the Grace of the holy Ghost celebrated frequently Masses and Synods in vaults where the Bodies of holy Martyrs rested 7. After S. Mello's Baptism S. Stephanus ere long promoted him by all the severall Ecclesiasticall degrees to the sublime Order of a Bishop for S. Mello continually adhered to him Now by how stupendious a Miracle he was designed to be the Bishop of Rhotomagum or Roüen we find in his life collected out of ancient Ecclesiasticall Records in this manner 8 S. Stephanus together with S. Mello persever'd in Fastings and watching Now on a certain day whilst the Holy Bishop S. Stephanus was celebrating Masse both himselfe and S. Mello saw an Angell standing at the right side of the Altar Masse therfore being finish'd he gave to him a Pastorall Croster or staff which the Angell held in his hand saying Receive this staff with which thou shalt govern the inhabitants of the Citty of Roüsen in the Province of Neustria And though the labours of away and course of life hitherto unexperienced by thee may prove burdensom notwithstanding doe not feare to undertake it for our Lord Iesus Christ will protect thee under the shadow of his wings Thus having received a benediction from the holy Pope he betook himself to his iourney And when he was come to Altissiodorum or Auxerre in Gaule having in his hand the staff which he had received from the Angell he by his prayer restored to health a man who had his foot cut in two peices by an axe 9. The learned Molanus calls S. Mello the first Bishop of Roüen and seems to proove it by an Ancient Distick of that Church importing as much But a former more authentick Tradition describ'd out of the ancient Catalogue of Bishops of that Church by Democharus declares that S. Nicasius preceded S. Mello in that Bishoprick However saith Ordericus Vitalis The Ancient Pagan Superstition after the Martyrdom of S. Nicasius possess'd the said Citty filling it with innumerable pollutions of Idolatry till the time that S. Mello was Bishop there XV. CHAP. 1.2 c A prosecution of the Gests of S. Mello Bishop of Roüen 5. Dempster impudently challenges him to be a Scott 1. BEcause we would not interrupt this story of S. Mello it will be convenient here to prosecute his life and Gests unto his death which hapned almost two and twenty years after his Ordination Thus therfore the Gallican Martyrologe relates concerning him 2. S. Mello unwilling to delay the execution of the Mission impos'd on him by the Holy Ghost departed from Auxerre and went streight to Roüen Where courageously setting upon his divine employment he began to preach to the inhabitants the name of Christ with such efficacy of speech and power of miracles to which the admirable Sanctity of his life added a greater vertue that in short time he brought almost the whole Citty to the obedience of Faith This great change began especially when on a certain day the people were busy in attending to an abominable sacrifice offred to a certain false Deity of theirs For S. Mello coming there suddenly upon them and inflam'd with a heavenly zeale sharply reproved that frantick people for their blindnes which worship'd a senceles stock as if it were a God And presently calling on the Name of Christ and making the triumphant Sign of the Crosse he immediatly tumbled down the Idoll and with the word of his mouth alone in the sight of them all broke it into small peices-Hereupon the people being astonish'd with this sight willingly attended to his admonitions who taught them the knowledge of the true God and the hope of immortall life to be attaind by his pure Worship By this means a great multitude of the Cittizens became imbued with the Doctrines of our holy Faith and purified by the water of Sacred Baptisme And S. Mello in the same place from which he had expelled the Devill erected the first Trophey to our Lord building there a Church under the Title of the Supreme most Holy Trinity In which Church the people being assembled every Sunday were instructed more perfectly by him in the Worship of God there he offred the unbloody Sacrifice and communicated to his flock the means and helps by which they might attain salvation 3. Thus the flock of Christ encreasing plentifully every day certain Merchants of other countreys negotiating there became attentive and obedient to the Divine Word for whose commodity the Holy Bishop built another Church in an Island where they might more conveniently assemble themselves to which he gave the Title of S. Clement He added moreover a third Church to the end he might comply with the fervour of the multitudes flowing together to see the Wonders wrought by him This he consecrated to the veneration of the most holy Virgin the Mother of God and placed there a Colledge of Preists therby designing it for an Episcopall See 4. Having thus persisted the space of many years in the discharge of his Apostolicall Office and by the seed of the Divine Word having begotten many thousand soules to Christ this Blessed man a veteran Soldier in our Lords warfare at last in the year of Grace two hundred and eighty departed to his eternall rest there receiving from his heavenly Generall whom he had served with great courage perseverance and glory an inestimable Doâ—â—tive and reward He was buried in a vault in the suburbs over which afterward was erected a Church dedicated to S. Gervasius a glorious Monument worthy of him From whence notwithstanding afterward when the Danish armies raged in France his sacred Body was removed into parts more remote from the Sea and reverently layd at a Castle called Pontoise where to this day it reposes in a Church which from him takes its Title where the memory of so illustrious a Champion of Christ lives with great glory and splendour 5. This account gives the Gallican Martyrologe of our Blessed Brittish Saint Mello or Melanius Probus as Possevin calls him Whom yet in opposition to the universall consent of all Writers and Records agreeing that he was a Brittain Dempster most impudently in his Scottish Menology will needs call a Scott falsly affirming that Possevin acknowledges him for such Wheras to this time there is not mention in any ancient Writers of such a Nation as Scotts in this Island Or if there had been certain it is that their countrey never having been subdued by the Romans there was no Tribut sent from thence to Rome which yet we see was the occasion of S. Mello's first going thither But it is Dempsters constant practise ridiculously to adopt into a Scottish family all persons whatsoever which in these Primitive times are called Brittains If this were granted Ireland would have a better title to this Saint then Scotland for in this age that Island was the only countrey of the Nation called Scots which afterward transplanted themselves into the Northern parts of the Caledonian Brittains But
midway between the Church of Saint Martin and the walls of the Citty In this Temple after it had been purified from its former Superstitions and the Idol cast out S. Augustin consecrated to the honour of S. Pancratiâ—â— 3. Concerning which Church Sir H. Spelman in his Councils furnishes us with this Extrait out of an ancient Manuscript of the foundation of S. Augustins Monastery in Canterbury Augustin being ordaind Bishop returned into England and was received by the King and peoâ—ple with all becoming solemnity and by the same Kings grant obtaind an Episcopall See in the Citty of Canterbury which was the Primatial Church of the English Nation The pious King himself undertaking the Patronage of that Church did triumph through ioy constituting him the President of his Metropolis whom before he had received as a poore stranger Neither did he onely make him a Spirituall Watchman over his Citty but his whole Dominions also translating the throne of his Kingdom into a Pontificall Seat and his Royal Court into a Church of Christ. 4. Yea moreover to shew that he had putt off the old man with his acts and putt on the New by the wholesom advice of the blessed Bishop he caused that Idol-temple seated Eastward from the Citty between the Church of S. Martin and the walls in which he had oft according to the rite of his Superstition sacrifised to Devills and not to God to be purged from the pollutions of Paganism and having broken in peices the Idol which was in it he changed it into an Ecclesiasticall Synagogue and caused it to be consecrated by the name of S. Pancratius Martyr And this was the first Church dedicated by our Patriark and prime Prelat S. Augustin 5. Now it was very convenient and suitable to reason that the blessed child Pancratius who at Rome the Mistresse of the world was honoured as a famous Martyr should especially be venerated by the English since that certain English Children exposed to sale in Rome by their beauty and brightnes had moved Saint Gregory then an Abbot in the Monastery of S. Andrew built by himself to associate those English children with Angels 6. After this narration there follows in the same Manuscript a relation of a prodigy caused by the Devill enraged against Saint Augustin for eiecting him out of his possession Whilst the blessed Bishop S Augustin saith that Authour was celebrating Masse the first time in the same Church the Enemy of mankind envying the purity of the English Nation likely to be much encreased by the child Saint Pancratius and out of rage to see himself expelled from a place possessed by him so long a time he endeavoured all he could to destroy that Church to the ground A rent in the Eastern wall of it plainly seen to this day which he made with his nayles is a sufficient witnes of his rage By which is evident that the Masse is not hated by Calvinists alone 7. King Ethelberts liberality ended not here for as the same Authour writes Saint Augustin obtained of him after this a certain portion of land adjoyning in which the King built a Church to the honour of the Apostles S Peter and S. Paul to be as it were a perpetuall munition and Safe-guard for himself and his whole kingdom and instituted therin a Convent of Monks to serve God for ever over whom was canonically chosen and placed Abbot a Monk called Peter one of S. Augustins companions sent thither from the See Apostolick But between the foundation and endowment of this Monastery there intervened six years saith Sir H. Spelman as appears by the Charters of that Foundation 8. In this Church saith S. Beda the Bodies of S. Augustin and his Successours the Arch-bishops of Canterbury as likewise of the Kings of Kent were designed to be buried Notwithstanding this Church was not consecrated by S. Augustin but by his Successour S. Laurentius And the first Abbot of the Monastery was Peter a Preist 9. S. Augustin also by the liberality and assistance of the King obtaind another Church in the same Citty which as he was informed had been built by the ancient Christians in the time of the Romans This Church he consecrated to the glory of our Lord and Saviour and adioyning thereto he fixed an habitation for himself Successours where he lived with such Clerks as he had brought with him out of France who performed all the Ecclesiasticall Offices in the Church For a Monastery was not instituted in that Church till the age following And though these Latter Monks contended with the other for antiquity yet they lost their cause For as the Authour of the forementioned Manuscript observes in all the authenticall Priviledges granted by Popes to the Monastery of S. Peter and S. Paul we find this clause inserted As in the infancy of Christianity in England this was the first wherein Monasticall Instituts were observed So we decree that it with all belonging to it remain for ever free from all service undisturbed by all secular noyse and tumults and exempted from all Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and burdens 10. Moreover the Church of S. Martin without the walls of the Citty eastward in which the Queen before had performed her Devotions he made an Episcopall See in which he placed a Suffragan Bishop Corepiscopum who was alwayes to remain at home or at the Archiepiscopall Palace within the Citty and supplied the place of the Arch-bishop when he was to attend the King or to be absent upon occasion of Visitations or other affaires At such times he celebrated Solemnities in the Metropolitan Church after which he returned home He being a Monk had power to call Monks to his assistance He performed the Office of Arch-deacon and summoned ordered and corrected such Clergy-men as pertained to the Arch-bishop but those Clergy-men which lived in the Mannâ—rs pertaining to the Monks were corrected by the Priour of the Church otherwise called the Dean The same Suffragan Bishop likewise conferred the Minour Orders in the Arch-bishops absence Yet we doe not find that ever he was summoned to Councills or subscribed in them This custom continued till the beginning of King William the Conquerours raign At which time the last of such Suffragan Bishops was Godwin who dying in the fourth year of his raign S. Lanfranc then Arch-bishop refused to substitute another in his place alledging that two Bishops must not be in one Citty whereas his See was out of the Citty Therefore instead of a Suffragan Bishop he constituted one of his Clarks Arch-deacon For which he was by many condemned Though in that age generally through the Church those Corepiscopi were suffred to expire because it was found that they took too much upon themselves so as to consecrate Holy Oyles to ordain Preists c. insomuch as for humbling them many Decrees had been made in Councills c. VII CHAP. 1.2 c. Ten thousand baptized by S. Augustin by the
