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
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
to yeeld and giue way to the prayers and teares of such and soe manie great Lords he esteemed most discourteous and inhumane At length he resolued to deferre his pilgrimage vntill he had consulted the Pope him self therewith meaning to follow his He c 〈…〉 teth Pope 〈…〉 aduise and counsell and to know whether in this case his vow were to be fullfilled or otherwise to be satisfied and redeemed X. THE POPE hauing seriously considered and diligently discussed Pope his 〈…〉 to S. the matter wrote his answeare to the King in this manner LEO Bishop seruant of the seruaÌ„ts of God to his beloued sonne EDWARD King of England sendeth health and Apostolicall benediction Because we haue vnderstood of thy desire both laudable and gratefull to God we giue thanks to him by whom Kings doe raigne and Princes decree iustice But in euerie place our Lord is neere vnto DispeÌ„seth with his vow of pilgrimage them that truely call vppon him and the holy Apostles vnited with their head are one spiritt and equally giue eare to deuout prayers and bicause it is manifest that the English nation will be indomaged by thy absence who with the raynes of iustice doest restraine the seditious insurrections thereof by the authoritie of God and the holy Apostles we doe absolue thee from the bond of that vow for which thou fearest to offend God and from all thy sinnes and offences by vertue of that power which our Lord in B. PETER graunted vnto vs saying Whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be Mat. 16. loosed alsoe in heauen Furthermore we commaund thee vnder title of holy obedience and peanance to distribute the expenses prepared for thy iourney to the poore and that eyther thou build a new one or repayre an old Monasterie of Monks to the honour of S. PETER Prince of the Apostles and prouide the brethren therein sufficient maintenance out of thy owne reuenewes that their continuall prayers sung there to allmightie God may adde an encrease of glorie to his Saincts and purchase more abundant pardon vnto thee And whatsoeuer thou shalt giue or is allreadie giuen or shall heereafter be giuen to that place we commaund that it be ratified by Apostolicall authoritie and that for euer there be an habitation for Monks subiect to noe other lay person but the King himself and we graunt and confirme by most strong authoritie whatsoeuer priuiledges thou shalt there ordaine to the honour of God and lastly we pronounce the heauie sentence of eternall damnation against all that shall presume to infringe or violate the same XI BVT FOR the greater confirmation of the Popes letters The visioÌ„ of a holy man and answere to the King an oracle was sent from heauen and reuealed to a holy man then liuing in England shutt vp in a hollow caue vnder ground who now being well struck in yeares both of age and sainctetie dayly expected a release to the desired reward of his meritorious labours To him the blessed Apostle S. PETER appeared one night in a vision with these words King EDWARD sollicitous for the vow wherewith he obliged him self being in banishment and carefull for the peace of his Realme and the necessities and prayers of the poore hath consulted the Pope to be aduised of all things by the authoritie of the Roman Church Therefore let him know that by my authoritie he is absolued from this obligation and that he hath receaued a commaund from the Pope to erect a Monasterie in honour of my name Let him then without delay giue creditt to the Apostolicall letters be sure he obey the Popes precepts and yeeld vnto his counsells for whatsoeuer they containe cometh from me whom in times past he chose to be his speciall Patrone the companion of his iourney and his obtainer of grace But there is a place on the west side of the cittie of London which long since I haue both chosen and loued S. Peters loue to Vvestminster Abbey and the Monks thereof and which heeretofore I consecrated with mine owne hands ennobled with my presence and honoured with manie miracles The name of the place is Thorney which heeretofore for the sinnes of the people was giuen vp to the enraged power of the Barbarians and by them brought downe from wealth to pouertie from maiestie to deiection and from a place of respect and honour to an estate vile and contemptible By my commaund the King must vndertake worthily to repaire and reedifie this Monasterie and to amplifie and enrich it with large possessions There shall be nothing but the house of God and the gate of heauen There a ladder shall be erected by which the Angels ascending and descending shall present the prayers and petitions of men before allmightie God and obtaine grace vnto them I will lay open the gates of heauen to those that ascend from thence and by vertue of the office which my Lord and Sauiour hath giuen me I will absolue those that are tied in the bands of sinne and receaue them being absolued and iustified in at the gates of the heauenly courte which sinne had barred vp against them But doe thou write vnto the King whatsoeuer thou hast heard and sâ—ene that by a redoubled benefitt of God he may be securer of his absolution deuouter in the execution of his precept and become more feruently possessed with loue and dutie towards me With these words he vanished in the glorious light that garded him and the old man according to his commaund related what he had heard by letters directed to the King which at the verie instant that the Popes answer was opened were allso receaued and read Whereat the good King takeing great consolation with King Edw. obeyeth the Pope a ioyfull cheerfullnes a cheerfull ioy bestowed the money prepared for his iourney amongst the poore and reedified the Monasterie XII WHEN Ethelred king of Kent by the preaching of S. AVGVSTIN the Benedictin monk had receaued the ChristiaÌ„ faith Sebert his nephew then king of the East-Angles by the same holymans endeauour was purged from Paganisme in the sacred font of Baptisme This Sebert erected a famous Church in honour of S. PAVL within the walls of London which was esteemed the cheif head of his kingdom and placed Mellitus the Monk therein honouring him with Episcopall S. Mellitus made Bishop of London dignitie But without the walls in the West part of the cittie he founded a goodly Monastery for Monks of S. BENEDICTS order in honour of S. PETER the Apostle enriching it with verie large reuenews When the night before the Dedication of the Church s. PETER him self in an vnknowne habitt appeared to a fisherman on the other side of the riuer Thames running by the sayd Abbey desiring him to passe him ouer and he would reward his paines which was performed when goeing out of the boate in sight of the fisherman he entred the new-built Church where suddenly was seene a strainge light from heauen
