and before he was yet baptised Layeng therfore depe foundations aboute this his first oratorie he began to buylde there a fayre churche fowre square But before the wall therof came to his iuste hyghnes the king was slayne by cruell deathe and lefte that royall worke to be endyd and parfyted by kyng Oswald his successour Now Pauline from that time 6. yeares after that is to the end of king Edwynes raygne preched the word of God continually by his good leaue and fauour throughe out all that prouince And they beleaued him and were Christened who were preordinated to lyfe euerlasting emongest whome was Offride and Eadfride king Edwynes sonnes Which he had in his banishement by dame Quenburge daughter to Cearle king of the Marshes After whome his other children which he had by Queene Edelburge were baptised as his sonne Edilhune his daughter Edilfride and an other of his sonnes called Buskfrea of which the ij first were taken oute of this mortall lyfe in their infancie or tender youthe and buryed in the church of Yorke Iffy also Offride his sonne was Christened too with manie other of the nobilitie and diuers honorable men And as it is reported then was the feruour of faithe and ernest desyre of holie baptisme so greate emongest the people of Northumberland that on a certaine time when bishop Pauline came with the kings and Quenes maiestie to the courte or princes palacie at Adregin he stayed there with them 36. dayes only occupied in catechising and instructing the people in Christe his faithe and afterward baptising them in eche of the which dayes he did nothing els from morning to euenynge but instructe them with the word of God and teach theÌ„ the faith and saluation in Christe Iesus which flocked thither out of all places and villages theraboute Whome after he had thus informed and taught he baptised in the fludde Elene For that was the next nere water which he could conueniently vse for baptim This towne Adregin in the time of the kinge and aftercommers waxed rude and deserte And an other was buylt vp for hit in a place called Melwyn And this muche dyd byshop Pawline in the Bernicians prouince But in the couÌ„trie of the Deires where he laie most coÌ„monly with the kinge he baptised in the fludde Suale which renneth fast by a village adioyned to Cataracte For as yet there could not be buylded oratories fountes or places of baptisme in this newe begon and late founded churche But yet was there buylte a greate church in the coast and champyon called Dâ—wne Where was an other of the kinges courtes and palace Which church the painims that slewe king Edwine bâ—rned afterward with the whole village In sted of the which palace the kinges euer after made their mansion place in the country called Loides But the aultar of the before mentioned churche eskaped the fire bycause it was made of stone And is kept to this present daye in the monasterie of the right reuerend Abbot and priest Trunwulfe standing in the wodde Elmete How the prouince of the Este English receiued the fayth of Christ. The. 15. Chap. NOw had king Edwine by common reporte suche a zele and ernest deuotion toward the Christian faithe that he perswadid Carpwald kinge Redwalds sonne and king of the Est English to leaâ—â— of the vaine superstition of idols and to come with his whole royalme and embrace the true faythe and receaue the sacramentes of Christe his churche For his father king Redwald before him was Christened in kent but alas in vaine For returning home againe he was seduced by his wyfe and certaine other peruerse doctours And being in suche wyse depraued from the sincerite and purenesse of fayth his end was worse then his beginning For he would seme after the maner of the olde Samaritanes to serue both Christe and his owne false Godes to as he dyd before And in one temple he had erectyd an aultar for the sacrifice of Christe and an other litle aultar for burnt sacrifices to his Idols and dyuels The which temple Aldwolfe kinge of that prouince after him who lyued in this ourâ—age sayde that it dured so vnto his time and witnessed that he sawe it himselfe in his childhoode Truly this before named king Redwald was a noble prince of byrthe althowgh vile and base in his actes and deades For he was king Tityls sonne whose fathers name was Woffa of whome the kinges of the east english men are called Woffinges But king Carpwald not long after he had ben Christened was slayne by a gentile and paynim named Richbert And froÌ„ that time 3. yeares after the prouince liued in gentâ—lite falling from Christian religion vntyll at the last Sibert king Carpwalds brother toke the kingdome a man in all pointes lerned and most Christian. Who whiles his brother was yet alyue lyuing bannished in Fraunce was Christened there and instructed in the holy mysteries of our faythe of which he went about to make all his royalme partakener as sone as he came to the crowne To whose good endeuour herin bishopp Felix dyd moste ernestly fauoure and with greate praise applie himselfe Who when he came from Burgundie where he was borne and toke holie orders into Britanny to Honorius tharchbishop and had opened this his desire and godly purpose vnto him the Archebishopp gladly gaue him licence and sent him furthe to preche the worde of God vnto the foresayde Este English Wher certes his zele and vertuous desire proued not in vayne For this holie husbande man and happie tiller of the spirituall filde founde in that nation plentifulnes of fruite and encrease of people that beleaued him For he browght all that prouince beinge now delyuered by his healpe from their long iniquite and vnhappines vnto the fayth and workes of iustice and in the end reward of perpetuall bâ—isse and happines for euer according to the good abodement of his name whiche in Lattin is called Felix and in our Englishe tounge soundeth happie He was Byshopp in the cite of Dummocke afterward Where when he had ruled the churche of Christe 17. yeares in that dignite and in that prouince he endyd his life in peace How Pawlyne preched in the prouince of Lindisse and of the state of king Edwynes raygne The. 16. Chap. BVt Byshopp Pawlyne continued styll and at this tyme preched the worde of God in the prouince of Lindisse which is the next toward the South bancke of Humber bending euen vnto the seas side where he first conuerted to our Lord the maior of Lincolne whose name was Blecca withal his howseholde In the which citie he buylt a well wrowght churche of stone the rouffe whereof eyther for long lacke of reparations or by the spoyle of enemies is nowe cast downe But the walles thereof stand yet to be seene at this present daie and yearly some or other miracles are wont to be showen ther to the greate good and comforte of
to be fouÌ„d And to speake somwhat particularly he that in this history will discredit such miracles as S. Bede reporteth vpoÌ„ report of one brother or sister let him geue a reason why he beleueth the tale of Elyzabeth Lawnson and SymoÌ„ Harlston Who mistrusteth miracles reported vpon coniecture let him considre the miracle tolde of Tindall If it seme incredible that the bodyes of dead men may remaine vncorrupted and sounde why is it tolde for a miracle that the hart off Zwinglius was found whole in the ashes all the rest of the body being burned vp If visions appearing to some not to al that are present seme fabulous let it be a fable as in dede it is being thereof eye witnesse my selfe that he telleth of Latimers hart bloud when he suffred in Oxford Iff the Crosse of saint Oswalde seme a superstitious tale how much more fonde and fabulous is the tale of one that suffred at Bramford with a greate white crosse appearing in his brest Thus if we may coÌ„pare truth with falshood light with darknes true miracles with light tales we see as much vncredibilite if we looke to reason as great vanite in respect of the matter it self in the one as in the other But how farre more credit this auncient history of Venerable Bede deserueth then the liyng libels of vpstert sectaries it shal as I haue already saied easely appeare if we consider but the Authour of this history and the time that he wrote in Whereof we haue spoken at large before One thinge remaineth which being saied I shall haue finished Concerning the proper names of places as of cyties and monasteries mencionâ—d in the history we haue many tymes kept the latâ—n or rather Saxon names where Polydore and other instructions coude not helpe vs to call them by their present names they now beare Wherein we desire the gentle Reader the rather to beare with vs considering that this translation being penned on this side of the seas we coulde not being out of the countre haue such speciall intelligence of eche shere and Countie as to that purpose was requisit and as we might perhaps easely hadd yff we had ben at home and trauailed the countre our selues Notwithstanding as touching the sheres principall cytes and diners monasteries by the helpe of Polidore we haue termed them as they are now called Whereby the whole course of the history shall be euery where perspicuous and euident thoughe some certaine small monasteries and villages remaine vnknowen How so euer it be the principall intente bothe of Venerable Bede and of vs being the honour of God the publishing off our first Christen faith the course and proceding thereof we haue chosen rather to sett forth the history in some part barbarous theÌ„ to câ—nceale froÌ„ our dere countre in these necessary times of instruction the precious treasure of our ChristeÌ„ belefe wherein we were first baptised and haue so many hundred yeares in such quiet and felicite continued Trusting verely in almighty God that the perusing hereof with the Fortresse and defence of our faith presently also set forth may staie the conscience of some from daungerous deceites of this later religion so directly and in so many pointes repugning the other Which if it may please the goodnesse of God to worke in the hart of any one of my dere countremen I shall thinke all my labour happely bestowed and my simple paines abundantly rewarded In the meane we haue declared our good wil and done in part our duty VVhiche with all that is amisse if any thinge so be I beseche euery gentle Reader to accept in good part Fare well At Louain The 12. of Iune 1565. Thomas Stapleton THE LIFE OF S. BEDE WRITEN BY TRITHEMIVS BEde a monke and priest of the monastery of S. Peter and Paul of S. Benets order in England a man in holy scripture much conuersant and very well lerned In other good lerning of great knowleadg As in philosophie Astronomie Algorisme and Poetry Skilful of the greke toung of an excellent witt His tounge and stile not curious but pleasaunt and semely He wrote many volumes in the which his witt and lerning is tried This man at the age of seuen yeares was by his frendes committed to Benedictus and after to Ceolfridus the Abbbat of the forsaied monastery at Murmouth to be brought vp and instructed From the which age continuing all daies of his life in that monastery he bestowed all diligence in the study of holy scripture And obseruing with all the rule of his order singing daily gods seruice in the church in the rest he delighted allwaies to lerne to teache or to write In the nintenth yere of his age he was ordred deacon In the xxx yere he was made priest Bothe which orders he receiued at the handes of the holy Bishop Iohn of Beuerlake by the coÌ„maundment of Ceolfrid his Abbat FroÌ„ which time of his pristhood vntel the ende of his life he wrote the workes here folowing In Genesim vsque ad I saac lib. 4. In Exodum lib. 1. De tabernaculo vasiseius lib. 3. In Numeros lib. 1. In Leuiticum lib. 1. In Regum 30. quest lib. 1. In Deuteronomium lib. 1. In Iudicum lib. 1. De aedificatione templi lib. 2. In principium Regum lib. 3. In Iâ—suae lib. 1. In Prouerbia Salomonis lib. 3. In Paralipomenon lib. 2. In Ecclesiastem lib. 1. In Cantica Canticorum lib. 6. In Esdram Neemiâ—m lib. 3. In Tobiam lib. 1. In Ezaiam prophetam lib. 2. In Ezechielem lib. 1. In Hieremiam lib. 2. In Danielem lib. 1. In xij prophetas minores lib. 12. In epistolas Pauli lib. 14. In epistolas Canonicas lib. 7. In Euangelium Marci lib. 4. In Apocalypsim lib. 3. In actus Apostolorum lib. 2. In Euangelium Lucae lib. 6. Gesta Anglorum lib. 5. Flores B. Gregorij in CaÌ„tica lib. 2. Homilias euangeliorum lib. 2. Chronicam sui coenobij lib. 2. Gâ—sta diuersorum sanctoruÌ„ lib. 1. De teÌ„poribus natura reruÌ„ lib. 1. Martyrologium lib. 1. De passione Sancti Felicis lib. 1. Aliud minus volumen lib. 2. De Locis sanctis lib. 1. Vitam S. Alberti episcopi lib. 2. ScintillaruÌ„ ex senteÌ„tijs patruÌ„ lib. 1. Epigrammata hero lib. 1. Himnorum diuerso carmine lib. 1. Distinctiones in Hieremiam lib. 1. Lectiones noui Testam lib. 1. Lectiones in vetus Testam lib. 1. De Christo Ecclesia lib. 2. Distinctiones in Iob. lib. 1. Epistolarum ad diuersos lib. 1. De cantico Abacuc lib. 1. De orthographia lib. 1. De arte metrica lib. 1. De schematibus lib. 1. He wrote also many other thinges which are not come to my knowleadge This mans workes were of such authorite euen while he yet liued and wrote allwaies newe that they were openly read in Churches by the appointment of the bysshops of England And bicause that his homelies then read in the church
But how shal we proue sayd they that he is a man of God The Anchoret answered our Lord sayth take ye on yow my yooke and lerne ye of me For I am milde and humble of haerte Yf therfore this Austin be milde and humble of harte it is likely that him selfe beareth the yooke of Christ and will offer you the same to beare But if he be curst and proude it is certaine that he is not of God neither must we much esteme his wordes Then they enquired againe of him how they might know whether this Austin were proude or no Marry quoth he prouide ye that he with his compaine come firste to the place of the Synode or counsell house And if when ye approche nere he ariseth courteously to you thinke ye that he is the seruant of Christe and so heare ye him obediently But if he despise yow nor will vouchesafe to ryse at your presence which are the more in number let him likewise be despised of yowe And truly as this Anchoret bad them so did they For it happened that when they came thither S. Austin was alredy thereâ— and sate in his chayre Which when they sawe straight waye wexing wrothe they noted him of pride and therfore endeuored to ouerthwarte and gainsaye what soeuer he proposed His oracion briefly was thus Although though dere brethern in manie other points ye doe contrarie to our custome or rather contrarie to the custome of the vniuersall churche of Christe yet not withstanding if ye will in these 3. thinges consent and obey vnto me that is to celebrate the Easter in dew time to accomplish the ministerie of baptisme by which we are borne againe to God according to the maner of the holie Roman and Apostolike churche and last of all to preache with vs to this English natioÌ„ the word of our Lordâ—ll your other ceremonies rites fashions and customs though they be contrary to oures yet we will willingly suffer theÌ„ and be content to beare with theÌ„ But they answered that they would doe none of the thinges requested neither would compre him for their Archebishop sayeng with them selues Nay if he would not so muche as rise to vs truely the more we shoulde now subiecte our selues to him the more woulde he hereafter despise vs and set vs at naught To whome the good man of God S. Austen thretfully proficied that if they would not take peace and be at accord with their brethern they should receaue and feele warre from their enemies And yf they wold not preache to the English men the waye of lyfe they should suffer at their hande and by their power the vengeance of death Which thing in al pointes came so to passe as he forsayed by the secret working of Gods iudgement For it happened afterward that the most mighty king of English men