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
the great loue he The first vse of glasing in England bore to the Apostle S. PETER in whose honour he laboured made him vse such diligence that within the compasse of a yeare after the foundation was layd the solemnities of Masse were honorably celebrated therein But when the worke drew neere vnto perfection he likewise sent messengers into France to fetch ouer glasiers to adorne the windowes with glasse a worke neuer before vsed in England They came and did not only perfect this worke but allsoe taught their trade vnto manie of our Englishmen Allsoe such sacred vessels vestments and other necessaries for the seruice of Church and Altar as could not be found in England like a religious marchant he prouided and bought from beyond the seas But finding the pouertie and want of France not to be able to furnish him with such ornaments as he desired and especially to obtaine from the Pope new priuiledges for his new-built monasterie he made a fourth iourney to Rome and this as soone as he had assembled a Conuent of Monkes into it and His fourth iourney to Rome ordered them according to the rule and institution of great S. BENEDICT Shortly after he returned making a more happie returne of spirituall Gods then euer he had done before For besides allmost an innumerable multitude of bookes and great store of reliques of the Apostles and Martirs of CHRISTS Church he had obtayned of Pope Agatho to haue Iohn chief Cantor of S. PETERS and Abbot of S. MARTINS in Rome along with him into England to instruct and teach as well his monasterie as other Churches allsoe in the forme and manner of singing and doeing all other Ecclesiasticall rites and ceremonies according to the institution of the Roman Church All which Iohn at his coming he performed not only by word of mouth but allsoe by publishing manie rules and precepts to that purpose in writing which for memorie sake were afterwards carefully layd vpp and reserued in the librarie of the sayd monasterie Allsoe by the licence of King Egfrid and at his earnest entreatie he obtained of the same Pope letters of priuiledges graunted vnto the sayd monasterie to warrant defend and free it from all externe iurisdiction or forcible inuasions for euer Likewise he brought from Rome many pictures of holy images to beautifie and adorne his Church and namely a picture of the B. VIRGIN MARIE and the Pictures vsed in Catholick Churches twelue Apostles which he placed in the middle arche or vault of the Church from wall to wall and with pictures contayning all the Euangelicall history he adorned the north side and with others of the visions of the Apocalypse he made the south part correspondent vnto it To the end that all that came into the Church euen the vnlearned which way soeuer they cast their eyes might behold and contemplate though in an image eyther the louing countenance of CHRIST or his Saincts or with a more watchfull mind consider the wonderfull grace of his incarnation or hauing before their eyes the danger of the last rigid examin they might remember more districtly to examine the guilt of their owne conscience IV. NOW when King Egfrid saw with what great vertue industrie See the deuotion of this good king and religion this venerable man did doe the part of a wise and holy steward in all these proceedings he was wonderfull much delighted thereat and bicause he perceaued the land he had giuen him to haue bin well and fruictfully giuen he encreased his former guift with the donation of fortie families more On which land by counsell and perswasion of the King the holy man built an He buildeth an other monastery to S. Paul other monasterie on the other side of the riuer dedicated to the honour of S. PAVL not farre from the former and thither he sent Ceolfrid to be Abbot with seauenteen other Benedictine Monks strictly chardging and commaunding them that one and the self same peace familiaritie concord should be conserued in both places And as the bodie cannot liue without the head by which it breathes nor the head without the bodie by which it liues Soe let noe man anie way attempt to disturbe or disquiet these two monasteries of the chief Apostles that togeather are knitt in a fraternall societie of peace Whence it comes that afterwards both these monasteries were commonly called by one name Weremouth Abbey V. ABOVT this time the blessed Sainct hauing much encreased the number of Monks in both these places and ordered them according to the rule of his great Master S. BENEDICT he made one Eosterwin a Priest and Monk Abbot of the monastery of S PETER to Eosterwin Abbot the end that by the sociable assistance of soe vertuous a Colleague he might with more ease vndergoe the labour of gouernement which he was scarse able to performe alone by reason of his much trauelling vp and downe for the good of his