Monastery But afterwards when a Church more magnificent was there built it was translated thither and deposed at the right hand of the Altar with veneration due to so holy a Prelat 3. How great the merit of this Blessed Bishop was saith the same S. Beda God was pleased to shew by severall Miracles It will suffise to relate onely two of them in this place A certain Preist named Vtta a man highly esteemed even by Princes for his gravity and integrity was sent into Kent to conduct from thence Eanfleda the daughter of King Edwin to be wife to King Osâ—in This Preist went thither by land but intended to return by Sea with the Virgin Before hâ—â— iourney he went to the Holy Bishop Aidan desiring his prayers for a safe iourney to himself and company The Bishop gave him his benediction and withall delivered to him some Oyle which had been sanctified saying I know that when you shall be at Sea a contrary wind and tempest will come on you but remember that when you are in danger you cast this Oyle into the Sea aend thâ— tempest will pâ—esently cease and your return will be prosperous All which particulars succeeded in order exactly as the Holy Bishop had foretold Thus the Man of God both foretold the Tempest by the Spirit of Prophecy and by the power of the same spirit though corporally absent he calmed the Tempest when it was risen The account of this Miracle I received not from a relatour of doubtfull credit but a Preist of our Church of great integrity called Cynimund who protested that it was told him by Vtta himself the Preist to whom and by whom it befell 4. The Second Miracle was that when King Penda entred with an Army into those parts and was determined to sett on fire the Royal Citty which took its name from Queen Ebba for which purpose he encompassed it with heaps of wood and other combustible matter to which fire was applied S. Aidan being then retired into his Isle of Farne about two miles distant from that Citty and seeing the fire smoke ascending up-wards he lifted up his eyes full of tears to heaven and said Behold o Lord how great mischeif Penda does to thy people Assoon as he had said those words the wind immediatly turned the flames upon those who had kindled them So that the enemies forbore to impugn the Citty which they saw was defended from heaven 5. Now though S Aidan and his White Monks did erroneously swerve from the generall practise of the Church in the Observation of Easter yet saith Baronius far be it from us to reckon among the Quartodeciman Hereticks such a man who by an Apostolick Spirit and power converted that Nation to the Faith How their practise differed from that of those Hereticks we have already declared out of S. Beda His Memory is celebrated in the Roman Martyrologe on the one and thirtieth of August where this elogium is given of him In England on the said day is the commemoration of S. Aidan Bishop of Lindesfarn whose soule S. Cuthbert then a keeper of sheep seing caried up to heaven he left his sheep and became a Monk XVI CHAP. 1.2 c. Saint Cuthbert a child sees Saint Aidans soule caried into heaven whereupon he quitts the world and retires into the Monastery of Mailros 1. THAT which the Roman Martyrologe wraps up in a few words touching the occasion of S. Cuthberts undertaking a Monasticall Profession S. Beda more at large sets down in his Book of the Life of that Saint which for the reverence due both to him and S. Aidan we will hâ—â—e transcribe And shall hereafter have â—â—equent occasion to write more of his Sanctity the rudiments whereof now began 2. When the Divine Grace which governs the lives of Gods servants was pleased that the devout young man Cuthbert by undergoing a more austere Profession should obtain a higher reward of Glory he was then employed in the guard of sheep committed to his care in the remote mountains One night it hapned that whilst he was watching in prayer his companions then being asleep he saw on a sudden a light from heaven so bright that it dispelled all the darknes and therein he saw great multitudes of Angels descending to the earth and presently after return to heaven carying with them a soule of a marvellous brightnes This sight caused great compunction in the devout youth and an earnest desire to undertake a spiritual Life that thereby he might be partaker of eternall felicity among Gods Saints And presently giving thanks and praises to God for this favour he also wakened his companions inciting them with brotherly exhortations to ioyn with him in praising God Alas poor wretches said he we are wholly given up to sleep and idlenes and are unworthy to see the light of Christs ServaÌ„ts who are always watchfull in his Praises Behold I whilst I was even now praying saw the great wonders of God the Gate of Heaven was opened and the soule of some holy person was conducted by Angels into the glory of heavenly Mansions where it will for ever blessedly behold our Lord whilst we remain negligent in this darknes below Surely this was either a Holy Bishop or some other perfect Christian whom I saw with such resplendent brightnes and such Quires of Angels caried up to heaven These words of S. Cuthbert did not a little inflame the hearts of the other Shephards to praise God 3. The next day he was informed that S. Aidan Bishop of the Church of Lindesfarn a man of admirable piety dyed that very houre in which he had seen his soule mounting to heaven Whereupon he presently resigned up the sheep which he had fed to their owner and resolved without delay to goe to a Monastery 4. S. Cuthbert now meditating seriously on his entrance into a new and more stricks life the Divine Grace was present to him confirming his mind in that good purpose and moreover by manifest signs shewed that to those who seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousnes all things necessary for bodily subsistence shall be administred For on a certain day as he was iourneying alone about the third hower he turned aside into a certain village which he saw a good distance from him and entred into the house of a certain Matron being desirous to repose there awhile and to gett food not for himself but his horse The woman received him kindly and earnestly desired that she might make some thing ready for his refection But the devout young man refused telling her that he could not eat because it was a day of Fast. For it was indeed Friday on which most faithfull Christians out of reverence to our Lords Passion doe prolong their fasting till three of the clock after noon She notwithstanding being devoutly addicted to hospitality persisted in her desire and told him that all the rest of his iourney he would find neither village nor
hundred and fourteen days besides the Canonicall howers he recited the whole Psalter twice a day and this when he was so sick that he could not tide on horse-back but was forced to be caried in a Litter every day except that on which he passed the Sea and three days before his death he sung Masse and offred the Saving Sacrifice to God 16 He dyed on the five and twentieth day of September in the year after our Lords Incarnation seaven hundred and sixteen upon a Friday after three of the clock in the after noon in the feilds of the foresaid Citty of Langres and was buried the day following in the Monastery of the three Twin-Martyrs about a mile distant from the Citty toward the south there being present no small army partly of English who attended him as likewise inhabitants of the Monastery and Citty adioyning all which with loud voyces sung Psalmes at his enterrment Thus far writes S. Beda 7. It seems his body did not remain at Langres for in the Supplement of the Gallican Martyrologe on the six and twentieth of November we read celebrated the Translution of Saint Ceolfrid an English Abbot who at his return from his pilgrimage to Rome dyed at Langres in France and was buried in the Church of the three twinn Martyrs Afterward his countrey-men demanding his Sacred Body which had been glorified by many Miracles it was with great veneration caried back to his own Monastery The day of his deposition is celebrated in our Martyrologe on the five and twentieth of September II. CHAP. 1.2 c. The death Buriall and Miracles of S. Swibert 1. THE same year as hath been sayd Saint Swibert the glorious Apostle of the Germans and Frisons ended his mortality This was the third year after he had visited Prince Pipin and was returned to Werda saith Marcellin At last Almighty God who is himself the great reward of his faithfull servants and who by a temporall death of the flesh translates the living Stones of his Church from earth to his heavenly building was pleased to call the valiant Champion of his Faith Saint Swibert to receive his Crown in his eternall kingdom Therefore in the said year Saints Swibert replenished with all Divine Graces and inflamed with a cordiall desire to See God after he had celebrated the Divine Mysteries on the Feast of Saint Peters Chair in his Monastery a languishing sicknes took him so that he was forced to confine himself to his bed 2. And when he saw that his disease every moment grew more violent he called all his Brethren and Disciples togeâ—her to the number of twenty and in the first place admonished them to follow our Lords foot-steps and to be carefull to preserve peace and charity with one another and with all of the house-hold of Faith Likewise that with all care they should observe the Instituts of Regular Disciplin which he had taught them by Word and example Then he told them expressly that the day of his death was at hand whereupon they all began to weep bitterly But the Holy Bishop said to them My beloved Brethren doe not weep but rather reioyce in my behalf for now I shall receive the recompence of all my labours Extend your charity to mee at this time of my retiring out of the world and protect mee with your prayers After he had said this he much reioycing in our Lord exhorted them to a contempt of this present world and an earnest desire of heavenly rewards again putt them in mind by their watchings prayers and good works to prevent the hour of his death which was uncertain And having added other words to this effect and bestowed his Benediction on them by his command they went out to the Church with great sadnes 3. But he retained with him the Superiour of his Monastery Saint â—iâ—eic with whom he ioynd in most devout Prayer to God and meditation of Divine things And when the day of his departure and repose was come of which he had before been informed by an Angel causing his foresaid Brethren to be once more assembled he commanded that Masse should solemnly be celebrated in his presence Then arming himself with the Communion of our Lords Body and making the sign of the Crosse on all that stood about him he quietly slept in death and his blessed soule was caried by Quires of Angels to the eternall happy Society of the Saints And immediatly his face became of a shining brightnes his Cell likewise yeilded an odoriferous fragrancy which wonderfully refreshed all that were present Thus this most Holy Prelat Saint Swibert Bishop of Werda happily dyed in the sixty ninth year of his age on a friday being the first day of March on which day the Church every where celebrates his Memory 4. In the same hower that he dyed his soule with great glory and ioy appeared to Saint Willebrord his beloved companion Bishop of Vtrecht then in his way returning from Epternac to Verona requesting and admonishing him that he would be present at his Funeralls in Werda and commend his body to the Sepulcher This being declared to us by Saint Willebrord with much greif he presently took boat and made great hast to Werda There was then present with him his illustrious Spirituall daughter the Duchesse Plectrudis with certain Prelats who blessed God for the merits of his holy Confessour Saint Swibert All these the day following being Saturday as they were according to custom singing the Vigile of the Dead a young man was brought among them who had been made blind by lightning and with his clamours interrupting the Psalmody and calling to the Saint to have his sight restored assoon as he had touched the Coffin he immediatly recovered his sight to the astonishment of all Besides another who was raging mad being brought in and kissing the cover of the same Coffin was presently restored to his senses A third also who was possessed by the Devill by the same means was perfectly freed from the Wicked Spirit 5 At last on Sunday after all the solemnity of the funerals had been devoutly fullfilld the Sacred Body with hymns and Lauds was reverently committed to the ground by Saint Willebrord Arch-bishop of Vtrecht Saint Willeic a Preist the glorious Princesse Pâ—ectrudâ— Duchesse of the Austrasians and many others his Brethren and Disciples 6. And I Marcellin Preist who have written this History and had been formerly a Disciple and companion of the Holy Bishop S. Swibert I was also present at the Buriall with Saint Willebrord after which at the earnest request of my dear Brethren Willeic Gerard Theodoric and others we remained with them in the Monastery of Werda fifteen dayes for their consolation I will therefore here relate among many some few testimonies of Miracles which I saw with mine own eyes and many other with mee so that it not only deservedly may but ought to be beleived that the said Holy Bishop is great in