Edilfrede of whome I haue spoken before gathering a greate armie made at the citie which the English men call Legacester but the Britons better Carlege a foule slaughter of this vnfaithfull and naughty people For being now redy to geue the onset of the fight when he had spidde their priestes which came together to praye to God for the souldiers warringe stand a parte from the rest in a sure and safe place he demaunded what they were and to what end they came thither Now the most parte of these priestes were of the monasterie of Bangor where was sayde to be so great a number of monkes that this monasterie being diuided in to seauen companies with eche companie his seuerall assigned ruler none of these compaines had lesse then 3. hundred persons who all did euer lyue by the labour of their owne handes Manie therefore of them after their 3. dayes fast came with the rest to thafforsaide armie to pray for the souldiers hauing also by them a defendour named Brockmal who should keape and preserue them from the weapons and strokes of their enemies while they were thus ernestly bent to their prayers This the cause of their comminge thither when king Edelfrede had vnderstoode he sayd Yf these men crie and call vppon their God against vs truly although they haue no armoure yet they fight against vs who with their wicked wordes and hatefull curses persecute vs. Therefore he commaunded his souldiers first to assault them And so he vanquished after the other parte of this detestable hoste but yet not without greate losse of his owne men It is reported that there were slaine in that warres of them which came to praye aboute a thousande and two hundred men and only fiftie to haue escaped by flight For Brockmale at the first comming of his ennemies fled straight with all his souldiers and whome he ought to haue defended lefte them all naked and bare to the strokes of the sworde So in this manner was fulfilled the prophetie of holye bishop Austin Who was himself longe before that taken out of this life to the kingdom of heauen And thus these vngratiouse and false people suffred the punishment of temporal death bicause they had refused and despised the holsome counsell of perpetuall life and saluation offered them How the saide Austin made Mellite and Iustus Byshops and of his death The. 3. Chap. IN the yere of thincarnation of our Lord. 604. Austin Archebishop of Britannie consecrated ij Byshops Mellite and Iustus The one that is Mellite to preache to the prouince of the Este Saxons which are separated from kent with the Tems And are fast ioyned to the Este sea Whose chiefe citie is London of situation nere sette vppon the banckes of the fludde called the Temsâ— a princely mart towne of manie people arriuing thither by sea and lande In the which countrie at that time raygned Sabereth Elberts nefue by his syster Ricula Although this Sabereth was himselfe vnder the dominion of the same Elbert who was as I haue before saide king ouer all the Englishmen euen vnto the end of the fludde Humber Kinge Elbert the first Christen king of Englishmen buildeth S. Poules in LondoÌ„ and S. An â—rewes in Rochester for the ij first bisshops of both those Secs Mellitus and Iustê° Wher also wer interred the bodies of all the Archebishops folowing except ij only that is Theodore and Berthwold Whose bodies were layed in the church it selfe bycause the porche could receiue no more This church hath almost in the middest of hit an aulter dedicated in the honour of S. Gregory the Pope at the whiche aulter euery saterday their memories are solemnely celebrated by the priest of that place In the tumbe of this same Austin was writen such and epitaphe as foloweth Here lyeth and resteth blessed S. Austin the first Archebisshop of Caunterbury who was sent hether of holye S. Gregory Bisshop of Rome and strengthened of God by working of miracles VVho conuerted king Elbert and his royaulme from the worshypping of idols to the faith of Christe and so fulfilling
men able and willing to take paines amongest whome that notable and excellent lerned man VVilbrorde priest was chieff Who after their arriuall thither being in number xij went streyt to Pypine chiefe gouuernour then of Fraunceâ— where being very frendly intertained of him because he had lately taken the lower part of Frisland and by force driuen oute their kinge Radbed he sent them thither to preache ayding and assisting them with his princely authoritie that no man should by violence iniury them or interrupte their preachinge and also bountifully rewarding all such as would embrace and receiue the faithe Whereby it came to passe by the assistaunce of Gods grace that in shorte tyme they conuerted very many from idolatrie to the faith of Christ. After the example of these holy men ij other englishe priestes which had voluntarily liued in banishment a longe tyme in Ireland for hope of aeternall lyfe came to Saxonie if happely by their preaching they might winne any to Christ. As these good men had leeke deuotion so had they bothe one name being bothe called Henwalde Yet for diuersitie to knowe one from the other one was called blacke Henwalde and the other white Henwalde because of the diuerse colour of their heare Bothe of them had a greate zeale and reuerend loue to Christes religion But blacke Henwalde was the better diuine They coming into the countrey went to a farmers house and desired they might be conducted to the Lorde which had the rule and gouuernaunce there saying they had an embassy and other matters of importaunce to declare vnto him For the olde Saxons had no kings but many Lordes to rule the countrie Who as often as there was surmise or feare of warres towarde did cast lotts equally amongest them selfs and vppon whome the lott fell him they folloed as their generall capitaine as longe as the warres indured and obediently exequuted what so euer he commaunded When the warres were done all the Lordes wer equal in powre and authority againe as they were before The farmer intertained these good men and promising to conduct them to the Lorde of the soyle according to their request staied them iij. or iiij dayes in his house When they were espied of the rude barbarous people and knowen to be of an other religion for they soonge hymnes psalmes and other deuoute prayers and saied masse hauing with them bookes and holy vessells and a litle table hallowed in stede of an aulter they had them in ieolosy and suspicion that if they came to the Lorde and talked with him they would turne him quite from worshipping of their gods and bringe him to the new religion of Christes faith Wherby a litle and litle all the whole country should be enforced to chaunge the old auncient manner of worshipping their Gods into some newe religion neuer heard of before Wherfore they toke them away sodainly and killed white Henwald with a sworde and blacke Henwald with longe torments and horrible diâ—membringe all partes of his body and after they had murdred theÌ„ cast theÌ„ into the riuer of Rhene This fact when the Lord of the couÌ„try whom they desyred to see vnderstoode he was very angry that straungers repayring to him could not haue free passage And streytwais sending forth his men of armes slew all the inhabitaunts of the same village and burnt their houses downe to the grounde Those good priestes and faithfull seruants of our Sauiour Christe suffred the third day of Octobre and to testifye their Martirdom vnto the wordle there lacked no miracles from heauen For when their bodies were cast of the paynims as we signified before into the ryuer Rhene it so fortuned that they were caried against the maine runninge streame almost xl miles where their companions were and a greate bright beame of light reaching vp to heauen shyned euery night ouer the place whersoeuer they came they them selues that had cruelly murdered them beholding and seing the same Moreouer one of them appered by vision in the night to one of their companions whose name was Tilmon a noble man of great renowne in the worlde who from the high degre of a knyght becacame a monke shewing that he might finde their bodies in that place where he should see a light shyne from heauen The which came so to passe And their bodies being founde they were buried with all honour worthy for such holy martires And the day of their Martirdome or rather of the findings of their bodies is kepte solemne and holy in those parties with much deuotion and reuerence Finally when that worthy and renouned Captaine of the frenchmen named Pipine had vnderstanding of this he caused their bodies to be buried very honourably in the church of Coollen a famous citie situated harde by the riuer Rhene Besides it is commonly saied that in the place where they were kylled there spronge vp a fountaine which at this present day floweth with a greate streame to no litle commoditie of the country How ij reuerend and holy men were made bishoppes to set forth and preache Christes religion in Frisland Switbert in Britanny and Wilbrorde in Rome The. 12. Chapter AT the first arriuall of these holy men to Freslande Wilbrorde hauing lycence of the prince to preache went first to Rome where Sergius at that present occupied the sea Apostolique that with his lycence and benediction also he might set vpon that Apostolike office of preachinge to the heathen which he longe desyredâ— hoping with al to receiue of him some reliques of Christes holy Apostles and Martirs to the end that while in the country where he preached he should erect churches after the idolles were cast out and destroyed he might haue in a readinesse some holy saintes reliques to bring in their place and to dedicat churches in their honour whose reliques he had receuid Diuers other thinges also he lerned and receiued from thence requisite for so greate an enterprise In al which requestes when his desyre was accomplished he returned backe againe to preache At the very same time his bretherne and companions left in Fresland altogether beÌ„t to the setting forth of Gods word choosed out of their coÌ„pany a maÌ„ modest and sober in al outward behauiour and humble of spirit called Switbert to be their bishop Whom sent for that purpose into Britanny the most reuerend father in God VVilfride did consecrate lyuinge then as a banished man out of his country amongest the Marshes For at that tyme Canterbury had neuer a bishop Theodore was dead and Berthwalde his successour which went ouer the sea to be consecrated was not yet returned to his bishoprike The said Switbert returning out of Britanny after he was consecrated and made bishopp went within a shorte tyme after to the Bruchtuars And coÌ„uerted a greate nuÌ„ber of them to the perfect way of truth but shortly after wheÌ„ the Bruchtuars wer subdued and conquered by the old SaxoÌ„s al that receiued the gospell were dispersed some into this
corner some in to that The bishop him self with certaine other went to Pipine which at the earnest sute of his ladye Slichildride gaue him a dwelling and maÌ„sion place in a isle of the Rhene which in their toungue is called In litore that is to say in the sea cost where he buylding a goodly monastery which his successours possesse at this present liued a very austere and continent lyfe there where al so he died After the foresaid holy men that came to Frisland had preached there iiij yeares or mo Pipine with the common assent of all the country sent that vertuous and worthy prelate VVilbrodde to Rome where Sergius was yet Pope desyring that he might be made Archebishop of that parte of Freslande the which was fulfilled accordinge to his request the yeare sence the incarnation of Christ. 696. Vpon sainct Cicelies day and in sainct Cicelies churche he was consecrated and named Clement of the said Pope and forthwith sent away to his bisshoprycke to witt xiiij dayes after his cominge to Rome At his returne Pipine assigned him a Cathedrall Churche in his chief and principall cyte called by an olde auncient name of those countries VViltaburge as yow would say a toune inhabited of the VViltes In the french tounge it is called Vltraict Where when this holy and reuerend father had buildid a churche and preaching the faith of Christ farr and wyde had reuokyd many from blindnes and errour he erected also many churches and monasteries through out al those couÌ„tryes and within shorte tyme after made many bishopps chosen either out of those that came presently with him or of other which came thither afterward to preache of the which company many are now departed to god But Wilbrorde called otherwise Clement lyueth yet a reuerent father euen for his age for he hath lyued in his bishoppricke xxxvj yeres and after many agonies and troubles of his heuenly warfare laboureth and panteth yet after the rewarde of euerlastinge blysse in heauen Howe one in Northumberland rysing from deathe tolde many thinges that he had sene some terrible to heare and some worthy to be desired of all men The. 13. Chap. THe very same time was wrought in Britanny a miracle worthy of perpetuall remembraunce and not vnleke to the olde auncient miracles of tymes past for to stirre vp and reuiue men lyuing here vppon earth from the death of their soules a certayne man starke dead for a tyme rose from death to lyfe and tolde many notable thinges that he had seene of the which I thought it good to touche certayne briefly in this historie There was in the coast of Northumberlande in a place callyd Incunning an honest householder of the countrie which with all his family lyued a godly and vertous life He fell sicke and by vehemency of his dysease growing more and more vppon hym was brought to extremyty and in the beginnyng of the nyght died But in the dauninge of the day reuiuing agayne and fittinge vpp sodaynly made all that remained aboute the corse runne a way as men wonderfully amased with feare Only his wife which loued him tenderly although she tremblyd and quakyd tarried still And he comforting her sayed be not afraide For I am nowe rysen in very dede from death which had me as it were in prison and am permitted to liue in earth amongst men againe but not after the same maner and trade as I did before From hence forth my conuersation must be farr vnleeke to my former life And rysing by and by he went to the paryshe churche and continuing there in prayer vntill it was fayre day light forthwyth diuided all his goods into thre partes one parte he gaue to his wife an other to his children the third he reserued to him selfe and made distribution of it straytways amongst the poore Not longe after dispatched of all worldly cares he went to the Monastery of Mailros The which is almost closed in with a creeke of the ryuer Tuyde Where being shoren in he went into a secret cell which the abbot had prouided for him and contynued there vntill his dying day in such contrition of harte and mortefying of the body that if his tounge had not reported yet his life had testified that he had sene many thinges bothe terrible and also comfortable which no other man had sene Of the vision which in his departure he sawe he told after this sorte He that conducted and guided me in this vision had a goodly bright shyning countenaunce and was clothyd all in white and as it semed to me we went altogether in silence towardes the rysing of the sonne and as we walkyd furder we came to a great brode vally so brode so loÌ„ge and so deepe that no man could measure it That which lay on the left hande as we went semed to haue one side very terrible with flaming fier the other intolerable with hayle and snowe beating an percing into euery corner Bothe places were full of mens sowles which apperyd to me to be cast interchaungeably nowe hither now thither as it wer with a violent tempest for when they could no lenger suffre the intolerable heate and flames of fier they leaped to the mydst of that hatefull and deadly colde And when they pitefully in could finde no reast there agayne they wer reuersed into those vnquencheable flames of fier As an infinite number of miserable and wretched soules were tormented without ceaâ—inge or intermission as I might then see with this alteration and interchaunge of paynes I beganne to thynck with my selfe peraduenture this may be hell of whose intolerable torments I haue heard men oftentimes talke But to this cogitation and thought of myne my guyde answeryd sayeng Na thinke not so for this is not hell as thowe doest suppose But when he brought me farder beinge altogether amased with that terrible sight I sawe the places rownde aboute vs sodaynly leese their lyght and euery corner full of darknes As we entred in to them within a litle space they were so thycke that I could see nothing but the bright shewe and cote of him which did conducte me When we went forward all alone in this darknesse beholde sodaynly there appeared before vs many rounde flawes of fier ascending as it were oute of a greate pitt and falling downe againe into the same When I was brought thither my conductour and guide vanished away and left me alone in the midest of that darknesse and horrible sight But as those flawes of fyer flew vppe into the element still without intermission and fell downe into the deape doungell againe I sawe the topp of euery flawe that ascended full of mens soules which in maner of litle sparcles of fyer flying vppe with the smoke were somtimes a hye and when the heate and vapors of the fier were gone fell downe againe into the pitte Moreouer a foule and noysom sauour breaking out with the same vapours infected all the darke places rownde about