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
and she dispersed all she had I say nothing of her great care and pietie shewed to sick persons orphans and widdowes to whom she was allwaies a most indulgent and pious Motheâ— I passe ouer in silence the affâ—ction reuerence she bore to Hermites and true religious mâ—n whom sometimes she visited and dayly furnished with sufficiencie Euery morning she The rare pretie of the King and Queene nourished nine orphan-children and gaue them victualls with her owne hands Besides these her custom was to receaue three hundred poore poeple into the pallace and hauing 〈◊〉 the doores she ranged them into order when the king on the on side and the Queene on the other serued CHRIST in his poore and gaue them meate with their owne hands peculâ—rly prouided for that purpose O the wonderfull pietie of these royall persons This done she went to the Church where during the time of the holy sacrifice of Masse she sacrificed her self to allmightie God with the long continuance of manie prayers sighs and teares And before the high Masse beganne she heard fiue or six priuate Masses euery day VI. THEN she returned to dinner rather to maintaine life then Her spare diet to satisfie the delights of her appetite for in her diet she was soe sober and sparing that her meales rather sharpened then extinguished her 〈◊〉 and she seemed rather to â—ast then to â—are her meate Throughout the whole Lent and fortie daies before Christmas she mortified her bodie with an incredible abstinence in soe much that out of the austeritie of her fasting she endured most sharpe paynes and gripings in her stomake all the daies of her life but the weaknes of her bodie could nothing weaken the strength of her vnconquered vertue At length falling into a grieuous ficknes she sent for her Confessor 〈◊〉 the second Prior of the Benedictine Monastery of Durham of wâ—om hauing first declared the manner of her life and at each word of the consolation which he gaue her powred out whole flouds of deuout teares she tooke her last farewell for sayd she I shall not long remaine in She desireth Masses and prayers after death this mortall life and thou wilt shortly follow me Two things therefore I desire of thee the first that during thy life thou be allwaies mindfull of me in thy masse and other prayers the second that thou take care of my children and keepe them allwaies in the feare of God lest the prosperitie of the world wheÌ„ they attaine to the height of terrene dignitie make them loose the happines of eternall life VII AFTERWARDS the vehemencie of her disease encreasing she was noâ—able to rise but seldom out of her bed But the fourth day The slaughter of King Malcoline before her happie departure the king being then abroade in a warlick expedition she grew on the suddaine more sad then her wonted custom saying to the assistants I feare more misfortune hath happened this day to the Kingdom of Scotland then in manie yeares before And soone after they vnderstood that the King and his sonne Edward had that very day lost their liues in the warres The fourth day after the kings death her sicknes giuing some truce to the former vehemencie of her paine she rose and went into her chappell and armed her approching end with the last Sacrament and the Viaticum of our Lords most pretious bodie Then the crueltie of her griefes laying her againe prostrate on her death-bed she vnderstood by the new arriuall of her sonne Edgar from the arâ—ie of the late ouerthrow receaued by their enemies when lifting vp her hands and eyes towards heauen she gaue infinite thankes vnto allmightie God who at the hower of her departure out of this A vvorthy example of patience world had sent her an occasion of soe great anguish for a triall of her patience by the suffrance of which she hoped to be clensed from some of her former sinnes In the meane time feeling the secret messengers of death to summon her departure she beganne deuoutly to recite this prayer Domine Iesu Christe qui ex voluntate Patris cooperante She dioâ—â— happily spiritu Sancto per mortem tuam mundum viâ—ificasti libera me and and at that word her soule being deliuered out of the chaines of the bodie quietly passed to the Authour of all true libertie CHRIST-IESVS whom soe dearely she had loued in her life time being made participant of the happines of those glorious spirits whose vertuous examples she had been all waies carefull to follow And her face which during her sicknes was soe wane pale returned after death to soe fayre a mixture of a red and white complexion that to the astonished behoulders it seemed to sett forth the countenance of a sleeping or liuing bodie rather then of one that was dead She died the tenth day of Iune in the yeare 1097. and was buried in the Church of the Blessed Trinitie which she had built in her life time The life of this glorious Queene hath been written by S. Alured Abbot of Rhieuall recited by Surius tom 3. and by Turgot second Prior of Durham whom we haue followed Allso Deidonatus lib. 12. hist Scotorum maketh ample mention of her as allsoe the Roman Martirâ—loge Vsuard Molanus and others The life of Sainct EADBVRG Virgin and Nunne of the holy Order of Sainct BENEDICT IVNE 15. Out of William Malmesbury and others EABVRG daughter to Edward the Elder King of England and Queene Elsgiue his wife Her parents at the age of three yeares gaue a notable proofe of her future Sainctitie For her father being desirous to trie whether the litle infant would be inclined to God or the world layd the ornaments of diuers professions in his chamber before her on the one side a chalice and the Ghospell and iewells rings and bracelets on the other Thither the litle gyrle being brought in the armes of her dandling nurse she was seated on her fathers lappe who sayd Choose my EADBVRG which of these things doe most delight thee She with a countenance as it were despising the rest greedily layd hould on the chalice and booke embracing them with Note her choise of a religiouslife a childish innocencie The whole companie of assistants cried out that it was an euident presage of future sainctitie in the gyrle and the father most tenderly kissing clipping his child Goe thy waies sayd he whither God calls thee follow happily the diuine spouse whom thou hast chosen and happy indeed may thy mother and I esteeme our selues being in religion ouercome by a daughter Therefore when riper yeares allowed her the perfect vse of discrecretion she went to the Benedictine Monasterie which her father had She taketh the habit of a Nunne built at Winchester and putt on the habit and profession of a Nunne vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT when soe rarely she conformed her life to the lawes of her profession that by the
