afterwards in due time by the hands of the same Bishop his cozen he He liueth in a moâ—â— narrow cell was promoted to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood Neere vnto the Church of our Ladies of Glastenbury he built him self a little Cell soe straight that all that saw it were astonished how a liuing man could dwell in it For I my self saith the Authour of his life haue measured the place contayning but fower foote in length and two and a half in breadth The height was proportionable to the ordinarie stature of a man In the midst of the doore was a litle window In this slender lodging he led his life in prayer and contemplation working in such things as the narrownes of the place would permitt but aboue all things labouring to please allmightie God in all and through all his actions He braue's vanquisheth the de uill dayly gayning to him self an higher place in his diuine fauour But the deuill enuying his pious exercises endeauoured to disturbe his deuotions presenting him self one day vnto him in the forme of a mayd that fayned to be in want of his helpe about some peece of worke and as the holy man prepared him self to satisfie her demaund he perceaued that enemie of mankind to transforme him self into diuers shapes that he seemed to see the forme and heare the voyce now of an old man now of a yong man and straight of some lasciuious woeman that stood before him Then vnderstanding what it was he caught the fierie tongues out of the fier and tooke that hellish monster by the nose and held him fast There then was to be seene a braue combat between the friend and enemie of Allmightie God Till at length sainct DVNSTAN remayning conquerour the deuill fled away with confusion horribly roaring and complayning that his pride and cauie had receaued the foyle and neuer after aduentured to molest the holy man in that place When from this time DVNSTAN was indued with soe great puritie of heart and His rare puritie of mind and body such a rare chastitie of bodie that he more ressembled an Angel of heauen then a mortall man Whence it came that manie poore and rich flocked vnto him from all parts to vse his counsell for the health of their soules and to be by him informed and directed in the way of good life and vertue Amongst others that came to be instructed by his zeale and prudence one was a vertuous Matrone called Elsgine whom when he had piously directed and well grounded in the way of vertue for a long time and armed at length with the last sacraments the happyly ended this life and left all her goods and possessions to the disposition of her pious Father sainct DVNSTAN who presently distributed the moueables to the poore Fiue monasteries built by his meanes and with the rest and his owne inheritance being the only child of his parents he built and enriched afterwards fiue monasteries and filled them with holy Conuents of Benedictine Monks VII NOT long after king Ethelstan being dead Edmond his brother succeeded in the kingdom of England who vnderstanding of An. 940. the rare prudence sainctitie and discretion of sainct DVNSTAN sent for him to his Court that by his worthy counsell and industrie he Dunstan in great fauour with King Edmond might the easier rule the scepter of his kingdom with iustice DVNSTAN offring this seruice to God and the good of the common wealth condescended to his desire When it was rare to behould how prudently he behaued him self in disposing of the affayres of the realme in composing of contentions that arose and establishing true peace and concord among the subiects to the great comfort and ioy both of the king and Nobles Neuerthelesse within a while he lost all fauour and grace with them both by the enuious detractions By enuiâ—he he i. expelled the Court. of those that could not support the lustre of his resplendent vertues nor endure one alone to beare more sway and be in greater credit then all the rest What shall I say The malignant words of his aduersaries preuayled soe farre that DVNSTAN was not only depriued of all auncient honour but allso banished the Court. This done after three daies the King goeing on hunting and being carried by the vntamed courage of his horse pursuing the game towards a mightie precipice that threatned both him and his beast with destruction seeing iminent death before him the iniurie done to DVNSTAN came suddenly into his mind whereat sighing from the bottom of his heart he was much grieued promising straight in his mind that yf by Gods helpe he escaped that danger aliue he would againe receaue him into his fauour When to his great comfort and admiration his horse which before noe force could hould stopped suddely on the ridge of that huge downfall He is recalled to sauour and deliuered him from his expected ruine Then hauing related this accident to his Nobles and caused DVNSTAN to be sent for he humbly demaunded pardon for his fault did worthy peanance for the iniurie and restored him to his ancient honour place and dignitie faithfully promising to be his true friend and protectour euer after Moreouer as a testimonie of his future friendship he gaue him the lands of Glastenbury where he was borne and bred to be disposed according to his good will and liking Sainct DVNSTAN by the kings meanes built there a goodly Monasterie and gathered He buildeth the monasterie of Glastenbury into it a worthie Conuent of Benedictine Monkes whom he himself gouerned in quallitie of Abbot Soe that by his good example and industrie that Abbey encreased wonderfully both in the excellencie of monasticall profession and in the abundant possession of temporall goods And that place became a Nurserie of learned and holy men that through all England cast the foundations of a religious life vnder the rule of sainct BENEDICT like soe manie Pillars of the Catholick Church And now it came to passe that as in this Church as it is about sayd the whole multitude of people recouered light from sainct DVNSTANS Mothers candle soe out of this place thus instituted by the learning and industrie of DVNSTAN him self all the Churches of England receaued the light of true Religion and monasticall discipline by the example and vertue of manie worthie men called hence to the dignitie of Abbots and Bishops in the kingdome VIII AMIDST these things the holy life and conuersation of sainct DVNSTAN purchased him wonderfull hatred from the deuill the perpetuall enemie to the Benedictine order But he allwaies found him to be as his name signifies a firme Rock of the mountaine He hearet 〈◊〉 the songs of Angles whom all the hellish practises of that Master of mischief could not mooue from the ground of vertue And by soe worthyly triumphing ouer that infernall monster he deserued to to be partaker of the sweet harmonie of Angelicall voyces which at
Idolatrie to see the cleere day of Christs Ghospell And presently the heauens gaue them rayne and the earth which before was barren brought forth fruit in due season Allso he purged the countrey of the Picts now called Galloway from the blindnes of idolatrie and heresie he conuerted Albanie and founded there manie Churches and monasteries He sent some of his disciples to the Scottish Iles called Orkney to Norway and Island to His manie miracles bring vnto those nations the ioyfull tidings of CHRISTS Ghospell Wheresoeuer he him self eyther trauelled or preached he gaue sight to the blind hearing to the deafe speach to the dumbe cured the lame cast out deuills from possessed persons restored madmen to their senses healed leprosies palsies and all other diseases Some times by the only touching of his garments or taking some little particles of his meate or drinke manie sick persons recouered their desired health The Queene that had bin a long time sterile through his prayers obtayned a sonne of allmightie God who afterwards succeeding his father in the kingdom excelled all his predecessours in wealth and pietie VII S. COLVMB hearing the fame of S. KENTIGERNE came from his monasterie in the Island Hij with a great companie of his monks He maketh great league with S. Columb to visitt him and enter into a league of frienship and familiaritie with him And coming neere vnto the place where the holy Bishop was he diuided his whole companie into three troupes The Bishop likewise that came to meet him did in the same manner diuide his followers into three squadrons in the first he placed the iuniors or yonger sort in the second those of a middle age and in the third old aged men venerable in their gray hayres And as these two sacred armies of IESVS CHRIST marched towards each other they song spirituall hymnes and canticles on both sides and S. COLVMB to his followers I see sayd he ouer the third quier a fierie light in manner of a golden crowne to descend from heauen vppon the Bishops head But the two holy leaders of these troupes coming neere togeather saluted each other with mutuall embracings and holie kisses of loue and friendship in testimonie thereof they chainged their pastorall staues and the staffe which S. COLVMB gaue the Bishop was kept afterwards with great reuerence in S. WVLFERS Church at Rippon VIII A MIGHTIE great stone crosse being made for the Church-yard of Glasghn which could not be erected by mens strength was at A crosse sett vpp miraculously the prayer of the holie man sett vpp in the night by an Angel And in that place afterwards the diuine goodnes graunted perfect health vnto manie diseased persons that craued it by the meritts of S. KENTIGERNE He built a mille vppon the riuer Gladus that would neuer grinde anie stolne corne neyther could the stones or wheeles thereof by anie force be turned about from Saturday noone till munday morning IX AT LENGTH the holy man being soe farre spent with ould-age as his withered sinews did scarse hang his ioynts togeather and His last exhorta tion to his disciples perceauing that the hower of his death was at hand he called his disciples about him and exhorting them with a dieing voyce to the conseruance of true religion mutuall charitie peace and hospitalitie he gaue them an expresse and strict commaund firmely to obserue the decrees of the auncient holy fathers and euer to follow the institutions of the Catholick Roman Church When manie of his disciples who most dearely loued him falling prostrate before him cried out with weeping words Wee know deare father that thou doest desire to be dissolued from thy aged bodie to raigne with CHRIST but we humbly beseech thee to take pittie on vs whom thou hast gayned to the seruice of CHRIST ConfessioÌ„ of sinneâ— In whatsoeuer our humane frailtie hath offended we haue allwaies confessed vnto thee desiring to be corrected by the arbitrement of thy discretion Obtaine therefore of allmightie God that togeather with thee we may depart out of this vale of teares and miseries to the euerlasting ioyes of our deare Lord for vnto vs it seemeth a thing vnfitting that eyther a Bishop without his Cleargie a sheapheard without his flock or a father without his children should enter into the ioyes of his Lord. The holie man being moued with pittie fetching his breath as well as he was able The sacred will of God sayd he be fullfilled in vs all and according as he knowes best and as he pleaseth let his diuine prouidence dispose of vs all Herevppon being admonished by an Angel that his prayer was heard he was likewise willed to enter into a warme bath in which lifting vpp his hands and eyes towards heauen he resolued as it were into a sweet sleepe and yeelded vpp The manner of his death his blessâ—d soule into the hands of his Redeemer It pleased the heauenly wisedom to giue his seruant this pleasant kind of death whose life was a continuall martirdome His disciples hauing taken his body out of the bath manie of them entring therein had the fauour to follow their holie leader into the heauenly dwellings He died the thirteenth day of Ianuary about the yeare of our Lord 596. and in the hundred eightie fift yeare of his age when he had bin Bishop an hundred and threescore yeares famous for sainctetie and miracles He was buried in the Church of Glasghu at whose tombe all manner of diseases were miraculously cured His life was written by IOSGELINVS an auncient author IOANNES ANGLICVS and IOHN CAPGRAVE whom we haue followed Of him make mention NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD histor Ecclesiast sex primis saec cap. 28. ARNOLD WION and others The life of S. PETER Abbot of the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT IAN. 13. Out of venerable Bede PETER was a Roman Monk of S. BENEDICTS order and one of those which were sent by S. GREGORIE the great with our first Apostle S. AVGVSTIN to preach the Ghospell of CHRIST vnto the English natioÌ„ S. AVGVSTIN being consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury sent back Laurence and Peter his fellowes to bring newes vnto the holy Pope of their good successe in the conuersion of England and allsoe by his prudence and counsell to be resolued of some difficulties which arose in the planting of Catholick religion in that new Church This S. PETER at his returne into England was by the same S. AVGVSTIN ordayned the first Abbot of the Benedictin monasterie of Canturburie erected by King Ethelbert in honour of the Apostles S. PETER and S. PAVL Of the time and manner of his gouernement in this office we haue nothing certaine but that he led a verie vertuous and holy life it is manisest by that which S. BEDE writes of him At length sayth he being sent Embassadour into France he chaunced to be drowned in a gulfe of the sea betweene two câ—pes at a place called Ampleat and being by the inhabitants committed to
hands couering them a table prouiding them meate and drink wayting on them at table and lastly hauing well satisfied their hunger he bestowed on each a peece of siluer and dismissed them Vnto these at Easter he gaue new cloathes and retayned them with him in his hall as his principall guests for certaine daies Noe sicknes could detayne him from these pious offices nay the weaker he found his body the more he forced him self with greater diligence to execute his seruice to these poore men worthyly following herein the humble example and exemplar humilitie of our deare Redeemer washing the feete of his twelue Apostles XVI AT LENGTH hauing for the space of manie yeares ruled both his bishopricks with great wisedom and sainctity to the wonderfull He foreâ—â—eth his â—â—ne death admiration of England the notable encrease of Gods Church the reformation of vice and the worthy aduancement of monasticall discipline hauing outliued his two Bretheren in religion and noble Equals in sainctitie Dunstan and Ethelwold the first fiue yeares the other tenne the day before his departure out of this life goeing forth with his monkes out of the Church into the open ayre he stood with his eyes most attentiuely bent towards heauen making his prayer with a mouth and heart full of pietie vnto IESVS CHRIST whom soe feruently he desired to enioy Nether did he as at other times quickly draw back his eyes from looking vpwards but as yf he did comtemplate with great pleasure of mind some strange noueltie he remayned very long fixed on what he beheld Being demaunded what he saw I contemplate sayd he the place whither I am goeing which to morrow next you shall plainly vnderstand For the eternall happines is now at hand to attaine which I haue hithervnto laboured on earth nether shall the morrow-sunne be sett before my Lord as he hath promised will call me into the ioyes of his euer flourishing paradise Therefore returning into the Church he called his monkes togeather and exhorted them to giue him the He receaueth the last Sacraments sacrament of extreme vnction and the sacred viaticum of our Lords bodie The night following forgetting this his sicknes soe attentiue he was to prepare for his happy iourney he went into the Church and hauing finished his diuine office he spent the rest of the night in prayers In the morning according to custom he gyrt him self with a towell and washed dried and kissed the feete of his twelue poore men and hauing performed the fifteene psalmes which he vsed to recite in that pious seruice he added thereunto Gloria patri c. and the poore rising as their manner was to giue thankes In his piouâ— exercise he happyly departeth at those wordes Spiritui Sancto in sight of them all he yeelded vp his blessed soule into the hands of his deere Redeemer the twentie eight day of February in the yeare of our Lord 992 hauing been bishop thirtie yeares When his bodie was carried to buriall a white doue appeared to descend from heauen and flieing gently ouer it couered and protected it with her wings Allsoe a fierie globe seemed miraculously to hang ouer the biere whereon his holy bodie was layd And when his sacred reliques were placed before the high aultar that fierie vision as it were to designe the place for his buriall wauered to the south side of the Church ouer against the aultar and suddenly vanished out of sight His Bodie was committed to the earth in the Church of our blessed Ladie which him self as we haue sayd before had erected And Count Alwin after the death of this holy man being oppressed with an vnspeabeable anguish and grief of mind departed out of this teadious life and was buried in his Abbey of Ramsey with this Epitaph Here resteth Alwin cozen of the famous King Edgar Alderman of all England and the miraculous founder of this sacred Monasterie The holy Bishop Sainct OSWALD as in his life he was wonderfull soe after his death it pleased the allmightie worker of wonders to shew manie miracles at his tombe by his holy intercession and meritts whereof we will speake more at large on the feast of his translation the 15. day of October when his greatest festiuitie was celebrated in the English Church It resteth only now that wee pray vnto his glorious Sainct who is soe potent and powerfull a fauorite with allmightie God to obtaine his diuine grace for vs in this world and to be partakers of the glorie of his blessed Saincts in the next through our lord IESVS-CHRIST who be for eâ—er blessed praysed glorified AmeÌ„ His life was writteÌ„ by one Senatus Brauonius a moÌ„k of Worcester about the yeare of our Lord 1170. which is recited by Laurence Surius in his tenth tome and praysed by Baronius for a historie saythfully written We haue only added thereuÌ„to some few things out Malmesbury Baronius Harpsfield The verie same history with this of Surius is recited by Iohn Capgraue out of Ioannes Anglicus only different in the stile which Surius corrected The mouthes of all historiographers English and others are full of the prayses of S. OSWALD The life of S. AIDO or Aidus Abbot and Confessor FEB 28. Out of an auncient authour recited by Iohn Cap graue AIDO borne in the prouince of Conaght in Jreland and giuen to his barren parents by the speciall fauour of allmightie God when he came to such age that he was able to make choise of a course of life he departed to the Prouince of Leinster where he led a solitarie life in all manner of vertue and holines Afterwards he came into Wales where liuing vnder the discipline of great S. Dauid he dayly shewed manie strange examples of miraculous workes and vertues in soe much that during the time of his abode there the Saxons then mortall enemies to the Britans durst neuer presume to inuade their dominions fearing the power vertue of this Sainct Returned as he was againe into Ireland he built a monasterie He buildeth a monasterie in Ireland wherein he became the spirituall father and teacher of verie manie monks whom he instructed in all good learning and the monasticall discipline of those times Manie strange and allmost incredible miracles are reported of this holy man which I willingly omitt It sufficeth for proofe of his Sainctitie that he liued in the continuall exercise of vertues and died loden with the meritts of manie good works as he did this twentie eigth day of February At S. DAVIDS in Meneuia he was called Moâ—dock that is Jrish and there his feast was celebrated with verie great reuerence and deuotion Thus much of his life I haue gathered out of Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue with whom only let the truth of his relation stand for I find noe other Authour that maketh mention of this Sainct The end of February S. SWIBERTVS EPISC. WLRDENSIS APOSTOLVS Frisia Monachus Anglus Ord. S. Benedicti M. baâ—… f. The life of S
of God and of the blessed Pope GREGORY of our Apostle AVGVST as allsoe by our curse let that person be segregated froÌ„ all the coÌ„munion of the holy Church and froÌ„ all the societie of the Elect in the day of iudgement This land is encompassed with these bounds c. In the yeare from the Incarnation of Christ 605. Indiction the 8. Note the auncient manner of subscribing ✚ I ETHELBERT King of the English haue confirmed this donation with the signe of the holy Crosse with mine owne hand ✚ I AVGVSTYNE by the grace of God Archbishop haue willingly subscribed ✚ I EDBALD the Kings sonne haue fauoured it ✚ I HAMEGâ—SILVS Duke haue praysed it I HOCCA Count haue consented ✚ I AVGâ—â—Vâ—â—DVS the secretarie haue approued it ✚ I GRAPHIA Count haue strengthened it ✚ I PINCA haue consented ✚ I GEDDE haue strengthened it XVI THE second donation of King ETHELBERT to this monastery which may be seene in the auncient records of the same we here omitt fearing toÌ„ be teadious to the reader Only one thing I will bring out of it which is that after manie priuileges and exemptions giuen thereunto the King following the tenour of the holy The Mâ—nkes of Canturbury Benedictines rule of sainct BENEDICT sayth these words Let the Abbot him self that shall be ordayned with the counsell of his brethren freely go 〈…〉 and order it to witt the monasterie within and without according to the feare of God that in the day of our Lord he may deserue to heare that 〈◊〉 voyce of our most pious Saniour saying Euge serue bone fidelis quia in panca fuisti fidelis supra multa re constituam intra in gaudium dominitui Allso our holy Apostle saint AVGVSTINE in his owne name and by the authoritie of Pope GREGORY graunted a verie large and ample priuiledge and exemption to the sayd Monasterie wherein he freeth it from all Episcopall subiection but that according to the Rule of our holy father sainct BENEDICT the Abbot chosen by his brethren in the same Monastery should be consecrated by the Bishop not to his seruice but to the ministrie of our Lord c. But the Benedictine The Benedictine Monkes seated in Christ-Church at Canturbury Monkes from the beginning of Christian religion in England had not only the possession of this Monastery of laint PETER and Paul in Canturbury but were allsoe seated in the Metropolitan sea of christs-Christs-Church in the same cittie as appeareâ— by holy Pope GREGORIES answere to the first question of saint AVGVSTINE For when saint AVGVSTINE among other things had demaunded how the Bishops should liue and conuerse with their Clergie and how manie parts or portions ought to be made of those things which were giuen to the aultar from the offerings of the faythfull c. S. GREGORY answered that the manner of the Apostolicque Sea was to giue commaund to the Bishops that of euerie stipend that fell to the Church ought to be made fower portions or distributions one to the Bishop and his houshould for hospitalitie an other to the Clergie the third to the poore and the fourth to the repayring By the commauÌ„d of S. Gregory of the Churches Bâ—â— addes the holy Pope thy Brotherhood brought vp in the Rule of a Monasterie because it ought not to liâ—e separated from thy Clergie in the Church of the English which by the power of God is yet but lately brought to the Fayth must institute the same conuersation which was with our fathers in the beginning of the primitiâ—e Church in which none of them called aâ—â—e thing his owne of those things which he possessed but all things to them were common By which words the most blessed Pope GREGORY enioyned a monasticall cloister life to be obserued by saint AVGVSTINE allbeit a Bishop togeather with his subiects who professing religious pouertie by possessing all things in common as saint GREGORY had prescribed could be noe other then Monkes Whence this manner of gouernment was receaued throughout all England soe that in the Cathedrall Churches which were Monasteries the Bishop who was allwaies a Monke presided as Abbot ouer the Monkes and liued monastically with them Next to him was the Prior who for distinction from other Priors was call A Cathedrall Prior vnto whom and the Conuent of Monkes allwaies belonged the Election of the Bishop And of this kind there appertayned aunciently to the Benedictine Nine Cathedrall Churches in EnglaÌ„â—â— belonging to the Monkes Monkes nine Cathedrall Churches in England to witt the Metropolitan Sea of Canturbury the Churches of Winchester Elie Norwich Conentrie Worcester Rochester Durham and Bathe Whereat the reader need not wonder for the Benedictine Monkes saint AVGVSTINE and his fellowes hauing by the diuine grace been made the first Apostles and conuerters of England to Christianitie were by good reason euer after the chiefest gouerners and rulers of that Church The errours of the Britanâ— XVII IN THE meane time saint AVGVSTINE hauing by his continuall labour in preaching much enlarged and encreased the fayth of CHRIST amongst the English bent his endeauours to reforme the Church and Bishops of the Britans who allbeit they had remayned in the profession of the Catholick fayth euer since the time of King Lucius yet was not their fayth soe pure but that it was tainted with some errours and especially in the obseruance of Easter which contrary to the custom of the Catholick Church they celebrated from the fourteenth of the moone to the twentith and manie other things they held that were repugnant to the vnitie of the Catholick Church Therefore saint AVGVSTINE by the assistance of King ETHELBERT summoned the Bishops and the learned men of the next Prouince of the Britans to a parley at a place called afterwards in the tongue of the English Saxons by the name of Austens-Oke in the confines of the West-Saxons Where he began with a verie gentle and fraternall admonition to perswade them to embrace the Catholique vnitie and togeather Schismaticks worse to be conuerted with him to vndertake the common labour of preaching the Ghospell of CHRIST But he found by experience that it was easier to conuert Heathens the Hereticks that had noe knowledge of CHRIST or his Church then to reduce Schismaticks out off their errours to the truth For after a long disputation those stubborne Britans would not yeeld nether to the prayers exhortations nor rebukes of saint AVGVSTINE and his fellowes but rather preferred their owne customs before all the Churches of the world vnited togeather in CHRIST Therefore saint AVGVSTINE ended this laborious and long controuersie saying Let vs beseech allmightie God to voutchafe to shew by heauenly signes which tradition is to be followed yours or ours Let a diseased person be brought in and by whose prayers he shall be cured let his fayth and workes be beleeued and followed of all Which condition the aduersaries vnwillingly accepting one depriued of all sight
