of those superstitious Idolaters appeared visibly vnto them both in the ayre and on the land and forced that wretched poeple with difficultie to purchase their owne peace by manie Sacrifices guifts and labours done in their behalf and honour and glad they were that soe they could escape the furie of that hellish crew And lastly soe manie Sorcerers Witches Negromancers and the like swarmed in all parts of that Iland that noe historie reporteth the like of anie other countrey But from the danger of this threefold miserie the thrice happie Bishop PATRICK deliuered that miserable countrey by the vertue of his prayers and intercession to allmightie God in soe much that it hath remayned free from all venemous beasts euen to this present day nay the wood that groweth there being brought into other countreies killeth all venemous serpents that come neere it as I my self haue experienced on a â—oade soe that this is a perpetuall miracle still visibly continued maintayned by allmightie God through the merits of his seruant S. PATRICK Thrice Happie Jland had he obtayned a safegard of defence from the sting and poyson of heresie as he did from other venemous serpents Manie of the Magicians he conuerted to the true fayth others that remayned obstinate their wickednes receaued iust punishmeÌ„t froÌ„ heauen And for the Deuils their masters whole troupes whereof at his first entrance he beheld at is were laying a siege round about the countrey he banished them all noâ— only out of the hearts of these Idolaters but allsoe froÌ„ appearing in their horrid shapes to terrifie the poeple as they were woÌ„t But the passeport of their freedom from these furies was not for euer it went out of date when togeather with heresie the Deuils and their diabolicall ministers entred into the countrey againe X. HAVING purged the whole Iland in this soâ—t as well from the He visiteth the whole countroy of Ireland blindnes of Idolatrie as allsoe from all other venom and venemous things accoÌ„panied with a sacred troupe of his holy disciples hauing with accoustumed deuotioÌ„ celebrated the feast of Easter he trauelled all ouer the whole countrey euerie where teaching preaching the truth of the ghospel ether conuerting to the fayth or confirming the allreadie conuerted in the fayth with the force efficacie of his diuine eloqueÌ„ce In soe much that all the Irishmen to whoÌ„ as much as the fame knowledge of his name arriued by reason of that soe renowned profitable a miracle yielded them selues all they had into his hands and deuoutly obeyed his doctrine institutions and precepts and were submitted to him as their true Apostle Therefore this excellent Husbandman perceiuing the stonnie hardnes of our Lords field to be mollified by rooting out and destroying all the briers brambles and rubbege thereof made it more abundantly fruitfull with a new supplie of the most wholsom feed of the Euangelicall precepts and counsels whereby it might bring forth not only the thirtith or sixtith but the hundredth encrease of fruit and profitt For he made the whole countrey and all the inhabitants He separateth euery tenth head to out Lord thereof to be tithed and deuided and euerie tenth head as well of men and woemen as of all other beasts he caused to be separated as the part and right of our Lord. All the tithes of the men he made Monkes those of the woemen Nunnes for whom he built sufficient Monasteries and assigned the tenth part of the Land and the beasts to maintaine them in that sacred course of life Whence it was that within a short time there was scarse anie ermitage desert or other corner of the Iland neuer soe remote that was not furnished with perfect monks or Nunnes in soe much that Ireland was by a speciall name rightly stiled the ILAND of Ire 〈…〉 the Iland of Saincts SAINCTS all the world ouer They liued according to the rules and statutes prefixed them by S. PATRICK till within some yeares after all or most part of them receaued the rule of our holy father Sainct BENEDICT In S. PATRICKS daies and a long time after noe man was eyther chosen Bishop or promoted to the spirituall gouernment of soules vnlesse he were first marked out for that purpose by diuine reuelation or some other euident signe of sainctitie XI BVT hauing sayd thus much of his externall labours exercised His owne priuate exercises of deuotioÌ„ austeritie chiefly in the behalf of others let vs turne a little towards his owne priuate exercises of deuotion and manner of life which was such soe admirable that it farre exceeds the bounds of this treatise the weaknes of this penne to deâ—lare worthily He was