a one vvas kinge Dauid of vvhoÌ„ therfor God saied I haue fouÌ„d Dauid a maÌ„ according to my harts desire And these Emperours here specified as they teÌ„dred most the setting forth of true religioÌ„ and abolishment of the false so prospered they most of al other in vvorldly respectes For as vnder Constantin the great first by vs mencioned the empire most florished and vvas theÌ„ first placed in the East the cyte of Byzance being then magnificently enlarged and called Constantinople of that most mighty Emperours name as he had diuers and most glorious conquestes against the tyrans Maxentius Licinius and other forrain barbarous enemies so to lett passe the other Iustinian the last of vs mentioned vvas he that most gloriously restored vpp againe the Maiesty of the Romain empire then allmost fallen flatt dovvne chasing the VVandals out of Afrike cleering Italy and the vvest empire of the Gotthes extinguishing vtterly the Hunnes in Graece and hauing most noble victories against the Persians Longe it vvere particularly to discourse vpon the Princes of euery singular prouince in Christendom and to notise vnto your hignes the zeale diligence and endeuour of eche one in extirping haeresy and schismes Yet to th entent it may appeare that the one Imperiall Crovvne of Christendome being parted in to seuerall realmes and dominions the zeale of eche one in the particular prouinces vvas no lesse to maintaine the vnite off Christes church then vvhen the vvhole vvas vnder the monarchie of one Empire may it please your most gracious highnes to call to remembraunce that this Christen and godly zeale hath ben in the Princes of seuerall countrees so glorious and euident that in respect of the same most honourable titles haue ben appropriated to the royall Crovvnes of such personages To the Imperiall Crovvne of your Maiesty the Noble and glorious title of Defender of the faith hath ben of late yeares annexed and perpetually geuen by the Sâ—e Apostolike for the most godly and lerned vvorke of your highnes moste noble Father our late dread Souerain in defence of the seuen holy Sacraments of Christes Church off vvhich the scholers of Geneua haue taken avvay fiue and against the vvicked heresies of that levvde Apostata Martyn Luther To the crovvne of Spayne for the great zeale of kinge Alphonsus in extirping the Arrian heresy aboue 800. yeares past the title of Catholike vvas annexed and continueth yet hitherto vnblemished To the crovvne of the frenche kinge for the passing zeale of those princes namely of Clouis the first Chrsten kinge of Charlemain of Philippe surnamed Auguste in extirping heresies from time to time out of their dominions the title of Most Christian hath also ben appropriated from the time of Pipin and Charlemaign his Sonne hitherto Though I abstaine to auoide prolixite the farder recitall of particular Princes yet may it please your most excellent Maiesty fauorably to attend to one or tvvo examples more for the extirping of the heresies of Iohn vvicleff and the Bohems contayning in many pointes the doctrine novve preached for the very true vvorde off God In the history of Polidore vve read of that Noble prince and of most vvorthy memory Henry the fifte one of your highnes most noble lineall progenitours that hauing called a Parlement and decreed therein a voyage in to Fraunce for recouery of his right the mony being gathered souldiars pressed all thinges prepared for that enterprise yet the generall Coâ—ncell of Constance then beinge appointed he staied his priâ—at quarell for Gods cause directed his legaâ—s vnto the Councell expected the fine thereof and in the meane vvhile appeased the rebellion of Iohn Oldecastle labouring by force and disobedience against his Souuerain as the nevv VVicleffs do presently in Fraunce and Scotland to maintaine the heresy of VVicleff and pronounced traitâ—uâ—s all the adherents of that vvicked secte By this speedy diligence of that gratious Prince bothe that heresy vvas then quailed in your highnes dominions and as Polidore noteth the Noble victories of that valiaunt prince ensued God vndoubtedly prospering his affaires vvho had preferred the quarell of him before his ovvne prepared viage It is novv a hundred yeares and more sence the time that the kingdoÌ„ of Bemeland being greuously mangled and almost destroied vvith ciuill sedition through the schismes and heresies plaÌ„ted there by the same VVicleff and Huss vvas offred of the people it selfe to the king of Poole Vladislaus to haue and rule it as his ovvn setting amonge them some quiet order of gouernemeÌ„t But bicause of the heresies then praeuailing it vvas of that vertuous Prince vtterly refused Yea vvarre also vvas threatened them vnlesse they agreed and recoÌ„ciled them selues to the Catholike church If it may like your most excellent highnes after the patern and examples of these most puissaÌ„t and vertuous Princes to procede in your most gratious meaning to the publishing of the true christen faithe vvhich is but one and not nevv through your graces dominions as al Christendom hartely vvissheth the vevve and consideration of this present history a vvorthy and most authentike vvitnesse of the first and true Christen faith planted in your Graces dominions vvith that vvhich is annexed to proue it a right and vncorrupted faithe shal not a litle I trust in God in vvhose handes the hartes of Princes are moue and farder your highnes vertuous inteÌ„t to the spedy atchieuing of that it desireth For faith being one as the Apostle expressely saieth that one faithe being proued to be the same vvhich vvas firstgraffed in the harts of englishmeÌ„ and the many faithes of protestants being founde different from the same in more then fourty clere differeÌ„ces gathered out of this preseÌ„t history vvhiche reporteth not al but a fevv by occasion it must remaine vndoubted the pretended faith of proteâ—tants to be but a bastard slippe proceding of an other stocke as partly of old renevved heresies partly of nevv forged interpretations vpon the vvritten text of Gods vvorde and therefore not to be rooted in your graces dominions lest in time as heresies haue done in Grece and Afrike it ouergrovve the true braunches of the naturall tree coÌ„sume the springe of true Christianite and sucke oute the ioyse of al right religion leauing to the realme the barke and rine only to be called christians VVhich lamentable case the more euery Christen hart abhorreth and your highnes most gracious meaning especially detesteth the more it is of vs your highnes most lovvly and loyall subiectes to be vvished and daily to be praied for at the dreadful throne of Gods depe mercy that it may please his goodnesse so to direct the harte of your highnes so to inspire vvith his heauenly grace the most gracious meaning of your Maiesty that it may vvholy and perfectly be bent to the restoring of the one catholike and Apostolical faith of Christendom to the extirping of schisme and heresy and to the publishing of Gods true seruice Al to the honour of
religious eares of protestants then such deuâ—tion Of relikes of holy men of the reuerence vsed towâ—rdes them and off miracles wrought by them the history is full Namely the first booke the 29. chap. the 3. booke the 29. the iiij booke the 6. chap. Nothinge is more vile in the sight of protestants then suche reuerence of Christians Blessing with the signe of the Crosse accompted no superstition but practised for godly and good in our primitiue church witnesseth the history in the iiij booke the xxiiij chapter and in the v. booke the ij chapter In the deuotion of protestants it is estemed for magicke Solemnites of Christen buriall protestants despise and sett light by terming it a vaine of gentilite or heathen superstition The deuotion of our primitiue church was to be buried in monasteries churches and chappels as it appeareth in the history in the second booke the iij. chap. the third booke the viii chap. and otherwhere Benediction of the bishop whereby the superiorite of the spirituall pastour ouer the laie according to the reasoning of S. Paule euidently appeareth is to be read in this history of our primitiue Churche in the iiii booke the xi chap. Protestants confounding all good order do scorne at this also The seruice of the church was at the first planting of our faith in the latin and lerned tounge as it may appeare in the first booke the xxix chapter and the iiii booke the xviii chap. This protestants haue altered bothe against due orâ—er and condemning wickedly other partes of Christendom for the contrary Aultars protestants haue plucked downe contrary to the order of our primitiue faith as this history witnesseth in the first booke the xxix chap. And in the second booke the xiiij chap. Aultar clothes and holy vestements the prophane saith of protestaÌ„ts admitteth not Our primitiue church vsed them witnesseth the History in the first booke the xxix chap. Holy vessels in like maner for the due administration of Christes holy Sacraments protestans bothe diminishing the number of them and prophaning the right vse of such as they kepe knowe none Our first faith had and vsed theÌ„ The history reporteth it in the first booke the xxix chap. and in the second booke the last chapter Holy water protestants abhorre Our first faith vsed it In the history 〈◊〉 appeareth In the first booke the xxix chap. Nothinge is more reuiled of protestants then the ecclesiasticall tonsure of the clergy How after what maner and wherefore the church of Christ vseth it the history disputeth and sheweth at large in the fifte booke the xxii chapter toward the ende Our primitiue church was gouuerned by Synods of the clergy only in determining controuersies ecclesiasticall The History declareth this practise in the first booke the ii chap. the fourth booke the v. chap. the xvii chap. and xxviii chap. Protestants haue called the determination of ecclesiasticall matters from thence to the laie Courte only The spirituall rulers of our primitiue church were bishops and pastours duly consecrated It appereth in the History the first booke the 27. chap. and the second booke the 3. chap. Protestants haue no such due consecration no true bishops at all Protestants haue brought the supreme gouuernement of the church to the laie authorite In the primitiue faith of our countre the laie was subiect to the bishop in spirituall causes Peruse the xiii and xxii chapters of the third booke Last of all the finall determination of spirituall causes in our primitiue Church rested in the See Apostolike of Rome This practise appeareth in the second booke the iiii the xvii and the xx chapters Item in the fifte booke the xx chap. How farre that See is nowe detested by the sober religion of protestants all men do see To note how differently the Catholike faith of al Christendom was first planted in our countre and the parted faith of protestants hathe corrupted the same the first difference is clere herin that our first Catholik faith we receaued of the See of Rome This heresy hath begonne by first departing from that See The Apostles of our faith came from Rome the messangers of these schismes beganne first by scattering froÌ„ the See Apostolik of Rome How we receiued our faith of Rome the later chapters of the first booke and the first of the secoÌ„d do testifie Againe our faith was first preached with Crosse and procession Lib. 1. cap. 25. These heresies first raged by throwing downe the Crosse and altering the procession therewith Our first Apostles were monkes See the first booke the xxiii chap. and the third booke the iii. chap. The first preachers of protestants haue ben Apostatas Luther Oecolampadius Bucer Peter Martyr Barnes Barlow and other The first impes off our faith the first scholers off oure Apostles were holy and vertuous meÌ„ Reade the xxvj chap. of the third booke The broode of protestants in the very first issue hath ben so enormous that Luther the holy Father thereof confesseth his scholers to be vnder him farre more wicked then they were before vnder the Pope The first preaechers of our faith liued Apostolically in voluntary pouerty as the history reporteth in the first booke the xxvj chap. This Apostolicall perfection protestaÌ„ts bearing theÌ„ selues for the Apostles of England neither practise them selues neither can abide it in other As touching the effect and consequences of both religions our faith builded vp monasteries and chirches as the history reporteth in the firste booke the 32. chap. in the third booke the iij. and xxxiij chap. IteÌ„ in the fourth booke the iij. chap. Protestants haue throwen down many erected none By the first Christians off our faith God was both serued day and night as in the fourth booke the vij chap. it is expressely mencioned Protestants haue abolished al seruice off God by night and done to the deuill a most acceptable sacrifice By the deuotion of the people first embracing our catholike faithe much voluntary oblations were made to the church as in the first booke the xxvij chap. it appeareth By the rechelesse religion off protestants due oblations are denied to the church Princes endued the church with possessions and reuenues moued with deuotion and feare of God The loose lewdenes off protestants haue stirred Princes to take from the church possessions so geuen Last of all our first faith reduced the Scottishmen liuing then in schisme to the vnite of the Catholike church This late alteration hath remoued them from vnite to schisme All these differences touching doctrine and ecclesiasticall gouernement are proued to concurre with the belefe and practise of the first vj. C. yeares in the second part of the Fortresse of our first faith set forthe presently with the History ET Priuati BrabaÌ„tici Regiae Maiestatis Consilij diplomate cautum est ne quis infra quadriennium proximum Historiam ecclesiasticam gentis Anglorum Authore Venerabili Beda Presb. a Thoma Stapletono in Anglicum sermonem versam per omnes Burgundicae
flames the house which this weake man kept remained sound and vntouched The people much ioyed at the miracle and reioyced in god to see his power to saue that their labour could not Before the cottage of this poore prelate laye there a multitude of people without number some to be cured of the maladies of their soules some of their bodies It can not be expressed what miracles Christe wrought by his seruaunt and what cures this sick man did In the meane suffering no remedies to be applied vnto his owne infirmities on a certaine night he sawe a very beutifull persone cladde all in white apparell to stande by his bedds side which stretching out his hand semed to lyfte him vpp as he laye in his bedde and bid him stand vpright vppon his feete After which time his paines being asswaged he was so restored vnto his helth that as sone as it was day he tooke his iourney without feare How the sayd Bishops by the power of God ayded the Britannes in Battaile and so returned home The. 20. Chap. IN this meane time the Saxons and the Pictes waged battaile against the Britannes Which being assembled together in the campe and fearing much that they should not be able to ouermatche them thei required the helpe of the holy bishops Which comming into their campe put their fearefull hartes in such confidence as though a great army had ben come at that instant to ayde them Wheruppon they being their capitaines Christ warred with them in their campe This happened in the xl daies of lent which were the more deuoutly obserued through the presence of the priestes in so muche that they being instructed with daily preaching many of the countrye came daily to be christened And the greatest part of the army required their baptisme Vppon Easter day they made in the campe the likenes of a church with poles and bouse where they were solemnely baptised By vertu of whiche holy sacrament they became feruent in faith and bolde in hope of goddes strength which before were in dispaire of their owne The ennemies had worde of the maner and fourme of their campe and of all thinges done therein Whereuppon they thinking to steale vppon them and so easely obtaine the victory ouer them as vnwares and vnarmed maketh all the haste they could toward them But yet by skoutes their comming was knowen in good time And now the holy daies of Easter being past the greatest part of the hoste goeth freshe froÌ„ baptisme to their armour Among theÌ„ Sainâ— Germane making him selfe as a capitaine pieketh out a certaine of light souldiours and going forth with them placeth them priuely in a vally that was beset with hilles on euery side by the which it was thought the ennemy wold passe vnto the BritaÌ„nes caÌ„pe Shortly after commeth on the same way the army of the Saxons which when they that wer set in the ambush perceiued to approche Saint Germane being with them geueth warning vnto them all that as they heard him begynne all they should cry and aunswer the same And sodainly breaking out of the ambush the enemy not being ware of them the priest cried out thrise together Alleluya All the rest strayt aunswereth the same The Ecko wherof through the sounde of their voices rebounding back from the hilles made such a sound as though they had ben thrise as many more in number then they wer Wherwith their enemies wer so amased as though not only the hiller but heauen it selfe also did cryâ— out and fight against them Where uppon they fled with all the speede they could make casting away their weapon and harneys and thinking it inough if they might with their naked bodies eskape the daunger Many of them for feare and haste wer drowned in the riuer which was betwext home and them The innocent army behouldeth the reuenge of their enemies and seith them selues to haue the Victory without battaile The souldiers gathereth vp the spoile and with great ioye acknolegeth god only to be the geuer of that ouerthrow The bishops them selues triuÌ„pheth in God to see the enemy put to flight without bludshed and the Victory to haue ben gotten by faith in God and not by force of man This the Iland being sett in good order the enemies both visible and inuisible being ouercommed the bishop returneth home warde to whom God gaue prosperous passage both for their owne vertues sake and also at the intercession of the blessed martyr saynt Albane How the Pelagian hereâ—ies begynning to spryng againe Germanus returning to Britanny with Seuerus cured a lame young man corrected the heretikes restored the faith The. 21. Chap. NOt longe after was there worde brought owt of the same Iland that the Pelagian heresies beganne of new to grow and multiplye by meanes of certaine whiche began againe to set furth the same Againe therfor ar directed to the bishop the prayers of al the clergy that he wold go through with the cause of God which he had taken in haÌ„d before Whose petition he accepting retourneth again wyth prosperous windes in to Britanny with one Seuerus a man of great holynes as the which was the disciple of Lupus bishop of Trecassa and was ordeyned bishop of Treuers and preached first vnto that part of the Germans the word of God In this meane season the wycked sprittes flieng about the Iland did foreshew euery where so forced and constrayned that Saynt Germane was comyng In so much that Elafius one of the cheifest of the Iland with out the report of any manifest messanger hasted to the seas side their to meete the holy men at their ariuall bringing with him his son which in the flower of his youth was benummed of his leg which was so shrunke in to his thigh warde through the dryth of his sinowes that he could not set his fote vppon the ground With this Elafius cam a great multitude of people to receiue the holy prelates which as sone as they cam a lande fell a preaching to the people after their wont maÌ„ner They finde the people as touching their faith in the self same stay they lefte them they learneth the fault to remayne in a few after whom they seeke and finding them owt they condeÌ„ne them This donne Elafius falleth downe at the feete of the byshops offering them his sonne whose pitefull case neded no prayers to entrete for the relief thereof Euery man of him selfe pityed the young man especially the priestes who altogether according to the pitie conceiued beseched the clemency of God And forthwith Saynt Germane takyng the younge man to him made him sitt downe he â—ealeth his knee that was thus bowed inward and with his blessed haÌ„d sercheth thourow all the affected place as farre as the greif went And beholde ech parte as sone as he touched it receiued helth and the sinowes returned to their naturall course so that in sight of them all the younge man is restored sounde vnto his father The people ar all
encouraged wyth the comfort of S. Gregorie returned to preache the word of God with the seruauntes of Christ which wer with him and came in to Brytanny Ethelbert at that time was kyng of kent a man of greate powessance as the whiche had enlarged the fruntures of his empier as far as the greate flud Humber by the whiche the west and northe Englishe ar diuided At the easte ende of kent there is the I le of Tenet 600. miles in cumpasse according to the estimation of Englishe miles whiche Ilande is parted from the lande by the flud VVantsome whiche is of iij. furlonges bredthe and in ij places only passable for bothe the heddes of him runeth in to the sea In that Iland was Augustine set on land and his fellowes to the number of almost forty persons They tooke withe them certayne Frenche men to be theyr interpretours according as Gregorye had commaunded And sendinge vnto the kynge Ethelbert they sent him worde that they came from Rome and that they brought him very good tydinges that is to wytt that such as shoulde followe and obey his doctrine they shoulde enioye an euerlasting kyngdome in heauen with the true and liuing God Whiche hearing this commaunded that they shoulde tarry in the said Iland hauing The first face shewe and maner of preaching the ghospel to vs Englishmen by S. Augustin our Apostle in the presence of Elbert then kinge of kent c An. 596. all thinges necessary ministred vnto them vntill they shoulde heare farder of his pleasure For the brute of Christian religion had come before vnto him as the whiche had maried a Christian woman of the countrye of Fraunce named Bertha whome he maried with these conditions taken of her parents that it shoulde be laufull for her to kepe vnbroken the rites of her faythe and religion wyth her bysshope Luidharde by name whome they appoynted her to assiste and helpe her in matters of her faythe Wythin fewe dayse herof the kynge came vnto the Iland and sitting a brode he bid Augustine with his fellowes to come to common wyth him He wold not suffer him to come vnto him into any house least if they wer skilfull in sorcery they might the rather deceiue him and preuaile against him But they came not armed with the force of the diuell but endewed withe the strength of God carying before them in place of a banner a Crosse ofsyluer and the image of ower Sauiour paynted in a table and singing the letanies prayed bothe for themselues and also for them to whome and for whose sake they came thether And when they sitting downe as the kyng did byd them preached vnto him the worde of life and also to all his houshoulde there present he answered them saying yow geue vs very fayer wordes and promisses but yet for that they ar straunge and vnknowen vnto me I can not rashly assent vnto them forsakyng that auncient religion whiche this longe both I and my people haue obserued But for so much as yow ar come so far to th entent yow might part vnto vs suche knowleadge as yow take to be right true and good we will not seeke yower troble but rather wyth all courtesey receiue yow and ministre yow such thinges as ar behouefull for yower liuelioud Nether do we let but that yow may wynne vnto yower profession wythe yower preaching as many as yow canne He allowed them therfore a lodging in the cittye of Cantorbury whiche was the head cittye of his dominion and as he promised prouided them of necessaries and freely licenced them to preach It is sayd that as they approched neare the citty hauing the crosse and image of our kyng and Sauiour Iesus Christ caried as their maner was before them they songe all in one tune this letany following VVe beseche the o Lord for thy great mercy sake that thy furye and thyn angre may be taken from this citty and from thy holy house bycause we haue synned Alleluya How the sayd Austen liuing in kent did follow the primatiue church both in teaching and liuing and of CauÌ„terbury the place of the kinges abode was created Bishop The. 26. Chapter AFter they wer now entred in to their lodging they began to expresse the very Apostolik order of liuing of the primitiue church seruing God in continuall prayer watching and fasting and preaching the worde of life to as many as they could despising the commodities of the worlde as thinges none of their owne taking of them whom they instructed only so much as might serue their necessities liuing them selues according to that they taught other and being ready to suffer both troubles and death it selfe in defense of the truth they taught Wherebye many did beleue and wer baptised maruailing much at the simplicite of their innocent liuing and the sweetnes of their heauenly doctrine There was at the east ende of the citty an auncient church buylt in the honor of saint Marâ—ine made while the Romans wer yet dwelling in England in the which the quene which as we haue sayd was a Christen woman did vse commonly to pray They also resorted commonly to the sayde church and began there first to syng seruice say masse pray preache and christen vntill such time as the kyng being conuerted vnto the faith they receiued more ample licence to preach where they would and either to buylde of new or repayre owld churches But when the kyng him selfe being much delighted wyth the purite of their life and thexample of their godly conuersation as also with their swete promises which to be true thei proued by the working of many miracles did beleue and was baptised there began more and more dayly to resort vnto their sermons and renouncing the rites of their owld gentilite to ioyne them selues by the fayth to the vnitie of the holy church of Christe Of whose faith and coÌ„uersion though the king much reioyced yet he would force none to becomme Christian but only shew him selfe in outward apparance more frendly vnto the faithfull as companions of one kingdome of heauen with him For why he had learned of these his masters that the seruice of Christ must be voluntary and not forced And without any farder delay he appointed out for his sayd doctours a place and see semely for their degrees in his head citty of Cantorbury and gaue them possessions necessary for the maintenance therof How he being created bishop did aduertise Gregory the Pope of such thinges as he had don in Britanny and required his counsell vppon certaine incident cases The. 27. Chap. AFter this the seruaunt of God Augustine came to Arles where of Etherius Archebishoppe of the sayd citty he was created Archebisshop of the nation of the Enhlish men according as S. Gregory the Pope had commaunded And returning vnto Britanny he sent forthwith Laurence priest and Peter monke vnto Rome which should make relation vnto saint Gregory how that the English men had receiued the
and before he was yet baptised Layeng therfore depe foundations aboute this his first oratorie he began to buylde there a fayre churche fowre square But before the wall therof came to his iuste hyghnes the king was slayne by cruell deathe and lefte that royall worke to be endyd and parfyted by kyng Oswald his successour Now Pauline from that time 6. yeares after that is to the end of king Edwynes raygne preched the word of God continually by his good leaue and fauour throughe out all that prouince And they beleaued him and were Christened who were preordinated to lyfe euerlasting emongest whome was Offride and Eadfride king Edwynes sonnes Which he had in his banishement by dame Quenburge daughter to Cearle king of the Marshes After whome his other children which he had by Queene Edelburge were baptised as his sonne Edilhune his daughter Edilfride and an other of his sonnes called Buskfrea of which the ij first were taken oute of this mortall lyfe in their infancie or tender youthe and buryed in the church of Yorke Iffy also Offride his sonne was Christened too with manie other of the nobilitie and diuers honorable men And as it is reported then was the feruour of faithe and ernest desyre of holie baptisme so greate emongest the people of Northumberland that on a certaine time when bishop Pauline came with the kings and Quenes maiestie to the courte or princes palacie at Adregin he stayed there with them 36. dayes only occupied in catechising and instructing the people in Christe his faithe and afterward baptising them in eche of the which dayes he did nothing els from morning to euenynge but instructe them with the word of God and teach theÌ„ the faith and saluation in Christe Iesus which flocked thither out of all places and villages theraboute Whome after he had thus informed and taught he baptised in the fludde Elene For that was the next nere water which he could conueniently vse for baptim This towne Adregin in the time of the kinge and aftercommers waxed rude and deserte And an other was buylt vp for hit in a place called Melwyn And this muche dyd byshop Pawline in the Bernicians prouince But in the couÌ„trie of the Deires where he laie most coÌ„monly with the kinge he baptised in the fludde Suale which renneth fast by a village adioyned to Cataracte For as yet there could not be buylded oratories fountes or places of baptisme in this newe begon and late founded churche But yet was there buylte a greate church in the coast and champyon called Dâ—wne Where was an other of the kinges courtes and palace Which church the painims that slewe king Edwine bâ—rned afterward with the whole village In sted of the which palace the kinges euer after made their mansion place in the country called Loides But the aultar of the before mentioned churche eskaped the fire bycause it was made of stone And is kept to this present daye in the monasterie of the right reuerend Abbot and priest Trunwulfe standing in the wodde Elmete How the prouince of the Este English receiued the fayth of Christ. The. 15. Chap. NOw had king Edwine by common reporte suche a zele and ernest deuotion toward the Christian faithe that he perswadid Carpwald kinge Redwalds sonne and king of the Est English to leaâ—â— of the vaine superstition of idols and to come with his whole royalme and embrace the true faythe and receaue the sacramentes of Christe his churche For his father king Redwald before him was Christened in kent but alas in vaine For returning home againe he was seduced by his wyfe and certaine other peruerse doctours And being in suche wyse depraued from the sincerite and purenesse of fayth his end was worse then his beginning For he would seme after the maner of the olde Samaritanes to serue both Christe and his owne false Godes to as he dyd before And in one temple he had erectyd an aultar for the sacrifice of Christe and an other litle aultar for burnt sacrifices to his Idols and dyuels The which temple Aldwolfe kinge of that prouince after him who lyued in this ourâ—age sayde that it dured so vnto his time and witnessed that he sawe it himselfe in his childhoode Truly this before named king Redwald was a noble prince of byrthe althowgh vile and base in his actes and deades For he was king Tityls sonne whose fathers name was Woffa of whome the kinges of the east english men are called Woffinges But king Carpwald not long after he had ben Christened was slayne by a gentile and paynim named Richbert And froÌ„ that time 3. yeares after the prouince liued in gentâ—lite falling from Christian religion vntyll at the last Sibert king Carpwalds brother toke the kingdome a man in all pointes lerned and most Christian. Who whiles his brother was yet alyue lyuing bannished in Fraunce was Christened there and instructed in the holy mysteries of our faythe of which he went about to make all his royalme partakener as sone as he came to the crowne To whose good endeuour herin bishopp Felix dyd moste ernestly fauoure and with greate praise applie himselfe Who when he came from Burgundie where he was borne and toke holie orders into Britanny to Honorius tharchbishop and had opened this his desire and godly purpose vnto him the Archebishopp gladly gaue him licence and sent him furthe to preche the worde of God vnto the foresayde Este English Wher certes his zele and vertuous desire proued not in vayne For this holie husbande man and happie tiller of the spirituall filde founde in that nation plentifulnes of fruite and encrease of people that beleaued him For he browght all that prouince beinge now delyuered by his healpe from their long iniquite and vnhappines vnto the fayth and workes of iustice and in the end reward of perpetuall bâ—isse and happines for euer according to the good abodement of his name whiche in Lattin is called Felix and in our Englishe tounge soundeth happie He was Byshopp in the cite of Dummocke afterward Where when he had ruled the churche of Christe 17. yeares in that dignite and in that prouince he endyd his life in peace How Pawlyne preched in the prouince of Lindisse and of the state of king Edwynes raygne The. 16. Chap. BVt Byshopp Pawlyne continued styll and at this tyme preched the worde of God in the prouince of Lindisse which is the next toward the South bancke of Humber bending euen vnto the seas side where he first conuerted to our Lord the maior of Lincolne whose name was Blecca withal his howseholde In the which citie he buylt a well wrowght churche of stone the rouffe whereof eyther for long lacke of reparations or by the spoyle of enemies is nowe cast downe But the walles thereof stand yet to be seene at this present daie and yearly some or other miracles are wont to be showen ther to the greate good and comforte of
successours vertuous and godly men who after the same maner kept their Easter either beleued or liued contrary to holy Scripture especially their holynesse being such that God hath confirmed it with miracles Truly as I doubt not but they were holy men so I wil not feare to folow allwaies their life maners and trade of discipline In good sothe quoth VVillfrid It is well knowen that Anatholius was a right holy man very well lerned and worthy of much praise But what is that to you who vary also from his decrees and doctrine For Anatholius in his Easter according to the truth accompted the vsuall compasse of xix yeres whiche you either vtterly are ignorant of or if ye know it yet though it be through all Christendom obserued ye sett light by it Againe thoughe he obserued the Easter Sonday sometime vpon the xiiij daye of the moone yet he accompted the same daye at euening to be the fiftenth of the chaunge after the accompt of the Aegyptians So vpon the xx daye he kept the Easter that at the sonne setting he reaconed it for the xxj Which his rule and distinction that ye be ignorant of it is manifest by this that same time ye kepe your Easter cleane before the full of the moone euen the xiij daye of the chaunge As touching your father Columba and those whiche folowed him whose holy steppes ye pretend to folow as the which haue ben confirmed by miracles to this I may answer that in the daye of iudgment whereas many shall saie vnto Christ that they haue prophecyed cast out diuells and wrought miracles in his name our Lord wil answer that he knoweth them not But God forbidd that I shoulde so iudge of your fathers For it is our duty of such as we knowe not to deme the best Therefore I deme not but they were men of God and acceptable in his sight as the whiche loued God though in rude simplicite yet withe a godly intention Neither do I thinke that the maner of their obseruation coulde be much preiudiciall against them as longe as they had yet receiued no instructions to the contrary But rather I verely suppose seing such cōmaundemēts of God as they knew they willingly folowed they would also haue conformed thēselues to the Catholik iudgemēt if they had ben so informed But nowe Sir you and your cōpanions if hearing the decrees of the Apostolike see or rather of the vniuersall church and that also confirmed in holy write you folow not the same you offend and sinne herein vndoubtedly For though your fathers were holy mē could yet those few of one so smal corner of the vttermost ilond of the earth preiudicat the whole church of Christ dispersed through the vniuersall worlde And if your father Columba yea and our father if he were the true seruaunt of Christe were holye and mightye in miracles yet can he by any meanes be preferred to the moste blessed prince of the Apostles to whom our Lorde sayed Thou arte Peter and vppon this rocke I will builde my churche and hell gates shall neuer preuaile against her and to thee I will geue the kayes off the kingdome of heauen Thus when VVilfrid concluded the kinge saied vnto bishop Colman Were these thinges in dede spoken to Peter of our Lorde To whom the bishop answered yea Can you then saieth the kinge geue euidence of so speciall authoritie geuen to your father Columba The bishop answering No the kinge spake vnto bothe parties and sayed Agree ye bothe in this without any controuersy that these wordes were principally spoken vnto Peter and that vnto him the kayes of the kingdome of heauen were geuen When bothe had answered yea the kinge concluded and saied Then I saye vnto you that I will not gainsaie such a porter as this is but as farre as I knowe and am able I will couet all pointes to obey his ordinaunces lest perhaps when I come to the dores of the kingdome of heauen I finde none to open vnto me hauing his displeasure whiche is so clerely proued to beare the kayes thereof Thus when the kinge had sayed all that sate and stode by of all sortes and degrees abandonning their former vnperfectenesse confourmed them selues to the better instructions whiche they had nowe lerned How bishop Colman being ouercomed retourned home and Tuda succeded in the bishopricke Also what trade of life those gouernours of the church lead The. 26. Chap. THe controuersy being thus ended and the assemble dissolued bishop Agilbert returned home Bishop Colman also seing his doctrine and secte reprouued taking with him such as would folow him that is such as refused to accept the Catholike obseruation of Easter and the bearing of a rounde shauen crowne for of that matter also much disputation then was had returned vnto Scotland minding to deliberat there with his countremen what to folow herein Bisshop Cedda forsaking the Scottes embraced the catholike tradition and returned to his bishoprick This controuersie was moued in the yeare of our Lorde 664. in the 22. yeare of kinge Oswin and in the xxx yeare after the Scottes had ben bisshops ouer the englishmen For Aidan gouuerned the churche 17. yeares Finanus ten and Colman thre After the departure of Colman in to his countre Tuda was sett bishop ouer the Northumberlandmen instructed and created bishop amonge the South Scottes bearing after the maner of that countre a rounde shauen crowne and obseruing the Easter after the Catholike maner He was a man of great vertu and holynesse but he gouuerned the church a small time For he came out of Scotland whiles Colman was yet bishop teaching bothe in worde and with example diligently the true faith in Christ. In holy Ilond at the departure of the Scottes Eata a reuerend father and most meke person was made Abbat ouer the rest of the monkes which remained Who before had ben Abbat of Mailros at the suite of bishop Colman obtaining it of kinge Oswin at his departure bicause the same Eata had ben one of the xij scholers of bishop Aidan which at his first coming in to England he brought vp For this bishop Colman was derely loued of kinge Oswin for his rare wisedome and vertu This Eata not longe after was made bishop of holy Ilond Bishop Colman at his departing toke with him certain of the bones off bishop Aidan Part also he lefte in the church which he was bishop of laying them vp in the vestry thereof But how sparefull personnes he and his predecessours were and how greatly they absteined from all pleasures euen the place where he bare rule did witnesse In the whiche at their departure fewe houses were founde beside the church that is to saye those houses only without the which ciuill conuersation could no wise be maintained They had no mony but cattaill For if they tooke anye mony of riche men by and by they gaue it to poore people Neither was it nedefull that either mony
