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
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
While ye peruse this ye may remembre the lewde lies and slaunderous reproches of protestants daily preaching and writing that after S. Gregory al faith was lost Gods honour was trode vnder foote all right religion was ouerturned and that by the Popes them selues Better to bestowe idle houres in such vertuous lessons as this History geueth and more charitable to note the godly writinges of the Popes here also comprised then to prie out with baudy Bale the euill liues of our superiours Who were they as badde as the Pharisees or worse yett they are to be obeyed by the coÌ„maundement of our Sauiour in such thinges as they saie though not to be folowed in their doinges Truly monasteries beinge now throwen downe no examples of vertu and and perfection appering in such as now preache and teach all remembraunce of Christen deuotion would be forgotten if the helpe of stories were not As touching the manifold miracles mencioned in this history note the person that reporteth them and the time they were done in to witt in the primitiue church of the english nation At the planting of a faith miracles are wrought of God by the handes of his faithful for more euidence thereof Good life in such as newly receiue the faith is more feruent Visions and and working of miracles accompanie those as liue in such feruent goodnesse and perfection We haue therfore rather more cause to lament the corrupt state of our time and the kaye colde deuotion of this age then to miscredit the perfect behauiour of our primitiue church and the miracles wrought therein Opera dei reuelare confiteri glorio sumâ—est It is an honourable thinge to reuele and confesse the workes of God saieth the Angel to Tobias in holy scripture Such therefore as wil thinke the miracles of this history here reported either vncredible either vnprofitable and such as might haue ben left out truly either they must denie the author or enuie at Gods honour Such as denie the author we wil not force theÌ„ to beleue him We make it not a matter of such necessite or importauuce Yet this I thinke I may be bold to require them that they beleue as farre S. Bede as they do the Actes and monuments of Fox the storie of Bale and such other I thinke it no sinne to matche Venerable Bede with any of them in any respect either off lerning honesty or truthe It may rather sauour of sinne or at lest off wronge iudgement and great partialite to beleue Bale and discredit Bede the one being notoriously bent to one side the other without al suspicioÌ„ off fauouring any side the one a late knowen naughty man the other a confessed holy man of al the Latin church Last of al the one thought lerned only off a few the other accompted for excellently lerned euen of the protestants them selues namely those of Basil who haue most diligently and with much commendation published his workes But I may seme to do iniury to that holy man to coÌ„pare him with any of our daâ—es glory he neuer so much of the sprit or off the ghospell To returne therefore to the matter no indifferent Reader hath any cause to discredit the miracles reported in this History if he will haue an eie to the person that writeth and to the time in which they were wrought Nay rather it is no small argument for the confirmation of our Catholike faith planted amonge vs englishmen that at the planting therof such miracles were wrought Of this argument in the second part of the Fortresse we haue treated more at large To that place I referre the Reader If otherwise the History for the often miracles here repeted seme to any man vaine fabulous or vncredible him earnestly I require diligently to pondre and beare away that which foloweth First generally in an ecclesiasticall history in a history writen off the Churche in the Historicall narration of matters pertaining to God to faith and to religion it hath euer so fallen out in all Christen writers that of miracles much and often mencion hath ben made Who so peruseth the ecclesiasticall histories of Eusebius Pamphilus and of Ruffinus the tripartit history of Socrates Sozomenus and Theodoret the history of Euagrius and Nicephorus he shall finde in them straunge and miraculous matters in the liues of holy meÌ„ reported For example of such Eusebius reporteth of Narcissus a holy man that light lacking in the church all the oyle of the lampes being spente he made by praierwell water to serue in stede of oyle and the lampe light to burne by that Also of the same man he writeth that whereas three men had periured them selues in an accusation against him eche one wishing to him selfe diuerse plages and vengeaunce from God if their accusation was false eche one had soone after the plage that he wished falling vpon him euidently and miraculously The same writer reporteth of an herbe growing before an image of our Sauiour in Caesarea of Phaenicia where also an other image standeth of the woman cured by Christ of the bluddy flixe which herbe after that by groweth it toucheth the brasen hemme of the Images garment it cureth deseases of all sorte Ruffinus in like maner in his ecclesiasticall history reporteth miraculous things of Spiridion the holy bishop of Tremithunt in Cypres as that when certain theues would haue stolen of his shepe and came to the folde in the night time for that purpose he found them in the morning fast bounde withoutâ— any man to binde them Who finding theÌ„ in such case in the morning and vndertstanding the causeâ—therof absoluit sermone quos meritis vinxerat He loosed them by his worde which before had bound them by his merites saith the History Againe whereas a certaine fâ—ende of his had left with his daughter Irenee by name a certain pleadg and the maide minding to kepe it sure hyding it vnder the earth