monasterie and his frequent iourneys beyond seas vncertaine when to returne Eosterwin therefore vndertooke the care of the monasterie the ninth yeare after the foundation and remained in the same while he liued and he liued but fower yeares after He was a man by byrth noble but he did not make vse of the worth of his nobilitie as manie doe to breed matter of outward glorie and contempt of others but made it the first stepp to ennoble and enrich his mind with vertue For being cozen german vnto S. BENNET they were both soe truely allied in a vertuous nobilitie os minds both alike such sincere contemners of all worldly respects and honours that neyther the one coming into the monastery did expect to be preferred eyther by reason of his honourable nobilitie or kinred or the other iudge it a thing fitt to be offered him vppon those respects But being a manfull of good and holy intentions only reioyced that he did obserue regular discipline in all things in an equall measure with the rest of his brethren But S. BENNET soone after he had ordayned Eosterwin Abbot of S. PETERS and Ceolfrid of S. PAVLS made his fift iourney out of England to Rome and happily returned home enriched as before with very memorable guifts of ecclesiasticall wealth His fift iourney to Rōme as bookes reliques of Saincts and pictures contayning the histories of the ould and new testament compared togeather and such like And amongst other things he brought two cloakes all of silk of an incomparable worke for which he purchased of King Aldfrid and his Councell for Egfrid was slaine in his absence the land of three families on the south side of the riuer Were But the ioyes he brought from abroade where mingled with sadnes at home for he found Eosterwin whom at his departure he had left Abbot of S. PETERS Monasterie and not a few of his monasticall flock to haue changed this world for a better being taken away by the pestilent furie of a sicknes which raged all
fluxit Atque Magistrorum veneranda caterua cucurrit In number of HIS children gladly stand All that haue place in fruitfull Britaines land From HIM to vs baptismall grace did flow To HIM our troupes of Teachers we do owe. Whereby he euidently concludeth that not only the Apostles them selues who brought the Grace of Baptisme into our countrey were children of sainct BENE DICT but euen that all the faythfull people of great Britaine were Foster-children vnto the same sainct BENEDICT whose disciples had nourished fed the infancie of their faith with the milke of CHRISTS holy Ghospell and first brought them into the bosome of his true Church And this same passage of sainct ALDELME was quoted seauen hundred yeares agoe by Amoinus a monke of the samous Benedictine Abbey of Amoinus Fleury in France in a sermon of the prayses of sainct BENEDICT which hath bin lately sett forth by Ioannes a Bosco in his worke intituled The Library of Fleury This Amoinus who is a very graue and auncient authour following the aforesayd truth embraced by our sainct ALDELNE bouldly and without anie difficultie affirmeth sainct GREGORY the great to be a child of sainct BENEDICTS in the prologue of his second booke which treateth of the Miracles of our holy Father Nether is he content to say it only as the opinion of his owne head but constantly asseuers it a thing receaued by the whole English nation For thus he speaketh in the life of sainct ABBO extant in the Librarie of Fleury chapter the 4. In the meane time came an embassage from the English natioÌ„ to Fleury desiring to haue the helpe of some prudent and wise men Because this nation came to the loue of our holy Father S. BENEDICT and of that See the life o◠〈◊〉 Oswald Feb. 28. foresayd place for two causes One was because Blessed Pope GREGORY hauing sent thither preachers of Christs faith more peculiarly beat into their memories the obseruance of the Rule of the same beloued seruant of our Lord BENEDICT And the other because one called OSWALD a man of great authoritie amongst them hauing despised the world embraced the seruice of Christâ— in the about named Monastery of â—leury Therefore by the authoritie of this graue Authour a witnes of soe great antiquitie it plainly appeares that sainct GREGORY professed the holy Rule of S. BENEDICT and that the Preachers he sent into England did the like But lest some impertinent cauiller for such an one he must needs be that calls in question the authoritie of our Aldelme whom the Church approueth for a Sainct should say that these and such like writers professing the Benedictine Order them selues are parties in the controuersie and that consequently their authoritie cannot decide this question I will here briefly bring Authours of allmost all other Orders and Professions who doe expressely auouch that sainct GREGORY and his disciples our Apostles were Benedictines And bicause Baronius the Father of the