familie and he is one of the fower renowned Doctours of the same order that haue written in prayse and defence of the B. Virgin and consequently are The Benedictine Doctours of our B. Ladie stiled and called by the name of the fower Doctours of our Lady the other three are S. HILDEPHONSE Archbishop of Siuill in Spaine B. RVPERT Abbott of Twy in Germanie and S. BERNARD Abbott of Clareuall in France And our S. ANSELME second to none of the rest was the first that caused the feast of our Ladies immaculate Conception to be celebrated in the Church the seauenth of December when he had learned by the reuelation of an other Benedictin monk from the same Virgin that such was her will and pleasure God of his infinite mercie make vs partakers of his glorious meritts Amen His life wee haue gathered out of Eadmer a monk of Canturbury and the companion of all his troubles and Edmond monk of the same place who added a treatise of the discord between S. ANSELME and the two vnruly Kings William Malmesbury de Pont. lib. 1. the Roman martirologe Baronius tom 11. an 1109. and innumerable others doe highly speake his prayses The life of saint MELLITVS Bishop and confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT APR. 24. Out of venerable Bede AMONGST the holy Benedictine Monks which S. GREGORY Pope of Rome sent into England to supplie the want of Preathers in soe great an haruest and to helpe S. AVGVSTINE and his fellowe Benedictins in the conuersioÌ„ of that Kingdom MELLITVS an abbott of the same order was the first and chiefest Whom about three yeares after his arriuall S. AVGVSTIN Archbishop of Canturbury made Bishop of London the principall head cittie of the East-Angles where Sebert nephew to Ethelbert King of Kent kept his royall Mellitus first bishop of London Court allbeit he were vnder the power of Ethelbert whose authoritie ouer the English stretched to the riuer Humber But when this prouince by the industrious preaching and labour of saint MELLITVS had receaued the Christian fayth King Ethelbert built that famous Church of saint PAVL the Apostle within the walls of London for the Episcopall seate of Mellitvs and his successours But how greatly this holy man was beloued of God and the whole court of heauen manifestly appeareth in the consecration of the Church of Westminster which office of his S. PETER the Apostle performed for Bishop MELLITVS with his owne hands as may be seene more at large in the life of S. EDWARD the fist of Ianuary S. AVGVSTIN being dead Mellitvs bishop of London went to Rome to coÌ„sult Pope Boniâ—ace the fourth touching manie necessarie affayres of the English Church And namely for the good establishment of the new-built Baron an 610. monasterie of Westminster as allso to know whether the consecration of a Church performed in the aforesayd manner were valid The Pope in a Synod held at Rome in which S. MELLITVS had a place ordayned manie lawes for the peace of the Benedictine moÌ„ks and conseruation of monasticall discipline and decreed against the enuious that monks were the fittest instruments in Gods Church for Apostolicall functions which decrees Mellitvs brought with him into England for the confirmation and establishment of the Benedictine order and Mission in that countrey II. BVT the death of the two good Kings Ethelbert and Sebâ—â—â— was cause of great domage to the tenden beginnings of that new See in S. Laurence 2. of Febr. Church for the three sonnes of King Sebert who during the time of their father dissembled a litle in religion for feare of him fell after his death to flatt Idolatrie and gaue licence to all their subiects to doe the like And when they saw the holy bishop MELLITVS hauing celebrated the sacred solemnities of Masse giue the Eucharist to the poeple Why sayd they swelling with Looke prorestant our first Apoles sayd masse a barbarous foolishnes doest thou not giue vs the white bread which thou didest giue to our father Saba soe they were wont to call him and doest yet giue to manie of the poeple Yf you will be washed answeared MELLITVS in the same sacred font as your father was you may be partakers of the holy bread as well as the but yf you contemne the Bath of life you can by noe meanes receaue the Bread of life But they refused to enter into the font of baptisme as a thing vnnecessarie but desired earnestly to eate of the sacred bread Till at length when the holy mans perswasions could not draw them from this sâ—nd request they banished him out of their Prouince because he S. Mellitus Banished from his Bishoprick would not giue them blessed Sacrament of aultar before haptisme Veryly I am of opinion to my great grief that at this present our Protestant-Bishops haue soe litle respect to that which they call the Lords Supper that rather then be forced with their wiues to leaue their bishopricks they would giue their sacrament of bread to a soe farr alas they are fallen from the religion of our first Apostles III. SAINT MELLITVS went to Canturbury to consult S. LAVRENCE and IVSTVS the other bishops what was to bee done in these troubles And finding no other meanes nor hopes of redresse MELLITVS and IVSTVS went ouer into France to expect the calme of this tempestuous See in S. Lau. 2. Febr. motion Till Edbald King of Kent renouncing his Idolatrie and baptised by saint LAVRENCE Archbishop of Carturbury recalled the two bishops out of France and restored IVSTVS to his seat of Rochester but the Londoners refused to receaue their bishop Mellitus ouer whom Edbald had not such absolute and coercitiue power that he could force them to it as his father could In the meane time Saint LAVRENCE departing this life MELLITVS succeeded in the sea of Canturbury whence he cast forth the bright beames of his vertue fayth and learning ouer all England with which noble ornaments he greatly ennobled the countrey and He is made Archbishop of Canturbury excelled the nobilitie of his birth and parcentage which was verie honorable In bodie he was wonderfull weake and sickly specially being greeuously afflicted with the gout but most sound in mind cherefully despising all terrene things and still aspiring to the loue and possession of the Kingdom of heauen And here I will relate one example of his excellent vertue and confidence in allmightie God which may serue as a witnesse of his other noble vertues IV. A MIGHTIE fier happened to make hauock in the cittie of Canturbury which soe furiously deuoured whole streets as it went that noe force of water could quench the rage of that vnresistable element And now with great violence it drew neere to the place where the holy Bishop was who would not giue way to those deuouring flames but trusting in the diuine goodnes He quencheth a great fier by his prayers where humane help was wanting caused him self to be
desires he feared to discouer and betray the sweet secret of his holy purpose on the other side by consenting to their petitions he mistrusted the vtter ruine of hâ—s vowed chastetie At length iudging it the safer way to yeeld to their earnest importunities he recommended his chastetie vnto God his only hope and refuge in distresse saying O good Lord thy mercie hâ—eretofore preserued the three children from harme in the midst of the Chaldeans fierie furnace By thee holy Ioseph leauing his cloake in the hands of the adultrous woman escaped with the iust Dan. 3. Gen. 39. Dan. 13. Iuâ—ith 12 title of chastetie By thy vertue the incomparable constance of Susanna triumphed ouer the wicked allurements of the dishonest Elders and holy Judiths virginitie vnder the wings of thy safegard could receaue neither taint nor blemish from the wicked minded Holosâ—rnes Behould ô Lord how I thy poore seruant the sonne of thy handmayd and after a fashion an honorer and louer of thee and thy Virgin-mother doe humbly beseech thy ayde and assistance that soe I may receiue this Sacrament of mariage that I may not incurâ—e the hazard of my vowed chastetie Therefore forcing himself Maâ—â—ieth against â—is will vnwillingly to consent to his nobilitie he tooke to wife Edith the daughter of Count Godwin This Godwin was a man of great wealth but of a notable subtletie a traitour both to the King and countrey who trained vp in the schoole of deceipt was accustomed soe craftily to dissemble in all things that he could winne the peoples consent to anie manner of seditious faction at his pleasure And therefore Edith his wife a vertuouâ— brache of a wicked sâ—ocke to his daughter was applied this verse as a prouerb Sicut spina rosam genuit Godwinus Editham which may be thus englished From rugged thorne as springs the sweetest rose Soe EDITH fayre from wicked GODWINgrowes For she was a holy Virgin whom it seemes Chrâ—st our Sauiour had prepared for his beloued EDWARD infusing into her from the verie cradle the loue of chastetie hate of all vices and a singular affectioÌ„ to vertue By continuall reading and labour of her hands she â—uoyded idlenes and secured her self from the staines of lasciuious thoughts and the danger of youthfull conferences prouoking thereâ—nto Therefore this godly couple being mett together agreed both â—n one holy purpose vowing alwaies to spend their liues in chasteâ—ie â—udging it expedient to admitt noe other witnes of this faithfull promise He coâ—enanteth vvith his vvife to liue cast then God him self Soe that she became a wife in mind but not in bodie he a husband in outward coÌ„sent but not in act A matrimoniall loue remained betweene them without the act of matrimonie an vnion of two chaste affections without anie preiudice to virginitie He was loued but not corruptedly she affected but left vn touched and like vnto an other Abisag she warmed the king with loue but did not prouoke him to lust delighted him with obedience 3. Reg. 1. but did not make him effeminate with vnchast desires VII BVT THE good name and fame of queene Emme his mother Thomas Rudburn mon. winton in chron Queene Emme his mother wroÌ„gfully accused of incontinencie was branded with manie false reports by the instigation of Robert A chbishop of Canturbury and Godwin Earle of Kent who iointly accused her before the king of diuers crimes and especially that vnder colour of priuate deuotions she vsed the companie of Alwin Bishop of Winchester with more then honest familiaritie to her owne great dishonor and the kings disgrace And they aggrauated the matter with manie vehement exclamations that such offences soe scandalous ought not to be left vnpunished for that it would be an instaÌ„ce for others to committ the like With these and such like speeches the good king whose pious simplicitie was not acquainted with the subtleties of their falsehood was perswaded to giue vp the whole examination of the matter to Robert the Archbishop who presently caused a Councell of other Bishops to be assembled at Winchester and imprisoned Queene Emme in the Monasterie of Werwell and Alwine at Winchester In the meane time the miserable Queene more greiued at the infamie raysed against Alwine then at her She complaines to the councell of Bishops owne made her complaint before the Bishops that she was grieuously oppressed and wronged by the malicious detractions of her aduersaries earnestly craueâ—ng some helpe and redresse from them and withall shewing a great readines on her part to make knowne her innocencie by anie reasonable meanes and conditions as should be thought conuenient when the Bishops with the king had easily composed all these troubles if Robert of Canturbury had not soe vehemently withstood their good endeauours by aggrauating his malice against her and heaping togeather manie falâ—e crimes to her infamie in soe much that she was content for the satisfaction of the world and cleering the imputation of her innocencie to purge her self with as sharpe a triall as anie that is recorded by vndergoeing the ouer hard law of Ordalium which is to passe ouer hott burning irons barefooted and for this end the king drawne therevnto by their importunitie assigned her a day to be tried at Winchester in S. SWITHVNES Church whither she came the night before and imploying She cleerâ—th her self miraculously all that time in prayer at his tombe she deuoutly recommended her self her cause vnto God and his B. Sainct And on the morrow in presence of the king her sonne manie of his Nobles and Peeres and an infinite number of people of all sortes and sexes being led betweene two Bishops clad in a meane and simple garment her eyes and hands lifted vp towards heauen she passed ouer nine glowing red hott shares barefooted without anie feeling of hurt vseing this speech to her leaders as not knowing she was past the danger O Lord when shall J come to the place of my purgation But vnderstanding she had alreadie walked vppon and ouer those fierie instruments she presently looked back and then first beheld the burning shares when straight falling vppon her knees with teares she gaue thankes to her deliuerer whereby she recouered both the loue and her auncient estate of the king who now seeing the manifest proofes of her integritie cast him self downe at his mothers feete humbly desiring pardon for his oueâ— much facilitie in permitting her spotlesse innocencie to be soe hardly tried and exposed to the perill of such an infamie and the better to expiate this vnaduised fault of his he willingly submitted him self to receiue some few blowes with a rodd on the bare back giuen by the hands of the Bishops and his weeping mother But the nine plough-shares were A rare example of huâ—â—lâ—tie in S. Edw. in memorie hereof reserued in the Beneâ—icâ—ine Monasterie of Winchester and for the better recording of the same the king gaue three mannours the Queene nine
holy virgins and let him obserue where his cattle rest by night and in the verie place where he shall see the bull as he rises beate the ground with his right foote let him erect an aultar But that he may giue more creditt to these my commaunds behould I will bend thy finger crooked which he being freed from the goute that soe vehemently afflicts him shall presently restore to place againe The fisherman awaking cast forth his netts into the deepes and drew out great store of fish he presented the fayrest to the Count rehearsing at large what he had seene and what was giuen him in charge to say intreating him withall to make good his crooked finger The Count being healed of his goute straightened Count Alwin cured of the gout his finger and went in all hast to the Iland where he beheld the bull rising out of the midst of the other beasts that in their lying made the forme of a crosse beate the earth with his foote Wherevppon giuing creditt to the Fishermans relation he gaue thankes vnto allmightie God and erected a chappel out of hand in the same place Where not long after Alwin giuing verie ample possessions therevnto S. OSWALD within the coÌ„passe of fiue yeares erected a goodly monasterie for Benedictin Monks and in the yeare of our Lord 974. he dedicated the Church with great solemnitie to the honour of the B. Virgin MARIE and the great Patriark of monks S. BENEDICT and made a monk of his called Ednoth the first Abbot thereof The Abbotts of this Monasterie in times past were Barons of the realme and Parliament men Anno 97â— A Councel in England against the incontinencie of the â—ecular Clergie Mathew Westm Baronius and Osbern in vit Dunst. VII ABOVT the same time the worthie prelate of Canturbury mirrour of the Benedictine order S. DVNSTAN by the supreme authoritie of Pope Iohn summoned a Councell wherein it was firmely decreed and ordayned that all secular Canons Priests deacons subdeacons and others of the secular Clergie should eyther conforme theÌ„ selues to a chast life according to their calling or be dismissed from the Churches which by their lewd manner of life they rather polluted then gouerned And in this expeditioÌ„ S. DVNSTAN had the famous king Edgar his faythfuil Coadiutour and worthie Defender The executioÌ„ of his decree was coÌ„mitted to the two bright ornaments of the Benedictin familie S. OSWALD Bishop of Worcester and S. ETHELWOLD of Winchester Therefore S. OSWALD of who only wee are now to speak repayred built and restored seauen monasteries within his owne diocesse to the Monks ordayning to each one an Abbot hauing first cast out the secular Clergie for their insolent lewdnes of life Amongst those Abbots there was one called Fulbert Abbot of Persore a man of verie examplar life and a feruent zealer of monasticall religion but too seuere towards his subiects A fearfull â—xample or vnâ—isreâ— Rulerâ— which fault was much to be reprehended in him For coming to his last end and being layd dead on the biere he suddenly lifted him self vp to the great terrour of the beholders crying out that he was led by S. BENEDICT before the dreadfull sight of the supreme iudge and that God with difficultie had pardoned him his sinnes through the meritts of his beloued seruant OSWALD for the declaration of whose sainctitie he was thus miraculously reuiued At these words he was silent and hauing receaued the sacred Viaticum of our lords bodie he liued half a day and returned to death againe VIII ALLSOE in manie other places of England S OSWALD Oswald restâ—â—reth the monks to theâ—r Churches hauing expulsed the secular clergie for the self same cause of incontinencie he deliuered the gouernment of the Churches to monks of the Benedictin institution to whom they truely belonged to witt the Churches of S. ALBANS of S. ETHELDRED virgin in Ely and that of Beamfled In S. ALBANS he made one Elfrick Abbot afterwards Archbishop of Canturburie he ordayned Abbots at Ely one Brithnot and Gorman at Beamfled And all the monasteries which thus he instituted he was wont often times to visitt and out of a fatherly affection to furnish them both by word and deed with whatsoeuer appertayned to the health and saluation of their soules In the Abbey of Ramsey he placed one Abbo a Benedictin monk of Fleury in France a man famous both for sainctitie and learning to Abbo of â—â—â—ury teach direct and gouerne the monks in their schooles and togeather with the endowments of learning to aduance them in the exercise of regular and monasticall discipline This Abbo at S. DVNSTANS entreatie writt an exact relation of the life and passion of S. EDMVND King and martyr which you may read the twentith of Nouember At length returning to his owne Abbey of Fleury he was there made Abbot and afterwards martired by some vnruly monks whom he laboured to reforme IX THVS laboured blessed OSWALD in the reformation of Ecclesiasticall affayres redeeming and working the virginall Church and spouse of CHRIST out of the sacrilegious hands of her loose gouerners and clensing his sacred haruest from the impure tares of lasciuiousnes But after what manner he reduced the Benedictines into their auncient Cathedrall Church of Worcester let William Malmesburie tell vs. S. OSWALD saith he considering by little and little that in the minds of the clergie there residing there remayned yet some small sparkes of goodnes which might be bettered yf a man knew how to animate and shapen it aright did not expell How 〈◊〉 reâ—â—ored the monks to their Châ—rch of Worcester them forcibly but entrapped them with a most pious sleight And because the Cathedrall Church was dedicated to the honour of S. PETER he erected an other in the same Church-yard to the name of the blessed mother of God in which hauing placed a Conuent of monks he more willingly conuersed and more familiarly executed the diuine office amongst them then with the secular Clergie Which the poeple perceauing who held it a great offence to want the dayly Benediction of soe religious a Bishop flocked all thither Soe that the Clergie left alone chose rather to putt on the habitt and manners of the monkes then otherwise to be a domage to them selues and a mockerie to the common poeple But those sayth Wigorniensis that refused to take the monasticall habitt he quite expelled the monasterie and ouer the rest which consented to a monasticall life he made one Winsinure a vertuous Benedictin monk of Ramsey Prior in place of the Deane The rumour of S. OSWALDS prudent cariage of this busines coming to the eares of noble King Edgar gott him wonderfull great friendship and fauour both with him and all the Peeres S. Oswald made Arch bishop of Yorke of his realme And the pious King by the authoritie of a royall Charter greatly praysed and commended this act of S. OSWALD and confirmed the monastery of Worcester to the possession