and dying shortly after without telling the Father any thing thereof the party came soone after to require the pleadg Spiridion the holy bishop not being able otherwise to finde it about his house and seing the poore man greuously lameÌ„ting the losse thereof went hastely to the graue where the maide lay and called her by her name Who straight answering him he asked her where she had laied the pleadg of such a man which the maide forthwith told him and he therupoÌ„ founde it and restored it to the party Thus much and more reporteth the ecclesiastical history of Ruffinus writen about the yere of our Lorde 400. If I would stand vpon the recitall of other miracles in that history reported done at the Crosse of Christ founde out by Helena done by a captiue Christian woman in Iberia done by the scholers of S. Antony the eremite Isidorus Moyses and other If I should likewise make a particular recitall of the miracles mencioned in the tripartit History wrought by the Crosse of Constantin of the visions
The plesure is in begetting the childe but bearing is the paine and trauaile Wher vppon it was sayed vnto oueâ— first mother which first brake gods commaundement I shall multiply thy pangues and paines and thou shalt bring fourth in sorowe If then we forebid the womaÌ„ which is deliuered to cuÌ„ to the church we make as though her paine wer her syn By no waies then it is forbidden to christen ether the woman that is deliuered or the childe wherof she is deliuered yea the very first hower ether of the deliuery of the one ether of the birth of the other if any of them both be in perill of death For the grace of the sacrameÌ„t as it is to be geuen vnto the liuing with great discretioÌ„ so is it to be offred without delay to theÌ„ which draweth toward their death lest while time conuenient to geue the mystery of our redemption is looked and taried for by meanes of delay the partie dye before he may receiue the sayed benefit Nether shall the man carnally accompany with his wife vntill the child that is borne be weaned But now by a corrupte custom the wemen refuse to nourse the children borne of their owne body which seme to haue ben found out only of incontinence for therfore they refuse to nourse their owne children by cause they will not forbeare the company of their husbandes Wherfor such as of an euill custome do put out their children to nourse shall not lye with their husbande vntill the daise of her purification be fully complet Also in the time of of her flowers they ar forbid to coÌ„pany with their husbande So that the ould law doth punish theÌ„ which hath to doe with a woman being in that case Which woman yet neuerthelesse is not then forbidden to cum to the church because the superfluite of nature can not be imputed for syn and for that she suffereth that against her will it is no reason she should be restrained from cuÌ„ming into the church For we know that the womaÌ„ which was deseased with the bluddy flix coming huÌ„bly behind our lord touched the hem of his garment and by and by she was cured of her said infirmite If then the woman which had the bluddy flix might laufully touch the garment of our Lord why may not she enter into the church which suffereth her monethly flours But you will say as for her her malady forced her to seeke remedy this other is taken of her customable sycknes Consider this with thy selfe deare brother that all that we suffer in this mortall flesh by feblenes of nature it was by the iust iudgement of God ordained after our syn As hunger thrist heate cold werinesse procedeth of the infirmite of nature And what other thing is it to seeke foode against hunger drinck against thirst open ayre against heate garmente against colde rest against wearinesse but to take medicine againste sycknes So vnto the woman that monthly course of her body is a desease If then she did well presume which being sycke touched the garment of our Lorde that which is graunted to one woman why should it not be graunted vnto all other which by nature ar greued with like sycknesse Nether shall she be forebidden in the sayd daies to receiue the holy sacrament but if of a great reuerence which she hath there vnto she will not presume to receiue it she is the more to be praised but if she doe receiue it she is the lesse to be iudged For it is the point of well disposed mindes there to acknoledg their fault sum times where there is none in dede For many times that is committed without fault which yet proceded of a fault Where vppon to eate when we ar hungry is no faute and yet hungar began and sprange first of the syn of our first father And that mounthely custome is no syn to the woman for that it happenyth naturally But yet bycause nature is so corrupted that without the mans will it semeth to be defiled it had his first originall of syn and remaineth as a punishment to thintent man might now know what he is becum through the iustice of God by syn And that man which did coÌ„mit sinne with his wil should feele the punishment of syn against his wil. And therfor wemen when they do consyder them selues herin if they mekely refuse to cum to the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ they ar to be commended of their good consideratioÌ„ But if of a good custome of a religious lif they haue a feruent desire to cum vnto the holy misteries they ar not to be forbidden as I haue sayd before For as in the ould testament outward workes ar to be obserued so in the new testament that is not so muche regarded which is outwardly don as that which is inwardly intended For where as the lawe forbiddeth vs to eate many meates as vncleane yet in the gosspell our lord sayeth not that which entereth in to the mouth defileth the man but that cummeth out of the mouth that defileth the the man And shortly he sayeth expounding the same out of the harte cometh