of the history which I read and partely also haue added thereunto such things as I could learne my selfe by the faithful testimony of such as knew him I humbly beseche the Reader that if he shal finde any thing otherwise then truth in this treatise he wil not impute it vnto me as the which hath endeuoured to put in writing to the instruction of our after-commers such thinges as we could gather by common report which is the true lawe of an history THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE church of Englande Of the situation of Britanny and Ireland and of the people which inhabited there of owld time The 1. Chapter BRitāny an Iland of the Oceane which of owld time was called Albion doth stande betwext the north and the west right ouer against Germany Fraunce and Spayne iij of the greatest countries of Europe Which being eight hundred myles longe Northward is but ij hundred myles broade excepte yow reckon the cabes or poyntes of the mountaynes which runneth owt a long far into the sea wherby the Iland is in cumpasse forty and eight times lxxv myles Of the sowth side it hath Flaunders the first hauen towne wherof to arriue at for a man comyng owt of England is called Ruthubi the hauen whereof is now corruptely called Reptacester 50 myles of from Calleis or as some write 60. myles On the back syde of it where it lyeth open vnto the mayne Oceane it hath the Iles called Orcades It is an Iland very batfull of corne frute and pasture In sum places it beareth vines it hath plentif of fowles of diuerse sortes both by sea and by land of sprynges also and riuers full of fysh but specially of lampriles and eles Ther be many times also takē porposes Dolphyns and whales beside many kynde of shellfishes among other of muskles in whom be founde perles of all coulours as red purple crymson but specially white ther is also great store of cockles whereof is made the dye of crymson whose rudd will be appalled nether with heate of sonne nether with wette of wether but the oulder it is the more bright and beutifull glasse it casteth It hath also sprynges fitt to make salt and others of whott waters where ar buylded seuerall places meete for all ages as well for men as women to bathe them selues For the water as saynt Basill writeth runnyng thowrogh certayne metalles receiueth therof such vertue of heate that it is not only made warme therby but also skalding whot This Iland is stored wyth mynes of sundry metalles as of brasse lead iron and syluer It bringeth furth also great plētyf of the Geate stone and that of the best This stone is blacke and burneth being put to the fire and then is of vertu good to chase away serpentes If you rub him till he be warme he holdeth fast such thinges as ar layd vnto him euen as Aumber doth This Iland had in it sumtimes xxviij fayre cities beside an innumerable sort of castles whiche also wer well and strongly fensyd wyth walles turrettes gates and bullwarkes And for as much as it is placed right in manner vnder the north pole it hath light nightes in the sommer so that at mydnight many times men dowteth whether it be yet twylight of the euening past or breach of the day followyng Wherby the daies be of a great length there in sommer as contrary the nighte in wynter that is to wytt xviij howers by reason the sonne there is so farre gō sowthward And so in like maner the nightes in the sommer ar there very shorte and the daies in the wynter that is to wytt vj. equinoctiall howers where as in Armenia Macedonia Italia and other countries subiect to the same line the longest day or night passeth not xv the shortest ix howers This Iland at this present to the number of the v. bookes of Moses wyth v. sundry languages doth study and set furth the knowledge of one perfecte truth that is wyth the language of the English the Britannes the Scotts the Pictes and the latine which by study of the scriptures is made common to all the rest At the first this land was inhabited of none other nation but only of the Britānes of whom it receiueth his name which Britānes comyng out of Armorica called now litle Britāny as it is thought chose vnto them selues the sowth parte of this land And after when they from the sowth forward had in their possession a great parte of the I le it chaūced that certaine people of the Pictes coming owt of Scythia as it is sayd trauailing vppō the seas with a few long shippes the winde dryuing them in cumpasse rownde about the coaste of Britannye blewe them a land on Irelands syde on the north partes therof Which they finding inhabited of the Scottes besought thē to allow them some part of the land where they might plante them selues But they coulde not obtayne their desire This Ireland next vnto Britanny is the greatest lland of the Oceane sea and standeth westward of Britanny But as Northward it is not so longe as it so westward it is much longer and reacheth vnto the North partes of Spayne hauing the mayne sea runnyng betwext The Pictes as I haue sayd arriuing wyth their nauy in Ireland required of the inhabitants that they might be suffered there to rest and place them selues The Scottes aunsered that the Iland was not bigg inowgh to hold them both But we can geue you good counsel quoth they what we thynke best for you to doe We know well there is an other Iland not farre from oures standing easte ward from hence which we may see owt of this land in a fayer sonnye day If you will goe thether you may inhabit ther at will And if there be any resistance made against you we wil ayde you Whervpon the Pictes arriuing in Britanny planted them selues in the North partes therof For as for the sowth partes the Britānes had taken vpp before And wheras the Pictes hauing no wyues did require of the Scottes to marry their dawghters the Skottes agreed to graunt them their bone vnder condition that as often as the matter was in dowt they should choose their kyng rather of the next of the howse of the woman then of the man Which order it is well knowen the Pictes kepeth euen to this day In processe of yeres after the Britās and the Pictes the Skottes also wer receiued in to Britanny amōg the Pictes Which coming owt of Ireland vnder Rewda their Capitaine either by force or frendship entered and inhabited the country in Scotland which they possessed Of which capitaine euen vnto this day they ar callid dall reudini for in their language dall signifieth part Irelande both in bredth holsomnes and fines of ayre for passeth Britanny so that there snow remayneth skant iij. dayse to gether and no man there for foddering of his beastes ether maketh hay in the sommer or buyldeth stawles for
his cattaile There is no noysom creping beast to be sene there no serpent that can liue there For many times serpentes which hath ben brought thether owt of Britanny the ship drawing nere vnto the land as sone as they ar towched wyth the smell of the ayer they dieth owt of hand Yea more then that all thing in maner that cometh from the sayd Iland is of souerayne vertue against poyson And this we sawe with oure eyes that wheÌ„ certain men that wer stinged of venemous serpents had taken the scraping of certaine leaues of bookes which had beÌ„ of IrelaÌ„d and had droÌ„ke it in water forthwyth all the force of the venim was staynched and the swelling of the stinged bodies vtterly asswaged This Iland is rich in milk and hony nor voyd of vines fish or foule and full of stagges This is properly the country of the Skottes owt of the which they isshuing hath inhabited BritaÌ„ny being before possessed of the Britons and the Pictes Ther is a great creke of the sea whiche seuered of ould time the Britons from the Pictes which from the west runneth far in to the laÌ„d Where vnto this day there is a citty of the Britons very stronge and well fensed called Alcuith At the north side of the which creke the Scottes hath come and made their dwelling country How that C. Iulius Cesar was the first of all the Romains that came in to Britanny The. 2. Chap. THe Romains had neuer accesse vnto BritaÌ„ny nor knoledge therof vntill Caius Iulius Cesars time Who the 593. yere from the buylding of Rome and the 60. before the incarnation of ower Sauiour Christ being Consul wyth L. Bibulus at the time that he had battell with Germany and Fraunce which two countres the riuer Rhene doth seuer cam into Picardy from whence is a very nigh and short passage in to BritaÌ„ny and wyth 80. ships charged wyth men and warfare prouision passeth ouer in to Britanny where he being receiued wyth a very sharpe and hotte byckering and after shaken wyth a contrary tempest was fayne to returne in to Fraunce wyth the losse of a great part of his nauy and no small number of his souldiars and of the most part of all his men of armes And so for that wynter he was forced to dimisse his army which being ouer past he sayleth againe in to Britanny wyth a nauy of 600. sayle one and other Where after he had arriued and was nowe marching toward his enemy wyth his mayne hoste his ships riding at the anker were with a violeÌ„t storme rent and cast either one vppon the other either vppon the quick sandes and there broken in peces in such sort that xl of them wer lost owt of hand and the rest wyth much a doe repaired Cesars horsemen at the first encounter wer ouerthrowen of the Britannes and Labienus one of his coronells slayne At the second encounter wyth great losse and daunger of his army he put the Britannes to flight From thence he went vnto the riuer of Tems which men say can be waded ouer but in one place where on the farder side a great number of the Britannes warded the bankes vnder Cassibellauno their capitayne which had stycked the bottom of the riuer and the bankes also thyck of great stakes wherof certayn remnantes vnto this day ar to be sene of piles of the bignes of a mans thyghe couered wyth lead styckyng fast in the bottome of the riuer Which when the Romans had espyed and eskaped the Britannes not able to staÌ„de the violence of the Romane Legions hidd them selues in the woddes owt of the which they ofte brekyng owt greatly endomaged the army of the Romaynes In this meane time Trinobantum a very stronge citty wyth their Capitain Androgorius yelded vnto Cesar deliuering xl hostages Which example other moe citties followyng fell in leage wyth the Romans by whose aduerâ—ising Cesar hauing intelligence of a stronge hold that Cassibelianus had buylded betwene two dykes or marishes well fensed wyth woddes on ech side farsed wyth plente of all thinges assayling wyth great force at lenght ouercomed After that returning in to FrauÌ„ce hauing dimissed his army for the wynter season he was sodenly besett wyth great tumultes of warres reised against him on euery side How Claudius the Emperour was the second that came in to Britanny which did also subdue the Iles Orcades And how Vespasian seâ— by â—im tooke the I le of wyte The. 3. Chap. THe 797. yere from the buylding of Rome Claudius the third Emperour after August being much desirours to shew him selfe a prince profitable vnto the common welth sought by all meanes battaile and conquest Whereuppon he made a viage in to Britanny which was all in a mute ny for that such as wer traytorously fled from them wer not restored He passed ouer in to the Iland whether nor before Iulius Cesar nor after any durst aduenture And there with out ether blud or battaile receiued by submission the greatest part of the Iland voluntaryly yelding them selues vnto him Also he brought in subiection to the Romaine empire the Iles Orcades which lieth in the Oceane aboue Britanny which don he returned to Rome the vj. moneth after that he departed thence and caused his son to be surnamed ' BritaÌ„nicus This battel was sought the foruth yere of his empire which was the yere of thincarnatioÌ„ of our lord 46. In the which yere also there fel a great famine thorough out al Syria which in the Actes of the Apostles is shewed to before spokeÌ„ by Agabus the prophet Vespasianus which after Nero was emperour being sent of the said Claudie in to Britanny subdued vnto the Seigneurie of the Romains the ile of Wite staÌ„digng nigh BritaÌ„ny westward Which is of length froÌ„ este to west about 30. miles froÌ„ south to North 12. being in the east part by sea 6. miles in the west 3. miles of froÌ„ the west shore of BritaÌ„ny Nero succeding Claudius in the empire neuer durst meddle with warfare matters Wherby among other many hindraunces which befel in his time vnto the empire one was that he had almost lost Britanny For vnder him two noble townes wer taken and ouerthrowen How that Lucius Kyng of Britanny sent to Eleutherius desiring to be Christened The. 4. Chap. THe yere of the incarnatioÌ„ of our Lord 156. Marcus Aurelius Verus the 14. Emperour after August gouerned the empire with his Brother Aurelius Commodus In whose time Eleutherius a holy maÌ„ being Pope of the church of Rome Lucius Kyng of BritaÌ„nes wrote vnto him desiring that by his commaundement he might be made christian which his request was graunted him Wherby the Britannes receiuing then the fayth kept it sounde and vndefiled in rest and peace vntill Dioclesian the Emperours time How Seuerus the Emperoure by a trench drawen ouerthwart seuered one part of Britanny from the other The. 5. Chap. THe yere of our Lord 189. Seuerus borne in Afrike at