at Tarsus in Cilicia a maÌ„ bothe in prophane and diuine knowleadg and in the greke and latin tounge excellently lerned in maners and conuersation vertuous and for age reuerend being then lxvj yeres olde Him Adrian offered and presented to the pope and obtained that he was created bishop Yet with these conditions that Adrian should accompany him in to England bicause hauing twise before trauailed in to Fraunce for diuers matters he had therefore more experience in that iourney as also for that he was sufficiently fournished with men of his owne But chiefely that assisting him alwaies in preaching the ghospell he should geue diligent eye and waite that t is Theodore being a greke borne enduced not after the maner of the grekes any doctrine coÌ„trary to the true faith receaued in to the english church now subiect vnto him This man therfore being made subdeacon taried yet in Rome iiij moneths vnte â—l his heare was full growen to take the ecclesiasticall tonsure rounde which before he had taken like vnto the Last church after the maner of S. Paule whereof we shall hereafter treate more at large He was consecrated bishop of Vitalianus then Pope in the yeare of our Lorde 668. the xxvj daie of Marche vpon a Sonday After the xvij of May in the company of Adrian the Abbat he was directed to England Their iourney commenced first by see they arriued to Marsilia and so by lande to Arles where deliuering to Iohn the Archebishop letters of commendation from Vitalian the Pope they were receaued and enterteyned of him vntill that Ebroinus chief of the kinges Courte gaue them saulfeconduit to passe and go whither they entended and woulde Which being graunted them Theodore tooke his iourney to Agilbert bishop of Paris of whome we haue spoken before and was very frindly receaued of him and kept there a longe tyme. But Adrian went first to Emmeson and after to Faron bishop of Meldes and there continewed and rested withe them a good space For wynter was at hand and draue them to abyde quietly in such conuenient place as they could gett Now wheÌ„ word was browght to king Ecgbert that the bishop whom they had desired of the Pope of Rome was come and rested in Fraunce he sent thither straight waye Redfride his lieutenant to bringe and conducte him Who when he came thither tooke Theodore with the license of Ebroinus and browght him to the porte that is named Quentauic Where they continewed a space bicause Theodore was weake sicke and wery And as sone as he began to recouer health againe they sayled to England But Ebroinus with helde backe Adrian suspecting he had some embassie of the Emperours to the kinges of England against the realme of Fraunce wherof at that time he had speciall care and chardge But when he founde in dede that he had no such thinge he dimissed him and suffred him to go after Theodore Who as soone as Adrian came to him gaue him the monasterie of S. Peter thapostle where as I haue mentioned before the Archebishops of Cauntourbury are wonte to be buried For the Pope Apostolâ—que had required Theodore at his departinge to prouide and geane Adrian some place in his diocese where he and his company might commodiously continewe and liue together Howe Theodore visited the countree and howe the churches of England receaued the true Catholique faith and began also to studie the holy scriptures and how Putta was made bishop of Rochester for Damian The 2. Chap. THeodore came to his churche the 2. yere after his consecration the xxvij day of may being sonday and continewed in the same xxi yeres three moneths and xxvj daies And straight way he visyted all the countree ouer where soeuer any english people dwelled for all men did most gladly receaue him and heare him and hauing still with him the coÌ„panie and helpe of Adrian in all thinges dyd sowe abrode and teache the right wayes and pathes of good liuing and the canonical rite and order of keping the feast of Easter For he was the first Archebishop vnto whome all the whole churche of the English nation dyd consent to submit them selues And bicause both he and Adrian as we haue sayd were exceding well learned both in profane and holy literature they gathered a company of disciples or scholers vnto them into whose breastes they dayly dyd powre the flowing waters of holesome knowledge So that beside the expounding of holy scripture vnto them they dyd with al instructe their hearers in the sciences of musick Astronomie and Algorisme In the tounges they so brought vp their scholers that euen to this day some of theÌ„ yet liuing can speake both the Latin and Greeke tonge as well as their owne in which they were borne Neither was there euer since the English meÌ„ came first to Britaine any tyme more happie than at that present For England then had most valiant and Christian princes It was feared of all barbarowse and forrain nations The people at home was all wholly bent to the late ioyfull tydinges of the kingdome of heauen And if any man desired to be instructed in the reading of holy scriptures there lacked not men expert and cunning ready to teache him Againe at this time the tunes and notes of singing in the Churche whiche vntill than were only vsed and knowen in Kent began to be learned throwgh all the churches of EnglaÌ„d The first master of songe in the churches of Northumberland except Iames whome we spake of before was Eddi surnamed Stephen who was called and browght from kent by Wilfride a man most reuerend whiche first among all the byshops that were of the English nation dyd learne and deliuer the Catholique trade of life to the English Churches Thus Theodore vewing ouer and visiting eche where dyd in conuenient places appoynt bishops and with their helpe and assistance together amended such thinges as he found not well and perfecte And among all other when he reproued bisshopp Chaddâ— for that he was not rightly consecrated he made moste humble awnswer and sayde If yow thinke that I haue taken the office of a byshop not in dewe order and maner I am ready withe all my hart to giue vp the same for I did not thinke my selfe euer worthy therof but for obedience sake being so commaunded I dyd agree althowgh vnworthy to take it vpon me Whiche humble awnswere of his Theodore hearing sayd that he should not leaue his bisshopricque but dyd himselfe supplye and complete his consecration after the right and dewe Catholique maner The very same tyme in whiche after the death of Deusdedit an Archebysshopp of Caunterbury was sewed for consecrated and sent from Rome Wilfrid also was sent from England to Fraunce there to be consecrated Who bycause he retourned into kent before Theodore did make priestes and deacons vntill the time that the Archebisshop himselfe came to his see Who at his comming to the
THE HISTORY OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLANDE Compiled by Venerable Bede Englishman Translated out of Latin in to English by Thomas Stapleton Student in Diuinite You being sometimes straungers and enemies in vnderstanding c. He hath now reconciled in the body of his fleshe through death c. If yet ye continew grounded and stedfast in the Faith and be not moued away from the hope of the ghospell which ye haue heard which hath ben preached amonge all creatures vnder heauen SPES ALIT AGRICOLAS Imprinted at Antwerp by Iohn Laet at the signe of the Rape with Priuilege Anno. 1565. E. R. God saue the Quene TO THE RIGHT EXCELLENT AND MOST GRATIOVSE PRINCESSE ELIZABETH BY THE GRACE OF God Quene of England Fraunce and Ireland Defendour of the Faith â—â— IF THE mind of man most gratiouse Souuerain in respect of vvhich vve are made after the image of the highest excelled not in passing degrees the lumpe of mortall fleshe by meanes vvhereof it vttereth his naturall functions iff the qualitees of the one surmounted not infinitly the conditions of the other neither should it seme vvorthe the vvhile to set penne to paper for defense of true religion in these perilous times of schisme and heresy neither vvould it be sitting for one of my calling to commend such labours to the vevve of your Maiesty For as in the vvriting I haue good cause to remembre that Truthe purchaseth hatred so in the commending of the same I can not forgett that a younge scholer and base subiect attempteth to talke vvith a right mighty Princesse and his lerned Souuerain Notvvithstanding considering the invvarde man and better portion off my selfe I haue to comforte me bothe in the one and in the other In the one respect of the profit vvhich may arise hereby to the deceiued consciences of my dere countremeÌ„ your highnes subiectes my regard to Gods honour and zeale to the truth do make me lesse to feare the displeasure that may ensue In the other your highnes most gratiouse Clemency and knovven good affection to be enformed of the truth enboldeth me to present particularly to your most Royall Maiesty that vvhich I publish to the vvhole Realmes commodite For as that vvhich the body receiueth the Head first vevveth and considereth so thought I most conuenient that the generall history of the realme off England shoulde first be commended to the princely head and Souuerain gouuernour of the same Againe the history in Latin being dedicated by the Author to a kinge of this realme one of your most Noble progenitours it semed no lesse then duty that the translatioÌ„ and nevv publishing of it ought to come forth vnder your highnes protection succeding in the Imperial Crovvne of the same The matter of the History is such that if it may stande vvith your Maiesties pleasure to vevve and consider the same in vvhole or in part your highnes shall clerely see as vvell the misse informations of a fevve for displacing the auncient and right Christen faith as also the vvay and meane of a spedy redresse that may be had for the same to the quietnesse of the greater part of your Maiesties most loyal and lovvly subiectes coÌ„sciences In this history it shall appeare in vvhat faith your noble Realme vvas christened and hath almost these thousaÌ„d yeres coÌ„tinevved to the glory of God the enriching of the crovvne and great vvelth and quiet of the realme In this history your highnes shall see in hovv many and vveighty pointes the preteÌ„ded refourmers of the church in your Graces dominioÌ„s haue departed froÌ„ the patern of that sounde and catholike faith planted first among Englishemen by holy S. Augustin our Apostle and his vertuous coÌ„pany described truly and sincerely by Venerable Bede so called in all Christendom for his passing vertues and rare lerning the Author of this History And to th entent your highnes intention bent to vveightier considerations and affaires may spende no longe time in espying oute the particulars I haue gathered out of the vvhole History a number of diuersities betvvene the pretended religion of Protestants and the primitiue faith of the english church and haue annexed them streight ioyning to this our simple preface Maie it please your most gracious highnes to take a short vevv of it and for more ample intelligence of euery particular if it shall so like your highnesse to haue a recourse to the booke and chapter quoted Beside the vvhole history of holy and lerned S. Bede I haue published a short and necessary discourse to mete vvith the only argument of such as vvill pronouÌ„ce this vvhole booke to be but a fardle of papistry a vvitnesse of corrupted doctrine a testimony of that age and time vvhich they haue already condeÌ„ned for the time of no true Christianite at all of such I saie as haue altered the faith vve vvere first Christened in condemning our dere forefathers of allmost these thousand yeares the Christen inhabitants of your graces dominions This I haue done principally in ijâ— partes In the firste by expresse testimonies of holy Scripture the psalmes the prophets and the nevv TestameÌ„t by remouing the obiections of the aduersaries taken out of holy Scripture by the glorious successe of these later 900. yeares in multiplying the faithe of Christ through the vvorlde last of all by clere and euident reasons I haue proued that the faith of vs Englishmen all these ix c. hundred yeares coulde not possibly be a corrupted faith traded vp in superstitions blindnesse and idolatry as it is falsely and vvickedly surmised of many but that it is the true and right Christianite no lesse then the firste vj. c. yeares and immediat succession of the Apostles In the second part vvhere vve gather a number of differences in doctrine in ecclesiasticall gouernement in the order and maner of proceding in the course and coÌ„sequeÌ„ces of both religioÌ„s that first plaÌ„ted among vs and so many hundred yeares coÌ„tinevved and this presently preached and preteÌ„ded I haue shevved by the testimonies of the moste auncient and approued Fathers of the Councels and histories of that time that in all such differences our faith first planted and hitherto continevved amonge vs agreeth and concurreth vvith the practise and bâ—elefe of the first vj. c. yeres the time approued by al mens consent for the right and pure Christianite If it may stande vvith your Maiesties pleasure to vveigh this double truthe so clerely proued first out of Gods holy vvorde and euident reason then out of the assured practise of the primitiue churche your Grace shall quickely see a ready redresse of present schismes a compendious quieting of troubled consciences and an open pathe to returne to the faith vvithoute vvhiche is no saluation As vve knovve right vvell the meaning of your gracious highnes to be already seriously bent to haue the truthe tried and to be sincerely published throughe all your Graces dominions so to the ende that this godly zeale maie in your Maiesties most
Princely hart the more be kindled and coÌ„firmed most humbly and lovvly I beseche the same to beholde a fevve examples of the most puissant Princes that haue ben in Christendom vvhich in that singular vertu haue principally excelled At vvhat time Princes and Emperours hauing certaine hundred yeares fought and striued all in vaine against the light of the ghospel and publishing of Christen religion beganne at length them selues to take the svvete yoke of Christe to submit their Sceptres to his holy Crosse and ioyning deuoute humilite vvith vvordly policie began to procure their soule helth and to prouide for the vvorlde to come then the prophecy of Esaie vvas in them fullfilled saying to the churche of Christ. Beholde I will stretche out mine hande to the gentils and sett vpp my token to the people They shall bringe thee thy sonnes in their lappes and cary their daughters vnto thee vppon their shoulders For kinges shall be thy nursing Fathers and Quenes shall be thy nursing mothers They shall fall downe before thee c et Then their chiefe endeuour and principall care hath ben to maintaine the only Catholike faith in their dominions and to chase eftesoones all schismes and heresies that from time to time sprange vp amonge Constantin the great vvorthely so called for sondry respects the Arrian heresy vnder him arising laboured by all meanes possible and semely to his princely vocation to queÌ„che the same For this purpose first he directed that lerned and vertuous Father Osius bisshop of Corduba in Spayne to the churches of AEgypte vvhere the terrible tragedy of that hainous heresie beganne vvith his letters of exhortation to reconcile them againe vvhich vvere diuided in matters of the faith He vvrote also to Arrius him selfe and Alexander the bisshop of Alexandria persuading vvith them to come to agreement and accorde After al this fuffising not at the motion and order of the vertuous bishops of that time and by their ordinary meanes he caused the truthe of the controuersy to be enquired examined and discussed in a full and generall Councell helde at Nice vvhere he presented him selfe bearing the charges of the bishops that dvvelled farre of After this councell according to the determination of those holy Fathers for quieting the church he banished Arrius Theognis Euâ—ebius of Nicomedia and other masters of that secte He talked also and commoned vvith Acesius a bishopp of the Nouatians labouring to vvinne him to the Catholike church againe Being troubled also vvith Donatus and his complices breding then a nevve secte in Christes church against Caecilianus their lavvfull bishop he vvrote vnto Miltiades then Pope of Rome to decide the matter and directed a commission out of his ovvne Courte for the better expedition of the same Thus laboured that vertuous and Christen Emperour Constantin the great to maintaine the vnite of Christes church and to abolish all heresies in the prouinces of the vvhole vvorld then subiect vnto him This glasse he lefte to his posterite other Christen Princes to looke on Valentinian the first the next catholike Emperour of any continuaunce after Constantin so earnestly tâ—Ì„dred the catholike religion that vvhen ValeÌ„s his brother the ArriaÌ„ Emperour of the East demaunded aide of him against the Gotthes then breaking in to the Romain empire he ansvvered that being an heretike it could not stande vvith his conscience and religion to helpe him fearing vvorthely the checke that God by the mouth of Iehu gaue to Iosaphat kinge of â—uda for aiding the Apostata and Idolater Achab kinge of Israell Theodosius successour of Valens in the East called also the great for his vvorthy and princely qualities for the maintenaunce of the catholike faith of Christes church published an edict against the Arrians and the Manichees vvherby he imbarred them all maner of assembles preaching or teaching banished theÌ„ out of cites and places of resorte commaunding also no man should company vvith them Againe the same Emperour after much disputations and conferences had vvith the Arrians perceauing at lenght by the aduise of Sisâ—nius that they agreed not amonge them selues nor approued the lerned vvriters in Christes churche before their time bothe vvhich great faultes are euident in the principal promoters of this nevv pretended religion vtterly to extinguish all heresy and for a finall extirping of schisme he vvith Gratian commaunded expressely that such doctrine and religion only shoulde take place as Damasus then Pope off Rome taughte and allovved Honorius and Arcadius sonnes to Theodosius folovved the godly steppes of the vertuous Prince their Father Thereupon Arcadius by the stoute aduise of Chrisostom vvould not graunt to Gainas a famous Scythian Captain vnder him one poore corner in all the East to practise his Arrian profession in Honorius likevvise hauing information of the horrible schismes of the Donatistes in Afrike directed in commission thither Marcellinus to be present at a general assemble in Carthage of the caholike bishops and the Donatistes as it appeareth by the conferences of that assemble yet extant in the vvorkes of S. Augustin Hovv diligent Theodosius the second next successour to the foresaied Emperours vvas in extirping the heresy of Nestorius and in setting forth the right doctrine touching the godhed of the holy Gost against Macedonius and his scholers the vvritings of Cyrillus ad Reginas and to Theodosius him selfe do euidently declare After these Marcianus the Emperour vvith that vertuous princesse Pulcheria laboured diligently to extinguish the heresy of Eutyches as it may appeare by sundry epistles of lerned Leo then Pope of Rome solliciting eftsoones the Emperour thereto and by the Actes of the fourth generall councell of Chalcedon VVhich not long after him Iustinus the Emperour vvith sâ—ch Christen zeale defended that he caused Seuerus the schismaticall bishop of Antioch to haue his touÌ„g cut out for the daily blasphemies he vttered against that councell Iustinian also his successour caused al the hereticall bookes and vvritinges of the saied Seuerus and other to be burned and made it death to any that kept or vsed any such books The Christen zeale of this Emperour tovvard the maintenaunce of Christen religioÌ„ is declaredin the fift general couÌ„cel kept at CoÌ„stantinople against sundry heresies Procopius coÌ„mending the earnest and vertuous zeale of this Emperour vvriteth that he vvould neuer admit Gelimerius a valiaunt Captain and one that had done him noble seruice ioyning vvith Belisarius in the vvarres against the VVandalls vnto the order of his Nobilite bicause he vvas infected vvith the Arrian heresy Such hath alvvaies beÌ„ most gracious Souuerain the vertuous zeale of the vvisest and most politicke Princes to extirpat heresies and false religioÌ„ out of their dominioÌ„s knovving right vvel that none are better subiects to the Prince than such as most deuoutly serue almighty God And again that nothing more highly pleaseth God thaÌ„ that a prince do farder and set forth the true seruice and vvorshipping of him Such
almighty God to the contentatioÌ„ of your Maiesties pleasure and to the vvelth of your graces dominioÌ„s The vvhich God of his tendre mercy through the merites of his dere Son and intercession of all blessed Saints in heauen graunt Amen Your highnes most lovvly subiect and bounden oratour Thomas Stapleton DIFFERENCES BETWENE THE PRIMITIVE FAITHE OF ENGLAND CONTINEVVED ALMOST THEse thousand yâ—res and the late pretensed faith of protestants gathered out of the History of the churche of England compiled by Venerable Bede an English man aboue DCCC yeares paste BEcause if the saith first plaÌ„ted amoÌ„g vs englishmen was no right Christen faith at all then protestants if their faithe be right are nâ—w the Apostles of England let vs coÌ„sidre what Apostolicall markes we finde in our first preachers wanâ—ing in protestants S. Augustin our Apostle shewed Signum Apostolatus sui in omni paâ—ientia in signis prodigijs the token of his Apostleship in all patience in signes and miracles as S Paule writeth of him selfe to the Corinihians whose Apostle also he was And of such miracles wrought by our Apostle S. Augustin and howe Ethâ—lbert the first Christen king of englishmâ—n was thereby induced to the faith the first booke the xxxvj and the xxxi chapters Item the second booke the second chapter do evidenly testifie Miracles in confirmation of their doctrine protestants haue yet wrought none In the primitiue church of the Apostles we read Creden inÌ„ erat cor vnum anima vna The multitude of them that beleued were of one harte and of one minde How much our Apostles tendred this vnite it may appeare in the second booke the ii Chapter where they labour to reduce the olde Brittons to the vnite of Christes church Nothing is more notorious in protestants then their infamous dissension Our Apostles and first preachers wer sent by an ordinary vocatioÌ„ as Christ was sent of his Father and of him the Apostles The history reporteth their vocation in the first book the xxiij Chap. ProtestaÌ„ts haue first preched their doctrine without vocatioÌ„ or sending at al such as the church of Christ requireth as it is other where at large proued If this enterprise be of men saied Gaâ—aliel of the Apostles preaching it shall perish But if it be of God it shall not perish Our faith of England hath continued 900. yeres and vpward The protestants faith is already chaunged from Lutheran to sacramentary in the compassâ— of lesse then 20. yeres and their primitiue faith is loste Luther being now accompted a very papist S. Paule sâ—ieth Fides est sperandarum substantia rerum Faith is the grounde or substaunce of thinges to be hoped for And againe that the Iust maÌ„ liueth by his faith Such faith putteth thinges by the belefe and practise wher off we may be saued Such a faith our Apostles taught vs. Our Crede our sacraments our lawes and Canons ecclesiastical receaued of them do witnesse The faith off protestants is as I may so saie ablatarum substantia rerum A substaunce or masse off things taken away and denied It is a negatiue religion It hath no affirmatiue doctrine but that which catholikes had befor Al that is their own is but the denial of oures This other wher is proued and may also presently appere by the differences which folow in doctrin betwene them and vs. Differences in doctrine Our Apostles saied masse In the first book the xxv Chap. it is mentioned Item of their successours in the fourth book the xiiij and xxij chap. Nothing is more horrible in the sight of protestants then Masse In the Masse is an externall sacrifice offred to God the Father the blessed body and bloud off Christ him selfe In the fiâ—fe booke the xxij chap. this doctrine is expressely reported This semeth an extreme blasphemy to protestants This sacrifice is taught to â—e propitiatory in the iiii booke the xxii chap. Protestants abhorre vtterly such doctrine Off confession off sinnes made to the priest the fourth booke doth witnesse in the xxv chap. and xxvii chap. This sacrament in the faith off protestants off our countre is abolished Satisfaction and penaunce for sinne enioyned appereth in the fourth book the xxv chap. also which in like maner the court off protestants admitteth not Merit off good works in the history is eftesoones iustified In the. 4. book the 14. and 15. chap. This doctrine semeth to protestants preiudicâ—all they saie to Gods glory but in dede to their licentious liberte Intercession off Saints protestants abhorre The practise theroff appeareth in this history in the first booke the xx chapter before we had the faith and in the iiii booke the xiiii chap. after the faith receaued The clergy off our primitiue church after holy orders taken do not mary In the first booke the xxvii chap. Now after holy orders and vowe both to the contrary priestes do mary In our primitiue church the vow of chastite both off men and wemen was thought godly and practised See the history the 3. book the 8. and 27. chap. the 4. b. the 23. chap. and in many other places Such vowes now are broken are estemed damnable are not so much as allowed in suche as woulde embrace that perfection commended in the ghospell and vniuersally practised in the primitiue church off the first v. C. yeares Such monkes and virgins liued in cloister in obedieÌ„ce in pouerty It appeareth through out all the three last bookes off the history Namely in the 3. booke the 8. chap. and the 4. booke the 6. chap. All such cloysters and orders the religion off protestants hath ouer throwen as a state damnable and wicked Praier for the dead dirige ouer night and RequieÌ„ Masse on the morniÌ„g was an accustomed matter in our primitiue church Witnesseth this history the iij. booke and ij chap. I teÌ„ the iiij boo the xxj chap. This deuotioÌ„ the sober faith of protestaÌ„ts estemeth as abhominatioÌ„ before god Reseruation of the blessed SacrameÌ„t thought no superstitioÌ„ in our primitiue church or prophanation of the sacrament lib. 4. cap. 24. Howseling before death vsed as necessary for al true christiaÌ„s As the practise specified in this history witnesseth lib. 4. ca. 3. 24. ProtestaÌ„ts vnder pretence of a coÌ„munioÌ„ do wickedly bereue christeÌ„ folcke thereof Consecrating of MoÌ„kes and Nunnes by the haÌ„ds of bishops a practised soleÌ„nite in our primitiue church It appeareth in the 4. booke the 19. and 23. chap. ProtestaÌ„ts by the liberty of their gospel laugh and scorne thereat Commemoration of Saintes at Masse time In the fourth booke the 14. and 18. chapters In the communion of protestants such commemorations are excluded as superstitious and vnlaufull Pilgrimage to holy places especially to Rome a much wount matter of all estates of our countre in our primitiue church the history witnesseth in the iiij booke the 3. aâ—d xxiij chapter Item in the v. booke the vii chap. Nothing soundeth more prophane or barbarous in the
ditionis regiones imprimat aut alibi impressam distrahat aliter quám eidem Thomae videbitur sub poena in Diplomate constituta Datum Bruxellae 20. 23. Iunij 1565. Subsig Bourgeois Facuwez THE PREFACE TO THE READER THe kingdom of heauen is compared in holy scripture christen Reader to a marchant aduenturer whiche seking and trauailing to finde precious stones hauing at length founde out one of singular and most excellēt value goeth and selleth al that he hath to bye that one What this singular and most excellent perle is whereunto the kingdom of heauen is compared if we weigh and ponder diligently we shall finde it to be no other thing then the Faith in Christe Iesus whereby the kingdom of heauen is vndoubtedly purchased This perle is of price so singular and of value so excellent that to gett it we sell al that we haue we renounce the worlde the fleshe and the diuell with all the pompe thereoff we cleaue onely to this we professe to lyue and dye in it This precious pearle off Fayth this singular iewell of true belefe this heauenly treasure off the right knoweleadge off God and off his commaundements as all nations att one tyme receyued nott God off hys secrett and right iustice sufferring the Nations to walke on their waies but in seuerall ages and by seuerall meanes as and when it pleased God was opened and made manifest so haue al nations not only for that solde all which they had yelding and submitting them selues only and wholly thereto but also haue stedfastly and assuredly cleaued vnto it haue by longe succession preserued it and enioyed it If any haue in time vtterly lost this most excellent and rare iewell as we see alas all the Southe and all most all the East part of the worlde hath the cause thereof hath ben the alteration and new deuised furbishing of that perle from the former and natural shape thereof first and formest receiued Such nations and partes of the worlde as haue in many ages and do yet kepe and enioy this riche and princely treasure do therefore yet kepe it and enioye it bicause they continew and remaine in it after such order and maner only as they receiued it bicause they kepe it as they founde it bicause they continue it as they begonne it Of the first if we remembre the breaking in of the Wandals in to Afrike about the yeare of our Lorde 400. men soone after infected with the Arrian haeresy if we call to minde the great rage and tumult of heresies in the Greke Churche Arrians Macedonians Eutychians Monothelites and a numbre of such other if we will truste the reporte and course of Hystories thereof we shall euidently see that this inestimable iewell off the Christen faithe hath in Afrike and Grece vtterlye ben loste bicause they departed from the first paterne deliuered vnto them bicause they altered the faith first receiued amonge them brefely bicause they yelded to heresies Of the later if we haue an eye to the vniformite of the Christē faith first receiued in al such countres as yet remaine Christians with the faith first planted and graffed amonge them if we looke to Italy to Fraunce to Spaine to the catholike territories of Grece of Germany of Suicerland to the kingdomes of Poole of Portugall and of other maine landes in other places off the worlde dispersed where the precious iewell of this faith is knowen and enioyed we shall finde that all those countres haue and do therefore yet continew in the same bicause they varie not from the first faith receiued bicause they mangle not the iewell geuen vnto them neither alter the naturall shape thereof brefely bicause they beleue al one thinge and after one sorte as their first teachers and Apostles beleued and taught them For why They haue well remēbred the admonitions of S. Paule to the Corinthians conuerted by him to the faith of Christ when he wrote vnto them and saied Vigilate state in fide Wathch and stande in the faith◠Also to Timothe by him in like maner christened writing vnto him and saying O Timothee depositum custodi deuitans prophanas vocum nouitates O Timothe keape wel that is committed to thy charge auoiding prophane nouelties of wordes And again to the Colossians praising them for the faith receiued if yet saieth he ye continew stedfast and grounded in the faith if we wauer not from the hope of the gospel which ye haue heard which hath ben preached in all the worlde Al Christened Catholike countrees haue wel remembred these lessons of the Apostle And as many as haue remembred and folowed them haue remained and do yet remaine in the faith of Christ haue long enioyned and do yet enioye this rare and inestimable iewell compared to the kingdom of heauen As al other countres haue so done so haue we englishmen also these many hundred yeres kept and preserued sound and whole the precious perle of right faith and belefe as longe as we remained stedfast in the faith first plāted and graffed amōg vs as long as we kept that which was committed vnto vs as longe as we wauered not from the gospell first receaued and vniuersally preached through all the worlde as S. Paule willeth vs. But after we beganne to alter and poolish after our owne newe deuises this auncient perle so lōg kept amonge vs so vniuersally made of and estemed after we forsooke the first paterne off the Christen faith deliuered vnto vs we haue fallen in to plenty of heresies from one heresy to an other from Lutherā to sacramentary and so forth we stande also in daunger to fall as other countres haue done before vs from a false faith to no faith from heresy to paganisme The which lamentable and dreadfull state to the entent we may by the example of other countres and by the aduertisement of the Apostle beware and eschew◠to the entent we lese not vtterly in time this inestimable treasure off our Christen faith that we may remembre vnde exiderimus from whence we haue fallen I haue thought good to put thee in mind Christen Reader of this precious iewell of our faith in Christ what and of what maner it was when wefirst receiued it how and when we came by it what force and authorite it ought to beare with vs and last of all how farre and wide it varieth frō the pretended false faith of these wicked daies As touching the former pointes what the faith first planted among vs englisshmē was how and when we receiued it bicause it is a matter historicall in an History'ye shall reade it As concerning the later pointes of what authorite the faith then planted ought to be and how notoriously the false faith of this time pretended differeth from the same bicause it is a matter of doctrine a matter to be tried by lerning in a treatise by itselfe as farre as our abilite serueth it shall be proued and tried The history