woÌ„t euerie day in the strength of his deuotion to recite the whole Pfalter ouer with manie other himnes canticles and prayers he kneeled three hundred He kneeled 100. times a day times a day and armed him self with the signe of the holy crosse one hundred times in euerie hower of the day and noe one day passed wherein he did not most deuoutly celebrate the holy Sacrifice of Masse The first part of the night he spent in singing of psalmes during which he kneeled downe two hundred times Then entring naked into cold water he finished the rest of his deuotions in that suffetance Afterwards lying downe vppon a bare stone with a pillow of the same vnder his head he refreshed his wearied bodie with a little shortsleepe or rather he repayred his strength againe to endure the labour of his accustomed and continuall conflicts Being in the meane time allwaies gyrt about with the rudenes of a sharp hayâ—cloath to keepe downe the law of his bodie from rising and rebelling against the law of his mind Till the fiftith fiue yeare of his age he allwaies trauelled on foote after the manner of the Apostles but coming afterwards into Ireland when he was aduanted to the dignitie of Bishop he was carried about in a waggon vsed then in that countrey by reason of his difficult iourneies labours in preaching Ouer his other garments he wore a slender white cowle that his habit it self might informe and colour seeme to represent him as a patterne His habit gesture speech of monasticall profession and a pious student of innocencie humilitie In his lookes his countenance his speech his gate and in euery other gesture or motion of bodie he bred great edification to those that beheld him and his discourse allwaies seasoned with the salt of wisedome was agreable to euerie age sex degree and condition For he was skilfull and readie in â—ower distinct languages His guift of prophesie the Welch the Irish the French and the Latin nether was he wholly ignorant of the Greeke In the Jrish tongue he writt a booke of Prouerbs full of good learning and an other great volume called Canoin Phadruig that is the Canons of Patrick verie sitt to direct euerie secular or Ecclesiasticall person in
the assistance of the Holy Ghost He neuer went to his studies but from his prayers and seldom to his prayers but from his studies For whatsoeuer time he had that was free from his dayly exercise of monasticall discipline and from the continuall care of watching singing and praying night and day in the Church he was wont wholly and most diligently to spend in the studie of good learning Whence it came to passe that with this diligence of a greedie witt he searched and pierced into the secrets of allmost all sciences For beginning His skiâ— in the liberall sciences from the first rudiments of learning he was most readie in the Greek and Latine tongues most elegant in Poetrie and Rhetorick most subtile in Logick and Metaphisick admirable in Astronomie and the Mathematicks most exact in Arithmetick and Church-accompts most conuersant in history and most excellent in all the liberall sciences Philosophie and Deuinitie In a word he exactly learned soundly vnderstood firmely retayned and cleerly taught all good arts and knowleges that I may boldly say that not only England but the whole Christian world in that age could find but few to him comparable and not one that went beyond him in learning This manie learned Historiographers doe testifie this his owne deeds and the bookes which he writt soe full of all good learning doe manifestly auouch III. To the age of thirtie yeares he liued vnder the tutorship and obedience of his masters the two forenamed Lights of Canturbury S. THEODORE and saint ADRIAN and S. IOHN surnamed of Beuerley bishop of Yorke all three bright ornaments of the Benedictine Order therefore the fitter vnder whom S. BEDE a Benedictine might suck the sweet milke of Religion and learning Afterwards being by the commaund of his Superiours made Priest he applied him self to teach and write And first at the intreatie of Acca Bishop and the desire of the Brethren of his Monastery he began to make commentaries vppon all the holy Scripture But let vs heare his owne most modest testimonie of him self and how sweetly the holy Ghost speakes in him let vs experience how finely his words come from him In the end of his Historie of England before the catalogue which he made of his owne workes he hath this ensuing epilogue which because it containes an abridgement of his whole life we doe more willingly sett downe Thus much sayth he I Bede the seruant of God and Priest of the S. Pedes