not take it ill if I give a relation of them Amongst the Reliques of this place that which was most famous and bare the bell away from all the rest was S. Oswalds arm which continued uncorrupted for many years and that in the time of Abbot Martin it was shown to Alexander Bishop of Lincoln 487 years after its cutting off And of it some of the Monks in those times wrote these Verses Cum digitis dextram cute sanguine carneque tectam Oswaldi Regis Burgensis continet aedis Vngues sunt tales fuerant vivo sibi quales Intus in hac dextra paret cernentibus extra Nervus hinc vena dextra junctura serena In cubiti veluti nova paret fossa veruti Quo fuit appensum pretiosum martyris armum The story of this arm I suppose to be taken out of Beda his History of England lib. 3. cap. 6. who relates that this Oswald King of Northumberland was very free and liberal in giving of alms to the poor and one day whilst he sate at meat one of his servants told him of a great number of poor people come to his gate for relief whereupon King Oswald sent them meat from his own table and there not being enough to serve them all he caused one of his silver dishes to be cut in pieces and to be distributed amongst the rest which Aydanus a Bishop who came out of Scotland to convert and instruct those Northern parts of England beholding took the King by the right hand saying nunquam inveterascat haec manus let this hand never wax old or be corrupted which came to pass This arm was first deposited at Bamburgh a religious place in Yorkshire Walter of Wettlesey writing the story thereof tells that it was brought to the Monastary of Burgh by Winegotus of Bebeberch but saith not when therefore I cannot conjecture better than that it was by the procurement of this Abbot Elsinus It is said that this arm wrought many cures upon several diseased folk and that it was of such fame in the days of King Stephen as that he himself came to Peterburgh purposely to see it and offered his Ring to S. Oswald and also remitted King Stephen at Peterburgh to the Monastery the summ of forty marks wherein it was indebted unto him But that the Reader may know more fully the story of S. Oswald and his arm it is to be remembred that Penda King of the Camden Mercians being of a fierce nature and withal ambitious made war upon his neighbour Kings and particularly upon Oswald King of Northumberland who was a Christian him Penda encountred at Oswaldstreet now Oswestre in Shropshire though Wittlesey saith this battle was fought at a place called Burne and there overthrew him and caused him to be torn in pieces whom some in remembrance of Bishop Aydan's blessing might preserve his arm which at length was here at Peterburgh treasured up If the Reader be still at a stand when he shall read in Authors that King Oswald was buried at several places I cannot help him And now that we are upon this subject of Reliques we may I hope without offence to the Reader extend the Legend to the full Besides S. Oswalds arm there were some of his ribs and some of the earth where he was slain There were two pieces of our Saviours swadling cloaths Of the Manger wherein he was laid in two places Two pieces of the Cross which would not be burnt More of the Cross in four places Of the Sepulchre of our Lord in four places Of the five loaves with which he fed the five thousand men Of the garment of S. Mary in two places Of her vail in two places Of Aarons rod. Reliques of S. John the Baptist Of old Symeon Of the Sepulchre of Lazarus in two places Of the stone-patin of S. John the Evangelist Reliques of S. Peter the Apostle Of S. Paul Of S. Andrew Of S. Bartholomew Of S. Philip and Jacob. A shoulder blade of one of the Innocents whom Herod slew Reliques of S. Stephen S. Dionysius Rusticus and Elutherius Of the sackcloath and shirt of S. Wenceslaus Of the hand of S. Magnus Martyr Of S. Laurence The jaw and tooth and arm of S. George Martyr Reliques of S. Hippolytus and of S. Gervase The jaw and tooth of S. Christopher Reliques of S. Cyriacus of S. Potitus of S. Quirinus Two teeth of S. Edward King and Martyr Reliques of S. Trudon of S. Maximus of S. Salinus of S. Theodorus of S. Innocentius of S. Mauritius of S. Apollinaris of S. Gorgon of S. S. Cosmus and Damianus of S. S. Sergius and Bachius The finger of S. Leofridus Abbot Reliques of S. Hugo S. Wulgarus S. Adelwold S. Cuthbald