to serue allmightie God vnto whom she had allreadie consecrated her self to liue a perpetuall Virgin At this newes the diuine prouidence soe disposing the King approoued of her counsell and in his answeare promised that her sacred vowes should be ratified Thus then this holy virgin being freed from these troubles held on her pious course and purposes and hauing receaued the sacred vaile of virginitie in the same monasterie that her sister she endeauoured with great care and vigilancie to obserue the rules of a monasticall life in all puritie both of soule bodie And at length King Offa him self being ouercome with the inuincible vertue of the holy virgin blushed to see a tender gyrle soe stoutly Off a becometh a Benedictin Monk refuse such glorie and riches and grieuing at his owne subiection to vanitie and reputing him self but as the slaue of his Kingdom he forsoke both it and all the pompe of the world and went to Rome where he became a Monke of Sainct BENEDICTS order and happily ended his daies in that holy state IV. BVT S. KINESWIDE seruing allmightie God all her life time in continuall watchings prayers and good workes was called at Of S. Tibbe Virgin length out of the thraldom of this world to enioy the happie companie of her deare spouse CHRIST-IESVS among the pure quiers of his angels in heauen She was buried in the same monasterie by her sister S. KYNEBVRG These two sisters had a Kinswoman called TIBBE who liued manie yeares in the same monasterie in soe high a degree of sainctitie that after her death she was numbred in the catalogue of Saincts The sacred reliques of these three Saincts were afterwards translated to the Benedictin Abbey of Peterborough where their feast was celebrated the sixt day of March Allthough saint TIBBE died on saint LVCIES day the thirteenth of December as she her self reuealed in an apparition after her death Other particulars of the liues of these blessed Saincts were burnt lost in that outrageous ransacke committed by the Danes against the monasterie of Peterborrough when 〈◊〉 Abbot as Ingulphus a graue authour sayth with the greater part of his Conuent and the sacred reliques of the holy Virgins Kineburg Kineswide and Tibbe fled to Thorney for succour And William Camden out of an auncient Authour Robert Swaphaâ—â— reporteth that saint KYNEBVRG and KYNESWIDE conferred not a little to the first foundation and building of the famous Benedictine Abbey of Peterborough The liues of these Saincts we haue gathered chiefly out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 23. Besides these Rannlphus Cicestrensis lib. 5. cap. 18. Polidor Virgil l. 4. william Malmesbury de gâ—st Pont. l. 4. Mathew West an 705. Arnold Wyon lib. 4. cap. 14. and others doe make honorable 〈…〉 tion of them The life of saint ESTERWINE Abbot and confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR 7. Written by venerable Bede ESTERWINE borne in Yorkeshire of noble parents was neere allied to saint BENNET Bishop Abbot whose life we haue written the twelfth of Ianuary wherein something hath been sayd of this holy man sainct ESTERWINE a vertuous proficient in the aforenamed sainct BENNETS Benedictin schoole of religion For when he as we haue sayd in his life had built two monasteries one in honour of the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER at the mouth of the riuer Were and an other to the name of the Teacher of the Gentils sainct PAVL not farre from the mouth of the riuer Tine in the towne Esterwin made Abbot 〈◊〉 Yarrow and placed Sigfrid in the gouernment of saint PAVLS about the yeare of CHRIST 682 at the same time he made choise of ESTERWINE then a Priest of S. PETERS monasterie and gaue him the gouernement of the same that the labour which alone him self was not able to vnder 〈…〉 â—ight be made more easie by the helping vertue of soe beloued a 〈…〉 lleague Nether need it seeme strange to anie fayth venerable BEDE that one monastery had two abbotts at once to wit S. BENNET Bishop and S. ESTERWINE S. BENNETS Two Abboâ—â— of one â—onasterie often iourneies ouer the seas for the good of his monasterie and the vncertaintie of his returne was cause hereof For our histories recount that the most Blessed Apostle S. PETER vppon an instant iust cause appointed vnder him two Bishops one after an other at Rome to gouerne the vniuersall Church And the great Abbot S. BENEDICT him self as S. GREGORIE Pope writes of him ordayned twelue abbots vnder him to rule his disciples as he throught best without anie detriment to charitie yea to the great encrease and conseruation thereof S. ESTERWINE therefore vndertooke the chardge to gouerne that monasterie the ninth yeare after the foundation And he remayned in the same as long as he liued and he liued but fower yeares after II. HE WAS a man by byrth noble but he did not make vse of the nobilitie of his bloud as somâ— doe to suggest matter of arrogancie and contempt of others but as best befitted the seruant of God he turned it to the greater ennobling of his mind Greatnes of vertue not byrth to be respected with vertue For being cozen german vnto saint BENNET Bishop they were both soe truely allied in the nobilitie of the world that nether ESTERWINE entring into the monasterie did expect anie greater honour in regard of his nobilitie of birth and Kinred nor BENNET iudged it fitt to be offered him vppon those respects But liuing in an equall measure of his good purpose with his other brethren he reioyced chiefly that in all things he punctually obserued the rules of regular discipline And being before one of the royall traine of King Egfrid hauing once ridd him selfe of worldly affayres layd by his armes and entred into the spirituall warrefare he remayned allwaies soe humble and soe equall with his other brethren that togeather with them he would labour in the haruest winow corne looke to the cat 〈…〉 〈◊〉 good â—â—ample of humilitie and in all base inferiour offices and drudgeries of the monasterie he was ioyfull and glad to exercise his obedience and humilitie And which is more being raysed to the degree and calling of an Abbot he remayned in the same mind as before toward all according to a wise mans admonition that sayth Haue they ordayned thee to bee a gouernour doe not grow proud but be among thy â—â—â—â—ects at one of them meeke affable and courteous vnto all Nether did he yet neglect to bridle offenders with regular discipline but he choose rather out of his innate custom of loue to gouerne by fayre meanes and to winne his subiects with his pious admonitions from offending and entreating them not to hide from him the bright light of their countenances with the clowd of their vnruly disquietnes III. OFTEN times goeing abroad to ouersee the affaires of the monasterie when he found his brethren at their work he
hands couering them a table prouiding them meate and drink wayting on them at table and lastly hauing well satisfied their hunger he bestowed on each a peece of siluer and dismissed them Vnto these at Easter he gaue new cloathes and retayned them with him in his hall as his principall guests for certaine daies Noe sicknes could detayne him from these pious offices nay the weaker he found his body the more he forced him self with greater diligence to execute his seruice to these poore men worthyly following herein the humble example and exemplar humilitie of our deare Redeemer washing the feete of his twelue Apostles XVI AT LENGTH hauing for the space of manie yeares ruled both his bishopricks with great wisedom and sainctity to the wonderfull He foreâ—â—eth his â—â—ne death admiration of England the notable encrease of Gods Church the reformation of vice and the worthy aduancement of monasticall discipline hauing outliued his two Bretheren in religion and noble Equals in sainctitie Dunstan and Ethelwold the first fiue yeares the other tenne the day before his departure out of this life goeing forth with his monkes out of the Church into the open ayre he stood with his eyes most attentiuely bent towards heauen making his prayer with a mouth and heart full of pietie vnto IESVS CHRIST whom soe feruently he desired to enioy Nether did he as at other times quickly draw back his eyes from looking vpwards but as yf he did comtemplate with great pleasure of mind some strange noueltie he remayned very long fixed on what he beheld Being demaunded what he saw I contemplate sayd he the place whither I am goeing which to morrow next you shall plainly vnderstand For the eternall happines is now at hand to attaine which I haue hithervnto laboured on earth nether shall the morrow-sunne be sett before my Lord as he hath promised will call me into the ioyes of his euer flourishing paradise Therefore returning into the Church he called his monkes togeather and exhorted them to giue him the He receaueth the last Sacraments sacrament of extreme vnction and the sacred viaticum of our Lords bodie The night following forgetting this his sicknes soe attentiue he was to prepare for his happy iourney he went into the Church and hauing finished his diuine office he spent the rest of the night in prayers In the morning according to custom he gyrt him self with a towell and washed dried and kissed the feete of his twelue poore men and hauing performed the fifteene psalmes which he vsed to recite in that pious seruice he added thereunto Gloria patri c. and the poore rising as their manner was to giue thankes In his piouâ— exercise he happyly departeth at those wordes Spiritui Sancto in sight of them all he yeelded vp his blessed soule into the hands of his deere Redeemer the twentie eight day of February in the yeare of our Lord 992 hauing been bishop thirtie yeares When his bodie was carried to buriall a white doue appeared to descend from heauen and flieing gently ouer it couered and protected it with her wings Allsoe a fierie globe seemed miraculously to hang ouer the biere whereon his holy bodie was layd And when his sacred reliques were placed before the high aultar that fierie vision as it were to designe the place for his buriall wauered to the south side of the Church ouer against the aultar and suddenly vanished out of sight His Bodie was committed to the earth in the Church of our blessed Ladie which him self as we haue sayd before had erected And Count Alwin after the death of this holy man being oppressed with an vnspeabeable anguish and grief of mind departed out of this teadious life and was buried in his Abbey of Ramsey with this Epitaph Here resteth Alwin cozen of the famous King Edgar Alderman of all England and the miraculous founder of this sacred Monasterie The holy Bishop Sainct OSWALD as in his life he was wonderfull soe after his death it pleased the allmightie worker of wonders to shew manie miracles at his tombe by his holy intercession and meritts whereof we will speake more at large on the feast of his translation the 15. day of October when his greatest festiuitie was celebrated in the English Church It resteth only now that wee pray vnto his glorious Sainct who is soe potent and powerfull a fauorite with allmightie God to obtaine his diuine grace for vs in this world and to be partakers of the glorie of his blessed Saincts in the next through our lord IESVS-CHRIST who be for eâ—er blessed praysed glorified AmeÌ„ His life was writteÌ„ by one Senatus Brauonius a moÌ„k of Worcester about the yeare of our Lord 1170. which is recited by Laurence Surius in his tenth tome and praysed by Baronius for a historie saythfully written We haue only added thereuÌ„to some few things out Malmesbury Baronius Harpsfield The verie same history with this of Surius is recited by Iohn Capgraue out of Ioannes Anglicus only different in the stile which Surius corrected The mouthes of all historiographers English and others are full of the prayses of S. OSWALD The life of S. AIDO or Aidus Abbot and Confessor FEB 28. Out of an auncient authour recited by Iohn Cap graue AIDO borne in the prouince of Conaght in Jreland and giuen to his barren parents by the speciall fauour of allmightie God when he came to such age that he was able to make choise of a course of life he departed to the Prouince of Leinster where he led a solitarie life in all manner of vertue and holines Afterwards he came into Wales where liuing vnder the discipline of great S. Dauid he dayly shewed manie strange examples of miraculous workes and vertues in soe much that during the time of his abode there the Saxons then mortall enemies to the Britans durst neuer presume to inuade their dominions fearing the power vertue of this Sainct Returned as he was againe into Ireland he built a monasterie He buildeth a monasterie in Ireland wherein he became the spirituall father and teacher of verie manie monks whom he instructed in all good learning and the monasticall discipline of those times Manie strange and allmost incredible miracles are reported of this holy man which I willingly omitt It sufficeth for proofe of his Sainctitie that he liued in the continuall exercise of vertues and died loden with the meritts of manie good works as he did this twentie eigth day of February At S. DAVIDS in Meneuia he was called Moâ—dock that is Jrish and there his feast was celebrated with verie great reuerence and deuotion Thus much of his life I haue gathered out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue with whom only let the truth of his relation stand for I find noe other Authour that maketh mention of this Sainct The end of February S. SWIBERTVS EPISC. WLRDENSIS APOSTOLVS Frisia Monachus Anglus Ord. S. Benedicti M. baâ—… f. The life of S
was wont presently to sett his helping hands therevnto eyther in guiding or houlding of the plough or anie other such labour For he was a yong man of great strength of a sweet discourse a merrie hart bountifull in good workes and of an honest and decent aspect He allwaies cate of the same meate and in the same place that his other brethren did and slept in the same common dorter that he did before he was made Abbot Yea when he fell fick and foresaw by certaine signes that death was at hand yet he remayned two daies after in the dorter of the other Brethren And other fiue daies before his He taketh leaue of his monkes departure he was placed in a more secret house a part till goeing forth one day into the open ayre he assembled all his monkes togeather and tooke a solemne leaue of them imparting to euery one a charitable salutation of peace they in the meane time pittifully weeping and wayling to depart from soe holy a father and soe pious a pastour He died the seauenth day of March in the night when the monkes were singing mattings in the Church He was twentie fower yeares of age when he came to the monasterie he liued twelue yeares therein seauen whereof he exercised the function of Priestood and fower His death he gouerned the Monasterie with the dignitie of Abbot till at leÌ„gth leauing his mortall limmes he tooke a happie flight to the Kingdom of heauen saint BENNET Bishop being then absent in his fift iourney to Rome The life of this Sainct is thus written by saint BEDE as we haue found it in an auncient manuscript togeather with the lines of other Abbots of the same mònastery where saint BEDE him self liued a Monke Besides him FLORENTIVS WIGORNIENSIS an 682. MATHEW WESTMINSTER an 703. NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 7. cap. 37. IOHN CAPGRAVE and others doe northily speake his prayses The life of sainct FELIX Bishop and Confessor MAR. 8. Out of diuers Authours FELIX was the first Bishop of the East-Angles But a man of how great pietie he was it appeareth chiefly in this He leaueth his countrey to preach in England one famous example that being natiue of Burgundis and vnderstanding how few labourers there were in soe fruictfull an haruest of CHRIST as England of his owne accord he left his Bishoprick friends Kinred and riches and all other maintenances and promotions of his state to come into our contrey and employ his best endeauours in soe pious a work Whose holy purpose being vnderstood admired by Honorius Archbishop of Canturbury he allotted him the Prouince of the East-Engles which hauing He conuerteth the East-Angles forsaken the Christian fayth before receaued was fallen againe into the blindnes of Idolatrie But FELIX being in effect correspondent to his name which signifieth Happie with soe great happines discharged the prouince he vndertooke that in a short time he wholly happily reduced it from the Idolatrous bondage of the deuill to the sweet freedoÌ„ of CHRISTS sacred Ghospell He held his Episcopall sea in a towne then called Dimmock but afterwards from his name it was named FELIXTOWE or FELSTOWE In which place and dignitie happie FELIX hauing discharged the part of a good pastour for the space of seauenteene yeares continually labouring with inuincible patience for the aduancement of CHRISTS holy Ghospel loden with vertue His death and good workes made a most happie iourney to the eternall happines the eigth day of March was buried in the same towne but his reliques were after wards traÌ„slated to a place called Schaâ— where appeares yet sayth Malmesbury some signes of a Church destroyed and burnt by the Danes But the Sacred body of this sainct being sought for and found a long time after was againe translated to the famous Abbey of Benedictin Monkes at Ramsey This life we haue gathered out of S. Bede de gest lib. 2. c. 15. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 16. and William Malmesbury de Pontif. The life of Sainct BOSA or Boso Bishop and Confessor Monke of the holy Order of S. Benedict MAR 11. Out of ve nerable Bede de gest Ang. BOSA from a monke of the Benedictin monasterie of Streanshall in Northumberland was at the instaÌ„ce of Egfrid king of that Prouince elected Bishop of Yorke in the place of the most reuerend Bishop He is made Bishop of Yorke S. WILFRID then vniustly banished out of that sea and countrey by the meanes of the forefayd king and the authoritie of Theodore Archbishop of Canturbury in the yeare 678. This sea he gouerned in great holines of good life and learning till by the death of king Egfrid his brother Alfrîd obtayned the kingdome who recalled S. WILFRID out of banishment and restored him to his Bishoprick againe But after the space of fiue yeares Alfred expelled saint WILFRID againe and BOSA was once more restored to the sea of Yorke in the gouernment whereof and the continuall exercise of all true vertues belonging to a holy Bishop he rendred vp his blessed soule to the neuer dying ioyes of heauen about the yeare of our Lord. 700. but what day he died it is vncertaine this eleuenth of March is made a commemoration of him whom S. BEDE calleth a man well beloued of God of great holines and humilitie Besides whom WILLIAM MALMESBVRY TRITEMIVS in his fourth booke of the famous men of S. Benedicts order cap. 64. MATHEW WESTMINSTER an 678. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. cap. 23. and others doe make worthie mention of him aâ— allsoe Pope IONH the seauenth in his letters written in behalf of S. WILFRID The life of the most Glorious Pope Doctour of the Catholike Church S. GREGORY surnamed the Great Apostle of England and glorie of S. BENEDICTS Order MAR 12. written by Paulus Diaconus SOE great and soe manie are the incomparable deeds and vertues wherewith this thrice happie Sainct hath adorned the The translatours Proloâ—ne Church of God and soe manie holy and learned men haue endeauoured by their writings to make him famous to posteritie that we find our witts farre to weake to comprehend the one this poore penne farre to barren to sett downe among soe manie worthies anie thing worthie soe worthie a subiect Yet on the other side because the benefitts which not only the Benedictin Order in England but allsoe all England it self hath from him receaued are soe infinite we cannot choose but straine according to our power to make some small shew of acknowledgment thereof imitating those herein who in a little mappe or carde to the great pleasure and profitt of the beholders doe describe the mightie compasse of the whole world And here now o Romeâ— doe thou first acknowledge thine happines and diligently endeauour to imitate soe great a worthy Manie euerlasting monuments there are which haue eternised thy name to posteritie thy Kings thy Dictatours thy Consuls thy Emperours thy Trophies yea and the Empire of the world seated in
will I am most readie to endure all Thren 1. reproches and torments and death it self for thy sake and as thou knowest I speake the truth soe I beseeth thee to haue mercie vppon me for into thy hands I commend my soule And he repeated often times that of the Psalmist Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spiritt Turning him self allsoe to the B. Virgin MARIE Psal 10 Mother of God he sayd Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae tu nos ab hoste protegs hora mortis suscipe commaunding his Chaplains continually to sound those words in his cares And soe betweene the sighs of his pious deuotion and the words of sacred prayer in presence of manie religious priests and Clergimen and other faithfull Christians sainct RICHARD yielded vp his His blessed death soule into the hands of his Creatour to liue in the most happie societie of the heauenly citizens for euer about the six and fiftith yeare of his age the 9. yeare of his bishoprick the third day of Aprill about midnight At what time the heauenly spouse is sayd to Matth. 25. come to the eternall wedding His soule was noe sooner departed but his sacred bodie which in his life time had been tired with The beautie of his dead bodie much watching worne out with lying on the ground consumed with fasting torne and afflicted with stripes and other voluntarie punishments beyond humane suffrance appeared most cleere and beautifull in soe much that it seemed to beare a notable signe or token of the future resurrectior and next his skinne was found a sharp hayre-shirt and manie other iron girdles He was buried in the Church which he had newly consecrated a huge concurse of people coming from all parts of England to the celebration of his venerable exequies euerie one thinking himself happie that could but gett to touch ether the biere he was carried on or the lowest hemme of his sacred garments Rings and bracelets that had but touched his bodie they held for verie holy things and kept as reliques XIV AFTERWARDS his sacred bodie was translated to Chicester according to his desire and buried in a meane place before S. EDMONDS Altar which himself had erected in the north side of the Church Where as in his life time God allwaies wonderfull in his Saincts had wrought by him manie miracles curing the blind lame Manie miracles and diseased soe after his death he shewed by the merits of this holy man noe lesse but rather more wonderfull signes of holines when besides manie other benefitts and strange cures he restored three men from death to life and one child borne dead but reuiued by his meritts was presented at the age of fower yeares before the Inquisitours that were appoynted to take the information of saint RICHARDS life and miracles Nay his apparell being worne or but touched cured manie diseases and the sick persons that lay in his bed presently recouered their health All which miracles and manie more for breuities sake here omitted were written in those dayes as manifest and certaine truths and the booke was reserued in the Benedictin Abbey of saint Albans Which moued Pope Boniface the fourth to enroll him into the number of canonized Saincts about 20. yeares after his death in the raigne of Edward the first and his feast was celebrated in the Breuiarie of Sarum with an office of nine lessons this third day of Aprill This historie of his life is gathered out of that which is written at large by Radulph Bocking his confessor about the yeare 1240. Mathew Paris an 1259. Mathew Westminister an 1262. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 13. cap. 17. Camden and other graue authours make verie worthie mention of his vertues And Baronius sayth that Vrban the fourths letters for his canonization are extant in the Vatican librarie at Rome The life of Sainct ELSTAN Bishop of Wilton and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT APR. 6. Out of William Malmesbury de gest Pont. Anglo ELSTAN first a monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT in the monasterie of Abington vnder the gouernment of the famous S. ETHELWOLD afterwards bishop of Winchester was a man of wonderfull simplicitie and obedience A rare proofe thereof is seene in this accident For being commaunded by his foresayd Abbot to see that the workemen and artificers of the monasterie were dayly and duely prouided with necessary victualls he vndertooke that labour with great deuotion and playd the cooke himself in the preparing of their accustomed diet and serued them verie diligently and afterwards washed the dishes and other vessels with his owne hands whilst the Abbot all waies thought he had performed this dutie of obedience by the helpe of a seruant Till one day goeing about the offices of the monasterie as his custom was he chāced vnawares to to find ELSTAN standing by the cauldron that boyled on the fier and all the vessels verie neate and cleane and the roome newly swept The Abbot much delighted hereat Brother ELSTAN said he this Not the vertue of Prompt obedience obedience thou hast stolne from me But if thou art such a champiō as thou seemest to be putt thy bare hand presently into the boyling cauldron and fetch me a peece of meate out of the bottom The commaund was noe sooner out of his mouth but FLSTANS hand was in the boyling water whose vnresistable heate yeelded to the courage of his true fayth and obedience and did him noe hurt at all to the great admiration and comfort of the holy Abbot ELSTAN afterwards was made Abbot of Abington and lastly Bishop of Wilton in both which charges he discharged the part of a holy Prelate and ended his dayes verie happyly to receaue the reward of his obedience in heauen He florished about the yeare of our Lord 980. Thus much of him we haue gathered out of William Malmesbury de Pont. l. 3. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 10 cap. 9 and Wolstan in the life of S. Ethelwold the first day of August The life of Sainct GISLA and Sainct RICTRVDE Virgins of the sacred order of Sainct BENEDICT APR. 9. Out of diuers Authours GISLA and RICTRVDE borne in Kent of noble parents but much more ennobled with vertue and good learning from their verie youth gaue them selues to the studie of the elegancie of the latin tongue and other sciences vnder that excellent master S. ALCVINE a Benedictin Monk After whose departure out of England they liued in a monasterie at Canturbury vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT labouring and profitting dayly in the continuall exercises of vertue and learning diligently imitating S. MARIE Magdalen◠in the sweetnes of a contemplatiue and MARTHA in the labours of Their skill in learning an actiue life Being carefull first to profitt them selues in mortifications and meditations and then to shew external workes of charitie to their neighbours and peculiarly to comfort the afflicted Whence it was that hauing attayned to a sufficiencie of
afrighted and leaping of his horse fell prostrate at the Bishops feete now likewise alighted from horse back humbly crauing pardon of his fault The holy man touching him as he lay along with his rodd Soe S. Pâ—ter prono â—â—eed death to Ananias Act. 5. with an Episcopall authoritie vsed these words I tell thee sayd he that because thou had refused to refraine from the house of that wicked and damnable person in that verie house thou shalt breath thy last All which came afterwards to passe as holy CEDDE had foretould For within a short time by the hands of the same Earle and his brother the king was most cruelly murthered in that house his butchers alleadging noe other cause mouing them thereunto but his ouermuch clemencie and mercie in romitting offences committed against him soe that it is credibly thought that this vntimely death of soe good and vertuous a Prince did not only wash away his fault but increase his meritt III. THIS blessed Bishop was wont sometimes to visitt his countrey in Northumberland and to comfort his countreymen there with his diuine preachings and godly exhortations whereby he gott soe much fauour with king Edilwald sonne to king Oswald that raigned ouer the people of that countrey called Deiri that mooued thereunto both by the sainctitie and wisedome of this vertuous Bishop and allsoe by the meanes of his good brother Celin chaplaine to the king and court he gaue to S. CEDDE a peece of land for the building of a Monasterie whither he and his people might resort to serue God receiue the Sacraments The holy Bishop made choise of a place for this purpose in the desert mountaines which before that time was rather a couert for theeues wild beasts then a fitt habitation for Christians But he would not permitt the foundatioÌ„ to be laid before he had purged and consecrated the place with fasting and prayer both which he performed euerie day vntill the euening and then he contented him self with one and that a small meale consisting of a little bread one egge a little milke mingled with water Thus he passed all the lent excepting sundaies vntill Fasting in Lent vntill euening he was called away from this holy exercise vppon some speciall busines of the king by which he was forced to intermitt his pious de seigne when there remayned only tenne daies of the fortie to come But because he would not let his holy taske be there broken off he intreated Cimbell avertuous Priest his naturall brother to finish the godly worke he had begunne according to the fore-shewed example Which being by Cimbell gladly vndertaken and as piously He buildeâ—h a monasterie performed soone after Bishop CEDDE erected the Monasterie now called Lesting ordering it according to the same lawes and discipline of religion as that of Lindisfurne or Holy Iland where he had learned his first lesson and rudiments of vertue IV. BVT IN that great controuersie which arose afterwards betweene the old Scottish or Irish Monks and the Monks of S BENEDICTS order the Apostles of England touching the celebration of Easter in which it was sharpely disputed an each side especially betweene S. WILFRID the Benedictine Monke and Bishop Colman a Scott holy CEDDE being a diligent interpreter for both parts was soe conuinced by the diuine arguments of S. WILFRID that he quite gaue ouer to follow the footsteps of the Scotts and came to the knowledge of the true and Catholicke manner of obseruing the feast of Easter and allsoe to weare a round shauen crowne after the Monasticall fashion of Benedictines brought first into England by S. AVGVSTIN our Apostle and his fellowes that were all Benedictine Monks And afterwards by the perswasion of WILFRID Colman and his adherents being fled into Scotland S. CEDDE him self receiued the rule of our most holy father S. BENEDICT and induced all the Monkes of his new Monasterie of Lesting of which he was head to doe the like vnder the same holy rule he gouerned them in all manner of vertues vntill his death Thus after some yeares well spent both in gouernment of his Bishoprick and this Monasterie at the length as he visitted the same in time of plague he fell into a sicknes which sett free his soule from the teadiousnes of this worldly life to tast the desired ioyes prepared for the reward of his merits and good works in heauen He was first buried abrode but afterwards a Church of stone being built there in honour of S. Cedde dieth our blessed Ladie he was taken vp and layd at the right side of the aultar At his departure he resigned the gouernment of the Monasterie to his brother S. CHAD whose life you may reade the second of March V. WHEN the Monks of the Monasterie he had erected amongst the East-Saxons vnderstood of his death thirtie of them went into Northumberland desiring eyther to liue by the bodie of their holy father or if God soe pleased to die and be buried there Such was the great loue they bore vnto this blessed Saiuct But in that time of mortalitie they all walked the pathes of death excepting one litle boy who as it was piously thought was preserued from death by the speciall prayers and intercessions of this holy Bishop For liuing manie yeares after and studying holy scriptures he came at length to knowledge that he had neuer receiued the Sacrament See the peculiar prouidence of allmightie God of Baptisme wherevppon he was forthwith christened and afterwards being promoted to priesthood he became a verie profitable member of Gods Church hauing been by the prayers and merits of S. CEDDE miraculously preserued from the danger of a temporall and eternall death S. CEDDE died about the yeare of our Lord 664. Of him doe make mention S. BEDE whom we haue followed IOHN CAPGRAVE WILLIAM MELMESBVRY de Pontific Lond. NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 7. cap. 13. TRITHEMIVS of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 4. cap. 66. and manie others The life of S. WVLSINE Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 8. SAINCT WVLSINE borne in London of worthie parents was carefully brought vp in the seruice and feare of God vntill he was growne out of his childhood and then they offered him vnto God and S. BENEDICT in the Monasterie of the Benedictine Monks at The vertue of his youth Westminster to be trained vp in that diuine schoole of vertue wherein he became soe good a proficient that in a short time his graue cariage and religious behauiour gaue a great testimonie â—f future sainctetie By watching fasting and prayer he ouercame the two sworne enemies of goodnes the flesh and the Deuill Soe highly he contemned the pleasures and vanities of the world that nothing seemed to him more irksome and teadious then the verie thought thereof in respect of the great comfort he receiued out of the diuine contemplation of heauen and heauenly things whereunto he addicted all the
powers both of his bodie and soule In humilitie he was most lowly in obedience most readie and full of charitable affection towards all men Hauing passed ouer his youth in the continuall exercise of these and other Monasticall vertues he receiued the dignitie of Priesthood and then he did not only shine vnto his He is made Priest brethren and draw them to vertue by his good example but allsoe by reading and expounding the holy scriptures by pious exhortations and preachings he would winne them to the loue of true religion and deuotion At length by the meanes of that great pillar of the Benedictine familie S. DVNSTAN he was chosen Abbot of the same Monasterie in the performance of which holy charge it is beyond the force of weake words to expresse how much he laboured And Abbot of westminster for the saluation of foules and what excellent examples of vertue and godly life he shewed vnto his brethren But such were his rare vertues that long they could not be contayned within the bounds of a weake Cloister For king Ethelred called him thence as it were from vnder the obscure bushell of his Monasterie to be placed in the view and admiration of the world in the Bishoprick of Sherburne and by the free election of the Clergie and greate applause of the poeple he was exalted to the gouernment of that Sea Then it was rare to behould how worthily he beganne to rule his people thundring at first a dutifull respect into their The true vertues of a good Bishop hearts he afterwards shined all loue among them his first and principall care being to appeare vnto his subjectss such as he would haue them be and to be such as he appeared making his godly life the example of his owne doctrine and his doctrine to arise as it were out of his deeds Soe that in a small time he wanne singular loue in his people and engraffed singular confidence His dayly exercise was to exhorte his subjects to comfort the afflicted to feed the hungrie to cloath the naked to redeeme captiues to entertaine poore pilgrims to teach the ignorant to withould the desperate from the shipwrack of their soules to enflame the tepid and animate the seruent to prouide carefully for those vnder his charge and punctually to performe the dutie of his profession and calling He was wont to spend the time of Lent within the Monks cloister were freed from the tumultuous affaires of the world he led a rigid monasticall life exercising him self in fasting and prayer and heauenly contemplation On maundie thursday he came abroade and hauing consecrated holy Chrisme according to the custome of Consecration of Chrisme the Catholicke Church he would preach vnto the people giue them his benediction After the celebration of the feast of Easter he was wont to visitt his whole diocesse as well to teach instruct and direct his vnder-pastours and clergiemen worthily to performe their duties as allsoe to amend correct and punish whatsoeuer was done amisse contrarie to the rules of good order discipline and iustice II. HE WAS wonderfull carefull both to augment and exalt that auncient sea of Sherburne and to establish it in a continuall peace in good order and discipline and to that end he cast out from thence Nichol. Harp saec 10. c. 9. William Malm. Monks ought nor to be subiect to Bishops the secular clergimen for their bad life and in their steede brought in the Benedictine Monks ouer whom he would haue placed an Abbot but they desired rather to liue vnder his gouernment whereunto though vnwilling he consented foretelling them that it would be a beginning of great calamities vnto their successours to be subiect to the Bishops But in all that he did for the Monks he neuer detracted anie part of the meanes belonging to the Bishoprick to sett them vp withall but prouided elsewhere sufficient reuenews for them allwaies preseruing the Episcopall Sea in her owne auncient and splendour in all things III. THVS hauing for the space of fiue yeares worthily gouerned his flock and done the office of a good pastour he fell into a vehement sicknes togeather with a vertuous knight and his deare S. Wulsine falls sick friend named Egeline who hearing of his lords infirmitie seemed to suffer more therein then in his owne and therefore not able to goe him self he sent to know in what danger he was The languishing holy man by the messenger willed his siâ—kly friend suddenly to dispose of him self and his estate and to prepare for his last iourney for to morrow next sayd he we shall goe both togeather to the court of our eternall King where he shall receiue the reward of his faithfull seruice The messenger being departed he vsed these words to his Monks By the filiall loue you haue euer shewed vnto me I doe coniure you my deare children that before you committ my bones to the earth you cause the bodie of this our faithfull friend to be brought hither and to be buried with me in this Church of Sherburne that in death our bodies be not separated whose soules during life were tied faithfully togeather in the bands of true loue and friendship To these words the Monks that were present could giue noe other answere but teares the woefull witnesses of the sorrow they conceaued to depart from soe deare a father But he exhorted them all to be rather ioyfull then grieued at his neere approching happines and alwaies to liue in the feare and loue of God till he felt the pangs of death beginne to cutt of his discourse when lifting vp his hands and eyes towards heauen he cried out with the first martir S. STEPHEN Behould I see the heauens opened and Iesus standing on the right hand of God and with the breath of these words he breathed forth his pure soule to receaue her reward in the purest He dieth place the eight day of Ianuary about the yeare of our Lord 985. Of this B. Sainct doe make mention ARNOLD WION in the appendix of his martirologe WILLIAM MALMESBVRY IOHN CAPGRAVE NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD and others whom we haue followed The life of S. ADRIAN Confessor and Abbot of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 9. SAINCT ADRIAN borne in Africa for his great vertue Out of venerable Bede and learning was chosen Abbot of the Benedictin Monasterie of Niridan in Campania not farre from Naples He was a great diuine and very skillfull both in the Greek and Latine tongue and to these sciences was added as an ornament of all a true zeale of the seruice of allmightie God and monasticall discipline with a perfect knowledge of Ecclesiasticall gouernment All which shined soe cleerly in him as they gaue sufficient testimonie with how sincere a desire of vertue he had first forsaken the world and putt on the habitt of religion II. IT happened during the time of this holy Abbot that the Metropolitan Sea of Canturbury by the death
ouer the countrey Yet to this there was comfort at hand that by the election of the brethren and his fellow-Abbot Ceolfrid he found one Sigfrid a deacon of the same monasterie a very reuerend and meeke man substituted in Eosterwins place This Sigfrid was a man very sufficiently instructed in the knowledge of holy scriptures adorned with most godly manners endowed with a wonderfull vertue of abstinence and for the better conseruing of the vertues of his mind he was kept vnder with noe small infirmitie of bodie and to maintaine the innocencie of his heart he allwaies laboured with a hurtfulland irremediable disease of the lungs VI. AND not long after S. BENNET allsoe began to be wearied S. Bennet falleth sick with a sicknes comeing forcibly vppon him For the diuine goodnes that the vertue of patience might allsoe giue testimonie of the great sinceritie of these holy Abbots in religion layd them both prostrate for a time on the hard bed of a temporall sicknes that hauing triumphed ouer the same by death he might afterwards refresh them with the perpetuall rest of a gladsom peace and euer-during life For Sigfrid as we haue said hauing bin long tormented with the teadious grief of the inwards parts of his bodie euidently perceaued that now he was come to his last and S. BENNET whose disease still encreased by degrees for the space of three yeares was now weakened with such an extreame palsie that death seazing on the lower partes of his bodie tooke from thence all sense of feeling soe that life withdrew it self only into the higher lodgings of that weake building remayning there only the better to exercise the office of a religious and vertuous patience His whole studie during the time of his sicknes was allwaies to spend the little allowance of breath he enioyed in rendring hartie thankes and prayses vnto the authour of all goodnes for his benefitts and to exhorte his brethren with the fraternall words of pietie to remayne constant in the seruice of God and in the obseruance of the rules and institutions which he had planted among them VII FOR you ought not to imagine sayd he that the lawes His speech to his brethren on his death bed and constitutions which I haue giuen you haue proceeded out of my owneignorant and vnlearned vnderstanding for out of seuenteen diuers monasteries which among all the wearisom labours of my often trauells I found to be best haue I learnt and gathered all these precepts deliuered them to your pietie to be obserued But chiefly this precept he did often times reiterate vnto them that in the election of their Abbot they should haue noe regard to the nobilitie of byrth without the worthines of vertue nor respect the greatnes of dignitie in the world but the aboundance of charitie and humilitie in religion For in very deed I tell you sayd he that in comparison of two euills I had rather see the place in which with soe great labours I haue built this monasterie reduced into a perpetuall desert if soe it please God then that my owne brother who is knowne not to follow the stepps of vertue should succeede me in title of Abbot to rule and gouerne the same Therefore deare Brethren be allwaies very carefull neuer to choose your Abbot An Abbot to be chosen not for nobilitie but vertue according to byrth nor out of anie other Bodie then your owne but following that which our great Abbot S. BENEDICT hath prescribed in his rule and the decrees contayned in our priuiledges you ought in the conuent of your Congregation with cōmon counsell of the brethren to search out one who according to the deserts of life and doctrine of wisedom shall be found and approoued to be most worthy and fitt to performe soe great an office and such an one being found you shall present him to the Bishop who with his wonted benediction ought to confirme him in the Abbatiall dignitie In these and such like speeches did he spend a great part of his weake sickly dayes whilst to mitigate the wearisom teadiousnes of the long night which the heauy burden of his disease did render restlesse from sleepe he would some times call one of his brethren to reade vnto him eyther the example of holy Iobs vnmatcheable patience or some other part of the scripture whereby he might receaue some comfort in his grief and be able more liuely to lift vpp him self from the lowest degree of worldly torment to the confideration of the highest reward of his suffering And because he could not by anie meanes rise to pray nor easily make vse eyther of tongue or voice to recite his accustomed taske of psalmes he learnt by his owne prudence and the His truly religious spiritt dictamen of a true religious spirit and affection to call certaine of the brethren vnto him at all the howers eyther of day or night office with whom being diuided into two quiers he would sing and say as well as he was able all the accustomed psalmes of the office and what his weaknes would not let him performe was by their assistance supplied VIII BVT when this worthy payre of Abbots BENNET and Sigfrid hauing bin long wearied with these teadious infirmities did both plainly perceaue that they drew neere the entrance of the dreadfull gates of death and saw them selues to be both vnfitt for See a true patterne of affectiō the gouernment of the monasterie for soe farre their infirmities had wrought in them the perfection of the vertue of CHRIST that when as vppon a day both piously desiring to see and salute one and other before they departed out of the world Sigfrid was carried vppon a beere like a true picture of death to the chamber where S. BENNET lay vppon his poore couch and being both by the seruing hands of their dolefull brethren in such sort composed togeather vppon the same pallett and their heads vppon the same bolster behold a lamentable sight they were not masters of soe much strength as to ioyne their holy lippes togeather to giue a kisse to their last farewell but were fayne hauing made shew of their desire herein to finish it by the assistance of fraternall hands IX THEN S. BENNET entring into consultation with Sigfrid◠and the rest of hir brethren sent for Ceolfrid that was Abbot of S. PAVLES monastery a man not only neere vnto him in the bands of kinred but allsoe which is the chiefell in the sweete societie of vertues and him by the common consent and fauour of all he placed at the helme to be the only pilot and gouernor of both his monasteries iudging it the only best course the better to conserue the peace vnitie and concord of both places to beepe them perpetually vnder the regiment of one only superiour And for this purpose he wished them to call to mind that Euangelicall sentence Euery kingdom diuided within it self shall become desolate But two moneths after this