testimony of â—â—mselâ— Monasterie of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul which is at Weremouth and Iarrow haue by the helpe of our Lord gathered of the Ecclesiasticall historic of the Britans and chiefely of the English nation according as I could learne it ether out of the writings of the Auncients or by the tradition of our Auncestors or out of mine owne knowledge Who being borne in the territorie of the same Monastery when J was seauen yeares old by the care of my friends and Kinsfolkes J was giuen to be brought vp to the most reuerend Abbot Bennet and afterwards to Ceolfrid and from that time spenaing my whole age in the same Monastery I applied all my endeauours to the studie of Scripture and betweene the obseruance of regular discipline and the dayly care of singing in the Church I was allwaies delighted ether in learning or teaching or writing But in the nineteenth yeare of my age I tooke deacons hip and the degree of Priesthood at the thirtith both by the ministerie of the most reuerend Bishop Iohn and the commaund of Ceolfrid Deacon at 〈…〉 teen Priest at thirue Abbot From which time of Priesthood receaued to the nine and fiftith yeare of my age I haue been carefull to make these brief annotations vppon the holy Scripture for the necessitie of me and my brethren out of the workes of the Venerable Fathers or to adde somewhat ouer and aboue to the forme of their sense and interpretation And hauing here sett downe the number of thirtie six volumes which he had written in seauentie eight bookes he addes these words And I beseech thee O good Iesus that on whoÌ„ thou hast mercifully bestowed to conceiue the words of thy wisedom and knowledge to him thou wouldest out of thy bountie allsoe graunt to come at length to the fountaine of all wisedom and for euer to appeare before thy face who liuest and raignest God world without end Amen Hereunto he addes an Epilogue to the Reader which worthyly setts forth his rare vertue of humilitie in these words I humbly entreate all of our nation to See his great humilitie whom the reading or hearing of this historie may arriue that they would often remember to make intercession to the supreme clemencie for my infirmities both of boâ—ie and soule c. Here our witt fayles vs and words are wanting not knowing whether to prayse first the great number of his bookes or the sweet modestie of his speeches that doubâ—lesse allmightie God had infused him with a large draught of his diuine wisedom to make him able to enrich the world with soe manie volumes in soe short a time a midst the continuall exercise of the monasticall rule and discipline of the monasterie IV. BVT now the fame of his learning was soe renowned and memorable that manie flocked vnto him as vnto an Oracle to learne Manie flock to his schoole the liberall sciences and to be instructed in the more difficult places of holy Scripture in soe much that the monasterie of Weremouth became an vniuersitie of learned Benedictine Monkes where all arts and sciences diuine and humane were taught And all by the meanes of saint BEDE in whom lay hid soe great a treasure of learning witt and wisedom that each one might take as much as he was able to comprehend and he remayne nothing poorer Others that could not in person consulted him by letters desiring the exposition of such hard questions of the Scripture as their owne vnderstanding could not reach to Nay soe famous and renowned was the The fame of his learning name of this holy Doctour that the Ocean was to weake a bound to contayne it it was blowne to the head of the world Rome whose loftie magnificence wanted the Counsell of our BEDE for the discussion of the more difficult points of religion But that he went euer to Rome I dare not auouch it is more probable that he did not but sure we are that he was sent for by Pope Sergius as this Epistle doeth testifie Sergius Bishop seruant of the seruants of God to the religious Abbot Pope Sergius his Epistle Ceolfrid health and Apostolicall benediction With what words or meanes can we prayse the clemencie and vnspeakable prouidencie of our God and giue him worthy thankes for his immense benefitts bestowed who bringeth vs that were seated in the darknes and shades of death to the diuine light of knowledge And a litle after Therefore because of some questions of