S. Vindemianus S. Lotharius Three sinews of the hand of S. Athelard Abbot of Corbey Reliques of S. Acca Bishop of S. Machutus of S. Egwinus Abbot of S. Kenulphus The arm of S. Swithune Bishop A relique of S. Medard The shoulder-blade of S. Ambrose The tooth of S. Aydanus of S. Grimbaldus of S. Adelmus Two pieces of S. Cecilia of S. Lucia of S. Christina Of the bones and bloud and garment of S. Eutopia Of S. Mary the Egyptian Of S. Mary Magdalen Of the head and arms of S. Rogelida Of * See the Matriculatory at the end O. S. Anstroberta Of S. Edburga Of S. Emerentiana Of S. Juliana Virgin Of the hairs of S. Athelwold Bishop The tooth of S. Sexburga Virgin Reliques deposited under the great Altar Of the wood and Sepulchre of our Lord. Of the head of S. George Of the arm of S. Sebastian Of S. Pancratius Of S. Procopius S. Wilfridus S. Botwinus S. Albertus S. Suffredus S. Tadbertus S. Wildegelus Abbots Pag. 91. Reliques in the silver Tower Of the Sepulchre of our Lord. Of the garment and Sepulchre of S. Mary Of S. Andrew and S. Philip and S. James Of S. Dionysius S. Rusticus and Eleutherius Of S. Oswaldus S. Laurentius S. Vincentius S. Potitus S. S. Cosmus and Damianus S. Adelwoldus S. Adelinus S. Cecilia S. Edburga What became of these or some of these reliques in after times some small mention will be made hereafter but whether any of them were extant in the Monastery at the dissolution by King Henry the Eighth I find nothing amongst Writers no not of great S. Oswalds arm though Nicolas Harpsfield a late Historical Romanist would make us believe that the prayer of Aydanus was still in force as if that arm was somewhere extant But to return to Abbot Elsinus He was three years in Normandy with Queen Emma where he also collected many other reliques and like a laborious Bee stored his Abbey with them It hapned at that time that there was a great dearth in that Country of Normandy insomuch that many of the inhabitants forsook the Country and planted themselves in other places The Abbey of S. Florentinus having spent their treasures in buying of food and nothing left
doubted whether he wrote them himself more than he did the rest I shall therefore set down his Books as also some of the succeeding Abbots that the Reader may conjecture what Scholars those Abbots might be and see what Books were most in request amongst them Abbot Benedicts Library was furnished with these Books Quinque libri Moysis glossati in uno Volumine Sexdecim Prophetae glossati in uno Volumine Duodecim Minores glossati in uno Volumine Liber Regum glossatus Paralipomenon glossatus Job Parabolae Salomonis Ecclesiastes Cantica Canticorum glossati in uno Volumine Liber Ecclesiasticus Liber Sapientiae glossati in uno Volumine Tobias Judith Esther Esdras glossati in uno Volumine Liber Judicumglossatus Scholastica Historia Psalterium glossatum Item non glossatum Item Psalterium Quatuor Evangelia glossata in uno Volumine Item Matthaeus Marcus in uno Volumine Johannes Lucas in uno Volumine Epistolae Pauli glossatae Apocalypsis Epistolae Canonicae glossatae in uno Volumine Sententiae Petri Lombardi Item Sententiae ejusdem Sermones Bernardi Abbatis Clarevallensis Decreta Gratiani Item Decreta Gratiani Summa Ruffini de Decretis Summa Johannis Faguntini de Decretis Decretales Epistolae Item Decretales Epistolae Item Decretales Epistolae cum Summa sic incipiente Olim. Institutiones Justiniani cum Autenticis Infortiato Digestum vetus Tres partes cum Digesto novo Summa Placentorum Totum corpus juris in duobus Voluminibus Arisimetica Epistolae Senecae cum aliis Senecis in uno Volumine Martialis Terentius in uno Volumine Morale dogma Philosophorum Gesta Alexandri Liber Claudii Claudiani Summae Petri Helyae de Grammatica cum multis aliis rebus in uno Volumine Gesta Regis Henrici Secundi genealogia ejus Interpretationes Hebraicorum nominum Libellus de Incarnatione Verbi Liber Bernardi Abbatis ad Eugenium Papam Missale Vita Sancti Thomae Martyris Miracula ejusdem in quinque Voluminibus Liber R. Plutonis qui dicitur Vnde malum Meditationes Anselmi Practica Bartholomaei cum pluribus aliis rebus in uno Volumine Ars Physicae Pantegm practica ipsius in uno Volumine Almasor Dioscorides de virtutibus herbarum Liber dinamidiorum aliorum multorum in uno Volumine Libellus de compoto This was the stock of his Literature as Wittlesey hath set it down though