his catalogue of saincts Arnold Wion in his Martirologe and manie others Of the translation of S. EDWARD King and Martir FEB 18. Out of the Author of his life recited by Surius THE bodie of glorious King EDWARD the martir when he had suffered a most vniust death by the malicious and wicked tirannie of his stepmother Alfrith was by her commaundment most ignobly buried hidden in a watrie marsh or fenne neere Warrhā hoping thereby to blott out all memorie both of him and her owne impietie But within the compasse of a yeare the high allseer and ouerseer of men actions determining to make his Martir famous to the world and to make knowne of how great meritt he was in his sight voutchased to reueale vnto some faythfull Christians that deuoutly sought it the place where that worthie relique was vnworthyly A Pillar of light ap peareth ouer his bodie concealed For a pillar of light sent from heauen appeared ouer that part of the marsh were the bodie lay filled a great piece of the ground neere adioyning with the glittering beames of a glorious and heauenly lustre This being perceaued by manie deuout mē of the next village for it appeared oftentimes they mett togeather hauing by diligent searching found that sacred treasure they carried it into the village of Warrham Great was the concurse of poeple pittifully bewayling the death of their most pious King and faythfull protectour and in the noyse of these lamentations the venerable bodie was transported into the Church of our Blessed Ladie in the same towne and buried on the East side thereof with great reuerence the thirteenth day of February and ouer his sepulcher some deuout persons built a little cabbin which remayned there a S Edwards Well cureth diseases long time after But out of the place where he had layne before there sprung vpp a fountaine of most sweet and pure water which was called S. Edwards well by vertue whereof manie sick persons to the greater glorie of CHRIST and his martir receaued afterwards the wished benefitt of their health II. But now by the trumpett of flieing fame the impious deceipt of Queene Alsrith was diuulged all ouer England the innocēcie of the murdered King and his vertues and high deserts were by the generall acclamation of all extolled to the skies The newes arriued at length to the eares of Duke Alferus who allthough heretofore he stood for the Queene against his King and togeather with her had much wrōged and grieued the monkes in destroyeing manie of their monasteries yet now being willing to doe some satisfaction for his Duke Alfere prepareth for his translation faults past and to shew at left his faithfull seruice vnto the dead bodie of his master whom aliue he had nor honoured as his dutie required he determined to translate his holie reliques into a more honourable place and to that end he exhorted the Bishops Abbotts and other peeres of the realme as manie as he could draw to his side to lay their helping hands to his pious endeuours He sent likewise a messenger vnto the Benedictin Nunnes at VVilton in Wiltshire where holy EDITH Kings EDWARDS sister at that time led a religious life earnestly entreating Wilfred the Abbesse thereof with her deuout Conuent of Virgins not to be wanting at the exequies of soe holy a King Herevppon the bishops abbotts and manie others meeting togeather with great care and reuerence Duke Alferns hauing gathered a huge multitude of men and woemen out of Dorsetshire came with great deuotion to Warrham where that royall bodie His bodie is found vncorrupted was but poorely buried And in presence of the companie his sepulcher being opened the bodie which had laine there for the space of three yeares was found to be as entier and whole from all corruption as yf it had been buried but the same day Which being perceaued by the bishops and the whole multitude with one voyce they sung himnes and prayses vnto allmigthie God who by soe manifest a token had declared and brought to light the innocencie and worth of his holy martyr But sainct EDITH his sister being noe longer S. Edith his sister able to contayne the pious loue of her brother within the limitts of her virgin-breast ranne to his dead bodie and falling downe on her knees clipped it with her louing embracements honoured it with her religious kisses washing his seeming-liuely race with the streames of her ioyfull teares as one not able to be satiated with that soe great glorie of her glorious brother But then by the hands of some venerable and reuerend men these sacred spoiles were lifted vpp and carried with great reuerence and the wonderfull gratulation of the Clergie poeple to the famous monasterie of Benedictin Nunnes at Shaftesburie in Dorsetshire which King Elfred father to S. EDWARDS great grandfather for loue of his daughter Ailene who became a nunne there had erected and enriched with very ample guifts and possessions III. In the meane time being yet in their iourney with that sacred treasure manie persons of both sexes flocked thither and among the rest two poore creatures whose sinewes were soe shrunk and contracted that with great difficultie they were able to creepe along the ground vppon their hands and thighs came to pray vnto Two Cripples cured at his bodie allmightie God and S. EDWARD for the recouerie of their limmes and drawing neere vnto the holie biere the bearers thereof stayed to giue them licence to touch it and doe reuerence vnto it when on a sudden to the great admiration of that infinitie of beholders they were both restored to perfect health and receaued a full cure and recouerie of their long vnseruiceable limmes Great was then the ioyfull acclamations of the poeple that highly extolled the meritts and prayses of S. EDWARD till the newes and noyse of these miracles came to the eares of the Queene his murdresse who thereby touched to the heart with a sudden compunction and sorrow for her wickednes committed presently mounted on horseback and beganne her iourney towards the sacred bodie with intētion to begge pardon for her offence But her suddaine hast receaued as suddaine a stopp by the way for her horse that at other times was Behould à strainge miracle wōt to runne away with his loade as swiftly as the wind by the beck of the diuine prouidēce stood stock still whilst her seruants earnestprouoked the vnwilling beast with sharpe whippes threatning cries but all in vaine for he seemed most vnsensible of both She blaming her horse as being tired caused a fresh one to be prouided which in like manner refused to carrie the authour of soe foule a murder Till at length her brutish heart vnderstood what this vnusuall accident might portend and therefore by the meanes of a third person she performed this intended visitation which her owne vn worthines could not personally effect IV. The holy bodie being brought to Shaftsburie which