Tripolis the 17. emperour froÌ„ August reigned 17. yeres This maÌ„ being rough of nature entaÌ„gled with much warres gouerned the coÌ„mon welth very valiauÌ„tly but yet with much trauail After he had vanquyshed his ciuill enemies with which he was very sore assayled he is called in to Britanny by the meanes of the great defection of the most part of the country from the Signorie of the Romans Where after he had recouered by great and greuous warres a great part of the land he made a partition betwext them and the other wild and sauage people not with buylding of a waâ—â— of stone as some suppose but with a trench and a raÌ„paire of turâ—e and timber thyck fensed with bulwarkes and turrets Which sayed trench he caused to be drawen from one sea to the other And there at yorke he died leauing behinde him 2. sonnes Bassianus and Geta which Geta being condemned of treason died And Bassianus taking vpon him the surname of Antonius gouerned the empire after the deceasse of his father Of the Raygne of Dioclesian and of the persecution which he raysed against the Christians The. 6. Chap. THe yere of our Lorde 286 Dioclesianus the xxxiij Emperour after August being chosen of the army raygned xx yeres and he created Maximinianus surnamed Herculeus his fellowe in gouernement of the Empire In whose time one Carausius of low degre in byrth but valiaunt in armes and politicke in counsell was appointed toward the sea coaste against the French menne and the Saxons whiche then with continuall robberies much wasted that countries But he so behaued him selfe that he did more hurt there then the ennemies them selues For such pillage as he had recouered from them he did not restore it to the right owners but reserued it to him selfe whereby he was suspected that he wittingly suffered them to pill and spoyle at pleasure Wher vppon being commaunded to be put to death of Maximinianus he toke vppon him the princely authoritie and vsurped the gouernance of the Britannes which after he kept vij yeres At length by treason of his fellow Allectius he was slayne Which Allectius him selfe Carausius being killed kept the possession of the Iland iij. yeres whom Asclepiodotus chiefe gouernour of the army ouercam and receiued the Iland in his possession the tenth yere after it was inuaded In the meane time Dioclesian in the easte Maximinianus in the West raysing the tenth persecution after Nero against the Christians commaunded the churches to be spoyled the Christians to be tormented and killed which persecution was both longer and also crueller then all the other for hole x. yeres together it continued in burning the churches in baÌ„nishing the innoceÌ„ts in murdering the Martyrs and neuer ceased Brefely among other places it made Britanny to be honored wyth the glory of many holy Martyres which constantly stode and died in the confession of their faith The passion of Saynt Albane and his fellowes which did shead their bludd for Christes sake The 7. Chap. AMong other suffered Saynt Albane of whom Fortunatus priest in the booke he wrote in the prayse of virgines speaking of the Martyres which from all coastes of the world cam vnto God sayth Albanum egregium foecunda BritaÌ„nia profert The fertile lande of batfull Britanny Bringeth furth Albane a Martyr right worthy This Albane being yet but a Pagane when the cruell commaundements of the wicked Princes were set forth against the Christians receiued in to his house one of the clergy whiche had fled from the persecutours whom he perceiuing bothe night and day to continewe in praying and watching beinge sodaynly towched with the grace of God began to follow the example of his faith and vertu and by litle and litle instructed by his holesom exhortations forsaking his blind idolatry became ChristiaÌ„ with his hole hart At length after the sayd person of the clergy had certain daise taried with him it came to the eares of the Prince that this holy confessor of Christ whose time was not yet come that god appointed for him to suffer martyrdome lay hid in Albanus house Whereuppon he commauÌ„did his souldiours to search his house with all diligence Whether when they were cum saynt Albane apparelled in his gests and masters garments offerid him selfe to the souldiours and so was brought bound vnto the iudge It chaunced that the iudge the same time was doing sacrifice vnto the deuills before the aultars And when he had sene Albane being all chaufed with anger for that he feared not voluntarily to offer him selfe vnto the souldiars and perell of death for his geste whom he had harbored he commaunded him to be brought before the idoles of the diuells before whom he there stode And for so much quoth he as thou haddest rather to conueye awaye the rebell and traytour to our Gods then deliuer him vp vnto the souldiours that he might sustaine due punishement for his blasphemous despising of the Gods looke what paynes he should haue suffered if he had ben taken the same shalt thou suffer if thou refuse to practise the rites of ower religion But Saynt Albane which wilfully had before discouered him selfe to be a Christian litle heeded the menacies of the Prince But being thorouly fensed with spirituall armour of grace told him plainly to his face that he would not obey his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t Then said the iudge of what house or stock art thou Albane aunsweredâ— what is that to the of what house I am but if thou be desirous to know of what religion I am be it knowen vnto the that I am a Christian and that I employe my selfe to Christian maners and excercises Then the iudge demaunded him his name My parents quoth he nameth me Albane and I honor and worship the true and liuing god whiche made al thing of naught TheÌ„ the iudge being very wroth sayde If thou wilt enioy long life cum of and do sacrifice vnto the great goddes Albane aunswered theis sacrifices whiche yow offer vp vnto the diuells neither helpe the offerers nor obtaine them their desires but rather purchase them for their reward eternall paynes in hell fire The iudge hearing this being in a rage commaunded the holy confessor of God to be all beaten of the tormentours thinking his constance would relent at strypes which refused to yeld to words but he shewed him self not only patient but also ioyful in the middle of all his torments The iudge when he sawe he could be nether wonne with wordes nor tourned with torments from the religion of Christes faith commaunded that he should be behedded In the way as he was ledd to his death he came to a floudde which with a very swift course ranne betwixt him and the place where he should suffer Now he saw a great company of all sexes degrees and ages going with him to the place of his execution in so much that it semed the iudge was left alone at home without any to attend vppon him This company was so
a Brittain made wicked battail against the grace of God The. 10. Chap. THe yere of our Lord 394. Arcadius son vnto Theodosius with his brother Honorius being the xliij Emperour after August raigned xiij yeres In whose time Pelagius a Britan borne disperkled the venim of his faithlesse doctrine very far abroad holding that a man might liue well without the helpe of the grace of God vsing herein the ayde of Iulianus of Campania who was intemperatly sturred with the losse of his byshoprick To whom S. Austen and other catholick fathers also hath aunswered in most ample maÌ„ner but yet they would not be amended therby But being conuicted of their falshed they rather would encrease it by defending and mainteining it then amend it by retourning to the truth How that Honorius being Emperour Gratian and Constantine vsurped tyranny in Britanny where the first shortly after was slayne and the other in Fraunce The. 11. Chap. THe yere of our Lord 407. Honorius son of Theodosius the younger being emperour in the 44. place after August ij yere before that Rome was iuuaded by Alaricus Kyng of the Gothes when the nations of the Alanes the Sueâ—es and the Vandalls and many such other with them the frenchmen being beaten downe passing the Rhene raiged thorough out al Fraunce about that time Gratianus in BritaÌ„ny is created tyraÌ„ and is slayne In his place Constantine being but a coÌ„mon souldiour was chosen only for the names sake with out any desert of vertu which so sone as he had taken vppon him the empire passed ouer in to Fraunce where being ofte deluded of the barbarous nations as vnwisely and vncertainly making his leage with them greatly endomaged the common welth Wher vpoÌ„ Honorius sending Constantius the Counte in to Fraunce with an army Constantine was beseiged at Arells and there taken and slayne and Gerontius his partener slew his son CoÌ„stans at Vienna whom of a moÌ„ke he had made emprour Rome was destroyd of the Gothes the 1164. yere after it was buylded After which time the Romans lefte to rule in BritaÌ„ny after almost 470. yeres that C. Iulius Caesar first entered the sayd I le The Romanes dwelt with in the trench which as we haue sayd Seuerus drew ouerthwart the IlaÌ„d at the south part which thing may appeare by the citties temples bridges and paued stretes to this day remayning Not withstanding they had in possession and vnder their dominion the farder partes of Britanny and also the Ilandes which ar aboâ—e Britanny How the Britannes being spoyled of the Scottes and the Pictes sought ayde of the Romans which at the second time of their comming buylded a wall betwene the ij countries but they shortly after were oppressed with greater miseres then euer they wer in before The. 12. Chap. BY meanes the sayd tyrannes and capitaines of the Romans did vse to transport with them ouer in to Fraunce the flower of all the youthe of Britanny to serue them in their forayne warres their men of warre wer consumed and the country being all disarmed was not now able to defend them selues against the inuasion of their enemies Where vppon many yeares together they liued vnder the miserable seruage and oppression of ij most cruell outlandish nations the Scottes and the Pictes I cal them outlandish not for that they wer out of the circuit of Britanne but that they wer diuided from the land of Britanny by ij armes of the sea running betwext them of the which one froÌ„ the easte sea the other from the west ruÌ„neth in far and wyde in to the land of Britanny though they may one reach to the other In the middle of the east creeke there is a citte buylded called Guidi Aboue the west creeke towarde the right hand standeth a citte called Alcuith which in their language is as much to say as the Rock Cluith for it standeth by a fludd of the same name The Britannes then being thus afflicted by the sayd nations sent their embassadours wyth letters vnto Rome wyth lamentable supplications requiring of them ayde and succour promising them their continuall feaâ—te so that they would reskue them against the oppression of their sayd enemies where vppon there was sent vnto them a legion of armed souldiours from Rome which commyng in to the iland and encountering wyth the enemies ouerthrew a great number of them and draue the rest owt of the fruntiers of the couÌ„try and so setting them at liberte and fre from the misery wyth which they wer before so greuously ouercharged couÌ„seled them to make a wall betwene thâ— ij seas which might be of force to kepe out their euill neyghboures and that don they returned home with great triumph But the Britons buylding the wall which they wer bid to make not of stone as they wer willed but of turue as hauing none among them that had skyll there in made it so slender that it serued them to litle purpose This walle they made betwen the ij sayd armes or creekes of the sea many myles longe that wher as the fense of the water lacked there by the helpe of the treÌ„ch they might kepe their country from the breakyng in of their ennemies Of which pece of wurke there remayneh euen vnto this day most assured tokens yet to be seene This trench begynneth about two myles of from the monastery of AEbercuring Westward in a place which in the Pictes language is called Peanuakel and in English is called Penwelt and runnyng owt eastward is ended by the citty of Alâ—luith But the former enemies when they had once perceiued that the Roman legion was returned home againe furth with being sett on land by boates inuadeth the borders ouercometh the countrey and as it wer corne reddy to be cutt they moweth beateth and beareth downe all before them Where vpon Ambasadours be sent agayne to Rome wyth lamentable voyce requiring their succour beseching them they would not suffer their miserable country to be vtterly destroyed nor permitt that the name of the prouince which thorow them had so long â—lorished should now thus despirefully be extingueshid by the wycked crueltie of their forayne people Agayn there is sent an other legion which in the hâ—â—â—est time comyng vpon the sodayne made a great slawghter of the enemies and such as could eskape chased them ouer the seas in to their owne conntry which before wer wont to waste and spoyle the country of Britanny wythout resistance Then the Romans toulde the Brytans playne that it was not for their ease to take any more such trauaylous iourneis for their defence and bydd them to practise their armour them selues and learne to wythstande their enemy whom nothing els did make so strong but their faynt and cowardous hartes And forsomuch they thought that wold be sum helpe and strength vnto their loyal fellowes whom they wer now forced to forsake they buylded vp a walle of hard stone from sea to sea a right betwene the two citties
with Valentinian the 46. emperour after August raigned vij yeres In whose time the people of the English or Saxons being sent for of the sayd kyng in to Britanny landed there in iij. longe shipps and by the kynges commaundement is appointed to abide in the east part of the land as to defende the couÌ„try like frendes but in dede as it proued afterward as minding to destroy the country as enemies Wherefor encountring with the northen enemy the Saxons had the better Wherof they sending word home in to their country as also of the batfulnes of the lande and the cowardnes of the Britannes the Saxons sent ouer a greater nauy and number of men better appointed for the warres which being now ioyned with the former bande drew to a stronger army then all the power of the Britannes was able to ouercomme These by the Britannes wer allowed a place to dwell among them with that coÌ„dition that they should war for them against their enemies and should receiue waiges of the Britannes for their trauailes These that cam from beyond the seas wer iij. of the strongest natioÌ„s in Germany That is the SaxoÌ„s English the and the Vites Of the Vites cam the people of Kent and of the I le of Wite and they which in the prouince of the West Saxons or called vnto this day the nation of the Vites right ouer against the I le of wite Of the Saxons that is of that region which now is called of the ould Saxons desceÌ„ded the east Saxons the south Saxons and the west Saxons Of the English that is of that country which is called England and from that time to this is thought to stande in the middest betwene the Vites and the Saxons descendeth the easte English the vplandish English the Marshes and all the progeny of the Northumbers that is of that people which inhabiteth the north side of the flud Humber The chiefe capitaynes of the Saxons ar sayd to haue ben ij brothers Hengistus and Horsus Of the which Horsus being after slayne in battaill of the Britannes was buried in the east partes of kent where his tombe bearing his name is yet to shew They wer the sonnes of one Vetgissus whose father was Vecta whose father was Voden of whose ishew many kynges of sundry prouinces had their originall Now then great companies of the sayd nations dayly flocking in to this Iland they begaÌ„ to grow so stroÌ„ge that the people of the couÌ„try which sent for them stode in great feare of their powessance And sodaynly taking leage with the Pictes whom they had now dreuen farder of beganne to turne their force vppon the Brytannes And first they require of them more plenty of vittayles and pycking matter of falling owt with them threateneth them that except they wold prouide them better store they wold break of wyth them and spoyle all the country about And as much as they then promised they after in dede performed To be short the fire once kendled in the handes of the Paganes tooke iust reuenge of the wyckednesse of the people not much vnlike vnto that fire which being kendled of the Caldees consumed the citty of Ierusalem So allso this fire of vengaunce the wycked conquerour kendeling it or rather God the iuste iudge disposing it raiged first vppon the citties and countrey next vnto it after from the east sea vnto the west ouer whelmed all the whole Iland with out any resistaÌ„ce made to queÌ„ch it Both publick and priuat houses were ouerthrowne to the grownd the priestes