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
Notwithstanding sayd he because you are hither come out of a farre countrey and with a desire as it seemes to me to communicate those things vnto vs which you your selues iudge to be in truth and worth the best we will not be troblesome or offensiue vnto you but rather entertayne you with courteous hospitalitie and see you prouided with all necessarie sustenance not forbidding yee in the meane time by preaching to draw whomsoeuer yee can of this countrey to the profession of your fayth and religion VI. THEN with the Kings good leaue AVGVSTINE and his fellowes went in procession to Canturbury the head cittie of Kent Augustine marcheth to Canturbury still carrying the Crosse and image of CHRIST before them and singing the Letanies vsing amongst others this pious forme of prayer Whe beseech thee O Lord in all thy mercie to take away and with-hould thy wrath and anger from this cittie and from thy holy house because we haue sinned against thee ALLELVIA Humbly by this kind of confession putting them selues amongst sinners whom they came to release from sinne and reconcile to allmightie God When this our Arch-Doctour leading his troupe of Preachers vnder the triumphant banner of the Crosse into the cittie which in future is to be his Metropolitan did not the Angell-Guardians crie out to the cittizens with those words of the Prophet Esay Open the gates and let the iust nation enter obseruing the truth of their embassage the old errour of Isaiae c. 29. v. 2. 3. Idolatrie is gone that from hence forth the peace of CHRIST and his Church may be here maintayned Here now the walles of Hiericho seemed to goe to ruine that the walles of Hierusalem might be built Here on the ruine of paganisme our holy Apostle first planted the Crosse of CHRIST and layd the foundation of the English Catholick Church But ô the heauenly and apostolicall life that these holy monkes AVGVSTINE and his fellowes led in the meane Their holy â—â—se in Canturbury time what penne is able to expresse watching and prayer was theyr only and chiefest exercise allwaies keeping their soules most free from anie the lest thought of wordly desires or cares They announced the words of life to all they could making their owne liues soe correspondent to what they taught that in them those Idolaters might euen with their eyes reade a lesson of heauenly vertue and conuersation to see soe manie poore men soe constantly announcing the Ghospell of CHRIST that they seemed to be most readie to suffer all aduersities yea and death it self in defence of the trueth which they preached But what followed these beginnings Some few beleeued in IESVS-CHRIST and were baptised admiring the simplicitie of their innocent life and the sweetnes of their heauenly doctrine VII BVT in the East part of the cittie of Canturbury stood a See Heretick our first Apostles sayd masse Church dedicated to Saint MARTIN built in auncient times by the Romans in which the Queene was wont to pray and receaue the sacraments by the hands of her holy Bishop Lethard who was allowed her for that purpose and stood our Blessed Apostle S. AVGVSTINE in no small steed in the labour of preaching and conuerting the countrey In this Church allsoe AVGVSTINE his fellow-MoÌ„kes executed their diuine seruice there they sung their Office there they sayd Masse there they prayed there they preached and baptised When in the meane time by the diuine power of allmightie God sainct AVGVSTINE indued with a heauenly grace of working miracles cured all the sick and diseased persons that were ether presented vnto him or that he him self visited in person Soe that the poeple were thunder-strucken with amazement at the sight of soe great vertue crying out that ether men were transformed into Gods or that the Gods in a humane shape were come to conuerse with men whereby their hardnes of heart being ouercome manie were receaued into the fould of CHRISTS Church And at length King ETHELBERT allso being astonished with soe manie resplendent signes of vertue by the dayly instancie and perswasion of S AVGVSTINE by the continuall prayers King Ethelbert is baptised of the Church by the affectionate admonitions of the Queene abiuring the deadly powers of hell became a sonne of diuine adoption in Christ And now on the sacred feast of Pentecost all the Saincts of heauen highly reioycing and manie troupes of poeple flocking to that great solemnitie AVGVSTINE as a new SILVESTER baptiseth ETHELBERT as an other Constantine In him our faythfull Dauid is annoynted with the oyle of Ioyfullnes and meekly seated in a throne of mercie Our Ecclesiasticall Salomon is crowned with a diadem of peace in the chayre of iustice and wisedom Our noble ETHELBERT descends from the state of his royall authoritie and shewes him self as a seruant to the seruants of CHRIST A Prince of princes is changed to an Euangelicall Little-one and a mightie commaunder of manie poeple professeth him self a companion to the poore AVGVSTINE reioyceth and much more his little Church that now they had gayned him to be their Patrone whom before they feared as a persecutour Haec mutatio dextrae Excelsi This is a chainge of the right hand of the most High VIII THE King therefore being baptised laboured him self to gett The zeale of King Ethelbert all the Kings Princes Nobles and common poeple vnder his gouernment to the subiection of the sweet yoake of CHRIST making it the chiefest part of his owne empire to dilate and propogate the Kingdom of Christs holy Church Wherevppon great multitudes of poeple flocked dayly to heare the word of God and forsaking the blindnes of their Diabolicall rites were purged in the sacred font of Baptisme Of whose fayth and conuersion the good King greatly reioyced yet compelled none by force to Christianitie but only embraced the faythfull beleeuers with a more strict affection as his fellow-citizens of the heauenly Kingdom For he had learned of the Doctours and authours S. Augustâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of England of his owne saluation that the seruice of CHRIST ought to be voluntary and not constrained In the meane time the holy master of our fayth saint AVGVSTINE went to Arelas in France where by the hands of Etherius Bishop of the same place he was consecrated Archbishop of the English nation according as holy Pope GREGORIE had pre-ordayned Whom returning into England with this sacred dignitie King ETHELBERT receaued with triumphant ioy and made him now the Ecclesiasticall President of his metropolitan cittie in which before he had entertayned him but as a guest and ordayned him the vigilant Guardian not only of that Cittie but allsoe of all the little world of his whole dominions The throne of his owne Kingdom he changed into a Bishops sea and his royall Pallace by the reformation and consecration of saint AVGVSTINE was turned into a sacred Church dedicated to CHRIST our Sâ—uiour which to this day but built in a farre
those dreames Notwithstanding he washed his hands and went away into the Church as not desiring to be present at the miracle thereby to auoyd the occasion of being tempted with vaine glorie But the Chamberlaine hauing reserued the water brought it to the blind man wherewith he had noe sooner washed his eyes and face but presently to the great wonder of all he recouered his sight and with ioy beheld the light againe whose losse he had long bewailed The like fauour was shewed to a citizen of Lincolne who An other cured in like manner hauing lost his sight came to the kings pallace and obtayned of this water applied it to his vnprofitable eyes and was immediatly cured and his perpetuall night chainged to a most wellcome and long desired day-light An other blind man being admonished to goe to the king to haue his sight restored desired the Chamberlaine to make knowne his case vnto him which done Let him come answeared the holy king for why should I be greiued but rather reioyce if the diuine goodnes be soe pleased as by my vnworthy hands to bestow this promised benefitt vppon him The man was brought in and by the only touching and blessing Manie blind cured of the king betweene his royall hands a filthie bloud ranne aboundantly from his eyes whereby they were cleered and all the swelling of his eyelidds asswaged Then he that before could not see cried out I see thee my souueraigne Lord and King and thy face shineth like vnto the face of an angel standing before me Allsoe at an other time two blind and one hauing but one eye being sprinkled with the water in which the holy man had washed were all three restored to perfect sight XX. AS HE some time sate at table with Earle Godwin Harold and Tostins the Earles two sonnes as yet but children according to what the fight of Godwins children did portend their age and condition played in the hall before them but as one of them handled his brother more rudely then the sweetnes of their game required their iest was turned into earnest and their sport to a plaine fight For Harold somewhat abler in strength of bodie violently setting vppon his brother fastned both his hands in his hayre and hauing layd him along on the ground had gone neere to thrattle him if by the standers by he had not bin preuented The king behoulding this skirmish turned to Earle Godwine and sayd Doest thou consider nothing in this contention of thy children but a childish sport or battle Nothing else my liege replied he But by this boyish cōflict the blessed king vnderstood by reuelation what would afterwards befall to the children For sayd he noe sooner shall they be out of their childhood in mans estate but an inward malice towards one and other will mutually possesse them and at first as it were in iest they will seeme to goe about to ruine each other by priuate deceits till at length the stronger hauing gott the vpper hand will banish the weaker and ouerthrow him giuing him death for his rebellion But his death will in a short time be recompenced with the ensueing calamitie of the authour And all this fell out as England it self may be the Their cōtention ruine bleeding witnes of her owne miseries For Tostius being by Harold put to flight and he a while after had succeeded King Edward in the kingdom Tostius togeather with the King of Norway that came to his ayde was vtterly ouerthrowne and slaine and allmost all his armie destroyed The same yeare William Duke of Normandie comeing into England to claime his right to the crowne in one blouddie battle vanquished Harold who at once was depriued both of life and kingdom or as some thinke reserued in miserie to doe peanance for his former wickednes XXI AT AN other time Godwine sitting by the King at table one of the seruingmen comeing towards them chaunced to stumble so much with on of his feet that he had caught a fall had he not recouered him self againe by the nimble bringing on of his other foote by help whereof he was sett vp right againe The beholders talking diuersly as the manner is of this accident and reioyceing to see how opportunely one foote releeued the other Earle Godwin as it were in iest put in these words Soe a brother helpes his brother and both relieue each other in necessitie The King calling to mind the death of his brother Alfred In like manner replied he might myne haue bine a comfort vnto me had Godwin permitted it Hereat Godwin trembling and makeing fayned signes of sorrow in his countenance I know my Liege I know sayd he that your mind doeth yet accuse me as accessarie to your brothers death and that you iudge them to be beleeued that wrongfully giue me the title of traitour both to him and you But let God the great eye-witnes of all secrets be iudge betweene vs and let him not permitt this morsell which I hould in my hand to passe downe my throate without causing my death if I be eyther traitour to you or guiltie of your brother's death And the King makeing the signe of the Crosse vpon the morsell the wretched Earle putt is into his mouth Gods punishmeut against the traitour Godwin which being chewed went into the midst of his throate where it stuck soe fast that notwitstanding all his labour and paines he could gett it neyther vp nor downe But rather the more he striued the more it seemed to fasten soe that in a short time the sluses of his wind were stopped vp his eyes turned round in his head and without speaking one other word he vomitted out his traiterous soule to receiue her iudgement in the next world The king that saw him make this lamentable end perceiuing God's iust punishment to haue befallen him spake aloud to the standers by Cast out this dogg and burie him in the high way which was presently performed This Godwin abusing the king's pious simplicitie wrought manie villanies in the kingdom against both God and iustice By his wilie fleights and craftie dealing he had chased out of the Realme allmost all the kings kinred friends which he had brought with him out of Normandie imagening to haue all things goe according to his owne desires when the king being depriued of his friends should onely make vse of his counsell and follow his dictamen in all things But the blessed man neuer tooke notice of his bad doeings allwaies performing his owne dutie towards God foretelling to manie that in the end allmightie God would punish his wickednes yea and some times he stuck not to say as much to Godwine him self XXII THIS HOLY king next after the Prince of the Apostles S. Edwards loue to S. Iohn Euangelist bore a singular affection and deuotion to S. IOHN Euangelist in soe much that he would neuer denie anie thing demaunded in his name For proofe whereof it happened that a