contrarie opinion Thomas Bozius which we impugne was a Priest of the Oratorian CongregatioÌ„ let the Venerable Father Thomas Bozius Priest of the same Oratorie proceed first against him This Bozius who was a learned graue and prudent writer seemeth of sett purpose to condemne the iudgemeÌ„t of his fellow-Priest in this point soe plainly he speaketh for vs in manie places especially in his fift booke of his excellent worke intituled Of the signes of the Church chap. 3. GREGORY the great saith he borne of a most noble race and hauing througly performed his office in the chiefest honours of Rome at length despising all things and bequeathing him self to the Order of sainct BENEDICT he made profession of a monke and besides others founded in other places he built a Monasterie at Rome on the side of the hill Scaurus in that place verie manie did learne both solid pâ—etie and heauenly learning and addicted themselues to the Order of sainct BENEDICT Hence GREGORY drew out Augustine Mellitus Iustus Paulinus Laurence and Iohn and other Monkes whom BEDE and others doe mention and by whom the seruice of Christ was dispersed and confirmed amongst the English and maniâ— monasteries of the same Order builded And in his third booke of the state of Italie chap. 5. which booke he writt after this controuersie was set a broach by Baronius that he might shew him self notwithstanding the arguments of Baronius to be constant in the veritie of his former opinion he sayth thus Wee haue shewed at large in the fourth booke of the Signes of the Church signe the 6. that by noe other endeauour then that of the Roman Bishops the Christian religion waâ— planted in England Scotland and all places seated beyond the riuers Danubius and Rhene And in the fift booke signe 12. we haue made it euident that allmost all those that imployed their labours in this matter were Monkes of the Order and institute of sainct BENEDICT the Italian Allso in his sixt booke of the same worke chap. 6. he sayth of our holy father sainct BENEDICT that He drew soe manie followers after him that the number of them cannot be mustered Out of his familie issued forth soe manie and soe great men flourishing in all kind of prayses and vertues that which way soeuer thou turne thy self thou maiest stand fixed in admiration For how manie Martyrâ— I pray you came out of his Order How many men most holy in sainctitie and miracles How maniâ— great and admirable Popes Let vs produce one able to be compared with them all GREGORY the first to whom the Englishmen are indebted whatsoeuer goodnes is amongst them Thus we see how learnedly solidly and constantly this Venerable man asseuereth the truth and our intent against Baronius who was his fellow-Priest and the ornament and flower of the Oratorian Congregation No man I am sure can except against his authoritie who doubtlesse If there had been anie probabilitie in the contrarie assertion would haue been most willing to haue subscribed to the opinion of soe great a man as Baronius being of his owne coate and profession To Bozius let Onuphrius Panuinus an Augustin Frier and a most diligent searcher of the Roman antiquities Onuphrius Panuimus succeed who in his Epitome of the Roman Bishops giueth this most cleere testimonie for our purpose GREGORY by nation a Roman borne of the most auncient and noble familie of the Anicij forsaking all the Pompes of the world entred into a Monastery of Monkes vnder the Rule of the holy Father BENEDICT and gaue all his goods lands houses tenements vineyards c. to the Monasteries of monkes and at length built a Monastery of Monkes in Rome c. This testimonie of Onuphrius is of great authoritie for liuing in the cittie of Rome he gaue him self wholly to search into Ecclesiasticall antiquities whereof he hath published manie famous and profitable monuments to the world Next to him let vs heare ANTONINVS Bishop of Florence whom the Church honoureth for a learned
learned men that zealed the Truth and good of the Benedictine Order to make a most exquisite and strict search into the monuments and bowells of antiquitie and finding that the opinion of Baronius was but a child that could by no meanes pretend anie title or right of descent from Authours of former ages they soe learnedly solidly and manifestly made the contrarie assertion appeare to the world to witt that sainct GREGORY was indeed a monk of sainct BENEDICT that that which before lay as it were buried in antiquitie and not thought on receaued for a truth but not talked on knowne of all but commended but off a few became more conspicuous to the world more glorious to the Benedictine Order and more famously treated off throughout the whole Church soe that the new opinion of Baronius serued but as a foyle more cleerly to sett forth the veritie of sainct GREGORIES being a Benedictine Monke and to make the world take better and more