the venerable and beloued man of God Sigfrid Luc. 11. v. 17. hauing passed through the fier and water of temporall tribulation was by a wellcome death brought into the sweet refreshing of an euerlasting rest And at length after fower moneths more the excellent worker of vertues and great conquerour of vices S. BENNET conquered with the weakenes of his earthly body came to his last It was when the frozen night came on with his winter blasts to begett a sacred day of eternall and cleere light of felicitie His watchfull brethren mett togeather in the Church with prayers and psalmes to driue away nights horrid shadows and to comfort the grief of their deare fathers departure with the continuall singing of the diuine prayses Some would not bouge out of the chamber and from the beds side in which the strong sickman lay expecting by the passage of death to take the sweet entrance of life With desire they expected that as his example taught them how to liue well by the same they might likewise learne how to die For the further mitigating of his grief the Ghospell was read all night as it was wont by a Priest that attended on him The hower of his departure drawing neere the Sacrament of CHRISTS facaed bodie was giuen him for his viaticum and soe that blessed soule hauing bin a long time parched and examined in the flames of an happie tribulation forsaketh the earthly furnace of the flesh and being at libertie tooke a long desired flight to the neuer-dieing glory of His death celestiall happines This glorious Confessor died in the yeare of our Lord 690. the twelfth day of Ianuary when he had gouerned his monastery sixteene yeares eight by him self and other eight with the assistance of his holy Colleagues Eosterwin Sigfrid and Colfrid He was buried in the Church of S. PETER which he built that soe he might not be separated from him in death whom he euer loued in his life and by whose ayde the gates of heauen were opened vnto him His life is written by S. BEDE whom we haue followed VSVARD MALMESBVRY WIGORNIENSIS IOHN CAPGRAVE BARONIVS and other graue Authours make honourable mention of his vertues This Sainct BENNET was the first that reduced the BENEDICTIN order in S. Bennet Batrone of the moderne Congregation of England England into the forme and gouernment of a Congregation that is when manie monasteries are vnder owne head or superiour who during his time whether it be perpetuall or determined vppon yeares is supreme monarke as it were of them all And for this cause the English Congregation of Benedictin Monks now extant and deriued immediatly from the auncient Congregation of England both by succession and Apostolicall priuiledge honoureth this glorious Sainct as their chief Patrone next after the vniuersall Patriarke of the whole order great S. BENEDICT him self and Sainct AVGVSTIN our first Apostle For allbeit in the beginning the Congregation which he erected consisted only of two monasteries as may be seene in his life yet afterwards the whole number of the Black Benedictin Monks in England was ranged into one Congregation as appeares by the bulle of Pope Innocentius the third graunted vnto them And in like manner as the Congregation of Clunie and others beganne srom a small number to grow to such greatnes soe likewise did that of England from the vniting of the sayd two monasteries by S. BENNET BISCOP encrease to a generall vnion of all the Benedictin Monks throughout the vvhole Jland The life of S. ALVRED Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 12. Written by John Capgraue ALVRED borne in England of nobles parents was brought vp from his tender age in the feare of God and good learning he learnt euen in his youth to vndegoe the sweet yoake of our Lord remayning allwaies in the innocencie of his life pure from all spott of sinne His pietie and learning encreasing daily with his age he gayned soe great fauour and loue with Dauid King of the Scots that he esteemed him before most of his court and had exalted him to a Bishoprick had not his entrance into a He refuseth a Bishoprik religious order hindered it In all occasions this holy youth carried him self with soe great pietie and meeknes as noe iniurie could moue him to anger noe opprobrious speeches could prouoke him to reuenge he allwaies endeauoured to repay hatred with loue to render good for euill to ouâ—rcome enuie with dutie and seruice A certaine knight perceauing him to be beloued and honoured of the King more then anie other raysed a hatefull and malignant persecution against him and grew so fierce in his malice that he was not afray sometimes openly to vomitt part of his venom against him with iniurious words before the King him self To whom the holy man with a mild and vnmoued countenance You speake verie well sayd he and honestly I know your tongue was neuer acquainted with vntruths and therefore I take you to be His rare humilitie patieÌ„ce my verie good friend The knight finding him to be a firme rock whom all the outrageous stormes of his malice and hatred could not moue nor stirre from the ground of vertue suffred a willing ouerthrow in his wicked endeauours and shewing the effects of a repentant mind demaunded pardon for his great temeritie promising from thence forth euer to oblige himself vnto him in an vnsayned league of friendship To whom ALVRED I confesse sayd he I reioyce hartely at thy repentance and therefore I shall loue thee better farre then euer for thy hatred to me hath encreased my A good lesson loue to my deare Redeemer and my patience being exercised and tried hereby hath perhapps bina meanes to make me profitt a little in my dutie to allmightie God Thus this B. man froÌ„ the briers of other mens malice reaped the sweetroses of vertues vnto him self II. AFTER this meaning to bidd adieu to the world and all He taketh the habitt of a monk the vanities thereof he went vnto the Abbey of Rhieuall or Ridall in Yorkshire and putt on the habitt of a Bernardin Monk vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT In which solitarie kind of life giuing him self wholly to contemplation of heauenly things and the continuall exercise of true religious and monasticall vertues he attained to such perfection that like the moone amongst the lesser starres he shined amongst the rest of his brethren in all manner of vertuous life and behauiour And shortly aster he was soe He is made Master of the nouices good a proficient him selt that he waÌ„s thought able to read a lesson of vertue vnto others and therefore the education of the nouices or probationers was committed to this chardge But whilest he executed that office there was an vnconstant Clerk that entred into the order whose vocation after a small triall beganne to wauer like a reed in the wind His vnstedfast mind being
perceaued his good Master earnestly requested allmighty God to giue him the grace of perseuerance Soone after the same Brother desiring to returne into the world opened the thoughts of his heart vnto his Master saying that his weaknes was not able to endure the hardnes of the order that all things therein were contrarie to his nature that he could not vndegoe their dayly paines and exercises that he was grieuously vexed and tortured with their long watching that he often fainted vnder his manuall and dayly labours that the roughnes and rudnes of his cloathes did pierce his tender skinne and that indeed his will was rather inclined to follow secular delights and worldly lusts and pleasures then to breake his back with such austeritie And I replied his Master will prepare thee daintier meates and gentler cloathing and in all things else belonging to thy profession I will be more indulgent vnto thee I will not stay sayd he allthough it were to be master of all the wealth in the house Neyther will I tast anie foode replied ALVRED vntill God all mightie bring thee back againe eyther willing or nilling The one runnes to the gate to be gone the other enters into his chamber to pray that he should not goe The holy man laments the losse of his sonne and with the deepe sighs of a sorrowfull heart bewayling his great temeritie refuseth to receaue anie consolation The fugitiue coming to the gate which to his sight A notable miracle was wide open found it eyther not to be soe indeed or else some thing else stronger then a gate to be shutt against him for hauing often times striuen with all his force to goe â—orth he fayled of his purpose and was not able to passe ouer that place where the gate was wont to stand being shutt Being strucken with admiration hereat he returned to his master before whom with great signes of repentance he humbly demaunded pardon of his follie promising to remayne constant and stedfast in his vocation euer after His Master with teares of ioy entertayned him giuing humble thankes to allmightie God for his goodnes III. S. ALYRED was second to none in those daies in all manner of learning both diuine and humane and his knowledge being ennobled with the rich ornaments of vertue and religion moued his brethren by common consent to elect him for their Abbot of Rhieuall In which dignitie as if all his former life had bin but a He is chosen Abbot of Rhieuall shadow or figure of true religion he beganne as it were to reforme and wind him self vp into a farre higher degree of austeritie and deuotion and when as now he might assume more libertie he contrarie to custom did quite abridge him self of all such things as might giue his bodie content in his diet soe sparing that his extreme abstinence made him seeme to beare the shape rather of a spiritt then of a man He encreased the number of his Monks to one hundred and fiftie and fiue hundred brethren For the space of tenne yeares before his death being cruelly vexed with the stone-collick and the gowt he made vse thereof for the better triall of his humilitie and patience in which vertues he was excellent not ceasing neuerthelesse to write spirituall bookes and homelies vppon the Ghospell to preach often vnto his brethren allwaies conforming his owne life to whatsoeuer proceeded eyther from his penne or tongue In his writings sayings doeings and all his manner of life he was a most diligent imitatour of the great father of his Order S. BERNARD Allwaies meeke humble patient and one that both in him self and with others and amongst all men was soe peaceable that it farre exceeds the force of this penne to expresse or anie heart to thinke how entierely and sincerely he did embrace purchase and nourish true peace and concorde IV. AS ONCE he sate before the fier being soe cruelly tormented with the collick that through the sharp conuulsions of his griefe he was forced to sitt double with his head bent downe betweene his knees there comes into the roome one of the brethren that long before hated him for his goodnes and now spieing this opportunitie to be aduantageous for his reuenge stole behind him sitting in that manner and with all his force thrust him violently into the fier crieing out aloud Now thou art iustly punished'for thy hypocrisie and falsehood Herevppon some of the Monks coming to the noyse gott vpp the holy Abbot out of the fier and out of a zealous anger beganne to lay violent hands vppon the authour of this mischief But the blessed Sainct forgetting his infirmitie His wonderfull patience and still mindfull of charitie strictly forbadd them from that enterprise Cease cease sayd he my deare children and doe not robb your wretched father of his garment of patience Alas I am not angrie I am not hurt I am not troubled at this my child it was that cast me into the fier and hereby he hath not vrged me my death but purged my imperfections He is my child allbeit weake and imperfect And indeed I am not sound in bodie my self but his weakenes hath cured the imperfection of my soule And here withall embracing him about the neck he gaue him the louing salutatioÌ„ of peace and as though he had endured no wrong at all he studied with all gentlenes to mitigate the furie of his heart which without cause was enraged against him V. FOWER yeares before his death he had his bodie perfectly exempted dischardged from all pleasure of enioying this life for he brought it soe leane and bare with continuall fasting watching sicknes and other voluntarie austerities that nothing but the skinne was left to couer the naked bone And in all his infirmities he would not heare of a phisitian but contemning for the loue of God all remedies of the bodie he only busied him self about that one thing which is necessarie to prouide for the health of his soule He read such bookes as would moue his heart to melt into teares of sorrow and compunction and instruct him in the way of good life and manners and amongst manie others he vsed verie much to reade S. AVGVSTINS confessions He was often wont to sitt in a hollow place made in the floore of his Oratorie piously ruminating with him self that from earth he came and into earth she should returne In a word liuing on earth his conuer sation was in heauen for often times he enioyed the viâ—ion of the blessed Angels with whom he conuersed as familiarly as with his owne brethren Manie other miracles are reported to haue bin wrought by this holy Sainct which we omitt VI. A YEARE before his death vnto his other infirmities was added the crueltie of a drie cough which finding a bodie allreadie weakened brought him to such extremitie that often times hauing sayd Masse he was compelled to lie downe on his bed for the space of an hower being neyther able to moue nor
Idolatrie to see the cleere day of Christs Ghospell And presently the heauens gaue them rayne and the earth which before was barren brought forth fruit in due season Allso he purged the countrey of the Picts now called Galloway from the blindnes of idolatrie and heresie he conuerted Albanie and founded there manie Churches and monasteries He sent some of his disciples to the Scottish Iles called Orkney to Norway and Island to His manie miracles bring vnto those nations the ioyfull tidings of CHRISTS Ghospell Wheresoeuer he him self eyther trauelled or preached he gaue sight to the blind hearing to the deafe speach to the dumbe cured the lame cast out deuills from possessed persons restored madmen to their senses healed leprosies palsies and all other diseases Some times by the only touching of his garments or taking some little particles of his meate or drinke manie sick persons recouered their desired health The Queene that had bin a long time sterile through his prayers obtayned a sonne of allmightie God who afterwards succeeding his father in the kingdom excelled all his predecessours in wealth and pietie VII S. COLVMB hearing the fame of S. KENTIGERNE came from his monasterie in the Island Hij with a great companie of his monks He maketh great league with S. Columb to visitt him and enter into a league of frienship and familiaritie with him And coming neere vnto the place where the holy Bishop was he diuided his whole companie into three troupes The Bishop likewise that came to meet him did in the same manner diuide his followers into three squadrons in the first he placed the iuniors or yonger sort in the second those of a middle age and in the third old aged men venerable in their gray hayres And as these two sacred armies of IESVS CHRIST marched towards each other they song spirituall hymnes and canticles on both sides and S. COLVMB to his followers I see sayd he ouer the third quier a fierie light in manner of a golden crowne to descend from heauen vppon the Bishops head But the two holy leaders of these troupes coming neere togeather saluted each other with mutuall embracings and holie kisses of loue and friendship in testimonie thereof they chainged their pastorall staues and the staffe which S. COLVMB gaue the Bishop was kept afterwards with great reuerence in S. WVLFERS Church at Rippon VIII A MIGHTIE great stone crosse being made for the Church-yard of Glasghn which could not be erected by mens strength was at A crosse sett vpp miraculously the prayer of the holie man sett vpp in the night by an Angel And in that place afterwards the diuine goodnes graunted perfect health vnto manie diseased persons that craued it by the meritts of S. KENTIGERNE He built a mille vppon the riuer Gladus that would neuer grinde anie stolne corne neyther could the stones or wheeles thereof by anie force be turned about from Saturday noone till munday morning IX AT LENGTH the holy man being soe farre spent with ould-age as his withered sinews did scarse hang his ioynts togeather and His last exhorta tion to his disciples perceauing that the hower of his death was at hand he called his disciples about him and exhorting them with a dieing voyce to the conseruance of true religion mutuall charitie peace and hospitalitie he gaue them an expresse and strict commaund firmely to obserue the decrees of the auncient holy fathers and euer to follow the institutions of the Catholick Roman Church When manie of his disciples who most dearely loued him falling prostrate before him cried out with weeping words Wee know deare father that thou doest desire to be dissolued from thy aged bodie to raigne with CHRIST but we humbly beseech thee to take pittie on vs whom thou hast gayned to the seruice of CHRIST ConfessioÌ„ of sinneâ— In whatsoeuer our humane frailtie hath offended we haue allwaies confessed vnto thee desiring to be corrected by the arbitrement of thy discretion Obtaine therefore of allmightie God that togeather with thee we may depart out of this vale of teares and miseries to the euerlasting ioyes of our deare Lord for vnto vs it seemeth a thing vnfitting that eyther a Bishop without his Cleargie a sheapheard without his flock or a father without his children should enter into the ioyes of his Lord. The holie man being moued with pittie fetching his breath as well as he was able The sacred will of God sayd he be fullfilled in vs all and according as he knowes best and as he pleaseth let his diuine prouidence dispose of vs all Herevppon being admonished by an Angel that his prayer was heard he was likewise willed to enter into a warme bath in which lifting vpp his hands and eyes towards heauen he resolued as it were into a sweet sleepe and yeelded vpp The manner of his death his blessâ—d soule into the hands of his Redeemer It pleased the heauenly wisedom to giue his seruant this pleasant kind of death whose life was a continuall martirdome His disciples hauing taken his body out of the bath manie of them entring therein had the fauour to follow their holie leader into the heauenly dwellings He died the thirteenth day of Ianuary about the yeare of our Lord 596. and in the hundred eightie fift yeare of his age when he had bin Bishop an hundred and threescore yeares famous for sainctetie and miracles He was buried in the Church of Glasghu at whose tombe all manner of diseases were miraculously cured His life was written by IOSGELINVS an auncient author IOANNES ANGLICVS and IOHN CAPGRAVE whom we haue followed Of him make mention NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD histor Ecclesiast sex primis saec cap. 28. ARNOLD WION and others The life of S. PETER Abbot of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT IAN. 13. Out of venerable Bede PETER was a Roman Monk of S. BENEDICTS order and one of those which were sent by S. GREGORIE the great with our first Apostle S. AVGVSTIN to preach the Ghospell of CHRIST vnto the English natioÌ„ S. AVGVSTIN being consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury sent back Laurence and Peter his fellowes to bring newes vnto the holy Pope of their good successe in the conuersion of England and allsoe by his prudence and counsell to be resolued of some difficulties which arose in the planting of Catholick religion in that new Church This S. PETER at his returne into England was by the same S. AVGVSTIN ordayned the first Abbot of the Benedictin monasterie of Canturburie erected by King Ethelbert in honour of the Apostles S. PETER and S. PAVL Of the time and manner of his gouernement in this office we haue nothing certaine but that he led a verie vertuous and holy life it is manisest by that which S. BEDE writes of him At length sayth he being sent Embassadour into France he chaunced to be drowned in a gulfe of the sea betweene two câ—pes at a place called Ampleat and being by the inhabitants committed to
an ignoble buriall it pleased allmightie God to make knowne of how great meritt the holy man was by an heauenly light which appeared euerie night ouer his graue vntill the neighbours vnderstood thereby that certainly it was a holy man that lay buried there and being better informed who it was and whence he came they tooke away his bodie and carried it to the cittie of Bullein where it was buried in a Church after such reuerend and honourable manner as became soe worthy a holy man He died about the yeare of Christ 607. Of him doe make mention beside S BEDE TRITHEMIVS in his worke of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order MOLANVS in his Catalogue of the Saincts of Belgia and others whom we haue followed The life of S CEOLVLPHE King and Confessor Monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 15. Out of venerable Bede de gest Angl. CEOLVLPH after the death of King Osrick was made King of the Northumbers but the beginning and progresse of his gouernement was encumbred with soe manie difficulties and aduersities that after some yeares triall thereof entring into a serious consideration with him self of the miserable vncertaintie and vncertaine miserie of mans life and perceauing how dangerous were the tumults and precipices of this world and that the greatest and most prosperous fortunes of Princes were most of all subiect to decline and chainge euen in a moment and calling to mind the strict and rigid accompt that we must render of all our thoughts and actions at the day of iudgement before the dreadfull tribunall of the all seeing Iudge he beganne soe farre to loathe the care of worldly things and soe to despise those vaine honours He resolueth to be a Benedictin monk that forsaking the Royall estate and robes of Maiestie he put on the poore weeds of a monasticall humilitie in the Benedictin monasterie of Lindissarne or Holy-Iland piously following herein the footsteps of six others his predecessors English Kings Now insteed of his crowne of gold the token of soueraigntie he wore his hayre shauen with a crowne made of the same as the badge of a punishing humilitie his royall sceptre by vertue whereof he bore sway and authoritie in the world was now turned to a breuiarie wherevnto he was wedded and he that before ruled a kingdome was now vnder the check and commaund of a poore monk his superiour for his chaines of gould which were the ornament of his princely body he is now content to vse a poore payre of beades and thereon daily to reckon the number of his allmost numberlesse deuotions He was a man in whom a great knowledge of things diuine and humane was ioyned with an excellent pietie and singular deuotion soe absolutely learned that venerable BEDE the greatest scholler His learning and pietie and writer of our nation dedicated his historie of England vnto him with the title of MOST GLORIOVS KING to be by his wisedom not only reuiewed and read but allso approued and if need were corrected The often reading of these bookes he being of him self much addicted vnto the knowledge of antiquities and especially of England was a spurre vnto him allreadie inclined therevnto to vndertake this monasticall life In which when he had liued the space of all most twentie yeares in the continuall exercise of pietie and deuotion he gaue vp his holy soule to receaue for a temporall kingdom an eternall amongst other blessed Kings whom the same pious considerations had caused to leaue their scepters purples to be ranged vnder the humble enseigne of S. BENEDICT The day of his death is vnknowne but how full of merits and good workes he died his buriall which was neere vnto His death the great Benedictin monk S. CVTHBERT and the manie miracles which it pleased God to shew at his tombe doe giue sufficient testimonie Afterwards his bodie togeather with S. CVTHBERTS was taken vp and placed in a rich shrine in a more eminent place Thus much of him we haue gathered out of venerable BEDE WILLIAM MALMESBVRY de gest Reg. Angl. lib. 1. cap. 3. BARONIVS tom 9. ann 737. NICOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 8. cap. 21. ARNOLD WION lib. 4. ligni vitae cap. 6. de Regibus regnis Benedictini ordinis and other graue Authours The life of S. FVRSEVS Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 16. Out of venerable Bede FVRSEVS borne in Ireland of Royall parents but more ennobled by his vertues then his birth was famous for dignitie amongst his friends but excelling ouer the world in the speciall guift of diuine grace He was of a beautifull forme chast of bodie deuout in mind affable in discourse of an amiable aspect and replenished with grace and good workes brought vp from his verie infancie in the continuall studie of holy scripture and monasticall His youth and learning discipline And as he grew in yeares soe grew he allsoe in the daily increase of vertue and pious desires For the better accomplishment whereof he forsaked his parents friends and natiue soyle and betooke him self for the space of some yeares to the studie of holy scriptures in which in short time he became sufficiently well instructed But that the world might know that he did not only labour for him self but for all those that sought the truth he built a monasterie which serued as a free-schoole of vertue wherein he taught all that came vnto him the true way of saluation Great was the number of people that flocked togeather vnto this holy teacher of vertue by whose godly preaching and deuout exhortations manie were not only retired from their bad manner of life and brought into the right way of saluation but allsoe were subiected vnto the regular obseruance of a monasticall order Amongst these he was desirous to haue the companie of some of his owne kinsinen and for that end he made a iourney vnto his natiue countrey but in the way he happened to fall sick and in this sicknes his soule being as it were separated from her earthly lodging enioyed a most delightfull vision of Angels that seemed to lift him vp towards heauen were he beheld an infinite companie of heauenly citizens who with their sweet melodie filled his rauished vnderstanding with inestimable ioy and comfort The dittie of their A vision song was that versicle of the Psalme Ibuâ—t Sancti de virtute in virtutem viâ—ebitur Deus Deorum in Sion Holy men will proceed from vertue to vertue the God of Gods shall be seene in Sion This song they repeated often-times with such rauishing tunes as it is farre beyond the force of weake wordes to expresse But being restored to his bodie and him self againe about the time that the cock giues warning of the dayes approach he heard in steed of the melodious harmonie of the Angels the wofull lamentations and cries of his friends and kinsfollies who all this time had watched at his bodie which they supposed to be dead
he continually busied all the powers of his soule and forces of his body V. BVT while these things are thus doeing he fell againe into an other sicknes during which he enioyed the delightfull vision of An other vision Angels that admonished him to proceed with courage and diligence in the happily begunne worke of preaching as allso with an inuincible patience to hold on his accustomed exercise of watching fasting and prayer bicause that his death was certaine but the hower of his death most vncertaine With this vision being much confirmed in his pious courses he hastened to build a monasterie on the land which King Sigebert had giuen him for that purpose which done he instituted it with the regular discipline of a monasticall life vnder the holy rule of of S. BENEDICT The situation of this monasterie by reason of the neerenes of the sea and words was verie pleasant it being built in a certaine old castle called Cnobbersburg that is the towne of of Cnobber it was afterwards by Anna King of that prouince and manie other noblemen verie richly adorned with more stately edifices and enriched with diuers guifts of great worth VI. And in this verie monasterie King Sigebert him self being wearie Harp saec 7. cap. 15. King Sigebert becometh a Benedictin monk of the world and worldly cares and desiring to giue his mind only vnto God put of his princely robes and leauing the gouernment of his King do vnto his cozen Edrick betooke him self to liue vnder the humble weedes of a Benedictin Monke iudging it more honorable in a cloister to conquer him self by obeying then in the world to beare sway ouer others by commaunding But long he had not enioyed this quiet life when wicked Penda King of the Mercians making warre against his forsaken Kingdom he was by force taken out of the monasterie by his owne friends and made Generall of their armie which they presupposed would be much hartened and encouraged with his presence Who to shew that his profession was dearer to him then his life put on no other armour then a good conscience nor taking other weapon then a little rodd in The canfidence of a secure consciēce his hand went securely though vnwillingly against the bloud-thirsting armies of his and CHRISTS enemies where both he himself and King Egrick vnto whom he had left the kingdom happily lost this life to winne a better VII BVT le ts vs returne vnto S. FVRSEVS who now hauing as we haue sayd built a monasterie and established it with the rule and disciple of a monasticall order being desirous to free him self not only from all worldly cares but allsoe from the gouernment of his monasterie gaue vp the whole care thereof vnto his brother Fullanus and being at libertie he soe disposed of him self as meaning to spend and end the remainder of his life in an Anachoreticall or Eremiticall life He had an other brother called Vltanus who out of the continuall probation of the monasticall and claustrall manner of liuing had betaken him self to the solitarines of the desert Vnto him FVRSEVS went alone and togeather with him he liued by the labour of his hands for the space of a whole yeare in continuall fasting and prayer doeing of pennance But perceauing the countrey to be much disquieted by the frequent incursions of Pagans and foreseeing the eminent danger of the monasteries leauing all things in good order he sayled into Fraunce where being honorably entertained by the French King Clouis the second and Erconwald then Prouost of Peronne he built a monasterie in a place called Latiniacum into which were introduced the monkes of S. BENEDICTS order for as yet and manie yeares after there was noe other rule on foote but his in all the Occidentall Church And not long after S. FVRSEVS falling sick he quickly felt the vehemencie of his disease to grow soe strongly vppon him as he plainly perceaued his time to draw neere therefore recommending him self vnto God and lifting vp his eyes towards heauen he yeelded vp his pure soule into the hands of his Redeemer the sixteenth day of January Erconwald caused his bodie to be referued in the Church Porch of Peronne where it remained for the space of twentie fix daies till the consecration of the new-built Church in the same towne was finished at what time being taken vp it was found with no more signe of corruption then if he had died but that verie hower VIII FOWER yeares after a little chappell being erected on the East side of the high aultar and dedicated to S. FVRSEVS his bodie was taken vp againe by the worthy Bishops Eligius and Ausbertus and found to be vncorrupted as before it was translated thither in most honourable manner where it hath most manifestly appeared vnto the world that through his merits diuers miracles haue bene wrought by the allmightie worker of miracles who is wonderfull in his Saincts for euer He flourished about the yeare 636. or as others say 650. VSVARD TRITHEMIVS MOLANVS BARONIVS RABANVS MAVRVS and manie others doe make mention of S. FVRSEVS But this life we haue taken principally out of venerable BEDES historie of England The life of S. HENRY Hermite Confessor IAN. 16. HENRY was borne of the nobler sort of Danes being come to such age as his face betrayed his sexe his parents earnestly sollicited him to marrie whereunto in the beginning he seemed not vnwilling but the appointed day of his marriage drawing nigh it was reuealed vnto him in a vision that he ought to abstaine from all carnall copulation and to keepe him self chast and pure from this world by studieing rather how to please God then a wife Wherevppon suddainly leauing all his friends and freeing He refuseth to marrie him self of the possession of those goods he enioyed he tooke shipping at Tinemouth and sayled about twentie miles into the sea to an Iland on the East side of Northumberland named Cocket from the riuer Cocket running there by this Iland was in auncient times verie famous for a holy Conuent of Monkes that liued there S. HENRY being thither arriued with leaue of the Prior he entred the Iland and hauing built him self a little lodge scarse of force to beate of the iniurie of the weather he began to serue God in great rigour austerity of life For the space of some yeares he fasted continually His rigorous fasting only with bread and water afterwards he eate but thrise a weeke and three dayes in the weeke kept silence In fower yeares before he died he satisfied his hunger only with little cakes dried in the sunne made of barly meale mixed with pure water II. GOEING vppon a time in pilgrimage to Durham he came to the bankes of the riuer Wyre not finding a boate readie to carry him ouer he made his prayer to allmightie God and presently without the helpe of man a boate loosed of its owne accord from the other A strainge miracle
he had passed ouer some yeares ouercoming manie a teadious day irksome night with wonderfull patience the hower of his death drawing neere wherein he should receaue Heauenly musick at his death the euerlasting rewards of his labours there was heard in the ayre ouer his cell most melodious tunes of heauenly voyces that enterchaingeably sung the hymne TE DEVM LAVDAMVS to the end In the meane time a Monke that heard the sound of his little bell ranne thither and found him sitting on a stone with the bell-rope in one hand and a candle burning in the other And perceauing him to be dead he put of his garment and his hayre-cloath-shirt hauing washt his bodie with water it became suddenly as white and cleere as snow neither did there remaine on his skinne anie signe or scarre of his former grief to be perceaued His face seemed soe beautifull and resplendent as he could hardly be knowne for the man he had bin and he appeared as though not death but a sweet sleepe had seased on his bodie VIII THE Benedictine Monkes of Tinemouth hearing of his departure mett togeather to carrie away the bodie and burie it in their Church but the people of the next Parish fearing much to be robbed of soe great a treasure according to their foretakeÌ„ counsell gathered a multitude of men togeather and endeauoured to preuent the Monks by taking away the body by force to burie it in their owne church But they were no sooner at sea but there arose a thick mist which painted the face of heaueÌ„ with such an hidcous darke picture of night that those rauishers wandered out of their way they knew not whither loosing both them selues and the prey they sought for The Monkes safely arriuing at Tinemouth with their holy lading buried it very honorably neere vnto the body of S. OSWIN King and Martir in an arch of the wall on the south side of the Church where manie miracles were wrought afterwards by the intercession of this glorious Sainct He died in the yeare of our Lord 1120. the sixteenth day of January His life is extant at AntweÌ„rp in an auncient manuscript out of which IOANNES ANGLICVS and IOHN CAPGRAVE we haue gathered the foresaid historie The life of S. DEICOLA Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 18. Written by Peter de Natalibus in catal SS DEICOLA borne in Jreland when he came to such age that he was able to make vse of his time went into France where he liued vnder the worthie Benedictine Abbot S. COLVMBAN in the monasterie of 〈◊〉 But when S. COLVMBAN was by King Theodorick banished out of France a place not worthie to contayne his vertues he tooke with him into Italie S. DEICOLA there being able to carrie his old age noe further with S. COLVMBAN he retired himself into a monasterie of Benedictin Monks called Lâ—tra in Burgundie where his holy conuersation and vertuous life was soe He is made Abbot of Lutra excellent pleasing to all and he wonne soe great confidence that he was made Abbot of the same place by the free election of the Monkes amongst whom he was admired for his great vertue and miracles At length ouercome with old age he gaâ—e vp the gouernment of the monasterie to a vertuous disciple of hâ—â—â—â—med Columbine and retired him self to a secret place where he spent the small remnant of his life in continuall prayer and contemplation of Luc. 10. v. 42. that one thing which is only necessarie for the saluatioâ— of soâ—les Till feeling the happie minute of his departure to draw nigh he called his brethren about him and recommending vnto â—hem the obseruance of true loue and monasticall discipline he denoutly receaued the last Sacraments and made a happie chainge of this teadious His death world for the sweet enioying of immortall happines the eighteenth day of Ianuary His bodie was buried in the same monasterie where on this day of his deposition his memorie was yearly celebrated His life we haue gathered out of PETER DE NATALIBVS in his Catalogue of Saincts TRITHEMIVS in his historie of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order VSVARD and others â—â—ke worthie â—â—ntion of S. DEICOLA and the 〈◊〉 Martirologe this day S. WOLSTANVS EPISCOPVS WIGORNIENSIS in Anglia Monachus Benedictinus Jan. 19. The life of S. WOLSTAN Bishop of Worcester a Monk of the holy order of S BENEDICT IAN. 19. WritteÌ„ by Senatus Brauon a Monk of Worcester THE beloued seruant of God S. WOLSTAN was borne in Warwickshire of worthy and religious parents who offered him to S. BENEDICT in the monastery of Peterborough where his youth was piously trained vp and instructed both in secular learning and Ecclesiasticall discipline till he grew of yeares and sufficiencie that he was made Priest In which sacred function he soe worthily behaued him self that his godly manner of life was alwaies His manner of life being a Priest in the world correspondent vnto the height of his dignitie He euer celebrated his Masse with wonderfull great grauitie and reuerence adding both before and after that dreadfull sacrifice daily preparations and prayers in which for the most part he spent the whole day being contented for his poore maintenance only with the voluntarie offrings of deuout people The flower of his chastetie as a rich treasure he kept vndefiled all his life time In a word he led soe vertuous a life that liuing in the world he might be compared with the best and preferred before manie Monkes in the Cloister Soe continent in his diet that he was neuer knowne to drinke one draught without necessitie and allthough for a time he did eate flesh yet he left that custom too vppon this occasion Being one day to goe forth vppon a speciall and an vnexcusable necessitie lest he should depart without his dinner his seruants had sett a goose to the fier to be rosted against the end of Masse In the meane time A strainge motiue to forâ—ake eating flesh the holy man goes to the aultar and being in the mid'st of the sacrifice because the Church was neere adioyning vnto his house the strong sauour of the roast-meate struck into his nose and caused a suddain distraction in his mind in soe much that at first he seemed to haue bin ouertaken with a little glimpse of pleasure therewith But recollecting him self with an acknowledgment of his faulte he vehemently endeauoured but in vaine to repell that cogitation Whereat being stricken with the zeale of an holy anger against him self he made a vow before the holy Sacrament which he held in his hands neuer to tast anie meate of that kind anie more Masse being ended he departed about the affaires he had in chardge without taking one bitt of meate alleadging that the vrgencie of his iourney could suffer noe longer delay And herevppon he abstained euer after from all manner of fleshie and vnctuous meates whatsoeuer Yet was he not so rigid as to
vision called to account before the dreadfull tribunall of Onâ— punished by God for hindering Wolstans preaching an vnknowne iudge who sharply rebuked him for his temeritie in checking his beloued seruant and commaunded him to be layd along out he ground where he was soe scourged with sharp whipps as the teares which trickled downe his cheekes and the black and blew markes of the stripes which appeared on his shoulders when he awaked were euident and feeling witnesses of what had past When this was made knowne vnto holy WOLSTAN pittying his calamitie he pardoned him the offence and with his benediction likewise gaue him soe perfect a cure of his griefe that there remayned noe signe thereof to be seene VI. S. WOLSTAN standing aloose off happened once to see one fall hedlong from the top of the steeple at which woefull sight being suddenly strucken with grief he made the signe of the crosse towards him as he fell who coming to the ground armed with that siâ—â—â— of life was nothing at all bruised or hurt with the markes of death The woÌ„derfull vertue of the signe of the crosse but getting vp safe without anie helpe he imputed the cause of his fall to his owne temeritie and the miraculous preseruation of his life to S. WOLSTANS sainctetie VII AFTER some yeares Alred of Worcester being chosen Archbishop of Yorke the generall consent both of the Monks and common He is chosen Bish. people inclined totally to the election of WOLSTAN holy King EDWARD allowing them to choose a Bishop whom they pleased Their election was confirmed by the Popes Legats who then liued at Worcester expecting a dispatch of some affaires from the Kings Court But WOLSTAN as obstinately resisted these honours as He refuseth to accept it manie now a dayes doe ambitiously labour to gett them prochiming him self most vnworthy and protesting by oathe that he would rather lay downe his neck to be diuided by the sharpe edge of the sword then vndertake the burden of soe high a dignitie Being often times perswaded herevnto by manie vertuous religious men he would neuer consent till at length well checkt and sharply rebuked for his obstinacie and disobedience by the holy man of God Vlsius an Anachorite who had then liued a solitarie life aboue fortie yeares and terrified with a heauenly oracle his constancie was broken and he to his great grief compelled to yeeld and consent to their desires Therefore on the feast of our B. Ladies Natiuitie by the hands of Alrâ—d Archbishop of Yorke Stig and the vsurper of Cauturbury then being suspended from his function he was ordayned Ouercome with persvvasion he is ordained bishop Joan. 1. v. 47. and consecrated Bishop of Worcester in presence of holy King EDWARD the Confessor in the twentith yeare of his raigne In this consecration S. WOLSTAN opening the Bible as the manner was happened on this sentence worthily deuining of him Behould a true Jsraelite in whom there is noâ— deceipt For he was an open plaine man voide of all quainâ— deuices of dissimulation Yet was he not soe meerely simple as easily to suffer him self to be cosened by the greatest and wisest masters of deceipt the allmightie wisedom manie times giuing euident restimonie approuing the vertuous innocencie of his simplicitie For when Thomas Archbishop of Yorke would haue reduced the Sea of Worcester vnder his iurisdiction and did wrongfully alienate and detaine some of the lands and meanes the 〈◊〉 belonging a verie sharpe controuersie was had there vppon in presence of the King the Bishops and other Peeres of the Realme to decide this case whereon depended a great part of the Bishop of Worcesters estate In the meane time S. WOLSTAN goeing out oâ— the Councell maturely to deliberate with his Monks concerning this weighâ—ie matter that â—oe neerely touched their freehould when all their minds were most eagerly attentiue to the diligent examination See his wonderfull contempt of the world in respect of the diuine seruice of their cause Beleeue my Brethren sayd WOLSTAN we haue not yet song None therefore let vs goe â—ing it The Monkâ— offended herewith First replied they let vs dispatch the busines we came for and studie our answeare to the Councell we shall haue time inough to â—ing afterwards Beleeue me answeared he we will first doe our duties to God and then debate the contentious reasons of those humane affayres Therefore hauing without anie delay dispatched the ninth hower he commaunded his Monks that were very sollicitous of the euent of their cause to depose all care constantly affirming that he saw the â—B Bishops and Saincts DVNSTAN and OSWALD who would defend both them and their cause against all theiâ— aduersaries Neyther was he anie thing deceaued for entring into the Councell with great alacritie and boldnes he gott the sentence of them all in his owne behalf against Thomas Archbishop of Yorke who then willingly yeelded and very earnestly desired WOLSTAN to make a visitt in his diocesse and instruct the people with the pietie of his sermons Which allthough they did not â—low from him with that abundance of humane science and flanting eloquence The vertue of his preaching as other men made shew off yet his speeches tooke such deepe roote and impression in the breasts of his audience and touched them soe to the quick that he would moue to repentance and amendment of life more then anie others Preachers that were For his singular innocencie of life ioyned to the manie miracles which it pleased God through his merits to shew vnto the world did pearce and sting the hardest hearts and draw euen his aduersaries though vnwilling to loue and honour him But among all his miracles this ensuing is worthy eternally to be recorded in the Church of God VIII IN A Councell held at Westminster were besides the King with the Bishops and Peeres of England were present a Bishop and two Cardinals the Popes Legaâ—s from Rome after they had deposed Stigand a secular Priest out of the sea of C 〈…〉 which by i 〈…〉 sion he had vsurped the King Williaâ— Conquerour pretending insufficiencie The couÌ„cell dispute of his depositioÌ„ of learning and want of the French tongue in S. WOLSTAN by all meanes endeauoured to depriue him of his office and dignitie meaning belike to putt some Norman in his place and Lâ—â—frâ—â—ck Archbishop of C 〈…〉 vnaduisedly following the Kings opinion commaunded the holy man without further delay to resigne vp his staffe and â—iâ—g the chief armes and â—â—signes of his Episcopall dignitie WOLSTAN without anie shâ—w of alteration eyther in mind oâ— in countenanâ—e stood vp and houlding his câ—o 〈…〉 staffe in his hand In very dâ—ed my Lord Archbishop sayd he I know that I am â—â—yther worthy of this honour nor fiâ—t for sâ—e great a His speech to the councell burden nor able rightly to vndergoe the labour this I know and this did I know before when the Monks elected 〈◊〉 when the