an ignoble buriall it pleased allmightie God to make knowne of how great meritt the holy man was by an heauenly light which appeared euerie night ouer his graue vntill the neighbours vnderstood thereby that certainly it was a holy man that lay buried there and being better informed who it was and whence he came they tooke away his bodie and carried it to the cittie of Bullein where it was buried in a Church after such reuerend and honourable manner as became soe worthy a holy man He died about the yeare of Christ 607. Of him doe make mention beside S BEDE TRITHEMIVS in his worke of the famous men of S. BENEDICTS order MOLANVS in his Catalogue of the Saincts of Belgia and others whom we haue followed The life of S CEOLVLPHE King and Confessor Monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 15. Out of venerable Bede de gest Angl. CEOLVLPH after the death of King Osrick was made King of the Northumbers but the beginning and progresse of his gouernement was encumbred with soe manie difficulties and aduersities that after some yeares triall thereof entring into a serious consideration with him self of the miserable vncertaintie and vncertaine miserie of mans life and perceauing how dangerous were the tumults and precipices of this world and that the greatest and most prosperous fortunes of Princes were most of all subiect to decline and chainge euen in a moment and calling to mind the strict and rigid accompt that we must render of all our thoughts and actions at the day of iudgement before the dreadfull tribunall of the all seeing Iudge he beganne soe farre to loathe the care of worldly things and soe to despise those vaine honours He resolueth to be a Benedictin monk that forsaking the Royall estate and robes of Maiestie he put on the poore weeds of a monasticall humilitie in the Benedictin monasterie of Lindissarne or Holy-Iland piously following herein the footsteps of six others his predecessors English Kings Now insteed of his crowne of gold the token of soueraigntie he wore his hayre shauen with a crowne made of the same as the badge of a punishing humilitie his royall sceptre by vertue whereof he bore sway and authoritie in the world was now turned to a breuiarie wherevnto he was wedded and he that before ruled a kingdome was now vnder the check and commaund of a poore monk his superiour for his chaines of gould which were the ornament of his princely body he is now content to vse a poore payre of beades and thereon daily to reckon the number of his allmost numberlesse deuotions He was a man in whom a great knowledge of things diuine and humane was ioyned with an excellent pietie and singular deuotion soe absolutely learned that venerable BEDE the greatest scholler His learning and pietie and writer of our nation dedicated his historie of England vnto him with the title of MOST GLORIOVS KING to be by his wisedom not only reuiewed and read but allso approued and if need were corrected The often reading of these bookes he being of him self much addicted vnto the knowledge of antiquities and especially of England was a spurre vnto him allreadie inclined therevnto to vndertake this monasticall life In which when he had liued the space of all most twentie yeares in the continuall exercise of pietie and deuotion he gaue vp his holy soule to receaue for a temporall kingdom an eternall amongst other blessed Kings whom the same pious considerations had caused to leaue their scepters purples to be ranged vnder the humble enseigne of S. BENEDICT The day of his death is vnknowne but how full of merits and good workes he died his buriall which was neere vnto His death the great Benedictin monk S. CVTHBERT and the manie miracles which it pleased God to shew at his tombe doe giue sufficient testimonie Afterwards his bodie togeather with S. CVTHBERTS was taken vp and placed in a rich shrine in a more eminent place Thus much of him we haue gathered out of venerable BEDE WILLIAM MALMESBVRY de gest Reg. Angl. lib. 1. cap. 3. BARONIVS tom 9. ann 737. NICOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 8. cap. 21. ARNOLD WION lib. 4. ligni vitae cap. 6. de Regibus regnis Benedictini ordinis and other graue Authours The life of S. FVRSEVS Abbot and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 16. Out of venerable Bede FVRSEVS borne in Ireland of Royall parents but more ennobled by his vertues then his birth was famous for dignitie amongst his friends but excelling ouer the world in the speciall guift of diuine grace He was of a beautifull forme chast of bodie deuout in mind affable in discourse of an amiable aspect and replenished with grace and good workes brought vp from his verie infancie in the continuall studie of holy scripture and monasticall His youth and learning discipline And as he grew in yeares soe grew he allsoe in the daily increase of vertue and pious desires For the better accomplishment whereof he forsaked his parents friends and natiue soyle and betooke him self for the space of some yeares to the studie of holy scriptures in which in short time he became sufficiently well instructed But that the world might know that he did not only labour for him self but for all those that sought the truth he built a monasterie which serued as a free-schoole of vertue wherein he taught all that came vnto him the true way of saluation Great was the number of people that flocked togeather vnto this holy teacher of vertue by whose godly preaching and deuout exhortations manie were not only retired from their bad manner of life and brought into the right way of saluation but allsoe were subiected vnto the regular obseruance of a monasticall order Amongst these he was desirous to haue the companie of some of his owne kinsinen and for that end he made a iourney vnto his natiue countrey but in the way he happened to fall sick and in this sicknes his soule being as it were separated from her earthly lodging enioyed a most delightfull vision of Angels that seemed to lift him vp towards heauen were he beheld an infinite companie of heauenly citizens who with their sweet melodie filled his rauished vnderstanding with inestimable ioy and comfort The dittie of their A vision song was that versicle of the Psalme Ibuâ—t Sancti de virtute in virtutem viâ—ebitur Deus Deorum in Sion Holy men will proceed from vertue to vertue the God of Gods shall be seene in Sion This song they repeated often-times with such rauishing tunes as it is farre beyond the force of weake wordes to expresse But being restored to his bodie and him self againe about the time that the cock giues warning of the dayes approach he heard in steed of the melodious harmonie of the Angels the wofull lamentations and cries of his friends and kinsfollies who all this time had watched at his bodie which they supposed to be dead
recōmended that holy societie to the protection of the diuine goodnes and the B. Virgin MARIE earnestly desiring them to make choise of such a gouernesse after her death whom they iudged for true pietie and religion to be the fittest among them to vndergoe that charge FEB 25. and withall exhorting thē chiefly to preserue true peace purenes of heart she often repeated the words of CHRIST her spouse vnto thē Blessed sayd she are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God Blessed are the cleane of heart for they shall see God Hauing giuen thē Matt. 5. v. 8. 9. these and such like pious admonitions and religiously armed her self and her death with the holy sacramēts she happyly yeelded vpp her vnstayned soule to enioy an euerlasting kingdom with her sacred spouse in heauen aboue for whose sake she had contemned the kingdom and pompe of this lower world she died the three twentith day of February and was buried in her monasterie of Wenlock Who as she is by a pious certaintie thought gloriously to raigne with her deare spouse IESVS soe lest perchance anie small cloud of Her happie death mistrust might darken that pious beleef all mightie God him self hath shewed manie cleere testimonies of his loue to his holie spouse able to conuince the most incredulous When manie ages after the death of this holy Virgin in the yeare of our lord 1101. and the raigne of Henry the first her holy bodie was discouered and brought out of the ruines of obliuion to the open view and veneration of the world It happened in this manner VI. THE monasterie of Wenlock being destroyed afterwards by the violence of Englands sauage and barbarous enemies the holy virgins bodie lay for a long time hidden amongst those ruines till by the mnnificence of Roger Earle of Mountgomerie it was reedified and turned to a Priorie of Benedictine Monks of the Congregation of Cluny about the yeare aforesayd when by the speciall prouidence of allmightie God S. MILBVRGS bodie came to light vppon this occasion VII A workeman called Raymund being at work in the monasterie The miraculous inuention of her bodie of the holie Trinitie he happened to find an old chest or Box in which was contayned a writing written by one Alstan a Priest which testified that the bodie of the holy Virgin lay buried there neere vnto the aultar But noe remnant of the aultar appearing was cause that yet there was noe certaintie of anie thing Till he that gouerns all things with certaintie soone after tooke away all this vncertaintie for as two children plaied togeather vppon the pauement of that Church suddenly the earth opened and they both sunk in vpp to the knees This accident being a cause of great admiration amongst the Monkes gaue them occasion to haue the earth digged vpp deeper in that place by which meanes they found some bones which sent forth a wonderfull sweet sauour ouer all the Church and the next day after they lighted on the foundation of the aultar spoken off before To the greater creditt Miracles wrought by her reliques euidence hereof and more cleere manifesting of the glorie of God and his holy spouse S. MILBVRG manie other verie worthie and notable testimonies concurred For by the only touch of those sacred reliques but then new raked out of earth and dust two woemen were cured of most horrid leaprosies an other was restored to her sight lost and a boy that neuer saw light before receaued perfect power to distinguish of colours In summe such and soe famous where the miracles which God allwaies wonderfull in his saincts whrought there by the merits of this glorious Virgin that whole inundations of poeple flocked thither in such troupes as the open fields thereabouts were scarse sufficient to receaue them where rich and poore were in equall contention to obey the guide and conduct of their pious fayth Nether was the labour of their pietie spent in vaine for none returned without comfort sick persons receauing a perfect recouerie of health and a cure of manie such mortall diseases which had giuen the foyle to phisitians and their skill had left in desperation Of which one and not the lest was that a woeman dwelling in the village hard by called Patton hauing for the space of fiue yeares been cruelly tormented with a verie desperate disease incureable by phisick dranke only of the water wherein the holy virgins reliques had been washed and presently she shaked of her teadious sicknes and withall disburdened her stomack of a filthie worme vgly and horrible to behould hauing six feete two hornes on his head and two on his tayle The woeman being freed of this monstruous guest had the happines of her perfect health restored and in testimonie Note a strainge miracle and memorie of the fact that worme was shutt vp in a hollow peece of wood and reserued afterwards in the Monasterie as a trophie and monument of S. MILBVRG vntill by the lasciuious furie of him that destroyed all goodnes in England that with other religious houses and monasteries went to ruine that whereas before our fruitfull Ile for true religion pietie continencie and other vertues was the miracle of the world soe now for atheisme heresie and manie other vices it yeelds to no other realme in Christendom The life of this holy Virgin S. MILBVRG is written by Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue and Nicholas Harpsfield out of whom we haue gathered it But of the inmention of her bodie and miracles thereat we haue taken chiefely out of Ato Bishop and Cardinal of Ostia who writt the miracles that happened after her inmention and William Malmesburie de Pont. Angl. lib. 4. de gest reg Angl. l◠2. cap. 15. The Roman Martyrologe Camden in descriptione com Salopiae Polidore Virgil lib. 4. de regno Merciorum Vincentius Lirinensis in speculo lib. 25. cap. 33. Mathew Westminster anno 676. Florentius Wigorniensis anno 675. and manie others make ample mention of her The life of S. ETHELBERT King and Confessor FEB 24 Out of Venerable Bede de gest Angl. THE diuine wisedom whose allmightie power only is able to produce light out of the middest of darkenes and good out of euill during the raigne of ETHELBERT fift king of Kent voutchafed to sett Ethelbert the first Christian King of England a period to the diabolicall rites of Idolatrie in England and called ETHELBERT out of a race of Pagan Ancestors to be the first English king that sound the true Christian way to the kingdom of heauen And whatsoeuer gaine of soules our holy Apostle S. AVGVSTIN the Benedictine monke and his Euangelicall brethren reaped in the spirituall haruest and vineyard of our lord excepting allwaies the premotion and preuention of Gods grace is wholly due vnto holy King ETHELBERT For in as much as it lay in humane power vnlesse his royall graunt and assistance had stood with those diuine labourers nether 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
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