euil thoughts Where it is sufficieÌ„tly declared that to be vncleane before God which springeth out of the root of an vncleane hert Wheuppon Saint Paule also saieth that to the cleane all thing is cleane but vnto the vncleane and the infidele nothing is cleane And strayt after he putteth the cause of that vncleanes For their minde and conscience sayth he is defiled If then the meat be not vncleane vnto him which hath not an vncleane mind why then that which the woman hauing a pure mynd doth suffer of nature shal be imputed vnto her as impurite As for the man which slepeth with his owne wife shall not cum in to the church except he be washed with water The law commaundeth the olde people that the man which hath had to doe with his wife shal both wash him selfe with water and not enter the church before the going downe of the son Which saying yet maye spiritually be construed for then spiritually the man hath to dâ—e with the woman when the minde doth delite him selfe with vncleane thoughts of vnlaufull lust And except this fire of lust be quenched he shall not think him self worthy the company of the faithfull brethern which findeth him selfe possessed with vnchaste desires Though of this thinge diuers countries ar of diuers myndes and sum vseth one thing sum an other yet the maner of the Romans was euer of auncient time after the company of their owne wyues both to purify them selues in the bath and of reuerence a while to forbeare cumming in to the church We say not this for that we take mariage to be syn But for that the very laufull company of man and wife is not without pleasure of the flesh and that pleasure can not be all together without sum syn For he was not borne of aduoutry
country Writing thus Vnto his deare beloued son Mellitus abbat Gregorius the seruaunt of the seruauntes of God After the departure of you and the company which was with you we wer in dought what becam of you for that we could heare nothing how you sped in yower iourny When then God shall bring you vnto our reuerend brother Augustine bishop tell him what I haue of longe time deuised with my selfe of the cause of the English men That is to with that not the temples of the Idols but the Idoles which be in them be broken that holy water be made and sprinkled about the same temples altars buylded relikes placed For if the sayd churches be well made it is nedefull that they be altered frō the worshipping of diuels in to the seruice of God that whiles the people doth not see their temples spoiled they may forsaking their error be moued the more ofte to haunt their wont place to the honor and seruice of God And for that they are wōte to kill oxē in sacrifice to the diuells they shal vse the same slaughter now but chaunged to a better purpose It may therefore be permitted them that in the dedication dayes or other solemne daies of martyrs they maketh them bowers about their churches and feasting together after a good religious sorte kill their oxen now to the refreshing of them selues to the praise of God and encrease of charite which before they wer wont to offer vp in sacrifice to the diuells that whiles sum outward comfortes ar reserued vnto them they may thereby be brought the rather to the inward comfortes of grace in God For it is doutlesse impossible from men being so rooted in euell customes to cut of all their abuses vppon the sodaine He that laboreth to clim vpp vnto a highe place he goeth vpward by steppes and pases not by leapes So vnto the childrē of Israel being in Aegipt our Lord was wel knowē But yet he suffered them to doe sacrifice vnto him still in offring vp of beastes vnto him which otherwise they wold haue offered vpp vnto the diuels as they wer wont to doe in the land of Egypt that altering their intente they should leue sum and also kepe sum of their ould sacrifices that is that the beastes which they offred before they should now offer still But yet in offring them vnto the true God and not vnto the diuels they should not be the same sacrifices in all pointes as they wer before These be the thinges which I think expedient you declare vnto our sayd brother to th entent that he being there may consider with him selfe how ech thing is to be disposed God kepe you in helth dearly beloued son in Christ. Geuen the xv day of Iune The xix yere of the raigne of our soueraine Lord Mauricius Tyberius emperour and the xvij yere after his consulship Indictione quarta A letter of S. Gregorie to Augustine exhorting him that he should not glorie in him selfe of his vertues and miracles The. 31. Chap. ABout this time he sent Augustine an epistle touching such miracles as he had knowen to be done by the said Augustine In the which epistle he exhorteth him that he should take no pride of minde therefore I know saith he deare brother that it pleaseth god to shewe by thee great miracles amōg the people which by thee he hath called to his faith Wherevpon it is nedefull that of that heauenly gifte both thou ioyest with feare and fearest with ioye Thou hast to ioye for that by meanes of the said miracles the Englishmens soules are wonne to the faith Thou hast to feare leste through the miracles which be don by thee thy weake mind be lifted vp in presumption falling as farre inwardly by vaine glory as thou arte by outward praise puffed vp We must remember that the disciples returning with ioy from their preaching when they saied vnto their heauenly master Lorde in thy name the very diuells were obedient vnto vs it was by and by aunswered vnto them Doe you not reioyce tereat but rather reioyce for that your names are written in heauen For they had fastened their mind vppon a priuate and temporall ioye when they ioyed of their miracles But Christ calleth them backe from priuate ioy vnto commune and from temporall to eternall when he said Ioy for that your names