wer slayne standing at the aultar the bisshops with their flock wer murdered without respect of their dignitie nor was there any that wold bury the slayne Sum of the miserable leuinges being taken in the hilles wer there kylled other being sterued with hungre wer fayne to creape out of their caues and buy their vittall at their enemies hands with sale of their liberte for euer if yet they wer not killed owt of hand Other fled ouer the seas with a heauy hart Other taryeng still in their country in feare of death and lack of foode liued full miserably in the mountaines woddes and cliffes How the Britannes obteyned the first victory of the English by the helpe of Ambrosius a Romane The. 16. Chapter BVt after that the English men hauing nowe dryuen owt and disperkled the lande dwellers wer come back agayne the Britannes by litle and litle begannne to take strength and couraige vnto them comyng out of their caues in which they lay hidde before and with one vniforme consent calling for heauenly helpe that they might not for euer vtterly be destroyed They had then for their capitaine a Romane called Ambrosius Aurelianus a gentle natured man which only of all the blud of the Romans remayned then a liue his parentes being slayne which bore the name of the kynge of the country This man being their Capitaine they assembled them selues together and prouokyng the victoures to the fight through gods assistance atcheiued the victory And from that day forward now the men of the country nâ—w the enemye had the victory vntill the yere that Bathe was beseiged where they gaue their enemies a great ouerthrowe which was about the xliiij yere of their comyng in to the land But of this we shall speake more here after How Germanus the bishop sayling with Lupus in to Britanny ceased first the tempest of the sea after the stormes of the Pelagian heresies by the power of God The. 17. Chapter A Few yeres before the comming of the Saxonnes in to the lande the Pelagian heresies being browght in by Agricolâ— the son of Seuerianâ—s a Pelagian bishop did sore corrupte the faith of the Britannes But the BritaÌ„nes being neither willing to receiue their lewde doctrine as blasphemous against the grace of God neither able to refute their wylye and wycked persuasioÌ„s they deuiseth this holsom couÌ„sel to seeke for ayde of the byshops of Fraunce against these their spiritual enemies And they calling a coÌ„mon counsell coÌ„sulted among them selues whom of them all it wer best to send to helpe their neybours faith By the assent of them all ther was chosen ij worthy prelates Germanus Altisiodorensis and Lupus bishop of the cite Trecassa which should passe ouer in to Britanny to confirme them in the faith which with reddy obedience accepting the commaundement of the Synode tooke shipping thether ward and had very prosperous windes vntill they were halfe way ouer betwene Fraunce and Britanny Then sodenly as they wer sayling the diuell much enuyeng that such men should goe to recouer the people out of their dauÌ„ger and winne them to the right faith of Christ he rayseth such tempestes and stormes against them that a maÌ„ could not know day from night The sayles ar not able to beare the boysterous fury of the winde the marinours being in despair gaue ouer the ship was guided rather by the prayer of the good theÌ„ pollice of
in peace the dayes of his office he dyed the. 26. of Maye in the raygne of the same king Elbert How Laurence with his other Bysshops warned the Scottes of the vnitie of the catholike churche and specially to folowe the same in celebrating the Ester And how Mellite came to Rome The. 4. Chap. AFter the death of S. Austin Lawrence succeded in the Bysshoprik Whom S. Austin himselfe while he lyued had ordeyned therto lest that after he was deade the state of this churche rude as yet and lately conuerted mought begin to wauer and fall yf hit shuld haue lacked a Pastor and ruler neuer so lytle while Wherin he folowed the example of the first pastor of the churche that is of the moste blessed and Prince of thappostles S. Peter who when he had layed at Rome the foundation of Christes churche consecrated Clement for his successor who had euer before ben his healper in preching the gospell This Laurence being nowe Archebisshop sawe howe ioylely the fundations of this his churche dyd encrease which were wel and strongly layde And he endeuoured to lyfte vp the same to their perfayte highnes bothe by often wordes of holie exhortatiō and also cōtinual exāples of deuoute and godly workes And truly he hofully cared not only for the newe churche wich was now gathered of Englishemē but also for the churche of the old inhabitantes of Britannie and of the Scottes too who harboured in Ireland the next yle to Britanny for the which people also he laboured as a true pastour and prelat For as sone as he knewe the lyfe and profession of the Scottes in their forenamed cuntrie to be skarce Ecclesiasticall and well ordered in manie pointes lyke as was the Britons at that tyme in Britannie specially bycause they celebrated not the solennitie of Ester in dew tyme but as I haue before shewed thowght that they must obserue and celebrate the daye of our Lords rresurectiō from the. 4. mone to the. 20. he I saye with the other Bysshops wrote vnto them an exhorting epistle beseching and praying them to receaue and kepe the societe of peace and vnitie of Catholike obseruation with that churche of Christe which is spredde ouer all the whole wordle The beginning of this epistle was suche To our derest beloued brethern the Bysshops and Abbottes throwgh out all Scotland Laurence Mellite and Iustus Bysshops and seruantes to them that serue God greating VVhen as the see Apostolique according to thaccustomable maner therof to send into all places of the wordle directed and sent vs vnto these west quarters to preache the word of God to paynim people and to hethen men it happed vs to entre into this yle which is called Britannie VVhere thinking that all that dyd beare the name of Christen men walked according to the customed waye of the vniuer sall churche we honored with greate reuerence as wel the Britons as the Scottes But after we had wel proued and tryed the Britons to swarue from the same we yet iudged the Scottes for better men Marye nowe we haue lerned by Bysshop Dagamus comming to this before mentioned yland and we doe vnderstand by the Abbot Columban of Fraunce that the Scottes do nothing differ from the Britons in their cōuersation For Bysshop Dagamus coming to vs wold not only not eate with vs but not so muche as eate his meate in that house where we were ce This Laurēce with the other Bysshops sent also letters worthie and mete for his degree to the Briton priestes With which letters he hofully sowght and earnestly laboured to confirme and strenghthen thē in the catholike vnitie but how muche he hath auailed therin these present dayes do now well declare About this tyme came Mellite bysshop of London to Rome there to commune and counsell with the Apostolike Pope Boniface for necessarie causes of the the English churche And when as this right reuerent Pope had called a Synode of the Bishops of Italy to appointe some order as concerning the life of monkes and their quiet state Mellite him selfe sate amongest them the 8. yeare of the raigne of Focas the Emperour the 13. Indiction and the 27. daye of February that what thing so euer were regularly decreed the re he also subscribing therunto might confirme them with his authorite and returning to Britannie might bringe them with him to the English churche as precepts and rules to be kept and obserued As also beside these rules certain epistles which the same Bishop of Rome wrote and directed to the derely beloued in Christe Archebishop Laurence and all the clergy and with other letters which he wrote likewise to king Elbert and all the English men This is the same Boniface which was the 4. Bishop of Rome after S. Gregory Who by ernest suit obtained a temple of the Emperour Focas for the Christians Which temple of auncient time was euer called by a Greke name Pantheon as who wold saye the temple of all Goddes Out of which temple this Boniface casting forth all filthines and purging hit cleane made a church therof in the honour of our ladie the blessed mother of God and all the holy martyres of Christe that the number of diuels being shutte out thence the blessed companie of Saintes might haue there a perpetuall memorie How when the kinges Elbert and Sabareth were deade their successours brought vp againe idolatrie Whereuppon Mellite and Iustus depart out of Britannie The. 5. Chap. IN the yeare of thincarnation of our Lorde 613. which was the 21. after that bishop Austen aud his compaine were sent to the English nation to preache Elbert king of kent after his temporall reigne which he had kept most gloriously the space of 56. yeares entred into eternall blisse of the kingdome of heauen Who was the third king of the English men and reyned our all the South prouinces which are separated from the North by the fludde Humber and the borders adioyning therto But he was the first of all the kinges that entred in to the kingdome of heauen For the first English king was Elli king of the South Saxons the second Celin king of the VVest Saxons whome they called Cewlin The third as we haue sayde was Elbert king of Kēt After him the fourth was Redualt king of the Este English Who while king Elbert yet liued was chief gouerner of his countrie and royalme vnder him The fyueth was Edwine kinge of Northūberland that is king of all the inhabitants about the north parte of the fludd Hūber This king being a prince of greater powre thē all other that ruled in Britannie raigned both ouer the English men and Britons to except the people of Kent and added moreouer to the English dominions and kingdome the Briton Ilandes called Meuanie which lye betwex Ireland and Britannie The sixth was Oswald king also of Northūberland a most Christen prince Whose dominions were as large The seuenth
mercie of God doe hope and beleaue that not only king Adelwaldes subiectes but also all the next dwellers and inhabitauntes abowt him shall receiue by your preching parfect saluation and life euerlasting To the entent that as it is writen the reward of your pâ—rfit and ended worke be geuen yowe from our Lorde the geauer of all good thinges And at the length the vniuersall confession of all nations receiuing the veritie of Christian fayth maye manifestly declare that their sounde hath gon for the ouer all the earth and their wordes euen to the vttermost partes of all the wordle Wherfore of our bounteousnes we haue sent yow by the bearers of our present letters a palle Which we geue yow lycence to vse only in the celebration of the moste holy mysteries graunting yow moreouer by the grace and mercye of our Lorde the ordeyning of Bishops when occasion shall require For so the gospell of Christe by the preching of manye maye the better be spredd ouer all nations that be not yet conuerted Let therefore your brotherly charite keape with a pure minde and sincere intention this authorite which it hath nowe receiued by the bountifulnes of the see Apostolique In remembrance and token whereof yowe shall here receiue to your vse as prelat there this Robe which we send you It remaineth that calling continually for the mercye and grace of our Lorde you endeuoure to be such a man as maie vse the rewarde of this our graunted and geauen autorite worthelye and not to anye daunger or losse of sowles but rather that yow maye be able to shewe and present thesame hereafter before the iudgement seate of the hiest and most assured Iudge to come with the gaine of manie sowles to God Who keape and preserue yow alwayes in healthe most derely beloued brother Of the raigne of king Edwyne and how Pauline comming thither to preche the gospell first baptised his daughter in Christian faith an others with her The. 9. Chapter ABout this time the people also of Northumberlande that is the English men which dwelled towarde the Northsyde of the fludde Humber receiued together with their king Edwyne the worde of faith by the preching of Pauline of whome I haue sumwhat spoken aboue To the which king in a good abodement of receiuing the faithe was graunted both possibilite of the kingdome of heauen and also greater poure by thincrease of his kingdome on earthe For he had subdued all the coastes of Britannie whersoeuer anie prouinces or of Englishmen or Britons were inhabited which thing no one kinge of English men had done before him Moreouer he added as we haue shewed before the Meuian yles to the Englishe kingdome Of which yles the first that is nerest the South and in situation larger and for the plentifulnes of corne more fertyle hath dwelling rome for the number of 960. families to the estimate of English men The seconde hath space of grounde but for 300. tenements or somwhat more Now the occasion that these peoples came to the faith was suche The before named king Edwine was ioyned in affinite to the kinge of kent by the marriage of Ladie Edelburge otherwise called Tate daughter to king Elbert Which Ladie when king Edwine woed sending thether his embassadours answer was geuen by her hrother Edbald then king of Kent that it was not lawfull for a Christian woman and virgin to be maried or spoused to a paynime leste the faith and sacramente of the king of heauen might be profaned by the companie of suche a king as knew not the trew worshipping of God Which answer when the embassadours brought backe to kinge Edwine he promised that in anie case he wold doe nothing that shuld be contrarie to the Christian faith which this virgin professed but rather permitte that she with all the men and women priestes or seruaÌ„ts which came with her shuld keape and obserue after the ChristiaÌ„s maner their faith and customes of their religion Neither did he denie but that himselfe also would receaue the same religion so that after the examination of wise men it were founde more holie then his and meter for God Then vppon these conditions this virgin was promised and sent also vnto kinge Edwine And according to appointment made the man of God Paulinus was ordained Bishop and chosen to goe with her to confirme her and her companie that they might not be polluted with the felowship of painimes Who did so by his daylie exhortations and ministringe the blessed sacrameÌ„te vnto theÌ„ This Paulinus was made bishop by Iustus tharchbishop of Caunterbury aboute the 21. daye of Iulie the yeare of our Lorde 625. Being ordained he is directed in company with the aboue mentioned virgin vnto king Edwine as if he had ben her bodely compagnion but the vertuous bishop entended wholly in his harte nought els then to call that countrie to which he weÌ„t to thacknowleadging of the truth that according to the sayeng of the Apostle he might exhibet and present hit as a chaste virgin to the true and only spouse which is Christe When he was now commen into this countrie with the healpe and ayde of God he laboured ernestly to keape them which came with him from falling froÌ„ their faith And sought also how he might possibly conuert by preching some of those painims to faith and grace But as the Apostle saith Although he loÌ„g laboured in preching the word of our Lord to them yet the God of this worlde so blinded the hartes of thâ—sâ— infidels that the light of the gospell and the glorie of Christe could not shyne before them The yeare folowing there came into this cuntrie a desperate ruffian named Ewmere sent thither by Euichelme kinge of the west Saxons Who entending to dispatche kinge Edwine both of his kingdome and life to brought priuely vnder his garment a double egged short swerd to this entent dipped in poyson that if the stroke of the swerde were not forceable enough to kill the king out of hand yet it might be healped forward with the infection of the poison He came therfore on Ester Sondaye vnto the king who laye at the ryuer Deruent where was the courte then He entred ther into the palace as an embassadour which had earnest message from his prince and when with craftie speache he had a litle made the prince attent to his fained embassaye he steppeth forth sodenly and drawing his swerd from vnder his garment flew to the kinge Which when Lilla the kinges moste faithful seruant sawe and hauing no buckler readie at hand wherewith he might defend the king from present deathe stept straightwaie with his owne bodie betwen the kinge and the stroke But this murderer strooke his swerd so farre and feercely in them bothe that through the bodie of this seruaunt now quight slayne he wounded the king himselfe greuously Which thing when he had thus donne being straightwaye besette with the weapons of the kinges garde