THE FLOWERS OF THE LIVES OF OVR ENGLISH SAINCTS Lady of Paradise I bring these flow'rs Pluckt from this litle Paradise of ours Thy prayers and thy blessiÌ„ng made them grow To thee then next to God we doe them owe. THE FLOWERS OF THE LIVES OF THE MOST RENOWNED SAINCTS OF THE THREE KINGDOMS ENGLAND SCOTLAND AND IRELAND Written and collected out of the best authours and manuscripts of our nation and distributed according to their feasts in the Calendar BY THE R. FATHER HIEROME PORTER Priest and monke of the holy order of Sainct Benedict of the Congregation of England THE FIRST TOME Printed at DOWAY with licence and approbation of the Ordinary M. DC XXXII TO THE READER IT may pleasethee good reader before thou takest in hand to peruse this booke to looke ouer the contents of the Preface both for thy owne satisfaction and mine Farewell TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS LORD VVINDESOR RIGHT NOBLE AND RIGHT VERTVOVS FOR these two titles due vnto your HONOVR one from your Ancestours the other from your owne worth and endeauours blessed by grace from heauen these glorious Saincts of our natioÌ„ doe willingly present their liues vnto your eyes to suruey them and their prayers for your soule to profitt by them The poore Historian who making the first triall of his penne hath out of diuers auncient monuments gathered their faithfull Legends with as great diligence and true simplicitie as he could perswaded himself that then your HONOVR no man could challenge more right in the dedication of these first fruits of his labours and that the Saincts them selues would haue no other Patrone of their holy stories then You who loue to reade them to serue them to imitate them And he him self and all of his coate and familie acknowledging You their noble fauourer iudged it a plaine obligation to protest by this publick profession the high eslceme they haue of your honourable loue vnto them and the loyall endeauours they will all waies employ to pray for your HONOVR'S eternall happines and dayly encrease in prosperitie and heauenly blessings It may please your HONOVR to pardon this bouldnes and esteeme of them as yours truely deuoted and of me the vnworthiest amoÌ„gst them as oâ—e who thinketh it the greatest honour to be thought Your HONOVRS Poore seruant and Beads man Br. HIEROME PORTER THE PREFACE TO THE READER OF all the instructions and disciplines which are found to be profitable for mans vse Historie by the iudgement of prudent men is iudged not to be the last or lest Tullie the Prince of the Roman Eloquence calls it The witnes of the times the Light of truth the Life of memorie the Mistresse of life the Reporter of antiquitie Which being generally spoken as it doeth agree allso with Histories Profane soe by farre greater reason it may be applied to the Ecclesiasticall which by soe much more exceedeth in worth the other as things diuine doe excell the human But no part of Ecclesiasticall Historie is more profitable to faythfull Christians or more healthfull for their soules then that which treates of the holy liues and vertuous actions of the SAINCTS and proposeth them as paternes of perfectioÌ„ to be imitated in Gods Church Whence it is that both in the old and new Testament are mentioned the examples of holy men that well and truly serued pleased God in this lise What else doeth Jesus the sonne of Syrach in his booke intituled Ecclesiasticus from the fortith chapter to the one and fiftith but rehearse the prayses of his worthie fore fathers and propose their deeds to be imitated by posteritie Doeth not the Doctour of the Gentils S. PAVL by à long rehearsall â—â—eb 〈◊〉 of a list of Patriarches Prophets and Fathers exhort the Hebrewes to beleeue in CHRIST Allso in the beginning of the primitiue Church Pope Clement the first diuided the seauen regions or First writâ—◠〈◊〉 saincts liues parts of the cittie to seauen Notaries that each of them in his precinct might write the passions and famous deeds of the Martirs to be reserued for the knowledge of posteritie and vnto these Pope Fabian added seauen Deacons and as manie Subdeacons that the acts of the SAINCTS might be searched into and described with greater faith and diligence These manie holie Doctours and learned writers followed as S. HIEROME who with wonderfull great care and eloquence sett forth the liues of the auncient Hermites and Fathers of Egypt and that Organ of the holy Ghost our sainct GREGORIE the Great who in the fower bookes of his dialogues comprehendeth the liues of manie holy men of Italie and amongst the rest filleth one whole booke with à large historie of our holy Father S. BENEDICT The good 〈◊〉 the st 〈…〉 es of Lords doe 〈◊〉 For these and manie other holy Doctours Authours of SAINCTS Liues vnderstood well that this manner of writing was both profitable to all good Christians and the whole Church of God But one and not the lest