which must reporte the faith first planted amongevs shal be no story of our owne deuising no late compiled matter where bothe for vncertainte of thinges so longe paste we might be much to seke and for the case of controuersies now moued partialite might iustly be suspected but it shal be an history writen in the fresh remeÌ„braunce of our first Apostles writen aboue 800. yeres past writen of a right lerned and holy Father of Christes churche of a countreman of oures liuing and flourishing shortly after the faith so planted amonge vs. Of the Author of this History and of the matter thereof we shall presently speake if we first admonish thee gentle Reader that touching the treatise to fortifie this faith and therefore called A Fortresse of the faith first planted among vs englishmen c and coÌ„cerning al that therin shall be treated you take the paines to readethe IntroductioÌ„ or first chapter therof In it you shal see what the whole coÌ„taineth what is of you to be looked for and of me to be perfourmed Touching the Author of this History he was a countremaÌ„ of oures borne in the Northe countre by Weimouth not farre froÌ„ DyrrhaÌ„ He flourished in the yere 730. He was a maÌ„ of great lerning and vertu much reuereÌ„ced not only at home but also through out al ChristendoÌ„ eueÌ„ in his life time and much more after his death Of his rare lerning and knowleadg his writinges yett extant are a clere and sufficient testimony The protestants of Basill haue of late yeares sett forthe his whole workes now extant in eight tomes contayning four great volumes In them it appeareth that S. Bede was a man vniuersally sene in all good lerning as well of humanite and philosophie as of diuinite expert off the tounges ready in holy scriptures perfectly conuersant in the olde fathers He was so great a folower of S. Augustin the worthyest piller of the churche sence the Apostles time that his commentaries vpon holy Scriptures bothe of the olde and newe Testament are allmost worde for worde out of S. Augustin He was so diligent a reader of that lerned Father that whereas in the wordes of S. Augustin no perpetuall commentary vpon the epistles of S. Paule being extant and yet that worthy Fathers in diuers places of his lerned workes hauing by occasion touched and expounded euery text of those epistles Venerable Bede for the great profit of his posterite as a man borne to edifie Christes Church hath so gathered those scattered places out of the mayne sea off S. Augustins workes that placing them in order and facion he made a iust and full commentary vpon all the epistles of S. Paul with S. Augustins owne wordes noting to the reader allwaies the booke and chapter of S. Augustin from whence he had taken those places This worke is intituled Collectanea Bedae In which worthy worke we may doubte whom to maruaile more at or commend S. Augustin which had so ofte in his workes treated of S. Paul and omitted no one senteÌ„ce vnexpounded or S. Bede which so gathered into a iust commentary the sayinges of S. Augustin meaning no such thinge As S. Bede was a great writer so he was a continuall preacher His homelies yet extant do testifie made not only vpon the ghospells and epistles of the Sondaies through out the yeare but also vpon the festiuall daies of Saintes They are to be read in the seuenth tome of his workes These homilies of his were so highly estemed that as Trithemius reporteth they were openly read in churches while he yet lyued through out our countre Euen as we reade of holy Ephrem that lerned deacon of Edessa that his writinges also were openly read in churches next after holy scripture After his death they were receiued of other partes of Christendom Fraunce especially as Platin noteth and are to this daye read in principall festes with no lesse authorite and reuerence then the homilies of S. Ambrose S. Augustin S. Gregory and other Briefely the whole occupation and businesse of this lerned man was to lerne to teache and to write as in his owne wordes placed after the ende of this history he recordeth him selfe Againe for the more commendation of his lerning it is to be remeÌ„bred what lerned scholers he had Amonge the rest the most famous were as Polidore specifieth Rabanus Alcuinus Claudius and Ioannes Scotus not the scholeman but an other of S. Benets order These were all famous and lerned writers as in Trithemius who hath writeÌ„ their liues the lerned may reade Alcuinus S. Bedes scholer beinge sent of Offa kinge of the middleenglishmen in embassage to Charlemain the first and most glorious Emperour of the Germans was for his vertu and lerning retained with the Emperour and became his scholemaster and instructer in all kinde of good lerning He taught after at Paris and persuaded the Emperour Charlemain to erect there an vniuersite which beginning with that vertuous fountaine S. Bedes scholer and our countre man we see now to what a great riuer it hath multiplied and how many lerned men these vij hundred yeares and vpwarde haue from thence ben deriued To returne to S. Bede he had two lerned brothers Strabo and Haymo bothe famous writers and lightes of the church as in Honorius Trithemius Platin and other ecclesiasticall writers it may be sene And thus much of his lerning which who list farder to trie he may reade his lerned workes lately sett forth as I saied and much commended by the protestants theÌ„ selues of Basill For more satisfying the english reader I will after the preface place his whole life shortly writen by Trithemius with the enumeration of certain of his workes in his time knowen As touching the vertu of holy S. Bede which properly coÌ„mendeth an historiographer and dischargeth him from all surmises and suspicions of false reporting or poeticall fayning yt may be to any well meaning man a sufficient argument that euen from the age of seuen yeares as he writeth him selfe he liued in cloyster and serued allmighty God day and night in religion to the last houre of his life which was the continuaunce of lxv yeares All which time he so attended to praier to daily and howrely seruing of God in the church to priuat meditations that as one writeth if ye consider his life ye would thinke he had studied nothing and againe if ye beholde his study ye would suppose he had spent no time in praier For his great vertu and modesty he was in his life time called Venerable Bede as Trithemius noteth of whom also Platina in that sence speaketh saying Beda praeter graecae atque latinae linguae doctrinam quaÌ„ non mediocriter tenuit ob religionem eâ—iam atque modestiam Venerabilis cognomentum adeptus est Bede was surnamed the Venerable for his religion and modesty beside that he was lerned in the Graeke and Latin tounge Polydore alleaging Bede in
the history of oure countre citeth him with these titles Beda homo Anglus quo nihil castius nihil melius nihil verius caet Bede an english man then whom none more chaste none off more vertu none of more truth c. With like commendation and reuerence he is alleaged of his lerned posterite in al ages In his life time not only at home with his owne countremen for his vertu and learning he was in high estimation and in greate credit with the Nobilite of our countre but also he was abrode with other Christen princes being but a monke by profession in greate estimation and muche reuerenced Therefore lyke as we reade of S. Antony S. Hierom before his tyme off S. Bernard and other after him all monkes and religious men that in their priuat celles they had yet a care of publike quyet and lyke counsellers of the whole worlde they moued princes to their duty so of holy S. Bede we reade the same For thus Platin reporteth of him Cum Africa Hispania á Sarracenis occuparetur Beda qui eisdem temporibus fuit hanc calamitatem literis ad Principes Christiani nominis scriptis lamentatus est quo bellum in hostes Dei atque hominum susciperent When Afrike and Spayne was taken and helde of the Sarrazens Bede which lyued in that time lâ—mented this calamite in letters writen to Christen Princes to the entent that they should make warres against the enemies of God and men Wherein bothe the vertuous zele and religions care of common quiet in holy S. Bede appereth and the authorite also whiche he hadd abrode with other Christen princes is signified Vnto whom also a litle before his death in familiar letters he prophecied of the great waste of Europe and the West church whiche soone after his death ensued by the Sarazens For as Afrike by their meanes lost the faith and lacketh it yet so Spayne off late only recouered the faith againe Thus muche off his learning and vertu Other especialls of his life as where he was borne howe he lyued and dyed ye maye partly reade in his lyfe written by Thrithemius which we haue translated and placed a part after the preface partly in his own words folowing after th ende of this history The Authour of this history being a man of suche lerning and vertu a countreman of oures one that writeth the history of thinges done at home done in his lyfe time or in few yeares before the memory of them being yet fresh and newe it shall not nede I trust to persuade the Reader in many words to geue credit vnto him in such thinges as he reporteth Neither may I feare to prefer his authotite before the authorite or report of any man that now liueth For beside his lerning and vertu it is to be considered that he liued in a quiet time before these controuersies which nowe so trouble Christendom were moued He is an indifferent reporter There is no suspicion of partes taking no preiudice of fauouring either side no feare of affection or misseiudgement to be gathered vpon him We haue good cause to suspect the reportes of Bale of Fox of Beacon and suche other whiche are knowen to maintaine a faction and singular opinion lately spronge vp who reporte thinges passed many hundred yeares before their daies No such suspicion can be made of S. Bede who lyued aboue eight hundred yeares paste and reporteth the planting of Christen religion among vs englishmen partly by that whiche he sawe him selfe partly by the reporte of such who either liued at the first coming in of Christendom to our countre them selues or were scholers to suchâ— Who also was no maintainer of any secte or faction but liued and died in the knowen common faith of Christendom which then was and is now but one In this history therefore vewe and consider the coming in of Christen faithe in to oure countre the heauenly tydinges brought to our Lande the course encrease and multiplying thereof The vertuous behauiour of oure forefathers the firste Christen englishmen Peruse and marke the faith which they beleued the hope wherein they continued the charite wherby they wrought Their faith taught them to submit them selues to one supreme head in Christes church the Apostolike Pope of Rome Peters successour to whom holy Scripture telleth vs the kayes of the kingdome of heauen were geuen Their faith taught them all such thinges as are now by protestants denied as for the more part we haue out of the history gathered by a numbre of differeÌ„ces placed in the second part of the Fortresse Their hope and charite so wrought that our dere countre of England hath ben more enriched with places erected to Gods honour and to the fre maintenaunce of good lerning then any one countre in all Christendome beside Gather honny lyke bees oute of this comfortable history of oure countre not venim like spiders Reade it with charitable simplicite not with suspicious curiosite with vertuous charite not with wicked malice As for example The facte of Saint Gregory described in the seconde booke the first chapter of this history reporting how that holy man seing in Rome certain of our countremen sette to be solde in the market moued with their outwarde beauty beganne to pitie and lament their inward foule infidelite holy S. Bede writeth diligently as an argument of his greate good zele and tendering of Christes religion and construeth it to the beste as no honest Reader can other wyse do But baudy Bale according to the cleanes of his sprit and holy ghospell like a venimous spider being filthy and vncleane him selfe sucketh out a poisonned sence and meaning charging that holy maÌ„ with a most outragious vice and not to be named So like an other Nero who liuing in lewde lechery woulde not be persuaded that any was honest this olde ribauld as in other stories he practised maketh this history also ministring no vnhonest suspicion at al nor geuing any colour of vncleane surmising to serue his filthy appetit and bestly humour It will better become the godly reader and Christen hart to interpret al to the best For in dede none can think euill of other which is not euill him selfe Charite saieth S. Paule thinketh no euill reoyseth not of iniquite but is delited in verite Such charite if it had ben in Bale and his felow protestants we should not now haue had so many lewde lies and malicious surmises vpon the liues of holy men as are to be sene in the workes of Bale Fox and other In this history it shal be no losse time to peruse the lerned vertuous and zelous epistles of certain Popes of Rome after S. Gregory as of Bonifacius Honorius Vitalianus and other to the kinges of our countre as wel for the encreasing of Christen faith as for the extirping of Pelagians heresy for the due obseruation of Easter which al Christendom hetherto kepeth and other like matters
While ye peruse this ye may remembre the lewde lies and slaunderous reproches of protestants daily preaching and writing that after S. Gregory al faith was lost Gods honour was trode vnder foote all right religion was ouerturned and that by the Popes them selues Better to bestowe idle houres in such vertuous lessons as this History geueth and more charitable to note the godly writinges of the Popes here also comprised then to prie out with baudy Bale the euill liues of our superiours Who were they as badde as the Pharisees or worse yett they are to be obeyed by the coÌ„maundement of our Sauiour in such thinges as they saie though not to be folowed in their doinges Truly monasteries beinge now throwen downe no examples of vertu and and perfection appering in such as now preache and teach all remembraunce of Christen deuotion would be forgotten if the helpe of stories were not As touching the manifold miracles mencioned in this history note the person that reporteth them and the time they were done in to witt in the primitiue church of the english nation At the planting of a faith miracles are wrought of God by the handes of his faithful for more euidence thereof Good life in such as newly receiue the faith is more feruent Visions and and working of miracles accompanie those as liue in such feruent goodnesse and perfection We haue therfore rather more cause to lament the corrupt state of our time and the kaye colde deuotion of this age then to miscredit the perfect behauiour of our primitiue church and the miracles wrought therein Opera dei reuelare confiteri glorio sumâ—est It is an honourable thinge to reuele and confesse the workes of God saieth the Angel to Tobias in holy scripture Such therefore as wil thinke the miracles of this history here reported either vncredible either vnprofitable and such as might haue ben left out truly either they must denie the author or enuie at Gods honour Such as denie the author we wil not force theÌ„ to beleue him We make it not a matter of such necessite or importauuce Yet this I thinke I may be bold to require them that they beleue as farre S. Bede as they do the Actes and monuments of Fox the storie of Bale and such other I thinke it no sinne to matche Venerable Bede with any of them in any respect either off lerning honesty or truthe It may rather sauour of sinne or at lest off wronge iudgement and great partialite to beleue Bale and discredit Bede the one being notoriously bent to one side the other without al suspicioÌ„ off fauouring any side the one a late knowen naughty man the other a confessed holy man of al the Latin church Last of al the one thought lerned only off a few the other accompted for excellently lerned euen of the protestants them selues namely those of Basil who haue most diligently and with much commendation published his workes But I may seme to do iniury to that holy man to coÌ„pare him with any of our daâ—es glory he neuer so much of the sprit or off the ghospell To returne therefore to the matter no indifferent Reader hath any cause to discredit the miracles reported in this History if he will haue an eie to the person that writeth and to the time in which they were wrought Nay rather it is no small argument for the confirmation of our Catholike faith planted amonge vs englishmen that at the planting therof such miracles were wrought Of this argument in the second part of the Fortresse we haue treated more at large To that place I referre the Reader If otherwise the History for the often miracles here repeted seme to any man vaine fabulous or vncredible him earnestly I require diligently to pondre and beare away that which foloweth First generally in an ecclesiasticall history in a history writen off the Churche in the Historicall narration of matters pertaining to God to faith and to religion it hath euer so fallen out in all Christen writers that of miracles much and often mencion hath ben made Who so peruseth the ecclesiasticall histories of Eusebius Pamphilus and of Ruffinus the tripartit history of Socrates Sozomenus and Theodoret the history of Euagrius and Nicephorus he shall finde in them straunge and miraculous matters in the liues of holy meÌ„ reported For example of such Eusebius reporteth of Narcissus a holy man that light lacking in the church all the oyle of the lampes being spente he made by praierwell water to serue in stede of oyle and the lampe light to burne by that Also of the same man he writeth that whereas three men had periured them selues in an accusation against him eche one wishing to him selfe diuerse plages and vengeaunce from God if their accusation was false eche one had soone after the plage that he wished falling vpon him euidently and miraculously The same writer reporteth of an herbe growing before an image of our Sauiour in Caesarea of Phaenicia where also an other image standeth of the woman cured by Christ of the bluddy flixe which herbe after that by groweth it toucheth the brasen hemme of the Images garment it cureth deseases of all sorte Ruffinus in like maner in his ecclesiasticall history reporteth miraculous things of Spiridion the holy bishop of Tremithunt in Cypres as that when certain theues would haue stolen of his shepe and came to the folde in the night time for that purpose he found them in the morning fast bounde withoutâ— any man to binde them Who finding theÌ„ in such case in the morning and vndertstanding the causeâ—therof absoluit sermone quos meritis vinxerat He loosed them by his worde which before had bound them by his merites saith the History Againe whereas a certaine fâ—ende of his had left with his daughter Irenee by name a certain pleadg and the maide minding to kepe it sure hyding it vnder the earth and dying shortly after without telling the Father any thing thereof the party came soone after to require the pleadg Spiridion the holy bishop not being able otherwise to finde it about his house and seing the poore man greuously lameÌ„ting the losse thereof went hastely to the graue where the maide lay and called her by her name Who straight answering him he asked her where she had laied the pleadg of such a man which the maide forthwith told him and he therupoÌ„ founde it and restored it to the party Thus much and more reporteth the ecclesiastical history of Ruffinus writen about the yere of our Lorde 400. If I would stand vpon the recitall of other miracles in that history reported done at the Crosse of Christ founde out by Helena done by a captiue Christian woman in Iberia done by the scholers of S. Antony the eremite Isidorus Moyses and other If I should likewise make a particular recitall of the miracles mencioned in the tripartit History wrought by the Crosse of Constantin of the visions
of Amos and Antony the eremites also of Piammon the monk of the miraculous cures and prophecies by Ioannes a monke also of the visions and miraculous cures wrought at CoÌ„statinople in the Catholike oratory of Gregory Nazianzen if I should againe touche the miracles wrought by Symeones that famous Anchoret and of a number of other out of the History of Euagrius and Theodoret I should passe the bondes and measure of a preface It shall be sufficieÌ„t generally as I saied to note that al ecclesiasticall Histories such as this History of Venerable Bede is do alwaies by occasion intermingle miracles in the liues of holy men and lightes of Christes church Yea this kinde of write hath beÌ„ thought so profitable and necessary for the church of Christ for coÌ„firmation of the faith for exaÌ„ple of good life for the glory of God that the best and most lerned writers in Christes church haue occupied their studies therein Athanasius wrote the life of S. Antony the Abbat and so much commendeth the knowleadg thereof that in the preface he saieth Perfectaest ad virtutem via Antonium scire quid fuerit It is a perfect waie to vertu to know what a man Antony was Gregory bishop of Nissa brother to S. Basill wrote the liues of holy Ephrem and Theodorus the Martyr S. Hierom wrote the liues of Paulus Hilarion and Antony monkes S. Ambrose wrote the liues of S. Agnes S. Thecla S. Soter and Pelagia all Martyrs and virgins of Christes church Eusebius Emissenus wrote the liues of Genesius Epiphodius Alexander Martyrs of Christes church also Prudentius wrote in verse the liues and miracles of many Saints Theodoret that lerned bishop of Cyrrha wrote a great book of Saints liues intituled Philotheus whereof he maketh ofteÌ„ mention in his ecclesiastical history Seuerus Sulpitius an eloquent writer of more then twelue hundred yeares paste wrote the miraculous life off Saint Martine Saint Augustine in his bookes De ciuiDei among other arguments and tokens of the Christen faith reakoneth vp in a sette chapter sondry miracles wrought at the toumbes and relikes of holy Martyrs especially of S. Steuen Brefely if we will haue an eye to holy scripture it selfe we finde in the foure euangelistes beside the heauenly doctrine beside the tydinges of our saluation beside the mysteries of oure redemption the miracles also wrought by our Sauiour moste diligently expressed and of the three which first wrote particularly repeted we finde in in the Actes of the Apostles many miraculous cures and expulsions of wicked spirits wrought by the Apostles In the bookes of the kinges likewise manifolde miracles and thinges otherwise vncredibâ—e are reported to be done by Elias and Heliseus the prophets To conclude therefore this present history of Venerable Bede this history of the church of England our dere countre containing in it beside the historical narratioÌ„ of the coming in of vs englishmen into this lande and of attaining to the faith off Christ in the same manifold miracles and particular liues of holy men as of saint Augustin Paulinus Mellitus and other our first Apostles off lerned Theodoret and Wilfrid of the holy bishops Aidan of Scotland S. Cutbert S. Iohn of Beuerlake S. Chadde S. Erkenwald of England of S. Oswald of S. Audery and diuers other religious virgins in the very springe and first frutes of our Christen faith ought not to any Christen man seme a vaine fabulous or incredible narration more then the histories of other Saintes liues no lesse miraculous and different from the common trade of men especially in the lewde loose liberty of this wicked time than are the liues and doinges mentioned in this history ought to seme being yet writen of the most lerned fathers in Christes church aboue named and in the purest time of Christianite by the aduersaries owne confession to witt all within the compasse off the first V. C. yeares And as Theodoret in the preface of his Philotheus warneth the Christen Readers not to discredit any thinge by him to be mentioned in that history of saintes liues so will I with his wordes warne the studious Reader hereof such as esteme the iudgement of the holy and lerned Fathers Theodoret saieth and I in the name of Venerable Bede saie the same Eos qui in huius historiae lectionem inciderint oro atque obsecro c Those whiche shall happen to reade this history saieth Theodoret I praye and beseche that if they finde any thing writen which passeth their power they do yet beleue it not measuring the vertu and power of holy men with their owne vertu or power For God geueth giftes of the holy Ghoste to the godly and more excellent to such as excell in godlynes And this I speake to them which are not acquainted with the secret works of God For suche as haue wel serched and tried the secrets of the holy Ghost they knowe and feele his bountifulnes and do wel vnderstand what God among men worketh by meÌ„ when by the mighty power of miracles he draweth the vnbeleuers to the knowleadg of him Truly whosoeuer will sticke to credit such thinges as we shal report no doubt but he will also sticke and stagger to beleue the miraculous workes of Moyses of Iosue of Elias and of Elizeus Yea the miraculous workes of the Apostles he will accompt for very fables Otherwise if he wil beleue those other thinges to be al true why wil he mistrust these for false For the same grace of god which wrought in the other hath also wrought in these holy men all such thinges as they did For this grace being continual and euer running tendring alwaies such as make them selues worthy thereof by suche men as by certain riuers kepeth her mayne course and floweth most plentifully Thus farre Theodoret. For in dede as S. Augustin saieth serching out the reason how we that liue are visited of holy men departed this worlde A lij sunt humaâ—arum limites rerum alia diuinaerum signa virtutum alia sunt quae naturaliter alia mirabiliter fiunt quamuis naturae Deus assit vt sit miraculis natura non desit The bondes of mans abilite and the signes off Gods power be diuerse Some thinges are done naturally some miraculously though yet bothe God helpeth nature and nature concurreth in miracles And therefore S. Augustin though being yet so excellently lerned he could by no reason finde out how holy men departed this worlde miraculously worke here on earth as in the same place he expressely confesseth yet he reporting how that Iohn that holy Monke appeared in a vision by night to a godly woman feruently desiring to see and talke with him and how he heard it by the mouth of one which lerned it of the party her selfe and of her husband he saieth Qui hoc ab eis comperit retulit mihi vir grauis nohilis dignissimus credidi One which vnderstode this of
bearing the name of the Author as the maner is were intituled The homelies of the venerable priest Bede not being able to call him with a more honourable name while he yet lyued the same title hath remained euen to this daye Whereby he is rather called Venerable Bede then S. Bede For it was not lawfull to call any a Saint yet liuing Some do faine other causes why he should be surnamed Venerable As that being blind he preached to stones and of an epitaphe writen by an Angel But these men are deceiued For neither Bede was blinde neither it is knowen that any such epitaphe was writen vpon his sepulchre And truly were it not to auoide prolixite I coulde easely confute these folies He departed this worlde vnder Leo the Emperour In the yere of our Lorde 732. In the yere of his age 72. the last daie of Maie Indictione 15. BEDE TO THE READER All vnto whom this storie of our nation shall come either hearing it or reading it I humbly beseche that for my infirmites as well of body as of minde they wil be intercessours before the heauenly clemencie And that euery one in his countre will so awnswere my labour with mutuall charite that whereas I haue noted in euery prouince shere or countie and in the most notable places thereof such thinges as I thought worth the remembraunce and pleasaunt to the inhabitants of eche one that I may for al reward haue the helpe of their godly praiers FARE WELL. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE KING CEOLVLPHE BEDA THE SERAVNT of Christe and Priest THE History of thinges don in the church of the Englishe nation which of late I had set fourth I did both first very gladly send your grace desiring then to haue a sight and proufe therof and now againe do send it you to the entent you may both coppy it out and more fully at your lesure consider it I can not but highly commend this yower zele and good desyre you haue not only to geue good eare to the holyscriptures but also to know of things both don and spokē by worthy men before your time and specially of our owne country For whither an history containeth good thinges don by good men the wise hearer is therby prouoked to wel doing ether reporteth euill things don by euil men the vertuous and wel disposed reader neuerthelesse is moued therby both to flye that is euill and noisom to his soule and embrace the thinge he knoweth to be good and acceptable vnto God Which thing you wisely pondering desire to haue the sayd history published both to the instruction of your selfe and also to the edifieng of such other whom God hath committed vnto your gouernance And to th entent I may put both your grace and all other that shall heare or reade it out of all doubt of the verite of the sayd History I will briefly shew you what authours I haue chiefely folowed in the making therof The chiefest authour and aider I had in compiling this worke was the right reuerent abbat Albinus a mā of great learning which being brought vp in the church of Canterbury vnder Theodorus Archebishop of blessed memory and Adrianus abbat both mē of great worship and learning hath procured and sent vnto me al such thinges as wer don by Saint Gregory the Popes disciples ether in the prouince of kēt ether other places adioyning and bordering vpon the same Which thinges the said Abbate hath learned partly by writinges partly also by tradition of elders and such things as he hath in such sorte learned he hath sent vnto me by the handes of Nothelmus priest of the church of Londō to be receiued ether in writting ether by mouth and relatiō of the said Nothelmus Which also going after vnto Rome was permitted by Gregorie bishop which is now head of that church to search the closettes of the saied holy church of Rome where he founde out certaine epistles of saint Gregorie and other bishops there and at his returne hath deliuered vnto vs the sayd epistles to be put in to our history with the counsell and aduise of the reuerent father Albine aboue mencioned So that from the beginning of this booke vnto the time that the countrye of England receiued the faith of Christe we learned such thinges as we bring gathered out of the workes of such as had wrote thereof before our time And from thence vnto this present such thinges as hath ben don in the church and diocese of Canterbury by the disciples of Saint Gregory or their successors or vnder what kinge they haue ben done we haue knowen by the industrie of the sayd Abbate Albine at the reporte of Nothelmus who also hath brought me in sum parte of knowledge of such things as wer don in the prouinces of the east and west saxons and also of the east english and of the Northūbers that is to wit by what bishops preaching and vnder what king ech of the said prouinces wer conuerted vnto the faith of Christ. And to be shorte by the exhortation of the sayd Albine I was chiefly prouoked and enboldened to set vpō this enterprise Daniel also the most reuerent bishop of the west saxons which is yet a liue hath instructed me in certaine pointes of the ecclesiastical history both of his prouince of the South Saxōs and of the I le of Wite Now in what sort the prouince of Mercia recerued the saith which they knew not before and the prouince of the easte Saxons recouered the faith which they had lost before both by the ministery of Ceddi and Ceadda priests of great deuotion and how the ij◠saied fathers both liued and died we haue diligently lerned of the brothers of the monastery of Laestinge by them erected Again of things don appertaining to the church in the prouince of the easte english we haue found out partly by monuments of writting and traditions of the foreliuers and partly by the information of the reuerend Abbot Esius As for such things as wer don in the territory of Lindissig that is holy Ilond touching the furderance of the faith of Christ and what priests there succeded from time to time we haue learned ether by the writinges of the reuerent bishop Cynebertus ether by the liuely voice of other men of good creditt The history of the prouince of the Northumbers from the time they receiued the faith of Christ vnto this present we haue gotten not by any one author but by relation of many faithful witnesses which might know and remēber the same beside such things as by my owne experience I knew Among which you shal note that such thinges as I haue wrote of the most holy father and bishop Cutbert ether in this book ether in the treatice that I haue made of his life I haue takē partly out of those things which I found befor writē of him by the brothers of the church of Lindisfarnū folowing simplely the faith
his cattaile There is no noysom creping beast to be sene there no serpent that can liue there For many times serpentes which hath ben brought thether owt of Britanny the ship drawing nere vnto the land as sone as they ar towched wyth the smell of the ayer they dieth owt of hand Yea more then that all thing in maner that cometh from the sayd Iland is of souerayne vertue against poyson And this we sawe with oure eyes that wheÌ„ certain men that wer stinged of venemous serpents had taken the scraping of certaine leaues of bookes which had beÌ„ of IrelaÌ„d and had droÌ„ke it in water forthwyth all the force of the venim was staynched and the swelling of the stinged bodies vtterly asswaged This Iland is rich in milk and hony nor voyd of vines fish or foule and full of stagges This is properly the country of the Skottes owt of the which they isshuing hath inhabited BritaÌ„ny being before possessed of the Britons and the Pictes Ther is a great creke of the sea whiche seuered of ould time the Britons from the Pictes which from the west runneth far in to the laÌ„d Where vnto this day there is a citty of the Britons very stronge and well fensed called Alcuith At the north side of the which creke the Scottes hath come and made their dwelling country How that C. Iulius Cesar was the first of all the Romains that came in to Britanny The. 2. Chap. THe Romains had neuer accesse vnto BritaÌ„ny nor knoledge therof vntill Caius Iulius Cesars time Who the 593. yere from the buylding of Rome and the 60. before the incarnation of ower Sauiour Christ being Consul wyth L. Bibulus at the time that he had battell with Germany and Fraunce which two countres the riuer Rhene doth seuer cam into Picardy from whence is a very nigh and short passage in to BritaÌ„ny and wyth 80. ships charged wyth men and warfare prouision passeth ouer in to Britanny where he being receiued wyth a very sharpe and hotte byckering and after shaken wyth a contrary tempest was fayne to returne in to Fraunce wyth the losse of a great part of his nauy and no small number of his souldiars and of the most part of all his men of armes And so for that wynter he was forced to dimisse his army which being ouer past he sayleth againe in to Britanny wyth a nauy of 600. sayle one and other Where after he had arriued and was nowe marching toward his enemy wyth his mayne hoste his ships riding at the anker were with a violeÌ„t storme rent and cast either one vppon the other either vppon the quick sandes and there broken in peces in such sort that xl of them wer lost owt of hand and the rest wyth much a doe repaired Cesars horsemen at the first encounter wer ouerthrowen of the Britannes and Labienus one of his coronells slayne At the second encounter wyth great losse and daunger of his army he put the Britannes to flight From thence he went vnto the riuer of Tems which men say can be waded ouer but in one place where on the farder side a great number of the Britannes warded the bankes vnder Cassibellauno their capitayne which had stycked the bottom of the riuer and the bankes also thyck of great stakes wherof certayn remnantes vnto this day ar to be sene of piles of the bignes of a mans thyghe couered wyth lead styckyng fast in the bottome of the riuer Which when the Romans had espyed and eskaped the Britannes not able to staÌ„de the violence of the Romane Legions hidd them selues in the woddes owt of the which they ofte brekyng owt greatly endomaged the army of the Romaynes In this meane time Trinobantum a very stronge citty wyth their Capitain Androgorius yelded vnto Cesar deliuering xl hostages Which example other moe citties followyng fell in leage wyth the Romans by whose aduerâ—ising Cesar hauing intelligence of a stronge hold that Cassibelianus had buylded betwene two dykes or marishes well fensed wyth woddes on ech side farsed wyth plente of all thinges assayling wyth great force at lenght ouercomed After that returning in to FrauÌ„ce hauing dimissed his army for the wynter season he was sodenly besett wyth great tumultes of warres reised against him on euery side How Claudius the Emperour was the second that came in to Britanny which did also subdue the Iles Orcades And how Vespasian seâ— by â—im tooke the I le of wyte The. 3. Chap. THe 797. yere from the buylding of Rome Claudius the third Emperour after August being much desirours to shew him selfe a prince profitable vnto the common welth sought by all meanes battaile and conquest Whereuppon he made a viage in to Britanny which was all in a mute ny for that such as wer traytorously fled from them wer not restored He passed ouer in to the Iland whether nor before Iulius Cesar nor after any durst aduenture And there with out ether blud or battaile receiued by submission the greatest part of the Iland voluntaryly yelding them selues vnto him Also he brought in subiection to the Romaine empire the Iles Orcades which lieth in the Oceane aboue Britanny which don he returned to Rome the vj. moneth after that he departed thence and caused his son to be surnamed ' BritaÌ„nicus This battel was sought the foruth yere of his empire which was the yere of thincarnatioÌ„ of our lord 46. In the which yere also there fel a great famine thorough out al Syria which in the Actes of the Apostles is shewed to before spokeÌ„ by Agabus the prophet Vespasianus which after Nero was emperour being sent of the said Claudie in to Britanny subdued vnto the Seigneurie of the Romains the ile of Wite staÌ„digng nigh BritaÌ„ny westward Which is of length froÌ„ este to west about 30. miles froÌ„ south to North 12. being in the east part by sea 6. miles in the west 3. miles of froÌ„ the west shore of BritaÌ„ny Nero succeding Claudius in the empire neuer durst meddle with warfare matters Wherby among other many hindraunces which befel in his time vnto the empire one was that he had almost lost Britanny For vnder him two noble townes wer taken and ouerthrowen How that Lucius Kyng of Britanny sent to Eleutherius desiring to be Christened The. 4. Chap. THe yere of the incarnatioÌ„ of our Lord 156. Marcus Aurelius Verus the 14. Emperour after August gouerned the empire with his Brother Aurelius Commodus In whose time Eleutherius a holy maÌ„ being Pope of the church of Rome Lucius Kyng of BritaÌ„nes wrote vnto him desiring that by his commaundement he might be made christian which his request was graunted him Wherby the Britannes receiuing then the fayth kept it sounde and vndefiled in rest and peace vntill Dioclesian the Emperours time How Seuerus the Emperoure by a trench drawen ouerthwart seuered one part of Britanny from the other The. 5. Chap. THe yere of our Lord 189. Seuerus borne in Afrike at
