Quene of Fraunce sent a power and commaunded the bishop to be put to death whom VVilfride his chappellain folowed to the place of execution desyring to die with him albeit the bishop did vtterly forbid him But whē the executioners knew he was a stranger and an English man borne they spared him and wold not put him to death with the bishop Wereuppon returning to England he was brought to be in frendship and amity with kinge Aldfride Who leke a good Prince had lerned to folow and reuerence the general ordinaunces and rules of the catholike church And for that he perceaued this VVilfride to be Catholique he gaue him streytwayes a Lordshippe of x. tenements in Stanford and within a while after a monastery with xxx tenements in Rhippon which he had geuē but late to build an Abbay forsuch as folowed the Scottes but because they being put to liberty and choise had rather departe thence then to receiue the trewe and Catholique celebration of the feast of Easter and other canonicall rites and ceremonies after the custome of the church of Rome and see Apostolike he gaue it to him whome he sawe better qualified both for lerninge and for vertue The same time in the very selfe same monastery he was made priest by Agilbert bishop of Geuisse of whom we spake before at the instaunce of the Kinge moste earnestly requiringe that so lerned a man shuld cōtinually follow his Courte and especially be his teacher and preacher Whome not longe after when the Scottes secte was disclosed as is a fore said and vtterly abandoned he sent to Fraunce by the counsell and aduise of his father Oswin when he was but xxx yeres of age to be consecrated and made bishop by Agilbert then bishop of Paris With whom xj other bishopps assemblinge them selfes to consecrate hym did their dewty in that behalfe very honorably with all solemnities But while he was yet beyonde the seas Ceadda a godly and vertuous man as it is aboue mentioned was consecrated byshop of yorke at the commaundement of King Oswin Who hauing gouerned the churche iij. yeares departed thence and toke the cure and charge of Lesting Abbay After him VVilfrid toke vphōim the bishoprick of al Northūberland Who afterwarde in the raigne of Kinge Ecgfride was depriued of his bisshopricke and others consecrated and put in his place of whome we made mention before But when he had taken shipp to go to Rome and pleade his cause before the Apostolike pope he was dryuen by a Sowthweast winde into Freslande where he was honorably receaued as well of the rude and barbarous people as of the Kinge Aldgiste Where he preached also vnto them Christ and his ghospell conuerting many thousandes to the faith and with baptisme wasshing away their sinnes Whereby he layed the fundation of Christes ghospell in those countries which the Reuerend father and holy byshopp VVilbrord perfited and finyshed afterward But when he had passed ouer a winter with this people newly conuerted to Christe he went forwarde his iourny to Rome When his cause was debated to and fro in the presence of Pope Agatho and many other bishopps he was founde in processe by all their iudgementes to haue bene most vniustly accused and best worthy of that bishopprick At what time the same Agatho gathering a Synode at Rome of a 125. byshopps against such heretikes as held the opinion that there was but one will and one operation in our Sauiour Christe commaunded VVilfride also to repaire thither And when he came he willed him to declare his faith and the faith of the countrie from whence he came sittinge amongest the other bishops Wherin when he and his country was founde to be Catholique it pleased them amongest other things to haue this also put in the Actes of the decrees the tenour wherof foloweth VVilfride the vertuous bishop of yorke and appealinge to the see Apostolique for his cause and by that full authoritie absolued as well from certaine complaints laied to his chardge as all other vncertaine quarels and sitting in iudgement in the felowship of a 125. bishopps in this present Synod hath confessed for al the north partes of the isles of Englande and Irelande whiche ar inhabited with Englishe men Britons Scottes and Pictes the trewe and catholike faith and confirmed the same with his subscription After his returne to Britanny againe he conuerted the South saxons frō idolatrye and superstition to Christes trewe faith and religion In the isle of Wight also he apointed certain to preach the word of God and the seconde yere of kinge Aldfrides raigne who had the soueraintye next after Ecgfride receaued his see and bishoprick againe at the instaunt request of the kinge But fyue yeres after he was accused of the same king and many other bishopps and depriued againe of his bishopricke Wherein vpon repairing againe to Rome and obtaining lycence to pleade in his owne defence before his accusers Pope Iohn and many other byshopps sittinge in iudgment it was by their diffynitiue sentence concluded that in some parte his accusers hadd falsly forged these malycious surmises against him The Pope also wrote letters to the kinges of England Edilrede and