built in times past to the name and honour of saint ALBAN where in a very rich shrine made of gould and siluer and adorned with pretious gemmes they reposed those sacred spoiles Whereby it is made manifest that as in times past to Lucian Priest the bodie of the Protomartir of Iurie sainct STEPHEN and to King Dagobert the reliques of saint DENIS the first Martir of France soe to our noble Offa allmightie God miraculously reuealed the bodie of the prime Martir of great Britaine S. ALBAN But this inuention and translation of S. ALBAN happened in the yeare 794. the first day of August X. IN the meane time king Offa built founded a most magnificent King Oâ—â—a foundeth a Benedictine Abbey to S. Albau Church and a Monastery for the Benedictine Monkes to the honour of S. ALBAN in the very same place where the holy Martir had shed his bloud for the Christian fayth This Monastery he not only adorned with great wealth and reuenewes but went him self to Rome and obtayned for it large and ample priuileges of Pope Adrian whereby it was exempted from all Episeopall power and iurisdiction and by the royall charter of Offa the exercise of all ciuill authoritie within the territorre thereof was deliuered into the hands of the Abbott And lastly Pope Adrian defined in his Priuilege graunted thereunto that as S. ALBAN whom at the earnest desire of King Offa the whole countrey he had enrolled into the nuÌ„ber of canonized Sainct was knowne to be the first Martir of Britaine soe the Abbot of his Monasterie should allwaies haue the precedence before all the other Abbots of that Countrey and that Abbey be accompted the principall and head of the rest The Abbots of this S. Albans the head abâ—ey of England Monastery in times past were Barons of the realme and Parliament men and from the Abbey the towne built there abouâ—s is to this present called by the name of Sainct-Albans XI BVT a farre greater and more excellent honour came to this Monasterie by the wonderfull miracles which allmightie God wrought there by the merits of this glorious Martir S. ALBAN then by all the other glorie of priuileges wealth and riches added thereunto Nay more the whole countrey receaued infinite benefitts of cures of all manner of diseases as we may vnderstand out of Venerable BEDE an Authour beyond all exception who auoucheth miracles wrought there euen vnto his time and by the auncient annalls of the same Monasterie wherein the wonders which yearly happened are diligently and faythfully sett downe Let vs heare the Authours them selues make an Affidauit of their owne sinceritie Whatsoeuer we goe about to relate say they of the holy Martir let noe man esteeme as fayned or friuolous for we take God to witnes that they are such as eyther we haue seene with our owne eyes or heard reported by men of approued creditt Out of which it shall Miracles wrought at his Tombe suffice vs for the glory of our Protomartir briefly to rehearse some few 1. His reliques being opposed to a furious fier oftentimes extinguisht it 2. In extremitie of drought his holy bodie being carried in procession with the vsuall Litanies and supplications of the Church obtayned rayne and in time of immoderate rayne purchased fayre weather 3. Those that by an iniurious violence presumed to robbe him of land or riches dedicated to his honour were oftentimes punished with a miserable end 4. One A notable punishment Hugh who with an impious mouth vttered reproachfull speeches against the blessed Martir and his sacred solemnitie cast forth the excrements of his bodie at his blasphemous mouth all his life after being iustly punished in that part which had offended 5. A woman sick of a cruell palsey who for manie yeares was not able to goe her self being admonished from heauen entred into the holy Martirs Church where hauing made her prayer vnto God and his Sainct at the very time when the Priest at Masse offered the sacred Bodie of our Lord to his father she felt her self strongly recouered and presently walked home in perfect health of all her limmes 6. The water which had washed his holy shrine was oftentimes prooued soueraigne against manie deseases 7. And the dust gathered out of the place where he was buried and putt into drinke wrought the like miraculous effects But we shall neuer come to an end yf we goe about to loade this paper with all the miraculous cures done at his tombe blind lame deafe broken and contracted persons receaued the wished benefitt of their health by the meritts of this thrice glorious Martir Scarse anie disease could be named that was not here cured Yea and manie dead persons were recalled againe to life by the The dead raysed to life Beda Hist Eccl. Angl. lib. 1. cap. 18. And others as Constant. in vita S. Germ. Baronius tom 5. an 429. Camden in descrip Herford com Harpsfield sex primis sae culis cap. 9. Westm an 794. malm de gest reg l. 1. c. Surius â— Tom. 6. Iun. 22. intercession and patronage of this glorious Martir sainct ALBAN XII HERE it shall not be amisse to admonish my good reader yf perchance he light on the writtings of some forreigne Authours vnskilled in our English histories that affirme the bodie of our sainct ALBAN to haue been by the sorenamed sainct GERMAN translated to Rome and thence afterwards againe transported by the meanes of Theophana the Empresse to the Benedictine Abbey of sainct PANTALEON at Cullen that he suffer not him self to be easily deceaued for all our English writters maintaine the contrary First sainct BEDE following the auncient Annalls of sainct ALBANS auoucheth that sainct GERMAN tooke only with him some of the dust where his body was layd and not only left the bodie it self behind but as we haue sayd placed manie other reliques of other Martirs which he had thither brought in the tombe of sainct ALBAN as soe manie sacred witnesses and pledges of his deuotion to the holy Sainct which reliques to the manifest confutation of the contrary opinion were found there togeather with the bodie of S. ALBAN three hundred fortie and odde yeares after S. GERMANS coming into England as Mathew Westminster William of Malmesbury and other English writers doe testifie Therefore his bodie could not be carried out of England by saint GERMAN Moreouer in Surius whom I take to be the chiefe Authour of the aduerse opinion I cannot but admire one thing as a signe of great partialitie in him for hauing gathered the whole life of Saint ALBAN out of Venerable BEDE he willingly passeth ouer in silence that act of Sainct GERMANS putting the reliques into Saint ALBANS tombe and carrying away of the earth embrewed with his bloud And why doeth he soe I leaue the reason to the iudgement of the iudicious reader being loath to touch the authoritie of soe great a man It may be because he was him self of Cullen he had rather for
fluxit Atque Magistrorum veneranda caterua cucurrit In number of HIS children gladly stand All that haue place in fruitfull Britaines land From HIM to vs baptismall grace did flow To HIM our troupes of Teachers we do owe. Whereby he euidently concludeth that not only the Apostles them selues who brought the Grace of Baptisme into our countrey were children of sainct BENE DICT but euen that all the faythfull people of great Britaine were Foster-children vnto the same sainct BENEDICT whose disciples had nourished fed the infancie of their faith with the milke of CHRISTS holy Ghospell and first brought them into the bosome of his true Church And this same passage of sainct ALDELME was quoted seauen hundred yeares agoe by Amoinus a monke of the samous Benedictine Abbey of Amoinus Fleury in France in a sermon of the prayses of sainct BENEDICT which hath bin lately sett forth by Ioannes a Bosco in his worke intituled The Library of Fleury This Amoinus who is a very graue and auncient authour following the aforesayd truth embraced by our sainct ALDELNE bouldly and without anie difficultie affirmeth sainct GREGORY the great to be a child of sainct BENEDICTS in the prologue of his second booke which treateth of the Miracles of our holy Father Nether is he content to say it only as the opinion of his owne head but constantly asseuers it a thing receaued by the whole English nation For thus he speaketh in the life of sainct ABBO extant in the Librarie of Fleury chapter the 4. In the meane time came an embassage from the English natioÌ„ to Fleury desiring to haue the helpe of some prudent and wise men Because this nation came to the loue of our holy Father S. BENEDICT and of that See the life o◠〈◊〉 Oswald Feb. 28. foresayd place for two causes One was because Blessed Pope GREGORY hauing sent thither preachers of Christs faith more peculiarly beat into their memories the obseruance of the Rule of the same beloued seruant of our Lord BENEDICT And the other because one called OSWALD a man of great authoritie amongst them hauing despised the world embraced the seruice of Christâ— in the about named Monastery of â—leury Therefore by the authoritie of this graue Authour a witnes of soe great antiquitie it plainly appeares that sainct GREGORY professed the holy Rule of S. BENEDICT and that the Preachers he sent into England did the like But lest some impertinent cauiller for such an one he must needs be that calls in question the authoritie of our Aldelme whom the Church approueth for a Sainct should say that these and such like writers professing the Benedictine Order them selues are parties in the controuersie and that consequently their authoritie cannot decide this question I will here briefly bring Authours of allmost all other Orders and Professions who doe expressely auouch that sainct GREGORY and his disciples our Apostles were Benedictines And bicause Baronius the Father of the contrarie opinion Thomas Bozius which we impugne was a Priest of the Oratorian CongregatioÌ„ let the Venerable Father Thomas Bozius Priest of the same Oratorie proceed first against him This Bozius who was a learned graue and prudent writer seemeth of sett purpose to condemne the iudgemeÌ„t of his fellow-Priest in this point soe plainly he speaketh for vs in manie places especially in his fift booke of his excellent worke intituled Of the signes of the Church chap. 3. GREGORY the great saith he borne of a most noble race and hauing througly performed his office in the chiefest honours of Rome at length despising all things and bequeathing him self to the Order of sainct BENEDICT he made profession of a monke and besides others founded in other places he built a Monasterie at Rome on the side of the hill Scaurus in that place verie manie did learne both solid pâ—etie and heauenly learning and addicted themselues to the Order of sainct BENEDICT Hence GREGORY drew out Augustine Mellitus Iustus Paulinus Laurence and Iohn and other Monkes whom BEDE and others doe mention and by whom the seruice of Christ was dispersed and confirmed amongst the English and maniâ— monasteries of the same Order builded And in his third booke of the state of Italie chap. 5. which booke he writt after this controuersie was set a broach by Baronius that he might shew him self notwithstanding the arguments of Baronius to be constant in the veritie of his former opinion he sayth thus Wee haue shewed at large in the fourth booke of the Signes of the Church signe the 6. that by noe other endeauour then that of the Roman Bishops the Christian religion waâ— planted in England Scotland and all places seated beyond the riuers Danubius and Rhene And in the fift booke signe 12. we haue made it euident that allmost all those that imployed their labours in this matter were Monkes of the Order and institute of sainct BENEDICT the Italian Allso in his sixt booke of the same worke chap. 6. he sayth of our holy father sainct BENEDICT that He drew soe manie followers after him that the number of them cannot be mustered Out of his familie issued forth soe manie and soe great men flourishing in all kind of prayses and vertues that which way soeuer thou turne thy self thou maiest stand fixed in admiration For how manie Martyrâ— I pray you came out of his Order How many men most holy in sainctitie and miracles How maniâ— great and admirable Popes Let vs produce one able to be compared with them all GREGORY the first to whom the Englishmen are indebted whatsoeuer goodnes is amongst them Thus we see how learnedly solidly and constantly this Venerable man asseuereth the truth and our intent against Baronius who was his fellow-Priest and the ornament and flower of the Oratorian Congregation No man I am sure can except against his authoritie who doubtlesse If there had been anie probabilitie in the contrarie assertion would haue been most willing to haue subscribed to the opinion of soe great a man as Baronius being of his owne coate and profession To Bozius let Onuphrius Panuinus an Augustin Frier and a most diligent searcher of the Roman antiquities Onuphrius Panuimus succeed who in his Epitome of the Roman Bishops giueth this most cleere testimonie for our purpose GREGORY by nation a Roman borne of the most auncient and noble familie of the Anicij forsaking all the Pompes of the world entred into a Monastery of Monkes vnder the Rule of the holy Father BENEDICT and gaue all his goods lands houses tenements vineyards c. to the Monasteries of monkes and at length built a Monastery of Monkes in Rome c. This testimonie of Onuphrius is of great authoritie for liuing in the cittie of Rome he gaue him self wholly to search into Ecclesiasticall antiquities whereof he hath published manie famous and profitable monuments to the world Next to him let vs heare ANTONINVS Bishop of Florence whom the Church honoureth for a learned
learned men that zealed the Truth and good of the Benedictine Order to make a most exquisite and strict search into the monuments and bowells of antiquitie and finding that the opinion of Baronius was but a child that could by no meanes pretend anie title or right of descent from Authours of former ages they soe learnedly solidly and manifestly made the contrarie assertion appeare to the world to witt that sainct GREGORY was indeed a monk of sainct BENEDICT that that which before lay as it were buried in antiquitie and not thought on receaued for a truth but not talked on knowne of all but commended but off a few became more conspicuous to the world more glorious to the Benedictine Order and more famously treated off throughout the whole Church soe that the new opinion of Baronius serued but as a foyle more cleerly to sett forth the veritie of sainct GREGORIES being a Benedictine Monke and to make the world take better and more particular notice that soe great an Ornament of the vniuersall Church had been brought vp in the schoole of sainct BENEDICT But that we may take away all further difficultie in this matter let great sainct GREGORIE him self tell vs what Order he professed for surely no man can say but he is a iudge without exception and one whose authoritie is able to weigh downe more then I will name of such as write against vs. In his commentarie on the bocke of Kings writing to his Monkes and Nouices he vseth in manie places the expresse words of sainct BENEDICTS Rule and applies them to expound the holy text or rather makes vse of the text it self to coÌ„firme the precepts of the Benedictine Rule and there in citing the words of the same Rule he stileth our holy Father Lâ—b 4. comm in 1. Pâ—g c. 4 sainct BENEDICT with the title of Arctissimae vitae Magister optimus summae veritatis discipulus eruditus The best Master of the most strict life and a learned Disciple of the highest veritie Whereby it is manifest that sainct GREGORIE in proposing here the Rule and masthership of sainct BENEDICT vnto his Monkes for a patterne of their life and gouernment doeth acknowledge him self and them to be children of the same sainct BENEDICT whom he calleth his and their Best Master of strict regular life For yf he and his monkes were Basilians or Equitians or of anie other Order why doeth he not rather propose vnto them their Rules and call S. BASILL and Equitius their Best Master Were it not a thing strainge and against all rule for a Superiour of Franciscans or Dominicans to propose in a speech to his subiects the obseruance of the Rule of saint IGNATIVS and call him the Best Master of their Religion and profession omitting to make anie mention of his owne Patrones sainct FRANCIS or sainct DOMINICK Surely yf sainct GREGORY had been a disciple vnto Equitius as Baronius faynes he could not haue beene soe vnmindfull of the Father of his monasticall religion as to preferre sainct BENEDICT before him with the title of the Best Master of regular discipline and to propose his Rule to be obserued by his Monkes and not once in all his workes to make the lest mention of the Rule of sainct Equitius But how could he when neuer anie such rule hath euer yet appeared vnto the world But of his Best Master sainct BENEDICT he maketh such honourable and large mention that hauing dispatched the life of saint Equitius in one short chapter of his Dialogues he filleth a whole booke with the life vertues and miracles of our glorious Father sainct BENEDICT whose Rule he confirmed preferred before all others to shew the abundance of loue which he bore vnto him whom he stileth the Best Master of his monasticall life It would be too long to sett downe here all the places of our holy Father's saint BENEDICTS Rule which this great Doctour of the Church S. GREGORIE expoundeth to his Monkes in the aboue cited CoÌ„mentarie on the booke of Kings It sufficeth for our purpose that he acknowledgeth S. BENEDICT for his Best Master and proposeth his Rule to be obserued by the Monkes of his Monasterie For what more manifest proofe can there be to shew that both he and the Monkes his subiects were all children of the Benedictine Order and that sainct AVGVTINE our Apostle and his fellow-monkes preachers were professouâ—s of the same Rule and Religion Thus much good Reader I haue thought good to insorme thee in this poynt not because the truth of the cause I defend did want anie such proofes but because there are some soe willfully blind in the opinion of Baronius that they doe yet striue against the whole streame of antiquitie and ancient Authours and seeke to maintaine his noueltie Against whom If thou chaÌ„ce to encounter anie such thou art here sufficiently instructed to be able to speake some thing for the truth in this matter And doe not thinke that in disputing this poynt against a man soe worthyly deseruing of the Church as the most illustrious Cardinall Baronius we doe it with intent to lay an aspersion of disgrace on his glorie God forbid for the defence of the truth can disgrace noe man and especially him who in sayling through soe huge an Ocean as his Annalls are could not chose but erre in some things lest the world should haue taken him for some thing aboue the common sort of mortall men To conclude we see that the greatest part of our English SAINCTS are knowne allsoe to haue been of the holy Order of S. BENEDICT as it appeares in the ensuing treatise of their liues For the Catholick religion being first planted in England by the labours of S. AVGVSTINE his fellow-Monkes who were all Benedictines that holy Order was allsoe soe happyly rooted in the whole countrey and soe manie learned and holy men were bred and brought vp in the same that the whole English Church was gouerned by the Professours thereof and replenished with great store of SAINCTS of both sexes of the Benedictine familie there being noe other Rule of regular life but S. BENEDICTS on foote in England for the space of aboue seauen hundred yeares after the coÌ„uersion of it to the Christian fayth Noe wonder then that the Benedictine Religion in England was the mother of soe manie and soe great SAINCTS Their liues and of all others I haue endeauoured to sett forth briefly with as great care as I could desiring thee for whose comfort I haue taken this paynes to weigh the faults yf anie thou chaunce to find in the ballance of good will and soe thou shalt not only encourage me to goe forward in this and a greater worke then this but allsoe oblige me to remayne thy friend desiring no other reward for my labours but thy prayers vnto these glorious SAINCTS that I may in the end be made participant of their heauenly companie In the meane time wishing thee the like happines I
inuincible valour strength of bodie others iudged it a safer way to preferre ALFRED thereby to gaine the power of the Normans in that Richard then Duke of Normandie was hâ— vncle But the high and mightie ruler of all things p 〈…〉 t and fâ—ture foreseeing the short life of the one and the immature death of the other turned all their voices and consents to the châ—ldâ—nborne and mooued them to elect for their king an insant â—â—â—vard 〈…〉 as yet â—onâ—ayâ—eâ— in the weake cloisters of his mothers wombe sâ—e thâ—t the whom the land did not yet enioy was ordayned Lord Gorernor of the land and the nobles and Peeres with great ioy did sweare alleageance vnto him of whose birth they were ignorant and vncertaine But this vncertaintie was shortly after taken away by the happie and wished birth of king EDWARD soone after which the fuâ—â—rie of the Danes cruelly inuaded the realme of England spoyling and destroying a great part thereof with fier and sword which mooued king Ethelred to send the queene with her children into Normandie out of the reach of the Danish crueltie where our princely EDWARD S. Edward his vertues being a boy liued in his vncles house a child among others his equalls but allwaies free from such vices as that age is wont to bee inclined vnto He was chast of bodie sparing of his speach plaine in his actions pure in his affections He tooke great delight often to frequent Churches more often to be busied in his prayers to be present at the holy sacrifice of Masse to visit Monasteries religious houses and to enter into a strict league of friendship particularly with such monkes whom true vertue and Religion made worthie to be loued aboue others II. IN THE meane time the enemies sword committed such outrage The Barbarians waste England within the realme of England that all places were filled with slaughter and destruction nothing appeared that was not masked with the grimme vizard of sorrow lamentations clamours and desolation Churches were burnt Monasteries pulled downe and Priests chased out of their seates compelled to lie in secret and desert places to bewaile the coÌ„mon miseries of their countrey When among others the venerable man BRITHWOLD Bishop of Winchester as full of agonie as pittie greif and sorrow could make a pious heart retired to the Monastery of Glassenburie putting his whole confidence in prayers and psalmes to allmightie God Where as in great abundance he powred out his deuotions washt in teares for the deliuerie of the kingdom and people out of these calamities at length he burst out into such like words saying And thou 〈◊〉 Lord how long â—s 12. 43. 87. 〈◊〉 3. how long doest thou turne away thy face doest thou forgett our miseries afflictions They haue slaine thy Saincts destroyed thy aâ—ltars and there is none that can redeeme vs nor bring health vnto vs. I know ô Lord I know that whatsoeuer thou hast done vnto vs is by thy iust iudgement done But what wilt thou for euer cast vs off and wilt thou not beginne to be Psal 76. more pacified as yet When when ô my Lord God shall there be an end of these calamities Or will the sword of thy wrath for euer exercise his crueltie and make a generall slaughter among vs A vision shewed to Bish. Brith wold At length amidst these prayers and teares a sweet slumber seased on his sorrowfull senâ—es wherein as it were in a dreame he beheld the B. Apostle S. PETER seated in an eminent place and king Edward clad in Royall ornaments standing before him with an amiable countenance in most comly and decent manner vnto whom the holy Apostle hauing first with his owne hands consecrated and anneiled him King piously imparted some admonitions and precepts tending to the health and saluation of his soule aboue all things recommending vnto him a single life he reuealed how manie yeares he should raigne and gouerne the Kingdom The Bishop much amazed at this strange vision humbly craued of the Apostle to make knowne the misterie thereof vnto him desiring withall to vnderstand of the present state of the realme and to know his sentence touching the end of their instant miseries To whoÌ„ the Apostle with a pleasing countenance This kingdom said he is our lords who will raigne ouer the sonnes of men he it is that transferreth Dan. 2. kingdoms and chaingeth Empires and to punish the sinnes of the people giueth the gouernement to an hipocrite By sinne the people haue offended our Lord who hath deliuered them captiue into the hands of the Gentils and their hatefull enemies and strangers haue obtained soueraignâ—ie ouer them But God will not forgett to be mercifull neither in his ire will he containe his mercie from you And it shall Psalm 76. come to passe after thy death that our Lord will visitt his people and worke their redemption For he hath selected a man according to his owne heart who in all points shall fulfill his will pleasure and who hauing by my assistance obtained the kingdom of England shall sett a periode to the Danish furie He will be acceptable vnto God gratefull to men dreadfull to his enemies louing to his countrey profitable to the whole Church and at length shall conclude his worthy life with a most blessed and happie end But as the Bishop A Worthie commendation of king Edw. enquired further of Saint EDWARDS posteritie The kingdom of England answeared the holy Apostle belongeth vnto God himself who after this will prouide a king according to the diuine ordinance of his owne will and pleasure III. BVT as yet the furie of this Danish tempest continued and the waues thereof were exalted to the height of an insulting and imperious pride in so much that the common miseries of the land were much encreased by a ciuill discord inward iarring of mens minds amoÌ„gst them selues noe man knowing whom to trust with the secrets of his heart The whole Iland was full of traytours noe true faith to be found noe friendship but was scarred with suspition no coÌ„mon conference but was cloaked with deceitfull dissimulation Till at Canutus king of the Danes a ChristiaÌ„ of great piety chosen king of EnglaÌ„d ann 1016. the lawfull heires being reiected for the vniust murder of S. Edw. the martir halfbrother to Ethelred length the treason of the countrey the craft of the enemie preuayâ—â—ed soe farre that king Ethelred being dead most part of the realme â—or saking the lawfull heyres of their late king gaue vp obedieÌ„ce vnto Canutus that wroÌ„gfully had inuaded cruelly spoyled the kingdom and the mightie Edmond Jronside when he had valiantly ouerthrowne the Danes in three seuerall battles being at length by the treacherie of Eadrick Duke of the Mercians cruelly murdred his little children were taken out of their cradles deliuered to the pittilesse furie of the Barbarians to be slaine And ALFRED S. EDWARDS elder