Tripolis the 17. emperour froÌ„ August reigned 17. yeres This maÌ„ being rough of nature entaÌ„gled with much warres gouerned the coÌ„mon welth very valiauÌ„tly but yet with much trauail After he had vanquyshed his ciuill enemies with which he was very sore assayled he is called in to Britanny by the meanes of the great defection of the most part of the country from the Signorie of the Romans Where after he had recouered by great and greuous warres a great part of the land he made a partition betwext them and the other wild and sauage people not with buylding of a waâ—â— of stone as some suppose but with a trench and a raÌ„paire of turâ—e and timber thyck fensed with bulwarkes and turrets Which sayed trench he caused to be drawen from one sea to the other And there at yorke he died leauing behinde him 2. sonnes Bassianus and Geta which Geta being condemned of treason died And Bassianus taking vpon him the surname of Antonius gouerned the empire after the deceasse of his father Of the Raygne of Dioclesian and of the persecution which he raysed against the Christians The. 6. Chap. THe yere of our Lorde 286 Dioclesianus the xxxiij Emperour after August being chosen of the army raygned xx yeres and he created Maximinianus surnamed Herculeus his fellowe in gouernement of the Empire In whose time one Carausius of low degre in byrth but valiaunt in armes and politicke in counsell was appointed toward the sea coaste against the French menne and the Saxons whiche then with continuall robberies much wasted that countries But he so behaued him selfe that he did more hurt there then the ennemies them selues For such pillage as he had recouered from them he did not restore it to the right owners but reserued it to him selfe whereby he was suspected that he wittingly suffered them to pill and spoyle at pleasure Wher vppon being commaunded to be put to death of Maximinianus he toke vppon him the princely authoritie and vsurped the gouernance of the Britannes which after he kept vij yeres At length by treason of his fellow Allectius he was slayne Which Allectius him selfe Carausius being killed kept the possession of the Iland iij. yeres whom Asclepiodotus chiefe gouernour of the army ouercam and receiued the Iland in his possession the tenth yere after it was inuaded In the meane time Dioclesian in the easte Maximinianus in the West raysing the tenth persecution after Nero against the Christians commaunded the churches to be spoyled the Christians to be tormented and killed which persecution was both longer and also crueller then all the other for hole x. yeres together it continued in burning the churches in baÌ„nishing the innoceÌ„ts in murdering the Martyrs and neuer ceased Brefely among other places it made Britanny to be honored wyth the glory of many holy Martyres which constantly stode and died in the confession of their faith The passion of Saynt Albane and his fellowes which did shead their bludd for Christes sake The 7. Chap. AMong other suffered Saynt Albane of whom Fortunatus priest in the booke he wrote in the prayse of virgines speaking of the Martyres which from all coastes of the world cam vnto God sayth Albanum egregium foecunda BritaÌ„nia profert The fertile lande of batfull Britanny Bringeth furth Albane a Martyr right worthy This Albane being yet but a Pagane when the cruell commaundements of the wicked Princes were set forth against the Christians receiued in to his house one of the clergy whiche had fled from the persecutours whom he perceiuing bothe night and day to continewe in praying and watching beinge sodaynly towched with the grace of God began to follow the example of his faith and vertu and by litle and litle instructed by his holesom exhortations forsaking his blind idolatry became ChristiaÌ„ with his hole hart At length after the sayd person of the clergy had certain daise taried with him it came to the eares of the Prince that this holy confessor of Christ whose time was not yet come that god appointed for him to suffer martyrdome lay hid in Albanus house Whereuppon he commauÌ„did his souldiours to search his house with all diligence Whether when they were cum saynt Albane apparelled in his gests and masters garments offerid him selfe to the souldiours and so was brought bound vnto the iudge It chaunced that the iudge the same time was doing sacrifice vnto the deuills before the aultars And when he had sene Albane being all chaufed with anger for that he feared not voluntarily to offer him selfe vnto the souldiars and perell of death for his geste whom he had harbored he commaunded him to be brought before the idoles of the diuells before whom he there stode And for so much quoth he as thou haddest rather to conueye awaye the rebell and traytour to our Gods then deliuer him vp vnto the souldiours that he might sustaine due punishement for his blasphemous despising of the Gods looke what paynes he should haue suffered if he had ben taken the same shalt thou suffer if thou refuse to practise the rites of ower religion But Saynt Albane which wilfully had before discouered him selfe to be a Christian litle heeded the menacies of the Prince But being thorouly fensed with spirituall armour of grace told him plainly to his face that he would not obey his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t Then said the iudge of what house or stock art thou Albane aunsweredâ— what is that to the of what house I am but if thou be desirous to know of what religion I am be it knowen vnto the that I am a Christian and that I employe my selfe to Christian maners and excercises Then the iudge demaunded him his name My parents quoth he nameth me Albane and I honor and worship the true and liuing god whiche made al thing of naught TheÌ„ the iudge being very wroth sayde If thou wilt enioy long life cum of and do sacrifice vnto the great goddes Albane aunswered theis sacrifices whiche yow offer vp vnto the diuells neither helpe the offerers nor obtaine them their desires but rather purchase them for their reward eternall paynes in hell fire The iudge hearing this being in a rage commaunded the holy confessor of God to be all beaten of the tormentours thinking his constance would relent at strypes which refused to yeld to words but he shewed him self not only patient but also ioyful in the middle of all his torments The iudge when he sawe he could be nether wonne with wordes nor tourned with torments from the religion of Christes faith commaunded that he should be behedded In the way as he was ledd to his death he came to a floudde which with a very swift course ranne betwixt him and the place where he should suffer Now he saw a great company of all sexes degrees and ages going with him to the place of his execution in so much that it semed the iudge was left alone at home without any to attend vppon him This company was so
which there wer made to kepe owt the enemy in the felf same place where Seuerus before had cast the trench which walle euen to this day remaineth famous and to be seene with publick and priuat charges the Britannes also putting to their helping haÌ„des They then buylded it eight fote broade and xij high right as it wer by a line from east to weste as it doth to this day playnly appeare which being perfited they geue the people strayt warning to looke well to them selues they teach them to handle their wepon and instructe them in war like feates Also by the sea side southward where their ships lay at harbar least their enemyes should land there aboutes they makyth vp bullwarkes a longe one sum what distant from the other and this donne biddeth them fare well as mynded no more to retourne As sone as they wer gonne the Scottes and Pyctes hauing intelligence that they had made promisse they wold come no more they takyng hart of grace therof retourneth agayne to their wont busines And first all that was without the walle they taketh for their owne After that they came to geue assault vnto the walle where the Britannes with faynt hand and fearfull hart defending it wer with grapples which they had diuised pulled downe to the grownde and otherwise so assaulted that they leauing both the cytties and the wal also wer dispercled and put to flight The enemy followeth kylleth and sleyth more cruelâ—y then eâ—er he did before For euen as the lambes of the wilde beastes so were they torne and mangled of their ennemies Whereuppon being dreuen out of their owne houses and possessions they falleth a robbing and spoyling one the other of them encreasing their outward misery with inward tumult so far furth that all the whole country was brought to that exigent that they had none other sustenance but that they gotte by hunting and killing of wild beastes How in the time of Theodosius the younger the Britannes sowght helpe of Boëtius then consull of Rome but could not obtaine it and howe at that time Palladius was sent to the Scottes which beleyued in Christe to be their Byshop The 13. Chapter THe yere of the incarnation of our Lord 403. Theodosius the younger succeding Honorius was made Emperour of Rome which he gouerned 27. yeres being the xxv Emperour after August In the eight yere of whose Empire Palladius was sent of Celestinus bishop of the Roman church to the Scottes which had receiued the faith of Christe to be their first bishop And the 23 yere of his raigne Boetius one of the pears and patricians of Rome was now the third time made consul with Symmachus The poore leauing of the Britanes directed vnto him their letters where of this was the beginning To Boetius thrise consâ—ll the Mourning of the Britannes In the processe of which epistle they thus setteth furth their pittyfull estate The Barbarous enemy driueth vs vpon the sea the sea againe vppon the enemy betwene these twaine riseth two maner of deathes either we are killed or drowned And yet for all their sute they could obtaine no ayde of him as he which had then both his handes full of busines and battaile at home with Bleda and Attila kinges of the Hunnes And though the yere before Bleda was murdered by the wyhe treason of his brother Attila yet he alone remained so vntolerable an ennemy vnto the world that he wasted all most all Europe spoyling and ouerthrowing both cities and castles About the same time there arose a great famine in Constantinople after which folowed also the pestilence and a great part of the wal of the said citye fel vnto the grouÌ„de with 57. turrettes And many other cities also being ouerthrowen with earth quake hunger and pestilence beside consumed many a thousand both of men and beastes How the Britones being forced by hungar droue the Barbarous people owt of their country VVhereof ensewed plentif of corne riott pestilence and the losse of the whole country The 14. Chap. IN the meane season huÌ„gar more and more preuailing against the Britones in so much that many yeres after it left tokens and remembrance of the hurt it did in the country droue many of them to yelde them selues into the handes of the robbers Other there were which could neuer be brought there vnto but rather then they would so doe from the hilles and brakes where they luâ—ked many times inuaded their ennemies as trusting so much the more in the help of God how much the lesse hope they had of ayde of man And by such meanes first of all both resisted and ouerthrew them which many yeres together had liued by the spoyle of the couÌ„try Whereby for the time they drewe homeward with shame inough intending not longe after to returne The Pictes then and long time after kept them selues quiet at home saue only that they would make now and then inuasions into the land and driue away bouties of cattell After that they leauing their pilling and spoiling the country drew to a quietnes ther ensued such plentif of grayne as neuer was sene the like before as far as any man could remember whereof the people grew to lose and wanton liuing whereof all maner of lewdenes followed strait after specially cruelâ—â— hate of truth and loue of lying in so much that if any were gentler and more geuen to truth then other the other wold wurke him all the hurte and spite they could as a common enemy of the country This did not only the seculars but also the clergy it selfe and the heddes therof geuing them selues ouer to dronkennes pride contention enuy and such other wickednes casting vtterly from them the swete yoke of Christe In the meane season a bitter plage befell among them for their corrupt liuing consuming in short time such a multitude of people that the quicke wer not sufficient inough to bury the dead And yet for al that they remained so hardened in syn that neither their freÌ„des death nether the â—eare of their own could cure the moreyn of their soules which dayly perished thorow their synfull liuing Wherby a greater stroke of goddes vengaunce ensewed vppon the whole synfull nation For being now infested againe with their ould neighbours they deuised with them selues what was best to doe and where they might seeke reskew to withstaÌ„d and repell the force of the Northen nation And they agreed all with their kyng Vortigerius to demaund ayde of the Saxons beyonde the seas Which thing doutlesse was don by gods owne appointement that the wicked people might be therby plagued as by the ende it shall most manifestly appeare How the English and Saxons being sent for in to Britanny did first cleare the couÌ„try froÌ„ the Pictes and Scottes but shortly after ioyning them selues in leage with them turned their weapon vpon their fellowes that sent for them The. 15. Chap. THe yere of the incarnation of our Lord 4â—29 Marcianus
the master The holy bishop Saint Germane at the beginning hereof was a sleepe theÌ„ Lupus and the other wakeneth and calleth vpon him as in whose prayers they had a speciall trust Who seing the present perill they wer in commaunded them all to fall to prayer He him selfe hauing a greater trust in God then he had feare of the tempest calleth vpon Christ and taking in the name of the Trinite of a few sprinkles of water casteth it in to the sea And forthwith the rage of the stormes breketh the surges falleth God being called vppon differreth not his help the euill sprits ar chaced away the ayer returneth to his naturall course and the wind which of late blustered all against them now with a mery gale blowing all together with them sett them shortly after a lande in the place where they them selues desired Thether a great multitude of people being assembled receiued the priestes of God of whose cumming the wicked spirites gaue warning long before they landed which afterward when they wer expelled out of the obsessed bodies by the commaundement of these holy seruauntes of God they declared bothe the whole order of the tempest whiche they had raysed and the great daunger which they had wrought the sayd good bishops and did not denye but they wer ouercomed by their merites and commaundement In short time after their ariuall they filled the Ilande with their good name their preaching and their vertues And the worde of God was preached by them not only in their churches but also in the open stretes and in the country in such sort that in all places both the sound and faithfull catholikes wer confirmed and they that before swarued out of the right faith wer amended And in short time thourough their authoritie vertue and learning they brought all the whole country vnder obedience to their doctrine The authors and head professours of hereticall errour lay lurking all this while and like the wicked sprites much spighted to see the people daily to fal from theÌ„ At lenght after longe aduisement vsed they taketh vpon them to trye the matter by open disputation which being agreed vpon they come forth richely appointed gorgiously apparailed accompained with a number of flattering fauoures hauing leifer to committ their cause to open disputing theÌ„ to seeme to the people whom they had subuerted to haue nothing to sayin defence thereof Thether resorted a great multitude of people with their wynes and children The people was present both to se and iudge the matter the parties therewer farre vnleke of coÌ„ditioÌ„ In the one side was the faith on the other maÌ„s presumptioÌ„ on the one side meekenes on the other pride on the one side Pelagius on the other Christ. First of all the blessed priest Germanus and Lupus gaue their aduersaries leaue to speake which vainly occupied both the time and eares of the people with naked wordes But after the Reuerend bishops poored out their flowing wordes confirmed with scriptures out of the gospelles and Apostles they ioyned with their owne wordes the wordes of god and after they had said their owne minde they read other mens mindes vppon the same Thus the Vanite of heretikes is conuicted and falsehed is confuted so that at euery obiection they were forced in effecte to confesse their errour not being able to answer them The people had much to doe to kepe their handes from them yet shewed their iudgement by their clamours How Germanus restored the blinde daughter of the Tribune to her sight and after cumming to Saint Albanes shrine did both from thence take sum relikes and left other of the Apostles or other Martyres there The. 18. Chap. THis don sodainly a certaine man of the dignitie of the Tribunes commeth forth among them offeringe them his daughter of x. yeres oulde to be cured which was blinde They bidâ—e them haue her to the aduersaries But they their oune conscience fearing them to take such an enterprise in hand ioyneth their praiers together with their parentes desiring the priestes to doe their cure vppon the gyrle Which seing their aduersaries to yelde maketh their praiers for her And after Germanus full of the holy goste calleth vppon the Trinite and strayte loseth from his nek a litle bugget whiche he had by his side full of the relliques of the martyres and in the sight of them all putteth it to the eyes of the mayden which done she strait receiued her sight The parents much ioyeth ther at the people ar all amased at the sight of the miracle After that day the saied errors were so pulled out of the mindes of all men that with all hart and desire they embraced the doctrine of the bishops Thus these damnable heresies being suppressed and the authors thereof vtterly confuted and all mens myndes instructed with the purite of the faith they went vnto saint Albanes to geue god the praise and thankes by him Wher Germanus hauing reliques of the Apostles and of diuers Martyres making his prayer coÌ„maunded the toumbe to be opened entending their to leaue those precious treasures Thinking good that the members of the Sainctes gotten in diuers countries shoulde be buried together in one tumbe as being like of merites they reioyced together with god in heauenâ— which being there lefte with much honour he toke of the dust of the place where the holy Martyrs bloud was shead and caried it away with him Which thinges being thus disposed a very great multitude of people was that day conuerted vnto our Lord. How he being driuen through sycknes to remaine there did both quench a great fire with his prayer and was by a vision him selfe healed of his infirmitie The 19. Chap. AS they were cumming back it happened by the diuells procurement that Saint Germane by meanes of a sore fall he had brake his legge Litle knew the diuell that by the affliction of the bodye as it was in Iob the merites of the holy man should be thereby the more encreased Whiles for the time by the reason of his weaknes he was faine to tarry stil in one place the next house he lodged in was by chaunce set on fire so that after it had quickly consumed the houses about thetched with reede it was now coming through the blowing of the winde to the house where this good man was harboured Many came running in great haste to the Bishop willing him to make awaye and saue him selfe WhoÌ„ he rebuking through coÌ„fidence in his faith would not remoue out of the place he was in The people al frighted with feare and dispaire came running to quench the fire But that the power of god might appeare the playner the fire still consumed what so euer the people sought to saue but what the sick man lying in his bed did keepe that the fire as being a feared of the holy mans lodging skipped both aboue and beneth fearcely burning without stay so that in the middle of the raging flakes and
faith and he made their bishop and also required his aunswer vppon certaine doubtes necessary for him to be informed of wher of with out delay he receiued aunswer Which we thought good to put in to this our history The interrogatories of Augustine bishop of the church of Cantorbury First how the bishops should behaue them selues among their clergy and how the offeringes of the faithfull vppon the aultar should be distributed And what is the bisshops office in the church Gregory the Pope aunswered The holy scripture testifieth as I am sure yow know and specially the Epistles of Saint Paule vnto Timothe in the which he goeth about to enstructe him after what sorte he ought to be conuersaunt in the house of God The maner of the see Apostolik is to geue commaundement vnto suche as be made bishops that all maner oblations that ar geuen be diuided in to iiij portions And the one therof geuen vnto the bishop towards his hospitalite thother to the clergy the third to the poore the fourth to the reparation of the churches But for so much as you being brought vp vnder regular discipline must not by the order of yower rule liue a part from yower clergâ—e in the church of the English which is as yet but newly entered in to the faith of Christ you must follow that trade and forme of lyuing which was vsed in the primatiue church among the fathers amonge whom there was none that sayd that to be his owne which he possessed but al their thinges wer coÌ„mon And if there be any amonge the clergy out of holy orders which can not liue chaste they shall take wiues and haue their stipend allowed them without For of the same partes of which we haue spoken of before we know it is written that it was diuided to euery man according as he had nede You must also think and prouide for their stipend and they ar to be kepte vnder the ecclesiasticall rule and seene vnto that they liue honestly and plye their psalmoâ—ye and kepe both hart tongue and boâ—y from all vnlaufull chinge through the grace of God As for them that liueth after the common â—ort what nede I to speake ether what portions they shall geue ether what hospitalite they shall kepe ether what worke of mercy they shall fulfill Seing it is commaunded that all which is superfluous should be employed vppon godly vses according as our Lorde the master of vs all doth teach vs Quod superest date eleemâ—sinam omnia munda erunt vobis of that which is left geue almes and all shal be cleane vnto you Augusâ—ines demaunde Where as there is but one faith why be there so many sundry customes of churches And one custome of masses is obserued in the holy church of Rome an other in Fraunce Gregorius pope answereth Yower brotherhood knoweth the custom of the church of Rome in the which you wer brought vp But it pleaseth me that if you haue founde any thing be it other in the church of Rome Fraunce or any other that may more please god that you cheuse that and plant in the English churche which as yet is but late come to the faith the best orders that you can cheuse and gather out of them all For the thinges ar not to be loued for the place but the place is to be loued for the good things thaâ— ar in it Cheuse then out of eche church and that that is most godly most religious moste best in any of them that being gathered together as it were in a boundell deliuer vnto them and inure them there vnto The question of Augustine I praye you how shall he be punished which taketh any thing away from the churche Gregorius aunswereth That you may consider by the person of the these For there be some which hauing otherwise to liue yet steleth and some other there be which are driuen thereunto by nede Whereby some must be merced with fines some must be punished with stripes and â—ome fauorably some sharply corrected And when sharpe punishement is excercised it must be done in charite not in fury For therfor the man is punished that he might not be damned in hel fire And so we must chastise our brothers offending as the good fathers doth their carnall children whom though they punish for their fawtes yet they seeke to haue them their heires whom they punish and their possessions they kepeth for them whom they seme to chasten in their anger This charite therfore is euer to be kept in mind and according to it correction is so to be measured that the minde excedeth not the rule of reason Thow shalt also tell them that they must make restitution of such thinges as ar taken from the church But god forbid that the churche should looke to receiue with encrease of gaine such earthly thinges as hath ben taken from them The question of Augustine Whether ij german brothers may marry two systers which be many degrees from them Gregorius aunswereth That may be done lawfully by all meanes for there is nothing found in the scripture to the contrary The question of Augustine Vnto what generation may the Christians mary with their kindsfolke Gregorius aunswereth It is permitted by a certaine law of the Romanes that brothers and sisters children may laufully be ioyned together in wedlock But experience sheweth that of such wedlocke their can growe no children and the holy lawe forbiddeth that we should reuele the turpitude of our kindered Wherefor it is necessary that it be the third or the fourth generation that should be permitted to marrye As for the second must in any wise forbeare one from the other To marry with our steppe mother it is a greuous offenâ—e for it is written in the law Thou shalt not reuele the tupitude of thy father The sonne can not â—euele the turpitude of his father But bycause it is written They shal be two in one fleshe he that presumeth to reuele the turpitude of his steppe mother whiche was one flesh with his father he truly reueleth the turpitude of his father It is also forebidden the to marry with thy brothers wife for that by her former mariage she was one flesh with thy brother for whiche cause Iohn Baptiste was behedded and suffered holy martyrdome To whom though it was not sayd that he should deny Christe yet was he killed for the confession of Christe For in that oure Lorde Iesus Christe sayd I am the truth for that he was killed for the truth he shed his bloud also for Christ. And whereas there be many of the English people which whiles they were yet infideles were thus vnlawfully coupled when they commeth to the faith they are to be warned that they forbeare and take it to be a right greuous offense Teache them to feare the dredfull iudgementes of God least for vnlaufull carnall loue they runne in dawnger of hell fyre And yet for this are they
not to be kept from the communion of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christe least you may seeme to punish such thinges in them which they committed by ignorance before their baptisme For at this present time the holy church with a zele doth punish some thinges some other of a mekenes it doth tolerat at some other it winketh vppon consideration Yea it so beareth and dissembleth that the euill which it hateth by bearing and dissembling it redresseth All such as commeth to the faith ar to be warned that they committe no such thing and if they then doe they are to be restrained from receiuing the sacrameÌ„t For as they are sumwhat to be borne withall which of ignorance doth offend so they are sharply to be corrected which wittingly feare not to syn Augustines question If the bishops ar so far a part one from the other that they can not conueniently assemble together whether one may be ordained a bishop without the presence of other bishops Gregorius aunswereth In the church of England in which thou only art as yet a bishop thou canst ordaine none but without other bishops For when come there any bishops oute of Fraunce which might assist you in ordaining bishops We will therefore you ordaine bishops but so that they may not be one far from an other that there be no such necessitie but that they may hereafter come together at the creation of other The Curats also whose presence may do good ought easely come together When then by the helpe of god the bishops shall be so made that they shall not be far a sunder one from the other there shall be no bishop created without iij. or iiij bishops assembled together For in spirituall matters howe they may be wiselye and prouidently disposed we may take example of carnall matters We see when mariages ar solemnized in the worlde other that ar maried ar called there vnto that such as were married before should ioye with such as are married after Why then may it not be like in this spirituall ordinance in the which by spirituall ministerie a man is ioyned vnto God that such then should resort together whiche ether may reioyce of the worthines of him that is made bishop or may pray together vnto god for his continuance Augustines question How shall we deale with the bishops of Britanny and Fraunce Gregorius answereth We geue the none authorite ouer the bishops of Fraunce for that of auncient time of my predecessours the bishop of Arles receiued his palle whom we must not bereue of his authorite And if it chaunce you therfor to go to Fraunce you shall treate with the said bishop of Arles how such defaultes as ar in the bishops may be redressed Who if he be negligent in the execution of ecclesiasticall discipline you must moue him and prick him forward there vnto to whom also we haue written that ioyning with you being there present he will do his endeuoure to reforme the maners of the bishops in such thinges as ar contrary to our Lordes commaundement You by youre owne authoritie haue nothing to doe in sitting vppon the bishops matters But yet by courteously entreating them by counselling them by geuing good example for them to follow you may reforme to vertue the mindes of the euell disposed For why It is written in the law he that passeth through an other mans feilde shall not thrust his syckle in to his corne but rubbe the eares with his hande and so eate them Neither canst thou thrust the syckle of iudgment into the corne that is committed vnto an other mans charge but with the example of thy well doing thow mayst rub of the chaffe of syn from gods corne and by treating and persuading with them conuert them to the body of the church of Christ as a man doth the meate he eateth in to his owne But what so euer ther is to be don by authoriâ—e let it be don by the sayd bishop of Arles least that order should be broken which was ordayned by the auncient institution of oure forefathers As for all the bishops of Britany we commit theÌ„ vnto your charge that the vnlerned by holsom doctrine may be instructed the weake by good persuasions may be strengthened the froward by iust authorite may be corrected Augustines question Whether a woman that is great with childe may be baptised Or how long after she is brought a bed shall she tarry er she be receiued in to the church And the childe that is borne how longe shall it tarry er it be baptised lest it be preuented by death Or how long after she is brought a bed shall her husband forbeare her carnall company Or if she be in her monethly desease whether she may cum to the church or be receiued to the mystery of holy communion Or the maÌ„ after he hath carnally knowen his wife whether he may enter in to the church before he hath washed him self with water or receiue the mystery of the holy communion Of all the which the rude English nation had nede to be informed Gregorius answereth I doubt not but you haue ben required counsell in their matters and I think also I haue made you already aunswer herein Yet that which youerselfe could say and thinke herein I think you wold haue it confirmed with my aunswer The woman with child why should she not be christened seing to be teeming is no synne before the eyes of allmighty God For our first fathers when they had synned in paradise by the right iudgment of God they lost the immortalite which they had receiued And for so much as God wold not vtterly destroy mankynd for his syn in punishment of his syn he tooke from him the benefite of immortalite And yet of his mercy and goodnes he reserued vnto him the encrease of issue That then which of the gift of God is reserued vnto the nature of maÌ„ by what reason should it be restrained from the grace of baptisme For in that sacrament by the which all syn is vtterly taken away it is great folly to think any man to be restrayned from the gift of that grace which is willing to receiue it When the woman is deliuered how many daies after she shall cum to the church it is plaine to be knowen by the commaundement of the ould testament which saith thus The woman which hath borne a male childe shall remaine xxxiij daies in the blud of her purificationâ— she shall towch no holy thing nor shall enter into the sanctuary vntil the daies of her purification be fulfilled But if she haue brought fourth a femal child lxvj dayes she shall remaine in the blud of her purificatioÌ„ Which yet is to be knoweÌ„ that it is taken in mistery for if the same hower that she is deliuered she should cum to the church she should run in no danger of gods displeasure For it is the pleasure of the flesh not the paine that causeth the syn