THE FLOWERS OF THE LIVES OF OVR ENGLISH SAINCTS Lady of Paradise I bring these flow'rs Pluckt from this litle Paradise of ours Thy prayers and thy blessiÌ„ng made them grow To thee then next to God we doe them owe. THE FLOWERS OF THE LIVES OF THE MOST RENOWNED SAINCTS OF THE THREE KINGDOMS ENGLAND SCOTLAND AND IRELAND Written and collected out of the best authours and manuscripts of our nation and distributed according to their feasts in the Calendar BY THE R. FATHER HIEROME PORTER Priest and monke of the holy order of Sainct Benedict of the Congregation of England THE FIRST TOME Printed at DOWAY with licence and approbation of the Ordinary M. DC XXXII TO THE READER IT may pleasethee good reader before thou takest in hand to peruse this booke to looke ouer the contents of the Preface both for thy owne satisfaction and mine Farewell TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS LORD VVINDESOR RIGHT NOBLE AND RIGHT VERTVOVS FOR these two titles due vnto your HONOVR one from your Ancestours the other from your owne worth and endeauours blessed by grace from heauen these glorious Saincts of our natioÌ„ doe willingly present their liues vnto your eyes to suruey them and their prayers for your soule to profitt by them The poore Historian who making the first triall of his penne hath out of diuers auncient monuments gathered their faithfull Legends with as great diligence and true simplicitie as he could perswaded himself that then your HONOVR no man could challenge more right in the dedication of these first fruits of his labours and that the Saincts them selues would haue no other Patrone of their holy stories then You who loue to reade them to serue them to imitate them And he him self and all of his coate and familie acknowledging You their noble fauourer iudged it a plaine obligation to protest by this publick profession the high eslceme they haue of your honourable loue vnto them and the loyall endeauours they will all waies employ to pray for your HONOVR'S eternall happines and dayly encrease in prosperitie and heauenly blessings It may please your HONOVR to pardon this bouldnes and esteeme of them as yours truely deuoted and of me the vnworthiest amoÌ„gst them as oâ—e who thinketh it the greatest honour to be thought Your HONOVRS Poore seruant and Beads man Br. HIEROME PORTER THE PREFACE TO THE READER OF all the instructions and disciplines which are found to be profitable for mans vse Historie by the iudgement of prudent men is iudged not to be the last or lest Tullie the Prince of the Roman Eloquence calls it The witnes of the times the Light of truth the Life of memorie the Mistresse of life the Reporter of antiquitie Which being generally spoken as it doeth agree allso with Histories Profane soe by farre greater reason it may be applied to the Ecclesiasticall which by soe much more exceedeth in worth the other as things diuine doe excell the human But no part of Ecclesiasticall Historie is more profitable to faythfull Christians or more healthfull for their soules then that which treates of the holy liues and vertuous actions of the SAINCTS and proposeth them as paternes of perfectioÌ„ to be imitated in Gods Church Whence it is that both in the old and new Testament are mentioned the examples of holy men that well and truly serued pleased God in this lise What else doeth Jesus the sonne of Syrach in his booke intituled Ecclesiasticus from the fortith chapter to the one and fiftith but rehearse the prayses of his worthie fore fathers and propose their deeds to be imitated by posteritie Doeth not the Doctour of the Gentils S. PAVL by à long rehearsall â—â—eb 〈◊〉 of a list of Patriarches Prophets and Fathers exhort the Hebrewes to beleeue in CHRIST Allso in the beginning of the primitiue Church Pope Clement the first diuided the seauen regions or First writâ—◠〈◊〉 saincts liues parts of the cittie to seauen Notaries that each of them in his precinct might write the passions and famous deeds of the Martirs to be reserued for the knowledge of posteritie and vnto these Pope Fabian added seauen Deacons and as manie Subdeacons that the acts of the SAINCTS might be searched into and described with greater faith and diligence These manie holie Doctours and learned writers followed as S. HIEROME who with wonderfull great care and eloquence sett forth the liues of the auncient Hermites and Fathers of Egypt and that Organ of the holy Ghost our sainct GREGORIE the Great who in the fower bookes of his dialogues comprehendeth the liues of manie holy men of Italie and amongst the rest filleth one whole booke with à large historie of our holy Father S. BENEDICT The good 〈◊〉 the st 〈…〉 es of Lords doe 〈◊〉 For these and manie other holy Doctours Authours of SAINCTS Liues vnderstood well that this manner of writing was both profitable to all good Christians and the whole Church of God But one and not the lest of the causes which should moue vs to write and read the Liues of SAINCTS is the encrease of His honour and glory that made them SAINCTS by adorning and enriching them with singular guifts and graces For it is a thing most reasonable that we honour and serue them who knew soe well how to honour and serue our Lord and that we endeauour to augment their accidentall glory for the essentiall we cannot who aspired to nothing more then to amplifie and dilate the glorie of God And since that Io. 12. God him self as our Sauiour saith honoureth those that honour him by good reason men ought to honour them that God honours The royall Prophett Dauid considering the lawfulnes of this debt exhorteth vs to praise God in his Saincts Allso it is a thing iust Psal 15â— and profitable to implore the fauour and ayde of our brethren who are allreadie in possession of an assured victorie to the end that by their prayers intercessioÌ„s we may arriue at the quiet hauen where they haue landed and be made partakers of their heauenly crownes and triumphes Moreouer it is a great glorie for our Mother the Catholique Church to know the braue deeds of the illustrious children which she hath begotten It is allso a strong bucklar and bullwarke against Saincts liues a buck lar against Heretiques the infidels that impugne Her and a scourge to the heretiques fallen from her whose erroneous follies can not be better conuinced then by the pious examples of the SAINCTS for it is a farre more excellent way to teach by workes then by words and all the workes of the SAINCTS are holy and all in all contrary to the fantasticall imagination of Heretiques For what can more confound their Faith which alone they would haut sufficient for saluation then the good workes of the SAINCTS their peanance their fasting their abstinence their pilgrimages their rigid and seuere mortifications of their bodies to bring them subiect to the mind all which the
brother â—â—omeing into England with a nauie of twentie fiue ships hopeing â—o bring some relief vnto these broyles and calamities was slaine â—y the strainge and wicked treacherie of GODWIN Earle of Kent â—ll his armie murdred in most cruell manner by the coÌ„maund of the sayd Godwin and by the blouddie hands of his faythlesse friends and countreymen After whose death S. EDWARD wholly destitute of all humaÌ„ assistance liued as a man miserably banished from his countrey kingdom and royaltie he much feared to fall into the snares of wickednes and doubted lest he should either be falsely betrayed by his owne seruants or purchased for the butcherie by his enemies Therefore putting his cheifest coÌ„fidence in the almightie he humbly prostrated himself before the court of heauen powred out his deuout prayers lamentations after this manner Behould o my Lord God how in myself I am destitute of all helpe comfort my neerest friends and kindred haue forsaken me my verie neighbours and confederats are readie to stand against me and now that my Father hath finished his manifold labours with death the crueltie of my enemies and traiterous subiects hath deuoured my bretheren and depriued me of their companie my nephews are cast into banishment Canâ—tus had maried his mother my owne mother carelesse of my safetie is giuen in mariage to the only enuier and destroyer of my glorie And thus desolate and lest alone without comfort they are not yet satisfied but thirst allso for my bloud But left to thee o Lord poore and miserable I trust thou wilt be an ayde and succour to thy poore orphan In times past thou didest wonderfully preserue King Edwin deliuering him out of the iawes of death and establishing him in his kingdom Thou didest restore that bright ornament of England S. OSWALD from a miserable banishment to the royaltie of his crowne giue him conquest ouer all his enemies by the vertue of the holy Crosse If now in like manner thou will voutchafe to be my helper and keeper and settle me in my Fathers kingdom I vow euer to acknowledge thee for my God and thy B. Apostle S. PETER for my Patrone whose most sacred Relique at Rome I promise to visitt vnder thy good leaue protection S. Edward voweth a pilgrimage to Rome and gouernement From this time euer after being made stronger in faith and liuelier in hope confidently expecting he expected the will of our Lord referring himself wholly into the hands of his sacred prouidence and disposition IIII. TILL AT length when death had robbed Canutus of thevse of the world cutt of his sonnes before they were ripe the English freed thereby from the hard yoake of the Danes elected EDWARD for their king and caused him to be consecrated and annoynted in He is crowned in the yeare 1043 by meanes of Count Godwin as saith Baronius honorable manner at Winchester by the hands of Eadisâ—â—â— Archbishop of Canturbury Then the Clergie began againe to florish and shine with wisedome and sainctetie Abbeies and Monasteries excelled with all kind of religious discipline Churchmen performed their offices in peace and the communaltie their duties in order The verie earth it self seemed to reioyce hereat and send forth fruit in more abundance the ayre became more healthfull and euen the waues of the sea more patient and temperate And forreigne kings and Princes strucken with admiration at soe suddaine a chainge were glad with this soe great a king to enter into a firme league of peace and frienship only Denmark desiring reuenge and breathing The royal vertues of S. Edward nothing but slaughter still threatned the vtter ruine and destruction of the English nation But amidst all these ioyes the blessed king was nothing puft vp with pride of humane glorie at his prosperitie nor terrified with his threatned ruine but alwaies measuring his greatnes by his goodnes he proposed vnto him self a deuout manner of life appearing equall to his domesticks humble to Religious men â—nd Priests gratefull to his people compassionate to the distressed â—nd bountifull to the poore He vsed noe exception of persons for â—he poorest and humblest mans cause as well as thâ— richest he euer â—eighed in the ballance of true iustice and pleaded for them both â—ith equitie alwaies shewing him self a pittifull father vnto poore â—rphans and a righteous iudge vnto widdowes He graunted whatâ—oeuer was asked him and what was giuen he receaued with silence Noe man euer beheld him eyther puft vp with pride or growne â—â—erce with anger or blemished with gluttonie It is vnspeakable â—ow great a despiser he was of money for he ueuer was found to be â—yther sadder in the losse or merrier in the possession thereof He was of a comly and meane stature of bodie nether verie grosse nor â—ery slender of a fayre sanguine complexion his beard and hayre â—rowne â— AS ONCE he tooke his rest in bed the chamberlaine came in See the wonderfull contempt of money the rare clemencie of soe great a king â—â—d opening the chest where the Kings treasure lay putt therein such â—oneies as he had brought and departed forgetting to shutt it â—gaine Which one of the groomes espieing came to the box and â—auing taken out as much money as he thought good went away â—ith it not knowing or suspecting the King to be soe neere â—nd presently hauing belike disburdened him self of that prey â—e returned and acted the like offence againe hauing still the King him self for his spectatour Which as the third time he attemâ—ted the King foreseeing by the spiritt of prophesie that the Treaâ—urer was at hand beleeue me good fellow sayd he thou art too â—mportune and vnreasonable take what thou hast gotten and be â—one for if Hugoline that was the Chamberlaines name come and â—â—ke thee he will not leaue thee one pennie of thy gettings The â—ellow suddenly fled and was scarse out of the doores when the Chamberlaine came in who finding some store of money taken â—way was much afflicted and trembled with verie feare his lowd â—ries and sighs bewrayeing the anguish and furie of his mind whereat the king rose vp and seeming ignorant of what had happened demaunded the cause of his great disquiet which being declaâ—ed he sayd Hould thy peace and rest content for it may be he â—hat tooke it hath more need of it then wee let him on Gods â—ame enioy it that which remaines is sufficient for vs. VI. THE NOBLES and Peeres of the Realme fearing soe worthie a stock should perish without fruit were sollicitous to haue a His care to â—â—serâ—e câ—â—aâ—tetie successour from this holy King and to that end they verie earnestly dealt with him to perswade mariage Whereto the King much amazed was verie loath to consent fearing lest the beloued treasure of his chastetie conserued but in the weaknes of a fray eâ—vessell might easily he dissolued with such a heate But what should he doe it he did obstinate y resist their
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