are written in heauen For not all the chosen of god doth miracles but yet all their names are written in heauen For why They which be the disciples of the truth ought to ioye in nothing but only in that good thing which all other good shall haue as well as they and whereof they all shall haue ioy without ende This therefore remaineth deare beloued brother that of the thinges whiche by the power of god thou workest outwardly thou exactly euer discusse thy selfe inwardly and thourouly vnderstand both thy selfe who thou arte and what plenty of grace god hath bestowed vppon that countrie for whose sake to th entēt it might be the rather conuerted thou hast receiued the gift of working miracles And if thou remember that thou haste at any time ether by worde or dede offended god haue that euer in thy remembraunce that the ofte thinking vppon thy synne may presse doune the mounting pride of thy hart And what so euer grace thou ether hast or shalt receiue to worke miracles think it geuen thee not for thine owne sake but for theirs the minister of whose saluation thou art ordained How Saynt Gregorie sent letters and presentes to king Ethelberte The 32. Chapter THe said holy pope Gregorie at the selfe same time sent vnto king Ethelberte a letter with rich presentes of diuerse sortes doing vnto the king temporall honours which through his helpe was growē in knowledg of the glory of heauen The coppy of the said letter is this Vnto the right honorable and his most worthy sonne Ethelbert king of the English Gregorie bishop God almighty for this cause dothe calle good men to the gouernaunce of his people that by their handes he may distribute the giftes of his mercy and grace vnto all such ouer whom they haue the gouernaunce Which thing we know to haue ben done among the nation of the English ouer whom you are chosen to haue the rule that by the giftes of God employed vppon you the like benefites of grace might by your meanes be geuen to all such as are vnder your dominiō And therfor O Noble Son labour diligently to kepe the grace which you haue receiued from god and seeke with spede to set forth the faith of Christ to your subiectes Haue a good zele to procure the conuersion of as many as you can possibly forbid the worshipping of Idoles ouerthrow their temples edifie the maners of your people with exāple of your owne integrite with wordes of exhortation feare fayer speach and well doing that he may be your rewarder in heauen whose knowledg and name you make to be enlarged vppon the earth
his owne sonne Alcfride did lykewise rebell and resist him Last of all Adilwalde his nephew sonne to Oswald withstoode him In the second yere of this Oswins raigne that is to witt in the. 644. yere after the incarnation of owr Lord the right reuerent father Pauline somtime bishope of yorke but then gouerning the diocese of Rochester went to God the twentieth day of October He was byshop 19. yeres and two monthes and one and twentie dayes and was buried in the chappell of the blessed Apostle S. Andrewe which king Edilbert builded vp euen from the foundation in the same cytee of Rochester In whose place the archebishop Honorius aduanced Thamar a kentish man a man comparable to any of his auncestours bothe in vertue of life and excellencie of learning Oswin at the beginnying of his reigne had a partaker of his estate royall named Osuuius who descended of kinge Edwines bloud that is to say the sonne of Osrike of whom we haue made mention before a maruaylous deuoute and godly man who seuen yeres together ruled the prouince of the Deirans in most pleÌ„ty of things and with the loue of al his subiects But Oswin who gouerned the other part of Northumberland toward the north to witt the prouince of the Bernicians cold not long liue peasibly with him but rather forging and encreasing causes of debate murdered him at leÌ„gth most cruelly For vpon these variaunces an armie beyng on bothe partes assembled Osuuius seyng hym self to weake to ioygne battayle withe Oswin thought it more expedient to breake of warr at that time and refrayne vntill better occasion serued Therfore he discharged the army which he had gathered together coÌ„maunding euery man to returne home againe The field where they met is called VVilfares downe and standeth almost ten myle from the village of Cataracton toward the west Osuuius conueighed him selfe out of the waye with only one that was his most faithfull souldiour named Condher to one Hunwald an Earle whom he toke for his very frend But alas he was much deceaued for being by the same Earle betrayed withe his forsaid souldiour vnto Oswin by by his lieutenant Edelwin he slew him most cruelly and traiterously This was done the xx of August in the ninthe yere of his reigne in a place whiche he called Ingethlâ—ng wher for the satisfaction of this heynous acte there was afterwarde a monastery buylded in the which daily prayers should be offered vp to God for the redemption of bothe the kinges soules as well the murderer as the partye murthered King Osuuius was of countenance beautifull of stature high in talke courtyous and gentle in all pointes ciuill and amiable no lesse honourable and bounttfull to the noble then free and liberall to persons of lowe degree Wherby it happened that for his outward personage inward hart and princely port he had the loue of all men Especially the nobilitie of all countres frequented his court and coueted to be receiued in his seruice Amonge other his rare vertues and princely qualites his humilitie and passing lowlynesse excelled Wherof we wil be contented to recite one most worthy example He had geuen to bishop Aidan a very faire and proper gelding which that vertuous bishop though he vsed most to trauail on foote might vse to passe ouer waters and ditches or when any other necessite constrained It fortuned shortly after