ordain'd Nathanlioth to be Generall of the Brittish Army Hence we may observe that Natanleod whom Ethelwerd calls King of the Brittains and Henry of Huntingdon the great King maximum Regem is by Mathew of Westminster stiled a Generall only in the present exigency sett over the Army 3. In this uncertainty it seems most reasonable to prefer the authority of Ethelwerd a more ancient Historian who liv'd near these times before that of Matthew of Westminster grounded probably on the partiality of former Brittish Writers who were loath that posterity should know that their valiant King was slain by the Saxons and therefore make him to overlive this battel eight years and then to have dyed by poyson 4. The Coniecture therefore of the learned Bishop Vsher deserves to be subscrib'd unto who conceives this Natanleod to be no other then Vther-pendragon For thus he frames his discourse upon this subject If in clearing the perplex'd accounts of these ancient times it may be permitted us to give our coniecture since this Natanleod is by Fabius Ethelwerd Florentius of Worcester and all the Saxon Annals stiled a King it deserves to be considered whether any other can be meant here besides the then King of the Brittains Vther whose proper Brittish name was Natanleod but afterward for his valiant exploits obtain'd the sirname Vther which in the Brittish tongue signifies terrible or admirable In like manner in the Annotations added to Niniu◠we read concerning his Son and successour Arthur that he was call'd Mab-Vther which signifies the son of the terrible Prince because from his childhood he was feirce and cruell And the name Arthur being out of the Brittish language interpreted imports a terrible Beare or an iron mall the which breaks the Lyons iawes 5. And herewith well agrees the narration given by Henry of Huntingdom of this great battell which he thus describes I am now to relate the battell sought by Nazaleod so he calls Natanleod the greatest King of the Brittains against Certic and Cinric his son in the sixtieth year after the first coming of the Saxons Nazaleod was a Prince of great fame and withall of great pride from whom that Province was call'd Nazaleoli which afterward had the name of Certichs-ford Nazaleod then gatherd an Army out of all Brittany and Certic with his Son to enable themselves to encounter him had in so great danger obtain'd aid from Esca King of Kent and Ella the potent King of the South-Saxons as likewise from Port and his Son lately arriv'd all which forces they divided into two main bodies one of which was lead by Certic and the other by his son Cinric 6. When the Armies were joyn'd in battell King Nazaleod perceiving that the right wing of the Enemies army conducted by Certic was much stronger then the other he turn'd all his forces against it conceiving it safest to destroy that which was strongest He set upon them therefore with such violence that he broke quite through them threw down their Ensigns forc'd Certic to fly and made a great slaughter of his army all which was done in a very short time But Cinri◠who conducted the left wing seing his Fathers army routed rushed vehemently on the backs of the Brittains whilst they pursued their enemies flying By this means the combat became furious insomuch as King Nazaleod was slain and the Brittains forc'd to fly of whom there fell five thousand the rest saving themselves with their swiftnes Thus the Saxons obtain'd a great victory so that for some years they were not disturb'd by the Brittains And moreover great multitudes of valiant soldiers came out of Germany to joyn with them 7. This famous battell as it were by agreement fought between the entire forces of all the Saxons and Brittains for the Mastery had utterly ruin'd the Brittish state had Natanleod or Vther-pendragon left behind him a Successour of a courage lesse Heroicall then his Son the famous King Arthur was whose glorious Exploits we shall successively relate The place of this combat was in the Province of the Belgae now called Hampshire THE ELEAVENTH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY UNDER BRITTISH KINGS I. CHAPTER 1.2 c. Brittish fables of K. Arthur 1. BEING to treat of the Successour of Nantaleod or Vther-pendragon such mists are raised by the Writers of those times such diversity of conjectures are found in succeeding Historians concerning not the Gests only but even the person of King Arthur that I find my self unable to deliver any thing touching him which may satisfy my self much lesse an intelligent and wary Reader Now this difficulty and perplexity proceeds not for want but excesse of matter recorded of him but recorded by Writers so impudently addicted to lying and moved thereto out of a desire to perpetuate his fame that they have almost extinguish'd his memory and obliged posterity to consider him as a meer phantosime created by the brainsick imaginations of ignorant Brittish Bards who endeavoured to recreate the minds of their miserable countreymen with singing the exploits of their famous Ancestours not considering that those very Songs cast a lasting blot upon the Hearers shewing the Brittains of those times to have been of so mean and lost spirits that being conducted by such Heroës they were yet unable to resist their Enemies 2. That there was such a Prince as Arthur cannot reasonably be questioned as neither that in defence of his countrey he became illustrious by many victories against the Saxons But as touching his Exploits pretended to be perform'd by him out of Brittany his conquering of Provinces and Kingdoms abroad his Round Table and faigned Knights belonging to it these and the like impossible fables we leave to the dreaming Bards the inventours and their credulous believers the ignorant Brittains 3. But that this Arthur was not successour of Vther a learned French Antiquary Malbranc confidently enough affirms and from a wrong transcribed passage of Gildas will needs confound him with Aurelius Ambrosius whose Father not Brother according to him was Vther-pendragon 4. Notwithstanding the consent of our ancient Historians and those the most prudent and faithfull in their Narrations putts it out of question that Arthur was the Son of Vther and Nephew of Ambrosius and that after the death of his Father slain by the Weste Saxons he succeeded his Father in the Throne of Brittany 5. As touching his Birth and descent some Writers report that his Father Vther falling in love with the Wife of Gorlois Duke of Cornwall call'd Igerna and by flatteries and subtilty having gaind her affection for say they by Merlins Magicall skill he was transform'd into the shape of her husband of her he begot Arthur But his vertues piety and courage wonderfully prosper'd by Almighty God are strong proofs that his birth was not so infamous 6. A more sober account is given of him in the Antiquities of Glastonbury written by Iohn a Monk and Adam of Domerham where we
Monks of her Convent in her name to pray unto our Lord for the common safety of the Kingdom adding that She her self would also add her prayers for the same purpose And when the young man had not the courage to perform her commands she told him that for a sign he should be contracted in his members lame and disabled to every thing till the day of her Deposition on which solemnity if he were caried to her Sepulcher he should recover his perfect health Hereupon the young man published his Vision insomuch as many beleived it being induced thereto by seing the penalty layd on him For to shew that there was no fiction in the matter his leggs were so slender that there was nothing but skin and bones and his hamms were so drawn up that his heeles stuck to his hanches 16. The report of this being spread abroad many came to see him and for tryal they prickd his leggs and feet with iron bodkins but the skin being dead he felt nothing Others endeavoured but in vain to draw back his leggs They determined therefore to expect the prefixed day wherein the event would prove his speeches either true or false On the solemnity therefore of the glorious Virgin-Queen the young man was caried to the Church There being layd he began first to fall into a slumber but being wakd he leapt up Those who were near heard the cracking of his sinews after which followed the stretching forth of his members and the young man began to leape and in the presence of many he went about the Virgins Sepulcher And whereas by command of the Holy Virgin he had foretold many secret matters touching particular persons the which he revealed to his Parish-Preist under seal of Confession all which were found to be true men therefore did assure themselves that all the rest which he sayd should afterward come to passe were true likewise Among which he foretold that the summer following the heats would be so extreme that the leads on some Churches would be melted unlesse God would qualify it And indeed we felt a very great heat which but for the prayers of some devout persons would have been intolerable Moreover by lightning from heaven the lead on some Churches was melted as at a town called Manfeild in Sussex the Collegiat Church of Canterbury likewise was burnt with a great part of the Citty severall farm-houses also in Essex and in some places both ships and mariners were consumed by fire from heaven 7 This Vision and prediction was moreover confirmed by another shortly following made by the same glorious Saint to an old decrepit woman of fourscore years who was healed of a long continued lamenes at her Sepulcher as the same Historian at large recounts to whom the Reader is referred To conclude we will here only add the Testimony given to this Holy Virgin in the Roman Martyrologe where on the three and twentieth of Iune we read these words In Brittany on that day is the Commemoration of S. Ediltrudis Queen and Virgin illustrious for Sanctity and Miracles whose Body eleaven years after she was buried was found uncorrupted VI. CHAP. 1.2 c. The Gests of S. Withburga Sister to S. Ethelreda 6 7. c. Her Body likewise uncorrupted after many ages 10.11 The Priviledge of England above other countreyes 1. THE same year in which S Ethelreda was the second time maried to Egfrid Prince of the Northumbers her Sister S. Withburga daughter of Anna King of the East-angles according to our ancient Martyrologe is sayd to have dyed though in a later and more correct Edition her death is placed ten years after 2. This Holy Virgin S. Withburga having scarce passed the years of child hood was enflamed with a desire of retiring from the tumults and conversation of the world that she might more freely attend to God And accordingly she built for her self an Oratory in a village of Norfolk called Derrega now Derham where as if she had been devested of her body and estranged from all delectations of sence she gave her self entirely to Divine Contemplation living an Angelicall life in perfect chastity and neglect of all contentments of the flesh 3. Now it hapned that her self and her innocent family of Virgins her attendants being solicitous only to feed their minds with spirituall delicacies fell into want of necessary sustenance Whereupon the Holy Virgin carefull of her companions addressed her prayers to her heavenly Master whose care extends it self even to the foules of the aire beseeching him to provide for his hand maids who only attended on his service After such Prayers she fell into a slumber in which she saw standing by her the Queen of Virgins adorned with inexpressible beauty and Majesty who bid her still putt her confidence in God and not to trouble herself for the morrow Send sayd she two of the mayd servants every morning to the bridge which passes over the neighbouring River for there will meet them two milch Does which will afford sufficient nourishment for this small family According to this command the next morning she sent her two mayds to whom two Does offred themselves from which they drew a sufficient quantity of milk for their sustenance 4. This effect of the Divine Providence towards his servants continued a long time till at last the Devill full of envy and rage incited the like passions into the mind of a rude barbarous man of principall authority in the same village who deriding so great a miracle and agitated with a malicious spitefull indignation with arrows killed the said beasts But he that despised miracles perished with a miracle for presently after being smitten with the jaundise he consumed away and miserably dyed 5. But mans envy could nor shorten Gods hand who is not confined to one mean of providing for his servants He who fills every creature with his benediction was not wanting in his care for the sustenance of this Holy Virgin and her devout family who persevered to the end in the same course of piety How many years she spent therein is not expressly declared by any ancient Writer Onely the eighth day before the Ides of Iuly is in our Calendâ—r assigned for the day of her deposition 6. She was first buried saith Camden in the same town of Derham whither she had retired herself and for her aversion from all luxury and vanity was by our Ancestours reckond among the Saints And with great reason since God was pleased not only to beatify her Spirit with immortality but her chast body likewise with incorruption For by the testimony of Florentius her body fifty five years after being translated and more honourably reposed in the Church built by her self was found entire untouched by any corruption The Authour of her life addes that not her body only but vestments likewise were found as fresh as if she had the same day been layed in her tomb And
has mercifully granted our desires 7. The truth of this Propheticall promise was really confirmed by the event for after they were parted they never saw one the other corporally and in the same moment of time their Spirits were delivered from their mortall bodies and by the ministery of Angells translated to the beatificall vision of God But the devout Hermite before his death was purified by a tedious and painfull infirmity which probably hapned to him by a mercifull divine dispensation to the end that the torments of a long sicknes might instrumentally supply the defect in which he came short of the holy Bishops merits that so being made equall in Grace with his pious Intercessour he might not only in the â—â—me moment of time but with an equall participation enioy eternall Glory together with him 8. Among the many miraculous proofes of his Sanctity and favour with God we will here recount onely one which he performed during his last Visitation of his Diocese which is recorded by the same Writer as followeth On a certain day when in Visiting his Province he preached the word of life to the poore countrey-people and likewise by imposition of hands conferred the Grace of Confirmation on such as had been baptized he came to the Village of a certain Count whose wife at that time lay sick at the point of death The Count himself mett him in the way and with bended knees gave thanks to our Lord for his coming and so conducted him into his house And when the Venerable Bishop after he had according to the use of strangers washed his hands and feet and was sett down the Count began to acquaint him with the desperate state of his wife beseeching him that he would give his benediction to water for sprinckling her For said he I firmly beleive that either she will thereby by Gods blessing presently recover or if she dye she will passe from her miserable and tedious paines to eternall rest The Holy Bishop assented to the mans request and water being brought he blessed it and gave it to a Preist commanding him to sprinckle the sick Lady with it Who thereupon entred into her chamber where she lay like one deprived of sence life and both sprinckled her face and her bed yea withall opening her mouth distilled a few dropps into it The holy Water had no sooner touched her but o Wonderfull though she was utterly ignorant of what had been done she preseÌ„tly recovered a perfect health of body and mind and devoutly blessed our Lord who had sent such holy guests to visit and restore her to health And without delay rising up she herself like the Mother of S. Peters wife came to doe service to the Bishop being the first of the whole family which presented to him a Cup of refection VIII CHAP. 1.2 c. Saint Cuthberts preparation to death 4.5 c. The admirable occurrents at his death 1. THIS was the last time that S. Cuthbert visited his Diocese after which he again retired himself into his solitude of Lindesfarn there to prepare himself without distraction for his last account which he was shortly to make as Gods holy Spirit had signified to him Onely three months space was allowed him for this preparation for as Saint Beda declares he retired himself when the Feast of our Lords Nativity was ended in the year six hundred eighty six and dyed on the twentieth of March following 2. What his employment was during this his last retirement S. Beda who either was or might have been present will inform us Having passed saith he two years in performing his Episcopall charge the Holy man of God knew in spirit that the day of his departure out of this world approached whereupon he discharged himself of his Episcopall solicitude and made hast to return to his beloved exercises of an Eremiticall conversation to the end that by the flame of his accustomed compunction he might purge away and consume all the drosse of worldly affections In which time he oftimes would goe out of his solitary mansion to exhort and comfort his Religious brethren who came to visit him 3. The same Authour a little after declares the particular occurrents hapning to the Holy Bishop a little before his death which he relates in the words of a devout Monk whose abode was near to the place and also was scrupulously inquisitive into all matters concerning the Holy Bishop The account given by him is as followeth 4. The holy man of God S. Cuthbert returned into his Mansion in the Island as soon as the Solemnity of our Lords Nativity was ended He was attended to the boat by a troop of his Religious Brethren and being ready to enter into it one of the ancient Monks venerable for his piety strong in Faith but weak in body by reason of a Dyssentery which afflicted him sayd thus to him Tell us my Lord Bishop when wee may expect your return To this simple and plain question the holy Bishop answered as plainly for he certainly knew what should befall him My return shall be when you shall bring back my dead body 5. Thus he passed into the Island where for two months space he spent the time in great ioy for the recovering his beloved tranquillity and solitude yet not admitting any sensuall refreshment but on the contrary mortifying himself both externally in body and internally in mind according to his ancient accustomed rigour After which he was suddenly assaulted with a sharp sicknes by the bitter pains whereof he was purified and prepared for eternall rest and ioy 6. As for the manner of his death I will relate it saith Saint Beda in the very words of him from whose mouth I received it which was a Preist venerable for his Piety named Herefrid who at that time was Abbot of the Monastery of Lindesfarn viz. Three whole weekes was he continually tormented and purified with his disease of which he dyed for upon a Wednesday he began to be sick and upon a Wednesday death ended his sicknes and sent him to our Lord. 7. Now the first day in which his last infirmity had seised on him I went early in the morning to him for three days before I arrived in the Island attended by severall of my Brethren for I had a desire to partake the comfort of his benediction and pious exhortation Assoon as I had given the accustomed sign of my being there he came to the window of his Mansion and when I had saluted him all the answer he gave mee was a sigh My Lord Bishop said I how doe you Perhaps your usuall languishing infirmity has this last night grown upon you It is true said he I have been very weak this night Now I thought he had meant it of his old infirmity which seldom left him and not of a new unusuall sicknes Therefore I questioned him no further but sayd Give us your benediction for it is time for us to return