certaine poore pilgrim his Chamberlaine being absent importunately asked him an almes in the name of God and S. IOHN He hauing nothing else in a readines gaue him a ring of great value of his finger Not long after two Englishmen going in pilgrimage to visitt the holy sepulcher at Hierusalem lost their way and wandered a long time throught strainge and vncouth places till the sunne goeing to sett the darksom night approached and encreased their ignorance soe that not knowing what to doe nor which way to turne there appeared a venerable graue old man that brought them to a towne hard by where they were receaued kindly and entertayned very sufficiently with diet and lodging The next morning as they were departing the same old man putt them in their right way and in takeing leaue of them Brethren sayd he be of good cheere and doubt not but you shall returne to your countrey in safetie for allmightie God will make your iourney prosperous and I my self for your good kings sake will haue care to direct you in all your waies For I am IOHN the Apostle who affect your King with all loue for his pure vertue of chastetie S. Iohn loueth him for his chastetie j which highly deserues it Take therefore this ring which he gaue me for an almes appearing in the habit of a pilgrim and deliuer it vnto him againe telling him withall that the time of his death drawes neere for six moneths hence I will visitt him and bring him where togeather with me he shall follow the lambe which way soeuer he goeth At these words he vanished away and Apoc. 14. v. 4. they hauing visitted the holy land returned safely into their countrey and related orderly to the King what they had seene and heard And in testimonie of all gaue him the ring which was afterwards kept with great reuerence as a holy relique in the great Church of Westminster and by vertue of it manie were cured of the falling sicknes and of the contractions of their limmes XXIII NOT LONG after the blessed man fell into a grieuous sicknes during which he was in such an extasie that for the S. Edw. in an extasie space of allmost two daies he lay without anie signe of life At length waking as it were out of a deepe sleepe he opened his eyes and sitting vpp in his bed spake to the attendants in this manner When in my youth I liued a banished man in Normandie I euer held the friendship and companie of good and vertuous persons as most deare and gratefull vnto me and chiefly those Monks and Religious men that excelled others in vertue and religion I obserued and with them I conuersed most familiarly among whom two Monks Benedictines had obliged me in the bands of charitie verle particularly vnto them by their honest His loue to Benedictine Monks conuersation their holy life their sweet behauiour and their affable and courteous discourse These I more frequently visitted their discourses being to my soule as sweet meates to my pallate And these being some yeares since translated out of this world to the ioyes of heauen I beheld in this my sleepe standing before my face rehearsing according to the will of God what shall befall this countrey after my decease They say that the wickednes of the English nation is growne soe full and to such a height that it prouoketh Gods wrath and hasteneth his His prophesie of England reuenge The Priests haue broken their couenant with God they handle the sacred misteries with polluted soules and defiled hands They are not true pastours but mercenaties that doe noe protect their flock but expose it to the deuouring iawes of wolues seeking only their owne priuate commoditie of the milke and the wooll neglecting the good of their sheepe that at last eternall death may iustly deuoure and swallow both sheepe and sheapheard in the bottomlesse pitt of hell The Princes allsoe and gouernours of the land are vnfaythfull companions of theeues and wasters of the countrey they neyther seare God nor honour the lawes men to whom truth is grieuous and burdensom righteousnes contemptible and crueltie delightfull soe that neyther the Prelates heare anie respect to iustice nor the subiects haue anie regard of good order and discipline And therefore our Lord And the comeing in of the Normans hath drawne his dreadfull sword he hath bent and prepared his bow to shoote-forth the arrow of his iust wrath and reuenge against this nation into which he will send a mission of wicked spiritts to whose power they shall be deliuered in one yeare and one day to be punished with fier and sword With that sighing and grieuing at the newes of this calamitie threatned against my wretched countrey ô yee witnesses of the heauenly secrets sayd I what if this people beiog conuerted from their wickedenes shall doe worthie works of penance will not God graunt thē pardon leaue his blessing among them Penance is of such force that it suspended the dreadfull sentence of death pronounced by Gods owne mouth against the Niniuites and allso differed Joan. 2. 3. Reg. 21. the imminent reuenge due to wicked Achab. Therefore I will perswade my people to doe penance for their offences past and carefully beware those to come and perhaps our Lord will be mercifull and not powre out these great calamities vppon them but with his wonted pietie will receiue them then returned vnto his seruice whom peruerted from him by their wicked life he was prepared to punish and destroy with this heauie iudgement No no replied they it will not fall out soe happily for the hearts of this miserable people are soe hardned their eyes soe blinded and their eares soe fast dammed vp against all goodnes that they will neyther hearken to anie correction nor vnderstand anie good counsell they are neyther with threats terrified from euill nor with benefits prouoked vnto good At these their words my grief and care encreasing What sayd I will our Lord shew his anger for euer will he not at last beginne to be more pacified When then shall ioyes succeed these soe manie miseries what comfort or consolation shall moderate Psal 76. these great aduersities What remedie is to be expected in these An obscure promise of Gods mercie towards England euills that as on the one side we are terrified and contristated at our future rebukes soe we may be a little comforted with the promise of the diuine mercie that followes them Herevnto the Saincts proposed vnto me this Parable When a greene tree cutt downe from the stock remooued three furlongs distant from his owne roote shall without the helpe of anie mās hand or by anie externall ayde returne againe to his owne roote and placing it self thereon shall resume iuice againe to florish and bring forth fruit then and not before some comfort may be hoped for in this tribulation and a remedie against the foretould aduersitie may be expected Hauing
sayd thus they returned to heauen and I to you and my self againe XXIV WHILE the king related this vision there were present the Queene Robert keeper of the sacred pallace Duke Harold and wicked Stigand who mounting on his fathers bed had defiled it impiously inuading the Archiepiscopall Sea of Canturbury during the life time of Robert true Archkishop thereof for which offence he was afterwards suspended by Pope Alexander the second and in a Councell held at Winchester by the same Popes Legats and other Bishops and Abbots of England he was both deposed from all Episcopall dignitie and cast into prison by the commaund of William Conquerour where he ended his wicked life with a most miserable and well deserued death This Stigand being there present at the kings narration had all the powers of his soule soe barred vp against Stigand a Clergie-man punished for inuading a Sea belonging to the Benedictine Monks all goodnes that he waxed more obdurate at the dreadfull storie neyther was he terrified with the threatning oracle nor gaue anie creditt to the pious relatour but murmuring within him self that the king began to dote in his old age he laughed where he had more cause to weepe But the rest whose minds were more vertuously giuen lamented and wept abundantly knowing verie well that the Prelates and Princes led their liues according as the blessed king had declared XXV SOME are of opinion that the foresayd similitude is grounded vppon an impossibilitie and these were chiefly such as bewailed that the whole Nobilitie of the land was come to soe low anebbe and soe farre spent that there was neyther king nor Bishop nor Abbot nor Prince of the same nation scarse to be seene An interpretation of the Kings vision in England But quite of an other opinion am I saith Alured especially that S. DVNSTAN did both foretell that this calamitie should befall vs and yet afterwards promised a comfortable redresse Thus then it may be expounded This tree signified the kingdom of England in glorie beautifull in delights and riches plentifull and in the excellencie of the Royall dignitie most eminent The roote from whence all this honour proceeded was the Royall stemme or race which from Alfred who was the first of the English Kings annoynted and consecrated by the Pope descended by a direct line of succession to S. EDWARD The tree was cutt off from the stock when the kingdom being deuided from this royall issue was translated to an other linage the distance of three furlongs shewes that during the raigne of three Kings there should be noe mutuall participation betwixt the new and the auncient race of Kings for Harold succeeded King EDWARD next to him came in William Conquerour and after him his sonne William Rufus But this Royall tree tooke roote againe when Henry the first vnto whom all Regall dignitie was transported neyther by force compelled nor vrged with hope of gaine but meerly taken with an affection of loue tooke to wife Mawde daughter to S. EDWARDS neece ioyning and vniting togeather by this mariage the bloud royall of the Normans and the English both in one Then this tree did truely florish when of this vnited royaltie Mawde the Empresse was begotten and then it brought forth fruit when by her we had Henry the second who like vnto a corner stone vnited both nations togeather And therefore by this we now see that England hath an English King as allsoe Bishops Abbots Princes and knights of the same auncient race deriued from this vnion of both nations But if anie man be displeased with this exposition let him eyther expound it better or expect an other time vntill he find these particularities fullfilled XXVI BVT LET vs returne to our B. King whose sicknes still encreasing made him euidently feele and vnderstand by the secret S. Edwards death Embassadours of neere approaching death that his hower was come to passe out of this world and therefore caused his death to be pâ—blished abroade before hand lest the knowledge thereof being delayed he should want the comfort of the prayers and sacrifices of his Clergie and people which he earnestly desired This done the holy man loaden with manie dayes of ould age and as manie good workes as howers in each day he yeelded vp his pure soule into the most pure hands of his Redeemer By whose death England's whole felicitie libertie and strength was vtterly lost bâ—oken and ouerthrowne Noe sooner was the breath gone out of his holy bodie but his face casting forth beames of wonderfull brightnes made death in him seeme beautifull and louely to the behoulders This glorious King and worthie benefactour of S. BENEDICT's order died the fifth of Ianuary one thousand sixtie six The beautie of his dead bodie when he had raigned twentie three yeares six moneths and twentie seauen daâ—es He was honorably buried in S. PETERS Church which him self had built for the Benedictine Monks and had now bin newly consecrated during the time of his last sicknes on S. Innocents day before XXVII MANIE miracles by the merits of this B. Sainct were A lame man cured at his tombe wrought afterwards at his sepulcher among which one Raphe a Norman who for the space of manie yeares had bin by the contraction of his sinewes soe lame of his leggs that he could but creepe and that with great difficultie on his hands and hinder parts came the eight day after S. EDWARDS buriall to his tombe and making his prayers to allmightie God and this glorious Sainct he was perfectly cured and healed of all his infirmities XXVIII ALLSOE about twentie daies after his buriall six blind men came following a man with one eye hanging one to an other Six blind man restored to sight soe that one only eye leading the way directed seauen persons to the B. Saincts sepulcher where sorrowfully declaring their miserie vnto him they humbly beseeched his assistance against the woefull teadiousnes of their perpetuall darknes and immediatly by the merits of the holy King they had all their sights restored and soe perfectly restored vnto them that they were able to returne each one guiding his owne footsteps Allsoe the bell ringer of Westminster Church being blind vsed to pray dayly at S. EDWARDS tombe till one night he heard a voyce that calling him by his name bad him rise and goe to the Church but as he went he seemed to behould King EDWARD in great glorie goeing before him and from that Three cured of quartan agues time he had the perfect vse of his sight euer after Allsoe a Monk of Westminster a verie learned man one Sir Guerin a knight and an other man of Barking were all three cured of quartan agues as they prayed at his holy tombe XXIX SIX AND thirtie yeares after the death of this glorious King his sepulcher being opened at the earnest request and sute of His bodie found vncorrupted the people his holy bodie was found most entier
