then Pope off Rome taughte and allovved Honorius and Arcadius sonnes to Theodosius folovved the godly steppes of the vertuous Prince their Father Thereupon Arcadius by the stoute aduise of Chrisostom vvould not graunt to Gainas a famous Scythian Captain vnder him one poore corner in all the East to practise his Arrian profession in Honorius likevvise hauing information of the horrible schismes of the Donatistes in Afrike directed in commission thither Marcellinus to be present at a general assemble in Carthage of the caholike bishops and the Donatistes as it appeareth by the conferences of that assemble yet extant in the vvorkes of S. Augustin Hovv diligent Theodosius the second next successour to the foresaied Emperours vvas in extirping the heresy of Nestorius and in setting forth the right doctrine touching the godhed of the holy Gost against Macedonius and his scholers the vvritings of Cyrillus ad Reginas and to Theodosius him selfe do euidently declare After these Marcianus the Emperour vvith that vertuous princesse Pulcheria laboured diligently to extinguish the heresy of Eutyches as it may appeare by sundry epistles of lerned Leo then Pope of Rome solliciting eftsoones the Emperour thereto and by the Actes of the fourth generall councell of Chalcedon VVhich not long after him Iustinus the Emperour vvith sâ—ch Christen zeale defended that he caused Seuerus the schismaticall bishop of Antioch to haue his touÌ„g cut out for the daily blasphemies he vttered against that councell Iustinian also his successour caused al the hereticall bookes and vvritinges of the saied Seuerus and other to be burned and made it death to any that kept or vsed any such books The Christen zeale of this Emperour tovvard the maintenaunce of Christen religioÌ„ is declaredin the fift general couÌ„cel kept at CoÌ„stantinople against sundry heresies Procopius coÌ„mending the earnest and vertuous zeale of this Emperour vvriteth that he vvould neuer admit Gelimerius a valiaunt Captain and one that had done him noble seruice ioyning vvith Belisarius in the vvarres against the VVandalls vnto the order of his Nobilite bicause he vvas infected vvith the Arrian heresy Such hath alvvaies beÌ„ most gracious Souuerain the vertuous zeale of the vvisest and most politicke Princes to extirpat heresies and false religioÌ„ out of their dominioÌ„s knovving right vvel that none are better subiects to the Prince than such as most deuoutly serue almighty God And again that nothing more highly pleaseth God thaÌ„ that a prince do farder and set forth the true seruice and vvorshipping of him Such
great and the bridge they had to passe ouer so litle that it would be toward night er they all could get ouer Albane longing much for his blessed death and hasting to his Martyrdome cumming to the riuers side and making there his prayer with lifting vp his eyes and harte to heauen sawe furth wyth the bottom to haue bin dried vp and the water geue place for him and the people to passe ouer dryshod as it were vpon euen grownde Which when among other the executioner which should haue beheddid him did see he made hast to mete him at the place appointed for his death and there not without the holy inspiration of God he fell downe flat before his feete and casting from him the sword which he held in his hande ready drawen desired rather that he might be executioned ether for him or with him rather then to do execution vpoÌ„ him Where vpoÌ„ this maÌ„ being now made a fellow of that faith wher of before he was persecutor and the swerd lying in the grouÌ„d before theÌ„ the other officers staggering and doubting all who might take it vpp and doe the execution the holy confessor of God with the people there assembled went vnto a hill almost half a mile of from that place beautifully garnished with diuers herbes and flowers not rough or vneasy to climme but smothe plaine and delectable worthy and mete to be sanctified with the blood of the blessed Martyr vnto the the top where of when he was ascended he required of God to giue him water and strayt there arose a spryng of fayer water before his feete whereby all might perceaue that the riuer before was by his meanes dried For he which left no water in the riuer would not haue required it in the topp of the mowntaine but that it was so expedient for the glory of God in his holy martyr For beholde the riuer hauing obeyed the Martyr and serued his deuotion leauing behinde a testimony of duty and obedience the Martyr hauing now suffered returned to his nature againe Here therfore this most valiaunt martyr being behedded receiued the crowne of life which God promiseth to them that loue him But he which there tooke vppon him to doe that wicked execution had short ioy of his naughty deede for his eyes fel vnto the ground with the head of the holy martyr There also was behedded the souldiour which being called of God refused to stryke the holy confessor of God of whom it is open and playne that though he was not Christened in the fount yet he was baptised iu the bath of his owne blud and so made worthy to enter in to the kingdome of heuen Now the iudge seing so many straunge and heuenly miracles wrought by this holy martyr gaue commaundement that the persecution should cease beginning to honour in the sayntes of God the constant and pacient suffering of death by the which he thought at first to bring them from the deuotion of their fayth S. Albane suffered his martyrdome the xx day of Iune nigh vnto the citte of Verolamium Where after the Christiane churche being quietly calmed and setteled againe there was a temple buylded of a meruailous rich worke and worthy for suche a martyrdome In the which place truly euen vnto this day ar syck persons cured and many miracles wrought There suffered also about that time AaroÌ„ and Iulius towne dwellers of the citty of Leicester and many other both men and wemen in sundry places which after diuerse fell and cruell torments sustayned in al partes of their bodies by perfitt victory atcheued by pacience yelded their soules vnto the ioyse of heauen How that after this persecution ceased the church of Britanny was sumwhat quiet vntill the time of the Arrians heresies The. 8. Chap. AFter that the stormes of this persecution wer ouerblowen the faithfull christians which in time of daunger lay hid in dennes and desertes cometh furth and sheweth them selues abrode reneweth their churches which before were ouerthrowen flatt to the grownd foundeth buyldeth and perfiteth new temples in honor of the holy Martyrs celebrateth holy dayse doth consecrate the holy mysteries with pure mouthâ— and harte and euery where as it wer displayeth their ensignes in signe of conqueste And this peace continued in the church of Christ in Britanny vntill the fury of the Arrians heresies which ruÌ„nyng thorough out the world corrupted also with his venemous errors this IlaÌ„d though situat out of the coÌ„passe of the world Now wheÌ„ that once by this meanes heresy had once found an open vent to passe ouer the Ocean sea in to this Iland shortly after all manner of heresies flowed in to the sayd land and was there receiued of the inhabitants as being men deliting euer to heare newe things and stedfastly retaining nothing as certaine About this time died Constantius in Britanny which in Dioclesians life time gouerned Fraunce and Spaine a man very milde and of much courtesy He left CoÌ„stantine his son by Helene his coÌ„cubine created emperour of Fraunce Eutropius writeth that CoÌ„stantine being created emperour in Britanny succeded his father in the kyngdome In whose time the heresy of the Arrians springing and being discouered and condemned in the councell of Nice did neuerthelesse infecte not only the other partes of the world but also the very churches of the Ilands with deathly doctrine and pestilent infidelite How that in the time of Gracian the Emperour Maximus being created Emperour in BritaÌ„ny returned in to France with a great army The. 9. Chap. THe yere of the incarnation of our Lord 377. Gratian the 40. Emperour after August raygned vj. yeres after the death of Valens though a litle while before he raigned also with Valens his vncle and Valentinian his brother Which seing the state of the commen welth miserably plagued and nigh altogether decayed was drouen of neceâ—site for the better repairing of the sayd decaise to choose vnto him Theodosius a Spanyard borne to be his partener in gouernance of the Empire comitting vnto him the regiment of the â—aste and also of Thracia In which time one Maximus a vahauÌ„t maÌ„ and a good and worthy of the Imperiall crowne had it not ben that contrary to his othe and allegeance he tooke vpon him by tyranny to be Emperour in Britanny half in maner against his will being created Emperour of the army passed ouer in to Fraunce Where he slewe Gratian the Emperour being circumuented by subtile wiles and sodenly stolen vppon ere he were ware as he was in minde to passe in to Italy After that also he chased ValentiniaÌ„ the other partener of the empire out of Italy Valentinian flieng for succour in to the easte and there with all fatherly piete being receiued of Theodosius was by his helpe strayt wayse restored vnto the empire Maximus the tyran being shutt vp by seige with in the walles of Aquilegia and there shortly after taken and slayne How that Aradius being Emperour Pelagius