One William Basing likewise is sayd to have built a Church consecrated to S. Helena at London XVII CHAP. 1.2 Constantins zeale against Paganism and Heresy 3. c. He is seduced by his Sister to favour Arius c. but repents 5.6 He adorns his New Citty Constantinople 7.8 Miracles by the Holy Crosse. 9. Other acts of Constantins piety 1. AFter S. Helena's death Constantin returned into the East where he express'd his zeale against Pagan Idolatry For Eunapius a Pagan writer complains Through the whole world the most celebrated Temples were overthrown by Constantin He made severe Lawes against Heathenish Sacrifices mention'd in Theodosius his Code 2. Neither was he wanting to establish the Churches Peace and Vnity by publishing rigorous Edicts against Hereticks Novatians Valentinians Marcionists Paulians Montanists c. forbidding all Assemblies among them both publick and private and withall exhorting them to return to the Communion of the Catholick Church that so they might be rendred partakers of its Sanctity and so attain to Truth Thus writes Eusebius adding that hereupon many of them did acknowledge their errours and at last joyn'd themselfves to the Churches Communion 3. Notwithstanding being seduced by the Craft of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia the Pillar of the Arian faction he began a persecution against S. Athanasius then Bishop of Alexandria This Eusebius had cunningly insinuated himself into the affections of Constantiae the Emperours Sister by whom at her death he was recommended to Constantin in whose mind a scruple likewise was injected by certain speeches of hers threatning a severe punishment to him after death for his severity against so many innocents so she called the Arians Wherupon he commanded that Arius himself should return and be received at Alexandria For which purpose he wrote threatning letters to S. Athanasius that he should be deposed in case he refused him Notwithstanding being inform'd by Athanasius that Arius did not repent of his Heresy but was still a profess'd Enemy of the Councill of Nicaea Constātin desisted from urging his reception 4. Afterward the Meletians accused Saint Athanasius of many crimes but Constantin upon examination finding his innocence quickly absolved and dimiss'd him Yea moreover the pious Emperour turn'd his anger against him who was the cheif Architect of all machinations against S. Athanasius to witt Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia as appears by his letters written to the people of that Citty and recited by Theodoret in which he complains how himself had been deluded by his forgeries and lyes And on that occasion he proceeds to pronounce Sentence against the whole faction of the Arians banishing Eusebius and severall other Bishops from their Sees 5. But the year following by occasion of the inauguration of his New Citty Constantinople among other Examples of his Clemency he restored them Nicephorus writes that the Citty was consecrated to our Lord and his immaculate Mother with offring the unbloody Sacrifice and prayers Adding that Constantins Statue was erected in a publick place upon a pillar of Porphyry having in his right hand a golden Apple on which was placed the Holy Crosse with this Inscription To thee O Christ our God I commend this Citty 6. Eusebius describing the Magnificence of Constantin in adorning this Citty with many Churches consecrated to the Holy Martyrs saith The Emperour intending to illustrate after an extraordinary manner the Citty called by his own name adorn'd it with many magnificent Churches partly in the Suburbs and partly in the Citty it self by which he both celebrated the Memories of the Holy Martyrs and consecrated the Citty it self to the God of Martyrs The principall of those Martyrs are recorded to have been S. Mocius S. Agathonicus S. Mennas and S. Acacius 7. Sozomen likewise an eye witnes especially celebrats a Church built in a place formerly dedicated to Vesta which was afterward named Michaelium from an apparition of that Holy Archangell In which many Miracles had been wrought by vertue of the Holy Crosse there erected of which vertue the Authour acknowledges that himself had been partaker Among which one speciall Miracle must not be omitted which he relates after this manner 8. I have been informed saith he that a Soldier of the Emperours Guards called Probianus being afflicted with greivous torments in his feet not only received ease in that place but was also honoured with a wonderfull divine vision For he having been formerly a Pagan and converted to Christianity though he were satisfied of the truth of all other instituts of our Religion yet he would never be perswaded that the Holy Crosse could be the cause of mankinds salvation Being thus affected there was offred to him a Divine Vision which set before his eyes the Image of the Crosse which usually was sett on the Altar of that Church and the same Vision declared to him manifestly that whatsoever thngs had been performed either by Angells or Holy men for the publick or privat proffit of men since the time that Christ was crucified were not rightly performed but by the vertue of the saving Crosse. 9. Besides these sacred Ornaments Constantin added much wealth to endow the holy Churches built by him He likewise caused a world of Copies of the Holy Scriptures to be curiously written in parchments richly adorned which he dispersed through severall Churches in the Citty He gave likewise great priviledges to Physicions Grammarians and Professours of other Arts by which means learning much flourish'd there In a word he endeavour'd to make it equall in all respects to Old Rome placing there a Senat with the same honours and authority into which many Christians were elected as Baronius declareth XVIII CHAP. 1.2 S. Athanasius persecuted by Arians 3.4.5 He is banish'd into the west for his safety 6.7 Arius conven'd before Constantin 8.9 c. His fearfull death 10. Pope Iulius 1. BVT the restlesse malice of the Arians against S. Athanasius the principall defender of the Faith declared by the Nicene Councill urged them to invent and forge new accusations against him of breaking a Chalice of murdering a man and using enchantments with his dead hand of committing adultery by violence c. With these crimes they charged him before the Emperour importuning him that he might be condemned and deposed 2. Hereupon a Synod of Bishops being assembled at Tyre Athanasius his cause was there examined and though in all particulars his innocence was evidently declared ye◠he was condemned by them Which manifest injustice astonish'd Constantin as appears by a Letter of his recorded by Saint Athanasius in his Apology 3. Notwithstanding these impious Bishps after they had consecrated at Ierusalem a magnificent Church built by Constantin repairing to Constantinople there renew'd their accusations and probably by the favour of the Emperours Son Constantius infected with their Heresy did so beseige Constantins eares that S. Athanasius could scarce gett accesse to prove his
his aid the barbarous warlick Saxons prostituted it to their rapines and tyranny This Character we read of him in Malmsburiensis At that time Vortigern was King of Brittany a man voyd both of courage and counsell yea addicted wholly to carnall pleasure and the slave of almost all vices particularly of avarice pride and luxury He as we read in the Gests of the Brittains solicited and with the hope of making her a Queen deflourd his own daughter and of her gott a Son Who notwithstanding his incestous birth was by a miracle of Divine Grace a Saint his name being S. Faustus 3. His wife was a Lady equall to him in blood but most unlike in disposition By her he had three Sons Vortimer Catigern and Pascentius Whilst she lived he governed his Principality with moderation but after her death he loosed the rains to all vices For which having been reproved by S. Germanus and upon his impenitence in a Synod excommunicated he revenged himself by inflicting the fore mentioned iniuries and calumnies upon the Holy Bishop But in the end was severely punish'd by fire from heaven 4. Before his Election to the Vniversall Government of Brittany he was Prince of the Danmonij or as others write Consul of the Gevisses inhabitants of the South-western parts about Cornwall or South-wales Which Principality it seems he had governed well enough to be esteemd not unworthy to be preferr'd above his formerly fellow Princes though indeed that age the men of which Gildas calls atramentum aetatis the inke of their age afforded it seems so little choice that a Prince not absolutly vicious deserved reputation However this unworthy King is recorded a restorer of the Citty of Oxford We will awhile suspend a relation of the Gests of this unhappy King to the end we may interpose some affairs touching the Churches of Brittany at this time occurring XIV CHAP. 1.2 c S. Dubricius ordained Bishop of Landaff by S. Germanus The place of his Birth c. 1. AMong the actions beneficiall to Brittany done by Saint Germanus the election and consecration of Saint Dubricius to the Bishoprick of Landaff was deservedly reckoned This Dubricius say the Centuriatours of Magdeburg sirnamed Gainius Vagiensis from the place where he was born was peradventure the Son of a Monk by Euedila a Noble Virgin and grew afterward famous among tâ—e English Thus write they without all authority from antiquity desirous to faign one Example at least to be a president for their Master Luthers incest 2. But from more authentick Testimonieâ— it appears that Saint Dubricius was by nation a Brittain born in the Province of the Dimeta or West Wales he was sirnamed Gainius from the River which runs by the place where he was born His Fathers name is not mentioned among Authours his Mother was Euedila a woman of a clear fame for her vertues Thus write Bale Picts Powel and the Authour of his life in Capgrave 3. It is there moreover related how being a child care was taken to imbue his mind with litterature And having attained a few years more he made such proficiency in learning that not the ignorant only but such also as had acquired a good degree in knowledge repaired to him to encrease their skill among whom were Saint Theliaus Saint Sampson Saint Aidanus and others In the soile of his Nativity neer the River Vaga from whence he was called Vagiensis he chose a fitt seat for his own and his Disciples studies and there he spent many years in the charitable employment of communicating his learning to others Afterward having by command of an Angel built a Church there he preached and taught the people wholesom Christian Doctrin Moreover by imposing his hands he often cured many infirmities insomuch as those which came to him sad and unsound returned joyfull and in health And therefore he was qualified fitt to be advanced by S. Germanus to the Degree of a Bishop 4. The period of his life is uncertain Yet certain it is that he lived to a very old age for many years after this he was transferr'd by Aurelius Ambrosius then raigning to the Arch-Bishoprick of Caër-Leon in the Province of Monmouth So that he will once more occurre in our History As for his Disciples Saint