spiteful suttelties the wicked sprits replied alwaies against him not only his doings and superfluous wordes but also his very thoughtes as if they had them writen in booke also what gladd and heuy tydinges he lerned of the Angels and other holy and iust men appearing then vnto him let him reade the litle booke which is writen of his life and he shal receaue thereof I doubt not much spirituall comfort and instruction Amōg the whiche yet one thing there is that we haue thought good and profitable to many to expresse in this our history At what time in his traunce he was caried vp to heauen warde he was commaunded of the Angels who caried him to looke downe in to the worlde Which when he did he sawe as if it were a darke and obscure vally vnderneath him Also in the ayre foure seuerall fyres not farre distant one from the other Asking therefore the Angells what fyres those were it was tolde him that those were the fyres which should burne and consume the worlde The first fyre they saied was the fyre of lying which we all incurre when we do not fulfill the promis which we made in baptim that is to renoūnce the diuell and all his workes The second fyre is of couetousnes and desire when we preferre the riches of the worlde before the loue of heauenly matters The third is of strife and debate when we sticke not to offende the mindes of our euen Christiās euen in trifling and superfluous matters The fourth is of wickednes and impiete thinking it a light matter to injury beguile or vse violence toward our wekers and inferiours These foure fyres encreasing by litle and litle so farr at the lenght extended that ioyning altogether they grew to a great and houghly flame Which approching nigh vnto him fearing he cried to the Angel Lorde beholde the fyre draweth to me To whom the Angell saied Feare not That which thou hast not kindled shall not burne the. For though this flame seme to the terrsble great and hougy yet it trieth euery one according to the desertes of his workes For the worldly desyre that eche one hath shall burne and purifie in this fyre And as a man burneth in his body by vnlaufull pleasure so departed out of his body he shall burne by due and deserued paine Then he sawe one of the thre Angels whiche in bothe his visions had ben his guides to go before and diuide the flames from him The other two warding him on eche side from the danger of the fire also He saw againe the diuels and wicked sprits flyeng through the fire fighting with fire against the Iuste After folow the accusations of the wicked sprits against him the defence of the Angels for him and a greater sight of the heauenly company Amonge the which many of his owne nation of Scotland appeared vertuous priestes in their life time and men of great opinion of holynesse of whom he lerned diuers thinges very profitable both for him selfe and for other which would lerne of him Who after they had ended their cōmunication departing vp to heauen again with the other blessed company thre Angels remained with Furseus to reduce him againe to his body In their returne as they approched to that great foresaied fyre the Angell parted the fire from him as before yet when this man of God had entred the waie made betwene the flames certain of the wicked sprits snatching vp one of them which they tormented in the fires threwe him at him and touching him burned his shouldet and cheke The man of God knew well the person and remembred that at his death he had taken of him a garment of his bequethed him But the holy Angell taking away spedely the tormented soule threw him againe in to the fyre Whereat the wicked sprit saied repell him not now whom ye receiued before For as ye tooke the goods of this sinner so ought ye also take parte of his paynes and tormentes Vnto whom the Angell answering saied he toke it not of couetousnes but for the sauing of his soule with this the fire ceased And the Angel turning to the mā said That which thou hast kindled hath now burned in the. For if thou haddest not taken the mony of this man dying in his sinne the torment of his fire had not touched the. And here in many wordes the Angell taught him what was to be done concerning their saluation which did repent The man liuing longe time after bore the signe of that fire which he suffred in soule visible and euident to all men in his shoulder and cheke And the flesh maruailously openly shewed that which the soule priuely suffred He endeuoured euer after as he was also wont before to preache bothe by worde and example to all men the trade and duty of a vertuous life The maner of his visions he communicated only to such who of vertuous desire and holy zele desired the same It remaineth yet touching this man that we recite here the credible reporte of an auncient brother of our monastery who saieth he heard of a very trusty and vertuous man that he had sene this Furseus in the prouince of the East costes of England and had heard of his owne mouth these visions Reporting moreouer that in the most sharp frost of depe winter that holy man sitting but in a slight garment as he recounted these visions through the great feare and pleasure also conceiued by the remembraunce thereof he would sweat as if it had ben the hottest daye in the middest of sommer To returne to our principall purpose this holy man hauing preached the worde of God many yeares in Scotlande and not being able to endure any longer the commotion of the people leauing all that he had departed from his natiue countre and Ilond that he was borne in From thence he came to the easte coast of England preaching there the worde of God and erecting at last as we touched before a noble Monastery Al whiche thinges duly perfourmed intending vtterly to abandonne all worldly cares and troubles he leste also the busy gouuernement of the monastery committing that charge of soules to his brother Fullanus and to Gobbanus and Dicullus priestes taking vpō him the most solitary life of an Anchoret He had an other brother called Vltanus who also after longe proufe and triall in the monastery went vnto a wildernesse and lead an Eremites life To him he went alone liuing one whole yeare with him in continency prayers and daily hand labour The countre being after much disquieted by often inuasions of ennemies and monasteries them selfes being in danger leauing al thinges in good order he sailed in to Fraunce Where being honourably receiued of the French kinge Clouis the second and of Erkinwald then preuost of Perone he builded a monastery in a place there called Latiniacum Where not longe after falling sicke he died Whose body Earkinwald the preuost taking thence kept it in
and down wher he list nor whē he came any whither should be receaued without letters of commendation from his diocesan And if that he be ones receaued and will not retourne being warned and called both the receauer and he that is receaued shall incurre the sentence of excommunication The sixte that such bishops and clerkes as are strangers be content with such hospitalitie as is giuen them and that it be laufull for none of them to execute any office of a priest without the permission of the bishop in whose diocese they are knowen to be The seuenth that whereas by the auncient decrees a synode and conuocation ought to be assembled twise a yere yet bicause diuerse inconueniences doo happen amonge vs it hath semed good to vs all that it should be assembled onse a yere the first day of August at the place called Clofeshooh The eight that no bishop should ambitiously preferre him selfe before an other but should all acknowledge the time and order of their consecration In the ix article it was generally entreated that the nomber of bishops should be encreased the nomber of Christian folke waxing daily greater but hereof at this time we sayed no farther The x. for mariages that noman cōmit aduoutrie nor formication that noman forsake his owne wife but for only fornication as the holy ghospell teacheth And if any man put away his wif being laufully maried vnto him if he wil be a right Christian man let him be ioyned to none other but let him so continewe still sole or els be reconciled againe to his owne wife And thus these articles being in common treated of and agreed vpon that no offence of contention should ryse from any of vs hereafter or any other decrees should be published in stede of these it semed good that eche of vs should confirme these thinges that were decreed subscribing thereto with his owne hand Which sentence and somme of our appointement I gaue Titillus the notarie to write out Yeuen the moneth and Indiction aboue written Who soeuer therefore go about any wise to doo against this ordinaunce and sentence prescribed according to the decrees of the canons and confirmed also with our consent and subscribinge of our handes let him knowe himselfe in so doinge to be excluded from all charge and office of priesthood and also from our felowship and companie The grace of God kepe vs safe liuing in the vnitie of his holy churche This synode was kepte the yere from thincarnation of our Lord 673. in which yere Ecgbert king of kent died in Iulie and his brother Lother succeded him in the kingdome the which he enioyed xj yeres and vij moneths Bisi also Bishop of the East english who was present at the foresaid Synode did succede Bonifacius of whom we made mētion aboue This Bisi was a man of much holynes and deuotion and when Boniface was dead after he had bene bishop xvij yeres this man was made bishop in his place being consecrated and appointed ther to by Theodore This Bisi yet liuing but greuously vexed with sickenesse in such sort that he could not execute the office of a bishop two other for him Aecci and Badwine wer chosen and consecrated bishops from which time vnto this day that prouince hath bene wont to haue two bishoppse How VVinfride was deposed and Sexulfe made bishop in his place and Ercanwald made bishop of the East Saxons The. 6. Chapter NOt long after these thinges were done Theodore tharchebishop being off ended with VVinfrid bishop of the Marshes for a certaine crime of disobedience deposed him of his bishopprike not many yeres after that he had receaued the same and in his place appointed Sexulphe for bishop who was the builder and Abbot of the monasterie that is called Medes hansted in the countre of the Giruians Which VVinfride being deposed retourned to his monasterie which is named Artbearue and there ended his life in holy conuersation At that time also when Sebbe and Sighere of whome we spake before ruled the east Saxons tharchebishop appointed ouer them Earconwald to be their bishop in the citie of London The life and conuersation of which man both before he was bishop and after was reported and taken for most holy as also euen yet the signes and tokens of heauenly vertues and miracles do well declare For vntill this day his horselitter being kept and reserued by his scholers wherein he was wont to be caried when he was sicke and weake doth daily cure such as haue agewes or are diseased any otherwise And not only the sicke parties that are put vnder or layed by the sayd horselitter be so healed but also the chippes and pieces that are cut of from it and brought to the sicke folke are wont to bring them spedie remedie This man before he was made bishop had builded two goodly monasteries one for him selfe and an other for his syster Edilburge and had instructed and disposed thē both very well with good rules and disciplines That which was for himself was in Surry by the riuer of Thems at the place that is called Crotesee that is to say the I le of Crote And that other for his syster in the prouince of the East Saxons at the place that is called Berching where she should be a mother of Nonnes And so in dede after she had taken vpon her the rule of the sayd monasterie she behaued herselfe in all thinges as became one that had a byshop to her brother both for her owne vertuowse lyuing and also in the good and godly guyding of them that were vnder her chardge Which thing was also well proued by miracles from heauen Howe in the monasterie of Berking it was shewed by a light from heauen in what place the bodyes of the nonnes should be buried The. 7. Chapter FOr in this monasterie many wonderfull signes of vertues and miracles were shewed which for the memorie and edifieng of thaftercommers are yet kept of many men being written of them that knewe the same Some of the which we will also put in our ecclesiasticall historie When the tempest of the same plage so often mentioned storming ouer all the Ilond came to this monasterye and had entred vpon that part thereof where the men dyd lyue and dayly one or other was taken owt of the worlde to our Lorde this good mother being carefull of her companie at such tyme as also the same visitation of God towched that part of the monasterie in whiche the flocke of Goddes hand maydes dwelled by them selues from the mens companye began ofte tymes in the couent to aske the sisters in what place abowt the monasterie they wold haue their bodies to be layed against suche tyme as it showlde happen them to be taken out of this world with the same hand of Gods visitation as other were And when she could get no certaine awnswere of the systers although she often enquired the same of them she receaued both her selfe