particular notice that soe great an Ornament of the vniuersall Church had been brought vp in the schoole of sainct BENEDICT But that we may take away all further difficultie in this matter let great sainct GREGORIE him self tell vs what Order he professed for surely no man can say but he is a iudge without exception and one whose authoritie is able to weigh downe more then I will name of such as write against vs. In his commentarie on the bocke of Kings writing to his Monkes and Nouices he vseth in manie places the expresse words of sainct BENEDICTS Rule and applies them to expound the holy text or rather makes vse of the text it self to coÌ„firme the precepts of the Benedictine Rule and there in citing the words of the same Rule he stileth our holy Father Lâ—b 4. comm in 1. Pâ—g c. 4 sainct BENEDICT with the title of Arctissimae vitae Magister optimus summae veritatis discipulus eruditus The best Master of the most strict life and a learned Disciple of the highest veritie Whereby it is manifest that sainct GREGORIE in proposing here the Rule and masthership of sainct BENEDICT vnto his Monkes for a patterne of their life and gouernment doeth acknowledge him self and them to be children of the same sainct BENEDICT whom he calleth his and their Best Master of strict regular life For yf he and his monkes were Basilians or Equitians or of anie other Order why doeth he not rather propose vnto them their Rules and call S. BASILL and Equitius their Best Master Were it not a thing strainge and against all rule for a Superiour of Franciscans or Dominicans to propose in a speech to his subiects the obseruance of the Rule of saint IGNATIVS and call him the Best Master of their Religion and profession omitting to make anie mention of his owne Patrones sainct FRANCIS or sainct DOMINICK Surely yf sainct GREGORY had been a disciple vnto Equitius as Baronius faynes he could not haue beene soe vnmindfull of the Father of his monasticall religion as to preferre sainct BENEDICT before him with the title of the Best Master of regular discipline and to propose his Rule to be obserued by his Monkes and not once in all his workes to make the lest mention of the Rule of sainct Equitius But how could he when neuer anie such rule hath euer yet appeared vnto the world But of his Best Master sainct BENEDICT he maketh such honourable and large mention that hauing dispatched the life of saint Equitius in one short chapter of his Dialogues he filleth a whole booke with the life vertues and miracles of our glorious Father sainct BENEDICT whose Rule he confirmed preferred before all others to shew the abundance of loue which he bore vnto him whom he stileth the Best Master of his monasticall life It would be too long to sett downe here all the places of our holy Father's saint BENEDICTS Rule which this great Doctour of the Church S. GREGORIE expoundeth to his Monkes in the aboue cited CoÌ„mentarie on the booke of Kings It sufficeth for our purpose that he acknowledgeth S. BENEDICT for his Best Master and proposeth his Rule to be obserued by the Monkes of his Monasterie For what more manifest proofe can there be to shew that both he and the Monkes his subiects were all children of the Benedictine Order and that sainct AVGVTINE our Apostle and his fellow-monkes preachers were professouâ—s of the same Rule and Religion Thus much good Reader I haue thought good to insorme thee in this poynt not because the truth of the cause I defend did want anie such proofes but because there are some soe willfully blind in the opinion of Baronius that they doe yet striue against the whole streame of antiquitie and ancient Authours and seeke to maintaine his noueltie Against whom If thou chaÌ„ce to encounter anie such thou art here sufficiently instructed to be able to speake some thing for the truth in this matter And doe not thinke that in disputing this poynt against a man soe worthyly deseruing of the Church as the most illustrious Cardinall Baronius we doe it with intent to lay an aspersion of disgrace on his glorie God forbid for the defence of the truth can disgrace noe man and especially him who in sayling through soe huge an Ocean as his Annalls are could not chose but erre in some things lest the world should haue taken him for some thing aboue the common sort of mortall men To conclude we see that the greatest part of our English SAINCTS are knowne allsoe to haue been of the holy Order of S. BENEDICT as it appeares in the ensuing treatise of their liues For the Catholick religion being first planted in England by the labours of S. AVGVSTINE his fellow-Monkes who were all Benedictines that holy Order was allsoe soe happyly rooted in the whole countrey and soe manie learned and holy men were bred and brought vp in the same that the whole English Church was gouerned by the Professours thereof and replenished with great store of