there follow no delite therin in the mynde there is no synne at all committed But when the flesh begynneth to take delite therin then synne begynneth to springe If then aduisedly he doth agree thereunto then syn is perfyted So that in suggestion is the begynning in delite the feeding in consent the finishing of synne And it ofte chaunceth that the euill that the diuell soweth in the thought the flesh therin deliteth add yet the soule doth not agree ther vnto And though the flesh can fele no delite without the soule yet the soule stryuing against the pleasures of the flesh is against his will hampred with the plesure of the flesh in such sorte that with reason he doth gaynsaye and not agree vnto it and yet is bound with delite but so that he much lamenteth his bande Wher vppon that principall champion of the heauenly army S. Paule bewayled him selfe saying I fynd a law in my lymmes repining against the law of my mynd and leading me away prisoner in the law of synne which is in my lymmes If he wer prisoner then he did not fight and if he did fight why was he prisoner He then stryued wyth the law of his mynd against the which the lawe of his flesh dyd fyght Then if he fought he was not in bondes Man therefore is both bonde and free free throwgh righteousnes which he loued and bonde throwgh the delite which he boare against his will These be the aunswers of holy pope Gregory vnto the demaundes of the reuerent bishop Augustine The epistle which he had addressed vnto the byshop of Arles and sent after to Vergilius the successor of Etherius here followeth The Epistle of S. Gregorie vnto the byshop of Arles that he should ayde Augustine in the worke of God The. 28. Chapter GRegorius the seruaunt of the seruauntes of God sendeth greeting vnto the reuerent and his holy brother Vergilius bisshop With what affection ower brothers cumming of their owne accorde vnto vs ar to be enterteyned it may thereby well appere for that many times we ar wont to byd them vnto ower house for charites sake If therfor it chaunceth yower brother and myne Agustine byshop to cum vnto yow I pray yow receiue him with such harty and frendly enterteynement that both he thereby may honorably be comforted and other tawght how brotherly charite is to be mayntayned And for that it often tymes chaunceth that they which be far of shall soner learne by reporte of other such thinges as ar to be reformed where we ar then we ower selfes if it be so that yow heare by him of thinges among yower priestes or other worthy to be redressed sytting in examination of the parties faultye wyth him make diligent search and scrutenye thereof And in such thinges as offendeth God and prouoketh his wrath shew yower selfe so houfull and harde to be entreated that both to the feare of other the offendours be punished and the innocent throwgh false surmises be not oppressed God kepe yow in helth Reuerend brother Geuyn the xx of August the xviij yere of the raygne of our good lord and Souerayne Mauritius Tiberius Emperour Indictione quarta How the sayd Gregory sent vnto Augustine a palle with a letter and more preachers The. 29. Chapter FArder more the sayd Pope for so much as Augustine had aduertised him that ther was a great haruest and few workemen sent him wyth his sayd legates more preachers of which the chiefest wer Mellitus Iustus Rufinianus And by them also he sent all such thinges which wer necessary for the furniture ad ministery of the church As holy vesselles aultarclothes ornamentes for the churches Apparell also for the priestes and clergy Also reliques of the holy Apostles and martyres and many bookes He sent him also letters by the which he signifieth vnto him that he hath sent him a palle and enstructeth him what order he should kepe in making of Byshops in the country of Britanny of which letters this is the tenor To his most reuerend and holy brother Augustine bishop Gregorius the seruaunt of the seruauntes of God Though such as labour in the worke of God may assuredly hope that god doth reserue for them vnspeakeable reward in the kyngdom of heauen we neuerthelesse stand bound temporally also to honour and reward them that they may be meanes therof be the more earnestly bent to take paynes in fardering the honour of God And for so much as by the goodnes of God and yower trauail the new church of the English people is brought vnto the fayth and grace of Christ we graunte vnto yow the vse of the Palle that to weare such times only as yow say Masse And we licence yow to ordayne xij Bishops in such places as be vnder yower iurisdiction but so that the Bishop of London be euer here after consecrated of his owne Synode and receiue his palle of this holye and Apostolike see wherin I by the aucthoritie of God doe now serue Also we will that you send a bishop to the citte of yorke whom you shall think worthy of that prelacie so that if that citty with the country about receiueth the worde of God the sayd bishop be authorised to make twelue bishops more and he him selfe be their Metropolitane For we entend to geue him also a palle by the grace of God if we liue whom neuer the lesse we will to be subiecte to yower dispositiō But after yower death so to haue the ouersight of the rest of the bishops whom he shall make him selfe that he be in no case subiecte vnto the aucthorite of the bishop of London Betwext the Bishops of London and York let this be the difference that he be highest that is first ordayned All thinges that is don for zele of Christe is to be donne with common counsell and mutuall concorde so that they may wyth one mynde dispose their doinges and which they haue disposed accomplish without variance We will farder that vnto yow be subiecte not only the byshops which yow shall make your selfe or such as shal be made by the bisshop of yorke but also all the priestes of Britannie◠to th entent that of yowr liuinge and life they may receiue a paterne both to beleue and also to liue a right and executing their officies both in soundnes of faith and integrite of lif they may attayne to the kyngdom of heauen when it shall please God to call them God kepe yow in helth reuerend brother Geuen the xx of August the xix yere of the raigne of our Soueraine Lord and Emperour Mauritius Tyberius the xviij yere after his consuship Indictione quarta The copy of a letter sente by S. Gregory to Mellitus the Abbat going to Britanny The. 30. Chap. AFter the sayd legates wer gon and wer now in their iourney toward Britāny the holy father Gregorius sent letters after them worthy memory in the which he opēly declared how earnestly he tēdered the helth of our
gloriously gouerned the see of the Roman and Apostolique churche 13. yeares 6. moneths and. 10. dayes departed this lyfe and was translated to the eternall seate of the kyngdome of heauen Of whome it becometh me in this our historie of the churche of England more largely to speake bycause by his diligence he conuerted our nation that is the Engleshmen from the powre of Satan to the fayth of Christ. Whome we maye well and also must call our Apostle For as sone as he was high Bishop ouer the whole wordle and appointed gouerner of the churches lately conuerted to the belefe of the trueth he made our nation the churche of Christe which had ben euer vntill that time the bondsclaue of Idolls So that we maye lawfully pronownce of him the sayng of the Apostle That althowgh he were not an Apostle to others yet he was vnto vs. For the signet and token of his Apostleship we are in our Lorde This Gregory was a Roman borne his fathers name Gordian his pedegre of awncient stocke not only noble but also religiouse For Felix somtime bishop of that same see Apostolique a man of greate renomme in Christe and the churche was his greate grandfathers father This nobilite of religion he kept and maintayned with no lesse vertue and deuotion then his parents and auncient kinsfolke had done befor him But his woldly nobilite he forsoke alltogether and by the speciall grace of God turned the same to the purchasing of eternall glorie in heauen For changing sodenly his secular habite he wēt into a monasterie Where he began to lyue in such grace of perfection that vnto his mynde as often after he was wont to wytnes with weeping teares all transitorie things were already subiecte that he far surmounted al worldly workes that he was wont to thinke of nothing but heauenly things yea that being yet clogged with his erthly bodie he now by contemplation did passe the verie naturall bounds of his flesh and that he derely loued death also whiche to most men is a paynfull payne as an entraunce of lyfe to him and reward of his labour All which things he sayd of him selfe not craking of his encrease in vertues but rather lamenting the lacke and decaye of thē In which defecte as he was wont to saye he thought himselfe nowe to haue fallen by reason of his ecclesiasticall charge and occasion of greater care For talking on a time secretly with Peter his deacon when he had recompted the olde giftes and vertuous graces of his minde strayght way he sayde sorowfully But nowe alas by the meanes of this my ecclesiastical charges my mynde is encombred againe with secular affayres and after the good quyet and rest whiche it had is nowe defiled againe with the dust of earthly busines And when condescending to manie it wandereth and roueth aboute owtward matters after desiring inward good thowghtes it returneth therunto no dowbte the weaker Therfore I weigh with my selfe what I doe now suffer and I weigh also well what I haue forgone And when I behold what I haue lost this that I suffer wexeth more greueouse Thus sayde this holie man of a greate and passing humilitie But we must thinke that he lost none of his monasticall perfection by anye occasion or trowble of ecclesiasticall charge or office of a Bishop but rather that then he did much more good and profited more in vertue by the laboure of conuerting manye to the faythe then he hadd done before with the priuate quiet of his owne conuersation onlye For euen being bisshopp he ordered his house like a monasterye For as sone as he was taken owte of the monasterye and ordayned to the ministerye of the aulter being afterwarde sent as legate from the see Apostolike to Constantinople he for all that in the earthly princes palace liued so that he neuer intermitted his purpose of heauenly conuersation For he toke with him certaine brethern of the monasterie which for verie brotherly loue folowed him to that Imperiall citie for the better keping of his regular obseruance that alwaie by their example for so he writeth he might be fastned as with a stronge cable or anker to the pleasaunte porte of prayer when soeuer he were tossed withe the raging whaues of wordly cares and might also strengthen his minde by daylie conference and reading with them whensoeuer it shuld be shaken with secular affaires And truly he was by these mens companie not only defended from the assaultes of the worlde and earthly troubles but also more and more stirred vp to the exercises of heauenly life For they exhorted him that he would discusse and expound with some godly and misticall interpretation the booke of blessed Iob which was enwrapped with manie greate obscurities Neither could he denie them his paines which of brotherly loue moued him to this profitable laboure but hath therfore meruelously declared in 35. bookes of Expositions how this worke of Iobes historie first is to be vnderstāded according to the letter them how it may be referred to Christe and the sacramentes of the church last in what sense the same may be applied to euerie particular faithfull man Which worke he began to write while he was legate in Constantinople but he finished it afterward when he was Bisshop of Rome This blessed man being in Constantinople supressed an heresie of the state of our resurrectiō which then there arose in the very beginning by the force of catholike trueth and verite For Eutychius Bishop of Constantinople began to preache a false doctrine which was that our bodies in the glorie of the resurrection shuld be so subtile as is either the winde or ayer so that it should not be possible to feele ' or touche them Which when S. Gregory had heard he proued this opinion to be quite contrary to the right faith by the reason of truth and also by the example of the resurrection of our Lorde For the right and catholike faith beleueth that our bodies being exalted in the glorie of immortalitie shal in dede be subtile by the effect of spiritual poure but yet not withstāding able to befelt and touched for the truth of our nature according to the example of the bodie of our Lorde of which now rosen from death him selfe sayde to his disciples Touche ye and see for aspirite hath nor flesh nor bones as ye see me haue In the assertion of this faith the right reuerend father Gregory did laboure so much against this vpstert heresie quenched the same with such diligence and so vanquished it by the healp of the vertuous Emperour Tiberius Constantinus that from thence forth noman was founde which durst be a styrrer vp againe or mainteiner therof He made also an other excellent booke which is called the Pastorall Wherin he declareth plainly what manner of man he ought to be which should be chosen to rule the churche And how the rulers therof ought to lyue them selues and with what
was Oswy his brother keping the kingdome almost within equall boundes for a certaine time But after he cōquered for the most part the Pictes and Scotte mē which dwelled in the North quarters of Britāny and made thē tributarie But we wil speak of that here after King Elbert died the 24. day of February the 2. yere after that he had receiued the faith being ful past and is layde in S. Martins porch within the church of the blessed Apostels Peter and Paul wher also Quene Bertha is buried Which king beside other his deades that he boūtefully bestowed vpō his subiectes gaue and appointed them by the coūsel of wise mē certaine lawes and iudicial decrees according to thexāple of the Romans which being writē in the English tōgue are vntil this day kept of thē and as occasiō serueth practised In which his lawes and decrees he first and chiefly ordeined what amends he ought to make which had by thefte taken away anie thinge from the churches bishops or other orders Wherein the king prouided a safegard aud surtie for them whom and whose doctrine he had now receiued This Elbert was the son of Irminrike whose father was Octa and Octaes father Orrich called also Oiske Of whom the kinges of kēt are wont to be called Oiskinges This Orriches fathers name was Hengist who with his Oiske being sent for of Vortiger first entred into Britannie as I haue shewed before But after the death of Elbert when Eadbald his sonne had taken on him the rule of the royalme he greately hindered and dammaged there the younge springes and tender encreases of the churche For he would not only not accept and mainteyne the faith of Christ but he was also polluted and defiled with suche a fornication as the Apostle witnesseth neuer to haue ben heard of amongest the gentils which is that he had married his fathers wife With which ij heynouse factes he gaue occasion to his subiectes to returne to their former filthe and vomit which vnder his fathers raigne or for fauour or feare of the king had yelded to the lawes of Christen faith and chastite But the scourges of God and vengaunce from heauen wanted not to the punishing and correcting of this vnfaithfull kinge For he was plaged with often frensy of minde and raging fury of an vncleane sprite Nowe besides all this the death also of king Sabareth king of the Este Saxons muche encreased the trouble and persecution of the churche Who departing hence to the euerlasting kingdome of heauen left his iij. sonnes remaining yet paynims heyres of his temporall kingdome in earth After the death of their father they began straightwaie and openly to folowe idolatrie which while their father liued they semed somewhat to haue relented geuing also free licence to al their subiects to worship idols These princes on a certaine time when they sawe the bisshop in the churche after he had celebrated the solemnites of the masse geaue the people the sacrament being puffed vpp with barbarouse and rude folie saide as the common reporte is thus vnto him Why doest thou not geaue vs also some of that white breade which thou diddest geue our father Saba for so they were wont to call their father Sabareth and which thou doest not yet cease to geaue the people in the churche To whome he answered Yf ye wil be washed in that holsome font wherein your father was ye maye likewise eate of this blessed breade whereof he was partakener But if ye contemne the lauetorie of life ye can in no wise taste the breade of life We will not said they enter into this font of water for we knowe we haue no nede thereof But yet neuertheles we will eate of that breade And when they had ben often and ernestly warned off the bishop that it could not be that without holy purging and clensing by baptisme any man might communicate of this most holie oblation they at last in their furie and rage sayde to the bishop well if thou wilt not consent to vs in so smalle a matter as we aske of the thou shalt not hensforth abide in our prouince and dominions And straightway they expelled him Commaunding him and all his companie to depart their royalme Who being expelled thence went into kent to common there with Laurence and Iustus his fellow bishops what were best to be done in this case And by cōmon consent it was concluded that better it were for them all to returne into their countries and there to serue God with a free minde and quiet conscience then to abide with those barbarouse men or liue amongest such rebelles of the faith without all fruit or profit Therfore Mellite and Iustus departed first and came to the coastes of Fraunce purposing there to expecte and attende for the issue of these matters So shortly after these kinges which had driuen from them this preacher of trueth fell freely to idolatrie and worshipping of diuells But yet not without the vengeance of God For on a time waging battaile against the Genissans they with their whole armie were slaine But although the authors of this misscheffe were thus destroied yet could not the common people ons stirred to naughtynes be amended and reuoked to the simplicite of faith and charite which is in Christ. How Lawrence chastened by S. Peter conuerted king Edbald to Christe who immediatly after called backe Mellite and Iustus to preache The. 6. Chap. WHen Laurence was now ready to forsake Britannie and goe after Mellite and Iustus he commaunded the night before he went his bed to be brought forth and layed in S. Peter and Paules churche of which churche we haue oftentimes spoken Where when after manie his praiers and teares powred out to God for the state of the church reposing his body to rest and sleaping in his bedde the blessed Apostle S. Peter appeared to him who scourging him with sharp stripes a greate while in the close and secret night chalenged him with Apostolicall auctorite and asked why he would forsake the flocke which he himselfe had committed vnto him and to what shepeherd renning now awaye he would leaue the sheape of Christe besette in the middest of wolfes Hast thou quoth he forgotte myne example who for the lytle ones of Christe which he commended to me in witnes and token of his loue dyd suffer fetters strypes enprisoninges afflictions and att the laste death it selfe yea the death of the crosse by infidels and the enemies of Christe that I mought be crowned with him By these S. Peters strypes and with these his exhortations Lawrence the seruant of Iesus Christe being styrred vp and encouraged came boldly to the king erly in the morning and loosing his garment shewed him how sore he was beaten and pitifully his flesh was torne The king amased therat meruayled much with himselfe And enquyred who durst be so bold as to whyp and scourge such a man as this Lawrence
was But as sone as he had heard that for his owne healthes sake and saluation this bysshop had suffred so greueouse beatinges yea and that of the Apostle of Christe he feared much And afterward abandoning all worship and honour of ydols renouncinge also his vnlauful mariage he embraced the fayth of Christe and being baptised he endeuored to keape and mayntaine the state of the churche in all pointes to his vttermoste power Moreover he sent into Fraunce and called home Mellite and Iustus commaunding them to returne to their churches and freely instructe their flock Thus the yeare after their departure they returned againe Iustus to Rochester where he was bishop But as for Mellite the LoÌ„doners wold not receaue although he was their bysshop chosing rather to obey idolatrouse bysshops then him And truly king Edbald was not a Prince of so greate power and strenght as was his father that he might restore this bysshopp to his churche notwithstanding the paynim Londiners resistaunce but for his owne part and all his subiectes froÌ„ the daye that he was conuerted to our Lord he submitted himselfe to the precepts of God Moreouer he buylt a chappell in the honour of our ladie the blessed mother of God within the monasterie of S. Peter head of thappostles Which chappell Mellite the Archebisshop consecrated How bishop Mellite quenched with his prayer the fyre burning the citie of Caunterbury The. 7. Chap. FOr in the raygne of this king Edbald the holye Archebishop Laurence departing hence to the kyngdome of heauen and being buryed the seuenth daye of Februarie in the churche and monasterie of S. Peter thappostle fast by his predecessour Austin Mellite who was bishopp of London sate in the See of Caunterbury churche third Archebysshopp after S. Austin when as Iustus was yet a lyue and bishopp of Rochester Which ij Prelates because they dyd rule and gouerne the English churche with greate labour and diligence receiued eftsoones exhorting epistles from Boniface Bysshop of the Roman and Apostolique see Who after Dersdâ—dit otherwise wise called Theodatus gouuerned the Church in the yeare of our lord 618. Mellite was often troubled with infirmities of the bodie and muche greaued with the gowte yet notwithstanding euer hole and sounde of mynde Who passing ouer spedely all erthly thinges hyed him fast to the blysse of heauen which is euer to be beleued euer to be wysshed for and euer to be sowght for He was also noble by byrth but muche more noble for the excellencie of his mynde I will reherse one token of his vertue by which a man maye easely gesse the rest When vppon a certaine tyme the citie of Caunterbury by negligence was takeÌ„ with fyre and began to waste and consume awaye by muche encreasing of the flames so that no helpe of man no castinges of water theron was able to queÌ„che or staye it the greatest parte of the citie being at length nere burnt and the furiouse flashes extending them selues euen to the Bysshops place this good bysshop seing mans healpe now to fayle and trusting only in the ayde and succoure of God commaundyd that the myght be carryed out of his howse and sette against these fierce flawes of fyre percing and flyeng all rounde aboute Now where the greatest rage of this burning was there was the place of martyrdome of the. 4. hollie crouned Saintes Whan then the byshop by his seruantes was brought forth and sette in this place here he began withe prayer sycke as he was to dryue awaye the peryll of fyre which the stowght strength of stronge men with muche labour could not before bryng to passe And beholde the wynde that blew froÌ„ the Southe wherby this fire was first kendled and blasted abrode now sodenly bent against the Southe first teÌ„pered his blastes for feare of hurting the places ouerryght in thother side and after quyte quenching the flames ceasing and extinguisshing the fyre made all calme and wel againe And truly this good man of God which dyd feruently alwaye burne with the fyre of inwarde charite and was wont with his often prayers and hollie exhortations to dryue from himselfe and al his the daunger of ghostly temtations and trowble by spryghtes of the ayre might now iustly preuaile against the wynde and easely cease these worldy flames and obtayne that they hurted nor him nor his Who after he had ruled the churche v. yeares deceased hence to heauen in the raygne of king Edbald and is buryed with his predecessours in the oftmentioned monasterie and churche of S. Peter the yeare of our Lord. 624. and the. 22. daye of Februarie How Pope Boniface sent Iustus Mellites successor a palle and an epistle The. 8. Chapter TO whome Iustus succeded inmediatly in the Byshoprike who was Bysshopp of Rotchester Ouer whiche church he appointed for him Romanus and consecrated him Byshop For nowe had Iustus receyued authoritie to ordeyne Byshops from the hygh Byshop Boniface successour of Deusdedit as we saied before The forme of which authorite is as foloweth To our derest beloued brother Iustus Boniface sendeth greating How godly and how ernestly yow haue dere brother laboured for the Gospell of Christ not only the tenour of your epistle directed vnto vs but also the perfection and end of your doinges haue well and fully declared For almightie God hath not forsaken eyther the glorie of his name or the fruyte of your labour Wheras himselfe faythfully haâ—h promised the prechers of his Gospell sayng Behold I am with yow alwayes euen vnto the end of the wordle Which thing especially his clemencie hath shewed in this your ministerie opening the hartes of the gentiles to receyue the singular mysterie of your preching For he hath made moste honorable the state of your dignitie by his grace and goodnes while that himselfe hath prepared you so fertell fruytes vsing moste prouidently his talentes committed to yowe geauing yowe this gyfte that yowe may now assigne and shewe whole countries plentifully multiplyed in the fayth by yow And this is geauen you in recompence bycause you persisted continually in this ministerie of preching appointed to yowe looking with lawdable pacience for the redemption of that people to whome yow were sent and that they might geate some good by your merytes and labour whose saluation is nowe begonne wytnessing our Lord sayeng He that shall stand and perseuere to the end he it is that shal be saued Ye are therfore saued by the hope of patience and by the vertue of longe suffring so that now the hartes of infidels being purged and healed from their naturall and superstitiouse desease may receyue the mercye of their Sauiour For after we had read the letters of oure dere son king Adelwald we vnderstode with what greate lerning and instruction of holy scrypture yow haue browght him to the belefe of thundowbted faithe and trewly conuerted him to Christe Wheruppon we presuming and putting sure affiaunce in the greate
answered Maye it like your highnes to proue and trie well what maner of doctrine this is which now is preched vnto vs. But this muche shall I surely saye and as I certainly knowe protest and confesse vnto yowe that the religion which vnto this daye we haue euer obserued and kept hath no vertue nor goodnes in hit at al. For none of your graces subiectes hath ben at anie time more ernest and diligent in worshipping of our Godes then I haue ben and yet not withstanding manie of them haue receiued of your graces bounteousnes more ample benefites then I haue manie of them more hygher dignities then I haue and manie of them haue ben better prospered in all they tooke in hand to doe or sought to gette then euer I was But yf the Gods coulde ought haue done they wold haue rather hoolpen me who at all times serued them so dewly Wherfore it remaineth that if these thinges which be now newly preched to vs shal be founde after good examination the better and of more strenght and stedfastnes that then without longer delaye we hasten to receiue and embrace them To this persuasion of bisshop Coyfi an other of the nobles consenting sayde by and by Suche semeth to me dere Soueraine the lyfe of men present here in earthe for the comparison of our vncertaine time and dayes to lyue as if a sparowe beaten with winde and wether shuld chaunce to flie in at one windowe of the parlour and flitting there a litle aboute straight waye flye out at an other while your grace is at diner in the presence of your dukes Lordes Capitaines and high garde The parloure it selfe being then pleasaunt and warme with a softe fyre burning amidest therof but all places and waies abrode troubled withe tempeste raging stormes winter windes hayle and snowe Nowe your grace considereth that this sparrowe while it was within the house felt no smart of tempesteouse winde or rayne But after the shorte space of this faire wether and warme ayre the poore byrd escapeth your sight and returneth from winter to winter againe So the life of man appeareth here in earth and is to be sene for a season but what maye or shall folowe the same or what hath gon before it that surely knowe we not Therefore if this newe lerning can enfoâ—me vs of anie better suertie my thinke it is worthie to be folowed Thus or in like manner sayd the rest of the elders and the kinges counsellers no doubte by the holie inspiration of God Only bishop Coyfi was not content to rest him here but sayd moreouer that he would with diligeÌ„ce note Pauline and marke what he said of that God whome he preached Which thing when he had so donne according to the kinges will and pleasure he returned againe and with a lowde voice sayde I vnderstoode certes longe a goe that in verie dede it was right nought which we worshipped as God For the more curiously that I sought for the trueth in worshipping our Godes certainly the farder was I from it and the lesse I founde hit But now doe I plainly perceaue and knowe that in this Pawlinus preaching and teaching is that trueth and veritie which is able to geaue vs the greate giftes of life of saluation and of blisse euerlastinge Wherfore I counsell and exhorte yowe my most Soueraine and dere Prince that we may out of hande curse our temples and abandon them And burne downe with fyre our Idolatrous aulters Which we haue heretofore erected in vayne and consecrated without all fruite and profitte But that I maye be shorte and come nere my purpose the kinge gaue his full and plaine consent to this holye man bisshop Pauline Willing him to preache the gospell freely And himselfe renouncing there all idolatrie promised that he would receaue and embrace the faith of Christe And demaunding then of this before sayd Coifi bishop of his sacrifices who should first profane the aulters and destroye the temples of Idols with all the grates and barres wherwith they were enuyroned Marry quoth he I will For who maye better then I which ons by folishnes worshipped and highly estemed them Therefore to the good example of all other I will now my selfe through the wisedome of God that is one only and true God geauen vnto me beate downe and vtterly destroye the abomination of our temples So sorsaking in this wise all superstitiouse custome and vaine dreade he besought the king to graunte him harnesse and armoure and therewith a greate courser and mighty couragious stalyon horse On which he mounted lustely and with all spede rode forth to batter and beate downe to grounde the idols Now was it not laufull for a bishop of the sacrifices either to were harnesse and armoure or to ride on other then a mare But Coyfi made smalle compte thereof For being alredie well harnessed and strongly girded with a swerd about his loynes sitting fast on the kinges courser and stought stalyon he tooke also in his hand a speare and so did marche and sette fourthe against the pernitiouse idols Which sight when the people sawe they thought he had ben madde Yet he for all that staied not But as sone as he approched nere the teÌ„ple profaned it casting thereon the speare which he held in his hand and muche reioysing now bycause he knew the true worshipping of God commaunded the companie which was there with him to destroye the temple to fyre the idolatrouse aulters and breake the barres grates or whatsoeuer ornamentes were theraboute And truly the place where those Idols sometime were is now to be seene not far from Yorke at the ryfing of the riuer Derwent And is at this present day called Gormund in Gaham In which place the bishop Coyfi by holy inspiratioÌ„ of the true God polluted and destroyed the aulters of false Goddes which himselfe before had solemly consecrated How king Edwine and all his subiectes were made Christians and in what place bisshop Pawlyne baptised them The 14. Chap. THen king Edwyne with al the nobilite of his countrie and most parte of the commons receiued Christes fayth and came to the lauetorie of holie regeneration the xj yeare of his raygne Which was the yeare of our Lorde 627. and aboute the 180. after the entrance of the english men into Britannie He was Christened at Yorke on Ester Sondaye which was the xij of Aprill in S. Peter thapostles church Which he had in al spede set vp of wood while he was catechised and instructed there in the fayth agaynst his Christening In this rite of Yorke he appointed a Bysshops See for byshop Pawline his informer and teacher At whose request and petitioÌ„ as sone as himselfe was Christened he buylded in that same place a greate temple of stone for an ample and large Cathedral church in the middest wherof he would haue enclosed this his owne propre oratorie which himselfe had first made of woode while he was instructed to the fayth
them which faythe fully seeke therfore In this churche after Iustus departure hence vnto Christe Pawlyne consecrated Honorius Archebishopp of Caunterbury as I shall shewe more conueniently herafter Nowe as towching the faythe and belefe of this prouince a certaine preist and abbot a man of good credit and to be beleued whose name is Deda of the monasterie of Peartan told me that one of the elders of that couent as he reported him selfe was baptised with manie other of the people there at none daye by bishop Pawline in the presence of king Edwine and in the fludde of Trent nere the citie Thwolfing acester the which father and elderly man was wont to describe Paulinus personne saying that he was a taule man sumwhat crooked backe and blacke of heare lene in face and hauing a hooked and thinne nose in countenance bothe dredful and reuerent Who had in his chappel one Iames by name who was a deacoÌ„ and an industrious and diligent maÌ„ noble certes and of greate fame in Christ and the church Who liued also eueÌ„ vnto our time But in those dayes such was the peace and tranquillite through out all Britannie which waye soeuer king Edwynes dominions laye that as it is yet in a coÌ„mon prouerbe a weake womaÌ„ might haue walked with her new borne babe ouer al the yland euen from sea to sea without anie dammage or danger Moreouer this king did so muche tender his subiectes and the welth of the commons that in most places where he sawe fayâ—e clere wel springes breaking out by the highwaies syde he enclosed them in quicke sett boures for the refreshing of wayfaring men hauing by greate brasen basens to bathe or washe in Which basens either for feare of the kinges displeasure no man durst touche farder then to his owne present vse and necessite or no man wold take them awaye for the loue and good will they boore to their prince Who was for the time of his raigne so honoured and loued that the triumphing banners and flagges were borne before him not in warre only but in peace too whersoeuer he went abrode or rode with his garde in progresse aboute the greate cities townes and sheres of his dominions Yea euen when he passed through the stretes to any place there was carried before him that kinde of flag or stremer which the Romans calle Tufa and the English men now a Thuuffe How king Edwyne receaued letters of exhortation from Pope Honorius who sent therwith a palle to bishop Pauline The. 17. Chapter AT what time Honorius Boniface his successor was bishop of Rome and sate in the see Apostolike when he had vnderstoode that the kinge of Northumberland and all his subiectes in that countrie were conuerted to the faithe and confession of Christe by Paulinus preaching he sent the same bishop Pauline a palle and letters to king Edwyne exhorting him and his subiectes with fatherly loue and charite to persist or rather go forward in this true faithe which they had now receiued The tenor of which letters is suche To the most puissant prince and his most vertuous sonne in our Lorde Iesus Christe Edwyne king of the English men bishop Honorius seruant to them that serue God sendeth greating So is your Christian loue and integrite fyred with the flame of faith to the worshipping of your creator and maker that it shineth far and wyde and being declared through all the worlde bringeth furth fruyt of your doinge And truly so doe ye know your selfe best to be a king when that after ye are taught by the right and true preching ye beleaue in almightie God your king and creator Worshipping him adoring him and rendring vp to him the syncere deuotion of your hart as far forthe as mans weaknes and poore abilite can attaine vnto For what other thinge I praye you are we able to offer vnto our God then that persisting in good workes and confessing him to be the author of mankinde we worship him and spedely render our vowes and prayers vnto him Therfore we exhorte you our most derely beloued sonne in our Sauiour Christe Iesu as it is mete for a louing father to doe that ye endeuour al maner of wayes ye caÌ„ with ernest will and daily prayer to hold and kepe this that the mercy of God hath wrought in you calling you and all yours vnto his grace And so shall he which hath voucheâ—afed to bring you in this present world from all errour to the knowlege of his holy name prepare for you in the worlde to come a mansion place in heauen Be ye therfore often occupied in the reading of S. Gregories workes Who was a man certes of blessed memorie our good predecessour and your true precher and Apostle Haue before your eyes continually the greate zele of his doctrine and good affection which he gladly practised for your soules health and saluation That by this meanes his verâ—â—ouse prayer may both encrease your kingdome and also prosper yoâ—â—eople And that in the end he may represent you all as clene soules and without fault before the throne of almighty God Now as concerning these thinges which your grace desyred to be ordeined and appointed by vs for your priestes we haue without all delay prouided the same and truly the rather for your syncere and vnfayned faithes sake Which hath ben at diuers times and by diuers relatioÌ„s as also now by the bearers of these our presentes commendably declared vnto vs. We haue therfore with the rest of our rules and orders sent here ij palles for the ij metropolitans of your countre that is for bishop Honorius and bishop Pauline Willing and commaunding that when one of them is called out of this mortall lyfe to the mercie of God then shall his make and felowe which is yet a lyue subro gate by this our authorite an other bishop metropolitane in his place which is deceased which thinge we doe graunte vnto them as well for your good affection to vs and loue to the truthe as also for the distance of places and of so greate prouinces and cuntries as lye betwene Rome and Britannie And last to thintent that we might in all pointes shewe your highnes howe our consent and agrement is euer more redie at hand to your deuoute zele and ernest desyre of Gods glorie Who keape your grace alwaies in parfecte healthe and prosperite How bishop Honorius who succeded Iustus in the byshoprike of Caunterbury receiued from Pope Honorius a palle and letters The 18. Chapter NOW about this tyme died Archebishop Iustus the x. daie of Nouember And Honorius was chosen in his place Who comming to Archebishop Pauline to be appointed thereto met him at Lincolne And there was consecrated and instituted byshop of Caunterbury And is nowe numbred fifthe after S. Austin To whome also Pope Honorius sent a palle with letters in the which he commaunded the verie selfe same thinge that he wrote before in his epistle to king Edwine Which is