without anie the lest signe of corruption as cleere white as the cristall as if it had all readie putt on the diuine robes of glorie casting forth of the tombe an exceeding sweet and odoriferous sauour to the wonderfull ioy and comfort of all that were present The linnen wherein he wrapped was as fresh and pure as when first it was imployed to that holy vse Which moued Gundulph Bishop of Rochester to attempt to pluck a hayre of the Saincts head to reserue to him self for his deuotion But his pious desire was frustrated for the hayre stuck on soe fast that it could not be pulled off without breaking XXX A WOEMAN that conteÌ„ptibly presumed to worke vpon S. EDWARDS A miracle day was grieuously punished with a suddaine palsie till being brought to the B. Saincts sepulcher and with teares demaunding pardon for her fault she was restored to her health againe Manie other miracles haue bin done by the meritts of this glorious Sainct all which mooued Pope Alexander the third at the instant desire of King Henry the second and the Clergie of England to putt him into the number of canonized Saincts and to cause his feast to be celebrated throughout the kingdom of England But of this we will speake more at large on the feast of his translation the thirteenth day of October This feast of his deposition hath bin allwaies verie magnificently and religiously celebrated by his successour-kings on this day as plainly appeares in the histories of England and is particularly prooued out of that which Mathew Westminster rehearseth of king Henry the thirds deuotion towards S. EDWARD In the yeare of grace 1249 saith he which was the thirtith yeare of our soueraigne king Henry the third the King being then at London on the feast of the Natiuitie of our Lord and hauing spent the Christmas holidaies in sumptuous feasts and banquetting as the custom is togeather with a great multitude of his nobilitie he assembled manie more Nobles and Peeres of the Realme to be present and Henry the thirds deuotion to S. Edwar. reioyce with him at the feast of S. EDWARD whom more cordially he loued and honoured then others of the Saincts And on the eue of that B. Kings deposition our soueraigne Lord the King according to his pious custom fasted with bread and water spending the whole day in continuall watching and praying and giuing of almes But on the feast itself he caused Masse with great magnificence and solemnitie to be celebrated in the Church of Westminster in vestments all of silke of an inestimable value and adorned with a great multitude of wax tapers and the resounding notes of the A consideration on his vertues Conuentuall and Monasticall quier Ought not we likewise to followe this vertuous example and giue prayse vnto allmightie God for the excellent guifts wherewith he honoured this B. King in choosing and calling him to soe great glorie euen before he was borne And for that he reuealed vnto him the great fauours promised to the kingdom of England for his sake long before they happened Who will not admire and endeauour to imitate the sacred vertue of chastetie which soe great a King entirely conserued soe manie yeares with his Queene in holy marriage Who will not embrace his most profound humilitie and contempt of the world and him self when he carried that wretched cripple on his royall shoulders to obtaine his health Who will not striue to serue allmightie God with affection seeing how highly he exalteth and honoureth his Saincts How he exalts them with miracles soe gloriously recompenseth their seruice giuing peace health and prosperitie to kingdoms by their intercession and in the end making them immortall kings and euerlasting courtiers of the kingdom of heauen This life is taken chiefly and allmost wholly oâ—t of that which B. ALVRED Abbot of Rhieuall hath written Iohn Capgraue hath the verie same William Malmesburie Roger Houedon Mathew Westminster Nicholas Harpsfield and allmost all writers of Saincts lines make verie honourable and worthie mention of him And the Roman Martirologe on this day The life of S. CEDDE Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 7. Out of Venerable Bede hist. Eccl. lib. 3. 4 SAINCT CEDDE was borne in London and hauing gone soe farre out of his youth that he was able to make choice of a manner of life he putt on a monasticall habit among the auncient Monks in the Monasterie of Lindisfarne In which schoole of pietie he profitted soe well in a short time that he was thought worthie to be sent as an Apostolicall man with other deuout Priests to preach the Ghospell to the Mercians or inhabitants of Middle-England where by his pious labours S. Cedde conuerteth the East-Angles and exemplar life he greatly promoted the Catholicke cause But Sigbert then king of the East-Saxons being at that time by the meanes of Oswin king of Northumberland from a Heathen conuerted to the Christian faith and baptized by Finanus Bishop of York B. CEDDE at the earnest entreatie of Sigbert was called back by Finanus and sent with king Sigbert to conuert his countrey to the faith whose labour there tooke soe good effect that in a short time he brought most part of that Prouince from Paganisme into which since their conuersion by S. MELLITVS the Benedictine Monk they had fallen to the true knowledge and subiection of Christs Church and he him self who by Gods grace was now made their second Apostle returning into Northumberland the messenger of his owne good successe was by the hands of Finanus in presence of two other Bishops ordayned allsoe the second Bishop of London the chief cittie of the East-Saxons succeeding S. MELLITVS both in the Apostleship and Bishoprick He is made Bishop of London of that Prouince And now he began with a more free authoritie to bring to perfection the worke soe happily begunne by erecting of Churches in diuers places making Priests and Deacons to ayde him in baptising and preaching the holy word of God instructing the new-christened to obserue as farre forth as they were able the stricter rules of a religious life Great was the ioy comfort which the new conuerted King Sigbert and his poeple receiued to see the happie successe of his endeauours He was to good men meeke and courteous to the bad somewhat more sterne and seuere in punishing their vices as appeareth by the ensuing accident II. THERE was in the kings court a noble man that liued in the bands of vnlawfull wedlock against whom the holy bishop after manie pious admonions giuen to noe effect denounced the sentence of excommunication strictly forbidding the King and all other persons to forbeare his companie and not to eate nor drinke with him But the King being inuited by the same Nobleman to a Excommucation banquet made light of the bishops precepts went to him And in his returne chauncing to meet the holy man he was much
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
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
morning florishing in the greene weeds of summer it shall be graunted that we haue putt to death a iust and holy man and you shall haue power to burie him with as much honour as you please But yf this wood remaine drie and withered as now it is it shall be lawfull for vs to say that you haue been blind in your affection towards him and it shall be in our power to dispose of his bodie as we think best XIV THE condition being willingly accepted on both sides to A notable miracle the end it might manifestly appeare to the world that S. ELPHEGVS his death was not a death but a beginning of a better life that withered branch in the space of one night began to florish and wax greene and allbeit it were planted in the ground but the euening before yet it was found adorned with the greene liueries of spring the next morning Whereuppon their obstinate minds beginning to relent they stroue to preuent one and other with embracing and kissing the dead bodie humbly bowing downe their stubborne necks and bathing his deaths-wounds with the flouds of their repentant tears Therefore his bodie being lifted on the shoulders of his enemies was caried in triumph to the new borne tree as to the florishing trophie of his glorie accompanied in the way with allmost innumerable miracles sent from heauen as testimonies of his cause and goodnes For the sick receaued their health the blind their sight the deafe their hearing the dumb their speech and the Manie miracles lame the perfect vse of their limmes And in a chappell of deuotion built ouer him in the same place manie of the Danish nobilitie became ennobled with the Christian fayth and new borne in the sacred font of baptisme But when the Londoners vnderstood all these passages they obtayned by the meanes of a summe of money which commaunds all things to haue his sacred reliques transported to London where by the hands of the bishops Ednoth of Lincolne and Alfhune of London it was verie honorably interred in the Cathedrall Church of saint PAVL This Blessed Sainct was martired the ninteenth day of Aprill being the saturday after Easterday in the yeare of our Lord one hundred and twelue the seau nth yeare of his bishoprick in Canturburie and fiftie ninth yeare of his age But God the allmightie defender The diuine punishmeÌ„t of his murderers of his seruants shewed soe great examples of reuengefull punishment against the authours of his death that one of the captaines was the blouddie cause of his one death an other cutt his owne throate to auoyde further inconuenience a priest that hid the holy Martirs crosse was crossed out of this life with the sword and one of the same function that presumed to weare the holy Saincts pantafles was before all the poeple cruelly tormented by the deuill And soe horrible a terrour seazed on all the Dauish princes that not daring to trust them selues on the footing of the lands they would needs aduenter their lines at sea immagening there to escape the holy Martirs anger whom the earth could not keepe in safetie from it But they found the sea a farre more implacable element to suffer such impieties for they were noe sooner launched into the deepes but the blustering winds raysed such tumults in those floting Kingdomes that of an hundred and threescore fayle all suffered shipwrack excepting threescore and fiue ships which being driuen to strainge countreys all the men were miserably slaine by the inhabitans who tooke them for spies sent to inuade their dominions But the wicked ringleader of mischief Turkill stayed a while in England to play the Pirate likely at length to become a prey to the damned spiritts XV. FOR NOT long after Canutus King of the Danes came Turkill worthyly punished with a great nauie into England where falling out with Turkill for some wicked and perfidious actions of his he destroyed the whole remnant of his impious adherents and followers and compelled the Captaine him self to flie with six sayle into Denmarke where being suspected by the princes to become an authour of some ciuill dissentions and broiles he was persecuted all ouer the countrey till at length being murdered by the base common poeple his soule was sent to the rewards of her impietie and his bodie throwne into the open fields to be buried in the gutts of rauens and wild beasts But after this Canutus perceiuing his poeple to be continually slaine by the English armie and finding that the neighbourhood of necessitie coÌ„pelled him to think of yeelding he consulted with some of the wisest Englishmen that had fled to him for refuge to knowe what might be the cause of those manie mischances that had befallen him they all with one voyce sayd that it was according to the prophesie of the holy Martir S. ELPHEGVS who in his afflictions by the Danes his predecessours foretould that they should take noe sure roote in the kingdom of England but should perish by a worse death then Sodom Now therefore sayd they yf thou desire to pacifie that holy Sainct during the time of thy raigne promise him that thy affayres succeeding well thou wilt cause his sacred reliques to be honorably transported to his owne archiepiscopall seate of Canturbury and buried Canâ—tus promiseth to trauslate his bodie to Canturbury there amoÌ„gst his predecessours Which promise faythfully made by Canntus hauing within a while obtayned peace after peace the owne half of the kingdom and after the half the whole was as faythfully performed For tenne yeares after the holy martirs death Canutus sent for Egelnoth Archbishop of Canturbury who coming to London weÌ„t directly to the Cathedrall Church of S. PAVL where the king presently gaue him the meeting and declared that the cause why he sent for him was to make vse of his authoritie and counsell in the translation of S. ELPHEGVS his bodie to Canturbury XVI THE Archbishop much amazed at the breath of this proposition answeared that surely his maiestie had not taken mature deliberation and considered sufficiently the reasons and grounds of aduenturing on soe great an enterprise And moreouer that for his part he feared lest he would be torne in peeces by the Londoners who would rather loose their liues then be depriued of soe great a treasure and Patrone And you see sayd he further that we haue here only our selues and two Monks and the stone that couers his monument is of that weight and bignes that some yoake of oxen are scarse able to mooue it But the king armed with the shield of a most inuincible fayth answeared that Gods and the holy Martirs assistance yf that translation were pleasing vnto them would not be wanting in a time of such necessitie Therefore the labour was committed to those two monks one of them was called Alsward in times past of familiar acquaintance A strange mâ—racle with S. DVNSTAN and the other Godrick with Egelnoth now present But for