day not only in Wales but all England ouer is most famous in memorie of him But in these our vnhappie daies the greatest part of his solemnitie consisteth in wearing of a greene leeke it is a sufficieÌ„t theame for a zealous VVelchman to ground a quarrell against him that doeth not honour his capp with the like ornament that day VII THE miracles which were wrought by his meritts after his death are such soe manie that they farre exceed the limitts of this short discourse we will only relate some which haue the testimonie of an eye-witnesse to prooue them true In the raigne of King Stephen Gyrald Cambr. in Topogr Camb. Iâ—â—uers miracles the brooke which runnes aboue the Church-yarde of Meneuia or S. DAVIDS flowed with wine and the same time out of a Well or fountaine there called Pisteldewy that is the Conduit of Dauid sprang forth a great quantitie of milke And this is reported by him that liued at the fame time and most exactly was acquanited with the matters of that countrey A litle portable bell called S. DAVIDS Note a strange miracle was of great fame and admiration in VVales which when the souldiers presumed to retaine at the Castle of Raidnock contrarie to the desire of a woman that brought it suddenly the night following the whole towne was deuowred with fier the wall only excepted where that bell was hanged A boy that endeauoured to take yong pigeons out of a nest in S. DAVIDS Church of Lhanuaos had his fingers soe fastened to the stone that he could by noe meanes gett loose All much amazed at this miracle specially his parents and friends who togeather with the boy before the aultar of the same Church gaue them selues to continuall watching fasting and prayer the space of three dayes as manie nights when to the great ioy of all the stone fell from his hand The Authour of this storie not only liued at the same time but both saw and spake to the man to whom it happened who confessed him self that it was soe And which is more that stone being conserued in the Church remayned as an euerlasting witnes of the miracle with the plaine forme of his fingers imprinted in it as in a peece of waxe VIII MANIE thousands of other miracles haue been wrought by the meritts of this holy man both in his life and after his death which for breuities sake me omitt And here now could I willingly enter into a large field of this holy Saincts prayses did not feare of being ouer teadious withould my penne as vnworthy to be the truÌ„pett of the same of soe renowned a man I will only desire all true hearted VVelchmen allwaies to honour this their great Patrone and Protectour and humbly desire him that as in his life time he ouerthrew with his learning all the bullwarkes of the Palagian heresie soe now with his prayers and intercession to allmightie God he would supplicate the diuine Goodnes to cast a mercifull eye vppon his poeple and reduce his sometimes beloued countrey out of the Blindnes of Protestancie groueling in which it languisheth more lamentably then euer it did in the former errour that once againe those hills and valleies may resound with the Ecchoes of Gods diuine prayses sung in such monasticall quiers as haue been the ornaments there of in former ages and now are only the sad monuments of their auncient glorie God of his infinite mercie by the intercession of this glorious Sainct giue strength to those few that are in the truth soe to remayne and grace to the rest to acknowledge the same truth and forsake their present errours The life of S. Dauid was written by S. Kentigerne but whether the same be extant it is vncertaine Ioannes Anglicus and Giraldus Cambrensis haue written the same allsoe out of whom and Nicholas Harpsfield me haue gathered the foresayd historie Manie other authors make worthie mention of him The life of Sainct CHAD Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR 2. Gathered out of Venerable Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT CHADDE borne in Northumberland brother to S. CEDDE Bishop of London of whom you may reade the seauenth of January was at first scholler vnto S. AIDAN Bishop of Lindisfarne in whose vertuous schole he made a great progresse in learning and good manners being allwaies verie carefull to execute in deed whatsoeuer he learned by studie In his youth he went into Jreland where tohgeather with S. EGBERT he led a strict monasticall life in continuall continencie exercising him self with great diligenâ— in the pious art of prayer and meditation of the holy scripture Returning into England after that famous controuersie betweeue S. WILFRID the Benedictine monk and Bishop Colman concerning the due celebration of Easter and other Church-rites was decided togeather with his brother S. CEDDE he receaued the rule of our holy father S. BENEDICT and succeeded his brother in the gouernment of the Benedictine Abbey of Lesting in Yorke-shire Which charge he discharged with great sainctitie and example of good life till in the yeare of our Lord 664. when S. WILFRID being chosen Bishop of Yorke and sent into France to be consecrated by the Bishop of Paris stayed soe long beyond the seas that Sainct CHADD by the meanes of king Oswy was consecrated and installed in the Episcopall sea of Yorke by the hands of Wini Bishop of the West-saxons and the only He is cousecrated Bishop of Yorke Bishop lawfully ordayned Bishop extant then in England II. SAINCT CHAD being aduanced to this height of dignitie began presently to make the pietie and vertue of his life correspond to the eminencie of his sacred function bending all his endeauours for the conseruing of the Ecclesiasticall veritie and ordinances of the Catholick Church and making his owne dayly exercise a true patterne of deuotion humilitie and continencie vnto his subiects He was wont to read much preach often trauell abrod after the true Apostolicall manner allwaies on foote from towne and village piously furnishing the whole countrey with the sacred doctrine of CHRISTS ghospel At length S. THEODORE being consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury made a visitt ouer the Churches of England correcting as he went whatsoeuer he found amisse when amongst the rest he chanced to rebuke S. CHAD as not lawfully consecrated See the wonderfull humilitie of the Sainct If thou His great humilitie knowest answeared he verie modestly that I haue not rightly vndertaken the bishoprick I most willingly giue vp my office for indeed I allwaies iudged my self farre vnworthie thereof and it was meere obedience which forced mee at first to take this sacred charge vppon mee But THEODORE being ouercome with the resigned humilitie of this answeare replied that it was not necessarie to leaue his bishoprick but only to haue his installement approoued after the Catholick manner But S. CHAD after three yeares gouernment of that sea being more desirous of a priuate and quiet life resigned vp