to Vtrecht and presently after upon the ruined foundation of the ancient Church of Saint Thomas near the Castle they erected a Church in which they placed Canonicall Preists who lived in Community Which Church they dedicated to the honour of S. Martin Bishop of Tours There S. Willebrord Arch-bishop of the Frisons established his Cathedrall See and together with S. Swibert and the rest of the Brethren with their own hands consecrated it with its primitive benediction having translated into it the Sacred Body of S. Cunera Virgin and Martyr being one of the companions of S. Vrsula 2. In processe of time when Radbode King of the Frisons was dead free permission was given to Christians to preach the Gospell every where through Friseland Wherefore the foresaid Holy Prelats with the Preists and other Ecclesiasticks passing through the coasts of Holland and Friseland instructed the rude people in the Documents of the Gospell teaching them to renounce their profane Idolatry they baptized the Cathecumens they confirmed the Neophyts they dispensed Sacred Orders and with great constancy and devotion published the Gospell of Peace through all villages ordaining Preists and Deacons every where to assist them in the Ministery of Baptism especially in the great Town of Duerstat where after two years preaching they brought the whole people to embrace the Faith of Christ and by the assistance of the forementioned Noble man Gunther and his freinds they changed the Temples of Idolls into fifty two Christian Churches 3. Neither did they content themselves with preaching the Word of life in Friseland and Thuringia or Hervingia but as far as Denmark they brought to the Orthodox Faith great multitudes having purified them from their barbarous and Idolatious customs Thus these Holy Prelats and Preachers having with great fervour published for the space of severall years the Doctrine of Christ in severall Provinces they returned with great ioy to Vtrecht to their Brethren and fellow-laboures declaring to them how great things God had done by them And though the Holy Bishop S. Swibert was first advanced to Episcopall Dignity yet S. Willebrord in place and honour went before him and is esteemed the first Arch-bishop of Vtrecht inasmuch as he was by Pope Sergius ordained specially the Archbishop of the Frisons and by the Apostolick See sent in Mission to the same people 4. Conformably hereto writes Albinus Flaccus who likewise touching S. Willebrords preaching to the Danes addes this relation When the Holy Arch-bishop says he perceiv'd that he could not with any fruit or successe endeavour the Conversion of Radbode King of the Frisons he turned his steps and course of preaching to the Savage Danes At that time as the report is there raigned a Prince called Ongend a man of a disposition more cruell then any wild beast and whose heart was more impenetrable then a rock Yet this man by Gods operation treated with great honour this Preacher of Truth Who finding the said barbarous Prince obdurate in his perverse manners and wholly given up to Idolatry so that he had no hopes at all to work any good change in him He took with him thirty young children of that countrey returned with them to the Provinces subiect to the French But being desirous to prevent the cunning malice of the Devill he in the iourney having catechized the said children washed them in the Font of life for fear least by some accident in so long a voyage by Sea or the incursions oâ— the barbarous people through which he passed he might endanger their eternall state 5. Now this Devout Apostle pursuing his voyage came to a certain Island in the confines of the Frisons and Danes called by the inhabitants Fositesland from a certain profane Deity of theirs named Fosite to whom many Temples were there erected This place was held by them in such wonderfull veneration that no man durst presume to touch any beast feeding there or any other thing consecrated to the said Idoll nor so much as draw any water from a spring flowing there except in sign of veneration he observed an exact silence Into this Island the man of God being cast by tempest was forced to stay there some dayes expecting a seasonable time to putt to Sea But the Holy Bishop making small account of the foolish superstition of that place or of the feirce disposition of King Radbode who was wont to putt to a cruell death all those that violated such ceremonies he himself with the solemne invocation of the Blessed Trinity baptised three men newly converted and moreover gave order to his companions to kill certain beasts feeding there for their nourishment This the Pagans beholding verily beleived that such a sacriledge would be punished either with madnes or some sudden death But perceiving no harm to come to them in a great rage they went and told the King what had been done by the Christians Who being enflamed with excessive fury against the Holy Bishop seised upon him and intending to revenge the iniury done to his false Gods he according to the ancient custom of that Nation every day cast lotts three times upon him and his companions and yet never did that Lott which condemned to death fall upon the Bishop or his Disciples onely one Christian of the company was designed to death by the lott and so ended his life by Martyrdom Now this custom of casting lotts in such cases is verified to have been very ancient among the Germans by the testimony of Caesar in his commentaries 6. The same Authour moreover testifies how after the return of Clement or Willebrord a Synod was assembled at Vtrecht by appointment whereof other Missioners and Preachers were sent into the circumiacent Provinces And by occasion of the mentioning this ordinance of the Synod he makes a collection of the names and most memorable Gests of those devout Missioners which either formerly or in this present Synod or afterward were sent to labour in our Lords vineyard saying Then the foresaid Holy Prelats together with the excellent Preists and Preachers which came out of Brittany with them to Vtrecht observing that through Gods blessing much people was converted from Infidelity to the Faith of Christ they in the Synod assembled in this lately sprung Church of Vtrecht decreed that other zealous Preachers should after the manner of the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord be sent through the confining barbarous Nations to preach unto them the Faith of Christ. Now there were in the said Primitive Church of Vtrecht at that time the foresaid Apostolicall Prelats Canonicall Preists and worthy Preachers which together with the two Holy Brethren whose names were Ewald following S. Swibert constantly preached Christ to the Gentiles Afterward likewise were ioyned to them S. Winfrid a Preist who after he had lived thirteen years a Canon in the Church of Vtrecht was consecrated Arch-bishop of Mentz and called by a new name Boniface from whence returning after the death of S. Willebrord
of February But his principall Feast is obser-served on the fourteenth of October the day of his Translation 10. His Successour Saint Megingand who was one of those which Saint Boniface had called out of Brittany was come to a great age at the death of Saint Burchard yet he administred that See the space of fifteen years in all things conformable to the good example of his Blessed Predecessour And â—t last being oppressed with age by the consent of his Clergy he elected for his Successour a certain Disciple and Monk of his Monastery called Bernwelf to whom he resigned the whole care of his Bishoprick consigning into his hands all the possessions and goods left by Saint Burchard And attended by a few disciples he retired to a certain place given to him by a devout person named Hatto 11. But in this his choice he was not so happy as his Predecessour had been for instead of kindnes and respect due to him he found extreme ingratitude and persecution from his Successour Insomuch as whereas in the Monastery of Saint Kilian he had left fifty Monks laudable in their observance of Regular Disciplin all these did Bernwelf with iniuries drive out of the Monastery and compelled them to have recourse to his Master Mengingand And not content with that he most greivously and incessantly vexed the good old man with frequent clamorous accustions of having detained certain Vestments and Books left by Saint Burchard So great and insupportable unquietnes and troubles he caused to his Master who had made him Bishop that he was compelled to forsake that place of his retirement called Korinlathe and afterwards Nieustat which he gave up to the patronage of King Charles and betook himself to another further distant Monastery by the same King bestowed upon him and his Monks Where living in all freedom from secular molestation under the protection of the illustrious King Charles in all things being acceptable to God and men he in a short time full of good works departed this life to receive his eternall reward IV. CHAP. 1.2 c. The Gests and blessed death of Saint Willehade first Bishop of Bremen 1. AS for Saint Willehade he likewise came out of Brittany presently after Saint Boniface his Martyrdom and arrived at a place called Dockum where the said Holy Martyr received his Crown There he remaind a good space not deterred by the so late cruelty of the barbarous Pagans from boldly preaching the Gospell and God so blessed his labours that many were converted and baptized by him From thence passing over the River Lavinca he went to a place called Huchmark where endeavouring likewise to withdraw those barbarous people from their Idolatry they in a great rage cryed out that such a profane seducer ought to be killed And when they were ready to putt this in execution certain men among them more moderate told them that they ought to make a tryall according to the ancient custom of their countrey by casting of Lotts whether his death would be acceptable to their Gods or no And being hereto perswaded through Gods Providence he escaped so that they gave him free permission to goe out of their countrey 2. Leaving them therefore he went to a place called Drente where by his preaching many were converted and baptized But when his Disciples moved with zeale began to destroy the Heathen Temples the barbarous people became incensed and had a resolution to kill them Saint Willehade was sore bruised with clubbes and one among them ran upon him with his sword purposing to cutt off his head Lifting up therefore his sword he with all his force smote him on the neck Now the Holy man had at that time a case full of Relicks tyed about his neck The sword then curt a sunder the string only and did not at all enter into the flesh The Pagans therefore astonished at this Miracle let both him and his Disciples depart without any further harm done them 3. Now the Victorious King of France Charles having heard report of this Holy man's sanctity and zeale encouraged him much to be constant in preaching the Gospell He went therefore into a Territory called Wigmode where he converted many and built Churches Yea the greatest part of the Frisons inhabiting thereabout promised they would embrace the Christian Faith But not long after Wittekind Duke of the Saxons rebelled against King Charles and raising an army began a great persecution against the Christians The holy man therefore after he had escaped an imminent danger went to Rome Where being much comforted and encouraged by Pope Adrian he returned back into Franconia 4. Moreover at the command of the same King the man of God went again into Wigmode where he openly and boldly preached the Faith and repaired the Churches which the Pagans had demolished And God did so prosper his labours that the Frisons once more embraced the Faith which they had renounced Yea Duke Wittekind himself the Authour of all the mischeif submitting himself to King Charles was perswaded to receive Baptism 5. The said King seeing so many Christians converted thought good that a New Episcopall See should be erected for which purpose he made choice of a place called Bremen in the countrey of Wigmode there he caused a Church to be built and with the advice of Lullo he sent to Pope Adrian to demand that this Holy man Willehade should be consecrated Bishop of Bremen which was accordingly performed There is in the Annalls of Baronius extant the Charter of King Charles for the erection and endowment of this Episcopall See in which after thanks given to God for his many victories over the Saxons he declares the limits of this new Diocese what possessions and Tithes were annexed to it as likewise to a Monastery adioyning all which were committed to the care of the Holy servant of God Willehade Which Charter was dated in the year of our Lords Incarnation seaven hundred eighty eight 6. In this function Saint Willehade behaved himself with wonderfull piety and encreased his diligence in the practise and progresse in all vertues And falling into an infirmity of body he was commanded by Pope Adrian to eat fish for formerly out of a rigorous abstinence he forbore the use of them Scarce any day passed in which he did not with great contrition of heart celebrate Masse and besides that he would some dayes recite the whole Psalter twice or thrice Thus the blessed man did wonderfully adorn his Doctrine and by his own example confirm that which with his tongue he preached to others 7. At length after he had severall times with great zeale visited his Diocese he came to a certain place called Bleckensee now Plexem Where so violent a feavour took him that his Disciples despaired of his recovery And one of them being more familiarly conversant with him could not forbear to testify his greif by teares and complaints saying Holy Father doe not so soon
piles they peirced through the vast body of the Enemies entirely routing them and neglecting spoyles they spared none not even women nor cattle but added them to the heapes of the slain That which most expos'd the Brittains to so great a slaughter for no lesse then seaventy thousand were slain in this battle was that they had closed their own Army behind with their Cariages in which besides their goods were placed their wives and children so confident they were of Victory After this defeat the Queen Boudicea ended her life by poyson called by Gildas a crafty Lionesse for her cruelty and perfidiousnes in managing the former war 24. After this so signall a Victory the Brittains during the whole raign of Nero never attempted any revenge but quietly submitted themselves to the Romans If there were any tumults they were caused by the Romans themselves To Suetonius Paulinus succeeded Turpilianus who ingratiated himself with the Brittains by the softnes of his Government more acceptable because compared with his Predecessours severity After three years Trebellius Maximus was sent Praetor who being naturally slouthfull and unacquainted with the arts of managing a campe moreover sordidly avaritious became hated and despised by the souldiers Which hatred was encreased by Roscius Coelius Legat of the twentieth Legion a man formerly of a crosse seditious nature The discord between these two grew to such a height Coelius objecting to the Generall his defrauding the souldiers of their pay and Trebellius charging Coelius with sedition and confounding the order of discipline that most of the souldiers both Roman and Auxiliaries siding with Coelius Trebellius was forced being deserted of all to fly to Vitellius then Generall to the Legions in Germany IV. CHAP. 1. A particular description of the Superstition of ancient Brittains 2.3.4 Of their Preists or Druids 5.6 Of their Bards 7.8 c. Of their Idols Belinus Diana Belatucadrus c. 11. Claudius the Emperour worship'd as a God 12.13 c. Their inhumain Rites forbidden by the Romans 16. But not extirpated till Christianity came in 1. HItherto we have given a brief of the State of Brittany from the time of its first discovery and conquest by Iulius Caesar to the end of Nero the sixth Roman Emperour and last of the family of the Caesars In which compasse of time occurs some though not much matter to furnish our History But before we mention any particulars of it it will be expedient to declare what was the Religion of the ancient Brittains to the end that the horrour of that spiritual darknes which clowded this Island may give a greater luster to the celestiall light which through Gods infinit mercy began to shine here 2. For this purpose consulting former Writers we find that among the Ancient Brittains Gaules likewise there were two sorts of people of greatest authority whose employment regarded their Religion Those were 1. the Druids and 2. the Bards the former were as it were their Preists the other their Prophets 3. The Druids were so called if we beleive Pliny from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an Oake because as Lucan and Caesar affirme their dwelling was in Groves and there they perform'd their Superstitious ceremonies a practise of Idolatry anciently condemn'd in the Iewes and taught them by their neighbouring Heathens But the signall Oake which the Druids made choice of for their veneration was such a one on which Misletoe did grow by which privy token as they conceived God mark'd it out as of soveraign vertue for his service Vnder this tree on the sixth day of the Moone wheron they began their yeare they invocated their Idols and offred two white Bulls filleted on the horns with many other ceremonies To this Greek Etymology of the name of Druids subscribe many learned Authours as Beckmanus Fungerus Casauâ—on Camden c. 4. Notwithstanding the Advice of Strabo deserves well to be embraced who rejects the searching of Greek derivations of appellations in use among Barbarous Nations And indeed it is strange that so learned a Writer as Cambden should herein follow Plinies conceit since himself acknowledges that an Ancient Writer Alfricus testifies that among the Saxons the word Dry from whence doubles the Druids were named signifies a Magician The Druids being to the Brittains the same that the Magi were to the Persians the Chaldeans to the Assyrians the Gymnosophists to the Indians c. as Diogenes Laertius observes No man certainly will doubt but that the name of Druids proceeds from the same fountain from whence the Discipline came and that according to the testimony of Caesar and Tacitus was invented in Brittany and from thence derived to other Nations insomuch as Pliny conceives that even the Persians themselves might seem to have learnt their Magick from the Brittains The name of Druids therfore comes not from the Grecians but the Brittains among whom never was mention made of any Grecian Colony whereas both the forementioned Writers attest that Caledonia which is now called Scotland was anciently planted by the Germans and that the Belga removed out of the Northern parts of France into this Island 5. Next the Druids the Bards were in high esteem who were the Prophets Poets and Historians to the Britttains For saith Ammianâ—us Marcellinus their office was to compose in â—eroick verses the famous exploits of their Ancestours which they sung to the people to the delightfull Musick of their Harpes And this confirms the saying of Fesâ—us that the word Bardus in the Gâ—llick or Brittiâ—h tongue signifies a Singer as to this day the Welsh call such an one a Bard. Now the word Bard a learned Modern Phâ—lologer derives from the Ancient Teutonick terme Bardo or Wardo signifying to see or observe so that they may seem to be called in the same not on that the Prophets among the Iewes were called Seers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another late Writer conceives the term Bard to come from the German Waerde signifying still with us a Word and a Song as the Greek term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doeth so that a Bard is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Song-maker This was the cheif employment of the Bards though besides this their taske was likewise to conserve in memory the Genealogies and Descents of families 6. A great influence they had on the minds of the Brittains to encourage them to contemne death by making the argument of their Songs to be the Immortality of the soule by transanimation conceiving that the soules of dying men pass'd afterward into other Bodies being either prefer'd to better or condemn'd to worse according to their former good or ill behaviour So that the esteemed most happy Death was to dye valiantly for their Countrey and Superstition These two Orders therfore of Druids and Bards were as it were the Ancient Clergy of our Idolatrous Britains the Inventers and Propagators of that which they called Religion the Dogme's and Rites whereof they
veighing sharply against the dissolutnes of the Brittish Clergy in his time sayth that many of them did usurp the Chaire of S. Peter with defiled feet thereby shewing that the whole Ecclesiasticall Order here did receive their Originall and Preist hood with a right of succession from S. Peter the Ordinary Supreme Pastour in a speciall regard of the Western parts of the world and who likewise prevented S. Pauls coming hither severall years 4. Particular Witnesses in Antiquity of S. Pauls preaching the Gospell in this Island are Theodoret S. Hierome and others The former of these Writing on the hundred and sixteenth Psalm saith Blessed S. Paul breifly teaches us to what Nations he had preached saving Truth saying From Ierusalem round about unto Illyricum he fill'd all nations with the Gospell of Christ. And after this he came into Italy and continued his iourney even to Spaine Moreover he brought salvation to the Islands also lying in the Sea S. Hierom likewise mentioning the travells of S. Paul saith He went out of the East as far as Spain and from the Red sea that is the Southern Ocean to the Western Ocean But more expressly Venantius Fortunatus in his Poem of the life of S. Martin speaking of S. Paul saith He pass'd the Ocean and through all Regions and accessible Islands those which are inhabited by the Brittains and the utmost Thule his Trumpet proclaimed the Gospell 5. For this reason our English Martyrologe doth deservedly reckon S. Paul among the Apostles of Brittany in that regard professing a particular acknowledgment and veneration to him VIII CHAP. 1.2 c. Testimonies of the Acts of S. Aristobulus a Disciple of S. Peter and an Apostle to the Brittains 1. THere is moreover still extant in Ecclesiasticall Records the Memory of an illustrious Disciple of S. Peter or S. Paul who probably accompanied one of them into Brittany who after many years labour in our Lords vineyard was consummated here and that is the Blessed Apostolicall Saint Aristobulus Concerning whom we read this passage in the Greek Menology Aristobulus was one of the Seaventy Disciples who was a follower of S. Paul preaching the Gospell and ministring to him in all places where he travelled By whom likewise he was ordaind a Bishop for the Region of the Brittains But in another Edition of the same Menology translated formerly by one William a Cardinal and inserted by Canisius in his second Volume of Antiquities we read that this S. Aristobulus was ordained not by S. Paul but S. Barnabas for this is the tenour of that Passage The commemoration of S. Aristobulus a Bishop of Brittany and Brother of the Blessed Apostle S. Barnabas by whom being ordained a Bishop he was sent into Brittany and there preaching the Faith of Christ and constituting a Church he attaind the glory of Martyrdome 2. Moreover a Fragment published lately by B. Vsher under the name of Haleca B. of Caesar Augusta Sarragoçe S. Aristobulus is declared to be the Disciple of S. Peter These are the words Among the Brittains is celebrated the Memory of many Martyrs and principally of S. Aristobulus one of the seaventy Disciples who was also call'd Zebedaeus the Father of Iames and Iohn Husband of Maria Salome who together with S. Peter went to Rome And there leaving his family he was sent a Bishop into England where he dyed a Martyr in the second yeare of the raign of the most cruell Emperour Nero. 3. Now wheras S. Aristobulus is every where named Bishop of the Brittains without any particular Citty assigned for his Seaâ— this doth argue that in those times of zeale and simplicity Apostolicall men did not confine theÌ„selves to any determinate place but like clouds hoverd up and down being in a sort present to all and dispensing showres seasonably every where Thus S. Augustin our Apostle at first was ordaind Bishop of the English Nation as Bede calls him till more Provinces being converted he confind himselfe to a particular Seat 4. Arnoldus Mirmannus with other Authours likewise extend the life of this Brittish Apostle to the ninety ninth yeare of our Lord affirming that he dyed in Brittany And wheras both in the Greek Menology and the Fragment of Haleca as likewise in the Roman Martyrologe he is sayd after performing the course of his preaching to have been consummated by Martyrdome this is to be interpreted according to the expression of the Primitive times in which those were called Martyrs who for the propagation of the Gospell went into forraign parts there expâ—â—â—ng themselves to all dangers and dying in such an Employment though their death was not violent 5. And such was the condition of S. Aristobulus concerning whom this is further added in the Greek Menology Aristobulus having been ordained Bishop by S. Paul was sent into Brittany a region of most cruell and savage men By whom he was sometimes tormented with stripes and sometimes also dragg'd up and down the common Market-place He perswaded many to adioyn themselves to Christ. And having constituted Churches and ordaind Preists and Deacons there he happily ended his life 6. In the English Martyrologe this is added That he dyed at Glastonbury a place far enough removed from the Trinobantes where the Romans exercised their power Probable it is that having spent so many years in the laborious exercise of his Apostolick Office he in his old age retired himself into that place of solitude and Recollection there quietly disposing himself for his leaving the world This was indeed a practise very familiar to like Saints For thus in the following Age Fugatius and Damianus sent hither by Pope Eleutherius to convert King Lucius and his subjects retired at last to the same place And afterward the like was done by S. Patrick who being a Native of Brittany after having spent many years in propagating the Gospell in Ireland at last returned back and took up his finall rest at Glastenbury 7. This is that Aristobulus mention'd by S. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans saying Salute those which are of the household of Aristobulus And the reason why he did not salute him by name doubtles was the same for which he omitted the saluting of S. Peter because he was at this time departed from Rome into or towards Brittany 8. Thus far did the Gospell make a progresse in Brittany in the very infancy of Christianity before the death of S. Peter and S. Paul as may be gathered out of the few Relicks of Ecclesiasticall Records not wholly extinguish'd A great accesse to which felicity of this Island accrew'd by the coming hither of S. Ioseph of Arimathea and his companions which though hapning toward the end of Nero's raign yet because most of the occurents pertaining to their Gests belong to the times of severall Emperours succeeding we will refer them to the following Book And for the present it will suffise that we have