that gaue such a wonderfull lustre to all therein as if it would haue preuented the sunnes comeing by turning night into day There was present with the Apostle in the Church a multitude of heauenly burgesses filling it with melodious musick and most fragrant odours Hauing finished all the solemnities and ceremonies due vnto the dedication of a Church he whom our Lord made a famous FISHER of men returned to the Fisher of fishes whom he found wonderfully amazed and carried allmost beyond him self with the flashes of the diuine splendour and therefore S. Peter consecrateth the Church of westminster with a courteous consolation the Apostle restored him to him self againe reduceing his distracted thoughts to the rules of reason and the two fishers entring into the boate togeather S. PETER demaunded whether he had taken anie fish or noe Being suddenly strucken replied he with the sight of that vnusuall brightnes and detained with expectation of thy returne I endeauoured not to fish but securely a tended my promised reward from thee wherevnto the Apostle answered cast forth thy netts and trie He obeyed his commaund and presently found his nett loaden with store of fish all of one kind excepting one fish of a mightie greatnes without comparison Hauing drawne them on shore the Apostle bad him present that great one to Bishop MELLITVS in his name and the rest said he take for thy reward An aboundance of this kind thou shalt enioy all thy life time and thy posteritie a long time Fishing on Sundaies forbidden after thee only hereafter dare not to fish on the Sundaies I am the Apostle PETER who with my heauenly fellow-citizens haue allreadie consecrated the Church built in my name and by the authoritie of my owne dedication I haue preuented the Bishops benediction Tell him therefore what thou hast seene and heard and the markes imprinted in the walles shall giue sufficient testimonie to strengthen the truth of thy relation Let him therefore forbeare from anie further dedication and supplie only what we omitted that is to celebrate the most sacred misteries of our Lords bodie and bloud and with a sermon to instruct the people giuing them to vnderstand that I will oftentimes visitt this place and be present at the prayers and petitions of the faithfull promising to lay open the gates of heauen to all those that spend their daies soberly iustly and piously in this world The next morning the fisher with his great fish meets the Bishop MELLITVS as he was goeing to dedicate the Church and makes knownes vnto him whatsoeuer was giuen him in charge by the Apostle Whereat the Bishop much astonished entred into the Church and finds the pauement signed with the inscription of the Greek and Hebrew alphabet the walls annoynted with holy oyle in twelue seuerall places and the remnants of as manie wax cādles fastened to twelue crosses all things being yet moist with the late springling of holy oyle and water Wherevppon togeather with the people he gaue prayse and thanks to allmightie God for that great remonstrance of his goodnes vnto them The whole posteritie of the fisherman confirmed the truth of this miracle for as they receiued by tradition from their father they offered the tenth of all the commoditie gotten afterward by that art to S. PETER and his seruants in that place Till among the The fishers deceit punished rest there was one that attempted to beguile them of that dutie but he receiued his punishment for soe long he was depriued of the benefitt of his art vntill hauing confessed his fault he had made condigne restitution of the wrong with a faythfull promise of amendment XIII WHEN S. EDWARD had vnderstood all these things out of the relation and records of antiquitie he was enflamed with an extreme desire to reedifie that Monasterie and to restore it out of the ruines of deiection and pouertie to the height of wealth and dignitie and to that end he dispatched messengers to Rome as well to obtaine priuiledges for that place as allsoe to treate some other affaires with letters to the Pope to this effect TO NICOLAS S. Edwards Epistle to Pope Nicolas 2. the chief father of the vniuersall Church EDWARD by the grace of God king of England sendeth due subiection and obedience We glorifie our Lord for the care he hath of his elect Church in ordayning thee an excellent successour in the place and seate of thy good predecessour Wherefore we thinke it fitt to leane vnto thee as vnto a firme rock to sharpen and approoue all our good actions and allwaies to admitt of thy knowledge and fellowship in doeing good especially desiring thou wouldest renew encrease all those donations and priuiledges which we obtained from thy predecessour to wit that thou ratifie and confirme the Monasterie of Monks which I haue built in honour of the B. Apostle S. PETER according as it was enioyned me by thy predecessour vnder title of obedience and penance for the dispensation of a vow I made to goe to Rome and the remission of all my sinnes as allsoe that thou reestablish determine and secure all the priuiledges belonging to the He willingly payeth duties to Rome possessions peace and dignitie of that place for euer And I for as much as lies in me doe increase and confirme the donations and customes of the moneies which S. PETER holdeth and chalengeth in England and now I send them accompanied with other free guifts from my self humbly intreating thee to offer prayers and sacrifices to allmightie God for me and the peace of my kingdom and that thou institute ordayne a continuall and solemne memorie of all England in generall before the sacred bodies of the Apostles XIV THE POPE answered him in this manner NICOLAS The Popes answer to the king Bishop seruant of the seruants of God to the most glorious most pious and most worthie of all honour our specially beloued EDWARD King of England sendeth all manner of salutation most sweet health and Apostolicall benediction We giue thankes vnto allmightie God who hath adorned and honoured thy most prudent excellence in all respects to conserue deuotion towards the blessed Apostle S. PETER and all loue towards vs his vnworthie successour in giuing obedience and consent vnto Apostolicque counsels and censures Wee therefore send our letters to thy Royall nobilitie whereby we graunt vnto thee the holy Apostles societie and ours beseeching his mercie who is truly Lord of all and only soueraigne aboue all to make thee par taker of all our good workes if anie we haue in the sight of God and at all times to make vs more feruent brethren and fellows in his loue wishing him to graunt noe lesse part or reward of our dutie and obedience in his heauenly kingdom vnto thee then we desire to fall vnto our selues Allsoe we will not cease heereafter vnfaynedly to powre out our dayly prayers for thee that God himself would bring thy foes and enemies
which attempt to rebell against thee into subiection and confirme in thee the inheritance of thy fathers throne beseeching the blessed Apostle S. PETER to be thy guardian and ayde in all tribulation or aduersitie that may befall thee Wee therefore doe restablish confirme and encrease all priuiledges giuen in thy behalf to witt that thou be cleerly absolued from the vow which thou didest seeme to feare and from all other thy sinnes and iniquities by the authoritie of him that hath ordayned my vnworthines chief pastour of his Church Furthermore bicause it is credibly reported that that place which vnder title of holy pennance thou hast vndertaken to build and repayre hath long since bin consecrated by the hands of S. PETER him self whose vnworthie Vicar we are as allsoe bicause it is and hath bene the auncient seate of Kings we by the authoritie of God and of the holy Apostles and by the power of this Poman Sea and ours doe graunt permitt and most strongly confirme that henceforth for euer it be the place of the Kings Coronation and the storehouse of his Royall enseignes and a perpetuall habitation for Monks independent of anie other person but only the king him self and that they enioy absolute power to elect fitt and worthie Abbots out of their owne bodie to succeede in the gouernmeÌ„t according to the rule of S. BENEDICT Westminster priuileges confirmed to the Benedictine Monks exempted from Bishops and that noe sorreigne or strainge person be brought in by violence but such as the conuent shall freely consent to elect We doe alsoe exempt absolue and free that place from all Episcopall subiection and iurisdiction that noe Bishop enter there eyther to order or commaund anie thing vnlesse it be done by the desire and consent of the Abbot and his Monks And that the same place enioy a free precinct that is a circuit and Churchyard about it to burie the dead without anie respect or exaction of the Bishop or anie other person and with a most readie and willing mind we giue graunt to that place all priuiledges whatsoeuer by our authoritie may be graunted which belong anie way to the honour of God and to encrease the dignitie of the place We doe likewise by the authoritie of God and ours ratifie confirme and establish all the possessions and hereditaments which auncient Kings or anie other person or thou thy self or anie of thy Lords haue graunted vnto the same place and all the charters and writings made of the same donations we decree to be and remaine still in force and all such persons as shall attempt to infringe inuade diminish disperse or make sale of the same we condemne and declare them to be guiltie of eternall malediction with the â—raitour Iudas and that they be not partakers of the blessed resurrection but that they know them selues to be adiudged by S. PETER the Apostle when with his fellow-Apostles he shall sitt in iudgement ouer the twelue tribes of Jsrael But vnto thee and thy successour-kings we committ to be the aduocats and defenders of the same place and of all the Churches of England in our place and steed that with the Councell of thy Bishops and Abbots thou constitute and ordaine all things in all places according to iustice and know that for such good doeing thou shalt receiue a worthie reward from him whose kingdom and empire shall neuer cease nor be diminished This was the Popes answere Now le ts returne to S. EDWARD XV. GOEING once with the Queene and Earle Harold to see a Pâ—◠〈◊〉 great summe of money which without his knowledge they had collected throughout the realme to supplie his wants and especially to cloathe his souldiers seruants with new liueries against the feast of Christmas entring with them into the Exchecquer he espied the deuill sitting and sporting him self vpon that heape of money of whom the King hauing demaunded what busines he had there I keepe my money replied he vniustly gotten out of the goods of the poore Wherevppon the standers by were much amazed hearing their speeches but seeing nothing But the holy king S. Edwards coÌ„tempt of money that contemned all temporall riches for loue of the eternall commaunded all that money to be presently restored from whence it came giuing herein a perfect example to all Princes and Rulers in the world not to maintaine the glorie of their braueries with money wrongfully raysed and forced out of the meanes of their poore subiects the communaltie The like clemencie mooued him out of his Royall bountie to remitt and freely release his subiects He remitteth Dane-gilt of that most grieuous tribute called Dane-gilt which in his fathers time was payed to the Danish nauie and afterwards brought into the kings Exchecquer But he commaunding it should be noe more exacted freed thereby the Realme of England for euer of that vnsupportable burden XVI BEING on a time in his pallace neere to S. PETER'S Church there came an Irishman noe lesse straing then miserable lame of both his leggs for the sinewes of his hammes being shortned His name was Giles Michel and contracted had forced and drawne his leggs backward to the hinder parts of his bodie not directly but sideward soe that his ankles grew fast to his buttocks and his toes being sunk into his haunches were growne ouer with flesh that from the setting on of the chine-bone downwards his bodie was quite out of order He crept vppon his hands and knees by the help of two little hand-stooles and being most painfull and greiuous to him self he haled and drew him self after him self This wretched man seeing the kings Chamberlaine cried vnto him O Hugoline sayd he wilt thou not look vppon me nor take pittie on me nor will not this my miserie and calamitie mooue thee to comfort my distresse What sayd he wilt thou haue me doe Six times replied the poore criple creeping in this woefull manner as thou â—eest I haue visited the Churches of the Apostles aâ—d haue not yet obtained the recouerie of my limmes Notwitstanding the Prince of the Apostles hath not quite denied my petition but hath deferred it only desiring to haue king EDWARD his fellow-partner in this cure whom he knoweth to be most deuout towards him in all things For he himself hath coÌ„maunded me to goe to the king and that on his sacred back he carrie my lame bodie to the Church adioyning to his pallace and by that meanes I am promised to receaue the perfect vse of my limmes This being declared to the king he gaue thanks vnto allmightie God and causing the criple presently to S. Edwards incoÌ„parable humilitie be brought before him like vnto that strong spirituall asse Genesis 49. bowing to his fortune and chardge layd downe hâ—s Royall shoulders to be the supporters of that miserable burden of calamitie O most strainge miracle of humilitie The poore wretch full of rusull and nastie sores hangs on the back of this Royall Prince
of Deus-dedit or Gods-guist sixth Bishop thereof was vacant and destitute of a Pilote when the people and Clergie of Benedictin Monks mooued Egbert then King of Kent and Oswin king of the Northumbers to send one Wighart aâ—vertuous and holy Priest to Rome to be consecrated Kings of Engl. sent to Rome for an Archbishop of Canturb Bishop of Canturbury But Wighart coming to Rome in the hott time of plague died before he had receaued his intended dignitie Wherevppon Vitalianus then Pope sent for S. ADRIAN out of his Monasterie of Niridan and desired him to accept the charge and dignitie of the Archiepiscopall Sea of Canturbury But he refused this offer humbly answearing that vnworthy hy was to vndertake and more vnable to performe anie such weightie office in Gods Church And therefore desired some daies of deliberation to search S. Adrian refuseth the Archbishoprik out an other whose worth did more worthilie correspond with soe hight a degree and calling In this while he found out a holy Benedictin Monk of his acquaintance called Theodore that liued in Rome and him he presented vnto the Pope as one fitt for that dignitie he being a man excellent in the two chiefest ornaments of the mind learning and vertue This man the Pope accepted and consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury on condition that ADRIAN who had refused the chief dignitie should at lest accompanie him into England as his coadiutour in that Apostolicall mission Herevnto the blessed Sainct willingly consented and vndertooke the voyage making him self a subiect where he might haue been a commaunder His great humilitie and choosing rather to profitt the nation with his preaching and learning then gouerne it by an Episcopall authoritle such was his wonderfull humilitie and burning zeale to gayne soules to God III NOW therefore this holy couple tooke their iourney towards England and coming into France S. ADRIAN who was famous in that countrey for hauing been sent on diuers embassages betweene Christian Princes was for his greater meritt suspected to goe to the Kings of England on some busines of estare from the Emperour plotted against the French and therefore was stayed by the King of the Gaules vntill he had cleered him self of that suspition Which done he went after Theodore into England where within a yeare or two he was by the same Theodore made Abbot of the Benedictin Monks in the monasterie of S. PETER in Canturbury now called S. Austins from the Benedictin Monk S. AVSTIN our Apostle He is made Abbot of S. Peters in Canturb who lies buried there In this place S. ADRIAN gathered togeather a great number of disciples whom he taught and instructed out of the holy scriptures to find the readie way to euerlasting life and besides this he taught them Musick Astronomie and Arithmetick as allsoe the Greek and Latin tongue which his pious labours tooke soe good effect that manie of his schollers spake Greek and Latin as perfectly as their owne mother tongue and especially two farre exceeded their other fellowes in all manner of learning one was called Albin who succeeded S. ADRIAN in the regencie of the Abbey the other Tobias who was afterwards Bishop of Rochester IV. Moreouer this blessed Sainct was of soe great meritt and soe highly esteemed before allmightie God that he is reported to haue bin the worker of manie miracles and that by his intercession a deâ—d man was raysed to life At length hauing laboured in the vineyard of our Lord a long time both in Jtalie and England leauing His death behind him manie learned disciples the fruits of his labours the thirtie ninth yeare after he came to Canturbury he left this world to receaue his reward in heauen the ninth day of January the yeare of our Lord 708. He was buried in the Church or chappell of the B. Virgin MARIE which King Edbald had built in the foresayd Monasterie of S. AVGVSTIN And this Church happening afterwards to be burnt S. ADRIAN appeared to one of the Monks and coÌ„maunded He appeareth in glorie him to goe to S. DVNSTAN who then was Archbishop of Canturbury with these words in his name Thou liuest in houses well couered and fenced against the weather but the Church of the Mother of God wherein I and other domesticks of heauen doe inhabite lies open exposed to the iniurious stormes of the wind Wherevppon S. DVNSTAN carefully caused that Church to be repayred which him self afterwards frequented euerie night such diuine sweetnes he receaued by his prayers offered to God in that place But one night entring into it he beheld S. ADRIAN seated amongst a glorious quier of Angels and Saincts praysing and glorifieing allmightie God His bodie was allwaies held in great veneration but especially from hence forth and manie miracles are reported by the authour of his life to haue been wrought at his tombe which for breuities sake we omitt desiring of allmightie God grace rather to imitatehis vertues then to admire his wonders Of S ADRIAN maketh mention S. BEDE as before BARONIVS tom 8. ann 668. TRITHEMIVS in his 3. booke of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order HARPSFIELD saec 7. cap. 8. 9. MOLANVS IOHN CAPGRAVE and others The life of S BRITHWALD Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 9. Out of venerable Bede hist. de gest SAINCT BRITHWALD a Monk of S. BENEDICTS order in the famous Abbey of Glassenbury was made Abbot of the monasterie called Reaculer in Kent where at that time the Kings of Kent sometimes kept their Court allbeit now saith Camden it be but a poore village not farre distant from Tanet Being a man of verie great learning and knowledge in diuine scriptures and wonderfull well practised in Ecclesiasticall and Monasticall discipline he was chosen by the Benedictins of Canturbury to succeed S. THEODORE in that sea which had bin vacaÌ„t the space of two yeares in the yeare 692 and consecrated Archbishop thereof the yeare following He was the eight Archbishop of Canturbury and gouerned his Chutch with all true vertues belonging to a good Bishop the space of thirtie seauen yeares six moneths and fourteen daies In his time a Councell was held at London wherein the point of worshiping holy Images was handled and confirmed At length this holy man loaden with manie yeares of venerable ould age and full of vertues holines yeelded vp his blessed soule to the beginning of that life which neuer ends the ninth day of January in the yeare 731. William Malmesbury a very graue authour affirmeth out of Goscelinus who writeth the acts of the first nine Archbishops of Canturbury that S. BRITHWALD was famous for working of manie miracles And he is reported to haue written the historie of the bâ—ginning of the Benedictin monasterie of Euesham with the life of S EGVINE Bishop of Worcester Thus much out of venerable BEDE NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD and others TRITHEMINS in his worke of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order WION
MOLANVS and GALESINVS in their Martyrologes make worthie mention of S. BRITHWALD S. BENEDICTVS BISCOP ABBAS PATRONVS Congregationis â—enedictinorum Angliae Jan. 12º The life of S. BENNET surnamed Biscop Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 12. Written by venerable Bede his disciple THE GLORIOVS seruant of God S. BENNET by byrth descended from the auncient race of the nobilitie of England but the nobilitie of his mind was such as farre more deserued the fellowship and companie of the noblest and worthiest sort of the English nation He was borne in Yorkshire and in his youth followed the discipline of warre in the Royall seruice of Oswy king of the Northumbers from whose princely liberalitie he receaued as the reward of his faithfull seruice no small possession of lands His life during his youth meanes suteable to his degree and calling These for a time he enioyed till he attayned to the florishing age of twentie fiue yeares and then a diuine inspiration mouing him therevnto he forsoke left the world and fading worldly goods for loue of the eternall he despised the warre fare of these lower regions the vaine rewards thereof that seruing vnder the enseigne of our true King CHRIST IESVS he might receaue an euerlasting kingdom aboue He left his countrey house and kinred for the loue of CHRIST and his Ghospell that he might gaine the hundredfould reward he promiseth and possesse life euerlasting he refused to enter into worldly mariage that in the court of heauen he might be worthie to follow the holy lambe soe candid with the glorie of virginitie he loathed to be a carnall father of children being ordayned by CHRIST to His first iourney to Rome traine vp his children in the spirituall doctrine of heauen Hauing left therefore his countrey because the Christian faith and Ecclesiasticall discipline was yet but rawly established in England he went to Rome there as in the source and fountaine of all true religion to learne a perfect forme oflife where CHRISTS chief Apostles had planted the first and principall foundation and head of the whole Catholicke Church He visitted the sacred tombes of the Apostles with great deuotion vnto whom his loue was allwaies such as the teares now shed ouer their shrines were sufficient witnesses to prooue it excellent But he made no long stay at Rome but returned back into England where he was verie diligent and carefull to honour and as farre as he was able to practise him self and teach others those rules of Ecclesiasticall discipline at home which he had learnt and seene abroade II. ABOVT that time Alchifridus sonne to Oswy hauing a great His secoÌ„d iourney to Rome desire to goe to Rome to visitt the holy shrines of the Apostles would needes take that iourney with S. BENNET notwithstanding the earnest persuasions and entreaties of his father to stay at home Their iourney succeeded well and shortly after they returned in safetie againe during the time of Pope Vitalian When S. BENNET came not emptie but loaden with the sweetnes of good and wholesom doctrine as before which the better to digest after some He taketh the habitt of S. Benedict moneths he departed out of England and went to the Benedictin monasterie of Lirin in France where he tooke leaue of the world and putt on the monasticall habitt of the great Patriark of Monks S. BENEDICT and receaued the Ecclesiasticall tonsure In this pious schoole of regular discipline he liued for the space of two yeares very carefully learning and obseruing the rules of a true monasticall and religious life But noe sooner was he a litle hardened in the surnace of religion and made perfectly strong and able to resist the temptations and aduersities of the world but his loue to the Prince of the Apostles which it seemes lay buried at Rome serued as a loadstone to draw him thither againe And finding a fitt opportunitie of shipping he committed him self to that much desired iourney which most prosperously he performed It was at the time when Egbert King of Kent as we haue sayd in the life of S. ADRIAN had sent Wighart to Rome to be consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury But Wighart dieing and Theodore being made Archbishop in his steede S. BENNET found to be a man very wise religious and industrious allthough at that time otherwise determined was by commaund of the Pope compelled to cease from the deuotion of his pilgrimage to attend vnto imployments of a higher calling which was to returne into England with Theodore now Elect of Canturbury and S. ADRIAN Abbot to serue them both for a guide and an interpreter by the way and in England BENNET whose chiefest lesson was obedience most willingly yeelded to the Popes desire and brought the Archbishop into Kent where they were both gratefully wellcome Theodore a scended the seate of the Archbishoprick and S. BENNET vndertooke the gouernment of the monasterie of S. PETER and PAVL in Canturbury of which afterwards S. ADRIAN was made Abbot For S. BENNET hauing ruled there two His third iourney to Rome yeares entred into his third iourney towards Rome which he performed with his wonted prosperitie And at his returne he brought with him not a few bookes fraught with diuine learning all which he had eyther bought at an easie rate or receaued gratis from his friends Coming thus loaden into England he betooke him self to haue some conference with the King of the West-Saxons called Kenewalk whose courteous friendship he had made vse of before bin much assisted by his benefitts to him-wards But this good King being about the same time taken away by an immature death the holy man was frustrated of his desire and therefore he turned his iourney directly into his owne countrey where he was borne and went to Egfrid then King of the Northumbers To whom he made relatioÌ„ of all whatsoeuer he had done since he departed a yonge man out of his countrey neyther did he keepe secret from him how he was enflamed with a feruent desire of religion then he tould him whatsoeuer he had learned both in Rome other places touching Ecclesiasticall and monasticall order and discipline and what store of diuine bookes he had purchased and with what great reliques of the Apostles and Martyrs he had enriched his countrey At length the King liked him soe well and preuayled soe farre with him and gott soe great loue and familiaritie that he gaue him out of his reuenews the lands of three score and tenne families to build a monasterie in honour of the Prince of the Apostles S. PETER which S. BENNET with great ioy and speed performed in the yeare of our Lord 674. the fourth yeare of King Egfrid III. IN THE meane time before the foundation of the Church was layd S. BENNET went ouer into France and brought thence masons other skillfull workemen to build it of stone according to the Roman fashion which he euer loued And