wilt thou my son that I shall teache the how thou maist be deliuered of the griefe of this sickenesse Ryse goe into the church and when thou comest to Oswalds sepulture sit downe there and abiding quietly cleaue vnto the tumbe beware thou goe not from thence nor stirre out of the place vntill the fitt of feuer shall be past then will I come and bringe the foorth from thens The childe did as the religious man had counsailed him And when he was sitting hard by the holy mans tumbe the sicknes did in no wise presume to attache him but fled incontinently from him as daring not kepe any course with him neither the next daye nor the third daye no yet any time afterward That this was so done the religious man who came from thence reported to me and saith furthermore that at the tyme of his talke with me that younge man on whom when he was but a child this miracle of health was done was yet alyue in the same monastery And it is not to be wondered at that the prayers of that king now reigning with God maye doe muche with him Who hauing sometime the gouernance of a temporall realme accustomed him selfe to continuall and earnest prayer for the euerlasting kingdome Finally men report that he had oftentimes continued in prayer from midnight mattins vntill it were day and by the reason of his common custome of praying or geuing god thankes he was wont alwaies whersoeuer he did sitt to haue his handes vpright vppon his knees Yea it is is said also that he ended his life as he was saying his deuotions For whiles he was compassed about with the artillary and assayled of his ennemies and sawe that he should be slaine immediatly he made his prayer to god to saue those souldiers soules which were in his armye Of the which occasion came vp this prouerbe God haue mercy on their soules quoth Oswald when he died him selfe His bones were conueyghed and buried in the monastery whereof we speake And whereas the king who killed him commaunded that his head and his handes with his armes cut of from the body shuld be hanged vp on poles a yeare after Oswine his successour in the kingdom came with his armie and toke them away burying his head in the churcheyarde of holy Iland churche and laying vpp his handes with his armes in the cytee of Bebba How a certaine man in Ireland being at the pointe of death was by his relikes restored to life The. 13. Chap. THe renowne of this famous man hath passed not only ouer all the borders of Britaine but also spreading the beames of holesome light farre beyonde the Occean sea came to the coastes of Germany and Ireland likewise The right reuerent bishop Acca was wonte to tell that in his iourney to Rome as he passed through Friselande and abode sometime there in the house of VVillibrorde that holy bishop of Friselande with his prelate VVilsride he heard him oftentymes reporte what were done in that prouince by the meanes of the religious relikes of this most vertuous king At what tyme also he being but yet a priest ledde a pilgrimes life in Ireland for the loue he had to the euerlasting countrey he reported that the bruite of this kings holines was then farr abrode sowen in that yle also One miracle whiche he rehersed among other we haue thought good to write in this owr present historye In a tyme of mortalytie sayd this man which by a greate death destroyed Britayne and Ireland a certayne scholer whose auncetours were scottes was stroken with the same pestilence a man skilfull certesse in the studye of learning but one that vsed no diligence and tooke no labour at all for the attayning of his owne euerlasting saluation Who when he saw him selfe to be at deaths doore trembled and was troubled in sprite for death so nye approching fearing as his lewde life deserued to be throwen down into the doungeon of hell And therwith he cryed to me being lodged not far of and fetching depe and sorowfull sighes in a trembling and lamentable voyce made thus his mone vnto me Yow see quoth he that now by the increase of my bodely greefe I draw to the poynt of deathe And I know surely that by and by after the deathe of this my body I shall be taken awaie to the euerlasting death of the soule and that I must endure the torments of hell for that trauayling in the reading of holy writt and occupied alwaies in diuine study I became yet rather a slaue of sinne then a keper of gods holy commaundements But if God of his mercifull goodnes will graunt me any leysure to liue I purpose to amēd my sinfull manners and dispose from hence foorth my whole life to the will and pleasure of almightye God Yet I knowe that I haue not deserued either to haue or to hope for so much truce and respyte to liue except peraduenture by the help of such as haue faithfully serued God he will of his tender mercy vouchsafe to forgeue me so wretched and miserable a synner For we haue heard it commonly reported that there hath ben in your nacion a king of wonderfull holinesse called Oswalde the excellencie of whose faith and vertue yea after his deathe was well knowen by working of many miracles I besech yow therfore if yow haue any of his relikes left with yowe in your keping bring it to me because it may so be that God will haue mercy vpon me through his merits To whome I made this answere forsooth I haue of the tree whereupon his head was sticked after that he was flayne of the paynims and if thou wilt beleue assuredly the mercifull goodnes of God by the merite of so worthye a person may both graunt the longer tyme to leade this life and also make the a meete man to enter into the life euerlasting Who answering me incontinent that he did perfectly beleue so I called for water and blessing it I cast in a chyppe of the forsayde oken tree geuing of the water the sicke man to drinke Foorthwith he began to amend and recouering his health lyued along tyme after and being tourned to God in al hart and deede did openly declare to all men wher euer he came the graciousnesse of our mercifull maker and the glory of his faithful seruaunt How that Thamar when Pauline was deade succeded him in the bishoprike of Rochester and of the meruaylous humilitie of Osuuius whom Oswin killed cruelly The 14. Chapter THis blessed kinge being exalted to the kingdome of heauen his brother Oswin a young man about thirty yeres old toke on him in his steede the gouernaunce of the earthly kingdome and ruled the realme withe greate disquietnesse and trouble the space of eight and twenty yeres For first the paynim and mighty king Penda had warre against him Then the paynim people of the Marshes which slewe his brother made him battaile Also
should be gathered or houses prouided for the receiuing and intertainement of the worshipfull and welthy Who neuer came then to church but onely to praye and to heare the worde of God The kinge him selfe when occasion serued to resort thither came accompayned only with fyue or six persons and after praier ended departed But if by chaunce it fortuned that anye of the nobilite or of the worshipfull refreshed them selues in the monasteries they contented them selues with the religious mens simple fare and poore pittens looking for no other cates aboue the ordinary and daily diett For then those lerned men and rulers of the churche sought not to pamper the panche but to saue the soule not to please the worlde butt to serue God Whereof it came then to passe that euen the habite of religious men was at that time had in greate reuerence So that where anye of the clergye or religious person came he shoulde be ioyefully receiued of all men like the seruaunt of God Againe if any were mett going on iourney they ranne vnto him and making lowe obeissaunce desyred gladly to haue their benediction either by hand or by mouth Also if it pleased them to make any exhortation as they passed by euery man gladly and desirously harkened vnto them Vpon the Sondayes ordinarely the people flocked to the church or to monasteries not for bely chere but to heare the worde of God And if