they were most numerous that Countrey being the source of our Religion and also by reason of the Devotion which all of them bore to those holy places consecrated by the actions and suffrings of our Saviour to celebrate the memory of which there was continually a confluence of Beleivers from all the quarters of the world 2. This moved envy in the minds of the Iews and Gentiles likewise upon whose complaints the Emperour not only renew'd the persecution of them begun by his Predecessour but as Sulpitius Severus affirms imagining that he could destroy Christian Religion it selfe by iniurious defacing the place where it began he erected in the most sacred place of our our Lords Passion the Idols of Devils And because Christians were generally esteemed an off-spring of Iews be ordained a Cohâ—rt of souldiers to keep contâ—nuall watch to forbid all Iews an accesse into Ierusalem 3. S. Paulinus more particularly says that on Mount Calvary where our Lord suffred Hadrian placed the Idol of Iupiter S. Hierom adds that on the Rock where the Crosse had been placed he erected a marble-statue consecrated to Venus and profaned Bethleem the place of our Saviours Birth with the Temple of Adonis This he did as conceiving that the Root as it were and foundation of the Church would be destroyed if Idols were worshipped in those places in which Christ was born that he might suffer and suffred that he might rise again and râ—se that he might raign being iudged by men that he might be Iudge of mankind 4. In this desolation did those Holy places lye till Helena the Mother of the Emperour Constantin out of a pious affection to Christian Religion thought it worth her pains and industry to search out the Venerable Crosse. But neither that nor the divine Sepulcher of our Lord were easily to be found For the ancient Gentiles persecutors of the Church labouring with their utmost endeavours to oppresse and destroy Christâ—an Religion then newly strung forth overwhelm'd that place by heaping on it a great bank of earth And moreâ—ver encompassing the whole place both of the Sepulcher whence Christ rose Mount Calvary where he was crucified with a great wall in all sides â—â—hy afterwards profaned it by ornaments of their own heathenish fashion For first they paved it with stones and then raised up a Temple of Venus and in conclusion placed in it the Idol of that impure Goddesse This they did to the end that if any would adore Christ in that place they might seem to worship Venus and consequently to processe of time the true cause 〈◊〉 mâ—n had that place in Veneration would be utterly forgotten 5. We see here who they were to whom the Ensigns of our Lords Passion his Crosse and Sepulcher as likewise the place of his Nativity were venerable to wit the ancient Primitive Christians our Brittish Saint Helena c. and to whom they were odious to envious Iewes and persecuting Heathens And yet the abolishing of those sacred Monuments the scornfull reproaches and blasphemies cast on the Crosse of our Lord are of late made the proofs of Primitive Reformation The Crosse saith Lactantius was frequently to wicked Princes a principall Motive of persecuting Christians And the reason is given by S. Athanasius because by the preaching of the ignominy of the Crosse Idolatry was confounded and the golden Temple of the Heathens fell to the ground VIII CHAP. 1. Persecution against Christians mitigated why 2.3 c. Severall rebellions of Iewes and their destruction 1. THis persecution rais'd by Hadrian was shortly after mitigated upon occasion of a suggestion made to him by Grâ—vianus Prâ—câ—nsul of Asia that it was against all law and equity that persons in all other respects innocent should only for the name and and Title of a Sect be exposed to the fury of impious multitudes And moreover there wanted not among the Christians themselves persons of eminence and learning who employ'd their pens to write Apologies in justification of the piety and innocence of the Christian Profession such were Quadratus a Disciple of the Apostles and Aristides Bishop of Athens By such means the eyes of many were opened and men began to consider Christianity not by the erroneous judgments and rumours of the Vulgar or the malicious suggestions of Iewes but by the sober account given of it by prudent men and the untainted lives and constant deaths of the Professours of it These things moved many to approve and embrace it and the Emperour Hadrian himselfe to publish an Edict prohibiting the punishment of any for their Beleife if otherwise they were free from crimes 2. What effect this mitigation of the persecution probably wrought in Brittany we shall presently shew But first we will observe Gods just severity against the most inveterate hatred of the Iewes always active and restlesse to incite and inflame persecutions against innocent Christians 3. The Iews had rais'd a rebellion in the beginning of Hadrians raign and with much adoe were at last subdued insomuch as they were forbidden to enter into or so much as from a far to look upon their Citty Ierusalem The name of which was by the Emperour likewise changed into Aelia Capitolina and in it a Temple was built to Iupiter Yea moreover the Iews were by a Law forbidden to practise circumcision thereby to distinguish themselves from others 4. Vpon these provocations a second Rebellion far more violent and largely spread then the former was raised by them by which saith Dio the whole world was shaken and disordered To oppose them after that the Emperours first Generall Tinius Rufus had been unsuccesfull Iulius Severus was commanded out of Brittany which he had governed severall years and in his place was sent Lâ—ciniâ—s Priscus favoured by the Emperour for service formerly done against the Iewes in their first sedition Concerning whom nothing remains of any exploits done by him for all his employment was to guard the Wall or Rampire lately raised to restrain the inroads of the rude Northern Brittains Only there is still extant an ancient Inscription signifying this his promotion and the cause of it which Monument was raised by one of his Officers Q Cassius Domitius Palumbus 5. As for the particulars touching the prosecution of the Iewish war the savage cruelties exercised by them and the great hazards sustained by the Romans which yet ended in almost an utter extirpation of the Iewish Nation these things not pertaining to our present design are to be enquired into among the Histories of that Age. We will now return to the Ecclesiasticall affairs of Brittany hapning in this time which though of small moment are not therefore to be omitted IX CHAP. 1.2 The death of the Brittish King Coellus to whom succeeds his Son Lucius a child The reason of his name 3. A message sent from the Brittains to Pope Evaristus 4. An answer given by his Successour Pope Alexander 5. Many Baptis'd in Brittany
afterward ordained Bishop of Tongres and Triers For before Constantins time saith Miraeus those two Citties were govern'd by one Bishop In the Annals of which Church we read that Saint Lucius King of Brittany was made a Christian and baptised by this Marcellus a Teacher of the inhabitants of Triers Indeed it is not unprobable that King Lucius might have been instructed in the verities of Christian Religionâ— and well disposed to the Profession of it by this Saint but there are far more authentik testimonies demonstrating that he was baptised by Fugatius and Damianus sent from Rome by Pope Eleutherius as shall be demonstrated herafter 4. This holy Bishop was the first Brittain which suffred Martyrdom out of the Island as S. Alban was the first that suffred within it He is commemorated in our Martyrologe on the fourth of September and in the Gallican Martyrologe he is celebrated with an illustrious Elogy This his Martyrdom hapned many years after this time in a great persecution rais'd against Christians during the raign of Antoninus his Successour Marcus Aurelius when he was absent from Rome and gone into the Eastern parts then in commotion after he had finished the German warr XII CHAP. 1.2 S. Timothy the son of Pudens preaches in Brittany 3. Of his Sister S. Pudentiana 4. Who Priscilla was 1. TOgether with S. Marcellus there came from Rome another illustrious Saint of Noble Birth and plentifull fortunes all which notwithstanding he despis'd and relinquish'd that with more freedom he might preach Christ crucified This was S. Timotheus the son of Pudens a Roman Senatour and of his wife suppos'd by many to have been the famous S. Claudia the Brittish Lady concerning whom we have already treated He was Brother to Novatus and to S. Pudentiana and S. Prâ—xedes whose memories are anniversarily celebrated by the Catholick Church 2. The coming of S. Timotheus is a considerable proof that his Mother was a Brittain and for that reason the whole family may iustly challenge a place in this History And because he survived the rest we will breifly set down what we find in the Ecclesiasticall Office touching the two Holy Sisters 3. Pudentiana a Virgin daughter of Pudens a Roman Senatour with admirable piety practising the duties of Christian Religion together with her sister Praxedes sold her patrimony and distributed to the poore the monâ—y arising from thence giving her selfe wholly â—o fasting and prayer By her endeavours and zeale her whole family consisting of ninety six persons was converted to the Faith and baptised by Pope Pius And wheras by an Edict of the Emperour Antoninus publick Sacrifices of Christians were forbidden the Holy Pope celebrated the Divine Mysteries together with other Christians in the house of Pudentianâ— who kindly entertained them all affording them all things necessary for their sustenanâ—e Thus continually employing herselfe in these offices of Piety she departed out of this life and on the fourteenth of the Calends of Iune in the year of our Lord one hundred sixty and one she was buried in the Sepulcher of her Father in the Coemitory of Priscilla situated in the Salarian way 4. Priscilla here mention'd by whom a Coemitory or common place of buriall for Christians had been bestow'd was the Mother of Pudens and Grand-mother of this holy Virgin From her probably it was that her Mother Claudia took her name For as she being a Captive attending King Caractacus when he was taken prisoner by Ostorius she changed her Brittish name into Claudia out of regard to Emperour Claudius so being maried to Pudens she it seems once more changed it for another peculiar to her husbands family XIII CHAP. 1.2 The death of Novatus Brother of S Timothy and S Pudentiana signified in a lâ—tter from the Holy Preist Pastor S. Timothy in Brittany 3. S. Timothy's Answer who leaves to the disposall of his Sister S. Praxedes the state left by their Brother 4 5. She dedicats the Bathes of Novatus or Timothy into a Church where Christians assembled 6. Why Churches in Rome call'd Tituli 1. THe next yeare followed the death of Pudentiana's Brother Novatus Concerning which the ancient Ecclesiasticall Monuments have still preserved a letter written by the Holy Preist called Pastor directed to S. Timotheus then absent from Rome and employed in the Apostolick Office in Brittany the tenour of the Letter is as follows 2. Pastor a Preist to his follow Preist Timotheus health in our Lord. The Venerable Virgin Praxedes was in great affliction for the death of her Sister Pudentiana Whereupon many honourable Christians together with our Holy Pope Pius came to her to comfort her There came likewise to her for the same purpose Novatus your Brother who is also our Brother in our Lord and gave her much consolation and moreover by his liberality he greatly refreshed many poore Christians ministring to them plentifully of his wealth Being with his Sister he earnestly desired that by her prayers he might obtain mercy from our Lord. He likewise together with our most blessed Bishop Pius doth frequently commemorate you at the Altar of our Lord. About a month and twenty eight days days after he was departed from the Virgin Praxedes he fell sick Now our Bishop Pius together with the Virgin Praxedes having a solicitude for all Christians they enquired where the Man of God Novatus was since he appeared not in the Congregation And they were informed that he was detained thence by sicknes then were all very sorrowfull Hereupon the Blessed Virgin Praxedes sayd to our Bishop Pius If it be your Holines pleasure let us goe to him for by your visitation and prayers I doe assure my selfe our Lord will save him Vpon this her proposall it was resolved accordingly and at night wee together with our Bishop Pius and the Virgin of our lord Praxedes went to the Man of our Lord Novatus And when this Holy man heard that this assembly was come to see him he gave thanks to our Lord for the comfort he received by the Visitation of the Holy Bishop Pius together with the Virgin of our Lord and all the rest of us Thus wee remained in his house eight days and nights And during the time we were with him he expressed his Will and pleasure to be to bequeath to your selfe and the Blessed-Virgin Praxedes all his estate and on the thirteenth day following he departed to our Lord. Of these things we together with holy Pius Bishop of the Apostolick See and the Virgin Praxedes thought meet to give you an account by these our letters to the end you might acquaint us with your pleasure how you would have the estate of your Brother Novatus disposed that your appointment may in all things be observed Sent by Eusebius a Subdeacon of the holy Roman Church 3. To this Letter S. Timotheus his Answer follows though short yet full of piety and perfum'd with the simplicity and Christian Charity of that age
deliverance 3. The particular circumstances hereof we shall refer to the following Book the argument whereof will be the happy and glorious conversion of our Brittish King Lucius to the Christian Faith To effect which this so wonderfull publick and unquestionable a miracle no doubt much conduced Now this conversion having been perfected in the beginning of the raign of the Emperour Commodus who succeeded his Father M. Aurelius which was four years after this stupendious deliverance of the Romans our Ecclesiasticall Monuments afford us little for the furnishing that space of time Therefore we will onely adde for a distinct clearing of Chronology the succession of the Bishops of Rome since the last mention'd Pope Pius the first of that name 4. To Pope Pius therefore having sate somewhat more then nine years and dying in the year of our Lord one hundred sixty six succeeded S. Anicetus to whom after nine years succeeded S. Soterâ— who having for the space of five years filled the Chair of S. Peter had for his next Successour S. Eleutherius in the year of our Lord one hundred and eighty in the third year after whose assumption to the Apostolick dignity King Lucius then an old man for he had raigned fifty eight years by Gods mercy and grace had his youth renew'd like an Eagle being born again by Baptism and made an heyr of an everlasting Kingdom THE FOVRTH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAP. 1. The Conversion of the Brittish King Lucius in his old Age. 2.3 Severall Motives thereto 4. Edicts of former Emperours in favour of Christians 5. An example of the Emperour Antoninus his Edict 1 KING Lucius had now governed the Brittains almost threescore years having begun his raign in the tenth year of his age when Almighty God at last subdued his heart to the beleif and obedience of his Gospell It may perhaps seem strange he should hold out so long against the Truth but yet if we consider the tenaciousnes of humane nature to inveterate customs especially such as are agreable to flesh and blood and likewise the horrible scandals and prejudices which then were cast on Christian Religion which even without such prejudices is extremely contrary to our naturall inclinations it is to be esteem'd no lesse then miraculous that a great King in such times as those were should have the courage to be the first example and this in his old age of submitting a Scepter and Crown to the spirituall Scepter of Christs Kingdom 2. Besides his so long experience of the innocence humility patience and peaceable dispositions of his Christian subjects we may suppose the principall Motives inducing him to yeild at last to the exhortations of many Apostolick Preachers such as were S. Aristobulus S. Marcellus S. Timotheus c. to have been two First the Testimonies that the Emperours themselves though otherwise Enemies to the Christian Faith gave to the Professours of it Next the wonderfull testimony that God gave thereto by rescuing the then raigning Emperour from unavoydable destruction by the prayers of his Christian souldiers 3. As touching the former Testimonies of Emperours they are the more weighty because given not out of any worldly respects but purely out of a conviction of the innocence of poor persecuted Christians after all severity rigour and cruelty had been used toward them to force them to renounce their Profession Moreover these Emperours were not such as Nero Vitellius or Domitian whose favour to Christianity would have been a disgrace and prejudice to it But Princes venerable to the world for their prudence courage and zeale likewise to their own superstition Such were Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius 4. We will here insert onely one Edict of the Emperour Antoninus by which we may gather the tenour of the others It is extracted out of the Writings of S. Iustin the Philosopher and Martyr who then flourished The form thereof is as followeth 5. The Emperour Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius Augustus Highest Preist this fifteenth time possessed of the Tribunitiall Power and this third time Consul Father of his Countrey To the people of Asia Health I am assured that the Gods will not permit those men to lye hid in obscurity who refuse to pay due honour and worship to them for they themselves will far more severely punish such then you can And you doe not consider that by molesting and tormenting those men whom you call impious and charge as enemies to the Gods you thereby doe the more confirm and encrease their Religion For to them it is a thing more desirable to be accused as criminall and to lay down their lives for their God then to enjoy the present life with worldly contentment Hence it comes to passe that by exposing their lives in this manner they obtain over you a more illustrious Victory then if they should perform whatsoever you require of them Now as concerning the Earth-quakes which both in late times and at this present also do happen I judge very reasonable to give you some admonition Whensoever such calamities befall you you are presently disheartned and in despaire and you impute to their Religion as if it alone was the cause of all misfortunes hapning to you On the other side whensoever any such accident befalls them they are thereby incited to a more constant and firm trust in God Whereas all that while you either loose all knowledge of God and utterly despise all sacred duties not only refusing to pay the worship and service due unto the Deity but greivously vexing and to the death pursuing those who doe observe and reverence him Now severall Magistrats and Governours of our Provinces have heretofore written letters in the behalf of those innocent men to our most holy and deified Father Hadrian To whom his Answer and Rescript was That no further trouble or molestation should be given to those men except they should otherwise be found guilty of any crime or that they had a design prejudiciall to the Roman Empire Many have likewise written to me in their favour to whom my Answer was That I assented to the Ordinance and Will of my late Father And my pleasure is That if any shall hereafter offer any injury or vexation to any Christian upon this account that he is a Christian the person so persecuted though he be found to be indeed a Christian shall be presently acquitted and his accuser shall undergoe a just and due punishment 6. This Edict though in this Copy directed only to the Eastern Provinces where the malice and petulancy both of Iews and Gentiles Enemies to Christianity was more violent yet no doubt had its effect in all other places also For besides that the cause of Christians was every where the same Edicts of this nature were sent over the whole Empire as we shall see in another of the same nature published by M. Aurelius and presently to be produced And however all Christians