Alfride requiringe them to see him restored to his bishopricke againe because he was vniustly condemned The reading of the decrees concluded in the fore said Synod assembled by Pope Agatho of blessed memory kept but of late when he hym selfe was present in the cytie and resident amongest other bishops did much furder his cause For when the Actes of the Synode as occasion was moued were openly read ij or iij. dayes before the nobylitie and greate assembles of people by the popes commaundement the protonotarie coming to that place where it was written Wilfride the vertuous bishopp of yorke appealing to the see Apostolique for his cause and by that ful authoritie absolued as well from certaine thinges layed to his chardges as all other vncertaine quarells c. As we sayed before these wordes being read euery man was astonned and the protonotary ceasing eche man inquired off other what manner of man thys bysshopp VVilfride was Then Bonyface a counseller to the Pope and many other whiche sawe hym there in Pope Agatho his tyme made answere and sayd He is the bishop which was accused of his owne cuntry men and came to Rome to be iudged by the see Apostolik euen the very same which of late coming hither for the false accusations of his aduersaries was iudged giltlesse and innocent by◠Pope Agatho after the cause and controuersie was well examined of bothe parties and thought to haue ben depriued of his bishopricke against all lawe and more than that hadd in such honour and estimation of Pope Agatho of blessed memory that he cōmaunded him to sitt in the Synode which he assembled at Rome as a man off a trew perfect faith and syncere minde All these allegations being heard the Pope and all that were present
religious eares of protestants then such deuâ—tion Of relikes of holy men of the reuerence vsed towâ—rdes them and off miracles wrought by them the history is full Namely the first booke the 29. chap. the 3. booke the 29. the iiij booke the 6. chap. Nothinge is more vile in the sight of protestants then suche reuerence of Christians Blessing with the signe of the Crosse accompted no superstition but practised for godly and good in our primitiue church witnesseth the history in the iiij booke the xxiiij chapter and in the v. booke the ij chapter In the deuotion of protestants it is estemed for magicke Solemnites of Christen buriall protestants despise and sett light by terming it a vaine of gentilite or heathen superstition The deuotion of our primitiue church was to be buried in monasteries churches and chappels as it appeareth in the history in the second booke the iij. chap. the third booke the viii chap. and otherwhere Benediction of the bishop whereby the superiorite of the spirituall pastour ouer the laie according to the reasoning of S. Paule euidently appeareth is to be read in this history of our primitiue Churche in the iiii booke the xi chap. Protestants confounding all good order do scorne at this also The seruice of the church was at the first planting of our faith in the latin and lerned tounge as it may appeare in the first booke the xxix chapter and the iiii booke the xviii chap. This protestants haue altered bothe against due orâ—er and condemning wickedly other partes of Christendom for the contrary Aultars protestants haue plucked downe contrary to the order of our primitiue faith as this history witnesseth in the first booke the xxix chap. And in the second booke the xiiij chap. Aultar clothes and holy vestements the prophane saith of protestaÌ„ts admitteth not Our primitiue church vsed them witnesseth the History in the first booke the xxix chap. Holy vessels in like maner for the due administration of Christes holy Sacraments protestans bothe diminishing the number of them and prophaning the right vse of such as they kepe knowe none Our first faith had and vsed theÌ„ The history reporteth it in the first booke the xxix chap. and in the second booke the last chapter Holy water protestants abhorre Our first faith vsed it In the history 〈◊〉 appeareth In the first booke the xxix chap. Nothinge is more reuiled of protestants then the ecclesiasticall tonsure of the clergy How after what maner and wherefore the church of Christ vseth it the history disputeth and sheweth at large in the fifte booke the xxii chapter toward the ende Our primitiue church was gouuerned by Synods of the clergy only in determining controuersies ecclesiasticall The History declareth this practise in the first booke the ii chap. the fourth booke the v. chap. the xvii chap. and xxviii chap. Protestants haue called the determination of ecclesiasticall matters from thence to the laie Courte only The spirituall rulers of our primitiue church were bishops and pastours duly consecrated It appereth in the History the first booke the 27. chap. and the second booke the 3. chap. Protestants haue no such due consecration no true bishops at all Protestants haue brought the supreme gouuernement of the church to the laie authorite In the primitiue faith of our countre the laie was subiect to the bishop in spirituall causes Peruse the xiii and