the great loue he The first vse of glasing in England bore to the Apostle S. PETER in whose honour he laboured made him vse such diligence that within the compasse of a yeare after the foundation was layd the solemnities of Masse were honorably celebrated therein But when the worke drew neere vnto perfection he likewise sent messengers into France to fetch ouer glasiers to adorne the windowes with glasse a worke neuer before vsed in England They came and did not only perfect this worke but allsoe taught their trade vnto manie of our Englishmen Allsoe such sacred vessels vestments and other necessaries for the seruice of Church and Altar as could not be found in England like a religious marchant he prouided and bought from beyond the seas But finding the pouertie and want of France not to be able to furnish him with such ornaments as he desired and especially to obtaine from the Pope new priuiledges for his new-built monasterie he made a fourth iourney to Rome and this as soone as he had assembled a Conuent of Monkes into it and His fourth iourney to Rome ordered them according to the rule and institution of great S. BENEDICT Shortly after he returned making a more happie returne of spirituall Gods then euer he had done before For besides allmost an innumerable multitude of bookes and great store of reliques of the Apostles and Martirs of CHRISTS Church he had obtayned of Pope Agatho to haue Iohn chief Cantor of S. PETERS and Abbot of S. MARTINS in Rome along with him into England to instruct and teach as well his monasterie as other Churches allsoe in the forme and manner of singing and doeing all other Ecclesiasticall rites and ceremonies according to the institution of the Roman Church All which Iohn at his coming he performed not only by word of mouth but allsoe by publishing manie rules and precepts to that purpose in writing which for memorie sake were afterwards carefully layd vpp and reserued in the librarie of the sayd monasterie Allsoe by the licence of King Egfrid and at his earnest entreatie he obtained of the same Pope letters of priuiledges graunted vnto the sayd monasterie to warrant defend and free it from all externe iurisdiction or forcible inuasions for euer Likewise he brought from Rome many pictures of holy images to beautifie and adorne his Church and namely a picture of the B. VIRGIN MARIE and the Pictures vsed in Catholick Churches twelue Apostles which he placed in the middle arche or vault of the Church from wall to wall and with pictures contayning all the Euangelicall history he adorned the north side and with others of the visions of the Apocalypse he made the south part correspondent vnto it To the end that all that came into the Church euen the vnlearned which way soeuer they cast their eyes might behold and contemplate though in an image eyther the louing countenance of CHRIST or his Saincts or with a more watchfull mind consider the wonderfull grace of his incarnation or hauing before their eyes the danger of the last rigid examin they might remember more districtly to examine the guilt of their owne conscience IV. NOW when King Egfrid saw with what great vertue industrie See the deuotion of this good king and religion this venerable man did doe the part of a wise and holy steward in all these proceedings he was wonderfull much delighted thereat and bicause he perceaued the land he had giuen him to haue bin well and fruictfully giuen he encreased his former guift with the donation of fortie families more On which land by counsell and perswasion of the King the holy man built an He buildeth an other monastery to S. Paul other monasterie on the other side of the riuer dedicated to the honour of S. PAVL not farre from the former and thither he sent Ceolfrid to be Abbot with seauenteen other Benedictine Monks strictly chardging and commaunding them that one and the self same peace familiaritie concord should be conserued in both places And as the bodie cannot liue without the head by which it breathes nor the head without the bodie by which it liues Soe let noe man anie way attempt to disturbe or disquiet these two monasteries of the chief Apostles that togeather are knitt in a fraternall societie of peace Whence it comes that afterwards both these monasteries were commonly called by one name Weremouth Abbey V. ABOVT this time the blessed Sainct hauing much encreased the number of Monks in both these places and ordered them according to the rule of his great Master S. BENEDICT he made one Eosterwin a Priest and Monk Abbot of the monastery of S PETER to Eosterwin Abbot the end that by the sociable assistance of soe vertuous a Colleague he might with more ease vndergoe the labour of gouernement which he was scarse able to performe alone by reason of his much trauelling vp and downe for the good of his monasterie and his frequent iourneys beyond seas vncertaine when to returne Eosterwin therefore vndertooke the care of the monasterie the ninth yeare after the foundation and remained in the same while he liued and he liued but fower yeares after He was a man by byrth noble but he did not make vse of the worth of his nobilitie as manie doe to breed matter of outward glorie and contempt of others but made it the first stepp to ennoble and enrich his mind with vertue For being cozen german vnto S. BENNET they were both soe truely allied in a vertuous nobilitie os minds both alike such sincere contemners of all worldly respects and honours that neyther the one coming into the monastery did expect to be preferred eyther by reason of his honourable nobilitie or kinred or the other iudge it a thing fitt to be offered him vppon those respects But being a manfull of good and holy intentions only reioyced that he did obserue regular discipline in all things in an equall measure with the rest of his brethren But S. BENNET soone after he had ordayned Eosterwin Abbot of S. PETERS and Ceolfrid of S. PAVLS made his fift iourney out of England to Rome and happily returned home enriched as before with very memorable guifts of ecclesiasticall wealth His fift iourney to Rōme as bookes reliques of Saincts and pictures contayning the histories of the ould and new testament compared togeather and such like And amongst other things he brought two cloakes all of silk of an incomparable worke for which he purchased of King Aldfrid and his Councell for Egfrid was slaine in his absence the land of three families on the south side of the riuer Were But the ioyes he brought from abroade where mingled with sadnes at home for he found Eosterwin whom at his departure he had left Abbot of S. PETERS Monasterie and not a few of his monasticall flock to haue changed this world for a better being taken away by the pestilent furie of a sicknes which raged all
from this wickednes but finding their cruell minds to be soe obstinately bent to that blouddie purpose as they grew rather worse by entreaties she had recourse vnto allmightie God her only refuge in distresse humbly desiring him to hinder the execution of their malitious intent On the day appointed when they went about to act this blouddie scene they saw the verie for me and figure of the man they meant to murder and taking a figure for the true body as our ProtestaÌ„ts doe they ranne after with great furie to kill one whoe was dead allreadie and hauing giuen him as manie mortall wounds as were sufficient to haue murdered the strongest liuing man they returned victorious to bring newes of their triumphe vnto S. BRIGITT who smiling at their mistake tould them the man they thought they had slaine was yet aliue and that their courage had exercised his crueltie only vppon the imaginarie figure of their enemie and noe man Herevppon being much astonished they acknowledged their fault and repenting them of their wicked purposes corrected their liues euer after XII OVR Lord wrought diuers other miracles by the holy meritts Manie miracles done by S. Brigitt of this blessed virgin the blind their sight the dumbe their speech leapers and other diseased persons recouered their health By her prayers she turned water into beere and stones into salt she chainged the course of a great riuer and which is more by her good perswasions manie desperate wicked fellowes withdrew them selues out of the gulphes of their vicious manner of life and entred into the sure port of religion where they finished their dayes in the seruice of IESVS CHRIST When this blessed virgin â—ad happily ended the course of her life and endured maniÌ„e great labours for the loue of IESVS CHCIST her deare spouse being aduertised of her death and hauing made it knowne vnto one of her sisters specifiing Her death the day hower thereof she gaue vp her pure soule into the hands of her deare Redeemer the first day of February in the yeare of our Lord according to Sigebert 518. but Marianus Scotus sayth 521. in the raigne of the Emperour Iustin the elder Her life was written by an aâ—thour of her time named COGITOSVS and by IOANNES ANGLICVS IOHN CAPGRAVE whom we haue followed The Roman Martirologe maketh mention of S. BRIGITT as allsoe that of S. BEDE VSVARD and ADON and BARONIVS in his seauenth tome of Annalls But GYRALDVS CAMBRENSIS a verie graue authour in his Topographie of Ireland amongst manie other miracles of this Blessed sainct maketh mention of S. BRIGITTS fier Miracle of S. Brigitts fiâ—r which is reported to be vnextinguished not that it cannot be extinguished but because the Nunnes did soe carefully and continually nourish and feed it wich new matter that from her time for manie hundred yeares after it neuerwent out and in the consuming of soe much wood which had bin burnt there in all this time the ashes neuer encreased This fier was compassed about with a little hedge of twigges within which noe man dared to enter yf at anie time some did presume soe to doe their presumption was punished by a reuenge from heauen Woemen only did blow it and that not with their mouthes but eyther with bellowes or a fanne An Archer that rashly attempted to leape ouer the headge and blow S. BRIGITTS fier with his mouth suddenly lost his witts and fell into madnes and running vpp and downe the towne putt his breath in the faces of all he mett saying doest thou see thus I blew BRIGITS fier and wheresoeuer he found anie fier he would blow it still repeating the same words till at length being taken by his companions and bound hand and foote he desired to be brought to the next water where he dranke soe much to quench his extreme drought that he burst his bellie and died Manie others sayth GIRALDVS were punished for the like attempt XIV But who doeth not behould admire in the life of this glorious A breef coÌ„sideration of her vettues and miracles Sainct the wonderfull greatnes of the goodnes of allmightie God who out of the sinne of her Parents drew soe pretious a iewell as S. BRIGITT making a poore slaue to be the mother vnto her that deliuerâ—â— soe manie captiue soules out of the seruitude and slauerie of sinne How could the fraile vessell of a poore bondslaue gyrlo be capable of the noble condition of soe great loue vnto vertue and of such a boyling desire of pure Virginitie that for the preseruing thereof she chose rather to loose the tendrest part of her bodie her eies and to deface her beantie the verie Idoll of woemen then to consent vnto a lawfull mariage How manifestly it appreares hereby that our B. Sauiour is sweet and gratious to his true seruants in restoring vnto BRIGITT her beautie of which at her owne request and for her greater good he had before depriued her Soe that it is noe wonder yf she that knew soe well how to keepe her owne virginitie vntouched and sacrifice it vnto her deare lord was allsoe of power by her prayers to obtaine the like fauour for other yong woemen and deliuer the innocence of the good Bishop from the calumnie which that wicked woeman layd vppon him and that God hath wrought by this blessed virgin the miracles before rehearsed Let him be euer Praysed and glorified as well for that which he is in him self as allsoe for what he worketh by his saincts Amen S. LAVRENTIVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVARIEN Monachus Benedictinus Feb. 2. The life of S. LAVRENCE Archbishop of Canturbury of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 2. Out of Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT LAVRENCE was one of those Benedictin Monks whom Pope GREGORIE the great sent with S. AVGVSTIN to preach the Ghospell of IESVS CHRIST to our English nation in which pious worke he laboured wonderfully to gaine soules out of the blindnes of Idolatrie to the light of the true Catholicke faith He was a man of excellent learning and vertuous life And when Ethelbert King of Kent and most part of his kingdom were baptised S. AVGVSTIN sent the holy monkes LAVRENCE and PETER to Rome to bring vnto the holy Pope the ioyfull tidings of their happie successe S. Austin chooseth Laurence for his successouâ— in Canturbury After his returne into England when S. AVGVSTIN Archbishop of Canturburic perceaued the time of his death to draw neere lest that Church as yet but raw rude in religion being one hower destitute of a pastour should begin to wauer he ordayned Laurence for his successour plainly following herein the example of the first Pastour of the vniuersall Church the Prince of the Apostles Sainct PETER who in like manner instituted Clement to succeed him in the primacie of the sea of Rome S. LAVRENCE being installed in the dignitie of the Archbishoprick beganne with great courage and industrie to augment and promote the foundations of
this vnexpected Metamorphose and stood staggering a while in the consideration thereof When the Queene taking her time by the foretop with a smiling countenance asked him Whither sayd she my souueraigne lord is all yesterdaies glorious spleÌ„dour vanished where is all that superfluous riot What is become of all those curious and exquisite cates sought for by sea laÌ„d to satisfie the inordinate appetite of gluttonie Where are the gould and siluer vessells which but yesterday made the table bow vnder their massie weight Where is all the noyse of our loud Thus passeth the glorie of the world mirth and iollitie Is it not vanished like a blast of wind or a vaine puffe of smoake and doe not wee that fill our selues more daintyly largely corrupt afterwards more miserably Behould then the true picture of the glittering vanities allurements of the world learne at last to shunne flie them She sayd no more When it was strange to see what a deepe incisioÌ„ this made in the Kings heart how much more she had gayned by the rudenes of this visible spectacle then by all her former persuasions that not without cause the Poet sayd Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures FEB 7. Horat. de arte Poetica Quam quae sunt oculis subiecta fidelibus quae Ipse sibi tradit spectator IV. IN SVMME this strainge Pageant wrought soe farre in the good Inas resolueth to forsake the world Kings mind that now he began seriously to consider with him self of the vanitie of worldly state and finding one what sharpe thornes of cares grew the sweet seeming roses of a crowne he putt on a strong resolution with him self to bid adiew to the world And now when he had gouerned his common wealth with a name of greate prayse and prosperitie and shewed manie benefitts therevnto for the space of thirtie seauen yeares and odd moneths renouncing the resplendent glorie of his present and princely estate he voluntaryly left his temporall Kingdome which with victorie soe long he had ruled and for the loue of allmightie God and the gaine of his eternall kingdome he that heretofore had conquered princes now gott the vpper hand and conquest of him self and with a greater glorie then he had borne them he robbed him self of the princely spoiles of his bodie the better to ennoble and enrich his soule Which that he might more conueniently and fructfully He goeth to Rome bring to passe he went to Rome the head of Catholick religion to visitt the sacred tombes of the Apostles vnder whose protection he hoped more easyly to obtaine the grace and fauour of allmightie God wheÌ„ce his countrey had first receaued the Christian fayth resoluing to spend the remnant of his life with a quiet and contented mind farr from all worldly cares and troubles in a holie conuent of Monkes Which with great pietie he perfourmed putting on the habitt of a Benedictine monke vnto which order He taketh the habit of S. Benedict he had euer bin a worthie benefactour not in a publick concourse of poeple which doubtlesse would haue been great at soe vnwonted a spectacle but priuately before God alone and the Conuent of monkes giuing hereby a liuely example of humilitie and true contempt of the world in not desiring to haue this his heroick act of pietie anie way to redounde vnto his owne glorie out of the vaine prayses and false honours of the flattering world V. HE was the first of our English Kings who to shew his great His deuotion to the Roman Church deuotion vnto the Church of Rome caused the annuall tribute called Romescote or Peter-pence to be payed vnto the Pope which was a pennie out of euer ie familie in England and was afterwards duely payd for the space of manie hundred yeares and which is most to be wondred at noe sooner ceased this payment but our English Church was swallowed vp into the gulph of heresie and togeather with the temporall lost all spirituall subiection vnto the Vicar of CHRIST vppon earth Allso this holie King INE built at Rome a Church in honour of our Blessed ladie in which all English that He built a Church at Rome came thither might heare masse and receaue the Sacraments and be buried yf need were With like pietie he erected there a schoole giuing yearly annuities therevnto wherein his Countreymen might And a free-schoole be brought vp in all manner of good learning and Christian religion and discipline Which seemeth to haue bin in that place which now is called the English Hospitall and is inhabited by English Priests being of noe small commoditie for the entertaynment of Pilgrins which now adayes flock thither out of England VI. Now he that in former times had ruled a Kingdome begaÌ„ in this sweete schoole of vertues to find that in rendring him self subiect for The happines of a religious life the loue of CHRIST he enioyed a greater Kingdome and that to be master ouer his one passions was the only best and truest dominion Now he had time freely to insist in the meditation of the diuine goodnes wherein he found the trueth of that versicle of the Royall Psalmist TAST AND SEE FOR OVR LORD IS SWEET He found how sweet a thing it was to carrie the yoake of our Lord in the Psalm 33. 58. continuall exercise ef patience humilitie and obedience in which and other pious offices of vertue and religion he spent the rest of his mortalitie vntill by the king of Kings vnder whose ensigne he had serued he was called into the heauenly kingdom to receaue a His happie death crowne of eternall glorie insteed of the temporall crowne which for his loue he had left He died a Benedictin Monk at Rome about the yeare of our Lord 727. and lies buried at the Entrance of the Church of S. PETER and PAVL as the tables of the same Church doe testifie His life me haue gathered cheefly out of WILLIAM MALNESRVâ—IE de reg Ang. and NICOLAS HARPFIELD hist Eccl. saec 8. cap. 10. Polidore Virg. lib. 4. Mathew westminster an 727. Baronius and all our English Historiographers make verie honorable mention of him and he is highly commended of all for his wonderfull contempt of the world and loue to pietie and relig ion The life of S. ELFLED Virgin and Abbesse of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 8. Taken Out of venerable Bede SAINCT ELFLED was daughter vnto Oswy King of the Northumbers who after manie cruell inuasions of the mercilesse Penda was forced to sue vnto him for peace with proffers of infinite treasure and verie rich iewels all which the barbarous Tirant reiecting pursued his deadly enterprise protesting vtterly to extinguish him and his countrey King Oswy humane meanes fayling him had recourse vnto a higher power making a sacred vow vnto the allmightie god of armies that he would consecrate his daughter ELFLED to the profession of perpetuall
of sainctitie which be had gotten in the world nor despised others in respect of such vertue seemeth by manie degrees to excell both the wonder of his coate of maile and whatsoeuer else in him as truely there are very manie things worthy greate prayse and admiration was most notable and famous And as allmightie God sent him these sharpe visitations to make triall of his constancie soe on the other side his diuine goodnes did soe highly confort him with heauenly benefitts guifts and graces of prophefieing and doeing manie wonderfull cures and ennobled his worthie patience with such renowned triumphes against his infernall enemies that he might truely Psal 9 3. 19 with the royall prophet say of him self According to the multitude of my griefs thy consolations haue reioyced my soule VI. FOR HE chainged water into wine and by his holy benediction he encreased and multiplied one little loafe of bread to soe His manie miracles great a quaÌ„titie that he satisfied fortie poore poeple there with The water which he hallowed cured verie manie dangerous diseases He restored light and perfect sight vnto one whose eyes were digged out of his head He saw manie thinges that were done in farre distant places as distinctly as if they had passed within the coÌ„maund of his corporall sight And often times he foretould things to come and namely to King Henry the first setting forth in his last iourney to Normandie that he should neuer more returne And in the Kings absence he reuealed vnto the Lord of the village the verie day of the kings death And count Stephen coming vppon a time vnto the holy man he saluted him as king to the great admiration of all that heard it and ingenuously tould him that he should be souueraigne Lord of England giuing him pious admonitions carefully to maintaine peace and iustice and defend the rightes of Gods Church VII WHAT now shall I say that the holie Angels yea and the king of angels CHRIST IESVS haue appeared vnto him and comforted his habitation in this world with the heauenly and vnspeakeable splendour of their presence And being on a time at the aultar executing that dreadfull sacrifice of Masse hauing past the Pater noster The wine in his chalice appeareth in forme of bloud being suddenly stricken with a doubt whether he had mingled as the custom is water with his wine or not hauing defired allmightie God to free him from that scruple behould the chalice appeared vnto him full to the very brimme of fresh rosie bloud which the vnspotted lambe shed for our redemption and returning straight againe to the forme of wine he deuoutly consummated that heauenly draught And allbeit sometimes by the permission of allmightie God to trie his seruant he was as we haue sayd cruelly deluded vexed and tormented by the mischieuous enuie of hells inhabitans yet manie times he triumphed most nobly ouer them and their diabolicall practises When by his holy prayers he not only banished them out of the bodies of possessed persons but sometimes held them soe fast bound that they could not depart but by his licence But of all that euer he did in that kind this which A poore ma giueth his soule to the deuill now you shall heare was the most notably famous VIII IN THE North parts of England dwelt a mise rably-wretched man who not able to endure the pouertie of his owne fortune had renounced the Christian Catholick fayth and in a horrid couenant had wholely coÌ„secrated and bequeathed him self to the Deuill who hauing for a time sate abroode vppoÌ„ that prey to hatch his soule for hell fier the wretched man coming a little to vnderstand his more then miserable estate beganne to be ashamed and repent him of this horrible act deliberating debating with him self to what Patrone or protection he should committ the care of deliuering his engaged soule out of the iawes of eternall death Till at length hauing heard the great fame of S. VLFRICKS holy life he resolued to make vse of his counsell in this weightie affayre and being verie sollicitous of his good successe herein and hauing opened his mind to one of his neerest and dearest friends the deuil with whom he had made this hard bargaine appeared to him in his knowne and accustomed shape and with shew of extreme vnkindnes accused him of disloyaltie and threatned him with most cruell punishment yf he dared but to attempt anie such treason againe The poore man The deuill knoweth not the secrets of mans heart perceauing that this hellish marchant had noe knowledge of the intentions of his heart till by word of mouth he had reuealed them vnto his friend froÌ„ that time kept close his good purposes vnder the vayle of silence and meaning as the prouerb saies to cozen the old ourtier he dissembled for a while his intended penance till at length when he thought his enemie sleeped he entred into his iourney towards S. VLFRICK wherein he had prosperous successe till he came neere vnto the Village of Haslebury where entring the foord of the riuer that ranne thereby with great hope to receaue help from the holy man his ancient enemie the deuill suddenly layd violent hands vppon him bellowing in his eares with a hellish furie and anger such rude and rough speeches that struck terrour into the poore man O thou traytour sayd he what meanest thou to doe In vaine thou endeauourest to breake off our former bargaine for as well for they first treason in reuouncing God as now for seeking to renounce me to whom thou belongest thou shalt presently suffer a iust punishment in this water And withall he held him soe fast in the midest of the riuer that he could nether stirre forward nor backward In the meane time S. VLFRICK who had a reuelation of all this passage called his Priest vnto him and bad him presently take the crosse and holy The vertue of holy waer water in his hands and make great hast to succour a poore man whom the deuill held captiue in the riuer at the townes end Who speedyly obeying his commaund ranne thither and found as the holy man had foretould a man sitting an horseback in the middest of the riuer not able to mooue on whom presently in the name of IESVS CHRIST and in vertue of his master hauing cast some of his holy water he redeemed the prey and patt the tâ—eefe to flight This done he returned with ioy to S. VLFRICK togeather with the poore man whose coÌ„panie the deuill being verie vnwilling to loose followed after his late prey and seeing him stand before the holy man he sayd fast hould on him who cried maynly out to the seruaÌ„t of god for succour TheÌ„ S. VIFRICK taking him by the right haÌ„d He freeth one giuen to the deuill the deuill was soe bold as to shake him by the left striuing as much as he was able to drawe him away with him till the Sainct throwing with
tilling not fruict of true saluation had then arriued to our English His royall curtesie land He being as yet incredulous receaued CHRIST in his legats commended the messengers of eternall happines whom yet he mistrusted harboured those strange guests in his eittie of Doner whom he knew not and at first gaue them a dwelling with necessarie sustenance for a time which afterwards he confirmed for euer vnto them whose profession of fayth and religion he did not yet admitt off He did not abhorre the strangenes of their habitt nor manners he did not repell them as straingers nor contemne them as humble and deiected persons nor condemne them as men that vtterly condemned the follie of his gods and auncient lawes but out of the sweet meekenes of a royall mind fauoured their sacred labours and with a clement patience suffered them to conuert whom they could to their fayth shewing himself allwayes courteous to Christians being yet but a Heathen Till at length hauing himself receaued the Christian fayth and washed away the filth of Idolatrie in the sacred font of baptisme he confirmed with his royall authoritie whatsoeuer S. AVGVSTIN and his fellowes preached and what they Apostolically planted he royally encreased sweetly drawing and winning his subiects His zeale in promoting the Christian fayth to abandon their Idolatrie and embrace the Christian religion with his pious exhortations and promises of eternall happines without anie force or compulsion and ranging them vnder the banner of the holy warrefarre of CHRIST as troupes of Voluntaries and not pressed souldiers He allsoe encouraged other Princes who were ether his subiects or colleagues with all curtesie and mildnes to the fayth of CHRIST heartyly louing all true beleeuers as his brethren kinsmen and fellow-citezins of the Kingdom of heauen soe that in a short time his holy endeauours tooke soe good effect that the honour and worship of the true God florished ouer all his Kingdom manie Churches were erected the temples and aultars of Idolls were destroyed or consecrated for the vse of diuine seruice II. IN THE meane time the holy Pope S. GREGORIE with wonderfull affection did congratulate this good Kings pietie encouraging him with the sweete lines of his Epistles as soe manie heauenly salutations to proceede in his Christian zeale inciting him to embrace true pietie and vertue and stirring him vp by the example of Constantine the great to aspire to the vnspeakeable reward of those who striue to enlarge and amplifie the Kingdom of IESVS CHRIST Mooued herewith and the labour of S. AVGVSTIN and the propension of his owne pietie inclining him therevnto he built a goodly Church in Canturbury in honour of our Sauiour commonly called Christ Church and without the walles of the same towne he He buildeth Churches erected a monastery in honour of S. PETER and PAVL called afterwards S. AVGVSTINS to be a place for his owne buriall and of his successor-Kings of Kent and the Archbishops of Canturbury Both these places were furnished with Benedictine monks the first Conuerters of England from Idolatrie to Christianitie S. PAVLS Church in London was allsoe the worke of this worthie King where MELLITVS a Benedictin monk was first Bishop He allsoe founded the Cathedrall Church of Rochester and dedicated it to the honour of S. ANDREW the Apostle He is likewise reported by antiquitie to haue been the Authour of the monasterie of Elie for Benedictin Nunnes allbeit S. ETHELDRED a nunne of the same order did reedifie it afterwards and restore it after long desolation to the former state and glorie All these monasteries Churches and bishops seas this pious king not only built but enriched with manie large possesions of lands guifts and ornaments omitting nothing which did anie way tend to the propagation aduanoement of true Christian religion III. BVT amidst all these good workes and all the glorie of his Princely diadem seeptre and large commaund of his Kingdom extending His great pietie and humilitie it self to the riuer Humber in Yorkshire he soe honoured Christian pouertie in the magnificence of his royaltie that in possessing all things he seemed to enioy nothing only making vse of his greatnes thereby the better to exercise and dilate his goodnes A most glorious sight it was to see or rather to admire him that held a sceptre ouer soe large a dominion carefully to serue the poore to behould him that terrified Kings and Princes of the earth to feare the humble Priests of CHRIST IESVS and to see the ruler of the poeple to obey the clergie and reuerence the lest and lowest members of his holie flock In summe in repressing of vice aduancing of vertue fulfilling the commaundments of God and in exercising all manner of workes of pietie and deuotion he excelled beyond the power of weake words to expresse At length when he had raygned ouer his poeple in all sainctitie of life the space of one and twentie yeares after his conuersion he left his temporall Kingdom and gaue vp his blessed soule to enioy the neuer dyeing happines of the Kingdom of heauen the foure and twentith day of February in the yeare of our Lord 616. All antiquitie and the authoritie of auncient Saincts are vnresistable witnesses of his holie life for from the time of his death he was numbred in the Catologue of Saincts and his festiuitie was honorably celebrated in the English Church The neglect whereof he is reported by an apparition after his death to haue blamed and caused to be amended IV. AMONGST manie other vertues which doe soe highly sett forth this good King one was that as he promoted the Christian religion His good lawes soe likewise he established his common wealth with manie excellent lawes which he published in English and were of great accompt amongst Englishmen wherein among other things he had a speciall care to preserue the common good of the Church commaunding vnder great penalties that none should eyther by theft or anie other meanes alienate or depriue Gods Church or the Bishops thereof of anie thing whatsoeuer that was bestowed vppon them and allotted â—o the diuine seruice But ô miseriel how directly Contrarie to this our first Christian King are now our moderne kings whose lawes and endeauours haue and doe tend mainly to the destruction of Churches abbeyes and religious he uses robbing them of their ornaments and riches dedicated to God seruice and leauing them to stand with fower bare walls like soe manie emptie barnes placing in stead of the holy image of CHRIST crucified the pictures of beares leopards vnicornes or some such beast houlding â—p in a scu cheon lions or flower de luces as the ensignes of their destroiers O yf our first Christian king the noble Eâ—HELBERT liued now what would he say to see the pious labours of his haÌ„ds thus miserably demolisht his aultars destroyed his lawes contemned Veryly he might iustly crie out with the Royall prophet O Lord the Gentils haue entred thy inheritance they haue