that whensoeuer the bishop of Caunterbury or the bishoppe of Yorke were departed this life then the other which remained a liue and is yet prelate of the same degree should haue powre and authoritie to ordaine an other priest in the Archebishops rome which is now deceased That it mought not to be nedefull alwaies to trauaile and toyle by sea and by land as farre as to Rome for the institution and appointing of an Archebishop The copie of the Popes letters I thinke not muche amis to be here inserted in our historie To Honorius our derely beloued brother Honorius sendeth greating Among manie other prerogatiues and gratious giftes which our mercifull Redemer vowchesafeth to geaue his poore seruauntes this doth he also bountifully graunte vs of his mere liberalite and goodnes that by brotherly comforte and frendfull letters as it were by an inward looking on our hartes or an outward beholding of our mutuall visage and couÌ„tenaunces we represent and shew in our selues a certaine loue accord and vnite For which gratiouse benefit we render thankes vncessaÌ„tly vnto his high maieste And besech him in most suppliaunte wise to strenghteÌ„ and confirme you with his mightye powre continually that ye maye ernestly laboure alwaies in preaching his holie gospell and profit therein that ye maye folowe the rule and steppes of your heade and master blessed S. Gregory that Christe maye send by you greater encrease vnto his church And last that the soules alredy wonne and coÌ„uerted by you and your predecessours which hath proceded of the first planting of blessed S. Gregory maye in more ample wise encrease in faith and prosper in good workes in the feare of God and parfecte charite And so I trust the promises of our Lord shall hereafter take place in you and this his blessed voice call you to eternall blisse and ioyefulnes Come vnto me all ye that laboure and trauayle and I will refreshe you And againe O my good and faithfull seruant because thou hast ben faithfull ouer a litle I will appointe the ouerseer to a greate dele come in vnto the ioyes of thy Lord and master And thus much derely beloued in the waie of exhortation we haue premised of the abundance of our charite and loue towardes you Now as concerning the priuileges of your churches we haue not differred to graunte you such thinges as we haue thought metest for you Therfore to answer your requestes herein looke what authorite we in the stede and place of S. Peter heade of the Apostles haue graunted you by our expresse commaundement in letters directed to our dere sonne Edwine your kinge we will ye keape and obserue the same Which is that when one of yowe is departed this mortall life the other which is lefte a lyue shall assigne an other bishop in the departed Archebisshops rome and dignite And for the better doinge and ordering herof we haue sent vnto eche of you a palle that by the authorite of this our commaundement your orderly and due institution may be acceptable in the sight of Almightie God Wherin to condescend and graunte this muche vnto you we were moued by the longe iourny and â—ediouse trauailing by see and lande from Britannie to Rome that no hinderance may happen hereafter to your churche by anye pretenced occasion anie manner of waye But rather that you maye farder set forthe the faithe and deuotion of the people committed to your charge Almightie God keape you in good health most derely beloued brother Geauen the xj of â—une in the 24. yeare of the raygne of our most gratiouse and soueraine Lorde Heraclius Emperour Also the thirde yeare of the most happiest Cesar Heraclius the sonne The 7. Indiction the yere of our Lorde 633. Howe first this Pope Honorius And after him the elected bishop Iohn sent letters to the Scottes for the keaping of Ester And against Pelagius heresie The 19. Chap. THis Pope Honorius sent letters also vnto the Scottes whome he vnderstoode to erre in the obseruation of the holy time of Easter as I haue befor specified diligeÌ„tly exhorting theÌ„ that they would not esteme or think their owne small number wiser then the churches of Christe either auncient either newely conuerted which haue ben heretofore or be now at this present daye anie where through out all the whole worlde in celebrating any other Easter then after the coâ— accompte of Ester and according to the vniforme decrees 〈◊〉 bishops in the wordle Whiche haue vppon that matter sate in Synodes and coÌ„cluded a certain order in generall councels To whome alâ—o for theâ— mending of the same errour Ihon Seuerinus successour who next succeded Honorius when he was yet but elected and nominated Bisâ—hop of Rome directed letters of greate authorite and full of good lerning plainly prouing in theÌ„ that the Ester Sondaye must be compted and obserued from the. 15. moone vnto the. 21. as it was proued and allowed by the Nicene Councell the first Moreouer he warned theÌ„ in thesame epistle to auoyde and escheue Pelagius heresie whiche he vnderstode dyd begin to ryse and springe againe amongest theÌ„ The beginninge of which epistle was thus To our derest beloued and the moste vertuouse prelates Thomian ColuÌ„ban Chroman DimaÌ„ and Bathan Byshops Chroman Herman Lawstran Stellan and Segian Priestes to Saran and all other doctours or Abbotes of Scotland Hilarie Archeprieste and keaper of the vacant sea Apostolique Ihon deacon and in the name of God elected and chosen Byshop of thesame holie see and Ihon the chiefe Secretarie and keaper of that sea Apostolike and Ihon also seruant of God and Counseller of that same see c. Your letters whiche ye sent to holie Pope Seuerine a man worthie of happie and long memorie haue had as yet no answere made to theÌ„ for the matters whiche ye required bycause the Popes holynes departed this lyfe before your letters were browght hither Whiche we haue nowe openyd in this vacancie of the holie see lest the ignorance of so greate a question mowght haue lasted longe and ben vndiscussyd emongest yowe In which letters we haue read and perceaued that certain of your prouince labowring against the ryght faythe doe goe abowte to renewe an old heresie refusing very ignorantly our Ester in which Christe was offred our true pascall Lambe to God his father and entending to celebrate thesame with the Iewes in the. 14. moone c. By this beginning of their epistle it appeareth plainly that at that time this heresie was but a lytle before rysen in Scotlande And also that not all the countrie but certaine of them onlye were infected therwith Now when these before mentioned prelates of Rome had shewed the customable obseruation of Ester thus in thesame epistle they wrote of the pelagian heretikes which were in Scotland We vnderstand also by your letters that the poison of Pelagius heresie beginneth nowe to springe againe emongest yow whiche we moste ernestly exhorte and counsell yowe vtterly to forsake
more quiet and the companie of faithfull began a litle and litle to encrease againe set vp a schole emongest them and professed to be a master of church musyke and singinge according to the fashion and maner of the Romās and the Diocesans of Cāterbury Which thinge whē he had so don a longe time with greate profyt at the lenght that I may vse the worde of scripture being a man well strooken in age full of yeares and hauing seen manie good dayes he walked the wayes whiche his fathers went THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND How the first successours of kinge Edwin did both forsake the faith of their nacion and also lost their kingdome Moreouer how the most christen kinge Oswald restored bothe The. 1. Chapter KYnge Edwin beinge in battaile the sonne of Elfrike his vncle by his fathers syde called Osrich who after that he had hearde Paulin preache receaued the faith succeded him in the gouernance of the Deirans of the whiche prouince he had the petigree of his parentage and the firste beginninge of his kingdome But the realme of the Bernicians for the nation of Northumberland had been deuided of olde time into these two countries was ruled by Edelfrides sonne named Eanfride who had of that prouince the beginning of his kinred and kingdome For during all the time of Edwines raigne the sonnes of kinge Edelfride who as we saied before raigned before Edwin were banished with a greate numbre of noble young gentill men and so liued amonge the Scottes or Redshankes where they wer instructed accordinge to the Scottes doctrine and had receiued the grace of baptisme These younge princes after the death of their ennemie kinge Edwin retourninge in to their countrie Osrich the eldest of them toke the kingdome of the Deirans and Eanfride the seconde sonne the kingdome of the Bernicians but alas as bothe had now receiued the yles of an earthly kingdome so likewise bothe in geuing and abandoning them selfes to the diuell lost the diuine mysteries of the heauenly kingdome wherein they were instructed and yelded them selues againe to be defiled with the former olde filth of Idolatrie This apostasie remained not longe vnpunished For Kadwallader the king of Britons with wicked force but with worthy vengeaunce slew them both the next sommer ensuing sodeinly issuing out with all his host At what time he murdereth first Osrich vnprepared and his whole armie pending themselues miserably with in the suburbes of their owne citie Then afterward when by the space of a whole yere hauing possessed the prouinces of the people of Northumberland not as a king that were a conquerour but as an outragious cruell tyranne destroying them and with tragicall slaughter renting them in pieces he put Eanfride also to death coming vnto him very vnaduisedly with twelue chosen souldiers minding to intreate vppon peace That same yere continueth vntill this daye vnhappy and hatefull to all good men as well for the Apostasie of the English kinges forsaking the religion of Christe as also for the king of Britanes furiouse tyrannie Wherefor the historiographers and writers of that time haue thought it best that the memorie of those Apostate kinges being vtterly forgotten the selfe same yere should be assigned to the raigne of the king that folowed next which was Oswald a man dearely beloued of God Who after that his brother Eanfride was slaine coming vnlooked for with a small armie but fenced with the faith of Christe the Britons cursed capitaine and that victorius hoste whereof he made his auant that nothing coulde be able to withstand it was vanquished and slaine in a certain place which in the English tonge is called Denises Burna that is to say the riuer of Denise How by the signe of the Crosse which the same kinge set vp when he fought against the Barbarous Britons he cōquered thē and among diuers other miraculous cures a certaine yownge man was healed of a desease in his arme The. 2. Chap. THe place is shewed vntill this daye and is had in greate reuerence where Oswald when he should come to this battayle did set vp a signe of the holy crosse amd beseeched God humbly vppon his knees that with his heauenly helpe he would succour his seruauntes being in so great a distresse The report also is that the crosse being made with quicke spede and the hole prepared wherein it should be sette the kinge being feruent in faithe did take it in hast and did put it in the hole and held it with both his handes when it was sett vp vntill it was fastened to the earth with duste which the souldiars heaped about it Nowe when this was done he cried out a loude to his whole armie Let vs all kneele apon our knees and let vs all together pray ernestly the almighty liuing and true God mercifully to defend vs from the proude and cruell ennemy for he knoweth that we enterprise warres in a ryghtfull quarell for the saulfegard of our subiectes All did as he commaunded them And thus in the dawning of the day they marched forth encountred with their enemie and according to the merite of their faith atchieued and wonne the victorie In the place of which prayer manifold miraculous cures are knowen to be done questionlesse in token and remembraunce of the kinges faith For euen vntill this present day many men do customablye cut chyppes out of the veraye tree of that holy crosse which casting into waters and geuing thereoff to sick men and beastes to drinke or sprinckling them therwith many forthwith are restored to their helth That place is in the Englishe tongue named heauen feld and was so called long before not without a sure and a certaine fore sight of thinges to come as signifieng vndoubtedly that in the same place a heauenly memoriall was to be set vp a heauenly victorie should be gotte heauenly miracles should be wrought and remembred euen vnto our dayes This place is nere to that wal which stādeth toward the northeast wherwith the Romaines did ones in time past cōpasse all whole Britaine frō sea vnto sea to kepe of the inuasions of forenners as we haue declared before In the self same place the religious mē of Hagstalden church which is not far frō thēce haue now of long time been accustomed to come euery yere the eue and the day that the same king Oswald was afterward slaine to kepe Diriges there for his soule and in the morning after psalmes being saied solemnely to offer for him the sacrifice of holy oblation This good custome longe continuing the place was made more holy and is now much honoured of al men by the reason of the church that was lately builded and dedicated in the same place And not without a cause considering that no signe of the Christen faith no church no aultar was sett vpp in all the whole countrey of the Bernicians before that this vertuous warrier moued wyth harty deuotion of
vnfained fayth dyd sett vpp this baner of the holy Crosse when he should fight agaynst his cruell ennemie It shall not be beside owr purpose to recounte of many which were done yet one miracle more mightely wrought at this holy Crosse. One of the religiouse men of the foresaide church of Hagstalden called Bothelme who lyueth yet at this daye a few yeres past when by chaunce in the night he went vnwares on the yse sodaynely falling downe brake his arme and began to be so vexed with greauous anguishe thereof that for vehemency of payne he was not able to bryng his arme to his mouth This man hearing that one of the brethren had appointed to go vp to the place of the same holy crosse prayed him that at his returne he would bring him a piece of that blessed wood saying that he beleeued that by Gods grace he might haue his helth thereby He dyd so as he was desired and when he was come home agayne about euening the brethren being sett at the table to eate he gaue the deseased party some of the old mosse wherewyth the ouermoste part of the wodde was couered Who sitting also then at table and hauing at hand no better place to laie vp the gift wherewith he was presented put it in to his bosome After going to bed and forgetting to laye it a side he lett it lye all night in his bosome At midnight he waked and feling a colde thing lying nere to his side sturring him selfe to finde what that should be sodenly he findeth his arme and hand hole and sounde as if he had neuer had the desease Howe the same kinge at his owne request receiued Aidan of the Scottishe nacion and gaue him a byshops see in the yle of Lindisfarne Now called Holy Ilond The. 3. Chap. SHortly after that the same Oswald was come to the Crowne he being desirous that all the people which he began to rule should be instructed in the grace of Christē faith wherof now he had very great proufes in vanquishing his forein ennemies he sente to the Peeres of Scotland among whome he lyuing in banishment and the souldiours whiche wer with him wer Christened making a request vnto thē that thei wold send him a prelate by whose doctrine and ministerie the realme of Englād which he ruled might both learne the giftes and also receiue the sacramēts of our Lordes faith Neither was this godly request denied him For bishop Aidan was directed straight vnto him a mā of maruailous mekenesse godlinesse and modestie and one that had a zele in Gods quarrell although not in euery point according to knouledg For he was wont to kepe Easter sunday from the fourtenth day after the chaūge of the mone vntil the twētith according to the custome of his country wherof we haue diuers times made menciō For the north part of Scotlād and al the Redshanks did in that maner euen at the same time solemnise Easter sunday thinking that in this keeping of Easter they folowed the aduertisement writen by the holy praise worthy father Anatholius which how well it was done of them the skilfull in Christen religion are not ignorant Truly the Scottes which dwelt in the southe coastes of the yle of Ireland had long a gone learned to keepe the fest of Easter by the Canonicall approued custome being aduised thereto by the Pope sitting in the see Apostolike To this bishop Aidan king Oswald appointed holye Ilond for his see and bishoprick according as he had him selfe desyred This place with flowing and ebbing is twyse euery daye like an yle enuyroned with the surges of the sea twyse made to stand as maine lande the bankes being voided againe of the sea waues By the vertuous aduise of this good bishop the kinge glad and ready to follow the same muche enlarged the Church of Christe throughe his dominions And in this most godly endeuour bothe of the Prince and of the bishop this was a gracious and pleasaunt sight that whereas the bishop was vnskillfull of the English tonge and the kinge by reason of his longe banishement in Scotland vnderstode and spake the scottish very well when the bisshop preached the faith of Christ the king was interpreter of the heauenly worde to his dukes and subiectes Hereupon for the space of a longe time people flocked out of Scotland into Britaine and such as were called to the high degree of priesthod began with great and feruent deuotion to preache the worde of faith to those prouinces of England which king Oswalde gouerned baptising all such as beleued Therefore churches wer builded in places conuenient the people reioycing assembled together to heare the woord of God possessions and territories wer geuen by the kinges bountifulnesse for the foundation of religiouse houses the litle children of England and elder folkes wer by the Scottes their instructours trained and traded vp in obseruation of regular discipline For they wer for the most parte mōkes all such as came to preache Aidan the bishop himselfe was a monke of the yle which is called Hydestinate The house of his religion was no small time the head house of all the monasteries almost of the northren Scottes and of abbyes of all the Redshankes and had the soueraintie in ruling of their people Which yle in very deede belongeth to the right of Britaine being seuered from it with a narow sea but by the free gifte of the Redshankes who inhabited those partes of Britanie it was now lately bestowed vpon the Scottishe monkes in consideration of their vertuous sermons and painefull preaching whereby they receiued the faith of Christ. When the nacion of the Pictes otherwise Redshankes receaued the Christen faith The. 4. Chapter FOr in the fiue hundreth three score and fifte yere of our Lordes incarnation at which time Iustine the younger succeding I ustinian had receiued the gouernaunce of the Romayne empire a priest and abbot notable by his habit and religious life called Columban cam from Ireland into Britany to preache the woord of God to the Redshankes that dwelt in the North that is to say to those that by high and hideous ridges of hylles wer disseuered from such Redshankes as dwelt in the south quarters For the southerne Redshankes who had there dwelling places in the same mountaines did long before as they say receiue the true faith and abandonned idolatry at what time the woord was preached vnto them by the right reuerend bishop and blessed man Ninia a Briton borne Who was at Rome perfitly taught the faith and misteries of the truthe Whose see the English nacion hath enen now notable for the name and church of Saint Martin the bishop where he also doth rest together with many holy men Which place appertaining to the Bernicians prouince is commonly called Ad candidam casam at the white cottage for somuch as ther he made a church of stone after an other facion then the Britons wer wont to builde Columban came
people no good to the which he was sent for as much as they were folkes that might not be reclaymed of a hard capacite and fierce nature Then the elders as they say began in counsaile to treate at lōge what were best to de done being no lesse desyrous that the people should attayne the saluation whiche they sought for then sory that the preacher whom they sent was not receiued When Aidan for he also was present at the coūsaile replyed against the priest of whom I spake saying Me thinketh brother that you haue ben more rigorous then reason would with that vnlerned audience and that you haue not according to the Apostles instruction first geuen them milke of milde doctrine vntell being by litle and litle nourished and weaned with the worde of God they were able to vnderstand the more perfect misteries and fulfill the greater commaundementes of God This being saied al that were at the assemble looking vpon Aidan debated diligently his saying and concluded that he aboue the rest was worthy of that charge and bishopricke and that he shoulde be sent to instruct those vnlerned paynims For he was tried to be chiefely garnished with the grace of discretion the mother of all vertues Thus making him bishop they sent him forthe to preach Who when he had taken his time euen as before he was knowen to be endued withe discretion so did he afterward shewe him selfe to be beautified with all other vertues Of kinge Oswaldes wonderfull religion and passing piete The. 6. Chap. KInge Oswald and that parte of the Englishe nation of whome he was the Soueraine gouuernour beinge from thence forthe instructed by this right Reuerend prelats doctrine did not only learne to hope for the heauenly kingdome vnknowen to his graundfathers but also cōquered more then any of his auncetours did earthly kingdomes by the power of the same one almighty God who made heauen and earth Brefely all the nations and prouinces of Britanny which spake foure diuers languages that is to saie the Britons the Redshankes the Scottes the English became subiect vnto him And yet being aduaunced to so royall maiesty he was euer notwithstanding which is maruailous to be reported lowly to all gracious to the poore and bountifull to all pilgrimes and straungers The report is that at a certain time when on the holy day of Easter the kinge and the foresaied bishop were sitt downe to diner and a siluer dish replenished with princely deintees was sett on the table before them being now ready to saie grace sodenly entered in his seruaunt to whom was committed the charge to receiue the needy and tolde the king that a very great numbre of poore people flockinge from all places did sitt in the Courte looking for some almes from the kinge Who by and by gaue commaundement that the delicates whiche were sett before his owne person should be bestowed on the poore and the dishe of siluer broken and by peecemeale parted amonge them At the sight whereof the bishop who sate by the kinge being delited withe such a worke of mercy toke him by the right hand and saied I praie God this hande be neuer consumed Which thinge came euen so to passe as in his blessing he desired For where as after that he being slaine in battail his handes with his arme were cut of from the residew of his body so it is that his handes to this time continue vncorrupted◠and are reserued in a siluer shrine in S. Peters church wher with worthy honour they are worshipped of all men in the kinges cyte whiche hathe his name of a lady sometime Quene called Bebba By this kinges trauail the prouinces of the Deirans and the Bernicians which did so deadly hate one the other were reconciled and ioyned together in one allegeaunce and amitie like as they were one people This kinge Oswald was kinge Edwines nephew by his sister Achas side And it was mete that so noble a predecessour shuld haue so worthy an heyre as wel of his religion as of his realme and that of his owne kinred How the cuntry of west Saxons receiued the worde of God by Berinus preaching and Agilbertus and Eleutherius his successour The. 7. Chapter THe west Saxons who of old time were called Genisse receiued the faith of Christ in the raign of Cynigilsus Berinus the bishop preaching to them the worde who came into Britanie by Pope Honorius appointment promising in his presence that he wold sowe the seedes of the holy faith in the hart of the vttermost coastes of England whether no teacher had of any time gone before him In consideration wherof at the commaundement of the same Pope Asterius the bishop of Geane did consecrat him bishop But at his arriuall into Britany and first entering into Geuisse finding that al the inhabitants there were very paynims he thought it more expedient to preach the word of God among them rather then in trauailing further to serche for such as he shuld preach vnto And thus at his preaching of the gospell in the forsaid prouince when the king him selfe being newly taught the faith was Christened with his nation it happened at that tyme that Oswald the most holy and very victorious king of Northumberland was present Who coming then to take his daughter to wife toke him first out of the holy font for his godson not without the meruailous and swete prouisiō of almighty God After this solemnitie both the kinges gaue the same bishop the citie of Dorcinca for his bishoprike where after that he had builded and dedicated churches and by his paines brought much people to our Lord he went to God and was buried in the same citie Many yeares after when Hedde was bishop he was translated from thens to the citee of Venta and laid in the churche of the blessed Apostles S. Peter and Paule After the death of this kinge his sonne Senwalch succeded him in his kingdome who refused to receiue the faith and sacramentes of the kingdome of heauen and shortly after lost the greate rule of his wordly kingdome also For taking an other wife and casting of the sister of Penda kinge of the Marshes his true wedded wif he was by Penda assauted with battaile deposed from his kingdome and constrained to flye to the king of the east English men who was called Anna with whom liuing in banishment by the space of three yeres he learned the faith For this kinge with whom he lyued in banishment was a vertuous man and blessed of God with plentifull and holy issue as we shall declare hereafter But when Senwalch was restored to his kingdome there came out of Irelande into his prouince a certaine prelate named Agilbertus a frenche man borne yet hauing made long abode in Ireland because he read there the scriptures This bishop of his owne accorde came to serue the prince and to preach him the word of life Such was his lerning and industry that the
same maner obserued it And this obseruation that you maye not thinke it a light matter or easely to be reiected is the selfe same which S. Iohn the Euangelist the disciple whom Iesus specially loued with all the churches vnder him obserued These and such like wordes when bishop Colman had spoken the kinge commaunded Agilbert the bishop to speake his minde also and to bringe forthe the beginning and author of his maner of obseruing Easter vnto whom Agilbert answered Let I besâ—che you my scholer VVilfrid priest speake herein for me For we and all that here sitt be of one minde and obserue herein the ecclesiasticall tradition vniformly Beside he shal better expresse to your highnes the whole matter speaking him selfe the english tounge then I shall be able vsing an interpreter Then VVilfrid the kinge commaunding him spake in this wise The Easter which we obserue we haue sene in like maner to haue ben obserued at Rome where the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule liued and preached suffred and are buried This maner we haue sene to be obserued in all Italy and Fraunce passing through those countres partly for study partly on pilgrimage This maner we knowe to be obserued in Afrike in Asia in Aegypt in Grece and through out all nations and tounges of all the worlde where the church of Christ taketh place after the self same order and time beside only these fewe and other of like obstinacy the Pictes I meane and the Britons with whom these men from the two fardermost Ilondes of the OceaÌ„ sea and yet not all that neither do fondly contend against the whole worlde Here Colmanus the bishop interrupted and saied I maruail much you terme our doing a fond contention wherein we folow the example of so worthy an Apostle who only leaued vpon our Lordes brest and whose life and behauiour all the worlde accompteth to haue ben most wise and discrete Vnto whom Wilfrid answered and saied God forbid we shuld charge S. Iohn with fondnesse or lacke of wit For he in his obseruation kept yet the decrees of Moyses lawe literally according as the whole church folowed yet in many thinges the Iuish maner for why The Apostles were not able vpon the soden to blotte out all customes and rites of the lawe instituted of God him selfe as all that come to the faith must of necessite abandonne Idols inuented of the diuell And this forsothe they were forced to beare a time withall lest the Iewes which liued amonge the gentils might be offended For in the like consideration also S. Paul did circumcide Timothe offred bloudsacrifices in the temple shaued his head at Corinth with Aquila and Priscilla truly to no other intent but that the Iewes might not be offended Vpon this consideration Iames saied vnto Paule You see brother how many thousandes of the Iewes haue receiued the faith and all these are yet zelous folowers of the lawe Notwithstanding the light of the ghospell now shining through out the worlde it is not nowe necessary no it is not lawfull now for any Christen man to be circumcided or to offer vp bloudy sacrifices of bestes S. Iohn therefore according to the custome of the lawe in the fourtenth daie of the first moneth at the euening began to celebrat the feste of Easter not regarding whether it fell out the Sabaoth daie or any other fery of the weke But S. Peter preaching the gospell at Rome remembring that our Lorde arose the first daye after the Sabbaoth geuing thereby to vs certain and assured hope of our resurrection he vnderstode the obseruation of Easter in such sorte that according to the custome and commaundements of the lawe he looked for euen as S. Iohn did the rising of the Moone at euening in the fourtenth day of his aage in the first moneth And at the rising thereof at euening if the morow after were Sonday which then was called the first day after the Sabboth he began in that very euening to obserue the feste of Easter as all we do euen to this daye beginning on Easter eue But if Sonday were not the next morow after the fourtenth day of the chaunge of the Moone but the sixtenth seuenteth or any other daye of the Moone vntell the one and twentith he taryed for the Sonday and the Saterday before vppon the euening he began the most holy solemnite of Easter Thus it came to passe that Easter sonday was kept only either the fiftenth day of the chaunge of the Moone in the first moneth or the one and twentith or in some daye betwene as the sonday fell and no daye elles Neither dothe this new obseruation of the ghospell and of the Apostles breake the olde lawe but rather fulfill it For in the lawe it is commaunded that the passeouer shoulde be solemnised from the euening of the xiiij daye of the chaunge of the moone of the first moneth vntel the xxj daye of the same moone Whiche obseruation all the successours of S. Iohn in Asia after his death and the whole vniuersall church through out the whole worlde hath embraced and folowed Againe it was by the Nicene councell not newly decreed but confirmed as the ecclesiasticall history witnesseth that this is the true obseruation of Easter and of all Christen men after this accompt to be celebrated Whereby it is clere my Lord ColmaÌ„ that you neither folowe the example of S. Iohn as you suppose neither of S. Peter whose tradition wittingly you withstande nor the law nor the ghospel in the obseruation of your Easter For S. Iohn obseruing the Easter time according to the lawes of Moyses passed not vpon the Sonday as you do which kepe your Easter allwaies vpon a Sonday Againe S. Peter celebrated the Easter vpon the Sonday from the fiftenth daye of the chaunge of the moone vntell the xxj daye whiche you folow not which kepe it so vpon the Sonday that you reaken from the xiiij daie of the chaunge vnto the xx So that oftentimes you beginne your Easter in the xiij daie of the change at euening which neither the olde lawe obserued neither Christ in eating his passeouer and instituting that moste holy Sacrament in remembraunce of his passion vsed but on the xiiij daie Againe the xxj daye of the moone which the lawe expressely commaunded you do vtterly exclude from the celebrating of your Easter Thus as I said in the obseruation of that most excelleÌ„t festiuite you neither agree with S. Iohn neither with S. Peter neither with the law neither with the gospel To these Bishopp Colman replied and saied How thinke ye Did Anatholius that holy man and so much commended in the ecclesiasticall history before of you alleaged thinke or teache contrary to the lawe and the ghospell writing that Easter ought to be obserued from the xiiij daie of the moone vnto the xx Is it to be thought that our moste Reuerend Father Columba and his
predecessours had before him ouer the prouinces of the Marshes and myddle english and also of Lindisfar dioecese In all whiche countrees VVulpher who yet lyued dyd holde the crowne and scepter This VVinfrid was of the clergy of the same byshop whome he succeded and had executed the office of deacon vnder him no small tyme. Howe by shopp Colman leauing England made two monasteries in Scotland one for Scottes and an other for the English men that he had browght with him The. 4. Chap. IN the meane tyme byshop Colman who was a Scottish byshop lefte England and tooke with him all the Scottes that he had gathered together in the I le of Lindisfar and abowt xxx englysh men also which were all browght vp in the orders of monasticall lyfe and conuersation And leauing in his owne churche certaine bretherne he came first to the I le of Hij from whence he was first sent to preache the word of God to the English men Afterward he went to a certaine litle I le which lieth on the west syde cut of a good way from Ireland and is called in the Scottysh tonge Inhisbowinde that is to saye VVhitecalfe I le In to whiche he came and buylte a monasterie and placed the monkes in the same which he had browght with him and gathered of bothe nations Whiche bicawse they cowld not agree together for that the Scottes in somer tyme when haruest was getting in wold leaue the monasteries and go wander abrode in places of their acquayntaunce and than at winter wold come againe and require to enioy in cōmon such thinges as the english mē had prouided and layed vp Colman seking remedie for this discorde and vewing all places far and nere found at length in Ireland a mete place for his purpose called in the Scottish tonge Magio Of that grounde he bought a small parcell to buyld a monasterie therein of the Erle that possessed the same vppon this condition with all that the monkes there abydinge shoulde remembre in their praiers the Lorde of the soile who lett them haue that place Thus the monasterie being spedely erected by the helpe of the Erle and of all such as dwelled thereby he placed the Englishmen alone therein the Scottes being leafte in the foresaid Iland The which monasterie vnto this day is holden of Englishmen and is the same which is commonly called Iniugeo being nowe much enlarged and amplified of that it was at first This monastery also all thinges being since brought to a better order hath in it at this present a notable company of vertuous monkes that come thither out of England and liue after the example of the worthy olde fathers vnder their rule and appointed Abbat in great continencie and synceritie getting their lyuing with the labour of their owne handes Of the death of king Oswin aud king Egbert and of the Synode made at Hereford at which the Archebishop Theodore was chiefe and president The. 5. Chap. THe yere of the incarnation of our Lorde 670. whiche was the second yere after that Theodore came to England Oswy king of Northumberland was taken with a greuous sickenesse whereof he dyed the yere of his age lviij Who at that time bare such loue and affection to the Apostolike see of Rome that if he might haue scaped his sicknes he purposed to go to Rome and to end his lyfe in those holy places there hauing for that purpose intreated bishop Wilfride to be his guyde in his iourney and promised him a greate somme of mony to cōduct him thither But he departed this life in that sickenesse the xv day of Februarie and leafte Egfride his sonne enheritour of the realme In the third yeare of whose raigne Theodore gathered a Councell of bishops with many other doctours and prelates of the churche suche as diligently studied and knewe the canonicall statutes and ordinances of the fathers Who being assembled together he began with such minde and zeale as became a bishop to teache diligently to obserue those thinges that were conuenient for the vnitie and peace of the churche The forme and tenour of whiche Synode is this In the name of our Lorde God and Sauiour Christ Iesus who raigneth and gouuerneth his church for euer it semed good vnto vs to assemble our selues together according to the custome prescribed in the ecclesiasticall Canons to treate of necessarie affaires of the church we the bishops vndernamed that is I Theodore although vnworthy appointed by the See Apostolike Archebishop of Caunterbury our felowe priest and brother the most reuerend bishop of the Eastenglish B. Bisi our felow priest and brother VVilfrid bishop of the Northumbrians by his deputed legates present Also our felowe priestes and brethern Putta bishop of Rochester Leutherius bishop of the West Saxons and VVinfrid bishop of the Marshes or Middleenglish men we all being assembled together and placed euery one in order in the church of Hereforde the xxiiij of September in the first Indiction I beseke you saied I most derely beloued brethern for the feare and loue of our Redemer let vs all in common treate and debate such thinges as appertaine to the right faith keging vprightly and straighly the decrees and determinations of our lerned auncetours and holy fathers These and such like thinges for the preseruation of charite and vnite amonge vs and in the church when I had saied and made an end of that exhortation and preface I demaunded of eche of them in order whether they agreed to kepe those thinges which are canonically decreed of the auncient fathers of old time Whereto al our fellow priestes aunsweared and saied It pleaseth vs all very well that those things which the canons of the holy fathers haue defined and appointed we all do kepe and obserue the same And then straight way did I bringe furth vnto them the booke of canons and out of the same booke I shewed before them ten articles which I had noted out of diuerse places bycause I knew them to be most necessarie for vs and I besought them that the same mougthe be receaued and kepte diligently of all men The first article was that we al in common do kepe the holy feast of Ester on the sonday after the xiiij day of the moone in the moneth of Marche The second that no bishop should haue ought to do in an others diocese but be contented with the chardge of the people committed vnto him The third that no bishop should moleste or anye wise troble such monasteries as were consecrated and giuen to God nor violently take from thē ought that was theirs The fourth that monks shuld not go from place to place that is to say from one monasterie to an other onlesse by the leaue of their own abbot but should continew in the obedience which they promised at the time of their cōuersiō and entring into religiō The fift that none of the clergy forsaking his own bishop shuld runne vp