xxii chapters of the third booke Last of all the finall determination of spirituall causes in our primitiue Church rested in the See Apostolike of Rome This practise appeareth in the second booke the iiii the xvii and the xx chapters Item in the fifte booke the xx chap. How farre that See is nowe detested by the sober religion of protestants all men do see To note how differently the Catholike faith of al Christendom was first planted in our countre and the parted faith of protestants hathe corrupted the same the first difference is clere herin that our first Catholik faith we receaued of the See of Rome This heresy hath begonne by first departing from that See The Apostles of our faith came from Rome the messangers of these schismes beganne first by scattering froÌ„ the See Apostolik of Rome How we receiued our faith of Rome the later chapters of the first booke and the first of the secoÌ„d do testifie Againe our faith was first preached with Crosse and procession Lib. 1. cap. 25. These heresies first raged by throwing downe the Crosse and altering the procession therewith Our first Apostles were monkes See the first booke the xxiii chap. and the third booke the iii. chap. The first preachers of protestants haue ben Apostatas Luther Oecolampadius Bucer Peter Martyr Barnes Barlow and other The first impes off our faith the first scholers off oure Apostles were holy and vertuous meÌ„ Reade the xxvj chap. of the third booke The broode of protestants in the very first issue hath ben so enormous that Luther the holy Father thereof confesseth his scholers to be vnder him farre more wicked then they were before vnder the Pope The first preaechers of our faith liued Apostolically in voluntary pouerty as the history reporteth in the first booke the xxvj chap. This Apostolicall perfection protestaÌ„ts bearing theÌ„ selues for the Apostles of England neither practise them selues neither can abide it in other As touching the effect and consequences of both religions our faith builded vp monasteries and chirches as the history reporteth in the firste booke the 32. chap. in the third booke the iij. and xxxiij chap. IteÌ„ in the fourth booke the iij. chap. Protestants haue throwen down many erected none By the first Christians off our faith God was both serued day and night as in the fourth booke the vij chap. it is expressely mencioned Protestants haue abolished al seruice off God by night and done to the deuill a most acceptable sacrifice By the deuotion of the people first embracing our catholike faithe much voluntary oblations were made to the church as in the first booke the xxvij chap. it appeareth By the rechelesse religion off protestants due oblations are denied to the church Princes endued the church with possessions and reuenues moued with deuotion and feare of God The loose lewdenes off protestants haue stirred Princes to take from the church possessions so geuen Last of all our first faith reduced the Scottishmen liuing then in schisme to the vnite of the Catholike church This late alteration hath remoued them from vnite to schisme All these differences touching doctrine and ecclesiasticall gouernement are proued to concurre with the belefe and practise of the first vj. C. yeares in the second part of the Fortresse of our first faith set forthe presently with the History ET Priuati BrabaÌ„tici Regiae Maiestatis Consilij diplomate cautum est ne quis infra quadriennium proximum Historiam ecclesiasticam gentis Anglorum Authore Venerabili Beda Presb. a Thoma Stapletono in Anglicum sermonem versam per omnes Burgundicae
the master The holy bishop Saint Germane at the beginning hereof was a sleepe theÌ„ Lupus and the other wakeneth and calleth vpon him as in whose prayers they had a speciall trust Who seing the present perill they wer in commaunded them all to fall to prayer He him selfe hauing a greater trust in God then he had feare of the tempest calleth vpon Christ and taking in the name of the Trinite of a few sprinkles of water casteth it in to the sea And forthwith the rage of the stormes breketh the surges falleth God being called vppon differreth not his help the euill sprits ar chaced away the ayer returneth to his naturall course and the wind which of late blustered all against them now with a mery gale blowing all together with them sett them shortly after a lande in the place where they them selues desired Thether a great multitude of people being assembled receiued the priestes of God of whose cumming the wicked spirites gaue warning long before they landed which afterward when they wer expelled out of the obsessed bodies by the commaundement of these holy seruauntes of God they declared bothe the whole order of the tempest whiche they had raysed and the great daunger which they had wrought the sayd good bishops and did not denye but they wer ouercomed by their merites and commaundement In short time after their ariuall they filled the Ilande with their good name their preaching and their vertues And the worde of God was preached by them not only in their churches but also in the open stretes and in