Theliaus Saint Iâ—tutus c. eminent Saints and Doctours which therefore could not likewise escape the calumnious pens of the Lutheran Centuriators we shall treat of them in the following age 5. But here we must not omitt what a learned French writer Andrew Saussay in his French Martyrologe relates of another famous Disciple of Saint Germanus named Saint Briocus a Brittain who was afterward Bishop in Armorica or lesser Brittany so illustrious for his Sanctity that the See of his Bishoprick is to this day from his name called S. Brieu a suffragan Bishoprick to Tours 6. Saint Briocus saith he was by countrey an Englishman he should have said a Brittain of the Province of Corticia descended of a Noble Stock He was by Saint Germanus of Auxeâ—â—e preaching the Orthodoxe Faith there brought out of Brittany into Gaule and here by him instructed happily in the Discipline of Piety After he had enriched his mind with saving Doctrins he returned into his Native countrey and there informed his parents in the true Faith which he likewise preached with great successe in the countrey about After this being desirous to employ our Lords Talent yet more copiously he came over into Armorica where having shed the beams of Evangelicall Light on the minds of his kinsman Conanus Count of Triguâ—er Trecorensem he afterward cleansed him with the Laver of Baptism Then assembling severall devout persons aspiring to the perfection of a Religious life he built a Monastery and there by the liberality of the said Count he layd the foundations of an Episcopall See and being consecrated Bishop by the Archbishop of Tours Metropolitan of that countrey he with an admirable splendour of vertue ad piety governed the said Diocese the space of thirty years Afterward making a journey to Angiers to furnish himself with Ecclesiasticall ornaments he there breathed forth his spotlesse soule From thence his Body was caried back and with great honour buried in the Church which himself had built where frequent miracles were wrought at his Relicks Thus as he gave his name to the Monastery Town and Mother-Church of that Diocese so he likewise afforded continuall protection to them 7. Certain Irish Historians would challenge S. Briocus to their countrey as having been born in the Territory of Cork But his having been a Disciple of Saint Germanus who had nothing to doe with Ireland proves him a Brittain And whereas Bishop Vther conjectures that the Master of Saint Briocus might have been another Saint Germanus Bishop of Paris who lived in the following age His living with Conanus and relation of kinred to him demonstrate him both a Brittain and more ancient then the
calld Genorium 7. But the three Provinces with which Vortigern redeem'd his life are thus better sett down by Mamlsburiensis Of old time saith he the Eastern and Southern Saxons and the Eastern Angli were subjects to the King of Kent For those Provinces Hengist who first raign'd in Kent obtain'd of Vortigern King of the Brittains not by open warr but treachery These Provinces contain Essex Sussex Surrey Norfolk and Suffâ—lk inhabited by the people which in the Romans time were calld Trinobantes Regni and Iceni VIII CHAP. 1.2 c. The Birth of the glorious Saint David His Child-hood c Prophecies of his Sanctity by S. Patrick and Gildas Badonicus 1. THE same year in which Brittany was thus dismembred God recompenced that losse to the Brittish Church by the Birth of Saint David afterward Bishop of Menevia one of the greatest lights that ever that Church enjoyed both in regard of the Sanctity of his life the vigour of his authority and zeale in repressing Heresy and exalting Ecclesiasticall Discipline 2. His nativity was attended and prevented by severall wonders denoting the eminency of his future Sanctity For Saint Patrick a little before his going into Ireland being in the Province of the Dimetae or North-West wales in a valley calld Rosina meditating on his Mission thither had a revelation by an Angell that after thirty yers a child should be born in that countrey which should give a great luster thereto To which Prophecy regard was had in this Collect of the ancient Church of Sarum repeated anniversarily on S. Davids Feast O God who by an Angell didst foretell the Nativity of thy Blessed Confessour Saint David thirty years before he was born Grant unto us wee beseech thee that celebrating his Memory we may by his intercession attain to ioyes everlasting 3. The manner of his Birth is thus consequently related by the Authour of his Life in Capgrave Thirty years being finish'd after the foresaid prediction saith he the King of the region call'd Ceretica travelling to Demetia mett by the way a Religious Virgin nam'd Nonnita of great beauty which he lusting after by violence deflour'd her Hereby she conceiv'd a Son and neither before nor after ever had knowledge of any man but persevering in chastity both of mind and body and sustaining her self only with bread and water from the time of her Conception she lead a most holy life The King who was father to S. David is by our ancient Writers call'd Xanthus and his Mother Nonnita is by some named Melaria 4. The eminent sanctity of this holy Child the fruit of his holy Mothers fasting chastity and prayer was by a new divine Oracle a little before his birth foretold For when Gildas Albanius was from the pulpit teaching a great congregation on a sudden he became dumb and unable to speak But afterward broke forth into these words related by Caradoc of Lancarvan A holy woman call'd Nonnita now present in this Church is great with Child and shall shortly be brought in bed of a Son full replenish'd with Grace It was with regard to him that I was hindred from speaking by a divine Power restraining my tongue This child shall be of so eminent sanctity that name in these our parts shall be comparable to him I will surrender this Region to him who will from his infancy by degrees encrease in Sanctity and Grace An Angell Gods messager hath reveald this to mee 5. He was baptis'd saith Pits from Giraldus Cambrensis by Relveus Bishop of Menevia in a place calld â—ortcleis Which Bishop by Divine Providence arriv'd there the same hower And during his childhood he was educated in a place calld the Old Bush by the Cambrians Henmenen and by the Latins Menevia He grew every day more replenish'd with Grace and being of a perspicacious witt he made progresse in the study of learning far beyond all other children of his age This is that S. David afterwards the most Holy Bishop of Menevia calld from him S. Davids for his learning Sanctity and miracles so celebrated in all future ages by the Brittish Churches His admirable Gests shall in their due place be declared hereafter 6. But wheras in this forecited passage out of Giraldus Cambrensis he is sayd to have been baptised by an Irish Bishop calld Relveus Bishop of Menevia it is certain there is an errour in the Copy For S. David himself was the first Bishop of Menevia to which place he translated the Bishoprick of Caërleon Therfore instead of Relveus Menevensium Episcopus it is not to be doubted but the Authour wrote Albeus Mumonensium Episcopus and this is that S. Albeus Bishop of Munster or Cassel in Ireland of whose Gests wee treated in the foregoing Book of this History concerning whom we related from Bishop Vsher that he went to Rome and there was instructed in the knowledge of Holy Scriptures by S. Hilary the famous Bishop of Poictiers 7. As touching Gildas Albanius mentioned in this Chapter who in a Sermon foretold the Sanctity of S. David a little before his birth and who was a holy person distinct from the well known Historian Gildas sirnamed Badonicus who liv'd likewise in this same age though younger then the other Of both these we shall hereafter treat in their due Season IX CHAP. 1.2 Vortigern fortifies himself in Wales 3.4 c. Aur. Ambrosius sent for to be Generall 7. His terrible battell against Hengist 1. WHilst Vortigern lurk'd ingloriouslly among the steep innaccessible Mountains of the countrey now calld Cambria and Walliae busy in building a Castle for his greater security the middle Provinces of Brittany being left without any Defender were expos'd to the fury of the Saxons 2. The Castle built by Vortigern was call'd Genorium and afterward Caer-Guortigern It is plac'd saith Camden in a Vast solitude fearfull for the horrour of mountains and narrow turnings of the passages to it To that place Vortigern the plague of his countrey withdrew himself to seek a refuge for his own person And there saith Richard White he spent his time in consulting Sooth-sayers and especially the Magician Merlin 3. Hereupon the Brittains being deserted by their King were compell'd to seek one abroad And therefore saith Mathew of Westminster they directed messengers into lesser Britanny beyond sea to Aurelius Ambrosius and his Brother Vter-pendragon who for feare of Vortigern were retir'd thither beseeching them with all speed to quitt that countrey and repair into their own to the end that expelling both the Saxons and their hated King Vortigern they might receive the crown of Brittany They therefore being now of ripe age prosecuted their journey attended with ships and armed soldiers 4. Concerning this Ambrosius sometimes call'd Aurelius sometimes Aurelianus and his extraction Gildaâ— and from him S. Beda speak breifly and in generall terms that he was a modest prince and who alone of the Roman race had remained alive
in his solitary retreat at Glastenbury as already hath been declared before the proper time because wee would not too distractedly sett down the Gests of that glorious Apostolicall Saint Concerning whom thus wee read in the antiquities of Glastenbury In these days after the death of Vorâ—igern Aurelius Ambrosius raigned â—ver the Brittains And the Saxons grew strong multiplying exceedingly Then it was that S. Patrick the Apostle of Ireland and first Abbot in the Isle Avallonia after he had sufficiently instructed the foresaid Brethren in Regular Disciplines and competently enrich'd that Monastery with possessions procured from Kings and Princes at last yeilded to nature in the thirty ninth year after his return to the said Island And was buried in the Old Church on the right hand of the Altar by direction of an Angell a great flame likewise in the sight of all breaking forth in the same place 7. The Irish Writers eagerly contend against this and other Brittish testimonies concerning S. Patrick's being buried in Brittany confidently affirming that his Body reposes in the Church of Downpatrick in Ireland Whose assertion likewise seems to be confirm'd by S. Bernard who in the life of S. Malachias a Holy Irish Bishop writes that S. Patricks body rests in the See of Armagh accompanied with those of S. Colombanus and S. Brigide But this controversy may be commodiously enough composed as many of the like nature have been by replying that some considerable Relicks of his Sacred Body have been requested by the Irish from the Brittains and deposited at Down Which Relicks have after by mistake been reputed his entire Body a world of examples of the like errour being exstant in Ecclesiasticall History XI CHAP. 1. Hengists victory 2.3 c. Ella a Saxon invades Sussex where he erects the Kingdom of the South-saxons 6.7 c. King Ambrosius marches Northward against Hengist His pious vow and Victory 10 11. c. Hengist a Prisoner sentenced to death by the cruell sentence of a Bishop 13. Hengists son Aesca succeeds in the Kingdom of Kent 1. AFter some years cessation or at least sleight incursions occasionally exercis'd between the Brittains and Saxons in the year four hundred seaventy three Hengist obtain'd an important Victory against the Brittains for thus we read in Ethelwerd a Noble Saxon Writer The space of eight years being compleat after the Battell at Wippedflet Hengist together with his son Esca took up arms against the Brittains once more whose army they discomfited and caried away immense spoyles This Victory is not expressly mention'd by any other Historians but may be conceiv'd to be in generall words intended by Gildas and S. Beda in this expression From that time sometimes the Brittains and sometimes their Enemies had the Victory till the year wherin the Mountain of Bath Mons Badonicus was beseig'd which was ten years after this combat 2. In the year of Christ four hundred seaventy seaven Hengist perceiving that with his present forces he could make no progres against so valiant a Captain as Ambrosius nor yet maintain the Provinces lately given him by Vortigern for his redemption sent for new and greater supplies out of Germany Whereupon a famous Saxon captain calld Ella with his three sons Cymen Pleting and Cissa attended with a numerous army