and the common wealth yf the attempted that iourney And that at his first installement in the Archbishoprick he had bound him self by oath to obserue the lawes and customs of the countrey which forbid goeing Rome without the kings leaue The holy man answered that it was not the part of a Christian prince to cutt of anie He appealeth to the Pope appellation to the Roman sea of PETER and that he had engaged him self to the obseruance of noe other lawes then what stood with the honour of God and good reason When the King and his replied that there had been no mention made eyther of God or Goodnes To which ANSELME O goodly doeings sayd he that shunne the name of God or Goodnes Which words putt all his aduersaries to silence for that time But the kings anger and hatred against him encreased more and more euerie day which allso soe terrified manie of the other bishops that they began openly to forsake their Metropolitan and not to defend his cause although in their hearts they did not vtterly disproue it XIII IN the meane time sainct ANSELME constantly tould the king that notwithstanding all this opposition he would goe to Rome and before his departure prouided that he king would not reiect it he promised to giue him his benediction which done he went to Canturbury where after one dayes stay hauing with an oration He goeth to Rome like a pilgrim full of pietie and affection exhorted his monks to follow the traine of vertue and to putt on the armour of constancie and patience against the imminent dangers that threatned to follow he putt on the habitt of a pilgrim to the great grief of all his friends and especially of the monks of Canturbury and went to take shipping at Douer and with him went Eadmerus a Benedictin monk of Canturbury who writt his life They passed ouer into France to Lions where S. ANSELME was entertayned with wonderfull magnificence and respect by Hugue Archbishop of the place The Pope vnderstaÌ„ding of his being there sent for him to come to Rome with all speed Where he was honoured by all the court and soe highly praysed by the Pope in presence of the Cardinalls and Lords of Rome for his great learning and pietie that the holy man much confounded and ashamed therewith durst not lift vp his eyes before the companie which humilitie made them all iudge him to be an other manner of man in the presence of allmightie God then he appeared by his outside Then he sollicited the Pope in nothing more then to gett leaue to lay aside his Episcopall dignitie for the loue of a priuate life But Pope Vrban would by no meanes graunt his request but aduised him to seiourne a while in a monasterie of Benedictine Monks neere the cittie of Capna where by the prayers of Sainct ANSELME a liuely fountaine of water sprung out of a hard rock which is called A fouÌ„taine out of a Rock by his prayers the Bishop of Canturburys Well and the water cured manie diseases XIV S. ANSELME was present by the commaund of the Pope in the Councell of Bar where he made shew of his knowledge and prudence in the conuincing of the Greeks prouing the holy Ghost to proceed from the father and the sonne as from one Beginning And mention being made in this Councell of king William and of his outrages committed against ANSELME and the Church his crimes appeared soe heynous that all proclaymed him worthie to be cutt off from the Church by the sentence of excommunication had not ANSELME interposed him self and falling on his knees The wonderfull humilitie meeknes of S. Anselme craued a time of respite which with difficultie he obtained And this his meekenes and humblenes of mind gayned him a wonderfull great fauour amongst them all The Pope being returned to Rome is mett by an embassadour from king William to defend the Kings cause against ANSELME who but newly came from playing the part of an aduocate in his behalf And by the importunitie of this embassadour the cause was committed to be heard in a Councell held at Rome where S. ANSELME him self was present and certaine seate was allotted to him and his successors of Canturbury if anie should afterwards chaunce to be present in a Roman Councell And here the Pope by the consent of all the Prelates thundered an excommunication against all lay persons for manie princes at that time were ouer busie in those affayres that intruded them selues in challenging the inuestitures of bishopricks and against all Ecclesiasticks that receaued them at their hands This done ANSELME returned to Lions in France quite hopelesse of coming into England during the raigne of King William Where as he was exercised in his The death oâ— William Rufus accustomed workes of pietie and vertue newes was brought that by the permission of allmightie God his greatest enemie was robbed of his power to hurt him for king William being on hunting the second of August in the midst of his game was shott through the heart with an arrow which gaue a miserable end to his miserable life It is not credible how greatly S. ANSELME was afflicted with this newes and cheefly at the manner thereof professing with manie sighs and teares that he would willingly haue redeemed his vnhappie death with the losse of his owne life XV. HENRY the first of that name and brother to William succeeded who with the great applause of the whole countrey recalled King Henry recalleâ—h S. Anselme S ANSELME into England and endeauoured to gaine his fauour thereby promising togeather with allmost all his Lords and Bishops of the realme that all things should be carried according to his owne liking But when ANSELME was come and the king vnderstoode of the Popes decree made in the sinod of Rome touching the inuestiture of bishopricks he was wonderfully enraged and conceaued soe great hatred against S. ANSELME that vnlesse he would receaue his Archbishoprick as restored vnto him by his only authoritie there should he noe place for him in the kingdome And this ANSELME absolutly refused to doe as being contrarie to the late decree of the Roman Councell Soe that the matter being tossed and disputed a long time to and fro the king at length perswaded him to go to Rome togeather with his Embassadours to gett this act recalled by Pope Pasehall the secoÌ„d who now had succeeded Vrban S. Ansel goeth againe to Rome The holy man to auoyde greater inconueniences vndertooke the iourney foretelling before he went that the Pope would doe nothing contrarie to the libertie and decrees of the Church Neuerthelesse he went and being arriued at Rome was receaued with farre greater honour and respect then euer before Then it was hottly disputed at the Lateran of the kings affayres and manie reasons brought in by William procuratour of the kings cause in defence thereof Who came at length to such a vehemencie and heate in
his pleading that with sharpe threatning words he affirmed that the king would rather hazard the losse of his whole kingdom then be depriued of this right Nether would I answered the pope graunt him this power allthough it were to saue my owne life And with this resolution he dismissed the Embassadours who returned towards England But by the way the fornamed William declared by the kings commaund vnto S. ANSELME that he must cease from entring more into England vnlesse he were resolued to obey the Kings will Soe that sainct ANSELME diuerted to his ould lodging at Lions where he remayned the space of a yeare and fower moneths XVI IN the meane time king Henry seazed on all the goods and lands belonging to the Archbishoprick and challenged them for his owne vse When the Pope seeing noe hope of reconciling the King to S. ANSELME purposed by excommunication to cutt him off from the communion of the Church Which resolution of his being made knowne to the king touched him to the quick and made him begin more exactly to take saint ANSELME cause into his consideration And at length he called him to him out off France into Normandie where they came to a parely at the Abbey of Bec In which the King patiently taking the holy Archbishops reprehension for manie abuses promised a future amendment and neuer more to disturbe the peace or exact anie fruits belonging to the Church or Churchmen and herevppon he receaued S. ANSELME into his fauour and sent him in peace to his Archbishoprick to the great contentment and enioy of the whole Kingdome Here now we may see of what power the constancie of a good Prelats is when purely and sincerely for the only loue and seruice of God they defend the authoritie of the Church without anie pretence of temporall respects by flattering kings in their iniustice and suffering them selues to be carried away with the wind of wordly fauour We may see allsoe the great grace which God shewed to kings that respect his Church Church-men for as soone as King Henry had submitted him self our Lord gaue him a noble victorie against his Brother Robert by meanes whereof he gott the Seigniorie of the Dukedom of Normandy Of which victory he presently made sainct ANSELME acquainted by letters ending thus Werefore Venerable father Wâ—ll Malm. l. 1. de PoÌ„t sayd he humbly and deuoutly prostrate at the feete of thy sainctitie J beseech thee to pray vnto the supreme iudge by whose will and arbitremeÌ„t J haue gayned this glorious and profitable triumph that it be not to my domage and detriment but for a beginning of good works and the seruice of God to settle and confirme the state of Gods-holy Church in peace and tranquillitie that from hence forth it may liue free and not be shaken with the tempest of warres XVII AFTER the kings returne out of Norman-die a famous Synod A sinod held at London was held at London in which in presence of S. ANSELME and all the bishops Abbots of England he resigned all the power which hitherunto he had vsurped in creating ordayning bishops to the Pope and Clergie S. ANSELME therefore being installed againe in his Church in great peace and quietnes performed the part of a most holy and vigilant pastour the space of about three yeares S. Anselme falleth sick when loaden with old age labours and merits he fell into a great sicknes and specially in his stomake which made him abhorre all sustenance till by little and litle the forces of his bodie being exhausted he fainted And when the infirmitie of his bodie was such that it would not suffer him to goe to the Church notwithstanding he was carried thither euery day in a chayre to be present at the sacred misteries of the masse whereunto he bore a singular great deuotion pierie and reuerence At length seeing him self to draw neere his end he receiued the holy sacraments of the Church and gaue his benediction no the assistance humbly recommending the king queene and all the whole Kingdom to Gods holy protection and lying on a hayre-cloath strewed with ashes according to the pious custom of those times he rend râ—d vp his blessed soule to the euerlasting possession of all blessednes on wensday morning His happie death before Easter the one and twentith day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord 1109. the sixteenth since he was made bishop and the threescore and sixt of his age He was buried in great solemnitie and lamented by his Church and the whole Kingdom of England which lost a Master a Father and a Pastour soe holy soe wise soe couragious and soe venerable XVIII Our Lord ennobled this glorious Sainct with manie miracles His wonderfull miracles both during his life and after his death 1. As he was one night at his prayers he was seene to be encompassed round about with the brightnes of a heauenly splendour 2. One that dranke only of the water in which he had washed his hands was cured of a most pittifull leaprosie that raygned all ouer his bodie 3. By the signe of the crosse he quenched a mightie fier that was readie to deuoure the chamber where he â—ay 4. One of his religious most cruelly possessed with the deuill was cured only by the well-wishes of S. ANSELME 5. Manie diseased persons were cured by his prayers or eating only the reliques of his dinner 6. The shipp which carried S. ANSELME allbeit a boord brake out of it yet the water was miraculously hindered from entring 7. At his death the balsome which anoynted his bodie like vnto the flower of Holy was miraculously encreased 8. And the stone in which his bodie was to be buried being not of sufficient capacitie to receaue it was suddainly enlarged without humane helpe to the great admiration of the beholders Manie other miracles we omitt But the greatest miracle that euer God wrought by saint ANSELME was saint ANSELME himself and his life more diuine then humane He writt manie admirable workes with which he enriched the Catholick Church and with the singular reach of his vnderstanding and doctrine and a peculiar guift from heauen he gathered togeather His admirable writings the subtilitie and excellence of manie Theologicall questions seasoned with the sweetnes of pietie and deuotion Of whom a graue authour Trithemius in his worke of the famous men of S BENEDICTS order sayth That he was a man well acquinted in holy scripture and the learnedeâ—st of his time in humane doctrine most holy in iâ— life and con 〈…〉 tion most deuout in his soule eloquent in his discourse and full of effiâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 his workes He was of an angelicall countenance of a graue gate of an exemplar life continuall in the studie of holy scriptures and one in whom lay hid a goulden mine of vertues and goodnes He was mirrour of Prelates the glorie of his countrey a pillar of Gods Church and a bright ornament of the Benedictine
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
according to the number of shares and Bishop ALWINE nine others to the sayd minster for euer and enriched the same with manie fayre ornaments VIII AS ONCE on the feast of Pentecost the King was present at the diuine misteries of Masse in time of the eleuation of the sacred bodie of Christ he beganne on a suddaine allwaies obseruing his princely grauitie to shew some more then vsuall alacritie and mirth in his lookes and countenance which he expressed with a graue and moderate smiling to him self whereat all that were present beganne to admire and not without cause knowing that to haue befallen him contrarie to custome And therefore Masse being ended some of his most familiar friends earnestly entreated him to declare the reason He euer endowed with a sincere simplicity plainly confessed the truth saying The His visiot of the Danish kings destructioÌ„ Danes mett and agreed togeather with their King to enter againe into the course of their auncient fâ—rie and malice to disturbe and ouerthrow that peace which the mercifull goodnes of God both bestowed vppon vs and being ignorant of his diuine iustice that hath scourged and chasticed our offences they attribute it to them selues extolling their owne strength and saying Our hands are mightie and not our Lord hath wrought all Deut. 32. these things And because the Allmightie being angrie with our forefathers did deliuer vs to the mercilesse power of these Danes they referring this to the vertue of their owne forces iudge it an easie matter to bring vs to the like miseries againe not vnderstanding that the same God that giues the wound giues allsoe a salue to heale it and the same that mortifieth reuiueth Ibidem sendeth to hell and reduceth from holl againe For this verie day the King of Denmark hauing gathered a huge armie togeather finding the winds to blow with his desires commaunded a nauie to be prepared And now the ships were readie to be committed to the sayles and the sayles to the winds when the wicked king whose hastie ambition not able to be contained within him self as out of a little boate he entred into his ship his feet slipt out and he betweene both fell hedlong into the sea in whose mercilesse depth and swelling waues he was instantly deuowred and swallowed vp And thus by his sudaine death the Danes and English were both sett free from sinne and danger And I hope in our Lord God and his most sweet mother that during my time their blouddie endeauours against vs shall neuer take effect This it is which by the reuelation of CHRIST I did both see and know and at which I seemed to reioyce and smile Our Lord made me reioyce and whosoeuer heareth this may reioyce The truth of his vision proued with me The time and hower being recorded spies were sent into Denmark who found all to be most true and to haue happened at the same instant as it was reuealed vnto this B. King IX THESE things thus prosperously succeeding the king not vnmindfull of his vow of pilgrimage and calling to mind the great benefits he had receiued at the hands of all mightie God who His care to performe his vow had enriched his pouertie exalted his humilitie and ennobied his low estate with glorie made diligent preparation for the performance of his promise with money to desray the charge oâ— his â—ourney rich guiâ—ts to bestow at Rome And therefore hauing assembled the Nobleâ— and Peeres of the Realme he made a speech before them of the state of his kingdom and of his pilgrimage to the sacred shrines of the Apostles in this manner You cannot haue forgotten His speech to his nobles how by the cruell inuasion of barbarous people into our inheritance we haue bin made a scorne to our neighbours and a scoffing mockerie to those that are round about vs. For some being slaine others oppressed with the hard yoake of an ignominious slauerie they left neyther honour nor glorie to our nation At length my father being dead my brethren murthered my nephews cast into banishement fortune soe highly fauoured our enemies in all things that indeede it seemed to me that there was noe remnant of anie hope left that promised anie redresse of our miseries When contrarie to all expectation yeelding my self vp to the mercie of Allmightie God and putting my whole confidence in him alone I vowed my pilgrimage to the sacred tombes of the Apostles in Rome and committed my self from thence forth to his diuine protection and disposing And he like a pittifull Father gaue such eare vnto my supplication and was soe farre from disdayning my prayers that he freed me from all blemish of scorne and restored me from an exiled life to the quiet possession of my fathers kingdom Moreouer to the increase of my gloriè he added heapes of worldly riches and ennobled all the rest with manie spirituall guifts and graces from heauen He it was that without anie bloud-shed brought our rebells vnder subiection made vs triumph ouer our enemies and composed all our disioynted affaires and inward broiles with a most amiable and desired peace Now God forbid that we should prooue vngratefull for such soe manie and soe great benifits but rather being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies let vs endeauour to obey and serue him in all truth and iustice following the Royall Prophets counsell that sayth Make vowes and render them vnto your Lord God Therefore it behooâ—es you togeather with Psalm me to determine and ordaine after what manner this realme may be gouerned dureing the time of my pilgrimage by what law what peace what iustice and what iudge things may be ordered and by whose courage and prudence our castles townes citties ports and all our publicke and priuate affaires shall be ruled My first hope is that God him self will be the cheif and supreme gouernor of all in generall and he alone will be LORD-PROTECTOVR of the sweet peace he hath bestowed vpon vs and he I hope will alwaies be with me and guide me in my iourney vnto whose sacred protection I committ you all humbly beseeching his heauenly maiestie to preserue and keepe you and soe to dispose of me that once againe I may see you Then all the whole companie with one voice cried mainly out vnto the King alleadgeing manie reasons and arguments that they ought not soe to be forsaken and exposed to the swords of their enemies that the countrey was not to be left soe naked and open to forreigne treacheries nether was it fitt they should runne the hazard of soe manie dangers for one and that but a seeming good deed Whereat the King finding him self to be not a little vrged and mooued with their woefull cries lamentations and prayers was verie wauering and doubtfull in mind not knowing for a long time what course to take For on the one side to omitt the performing of his vow he iudged most dangerous and on the other not
sayd thus they returned to heauen and I to you and my self againe XXIV WHILE the king related this vision there were present the Queene Robert keeper of the sacred pallace Duke Harold and wicked Stigand who mounting on his fathers bed had defiled it impiously inuading the Archiepiscopall Sea of Canturbury during the life time of Robert true Archkishop thereof for which offence he was afterwards suspended by Pope Alexander the second and in a Councell held at Winchester by the same Popes Legats and other Bishops and Abbots of England he was both deposed from all Episcopall dignitie and cast into prison by the commaund of William Conquerour where he ended his wicked life with a most miserable and well deserued death This Stigand being there present at the kings narration had all the powers of his soule soe barred vp against Stigand a Clergie-man punished for inuading a Sea belonging to the Benedictine Monks all goodnes that he waxed more obdurate at the dreadfull storie neyther was he terrified with the threatning oracle nor gaue anie creditt to the pious relatour but murmuring within him self that the king began to dote in his old age he laughed where he had more cause to weepe But the rest whose minds were more vertuously giuen lamented and wept abundantly knowing verie well that the Prelates and Princes led their liues according as the blessed king had declared XXV SOME are of opinion that the foresayd similitude is grounded vppon an impossibilitie and these were chiefly such as bewailed that the whole Nobilitie of the land was come to soe low anebbe and soe farre spent that there was neyther king nor Bishop nor Abbot nor Prince of the same nation scarse to be seene An interpretation of the Kings vision in England But quite of an other opinion am I saith Alured especially that S. DVNSTAN did both foretell that this calamitie should befall vs and yet afterwards promised a comfortable redresse Thus then it may be expounded This tree signified the kingdom of England in glorie beautifull in delights and riches plentifull and in the excellencie of the Royall dignitie most eminent The roote from whence all this honour proceeded was the Royall stemme or race which from Alfred who was the first of the English Kings annoynted and consecrated by the Pope descended by a direct line of succession to S. EDWARD The tree was cutt off from the stock when the kingdom being deuided from this royall issue was translated to an other linage the distance of three furlongs shewes that during the raigne of three Kings there should be noe mutuall participation betwixt the new and the auncient race of Kings for Harold succeeded King EDWARD next to him came in William Conquerour and after him his sonne William Rufus But this Royall tree tooke roote againe when Henry the first vnto whom all Regall dignitie was transported neyther by force compelled nor vrged with hope of gaine but meerly taken with an affection of loue tooke to wife Mawde daughter to S. EDWARDS neece ioyning and vniting togeather by this mariage the bloud royall of the Normans and the English both in one Then this tree did truely florish when of this vnited royaltie Mawde the Empresse was begotten and then it brought forth fruit when by her we had Henry the second who like vnto a corner stone vnited both nations togeather And therefore by this we now see that England hath an English King as allsoe Bishops Abbots Princes and knights of the same auncient race deriued from this vnion of both nations But if anie man be displeased with this exposition let him eyther expound it better or expect an other time vntill he find these particularities fullfilled XXVI BVT LET vs returne to our B. King whose sicknes still encreasing made him euidently feele and vnderstand by the secret S. Edwards death Embassadours of neere approaching death that his hower was come to passe out of this world and therefore caused his death to be pâ—blished abroade before hand lest the knowledge thereof being delayed he should want the comfort of the prayers and sacrifices of his Clergie and people which he earnestly desired This done the holy man loaden with manie dayes of ould age and as manie good workes as howers in each day he yeelded vp his pure soule into the most pure hands of his Redeemer By whose death England's whole felicitie libertie and strength was vtterly lost bâ—oken and ouerthrowne Noe sooner was the breath gone out of his holy bodie but his face casting forth beames of wonderfull brightnes made death in him seeme beautifull and louely to the behoulders This glorious King and worthie benefactour of S. BENEDICT's order died the fifth of Ianuary one thousand sixtie six The beautie of his dead bodie when he had raigned twentie three yeares six moneths and twentie seauen daâ—es He was honorably buried in S. PETERS Church which him self had built for the Benedictine Monks and had now bin newly consecrated during the time of his last sicknes on S. Innocents day before XXVII MANIE miracles by the merits of this B. Sainct were A lame man cured at his tombe wrought afterwards at his sepulcher among which one Raphe a Norman who for the space of manie yeares had bin by the contraction of his sinewes soe lame of his leggs that he could but creepe and that with great difficultie on his hands and hinder parts came the eight day after S. EDWARDS buriall to his tombe and making his prayers to allmightie God and this glorious Sainct he was perfectly cured and healed of all his infirmities XXVIII ALLSOE about twentie daies after his buriall six blind men came following a man with one eye hanging one to an other Six blind man restored to sight soe that one only eye leading the way directed seauen persons to the B. Saincts sepulcher where sorrowfully declaring their miserie vnto him they humbly beseeched his assistance against the woefull teadiousnes of their perpetuall darknes and immediatly by the merits of the holy King they had all their sights restored and soe perfectly restored vnto them that they were able to returne each one guiding his owne footsteps Allsoe the bell ringer of Westminster Church being blind vsed to pray dayly at S. EDWARDS tombe till one night he heard a voyce that calling him by his name bad him rise and goe to the Church but as he went he seemed to behould King EDWARD in great glorie goeing before him and from that Three cured of quartan agues time he had the perfect vse of his sight euer after Allsoe a Monk of Westminster a verie learned man one Sir Guerin a knight and an other man of Barking were all three cured of quartan agues as they prayed at his holy tombe XXIX SIX AND thirtie yeares after the death of this glorious King his sepulcher being opened at the earnest request and sute of His bodie found vncorrupted the people his holy bodie was found most entier