thy bodie to Satan that thy soule may be A terrible punishment of one that would not forgiue his enemies saued in the day of iudgement He had scarse ended these words when the miserable wretch by the gâ—ashing and grinding of his teeth the gastly staring of his eyes his foaming at the mouth and antick turning and rouling of his bodie into strange postures gaue euident restimonie by what diabolicall spiritt he was gouerned At length being freed againe by S. WOLSTAN he was the second and third time possessed in like manner vntill from the bottom of his heart he promised to forgiue his enemies XVII THE vertuous life of this holy man was ennobled with manie other miracles and wanted not the guift of prophesie By S. Wolstanâ— guift of prophesie which he disswaded one Ailwine who a long time had liued a solitarie life at Malâ—erne hills from his desire of goeing to Hierusalem foretelling him that God allmightie would worke wonderfull things by his meanes Ailwine yeelding vnto his perswasioÌ„s founded afterwards a famous monasterie of S. BENEDICTS order at Malâ—erne where he gathered togeather the number of three hundred Benedictine Monkes XVIII ONE Sewulf whom he had often exhorted to embrace a monasticall life to doe worthie penance for his sinnes excusing him self and alleadging that the rigour of it did exceed his weaknes of bodie the Bishop sayd Well goe this waie thou shalt be a Monk whether thou wilt or noe At length waxing old he tooke the habitt of S. Benedicts order at Malmesburie where the very remembrance of S. Wolstans words euer after thundered a milder and humbler behauiour into him XIX As on a time he stroaked the head of a little boy called Nicholas whom he brought vp from a child and now euen in his A WoÌ„der youth beganne to loose his hayre I think my sonne sayd he thou wilt shortly be bald and why Father replied the boy doe not you keepe my hayre on my head Beleeue me sonne answered the holy Bishop as long as I liue soe much as remaynes shall not fall away And soe it came to passe But within the verie weeke that the holy man died all that yong mans hayre went soe cleane away that there remayned nothing but the bare scull XX. Newes being brought him that his sister was dead Now then answered he the plough is come into my land and verie He foreseeth his owne death shortly the brother will follow his sister Neyther was he a false Prophet for within a short time after being taken with an extreme seauer his old age soone perceaued that death was at hand Then nothing was to be seene among his monks and other friendâ— about him but teares sighs and lamentations woefully bewailing the losse of soe pious a Father When he on the other side with a deuout exhortation proceeding from a ioyfull countenance stroue to appease their griefs saying that his death would be noe losse of life but a change for a better promising not soe to forsake them but that with his prayers to allmightie God he would for euer assist them His great confideÌ„ce in almightie God and that being free out of his prison of clay by how much neerer he was ioyned vnto God by soe much readier he would be to comfort and defend them Thrise happie tongue that out of the store-house of a secure conscience durst power out words of soe great confidence Some with sighs and sobbs desire to haue him prayd for and he largely promiseth to pray for them all O strange wonder See how his holy simplicitie was ignorant of hauing anie diffidence in the mercie of allmightie God Therefore in the yeare of our Lord 1095. this glorious confessor of CHRIST this bright starre of the Benedictine order in England hauing with a wonderfull rare example of holy life gouuerned the Sea of Worcester the space of thirtie fower yeares deliuered vp his vertuous soule into the hands His death of his creatour to receaue the rewards of his worthie labours the ninteenth day of January in the eightie seauenth yeare of his age His bodie was brought into the Church and detained there three dayes vnburied The very forme and complexion thereof seeming rather to sett forth the gracefull beautie of a liuing Bishop then the horrour of a dead corps The Episcopall ring which he had receaued at his consecration manie yeares before his death would not hang on his finger for his flesh was soe consumed by his extreme penance and austerity of life that his bodie was nothing but skinne and bone But although his ring often times fell from his finger thus A notable miracle consumed yet was it neuer lost and he did often say that he would carrie with him to his graue that ring which without ambition he had receaued Being dead diuers essayed to take off his ring but in vaine for that which before fell off manie times of it self by noe violent meanes could now be drawne off The fourth day he was buried with great reuerence by Robert Bishop of Hereford who long before had entred into a strict and holy league of friendship togeather with S. WOLSTAN XXI SOME yeares after his death a mercilesse fier taking hould of the topp of the Church burnt and consumed it in miserable sort An other as strange the lead came powring downe like rayne the great beames their supporters being consumed as whole trees tumbled to the ground soe that in such a confused wrack of ruine it seemed nothing that was within the compasse of the Church could escape the rage of the fier Yet the sepulcher of the blessed Sainct remayned free from these outrageous flames and was not as much as touched or smutched with anie of the coales ashes or anie thing else that fell from aboue And to giue greater euidence to the miracle the verie strawmatte on which those did kneele that prayed before his tombe was found whole and vntoucht XXII ABOVT a hundred yeares after his death his holy body was taken vp and enclosed in a very pretious shrine being found in all His body vncorrupted after an hundred yeares his Pontificall robes as entier and vncorrupted as when he was layd in the ground The feast of his translation is celebrated the seauenth of Iune Manie other miracles were wrought by the supreme worker of miracles through the intercession and meritts of this blessed Sainct which I willingly omitt my purpose being not to write Saincts liues that the world may only wonder at their miraculous deeds but chiefly to draw men to imitate their vertuous liues Yet in this historie we haue had great store both of vertues and miracles God of his infinite goodnes giue vs grace to admire and prayse his diuine power in the one and to follow the vertuous examples of his blessed Sainct in the other Amen His life we haue taken chiefly out of the author of it SENATVS BRAVON a Monk of Worcester Besides whom WILLIAM MALMESBVRY de
from this wickednes but finding their cruell minds to be soe obstinately bent to that blouddie purpose as they grew rather worse by entreaties she had recourse vnto allmightie God her only refuge in distresse humbly desiring him to hinder the execution of their malitious intent On the day appointed when they went about to act this blouddie scene they saw the verie for me and figure of the man they meant to murder and taking a figure for the true body as our ProtestaÌ„ts doe they ranne after with great furie to kill one whoe was dead allreadie and hauing giuen him as manie mortall wounds as were sufficient to haue murdered the strongest liuing man they returned victorious to bring newes of their triumphe vnto S. BRIGITT who smiling at their mistake tould them the man they thought they had slaine was yet aliue and that their courage had exercised his crueltie only vppon the imaginarie figure of their enemie and noe man Herevppon being much astonished they acknowledged their fault and repenting them of their wicked purposes corrected their liues euer after XII OVR Lord wrought diuers other miracles by the holy meritts Manie miracles done by S. Brigitt of this blessed virgin the blind their sight the dumbe their speech leapers and other diseased persons recouered their health By her prayers she turned water into beere and stones into salt she chainged the course of a great riuer and which is more by her good perswasions manie desperate wicked fellowes withdrew them selues out of the gulphes of their vicious manner of life and entred into the sure port of religion where they finished their dayes in the seruice of IESVS CHRIST When this blessed virgin â—ad happily ended the course of her life and endured maniÌ„e great labours for the loue of IESVS CHCIST her deare spouse being aduertised of her death and hauing made it knowne vnto one of her sisters specifiing Her death the day hower thereof she gaue vp her pure soule into the hands of her deare Redeemer the first day of February in the yeare of our Lord according to Sigebert 518. but Marianus Scotus sayth 521. in the raigne of the Emperour Iustin the elder Her life was written by an aâ—thour of her time named COGITOSVS and by IOANNES ANGLICVS IOHN CAPGRAVE whom we haue followed The Roman Martirologe maketh mention of S. BRIGITT as allsoe that of S. BEDE VSVARD and ADON and BARONIVS in his seauenth tome of Annalls But GYRALDVS CAMBRENSIS a verie graue authour in his Topographie of Ireland amongst manie other miracles of this Blessed sainct maketh mention of S. BRIGITTS fier Miracle of S. Brigitts fiâ—r which is reported to be vnextinguished not that it cannot be extinguished but because the Nunnes did soe carefully and continually nourish and feed it wich new matter that from her time for manie hundred yeares after it neuerwent out and in the consuming of soe much wood which had bin burnt there in all this time the ashes neuer encreased This fier was compassed about with a little hedge of twigges within which noe man dared to enter yf at anie time some did presume soe to doe their presumption was punished by a reuenge from heauen Woemen only did blow it and that not with their mouthes but eyther with bellowes or a fanne An Archer that rashly attempted to leape ouer the headge and blow S. BRIGITTS fier with his mouth suddenly lost his witts and fell into madnes and running vpp and downe the towne putt his breath in the faces of all he mett saying doest thou see thus I blew BRIGITS fier and wheresoeuer he found anie fier he would blow it still repeating the same words till at length being taken by his companions and bound hand and foote he desired to be brought to the next water where he dranke soe much to quench his extreme drought that he burst his bellie and died Manie others sayth GIRALDVS were punished for the like attempt XIV But who doeth not behould admire in the life of this glorious A breef coÌ„sideration of her vettues and miracles Sainct the wonderfull greatnes of the goodnes of allmightie God who out of the sinne of her Parents drew soe pretious a iewell as S. BRIGITT making a poore slaue to be the mother vnto her that deliuerâ—â— soe manie captiue soules out of the seruitude and slauerie of sinne How could the fraile vessell of a poore bondslaue gyrlo be capable of the noble condition of soe great loue vnto vertue and of such a boyling desire of pure Virginitie that for the preseruing thereof she chose rather to loose the tendrest part of her bodie her eies and to deface her beantie the verie Idoll of woemen then to consent vnto a lawfull mariage How manifestly it appreares hereby that our B. Sauiour is sweet and gratious to his true seruants in restoring vnto BRIGITT her beautie of which at her owne request and for her greater good he had before depriued her Soe that it is noe wonder yf she that knew soe well how to keepe her owne virginitie vntouched and sacrifice it vnto her deare lord was allsoe of power by her prayers to obtaine the like fauour for other yong woemen and deliuer the innocence of the good Bishop from the calumnie which that wicked woeman layd vppon him and that God hath wrought by this blessed virgin the miracles before rehearsed Let him be euer Praysed and glorified as well for that which he is in him self as allsoe for what he worketh by his saincts Amen S. LAVRENTIVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVARIEN Monachus Benedictinus Feb. 2. The life of S. LAVRENCE Archbishop of Canturbury of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 2. Out of Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT LAVRENCE was one of those Benedictin Monks whom Pope GREGORIE the great sent with S. AVGVSTIN to preach the Ghospell of IESVS CHRIST to our English nation in which pious worke he laboured wonderfully to gaine soules out of the blindnes of Idolatrie to the light of the true Catholicke faith He was a man of excellent learning and vertuous life And when Ethelbert King of Kent and most part of his kingdom were baptised S. AVGVSTIN sent the holy monkes LAVRENCE and PETER to Rome to bring vnto the holy Pope the ioyfull tidings of their happie successe S. Austin chooseth Laurence for his successouâ— in Canturbury After his returne into England when S. AVGVSTIN Archbishop of Canturburic perceaued the time of his death to draw neere lest that Church as yet but raw rude in religion being one hower destitute of a pastour should begin to wauer he ordayned Laurence for his successour plainly following herein the example of the first Pastour of the vniuersall Church the Prince of the Apostles Sainct PETER who in like manner instituted Clement to succeed him in the primacie of the sea of Rome S. LAVRENCE being installed in the dignitie of the Archbishoprick beganne with great courage and industrie to augment and promote the foundations of
summer he vsed the same cloathes nether more nor fewer which seldom or neuer he put of but tooke a small allowance of sleepe not in anie bed but sitting in a chayre that he might be the readier at his awake to fall to his prayer and meditations Hauing gouerned his troupe a long He taketh a religious habitt time him self remayning in his secular apparell and not obliged by anie vow vnto that profession of a monasticall life which he prescribed vnto others lest perchaunce his successours might take example thereby he wholely submitted him self vnder the obedience of one Roger of Sempringham a Canon of the Church of Malton and receaued the religious habitt and discipline which he had taught and established being now become of a master a scholler euer honouring the sayd Roger who afterwards succeeded him as his Tutor and teacher during the whole remnant of his life V. BVT this holie man God soe ordayning it escaped not to His subiects accuse him falsely be assaulted with the rude stormes of worldly troubles and aduersities and that from his owne domesticks who according to their dutie ought with all reuerence to haue honoured him more then anie others For amongst the layetie which we spake of some there were who wearie of their strict manner of life malitiously plotted mischief against the holie man falsely accusing him of manie fayned crimes not only vnto THOMAS of Canturburie afterwards a martir but euen vnto Pope ALEXANDER him self in soe much that they greatly disquieted and molested his peaceable course of life The Pope committed the examination of this matter vnto Henrie Bishop of Winchester and William of Norwich who in the absence of Winchester by reason of sicknes made an exact His innocencio is made Knowne inquirie into the cause and inquiring found out the truth and made knowne the Innocencie of S. GILBERT vnto the Pope In whose behalfe allsoe manie other Bishops and Priors writt letters to Rome but none soe exactly as the king him self who tooke it verie heinously that those Lay-brothers who as he sayd before their profession were meere rusticks and clownes allotted only to the plough should soe perfidiously swerue from that course of life professed by soe manie learned and wise men and that they should vniustly complaine of it as exceeding the due limitts of strictnes and seueritie and with such impertinent boldnes moue heauen and earth for a mitigation thereof Herevppon the Pope sent a decree which confirmed the Priueleges graunted by his predecessor Eugenius and Adrian and also commaunded that the whole order discipline which GILBERT had prescribed should remayne in the same force and power for euer signifieing moreouer in his peculiar letters vnto the King and Bishops and to GILBERT him self that it was his will that those obstinate fellowes should be by strong hand compelled to performe the dutie of their profession and calling Againe he is falsely accuâ—ed VI. HE was molested wich an other though a smaller blast of aduersitie when in the bitter persecution of that worthie bucklar of the Church S. THOMAS of Canturbury he was brought in with some other of his fellowes as hauing contrarie to the kings comaund sent ouer moneyes vnto the Bishop in banishment At London therefore he is cited to appeare with the rest of the Priors and Procurators of all his monasteries to answere there this bill of complaint But the iudges out of the great reuerence they bore vnto him offered that if only by oath he would disaffirme the fault layd to his charge presently he should be dismissed the court Which most coÌ„stantly he refused to doe soe that now he could expect nothing but him self to be banished and all his monasteries to be sacked and destroyed When by the kings letters out of Normandie the Iudges were comaunded to deferre the examination of his cause vntill his returne home Whereuppon the holy man was dismissed who now sett free and at libertie and taking his leaue openly protested to the iudges that he was most innocent of the fault layd against him All were much astonished that now he confessed of his owne accord that which before he had refused N 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 to doe being in soe great danger when with the safetie both of the truth and his owne shamfastnes he might well haue performed it But his mind conducted by a higher counsell thought it could not choose but be a blemish and imputation to his owne and the Churches dignitie and an act of bad exaÌ„ple yf at the barre in soe solemne a contestation he should haue openly professed that he had sent noe succour as indeed he had not vnto his Bishop to whom he supposed him self obliged to haue sent VII THE pious holie man liued in this sainctitie of life aboue one hundred yeares in which time he fouÌ„ded thirteene monasteries fower of men stored with seauen hundred religious persons nine of woe men which contayned one thousand fiue hundred Nunnes He died at Sempringham in the yeare of our lord 1190. the fourth day of February whose sainctitie allthough the course of his whole life doe sufficiently testifie it pleased allmightie god notwithstanding to make it more famous and manifest vnto the world by wonderfull miracles which he wrought by his meanes both whilst he enioyed this mortall life after his death or rather departure vnto the ioyes of immortall happines For when yet he drew breath amongst men in this world he had these inferiour creatures at commaund fier winds and diseases after a wonderfull maÌ„ner yeelded him obedience Nether did he want His manie miracles the guift of prophesie foreseeing by a diuine power manie aduentures which should happen and especiallly when he foretould the end of those horribles broiles falling in the tyme of King Stephen VIII AND allthough indeed these deedes and miracles be famous in number and greatnes yet those which happened after his death doe farre excell them in both for during his life time he sought by all All diseaseâ— miracâ—lously cured at his tomb meanes to suppresse and hide his worthie deeds and vertues vnder the vayle of humilitie but at his sepulcher the whole world was strucken with admiration to behould the blind deafe dumbe and mad persons restored to their senses to see dropsies palsies feauers and manie other desperate diseases beyond the skill of phisick cured in a momeÌ„t the verie deuills to flie out of the bodies of persoÌ„s possessed exclayming against the great power of S. GILBERTS sanctitie And lest the vanitie of anie fiction or inuention might anie way disparage the truth of these famous accidents and lest somwhat might be a little hyperbolically spoken of them they were all called within the arrest of the strict examine knowledge of witnesses whose sincere testimonie could not without great temeritie be excepted against At which inquirie besides manie other men famous for pietie and learning Hubert Archbishop of Canturbury was not only present but
out of the rudenes of ignorance and mere simplicitie in matter of learning by the speciall grace of God became soe notable and soe religious a poet in his mother tongue that whatsoeuer he could learne out of the holy scriptures by the help of interpreters he would presently turne into verse with such a sweet and mouing straine that by the force thereof manie were oftentimes incited to contemne the world being thereby enflamed with a pious desire of a heauenly and euerlasting life Manie others there were amongst the English which essayed to imitate his holy poetrie but noe man was comparable vnto him For he learned not this art by anie mans helpe but receaued it gratis by the speciall guift and grace of the diuine goodnes Whence it was that he could not make anie friuolous or vanie poeme but such things only which belonged vnto pietie and religion could become his religious and godly tongue He receaued this diuine guiâ—t vppon this occasion II. WHILEST he liued a secular man in the world which was till he was well struck in yeares and was seruant to the monasterie of Benedictine Nunnes of S. HILDA hauing neuer before learned anie thing touching eyther verses or finging he chaunced to be in a banquet where for their greater merriment and recreation it was agreed vppon by the whole companie that euery one should sing a song in his course but CEDMON when FEB 12. he saw the harpe come neere him being guiltie of his owne ignorance in that qualitie arose from the table and went home to his owne house The like he had practised diuers times till once it fell out that going out of the companie vppon the same occasion he went into the stable to take care of the cattle which that night were coÌ„mitted to his chardge where when the time of the night compelled him to giue his bodie to sleepe he beheld as it were in a dreame a man standing by him that saluted him and called him by his name saying CEDMON I pray thee sing me a song I cannot sing answeared be He enioyeth a strange vision for that cause I forsoke my companie came hither because I could not sing But yet replied the other thou hast somwhat to sing vnto mee What sayd he must I sing The beginning of all creatures answeared the other At which word presently in prayse of God the creatour of the word he began to sing verses which he neuer had heard before whereof this is the sense Now must we prayse the authour of the heauenly Kingdom the power of our Creatour his counsel and wisedom and the workes of the father of glorie How he bring God 〈◊〉 was the authour of all miracles who first created heauen to the children of men for the top of their dwelling and next the allmightie guardian of He hath the art of singing verâ—isying by reuelation mankind made the earth for the floore thereof At his rising he perfectly remembred whatsoeuer he had soug in his sleepe whereunto he added afterwards manie excellent verses more of the same matter and coming in the morning to the baylife of the monastery who was his master he reuealed vnto him the great guift he had receaued and being brought to the presence of the Blessed Abbesse S. HILDA he was commaunded to relate his dreame vnto manie learned men that were present and to repeate his verses that by the generall iudgment of them all it might be tried and examined what it was and whence that which he reported did proceed Which done it seemed vnto them all to be most certaine that the diuine goodnes had bestowed some heauenly grace and guift vppon him And for better triall thereof they expounded vnto him the processe of a historie out of the sacred scripture commaunding him yf he could to turne that likewise into the shape of true meeter and verse He vndertoke the task brought it admirably well performed against the next morning WherevppoÌ„ the Abbesse admiring soe great a guift in a secular man dealt earnestly with him to forsake the world and to embrace the monasticall habitt and profession of a monk III. WHO fearing to be vngratfull for those diuine benefitts which God soe largely and beyond all hope had bestowed vppon him and that he might the more increase his diuine talent by a quiet and He taketh the habit of S. Benedict contemplatiue manner of life he betoke him self to the same monasterie of S. HILDA called Sthreanshall where amongst the other brethren he receaued the habitt of S. BENEDICTS order and straight by the commaundment of the holy Abbesse he was taught the sacred storie of the diuine scripture which he made to runne in such sweete lines of meeter that his masters were glad in that art to become his schollers He made poems in English of the creation of the world of the origine of mankind and of all the other histories and sacred misteries of both Testaments and lastly of the terrour of the vniuersal iudgment of the horrour of hells dreadfull torments and of the sweetnes of the neuer-dieing ioyes of heauen By which and manie other his noe lesse elegant then deuout poesies he reduced manie from the downfall of 〈◊〉 and wickednes to the amendment of their liues and the diuine loue of heauen IV. FOR he was a man verie religious most free from all counterfait His religious obseruance colour of vanitie and with a sincere plainnes and humble simplicitie the chief armes of the Benedictin order wholely subiect vnto the rules of regular monasticall discipline but enflamed with a pious zeale of great feruour against those that did anie way seeme to disobey the good order of the monasterie When it came passe that the allmightie ruler of life and death gaue him the grace to finish the course of his godly life with an end worthie soe great sainctitie For the hower of his death being at hand fourteen dayes before he was visited with a corporal disease by which allthough it were verie moderate and gentle he foretold his neere-ensuing end And therefore the night before he departed he desired to haue a bed prouided him in the Infirmarie which was a place for such only as were in a mortall disease The brother that attended him wondring why he that seemed to haue noe more signes of death in him should desire such a remooue obeyed his will allthough he iudged it to little or no purpose Being placed in the Infirmarie when togeather with those that were there before the time was spent in merrie discourse till after midnight CEDMON on the sudden demaunded yf the holie sacramet The blessed acramen reserued for the sick of the EVCHARIST were within You that are soe merrie answeared they need not soe to hasten to the sacrament for death cannot lay hold on a heart soe ioyfull and lustie as yours yet seemes to bee Againe he instantly desired to haue the holy sacrament Which being brought before
he would receaue it he humbly desired pardon of all his brethren yf in anie thing he had offended them and imparted the like courtesie vnto them earnestly crauing it of him and then with great reuerence fortifieing him self with that heauenly Viaticum he prepared his pious soule to enter into the happie voyage of euerlasting life V. THIS done he asked the assistants how long it was to the hower that the Monkes should rise to Mattins They answered that the time was not farre of Well then sayd he let vs quietly expect that Blessing with the signe of the Crosse good hower And within a while when the standers by nothing suspected his death arming him self with the signe of the holy crosse the only signe of our redemption and softly inclining his head vppon the pillow he tooke a sweet slumber and therwithall in great His death correspondent to his life silence and tranquillitie both of mind and bodie he deliuered vp his still soule into the hands of his redeemer Soe that by the diuine prouidence it came to passe that euen as he serued our Lord in his life time with a pure and quiet deuotion of mind soe leauing this world he went to enioy the cleere vision of him he had serued by a peaceable and vntroubled death And that elegant tongue which had sung so manie sweet lines poems in prayse of his creatour did close vpp the breath of his last words to gods honour glorie when blessing him self with the signe of life recōmending his soule into the hands of his deare redeemer he changed this temorall life for an eternall He died about the yeare of our Lord 670. After the time of King William conquerour his bodie was found among the ruines of the monasterie of Streanshall and honourably shrined sett vpp in a Inuention of his bodie place worthie soe great a relique where the manie miracles wrought through his meritts are euident witnesses of what high esteeme he was in the fauour of allmightie God who is euer gloriousi n his saincts Amen His life we haue gathered out of Venerable Bede de gest Ang. lib. 4. cap. 24. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 36. William Malmesbury de gest pont Aug. lib. 3. Arnould Wion l. 2. cap. 62. and other grau◠authours make honourable mention of him And be is highly commended of all for his great vertue and holy life and conuersation The life of S. ERMENILD Queene and Abbesse of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 13. Gathered out of diuers Authours SAINCT ERMENILD was daughter to Erconbert King of Kent and S. SEXBVRG his queene naturally and from the womb she inherited her good mothers propension to workes of pietie compassion and relieuing of euerie ones necessitie Both mother and daughter vsed the same bountie and charitie towards all and being both queenes on earth they had both the same pious desires and affectiōs to the King and kingdom of heauen ERMENILD was giuen in mapiage vnto Wulfere King of the Mercians and by that meanes the kingdom of Kent was happily vnited to that of the Mercians At that time her husband Wulfere being but newly baptised his poeple were but rude and scarse well setled in the Catholick fayth but S. ERMENILD who had bin trayned vp from her infancie in true vertue pietie and religion with her care and singular example of holy life her wise and prudent exhortations and manie benefits liberally bestowed vppon them tamed the obstinate heartes of that rude and vnlearned poeple and brought them vnder the sweet yoake of IESVS CHRIST by a mild force and a forceble mildnes subduing those peruerse rebellious mindes to the obediēce of the Catholick Church II. SVCH and soe great was the feruour zeale of this holy woemā to the seruice honour of allmightie God propagation of Christiā religiō that she was wholely carelesse of all other affayres in respect thereof neuer ceasing vntill she had quite destroyed Idolls rooted out all the diuelish rites of Idolatrie and furnished her Kingdō with churches Priests for the cōfort saluatiō of her poeple whom in the end she accustomed diligently to frequent the diuine seruices and sacraments and all other duties of Christian pietie and deuotion And this her godly zeale was much promoted by the royall power and authoritie of the king her husband who inuited by her pious example much aduanced her good endeauours and did manie good workes him self admiring to see the whole intentions mind of his wife amōgst the turbulent broiles of the world to be allwaies soe truely fixed on the contemplation of heauen and heauenly things Besides she did abound in charitie and compassion towards the poore all such as were in necessitie and affliction in soe much that neuer anie came to her that departed without consolation and her liberall almes to relieue their want III. AT length after the death of her husband with whom she had She taketh the habit of S. Benedicts order liued seauenteen yeares and been mother of S. WEREBVRG whose life you may read the third of this moneth hauing hither vnto ouercome all others she now ouercame her self for goeing to the monasterie of Benedictin Nunnes at Ely she renounced all mortall pompe and glorie for the pure loue of the immortall and putt on the habit of S. BEMEDICTS order vnder the gouernment of her holy mother S. SEXBVRG then Abbesse of the same place Where by humilitie and obedience she became queene of her owne passions and spent the remnant of her life in continuall fasting and prayer and all other austerities of a vertuous and religious life And after the death of the Abbesse S. SEXBVRG S. ERMENILD was chosen in her place in which office whilest she dischardged the dutie of a verie religious vertuous Matrone inciting her subiects by her owne good examples to embrace the rules of true religion she was deliuered out of this mortall prison and called to receaue the euerlasting reward of her labours in heauen the thirteenth day of February about the yeare of our Lord 685. and was buried in the same monasterie Where after her death it pleased allmightie God for the honour and glorie of this sainct to worke manie miracles at her tombe Whereof one was that a Saxon condemned for some offence to be bound with iron chaines or rings being on a time present at Masse in the monasterie of Elie and as he prayed before the bodie of S. ERMENILD about the time the ghospell was reading his irons forced by some secret and diuine power fell suddenly from his armes to the great admiration of manie that were present at the sayd masse Her life we haue gathered out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue William Malmesbury de gest reg Angl. lib. 2. cap. 13. de gest pontif lib. 4. Mathew Wistminster anno 676. and Wigorniensis an 675. mention is made of her by Molanus in his additions to Vsuard Peter in
of sainctitie which be had gotten in the world nor despised others in respect of such vertue seemeth by manie degrees to excell both the wonder of his coate of maile and whatsoeuer else in him as truely there are very manie things worthy greate prayse and admiration was most notable and famous And as allmightie God sent him these sharpe visitations to make triall of his constancie soe on the other side his diuine goodnes did soe highly confort him with heauenly benefitts guifts and graces of prophefieing and doeing manie wonderfull cures and ennobled his worthie patience with such renowned triumphes against his infernall enemies that he might truely Psal 9 3. 19 with the royall prophet say of him self According to the multitude of my griefs thy consolations haue reioyced my soule VI. FOR HE chainged water into wine and by his holy benediction he encreased and multiplied one little loafe of bread to soe His manie miracles great a quaÌ„titie that he satisfied fortie poore poeple there with The water which he hallowed cured verie manie dangerous diseases He restored light and perfect sight vnto one whose eyes were digged out of his head He saw manie thinges that were done in farre distant places as distinctly as if they had passed within the coÌ„maund of his corporall sight And often times he foretould things to come and namely to King Henry the first setting forth in his last iourney to Normandie that he should neuer more returne And in the Kings absence he reuealed vnto the Lord of the village the verie day of the kings death And count Stephen coming vppon a time vnto the holy man he saluted him as king to the great admiration of all that heard it and ingenuously tould him that he should be souueraigne Lord of England giuing him pious admonitions carefully to maintaine peace and iustice and defend the rightes of Gods Church VII WHAT now shall I say that the holie Angels yea and the king of angels CHRIST IESVS haue appeared vnto him and comforted his habitation in this world with the heauenly and vnspeakeable splendour of their presence And being on a time at the aultar executing that dreadfull sacrifice of Masse hauing past the Pater noster The wine in his chalice appeareth in forme of bloud being suddenly stricken with a doubt whether he had mingled as the custom is water with his wine or not hauing defired allmightie God to free him from that scruple behould the chalice appeared vnto him full to the very brimme of fresh rosie bloud which the vnspotted lambe shed for our redemption and returning straight againe to the forme of wine he deuoutly consummated that heauenly draught And allbeit sometimes by the permission of allmightie God to trie his seruant he was as we haue sayd cruelly deluded vexed and tormented by the mischieuous enuie of hells inhabitans yet manie times he triumphed most nobly ouer them and their diabolicall practises When by his holy prayers he not only banished them out of the bodies of possessed persons but sometimes held them soe fast bound that they could not depart but by his licence But of all that euer he did in that kind this which A poore ma giueth his soule to the deuill now you shall heare was the most notably famous VIII IN THE North parts of England dwelt a mise rably-wretched man who not able to endure the pouertie of his owne fortune had renounced the Christian Catholick fayth and in a horrid couenant had wholely coÌ„secrated and bequeathed him self to the Deuill who hauing for a time sate abroode vppoÌ„ that prey to hatch his soule for hell fier the wretched man coming a little to vnderstand his more then miserable estate beganne to be ashamed and repent him of this horrible act deliberating debating with him self to what Patrone or protection he should committ the care of deliuering his engaged soule out of the iawes of eternall death Till at length hauing heard the great fame of S. VLFRICKS holy life he resolued to make vse of his counsell in this weightie affayre and being verie sollicitous of his good successe herein and hauing opened his mind to one of his neerest and dearest friends the deuil with whom he had made this hard bargaine appeared to him in his knowne and accustomed shape and with shew of extreme vnkindnes accused him of disloyaltie and threatned him with most cruell punishment yf he dared but to attempt anie such treason againe The poore man The deuill knoweth not the secrets of mans heart perceauing that this hellish marchant had noe knowledge of the intentions of his heart till by word of mouth he had reuealed them vnto his friend froÌ„ that time kept close his good purposes vnder the vayle of silence and meaning as the prouerb saies to cozen the old ourtier he dissembled for a while his intended penance till at length when he thought his enemie sleeped he entred into his iourney towards S. VLFRICK wherein he had prosperous successe till he came neere vnto the Village of Haslebury where entring the foord of the riuer that ranne thereby with great hope to receaue help from the holy man his ancient enemie the deuill suddenly layd violent hands vppon him bellowing in his eares with a hellish furie and anger such rude and rough speeches that struck terrour into the poore man O thou traytour sayd he what meanest thou to doe In vaine thou endeauourest to breake off our former bargaine for as well for they first treason in reuouncing God as now for seeking to renounce me to whom thou belongest thou shalt presently suffer a iust punishment in this water And withall he held him soe fast in the midest of the riuer that he could nether stirre forward nor backward In the meane time S. VLFRICK who had a reuelation of all this passage called his Priest vnto him and bad him presently take the crosse and holy The vertue of holy waer water in his hands and make great hast to succour a poore man whom the deuill held captiue in the riuer at the townes end Who speedyly obeying his commaund ranne thither and found as the holy man had foretould a man sitting an horseback in the middest of the riuer not able to mooue on whom presently in the name of IESVS CHRIST and in vertue of his master hauing cast some of his holy water he redeemed the prey and patt the tâ—eefe to flight This done he returned with ioy to S. VLFRICK togeather with the poore man whose coÌ„panie the deuill being verie vnwilling to loose followed after his late prey and seeing him stand before the holy man he sayd fast hould on him who cried maynly out to the seruaÌ„t of god for succour TheÌ„ S. VIFRICK taking him by the right haÌ„d He freeth one giuen to the deuill the deuill was soe bold as to shake him by the left striuing as much as he was able to drawe him away with him till the Sainct throwing with