any priest came by chaunce abrode into the village the inhabitaunts thereof would gather about him and desire to haue some good lesson or collation made vnto them For the priestes and other of the clergy in those daies vsed not to come abrode in to villages but only to preache to baptise to visit the sicke or to speake all in one worde for the cure of soules Who also at that time were so farre from the infection of couetousnes and ambition that they would not take territories and possessions toward the building of monasteries and erecting of churches but through the ernest suite and almost forced of noble and welthy men of the worlde Which custome in all pointes hath remained a longe time after in the clergy of Northumberland And thus much of these matters How Egberecht a holy man english borne lead a religious solitary life in Ireland The. 27. Chapter THis very yeare of our Lorde 664. a great eclipse of the Son happened the third daye of Maye about ten of the clocke In the which yeare also a sodain great plague consuming first the south partes of Britanny taking holde also in Northumberland with longe and much continuance wasted away an infinit number of men In the which mortalite the foresaied bishop Tuda was taken out of the worlde and honourably buried in a monastery called Pegnalech This plague perced also euen to Ireland There were at that time in the Iland diuers young gentle men and other of England which vnder Finanus and Colmanus their bishops had departed a side thither partly to study partly to liue more straightly And some of those forthwith bounde them selues to the religious habit some other wandering rather about the celles and closets of such as taught folowed more their study and lerning All these the Scottes entertained gladly and cherefully geuing them not only their borde and their lerning free but bookes also to lerne in AmoÌ„ge these two young gentlemen of England were of great to wardnesse aboue the rest Edelhum and Ecgbert Of the which two the former was brother vnto Edelhum that blessed man who in the age folowing liued also in Ireland for studies sake from whence with great lerning and knowleadg returning home to his countre he was made bisshop of Lindisse and ruled the church honourably a longe time These younge gentlemen liuing in the monastery which in the Scottish tounge is called Rathmelfig all their companyons being other taken away by the mortalite or otherwise gone abrode remained bothe of them behinde lying sicke of the plage Ecgbert one of the two when he thought his time was come to die as I lerned by the report of a most trusty and reuerent olde maÌ„ which tolde me he heard the whole story at Ecgberts owne mouthe departed very erly out of his chamber where the sicke were wonte to lye and getting him to a secret commodious place sate downe all alone began diligently to thinke on his former life and being pricked with the remembraunce of his sinnes washed his face with teares beseching God from the bottom of his hart to lende him life and time of repentaunce to bewaile and recompence with amendment of life his former negligences and offences He vowed also neuer to returne home to his countre where he was borne but to liue as a pilgrim all daies of his life Againe beside the ordinary seruice of the canonicall houres if sicknes or weakenesse of body letted him not to say euery daye the whole psalter to the honour and praise of almighty God Last of all to faste ones euery weke one whole daye and night His vowes praiers and lamentinges thus being ended he returned to his chaÌ„ber and finding his felow a slepe went also to bedde to take some reste Which after he had a litle done his felowe waking looked vpon him and saied O brother Ecgbert what haue ye done I had hoped we should bothe haue passed together to life euerlasting But now vnderstand ye ye shall haue your request For by a vision it was reueled vnto him bothe what the others petition was and that he had obtained it What nede many wordes Edilhum the night folowing departed Ecgbert recouered and liuing many yeres after being made priest leading a life worthy of that vocatioÌ„ after great ameÌ„dmeÌ„t of life as he desired departed this worlde of late to witt in the yeare of our Lorde 729. in the xc yere of his age He lead his life in great perfection of humilite mekenes continency innoceÌ„cy and of righteousnes Whereby he profited much bothe his owne countre and the place where he liued in voluntary banishment the scottes and the pictes in example of liuing in diligence of teaching in authorite of correcting in bountifulnesse of bestowing that which the riche gaue aboundantly vnto him Beside his vowes mencioned before he made and kept other as that thourough out the whole lent he neuer eate more then ones in the daye eating also then nothing els but bread and thinne milke and that with a certain measure His milke was of one day olde which the day before he would eate it he was wont to put and kepe it in a viole and the night folowing skimming away the creme with a litle bread to drinke it vp This kind of faste he vsed to kepe xl dayes before Christmas and as longe after whitâ—â—ntyde all his life tyme. How after the death of bishop â—da VVilfrid in Fraunce and Ceadda amonge the west Saxons were made bishops of Northumberland prouince The. 28. Chapter IN this
go your waies to churche againe and speake vnto the bretherne that with their prayers they both commend vnto our Lorde my departing and remember also with fasting watching prayers and good workes to preuent their own departing the houre wherof is vncertaine And when he had spoken these and mo like wordes and that the brethern had taken his blessing and wer gone forth very heauy and sad he that only heard the heauenly song came in againe and casting himselfe flat on the ground sayed I beseke you good father may I be so bold as to aske you a question Aske what you will quod he Then quod the other I pray you tell me what was that song which I heard of that ioyfull company descending from heauen vpon this oratorie and after a time retourninge to heauen againe He aunswered and saied to him If you haue hearde the voice of the song and vnderstoode the comming of the heauenly compaines I commaund you in the name of our Lorde to tell no man herof before my death They were in dede the spirites of angelles which came to call me to the heauenly rewardes which I haue alway loued and longed for and after vij daies they haue promised to come againe and take me with them The which was in dede fullfilled euen as it was foretolde him For straight way was he taken with a feyntnes of bodye which daily grewe more greuouse vpon him and the vij daye as it had bene promised him after he had first forewarded his departing with the receiuing of the bodie and bloud of our Lord his holy soule loosed from the prison of the bodie was caried and lead as we may well beleue of the company of Angelles to the ioyes euerlastinge And it is no meruaile if he gladly behelde the day of death or rather the day of our Lorde which daye he did alwaies carefully looke for till it came For among his manifold merites of chastitie and abstinence of preaching of praier of wilfull pouertie and other vertues he was so far humbled to the feare of our Lorde so much mindful of his later end in all his workes that as a certaine brother named Trumbert was wont to tell me one of them that read the scriptures to me and was brought vp in his monasterie and gouernement if perhaps while he were reading or doing some other thing there rose any sodaine great blast of wind by and by wold he cal on the mercy of our Lord and beseke him to haue pitie on mākinde But and if there came a blast yet more vehement then wold he shut vp his booke and fall downe on his face and set him selfe more feruently to prayer And if any stronger storme or blustreing showre continewed long or that lightning and thunders did make both the earth and ayre to shake for feare then would he go to churche and earnestly set his mind to praier and saying of psalmes vntill the ayre waxed clere againe And when some of his companie asked him why he did so Haue ye not read quod he That our Lord hath thundred from heauen and the most high hath giuen his voice He hath sent out his arrowes and scattered them abrode he hath multiplied lighteninge and troubled them For our Lorde moueth the ayre reyseth vp windes shooteth out lighteninges thundreth from heauen to styrre vp the creatures of the earth to feare him to cal againe their hartes to the remembraunce of the iudgement to come to plucke downe their pride and abate their boldenes and thus to bringe to their mindes