corespondencie of his vertuous life and actions And in all things shewed him self worthie of soe noble soe vertuous an vncle and soe excellent a master This done he returned to S. GERMAN with whom he had not stayed long before he reuealed vnto him an earnest desire he had to goe to Rome the fountaine and head of all true religion and Ecclesiasticall discipline S. GERMAN He goeth to Rome approued his good purpose and gaue him all the furtherance he could for his iourney But by the way he chanced to meete with an holy Hermite who gaue him a staffe which was sayd to haue been in the sacred hands of IESVS-CHRIST and by vertue of this staffe he wrought manie miracles afterwards and it was held in great veneration among the Irish and is to this day by the name of Iesus-staffe But S. PATRICK being safely arriued at Rome was very honourably entertayned by Pope Celestin the first who then gouerned the sea Apostolique and finding him to be of a most perfect approoued fayth learning and vertue first gaue him the name of PATRICK for before he was called Suchar or Suchet and hauing inuested him with episcopall dignitie afterwards he sent him to preach the fayth of CHRIST He is sent to Preach in Ireland to the rude inhabitans of Ireland Not long before he had sent thither for the same purpose one Paladius his ArchdeacoÌ„ but the Jrishmen refusing to receaue him and his doctrine he was forced to returne back to Rome and afterwards comming into England died in the confines of the Picts Therefore S. PATRICK not only succeeded him in that holy embassage and labour but farre exceeded him in the fruict he reaped out of both And truely the workes and miracles which are reported of him in the conuersion of that countrey are soe manie soe infinite and some soe beyond the degrees of admiration that they seeme allmost to be beyond fayth too At lest they are farre beyond the limitts of this short treatise and therefore I wittingly omitt the greatest part of them not that I thinke theÌ„ voyd of all truth God forbid but because some are reported with ouermuch pietie or credulitie and by such authours at first whose names are vnknowne and consequently their testimonie cannot carrie his iust weight in the ballaÌ„ce of true historie But before we enter into S. PATRICKS preaching in IrelaÌ„d let the great S. HIEROME tell vs what manner of men he had to deale with That nation sayth he had The rudenes of the Irish poeple not proper wines but as yf they had read PLATOS Policie and followed the example of CATO like beasts they satiated their lust according aâ— euerie one thought best He likewise affirmeth that he him self being in FraÌ„ce had seene lib. 2. contra Jouin. cap. 6. those poeple cate mans Flesh and that they were wont when they did light on shepheards that kept their flocks in woods and desert places to cutt of the buttocks of men and the paps of woemen affirming those to be the only delights of all other meates Noe wonder then that it pleased allmightie God to shew such strange signes and miracles by S. PATRICK as soe manie necessarie instrumeÌ„ts to worke the coÌ„uersion of that rude fierce barbarons poeple whose iron hearts could not be mollified but in the powerfull flames of wonderfull great vertue and sainctitie III. S. PATRICK therefore and his fellowes coming a shore amongst this rude poeple in the north part of the CouÌ„trey called Vlâ—ter found His entraÌ„ce into Ireland a multitude of Pagans expecting his arriuall come to meet him For their Magitians Negromancers had foretould his coming before and therefore the chief king of the Countrey Leogarie by name had prouided that watch thinking to make his entring into the Iland his goeing out of the world Against whom presently that dogged crew lett loose a cruell mastiffe to giue the gripes of death vnto the holy Bishop But the doggâ— forgetting his wonted fiercenes was strucken soe dumbe and starke at the sight of the holy maÌ„ that he stood like a stone without anie shew of motion giuing an euident token that his setters on who worshiped Idols of stone were like the Gods they worshiped Which being perceaued by one Dichu One Dichu endeauoureth to kill S. Patrick a man of mightie strength and stature he straight lifted vp his sword to giue the holy man his death But his strength became feeblenes hauing the force of the Allmightie opposing it for his arme and whole bodie grew in a moment soe stiffe that he could nether moue his foote to goe on nor bring downe the Dichu coÌ„uerâ—ed by miracle threatning blow he intended Wherevppon by the preaching of saint PATRICK he presently became a new man renounced his Idolatrie and was washed in the sacred font of baptisme togeather with all his familie Soe that he who in that Prouince was the greatest and chiefest impugner of Christianitie became the ring-leader and first professour thereof and constantly remayned in the same whilest he liued And as at that time his soule was released out of the bonds of sinne soe likewise all the parts of his bodie were restored againe to the function of their wonted strength and vigour Therefore he gaue vnto saint PATRICK as an argument of his newly conceaued deuotion to Christian religion that land with the appurtenances where this miracle happened to build a new Church thereon and this Church according to the desire of Dichu was not built from East to west as the manner is but from North to south perhapps that from the Northerne coldnes of Paganisme those Idolaters might be incited by the misterie of this edifice to the meridiaÌ„ feruour of Christian fayth and charitie In this place afterwards S. PATRICK built a famous monasterie into which he introduced a conuent of perfect monks and ordayned S. DVNNE his disciple abbot thereof with whom he him self returning from his labour of preaching was wont somes times to remayne IV. AS ONCE he celebrated the diuine sacrifice of masse in the same Church a wicked Magitian malitiously thrusting a loÌ„g rodd in at the window ouerturned his chalice and shed the most pretious Ransom of our Redemption vppon the aultar Whereat the holy man being exceedingly troubled grieued in mind burst out into teares wheÌ„ on the suddeÌ„ behould by the diuine handy work of God the chalice A magitiaÌ„ miracuâ—ously punished appeared againe standing vpright in the place before him and noe â—igne could be seene on the aulthar clothes of that diuine offring But the diabolicall worker of that mischieuous act escaped not a iust punishment for his temeritie for at the same instant the earth it self as it were wearie and ashamed to carrie such a hellish monster opened her bowells and swallowed him vp aliue to send him to his grand-master of darknes in hell And in the same place as a token of Gods reueÌ„ge there remayned a hollow