living in Citties together with all trades should rest on the Venerable day of our Lord. But as for those Pagans who lived in the Countrey free license was given them to employ themselves in cultivating the grounds Because it often happens that no other day is more commodious for plowing or digging the Vines Care therfore ought to be taken that an opportunity of a common good granted by divine Providence should not be lost 7. Yea so admirable was Constantins piety that he thought fitt to prescribe a Form of Prayer to be recited on all Sundays both by Christians in Citties and Pagans in Villages and specially by Soldiers in these words Wee acknowledge thee the only God wee professe thee our Soveraign King Wee invoke thee our Helper By thee wee obtain Victories by thee wee have vanquished our Enemies Wee acknowledge that from thee wee have obtained present felicity and hope wee shall obtain future also Wee are all of us thy Suppliants Wee beseech to preserve many years safe and victorious Constantin our Emperour together with his pious children 8. Yea moreover as Sozomen relates in honour of our Saviours Crosse and Passion he ordained a vacancy of judgments and Trades likewise on Fridayes and that some time should be spent then in Prayers and supplications to God 9. Lastly he not only by his own magnificence enriched the Church but by a Law opened as it were the purses of all men to endow it For he gave a generall licence to all persons without exceptions to bequeath what proportion of their goods they thought fit to the most holy Congregation of the Catholick Church 10. Yet one action this time Constantin did by which he stained the purity of his Faith Being at Sardica he was inform'd from Rome that his Palace had been struck with lightning Which was an ominous sign to the Pagan Romans and according to their ancient Laws to be averted by many superstitious lustrations and purgations Wherupon in condescendence to their request he gave order to the Magistrats to consult the Sooth sayers what was portended therby onely he commanded them to abstain from domesticall Sacrifices 11. But this unlawfull condescendence of the Emperour wrought an effect to the prejudice of Christians which he did not expect For upon this occasion the Heathen Roman Magistrats at the instigation of the Aruspices or Soothsayers would compell the Christians to ioyn in the publick expiatory Sacrifices But they refusing to doe it chose rather to leave the Citty Which doubtlesse was the cause of the voluntary Exile of the Holy Pope Silvester 12. Hereupon Constantin being informed of this was forced to publish a Severe Law commanding That if any one should endeavour to compell any Ecclesiasticall persons or any other professing the most holy Law of the Catholick Sect to celebrate the Rites of Heathenish lustrations if he were a mean person he should be publickly beaten with clubs if otherwise he should have a greivous fine imposed on him XIII HAP 1.2 Constantin baptised at Rome and the occasion of it Errour of Eusebius 6.7 c. His Great acts of Piety after his Baptism 1. HItherto Constantin had deferd his Baptism according to the Custome of many in that Age who being taught that that Holy Sacrament is a certain purgation of all Sins and gives to the persons an immediate and undoubted right to heaven frequently delayed the receiving it till their declining age or when death was ready to seise on them But in this year many sad misfortunes proceeding from heynous sins enforced Constantin now to have recourse to that saving remedy 2. True it is that Eusebius and other Greek Authours mislead by him affirm that he was not baptised till near his death and then received that Sacrament from the Sacrilegious hands of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomediae a principall pillar of the Arian Heresy Thus wrote the other Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea of the same faction to please Constantius his Son seduced by them But the constant Tradition of the Western Church confirm'd by many proofs as the authentick Acts of Artemius c. doth positively inform us that this year being the three hundred twenty fourth after the Incarnation of our Saviour Constantin received Baptism at Rome by the hands of Pope Silvester upon this occasion 3. The younger Licinius his Sisters Son was falsely accused to him of a design to rebell against him wherupon Constantin commanded him to be slain Immediatly after this he putt to death his own eldest Son Crispus born to him by Minervina a young Prince already famous for many Victories and adorned with many vertues and principally with chastity The crime layd to his charge was an attempt to violate his Mother in Law Fausta Constantins wife In conclusion it being too late discovered that this accusation was falsely invented by Fausta because the young man would not yeild to her lust Constantin caused his wife to be stifled in a hot bath 4. After these calamities and crimes as we read in the Acts of Pope Silvester and find asserted by Pope Hadrian and the Fathers of the Second General Council of Nicaea c. Almighty God struck Constantin with a Leprosy who being anxious to find a remedy he was inform'd by the Soothsayers that the only way to restore him was by a bath of infants blood Which detestable Medecin being abhorr'd by Constantin God was pleas'd by a Vision in Sleep wherin the Apostles S. Peter and Paul appear'd to him to instruct him that the only certain Remedy would be to receive Baptism at the hands of the Holy Pope Silvester Which was accordingly with great solemnity perform'd 5. Hereof an evident and Visible proof to this day is the magnificent Chappell built by Constantin himself in the same place where he was baptised in which according to the description eight hundred years agoe taken by Anastasius Bibliothecarius out of a most ancient Manuscript there was a font Baptisterium built of Porphyry and covered within and without with three thousand pound weight of pure silver and over it hung a Phiale weighing fifty pounds of pure gold in which yearly two hundred pounds of Balsom did burn On the brink of the Font was placed a Lamb of pure gold which powred forth water and weighed thirty pounds At the right hand of the Lamb stood the Statue of our Saviour of pure Silver weighing one hundred and seaventy pounds And â—n the left hand was placed S. Iohn Baptist of silver weighing one hundred pounds holding a scroll wherin was written Behold the Lamb of God Behold him whâ— takes away the sins of the world c. 6. After his Baptism the Emperour according to the Churches Custom being for seaven days cloath'd in White consecrated every day with some signall act of Piety In the first he published as a Law that Christ is the true Lord who cleansed him from his Leprosy and whom he commanded to be adored through the whole
used to speak in it remaining mute only being able to signify that the Body of the holy Martyr Babylas hindred his speech Iulian caused the Sacred body to be removed from thence into the Citty which the Christians perform'd with great solemnity singing Psalms all the way specially those wherin Idolatry is derided to the infinit indignation of the Emperour who thereupon caused many of them to be tortured but by the intercession of the Holy Martyr their torments were miraculously converted into pleasure The same Story is confirm'd likewise by S. Chrysostom 7. But a war against the Persians interrupted his rage against Christians who at his first setting forth threatned that when that Expedition was finish'd he would destroy all who profess'd the name of Christi A threatning very acceptable to the Pagans but greivous to the afflicted Christians Whilst he was busy in the prosecution of this war Libanius a Heathen Sophister in derision of Christ ask'd a certain Christian What the Carpenters Son was then doing Who answerd He is preparing a Coffin for Iulian. And the event made these words propheticall for the wicked Emperour receiv'd from an unknown hand a wound mortall to him self but healthfull to all the world beside 8. In his place the Army chose Iovian Emperour though he refus'd that honour professing that being a Christian he neither would nor could govern an Army poysond with heathenish Idolatry Whereupon all the soldiers cryed out that they also were Christians those who were ancient among them having been train'd up in the piety of Constantin and the younger imbued with the precepts of Constantius So that the two years raign of Iulian could not extirpate the good seeds sown in their hearts 9. Iovian thus chosen restored the Christian Faith reducing the Church to its former splendour He also publish'd a Law by which in all Cittie 's a certain proportion of Wheat was contributed to Sacred Virgins by vow consecrated to God And another which inflicted death on any who should ravish or but attempt their Chastity He likewise ordain'd that all Catholick Bishops who had been formerly banish'd should return to their Sees There is extant an Epistle of S. Athanasius in answer to one from the Emperour who had desir'd to be inform'd by him who among the divided Sects of Christians retain'd the Orthodox Faith Which Epistle challenges a mention in this History because among the severall Nations constantly persevering in the Faith of our Saviours Divinity establish'd in the Councill of Nicéa he expressly names Brittany Whence appears that hitherto the Brittish Churches were pure in their Faith however some particular persons there might have been infected 10. This pious Emperour lived but one year to whom succeeded Valentinian a Prince equally Orthodox But who unhappily made partner in his Empire his Brother Valens infected with the Arian Heresy and impiously zealous in the promoting of it XI CHAP. 1.2.3 Picts Scotts and Attacotti infest the Brittains Who these last were 4.5 c. Theodosius Governour of Brittany His Victories there 8. Brittany divided into five Provinces 9. Theodosius recall'd 1. IN Brittany during Iulians raign the Prefect was Alipius the Successour of Gumoharius Where quietnes continuing the Picts and Scotts securely multiplied both in numbers and strength Of which presently after they showd terrible proofs For as Marcellinus relates in the first year of Valentinians raign the barbarous Nations on all sides of the Roman Empire as if universally excited by a trumpet broke their limits made furious incursions into the Roman Provinces The Alamanni wasted Gaule and Rhetia The Sarmatians and Quadi made irruptions into Pannonia and the Picts Saxons Scotts and Attacotti vexed the Brittains with incessant calamities 2. By which appears that the Enemies of Brittany were multiplied For to the Picts Scotts here is an addition of the Saxons and the Attacotti never mention'd before in Story with relation to Brittany As for the Saxons a Germā Nation who now first made thēselves known by their cruelty to the Brittains within a few years they will be too well known not by their piracies on the Seacoasts as at this time but by an invasion of the whole Island so successfull to them that they gott almost an entire possession of it leaving only a barren mountainous corner to the fearfull Brittains 3. But who were the Attacotti S. Hierom will tell us What shall I say of the immanity of other Nations I my selfe in my youth saw in Gaule the Attacotti a Brittish Nation who nourish'd themselves with human flesh These men in the forrests meeting with heards of beeves sheep and swine neglected them and cutt off the hanches of the Pastours breasts of the woemen and fed upon them accounting these to be their principall delicacies It seems therefore that these Attacotti were a Savage people in the Northern mountains of Scottland living without all Law or Government who likewise had promiscuous wives ad common children This rude multitude were invited by the Picts Scotts ioyn with them in the invasion of the Civill Brittains 4. Vpon this occasion the Emperour Valentinian leaving his Brother Valens to govern the East made an expedition into Gaule where he compos'd the troubles rais'd by the Alamanni This being done as he was in a hasty march from the Province of the Ambiani or Amiens toward Triers he was stopp'd by an astonishing message out of Brittany which informed him how by a conspiracy of severall barbarous Nations the Brittains were reduc'd to the utmost extremity How Nectaridius Admirall Comes of the Sea coasts had been slain by the Enemies and Bulchobaudes the General circumvented by their ambushes Vpon which horrible reports the Emperour dispatch'd into Brittany Severus one of his cheif Officers to remedy those disorders But shortly after recalling him he sent Iovinus thither making a suddain provision of ammunition and store preparing strong armies to assist him according to the instant urgent necessities In conclusion fresher and more horrible rumours encreasing he made choice of Theodosius to goe General thither a man famous for many martiall exploits happily atchiev'd who being attended with courageous Legions and cohorts made up of lusty youth prosecuted the expedition with a noble confidence 5. At the same time the Franks and Saxons had infested the coasts both of Gaule and Brittany and into this latter they had made an impression as far as London where they drove all the countrey about To remedy which injuries the vigilant Generall Theodosius took shipping at Boloyn in Gaule and passing the Sea landed at Rutupiae Richborough in Kent neer Sandwich Which is a secure Station for ships Whither as Soon as his Cohorts call'd Herculij Iovij Victores Fidentes c. aborded he marched from thence streight to London an ancient town afterward call'd Augusta and dividing his Army into severall squadrons he set on the stragling Enemies loaden with
there to celebrate the Feast of Easter then at hand His first acquaintance and familiarity in that Province was with a certain man who having heard his Doctrin presently beleived and receiving the Sacrament of Baptism was chang'd into a new man With him S. Patrick lodged This man had a young child call'd Beonna who bâ—re a tender affection to S. Patrick so that he would oft play with him and embrace him sometimes kissing his foote which he would presse to his breast When the holy man retir'd to rest the child would weep and say he would not sleep unles he might lye with him Whereupon S. Patrick with a Propheticall eye perceiving the great Graces which the Divine bounty would conferr upon the Child vouchsaf'd to take him to his bed and gave him the name Benignus A while after when the Holy Bishop was ready to take his iourney the child with pittifull cryes begd that he would not forsake him saying that if he forsook him he would dye He was therfore forc'd to receive him into his waggon and withall prophecied that he should be his heyr and successour in the Bishoprick which accordingly came to passe 3. This was the first solemnity of Easter which the Holy Bishop celebrated in Ireland saith Probus And he celebrated it by imitating the Son of God who at his last supper with his Disciples consecrated his Body and Blood for the redemption of mankind 4. The day before this great Feast of our Lords Resurrection S. Patrick observing the Ecclesiasticall Rite still in use kindled the Holy Fire the flame whereof shone brightly about the place Now according to the custom of that countrey it was unlawfull for any one to light a fire before it was kindled in the Kings palace Hereupon the King whose name was Logorius perceiving the brightnes of the flame in great indignation threatned death to whosoever he was that had presumed to infringe that custom in his kingdom The Magicians who were present said to the King O King live for ever And know for a certain that this fire which against Law has been thus kindled unlesse it be presently extinguish'd will never cease to the worlds end Moreover it will obscure all the fires which according to our customs we kindle and the man who lighted it will be the destruction of thy Kingdom X. CHAP. 1.2 c. Of S. Winwaloc his Gests and death 6. c. Of his Deacon S. Ethbin â— WHilst S. Patrick laboured in the Gospell with so great successe Brittany was illustrated with the glory of another great Saint who notwithstanding by reason of the calamities afterward hapning was forc'd to leave his Native countrey and passe over into Armorica in Gaule This was S. Winwaloc the son of a certain Noble person call'd Fracan cousin german to a Brittish Prince nam'd Coton as wee read in the Gallican Martyrologe 2. Malbranc a French Antiquary affirms that his Mothers name was Alba and sirname Trimavis citing for his authority the ancient Manuscript Monuments of Monstrueil And the said Martyrologe gives this Character of him Winwaloc from his childhood was inflam'd with an earnest desire of celestial things to despise worldly allurements and live to God only Wherfore he earnestly begg'd of his parents that â—e might be commended to the care of a certain Religious man to be imbued by him in the knowledge of Holy Scripture and the documents of piety Having obtain'd his request he made wonderfull progres in Holines and vertue under his discipline insomuch that when he was but seaven years old he became an example of all piety and goodnes In processe of time having undertaken a Monasticall Profession Divine Graces shone more brightly in him being withall enrich'd with the Gift of Prophecy Many miracles almighty God wrought by him in performing which having a firm Faith he made use only of the Sign of the Crosse and oyle which had been bless'd Among which miracles the most stupendious was his raising a young man to life 3. At the same time saith Haraeus from Surius the most holy Prelat S. Patricks glory was famous in Gods Church who like a bright starr illustrated Ireland The report of whose admirable vertues kindled so great an affection to him in S. Winwaloc that he us'd all endeavours to goe to him and be subject to his direction in piety But whilst he busied his thoughts with this design S. Patrick in a vision presented himself to him with an Angelicall brightnes and having a golden Diadem on his head he thus spoke to him Behold I am the same Patrick whom thou so earnestly desirest to visit But to prevent so tedious a iourney by sea and land our Lord hath sent mee to thee to fullfill thy desire and that thou maist enjoy both my sight and conversation Besides this he foretold him that he should be a Guide and Directour of many in spirituall warfare for which end he gave him many wholesom instructions Exhorting him withall to desire from his Master some companions and that with them he should remove to another place Assoon as this Vision vanish'd S. Winwaloc went to the Cell in which the Father of the Monastery was attending to Divine Meditation and contemplation To whom assoon as he had declar'd his Vision he with a joyfull countenance said to him My son thou hast been honour'd with a Divine visitation and revelation And without delay as if he had receiv'd a precept from heaven he assign'd to him eleaven Disciples such as were most fervent in Gods service c. 4. The same Authour adds that with these companions he pass'd over into a certain Island where for the space of three years they lead an Heremiticall life But the place being both expos'd to violent tempests and also incommodious by reason of its barrennes S. Winwaloc humbly begg'd of God that he would direct them to a more convenient habitation Our Lord heard his servants prayers and shewd him a place further remov'd in the Sea But wanting a ship he renewd his Prayers to God and having done this he said to his Brethren Be courageous and firm in a strong Faith and as you see mee leade this Brother by the hand so doe every one of you take his next fellows hand and follow one another Then invoking the name of our Lord with his Pastorall Staff he strook the Sea upon which God renewd once more the ancient Miracle of the Red sea for it opened a passage for them so that taking one another by the hand and himself marching in the front they walk'd securely over the dry sands the waters on both sides standing like walls and as they went they sang to our Lord a Hymne of praise and joyfulnes 5. Concerning his austerities wee read thus in Capgrave From the twentieth year of his age to his death S. winwaloc was never seen to sitt in the Church He never exceeded moderation in any thing Never was he deiected with