that terrible time when both heauens and earth shall burne and himselfe come vpon the clowdes with great power and maiestie to iudge both the quicke and the dead And therfore quod he it behoueth vs with dewe feare and loue to yelde and giue place to his warning from heauen that as ofte as he trowbleth the ayre and lyfteth vpp his hande as it were threatning to strike and doth not yet strike we strayght way call vpon his mercie and boulting owt the very botome of our hartes and casting owt the dregges and relikes of synne do carefully prouide that we neuer deserue to be striken at all With the reuelation and relation of the foresayd brother concerning the death of this bysshopp the wordes also of Ecgbert the most reuerend father do well agree of whome we spake before Whiche Ecgbert at the tyme whē the sayd Chadda was a youngman and himself of lyke age to dyd in Ireland strayghtly lead a monasticall lyfe both together in prayers continence and meditation of the holy scriptures But Chadda being afterward retourned to his countree Ecgbert abode there styll as a pilgrime for our Lordes sake vnto the end of his lyfe Nowe a long tyme after there came to visite him from England a certaine most holy and vertuous man named Higbalde who was an Abbot in the prouince of Lindisse And as they talked together of the lyfe of the former fathers as is the maner of such holy men to doo and gladly wold wysh to followe the same they fell vpon mention of the most reuerend byshop Chadda And than sayd Ecgbert I knowe a man yet remayning aliue in this Ilande which whē brother Chadda passed owt of the world dyd see a companye of Angelles descend from heauen and take vp his sowle withe them and retourned againe to the celestiall kingdomes Which vision whether Ecgbert meaned to be sene of himselfe or of some other it is to vs vncertaine yet while so worthy a man as he sayed that it was true the thing it self can not be vncertaine vnto vs. Thus dyed Chadda the vj. daye of Marche and was buryed first by S. Maries Churche but afterward his bones were remoued into the church of the most blessed Saint Peter chiefe of thapostles the same churche being finished In both which places in token of his vertu often miracles of healing sicke folke are wonte to be wrought And of late a certaine man that had a phrenesie and ranne vpp and downe wandring euery where came thither at an euening and by the ignorance or negligence of them that kept the place lay there all the night and the next morning came owt well in his wyt and declared to the great wonder and ioye of all men that there he had by the gyfte and goodnes of our Lorde gotten his health The place of the sepulchre is couered with a wodden tombe made like a litle howse hauing an hole in the syde at whiche they that come thither for deuocions sake are wont to put in their hand and take owt some of the dowste The whiche they put into water and than giue it to drinke to sicke beastes or men whereby the grief of their sickness is anon taken away and they restored to their ioyfull desired healthe In the place of B. Chadda Theodore consecrated and ordeyned VVinfrid a vertuowse and sober man to rule and haue the office of a byshop as his
to the faith a Saxon borne which was taken with the same sickenesse and had kept his bed no small time And when the second day of the said fasting and praying was nowe come it happened that about vij a clocke in the morning as the boy was leafte al alone in the place where he lay sicke sodainly by the appointement of God there vowtsafed to appere vnto him the most blessed two chiefe Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul For the boy was of a very innocent and meke mind and nature and with sincere deuocion kepte the sacramente of faith which he had receaued In this vision the Apostles first saluted him with most gentle wordes saying Feare not Sonne the death for which thou art so pensife for we wil this day bring thee to the kingdom of heauen But first thou must tary til the Masses be said and after thou hast receaued thy viage prouisioÌ„ the body and bloud of our Lord being so released both of sickenes and death thou shalt be lifted vp to the euerlasting ioyes in heauen Therefore doo thou call for priest Eappa vnto thee and tell him that our Lorde hath heard your prayers and deuocion and hath mercifully looked vpon your fastinge neither shall there any one more dye of this plage either in this monasterie or in any of the possessions that adioyne to the same But as many as belonge to you any where and lye sicke shall rise againe from their sickenes and be restored to their former health saue only thow which this daye shalt be deliuered from death and be brought to heauen to the vision of our Lord Christ whome thow haste faithfully serued Which thing it hath pleased the mercy of God to doo for you through the intercession of the godly and dere seruant of God king Oswald which sometime gouerned the countre of Northumberland most nobly both with the authoritie of this temporall kingdome and also in holynesse and deuotion of Christen pietie which leadeth to the euerlasting kingdom For on this very day the same king being bodely slaine in battaile of the infidels and miscreants was straight takeÌ„ vp to heaueÌ„ to the eternal ioyes of the soule and felowship of the chosen and electe companies Let them seke in their booke that haue the notes of the departing of the dead and they shall fynd that he was takeÌ„ out of the world on this selfe day as we haue sayd And therfor let theÌ„ say Masses and geue thankes that their prayer is heard and also for the memory of the sayd king Oswald which sometime gouerned their nation For therefore did he humbly pray our Lord for them as being strauÌ„gers and exiles of his people And when all the bretherne are come together to the churche let them all be houselled and so fynish their faste and refresh their bodies with sustenaunce All the which wordes when the boy had declared to the priest being called vnto him the priest enquired of him what maner of aray and lykenes the men had which appeared vnto him He aunsweared they were very notable and goodly in their aray and countenaunces and exceding ioyfull and beautifull such as he neuer had sene before nor beleued that any men could be of so great comlynesse and beautie The one was shauen like a priest the other had a long beard And they sayd that the one of them was called Peter and thother Paul and that they were the ministers and seruantes of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ of whome they were sent from heauen for the sauing and defense of our monasterie Wherefore the priest belieued the wordes of the boye and went out by aud by and sought in his booke of Cronicles and found that king Oswald was slaine on that very day Then called he the bretherne together and commaunded dyner to be prouided and masses to be sayd and that they should all communicat after the accustomed maner And also willed a parte of the same sacrifice of our Lordes oblation to be brought to the sicke boye which thinge so done not loÌ„g after the boy died the very same day and proued by his death that the wordes were true which he had heard of Christes Apostles And this morouer gaue witnesse to his wordes that at that time no creature of the same monasterie was taken out of the world except him only By which vision many that might heare of the same were meruaylowsly styrred and enflamed both to praye and call for Gods mercy in aduersitie and also to vse the holesome helpes and medicines of fastinge And from that time not in that monasterie only but in very many other places to the birthe day of the sayd kinge and champion of Christ began yearely to be kept holy with masses and deuout seruice most reuerently Howe king Ceadwall â—lew Edilwach king of the Genisses and wasted that prouince with cruell death and ruyn The. 15. Chap. IN this meane time Ceadwall a valiant yong man of the royall blood of the Genisses being bannyshed from his countre came with an hoste of men and slewe king Edilwach of Sussex and wasted that prouince cruelly murdering and spoyling euery where But he was sone after driuen owt by two Capitaines of the kinges Berthun and Authun whiche from that tyme dyd holde and kepe the dominion of the prouince The chief of whiche two was afterward slaine of the same Ceadwall being then kinge in the west countre and the prouince subdued and browght into more greuouse subiection then it was before Againe he that raigned after Ceadwall oppressed it with lyke miserie and bondage a great many yeres Whereby it came to passe that the people of Sussex in all that time could haue no bishop of their own but were faine their first byshop VVilfride being called home againe to be vnder the diocese of the byshop of the Genisses which belongeth to the VVest Saxons as many as were in the territory of Selsee Howe the Ile of Wyght receaued christen inhabitantes in which I le two childerne of the kinges blood as sone as they were Christened were slayne The. 16. Chap. AFter that Ceadwall had thus obtayned the kingdome of the Geuisses or west Saxons he tooke the I le of Wight also which was so all giuen to the worshipping of idols that he entended vtterly to bannysh and dryue owt thence all the old natiue inhabitantes and to put people of his owne countre in their place For thowghe he was not yet at that time christened and regenerated in Christ him selfe at it is sayd yet he bownd him selfe with a vowe that if he tooke the Iland he wold giue vnto God the fourth part therof and of all the pray Which thing he so perfourmed that bishop VVilfride happening to be there at that time a man of his own countree he gaue and offred the same vnto him to the vse and seruice of our Lorde The sayd Iland conteyned as the English doo rate it M. CC. tenementes Whereof was giuen to