laboured each of thē to make RICHARD his chancelour At length the Archbishop of Canturbury because he had first signified his will and desire to the holy man obtayned to haue him in his seruice who with great reuerēce and dutie obeyed him in all things Then B. EDMOND deliuered vnto him the great seale of his office and committed to his chardge the managing of the grauest and principallest affayres of his whole Diocese Therefore RICHARD began according to his wonted diligence to clime dayly higher and higher in the exercise of good endeauours faythfully and exactly to performe his office without anie pride or state to keepe free his hands from bribes knowing that according to scripture guifts doe blind the eyes of wisemen and varie the words of the iust One might behould in him an vnspeakable equitie a courteous mildnes and modest simplicitie all seated grounded in an excellent Dent. 16. v. 19. prudence and humilitie his gesture and actions well composed and tempered Moreouer he stuck constant to his holy bishop in all his aduersities and afflictions as well at home as in his banishment being not ignorant that those who haue been companions in suffrance shall all soc be companious in time of consolations But S. EDMOND of Canturbury Cor. 1. He studies diuinitie being dead RICHARD freed from Court and courtly cares and affaires went to Orleans in France where in a religious house of Dominicans he gaue him self to the studie of Diuinitie not as most doe that only heare with their eares and doe not applie their mind to vnderstand but bent an inward hearing to whatsoeuer he heard to putt in practise more effectually what he heard There he was He is made Pricst promoted to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood to sacrifice the beloued sonne of God to his allmightie Father And from that time he began to adorne that heauenly function with a more humble plainnes and neate humblenes in his habitt But after he had been long conuersant in the studies of sacred scripture he returned into England to feed the small flock committed to his chardge for he had but one parish wherein he would bestow his necessarie care in doeing the office of a good Pastour IV. BONIFACE a verie venerable man had allreadie succeeded blessed EDMOND in the sea of Canturbury who desired allsoe to enioy the conuersation and familiaritie of RICHARD that was soe gratious in the world Vnto whom making great resistance he He is chosen bishop of Chicester recommended his auncient office of chauncelour In the meane time Radulph Neuill bishop of Chicester being dead the Canons hauing first as the custom was obtained leaue of the King then Henrie the third made choice of one Robert Passeleff who from a mignion at Court was becom a Canon of that Church to be their bishop But that election according to the decrees of the Canons by the authoritie of Boniface of Canturbury and other bishops his suffragans among whom was Robert the venerable bishop of Lincolne was vtterly disanulled and declared to be of noe force because the person elected was in learning life and manners iudged to be little correspondent to soe high a dignitie and by the common consent and sentence of all RICHARD was chosen in his place Which proceedig verie much exasperated the King to see the former electiō The King inuadeth the goods of Chicester cutt off and RICHARD substituted in the place whom he esteemed his vtter enemie in that he stuck soe close to S. EDMOND in all the controuersie betweene him and the King Therefore in a furie he commaunded all the goods of Chicester Church to be confiscated When S. RICHARD according to the counsell of the others Bishops gott the letters of the Archbishop of Canturbury and went to the King humbly entreating his Maiestie to suffer a restitution to be made of all that belonged to the Church of Chicester But all his humilitie could nothing remoue the head-strong King from his stubborne resolution soe that when the holy man had much tired and wearied out him self in vaine and endured manie contumelious and scornfull iniuries he was constrained at length to haue recourse to Richard appealeth to Rome the last refuge vnder God on earth the Sea Apostolique When the Kings Embassadours had preuented him with the Pope of Rome for he found them there all readie readie prouided against him Innocent the fourth then gouerned the Roman sea who verie curteously entertayned RICHARD and hauing heard the reasons of both parties he confirmed his election by Apostolicall authoritie and moreouer by the imposition of his sacred hands consecrated him Bishop with an other of that Countrey in great solemnitie V. BVT a wonderfull thing happened at his consecration For coming to giue them sacred vnction for the first the Pope couid hardly squeeze one dropp of oile out of the box but when RICHARD came to be anneild there appeared as it were a new representation of Elias his oile and miracle for the sacred liquour ranne in such abundance out of the viole that the attendants had enough to doe to stopp it with linnen cloathes from flowing ouer into his neck and shoulders The Pope and Cardinals and all the assistants A strange miracle were much amazed and not without cause when one of the Cardinalls sayd Certaynly this man abounds with a fullnes of diuine grace Then S. RICHARD returning into his Countrey with the Popes letters by the way visited the Sepulcher of S. EDMOND allreadie florishing with miracles at Pontoise in France and coming into England he found all the goods and meanes belonging to his Church of Chicester vtterly dissipated and spent by the Kings ofsiceers And for an increase of miserie the King had commaunded by publick edict that noe man should lend him a pennie to supply His afflictious in the Bishoptick his wants But when he exibited the Popes letters and commaunds before the King and his nobles he not only fayled to gett a gracious fauour but contrary wise rather purchased to him self much more hatred and indignation Wherefore departing from before that incensed Maiestie he went in poore and bare array to his Diocesse where he liued as a priuate guest at an other mans house and table In the meane time he omitted not oftētimes to take a circuite about his diocesse visitting the flock committed to his charge and ministring the sacraments as occasion required And lest he should be accused as a slouthfull and sluggish forsaker and traitour of his owne right sometimes he would make a iourney to the King and humbly demaund the restitution of the goods wrongfully taken away allbeit he allwaies suffered a scornfull repulse and returned loden with iniuries and reproches It happened once that the Deane and Canons of Chicester were much trobled and afflicted in mind with the kings sharp and biting answers but the holy man putting on a cheerfull coūtenance would comfort them with calling that saying of the
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
