belonging to a good bishop yet in his mind there remayned allwaies a pious desire to goe in pilgrimage which his intention allbeit hidden from mans knowledge yet to God it was most knowne whose diuine goodnes shewed him the fauour at length to attayne the end of his wished desires III. FOR finding a fitt opportunitie he left his bishoprick and He forsaketh his bishoprick togeather with his auncient companions Plechelme and Otgerus he trauelled into France choosing rather to lead a poore and humble life amoÌ„gst straingers then to liue in pompe and glorie in his owne countrey But the more he sought to flie the glorie and honours of the world the more they followed him for in France King Pepin hearing of his great sainctitie receaued him and his fellowes with He is honorably entert ayned by King Pepin wonderfull ioy and honour And hauing vnderstood of their desire to a priuate manner of life he gaue them a place proper for that purpose called Peter-mount in the Diocesse of Liege neere Ruremond where was built a chappell dedicated to the B. Virgin MARY and a famous monasterie of sainct BENEDICTS order in honour of the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER In this place sainct WYRE finding him self seated according to his owne desire beganne againe to enter into the course of a monasticall life vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT which long since he had professed in England amongst His holy exercises the English monks setting forth him self and his fellowes as liuely patternes of religion and vertue to be imitated CHRIST only was the end of all his actions his tongue spake nothing but CHRIST his heart was acquainted with no other thought but of CHRIST for whose loue he dayly sacrificed him selfe to his seruice in watchings prayers fasting and all other mortifications and vertues belonging to a true religious and monasticall life Shining to the countrey both in learming holy coÌ„uersation And being adorned with manie vertues in bodie he liued on earth but in mind he was wholely conuersant in the diuine contemplation of heauen In fine it were too long worthyly to rehearse all the vertues of this holy man IV IN THE meane time King Pepin held him in soe great veneration that to him only as the spirituall guyde of his soule and the King Pepins humilitie in coÌ„fession patrone of his life he was wont to confesse and reueale the sinnes and deformities of his soule Nether was this good Prince ashamed to goe barefooted to confession vnto him and humbly to submitt him self to the arbitrement of his will soe highly he esteemed his sanctitie Moreouer he often made vse of the mature counsell of this holy man in the managing of the chiefest and weightiest affayres of his Kingdom At length Sainct WYRE began to perceaue the neere approach of death by the feeling of his two harbengers old age and sicknes that came vppoÌ„ him When decreasing dayly in strength he still encreased in vertue couragiously expecting that blessed minute which should sett free his soule to flie to the eternall reward of his meritts till by the violence of an ague he chainged the fall of his mortall bodie with the rising of an mmortall life and gaue vp his holy spiritt into the hands of his deare redeemer the eight day of May about the yeare of our Lord 763. His bodie was honourably buried in the foresayd chappell of the B. Virgin were manie miracles are wrought through the meritts of this glorious Sainct His bodie or the greatest part thereof was afterwards translated to Maâ—stricht in Germanie into the Cathedrall Church of that cittie where it is kept with great veneration of the inhabitants and his feast celebrated with an office of a double His life we haue gathered out of the author thereof recited by Surius tom 5. and Molanus in indic Sainct Belgii The Roman Martyrologe this day Baronius tom 8. anno 631. Trithemius of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. cap. 63. Arnold Wion lib. 2. cap. 53. Vsuard and mâ—nie others doe make aâ—ple mention of S. WIRE The life of Sainct FREMVND King and Martyr MAY 11. Written by Burchard a Monk of the same time FREMVND descending from a royall stock inherited the gouernement of the Kingdom when his father Offa was soe ouerthrowne wich old age that he was vnfit to manage those affayres anie longer But FREMVND when he had raygned a yeare and an half ruling his state by the balance of true iustistice He forsaketh his kingdom he soe litle esteemed the vaine pompe of the world in respect of the loue of heauen that vnawares of his parents and subiects of his Kingdom with two only in his companie whereof one was Burchard that writt his life and liued with him while he liued he departed to a secret and vnknowne Ermitage in the Iland called Ilefage which at that time was inhabited only by deuils and wicked spirits In this place hauing built a litle cottage and an oratorie in honour of the B. Virgin MARY he spent the space of seaueÌ„ yeares in continuall watching fasting and prayer dayly sacrifycing himself to God by the rude mortification of his bodie and ouercoming the rebellious passions of the mind When the deuill enuying soe great sainctitie in sainct FREMVND with manie grieuous batteries of temptations sought to ouerthrow his godly resolution bringing into his memory the pompe and glory of the world ly dignitie which he had forsaken and filling his mind with manie thoughts of the great good which his youtfull dayes might haue brought to his countrey But he found this souldier of CHRIST soe firme a rock that all his vaine assaults could nether shake nor stirre him from the seate and ground of vertue for hauing his heart alltogeather erected towards heauen and heauenly things he loathed to returne againe to the vanities of the world once despised for the loue of CHRIST therefore well might he be wearied with the temptations of the deuill but ouercome he could not be He is sent for to defend the Countrey II. IN the meane time the Danes breaking into England wasted and spoyled all with fier and sword as they went and hauing martired King EDMOND Offa much fearing their power sent for his sonne Fremund home Whom when the messengers had most straingely found out in his poore cell at his prayers falling downe at his feet they bewayled and declared the necessitie of his friends and parents the arriuall of their enemies the threatned ruine of the Christians and the vtter ouerthrow of their fayth vnlesse by his prudence and courage the countrey were defended against the furie of their barbarous enemies The champion of CHRIST much amazed at this newes staggered in his resolution not knowing what course to take Till recommending the matter to allmightie God by prayer he vnderstood it to be his will that he should goe Therefore armed with the shield of fayth he returned Fremund returneth to his couÌ„trey
present found at the self same time some poore leapers at the doore expecting an almes The Sainct bad her giue those apples vnto the wretches at the doore but the woeman whether of niggardlines or out of some horrour she conceaued refused soe as she thought basely to bestow them saying that she brought them for her and her religious sisters and not for such loathsom creatures This answere much displeased the holy virgin who sharpely reprehending her for hindering a work of charitie with a prophetick spiritt tould her that in punishment of this offence all the trees in her orchard should wither away neuer beare fruict againe the woeman departed and being come home found her trees which she had left well stored with aples to haue store of nothing but want and from that time they remayned drie barren and fruitlesse euer after VI. A NAVGHTIE woeman being deliuered of a sonne vnlawfully begotten the better to hide her offence layd it to the chardge of the holie Bishop Broon disciple to S. PATRICK But when he auowed the contrarie that he was most free from anie such wicked act S. BRIGITT sent for the woeman and asked her whoe was the father of Puniâ—â—meÌ„t of 〈◊〉 her child she answered verie impudently that noe man but the Bishop had to doe with it Wherevppon the Sainct making the signe of the Crosse vppon the mouth of that vile woeman presently her shameles tongue swelled in her head that she could not speake She allso made the same signe of life on the tongue of the little infant A new-borne child speaketh and demaunded of him who was his father A strainge miracle he that neuer spake word before answeared very distinctly that it was not the Bishop but a deformed and vile fellow the basest amongst all the common people and thus by the discouerie of the truth the holy Bishops reputation remayned vntouched that miserable woeman did penance for her slander and the people gaue thankes vnto the allmightie searcher of our hearts and secrets VII THE daughter of a great Prince hauing vowed perpetuall chastitie and chosen IESVS CHRIST for her only spouse was neuerthelesse forcibly sollicited by her father to marrie On the day appointed The vertue of the signe of the Crosse for her mariage when the banquet and all other rich preparations were in a readines she stole away secretly from her fathers house and fled for refuge into S. BRIGITTS monasterie Her father accompanied with manie horsemen pursued her meaning to take her out by force the Sainct seeing them come made the signe of the Crosse on the ground and at the verie instant the men horses and all stood flock still like soe manie statues Then the Prince acknowledging the strength of the mightie hand of God to hould him did penance for his rashnes and at the prayer of the Sainct both he and and his followers were sett at libertie and his daughter perseuered in the perfourmance of her sacred vow VIII THIS blessed Sainct hauing cured manie diseases the fame of her sainctitie was blowne ouer the countrey which made two leapers come vnto her with teares entreating to receaue their S. Brigitt cureth leapers health for whom hauing made her prayer vnto allmightie God she blessed a little water and bad them wash one and other therewith one of them being cured she commaunded him to wash his companion but he was soe rauisht with ioy to see him self recouered and soe fearefull to loose his health againe that he had not the courage eyther to wash or touch his fellow fearing thereby to repurchase his disease but he felt the punishment of God being suddenly couered all his bodie ouer with the same leaprosie when he saw his companion perfectly healed by the prayers of the holie Virgin IX IN THE monasterie of S. BRIGITT among her other Nunâ—â—â— there was one beautifull yong dame grieuously haunted with A Nâ—nne grieuously troubled with lasciuious thoughts lasciuious thoughts which had entred into her heart at the gates of her eyes by impurely gazing on a dishonest person vnto whom she had promised a meeting at time conuenient The flame of her filthie affections encreased daily and the deuill according to his custom forgott not to blow those impure coales neuer suffering the poore soule to take anie rest soe necessarie a thing it is to keepe a close gard ouer the gates of our senses for feare we giue death an entrance into our soule soe that being neere vnto the vtter ruine and shipwrack of her chastitie whilst S. BRIGIT vnto whoÌ„ our Sauiour had reuealed all that passed made her prayer for her she was inspired by Is cured by the prayers of S. Brigitt allmightie God to goe barefoot vppon hott burning coales which she performed and by the heate of one â—ier she quenched the flames of the other and by the sensuall paine of her bodie ouercame the eternall heate which did torment her soule On the morrow S. BRIGITT spake these confortable wordes vnto her Because sayd she thou hast fought couragiously this night and extinguished the flames of wantonnes which made warre against thee hereafter thou shalt be exempted both from them and the fier of hell then making her prayers vnto allmightie God for her she was cured of the burning of her feet and quite freed from the wonted temptations which did molest her X. A MAYD named Daria which was blind entreated S. BRIGIT to make the signe of the crosse on her eyes by meanes thereof she She giueth sight to a blind mayd not only recouered her sight but allsoe by an inward light in the soule she vnderstood that all whatsoeuer she could see in this world was subiect to corruption and vanitie and that that which we see oftentimes with our corporall eyes is but a barre and hindrance to the soule therefore she returned vnto S. BRIGITT and desired to be restored againe to her former blindnes The Sainct by her prayers shutt vp the windowes of her eyes in darknes which before she had opened to behold the light A Ladie of that countrey who had a daughter that was dumb from her verie byrth brought her at the age of twelue yeares vnto S. BRIGITT who taking the gyrle by the hand sayd Wilt thou for the loue of IESVS CHRIST keepe perpetuall chastitie Her mother answeared that her daughter forsooth She â—ureth a dumb gytle was dumb and could not speak Neuerthelesse replied S. BRIGITT I will not let her goe till she answeare me Then the gyrle spoke sayd she would obey her commaunds in all things In performance whereof she remayned a virgin euer after and spake as well and as distinctly as aniâ— of her sex XI NINE men conspired amongst them selues the death of one man whom they were agreed to kill at a sett day S. BRIGITT being She deliuereth a man from being slaine by his enemiâ—â— aduertised hereof laboured as much as was possible by prayers and entreaties to auert them
this vnexpected Metamorphose and stood staggering a while in the consideration thereof When the Queene taking her time by the foretop with a smiling countenance asked him Whither sayd she my souueraigne lord is all yesterdaies glorious spleÌ„dour vanished where is all that superfluous riot What is become of all those curious and exquisite cates sought for by sea laÌ„d to satisfie the inordinate appetite of gluttonie Where are the gould and siluer vessells which but yesterday made the table bow vnder their massie weight Where is all the noyse of our loud Thus passeth the glorie of the world mirth and iollitie Is it not vanished like a blast of wind or a vaine puffe of smoake and doe not wee that fill our selues more daintyly largely corrupt afterwards more miserably Behould then the true picture of the glittering vanities allurements of the world learne at last to shunne flie them She sayd no more When it was strange to see what a deepe incisioÌ„ this made in the Kings heart how much more she had gayned by the rudenes of this visible spectacle then by all her former persuasions that not without cause the Poet sayd Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures FEB 7. Horat. de arte Poetica Quam quae sunt oculis subiecta fidelibus quae Ipse sibi tradit spectator IV. IN SVMME this strainge Pageant wrought soe farre in the good Inas resolueth to forsake the world Kings mind that now he began seriously to consider with him self of the vanitie of worldly state and finding one what sharpe thornes of cares grew the sweet seeming roses of a crowne he putt on a strong resolution with him self to bid adiew to the world And now when he had gouerned his common wealth with a name of greate prayse and prosperitie and shewed manie benefitts therevnto for the space of thirtie seauen yeares and odd moneths renouncing the resplendent glorie of his present and princely estate he voluntaryly left his temporall Kingdome which with victorie soe long he had ruled and for the loue of allmightie God and the gaine of his eternall kingdome he that heretofore had conquered princes now gott the vpper hand and conquest of him self and with a greater glorie then he had borne them he robbed him self of the princely spoiles of his bodie the better to ennoble and enrich his soule Which that he might more conueniently and fructfully He goeth to Rome bring to passe he went to Rome the head of Catholick religion to visitt the sacred tombes of the Apostles vnder whose protection he hoped more easyly to obtaine the grace and fauour of allmightie God wheÌ„ce his countrey had first receaued the Christian fayth resoluing to spend the remnant of his life with a quiet and contented mind farr from all worldly cares and troubles in a holie conuent of Monkes Which with great pietie he perfourmed putting on the habitt of a Benedictine monke vnto which order He taketh the habit of S. Benedict he had euer bin a worthie benefactour not in a publick concourse of poeple which doubtlesse would haue been great at soe vnwonted a spectacle but priuately before God alone and the Conuent of monkes giuing hereby a liuely example of humilitie and true contempt of the world in not desiring to haue this his heroick act of pietie anie way to redounde vnto his owne glorie out of the vaine prayses and false honours of the flattering world V. HE was the first of our English Kings who to shew his great His deuotion to the Roman Church deuotion vnto the Church of Rome caused the annuall tribute called Romescote or Peter-pence to be payed vnto the Pope which was a pennie out of euer ie familie in England and was afterwards duely payd for the space of manie hundred yeares and which is most to be wondred at noe sooner ceased this payment but our English Church was swallowed vp into the gulph of heresie and togeather with the temporall lost all spirituall subiection vnto the Vicar of CHRIST vppon earth Allso this holie King INE built at Rome a Church in honour of our Blessed ladie in which all English that He built a Church at Rome came thither might heare masse and receaue the Sacraments and be buried yf need were With like pietie he erected there a schoole giuing yearly annuities therevnto wherein his Countreymen might And a free-schoole be brought vp in all manner of good learning and Christian religion and discipline Which seemeth to haue bin in that place which now is called the English Hospitall and is inhabited by English Priests being of noe small commoditie for the entertaynment of Pilgrins which now adayes flock thither out of England VI. Now he that in former times had ruled a Kingdome begaÌ„ in this sweete schoole of vertues to find that in rendring him self subiect for The happines of a religious life the loue of CHRIST he enioyed a greater Kingdome and that to be master ouer his one passions was the only best and truest dominion Now he had time freely to insist in the meditation of the diuine goodnes wherein he found the trueth of that versicle of the Royall Psalmist TAST AND SEE FOR OVR LORD IS SWEET He found how sweet a thing it was to carrie the yoake of our Lord in the Psalm 33. 58. continuall exercise ef patience humilitie and obedience in which and other pious offices of vertue and religion he spent the rest of his mortalitie vntill by the king of Kings vnder whose ensigne he had serued he was called into the heauenly kingdom to receaue a His happie death crowne of eternall glorie insteed of the temporall crowne which for his loue he had left He died a Benedictin Monk at Rome about the yeare of our Lord 727. and lies buried at the Entrance of the Church of S. PETER and PAVL as the tables of the same Church doe testifie His life me haue gathered cheefly out of WILLIAM MALNESRVâ—IE de reg Ang. and NICOLAS HARPFIELD hist Eccl. saec 8. cap. 10. Polidore Virg. lib. 4. Mathew westminster an 727. Baronius and all our English Historiographers make verie honorable mention of him and he is highly commended of all for his wonderfull contempt of the world and loue to pietie and relig ion The life of S. ELFLED Virgin and Abbesse of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 8. Taken Out of venerable Bede SAINCT ELFLED was daughter vnto Oswy King of the Northumbers who after manie cruell inuasions of the mercilesse Penda was forced to sue vnto him for peace with proffers of infinite treasure and verie rich iewels all which the barbarous Tirant reiecting pursued his deadly enterprise protesting vtterly to extinguish him and his countrey King Oswy humane meanes fayling him had recourse vnto a higher power making a sacred vow vnto the allmightie god of armies that he would consecrate his daughter ELFLED to the profession of perpetuall
bequeathed him in his mind to allmightie God at the same instant and within a weeke after went him self in person and presented him to the charge of a holy man to be instructed according to his owne desires In that good schoole of vnited vertue and learning WINWALOKE profitted soe exceedingly that in a short time he became verie learned in holie scripture and most deuout in the seruice of allmightie God II. HIS master happening to be absent vppon a time the schollers fell to sport and recreate them selues in the fields whereby some misfortune one of them chaunced to breake his legge which turned By his prayers the signe of the Crosse he cureth a broken thigh all their mirth into morning and their play into earnest condoling their fellowes vnhappines But WINWALOKE exhorting them to take courrage and comfort caused the whole companie to fall to their praiers for the repayring of this disastrous losse he him self heartily beseeched the omnipotent worker of wonders to graunt this their humble request Which done he made the signe of the crosse on the wound saying In the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST rise and giue thankes vnto allmightie God and at the same instant he arose prefectly cured of his wound and restored againe to the vse of his legge as sound as he was before it was broken WINWALOKE earnestly desired and coniured his companions to conceale the miracle in silence but the will of God was otherwise whereby it was made knowne and publick to the world for the greater honour both of him and his Sainct III. HE WAS soe wonderfully pittifull coÌ„passionate on the poore His coÌ„passion to the poore that when he saw them begge an almes he would sigh and weepe with the grief he suffered in their miserie and not hauing wherewithall to feed their bodies he would at lest with the comfort of his admonitions endeauour to enrich their soules in which pious exercise he dayly employed some part of his time allthough he wanted not some wicked spiritts who spitefully reuiled and reproched him for this pietie saying that he spent the best part of his time idly amongst lazie beggers But he tooke all their blowes on the buckler of patience rendring sweet wordes for their rude exclamations and humble answeares for their insulting reproches And meeting on a time among those poore poeple with one that was blind to make knowne that his seruice was gratefull to God by his prayers he restored him to perfect sight IV. HE grew at lenght soe perfect in vertue and learning that With hallowed oyle he cureth onâ— stung with a serp 〈…〉 from a scholler he became a master when manie were glad to putt them selues into his schoole vnder his discipline to learne the diuine misteries of the holie scripture One of his schollers falling asleepe in the fields as he sate musing on his lesson happrened to be soe greiuously stung by a venemous serpent that the poison dispersing it self ouer all his bodie caused it to swell in a most strange manner and putt him in iminent danger of death But WNIWALOKE gining him oileto drinke which he him self had hallowed the swelling was forthwith asswaged the venom expelled and the man perfectly cured Not long after he vnderstood by reuelation that it was the will of allmightie God that he should depart with some of his associates to liue in an other place Therefore taking leaue of his master he departed with eleuen others not knowing as yet where to take vp his dwelling but with a firme fayth and confidence in allmightie God he committed him self and his companie to his sacred conduct At length he arriued into an Iland where togeather with his disciples for the space of three yeares he led a verie retired and solitarie life But finding that place to be verie subiect to stormie and tempestuous weather and withall soe barren that it was allmost inhabitable he went to seeke an other habitation beyond the sea whither by a diuine reuelation he was appointed to goe and there he found a place soe fitt and commodious for his purpose that he setled him self and his fellowes therein with intention neuer to stirre more while he liued One discomoditie it had which was want of water but that his deuout prayers supplied for the indeficient By his prayers he obtayneth a fresh fouÌ„taiâ—e fountaine of all goodnes that made water spring out of the rocks for the Jsraelites furnished his Seruant in this necessitie with an abundant spring of sweete cristall streames V. IN THIS place he beganne to leade a most celestiall and angelicall A summarie of his vertues life shining vnto his schollers like a bright starre of deuotion vertue and perfection He was of a verie venerable aspect sweete and modest in his discourse allwaies paynfull and vnwearied in the seruice of allmightie God of a pure bodie a sincere minde a sharpe witt a sound iudgement and verie prouident and wise in his aduise and counsell most firme and constant in hope and excellently perfect in charitie From the twentith yeare of his age to the last hower of his life he was neuer seene to fitt in the Church noe man euer found him ether fondly merrie or idly giuen to melancholy He was mild familiar and courteous to all In bodie he walked on earth but his minde and soule was allwaies fixed in heauen His custom was to reade ouer the psalter of Dauid euery day and to kneele in his prayers to God a hundred times a day and as oft by night His cloathing was poore made of goate-skinnes his bed hard his diet only barley bread and pottage of herbes Saturdaies sundaies he added thereunto some small quantitie of fish and a little châ—ese In lent he eate but twise a weeke he neuer dranke wine nor anie other liquour He vanquisheth the Deuill with the signe of the Cros se which might intoxicate the braine The Deuill enuying soe great sainctitie endeauoured with his hellish plotts to trouble and molest his pious labours appearing vnto him as he prayed in his oratorie in the most vglie and horrid shapes that master of wickednes could inuet vomitting out of his infernall throate manie reprochfull wordes against him when he nothing dismayed thereat couragiously proceeded in his deuotions and brandishing the chief armes of life the holy crosse against that black messenger of death he compelled him to vanish away in confusion VI. Now the excelleÌ„cie of his vertues begaÌ„ to be soe famous all ouer Brittaine that manie blind lame leaprous and other diseased persons flocked vnto him as to an Oracle whom he not only wonderfully cured in bodie but with the sacred baulme of his pious aduise and counsell healed the sinfull infections of their soules His fame arriued at length to the eares of a king of that countrey whose lewdnes of life did little answeare the dignitie of his calling but coming in a poore habitt vnto the holy man he fell prostrate at
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
cannot come this day to the desired place yee inuite mee The Saincts finding his hindrance reasonable bad him be readie prouided against the saturday following to enioy their companie sing with them Holy Holy Holy for euer DVNSTAN promised he would and those glorious spirits vanished out of his sight A holy Priest named Elfgar was at the same The witnes of his vision time made participant of this heauenly vision who afterwards became a faythfull witnes thereof vnto the world XXII THEREFORE S. DVNSTAN acknowledging that the time of his death was at hand and being secure of his eternall happines piously reioyced in our Lord and was replenished with a spicituall mirth towards all men And now the hower of the diuine office was come when the holy Bishop went ioyfully to the Aultar to sacrifice the Sonne of God to his eternall Father The Church was filled with a greater multitude of poeple then euer drawne thither by I know not what instinct as it were to heare some strange newes that had not been spoken off before Therefore the Ghospell at Masse being sung the Bishop went to preache vnto the The excellencie of his â—ast sermon poeple when the holy Ghost gouerning his heart and tongue he spoke more excellently then euer he had done before Then returning to the aultar he finished that dreadfull sacrifice and being come to the Benediction at the end of Masse which by bishops is more solemnly giuen he went againe into the pulpit where soe admirably he treated of the reall presence of the future resurrection of our bodies of the ioies of euerlasting life that one vnacquainted The reall presence with him before would haue iudged those words to haue proceded from the mouth of an Angell This done he returned to the aultar and solemnly gaue the poeple his benediction But being much wounded in his mind with a pious feare lest his dearest friends and children being strucken with the sudden blow of his death should grieue more vehemently then they would being forewarned of that dolefull separation to the great admiration of all he went the third time to the poeple WheÌ„ he noe sooner opened The wonderfull brightnes of his face his mouth to speake but like an other Moyses his face shined with such glittering beames of glorie that not one of all that huge assemblie was able to fixe his sight vppon him The inestimable sweetnes and ioy that then possessed the hearts of the assistants noe penne is able to describe But when the Seruant of God began to discouer the day of his death then all that mirth was turned to mourning and such mourning that DVNSTAN him self who was now destined to euerlasting ioies being mooued with naturall pittie and compassion seemed to beare a part in that dolefull consort But vsing violence to him self weeping he endeauoured to comfort the weeping affirming that they ought not to be sorow full for his departure whom noe labour or payâ—e but eternall rest and glorie would receaue and noe man that is grounded in the roote of true charitie should more esteeme his owne priuate and temporall comoditie then the eternall benefitt of his neighbour And allbeit he were absent from them in bodie yet The spirituall presence of the Saincts in spirit he would be allwaies present to helpe and ayde them with his prayers Hauing spoken to this purpose he recommenced them all to CHRIST and left them vnwilling to be depriued of the sight of his glorious countenance XXIII THE same day after dinner accompanied with a venerable troupe of monkes and other his friends he returned to the Church and hauing designed a place for his buriall he commaunded S. Dunstan falâ—eth sick to haue his graue opened And then a cruell sicknes seazing one his holy bodie confined his weake limmes to rest in bed where he lay all the friday following incessantly attending to God and diuine things and inciting all that came about him to adhere to the examples and footstepps of CHRIST-IESVS Thus conquering the strength of his disease with the weapons of a fir me fayth and deuotion he passed ouer that day till the morow which was the last of his labours and first of his desired rest arriued Then the Clergie and poeple flocked about him with a fearfull expectation of the euent which he had foretould of him self And DVNSTAN being most desirous to enter into the ioy of his Lord and hauing strengthened him self with the sacred bodie and bloud of CHRIST ioyfull expected the happie hower foretould in He is miraculously raysed togeather with his bed the foresayd vision When suddenly to the great astonishment of them all by the hidden power of the allmightie Deitie togeather with the bed wherein he lay he was miraculously eleuated three times to the top of the chamber and as often let quietly downe againe Then the holy man behoulding a companie of his amazed monkes and spirituall children about him sayd My most deare brethreÌ„ His last speech the beloued sheepe of my pasture your owne eyes haue beheld whither I am called whither I am going Yee are well acquainted with the path of my footstepps yee know the labour of my life past behould now the consummation thereof lifts me on high Wherefore with the briefe admonition of my dying voyce I exhort and counsell yee that yf yee desire to come whither I am going yee be not flack to apprehend the way that I haue walked in Allmightie God him self who hath directed my iourney to him self direct allsoe your hearts and bodies to fullfill his diuine will in peace And the whole coÌ„panie hauing answered Amen that blessed soule passed His glorious departure out of this world and by a sacred conuoy of heauenly spirits was coÌ„ducted into the heauenly lodgings to enioy the ineffable vision of Iâ—SVS-CHRIST God and man the glorious crowne and euerlasting reward of his labours XXIV THIS glorious Prelate died in the yeare of our Lord 988. His buriall when he had gouerned the Mettopolitan Sea of Canturbury twentie seauen yeares He was buried with greate reuerence and lamentation of his Monkes in the place which him self had designed within the quire before the degrees ascending to the high aultar in CHRISTS-Church Which we doubt not to haue been by him with great affection of pietie soe disposed that lying in bodie before the face of his beloued children whom he had left in the turbulent dangers of the world they might confidently haue recourse to him in thier necessities who in spirit according to his promise made would allwaies be present amongst them And indeed the manie miraculous effects wrought there at his intercession are manifest testimonies hereof Of which we will briefly relate some few only out of such authors as were Manie miraces wrought at his Tombe eye-witnesse of them Fiue woemen and one man receaued their sight as they prayed at his tomb others recouered their legges and other parts of their
obtayned commaund and obedience not only ouer be wild beastes of the desert but allsoe a great multitude of serpents that without anie harme frequented his companie obeyed his desires and these were not only to him vnhurtfull but fawning in a manner vppon him remayned with him in his cell not without his consent but lest their familiaritie and aspect should hinder and distract the intention of his mind fixed in the meditation of heauenly things he commaunded all these vipers and serpents to depart and noe more to frequent his lodging To which his commaund as the wild beasts at other times had oftentimes done soe now the serpents most exactly obeyed XI FVRTHERMORE he was endowed with such a rare guift of His rare guift of prophesie prophesie that with the spirituall eye and light of his cleere soule he saw thngs that were absent and distant in remote places as plainly and distinctly as if they had been within the reach sphere of his corporall sight and at the verie instant that manie things were done in farre distant places he would faythfully relate them vnto those that were present as it was manie times found by experience And soe often he foresaw and foretould things to come that it were a great worke to rehearse all the particulars Amongst which one and not the lest was that he foretould what should befall vnto saint THOMAS of Canturbury long before it happened He foretelleth what should hap pen to S. Thomas of Canturbury For when that renowned bucklar of the Church florished yet in great grace and fauour with King Henry GODRICK foretould that he should shortly loose that place and be cast into banishment And bad him withall to be of a couragious and manly resolution and not to droope vnder the good cause which he had take in hand to defend for it would come to passe that within seauen yeares he should returne to greater honour out of banishment then euer he enioyed before But the same yeare that saint THOMAS came out of banishment he sent a messenger to this holy Hermite to know what he should now expect after his long exile and what would be the euent of his tottering state that stood now allmost out of all hope To whom GODRICK in the presence and hearing of our Authour answered that a kind of verball peace should be made between THOMAS and the king before the end of the next six moneths following and that within nine moneths more he should be restored to his Archiepiscopall sea which he should not long enioy before a happie death that should be to him healthfull and glorious and to the whole countrey profitable did end the whole controuersie betweene them And at the same time this holy man He foreâ—eâ—leth his owne death foretould that the time of his owne death should be within the space of the six moneths following All which most certainly happened as he had foretould For saint THOMAS returned being made Legat of the Sea Apostolick an honour which he enioyed not before and was crowned at his death with the glorie of a most happie martirdom XII BVT now of how great reuerence and admiration is this to He hath the guâ—â—c of toÌ„gues be esteemed in saint GODRICK that both at other times and principally at the sacred feast of Pentecost he was suddenly by a heauenly grace adorned with the guifts of tongues which on that day was bestowed vppon the Apostles soe that he both vnderstood those that spoke Latin of which tongue he was wholly ignorant before and spake manie things in Latin verie readily and distinctly Againe He commaundeth the waters how notable and excellent a wonder is this that when the riuer Were with a mightie inundation ouerflowed all the adioyning countrey and possessed places farre higher and stronger yea ouerwhelmed and ouerturned manie trees and houses yet the humble and allmost straw-built habitation of GODRICK was not touched with one drop of water standing safe amongst those confused streames to the great amazement of the whole countrey that iudged him and house both to be buried togeather in destruction An other time when the same riuer began furiously to runne ouer the bankes he went forth as it were to meete that inundation and setting vp a little Crosse three paces from his poore Cell he coÌ„maunded those waters in the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST not to come beyond that marke when it was strange to see the waters being come to that place swell vp in height like vnto a wall soe that his humble cottage stoode vpon a drie shore entrenched round about with a bullwarke The fier obeyes 〈◊〉 or sconce of water And in like manner as the waters soe did the fier likewise obey the voice of this holy man when hauing furiously layd hould of his weake buildings it was suddenly depriued of its deuouring force and at his only commaund ceafed from making anie further spoyle He raysed a dead man XIII AND now if according to the dignitie worth of the matter I should sett downe the holy cures of afflicted lost persons which by miracle he performed in soe much that he raysed one to life that had layne three daies vnder the cruell arrest of death that alone would require a long discourse much exceeding the bounds of my purpose TheÌ„ which his soe great good exercised towards the soules of the dead whom by his deuout prayers watches fasts and other holy workes he deliuerd from the clensing paines of Purgatorie to the possession of the ioies of heauen seemeth to me to be a benefitt farre greater and more to be admired But aboue all these admirable workes of GODRICK this holdeth the highest place in my opinion that he was soe diuinely adorned with such an heauenly grace that being yet in this mortall state he vnderstood and saw not only the soule of his fellow-champion of whom we haue allreadie spoken but allsoe the spirits of manie other blessed men both rewarded with eternall glorie and receaued into the heauenly dwellings And out of his diuine manner of life which he led here on earth he deserued to enioy the companie and conuersation of Angels and other heauenly citizens and especially of our great 8. CVTHBERT S. NICHOLAS the Prince of the Apostles S. PETTR S. His familiaritie with the Angels Saincts IOHN Baptist S. MARIE Magdalen blessed MARIE the mother of CHRIST yea and CHRIST him self of whom he receaued manie heauenly rauishing â—onsolations farre beyond the force of weake words to expresse And namely by the blessed Virgin MARIE he was taught a diuine canticle or song which afterwards with great deuotion he vsed oftentimes to repeate This allsoe was a most wonderfull and an vnspeakable benefitt shewed him by S. PETER the Apostle who celebrated the sacred misteries of masse before him S Peter giueth him the B. Sacrament and hauing heard the Confession which GODRICK made of all his sinnes gaue him a generall and an