the byshop the possession of the land of CCC tenementes Whiche portion the Bishop gaue and committed to one of his clerkes named Bernwini his sisters sonne and appointed there to a priest named Hildila to minister the worde and baptisme of lyfe to all that would be saued And here I thinke it not to be passed ouer in silence that for the first frutes of them that were saued throwgh beleuing in the same I le two children of the blood royall being bretherne to Aruald king of the Iland were crouned with a speciall grace of God For when the ennemies came on the Iland they â—led and scaped to the next prouince of the Vites And there they gat to a place called Stonestat hoping to hyde themselues from the face and sighte of the king that had conquered their countree but they were betrayed and fownd owt and commaunded to be put to death Which thing when a certaine abbat and priest named Cimberth had heard of whose monasterie was not far from thence at a place called Redford he came to the king which was than in the same parties lying secretly to be cured of his woundes that he had taken fighting in the I le of Wighte and desired of him that if he would nedes haue the childerne put to death yet they might first receaue the sacramentes of the Christian fayth The kinge graunted his request and than he tooke them and catechised them in the right faith of Christe and wasshing them withe the holesome fonte of baptisme made them sure and in perfyt hope to enter into the kingdome euerlasting Anon after came the hangeman to put them to death which death of this world they ioyfully toke by the which they douted not but they should passe to the eternall life of the soule When after this order all the prouince of great Britaine had receaued the faythe of Christe the I le of Wight receaued the same also in whiche notwitstanding bicause of the miserie and state of forayne subiection no man tooke the degree of the ministerie and place of a bysshopp before Daniel who nowe is bysshopp of the west Saxons and of the Geuisses The situation of this I le is ouer against the middes of the South Saxons and Geuisses the sea comming betwene of the breadth of three myles which sea is called Solent in which two armes of the Ocean sea that breake out from the maine north sea about Britanie do dayly mete and violently ronne together beyond the mouth of the riuer Homelea which ronneth along by the countree off the Vites that belong to the prouince of the Genisses and so entreth into the foresaid sea And after this meting and striuing together of the two seas they goe backe and flowe againe into the Ocean from whence they came Of the Synode made at Hetdfield Theodore the Archebishop being there president The 17. Chap. AT this time Theodore hauing worde that the faith of the church at CoÌ„stantinople was sore troubled through the heresie of Eutiches and wishing that the churches of the english nation ouer which he gouuerned might continew free and clere from such a spot gathered an assemble of Reuerend priestes and many doctours and enquired diligently of eche of them what faith they were of where he found one consent and agrement of them all in the catholique faith Which consent he procured to set forth and commende with letters sent from the whole Synode for the instruction and remembrance of the aftercommers the beginning of which letters was this In the name of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and in the raignes of our most good and vertuouse Lordes Ecgfride king of the Humbers the x. yere of his raigne the viij yere of the Indiction and the xvij day of September and Edilrede king of the Marshes in the vj. yeare of his raigne and Aldulphe king of the Estenglish in the xvij yere of his raigne and Lothar king of kent in the vij yeare of his raigne being there president and chief Theodore by the grace of God Archebishop of the I le of Britanie and of the citie of Caunterbury and with him sitting in assemblee the other bishops of the same land most Reuerend men and prelates hauing the holy ghospelles set before them at a place called in the Saxon tong Hedtfield after commoning and conference together had thereuppon we haue expounded and set fourth the right and true catholique faith in such sort as our Lorde Iesus being incarnate in this worlde deliuered it to his disciples which presently sawe and heard his wordes and doctrine and as the crede of the holy fathers hath leaft by tradition and generally as all holy men all generall Councells and all the whole company of the authentique doctours of the catholique churche haue taught and deliuered Whome we following in good dewe godly and rightbeleuing maner according to their doctrine inspired into them from God do professe and beleue and stedfastly do confesse with the holy fathers the Father and the Sonne and the holy ghoste most verily and in true and formall proprietie the Trinitie in the vnitie of one substance and the vnitie in Trinitye that is to saye one God in three persons of one substance and of equall glorie and honour And after many like thinges pertaining to the confession of the right faith the holy Synode dyd also adde to their letters these thinges folowing We haue receaued the fiue holy and generall Synodes of the blessed and derebeloued fathers of God that is to saye of CCC xviij which wer asseÌ„bled at Nice against the most wicked and blasphemous Arrius and his opinions And of Cl. at Constantinople against the madenesse and fond secte of Macedonius and Eudoxius and their opinions And at Ephesus the first time of CC. against the most wicked Nestorius and his opinions And at ChalcedoÌ„ of CCxxx against Eutiches and Nestorius and their opinions And at Constantinople the second time where was assembled the fifte Councell in the time of the emperour Iustinian the yonger against Theodore and Theodorete and Ibe and their epistles and their opinions And a litle after against Cyrill Also we receaue and admit the Synode made at the citie of Rome in the time of the most holy and blessed Pope Martin the viij yere of the Indiction and the ix yere of the most godly and good Emperour Constantine And we worship and glorifie our Lorde Iesus Christ in such sort as these men haue done adding or diminishing nothing and we accurse with hart and mouth them whome these fathers haue accursed and whome they haue receaued we receaue glorifyeng God the father without beginning and his only begotten sonne begotten of the father before all ages and times and the holy ghost proceding of the father and the sonne in vnspeakeable wise according as these aboue mentioned holy Apostles and prohetes and doctours haue preached and taught And all we that with Theodore the Archebishop haue set forth and declared
the catholique faith do hereunto subscribe with our owne handes How Iohn the Chantour of the sea Apostolique came into Englande to teache his conninge The. 18. Chap. AT this Synode there was present and also confirmed the decrees of the catholique faith a most reuerēd man named Ihon the chief Chantour of S. Peters churche and abbot of the monasterie of S. Martyns whiche was come of late from Rome by the commaundement of Pope Agatho hauing for his guyde the most reuerend Abbot Bishop surnamed Benedict of whome we spake before For when the sayed Benedict had buylt a monasterie in England in the honour of the most bessed chief of thapostles S. Peter by the mouth of the riuer Were he came to Rome as he had ofte bene wont to do before with his felowe and helper in the same worke Ceolfride who after him was abbot of the same monasterie and was receaued most honourably of Pope Agatho of worthy memorie of whome he desyred and obtained for the warrant and assurance of the libertie of the monasterie that he had erected a letter of priuilege confirmed by the authoritie Apostolique in such forme as he knewe the will and graunt of king Ecgfride to be by whose leaue and liberall gyfte of possession and land he had made the sayd monasterie He obtained also to haue with him the foresayd Abbot Ihon into England to the entente he might teache in his monasterie the yearly course and order of singing as it was in S. Peters at Rome And so the sayd Abbot Ihon did as sone as he had commaundemente by the Pope both with his owne voyce and presence teaching the chantours and singing men of the saied monastery the order and forme of singing and reading and also putting in writing those thinges that appertained to the celebration of highe feastes and holy dayes for the whole cōpasse of the yere Which things of his writing haue bene hitherto kept in the same monastery and are now euery wher copied out by diuerse And the same Ihon did not only teache the brethren of that monasterie but such as were skilled in songe came together to here him almost from all the monasteries of the same prouince And many to did earnestly desyre and entreat him in such places where he taught to come to them him selfe Beside this office and skill to teache synging and reading he had also an other charge in commaundement from the Pope Apostolike which was that he should diligently learne of what faith the churche of England was and bring worde thereof at his retourne to Rome For not longe before there had ben kepte at Rome a Synod by the holy Pope Martin of the consent of Cv. bishops against them principally that preached one only working and will in Christe Which Synode he brought with him and gaue it to be writen and copyed out in the foresayd monasterie of the moste vertuouse Abbot Benedict For such men had at that time very sore troubled the faith of the churche of Constantinople but by the goodnes and gyfte of our Lorde they were anon espied out and conuicted at the same time Wherefore Agatho the Pope minding as in other prouinces so also in England to be enformed what the Churche was and howe clere it was from the pestilent contagions of heretikes committed this charge and busynes to the most Reuerend Abbot Ihon being nowe appointed to go to England And therefore when the synode which we spake of before was called together in England for this purpose the catholike faith was in them all found clere sownd and vncorrupted And a copie of the same was geuen him to carie to Rome But in his retourning homewarde not long after he passed the sea he fell sicke by the way and died His body for the loue of S. Martin whose monasterie he gouerned was by his frendes brought vnto Tours and there buried honorably For as he went toward England he was gentelly receaued and lodged in that churche and desired earnestly of the bretherne ther that whē he retourned to Rome he wold come that way and lodge with them Finally he toke with him from thence certaine to helpe and succour him both in his iourney and also in his busynes that he was charged withall who althoughe he thus died by the way yet neuerthelesse the copie of the Catholique faith of England was brought to Rome and receaued most gladly and ioyfully of the Pope apostolike and of al that heard or read the same How quene Edildred continewed a perpetuall virgin whose body could not be corrupted nor rot in her tombe The. 19. Chapter KIng Egfride tooke to wife a woman named Edildride the doughter of Anna king of the East english of whom we haue ofte made mention a man meruailouse godly and in al pointes notable for vertu both of thought and dede This sayd woman had bene wedded to an other man before him that is to saye to the prince of the South Giruians named Tonbert But he died a litle after he had maried her and then she was geuen to wife to the foresayd kinge With whome she liued xij yeres and yet remained continually a pure and glorious virgin euen as bishop Wilfrid a man of blessed memorie did shewe me enquiring of purpose of the matter bicause many did doubte thereof and saied vnto me that he coulde of all men be a very sure witnesse of her virginitie for so much as kinge Ecgfrid promised to geue him landes and much money if he coulde persuade the quene to vse his companie though yet he knewe well that she loued no man in the world more then him And it is not to be mystrusted but that the same thinge may be done in our time also which hathe ben sometime done in times paste as trewe histories do witnesse whereas one and the same lorde geueth the grace which promiseth to abyde with vs vnto the end of the world For besyde this the signe and token of the diuine miracle in that the flesh of the same virgin buryed could not be corrupted and putrefied doth well shewe that she lyued alway vncorrupted and vntouched of any man Againe it is well knowen she besowght the king very much and a long time that she mighte forsake the cares of the world and haue leaue to go into a monasterie and ther◠only to serue Christ the true king Which when she had at last obtayned she entred into the monasterie of Abbesse Ebbe who bare a good affection to kinge Ecgfride The monasterie standeth in a towne called Coludi and the aforesayd byshop VVilfride gaue her the veale and habit of a nonne Within a yere after whiche she was herselfe made an Abbesse in the I le of Ely in which place there was built a monastery of virgins dedicated to God amonge whom she began to be a very good mother and virgin bothe in examples and also good lessons of heauenly lyfe Of her it is sayd that after the
time after the making of the monasterie she departed thence to the citie of Calcaria whiche is called of the english men Calcacester and there she appointed to abyde and continewe Now this other handmayd of Christ Hilda being placed to rule this monasterie dyd strayght procure to order and dispose the same in all pointes with regular lyfe and discipline in such wise as she could be best enstructed of them that were learned For both bishop Aydan and as many religious persons as knewe her for the great wysedome and loue to serue God that was in her were wont ofte times to visit her louingly to helpe her and diligently to instructe her Thus when she had certaine yeres gouuerned this monasterie in great obseruation and straighnes of regular lyfe and order it was her chaunce to take in hand the buylding and disposing of a monasterie in the place called Straneshalch which busynes committed vnto her she finished with all speede and diligence For she fournished and framed it with the same rules and orders of regular lyfe with which she had disposed the other monasterie before And truly she dyd there teache singularly the workes of righteousnes deuotion chastitie and other vertues but specially of peace and charitie in such wise that after the example of the primitiue church there was none riche there none poore but all thinges common to all for nothing semed peculiar and priuate to any one She was of such wysedome that not only all meane persons in their necessities but also kinges and princes dyd seke and find counsel of her Such religious men as liued vnder her gouernaÌ„ce she made to bestow their time in the reading of the holy scriptures and in the exercise of the workes of vertue that out of her monastery many might easely be founde mete and worthy meÌ„ to serue the church and the aultar And in dede we haue sene in a short space fiue bishops oute of the same monasterie all men of singular merite and holynesse whose names are these Bosa Adda Ostfor Iohn and VVilfride Of the first we haue spoken before howe he was consecrated bishop of Yorke Of the second to speake shortly he was made bishop of Dorcister Of the two last we shall speake afterwarde of which the one was consecrated bishop of Hagulstad and the other of Yorke Of the middlemost let vs nowe say somewhat When he had in both the monasteries of Abbesse Hilda diligently applied the reading and studieng of the scriptures at last desiring more perfecte exercises he came to keÌ„t to the Archebishop Theodore of blessed memorie Where hauing continewed a certaine space and spent his time in holy studies and reading he found also the meanes to go to Rome which at that time was counted a thing of great vertue and deuotion From thence retourning home againe to England he went vnto the prouince of the Victians ouer which king Osric raigned than and there he remained a long time preaching the word of faithe and also giuing himselfe for an example of life to all that knewe and heard him At which time the bishop of that prouince named Boselus being so sicke and weake that he could not himselfe fullfill the office a bishop by all mens iudgement and consent the foresaid man was elected and chosen bishop in his place and at the coÌ„maundment of king Edilred was consecrated by bishop VVilfride of blessed memorie who at that time was byshop of the Middleenglish For Theodore tharchebisshop was than dead and none other as yet made bishop for him In which prouince a litle befor that is to wytt before that foresaid man of God Boselus one Taâ—frid a man most stout couragiouse and well learned and of an excellent wyt was elected bishoppe out of the monasterie of the said Abbesse but he was taken away and died before his time ere that he might be consecrated This foresaid handmayde of Christ Abbesse Hilda whome all that knewe her were wont to call mother for her notable grace and godlinesse was not only in her owne monasterie an example of lyfe to them that were with her but also to many other that were far of the ministred occasion of saluation and amendement to whom the happy report of her doing and vertuous liuing came And so was fulfilled the dreame that her mother Bregoswid had when this was but an enfant For when her husband Heriric was out of his couÌ„tre as an outlawe vnder Cerdix kinge of the Britons where also he was att last poysonned she sawe in a dreame that he whom she sought with al diligeÌ„ce was as it wer sodainly takeÌ„ out of her sight that no signe aud token of him any where did appere But as she yet busily sought for him she fouÌ„d by and by a very pretious ouch and iewel vnder his garmeÌ„t which as she did wel marke and coÌ„sider it semed to shine and glister with brightnesse of so great a lighte that it filled all the borders of Britannie with the grace thereof The which dreame was proued true in her doughter whome we speake of Whose lyfe not to her selfe only but to many other that wold lyue well did geue examples of the workes of light But nowe when she had many yeres ruled this monasterie it pleased the mercifull worker of our saluation that her holy soule should also be examined and tried with long sicknesse of the body that after thexample of the Apostle her vertue might be made perfect in infirmitie and weakenesse For she was striken with feuers and begaÌ„ to be greuously vexed with the heate and was in the same wise sicke and deseased for the space of vj. yeres In all which time she did neuer omit and let passe both to giue thankes to her creatour and also to teache and enstructe openly and priuatly the flocke coÌ„mitted to her charge For by her owne example she warned them all both to serue our Lorde dewly when he geueth them their bodely health and also thanke him continually and faithfully in worldly aduersities or bodely infirmities and sickenesse And thus the seuenth yere of her sicknesse the grief and paine tourning toward the hart and inward partes she came to her ende and last day in this worlde and about the crowing of the cocke after she had receaued the viage prouision of holy howsell she called vnto her he handmaides of Christ that were in the same monasterie whome as she admonished and counselled to kepe the euangelicall vnite amonge them selues and with other at the very last worde and making of this her exhortatioÌ„ she gladly and willingly saw the houre of her death yea rather to speke with Christs owne wordes she passed from death vnto lyfe In which very night our almightie Lord vouchesafed to reuele her death and departing by a manifest and plaine vision in an other monasterie that was a good way of named Hacanes the which she had buylt the same yere For there was in the same monasterie a certaine Nonne
his tyme. For it was the maner of the people of England at that time that when any of the clergy or any priest came to a village they would all by and by at his calling come together to heare the worde and willingly harken to such thinges as were saied and more willingly followe in workes suche thinges as they could heare and vnderstande Nowe this man Cutbert had such a grace and skill in vtteraunce such a zele in persuading such an Angels face and countenaunce that none that was present durst presume to hyde the secrettes of his hart from him but dyd all openly declare in confession the thinges that they had done both for that they thoughte that the same could in no wyse be hid from him and also that they might be shryuen and cleansed from their synnes throughe the dewe frutes of penaunce as he should appoint them This good man was wont to resorte vnto those places and villages most commonly that stoode a far of in stipye and craggie hylles and whiche other men were afraid to come at or els being lerned lothed to visit bicause of the vnsemely dwelling and vplandish rudenesse of the inhabitants And yet he dyd so ioyefully giue himselfe to this godly and charitable labour and so diligently instructed them with good and holesome doctrine that he would go out of the monasterie oftetimes and not come home againe in an whole weke sometimes not in two or three yea not in a whole moneth but all that time tarie in the hylles among the poore folke of the countree exhorting them to the ioyes of heauen both with the worde of preaching and worke of vertuouse example When this reuerend seruante of our Lord had lyued many yeares in the monasterie of Mailros and excelled in great signes of vertues the most reuerend Abbot there Eata remoued him to the yle of Lindesfarne that he might there also set forth to the bretherne the keping of regular discipline both with the authoritie of an head and ruler and also expresse and shewe the same by his owne doing and example For this most reuerend father did at that time gouuerne the same place as Abbot there of Though of olde time in that place both the bishop was wont to abyde together with his clergie and ministers of his church and the Abbot with the monks who did also notwithstanding belong to the houshould and cure of the bishop For AidaÌ„ which was the first bishop of that place came thither with monkes being also a monke himself and did there place and begyn monasticall lyfe and conuersation eâ—en as before also the blessed father Augustine did in kent as is well knowen and as we haue declared before at what tyme as the moste reuerend Pope Gregorye wrote to him on this wyse For asmuch as dere brother it is not mete for you that are enstructed and brought vp in monasticall rules and orders to be and dwell seuerall from your clergie and chapplins in the churche of England which is of late by the worke and grace of God brought vnto the faith you must therefor vse this lyf and coÌ„uersation which our fathers vsed in the beginning and rysing of the primitiue churche amoÌ„g whom noman did call any thing his of all that they bad but all thinges were common among them Howe the same man lyuing an anchors solitarie life did by praying bring furth water out of a stone ground and also receaued graine by the labour of his hande out of sowing time The. 28. Chapter AFter this Cutberte encreasing in the merite of religiouse and holy deuotion came also to the secret silence of an Anchors lyfe and contemplation And bicause many yeres passed we haue sufficiently written of his life and vertues both in heroicall verse and in prose yt shall suffise at this present only to rehearse this much that at his going to the iland he protested to the bretherne and sayd If the grace and goodnes of God doo graunt me in that place that I may liue by the worke of mine owne hande I will gladly abyde there if not I will God willing very shortly retourne to you againe Now this place was quite destitute both of water and graine and wodde and also not mete for any man to dwell in bicause of the wicked spirits and fendes that haunted there Yet at the prayer and desyre of the man of God it became such in all respecte that it mighte well inough be enhabited For at his comming the euill spirits went their way Which enemies being so driuen out and that he had made himselfe a narrowe and small dwelling place compassed about with a trenche and with the helping hand of the bretherne had bylded necessarie howses in the same that is to saye a chappell and a common dwelling place he commaunded the brethern to make a pyt in the pauement of the same dwelling place Which they did and yet the earth was very hard and stonye and semed not to haue any moisture in the world nor any vaine of water or spring in it But the next day at the faith and praiers of the seruaunt of God the pyt was found full of water which vnto this day doth geue sufficient vse and aboundance of that heauenly grace to all that come thither Beside this he desyred to haue ploughing tooles brought him and wheate withall and when he had laboured and made ready ground before and sowen it in dewe season it so happened that at the very time of sommer ther grewe therof not only no eares but not so much as any blade or grasse Wherefore when the bretherne came to visit him as their maner was he willed barly to be brought him to see if happely the nature of that soile or the will of the highe geuer were that the sede of that graine could growe any better there Which when it was brought him and that he had sowen it in the same field out of all season of sowing and out of all hope of hauing any frute againe yet there arose and grewe vp anon corne plentifully and gaue to the man of God the ioyfull refresshing and sustenaunce of his owne labour And when he had there serued God solitarily many yeres for the banke wherewith his house was compassed and trenched about was so highe that he could see nothing els out of it but heauen which he thyrsted and longed to enter into it happened at the same time that there was a great synode assembled in the presence of king Egfride by the riuer of Alua at a place called Atwiforde which signifieth as much as at the two fordes in which Archebisshop Theodore of blessed memorie was president and there this foresayd man with one mind and consent of them all was chosen to be bishop of the churche of Lindisfarne Who when he could in no wise be drawen out of his monasterie for all the messengers and letters that were sent him at last the foresayd king himselfe hauing the most
corner some in to that The bishop him self with certaine other went to Pipine which at the earnest sute of his ladye Slichildride gaue him a dwelling and maÌ„sion place in a isle of the Rhene which in their toungue is called In litore that is to say in the sea cost where he buylding a goodly monastery which his successours possesse at this present liued a very austere and continent lyfe there where al so he died After the foresaid holy men that came to Frisland had preached there iiij yeares or mo Pipine with the common assent of all the country sent that vertuous and worthy prelate VVilbrodde to Rome where Sergius was yet Pope desyring that he might be made Archebishop of that parte of Freslande the which was fulfilled accordinge to his request the yeare sence the incarnation of Christ. 696. Vpon sainct Cicelies day and in sainct Cicelies churche he was consecrated and named Clement of the said Pope and forthwith sent away to his bisshoprycke to witt xiiij dayes after his cominge to Rome At his returne Pipine assigned him a Cathedrall Churche in his chief and principall cyte called by an olde auncient name of those countries VViltaburge as yow would say a toune inhabited of the VViltes In the french tounge it is called Vltraict Where when this holy and reuerend father had buildid a churche and preaching the faith of Christ farr and wyde had reuokyd many from blindnes and errour he erected also many churches and monasteries through out al those couÌ„tryes and within shorte tyme after made many bishopps chosen either out of those that came presently with him or of other which came thither afterward to preache of the which company many are now departed to god But Wilbrorde called otherwise Clement lyueth yet a reuerent father euen for his age for he hath lyued in his bishoppricke xxxvj yeres and after many agonies and troubles of his heuenly warfare laboureth and panteth yet after the rewarde of euerlastinge blysse in heauen Howe one in Northumberland rysing from deathe tolde many thinges that he had sene some terrible to heare and some worthy to be desired of all men The. 13. Chap. THe very same time was wrought in Britanny a miracle worthy of perpetuall remembraunce and not vnleke to the olde auncient miracles of tymes past for to stirre vp and reuiue men lyuing here vppon earth from the death of their soules a certayne man starke dead for a tyme rose from death to lyfe and tolde many notable thinges that he had seene of the which I thought it good to touche certayne briefly in this historie There was in the coast of Northumberlande in a place callyd Incunning an honest householder of the countrie which with all his family lyued a godly and vertous life He fell sicke and by vehemency of his dysease growing more and more vppon hym was brought to extremyty and in the beginnyng of the nyght died But in the dauninge of the day reuiuing agayne and fittinge vpp sodaynly made all that remained aboute the corse runne a way as men wonderfully amased with feare Only his wife which loued him tenderly although she tremblyd and quakyd tarried still And he comforting her sayed be not afraide For I am nowe rysen in very dede from death which had me as it were in prison and am permitted to liue in earth amongst men againe but not after the same maner and trade as I did before From hence forth my conuersation must be farr vnleeke to my former life And rysing by and by he went to the paryshe churche and continuing there in prayer vntill it was fayre day light forthwyth diuided all his goods into thre partes one parte he gaue to his wife an other to his children the third he reserued to him selfe and made distribution of it straytways amongst the poore Not longe after dispatched of all worldly cares he went to the Monastery of Mailros The which is almost closed in with a creeke of the ryuer Tuyde Where being shoren in he went into a secret cell which the abbot had prouided for him and contynued there vntill his dying day in such contrition of harte and mortefying of the body that if his tounge had not reported yet his life had testified that he had sene many thinges bothe terrible and also comfortable which no other man had sene Of the vision which in his departure he sawe he told after this sorte He that conducted and guided me in this vision had a goodly bright shyning countenaunce and was clothyd all in white and as it semed to me we went altogether in silence towardes the rysing of the sonne and as we walkyd furder we came to a great brode vally so brode so loÌ„ge and so deepe that no man could measure it That which lay on the left hande as we went semed to haue one side very terrible with flaming fier the other intolerable with hayle and snowe beating an percing into euery corner Bothe places were full of mens sowles which apperyd to me to be cast interchaungeably nowe hither now thither as it wer with a violent tempest for when they could no lenger suffre the intolerable heate and flames of fier they leaped to the mydst of that hatefull and deadly colde And when they pitefully in could finde no reast there agayne they wer reuersed into those vnquencheable flames of fier As an infinite number of miserable and wretched soules were tormented without ceaâ—inge or intermission as I might then see with this alteration and interchaunge of paynes I beganne to thynck with my selfe peraduenture this may be hell of whose intolerable torments I haue heard men oftentimes talke But to this cogitation and thought of myne my guyde answeryd sayeng Na thinke not so for this is not hell as thowe doest suppose But when he brought me farder beinge altogether amased with that terrible sight I sawe the places rownde aboute vs sodaynly leese their lyght and euery corner full of darknes As we entred in to them within a litle space they were so thycke that I could see nothing but the bright shewe and cote of him which did conducte me When we went forward all alone in this darknesse beholde sodaynly there appeared before vs many rounde flawes of fier ascending as it were oute of a greate pitt and falling downe againe into the same When I was brought thither my conductour and guide vanished away and left me alone in the midest of that darknesse and horrible sight But as those flawes of fyer flew vppe into the element still without intermission and fell downe into the deape doungell againe I sawe the topp of euery flawe that ascended full of mens soules which in maner of litle sparcles of fyer flying vppe with the smoke were somtimes a hye and when the heate and vapors of the fier were gone fell downe againe into the pitte Moreouer a foule and noysom sauour breaking out with the same vapours infected all the darke places rownde about