and strong fleet took sea and by Hengists directions bended their course to the Southern shore of Sussex 3. The order and successe of this expedition is thus describ'd by Henry of Huntingdon The great Saxon Commander Elle with his Sons and navy furnish'd with a strong and well orderd army landed in Brittany at a place call'd Cymen-shore from the name of Ella's eldest Son And while the Saxons were landing from their ships the Brittains rais'd a loud crye at which a world of people repaired to them from the places adiacent And streight a combat began The Saxons men of high stature and courage receiv'd them politickly and the Brittains most imprudently sett upon their enemies for coming in loose companies one after another they were easily slain by the Saxons who kep'd themselves together in close bodies Thus the Brittains which still came in to ayd their countreymen were suddenly discouraged by the noyse they heard of the defeat of the former They were all therefore putt to flight as far as the next wood called Andredesbeige And the Saxons possess'd themselves of the coasts of Sussex lying toward the Sea every day by little and little enlarging their limits till the ninth year after their coming 4. In which ninth year whilst Ella and his sons boldly entred further into the countrey The Princes and Nobles of the Brittains mett in arms together at a place call'd Mercredeburn and fought against the Saxons The Victory was doubtfull for on both sides the Armies were much empaired and broken So that each of them retired back to their own quarters 5. Mathew of Westminster addes that Ella with his Sons were forced to forsake the feild So that perceiving that he had not strength enough to make good his present conquests much lesse to enlarge them he sent into Germany for new supplies till the coming of which he lay still upon the defensive But after their arrivall he courageously continued his progresse in gaining more territories till he establish'd a new Kingdom of the South-Saxons in those parts 6. Whilst King Ambrosius employ'd his forces to represse the Saxons in these Southern regions Hengist having well fortified his Kindom of Kent took a journey into the Northern Provinces where joyning himself with the Picts and Scots he took many Citties and towns before the Brittains could oppose him and for the security of his new Conquests he built many Castles and strong holds and wheresoever he came he demolish'd all Churches Of which King Ambrosius being informed he with great courage as in Gods cause march'd after him And saith Richard white whilst he passed on his journey beholding the towns layd wast the lamentable ruines of Churches and miseries of the poore people he could not refrain weeping Whereupon by Vow he promised Almighty God that if he would grant him the Victory over the impious Saxons he would restore and rebuild all the Churches destroyed 7. How his pious Vow was approved by God the successe demonstrates thus related by Mathew of Westminster In the year of Grace four hundred eighty seaven Aurelius Ambrosius having gathered a great Army of Brittains resolved to provoke the Saxons to a combat Marching therefore with his army to the North he found Hengist with his forces beyond Humber Who being inform'd of his approaching boldly went to meet him with an intention to sett upon his army unawares in a feild call'd Maisbely through which Ambrosius was to passe whom he hoped to find unprovided But the Brittish King had notice of his design which hindred him to march to the same feild At last the two Armies meeting in good military order
Arch-bishop of Bourdeaux and Metropolitan of that Citty who there accommodated him with a convenient habitation for serving God For the Holy Arch-bishop Leontius bore a most tender affection to him admiring and reverencing the Divine Graces which he observ'd in him whom he esteemd as sent from heaven to assist him in his Pastorall charge For which reason in all Visitations of his Diocese and Province he took him for his companion earnestly beseeching him to be his assistant by his wholesom counsells by his Prayers acceptable to God and by the examples of his holy Life 9. Moreover this Man of God although so disgracefully and uniustly exild was not unmindfull of his flock but forgetting all iniuries he dayly invok'd our Lords clemency for the conversion of that stubborn people The Divine Majesty aâ— last condescended to his Prayers and by an Angel acquainted him that his flock was now penitent and earnestly desir'd the return and favour of their Pastor and that it was Gods will that he should repair to them and restore to health that Region which was greivously afflicted with the scourges of Divine severity that he should restore plenty to the barren earth and bestow his benediction on the inhabitants And lastly having done this that he should again return to Xaintes where he was to be devested of his corruptible flesh that his soule might freely ascend to partake eternall felicity All these things the Holy Bishop perform'd according as God had commanded and when he came back from Brittany S. Leontius receiv'd him with greater ioy and express'd more respectfull Offices and kindnes to him then formerly 10. Shortly after this S. Mahutus or S. Maclovius dyed full of dayes and sanctity and was buried by Leontius in Aquitain And though the inhabitants of Aleth were deprived of the sacred Relicks of their prime Prelat whom they had treated so iniuriously yet the Name of Blessed Maclovius remains never to be blotted out which to this day both adorns and defends that Citty with his glorious protection and celestiall benefits Notwithstanding the Episcopall See does not now remain at Aleth but is remov'd to an Island two miles distant from thence anciently call'd Aaron where a Citty new built is in memory of their Holy Prelat and Patron call'd S. Malo Vrbs Macloviensis 11. To this large relation in the Gallican Martyrologe Iohn of Tinmouth adds That S. Mahutus with his seaven Disciples in devotion visited Rome where he redeemd many Infidell Captives and having instructed them in the true Faith baptis'd them Moreover that after forty years government having been iniustly and violently driven from his See at Aleth he cursed and excommunicated the people and then retired to an Island in Aquitain calld Agenis from whence he repair'd to Leontius a Bishop there Which relation contradicts the Gallican Martyrologe according to which S. Maclovius was so far from cursing his flock that he prayed dayly for it However the Centuriators of Magdeburg charitably remember only his cursing and not his prayers and most unskilfully write that he flourish'd under Leontius Bishop of the Saxons mistaking Saxonum for Santonum and that he curs'd the Brittains his own countreymen from whom he never receiv'd any iniury How long he liv'd appears not but his death is in our Martyrologe assign'd to the year of Grace five hundred sixty four XXX CHAP. 1.2 Of S. Brendan 3. Of S. Doc and S. Canic 1. SAint Brendan the spirituall Father and Instructour of S. Maclovius though by birth no Brittain is not be denied a place in this History Concerning whom we read in B. Vsher that he came out of Ireland to visit the Holy man S. Gildas Albanius in Brittany where he built a Monastery and a Church He was also Superiour in the Monastery of Lancarvan where he baptised S. Maclovius After that he returned into Ireland where he was Abbot of a Monastery call'd Birra and in the year of Grace five hundred seaventy one most happily ended his holy Life Of whose glory and Beatitude revealed to S. Columba the Authour of that Saints life call'd Adamannus thus writes where he introduces S. Columba thus discoursing with his Minister Diormitius Columba Goe and quickly provide all things necessary for celebrating the Holy Eucharist for this is the day of the blessed death of S. Brendanus Diormitius Why doe you command that we should prepare so solemnly for Masse to day since no Messenger from Ireland Scotia has yet brought tidings of the death of that Holy man Columba However goe and faile not to doe as I have commanded for this last night I saw heaven on a sudden opened and quires of Angels descending to meet S. Brendans soule by whose incomparable splendour the whole world was that houre enlightned 2. S. Brendan thus call'd to heaven enjoyd on earth also an eternall Monument of his name and Sanctity for in the Isles of Orkney a town and Church were built and were call'd from his Name The reason of which honour and devotion was because his Sacred body was thither translated The day of his death is celebrated in our Martyrologe on the sixteenth of May and his Translation on the fourteenth of Iune 3. We will here conclude with the Memory of a Holy Brittish Abbot call'd S. Doc who flourish'd in this Age. Of whom the Irish Annals thus write in the life of Saint Canic from whom the Province of Kilkenny took its appellation importing the Church of Canic When S. Canic was grown to an age capable of knowledge he was desirous of instruction and therefore pass'd over the Sea into Brittany to a Religious wise man naimed Doc and under him he studied diligently and was taught both learning and piety This S. Doc was one of the three Holy Brittains from whom the Irish learnd the form and Rites of celebrating Masse as hath already been shewd the other two were S. David and S. Gildas THE TWELTH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAPTER 1.2 c. Constentin succeeds King Arthur His Cruelly Pennance and undertaking a Religious life 1. IT seems the Brittains at the beginning had no such conceit of King Arthurs returning for surely they would have expepected awhile and not immediatly have filled his Throne with a succession of strange Princes The Bards had not yet contrived their fantasticall Stories which could find none in these times to hearken to them 2. Therefore after King Arthurs death Constantin according to his designation succeeded him in the Government of Brittany He was the Son of Cador Duke of Cornwall and kinsman to King Arthur His sufficiency to discharge that employment for the benefit of his countrey was enough approv'd by his glorious Predecessours choice But Almighty God having fix'd a period to the Brittish Monarchy permitted many factions to arise and many pretendants to the Principality the opposing of whom hindred Constantin from advancing the common proffit and safety of the Kingdom 3. Yea
Columba came into Brittany in the ninth year of the raign of Bridius the Son of Meilochon the most powerfull King of the Picts and by his preaching and example converted that Nation to the Faith of Christ. So that for a reward he received the Island of Hy or Iona for the possession of a Monastery The Isle is but small being according to the estimation of the Angli only of five families And his Successours doe hold it to this day where himself was likewise buried being seaventy years old after he had spent about thirty two years from his entrance into Brittany 8. This Holy man before his coming into Brittany had founded a Noble Monastery in Ireland named in that tongue Dear-mach or the feild of Oakes for the abundance of those trees growing there And from these two Monasteries of Hy and Dear-mach many others were propagated in Ireland and Brittany by his Disciples Among all which notwithstanding the Monastery of Hy in which his sacred Body rests doth hold the preeminence and cheif authority Now the said Island is usually governed by an Abbot who is a Preist To whose Iurisdiction the whole Province and even Bishops themselves by a custom no where else practis'd ought to be subiect according to the example of their first Teacher S. Columba who was only a Preist and Monk and not a Bishop Of whose Life and Sayings many strange things are extant in writing compild by his Disciples But what a kind of man soever he was of this we are assur'd that he left behind him Successours famous for their great continence Divine Love and Regular institution Thus writes S. Beda 9. Hector Boetius hath moreover collected from ancient Records the names of S. Columba's twelve Companions in his Voyage and labours calld by Adamannus his Commilitones fellow soldiers There came saith he into Albion with S. Columba twelve men eminently imbued with the Doctrin of Christ but more adorn'd with sanctity Their Names were Baathenus and Cominus who after S. Columba's death were Superiours over Monasteries and no mean ornaments of the Christian Church among the Scotts Also Cibthacus and Ethernan nephews to S. Columba by his Brother and both of them Preists Moreover Domitius Rutius and Fethâ—â— men illustrious for their descent but more for their piety Lastly Scandalaus Eglodeus Totaneus Motefer