another ancient Copy in some few things differeth from it There is some clashing betwixt Vossius and Possevine about the time of this Benedict but it is not worth the trouble of reciting It seems Benedict was a man of good note that his preferment to this Abby should sound in foreign parts Sigebertus Gemblacensis making mention thereof Benedictus Prior Cantuariensis factus est Ad an 1177. Abbas de Burc The Abby was at his entrance 1500 marks deep in debt from which Benedict freed it He laboured much in recovering of his Abby Lands some by suits in Law and some by force for as if he were Tam Marti quam Mercurio as well for the Sword as the Book he went sometimes in person armed upon such adventures His actions at home towards his Monastery were great and many It seems the Nave or body of the Church did not please him therefore he built it after a better manner from the Lantern to the Porch as now it is so that the painted Ceiling at the top which is still remaining was probably of his doing He set up also the Pulpit in the body of the Church which was but lately taken away He finished the Chappel of Thomas Becket which his Predecessor had begun He built a large and goodly House of stone for several Offices which was standing in our age He built the great gate leading to the Monastery and over it the Chappel of S. Nicolas both which are yet standing He was much in the Kings favour that the King King Richard for his piety gravity and wisdom was wont to call him Father And when King Richard in his return from the Holy Land was taken prisoner by Arch-Duke Leopold who detained him this Abbot Benedict being in the Kings absence made Coadjutor and Councellor with William Bishop of Ely Chancellor of the Realm Councelled that the Chalices of the Church should be sold to pay the Kings ransome which was done and the King returned home Then did King Richard confirm to Abbot Benedict and his Monastery the Marsh of Pekirk now commonly called North-Fenne about which there fell out some difference betwixt Radulphus le Wake and the Monastery for Radulphus being Lord of Deeping claimed Common in the Marsh as being but on the other side of the River but Abbot Benedict impounded his Cattel alledging that the Marsh belonged only to his Tenants of Pekirk Glinton Makeshye and Northburgh and desired Radulphus to enquire into the truth thereof So Radulphus came to Peterburgh with some others where being fully informed of the Abbots right he forbare to trespass any more Benedict also recovered the Marsh of Eye and the Hermitage of Singlesholt King Richard also granted unto Benedict his confirmation of the eight Hundreds as his predecessors had done And withal his Charter for the holding of a Fair in Peterburgh upon the Feast of S. Peter S. Peters Fair. to continue for 8 days although now it be contracted into one He also granted a weekly Market every Thursday and a Fair for three days at the Feast of S. Peter to be holden at the Mannor of Scotter in Lincolnshire then belonging to this Monastery Vid. Chartam in App. Pag. 252. John the Kings brother who was Earl of Moriton and afterwards King of England was also kind to Abbot Benedict and his Monastery giving them by his Charter yearly three Staggs and six Bucks out of his Forest of Sheerwood without contradiction In his time there flourished one William of Peterburgh a Monk of Ramsey a very Learned man upon whom Pitseus bestows a large Character whither the Reader that would see his works may resort Benedict having been Abbot the space of seventeen years died Anno 1194. being the sixth Year of King Richard the first and had for his Successor 23. ANDREAS He was first a Monk here then Prior and afterwards for his many vertues was chosen Abbot The Villages of Alwalton and Fletton which then belonged to him he gave to the Monks Kitchin for the augmentation of their Commons Having been Abbot about five years he died the same year with King Richard which was Anno 1199. He was buried in the South Isle of the Church at the back of the Quire in the same Grave where two of his Predecessors had been buried before as the Epitaph on the Wall over his Monument will testifie which was lately in ancient Saxon Letters but now in the ordinary renewed Hos tres Abbates quibus est Prior Abba Johannes Alter Martinus Andreas ultimus unus Hic