was led in and placed amongst them And when the prayers and labours of the Britans could nothing auayle towards his cure saint AVGVSTINE compelled by a iust necessitie S. Augustine cureth a blind man bowed his knees to the father of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST humbly beseeching him to restore to that blind creature his lost sight and by the corporall illuminating of one to enkindle with his spirituall grace the hearts of manie of his faythfull His prayer being ended the blind man receaued his sight to the great confusion of his aduersaries and comfort of those of his side who with one voyce extolled saint AVGVSTINE as the true preacher of the eternall light And the Britans them selues confessed against their wills that indeed the way of iustice which AVGVSTINE followed was true but yet they could not without the consent and leaue of their countrey renounce their auncient customs XVIII THEREFORE they required a new synod to be summoned in which more of the learned men of their countrey might be present Which being appoynted seauen Bishops of the Britans and a great A Synod held in England number of the learned men chiefly out of their famous Monastery of Bangor then gouerned by an Abbot called Dinoth coming to the place of the councell went first to a certaine holy and prudent man that led an anachoreticall life in that countrey to consult him whether they should yeeld to the preaching of AVGVSTINE and abandon their owne tradition If AVGVSTINE be a man of God answered he why doe yee not follow his counsell without anie more delay And by what meanes replied they can we proue this It is written sayd the other Take my yoake vppon yee and learne of me Math. 11. because I am meeke and humble of heart If AVGVSTINE then be meeke and humble in heart it is likely that he carrieth the yoake of CHRIST and offers it to be carried by you allso But if he be proud it is manifest that he is not from God and that yee need not care for his speeches And how replied they againe can we be able to know soe much Be sure sayd he to let him come first to the place of the Councell and yf he humbly arise at your entrance know that he is the Seruant of CHRIST and to be of you obeyed but if he contemne you and disdaigne to rise in curtesy to you who are more in number yee may boldly despise him too What more They did The Britans contemne S. Augustine as he commaunded when coming into the Synod saint AVGVSTINE sate quietly in his chayre Which they noe sooner perceaued but iudging it to proceede out of pride laboured to contradict him in all things refusing not only to correct their auncient errours but allsoe denying to receaue him for their Archbishop conferring with one and other that yf now he would not daigne to rise to salute vs how much more will he contemne vs yf we become his subiects To whom the holy man inspired He foretelleth their ruine with the spiritt of prophesie foretould that because they refused to preach with him the way of life to the English nation by their hands they should feele the reuenge of death Whose words the euent proued true for after the death of saint AVGVSTINE Alfrid King of the Northumbers leading forth a great armie against the head-strong Britans made a huge slaughter amongst them neere vnto the towne now called West-Chester But goeing to the battle when he saw their Priests and a mightie troupe of the monkes of Bangor where aboue two thousand liued The Britans punished by the only labour of their hands standing in a place of defence and powring out their prayers to allmightie God against his successe he caused his souldiers first to sett vppon them of whom being wholly vnarmed and committed to the protection of one Brocmal who fled away with his fellowes at the first encounter were slaine one thousand and two hundred and the rest escaped by flight Which done he made head against the armed Britans when not without a great losse of his owne armie he vtterly defeated Whereby the prophesie of S. AVGVSTINE was fullfilled XIX BVT our most blessed Apostle saint AVGVSTINE leauing the rebellious Britans to expect the coming of this foresayd punishment trauelled with his holy companie to the Cittie of Yorke preaching the Ghospell of CHRIST as he went and by the way he cured S. Augustin cureth the palsey a wretched creature of a double disease a palsey and blindnes not only of bodie but of soule too for being by his prayers healed in bodie he beleeued and had his soule purged in the sacred font of Baptisme O most blessed man full of the spirit of God who when occasion was offered was as powerfull to worke miracles for the salution as to preach words for the instruction of his poeple For what penne is able to expresse with how manie shining miracles he illuminated the whole countrey in this iourney What tongue can number how manie troupes of Insidels in the confines of Yorkes and in all other places where he went he added to the number of the faythfull and reduced into the should of CHRISTS holy Church when only in one day and that on the feast of the natiuitie of our Lord which the whole multitude of heauenly Angels doeth perpetually celebrate he renewed ten thousand men in the sacred baptisme of life besides allmost an innumerable multitude of women and children But what number of Priests or other holy orders would suffice to baptise soe great a multitude Therefore hauing giuen He baptiseth ten thousand persons in one day his benediction to the riuer Swale he commaunded them all to enter through which it being otherwise farre too deepe to wade they passed to the other side with no lesse miracle then in times past the Jsraelites through the red sea and as they went they were baptised by the holy Father of our Fayth saint AVGVSTINE in the name of the holy Trinitie A most strainge spectacle In that soe deepe a bottom in soe great a throng and presse of poeple in such a diversitie of age sexe and condicion not one was lost not one was hurt not one was missing And which is most of all to be admired A strange miracle all that laboured with anie infirmitie or disease of bodie left that allsoe behind them in the water and euery lame or deformed person came out whole and sound O most pleasant sight O admirable spectacle worthie to haue Angels spectatours when soe manie thousand fayre faces of the English nation came out of the bellie of one Riuer as out of the wombe of one common Mother and out of one channell soe great a progenic was borne and deriued to the Kingdom of heauen Herevppon the most blessed Pope GREGORY Lib. 7. c. 30. bursting out in ioy togeather with the heauenly citizens could not hould but make his penne the trumpett of this admirable
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
the venerable and beloued man of God Sigfrid Luc. 11. v. 17. hauing passed through the fier and water of temporall tribulation was by a wellcome death brought into the sweet refreshing of an euerlasting rest And at length after fower moneths more the excellent worker of vertues and great conquerour of vices S. BENNET conquered with the weakenes of his earthly body came to his last It was when the frozen night came on with his winter blasts to begett a sacred day of eternall and cleere light of felicitie His watchfull brethren mett togeather in the Church with prayers and psalmes to driue away nights horrid shadows and to comfort the grief of their deare fathers departure with the continuall singing of the diuine prayses Some would not bouge out of the chamber and from the beds side in which the strong sickman lay expecting by the passage of death to take the sweet entrance of life With desire they expected that as his example taught them how to liue well by the same they might likewise learne how to die For the further mitigating of his grief the Ghospell was read all night as it was wont by a Priest that attended on him The hower of his departure drawing neere the Sacrament of CHRISTS facaed bodie was giuen him for his viaticum and soe that blessed soule hauing bin a long time parched and examined in the flames of an happie tribulation forsaketh the earthly furnace of the flesh and being at libertie tooke a long desired flight to the neuer-dieing glory of His death celestiall happines This glorious Confessor died in the yeare of our Lord 690. the twelfth day of Ianuary when he had gouerned his monastery sixteene yeares eight by him self and other eight with the assistance of his holy Colleagues Eosterwin Sigfrid and Colfrid He was buried in the Church of S. PETER which he built that soe he might not be separated from him in death whom he euer loued in his life and by whose ayde the gates of heauen were opened vnto him His life is written by S. BEDE whom we haue followed VSVARD MALMESBVRY WIGORNIENSIS IOHN CAPGRAVE BARONIVS and other graue Authours make honourable mention of his vertues This Sainct BENNET was the first that reduced the BENEDICTIN order in S. Bennet Batrone of the moderne Congregation of England England into the forme and gouernment of a Congregation that is when manie monasteries are vnder owne head or superiour who during his time whether it be perpetuall or determined vppon yeares is supreme monarke as it were of them all And for this cause the English Congregation of Benedictin Monks now extant and deriued immediatly from the auncient Congregation of England both by succession and Apostolicall priuiledge honoureth this glorious Sainct as their chief Patrone next after the vniuersall Patriarke of the whole order great S. BENEDICT him self and Sainct AVGVSTIN our first Apostle For allbeit in the beginning the Congregation which he erected consisted only of two monasteries as may be seene in his life yet afterwards the whole number of the Black Benedictin Monks in England was ranged into one Congregation as appeares by the bulle of Pope Innocentius the third graunted vnto them And in like manner as the Congregation of Clunie and others beganne srom a small number to grow to such greatnes soe likewise did that of England from the vniting of the sayd two monasteries by S. BENNET BISCOP encrease to a generall vnion of all the Benedictin Monks throughout the vvhole Jland The life of S. ALVRED Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 12. Written by John Capgraue ALVRED borne in England of nobles parents was brought vp from his tender age in the feare of God and good learning he learnt euen in his youth to vndegoe the sweet yoake of our Lord remayning allwaies in the innocencie of his life pure from all spott of sinne His pietie and learning encreasing daily with his age he gayned soe great fauour and loue with Dauid King of the Scots that he esteemed him before most of his court and had exalted him to a Bishoprick had not his entrance into a He refuseth a Bishoprik religious order hindered it In all occasions this holy youth carried him self with soe great pietie and meeknes as noe iniurie could moue him to anger noe opprobrious speeches could prouoke him to reuenge he allwaies endeauoured to repay hatred with loue to render good for euill to ouâ—rcome enuie with dutie and seruice A certaine knight perceauing him to be beloued and honoured of the King more then anie other raysed a hatefull and malignant persecution against him and grew so fierce in his malice that he was not afray sometimes openly to vomitt part of his venom against him with iniurious words before the King him self To whom the holy man with a mild and vnmoued countenance You speake verie well sayd he and honestly I know your tongue was neuer acquainted with vntruths and therefore I take you to be His rare humilitie patieÌ„ce my verie good friend The knight finding him to be a firme rock whom all the outrageous stormes of his malice and hatred could not moue nor stirre from the ground of vertue suffred a willing ouerthrow in his wicked endeauours and shewing the effects of a repentant mind demaunded pardon for his great temeritie promising from thence forth euer to oblige himself vnto him in an vnsayned league of friendship To whom ALVRED I confesse sayd he I reioyce hartely at thy repentance and therefore I shall loue thee better farre then euer for thy hatred to me hath encreased my A good lesson loue to my deare Redeemer and my patience being exercised and tried hereby hath perhapps bina meanes to make me profitt a little in my dutie to allmightie God Thus this B. man froÌ„ the briers of other mens malice reaped the sweetroses of vertues vnto him self II. AFTER this meaning to bidd adieu to the world and all He taketh the habitt of a monk the vanities thereof he went vnto the Abbey of Rhieuall or Ridall in Yorkshire and putt on the habitt of a Bernardin Monk vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT In which solitarie kind of life giuing him self wholly to contemplation of heauenly things and the continuall exercise of true religious and monasticall vertues he attained to such perfection that like the moone amongst the lesser starres he shined amongst the rest of his brethren in all manner of vertuous life and behauiour And shortly aster he was soe He is made Master of the nouices good a proficient him selt that he waÌ„s thought able to read a lesson of vertue vnto others and therefore the education of the nouices or probationers was committed to this chardge But whilest he executed that office there was an vnconstant Clerk that entred into the order whose vocation after a small triall beganne to wauer like a reed in the wind His vnstedfast mind being
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
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
thy bodie to Satan that thy soule may be A terrible punishment of one that would not forgiue his enemies saued in the day of iudgement He had scarse ended these words when the miserable wretch by the gâ—ashing and grinding of his teeth the gastly staring of his eyes his foaming at the mouth and antick turning and rouling of his bodie into strange postures gaue euident restimonie by what diabolicall spiritt he was gouerned At length being freed againe by S. WOLSTAN he was the second and third time possessed in like manner vntill from the bottom of his heart he promised to forgiue his enemies XVII THE vertuous life of this holy man was ennobled with manie other miracles and wanted not the guift of prophesie By S. Wolstanâ— guift of prophesie which he disswaded one Ailwine who a long time had liued a solitarie life at Malâ—erne hills from his desire of goeing to Hierusalem foretelling him that God allmightie would worke wonderfull things by his meanes Ailwine yeelding vnto his perswasioÌ„s founded afterwards a famous monasterie of S. BENEDICTS order at Malâ—erne where he gathered togeather the number of three hundred Benedictine Monkes XVIII ONE Sewulf whom he had often exhorted to embrace a monasticall life to doe worthie penance for his sinnes excusing him self and alleadging that the rigour of it did exceed his weaknes of bodie the Bishop sayd Well goe this waie thou shalt be a Monk whether thou wilt or noe At length waxing old he tooke the habitt of S. Benedicts order at Malmesburie where the very remembrance of S. Wolstans words euer after thundered a milder and humbler behauiour into him XIX As on a time he stroaked the head of a little boy called Nicholas whom he brought vp from a child and now euen in his A WoÌ„der youth beganne to loose his hayre I think my sonne sayd he thou wilt shortly be bald and why Father replied the boy doe not you keepe my hayre on my head Beleeue me sonne answered the holy Bishop as long as I liue soe much as remaynes shall not fall away And soe it came to passe But within the verie weeke that the holy man died all that yong mans hayre went soe cleane away that there remayned nothing but the bare scull XX. Newes being brought him that his sister was dead Now then answered he the plough is come into my land and verie He foreseeth his owne death shortly the brother will follow his sister Neyther was he a false Prophet for within a short time after being taken with an extreme seauer his old age soone perceaued that death was at hand Then nothing was to be seene among his monks and other friendâ— about him but teares sighs and lamentations woefully bewailing the losse of soe pious a Father When he on the other side with a deuout exhortation proceeding from a ioyfull countenance stroue to appease their griefs saying that his death would be noe losse of life but a change for a better promising not soe to forsake them but that with his prayers to allmightie God he would for euer assist them His great confideÌ„ce in almightie God and that being free out of his prison of clay by how much neerer he was ioyned vnto God by soe much readier he would be to comfort and defend them Thrise happie tongue that out of the store-house of a secure conscience durst power out words of soe great confidence Some with sighs and sobbs desire to haue him prayd for and he largely promiseth to pray for them all O strange wonder See how his holy simplicitie was ignorant of hauing anie diffidence in the mercie of allmightie God Therefore in the yeare of our Lord 1095. this glorious confessor of CHRIST this bright starre of the Benedictine order in England hauing with a wonderfull rare example of holy life gouuerned the Sea of Worcester the space of thirtie fower yeares deliuered vp his vertuous soule into the hands His death of his creatour to receaue the rewards of his worthie labours the ninteenth day of January in the eightie seauenth yeare of his age His bodie was brought into the Church and detained there three dayes vnburied The very forme and complexion thereof seeming rather to sett forth the gracefull beautie of a liuing Bishop then the horrour of a dead corps The Episcopall ring which he had receaued at his consecration manie yeares before his death would not hang on his finger for his flesh was soe consumed by his extreme penance and austerity of life that his bodie was nothing but skinne and bone But although his ring often times fell from his finger thus A notable miracle consumed yet was it neuer lost and he did often say that he would carrie with him to his graue that ring which without ambition he had receaued Being dead diuers essayed to take off his ring but in vaine for that which before fell off manie times of it self by noe violent meanes could now be drawne off The fourth day he was buried with great reuerence by Robert Bishop of Hereford who long before had entred into a strict and holy league of friendship togeather with S. WOLSTAN XXI SOME yeares after his death a mercilesse fier taking hould of the topp of the Church burnt and consumed it in miserable sort An other as strange the lead came powring downe like rayne the great beames their supporters being consumed as whole trees tumbled to the ground soe that in such a confused wrack of ruine it seemed nothing that was within the compasse of the Church could escape the rage of the fier Yet the sepulcher of the blessed Sainct remayned free from these outrageous flames and was not as much as touched or smutched with anie of the coales ashes or anie thing else that fell from aboue And to giue greater euidence to the miracle the verie strawmatte on which those did kneele that prayed before his tombe was found whole and vntoucht XXII ABOVT a hundred yeares after his death his holy body was taken vp and enclosed in a very pretious shrine being found in all His body vncorrupted after an hundred yeares his Pontificall robes as entier and vncorrupted as when he was layd in the ground The feast of his translation is celebrated the seauenth of Iune Manie other miracles were wrought by the supreme worker of miracles through the intercession and meritts of this blessed Sainct which I willingly omitt my purpose being not to write Saincts liues that the world may only wonder at their miraculous deeds but chiefly to draw men to imitate their vertuous liues Yet in this historie we haue had great store both of vertues and miracles God of his infinite goodnes giue vs grace to admire and prayse his diuine power in the one and to follow the vertuous examples of his blessed Sainct in the other Amen His life we haue taken chiefly out of the author of it SENATVS BRAVON a Monk of Worcester Besides whom WILLIAM MALMESBVRY de
came not to passe soe much by their counsels as by the secret prouidence of the diuine wisedome to the end her intended deuotion might by some occasion be fullfilled according to her desire Being therefore conueyed by some of the most auncient Princes of France vnto the long desired monasterie of Chelles and there by the Nunnes honourably receaued into their companie she gaue heartie She becometh a Nunne thankes vnto allmightie God who hithereunto had preserued her vnder the shadow of his holy protection and now had brought her vnto the sweet hauen of her desires Now she that before swayed the Her obedience scepter of France submitted her self to the obedience of a poore Abbesse as her mother appearing to the rest of her sisters not as a mistresse but as a discret seruant in all things pioufly bearing a seruiceable dutie vnto them And with such courage of mind she shewed Her humilitie vnto all an example of sincere humilitie that in her turne she would serue her sisters according to S. BENEDICTS rule in the office of the kitchin washing and clensing all implements therevnto be longing and performing all other base offices of the house And these acts of humilitie she did with a merrie and willing mind for the pure loue of him that sayth in the Ghospell J came not to be serued but to serue For what heart could euer think that the height of soe Mat. 20. v. 28. great power should become a feruant in things soe base and abiect vnlesse the mightie loue of CHRIST had graunted this speciall grace vnto her With teares she daily insisted at her deuotions and prayers and often times frequented her spirituall lecture and in her visitations of the sick which were verie frequent her custom was to impart some pious consolation and godly exhortation vnto them Her charitie She was soe well practified in the studie of charitie as she sorrowed with the sorrowfull reioyced with the ioyfull and for the weake and sickly she would often with humilitie putt the Abbesse in mind Rom. 12. to gett them prouided with necessarie helpes both for bodie and soule whose pious desire she like a good mother did very carefully see performed for indeed according to the rule of the Apostles Act. 4. they had but one heart and one soule soe dearely and tenderly they loued each other in the true loue of IESVS CHRIST VI. IN THE meane time this blessed woeman beganne to be afflicted She falleth sick with a sicknes of bodie and to labour grieuously with a certaine griping in the gutts which had brought her neere her end had not the grief bin something asswaged by the power of phisick But allthough the force of her paine did cruelly torment her tender bodie yet she ceased not out of the puritie of a holy conscience to giue thankes vnto the heauenly phisitian who succoureth those that labour in tribulation and from whom she confidently expected to receaue the euerlasting rewards of her suffering And shewing her self a great example of vertue vnto others she studied to giue her sisters a patterne of true pietie obedience and humilitie often admonishing the Abbesse to be likewise mindfull of her dutie towards the King and Queene and other Nobles their friends that the house of God might not loose the good name fame it had gotten but rather encease it more and more in the true affection of charitie towards their friends and chiefly to gett strength and constancie in the sacred loue of God and their neighbours for according to S. PAVL We ought alsoe to haue the good testimonie of those which are 1. Tim. 3. without But aboue all by the mercie and loue of IESVS CHRIST she recommended vnto her to haue a verie speciall care of the poore and of strangers VII THEREFORE the death of this holy Sainct being at hand there appeared a famous vision vnto her in which she beheld a ladder standing vp right before the altar of the B. Virgin Marie the Her vision before she died topp whereof seemed to reach vnto the heauens and manie Angels ascended thereon which seemed to accompanie and leade her herself to the neuer dieing ioyes of Paradise O truely happie who in her iourney had Angels her companions This is the ladder which she erected to heauen in her life time These are her fellow Angels whom by her exercise of good workes she made her friends The degrees of this ladder are the twelue degrees of humilitie contained in the holy rule of S. BENEDICT which she professed by the continuall exercise whereof she deserued to be exalted to the cleere vision of of CHRIST IESVS the master of all humilitie By this vision the holy woeman plainly vnderstood that shortly she was to leaue this world and take her iourney thither where long since she had hidden her greatest and chiefest treasure commaunding those that had bene eye witnesses of the vision to conceale it from the rest of her sisters that they might not be contristated vntill it pleased allmightie God to call her vnto him In midst of these ioyes she beganne more and more with pietie and alacritie of mind to insist at her prayers neuer ceasing with humilitie and compunction of heart to recommend her self vnto her heauenly King CHRIST IESVS and hiding as much as she was able the vehemency of her grief she consorted the Abbesse Bertilia and the rest of her sisters with some hope of her recouerie easing them hereby of a present sorrow which afterwards tooke them before they expected it VIII BVT perceauing within a short time after that now she She yeeldeth vp her soule was to pay nature her due and feeling the violence of her payne to be readie to cutt asunder the vnion of her soule and body confidently arming her self with the signe of our redemption and lifting vp her hands and eyes towards heauen she yeelded vp her blessed soule out of the teadious fetters of the bodie to be crowned with the diadem of eternall glorie For at the same instant a diuine splendour She is caried into heauen by Angels shined ouer all the chamber and with that verie light there appeared to the standers by a troupe of Angels with whom came her faithfull friend Genesins the Bishop to meet her and by this heauenly troupe her blessed soule long tried in the furnace of affliction was caried vpp out of their sight to receaue the rewards of her holy meritts amongst the Angels and Saincts in heauen She was buried in the little Church which she had built in honour of the holy Crosse But afterwards the manie miracles wrought at her tombe were cause that her bodie was taken vp and translated into the great Church of our Ladie which was not finished in her life time where it is kept with great reuerence in a rich shrine ouer the high aultar and manie times I my self haue seene it solemnly caried in procession This holy Nunne and
great benefactour of S. BENEDICTS order died the thirtith day of January but her feast is celebrated this day She flourished about the yeare of our Lord 669. Besides the authour of her life extant in the first tome of LAVRENCE SVRIVS whom we haue followed the Roman Martirologe VSVARD BARONIVS tom 〈◊〉 ann 665. TRITHEMIVS of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. c. 112. and manie others doe largely celebrate her prayses The life of S. SEXVLPH Bishop and Confessor of S. BENEDICTS order IAN. 28. THIS holy man was the first Abbot and in some kind founder of the Benedictine Abbey of Medishamsted dedieated to S. PETER which afterwards by reason of the greatnes was called Peterborough In which office hauing for some yeares dischardged the By his per swasion king wulfere built this Abbey part of a good and religious Prelat by the authoritie of Theodore Archbishop of Canturbury he was consecrated Bishop of Lichfield in place of Winfrid deposed from that Sea for his disobedience He gouerned his people with verie great sainctetie of life and examples of good workes for the space of three yeares when being loaden with vertuous deeds he left this world to take his place among his fellow Benedictin Monks in heauen about the yeare of our Lord 700. MATHEW WESTMINSTER ann 614. HARPSFIELD saec 7. c. 23. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. c. 46. TRITHEMIVS in his worke of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order lib. 4. cap. 158. CAMDEN in desoritt com Northampt. and others make worthie mention of S. SEXVLPH The life of S. GYLDAS Abbot and Confessor IAN. 29. Out of an anncient authour recited by Iohn Capgraue GYLDAS borne in that part of Brittanie now called Scotland and one of the twentie fower sonnes which a King of that countrey had by one wife was from his youth of a verie vertuous disposition and much inclined to the knowledge of all manner of learning for the better obtaining of his desire therein he passed ouer into France where he employed seauen yeares in the continuall studie of all goods sciences and returned into Britanie loaden with great store of bookes and learning But to the end he might with more freedom attend vnto the contemplation of heauenly He goeth into Frace to studie things he with drew him self from the tumults of the world into a solitarie place of aboade where he led the life of an hermite continually chastising his bodie with fasting prayer watchings and hayre-cloath Yet his vertue could not lie soe hidd but that manie were drawne to him with the noyse of his great fame to be instructed both in religion and learning and at their departure they serued as trumpetts to inuite others vnto him such great content they receaued in his vertuous life and rare learning Whatsoeuer guifts he receaued from the charitie of the richer sort he allwaies distributed vnto the poore contenting him self with the riches of his His great austerity of life owne pouertie He neuer tasted anie flesh his ordinarie foode was herbes and barly bread mingled with ashes in steede of spice his drinke pure water out of the fountaine His continuall abstinence had brought his face to such leannes that he all waies appeared like a man that had a feauer At midnight his custome was to enter into the riuer vpp to the neck and in that sort he powered out his prayers to almighty God while his teares stroue with the streames which should runne fastest afterwards he repaired to his oratorie and spent the rest of the night in prayer His cloathing was one single garment in which only he tooke his rest lieing vppon the downe of a hard rock Hauing taught manie both in word and deed to follow the rules of good life he departed into Jreland where he conuerted a great multitude of that rude people to the faith of CHRIST Shortly after returning into Britanie he found his brother Howell slaine by King Arthur who humbly crauing pardon of his fault receaued from the Sainct a salutation of peace friendship and forgiuenes He was a perpetuall enemie vnto the Pelagian Hereticks and to be the better informed against them and their doctrine he made a iourney Against heresies he consulteth the Roman Church to the fountaine of true religion Rome and returned not only better instructed against them him self but able to fortifie and strengthen others with such sound principles of Catholicke religion that they might easily defend their cause against all the vaine batteries and proud bull warks of heresie II. AT LENGTH he built a little Church vppon a rock in an Iland neere vnto the riuer Seauerne where spending his time night He buildeth an ermitage and day in continuall prayer he kept his mind wholly vacant and free from the world and worldly creatures seriously attending the contemplation of the diuine goodnes of his Creatour But being in such want of fresh water that he had noe other store but what was retained after a shower in little holes of the rock he made his prayer to allmightie God who sent him a cleere spring of water gâ—shing out of the same place But by the frequent iniuries and incursions He departeth to Glasten bury of Pirats he was compelled to depart from hence to Glastenbury being honourably receaued of the Abbott he instructed the Monkes and people thereabouts in the science both of humane diuine things and building a little Church not farre from thence he led there an eremiticall life in great austeritie and penance Vnto whom as vnto an oracle manie came from all parts of Britanie to partake of his wisedome and learning He whose holy desires tended only towards heauen striued with all the force of eloquence he could to diuert their minds from the transitorie things of this world and settle them on the only consideration of heauen Hauing in this manner spent some yeares in this habitation the holy man fell into a grieuous sicknes which made him quickly vnderstand that the hower of his death was nigh therefore earnestly desiring of the Abbot to haue his bodie buried at Glastenbury and recommending his soule vnto the hands of allmightie God he left this miserable world to receaue his reward in a better the twentie ninth day of January in the yeare of our Lord 512. His bodie according to his desire was buried at Glastenbury in the middest of the ould Church Of this holy Sainct make mention MATHEW WESTMINST N. HARPSFIELD saec 6. cap. 23. IOHN CAPGRAVE and others whom we haue followed The life of S. BIRSTAN Bishop and Confessor IAN. 30. Out of William Malmesbury and Westminster SAINCT BIRSTAN being a man of most pure and sincere life was chosen Bishop of Winchester where he ruled the space of fower yeares He was wont euerie day to sing or say Masse for the soules departed and by night without anie feare he would walke about the Church-yard reciting psalmes and other prayers to the same end And as once in his
wonted deuotions he went this round Masse and prayers for the dead and added to the end of his prayers Requiescant in pace he heard from the ground the voyces as it were of an infinite armie that answeared Amen Whereby he found his labours and prayers to be verie gratefull and profitable vnto the soules departed The same holy man being an ardent follower of our Lords example would euerie day without anie spectatours execute acts of profound humilitie in washing with his owne hands the feete of diuers poore people couering them a table giuing them sufficiencie of meate and at length His works of humilitie as their deuout seruant taking away what was left This seruice being finished and his poore guests dismissed he would remaine in the same roome the space of two or three howers at his prayers Vntill once entring according to custom to exercise these pions offices not hauing bene before troubled with signe of anie sicknes suddenly vnknowne to all his soule departed out of his mortall lodging The māner of his death leauing it void of all vitall spiritt His familie and seruants that had long bene acquainted with his customs thinking that then he was alsoe busied at his prayers let him lie there a whole day And the next morning breaking into his chamber they found a dead bodie starke and stiffe without anie signe of life Therefore with great cryes and lamentations they buried him in the Church of Winchester But the Citizens of the towne because they sawe him intercepted by a kind of suddaine death buried the worthie memorie of the holy man in the deepe caues of silence being ignorant that it is written The man that liueth well cannot die ill And by what Sap. 4. death soeuer the iust man shall be preuented and ouertaken he shall be in a place of refreshing and comfort But a long time after this their rashnes was corrected by the allmightie power of him that cannot erre for to Ethelwold Bishop of the same place as one night he watched and He appeareth to S. Ethelwold prayed according to his custom before the reliques of the Saincts in the Church of Winchester there appeared three persons which stood by him not in an extasie but fully awake The middest of the three spake these words I am BIRSTAN in times past Bishop of this cittie This on my right hand is BIRINE the first preacher and that on my left is SWITHINE the speciall Patron of this Church and Cittie And thou must know that as thou seest me here present with them soe doe I enioy the same glorie with them in heauen Why therefore am I depriued of the honour and reuerence of mortall men who am highly exalted in the companie of heauenly spirits Saincts are to honoured At these words they vanished and euer after by the commaundement of S. ETHELWOLD his memorie was celebrated with great veneration By this we may learne that holy men the prouidence of heauen soe disposing may sometimes be taken away by suddaine death and not without a speciall fauour in getting by a minute of paine that which others cannot obtaine but by manie yeares torments of sicknes This holy man was consecrated B. an 932. died in the yeare of our Lord 934. Thus much of him we haue gathered out of WILLIAM MALMESBVRY lib. 2. de Pontific Angl. and MATHEW WESTMINSTER ann 932. NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 10. cap. 8. POLIDORE VIRGILL lib. 6. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. lig vitae and others mak◠worthie mention of him The life of S. WILGIS Confessor and Monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 31. Out of S. Alcuinus in the life of S. willibrord THERE was in that part of the Brittsh Iland called Northumberland a househoulder named Wilgis by byrth a Saxon or Englishman who hauing bene naturall father vnto WILLIBRORD afterwards a Sainct and Archbishop of Vtreight as if he had perfourmed the whole dutie of his mariage resolued both he and his wife to leaue the world and vndertake a religious course of life which holy purpose how vertuously he accōplished was by miracles afterwards sufficiently testified and made knowne to the world For hauing left his secular garments he putt on the black monasticall habitt of the holy order of S. BENEDICT and made profession of a Monk not He taketh the habit of S. Benedict vppon a forced seruice but out of a true will and desire to religion And because in leauing his house and temporall goods enrouling him self into a spirituall warrefare in the campe of IESVS CHRIST he had vndertaken a perfect life he would not therefore be backward in what he professed but in all things shewed him self to be a most perfect seruant vnto the deare master he serued But when he had for a while giuen a patterne of his vertuous life in the schoole of the monasterie he became soe braue a souldier that the rudnes of the fearefull desert could not afright him for shutting vp him self within the limitts of a streight and narrow cottage that stoode between He leadeth an eremiticall life the Ocean and the riuer Humber dedicated to S. ANDREW the Apostle he laboured in the exercise of a solitarie conuersation and imitating his grand master S. BENEDICT he led a heauenly and angelicall life on earth in purenes exceeding the ruddie blush of the rose or the whitenes of the fayre lillie but delightfully shining with a more sweete varietie of vertues then doth a doue in the beames of the sunne with diuersitie of colours Within a short space his desire to lie hid was betrayed by the wonder of his frequent miracles and his name was blowne soe farre abroade with the trumpet IAN. 31. of fame till it arriued at the Kings Court and sounded such an alarum all ouer the countrey of Scotland that great store of people flocked vnto him whom he neuer sent away emptie but allwaies loaden with the sweet instructions and admonitions of his heauenlie learning The fame of his vertue drawes manie schollers being compelled herevppon to labour sometimes in a contemplatiue and other times in a practicall manner of life He became at last of soe great esteeme and honour with the King and Nobles of the Realme that they gaue him the possession of some lands neere adioining and bestowed manie other rich guifts vppon him by help whereof he built an honourable Church on the Sea side in honour of the B. Virgin MARIE and gathered togeather a Conuent of Beuedictine Monks small in number but great in the exercise of true vertue and religion These he gouerned as Abbott with all sainctitie of He buildeth a monasterie life doctrine vntill the diuine clemencie willing to set a period to the conflicts of his holy labours absolued this his worthy champion from the most painfull warrefare of this present life to raigne in his heauenly Court which soe long he had thirsted for and desired He was very honourably buried