a certain poore weake man met the bishop riding on his gelding and craued an almes of him The bishop as he was a passing pitefull man and a very father to needy persons lighted of and gaue the poore man the gelding gorgeously trapped as he was The king hearing after hereof talked of it with the bishop as they were entring the palace to diner and saied What meaned you my Lord to geue awaie to the begger that faire gelding which we gaue you for your owne vse Haue we no other horses of lesse price and other kinde of rewardes to bestowe vpon the poore but that you must geaue awaie that princely horse which we gaue you for your owne ryding To whom the bishop answered Why talketh your grace thus Is that broode of the mare derer in your sight then that sonne of God the poore man Which being said they entred for to dyne The bishop toke his place appointed But the knge coming then from hunting would stand a while by the fyre to warme him Where standing and musing with himselfe vpon the wordes which the bishop had spoken vnto him sodenly put of his sworde geuing it to his seruant and came in greate hast to the bishop falling downe at his feete and beseching him not to be displeased with him for the wordes he had spoken vnto him saying he would neuer more speake of it nor measure any more hereafter what or how much he should bestow of his goods vpon the sonnes of God the poore At which sight the bishop being much astonned arose sodenly and lifted vp the king telling him that he should quickely be pleased yf it would please him to fitt downe and cast awaie al heauynesse Afterward the kinge being at the bishops request mery the bishop contrary wise began to be heauy and sory in such sorte that the teares trickled downe by his chekes Of whom when his chapleyne in his mother tonge which the king and his court vnderstoode not had demanded why he wept I know said he that the king shall not lyue long For neuer before this time haue I seen an humble king Wherby I perceiue that he shall spedely be taken out of this life for this people is not worthy to haue such a prince and gouernour Shortly after the bishops dredful abodement was fullfilled with the kinges cruel death as we haue before declared Bishop Aidan him self also was taken awaie out of this world and receiued of God the euerlasting rewardes of his labours euen on the twelfthe day after the kinge whom he so much loued was slaine that is to wit the 30. daye of August How that bishop Aidan both tolde the shippemen of a storme that was to comeâ— and also gaue them holy oyle wherewith they did cease it The. 15. Chapter HOW worthy a man this bishop Aidan was God the high and secret iudge of mens hartes by sundry miracles the proper workes of his maiesty declared to all the world Thre of the which it shall be sufficient presently to recite for remembraunces sake A certaine priest called Vtta â— man of great grauitye and truth and one that for his qualites was much reuerenced and estemed of men of honour at what time he was sent into kent to fetch Eanflede kinge Edwines daughter who after the death of her father had ben sent thither to be maried to king Oswin appointing so his iourney that he minded to trauail thither by land but to retourne with the youÌ„g lady by water he weÌ„t to bishop AidaÌ„ beseching him to make his humble prayers to god to prosper
commendeth sayinge The vij daye shal be more solemne and hollye and no seruil wooâ—ke shal be done from morninge to eueninge no man can iustly reproue vs and say we kepe not the Ester soundaye which we toke of the gospel in the third weke of the first moneth apointed by the lawe as we shuld do Now theÌ„ seing the general cause which the Catholiques alleage for the obseruing of this feast of Easter is plainly set before your eyes the vnreasonable errour of those which rashly presume to passe or preueÌ„t with out any force of necessitie the time apointed in the lawe is manifest for al men to espye For they anticipate and preuent the time appointed in the lawe without any force of necessity which thinke that Easter day must be kepte from the xiiij moone of the firste moneth to the xx of the same For whereas they begynne the eue of that holy feast from the eueninge of the xiij it appereth that they appointe that day in the beginninge of their Easter wherof they finde no meÌ„tion in the law And whereas they refuse to kepe the Easter soundaye the xxj daye in it appereth truly that they exclude vtterly from their solemnity that day which the law coÌ„maundeth to be obserued and had in memory with ioy and mirth aboue al other And so they end their Easter after a peruerse ordre keping it somtimes altogether in the seconde weeke but neuer in the vij day of the third weeke Againe they which thinke they shuld kepe Easter from the xvj day of the saide moneth to the xxij day roue farre wide from the truth and runne though an other waie yet as farre out of the waie as the other did falling as the common prouerbe sayth in to the greate gulff and swalloing sandes of Charibdis while they seeke to escape the dangerous straites of Scilla For wheras they teach that we shulde beginne frgm the rising of the xvj moone of the first moneth that is from the eueninge of the xv day it is manifest that they vtterly seclude from their solemnity the xiiij day of the same moneth which the law doth principally and before the rest commend so that they scarse come to the eueninge at all of the xv day in the which the people of God were deliuered out of the bondage of Aegipt in the which our sauiour Christ delyuered the worlde from synne by sheding his precious blud in the which he being buried put vs in comfort and hope of resurrection and aeternall rest after deathe And these men by occasion of their former errour falling in to an other in punishment of the first whereas sometimes they