of the causes which should moue vs to write and read the Liues of SAINCTS is the encrease of His honour and glory that made them SAINCTS by adorning and enriching them with singular guifts and graces For it is a thing most reasonable that we honour and serue them who knew soe well how to honour and serue our Lord and that we endeauour to augment their accidentall glory for the essentiall we cannot who aspired to nothing more then to amplifie and dilate the glorie of God And since that Io. 12. God him self as our Sauiour saith honoureth those that honour him by good reason men ought to honour them that God honours The royall Prophett Dauid considering the lawfulnes of this debt exhorteth vs to praise God in his Saincts Allso it is a thing iust Psal 15â— and profitable to implore the fauour and ayde of our brethren who are allreadie in possession of an assured victorie to the end that by their prayers intercessioÌ„s we may arriue at the quiet hauen where they haue landed and be made partakers of their heauenly crownes and triumphes Moreouer it is a great glorie for our Mother the Catholique Church to know the braue deeds of the illustrious children which she hath begotten It is allso a strong bucklar and bullwarke against Saincts liues a buck lar against Heretiques the infidels that impugne Her and a scourge to the heretiques fallen from her whose erroneous follies can not be better conuinced then by the pious examples of the SAINCTS for it is a farre more excellent way to teach by workes then by words and all the workes of the SAINCTS are holy and all in all contrary to the fantasticall imagination of Heretiques For what can more confound their Faith which alone they would haut sufficient for saluation then the good workes of the SAINCTS their peanance their fasting their abstinence their pilgrimages their rigid and seuere mortifications of their bodies to bring them subiect to the mind all which the
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
his bodie with the annuall fast of lent and other exercises of pietie and deuotion meeting with a happie end might be receaued into the pallace of euerlasting ioies loaden with the fruicts of his good workes But when the Queene vnderstood His bodie iâ— hidden that he was fallen dead from his horse enuying him dead of Ecclesiasticall buriall as aliue she did of his princely diadem she caused his bodie to be cast secretly into the next cottage lest her wickednes might come to light Her cruell seruants obey their mischeeuous mistresse of impietie and contemptibly cast it where they were commaunded and couered it with a little straw V. IN that house where the bodie lay was none but one poore woeman borne in blindnes and she they supposed would tell noe A blind â—oe nâ—u â—urâ—d at his body more then she could see who the night following watching at vnawares by the Sacred bodie suddenly by the meritts of this B. Martir soe recouered her long desired sight and saw a great light which filled her little house with a wonderfull splendour in memorie whereof afterwards the Christians built a Church in the same place On the morrow the cruell Queene hauing learnt of the woeman what had past she began verie pensiuely to feare lest the murder whereof she was mother should come to be knowne And therefore she commaunded those Sacred reliques presently to be cast into a marsh neere adioyning where togeather with his bodie she hoped to burie all memorie of him And then among her owne seruants and followers she made publick mirth and banquet strictly commaunding His holy reliques are burâ—ed in an obscure place euerie each one to make noe shew of griefe or sorrow for his death This done to auoyd all suspicion of the murder committed she went to an other house of hers some ten miles distant from thence But Ethelred her sonne allthough herein nothing like his Mother soe mournfully bewayled the death of his deare brother See the crueltie of a wicked woeman that he could nether containe his teares nor would admitt anie consolation or comfort Which the cruell Queene tooke soe ill that in a ragefull furie she fell vppon him finding nothing else at hand beate him with a handfull of wax candles soe long till she forced him yf not to qualifie at left to bridle and disssemble his grief But how allmightie God discouered the bodie of this Glorious Martir and brought it to be made famous and miraculous to the world we haue allreadie sayd on the feast of his translation the eighteenth day of February whither I remitt my good reader It only remaines no that we make our dayly prayers to this Glorious Sainct who is