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
he would receaue it he humbly desired pardon of all his brethren yf in anie thing he had offended them and imparted the like courtesie vnto them earnestly crauing it of him and then with great reuerence fortifieing him self with that heauenly Viaticum he prepared his pious soule to enter into the happie voyage of euerlasting life V. THIS done he asked the assistants how long it was to the hower that the Monkes should rise to Mattins They answered that the time was not farre of Well then sayd he let vs quietly expect that Blessing with the signe of the Crosse good hower And within a while when the standers by nothing suspected his death arming him self with the signe of the holy crosse the only signe of our redemption and softly inclining his head vppon the pillow he tooke a sweet slumber and therwithall in great His death correspondent to his life silence and tranquillitie both of mind and bodie he deliuered vp his still soule into the hands of his redeemer Soe that by the diuine prouidence it came to passe that euen as he serued our Lord in his life time with a pure and quiet deuotion of mind soe leauing this world he went to enioy the cleere vision of him he had serued by a peaceable and vntroubled death And that elegant tongue which had sung so manie sweet lines poems in prayse of his creatour did close vpp the breath of his last words to gods honour glorie when blessing him self with the signe of life recōmending his soule into the hands of his deare redeemer he changed this temorall life for an eternall He died about the yeare of our Lord 670. After the time of King William conquerour his bodie was found among the ruines of the monasterie of Streanshall and honourably shrined sett vpp in a Inuention of his bodie place worthie soe great a relique where the manie miracles wrought through his meritts are euident witnesses of what high esteeme he was in the fauour of allmightie God who is euer gloriousi n his saincts Amen His life we haue gathered out of Venerable Bede de gest Ang. lib. 4. cap. 24. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 36. William Malmesbury de gest pont Aug. lib. 3. Arnould Wion l. 2. cap. 62. and other grau◠authours make honourable mention of him And be is highly commended of all for his great vertue and holy life and conuersation The life of S. ERMENILD Queene and Abbesse of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 13. Gathered out of diuers Authours SAINCT ERMENILD was daughter to Erconbert King of Kent and S. SEXBVRG his queene naturally and from the womb she inherited her good mothers propension to workes of pietie compassion and relieuing of euerie ones necessitie Both mother and daughter vsed the same bountie and charitie towards all and being both queenes on earth they had both the same pious desires and affectiōs to the King and kingdom of heauen ERMENILD was giuen in mapiage vnto Wulfere King of the Mercians and by that meanes the kingdom of Kent was happily vnited to that of the Mercians At that time her husband Wulfere being but newly baptised his poeple were but rude and scarse well setled in the Catholick fayth but S. ERMENILD who had bin trayned vp from her infancie in true vertue pietie and religion with her care and singular example of holy life her wise and prudent exhortations and manie benefits liberally bestowed vppon them tamed the obstinate heartes of that rude and vnlearned poeple and brought them vnder the sweet yoake of IESVS CHRIST by a mild force and a forceble mildnes subduing those peruerse rebellious mindes to the obediēce of the Catholick Church II. SVCH and soe great was the feruour zeale of this holy woemā to the seruice honour of allmightie God propagation of Christiā religiō that she was wholely carelesse of all other affayres in respect thereof neuer ceasing vntill she had quite destroyed Idolls rooted out all the diuelish rites of Idolatrie and furnished her Kingdō with churches Priests for the cōfort saluatiō of her poeple whom in the end she accustomed diligently to frequent the diuine seruices and sacraments and all other duties of Christian pietie and deuotion And this her godly zeale was much promoted by the royall power and authoritie of the king her husband who inuited by her pious example much aduanced her good endeauours and did manie good workes him self admiring to see the whole intentions mind of his wife amōgst the turbulent broiles of the world to be allwaies soe truely fixed on the contemplation of heauen and heauenly things Besides she did abound in charitie and compassion towards the poore all such as were in necessitie and affliction in soe much that neuer anie came to her that departed without consolation and her liberall almes to relieue their want III. AT length after the death of her husband with whom she had She taketh the habit of S. Benedicts order liued seauenteen yeares and been mother of S. WEREBVRG whose life you may read the third of this moneth hauing hither vnto ouercome all others she now ouercame her self for goeing to the monasterie of Benedictin Nunnes at Ely she renounced all mortall pompe and glorie for the pure loue of the immortall and putt on the habit of S. BEMEDICTS order vnder the gouernment of her holy mother S. SEXBVRG then Abbesse of the same place Where by humilitie and obedience she became queene of her owne passions and spent the remnant of her life in continuall fasting and prayer and all other austerities of a vertuous and religious life And after the death of the Abbesse S. SEXBVRG S. ERMENILD was chosen in her place in which office whilest she dischardged the dutie of a verie religious vertuous Matrone inciting her subiects by her owne good examples to embrace the rules of true religion she was deliuered out of this mortall prison and called to receaue the euerlasting reward of her labours in heauen the thirteenth day of February about the yeare of our Lord 685. and was buried in the same monasterie Where after her death it pleased allmightie God for the honour and glorie of this sainct to worke manie miracles at her tombe Whereof one was that a Saxon condemned for some offence to be bound with iron chaines or rings being on a time present at Masse in the monasterie of Elie and as he prayed before the bodie of S. ERMENILD about the time the ghospell was reading his irons forced by some secret and diuine power fell suddenly from his armes to the great admiration of manie that were present at the sayd masse Her life we haue gathered out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue William Malmesbury de gest reg Angl. lib. 2. cap. 13. de gest pontif lib. 4. Mathew Wistminster anno 676. and Wigorniensis an 675. mention is made of her by Molanus in his additions to Vsuard Peter in
was the place destined to be the sacristie of soe rich a treasure it was receaued by those holy virgins of CHRIST in most honourable and stately manner and reuerently entombed on the north side of the high His bodie is eushrined at Shaftsburie aultar the eighteenth day of February And afterwards by reason of the manie miracles wrought at this holy martyrs tombe that monasterie was commonly called S. Edwards And the miracles wrought there were such soe great and soe authenticall esteemed by King Ethelred that in respect thereof he adorned the monasterie of Shaftsbury with manie rich guifts and possessions and in the donation thereof made in the yeare 1001. he acknowledgeth Gods scourging of his Countrey by the Danes to haue befalne them for the vniust murder of King EDWARD whom togeather with the bishops and Abbots of that time he honoureth with the title of Blessed martyr Part of his reliques were afterwards brought to enriche the monasterie of Lemster in Herefordshire This historie we haue gathered out of the author of his life in an aunciët manuscript recited by Surius tom 3. William Malmesbury de reg Ang. lib. 2. cap. 9. Iohn Capgraue in his legend Nicholas Harpsfield saec 10. cap. 4. and other English Historiographers who doe all largely speake his prayses The life of S. VLFRICK Confessor and Hermite FEBR. 20 THE worthie champion and braue follower of a monasticall and solitarie life S. Vlfrick was borne in a village called Lenton or Litton eight miles from Bristoll of a meane yet an honest parentage In the same place he was bred and brought vpp till he came to such age and learning that he was made priest Which office he exercised His māner of life in his youth for some yeares space hauing as it was thought receaued it in the feruour of his youth more out of a youthfull leuitie incident to that age then anie way guided by the raynes of true reason For as yet being not well acquainted with the true spirituall knowledge of allmightie God he was ruled more by the impetuous motions of wordly pleasures and delights then by the inward inspiration of the soule Whece it came to passe that he stuck not to staine his priestly function by dayly imploying of him self in the gentlemans slauerie of keeping hawkes and Doggs and following the toilesome sports those dumb beasts could allow him when he had better and more befitting his calling been quietly busied in studie and contemplation But being on a time in hott pursuite of this A poore man foretelleth him of his future life kind of a game he mett by chance with a man that bore the habitt and countenance of a poore begger who verie humbly demaunded for an almes a piece of new money which as yet by reason of the newnes of the coyne comming out of the mint of Henry the first was not verie common in England Therefore VLFRICK answeared him that he knew not whether he had anie of that Kind or noe Looke in thy purse replied the other and there thou shalt find two pence halfpēnie VLFRICK being amazed at this answeare opened his purse and finding as the poore man had sayd he deuoutly gaue him what he asked Who receauing his pennie let him reward thee said he for whose loue thou giuest it And I in his name declare vnto thee that shortly thou shalt depart from this place where now thou liuest vnto an other dwelling thēce againe to another where thou shalt find a quiet habitatiō till after lōg perseuerāce in the seruice of god thou art called to enioy the ioyfull societie of the saincts in heauen II. VLFRICK therefore after a while liued like a poore Priest in He abstayneth from flesh the house of one VVilliam Lord of the village where he was borne had his diet dayly at his table where he layd the first foundation of a new life and entred into a perpetuall abstinence from flesh Till at length his good purposes and deuotion still encreasing he was greatly taken with an earnest desire to embrace an eremiticall and solitarie life and to that end the foresayd Lord doubtlesse not without the particular inspiratiō of the holy Ghost sent him to a village called Hasleburrow in Dorsetshire distant eastward from Excester His austeritie of life about thirtie miles There in a little cell neere adioyning vnto the Church setting aside all thoughts sauouring of the world with great austeritie and mortification of his bodie he purchased the grace and fauour of IESVS CHRIST to his soule For with such an exact and seuere an obseruance of abstinence fasting and watching he mortified his bodie vppon earth that the skinne only sticking vnto the bones he appeared vnto the behoulders as the true picture not of a carnall but of a spirituall man in a humaine shape His daintiest His poore diet and cloathing meate was oaten bread and a kind of gruell or pottage made of oatmeale He neuer dranke wine or anie other drinkes which cause dronkennes but only on principall feastes and then he would tast a little more for the solemnitie of the feast then anie contentment of bodie In watching he was soe diligent and vnwearied that he passed manie nights without anie sleepe nether would he euer giue himself to anie rest but when extreme necessitie and weaknes of nature cōpelled him and then not in bed but leaning his head to a wall he tooke a short allowance of sleepe out of which presently rowsing him self he would much blame chastise his bodie as yielding vnto ouermuch nicenesse His pillow yf that may be called so which he vsed to putt vnder his head was made of rowles or ropes of hay wound vp together He was content with poore simple cloathing lined next to the skinne with a rude shirt of hayre-cloath Till after a while being growne from a freshman to be an old beaten souldier of Christ insteed of his hayre-cloath he wore next vnto his skinne an iron coate of maile which his old lord and master vnderstanding his desire thereof had sent vnto him consecrating that warlick armour His mortification of bodie to the warrefarre of heauen To these his dayly austerities he added others by night farre exceeding them in rigour for in the sharpest cold of winter he was wont hauing first putt of his iron coate to entier naked into a vessell of cold mater where he would remayne reciting psalmes himnes in prayse of allmightie God vntill he had throughly mortified and quēched those dishonest fiers importune motions of the flesh which verie furiously and often assayling his mind sought the ruine of his chastitie but his breast was a firme rock of pure marble that vtterly denied entertaynment to anie such vncleannes And in all this rigour soe vnmercifully exercised vppon him self both in discourse and behauiour he was euer humble and pleasant vnto all others and allthough he seldom or neuer spake to anie man but vnseene and with his window
shutt yet his sweete speeches yeelded the sound of a kind of heauenly harmonie to the eares of his hearers The fame of his sanctiâ—ie is discouered III. WHILEST thus the holie man exercised him self in the discipline of a rigid-deuout life knowne only to the allseeing deitie he brake forth at length to the knowledge of the world like a fayre morning of good health and happines vnto his countrey For his coate of maile hanging downe somwhat below his knees with the rudenes thereof hindered him to kneele at such times and soe often as he desired whereof hauing admonished the knight his old master who was only priuie to this secret he demaunded his counsell therein The knight would haue persuaded him to send it to London to be cutt according to his desire But he being impatient of such delay and fearing thereby to lay open a gate to vaine gloire gaue him a payre of sheares and bad him in the name of God dispatch that worke with his owne hands The knight staggering in his obedience and iudging it to be dotage in the holy man that sett him on a taske as he thought quite impossible knew not what to say Be constant replied VLFRICK and feare nothing behold I goe to recommend this busines vnto God in the meane time endeauour confidently to finish this worke The one falls to his prayers the other endeauours with iron and steele to cutt iron and steele when both their labours tooke prosperous effect to the admiration of the one great ioy of the other For the knight Note a strainge miracle in his cutting worke seemed rather to diuide a peece of cloath then a peece of iroÌ„ with soe great facilitie the sheares ranne through that steelie garment But the holy man rising from his prayers before the worke was finished the knight was forced to hould his hands when VLFRICK coming to the window where he laboured asking how he had succeeded in his busines Well and prosperously sayd he hitheruÌ„to but now at thy coÌ„ming the sheeres turne edge are at a stay Be not mooued thereat replied the sainct but with the same sheeres finish thy work soe happily begun Then resuming his former coÌ„fidence with the like facilitie he went through the rest And from that time the holy maÌ„ in the strength of his owne fayth without anie sheeres pulled asunder the little rings of that part of his coate cutt off distributed theÌ„ charitably to all that desired by vertue whereof manie The parcels of his coate cure manie diseases diseases were cured according as it is recorded of the chaines of the holie Apostles PETER and PAVL and manie other Martirs But the Knight much amazed at soe great vertue sell prostrate at the holy mans feet whereat greatly coÌ„founded he lifted him vp coniuring him not to reueale that miracle as loÌ„g as he liued But the fame thereof grew soe famous that it could not be hidden when manie religious deuout persons were glad to enioy a ring of his iron coate whereby the glorie and sweet odour of his sainctitie was blowne ouer all parts of the Kingdom IV. WHILST our worthie champion of CHRIST thus noblie The deuils rayse warre against him fortified his mind with the armour of a generous vertue shewed soe great confidence in allmightie God and such incomparable rigour in chastising and afflicting his owne bodie and beating downe the dishonest rebellions thereof the common plotter and worker of all mischief to mankind greatly enuieing such rare goodnes assayled him on all sides with wonderfull troubles rude vexations and allmost mortall torments not inferiour to those raysed against S. HILLARION S. ATHONIE and other auncient Hermites to batter and beate downe the constancie of his vertuous mind and resolution Once those infernall spiritts appearing visibly in most horrid shapes with violence dragged him into the Church and round about the pauement thereof in great furie till by the vnexpected comming of a most reuerend Virgin he was relieued out of the hands of those hell-hounds whom she chased suddenly away He vnderstood afterwards that this was a holy Virgin of whom heâ— had made a commemoration in his Masse the same day An other time the holy man being sick his ordinarie enemie entred into the roome where he lay and casting a terrible looke vppon him with a staffe he had in his hand gaue him three great blowes on the head and departed And further it pleased allmightie God to giue the Deuil soe great power ouer his bodie that like an other Iob he infected his flesh with such horrid vlcers that his armes quite vpp to the shoulders became a loathesom spectacle rotten and full of vgly His wonderfull patience wormes and corruption All which as visitations sent from God he endured with infinite great pacience and ioy euer yielding humble thankes vnto his diuine goodnes that gaue him soe fayre an occasion of meritt in this world He was noe sooner recouered of this strainge maladie but the same engine of mischief cast his bodie into such an intolerable but inuisible heate of fier in soe much that he called for a Priest and beganne to recommend his soule vnto his creatour till after a while that hellish tormenter chainged that intollerable heate into a contrarie cold soe insufferable that euerie minute he expected with patience the disuniting of his soule from He ouercometh the vexations of the deuil his bodie But he triumphed ouer all these hellish afflictions and diabollicall temptations in the approoued armour of an vndaunted patience of minde and made all these occasions but stepps to clime the height of vertue and perfection by V. ONE Easter eue at night the hellish spiritt of vncleanes hauing cast the holy man into a deepe sleepe by a filthie dreame and illusion allbeit in a bodie drie and half dead triumphed ouer the frailtie of his flesh and caused him to suffer some such vncleannes as the weakenes of mans nature is subiect vnto in those occasions where vppon he became soe ouerthrowne with grief and sorrow of See a wonderfull example of humilitie mind that he pined away at his disastrous chaunce And on the morrow morning being Easter day he went into the Church where publickly before all the poeple present at that holy solemnitie he made open confession of what had befalne him and burst out into a miserable complaint of his mischaunce And woe be vnto me wretched VLFRICK sayd he whom mine enemies in reuenge of my sinnes haue this sacred night soe filthyly disgraced soe vnhappily deluded and soe vilely euerthrowne I confesse my offence vnto God and to you all desiring and hoping to obtaine pardon from his diuine goodnes by your good prayers and intercession Hauing in these and such like words proclaymed his misfortune he returned sorrowfull to his cell Which his wonderfull deiection and humilitie of mind wherein he nether spared his owne shamefastnes nor the diminishing of that renowned opinion
of sainctitie which be had gotten in the world nor despised others in respect of such vertue seemeth by manie degrees to excell both the wonder of his coate of maile and whatsoeuer else in him as truely there are very manie things worthy greate prayse and admiration was most notable and famous And as allmightie God sent him these sharpe visitations to make triall of his constancie soe on the other side his diuine goodnes did soe highly confort him with heauenly benefitts guifts and graces of prophefieing and doeing manie wonderfull cures and ennobled his worthie patience with such renowned triumphes against his infernall enemies that he might truely Psal 9 3. 19 with the royall prophet say of him self According to the multitude of my griefs thy consolations haue reioyced my soule VI. FOR HE chainged water into wine and by his holy benediction he encreased and multiplied one little loafe of bread to soe His manie miracles great a quaÌ„titie that he satisfied fortie poore poeple there with The water which he hallowed cured verie manie dangerous diseases He restored light and perfect sight vnto one whose eyes were digged out of his head He saw manie thinges that were done in farre distant places as distinctly as if they had passed within the coÌ„maund of his corporall sight And often times he foretould things to come and namely to King Henry the first setting forth in his last iourney to Normandie that he should neuer more returne And in the Kings absence he reuealed vnto the Lord of the village the verie day of the kings death And count Stephen coming vppon a time vnto the holy man he saluted him as king to the great admiration of all that heard it and ingenuously tould him that he should be souueraigne Lord of England giuing him pious admonitions carefully to maintaine peace and iustice and defend the rightes of Gods Church VII WHAT now shall I say that the holie Angels yea and the king of angels CHRIST IESVS haue appeared vnto him and comforted his habitation in this world with the heauenly and vnspeakeable splendour of their presence And being on a time at the aultar executing that dreadfull sacrifice of Masse hauing past the Pater noster The wine in his chalice appeareth in forme of bloud being suddenly stricken with a doubt whether he had mingled as the custom is water with his wine or not hauing defired allmightie God to free him from that scruple behould the chalice appeared vnto him full to the very brimme of fresh rosie bloud which the vnspotted lambe shed for our redemption and returning straight againe to the forme of wine he deuoutly consummated that heauenly draught And allbeit sometimes by the permission of allmightie God to trie his seruant he was as we haue sayd cruelly deluded vexed and tormented by the mischieuous enuie of hells inhabitans yet manie times he triumphed most nobly ouer them and their diabolicall practises When by his holy prayers he not only banished them out of the bodies of possessed persons but sometimes held them soe fast bound that they could not depart but by his licence But of all that euer he did in that kind this which A poore ma giueth his soule to the deuill now you shall heare was the most notably famous VIII IN THE North parts of England dwelt a mise rably-wretched man who not able to endure the pouertie of his owne fortune had renounced the Christian Catholick fayth and in a horrid couenant had wholely coÌ„secrated and bequeathed him self to the Deuill who hauing for a time sate abroode vppoÌ„ that prey to hatch his soule for hell fier the wretched man coming a little to vnderstand his more then miserable estate beganne to be ashamed and repent him of this horrible act deliberating debating with him self to what Patrone or protection he should committ the care of deliuering his engaged soule out of the iawes of eternall death Till at length hauing heard the great fame of S. VLFRICKS holy life he resolued to make vse of his counsell in this weightie affayre and being verie sollicitous of his good successe herein and hauing opened his mind to one of his neerest and dearest friends the deuil with whom he had made this hard bargaine appeared to him in his knowne and accustomed shape and with shew of extreme vnkindnes accused him of disloyaltie and threatned him with most cruell punishment yf he dared but to attempt anie such treason againe The poore man The deuill knoweth not the secrets of mans heart perceauing that this hellish marchant had noe knowledge of the intentions of his heart till by word of mouth he had reuealed them vnto his friend froÌ„ that time kept close his good purposes vnder the vayle of silence and meaning as the prouerb saies to cozen the old ourtier he dissembled for a while his intended penance till at length when he thought his enemie sleeped he entred into his iourney towards S. VLFRICK wherein he had prosperous successe till he came neere vnto the Village of Haslebury where entring the foord of the riuer that ranne thereby with great hope to receaue help from the holy man his ancient enemie the deuill suddenly layd violent hands vppon him bellowing in his eares with a hellish furie and anger such rude and rough speeches that struck terrour into the poore man O thou traytour sayd he what meanest thou to doe In vaine thou endeauourest to breake off our former bargaine for as well for they first treason in reuouncing God as now for seeking to renounce me to whom thou belongest thou shalt presently suffer a iust punishment in this water And withall he held him soe fast in the midest of the riuer that he could nether stirre forward nor backward In the meane time S. VLFRICK who had a reuelation of all this passage called his Priest vnto him and bad him presently take the crosse and holy The vertue of holy waer water in his hands and make great hast to succour a poore man whom the deuill held captiue in the riuer at the townes end Who speedyly obeying his commaund ranne thither and found as the holy man had foretould a man sitting an horseback in the middest of the riuer not able to mooue on whom presently in the name of IESVS CHRIST and in vertue of his master hauing cast some of his holy water he redeemed the prey and patt the tâ—eefe to flight This done he returned with ioy to S. VLFRICK togeather with the poore man whose coÌ„panie the deuill being verie vnwilling to loose followed after his late prey and seeing him stand before the holy man he sayd fast hould on him who cried maynly out to the seruaÌ„t of god for succour TheÌ„ S. VIFRICK taking him by the right haÌ„d He freeth one giuen to the deuill the deuill was soe bold as to shake him by the left striuing as much as he was able to drawe him away with him till the Sainct throwing with
because it was to consist cheefly of Nouices both in fayth and vertue that came thither mooued with the great fame of his Sainctitie to be brought vp in the right way of good life he was not soe strict and rigorous in prescribing them the lawes of regular discipline following the words of our Saui our My yoake is sweet and my burden light But him self with certaine other old beaten disciples of his led a farre more Math. 11. rigid and austere kind of life thereby to draw the yong beginners by litle and litle to the same straightnes of monasticall discipline In the meane time S. SWIBERT ceased not dayly to preach to those rude stiffe-nekt people whereby maine were conuerted to the fayth and baptised He was wonderfully inclined to giue almes a great contemner of worldly pompe vanities with hope of eternall rewards his mind was aspiring in nothing but to the loue of God the kingdome of heauen and heauenly things and therefore he was specially endowed by God with so manie diuine guifts vertues and graces whereby he appeared most gratefull to the whole world and shined as a pretious gemme amidst his monasticall clergie And as among the Gentils he wrought famous deeds for the aduancement of the holy Ghospell our lord him self cooperating and confirming his speech with Mar. 16. signes of diuers miracles following soe likewise in his monasterie at Werdt he worthyly profitted both him self and others in the continuall exercise of monasticall rule and discipline dayly proceeding from vertue to vertue to come to the cleere vision of the God of Gods in Sion Psal â—3 v. 7. At length when he had most worthyly gouerned his monasterie the space of three yeares allmightie God the superabundant reward of his seruants who through a corporall death translateth the liuely stones of his Church to his heauenly building voutchafed to call this glorious champion of the Catholick fayth S. SWIBERT out of this He falleth sick earthly conflict to receiue the euerflorishing crowne of his labours in heauen For in the yeare of our lord 717. replenished with all manner of vertues and good workes burning from the verie bottom of his heart with an extreme desire to enioy the vision of allmightie God on the feast of S. PETERS chayre in Februarie hauing celebrated the dreadfull sacrifice of the Altar he was taken with a grieuous disease which confined him to his bed and feeling it dayly grow more and more vppon him he assembled his Conuent of Monks togeather with a dieing voyce admonished them to remayne in the true obseruance of mutual loue and charitie and of monastical and regular discipline letting them know withall that the hower of his departure was neere at hand Which words caused a showre of teares to beare witnes in them how dearly they loued and what a greef is was to them to be separated from soe good and pious a Father But he cheering them vp sayd They ought rather to reioyce then weepe for that he was goeing to receaue the most glorious reward of his labours desiring them to arme the departure of his frailtie with the charitable dutie and protection of their prayers At length the happie hower being come he caused masse to be celebrated before him encompassed round with his holy monks and strengthening him self with the sacred viaticum of His happy death our Lords bodie he gaue his benediction to all the assistance and in a sweet sleepe of death gaue vp his blessed soule into the hands of his creat our His face seemed presently to shine with beames of glorie and the chamber was replenished with most sweet and comfortable perfumes to the great ioy and admiration of the assistants He died in the threescore and ninth yeare of his age the first day of March being friday at noone the same hower that the Sauiour of the world reuiuing vs sinners with his bitter death and passion layd open the gates of heauen vnto vs. XII HIS holy bodie being placed in the midst of the Church Miracles at his dead bodie whilst the monks executed his funerall office one possessed with the deuill by touching the biere whereon he lay was perfectly deliuered from that hellish guest And by the same meanes and at the same time a blind man recouered his sight and one that was quite madd was restored to the perfect vse of his senses to the great ioy and comfort of the beholders The sunday following with great deuotion and solemnitie his sacred bodie was committed to a house of clay by S. WILLIBRORD Archbishop of Vtrieght and S. WILLEICK his companion in the Church of his owne Monasterie at Werdt Manie other miracles done at his toÌ„be are very authentically recorded by S. MARCELLINE which for breuities sake me omitt Only one I will briefly rehearse of which as of all that hath been sayd the same authour S. Marceline was an eye-witnesse XIII A YONG man of Werdt called Sweder chancing to dine in the companie of some wicked Westphalians at a Pagâ— towne named S 〈…〉 the whole discourse of those bacon-fed Wesâ—phalians grew to be of the generous power of their Pagan-Gods and the impotencie of CHRIST the God of the ChristiaÌ„s which Sweder who was a Christian not able to endure very honestly began to rehearse in his defence the vertues and miracles which our Lord had wrought did daily worke at Werdt by the merits of S. SWIBERT The Pagans whose heads were now a litle too full of the vertues and strength of their God Bacchus finding Sweder to be a Christian rose vp in great furie against him and hauing with manie blowes layd on his back and sides made him feele some part of the strength their gods had giuen them they cutt out his tongue that had been soe nimble in praysing the God of the Christians hoping thereby to gett them selues crownes of baies from their owne Gods This done they returned Diuers strucken blind for biasphemie in iouiall triuÌ„ph to their dinner where as in their winie conference they vomitted manie opprobrious blasphemies against CHRIST and his holy Bishop S. SWIBERT they were suddenly strucken with blindnes and the loaues of bread before them which they could not see were turned into soe manie stones Whilst poore Sweder the enemie of their gods lay as a miserable creature in the durtie streets wallowing in his owne bloud being not able for want of a tongue to call for anie helpe in his miserie but in heart he deuoutly prayed vnto S. SWIBERT for the conuâ—rsion of those blasphemous Heathens who now finding but not seeing that the râ—uengfull God of the Christians had giuen them a remembrance of his power they began with repentant teares to call vppon S. SWIBERT for ayde desiring withall to haue the poore Christian whom soe roughly they had handled to be brought in to demaund of him pardon for their fault But noe man gaue eare to their crying all the seruants of the house running