kepe their Easter in the xxii day of the saied moneth they do expressely passe the bondes of Easter commaunded in the lawe For in the euening of that day they beginne their Easter in which euening they ought by the lawe cleane to haue ended and finished their Easter Againe by this meanes they make that day the first daye of Easter which in the lawe is not mentioned at all to wit the first day of the fourth weeke And both these sortes of men are deceaued not only in counting the age of the moone but also in finding out of the first moneth The debating of which matter is more tedious and loÌ„g then that either it can or may be coÌ„prised in an epistle Only this I say that the time being ones certainly knoweÌ„ wheÌ„ the day is as long as the night and the night as the day at the spring time of the yere it may infallibly be fouÌ„de which ought to be the first moneth of the yere after the accoÌ„ptâ— of the moon and which ought to be the last In the spring the day is as longe as the night and so the night as long as the day after the opinion of all lerned men in the East and specially of the Aegiptians which beare the price for calculation before all other Astronomers the xii calendes of Aprill as we also haue had experience by triall of the dyall Whatsoeuer moone therfor is at ful befor the day and night be of one leÌ„ght being xiiii or xv dayes olde that mone pertaineth to the last moneth the yere befor and therfor is not meet or conuenient for the feast of Easter But that mone which is at full either after the day and night be of one and equal lenght or in the very pointe of that equalitie in that doubtlesse because it is the full moone of the first moneth we must vnderstand that the olde auÌ„cients wer wount to kepe Easter and that we ought to kepe ours in leeke manner when the Sondaie cometh That it shuld be so this reason semeth somwhat to enforce In Genesis it is written that God made ii great lights the greater to rule the day and the lesser ouer the night or as some other translation hath the greater light was made to begynne the day and the lesser to beginne the night Therfore as at the first begin ning the son rising from the full middest of the East made by that his rising the equalite of day and night in the beginning of the yere and as the moone in the very first day of the worlde the son going downe folowed also at the full rising in the midst of the East so euery yere in leeke manner the first moneth of the moone must be obserued after the same rate so that she be not at the full before the day and night be of one length but either on the very same day as it was at the first creating of the worlde or when it is paste For if the ful mone go but one day befor the day and night be of one length the former reason proueth manifestly that the same mone must not be ascribed to the firste moneth of the yere but rather to the laste of the yere that is past and for that consideration not meete nor conuenient for the solemnisinge of Easter daye Els in one yere we should haue ij Easters Now if it like yow to heare also the mysticall reason hereof this it is In the firste moneth of the yere which is called mensis nouorum that is the moneth of new springe we are commaunded to kepe the feaste of Ester because our hartes and mindes being renewed toward the loue of heauenly thinges we ought to celebrate and honour the mysteries of Christes resurrection and our redemption We are coÌ„maunded to keepe the third weeke of the same moneth first because Christ him self promised vnto vs before the lawe and in the time of the lawe came in the thirde age off the worlde in the time of grace and was made our Easter and passeouer Secondarely becawse he risinge from deathe the third daye after his bitter passion vpon the crosse woulde haue that daye to be called the daye of our Lorde and all Christen men to kepe the feast of Easter yearly the very same day in honour of his glorious
resurrection The thirde cawse is because we do then truely keepe this solemne feast if we endeuour to the vttermost of our power to make our passeouer that is to saye ower passage owte of this wordle to God the father with the triple knot of faith hope and charytie After theequalite of the daye and night we are commaunded yet to tary for the full moone of the moneth in which Easter falleth to thend that first the sonne may make the day longer then the night and afterward the moone also may appeare to the world in her full light to signifie vnto vs that the son of righteousnesse in whose beames is our saluation that is to sayour Lorde Iesus Christe by the victory and triumphe which he had in his resurrection hath ouercomed the darknesse of deathe and so ascendinge to heauen hath replenished his churche whiche is ofte signified by the moone with the inwarde light of his grace by sendinge downe the goly ghoste The which ordre of ower saluation the prophete beholdinge said Eleuatus est sol luna stetit in ordine sno The sonne is lyfted vppe and the moone stode in her ordre They therefore which contendeth that the full moone of the moneth in which Easter should fall may come before the Son maketh the daye and night of equall length as they disagree in the celebration of most high and greate misteries from the doctrine of holy scripture so they seme well to agree with them which trust to be saued with owt the preuenting grace of Christe Which in dede presume to teache that man myght haue had perfecte iustification though Christ the trewe lyght had neuer ouercomed the blyndnesse off the world with his painefull death and glorious resurrection To conclude therefore we about the equinoctiall springe when the day and night be of one length and when the full moone of the firste moneth orderly folowing the same that is to saye after the xiiij daye of the said moneth is fully expired the