all the English Saints lye that he who desired to address himself to any particular Saint might know where to find him or her And speaking of Tibba he saith she was cosin to the two forenamed Sisters Kyneburgh and Kyneswith whose Reliques here were in such high esteem that Ingalphus reckons the treading of their pretious pledges under Feet as one of the principal profanations when this Monastery was demolished by the Danes in the year 870. when Altaria omnia suffossa c. Sanctarum Virginum Kyneburgae Kyneswitae Tibbae pretiosa pignora pedibus conculcata P. 23. Edit Oxon. Henry of Bolingbroke then Earl of Derby afterward Duke of Hereford and at last King of England lay for some time in this Monastery with a great train in the beginning of this Abbots Government Particularly in the year 1392 when his Courtiers as my Author calls them Hist Croyland Continuatio p. 489. threatned to destroy Depynge and its inhabitants as enemies to him and his Father as well as injurious to Croyland which had suffered much by them and the neighbouring people of Holland Which put them into such a fright that the Steward of the Courts of the Earl of Kent Lord of Depynge and four and twenty of the best of the Town came with all speed to Burgh St. Peter and submitted themselves to the mercy of the Earl of Derby Whose Treasurer interceded for them and procured their Pardon upon promised confirmed by their Oath that they would keep the Peace hereafter with all Hollanders and most strictly punish all disturbers of it that could be found among them WILLIELMUS GENGE If he were the first Mitred Abbot of this Church as Mr. G. sayes Sir H. Spelman's notion is not true that they put on Miters in token they had Episcopal Jurisdiction and being advanced to the dignity of Barons sate in Parliaments which no other Abbots did For the Abbot of Burgh St. Peter sate in Parliament in the 4th year of Edw. 3. as appears by the summons to the Parliament at Winton And there is little truth also in what is commonly said that Mitred Abbots were not subject to any Bishop for after this Abbots time I shall show presently the Bishop of Lincoln kept both the Abbot and Convent for some time under his Visitation There are certain Constitutions I find made by him 1398. and others in the years 1401. and 1406. which I can but mention JOHANNES DEEPING The first of Henry 5th was the fifth year of his Abbotship as a memorandum still remaining tells us and thence we learn he was made Abbot 1407. All that I find of him are some Statutes which he made 1409. about the right observations of certain Festivals and others made by him in the year 1420. Which he calling the eleventh year of his Abbotship from thence it appears he was not made Abbot till the year 1409 He defended also the right the Church had to the Mannor of Walcote in Lincolnshire as I have observed already in the 13 year of Henry the 4th an 1314. against Thomas of Lancaster the Kings Son making it appear that it had been part of the Demeasnes of the Abbey from the first Foundation and had never held of the aforesaid Thomas his Mannor in Holderness In the year 1421. which was the eighth of Hen. 5. a complaint being made to the King of grievous excesses and abuses among the black Monks of the Order of St. Benet all the Abbots and Priors of that Order were Hist Croyl Contin p. 513. summoned to appear before the King at Westminster Where in the Chapterhouse on the 7th of May the King being personally present the charge against them was read by the Bishop of Exeter and he with several persons on both sides were appointed to consider it and to make a reformation which they all promised the King hereafter faithfully to observe RICHARDVS ASHTON In his time about the year 1448. the controversie between this Abbey and that of Croyland revived again the Metes and Bounds of the several Fens belonging to each which had been limited in divers places which the History mentions by crosses and other marks being so worn Hist Croyl Continuatio P. 525. c. out by carelesness in length of time that a very obscure and confused knowledge was the most that was left of them But by the consent of parties and the supervising of the Bishop of Lincoln the business was referred to four indifferent Arbitrators the Abbots and their Convents binding themselves under their Seals in an Obligation of a thousand Marks to acquiesce in what they should Decree Who met several