without anie the lest signe of corruption as cleere white as the cristall as if it had all readie putt on the diuine robes of glorie casting forth of the tombe an exceeding sweet and odoriferous sauour to the wonderfull ioy and comfort of all that were present The linnen wherein he wrapped was as fresh and pure as when first it was imployed to that holy vse Which moued Gundulph Bishop of Rochester to attempt to pluck a hayre of the Saincts head to reserue to him self for his deuotion But his pious desire was frustrated for the hayre stuck on soe fast that it could not be pulled off without breaking XXX A WOEMAN that conteÌ„ptibly presumed to worke vpon S. EDWARDS A miracle day was grieuously punished with a suddaine palsie till being brought to the B. Saincts sepulcher and with teares demaunding pardon for her fault she was restored to her health againe Manie other miracles haue bin done by the meritts of this glorious Sainct all which mooued Pope Alexander the third at the instant desire of King Henry the second and the Clergie of England to putt him into the number of canonized Saincts and to cause his feast to be celebrated throughout the kingdom of England But of this we will speake more at large on the feast of his translation the thirteenth day of October This feast of his deposition hath bin allwaies verie magnificently and religiously celebrated by his successour-kings on this day as plainly appeares in the histories of England and is particularly prooued out of that which Mathew Westminster rehearseth of king Henry the thirds deuotion towards S. EDWARD In the yeare of grace 1249 saith he which was the thirtith yeare of our soueraigne king Henry the third the King being then at London on the feast of the Natiuitie of our Lord and hauing spent the Christmas holidaies in sumptuous feasts and banquetting as the custom is togeather with a great multitude of his nobilitie he assembled manie more Nobles and Peeres of the Realme to be present and Henry the thirds deuotion to S. Edwar. reioyce with him at the feast of S. EDWARD whom more cordially he loued and honoured then others of the Saincts And on the eue of that B. Kings deposition our soueraigne Lord the King according to his pious custom fasted with bread and water spending the whole day in continuall watching and praying and giuing of almes But on the feast itself he caused Masse with great magnificence and solemnitie to be celebrated in the Church of Westminster in vestments all of silke of an inestimable value and adorned with a great multitude of wax tapers and the resounding notes of the A consideration on his vertues Conuentuall and Monasticall quier Ought not we likewise to followe this vertuous example and giue prayse vnto allmightie God for the excellent guifts wherewith he honoured this B. King in choosing and calling him to soe great glorie euen before he was borne And for that he reuealed vnto him the great fauours promised to the kingdom of England for his sake long before they happened Who will not admire and endeauour to imitate the sacred vertue of chastetie which soe great a King entirely conserued soe manie yeares with his Queene in holy marriage Who will not embrace his most profound humilitie and contempt of the world and him self when he carried that wretched cripple on his royall shoulders to obtaine his health Who will not striue to serue allmightie God with affection seeing how highly he exalteth and honoureth his Saincts How he exalts them with miracles soe gloriously recompenseth their seruice giuing peace health and prosperitie to kingdoms by their intercession and in the end making them immortall kings and euerlasting courtiers of the kingdom of heauen This life is taken chiefly and allmost wholly oâ—t of that which B. ALVRED Abbot of Rhieuall hath written Iohn Capgraue hath the verie same William Malmesburie Roger Houedon Mathew Westminster Nicholas Harpsfield and allmost all writers of Saincts lines make verie honourable and worthie mention of him And the Roman Martirologe on this day The life of S. CEDDE Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 7. Out of Venerable Bede hist. Eccl. lib. 3. 4 SAINCT CEDDE was borne in London and hauing gone soe farre out of his youth that he was able to make choice of a manner of life he putt on a monasticall habit among the auncient Monks in the Monasterie of Lindisfarne In which schoole of pietie he profitted soe well in a short time that he was thought worthie to be sent as an Apostolicall man with other deuout Priests to preach the Ghospell to the Mercians or inhabitants of Middle-England where by his pious labours S. Cedde conuerteth the East-Angles and exemplar life he greatly promoted the Catholicke cause But Sigbert then king of the East-Saxons being at that time by the meanes of Oswin king of Northumberland from a Heathen conuerted to the Christian faith and baptized by Finanus Bishop of York B. CEDDE at the earnest entreatie of Sigbert was called back by Finanus and sent with king Sigbert to conuert his countrey to the faith whose labour there tooke soe good effect that in a short time he brought most part of that Prouince from Paganisme into which since their conuersion by S. MELLITVS the Benedictine Monk they had fallen to the true knowledge and subiection of Christs Church and he him self who by Gods grace was now made their second Apostle returning into Northumberland the messenger of his owne good successe was by the hands of Finanus in presence of two other Bishops ordayned allsoe the second Bishop of London the chief cittie of the East-Saxons succeeding S. MELLITVS both in the Apostleship and Bishoprick He is made Bishop of London of that Prouince And now he began with a more free authoritie to bring to perfection the worke soe happily begunne by erecting of Churches in diuers places making Priests and Deacons to ayde him in baptising and preaching the holy word of God instructing the new-christened to obserue as farre forth as they were able the stricter rules of a religious life Great was the ioy comfort which the new conuerted King Sigbert and his poeple receiued to see the happie successe of his endeauours He was to good men meeke and courteous to the bad somewhat more sterne and seuere in punishing their vices as appeareth by the ensuing accident II. THERE was in the kings court a noble man that liued in the bands of vnlawfull wedlock against whom the holy bishop after manie pious admonions giuen to noe effect denounced the sentence of excommunication strictly forbidding the King and all other persons to forbeare his companie and not to eate nor drinke with him But the King being inuited by the same Nobleman to a Excommucation banquet made light of the bishops precepts went to him And in his returne chauncing to meet the holy man he was much
came not to passe soe much by their counsels as by the secret prouidence of the diuine wisedome to the end her intended deuotion might by some occasion be fullfilled according to her desire Being therefore conueyed by some of the most auncient Princes of France vnto the long desired monasterie of Chelles and there by the Nunnes honourably receaued into their companie she gaue heartie She becometh a Nunne thankes vnto allmightie God who hithereunto had preserued her vnder the shadow of his holy protection and now had brought her vnto the sweet hauen of her desires Now she that before swayed the Her obedience scepter of France submitted her self to the obedience of a poore Abbesse as her mother appearing to the rest of her sisters not as a mistresse but as a discret seruant in all things pioufly bearing a seruiceable dutie vnto them And with such courage of mind she shewed Her humilitie vnto all an example of sincere humilitie that in her turne she would serue her sisters according to S. BENEDICTS rule in the office of the kitchin washing and clensing all implements therevnto be longing and performing all other base offices of the house And these acts of humilitie she did with a merrie and willing mind for the pure loue of him that sayth in the Ghospell J came not to be serued but to serue For what heart could euer think that the height of soe Mat. 20. v. 28. great power should become a feruant in things soe base and abiect vnlesse the mightie loue of CHRIST had graunted this speciall grace vnto her With teares she daily insisted at her deuotions and prayers and often times frequented her spirituall lecture and in her visitations of the sick which were verie frequent her custom was to impart some pious consolation and godly exhortation vnto them Her charitie She was soe well practified in the studie of charitie as she sorrowed with the sorrowfull reioyced with the ioyfull and for the weake and sickly she would often with humilitie putt the Abbesse in mind Rom. 12. to gett them prouided with necessarie helpes both for bodie and soule whose pious desire she like a good mother did very carefully see performed for indeed according to the rule of the Apostles Act. 4. they had but one heart and one soule soe dearely and tenderly they loued each other in the true loue of IESVS CHRIST VI. IN THE meane time this blessed woeman beganne to be afflicted She falleth sick with a sicknes of bodie and to labour grieuously with a certaine griping in the gutts which had brought her neere her end had not the grief bin something asswaged by the power of phisick But allthough the force of her paine did cruelly torment her tender bodie yet she ceased not out of the puritie of a holy conscience to giue thankes vnto the heauenly phisitian who succoureth those that labour in tribulation and from whom she confidently expected to receaue the euerlasting rewards of her suffering And shewing her self a great example of vertue vnto others she studied to giue her sisters a patterne of true pietie obedience and humilitie often admonishing the Abbesse to be likewise mindfull of her dutie towards the King and Queene and other Nobles their friends that the house of God might not loose the good name fame it had gotten but rather encease it more and more in the true affection of charitie towards their friends and chiefly to gett strength and constancie in the sacred loue of God and their neighbours for according to S. PAVL We ought alsoe to haue the good testimonie of those which are 1. Tim. 3. without But aboue all by the mercie and loue of IESVS CHRIST she recommended vnto her to haue a verie speciall care of the poore and of strangers VII THEREFORE the death of this holy Sainct being at hand there appeared a famous vision vnto her in which she beheld a ladder standing vp right before the altar of the B. Virgin Marie the Her vision before she died topp whereof seemed to reach vnto the heauens and manie Angels ascended thereon which seemed to accompanie and leade her herself to the neuer dieing ioyes of Paradise O truely happie who in her iourney had Angels her companions This is the ladder which she erected to heauen in her life time These are her fellow Angels whom by her exercise of good workes she made her friends The degrees of this ladder are the twelue degrees of humilitie contained in the holy rule of S. BENEDICT which she professed by the continuall exercise whereof she deserued to be exalted to the cleere vision of of CHRIST IESVS the master of all humilitie By this vision the holy woeman plainly vnderstood that shortly she was to leaue this world and take her iourney thither where long since she had hidden her greatest and chiefest treasure commaunding those that had bene eye witnesses of the vision to conceale it from the rest of her sisters that they might not be contristated vntill it pleased allmightie God to call her vnto him In midst of these ioyes she beganne more and more with pietie and alacritie of mind to insist at her prayers neuer ceasing with humilitie and compunction of heart to recommend her self vnto her heauenly King CHRIST IESVS and hiding as much as she was able the vehemency of her grief she consorted the Abbesse Bertilia and the rest of her sisters with some hope of her recouerie easing them hereby of a present sorrow which afterwards tooke them before they expected it VIII BVT perceauing within a short time after that now she She yeeldeth vp her soule was to pay nature her due and feeling the violence of her payne to be readie to cutt asunder the vnion of her soule and body confidently arming her self with the signe of our redemption and lifting vp her hands and eyes towards heauen she yeelded vp her blessed soule out of the teadious fetters of the bodie to be crowned with the diadem of eternall glorie For at the same instant a diuine splendour She is caried into heauen by Angels shined ouer all the chamber and with that verie light there appeared to the standers by a troupe of Angels with whom came her faithfull friend Genesins the Bishop to meet her and by this heauenly troupe her blessed soule long tried in the furnace of affliction was caried vpp out of their sight to receaue the rewards of her holy meritts amongst the Angels and Saincts in heauen She was buried in the little Church which she had built in honour of the holy Crosse But afterwards the manie miracles wrought at her tombe were cause that her bodie was taken vp and translated into the great Church of our Ladie which was not finished in her life time where it is kept with great reuerence in a rich shrine ouer the high aultar and manie times I my self haue seene it solemnly caried in procession This holy Nunne and
great benefactour of S. BENEDICTS order died the thirtith day of January but her feast is celebrated this day She flourished about the yeare of our Lord 669. Besides the authour of her life extant in the first tome of LAVRENCE SVRIVS whom we haue followed the Roman Martirologe VSVARD BARONIVS tom 〈◊〉 ann 665. TRITHEMIVS of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. c. 112. and manie others doe largely celebrate her prayses The life of S. SEXVLPH Bishop and Confessor of S. BENEDICTS order IAN. 28. THIS holy man was the first Abbot and in some kind founder of the Benedictine Abbey of Medishamsted dedieated to S. PETER which afterwards by reason of the greatnes was called Peterborough In which office hauing for some yeares dischardged the By his per swasion king wulfere built this Abbey part of a good and religious Prelat by the authoritie of Theodore Archbishop of Canturbury he was consecrated Bishop of Lichfield in place of Winfrid deposed from that Sea for his disobedience He gouerned his people with verie great sainctetie of life and examples of good workes for the space of three yeares when being loaden with vertuous deeds he left this world to take his place among his fellow Benedictin Monks in heauen about the yeare of our Lord 700. MATHEW WESTMINSTER ann 614. HARPSFIELD saec 7. c. 23. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. c. 46. TRITHEMIVS in his worke of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order lib. 4. cap. 158. CAMDEN in desoritt com Northampt. and others make worthie mention of S. SEXVLPH The life of S. GYLDAS Abbot and Confessor IAN. 29. Out of an anncient authour recited by Iohn Capgraue GYLDAS borne in that part of Brittanie now called Scotland and one of the twentie fower sonnes which a King of that countrey had by one wife was from his youth of a verie vertuous disposition and much inclined to the knowledge of all manner of learning for the better obtaining of his desire therein he passed ouer into France where he employed seauen yeares in the continuall studie of all goods sciences and returned into Britanie loaden with great store of bookes and learning But to the end he might with more freedom attend vnto the contemplation of heauenly He goeth into Frace to studie things he with drew him self from the tumults of the world into a solitarie place of aboade where he led the life of an hermite continually chastising his bodie with fasting prayer watchings and hayre-cloath Yet his vertue could not lie soe hidd but that manie were drawne to him with the noyse of his great fame to be instructed both in religion and learning and at their departure they serued as trumpetts to inuite others vnto him such great content they receaued in his vertuous life and rare learning Whatsoeuer guifts he receaued from the charitie of the richer sort he allwaies distributed vnto the poore contenting him self with the riches of his His great austerity of life owne pouertie He neuer tasted anie flesh his ordinarie foode was herbes and barly bread mingled with ashes in steede of spice his drinke pure water out of the fountaine His continuall abstinence had brought his face to such leannes that he all waies appeared like a man that had a feauer At midnight his custome was to enter into the riuer vpp to the neck and in that sort he powered out his prayers to almighty God while his teares stroue with the streames which should runne fastest afterwards he repaired to his oratorie and spent the rest of the night in prayer His cloathing was one single garment in which only he tooke his rest lieing vppon the downe of a hard rock Hauing taught manie both in word and deed to follow the rules of good life he departed into Jreland where he conuerted a great multitude of that rude people to the faith of CHRIST Shortly after returning into Britanie he found his brother Howell slaine by King Arthur who humbly crauing pardon of his fault receaued from the Sainct a salutation of peace friendship and forgiuenes He was a perpetuall enemie vnto the Pelagian Hereticks and to be the better informed against them and their doctrine he made a iourney Against heresies he consulteth the Roman Church to the fountaine of true religion Rome and returned not only better instructed against them him self but able to fortifie and strengthen others with such sound principles of Catholicke religion that they might easily defend their cause against all the vaine batteries and proud bull warks of heresie II. AT LENGTH he built a little Church vppon a rock in an Iland neere vnto the riuer Seauerne where spending his time night He buildeth an ermitage and day in continuall prayer he kept his mind wholly vacant and free from the world and worldly creatures seriously attending the contemplation of the diuine goodnes of his Creatour But being in such want of fresh water that he had noe other store but what was retained after a shower in little holes of the rock he made his prayer to allmightie God who sent him a cleere spring of water gâ—shing out of the same place But by the frequent iniuries and incursions He departeth to Glasten bury of Pirats he was compelled to depart from hence to Glastenbury being honourably receaued of the Abbott he instructed the Monkes and people thereabouts in the science both of humane diuine things and building a little Church not farre from thence he led there an eremiticall life in great austeritie and penance Vnto whom as vnto an oracle manie came from all parts of Britanie to partake of his wisedome and learning He whose holy desires tended only towards heauen striued with all the force of eloquence he could to diuert their minds from the transitorie things of this world and settle them on the only consideration of heauen Hauing in this manner spent some yeares in this habitation the holy man fell into a grieuous sicknes which made him quickly vnderstand that the hower of his death was nigh therefore earnestly desiring of the Abbot to haue his bodie buried at Glastenbury and recommending his soule vnto the hands of allmightie God he left this miserable world to receaue his reward in a better the twentie ninth day of January in the yeare of our Lord 512. His bodie according to his desire was buried at Glastenbury in the middest of the ould Church Of this holy Sainct make mention MATHEW WESTMINST N. HARPSFIELD saec 6. cap. 23. IOHN CAPGRAVE and others whom we haue followed The life of S. BIRSTAN Bishop and Confessor IAN. 30. Out of William Malmesbury and Westminster SAINCT BIRSTAN being a man of most pure and sincere life was chosen Bishop of Winchester where he ruled the space of fower yeares He was wont euerie day to sing or say Masse for the soules departed and by night without anie feare he would walke about the Church-yard reciting psalmes and other prayers to the same end And as once in his