mett on the fourth day before the Nones of May at which Vigilius refused to be present not esteeming it Canonicall by reason of the absence of the Western Bishops who were most interessed in the affaire 7. However after twenty dayes respite obtain'd Vigilius sent a Writing to the Emperour which he calld a Constitutum wherin he at large gave his iudgment of â—he Tria Capitula telling him that as touching the blasphemies of Theodorus he did abhorre them but in imitation of the Council of Ephesus wold spare his name Again that it would be superfluous to cast any infamy on the Writings of Theodoret against S. Cyrill since S. Cyrill himselfe and the Councill of Chalcedon had requir'd no other satisfaction from him but only to pronounce Anathema against Nestorius which he did And as touching the Epistle of Ibas no discussion should be made of it after the Council of Chalcedon 8. This Constitutum the Emperour contrary to his promise reserv'd to himself but withall acquainting the Synod with Vigilius his mind touching the Tria Capitula which he had oftimes both by words and writing express'd the Synod proceeded to a condemnation of them withall complaining that the Pope would not afford his presence among them 9. After this Definition of the Bishops in the Council the Pope being in extreme anguish because he saw how the Western Bishops would be offended and that this scandal would be the greater by reason that the Emperour had not sent his Constitutum to the Council utterly refus'd his consent and approbation of their Definition For which refusall he was by the Emperour sent into banishment with seuerall other Bishops 10. His banishment did not continue long for six months after the Synods Definition Vigilius sent a Decretal Epistle to Eutychius the Successour of Menas in which he condemn'd the Tria Capitula and profess'd Communion with all those who embracing the Four Councils of the Church had condemn'd the same meaning hereby the last Council which he would not name This Decree of Vigilius was by the Grecians referd among the Acts of the Council by vertue wherof it became acknowleged a lawfull Oecumenicall Council 11. This end being given to this unnecessary Controversy all the Western Churches excepting only the Bishops of Istria Venice and Liguria consented to it But these Churches being under the dominion of the Longobardi broke into an open Schism which continued till the time of S. Gregory the Great And besides them we doe not find any other Churches unsatisfied excepting Ireland only to the Bishops whereof S. Gregory in the year before S. Kentigerns iourney to Rome wrote an Epistle in answer to one of theirs which had charged the Roman See for injuring the Council of Chalcedon by condemning the Tria Capitula But S. Gregory informed them that this Controversy did not at all touch the Faith of the Church but only the persons of two or three Bishops That the authority of the Council of Chalcedon was entire both with those who oppugn'd and those who defended the Tria Capitula and therefore none could have just cause to make a rent in the Church upon so trifling a quarrel Which answer of the Holy Pope it seems gave satisfaction to the Irish Bishops for we read following Epistles from him to them as to unanimous Brethren instructing them touching Rites in Baptism and whether it was to be administred to such as return'd from the Nestorian Heresy c. 12. The state of this Controversy hath been thus largely sett down because at this very time it was hottly agitated when S. Kentigern went to Rome and probably was a principall motive of his journey Which is the more likely because an Irish Bishop called Albanus went thither at the same time likewise And though the Brittish Churches are no where mention'd as partaking with those who were divided from the Roman See yet it might well become the zeale of so holy a Bishop as S. Kentigern to inform himself truly of the state of the present controversy that so he might prevent a future breach V. CHAP. 1. S. Kentigerns death 2. The manner of it 3 His preparation thereto 4. Of his Miracles 1. SAint Kentigern eight years after this his voyage to Rome by a mature and happy death rested from his labours to witt in the year of our Lord six hundred and one being then fourscore and five years old according to the true computation of Bishop Vsher though others mislead by Capgrave add a hundred years more to his age 2. The manner of his death is thus related by Iohn of Tinmouth The man of God Saint Kentigern being worn away with age had his nerves so dissolved that he was forced to sustain his iawes by tying a linnen ruban about his head which came under his Chin to the end he might be enabled with lesse difficulty to pronounce his words This dissolution of his sinews may be ascrib'd to a promise a little before his death made him by an Angell Who told him Since thy whole life in this world has been a continuall Martyrdom it hath pleas'd our Lord to grant thee a milder and easier end of thy life then other men ordinarily find 3. And as touching his preparation to his death it thus follows in the same Authour At length calling together his Disciples he earnestly exhorted them to a continuance in observing the duties of their holy Religion to mutuall charity peace hospitality and diligence in reading and Prayer Moreover he gave and bequeath'd to them earnest and efficacious precepts firmly to obey the Decrees of the Holy Fathers and Constitutions of the Holy Roman Church After which Exhortation given he departed to our Lord on the Ides of Ianuary in the sixtieth year after he was first consecrated Bishop 4. After his death the same of his Sanctity was every where spread by a world of miracles the particulars may be read in Capgrave to whom the Reader is refer'd Concerning him thus writes Iohannes Major S. Kentigern was contemporary and a singular freind of S. Columba He was illustrious for many miracles and his body reposes at Glasgu to whose honour a Church was erected in that Citty second to none in Scotland for costly ornaments and rich endowments of Canonries His Memory is celebrated in our English Martyrologe on the thirteenth of Ianuary VI. CHAP. 1.2 c. The Kingdom of the Northumbers erected 7. K. Conan dyes and Vortiper succeeds 8. After whom Malgo Conan raigns 9.10 Battells between the Brittains and Saxons 1. COnstantin the kinsman and Successour of King Arthur being dead or removed Aurelius Conanus his Nephew a young man of extraordinary worth and well deserving the Crown saith Westmonasteriensis succeeded him his only fault was that he was a lover of Civill contentions He cast into prison his Vncle to whom the Crown in right belonged and murdred two of his Sons who stood in his way to the kingdom
thy fury from this Citty and this thy Holy house Alleluia Thus the Holy Crosse once more took possession of the place from which it had been banished and thus the oraculous speech pronounced by S. Gregory began to be accomplished that Alleluia should be sung in that Pagan countrey 11. Let us now observe how these Holy Missioners employed their time Of this the same S. Beda will inform us That assoon as they were entred into the Mansion which the King had given them they began to imitate the Apostolick life of the Primitive Church by attending to assiduous prayers watching and fasting by preaching the word of life to all they could by despising all worldly things as if they belonged not to them by receiving from their Disciples only such things as were meerly necessary for their subsistence by practising themselves according to the preceps which they taught others and lastly by having minds prepar'd to suffer any adversities even death it self for that Truth which they preached Insomuch as not a few beholding the simplicity of their innocent lives and admiring the sweetnes of their celestiall doctrine beleived and were baptis'd 12. The same Authour further declares that the Church of S. Martin deputed for the Queens devotions as hath been said was the first publick place where they met together sung prayd celebrated Masses preach'd and baptis'd till after the Kings conversion they received a great liberty to preach and build Churches every where 13. Here we may see what manner of entring these our Apostles had among us and how they turn'd our Ancestours from Idols to serve the living and true God Neither was their Gospell in speech only but in power and in the Holy Ghost and a plenitude of his Gifts and miracles as shall be shewd The Preachers are Monks they are sent by the authority of the Bishop of Rome they carry the banner of the Holy Crosse and the Image of our Saviour before them they celebrate Masses they work miracles For all which they are honour'd their memory is precious through all Gods Church almost a thousand years together But now one Apostat Monk can perswade a great part of Christians that it was not Christ which these men preach'd One Calvinisticall Bishop dares call these men Apostles to the English not of the Christian Faith or Word of God but of Roman ceremonies and Rites who taught them to become not Christians but Romanists and Papists To such blasphemous accusations as these no answer ought to be given Quia meliùs eas committo fidelium gemitibus quà m sermonibus meis V. CHAP. 1.2 Many Converted 3.4 S. Augustin goes to Arles to be ordained Bishop and why 1. BY the life and preaching of these Holy men no small number of Converts were gathered to the Church which were baptis'd on the day of Pentecost in the forementioned Church of S. Martin But shortly after far greater multitudes follow'd their Example Whether King Ethelbert was one of those then baptis'd does not expressly appear in any of our ancient Records 2. That which S. Beda relates touching him in particular is thus express'd Among others King Ethelbert was much delighted with the purity of these Saints lives and with the comfortable sweetnes of their promises the truth and certainty whereof they confirmed with many evident miracles So that in the end he also beleived and was baptised After which very many others dayly began to flock together that they might heare the word of God by which they were perswaded to relinquish their Gentile Superstitions and to unite themselves to the holy Church of Christ. Which the King perceiving he much congratulated their Faith and Conversion and embraced them with more ardent Charity as being fellow cittizens with him of the Kingdom of Heaven but yet he compelled none to the profession of Christianity For he had learnt from the Teachers and Authours of his salvation that the service of Christ must be voluntary and not by compulsion 3 Saint Augustin seeing a Harvest so plentifull and ripe according to the instructions formerly given him by Saint Gregory went back into France there to be ordained Bishop because besides the power of administring Baptisme the other Sacrament of Confirmation was requisite by which these tender plants might be strengthned in the Faith Which Sacrament could not be administred but by the hand and power of a Bishop This is testified by the same Saint Beda saying In the mean while the man of God Augustin went to Arles in France where by the Arch-bishop of that Citty Etherius or rather Virgilius he was Consecrated Arch-bishop of the Nation of the Angli according as he had received commands from Saint Gregory This was performed the sixteenth day before the Calends of December saith Sir H. Spelman 4. It may be demanded why Saint Augustin should receive his Episcopal consecration from the Bishop of Arles the furthest distant from him in France and not rather from the Prelat of Lyons or some other nearer to Brittany The reason hereof doubtles was because such a Prerogative belonged to the Church of Arles which Saint Gregory who was most observant of Ecclesiasticall rights would by no means infringe This prerogative that See challenged and enjoyed because that was the first Church in those parts which had received a Bishop S. Trophimus ordained by the Apostle S. Peter himself as appears by an Epistle of the Bishops of that Province to S. Leo in which they iustify their rights and priviledges of Ordination against the pretentions of their neighbour Church of Vienna 5. It was a great prejudice to the New Saxon Church that the year before S. Augustins coming into Brittany the Holy Bishop Saint Asaph Successour to S. Kentigern in the Bishoprick of Elwy in wales should dye as likewise S. Columba the same year that Saint Augustin arrived For doubtles the authority and piety of two such eminent Saints would have prevented the contestations petulancy of the Brittish Bishop which followed VI. CHAP. 1.2 c. Saint Augustin consecrates an Idol-Temple near Canterbury into a Church dedicated to S. Pancraece 6. A prodigy caused by the Devill there against S. Augustin 7.8 He builds a Church and Monastery to Saint Peter and Saint Paul near the Citty 9. And another in the Citty to our Saviour 10. He places a Suffragan Bishop in the Church of S. Martin 1. SAint Augustin having been consecrated by Virgilius Arch-bishop of Arles returned into Brittany in the year of Grace five hundred ninety eight where he was received by King Ethelbert with greater reverence then before who assigned to him an Episcopal See in the same Citty which he afterward enriched with great possessions as S. Beda testifies 2. This New Episcopall Church was not that of S. Martin where the Queen was formerly wont to pray But it was a Temple anciently frequented by the King whilst he was a Pagan and was situated in the
God they should devote themselves to He added That the vertuous innocent life of his Queen and her family had begot in his mind a greater esteem of the God whom she adored then any other and whether they should adhere to him only rejecting all their impotent Idols he desired them faithfully to advise 5. Such a discourse of the King was hearkned to attentively by the whole company present neither did any one among them expresse any dislike of his proposal Yea moreover a certain person among them named Coifius who was the Cheif Pontife of the Pagan Superstition freely confessed the vanity and impotency of the Idols which they had served and added that a plurality of Gods contradicted human reason concluding that One onely God was to be worshipped But whether the Religion professed by the Queen should be admitted that he desired them further to consider of Assoon as he had ended his speech the whole Assembly unanimously cryed out Let the Idol-Gods be taken away and the Religion of Christ professed But Coifius added moreover That he thought fitt that the Queens Cheif Preist Paulinus should be admitted to give an account of the Christian Religion professed by him which when they heard they might more advisedly proceed 6. Hereupon Saint Paulinus was sent for and required to expound to them plainly and sincerely the Nature qualities and condition of the Religion professed by himself and the Queen This task he chearfully undertook and with a discourse full of prudence and zeale began with an invective against the Idol-Superstition in practise among them shewing that the Gods which they worshipped were at the best but mortall and sinfull men unable to help and many of them meer fictions of mens brains or wicked impious Spirits which sought no other thing but the eternall perdition of their Worshippers Then he demonstrated that the Creatour of Heaven and Earth could be but one onely God the Principle and End of all things Yet that notwithstanding this Vnity of Nature there was in the Deity such a fecundity of divine perfections that three Subsistences or Persons were to be distinguished which three notwithstanding are but one God That among these the Second Person the Eternall Son of God out of infinite Love to Men lost in sin and misery had mercifully taken our Nature on him and by his humiâ—ity had exalted us by delivering a Law full of Sanctity and Perfection which Law he confirmed with his own death by which he made himself a Sacrifice of attonement for our Sins And after death by his own power restored himself to life and in the sight of many hundreds of Witnesses ascended gloriously into heaven thereby in his own person giving an assured proof that those who beleived in him and lived according to his Law should by the same power be raised from death to live for ever with him in happines incomprehensible That Christians therefore having such infinit obligations to Christ their Saviour ioyfully professe and are not ashamed to worship him who was willingly crucified since by a death so full of torment and shame he made them for ever free from all shame and torments 7. What hath been hitherto recounted is conformable to Saint Beda's relation But the successe of Saint Paulinus his Discourse shall be declared in his own expression After this saith he King Edwin having first consulted with the most eminent in wisedome among them asked them singly one by one what opinion they had of this Doctrine and new manner of Worship of which they had never heard before Hereto Coifi the Prime Pontife presently answered Doe thou O King consider how this Doctrin newly preached before us is to be esteemd for mine own part I declare upon assured knowledge and experience that the Religion which we have professed hitherto has in it neither vertue nor proffit at all There is not any of your Subiects has been more diligent and zealous in the service of our Gods then my self yet there are very many who have received far greater benefits and dignities from you then I have Now if our Gods were of any power or gratitude they would surely be most kind to them by whom they are best served It remains therefore that if in your opinion the advices lately given us how new soever be indeed better and of more proffit we should without delay admitt them 8. To this discrett perswasion of Coifi another of the Kings Nobles assenting added The present life of man upon earth compared with the time following it whose end is uncertain to us seems to mee as if Whilst your Majesty are feasting with your Nobles in the winter time in a room warmed with a good fire whilst abroad cold winds and tempests doe rage a silly sparrow entring into the room at a window should presently fly out at another opposite to it During that moment of time in which she passes through the roome she feels not the bitternes of the winter but immediatly she enters into the tempestuous cold and flyes out of your sight It is just so with this present life it appears for a short moment but what follows or what went before it we are utterly ignorant of Therefore if this new Doctrine can give us any certainty what shall befall us after this short life it deserves to be embraced 9. These and such other Discourses passed among the Kings Counsellours and Ancients of the Assembly To which Coifi again adjoynd that he was desirous to heare Paulinus once more discourse to this point of the God whom he preached Which being done by the Kings command Coifi cryed out It is not of late only that I have understood that the Gods worshipped by us are nothing worth because the more studiously I sought for Truth in their service the lesse I found Now therefore I openly professe that in this mans discourse the Truth appears manifestly and such a Truth as is able to conferr on us the Gifts of life and eternall happines Therefore my counsell is O King that without delay our Temples and Altars from which we never received good may be cursed and given to the fire 10. In conclusion not to be tedious the King openly and plainly professed his assent to the Doctrin preached by Saint Paulinus and renouncing his former Idolatry acknowledged that he received the Faith of Christ And having demanded of the foresaid Pontife to whom the care of proâ—aning the Altars Temples and ground about them dedicated to Superstition should be committed His Answer was To none but my self For who is more fitt to be a pattern for others in destroying those things which in the time of my folly I worshipped then my self now that by wisedom newly inspired by God I see their vanity And having said this immediatly abjuring his Superstition he desired the King that he might be furnished with arms and a horse which having mounted he hastned to destroy the Idols In which manner he rode to declare publickly his
in any History Probably he was some inferiour Saxon Prince in Brittany for among the Kings of that Heptarchy no such name is mentioned And later then this time he could not probably live since very few of the Saxon Princes did now remain in their ancient Heathenish Idolatry His daughter S. Christiana's name is placed among the Saints recited in our Martyrologe on the same seaven and twentieth of Iuly XII CHAP. 1.2 c. The Gests of S. Cedde and his Brethren 6.7 The death of Sigebert King of the East Saxons denounced by Saint Cedde 1. AT the same time our Island of Brittany received a notable luster by the piety of four Brethren all of them consecrated Saints their names were S. Cedd Saint Celin S. Cimbell and S. Ceadda or Chad. they were all of them Preists and two of them exalted to the dignity of Bishops to witt S. Cedd who was now Bishop of London and S. Ceadda who shortly will be the first Bishop of Lichfeild 2. As touching S. Cedd how in this year of Grace six hundred and sixty he founded the Monastery of Lesting in Yorkshire S. Beda at large thus relates It was the custom of the man of God S. Cedd whilst he was Bishop of the East-Saxons frequently to visit his own native countrey of the Northumbers to the end he might impart among them his Spirituall exhortations Now Edilwald the son of King Oswald raigning then in the Province of the Deirâ— or Yorkshire perceiving him to be a holy and wise man of great integrity desired of him that he would accept at his hands a certain possession of land there to build a Monastery where to himself might repair to perform his devotions and heare Gods word as likewise bury the dead For this King beleived that he should receive much benefit by the dayly prayers of those that served our Lord there Now the said King had then in his attendance a Brother of the said Bishop named Celin a man of great piety who was wont to administer to him and hiâ— family the Sacraments of our Faith for he was a Preist and by his information he came to know and love the Holy Bishop S. Cedd therefore complying with the Kings desire made choice for the Seat of a Monastery a place among steep and remote mountains which seemd fitter to be a retrait for theeves or lurking place for wild beasts then a habitation for men Now the man of God being desirous by prayers and fasting first to cleanse that place from the filth of crimes formerly executed there and consequently to lay the foundation of a Monastery desired permission of the King that he might abide there in Prayer the whole Lent then at hand Which being granted he according to the Ecclesiasticall custom prolonged his Fast till evening every day except Sundays and then also he contended himself with a small portion of bread one egg and a little milk mingled with water For he said that such was anciently the custom of those who founded Monasteries and from whom he had received the Rule of Monasticall Profession by prayers and fasting to consecrate the places where they intended to build a Monastery or Church 3. Now toward the latter end of Lent when onely ten days remained one came to call him to the King He therefore to the end so Religious a work should not be intermitted for the Kings affaires desired his Brother Cymbel who was a Preist to continue there the devotions which he had piously begun Whereto he willingly condescended And thus the full time of Prayer and fasting being consummated he there built a Monastery called now Lestinghen and instructed the Monks with such Religious Instituts as were practised at Lindesfarn where he had been brought up The care of which Monastery he recommended to his Brother Ceadda who was afterward Bishop first of York and shorly after of Lichfeild 4. Now whereas Saint Beda calls this Edilwald King of the Deiri he is to be esteemed only a King by courtesy of Osâ—â— â—o whom the whole Kingdom of the Northumbers at this time belonged And therefore in the Catalogue of the Northumbrian Kings extant in Mathew of Westminster Edilwald is omitted And as for the Monastery of Lestinghen in the Breviary of Sarum it is sayed to belong to the Isle of Lindesfarn Which Island notwithstanding did not pertain to the Province of the Deiri but of the Bernicians Wheresoever it was placed there flourished in it many persons eminent for Sanctity among which Osâ—i a Monk in our Martyrologe is reckoned in the number of Saints who dyed in the year of Grace six hundred sixty seaven 5. Saint Cedd remaind among the Northumbers no long time for the year following hapned the death of Sigebert the good King of the East-Saxons inflicted on him for contemning the Ecclesiasticall Câ—nsure imposed by this Holy Bishop Cedd on one of his Nobles The Story is thus particularly recounted by S. Beda One of the Nobles of King Sigeberts Court had contracted an unlawfull mariage against the Orders of the Church Which the Bishop not being able to prevent nor correct he excommunicated him commanding all under his care to abstain entring into his house or eating of his meat Which prohibition the King not regarding when he was invited by the said Count he went to feast at his house At his return the Holy Bishop mett him Whom as soon as the King lookd â—n he began to tremble and leaping from his horse prâ—strated himself at his feet begging pardon for his offence for the Bishop likewise who was on horse-back had lighted down And being angry he touched the King as he lay with his rodd which he held in his hand and with an Episcopall authority said to him I tell thee O King because thou wouldst not abstain from the house of that desperat excommunicated person thou thy self shalt dye in the same house 6. This denunciation of the Holy Bishop was accordingly accomplished for as the same Authour relates Whilst the Christian Faith encreased dayly in that Province to the great mutuall ioy both of the King and people it hapned by the instigation of the Enemy of all good that the King himself was murdred by the hands of his own kinred They were two Brethren who executed this heynous crime And being askd why they did it they could give no other answer but this That they were enraged enemies to the king because he was wont to be too mercifull to his enemies and quietly to pardon injuries whensoever those who did them begged his mercy Such was the fault for which this good King was slain because with a devout heart he observed the Precepts of the Gospell Yet by this death hapning to him without his fault a former reall fault was punished according to the Prophecy of the man of God Now we may piously beleive that such a death of this Religious Prince did not only wash away the stain of