cittie vntill as soe sacred an order required all the diuine rites and ceremonies might duely and gloriously be accomplished towards him But he found meanes to be secretly He is miraculously betrayed by a pillar of fier conueyed out of towne by the helpe of certaine merchants and soe hidd him self in vncouth places for the space of three daies vntill the poeple of Rome with fasting and prayer obtayned the discouerie of that lost treasure by a bright pillar of fier sent from aboue which glittering a good part of the night in a direct line from the heaueÌ„s ouer his head reuealed their wished desire to those that sought him And at the same time there appeared to a certaine Anachorite liuing neere the cittie angels descending and ascending by the same fiery pillar vppon him Hence the Anachoret taking a sacred and happy signification of that ladder which holy Iacob saw in his sleepe cried out that there was the house of our Lord and that he shoud be the ruler of Gods house which is the Church yea the temple of God sayd he lies hidden there At length the elect and beloued seruant of God was found apprehended and brought to the Church of Blessed PETER the Apostle where he was consecrated in the Office of Episcopall autoritie and made Pope of Rome IX AT THIS time being reprehended by Iohn Bishop of Rauenna that he soe fitt a man by concealing him self would seeke to His writings auoyd that Pastoral charge he tooke this occasion to write that excellent booke called the Pastoral care wherein he made it manifestly appeare what manner of men ought to be chosen for the gouernment of the Church how the rulers them selues should gouerne their owne liues with what discretion they were to instruct their subiects of all kinds and with how great consideration they were bound dayly to reflect vppon their owne frailtie He writt allsoe the fower bookes of Dialogues at the request of Peter his Decon in which for an example to posteritie he collected the vertues of the Saincts of Italie which he eyther knew or could heare to be the most famous and as in the bookes of his homelies and expositions he taught what vertues are to be practised soe in his writings of the Saincts and their miracles he would demonstrate how great the excellencie of the same vertues is Allsoe in twentie and two homelies he expounded the first and last part of the Prophet Ezechiel which seemed to containe greatest obscuritie declared how great light lay hid therein Moreouer he writt vppon the Prouerbs and the Canticles of the Prophets of the bookes of Kings of the bookes of Moyses and manie others with verie manie Epistles which for breuities sake I omitt to cite in particular And that which most of all I wonder at is that he could compile soe manie and soe great volumes when allmost all the time of his His manie afflictions with sicknes youth that I may vse his owne phrase he was tormented with such cruell gripings and paines of his entrailles that euerie hower and moment the vertue and strength of his stomake being ouerthrowne the fainted He gasped allsoe with the paines of feauers which albeit they were but slack yet were they continuall and oftentimes he was vehemently tormented with the goute X. BVT IN the meane time while he carefully considered that as the scripture witnesseth euery child that is receaued in scourged by how much the more he was more rudely depressed with present euills soe much the surer he presumed of his eternall reward Moreouer he was tired with a continuall care in ordayned a watch His great care of the Church ouer the cittie to garde it from enemies Allsoe he bore a mind full of feare dayly by reason of the dangers he often heard his ghostly children and subiects were in But being besett on all sides with such and soe manie encumbrances yet he was neuer idle or at rest but ether did somwhat for the encrease and furtherance of his subiects and spirituall children or writt something worthy the Church or els laboured by the grace of diuine contemplation to make him self familiar with the secrets of heauen In summe when very manie allmost out of all parts of Italie fearing the sword of the Longobards flocked on all sides to the Cittie of Rome he His great pietie and charitie most diligently cared for them all and feeding their soules with his diuine sermons he prouided them allsoe with sufficient succour and nourishment for the bodie For his soule was soe coÌ„quered with the loue of pittie that he did not only giue comfort and succour to those that were present with him but to such as liued farre off he would likewise impart the pious workes of his bountie in soe much that he sent helpes to some seruants of God that liued in the Mount Sinai For indeed other Bishops bent their endeauours chiefly in building and adorning Churches with gould and siluer but this allbeit he was not wanting herein yet did he in a manner omitt those good works that he might wholly entirely applie him self to the gayning of soules and what soeuer money he could gett he was carefull to distribute and giue it to the poore that his righteousnes Psal 3. v. 8 Job 29. 13. might remayne euer and his authoritie be exalted in glory Soe that he might truely say that of holy Iob The Benediction of one in distresse came vpon me and I comsorted the heart of the widdowe I am cloathed with iustice and I haue cloathed my self with my owne iudgement as with a garment a diadem J was an eye to the blind and a foote to the lame J was a father of the poore most diligently J searched out a cause which J knew not And a little after See yf I haue eaten my morsell of bread alone and the orphan hath not Ibid. c. 31. 18. eaten of it bâ—cause from my infancie pittie grew togeather with me and came with me out of my mothers wombe XI ON AND not the lest of his workes of pietie and zeale was the deliuering of the English Nation by his preachers thither sent out of the seruitude of the auncient enemie to be made participant of the euerlasting freedom For whosoeuer faythfully adhereth vnto our Lord shall of his bountifull reward haue aduancemeÌ„t dayly to higher matters Therefore while this holy man laboured with ardent desire to gather togeather by parcels an haruest of faythfull soules our pious Lord gaue him the great grace to conuert the whole nation of the English Of which coÌ„uersion performed without question by the speciall prouidence of allmightie God this was the occasion As vpoÌ„ a time some marchants came to Rome with diuers kinds of marchandise to be sould and that manie poeple flocked to the Market place some to buy others to see it happened that GREGORY before he He findeth English-men to be fould in Rome was adorned with the Papall
ditch euer after Then S. PATRICK went to Milcho vnder whom he had liued before in seruitude and Milcho burneth him self his goods now he hoped to deliuer him from the seruitude of the Deuill to the sweet freedom of CHRISTS ghospel But he hearing of his coming those rather to giue him self a perpetuall slaue to hell then to seeme to become subiect to him that before had been his seruant For hauing gathered all his wealth and goods togeather into a heape putt him self into the midst he sett all on fier hauing soe burnt his bodie in sacrifice to the deuill he made as it were a torch of his riches to light his soule the direct way to hell This being seene and vnderstood by Sainct PATRICK he sighed and wept grieuously for the space of two howers and at leÌ„gth opening his prophetick mouth he foretould that in punishment of this wickednes none of his children or generation should euer enioy the gouernment of their fathers estate but should liue as slaues all their life time as after wards it fell out And S. PATRICK returning back to his beloued friend Dichu stayed somes daies with hâ—m continually preaching teaching and strengthening the Christian faith with his wonderfull learning He ouerthroweth the Magitians zeale miracles soe that the Idols of Paganisme began euery where to be destroyed and the number of Christians dayly encreased And allbeit his good endeauours were most cruelly resisted by the Magitians whereof that Countrey was full yea by the maine vpholder of magicians the chiefest King of all the Countrey yet strengthened with the armour of Gods heauenly grace and a secure conscience he passed through all those difficulties For like vnto an other PETER he called downe a magitian that in defence of his Idolatrie was flying towards heauen to receaue deaths rude salutation on the earth And as an other Moyses who putt downe the Magitians of Egipt he ouercame manie doctours of that black art in shewing of strainge signes and miracles which discouered and dissipated all the fantasticall illusions and deceipts of their hellish practises V. BVT King Leogaires heart like a second Pharao was hardened The kingâ— malice against S. Patrick soe farre that the more vertues shined in S. PATRICK the more he endeauoured to exercise his renengfull wrath against him for seeing his magitians whom soe highly he fauoured by his meanes confounded and especially to reuenge the death of his greatest diabolicall fauourite he assembled a troupe of men togeather to murder him which the holy man perceauing with an vndaunted courage went towards them vsing that verse of the Psalme Let God rise and his enemies be dissipated and let those that hate him Psal 6â— v. 1. flie from before his face When on a suddaine there arose such a terrible His wicked troupes are dispersed earth-quake such horrible thunder-clapps threatning to shiueâ— the vautes of heaueÌ„n into peeces appeared in the glittering skies that some of that euill-minded companie were slaine out right others totally disheartned and the whole crew putt to flight And such a spiritt of giddines seazed their distempered braines that they fell furiously one vppon an other friend and brother against brother till the greatest part of them were slaine only some few escaped away sorely wounded The King him self being shrewdly affrighted herewith fled secretly away and hid him self out of the reach of that madding multitude The queene came humbly and reuerently vnto the holy Bishop to entreat peace promising to induce her husband to receaue the Christian fayth And he according to the Leodegaires sayned friendship discouered agreement came to the holy man and falling on his knees fayned in wordes to adore Christ whom his heart neuer thought on and promising to obey all his admonitions he falsely inuited PATRICK to voutchsafe the nextday to honour his house with hispreseÌ„ce Who all beit he knew by reuelation the deceiptfull heart of that Host yet putting his whole confidence in allmightie God he yielded to his request and on the morrow through all the death-threatning watches and ambushes layd for him by the way he passed vnknowne vnseene till he came to Taragh where then the king was entred the Pallace hall as they were at dinner to the great admiration of the whole companie Then by the instigation of the king manie damnable plotts were practised against his life by those magick professours of deuilishnes all which through the power of our Lords holy protection the vertue of the holy crosse he not only miraculously escaped but vtterly ruined and destroyed by his contrarie signes and miracles But all this heate of vertue did nothing mollifie the iron-heart of Leogaire but rather incensed him more and more against the And all his followers swallowed vp in the earth holy maÌ„ seeing his workes preuayle soe much ouer the power of his hellish doctours Therefore againe he mustered a troupe of damned ministers to murder him But before they could bring their wicked purposes to effect the earth not able to beare such wickednes anie longer opened vnder theÌ„ swallowed vp their bodies aliue to send their soules to the mercilesse gulph of hell Which being seene vnderstood by the inhabitans of that countrey they were struckeÌ„ with exceeding terrour and amazemeÌ„t lest they should come to the like mishap they all beleeued in IESVS-CHRIST and throÌ„ged togeather to receaue the holy SacrameÌ„t of Baptisme And the king huÌ„bly demauÌ„ded pardoÌ„ for his temeritie which the sainct easyly gaue him but could not perswade him to embrace the ChristiaÌ„ fayth therefore he left him to followe his owne waies prophesying that for his hardnes of heart none of his generatioÌ„ should afterwards enioy his kingdom But his queene beleeued was Baptised and ended her daies happyly VI. AND S. PATRICK hauing confirmed those new Christians in The queene becometh a Christian their fayth tooke shipping and sayled to the Prouince of Meth where he came on land at the mouth of the riuer Boin But leauing those barbarous poeple in the Blindnes of their Idolatrie he went to one Conallus a great man in those parts and brother to the foresayd Leogaire and him he conuerted to the Christian fayth And thence he departed to the Prouince of Conaght where being at his entrie much resisted by two magitians his ordinarie enemies at leÌ„gth ouercome with miracles they beleeued in IESVS-CHRIST and were Baptised Therefore the holy man holding on his course of preaching destroyed as he went all Idols and in a publick assemblie of a verie great multitude of people where were allsoe present the seauen sohnes of Amblaich all famous for nobilitie of birth dignitie power and riches the man of God that he might in such a multitude gaine manie soules to CHRIST gott into the verie thickest of See the courage confidence of S. Patrick the throng and lifting vp his spirituall weapons of the ghospell to cutt downe the brambles of
the exercising of iustice and obtayning of their soules health Besides all this he was wonderfully endowed with the spiritt of prophesie by vertue whereof he foretould verie manie things to come and had the perfect knowledge of things absent as yf they had bin present within the view of his owne corporall eyes And namely of the Saincts that should liue in Ireland and specially within the Prouinces of Conaght Munster for the space of a hundred yeares after he foretould the names vertues and places of their habitation Whomsoeuer he ether bound or absolued the diuine iustice approoued by euident signes to be bound and absolued Those vnto whom he imparted his benedictioÌ„ receaued the Blessing of our Lord and against whomsoeuer he pronounced the dreadfull sentence of his curse appeared straight replenished with the effects of malediction And whatsoeuer sentence proceeded from his mouth seemed to remyane soe irreuocably ratified as yf it had bin denouÌ„ced froÌ„ the tribunall of the allmightie Iudge Whence we may manifestly gather that the holy man firmly adhering vnto our Lord became one spiritt with him But albeit in some and most of his vertues he ether paralelled or excelled other His wonder full humilitie Saincts of Gods Church yet in humilitie he ouercame him self For in his epistles letters he was wont to nominate him self the lowest left and contemptiblest of all sinners And making small account of the wonderfull miracles and signes he wrought he would not daâ—e to iudge him self equall to anie the meanest man in perfection Nether amongst all these vertuous employments did he omitt to exercise him self in manuall labour as in fishing and tilling the earth but chiefly in building of Churches he would both with word and example incite his disciples to putt to their helping hands When neuerthelesse he did most instantly insist in baptising of the poeple and ordering clergimen for Church-seruice For he consecrated with his owne hands three hundred and fiftie Bishops he founded seauen hundred Churches and promoted fiue His infinite miacles thousand persons to the degree and dignitie of priesthood But of other clergimen of inferiour orders of Monkes and Nunnes which he segregated from the world to the diuine seruice none but he can tell the number who knoweth and foreseeth all things In this most holy manner running ouer the daies of this present life to attayne to the desired prize and reward of the future he florished with soe manie and soe great miracles that therein he is second to none of the Saincts his predecessours The blind the lame the dease the dumb the lunatick the leapers and all other diseased and grieued persons in the name of the Blessed Trinitie and by vertue of the holy Crosse of our redemption he restored to perfect health and the natutall function of their limmes Among which he is reported to haue bin the meruailous rayser of thirtie three from death to life a thing not read of anie other sainct of Gods Church Of which and other his miracles vertues thereescore and six bookes are sayd to haue bin written the greatest part whereof perished in the violence of fier during the raygne of GurmuÌ„d Turgesins But fower treatises of his life writteÌ„ at diuers times fower of his disciples S. BENIâ—NVS his successor S. MEL his nephew LVMAN Bishops little S. PATRICK his deare child are fouÌ„d yet extant And S. EVIN allsoe coÌ„piled his life in one volume partly in Latine partly in Jrish Out all which Iocelinus a Monk of Furne the authour of his life whoÌ„ wee haue followed in this historie maketh profession to haue gathered his whole treatise of S. PATRICK XII AT length the beloued seruant of allmightie God S. PATRICK He foreseeth his owne death loaden with age and merits hauing now faythfully and strongly ended the course of the charge committed vnto him foresaw both by diuine reuelation and the dissolution of his owne bodie that the eueâ—ing of his life was at hand And being in the Prouince of Vâ—ster not farre from the cittie of Downe and with him the pretious pearle of Jreland S. BRIGITT and a great number more of Ecclesiasticall and religious persons as the blessed sainct preached vnto them of the heauenly glorie of the saincts and the dwellings of the happie a glittering light appeared ouer the East part of the Church-yard of Down which was supposed to deseigne the place ordayned for his sacred buriall And this being soe expounded by S. BRIGITT the same light presently returned out of their sight towards heauen to foreshew thereby that his Blessed soule should in like sort ascend to the ioics of Paradise Then S. BRIGITT who had He falleth 〈◊〉 a desire he should be wrapt in a shrowd which purposely she had made for that end hastened to her monasterie to fetch it When in the meane time the holy man retired him self to the next monasterie where in the midst of a great multitude of his deuout monks he layd him downe on the bed of his last sicknes expecting the end of this mortall life or rather happily aspiring to the beginning of the immortall Vntill the disease growing still stronger drawne on with the weight of old age or rather our Lord calling him to a crowne of iustice the most blessed and happie bishop felt the hower of his death to draw-neere and reioysed that now he was arriued at the secure haueÌ„ of life into which through the gates of death he hastened Therfore being by the hands of S. THASACK Bishop his disciple armed with the diuine sacraments of the Church and lifting vp his eyes His happie departure to heauen like an other saint STEPHEN he beheld CHRIST IESVS in the midst of whole troupes of Angels expecting to receaue him into the euerlasting ioyes Into whose sacred hands blessing his disciples and commending them to God he deliuered vp his most pure soule passing out the thâ—â—ldon of this world to the neuer-dying â—oies of heauen O most blessed man to whom the heauens were layd open whom togeather with a lillie white companie of Virgins MARIS the imaculate Queene of heauen receiued whom legions of Angels admitted into their diuine quiers whom the foreseeing troupe of holy prophets doe accompanie whom the iudiciall Senate of the Apostles embraceth whom the laureat crownes of sacred martirs bautifieth the asseÌ„blie of glorious confessors adorneth and whom an innumerable multitude of all Gods elect Saincts and heauenly burgesses doe honour and glorisie for euer XIII HE DIED the seaueÌ„teeÌ„th day of March in the yeare of our Lord 493. in the first yeare of Anastasius the Emperour and in the hundred A summarie of his life tweÌ„tie third yeare of his age At the age of sixteene he was carried into banishment six yeares he liued therein eighteen yeares he spent vnder the tutorship of S. GERMAN and S. MARTIN his masters at the age of fiftie fiue yeares ennobled with the dignitie of Bishop he entred into Jreland
masse but with an abundaÌ„t shedding of teares worthyly imitating thereby the misterie he had in hand when offering vp the sacrifice of our Lords bitter passion he allsoe sacrificed him self to God by inward contrition of his deuout soule He was feruent seuere in the zeale of iustice to correct sinners but verie mild in pardoning the penitent in so much that manie times hearing the confessions of sinners he him self pittying their pittisull estates would burst out into teares shewing the sinner what he ought to doe by his owne example With these and such other spirituall exercises this Venerable man engraffed in the hearts of good men a singular affection to imitate his vertues and recalled those that were stubborne and rebellious to a regular life out of the obstinate opinions of their errour X. AFTER he had spent some yeares in that monasterie he He embraceth a solitary life obtayned leaue of his Abbot and brethren to betake him self to the sweet lonelines of a long desired solitude reioycing that from the exercise of an actiue life he was thought worthie to ascend to the leasure of diuine contemplation He departed therefore into the Iland FARNEN soe infamous by the habitation and infection of deuilish spiritts that none durst euer before dwell there alone But this Ice our holy CVTHBERT brake when like a worthie champion armed with the helmet of health the bucklar of Fayth and the sword of the spiritt which is the word of God he opposed him self against that hellish crew and dissipated dissolued and putt to flight all their infernall troupes And this chaÌ„pioÌ„ of CHRIST hauing subdued the forces of these black Tirans and now made monarke of that little land he built a cittie befitting his empire and houses therein agreeing vnto it Which was a little poore cottage with mudd walles made of turfe and couered with straw and in that earthen lodge this holy domesticque He obtayneth a foütaine by his prayers lead a heauenly and angelicall life But his habitation being destitute of water following an other miracle of our great father S. BENEDICT he obtayned by his prayers to Allmightie God to haue a sweet cristall fountaine spring out of the hard rock with which and a little bread which was sometimes bestowed vppon him he satisfied his thirst and hunger In this place being visited by his brethren he would goe out of his cell to meete them and wash their feet with warme water and sometimes being compelled therevnto he would permitt them to wash his feete For soe farre he had turned his mind from the decking of his bodie to labour in the adorning of his soule that sometimes for a whole moneth togeather nay for the space of a yeare he did not once putt off his shoes Whence it was that through his continuall praying and kneeling a great thicknes of hard skinne was growne ouer his feete Then his desire of perfection His extreme solitarines dayly encreasing he shutt him self close prisoner in his house of clay leading a most solitarie life in continuall watching fasting and prayer admitting verie few to talke with him and that but through a window and vppon some important necessitie He liued by the labour of his hands digging and tilling the earth sowing it first with wheate which his brethreÌ„ brought him but that his weake laÌ„d would not bring to good therefore he sowed it with barley which encreased in great abundance When the byrds that in great troupes sought to deuour his liâ—le haruest were forced at his only coÌ„mauÌ„d to depart The byrd oâ— the ayre obey his commaund neuer more touched his corne The like he commaunded and was obeyed by the crowes and dawes which laboured to teare off the thatch of his humble buildings But one of them returning againe to the holy maÌ„ lameÌ„tably spreading her wings abrode bowing downe her head making a pittifull noise seemed by all signes possible to entreate pardon Which the holy man vnderstanding gaue her leaue to returne as presently she did bringing a mate with her for a present to the Sainct the one half of a hoggs grease which the holy man The seas and elements serue him was wont afterward to shew oftentimes to the monks his brethreÌ„ giue them part of it to liquour their shoes or bootes See here againe the spiritt of his great Master S. BENEDICT in the obedience seruice of the crowes But not only the creatures of the ayre waters earth but the verie elemeÌ„ts themselues obeyed him yea the vntuly waues of the seas did serue him when they cast vpon land a peece of timber iust of the length he desired with which his brethren contrarie to promise had forgotten to furnish him before weere now much abashed to see an insensible elemeÌ„t more carefull to serue him then they Whilst thus he liued in his solitarie course manie out of all parts of EnglaÌ„d drawne thither with the fame of his vertues came to visite him whence none euer returned but very well satisfied coÌ„forted and deliuered from what anguish or trouble soeuer eyther of mind or bodie Vnto S. ELFLED Abbesse he foretould the time of King Egfrid her brothers death who should be his successor with manie other particularities all which truely fell out afterwards XI BVT a Councell being held at Adtwiford vnder S. THEODORE Archbishop of Canturbury in the presence of King Egfrid by the coÌ„mon present and desire of all CYTHBERT was chosen bishop of Lindisfarne Who being by manie letters and legats sent from the King He refusoth a bishoprick Councell called to the Sinod and to receaue that charge he would not stirre a foote soe vnworthie he that was most worthie iudged him self of that dignitie At length good King Egfrid him self togeather with the most holy bishop Trumwine manie other religious noble persons went ouer into the IlaÌ„d falling all vpon their knees before the holy man with weeping teares humble entreaties they besought him and coniured him by the name of our Lord not to resist the wishes and desires of soe manie and to oppose him self to the coÌ„mon good of the Church nether did they cease vntill CVTHBERT He is compelled to take it as full of teares and sorrow as an honest heart could be suffered him self to be drawne out of his beloued cell of solitarines and brought into the Councell where being vehemently vrged of all he was compelled much against his will to yield to their desires XII THE Easter following he was coÌ„secrated Bish of Lindisfarne in presence of the King blessed Theodore of CaÌ„turbury 7. other bishops at Yorke In which office he soe worthily dischardged him self that he omitted nothing of those duties which are wont or ought S. Cuthbert made Bishop of Yorke to be performed of the perfectest and holiest prelats of the Church protecting his flock with his dayly prayers feeding it with his vertuous and piousad monitions
which best becomes all teachers making his owne example and outward manner of conuersation the perfect rule of what he taught And of his internall vertues perfection the signes and miracles which he wrought as he trauelled ouer Manie miracles his diocesse preaching teaching and confirming his poeple gaue sufficiét testimonie One Baldhelm a seruāt of one of King Egsrids noble men and the wife of a great Count drinking only of the water hallowed by his prayers were both suddenly perfectly cured of most grieuous and mortall diseases when all men quite despayred of their health An other holy Virgin who a long time had layn languishing of a grieuous payne in her head and side being annointed with holy oile hallowed by S. CVTHBERT felt her self better at the verie same instant and within a few daies was perfectly cured And Hildmer an officer of King Egsrid in drinking a little water into which was putt some bread hallowed by S. CVTHBERT receaued a perfect recouerie of a disease incurable by anie humane skill XIII As ONCE he visited his diocese he chaunced to come among the rude mountaines and rocks to teach and confirme those rustick poeple who not hauing anie Church neere to receaue the holy man into they erected tents and boothes in the way such as they could make of boughs branches cutt from the greene trees where he remayned for the space of two dayes preaching ministring the The sacrament of confirmation giuen by S. Cuth He cureth two of the Plague sacrament of Confirmation to such as had not yet receaued it whē in the midest of all behould there came some woemen to him carrying a youth grieuously infected with the plague humbly desiring the helpe of his holy prayers benediction by vertue of which presently he restored that diseased person to perfect health whose disease had allreadie giuen the foile to all the skill of phisick But hauing receaued his holy benediction he whose weaknes was carried thither walked home with the rest in health and iollitie In like manner he cured an other child dying of the plague by giuing him a kisse and making the signe of the Crosse vppon him And by vertue of the same Crosse he turned water into wine But we should neuer haue an endyf we rehearse all his vertues in particular XIV THEREFORE hauing exercised the office and dignitie of a Bishop for the space of two yeares with an admirable applause both He leaueth his Bishoprick and returne to the desert of holines and miracles foreseeing by the spiritt of prophesie that the hower of his death was at hand he resigned vp his pastorall charge and withdrew him self againe to the beloued habitation of his solitarie and eremiticall life there to consume with the flames of his auncient compunction whatsoeuer staines he had contracted in the managing of his worldly care and charge At that time of his departure being demaunded by one of his ancient monks when they should hope for his returne He answeared When you shall carrie my bodie hither And hauing passed ouer allmost two moneths in the great ioy of his recouered quietnes bruising his mind and bodie with the rigour of his accustomed peanance being taken with a sudden infirmitie he began through the fiers of a temporall grief to prepare his way to the sweet ioies and refreshments of eternall happines Three weekes togeather he was continually afflicted with sicknes vppon a wednsday he fell first into his disease and vppon a wednsday he died But what sore grieuances he endured all this time as well by his sicknes as the infernall spirits it is not easie to expresse especially for the space of fiue daies in which being destitute of all humane helpe and companie he was not able to mooue out of the place and being tormented with an extremitie of thirst he had nothing wherewith to refresh him self and quench it but one poore onion of which in those fiue dayes space he had scarse consumed the one half Then he desired his brethren to burie him in the same Iland of Farne on the East side of his Oratorie nere vnto a Crosse which him self had there erected but being ouercome with the vehement persuasions and earnest entreaties of the monks of Lindisfarne with much difficultie he consented they should burie him in their Church And at the same time a monk which only touched Touching the holy Bishop cureth the bloudie fluxe his bodie as he assisted him in his sicknes was cured of an otherwise incurable disease of the blouddie fluxe At length coming to the extremitie of his infirmitie which scarse allowed him strength to speake he began to bid his last adiew to his brethren earnestly recommending vnto them the obseruance of mutuall peace and charitie the care of keeping hospitalitie and aboue all things he strictly chardged them to remaine in the vnitie of the Church and in noe sort to haue anie communication with those who contrarie to the rites and custom of the same Catholick Church swearued from the Scismaticques must be auoyded true obseruance of Easter and he wished that they should rather leaue their monasterie and goe seek an habitation where it should please God to direct them then to vnite with such who like Schismaticks celebrated the feast of Easter at a wrong time Moroeuer endeauour most diligently sayd he to learne and obserue the Catholick statuts of our forefathers and particularly be verie carefull to follow those institutions of regular life which by my meanes the diuine goodnes hath voutchafed to bestow vppon you For His departure and buriall I know allthough in the iudgement of some I haue liued contemptibly yet after my death it will appeare what manner of man I haue bin and how my doctrine is not to be contemned With these and such like words this holy man hauing exhorted his dolefull brethrē and the night following hauing armed him self with the Sacred Viaticum of our Lords bodie lifting vp his hands and eyes towards heauen he yeelded vp his Blessed soule to the euerlasting ioies of heauen the twentith day of March in the yeare of our Lord 698. as sayth Baronius but 687. according to Sigebert His Sacred bodie was brought to Lindisfarne and there receaued by the conuent of Monks singing the prayles of allmightie God and with the resounding notes thereof it was buried with great solemnitie in S. PETERS Church in a coffin of stone on the right side of the aultar where with working of new miracles he witnessed the greatnes of the glorie and fauour he enioyed before the face of allmightie God XV. THERE was a child soe vehemently oppressed tormented by A Child miraculously dispossossed by the merit◠of S. Cuthbert the deuil that noe prayers nor exorcismes could worke anie good towards his deliuery from that wicked guest vntill a priest hauing compassion on his dolefull parents tooke some of that earth whereon the water was shed wherewith S. CVTHBERTS bodie was
washt powred it being dissolued in a little water into the mouth of that tortured infant wheÌ„ presently after manie fearfull cries lameÌ„table howlings he that before breathed nothing but furie and madnes fell into a most quiet sweet sleepe and the next morning he found him self wholly released from his accustomed rage and phrensie professing that he was freed froÌ„ that seruitude of the deuill that oppressed him by the meritts intercession of S. CVTHBERT Surely it was a miracle and a spectacle most delightfull to all good men to see that child walke the rounde of the holy Sepulchre with his father with a sound mind and iudgemeÌ„t render thanks vnto the Saincts for their assistance who but the day before through madnes rage furie nether knew him self what he was nor where he was The place where the foresayd water was powred is by the Church where he was buried towards the south And from that time manie miraculous cures were wrought with the samâ— earth a long time after But to the end that the saiÌ„ctitie of this glorious soule might be made more notable famous ouer the world it happened God soe disposing it for his greater glorie that eleueÌ„ yeares after his decease vppo some occasioÌ„ the moÌ„ks would needes take vp his Sacred bones imagining the flesh to he turned to that it came off to sett theÌ„ in a more eminet place or monument aboue ground Whereunto holy Eadbert his successour After 11. yeares his bodie and vestments are found vncorrupted verie willingly coÌ„sented caused his sepulcher to be opened on the verie day of his deposition where to the great admiration of all they fouÌ„d his bodie whole without the lest blemish of corruptioÌ„ his ioynts pliant flexible as yf he had bin aliue in a word more like vnto a man asleepe then to one that were dead Likewise all the vestments about him were not only entier and sound but shining as fresh and new as when they were made Wherevppon all the liuing that beheld this vnusuall miracle through feare amazemeÌ„t became for a while more like dead meÌ„ then the dead bodie they lookt on not daring scarse to speake or behould the miracle which appeared soe manifest At length coming a litle to theÌ„ selues by the councell of the Bishop S. EADBERT they wrapped that sacred treasure in new garmeÌ„ts for the old they had taken off putting it into a light shrine they placed it ouer the pauement where he had been buried XVI THE cloathes which had been worne about that Sacred bodie ether aliue or dead were not voyd from working manie miraculous cures And among others a monke of a monasterie not farre from Lindisfarne soe grieuously tormented with a cruell palsey that he had lost the vse of all his limnes and on whom the phisitians had prooued all their skill to be vaine had recourse to the diuine phisitian who cureth all diseases For he desired his seruant to bring him some particle of the garments which had been about the holy bodie of S. CVTHBERT in the graue for therby he hoped by the power of allmightie God and the merits of that Sainct to haue helpe The holy mans Shoes which he had worne eleuen A paralitiâ—que cured with the shoes of S Cuthbert yeares in the earth without consuming were brought which the diseased person had noe sooner putt on but recommending him self vnto the prayers of the holy man he fell into a sweet slumber and at midnight when it rung the first pulse to mattins he arose whole and sound and went ioyfully into the Church with the rest yeelding infinite thanks to allmightie God and S. CVTHBERT And yf such wonders are wrought by his shooes which were but as a defence to the lowest part of his bodie what cannot his glorious and thrice happie soule that is in heauen obtaine before the face of her allmightie Creatour This is an abridgement of what Venerable BEDE hath written of the life death and miracles of the moct glorious Sainct thrice worthie Prelat moct religious obseruer of monasticall discipline and bright ornanament of the BENEDICTIN familie S. CVTHBERT That which followes we haue carefully gathered out of IOHN CAPGRAVE SIMEON of DVRRHAM de Episc Dunel NICHOLAS Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 34. and others A historie oâ— the incorruption of S. Cuthberâ—s Lodie XVII WONDERFVLL surely are the miracles wrought by the allmightie power of God at the tombes and reliques of his Seruants which by the relatioÌ„ of the most approoued histories of the Church doe demonstrate and prooue vnto vs with how great meritt and fauour their blessed soules are adorned in the sight of God But of all other none is more wonderfull or of more efficacie to confirme our Christian beleef of the resurrection of the dead then that manie bodies of the Saincts haue remayned and doe yet remayne whole and vncorrupted of which strange kind of spectacle I know not whether there haue appeared in anie other Prouince of the Christian world more worthie and notable experiments then in this our Island of Great Britaine Our English Histories relate manie wonders of this kind of the bodies of S. EDWARD king and Confessor and S. EDMOND king and martir and S. ETHELDRED S. WERBVRG and S. ELPHEGVS Archbishop of Canturbury all three glorious branches of the Benedictine order But whether these haue remayned in that integritie to this our age it is not certaine But of S. CVTHBERT it is a thing most knowne and certaine And first we haue shewed before how after eleauen yeares he was found entier at the first opening of his Sepulcher as Venerable BEDE a witnes without all exceptioÌ„ doeth affirme But afterwards when the Danes furie cruelly wasted and spoyled all monasteries and Churches in England Eadulph Bishop of Lindisfarne hardly escaping their bloudie hands transported that vntainted bodie with him self to an other place When through the imminent slaughter which those Barbarians outragiously committed in the contrey he could not find a secure abode to rest in he wandred secretly vpp and downe allwaies carrying with him that Sacred bodie for the space of seauen yeares hauing Edred the Abbott and some others of the Clergie compartners of his flight and pilgrimage At last hauing lost all hope of conseruing them selues and that Sacred monument in England after a mature consultation they resolued to sayle ouer with it into Ireland But finding the rage of the seas through the horrible tempests that arose to be as much against their desires by water as the sword of the Barbarians by land they were compelled suddenly to returne from their aduenture that way But in this their entreprise at sea Two admirable accidents there happened two things verie wonderous for the waues of the sea which in a storme furiously flowed ouer the decks readie to ouer whelme the ship were suddenly chainged into gore bloud and a goodly booke of the holy ghospels couered with gould and rich