his other haÌ„d some of the holy water which him self had blest against that vgly fiend he droue him away from the house with greate confusion And then leading the poore man newly redeemed out of the iawes of death quaking and treÌ„bling with feare into his inner cell he disposed his soule with good instructions for Auricular conâ—ession the better receauing of the sacrament of peanance Which done the poore man falling downe on his knees before the holy Sainct proclaimed him selfe guiltie at the sacred barre of confession by which he clearly purged his conscience from all the infectious venoÌ„ which the deuill had planted therein and hauing receaued his absolution pronounced by the mouth of S. VLFRICK he desired likewise to communicate the blessed sacrament of the Aultar at his hands Who houlding that dreadfull misterie before his face at the Altar demanded yf he did truly sincerely beleeue the bodie of CHRIST to be really vnder that forme of bread I doe beleeue confesse it sayd he for wretched sinner that I am I see the bodie of my lord IESVS in thy hands in the true forme of flesh God be for euer praysed replied Behould the â—eall presence in the sacrament the holy man and presently at his prayers the sacred Eucharist returning to the vsuall forme of bread he gaue it the poore man who from this time forwards was euer free from the burthen of that diabolicall yoake and from all trouble and vexation of those hellish monsters IX A PIOVS woeman on a time sent three loaues of bread vnto S. VLFRICK by a messenger who hid one by the way and deliuered Note a rare miracle the other two only but goeing back he found his loafe to be chainged into a stone soe hard that his iron and steele turned edge as he endeauoured to cutt it asunder But that hardnes melted his heart with sorrow for returning in great hast to S. VLFRICK he discoured this strainge accident humbly desiring pardon of his temerarious offence Who not only forgaue him but making the signe of the crosse vppon that stonnie bread he brake it with great facilitie and giuing part thereof vnto the messenger sent him away greatly edified to haue seene such vertue X. A GREAT noble man of king Henries court hauing heard of the A Nobleman punished by God for detracting S. Vlfrik fame of S. VLFRICK sayd that the King might doe well to send some officers to the Cell of that craftie seducer to take away his money whereof he could not but haue great store such a mightie concurse of poeple dayly flocked vnto him These words were noe sooner spoken but by his diuine power who is euer zelous in behalf of his saincts the mouth of that rash man was writhen and stretcht to his eares and he him self dashed violently against the ground where he lay for a time sprawling and foaming in miserie The king vppon this occasion went to the holy mans poore habitation and carefully recoÌ„mending him self vnto his deuout prayers earnestly petitioned withall for the noble man I impute not this sinne vnto him replied the Saint but doe heartily desire that he may haue pardon at the hands of allmightie God being my self in the meane time most readie to doe whatsoeuer is conuenient for me And at the same instant one of the standers by tooke the holy Saint by the hand and applying it to the face of a sick person there present restored him to perfect health with the only touch of those holy fingers XI THIS Blessed Sainct as you haue heard before prophesied vnto His guift of prophesie count Stephen then a priuate maÌ„ that he should be owner of the realme of England during whose raigne manie warlick commotions troubles molested the coÌ„mon peace all which likewise S. VLFRICK foretould vnto the lord of his village as allsoe of the captiuitie of the same King and of his deliuerie At length King Stephen coming to his cell on a time the holy man after manie zealous rebukes and profiteable exhortations foretould him among other things that he should raigne during his life time admonishing him by all meanes to doe worthie penance for the same for otherwise he should neuer enioy ether suretie in his Kingdom or peace from those rude broiles which to his cost he had loÌ„g experienced Wherevppon King Stephen confesseth to S. Vlfrick the King with teares trickling downe his cheekes witnessed the inward sorrow of his mind and making a sincere confession of that sinne willingly performed the penance which the propheticall Sainct inioyned him See the wonderfull force of Gods grace that giueth power to a poore sillie creature to make the stubborne hearts of kings to relent and returne from the wild deserts of iniquitie to the direct high way of iustice I can neuer too often repeate that saying of the prophet God is wonderfull in his saincts XII ABOVT a yeare before his death sitting one day in his cell Psal 67. v. 38. the ioints of his iron coate miraculously dissolued and it fell downe to his knees which he presently tooke vpp and fastened againe about his shoulders with more strong stayes And his whole bodie which before seemed to imitate iron in hardnes beganne to swell with little blisters and plainly to shew it was but flesh soe that his coate and his flesh with a like token foreshewed the time of his warrefare in this world to draw neere to an end Therefore after a while he called his priest vnto him and tould him that the hower of his departure was at hand for the next saturday sayd he I must prouide my self for my last and happiest iourney which soe long I haue desired And in the verie hower which he foretould ioyning and directing his hands and eyes towards heauen whither he was goeing he deliuered vpp his blessed soule out of the thraldom of this world He foretelleth the time of his death to the neuer dieing ioyes of heauen the twentith day of February in the yeare of our Lord 1154. shortly after the coronation of Henry the second King of that name in England His life is written by Ioannes Anglicus or Iohn Capgraue Mathew Paris in Henrico 2. fol. 88. and Nicholas Harpsfield saec 12. cap. 29. out of whom we haue gathered this present historie Henrie Huntington and other English Historiographers make honorable mention of him S. MILBVRGA FILIA MERWALDI REGIS IN ANGLIâ—… Virgo ac Abbatissa Ordinis S. Benedicti Feb. 2 3. Mâ—â—â—… The life of S. MILBVRG virgin and Abbesse of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEBR. 23 Written by Gotzeline moÌ„ke ETHELBERT king of Kent and the first of our English kings that receaued the Christian fayth was S. MILBVRGS great grandfathers father she was daughter to Merwald king of the Mercians and his queene Dompneâ—e by some called Ermenburg Milburg therefore Her royall paâ—â—nts inheriting the royall splendour of two princely kingdoms Kent and Mercia as the ornament
of the Benedictine monks for euer Afterwards the Archbishop of York being dead S. OSWALD by the meanes of King Edgar and S. DVNSTAN Archbishop of Canturburie and the consent of the whole clergie was compelled to vndertake the gouernment of that Sea allso But lest the moÌ„kes of his diocese who yet were but newly setled in that Church being soe suddenly left destitute of the spirituall nourishement of soe good a father should beginne to wauer for want of a constant prelat and pastour to vphold them by the authoritie of S. DVNSTAN the Metropolitan of England and worthie Pillar of tâ—e Benedictine Order he was held likewise in the gouernment of the Church of Worcester togeather with the Archiepiscopall Sea of Yorke soe great was the estimation of his excellent worth incomparable vertue wonderfull zeale pietie and deuotion in the reforming of the bad customs and establishing of good lawes for the maintenance and propagation of Ecclesiasticall discipline X. IT PLEASED the allmightie wisedom while this Blessed Prelat thus exercised him self in these good workes of pietie and zeale towards his Church to confirme his holy endeauours and testifie them to be pleasing and acceptable to his diuine maiestie by manie miracles which he wrought through his meritts both in his life and after his death When the Church of our Ladie which Behould the Spirit of S Benedict in S. Oswald we haue mentioned before was in building there lay not farr from the place a great square stone necessarie for that worke which when the workemen endeauoured to make vse off as yf it had taken roote in the ground it stuck soe fast that by noe meanes they were able only to moue it All greatly amazed thereat the matter was brought to S. OSWALD who coming to the place wondred to see soe manie men striue in vaine in soe small a labour and straight offering vp his prayers priuately vnto allmightie God he saw an vglie Blackamoore sitting vppon the stone with obscene gesture scoffing at the labourers And presently brandishing the signe of the holy Crosse against him he suddenly vanished away Then the stone which fowerscore The vertue of the holy Crosse men before were not able to stirre was with ease carried away by a few and putt into the building The like accident S. GREGORIE relates of our holy Father S. BENEDICT him self when his monks were erecting a monasterie whereby it appeares how great an opposer the Deuill is to the workes of Benedictines and that their malice which oppose that holy order comes but from a black master XI THE monks of Ramsey abbey OSWALD standing on the other side of the riuer endeauoured to passe ouer to him in a boate He saneth his monks from drowning which being ouer loaden began to sinke when they poore soules suddenly astonished with such an imminent danger of death cried out for help vnto him who making the signe of the crosse vpon theÌ„ the boate presently returned from vnder the water as yf it had been without anie burden and carried them safely ouer to the shore on the other side XII IT WAS tould him on a time that a monk of Ely busied in the repayring of the Church died by a fall froÌ„ the topp thereof Whereat because he knew that monk had not led a life alltogeather without fault he was much grioued and calling the monkes of Ramsey abbey togeather he related vnto them the accident of his sorrow exhorting them to pray earnestly vnto allmightie God for his soule Prayers for the dead meritorious They obeying his pious desire sung Dirges and Psalmes for their deceased brother sorrowfully knocking at the gates of the diuine mercie At length as the holy Bishop was at his prayers that dead monke appeared visibly vnto him who inquiring what he was I am he replied the ghost for whom thou soe feruently doest pray And how sayd the holy man sighing hast thou done hithervnto Purgatorie which Hereticks shall neuer feele and yet how is it with thee Truely answeared he hithervnto very ill but now most well for through thy meritts and prayers I was yesterday deliuered by gods holy Angel out of the insufferable paines which did torment me And this I came to tell thee and render manie thankes for thy charitie and withall to admonish thee how gratefull thou oughtest to be for this and manie other graces and benefitts which it hath pleased his diuine maiestie to shew vnto thee This sayd he vanished And the holy man gaue infinite thankes vnto allmightie God for his goodnes XIII HE WAS wont at fitt times to make a progresse ouer all his Diocesse and feed their soules with the heauenly learning of his sermons euer coÌ„forming his owne life to his words and whatsoeuer he could find in the manners of his subiects which might offend the eyes of the diuine ouerseer of all humane actions with a fatherly corection he endeauoured to see amended In this his pious visitation he happened to come to Rippon where in former The Bodies of Saincts miraculously found times the holy Benedictine monk S. Wilsrid had been buried in a monasterie which him self there erected and which afterwards for the most part was destroyed and ruined by barbarous poeple and changed as now adaies our monasteries are to dennes and lodgings forwild beasts Here the holy man watching by night at his deuotions learnt by reuelation that the bodies of some saincts were buried there which doubtless by diligent search might be found The next morning he caused the earth to be digged vp whereby the holy bodies were found and a table with this inscription Here resteth S. Wilfrid Bishop of York and the reuerend Abbotts Tilbert Boruin Albert Sigred and Wilden In the meane time he placed those reliques in a conuenient place but afterwards vnderstanding this S. WILFRID to be a kinsman of the great S. WILFRID founder of that monasterie he caused his bodie to be enshrined and honourably reserued according to his worth For the body of that great S. WILFRID was long since translated thence to Canturburie by S. ODO the Archbishop And now S. OSWALD sent these other reliques honorably vnto Worcester XIV MANIE other miracles were wrought by the meritts of this Manie Miracles holy Bishop The bread which he had blessed cured a great man of a feauer and a ratt that chanced to eate the crummes thereof as they fell from his table was choked and died presently in the same place A monk which presumed to sitt and sleepe in his seate was cruelly tormented by a horrid crew of deuills for his temeritie XV. HOW charitable he was to the poore it exceedeth this weake His notable humanitie and charitie towards the poore penne to rehearse He was wont euerie day besides innumerable others which dayly he nourished to exercise his charitie more peculiarly to twelue poore men washing their durtie feete drying them with a towell and kissing them with his holy mouth powring water on their
SWIBERT Bishop and Confessor Apostle of Frizeland and Saxonie monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR. 1 Written by S. Mar celline priest his companioÌ„ and fellow preacher IN THE yeare of our Lord six hundred fortie seauen S. SWIBERT was borne in Northumberland of noble princely pareÌ„ts couÌ„t Sigebert and Berta his wife Before his byrth his deuout mother had a vision The vision of his mother as she lay in her bed wherein she beheld one starre in the heauens farre excelling all the rest in brightnes whose glittering beames seemed to giue light to the whole countrey and presently the same starre appeared to fall vppon the bed where she lay This was then interpreted by S. AYDAN bishop of Lindisfarne to be a presage of the child that she bore in her wombe who as he sayd should be a light vnto his Countrey and the whole Church of God And in confirmation hereof at the very hower she was deliuered A strange light appeared at his birth a wonderfull great splendour shined in the chamber whose beames seemed to dazle the daies light and much astonish the beholders The Child being borne the same light decreased by degrees and vanished In baptisme he was called SWIBERT and being from his verie Cradle trayned vp in the feare of God and good learning he soe carefully auoyded all vices incident to that age and soe manfully embraced the hard waies of vertue that he gaue great hopes of his future greatnes which caused manie allreadie to prognosticate wonders of his sainctitie And to the end he might dayly He embraceth a monasticall life proceed the better from vertue to vertue aâ— the age of fifteene yeares he departed with the good leaue of his parents to the Benedictine abbey of Bardâ—â—â—â— in Lincolneâ—â—ire where he forsoke all worldly hopes and became a monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT vnder the gouerment of the good Abbot Higbald In this vertuous schoole our noble youth carefully endeauoured to ennoble his mind with all manner of vertue in all things behauing him self with such prompt obedience humble modestie and sweet innocencie of life that in short time he grew to he much loued esteemed admired and reuerenced euen of the greatest and auncientest monks in the house Hauing liued nine yeares in the same monasterie in continuall continencie abstinence and the exercise of regular and monasticall discipline he was aduanced to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood in the execution of which holy function He is made Priest worthyly corresponding with his vertuous actions he offered dayly to allmightie God a most acceptable sacrifice For in true pietie and religion he was second to none adorned with the glorie of all Christian vertues most attentiue and frequent in his prayers and most exactly rigid in fasting and mortifying his owne bodie in soe much that he gaue great examples of edification to his brethren and the famous report of his vertues was published and admired throughout the Countrey II. WHILST thus he shined in the excellencie of a religious life among his other brethren as a bright sunne amongst the rest of the planets the Bishop of Yorke hauing vnderstood the incomparable Benedictine Monks sometimes Canons prayses of his vertue reioyced much thereat and sending for him made him a Canon of the Cathedrall Church of S. Peters at Yorke Whereat the reader need not wonder since heretofore is hath been a laudable custom much practised in the Church of God for Monks of S. BENEDICTS order to gouerne cathedrall Churches as Canons were indeed monasticall canons and of this kind S. SWIBERT was ordayned one at Yorke In which CONVENT sayth the authour to shew that they were monks since a quire of secular Canons is called a CHAPTER and not a CONVENT he liued for the space of two yeares in soe great austeritie of life such strict obseruance of Monasticall discipline that he seemed to leade an angelicall life vpoÌ„ S. Swibert of a Benectin Canon made Abbot of Monks earth And now being come to that height of perfection that he was fitt to be proposed as a mirrour to all such as professed a regular life he was created abbott of the monasterie of Dacore soe called froÌ„ the riuer Dacor running thereby In the meane time the venerable man S. EGBERT a Benedictin monk of whom see Aprill the 24. wonderfully zealing the gaine of soules the promulgatioÌ„ of CHRISTS holy Ghospel his owne resolution to goe into those countreyes being hindered by reuelatioÌ„ froÌ„ heauen made choise of twelue learned English monkes all zealous of the Catholick cause out of diuers monasteries Twelue English Benedictins sent to preach in Germanie of EnglaÌ„d Jreland to preach the ChristiaÌ„ fayth in FrizelaÌ„d One not the lest of these elect preachers was our S. SWIBERT S. MARCELINE that wrote his life an other they were eleuen priests one decon who hauing all happyly passed the sea towards the vineyard of CHRIST allotted to their holy charge they ariued at Vtreicht about the yeare 690. And following the same institution order and conuersation of life that the Apostles and disciples of CHRIST vsed in the primitiue Church noe man presuming to call anie thing his owne but all obseruing the rules of the monasticall and religious pouertie which they professed They began with verie great constancie and resolution to preach the Christian fayth amongst those barbarous poeple But the Frisons that were men of an vntamed and stubborne nature stoode stiffely in defence of their Idoatrie refusing to listen to the sacred tidings of the true Ghospell soe that these holy preachers being threatned with death for annouÌ„cing the words of life were compelled to depart thence hauing at first reaped litle or noeprofitt at all III. THEREFORE they went into an Iland called Fosteland where Radbode the persidious King of Friseland being beaten out of his Kingdome by the most Christian Prince Pepin of France theÌ„ remayned And in this it being a place of verie great and solemne resort among those Pagans by reason of the superstitious Idolatrie vsed there to a God of theirs called Foste from whom the Iland tooke name the Preachers of CHRIST began to announce the holy ghospell and hauing destroyed the profane aultars of those stonie-hearted Gods Iupiter and Foste they laboured to conuert the poeple to the knowledge of the only true God creatour of the world where their paines were rewarded with the conuersion but of three soules only But Radbode vnderstanding hereof caused one of them Wigbert martired called Wigbert to be cruelly putt to death a glorie which long before he had desired and banished all the rest out of the Iland When they perceiuing the tirannie of the worldly prince to withstand their good endeauours in preaching the sweet ghospell of the king of heauen retired them selues to the forenamed worthie Prince Pepin who sent them to preach in the lower parts of Frizeland with a strict charge to all
his bishoprick led a priuate life in the Kingdom of Mercia or Middle England This done our holy SWIBERT adorned with episcopall authoritie fortified with the comfortable speeches of S. WILFRID returned againe to Utreight He iâ— famous ouer the coutrey courragiously to follow on his pious enterprise adorning his new receaued dignities with a new list of vertues behauing him self from hence forth with great humilitie meeknes simplicitie iustice and all other degrees of perfection and making these vertues as it were the baites to take and winne soules out of the deluge of Idolatrie to the secure and quiet shore of CHRISTS Church by the force of his diuine learning and vnwearied labour of preaching Which tooke soe good effect that in diuers parts of Friseland and allmost all the countrie of Teisterband the poeple were conuerted to the fayth and manie Churches raysed and built on the ruines of Idolatrie were consecrated to the seruice of IESVS-CHRIST Soe that S. SWIBERT growing to be of great fame and estimation in all those countries for his singular vertue and miracles and being an amazement to the Pagans and Pagan priests it pleased the diuine goodnes to glorifie him more and more with wonders to the confusion of the â—â—ntils and great aduancement of his Church VII FOR being to dedicate a Church at Malsen in the Countie of Teisterband vppon the riuer Linghen a yong gentleman called Splinter van Andengin desiring out of curiositie to see the rites and ceremonies which the Christians vsed in the dedication of Churches and chiefly to see SWIBERT their bishop of whom he had heard such wonders coming ouer the riuer Rhene fell by chaunce out of the boate drowned leauing both the shores full of the fruitlesse lamentations and teares of his fellowes and seruants that dolefully bewayled their losse The same day about noone he was taken vp by certaine fishers and brought as dead as a hearing to Duerstat to the sorowfull house of his vnconsolable parents who through the perswasion of their Idolatrous Priests caused him to be carried to the Temple of Mars trusting that he could cure the wound giuen by Neptune and to that end they besought his warlik power with The God mars called vppon in vaine manie sacrifices to restore the yong man to life but all in vaine Which his father perceauiÌ„g coÌ„sidering that their poore Gods were not wont to bestow guifts of life soe liberally he was perswaded by some deuout Christians to entreate B. SWIBERT to come to his ay de who was the likelier to prooue a better Aduocate in his behalf in that matter of life and Death To him thereforeÌ„ he went and falling at his feet he began to open his miserie when a floud of teares soe stopt the current of his discourse that in them and his sighs the whole force of his eloquence seemed to consist But the holy Bishop S Swib entreated to ralsea dead maÌ„ refuseth gathering his meaning out of that dolefull speech was very vnwilling to vndertake a matter of soe great presumption till ouercome with the weeping rhetorick of his importunitie the prayers of Werenfride and Marcellin his fellowes he went with him whom an infinite multitude of poeple stood expecting on the banks of the Riuer Rhene When entring the village Duerstat the dolefull mother of the drowned youth carried beyond all degrees of sorrow ranne to meet him and falling at his feet in the midst of the street cried out O seruant of the true God helpe me and reuiue my sonne by the power of thy God for our Gods are all too weake to doe it S. SWIBERT applying a salue of comfort to the deepe wound of her sorow went to the house where the dead bodie was layd and commaunding his fellow-disciples to fall hartily to their prayers he allso betooke him self earnestly to his in the midst of that weeping multitude of poeple and trembling Flamins of the Pagans His prayer ended he arose and putting his whole confidence in our Lord IESVS-CHRIST he sayd O thou only comforter of our sadnes who didest once affirme with thy sacred mouth whosoeuer beleeueth Ioan. 14. v. 12 in me the works that I doe he allsoe shall doe and greater then these he shall doe voutchafe to shew the power of thy Diuinitie in raysing this man from death to life And taking him by the hand he sayd 〈◊〉 He rayseh a dead man to life the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST crucified I bid thee rise and liue and prayse thy creatour At these words he that before was dead opened his eyes and waking as it were out of a profound sleepe he arose and embracing the holy Sainct cried out with great sighs there is noe other God in heauen and earth but IESVS-CHRIST crucified whom SWIBERT preacheth O the wonderfull life of this blessed Sainct whose prayers banished death from the bodie of an other and spoiled hell of its pray And presently all the beholders much astonished with the noueltie of this great miracle highly extolled the diuine pietie with loud shouts of ioy and thanksgiuing that daigned to ennoble his seruant with soe miraculous a remonstrance of his goodnes And the Heathen Priests togeather with the parents of the new reuiued youth and a great multitude of poeple renouncing the errours of Idolatrie beleeued in IESVS-CHRIST soe that there were baptised 126. persons besides woemen and children When soe great a noise and clamour was raysed in 126. persons conuerted the street by the Pagans that desired to see the newly reuiued yong man that S. SWIBERT compelled therevnto for the greater honour and glorie of God lead him out amongst them in his hand as a liuing trophie of his owne vertue to be seene of all that pressing multitude of poeple who when they beheld him walking in the street with lowd shoutes and cries they made the heauens resound with the Ecchos of these words Great is the God of the Christians and manie beleeued in CHRIST the worker of miracles through the perswasion of the holie Bishop and had their soules reuiued in the sacred font of baptisme With whom S. SWIBERT remayned a good while feeding and confirming the weakenes of their fayth with the solid foode of his learning till the whole village of Duerstat was throughly conuerted to the truth VIII IN the meane time S. WILLIBRORD ordayned Bishop of Frizeland by the speciall authoritie of Pope Sergius returned from Rome and placed his episcopall sea in the towne of Vtreight in a Cathedrall Church of Benedictin Monks-Canons dedicated to S. MARTIN Willibrord Bishop of Vtreight Bishop of Tours vnto whom the Benedictines were allwaies peculiarly deuoted And Radbod king of Frizeland being dead the two holy Bishops obtained greater libertie publickly â—opreach the ghospell of CHRIST throughout the whole couÌ„trey whereby their holy labours tooke soe good effect that the couÌ„tie of TeisterbaÌ„d allmost all HollaÌ„d a great part of neather Friseland were awaked out of the
sleeping blindnes of Idolatrie to behould the cleere light of CHRISTS holy ghospell Which done and all those parts well grounded and setled in the Catholick fayth S. SWIBERT tooke leaue of S. WILLIBRORD all the Church of Vtreight went with some others to spread the seed of the ghospell in Westphalie and lower Saxonie where he reduced manie from the madnes of Paganisme to the sweet peace of Christs Church destroying as he went all Idols erecting Christian Churches out of their ruines And hither vnto he had for his companion B. Marcellin the authour of his life who now returned back into Frizeland wheÌ„ S. Swibert went on to Minimigard now called Mounster S Swibert cureth the Palsey and Squinancie where preaching allsoe the Cath. fayth with his accustomed zeale and feruour he conuerted manie therevnto and cured a woman in the same towne that had bin long sick of a most cruell palsey And in memorie of the fact the same woeman built a chappell hard by her house in honour of S. PAVL the Apostle on whose feast she was healed Likewise he restored to health an other named Adelbert that lay mortally sick of a disease called the Squinancie or swelling in the throate whereby he and manie others were conuerted to the fayth Afterwards returning againe to Mounster at the earnest request of the poeple of that towne by the way he gaue sight to a blind man with the signe of the holy crosse that asked almes of passengers All his miracles still encreasing the number of the Christian flock IX HAVING within a short time conuerted manie infidels in Mounster he went into Saxonie and first at the cittie of Brunswick he preached and conuerted manie In the same towne there was a noble man sick of soe cruell a disease in his lest side that he was not able to mooue hand or foote of that part of his bodie nor had anie vse of his left eye His sicknes had allreadie giuen the Note the vertue of the holy Crosse foile to all antidotes and art of phisick when S. SWIBERT with the signe of the holy Crosse the chief armes of our redem ption restored him to perfect health againe which miracle caused manie to forsake their Idolatrie and hasten to be washed in the sacred foÌ„t of Baptisme HerevppoÌ„ the blind ministers of those blind Gods were exceedingly incensed against the holy Bishop and assembling the poeple togeather went with a great troupe of Pagans to the chief officer of the towne complayning and exclayming that vnlesse the publick enemie of their Gods who with witchcraft and sorcerie seduced the poeple were banished the whole towne would fall from their auncient profession and perish But the officer being allied to the noble man before cured by S. SWIBERT fauored him and his proceedings in all things and now perswaded him to saue him self from their furie by flight Which he did leauing one Priest there to confirme the new Christians in their fayth and trauelled him self through diuers prouinces still houlding on his course of preaching conuerting and baptising Till at length the Heathens togeather with S Swib cruelly beaten by the Pagans their hellish ministers perceauing their religion to goe downe by the preaching of this holy man ranne violently vppon him one day as he was in his sermon and cruelly beate him with staues and buffetted and kicked him with their fists and heeles that had he not been relieued by the valour of some true hearted Christians he had been likely inough to haue perished in that skirmish of crueltie But being deliuered out of their hands he lay hid for some few daies yet not ceasing from his holy trade of preaching soe that dayly more and more stray sheep were brought into the secure fold of CHRISTS Church X. AT THE same time in a towne called Welsenberch liued a rich and potent man named Ethelhere who before had been one of the first and forwardest to sett vppon S. SWIBERT with his staffe and now for his punishment was hideously possessed by the deuill He delinereth a possessed person that dayly most cruelly tormented him and by him all that came nigh soe that they were constrayned to bind him fast in chaines of iron But saint SWIBERT coming thither at the intreatie of his friends made the signe of the holy Crosse vppon him and presently that hellish Monster was disinherited of his desired habitation Wherevppon it came to passe that both he and manie more to the number of fortie two besides woemen and children demaunding pardon for their former iniuries submitted them selues to the sweet yoake of CHRISTS glospell and were baptised And now this glorious sainct hauing for the space of manie yeares preached CHRIST to these Barbarous poeple wrought manie miracles to confirme what he preached destroyed their Idols and built manie Churches for the seruice of allmightie God compelled partly by reason of warre and tumult raysed in that countrey but chiefly mooued by diuine reuelation he retired him self to the cittie of Cullen where he was ioyfully entertayned by the vertuous Heretireâ—h him self to Cullen Dutchesse Plectrude wife to the Christian Prince Pepin who highly honouring and admiring the venerable Sainctitie and vertue of S. SWIBERT detayned him with her for some time to make vse of his pious counsell in the guyding of her owne soule During which time the holy Sainct cured a great man of Duke Pepins of a dangerous and mortall disease in the throate and deliuered an other that was cruelly possessed with the deuill These and other his excellent signes of heauenly sainctitie mooued the religious Dutchesse Plectrude to send him with letters of high commendation to Duke Pepin then remayning in Herstall intreating him withall to giue the towne of Werdt vppon Rhene to S. SWIBERT to build a monasterie in Pepin receiued him with great ioy and honour and kept him a Pepin besteweth words vppon S. Swibert while with him to be by him instructed in the rules of good life And at length gaue him not only the towne of Werdt but allsoe good store of gold and siluer to defray the charge of building the monasterie Therefore S. SWIBERT returned back to the Dutchesse by whose power and industrie he began presently to erect a monasterie in Werdt vppon Rhene to the honour of the glorious and euer B. Virg. MARIE Where with how great humilitie deuotion and zeale in the meane time he preached the fayth of CHRIST among those rude poeple and with how great puritie of mind and bodie he celebrated dayly the dreafull Sacrifice of Masse and other diuine offices it excelleth this weake quill to rehearse And there he raysed an other from death to life XI AT length the monasterie being finished he placed therein a He gathereth a coÌ„ueÌ„t of Benedictin monks CoÌ„uent of Monks of the Sacred Order of S. BENEDICT out of whose holy rule him self as is sayd had first sucked the sweet milke of a religious life But in the beginning
of mischief comes crying after them with newes of greater miserie that an infectious disease was suddenly fallen among their cattle which killed them soe fast that she feared yf some ayd were not gotten they should quickly haue more emptie hides then beasts Wherevppon they resolued to returne to the seruant of God and humbly to Who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stly punished implore his assistance both for them selues and their cattle Which done they obtained their desire and in recompence and acknowledgment of that benefitt the Tiran gaue vnto S. DAVID all thâ—t Valley where the Cathedrall Church of Menenia now standes for the vse of him and his fellowes and successors for euer III. BVT THIS Tirans wife could not soe soone depose her malice for meaning with a deuilish practise to ruine the chastitie of those poore monkes she sent a lasciuious companie of naked wenches to exercise all manner of vnciuill embracings and wanton actions in their sight which made some of their minds beginne to stagger with soe euident a temptation others to be a little troubled and indeed all being impatient of such an immodest iniurie cried out vnto sainct DAVID to be gone out of the fight and reach of soe foule a sight You know replied the holy man that the world hates vs. And you must know allsoe A good lesson that the poeple of ISRAEL trauelling to the land of Promise with the holy Arke of couenant were resisted with continuall dangers and battles and yet not ouercome but through all their iourney remayned victorious ouer that incircumcised poeple which doeth manifestly betoken the triumph we must haue in these our conflicts For he that seeketh to enioy the promise of the heauenly Paradise the true land of Promise must necessarily be assayled but not vanquished with the battrie of temptations and aduersities vntill by the assistance of CHRIST his chief Captaine he shall vtterly haue ruined and ouerthrowne all the vncleane bullwarkes of vice and inquitie Therefore we must not be ouercome with euill but ouercome euill with goodnes for yf CHRIST he with vs who dare stand against vs Be valiant then my deare brethren in this conflict and let not our enemies take ioy in your flight IV. HAVING thus encouraged their mindes he built vp the monasterie He buildeth a Monasterie and ordered it with good lawes and rules of monasticall discipline Where euerie one liued by the labour of his owne hands rightly following that Aposticall rule He that will not labour let him 2. Thes c. 3 v. 10. The manner of life of the auncient Monkes not eate And after their labour at sett howers they fell to their prayers meditations and reading of holy Scripture which done againe they fetled to their labours neuer tasting anie foode till the starres appeared in the skie when their ordinarie diet was soe farre from all delights that only bread herbes and pure water were the chiefest dainties which quenched their hunger and thirst After a sleight refreshing herewith they returned againe to their prayers then to their rest whence they were raysed at the first crowing of the Cock and prolonged their prayers vntill the morning when with the rising of the sunne all betooke them selues to their day-labour By this meanes they gaue the world not only a worthie proofe and example of all manner of vertue and continencie but allsoe of liberalitie For allthough they would not take anie thing giuen them but with much difficultie yet were they soe farre from want of necessaries that by their owne labour and toile they succoured the necessities of verie manie poore orphans pupills widdowes and pilgrims In summe in their manner of liuing they were liuely paternes of the Apostolical life of those auncient fathers which liued at Alexandria vnder the institution of S. MARK the Euangelist V. S. DAVID was the gouernour and President of this holy companie not only in authority and dignitie but by his owne due deserts For he would impose nothing vppon others which him self refused to vndergoe Nay by how much he was aboue them in dignitie by soe much he excelled them all in the greatnes and continuance of diligence continence fasting and prayers and the most exact obseruance of all religious offices and duties S. Dauid chosen Archbis hop of the Britaines After mattins wheÌ„ the rest of his Monks returned to their beds hiscustoÌ„ was to enter into the cold water to extinguish the vnlawfull heate of his body At length the excellence of his vertues being carried ouer the world with the wings of fame by the commoÌ„ suffrages of the countrey he was chosen Archbishop of all Wales and soe great honour bestowed vppon him that the Metropolitan sea which till then had been at Chester was for his sake translated to Menenia now called Sainct Dauids In this dignitie he behaued him self soe worthyly that he became a rule and forme of good life to all He was the foode of the poore the life of orphanes cloath to the naked the Schoole of the ignorant a Father to his countrey and an Example to his monkes VI. THE miracles which he wrought in his life were such and soe admirabler that the incredulitie of these our times doeth not deserue to heare or reade them and therefore we will only relate one which is that as he preached vppon a time against the Pelagians abrod vnder noe other canopie but heaueÌ„ such an infinite of poeple were gathered to heare his sacred eloquence that the holy preacher could not bee seene but of a few on a sudden the earth whereon he stood swelled vpp in forme of a little hill and raysed him to such a height that to the wonderfull great comfort and admiration of his auditors he was both seene and heard of then all And in memorie hereof a little chappell was built vppon the same hill which is sayd to remayne vnto these our daies VI. AT LENGTH this blessed Bishop the great patrone and Protectour His glorious death of the Britans hauing gouerned his Church manie yeares in great sainctitie and vertue of life till he came to the age of one hundred fortie seauen yeares theÌ„ vnderstanding by reuelation the day hower of his departure out of this world from that time he euer liued in the Church in continuall prayer and preaching vntill that long desired happie minute was come in which he yielded vp his blessed soule into the hands of his redeemer who togeather with whole quires of angels came in person happyly to receaue him and gloriously to leade him into the neuer dying ioyes of his heauenly Kingdome He was buried at Meneuia in his owne Church which allthough at first it was dedicated to the Apostle saint ANDREW yet afterwards by reason of the great fame this sainct had in those places and soe manie wonderfull miracles and signes of holines it tooke the name of S. DAVIDS as it is called at this verie day He died about the yeere 550. the first day of March which
morning to the great admiration and ioy of all he made knowne by the soundnes of his witt and vnderstanding that he had there receaued the cure of his madding phrensie The place of his buriall is inclosed with a wodden chest which hath a hole on the one side through which those that came thither for deuotion were wont to reach forth some of the dust and hauing dissolued it in water it cured both man and beast that drank it of what disease soeuer they were infected The life of this B. Sainct we haue gathered chiefly out of S. Bedes History of England Iohn Capgrane hath the same in his lines of English Saincts Trithemius in his treatise of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. cap. 117. Arnould Wion Baronius Camden and others make worthie mention of him In the Prouinciall CoÌ„stitutions of England his feast is ordayned to be celebrated with nine lessons and soe it was obserued in the Sarum Breuiarie But since Breuiaries were made treason in England all goodnes was banished the Psal 150. v. 1. publick view of that vnhappie Countrey and God whom the Psalmist bids vs to praise in his Saincts is depriued of his due honour and glorie and his Saincts are quite robbed of their part therein The life of Sainct WILLEICK Priest and Confessor monck of the holy order of S. Benedict MAR. 2. Out of Marceline in the life of S. Swibert S. WILLEICK borne in England went ouer into lower Germanie S. Willeick a Monk-Canon of Vtteicht in low Germanie where togeather wich S. SWIBERT and other English Benedictine Monks he preached CHRISTS ghospell to the Pagans and conuerted manie to the true fayth He was one of the first Monk-Canons of the new Cathedrall Church of Vtreiâ—ght where he who had left the world with a pure intention soe sincerely endeauoured to perfect him self in the seruice of CHRIST IESVS that he appeared as a sweet vessell of vertues to the rest of his brethren For from his youth he had liued allwaies with the great S. SWIBERT in the continuall exercise of prayer continencie and meditation of the holy scriptures euer striuing to make him self as pure wax to receiue the impression and seale of that worthie Saincts vertues He was skillfull in holy scriptures and well practised in the Latin and Dutch tongue verie cloquent in his discourse but meeke and humble in his behauiour a conquerour of wrath and couetousnes a despiser of pride and vaine glorie and a comfortable father to the poore and sickly For whom carefully to prouide he was inclined not only out of an innate pietie of mind but made that appeare by his great labour and paines taken in prouiding and succouring their necessities him self He conuerted allsoe manie Heathens through the Prouinces as he trauelled from the venom of Idolatrie to the sweetnes of CHRIST fayth II. AFTERWARDS being made Priour of S. SWIBERTS Benedictine monasterie at Werdt he became a true mirrour and paterne of all He is made Priour of the Monasterie of Werdt true vertues to his brethren whereby manie by his example and authoritie were curbed within the rules of a regular life Neyther was he profitable with his vertues and good example to the monasterie only but by his deuout exhortations and pious sermons he conuerted the neighbouring poeple from the sottish customs of their Idolatrous life to the loue of CHRIST heauenly things And the greatnes of his vertue and meritt was testified by miracle For being on a time at Cullen with the most deuout Dutchesse Plectrude of whom mention is made in the life of S. SWIBERT one Gothebald a chief man of the towne lay languishing vnder the pittilesse burden of such a cruell disease that depriued of all vse of his limmes he seemed indeed to be quite dead when his funerall rites were allreadie prepared and his graue gaped to receiue him In the meane time Marie that was his wiues name obtained of the Dutchesse to haue Willeick the disciple and priest of great S. SWIBERT to come visitt He cureth a sickman that diyng man Who coming into the chamber and hauing made his prayers to allmightie God he gaue him his benediction when presently the sick man arose in perfect health out of his bed gaue thanks to the supreme giuer of all goodnes and sate at table with the rest in great ioy and alacritie and S. Willeick whose companie he much desired could hardly be drawne from his deuotions of thanks giuing to take his repast with the rest Herevppon the deuout Dutchesse Plectrude held this holy man in farre greater honour and esteeme theÌ„ before yeelding infinite prayses to the omnipotent worker of wonders But S. WILLEICK hauing gouerned his monasterie His death the space of thirteene yeares in all tenne after the death of his master S. SWIBERT in great holines of life and conuersation gaue vp his blessed soule to the neuer-dieing rewards of his labours to beare a part in the quire of Benedictin Monks in heauen He died the second day of March in the yeare of Our Lord 727. At whose tombe in testimonie of his vertues and holy life were wrought maine miraculous cures of diseases Of him make mention besides the foresayd Marcelline Trithemius in his 3. booke and 167. chap. of the famous men of S. Benedicts Order Molanus in his additions to Vsuard Wion in his Benedictine Martirologe and others The life of Sainct WINWALOKE Abbott and Confessor MAR. 3. Gathered by Surius out of auÌ„cient manuscripts SAINCT WINWALOKE sonne to Fracanus cosen germane of Cotton king of the Brittaines began from his tender age to giue greate signes of his ensuing vertue and good life despising the pleasures of the world and wholly bequeathing him self to the diuine seruice of allmigthy God His desire of a deuout life And the better to put his good purposes and pious inspirations in execution he desired leaue of his father to goe to a holy man of that countrey to perfect him self in that diuine schoole in the studie of vertue and learning But his father who desired rather to see him aduanced to worldy preferment and honour flatly denied his godly request Wherevppon this blessed yong man appealed to his allmightie father in heauen earnestly crauing his assistance in this case And his prayers were not in vaine for not long after his father being abrode in the plaine fields in a sayre sunny day on the suddaine there happened such a horrible tempest of rayne hayle and snow seconded with the roaring of such dreadfull thunder and flashes of lightning falling thick about him that strucken with the exceeding terrour thereof he fell flatt on the ground where musing with him self what might be the reason of such an vnexpected storme it came into his mind that perhaps it was a punishment sent him from God aboue for detayning his sonne in the tempestuous world out of the sweet hauen of his diuine His father giueth him to God seruice HerevppoÌ„ he