we declared to have been of English parentage and kinsman of Oswin King of the Northumbers that he had his education from the Scotts was a Monk and afterward Abbot of the Monastery of Gethlin and last of all consecrated Bishop of the Mercians 5 But a greater difficulty remains How King Wulfere should deserve the Elogy here given him of piety and zeale for the propagation of the Orthodox Faith beyond the limits of his own Kingdom Yea besides this in other Authours we find him employd in building of Monasteries and Churches And William of Malmsbury gives him this generall Character that at his first Assumption to the throne to the end he might not deceive the expectation of his Subiects he spared no diligence study or labour to shew himself a good Prince who sought the proffit and felicity of his Kingdom Moreover that by his favour and countenance he earnesty advanced the Christian Faith then even gasping for life as being but a little before newly brought in by his Brother Whereas severall other Authours particularly such as have written our Saints lives paint him forth for a most horrible persecutour insomuch as seaven years after this Conversion of the South-Saxons by his incitation he is sayd to have putt to death his two sons Vlfald and Ruffin because by the preaching of S. Ceadda then Bishop of Lichfeild they embraced the Christian Faith 6. How can those things consist together Perhaps some will imagine that the praises given this King proceeded from flattery in the first Authours by whom those which followed were seduced Yet we shall find that those very Historians who so much celebrate his praises have not conceald his vices Thus the last mentioned Authour after the passage even now cited thus tempers the commendations given him Notwithstanding in these and whatsoever other vertues were in him were corrupted and depressed by the infamous crime of Simony of which he was the first King of England that was guilty selling for money the Sacred Bishoprick of London to a certain ambitious man called Wina He moreover adioyns the Off-spring of King Wulfere Kinred and Wereburga without any mention of the two Martyrs Vlfald and Ruffin So that in this Kings Story there is an obscure Mist which we may conceive to proceed from our Ancient Writers of Saints Lives who having a Story for the substance of it true to relate deliver it undigestedly without any choice of names times and other circumstances In order therefore to the clearing of this obscurity we will first breifly sett down the Summ of the Story of those two Martyrs and consequently endeavour to correct the circumstantiall faults of the relatours 7. Vlfald and Ruffin were Brethren sons of Wulfere King of the Mercians and Hermenilda who was daughter of Earcombert King of Kent and his wife S. Sexburga Wulfere their Father was an Infidell But Herminilda a devout Christian Lady of great Sanctity She during the tender age of these her children was diligent to imbue their minds with Christian Principles of piety and when they were come to riper â—ears she sought out a Master for them but with great secrecy least her Husband who was horribly averse from Christianity should know it She had recourse therefore to Ceadda Bishop of Lichfeild who instructed them more perfectly and regenerated them to Christ by the Water of Baptism These young Princes oft went forth â—pon pretence of hunting and either by their Mothers perswasion or their own inclination took that opportunity to Visit the Holy Bishop But being at last deprehended by their Father he agitated with the furies of his false Gods would compell them to renounce their Religion which they constantly refusing to doe he caused them both to be slain in the Sacred place of Prayer Their Holy Mother having understood the cruell death and Martyrdom of her children was desirous to give them an honourable buriall for which purpose she according to the Roman custom gathered a mighty heap of Stones for their Monument The place of their Sepulcher by its name still testifies the same for it is to this day called Stone a place which upon this occasion is grown to a populous Town Now when the death of these Holy Martyrs Vlfald and Ruffin was made known to the people and the cause likewise for which they dyed they began to be held in great honour and a Church with a Monastery was built consecrated to S. Vlfald yet so as that his Brother also became partaker of his honour By this means the place came to be frequented Neither was their Father King Wulfere more slow then others in honouring them For the guilt of the parricide committed by him wounding his conscience he in an humble manner went to Saint Ceadda and with great greif acknowledging his crime embraced the Christian Faith and with the Sacred Waters of Baptism expiated all his offences 8. This account doe our ancient Records give of the Martyrdom of these two Princes the substance whereof cannot reasonably be questioned considering the lasting monument yet remaining and that their names are extant among the Saints in our Martyrologe on the four and twenâ—tieth of Iuly But that they should have been instructed by S. Ceadda then Bishop of Lichfeild and slain in the year of Grace six hundred sixty eight by their Father then a Pagan this contradicts all our most authentick Histories in which long before that time King Wulfere is celebrated for his Faith and Piety Therefore it will be necessary to affirm that they were instructed by some Bishop of the Mercians before their Father began his raign during the time that their cruell Grand Father Penda lived who earnestly laboured to extinguish the Christian name and effectually caused the death of many Christian Kings 9. Therefore the Narration given by Camden deserves our acceptation who more distinctly and simply recounts the story in this manner To Peada King of the Mercians succeeded his Brother Wolfer who having been most averse from Christian Religion with barbarous inhumanity slew his Sons Wolfald and Ruffin because they had given up their names to Christ. But a few years after himself also embraced the Christian Faith and to the end he might by some pious work expiate that his impiety he finished a Monastery begun by his Brother XV. CHAP. 1.2 c. Of S. Winoc 1. SOme refer to this year the retiring of S. Winoc into the Monastery of Saint Bertin Thus writes Iperius in his Chronicle About the year of Grace six hundred sixty one S. Winoc Son of Iudicael King of the Brittains and brother of S. Iudocus of whom we have alreaâ—dy treated despising the world became a Monk in the Monastery of Sithiu under Saint Bertin together with his three brethren Kadanoc Ingenoc and Modoc S. Bertin then was Abbot over one hundred and fifty Monks among whom Saint Winoc shone like the Morning Starr 2. Marcellinus in his life of S. Suibert affirms that S
tongue they named Ingelborn a mile distant from which the Saxon Princes had a Palace called Caer-Durburg now Broken-bridge The said place kept the name of Ingelborn till Maidulf the Scottish Monk retired thither from whom it took the name of Maâ—dulfs-burg and contractedly Malmsbury some Writers call it Meldun Among the Disciples of Maidulf the most famous was Aldelm who succeeded him and by the help of the Bishop Eleutherius to whom the Seat belonged built there a very fair Monastery of which himself was Abbot and from him some Writers have calld the place Aldelms-birig but that Name was quickly obliterated though his Memory be continued there by a much frequented Faire yearly kept on his Feast 6 The said West-Saxon Kings Escuin and Kentwin as they were in their Faith Orthodoxe and in their Charity magnificeÌ„t so were they likewise in defence of their Kingdom courageous For saith the same Authour Escuin in a battell gave a great overthrow to the Mercians and Kentwin in another to the Brittains The Controversy which Escuin had with Wulfere King of the Mercians was touching the limits of their kingdoms to decide which they were forced to come to a combat in which notwithstanding Huntingdon rather ascribes the victory to Wulfere However certain it is that neither of these two Kings survived their Victory or defeat many days for Wulfere dyed the same year and Escuin in the following 7. The place where this battell was fought is by Florentius called Bindanheafâ—l and in a Manuscript cited by Sir Henry Spelman Bedanead Probably it was the same Town in Devonshire which is now called Bediford of some esteem saith Camden for the numerousnes of its inhabitants and a stone-bridge of arched work 8. The foresaid Florentius mentioning the death of Wulfere called by some Authours Fulgere gives him this Elogy In the year of Christ six hundred seaventy five dyed Wulfere King of the Mercians after he had raigned seaventeen years He was the first King of that Province who embraced the Christian Faith and received the Sacrament of Regeneration He utterly rooted out of his whole Kingdom the Pagan Worship of Devills commanding the name of Christ to be preached every where He built many Churches c. At his death saith Saint Beda he left his Brother Edilred or Ethelred his Successour in his Kingdom XVII CHAP. 1.2 c. Of S Wereburga daughter to King Wolfere her Gests Miracles death and uncorruption of her body 1. THE Memory of King Wulfere received a great luster from the wonderfull Sanctity of his daughter Saint Wereburga born unto him saith the same Authour by his Queen Ermengilda who was the daughter of Ercombert King of Kent and his Queen S. Sexburga daughter of Anna King of the East-Angles and Sister to the glorious Virgin and Queen Saint Ethelreda 2. S. Wereburga from her infancy was by her pious Mother Ermenilda educated in the fear and love of God and in a contempt of worldly vanities so that from her tender years she entertained a desire to consecratt her whole life to our Lord in a state of Religion and Virginity Her great beauty and endowments of Nature rendred her desireable to others but the greater beauty of her mind enriched with Divine Grace disposed her to reserve her affections for him only who was beautifull beyond the Sons of men During her Fathers life she was not permitted to aspire to the Espousals of her heavenly Bridegroom But assoon as he was dead she accompanied with her Mother Erminilda betook her self to the lately founded Monastery of Ely where she undertook a Religious Profession 3. This is thus more expressly related by Harpsfeild Saint Wereburga saith he being descended from most Noble Parents would not be affianced to any but the most Noble Bridegroom and therefore gave up her immaculate body and chast soule to the spirituall embraces of our Lord. These glorious Espousalls to which the Church and heavenly Angells were witnesses were publickly celebrated in the Monastery of Religious Virgins at Ely of which her Mothers Sister the illustrious S. Ethelreda was Abbesse there this devout Virgin received the Sacred Veyle of Religion And from that time her only diligence and solicitude was employed in avoyding all things that might displease the eyes of her Heavenly Bridegroom for whose love she despised gold iewells rich attire and all other vanities admired by the world All her thoughts were busied in this one thing how she might excell her Religious Sisters in observing silence abstinence watching devout reading and Prayers Which holy design having compassed insomuch as she was as far exalted above them in these and all other Vertues as in the Noblenes of her descent yet the thought so meanly of her self and was so free from arrogance and pride that she shewd her self always ready and willing to obey them all and chearfully underwent the vilest Offices among which a charitable care of the poor and needy to whom she was a pious and tender Mother took the principall place In a word through the whole course of her life her conversation was such as shewd that though according to humane condition her body moved on the earth yet her mind was always fix'd in heaven 4. How long this Holy Virgin lived in the Monastery of Ely under the government of S Ediltrudis does not distinctly appear Certain it is that her death is unduly in our Martyrologe referd to this present year for from our most ancient authentick Records it is unquestionable that she survived her Mother S. Erminilda who became Abbesse of the same Monastery after S. Sexburga who succeeded S. Ediltrudis dying the year of Grace six hundred seauenty nine However in as much as her Gests are not interwoven with the general History we will here adioyn the remainder of her Acts recorded by Mathew of Westminster Florentius c. 5. Her Brother Ethelred who succeeded his Father Wolfere in the kingdom of the Mercians admiring his Sisters Sanctity and unwilling that his Province should be deprived of so illustrious a light recalled her from Ely into her native countrey where she with difficulty was persuaded to accept the government of three Monasteries of Religious Virgins Trickingham since called Trent in Staffordshire Wedun and Hamburg in Northampâ—onshire which she governed with such meeknes that she seemd rather their servant then Mistresse directing them more by her example then command 6. And no wonder she should find obedience from her devout Daughters when as even irrationall and wild creatures became subiect to her command as if by her Sanctity she had recovered that empire which man enioyd in his primitive Innocence I should forbeare relating an illustrious miracle to this purpose touching her banishing from her territory great flocks of Wild-geese for their importunity and wastfull devouâ—ing her corn and other fruits were it not that I find it related by ancient credible Authours and not concealed also by Protestants 7.
in the day of Iudgment come to the Kingdom of heaven And many of them before that day are eased and delivered by the Prayers Fasting and Alms of the living and especially by the celebrating the most Holy Sacrifice Moreover that flame-vomiting and stinking pitt which thou sawest is the very Mouth of Hell into which whosoever once falls he shall never come out of it for all eternity 12. As for this pleasant flowry feild here before thine eyes in which thou seest such multitudes of youth making mercy and cloathed with white raiment this is the place which is the Receptacle of such soules which have continued to their death in the exercise of vertue but yet their Works have not been of such Perfection as to deserve their present admission in the Kingdom of Heaven Yet all these in the day of Iudgment shall arrive unto the Vision of our Lord and the Ioyes of his heavenly Kingdom But as for those who in their Words Works and Thoughts have attained to Perfection such assoon as they have left the Body shall enter into that Blessed Kingdom To the confines of which Kingdom that Place pertains where thou sawest so glorious a Light and heardst so sweet Harmony and wast refreshed with so admirably sweet-smelling Odours 13. Thou therefore having seen all these things must presently return to thy Body and again as formerly live among men If then hereafter thou wilt be diligent to examine all thine actions and to observe uprightnes and simplicity in thy conversation and speeches thou also after death shalt receive a mansion among these ioyfull troops of happy Spirits For I having departed for a time from thee did it to this end that I might see what would in the end become of thee When he had spoken thus to mee I had a horrible aversion from returning to my Body being extremely delighted with the sweetnes and beauty of that place which I saw and the happy society of the persons living in it Notwithstanding I had not the boldnes to make any such request to my Guide And whilst I was busy in these thoughts I know not how I presently perceived that I was again alive among men 14. These and other particulars did the Man of God usually recount concerning his Vision and these he related not to negligent slouthfull Christians but such only as being either affrighted with the meditation on future Torments or delighted with the Hope of eternall Ioyes were in a disposition to receive proffit by his words 15. At a small distance from his Cell there lived a certain Monk whose Name was Genigills who was also exalted to the Degree of Preist-hood which he adorned with many vertues He is alive at this day leading a solitary life in Ireland and sustaining his decrepit age with bread and cold water onely This Monk often visited that devout man and asking him many particulars touching his Vision received perfect information from him 16. The same Holy man related likewise his Visions to King Alfrâ—d a Prince adorned with all sorts of learning who with great willingnes and attention hearkned to his Narration nd at this Princes entreaty he was entertained in the foresaid Monastery there receiving the Monasticall Tonsure And when the King had occasion to make his progresse into those parts he very oft visited him out of a desire to heare the same things again At that time the Abbot of the Monastery was Aedilwald then a Preist of a conversation very Religious and modest who now worthily possesses the Cathedrall Church of Lindesfarn Now the Holy man had assigned unto him in the said Monastery a very retired place where he might with all freedom attend to the service of his Creatour and Prayer 17. And his privat Mansion being seated on the bank of the River his custome was frequently for mortifying his Body to plunge himself into the same sometimes to the loyns and sometimes to the neck where he continued singing Psalms and praying as long as he could possibly endure And when he came out he never putt off his wett and cold garments for change but suffred them to drye and receive warmth from his Body And when in the Winter time crusts of ice which himself oft broke to have place wherein to plunge himself came about him and some who saw it said to him It is a wonder Brother Drithelm for that was his name how you are able to endure such bitter cold He would answer simply for he was of a simple mild nature I have seen far colder places then this And when they said How is it possible you can sustain such strange austerities His answer was I have seen much greater austerities then these Thus to the day of his death he lived and out of a servent desire of celestiall Happines tamed his weak aged body with Fastings and other Mortifications and by his exhortations and pious conversation became an instrument of the salvation of many 18. This is Saint Beda's Narration which as appeareth he received from witnesses of unquestioned credit Notwithstanding weighing the circumstances of the Vision wee may probably conclude that the Holy man was mistaken in thinking that he had been really dead For this seems to have been a Vision imparted by Gods direction to his soule while he was in a deep and death-like Traunce both for his own good and the good of others So that wee are not to conceive that there are extant any where such Valleys pitts and Walls as are mentioned in this Story but that God thought fitt by representing to his imagination such objects to signify thereby the great variety of States in which soules according to their severall dispositions shall after death be placed Some Happy which Happines notwithstanding is greater or lesser according to the degrees of perfection to which they had ascended in their life-time And some painfull but with far greater variety the Torments of impenitent soules being inexpressible and endles whereas such soules as have lived sinfull lives but yet have had the Grace of Repentance before their deaths shall suffer most bitter anguish yet such as by the devotion of their freinds and mercy of God may be asswaged and shall certainly have an end The intolerablenes of which Anguish peircing the inmost Spirits of men is represented here by scorching flames and bitter Frosts the greatest tortures our bodies are capable of yet far short of the internall Agonies of imperfect separated soules which are altogether pure Sensation XI CHAP. 1.2 c. Queen Kyneburga becomes a Nunne 4. The Monastery of Dormund 6.7 S. Kineswitha Sister to Q. Kyneburga 8 Of S Tibba a Virgin 9.10 Of another S. Kyneburga and her Son S. Rumwold 1. ABout this time Kyneburga wife to Alfrid King of the Northumbers by permission of her Husband forsook the world and entred into a Monastery That which hastned the execution of this good design might probably be the famed report of this Vision of Drithelm Certain it is