scripture to their remembrance The Apostles went reioycing from the face of the Councell because they were esteemed worthie Act. 5. to suffer contumelic for the name of CHRIST-IESVS And I confirme you in the same that these crosses and afflictions will one day The Church of Chicestet restored be changed into mirth and ioy But within a while he made the Pope acquainted with the kings stubborne answer and proceeding who wonderfully much pittying the holie mans case sent a thundring commaund vnto two bishops of England to admonish the King to make restitution to the Church of Chicester within such a time or that they should publish and denounce the heauie sentences contayned in his letters ouer the whole Kingdom By which meanes after two yeares affliction patiently endured the Church with her demaines and torne buildings readie to tumble into ruine were with difficultie restored againe to their true owner VI. AND the holy man being now seated in his Episcopall chayre A summarie of his vertues became in prayer more feruent then euer more bountifull and liberall in giuing of almes and more seuere in chastising his owne bodie Hence forth he was more attentiue and carefull towards the poore more negligent in decking and trimming his owne bodie and more modest in his speech and behauiour At his table he all waies vsed a spirituall lecture wherewith he fed his soule as well as his bodie with foode and sometimes the reader intermitting a while from his lesson they discoursed ether of those things that were read or some other pious and wholsom matter His custome was as he trauelled ouer his diocesse to make diligent inquirie after all poore and sick persons to whom he did not only giue large almes but allsoe out a of gratious and innate curtesie he would visitt them him self in person and verie carefully comfort and encourage them with the heauenly food of his pious admonitions And when his owne brother vnto whom he had coÌ„mitted the managing of his temporall affaires complained that all his yearly rents and reuenewes were not sufficient to giue almes soe largely and to such a multitude of poore Deare brother replied the holy Bishop doest thou think it fitt and reasonable that we eate and drink out of goulden and filuer vessels and that CHRIST be tormented with huÌ„ger in his poore As my father did before me soe can I eate out of an ordinarie platter and drinke in a plaine goddart Therefore let the gould and siluar plate be sould yea and the horse I ride one of soe great value let him goe too and let CHRISTS poore be succoured with the money Nether was he wont to maintaine the poore His wonderfull liberalitie to the poore only with meate and drinke but alsoe to giue cloathing to the naked and burie the deade with his owne hands Sometimes he would giue an almes before it was asked and being demaunded why he did soe It is written answeared he O Lord thou hast preuented him in the blessings of this sweetnes and indeed that which is obtayned by asking Psal 20. is bought but at a deare rate He appointed an hospitall for poore aged priests that were blind or otherwise impotent and feeble of bodie and that they should not purchase infamy to their holy function by publick begging abroad he prouided them with sufficient victuals and cloathing within the same house VII THIS his sainctitie did not want the testimonie of manie worthie The wonderfull mul tiplication of aloafe miracles among which one and not the lest was that one loafe was soe increased by his benediction that beyond the hope and expectation of those that were present three thousand poore people receaued their accustomed quantitie and portions and soe manie peeces remayned as according to the proportion of that distribution were sufficient to satisfie one hundred more Nether was it once or twise only that by vertue of his holie benediction such an abundant and miraculous encrease of things was caused but manie and sundrie times the like happened through his diuine power and bountie that openeth his hands and filleth euerie creature with his blessing Next to his skinne for the greater chastising of his Psal 144. bodie he vsed sometimes a hayre shirt sometimes a coate of maile His apparel and shoes not soe neate that they inferred an affectation nor yet more abiect then was fitting but in a meane well becomming his degree wherein he auoyded all The mâ—aÌ„nes of his appared signes of anie curious nouelties Nether would he endure to haue his horse trappings and furniture glittering with gould and siluer nether would he carrie about with him a superfluous chainge of apparell not only for the shunning of pompe but fearing lest the poore should crie out after him with that sentence of S. BERNARD What doeth gould in the bishops bridle whilst we poore wretches suffer cold and hunger VIII HAVING on a time excommunicated one Iohn Allen for an iniurie executed against the Church of Chicester and the same man coming often times to his court he would entertayne him very familiarly and make him stay dinner saying that as His charitie towards his aduersarie long as he was with in his hall he would not haue him tied with the censure of excommunication but when he was gone vnlesse he would satifie and make amends to the Church he absolutely held him for an excommunicate person He was wont allsoe to say that yf there were strife and contention of law betwixt parties each one striuing to recouer and defend his owne right the signes of charitie vsed among Christians ought not therefore to bee omitted or denied For be it sayd he that I must recouer my owne by law I ought not therefore to withdraw from my aduersarie that which it Gods right and my dutie Loue and Charitie And after this manner indeed he carried him self towards the Abbott of Fecam and Richard Earle of Cornwall and the Countesse of Kent with whom he had sutes and controuersies touching his Church allwaies repaying the contumelies and reproches of these great persons with honour and their enmities with good will His seueritie against the deâ—iourer of a sacred Virgin IX ONE of the Clergie that had enticed a Nunne out of her monasterie and deflowred her was by the authoritie of this holy Bishop most ignominiously depriued of his ecclesiasticall benefice and dignitie which he enioyed within the Diocesse And herein he was soe rigorous that when the King him self the Archbishop of Canturbury and manie other Bishops Peeres and Nobles of the realme made great sute and entreatie for his pardon the man of God shewed him self wholly inexorable in the execution of diuine iustice and striking his breast he sayd No no while the breath remaines in this bodie of mine such a ribald villaine that durst presume to violate a Virgin consecrated to God retayning her with him yet as a whore shall neuer by my consent haue the gouernment of soules
will I am most readie to endure all Thren 1. reproches and torments and death it self for thy sake and as thou knowest I speake the truth soe I beseeth thee to haue mercie vppon me for into thy hands I commend my soule And he repeated often times that of the Psalmist Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spiritt Turning him self allsoe to the B. Virgin MARIE Psal 10 Mother of God he sayd Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae tu nos ab hoste protegs hora mortis suscipe commaunding his Chaplains continually to sound those words in his cares And soe betweene the sighs of his pious deuotion and the words of sacred prayer in presence of manie religious priests and Clergimen and other faithfull Christians sainct RICHARD yielded vp his His blessed death soule into the hands of his Creatour to liue in the most happie societie of the heauenly citizens for euer about the six and fiftith yeare of his age the 9. yeare of his bishoprick the third day of Aprill about midnight At what time the heauenly spouse is sayd to Matth. 25. come to the eternall wedding His soule was noe sooner departed but his sacred bodie which in his life time had been tired with The beautie of his dead bodie much watching worne out with lying on the ground consumed with fasting torne and afflicted with stripes and other voluntarie punishments beyond humane suffrance appeared most cleere and beautifull in soe much that it seemed to beare a notable signe or token of the future resurrectior and next his skinne was found a sharp hayre-shirt and manie other iron girdles He was buried in the Church which he had newly consecrated a huge concurse of people coming from all parts of England to the celebration of his venerable exequies euerie one thinking himself happie that could but gett to touch ether the biere he was carried on or the lowest hemme of his sacred garments Rings and bracelets that had but touched his bodie they held for verie holy things and kept as reliques XIV AFTERWARDS his sacred bodie was translated to Chicester according to his desire and buried in a meane place before S. EDMONDS Altar which himself had erected in the north side of the Church Where as in his life time God allwaies wonderfull in his Saincts had wrought by him manie miracles curing the blind lame Manie miracles and diseased soe after his death he shewed by the merits of this holy man noe lesse but rather more wonderfull signes of holines when besides manie other benefitts and strange cures he restored three men from death to life and one child borne dead but reuiued by his meritts was presented at the age of fower yeares before the Inquisitours that were appoynted to take the information of saint RICHARDS life and miracles Nay his apparell being worne or but touched cured manie diseases and the sick persons that lay in his bed presently recouered their health All which miracles and manie more for breuities sake here omitted were written in those dayes as manifest and certaine truths and the booke was reserued in the Benedictin Abbey of saint Albans Which moued Pope Boniface the fourth to enroll him into the number of canonized Saincts about 20. yeares after his death in the raigne of Edward the first and his feast was celebrated in the Breuiarie of Sarum with an office of nine lessons this third day of Aprill This historie of his life is gathered out of that which is written at large by Radulph Bocking his confessor about the yeare 1240. Mathew Paris an 1259. Mathew Westminister an 1262. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 13. cap. 17. Camden and other graue authours make verie worthie mention of his vertues And Baronius sayth that Vrban the fourths letters for his canonization are extant in the Vatican librarie at Rome The life of Sainct ELSTAN Bishop of Wilton and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT APR. 6. Out of William Malmesbury de gest Pont. Anglo ELSTAN first a monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT in the monasterie of Abington vnder the gouernment of the famous S. ETHELWOLD afterwards bishop of Winchester was a man of wonderfull simplicitie and obedience A rare proofe thereof is seene in this accident For being commaunded by his foresayd Abbot to see that the workemen and artificers of the monasterie were dayly and duely prouided with necessary victualls he vndertooke that labour with great deuotion and playd the cooke himself in the preparing of their accustomed diet and serued them verie diligently and afterwards washed the dishes and other vessels with his owne hands whilst the Abbot all waies thought he had performed this dutie of obedience by the helpe of a seruant Till one day goeing about the offices of the monasterie as his custom was he chāced vnawares to to find ELSTAN standing by the cauldron that boyled on the fier and all the vessels verie neate and cleane and the roome newly swept The Abbot much delighted hereat Brother ELSTAN said he this Not the vertue of Prompt obedience obedience thou hast stolne from me But if thou art such a champiō as thou seemest to be putt thy bare hand presently into the boyling cauldron and fetch me a peece of meate out of the bottom The commaund was noe sooner out of his mouth but FLSTANS hand was in the boyling water whose vnresistable heate yeelded to the courage of his true fayth and obedience and did him noe hurt at all to the great admiration and comfort of the holy Abbot ELSTAN afterwards was made Abbot of Abington and lastly Bishop of Wilton in both which charges he discharged the part of a holy Prelate and ended his dayes verie happyly to receaue the reward of his obedience in heauen He florished about the yeare of our Lord 980. Thus much of him we haue gathered out of William Malmesbury de Pont. l. 3. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 10 cap. 9 and Wolstan in the life of S. Ethelwold the first day of August The life of Sainct GISLA and Sainct RICTRVDE Virgins of the sacred order of Sainct BENEDICT APR. 9. Out of diuers Authours GISLA and RICTRVDE borne in Kent of noble parents but much more ennobled with vertue and good learning from their verie youth gaue them selues to the studie of the elegancie of the latin tongue and other sciences vnder that excellent master S. ALCVINE a Benedictin Monk After whose departure out of England they liued in a monasterie at Canturbury vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT labouring and profitting dayly in the continuall exercises of vertue and learning diligently imitating S. MARIE Magdalen◠in the sweetnes of a contemplatiue and MARTHA in the labours of Their skill in learning an actiue life Being carefull first to profitt them selues in mortifications and meditations and then to shew external workes of charitie to their neighbours and peculiarly to comfort the afflicted Whence it was that hauing attayned to a sufficiencie of
hissing of serpents the neighing of horses the howling of wolues the roaring of lions the braying of asses the groning of beares the grunting of swine and diuers other most horrid noises which furiously encompasled him Against all which he vsed as braue patience and vertue as in times past those He confoundeth the deuils that assault him famous Ermites of Egipt so much praysed by S. HIEROM S. ATHONIE S. HILLARION and others and not long since our most worthie and memorable S. CVTHBERT in the Iland of Farne For being besieged as is aforesayd he armed him self with the signe of the holy Crosse saying It is in vaine Satan for thee to tempt me our Lord is my assistance and I will despise mine enemies It this the similitude of the Most-High which in times past thou wouldest assume to thy self in heauen art thou he who theÌ„ through pride didst aspire to the forme and liknes of God him self and now dost vilely and filthyly transforme thy self into the vglie shapes of brute and vncleane beasts Verely thou dost persecute CHRISTS poore seruants to thy owne great domage for by how much the more thou endeauourest to build vpon their backs by soe much the more resplendent crownes of glorie thou heapest on their heads to thyne owne confusion But turne into what shape thou wilt I am certaine that nether death nor Rom. 3. life nor angels nor powers nor principalities nor anie other creature shall be able to seperate me from the charitie and â—oue of God With these and such like words he putt to flight all those troupes of infernall monsters and euer after he not only ouercame all their hellish delusions plotts and sleights but allsoe gott absolute power and commaund ouer them as his slaues VII THEREFORE those wicked spiritts seeing they could not preuaile against him with their owne practises of mischief they incensed a clergiman that liued vnder his spirituall rules and gouernment called Bertheline with a wicked cogitation and temptation secretly to murder his holy master thereby to enioy as it were by inheritance that little house whatsoeuer else belonged vnto him But Bertilines He seeth the wicked practises of Berteline impious meaning being reuealed vnto the Sainct he sent for him and discouered vnto him all his secret counsels purposes to witt where when and by what meanes he had determined to execute that bloudie exploit Who presently falling prostrate at the holy mans feet with repeÌ„tant teares humbly craued obtained pardon euer after he was verie faythfull to S. GVTHIAKE remayned with him vntill death and had the honour to lay him in his graue Furthermore whilst he liued in this solitude his excellent counsell was ven profitable vnto manie for the good both of soule and bodie being famous allsoe for expelling deuils and curing diuers corporall diseases Manie things done a farre off he saw and declared as present and by the spirit of prophesie he foretould manie things to come long time before they happened He liued in this solitarines for the space of fifteen yeares in which time all his actions words and ininwardest His vertues in this solitarines cogitations breathed nothing else but sweet odours of pietie towards God and peace and charitie towards men Noe man euer saw him giue the lest signes of pride of mind or make the lest shew of anger in his countenance but in both he allwaies obserued one self-same setled and vnremoued constancie His aspect euer calme and quiet curteous and affable in his speech very prudent in giuing counsell of a singular humilitie of mind and a wonderfull continencie in his diett cloathing all things But allbeit the greatnes of the labours and afflictions whereunto he exposed him self in The loue of God ouercometh all difficulties this desert seeme after a manner to exceede all humane strength and power yet out of his immense loue to allmightie God and the allmost vndoubted and tried hope of future glorie they seemed verie light and pleasant vnto him All which God the only crowne of his saincts and their labours did wonderfully asswage and moderate with manie externe and interne consolations when besides others allreadie named the fowles of the ayre and fishes of the waters were seruicable and obedient to his commaunds and twise a day after he had been two yeares in the Ermitage morning and euening he He discour seth with an Angell deserued to intermingle most heauenly and vnexplicable discourses with an Angel which a little before his death being coniured thereunto him self confessed to Berteline who before had often heard him discourse but knew not with whom VIII IN the meane time he was visitted in this rude place by manie He is made Priest He coÌ„forteth King Ethelbald and ore relleth the restitution of his kingdom greate men by Hedda bishop who promoted him much against his will to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood by Ethelbald theÌ„ a banished man afterwards King of the Mercians who coming often to receaue some comfort in affliction from S. GVTHLAKE had great confidence by his prayers to be deliuered from the bloud-seeking hands his enemies Nether did his hope deceaue him for the holy man with the efficacie of his good counsell not only gaue new courage to his mind allmost quite ouerthrowne with sorrow and afflict ion bâ— allsoe by a propheticque spiritt foretould that through his prayers he should obtaine his kingdom and glorie againe and that his enemie had not long to line Only sayd he be mindfull that when allmightie God shall haue done well for thee thou be not vngratefull A certaine Abbot allsoe that came to visitt S. GVTHLAKE had giuen leaue to two of his clearks fayning some necessarie busines to goe to a village hard by where in a widdowes house they most wickedly gaue themselues to the works of gluttonie dronkennes and dishonestie In the meane time all their actions were reuealed to the holy man who tould the Abbot where they were what they sayd and did as distinctly as yf he had feene them The Abbot returning to his monasterie tould his clerkes where they had been with all other circumstances of words and works that had past whereby being much ashamed they humbly craued pardon for their fault IX A noble man belonging to the foresayd King Ethelbald and a yong man of Eastanglia both violently vexed and possessed by the He freeth two possessed persons deuill but the later soe extremely that he was madd allsoe in soe much that he would sett vppon all that came neere him with stones and staues and whatsoeuer else he could lay hould on whereby he slew three men that sought to bind him nether in his furie did he spare his owne bodie for with his teeth and nayles he would teare his flesh in peeces At length hauing been led by his friends to manie holie places all in vaine he was brought to S. GVTHLAKE who by a triduall perseuerance in fasting and
prayer springling him with holy See the vertue of fasting and prayer water draue away all power of the deuill and restored him safe and sound to his friends The other was freed by gyrding him self with S. GVTHLAKES Gyrdle About the same time the venerable Abbesse Eaburga sent a leaden coffin with a fine linnen shrowd to S. GVTHLAKE humbly and earnestly entreating him to permitt his bodie to be buried therein after his death desiring withall to vnderstand He foretelleth his successour who should succeed him in his hermitage The holy man vnwillingly receauing the present sent her word back that his successour was as yet a Heathen who shortly hauing receaued the sacramet of baptisme should inhabite that place as it came to passe for one called Cissa after his decease receaued the fayth of CHRIST and became his successour X. AT length the day of his death drawing neere he called Bertelinâ— vnto him And now sayd he my deare sonne I am goeing to receaue the rewards of my labours I desire to be dissolued to raigne He foreseeth his owne death with CHRIST my beloued Lord and Sauiour And after manie speeches he enioyned him to salute his sister Pega in his name entreate her to come to the buriall of his bodie I haue sayd he auoided her sight hitherunto in this mortall life that more securely we may enioy one and other in the immortall And as he pronounced these and manie other words full of pietie and consolation soe great a sweetnes proceeded from his mouth that Bertheline seemed to smell like flowers of roses scattered in the ayre or the distilled liquour of baulme But allmightie God as he had adorned him liuing in this world with manie worthie fauours and benefitts as well for his owne as for the health of others soe at the verie hower of his death after his departure he made him famous to the world with manie singular graces For falling sick the wendsday before Easter and departing this life the seauenth day following allbeit his forces were His denotion in his sicknes weake yet he forced him self beyond his weakenes to celebrate the dreadfull sacrifice of our sauiours Passion at the aultar on Easter day And from midnight vntill the morning before he died a bright shining light encompassed the little house where he lay At sunrising hauing strengthened him self againe with the viaticum of our Lords sacred bodie he spake to his faythfull disciple Berteline saying The His death time is come my deare sonne wherein I must passe to CHRIST lifting vp his hands and eyes to heauen he yeelded vp his most pure soule to receaue her reward in the heauenly paradise of all puritie the eleauenth day of Aprill When at the verie instant Berteline saw as it were a fierie tower reaching from heauen downe to the earth the brightnes whereof was soe wonderfull that the pale sunne might enuie soe great a lustre And the whole Iland seemed to be spread all ouer The Angels 〈◊〉 at his buriall with a most pleasant sweet smell of heauenly odours whilst the Angels them selues were heard to sing melodious tunes of ioy to the honour and encrease of his glorie In the meane time his godly sister Pega reioycing more then can be expressed at soe great glorie of her brother buried his holy bodie with great reuerence in his owne oratorie and at his buriall a blind man washing his eyes with the water whereinto was putt some salt hallowed before by S. GVTHLAKE receaued perfect sight XI HE DIED at the age of fortie seauen yeares at fower and twentie he begaÌ„ to follow the warres eight yeares he remayned in that fierce His bodie is found vncorrupted life and fifteene yeares he liued in the seruice of God in the desert But a yeare after his death his sister desiring togeather with manie other reuerend and holy Priests to translate his bodie to a more decent and eminent place they found him most whole and entier more like a man asleepe then dead For all the ioynts of his bodie were flexible agile as yf the humours had runne through the veines by force of the vitall spiritts and all the cloathes he was wrapped in were as fresh and fayre as the first day they were layd in Then the bodie was honourably placed in a tombe aboue ground with great ioy reuerence deuotion of all But the exiled King Ethelbald spoken off before hauing vnderstood the death of the holy man came in mornefull manner to the sepulcher where powring out manie teares he complayned that now he was truely left forsaken desolate more theÌ„ euer humbly desiring the Blessed Sainct by his meritts and intercession to obtaine his deliuerance out of those miserable afflictions Vnto whom S. GVTHLAKE appeared one night incoÌ„passed with resplendent bcames of glory coÌ„maunding him to sett aside all He appeareth to king Ethelbald care for that verie shortly all things would succeed according to his owne desire Which prophesie was not spoken in vaine for within a yeare his aduessarie died and he was restored againe to the free possession of his kingdome XII IN THE meane time S. GVTHLAKES tomb beganne to florish with wonderfull miracles for as manie faythfull Christians as came thither to demaund helpe in their necessities through his meritts intercession were not frustrate of their desire Nether was Ethelbald being restablished in his kingdome vnmindfull of his beloued Patrone For in the same place he built a goodly Church and a monasterie for the Benedictine Monks enriched it with abundant rents King â—thelbald buil 〈…〉 a the Benedictin Abbey of Croâ—â—and and reuenewes which was after called the Abbey of Crowland And in the same Church he erected a verie sumptuous and rich tombe ouer his sacred bodie Where allthough the place were full of fennes and marshes being seated betweene the riuer Nine the I le of Elie that it could not be come at but by boate yet that house was allwaies most opeÌ„ to the hospitalitie of all men in soe much that it â—as honoured with the litles of bountie ciuilitie and curtesie euen to the leter times Afterwards manie other kings and Princes endowed Jngulphus Hist Croiland the same monasterie with allmost innumerable riches and reuenews as appeareth by the history of Jngulphus a MoÌ„k of the same Abbey In which allsoe it is to be noted and not without cause that in all the variable chainge and declining of the times in soe long and furious an outrage of the Danes which ruined all such other monasteries this remayned allwaies inhabited allbeit the Church and other buildings were quite ruined and burnt with fier For in that time when the barbarous Danes spoyled wasted and robbed all the Monasteries of England the Abbot of Crowland called Theodore vnderstanding of their neere-approching ruine and threatned destruction sent all the yong monkes to the number of thirtie with the riches and reliques of S. CVTHLAKE and others
for breath that a man of His wonderfull humilitie soe great meritts and good works in the Church of God might securely passe out of this world to God Peace Brethren peace sayd he for I am as fearfull and carefull of this my iourney towards God as yf I had neuer done good work in all my life For yf by the assistance of diuine grace anie good hath been in me or anie fruit proceeded from my weaknes I greatly tremble and feare lest I haue not conserued the same grace with that reuerence and humilitie as was necessarie And armed with the shield of this prefect humilitie which his dying words testified to be well grounded in his heart he sweetly reposed in our Lord the 28. day of March but his feast is celebrated this seauenth of Aprill which is the day of his canonization This life is taken chiefly out of William Malmesbury who liued in the same time with S. Stephen The Roman mart maketh mention of him this day Baronius tom 11. Sigebertus in Chron. ann 1107. Arnould Wion lib. 1. c. 42. Nicholas Harps field and manie others doe amply speakâ— his prayses S. ELPHEGVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVAâ— Martir 〈…〉 The life of S. ELPHEGVS Archbishop of Canturbury and Martir of the holy order of S. BENEDICT APR. 19. Written by Osborne a monk of Canturbury ELPHEGVS desceÌ„ding by byrth from most noble Ancestors ordered the whole course of his life according to the rules of excelleÌ„t prudence and humilitie His parents much admiring the inocencie of his industrious mind and life putt him to be worthyly brought vp in the knowledge of good learning and the true wisedome of He taketh the habitt of a Benedictin Monk Christian religion Whâ—n this godly youth made it the whole studie of his philosophie to learne how to loâ—â— God desiring only to know and obey him and all wales to subâ—â—â—â— him self and his actions to the sweet yoake of his diuine seruice Being touched therefore with a spirit of maiestie neglecting his fathers inheritance and forgetting his mothers griefe who dearly loue â—im he forsoke the vaine world and putt on the habitt 〈◊〉 of a monk of S. BENEDICTS order in a little monasterie called 〈…〉 st where he began to sett aside all the self-will of his owne priuate desâ—â—es humbling him self to the seruice and obedience of all his bâ—ethren whose only instrument as it were the sâ—â—wed him self â—o be in aâ—â— occasions allwaies striâ—â—â—g with all to profitt more 〈…〉 ore in the loue of God and by much watching and fasting to 〈◊〉 the rebellious motions of his bodie to the rule and subiectioâ— of reason And indeed not only to him self but to whom soeuer else he was able to doe good he endeauoured carefully to performe it which yf he could not to some 〈◊〉 â—e abstained from doeing thâ—m harme Hauing piously spent 〈◊〉 yeares in a monasticall lifeâ— partly in the monasterie afâ—â—esayd 〈◊〉 partly in famous Ben 〈…〉 Abbey of Glasenbury when he 〈…〉 aued the florishing time of youth to steale away he resolued to vndertake a stricter course of life and to enter into a single câ—â—batâ— with the auncient enemie of mankind Therefore goeing out of hâ—s monasterie he came to the place He vndertaketh a solitarie liâ—e called Bathe where the warme strings that rise out of 〈◊〉 earth are profitable against manie diseases and there he remayne 〈…〉 tt close vp in a little lodge which he built him self chastising his bodie with fasting and abstinence after an incredible rigorous manner Within a short time manie of the better sort of the countrey flocked vnto him to discouer the spirituall wounds of their soules desiring to haue them tented with the sharpnes of his pious correction and cured with the salue of his good counsell Whence it came to passe that within a short time he had gathered togeather no small Conuent of monkes in the same place which him self gouerned according to the Benedictin rule and discipline which he had learned before II. HE WAS wont greatly to blame and rebuke those who did chainge their secular habitt but would not chainge their life Doth not that man sayd he seeme to be full of falsehood who maketh Against those that change their habits and not their manners shew to be what he is not indeed whilst he conterfaits one thing in his habitt and beares an other in his heart For it is better not to chainge our habitt at all then hauing chainged to neglect the conuersion of our manners But hauing erected an ample house for his disciples and prescribed a perfect law of sobrietie and continencie vnto them and taught them how to bridle and curbe their carnall desires he remayned him self shutt vp in a little narrow lodging where be attended only to the more important and weightier affayres of his monks In the meane time manie of his subiects being vnmindfull of their promise and profession made to allmightie God the raines of obedience being lett loose beganne to spend whole nights and dayes in imployments vnworthy their holy profession Against whose greuious offences allmightie God sent a reuengfull punishment For as one night S. ELPHEGVS as his custom The diuine punishmeÌ„t of a negligent monk was stood a holy sentinell at his prayers he heard a great noyse and clamour within the Monasterie And goeing forth found one of the brethren lying along in miserable affliction vppon whom stood two men of most horrid lookes and filthie apparell who cruellie scourged him with whippes and fierie serpents And as he awaked and roared out loud witnesses and signes of his extreme payne his tormentors did vpraid him that as he had not obeyed God nether would they obey him With which words they continued their crueltie till they had beaten his soule out of his bodie At this woefull fight the holy man quite resoluing into teares returned back to his Cell But the rest of the brethren being terrified with this accident confessed their faults did worthie peanance and amended their liues euer after III. BVT the incomparable S. ETHELWOLD Bishop of Winchester being dead a great contention arose betweene the Monks and the A contention about eleâ—ting a â—ishop of Winchâ—ster secular clergie touching the election of a successour For the Clergie of that Church that before led a most wicked life contrarie to the decrees of the holy canons and being oftentimes rebuked for the same by the forenamed Bishop they not only refused to correct their lewd manners but laboured with an obstinnate spiritt to defend their lewdnes it was decreed by a Regall law that they should be expelled and their function committed to others that were more worthie Therefore the clergie being driuen out the Benedictin Monks that feared God were introduced againe Whence it came to passe that in the choosing of a bishop the secular Clergie a Clergie man the Monks desired to promote a Monk to the place each striuing to aduance a man of his owne coate Which great
caring only for him self and his owne goods all refrayned from making warre and noe man vndertooke the common cause and quarrell of the whole countrey since therefore it was to be fought that euerie one should winne that glorionsly with the sword which he desires to be master off But among all these dangers our couragious holy bishop S. Elephegus precheth to his enemies the Danes was wont to preach the word of life to these enemies the barbarous messengers of death to ransome captiues and prisonners and carefully to feed those whom hunger had allmost brought beyoÌ„d necessitie WherevppoÌ„ by how much he was honoured and reuerenced by the faythfull by soe much he was coÌ„temned abhorred by those infidels But he chosing rather to be called Beelzebub with our Lord then Rabbi or master with the Pharisee ceased not to follow on his pious worke endeauouring to comfort and encourage the Christians in their fayth and to couuert the infidels to the fayth VII THE king had ordained one Edrick prefect ouer the whole realme a man of base parentage but one that with his tongue had purchased both riches nobilitie yf that may be called nobilitie of a subtle witt a pleasing discourse and one who had gone beyoÌ„d all mortall meÌ„ in the crooked waies of enuie falsehood pride crueltie This maÌ„s brother being slaine by the nobles of Canturburie and his house burned for playing the pick-thanck in detracting them before the king violently by vniust meanes inuading manie of their hereditaments Edrick demaunds iustice and reuenge the king denies his petition affirming that his brother iustly suffered death Therefore this prefect hauing gathered an armie of tenne thousand men endeauoured to reuenge his brothers death by the sword which he could not by law But his attempts taking small effect he desired ayde from the Danes not only to destroy the cittie of Canturbury but to inuade the whole realme of England which after the victorie should be deuided amongst them by lotts The match is made they shake hands and take solemne oathes for the performance and first they resolued to destory Canturburie Which the holy bishop vnderstanding he called the poeple togeather saying Be of good courage my deare bretheren and place the maiestie of allmightie God before your eyes feare nothing but him who Matt. 10. Joh. 13. 18. hath power to destory both bodie and soule into hell arme your selues with true humilitie and patience For CHRIST him self when he was God and his father had giuen all things into his hands would not be reuenged on his enemies but commaunded the sword embrewed in the bloud of Malchus to be sheathed againe into the scaberd of peace and patience VIII AT length the cittie of Canturburie hauing been besieged The yeare 1011. the Daneâ— besiege CaÌ„tâ—rbury by the Danes the space of twentie daies and the greatest part of their victuals and prouifion within being spent the holy bishop sent a messenger to aduise those barbarians to cease from that wicked enterprise and saue the liues of the innocent poeple lest too insolently they abused the scourge of Gods diuine wrath grauÌ„ted for a time to chastise of his children But the enemies scornefully despising his commaunds began rather to double their furie then anie way to relent raysing of bulwarks battring the walles casting of wild fier into the towne Till by the treason of Elmerick the Archdeacon whose life S. ELPHEGVS had saued before one part of the cittie was sett one fier The it was a pittifull spectacle to see how that deuouring element being blowne with the furie of a south wind did disperse it self consuming all the buildings as it went TheÌ„ the cittizens entred into a woefull deliberation with them selues whether they should forsake the defending of their walles to runne to their owne houses or neglect them stand stiffely in defence of the cittie But the common good was ouerthrowne with priuate affection the sweet remembrance of their children a naturall coÌ„miseration to defend their familie made them leaue the defence of the towne They runne therefore to deliuer their wiues children Canturbury miserabâ—y sacked froÌ„ a midst the rauenous flames to reserue them for the butcherie of the Danish furie whose edge they shall quickly feele For in the meane time the walls are broken downe the furious armie enters with such a horrible noyse what with the clamour of voyces and sounding of trumpetts that the verie foundatioÌ„ of the cittie seemed to shake fearing to be oppressed with the ensuing ruines Then they began to reape a bloudie haruest in a field of miserable disorder and confusion the whole cittie was a woefull stage full of nothing but bloud and horrour some were cutt of with the prince of weapons the sword others consumed with fier whose outrageous flames seemed to enuie that some part of their prey was snatched Inhumane cruelties out of their iawes by the sword manie were throwne hedlong from the walls that died before they came to their iourneys end Matrones compelled to discouer treasures which they had not are dragged by the hayre of the head and cast into the vnsatiable flames Little babes snatched from their mothers breasts are pierced with their lances or cruelly bruised to death vnder cart wheeles In the meane time S. ELPHEGVS who grieued to see such a generall ruine amonst his poeple being then in the Church with his monks brake suddenly out of their hands that held him and with a courragious resolution ranne into the verie midst and thickest of The wonderfull courage oâ— SEl phegus that murdring armie crying out with a loud voyce Spare spare sayd he and as ye are men cease to persecute this poore innocent age Iâ— is not a victorie wherein the innocencie of sucking childrâ—â— is slaine nether is there anie prayse or glorie purchased by exercising deaths cruelties vppon the meeke and humble Looke vppon me here that haue all waies giuen my tongue free scope in chastising your impious crimes I am the man that soe often haue nourished clothed and redeemed the captiues and poore prisoners by you punished Rather lett the whole furie of your wrath and anger be quenched in my bloud then in the slaughter of poore innocents O sacred courage of a generous mind ô inuincible Pastour of the faythfull whom noe entreaties nor prayers of his chiefest friends could perswade to leaue his flock for the fasegard of his owne life How worthyly may that sentence of our Sauiour be applied to this glorious Prelate Bonus Pastor animam suam ponit pro ouibus suis A good Pastor setteth his life at the stake for his sheepe IX THEREFORE he was presently apprehended and the He is apprebended and emprisoned threed of his speech cutt of by their violent hands that tooke him by the throate his hands were bound behind him his cheekes were rent and torne with their deuilish nayles his sides endured manie a sore blow layd on with their