and Gallan These men when S. Columba pass'd from Ireland â—â—to Brittainy fixing their habitations in the Isle Iona afterward travelled through the Regions of the Scots and Picts and by their labours in teaching disputing and writing imbued both those nations with vertuous manners and true Religion 10. One companion more the Scottish Historians add to S. Columba to wiâ— S. Constantin formerly King of the Brittains who repenting of his crimes sharply censur'd by Gildas became a Monk Concerning whom Iohn Fordâ—n quoted by B. Vsher thus writes ConteÌ„porary to S. Columba was S. Constantin King of Cornwal who leaving his earthly kingdome became soldier to the Heavenly King and with Saint Columba went into Scotland where he preached the Faith to the Scots and Picts He built a Monastery in Govane near the River Cluid which he govern'd as Abbot He converted to the Faith the whole Province of Kentire where he likewise dyed a Martyr and was buried in his Monastery of Govane 11. Hector Boetius names the King of the Picts who bestowd the Isle of Hy or Iona on the Irish Monks Comgall or Conval who saith he was King of Dalrieda and so eminent for his Piety that the fame therof drew S. Columba out of Ireland 12. At the same time not far from S. Columba liv'd S. Kentigern lately returnd to his Bishoprick of Glasco and who no doubt was an efficacious assistant to him in his Apostolicall Office Of the solemne meeting of these two Saints with their Disciples we have already spoken in the Gests of Saint Kentigern 13. That in all Points there was a perfect agreement in Faith not only between S. Kentigern and S. Columba but also between the Disciples of S. Columba and S. Augustin is evident from S. Beda c. Onely in one Rite or Ceremony they differed which was the time of observing Easter Vpon which unconsiderable difference notwithstanding some Modern Protestants doe ground an opinion that the Brittish Churches did receive not only their Sacred Rites but Faith also from the Eastern Churches and not from Rome But how great this mistake is hath in some part already and shall more clearly be demonstrated when we shall treat of the Controversy agitated between S. Augustin the Monk who urged a conformity to the Roman observance and the Brittish Bishops zealous to continue the Errour taught them by the Picts and Scots who had first received it from S. Columba whereas he fell into it not out of any love to Novelty or refractary contention but meerly ignorance of the Paschall Computation 14. Adamannus followd herein by B. Vsher placing the arrivall of S. Columba in Brittany two years sooner then generally our other Historians doe they consequently assign thirty four to have been spent by him here When therfore thirty of those years were past the Holy man out of an impatient desire to be freed from the burthen of mortality earnestly prayd to God to end his pilgrimage After which prayers oft repeated he saw in a vision certain Angels approaching to him as to conduct his soule to heaven Which sight imprinted such ioy in his countenance that his Disciples observ'd it But that ioy presently vanish'd and in its place succeeded great sadnes For he saw those Angels recalld who told him that upon the Petitions of the Pictish Churches c. God haâ— added four years more to his life Thus writes the Authour of his life in Capgrave 15. At last in the year of Grace five hundred ninety seaven the year in which S. Augustin came into Brittany this Holy man dyed most happily and his Sacred Body was buried in his Monastery of Hy from whence notwithstanding it was translated at least a great portion of it into Ireland and repos'd in the Church of Doun-patrick The memory of which translation is celebrated in the Ecclesiasticall Office long ago printed at Paris and in the same Church of Doun according to the testimony of Ranulfus of Chester an Inscription on his Monument signified That in that one Tomb three Saints S. Patrick S. Brigide and S. Columba did repose XIII CHAP. 1.2 King Ethelbert invades the other Saxon Kings by whom he is worsted 3.4 c. His Mariage with Bertha or Aldiberga a Daughter of France who is permitted a free exercise of Christian Religion 9.10 Saying Masse was the generall Devotion of the Church 1. HItherto the Saxon Princes had employ'd their forces onely to the destruction of the Brittains but now finding no resistance from them turnd their arms against one another For saith Ethelwerd three years being expir'd after the coming of S.
Bishop of Caer-leon is sayd to have the principall care of the Welsh Provinces Since by all Histories it is evident that very many years before this the Metropoliticall Iurisdiction had been transferd from that Church to Menevia And moreover neither at the time when this Synod was held nor many years before was there any Bishop at all at Caer-leon 5. But all these discourses either about the Popes or Saint Augustins authority over the Brittains pretended to have pass'd in this Synod are meer fictions invented first by Bale an Apostat and the Centuriatours without any warrant from our Ancient Histories It is true Saint Gregory had invested Saint Augustin with such authority over the Brittains but that he wisely dissembled it at this meeting and onely required a conformity from the Brittish Bishops in the celebration of Easter and administration of Baptism with a request that they would ioyn with him in spreading the Gospell is manifest from Saint Beda from whom alone we can securely be informed of the passages of this present Synod And whose Narration shall here entirely be sett down 6. Augustin saith he began with a brotherly admonition to perswade them to entertain Catholick peace and Vnity with him and for our Lords honour to undertake the common labour of preaching the Gospell to the Pagans He told them likewise that they did not observe the day of EasterÌ„ in its due time but reckoned the Sunday from the fourteenth day of the Moon to the one and twentieth Which Computation is containd in a Circle of eighty four years And many other things beside they did contrary to the Vnity of the Church This was the Substance of Saint Augustins discourse to the Brittains in the first Session of this Synod Here is not a word of the Primacy of the Roman See or the submission of Brittany to it and much lesse to him But what effect these Christian exhortations had on the minds of the Brittains the same holy Writer thus further declares 7. When the Brittains saith he after a long disputation would not be moved to give their assent neither by the exhortations nor increpations of Augustin and his companions but would needs preferre their own Traditions before the consent of all Christian Churches in the world The Holy Father Augustin brought the tedious and laborious Dispute to this conclusion saying Let us beseech our Lord who makes brethren of one mind in the house of his Father that he would vouchsafe by celestiall â—igns to make known unto us which of these Traditions is to be followd and which is the right path leading to his Kingdom Let some sick person be here produced among us and he by whose Prayers he shall be cured Let that mans faith and practise be beleived acceptable to God and to be â—ollowd by men 8. This proposition being at last with much adoe and great unwillingnes accepted by the adverse party a certain English man who was blind was brought before them and was first offred to the Brittish Bishops but by their endeavours and ministery found no cure or help At length Augustin compelled hereto by iust necessity kneeld down and address'd his Prayer to God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he would vouchsafe to restore sight to that blind man and by a corporall illumination of one to kindle the Light of spirituall Grace in the hearts of many beleivers Having said this immediatly the blind man received sight and Augustin was proclam'd by all a true Preacher of celestiall Light Then at last the Brittains confess'd that they now perceived that the way of iustice â—â—ught by Augustin was the true way but without the consent of their countreymen they could not renounâ—e their ancient customes Therfore they requested that a second Synod might be assembled at which greater numbers might meet 9. This is the simple and true Narration of the Gests of this first Session the summ of which is likewise deliverd by Henry of Huntington And here we see the way taught by Saint Augustin confirm'd by a divine Miracle and consequently whatsoever the Brittains taught in contradiction to that way reprov'd from heaven So that it is against God himself that they fight who calumniate the faith deliver'd to the Saxons by him Be it granted therefore to our Protestant Writers that in this Synod Saint Augustin requir'd obedience to the Roman See from the Brittains and to himself sent from thence they must then be compelld to ioyn with the Brittains in acknowledging that the way of iustice taught by him was the true way 10. The principall if not as Huntington implies the only point about which such earnest contestations pass'd in this Synod was the celebration of Easter or the Paschall solemnity This Feast as observed by the Iews was to be celebrated exactly on the fourteenth day of the first Moon after the Vernal Equinox on what day of the week soever it fell and it was instituted in memory of the deliverance of the Iews by means of sprinkling the blood of the Paschall lamb on the posts of their dores in the night wherein the first born of every family among the Egyptians was slain by an Angell Now that Sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb only typifying the offring of Christ our true Pasch the Christian Church from the Apostles times in memory of Christs deliverance from death after he had offred himself instituted this Christian Pasch almost at the same time with the Iewes But to distinguish it from the shadow of a Iewish observation they ordain'd that it should be solemnised only on a Sunday yet not that on which the fourteenth day of the Moon fell but the Sunday following and therefore counted always from the fifteenth day to the two and twentieth excluding the the day of the Iewish Pasch. 11. The Errour therefore of the Brittains consisted not as generally Protestant Writers conceive in conforming to the Asiatick manner of the Quarto-decimani who kept their Easter always the same day with the Iewes whether it were Sunday or not But they made their computation from the fourteenth of the Moon to the one and twentieth as Saint Beda properly expresses their errour by which means it came to passe that if the fourteenth of the Moon proved to be a Sunday the Iews and Brittains once in seaven years would observe their Paschall Solemnity together which was contrary to the universall practise of the Church and utterly forbidden by the first Generall Councill of Nicéa This difference is observed by Bishop Vsher alone of all Protestants who therefore never charges the Brittains with the Asiatick Errour XIX CHAP. 1. 2. The Second Session of the Synod 3.4 c. The Brittish Bishops consult an Anchoret His answer and the Successe 6. What S. Augustin required of them Not subjection 7.8 The Brittains erroneous about Baptism and how 9. Saint Augustins Prophecy against them 1. SVCH having been the Successe of the first Session of this Synod