the byshop the possession of the land of CCC tenementes Whiche portion the Bishop gaue and committed to one of his clerkes named Bernwini his sisters sonne and appointed there to a priest named Hildila to minister the worde and baptisme of lyfe to all that would be saued And here I thinke it not to be passed ouer in silence that for the first frutes of them that were saued throwgh beleuing in the same I le two children of the blood royall being bretherne to Aruald king of the Iland were crouned with a speciall grace of God For when the ennemies came on the Iland they â—led and scaped to the next prouince of the Vites And there they gat to a place called Stonestat hoping to hyde themselues from the face and sighte of the king that had conquered their countree but they were betrayed and fownd owt and commaunded to be put to death Which thing when a certaine abbat and priest named Cimberth had heard of whose monasterie was not far from thence at a place called Redford he came to the king which was than in the same parties lying secretly to be cured of his woundes that he had taken fighting in the I le of Wighte and desired of him that if he would nedes haue the childerne put to death yet they might first receaue the sacramentes of the Christian fayth The kinge graunted his request and than he tooke them and catechised them in the right faith of Christe and wasshing them withe the holesome fonte of baptisme made them sure and in perfyt hope to enter into the kingdome euerlasting Anon after came the hangeman to put them to death which death of this world they ioyfully toke by the which they douted not but they should passe to the eternall life of the soule When after this order all the prouince of great Britaine had receaued the faythe of Christe the I le of Wight receaued the same also in whiche notwitstanding bicause of the miserie and state of forayne subiection no man tooke the degree of the ministerie and place of a bysshopp before Daniel who nowe is bysshopp of the west Saxons and of the Geuisses The situation of this I le is ouer against the middes of the South Saxons and Geuisses the sea comming betwene of the breadth of three myles which sea is called Solent in which two armes of the Ocean sea that breake out from the maine north sea about Britanie do dayly mete and violently ronne together beyond the mouth of the riuer Homelea which ronneth along by the countree off the Vites that belong to the prouince of the Genisses and so entreth into the foresaid sea And after this meting and striuing together of the two seas they goe backe and flowe againe into the Ocean from whence they came Of the Synode made at Hetdfield Theodore the Archebishop being there president The 17. Chap. AT this time Theodore hauing worde that the faith of the church at CoÌ„stantinople was sore troubled through the heresie of Eutiches and wishing that the churches of the english nation ouer which he gouuerned might continew free and clere from such a spot gathered an assemble of Reuerend priestes and many doctours and enquired diligently of eche of them what faith they were of where he found one consent and agrement of them all in the catholique faith Which consent he procured to set forth and commende with letters sent from the whole Synode for the instruction and remembrance of the aftercommers the beginning of which letters was this In the name of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and in the raignes of our most good and vertuouse Lordes Ecgfride king of the Humbers the x. yere of his raigne the viij yere of the Indiction and the xvij day of September and Edilrede king of the Marshes in the vj. yeare of his raigne and Aldulphe king of the Estenglish in the xvij yere of his raigne and Lothar king of kent in the vij yeare of his raigne being there president and chief Theodore by the grace of God Archebishop of the I le of Britanie and of the citie of Caunterbury and with him sitting in assemblee the other bishops of the same land most Reuerend men and prelates hauing the holy ghospelles set before them at a place called in the Saxon tong Hedtfield after commoning and conference together had thereuppon we haue expounded and set fourth the right and true catholique faith in such sort as our Lorde Iesus being incarnate in this worlde deliuered it to his disciples which presently sawe and heard his wordes and doctrine and as the crede of the holy fathers hath leaft by tradition and generally as all holy men all generall Councells and all the whole company of the authentique doctours of the catholique churche haue taught and deliuered Whome we following in good dewe godly and rightbeleuing maner according to their doctrine inspired into them from God do professe and beleue and stedfastly do confesse with the holy fathers the Father and the Sonne and the holy ghoste most verily and in true and formall proprietie the Trinitie in the vnitie of one substance and the vnitie in Trinitye that is to saye one God in three persons of one substance and of equall glorie and honour And after many like thinges pertaining to the confession of the right faith the holy Synode dyd also adde to their letters these thinges folowing We haue receaued the fiue holy and generall Synodes of the blessed and derebeloued fathers of God that is to saye of CCC xviij which wer asseÌ„bled at Nice against the most wicked and blasphemous Arrius and his opinions And of Cl. at Constantinople against the madenesse and fond secte of Macedonius and Eudoxius and their opinions And at Ephesus the first time of CC. against the most wicked Nestorius and his opinions And at ChalcedoÌ„ of CCxxx against Eutiches and Nestorius and their opinions And at Constantinople the second time where was assembled the fifte Councell in the time of the emperour Iustinian the yonger against Theodore and Theodorete and Ibe and their epistles and their opinions And a litle after against Cyrill Also we receaue and admit the Synode made at the citie of Rome in the time of the most holy and blessed Pope Martin the viij yere of the Indiction and the ix yere of the most godly and good Emperour Constantine And we worship and glorifie our Lorde Iesus Christ in such sort as these men haue done adding or diminishing nothing and we accurse with hart and mouth them whome these fathers haue accursed and whome they haue receaued we receaue glorifyeng God the father without beginning and his only begotten sonne begotten of the father before all ages and times and the holy ghost proceding of the father and the sonne in vnspeakeable wise according as these aboue mentioned holy Apostles and prohetes and doctours haue preached and taught And all we that with Theodore the Archebishop haue set forth and declared
a priest and Abbot of a monastery in the citie which of his name is called vnto this day Tunnacester who when he heard that his brother was slaine in the battaile came to seeke if he might happely fynd his bodie Where he finding one that was in all pointes like him and thinking it to be him in dede brought him to his monasterie and buried him honorably and did often times cause masse to be saied for his soule By the saying of which masses that which I sayd came to passe that noman could bynd him but that he was straight way loused againe Then the Erle that kepte him began to wonder here at and to enquire of him what the cause was that he coulde not be bound and whether perhaps he had about him any loosing letters such as men talke of that he could not be bound by the vertue of them But he aunsweared that he knewe no such arte nor conning but I haue a brother quod he in my countre one that is a priest and I knowe that he thinkes I am slaine and therefore doth oft saye masse for me and if I were nowe in an other world my sowle showld be there loused from paynes throughe his intercessions and prayers as my body is here from bondes And while he was thus kept a certaine space in the Erles howse some that marked him more diligently sawe by his countenaunce behauiour and talke that he was not as he had sayd of the common poore sort of people but of some good house and degree Therefore the Erle called him secretly and examined him more straightly of whence he was Promising that he wold doo him no harme in the world if he wold playnly vtter and shewe himselfe what he was Which thing when he had done and declared himselfe to be one of the kinges seruauntes wel quoth the Erle I knewe by thy wordes and awnsweres that thow were no husbandman of the countre And thou art well worthy to dye nowe for that all my bretherne and kynnesmen were slaine in that battaile yet I will not put the to death for breaking of my faith and promyse And therfore as soone as he was full cured the Erle sent him to London and solde him to a marchant of Friseland But neither he nor any man els as he was lead thither could bynd him by any meanes And yet his enemies dyd lay on him many and sundry kindes of fetters which yet allwaies were loosed When he that hadd bowght him sawe that he cowld be kept and holden in no bondes he gaue him leaue to ransome himselfe if he were able For after abowt viij a clocke in the morning when masses began to be sayd his bondes and fetters were euer lowsed And thus vpon his othe either to come againe or els to send his ransome he was let go and came to kent to kinge Lodhere who was sonne to the sister of Quene Edildrede of whom we haue spoken before and himselfe had bene sometime a seruaunt of the sayd Queenes There he sued to the kinge for so much as wold pay his ransome which he obtained and sent it as he had promised to him whose prisoner he was Afterward he retourned to his countree and came to his brother and declared him in order all the aduersities that had happened vnto him and also what comfortes and succours he had had in the same And he knewe by that his brother told him that his bondes were loosed at those times specially in which masses were said and songe for him He vnderstoode also that the other helpes and succours that happened to him in his danger came of the heauenly gyfte and grace throwgh his brothers intercessions and offring of the holy holsome hoste and sacrifice Many that heard these thinges of this man were styrred vp and enflamed in fayth and godly deuotion vnto prayer vnto almesse and charitable dedes and to offer to our Lorde hostes of the holy oblation and sacrifice for the deliuery and reliefe of their frindes that were departed this worlde For they vnderstood thereby and knewe that the holesome blessed sacrifice was effectuous to the euerlasting redemption and ransoming bothe of sowle and bodie This storie was told me of one of them that heard it of the very man in whome it was done and therfore knowinge it to be true and certaine I dowbted no whit to put it into this our ecclesiasticall historie Of the lyfe and death of Abbesse Hilda The 23. Chap. THe yere following after this which was the yere of thincarnation of our Lorde DClxxx the most deuowt and godly seruaunt of Christe Hilda Abbesse of the monasterie that is called Streanes halch as we before mentioned after many heauenly dedes that she did in this world passed owt of this lyfe to receaue the rewardes of the lyfe of heauen the xvij day of Nouember when she was three score and six yeres of age The which nomber of yeres equally diuided into two partes she lyued the first xxxiij in secular lyfe withe most noble and worthy conuersatiō and as many after did she dedicate to our Lord more nobly and worthely in monastical life For she was come of noble birth and was the dawghter of kinge Edwins nephewe named Hererike with which kinge also at the preaching of Paulinus of blessed memorie the first bysshopp of Northumberland she receaued the fayth and sacramentes of of Christe and dyd syncerely kepe the same vntill she deserued to come to his sight and vision whome only to serue after she had determined and forsaken this secular lyfe and world she went to the prouince of the East english For she was allied to the king there and from thence she desyred if she might by any meanes to forsake her countre and al that euer she had and go into Fraunce and there in the monasterie named Cate to leade a pilgrimes and exuls lyfe for our Lordes sake that she might the more easyly deserue to enioye an euerlasting countre in heauen For in the same monasterie her syster Hereswide mother to Adulphe king of the East english did at the same very tyme lyue vnder rules and disciplines of religion abyding and looking for the crowne euerlasting whose example she mynding to followe and liue a straunger out of her owne countree dyd abyde in the said prouince one hole yeare After which being called home againe into her countree by bisshopp Aidan she had deliuered her the landes of one Lordeship at the north coast of the riuer Were in which she liued also the space of one yeare and lead a monasticall lyfe with a fewe other of her companie After this she was made Abbesse in the monasterie that is called Heortheu which monasterie had bene builte not long before of the godly and deuout handmayed off Christ Heiu Which is said to be the first woman in the prouince of Northumberland that tooke the vowe and habit of a Nonne being blessed and consecrated by bisshop Aidan But not long
Howe Coenrede kinge of the Marsshes and Offa king of the East Saxons ended their liues in the habitt of religion and of the lyfe and death of bisshop VVilfride The 20. Chap. THe iiij yeare of Osredes raigne king Coenrede which kept the soueraintie in the countrie of Marshes honourably for a tyme did more honourably forsake it and all his dominions For vnder Constantine the Pope he went to Rome and receiuing there the tonsure and habitt of a religious man at the Apostles toumbes continued in praying fasting and dealing of almes vntill his dying daye Vnto this noble prince Coenrede succeded kinge Edilredes son which Edildred had the gouuernement of the same realme before him There went with him also to Rome Sigheres sonn king of the east Saxons called Offa whome we mentioned before a princely and beautefull gentleman and then in his first flowres and much desired of his subiectes to remaine and rule among them But he moued with leke deuotion and zeale as the other prince was forsoke his ladye his landes his kinsfolke and countrie for Christes sake and the ghospell that in this world he might receiue an hundred folde and in the world to come life euerlasting with Christ. When he came to the holy places att Rome he also was shoren into religion in the which he passed the rest of his life and came to the vision of the blessed Apostles in heauen as he had longe desired before The very selfe same yere that these ij princes went out of Britannie a worthy prelate and notable bishopp called VVilfride died the xlv yeare after he had ben made bisshoppe in the territory called Wundale And his body well chested was caried to the monastery of Rhippon wher he had before liued and with al honour and solemnitie worthy for so noble a bishopp was buried in Saincte Peters church at Rhyppon Of whose life and behahauiour let vs brieflly make mention what things were done returning as it were backe againe to that we haue spokeÌ„ before This Wilfride being but a childe was of such towardnesse and good nature induced with so many goodly qualities of such modest and honest behauiour in all pointes that all the elders and auncients did with a speciall good loue reuerence him After he was xiiij yere olde he more estemed a monasticall and solitarie lyfe than all secular and wordly wealth The which thing when he had communicated with his father for his mother was departed to the mercy of God he gladly condescended to his holly requestes and godly desires and exhorted him to persiste in that godly purpose which he had entended Hereuppon he came to the isle Lindisfarne and there atteÌ„ding vpoÌ„ the monks he diligeÌ„tly lerned and gladly practised al pointes of chastity and godlinesse required in a solitarie and religious man And because he had a goodly pregnant witt he lerned spedely psalmes and certain other bookes of prayers being not yet shoren in or professed but well garnished with those vertues which far surmounted the outward profession to witt of humility and obedience For the which he was wel loued and estemed bothe of the elders and also of his equals When he had serued God certaine yeares in that monastery he perceaued by litle and litle being growen in iudgement as a wife younge man that could quickly fore see the waye of trewe religion and vertue taught by the Scotts not to be altogether perfecte Whereuppon he fully determined to make a voyage to Rome only to see what riâ—es and ceremonies were obserued there as well of secular priestes as of religious personnes The which determination of his after notice geuen to his Bretherne by preuy conference eche man did well commeÌ„d it and persuaded him to go forward in his good purpose Incontinent coming to Quene Eamflede who knew him wel and by whose counsell and coÌ„mendation he was receaued into that monastery declared to her hyghnesse that he had an earnest and feruent desyre to visit the monuments of the holy Apostles The Quene much delited with the younge mans good purpose and zele sent him to Caunterbury to kinge Ercombert which was her vncles sonne requiring that it might please his highnesse to send him honorably to Rome at what time Honorius one of the blessed Pope Gregories schollers a man profoundly lerned in holy scripture was Archebishop there When this younge man lackinge nor good courage nor lyuely sprite had tarried there a space and employed his diligence to lerne and commit to memory that which he ouerloked there repaired thither an