SAINCTS of both sexes of the Benedictine familie there being noe other Rule of regular life but S. BENEDICTS on foote in England for the space of aboue seauen hundred yeares after the coÌ„uersion of it to the Christian fayth Noe wonder then that the Benedictine Religion in England was the mother of soe manie and soe great SAINCTS Their liues and of all others I haue endeauoured to sett forth briefly with as great care as I could desiring thee for whose comfort I haue taken this paynes to weigh the faults yf anie thou chaunce to find in the ballance of good will and soe thou shalt not only encourage me to goe forward in this and a greater worke then this but allsoe oblige me to remayne thy friend desiring no other reward for my labours but thy prayers vnto these glorious SAINCTS that I may in the end be made participant of their heauenly companie In the meane time wishing thee the like happines I
condemne or frowne on such as did eate flesh but willingly permitted them affirming merrily that as for his owne part he had noe desire to that kind of meate and if anie flesh were pleasant to the tast his opinion was that larkes were most pleasing and daintie in the eating II. THE holy mans father whose name was Estan and his mother Wlsgeue long before they died agreed both to professe perpetuall chastetie His parēts professe religion and to liue separated vnder the holy habitt of religion which they as faithfully performed as they died happily whose pious example lest the fruict should degenerate from the tree WOLSTAN resolued to follow being of him self much inclined that way and much more incited thereunto by the good perswasions of his mother He taketh the habit of S. Benedict Therefore putting on a constant resolution he forsoke the world and in the monastery of Worcester where his father had liued before he receaued the habitt of S. BENEDICTS order by the hands of Brichthege then Bishop of the same place It was rare to behold how in his verie entrance into the cloister he began likewise to enter into a strict and religious course of life exercising him self soe brauely in watching fasting prayer and all other vertues that he suddenly appeared as a wonder amongst the rest of his brethren Herevpppon the good rule and gouernment of his owne life caused him to be chosen for Master and Guardian of the yonger Monkes or nouices and afterwards by reason of his skill in singing and knowledge of the Ecclesiasticall office he was made Cantour and Treasurer of the Church riches by which office hauing gotten occasion more freely to serue God he gaue him self totally to a contemplatiue life remayning night and day in the Church eyther at his prayers or reading spirituall bookes continually punishing his body with a fast of two or three daies togeather soe giuen to holie watchings that not only a day and a night but sometimes which saith Roger Houedon a graue Authour we could scarse beleene had His won derfull vvatching we not heard it related by tradition from his owne mouth he spent fower nights and fower daies without taking anie sleepe in soe much that the drienes of his braine had like to putt him in danger of life had he not speedily satisfied nature with some desired rest And when weake nature forced him thereunto he would not foster his wearied bones in a soft bed but was wont to take a little sleepe lieing on a bench in the Church with his prayer-prayer-booke vnder his head in steed of a pillow III. BVT after some time Agelwin the Prior of the Monastery bing dead WOLSTAN by the election of the Monkes and the authoritie He is chosen Prior. of Alred the Bishop was constituted and ordayned Priour in his place which office most worthily he performed not forgetting allwaies to keepe in practise the austerity of his former conuersation yea to giue the greater example of life vnto others he encreased it more and more Three dayes in the weeke he abstained from tasting anie meate at all obseruing continuall silence the other three dayes his diet was rootes or herbes boyled and barly bread Whilst he shineth in this high degree of vertue and pietie the deuill enuying soe great goodnes assaulted him with a most horrible temptation For praying one night in the Church before the high aultar that wicked enemie of mankind appearing in the forme of a feruant at Court with cruell importunitie chalenged him to wrestle the holy man though already tired with patience yet in his owne defence he grappled with him and that soe stoutly as three seuerall times he layd him along to receaue a rude salutation on the pauement He wrestleth with the deuill yet in the last encounter he was soe breathlesse with the extremitie of labour that panting and gasping for wind he had allmost fallen into a sound But the diuine clemencie was present to his ayde and draue away that hellish monster to his place appointed and WOLSTAN