his will was created Prior in his place Which title of He is made Priour honour did not only not hinder him in the way to perfection but was rather a meanes more freely to applie him self thereunto by the coÌ„tinuall practise of diuine conteÌ„plation heaueÌ„ly discipline followed with soe great feruour that he attayned to suchan height of speculation that he discouered maintained with euident reasons manie questions and assertions of the diuine nature neuer heard off before his time Lying one night awake in his bed he had manie doubtfull thoughts how the Prophets did not only see things present but things to come allsoe foretelling them as distinctly as they had been present And being not able to perceaue how this might be his vnderstanding laboured with an incredible desire to be resolued in this poynt when on a suddaine fixing his eyes towards the Church and dorter by the meanes of a diuine light the beames of his eyes pierced through all the walls interposed and shewed him the monks whose office it was adorning the aultar preparing the quier for the singing He sâ—eth through the walls of mattins lighting of candles at the knock of the bell be beheld theÌ„ all rising out of their beds goeing to the diuine seruice Being much amazed hereat he vnderstood by this heauenly lustre that it was a verie easie matter with God to make the Prophets foresee things to come since he permitted him with corporall eyes to see what passed through the resistance of soe manie walls IV. FVRTHERMORE being replenished with the cleere light of wisedome he had such a certaine discretion of spirits that he easily pierced The geat light of his fâ—â—le the maÌ„ners and inclinations of all that came to him euen to the knowledge of their secretest thoughts He discouered allsoe the vetie source and roote of vertues and vices teaching with wonderfull rules and examples how to purchase the one and auoyd the other His vertuous exercises Out of the continuall contemplation of the celestiall happines and an ardent desire of the euerlasting life he would oftentimes powre out whole flouds of teares equally bewayling other mens sinnes as his one He had soe great force and efficacie in giuing of counsell that the verie spiritt of all good counsell seemed as in a throne to rule and raigne in his breast His continuall exercises in fasting watching prayer and other mortifications of bodie to bring it subiect to the spiritt were such and soe great that they deserue rather to be admired then writteÌ„ In fasting he had gott such a naturall habit that he was nether molested with hunger nor delighted in satisfying his hunger with eating He slep verie litle employing all his time in the carefull execution of his office in comforting the afflicted that had recourse vnto him in praying in meditating in studying in composing manie deuout bookes and corecting such as were corrupted V. THE prudence charitie and meekenes he vsed in gouerning His prudence in gouerning his subiects and trayning them in the studie of true vertue and religion was admirable especially towards those who were lesse obedient then was requisite Among whom were some whoe greatly enuied that he was preferred before them to the Priorship others who did carpe and back bite all his sayings and doeings Against these and their malice the prudent holy man fought with soe great discretion in shewing them all duties of fraternall charitie that with the sweetnes of his demeanour he brake their stonic hearts and with the maiestie of his humilitie and modestie he reclaymed them to the leuell of his owne will This sweet and meeke spiritt which our Lord bestowed vppon him appeared more cleerly in that which passed betweene him and a yong monk called Osberne one of a piercing witt and good abilitie but a verie libertine in his manners of a turbulent and detracting spiritt and in all things soe contrarie to his superiour that he disdayned to giue him a good looke when he was admonished to follow the rules of modestie and vertue Him runing headlong into the ruine of his One osberne iâ—ateth S. Auselme owne soule S. ANSELME vndertooke to cure which he performed with wonderfull great art and prudence For perceauing his course to be in a desperate violence inclined to vice he did not presently thunder against him with the terrour of sharpe words correctioÌ„s Anselms pious craft to reduce him to good but first shined in all loue and meeknes towards him giuing scope for a time to the raines of his inordinate passions when OSBERNâ— perceiuing how he enioyed his pleasures vnder the wings of his allowance began exceedingly to loue him and wholly to putt him self into his hands Off which desired occasion the holy man taking hould he beganne with a litle more seuetitie to curbe his depraued manners to cutt off all his boyish actions and to admitt nothing worthie reprehension in him which was not sharply reuenged both with words and stripes Whereby it came to passe that he who before was on the brinke readie to tumble into a precipice of vice was brought to the firme land of religious and regular obseruance whereon he kept sure footing to the hower of his death which followed shortly after During the time of his last sicknes S. ANSELME wayted him self vpon him and after his death eyther sayd or caused when he could not a masse to be sayd euerie day for the health of his soule the space of a whole yeare and by his meanes manie other seruants of God did the like A good example for all Superiours to learne how to carrie them selues in winning and correcting the sometimes turbulent spirits of their subiects how to deale with their sick and lastly how they ought to pray for those that die vnder their A good lesâ—oâ— for Superiours charge VI. HE SHEWED noe lesse charitie towards an other monke gray in old age but greene in vertue who by the instigation of the deuil was grieuously inceÌ„sed against the holy prelat soe that he could not affoor him a good word or looke This poore monk happened to fall sick and coming to such extremity that he expected nothing but death he seemed to behould two cruell wolues which tooke him about the neck and endeauoured to strangle him whereat he roared cried out soe dreadfully that S. ANSELME then busied in the cloister ranne towards the Infirmarie to know the matter and entring See the vertue of the â—oly Crosse into the chamber made the signe of the holy crosse vppon the sick man saying In nomine patris filij spiritus Sancti and straight he was quiet confessing that wheÌ„ ANSELME made the signe of the Crosse he saw as it were a fierie launce shott out of his mouth which feared away those vglie wolues that sought to deuoure him Then being exhorted to penance for his sinnes he confessed and was absolued by S. ANSELM who allsoe foretould him the hower
of his death all that heard saw what passed being greatly edified with soe great charitie of the Sainct amazed at the wonderfull light of his soule The like bountie and goodnes shined in him at other times in his great care towards the sick visiting cōforting reioycing with his owne hands seruing them and doeing the part not only of a true Father but allsoe of a most charitable Mother amongst thē Soe that in all their necessities the monks had recourse vnto him with as great confidence as the child hath in his mother laying open before him all the secret passions and wounds of their soules which he like an holy Phisitian because he knew the roote and origine of them all easyly cured This vnion of the parts of the bodie with their head subiects with their superiour is the Nurse and Soule of all religion VII HE willingly employed him self in bringing vp yong youth of Yong gentlemen brought vp in monasterics a middle age iudging his paines therein to be soe much the more profitable as that age like vnto soft wax was apt to receiue conserue all the lineaments of vertue imprinted therein It was a venerable custom in those times to nourish and bring vp Gentlemens sonnes of the best sort in Monasteries of S. BENEDICTS order ether to become Religious yf they were soe addicted or by that vertuons education to make them more capable in their riper yeares to profitt the cōmon wealth An abbott in great reputation of holy life came one day to vistt S. ANSELME discoursing with him of the gouernment of monasteries began greatly to cōplaine of the libertie disobedience of the yong gentlemen vnder his charge and that he watched night and day ouer them and made their faults to be seuerely whipt and chastised and yet it seemed that the more he kept them vnder the worse and more incorrigible they grew And what sayd S. ANSELME became of these children when their were at age or what profitt reaped you out of all this whipping and scourging Gentlenes most requisite in bringing vp youth For the most part replied the Abbott they grow to be great ignorant Dolts Then S. ANSELME This manner of education of youth seemeth to me most vncertaine for euē as yf one who by hedging in of yong plants doth soe choake them vp with thornes that they can nether grow nor putt forth their boughs will consequently bring noe fruict nor profitt soe in the nourishment of children who are rich and delicate plants to bring them to good one must vse a fatherly loue towards them giuing them a gentle discrete libertie and not allwaies making them slaues with feares threatnings and stripes Because when they doe not acknowledge and find in their tutours and masters that guide them the cordiall affection and loue of a father they thinke whatsoeuer is sayd or done to them proceeds out of chollar hatred and malice And as they grow in age they grow allsoe in a greater defiance of their masters of whom they haue as great horrour as a theefe of his executioner Rules for superiours in their gouernment In fine S. ANSELME taught the ABBOTT that true gouernment ought to know how to temper sweet with sower clemencie with seueritie and to cure wounds not only with the sharpnes of wine which closeth vp but with the supplenes of oyle allsoe which softens and opens the soares For allthough hard bread and crust be good for those that haue good teeth yet sucking children cannot eate it And yf a superiour will guide all his Inferiors the same way without discerning the different conditions and inclinations of the persons whom he gouerneth he will certainly committ manie grosse faultes to the great affliction and losse of his suiects The fame of S. Auselme drawes manie choller 's VIII S. ANSELME then inuironed with the glittering beames of excellent vertues his renowne was carried on the wings of fame ouer all Normandie through France into Flanders and England soe that manie learned and pious men came to the monasterie where he was Prior to range them selues into the spirituall warrefare vnder the colours of S. BENEDICT striuing to receaue the habitt at his hands and to liue vnder his correction and discipline Neuertheles he was soe prudent reserued that he neuer sollicited anie man to giue him self to God rather in his monasterie then in anie other but all waies left it to their choise to enter into what Conuent they best liked to the end that yf afterwards they happened to repent they should haue noe iust occasion to murmure or coplaine against him But they came soe thick of their owne accord that the Abbey of Bec was in a short time wōderfully encreased in tēporall spirituall goods of manie good religious monks and Abbott Herluine being dead ANSELME by the common suffrages of all the Conuent was chosen to succeed in his place allbeit he laboured with prayers and teares against it throwing him self prostrate at the feete of the monks and coniuring them by the deare passion of our lord ISSVS CHRIST not to charge his weake shoulders with such a weightie He is chosen Abbot of Bec. burden In fine when all his resistance did but encrease their importunitie he yeelded sincesuch he perceaued was the will of God Being therefore made Abbott he gouerned the monasterie with such holy prudence and prudent holines that this new encrease of dignitie was in him as a discouerie of a new mine of shining vertues whose beames amazed all behoulders IX AT that time there were manie possessions in England belonging He cometh into England to the Abbey of Bec to visitt which sainct ANSELME went ouer into England At Canturbury where LANFRANCK his old Master was Archbishop he was with wonderfull great honour receiued by the Benedictin monks of that citie which he no lesse ingeniously then elegantly putt off affirming the greater honour and greater affection of charitie to reside in them that performed it then in him to See his great humilitie whom it was performed Because he who vnworthyly receiued that vndeserued dutie could expect for it noe reward from God For what said he can be due to me from God in that anie one shewes loue towards me But to them from whō this loue proceeds he oweth a reward for their pious affection and he will not fayle to lay vp store of grace for them But the more he sought to auoyde honour the more still was throwne vppon him when poeple of all orders sexes and conditions striued to doe him the highest honours they could and amongst the rest King William the Conquerour who albeit otherwise a Norman of a fierce and barbarous nature yet towards sainct ANSELME beyond all mens expectation he behaued himself with an vnaccustomed courtesie and kindnes to the great admiration of all But the Sainct quickly wearied with these honours thought his iourney in nothing soe well spent as
before him making the signe of the holy crosse vpoÌ„ his tongue he receaued not only the perfect vse of his speech but allso was cured of the scabbie scuruines in his head Soe that he that before bore the shape or dumb-shew of deformitie was suddenly become readie in his speech quaint and fayre in his countenance and curled locks and glad to heare himself play the crier of his owne happines III. ALSOE with his benediction he cured a Nunne of a great swelling Manie miracles cruell payne in her arme caught by letting bloud And being by an Earle whose countesse lay languishing in a mortall disease inuited to consecrate a Church he sent her of the holy water which he had vsed in that act of consecration and she noe sooner dronk thereof but presently rising sound out of her bed she came like S. PETERS mother-in-law cured by our Sauiour and wayted on them Luc. 4. at the table shewing thereby that she had not only recouered her health but her lost forces allsoe The like benefitt he shewed to a yong man of whose health his friends were soe hopelesse that his graue was allreadie prepared when contrarie to all expectation by the prayers benedictioÌ„ of the holy bishop and drinking a cupp of wine by him hallowed he was restored againe to perfect health But one Herebald who sometime had been his scholler receaued a farre greater benefitt at his hands being by his meanes preserued from the ruine both of bodie and soule as him self being afterwards Abbot of Tinemouth related to venerable Bede in this manner When in my youth I liued vnder the tutorship of the B. bishop IOHN Note this miraculous historie to betrayned vp in the studies of Ecclesiasticall discipline learning my mind being at that time carried away with the wild vntamed sports of an youthly ardour we happened being one day in a iourney with the holy man to come into a fayre plaine and large way which seemed to inuite vs to ruÌ„ne a course with our horses And the secular yong men of the companie began earnestly to entreate the Bishops leaue to haue a course whereuÌ„to he was loath to coÌ„sent till ouercome with their importunitie he yielded to their request but The punishment of disobedience to S. Iohn vpon coÌ„dition that Herebald should abstayne froÌ„ that sport But then I begaÌ„ earnestly to pleade my owne cause that I might trie my horse with the rest knowing him to be of very good speed but could by noe meanes preuayle to gett his consent Wherevpon being no longer able to contayne my vntamed desires within the limitts of obedience I set spurres to my horse and ranne amongst the rest when I could heare him behind me fetch a great sigh say O what a grief thou giuest me in soe riding NotwithstaÌ„ding I held on that forbidden course till leaping ouer a hollow place I caught a fall which left me as dead without anie sense or motion a iust punishment of my disobedience From seauen of clock till the euening I lay there for dead and then reuiuing a little my companions carried me home where I passed that night without speaking one word But the holy bishop who bore a singular affection to me grieued exceedingly at this mischance and that whole night he spent only in watching and prayer for my recouery In the morning he came to me and out of a diuine instinct asked yf I were certaine of my baptisme to whom hauing now recouered my speech I answered yes and named the Priest that had washed me in the sacred Font. Yf that were the Priest that did it replied he thou art not rightly baptised For he is both of witt and vnderstanding soe dull that he could neuer learne the true manner of catechising or baptising and for that reason I haue commaunded him to cease froÌ„ the exercise of that function which Se the auncient ceremonies of baptisme he could not execute in due maÌ„ner This sayd he beganne presently to catechise me and it happened that breathing in my face as the manner is I straight began to find my self much amended of my hurt He caused the Chirurgean to settle and compose aright the dissolued ioynt of my skull and hauing giuen his benediction to the worke at the same instant I recouered foe well that the next day I was able to ride an other iourney with him by whose meritts I was restored to health And within a while after being fully recouered I receaued the sacrament of baptisme soe that I am indebted the saluation both of soule and bodie to Blessed Sainct IOHN Thus was Herebald wont to relate of him self to Venerable BEDE IV. But S. IOHN hauing gouerned his bishoprick the space of S. Iohn leaueth the Bishoprick thirtie three yeares between Hagustald and Yorke desiring now after soe manie labours to retire his vnseruiceable old age out of the manifold affayres of the world to the sweet and quiet harbour of his auncient religious life the better to prepare him self for his neere-approaching end he departed to the Benedictin monasterie which him self had built at Deirwood or Beuerley where amongst the monks he led a holy and angelicall life the space of fower yeares famous for vertues and miracles At length loadeâ— with merits and good works he was called out of this mortall life to the happie enioying of the immortall the seauenth day of May in the yeare of our Lord God seauen hundred twentie one Which place and the memorie of this glorious Sainct was afterwards ennobled with soe manie wonders that scarse anie place in England is comparable vnto it for the familiaritie of miracles or enlarged with greater priuileges and exemptions from Princes One therefore and not the left of those signes Bullâ— straingely tamed which commend the pietie of saint IOHN and the sainctitie of this place is that strainge spectacle which was wont often times there to be exhibited Bulls otherwise most fierce and vntamed being with great paines and sweat brought bound to the Church-yard of Beuerley as soone as they entred therein deposed all their fiercenes that they seemed rather to be meeke lambs then madd and vnruly bulls Allâ—oe in the yeare of our Lord one thousand three hundred and twelue on the feast of saint BERNARD a wonderfull oyle issued miraculously out of his sepulcher for the space of a whole day which was verie medecinall and soueraigne against manie diseases V. KING ETHELSTANâ— being much molested by the frequent incursions Ethelstanâ— molested by the Scots of the Scotts gathered an armie togeather and went to Beuerley where falling on his knees at the tombe of this Blessed Sainct he humbly recommended him self and his cause to his sacred protection And hauing ended his prayer he drew out his knife and layd it on the aultar saying Behould most glorious Sainct I putt this for a pledge before thee that yf by thy meritts I returne victorious of mine enemies I will enrich
holy virgin and courteously saluted her rauished with the beautifull beames of her fayre face he began with these sugred words to batter her pious resolution DIMPENA my onely daughter my loue my desire my All what necessitie moued thee soe to contemne the royall dignitie of thy natiue countrey to liue amongst strangers and soe to forgett all filiall loue as to forsake a king thy father and follow this decrepite old Priest obeying his commaundements as his daughter Why hast thou thus despised the royall court who art the only heyresse of the Kingdom of Ireland after thy father Be ruled therefore by my counsell and returne againe into thy countrey with vs for yf thou wilt but consent to thy fathers affections thy head shall be crowned with a royall diadem and thou shalt haue soueraigntie ouer all the princes matrones and Virgins of my kingdom Moreouer I will giue thee a place amongst the Goddesses and cause a temple of white marble to be built into which an image of thy beautie curiously wrought of gould and pretious stones shall be sett to be adored of all the countrey To these words as the holy Virgin thought to answere the venerable Priest Gereberne tooke the word out of her Gereberne reprehendâ— the king mouth and verie sharply rebuked the king with the titles of most wicked and abominable wretch in that he desired incestuously to defile his owne daughter a thing scarse euer within the thoughts of the most lasciuious lechers of the world Admonishing allsoe the then trembling Virgin not to consent to this filthy king lest she should incurre the indignation of the eternall king her spouse whose sweetnes she had allreadie tasted Hereat the king and all his followers pronounced the sentence of death against Gereberne as the authour of the flight and subuersion of Dimpna Therefore with great furie they drew him out of her sight and with their swords cutt him into peeces whereby he Gereberne is martired receaued the glorious crowne of martirdom for the defence of iustice V. THE KING hauing satisfied his furie on the bodie of this holy martir returned againe to his daughter and with a pleasing countenance began againe to perswade her to yeeld to his desire vsing all the reasons and arguments in loues Logick to winne her all which were but as soe manie arrowes shott against a fayre marble for the holy virgin retorted them with S. Dimpna answereth her father these words Wherefore thou vnhappie Tyrant doest thou endeauour with thy wilie promises to peruert me from my holy purpose of chastitie Doest thou thinke thou wretch that I will betray my deare spouse CHRIST IESVS and giue vp my bodie to be possessed by an other Thy princely delights I contemne desiring with my whole soule to obtayne the promises of my heauenly spouse which farre excell all other desires and in comparison hereof I disdaine to be adored in thy countrey as a Goddesse therefore vrge me noe more with these vaine friuolous speeches Then the kings lust turned into furie and his loue into a deadly hate the more he found the feruour of Christian religion to boyle in the brest of his daughter the more fiercely he endeauoured to peruert her And doe not think sayd he to wearie and delude me with thy vaine answers eyther suddenly graunt what I aske or expect to feele the smart of thy fathers anger as thy impostour Gereberne hath done who hath lost his head for the libertie of his tongue VI. WHEREFORE replied she most cruell tyrant hast thou slaine the beloued seruant of God Gereberns in whom thy malice could find noe fault Surely thou shalt not escape the iudgement of allmightie God for this foule act thy Gods and Goddesses I detest and wholly committ my self to the protection of IESVS CHRIST He is my spouse my glorie my health and my only desire Torture me kill me cutt me in peeces I am readie to suffer ioyfully for his sake all the studied cruelties thou canst imagine or inuent It was noe more hate and furie but rage and madnes that now possessed the soule of that miserable king hearing these words from his daughter whom presently he commaunded to be beheadded But all his companie fearing to execute his Dimpâ—a martired by her father cruell commaundment on soe fayre a subject him self quite forgeting all royall nobilitie and clemencie with his owne hands armed with his owne sword cutt off his owne daughters head who when his cruell arme bent that deadly blow against her coursgiously implored and recoÌ„mended her soule to the diuine goodnes which by that cruelly-happie separation was receaued into the heauenly pallace with the glorie of virginitie wayting on the triumph of martirdom O barbarous crueltie of the father I Oglorious triumph of the virgin The father was not ashamed to defile his hands in the bloud of his daughter and she was ioyfull to winne by that meanes the possession of a neuer ending glorie VII THE murderer with his followers returned into his countrey leauing the bodies of those holy martirs in the fields to be deuoured with wild beasts and fowles but CHRIST the king and crownâ— of his martirs did not permitt them to be torne whilst they lay exposed to the open ayre hauing at length stirred vpp some oâ— the adioyning inhabitants who moued with compassion buried their bodies in a caue where our Lord began straight to magnifie their glorie with manie great miracles which were dayly done in that place This gaue occasion to the neighbours thereabouts Miracles at her tomb to seeke those holie reliques and hauing digged deepe in the ground they found two tombs of pure white marble allbeit that countrey yeelds noe stones but what are black and browne and to shew that it was the worke of angels the marble was soe curiously wrought that both the tombs seemed to be of the same peece allthough they were seperated one from the other This miracle encreased the fayth and deuotion of the poeple that flocked thither from all partes to obtaine their health and other fauours of God by the intercession of these holy martirs which were verie liberally bestowed vppon them Afterwards the bodie of S. GEREBERNE was carried to Xaintes and and S. DIMPNAS remayned at Ghole the place of her martitdom till after some yeares the Bishop of Camâ—ray accompained with all his Clergie and an innumerable multitude of poeple translated Translation of her bodie her sacred reliques out of the tomb of marble into a shrine of siluer guilt and adorned with manie pretious stones the fifteenth day of May her martirdom was the thirtith of the same about the yeare of our Lord 600. At this time when the sepulcher was opened they found on the breast of saint DIMPNA a pretious stone like a rubie in which was written DIMPNA VIRGIN AND MARTIR VIII WHO can reade this life without amazement in acknowledging the frailtie and miserie of a man that should fall into such Consideration
afterwards in due time by the hands of the same Bishop his cozen he He liueth in a moâ—â— narrow cell was promoted to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood Neere vnto the Church of our Ladies of Glastenbury he built him self a little Cell soe straight that all that saw it were astonished how a liuing man could dwell in it For I my self saith the Authour of his life haue measured the place contayning but fower foote in length and two and a half in breadth The height was proportionable to the ordinarie stature of a man In the midst of the doore was a litle window In this slender lodging he led his life in prayer and contemplation working in such things as the narrownes of the place would permitt but aboue all things labouring to please allmightie God in all and through all his actions He braue's vanquisheth the de uill dayly gayning to him self an higher place in his diuine fauour But the deuill enuying his pious exercises endeauoured to disturbe his deuotions presenting him self one day vnto him in the forme of a mayd that fayned to be in want of his helpe about some peece of worke and as the holy man prepared him self to satisfie her demaund he perceaued that enemie of mankind to transforme him self into diuers shapes that he seemed to see the forme and heare the voyce now of an old man now of a yong man and straight of some lasciuious woeman that stood before him Then vnderstanding what it was he caught the fierie tongues out of the fier and tooke that hellish monster by the nose and held him fast There then was to be seene a braue combat between the friend and enemie of Allmightie God Till at length sainct DVNSTAN remayning conquerour the deuill fled away with confusion horribly roaring and complayning that his pride and cauie had receaued the foyle and neuer after aduentured to molest the holy man in that place When from this time DVNSTAN was indued with soe great puritie of heart and His rare puritie of mind and body such a rare chastitie of bodie that he more ressembled an Angel of heauen then a mortall man Whence it came that manie poore and rich flocked vnto him from all parts to vse his counsell for the health of their soules and to be by him informed and directed in the way of good life and vertue Amongst others that came to be instructed by his zeale and prudence one was a vertuous Matrone called Elsgine whom when he had piously directed and well grounded in the way of vertue for a long time and armed at length with the last sacraments the happyly ended this life and left all her goods and possessions to the disposition of her pious Father sainct DVNSTAN who presently distributed the moueables to the poore Fiue monasteries built by his meanes and with the rest and his owne inheritance being the only child of his parents he built and enriched afterwards fiue monasteries and filled them with holy Conuents of Benedictine Monks VII NOT long after king Ethelstan being dead Edmond his brother succeeded in the kingdom of England who vnderstanding of An. 940. the rare prudence sainctitie and discretion of sainct DVNSTAN sent for him to his Court that by his worthy counsell and industrie he Dunstan in great fauour with King Edmond might the easier rule the scepter of his kingdom with iustice DVNSTAN offring this seruice to God and the good of the common wealth condescended to his desire When it was rare to behould how prudently he behaued him self in disposing of the affayres of the realme in composing of contentions that arose and establishing true peace and concord among the subiects to the great comfort and ioy both of the king and Nobles Neuerthelesse within a while he lost all fauour and grace with them both by the enuious detractions By enuiâ—he he i. expelled the Court. of those that could not support the lustre of his resplendent vertues nor endure one alone to beare more sway and be in greater credit then all the rest What shall I say The malignant words of his aduersaries preuayled soe farre that DVNSTAN was not only depriued of all auncient honour but allso banished the Court. This done after three daies the King goeing on hunting and being carried by the vntamed courage of his horse pursuing the game towards a mightie precipice that threatned both him and his beast with destruction seeing iminent death before him the iniurie done to DVNSTAN came suddenly into his mind whereat sighing from the bottom of his heart he was much grieued promising straight in his mind that yf by Gods helpe he escaped that danger aliue he would againe receaue him into his fauour When to his great comfort and admiration his horse which before noe force could hould stopped suddely on the ridge of that huge downfall He is recalled to sauour and deliuered him from his expected ruine Then hauing related this accident to his Nobles and caused DVNSTAN to be sent for he humbly demaunded pardon for his fault did worthy peanance for the iniurie and restored him to his ancient honour place and dignitie faithfully promising to be his true friend and protectour euer after Moreouer as a testimonie of his future friendship he gaue him the lands of Glastenbury where he was borne and bred to be disposed according to his good will and liking Sainct DVNSTAN by the kings meanes built there a goodly Monasterie and gathered He buildeth the monasterie of Glastenbury into it a worthie Conuent of Benedictine Monkes whom he himself gouerned in quallitie of Abbot Soe that by his good example and industrie that Abbey encreased wonderfully both in the excellencie of monasticall profession and in the abundant possession of temporall goods And that place became a Nurserie of learned and holy men that through all England cast the foundations of a religious life vnder the rule of sainct BENEDICT like soe manie Pillars of the Catholick Church And now it came to passe that as in this Church as it is about sayd the whole multitude of people recouered light from sainct DVNSTANS Mothers candle soe out of this place thus instituted by the learning and industrie of DVNSTAN him self all the Churches of England receaued the light of true Religion and monasticall discipline by the example and vertue of manie worthie men called hence to the dignitie of Abbots and Bishops in the kingdome VIII AMIDST these things the holy life and conuersation of sainct DVNSTAN purchased him wonderfull hatred from the deuill the perpetuall enemie to the Benedictine order But he allwaies found him to be as his name signifies a firme Rock of the mountaine He hearet 〈◊〉 the songs of Angles whom all the hellish practises of that Master of mischief could not mooue from the ground of vertue And by soe worthyly triumphing ouer that infernall monster he deserued to to be partaker of the sweet harmonie of Angelicall voyces which at
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
Apostolicall absolution and ministred the dreadfull sacrament of the aultar vnto him And when our Authour came thither the same morning to say Masse and demaunded in honour of what Sainct he should celebrate that diuine misterie Of the Blessed Virgin MARIE answeared Godrick for before thy coming sainct PETER the Apostle hath here offered the same sacrifice in honour of the most blessed 〈◊〉 But we should neuer come to an end if we eudeauour to loâ—â—â— this paper with all the vertues graces and wonderfull workes of this Blessed man XIV THEREFORE when he had liued in this admirable manner His last sicknes in one and the other desert for the space of threescore and six yeares and was as an Oracle that astonished all England with his holy life soe great a swelling tooke possession of his face and all the other limmes of his bodie that he appeared not to be like vnto the former shape of a man In his entrailes he endured a cruell griping paine as it were of liuing wormes which ranne vpp and downe his bellie and consumed him For which punishment as heretofore for others more grieuous he gaue humble thankes vnto allmightie God that soe gently he voutchafed to purge him from his sinnes in this world And to good purpose sayd he doe these wormes consume my bodie in this life that the neuer-dying worme should not gnaâ— and teare my soule in hell For the space of allmost eight yeares he lay languishing in bed being not able to rise but by the helpe of friendly hands At length his sicknes dayly encreasing and hauing now allmost conquered his old age he sent for his brethren who being come tooke him out of his bed and according to the manner of those deuout times layd him vppon the ground on a haire-cloth strewed with ashes putt on his stamin and coule for long since he had been a Benedictine monke of Durham and soe that blessed soule departed happily out of the thraldom of this His happie departure vale of miseries to receaue the perfect consummation of that heauenly life with CHRIST which he had begunne in this world And at the same instant was heard a most heauenly melodie ascending from his cell towards heauen He died the one and twentith day of May in the yeare of our Lord 1170. the same yeare that the worthy Archbishop of Canturbury saint THOMAS suffered martirdom for the defence of the Church His bodie was buried in the chappell of S. IOHN BAPTIST whom he euer worshipped with peculiar deuotion and in whose honour by the commaundment of God he Miracles after his death had caused that place to be built Within the space of a few yeares after his death two hundred twentie eight miracles were wrought at his tombe which are faythfully reported by the Authour of his life but for breuities sake I omitt them XV. AND here now I will end the life of this admirable man with these words of William Camden in the description of the bishoprick of Durham At Finckley sayd he by the riuer Were in the raigne of Henry the second Godrick a man of auncient and true Christian simplicitie fixed wholly to God liued and consummated a solitarie life Who gayned soe great admiration with this holy simplicitie adde and with the sainctitie and austeritie of his life and manie miracles before and A Church built to his honour after his death c. that Richard brother to the wealthie bishop of Durham Hugh of Puteack honoured his memorie with a litle Church built to his name Thus Camden who allbeit he were an Heretick yet could not but speake honourably of this glorious Sainct His life was written as we haue sayd by one Nicholas a Monke of Durham and spirituall father vnto Blessed GODRICK out of which being a large historie Nicholas Harpsfield brings an abridgement saec 12. cap. 45. whom we haue followed Iohn Capgraue hath written the same and William of Newbery lib. 2. cap. 20. Mathew Paris an 1170. Mathew Westminster an 1171. Molanus in his aditions to Vsuard and all our English writers doe make ample mention of him The life of saint ALDELME Bishop of Sherburne and Confessor of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT MAY 25. Writren by WilliaÌ„ malmesbu ry and others THE worthie ornament of the English Church and the Benedictine familie Sainct ALDELME borne of the royall stock of Saxon Kings his father Kentenius was neere of kinred to Jnas King of the His noble parentage West-Saxons with the generositie of mind and greatnes of learning and vertues farre excelled and outwent the nobilitie of his birth Some affirmed him to haue been sonne to Kentenius brother of King Jnas but it pleaseth not vs sayth Malmesbury to auouch that for truth which seemes rather to flatter a flying opinion then agree De gest reg Aâ—g l 1 c 2. with the soundnes of true historie especially since it is not found written in antiquitie the Chronicles plainly asseuer that Jnas had but one brother called Imgild who died a few yeares before him But S. ALDELME needeth not to be maintayned with vntruthes in whom abound soe manie famous things that are out of all question Hauing past ouer his Childhood his father deliuered him to be brought vp in the studie of all good learning vnder the discipline His youth and learning of the most famous Benedictine Abbot of saint AVGVSTINS at Canturbury saint ADRIAN who at that time happily adorned the whole countrey with all manner of vertue and learning In his renowned schoole our hopefull ALDELME made in a short time soe great progresse in science that he became a scholler worthie of soe learned a master Then returning back into his owne countrey loden with the balast of true vertue and learning he couragiously forsaked all the flattring allurements and vaine splendoâ—r of the world and resolued to vndertake such a course of life wherein he should meet with the lest impedimeÌ„ts to hinder him in the continuall seruice of allmightie God and the studie of holy learning Therefore in the Benedictine abbey of Malmesbury in which place He becometh a Benedictine Monke from his verie infancie he had been brought vp and instructed in the first rudiments of learning he bid adiew to the world and made profession of a monk vnder the holy rule of saint BENEDICT This monasterie was first founded by one Medulphus an Irish-Scott and a monk well learned in philosophie and from him it was called Meidulphesbury afterwards Malmesbury Which being but a small slender thing was by the meanes of saint ALDELME raysed afterwards to great splendour and magnificence II. BVT within a short time ALDELME returned to his old master into Kent to better his vnderstanding with more ornaments of true leaning and science and there he remayned vntill the weaknes and discomoditie of his health forced him to returne into his owne countrey How great worthie progresse he made in learning the His workes