other younge gentilman whose name was Bishop and Christen name Benet one of the nobles of Englande desyrours to go to Rome of whom I haue mentioned before The kinge committed VVilfride to this younge gentilman and his company with chardge that he shuld conduct him safe to Rome When they came to Lyons in Fraunce VVilfrid was stayd there by Dalphine bishop of that city The gentleman went on his iourney to Rome The delight and pleasure which the bishop had in VVilfrides wyse talke aminable continaunce ioly actituity and graue inuention was the occasion why he was staied there For that cause also he gaue him and all his company frendfull intertainement as long as they continued there and furder offred him the gouernement of a greate parte of Fraunce the mariadge of his brothers daughter whiche was yet in the flower of her virginity brefely to adopte him for his heyr if he wolde make his abode there But he rendring lowly and harty thankes for so great courtesy and gentilnesse that the bishop vouchsafed to shew vnto him being but a straunger answered that he was fully determined to an other conuersation and trade of lyffe and therfore had forsaken his country and taken this iourney to Rome The which when the bishop heard he sent him to Rome with a guide to conducte him in the waye and gaue him mony sufficient to beare his chardges desyringe that at his returne he wolde remember to take his house by the waye VVilfride with in fewe dayes after cominge to Rome and occypuing him selfe in daily contemplation of heauenly thinges according to his first determination fel acquainted with a notable holy and lerned man called Boniface who was Archedeacon and one of the Apostolike Popes counsellers By whose instruction he lerned orderly the foure bookes of the Gospell and the trewe counte of Easter and many other godly lessons commodious and profitable to vnderstande the orders and disciplines of the churche which he could not attaine vnto in his owne country And when he had passed certaine monethes there in godly exercise and study he returned to Dalfine againe in Fraunce and after he had tarried with him iij. yeares he toke the inferiour orders of the bishop and was so entierly loued of him that the bishoppe fully determined to make him his successour But by cruel death he was preuented and VVilfride reserued to a bishoprike in his owne natyue country England For Brunechild
Les annalâ—s de FiaÌ„â— Lib. 12. Cromerus iâ— eâ—ist ad Proceres Poloniae â— Cor. 12. Act. 4. 10. 〈◊〉 20. Act. 5. Heb. 11. Rom. 1. Hebr. 7. In postilla magna in Dom. â— Ad. Li. 2. ca. 3. lib. 4. ca. 3. 16. Li. 2. ca. 4. li. 3. ca. 25. Matt. 13. Act. 14. 1. Cor. 16. 1. Tim. 6. Colos. 1. Of the Author of this History Of his lerning Lib. de scri ecclesiasti Hieron in Cata. vir illust In Ioan. 6. Lib. 5. Histor. In Ioan. 6. Of his vertu In vitae Bedae In Ioan. 6. Lib. 1. Tripartâ— hist. lib. 1. cap. 1. In Epist. In Ioanne vj. 〈◊〉 VVhy the Author of this historyâ—s to be credited Of the matter of the history 〈◊〉 16. Sueton in Neronâ— â— Cor. 13. Of the miracles reported in this History Tobi. 12. Cap. 3. That the History ought not to seâ—e 〈…〉 Li. 6. câ— 9 Li. 7. ca. 18 Lib. 1. c. 5. Liâ— c. 8. 10. Lib. 2. cap. 8. Hist. tripart li. 1. c. 5. 10. 11. lib. 7 â— cap. 5. â—ozâ—m lib. 6. ca. 29. Lib. 7. c. 5. 〈◊〉 22. Li. 4. et in Philotheo The most lerned â—athers of the first â— â— yeres haâ—e wâ—â—ten Saints liues Tom. 3. Li. 1. 3. de virg Item inexhortat ad virgines In hom so 126. Li. 1. ca. 7. Li. 2. c. 30 Li. 4. c. 25 27. Li. 22. c. 8 In praefat ad Philotheum An admonition out of Theodoret touching miracles An other out of S. Augustin Lib. dâ— cura pro mor tuis gereÌ„da cap. 16. Cap. 17. Act. 9. 1. Cor. 12. Eccles. 3. Note Lib. eodem Cap. 16. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 13. Heretikes will not beleue miracles Confes. lib. Serm. 91. ProtestaÌ„ts pretende miracles Pag. 1677. Pag. 520. Pa. 444. Pag. 355. Pa 1670. * At VVei mouth at the riuer VVere whiche runneth by Dyrtham a Essex b Salisbury Exceter VVelles c Suffolck Norfolck and Cambrigd shere Northumbers are called in this stistory al. that dwel beyoÌ„d the riuer HuÌ„bre North ward d Sussex and Hapshere e Mercia or Marshland containeth the dioceses of Lâ—hfield and CoueÌ„try Lincolne and VVorcet f Essex g The countre of NorthuÌ„berland properly * That is 1800. miles * This hauen is now loste by the irruption of the sea * The Redshankes A description of Ireland * Colchester The yeare of our Lord 46. Actor 11. An. 156. An. 189. An. 286. The Martyrdom of saint Albane the firste Martyr of Britanny * â— which we call now dorsuolde â—odde Temples of Martyres holy daies CoÌ„secration of the B. sacrameÌ„t Heresies in BritaÌ„ny The Arrians heresie prospereth not with standing thâ— generall councell of Nice An. 377. An. 394. The propery of heretâ—kes An. 407. The first destruction of Rome The cause why the olde Brittons became weake and open to forain inuasioÌ„s * RedshaÌ„kes An. 403. Palladius the first bishop of Scotland An. 411. Ryâ— and euil life the Britains destructioÌ„ An. 429. The first arriuall of English meÌ„ in to Britanny Saxons English and Vites * The people of Essex of Sussex and of the westcountre The English meÌ„ occupied at the first all England except kent Essex Sussex and parte of the westcountre * The Redshankes The first spoilyng of BritaÌ„ny by the English men Counsell of the catholike bishops in Fraunce for extirping of Pelagianâ— heresy Tempest ceased by prayer and holy water An open disputatioÌ„ betwene Catholikes and heretikes of the pelagian secte in the yeare of our lorde 400. Relikes of holy Martirs The faith and deuotion of Christen bishops about the yere of our Lord. 400. The like Seuerâ— Sul piâ—ius writeth of S. Martin In epist. 2. presixa prologo in vitaÌ„ B. Martini The xl daies of LeÌ„t S. Germain putteth to flight an lioÌ„siâ—â— of insidels by singiÌ„g of lleluia Heretikes banished the countre sett it in rest and quiet S. Gregory sendeth S. Augustin to preache the faith to English men An. â— 96. A letter of S. Gregory exhorting S. Augustin to pursue his iourney to England An other letter of S. Gregory to the Archebishop of Aerls The I le of Tenet Our faith begann with Crosse and procession The life of our Apostles and first preacâ—ers Our first Apostle sayed masse The first Christening of Englishemen in Caunterbury This chapter is ful of much good lerning and godly instructioÌ„s The Sea Apostolike S. Augustin our Apostle was a moÌ„ke The clergy ouâ— of holy orders taketh wiues Luc. 11. The order of the English seruice choseÌ„ out of other diuers countres for the best Of church â—obberies Leuit. 18. Gen. 2. Of creatiÌ„g of bisshops The See of Rome The primacy of Caunterbury in England Leuit. 12. Oâ—â— 3. Luc. 8. Of natural infirmities Note DiffereÌ„ce betwene the new testament and the old lawe Math. 15. Ad TituÌ„ 1. Leuit. 15. VVhether in the acte of mariage be any sinne Psal. 50. Psal. 30. 1. Coâ— 7. Exod 19. â—â— ReguÌ„ 21. Of nightly pollutioÌ„s or iâ—lusions SuggestioÌ„ Delight Consent How sin bredeth in the hartes of meÌ„ Rom. 7. A palle from the Pope to Augustin the first Bishop of Caunterbury The priuilâ—ges of the Bysshops of yorke and London Holy water aultars and relikes Lucae 10. A godly letter of S. Gregory to Ethelbert the first Christen kinge of english men Christes church in Caunterbury * That monastery is now called the Augustines if itâ— stande yet An. 605. S. Gregory Bishop ouer the whole worlde 1. as head thereof S. Gregory our Apostle 1. Cor. 9. S. Gregory a religious maÌ„ S. Gregory the popes legat at Constantinople S. Gregory represseth an heresy riâ—ing in Constantinople Luc. 24. The workes of S. Gregory Lib. 1. cap. 27. Heb. 12. S. Gregory a great almes maÌ„ Psal. 111. Iob. 29â— A ioyfull â—eioysing of S. Gregory touching the conuersioÌ„ of EnglaÌ„d to the faith Masse said at the shrines of S. Peter and Paule in Rome An Epitaphe apon S. Gregory our Apostle The occasion why S. Gregory sent preachers vnto our countre * Angli * Angelicam * Of yorkeshere * Deiri * Deira eruâ—i Siclegit Polya lib. 1. Hist. Augl About South HamptoÌ„ Psal. 67. Our Apostles Faith coÌ„firmed by a miracle Matth. â—1 The generalâ— rule of our Sauiour euil construed in a particular case Thre 〈◊〉 proposed to the Bâ—tâ—n or wâ—â—ch bishopâ— A wrongâ— and 〈◊〉 te surmise A true prophecy of S. Augustin out Apostle The monastery of Bâ—gor in wales Fasting and praying in schismatikes auaileth not An. 604. Essex and the countre about London Memories of soules departed Agendae eorum The epitaphe vpoÌ„ S. Augustine touÌ„be in Caunteâ—bury Laurence the secoÌ„d Archebisshop of Caunterbury Our first Christen Bishops labour to reconcile the Scotts from their schisme to the Catholike vnitâ— The see Apostolike Mellite the first B. of London trauaileth to the Pope for instructioÌ„s c. This church stanâ—eth in Rome at this daye and is called S. Maâ—ia rotunda An. 613. The first English kinges of Britanny
Sussâ—x and HaÌ„pshere The west couÌ„trie suffolck nortfolck and CaÌ„bridgshere Temporall awes oâ— kinge 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 christen kinge of kent Reuolting from the faith in kent VengeauÌ„ce from God The people do coÌ„municat 〈◊〉 Masse The blessed sacrament bread of life Mellit the first Christen bishop of London expelled from theÌ„ce Reuoltig from the faith in Londonâ— The vengeauÌ„ce of God ensuing Kent returneth to the faith An. 618. Martyrium heat orum quatuor Coronatorum The praier of the righteous man much auaileth Iacob 5. At the Augustines â—n Caunterbury Authâ—rite fromâ— Rome to make Byshops A letter of Pope Bonâ—â—ace to Iustus the. iiij Archeb of Cauâ—â— terb Mattb. 2â— â— atth 10. Psal. 8. Hebrideâ— Insulae An. 625. 2. Cor. 11. 2. Cor. 4. A traiterous facte ExaÌ„ple of a trusty subiect The first Christening of Englishmen in Northâ—mberland A letter of Pope Boniface to kings Edwin exhorting him to the faith Matt. 28. Genes 1. 2. Psal. 95. A letter of Pope Boniface vnto Edelburge Quene of â—orthumberberland â—â— 2. 1. Cor. 7. A vision by the which Edwin the first Christen king of NorthuÌ„berland was called to the faithe A carnall reâ—pâ—ct of â—n aâ—hen Bishop occasiâ—n oâ— good The first Christendom of the English Prince in NorthuÌ„berland or in the North countre An. 627. The Cathedrall church of Yorke * In northuÌ„â—erlaÌ„d * In yorkeshere Aultar of stone The couÌ„tres of Suffolk Norfolck and of CaÌ„bridg sheres then called the East english counerted to the faith DuÌ„mocke Lincolne shere Prefectum Lindecoliâ—ae ciuitatis The epistle of Pope Honorius to Edwyn the first christen kinge of NorthuÌ„berland CoÌ„stitutions froÌ„ Rome touching the clergy The epistle of Pope Honorius to Honorius the Archebisshop of Caunterbury Matth. 11. Matth. 24. The copie of a letter froÌ„ the clergy of Rome to the clergy of Scotland Primicerâ— Against the pelagian heresie Psal. 50. An. 633. Crosse and chalice of good Churche musike first practised in the North. Apostasie from the faith punished A crosse erected by king Oswald Diriges ouer night and Masse in the morning for the dead Holy Ilond A rare zele to the preaching of Gods word in a wordly prince An. 563. Philip. 2. The exaÌ„ple of a true preacher and avertuous Bishop Siue adioÌ„si siue Laici VVensday and fridayes fast That Cite is now called BaÌ„brough The west countre of EnglaÌ„d as the dio ceses of Salisbury of Exceter of Bathe and VVelles and of HaÌ„psher The first Christening in the west countre Dorchester in Bar keshere VVinchester Apostasie from the faith punished VVinchester An. 640. Idols first threwen downe in England Virgins in Monanasteries The like is writen of S. Antony beholdiÌ„g in coÌ„pany of other the soule of Amos 2 religious eremite caried vp into heauen the Angels accoÌ„payniÌ„g with melody Hist. tri part lib. 1. cap. 11. S. Hierom also writeth the like of S. Antony in the life of Paule the Eremite Opera illo rum sequuÌ„tur illos Their workes de folow them Apoca. 14 Miracles at the place where kinge Oswald was slaine Lincoiâ—eshere Gregory B. of Nisso brother to S. Basill reporteth of miracles wrought by the duste lying vpon Martyrs tumâ—â—s In vita Theodori Martyrâ—s Paulinus a lerned bisshop of Nola in S. Augustins time reporteth sundry miracles of health restored to sick persoÌ„s at the tuÌ„be of S. Felix Natali 6. the like writeth S. Basill of the 40. Martyres S. Ambrose of the bodies of S. Geruasius and Protasius li. 10. epist. ad sororem epist. 85. et serm 19. All lerned stories arâ— full of such examples Kinge Oswalda greate praierâ— Holy men worke miracles by intercession O rare example of a Christen Prince An olde uerbe BaÌ„brough A lesson for vngodly studeÌ„ts The goodnes of God and our faithe worketh miracles by holy relikes An. 644. * Yorke shere Omnisque potestas impatiens consortis erit Lucanus lib. 1. Praier for the dead The commendatiâ— of kinge Osuuius Bishop And an â—â—ero S. Martinâ— who gaue halfe his doke to a naked poore man * A charitable saying but now more like to be mocked at then to be folowed A rare and straÌ„ge humilite of a kinge The deuotioÌ„ of our primitiue church BaÌ„brough Theodoret in his Philotheus reporteth of a great army of the PersiaÌ„s destroyed at Nisiba by the praier only of lames then a holy Bisâ—hop of that cite In vita lacâ—bi Nisibensis BaÌ„orough God whiche by the shadowe of Peter healed the sicke worketh the like in the dead relâ— kes of holy men Act. 5. Ioan. 20. Norfolck Suffolck and Cambridg shere King Sigibert becometh a monke S. Paule was comforted also by a vision from God to be stedfast in preaching the worde Act. 2â— Mat. 25. Psal. 83. Note the scâ—â—â—â— spirituall fires whiche shall burne theâ—wde Euery maÌ„ shall receiue according to the workes of his body 2. co 5. The paines of Purgatory The diuel fighteth with sinn against man Reade S. Paul Ephes. 6. b. 12. c. 16. As God is said in scripture to bende his bowe to strik with sword etc. Psal. 7 so here the writer applieth carnal termes to spiritual matters the names of fire to sinne of throwing by the diuels to the charge of sinne c. An. 653. The first Christening of the Marshes or middle-land english men An. 6â—0 By Barwick Ad Capreae Caput A true saying of an Heathen The couÌ„tre about London The persuasion of kinge Oswin vvith the heathen kinge Sigbert By Barwick Cedda the secoÌ„d Bishop of London and Essex Chemes-ford and Tilberi Vertu per secuted of the euill euen to death Enormous crimes in the righteous sooner punished Excommunication So Peter pronouÌ„ced Ananias to death Act. 5. The foundation of monasteries Esaiae 35. Fasting in Lent vntell euening Consecration of holy places IntercessioÌ„ of Saints Vowes to God The foundation of monasteries VVitby A coÌ„trouersic about theob seruatioÌ„ of Easter Gal. 2. Tonsurae ecclesiasticaecoronaÌ„ susceperaâ— Vniuersalitie prescribeth The primitiue church at the firste did not abrogat all Iuish ceremoâ—â—ies Actor 16. 21. 18. Act. 21. Eâ—â—o 12. Ioâ—n 20. This maner is obserued nowe vnifor mely in al Christendome Exod. 12. Russinus lib. 10. â—â— Eusab lib. 7. cap. 28. Hiâ—â—o Vide Eusâ—bium lib. 7 cap. 28. Hisâ— eccle Matâ—h 7. Math. 16. Note the conclusioÌ„ of the kinge An. 664. CoÌ„mendation of the Scottisâ— monkes which gouerned first the ongâ—â—â— church in the Northe couâ—tre Vertu winneth autâ—orite viceleseth Religious men in our primittiue church reuerenced The behauiour of priestes in our primitiue church An. 664. Lincolne shere Vowes in sickenesse Cononicall houres Consecration of Bisshops with a number of other Bysâ—ops The duty of a Byshop The churche of Rome A letter of Vitalianus the Pope to king Oswin Esaiâ— 11. Matth. 6. An. 668. The couÌ„tre abowt Lyons The Augustins in Caunterbury Dominus Papâ— Apostolicus The duty of a Byshop Theodore the first Primat of all England The felicite of the english churche vnâ—er Theodor the Archebishop of Canterb Singing in