obseruation of all which tymes is commaunded in the lawe do expecte yet in that thirde weeke accordinge as in the ghospel we lerne the next Sonday folowing and then we keepe the solemne feaste of Ester And that to th ende we may testyfie by ower doings that we cellebrat not this solemnytie with the old fathers in remembraunce that the children off Israel had the harde yoke of bondage shaken from their neckes in Aegipte but that we woorshipp with deuoute faith and perfecte charitie the redemption of all the world prefigured in that deliuerance off gods old people owte of thrauldome and fully ended in Christes resurrection to th ende we may signifie that we reioyse in the assured hope of ower resurrection which we beleue shal be on the same Sonday also This accompte of Easter which we haue here declared vnto you to be folowed is comprised in the compasse of xix yeres which of late that is to saye in the Apostles time beganne to be obserued in the churche especially at Rome and Aegipte as I haue specified before But by the industry of Eusebius who of the blessed Martyr Pâ—amphilus hathe his surname it is more playnly and distinctly set in ordre So that where as before the bishop of Alexandria was wonte euery yeare to send abrod to euery particular church the true time of the Easter that yeare to be obserued now from hence forth the course of the full moone being brought in to this order and certainly tried out euery church by itselfe can finde it without failing This counte of Easter so distincted by Eusebius Theophilus bishop of Alexandria made to serue for one hundred yeres at the request of Theodosius the Emperour Cyril his successour made it for 95. yeres more comprising it in v. circles of the saied compasse of 19. yeares After whome Dionisius the yownger added as many circles in leeke ordre and style whiche reached euen to ouer tyme. The which now approching nigh to the date and terme prefixed there is nowe adayes such store of calculatours that in our churches through owte all England there be many which can by the olde preceptes of the Aegiptians which they haue lerned and committed to memory extende and drawe forthe the circle and course of Easter in to as many yeares as them listeth euen to the numbre of 532. yeares Which number of yeares being expired all that appertaineth to the course of the son moone moneth and weke returneth into the same ordre it did before The calculation or directory of which time we haue not at this present sent vnto you because demaunding only to be instructed of the reason and cause of this time of Easter it semeth you are allready informed of the time it selfe Hauing now hetherto brefly and compendiously spoken concerning the dew obseruation of Easter accordinge to yower highnesse requeste we exhorte you most humbly to prouide that your clergy haue the same tonsure which the church doth receiue and vse as most agreable to the Christian faith wherof you required also our letters We know right wel that the Apostles were not shauen all after one sorte Neither now the whole catholique church as it agreeth in one faith one hope and one charite towardes God so vseth also one and the self same order of tonsure Againe that we may consider the time befor vs to wit the time of the holy patriarches Iob a perfect patterne of patience when his tribulation and aduersite beganne shore his head Wherby we learne that in time of prosperity he was accustomed to lett his heare growe Yet Ioseph a trewe teacher and practiser of chastity humility piety and al other vertues is written to haue bene shauen when he came out of preson Wherby it appeareth that in prison for the tyme of his induraunce he was wounte to remaine with longe heare nor clipte nor shorne Lo here two vertuous and godly men who inwardly in hart and mind wer one shewed yet in outward behauiour some diuersite and contrariete But though we may boldly saye that the diuersite of ecclesiasticall tonsure hurteth nothing at all such as haue a pure faith in God and perfecte charitie towarde their neighbour especially seing we reade no controuersie betwene the catholike writers touching the differeÌ„ce and diuersitie of shauing as ther hathe bene for the celebration of Easter yet notwithstanding amongest all kynde off tonsures which we finde to haue ben vsed or in the church or vniuersally amongest all other men I may well saye that none is rather to be folowed and receaued of vs than the very same which he ware on his head to whom Christ saied after he had confessed him to be the sonne of God Thou arte Peter and vppon this rocke I will builde my churche and hell gates shall not preuaile against it To the will I geue the kayes of the kingdome of heauen And contrarywise we may well beleue that none is more to be abhorred and detested of all
kepinge of Easter but nowe I do so well knowe the cause and reason why it shuld be so obserued that me thinketh I had no knowledg of it at all before wherfore I professe and openly protest before you all that ar here present that from henceforth I and all my people wil kepe the feast of Easter at the time which is here described I thinke it good also that all priests and religious men in my realme ought to receaue this kinde and manner of shauing which we haue heard to be very reasonable And without any furder delaye by his princely authority he performed that which he spoke For forthwith the accompte of xix yeres were sent abrode by a publique edicte to be copied oute lerned and obserued through out al the prouinces of the Pictes the erroneous accomptes of 84. yeres altogether blotted oute All priestes and religious men had their heads shauen rounde after the trew shape aâ—d figure of a crowne And all the whole country being well reformed was glad that they were reduced now to the discipline and ordre of saincte Peter primate and