his feete humbly desiring his prayers for the remission of his sinnes The Sainct lifting him vp encouraged him with a familiar exhortation to the conteÌ„pt He connetteth a King to good life of the world the diuine loue of heaueÌ„ with such a liuely moouing discourse that the king receaued wonderfull great cofort thereat and returning againe to his pallace reformed his bad life euer after Manie other miracles are reported to haue been wrought by the meritts of this blessed sainct which exceede our breuitie to relate our discourse hasteneth now towards his death which as it could not come vnto soe holie man in an ill season soe it could not befall him in a better time then it did For the night before his departure hauing had a reuelation of that happie hower he made it knowne vnto the rest of his brethren who with bitter teares witnessed the sorrow they conceaued for the losse of soe good a father and entreated him to appoint one to succeed him in the gouernmeÌ„t of the Monasterie whereunto he willingly consented And on the morrow hauing celebrated The mannâ—r of his death the holy Sacrifice of Masse and receaued the sacred bodie bloud of our lord standing yet at the aultar he sweetly rendred vp his blessed soule into the hands of his deare redeemer without anie apparance of sensuall paine at all After which quiet separation his bodie by the hands of his brethren was reuerently committed to a poore house of clay in the earth and his vnspotted soule freed from her terrene habitation was coÌ„ueyed into the heauenly court of allmightie God by a Sacred Conuoy of celestiall spiritts He florished about the yeare of our lord 459. and died the third day of March in the first weeke of Lent His holy reliques were translated afterwards to S. PETERS Abbey of Benedictin Monks in the cittie of Gaunt in Flanders The memorie of which translation is celebrated the first day of August His life is found written by Joannes Anglicus JOHN Capgraue and other auncient manuscripts sort downe by SVRIVS on t of which me haue gathered it VSVARD MOLANVS doe make mention of him The life of Sainct OWEN Confessor and Monk of the holy Order of S. Benedict MAR. 4. Out of venerable Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT OWEN being chief steward of the royall familie of S. ETHELDRED wife to Egfrid King of the Northumbers encreased so excellently in the feruour of vertue that forsaking that princely seruice and all the pleasures and riches he enioyed in the world he putt on poore apparell and went to the monasterie of Lesting where the holy Bishop S. CHAD then liued He brought nothing with him but an axe in his hand to shew that he came not to the monasterie He forsaketh the world to liue idlely as manie doe but to gett his liuing by the labour of his hands which afterwards by his great industrie he prooued for hauing receaued the habitt of a Benedictin monk in the same place by how much his want of learning did disfurnish him of abilitie to meditate on the misteries of the holy scriptures by soe much the more he employed and applied his whole endeauours to serue the monasterie with the labour of his hands But when the holy Bishop S. CHAD remooued his seate to Lichfield he tooke this holy monk along with him and iudged him worthie to be one of those eight whom as we haue sayd in his life he made his more familiar companion in that little retiring place of his deuotions which he built neere adioyning vnto the Church for his more priuate exercise of pietie There S. OWEN being for reuerence and respect of his deuotion numbred a mongst the other brethren when the rest were earnestly busied at their prayers and meditations he laboured abrode in making prouision of such things as were necessarie He was a man of verie great meritts and one who had left the world with a pure intention sincere desire of the eternall reward promised to such as follow the footstepps of CHRIST and his Apostles And therefore he His guift of reuelation was esteemed of allmightie God to be in all things most worthie to whom he might more peculiarly reueale his heauenly secrets being for his sinceritie most worthie to be beleeued in his relations For this cause the glorious vision of the Angelicall troupes which came from heauen with their melodious tunes to bring newes of the neere-approching death of S. CHAD was shewed vnto this holy Monke as he laboured without when the holy Bishop was at his prayers within This you may reade in the life of S. CHAD the second of March And this only testimonie of alimightie Gods particular fauour vnto this holy sainct may serue for a sufficient proofe of his great vertue and sainctitie who after the death of the holy Bishop hauing long exercised him self in the execution of his His happie death pious vocation left the world the second time to receaue an euerlasting reward in heauen for hauing renounced it at first and yielded vp his pure soule into the hands of his most deare redeemer Thus much of him we haue gathered chiefly out of S. BEDES-historie of England Trithemius in his third booke and 118. Chapter of the illustrious men of S. BENEDICTS order and Arnold Wion in his Appendix to his Martirologe doe both make worthy mention of him What day he died it is not knowne The life of Sainct PIRAN Bishop and Confessor MAR. 5. Written by Joannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue SAINCT PIRAN borne in Jreland of a noble race for the loue of God contemned the riches of the world and became an Hermite in the same countrey leading the space of manie yeares a very strict and rigid manner of life by which and his concontinuall preaching and working of manie miracles he drew diuers out of the blindnes of Idolatrie to the true fayth of CHRIST He was His vertuous life wonderfull sparing in his diet continuall in watching and prayer and from his very childhood to the hower of his death allwaies employed in reading teaching practising the workes of charitie humilitie coÌ„tinencie all other vertues Being made Priest he omitted noe dutie belonging to that dignitie feeding the hungry cloathing the naked instructing the ignorant restrayning froÌ„ vice moouing to vertue At length he departed out of Jreland came into that part of England called Cornwall where with some others in a poore little habitation he prepared himself for death the hower whereof being The manner of his death partly by a grieuious sicknes of which neuer in his life he had tasted before and partly by a diuine inspiration made knowne vnto him he caused his graue to be opened and entring him self into it yielded vp his blessed soule out of that house of clay to be carried vpp to the neuer dying ioyes of heauen in the glorie of a great light and splendour that appeared at the same
of Abbott To be short he was soe abstinent in his diet soe vigilant in his prayers and soe vntired in his labour of fasting that out of ouer much weaknes in his stomacke he was searse able to subsist He susteyned besides a continuall sicknes of bodie and chiefly he was grieued with the trouble of that disease which the phistians call Syncopa in Greeke the crueltie whereof soe tormented his vitall parts that being taken with frequent and sudden agonies he seemed euery moment to be readie to yeeld vp the ghost But what manner of man he was in his monasterie and with how commendable an exercise he led his life we may gather out of his owne words which with weeping teares he vttered whē he was Pope His speech to Peter Deacon to Peter his Deacon saying My wretched minde being strucken with the wound of its owne present necessarie imployment remembers in what state it was in the monasterie how all sleeting things then See the happines of a Religious life were subiect vnto it how eminent it was aboue things that were tossed in the world that it was accoustumed to thinke on nothing but heauenly matters that being yet detayned within this body in contemplation it surpassed that inortall prison it self Yea and that which is a punishment allmost to all men it was in loue euen with death it self as being the entrance to life and the reward of labour But now by reason of this heauie pastorall charge it suffers in the affayres of secular men and after soe swcet a sorme of its owne quietnes it is defiled with the dust of worldly busines I consider therefore what J doe endure J consider what J haue lost and when J behould that which J haue lost the burden which I undergoe growes more greuious For now behould Iam tossed in the waues of a huge sea and in the ship of my mind I am dasht and beaten with the stormes of a mightie tempest and whilest J call to my remembrance the tranquillitie of my former life castling back my eyes to what is past J sigh at the sight of the desired shore And which is yet more irksome whilst I am discontentedly tossed in these huge waues I haue scarse the happines to see the hauen which I left Thus he was wont to relate of him self not bragging of his proficiencie in vertues but rather bewayling his deficiencie which he euer feared to runne into through his pastorall charge But allbeit he spake in this manner of him self out of a mind full of profound humilitie it becommeth vs notwithstanding to beleeue that by reason of his pastorall dignitie he lost nothing of his monasticall perfection Yea rather that he receaued thereby a greater aduancement in perfection by his labour in the conuersion of manie then he had in times past in the tranquillitie of his owne priuate contemplation IV. But by what meanes this blessed man was raysed first to the office of Deacon and after to the high dignitie of Chief Bishop the ensuing speech shall declare The Roman Bishop who then gouerned the Church preceauing GREGORIE to clime vp by the degrees of vertue He is made Deacō and the Po pes Legate to the height of perfectiō hauing called him out of his beloued monasterie heraysed the office dignitie of Ecclesiasticall orders made him the seauenth Leuite or Deacon for his assistance and not long after directed him as his legate or Commissarie to the cittie of Constantinople for answeares touching affayres of the Catholicque Church Nether Yet did GREGORY allbeit he were conuersant in a worldly pallace intermitt the purpose of his heauenly manner of life For the diuine prouidence soe ordayned for his greater good that diuers of the Monkes out of an obligation of fraternall loue followed him from the monasterie to the end that by their example as a shippe with Anchor he might be stayed at the pleasing shoare of prayer and contemplation and that whilest he was tossed with the continuall blowes of secular affayres he might flie to their companie as to the bosone of a most sure hauen after the volumes and waues of his worldly imployment And allthought that office with the sword of his externe labours now being abstracted from his monasterie despoyled him of his former tranquillitie of life notwithstanding among them the aspiration of his dayly remorse through the discourse of their earnest reading did giue him new courage of life Therfore by the companie of these he was not only fenced from worldly assaults but allsoe enkindled more and more to the exercises of a heauenly life Then at the earnest request of those his brethren and chiefly of that Venerable man LEANDER Archbishop He writteth moralls vppon Iob. of Siuill who at that time was come legate to Constantinople in the cause of the Visigothes he was compelled to explicate the booke of holy Iob soe intricate in misteries Nether had he the power to denie a worke which at the request of charitie brotherly loue did impose vppon him for the profitt of manie but in a course of thirtie fiue bookes he throughly instructed vs how the same booke of Iob is to be vnderstood litterally how to be applied to the hidden misteries of CHRIST and his Church and in what sense it may be fitted to euery Christian in particular In which worke of his he discourseth after such an admirable manner of vertues and vices that he seemeth not only to expresse those things in naked words only but after a manner to demonstrate them in visible formes Wherefore there is noe doubt but he had truly attayned to the perfection of the vertues them selues whose effects with soe much efficacie he was able to declare V WHILST yet he remayned in the same Royall cittie of Constantinople He ouerthroweth the heresie of Eutichius by the assistant grace of the Catholick truth he ouerthrew a new budding heresie of the state of Resurrection in the verie first appearance and beginning of it For indeed Eutichius Bishop of the same cittie held an opinion that our bodies in the glorie of the later resurrection should be impalpable and more subtile then ether the wind or ayre Which S. GREGORIE vnderstanding he prooued both by force of reason and truth and the example of our Lords resurrection that this assertion was wholly opposite to the doctrine of the Catholicque fayth which houldeth that this our verie bodie raysed in the glorie of the resurrection shall indeed not only be subtile by reason of its spirituall power but palpable allsoe to shew the truth of the nature according to the example of our Lords body of which raysed from death him self sayd to his disciples Palpate videte quin spiritus Luc 24. v. 39. carnem ossa non habet sicut me videtis habere Feele and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue For the assertion of this the Venerable Father of our faith GREGORY fought
Idolatrie he began to preach the true fayth vnto them when a MagitiaÌ„ called Roâ—hait rising vp against him endeauoured to cutt of the thred of his exhortation life at once But the power of all mightie God who allwaies defendeth his seruants sent a thunderbolt suddeÌ„ly froÌ„ heauen which sent the soule of that minister of mischief to the perpetuall seruice of his black master in hell This soe manifest soe terrible a miracle being seene marked by all the multitude the seauen forsayd bretheren twelue thousand men besides were conuerted thereby to the ChristiaÌ„ fayth at the preaching of S. PATRICK and were all cleansed from the diabolicall markes of Paganisme by receauing the Sacred character of Twelue thousand persons conuerted Christianitie in the holy font of Baptisme And leauing the gouuernment of this poeple to a holy man called Mancenus He him self trauelled ouer all the Prouince of Conaght attending incessantly to his pious labour of preaching and teaching those barbarous poeple vntill by the helping grace of the holy ghost he had coÌ„uerted and baptised the whole Countrey He built Churches in manie places and ordayned therein Priests and other Ecclesiasticall ministers by whose prudence and pietie the soules of the poeple might be gouerned in the truth and the diuine office duely and reuerently performed VII THIS DONE S. PATRICK went againe into the North part of Ireland preaching teaching conuerting and baptising all the way as he went Thence through the confines of Meath he trauelled to the Prouince of Leinster leauing at certaine places some of his schollers to execute the office of Bishops amongst the poeple he had conuerted But how great miracles he wrought in all this and in other his iourneies ouer that rude countrey how manie sick persons he cured how manie Magitians he confounded how manie dead he raysed to life how manie things to come he foretould and vppon how manie his aduersaries allmightie God powred forth the renengfull ire of strange punishments it farre exceeds the bouÌ„ds of this weake penne to sett downe and this short treatise to containe He arriued at length at the cittie of Dublin where Aiphin the king thereof with his sonne and his daughter called Dublinia from whom the towne tooke name and allmost all the poeple The towne oâ— duâ—lin conuerted were conuerted at once to the Christan fayth Hence he trauelled to the Prouince of Mounster where being kindly receaued of the King called Oengus he baptised him the greatest part of his poeple And there he is sayd to haue raysed eighteen persons from death to life at once besides other particulars But seeing soe plentifull a haruest in Ireland and but few workmen he passed ouer the seas into Wales where with his learning and zealous labour he preuayled much against the Pelagian heresie then raygning and made manie places there allsoe famous for his miracles and sainctitie As he returned with a new supplie of holy and learned coadiutors towards Ireland he diuerted into the I le of Man theÌ„ subiect to the Britans He conuerteth the Iâ—e of Man which by his preaching and miracles he conuerted to the sayth and left some of his fellowes there to conserue it in the same VIII BEING returned into Jreland he chaÌ„ced to conuert a noble man called Darius who seeing and admiring the wonderfull vertues and miracles of the Sainct gaue him a large and fertile peece of land in the prouince of Vister where S. PARTICK hauing considered the He buildeth the towne of Armagh pleasantnes and commoditie of the place built a fayre cittie now called Armagh into which he induced noe other inhabitant but such as him self knew to be well and soundly grounded and instructed in the Catholick fayth He allsoe adorned the same with Churches Monasteries and Nunneries which he furnished with a learned Clergie vertuous monkes and religious woemen whoe all liued vnder the rules of Ecclesiasticall and monasticall perfection assigned vnto them by S. PATRICK In the same towne he ordayned his Archiepiscopall sea which he desired to make the Metropolitan Siluester ' Gyraldus in topagr Hib. of all Ireland and to that end he made a iourney to Rome to haue all confirmed by the supreme authoritie of the Sea Apostolicque The Pope receaued him with great curtesie as the Apostle of Ireland gaue him 〈◊〉 Palle made him his Vicegerent or Legat in that Countrey and confirmed by Apostolicall authority whatsoeuer he had ordayned disposed or done in that Kingdome And withall gratified his pious labours with the treasure of manie reliques of the Apostles S. STEPHEN and other Martirs to enrich the Countrey at his returne Moreouer he gaue him a certaine linnen cloath stained with the sacred Bloud of our Lord IESBS-CHRIST which he-esteemed aboue all Loade with this spirituall wealth the blessed man returned to his Prouince and hauing made his Archiepiscopall sea of Armagh the Metropolitan of all Ireland those reliques he placed with great reuerence in a shrine behind the high aultar And the custom of that Church hath been euer since the time of this glorious Reliques of Saincts worshiped in S. Patricks daics Sainct on the feasts of Easter and Whitsunday to produce those sacred treasures to the publick view of the poeple to be reuerenced and worshiped by their deuotion according as the worth of such sacred things required But in his returne from Râ—me this vnwearied seruant of IESVS-CHRIST made some stay in his natiue Countrey of great Britaine where againe he left manie rare memories and monuments of his excellent vertues and labours And being in Ireland he setled thirtie bishops which he had brought from beyond the seas in diuers places of that abundant Haruest to cultiuate and manure it with their learning vertues and good workes These he him self was wont oftentimes to visitt as their Metropolitan to call them to Councell to direct them in the Ecclesiasticall gouernment striuing all waies to roote out whatsoeuer was fouÌ„d coÌ„trarie to Christian law and iustice and to promote what was conformable to the holy Canons of the Church and good manners shining in the meane time as allwaies with allmost innumerable miracles that whatsoeuer he ether taught or ordayned by word of mouth like a true Apostle he strengthened and confirmed with wonderfull signes which followed Among which he shewed in nothing soe great and generall a benefitt to that countrey excepting their conuersion to Christianitie as this which now you shall heare S Paâ—rick frâ—eth â—eland from three pestâ—â—eÌ„ troubles XIX IRELAND from the first time it was inhabited grieuiously suffered the continuall troubles of three mortall discommodities an infinite number of venemous Serpents visible troupes of vglie deuils and a multitude of witches and magicians their seruants For the number and power of poysenous creat 〈…〉 s soe preuayled in that Iland that men and other beastes were not only infected with their venom but manie times slaine and deuoured The Deuils allsoe who were masters
the exercising of iustice and obtayning of their soules health Besides all this he was wonderfully endowed with the spiritt of prophesie by vertue whereof he foretould verie manie things to come and had the perfect knowledge of things absent as yf they had bin present within the view of his owne corporall eyes And namely of the Saincts that should liue in Ireland and specially within the Prouinces of Conaght Munster for the space of a hundred yeares after he foretould the names vertues and places of their habitation Whomsoeuer he ether bound or absolued the diuine iustice approoued by euident signes to be bound and absolued Those vnto whom he imparted his benedictioÌ„ receaued the Blessing of our Lord and against whomsoeuer he pronounced the dreadfull sentence of his curse appeared straight replenished with the effects of malediction And whatsoeuer sentence proceeded from his mouth seemed to remyane soe irreuocably ratified as yf it had bin denouÌ„ced froÌ„ the tribunall of the allmightie Iudge Whence we may manifestly gather that the holy man firmly adhering vnto our Lord became one spiritt with him But albeit in some and most of his vertues he ether paralelled or excelled other His wonder full humilitie Saincts of Gods Church yet in humilitie he ouercame him self For in his epistles letters he was wont to nominate him self the lowest left and contemptiblest of all sinners And making small account of the wonderfull miracles and signes he wrought he would not daâ—e to iudge him self equall to anie the meanest man in perfection Nether amongst all these vertuous employments did he omitt to exercise him self in manuall labour as in fishing and tilling the earth but chiefly in building of Churches he would both with word and example incite his disciples to putt to their helping hands When neuerthelesse he did most instantly insist in baptising of the poeple and ordering clergimen for Church-seruice For he consecrated with his owne hands three hundred and fiftie Bishops he founded seauen hundred Churches and promoted fiue His infinite miacles thousand persons to the degree and dignitie of priesthood But of other clergimen of inferiour orders of Monkes and Nunnes which he segregated from the world to the diuine seruice none but he can tell the number who knoweth and foreseeth all things In this most holy manner running ouer the daies of this present life to attayne to the desired prize and reward of the future he florished with soe manie and soe great miracles that therein he is second to none of the Saincts his predecessours The blind the lame the dease the dumb the lunatick the leapers and all other diseased and grieued persons in the name of the Blessed Trinitie and by vertue of the holy Crosse of our redemption he restored to perfect health and the natutall function of their limmes Among which he is reported to haue bin the meruailous rayser of thirtie three from death to life a thing not read of anie other sainct of Gods Church Of which and other his miracles vertues thereescore and six bookes are sayd to haue bin written the greatest part whereof perished in the violence of fier during the raygne of GurmuÌ„d Turgesins But fower treatises of his life writteÌ„ at diuers times fower of his disciples S. BENIâ—NVS his successor S. MEL his nephew LVMAN Bishops little S. PATRICK his deare child are fouÌ„d yet extant And S. EVIN allsoe coÌ„piled his life in one volume partly in Latine partly in Jrish Out all which Iocelinus a Monk of Furne the authour of his life whoÌ„ wee haue followed in this historie maketh profession to haue gathered his whole treatise of S. PATRICK XII AT length the beloued seruant of allmightie God S. PATRICK He foreseeth his owne death loaden with age and merits hauing now faythfully and strongly ended the course of the charge committed vnto him foresaw both by diuine reuelation and the dissolution of his owne bodie that the eueâ—ing of his life was at hand And being in the Prouince of Vâ—ster not farre from the cittie of Downe and with him the pretious pearle of Jreland S. BRIGITT and a great number more of Ecclesiasticall and religious persons as the blessed sainct preached vnto them of the heauenly glorie of the saincts and the dwellings of the happie a glittering light appeared ouer the East part of the Church-yard of Down which was supposed to deseigne the place ordayned for his sacred buriall And this being soe expounded by S. BRIGITT the same light presently returned out of their sight towards heauen to foreshew thereby that his Blessed soule should in like sort ascend to the ioics of Paradise Then S. BRIGITT who had He falleth 〈◊〉 a desire he should be wrapt in a shrowd which purposely she had made for that end hastened to her monasterie to fetch it When in the meane time the holy man retired him self to the next monasterie where in the midst of a great multitude of his deuout monks he layd him downe on the bed of his last sicknes expecting the end of this mortall life or rather happily aspiring to the beginning of the immortall Vntill the disease growing still stronger drawne on with the weight of old age or rather our Lord calling him to a crowne of iustice the most blessed and happie bishop felt the hower of his death to draw-neere and reioysed that now he was arriued at the secure haueÌ„ of life into which through the gates of death he hastened Therfore being by the hands of S. THASACK Bishop his disciple armed with the diuine sacraments of the Church and lifting vp his eyes His happie departure to heauen like an other saint STEPHEN he beheld CHRIST IESVS in the midst of whole troupes of Angels expecting to receaue him into the euerlasting ioyes Into whose sacred hands blessing his disciples and commending them to God he deliuered vp his most pure soule passing out the thâ—â—ldon of this world to the neuer-dying â—oies of heauen O most blessed man to whom the heauens were layd open whom togeather with a lillie white companie of Virgins MARIS the imaculate Queene of heauen receiued whom legions of Angels admitted into their diuine quiers whom the foreseeing troupe of holy prophets doe accompanie whom the iudiciall Senate of the Apostles embraceth whom the laureat crownes of sacred martirs bautifieth the asseÌ„blie of glorious confessors adorneth and whom an innumerable multitude of all Gods elect Saincts and heauenly burgesses doe honour and glorisie for euer XIII HE DIED the seaueÌ„teeÌ„th day of March in the yeare of our Lord 493. in the first yeare of Anastasius the Emperour and in the hundred A summarie of his life tweÌ„tie third yeare of his age At the age of sixteene he was carried into banishment six yeares he liued therein eighteen yeares he spent vnder the tutorship of S. GERMAN and S. MARTIN his masters at the age of fiftie fiue yeares ennobled with the dignitie of Bishop he entred into Jreland
which best becomes all teachers making his owne example and outward manner of conuersation the perfect rule of what he taught And of his internall vertues perfection the signes and miracles which he wrought as he trauelled ouer Manie miracles his diocesse preaching teaching and confirming his poeple gaue sufficiét testimonie One Baldhelm a seruāt of one of King Egsrids noble men and the wife of a great Count drinking only of the water hallowed by his prayers were both suddenly perfectly cured of most grieuous and mortall diseases when all men quite despayred of their health An other holy Virgin who a long time had layn languishing of a grieuous payne in her head and side being annointed with holy oile hallowed by S. CVTHBERT felt her self better at the verie same instant and within a few daies was perfectly cured And Hildmer an officer of King Egsrid in drinking a little water into which was putt some bread hallowed by S. CVTHBERT receaued a perfect recouerie of a disease incurable by anie humane skill XIII As ONCE he visited his diocese he chaunced to come among the rude mountaines and rocks to teach and confirme those rustick poeple who not hauing anie Church neere to receaue the holy man into they erected tents and boothes in the way such as they could make of boughs branches cutt from the greene trees where he remayned for the space of two dayes preaching ministring the The sacrament of confirmation giuen by S. Cuth He cureth two of the Plague sacrament of Confirmation to such as had not yet receaued it whē in the midest of all behould there came some woemen to him carrying a youth grieuously infected with the plague humbly desiring the helpe of his holy prayers benediction by vertue of which presently he restored that diseased person to perfect health whose disease had allreadie giuen the foile to all the skill of phisick But hauing receaued his holy benediction he whose weaknes was carried thither walked home with the rest in health and iollitie In like manner he cured an other child dying of the plague by giuing him a kisse and making the signe of the Crosse vppon him And by vertue of the same Crosse he turned water into wine But we should neuer haue an endyf we rehearse all his vertues in particular XIV THEREFORE hauing exercised the office and dignitie of a Bishop for the space of two yeares with an admirable applause both He leaueth his Bishoprick and returne to the desert of holines and miracles foreseeing by the spiritt of prophesie that the hower of his death was at hand he resigned vp his pastorall charge and withdrew him self againe to the beloued habitation of his solitarie and eremiticall life there to consume with the flames of his auncient compunction whatsoeuer staines he had contracted in the managing of his worldly care and charge At that time of his departure being demaunded by one of his ancient monks when they should hope for his returne He answeared When you shall carrie my bodie hither And hauing passed ouer allmost two moneths in the great ioy of his recouered quietnes bruising his mind and bodie with the rigour of his accustomed peanance being taken with a sudden infirmitie he began through the fiers of a temporall grief to prepare his way to the sweet ioies and refreshments of eternall happines Three weekes togeather he was continually afflicted with sicknes vppon a wednsday he fell first into his disease and vppon a wednsday he died But what sore grieuances he endured all this time as well by his sicknes as the infernall spirits it is not easie to expresse especially for the space of fiue daies in which being destitute of all humane helpe and companie he was not able to mooue out of the place and being tormented with an extremitie of thirst he had nothing wherewith to refresh him self and quench it but one poore onion of which in those fiue dayes space he had scarse consumed the one half Then he desired his brethren to burie him in the same Iland of Farne on the East side of his Oratorie nere vnto a Crosse which him self had there erected but being ouercome with the vehement persuasions and earnest entreaties of the monks of Lindisfarne with much difficultie he consented they should burie him in their Church And at the same time a monk which only touched Touching the holy Bishop cureth the bloudie fluxe his bodie as he assisted him in his sicknes was cured of an otherwise incurable disease of the blouddie fluxe At length coming to the extremitie of his infirmitie which scarse allowed him strength to speake he began to bid his last adiew to his brethren earnestly recommending vnto them the obseruance of mutuall peace and charitie the care of keeping hospitalitie and aboue all things he strictly chardged them to remaine in the vnitie of the Church and in noe sort to haue anie communication with those who contrarie to the rites and custom of the same Catholick Church swearued from the Scismaticques must be auoyded true obseruance of Easter and he wished that they should rather leaue their monasterie and goe seek an habitation where it should please God to direct them then to vnite with such who like Schismaticks celebrated the feast of Easter at a wrong time Moroeuer endeauour most diligently sayd he to learne and obserue the Catholick statuts of our forefathers and particularly be verie carefull to follow those institutions of regular life which by my meanes the diuine goodnes hath voutchafed to bestow vppon you For His departure and buriall I know allthough in the iudgement of some I haue liued contemptibly yet after my death it will appeare what manner of man I haue bin and how my doctrine is not to be contemned With these and such like words this holy man hauing exhorted his dolefull brethrē and the night following hauing armed him self with the Sacred Viaticum of our Lords bodie lifting vp his hands and eyes towards heauen he yeelded vp his Blessed soule to the euerlasting ioies of heauen the twentith day of March in the yeare of our Lord 698. as sayth Baronius but 687. according to Sigebert His Sacred bodie was brought to Lindisfarne and there receaued by the conuent of Monks singing the prayles of allmightie God and with the resounding notes thereof it was buried with great solemnitie in S. PETERS Church in a coffin of stone on the right side of the aultar where with working of new miracles he witnessed the greatnes of the glorie and fauour he enioyed before the face of allmightie God XV. THERE was a child soe vehemently oppressed tormented by A Child miraculously dispossossed by the merit◠of S. Cuthbert the deuil that noe prayers nor exorcismes could worke anie good towards his deliuery from that wicked guest vntill a priest hauing compassion on his dolefull parents tooke some of that earth whereon the water was shed wherewith S. CVTHBERTS bodie was
learning a rare thing in their sex they writt manie spirituall and consolatorie workes which enuious time hath suffered to perish but some epistles of theirs and specially one to S. ALCVINE and his answer therevnto are extant amongst his workes The inscription of his to them is thus To the most noble in holines of Christian religion the most deuoted to the studie of wisedome the two Virgins consecrated to God Gisla his sister and RICTRVDE his daughter the humble Brother and Father ALCVINE wisheth the health of perpetuall Blessednes At length these holy Virgins after the long exercise of vertue and good workes est this world toreceiue the crowne of their virginitie in heauen amongst that glorious quire of other holy Benedictine Nunnes They florished about the yeare 770. in the raigne of Alrick King of Kent Thus much we haue taken out of Nicholas Harpsfield soec 8. c. 6. Arnould Wion Iohn Pitts de scrip Aug. an 770. and others S. GVTHLACVS MONACHVS ET EREMITA ORD S. Benedicti April 11. 〈◊〉 f. The life of S. GVTHLAKE Priest and Anacherite of the holy order of S. Benedict APR. 11. Written by Felix a Benedictin monk of Croyland THE WORTHIE seruant of IESVS-CHRIST Saint GVTHLAKE borne of noble parents Guthlakes Parents Pâ—nwald and Tecta descended lineally from the royall stemme of the Mercian Kings but he ennobled his princely progeniture with the nobilitie and spendour of religion and vertues Which his future excellencie and incomparable vertue a strainge and admirable presage seemed to make knowne and A strange apparition at his abyrth manifest at his verie byrth For the same hower that his mother lay in child-bed of this holy offspring a fayre yellow hand as it were of a man appeared by the crosse which stoodâ— opposite to her house casting forth wonderfull beames of brightnes And when the poeple of the countrey flocked togeather in great troupes to behould that miraculous apparition the same hand made the signe of the Crosse on the house doore of the labouring woeman presently vanished A happy signe precursour of his birth foreshewing that in his life time he should allwaies carrie in his bodie the peanance of Christs holy crosse But the multitude of poeple much astonished amazed at this vnacustomed spectacle began as the manner is with diuers and doubtfull opinios to wauer in their sundrie expositions of that diuine miracle the greatest part affirming that surely it betokened some great heauenly misterie when the mid wiue came forth with newes that the child for whose sake that wonder appeared was borne In baptisme he was named GVTHLAKE and during the time of his childhood he appeared to beare in a cleere louing countenance soe gratefull and acceptable a grace that his sole looks were of force sufficient to purchase loue in the minds hearts of all men II. AT THE age of twentie fower yeares he began verie hotly to follow and practise the noble acts of militarie discipline to defend him self and his whole race against the aduersaries which tooke head against them and being sett forth in warlick ornaments and hauing mustered togeather some troupes of souldiers he began cruelly to He giueth him self to the warres in his youth inuade his enemies to besiege to wâ—es to ouerthrow castles in soemuch that out of his worthie deeds of armes he purchased to him self manie titles trophies and monuments of fame throughout the countrey But in the midest and heate of all this crueltie he was not soe farre corrupted with a desire of militarie glorie but euen in that blouddie kind of life he gaue some fignes of true pietie for oftentimes he would restore back the third part of his spoiles to those he had vanquished thereby ouercoming his enemies the second time with curtesie as before he had done with the sword At leÌ„gth calling to mind by a diuine inspiration the lamentable ends of manie great kings and princes of his ancestors and considering that the secular pompe of the world is but as a puffe of smoake and a vapour quickly vanishing and remembring the shortnes of mans daies the vneertaintie of his death the terrour of his departure out of this life the seueritie of Gods tribunall and the eternitie of the paines in the life to come he resolued to giue ouer that course of life and calling his fellow souldiers togeather he bad them adiew in these words Hitherunto my deare friends I haue waged warre in the regiment of the worlds vanities froÌ„ hence forth I am determined to beare armes only vnder the ensignes of IESVS-CHRIST our true and dearest captaine Choose your selues an other leader whose colours ye may follow for I will follow the banner of our Lords holy Crosse sainctified in his pretions bloud And noe reasons nor prayers being able to turne him from this pious resolution he cast of his martiall armes and went to the famous monasterie of Benedictin monkes at Ripendown in the Kingdom of Mercia where hauing taken the habitt He becometh a Benedictine monk of a monk vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT he entred into a verie strict and seuere manner of life depriuing him self not only of the superfluous but allmost of the necessarie vse of meate drinke and sleepe The Psalmes himnes and other knowledge of holy scripture he learned with a wonderfull facilitie within the space of two yeares He was of a pleasant couÌ„tenance humble in his behauiour and gate religious and full of the feare of God in his workes coÌ„stant in fayth His manner of life in the monasterie perseuerant in hope abounding in charitie prouidet in his counsell and verie circomspect mild in his words And liuing amongst his brethren he imitated the diligent laborious bee which auoyding all infectious weeds sucks whatsoeuer is good and profitable out of all the sweet flowers round about and brings it to her hiue For as he highly detested all manner of vice soe he striued and endeuoured with a great contention of mind to expresse in him self not only one but all the good manners and vertues of those with whom he liued Therefore whatsoeuer was excellent or notable in each of theÌ„ he heaped it all to him self the learning of one the continencie of an other this mans pacience the others submission humilitie the silence of some the strict diet of others and their night and day watchings and in a word he ranked into him self alone a goodly traine or lift of all others vertues and pious actions III. Now when he had made good triall of him self for the space of two yeares and shewed a worthie example of vertue and holines in that excellent schoole of religion he beganne to aspire His desire of a solitarie life to a higher manner of perfection being taken with a wonderfull desire of an eremiticall and solitarie life Therefore hauing communicated his purpose with his Abbott and brethren with their good leaue and well-wishes he was dismissed to his
hissing of serpents the neighing of horses the howling of wolues the roaring of lions the braying of asses the groning of beares the grunting of swine and diuers other most horrid noises which furiously encompasled him Against all which he vsed as braue patience and vertue as in times past those He confoundeth the deuils that assault him famous Ermites of Egipt so much praysed by S. HIEROM S. ATHONIE S. HILLARION and others and not long since our most worthie and memorable S. CVTHBERT in the Iland of Farne For being besieged as is aforesayd he armed him self with the signe of the holy Crosse saying It is in vaine Satan for thee to tempt me our Lord is my assistance and I will despise mine enemies It this the similitude of the Most-High which in times past thou wouldest assume to thy self in heauen art thou he who theÌ„ through pride didst aspire to the forme and liknes of God him self and now dost vilely and filthyly transforme thy self into the vglie shapes of brute and vncleane beasts Verely thou dost persecute CHRISTS poore seruants to thy owne great domage for by how much the more thou endeauourest to build vpon their backs by soe much the more resplendent crownes of glorie thou heapest on their heads to thyne owne confusion But turne into what shape thou wilt I am certaine that nether death nor Rom. 3. life nor angels nor powers nor principalities nor anie other creature shall be able to seperate me from the charitie and â—oue of God With these and such like words he putt to flight all those troupes of infernall monsters and euer after he not only ouercame all their hellish delusions plotts and sleights but allsoe gott absolute power and commaund ouer them as his slaues VII THEREFORE those wicked spiritts seeing they could not preuaile against him with their owne practises of mischief they incensed a clergiman that liued vnder his spirituall rules and gouernment called Bertheline with a wicked cogitation and temptation secretly to murder his holy master thereby to enioy as it were by inheritance that little house whatsoeuer else belonged vnto him But Bertilines He seeth the wicked practises of Berteline impious meaning being reuealed vnto the Sainct he sent for him and discouered vnto him all his secret counsels purposes to witt where when and by what meanes he had determined to execute that bloudie exploit Who presently falling prostrate at the holy mans feet with repeÌ„tant teares humbly craued obtained pardon euer after he was verie faythfull to S. GVTHIAKE remayned with him vntill death and had the honour to lay him in his graue Furthermore whilst he liued in this solitude his excellent counsell was ven profitable vnto manie for the good both of soule and bodie being famous allsoe for expelling deuils and curing diuers corporall diseases Manie things done a farre off he saw and declared as present and by the spirit of prophesie he foretould manie things to come long time before they happened He liued in this solitarines for the space of fifteen yeares in which time all his actions words and ininwardest His vertues in this solitarines cogitations breathed nothing else but sweet odours of pietie towards God and peace and charitie towards men Noe man euer saw him giue the lest signes of pride of mind or make the lest shew of anger in his countenance but in both he allwaies obserued one self-same setled and vnremoued constancie His aspect euer calme and quiet curteous and affable in his speech very prudent in giuing counsell of a singular humilitie of mind and a wonderfull continencie in his diett cloathing all things But allbeit the greatnes of the labours and afflictions whereunto he exposed him self in The loue of God ouercometh all difficulties this desert seeme after a manner to exceede all humane strength and power yet out of his immense loue to allmightie God and the allmost vndoubted and tried hope of future glorie they seemed verie light and pleasant vnto him All which God the only crowne of his saincts and their labours did wonderfully asswage and moderate with manie externe and interne consolations when besides others allreadie named the fowles of the ayre and fishes of the waters were seruicable and obedient to his commaunds and twise a day after he had been two yeares in the Ermitage morning and euening he He discour seth with an Angell deserued to intermingle most heauenly and vnexplicable discourses with an Angel which a little before his death being coniured thereunto him self confessed to Berteline who before had often heard him discourse but knew not with whom VIII IN the meane time he was visitted in this rude place by manie He is made Priest He coÌ„forteth King Ethelbald and ore relleth the restitution of his kingdom greate men by Hedda bishop who promoted him much against his will to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood by Ethelbald theÌ„ a banished man afterwards King of the Mercians who coming often to receaue some comfort in affliction from S. GVTHLAKE had great confidence by his prayers to be deliuered from the bloud-seeking hands his enemies Nether did his hope deceaue him for the holy man with the efficacie of his good counsell not only gaue new courage to his mind allmost quite ouerthrowne with sorrow and afflict ion bâ— allsoe by a propheticque spiritt foretould that through his prayers he should obtaine his kingdom and glorie againe and that his enemie had not long to line Only sayd he be mindfull that when allmightie God shall haue done well for thee thou be not vngratefull A certaine Abbot allsoe that came to visitt S. GVTHLAKE had giuen leaue to two of his clearks fayning some necessarie busines to goe to a village hard by where in a widdowes house they most wickedly gaue themselues to the works of gluttonie dronkennes and dishonestie In the meane time all their actions were reuealed to the holy man who tould the Abbot where they were what they sayd and did as distinctly as yf he had feene them The Abbot returning to his monasterie tould his clerkes where they had been with all other circumstances of words and works that had past whereby being much ashamed they humbly craued pardon for their fault IX A noble man belonging to the foresayd King Ethelbald and a yong man of Eastanglia both violently vexed and possessed by the He freeth two possessed persons deuill but the later soe extremely that he was madd allsoe in soe much that he would sett vppon all that came neere him with stones and staues and whatsoeuer else he could lay hould on whereby he slew three men that sought to bind him nether in his furie did he spare his owne bodie for with his teeth and nayles he would teare his flesh in peeces At length hauing been led by his friends to manie holie places all in vaine he was brought to S. GVTHLAKE who by a triduall perseuerance in fasting and