holy virgins and let him obserue where his cattle rest by night and in the verie place where he shall see the bull as he rises beate the ground with his right foote let him erect an aultar But that he may giue more creditt to these my commaunds behould I will bend thy finger crooked which he being freed from the goute that soe vehemently afflicts him shall presently restore to place againe The fisherman awaking cast forth his netts into the deepes and drew out great store of fish he presented the fayrest to the Count rehearsing at large what he had seene and what was giuen him in charge to say intreating him withall to make good his crooked finger The Count being healed of his goute straightened Count Alwin cured of the gout his finger and went in all hast to the Iland where he beheld the bull rising out of the midst of the other beasts that in their lying made the forme of a crosse beate the earth with his foote Wherevppon giuing creditt to the Fishermans relation he gaue thankes vnto allmightie God and erected a chappel out of hand in the same place Where not long after Alwin giuing verie ample possessions therevnto S. OSWALD within the coÌ„passe of fiue yeares erected a goodly monasterie for Benedictin Monks and in the yeare of our Lord 974. he dedicated the Church with great solemnitie to the honour of the B. Virgin MARIE and the great Patriark of monks S. BENEDICT and made a monk of his called Ednoth the first Abbot thereof The Abbotts of this Monasterie in times past were Barons of the realme and Parliament men Anno 97â— A Councel in England against the incontinencie of the â—ecular Clergie Mathew Westm Baronius and Osbern in vit Dunst. VII ABOVT the same time the worthie prelate of Canturbury mirrour of the Benedictine order S. DVNSTAN by the supreme authoritie of Pope Iohn summoned a Councell wherein it was firmely decreed and ordayned that all secular Canons Priests deacons subdeacons and others of the secular Clergie should eyther conforme theÌ„ selues to a chast life according to their calling or be dismissed from the Churches which by their lewd manner of life they rather polluted then gouerned And in this expeditioÌ„ S. DVNSTAN had the famous king Edgar his faythfuil Coadiutour and worthie Defender The executioÌ„ of his decree was coÌ„mitted to the two bright ornaments of the Benedictin familie S. OSWALD Bishop of Worcester and S. ETHELWOLD of Winchester Therefore S. OSWALD of who only wee are now to speak repayred built and restored seauen monasteries within his owne diocesse to the Monks ordayning to each one an Abbot hauing first cast out the secular Clergie for their insolent lewdnes of life Amongst those Abbots there was one called Fulbert Abbot of Persore a man of verie examplar life and a feruent zealer of monasticall religion but too seuere towards his subiects A fearfull â—xample or vnâ—isreâ— Rulerâ— which fault was much to be reprehended in him For coming to his last end and being layd dead on the biere he suddenly lifted him self vp to the great terrour of the beholders crying out that he was led by S. BENEDICT before the dreadfull sight of the supreme iudge and that God with difficultie had pardoned him his sinnes through the meritts of his beloued seruant OSWALD for the declaration of whose sainctitie he was thus miraculously reuiued At these words he was silent and hauing receaued the sacred Viaticum of our lords bodie he liued half a day and returned to death againe VIII ALLSOE in manie other places of England S OSWALD Oswald restâ—â—reth the monks to theâ—r Churches hauing expulsed the secular clergie for the self same cause of incontinencie he deliuered the gouernment of the Churches to monks of the Benedictin institution to whom they truely belonged to witt the Churches of S. ALBANS of S. ETHELDRED virgin in Ely and that of Beamfled In S. ALBANS he made one Elfrick Abbot afterwards Archbishop of Canturburie he ordayned Abbots at Ely one Brithnot and Gorman at Beamfled And all the monasteries which thus he instituted he was wont often times to visitt and out of a fatherly affection to furnish them both by word and deed with whatsoeuer appertayned to the health and saluation of their soules In the Abbey of Ramsey he placed one Abbo a Benedictin monk of Fleury in France a man famous both for sainctitie and learning to Abbo of â—â—â—ury teach direct and gouerne the monks in their schooles and togeather with the endowments of learning to aduance them in the exercise of regular and monasticall discipline This Abbo at S. DVNSTANS entreatie writt an exact relation of the life and passion of S. EDMVND King and martyr which you may read the twentith of Nouember At length returning to his owne Abbey of Fleury he was there made Abbot and afterwards martired by some vnruly monks whom he laboured to reforme IX THVS laboured blessed OSWALD in the reformation of Ecclesiasticall affayres redeeming and working the virginall Church and spouse of CHRIST out of the sacrilegious hands of her loose gouerners and clensing his sacred haruest from the impure tares of lasciuiousnes But after what manner he reduced the Benedictines into their auncient Cathedrall Church of Worcester let William Malmesburie tell vs. S. OSWALD saith he considering by little and little that in the minds of the clergie there residing there remayned yet some small sparkes of goodnes which might be bettered yf a man knew how to animate and shapen it aright did not expell How 〈◊〉 reâ—â—ored the monks to their Châ—rch of Worcester them forcibly but entrapped them with a most pious sleight And because the Cathedrall Church was dedicated to the honour of S. PETER he erected an other in the same Church-yard to the name of the blessed mother of God in which hauing placed a Conuent of monks he more willingly conuersed and more familiarly executed the diuine office amongst them then with the secular Clergie Which the poeple perceauing who held it a great offence to want the dayly Benediction of soe religious a Bishop flocked all thither Soe that the Clergie left alone chose rather to putt on the habitt and manners of the monkes then otherwise to be a domage to them selues and a mockerie to the common poeple But those sayth Wigorniensis that refused to take the monasticall habitt he quite expelled the monasterie and ouer the rest which consented to a monasticall life he made one Winsinure a vertuous Benedictin monk of Ramsey Prior in place of the Deane The rumour of S. OSWALDS prudent cariage of this busines coming to the eares of noble King Edgar gott him wonderfull great friendship and fauour both with him and all the Peeres S. Oswald made Arch bishop of Yorke of his realme And the pious King by the authoritie of a royall Charter greatly praysed and commended this act of S. OSWALD and confirmed the monastery of Worcester to the possession
of the Benedictine monks for euer Afterwards the Archbishop of York being dead S. OSWALD by the meanes of King Edgar and S. DVNSTAN Archbishop of Canturburie and the consent of the whole clergie was compelled to vndertake the gouernment of that Sea allso But lest the moÌ„kes of his diocese who yet were but newly setled in that Church being soe suddenly left destitute of the spirituall nourishement of soe good a father should beginne to wauer for want of a constant prelat and pastour to vphold them by the authoritie of S. DVNSTAN the Metropolitan of England and worthie Pillar of tâ—e Benedictine Order he was held likewise in the gouernment of the Church of Worcester togeather with the Archiepiscopall Sea of Yorke soe great was the estimation of his excellent worth incomparable vertue wonderfull zeale pietie and deuotion in the reforming of the bad customs and establishing of good lawes for the maintenance and propagation of Ecclesiasticall discipline X. IT PLEASED the allmightie wisedom while this Blessed Prelat thus exercised him self in these good workes of pietie and zeale towards his Church to confirme his holy endeauours and testifie them to be pleasing and acceptable to his diuine maiestie by manie miracles which he wrought through his meritts both in his life and after his death When the Church of our Ladie which Behould the Spirit of S Benedict in S. Oswald we haue mentioned before was in building there lay not farr from the place a great square stone necessarie for that worke which when the workemen endeauoured to make vse off as yf it had taken roote in the ground it stuck soe fast that by noe meanes they were able only to moue it All greatly amazed thereat the matter was brought to S. OSWALD who coming to the place wondred to see soe manie men striue in vaine in soe small a labour and straight offering vp his prayers priuately vnto allmightie God he saw an vglie Blackamoore sitting vppon the stone with obscene gesture scoffing at the labourers And presently brandishing the signe of the holy Crosse against him he suddenly vanished away Then the stone which fowerscore The vertue of the holy Crosse men before were not able to stirre was with ease carried away by a few and putt into the building The like accident S. GREGORIE relates of our holy Father S. BENEDICT him self when his monks were erecting a monasterie whereby it appeares how great an opposer the Deuill is to the workes of Benedictines and that their malice which oppose that holy order comes but from a black master XI THE monks of Ramsey abbey OSWALD standing on the other side of the riuer endeauoured to passe ouer to him in a boate He saneth his monks from drowning which being ouer loaden began to sinke when they poore soules suddenly astonished with such an imminent danger of death cried out for help vnto him who making the signe of the crosse vpon theÌ„ the boate presently returned from vnder the water as yf it had been without anie burden and carried them safely ouer to the shore on the other side XII IT WAS tould him on a time that a monk of Ely busied in the repayring of the Church died by a fall froÌ„ the topp thereof Whereat because he knew that monk had not led a life alltogeather without fault he was much grioued and calling the monkes of Ramsey abbey togeather he related vnto them the accident of his sorrow exhorting them to pray earnestly vnto allmightie God for his soule Prayers for the dead meritorious They obeying his pious desire sung Dirges and Psalmes for their deceased brother sorrowfully knocking at the gates of the diuine mercie At length as the holy Bishop was at his prayers that dead monke appeared visibly vnto him who inquiring what he was I am he replied the ghost for whom thou soe feruently doest pray And how sayd the holy man sighing hast thou done hithervnto Purgatorie which Hereticks shall neuer feele and yet how is it with thee Truely answeared he hithervnto very ill but now most well for through thy meritts and prayers I was yesterday deliuered by gods holy Angel out of the insufferable paines which did torment me And this I came to tell thee and render manie thankes for thy charitie and withall to admonish thee how gratefull thou oughtest to be for this and manie other graces and benefitts which it hath pleased his diuine maiestie to shew vnto thee This sayd he vanished And the holy man gaue infinite thankes vnto allmightie God for his goodnes XIII HE WAS wont at fitt times to make a progresse ouer all his Diocesse and feed their soules with the heauenly learning of his sermons euer coÌ„forming his owne life to his words and whatsoeuer he could find in the manners of his subiects which might offend the eyes of the diuine ouerseer of all humane actions with a fatherly corection he endeauoured to see amended In this his pious visitation he happened to come to Rippon where in former The Bodies of Saincts miraculously found times the holy Benedictine monk S. Wilsrid had been buried in a monasterie which him self there erected and which afterwards for the most part was destroyed and ruined by barbarous poeple and changed as now adaies our monasteries are to dennes and lodgings forwild beasts Here the holy man watching by night at his deuotions learnt by reuelation that the bodies of some saincts were buried there which doubtless by diligent search might be found The next morning he caused the earth to be digged vp whereby the holy bodies were found and a table with this inscription Here resteth S. Wilfrid Bishop of York and the reuerend Abbotts Tilbert Boruin Albert Sigred and Wilden In the meane time he placed those reliques in a conuenient place but afterwards vnderstanding this S. WILFRID to be a kinsman of the great S. WILFRID founder of that monasterie he caused his bodie to be enshrined and honourably reserued according to his worth For the body of that great S. WILFRID was long since translated thence to Canturburie by S. ODO the Archbishop And now S. OSWALD sent these other reliques honorably vnto Worcester XIV MANIE other miracles were wrought by the meritts of this Manie Miracles holy Bishop The bread which he had blessed cured a great man of a feauer and a ratt that chanced to eate the crummes thereof as they fell from his table was choked and died presently in the same place A monk which presumed to sitt and sleepe in his seate was cruelly tormented by a horrid crew of deuills for his temeritie XV. HOW charitable he was to the poore it exceedeth this weake His notable humanitie and charitie towards the poore penne to rehearse He was wont euerie day besides innumerable others which dayly he nourished to exercise his charitie more peculiarly to twelue poore men washing their durtie feete drying them with a towell and kissing them with his holy mouth powring water on their
day not only in Wales but all England ouer is most famous in memorie of him But in these our vnhappie daies the greatest part of his solemnitie consisteth in wearing of a greene leeke it is a sufficieÌ„t theame for a zealous VVelchman to ground a quarrell against him that doeth not honour his capp with the like ornament that day VII THE miracles which were wrought by his meritts after his death are such soe manie that they farre exceed the limitts of this short discourse we will only relate some which haue the testimonie of an eye-witnesse to prooue them true In the raigne of King Stephen Gyrald Cambr. in Topogr Camb. Iâ—â—uers miracles the brooke which runnes aboue the Church-yarde of Meneuia or S. DAVIDS flowed with wine and the same time out of a Well or fountaine there called Pisteldewy that is the Conduit of Dauid sprang forth a great quantitie of milke And this is reported by him that liued at the fame time and most exactly was acquanited with the matters of that countrey A litle portable bell called S. DAVIDS Note a strange miracle was of great fame and admiration in VVales which when the souldiers presumed to retaine at the Castle of Raidnock contrarie to the desire of a woman that brought it suddenly the night following the whole towne was deuowred with fier the wall only excepted where that bell was hanged A boy that endeauoured to take yong pigeons out of a nest in S. DAVIDS Church of Lhanuaos had his fingers soe fastened to the stone that he could by noe meanes gett loose All much amazed at this miracle specially his parents and friends who togeather with the boy before the aultar of the same Church gaue them selues to continuall watching fasting and prayer the space of three dayes as manie nights when to the great ioy of all the stone fell from his hand The Authour of this storie not only liued at the same time but both saw and spake to the man to whom it happened who confessed him self that it was soe And which is more that stone being conserued in the Church remayned as an euerlasting witnes of the miracle with the plaine forme of his fingers imprinted in it as in a peece of waxe VIII MANIE thousands of other miracles haue been wrought by the meritts of this holy man both in his life and after his death which for breuities sake me omitt And here now could I willingly enter into a large field of this holy Saincts prayses did not feare of being ouer teadious withould my penne as vnworthy to be the truÌ„pett of the same of soe renowned a man I will only desire all true hearted VVelchmen allwaies to honour this their great Patrone and Protectour and humbly desire him that as in his life time he ouerthrew with his learning all the bullwarkes of the Palagian heresie soe now with his prayers and intercession to allmightie God he would supplicate the diuine Goodnes to cast a mercifull eye vppon his poeple and reduce his sometimes beloued countrey out of the Blindnes of Protestancie groueling in which it languisheth more lamentably then euer it did in the former errour that once againe those hills and valleies may resound with the Ecchoes of Gods diuine prayses sung in such monasticall quiers as haue been the ornaments there of in former ages and now are only the sad monuments of their auncient glorie God of his infinite mercie by the intercession of this glorious Sainct giue strength to those few that are in the truth soe to remayne and grace to the rest to acknowledge the same truth and forsake their present errours The life of S. Dauid was written by S. Kentigerne but whether the same be extant it is vncertaine Ioannes Anglicus and Giraldus Cambrensis haue written the same allsoe out of whom and Nicholas Harpsfield me haue gathered the foresayd historie Manie other authors make worthie mention of him The life of Sainct CHAD Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR 2. Gathered out of Venerable Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT CHADDE borne in Northumberland brother to S. CEDDE Bishop of London of whom you may reade the seauenth of January was at first scholler vnto S. AIDAN Bishop of Lindisfarne in whose vertuous schole he made a great progresse in learning and good manners being allwaies verie carefull to execute in deed whatsoeuer he learned by studie In his youth he went into Jreland where tohgeather with S. EGBERT he led a strict monasticall life in continuall continencie exercising him self with great diligenâ— in the pious art of prayer and meditation of the holy scripture Returning into England after that famous controuersie betweeue S. WILFRID the Benedictine monk and Bishop Colman concerning the due celebration of Easter and other Church-rites was decided togeather with his brother S. CEDDE he receaued the rule of our holy father S. BENEDICT and succeeded his brother in the gouernment of the Benedictine Abbey of Lesting in Yorke-shire Which charge he discharged with great sainctitie and example of good life till in the yeare of our Lord 664. when S. WILFRID being chosen Bishop of Yorke and sent into France to be consecrated by the Bishop of Paris stayed soe long beyond the seas that Sainct CHADD by the meanes of king Oswy was consecrated and installed in the Episcopall sea of Yorke by the hands of Wini Bishop of the West-saxons and the only He is cousecrated Bishop of Yorke Bishop lawfully ordayned Bishop extant then in England II. SAINCT CHAD being aduanced to this height of dignitie began presently to make the pietie and vertue of his life correspond to the eminencie of his sacred function bending all his endeauours for the conseruing of the Ecclesiasticall veritie and ordinances of the Catholick Church and making his owne dayly exercise a true patterne of deuotion humilitie and continencie vnto his subiects He was wont to read much preach often trauell abrod after the true Apostolicall manner allwaies on foote from towne and village piously furnishing the whole countrey with the sacred doctrine of CHRISTS ghospel At length S. THEODORE being consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury made a visitt ouer the Churches of England correcting as he went whatsoeuer he found amisse when amongst the rest he chanced to rebuke S. CHAD as not lawfully consecrated See the wonderfull humilitie of the Sainct If thou His great humilitie knowest answeared he verie modestly that I haue not rightly vndertaken the bishoprick I most willingly giue vp my office for indeed I allwaies iudged my self farre vnworthie thereof and it was meere obedience which forced mee at first to take this sacred charge vppon mee But THEODORE being ouercome with the resigned humilitie of this answeare replied that it was not necessarie to leaue his bishoprick but only to haue his installement approoued after the Catholick manner But S. CHAD after three yeares gouernment of that sea being more desirous of a priuate and quiet life resigned vp
was wont presently to sett his helping hands therevnto eyther in guiding or houlding of the plough or anie other such labour For he was a yong man of great strength of a sweet discourse a merrie hart bountifull in good workes and of an honest and decent aspect He allwaies cate of the same meate and in the same place that his other brethren did and slept in the same common dorter that he did before he was made Abbot Yea when he fell fick and foresaw by certaine signes that death was at hand yet he remayned two daies after in the dorter of the other Brethren And other fiue daies before his He taketh leaue of his monkes departure he was placed in a more secret house a part till goeing forth one day into the open ayre he assembled all his monkes togeather and tooke a solemne leaue of them imparting to euery one a charitable salutation of peace they in the meane time pittifully weeping and wayling to depart from soe holy a father and soe pious a pastour He died the seauenth day of March in the night when the monkes were singing mattings in the Church He was twentie fower yeares of age when he came to the monasterie he liued twelue yeares therein seauen whereof he exercised the function of Priestood and fower His death he gouerned the Monasterie with the dignitie of Abbot till at leÌ„gth leauing his mortall limmes he tooke a happie flight to the Kingdom of heauen saint BENNET Bishop being then absent in his fift iourney to Rome The life of this Sainct is thus written by saint BEDE as we haue found it in an auncient manuscript togeather with the lines of other Abbots of the same mònastery where saint BEDE him self liued a Monke Besides him FLORENTIVS WIGORNIENSIS an 682. MATHEW WESTMINSTER an 703. NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 7. cap. 37. IOHN CAPGRAVE and others doe northily speake his prayses The life of sainct FELIX Bishop and Confessor MAR. 8. Out of diuers Authours FELIX was the first Bishop of the East-Angles But a man of how great pietie he was it appeareth chiefly in this He leaueth his countrey to preach in England one famous example that being natiue of Burgundis and vnderstanding how few labourers there were in soe fruictfull an haruest of CHRIST as England of his owne accord he left his Bishoprick friends Kinred and riches and all other maintenances and promotions of his state to come into our contrey and employ his best endeauours in soe pious a work Whose holy purpose being vnderstood admired by Honorius Archbishop of Canturbury he allotted him the Prouince of the East-Engles which hauing He conuerteth the East-Angles forsaken the Christian fayth before receaued was fallen againe into the blindnes of Idolatrie But FELIX being in effect correspondent to his name which signifieth Happie with soe great happines discharged the prouince he vndertooke that in a short time he wholly happily reduced it from the Idolatrous bondage of the deuill to the sweet freedoÌ„ of CHRISTS sacred Ghospell He held his Episcopall sea in a towne then called Dimmock but afterwards from his name it was named FELIXTOWE or FELSTOWE In which place and dignitie happie FELIX hauing discharged the part of a good pastour for the space of seauenteene yeares continually labouring with inuincible patience for the aduancement of CHRISTS holy Ghospel loden with vertue His death and good workes made a most happie iourney to the eternall happines the eigth day of March was buried in the same towne but his reliques were after wards traÌ„slated to a place called Schaâ— where appeares yet sayth Malmesbury some signes of a Church destroyed and burnt by the Danes But the Sacred body of this sainct being sought for and found a long time after was againe translated to the famous Abbey of Benedictin Monkes at Ramsey This life we haue gathered out of S. Bede de gest lib. 2. c. 15. Nicholas Harpsfield saec 7. cap. 16. and William Malmesbury de Pontif. The life of Sainct BOSA or Boso Bishop and Confessor Monke of the holy Order of S. Benedict MAR 11. Out of ve nerable Bede de gest Ang. BOSA from a monke of the Benedictin monasterie of Streanshall in Northumberland was at the instaÌ„ce of Egfrid king of that Prouince elected Bishop of Yorke in the place of the most reuerend Bishop He is made Bishop of Yorke S. WILFRID then vniustly banished out of that sea and countrey by the meanes of the forefayd king and the authoritie of Theodore Archbishop of Canturbury in the yeare 678. This sea he gouerned in great holines of good life and learning till by the death of king Egfrid his brother Alfrîd obtayned the kingdome who recalled S. WILFRID out of banishment and restored him to his Bishoprick againe But after the space of fiue yeares Alfred expelled saint WILFRID againe and BOSA was once more restored to the sea of Yorke in the gouernment whereof and the continuall exercise of all true vertues belonging to a holy Bishop he rendred vp his blessed soule to the neuer dying ioyes of heauen about the yeare of our Lord. 700. but what day he died it is vncertaine this eleuenth of March is made a commemoration of him whom S. BEDE calleth a man well beloued of God of great holines and humilitie Besides whom WILLIAM MALMESBVRY TRITEMIVS in his fourth booke of the famous men of S. Benedicts order cap. 64. MATHEW WESTMINSTER an 678. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. cap. 23. and others doe make worthie mention of him aâ— allsoe Pope IONH the seauenth in his letters written in behalf of S. WILFRID The life of the most Glorious Pope Doctour of the Catholike Church S. GREGORY surnamed the Great Apostle of England and glorie of S. BENEDICTS Order MAR 12. written by Paulus Diaconus SOE great and soe manie are the incomparable deeds and vertues wherewith this thrice happie Sainct hath adorned the The translatours Proloâ—ne Church of God and soe manie holy and learned men haue endeauoured by their writings to make him famous to posteritie that we find our witts farre to weake to comprehend the one this poore penne farre to barren to sett downe among soe manie worthies anie thing worthie soe worthie a subiect Yet on the other side because the benefitts which not only the Benedictin Order in England but allsoe all England it self hath from him receaued are soe infinite we cannot choose but straine according to our power to make some small shew of acknowledgment thereof imitating those herein who in a little mappe or carde to the great pleasure and profitt of the beholders doe describe the mightie compasse of the whole world And here now o Romeâ— doe thou first acknowledge thine happines and diligently endeauour to imitate soe great a worthy Manie euerlasting monuments there are which haue eternised thy name to posteritie thy Kings thy Dictatours thy Consuls thy Emperours thy Trophies yea and the Empire of the world seated in