and writings renowned monuments which he left behind him doe abundantly witnes Manie whereof the enuious iniurie of the times haue robbed vs off For for these fiue hundred yeares past that booke of his soe much celebrated by Venerable BEBE of the right and true manner of obseruing Easter which he writt against the Britans hath not appeared Which worke of saint ALDELME was of great profitt to manie of them to roote out of their stubborne minds that inueterate errour Sainct BEDE hath allsoe in estimation his booke of virginitie in which he writeth much in the prayse of that heauenly vertue and proues by the examples of the Saincts that embraced it that it is nether hard nor difficill to obserue In fine saint BEDE S Bedes prayse of S. Aldelme adornes him with this testimoniall of his prayse man most learned in all things neate in his speech and wonderfull in the knowledge of Scriptures both liberall and Ecclesiasticall And surely S. ALDELME was the first of our contreymen that writt verses in Latine as he him self doth testifie in these two Primus ego in patriam mecum modò vit a super fit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas First to my Countrey from the Romanhill I le bring yf life me last the Muses quill Allsoe in compounding pronouncing and singing verses and Aldesmes skill in poesie and singing songs in his mother-tongue he was admirably excellent And in King Elfreds time as the same King doeth witnes manie of saint ALDELMES ditties were yet sung in England One thing related of this purpose by King Elfred is most worthie of memorie The poeple of those times being yet but rude rusticks and verie negligent in the diuine seruice seemed to come to Church but for fashion sake as manie now adaies doe where they made noe long stay but as soone as the misterie of masse was done they flocked homewards without anie more adoe Our prudent ALDELME perceauing this small deuotion in the poeple placed him self on a bridge ouer which they were to passe from Church to their Villages where when the hastie multitude of poeple came whose minds were A pioâ—s art allreadie in their beef-pott at home he begane to putt forth his voyce with all the musicall art he could and charmed their eares with his songs For which when he grew to be gratefull and plausible to that rude poeple and perceaued that his songs flowed into their eares and minds to the greate pleasure contentment of both he beganne by little and litle to mingle his ditties with more serious and holy matters taken out of the holy Scripture and by that meanes brought them in time to a feeling of deuotion and to spend the sundaies and holy daies with farre greater proâ—â—â—â— to their owne soules Now let vs goe on with the course of his life III. THEREFORE when he had taken the habit and profession of a His exercises in the Monasterie monke he bent all the forces and powers both of soule and bodie worthyly to performe in deed what he promised by word Wherefore he neuer moued a foote out of the Monasterie vnlesse some vrgent necessitie did compelle him he spent all his time in reading and prayer that as he him self doth testifie elsewhere in an Epistle by reading he might heare the voyce of allmightie God speaking and by prayer he might speake vnto him him self His diet was poore and verie sparing thereby to force the bodie to the subiection of the soule to which purpose he vsed an other wonderfull austeritie For in a fountaine neere adioyning which afterwards He reciteth the Psalter in the waters bore his name he was wont by night according to the example of the auucient Saincts to plunge him self vp to the neck wheÌ„ce he would not stirre vntill he had recited ouer the whole Psalter of Dauid for his nightly taske of prayers By which and other such exercises he soe tamed the sensualitie of the flesh that if he happened at anie time to feele the tickling motions and stings thereof he would not therefore like a coward-souldier presently An example to be admired not imitated auoyd and flie from the presence of an obiect mouing therevnto vntill after manie prayers and psalmes most deuoutly offered to Allmightie God he found all that vncleane motion of bodie to be vtterly extinguished and beaten downe A rare allthough to others a dangerous manner of ouercoming and questionlesse much enuied of the deuills But yf anie one chaunce to contend against the truth of this historie in soe Christian a philosopher I remitt him Diogeâ— Laert. l. 4. de vit philosoph to those profane writers who dare affirme of their Zenocrates that hauing slept a whole night with the fayre Phrine he was enkindled with noe manner of lustfull heate and proclaymed publickly the day following that he had laine with a statue and not with a woman IV. WHILST this holy man shined thus in learning and vertue like a bright sunne amongst the monks of Malmesbury by the common consent of them all he was chosen Abbot of the same monasterie He is made Abbot of Malmesbury Which dignitie was not soe much an ornament to him as he was an honour to it For by his holy industrie soe great an encrease of vertue and learning to his brethren and of buildings lands and reuenewes was added to the monasterie that he may deseruedly be esteemed as the father and builder of them But the greatest donation of lands came chiefly from Elentherius Bishop of the West-Saxons from Kenfrith Duke of the Mercians and from the three good Kings Ethelred Cedwall and Inas who all held saint ALDELME in great esteeme and veneration by reason of his wonderfull vertue as manifestly appeares by their charters and writings made to that Monasterie for his sake which I haue read He built allsoe the Monasteries of Frome and Bradford which eyther by the crueltie of the Danes or other such barbarous poeple or else by the iniuries of eating age haue been destroyed manie yeares agoe S. ALDELME whilst he was Abbot writt that booke which we haue spoken off against the Britans errour in the celebration of Easter He reduduceth the Britans to the true Easter For the matter being eagerly handled in manie Sinods of the West-Saxons to conclude by what meanes it was best to bring those erroneous poeple to the practise of the Catholick Church some were of opinion that they should be compelled by force of armes but the contrarie and gentler opinon obtayned that not with the sword but by reason and disputation they ought to he dealt with Nether was the victorie iudged to be of great difficultie if ALDELME did but take the matter in hand He vndertooke it and worthily and fruitfully performed it as we haue sayd before Soe that the Britans next after God are much obliged vnto saint ALDELME in this behalf Whose great pietie towards them is allsoe honourably to be obserued
accident in an epistle written to Eulogius Patriarke of Alexandria And in A church dedicated to S. August perpetuall memory of the fact a Church was built by the same riuer and dedicated to our wonderfull Baprist saint AVGVSTINE in which the petitions of the faythfull were miraculously heard and graunted XX. RETVRNING againe from Torke by the way he cured one of a most horrid leaprosie by making the signe of the Crosse and calling vppon his diuine name that cures all diseases But comming into the Countie of Dorsett all waies announcing CHRISTS holy Ghospell His aduersaries instly punished he arriued at a Village where the wicked poeple not only refused to obey his doctrine but very impiously and opprobriously beat him and his fellowes out of their Village and in mockerie fastened Fish-tayles at their backs which became a new purchase of eternall glory to the Saincts but a perpetuall ignominie to the doers For it is reported that all that generation had that giuen them by nature which soe contemptibly they fastened on the backs of these holy men And saint AVGVSTINE hauing left these wicked poeple to carrie the markes of their owne shame and trauelled with his holy companie about fiue miles further through desert and vnhabited places being cruelly oppressed with the three familiar discomodities of trauellers hunger thirst and wearines he that sate vppon the fountaine wearied with his iourney CHRIST IESVS voutchsafed to appeare visibly vnto him with words of heauenly comfort and Christ appeareâ—h vnto him encouragement Then the holy man being refreshed with the sweet fountaine of eternall life fell presently vppon his knees and adored the place of CHRISTS footsteps and striking his staffe into the ground there straight sprung forth a cleere fountaine of cristall streames in which all his fellowes quenched the extremitie of their thirst and gaue infinite thankes to allmightie God who had voutchsafed to helpe them in that necessitie And the same place The monastery of Cernell was afterwards called CERNEL a name composed of Latine and He brew for Cerno in Latine signifies to see and El in Hebrew signifies God because there our holy Apostle AVGVSTINE was honoured with the cleere vision of him that is true God and man Moreouer vppon the some fountaine in memorie here of a chappell was built dedicated to our Sauiour which togeather with the fountaine my Authour had seene and the water cured manie diseases Afterwards one Egelward a rich man founded a fayre Monastery of Benedictine monks in the same place dedicated to saint PETER the Apostle which was called the monastery of Cernel and dured to the last fatall destruction of Abbeies in the vnfortunate raigne of Henry the eight XXI BVT Sainct AVGVSTINE hauing trauelled ouer the greatest He returneth to Canturbury part of England like a true Apostle allwaies on foote and by the vertue of his preaching and miracles conuerted infinitie poeple to the fayth soe that be may deseruedly be called our Apostle who not only layd the first foundation of Catholicque religion amongst vs but by his owne preaching lightened allmost all the whole Iland he returned to his perpetuall and Metropolitan seate of Canturbury where he was receaued by the poeple as the angelicall messenger of their peace and happines with great ioy and triumphe When a troupe of diseased persons flocking about this diuine Phisitian behould a threefold wretched creature bound with a triple chaine of calamitie was presented He was lame of both his legges dease and dumbe His prayers were sighes his wordes bellowings and his discourse signes But saint AVGVSTINE heard him that could not speake spake to him that could not heare and directed him that could not goe For in the name of the blessed TRINITIE he gaue that thrise miserable wretch a threefold cure Soe that he was able to He cureth one lame deafe and dumbe 〈◊〉 firmely to speake plainly and to heare distinctly But he ouerioyed with his new receaued health became soe vainely merrie that with his troublesom tongue newly taught to speake he molested the whole Church and poeple with babling euen in the time of the diuine office soe that for punishment he suffered a relapse into his former miserie till hauing done worthy satisfaction for that fault he was againe released by the powerfull prayers of S. AVGVSTINE and togeather with the outward health of bodie he was restored allso to the stablenes of a more setled gouernment of mind in his soule The testimonie of an old ma baptised by Augustane XXII HERE it shall not be amisse to sett downe the attestation of a verie old man that liued in my Authours time who affirmed that his grandfather had been baptised by saint AVGVSTIN and had often seene the holy man encompassed about with troupes of poeple preach and worke manie miracles He had learnt allsoe from his father and grandfather the forme of bodie of saint AVGVSTINE and that he was of a verie maiesticque person and in stature tall and that his grandfather hauing been baptised by the hands of the holy man liued manie yeares aboue an hundred and the blessing of old age descending likewise to his father and from his father to him who now when he made this relation had long outliued an hundred yeares Thus this old man But now our holy Apostle being wholly wounded with the loue of heauen and aspiring to nothing more then out of the tumults of this world to attaine to the eternall rest of our Lord knocked dayly at the heauenly gates with the continuall peales of his prayers sighes and teares desiring to be dissolued to liue with CHRIST Till at length vnderstanding by diuine reuelation that his desire was heard and that shortly he should be deliuered out of the thraldom of the flesh he solemnly in presence of the King and all his court ordayned the holy monke and his chiefe fellow-preacher saint LAVRENCE to succeed him in the Sea of Canturbury as in times past the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER appoynted CLEMENT for his successor in the Roman Primacie For long before he had made MELLITVS bishop of LONDON by whose meanes the countrey of the East-Angles was conuerted and IVSTVS his suffragane in Rochester Soe that allmost all the dominion of King ETHELBERT which raught from Canturbury to the riuer Humber in Yorke-shire was wholly conuerted to Christianitie by the labours of these holy Benedictine Monkes saint AVGVSTINE and his fellowes XXIII BEHOVLD now ô thou blessed Archparent of the regeneration An Apostropâ—â— to S. Augustine of the English nation by leauing thy stately Mother Rome thou hast gayned England for thy Daughter whom thou maiest nourish as a fayre spouse for the King of heauen Now after the iourney of the great world thou hast taken this other world of the vast Ocean breathing a most fayre and temperate ayre most pleasant and fertill with fields meadowes pastures brookes riuers and seas most gratefull with woods hills and plaines most abounding
Ecclesiasticall causes risen which can no longer be left without examination we haue need of learned men to conserre with we exhort the godly and He is sent for to Rome beloued goodnes of thy pietie that as it becomes a deuout maintayner of our holy mother the vniuersall Church thou fayle not to leud obedient deuotion to this our desire but without anie delay send the religious seruant of God Bede the Venerable Priest of thy monastery to the shrines of the Princes of the Apostles Peter and Paul thy louers and protectours and to the sight of my meaunes and by the grace of God and thy holy prayers thou needest not mistrust but that he will returne safely againe vnto thee after the celebration of the foresayd articles by the helpe of God are finished For we hope it will be profitable to all vnder thy charge whatsoeuer by his worth shall be made famous and imparted to the whole Church V. BVT doeth not this greatly redound to the prayse and honour of our saint BEDE that the Roman greatnes should desire his counsell in matter of learning who lay hid in a poore cowle and cloister in the farthest corner of the world Surely William De gest Reg. Ang. l. 1. c. 3. Malmesbury iudged aright when he calls him A man whom one may with more ease admire then worthyly prayse who borne in the furthest corner of the world dazeled all countreies with the lightning of his learning Nay more his writings were of soe reuerend esteeme and authoritie in the Christian world that during his life time first by the ordonance of an English Synod and afterwards the whole Catholick and Apostolick Church approouing it they were read and sung publickly in the Ecclesiasticall office a thing which after the Apostles and their immediate disciples was neuer graunted to anie of the auncient Fathers or Doctours of Gods Church And hence it was to omitt other fabulous Why he is called Venerable stories hereof that both in his life time and after his death he was qualified with the title of VENERABLE BEDE For his homelies being to be read in the Church he yet liuing and a title of the Author to be prefixed before the lessons as the manner is because they could not stile him Sainct Ante obitum nemo Supremaque funera faelix They worthyly adorned him with the name of VENERABLE eyther by reason of the singular grauitie and modestie of his cariage or else because that Pope Sergius in the aboue cited epistle qualified him with that Epithete And the same title grew soe vniuersally then in vse that to this present day he is commonly called thereby and it remaynes still prefixed to all his Homelies which are read or sung in the Church VI. SVCH then was the incomparable learning of this our famous Doctour of England Sainct BEDE who liuing in a Benedictine Six hundred Benedictine Monks in his Monastery Abbey in which were at that time aboue six hundred monkes he not only excelled them all and became a Master to them all but an amazement to the whole Christian world besides But what was BEDE soe eagerly bent to the studies of learning during the time of his life that he neglected the studie of vertue and pietie It can not be sayd For as an auncient authour doeth testifie aâ— his very first entrance into the lists of the sciences togeather with his yeares the grace of spirituall guifts encreased in his soule that with the spirit of wisedom vnderstanding he might receaue allsoe the spirit of the feare of our Lord where with chastising his bodie and bringing it into obedience to his mind he learned to Malmesb de reg lib. 1. cap. 3. possesse the vessell of the flesh in sanctification and honour Furthermore all doubt of the holines of his life is banished from humane thoughts by this irrefragable sentence which the Maiestie of diuine wisedom left to the world In animam maleuolam non introibit sapientia nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis Wisedom will not enter into a malitious soule nor dwell in a bodie subiect to sinne Which is not spoken of worldly wisedom that entreth indifferently into the harts of all men and in which oftentimes wicked persons and those that to the last gaspe set noe limits to their wickednes are found to excell according to that of our Sauiour The children of this world are wiser then the children of light But that the Wiseman calls wisedom which auoydes the faynednes of good discipline and which separateth it self from thoughts that are without the true vnderstanding of well-liuing and well-saying Whence it is that Quintilian rightly defined a true Oratour when he sayd Orator est vir bonus dicendi peritus An Oratour is a good man skillfull in speaking Therefore this our Ecclesiasticall Oratour saint BEDE did first purifie his owne conscience that soe he might worthyly attayne to a diuine knowlege to discouer the vnderstanding of the misteries of holy scripture For how could that man be subiect to vice who tasted the most inward marrow of those diuine writings and employed all the thoughts powers of his soule in the continuall explication thereof This his owne words doe proue when he sayth that his expositions Lib. 3. sup Sam yf they brought noe other profitt to the readers at lest they were anayleable to him in this that whilst he applied his whole studie thereunto he sett aside and auoyded the lightnes of the world and all vaine cogitations Therefore this holy man being free from all vice displayed the vayle of the hidden misteries and with a modest and deuout eloquence layd open to the world those diuine secrets which he had learned VII HIS custom was to be by his reading greatly enkindled to Trithem de vir illust l. 3. c. 155. deuotion and compunction which he oftentimes witnessed with bitter teares that flowed from him at his booke And after his reading and studie our pious Doctour betooke him self to his prayers hauing learnt that the way to attayne the knowledge of holy Scripture lay more in the grace of God then his owne forces O man worthy to be honoured of all ages who enriched the treasure of his mind with vertue and prayer and adorned the Christian world with learning Noe man euer saw him idle soe vehemently he burned with the loue of sacred studie and deuotion He had manie famous schollers whom he not only taught by his owne studie and example the secrets of all humane and diuine learning but which is the chiefest made them excellently perfect in religion and holy life He was a man in all things most worthy of prayse and according to his title VENERABIE in learning and good manners In charitie towards God and his neighbour most excellent admirable in deuotion and glorious in chastitie of life Of a decent and comly stature graue in his gate of a high voyce an eloquent tongue and a goodly aspect or
depriued both 〈◊〉 his Kingdom and youthfull age All so Charles a Prince of the â—rench being a destroyer of maâ—â— Monasteries and one that turned Church-goods to his owne vles was coâ—â—med with the long torment of a fearfull death Wherefore most deare sonne with f 〈…〉 and earnest prayers we beseeâ—h sheâ— not to despise the counsell of thy Fathers who for the loue of God endeauour to call vppon thy Highnes to remember thy dutie for nothing is more wholesom for a good King then yf such faults be willingly amended when they are reprehended because Salomon sayth Who â—oneth 〈…〉 â—oueth wisedome Therefore most â—eare sonne making 〈◊〉 our counsell we Prou. 12. v. 1. be 〈…〉 h and conâ—â—re thee by the â—uing God and by his deare sonne 〈◊〉 and by the holy Ghost to remember how fleeâ—ing this present life is and how short and momentarlâ— are the delights of the 〈…〉 thy flesh and how igâ—omiâ—â—â—ous a thing it is that a man but of a short life should leaue a pâ—â—perâ—â—â— remembrance of bad examples to his posteâ—â—e Beginne then to or 〈◊〉 thy life with 〈◊〉 manners and to correct the former 〈◊〉 of thy youth that here thou â—â—iest purchase prayâ—â— before men and ioies of eternall glory in future Who wish thy Highnes to enjoy health and profit dayly in good 〈◊〉 XIII The â—hould saint 〈…〉 CAL 〈◊〉 King E the 〈…〉 wherein 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 wholly loose his labour 〈◊〉 the King being Etherbald reformed by â—aint Boniface terrified with this sha 〈…〉 and pioâ—s remem 〈…〉 in maâ—le things reformed his 〈◊〉 and restored di 〈…〉 so the 〈…〉 riâ—s of soâ— great 〈◊〉 was the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of the holy manâ—◠〈…〉 kes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meane time saint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 btayned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince K 〈…〉 man a peâ—ce of land in the desert of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the â—iuer Fâ—ldâ— beganne to lay the foundation of the famous Benedictine Monasterie which 〈…〉 heth to this day and is called the Aâ—bey The building of the Benedictine Abbey of Fulda of Fulda famous for religion and 〈◊〉 The first Abbot thereof was called 〈◊〉 a man of Vâ—â—â—rible conâ—â—sation to whom and 〈◊〉 holy 〈◊〉 of Morikes the land where the 〈…〉 nasterie now stands was by the royall charter 〈◊〉 〈…〉 confirmed and graunted for euer Which done this ver 〈…〉 Prince growing dayly more and more perfect in the loue of God and finding that in the world he could not see purely and perfectly 〈…〉 ine to the height thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Magdalen of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caroloman beco meth a Benedictine Monke â—hall neuer be taken from him For leaâ—ning the ample Kingdom of his terrene dominions to the gouernment of his brother Pâ—piâ— he departed to Mount-Ca 〈…〉 in It 〈…〉 the place 〈…〉 holy Father saint BENEDICT layd the foundation of his ver 〈…〉 Order and in which was yet obserued a most strict discipline of 〈…〉 sticall life And now in that place this noble Prince chaâ—nged his â—oyall robes of maiestie to the simple weedes of a self-punishing humilitie and made profession of a Monke vnder the MASTER 〈…〉 OF DISCRETION the holy Rule of the great Patrianke of Monkes saint BENEDICT Then King 〈◊〉 hauing â—â—raynâ—â— the whole iâ—heritance to him self imitating the pl 〈…〉 of his brother 〈◊〉 all waies to loue honour and promote all the pi 〈…〉 〈…〉 rs of saint BONIFACE vnto whom by his owne letters he confirmed his Brâ—thers donation of the monastery of Fulda XIV BVT now saint BONIFACES time drâ—◠〈◊〉 wherein he should receaue from CHRIST the reward of his great hours and tast the most ample fruit of the soed of his Enangelicall preaching which he had 〈◊〉 worthily 〈◊〉 in the hearts of the G 〈…〉 poeple Therefore foreseeing the diss 〈…〉 of his owne body S â—onitace retor neth into Frisia to be neere at h 〈…〉 by the suggestion of the holy Ghost he returned into F 〈…〉 there to finish his humane 〈◊〉 where he tooke his beginning there he might all sâ—e make an end of his e 〈…〉 licall preaching and his mortall life together Thi 〈…〉 then he went not without a presage of what should befall vnto him For being 〈◊〉 take his iourney be appoynted his saythfull disciple and companion L 〈…〉 us to succeed him in the Metropolitan Sea of M 〈…〉 z diligently recommending vnto him carefully to sert forward the building of the Monasterie of Fulda and togeather with some bookes to send him a shrowd to mind his body in after death and cause it to be translated to Fulda These words 〈◊〉 blessed 〈◊〉 to performe with teares the holy mans commaunds XV. BEING arriued into Friseland by his preaching he conuerted a The sacra ment of Confirma tion great multitude to CHRIST and washed them in the sacred Font of baptisme vnto whom departing away he appoynted a day to returne in which by the imposition of hands and anneyling with sacred chris 〈…〉 they â—igh 〈…〉 the sacrament of Confirmation When in the meane time those Neophites had by a wicked persidiousnes suffered a relapse from the Fayth into their old errours and now being chainged from lambes to wolues they came not in peace to 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost by the imposition of hands but armed with fearfull weapons and countenances more terrible then their weapons and broke into the tents of the Saincts to lay violent hands on the spirituall father of their soules and to take away his life for whose â—afetie they ought to haue spent their owne Then some of Sainct Bonifaces companie prepared to defend them selues S. Bonifaces desire of Martirdom by resistance meaning to venter their owne bloud to saue the shedding of his but they were strictly by him forbidden that enterprise 〈◊〉 that desire of reuenge did not become true Christians and that they ought not to loose soe fayre an occasion of 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 them selues the purchase of soe great glory He sealeth the patent of his Apostles hip with his bloud as now one minutes patience would bring Therefore that surious multitude of P 〈…〉 sett vppon the holy Bishop and with their 〈◊〉 weapons madâ— soe manie wounds in his sacred body that through those bleeding sluses his blessed soule tooke a most happy flight to the immortall crowne of martirdom in heauen And thus this Apostolicall man hauing to his death performed true Apostolicall labours at length after the manner of the Apostles left his Apostle ship signed with his owne bloud that Germanie noe lesse then otâ—â—r Churches erected by Apostolicall men might glorie with the euerlasting memorie and high glory of soe great an Apostle and Martir from whom it receaued the Ghospell testified with his bloud sealed with his death confirmed with manie miracles and lastly that nothing might be wanting â—ortified with store of writings XVI THIS glorious bishop suffered martirdom the fiâ—t day of June The companions of his martirdom the sixtith yeare of his age and fortith after his
astouishment of his amazed brethren And other whiles when the holy man began to recite his canonicall howers and pronounced those words Deus in aduitoriuÌ„ meuÌ„ intende the same celestiall spirits distinctly answered Domine ad adiuuandum me festina ioyning their heauenly harmonie to the sacred deuotion of S. GVDVVALL But now this glorious Confessor hauing wholly abandoned and forsaken the world crucified him self with CHRIST in soe much that for his sake he hated his owne soule according to the words of the Ghospell yet was he not satisfied herewith but endeauoured dayly to better him self in perfection He departeth to an other part of the countrey wherevpon after a consultation had with his brethren he resolued to leaue this habitation seeke a conuenient place to build a monastery elsewhere Therefore they sayled into an other Prouince where hauing obtayned of a great man a peece of land fitt for his purpose he layd the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of a monasterie in which togeather with his brethren he led a most heauenly and angelicall life on earth totally applying him self to the contemplation of heauen and heauenly things amidst the continuall exercises and mortification of a most deuout monasticall life IV. IN THE meane time manie miracles were wrought by the diuine He cureth a dumbe child power of allmightie God at the intercession of this holy man amoÌ„g which one was that he gaue speech to a child tenne yeares old that was borne dumbe others which for breuities sake are here omitted And manie heauenly fauours he receaued at the hands of the diuine goodnes whereof one and not the lest was that tenne daies before his death performing the sacred misteries of our redemption at the aultar the holy Archangell S. MICHAEL togeather with the two He hath an apparition and a reuelation of his death princes of the Apostolick companie PETER and PAVL appeared visibly vnto him and amongst other diuine consolations reuealed the happie minute of his death exhorting him withall to prepare him self thereunto with watching fasting and prayer to gaine a greater crowne of glory in heauen Therefore the next day hauing assembled his brethren togeather he made knowne the manner of this reuelation exhorting them to the contempt of the world and a constant perseuerance in the seruice of allmightie God Then a welcome His laâ—â— sicknes sicknes taking hould of his holy bodie made him more feelingly vnderstand that his time drew neere when being armed with the sacraments of the Church amidst the deuout prayers and recommendations of his weeping Brethren he ioyfully yeelded vp his blessed soule into the hands of his deere redeemer which in the forme of a white doue was seene to take her flight towards the heauenly dwellings He died the sixth day of Iune and ouer his sacred reliques shined a glorious splendour all the night following V. AMONGST others that were present at his death were his mother A controuersie miraculously decided and Sisters who very earnestly desired to haue his bodie transported into his owne natiue countrey to be honourably buried in the Church where he had been bishop But his Brethren aâ— first absolutly resisted their petitions till the controuersie was decided by miracle For putting the sacred bodie in a waggon the beasts that drew it were permitted to take their owne waies when contrary to the desire of both parties they went directly to be Iland called Plet which was the place yf I be not deceaued where the holy man led a solitarie life in a rock of the Sea as is aboue sayd And there his sacred body lay buried for the space of manie yeares famous for miracles all the couÌ„trey ouer Till that Prouince of the Britans being inuaded by barbarous enemies the Monkes of S. GVDVVALLS transported his bodie into France Arnulphus marquis of Flanders caused The tranâ— lation of his body it to be very honourably translated to the famous Benedictine Abbey of saint PETER and PAVL aâ— Gaunt togeather with the holy reliques of saint BERTVLPHE This translation happened in the raigne of Clotarins ouer the Kingdom of France and it is yearly celebrated in the sayd Monastery of Gaunt the third day of December His life is written by an auncient Authour recited by Laurence Surius tom 6. and by Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue both whom we haue followed Very honourable mention is made of his great vertue Sainctitie and Miracles in the life of Saint Bertulphe in the second tome of Surius February the fifth and by Vsuard Molanus and others The life of saint ROBERT Confessor and Abbot vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT IVNE 7. Written by an auncient Authour recited by Surius THE Venerable Abbot ROBERT borne in Yorkeshire shunning from his very infancie the vaine sports and pastimes of other Children his equalls soe worthyly profitted in the studie of good learning that he was afterwards promoted to the gouernment of a Church in that countrey But discharging him self within a while of that office and all care and cure of soules he went to the Benedictine Abbey of Whiteby where he putt on the habit and profession of a monke of saint BENEDICTS Order At that time one Richard Priour of our Ladies of Yorke had receaued a peece of land at a place called Fountaines where by the meanes of Thrustine Archbishop of Yorke he had built a Monasterie in which togeather with twelue other monkes ouer whom he was Abbott he led a Monasticall life according to the constitutions of the Congregation of Cisterce vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT Noe man there did eate his bread in idlenes nor gaue his bodie to rest but when it was ouerwearied with labour They all went hungry to the table and weary to bed Their diet only supplied necessitie not their appetite and yet without ether sadnes or murmuring they gaue God thankes with alacritie Therefore our saint ROBERT hauing He becometh a Cisterciaâ— Monke first obtayned leaue of his Abbot ioyned him self to this holy companie and chainged his black habit for a white that is from a Benedictine became a Cistercian still obseruing the Rule of our holy father saint BENEDICT And now it was rare to behould how strongly this holy man performed the accustomed labours of the monasterie how feruent he was in holy reading and contemplation and how deuoutly he followed his prayers and other monasticall exercises being venerable in his behauiour prouident in giuing of counsell and elegant in his speech II. IN THE meane time hauing spent fiue yeares in this place in He is made Abbot the yeare of grace a thousand one hundred thirtie seauen a noble man of Northumberland gaue an ample possession of land to the Church on which saint ROBERT built a new Monasterie and being chosen Abbot thereof he tooke with him eleuen other deuout monkes wherewith he furnished the same These he gouerned in the rigour of a monasticall life making him self soe perfect a patterne