head of the Apostles and committed as though it were to his patronage and protection How the monkes of Hij with other monasteries vnder their iurisdiction beganne at the preaching of Egbert to kepe Easter after the canonical ordonaunce of Christes church The 23. Chapter NOt longe after the monkes of Scotland which inhabitt the island Hij with al other monasteries vnder their iurisdiction were brought by gods great prouidence to the canonicall obseruation of Easter and ryght manner of ecclesiasticall tonsure For the yere after Christes incarnation 716. when Coenrede toke the gouuernaunce and souerayntye off Northumberlande after Osrede was slayne the derely beloued of God and honourably of me to be named the Father and priest Ecgbert cominge vnto them owt of Irelande was honourably receiued and ioyfully intertayned of them This Ecgbert beinge diligently heard of theÌ„ as one that had a singular good grace in preachinge and that practised in lyfe with much deuotioÌ„ which he taught openly in their congregation dyd chaunge by godly exhortations and aduertisements the olde tradition of their forefathers Of whom we may verifie that saying of the Apostle Aemulationem dei habebant sed non secundum scientiam They had an earnest desyre to folow God but not accordinge to knowleadge And he taught theÌ„ by one appointed compasse which shoulde be perpetuall to kepe the chefe and princypall feast after the Catholique churches institution and manner of the Apostles The which appeareth to be done to by the great goodnesse and infinit mercy of God that because the countre which had the knowleadge of God and his holy worde dyd freely and gladly communicate the same to englishmen shoulde them selues afterward come to a more perfect trade of life then they had before by the helpe and instruction of Englishmen also now associated and allied vnto them As contrary wise the Britons which woulde not ones open their mouthe to teache the Englishmen the knowleadge of Christ which they had before receiued are nowe hardned in blindnesse and halte allwaies from the right waie of truthe neither vsing the ecclesiasticall tonsure after dew maner neither celebrating the solemne feste of Easter in the societe of the Catholike church Whereas now all Englishmen are established in the faith and perfectly instructed in all pointes of Catholike religion The monkes of the Iland Hij in Scotland receiued at the preaching of the lerned father Ecgbert the Catholike rites and customes vnder their Abbat Dumchad about 80. yeares after they sent Bishopp Aidan to preache the faith to Englishmen This man of God Ecgbert remained in that Ilande xiij yeres which he had now as though it were newly and first consecrated vnto Christ by reducing it to the Catholike vnite and societe The same good father in the yere of our Lorde 728. vpon Easter daye which then fell vpon the xxiiij of Aprill after he had that day saied Masse in remembraunce of our Lordes resurrection departed this worlde and finished that day that ioyfull festiuite with our Lorde and all the blessed company in heauen which he had begonne with his brethern euen that day by him reduced to the Catholique vnite And truly the prouidence of God herein was wonderfull that that Reuerent father should passe out of this worlde to the Father not only vpoÌ„ an Easter day but also vpoÌ„ that Easter day which was the first Easter after the Catholike order celebrated in that place The brethern therefore reioysed bothe for the certaine and Catholike obseruation of Easter then lerned and also to see their teacher and master that time also to passe to God to be there their patrone and intercessour The good father also reioysed that he liued here so longe vntell he might see presently his scholers to celebrat with him that Easter whiche euer before they shunned and abhorred So this most reuerend Father being nowe certainly assured of their vndoubted amendment reioysed to see that day of our Lorde He sawe it I saie and reioysed What is the state of EnglishmeÌ„ or of all BrytaÌ„nie at this present with a brief recapitulation of the whole worâ— and with a note of the tyme. The. 24. Chap. THE yeare of Christes incarnation 725. which was the vij off Osric kinge of Northumberlandes raygne Vicbert Ecgbertes sonne kinge of kent passed oute of this transitorie lyfe the xxiij of Aprill leauing iij. sonnes Edilbert Eadbert and Aldric heires of his kingdome whiche he hadd gouuerned 34. yeares and a halffe After his death the next yeare folowing Tobias bishoppe of Rochester died a man certainly well lerned as I mentioned before for he was scholler to ij Masters of most blessed memory Archebishoppe Theodore and Abbat Adrian By which occasion beside his knowledge in diuinitie and all other sciences he so perfectly lerned the greeke tounge and the Latyn that he had them as perfecte and familiar as his owne propre language He is buried in a litle chappel of saincte Paule whiche he builded in S. Andrewes churche for a toumbe and place of buriall after his deathe After him Aldwulff succeded in the bishoppricke and was consecrated by Berthwalde the Archebishoppe The yeare of our Lorde 729. appeared ij greate blasinge starres aboute the sonne makinge all that behelde them maruelously afraied For one went before the sonne euery morninge the other appeared in the eueninge streyt after the sonne was downe presaging as it were to the east and weast some greate destruction Or if you wil saie one appeared before daye the other before night that by bothe the saied tymes they myght signifie diuerse miseries to hange ouer mens heads They helde vp a fyer brande towarde the Northe ready as it were to set all a fyer They appeared in Ianuarye and continued almoste ij weekes At what time the Saracenes wasted and spoiled Fraunce with much murder and bloudshed Who not longe after