to preach thirtie fiue yeares he laboured in the conuersion of that and other Ilands and the other thirtie three yeares the remaynder of his whole life he passed ouer attending chiefly to the sweetnes of a contemplatiue life in a monasterie sometimes at Armagh and sometimes in others places Nether was he easyly drawne out of those sacred sainctuaries but vppon the vrgent occasion of some vneuitable and weightie affayre Neuerthelesse once in a yeare he was wont to summon a Prouinciall CouÌ„cell to reduce those that swerued from the truth to the rules of the Catholick Church Being shrowded in the Linnen of S. BRIGITS prouiding he was buried with wonderfull great reuerence honour and glorie within the cittie of Down in the verie place foreshewed by the light from heauen on the east side of the Church Ouer his tombe is writt a latin distick which in English goeth thus At DOWN these three lie in owne Tombe Patrick Brigett and holy Columbe Whereby it is manifest that S. BRIGITT whose life you haue the first Psal 8. of February and S. COLVMâ—A Abbott of whom God willing we will treate the ninth of Iune were both buried in the same Tombe with The conclusion S. PATRICK XIV AND here I inuite all that haue read this historie to crie out with the royall psalmist O Lord our how admirable is thy name through all the world who hast crowned thy Sainct with glorie and honour and seated him aboue the workes of thy hands For these indeed are the works of thy hands which soe much we admire and wonder the conuersion of a whole Countrey by the vntired labours and endeauours of this thy chosen and beloued seruant for him thou didest appoynt thy deputie and lieuetenant in this holy and wholesome affaire wherein when diuers before had employed their greatest zeale and industry yet because he was specially elected and selected by thee for this holy purpose thou didest voutchase to adorne him with the working of manie strange and miracles more then allmost anie other of thy Saincts that on the rudiments and foundations of those his predecessours he might plant the consummation and perfection of the whole worke These works and miracles are thine o Christ only worker of worders who euer truly wonderfull in thy Saincts daignest to glorifie them with soe great authoritie and power as they are able to glorie in the triumph purchased ouer the infernall enemies of mankind God of his infinite goodnes make vs partakers of the meritts and prayers of the glorious Sainct Amen An Annotation Manie wonders are related of a place in Ireland called S 〈…〉 ICKS Purgatorie which he is reported to haue obtayned of allmightie God for the conuersion of those incredulous poeple who refused to beleeue what he preached touching the painâ—â— of hell and â—â—ies of heauen vnlesse by some meanes they might see taste of 〈◊〉 â—â—th in this life Into that place those that entred with a strong constancie of sayth a true desire to doe peanaÌ„ce for their sinnes felt vnspeakable torments after which they enioyed most glorious visions of the ioyes of heauen and returned the third day againe Manie make meÌ„tion of this strange Purgatorie as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of Ossor vice primat of all Ireland Henricus Salter an English Monk of the Gistercian Congregation who writt a booke expressely of the Purgatory of S. PATRICK dedicated to the Abbot of Sartâ—s he liued fiue hundred yeares agoe MATHEW Paris an English monk of S. BENEDICTS order Dionisius Carthustaâ—â—â— verie learned and holy â—an in his treatise dequatuor Nouissimis and others But because Joâ—elâ—â—â— the Authour of S. PATRICKS life whom we haue followed maketh noe mention of this his Purgatorie we haue likewise past it ouer in silence yet iudging for certaine that such a place is really â—â—â—â—nt in Ireland as experience hath taughâ—â—â— in manâ—e that 〈…〉 into it and namely in one Owen a souldier who in the raigne of King Stephen passed through those torments for peanance of his wicked life and at his returne related manie wonders he had seene and felt as the foresayd Authours doe testifie Sâ—…â—DWARDVS REX ANGLIAE ET MARTI … 〈…〉 The life of Sainct EDWARD King and martir MAR 18. Written in an auÌ„cient manuscript recited by Surius THE NOBLE King EDWARD lineally descended from the royall and auncient bloud of our English Kings and which is farre more famous being baptised by the most holy Archbishop of Canbury S. DVNSTAN he began from his tender yeares to excell in vertue and pietie of life The incomparable King Edgar was his father a man renowned as well in feats of armes as in peace his mother was called Eifled daughter of a most powerfull duke of the East-Angles But noble Edgar hauing subdued not a few places of that land and brought them vnder his subiection soe that he obtayned the Monarchie ouer all England deuided before between manie and diuers Kings by exhortation of those two columnes of the English Church and Benedistin religion S. DVNSTAN Archbishop The pietiâ— of Edgar his father of Canturbury and S. ETHELWOLD of Winchester caused manie Benedictin monasteries in those vanquished Prouinces to be repayred and reedified at his owne cost chardges and some to be built new from the ground and in some of them he placed Monks of S. BENEDICTS order in others nunnes of the same all which he furnished and founded with ample rents and reuenewes to maintaine therein the seruice and seruants of allmightie God from the iniuries of necessitie He had allsoe by a second wife an other sonne called Ethelred But EDWARD that was the elder being a child of wonderfull great towardlines carefully auoyded all the lasciuious ensnaring pleasures of this world and endeauoured soe to behaue him self towards God and man that before all things he rendred him self most pleasing vnto God by his worthy integritie of mind and bodie and to men he became most gratefull by his modest and courteous carriage in all things shining withall to the world with all industrie wisedome and prudence These things soe highly pleased his renowned father Edgar that he ordayned him for his heyre and successour in the gouernment of the Kingdom and within King Edgar dieth a while all the affayres of the Realme being rightly setled and composed the most pious and glorious King Edgar changed this life for a better in the yeare of our Lord 977. and of his raigne the sixteenth the eight day of Iuly II. EDWARD according to his fathers will was by DVNSTAN and other Peeres of the Realme installed in the royall chayre and inuested with the robes and signes of royaltie But on his verie Coronation day manie of the nobles and Lords made great opposition against him in fauour of his yonger brother Ethelred whom they desired to aduance to the crowne Neuerthelesse the good resolution of saint DVNSTAN was Edward iâ— crowned King nothing daunted herewith nor mooued from his sentence but placing in
laboured each of thē to make RICHARD his chancelour At length the Archbishop of Canturbury because he had first signified his will and desire to the holy man obtayned to haue him in his seruice who with great reuerēce and dutie obeyed him in all things Then B. EDMOND deliuered vnto him the great seale of his office and committed to his chardge the managing of the grauest and principallest affayres of his whole Diocese Therefore RICHARD began according to his wonted diligence to clime dayly higher and higher in the exercise of good endeauours faythfully and exactly to performe his office without anie pride or state to keepe free his hands from bribes knowing that according to scripture guifts doe blind the eyes of wisemen and varie the words of the iust One might behould in him an vnspeakable equitie a courteous mildnes and modest simplicitie all seated grounded in an excellent Dent. 16. v. 19. prudence and humilitie his gesture and actions well composed and tempered Moreouer he stuck constant to his holy bishop in all his aduersities and afflictions as well at home as in his banishment being not ignorant that those who haue been companions in suffrance shall all soc be companious in time of consolations But S. EDMOND of Canturbury Cor. 1. He studies diuinitie being dead RICHARD freed from Court and courtly cares and affaires went to Orleans in France where in a religious house of Dominicans he gaue him self to the studie of Diuinitie not as most doe that only heare with their eares and doe not applie their mind to vnderstand but bent an inward hearing to whatsoeuer he heard to putt in practise more effectually what he heard There he was He is made Pricst promoted to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood to sacrifice the beloued sonne of God to his allmightie Father And from that time he began to adorne that heauenly function with a more humble plainnes and neate humblenes in his habitt But after he had been long conuersant in the studies of sacred scripture he returned into England to feed the small flock committed to his chardge for he had but one parish wherein he would bestow his necessarie care in doeing the office of a good Pastour IV. BONIFACE a verie venerable man had allreadie succeeded blessed EDMOND in the sea of Canturbury who desired allsoe to enioy the conuersation and familiaritie of RICHARD that was soe gratious in the world Vnto whom making great resistance he He is chosen bishop of Chicester recommended his auncient office of chauncelour In the meane time Radulph Neuill bishop of Chicester being dead the Canons hauing first as the custom was obtained leaue of the King then Henrie the third made choice of one Robert Passeleff who from a mignion at Court was becom a Canon of that Church to be their bishop But that election according to the decrees of the Canons by the authoritie of Boniface of Canturbury and other bishops his suffragans among whom was Robert the venerable bishop of Lincolne was vtterly disanulled and declared to be of noe force because the person elected was in learning life and manners iudged to be little correspondent to soe high a dignitie and by the common consent and sentence of all RICHARD was chosen in his place Which proceedig verie much exasperated the King to see the former electiō The King inuadeth the goods of Chicester cutt off and RICHARD substituted in the place whom he esteemed his vtter enemie in that he stuck soe close to S. EDMOND in all the controuersie betweene him and the King Therefore in a furie he commaunded all the goods of Chicester Church to be confiscated When S. RICHARD according to the counsell of the others Bishops gott the letters of the Archbishop of Canturbury and went to the King humbly entreating his Maiestie to suffer a restitution to be made of all that belonged to the Church of Chicester But all his humilitie could nothing remoue the head-strong King from his stubborne resolution soe that when the holy man had much tired and wearied out him self in vaine and endured manie contumelious and scornfull iniuries he was constrained at length to haue recourse to Richard appealeth to Rome the last refuge vnder God on earth the Sea Apostolique When the Kings Embassadours had preuented him with the Pope of Rome for he found them there all readie readie prouided against him Innocent the fourth then gouerned the Roman sea who verie curteously entertayned RICHARD and hauing heard the reasons of both parties he confirmed his election by Apostolicall authoritie and moreouer by the imposition of his sacred hands consecrated him Bishop with an other of that Countrey in great solemnitie V. BVT a wonderfull thing happened at his consecration For coming to giue them sacred vnction for the first the Pope couid hardly squeeze one dropp of oile out of the box but when RICHARD came to be anneild there appeared as it were a new representation of Elias his oile and miracle for the sacred liquour ranne in such abundance out of the viole that the attendants had enough to doe to stopp it with linnen cloathes from flowing ouer into his neck and shoulders The Pope and Cardinals and all the assistants A strange miracle were much amazed and not without cause when one of the Cardinalls sayd Certaynly this man abounds with a fullnes of diuine grace Then S. RICHARD returning into his Countrey with the Popes letters by the way visited the Sepulcher of S. EDMOND allreadie florishing with miracles at Pontoise in France and coming into England he found all the goods and meanes belonging to his Church of Chicester vtterly dissipated and spent by the Kings ofsiceers And for an increase of miserie the King had commaunded by publick edict that noe man should lend him a pennie to supply His afflictious in the Bishoptick his wants But when he exibited the Popes letters and commaunds before the King and his nobles he not only fayled to gett a gracious fauour but contrary wise rather purchased to him self much more hatred and indignation Wherefore departing from before that incensed Maiestie he went in poore and bare array to his Diocesse where he liued as a priuate guest at an other mans house and table In the meane time he omitted not oftētimes to take a circuite about his diocesse visitting the flock committed to his charge and ministring the sacraments as occasion required And lest he should be accused as a slouthfull and sluggish forsaker and traitour of his owne right sometimes he would make a iourney to the King and humbly demaund the restitution of the goods wrongfully taken away allbeit he allwaies suffered a scornfull repulse and returned loden with iniuries and reproches It happened once that the Deane and Canons of Chicester were much trobled and afflicted in mind with the kings sharp and biting answers but the holy man putting on a cheerfull coūtenance would comfort them with calling that saying of the
scripture to their remembrance The Apostles went reioycing from the face of the Councell because they were esteemed worthie Act. 5. to suffer contumelic for the name of CHRIST-IESVS And I confirme you in the same that these crosses and afflictions will one day The Church of Chicestet restored be changed into mirth and ioy But within a while he made the Pope acquainted with the kings stubborne answer and proceeding who wonderfully much pittying the holie mans case sent a thundring commaund vnto two bishops of England to admonish the King to make restitution to the Church of Chicester within such a time or that they should publish and denounce the heauie sentences contayned in his letters ouer the whole Kingdom By which meanes after two yeares affliction patiently endured the Church with her demaines and torne buildings readie to tumble into ruine were with difficultie restored againe to their true owner VI. AND the holy man being now seated in his Episcopall chayre A summarie of his vertues became in prayer more feruent then euer more bountifull and liberall in giuing of almes and more seuere in chastising his owne bodie Hence forth he was more attentiue and carefull towards the poore more negligent in decking and trimming his owne bodie and more modest in his speech and behauiour At his table he all waies vsed a spirituall lecture wherewith he fed his soule as well as his bodie with foode and sometimes the reader intermitting a while from his lesson they discoursed ether of those things that were read or some other pious and wholsom matter His custome was as he trauelled ouer his diocesse to make diligent inquirie after all poore and sick persons to whom he did not only giue large almes but allsoe out a of gratious and innate curtesie he would visitt them him self in person and verie carefully comfort and encourage them with the heauenly food of his pious admonitions And when his owne brother vnto whom he had coÌ„mitted the managing of his temporall affaires complained that all his yearly rents and reuenewes were not sufficient to giue almes soe largely and to such a multitude of poore Deare brother replied the holy Bishop doest thou think it fitt and reasonable that we eate and drink out of goulden and filuer vessels and that CHRIST be tormented with huÌ„ger in his poore As my father did before me soe can I eate out of an ordinarie platter and drinke in a plaine goddart Therefore let the gould and siluar plate be sould yea and the horse I ride one of soe great value let him goe too and let CHRISTS poore be succoured with the money Nether was he wont to maintaine the poore His wonderfull liberalitie to the poore only with meate and drinke but alsoe to giue cloathing to the naked and burie the deade with his owne hands Sometimes he would giue an almes before it was asked and being demaunded why he did soe It is written answeared he O Lord thou hast preuented him in the blessings of this sweetnes and indeed that which is obtayned by asking Psal 20. is bought but at a deare rate He appointed an hospitall for poore aged priests that were blind or otherwise impotent and feeble of bodie and that they should not purchase infamy to their holy function by publick begging abroad he prouided them with sufficient victuals and cloathing within the same house VII THIS his sainctitie did not want the testimonie of manie worthie The wonderfull mul tiplication of aloafe miracles among which one and not the lest was that one loafe was soe increased by his benediction that beyond the hope and expectation of those that were present three thousand poore people receaued their accustomed quantitie and portions and soe manie peeces remayned as according to the proportion of that distribution were sufficient to satisfie one hundred more Nether was it once or twise only that by vertue of his holie benediction such an abundant and miraculous encrease of things was caused but manie and sundrie times the like happened through his diuine power and bountie that openeth his hands and filleth euerie creature with his blessing Next to his skinne for the greater chastising of his Psal 144. bodie he vsed sometimes a hayre shirt sometimes a coate of maile His apparel and shoes not soe neate that they inferred an affectation nor yet more abiect then was fitting but in a meane well becomming his degree wherein he auoyded all The mâ—aÌ„nes of his appared signes of anie curious nouelties Nether would he endure to haue his horse trappings and furniture glittering with gould and siluer nether would he carrie about with him a superfluous chainge of apparell not only for the shunning of pompe but fearing lest the poore should crie out after him with that sentence of S. BERNARD What doeth gould in the bishops bridle whilst we poore wretches suffer cold and hunger VIII HAVING on a time excommunicated one Iohn Allen for an iniurie executed against the Church of Chicester and the same man coming often times to his court he would entertayne him very familiarly and make him stay dinner saying that as His charitie towards his aduersarie long as he was with in his hall he would not haue him tied with the censure of excommunication but when he was gone vnlesse he would satifie and make amends to the Church he absolutely held him for an excommunicate person He was wont allsoe to say that yf there were strife and contention of law betwixt parties each one striuing to recouer and defend his owne right the signes of charitie vsed among Christians ought not therefore to bee omitted or denied For be it sayd he that I must recouer my owne by law I ought not therefore to withdraw from my aduersarie that which it Gods right and my dutie Loue and Charitie And after this manner indeed he carried him self towards the Abbott of Fecam and Richard Earle of Cornwall and the Countesse of Kent with whom he had sutes and controuersies touching his Church allwaies repaying the contumelies and reproches of these great persons with honour and their enmities with good will His seueritie against the deâ—iourer of a sacred Virgin IX ONE of the Clergie that had enticed a Nunne out of her monasterie and deflowred her was by the authoritie of this holy Bishop most ignominiously depriued of his ecclesiasticall benefice and dignitie which he enioyed within the Diocesse And herein he was soe rigorous that when the King him self the Archbishop of Canturbury and manie other Bishops Peeres and Nobles of the realme made great sute and entreatie for his pardon the man of God shewed him self wholly inexorable in the execution of diuine iustice and striking his breast he sayd No no while the breath remaines in this bodie of mine such a ribald villaine that durst presume to violate a Virgin consecrated to God retayning her with him yet as a whore shall neuer by my consent haue the gouernment of soules
of his death all that heard saw what passed being greatly edified with soe great charitie of the Sainct amazed at the wonderfull light of his soule The like bountie and goodnes shined in him at other times in his great care towards the sick visiting cōforting reioycing with his owne hands seruing them and doeing the part not only of a true Father but allsoe of a most charitable Mother amongst thē Soe that in all their necessities the monks had recourse vnto him with as great confidence as the child hath in his mother laying open before him all the secret passions and wounds of their soules which he like an holy Phisitian because he knew the roote and origine of them all easyly cured This vnion of the parts of the bodie with their head subiects with their superiour is the Nurse and Soule of all religion VII HE willingly employed him self in bringing vp yong youth of Yong gentlemen brought vp in monasterics a middle age iudging his paines therein to be soe much the more profitable as that age like vnto soft wax was apt to receiue conserue all the lineaments of vertue imprinted therein It was a venerable custom in those times to nourish and bring vp Gentlemens sonnes of the best sort in Monasteries of S. BENEDICTS order ether to become Religious yf they were soe addicted or by that vertuons education to make them more capable in their riper yeares to profitt the cōmon wealth An abbott in great reputation of holy life came one day to vistt S. ANSELME discoursing with him of the gouernment of monasteries began greatly to cōplaine of the libertie disobedience of the yong gentlemen vnder his charge and that he watched night and day ouer them and made their faults to be seuerely whipt and chastised and yet it seemed that the more he kept them vnder the worse and more incorrigible they grew And what sayd S. ANSELME became of these children when their were at age or what profitt reaped you out of all this whipping and scourging Gentlenes most requisite in bringing vp youth For the most part replied the Abbott they grow to be great ignorant Dolts Then S. ANSELME This manner of education of youth seemeth to me most vncertaine for euē as yf one who by hedging in of yong plants doth soe choake them vp with thornes that they can nether grow nor putt forth their boughs will consequently bring noe fruict nor profitt soe in the nourishment of children who are rich and delicate plants to bring them to good one must vse a fatherly loue towards them giuing them a gentle discrete libertie and not allwaies making them slaues with feares threatnings and stripes Because when they doe not acknowledge and find in their tutours and masters that guide them the cordiall affection and loue of a father they thinke whatsoeuer is sayd or done to them proceeds out of chollar hatred and malice And as they grow in age they grow allsoe in a greater defiance of their masters of whom they haue as great horrour as a theefe of his executioner Rules for superiours in their gouernment In fine S. ANSELME taught the ABBOTT that true gouernment ought to know how to temper sweet with sower clemencie with seueritie and to cure wounds not only with the sharpnes of wine which closeth vp but with the supplenes of oyle allsoe which softens and opens the soares For allthough hard bread and crust be good for those that haue good teeth yet sucking children cannot eate it And yf a superiour will guide all his Inferiors the same way without discerning the different conditions and inclinations of the persons whom he gouerneth he will certainly committ manie grosse faultes to the great affliction and losse of his suiects The fame of S. Auselme drawes manie choller 's VIII S. ANSELME then inuironed with the glittering beames of excellent vertues his renowne was carried on the wings of fame ouer all Normandie through France into Flanders and England soe that manie learned and pious men came to the monasterie where he was Prior to range them selues into the spirituall warrefare vnder the colours of S. BENEDICT striuing to receaue the habitt at his hands and to liue vnder his correction and discipline Neuertheles he was soe prudent reserued that he neuer sollicited anie man to giue him self to God rather in his monasterie then in anie other but all waies left it to their choise to enter into what Conuent they best liked to the end that yf afterwards they happened to repent they should haue noe iust occasion to murmure or coplaine against him But they came soe thick of their owne accord that the Abbey of Bec was in a short time wōderfully encreased in tēporall spirituall goods of manie good religious monks and Abbott Herluine being dead ANSELME by the common suffrages of all the Conuent was chosen to succeed in his place allbeit he laboured with prayers and teares against it throwing him self prostrate at the feete of the monks and coniuring them by the deare passion of our lord ISSVS CHRIST not to charge his weake shoulders with such a weightie He is chosen Abbot of Bec. burden In fine when all his resistance did but encrease their importunitie he yeelded sincesuch he perceaued was the will of God Being therefore made Abbott he gouerned the monasterie with such holy prudence and prudent holines that this new encrease of dignitie was in him as a discouerie of a new mine of shining vertues whose beames amazed all behoulders IX AT that time there were manie possessions in England belonging He cometh into England to the Abbey of Bec to visitt which sainct ANSELME went ouer into England At Canturbury where LANFRANCK his old Master was Archbishop he was with wonderfull great honour receiued by the Benedictin monks of that citie which he no lesse ingeniously then elegantly putt off affirming the greater honour and greater affection of charitie to reside in them that performed it then in him to See his great humilitie whom it was performed Because he who vnworthyly receiued that vndeserued dutie could expect for it noe reward from God For what said he can be due to me from God in that anie one shewes loue towards me But to them from whō this loue proceeds he oweth a reward for their pious affection and he will not fayle to lay vp store of grace for them But the more he sought to auoyde honour the more still was throwne vppon him when poeple of all orders sexes and conditions striued to doe him the highest honours they could and amongst the rest King William the Conquerour who albeit otherwise a Norman of a fierce and barbarous nature yet towards sainct ANSELME beyond all mens expectation he behaued himself with an vnaccustomed courtesie and kindnes to the great admiration of all But the Sainct quickly wearied with these honours thought his iourney in nothing soe well spent as