the country in such sort that in all places both the sound and faithfull catholikes wer confirmed and they that before swarued out of the right faith wer amended And in short time thourough their authoritie vertue and learning they brought all the whole country vnder obedience to their doctrine The authors and head professours of hereticall errour lay lurking all this while and like the wicked sprites much spighted to see the people daily to fal from theÌ„ At lenght after longe aduisement vsed they taketh vpon them to trye the matter by open disputation which being agreed vpon they come forth richely appointed gorgiously apparailed accompained with a number of flattering fauoures hauing leifer to committ their cause to open disputing theÌ„ to seeme to the people whom they had subuerted to haue nothing to sayin defence thereof Thether resorted a great multitude of people with their wynes and children The people was present both to se and iudge the matter the parties therewer farre vnleke of coÌ„ditioÌ„ In the one side was the faith on the other maÌ„s presumptioÌ„ on the one side meekenes on the other pride on the one side Pelagius on the other Christ. First of all the blessed priest Germanus and Lupus gaue their aduersaries leaue to speake which vainly occupied both the time and eares of the people with naked wordes But after the Reuerend bishops poored out their flowing wordes confirmed with scriptures out of the gospelles and Apostles they ioyned with their owne wordes the wordes of god and after they had said their owne minde they read other mens mindes vppon the same Thus the Vanite of heretikes is conuicted and falsehed is confuted so that at euery obiection they were forced in effecte to confesse their errour not being able to answer them The people had much to doe to kepe their handes from them yet shewed their iudgement by their clamours How Germanus restored the blinde daughter of the Tribune to her sight and after cumming to Saint Albanes shrine did both from thence take sum relikes and left other of the Apostles or other Martyres there The. 18. Chap. THis don sodainly a certaine man of the dignitie of the Tribunes commeth forth among them offeringe them his daughter of x. yeres oulde to be cured which was blinde They bidâ—e them haue her to the aduersaries But they their oune conscience fearing them to take such an enterprise in hand ioyneth their praiers together with their parentes desiring the priestes to doe their cure vppon the gyrle Which seing their aduersaries to yelde maketh their praiers for her And after Germanus full of the holy goste calleth vppon the Trinite and strayte loseth from his nek a litle bugget whiche he had by his side full of the relliques of the martyres and in the sight of them all putteth it to the eyes of the mayden which done she strait receiued her sight The parents much ioyeth ther at the people ar all amased at the sight of the miracle After that day the saied errors were so pulled out of the mindes of all men that with all hart and desire they embraced the doctrine of the bishops Thus these damnable heresies being suppressed and the authors thereof vtterly confuted and all mens myndes instructed with the purite of the faith they went vnto saint Albanes to geue god the praise and thankes by him Wher Germanus hauing reliques of the Apostles and of diuers Martyres making his prayer coÌ„maunded the toumbe to be opened entending their to leaue those precious treasures Thinking good that the members of the Sainctes gotten in diuers countries shoulde be buried together in one tumbe as being like of merites they reioyced together with god in heauenâ— which being there lefte with much honour he toke of the dust of the place where the holy Martyrs bloud was shead and caried it away with him Which thinges being thus disposed a very great multitude of people was that day conuerted vnto our Lord. How he being driuen through sycknes to remaine there did both quench a great fire with his prayer and was by a vision him selfe healed of his infirmitie The 19. Chap. AS they were cumming back it happened by the diuells procurement that Saint Germane by meanes of a sore fall he had brake his legge Litle knew the diuell that by the affliction of the bodye as it was in Iob the merites of the holy man should be thereby the more encreased Whiles for the time by the reason of his weaknes he was faine to tarry stil in one place the next house he lodged in was by chaunce set on fire so that after it had quickly consumed the houses about thetched with reede it was now coming through the blowing of the winde to the house where this good man was harboured Many came running in great haste to the Bishop willing him to make awaye and saue him selfe WhoÌ„ he rebuking through coÌ„fidence in his faith would not remoue out of the place he was in The people al frighted with feare and dispaire came running to quench the fire But that the power of god might appeare the playner the fire still consumed what so euer the people sought to saue but what the sick man lying in his bed did keepe that the fire as being a feared of the holy mans lodging skipped both aboue and beneth fearcely burning without stay so that in the middle of the raging flakes and