soe powerfull with allmightie God to be mindfull of our sinfull wretchednes in this pilgrinage of miserie and to obtaine pardon and grace for vs in this world and life euerlasting in the next And chiefly all those of the Benedictine familie and profession ought more peculiarly to powre out their deuotions to this Blessed Sainct who was murdered in the defence and protection of them by the aduersaries enemies and enuiers of their order and glorie This life we haue gathered out of the authour thereof in an auncient manuscript recited by LAVRENCE SVRIVS tom 2. and out of WILLIAM MALMESBVRIE lib. 2. de reg JOHN CAPGRAVE NICOLAS HARPSFIELD see 10. cap. 4. BARONIVS an 987 978. and others The Roman martirologe maketh mention of him this 24. day of March and in the Sarum Breuiary he hath an office of nine lessons and in an auncient manuscript breuiary of S. BENEDICTS order which belonged to the monastery of Burton vppon Trent he is celebrated with on office of twelue lessons S. CVTHBERTVS EPISCOPVS LINDISFARNENSIS 〈…〉 The life of Sainct CVTHBERT Bishop and Confessor Monk of the holy order of S. Benedict MAR. 20. Written by venerable Bede in two bookes THE holy Prophet Jeremie furnisheth vs with a verie fitt beginning for the life of this most Glorious Prelat S. CVTHBERT bright ornament of the Benedictin familie when extolling the state of an anachoreticall life he sayth It is Thren 3. good for a man to haue carried the yoake of our Lord from his youth He will sit solitarie and be silent bicause he will lift him self abou◠〈◊〉 self For the B. man of God S. CVTHBERT moued with the sweetnes of this soe great Good sub 〈…〉 red his necke to the yoake of a 〈…〉 asticall profession from the beginning of his youth and takin◠〈◊〉 him sometimes as â—â—casion serued aâ— Anachoreticall co 〈…〉 on he was delighted to sitt in solitarines and through the delâ—â—â—ous pleasure he found in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keepe his lipps silent from all worldly discourse But to the end that in ripâ—â— yeares he might more profitably 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a heauenly grace by 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 to embrace the waies of truth and Gooâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of eight yeares he was only delighted in all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sports pastiâ—â—es which that age His childhood is wont to follow euer desiring to be with the first at boyish meetings and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And beiâ—g of a 〈◊〉 witt and by nature 〈…〉 wont for the most part to gâ—tt 〈…〉 all his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in â—eaping running wrestling or aniâ— other such exercise in soe much that when they were all wearies he like an vnâ—amed litle champion and Victour of 〈…〉 ll would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aniâ— were disposed to buckle with 〈◊〉 aniâ— in 〈…〉 the fields in the heate of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sports 〈◊〉 pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to touch him with a 〈◊〉 contrarie spirit For a little child but three yeares old Câ—â—â—bert being a câ—â—ld iâ— diuâ—nely warned by a child as it seemed ranne to him and with an aged constancie beganne seriously to exhort him to forsake those childish exercises and to betake 〈◊〉 a more modest and grane manner of life But he slighting 〈◊〉 as he thought baâ—â—â—â— admonitions repayed them home â—ith iniurious words when the child fell flat on the earth with a â—ittifull countenance blubberd with teares spake to CVTHBERT who came to comfort him with these words O most holy God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his sainct Bishop CVTHBERT it is not seemly for thee to play the child amoÌ„gst children whom allmightie God hath ordayned and destined to be a master of vertue vnto auncients CVTHBERT gaue diligent eare hereunto and this speech remayned fixt in his mind the same holy spiritt instructing him inwardly in his soule that by the mouth of the infant spake openly to his hearing And to giue him a further warning he was suddenly taken with such an exceeding paine and contraction in one of his knees that by no meanes he was able to goe Till being carried forth one day into the fields a litle to recreate his spiritts with the sight of those greene carpets of nature and reposing him self vnder the open heauens he preceaued a horseman exceedingly shining in apparell come
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
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.