the same Saint Beda proceeds in the Narration of what befell at their Second meeting not long after saying The Brittains requested that the Synod might meet a second time when a greater number might be present Which being appointed there came as the report is seaven Brittish Bishops and besides them many other very learned men especially from that most Noble Monastery of theirs which in the English tongue is called Bancornabury the Abbot whereof at that time is sayd to have been named Dinooth 2. Whether there were seaven Brittish Bishops or no we see Saint Beda writes doubtingly on uncertain report But none of our ancient Historians pretend to give the names of their Seeâ— Onely Bale a Modern Apostaâ— as confidently names them as if he had been present at the Synod These were saith he the Bishops of Hereford Landaff Saint Paterâ—s Bangor Cluy or Elâ—y Wâ—rcester and Glamorgan But Henry of Huntingdon could only name three Sees at this time in Wales Saint Davids or Menevia Bancor or Elwy and Landaff under which is comprised Glamorgan In this Synod no mention is made of the Arch-bishop of Menevia saith Sir Henry Spelman And probably he therefore came not to the Synod least he should against the Canons submit his own Metropoliticall dignity to a stranger Metropolitan in his own Province But more probably there was then no Bishop of Menevia at all for since the time that Saint Sampson caried the Pall over Sea into Lesser Brittany in the year five hundred and sixty we doe not find any constant report among Authours that he had any Successours 3. How many soever and who soever these Brittish Bishops were Saint Beda in the first place relates how before they came to the Councill they repaired to a certain holy and prudent â—an who lived an Anachoreticall life among them to demand his advice whether upon the exhortation of Augustin they should suffer themselves to be perswaded to desert their Traditions His answer was if he be a man of God follow him They replyed What proof may we have whether he be a man of God or no He answerd Our Lord saith Take my yoak upon you and learn of mee for I am meek and humble in heart If this Augustin therefore be meek and humble in heart it is to be beleiv'd that as he himself bears the yoak of Christ so it is the same yoak that he would impose upon you But if he be discourteous and haughty it is cerâ—ain that he comes not from God neither are his speeches to be regarded by you They replyed again But how shall we know whether he be haughty or no His answer was Take order that he with his companions be the first comers to the Synod and if when you appâ—aach he rise up to you iudge thereby that he is a servant of Christ and be obedient to what he shall ordain But if he in contempt shall refuse to rise up to you being more in number let him likewise be despised by you 4. This was certainly a very casuall sign given by the Hermite and the defect of a coÌ„plement was a ground very insufficient to excuse their dissent from such things as they had seen and acknowledged to have been confirm'd by a Divine Miracle But far more culpable are some Protestants who from the personal outward carriage of a man will condemne not only all his Sacred Rites but the substance of his Faith too This the ancient Brittains never did They had probably heard that S. Gregory had invested him with Ecclesiasticall authority over all Brittany though he never challenged it from them and they suspected that if they yeilded to him in changing any of their Traditïons they should become subject to him in all and for this reason they refused their assent to every thing proposed by him 5. Let us therefore see the successe of this advice of the Welsh Hermits which Saint Beda thus relates It came to passe that when the Brittish Bishops and Doctours came to the place Augustin was sitting on his seat which they seeing presently they were fill'd with rage and indignation imputing that to his pride so that they earnestly contradicted him in all things that he said It was the custome in Gods Church that the President of a Synod should be cloathd in his solemn Pontificall robes as we read of S. Cyrill in the Councill of Ephesus in which posture it is not becoming to practise those civilities which are otherwise fitting This may likely have been a cause of this behaviour of Saint Augustin at this time Or his mind might have been wholly taken up in thoughts about the present affairs that he did not attend to outward objects If any charity had possessed the minds of the Brittains they ought rather to impute this behaviour to any thing then pride considering that pure charity to the soules of an Idolatrous Nation had forced him to undertake so tedious and hazardous a iourney that being come he earnestly desired to ioyne hands of amity and peace with these angry Bishops not requiring any subjection from them but offring them an equall share in the merits of his Apostolick Office 6. Many things there were in which these Brittish Bishops and Churches had varied from their former practises conformable to the generall custom as we had heretofore an example in the point of Ordinations And no wonder considering the late tumultuous times the fayling of Metropoliticall Iurisdiction the want of Synods and Visitations c. Yet such was S. Augustins condescendence and love of Vnity that in case they would comply in three points only he would require no more Augustin told them by S. Beda's relation that there were many things in which they practised contrary not only to the Roman custom but of the Vniversall Church likewise But if they would conform in three points only he would With equanimity tolerate all other matters in which their practises were contrary Which three Points were First the celebrating the Paschall Solemnity in its due time Next the administration of Baptism according to the custom of the Holy Roman and Apostolick Church And the third was to ioyn with him and his companions in preaching the Gospell to the Saxons Hereby it is evident that there was no difference at all between the Faith profess'd by S. Augustin and by the Brittains no contrariety in Dostrines And again that S. Augustin did not insist on nor so much as mention any subiection expected by him from the Brittih Churches So that all the accusations charged by Protestants upon Saint Gregory and S. Augustin for endeavouring to bring in among the Brittains a New Religion and all their complaints against his ambition and thirst of Superiority and tyranny over them fall to the ground There are onely three Points wherin he requires a conformity in none of which that of Iurisdiction is included 7. Wee have already seen wherin the erroneous practise of the Brittains about the
in the same place where the Holy Virgin suffred Martyrdom a clear fountain broke forth which cured severall kinds of diseases Now her parents having heard of her death earnestly desired as some recompence for their losse to enioy the comfort of burying with them her heaules body Which being brought to them they enterreâ— it it a coffin of lead in the Church of Aylesbury where many Miracles were wrought by her intercession At length her Sacred Relicks â— a Divine Vision were translated thence back again to the Church of Chic which Maurice Bishop of London reposed in a precious coffer â— at whicâ— time the Bishop of Rochester then present was cured of a greivous infirmity 5. Her memory is celebrated in our Martyrologe on the seaventh of October where also is mention how the said holy Virgin Maâ—tyr took up her head after it was separated from her Body Which the Authour of her Life in Capgrave thus more expressly relates Assoon as her head was off the body presently rose up and taking up the head in the hands by the conduct of Angells walked firmly the straight way to the Church of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul about a quarter of a mile distant from the place of her suffring and when it was come there it knocked at the dore with the bloody hands as desiring it might be opened and theron left marks of blood Having done this it fell there down to the ground 6. The Sanctity of Ositha called by William of Malmsbury Osgitha has quite extinguished the name anciently belonging to the Village where she lived For thus writes Camden In the place where the River Coln enters into the Sea is seated the little Town called S. Osith's the ancient Name wherof was Chic which Name this Royal Virgin Ositha has abolished Who living there in great Sanctity and devotion was slain by Danish Pirats and therefore acknowledged by our Ancestors a Saint and Martyr XVI CHAP. 1. 2. King Kenewalch dying leaves the Kingdom to his wife Sexburga 3. S. Egelwin Brother to King Kenewalch 4 5. Sexburga retiring into a Monastery Escuin succeeds in the Kingdom with Kentuin Their liberality to the Monastery of Malmsbury as likewise of Leutherius Bishop 6. 7. Warr between Escuin and Wolfer King of the Mercians 8. The death of Wolfere 1. IN the year of Christ six hundred seaventy four hapned the death of Kenewalch King of the West-Saxons after a raign of thirty and one years Who leaving no issue behind him he bequeathed the administration of the Kingdom to his wise Sexburga saith 〈◊〉 liam of Malmsbury And adds withall That she wanted not spirit and courage to exercise so great a charge insomuch as she gathered new forces and kept the old in their duty She governed her Subiects with clemency and kept her enemies in awe with threats In a word she behaved her self in all things so worthily that no man could discerne any difference in her government from that it was in her husbandâ— time but only that she was a woman Notwithstanding her Rule was but short for before she had fully spent a year death-surprised her in the midst of her magnanimous designs 2. This Character given her by William of Malmsbury is more proper receiveable then that which Mathew of Westminster writes That the Nobility of that Kingdom disdaining to be subiect to a womans government expelled her out of the Province Other Historians say That out of a desire of entring into a more holy and strict life she voluntarily quitted the Royalty and for devotions sake entred into a Monastery But they doe wrongfully ascribe to her the founding of a Monastery in the Isle of Shepey where she is sayd to have taken the Habit of Religion and afterward to have succeded S. Edrifride in the Abbey of Ely For these things belong to another Sexburga daughter of Anna King of the East-angles of whom wee treated before 3. Though K Kenwalch had no sons yet he had a Brother eminent for Sanctity named Egelwin concerning whom William of Malmsbury thus writes The Monks of Adeling exalt to the skies the praises of their Patron S. Egelwin the effects of whose Sanctity they perceive by many benefits which they receive by his intercession The constaÌ„t fame is that he was Brother of K. Kenewalch that he was more illustrious for his Sanctity then emineÌ„cy of descent He was all his life afflicted with sicknes yet that hindred not at all his service and deâ—otion to God He ended his life most happily and after his death readily assisted the necessities of all that reclamed his help and intercession 4. After Sexburga's death saith S. Beda two Princes of that nation took on them the government and held it divided between them the space of about ten years These were Escuin and Kentwin both of them of the Royal family Kentwin was Brother Huntingdon says he was son to King Kenwalch and Escuin was descended in the fourth degree from Cerduic Some Writers affirm that they did not ioyntly raign But that Escuin first managed the government and after two years dying left it to Kentwin who raigned after him nine years 5. They were both of them Catholick devout Princes as appears by the magnificent Structure of the Monastery of Malmsbury built this year at their charges by the procurement of S. Aldelm who had now been nine years a Monk and four years Abbot of the same It was at first as hath beeÌ„ said poorly built by a certain Scott named Maydulf by profession a Monk and by erudition a Philosopher from whom the place took its name But till this time the revenues of it were so scant that the Monks had great difficulty to provide themselves necessary sustenance saith William a Monk of the same place But now that by the suggestion of S. Aldelm those two Princes endowd it with possessions and adornd it with buildings the affairs and reputation of that Monastery encreased wonderfully from all quarters Religious men flocked thither to S. Aldelm some of them desiring from him instructions in a devout Life others in the knowledge of learning 5. Moreover Leutherius Bishop of the West-Saxons contributed his care to the establishing of this Monastery as appears by a Charter of his extant in William of Malmsbury in which upon the Petition of the Abbot of this Diocese he grants the said place to the Monks there living to be entirely possessed by them Which argues that heretofore they enioyd it only by courtesy This Charter is dated the eighth day before the Calends of September in the year of our Lords Incarnation six hundred seaventy five at a place neer the River Bladon Where saith Camden in ancient times Dumwalio Malmutius King of the Brittains built a handsom town and called it Caer-Bladon which having been destroyed in the Saxon warrs they built out of the rubbish of it a Castle which in their