perceauing him soe suddenly vanished then first vnderstood that it was the deuill whom before he tooke for a seruingman at whose only sight euer after he would waxe pale and tremble and quake all his bodie ouer with the very feare and thought of what had past in this encounter Which in him was much to be admired who otherwise was a man of a mightie courrage soe farre His great courage voyd of anie feare as he was wont to say he knew not what it meant For he would ride ouer bridges that were broken and dangerous neuer allighting from his horse and securely walke along the narrow ridges of high buildings without anie feare that we may worthily say of him Justus vt Leo confidens A iust man is confident Prou. 28. v. 1. as a Lion IV. A LADIE very rich and beautifull was soe farre besotted with a frantick and vnlawfull loue to the holy man and soe cruelly He is tēpted by a lasciuious woeman vexed therewith as her impure desire forced her beyond the limitts of shame and brought her to such a degree of impudency that she tore the vayle of modestie and layd open her filthie desire vnto him praying and entreating him with sighs and teares of sond loue to remitt a while his wonted rigour and voutchafe to take a tast of the delight of her bed-chamber More she would haue sayd but the holy man who thought she had allready sayd to much rose vp in a zealous anger and quickly cutt off the threed of her vnchast discourse He reiected her and arming his forehead with the signe of the crosse Pack hence sayd he thou wicked firebrand of lust daughter of death and vessell of Satan and thereat with all his force he gaue her such a smart blow on the face which though it heated her cheeke yet it cooled her foule desires that the sound thereof was heard all ouer the house And by this meanes like an other vndefiled Ioseph refusing to consent to her vile and wanton allurements he bridled the vnchast desires of her heart with the smart of an outward punishment V. HE WAS wont euerie Sonday with great care and deuotion He preacheth euerie Sunday publickly to preach the word of God vnto the people at which one of the monks being without iust cause disconteted reprooued him saying that it was the office of the Bishop only to preach and teach and that it better became a Monk as he was to keepe silence within his cloister and not to gadde abroade and putt his sicle into other mens haruest The holy man answeared The word of God is not bound 2. Tim. 2. and nothing is more gratefull then to preach CHRISTS Ghospell and reduce his people out of errour into the true waie therefore he would not desist from soe good a worke But the night following that Monke receaued the iust punishment of his boldnes being in a
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
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
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
more stately manner retaynes the name of CHRISTS-Church and is the mother and Metropolitan of all England IX BVT our new Apostolicall Archbishop vehemently desiring to reioyce holy Pope GREGORY with the newes of his happie successe S. Augustine consulteth Pope Gregorie presently after his returne from Arelas sent his holy fellow-Monkes and Preachers LAVRENCE and PETER to Rome to make relation to saint GREGORIE that the English nation had admitted the fayth of CHRIST and that he was made Bishop thereof desiring allsoe to haue his prudent counsell in manie difficulties that did arise in the plantation of that new Church The ioy that the holy Pope receaued with the breath of this newes I leaue to our hearts to imagine for doubtlesse it was such that noe tongue nor penne can expresse it Then he sent back with these holy legats more preachers and labourers into the new vineyard of our Lord of whom the chiefest were these holy Benedictine Monkes Mellitus Justus Paulinus and Ruffinianus and by them all things necessarie for the diuine seruice holy vessells chalices aultar-cloathes ornaments for the Church Priestly robes and vestements manie holy reliques of the Apostles and martirs and great store of bookes He allsoe dispatched letters to saint AVGVSTINE in which he signifieth the sending of the Palle vnto him insinuating withall after what manner he ought to ordaine Bishops in England Heare his Epistle X. GREGORIE Seruant of the Seruants of God to his most reuerend Pope Gregoâ—â—e â—eâ—terâ— to S. August and most holy Brother Augustine Bishop Allthough it is certaine that the vnspeakable rewards of the eternall Kingdom are rescrued for those that labour â—or allmightie God it behooues vs neuerthelesse to bestow on such the benefitts of honour that out of this recompence they may be encouraged to endeauour more abundantly in the exercise of their spirituall labour And because the new Church of the English by the peculiar bountie of our Lord and thy industrie is brought to the