times and inspected the Evidences on both sides but after much time and expences could not agree to determine any thing but resolved to throw the matter upon the Abbots themselves to make an end of it Who met at Ibury a Mannor of the Abbot of Burgh with the Priors of each Monastery and heard from one of the Arbitrators what it was which they would not determin without the express consent of both parties but after much discourse between them they could come to no agreement nor was the controversie setled till many years after But the most remarkable thing in this Abbots time is the pains he took in the regulation of Divine Service in this Monastery about which he made many Ordinances with the consent of all the Convent and drew up a Gustomary out of the ancient usages of the Church for all the Sundays from the Octaves of Whitsunday to the first Sunday in Advent All which are yet extant in his Grace's the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie's Library at Lambeth in two Volumes One written by Simon of Yarwell as he tells us in six verses at the beginning of the Book the other by John Trentam who concludes it with the like verses By this Customary they were directed how to sing their Offices longer or shorter every day as is expressed in the last Rubrick of it Before these Books is prefixed the Ecclesiastical Kalendar which I have had occasion frequently to name at the side of which are set down those Festivals or Anniversaries which were peculiar to this Church and their neighbour as follows January 3. Depositio Domini Martini Abbatis viz. the first of that name 6. Will. de Hotot Abbatis Anniversarium Richardi de Waterville Johannis filii ejus 13. Depositio Elfini Abbatis Anniversarium Matthai Capellani 23. Depositio Domini Elfrici Archiepiscopi February 21. Depositio Domini Andreae Abbatis Abbas missam celebravit 26. Commemoratio fundatorum omnium benefactorum March 1. Depositio Joh. de Caleto Abbatis pro anima Patris Matris ejus Anniversarium Ivonis Supprioris The Abbot was to say Mass himself and the Prior read Divine Service usque ad dirige Quia ista Depositio est in Albis One Ivo de Gunthorp gave all his Lands in Witherington to this Church as appears by the Charter of Rich. 1. who perhaps
say January 16. being the year of our Lord 1560. What he was for Learning and integrity of Religion in the now reformed Church of England wherein he was a Bishop may appear by these Doctrinal Articles which in his first Episcopal Visitation he prescribed to the Dean and Prebendaries of his Church requiring their subscription thereunto For as yet the general Articles of the Church of England were not formed until about two years after Jan. 29. 1562. B. Scamblers Articles were these 1 Sacra Scriptura in se continet omnem doctrinam pietatis ex qua sufficienter error convinci possit veritas stabiliri 2 Symbolum Nicaenum Athanasii quod communiter Apostolorum dicitur continent brevissime articulos fidei nostrae sparsim in Scripturis ostensos qui istis non crediderint inter veros Catholicos non sunt recipiendi 3 Ecclesia Christi est in qua purum Dei verbum praedicatur sacramenta juxta Christi ordinationem administrantur in qua clavium autoritas retinetur 4 Quaevis Ecclesia particularis autoritatem habet instituendi mutandi abrogandi caeremonias ritus Ecclesiasticos modo ad decorem ordinem aedificationem fiat 5 Christus tantum duo sacramenta expresse nobis commendat Baptisma Eucharistiam quae conferunt gratiam rite sumentibus etiamsi malus sit Minister non prosunt indigne sumentibus quamvis bonus sit Minister 6 Laudandus est Ecclesiae mos baptizandi parvulos retinendus 7 Coena Dominica non est tantum Symbolum benevolentiae Christianorum interse sed magis Symbolum est nostrae redemptionis per Christi mortem nostrae conjunctionis cum Christo ubi fidelibus vere datur exhibetur Communio corporis sanguinis Domini 8 Sacramentum Eucharistiae ex usu Primitivae Ecclesiae neque servabatur vel elevabatur vel adorabatur 9 Missa quae consuevit a sacerdotibus dici non erat a Christo constituta sed a multis Romanis Pontificibus confirmata nec est Eucharistia ex se sacrificium propitiatorium sed recordatio sacrificii semel peracti 10 Scholastica transubstantiatio panis vini in corpus sanguinem Christi probari non potest ex sacris literis 11 Non omne peccatum mortale seu voluntariò perpetratum post baptismum