the year of Grace seaven hundred and five Saint Wilfrid arrived in Brittany bringing with him Letters and Messengers likewise from the Pope to the two Kings Ethelred and Alfrid giving them account of what had lately passed at Rome in debating the Controversy What the successe was William of Malmsbury thus relates 2. Saint Wilfrid says he presently after his return presented the Letters from the See Apostolick to Ethelred late King of the Mercians now a Monk Which he received in an humble posture kneeling And having read them he with little difficulty obtained from Kenred Son of Wulfere whom he had made his Successour in the Kingdom an order that they should be obeyd For Kenred was a Prince replenished with the fear of God a good proof whereof he gave to the world by a voluntary renouncing his Kingly authority four years after and embracing a Monasticall Profession In like manner Brithwald Arch-bishop of Canterbury shewed himself as earnest to enter into brotherly concord with Saint Wilfrid Some say he was affrighted thereto by the Popes Messengers who denounced to him his condemnation from the See Apostolick altough S. Wilfrid interposing hindred the pronouncing Sentence 3. Only Alfrith King of the Northumhers still persisted in his obstinacy and resistance For when Messengers directed from Saint Wilfrid came to him at first he gave them a mild answer But afterward being as is beleived depraved by the suggestions of certain malignant persons about him favoured by him much to his dishonour when the Messengers again presented themselves to him on the day appointed he sent them away with sad hearts by pronouncing this his determinate Sentence That for the persons of the Messengers for the gravity of their lives and veneâ—ablenes for their age he honoured them as parents But as touching the subject of their message he utterly refused complyance with it since it was against all reason that upon any Letters perhaps surreptitiously obtained from the See Apostolick a man who had been twice condemned by a Nationall Synod of the English should be restored to his dignity and Communion 4. Having made frequent mention of these Letters of Poope Iohn inasmuch as they afford great light to Saint Wilfrids cause wee will bere sett down the tenour of them from William of Malmsbury by whom they are recorded They are inscribed To the most eminent Lords Ethelred King of the Mercians and Alfrid King of the Deiri and Bernicians 5. Wee doe much reioyce heâ—â—ing the report of the encrease of your Religious devotion through Gods Grace cooperating and seeing the fervour of your Faith which God illuminating your minds yee at first received by the preaching of the Prince of Apostle and doe still constantly retain And I would to God that this our ioy might be enlarged by the good behaviour of many among you But the incurable dissension of some Spirits there does much disquiet our minds Which dissension wee are obliged to censure and correct least instead of being observers we be found transgressours of Apostolick Precepts 6. For it is now a good while since that Bishop Wilfrid in the time of Pope Agathon of Blessed Memory appealed in a certain cause of his to this See His accusers also sent from Theodore Arch-bishop of Canterbury and from Hilda an Abbesse of Religious memory came hither Whereupon Bishops from severall places were assembled in this Citty who examined the matter diligently and canonically and after Examination pronounced Sentence Which Sentence the Popes his Successours and my Predecessours have confirmed And the Arch-bishop Theodore never contradicted the said Sentence nor sent afterward any more accusations against him Moreover now of late more accusations having been sent against the same Wilfrid wee took order that they should be examined in a Synod of Reverend Bishops together with his respective Answers and defence which Examination continued many dayes together both from Epistles ancient and modern touching that cause and verball allegations made by such persons as were present So that all hath been done in the cause that can be performed in the absence of the principall accusers who in case they approve not the Sentence here given must repaire in presence hither 7 Wherefore wee doe hereby admonish our Brother Arch-bishop Brithwald that together with Wilfrid he convoke a Synod commanding Bosa and Iohn to repair to the same There let him hear and consider what the parties can say and what proofs can be made on either side Which being done if he can determine the cause he will doe a thing very acceptable to us But in case he cannot let him then admonish both parties to have recourse in person hither where the cause hitherto depending may be finally decided by a greater Councill And let those who shall neglect to come hither know that they shall be ipso facto suspended and neither here nor there esteemed legall Bishops As for your Royall Highnes be pleased to afford your assistance that the Orders which with Christs help wee have herein given may come to effect And whosoever of what condition soever shall presumptuously contemne our authority he shall not remain without Gods punishment nor escape without his harm and danger from the spirituall bonds in which he is tyed 8. This was the tenour of the Popes Letters which were contemned by King Alfrid alone who notwithstanding presently after found that the denunciation of Divine iudgment in the end of them was not in vain For he lived but a little while after as the same Authour relates saying Assoon as the Messengers were departed he was assaulted by a very sharp disease which shortly brought him to his end But then the bitternes of his torments awaked reason which had slumbred a long time in the Kings mind and according to the Prophets saying Vexation gave him understanding For perceiving that this punishment had deservedly come upon him for his disobedience he promised to make a reparation of his fault to Wilfrid if he could be brought to his presence before his death And the same he continued to promise as long as he had use of his tongue withall adiuring his Successour to perform the same in case himself could not doe it Thus he repented too late his contempt of the Letters sent from the See Apostoâ—ick the comminations of which he could not avoyd 9 Thus dyed this worthy King Alfrid who for the space of nineteen years had governed his Kingdom in great iustice and peace and against whom wee read not any accusation or charge of any other crime but this his pertinacious persecution of this Holy Bishop Whosoever he was that inserted him in our Martyrologe on the twelfth of March by the Title of a Monk in the Monastery of Mailros was surely mistaken since neither S. Beda who lived at the same time near the place nor any of our Ancient Historians mention any such thing And Florilegus expressly says that he dyed at Driffeld seated on the River Hull in Yorkshire which
never attributed Divine honour but a Veneration infinitly inferiour thereto to Gods Saints 6 This veneration he probably obtained from a Miracle related by the Authour of his life in this manner Wee must not saith he leave buried in silence this prodigious wonder how when his head was cutt from his body the trunk raising it self up took the head which it caried from the place where he was slain to a spring not far off which flowed with a most Christallin water in which with the hands it washed the blood away Which spring in a reverent memory of the Saint is to this day called S. Decumanus his Spring Near to which place the body together with the head was honourably buried by the neighbouring inhabitants IV. CHAP. 1. 2. c. A fearfull iudgment on a Soldier who delayed Confession and Pennance to the last 1. AMong the Gests of the year of Grace seaven hundred and seaven Mathew of Westminster relates the sad accident of a Soldier of the family of Kenred King of the Mercians which deserves a place in this History to forewarn the Reader of the danger of delaying Confession and Pennance for sins The Narration he receives from S. Beda in whose words wee will deliver it though he names not the precise year as the other does 2. In the days of Coenred or Kenred who succeded Edilred in the kingdom of the Mercians there was a certain military Officer who as he was for his industry and courage acceptable to the King so on the contrary for the neglecting his soule he no lesse displeased him And therefore he on admonished him to confesse and amend his wicked life for fear a sudden death might prevent his repentance But the unhappy man though thus frequently admonished by the King little regarded his wholesom advice only he promised that he would take a time afterwards to doe pennance for his crimes Not long after it hapned that a sicknes surprising him he was forced to keep his bed where he lay in great tormeÌ„ts The King then who loved him much came to visit him and earnestly renewd his exhortations that at least then before he dyed he would goe to confession and demand Pennance but the man answered him That he would not confesse his sins till he were recovered of his present disease for fear his companions should upbraid him that the fear of death made him doe that which in the time of health he had refused to doe Now he thought this Answer argued a great courage in him but as afterward appeared he found that he had been miserably seduced by the Devill 3. His sicknes then growing more violent and dangerous the King once more came to visit and advise him but assoon as he was entred the chamber the sick man cryed out with alamentable voyce What would you have Sir Why come you hither It is not now in your power to give mee any comfort or assistance The King replied Doe not say so I fear your sicknes distracts you No Sir answerd he I am not mad but I have before mine eyes a foul and miserable conscience What means this said the King His reply was Awhile since there entred into this chamber two beautifull young men the one of which sate down at my head and the other at my feet And one of them brought forth a Book curiously garnished but extreme little which he gave mee to read and there I found written every good action which I had done in my life but alas the number was very small and the worth of them not at all considerable When I had read it they took it from mee without saying a word 4. Then there presently came toward this house a vast army of wicked Spirits horrible to be looked on which both surrounded it without and filled all the rooms within Assoon as they were sate down one of them who by the more horrid darknes of his face and preference in sitting seemed to be the principall among them brought forth likewise a Book of a dreadfull shape an enormous greatnes and insupportable weight This Book he gave to one of his attendants bidding him to bring it to mee that I might read it Assoon as I had looked into it I found there all the crimes which ever I had committed in deed word and even the slightest thoughts all this plainly described in hideous letters Then he said to the two young men in white garments who sate there why doe you stay here since you manifestly see that this man is ours They answered It is true take him and make him partaker of your damnation 5. Assoon as they had said this they presently disappeared and two of the most wicked among those Spirits of darknes arising with forkes in their hands smote mee one on the head and the other on the feet And now they are to my most horrible torment creeping through my inward parts and assoon as they shall meet together I shall dye and be hurried by them into Hell Thus â—pake this unhappy despairing man and presently after dyed and now being for all eternity tormented he practises repentance without any fruit which he neglected to doâ— in his life time when a short Pennance might have procured him pardon 6. Now as S. Gregory writing of the like case observes wee are to iudge that this man had these apparitions not for himself to whom they proffited nothing but for our good that wee knowing his unhappy end may fear to delay the time of Pennance now allowed us least being prevented by unlooked for death wee may dye impenitent And as touching the Bookâ— of a fashion so different which he saw presented to him by the good and by the evill Spirits this was done by Divine dispensation to putt us in mind that our deeds and even our thoughts doe not vanish into aire but are reserved to the examination of the Supreme Iudge and shall be presented to our view in the last day either by our good or evill Angells And whereas in this Vision the Angells brought forth a white Book and afterward the Devills a Black one the former a very small one and the latter one of an enormous bignes that signified that in his youth â—e had done some few good actions all which notwithstanding had been obscured by the sins of his riper age But on the contrary those who in their ripe age doe endeavour to hide from the eyes of God the sins committed in their childhood may be associated to those concerning whom the Psalmist saith Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven whose sins are covered This Story saith S. Beda as I received it from the Venerable Prelat Pecthelm I thought fitt simply to commit to writing for the spirituall benefit of those who shall read or heare it V. CHAP. 1. 2. c. S Egwin Bishop of Worcester is by calumny eiected goes in Pennance to Rome and is miraculously absolved 8 9. c At his return
had recourse to him he should tell the Preists that for the Love he bore to God he had worn the space of many years an iron girdle about his loyns a thing which no man alive knew of 21. To conclude he told mee that whilst he was separated from his Body he had such a horrour and hatred against it that in all his Visions he saw nothing so odious to him or so contemptible and that evaporated so filthy a stink except the Devills and the flame in which they were tormented as his own body Yea seeing the care and kindnes which his brethren and fellow-servants expressed to his hatefull body he had a horrour therefore to approach to them However being commanded by the Angells he was forced to return to his body and this he did at break of day having left it a little after mid-night 22. After he was restored to life it was a full week before he could see any thing for his eyes were full of Blisters and blood issued out of them And afterwards all proved to be true which had been told him by the Angels touching the devout Preist and sinfull woman Likewise the sudden death presently following of the wicked King Ceolred confirmed too well the truth of those things which were seen touching him 23. Besides these there were many other like things represented to him in his vision which he could not distinctly call to mind and indeed he professed that his memory afterward was nothing so retentive as formerly Now all these particulars which at your earnest request I have here written were related by him not to mee alone for there were three Religious and venerable Monks present with mee who doe here ratify by their subscriptions the truth of this Writing Farewell truly holy Virgin c. 24. Such is the tenour of S. Boniface Epistle and accordingly as S. Gregory observes thus does the Divine Goodnes in his great mercy dispose that some even after their death doe return presently to their body to the end that by seeing they might be induced to fear the torments of Hell which having heard from others they would scarce beleive XXV CHAP. i. 2. c. Death of King Ceolred to whom Ethelbald Succeeds who according to his promise to S. Guthlac builds the Monastery of Croyland 1. IN the year seaven hundred and sixteen after our Lords Incarnation Ceolred King of the Mercians by his incestuous lasts sacriledge and other crimes having filled up the measure of his sins by his fearfull death too well confirmed the truth of the foregoing Propheticall Vision concerning him William of Malmsbury only writes in generall concerning it saying Ceolred miserable in his immature death after a raign of only eight years was buried at Lichfeild leaving his wife Queen Wereburga a widow who became a Religious woman and afterward an Abbesse His heyr and successour in the Kingdom being Ethelbald grandchild of Alwi brother to King Penda 2. But Saint Boniface writing to this New King Ethelbald and deterring him from impiety by the sad example of his Predecessour thus describes his miserable death Colred says he thy Predecessour a ravisher of Consecrated Virgins and infringer of Ecclesiasticall priviledges whilst he was splendidly feasting with his Nobles the infernall Spirit seised on him and forced from him his soule without Confession or any Sacrament as he was talking with the Devill and blasphemously detesting God and Divine Law By which expression that learned and famous Saint reckons among the most heavy and terrible punishments of a soule to depart out of the world not purified by Confession nor armed with its last Viaticum the Sacrament of our Lords Body 3. The Successour of Ceolred in the Kingdom of the Mercians was as hath been sayd Ethelbald to whom Saint Guthlac had promised it not long before And he likewise delayd not the same year to perform the promise he had made to the Saint by building and richly endowing the Monastery of Croyland Concerning which Ingulphus a Monk and Abbot of the same Monastery thus writes King Ethelbald perceiving that his dear Father and comforter Saint Guthlac became glorious by many Miracles with great ioy and devotion went to the place of his buriall and having now gott the kingdom promised by the Holy-man he entirely accomplished whatsoever he had promised him whilst he was alive For presently sending for a Monk of Evesham named Kenulph a man of noted piety he gave unto him the whole Isle of Croyland that he might there build a Monastery and gather a Congregation of Monks to serve God for ever Which Monastery he entirely freed from all secular charges and customes Of which Grant he made them a Charter signed and subscribed by his Bishop Nobles A Coppy of which Charter is there by the same Authour recorded 4. In the â—ame Charter is containd a measure of the Land by him given for the Isle of Croyland is there described to be four leagues in length and three in breadth To which were added two adiacent Marisnes the one being two leagues in length and one in breadth and the other each way two leagues Moreover for the building of the Monastery he gave out of his treasury the first year three hundred pounds and for ten years following one hundred pounds yearly 5 But this devout King thus far only was able to accomplish his vow this first year that he assigned the place for building the Monastery together with the lands and possessions annexed to it But to erect so vast a building on a soyle so fenny and yeilding required strange industry and labour Which how it was performed the same Authour thus describes Because Croyland was a fenny soyle as the name imports for it signifies a crude muddy ground and therefore could not sustain a stone-building of any considerable bulk the foresaid King took order that innumerable vast piles of oak should be forcibly driven deep into the earth and that solide earth should be brought in boats from a place called Vpland nine miles distant from thence which Neâ— earth was mixed with the morish soyle and layd over the said piles And thus whereas S. Guthlac had formerly contented himself with a woodden Oratory the King began and consummated a magnificent Church of Stone thereto building a Monastery which he enriched with possessions and all sorts of ornaments and during his whole life loved that place most tenderly And since this first foundation that Monastery never wanted Religious persons to inhabit it to this day that is till the Norman conquest at which time the sayd Authour lived 6. The first Abbot of that Monastery is in the forenamed Kings Charter called Renulphus sent for out of the Abbey of Evesham But besides the Monastery there was a little Hermitage in which S. Guthlac lived Who being demanded who should succeed him therein answered That it was a person who when that question was asked was a Heathen Idolatour His name was Cissa who
Divine Verities as far as they had â—carnâ— them they in succession of times should be instructed by the English Nation in those things which they had not so well learnt and be brought to a perfect form of living As on the contrary the Brittains who refused to make known to the English that knowledge of Christianity which they had when as afterward the English became by other means perfectly instructed in the Rule of Christian Faith and Discipline they remain in their old errour and irregular practises neither admitting the ancient Catholick Tonsure on their heads and observing the Christian solemnities contrary to the Orders and practise of the Catholick Church 4. Now these Monks of Hy by the instruction of Saint Egbert received the Catholick Rite when Dunchad was their Abbot about fourscore years after they had sent Aidan their Prelat to preach to the English Nation This Dunchad was the tenth Abbot of Hy after Saint Colomba and the Annals of Vlster observe that he admitted the Roman Rites of Easter in the year of Grace seaven hundred and sixteen on the fourth day before the Calends of September being Saturday and that he dyed the year following 5. As touchinh S. Egbert S. Beda addes that he remained thirteen years in the sayd Island which by a new Grace of Ecclesiasticall Communion and peace he had consecrated to Christ. Concerning his happy death we shall speak in due place THE TWO AND TWENTIETH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAPTER 1.2 c. The Gests of the Holy Abbot S. Ceolfrid He resigns his Office and in travelling toward Rome dyes at Langres in France 1. THE year of Grace seaven hundred and seaventeen is illustrated by the deaths of two glorious English Saints the great S Swibert Apostle of the Germans and Saint Ceolfrid the worthy Successour of S. Benedict Bâ—scop in the government of the Monasteries of Saint Peter and S. Paul at Wiremouth and Girwy in the Kingdom of the Northumbers 2. Treating above of the occurrents of the year of our Lord six hundred eighty three we then out of a History of Saint Beda lately published concerning the Abbots of those two Convents related the memorable Gests and happy deaths of Easterwin Sigfrid and S. Benedict Biscop who had been Abbots of the same before this S. Ceolfrid to whom S. Benedict at his death recommended the care of them both and by whom Saint Beda himself received his education in learning and piety Now therefore it will be requisite to pursue his Narration concerning this his devout carefull Master and Benefactour Which is as follows 3. S. Ceolfrid saith he was a man industrious in all things sharp of witt diligent in busines ripe in iudgment and fervent in his zeale for promoting Religion He as hath been already declared by the assistance of S. Benedict Biscop in the space of seaven years founded perfected and governed the Monastery of S. Paul the Apostle and afterward became Abbot both of that and the other Monastery also of S Peter which considering their mutuall charity and propinquity were to be esteemed as one Monastery In which Office he continued twenty eight years carefully and prâ—dently accomplishing the worthy design begun by his Predecessour S. Benedict For he added severall new built Oratories encreased the number of Sacred Vessels and Vestments for the Altars and Church and also much enlarged the Libraries of both the Monasteries formerly well furnished by his Predecessour Particularly he added three Pandects of a New Translation to a former one of an old of which one he took with him in his last voyage to Rome leaving the others to each Monastery one he gave likewise a large Book of Cosmography of an admirable work which S. Benedict had bought at Rome 4. Moreover he purchased of the devout and learned King Aldfrid a peice of land of eight families near the River Fresca for a possession to the Monastery of S. Paul which land had been taxed by S. Benedict but he dyed before he could accoÌ„plish the purchase But afterward in the raign of King Osred Saint Ceolfrid made an exchange of this land for other land of twenty families near a town called Sambuâ—e from which it tooke its name because it lay nearer and more conveniently to the Monastery for the effecting of which exchange he added a considerable Summ of money And having done this he sent certain Monks to Rome who obtained of Sergius Pope of happy memory a Priviledge for the security of the Monastery as S. Benedict before had received from Pope Agathon and this latter likewise as the former was confirmed in a Synod by the subscription of the Magnificent King Aldfrid and the Bishops there present In his time also a certain servant of Christ learned in Scriptures and secular knowledge called Witmer undertaking a Monasticall Profession in the Monastery of S. Peter which he afterwards governed gave for a perpetuall possession to the same Monastery a peice of land of ten families which had been given him by King Aldfrid 5. But S. Ceolfrid after a long and exact practise of Regular Observance instructions for which he had received partly from his Father Saint Benedict and partly himself had collected from the ancient Fathers after an incomparably skillful exercise of Prayer and Psalmody never omitted by him after a wonderfull fervour showed by him in correcting the disobedient and irregular as likewise an equall mildnes in comforting and strengthning the infirm after a sparingnes in eating and drinking not usuall in governours as likewise a coursenes and vilenesse in cloathing at last seeing himself full of dayes and by reason thereof incapable of continuing the due Office of a Spirituall Superiour in teaching and giving good example to his Monks having seriously and a long space meditated on these things at last it seemed to him most expedient to give order to his Monks that according to the Priviledge given them and according to the Rule of the Holy Abbot Saint Benedict they should chuse to themselves an Abbot as himself had been chosen young by his Predecessour then going to visit the Sepulchers of the Apostles that by this means himself night have the opportunity before his death to attend to his own soule in solitude and exemption from secular cares and they under the conduct of a younger Abbot more perfectly observe the instituts of a Regular life 6. Now having made this proposall though all the Monks at first opposed themselves with sighs tears and prostrations yet at last he obtained his desire And so earnest he was to begin his iourney that the third day after he had discovered his purpose secretly to his Brethren he began it towards Rome For he was afraid least he should be prevented by death before he could come thither as in effect it fell out and indeed he was desirous to avoyd the importunity of his freinds men of quality in the world who he knew would interpose delayes and lastly