grace of allmightie God we graunt to thee there the vse of the Palle in the performance of the solemnities of Masse only soe that thou maiest ordaine twelue Bishops in diuers places all to be subiect The auncient vse of the Palle to thy iurisaiction because the Bishop of the Cittie of London ought allwaies hereafter to be consecrated by his proper Sinod and receaue the Palle from this holy and Apostolique Sca to which by the authoritie of God J serue But to the Cittie of Yorke we will thee to send a Bishop whom thou shalt thinke fitt to ordaine only soe that if that cittie with the countrey adioyning â—hall receaue the word of God he may allsoe ordaine twelue Bishops and enioy the dignitie of a Metropolitan because to him allsoe by the helpe of God yf our life last we resolue to giue the Palle whom notwithstanding we will haue to be subiect to the disposition of thy Fraternitie But after thy death August hath iurisdiction ouer all England let him soe preside ouer the Bishops he hath odayned that by noe meanes he be subiect to the Bishop of London But let this distinction be between the bishop of London and Yorke that he be accompted the first who was first ordered And with common counsell and peaceable dealing let them vnanimously dispose those things which are to be handled for the zeale of Christ let them iudge rightly and not performe their iudgements with disagreeing minds But let thy Brotherhood haue iurisdiction not only ouer the bishops by thee ordayned those ordayned by the bihop of Yorke but allsoe ouer all the bishops and Priests of Britaine by the authoritie of God and our Lord Iesus-Christ To the end that from the tongue and life of thy Sainctitie they may learne the forme both of rightly beleeuing and well liuing that executing their office with true fayth and good manners they may when our Lord will attaine to the heauenly Kingdom God keepe thee in health most reuerend brother Giuen the tenth of the Calends of July in the ninteenth yeare of the raigne of our most pious Emperour Mauritius Tiberius XI BY this Epistle it appeases how our holy Apostle AVGVSTINE What the Archbishops Palle is and meaneth receaued the dignitie of metropolitan Archbishop and Primate of of all England and the Palle the chiefe armes of that dignitie vsed in auncient times to be sent from the Roman Sea to all Archbishops But this Palle to satisfie the ignorant is a little poore cloath in breadth not exceeding three fingers which Archbishops going to the aultar putt about their necks after all other Pontificall ornaments it hath two labels hanging downe before and behind adorned with little black crosses all rude and vnpolisht made of the verie wooll as it comes from the sheepes back without anie other artificiall colour and this being first cast into the tombe of saint PETER the Pope sends to those that are designed to be Archbishops This auncient ceremonie fignified chiefely two things The first that the Bishop shining and glittering at masse in glorious robes adorned with gould gemmes looking vppon the pouertie of this cloath should learne not to grow insolent with the greatnes of his dignitie but cast off all high-aspiring spiritts The other that he should diligently and exactly obserue the sâ—me fayth which S. PETER taught at Rome in whose tombe this cloath was throwne and that which the other Bishops of the same sea haue followed This much by the way be sayd of the Palle XII BVT our foresayd holy legats being departed from Rome the blessed Pope GREGORIE sent letters after them worthie of memorie by which he manifestly she weth with what an industrious affectionate zeale he was carried towards the saluation of our couÌ„trey Oâ—her letters of S. Gregory writing in this manner GREGORIE seruant of the seruants of God to Mellitus Abbot After the departure of our Congregation which is with thee we were held greatly in suspense because we chaunced to heare nothing of the prosperitie of your iourney Therefore when allmightie God shall haue brought yee safe to the moct reuerend man Augustine our brother tell him that I haue long discussed with my self concerning the cause of the English and am now resolued that the Temples of the Idols ought not The vse of holy water in oâ—â— first Apostles time to be destroyed in that countrey but let the Idols them selues only be demolisht Let holy water be made and sprinkled in those Temples let altars be built and reliques placed therein because if those Temples be fittly built it is necessarie that they be chainged from the worship of deuils to the seruice of the true God that whilst the poeple them selues seeing their self same Temples vndestroyed may depose out of their hearts all errour and acknowledging and adoring the true God may more familliarly frequent their accustomed places And because their custom is to kill manie oxen in sacrifice to their God in this