a priest and Abbot of a monastery in the citie which of his name is called vnto this day Tunnacester who when he heard that his brother was slaine in the battaile came to seeke if he might happely fynd his bodie Where he finding one that was in all pointes like him and thinking it to be him in dede brought him to his monasterie and buried him honorably and did often times cause masse to be saied for his soule By the saying of which masses that which I sayd came to passe that noman could bynd him but that he was straight way loused againe Then the Erle that kepte him began to wonder here at and to enquire of him what the cause was that he coulde not be bound and whether perhaps he had about him any loosing letters such as men talke of that he could not be bound by the vertue of them But he aunsweared that he knewe no such arte nor conning but I haue a brother quod he in my countre one that is a priest and I knowe that he thinkes I am slaine and therefore doth oft saye masse for me and if I were nowe in an other world my sowle showld be there loused from paynes throughe his intercessions and prayers as my body is here from bondes And while he was thus kept a certaine space in the Erles howse some that marked him more diligently sawe by his countenaunce behauiour and talke that he was not as he had sayd of the common poore sort of people but of some good house and degree Therefore the Erle called him secretly and examined him more straightly of whence he was Promising that he wold doo him no harme in the world if he wold playnly vtter and shewe himselfe what he was Which thing when he had done and declared himselfe to be one of the kinges seruauntes wel quoth the Erle I knewe by thy wordes and awnsweres that thow were no husbandman of the countre And thou art well worthy to dye nowe for that all my bretherne and kynnesmen were slaine in that battaile yet I will not put the to death for breaking of my faith and promyse And therfore as soone as he was full cured the Erle sent him to London and solde him to a marchant of Friseland But neither he nor any man els as he was lead thither could bynd him by any meanes And yet his enemies dyd lay on him many and sundry kindes of fetters which yet allwaies were loosed When he that hadd bowght him sawe that he cowld be kept and holden in no bondes he gaue him leaue to ransome himselfe if he were able For after abowt viij a clocke in the morning when masses began to be sayd his bondes and fetters were euer lowsed And thus vpon his othe either to come againe or els to send his ransome he was let go and came to kent to kinge Lodhere who was sonne to the sister of Quene Edildrede of whom we haue spoken before and himselfe had bene sometime a seruaunt of the sayd Queenes There he sued to the kinge for so much as wold pay his ransome which he obtained and sent it as he had promised to him whose prisoner he was Afterward he retourned to his countree and came to his brother and declared him in order all the aduersities that had happened vnto him and also what comfortes and succours he had had in the same And he knewe by that his brother told him that his bondes were loosed at those times specially in which masses were said and songe for him He vnderstoode also that the other helpes and succours that happened to him in his danger came of the heauenly gyfte and grace throwgh his brothers intercessions and offring of the holy holsome hoste and sacrifice Many that heard these thinges of this man were styrred vp and enflamed in fayth and godly deuotion vnto prayer vnto almesse and charitable dedes and to offer to our Lorde hostes of the holy oblation and sacrifice for the deliuery and reliefe of their frindes that were departed this worlde For they vnderstood thereby and knewe that the holesome blessed sacrifice was effectuous to the euerlasting redemption and ransoming bothe of sowle and bodie This storie was told me of one of them that heard it of the very man in whome it was done and therfore knowinge it to be true and certaine I dowbted no whit to put it into this our ecclesiasticall historie Of the lyfe and death of Abbesse Hilda The 23. Chap. THe yere following after this which was the yere of thincarnation of our Lorde DClxxx the most deuowt and godly seruaunt of Christe Hilda Abbesse of the monasterie that is called Streanes halch as we before mentioned after many heauenly dedes that she did in this world passed owt of this lyfe to receaue the rewardes of the lyfe of heauen the xvij day of Nouember when she was three score and six yeres of age The which nomber of yeres equally diuided into two partes she lyued the first xxxiij in secular lyfe withe most noble and worthy conuersatiō and as many after did she dedicate to our Lord more nobly and worthely in monastical life For she was come of noble birth and was the dawghter of kinge Edwins nephewe named Hererike with which kinge also at the preaching of Paulinus of blessed memorie the first bysshopp of Northumberland she receaued the fayth and sacramentes of of Christe and dyd syncerely kepe the same vntill she deserued to come to his sight and vision whome only to serue after she had determined and forsaken this secular lyfe and world she went to the prouince of the East english For she was allied to the king there and from thence she desyred if she might by any meanes to forsake her countre and al that euer she had and go into Fraunce and there in the monasterie named Cate to leade a pilgrimes and exuls lyfe for our Lordes sake that she might the more easyly deserue to enioye an euerlasting countre in heauen For in the same monasterie her syster Hereswide mother to Adulphe king of the East english did at the same very tyme lyue vnder rules and disciplines of religion abyding and looking for the crowne euerlasting whose example she mynding to followe and liue a straunger out of her owne countree dyd abyde in the said prouince one hole yeare After which being called home againe into her countree by bisshopp Aidan she had deliuered her the landes of one Lordeship at the north coast of the riuer Were in which she liued also the space of one yeare and lead a monasticall lyfe with a fewe other of her companie After this she was made Abbesse in the monasterie that is called Heortheu which monasterie had bene builte not long before of the godly and deuout handmayed off Christ Heiu Which is said to be the first woman in the prouince of Northumberland that tooke the vowe and habit of a Nonne being blessed and consecrated by bisshop Aidan But not long