in the sight and conference he had of his old Master LANFRANCK the Archbishop between whom discoursing of manie graue affayres fell at this time that famous disputation mentioned in his life of S. ELPHEGVS the Martir Afterwards he returned againe to his Monasterie and gouerned the same the space of fifteene yeares with all vertue belonging to a good prelate In the meane time William Conquerour died leauing the crowne to his onne William Rufus who by all indirect waies possible sought to oppresse and empouerish the Clergie and Church thereby to satisfie his owne vnbridled couetousnes and with their gould to giue a glorious outside to his owne wickednes Wherevppon S. ANSELME at the earnest entreatie of the nobles resolued to come againe into England But in the meane time Lanfrank being dead a rumour arose of the aduancing of ANSELME to the Archiepiscopall sea of Canturbury which made him ô wonderfull contēmpt of honour to deferre his iourney for fiue yeares space How manie be there now adaies that would haue taken poste in this case X. COMING at length to Canturbury he was saluted by the Benedictine monks and others as their future Prelate which he tooke soe S. Anselme refuseth the stile of Archbishop heynously that the next day he departed before the sunne was guiltie of his being in towne allbeit it were the verie feast of the Natiuitie of our Ladie refusing to be wonne by anie prayers to celebrate there that solemnitie Thence he went to King William and dealt freely with him to amend his manner of life to order the common wealth in better fashion as well in Ecclesiasticall as temporall affayres telling him withall what an ill opinion of his bad life was blowne ouer the world But the king was deafe to all good counsell till falling into a grieuoussicknes he beganne to make him remember him self and hearken a litle more to his pious perswasions His is chosen Archbishop of Cauturbury In the meane time being putt in mind that the sea of Canturburie was void of a Pilot that that Mother-Church of England had manie yeares been a widdow he proclaimed ANSELME to be the most worthie of that dignitie that the disciple might succeed his master And this his proposition was presently accepted with the common consent and applause of the Benedictin monks of Canturbury vnto whom the election of the Archbishop belonged and the generall liking of the poeple Only ANSELME with might and maine resisted this election and obstinately refused to vndertake the dignitie with teares alleadging manie reasons and excuses he made manie protestations that it was a verie foolish and ouerthwart proceeding to ioyne to the plough an ould sheepe yoakt with an vntamed bull by the bull meaning king William But all in vaine for the pastorall staffe was forcibly thrust into his hands him self violently drawne into the next Church was proclaymed Archbishop and his election witnessed with manie ioyfull acclamations and singing of the himme Te Deum Laudamus c. And now the day of his consecration and installation at Canturbury was prefixed to the fourth of December when by the opening of the bible this Sentence fell to S. ANSELMES lott Homo quidam fecit caenam magnam vocanit multos c. XI AT THE first King William shewed goodwill and friendship Note the couetousnes of the king towards S. ANSELME in hope that being now aduanced to soe great dignitie he would bestow some worthie present vppon him but as soone as he perceaued that ANSELME had noe such meaning he beganne to repent him self of this one allbeit a rare good deed and being wholly giuen by hooke or by crooke as they say to gett money he not soe required as exacted a friendly guift of a thousand pound sterling for a gratuitie for his aduancement to the Archbishoprick But saint ANSELME hating that vnroyall couetousnes in the King was determined not to send him a pennie Till swayed by the counsell of manie friends lest he should greatly exasperate the king to the greater detriment of the whole English Church he sent him fiue hundred pound promising to gratifie his Maiestie more largely when occasion serued William vtterly refused to accept that present as too slender and sparing a reward for a king Whereat S. ANSELME greatly reioyced because by this meanes he cleered him self frō all staine of honour which for this fact malice might haue layd to King William mooued against S. Anselme his charge And without anie delay he distributed that whole summe of money to the poore Afterwards he began to call vppon the King to haue a Councell assembled for the reforming of the Clergie and establishing of Ecclesiasticall discipline in the Church But his good intētions receiued a sharpe rebuke from the king who sought by all meanes to breake all the liberties of the Church in persecuting the Clergie inuading the Ecclesiasticall goods and other such outrages that the holy man could nether hinder his vniust proceedings noe execute his function in peace Soe that allbeit he were wholely disposed to stand strongly in defence of the truth and the freedom of the Church yet then he iudged it more expedient for the auoyding of greater inconuenience which euen the other bishops and countrey backed with the authoritie and power of the King might cause to absent him self a while out of England imagining that to be the safest way both to appease the enraged king and qualifie the tempest of the countrey XII THEREFORE he made a supplication to the king to permitte him to goe to Rome to obtaine from Pope Urban the second the Pall due vnto his archiepiscopall seate The king amazed at this demaund answered that noe man in his kingdom should acknowledge anie Pope of Rome without his consent and that he him self was after a fashion Pope within his owne dominiōs Which answere infinitly afflicted the holy archbishop who to extinguish this sparke of infernall fier before it went anie further assembled a Councell He summoneth a Councell of the Bishops Abbbots and peeres of the realme wherein hauing declared the kings mind the consequence and importance of the matter he found the greatest part of the bishops inclined to subscribe to the Princes will soe great is the power of flatterie and ambition ioyned with the authoritie of a furious and resolute king for they cried out alowd that he was a person impious and rebellious to the king and state whosoeuer would attempt to maintaine anie obedience in England to be due to anie but king William alone as well in Ecclesiasticall as temporall matters robbing the Pope hereby of his primacie and soueraigne power ouer all the Catholick Church S. ANSELME seeing this vnlawfull proceeding and that he could not resist against soe horrible a streame desired leaue of the king to leaue the kingdom and goe to Rome but he receiued diuers times a bitter deniall The king allwaies affirming that he would hould him as an enemie to his crowne
his pleading that with sharpe threatning words he affirmed that the king would rather hazard the losse of his whole kingdom then be depriued of this right Nether would I answered the pope graunt him this power allthough it were to saue my owne life And with this resolution he dismissed the Embassadours who returned towards England But by the way the fornamed William declared by the kings commaund vnto S. ANSELME that he must cease from entring more into England vnlesse he were resolued to obey the Kings will Soe that sainct ANSELME diuerted to his ould lodging at Lions where he remayned the space of a yeare and fower moneths XVI IN the meane time king Henry seazed on all the goods and lands belonging to the Archbishoprick and challenged them for his owne vse When the Pope seeing noe hope of reconciling the King to S. ANSELME purposed by excommunication to cutt him off from the communion of the Church Which resolution of his being made knowne to the king touched him to the quick and made him begin more exactly to take saint ANSELME cause into his consideration And at length he called him to him out off France into Normandie where they came to a parely at the Abbey of Bec In which the King patiently taking the holy Archbishops reprehension for manie abuses promised a future amendment and neuer more to disturbe the peace or exact anie fruits belonging to the Church or Churchmen and herevppon he receaued S. ANSELME into his fauour and sent him in peace to his Archbishoprick to the great contentment and enioy of the whole Kingdome Here now we may see of what power the constancie of a good Prelats is when purely and sincerely for the only loue and seruice of God they defend the authoritie of the Church without anie pretence of temporall respects by flattering kings in their iniustice and suffering them selues to be carried away with the wind of wordly fauour We may see allsoe the great grace which God shewed to kings that respect his Church Church-men for as soone as King Henry had submitted him self our Lord gaue him a noble victorie against his Brother Robert by meanes whereof he gott the Seigniorie of the Dukedom of Normandy Of which victory he presently made sainct ANSELME acquainted by letters ending thus Werefore Venerable father Wâ—ll Malm. l. 1. de PoÌ„t sayd he humbly and deuoutly prostrate at the feete of thy sainctitie J beseech thee to pray vnto the supreme iudge by whose will and arbitremeÌ„t J haue gayned this glorious and profitable triumph that it be not to my domage and detriment but for a beginning of good works and the seruice of God to settle and confirme the state of Gods-holy Church in peace and tranquillitie that from hence forth it may liue free and not be shaken with the tempest of warres XVII AFTER the kings returne out of Norman-die a famous Synod A sinod held at London was held at London in which in presence of S. ANSELME and all the bishops Abbots of England he resigned all the power which hitherunto he had vsurped in creating ordayning bishops to the Pope and Clergie S. ANSELME therefore being installed againe in his Church in great peace and quietnes performed the part of a most holy and vigilant pastour the space of about three yeares S. Anselme falleth sick when loaden with old age labours and merits he fell into a great sicknes and specially in his stomake which made him abhorre all sustenance till by little and litle the forces of his bodie being exhausted he fainted And when the infirmitie of his bodie was such that it would not suffer him to goe to the Church notwithstanding he was carried thither euery day in a chayre to be present at the sacred misteries of the masse whereunto he bore a singular great deuotion pierie and reuerence At length seeing him self to draw neere his end he receiued the holy sacraments of the Church and gaue his benediction no the assistance humbly recommending the king queene and all the whole Kingdom to Gods holy protection and lying on a hayre-cloath strewed with ashes according to the pious custom of those times he rend râ—d vp his blessed soule to the euerlasting possession of all blessednes on wensday morning His happie death before Easter the one and twentith day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord 1109. the sixteenth since he was made bishop and the threescore and sixt of his age He was buried in great solemnitie and lamented by his Church and the whole Kingdom of England which lost a Master a Father and a Pastour soe holy soe wise soe couragious and soe venerable XVIII Our Lord ennobled this glorious Sainct with manie miracles His wonderfull miracles both during his life and after his death 1. As he was one night at his prayers he was seene to be encompassed round about with the brightnes of a heauenly splendour 2. One that dranke only of the water in which he had washed his hands was cured of a most pittifull leaprosie that raygned all ouer his bodie 3. By the signe of the crosse he quenched a mightie fier that was readie to deuoure the chamber where he â—ay 4. One of his religious most cruelly possessed with the deuill was cured only by the well-wishes of S. ANSELME 5. Manie diseased persons were cured by his prayers or eating only the reliques of his dinner 6. The shipp which carried S. ANSELME allbeit a boord brake out of it yet the water was miraculously hindered from entring 7. At his death the balsome which anoynted his bodie like vnto the flower of Holy was miraculously encreased 8. And the stone in which his bodie was to be buried being not of sufficient capacitie to receaue it was suddainly enlarged without humane helpe to the great admiration of the beholders Manie other miracles we omitt But the greatest miracle that euer God wrought by saint ANSELME was saint ANSELME himself and his life more diuine then humane He writt manie admirable workes with which he enriched the Catholick Church and with the singular reach of his vnderstanding and doctrine and a peculiar guift from heauen he gathered togeather His admirable writings the subtilitie and excellence of manie Theologicall questions seasoned with the sweetnes of pietie and deuotion Of whom a graue authour Trithemius in his worke of the famous men of S BENEDICTS order sayth That he was a man well acquinted in holy scripture and the learnedeâ—st of his time in humane doctrine most holy in iâ— life and con 〈…〉 tion most deuout in his soule eloquent in his discourse and full of effiâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 his workes He was of an angelicall countenance of a graue gate of an exemplar life continuall in the studie of holy scriptures and one in whom lay hid a goulden mine of vertues and goodnes He was mirrour of Prelates the glorie of his countrey a pillar of Gods Church and a bright ornament of the Benedictine
is made bishop of Lindisfarne of the Benedictine familie Great S. CVTHBERT in the gouernment of the same Episcopall sea In which dignitie he most worthyly discharged the office of a good prelate exactly obseruing withall the rigour and seueritie of monasticall discipline He was wont to spend the whole time of lent and fortie daies before the natiuitie of our Lord in a secret place seperated from his Church where he exercised him self in the continuall practise of prayer contemplation and bitter penance with all other religious vertues And this was the same place in which his excellent predecessour S. CVTHBERT had for a time led a solitarie life before he went to the Island of Farne The eleuenth yeare after the deposition of the neuer-enough named S. CVTHBERT when the monks of Lindissarne opening His death and buriall his graue had found his bodie vncorrupted as is sayd in his life the twentith of March they brought part of his cloathes to saint EADBERT then liuing in his solitarie place of deuotion which he both receaued verie gratefully and reuerenced with wonderfull affection And sayd he let that sacred bodie be wrapped in new cloathes in steed of those you haue taken off and place it honourably in the shrine which you haue prepared for most certainly I know that the graue which his holy relicks haue consecrated with such admirable miracles will not long be emptie of an inhabitant And how happie is that man to whom our Lord the Authour and bestower of all happines shall voutchase to make worthie to rest therein These and such like words the holy bishop vttered with a trembling tongue whilst the teares that trickled downe his cheekes witnessed the feeling compunction of his heart The monks presently performed his commaund and placed the sacred bodie of S. CVTHBERT in a chest ouer the sepulcher wherein he had been buried In the meane time the beloued seruant of God S. EADBERT desiring of allmightie God that for better satisfaction of his former life he might passe out of this world through His death and buriall the parching furnace of a long-during sicknes fell into a most greeuous disease which encreased dayly more and more for the space of more then a moneth when the vehemencie was soe great that it forced his blessed soule to leaue her mortall lodging to make a happie flight to the immortall habitation of happines the sixt day of May. And out of the prerogatiue of his great Sainctitie he was iudged worthie to be buried in the graue which his predecessor S. CVTHBERT had consecrated eleuen yeares with his incorrupted bodie and soe aliue he became S. CVTHBERTS successour in the episcopall Sea and in his sepulcher being dead Where Venerable BEDE affirmeth that he shined with same of working manie miracles But whether they were wrought by his meritts or saint CVTHBERTS whose bodie was placed in a chest ouer the same graue it can be iudged by none but him who searcheth the hearts and reines of all men whose name be for euer blessed He died in the yeare of our Psal 9. Lord 698. Besides S. BEDE whom we haue followed William Malmesbury Molanus Nicholas Harpsfield and the Roman martirologe 〈◊〉 honourable mention of S. EADBERT The life of S. IOHN of Beuerley Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR 7. Out of Venerable Bede hist. de gest Ang. lib. 5. c. 2. 〈◊〉 SAINCT IOHN surnamed of Beuerley borne of noble English parents in the north parts of great Britaine was sent in his youth to Canturbury to be instructed by the two Oracles of Learning and vertue S. THEODORE the Archbishop and S. ADRIAN Abbott of the Benedictine Abbey of S. PETER in the same cittie In this holy schoole of vertue and learning IOHN not only profitted in the knowledge of holy scripture and good manners but allsoe was kindled with a desire to embrace the same monasticall rule of S. BENEDICT which his masters professed And to this end hauing soundly perfected his vnderstanding with learning he departed to His Inclination to a religious life the Benedictine Abbey of Streanshall where putting on the habitt and profession of a Monk he both exercised him self in the perfection of monasticall discipline and greatly promoted the obseruance of S. BENEDICTS rule which great S. WILFRID had introduced into the same monasterie Moreouer the worth of his learning is worthly witnessed by the excellencie of his schollers amongst whom were S. BRITHVNE afterwards Abbot of Beuerley S. WILFRID the Lesser that succeeded him in the Archbishoprick of Yorke both Benedictine monkes and aboue all the glorie and ornament of his Countrey and the Benedictine order Venerable BEDE all which with others saint IOHN not only instructed in diuine and humane knowledge and incited to pietie with his godly admonitions but allso inflamed them much more with the example of his owne life and vertue to vndertake the high iourney of religious perfection He bore a singular affection to S. BEDE whom when he was bishop he aduanced to the dignitie of deaconship and priestood Alfred King of the Northumbers moued with the fame He is made Bishop of Hagustald of this holy mans Sainctitie made him successour to Eata in the Episcopall sea of Hagustald otherwise called Hexham But after the death of Bosa he was translated to the Archiepiscopall chayre of Yorke In which sacred function he performed his dutie with gâ—eâ— praise and admiration of all When all the minds and eyes of England were fixed wholly vppon him both for his excellent vertue and equallie rare learning as allsoe for his wonderfull and miraculous deeds which worthily witnessed the pietie of his life and conuersation II. BVT during the time of his regencie in the Church of Hagustald or Hexham at a place somwhat more then a mile distant from His retired life in Lent thence in a chappell dedicated to S. MICHAEL he went often times and specially in time of Lent to leade a solitarie and contemplatiue life seperated froÌ„ the affayres of the world attending only to things diuine and heauenly Beginning this holy exercise on a time he conmaunded his companions as his custom was to seeke him out some poore creature more miserable then ordinarie whoÌ„ he might maintaine there with the charitie of his dayly almes They brought him a poore boy dum-borne with a cappe of scabbes and scurffe on the topp of his head insteed of hayre about which grew a thinne hedge of frighted hayres the sight whereof begott an horrour in the behoulders The holy bishop much reioyced that he had found soe fitt a subiect vpon whoÌ„ to exercise his accustomed office of charitie caused presently a little lodging to be built within the precinct of his owne habitation where that wretched pouertie was dayly refreshed with the stipend of his pietie But the first weeke of Lent See the vertue of the signe of the Crosse being past he commaunded them to bring the poore man
the worthie examples of them both soe to rule the flock of CHRIST committed to their charge that they may attaine to the euerlasting happines which these enioy in heauen Amen The life of Sainct DVNSTAN is written by Osberne a monke of Canturbury who florished in the yeare 1020. Surius recites it in his 5. tome Out of which and NICOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 10. cap. 3. 6. 7. we haue chiefly gathered this whole historie of his life The Roman martirologe maks mention of him And not loÌ„g after his death Canutus King of England in a famous sinod at winchester ordayned amongst other things that the memorie of Sainst DVNSTAN should be yearly celebrated in the English Church as it is in the Sarum Berniarie But in an auncient manuscript Breâ—iary of Sainct BENEDICTS Order J find the seast of his holy deposition celebrated the 19. of May with an office of twelue tessons Baronius tom 10. Trithemius in his worke of the illustrious men of Sainct BENEDICTS Order lib. 3. cap. 221. lib. 4. cap. 100. william Malmesbury de gest reg Ang. l. 2. and more amply de gest Pont. lib. 1. and ali our English writers doe worthyly speake his prayses And glorious mention is made of him in the lines of S. Edward king and martir march the 18. of Sainct ELPHFGVS Archbishop and martir Aprill the 19. and elsewhere The life of S. ETHELBERT King and Martir MAY. 20 Written by IoaÌ„nes Anglicus ETHELBERT sonne to Etheldred king of the East-Angles from his verie infancie gaue worthy signes of great towardlines and vertue which in riper yeares he brought to an higher degree of The exercises of his yout h. Christian perfection Coming to yeares of discretion he was sett to schoole wherein he not only profitted much in learning but allsoe auoyding all the fond allurements and vaine pleasures of the world contrarie to the custom of children nobly borne he spent his greatest endeauours in dayly prayers giuing of almes and other vertuous workes of Christian pietie excelling all his equalls in yeares as farre in vertue and learning as in the royaltie of his bloud for when they were sweating in the dustie exercises of their youthfull games ETHELBERT was deuoutly weeping in the Church He is made King of the â—â—st-Angleâ— at his prayers At length death hauing robbed his father of the cares of this world ETHELBERT succeeded in the gouernement of the Kingdome when it was rare to behould with what prudent counsell mercifull iustice meeke iudgement and all other vertues beloÌ„ging to a good Prince he ruled his subiects liuelily expressing both in word worke and example that by how much the more a man is exalted to the height of dignitie by â—oe much he ought to beare a mind more submissiue and courteous vnto all whereby he wonne a wonderfull and singular grace in the hearts of his nobles and people To his mother the Queene he allwaies dutifull loue and respect as vnto his gouernesse and whatsoeuer was pleasing to her desire stood euer with his good liking II. IN THE meane time allbeit of him self he were wholly bent His Nobles perswade â—im to Martie to embrace perpetuall chastitie soe naturall a propension he had to the loue of all vertue yet being earnestly perswaded by the vrgent prayers of his Nobilitie lest otherwise being destitute of an heyre his Kingdom might fall into some danger he yeelded to their desires and gaue his mind to mariage Then the name and fame of one Seledrid only daughter to a Prince rich and potent in the south part of England to whom after her fathers death that Kingdom fell for a dowrie being in the mouthes of all men her our noble ETHELBERT was perswaded to take to wife thereby to ioyne the possession of that principalitie vnto his owne Kingdom But he refused to listen to this counsell affirming that Egeon her father allbeit he were not vnnoble yet he was reported to haue been allwaies much inclined to guile deceipt part whereof sayd he he hath in former time practised against my father At length after a long deliberation he made choise of Alfred daughter to Offa King of the Mercians and the more strictly to oblige her and her father vnto him this vertuous Prince went him self with a He taketh his iourney into Mercia small garde of his owne countrey into Mercia or Midle-England to fetch her in pompe from her fathers court But at his very entrance into this iourney he was terrified with manie strange prodigies and accidents as soe manie fatall signes of his death to which he hastened Ascending on horseback the earth was shaken vnder him and all the cleernes of the day was suddenly darkened with a thick clowd in which appeared a pillar of light breaking out by times that only gaue him light to see his way at length that being buriâ—d in those sad â—lowdes the sunne it self seemed to haue forgotten his office of lighting the world becoming dreadfully darke and black to the sight of him and his companie Where manie being much amazed deuined strangely what those signes might portend only the holy King ETHELBERT in whose heart was engraffed soe pious a candour of nature that he constered all sinister suspicions of deceit in the best sence and constantly perseuered in his proposed A free coÌ„science is voyd of feare iourney with a merrie heart and speech comforting and encouraging his companie to let a firme confidence in the mercie and goodnes of allmightie God banish out of their hearts all vaine feare of worldly dangers And falling downe on his knees amongst them all he made his prayer to our Lord and presently the sunne dispersed those darke cloudes and gaue them perfect light againe III. THEREFORE he arriued safely into Mercia and to the court of King Offa at a place in Hâ—refordshire called Sutton-Wallis where he was at first most courteously and royally entertayned by Offa. But the night following holy ETHELBERT was much terrified and troubled in his sleepe with manie strange dreames and visions presaging his ensuing death as allsoe the immortall glory which should follow This King Offa had a wife called Quendred who hearing her daughter Alfrid highly extolling the See the enuy of wicked woemaÌ„ nobles dotes vertues and riches of Ethelbert and his Kingdome and preferring them before her owne fathers was presently wounded to the heart with the sharpe thornes of a iealous enuie with which she laboured soe cruelly that she could not be deliuered but by the death of King ETHELBERT and the possession of his kingdom Therefore going presently to King Offa her husband she dealt earnestly with him to further her damnable proiect in murdering that innocent Prince For behould sayd she how God hath deliuered your enemie into your hands that by his death his kingdom may passe vnto the right and title of you and your successors In summe whether Offa consented to her deuilish purpose as some Authours say he did or whether he were