Apostles and by the ten books of S. Clement 7. But as for us we are able according to the authority of Holy Scriptures to give a true and sufficient testimony of our Tonsure and doe affirm that S. Peter ordained this Rite of Tonsure for severall causes First that thereby he might on his head bear a representation of our Lord who ascending the Crosse for our Redemption was Crownd by the execrable Iews in a cruell manner with sharp peircing thorns Next that the Preists of the Old and New Testament might be distinguished by their habit and Tonsure And lastly that the same Apostle and his followers might carry the ridiculous expression of scorn used by the Romans who when they sold their slaves taken in war they were wont to crown them But in the Old Testament this Signe of Tonsure took its Originall if I be not mistaken from the Nazarites who were persons consecrated to God for it is a mark of a Royall and Sacerdotall descent For a Tiara was anciently sett on the heads of the Preists which being enwrapped in fine linnen was round like the Middle Sphere and this is represented by that part of the head which is shorn Now a Crown or Diademe was a golden circle of some breadth which encompassed the heads of Kings And both these signs are expressed on the heads of Clergy-men concerning whom S. Peter saith You are an elect nation a Royal Preist-hood And moreover by this Rite of shaving and polling is signified our duty to cutt off all our vices and that we should devest our selves of our sins as we doe of our haires 8. But there is among you another practise far more pernicious to soules which is that in the observation of the Solemnity of Easter you neglect to follow the Rule of the three hundred and eighteen Fathers who in the Nicene Councill with great sagacity established the Circle of Nineteen years to last to the end of the world by the numbers of Eight and Eleaven and also ordained the Paschall supputation from the fourteenth day of the Moon to the one and twentieth making these the terms of the Paschall Circle which it is unlawfull for any one to transgresse Whereas the Preists among you according to the Account and Circle of Anatolius or rather according to the Rule of Sulpitius Severinus who described a Course of eighty four years doe some-times observe the Paschall Solemnity on the fourteenth Moon with the Iews whereas the Bishops of the Roman Church doe observe neither of these ways of calculation Neither have they decreed that posterity should follow the Paschall Table of Victorius which contains a course of five hundred thirty two years For there was a sort of Heretiks in the East called Tessera-decatitae because they celebrated the Paschall Solemnity on the fourteenth Moon with the Iews who blaspemed our Lord and trode under foot the pearles of the Gospell And for this they were excluded from the Communion of the Church and ranked among the unhappy conventicles of Schismatiks Of these as I remember S. Augustin makes mention in his Treatise of Ninety Heresies 9. But besides these enormities there is another thing wherein they doe notoriously swerve from the Catholick Faith and Evangelical Tradition which is that the Preists of the Demetae or South-west Wales inhabiting beyond the bay of Severn puffed up with a conceit of their own purity doe exceedingly abhorâ— communion with us insomuch as they will neither ioyn in prayers with us in the Church nor enter into society with us at the Table yea moreover the fragments which we leave after refection they will not touch but cast them to be devoured by doggs and unclean Swine The Cupps also in which we have drunk they will not make use of till they have rubbed and cleansed them with sand or ashes They refuse all civil salutations or to give us the kisse of pious fraternity contrary to the Apostles precept Salute one another with a holy kisse They will not afford us water and a towel for our hands nor a vessell to wash our feet Whereas our Saviour having girt himself with a towell washed his Disciples feet and left us a pattern to imitate saying As I have done to you so doe you to others Moreover if any of us who are Catholicks doe goe amongst them to make an abode they will not vouchsafe to admitt us to their fellowship till we be compelled to spend forty dayes in Pennance And herein they unhappily imitate those Hereticks who will needs be called Cathars or Puritans 10. Such enormous errours and malignities as these are to be mournfully bewayld with sighes and teares since such their behaviour is contrary to the precepts of the Gospell and suiting with the Traditions of Iewish Pharisees concerning whom our Saviour saith Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees who cleanse the outsides of Cupps and dishes On the contrary our Lord disdaind not to be present at feasts with Publicans and sinners thereby shewing himself a good Physician who was carefull to provide wholesom cataplasms and medecines to heale the corrupt wounds of those that conversed with him Therefore he did not like the Pharisees despise the conversation of sinners but on the contrary according to his accustomed clemency he mercifully comforted the poor sinfull woman who bewayld the former pollutions of her life and casting herself at our Lords feet washed them with showres of teares and wiped them with the curled locks of her haire concerning whom he said Her many sins are forgiven her because she hath loved much 11. Since therefore the truth of these things cannot be denyed we doe with earnest humble prayers and bended knees beseech and adiure you as you hope to attain to the fellowship of Angels in Gods heavenly kingdom that you will no longer with pride and stubbornes abhorr the doctrines and Decrees of the Blessed Apostle S. Peter nor pertinaciously and arrogantly despise the Tradition of the Roman Church preferring before it the Decrees and ancient Rites of your Predecessours For it was S. Peter who having devoutly confessed the Son of God was honoured by him with these Words Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevayle against it And to thee will I give the keyes of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heaven If therefore the Keyes of the kingdom of heaven were given to S. Peter who is he who having despised the principall Statuts and ordinances of his Church can presumingly expect to enter with ioy through the gate of the heavenly Paradise And if he by a peculiar Priviledge and happines received the power of binding and the Monarchy of loosing in heaven and earth who is he who having reiected the Rule of the Paschall Solemnity and the Rite of the Roman Tonsure will not rather
three years after and is commemorated on the two and twentieth of September 6 A great proof of the perfection of Monasticall Disciplin observed after her death in her Monastery is this That Saint Boniface the glorious Apostle of the Germans having founded a Monastery in those parts made choice of her Disciples above all others and particularly of Saint Lioba to plant Religious observance there This is testified by Rodulphus Disciple of Rabanus Maurus in the life of S. Lioba written by him 8. The same Writer also affirms that in the same town of Winburn there was erected likewise a Cloyster of Monks either by Saint Cuthburga or her Brother King Ina And that from the beginning a Law and Decree of Religious Disciplin had been made That excepting Preists who were to serve at the Altar no men should be permitted to enter the Monastery of those Religious Virgins Nor any woman into that of Religious men And that among the other obligations of the Virgins at their Profession this was one never to step out of their Cloyster except upon a necessary cause to be approved by Superiours 9. Among the Epistles of Saint Boniface there is one inserted from one Aldhun an Abbot and two Abbesses called Cnenburg and Coenburg which were probably these two Princely Sisters Saint Cuthburga and Saint Quenburga desiring a devour Preist called Wietbert an attendant of Saint Boniface to recommend to God in his Prayers two Religious woemen Quoengyth and Edlu both which dyed the same day being the Ides of September XIX CHAP. 1.2 c. The death of Prince Pipin to which S. Swibert endeavoured in vain to prepare him 1. THE death of Duke Pipin hapning about this time since the holy Apostolick Bishop Saint Swibert was employed in preparing him to it which charge he performed with great zeale though with small effect it will not be iudged impertinent to give an account of what passed between them from the relation of S. Marcellin a witnes whose authority cannot be questioned Thus therefore he writes 2. It hapned sayth he in the year seaven hundred and fourteen after our Lords Incarnation that Pipin of Herstall a magnanimous Prince and Maâ—re of the King of France his house sell fick of that disease which endred with his life Hereupon the illustrious Bishop Saint Swibert was earnestly desired by certain Noble persons to visit him But he thought fitt first to goe to Colen attended by his two Disciples Willeic and Theodorick there to demand counsell of Plectrudis the illustrious Duchesse of Lorrain or the Austrasians how he should cary himself in that affaire She with great devotion received and entertaind him at last for her own consolation retaining with her the pious Preist Willeic she dismissed Saint Swibert accompanied by Agilulf Archbishop of Colen and other Prelats giving them charge seriously to advise her husband Prince Pipin that in case he should dye he would take care not to disinherit his illustrious lawfully begotten children Drogo Duke of Champagne and Grimoaldus Maire of the house to Childebert King of France by substituting in his Will as his Heyr Charles Martell a bastard by Alpaide his Concubine which injustice he could not doe without the losse and damnation of his soule besides the stain that he would bring upon his name in the sight of the whole Church and Scandall of his Nobility and Subjects 3. This was an employment which not long before had cost the Holy Bishop Lambert very dear for because he had reprehended the same Prince for his unlawfull cohabitation and mariage with the same Harlot he lost his life and was deservedly esteemed a Martyr 4. The foresaid Bishop therefore being arrived at Ioppilta a Town upon the River Mosa where the sick Prince lay were kindly received by him They therefore to comfort and encourage him to suffer with patience temporall afflictions or infirmities told him that Almighty God in his wisedom and goodnes made the way to heaven rough and unpleasant to his Elect least being delighted in the way they should forget or disesteem the happines which they expected in their countrey 5 After such like discourse often repeated at last having found a convenient and opportune season among other spirituall advices which they gave him for the good of his soule they with great affection and zeale discovered to him the speciall motive of their iourney sharply reprooving him for his unlawfull mariage But they had no sooner touched upon this argument but they were with great indignation repulsed by the Prince And the harlot Alpaide having diligently enquired into and found the occasion of these Prelats iourney rudely commanded them presently to be gone And withall was so importunate with the Prince in behalf of her Son Charles Martel that she obtained of him whatsoever she requested And accordingly Pipin dying the same year left Charles Martel heyre of all his Principalities 6. This being seen by the foresayd Prelats they were forced to return to Colen with greif and dishonour where they made known to Plectrudis all things which had passed at Ioppilia with Pipin withall comforting and exhorting her to sustain such crosses with patience XX. CHAP. i. 2 c. The Birth education and Gests of S. Guthlac Of his Disciple Bertelins intention to murder him Of Ethelbald a banished Mercian Prince comforted by him c. BVT in Brittany a far more comfortable and happy death befell a Hermit of admirable Sanctity named S. Guthlac who as in this life he enioyd a familiar conversation with Angels so in the next he was made their companion in blessednes for ever His Gesis we have thought fitt to remitt till this time when he dyed because having lived a solitary life they were scarce at all involved with the common occurrents of the Church in his time The story of his life may require from us a more then ordinary attention credit because written by Felix a devout â—reist of the same age and dictated to him by Bertelin a Monk of Croyland his companion in Solitude The Authour dedicated his Writing to Elwold King of the East-Angles which is a sufficient warrant to rectify the Chronology of some of our Historians who place the death of this Elwold in the year of Grace six hundred and ninety By the generall account S. Guthlac lived forty seaven years and being twenty four years old he undertook a soldiers Profession in which he lived eight years and fifteen years after in the Solitude of Croyland so that his Birth must fall in the year of Grace six hundred sixty seaven The wonderfull circumstances of which is thus recorded by the foresaid Authour Felix 2. In the dayes of Ethelred King of the Mercians saith he a certain Noble person of Royall offspring named Penwald had by his wife Tecta the holy servant of God Guthlac At the hower of his birth his future Sanctity was miraculously designed For from heaven there appeard the hand as it were of