familie and he is one of the fower renowned Doctours of the same order that haue written in prayse and defence of the B. Virgin and consequently are The Benedictine Doctours of our B. Ladie stiled and called by the name of the fower Doctours of our Lady the other three are S. HILDEPHONSE Archbishop of Siuill in Spaine B. RVPERT Abbott of Twy in Germanie and S. BERNARD Abbott of Clareuall in France And our S. ANSELME second to none of the rest was the first that caused the feast of our Ladies immaculate Conception to be celebrated in the Church the seauenth of December when he had learned by the reuelation of an other Benedictin monk from the same Virgin that such was her will and pleasure God of his infinite mercie make vs partakers of his glorious meritts Amen His life wee haue gathered out of Eadmer a monk of Canturbury and the companion of all his troubles and Edmond monk of the same place who added a treatise of the discord between S. ANSELME and the two vnruly Kings William Malmesbury de Pont. lib. 1. the Roman martirologe Baronius tom 11. an 1109. and innumerable others doe highly speake his prayses The life of saint MELLITVS Bishop and confessor of the holy order of saint BENEDICT APR. 24. Out of venerable Bede AMONGST the holy Benedictine Monks which S. GREGORY Pope of Rome sent into England to supplie the want of Preathers in soe great an haruest and to helpe S. AVGVSTINE and his fellowe Benedictins in the conuersioÌ„ of that Kingdom MELLITVS an abbott of the same order was the first and chiefest Whom about three yeares after his arriuall S. AVGVSTIN Archbishop of Canturbury made Bishop of London the principall head cittie of the East-Angles where Sebert nephew to Ethelbert King of Kent kept his royall Mellitus first bishop of London Court allbeit he were vnder the power of Ethelbert whose authoritie ouer the English stretched to the riuer Humber But when this prouince by the industrious preaching and labour of saint MELLITVS had receaued the Christian fayth King Ethelbert built that famous Church of saint PAVL the Apostle within the walls of London for the Episcopall seate of Mellitvs and his successours But how greatly this holy man was beloued of God and the whole court of heauen manifestly appeareth in the consecration of the Church of Westminster which office of his S. PETER the Apostle performed for Bishop MELLITVS with his owne hands as may be seene more at large in the life of S. EDWARD the fist of Ianuary S. AVGVSTIN being dead Mellitvs bishop of London went to Rome to coÌ„sult Pope Boniâ—ace the fourth touching manie necessarie affayres of the English Church And namely for the good establishment of the new-built Baron an 610. monasterie of Westminster as allso to know whether the consecration of a Church performed in the aforesayd manner were valid The Pope in a Synod held at Rome in which S. MELLITVS had a place ordayned manie lawes for the peace of the Benedictine moÌ„ks and conseruation of monasticall discipline and decreed against the enuious that monks were the fittest instruments in Gods Church for Apostolicall functions which decrees Mellitvs brought with him into England for the confirmation and establishment of the Benedictine order and Mission in that countrey II. BVT the death of the two good Kings Ethelbert and Sebâ—â—â— was cause of great domage to the tenden beginnings of that new See in S. Laurence 2. of Febr. Church for the three sonnes of King Sebert who during the time of their father dissembled a litle in religion for feare of him fell after his death to flatt Idolatrie and gaue licence to all their subiects to doe the like And when they saw the holy bishop MELLITVS hauing celebrated the sacred solemnities of Masse giue the Eucharist to the poeple Why sayd they swelling with Looke prorestant our first Apoles sayd masse a barbarous foolishnes doest thou not giue vs the white bread which thou didest giue to our father Saba soe they were wont to call him and doest yet giue to manie of the poeple Yf you will be washed answeared MELLITVS in the same sacred font as your father was you may be partakers of the holy bread as well as the but yf you contemne the Bath of life you can by noe meanes receaue the Bread of life But they refused to enter into the font of baptisme as a thing vnnecessarie but desired earnestly to eate of the sacred bread Till at length when the holy mans perswasions could not draw them from this sâ—nd request they banished him out of their Prouince because he S. Mellitus Banished from his Bishoprick would not giue them blessed Sacrament of aultar before haptisme Veryly I am of opinion to my great grief that at this present our Protestant-Bishops haue soe litle respect to that which they call the Lords Supper that rather then be forced with their wiues to leaue their bishopricks they would giue their sacrament of bread to a soe farr alas they are fallen from the religion of our first Apostles III. SAINT MELLITVS went to Canturbury to consult S. LAVRENCE and IVSTVS the other bishops what was to bee done in these troubles And finding no other meanes nor hopes of redresse MELLITVS and IVSTVS went ouer into France to expect the calme of this tempestuous See in S. Lau. 2. Febr. motion Till Edbald King of Kent renouncing his Idolatrie and baptised by saint LAVRENCE Archbishop of Carturbury recalled the two bishops out of France and restored IVSTVS to his seat of Rochester but the Londoners refused to receaue their bishop Mellitus ouer whom Edbald had not such absolute and coercitiue power that he could force them to it as his father could In the meane time Saint LAVRENCE departing this life MELLITVS succeeded in the sea of Canturbury whence he cast forth the bright beames of his vertue fayth and learning ouer all England with which noble ornaments he greatly ennobled the countrey and He is made Archbishop of Canturbury excelled the nobilitie of his birth and parcentage which was verie honorable In bodie he was wonderfull weake and sickly specially being greeuously afflicted with the gout but most sound in mind cherefully despising all terrene things and still aspiring to the loue and possession of the Kingdom of heauen And here I will relate one example of his excellent vertue and confidence in allmightie God which may serue as a witnesse of his other noble vertues IV. A MIGHTIE fier happened to make hauock in the cittie of Canturbury which soe furiously deuoured whole streets as it went that noe force of water could quench the rage of that vnresistable element And now with great violence it drew neere to the place where the holy Bishop was who would not giue way to those deuouring flames but trusting in the diuine goodnes He quencheth a great fier by his prayers where humane help was wanting caused him self to be
the instant when King Edgar sonne of Edmond was borne he heard sing an Anthime foretelling peace to the English Church by that happie byrth Allsoe at the Church of Bathe being verie seriously detayned in his prayer he beheld the soule of a yong Monke whom he had brought vp at Glastenbury carried vp by troupes of Angels into heauen And it was found that that youth The deâ—ill appearâ—th died at the same instant Being afterwards in his iourney to the King who in great hast had sent for him he was mett in the way by the deuill who very petulantly and like a Buffoone reioyced and sported him self before him Being demaunded the cause of his mirth he answered that the King DVNSTANS friend would shortly die which should be a cause of great trouble in the kingdom and he hoped that the next king would not fauour DVNSTAN nor his adherents But this Master of lies could The death of king Edmond as 946. not vtter two true tales togeather for allbeit it fell out indeed that king Edmond was slaine in his Pallace within seauen daies after yet his Brother Edred succeeded a man worthyly feruent in the seruice of Allmightie God and whoe honoured DVNSTAN with noe lesse loue fauour and reuerence then his predecessor Nay Elphâ—gâ—s Bishop of Winchester being dead king Edred with manic prayers sollicited sainct DVNSTAN to succeed in that Sea whose absolute refusall of that dignitie much grieued the good kings mind made him deale with good Queene Edgine his mother to perswade DVNSTAN to accept it but all in vaine for nether the mothers nor the sonnes entreaties could preuayle to make him take it IX AFTERWARDS sainct DVNSTAN went to visitt his The death of king Edred brethren at Glastenbury where he had not stayd long but king Edred being fallen mortally sick sent for him in all hast Who trauelling speedyly towards the Court heard a voyce from heauen that sayd King EDRED rests in peace And at the very sound of those words his horse fell dead vnder him without anie hurt to the rider Then going sorrowfully to the sorrowfull Court togeather with his fellowes he committed the bodie of the King to the Mother The bad life of king Edwin Earth Edwin the sonne of King Edmond succeeded in the gouernment of the Kingdom who filthyly defiled both the beginning and progresse of his whole raigne For omitting the impietie crueltie and tyrannie wherewith he outraged all sacred and prosane things he was a man soe beyond measure addicted to the pleasures of lust and lasciuiousnes that he languished in the loue of the mother and her daughter both togeather vsing both their bodies at his pleasure And which is horrible to be spoken on the verie day of his Coronation dinner being ended he forsoke the companie of all the Bishops Abbots Princes and Nobles of the realme and went into his priuate chamber where he sate in the midst embracing the mother and daughtér his ordinary strumpets Which act caused a great scandall and indignation amongst the Princes and Nobles then present Wherevppon the rest excusing them selues out of feare to incurre the kings anger S. DVNSTAN was seÌ„t to draw Note the great zeale of S. Dunstan him out off that lewd companie Who entring the chamber and finding the king hauing layd by his royall crowne dallying on the bed betweene those two naughtie woemen first with a sterne looke he sharply rebuked their lasciuiousnes and then with a low voyce he humbly entreated the king to redeeme this publick scandall and to returne to his Peeres to gladden them with his royall presence But the King anger and shame striuing in his mind for the mastrie absolutly refused to come Then DVNSTAN in the zeale of a holy anger tooke him fast by the hand and clapping the Diadem vppon his head drew him violently into the Hall amongst his Nobles These wicked woemen were soe ashamed and offended herewith that they perswaded the King allsoe highly enraged against S. DVNSTAN to banish him out of the kingdom Who not only banished S. DVNSTAN but sent wicked officers to the monasteries of Glastenbury to seaze vppon all the goods that belonged vnto it The like iniustice he vsed to manie other monasteries of England not only despoyling them of their lands goods and reuenewes but banishing the Monks allsoe that maintayned the profession and defence of a chast life Then the Abbey of Malmesbury sayth William a monke of the same place which sor the space of two hundred threescore and ten yeares before had been inhabited by Monkes Dereg l. 2. c. 7. was made a stable of secular Clerkes X. S. DVNSTAN therefore hauing receaued the decree of his banishment departed out of England ioyfull in his heart that he was worthy to suffer for the defence of iustice and loue of chaâ—itie He went into Flanders where the Lord of that countrey courteously entertayned him at the Cittie of Gaunt and there in the exercise of true pietie and religion he expected how it should please the diuine See the crueltie of a detestable woeman wisedon to dispose of him But the foresayd woeman or rather infernall furies were not satisfied with his banishment but plotted to haue him surprised by the way and robbed of his eyes which they fayled to execute for when the instruments of this crueltie arriued at the Port the Sainct had allreadie hoist sayles and was gone Our Lord greatly conforted Sainct DVNSTAN in this banishment by the meanes of his holy Apostle Sainct ANDREW to whom he was euer peculiarly denoted who visited him often and appeared vnto him with words and promises of great consolation In the meane time the allmightie and heauenly wisedome cast a mercifull eye on the English nation and vsed meanes for the perpetuall consolation thereof againe to restore DVNSTAN the Father of the countrey into his former and farre greater degrees of place and dignitie For the Northumbers and Mercians withdrew themselues King Edwin iustly punished from the subiection of King Edwin and made the Noble Edgar his brother their Prince vnder whose conduct they persecuted Edwin and droue him beyond the riuer Thames soe that all the couÌ„trey from thence to Humber was wholly subiect vnto Edgar And with in a short time death hauing ended the quarrell and taken away Edwin Edgar remayned Monarke of all England Who being desirous Edgar recalleth S. Dunstati to establish his kingdome with peace and iustice caused all the outrages committed by his predecessor to be repayred monasticall and Church-goods to be restored and by messengers sent into Flanders recalled S. DVNSTAN into the Countrey with great honour and reuerence committing him self and all his affayres to be ruled He is made Bishop of Worcester and ordered by the prudence of his care and counsell Moreouer that greater dignitie might authorise all his proceedings with manie prayers he perswaded him to accept the bishoprick of Worcester and he was consecrated at Canturbury