in the sight and conference he had of his old Master LANFRANCK the Archbishop between whom discoursing of manie graue affayres fell at this time that famous disputation mentioned in his life of S. ELPHEGVS the Martir Afterwards he returned againe to his Monasterie and gouerned the same the space of fifteene yeares with all vertue belonging to a good prelate In the meane time William Conquerour died leauing the crowne to his onne William Rufus who by all indirect waies possible sought to oppresse and empouerish the Clergie and Church thereby to satisfie his owne vnbridled couetousnes and with their gould to giue a glorious outside to his owne wickednes Wherevppon S. ANSELME at the earnest entreatie of the nobles resolued to come againe into England But in the meane time Lanfrank being dead a rumour arose of the aduancing of ANSELME to the Archiepiscopall sea of Canturbury which made him ô wonderfull contēmpt of honour to deferre his iourney for fiue yeares space How manie be there now adaies that would haue taken poste in this case X. COMING at length to Canturbury he was saluted by the Benedictine monks and others as their future Prelate which he tooke soe S. Anselme refuseth the stile of Archbishop heynously that the next day he departed before the sunne was guiltie of his being in towne allbeit it were the verie feast of the Natiuitie of our Ladie refusing to be wonne by anie prayers to celebrate there that solemnitie Thence he went to King William and dealt freely with him to amend his manner of life to order the common wealth in better fashion as well in Ecclesiasticall as temporall affayres telling him withall what an ill opinion of his bad life was blowne ouer the world But the king was deafe to all good counsell till falling into a grieuoussicknes he beganne to make him remember him self and hearken a litle more to his pious perswasions His is chosen Archbishop of Cauturbury In the meane time being putt in mind that the sea of Canturburie was void of a Pilot that that Mother-Church of England had manie yeares been a widdow he proclaimed ANSELME to be the most worthie of that dignitie that the disciple might succeed his master And this his proposition was presently accepted with the common consent and applause of the Benedictin monks of Canturbury vnto whom the election of the Archbishop belonged and the generall liking of the poeple Only ANSELME with might and maine resisted this election and obstinately refused to vndertake the dignitie with teares alleadging manie reasons and excuses he made manie protestations that it was a verie foolish and ouerthwart proceeding to ioyne to the plough an ould sheepe yoakt with an vntamed bull by the bull meaning king William But all in vaine for the pastorall staffe was forcibly thrust into his hands him self violently drawne into the next Church was proclaymed Archbishop and his election witnessed with manie ioyfull acclamations and singing of the himme Te Deum Laudamus c. And now the day of his consecration and installation at Canturbury was prefixed to the fourth of December when by the opening of the bible this Sentence fell to S. ANSELMES lott Homo quidam fecit caenam magnam vocanit multos c. XI AT THE first King William shewed goodwill and friendship Note the couetousnes of the king towards S. ANSELME in hope that being now aduanced to soe great dignitie he would bestow some worthie present vppon him but as soone as he perceaued that ANSELME had noe such meaning he beganne to repent him self of this one allbeit a rare good deed and being wholly giuen by hooke or by crooke as they say to gett money he not soe required as exacted a friendly guift of a thousand pound sterling for a gratuitie for his aduancement to the Archbishoprick But saint ANSELME hating that vnroyall couetousnes in the King was determined not to send him a pennie Till swayed by the counsell of manie friends lest he should greatly exasperate the king to the greater detriment of the whole English Church he sent him fiue hundred pound promising to gratifie his Maiestie more largely when occasion serued William vtterly refused to accept that present as too slender and sparing a reward for a king Whereat S. ANSELME greatly reioyced because by this meanes he cleered him self frō all staine of honour which for this fact malice might haue layd to King William mooued against S. Anselme his charge And without anie delay he distributed that whole summe of money to the poore Afterwards he began to call vppon the King to haue a Councell assembled for the reforming of the Clergie and establishing of Ecclesiasticall discipline in the Church But his good intētions receiued a sharpe rebuke from the king who sought by all meanes to breake all the liberties of the Church in persecuting the Clergie inuading the Ecclesiasticall goods and other such outrages that the holy man could nether hinder his vniust proceedings noe execute his function in peace Soe that allbeit he were wholely disposed to stand strongly in defence of the truth and the freedom of the Church yet then he iudged it more expedient for the auoyding of greater inconuenience which euen the other bishops and countrey backed with the authoritie and power of the King might cause to absent him self a while out of England imagining that to be the safest way both to appease the enraged king and qualifie the tempest of the countrey XII THEREFORE he made a supplication to the king to permitte him to goe to Rome to obtaine from Pope Urban the second the Pall due vnto his archiepiscopall seate The king amazed at this demaund answered that noe man in his kingdom should acknowledge anie Pope of Rome without his consent and that he him self was after a fashion Pope within his owne dominiōs Which answere infinitly afflicted the holy archbishop who to extinguish this sparke of infernall fier before it went anie further assembled a Councell He summoneth a Councell of the Bishops Abbbots and peeres of the realme wherein hauing declared the kings mind the consequence and importance of the matter he found the greatest part of the bishops inclined to subscribe to the Princes will soe great is the power of flatterie and ambition ioyned with the authoritie of a furious and resolute king for they cried out alowd that he was a person impious and rebellious to the king and state whosoeuer would attempt to maintaine anie obedience in England to be due to anie but king William alone as well in Ecclesiasticall as temporall matters robbing the Pope hereby of his primacie and soueraigne power ouer all the Catholick Church S. ANSELME seeing this vnlawfull proceeding and that he could not resist against soe horrible a streame desired leaue of the king to leaue the kingdom and goe to Rome but he receiued diuers times a bitter deniall The king allwaies affirming that he would hould him as an enemie to his crowne