in the same Church which he had built and at his tombe haue bene wrought manie and wonderfull miracles which giue euident testimonie of how great price and dignitie his most blessed soule is held to be in the sight of allmightie God He died the 29. of January but his feast is celebrated on this day in the Benedictin Abbey of S. WILLIBRORD in Germanie where saith S. Wine woÌ„derfully encreased by his meritts ALCVINE on the annuall feast of S. WILGIS there being but one flagon of wine in the house it was by the meritts of this B. Sainct so miraculously encreased that the whole Conuent of Monkes which were a great number hauing euerie one dronke two cupps thereof it was nothing at all diminished wherevppon the Abbott Monks giuing thankes vnto allmightie God with ioyfull sobrietie and sober iollitie euerie man dranke as much he desired Thus much out of S. ALCVINE in the life of S. WILLIBRORD MOLANVS IOHN CAPGRAVE THEOFRID Abbot of S. Willibrords Monasterie in Germanie make worthie mention of him The life of S. BRIGITT Virgin of Kildare in Ireland FEB 1. Written by Cogitosus an Authour of the same time GOD is wonderfull in his workes and his power is infinite in that he draweth good out of our naughtines and condemneth not the soules of the children for the sinnes of their parents but contrary wise he gathers roses oftentimes out of the midst of thornes and produceth a cleere day out of the darknes of an vgly night We haue a peculiar experience here of in the life of this holie virgin S. BRIGITT which followeth II. THERE was in Ireland a man called Duptac who hauing purchased as a slaue a yong and not vnhandsom woeman named Brocca became soe amorous and fond of her that at length her Her parents and byrth great bellie witnessed their more then honest familiaritie togeather His owne wife perceauing this naughtie husbandrie was highly enraged against her husband forcing him by all meanes to make a resale of this slaue and refusing to be perswaded to pittie eyther by earnest prayers remonstrances or indeed by the holie reuelations which two good Bishops had of the treasure which the slaue caried in her wombe In a word the good wiâ—e could take noe rest nor repose vntill she saw her husbands minion as she termed her out of her house the poore slaue at her time was deliuered of a daughter which was called BRIGITT whom as soone as she had ouer growne the vse of her nurse her father tooke home againe into his owne house where being very carefully brought vp she allwaies caried her self honest The vertues of her youth humble peaceable obedient and aboue all soe charitable that vnintreated she tooke vppon her the office of Almner in her fathers house giuing away to the poore whatsoeuer she could lay hould on among other things she had giuen away her fathers sword For this cause meaning to ridd her away he went to the King offered him a bargaine of her at an easie rate The King hauing asked her why she gaue her fathers sword to the poore I gaue it replied she to CHRIST him self and truely if God would demaund it and that I were able I would freely giue my souueraigne lord the King and my father him self with both your goods and possessions vnto his diuine goodnes Hereat the king amazed said Thy daughter is of too much worth ether for thee to sell or for me to buy and giuing her a sword to make restitution vnto her father he sent her away III. These vertues of her soule were accompanied with an exceeding Her beautie of Bodie fayre beautie of body and especially her face and eies were soe excellent in that guift that they rauished the hearts of all those that beheld her and made manie desire and seek her in marriage Her father being much sued vnto on all sides and not knowing how to ridd him self of those impatient wooers nor answeare their importunitie motioned the matter to his daughter giuing her free leaue to make choise of a husband according to her owne liking amongst that baÌ„d of sutors But BRIGITT who desired IESVS CHRIST for her only deare spouse and to consecrate her virginitie vnto him She obtayned the losse of an eye to auoyd suters was quite of an other intention and knowing that the beautie of her face was the chief cause of these rude assaults she prayed heartely vnto her sacred spouse to giue such a deformitie vnto it as might hereafter breed rather a detestation of all the theÌ„ loue of anie towards her Our Lord heard her prayer and graunted her request by the losse of one of her fayre eyes which burst and dropt out of her head like a dissolued pearle and by this meanes she became soe defformed that noe man sought after her anie more when she gott her fathers consent to hasten her entrance into a monasterie of religious woemen which was the only heigth and ayme of her defires At the time she receaued the holy vayse of chastitie from the hands of Machil Bishop and disciple vnto S. PATRICK he beheld She entreth into religion and is restored to her former beautie a pillar of fier hang ouer her head and as she inclined her bodie and layd her hand on the foot-step of the aultar which albeit it was of drie seasoned wood yet at her touch and in testimonie of her chastity it waxed greene and flourished afresh and at the verie same instant her eye was restored againe and her face became more beautifull then euer For it seemed her deare spouse would not endure that she who had desired to loose her beautie to preserue her virginitie should remayne in such deformitie IV. WE should neuer come to an end if we went about to sett downe in this paper all the rare and excellent vertues of this blessed virgin with this wonderfull great miracles which our Sauiour wrought at her intercession It shall suffise to rehearse some only She freeth a yong mayd from tâ—e companie of the deuill Being by a yong mayde inuited to dinner she saw the deuill sitting by her side that had inuited her and hauing asked him what he did there and why he came thither He answeared that the weaknes and idlenes of that mayd inuited him to stay with her with whom he found him self verie wellcome The mayd hauing heard these words spoken with a long and intelligible voice and seeing not the authour was much amazed vntill being willed by S. BRIGITT she made the signe of the crosse on her eyes then she saw that dreadfull vglie beast belching flames of fier out of his horrid throate which sight togeather with the perswasion of the Sainct made her to acknowledge her fault and amend her life being freed euer after of the companie of that infernall monster V. A WOEMAN bringing vnto this holie virgin a basket of aples A woeman punished for disobeyng her for a
summer he vsed the same cloathes nether more nor fewer which seldom or neuer he put of but tooke a small allowance of sleepe not in anie bed but sitting in a chayre that he might be the readier at his awake to fall to his prayer and meditations Hauing gouerned his troupe a long He taketh a religious habitt time him self remayning in his secular apparell and not obliged by anie vow vnto that profession of a monasticall life which he prescribed vnto others lest perchaunce his successours might take example thereby he wholely submitted him self vnder the obedience of one Roger of Sempringham a Canon of the Church of Malton and receaued the religious habitt and discipline which he had taught and established being now become of a master a scholler euer honouring the sayd Roger who afterwards succeeded him as his Tutor and teacher during the whole remnant of his life V. BVT this holie man God soe ordayning it escaped not to His subiects accuse him falsely be assaulted with the rude stormes of worldly troubles and aduersities and that from his owne domesticks who according to their dutie ought with all reuerence to haue honoured him more then anie others For amongst the layetie which we spake of some there were who wearie of their strict manner of life malitiously plotted mischief against the holie man falsely accusing him of manie fayned crimes not only vnto THOMAS of Canturburie afterwards a martir but euen vnto Pope ALEXANDER him self in soe much that they greatly disquieted and molested his peaceable course of life The Pope committed the examination of this matter vnto Henrie Bishop of Winchester and William of Norwich who in the absence of Winchester by reason of sicknes made an exact His innocencio is made Knowne inquirie into the cause and inquiring found out the truth and made knowne the Innocencie of S. GILBERT vnto the Pope In whose behalfe allsoe manie other Bishops and Priors writt letters to Rome but none soe exactly as the king him self who tooke it verie heinously that those Lay-brothers who as he sayd before their profession were meere rusticks and clownes allotted only to the plough should soe perfidiously swerue from that course of life professed by soe manie learned and wise men and that they should vniustly complaine of it as exceeding the due limitts of strictnes and seueritie and with such impertinent boldnes moue heauen and earth for a mitigation thereof Herevppon the Pope sent a decree which confirmed the Priueleges graunted by his predecessor Eugenius and Adrian and also commaunded that the whole order discipline which GILBERT had prescribed should remayne in the same force and power for euer signifieing moreouer in his peculiar letters vnto the King and Bishops and to GILBERT him self that it was his will that those obstinate fellowes should be by strong hand compelled to performe the dutie of their profession and calling Againe he is falsely accuâ—ed VI. HE was molested wich an other though a smaller blast of aduersitie when in the bitter persecution of that worthie bucklar of the Church S. THOMAS of Canturbury he was brought in with some other of his fellowes as hauing contrarie to the kings comaund sent ouer moneyes vnto the Bishop in banishment At London therefore he is cited to appeare with the rest of the Priors and Procurators of all his monasteries to answere there this bill of complaint But the iudges out of the great reuerence they bore vnto him offered that if only by oath he would disaffirme the fault layd to his charge presently he should be dismissed the court Which most coÌ„stantly he refused to doe soe that now he could expect nothing but him self to be banished and all his monasteries to be sacked and destroyed When by the kings letters out of Normandie the Iudges were comaunded to deferre the examination of his cause vntill his returne home Whereuppon the holy man was dismissed who now sett free and at libertie and taking his leaue openly protested to the iudges that he was most innocent of the fault layd against him All were much astonished that now he confessed of his owne accord that which before he had refused N 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 to doe being in soe great danger when with the safetie both of the truth and his owne shamfastnes he might well haue performed it But his mind conducted by a higher counsell thought it could not choose but be a blemish and imputation to his owne and the Churches dignitie and an act of bad exaÌ„ple yf at the barre in soe solemne a contestation he should haue openly professed that he had sent noe succour as indeed he had not vnto his Bishop to whom he supposed him self obliged to haue sent VII THE pious holie man liued in this sainctitie of life aboue one hundred yeares in which time he fouÌ„ded thirteene monasteries fower of men stored with seauen hundred religious persons nine of woe men which contayned one thousand fiue hundred Nunnes He died at Sempringham in the yeare of our lord 1190. the fourth day of February whose sainctitie allthough the course of his whole life doe sufficiently testifie it pleased allmightie god notwithstanding to make it more famous and manifest vnto the world by wonderfull miracles which he wrought by his meanes both whilst he enioyed this mortall life after his death or rather departure vnto the ioyes of immortall happines For when yet he drew breath amongst men in this world he had these inferiour creatures at commaund fier winds and diseases after a wonderfull maÌ„ner yeelded him obedience Nether did he want His manie miracles the guift of prophesie foreseeing by a diuine power manie aduentures which should happen and especiallly when he foretould the end of those horribles broiles falling in the tyme of King Stephen VIII AND allthough indeed these deedes and miracles be famous in number and greatnes yet those which happened after his death doe farre excell them in both for during his life time he sought by all All diseaseâ— miracâ—lously cured at his tomb meanes to suppresse and hide his worthie deeds and vertues vnder the vayle of humilitie but at his sepulcher the whole world was strucken with admiration to behould the blind deafe dumbe and mad persons restored to their senses to see dropsies palsies feauers and manie other desperate diseases beyond the skill of phisick cured in a momeÌ„t the verie deuills to flie out of the bodies of persoÌ„s possessed exclayming against the great power of S. GILBERTS sanctitie And lest the vanitie of anie fiction or inuention might anie way disparage the truth of these famous accidents and lest somwhat might be a little hyperbolically spoken of them they were all called within the arrest of the strict examine knowledge of witnesses whose sincere testimonie could not without great temeritie be excepted against At which inquirie besides manie other men famous for pietie and learning Hubert Archbishop of Canturbury was not only present but
recōmended that holy societie to the protection of the diuine goodnes and the B. Virgin MARIE earnestly desiring them to make choise of such a gouernesse after her death whom they iudged for true pietie and religion to be the fittest among them to vndergoe that charge FEB 25. and withall exhorting thē chiefly to preserue true peace purenes of heart she often repeated the words of CHRIST her spouse vnto thē Blessed sayd she are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God Blessed are the cleane of heart for they shall see God Hauing giuen thē Matt. 5. v. 8. 9. these and such like pious admonitions and religiously armed her self and her death with the holy sacramēts she happyly yeelded vpp her vnstayned soule to enioy an euerlasting kingdom with her sacred spouse in heauen aboue for whose sake she had contemned the kingdom and pompe of this lower world she died the three twentith day of February and was buried in her monasterie of Wenlock Who as she is by a pious certaintie thought gloriously to raigne with her deare spouse IESVS soe lest perchance anie small cloud of Her happie death mistrust might darken that pious beleef all mightie God him self hath shewed manie cleere testimonies of his loue to his holie spouse able to conuince the most incredulous When manie ages after the death of this holy Virgin in the yeare of our lord 1101. and the raigne of Henry the first her holy bodie was discouered and brought out of the ruines of obliuion to the open view and veneration of the world It happened in this manner VI. THE monasterie of Wenlock being destroyed afterwards by the violence of Englands sauage and barbarous enemies the holy virgins bodie lay for a long time hidden amongst those ruines till by the mnnificence of Roger Earle of Mountgomerie it was reedified and turned to a Priorie of Benedictine Monks of the Congregation of Cluny about the yeare aforesayd when by the speciall prouidence of allmightie God S. MILBVRGS bodie came to light vppon this occasion VII A workeman called Raymund being at work in the monasterie The miraculous inuention of her bodie of the holie Trinitie he happened to find an old chest or Box in which was contayned a writing written by one Alstan a Priest which testified that the bodie of the holy Virgin lay buried there neere vnto the aultar But noe remnant of the aultar appearing was cause that yet there was noe certaintie of anie thing Till he that gouerns all things with certaintie soone after tooke away all this vncertaintie for as two children plaied togeather vppon the pauement of that Church suddenly the earth opened and they both sunk in vpp to the knees This accident being a cause of great admiration amongst the Monkes gaue them occasion to haue the earth digged vpp deeper in that place by which meanes they found some bones which sent forth a wonderfull sweet sauour ouer all the Church and the next day after they lighted on the foundation of the aultar spoken off before To the greater creditt Miracles wrought by her reliques euidence hereof and more cleere manifesting of the glorie of God and his holy spouse S. MILBVRG manie other verie worthie and notable testimonies concurred For by the only touch of those sacred reliques but then new raked out of earth and dust two woemen were cured of most horrid leaprosies an other was restored to her sight lost and a boy that neuer saw light before receaued perfect power to distinguish of colours In summe such and soe famous where the miracles which God allwaies wonderfull in his saincts whrought there by the merits of this glorious Virgin that whole inundations of poeple flocked thither in such troupes as the open fields thereabouts were scarse sufficient to receaue them where rich and poore were in equall contention to obey the guide and conduct of their pious fayth Nether was the labour of their pietie spent in vaine for none returned without comfort sick persons receauing a perfect recouerie of health and a cure of manie such mortall diseases which had giuen the foyle to phisitians and their skill had left in desperation Of which one and not the lest was that a woeman dwelling in the village hard by called Patton hauing for the space of fiue yeares been cruelly tormented with a verie desperate disease incureable by phisick dranke only of the water wherein the holy virgins reliques had been washed and presently she shaked of her teadious sicknes and withall disburdened her stomack of a filthie worme vgly and horrible to behould hauing six feete two hornes on his head and two on his tayle The woeman being freed of this monstruous guest had the happines of her perfect health restored and in testimonie Note a strainge miracle and memorie of the fact that worme was shutt vp in a hollow peece of wood and reserued afterwards in the Monasterie as a trophie and monument of S. MILBVRG vntill by the lasciuious furie of him that destroyed all goodnes in England that with other religious houses and monasteries went to ruine that whereas before our fruitfull Ile for true religion pietie continencie and other vertues was the miracle of the world soe now for atheisme heresie and manie other vices it yeelds to no other realme in Christendom The life of this holy Virgin S. MILBVRG is written by Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Nicholas Harpsfield out of whom we haue gathered it But of the inmention of her bodie and miracles thereat we haue taken chiefely out of Ato Bishop and Cardinal of Ostia who writt the miracles that happened after her inmention and William Malmesburie de Pont. Angl. lib. 4. de gest reg Angl. l◠2. cap. 15. The Roman Martyrologe Camden in descriptione com Salopiae Polidore Virgil lib. 4. de regno Merciorum Vincentius Lirinensis in speculo lib. 25. cap. 33. Mathew Westminster anno 676. Florentius Wigorniensis anno 675. and manie others make ample mention of her The life of S. ETHELBERT King and Confessor FEB 24 Out of Venerable Bede de gest Angl. THE diuine wisedom whose allmightie power only is able to produce light out of the middest of darkenes and good out of euill during the raigne of ETHELBERT fift king of Kent voutchafed to sett Ethelbert the first Christian King of England a period to the diabolicall rites of Idolatrie in England and called ETHELBERT out of a race of Pagan Ancestors to be the first English king that sound the true Christian way to the kingdom of heauen And whatsoeuer gaine of soules our holy Apostle S. AVGVSTIN the Benedictine monke and his Euangelicall brethren reaped in the spirituall haruest and vineyard of our lord excepting allwaies the premotion and preuention of Gods grace is wholly due vnto holy King ETHELBERT For in as much as it lay in humane power vnlesse his royall graunt and assistance had stood with those diuine labourers nether the
gemmes by the inclining of the ship on the one side fell accidentally into the water and afterwards the sea retiring it felf for the space of three miles was againe found in the bottom without anie domage by lying in the waters which was preserued with great care in the Abbey of Durrham vnto the Authours time that writeth this historie XVIII BVT peace and tranquillitie succeeding the turmoiles of warre and slaughter in the raigne of Cuthred and the Bishoprick of Lindissarne being traÌ„slated to Cunicacestre there Eadulphe setled him self with his coÌ„panie holy reliques of S. CVTHBERT Till after one hundred thirteene yeares the Danes making a new inuasion into the couÌ„trey putting all to fier sword Bishop Alwin togeather with his Clergie the same sacred bodie weÌ„t to Rippon And after three or fower turbulent moneths were past he resolued to transport that treasure to its auncient seate of Lindisfarne but being in the way His Sacred reliqueâ—remayâ—â—â—â—moueable at DurrhaÌ„ neere Durrham togeather with a great multitude of poeple the chest wherein the Sacred bodie was carried could by noe meanes nor forces nether of men nor beasts be moued anie further noe more then a mountaine All much astonished and grieued at this strange spectacle the Bishop perswaded the poeple to giue them selues to watching and prayer to allmightie God to make knowne his will and pleasure in this In the meane time it was reuealed to one Eadmer a holy monk that they should transport the neuer enough named bodie to Durrham and thither it was carried without anie difficultie or resistance At that time Durrham was a desert and horrid place filled and incompassed round about with vast woods and groues allthough by nature fortifieable enough The Bishop presently built a Church in great hast only of slender timber wherein the Sacred bodie was conserued for the space of three yeares In the meane time by the wonderfull great care diligence and labour of him and of Vtred Earle of Northumberland and the poeple that vast and thick wildernes of woods was cutt downe the place it self made habitable and a goodly Church all of stone erected into which the vnstayned bodie of the Sainct was translated with great reuerence of all And The Bishops sea placed at Durrham the Episcopall sea erected first at Lindisfarne remayned at Durrham togeather with that Sacred monumeÌ„t euer after which was the three hundredth and ninth yeare after his happie deposition Where manie famous miracles were wrought through his meritts intercession of which allsoe the place whence first he came was not depriued Among others a woeman whose feete and thighs were by a contraction of the finews writhen and turned backwards in soe much that as a miserable spectacle she crept from place to place on her hands praying at this holy tombe recouered the strength and vse of all her limmes And goeing afterwards to Rome and into Ireland to pray and giue thanks for her health receaued she diuulged all ouer the world as she weÌ„t the great benefitt she had receaued by the meritts of S. CVTHBERT Which the authour hereof doth affirme out of the mouth of diuers Priests that had seene and spoken with her The same man Simeon of Durrham rehearseth manie wonderfull miracles wrought by his holy meritts after his bodie was brought to DurrhaÌ„ We will only make a brief rehearsall of some few XIX ONE Osulphe a man of most wicked life was sett vppon by Miracles wrought at S Cuthberts tombe at Durrham a snake which way soeuer he went and albeit he reiected her very often and sometimes burst her in peeces notwithstanding by what meanes it was vnknowne she would hang about that wretched creatures neck though without hurting him at all But as often as he entred S. CVTHBERTS Church he was free and coming forth he was presently attached againe Which being a cause of great astonishment to all and of wonderfull calamitie to the poore man he went to S. CVTHBERTS where shrine hauing perseuered three daies and as manie nights earnestly imploring the helpe of God and the Sainct he was euer after released from that fearfull anoyance Which storie this authour asseuereth from their words that had seene the man About the same time one that had stollen some peeces of money from S. CVTHBERTS shrine and to conceale his theft putt them into his mouth on a suddaine his chops were miserably tortured with such an sufferable paine as yf they had bin seared with hott irons And endeauouring to spitt the money out of his mouth he was not able no nor to speake a word He ranne vpp and downe the Church nodding staring and shewing all other strange motions of countenance and bodie seeking to make knowne his torment which he could not vtter At length hoping to gaine a remedie where he had found his ill he ranne to the Sacred shrine and falling prostrate on his face humbly craued the pardon and assistance of S. CVTHBERT offring interest of his owne to expiate the offence committed where as he embraced and kissed that Sacred treasurie with the verie kisse the money fell out of his mouth and he was released Manie punished for iniuries done to his tombe from his paine But as men afflicted with diseases and miseries who humbly implored his ayde receaued oftentimes present and wonderfull remedies soe those that were iniurious to this B. Sainct and his Church were payd home for their temeritie with present and grieuous punishments And among others Osbert and Ella both kings slaine by the Danes may witnes and Duke Haden a Dane whom besides madnes a most cruell sicknes attached which infected his whole bodie with such an horrid stench that the armie not able to endure his presence thrust him out of the camp flying from Tinemouth with three ships he and all his companie were swallowed in the reuengfull billowes of the sea XX. AN other wicked Dane Oulasbald by name when he endeauoured Others for iniuries done to his Church to spoile the Church of S. CVTHBERT and to wast her lands and possessions being admonished by the Bishop to abstaine from his temerarious attempt lest he should incurre the heauie reuenge of the Sainct What sayd he dost thou think to terrifie me with the vanie buggs of thy speeches and with a death to be feared from a dead man I vow and protest by all my Gods he was a Heathen that hereafter I will be a cause of greater mischief to thee and all thine when this CVTHBERT of thine in whom thou hast soe great confidence shall auayle the nothing He had scarse sayd thus much when goeing ouer the threshold suddenly he became immoueable and falling downe to the ground vomitted forth his wretched soule William Conquerour sent one called Ranulphus to Durrham to exact tribute out of that countrey which hitherto had bin allwaies free To whom S. CVTHBERT appearing in a dreame with cruell threatnings and a disease which grieuously tormented him