the farthest parts of England and to Carlile where he retired him self into a certaine He leadeth a most strict solitary life vast and horrid wildernes to spend his time in the deuotion of a solitarie life Hauing liued a while in that fearefull place he happened at length to find the caue of an other verie old Hermite liuing there into whose societie according to his earnest desire he was admitted This good old souldier of CHRIST was a lay-man ignorant allmost of all booke-learning but hauing been conuersant before among the Benedictine Monkes of Durrham he was soe much the fitter more exactly to direct our GODRICK in the discipline of a monasticall life Then it was a rare spectacle to behould the most sweet and alltogeather heauenly manner of life of these two holy men night and day singing the diuine praises of allmightie God between whom was no other contention then whether more officiously should serue and obey his fellow After the space of allmost two yeares a deadly sicknes seased on the weake bodie of the old man during which it is allmost incredible to be spoken with how great loue and dutie GODRICK serued Godwin that was the holy mans name For the space of fifteen daies and as manie nights he tooke noe rest at all And when the force of human nature and infirmitie compelled him to sleepe he coniured the soule of that dying man by the dreadfull name of allmightie God not to depart out of his bodie whilst he was asleepe He had his desire for the strength of that aged bodie being dissolued he saw his soule He seeâ—h the soule of his companion dying more white then anie snow depart like vnto a burning hot breath of wind or like vnto a globe or sphere of most bright-shining cristall The bodie was buried in the Monasterie of Durrham And our holy GODRICKE hauing lost the comfort of his beloued companion pondering exactly with him self after what manner to spend the remaynder of his life in that desert and earnestly imploring the helpe of his singular Patrone saint CVTHBERT suddenly the same saint CVTHBERT appeared visibly vnto him and commaunded S. Cuthbert appeareth vnto him him to goe againe to Hierusalem to be made partaker of CHRISTS Crosse and after his returne to inhabite the desert of Finckley not farre distant from Durrham Whose admonitions without anie delay he obeyed and performed a iourney soe laborious and painfull that truly euen out of this soe great labour and ardour of the way he may iustly be thought to haue participated of the Crosse and Passion of IESVS-CHRIST For he vsed no other meate by the way but barly bread that now was well dried and hardened with age His second iourney to Hierusalem his drinke was only pure water and his cloathes and shoes he neuer ether putt off or changed Soe that the soles of his shoes being worne and he neglecting to mend them certaine lumpes of durt and grauell growne togeather stuck to the soles of his feete which gaue him a feeling of most grieuous paines Nether did he desist therefore from his iourney nor shorten his dayly accustomed length thereof His admirable deâ—otion there IV. BEING come at length to Hierusalem the long desired end of his painfull voyage it is wonderfull to be spoken how great pleasantnes and agilitie of mind and bodie he found and felt in him self with how great ardour pietie and deuotion he watched and prayed in those holy places with what streames of teares he watered the sacred sepulcher and the other sorowfull monuments and trophies of our Lords bitter passion and our redemption Then togeather with others he entred into the riuer Jordan which was the first time that he putt off his garments since he beganne this teadious iourney He returned barefoote home hauing there made a religious and solemne vow neuer more to weare shoes while he liued After his returne into England he went to an Ermitage in the North at a place in times past Streanshall but now more vsually called Whiteby famous for the Benedictine Monasterie of saint Hilda where when he had remayned a yeare and some moneths he departed to Durrham And there he not only frequented the Churches for his deuotion His desire to learne psalmes but allsoe the Childrens schooles and diligently listened to heare them recite their lessons to their Masters whereby he learned manie psalmes himnes and prayers For he was bent with a deuout earnestnes to learne the Psalmes by heart and the booke of them he allwaies caried about with him hanging by a string to his litle finger whereby it came to passe that that finger was allwaies bended crooked all his life after But now he was totally carried towards his desired solitude and at Durham he earnestly implored S. CVTHBERT the chiefe captaine and Fore-man of his vndertakings that by the helpe of his intercession and prayers he might fight valiantly and fruit fully for the health of his soule in the ermitage of Finckley allotted for his habitation In which once entred he remayned afterwards for the space of threescore and three yeares He liueth threescore and three yeares an Ermite and neuer went out but thrice in all that time which was to Durrham three miles distant The first time that he went was on a Christmas night to be present at the diuine office and sacrifices of the Monkes When there fell an incredible abundance of snow which being seconded with a most sharpe and bitter frost soe grieuously wounded the bare feet of the holy man that euerie steppe he made left behind it a bleeding witnes of his suffrance At an Easter againe he came once to Durham to receaue the dreadfull and venerable Sacrament of the aultar And the last time he came being sent for by Ranulphus the Bishop V. Now if one would as the greatnes of the matter requires exactly sett downe and describe all the manner of life of this thrice happie Sainct whilst he liued in this desert he might fill whole volumes of wonders Vs it shall â—uffiâ—e to giue the readers some litle tast thereof and to gather as it were a short table of his famous deedes In summe this I will say that in him there appeared in England a second CVTHBERT a new HILLARION and an other ANTHONIE Will you know what clothing this worthie champion vÌ„fed Truely His rude clothing to outward shew he wore such that allbeit they were corresponto his manner of life yet were they not tokens of soe great austeritie But vnder these next vnto the bare skinne o vnspeakable rigour eyther a most rude shirt of hayre-cloth of which kind he wore out manie in that desert or an iron coate of maile of which he allsoe consumed three in the space of fiftie yeares or both these rough garments togeather night and day braced his inuincible bodie Will you know with what daintie meates he liued Verily for a time with noe other then what the wild
and writings renowned monuments which he left behind him doe abundantly witnes Manie whereof the enuious iniurie of the times haue robbed vs off For for these fiue hundred yeares past that booke of his soe much celebrated by Venerable BEBE of the right and true manner of obseruing Easter which he writt against the Britans hath not appeared Which worke of saint ALDELME was of great profitt to manie of them to roote out of their stubborne minds that inueterate errour Sainct BEDE hath allsoe in estimation his booke of virginitie in which he writeth much in the prayse of that heauenly vertue and proues by the examples of the Saincts that embraced it that it is nether hard nor difficill to obserue In fine saint BEDE S Bedes prayse of S. Aldelme adornes him with this testimoniall of his prayse man most learned in all things neate in his speech and wonderfull in the knowledge of Scriptures both liberall and Ecclesiasticall And surely S. ALDELME was the first of our contreymen that writt verses in Latine as he him self doth testifie in these two Primus ego in patriam mecum modò vit a super fit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas First to my Countrey from the Romanhill I le bring yf life me last the Muses quill Allsoe in compounding pronouncing and singing verses and Aldesmes skill in poesie and singing songs in his mother-tongue he was admirably excellent And in King Elfreds time as the same King doeth witnes manie of saint ALDELMES ditties were yet sung in England One thing related of this purpose by King Elfred is most worthie of memorie The poeple of those times being yet but rude rusticks and verie negligent in the diuine seruice seemed to come to Church but for fashion sake as manie now adaies doe where they made noe long stay but as soone as the misterie of masse was done they flocked homewards without anie more adoe Our prudent ALDELME perceauing this small deuotion in the poeple placed him self on a bridge ouer which they were to passe from Church to their Villages where when the hastie multitude of poeple came whose minds were A pioâ—s art allreadie in their beef-pott at home he begane to putt forth his voyce with all the musicall art he could and charmed their eares with his songs For which when he grew to be gratefull and plausible to that rude poeple and perceaued that his songs flowed into their eares and minds to the greate pleasure contentment of both he beganne by little and litle to mingle his ditties with more serious and holy matters taken out of the holy Scripture and by that meanes brought them in time to a feeling of deuotion and to spend the sundaies and holy daies with farre greater proâ—â—â—â— to their owne soules Now let vs goe on with the course of his life III. THEREFORE when he had taken the habit and profession of a His exercises in the Monasterie monke he bent all the forces and powers both of soule and bodie worthyly to performe in deed what he promised by word Wherefore he neuer moued a foote out of the Monasterie vnlesse some vrgent necessitie did compelle him he spent all his time in reading and prayer that as he him self doth testifie elsewhere in an Epistle by reading he might heare the voyce of allmightie God speaking and by prayer he might speake vnto him him self His diet was poore and verie sparing thereby to force the bodie to the subiection of the soule to which purpose he vsed an other wonderfull austeritie For in a fountaine neere adioyning which afterwards He reciteth the Psalter in the waters bore his name he was wont by night according to the example of the auucient Saincts to plunge him self vp to the neck wheÌ„ce he would not stirre vntill he had recited ouer the whole Psalter of Dauid for his nightly taske of prayers By which and other such exercises he soe tamed the sensualitie of the flesh that if he happened at anie time to feele the tickling motions and stings thereof he would not therefore like a coward-souldier presently An example to be admired not imitated auoyd and flie from the presence of an obiect mouing therevnto vntill after manie prayers and psalmes most deuoutly offered to Allmightie God he found all that vncleane motion of bodie to be vtterly extinguished and beaten downe A rare allthough to others a dangerous manner of ouercoming and questionlesse much enuied of the deuills But yf anie one chaunce to contend against the truth of this historie in soe Christian a philosopher I remitt him Diogeâ— Laert. l. 4. de vit philosoph to those profane writers who dare affirme of their Zenocrates that hauing slept a whole night with the fayre Phrine he was enkindled with noe manner of lustfull heate and proclaymed publickly the day following that he had laine with a statue and not with a woman IV. WHILST this holy man shined thus in learning and vertue like a bright sunne amongst the monks of Malmesbury by the common consent of them all he was chosen Abbot of the same monasterie He is made Abbot of Malmesbury Which dignitie was not soe much an ornament to him as he was an honour to it For by his holy industrie soe great an encrease of vertue and learning to his brethren and of buildings lands and reuenewes was added to the monasterie that he may deseruedly be esteemed as the father and builder of them But the greatest donation of lands came chiefly from Elentherius Bishop of the West-Saxons from Kenfrith Duke of the Mercians and from the three good Kings Ethelred Cedwall and Inas who all held saint ALDELME in great esteeme and veneration by reason of his wonderfull vertue as manifestly appeares by their charters and writings made to that Monasterie for his sake which I haue read He built allsoe the Monasteries of Frome and Bradford which eyther by the crueltie of the Danes or other such barbarous poeple or else by the iniuries of eating age haue been destroyed manie yeares agoe S. ALDELME whilst he was Abbot writt that booke which we haue spoken off against the Britans errour in the celebration of Easter He reduduceth the Britans to the true Easter For the matter being eagerly handled in manie Sinods of the West-Saxons to conclude by what meanes it was best to bring those erroneous poeple to the practise of the Catholick Church some were of opinion that they should be compelled by force of armes but the contrarie and gentler opinon obtayned that not with the sword but by reason and disputation they ought to he dealt with Nether was the victorie iudged to be of great difficultie if ALDELME did but take the matter in hand He vndertooke it and worthily and fruitfully performed it as we haue sayd before Soe that the Britans next after God are much obliged vnto saint ALDELME in this behalf Whose great pietie towards them is allsoe honourably to be obserued
chest in which her body had been first buried healed manie of sore eyes by only laying their heads close vnto it and in their prayers calling on the helpe of allmightie God and the intercession of his glorious Virgin S. ETHELDRED Allso out of the place where she was first buried sprung forth a fountaine of cleere water which was proued to be most soueraigne for manie diseases euen vntill the time of our Authour who had seene the experieÌ„ce thereof himself Diuers other miracles are faithfully related by this Authour Thomas of Ely to haue been wrought in the same Monastery by the meritts In the manus cript history of Ely of this glorious Virgin There the blind recouered their sight the dumbe their speech the lame the vse of their legges the dease their hearing and allmost all kind of diseased persons were restored to perfect health as may be seene at large in the history of Ely XV BVT as this holy Virgin was piously gratious to all that deuoutly The diuine punishmeÌ„nt against one that wronged her Tombe implored her assistance in their necessities so was she manie times no lesse terrible in punishing those that maliciously endeauoured to wrong her Tombe Church or anie thing belonging thereunto For proofe whereof it shall suffice to relate one example only In that outrageous spoile which the barbarous Danes mad throughout the kingdom of England during the troublesom raignee of the two kings Etheldred and Elfred when all Churches Monastes ries and religious houses togeather with their inhabitants were committed to fier and sword the Monasterie of Ely was allso made a prey to their vntamed crueltie When one of those Pagans more prone to wickednes then the rest attempted to breake open the holie shrine of saint ETHELDRED hoping to find it furnished with store of golden treasure which his couetous mind greatly thirsted after And hauing with much labour made a hole through the marble chest which remayned in the same vntill our Authours time the diuine punishment was soe suddaine against him that his vnworthines was not suffered to behould the treasure contayned therein For at the very same instant his eyes fell out of his head and he him self falling downe to the earth vomitted out his miserable soule to carrie newes to the next world how seuerely God punisheth those that wrong the reliques of his Saincts And his wretched end taught his fellowes not to presume to touch that sacred tombe allbeit they committed the Church and Monasterie to the vnsatiable flames of fier But after a long desolation in the time of the peaceable raigne Kind Edgar repayreth the Church of Ely of the most noble King Edgar the same Monasterie was magnificently restored to its former and a farre greater glorie by the royall munificence of the same King and the secular Clerkes that had crept into it in the meane time were for their incontinencie and bad life cast out by the meanes of that worthly Pillar of the English Church and the Benedictine familie sainct ETHELWOLD and by the speciall commaund of King Edgar the Benedictine Monkes placed in their steed one Brithnode made Abbot vnto whoÌ„ in successe of time nine other Abbotts succeeded in order After whom in the yeare of our Lord 1108. during the raigne of King Henry the first the Abbey it self was turned to an Episcopall sea and the Conuent of Monkes gouerned by a Priour who had the title of a Cathedrall Priour vnto whom and his Chapter of Monkes belonged the election of the Bishop XVI BVT our glorious sainct ETHELDRED was allwaies held and Etheldred the Patronesse of Ely reuerenced for the speciall and principall Patronesse of this place and such she shewed her self to be both by the continuall working of manie miracles and cures at her tombe as allsoe by diuers apparitions after her death for the peculiar good thereof One whereof we cannot omitt In the sixteenth yeare of the raigne of King Henry the first there liued in the Prouince of Ely a maÌ„ called Bricstan who being from his very infancie intangled with the crosses and aduersities of the world gaue himself amongst other vices to deale in the damnable trade of vsurie by which only he was maintayned in the world Till hauing drawne his line of life to a great length in such wickednes he fell into a sicknes soe vehement that it made him apprehend death to be nigh When the extremitie of his disease forced him to enter into consideration of the miserable state he had liued in and being inspired with a heauenly glimpse of diuine grace he made a faythfull promise to deliuer him self to the seruice of allmightie God vnder the habitt of a Benedictine Monke in the Monasterie of sainct ETHELDRED at Ely And without anie further delay hauing gathered all his goods togeather he went to the Monasterie BricstaÌ„ resolueth to be a MoÌ„ke and made liuerie and season of them him self vnto the Monkes humbly crauing mercie for his former life But the coÌ„mon enemie of mankind by whose enuie AdaÌ„ fell out of Paradise stirred vp an instrument of his and a seruant of the Kings called Robert Malartes who in behalfe of the King hindered poore Brickstans taking the habitt He is maliciously hindered of Religion and hauing layd theft and other great offences to his charge affirmed that not to saue his soule but to cloake the hay nousnes of his wicked life he sought now to enter into religion In fine Brickstan hauing noe other weapon but his owne innocencie stood stiffely vppon his deniall as indeed he had reason being guiltlesse of the crimes he was accused off But the authoritie of his aduersarie soe preuayled against the iustice of his cause that he was clapt vnder guard and led fettered and bound to London where he became an vâ—willing guest to the Iaylour in a darke and loathsom prison and loaden with bolts and iron chaines in great miserie he a long time fed vppon the two common dishes of the poore prisoners ordinarie cold and Hunger XVII IN the meane time allbeit he found in him self no former meritts whereby he might deserue much before the face of allmightie In prison he calleth vppon S. Benedict and S. Etheldred God yet he ceased not to call to his diuine goodnes for helpe with a sorrowfull heart and voyce desiring the intercession of the glorious Patriarch of Monkes sainct BENEDICT to whose order he had vowed him self and of S. ETHELDRED in whose Monasterie he purposed to haue embraced the same order And this was his dayly and nightly exercise whilst he liued in this wretched state of imprisonment which dured fiue moneths What more One night when the bells in the cittie rung to the mid-nights office of Mattins our Prisoner hauing fasted three daies before lay as he thought at such a poynt of extremitie that he expected nothing but death to be the period of his miserie yet still calling eyther in mouth or heart on
the names of those glorious saincts the diuine goodnes shewed him a heauenly token and signe of his mercie For S. BENEDICT and sainct ETHELDRED with her sister sainct SEXBVRG appeared visibly vnto him in the prison with such a glorious lustre to He hath an apparition that darke place and such a lightning of comfort to his weake soule darkened with sorrow that betwixt ioy and amazement he was allmost traÌ„sported beyond him self not knowing what to say or what to thinke Till those heauenly cittizens hauing made them selues knowne vnto him demaunded yf he would be deliuered out of that captiuitie At which words awaking as it were out of a deepe sleepe he answered that he would most willingly enioy libertie yf he thought he could anie longer liue but because the forces of his bodie were quite spent he had now no further hope to escape Then S. BENEDICT drawing neere vnto him very gently pulled off his He is releaâ—ed by S. Benedict shackles and threw them with such vehemencie against a beame in the same roome that they broke in peeces and the noyse awaked the keepers who fearing lest their prisoÌ„ners might haue made some escape came hastily with lights into the same roome where to theyr great astonishment they vnderstood first by an other of the prisoners and next of Brickstan him self what strainge guests had been there and how he had been miraculously loosed out of his fetters by the heauenly visitation of S. BENEDICT and S. ETHELDRED Therefore the next morning they made relation hereof to the vertuous Queene Mawde who happened to be in London at the same time and she presently sent one Raphe a chaplaine of the Court to be more certainly informed of the truth of this accident He hauing found how Brickstan was released out of his fetters and seeing the irons soe straingely burst in peeces brought him to the Queenes Great ioy for his releasement presence at court Then the noyse of this miraculous accident being blowne all ouer the cittie of London made the cittizens with their mouthes full of the prayses of allmightie God come flocking to the Court. And the Queene being replenished with an extreme ioy at the noueltie of the miracle caused all the bells in the towne to make the ayre resouÌ„d with peales of ioy for the straingenes thereof all Conuents of Ecclesiasticall persons to sing forth prayses of thanksgiuing vnto the allmightie worker of wonders for soe great a remonstrance of his goodnes And Brickstan him self going in pilgrimage to visitt manie Churches throughout the cittie to giue thankes for this heauenly fauour was followed with whole troupes of poeple that desired to looke vppon him as vppon a wonder and at the Benedictine Abbey of Westminster he was receaued by Gilebert the Abbot and the whole Conuent of Monkes that came in procession to meete him In fine by commaund of the Queene he was honourably conueyed out of all his troubles to the beloued hauen of his desires the Monasterie of Ely carying with him as the trophies of his victorie ouer the world the chaines and fetters which had bound him in prison and out of which he was soe miraculously released At Ely he was very honourable receaued where he brought Briestan becometh a Monke at Ely his former purpose to perfection and putt on the habitt and profession of a Benedictine moke And his fetters were hung vp in the same Church before the high aultar for a perpetuall spectacle and monument of the miracle This happened in the time of Herueus first bishop of the same place XVIII THOMAS WalsinghaÌ„ in his historie of England in Richard the secoÌ„d in the yeare 1389. relateth how during the same kings raygne the holy Virgin ETHELDRED appeared at two seuerall times to distinct persons and foretould strainge accidents and punishments that should happen vnto the Countrey yf they were not auerted by the prayers and sacrifices of good men Other particularities thereof we omitt fearing to be ouer teadious hauing shewed sufficiently how great a care this glorious Sainct had of her countrey Let vs make intercession vnto her that by her meritte and prayers she would obtaine vs grace of allmightie God to be freed from the yoake oppression of Heresie which in these our daies beareth soe great a head ouer onr miserable couÌ„trey Her life we haue gathered out of the Chronicles of Ely which we haue in an auncient manuscript written by Thomas of Ely a Monke of the same place aâ— allso out of Venerable Bede de gestis Ang. lib. 4. cap. 19. Nicholas Harpsfield sec 7. cap. 24. and Ionnes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue in his legend of English Saincts Mention is made of her in the Roman Martirologe and in that of Bede Ado Vsuard and Wion Allso William Malmesbury lib. 2. de gest reg cap. 13. Mathew Westminster anno 679. Polidore Virgill lib. 4. Wigorniensis annis 672. 673. and 679. Trithemius in his third booke of the famous men of sainct Benedicts Order chap. 122. and manie other writers doe worthyly sound forth her prayses and in auncient times her feast was celebrated in England with great solemnitie The life of sainct BARTHOLOMEW Priest and Monke of the holy Order of sainct BENEDICT IVNE 24 Written by Ioannes Anglicus SAINCT BARTHOLOMEW borne in Yorkeshire in the Prouince of Whiteby in times past called Streanshall was by his parents first named Tostius but when he left the world and entered into a monasticall life he left allso that name and was called BARTHOLOMEW In his verie infancie he gaue manie rare signes of future sainctitie and receaued from heauen manie speciall fauours to confirme the His diuine visions same being diuers times visited by our Lord IESVS-CHRIST him self in person and by his glorious Mother the Blessed Virgin MARY and the holy Apostles S. PETER and sainct IOHN In his youth he trauelled into manie forreigne countreys and in Norway he was adorned with the sacred dignitie of Priestood But returning into England he receaued the habitt of a Monke in the Benedictine monasterie Note a miracle of Durham where entring into the Church and making reuerence to the Crucifix the sacred Image of Christ hanging on the Crosse seemed with an humble bowing of the head to resalute him againe In this monasterie he led a verie regular and strict life profitting dayly more and more in humilitie obedience and all other vertues belonging to a Monasticall life Till at length aspiring to a more solitarie manner of liuing segregated from all humane companie the great Patrone of that Order and monasterie S. CVTHBERT appeared to him in a vision and inuited him to liue in the Iland of Farne which was the place that he him self in his life time had honoured with his holy conuersation BARTHOLOMEW being glad of soe heauenly an offer soe suting with his desires promised to spend the remnant of his life in that Iland to that end with much difficultie and importunitie he