his chaplins archebisshop of Yorke and went to the said monasterie and there with good example and conuersation ended his lyfe Howe Cedwall kinge of the Weast Saxons came to Rome to be baptized and his successour of deuotion went to the sepulchres and monuments of the blessed Apostles The. 7. Chapter THe third yere of kinge Aldfrides raigne Cedwall kinge of the weast saxons when he had kept the souerainty in his country very stoutely for ij yeres space for Gods sake and hope of an eternall kingdome in heauen forsoke his owne vppon earthe and went to Rome He thought it to be a singular glorye and renowne for him to be regenerated at the sea Apostolique with the sacrament of baptisme by the which he lerned that all mankinde had entrye to the kingdome of heauen With all this hope he conceaued that as sone as by baptisme he was clensed from synne and made a member of Christes mysticall body he shoulde departe from this worlde to the eternall ioye the which bothe by the prouidence of God were fulfilled euen as he had secretly in his minde determined before For cominge to Rome when Sergius was Pope he was baptised on easter eue the yere after the incarnation of Christ 689. and wearing yet the white apparel and robes of innocency which were put vppon him in baptisme fell sicke and died the 20. day of Aprill Whome the Pope at his baptisme named Peter that he might beare that holy name of the Apstole whose sepulchre and tūbe he came to see with good zeale and deuotion many hundred myles and buried him honorably in his churche And at the Popes commaundement an Epitahphe was engraued vppon his toumbe◠that bothe the remembraunce of his good zeale and deuotion might continewe in admiration trough out all ages and the readers and hearers also might be stirred to the leeke godlynesse and deuotion The epitaphe was written after this sorte An Epitaphe vpon kinge Cedwall All dignities and wordly wealthe all princely ioye and mirth All palaces and castells stronge all ladies of greate birth All triumphe all princely attire all precious pearle and pride The feruent loue of heuenly blesse made Cedwalle set a syde And spedely to Peters seate and monuments at Rome His fleshly lustes and filthy synnes with baptisme to ouercome Through daungerous seas and hougely hilles a pilgrimage to make And happely the ioyfull starre to endlesse comforte take Incontinent when his repaire was knowen among the states Full courteously they met him all and brought him to their gates Pope Sergius perceauinge eke his zeale and godly minde Did ioyfully baptise him streyt and from his synnes vnbinde He altered his propre name and did him Peter calle Delyueringe him from Sathans snare from mysery and from mysery and from thral But innocent lyfe this worthy wight on earthe did not longe kepe VVithin fewe days death did approche and rocked him a slepe Vndoubtedly greate was his faith greate was the mercy of Christ VVhose iudgments who so seketh oute shall creke when he is highst From Britanny that famousisle to Rome he saffly past The monuments and Apostles tumbes he sawe al at his later cast Deathes fyery dart his hart did perce and brought him to the groūde VVhere foysteringe mans carcas lyeth vntill the trumpet sounde Here couered with marbel stone his body lyeth at ease In paradise his soule abideth Gods wrath he did appease Then euident it is that he who from his realme did range For earthly things did heauen obtaine and lost naught by exchange An other epitaphe Here Cedwall is buried otherwise named Peter kinge of the weast Saxons who died the xx of Aprill in the seconde indiction and lyued thyrty yeares or ther aboute when that noble and mighty prince Iustinian was Emperour of Rome and had raigned iiij yeres in the empire and Sergius a trewe paterne of the Apostles had sate ij yeres in Peters seate As this good kinge Cedwall was takinge his iourney to Rome Huu one of the kinges bloud suceeded into the croune of that realme who after he had raigned there 37. yeares gaue ouer his kingdome and committed the gouernaunce of it to his children and went him selfe to the tumbes and monuments of the Apostles in Rome Gregory beinge the Pope hauinge an ernest desyre to wander leeke a pilgreme here in earthe for a tyme aboute such holy places that at the lenght he mighte be more willingly receaued of the blessed saintes in heauen the which practise in those dayes many englishmen both of the nobility and commons spirituall and temporal men and women wer wonte to vse with much emulation Of the death of Archebishop Theodore The. 8. Chapter THE yere after kinge Cedwall died at Rome that is to say the yere of our Lorde 690. archebishop Theodore worthy of perpetuall remembraunce for his singular vertues beinge very olde and in those yeres to which men commonly by course of nature may come to wit foure score and eight departed out of this wordle The which number of yeres that he should lyue and see was signified vnto him by reuelation in a dreame as to his familiare fryndes he was wont to make reporte He continued in his bishoprike xxij yeres and was buried in sainct Peters church where al the other bishops of Cāterbury ar buried Of whom with the rest of his felowes equal both in dignity and degree it may be truly verified that their names shal liue in glory frō generati to generation time out of minde for that I may vse fewe woordes the church of Englande for the time he was archbisshoppe receaued so much comforte and encrease in spirituall matters as they could neuer before nor after As touching his personage his lyfe his age and manner of death the epytaphe written vppon his tumbe in fowre and thirthy heroicall verses dothe manyfestly sett owte to all that haue accesse thither of the which these are the iiij off the first A woorthy prelate lyeth here fast closed in this graue To whome the name of Theodore the greekes most iustly gaue VVith tytle ryght the souerayntye hauynge of eche degree Christes flocke he fed with trewe doctrine as almen do welsee iiij of the last His sowle was sett at liberty that lumpyshe lumpe of claye Dyssolued when September had put nynetene dayes away And couetinge their feloship that lyueth a godly lyfe Is companyd with angells hie voyd off all care and stryfe Howe after the death of Theodore Berechtwalde toke the archbysshopricke vppon hym and amongst many other bysshopps consecrated and orderyd by him he made Tobye a man very well lernyd bysshopp of Rochestre The. 9. Chap. BErechtwald succedyd Theodore and was archbysshoppe of Canterburye who before was abbot of a monastery lyinge hard by the north entree of the ryuer Glade otherwise callyd Rachwulf a man dowtlesse well traueled in the knowledge of holy scripture and very skyllfull both in ecclesiasticall and Monastical ordres censures and disciplynes but nothynge to be compared to
And as I tarried there somewhat longe in greate horrour and feare not knowing what I should do nor whether I shuld go nor what should be come of me in the ende I heard sodainly behinde my backe most lamentable and pitifull crying and withall a lowde skournefull lawghing as it had bene of some rude and barbarous people insulting ouer their enemyes brought in captiuitie and thrauldome As sone as the noyse waxing more brimmer and brimmer came fully to my eares I descried a multitude of wicked sprites which did hale teare and plucke the myserable and wretched soules of men in to the midst of darknes weaping wayling and lamenting their state the wicked sprits in the meane skornefully laughing and triūphing at their myserie amongest whome as well as I could discerne there was a moncke a lay man and a woman The wicked sprites drawing and haling them went downe into that deape fyery flaminge dongell And it came to passe that when they were gone a greate way of I could neither discerne the lamentable crye of those soules neither the skornefull laughter off the deuills but had alwaies in my care a confuse noyse In the meane season came vp from the fiery flaming dongell certaine euill fauoured blacke sprites and compassed me rounde aboute and with there fiery eyes and foule stinking sauours which they breathed out had almost strangled me Besides they threatned to take me with the fiery forkes in their handes yet they could in no wise touche me although they aduentred to fraye me When I was compassed in euery side with such foule finnes and ougly darknesse I cast my eies now this way nowe that way if happely there might come any assistaunce or help to saue me and behold there appered behinde me euen the very same way I came the glimsing of a starre shining in the midst of that darkenesse which waxing brighter and brighter and coming a pace to me dispersed those wicked sprites away which with their fyery pronges were ready to rent me in peces He that came and put them to flight was the guide which conducted me before Who turning streytwayes vppon the right hande lead me as it were somewhat northward where the sonne riseth in the winter and with a trice brought me out of darknesse into the faire brode light And as he lead me in the faire shining light I sawe before vs a greate walle which was so longe and so hye that on nether side I could see any ende I beganne to maruell and muse with my self why we should go to the walle specially whē I saw nor gate nor loope hole nor any other entrance vp to it but when we were come thither I can not tell by what meanes we mounted quickly to the toppe and beholde there was a faire brode fielde both comfortable and pleasaunt so ful of swete fragrāt sauours and of fresh florisshing floures that incontinent