the other bishops the first of Nouember the day he was made Bishops and this day of his deposition which is allsoe yearly celebrated with great honour among the Welchmen in a Church dedicated to him called in Welch Llanpaternan that is saint Paternus Church Thus much of his life we haue gathered out of loannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Nicholas Harpsfield that at lest the memorie of soe great a sainct vnto whom our Welchmen are highly bound might not perish The life of Sainct STEPHEN Confessor and Abbot vnder the holy rule of Sainct BENEDICT APR. 17. Written by VVilliam Mal mesbury lib. 4. reg Ang. cap 1. STEPHEN surnamed Harding borne in England of noble parents was brought vp froÌ„ his verie childhood in Dorset-shire in the monasterie of Sherburne vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT till being now in the flower of his youth when the nettles of the world began to sting his mind farre otherwise inclined he fled out of the danger into France where carefully laying the grounds of true learning he receiued the first efficatious motiue to ver tue and the loue of God For when his riper yeares had banished all boyish inclinations he tooke a iourney to Rome with one other in his companie In which allbeit the way were long and difficult and their pouertie little able to defray that charge both going and returning they dayly recited and sung the whole psalter Hauing piously visited the sacred tombes of the Apostles they returned into Burgundie where STEPHEN in a new built monasterie of S. BENEDICTS order called Molismus putt on the habitt and conuersation of a Benedictin Monk And at verie first he grew easily He taketh the habit of S Benedict familiar with the precepts of S. BENEDICTS Rule in which he had beeÌ„ conuersant long before but finding other statuts proposed which he had not read in the rule before he began all waies keeping religious modestie to demaund the ground and reason of those lawes All things sayd he are gouerned with reason but because through slouth and negligence humane frailtie oftentimes falls from reason manie lawes were made in times past and from our holy father S. BENEDICT we receaued a Rule to recall the scattered mutabilitie of nature to the bounds of reason In which allbeit manie things be for which I can giue no reason yet the authoritie of the Author who questionlesse receiued them from heauen bids me yield thereunto Therefore shew an instance out of the Rule vpheld with reason and authoritie and dictated by him who was replenished with the spiritt of all iust men this yf you cannot doe you doe in vaine make profession of his prerogatiue whose doctrine you refuse to follow II. THIS opinion creeping from one to an other much mooued their hearts that feared God lest perchance hitherunto they had or might hereafter follow a wrong course Therefore after a frequent disputation thereof in Chapter S. ROBERT the Abbott approued STEPHENS opinion and concluded that they should surcease from following superfluous statutes and search only into the marrow He departeth to cifterce of S. BENEDICTS Rule But manie refusing to leaue their old customs some few only embraced S. STEPHENS opinion and departed thence with him to the hermitage of Cisterce which at that time was a desert vnhabited place but since through his meanes soe florishing with a worthie conuent of holy monks that it might seeme a litle paradise on earth Here togeather with his fellowes he began to lead a verie holie life in the strict and punctuall obseruance of saint BENEDICTS Rule soe that ROBERT Abbott of Molismus hearing the same of their holy conuersation tooke with him twentie fower other monks and went thither as well to be made a partner of their holy purpose as a promoter of their intended course But his owne monkes caused him shortly after to be recalled back to his monasterie by the authoritie of the Pope And Alberick was created abbot of Cisterce in his stead after whose death and he liued but eight yeares more our STEPHEN succeeded in the gouernment of that new borne-Conuent in whose time the holy Congregation of Cisterce began to extend it self and florish He is made Abbot of Cisterce with a great name of religion and all by the vertue and prudence of S. STEPHEN who with the almes of deuout poeple and happie was the man that through his hands offered his money to God built sixteene monasteries in his life time of all which he was Generall Soe that indeed he may be iustly termed the chief founder of the whole Cistercian Congregation which afterwards florished all the world ouer as may be seene at this present day for that Boore beginning in time of his predecessor Robert and Alberick was soe small and soe vnsetled that excepting the wonderfull and peculias prouidence of allmightie God and this holy mans prudent care and endeauours it was likely to haue taken noâ—great hould in the Church that as at the first he was the occasion and cause of the first planting soe now he was the authour of the great propagation of this famous reforme of the Benedictin order When among other titles of his prayses it is not the lest that he gaue the Benedictin habitt He gaue the habit to S. Bernard to that bright Ornament of the Order S. BERNARD who vnder the obedience of our STEPMEN suckt the sweet milke of his mellifluous learning and deuotion And the same S. STEPHEN composed and left to his brethren as his last will and testament that worthie writing called CHARTA CHARITATIS the Charter or carde of charitie wherein is contayned an admirable manner of maintayning a connection of true peace and charitie in all the monasteries of that Congregation throughout the whole world that all exhibiting honour to each other their whole multitude of Abbeys and monks should make all but one Bodie or Chapter vnder one head and Superior And this was called Charta Charitatis because it chiefly tended to the conseruing of loue and charitie amongst them III. AT LENGTH when this blessed man had setled established and confirmed this new plantation with manie holy lawes of order and discipline and worthyly gouerned his stock according to our Lords true example of humilitie till old age had quite depriued him of his sight he gaue vp his pastorall chardge desiring wholly to betake him self to the contemplation of diuine things according to the royall prophets counsell tast and see for our Lord is sweet In this holie Psal 33. sweetnes he spent the remaynder of his life allwaies expecting the approach of the happie minute wherein he should be released out of that prison to the enioying of the eternall freedom Therefore his time drawing neere manie of the Abbots of his new erected Congregation and a great number of the monks came to offer him the last seruice of their loue and dutie VVho talking amongst them selues as the holy man say gasping
morning florishing in the greene weeds of summer it shall be graunted that we haue putt to death a iust and holy man and you shall haue power to burie him with as much honour as you please But yf this wood remaine drie and withered as now it is it shall be lawfull for vs to say that you haue been blind in your affection towards him and it shall be in our power to dispose of his bodie as we think best XIV THE condition being willingly accepted on both sides to A notable miracle the end it might manifestly appeare to the world that S. ELPHEGVS his death was not a death but a beginning of a better life that withered branch in the space of one night began to florish and wax greene and allbeit it were planted in the ground but the euening before yet it was found adorned with the greene liueries of spring the next morning Whereuppon their obstinate minds beginning to relent they stroue to preuent one and other with embracing and kissing the dead bodie humbly bowing downe their stubborne necks and bathing his deaths-wounds with the flouds of their repentant tears Therefore his bodie being lifted on the shoulders of his enemies was caried in triumph to the new borne tree as to the florishing trophie of his glorie accompanied in the way with allmost innumerable miracles sent from heauen as testimonies of his cause and goodnes For the sick receaued their health the blind their sight the deafe their hearing the dumb their speech and the Manie miracles lame the perfect vse of their limmes And in a chappell of deuotion built ouer him in the same place manie of the Danish nobilitie became ennobled with the Christian fayth and new borne in the sacred font of baptisme But when the Londoners vnderstood all these passages they obtayned by the meanes of a summe of money which commaunds all things to haue his sacred reliques transported to London where by the hands of the bishops Ednoth of Lincolne and Alfhune of London it was verie honorably interred in the Cathedrall Church of saint PAVL This Blessed Sainct was martired the ninteenth day of Aprill being the saturday after Easterday in the yeare of our Lord one hundred and twelue the seau nth yeare of his bishoprick in Canturburie and fiftie ninth yeare of his age But God the allmightie defender The diuine punishmeÌ„t of his murderers of his seruants shewed soe great examples of reuengefull punishment against the authours of his death that one of the captaines was the blouddie cause of his one death an other cutt his owne throate to auoyde further inconuenience a priest that hid the holy Martirs crosse was crossed out of this life with the sword and one of the same function that presumed to weare the holy Saincts pantafles was before all the poeple cruelly tormented by the deuill And soe horrible a terrour seazed on all the Dauish princes that not daring to trust them selues on the footing of the lands they would needs aduenter their lines at sea immagening there to escape the holy Martirs anger whom the earth could not keepe in safetie from it But they found the sea a farre more implacable element to suffer such impieties for they were noe sooner launched into the deepes but the blustering winds raysed such tumults in those floting Kingdomes that of an hundred and threescore fayle all suffered shipwrack excepting threescore and fiue ships which being driuen to strainge countreys all the men were miserably slaine by the inhabitans who tooke them for spies sent to inuade their dominions But the wicked ringleader of mischief Turkill stayed a while in England to play the Pirate likely at length to become a prey to the damned spiritts XV. FOR NOT long after Canutus King of the Danes came Turkill worthyly punished with a great nauie into England where falling out with Turkill for some wicked and perfidious actions of his he destroyed the whole remnant of his impious adherents and followers and compelled the Captaine him self to flie with six sayle into Denmarke where being suspected by the princes to become an authour of some ciuill dissentions and broiles he was persecuted all ouer the countrey till at length being murdered by the base common poeple his soule was sent to the rewards of her impietie and his bodie throwne into the open fields to be buried in the gutts of rauens and wild beasts But after this Canutus perceiuing his poeple to be continually slaine by the English armie and finding that the neighbourhood of necessitie coÌ„pelled him to think of yeelding he consulted with some of the wisest Englishmen that had fled to him for refuge to knowe what might be the cause of those manie mischances that had befallen him they all with one voyce sayd that it was according to the prophesie of the holy Martir S. ELPHEGVS who in his afflictions by the Danes his predecessours foretould that they should take noe sure roote in the kingdom of England but should perish by a worse death then Sodom Now therefore sayd they yf thou desire to pacifie that holy Sainct during the time of thy raigne promise him that thy affayres succeeding well thou wilt cause his sacred reliques to be honorably transported to his owne archiepiscopall seate of Canturbury and buried Canâ—tus promiseth to trauslate his bodie to Canturbury there amoÌ„gst his predecessours Which promise faythfully made by Canntus hauing within a while obtayned peace after peace the owne half of the kingdom and after the half the whole was as faythfully performed For tenne yeares after the holy martirs death Canutus sent for Egelnoth Archbishop of Canturbury who coming to London weÌ„t directly to the Cathedrall Church of S. PAVL where the king presently gaue him the meeting and declared that the cause why he sent for him was to make vse of his authoritie and counsell in the translation of S. ELPHEGVS his bodie to Canturbury XVI THE Archbishop much amazed at the breath of this proposition answeared that surely his maiestie had not taken mature deliberation and considered sufficiently the reasons and grounds of aduenturing on soe great an enterprise And moreouer that for his part he feared lest he would be torne in peeces by the Londoners who would rather loose their liues then be depriued of soe great a treasure and Patrone And you see sayd he further that we haue here only our selues and two Monks and the stone that couers his monument is of that weight and bignes that some yoake of oxen are scarse able to mooue it But the king armed with the shield of a most inuincible fayth answeared that Gods and the holy Martirs assistance yf that translation were pleasing vnto them would not be wanting in a time of such necessitie Therefore the labour was committed to those two monks one of them was called Alsward in times past of familiar acquaintance A strange mâ—racle with S. DVNSTAN and the other Godrick with Egelnoth now present But for
want of other instruments they broke vp the cement and lesser stones which fastened the tomb-stone with an iron candlestick found there by chaunce Then putting all their confidence in God and the holy Saincts intercession they fell vpon their knees and sett vppon a work which they knew farre exceeded their owne strength and laying their shoulders to that huge stone with great ease they mooued it to the other side When presently they beheld that sacred bodie to be most entier and vncorrupted and Willam Malmesbury affirmeth for ceataine that it remay ned in the same integritie for the space of one hundred yeares after Degâ—t Pont. lib. 1 de gest reg l. 1. cap. 16. But now an other thought troubled our two busied monks which was that they wanted a boord to carrie the holy bodie to the boate in which perplexitie as they composed and wrapped it in linnen cloathes they found vnder the bodie a boord as it were prepared for the same purpose Then lifting vp that sacred treasure on their shoulders they carried it to the water side the king and Archbishop following after who in the meane time had disposed garrisons throughout the cittie and on both sides of the riuer Thames to preuent all occasion of tumult among the cittizens Being wafted ouer to the next shoare Canutus with his owne hands putt the bodie into the waggon and thus with great pompe and honour garded with a mightie troupe of souldiers it was transported to Canturbury and there receiued with great reuerence and ioy of the whole cittie His bodie translated to Canturbury And the third day after Queene Emme with her some Hardecaunt very deuoutly visited it leauing behind her manie verie ample and rich offerings as euident witnesses of her fayth and deuotion XVII NETHER was there wanting store of diuine miracles which at that time honoured this translation and allsoe in after ages and from thence forth he was held not only for a most holy bishop but for a Martir too VVherein when S. LANFRANK Archbishop of Canturbury made some doubt because he did not die directly for the confession of the fayth but in that he would not satisfie the couetousnes of the pirats and ransom his owne life and proposed the reason of his doubt to the worthie S. ANSELME then Abbott of the Benedictin monastery of Bec in France who afterwards succeeded LANFRANK in the Archbishoprick S. ANSELME most grauely and elegantly handled that question affirming that it was a thing not to Eadm in vita Anselmi l. 2. be doubted but that ELPHEGVS who was enflamed with soe great loue to wards God and his neighbour that he chose rather to suffer a cruell death then to see his neighbours vniustly depriued of their goods and money would with a farre greater inclination and burning desire haue embraced a death offered him for the profession of CHRIST and his Ghospell Therefore the loue and desire he had to see iustice exactly defended and maintayned brought him to those strieghts Now CHRIST who is both iustice and Veritie pronounceth those all soe to bee blessed that sâ—ffer persecution for Iustice Againe the martirdom of S. IONH Baptist endured not for the Math. cap. 1. Fayth but for the truth in reprehending Herod for adulterie is of most famous memorie throughout the whole Church and why not that of S. ELPHEGVS suffered for the maintenance of iustice which and the works of all other vertues as they are referred to allmightie God may be true causes of Martirdom These and such like reasoÌ„s mooued LANFRANK not only to honour hiâ—h euer afterfor a Martir but caused his life to be faythfully written by Osberne a monke of Canturbury whom we haue followed which he confirmed by his authoritie and made to be read in the English Church The day of his glorious martirdom was celebrated the ninteenth of Aprill on which he was martired The historie written of him by the foresayd Osberne S. Thom. 22. qu. 124 art 5. is recited by Laurence Surius tom 4. The particulars of his translation we haue taken out of Nicholas Harpsfield saec 11. cap. 9. The Roman martirologe maketh mention of him And Baronius tom 10. 11. Malmesbury de gest reg lib. 1. de gest pontis lib. 1. Roger Houedon priori parte Annal. an 1011 and 1012. Mathew Westminster an 1011. Iohn Capgraue and all our English writters are full of his prayses In the Breuiary of Sarum he hath anoffice of three lessons But in an auncient manuscript of S. BENEDICTS Order which belonged to the monastery of Burton vppon Trent he is serued with twelue lessons S. ANSELMVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVARIENSIS Monachuâ— Benedictinus April 21. 〈…〉 The life of S. ANSELME Archbishop of Canturb of the holy order of S. BENEDICT APR. 21. Anno. 1080. Written by Edmerus a moÌ„k of Cant. that liued in the same time with S. Anselme IN WRITING the excellent life and incomparable vertues of the worthie Prelat S. ANSELME who from the humilitie of a Benedictin monk was raysed to the Metropolitan dignitie of Canturbury we most perforce imitate the art of Geographers who in the com-of a little card describe the globe of the whole world I will coÌ„preheÌ„d APR. 2â— in a few words that which well deserues a volume and giue you a brief pourtraict or a bridgemeÌ„t of the works of this glorious Sainct this great doctour this mirrour of Bishops this ornament of our English Church and bright sunne of the Benectin familie Vnto whoÌ„ that nothing might be wanting for the making vp of a man perfect in all things was added the nobilitie of a godly honourable parentage He was borne in the cittie Augusta neere the coÌ„fines of Burgandy His His worthie pareâ—tage father was called Gundulphus by nation a Lumbard who vsing much to the cittie of Augusta married there a ladie called Ermerberg by whoÌ„ he had the happines to haue ANSELME They were both of noble bloud rich but very contrarie in life and manners for his fathers greatest care was to spend his time in worldly mirth and pleasure and to liue merrily when on the order side his wife carefully gouerned her house constantly perseuering in the coÌ„tinuall exercise of pious vertuous workes to the last gaspe of her life But Gundulphus being by the death of his good wife freed froÌ„ the bonds of matrimonie His father becometh a monke it pleased allmightie God to make him enter into more pious coÌ„siderations reclaime his old age tired with sayling amoÌ„g the turbulent pleasures of the world to retire to the quiet shoare of a monasticall life wherein he spent the rest of his daies happily But ANSSELME the worthie branch of this noble stock in whoÌ„ from his teÌ„der age it seemed vertue was incorporate to become visible to mortall eyes with the siluer innoceÌ„cie of his sweet carriage behauiour purchased the loue affection of all men Well doeing which other men gett by labour industrie