prayer springling him with holy See the vertue of fasting and prayer water draue away all power of the deuill and restored him safe and sound to his friends The other was freed by gyrding him self with S. GVTHLAKES Gyrdle About the same time the venerable Abbesse Eaburga sent a leaden coffin with a fine linnen shrowd to S. GVTHLAKE humbly and earnestly entreating him to permitt his bodie to be buried therein after his death desiring withall to vnderstand He foretelleth his successour who should succeed him in his hermitage The holy man vnwillingly receauing the present sent her word back that his successour was as yet a Heathen who shortly hauing receaued the sacramet of baptisme should inhabite that place as it came to passe for one called Cissa after his decease receaued the fayth of CHRIST and became his successour X. AT length the day of his death drawing neere he called Bertelinâ— vnto him And now sayd he my deare sonne I am goeing to receaue the rewards of my labours I desire to be dissolued to raigne He foreseeth his owne death with CHRIST my beloued Lord and Sauiour And after manie speeches he enioyned him to salute his sister Pega in his name entreate her to come to the buriall of his bodie I haue sayd he auoided her sight hitherunto in this mortall life that more securely we may enioy one and other in the immortall And as he pronounced these and manie other words full of pietie and consolation soe great a sweetnes proceeded from his mouth that Bertheline seemed to smell like flowers of roses scattered in the ayre or the distilled liquour of baulme But allmightie God as he had adorned him liuing in this world with manie worthie fauours and benefitts as well for his owne as for the health of others soe at the verie hower of his death after his departure he made him famous to the world with manie singular graces For falling sick the wendsday before Easter and departing this life the seauenth day following allbeit his forces were His denotion in his sicknes weake yet he forced him self beyond his weakenes to celebrate the dreadfull sacrifice of our sauiours Passion at the aultar on Easter day And from midnight vntill the morning before he died a bright shining light encompassed the little house where he lay At sunrising hauing strengthened him self againe with the viaticum of our Lords sacred bodie he spake to his faythfull disciple Berteline saying The His death time is come my deare sonne wherein I must passe to CHRIST lifting vp his hands and eyes to heauen he yeelded vp his most pure soule to receaue her reward in the heauenly paradise of all puritie the eleauenth day of Aprill When at the verie instant Berteline saw as it were a fierie tower reaching from heauen downe to the earth the brightnes whereof was soe wonderfull that the pale sunne might enuie soe great a lustre And the whole Iland seemed to be spread all ouer The Angels 〈◊〉 at his buriall with a most pleasant sweet smell of heauenly odours whilst the Angels them selues were heard to sing melodious tunes of ioy to the honour and encrease of his glorie In the meane time his godly sister Pega reioycing more then can be expressed at soe great glorie of her brother buried his holy bodie with great reuerence in his owne oratorie and at his buriall a blind man washing his eyes with the water whereinto was putt some salt hallowed before by S. GVTHLAKE receaued perfect sight XI HE DIED at the age of fortie seauen yeares at fower and twentie he begaÌ„ to follow the warres eight yeares he remayned in that fierce His bodie is found vncorrupted life and fifteene yeares he liued in the seruice of God in the desert But a yeare after his death his sister desiring togeather with manie other reuerend and holy Priests to translate his bodie to a more decent and eminent place they found him most whole and entier more like a man asleepe then dead For all the ioynts of his bodie were flexible agile as yf the humours had runne through the veines by force of the vitall spiritts and all the cloathes he was wrapped in were as fresh and fayre as the first day they were layd in Then the bodie was honourably placed in a tombe aboue ground with great ioy reuerence deuotion of all But the exiled King Ethelbald spoken off before hauing vnderstood the death of the holy man came in mornefull manner to the sepulcher where powring out manie teares he complayned that now he was truely left forsaken desolate more theÌ„ euer humbly desiring the Blessed Sainct by his meritts and intercession to obtaine his deliuerance out of those miserable afflictions Vnto whom S. GVTHLAKE appeared one night incoÌ„passed with resplendent bcames of glory coÌ„maunding him to sett aside all He appeareth to king Ethelbald care for that verie shortly all things would succeed according to his owne desire Which prophesie was not spoken in vaine for within a yeare his aduessarie died and he was restored againe to the free possession of his kingdome XII IN THE meane time S. GVTHLAKES tomb beganne to florish with wonderfull miracles for as manie faythfull Christians as came thither to demaund helpe in their necessities through his meritts intercession were not frustrate of their desire Nether was Ethelbald being restablished in his kingdome vnmindfull of his beloued Patrone For in the same place he built a goodly Church and a monasterie for the Benedictine Monks enriched it with abundant rents King â—thelbald buil 〈…〉 a the Benedictin Abbey of Croâ—â—and and reuenewes which was after called the Abbey of Crowland And in the same Church he erected a verie sumptuous and rich tombe ouer his sacred bodie Where allthough the place were full of fennes and marshes being seated betweene the riuer Nine the I le of Elie that it could not be come at but by boate yet that house was allwaies most opeÌ„ to the hospitalitie of all men in soe much that it â—as honoured with the litles of bountie ciuilitie and curtesie euen to the leter times Afterwards manie other kings and Princes endowed Jngulphus Hist Croiland the same monasterie with allmost innumerable riches and reuenews as appeareth by the history of Jngulphus a MoÌ„k of the same Abbey In which allsoe it is to be noted and not without cause that in all the variable chainge and declining of the times in soe long and furious an outrage of the Danes which ruined all such other monasteries this remayned allwaies inhabited allbeit the Church and other buildings were quite ruined and burnt with fier For in that time when the barbarous Danes spoyled wasted and robbed all the Monasteries of England the Abbot of Crowland called Theodore vnderstanding of their neere-approching ruine and threatned destruction sent all the yong monkes to the number of thirtie with the riches and reliques of S. CVTHLAKE and others
S. DVNSTAN Archbishop of Canturbury perceauing had recourse to the refuge of prayer making an humble suplication to the all-foreseeing wisedome of God to voutchafe to shew whom his diuine maiestie iudged worthy for the gouernment of that Church And as he deuoutly and often repeated ouer his prayers S. ANDREW the Apostle appeared to him with these words Why art thou soe sad why doest make such lamentable complaints Arise and place the Abbot ELPHEGVS in the vacant Episcopall sea of that desolate Church Nether let anie contrarie power withstand thee in this for not from anie man but from God him self this sentence of him hath proceeded And left thou distrust anie thing in mee know that I am He is made Bishop the yeare 984. ANDREW the Apostle of IESVS-CHRIST and a most faythfull guardian of thy health and saluation DVNSTAN much encouraged herewith consecrated Blessed ELPHEGVS bishop as he was commaunded and sent him honourably to the sea of Winchester IV. BEING installed in that sacred dignitie he soe wisely framed and The seueritie of his life conformed him self to the manners and humours of all men that he became most beloued of all and which is rare among mortals noe man enuied at his glorie He was most mercifull vnto all others but to him self he appeared most cruell and seuere For in the verie dead time of winter amidest the frost and snow at midnight when all his poeple lay buried vnder the heauines of sleepe he was wont secretly to rise out of his bed and goe out barefooted with one single garment See the holy mans wonderfull â—eannes a bout him to busie him self at his prayers and meditation till morning In his diet he was soe extreÌ„ly sparing that he would rise froÌ„ table all most as emptie as he sate downe wheÌ„ce it came to passe that his bodie was taken downe to such a low degree of leannes that wheÌ„ at Masse he eleuated the holy sacrament the cleernes of the light might be seene through the ioynts in the palmes of his hands He knew how to temper fashion his mind and speech to all kind of men He permitted none of his diocessans to beg publickly froÌ„ doore to doore nether did he suffer the poore of other places to depart without an almes iudging it an vnreafonable horrible offence for a man to vsurpe that as a propertie of his owne which nature ordayned to be common to all Wherefore he carefully maintayned that he was noe true member of our Lords bodie that did not succour the necessities of the poore For yf when one member of the bodie is in paine the rest out of a coÌ„passioÌ„ doe not suffer with it it is manifest that that is not a member of the same bodie which in the suffrance of an other is not disposed to compassion But when those meanes were exhausted which by right of the Church belonged to the maintenance of the poore he caused the manie treasures which he had layd vp for that purpose to be distributed amongst them giuing posteritie a lesson hereby that Churches were endowed with store of riches to serue in time of plentie for an ornament and in time of want for profitt V. BVT when that worthie Pillar of our English Church S. DVNSTAN perceaued death to be at hand and feared by the succession of some wicked person the coming of trouble into the Church which now was well setled in peace and tranquillitie he sollicited with manie prayers the diuine mercle that he might haue Eâ—PHEGVS his successour in the sea of Canturbury His petition was heard in the holy court of heauen and a graunt promised allbeit the promise were not straight fullfilled Which perchance was deferred that more cleerly it might appeare vnto the world how highly S. DVNSTAN was beloued of God who soe truelie performed a long time after his death that which he promised in his life time and that S. ELPHEGVS might fall into such times as should aduance him to the glorious crowne of martyrdome Therefore in the yeare of our lord 1006 and from the coming of the English into Britalne 578. S. ELPHEGVS in the two fiftith yeare of his age when he had gouerned the sea of Winchester twentie two He is made Archbishop of Cant urburie yeares was raysed to the Archiepiscopal dignitie of CaÌ„turbury Who trauayling towards Rome to obtaine his Palle as he entred to lodge in a certaine towne by the way the townsmen perceauing him to be a straÌ„ger being verie greedie of their owne gaine brake into his lodging robbed him of what he had with stripes coÌ„pelled him poore bare as he was to gett out of their towne Which Iniuries man bearing away with patience only a little grieued for his companies sake returned the same way as he came When he had not gone farr from thence but horrible cries were heard from the walls which proclaimed the sudden ruine of the whole towne For an outrageous flame layd hould of the buildings which furiously began to consume all to ashes and seeing it still soe vehemently â—ncreasing that there was scarse anie hope of escaping a generall destruction suspecting that it might be a punishment for that rude violation of hospitalitie they ranne after the holy man humbly coÌ„fessing their fault and desiring pardon The sainct present taking compassion on their miserie made his prayers to allmightie God He receaneth his pall of Pope Iohn the 19 and these horrible flames were presently extinguished and their furie ceased Therefore his goods being restored be happily ended the rest of his iourney and returned againe into England with his Palle And being setled in the Metropolitan sea of Canturburie he excellently performed whatsoeuer belonged to the dignitie and function of a good bishop The vertue of chastitie commaunded soe high a seate in his soule that noe man in his hearing durst bring forth a word anie way drawing to obscenitie nor as much as relate anie dishonest storie He was the comfort of the poore the relieuer of the oppressed and the sole refuge of the afflicted VI. BVT ô the variable condition and inconstant state of this world The holy man had gouerned his Church but fower yeares The Danes spoyle England These miseries were reâ—ealed to S. Dâ—nstan long before when behould two Danish Princes called Swane and Turkill entred into England vsing great outrage in some parts thereof as a punishment for the poeples sinnes But Swane being by the secret disposition of god terribly slaine Turkill hauing obtained the principalitie of a wicked inheritance wasted and spoiled manie Prouinces in England with fier and sword For king Etheldred being a weake impotent man not giuen to warlick affayres made shew in his actions rather of a monk then a souldier and the people of the Countrey corrupted with the possession of their riches and tied to their owne pleasures thought nothing honourable but the sole priuate commoditie of their owne bodies Therefore euerie one
the way to purchase a crowne by flying out of the lists of the battle Or how can he glorie in the prize of the victorie who would not runne to the end of the race To whom when the bishop had answeared that he did not flie but obeyed the commaund of heauens messenger This was not a message from God replied the other but a false inuention of the deuils malice who did not soe much desire to educe thee out of prison as to seduce thee being out For he is shrewdly netled with the pious workes of thy life past and to see thee allwaies enioy the present consolation of the holy Ghost in all thy afflictions whose presence giueth constancie to all men constancie getts victorie and victorie purchaseth euerlasting glorie Returne theÌ„ to the place deputed to thee from aboue to obtaine thee a crowne and know that to morrow our heauenly father will honour thee in heauen with that eternall happines to liue with his sonne for euer XII Now that Sainct ELPHEGVS was brought back to the Againe he is cruelly tormented place of his triall with great ioy he expected the hower wherein he should receaue the crowne of martirdom But being come neere to the prison gate he was apprehended by a troupe of those butchers who hauing cruelly beaten him with stripes and hurt his braine with greuious blowes vppon the head lockt him vpp in a prison allmost half dead where euery hower of the night they cast on a fier made of purpose whatsoeuer they could imagine would yeeld the filthiest stink and smoake to annoy the holy man in that close roome But a good part of the night being past the gates of heauen opened and those glorious spirits began to be compartners in The Saincts come to visitt him his suffrings and to breath forth the sweet odours of eternall life resounding with their melodious voyces himmes of celestiall ioy and melodie Whom as S. ELPHEGVS heard and considered to the great comfort of his painfull soule he beheld saint DVNSTAN late Archbishop of Canturbury glorious in countenance and habitt asisting amongst them who stretching forth his hand spake to him in these words To thee ô Inuincible Champion of our eternall King to honour thee with our dutie we come sent from him who hath graunted thee victorie ouer thine enemies and prepared thee an euer-florishing crowne in heauen Behould what companie thou shalt perpetually enioy after this mortall life the citizens of our heauenly Hierusalem and the most glorious domestiks of God yf thou ouercome with patience what remaines to be suffered for the loue of CHRIST For we haue beheld the manifold labours of the cittie the burning of the Churches the slaughter of our children thy chaines and reproches and the redoubling of thy torments after benefitts bestowed vppon them Armed then with the power of heauen doe thou willingly vndergoe what remaines knowing that the suffrances of this time are not Rom. 8. wort ie of the future glorie which shall be reuealed in vs. For the time of torment is but one day and that a short one too but that of rewarde is infinite and without anie end Take good courage then and fight manfully to obtaine the eternall glory promised to those that for the loue of God ouercome the world At these words those glorious spirits vanished XIII IN THE meane time his fetters chaines fell off and all his sores All his wounds are healed miraculously and wounds were perfectly healed When it was an excellent sight to behould ELPHEGVS singing with those heauenly quiristers and reioycing amongst their ioyes But the next morning had noe sooner made a glorious shew of a good meaning but he was led out of prison with an armed band of souldiers and carried ca horseback to receiue his sentence before the iudgement seate of impious tiranny Where this choise was giuen him Eyther pay gould for thy ransom or this day thou shalt be made a miserable spectacle to the world I offer you answeared he with an vndaunted courage the gould of diuine wisedom which warnes you to leaue the vanitie you His indgement loue soe dearly and turne the whole care and endeuour of your minds to the true seruice of the only liuing God which diuine counsell soe oâ—en proposed yf yet obstinately yee despise to follow yee will perish by a worle death then euer Sodom did nether shall you or your succession take anie long-during roote in this land At these words those officers of hell leaped furiously vppon him and hauing beaten him with their halberds to the ground they began to lay aâ— him with stones and whatsoeuer else came to hand Whilst he being gott vppon his knees powred out this prayer to allmightie God O IESVS-CHRIST only sonne of the eternall father who camest into this world through the womb of the imaculate Virgin MARIE to saue sinners receiue my soule in peace and haue mercie on these my tormentors with that he was stricken flatt to the ground but rising againe he went on O good Pastour O only Pastour defend the children of thy Church which with a dying voice I recommend vnto thy diuine care Then one called Thrum whom the day before he had confirmed ranne violently vppon him and with a cruell blow fastened his mercilesse axe in his sacred head whereby that conquering spiritt was sett at libertie to receaue a glorious and triumphant crowne of martirdom in heauen But the Princes of the Danes desiring to hide the wickednes of their owne fact and darken the lustre of the Martirs glorie decreed to drowne He goeth to heauen a martir his dead bodie in the riuer supposing thereby that the foulnes of their crime would soe much the more easily be kept close by how much the more the memorie of the Sainct was blotted out of the minds of the poeple But what the Danes intended for his reproche CHRIST turned to his glorie For all that multitude of poeple which by his preaching had renounced their errours stood vp in armes for his defence choosing rather to accompanie him in death then to suffer his dead bodie by whose meanes while it liued they had receaued the ablution of life to be buried in the vnsatiable A controsie about his bodie gulph of the waters Therefore that sacred relique being a cause of controuersie betweene two poeple of disageeing opinions remayned vnburied and vndrowned But the consellours of both parties meeting in the euening with the force of reason to decide the cause of that contention it was concluded by common consent of both sides ioyntly to make intercession to the Sainct him self that yf he were of anie power or estimation before the face of allmightie God he would shew the strength of his authoritie in the decision of this doubtfull question Behould sayd the impious Danes a bough cutt from its nourishing stock depriued both of barke and moisture yf this embrewed in ELPHEGVS his bloud shall appeare the next
morning florishing in the greene weeds of summer it shall be graunted that we haue putt to death a iust and holy man and you shall haue power to burie him with as much honour as you please But yf this wood remaine drie and withered as now it is it shall be lawfull for vs to say that you haue been blind in your affection towards him and it shall be in our power to dispose of his bodie as we think best XIV THE condition being willingly accepted on both sides to A notable miracle the end it might manifestly appeare to the world that S. ELPHEGVS his death was not a death but a beginning of a better life that withered branch in the space of one night began to florish and wax greene and allbeit it were planted in the ground but the euening before yet it was found adorned with the greene liueries of spring the next morning Whereuppon their obstinate minds beginning to relent they stroue to preuent one and other with embracing and kissing the dead bodie humbly bowing downe their stubborne necks and bathing his deaths-wounds with the flouds of their repentant tears Therefore his bodie being lifted on the shoulders of his enemies was caried in triumph to the new borne tree as to the florishing trophie of his glorie accompanied in the way with allmost innumerable miracles sent from heauen as testimonies of his cause and goodnes For the sick receaued their health the blind their sight the deafe their hearing the dumb their speech and the Manie miracles lame the perfect vse of their limmes And in a chappell of deuotion built ouer him in the same place manie of the Danish nobilitie became ennobled with the Christian fayth and new borne in the sacred font of baptisme But when the Londoners vnderstood all these passages they obtayned by the meanes of a summe of money which commaunds all things to haue his sacred reliques transported to London where by the hands of the bishops Ednoth of Lincolne and Alfhune of London it was verie honorably interred in the Cathedrall Church of saint PAVL This Blessed Sainct was martired the ninteenth day of Aprill being the saturday after Easterday in the yeare of our Lord one hundred and twelue the seau nth yeare of his bishoprick in Canturburie and fiftie ninth yeare of his age But God the allmightie defender The diuine punishmeÌ„t of his murderers of his seruants shewed soe great examples of reuengefull punishment against the authours of his death that one of the captaines was the blouddie cause of his one death an other cutt his owne throate to auoyde further inconuenience a priest that hid the holy Martirs crosse was crossed out of this life with the sword and one of the same function that presumed to weare the holy Saincts pantafles was before all the poeple cruelly tormented by the deuill And soe horrible a terrour seazed on all the Dauish princes that not daring to trust them selues on the footing of the lands they would needs aduenter their lines at sea immagening there to escape the holy Martirs anger whom the earth could not keepe in safetie from it But they found the sea a farre more implacable element to suffer such impieties for they were noe sooner launched into the deepes but the blustering winds raysed such tumults in those floting Kingdomes that of an hundred and threescore fayle all suffered shipwrack excepting threescore and fiue ships which being driuen to strainge countreys all the men were miserably slaine by the inhabitans who tooke them for spies sent to inuade their dominions But the wicked ringleader of mischief Turkill stayed a while in England to play the Pirate likely at length to become a prey to the damned spiritts XV. FOR NOT long after Canutus King of the Danes came Turkill worthyly punished with a great nauie into England where falling out with Turkill for some wicked and perfidious actions of his he destroyed the whole remnant of his impious adherents and followers and compelled the Captaine him self to flie with six sayle into Denmarke where being suspected by the princes to become an authour of some ciuill dissentions and broiles he was persecuted all ouer the countrey till at length being murdered by the base common poeple his soule was sent to the rewards of her impietie and his bodie throwne into the open fields to be buried in the gutts of rauens and wild beasts But after this Canutus perceiuing his poeple to be continually slaine by the English armie and finding that the neighbourhood of necessitie coÌ„pelled him to think of yeelding he consulted with some of the wisest Englishmen that had fled to him for refuge to knowe what might be the cause of those manie mischances that had befallen him they all with one voyce sayd that it was according to the prophesie of the holy Martir S. ELPHEGVS who in his afflictions by the Danes his predecessours foretould that they should take noe sure roote in the kingdom of England but should perish by a worse death then Sodom Now therefore sayd they yf thou desire to pacifie that holy Sainct during the time of thy raigne promise him that thy affayres succeeding well thou wilt cause his sacred reliques to be honorably transported to his owne archiepiscopall seate of Canturbury and buried Canâ—tus promiseth to trauslate his bodie to Canturbury there amoÌ„gst his predecessours Which promise faythfully made by Canntus hauing within a while obtayned peace after peace the owne half of the kingdom and after the half the whole was as faythfully performed For tenne yeares after the holy martirs death Canutus sent for Egelnoth Archbishop of Canturbury who coming to London weÌ„t directly to the Cathedrall Church of S. PAVL where the king presently gaue him the meeting and declared that the cause why he sent for him was to make vse of his authoritie and counsell in the translation of S. ELPHEGVS his bodie to Canturbury XVI THE Archbishop much amazed at the breath of this proposition answeared that surely his maiestie had not taken mature deliberation and considered sufficiently the reasons and grounds of aduenturing on soe great an enterprise And moreouer that for his part he feared lest he would be torne in peeces by the Londoners who would rather loose their liues then be depriued of soe great a treasure and Patrone And you see sayd he further that we haue here only our selues and two Monks and the stone that couers his monument is of that weight and bignes that some yoake of oxen are scarse able to mooue it But the king armed with the shield of a most inuincible fayth answeared that Gods and the holy Martirs assistance yf that translation were pleasing vnto them would not be wanting in a time of such necessitie Therefore the labour was committed to those two monks one of them was called Alsward in times past of familiar acquaintance A strange mâ—racle with S. DVNSTAN and the other Godrick with Egelnoth now present But for
and the common wealth yf the attempted that iourney And that at his first installement in the Archbishoprick he had bound him self by oath to obserue the lawes and customs of the countrey which forbid goeing Rome without the kings leaue The holy man answered that it was not the part of a Christian prince to cutt of anie He appealeth to the Pope appellation to the Roman sea of PETER and that he had engaged him self to the obseruance of noe other lawes then what stood with the honour of God and good reason When the King and his replied that there had been no mention made eyther of God or Goodnes To which ANSELME O goodly doeings sayd he that shunne the name of God or Goodnes Which words putt all his aduersaries to silence for that time But the kings anger and hatred against him encreased more and more euerie day which allso soe terrified manie of the other bishops that they began openly to forsake their Metropolitan and not to defend his cause although in their hearts they did not vtterly disproue it XIII IN the meane time sainct ANSELME constantly tould the king that notwithstanding all this opposition he would goe to Rome and before his departure prouided that he king would not reiect it he promised to giue him his benediction which done he went to Canturbury where after one dayes stay hauing with an oration He goeth to Rome like a pilgrim full of pietie and affection exhorted his monks to follow the traine of vertue and to putt on the armour of constancie and patience against the imminent dangers that threatned to follow he putt on the habitt of a pilgrim to the great grief of all his friends and especially of the monks of Canturbury and went to take shipping at Douer and with him went Eadmerus a Benedictin monk of Canturbury who writt his life They passed ouer into France to Lions where S. ANSELME was entertayned with wonderfull magnificence and respect by Hugue Archbishop of the place The Pope vnderstaÌ„ding of his being there sent for him to come to Rome with all speed Where he was honoured by all the court and soe highly praysed by the Pope in presence of the Cardinalls and Lords of Rome for his great learning and pietie that the holy man much confounded and ashamed therewith durst not lift vp his eyes before the companie which humilitie made them all iudge him to be an other manner of man in the presence of allmightie God then he appeared by his outside Then he sollicited the Pope in nothing more then to gett leaue to lay aside his Episcopall dignitie for the loue of a priuate life But Pope Vrban would by no meanes graunt his request but aduised him to seiourne a while in a monasterie of Benedictine Monks neere the cittie of Capna where by the prayers of Sainct ANSELME a liuely fountaine of water sprung out of a hard rock which is called A fouÌ„taine out of a Rock by his prayers the Bishop of Canturburys Well and the water cured manie diseases XIV S. ANSELME was present by the commaund of the Pope in the Councell of Bar where he made shew of his knowledge and prudence in the conuincing of the Greeks prouing the holy Ghost to proceed from the father and the sonne as from one Beginning And mention being made in this Councell of king William and of his outrages committed against ANSELME and the Church his crimes appeared soe heynous that all proclaymed him worthie to be cutt off from the Church by the sentence of excommunication had not ANSELME interposed him self and falling on his knees The wonderfull humilitie meeknes of S. Anselme craued a time of respite which with difficultie he obtained And this his meekenes and humblenes of mind gayned him a wonderfull great fauour amongst them all The Pope being returned to Rome is mett by an embassadour from king William to defend the Kings cause against ANSELME who but newly came from playing the part of an aduocate in his behalf And by the importunitie of this embassadour the cause was committed to be heard in a Councell held at Rome where S. ANSELME him self was present and certaine seate was allotted to him and his successors of Canturbury if anie should afterwards chaunce to be present in a Roman Councell And here the Pope by the consent of all the Prelates thundered an excommunication against all lay persons for manie princes at that time were ouer busie in those affayres that intruded them selues in challenging the inuestitures of bishopricks and against all Ecclesiasticks that receaued them at their hands This done ANSELME returned to Lions in France quite hopelesse of coming into England during the raigne of King William Where as he was exercised in his The death oâ— William Rufus accustomed workes of pietie and vertue newes was brought that by the permission of allmightie God his greatest enemie was robbed of his power to hurt him for king William being on hunting the second of August in the midst of his game was shott through the heart with an arrow which gaue a miserable end to his miserable life It is not credible how greatly S. ANSELME was afflicted with this newes and cheefly at the manner thereof professing with manie sighs and teares that he would willingly haue redeemed his vnhappie death with the losse of his owne life XV. HENRY the first of that name and brother to William succeeded who with the great applause of the whole countrey recalled King Henry recalleâ—h S. Anselme S ANSELME into England and endeauoured to gaine his fauour thereby promising togeather with allmost all his Lords and Bishops of the realme that all things should be carried according to his owne liking But when ANSELME was come and the king vnderstoode of the Popes decree made in the sinod of Rome touching the inuestiture of bishopricks he was wonderfully enraged and conceaued soe great hatred against S. ANSELME that vnlesse he would receaue his Archbishoprick as restored vnto him by his only authoritie there should he noe place for him in the kingdome And this ANSELME absolutly refused to doe as being contrarie to the late decree of the Roman Councell Soe that the matter being tossed and disputed a long time to and fro the king at length perswaded him to go to Rome togeather with his Embassadours to gett this act recalled by Pope Pasehall the secoÌ„d who now had succeeded Vrban S. Ansel goeth againe to Rome The holy man to auoyde greater inconueniences vndertooke the iourney foretelling before he went that the Pope would doe nothing contrarie to the libertie and decrees of the Church Neuerthelesse he went and being arriued at Rome was receaued with farre greater honour and respect then euer before Then it was hottly disputed at the Lateran of the kings affayres and manie reasons brought in by William procuratour of the kings cause in defence thereof Who came at length to such a vehemencie and heate in
carried thither where the fier came on with greatest violence Which done this weake man began with his prayers to driue that away against which the force of manie strong labouring hands could not preuayle And suddenly as yf he had been the moderatour and ruler of the winds the wind that blew out of the south and was as the bellowes of those flames chainged into the North and soe constrayned that outragious element to forsake the food which soe eagerly it hunted after and turned it back to feed on its owne ruines whereby the cittie was freed from the imminent perill of ruine and the citizens ascribed the preseruation of them selues and their fortunes to their holy Archbishop MELLITVS who because he vehemently boyled with the fier of diuine loue and was wont by his often prayers and exhortations to driue away the stormes of the ayrie powers from hurting him and his he was found worthie to whom God gaue power to preuayle against the forces of the fiers and winds of this world At length when this Blessed Archbishop whom Trithemius a graue authour in his worke of the famous men of saint BENEDICTS order calls a man of most holy life a lib. 3. cap. 56. lib. 4. cap. 50. contemner of the world a louer of God the rule of all religion and a mirrour of vertue had gouerned the Sea of Canturbury the space of fiue yeares he left this mortall life to â—â—ke his long desired iourney to the immortall the foure and twentith day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord 624. He was buried in the Benedictin Monasterie of saint PETER and saint PAVL in Canturbury by his predecessours And in his Epitaph is made mention of the foresayd miracle of the fier in these two verses speaking to him Laudibus aeternis te predicat vrbs Dorouernis Cui simul ardenti rest as virtute potenti His life we haue gathered chiefly out of saint Bede de gest Ang. lib. 1. cap. 29. lib. 2. cap. 3. 4. sequ Ealred abbot of Rhienall Baronius tom 8. Malmesbury de pont l. 2. the Roman Martirologe Nicholas Harpsfield see 7. cap. 7. Vsuard Ado Arnold wion and others make honourable mention of hiâ—â— The life of S. EGBERT Priest and monke of the holy order of saint BENEDICT APR. 24. Out of Venerable Bede THE admirable master of humilitie and most zealous aduancer of Christs Ghospell saint EGBERT borne of a noble race of English parents in the south parts of England spent the flower of his youth in the monastery of Lindisfarne or Holy-Iland In which schoole of vertue he receaued the first grounds of true religion vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT which afterwards he communicated to other places to the great honour and encrease of the Benedictin order It was the manner in those dayes of manie of our English to goe ouer into Ireland there to apply them selues in a more strict course of holy meditation watching fasting and prayer and other exercises of a monasticall life Amongst the rest holy EGBERT forsaking friends and countrey went thither with a feruent desire to pietie accompanied He goeth into Ireland with an other noble Englishman called Ethelune And huing togeather in Jreland in a monasterie called in Irish Rathmelfigi they were both infected with the plague which at that time mustered whole troupes of poeple vnder the black banner of death When holy EGBERT expecting nothing but to be enrolled in the same number of deaths seruants went one morning out of that mournfull lodging where the sick monks lay expecting their end into a secret and solitarie place where sitting downe to entertayne him self with his owne throughts he beganne to cast vp a strict accompt of his former life wherein he found manie Items whose remembrance begott such contrition in his heart that the teares trickling downe his cheekes were worthy witnesses to prooue it excellent Then in the heate of true deuotion he humbly besought allmightie His petitioÌ„ to Allmigh tie God God to graunt him a litle longer respite in this world as well to bewaile the sinnes of his youth as allsoe more abundantly to exercise him self in the workes of religious perfection vowing withall neuer more to returne into his natiue conntrey of England but to liue a pilgrim all the dayes of his life Moreouer besides his canonicall office he was wont yf sicknes did not hinder him He dayly recited Dauids Psalter to recite euery day the whole psaker of Dauid in honour of allmightie God and to fast one whole day and a night euery weeke without anie food at all But when his prayers had set a periode to his teares and his vowes to his prayers he returned back to his lodging where he found his fellow Edelhune that laboured with the same disease fast asleepe and he him self layd downe his feeble limmes to recreate them a while with rest But long he had not reposed when his companion awaked and looking pittifully vppon him O brother Egbert sayd he what hast thou done I had hoped we should haue gone ioyfully togeather to the Kingdom of heauen but now by thy desire we must be seperated for know that thy request is graunted It had been reuealed vnto him in a vision what EGBERTS request was and that he had had a graunt there of from God II. THE night following Edelhune died happily and EGBERT by a He is miraculously cured of the plague speciall fauour of diuine grace recouering his health afterwards adorned his monasticall vocatioÌ„ with the dignitie of priesthood and â—nnobled that dignitie with worthie actions of vertue and good life Allwaies gouerning him self with the rules of perfect humilitie sweet meeknes pure continencie plaine simplicitte candid innocencie His example of life his labour in teaching his authoritie iâ— reprehending and his liberalitie in bestowing what the charitie of the rich gaue him was of wonderfull great profitt and edification to all the countrey where he liued in voluntarie banishment And His rigid fasting to encrease the austeritie of his owne life he added to the vowes aforesayd to make but one small meale a day throughout all the Lent which was a little bread and a poore quantitie of thinâ—e milke which he did eate cold after it had stoode a whole night and when the creame or fatter substance thereof was skimmed off This manner of fasting he obserued like wise fortie dayes before Christmas and as manie more after Whitsuntide Vppon these well setled foundations and grounds of holines in a short time saint EGBERT raysed a spirituall building of vertues to the very height of monasticall perfection soe that the same of his sainctitie was blowne into the royall eares of Kings of whom some much admired and honoured the man others that contemned his pious admonitions felt the heauie punishment of him that allwaies defends the cause of his true seruants as appeares by that which venerable BEDE recounts of Egfrid King of the Northumbers Who in the
doe worthyly speake his prayses The life of S. ERKENWALD Bishop and Confessor of the holy Order of S. BENEDICT APR. 30. Written by Gotzelinus Morimnensis ABOVT the yeare of CHRIST 676. sayth Baronius the English Church florished as a Paradise of our Lord abounding with the lillies Tom. 8 an 676. of sacred virgins and the violets of whole troupes of holy Benedictin monks lying hidd in the humble valleies of the cloisters It was allsoe fraught with an abundance of most worthie Prelats taken from vnder the vaile of monasticall humilitie to be iâ—â—ested with the Pontificall robes of dignitie among whom sainct ERCONWALD of whom we now treate shined as a bright sunne of the Benedictin familie in all vertue and sainctitie And that nothing might be in him wanting for the making vp of a man in al things most perfect he was ennobled with the splendour of an illustrious parentage being sonne to Offa King of the East-Angles Who allthough he defiled all his princely nobilitie with his owne perfidiousnes and impious worshiping of Idols yet ERKENWALD as the holy branch growne out of a rotten stock amplified and ennobled the greatnes of his race with the true profession of Christian fayth and the aduantage of manie noble vertues For being first grounded in Catholick religion in the time that S. AVGVSTIN our Apostle the Benedictin preached in England he adhered euer after to the doctrine of S. MELLITVS Bishop of London following his precepts and manner of life in all things Till at length desiring to draw him self out of the vanities of this world and wholly to enter into a contemplatiue life in religion out of his owne royall patrimonie he built two monasteries one at Chertsey in Surrey for him self and other monks and the second at Berking in Essex for his sister S. Ethelburg with a conuent of Nunnes both of the holy order of S. BENEDICT And soe he made a happie change of his terrene dignitie and wealth to become the holy inheritance of CHRIST and his Church At Chertsey he putt on the habitt of a Benedictin monke where his vertues soe answered that monasticall profession that Theodore Archbishop of CaÌ„turbury moued with the fame thereof called â—rconwald made bishop of London him to preside in the bishoprick of London This Benedictin Abbey of Chertsey greatly florished in religion till the furie of the Danes who spared no religious houses committed the Church with the Abbot and monks thereof to the mercilesse power of the fier But the incomparable prince King Edgar whom the peculiar prouidence of allmightie God ordayned the great aduancer of the Benedictin order not content with the new monasteries which by him self and others he caused to be built in diuerse parts of England vnlesse he repayred the ould restored the Abbey of Chertsey to its former splendour and dignitie searching out the auncient writings and Charters by the testimonie and power whereof he recalled the goods and possessions that thereunto belonged out of the hands of manie noblemen which eyther by force or the power of antiquitie had holden them as their owne rights II. BVT let vs returne to sainct ERKENWALD who now seated in the Episcopall sea of London soe worthyly discharged himself of that function that he omitted nothing belonging to the dutie and prayse of an absolute good pastour being a man of soe great vertue that his working of manie miracles the vnresistable witnesses of holines deposed him and his seruice to be most acceptable and pleasing to allmigtie God Being fallen soe Note a strange miracle sick and weake towards the end of his daies that he could not visitt his diocesse to preach and teach to the poeple but carried in a litle waggon one of the wheeles and it had but two it is vncertaine by what chance happened to fall off the beame when to the wonderfull great admiration of all the assistants the waggon went on vppon one wheele the other side being sustayned by the diuine power of him that wheeles about the frame of this world for the declaration of the great vertue and holines of the holy bishop that was carried And herein the ayre seemed to attend this holy man supplying the want of that wheele and by the touching of the same waggon manie sick persons after the holy mans death were cured of feauers and other diseases which human skill had giuen vp for incurable The water allsoe obeyed A great riuer giues way to his passage him when in the same waggon being to passe through a most swift riuer too deepe for his humble coach to wade in the curresie of those streames was soe great that they stopped the violence of their owne furious hast and expected till the sainct like an other Josue passed through on the drie bottom and then the riuer which all this while had made as it were a collection or vniting of its owne forces more lowdly to proclaime and roare out the prayses of the vertue and holines of the glorious Bishop Sainct ERKENWALD ranne in his accustomed and wonted manner The hower of his death reâ—ealed III. AT LENGTH when he had gouerned his bishoprick for the space of manie yeares in the continuall exercise of vertue and holy life the blessed man goeing for his deuotion to the monasterie of Berking and staying there some time in the continuall exercise of diuine contemplation it pleased allmightie God to reueale vnto him the hower of his departure which he truely foretould and to the last gaspe comforted all that were about him with the words of life that flowed from his dying voyce And at the very instant that his blessed sould left her house of clay and miserie to flie to the glorious dwellings of the happie soe sweet an odour filled the whole house where the body lay that the hearts of all the assistants were wonderfully stirred vp in the prayse of allmightie God and deuotion towards this holy sainct The newes of his death being spread abroad the Clergie and His bodie is translated to LoÌ„don poeple of London came to Barking to fetch theÌ„ce the sacred reliques of their bishop to burie them solemnly in sainct PAVLS Church But coming with their holy loading to a riuer called Hesord they found the waters encreased and swelled to such greatnes that they were faine to lay downe their sacred treasure and fall to their prayers to obtaine passage by the meritts of the glorious sainct which otherwise was vnpossible without a boate When behould to their great admiration and comfort the water which in his life time had giuen A strange miracle him free passage now allsoe diuided it self into two parts that like vnto the Israelites loaden with the Arke of our Lord they passed drie foote through the midst of the riuer And that noe sooner done but an other miracle followed for the candles by his bodie which had been extinguished were suddenly lighted without mans help by a light from heauen Soe that two elements