time he gaue to Penda sonne to Pendam the hethen because by mariage he was now his cosen the kingdome of the south Marshes contayning as men saie fyue thousand familes diuided by the riuer Trent from the Northmarshes whose lande contayneth 7000. familes or housholdes But the same Penda the next spring after was trayterously slayne by the treason as they saie of his owne wife in the very tyme of Easter Thre yeares after the victory of Oswin and the death of Pendam the hethen the Nobilitie of the Marshes Immin Eaba and Eadbert rebelled against kinge Oswin auauncing to the crowne VVulfher sonne to Pendam a younge man whom vntell that tyme they had kept preuy Thus expelling the gouuernours sett ouer them by kinge Oswin who was not their naturall kinge they recouered agayne valiauntlye their liberty and their landes liuing from that time forewarde free vnder a kinge of their owne bloude and seruing ioyefully the true king of all kinges Christe our Sauiour to be at lenght partakners of his euerlasting kingdom in heauen This VVulfher raigned ouer the Marshes xvij yeres His first bishop as we saied before was Trumber the second Iaroman the third Ceadda the fourth VVinfride All these in continual succession were bishops of the Marshes vnder kinge Wulf her How the controuersy about the obseruation of Easter was moued against those which came out of Scotland The. 25. Chapter IN the meane while after the death of Aidan FinaÌ„ succeded in the bishoprik of Northumberland sent and consecrated of the Scottes Who in holy Iland builded a church mete for a bishops see Yet not of stone but of oken tymber and thatche worke as the maner of Scottes was This church afterward the most reuerend father Theodore Archebishop of Caunterbury dedicated in the honour of S. Peter the Apostle Eadbert also the bishop after of that place couered the churche bothe the ruffe and the walles with lead About this time a great controuersy was moued touching the obseruation of Easter The bishops of Fraunce and kent affirmed that the Scottes obserued the Sonday of Easter contrary to the accustomed maner of the vniuersall church And amonge them one Roman a Scott borne but yet instructed in the truthe in Fraunce and Italie and therefore an earnest and stoute defender of the true obseruation of Easter Who couplingand disputing of this matter with Finanus the bishop induced many to the truthe and enflamed other to a farder serche and examination of the question but with Finanus him self he could nothinge preuaile but rather exasperated him being a hasty nature man and made him an open aduersary to the cause Iames that reueâ—ent deacoÌ„ of tharchbishop Paulin with al such as he coÌ„uerted to the faith obserued the true and catholike time of Easter EaÌ„ fled also the quene king Oswins wife with al her train and coÌ„pany obserued after the same maner according as she had sene it practised in keÌ„t bringing with her one RomaÌ„ out of keÌ„t a catholike priest By this variaunce it happened ofteÌ„times that in one yere two Esters wer kept As the king breaking vp his fast and soleÌ„nising the feste of easter the Quene with her coÌ„pany cotinued yet the fast and kept palme SuÌ„day Yet this diuersite of obseruing Easter as longe as Aidan liued was of all men tolerated knowing very well that though in obseruing easter he folowed the custome of those with whom he was brought vp yet he beleued as al holy men did and kept vnitie and loue with al. Vpon which consideration he was beloued of all men euen those which varied from him in that opinion and was reuerenced not only of the meane and common sort but also of Honorius the Archebishop of Caunterbury and of Felix the bishop of the east english But after the death of Finanus which succeded him Colman being made bishop sent also out of Scotland the controuersy began to increase and other variaunces touching externall trade of life were stirred vp By occasion wherof many begaÌ„ to fear and doubt lest bearing the name of ChristiaÌ„s they did ruÌ„ne as the Apostle saieth or had runne in vaine This controuersy reached euen to the princes theÌ„ selues to king Oswin and his sonne Alcfrid For Oswin being brought vp and baptised of the Scottes and skilfull also of their tounge thought the maner which they obserued to be the best and most agreable to truthe Contrary wise Alck frid the kinges sonne being instructed of the lerned man VVilfrid preferred worthely his iudgement before al the traditions of the Scottes This VVilfrid for better instruction and lerninges sake had trauailed to Rome and liued also a longe time with Dalphinus the Archebishop of Lyons in Fraunce of whom also he tooke benet and collet To this lerned Prince Alcfrid gaue a monastery of fourty families in a place which is called Humpum The Scottes before were in possessioÌ„ of that monastery But bicause after the decision of this controuersie they chose rather of their owne accorde to departe and yelde vp the place