carried thither where the fier came on with greatest violence Which done this weake man began with his prayers to driue that away against which the force of manie strong labouring hands could not preuayle And suddenly as yf he had been the moderatour and ruler of the winds the wind that blew out of the south and was as the bellowes of those flames chainged into the North and soe constrayned that outragious element to forsake the food which soe eagerly it hunted after and turned it back to feed on its owne ruines whereby the cittie was freed from the imminent perill of ruine and the citizens ascribed the preseruation of them selues and their fortunes to their holy Archbishop MELLITVS who because he vehemently boyled with the fier of diuine loue and was wont by his often prayers and exhortations to driue away the stormes of the ayrie powers from hurting him and his he was found worthie to whom God gaue power to preuayle against the forces of the fiers and winds of this world At length when this Blessed Archbishop whom Trithemius a graue authour in his worke of the famous men of saint BENEDICTS order calls a man of most holy life a lib. 3. cap. 56. lib. 4. cap. 50. contemner of the world a louer of God the rule of all religion and a mirrour of vertue had gouerned the Sea of Canturbury the space of fiue yeares he left this mortall life to â—â—ke his long desired iourney to the immortall the foure and twentith day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord 624. He was buried in the Benedictin Monasterie of saint PETER and saint PAVL in Canturbury by his predecessours And in his Epitaph is made mention of the foresayd miracle of the fier in these two verses speaking to him Laudibus aeternis te predicat vrbs Dorouernis Cui simul ardenti rest as virtute potenti His life we haue gathered chiefly out of saint Bede de gest Ang. lib. 1. cap. 29. lib. 2. cap. 3. 4. sequ Ealred abbot of Rhienall Baronius tom 8. Malmesbury de pont l. 2. the Roman Martirologe Nicholas Harpsfield see 7. cap. 7. Vsuard Ado Arnold wion and others make honourable mention of hiâ—â— The life of S. EGBERT Priest and monke of the holy order of saint BENEDICT APR. 24. Out of Venerable Bede THE admirable master of humilitie and most zealous aduancer of Christs Ghospell saint EGBERT borne of a noble race of English parents in the south parts of England spent the flower of his youth in the monastery of Lindisfarne or Holy-Iland In which schoole of vertue he receaued the first grounds of true religion vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT which afterwards he communicated to other places to the great honour and encrease of the Benedictin order It was the manner in those dayes of manie of our English to goe ouer into Ireland there to apply them selues in a more strict course of holy meditation watching fasting and prayer and other exercises of a monasticall life Amongst the rest holy EGBERT forsaking friends and countrey went thither with a feruent desire to pietie accompanied He goeth into Ireland with an other noble Englishman called Ethelune And huing togeather in Jreland in a monasterie called in Irish Rathmelfigi they were both infected with the plague which at that time mustered whole troupes of poeple vnder the black banner of death When holy EGBERT expecting nothing but to be enrolled in the same number of deaths seruants went one morning out of that mournfull lodging where the sick monks lay expecting their end into a secret and solitarie place where sitting downe to entertayne him self with his owne throughts he beganne to cast vp a strict accompt of his former life wherein he found manie Items whose remembrance begott such contrition in his heart that the teares trickling downe his cheekes were worthy witnesses to prooue it excellent Then in the heate of true deuotion he humbly besought allmightie His petitioÌ„ to Allmigh tie God God to graunt him a litle longer respite in this world as well to bewaile the sinnes of his youth as allsoe more abundantly to exercise him self in the workes of religious perfection vowing withall neuer more to returne into his natiue conntrey of England but to liue a pilgrim all the dayes of his life Moreouer besides his canonicall office he was wont yf sicknes did not hinder him He dayly recited Dauids Psalter to recite euery day the whole psaker of Dauid in honour of allmightie God and to fast one whole day and a night euery weeke without anie food at all But when his prayers had set a periode to his teares and his vowes to his prayers he returned back to his lodging where he found his fellow Edelhune that laboured with the same disease fast asleepe and he him self layd downe his feeble limmes to recreate them a while with rest But long he had not reposed when his companion awaked and looking pittifully vppon him O brother Egbert sayd he what hast thou done I had hoped we should haue gone ioyfully togeather to the Kingdom of heauen but now by thy desire we must be seperated for know that thy request is graunted It had been reuealed vnto him in a vision what EGBERTS request was and that he had had a graunt there of from God II. THE night following Edelhune died happily and EGBERT by a He is miraculously cured of the plague speciall fauour of diuine grace recouering his health afterwards adorned his monasticall vocatioÌ„ with the dignitie of priesthood and â—nnobled that dignitie with worthie actions of vertue and good life Allwaies gouerning him self with the rules of perfect humilitie sweet meeknes pure continencie plaine simplicitte candid innocencie His example of life his labour in teaching his authoritie iâ— reprehending and his liberalitie in bestowing what the charitie of the rich gaue him was of wonderfull great profitt and edification to all the countrey where he liued in voluntarie banishment And His rigid fasting to encrease the austeritie of his owne life he added to the vowes aforesayd to make but one small meale a day throughout all the Lent which was a little bread and a poore quantitie of thinâ—e milke which he did eate cold after it had stoode a whole night and when the creame or fatter substance thereof was skimmed off This manner of fasting he obserued like wise fortie dayes before Christmas and as manie more after Whitsuntide Vppon these well setled foundations and grounds of holines in a short time saint EGBERT raysed a spirituall building of vertues to the very height of monasticall perfection soe that the same of his sainctitie was blowne into the royall eares of Kings of whom some much admired and honoured the man others that contemned his pious admonitions felt the heauie punishment of him that allwaies defends the cause of his true seruants as appeares by that which venerable BEDE recounts of Egfrid King of the Northumbers Who in the
thy Church with ample guifts and reuenewes Then causing a banner of that Church to be carried before him he marched couragiously against the Scotts who hearing of his coming fled ouer into Scotland and there expected him Ethelstane hauing fixed his tents on the other side of the riuer Ethelstane victorious by the merits of S. Iohn S. IOHN appeared to him and bad him goe ouer couragiously and assault his enemies Which the next morning he performed and in that conflict manie of the Scotts were slaine and their whole armie discomfited Then King Ethelstane hauing humbly desired of saint IOHN to haue some signe which might serue as a perpetuall testimonie of the King of Englands prerogatiue ouer the Scotts he struck his sword into a hard rock neere Dunbar castle where for manie ages after remayned a marke the length of a yeard made hollow in the same stone with the blow And for proofe hereof wee haue that king Edward the first when there was question before Pope Boniface of his right and prerogatiue ouer Scotland brought this historie for the maintenance and strength of his cause VI. KING ETHELSTANE hauing obtayned the foresayd Beuerley a Sainctuarie victorie honoured saint IOHN euer after as his peculiar Patrone and Guardian and ennobled the Church of Beuerley with manie great freedoms graunting vnto it the right of Sainctuary to be a safe refuge for all criminall and suspected persons of what offence soeuer Manie other famous miracles here omitted haue been done by the meritts of this glorious Bishop all which moued Alfrick the seauenteenth Bishop of York after him Translation of S. Iohn to take vp his holy reliques three hundred and sixteen yeares after his death and place them in a precious and rich shrine the fiue and twentie day of October which is the feast of his translation on which verie day in the yeare of our Lord one thousand foure hundred and fifteen the most inuincible King of England Henry the fift of that name wonne the memorable battle of Agiâ—court against the French Which the King ascribing to the meritts of the most blessed Bishop saint IOHN at his triumphant returne into England caused the feasts both of his deposition and translation to be solemnly celebrated throughout the Prouince of Canturbury as it was allreadie in that Yorke And in the Prouinciall Tit. de script Constitutions of England made in a Prouinciall Synod vnder Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canturbury is found a decree hereof made at the instance of the same most Christian King Henry the fift Whereby it appeares that this most holy Bishop saint IOHN of Beuerley hath been an ayde to the Kings of England in the necessitie of their warres not only in auncient but allsoe in these later ages God of his infinite Mercie make vs partakers of his glorious merits His life we haue gathered out of Venerable Bede de gest Aug. lib. 5. cap. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. William Malmesbury de gest Pontif. Aug. lib. 3. Mathew Westminster anno 680. 686. 721. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 8. cap. 22. Thrithemius of the famous men of saint BENEDICTS order lib. 3. cap. 129. lib. 4. cap. 68. and 170. and Iohn Capgrà ue or Ioannes Anglicus The Româ—â— Martirologe Polidore Virgil Vsuard Arnold Wion Camden and all our English writers doe worthyly celebrate his prayses The life of Sainct WYRE Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT MAY. 8. Out of an auncient manuscript recited by Su rins SAINCT WYRE borne of worthy parents in Scotland hauing passed his infancie was sett to schoole when being preuented by the inspiration of an heauenly grace he began in his tender His vertues and exercises age to beare the yeares of a man both in mind and manners proposing to him self the examples of his elders to be the rule and guide of his youthly actions In the meane time he encreased in yeares but more in mind neuer yeelding to anie vaine allurements nor drawing back his foote once sett forward in the stepps of vertue contemning all transitorie and wordly things aspiring with all the forces of his soule to the loue of the eternall soe that his holines of life increasing dayly with his yeares he became gratefull and beloued both to God and man He was nether broken with aduersities nor exalted with prosperitie neuer tired with watchings Herefuseth a bishoprick prayers were his foode and fasting his delights in summe nothing could mooue him from the desire and pursuite of vertue Not long after whilst thus he shined to the world in all kind of true religion and holines of life the Church of that countrey was voyd of a pastour when all with one voyce desired WIRE for their bishop him the clergie him the people him all the world proclaymed to be a man sent from heauen to gouerne his natiue countrey with episcopall dignitie But the holy man being quite of an other mind farre from desiring to clime the slipperie degrees of fading honours lay close vnder the wings of humilitie and vtterly refused to accept anie such charge affirming that he had more need him self of a Master then to become a teacher and ruler of others II. AT length ouercome with much opportunitie of the poeple he yeelded to goe to Rome to be consecrated reioycing for soe good an occasion to performe that soe desired pilgrimage And thither he went not out of an ambition of worldly dignitie but of a desire he long had had to vndertake that iourney of deuotioÌ„ Being come to Rome togeather with sainct PLECHELME a venerable priest and monk and Otgerus a deacon they all three visited with great deuotion the sacred shrines of the Apostles watring the pauements with the holy baulme of their deuout teares The Pope vnderstanding of them sent presently for sainct WYRE who togeather with The Pope compells him to be bishop his fellowes came before him where he was receaued with wonderfull great ioy and familiaritie When sainct WYRE hauing first plainly tould the cause of his coming fell prostrate at the Popes feet humbly crauing to be freed from the charge of the Bishoprick But the Pope nothing mooued with his prayers chose rather to prouide Gods poeple with a holy prelate then to hearken to sainct WYRES priuate deuotions and therefore he ordered him Bishop much against his will and sent him back into the countrey with a strict commaund to cease from vndertaking anie pilgrimage before he returned to his poeple Whose precept the holy man obeyed and returned straight ouer the frozen Alâ—es and swelling waues of the sea to come againe into his countâ—ey where he was receaued His returne from Rome with great ioy honour and solemnitie Then it was wonderfull to see how he shined in all vertue religion and pietie amongst his subiects making allwaies his owne lifâ— correspondent to the doctrine he preached vnto others And allthough then he none could better discharge the office of that high calling with all parts
the instant when King Edgar sonne of Edmond was borne he heard sing an Anthime foretelling peace to the English Church by that happie byrth Allsoe at the Church of Bathe being verie seriously detayned in his prayer he beheld the soule of a yong Monke whom he had brought vp at Glastenbury carried vp by troupes of Angels into heauen And it was found that that youth The deâ—ill appearâ—th died at the same instant Being afterwards in his iourney to the King who in great hast had sent for him he was mett in the way by the deuill who very petulantly and like a Buffoone reioyced and sported him self before him Being demaunded the cause of his mirth he answered that the King DVNSTANS friend would shortly die which should be a cause of great trouble in the kingdom and he hoped that the next king would not fauour DVNSTAN nor his adherents But this Master of lies could The death of king Edmond as 946. not vtter two true tales togeather for allbeit it fell out indeed that king Edmond was slaine in his Pallace within seauen daies after yet his Brother Edred succeeded a man worthyly feruent in the seruice of Allmightie God and whoe honoured DVNSTAN with noe lesse loue fauour and reuerence then his predecessor Nay Elphâ—gâ—s Bishop of Winchester being dead king Edred with manic prayers sollicited sainct DVNSTAN to succeed in that Sea whose absolute refusall of that dignitie much grieued the good kings mind made him deale with good Queene Edgine his mother to perswade DVNSTAN to accept it but all in vaine for nether the mothers nor the sonnes entreaties could preuayle to make him take it IX AFTERWARDS sainct DVNSTAN went to visitt his The death of king Edred brethren at Glastenbury where he had not stayd long but king Edred being fallen mortally sick sent for him in all hast Who trauelling speedyly towards the Court heard a voyce from heauen that sayd King EDRED rests in peace And at the very sound of those words his horse fell dead vnder him without anie hurt to the rider Then going sorrowfully to the sorrowfull Court togeather with his fellowes he committed the bodie of the King to the Mother The bad life of king Edwin Earth Edwin the sonne of King Edmond succeeded in the gouernment of the Kingdom who filthyly defiled both the beginning and progresse of his whole raigne For omitting the impietie crueltie and tyrannie wherewith he outraged all sacred and prosane things he was a man soe beyond measure addicted to the pleasures of lust and lasciuiousnes that he languished in the loue of the mother and her daughter both togeather vsing both their bodies at his pleasure And which is horrible to be spoken on the verie day of his Coronation dinner being ended he forsoke the companie of all the Bishops Abbots Princes and Nobles of the realme and went into his priuate chamber where he sate in the midst embracing the mother and daughtér his ordinary strumpets Which act caused a great scandall and indignation amongst the Princes and Nobles then present Wherevppon the rest excusing them selues out of feare to incurre the kings anger S. DVNSTAN was seÌ„t to draw Note the great zeale of S. Dunstan him out off that lewd companie Who entring the chamber and finding the king hauing layd by his royall crowne dallying on the bed betweene those two naughtie woemen first with a sterne looke he sharply rebuked their lasciuiousnes and then with a low voyce he humbly entreated the king to redeeme this publick scandall and to returne to his Peeres to gladden them with his royall presence But the King anger and shame striuing in his mind for the mastrie absolutly refused to come Then DVNSTAN in the zeale of a holy anger tooke him fast by the hand and clapping the Diadem vppon his head drew him violently into the Hall amongst his Nobles These wicked woemen were soe ashamed and offended herewith that they perswaded the King allsoe highly enraged against S. DVNSTAN to banish him out of the kingdom Who not only banished S. DVNSTAN but sent wicked officers to the monasteries of Glastenbury to seaze vppon all the goods that belonged vnto it The like iniustice he vsed to manie other monasteries of England not only despoyling them of their lands goods and reuenewes but banishing the Monks allsoe that maintayned the profession and defence of a chast life Then the Abbey of Malmesbury sayth William a monke of the same place which sor the space of two hundred threescore and ten yeares before had been inhabited by Monkes Dereg l. 2. c. 7. was made a stable of secular Clerkes X. S. DVNSTAN therefore hauing receaued the decree of his banishment departed out of England ioyfull in his heart that he was worthy to suffer for the defence of iustice and loue of chaâ—itie He went into Flanders where the Lord of that countrey courteously entertayned him at the Cittie of Gaunt and there in the exercise of true pietie and religion he expected how it should please the diuine See the crueltie of a detestable woeman wisedon to dispose of him But the foresayd woeman or rather infernall furies were not satisfied with his banishment but plotted to haue him surprised by the way and robbed of his eyes which they fayled to execute for when the instruments of this crueltie arriued at the Port the Sainct had allreadie hoist sayles and was gone Our Lord greatly conforted Sainct DVNSTAN in this banishment by the meanes of his holy Apostle Sainct ANDREW to whom he was euer peculiarly denoted who visited him often and appeared vnto him with words and promises of great consolation In the meane time the allmightie and heauenly wisedome cast a mercifull eye on the English nation and vsed meanes for the perpetuall consolation thereof againe to restore DVNSTAN the Father of the countrey into his former and farre greater degrees of place and dignitie For the Northumbers and Mercians withdrew themselues King Edwin iustly punished from the subiection of King Edwin and made the Noble Edgar his brother their Prince vnder whose conduct they persecuted Edwin and droue him beyond the riuer Thames soe that all the couÌ„trey from thence to Humber was wholly subiect vnto Edgar And with in a short time death hauing ended the quarrell and taken away Edwin Edgar remayned Monarke of all England Who being desirous Edgar recalleth S. Dunstati to establish his kingdome with peace and iustice caused all the outrages committed by his predecessor to be repayred monasticall and Church-goods to be restored and by messengers sent into Flanders recalled S. DVNSTAN into the Countrey with great honour and reuerence committing him self and all his affayres to be ruled He is made Bishop of Worcester and ordered by the prudence of his care and counsell Moreouer that greater dignitie might authorise all his proceedings with manie prayers he perswaded him to accept the bishoprick of Worcester and he was consecrated at Canturbury