His wonderfull abstinence of a abstinence that he neuer rose from the table with a full stomake and in Lent for the most part his greatest dainties were bread and water Whence it came to passe that at an Easter time his appetite and gust of meate was soe vtterly mortified ouerthrowne that he could not eate the meate which was set before him And when the monke that wayted vppon him demaunded why he did not eate Yf I had some oaten bread replied he moistened with butter I thinke I should be able to eate it Therefore the Monke Soe holy Dauid refused to drinke the water which he had desiâ—red his seruant brought some such bread when the holy man reflecting with him self that he had giuen a litle fauourable scope to his appetite conceaued soe great feare thereat that becoming a rigid and seuere reuenge to himself he refused to tast it at all but remayned fasting And that meate soe prouided he commaunded to be giuen to the poore that wayted at the Monastery gate where they found a fayre yong man of a very beautifull countenance who tooke the meate with the dish and vanished Which as they related to the holy Abbot behould the same dish fell vppon the table before him Whereby they vnderstood that an Angell sent from heauen had receaued that almes from the holy man III. OVER and aboue the accustomed taske of his diuine office and His prayers and the effects thereof prayers he dayly recited the whole Psalter of Dauid contayning an hundred and fiftie Psalmes But as once more earnestly he made his prayers vnto allmightie God and with the teares of his deuotion abundantly trickling downe his cheekes he powred forth his soule before the court of heauen desiring that as well his owne as the seruice of his brethren might be acceptable to the diuine maiestie and that they might be found worthy to haue their names written in the booke of life he heard these comfortable words come from aboue Take courage my Sonne for thy prayers are written in heauen Only two of them whose hearts haue been allwaies fixed to the loue of terrene things are inscribed in the dust of the world And not long after two Conuerses commonly called Lay-brothers casting off their habits made a miserable end of their liues in the world whereby the diuine reuelation of the holy man was verified IV. PASSING on a time by New-Castle he happened into a great He hindeâ—â—â—â— the wicked endeauours of the deuill multitude of yong men where he saw one with a wonderfull curiositie runne vp and downe amongst them fawning vppon them with an insolent countenance and as it were exhort and stirre them vp to the execution of some great matter When perceauing that he played not the part of a Man but rather the deceiptfull games of some wicked deuill by the powerfull force of his diuine words he commaunded him to depart Ho thou gallant sayd he these men doe not want thy worke quickly therefore be gone and follow me Presently â—e as yf he had been tied to their horse tayles went afâ—â—t holy Abbot through the durtie streets to the great astonishment of those that were present When they were gone out of the towne and come into the turnings of the highway Who art thou sayd the holy man and what was thy busines there Thou art not ignorant who I am replied he and thou knowest well my endeauours There is a pompous celebration of a rich mans wedding Note the maâ—ice of the deuâ—â—l in that towne and I was earnestly labouring to haue the groome slayne in the buanquet by his riualls that the guests being incensed with anger thereat might endeauour to reuenge his death and soe blinded with wrath and dronkennes their mutuall wounds might cause a sedition in the cittie that by the cutting downe of manie bodies I might reape an haruest of soules into my possession And now I was perswaded by the purchase of this victorie to haue returned in ioyfull triumphe to my Prince when my whole plott and counsell being ouerthrowne by thee I am constrayned to go home without anie gaine at all At these wordes the holy Abbot detesting the wickednes of that insernall monster commaunded him to depart to the determined place of his torments and neuer more hereafter to attempt to deceaue minkind Whereat the wicked spirit vanished taking his farewell with soe great horrour that their horses growing furious with neighing snoring and tearing the ground with their feet could hardly be held vnder the possession of their riders V. AN OTHER time the monkes being at mattins the holy man saw the Deuill standing in the habit of a countrey fellow at the quire He seeth the deuill inquiring into the faults of his Monkes doore and oftentimes endeauouring but in vaine to enter into it Then falling heartily to his prayers and stirring vp the hearts of his brethren to deuotion that infernall spie perceauing after a long expectance that he profitted nothing vanished away with anger and confusion The same holy Abbot celebrating once the dreadfull sacrifice of Masse saw in a vision a mightie storme at sea wherein a ship was sorely tost vp and downe in those swelling waues till the sterne being broken she ranne violently on her owne ruine and beating her self against a cruell rock dissolued her ioynts and ribbes into peeces left all the men her rulers to shift for them selues in the mercilesse billowes of the Ocean The holy man being greatly moued to compassion with this vision hauing finished his masse sent his Monkes to the sea side to take vp the bodies of those drowned persons They went and the fourth day after in the very place designed by saint ROBERT the sea cast vp the dead bodies which by their hands were honoured with Christian buriall VI. A HOLY matrone who by the pious persuasions of S. ROBERT S. Robert freed from a faâ—se Suspition by S. Bernard had contemned the gorgeous pride and vanitie of the world and betaken her self to a retired and deuout life was oftentimes visited by the same holy man to be by his godly instructions dayly aduanced in the way of vertue Which thing was a cause of manie bad suspitions in the iealous minds of some of his brethren who iudged that current of familiaritie to proceed from an impure spring And now they had infected the eares of manie with their misdeeming opinion till their complaints arriued to the knowledge of the great Patrone of his Order saint BERNARD Abbot of Clareuall in France To whom saint ROBERT went in person and he hauing had a reuelation of his great same and merits tooke him secretly aside and sayd Brother ROBERT those things are most false which the sinister suspition of manie hath bruted abroade against thy innocencie And in testimonie of his loue he gaue him a gyrdle which afterwards by the merits of them both gaue the benefitt of health to manie sick persons VII THIS holy Confessor was
were the diuine guifts and fauours wherewith allmightie God ennobled this holy man beyond the common lott of other mortalls Amongst which this heauenly benefitt following is worthy of eternall memory IV. FOR WHEN allmost an infinite multitude of people of all ages sexes and conditions came to meet him and congratulate his returne towards Yorke as they pasled in violent throngs ouer a wodden bridge after the holyman the same bridge broke suddenly vnder them and let a great companie fall headlong Note a wonderfull miracle into the riuer Which the Bishop who was newly past ouer perceauing being strucken in mind with the vehemencie of a sudden sorrow to see soe manie innocent people in the imminent danger of their liues and full of compassionate teares with his hands and eyes lifted vp towards heauen he implored the diuine mercie for the health of those perishing creatures and blessed them with the signe of life when soe miraculously he enioyed his holy purpose and desire that to the wonderfull amazement of all and the great glorie of God and his Sainct they were all saued from the danger of drowning allbeit for the greater renowne of the miracle a great part of them were children wholly vnable to shift for them selues To S Williams death whom as by his prayers he gaue life soe the thirtith day after his entrance into the cittie of Yorke he deposed his owne mortall life to be cloathed with the heauenly and immortall loaden with all manner of vertues merits and good workes that belonged to the function of a most holy Prelate And the innumerable benefitts bestowed vppon manie miserable and afflicted persons Miracles at his tombe at his tombe were soe manie powerfull witnesses that beyond all exception proued of how great grace and glorie he was in the sight of allmightie God Nay which is more a wonderfull oyle most soueraigne against all diseases flowed out of his sacred body which was carefully receaued and vsed by deuout poeple He died the eight day of Iune about the yeare of our redemption 1154. But an hundred thirtie one yeares after his death his sacred bones were taken out of the ground and placed in an eminent place in the Church of Yorke in a very pretious and rich shrine where thy were reserued with great reuerence and veneration till the fatall destruction of all Churches and religion in the vnhappie raigne of Henry the eight His life we haue gathered out of William of Newbery lib. 1. cap. 17. 27. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 12. cap. 41. Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Polidore Virgill lib. 12 who allsoe speaketh of his Canonization Vsuard and Molanus in their Martirologes make mention of S. William The life of saint COLVMBA Abbot and Confessor IVNE 9. Written by Adamnanus Abbot who florished in the yeare 690 THE glorious Abbot and venerable father and Founder of manie Monasteries Sainct COLVMBA borne in Jreland of noble parents was from his very infancie much inclined to embrace all true Christian vertues to follow the studies of wisedom and to keepe him self chast pure and entier in bodie and soule from the infectious venom and vanities of the world He was of an angelicall contenance neaâ—e in his speech holy in his workes sound in his iudgement prouident in giuing counsell and excellent in witt He suffered no one hower to passe wherein he did noe applie him self to prayer reading writing or some other good worke He was soe vnwearied in the labours of fasting and watching and His continuall labour sâ—e strongly exercised him self therein night and day without intermission that the weight and greatnes of those employments seemed to exceed the possibilitie of humane nature And amidst all bearing allwaies a ioyfull countenance he became most gratefull and deare vnto all men To the age of thirtie fower yeares he liued in Ireland in the continuall exercise of a most holy life But in the yeare of our Lord fiue hundred sixtie fiue he came into the Iland of great Britaine to announce the fayth of CHRIST to the northerne Picts whom by his zealous preaching vertuous example and miraculous workes he conuerted to the Christian Fayth soe that by a iust title he is termed their Apostle In one of the Orkney Ilands on the north side of Scotland he built a famous Monastery and furnished it with a great Conuent of Monkes whom he gouerned as He buildeth the Monastery of Hoy. Abbot in all holines of life and conuersation to the age of threescore and seauenteen yeares when loaden with manie meritts and good workes he ended this mortall life to enter into the immortall which neuer ends He was first buried in the same Monastery which from him was called Columbkill or Columbs-Cell but afterwards his holy reliques were translated to Dune in Jreland and layd in the same tombe with great saint PATRICK and saint BRIGITT according to this Epitaphe Jn Burgo Duno tumulo tumulantur in vno Brigida Patricius atque Columba pius During his life he founded manie other Monasteries both in Jreland He foundeth manie Monasteries and elsewhere in which he gained manie thousands of soules to God out of the dangerous pathes of this world But yf we should goe about to sett downe in particular the miraculous workes excellent vertues propheticall reuelations angelicall apparitions and all the heauenly and diuine guifts and graces which allmightie God largely bestowed vppon this holy man it would require a whole volume apart And after all our best endeauours imployed therein we should come soe farre short of worthyly declaring his worthie deeds that I haue chosen rather ro passe them ouer in silence then with a rude penne rudely to decipher them to the world He died the ninth of June on which day his memory hath heretofore been celebrated with great solemnitie especially in Ireland as his proper Office in a Breuiary of that counrrey doeth testifie His life is very largely written by Adamnanus Abbot of the Monastery of Hoy. The Roman Martirologe Venerable Bede de gest Angl. lib. 3. cap. 4. and lib. 5. cap. 10. Notkerus Balbulus in his martirologe Henry Huntington lib. 3. hist. Ang. fol. 330. Cardinall Baronius in his Annotations on the Roman Martirologe and manie other graue Authours doe make honourable mention of him The life of Saint MARGARET Queene of Scotland IVNE 10 Written by Aluredus Abbot of Rhieuall AFTER the death of Edmund King of England who from the great strength of body was surnamed Iron-side Canutus King of Denmarke and conquerour of England being him self ashamed to putt to death his two sonnes Edmund and Edward by reason of the league made with their father sent them to the King of Sueuia to be murdered who moued with compassion presented them Parents of S Margaret to Salomon King of Hungarie to be preserued But Edmund dying without childreÌ„ Edward his yonger brother married Agatha daughter to the Emperour which marriage was blessed with a daughter called MARGARET
and she dispersed all she had I say nothing of her great care and pietie shewed to sick persons orphans and widdowes to whom she was allwaies a most indulgent and pious Motheâ— I passe ouer in silence the affâ—ction reuerence she bore to Hermites and true religious mâ—n whom sometimes she visited and dayly furnished with sufficiencie Euery morning she The rare pretie of the King and Queene nourished nine orphan-children and gaue them victualls with her owne hands Besides these her custom was to receaue three hundred poore poeple into the pallace and hauing 〈◊〉 the doores she ranged them into order when the king on the on side and the Queene on the other serued CHRIST in his poore and gaue them meate with their owne hands peculâ—rly prouided for that purpose O the wonderfull pietie of these royall persons This done she went to the Church where during the time of the holy sacrifice of Masse she sacrificed her self to allmightie God with the long continuance of manie prayers sighs and teares And before the high Masse beganne she heard fiue or six priuate Masses euery day VI. THEN she returned to dinner rather to maintaine life then Her spare diet to satisfie the delights of her appetite for in her diet she was soe sober and sparing that her meales rather sharpened then extinguished her 〈◊〉 and she seemed rather to â—ast then to â—are her meate Throughout the whole Lent and fortie daies before Christmas she mortified her bodie with an incredible abstinence in soe much that out of the austeritie of her fasting she endured most sharpe paynes and gripings in her stomake all the daies of her life but the weaknes of her bodie could nothing weaken the strength of her vnconquered vertue At length falling into a grieuous ficknes she sent for her Confessor 〈◊〉 the second Prior of the Benedictine Monastery of Durham of wâ—om hauing first declared the manner of her life and at each word of the consolation which he gaue her powred out whole flouds of deuout teares she tooke her last farewell for sayd she I shall not long remaine in She desireth Masses and prayers after death this mortall life and thou wilt shortly follow me Two things therefore I desire of thee the first that during thy life thou be allwaies mindfull of me in thy masse and other prayers the second that thou take care of my children and keepe them allwaies in the feare of God lest the prosperitie of the world wheÌ„ they attaine to the height of terrene dignitie make them loose the happines of eternall life VII AFTERWARDS the vehemencie of her disease encreasing she was noâ—able to rise but seldom out of her bed But the fourth day The slaughter of King Malcoline before her happie departure the king being then abroade in a warlick expedition she grew on the suddaine more sad then her wonted custom saying to the assistants I feare more misfortune hath happened this day to the Kingdom of Scotland then in manie yeares before And soone after they vnderstood that the King and his sonne Edward had that very day lost their liues in the warres The fourth day after the kings death her sicknes giuing some truce to the former vehemencie of her paine she rose and went into her chappell and armed her approching end with the last Sacrament and the Viaticum of our Lords most pretious bodie Then the crueltie of her griefes laying her againe prostrate on her death-bed she vnderstood by the new arriuall of her sonne Edgar from the arâ—ie of the late ouerthrow receaued by their enemies when lifting vp her hands and eyes towards heauen she gaue infinite thankes vnto allmightie God who at the hower of her departure out of this A vvorthy example of patience world had sent her an occasion of soe great anguish for a triall of her patience by the suffrance of which she hoped to be clensed from some of her former sinnes In the meane time feeling the secret messengers of death to summon her departure she beganne deuoutly to recite this prayer Domine Iesu Christe qui ex voluntate Patris cooperante She dioâ—â— happily spiritu Sancto per mortem tuam mundum viâ—ificasti libera me and and at that word her soule being deliuered out of the chaines of the bodie quietly passed to the Authour of all true libertie CHRIST-IESVS whom soe dearely she had loued in her life time being made participant of the happines of those glorious spirits whose vertuous examples she had been all waies carefull to follow And her face which during her sicknes was soe wane pale returned after death to soe fayre a mixture of a red and white complexion that to the astonished behoulders it seemed to sett forth the countenance of a sleeping or liuing bodie rather then of one that was dead She died the tenth day of Iune in the yeare 1097. and was buried in the Church of the Blessed Trinitie which she had built in her life time The life of this glorious Queene hath been written by S. Alured Abbot of Rhieuall recited by Surius tom 3. and by Turgot second Prior of Durham whom we haue followed Allso Deidonatus lib. 12. hist Scotorum maketh ample mention of her as allsoe the Roman Martirâ—loge Vsuard Molanus and others The life of Sainct EADBVRG Virgin and Nunne of the holy Order of Sainct BENEDICT IVNE 15. Out of William Malmesbury and others EABVRG daughter to Edward the Elder King of England and Queene Elsgiue his wife Her parents at the age of three yeares gaue a notable proofe of her future Sainctitie For her father being desirous to trie whether the litle infant would be inclined to God or the world layd the ornaments of diuers professions in his chamber before her on the one side a chalice and the Ghospell and iewells rings and bracelets on the other Thither the litle gyrle being brought in the armes of her dandling nurse she was seated on her fathers lappe who sayd Choose my EADBVRG which of these things doe most delight thee She with a countenance as it were despising the rest greedily layd hould on the chalice and booke embracing them with Note her choise of a religiouslife a childish innocencie The whole companie of assistants cried out that it was an euident presage of future sainctitie in the gyrle and the father most tenderly kissing clipping his child Goe thy waies sayd he whither God calls thee follow happily the diuine spouse whom thou hast chosen and happy indeed may thy mother and I esteeme our selues being in religion ouercome by a daughter Therefore when riper yeares allowed her the perfect vse of discrecretion she went to the Benedictine Monasterie which her father had She taketh the habit of a Nunne built at Winchester and putt on the habit and profession of a Nunne vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT when soe rarely she conformed her life to the lawes of her profession that by the
diligence of her dutifull seruice she greatly inuited all the rest of her sisters and fellow-Nunnes highly to loue and honour her Nether did the greatnes of her bloud and royall byrth make her more nice or backward to vndergoe the austeritie of her profession because she iudged it a thing most glorious to be huÌ„bled vnder the sweet yoake of the seruice of CHRIST-IESVS Her sainctirie encreased with her age and her humilitie florished with her youthfull yeares in soe A rare example of humilitie much that by night she would play the part of a pious theefe and steale the sockes of all the other nunnes hauing carefully washed and annoynted them she restored them againe to their bed sides Wherefore allbeit allmightie God hath ennobled her aliue with manie famous miracles yet this one example is before all most worthie of prayse that charitie beganne and humilitie finished all the workes of her whole life At leÌ„gth passing happily out of this world Her happy death her pure and innocent soule was carried on the wings of these two vertues to be perfectly vnited with her euerlasting spouse in heauen the fifteenth day of Iune about the yeare of our Lord 920. Her bodie was first buried in the same Monasterie but some of her bones were afterwards translated to the Benedictine Abbey of Pershore in the Diocesse of Worcester where they were reserued with great reuerence and deuotion at both which places the holines and integritie of her life was witnessed with manie famous miracles as the gouernours of the same Churches could affirme in the time of my Authour The life of S. Eadburg sayth Iohn Pits is written by one Osbertus Clarentius a Benedictin Monke of Winchester about the yeare of Christ 1136. which I haue not seene But thus much of her I haue taken out of William Malmesbury de reg lib. 2. cap. 13. and de Episcop lib. 4. de monasterijs diocesis Vigorn and Nicholas Harpsfield saec 10. cap. 8. Mention is made of her by Roger Houedon priori part Annal. an 899. Polidore Virgill lib. 6. Molanus in his additions to Vsuard Peter de natalibus in his catalogue lib. 11. cap. 69. and others And in an auncient manuscript breniary of S. Benedicts order with belonged to the Monastery of Burton vppon Trent I find her feast celebrated this fisteenth of Iune with three lessons and a proper Collect. The life of Saint BOTVLPHE Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT IVNE 17 Written by Folchard a Monke of Thorney BOTVLPHE and ADOLPHE brothers borne of noble parents were both as neere of kinne in vertue as in byrth and both equally ennobled the nobilitie of their bloud with the resplendent excellencie of their holy life Who because in England then but newly conuerted the Catholick religion and discipline of a monasticall life was not yet established in that perfection as their minds aspired vnto went on pilgrimage ouer into France or Belgia Where because vertue is no where a stranger but is euery where honoured euen amongst strangers ADOLPHE was at length aduanced to the sacred dignitie of Bishop and BOTVLPHE hauing been a long time He professeth a religious life exercised in the stricter discipline of a monasticall life togeather with his brother and putt on the habit and profession of a Monke vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT resolued to returne into his owne countrey being courteously recommended to ETHELMVND king of the South-Saxons by his two Sisters who at that time led a religious life in France Therefore S. BOTVLPHE hauing passed the seas was kindly entertayned by king Ethelmund who hauing vnderstood the desire of his sisters gaue him a peece of land in Lincolneâ—hire not farre from the cittie of Lincolne The name of the place was Icanhoe a forsaken vnhabited desert where nothing but deuills and goblins were thought to dwell But S. BOTVLPHE with the vertue signe of the holy Crosse freed it from the possession of those hellish He buildeth a Monastery inhabitants and by the meanes and helpe of Ethelmund built a monasterie therein which he filled with a Conuent of religious monkes vnder the rule of our holy father S. BENEDICT II. THESE he gouerned both by word worke and example according to the stricter discipline of a monasticall life which he had learned in forreigne countreies drawing them by the mildnes of his dayly pious admonitions to embrace the sweet austeritie of a vertuous and holy life in soe much that he was highly esteemed and His pietie in sicknes beloued of all and by a speciall fauour of allmightie God ennobled with the guift of prophesie and working of manie miracles Being oppressed with sicknes of bodie he imitated the patience of holy Iob and gaue infinite thankes vnto the diuine goodnes for that visitation all waies discoursing of the soules departure out of the bodie and of the ioyes of euerlasting happines which followed With these and such like pious exercises he spent his whole time till he attayned to the happines to be by old age ouertaken in the diuine seruice When the end of his life drawing neere and the vehemencie of his sicknes encreasing he ceased not to exhorte his deuout children carefully to obserue the rules of monsticall life which he had planted amongst them and to maintaine peace and charitie in the Monasterie Till adorned with the long studies of all vertues this vntired Hâ—s happy death champion of CHRIT being oppressed with the crueltie of a teadious disease of bodie yeelded vp his blessed soule out of her mortall habitation to the immortall reward of her labours the seauenteenth day of Iune about the yeare of our Lord 680. He was buried in the same Monasterie where his memorie was yearly celebrated being famous for miracles both in his life and after his death But that place being afterwards destroyed by the Danes the worthy restorer of the Benedictine discipline S. ETHELWOLD bishop of Winchester caused his sacred reliques to be taken vp and translated to the Translation of his bodie two Benedictine Abbeies Ely and Thorney And it hath been found writteÌ„ in the booke of S. BOTVLPHES Church neere Aldergâ—â—e in London that part of his holy bodie was by King Edward giuen to the Abbey of Winchester The memory of this glorious Sainct hath in former times been very famous in our Iland of great Britaine and in Lincolneshire there remaines yet a renowned towne which from his name was called Botulphs-Towne but now by corruption of the word is named Bâ—ston situate on the bankes of the riuer Witham His life hath been written by Folchard a monke of Thorney and by Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue in his legend of English Saincts S. Bede in his history of England Florentius Wigorniensis an 654. Mathew Westminster in the same yeare Nicholas Harpsfied saec 7. cap. 24. William Camden in descriptione comitatus Lincolâ—iâ— Molanus in his additions to Vsuard and manie others make worthy iâ—eâ—tion
to see the ruine of those perishing soules and perceauing his iourney to the desired place of martirdom to be hindered by that huge concourse of poeple fell downe on his knees and humbly made his prayer to him whose side flowed water and bloud for the redemption of the world to giue a safe passage to that poeple soe desirous to be present at his death Then by the allmightie power A notable miracle of him that diuided the red sea for the Israelites the furie of that great riuer was stopped and the channell made drie for the holy Martir to passe the flowing of his prayers and teares before allmightie God tooke from the riuer the power of flowing and layd open a fayre passage for him self and the poeple through the waters VII BVT the vertue of this wonderfull miracle gaue grace to the Officer that was appoynted to be ALBANS executioner to cast off all The executioner conuerted thought of such like woluish crueltie and become a meeke lambe of CHRISTS flock For throwing away his sword that should haue done that blouddie deed he fell prostrate at the holy Martirs feet confessed his errour and humbly demaunded pardon crying alowd that there was noe other true God but the God of the Christians and earnestly desiring to die in steed of him whom he was commaunded to putt to death But his beliefe moued the rest of those ministers of mischiefe to greater rage and furie and falling vppon that new Confessour of CHRIST they beate out his teeth tore his mouth that had giuen testimonie to the truth and soe bruised all his limmes with cruell blowes that in his whole bodie scarse anie one part was left vnhurt yet in heart he remayned firme and sound in the confession of his fayth But leauing this wretched creature in that miserable plight they arriued at length Is cruelly beaten to the toppe of the hill where an infinite number of poeple were expecting to behould the action of this tragicall scene Who being generally tormented with an extremitie of heate drought He obtayneth a fountaine by his prayers S. ALBAN by his prayers obtayned to haue a cleere fouÌ„taine spring out of that dried earth by which the multitude queÌ„ched their thirst yet allwaies thirsted for the effusion of his bloud by whose meritts they had receaued that benefitt soe great was the vngratefull crueltie cruell ingratitude of their blinded minds which ascribed all these most seÌ„sible miracles to the power of their owne seÌ„slesse Gods VIII THEREFORE whetting still the edge of their owne furie on the vnshaken rock of the holy Martirs constancie and vertue they He is beheadded were more and more incensed to the shedding of his innocent bloud A new executioner was chosen to giue the deadly blow for them all who at once made a cruell separation of his head from the bodie that his blessed soule might take a happie flight to the crowne of euerlasting life which our Lord hath promised to those that suffer for his sake But the cruell executioner was not permitted to triumphe in his wicked fact for his eyes ashamed as it were to The punishment of his executioner behould their Masters crueltie fell miraculously out of his head at the very instant that he gaue the Martir his death soe that loosing the guides that had directed him to doe what he did he lost allsoe the power to see what he had done Which miracle caused manie of the Gentils there present to confesse that he was iustly punished Meane while the poore souldier whom they had left halfe dead below had cralled to the toppe of the hill and coming to the holy body of saint ALBAN he was presently restored againe to the perfect vse of all his limmes But that happines was soone after seconded with a farre greater for making profession of the fayth of A souldier martired CHRIST he was forthwith beheadded and by being baptised in his owne bloud was made worthie to follow his leader saint ALBAN into the euerlasting ioyes of CHRIST-IESVS the eternall crowne and glory of his Martirs S. ALBAN was martired about the yeare of our saluation three hundred and three and his bodie was buried in the same place of his martirdom IX BVT about the yeare of our Lord fower hundred fortie six and an hundred fortie three yeares after the passion of S. ALBAN the Pelagian Heresie as ouer the rest of the world soe chiefely it raygned in great Britaine in which it is reported to haue first begunne To suppresse this infection sainct GERMAN Bishop of Auâ—er The Pelagian â—eresie suppressed and Lupus Bishop of Troy came out of France into our Iland by the force of whose arguments and miracles the impudent mouthes of the Pelagians were stopt And at that very time manie great miracles and cures of diseased persons being wrought at the sacred tombe of S. ALBAN thither the holy Bishops went for deuotion sake to giue thankes vnto allmightie God for their successe and S. GERMAN hauing opened the holy monument layd therein manie reliques of the Apostles and other Martirs that the same place might containe the bones of them whose soules enioyed one and the same glory in heauen Which done he tooke thence some part of the earth which had receaued the holy Martirs bloud and which yet blushed therewith to be by him reserued as a most pretious treasure The auncient Britans ouer come by the Saxons and a worthy reward of his labour Afterwards the English and Saxons that were Pagans like vnto a furious tempest inuaded the Iland of great Britaine and by force of armes droue the auncient inhabitants thereof to the mountaines and farthest parts of the countrey now called Wales persecuting not only the men but the Christian fayth which they professed Then amongst others the auncient cittie of Verulam being destroyed and all sacred monuments and Churches demolisht the memory of the glorious Martir Sainct ALBAN was extinguished for the space of three hundred fortie fower yeares and to the raygne of the most famous King of the Mercians Ossa who following a diuine reuelation that commaunded him to search out those holy reliques and place them in a more worthy monument assembled the poeple and Clergie togeather and armed with fasting and prayer they ascended the mountaine where the holy Martir suffered In the meane time the diuine goodnes that would not haue that treasure lie hid anie longer sent forth a heauenly splendour which glittered ouer his sepulcher and lighted them to find out those desired reliques For hauing digged in the same place they found his sacred bodie in a The inuention of S. Albans bodie wodden chest togeather with the reliques of the Apostles and Martirs which Sainct GERMAN had placed therein Therefore the King and whole assemblie being replenished with inestimable ioy translated that sacred treasure with great veneration and solemnitie singing of himnes and prayses to allmightie into an auncient Church neere Verulam
ALBAN They are baptised and the cause of their coming thither receaued them all to the sacrament of the Christian fayth which they desired And they ioyfully embracing those diuine institutions were incensed dayly with soe ardent a desire to profitt and perfect them selues in their new-receaued fayth that the multitude of faythfull Christians grew euery day greater in number and more famous and renowned in Sainctitie III. BVT the ancient and common enemie of mankind perceauing the Euangelicall kingdom to be amplified dayly with such ioyfull increases and his possessions to be greatly diminished by these purchases iudged it high time to oppose him self against those proceedings and to that end he incensed the citizens against their fellow-Cittizens those remayning at Verulam against the others whom AMPHIBALVS had now made Cittizens of the kingdom of heauen Against whom the Burgesses of the earth being incensed with the furie of the Prince of darknes determined to rayse a cruell warre grounding their quarrell on noe other theame theÌ„ that their fellow Cittizens had forsaken the desire and loue of the world and were by the meanes of AMPHIBALVS raÌ„ged into the warrefare of CHRISTS A thousaÌ„d Christians cruelly murdered holy Ghospell Marching therefore against them when they perceaued them to be soe resolute in the opinion of their new-receaued fayth that with courragious minds they were readie to expose their necks to the furious swords of their persecutours setting aside all thought eyther of the name of fellow-CittizeÌ„s or affinitie of bloud or dignitie of their innocencie they made a furious assault vppon them being vnarmed and in most cruell manner bathed their swords in the bloud of their owne fellowes and countreymen they in the meane time ioyfully and willingly offring their bodies to the deadly blowes of CHRISTS enemies whereby his triumphant Church was adorned with the fresh roses of new troupes of holy Martyrs IV. BVT apprehending the Captaine of this holy warre AMPHIBALVS Amphibalus reserued for greater paines in the midst of those murdered bodies they brought him back to Verulam to be there reserued for greater and more exquisite torments Whither when the newes of his coming arriued all the towne flocked out to meet him though not in curtesie but to reuenge on him the losse of their fellow-cittizens and kinred of whose slaughter they iudged him to be the sole and principall authour Therefore falling violently vppon him with soe great inhumanitie they tormented and beat the bodie of the holy man that they left noe place thereof without the cruell markes of manie hurts and wounds All which he is reported to haue endured with soe great fortitude of mind that no signe of anger or trouble appeared in his countenance When all men held it for a miracle as indeed it was that his aged bodie was able to indure soe manie and soe great torments with such an vnmoued constancie and that they could not force his soule out of that weake lodging with such paines the lest whereof seemed more then sufficient to martire the strongest champion in the world V ALL being astonished and manie much grieued at this spectacle Manie coÌ„uerted to Christ made as the manner is diuers interpretations and constructioÌ„s of the matter some imputing it to witchcraft others to a diuine power in soe much that there waÌ„ted not those that affirmed it to be a most vnworthy act to exercise soe manie torments on an innocent man which without note of great crueltie could not be inflicted on the wickedest malefactour that euer was for what offence is it sayd they to draw men from the horrible rites of profane sacrifices and from a sauage manner of life to an holy and pious way of seruing God Therefore because AMPHIBALVS teacheth these things we ought rather to honour his vertue with all due reuerence and with benefitts to requite him labouring for the common good then soe vngratefully and cruelly to persecute his innocencie And this proceeding seemed to them to besoe vnwarrantable that they feafeared not to affirme the patient to be most gratefull to God in suffering such cruelties for vertues sake and the doers them selues to They are martyred with S. Amphibalus be of God most hated for soe outrageously persecuting a poore innocent On these then speaking in this manner and recommending them selues to CHRIST and the prayers of AMPHIBALVS the barbarous multitude exercised their madding crueltie and togeather with AMPHIBALVS their captaine with swords kniues and stones battered their soules out of their mortall lodgings to take an happie flight to the immortall VI THIS holy man was martired at the village of Rudburne three miles distant from Verulam where Thomas Rudburne reportes that two great kniues which had been instruments of this crueltie were reserued to his time And for the space of allmost seauen hundred yeares the reliques of this blessed Martyr lay buried in obscuritie The inuention of his bodie till about the yeare of our Lord 1178. they were miraculously found out and brought honourably in procession to the Benedictine Abbey of S ALBAN when the monkes of the same place went solemnly to meet that treasure carrying with them S. ALBANS shrine The towne of Verulam neuer beheld a more comfortable and ioyfull day One martyr mett an other the disciple his Master the Host his guest a heauenly citizen his fellow-citizen of heauen His deare guest whom S. ALBAN in times past had secretly dismissed lest he should fall into the hands of his enemies he now receaueth with publick honour and triumphe at his returne And whom then his weake lodging could not keepe secure from harme he now introduceth into a most magnificent Church And this happened in the The wonderfull miracles wrought at his toÌ„be yeare aboue sayd and the fiue and twentith day of Iune At what time that countrey was burnt vp with intollerable heate and drought but at the holy Martyrs returne there fell a great aboundance of rayne and they receaued a common medecine of allmost all diseases But the manie heauenly benefitts and miracles which were then wrought in the sight of the whole countrey that flocked thither drawne with the noueltie of the thing and the diseases that were cured after these sacred reliques were brought into the Church we omitt to recite here in particular being contented only to say thus much that nether Gallen nor Hipocrates nor anie other of the skillfullest phisitians that were could euer cure soe manie and such desperate diseases as this holy Martir being piously called vppon did without eyther potions or plaisters by his only intercession to allmightie God whereby some dead persons were recalled to life a thing which noe human phisick was euer knowne to performe Thus much of this blessed martir we haue gathered out of the annalls of S Albans Monastery Mathew Paris anno 1179. and 1217. Mathew Westminster anno 1178. Ioannes Anglicus in his goulden legend and manie â—â—â—er writers especially of the Britans doe make very
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„
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.