then to chaunge their accustomed maner of obseruing the Easter it was geuen by the prince to him who bothe for lerning and vertu was worthy thereof About this time Agilbert bishop of the west saxoÌ„s a freÌ„de of Prince Alcfrid and VVilfrid the Abbot came to the prouince of Northumberland and staied there with them for a space Who in the meane while at the request of Alc srid made VVilfride a priest He had in his company also at that time one Agatho a priest At their presence therfore the question being renewed and much talked of they agreed on bothe sides that in the monasterie of Stranshalch where that deuout and vertuous woman Hilda was Abbesse a Synod should be kept for the decidyng of this question and other then in controuersy To this Synod came bothe the kinges Oswin the father and Alcfrid the sonne With king Oswin stode bishop Colman with his clergy of Scotland Hilda also the Abbesse with her company among whom was Cedda that reuereÌ„t bishop lately consecrated of the Scottes as we haue touched before who in that assemble was a most diligent interpreter on both sides For the other opinion which kinge Alcfrid folowed Agilbert the bishop stode with Agatho and VVilfrid priestes Iacobus and also Romanus two other lerned men stode of that side First then kinge Oswin premising that it behoued those which serued one God to kepe one order and rule in seruing the same nor to vary here in celebrating the heauenly sacramentes who looked all for one kingdom in heauen but rather that the truthe ought to be serched out of all and folowed vniformely of euery one commaunded his bisshop Colman first to declare what his obseruation was whence he receiued it and whom he folowed therein The bishop aunswered and saied The Easter which I obserue I haue receiued of my forefathers of whom I was sent hether bishop who all being vertuous and godly men haue after the
yet so sodenly finde none ready the iourney being so longe to you Truly as soone as we shall espie out a mete person and and worthy of that vocation we shall direct him spedely to your countre That by his preaching and holy scripture he may thouroughly roote oute all the wicked darnel of the enemy out of your Ilond by the helpe and grace of allmighty God The presents which your highnes directed to the blessed prince of the Apostles for his perpetuall memory we haue receiued thanking therefore your highnes beseching with all our clergy incessantly the goodnes of God for your highnes preseruatiō and good estat The bringer of your presents is departed this life and is laied at the entry of the blessed Apostles towmes we much lamenting and bewailing at his departure here Notwithstanding by the bearers of these our presents we haue sent the iewels of holy Martyrs that is the relikes of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and of the holy Martyrs S. Laurens Iohn and Paule of S. Gregory and of Pancratius all to be deliuered to your highnes To your Lady and bedfelowe our spiritual daughter we haue sent by the saied bearers a crosse of golde hauing in it a nayle taken out of the most holy chaines of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule Of whose godly behauiour we vnderstanding haue all as farre reioysed as her vertuous dedes are before God pleasaunt and acceptable We beseche therefore your highnes to furder and sett forward the conuersation of your whole Ilond to the faith of Christ. You shall not vndoubtedly lacke herein the speciall protection of our Lorde Iesus Christ the redemer of all mankinde who will prosper you in all thinges to the encreasing of his true beleuers and planting of the catholike and Apostolike faith For it is written Seke ye first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and all these thinges shall be cast vnto you Truly your highnes seketh and shall no doubt obtaine and all partes of your Ilond as we wish and desire shall be brought vnder your allegeaunce We salute your highnes with most fatherly affection beseching continually the mercy of God that it will vouchesafe to assist you and all yours in the perfourmance of all good workes that in the worlde to come ye may all liue and raigne with Chrst. The heauenly grace frō aboue preserue alwaies your highnes In the next booke folowing we shall haue occasion to declare who was founde and appointed bishop in place of Wighard that died at Rome How the people of Essex and London in a time of plage retourning to Idolatry by the diligence of Iarumanus their bishop were soone brought home againe The 30. Chap. AT this time Sigher and Sebbi kinges ruled ouer the people of Essex and London after the death of Guidhelme of whom we haue spoken before althoughe these were also vnder the allegeannce of Wulfher king of the Middlelād englishmen This prouince being visited with that greate plague and mortalite which we mencioned before Sigher with the people ouer whom he ruled forsaking the sacramentes of Christes religion fell to Apostasie For bothe the kinge him selfe and many as well of the people as of the nobles louing this present life and not seking after the life to