the swete smel droue away quite and cleane all the stinking and lothsom sent of that darke firy fornace which had almost stifled me So goodly and clere a light shined there in euery place that it semed more fayrer than the brightnesse of the day and beames of the some when it is at the highest There were in that field innumerable companies of white couloured men many seates and infinite multitudes of soules reioysing and triumphing As he lead me through the middest of those blessed soules I beganne to thinke with selfe perchaunce this may be heauen of the which I haue hearde men oftentimes preache To this my imagination and thought he answered saying this is not the kingdom of heauen as thou doest imagine As we went forward and passed the resting places of those blessed and happie soules I sawe a more brighter shining light before vs than the other was and heard a sweete melodious noyse of Musicians besides that such a swete perfume and fragrāt sauour brake out in euery place that the other which I smelled before and thought excessiuely passing was in comparison vnpleasaunte and nothing worthe in leeke manner as the other bright shininge light of the pleasant grene fielde in comparison of this semed somewhat darke and obscure In to the which paradise of pleasure as I hoped well we should go sodainly my conductour and guide stoode still and turning backe brought me agayne the same waye we came In our returne when we came to the mansions and resting places of those blessed soules he asked me this question Do you knowe what all this is that yowe haue seene I answered no Then he saied vnto me The vally which you saw horrible with hotte flaming fyer and sharp byting colde is the place where their soules remaineth to be examined and tried which differring the cōfession of their synnes and amendment of life had recourse to penaunce in the instant and pointe of deathe and so departed owte of this wolrde Yet bicause they made humble confession of their synnes and repented euen at the houre of their deathe they shall come to the kingdome of heauen at the day of iudgement and some before For the good prayers charitable almes and deuoute fastinge of those that yett lyuethe and especially the holy sacrifice of the masse helpe to delyuer many out of those torments before that terrible daye Moreouer the the fiery flaminge pitt and stinkinge doungell which thowe didst see is hell mouthe into the which whosoeuer falleth he shall neuer be delyuered thence The goodly grene field full of odoriferous flowers where thowe sawest all ioyfull iocund and mery is the very same place where their soules ar receiued which departe oute of this lyfe in the state of grace but yet not of such perfection that they deserue to be brought streytwaies in to the kingdome of heauen but for all that in the day of iudgement shall haue the sight and fruition of Christes deity and immortall ioye with his chosen and elected Only they which are perfecte in all their wordes thoughts and dedes ar caried strayt to heauen after they haue passed their transitory life The place where thow heardest the sweete melodious singing with the goodly flagrante sauours and bright shyning light is next adioyninge to this Concerninge thy owne state because thou shall haue thy naturall body and lyue amongest men in the wordle ones again if thowe wilt diligently examin thy doinges vppon earthe and directe thy maner of lyuing in vprightnesse and simplicitie and refraine thy tounge from vaine and ydell talke certainly assure thy self to haue a resting place amongest these blessed soules which thou seest here for when I went awaye for a tyme and left the alone it was for no other cause but to lerne and enquire what should be come of the. When he had talked with me in this sorte I vtterly detested this present life and was sorye to returne to my naturall body againe I was so rauished with the swete fragrant sauoures and beutifull sights of that place which I did see and especiall their society which
for the time made their abode there Notwithstandinge I durst not be so bold as to demaunde or aske any question of my conductour or guide but in the midest of these meditatioÌ„s I perceued by what meanes I can not tell that I was in the world again and liued as other meÌ„ did These sightes and many other thinges ells this vertuous and holy man wold not report to sleuthfull sluggards and idell folkes men that had no regard of their owne life but to such only as either dismayed with feare of torments or rauished with hope of eternall ioye wolde gladly receiue and sucke oute of his woordes some heauenly comforte and encrease of piety Wel to be shorte in the same rewe where is celle stoode dwelled a monke called Hengils promoted to the holy ordre of priesthod which he honoured much with his vertuous woorkes This man remaineth yet a lyue and leeke a solitary heremitein Ireland fedeth his old impotent body with browne bred and cold runninge water This monke resorting to the saied holy man oftentimes vnderstode by certaine questions which he propounded what sightes he sawe after his body and soule were departed and by his relation all which I haue brefly declared came to our knowledge Moreouer he communicated his visions with kinge Alfride a man excellently lerned in all good literature who hearde him with such comfort and attention that at his desyre he was placed at the length in the same monastery and shoren in religion In the which monastery at that time Edilwald priest of most godly and modest life was Abbot but now he is made bishop of Lindisfarn which church he gouerneth in right good ordre both with holsome doctrine and good example of lyfe semely for his vocation This holy man toke after in the same monastery a more secret celle vnto him where with more liberty he might serue his maker in continuall praier without intermission And because the place was situated vpon a riuers side he was wont to dippe and plungâ— him self in the flowinge water oftentimes for greate desyre he had to chastise his body and coÌ„tinue ther singing of psalmes and other duout prayers as longe as he coulde abyde for cold the water now and then comming vp to his hippes and now and then to his chinn And when he came out of the water he neuer chauÌ„ged his clothes being wet and cold but taried vntil they wer warmed and dryed by the natural heat of his body In the winter season wheÌ„ peaces of yce half brokeÌ„ dropt down on euery syde of him which of purpose he had broken to plounge into the riuer and diuerse men seeing him sayd it is a maruelous matter and straunge case brother Drithelme for so he was called that you can possibly suffer such bitter and sharpe colde he answered simplye for he was but a simple and sober spryted man I haue sene places colder then this is And when they said vnto him we maruel that you wil liue so coÌ„tinent and auster a lyf he answered I haue sene more austeryte and hardnesse then this is So vntill the day of his calling hence owte of this wretched world for the ernest desire he had of heauenly felycitie he punyshed his old impotent bodye with dayly fastinge and was by good fruteful instruction and godly conuersation a great comforte to manye Howe an other contrary wise dyinge founde all the synnes that euer he had donne written in a booke brought vnto hym by the deuill The. 14. Chapter BVt contrary wyse there was a man in the countre and prouince of the Marshes whose visions talk and manner of life dyd profitt many but not hym selfe In the time of Coenrede which raygned after king Edilrede there was a certaine lay man taken vpp for a souldiar and put in office in the campe who for his dyligence and actyuitie in feates of armes was greate in fauour with the kinge but for the negligence and improuident care concerninge the state of his owne sowle in displeasure with the princâ—â— Wherefore the kynge charged him eftesoones to make humblâ— confession of his sinnes and amend his former lyfe and vtterly to forsake al his detestable actes and haynous offenses lest by deathes sodayne preuention he loste tyme of repentaunce and amendment of his life but he notwithstandinge this gentyll admonition and fryndly exhortation of his souerayne contemned and set naught by those comfortable wordes of saluation and promised that he wolde do penaunce afterwarde In the meane season beinge vysited with sycknesse he toke his bedd and beganne to be more and more vexed with the vehement pangs of his dysease The kinge came to his chamber for he louyd hym tenderly and exhorted and counseled him that at the lest nowe he wolde falle to penaunce for his naughty lyfe and sinfull actes before he died Na