est irremissibile peccatum in Spiritum Sanctum 12 Post acceptum Spiritum potest homo peccare ac denuo resipiscere neque sine peccato vivit quamvis regeneratio in Christo imputetur 13 Justificatio ex sola fide est certissima doctrina Christianorum 14 Elizabetha Regina Angliae est unicus supremus gubernator hujus regni omnium dominiorum regionum suarum quarumcunque in rebus causis Ecclesiasticis quam temporalibus 15 Verbum Dei non prohibet foeminarum regimen cui obediendum est juxta ordinationem Dei 16 Romanus Pontifex nullam habet jurisdictionem in hoc regno Angliae nec alia quaecunque potestas extranea 17 Leges civiles possunt Christianos propter flagitia morte punire 18 Christianis licet ex jussu Principis bella gerere ex justa causa propria possidere 19 Doctrina scholasticorum de Purgatorio invocatione Divinorum nullum habet fundamentum ex verbo Dei 20 Praeceptum Dei est ut quae leguntur in Ecclesia illa lingua proferantur quae ab Ecclesia intelligatur 21 Absque externa legitima vocatione non licet cuiquam sese ingerere in aliquod ministerium Ecclesiasticum vel seculare 22 Matrimonium inter Christianos legitime juxta verbum Dei initum contractum est indissolubile nec per traditiones hominum unquam vellendum 23 Coelibatus nulli hominum statui praecipitur neque injungitur ministris Ecclesiae ex verbo Dei Haec omnia vera esse publice docenda profiteor eaque juxta datam mihi facultatem eruditionem tuebor docebo Hancque meam confessionem manus meae subscriptione testificor contrariamque doctrinam abolendam esse judico detestor By these Articles it may appear that Bishop Scambler was no friend to the Church of Rome nor they to him and whether it was for these Articles or some other Book which he published I find him recorded in the Roman Index of Books prohibited and branded with the Title of Pseudoëpiscopus But his name and memory are the more honourable by that name of Infamy which the Papists might cast upon the Worthies of our English Church Scambler having been Bishop here the space of twenty three years was translated to Norwich whither he that would know the residue of his life end burial or Epitaph must follow him it being without the Climate of our story But whilst he was at Peterburgh he empaired the honour priviledges and revenues of his Bishoprick passing quite away the Hundred of Nassaburgh with the whole Liberties thereof The Goal The Mannor of Thirlby The Mannor of Southorpe c. to the Queen from whom the Earls of Exeter enjoy them to this day As if King Henry had not taken away enough the Bishop himself would pass away more Scambler being translated to Norwich there succeeded 48 RICHARD HOWLAND Who was Master of S. John's Colledge in Cambridge and made Bishop here March 16. 1584. being the 27 year of Queen Elizabeth We have not much to say of him his parts or actions but shall enlarge this Paragraph of his being Bishop here with the story of Mary Queen of Scotts her death at Fotheringhay Castle and burial in the Cathedral Church of Peterburgh The whole progress of her life and actions from her first arrival in England May 16. 1568. to her coming to Fotheringhay with her several places of removal and several keepers is so largely related by Mr. Vdal Mr. Saunderson and others who have wrote her story that I shall remit the Reader to them and content my self with her death and burial Upon the seventh day of February 1586. eighteen years from her first arrival The Commissioners for her execution came to Fotheringhay the Earls of Shrewsbury Kent c. and Thomas The Earl of Shrewsbury was George Talbot and E. Marshal of England The Earl of Kent was Henry Grey Andrews of Sheriff of Northamptonshire for that year By these the Queen of Scotts understanding that the Lease of her life was not long to last only one day longer she seemed not dismayed with the Message but told the Commissioners she did not think that Queen Elizabeth would have consented to her death but since it was so she would most gladly embrace it and in order thereunto desired of the Commissioners the benefit of her Clergy that her Confessor might come to her which the Commissioners denying propounded the Bishop or Dean of Peterburgh which the Queen of Scotts refused The Commissioners being departed she gave order for her Supper at the time whereof she drank to her servants and comforted them because she saw them much