by the hands of S. ODO the Archbishop Then this holy Prelat returning to his Church discharged the part of a most worthy Pastour vsing an extreme vigilance ouer his flock which he gouerned with wonderfull integritie vnremoued constancie and discrete seueritie XI BVT the bishop of London being dead after mature deliberation for a successour noe man was found soe worthy as S. DVNSTAN And of London soe that he was coÌ„pelled to vndertake the gouernment of that Sea allsoe wheÌ„ how rarely he did the office of a holy Prelat in both these places it goes beyond the force of weake words to declare At length by the vnanimous consent of all he was chosen Archbishop of Canturbury when he went to Rome according to the custom of those times and obtained his Palle of the Pope who sent him back with all the authoritie and dignitie belonging to the Metropolitan of England At his returne with great honour applause he was receaued and installed in the Archiepiscopall Sea of Canturbury when assuming for his armour of proofe the word of God he strengthened him self against the Prince of the world and began on all sides to destroy and ruine his members with a resolute constancie and a coÌ„stant resolution of true pietie vertue and religion XII A COVNT noe lesse rich the powerfull had vnlawfully married He excommunicateth an incestuous Count. his owne neece against whom S. DVNSTAN hauing the second and third time admonished and sharply rebuked for that incestuous offence seeing noe hope of amendment vsed the sword of abscision and by the sentence of excoÌ„munication cutt him off from the communion of the Church The Count much incensed herewith had recourse to the King and to the Pope to make his peace with DVNSTAN but finding that both their entreaties could nothing moue the holy Prelate who remayned firme as a rock that could not be shaken with anie thing admiring the coÌ„stancie of the Sainct fearing left his malediction should cause the ruine of his soule he diuorced him self from that vnlawfull wife And when DVNSTAN presided in a Nationall Synod of the whole realme the Count came barefoote Behould a rare example of publick peanance into the place cloathed in a poore wollen habit with a handfull of rods in his hand casting him self in that full assemblie at the feete of the holy Prelate with a woefull pietie craued pardon of his fault offring him the rods to be chastised and absolued from the excommunication and admitted to the sacrameÌ„ts of the Church At which sight the whole companie was mooued to pittie and coÌ„passion and DVNSTAN more then the rest Yet obseruing all waies the rigour of discipline in his countenance a while he coÌ„tayned his vrging teares but with difficultie till being entreated by the whole Councell with weeping words he gaue him pardon and absolution XIII BVT this was nothing in respect of that which he did to King King Edgars offence Edgar whom soe highly he honoured in the punishing of an enormious sinne which he had committed to the great scandall of the countrey The King coming once to the Monasterie of 〈◊〉 Nunnes at Wilton chanced to see a fayre yong mayde excelling both in nobilitie and beautie that liued there as a tabler amongst the other Nunnes of whom he became fondly amorous and desired to haue conference with her in a secret place The Mayde being carefull of her owne chastitie and fearing left the king might offer violeÌ„ce in such an opportunitie tooke the vayle froÌ„ one of the other religious woemen putt it on her owne head supposing that he would attempt noe dishonestie against her thus vayled Whom when the King beheld in that manner Thou art quickly made â—â— Nunne sayd he and pulling the vayle off her head rauished her by force such cruell enemies to the soule our eyes are that they robbe vs of our hearts This fact was cause of great scandall in the Kingdom till the newes arriued at the eares of saint DVNSTAN who was strucken with great sorow thereat Therefore hastening presently to the King and he as his manner was coming to meeâ—e him and offring to take him by the hand to leade him in with honour DVNSTAN with a frowning looke drew back his hand and Would not suffer him to touch it Whereat the King greatly amazed demaunded the reason of this strangnes To whom saint Note the zeale and constancie of S. Dunstan DVNSTAN Thou breaking all lawes of shamefastnes hast playd the adulterer thou despising God and not fearing the signe of chastitie hast robbed a Virgin of her integritie and doest thou aske why I giue the not my hand that sacrificeth the Sonne of the Virgin to his allmightie Father to be polluted with thy impure fingers First wash thy hands from filth with the teares of penance and then that thou maiest be reconciled to Gods grace honour and embrace the sacred hands of a Bishop The King who suspected nothing lesse then DVNSTAN to be guiltie of that secret was The great humilitie of King Edgar strangely amazed at these sharpe words and presently like an other Dauid he became penitent and throwing him self prostrate at the Bishops feete with words full of teares and sighs acknowledged his fault and desired penance DVNSTAN seeing soe great an example of humilitie in the King ranne to him and hauing lifted him from the ground began with a pleasing countenance to deale familiarly His seauen yeares peanance with him touching his soules health and inioyned him seauen yeares penance for satisfaction Who hauing obtayned a Pontisicall absolution ioyfully performed his penance and exercised manie other workes of pietie ouer and aboue by the instinct and counsell of S. DVNSTAN Moreouer remayning euer after constant in the loue and seruice of Allmightie God he very worthyly promoted both the ciuill and the Ecclesiasticall discipline of his realme was verie carefull to see iustice obserued to which end he established manie good lawes whereby he deserued to haue his kingdom adorned with soe manie heauenly benefitts and blessings that during his raigne nothing seemed to be wanting that any way belonged to the commoditie of a well-ordered and happie Common-wealth XIV NETHER doe I sayth Harpsfield beleeue this great felicitie Saec. 10. cap. 3. to haue flowed from anie other fountaine then that Edgar from a child allthough sometimes in his youth he suffered vnder human frailtie was allwaies piously affected to God and diuine things by which the rest of the common-wealth all his happines depended and that he vsed these most faythfull most friendly most wise and most holy Counsellours OSWALD ETHELWOLD and aboue all DVNSTAN who piously and holyly gouerned his youth in the way of vertue and good life And the holy documents which he suckt from their mouthes he afterwards fullfilled in his deedes and examples Whence it came to passe that by his royall meanes and by the counsâ—ll and ayde of these three worthie Bishops and
eyes darting their beames vppon thee from the bright clime of heauen heart these plaintif wordes of his with a certaine pietie resounding in thine â—ares Thou O father Dunstan An Apostrophe of King Edgars father to Dunstan didest giue me bolesom counsell to build Monasteries and found Churches thou wast my helper and coadiutour in all things J chose thee to be the Pastour and spirituall father of my soule and manners When did I not obey thee What treasures did I euer preserre before thy counsells What possessions did I not contemne at thy commaund If thou didest iudge anie thing to be giuen to the poore I was readie yf thou didest affirme anie thing to be bestowed I differd it not If thou didest complaine that anie thing was wanting to the Monkes or Clerkes I supplied it Thou didest asseuer almes deeds to be eternall and of them none to be more fruitfull then what was bestowed on monasteries and Churches whereby the seruants of God are maytained and the remainder distributed to the poore O the excellencie of almes O worthy ransom of the Soule O wholesom remedie of our sinnes which hanging at the bosom of a wanton Tibbe stinkes of muske which adornes her prettie eares which braceth her delicate bedie in silke and purple Js this the fruit of my almes Father is the effect of my desire and thy promise Psal 49. 18. What wilt thou answere to this complaint of my father I know I know when thou sawest a theefe thou didest not runne with him neyther didest thou take part with adulterers Thou hast Tim. 4. 2. argued thou hast beseeched thou bast rebuked thy words ar contemned we must come to blowes Here thou hast with thee the â—V enerable father Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester and the most reuerend Prelat Oswald of Worcester To you three I committ this busines and commaund that by episcopall censure and my regall authoritie the lewd liuers be cast out of the Churches and those that liue soberly introduced XVI THEREFORE saint DVNSTAN and the other holy Bishops ETHELWOLD and OSWALD being of them selues prompt enough to purge the Church of Christ and free it from this 〈◊〉 of vncleannes and their owne propension thereunto being much See the particulars hereof in the lines of Oswald and S. Ethelwold incited with this wonderfull zeale of the King neuer ceased vntill hauing expelled the secular Clergie-men out of Winchester and â—â—cester and other Churches they introduced the Benedictine Monkes in their steed vnto whom those seates anciently and truly belonged O then truly blessâ—â— church of the English fayth Alured of Rhâ—â—â—â— De reg Angl. which the integriâ—e of innumerable Monkes and Virgins did adorne which the deuotion of the poeple the sobrietie of the souldiers the equitie of the Judges the fruitfullnes of the earth did make to reioyce The most blessed King did triumphe with a pious ioy that in his time nature had sound the true order of all things when man to God the earth to man and the heauens to the earth did performe their duties with iustice fruit and temperance But the Clerkes and secular Canons thus cast out of the Churches went poasting to the King and demaunded iudgement and iustice for them selues in this expulsion wherein they thought they had receaued great wrong The matter was referred to the hearing of S. DVNSTAN the Metropolitan who iudged their petition to be iust and reasonable Thefore by his authoritie a Synod of all the A Synod held at Winchester Peeres and Bishops of the realme was assembled at Winchester in the presence both of the King and Queene to determine the complaints of this affayre Manie pleas were brought in on both sides all which by the vnshaken constancie and found reasons of DVNSTAN were destroyed who resolutly affirmed that the secular Clergie which through lewdnes of life was fallen from the order of Ecclesiasticall discipline could not iustly chalenge anie part of that which was giuen to the Churches in behalf of such only as liued according to the rules of good life and conuersation Wherevppon the whole controuersie being omitted the King and manie of the Peeres much moued to pittie by the prayers and petitions of the Clerkes interposed them selues and made intercession to saint DVNSTAN to spare them for this time and restore them to their Churches hauing now vnderstood how they should be handled yf they did not amend their liues Then DVNSTAN was silent and plodding with him self what was best to be done in this busines all the whole companie stood in silence and suspense to heare his answere Behould a strange thing when suddenly to the great astonishment of them all a voycâ— came from the Crucifix that hung in the same roome that sayd It shall not be done Jt shall not be done yee haue iudged well yee would change not well The King and all the assistants being much amazed and terrified hereat saint DVNSTAN inferd Brethren what more will yee haue God hath pronounced the sentence and decided the whole controuersie By this meanes all yeelded to the voyce of heauen the secular Clerkes being depriued of their pretensions durst attempt no further appeale and the Monkes gaue humble thankes vnto allmightie God who had soe miraculously maintayned them in the quiet possession of their owne right XVII NEVERTHELESSE in successe of time the children and bastards of these Clergiemen attempted once more to recouer the This happened in the raigue of King Ethelred an 979. goods and benefices of their sacrilegious fathers and to this end with a summe of money they suborned a famous Oratour called Berneline to vndertake the defence of their cause and with the force of his eloquent tongue to perswade saint DVNSTAN to restore the goods of their Progenitours vnto them Therefore a troupe of this vnhappie offspring being gathered togeather they sett vppon DVNSTAN and the King at a Village called Clane where their rhetoricall Aduocate in whom was the greatest hope of their victorie very elegantly alleaged his reasons in their behalf with all the tropes and figures he could inuent To whom saint DVNSTAN with a smiling graue countenance briefly answered Doe not yee know that this controuersie hath long since been ended by the mouth of Allmightie God And therefore ought no more to be called in question Hitherunto I haue endeauoured to assist the Church with all the litle force I had and now old age and labours haue soe exhausted my whole strength that I desire to end that small remnant of life which remaynes in peace and traquillitie I laboured while I was able and now I being not fitt to dispute and contest in controuersies anie longer I wholly The Monks cause againe confirmed by miracle committ the cause of the Church to the protection of allmightie God who vndoubtedly will defend it from all vnlawfull and vniust assaults At these words that part of the chamber-floore where the Aduocat and his Clients stood fell downe suddenly
obtayned commaund and obedience not only ouer be wild beastes of the desert but allsoe a great multitude of serpents that without anie harme frequented his companie obeyed his desires and these were not only to him vnhurtfull but fawning in a manner vppon him remayned with him in his cell not without his consent but lest their familiaritie and aspect should hinder and distract the intention of his mind fixed in the meditation of heauenly things he commaunded all these vipers and serpents to depart and noe more to frequent his lodging To which his commaund as the wild beasts at other times had oftentimes done soe now the serpents most exactly obeyed XI FVRTHERMORE he was endowed with such a rare guift of His rare guift of prophesie prophesie that with the spirituall eye and light of his cleere soule he saw thngs that were absent and distant in remote places as plainly and distinctly as if they had been within the reach sphere of his corporall sight and at the verie instant that manie things were done in farre distant places he would faythfully relate them vnto those that were present as it was manie times found by experience And soe often he foresaw and foretould things to come that it were a great worke to rehearse all the particulars Amongst which one and not the lest was that he foretould what should befall vnto saint THOMAS of Canturbury long before it happened He foretelleth what should hap pen to S. Thomas of Canturbury For when that renowned bucklar of the Church florished yet in great grace and fauour with King Henry GODRICK foretould that he should shortly loose that place and be cast into banishment And bad him withall to be of a couragious and manly resolution and not to droope vnder the good cause which he had take in hand to defend for it would come to passe that within seauen yeares he should returne to greater honour out of banishment then euer he enioyed before But the same yeare that saint THOMAS came out of banishment he sent a messenger to this holy Hermite to know what he should now expect after his long exile and what would be the euent of his tottering state that stood now allmost out of all hope To whom GODRICK in the presence and hearing of our Authour answered that a kind of verball peace should be made between THOMAS and the king before the end of the next six moneths following and that within nine moneths more he should be restored to his Archiepiscopall sea which he should not long enioy before a happie death that should be to him healthfull and glorious and to the whole countrey profitable did end the whole controuersie betweene them And at the same time this holy man He foreâ—eâ—leth his owne death foretould that the time of his owne death should be within the space of the six moneths following All which most certainly happened as he had foretould For saint THOMAS returned being made Legat of the Sea Apostolick an honour which he enioyed not before and was crowned at his death with the glorie of a most happie martirdom XII BVT now of how great reuerence and admiration is this to He hath the guâ—â—c of toÌ„gues be esteemed in saint GODRICK that both at other times and principally at the sacred feast of Pentecost he was suddenly by a heauenly grace adorned with the guifts of tongues which on that day was bestowed vppon the Apostles soe that he both vnderstood those that spoke Latin of which tongue he was wholly ignorant before and spake manie things in Latin verie readily and distinctly Againe He commaundeth the waters how notable and excellent a wonder is this that when the riuer Were with a mightie inundation ouerflowed all the adioyning countrey and possessed places farre higher and stronger yea ouerwhelmed and ouerturned manie trees and houses yet the humble and allmost straw-built habitation of GODRICK was not touched with one drop of water standing safe amongst those confused streames to the great amazement of the whole countrey that iudged him and house both to be buried togeather in destruction An other time when the same riuer began furiously to runne ouer the bankes he went forth as it were to meete that inundation and setting vp a little Crosse three paces from his poore Cell he coÌ„maunded those waters in the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST not to come beyond that marke when it was strange to see the waters being come to that place swell vp in height like vnto a wall soe that his humble cottage stoode vpon a drie shore entrenched round about with a bullwarke The fier obeyes 〈◊〉 or sconce of water And in like manner as the waters soe did the fier likewise obey the voice of this holy man when hauing furiously layd hould of his weake buildings it was suddenly depriued of its deuouring force and at his only commaund ceafed from making anie further spoyle He raysed a dead man XIII AND now if according to the dignitie worth of the matter I should sett downe the holy cures of afflicted lost persons which by miracle he performed in soe much that he raysed one to life that had layne three daies vnder the cruell arrest of death that alone would require a long discourse much exceeding the bounds of my purpose TheÌ„ which his soe great good exercised towards the soules of the dead whom by his deuout prayers watches fasts and other holy workes he deliuerd from the clensing paines of Purgatorie to the possession of the ioies of heauen seemeth to me to be a benefitt farre greater and more to be admired But aboue all these admirable workes of GODRICK this holdeth the highest place in my opinion that he was soe diuinely adorned with such an heauenly grace that being yet in this mortall state he vnderstood and saw not only the soule of his fellow-champion of whom we haue allreadie spoken but allsoe the spirits of manie other blessed men both rewarded with eternall glorie and receaued into the heauenly dwellings And out of his diuine manner of life which he led here on earth he deserued to enioy the companie and conuersation of Angels and other heauenly citizens and especially of our great 8. CVTHBERT S. NICHOLAS the Prince of the Apostles S. PETTR S. His familiaritie with the Angels Saincts IOHN Baptist S. MARIE Magdalen blessed MARIE the mother of CHRIST yea and CHRIST him self of whom he receaued manie heauenly rauishing â—onsolations farre beyond the force of weake words to expresse And namely by the blessed Virgin MARIE he was taught a diuine canticle or song which afterwards with great deuotion he vsed oftentimes to repeate This allsoe was a most wonderfull and an vnspeakable benefitt shewed him by S. PETER the Apostle who celebrated the sacred misteries of masse before him S Peter giueth him the B. Sacrament and hauing heard the Confession which GODRICK made of all his sinnes gaue him a generall and an
the Archbishop of Arles in France wherein he commended saine AVGVSTINE and his fellowes to be by his charitie courteously receaued and assisted in what was necessarie for that holy enterprise III. SAINCT AVGVSTINE and his companie being strengthened and encouraged with these pious lines of the holy Pope ioyfully vndertooke the iourney which before they soe greatly feared But coming to Angeow in France being there much derided and scoffed at by the rude poeple of the Village and especially the woemen for their poore habits and humble manner of cariage they were compelled one night to take a hard lodging vnder a tree in the open view of the heauens where allmightie God who is neuer forgetfull of his seruants by the prayers of S. AVGVSTINE sent them a cleere fountaine of water which miraculously sprung out of the earth to quench the extremitie of their thirst Refreshed wherewith they sung the prayses of allmightie God all that night ouer whom in the A pillar of light ouer the Saincts meane time appeared a heauenly splendour which droue away the horrid shades of the night to the great comfort of his seruants and confused amazement of those rusticks that flocked thither the next morning ashamed and sorrowfull for their fault in soe reiecting Gods seruants Neere vnto the fountaine S. AVGVSTINE writt these words in the earth Here lodged Augustine the seruant of the seruants of A Church buâ—â— to S Augustine God whom the Blessed Pope Gregorie sent to conuert the Englishmen Whereby the poeple vnderstood who they were and the cause of their iourney greatly repenting for their insolencie shewed towards them And in the same place afterwards a church was built in memorie of S. AVGVSTINE into which entrance was forbbidden to all woemen because their sexe had most of all iniured the holy man in that place But a rich Matrone that by force as it were gott into that Church presuming on her owne guiltlessnes towards the Sainct by the miraculous and sudden losse of her owne life taught all men to beleeue who before would beleeue noe man she that thought with her presumption to ouercome all by her example gaue a plaine interdict to all neuer to presume the like But now let vs follow our diuine Legate AVGVSTINE entring the Ocean towards England IV. HAVING performed therefore all this long iourney by land on foote he now sayles into the Ocean world of great Britaine till he arriued with his fellowes to the number of fortie at the Iland of Kent called Tanet which may worthily triumphe that it was the first that receaued CHRIST in his legats And in the rock that S. AVGVSTINE first sett his foote he left the impression of his steppes as in a peece of waxe which place was of great deuotion manie yeares after Hauing taken interpreters out of France according to the direction of saint GREGORIE they marched into the land carrying a siluer Crosse for their ensigne with the Image of our Sauiour painted in a table finging litanies as they went as well for their owne health as for the saluation of those they came to instruct Behould here wretched England in what manner thy first Apostles brought thee the first tidings of the true Ghospell vnder the sacred banner of CHRISTS holy An Apostrophe to England Crosse and Image which since thou hast soe oftentimes broken and defaced out of thy dominions and which at this present by the greatest part of thy Inhabitants is held in soe great scorne and contempt that they will shew more iniurie thereunto then to the picture of the poorest of their owne auncestors Canst thou thinke of this and not be ashamed at thy owne madnes What hope canst thou haue of remayning still in the same truth of Christian doctrine which they planted in thy land since thou hast not only rooted out of thy bowells the sacred enfignes vnder which they brought thee the truth but allsoe art become a cruell enemie to men of the same profession as were thy first Apostles and Preachers How canst thou glorie with the Apostle PAVL in CHRIST crucified since soe traiter ously thou destroyest the sacred Image of CHRIST crucified How canst thou hope to be saued by CHRIST crucified the image of whose memorie thou seeketh to blott out of thy dominions Returne returne at length out of thy blindnes and reforme thy self to the life and manners of thy glorious Apostle saint AVGVSTINE who now marching with his companie in the Catholick manner of procession aforesayd expects to haue audience of the King of Kent then called ETHELBERT who kept his court at Ethelbert King of Kent Canturbury the head cittie of that countrey and who had dominion ouer all the land from thence to the riuer Humber in the North. This King had married a daughter of the royall blond of Erance called Bâ—rtha who coming of Christian parents was giuen to him in mariage on condition to be let remayne in the profession of Christianitie And this good Queene was now as a gate to these menssengers of CHRIST to lay open their way to the King V. THEREFORE saint AVGVSTYNE sent fitt messengers vnto King ETHELBERT to let him vnderstand that he and his fellowes were Augustine sendeth to Ethelberts come from Rome sent by the vniuersall Pastour of the Church to bring the happines of health and saluation to him and his poeple yf they would but yeeld to those blessed tidings The King in whom the royaltie of a courteous mind seemed by nature to be incorporate commanÌ„ded them to expect him in the same I le of Tanâ—t and gaue order in the meane time to haue them prouided with all necessarie sustenance and entertaynment And after some few daies he went him self in person to the Iland to heare what newes those strangers brought VVhere sitting in the open ayre without anie other canopie of estate but the heauens be caused AVGVSTINE and his fellowes to be brought before him for led with a vaine and auncient superstition he had purposely refused to let them come to him in anie house lest they should deceaue him with witchcraft But they came not to charme him with anie such deuilish art but to winne him being allreadie charmed and blinded therewith to Our first Apostles caried a Crosse the diuine knowledge of allmightie God carrying a siluer Crosse and picture of CHRIST for their standard and singing Litanies for the saluation of him and his poeple Then after manie wishes of health and happines to the King AVGVSTINE in a long speech discouered vnto him the misteries of CHRISTS holy Ghospell and the euerlasting ioyes that followed those that truly beleeued therein To whom King ETHELBERT answered that indeed their words and promises were verie fayre but because to him they seemed to be Ethelberts answere to Augustine new and vncertaine he could not soe suddenly leaue his auncient customs and ceremonies soe long before obserued in his countrey to yeeld his consent vnto their nouelties