is made bishop of Lindisfarne of the Benedictine familie Great S. CVTHBERT in the gouernment of the same Episcopall sea In which dignitie he most worthyly discharged the office of a good prelate exactly obseruing withall the rigour and seueritie of monasticall discipline He was wont to spend the whole time of lent and fortie daies before the natiuitie of our Lord in a secret place seperated from his Church where he exercised him self in the continuall practise of prayer contemplation and bitter penance with all other religious vertues And this was the same place in which his excellent predecessour S. CVTHBERT had for a time led a solitarie life before he went to the Island of Farne The eleuenth yeare after the deposition of the neuer-enough named S. CVTHBERT when the monks of Lindissarne opening His death and buriall his graue had found his bodie vncorrupted as is sayd in his life the twentith of March they brought part of his cloathes to saint EADBERT then liuing in his solitarie place of deuotion which he both receaued verie gratefully and reuerenced with wonderfull affection And sayd he let that sacred bodie be wrapped in new cloathes in steed of those you haue taken off and place it honourably in the shrine which you haue prepared for most certainly I know that the graue which his holy relicks haue consecrated with such admirable miracles will not long be emptie of an inhabitant And how happie is that man to whom our Lord the Authour and bestower of all happines shall voutchase to make worthie to rest therein These and such like words the holy bishop vttered with a trembling tongue whilst the teares that trickled downe his cheekes witnessed the feeling compunction of his heart The monks presently performed his commaund and placed the sacred bodie of S. CVTHBERT in a chest ouer the sepulcher wherein he had been buried In the meane time the beloued seruant of God S. EADBERT desiring of allmightie God that for better satisfaction of his former life he might passe out of this world through His death and buriall the parching furnace of a long-during sicknes fell into a most greeuous disease which encreased dayly more and more for the space of more then a moneth when the vehemencie was soe great that it forced his blessed soule to leaue her mortall lodging to make a happie flight to the immortall habitation of happines the sixt day of May. And out of the prerogatiue of his great Sainctitie he was iudged worthie to be buried in the graue which his predecessor S. CVTHBERT had consecrated eleuen yeares with his incorrupted bodie and soe aliue he became S. CVTHBERTS successour in the episcopall Sea and in his sepulcher being dead Where Venerable BEDE affirmeth that he shined with same of working manie miracles But whether they were wrought by his meritts or saint CVTHBERTS whose bodie was placed in a chest ouer the same graue it can be iudged by none but him who searcheth the hearts and reines of all men whose name be for euer blessed He died in the yeare of our Psal 9. Lord 698. Besides S. BEDE whom we haue followed William Malmesbury Molanus Nicholas Harpsfield and the Roman martirologe 〈◊〉 honourable mention of S. EADBERT The life of S. IOHN of Beuerley Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR 7. Out of Venerable Bede hist. de gest Ang. lib. 5. c. 2. 〈◊〉 SAINCT IOHN surnamed of Beuerley borne of noble English parents in the north parts of great Britaine was sent in his youth to Canturbury to be instructed by the two Oracles of Learning and vertue S. THEODORE the Archbishop and S. ADRIAN Abbott of the Benedictine Abbey of S. PETER in the same cittie In this holy schoole of vertue and learning IOHN not only profitted in the knowledge of holy scripture and good manners but allsoe was kindled with a desire to embrace the same monasticall rule of S. BENEDICT which his masters professed And to this end hauing soundly perfected his vnderstanding with learning he departed to His Inclination to a religious life the Benedictine Abbey of Streanshall where putting on the habitt and profession of a Monk he both exercised him self in the perfection of monasticall discipline and greatly promoted the obseruance of S. BENEDICTS rule which great S. WILFRID had introduced into the same monasterie Moreouer the worth of his learning is worthly witnessed by the excellencie of his schollers amongst whom were S. BRITHVNE afterwards Abbot of Beuerley S. WILFRID the Lesser that succeeded him in the Archbishoprick of Yorke both Benedictine monkes and aboue all the glorie and ornament of his Countrey and the Benedictine order Venerable BEDE all which with others saint IOHN not only instructed in diuine and humane knowledge and incited to pietie with his godly admonitions but allso inflamed them much more with the example of his owne life and vertue to vndertake the high iourney of religious perfection He bore a singular affection to S. BEDE whom when he was bishop he aduanced to the dignitie of deaconship and priestood Alfred King of the Northumbers moued with the fame He is made Bishop of Hagustald of this holy mans Sainctitie made him successour to Eata in the Episcopall sea of Hagustald otherwise called Hexham But after the death of Bosa he was translated to the Archiepiscopall chayre of Yorke In which sacred function he performed his dutie with gâ—eâ— praise and admiration of all When all the minds and eyes of England were fixed wholly vppon him both for his excellent vertue and equallie rare learning as allsoe for his wonderfull and miraculous deeds which worthily witnessed the pietie of his life and conuersation II. BVT during the time of his regencie in the Church of Hagustald or Hexham at a place somwhat more then a mile distant from His retired life in Lent thence in a chappell dedicated to S. MICHAEL he went often times and specially in time of Lent to leade a solitarie and contemplatiue life seperated froÌ„ the affayres of the world attending only to things diuine and heauenly Beginning this holy exercise on a time he conmaunded his companions as his custom was to seeke him out some poore creature more miserable then ordinarie whoÌ„ he might maintaine there with the charitie of his dayly almes They brought him a poore boy dum-borne with a cappe of scabbes and scurffe on the topp of his head insteed of hayre about which grew a thinne hedge of frighted hayres the sight whereof begott an horrour in the behoulders The holy bishop much reioyced that he had found soe fitt a subiect vpon whoÌ„ to exercise his accustomed office of charitie caused presently a little lodging to be built within the precinct of his owne habitation where that wretched pouertie was dayly refreshed with the stipend of his pietie But the first weeke of Lent See the vertue of the signe of the Crosse being past he commaunded them to bring the poore man
couragiously into his countrey where for his first welcom he found his father and a great part of the Christian armie slaine by the Pagans III. BVT one Oswy who formerly had been a great friend of sainct FREMVNDS father and now had forsaken the Christian fayth cooke part with the Danes hoping as they promised to inherite the Kingdom of Offa and now fearing lest by the arriuall of Sainct FREMVND into the countrey he should be putt by his hopes he came secretly vnto him and with a traiterous blow strake off his head when the bloud that issued out of that mortall wound and fell vppon the murderer like soe manie drops of scortching fier burnt his bodie with such an intollerable heate that presently he repented him self of his wicked deed and fell vppon his knees to demaund pardon of the Martirs dead bodie Sainct FREMVND was martired the eleauenth of May in the yeare of our Lord 466. His holy bodie was buried by Oswy his murderer and others in a place called Offe-Church within the compasse of the Kings pallace But afterwards it was translated to a place between Thâ—â—ranslâ—â—â—n of his bodie Charmell and Bradmere were the diuine prudence soe disposing it lay hid for manie yeares vnknowne till the place was reuealed to a holy man and the bodie taken vpp and honorably buried at Redick In the meane time manie wonderfull miracles were wrought through the merits of this B. Sainct in all these places Sainct FREMVND was enrolled into the number of canonized Saincts in the yeare 1257. during the raigne of Henry the third His memorie heretofore hath been very famous in the Iland of great Britaine His life is written by one Burchard of Dorcester a monk and his indiuiduall companion and bâ— Iohn Capgraue out of IoaÌ„nes Anglicus whom we haue followed Vsuard Molanus Nicholas Harpsfied saec 9. cap. 12. and Mathew Paris an 1257. make honourable mention of him The life of S. DIMPNA Virgin and martir MAY 15. Written by Peter a Canon of Cambray WE cannot better perceiue the weaknes of blind loue the horrible darknes that possesseth the Gentils depriued of the true light nor the vnderstanding and strength which our Lord giueth to the feeble sexe of woeman-kinde to defend their chastitie and shed their bloud for his loue then in reading the life and martirdom of this glorius Virgin sainct DIMPNA In Ireland there liued a verie potent King but a Heathen who had married a fayre woman whom as well in regard Her father a Pagan king of her beautie as her other goods parts he dearly loued Out of this marriage was borne a daughter called DIMPNA nothing behind her mother in beautie whom her parents verie carefully and daintily brought vp Neuerthelesse as soone as she had attayned to yeares of discretion coming to the knowledge of IESVS CHRIST she became a Christian and vowed perpetuall virginitie vnto him vtterly She voweth her virginitie to God despising all the Pompes banquets dances and other vanities of the Court. In the meane time her mother being dead her father hauing dried vp his superfluous teares for her death was desirous to marrie a secoÌ„d wife which he would haue to be a fayre yong mayd like vnto the former But fayling to find such an one in the countrey his flattring courtiers perswaded him to cast his eyes vppon his daughter DIMPNA then whom none could be fayrer and in whom being verie like her mother he might reuiue the figure of his late Her father â—â—keth her in marriage wife What more this detestable counsell noe sooner arriued at his eares but straight the deuill who desired to bring DIMPNA to Idolatrie incensed the king with the flames of an incestuous and impure loue towards his daughter Here vppon he beganne to souÌ„d her intention with all manner of sweet speeches and allurements promising to giue her her whole hearts desire yf she would but marrie him DIMPNA stopt her eares at the hissing of this venommous serpent and answered that she would neuer consent to such an abominable iâ—nceste The king still earnestly vrged and she as couragiously resisted till in the end growing extreamly angry he could her that he hould marrie her whether she would or no Then recommending her self heartyly to the deare spouse of her soule CHRIST IESVS she answered her father that since he was resolued therevnto she desired fortie daies respite and to haue all her rings and royall ornaments that she wanted to sett out her self for his greater aduantage He most willingly graunted her request thinking that his daughter had chainged her intention II. IN the meane time there was a holy priest in the countrey called Gerebert who had been Confessor to the Queene and had baptised DIMPNA and administred the venerable Sacrament of the Aultar both to her mother and her With him DIMPNA 〈◊〉 ted what was best to be done in this terrible case The Priest counselled her to flie away for feare of being forced to such a mischief and offered him self to be her companion Soe that they tooke shipping priuatly taking but one seruant and his wife in their companie God permitted them to arriue at Antwerp whence through vncouth wayes they passed from village to village fearing to be noted and followed At length they came to a secret wood where they clensed a place growne ouer with thornes and brakes to build a lodge in and there liued securely and vnknowne III. THE King her father ouercom with ioy and rauished with content in the impatience of loue expected the desired wedding-day The king her father goes to seeke her of his daughter but when he vnderstood she was escaped being allreadie dronke with the wine of his owne affection he began presently to make warre with himself with terrible cries and exclamations of grief and furie He resolued to goe seeke her him self and to search the verie bowells of the earth to find her where soeuer she was hid He trauelled all his countrey ouer and found noe newes of her He passed ouer the seas to Antwerp where he made some stay whilst his seruants ferretted all the countrey ouer for his daughter when by meere accident some of them hauing lodged in a village thereabouts payed their host with their countrey money who tould them that he had some money of the same kind but knew not the value of it These Jrishmen demaunded of the host how he came by it he answered not imagining to what purpose they asked that a very beautifull virgin come out of Jreland to liue in those parts gaue it him in payment for such necessaries She is found as belonged to her maintenance this gaue them sufficient ground to suspect and indeed to presume that it was the kings daughter they sought therefore by the Hosts direction they went and found her and returned with the glad newes thereof to her father IV. THE king like a man raysed from death to life went with all his companie and hauing found the
on this history extreme follie and blindnes as to seeke to marrie his owne daughter and that a father should bath him self in the bloud of his daughter that resisted against such a gulph of filthines O what Cimerean darknes compasseth the Gentills in respect of the light that lightens the Christians the impetuous furie of passions is easily ouerthrowne by the force courage and grace the God bestoweth on his seruants He adorned this virgin with chastitie with an inspiration to dedicate it to his seruice he fortified her to ouercom that which of all terrible things is the most terrible death in summe he honoured her with an angelicall tombe and with the triumphant trophie which she gayneth ouer the wicked spirits by soe manie diuers miracles Let vs for euer prayse the authour of soe great wonders Amen Peter a chanon of S. Auberts of Cambray writt her life recited by Laurence Surius tome 5. which we haue followed The Roman Martirologe makes mention of her and Cardinall Baronius in his Annotations Iohn Molanus in his vppon Vsuard and in his catalogue of the Saincts of Belgia and manie others The life of saint BRITHVNE Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT May 15. Recited by John Capgraue THE venerable Confessor of Christ BRITHVNE whom S. BEDE calleth a most reuerend man borne of English parents was a long time deacon to the B. Bishop saint IOHN of Beuerley vnto De gest l. 5. cap. 2. whom for his great Sainctitie of life and holy conuersation of manners he was allwais deare and familiar and at length by meanes of the same holy man he was made Abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Deirwood now called Beuerley which S. IOHN had built S. IOHN being dead holy BRITHVNE following the stepps of his good Master perseuered as long as he liued in all puritie of life in watchings fasting prayer and other monasticall exercises For he was a louer of vertues a conquerour of vices a contemner of this world a desirer of the world to come a faythfull teacher of the flock committed A summarie of his vertues to his charge an vntired executour of pietie and iustice a great giuer of almes and hospitallitie whatsoeuer he knew to be pleasing to allmightie God in that he was continually busied Till decrepite old age hauing ouertaken him in the seruice of our Lord ending his holy life with an happie end the fifteenth day of May he went out of this world to enter into that which neuer ends His bodie was buried with great honour in the same monasterie till in processe of time the manie signes and miracles wrought at his tomb moued the monks and poeple to translate it out of the earth and place it in a shrine neere vnto that of his Master S. IOHN of Beuerley where it was kept with great veneration Thus much of him out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue Venerable Bede de gest Angl. lib. 5. cap. 2. and Harpsfield hist. Eccl. saec 8. cap. 22. make mention of him S. DVNSTANVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVARIENSIS Monachus Benedictinus May. 19. Mart. baâ— f. The life of S. DVNSTAN Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT MAY 19. Written by Osberne a monk of Canturbury an 1020. THE allmightie wisedom to make the worth and greatnes of this renowned Prelat bright ornament of the English Church and excellent Pillar of the Benedictine familie His parents S. DVNSVAN more famous and manifest to the world voutchsafed miraculously to foreshew his future glorie before he was borne and to engraffe in the minds of all men a wonderfull expectation of him which afterwards abundantly he repayed His parents were â—â—rstan and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the estimation of the world but much more ennobled with the splendour of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 His mother whilst she 〈◊〉 DVNSTAN in her â—omb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that solemne The ceremonie of offring candles feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin 〈◊〉 when in remembrance of the true and eternall â—â—ght bâ—â—aking forth to the darkesom world by CHRIST and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â— of aged Sâ—â—â—n w◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Glâ—seenbury amongst the rest â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sudâ—â—ine the 〈◊〉 mayning calme and 〈◊〉 all their lights 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With which accident the minds of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being strucken with a fearefull amazement presently with a new and woderfull miracle they were againe encouraged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admiration when they beheld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with light from A strange accident heauen from whence all the companie lighted 〈◊〉 which made euerie owne deuine that the child she 〈◊〉 her womâ— would be a light to lighten the world with the 〈◊〉 of his holy life and learning and therefore his mother was more 〈◊〉 and esteemed of all men euer after II. TIME at length brought to light that great light of the countrey signified by the former and in baptisme he was called DVNSTAN that is a Moâ—â—taine-stone As soone as he had passed the The vision of his parents yeares of his infancie his parents brought him to the Church of the Benedictine Abbey of Glastenbury and there for his good successe in vertue and good life they offered manie prayers and guifts where as they watched by night in their deuotions they vnderstood by reuelation from an Angel that that monasterie should afterwards be worthyly instructed reformed and adorned by the learning labour and vertuous life of their sonne DVNSTAN Being sett to He falleth sick schoole he applied him self soe eagerly to his studies that he fell into a grieuous sicknes which brought him euen to the last gaspe Neuerthelesse about midnight when all despayred of his life he was miraculously and suddenly restored to perfect health and to the great admiration of all he leapt out of his bed and went into He is miraculously cured the Church to giue God thankes for his recouery But the deuill enuying soe great pietie in the yong man endeauoured to hindâ—◠〈◊〉 iourney by appearing before him in the formes of a terrible â—â—â—panie of black enraged dogges When DVNSTAN calling on the He vanquiâ—heth the deuils name of IESVS-CHRIST armed him self with the signe of the â—â—ly Crosse and with a little rod in his hand putt that engine of 〈◊〉 chief to flight and held on his way to the Church doore which he found shutt but climing vp a ladder that by chance stood reared â—â— the wall he gott to the very top of the Church whence by the hands of Angelicall spirits he was miraculously transported into it and placed before the high Aultar On the morow all the doores being lockt he was found in a sweete slumber before the aultar to the great astonishment of those that the night before had followed him and seene him fayle to enter at the church doore which was shutt His greate humilitie III. NOW DVNSTAN had entred into the flower of his youth when his goodnes pietie and wisedom
vtterly against it as others affirme or whether at length he did winke at her wicked course and seeme to be ignorant of her mischieuous practise as manie asseuer howsoeuer I say it came to passe certaine it is that betweene them was shewne an example of as detestable perfidiousnes as anie that is recorded in historie For breaking the sacred lawes not only of hospitalitie but allsoe of all goodnes and pietie they caused holy king ETHELBERT to be cruelly murdered in king Offas owne house by the bloudie hands of one winebert who had been brought vp a seruant Ethelbert cruelly murdered vnder Sainct ETHELBERTS father and now to recompence his former fauours receaued became the cruell Minister of his death being drawne thereunto with the couetous desire of reward To what wickednes doeth not the vnsatiable hunger of gould compell mortall hearts This false winebert brought holy ETHELBERT from his faythfull companie into a priuate roome who like an innocent lambe suspecting noe harme at all went securely with him Then hauing bound him fast with a most cruell blow he strake off his head who with his hands and eyes lifted vp towards heauen yeelded vp his soule soe pure in innocencie and soe glorious with martirdom into the hands of his deare creatour and redeemer the twentith day of May. Which being perceaued by his intended spouse Alfrid with a mind quite ouerthrowne with sorrow to see her royall hope soe suddenly dasht she went forth to his companie that without doores expected the coming of their beloued Master and with a lamentable noyse related the crueltie of this tragicall scene Who bearing this sorrowfull newes and being not able to reuenge his death returned in dolefull manner into their downe countrey being compelled insteed of a wedding-song to sing an Epitaphe for the losse of their holy King Then Alfrid renewing her complaints Alfrid becometh a Nunne Jngulphus in hist Croyland foretould manie miseries to her Mother which afterwards fell out accordingly And she her self refusing to admitt anie other mortall woers consecrated her virginitie to her immortall spouse CHRIST-IESVS and in the fennes of Crowland she tooke the habit of a Nunne and lead a solitarie liâ—e vnder the holy rule of saint BENEDICT for the space of fortie yeares after But King Offa her father which much encreased the suspition that he had been allsoe consenting to saint ETHELBERTS death presently lead his armie into the prouince of the East-Angles soe suddenly depriued of their King and by force of armes subdued it to his owne dominion IV. THE bodie of this holy King thus traiterously slaine was by the commaund of Offa committed to an ignoble buriall in the bankes of the riuer Lugge at a place now called Marden Whither as those cruell ministers carried it in great scorne it was found to be soe light as if it had been allreadie ennobled with the dotes of heauenly glory But the allmightie Goodnes euer zealous of his seruants suffered not the holy reliques of this Sainct to be buried in obliuion in that base place but miraculously testified his vertue and pietie to the world For the night following was made glorious with a heauenly A light appeareth ouer his graâ—e light that appeared ouer the graue of this holy martir to the great astonishment and terrour of the countrey adioyning And the third night after his sacred Martirdom saint ETHELBERT appeared in a vision to a simple man thereabouts and commaunded him to transport his bodie to the monasterie built on the bankes of the riuer Wye Which was faythfully performed and by the way a blind man was restored to sight by the merits of the holy Sainct It was then buried in a place aunciently called Ferne-wood where now stands the towne of Hereford And ouer his holy sepulcher for the space of manie yeares glittered euery night a heauenly splendour to shew of how great merit his blessed soule was in the sight of Allmightie God V. BVT King Offâ— greatly terrified with these miracles and the A Church dedicated to S-Ethel bert guilt of his owne conscience became wonderfull penitent for his former life and making his sonne Egfrid a King with him self in great deuotion went to Rome the better to expiate his foule and bloudie deeds past At Rome following the zeale and example of INAS King of the West-Saxons he made his Kingdome subiect to a Tribute then called Peter-pence afterwards Rom-scot After his retune into England for the greater satisfaction of his sinnes at a place in Hartfordshire then called Holmehurst now saint ALBANS he built a magnificent Monastery in honour of the worthy Protomartir of great Britaine saint ALBANE whose sacred reliques See more in the life of S Albane Iune 22. after long lying hid came miraculously to light about the same time which was in the yeare of our Lord 795. He allsoe endowed the same Monastery with manie lands and rich reuenewes for the maintenance of a goodly Conuent of aboue an hundred Monkes of the holy Order of saint BENEDICT Allsoe for a further testimonie of his penance he gaue the tenth of all his goods vnto the Church and the poore He founded allso the Benedictine Abbey of Bathe and in Warwickshire he built a Church where the adioyning towne from it and him beareth the name of Off-Church But after the death of King Offâ— which was in the yeare of our Lord 797. Milfrid a pettie King of the Mericans moued with the continuall and dayly miracles wrought at saint ETHELBERTS Tombe gaue infinite treasure thereunto and built a famous Church of stone to his honour which remayneth to this day in Hereford by the name of saint ETHELBERTS Church and is the Cathedrall of that cittie S. Ethelberts well And then that place was first made a Bishops-sea But out of the place where the holy bodie of saint ETHELBERT had layne before issued forth a fountaine of most cleere water called saint ETHELBERTS well ouer which now stands a Church which without doubt was built in honour of this holy martirs buriall there For it must needes be some strange motiue that made men build a Church in that place which is within tenne yards of the riuer Lugge which at euerie floud ouerflowes it soe that it cannot be come at but by boate The well I haue seene my self it is of a most pure water and much esteemed of all good Christians thereabouts In which one thing to this day is most strange and miraculous that when the riuer Lugge adioyning ouerflowes his bankes and that within Note a strange thing the forsayd Church it is knee-deepe and more of that muddie-red water this Well of saint ETHELBERT allbeit it be quite â—uerâ—lowne yet it remaynes most pure and cleere amidst those â—roubled waters vnworthy to be mingled with the puritie thereof And this I haue heard constantly and faythfully affirmed by manie of the Inhabitants thereabouts who are not ashamed to acknowledge a miracle done by the meritts of
Apostolicall absolution and ministred the dreadfull sacrament of the aultar vnto him And when our Authour came thither the same morning to say Masse and demaunded in honour of what Sainct he should celebrate that diuine misterie Of the Blessed Virgin MARIE answeared Godrick for before thy coming sainct PETER the Apostle hath here offered the same sacrifice in honour of the most blessed 〈◊〉 But we should neuer come to an end if we eudeauour to loâ—â—â— this paper with all the vertues graces and wonderfull workes of this Blessed man XIV THEREFORE when he had liued in this admirable manner His last sicknes in one and the other desert for the space of threescore and six yeares and was as an Oracle that astonished all England with his holy life soe great a swelling tooke possession of his face and all the other limmes of his bodie that he appeared not to be like vnto the former shape of a man In his entrailes he endured a cruell griping paine as it were of liuing wormes which ranne vpp and downe his bellie and consumed him For which punishment as heretofore for others more grieuous he gaue humble thankes vnto allmightie God that soe gently he voutchafed to purge him from his sinnes in this world And to good purpose sayd he doe these wormes consume my bodie in this life that the neuer-dying worme should not gnaâ— and teare my soule in hell For the space of allmost eight yeares he lay languishing in bed being not able to rise but by the helpe of friendly hands At length his sicknes dayly encreasing and hauing now allmost conquered his old age he sent for his brethren who being come tooke him out of his bed and according to the manner of those deuout times layd him vppon the ground on a haire-cloth strewed with ashes putt on his stamin and coule for long since he had been a Benedictine monke of Durham and soe that blessed soule departed happily out of the thraldom of this His happie departure vale of miseries to receaue the perfect consummation of that heauenly life with CHRIST which he had begunne in this world And at the same instant was heard a most heauenly melodie ascending from his cell towards heauen He died the one and twentith day of May in the yeare of our Lord 1170. the same yeare that the worthy Archbishop of Canturbury saint THOMAS suffered martirdom for the defence of the Church His bodie was buried in the chappell of S. IOHN BAPTIST whom he euer worshipped with peculiar deuotion and in whose honour by the commaundment of God he Miracles after his death had caused that place to be built Within the space of a few yeares after his death two hundred twentie eight miracles were wrought at his tombe which are faythfully reported by the Authour of his life but for breuities sake I omitt them XV. AND here now I will end the life of this admirable man with these words of William Camden in the description of the bishoprick of Durham At Finckley sayd he by the riuer Were in the raigne of Henry the second Godrick a man of auncient and true Christian simplicitie fixed wholly to God liued and consummated a solitarie life Who gayned soe great admiration with this holy simplicitie adde and with the sainctitie and austeritie of his life and manie miracles before and A Church built to his honour after his death c. that Richard brother to the wealthie bishop of Durham Hugh of Puteack honoured his memorie with a litle Church built to his name Thus Camden who allbeit he were an Heretick yet could not but speake honourably of this glorious Sainct His life was written as we haue sayd by one Nicholas a Monke of Durham and spirituall father vnto Blessed GODRICK out of which being a large historie Nicholas Harpsfield brings an abridgement saec 12. cap. 45. whom we haue followed Iohn Capgraue hath written the same and William of Newbery lib. 2. cap. 20. Mathew Paris an 1170. Mathew Westminster an 1171. Molanus in his aditions to Vsuard and all our English writers doe make ample mention of him The life of saint ALDELME Bishop of Sherburne and Confessor of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT MAY 25. Writren by WilliaÌ„ malmesbu ry and others THE worthie ornament of the English Church and the Benedictine familie Sainct ALDELME borne of the royall stock of Saxon Kings his father Kentenius was neere of kinred to Jnas King of the His noble parentage West-Saxons with the generositie of mind and greatnes of learning and vertues farre excelled and outwent the nobilitie of his birth Some affirmed him to haue been sonne to Kentenius brother of King Jnas but it pleaseth not vs sayth Malmesbury to auouch that for truth which seemes rather to flatter a flying opinion then agree De gest reg Aâ—g l 1 c 2. with the soundnes of true historie especially since it is not found written in antiquitie the Chronicles plainly asseuer that Jnas had but one brother called Imgild who died a few yeares before him But S. ALDELME needeth not to be maintayned with vntruthes in whom abound soe manie famous things that are out of all question Hauing past ouer his Childhood his father deliuered him to be brought vp in the studie of all good learning vnder the discipline His youth and learning of the most famous Benedictine Abbot of saint AVGVSTINS at Canturbury saint ADRIAN who at that time happily adorned the whole countrey with all manner of vertue and learning In his renowned schoole our hopefull ALDELME made in a short time soe great progresse in science that he became a scholler worthie of soe learned a master Then returning back into his owne countrey loden with the balast of true vertue and learning he couragiously forsaked all the flattring allurements and vaine splendoâ—r of the world and resolued to vndertake such a course of life wherein he should meet with the lest impedimeÌ„ts to hinder him in the continuall seruice of allmightie God and the studie of holy learning Therefore in the Benedictine abbey of Malmesbury in which place He becometh a Benedictine Monke from his verie infancie he had been brought vp and instructed in the first rudiments of learning he bid adiew to the world and made profession of a monk vnder the holy rule of saint BENEDICT This monasterie was first founded by one Medulphus an Irish-Scott and a monk well learned in philosophie and from him it was called Meidulphesbury afterwards Malmesbury Which being but a small slender thing was by the meanes of saint ALDELME raysed afterwards to great splendour and magnificence II. BVT within a short time ALDELME returned to his old master into Kent to better his vnderstanding with more ornaments of true leaning and science and there he remayned vntill the weaknes and discomoditie of his health forced him to returne into his owne countrey How great worthie progresse he made in learning the His workes
Notwithstanding sayd he because you are hither come out of a farre countrey and with a desire as it seemes to me to communicate those things vnto vs which you your selues iudge to be in truth and worth the best we will not be troblesome or offensiue vnto you but rather entertayne you with courteous hospitalitie and see you prouided with all necessarie sustenance not forbidding yee in the meane time by preaching to draw whomsoeuer yee can of this countrey to the profession of your fayth and religion VI. THEN with the Kings good leaue AVGVSTINE and his fellowes went in procession to Canturbury the head cittie of Kent Augustine marcheth to Canturbury still carrying the Crosse and image of CHRIST before them and singing the Letanies vsing amongst others this pious forme of prayer Whe beseech thee O Lord in all thy mercie to take away and with-hould thy wrath and anger from this cittie and from thy holy house because we haue sinned against thee ALLELVIA Humbly by this kind of confession putting them selues amongst sinners whom they came to release from sinne and reconcile to allmightie God When this our Arch-Doctour leading his troupe of Preachers vnder the triumphant banner of the Crosse into the cittie which in future is to be his Metropolitan did not the Angell-Guardians crie out to the cittizens with those words of the Prophet Esay Open the gates and let the iust nation enter obseruing the truth of their embassage the old errour of Isaiae c. 29. v. 2. 3. Idolatrie is gone that from hence forth the peace of CHRIST and his Church may be here maintayned Here now the walles of Hiericho seemed to goe to ruine that the walles of Hierusalem might be built Here on the ruine of paganisme our holy Apostle first planted the Crosse of CHRIST and layd the foundation of the English Catholick Church But ô the heauenly and apostolicall life that these holy monkes AVGVSTINE and his fellowes led in the meane Their holy â—â—se in Canturbury time what penne is able to expresse watching and prayer was theyr only and chiefest exercise allwaies keeping their soules most free from anie the lest thought of wordly desires or cares They announced the words of life to all they could making their owne liues soe correspondent to what they taught that in them those Idolaters might euen with their eyes reade a lesson of heauenly vertue and conuersation to see soe manie poore men soe constantly announcing the Ghospell of CHRIST that they seemed to be most readie to suffer all aduersities yea and death it self in defence of the trueth which they preached But what followed these beginnings Some few beleeued in IESVS-CHRIST and were baptised admiring the simplicitie of their innocent life and the sweetnes of their heauenly doctrine VII BVT in the East part of the cittie of Canturbury stood a See Heretick our first Apostles sayd masse Church dedicated to Saint MARTIN built in auncient times by the Romans in which the Queene was wont to pray and receaue the sacraments by the hands of her holy Bishop Lethard who was allowed her for that purpose and stood our Blessed Apostle S. AVGVSTINE in no small steed in the labour of preaching and conuerting the countrey In this Church allsoe AVGVSTINE his fellow-MoÌ„kes executed their diuine seruice there they sung their Office there they sayd Masse there they prayed there they preached and baptised When in the meane time by the diuine power of allmightie God sainct AVGVSTINE indued with a heauenly grace of working miracles cured all the sick and diseased persons that were ether presented vnto him or that he him self visited in person Soe that the poeple were thunder-strucken with amazement at the sight of soe great vertue crying out that ether men were transformed into Gods or that the Gods in a humane shape were come to conuerse with men whereby their hardnes of heart being ouercome manie were receaued into the fould of CHRISTS Church And at length King ETHELBERT allso being astonished with soe manie resplendent signes of vertue by the dayly instancie and perswasion of S AVGVSTINE by the continuall prayers King Ethelbert is baptised of the Church by the affectionate admonitions of the Queene abiuring the deadly powers of hell became a sonne of diuine adoption in Christ And now on the sacred feast of Pentecost all the Saincts of heauen highly reioycing and manie troupes of poeple flocking to that great solemnitie AVGVSTINE as a new SILVESTER baptiseth ETHELBERT as an other Constantine In him our faythfull Dauid is annoynted with the oyle of Ioyfullnes and meekly seated in a throne of mercie Our Ecclesiasticall Salomon is crowned with a diadem of peace in the chayre of iustice and wisedom Our noble ETHELBERT descends from the state of his royall authoritie and shewes him self as a seruant to the seruants of CHRIST A Prince of princes is changed to an Euangelicall Little-one and a mightie commaunder of manie poeple professeth him self a companion to the poore AVGVSTINE reioyceth and much more his little Church that now they had gayned him to be their Patrone whom before they feared as a persecutour Haec mutatio dextrae Excelsi This is a chainge of the right hand of the most High VIII THE King therefore being baptised laboured him self to gett The zeale of King Ethelbert all the Kings Princes Nobles and common poeple vnder his gouernment to the subiection of the sweet yoake of CHRIST making it the chiefest part of his owne empire to dilate and propogate the Kingdom of Christs holy Church Wherevppon great multitudes of poeple flocked dayly to heare the word of God and forsaking the blindnes of their Diabolicall rites were purged in the sacred font of Baptisme Of whose fayth and conuersion the good King greatly reioyced yet compelled none by force to Christianitie but only embraced the faythfull beleeuers with a more strict affection as his fellow-citizens of the heauenly Kingdom For he had learned of the Doctours and authours S. Augustâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of England of his owne saluation that the seruice of CHRIST ought to be voluntary and not constrained In the meane time the holy master of our fayth saint AVGVSTINE went to Arelas in France where by the hands of Etherius Bishop of the same place he was consecrated Archbishop of the English nation according as holy Pope GREGORIE had pre-ordayned Whom returning into England with this sacred dignitie King ETHELBERT receaued with triumphant ioy and made him now the Ecclesiasticall President of his metropolitan cittie in which before he had entertayned him but as a guest and ordayned him the vigilant Guardian not only of that Cittie but allsoe of all the little world of his whole dominions The throne of his owne Kingdom he changed into a Bishops sea and his royall Pallace by the reformation and consecration of saint AVGVSTINE was turned into a sacred Church dedicated to CHRIST our Sâ—uiour which to this day but built in a farre