by the hands of S. ODO the Archbishop Then this holy Prelat returning to his Church discharged the part of a most worthy Pastour vsing an extreme vigilance ouer his flock which he gouerned with wonderfull integritie vnremoued constancie and discrete seueritie XI BVT the bishop of London being dead after mature deliberation for a successour noe man was found soe worthy as S. DVNSTAN And of London soe that he was coÌ„pelled to vndertake the gouernment of that Sea allsoe wheÌ„ how rarely he did the office of a holy Prelat in both these places it goes beyond the force of weake words to declare At length by the vnanimous consent of all he was chosen Archbishop of Canturbury when he went to Rome according to the custom of those times and obtained his Palle of the Pope who sent him back with all the authoritie and dignitie belonging to the Metropolitan of England At his returne with great honour applause he was receaued and installed in the Archiepiscopall Sea of Canturbury when assuming for his armour of proofe the word of God he strengthened him self against the Prince of the world and began on all sides to destroy and ruine his members with a resolute constancie and a coÌ„stant resolution of true pietie vertue and religion XII A COVNT noe lesse rich the powerfull had vnlawfully married He excommunicateth an incestuous Count. his owne neece against whom S. DVNSTAN hauing the second and third time admonished and sharply rebuked for that incestuous offence seeing noe hope of amendment vsed the sword of abscision and by the sentence of excoÌ„munication cutt him off from the communion of the Church The Count much incensed herewith had recourse to the King and to the Pope to make his peace with DVNSTAN but finding that both their entreaties could nothing moue the holy Prelate who remayned firme as a rock that could not be shaken with anie thing admiring the coÌ„stancie of the Sainct fearing left his malediction should cause the ruine of his soule he diuorced him self from that vnlawfull wife And when DVNSTAN presided in a Nationall Synod of the whole realme the Count came barefoote Behould a rare example of publick peanance into the place cloathed in a poore wollen habit with a handfull of rods in his hand casting him self in that full assemblie at the feete of the holy Prelate with a woefull pietie craued pardon of his fault offring him the rods to be chastised and absolued from the excommunication and admitted to the sacrameÌ„ts of the Church At which sight the whole companie was mooued to pittie and coÌ„passion and DVNSTAN more then the rest Yet obseruing all waies the rigour of discipline in his countenance a while he coÌ„tayned his vrging teares but with difficultie till being entreated by the whole Councell with weeping words he gaue him pardon and absolution XIII BVT this was nothing in respect of that which he did to King King Edgars offence Edgar whom soe highly he honoured in the punishing of an enormious sinne which he had committed to the great scandall of the countrey The King coming once to the Monasterie of 〈◊〉 Nunnes at Wilton chanced to see a fayre yong mayde excelling both in nobilitie and beautie that liued there as a tabler amongst the other Nunnes of whom he became fondly amorous and desired to haue conference with her in a secret place The Mayde being carefull of her owne chastitie and fearing left the king might offer violeÌ„ce in such an opportunitie tooke the vayle froÌ„ one of the other religious woemen putt it on her owne head supposing that he would attempt noe dishonestie against her thus vayled Whom when the King beheld in that manner Thou art quickly made â—â— Nunne sayd he and pulling the vayle off her head rauished her by force such cruell enemies to the soule our eyes are that they robbe vs of our hearts This fact was cause of great scandall in the Kingdom till the newes arriued at the eares of saint DVNSTAN who was strucken with great sorow thereat Therefore hastening presently to the King and he as his manner was coming to meeâ—e him and offring to take him by the hand to leade him in with honour DVNSTAN with a frowning looke drew back his hand and Would not suffer him to touch it Whereat the King greatly amazed demaunded the reason of this strangnes To whom saint Note the zeale and constancie of S. Dunstan DVNSTAN Thou breaking all lawes of shamefastnes hast playd the adulterer thou despising God and not fearing the signe of chastitie hast robbed a Virgin of her integritie and doest thou aske why I giue the not my hand that sacrificeth the Sonne of the Virgin to his allmightie Father to be polluted with thy impure fingers First wash thy hands from filth with the teares of penance and then that thou maiest be reconciled to Gods grace honour and embrace the sacred hands of a Bishop The King who suspected nothing lesse then DVNSTAN to be guiltie of that secret was The great humilitie of King Edgar strangely amazed at these sharpe words and presently like an other Dauid he became penitent and throwing him self prostrate at the Bishops feete with words full of teares and sighs acknowledged his fault and desired penance DVNSTAN seeing soe great an example of humilitie in the King ranne to him and hauing lifted him from the ground began with a pleasing countenance to deale familiarly His seauen yeares peanance with him touching his soules health and inioyned him seauen yeares penance for satisfaction Who hauing obtayned a Pontisicall absolution ioyfully performed his penance and exercised manie other workes of pietie ouer and aboue by the instinct and counsell of S. DVNSTAN Moreouer remayning euer after constant in the loue and seruice of Allmightie God he very worthyly promoted both the ciuill and the Ecclesiasticall discipline of his realme was verie carefull to see iustice obserued to which end he established manie good lawes whereby he deserued to haue his kingdom adorned with soe manie heauenly benefitts and blessings that during his raigne nothing seemed to be wanting that any way belonged to the commoditie of a well-ordered and happie Common-wealth XIV NETHER doe I sayth Harpsfield beleeue this great felicitie Saec. 10. cap. 3. to haue flowed from anie other fountaine then that Edgar from a child allthough sometimes in his youth he suffered vnder human frailtie was allwaies piously affected to God and diuine things by which the rest of the common-wealth all his happines depended and that he vsed these most faythfull most friendly most wise and most holy Counsellours OSWALD ETHELWOLD and aboue all DVNSTAN who piously and holyly gouerned his youth in the way of vertue and good life And the holy documents which he suckt from their mouthes he afterwards fullfilled in his deedes and examples Whence it came to passe that by his royall meanes and by the counsâ—ll and ayde of these three worthie Bishops and
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
more stately manner retaynes the name of CHRISTS-Church and is the mother and Metropolitan of all England IX BVT our new Apostolicall Archbishop vehemently desiring to reioyce holy Pope GREGORY with the newes of his happie successe S. Augustine consulteth Pope Gregorie presently after his returne from Arelas sent his holy fellow-Monkes and Preachers LAVRENCE and PETER to Rome to make relation to saint GREGORIE that the English nation had admitted the fayth of CHRIST and that he was made Bishop thereof desiring allsoe to haue his prudent counsell in manie difficulties that did arise in the plantation of that new Church The ioy that the holy Pope receaued with the breath of this newes I leaue to our hearts to imagine for doubtlesse it was such that noe tongue nor penne can expresse it Then he sent back with these holy legats more preachers and labourers into the new vineyard of our Lord of whom the chiefest were these holy Benedictine Monkes Mellitus Justus Paulinus and Ruffinianus and by them all things necessarie for the diuine seruice holy vessells chalices aultar-cloathes ornaments for the Church Priestly robes and vestements manie holy reliques of the Apostles and martirs and great store of bookes He allsoe dispatched letters to saint AVGVSTINE in which he signifieth the sending of the Palle vnto him insinuating withall after what manner he ought to ordaine Bishops in England Heare his Epistle X. GREGORIE Seruant of the Seruants of God to his most reuerend Pope Gregoâ—â—e â—eâ—terâ— to S. August and most holy Brother Augustine Bishop Allthough it is certaine that the vnspeakable rewards of the eternall Kingdom are rescrued for those that labour â—or allmightie God it behooues vs neuerthelesse to bestow on such the benefitts of honour that out of this recompence they may be encouraged to endeauour more abundantly in the exercise of their spirituall labour And because the new Church of the English by the peculiar bountie of our Lord and thy industrie is brought to the grace of allmightie God we graunt to thee there the vse of the Palle in the performance of the solemnities of Masse only soe that thou maiest ordaine twelue Bishops in diuers places all to be subiect The auncient vse of the Palle to thy iurisaiction because the Bishop of the Cittie of London ought allwaies hereafter to be consecrated by his proper Sinod and receaue the Palle from this holy and Apostolique Sca to which by the authoritie of God J serue But to the Cittie of Yorke we will thee to send a Bishop whom thou shalt thinke fitt to ordaine only soe that if that cittie with the countrey adioyning â—hall receaue the word of God he may allsoe ordaine twelue Bishops and enioy the dignitie of a Metropolitan because to him allsoe by the helpe of God yf our life last we resolue to giue the Palle whom notwithstanding we will haue to be subiect to the disposition of thy Fraternitie But after thy death August hath iurisdiction ouer all England let him soe preside ouer the Bishops he hath odayned that by noe meanes he be subiect to the Bishop of London But let this distinction be between the bishop of London and Yorke that he be accompted the first who was first ordered And with common counsell and peaceable dealing let them vnanimously dispose those things which are to be handled for the zeale of Christ let them iudge rightly and not performe their iudgements with disagreeing minds But let thy Brotherhood haue iurisdiction not only ouer the bishops by thee ordayned those ordayned by the bihop of Yorke but allsoe ouer all the bishops and Priests of Britaine by the authoritie of God and our Lord Iesus-Christ To the end that from the tongue and life of thy Sainctitie they may learne the forme both of rightly beleeuing and well liuing that executing their office with true fayth and good manners they may when our Lord will attaine to the heauenly Kingdom God keepe thee in health most reuerend brother Giuen the tenth of the Calends of July in the ninteenth yeare of the raigne of our most pious Emperour Mauritius Tiberius XI BY this Epistle it appeases how our holy Apostle AVGVSTINE What the Archbishops Palle is and meaneth receaued the dignitie of metropolitan Archbishop and Primate of of all England and the Palle the chiefe armes of that dignitie vsed in auncient times to be sent from the Roman Sea to all Archbishops But this Palle to satisfie the ignorant is a little poore cloath in breadth not exceeding three fingers which Archbishops going to the aultar putt about their necks after all other Pontificall ornaments it hath two labels hanging downe before and behind adorned with little black crosses all rude and vnpolisht made of the verie wooll as it comes from the sheepes back without anie other artificiall colour and this being first cast into the tombe of saint PETER the Pope sends to those that are designed to be Archbishops This auncient ceremonie fignified chiefely two things The first that the Bishop shining and glittering at masse in glorious robes adorned with gould gemmes looking vppon the pouertie of this cloath should learne not to grow insolent with the greatnes of his dignitie but cast off all high-aspiring spiritts The other that he should diligently and exactly obserue the sâ—me fayth which S. PETER taught at Rome in whose tombe this cloath was throwne and that which the other Bishops of the same sea haue followed This much by the way be sayd of the Palle XII BVT our foresayd holy legats being departed from Rome the blessed Pope GREGORIE sent letters after them worthie of memorie by which he manifestly she weth with what an industrious affectionate zeale he was carried towards the saluation of our couÌ„trey Oâ—her letters of S. Gregory writing in this manner GREGORIE seruant of the seruants of God to Mellitus Abbot After the departure of our Congregation which is with thee we were held greatly in suspense because we chaunced to heare nothing of the prosperitie of your iourney Therefore when allmightie God shall haue brought yee safe to the moct reuerend man Augustine our brother tell him that I haue long discussed with my self concerning the cause of the English and am now resolued that the Temples of the Idols ought not The vse of holy water in oâ—â— first Apostles time to be destroyed in that countrey but let the Idols them selues only be demolisht Let holy water be made and sprinkled in those Temples let altars be built and reliques placed therein because if those Temples be fittly built it is necessarie that they be chainged from the worship of deuils to the seruice of the true God that whilst the poeple them selues seeing their self same Temples vndestroyed may depose out of their hearts all errour and acknowledging and adoring the true God may more familliarly frequent their accustomed places And because their custom is to kill manie oxen in sacrifice to their God in this
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