come or els not beleuing any such life at al begā to renew their temples which stode desolat and to worship idols as though they could therby escape the mortalite But Sebbi his cōpanion with al vnder him perseuered deuoutly in the faith and ended his life in great felicite as we shal herafter declare Wulfher the king vnderstanding parte of his dominions to fal from the faith for to call thembacke againe sent vnto them bishop Iarumannus the successor of Trumher who by much labour and diligence being a man of great vertu painfull and zelous as a certain priest waiting then vpō him and helping him in preaching the ghospell reported vnto me brought them to the faith againe bothe the kinge and all his people So that abandoning and throwing downe their tēples and altars they opened againe the churches confessed gladly the name of Christ and chose rather in hope of resurrection to dye then in the filth of idolatry to liue Which being so brought to passe their priestes and instructers returned home withe muche ioye and comfort THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND How after the death of Deusdedit Wighart being sent to be made bishop and dying there Theodore was consecrated Archebishop and sent in to England with a certain Abbat named Adrian The. 1. Chapter THe same yeare of the foresaied eclipse and pestilence that soone after folowed in which also bishop Colman ouercommed by the generall and vniforme sentence of the Catholikes returned home to his countre Deusdedit the sixt Archebishop of Caunterbury died the xiiij daye of Iuly Ercombert also kinke of kent departed this world the very same moneth and day and left to his sonne Ecgbert the Crowne and kingdom which he receiued and held by the space of ix yeres At that time the See of Caunterbury being vacant a great while and the diocese desirous of a bishop VVighart a vertuous priest a man very well lerned skilfull of the Canons rules and disciplines of the church and an english man borne was sent to Rome bothe by Ecgbert and also Oswin kinge of Northumberland as we haue mencioned before and with him certain presents to the Pope Apostolike as great store of plate bothe siluer and golde Being arriued to Rome in the time that Vitalianus gouuerned the Apostolike see and hauing declared the cause of his coming to the saied Pope within short space he and almost all his company were taken with the pestilence and died Whereupon the Pope with aduise and counsell enquired diligently whom he might direct for Archebishop ouer the churches of England In the monasterie of Niridan not farre from Naples in Campania there was an Abbat named Adrian an African borne a man very well lerned in the scriptures thouroughly instructed bothe in monasticall discipline and in ecclesiasticall gouuernement very skilfull of the greke and latin tounges This man being called to the Pope was willed of him to take the bishoprike vpon him and trauail vnto England But he answering that he was no mete man for so high a degree promised yet to bringe forth one which bothe for his lerning and for his age were more worthy of that vocation And offred to the Pope a certain monke liuing in a Nunnery there by called Andrew who though he were of all that knewe him estemed worthy of tke bishoprike yet for the impediment of his weake and sickely body it was not thought good to sende him Then Adrian being required againe to take it vpon him desired certain daies of respit if happely in the meane time he could finde any other mete to supplie that roume At this time there was in Rome a certain monke of Adriās acquaintaūce named Theodore borne
desyred him to giue him counsell whereby he might flee and escape the wrath of God and vengeaunce to come The priest when he had heard his offense and sin said A great woūde requireth a greater cure and medicine and therefore geue thy selfe to fastinges and prayers as much as thou art able to the ende that coming before the face of our Lorde in confession thou maiest deserue to fynde him mercifull vnto thee But he for the passing grief of the giltie conscience that held him and desyre that he had to be sone assoyled of the inwarde bondes of synnes wherewith he was laden sayd I am yonge of age and strong of bodie And therefore what soeuer ye put me vnto so that I may be saued in the day of our Lorde I will easely beare it all and thoughe ye bid me to stand the whole night and spend it in prayers and passe ouer the whole weke in abstinence It is very much quod the priest to endure the whole weke without sustenaunce of the bodie but it suffiseth to faste two or three daies at onse And this doo thowe vntill I come againe to the after a short time and shewe thee more fully what thou must doo and howe long thou must continewe in penaunce After which wordes the priest appointed him what penaunce he shoulde doo and went his way And through a sodaine occasion that happened he passed into Ireland where he was borne and came not to him againe as he had promised to doo Yet the yong man remembring both his commaundement and also his owne promise gaue himselfe wholly to