matter allsoe some solemnitie must be chainged that on the day of the dedication or the feasts of the Saincts whose reliques rest there they build them selues boothes and harbours of boughs about the same Church soe chainged from a prophane Temple and with religious banquets obserue the solemnitie therein not sacrificing beastes to the â—â—uill but to the prayse of God killing them for their owne eating and giuing thankes to the Giuer of all things for their plentie For doubtlesse it is impossible at once to cutt of all things from such hard minds because he that endeauoureth to clime to the highest place must ascend by paces and degrees and not by leapes c. These things therefore it behooueth thy charitie to intimate to our foresayd Brother that being present there in person he may consider how to dispose all things God keepe thee safe most beloued sonne Giuen c. XIII ALLSOE at the same time this boly Pope sent letters S. Augustine famous for great miracles to saint AVGVSTINE him self touching the miracles which he had vnderstood were wrought by his meanes in which he exhorteth him in these words I know most deare Brother that allmightie God sheweth great miracles by thy Charitie in that nation which he hath disposed to be elected Whence it is necessarie that thou reioyce with feare and feare with ioy for that heauenly guist Thou mayest reioyce indeed because by thy exteriour miracles the soules of the English are drawne to an interiour grace But thou oughtest to feare lest among those signes which are done thy weake mind be raised in presumption of it self and whence it is exteriourly listed vp to honour thence it fall interiourly through vaine glorie For it behooues vs to remember how the disciples when returning with ioy from their preaching thy sayd to their heauenly Master O Lord in Luc. 10. thy name the deuils are allsoe subiect vnto vs They presently heard Reioyce not for this but rather reioyce that your names are written in heauen For they had fixed their minds on a priuate and temporall ioy who reioyced of their miracles but they are recalled from a priuate ioy to a generall from a temporall to an euerlasting gladnes to whom it is sayd Reioyce in this that your names are written in heauen For all the elect doe not worke miracles and yet the names of them all are held written in heauen And the disciples ought to haue noe ioy but of that good which they haue common with all and in which they haue noe end of gladnes Jt remaynes therefore most deare brother that amongst those things which by the power of God thou A remedie against vaine glorie doest outwardly worke thou doe all waies exactly iudge thy self interiourly and curiously vnderstand both who thou art and how great grace is in that nation for whose conuersion thou hast receaued the guifts of working miracles And if at ame time thou remember that eyther by word or worke thou hast offended our Creatour call allwaies those things to thy memorie that the remembrance of thy owne guiltines may keepe downe the rising glorie of thy heart and whatsoeuer thou ether shalt or hast receaued of doing miracles impute it not as giuen to thy self but to them for whose saluation they are bestowed c. XIV MOREOVER the same blessed Pope sent an Epistle allso to King ETHELBERT with manie rich presents endeauouring with temporall honours to glorifie the King to whom by his industrie the knowledge of the Kingdom of heauen was arriued In his letters he giueth thankes to allmightie God for his conuersion admonishing and encouraging him with the example of Constantine the Great to maintayne and aduance the profession of the Christian fayth in his dominions And amongst others he thus exhorteth him to follow the direction and counsell of saint AVGVSâ—Iâ—E Our S. Augustine pray sed by S. Gregory most reuerend Brother and Bishop Augustine being tanght in the Rule of a monasterie replenished with the science of holy scripture indued by the handy-worke of God with good workes you ought willingly to heare deuoutly to performe and carefully to keepe in mind whatsoeuer he doeth admonish you Because yf you heare him in what he speaketh in behalf of allmightie God the same god will sooner heare him making intercession for you For if which God forbid you contemne his words how can allmightie God heare him from you whom you neglect to heare speaking for God With all your heart therefore bind your self with him in the feruour of fayth and helpe his endeauours with the power which God hath giuen you that he may make you partaker of his kingdom whose fayth you cause to be receaued and kept in yours Therefore these and such other writings and Epistles of the most holy and zealous Pope saint GREGORY replenished King ETHELBERT with soe great ioy that he was much more enkindled to the aduancement of the Catholick cause and the desire and loue of heauen Augustine buildeth a Mo nastery to the Apoâ—â—â— XV. BVT Sainct AVGVSTINE when he had placed his Episcopall Sea at Christs Church in Canturbury and made it a perpetuall habitation for him self and his successours he allsoe built a Monasterie by the meanes of King Ethelbert without the walles of the same towne towards the East dedicated to the Princes of the Apostles PETER and PAVL which he adorned with manie guifts and possessions and ordayned it to be the buriall place of him self and all his successor-Bishops as allsoe of the Kings of Kent which Church notwithstanding was not consecrated by saint AVGVSTINE but by S. LAVRENCE his successour The first Abbot of this Monasterie was one PETER a BENEDICTINE Monke whose life you may reade the thirteenth of Ianuary And this Monasterie with the appurtenances was giuen graunted and confirmed to the Benedictine Monkes by the royall charters of King ETHELBERT whereof this is one King Ethelberts Charter to the monastery of S. Peter Paul at Canturbery Iâ— the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST be it knowne vnto all men as well present as future that I ETHELBERT by the grace of God King of the English from an Idolater made a Christian by my Euangelicall father AVGVSTINE haue deliuered by the same bishop some part of the land of my owne right situate vnder the east-wall of the Cittie of Canturbury to wit where by the same teacher in CHRIST I haue built a monasterie in honour of the Princes of the Apostles PETER and PAVL and togeather with the same land and all things which belong to the Monastery itself I haue endowed with perpetuall libertie soe that it may not be lawfull nether for me nor anie of my successor-Kings nor for anie other person eyther Ecclesiasticall or secular euer to vsurpe anie thing from thence but let all things be in the free power of the Abbot him self But if anie one shall attempt to diminish or disannull anie part of this our donation by the authoritie
to the fayth of CHRIST and continually ruminating with him self how to bring his desire to perfection rightly vnderstanding euery good thing to be soe much the more absolutely perfect by how much it was more common and of all things that to be the best and excellentest by which men were brought from the blindnes of Idolatrie to the diuine and euangelicall light of the truth contemning all domestick hopes and honours and setting aside all dangers of health and bodie he was wholly carried to that holy worke Germanie was the place at which he aymed where manie had neuer or very slenderly heard of CHRIST or his Ghospell others had indeed receaued the knowledge of the true religion and professed the Christian fayth but were allmost fallen againe into Idolatrie and bore only the bare name of Christians as the Thuringians and Banarians and Frisians To guide the first in the truth and reduce the others to the truth was the height of his desires Therefore hauing with much difficultie obtayned the free leaue of He sayleth into Germany his Abbot and brethren whose prayers and teares wayted vppon his departure he fosooke his owne friends and countrey and sayled into Frizeland in which place he employed the first and last part of his holy labours IV. AT that time Raâ—bod the impious prince of the Frisianâ— hauing ouercome Charles King of France returned newly from the victory when the matter went very ill with those in that countrey that professed the fayth of CHRIST whom he out of hate to Charles and the Christian name did grieuously persecute Him therefore See the diuine courage of the holy man swelling in the triumphe of this victory saint BONIFACE allbeit vnknowne and abiect in the world was not afeard to meet in the very pursute of his conquest desiring him to abstaine from vexing those poore soules and to embrace â—lemencie as the greatest ornament of a Prince and the Christian fayth as the only true religion The prince reuerencing the boldnes of this Christian champion abstayned from offring him anie further wrong But BONIFACE finding after manie labours that there was little or noe hope of reaping anie profitt in Friseland returned back to his owne countrey And Winbert his Abbot being dead in the meane time the Monkes his brethren turned all their studies and desires towards him and earnestly requested him to vndertake the gouernment of the monastery But he desiring still to perfect his old desire wished them to thinke of an other ruler and suffer him to liue a Pilgrim He refuâ—â—th the dignitie of Abbot for the loue of CHRIST and the good of his poeple Therefore hauing communicated the matter with the venerable Daniel Bishop of Winchester and being strengthened with his commendatorie letters he returned to his former pilgrimage And to the end that being armed with greater counsell and authoritie he might disperse the euangelicall seed he went to Rome the head-Church of the world and made knowne his holy purpose to Pope Gregory the second Which when he had approued and perceaued BONIFACE to be a man very fitt for that function he sent him with letters into Germanie whereby he gaue him full power and authoritie to announce the fayth of CHRIST to all the Pagans throughout that whole countrey admonishing him withall that whatsoeuer difficultie arose of which he could not conueniently discharge him self to referre it to the Roman and Apostolick Sea The profitt of his first labours in Germanie V. FROM Rome therefore he returned to Thâ—ringia in Germanie where he very profitably imployed his labour both with the Princes of that Prouince whom he reduced to the knowledge of the true religion and with the Priests that liued farre vnworthy their calling whom with his pious exhortations he caused to amend their liues Then hearing of the death of Radbod he went againe into Frifeland where togeather with saint WILLIBRORD Bishop of Vtreicht an English Benedictine Monk he laboured for the space of three yeares in preaching teaching destroying of Idols and building of Churches whereby manie were reduced to the Christian fayth Then saint WILLIBRORD whom old age had now made vnable to gouerne his Church desired to lay the burden of his episcopall charge on the shoulders of saint BONIFACE but noe entreaties could moue him to yeeld thereunto soe ardent a desire he He refuseth a Bishoprick had to hould on the course of his preaching to gayne soules to CHRIST Therefore with the good leaue and benediction of WILLIBRORD he trauelled into Hassia hauing first built a Monastery and stored it with Benedictine Monkes in Frifeland and there when he had conuerted manie thousands of poeple and imprinted in their soules the Christian character of baptisme insteed of the black markes of Idolatrie by letters and a Messenger he reioyced the Pope of Rome with the glad newes of his happie successe and not long after being sent for by the Pope he went to Rome in person whom the Pope receaued with all curtesie and humanitie and admitted He goeth againe to Rome him often times to his presence and spent with him sometimes allmost a whole day togeather in discourse VI. IN THE meane time the Pope hauing exactly vnderstood his happie progresse in promoting the Catholick cause and receaued an accompt of his fayth which he teÌ„dered vnto him in writing that greater estimation and authoritie might be added to his preaching made him bishop and gaue him the name of BONIFACE for before He is made Bishop he was called WINFRID In receauing which dignitie he religiously called to witnes allmightie God and the sacred bodie of S. PETER at which he stood that he would faythfully keepe and maintaine the sinceritie of the Catholick fayth as long as he liued and humbly obey the Bishops of the Roman Church as the successours of S. PETER and hould noe communication with those Bishops that violated the decrees of the Canons and auncient Fathers of the The Pope commendeth him to the German princes Church Then Pope Gregory dismissed him with letters to the Prince Charles Martellus and to the Bishops Clergie Princes and poeple of Germanie in which he carefully recommended BONIFACE vnto all desiring them to aduance the good endeauours which he employed in promoting the Christian cause and obey his admonitions And that he might be the better prouided and instructed exactly to exercise all the duties belonging to his episcopall function he imparted manie precepts vnto him touching ecclesiasticall matters and at his departure gaue him a booke contayning the decrees of the Popes and auncient Fathers Returning therefore from Rome he went againe into Hassia where manie yet lay groueling in the night of Idolatrie and manie that before had professed the Christian fayth had now eyther perfidiously forsaken or wickedly defiled it with the impious and detestable actions and superstitions of the Heathens VII THERE grew in that Prouince a certaine tree of a mightie Iupiters tree destroyed mâ—â—â—culously greatnes
afterwards Queene of Scotland who according to her name appeared indeed as a pretious Margarite before God and man For in the prime of her florishing age when others of such royall byrth are wont to decline to the vaine pleasures of the world she beganne to order her life according to the rules of continencie to loue God aboue all things to applie her self to the reading of diuine learning and with a delight to exercise and follow the rules and precepts of her reading Afterwards compelled by the importunitie of her friends more She marrieth Malcoline King of Scotland then her owne desires she was giuen in marriage to Malcoline King of Scotland when allbeit necessitie constrayned her to deale in worldly affayres yet she neuer soe tied her mind thereto as to forgett or omitt her spirituall exercise for she was more delighted with doing good workes then in the royall possession of her wealth and riches By her prudent counsell discretion and industrie the lawes of the realme were maintayned and the Catholick religion encreased Then her nothing was more firme in fayth more constant in patience grauer in counsell iuster in giuing iudgement and pleasanter in discourse II. MOREOVER she was wonderfully liberall to adorne Churches Her liberalitie to the Churches enriching them with gould and siluer vessells and very pretious ornaments in the place where her royall wedding was celebrated she built a fayre Church in honour of the holy Trinitie and beautified it with great store of riches and amongst others with a fayre Crucifix garnished with gould and many pretious stones She gouerned her familie in the loue and feare of God and especially her The gouernment of her children and familie children whom she would her self iustruct oftentimes in Christian doctrine vsing soe sweet a seueritie and soe seuere a sweetnes towards those vnder her charge that they all loued her with feare and feared her with loue in soe much that noe man in her presence durst presume to speake an vnseemly word Nay besides the often admonitions and continuall instructions of her children this pious Mother who may rightly be termed the Margurite of mothers would dayly powre out her deuout prayers and teares for them that hauing attayned to the knowlege of allmightie God they might truely serue him and by seruing him come to his loue and by his diuine loue purchase eternall happines with his Saincts Manie times all soe she would putt the She moueth the King to good workes King her husband in mind to exercise the workes of iustice mercie almes-deeds and all other acts of Christian vertues whom by the inward working of allmightie God in his soule she made to be most obedient to all good things In summe she omitted nothing that belonged eyther to the maintenance of Christian religion and pietie or the prudent gouernment of the Kingdom III. WHEN the king went in progresse ouer the realme with his court and a great traine of attendants this holy Queene kept his followers in soe good order that noe man durst attempt to steale anie thign by the way nor wrong or oppresse the poore A rare vertue in so great a dame countrey poeple in the lest And as in all things she was carefull to correct faults in others soe was she most patient and willing to haue her owne reprehended by others And to this end she would her self oftentimes desire her Confessor to giue her notice of whatsoeuer in her words or deeds was worthy reprehension desiring that for an encrease of vertue which others are wont to take as a calumnie According to the counsell of the royall Psalmist Let the iust man correct me in mercie and rebuke mâ—â— but Psal 140. let not the oyle that is the flatterie of a Sinner fatten my head IV. SHE was carefull allsoe to correct manie errours and bad She correcteth an erronr in keeping the Lent customs which had crept into the Scottish Kingdom against the vniuersall practise of the Catholick Church First she reformed an abuse touching the obseruance of Lent For the Scots beganne not their Lent till the munday after Ashwensday endeauouring to couer their errour with the authoritie of the Scripture which relating the fast of Christ proposeth but fortie daies to be obserued But she on the other side in an assemblie before the King made it plainly appeare that taking away the six Sundaies on which the Church is not wont to fast there would remaine but thirtie six daies and therefore the fower daies of the precedent weeke ought to be reckoned in the number of fasting-daies to make vp the iust summe of fortie daies and that for this cause they ought to beginne the Lent vppon Ashwensday Moreouer when manie And an other touching communion at Easter 1. Cor. 11. refused to receaue the Sacrament of the Eucharist at Easter alleadging their owne vnworthines and these words of the Apostle He that eateth drinketh it vnworthily eateth drinketh his owne iudgement she shewed them that to compare the worth of that dreadfull Sacrament with our vnworthines is noe comparison for he that is most worthie is in some kind vnworthy considering the infinite worth of that excellent Sacrament neuerthelesse allthough we be all indeed Sinners yet we may haue recourse to the sacrament of Peanance which is instituted to reconcile sinners to our Lord who sayth Vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee shall haue noe life in you And this is it that the Apostle admonisheth Iâ—an 6. 53. sinners to doe when he cries Probet autem scipsâ—m hoâ—â—â— sic de paâ—â— illo edat de calice bibat Let euery one examine and discusse his owne conscience and by confessing his sinnes and doing peanance Who receaues the sacrament worthily come with feare and reuerence to to the sacred misteries and then he shall not eate his owne iudgement as those doe who presume to receaue that venerable banquet with their soules loaden with the filth of sinne Allsoe she reformed manie other abuses touching the due obseruance of the Sunday the celebration of Masse and the sacrament of mariage within the degrees of consanguinitie prohibited by the Church and others V. DISCOVRSING at times with her Ghostly father touching the health of her owne soule and the sweetnes of euerlasting life her words seemed to 〈◊〉 replenished with a certaine diuine grace and her self was touchâ—â— with soe great compunction of heart that she seemed wholly to resolue into teares During the diuine seruice in the Church she shewed soe great deuotion and attention that she would neuer speake word to anieman touching anie worldly or secular busines but atteÌ„ded wholly to her prayers which were oftentimes accompanied with dâ—uout teares I 〈◊〉 her singular charitie Her charitie to the poore towards the poore whom she would oftentimes relieue with her greatest iewells becoming her self more poore them they for they being in want deâ—ired to haue riches