the Pagans vnder his dominion to heare them with pacience By this meanes manie were dayly conuerted A Church dedicated to the holy Crosse to the fayth in soe much that they procured a Church to be built at Vtreicht in honour of the holy Crosse in which they consecrated a font that such as receiued the Fayth might haue free accesse to be there baptised And now the haruest of our Lord beginning greatly to encrease and the labourers being but few these holy men deuided them selues weÌ„t by two three togeather to preach in diuers parts of lower Germanie But S. SWIBERT of whoÌ„ only now we treat accompanied with Weresrid Marcelline came to the great village some two miles distant froÌ„ Vtreight called Duerstat where coÌ„stantly preaching CHRIST crucified and proouing their worshiped Idolls to be nothing but houses of deuils he was streight appreheÌ„ded S. Swibert beaten and imprisoned by the Pagan Priests who feared the vtter ruine of their Idolatry being cruelly beaten he was cast into prison meaning to put him priuately to death the next morning for publickly they durst not doe it fearing the French Christians vnder the yoake of whose gouernment they were When we sayth the Authour werenfrid and I Marcelline with teares and lamentations followed him to the prison gate Which S. SWIBERT perceiuing with a merrie countenance comforted and exhorted them couragiously to Deliuered by an Angel remayne in the fayth of CHRIST and not to feare death for his sake But the same night as he prayed in that darkesome lodging a bright Angel appeared vnto him with lightsom newes of comfort following the lustre of whose fayre countenance like an other Apostle PETER he was deliuered out of that irksome iayle in the verie sight and view of his astonished Iaylours Then coming againe to his two companious they fell all togeather on their knees and gaue humble thanks to allmightie God for this great token of his loue and goodnes IV. THE Pagans and specially the Priests of the Idols vnderstanding the manner of his straing deliuerie began to stagger in their fayth and call in question the power of their weake Gods Before whom S. SWIBERT preaching againe the next day and worthyly extolling the omnipotent power of IESVS-CHRIST bred a generall amazement in their blinded soules and conuerted verie manie to the true Catholick fayth noe maÌ„ offring to lay hands on him Which done he returned againe to Vtreiâ—ght making his fellowe-brethren partakers of what had happened who with teares of ioy receiued him and gaue infinite thanks to the allmightie worker of his freedom Afterwards he weÌ„t through diuers townes and Villages of Frizeland Holland Teisterband founding and breathing noe other Manie conuerted to the fayth words or accents but of Christ and his holy Ghospell and allbeit he found manie great difficulties and endured strainge afflictions from the furie of the Infidels yet allwaies sustayned by the diuine helpe he constantly perseuered in his holy enterprise of preaching whereby great store of poeple were conuerted to the knowledge of the true fayth He arriued at length at a village in Holland called Hagenstein where it being a principall festiuitie among the Pagans he chanced to find the poeple verie busily employed in the worshipfull exercise of their diabolicall sacrifices rites and ceremonies before See the constant â—eale of S Swibert their stonie Gods and thrusting him self into the midest of that barbarous presse of people he cried out in the spiritt of his zeale and verie eagerly repreheÌ„ded the blindnes of their ignorance in worshiping those stocks and stones for Gods preaching vnto them the true fayth of CHRIST crucified whose power was infinite in heauen and earth who only it was that ruled the course of the world and produced miraculous effects therein The Pagans admiring soe great constancie and boldnes in the man and being curious to make experience whether it were true that miracles could be wrought in the vertue of him whom he preached flocked presently about him offring him a yong man called Giselbert that from his byrth had neuer seene the light whom yf by the power of the Crucified God he soe highly extolled he could restore to perfect sight they would be content to giue more eare to his doctrine otherwise he was to expect a sudden and cruell death for his hire The holy man compelled by the iustnes of this necessitie fell presently on his knees hauing deuoutly powred out his humble prayers to allmightie God he arose and making the signe of the holy Crosse on the vnprofitable eies of the blind person cried out with a lowd voyce In the name of the true God our Lord IESVE-CHRIST crucified whose ghospell I preach I commaund thee to receiue thy One borne blind he cureth with the signe of the crosse sight and confesse the power of thy creatour At which words the yong man opening his eyes found the perfect vse of his desired sight to his owne great comfort and the wonderfull astonishment of the beholders that heard him openly proclaime that there was noe other God but IESVS-CHRIST whom his seruant SWIBERT preached V. THE Pagans as blind of fayth as he had been of sight much Manie receaue the Christian fayth amazed at the strangenes of this miracle began to be touched to the quick with a true compunction of heart and horrour of they owne ignorance and first the Sacrificer of the Village with great store of poeple fell humbly prostrate before S. SWIBERT to demaund pardon for the wrong offered Whom when the B. man with manie pious exhortations had confirmed in the true fayth the next day allmost all the poeple of that Village being gathered togeather in the profane temple of their Idoll by the same holy mans perswas on beleeued and were clensed from all their sinnes in the sacred F 〈…〉 t of Baptisme and their Idolatrous Temple was chainged into a Christian Church and consecrated afterwards by S. SWIBERT when he was made Bishop to the honour of God and the vnspotted Virgin his Mother The glorie of this miracle being blowne ouer the countrey through the trumpet of flying fame manie that had knowne the yong man blind came willingly to S. SWIBERT and being by him instructed they beleeued and were baptised VI. THEN the number of Christians dayly increasing in manie parts of Germanie through the fruitfull preaching of S. SWIBERT S. Swibert made Bishop and his other fellowes being in want of bishops to exercise more eminent authoritie ouer them to consecrate Churches for the diuine seruice to giue holy orders and supplie all others functions belonging to Ecclesisticall affaires they made choise of two WILLIBRORD that went to Rome and SWIBERT that came into England both to be aduaÌ„ced to the Episcopall dignitie S. SWIBERT was consecrated Bishop on S. BARTHOLOMEWS day by the hands of the most excellent flower of the Benedictine order WILFRIDE Bishop of Yorke who then wrongfully expelled from
his bishoprick led a priuate life in the Kingdom of Mercia or Middle England This done our holy SWIBERT adorned with episcopall authoritie fortified with the comfortable speeches of S. WILFRID returned againe to Utreight He iâ— famous ouer the coutrey courragiously to follow on his pious enterprise adorning his new receaued dignities with a new list of vertues behauing him self from hence forth with great humilitie meeknes simplicitie iustice and all other degrees of perfection and making these vertues as it were the baites to take and winne soules out of the deluge of Idolatrie to the secure and quiet shore of CHRISTS Church by the force of his diuine learning and vnwearied labour of preaching Which tooke soe good effect that in diuers parts of Friseland and allmost all the countrie of Teisterband the poeple were conuerted to the fayth and manie Churches raysed and built on the ruines of Idolatrie were consecrated to the seruice of IESVS-CHRIST Soe that S. SWIBERT growing to be of great fame and estimation in all those countries for his singular vertue and miracles and being an amazement to the Pagans and Pagan priests it pleased the diuine goodnes to glorifie him more and more with wonders to the confusion of the â—â—ntils and great aduancement of his Church VII FOR being to dedicate a Church at Malsen in the Countie of Teisterband vppon the riuer Linghen a yong gentleman called Splinter van Andengin desiring out of curiositie to see the rites and ceremonies which the Christians vsed in the dedication of Churches and chiefly to see SWIBERT their bishop of whom he had heard such wonders coming ouer the riuer Rhene fell by chaunce out of the boate drowned leauing both the shores full of the fruitlesse lamentations and teares of his fellowes and seruants that dolefully bewayled their losse The same day about noone he was taken vp by certaine fishers and brought as dead as a hearing to Duerstat to the sorowfull house of his vnconsolable parents who through the perswasion of their Idolatrous Priests caused him to be carried to the Temple of Mars trusting that he could cure the wound giuen by Neptune and to that end they besought his warlik power with The God mars called vppon in vaine manie sacrifices to restore the yong man to life but all in vaine Which his father perceauiÌ„g coÌ„sidering that their poore Gods were not wont to bestow guifts of life soe liberally he was perswaded by some deuout Christians to entreate B. SWIBERT to come to his ay de who was the likelier to prooue a better Aduocate in his behalf in that matter of life and Death To him thereforeÌ„ he went and falling at his feet he began to open his miserie when a floud of teares soe stopt the current of his discourse that in them and his sighs the whole force of his eloquence seemed to consist But the holy Bishop S Swib entreated to ralsea dead maÌ„ refuseth gathering his meaning out of that dolefull speech was very vnwilling to vndertake a matter of soe great presumption till ouercome with the weeping rhetorick of his importunitie the prayers of Werenfride and Marcellin his fellowes he went with him whom an infinite multitude of poeple stood expecting on the banks of the Riuer Rhene When entring the village Duerstat the dolefull mother of the drowned youth carried beyond all degrees of sorrow ranne to meet him and falling at his feet in the midst of the street cried out O seruant of the true God helpe me and reuiue my sonne by the power of thy God for our Gods are all too weake to doe it S. SWIBERT applying a salue of comfort to the deepe wound of her sorow went to the house where the dead bodie was layd and commaunding his fellow-disciples to fall hartily to their prayers he allso betooke him self earnestly to his in the midst of that weeping multitude of poeple and trembling Flamins of the Pagans His prayer ended he arose and putting his whole confidence in our Lord IESVS-CHRIST he sayd O thou only comforter of our sadnes who didest once affirme with thy sacred mouth whosoeuer beleeueth Ioan. 14. v. 12 in me the works that I doe he allsoe shall doe and greater then these he shall doe voutchafe to shew the power of thy Diuinitie in raysing this man from death to life And taking him by the hand he sayd 〈◊〉 He rayseh a dead man to life the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST crucified I bid thee rise and liue and prayse thy creatour At these words he that before was dead opened his eyes and waking as it were out of a profound sleepe he arose and embracing the holy Sainct cried out with great sighs there is noe other God in heauen and earth but IESVS-CHRIST crucified whom SWIBERT preacheth O the wonderfull life of this blessed Sainct whose prayers banished death from the bodie of an other and spoiled hell of its pray And presently all the beholders much astonished with the noueltie of this great miracle highly extolled the diuine pietie with loud shouts of ioy and thanksgiuing that daigned to ennoble his seruant with soe miraculous a remonstrance of his goodnes And the Heathen Priests togeather with the parents of the new reuiued youth and a great multitude of poeple renouncing the errours of Idolatrie beleeued in IESVS-CHRIST soe that there were baptised 126. persons besides woemen and children When soe great a noise and clamour was raysed in 126. persons conuerted the street by the Pagans that desired to see the newly reuiued yong man that S. SWIBERT compelled therevnto for the greater honour and glorie of God lead him out amongst them in his hand as a liuing trophie of his owne vertue to be seene of all that pressing multitude of poeple who when they beheld him walking in the street with lowd shoutes and cries they made the heauens resound with the Ecchos of these words Great is the God of the Christians and manie beleeued in CHRIST the worker of miracles through the perswasion of the holie Bishop and had their soules reuiued in the sacred font of baptisme With whom S. SWIBERT remayned a good while feeding and confirming the weakenes of their fayth with the solid foode of his learning till the whole village of Duerstat was throughly conuerted to the truth VIII IN the meane time S. WILLIBRORD ordayned Bishop of Frizeland by the speciall authoritie of Pope Sergius returned from Rome and placed his episcopall sea in the towne of Vtreight in a Cathedrall Church of Benedictin Monks-Canons dedicated to S. MARTIN Willibrord Bishop of Vtreight Bishop of Tours vnto whom the Benedictines were allwaies peculiarly deuoted And Radbod king of Frizeland being dead the two holy Bishops obtained greater libertie publickly â—opreach the ghospell of CHRIST throughout the whole couÌ„trey whereby their holy labours tooke soe good effect that the couÌ„tie of TeisterbaÌ„d allmost all HollaÌ„d a great part of neather Friseland were awaked out of the