weping penaunce holy watchinge and continence in such wise that as I sayd before he neuer tooke sustenaunce saue only thursdaies and sondayes but continually fasted all the other daies of the weke And when he had heard that his ghostly father was gone into Ireland and there departed euer after from that time he kept this maner of fasting according as it was first appointed him And the thing which he had onse begon to doo for compunction of his syn and dread of Gods vengeance the same did he nowe without lothesomnesse or werynesse yea with pleasure and delight for the reward that followed and for the feruent loue of God And as he nowe long time had continewed diligently the same it chaunced that on a certaine day he went out of the monasterie to some place a good way of hauing one of the bretherne with him in his companye And when they had done their iourney and were comming home againe drawing nere the monasterie they beheld and vewed the goodly high building of the same wherat the man of God brast out all into teares and with his weping countenaunce bewrayed the heauynes of his harte Which thing when his fellowe sawe he asked him why he so did O quod he al these buildinges that you see both the common that belong to many and the priuate houses of particular persons shall shortly be tourned into ashes and consumed by fyre Which he hearing as sone as they came into the monasterie found the meanes to tell that to the mother of the couent named Ebba Who being troubled at such a warning and fortelling as good cause was sent for the mā vnto her and enquired the whol matter of him diligētly and how he knewe the same Of late quod he being occupied at night time in watching and saying of psalmes I sodainly sawe one stand by me of a straunge and vnknowen fauour At whose presence when I was sore afraide he bad me not to feare and then in familiar wise he spake to me thus and sayd Thou doest well in that this night time of reast thou hast had the strength not to geue thy selfe to ease and sleape but to be occupied in watching and praying Whereto I aunswered and sayd that I knewe my selfe to haue great nede to continewe in holsome watching and to make diligent and dewe intercession to our Lord for my synnes Thou sayest true quod he farther that thou and many other haue nede to redeme and satisfie for their synnes with good workes and at such time as they are at leasure from worldly paines and busynesse to labour the more freely for the desyre of euerlasting wealth but yet very fewe doo so For right nowe haue I walked through all this monasterie in order and looked in euery selle and bead and of them all sauing thee haue I found not one occupied aboute the sauing of his owne soule but they are all both men and wemen either depely drowned in sleape or watching vnto wickednes and syn For the litle houses that were made to pray or reade in are nowe tourned into chambers of eating and drinking and talking and other enticemente of yll And the virgins vowed vnto God contemning the reuerence and regard of their profession as ofte as they haue any leasure thereto do occupie themselues in weauing and making fine clothes wherewith they may set forth themselues lyke brydes to the daunger and great perill of their estat and professiō or els to get thē the loue of strangers and men abrode And therefore is there worthely prepared from heauen for this house and them that dwel therin a greuouse punishment and vengeance by fyre Then quod the Abbesse And why wold ye not soner tell me herof when ye knewe it Forsooth quod he I feared so to doo for respecte of you least ye wold perhap be ouermuch troubled therewith And yet take ye this comfort herein that this plage and punishment shall not fall in your dayes This vision being spread abrode and knowen they of the place began somewhat to feare for a fewe daies and to amend them selues and leaue their naughty lyfe But after the death of the Abbesse they retourned to their old naughtynesse yea and to worse to And when they sayd and thought themselues in peace and saftie they were anon stricken with the punishment of the foresayd vengeance All which thinges to haue bene thus done in dede the most Reuerend Giles my felow priste reported vnto me who lyued than in the monastery and afterward for that many dwellers there went thence bycause of this ruyn lyued a long time in owr monasterie and there dyed This haue I thowght good to put in our historie to this end that we might warne the reader and put him in mynd of the workes of owr Lorde howe dreadfull and terrible he is in his iudgementes and counselles ouer the children of men And that we serue not at any time the allurementes and prouocations of the flesh lytle fearing the iudgement of God least perhap his sodaine wrath strike vs and scowrge vs iustly and sharply either with temporall losses and plages or els deale more hardly with vs and take vs quite away to perpetuall paine and perdition Of the death of king Ecgfride and king Lother The 26. Chap. THe yere of thin carnation of our Lord DClxxxiiij Ecgfride king of Northumberland sent Bertus his