the sight of God and that his glory is wonderfull in heaven since he has made him so resplendent by miracles on earth For after his death he ceases not to cure the sick c Thus Writes the Holy Apostolick Preist Saint Marcellin adding moreover a Narration of severall stupendious Miracles of which himself was an eye witnes and which the devout Reader may find in his Life for I am unwilling to swell this History with such like Relationâ— III. CHAP. 1.2 c. The Monastery of Theokesbury founded 7. The death of Saint Egwin Bishop of Worcester 1. TO the same year is by our Historians assigned the foundation of the Monastery of Tewksbury though in the Chronicles of that Monastery the Erection thereof is sayd to have been made two years sooner And there we find this account of it 2. In the raigns of the illustrious Kings of the Mercians Ethelred Kenred and Ethelbald there lived two Dukes in great estimation Oddo and Doddo men of high descent much regarded for their vertues but which most crowns their memory persons who with sincere devotion loved almighty God and sought his honour Which they made good by their charitable actions for they and their Progenitours magnificently built and endowed many Monasteries These foresaid Dukes about the year of Grace seaven hundred and fifteen gave order for the building a Monastery in their own Territory near the Severn seaven miles distant from Claudiocester or Glocester at place called Theokusbury from a certain Hermit named Theocus who anciently had lived there 3. This Monastery they built to the honour of God and the glorious Virgin Mary and conferred upon it a Village called Stanwey with all its dependances and some few possessions besides for the sustenâ—ation of Monks not many in number for at first there were but four or five which under the Obedience of a Priour served God according to the Rule of our Holy Father S. Benedict 4. Now after that these two Dukes were for their devout actions translated to heavenly ioyes as we firmly beleive their Bodies were buried in the Church of Persora Parshur in which Duke Doddo had taken the Habit of a Monk and which they had enriched with ample possessions 5. These foresaid Dukes had a certain Brother named Almaric whose body was buried at Derhurst in a little Chappell over against the Gate of the Priory there which Chappell had formerly been a Royall place There to this day is shewd his Sepulcher where in the wall over the dore is this Inscription This Royall Hall did Duke Doddo cause to be consecrated into a Church to the honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary for love which he bore to his Brother Almaric 6. Thus we read in the said Chronicle Where consequently is related how by reason of the great troubles and warrs hapning both in Mercia and other parts of the Kingdom till it was reduced to a Monarchy under King Althelslan the said Monastery was often spoyled and twice burnt But afterward reedified and annexed to the Abbey of Cranborn and in conclusion for the commodious and pleasant situation of the place it was it self erected into an Abbey and the Monastery of Cranborn depressed into a Priory and made subject to it The great Patron and enlarger of it was Robert the Son of Hamon in the beginning of the Norman times as William of Malmsbury testifies Who by mistake affirms that the Name of Theocksbury did seem to destine it to a Religious use being so called as if the Title were Theotocosbury or the Court of the Mother of God But Camden according to the forementioned Chronicle more genuinely derives the name from Theocus a devout Hermit formerly living there 7. To this year is assigned the death of Egwin Bishop of Worcester after he had administred that See the space of twenty four years To whom succeeded Wilfrid who governed the same seaven and twenty years Scarce any thing concerning either of them besides their names is recorded IV. CHAP. 1.2 Kenred King of the Northumbers dying Osric succeeds 3. The Piety of Ethelbald the Mercian King 1. THE year following Kenred King of the Northumbers after two years possession of the Throne to which he mounted by Treason and murder of Osred his Kinsman and predecessour dyed and in his place succeeded Osric his associate in the same crime 2. Concerning these Kings William of Malmsbury thus writes Kenred who raigned only two years and after him Osric eleaven have left this one mark upon their memories that shedding the blood of their Master how well soever deserving such an unhappy end they defiled the aire with their shamefull deaths Yet Osric before he came to that Crown seemd to have had more sence of piety for it is said that he built about the year seaven hundred a Monastery for Religious Virgins at Glocester 3. But in the Kingdom of the Mercians King Ethelbald saith Ingulphus having perfected his Monastery of Croyland employd his mind to promote Holy Church through his whole Kingdom granting immunities and Priviledges to other Monasteries also of Religious men and woemen For which purpose in the third year of his raign he pubâ—ished a generall Statut to that effect recorded there by the same Authour V. CHAP. i. 2 The Birth and first radiments of Saint Boniface Apostle of the Germans 1. THE great losse which the New-planted Churches of Germany sustained by the death of their glorious Apostle S. Swibert was quickly repaired with advantage For in the year seaven hundred and nineteen God provided for themâ— New Pastour no lesse diligent and powerfull both in word and deed and who after incredible pains and dangers with infinite fruit thence proceeding crownd all his labours with Martyrdom This was S. Winfrid which name was afterward changed into Boniface who the sayd year having received a Benediction and authority from Pope Gregory the Second of that name chearfully began his Apostolick Office in that countrey His Gests have been written by severall writers and particularly by S. Willebald a Bishop his Disciple with great care and sincerity likewise more largely by a certain Preist call'd Othlo and besides those a great Volume still extant of S. Boniface his Epistles will furnish us with sufficient materialls for this History many years consequently Here therefore we will begin a Narration hitherto deferred of his Birth and education till this great charge was imposed on him and consequently proceed in recounting his glorious actions and labours referring them to the severall times in which they were performed 2. He was born in the year of Grace six hundred and seaventy of an English Saxon family as appears evidently from his own Epistles The place illustrated by his Birth was Creden now called Kirton in Devonshire the names of his parents are not recorded He was by them with great care educated and even in his infancy he was so earnestly studious to enrich his mind with spirituall knowledge
English as should come to the Citty and in which if any of them hapned to dye here they might be buried Thus writes the same Authour who in another place declares that Burrhed last King of the Mercians going in pilgrimage to Rome and there dying was after a Royall manner buried in the Church of the Blessed Virgin adioyning to the Schoole of the English 5 It is not easy to determin in what region of this Citty the said Schoole and Church were placed Severall of our Historians agree that it was the same which is to this day called the Hospitall of the English or the Hospitall of S. Thomas thus write Polydor Harpsfeild Parker c But other Authours mentioning the frequent conflagrations of it particularly Anastasiuâ— Biâ—bliothecarius in his description thereof about the year of Grace eight hundred twenty three shews that it was seated in the Suburbs near to the Church of S. Peter in that place which is now called the Borgo and anciently Saxia because a Colony of Saxons was sent thither by Charles the great 6. King Inas having thus provided for securing a perpetuall succession and propagation of the Faith among his countreymen presently retired himself to a quiet repose in contemplation He therefore in the expression oâ— William of Malmsbury cutt off his hair and cloathing himself with a vile plebeian habit spent the short remainder of his age in a secret retirement And how acceptable this last sacrifice of himself was to Almighty God he was pleased to shew by many miracles saith the same Authour Now that by this plebeian habit was meant a Monasticall one the generall consent of our Historians doe confirm For the cloathing of Religious persons at the beginning was the same with that of the ordinary meaner sort of people but fashions altering among secular persons and Religious men not changing hence it comes that they have a distinct peculiar habit nothing at all resembling the generall fashion of other men in the world 7. His life was not prolonged at Rome For in our Martyrologe he is recorded to have dyed this same year and his memory is celebrated among Saints on the seaventh of February Which does not well agree together For his arrivall at Rome and the orders taken for such buildings could not be effected so early in the year Yet that he did not passe through the following year may be collected from hence that being dead his Sacred Body was buried with great honour in the entrance of S. Peters Church by reason that the Church founded by him to the honour of the Blessed Virgin was not quite finished XX. CHAP. 1.2 Death of S. Willeic and of S. Engelmund a Martyr 3.4 Oswold rebells against King Ethelard and is expelled 5 6 c. Death of S Egbert 8.9 Osric King of the Northumbers dying the pious King Ceolulf succeeds 1. TO this same year is consigned the happy death of the Holy Preist and Disciple of S. Swibert S. Willeic of whom some what hath been sayd before Concerning him thus writes Miraeus in his Belgick Calendar S. Willeic was an assistant of the holy Bishop S. Swibert in the preaching of the Gospell and became a Canon of the Church of Vtrecht lately erected After S. Swiberts death he governed the Monastery of Werda the space of ten years with great commendasion and esteem He dyed this year and his Memory is celebrated among the Saints on the second of March 2. About the same time also dyed yet more happily because his life was sacrifised by Martyrdom the glorious Saint and câ—panion of S. Willebrord S. Engelmund who according to the same Authour imbueâ— with Evangelicall Doctrin the â—acavians and Kenemarians But in the Supplement to the Gallican Martyrologe a larger Elogy is â—iven oâ— him in this manner At Welsa in Holland on this one and twentieth day of Iune is celebrated the happy death of S. Engelmund Preist and Martyr He by Nation an Englishman was companion of S. Willebrord by command of Pope Sergius was ioynd in commission with him in his Apostolick Office in preaching converting of soules and working miracles among the Pâ—isons He was also Abbot and directour of many Religious persons which he assembled together to praise our Lord. At length being zealously vrgent to withdraw the Savage Nation of the Prisons from their horrible Superstitions and barbarous manners he for so great Charity incurred their hatred and furâ—ous persecution with which he was at last oppressed So crowning his Apostolick Office with a glorious Martyrdom 3. The year following the Kingdom and Churches of the West-Saxons were much disquieted by the restles ambition of a young Prince of the Royall family called Oswold who it seems in indignation that King Ina in resigning the Crown preferred his kinsman Ethelward or Adelhard before him thought by force to give it himself Concerning this tumult and the successe of it unhappy to the aggressour thus writes Henry of Huntingdon Adelhard King of the West-Saxons before the first year of his raign was expired fought a batel against Oswold a young man of the Royall stock who attempted to obtain the kingdom for himself But the young man not being able to bring equall forces into the feild having for some time born the burden of a furious combat at last being overpowred was forced to fly and quite abandon the kingdom By which means King Ethelward was firmly established therein 4. This worthy King to shew himself a deserving Successour of King Ina presently after extended his Royall magnificence to houses of piety and Religion particularly to the famous Monastery of Glastonbury the memory whereof the Antiquities of that place doe thus commend to posterity When Câ—ngisle was Abbot in the year of our Lords Incarnation seaven hundred twenty nine Ethelard King and Successour of Ina bestowed for a stable possession to the Religious family serving our Lord in the Monastery of Glastonbury sixty hâ—des of land in Pohonholâ— and twelve hydes in Thoric His Queen likewise named Fridogitha gave Brunant How this devout Queen nine years after this quitted her Royall state and undertook a pilgrimage to Rome where she consecrated herself to God wee shall shew hereafter 5. This year likewise dyed the most holy Abbot Egbert of whom frequent mention has been made This is he who in the year of Grace six hundred sixty four being mortally sick of the Pestilence was wonderfully restored to health and forsaking his Native countrey Brittany went into Ireland in the year six hundred and ninety where for his admirable piety he was in â—igh estimation and being desirous to expose himself to all incommodities and dangers for spreading the Faith in forrain countreys waâ— by Almighty God who designed him for another employment hindred Notwithstanding by his exhortations the glorious Saint Willebrord Sutbert and their companions undertook that most famous Apostolick Mission into Germany This likewise was he who thirteen years
from Saint Lullus upon some affairs 9. In the Kingdom of the Mercians Sees now vacant were Lichfeild by the death of Hemel Lindissa by the death of Eadulf and Leicester by the death of Totta To the first was substituted Cuthfrid to the second Ceolulf and to the third Edbert But wheras Mathew of Westminster affirms that he cannot find the names of the Citties where the said Bishops sate It cannot be denyed but that anciently those Episcopall Sees were moveable yet in this age by the munificence of Kings they seem to have been fixed As that of Lichfeild where many Bishops had already successively remained Likewise the See of Leicester was established But as for Lindissa the See was ordinarily at Dorchester a Town saith William of Malmsbury in the Country of Oxford small and unfrequented But the Majesty of the Churches either of old or lately built was great In that See after Hedhead there sate Ethelwin Edgar Kinebert Alwi Ealdulf and Celnulf Yet true it is that these Bishops sometimes sate at Sidnacester a place the memory of which has faild X. CHAP. 1.2 The unhappy death of Ethelwald Mol King of the Northumbers 3.4 c. Also of Egbert Arch bishop of York at which Alcuin was present 10. A strange Charter of King Kenulf to the Church of Welles 11. Severall Episcopall Sees vacant and supplied 1. IN the year of Grace seaven hundred sixty five Ethelwald sirnamed Mul King of the Northumbers dyed after he had raigned six years though William of Malmsbury assigns to him eleaven years Hoveden relates certain terrible apparitions in the aire which hapned in the beginning of this year presaging the unhappy death of this King who on the twenty seaventh of October was slain by the treachery of Alred at a place called Wircanheate 2. The condition of these Kings in this age was very sad few of them dyed naturall deaths This Ethelwald gott the Kingdom by the murder of Osulf and by the like means lost it And the same fate will attend his successour Alred 3. The year following gave an end to the worthy actions of Egbert Arch-bishop of York after he had nobly administred that See the space of one and thirty years A person he was descended of Royall progeny and imbued with divine knowledge Of whose vertues and memorable actions we have treated already Our Historians doe vary in the account of the years in which he continued Bishop the ground of which uncertainty is because it does not appear whether the time be to be reckoned from the resignation or death of his Predecessour Wilfrid the younger 4. There was present and assistant at his death his famous Disciple Alcuin whom a little before he had made Deacon and who having hitherto all his life composed all his actions by his rule and order was desirous to receive his commands and instructions at his death also for the future disposing of his actions Thus wee read in the Life of the said Alcuin prefixed before his Works and taken out of an ancient Manuscript belonging to the Church of Rhemes whence we will here extract the following passage S. Albinus or Alcuinus proceeding from one vertue to another was consecrated Deacon on the day of the Purification of our Blessed Lady for before on the same Feast he had received the Clericall Tonsure And perceiving that his Blessed Father Egberts infirmity encreasing shewed that his death was at hand having hitherto done all things by his counsell he was earnest to enquire of him what his pleasure was he should doe and how he should dispose of him self after that death should separate them 6. Hereto the Holy Bishop returned this Answer suggested to him as the event showd by a supernaturall direction of God I would have you said he first goe to Rome and in your return to visit France For I know that there you will produce much good Our Lord shall be the Guide of your journey and will bring you back in safety Be diligent in impugning the late abominable Heresy which endeavours to assert that Christ is only an adoptive Son of God and be a constant defender of the Mystery of the Holy Trinity this Doctrine cease not clearly and solidely to preach After he had spoken thus he gave him his fatherly Benediction commending him to our Lords safe protection and presently after he with chearfullnes departed to our Lord on the sixth day before the Ides of November 7. He was buried in the Porch of the Church of York and near to him was also layd the Body of his Brother King Egbert or Eadbert who exchanged his Royall Purple for a poore Monasticall habit and dyed two years after him 8. The Arch-bishop left behind him severall Monuments of his learning to enrich the Noble Library which he made at York Among which are reckoned A Book of Penitentiall Canons likewise Collections out of the Canon Law of the Church and others mention'd by Sir H. Spelman To those we may add A Dialogue of Ecclesiasticall Institution lately printed with an Epistle of S. Beda to him and other Treatises by the care of Sir Iames Ware 9. His successour in the Archiepiscopall See of York was Aldebert otherwise called Coena To whom by this latter name remains an Epistle from Saint Lullus Bishop of Mentz with his Answer to it The subiect whereof is only the renewing of Ancient Freindship sending of presents and entreating of Prayers for dead freinds 10. There is extant a Charter of Kenulf King of the West-Saxons by which he this year gave to the Church of Wells and Colledge formerly built there by King Ina certain Lands there adiacent the bounds whereof he setts down These possessions he gave for the love of God for the expiation of his siâ—s and for sâ—me vexation to his enemies of the Cornish Nation These are the words of the Charter What he meant by this last Motive I leave to the Reader to iudge 11. This year dyed Frithebert Bishop of Hagustaldt whose Successour was Alâ—mund a Prelat of great piety and prudence And shortly after Cuthwin Bishop of Dumwhich dying his place was supplied by Aldbert Like as upon the death of Ethelfrid Bishop of Helmham there was substituted Lansert I know not by what fate these two Episcopall Sees of the East-Angles for the most part loose and get new Bishops at the same time at least so we are informed by the Ecclesiasticall Chronicles of that Church And the following year Edbrith who is reckoned the ninth among the London Bishops after he had governed that Church eight years dying left it vacant to his Successour Eadgar XI CHAP. 1. 2. c. The beginning of the Raign of the Charlemagne c 4 Of two learned English Virgins 1. THE year of Grace seaven hundred sixty nine is notable through the whole Church for the beginning of the Raign of that most famous King and afterward Emperour Charles