wont oftentimes to visitt the blessed Hermite GODRICK between whom past manie pious discourses of the diseases of vices and the remedies of vertues as allsoe of the heauenly secrets angelicall visitations and the Patronage of the Saincts spending whole nights and daies in the delightfull mixture of such diuine speeches But here I must admonish my good reader An errour in the History of his life corrected that there is a mistake slipt into the life of saint ROBERT sett forth by Surius when it is sayd that saint GODRICK heard the confessions of saint ROBERT for saint GODRICK as we haue sayd in his life the 21. May was a man wholly without learning and neuer made Priest Perchance Surius correcting the stile of the Authour destroyed the sense for in Ioannes Anglicus recited by Capgrane We find contrariwise that saint ROBERT who vsed oftentimes to visitt saint GODRICK was his Phisitian in matter of confession and conscience Therefore let not this errour in Surius deceaue my reader as allreadie it hath done manie others who are vnacquainted with our English histories VIII BVT this holy Abbot saint ROBERT when he had gloriously finished the spirituall conflict of a monasticall life which he had vndertaken in this mortall world yeelded vp his blessed soule to receaue the immortall prize and reward of his labours in heauen And S. Godrick hath a vision of his glory at the same instant the forenamed saint GODRICK being then in his cell in the Hermitage of Finckley saw his soule in the forme of a fiery globe carried vp in great glory to the heauenly Kingdoms by the ministerie and assistance of angelicall hands He died the seauenth day of June in the yeare of our saluation 1159. He was buried in his owne Monasterie called New Abbey where his tombe was famous for manie miracles there the blind receaued their sight the dumbe their speech the lame the vse of their limmes and manie others the benefitt of their desired health The memorie of Sainct ROBERT was famous in times past at Knaresborow in Yorkeshire where by some he is reported to haue led an Heremiticall life But whether that saint ROBERT be the same of whom now we treate I dare not certainly affirme especially because the Authours of his life doe make noe mention that euer he was an Hermite The historie of his life we haue taken out of the Authour thereof recited by Surius tom 3. the same it sett downe by Iohn Capgraue out of Ioannes Anglicus The Roman Martirologe Molanus in his additions to Vsuard Mathew Paris anno 1238. Mathew Westminster in the same yeare doe make worthy mention of him The life of Sainct WILLIAM Archbishop of Yorke and Confessor IVNE 8. Gathered out of diuers Authours SAINCT WILLIAM borne of noble Parents Count Herbert and Emma Sister to King Stephen of England excelled the splendour of his parentage with the bright lustre of his vertues and the heauenly graces and guifts wherewith he was adorned by the diuine goodnes of allmightie God When his tender yeares beganne to be more soundly gouerned with the raynes of discretion he allso endeauoured carefully to rule his life with all the pious discipline of good manners Till by the dayly encrease of his vertues and holy conuersation he purchased vnto him self aduancement to Ecclesiasticall dignitie and was chosen treasurer of the Church of Yorke He is made Treasurer of the Church of Yorke vnder Thurstin Archbishop of the same Sea When WILLIAM iudging no treasure to be more pretious then that which succoureth those that suffer want made his riches serue to enrich the poore and needie At length Thurstin the Archbishop hauing payed the tribut of nature vnto death our WILLIAM being found to be a man in whom the vertues of meeknes pietie charitie did a bound was by the common consent of the Chanons chosen to succeed in He is falsely accused the gouernment of that sea But by the factious and turbulent resistance of Osbert Archdeacō of the same Church by the manie false complaints and crimes which he and his adherents preferred to the court of Rome against this election the matter was held in suspense and controuersie for fiue yeares space allbeit the acclamations of the Clergie and the generall applause of the people not only testified the innocencie of S. WILLIAM but allsoe proclaymed him to be a worthie louer of iustice and good life II. AT length Eugenius a Cistercian Monke succeeding in the Roman Primacie pronounced his sentence for Henry Mordach a pious Mōke of the same profession who was sustayned by Osbert the Archdeacon not that he iudged WILLIAM vnfitt for the dignitie but because he was more inclined to the other being a man of his owne order Therefore the same of saint WILLIAM being thus vniustly His great patience torne with the venomous detractions of his aduersaries he made vse of noe other weapons for his owne defence in all these broiles but the bucklar of a contented patience with which and the vnshaken constancie of a vertuous mind he conquered all his troubles He retired himself to Henry Bishop of Winchester of whom being his Vncle he was soe courteously entertayned that he made his whole familie to be obseruant and dutifull vnto him But the holyman abhorring the pompe of the world affecting more the solitarines of a retired life contented him self His pious life and exercises with a litle corner of the Bishops house where he piously spent his time in watching fasting and prayer and the contemplation of diuine and heauenly things He reioyced to haue found the leasure of this good occasion to bewaile the faults of his life past and to drowne the reuengefull flames of the paynes due thereunto with the sorrowfull streames of his deuout teares He liued in great silence and tranquillitie suffering noe vaine word or idle speech to hinder his mind from the continuall contemplation of the diuine goodnes In a word he led soe holy a life full of vertue and goods workes that those that beheld him seemed to see in him an angelicall creature in a humane shape III. BVT after the course of seauen yeares in one and the same day Pope Engenius and Henry Archbishop of Yorke chainged this life for a better whose death was by a diuine reuelation made knowne to He is made Archbishop of Yorke saint WILLIAM Then the Chanons of Yorke againe made choise of him to succeed in that Sea Who going to Rome had his election confirmed by Pope Anastasius was by him consecrated Bishop and adorned with the honour of the Archiepiscopall Palle Which done he returned into England and at Canturbury he was for honours sake courteously visited by Roger Archdeacon of the same cittie of whom he being departed saint WILLIAM thus foretould to his owne companie This is the He foretelleth his successour man sayd he that after my death shall succeed in my place Which prophesie the euent prooued true soe admirable
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