quoth he I wyll not be confessed now but when I am well recoueryd and able to go abrode agayne than I wyll lest if I should now do it my felowes would saye that I dyd it now for feare of deathe which in my prosperyty and health I wold neuer vouchsafe to do Wherein he spake to his owne leekinge stowtly and leeke a man but certes as yt appeared after he was myserably deceuyd with the crafty illusions of the deuyll WheÌ„ the kynge came to visite hym agayne and geue him good counsell because his desease grewe more vehemently vpon him euery daye he cryed oute incontynent with a pytyfull and lamentable voyce saying Alas what meane yow my liege why come you hither Yowe are nether able to profitt nor pleasure me nor do me any good The kynge answeryd streytways Ah say not so see ye play the wyse mans parte Nay sayth he I am not madde but I haue here vndoutedly before my eies a wicked conscience all woundyd and mangled And what is this said the kinge Yf yt please yower hyghnesse quoth he a litle before yower grace came ij bewtyfull and hansome yownge men came into the howse and sate downe by me One at my head the other at my feete and one of them toke a goodly faire booke owte of his bosome but litle in quantytye and gaue yâ— me to reade In the which when I looked a litle whyle I founde all the good dedes that euer I had done fayre written and god knoweth they were fewe in number and litle in effecte when I had done they toke the booke of me againe and said nothing Then sodainly came there abowte me an whole legion of wicked sprytes and beseaged the howse rownde abowte in the vtter side and sittinge downe replenisshed euery corner within Than he which for his fowle euyll fauouryd blacke face and hyghest seate apperyd to be greatyst amongst them takyng out a booke terrible to all mens sight vnmeasurable for greatnesse and for weyght importable coÌ„mauÌ„dyd one of his blacke garde to bringe yt to me to reade When I had read a litle I founde all the enormous detestable sinnes
that euer I had committed not only in worde and dede but also in lyght thoughtes written there in greate blacke letters and he said to the ij fayre younge men that sate by me Why sitte yow here knowing most certaynly that this felow is owers They made answer Trewe it is Take him and leade him away to the botomelesse pit of damnation and with that they vanisht away Incontinent ij wycked sprites hauyng fyer pronges in their handes rose vppe and stroke me one in the hed and the other in the sole of my feete the which nowe with greate torment and anguysh creepe vp in to the bowells and other internall partes of my bodie and when they meete together I shall dye and be drawen hence by the dyuells watchinge and whyuering about me into hel without redemption Thus spoke that myserable manlying in extreme desperation and died owte of hande and now lyuinge in thrauldome with the deuill in euerlastinge payne doth that penaunce but all in vayne which in his lyfe time he myght haue done if it had bene but one howre with an assured hope of gods mercy and pardone for all his synnes Of this miserable and wrechyd man it is euident that as S. Gregorye wryteth of certaine he had not those visions for his owne sake whome they auailed nothing at all but for other men which knowing his lamentable end might be afeared to differ and prolonge the tyme of repentaunce while they haue oportunytye and leasure lest by sodayne preuention of death they dye impenitent That he sawe diuerse bookes brought before him by diuerse and sondry sprites some good some bad it was done by the diuine prouidence and permission of god to putt vs in remembraunce that our doinges and thoughts flee not away with the winde but ar reserued particularly to the straite examination of the dreadfull iudge And at the ende shall be shewed to vs other by the good angells which frindfully wishe our saluation or by the wicked sprites which spitefully woorke our damnatiō Concerning that first of all the good Angells brought forhe a fayre white booke and the deuills afterwarde their fowle euill fauoured black lygger the angels a litle one they an vnmeasurable greate one it is to be noted that in his childehode he did some good dedes yet notwitstandinge he disgraced all that euer was done with his lewde and loose demeanour in yowthe But if he wolde haue amended in youth the wanton toyes and foolishe panges of childhode and with wel doinge raunesomed them owt of the sight of god he myght haue bene brought to their societie of whome the Psalme of Dauid saithe Beati quorū remissae sunt c. Blessed ar they whose iniquities ar forgeuen and whose sinnes ar couered This history I thought good to set forth playnly and simplie as it was declared vnto me of that worthy prelate Pechthelme to the comforte of all suche as shall reade it or heare it Howe an other in leeke manner sawe a place of paine appointed for him in hell The. 15. Chapter FVrthermore I my self knew a religious man whom wold God I had neuer knowen placed in a good and famous monasterie notwithstanding he him selfe was infamous for his lewde behauiour and loose lyfe I could tell his name also if it were worth the telling This man was earnestly rebuked of his bretherne and other head officers of the monastery for his enormities and exhorted to a better trade of lyfe but all was in vaine Notwithstanding albeit he would not geue eare nor humbly obey their charitable exhortations yet they did tolerate him very longe for his externalll seruice which was very necessarie for them For he was a singular good carpenter This man was much geuen to dronknesse and other wanton pleasures of dissolutnesse and accustomed rather to fit in his shopp both day and night than to come to the church to singe or pray or heare the trew worde of life with his bretherne by which occasion it happened to him as men ar commonly wounte to saye He that will not come of his owne accorde within the church dore shall runne against his will to hell gates For he being now streeken with a very fainte desease and brought to extremitie called all the couent about him and with much lamentation and deepe sitghes leeke a man damned already beganne to declare vnto them that he sawe hell gates open and the deuill drouned in a deape doungell thereof and Caiphas and al the whole rablemēt that put Christ to deathe cast in flaminge fier hard by him and next to them oh miserable and wretched man that I am saide he I see a place of eternall perdition prepared for me His bretherne hearing these wofull wordes exhorted him earnestly to repent and be sorie for his sinnes while he was yet alyue Then he brought to extreme desperation answered No No. There is no time for me to amend my former life especially seing I perceiue my iudgement is past and fully complete already With those wordes he died without receauing the sacrament His bodie was interred in the formost parte of all the Abbaie not one of all the whole couent durst say masse for his soule nor singe psalmes nor once say one Pater noster for him Oh howe farre a sunder hath God separated light and darknesse The first blessed Martyr S. Steuen ready to suffer death for testimonie of the truthe sawe heauen gates open and Iesus standing on the right hande of God He to the ende he might more ioyfully die fixed the eyes of his mind there before his deathe where he should be after but this forsaied felow blacke in soule blacke in body and blacke in all outwarde doinges sawe hell open at the houre off his death and perpetuall damnation prepared for the deuill and all that follow him Againe to th entent that though his death were miserable in desperation yet by his owne damnation he might geue other example to repent and worke their owne saluation in time he sawe his owne place and doungell prepared amongest such caytyffs as Cayphas and his complices were This chaunced of late in the countrie of the Berniciens and wa◠by common talke blasted all the countrie ouer so that it stirred vp many to make quick confession of their sinfull actes and not to take dayes with God Which God graunte it may worke allso in such as shall reade this present historie Howe many churches of Scotland by the instant preaching of Adamannus kept the feast of easter after the catholique maner and howe he wrote a booke of holly places The 16. Chap. AT that time a greate multitude of Scottes in Ireland and many Britons in Britanny receaued by the singular gifte of God the trewe manner of celebrating the feast of Easter taught by the catholique church For when as Adamannus a vertuous priest and Abbott of all the mounkes and religious men that were in the isle Hu being sent Embassadour by the prince