countenance in which a kind of sweet pleasantnes shined through a venerable seueritie Wherevppon to good and deuout persons he was affable but terrible to the negligent and high-minded and yet he carried him self with soe great meeknes and humilitie to all that in the whole Monasterie in which were six hundred Monkes is was hard to find his equall in true vertue and religion VIII BVT aboue all the pure holines and holy purenes of his life and mind appeared more excellently at his death the manner whereof we haue related out of Cuthbert his disciple afterwards Abbot Cuthbert in ep ad Cuth winū condiscipulum of the same monastery who was present at his holy departure He fell first into sicknes allmost a fortnight before Easter from which time vntill Ascension-day he laboured grieuously with a weaknes in his stomake and the shortnes of wind yet he ceased not to dictate dayly to his schollers at his accustomed howers and spent the rest of the day in reciting of psalmes and prayers and the whole night vnlesse when a litle sleepe did hinder him he passed ouer in spirituall ioy and thanksgiuing striuing by these pious exercises to deceaue the sharpnes of his disease I confesse truly sayth the Authour His employments during his sicknes that I neuer saw or heard off anie one other that soe diligently gaue thankes vnto allmightie God O truely blessed man During this sicknes besides these employments he turned the Ghospell of saint IOHN into English and gathered some memorable notes out of the bookes of saint ISIDORE vsing these words to his schollers Learne my children whilst I am with you for J know not how long J shall subsist or how soone my creatour will take me away that my soule may returne to him that sent it J haue liued a long time my Lord God hath well prouided for me in this space of life now I desire to be dessolued to liue with CHRIST IX ALLSOE a firme hope of the ioyes to come and a pious feare of the fearfull iudgemēts of allmightie God being sett in an equall proportion A pions lesson in the ballance of his mind he vsed that sentence of saint PAVL Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viuentis It is a dreadfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God and manie other such like out of the sacred scripture whereby he exhorted his schollers and brethren that were about him to awake out of the dullnes of the soule by the remembrāce of the last terrible hower adding a speech in the mother-tongue of the fearefull seperation which death makes between the soule and the bodi◠Then he would sing himnes and Anthimes to the great consolation of him self and all the assistants till teares of deuotion trickling downe his cheekes hindred his pious musicke and made the attendants that endeauoured to helpe him out to weepe singing and sing weeping striuing as it were with their songs to serue him singing and with their teares to helpe him weeping But he allbeit he wept enioyed soe great comfort and spirituall ioy in his soule that when he was most cruelly oppre sled with the burden of his disease he gaue thankes vnto allmightie The securitie of his conscience God for his goodnes in soe punishing him Vsing those words of the Scripture God scourgeth euery child that he receaueth and alluding to the words of saint AMBROSE dying I haue not liued soe amongst yee that I need be ashamed of my life and nether doe I feare to die because we haue a good Lord. Thrice happy soule that could speake with soe great securitie of conscience that he was nether ashamed to liue nor afrayd to die not fearing the sight of men in this world and with a quiet mind expecting the secret iudgement of God in the next X. BVT on tuesday before the Ascension of our Lord his sicknes His siknes encrea seth beganne more grieuously to afflict him and a little swelling appeared in his feet an vndoubted presage of his neere-approaching death Yet all that day he passed ouer ioyfully teaching and dictating to his schollers the night following he watched singing himnes and psalmes of prayses and thanksgiuing to Allmightie God till the next day which was the last of his labours first of his rest brought him the embassage of his ensuing happines when he still diligently dictated to his brethren about him whilst the bitter teares of the writers greeuing to be depriued of soe good a Master were as gaules to make their inke more black and dolefull In the after noone he sent his beloued disciple Cuthbert who writt this historie to his Cell to fetch thence such small guifts as he had to be disposed amongst his more familiar friends for a memorie of him Then a great part of the Priests other monkes of the monasterie being He receaueth the last sacraments gathered togeather they fortified the holy man with the sacraments of Extreme Vnction and the sacred Eucharist who hauing giuen the salutation of peace vnto all his Brethren beseeching each one in particular to be mindfull of him in their Masses and prayers he ioyfully expected the happy minute that should free his soule from the burden of her mortalitie to the immortall reward of his labours But sayd one of his deuout Schollers my beloued Master yet there remaines one sentence vnwritten Write then quickly replied the holy Doctour for my time is short Which being done now answered he I haue written it and the whole worke is ended Thou sayst well replied the Sainct that it is ended for now I desire to end allso to liue with my Creatour And causing them to place him towards the oratorie where he was wont to pray lying downe vppon a hayre-cloath with perfect sense and a ioyfull countenance he inuited the grace of the holy Ghost deuoutly singing this Anihime O rex gloriae Domine virtutum qui triumphator hodie super omnes caelos ascendists ne derelinquas nos Orphanos sed mitte promissum His last song of deuotion Patris in nos Spiritum veritatis and hauing added Gloria Patri filio spiritui sancto he deuoutly rendred vp his blessed spirit to the euerlasting Kingdom of all blessednes when such sweet and fragant odours followed his swan-like soule that the amazed assistants throught them selues in a Paradise of heauenly baulmes and all generally Sweet odouts at his death affirmed that they neuer saw anie man end his life in soe great tranquillitie and deuotion He died on the feast of our Lords triumphant Ascension into heauen the twentie sixth day of May but his feast is obserued the twentie seauenth of the same because the twentie sixt was solemnly obserued to the honour of our glorious Apostle Saint AVGVSTINE throughout all England His death was about the yeare 735. at the age of nintie or as others say of an hundred and fiue yeares for in the computation of his age
and the yeare he died in our writers are verie different He was first buried in his owne Monastery of Weremouth but afterwards his holy reliques were translated to Durham where togeather with the head of King Oswald and the bones of King Coolwulphe a Benedictine Monke of Lindisfarne they were found in a linnen bagge within the tombe of our great saint CVTHBERT during the raigne of William the second when Ranulphus the seauenth bishop of Durham translated the bodie of the same sainct CVTHBERT into the new Church which he had built where the sacred bones of saint BEDE remayne to this day with this Epitaphe too vnelegant for the shrine of soe learned a man Beda Dei famulus monachorum nobile sidus The Epitaphe of his Tombe Finibus e terrae profuit Ecclesiae Solers iste Patrum scrutando per omnia sensum Eloquio viguit plurima composuit Annos in vitater duxit * Quinque vitae triginta Praesbiter officio Maximus ingenio Iunij septenis viduatur carne Calendis Angligena Angelicam commeruit patriam They are in no sorte to be borne with or beleeued who haue A false opinion of his translation written or rather dreamed that his body was transported to Genua in Jtaly For hitherunto I doe not find this affirmed by anie approoued Authour And not a few asseuer that in his life time he neuer went out of the bounds of England and to say that he was transported after death into forreigne lands seemeth to be a monstrous and strainge opinion worthy to be banished into farre countreyes His life we haue collected out of diuers graue Authours William Malmesbury de gest reg Ang lib. 1. cap. 3. Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue in his legend of English Saincts and Trithemius in his worke of the illustrious men of saint Benedicts Order lib. 3. cap. 155. lib. 2. cap. 21. But his life hath been written by Cuthbert his disciple a Benedictine in the same Monasterie and one much auncienter then all those being an ey-witnes of what he writes out of whom and an other auncient manuscript written by one that suppressed his name we haue taken a great part of his life Mention is made of him in the Roman Martirologe and all our Historiographers as well English as others doe highly sound forth his prayses The end of May. S. BONIFACIVS MARTIR GERMANORVM APLVS APOSTOLVS Benedictinus Angluâ— Junij 5. M. baâ—â— f. The life of S. BONIFACE Archbishop Apostle of Germanie of the holy order of saint BENEDICT IVNE 5 Writen by S. Willibald Bishop of Eiâ—â—â—â—tadt in Germanie WHEN the Englishmen that came out of Germanie had coÌ„quered the Iland of great Britaine and giuen it the name of England the Catholick religion brought in by King Lucius was forced to giue place to Paganisâ—â—e till after an hundred and fortie yeares by the preaching of S. AVGVSTINE the Benedistine Monke it was againe restored to Christianitie Then manie holy men of the same order profession allthough they thought them selues most happy in the purchase of soe great good something notwithstanding they iudged to be wanting for the making vp of their felicitie because their owne auncient countrey of Germanie which they had left was yet detayned in the black night The place of his birth and desire of a religious life of Idolatrie The care and cogitation hereof much troubled and exercised the hearts of manie and chiefly of this holy Benedictine Monke WINFRID afterwards called BONIFACE Who being borne of very worthy parents at Kyrtâ—n in Deuonshire was from his very childhood possessed with a wonderfull loue of the heauenly wisedome and a perfect monasticall manner of life in soe much that he opened the secret of this desire vnto his father VVho greatly displeased thereat endeauoured partly with flattering enticements large promises and partly with threatnings to deterre him from that pious course But by how much the more earnestly the father stroue to reclaime his sonne to the loue of the world by soe much the more coÌ„staÌ„tly the holy child full of the diuine grace remayned firme in his good purpose and studied to attayne to the knowledge of heauenly learning VVhence by the wonderfull prouidence of allmightie God it came to passe that his father who was his only hindrance being taken with a sudden sicknes deposed all his former stubbornesse and sent his sonne to the Benedictine Abbey at Excester six miles He taketh the Habit of S. Bene dict distant from the place where he was borne commending him to the care of VVolphard the venerable Abbot of the same Monastery by whom he was courteously receaued where he beganne to performe all the duties of a monasticall life that were agreable to his tender age growing dayly as in age more perfect in the exercise of vertue II. BEING gone out of the yeares of his childhood he soe entierly subiected him self to the institutions of his ancients and the exercise of sacred reading that euery day his soule was enriched more and more with the diuine guifts of manie vertues In summe when vnder the obedience of the forenamed Abbot he had professed and obserued all the discipline of a regular life according to the Rule of the great Patriarch of Monkes saint BENEDICT for the space of manie yeares and being not able there for of want teachers to satiate his thirst of diuine learning according to the greatnes of his desire with the consent of his Abbot and brethren he went to the Monastery of Nutscelle where vnder the discipline of Winbert the Abbot he made soe wonderfull a progresse in all manner of His great progresse in learning learning and vertue that his fame being diuulged ouer the countrey manie flocked thither to become his schollers When he the more he was exalted to the height of science and excellencie of other vertues the more close he kept him self within the ward of humilitie euer honouring his iuferiours as his equalls and embracing them with the armes of true loue and charitie according to the counsell of the wiseman By how much thou art Eccl. 3. greater humble thy self in all things At the thirtith yeare of his age he was adorned with the sacred dignitie of Priestood when by reason of his great learning and vertue he was held in soe great He is made Priest veneration in that countrey that a Synod being assembled at the same time to difcusse some ecclesiasticall controuersies wherein some certaine decrees were ordayned which notwithstanding were submitted to the honourable suffrage of the Archbishop of Canturbury by the consent of the King and Councell BONIFACE was chosen to be most fitt to treate of soe weightie a matter with the Archbishop which busines he soe brauely and solidly dispatched that he purchased to him self grace and fauour with all men III. BVT retayning allwaies in his mind a pious desire to labour His ardent desire to conuert Insidels in the conuersion of Infidells
coming out of England in the yeare of grace 755. At the same time togeather with saint BONIFACE Eâ—banus whom he had newly made bishop in Frisia and fiâ—tie persons more some Priests some deacons and other sacred ministers of whom manie were English Monkes walked the same pathes of death to receaue the euer-florishing crowne of Martirdom But the wicked actours of this tragicall scene escaped not the diuine punishment of heauen for as they returned The iust punishment of the murderers from the slaughter a controuâ—rsie arose amongst them touching the diuision of the spoyles which they had taken which when they could not decide by words they fell to blowes and slew one an other with the same weapons which soe lately had been embrewed in the bloud of these glorious Martirs And as manie of them as escaped out of this mutuall slaughter were soone after slaine by the Christians and soe payd a iust tribute to death for their former sacrilege The sacred body of saint BONIFACE was first buried at Vtreâ—ctht afterwards translated to Mentz and lastly to the Benedictine His sacred buriall Abbey of Fulda according as he had desired in his life time And at all these three places his holy Tombe was adorned with manie wonderfull miracles as soe manie vnresistable witnesses of his holy life and meritts The life of this glorious Sainct was written by S. Willibald an English Benedictine first bishop of Eistat in Germanie and by Othlonus Priest and monke of the Benedictine Abbey of Fulda out of whom we haue gathered the foresayd Historie The Roman Martirologe maketh glorious mention of him the fifth day of Iune and all Historiographers doe largely speake his prayses The life of Sainct GVDWALL Bishop and Confessor IVNE 6 Extracted out of an auncient Authour GVDVVALL borne in great Britaine of the noble bloud of Britans seemed to be sent to that troubled countrey as the sonne of peace For at his birth the seucritie of the diuine iustice was chainged into clemencie and meeknes and the three common scourges of Kingdoms plague famin and warre which long had afflicted that nation ceased Being baptised togeather with his yeares the grace of the holy Ghost encreased in his soule and the vnderstanding and knowledge of diuine learning When he came to mans age all men presaging that he would one day prooue a worthy pillar of the Catholick Church he was adorned with the sacred dignitie of Priesthood Then he beganne to lay open the hidden treasures His learning and schollers of his wisedom and learning gotten in his tender yeares and to instruct others with the vndrayneable fountaine of his diuine science Whereby manie were soe rarely enkindled with the beames of the true Sunne that they became fitt to lighten and enflame others with the vertue and learning which they had suckt from his breast At length the fame of saint GVDVVALL was of soe He is made Bishop great estimation in the world that he was aduanced to the height of Ecclesiasticall dignitie and made Bishop when by how much he was exalted higher to honours amongst the poeple of Gods Church soe the more abundantly he spread abroad the sweet odours of his holy life and conuersation to the great consolation and ioy of the whole countrey He was borne to a very large and ample patrimonie but despising all the riches and wealth of the vaine mortall world he gaue all that he had to the Church of CHRIST his immortall King And perceauing allsoe that his pastorall He leaueth his Bishoprick chargetied his mind with the chaines of care to worldly affayres more then he desired he found meanes to discharge him self thereof and hauing substituted an other in his place retired him self to a Monasterie within his Diocese where he entred into a contemplatiue life seruing our Lord in watching fasting and prayer and all other austeritie and discipline of a perfect monasticall life II. BVT desiring within a short time after to enter into a more He leadeth an Heremiticall life secret solitarines wholly to apply his mind to the contemplation of diuine things he departed with one only companion and went to a great rock that stood like a litle Iland within the Sea where hauing cutt him self a litle caue in the hard stone he led a most retired and solitary life according to the example of the auncient Hermites Till the brethren of the monastery which he had left being not able to endure the hard burden of the absence of GVDVVALL who had endowed them with the learning of heauenly discipline made a pious search ouer all the countrey to find him And being found they ioyfully ranged them selues in the institution of his vertuous schoole carefully studying to imitate his holy simplicitie and liuely mortification But being pressed with the narrownes of the place they hewed manie litle habitations in that hard rock to defend them selues from the violence of the weather Therefore the rock which before bred a solitarie horrour to the behoulders The number of his disciples being now turned into a house of prayer was made an habitation of Monkes where solemne watches were obserued and the Ecchoes of Gods diuine prayses resounded amidst the roaring of those swelling waues When the fame of the holy man encreasing dayly the number of his disciples likewise encreased soe that one hundred fourescore and eight monkes are reported to haue liued vnder the gouernment of his pious institution in soe much that the quantitie of that place being not able to contayne soe great a number at a low water saint GVDVVALL went downe vppon the The seas obey his commaund sands and with an assured and strong confidence in the diuine goodnes making the signe of the crosse in the sand commaunded those vnruly waues in the name of IESVS-CHRIST noe more to flow beyond the limitts which he had there prescribed When to the great admiration and comfort of Gods seruants that vntamed element contayned the accustomed pride of its swelling furie and obeying the holy mans commaund neuer more dared to trangresse the bounds by him prefixed Hence it appeares that the miracles of the old law haue been reuiued in the Christian Church for Moyses deuided and our GVDVVALL bridled the waues of the vntamed He 〈…〉 prayers seas And not only in this but in an other act allsoe this holy man was replenished with the spirit of the Prophet Moyses when in the same place being in want of fresh water by his prayers he obtayned a fountaine of cleere streames to spring out of that hard rock III. WONDERFVLL surely was the life that this holy man led in this horrid place He dayly celebrated the dreadfull sacrifice of Masse Angels appeare at hâ—â— masse and that with soe great puritie of mind and such deuour preparations thereunto that sometimes the Angells descending visibly from heauen assisted at that venerable misterie and togeather with him sung the diuine prayses of allmightie God to the great
were the diuine guifts and fauours wherewith allmightie God ennobled this holy man beyond the common lott of other mortalls Amongst which this heauenly benefitt following is worthy of eternall memory IV. FOR WHEN allmost an infinite multitude of people of all ages sexes and conditions came to meet him and congratulate his returne towards Yorke as they pasled in violent throngs ouer a wodden bridge after the holyman the same bridge broke suddenly vnder them and let a great companie fall headlong Note a wonderfull miracle into the riuer Which the Bishop who was newly past ouer perceauing being strucken in mind with the vehemencie of a sudden sorrow to see soe manie innocent people in the imminent danger of their liues and full of compassionate teares with his hands and eyes lifted vp towards heauen he implored the diuine mercie for the health of those perishing creatures and blessed them with the signe of life when soe miraculously he enioyed his holy purpose and desire that to the wonderfull amazement of all and the great glorie of God and his Sainct they were all saued from the danger of drowning allbeit for the greater renowne of the miracle a great part of them were children wholly vnable to shift for them selues To S Williams death whom as by his prayers he gaue life soe the thirtith day after his entrance into the cittie of Yorke he deposed his owne mortall life to be cloathed with the heauenly and immortall loaden with all manner of vertues merits and good workes that belonged to the function of a most holy Prelate And the innumerable benefitts bestowed vppon manie miserable and afflicted persons Miracles at his tombe at his tombe were soe manie powerfull witnesses that beyond all exception proued of how great grace and glorie he was in the sight of allmightie God Nay which is more a wonderfull oyle most soueraigne against all diseases flowed out of his sacred body which was carefully receaued and vsed by deuout poeple He died the eight day of Iune about the yeare of our redemption 1154. But an hundred thirtie one yeares after his death his sacred bones were taken out of the ground and placed in an eminent place in the Church of Yorke in a very pretious and rich shrine where thy were reserued with great reuerence and veneration till the fatall destruction of all Churches and religion in the vnhappie raigne of Henry the eight His life we haue gathered out of William of Newbery lib. 1. cap. 17. 27. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 12. cap. 41. Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Polidore Virgill lib. 12 who allsoe speaketh of his Canonization Vsuard and Molanus in their Martirologes make mention of S. William The life of saint COLVMBA Abbot and Confessor IVNE 9. Written by Adamnanus Abbot who florished in the yeare 690 THE glorious Abbot and venerable father and Founder of manie Monasteries Sainct COLVMBA borne in Jreland of noble parents was from his very infancie much inclined to embrace all true Christian vertues to follow the studies of wisedom and to keepe him self chast pure and entier in bodie and soule from the infectious venom and vanities of the world He was of an angelicall contenance neaâ—e in his speech holy in his workes sound in his iudgement prouident in giuing counsell and excellent in witt He suffered no one hower to passe wherein he did noe applie him self to prayer reading writing or some other good worke He was soe vnwearied in the labours of fasting and watching and His continuall labour sâ—e strongly exercised him self therein night and day without intermission that the weight and greatnes of those employments seemed to exceed the possibilitie of humane nature And amidst all bearing allwaies a ioyfull countenance he became most gratefull and deare vnto all men To the age of thirtie fower yeares he liued in Ireland in the continuall exercise of a most holy life But in the yeare of our Lord fiue hundred sixtie fiue he came into the Iland of great Britaine to announce the fayth of CHRIST to the northerne Picts whom by his zealous preaching vertuous example and miraculous workes he conuerted to the Christian Fayth soe that by a iust title he is termed their Apostle In one of the Orkney Ilands on the north side of Scotland he built a famous Monastery and furnished it with a great Conuent of Monkes whom he gouerned as He buildeth the Monastery of Hoy. Abbot in all holines of life and conuersation to the age of threescore and seauenteen yeares when loaden with manie meritts and good workes he ended this mortall life to enter into the immortall which neuer ends He was first buried in the same Monastery which from him was called Columbkill or Columbs-Cell but afterwards his holy reliques were translated to Dune in Jreland and layd in the same tombe with great saint PATRICK and saint BRIGITT according to this Epitaphe Jn Burgo Duno tumulo tumulantur in vno Brigida Patricius atque Columba pius During his life he founded manie other Monasteries both in Jreland He foundeth manie Monasteries and elsewhere in which he gained manie thousands of soules to God out of the dangerous pathes of this world But yf we should goe about to sett downe in particular the miraculous workes excellent vertues propheticall reuelations angelicall apparitions and all the heauenly and diuine guifts and graces which allmightie God largely bestowed vppon this holy man it would require a whole volume apart And after all our best endeauours imployed therein we should come soe farre short of worthyly declaring his worthie deeds that I haue chosen rather ro passe them ouer in silence then with a rude penne rudely to decipher them to the world He died the ninth of June on which day his memory hath heretofore been celebrated with great solemnitie especially in Ireland as his proper Office in a Breuiary of that counrrey doeth testifie His life is very largely written by Adamnanus Abbot of the Monastery of Hoy. The Roman Martirologe Venerable Bede de gest Angl. lib. 3. cap. 4. and lib. 5. cap. 10. Notkerus Balbulus in his martirologe Henry Huntington lib. 3. hist. Ang. fol. 330. Cardinall Baronius in his Annotations on the Roman Martirologe and manie other graue Authours doe make honourable mention of him The life of Saint MARGARET Queene of Scotland IVNE 10 Written by Aluredus Abbot of Rhieuall AFTER the death of Edmund King of England who from the great strength of body was surnamed Iron-side Canutus King of Denmarke and conquerour of England being him self ashamed to putt to death his two sonnes Edmund and Edward by reason of the league made with their father sent them to the King of Sueuia to be murdered who moued with compassion presented them Parents of S Margaret to Salomon King of Hungarie to be preserued But Edmund dying without childreÌ„ Edward his yonger brother married Agatha daughter to the Emperour which marriage was blessed with a daughter called MARGARET
and she dispersed all she had I say nothing of her great care and pietie shewed to sick persons orphans and widdowes to whom she was allwaies a most indulgent and pious Motheâ— I passe ouer in silence the affâ—ction reuerence she bore to Hermites and true religious mâ—n whom sometimes she visited and dayly furnished with sufficiencie Euery morning she The rare pretie of the King and Queene nourished nine orphan-children and gaue them victualls with her owne hands Besides these her custom was to receaue three hundred poore poeple into the pallace and hauing 〈◊〉 the doores she ranged them into order when the king on the on side and the Queene on the other serued CHRIST in his poore and gaue them meate with their owne hands peculâ—rly prouided for that purpose O the wonderfull pietie of these royall persons This done she went to the Church where during the time of the holy sacrifice of Masse she sacrificed her self to allmightie God with the long continuance of manie prayers sighs and teares And before the high Masse beganne she heard fiue or six priuate Masses euery day VI. THEN she returned to dinner rather to maintaine life then Her spare diet to satisfie the delights of her appetite for in her diet she was soe sober and sparing that her meales rather sharpened then extinguished her 〈◊〉 and she seemed rather to â—ast then to â—are her meate Throughout the whole Lent and fortie daies before Christmas she mortified her bodie with an incredible abstinence in soe much that out of the austeritie of her fasting she endured most sharpe paynes and gripings in her stomake all the daies of her life but the weaknes of her bodie could nothing weaken the strength of her vnconquered vertue At length falling into a grieuous ficknes she sent for her Confessor 〈◊〉 the second Prior of the Benedictine Monastery of Durham of wâ—om hauing first declared the manner of her life and at each word of the consolation which he gaue her powred out whole flouds of deuout teares she tooke her last farewell for sayd she I shall not long remaine in She desireth Masses and prayers after death this mortall life and thou wilt shortly follow me Two things therefore I desire of thee the first that during thy life thou be allwaies mindfull of me in thy masse and other prayers the second that thou take care of my children and keepe them allwaies in the feare of God lest the prosperitie of the world wheÌ„ they attaine to the height of terrene dignitie make them loose the happines of eternall life VII AFTERWARDS the vehemencie of her disease encreasing she was noâ—able to rise but seldom out of her bed But the fourth day The slaughter of King Malcoline before her happie departure the king being then abroade in a warlick expedition she grew on the suddaine more sad then her wonted custom saying to the assistants I feare more misfortune hath happened this day to the Kingdom of Scotland then in manie yeares before And soone after they vnderstood that the King and his sonne Edward had that very day lost their liues in the warres The fourth day after the kings death her sicknes giuing some truce to the former vehemencie of her paine she rose and went into her chappell and armed her approching end with the last Sacrament and the Viaticum of our Lords most pretious bodie Then the crueltie of her griefes laying her againe prostrate on her death-bed she vnderstood by the new arriuall of her sonne Edgar from the arâ—ie of the late ouerthrow receaued by their enemies when lifting vp her hands and eyes towards heauen she gaue infinite thankes vnto allmightie God who at the hower of her departure out of this A vvorthy example of patience world had sent her an occasion of soe great anguish for a triall of her patience by the suffrance of which she hoped to be clensed from some of her former sinnes In the meane time feeling the secret messengers of death to summon her departure she beganne deuoutly to recite this prayer Domine Iesu Christe qui ex voluntate Patris cooperante She dioâ—â— happily spiritu Sancto per mortem tuam mundum viâ—ificasti libera me and and at that word her soule being deliuered out of the chaines of the bodie quietly passed to the Authour of all true libertie CHRIST-IESVS whom soe dearely she had loued in her life time being made participant of the happines of those glorious spirits whose vertuous examples she had been all waies carefull to follow And her face which during her sicknes was soe wane pale returned after death to soe fayre a mixture of a red and white complexion that to the astonished behoulders it seemed to sett forth the countenance of a sleeping or liuing bodie rather then of one that was dead She died the tenth day of Iune in the yeare 1097. and was buried in the Church of the Blessed Trinitie which she had built in her life time The life of this glorious Queene hath been written by S. Alured Abbot of Rhieuall recited by Surius tom 3. and by Turgot second Prior of Durham whom we haue followed Allso Deidonatus lib. 12. hist Scotorum maketh ample mention of her as allsoe the Roman Martirâ—loge Vsuard Molanus and others The life of Sainct EADBVRG Virgin and Nunne of the holy Order of Sainct BENEDICT IVNE 15. Out of William Malmesbury and others EABVRG daughter to Edward the Elder King of England and Queene Elsgiue his wife Her parents at the age of three yeares gaue a notable proofe of her future Sainctitie For her father being desirous to trie whether the litle infant would be inclined to God or the world layd the ornaments of diuers professions in his chamber before her on the one side a chalice and the Ghospell and iewells rings and bracelets on the other Thither the litle gyrle being brought in the armes of her dandling nurse she was seated on her fathers lappe who sayd Choose my EADBVRG which of these things doe most delight thee She with a countenance as it were despising the rest greedily layd hould on the chalice and booke embracing them with Note her choise of a religiouslife a childish innocencie The whole companie of assistants cried out that it was an euident presage of future sainctitie in the gyrle and the father most tenderly kissing clipping his child Goe thy waies sayd he whither God calls thee follow happily the diuine spouse whom thou hast chosen and happy indeed may thy mother and I esteeme our selues being in religion ouercome by a daughter Therefore when riper yeares allowed her the perfect vse of discrecretion she went to the Benedictine Monasterie which her father had She taketh the habit of a Nunne built at Winchester and putt on the habit and profession of a Nunne vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT when soe rarely she conformed her life to the lawes of her profession that by the
of him And in an anncient Breâ—iary of S. Benedicts Order which belonged to the Monastery of Burton vppon Trent I find his death celebrated with an office of three Lessons S. ALBANVS PROTOMARTIR IN ANGLIA Iunij 22 〈…〉 The life of Sainct ALBAN the first Martir of Great Britaine IVNE 22 Out of Venerable Bede and an auncient manuscript of S. Albans WHEN the bloudie persecution which the two cruell Emperours Diocletian and Maximian raysed against the Catholick Church raged ouer the world the furie thereof was soe cruelly outrageous that it could not be contayned within the bounds of the Ocean but powred it self out in crueltie euen into the remotest Ilands of the Christian world and amongst others into our famous Iland of Great Britaine Where saint ALBAN was the captaine and leader of that sacred warrefare who being a citizen of the auncient Cittie of Verulam which The place of his birth at that time was a Colonie vnder the Roman Emperours and borne of a famous stock receaued first the Christian fayth by the precepts and instructions of the most holy martir Amphibaluss of whom allsoe we must in this history make often and honourable mention For after that by preaching he had purchased other countreies to CHRIST being enkindled with an ardent zeale of gayning more and more soules to Gods Church he came to Verulam where first with courteous hospitalitie he was entertained by our ALBAN as yet a Heathen But vnderstanding that his new guest Amphibalus was He defireth to know the points of fayth not only a professour but a teacher all soe of the Christian name he was desirous to heare him discourse of the assertion of his fayth and Amphibalus was as eager to giue his Host an accompt thereof hoping to winne him to the same profession Therefore he shewed him how allmightie God consisting of one essence three persons soe dearly loued the world that he sent the second person in Trinitie his only Sonne froÌ„ heauen as a witnes and messenger of his loue for the reconciliation and redemption of mankind Who when he was true God of God yet soe farre he humbled him self for our healths sake that he voutchsafed to take humane flesh vppon him and be borne of a Virgin allbeit he were the maker and creatour of the same flesh and of his mother the Virgin And these sayd he are the principles of our Fayth these by the instruction of the holy Ghost were manie ages agoe knowne and foretould by manie of the Iewes and since confirmed by the wonderfull workes of CHRIST him self and receaued by the common consent of allmost all nations and in embracing of these points consisteth the height of all felicitie and perpetuall miserie followeth all that denie them II. BVT at first ALBAN seemed to laugh at these things and contemne them and to hould the teacher of them him self not only to He laugheth at the misteries of Fayth be vaine in his doctrine but allsoe scarse sound in his witts in auoching such paradoxes soe abhorring as he thought from all sense and reason For who can be brought to beleeue sayd he that sayd he that God had a Sonne and the same soone to be made man and borne of a Virgin without a father and she to remaine both a Virgin and a Mother In summe that daies discourse was broken off and ALBAN being displeased with Amphibalus and his doctrine went to please his troubled mind in his bed whilest his holy teacher Amphibalus sorrowfull that his words had taken noe deeper roote in the mind of his kind Host and still remayning carefull for his soules health betooke him self to his prayers in steed of sleepe nether was his petitioÌ„ to allmightie God in vaine For ALBAN being oppressed vnder the heauie wings of sleepe seemed to behould His vision being asleepe the whole tragedie of our Lords sacred passion soe perfectly acted before him that to his imagination it appeared not soe much to be in a dreame as in very deed represented to his corporall sight Terrified therefore out of his sleepe with the strangenes of this vision he went forthwith to Amphibalus and desired him yf those things which he preached of CHRIST were true to expound allsoe the meaning and interpretation of his dreame Who hauing first giuen thankes vnto allmightie God for soe wonderfull a vocation of his beloued Host drew out a Crucifix Amphibalus expoundeth his dreame which he allwaies carried about him and shewed in that signe how he might plainly vnderstand what his nightly vision did portend And following on with a declaration of CHRISTS Ghospell and passion conformeable to what he had seene in his sleepe he soe solidly discouered the mistery of CHRIST crucified that there was noe place for anie doubt left in the mind of ALBAN soe powerfully the holy Ghost had planted the truth of fayth in his soule By whose sacred vnction ALBAN Note the strange suddaine eonuersioÌ„ of S. Alban being wholly replenished with vnusuall sweetnes and contentment of mind desired now nether teacher nor arguments to instruct him but of his owne accord detesteth his false Gods abiureth his Idols professeth to acknowledge no other God to beleeue no other in his heart to confesse no other with his mouth but God the father and his sonne CHRIST-IESVS and him crucified He admireth the greatnes of the diuine pietie and goodnes in the redemption of mankind and beginnes wholly to be inflamed with his loue who voutchsafed first soe to loue humane frailtie that he vndertooke not only our nature but allsoe all the miseries adherent thereunto as allso a most shamefull death it self to redeeme man from the tirannie of eternall death to the glorie of Gods elect poeple Nay falling He worshippeth the Crucifix prostrate before the Crosse as yf he had seene CHRIST him self really hanging thereon he embraceth and kisseth his wounds giues him infinite thankes for calling him to the knowledge of his fayth being wholly carried beyond him self to thinke how to appeare worthily gratefull for the benefitt of soe vndeserued a vocation Therefore he bad adiew to all worldly pleasures and embraced teares and sighs for his greatest delights all other things he contemned that he might gaine CHRIST alone for all in him he placed all his hope and loue to him he soe perfectly vowed him self and all he had that he would rather a thousand times endure to be robbed of this life then to be separated from the fayth and charitie of his deare redeemer III. IN the confession of these and such like things Amphibalus admitted ALBAN to the purifying grace of Baptisme and at his He is baptised earnest entreatie remayned there some daies more amply to instruct him in all things that belonged to the profession of his receaued religion But in the meane time the renowned name of ALBAN and the fame of this fact allbeit secretly performed made that it came to the eares and knowledge of the
honourable mention of S. Amphibalus and speake all agreable to that which we haue sayd of him S. ETHELDREDA REGINA VIRGO ET ABBATISSA Ordinâ—â— S. 〈◊〉 in Anglia Junij 23. M. baâ—â—… The life of sainct ETHELDRED or AVDRY Queene Virgin and Abbesse of the holy Order of sainct BENEDICT IVNE 23 Out of the auncient records of Ely LEt the fabulous Greekes talke noe more of their chast Penelope who in the twentie yeares absence of her husband Vlisses liued continently in despite of the tempting importunitie of manie noble woers and let the proud Romans cease to bragge of their fayre Lucretia that chose rather to become the bloudie instrument of her owne death then to liue after the violent rauishment of her honour and lett all the world turne their minds to admire and their tongues and pennes to sound the praises of the Christian vertues and chastitie of our blessed ETHELDRED who being ioyned in wedlock to two kings one after an other preserued her self most pure in chastitie to be spiritually vnited to her heauenly spouse the king of Kings CHRIST-IESVS Let all the married admire and the vnwarried in their degree endeauour to imitate this example of wonderfull continencie the like whereof very few are to be found in the Ecclesiasticall histories Heare her life I The glorious Virgin ETHELDRED being daughter to Anna king Her pareÌ„ts of the East-Angles and his wife Hereswith adorned the royaltie of her bloud with the glory of her vertue and sainctitie For from her very infancie she studied to order all her actions to the seruice of allmightie God by auoyding the toying companie of other maydes The vertue of her youth her equalls and wholly betaking her self to embrace chastitie modestie humilitie and all other vertues as the only ornaments of a deuout soule And that they might be the better planted and rooted therein she nourished them with the food of her continuall prayers and watred them with the streames of her deuout teares making it her chiefest exercise to be present at the diuine seruice to visitt and frequent Churches wherin she was more delighted then in the splendour of her fathers royall pallace In a word she led soe holy a life in this her tender age that to her may be truly applied that saying of wisedom Aetas Senectutis vitaimmaculata A pure and immaculate life adorned with manie vertues begetts more veneration then manie yeares of old age for he liues long that liues well II. At length when this holy virgin had in this vertuous manner She is desired in mariage passed ouer her yonger yeares and was come to an age in which she appeared mariageable her vertue of mind wherin she excelled and beautie of bodie wherein she paralled allmost all yong virgins of that time being by flying fame made celebrious all ouer the contrey manie Princes and nobles that frequented her fathers court were much taken therewith and iudged it a wordly blisse which they greatly aymed at to be wedded to such excellent parts seated in soe fayre a throne of beautie But she contemning all wordly pleasures aspired only and wholly to the bedchamber of her eternall spouse CHRIST-IESVS for whose loue she desired allwaies to preserue her chastitie vntouched singing continually spirituall himnes and canticles to his honour and prayse and dayly sacrificing her self vnto allmightie God In the meane time the diuine wisedom soe disposing it and that her vnshaken resolution of chastitie might in this world be made more famous and deseruing a greater crowne of victorie and triumphe in the next she was earnestly She marrieth against her will desired in mariage by one Tunbert a Prince of the South part of the I le of Ely who hauing obtayned her fathers consent iudged him self sure of his desire till the flat refusall of the holy Virgin made him perceaue that more then one word was requisite to a bargaine Then her father interposing his royall authoritie his vertuous daughter ETHELDRED obeyed vsing violence to her owne desires to make them subiect to her fathers will Therefore being married in royall manner to the forenamed Prince behould that which amazeth the fond world and worldlings she was found worthie to imitate the Blessed Virgin MARIE and to lead a chast life togeather with her husband yf he may be called an husband who neuer rob A chast marriage bed his spouse of her virginitie But allbeit they were not as two in one flesh yet were they both of one mind in deuotion passing ouer their daies in prayer almes deedes and other good workes for both parties were consenting to the obseruance of chastitie till an happie death made a separation of that pious vnion and called Tunbert into an other world to receaue the euerlasting reward of his continent and chast life when he had liued in the bands of an vnexperienced wedlock the space of allmost three yeares III. THEN allthough our holy Virgin ETHELDRED piously lamented She retireth to Ely the death of her husband yet in heart she rather reioyced that now she was freed from the yoake of matrimonie hoping by that meanes more easily to escape the vaine allurements of the world Therefore in her owne house at Ely she began to lead a most retired and deuout life hoping in that place which was an Iland encompassed with store of shadie woods more securely to auoyd the vaine honours of the world There her deuotion encreased dayly and her pious desire was more and more enkindled with the fier of the holy Ghost But now her former labour being ouercome she is to be drawne out and ranged into a greater conflict that the palme and glory of her virginitie might more excellently be made manifest to the world For Egsrid King of the Northumbers made very earnest sute to haue her for his wife To which his petitioÌ„ allthough Her second maâ—â—â—ge to King â—gfrid to her it seemed rather odious then glorious yet being ouercome by the importunitie of her frieÌ„ds she vnwillingly yeelded for the gayning of a greater triumphe ouer those vaine pleasures againe she putt her virginitie to the hazard of mariage But with King Egfrid who was a yong man that boyled in the flower and ardour of youthly yeares she endured a farre greater combat allwaies remayning vnconquered In whom the loue of heauen was soe powerfull that it still preserued her holy purpose free from all carnall desires A straiâ—ge resoâ—utâ—oâ— of câ—asttie And in her kings pallace where other ladies are woÌ„t to be inflamed with those vnchast fiers she burned with the flames of His heauenly loue whom the Angells desire to behould and gaze on In a word for the space of twelue yeares our pious Virgin ETHELDRED liued in an holy marriage with her husband king Egfrid without suffering anie the lest blemish to her virginitie A thing soe worthy of admiration that it is hard to say whether the constancie of her or the patience of him that boyled with