prepared holy vessels lightes and other necessaries appertaining to the better furniture and adorninge of the church of God Againe he sent for a cunning Musician named Mabam which was taught by the successours of Pope Gregory his schollars in Canterbury to teach him and his clergy to tune and singe For the which purpose he kept him xij yeares to the ende he might partly teach them certaine verses and songes of the church which they could not yet singe partly by his singular conninge bringe in vre againe suche songes and tunes as for lacke of vse had ben quite and cleane forgotten For bishop Acca him selfe was a very cunninge Musician wel lerned in holy scripture sounde and perfect in the Catholique faith expert and skilfull in all orders rules and disciplines of the churche and so continued vntil it pleased God to rewarde him for his good zeale and deuotion He was brought vp froÌ„ a childe in the most holy and vertuous prelate Bosa his clergy then bishop of yorke and afterward comminge to VVilfride vppon hope of some better lerning spent all his time in his seruice vntil deathe arrested him He went with him also to Rome and lerned many holy and necessary ordinaunces of the church which he could not attaine vnto in his own countrye How Abbot Ceolfride sent to the kinge of Pictes or Redshankes cunninge carpenters and workemen to builde him a churche and an epistle with all touchinge the Catholique celebration of the feast of Easter and after what maner priests and religious men should be shaâ—en The. 22. Chapter THE same time Naitane kinge of the Pictes which inhabit the Northe coaste of Britanny admonished by often meditation of holy scripture abandonned the errour which he and al his country had longe kept touching the keping of Easter and brought him selfe and al his subiectes to the catholike solemnising and dewe obseruation of the time of Christes resurrection Which that he might bring to passe with lesse difficulty and more authority he required ayde of the Englishmen whome he knewe to haue framed their religion after the counterpaine and example of the holy church of Rome and sea Apostolike For he sent ambassadoures to that Reuerend father Ceolfride Abbot of the monastery dedicated to the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule situated at the mouthe of the ryuer Were and not farre from the riuer Tyne in a place called Ingiruum where he ruled with great honour and admiration next after Benedict of whome we haue made mention before desyringe to receiue from him some earnest and forceable exhortation both to persuade him self and also to confute all other which wold presume to keape the fest of easter after their owne fansye and custome and not according to the ordinaunce of Christes churche He requested farder to haue instructions by his letters what maner of tonsure the clergy should vse Notwithstandinge he was partly already informed in many points requisite for that purpose With all he desired to haue some conninge and expert woork men to builde him a churche of great stone accordinge to the manner of building in Rome promising to dedicat the same in the honour of sainct Peter head and cheif of the apostles and to folowe euermore with all his wholle realme the ordre and fasshion of the churche of Rome and see Apostolique so farre forthe as men not knowing the Romayns tounge and farre distant from them might attaine to the knowledg thereof Vpon sight of these letters Ceolfride muche tendring his godly purpose and intent sent him such cunnyng and expert artificers as he required and withall letters indighted as it foloweth To the right honourable and moste renouned Prince Naitane Ceolfride Abbat sendeth greting in our Lorde The Catholik obseruation of holy Easter wherein you desire to be instructed right godly and renowned Prince we haue gladly and diligeÌ„ly endeuoured to set forth vnto you in these presents according as of the See Apostolique we haue our selues ben informed and taught Of whiche your zeale we thanke highly allmighty God knowing well that when princes and Lordes of the earth do employ their study to lerne to teache and to obserue the truth it is a singular benefit and speciall gift of God geuen vnto his Churche And most truly spake a heathen philosopher saying that the worlde should then be happy when either kinges embraced philosoply or els philosophers might beare the Soueraynte Now if by the philosophy of this world knowleadg of the worlde might be hadd where by the worlde might be beloued how much the more ought such as are cityzens of the heauenly countre aboue and but straungers in this worlde desire labour and with all meanes possible be suppliantes to God that the higher power and charge they beare in this world the more they applie them selues to harken after and vnderstande the will and pleasure of that highe Iudge which iudgeth all and bothe them selues obey gladly the same and moue also all other committed vnto their charge by their example and authoryte to fulfill and perfourme the same To come therefore to the matter wherein you require to be instructed you shall vnderstande we haue in holy scripture iij rules sett forthe vnto vs by the which the true and iust time of solemnising the feast of Easter is appointed which by no authorite of man can be chaunged Of the which rules two were taught by God in the lawe of Moyses the third is ioyned in the ghospell by the effecte off Christes passion and resurrection For the lawe off Moyses commaunded that in the first moneth of the yeare and in the third weke of that moneth that is from the fiftenth daye vntell the one and twentith Easter should be kept And it was added by the institution of the Apostles out of the ghospell that in the same third weke we should tary for the Sonday and in it celebrat our Easter This triple rule if a man diligently note and obserue he shall neuer misse in the cownte of Easter But if it be yower pleasure to haue euery particular poynte more pitthely and largely declared it is written in Exodus where the people of Israel ar commaunded to kepe the feast of Easter when they shulde be deliuered owte of Aegipte that God said to Moyses and Aaron This moneth shal be vnto yowe the begynninge of all monethes and cheafest in the hole yere Speake to all the children of Israel and tell them The x. day of this moneth lett euerye man take a lambe accordinge to their familiee and howseholde And a litle after he saith And you shall kepe him vntill the xiiij day of the same moneth And all the whole multitude of Israel shall offer the same vp in sacrifice at the euening By the which wordes it is euideÌ„t that in the obseruation of Easter though the fourtenth day of the first moneth be mentioned yet it is not so mentioned that on that day Easter should be kept but in the
resurrection The thirde cawse is because we do then truely keepe this solemne feast if we endeuour to the vttermost of our power to make our passeouer that is to saye ower passage owte of this wordle to God the father with the triple knot of faith hope and charytie After theequalite of the daye and night we are commaunded yet to tary for the full moone of the moneth in which Easter falleth to thend that first the sonne may make the day longer then the night and afterward the moone also may appeare to the world in her full light to signifie vnto vs that the son of righteousnesse in whose beames is our saluation that is to sayour Lorde Iesus Christe by the victory and triumphe which he had in his resurrection hath ouercomed the darknesse of deathe and so ascendinge to heauen hath replenished his churche whiche is ofte signified by the moone with the inwarde light of his grace by sendinge downe the goly ghoste The which ordre of ower saluation the prophete beholdinge said Eleuatus est sol luna stetit in ordine sno The sonne is lyfted vppe and the moone stode in her ordre They therefore which contendeth that the full moone of the moneth in which Easter should fall may come before the Son maketh the daye and night of equall length as they disagree in the celebration of most high and greate misteries from the doctrine of holy scripture so they seme well to agree with them which trust to be saued with owt the preuenting grace of Christe Which in dede presume to teache that man myght haue had perfecte iustification though Christ the trewe lyght had neuer ouercomed the blyndnesse off the world with his painefull death and glorious resurrection To conclude therefore we about the equinoctiall springe when the day and night be of one length and when the full moone of the firste moneth orderly folowing the same that is to saye after the xiiij daye of the said moneth is fully expired the obseruation of all which tymes is commaunded in the lawe do expecte yet in that thirde weeke accordinge as in the ghospel we lerne the next Sonday folowing and then we keepe the solemne feaste of Ester And that to th ende we may testyfie by ower doings that we cellebrat not this solemnytie with the old fathers in remembraunce that the children off Israel had the harde yoke of bondage shaken from their neckes in Aegipte but that we woorshipp with deuoute faith and perfecte charitie the redemption of all the world prefigured in that deliuerance off gods old people owte of thrauldome and fully ended in Christes resurrection to th ende we may signifie that we reioyse in the assured hope of ower resurrection which we beleue shal be on the same Sonday also This accompte of Easter which we haue here declared vnto you to be folowed is comprised in the compasse of xix yeres which of late that is to saye in the Apostles time beganne to be obserued in the churche especially at Rome and Aegipte as I haue specified before But by the industry of Eusebius who of the blessed Martyr Pâ—amphilus hathe his surname it is more playnly and distinctly set in ordre So that where as before the bishop of Alexandria was wonte euery yeare to send abrod to euery particular church the true time of the Easter that yeare to be obserued now from hence forth the course of the full moone being brought in to this order and certainly tried out euery church by itselfe can finde it without failing This counte of Easter so distincted by Eusebius Theophilus bishop of Alexandria made to serue for one hundred yeres at the request of Theodosius the Emperour Cyril his successour made it for 95. yeres more comprising it in v. circles of the saied compasse of 19. yeares After whome Dionisius the yownger added as many circles in leeke ordre and style whiche reached euen to ouer tyme. The which now approching nigh to the date and terme prefixed there is nowe adayes such store of calculatours that in our churches through owte all England there be many which can by the olde preceptes of the Aegiptians which they haue lerned and committed to memory extende and drawe forthe the circle and course of Easter in to as many yeares as them listeth euen to the numbre of 532. yeares Which number of yeares being expired all that appertaineth to the course of the son moone moneth and weke returneth into the same ordre it did before The calculation or directory of which time we haue not at this present sent vnto you because demaunding only to be instructed of the reason and cause of this time of Easter it semeth you are allready informed of the time it selfe Hauing now hetherto brefly and compendiously spoken concerning the dew obseruation of Easter accordinge to yower highnesse requeste we exhorte you most humbly to prouide that your clergy haue the same tonsure which the church doth receiue and vse as most agreable to the Christian faith wherof you required also our letters We know right wel that the Apostles were not shauen all after one sorte Neither now the whole catholique church as it agreeth in one faith one hope and one charite towardes God so vseth also one and the self same order of tonsure Againe that we may consider the time befor vs to wit the time of the holy patriarches Iob a perfect patterne of patience when his tribulation and aduersite beganne shore his head Wherby we learne that in time of prosperity he was accustomed to lett his heare growe Yet Ioseph a trewe teacher and practiser of chastity humility piety and al other vertues is written to haue bene shauen when he came out of preson Wherby it appeareth that in prison for the tyme of his induraunce he was wounte to remaine with longe heare nor clipte nor shorne Lo here two vertuous and godly men who inwardly in hart and mind wer one shewed yet in outward behauiour some diuersite and contrariete But though we may boldly saye that the diuersite of ecclesiasticall tonsure hurteth nothing at all such as haue a pure faith in God and perfecte charitie towarde their neighbour especially seing we reade no controuersie betwene the catholike writers touching the differeÌ„ce and diuersitie of shauing as ther hathe bene for the celebration of Easter yet notwithstanding amongest all kynde off tonsures which we finde to haue ben vsed or in the church or vniuersally amongest all other men I may well saye that none is rather to be folowed and receaued of vs than the very same which he ware on his head to whom Christ saied after he had confessed him to be the sonne of God Thou arte Peter and vppon this rocke I will builde my churche and hell gates shall not preuaile against it To the will I geue the kayes of the kingdome of heauen And contrarywise we may well beleue that none is more to be abhorred and detested of all
kepinge of Easter but nowe I do so well knowe the cause and reason why it shuld be so obserued that me thinketh I had no knowledg of it at all before wherfore I professe and openly protest before you all that ar here present that from henceforth I and all my people wil kepe the feast of Easter at the time which is here described I thinke it good also that all priests and religious men in my realme ought to receaue this kinde and manner of shauing which we haue heard to be very reasonable And without any furder delaye by his princely authority he performed that which he spoke For forthwith the accompte of xix yeres were sent abrode by a publique edicte to be copied oute lerned and obserued through out al the prouinces of the Pictes the erroneous accomptes of 84. yeres altogether blotted oute All priestes and religious men had their heads shauen rounde after the trew shape aâ—d figure of a crowne And all the whole country being well reformed was glad that they were reduced now to the discipline and ordre of saincte Peter primate and head of the Apostles and committed as though it were to his patronage and protection How the monkes of Hij with other monasteries vnder their iurisdiction beganne at the preaching of Egbert to kepe Easter after the canonical ordonaunce of Christes church The 23. Chapter NOt longe after the monkes of Scotland which inhabitt the island Hij with al other monasteries vnder their iurisdiction were brought by gods great prouidence to the canonicall obseruation of Easter and ryght manner of ecclesiasticall tonsure For the yere after Christes incarnation 716. when Coenrede toke the gouuernaunce and souerayntye off Northumberlande after Osrede was slayne the derely beloued of God and honourably of me to be named the Father and priest Ecgbert cominge vnto them owt of Irelande was honourably receiued and ioyfully intertayned of them This Ecgbert beinge diligently heard of theÌ„ as one that had a singular good grace in preachinge and that practised in lyfe with much deuotioÌ„ which he taught openly in their congregation dyd chaunge by godly exhortations and aduertisements the olde tradition of their forefathers Of whom we may verifie that saying of the Apostle Aemulationem dei habebant sed non secundum scientiam They had an earnest desyre to folow God but not accordinge to knowleadge And he taught theÌ„ by one appointed compasse which shoulde be perpetuall to kepe the chefe and princypall feast after the Catholique churches institution and manner of the Apostles The which appeareth to be done to by the great goodnesse and infinit mercy of God that because the countre which had the knowleadge of God and his holy worde dyd freely and gladly communicate the same to englishmen shoulde them selues afterward come to a more perfect trade of life then they had before by the helpe and instruction of Englishmen also now associated and allied vnto them As contrary wise the Britons which woulde not ones open their mouthe to teache the Englishmen the knowleadge of Christ which they had before receiued are nowe hardned in blindnesse and halte allwaies from the right waie of truthe neither vsing the ecclesiasticall tonsure after dew maner neither celebrating the solemne feste of Easter in the societe of the Catholike church Whereas now all Englishmen are established in the faith and perfectly instructed in all pointes of Catholike religion The monkes of the Iland Hij in Scotland receiued at the preaching of the lerned father Ecgbert the Catholike rites and customes vnder their Abbat Dumchad about 80. yeares after they sent Bishopp Aidan to preache the faith to Englishmen This man of God Ecgbert remained in that Ilande xiij yeres which he had now as though it were newly and first consecrated vnto Christ by reducing it to the Catholike vnite and societe The same good father in the yere of our Lorde 728. vpon Easter daye which then fell vpon the xxiiij of Aprill after he had that day saied Masse in remembraunce of our Lordes resurrection departed this worlde and finished that day that ioyfull festiuite with our Lorde and all the blessed company in heauen which he had begonne with his brethern euen that day by him reduced to the Catholique vnite And truly the prouidence of God herein was wonderfull that that Reuerent father should passe out of this worlde to the Father not only vpoÌ„ an Easter day but also vpoÌ„ that Easter day which was the first Easter after the Catholike order celebrated in that place The brethern therefore reioysed bothe for the certaine and Catholike obseruation of Easter then lerned and also to see their teacher and master that time also to passe to God to be there their patrone and intercessour The good father also reioysed that he liued here so longe vntell he might see presently his scholers to celebrat with him that Easter whiche euer before they shunned and abhorred So this most reuerend Father being nowe certainly assured of their vndoubted amendment reioysed to see that day of our Lorde He sawe it I saie and reioysed What is the state of EnglishmeÌ„ or of all BrytaÌ„nie at this present with a brief recapitulation of the whole worâ— and with a note of the tyme. The. 24. Chap. THE yeare of Christes incarnation 725. which was the vij off Osric kinge of Northumberlandes raygne Vicbert Ecgbertes sonne kinge of kent passed oute of this transitorie lyfe the xxiij of Aprill leauing iij. sonnes Edilbert Eadbert and Aldric heires of his kingdome whiche he hadd gouuerned 34. yeares and a halffe After his death the next yeare folowing Tobias bishoppe of Rochester died a man certainly well lerned as I mentioned before for he was scholler to ij Masters of most blessed memory Archebishoppe Theodore and Abbat Adrian By which occasion beside his knowledge in diuinitie and all other sciences he so perfectly lerned the greeke tounge and the Latyn that he had them as perfecte and familiar as his owne propre language He is buried in a litle chappel of saincte Paule whiche he builded in S. Andrewes churche for a toumbe and place of buriall after his deathe After him Aldwulff succeded in the bishoppricke and was consecrated by Berthwalde the Archebishoppe The yeare of our Lorde 729. appeared ij greate blasinge starres aboute the sonne makinge all that behelde them maruelously afraied For one went before the sonne euery morninge the other appeared in the eueninge streyt after the sonne was downe presaging as it were to the east and weast some greate destruction Or if you wil saie one appeared before daye the other before night that by bothe the saied tymes they myght signifie diuerse miseries to hange ouer mens heads They helde vp a fyer brande towarde the Northe ready as it were to set all a fyer They appeared in Ianuarye and continued almoste ij weekes At what time the Saracenes wasted and spoiled Fraunce with much murder and bloudshed Who not longe after
trewe preacher and a vortuouse Byshop fol. 80. b. Vowe and habit monastical by the consâ—â—ration of bishops 138. b. S. Augustin ordeineth bishops by the appoynâ—ment of Pope Gregory folio 35. a. No bishop ordained without a number of other bishops 35. a. Blâ—ssing with the signe of the Crosse. 143. a. A dumme man brought to speache by blessing 155. a. â—58 b. Riot and euill lyfe the Brittains destruction 23. a. VVhy the olde Brittons became weake and open to forrain inuasions folio 20. b. The situation and description of Britanny 13. a. How Cesar conquered Britanny 15. a. The second conquest of Britanny 15. b. The faith receaued in britanny from Rome 16. a. Ciuill warres amonge the olde Brittons 29. a. C Christes church in Caunterbury builded by S. Augustin our Apostle and a monastery thereby 44. a. The byshopp of Canterbury created Archebishop of other bishops in britanny by Pope Gregory 35. b. The first Christening of Englishmen in Caunterbury 32. b. Catholike obseruations to be preferred 171. b. Heretikes confuâ—ed by Catholikes in open disputation 25. a. 26. b. Canonicall howers 108. b. Tâ—e vertuous first bishops of England labour to bringe the Britons and Scottes liuing in schisme to the vnite of the catholike church folio 53. a. Kinge Cedwall baptised and buried at Rome 159. b. Elbert the first christen kinge made lawes for the indemnite and quiet possession of churche goods and of the clergy 54. a. The places off Christes natiuitie passion Resurrection and Ascension described as they were a thousande yeares past 172. b. 173. a. and b. Cedda the second bishoppe of London and Essex 98. b. Dedication of Churches 15â— b. 100. a. Holy vessels altarclothes crnaments for the church priestly apparell certain reliques and church bookes sent by S. Gregory the Pope in to England at the first Christening of the same 40. b. Churchemusike first practised in the northe 75. a. The temples of idolls conuerted in to Christen churches being halowed with holy water and altered after the vse of Christen religion hauing altars sett vp and relikes placed in them 4â— b. Byshopp Chadda a man of greate humblenesse 114. The great feare of God in him 116. b. Myracles at his tombe 117. b. Cloysters of Nonnes in order fourme and proportion as to this daye folio 140. 141. a. 142. b. Such of the clergy as were out of holy Orders toke wiues 33. a. The maner of the clergy of the primitiue church of England 147. a. The people do communicat at Masse 54. b. The v. first general Councells receaued by a common consent of the church of England 131. a. Consecration of the B. Sacrament 19. a. Confession to the priest and penaunce enioyned 143. b. Our faith began with Crosse and procession 31. b. Crosse and chalice of golde 75. a. A crosse erectyd by kinge Oswald 76 b. Many restored vnto healthe by the chippes of the same crosse ibid. b. A broken arme made sownde and hole againe by the mosse of the crosse 78. a. VVhy the clergy weare shauen crownes 187. a. The life of S. Cutbert being yet a Monke 146. a. The life of S. Cutbert when he liued like an Anchoret 148. a. and. b. S. Cutberts body after xi yeres buriall founde whole and sound 151. a. Miracles and cures done thereat 151. and. 152. D. Prayer for the deade 90. b. The deuotion of owr primitiue churche 91. b. The deuotion of Christians in Hierusalem aboue a thousand yeares past in Constantins time 173. a. Memories of soules departed 52. a. Dyriges ouer night and Masse in the morninge for the dead 77. b. A necessary doctrine for this time 170. a. Dorchester in Barkeshere a bishoprick 82. b. 139. a. E. The Catholike obseruation of Easter 102. b. Item the same proued out of holy scripture 181. b. 182. 183. 184. 185. 186. The east parte of England conuerted to the faith 69. b. The english men at the first inuading of Britany by the forrain nations of the Saxons generally so called occupied all England except Sussex Essex Kent and part of the westcountre 24. a. The first spoyling of Britanny by the english men 24. a. Saint Erkenwald the. 4. bysshopp of London 120. b. Excommunication 99. a. F. The faith of our primitiue church 156. b. 157. a. 123. b. The faith and deuotion of the first 400. yeares after Christ. 26. b. Fastinge against the plage 128. a. The determinations off the holy fathers to be folowed 119. a. Friseland conuerted to be faith 163. a. VVensday and frydayes fast 80. b. G. Off the noble parentage and vertuous life off S. Gregory 45. a. S. Gregory brought vpp in a monastery after sent to Constantinople from Rome as legat quenched there by his lerning an heresie off Eutichius touching our resurrection 45. b. 46. a. b. A recitall off the lerned workes off S. Gregory 46. b. S. Gregory the pope off Rome our Apoâ—â—le 45. a. S. Gregory a great aulmes man 47. a. Letters off S. Gregory for the furderance of the faith in England to S. Augustin 29. b. to the Archebishopp off Arles 30. a. to S. Augustin againe 3â— a. to the B. off Arâ—â—s againe 40. a. to S. Augustin againe 40 b. to Mellitus the first B. off LondoÌ„ 41. b. to S. Augustin againe 42. a. to kinge Eâ—hâ—â—bert 43. a. A ioyfull reioysing off S. Gregory for the conuerting off our countre to the faith 47. a. An â—pitapâ—e vpon S. Gregory in meter 48. a. The occasion why he sent preachers to our countre 48. b. H. A trewe saying off an heathen 97. b. The heresie off the monothelites condemned 177. b. Heretikes banished the countre sett it in rest and quiet 28. b. Extirpation off heresy by counsell off forrain bisshops 25. a. The vertuous liffe off Hilda a lerned and famous Abbesse 138. 139. Howseling bâ—fore death 116. b. 142. b. I. Idols first throwen downe in Englande 83. b. Intercession off Saints 152. a. â—00 b. 128. b. Holly men worke miracles by intercession 88. b. The lyfe of S. Iohn off Bâ—â—uerlake 164. b. 165. 166. 167. The situation off Ireland 14. b. K. A rare and strange humilite off a kinge 91. a. Kinge Sigebert becommeth a monke 94. a. Reuolting from the faith in kent reuenged from God 54. a. Kent returneth to the faith 56. a. L. The first bishoppe off Lincolne 126. a. Lincolne conuerted to the faith 69. b. In the yere 60â— London receaued the faith and S. Paules church at that tyme builded Rochester also receaued the faith and S. Andrewes church at that tyme builded 51. b. Reuolting from the faithe in London plaged from God 55. a. Thr byshop off London consecrated off his owne Synod by the appointment off S. Gregory the pope 41. a. Fasting in lent vntill euening 100. a. M. VVhether in acte â—ff Mariage be any sinne 38. a. Mariage vnlaufull aboue the third degre 34. a. Our first Aposile sayed Masse 32. b. The martyrdom off ij english priestes in Saxony 163. b. Masse
in the memory off saintes 128. a. The sacrifice off the Masse propitiatory 137. a. S. Cutberts deuotion at Masse tyme. 149. a. The first chrysteninge off the Marshes or middleland englishemen anno Domini 650. 97. a. S. Augustin conuinceth the schismaticall traditions off the Britoâ—s by miracle 49. b. Why miracles reported in the history ought not to be mistrusted 133. a. Miracles at the place where kinge Oswald was slaine 85. b. Off miracles mentioned in the historye reade the preface to the Reader The foundation off monasterys 99. b. 101. b. N. Nonnes consecrated off bishops 133. a. A Nunnerie burned for the sinne off the inhabitans 143. a. The first christeninge in the Northe countre 59. b. The first christendome off the english Prince in the Northe 68. a. Children brought vp in Nonneries 121. b. Off nightly pollutions how and when they restraine from the blissed sacrament 39. a. The inuention off the golden Numbre 186. a. O. The commendation of king Osuuius 90. b. Oblations of the people distributed by Bishops 33. a. S. Of waldes day kept holy with Masses and seruice 129. a. The persuasion off kinge Oswine withe the heathen kinge Sigberte 93. a. Kinge Oswald a great prayer 88. b. P. Pelagians heresies in Britanny 20. a. The pope is informed of the state of the church 132. a. Letters from the popes off Rome for the increasing of the Faith in England 57. a. 60. a. 62. a. 70. b. 71. b. The letters off S. Gregory see in the letter G. Fire quenched by praiers 27. a. Mellitus quenched a great fire by prayer 56. b. S. Gregory pope off Rome the chiefest bishoppe off the whole worlde 45. a. A tempest on the sea alayed by the praier 154. a. A great desease sodainly healed by prayer 165. a. 1â—7 a. The behauiour of priestes in our primitiue church 107. b. The primitiue churche att the first dyd not abrogate all Iuysshe ceremonies 104. a. A rare zele to the preaching of Gods worde in a worldly prince folio 78. b. 88. a. An olde prouerbe 88. b. 17. b. An example for the confirmation off purgatory 136. b. The paynes off Purgatory 95. b. R. Religouse men our primitiue church reuerenced 107. b. Reseruation of the blessed sacrament 142. b. The goodnes of God and our faithe worketh miracles by holy relikes 89. b. Enormouse crimes in the rightuouse sooner punished 99. a. Relikes of holy maâ—tyrs 26. a. The Pantheon or temple of all idolls in Rome conuerted by pope Boniface into the church of our Lady and all Saincts 53. b. Mellitus the first bishop of London goeth to Rome and counselleth pope Boniface aboute matters touching the english church 53. a. The see Apostolike off Rome 177. b. 109. b. Priuilege from Rome for the liberty off monasteries 131. b. Authorite from Rome to make bishops 57. a. Constitutions from Rome touching the clergy 71. a. The See of Rome 33. a. 35. a. Going to Rome accompted a matter of great deuotion in our primitiue church 139. a. 160. b. The first destruction of Rome and decaie of that empire 20. b. S. The arriual of the Saxons in to Britanny 23. b. Discipline of the church vpon such as committed sacrilege 33. b. The gouernement off the olde Saxons 163. a. The sacrifice off the Masse 183. a. The blessed sacrament bread off life 55â— a The praier and fasting of schismatikes auaile not 5â— a. Commendation off the scottishe monks which gouerned first the english church in the northe country 10â— a. Palladius the first bishop off ScotlaÌ„d sent froÌ„ Caelestinus the Pope 22. a. The order of english seruice chose of the bâ—st orders of other couÌ„tres 33. b. The deuill fighteth with synne against man 95. b. Synne purged by paine in this life 122. b. How sinne bredeth in the hart of man 39. a. Singing in churches thorought out all Englande 114. a. Order off singing and church seruice from Rome 132. a. The gifte off singing off holy thinges only geuen miraculously to a simple laie man 141. and. 142. A lesson for vngodly studentes 89. a. Example off a trusty subiect 59. a. The conuersion off Sussex to the faith 126. Miracles in the monastery of â—â—lâ—ee in Sussex 127. b. Selsee the first monastery in Sussex now brought to the faith ibidem In Bosam a monastery before the faith openly receiued in Sussex 126. b A miserable famine in Sussex before the faith receiued 127. a. The first Christeninge in Sussex miraculouse ibdem. The dioceses off Sussex and Hampshere diuided 175. a. The first Synod off the English Church 118. b. The second 130. b. The third 148. b. T. Difference betwene the new Testament and the old 37. b. Temples in the honour of Martirs 19. a. Theodore a greke borne the first Primat of all England 113. b. He deposeth VVinfride bishop of Litchfield 120. a. The felicite of the english church vnder him 113. b. Sickenesse and tribulation sent of God for triall of vertu 139. b. V. Vertu persecuted of the euill euen to death 99. a. Virgins in monasteries 84. a. Edwine the first Christen king of the North brought to the faith by a vision 63. b. Vniuersalite prescribeth 104. a. Vowe of obedience in religion 119. b Vowes in sykenesse 108. b. Vowes to godde 101. a. The first Christeninge in the west contry 82. b. A tempest ceased by holy water 25. a. Sicknesse healed by holy water 156. b. Vniust warres reuenged from God 145. The life of bishop VVilfrid the Apostle of Sussex 175. b. The faith first preached and receiued in the I le of wight 139. b. The situation of the I le off wight 130. a. VVilbrorde an englishman the Apostle off Friseland 164. a. Good workes 122. b. Yâ— The bishop of Yorke made archebishop by the Pope 41. Faultes escaped in Printing Leafe Side Line Faulte Correction 27. b. Margen Hósius Hoste 25.   Insidels Infidels    lleluya Alleluya 29. a 25 aut and. 30. a. â— vvoÌ„h vvhoÌ„ 41. a. â—8 consuship consulship 74. b. 3. Oure Ouer. 75. a. Mar. good golde 88. b. 16. recei receined   6. isis â—â— Â Â Mar. verbe prouerbe 90. a. 30. by by by 95. a. Mar. vvde vvorlde 99. a. 10. elemency elemency 104. b. 15. out on 106. a. 20. can he can he not 112. b. 27. tis this 129. a. 1. sor for 134. a. 24. lymnes lymmes 151. b. 23. to do 160. b. 23. generati generation 177. a. 9. for such for such FINIS Coloss. 1â— Esaiae 49. Niceph. li. â— cap. 12. Cap. 13. In praefat Nic. Con. Nicep lib. 8. cap. 14. Idem li. 7. cap. 42. Hist. tripart libr. 8. c. 13. 2. par 19â— 25. L. Omnes Vetâ—â—ae cod de he et Manich. Socrates li. 5. c. 10. Sâ—zomenus lib. 1. c. 17. Niceph. li. 13. c. 5. Tom. 7. Niceph. li. 17. c. 2â— Cap. 9. Cap. 27. De â—ello vandalico lib. 4. Act. 13. Prâ—copius lib. 1. 2. 3. 4. Michael Ritiuâ— Nâ—a politanus
Sussâ—x and HaÌ„pshere The west couÌ„trie suffolck nortfolck and CaÌ„bridgshere Temporall awes oâ— kinge 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 christen kinge of kent Reuolting from the faith in kent VengeauÌ„ce from God The people do coÌ„municat 〈◊〉 Masse The blessed sacrament bread of life Mellit the first Christen bishop of London expelled from theÌ„ce Reuoltig from the faith in Londonâ— The vengeauÌ„ce of God ensuing Kent returneth to the faith An. 618. Martyrium heat orum quatuor Coronatorum The praier of the righteous man much auaileth Iacob 5. At the Augustines â—n Caunterbury Authâ—rite fromâ— Rome to make Byshops A letter of Pope Bonâ—â—ace to Iustus the. iiij Archeb of Cauâ—â— terb Mattb. 2â— â— atth 10. Psal. 8. Hebrideâ— Insulae An. 625. 2. Cor. 11. 2. Cor. 4. A traiterous facte ExaÌ„ple of a trusty subiect The first Christening of Englishmen in Northâ—mberland A letter of Pope Boniface to kings Edwin exhorting him to the faith Matt. 28. Genes 1. 2. Psal. 95. A letter of Pope Boniface vnto Edelburge Quene of â—orthumberberland â—â— 2. 1. Cor. 7. A vision by the which Edwin the first Christen king of NorthuÌ„berland was called to the faithe A carnall reâ—pâ—ct of â—n aâ—hen Bishop occasiâ—n oâ— good The first Christendom of the English Prince in NorthuÌ„berland or in the North countre An. 627. The Cathedrall church of Yorke * In northuÌ„â—erlaÌ„d * In yorkeshere Aultar of stone The couÌ„tres of Suffolk Norfolck and of CaÌ„bridg sheres then called the East english counerted to the faith DuÌ„mocke Lincolne shere Prefectum Lindecoliâ—ae ciuitatis The epistle of Pope Honorius to Edwyn the first christen kinge of NorthuÌ„berland CoÌ„stitutions froÌ„ Rome touching the clergy The epistle of Pope Honorius to Honorius the Archebisshop of Caunterbury Matth. 11. Matth. 24. The copie of a letter froÌ„ the clergy of Rome to the clergy of Scotland Primicerâ— Against the pelagian heresie Psal. 50. An. 633. Crosse and chalice of good Churche musike first practised in the North. Apostasie from the faith punished A crosse erected by king Oswald Diriges ouer night and Masse in the morning for the dead Holy Ilond A rare zele to the preaching of Gods word in a wordly prince An. 563. Philip. 2. The exaÌ„ple of a true preacher and avertuous Bishop Siue adioÌ„si siue Laici VVensday and fridayes fast That Cite is now called BaÌ„brough The west countre of EnglaÌ„d as the dio ceses of Salisbury of Exceter of Bathe and VVelles and of HaÌ„psher The first Christening in the west countre Dorchester in Bar keshere VVinchester Apostasie from the faith punished VVinchester An. 640. Idols first threwen downe in England Virgins in Monanasteries The like is writen of S. Antony beholdiÌ„g in coÌ„pany of other the soule of Amos 2 religious eremite caried vp into heauen the Angels accoÌ„payniÌ„g with melody Hist. tri part lib. 1. cap. 11. S. Hierom also writeth the like of S. Antony in the life of Paule the Eremite Opera illo rum sequuÌ„tur illos Their workes de folow them Apoca. 14 Miracles at the place where kinge Oswald was slaine Lincoiâ—eshere Gregory B. of Nisso brother to S. Basill reporteth of miracles wrought by the duste lying vpon Martyrs tumâ—â—s In vita Theodori Martyrâ—s Paulinus a lerned bisshop of Nola in S. Augustins time reporteth sundry miracles of health restored to sick persoÌ„s at the tuÌ„be of S. Felix Natali 6. the like writeth S. Basill of the 40. Martyres S. Ambrose of the bodies of S. Geruasius and Protasius li. 10. epist. ad sororem epist. 85. et serm 19. All lerned stories arâ— full of such examples Kinge Oswalda greate praierâ— Holy men worke miracles by intercession O rare example of a Christen Prince An olde uerbe BaÌ„brough A lesson for vngodly studeÌ„ts The goodnes of God and our faithe worketh miracles by holy relikes An. 644. * Yorke shere Omnisque potestas impatiens consortis erit Lucanus lib. 1. Praier for the dead The commendatiâ— of kinge Osuuius Bishop And an â—â—ero S. Martinâ— who gaue halfe his doke to a naked poore man * A charitable saying but now more like to be mocked at then to be folowed A rare and straÌ„ge humilite of a kinge The deuotioÌ„ of our primitiue church BaÌ„brough Theodoret in his Philotheus reporteth of a great army of the PersiaÌ„s destroyed at Nisiba by the praier only of lames then a holy Bisâ—hop of that cite In vita lacâ—bi Nisibensis BaÌ„orough God whiche by the shadowe of Peter healed the sicke worketh the like in the dead relâ— kes of holy men Act. 5. Ioan. 20. Norfolck Suffolck and Cambridg shere King Sigibert becometh a monke S. Paule was comforted also by a vision from God to be stedfast in preaching the worde Act. 2â— Mat. 25. Psal. 83. Note the scâ—â—â—â— spirituall fires whiche shall burne theâ—wde Euery maÌ„ shall receiue according to the workes of his body 2. co 5. The paines of Purgatory The diuel fighteth with sinn against man Reade S. Paul Ephes. 6. b. 12. c. 16. As God is said in scripture to bende his bowe to strik with sword etc. Psal. 7 so here the writer applieth carnal termes to spiritual matters the names of fire to sinne of throwing by the diuels to the charge of sinne c. An. 653. The first Christening of the Marshes or middle-land english men An. 6â—0 By Barwick Ad Capreae Caput A true saying of an Heathen The couÌ„tre about London The persuasion of kinge Oswin vvith the heathen kinge Sigbert By Barwick Cedda the secoÌ„d Bishop of London and Essex Chemes-ford and Tilberi Vertu per secuted of the euill euen to death Enormous crimes in the righteous sooner punished Excommunication So Peter pronouÌ„ced Ananias to death Act. 5. The foundation of monasteries Esaiae 35. Fasting in Lent vntell euening Consecration of holy places IntercessioÌ„ of Saints Vowes to God The foundation of monasteries VVitby A coÌ„trouersic about theob seruatioÌ„ of Easter Gal. 2. Tonsurae ecclesiasticaecoronaÌ„ susceperaâ— Vniuersalitie prescribeth The primitiue church at the firste did not abrogat all Iuish ceremoâ—â—ies Actor 16. 21. 18. Act. 21. Eâ—â—o 12. Ioâ—n 20. This maner is obserued nowe vnifor mely in al Christendome Exod. 12. Russinus lib. 10. â—â— Eusab lib. 7. cap. 28. Hiâ—â—o Vide Eusâ—bium lib. 7 cap. 28. Hisâ— eccle Matâ—h 7. Math. 16. Note the conclusioÌ„ of the kinge An. 664. CoÌ„mendation of the Scottisâ— monkes which gouerned first the ongâ—â—â— church in the Northe couâ—tre Vertu winneth autâ—orite viceleseth Religious men in our primittiue church reuerenced The behauiour of priestes in our primitiue church An. 664. Lincolne shere Vowes in sickenesse Cononicall houres Consecration of Bisshops with a number of other Bysâ—ops The duty of a Byshop The churche of Rome A letter of Vitalianus the Pope to king Oswin Esaiâ— 11. Matth. 6. An. 668. The couÌ„tre abowt Lyons The Augustins in Caunterbury Dominus Papâ— Apostolicus The duty of a Byshop Theodore the first Primat of all England The felicite of the english churche vnâ—er Theodor the Archebishop of Canterb Singing in
churches through out all England Byshop Chadd a man of great huÌ„blenesse Lincolne diocese and Lichfield and VVorceter * Lincolne shere Eccles. 3. How seling before death The great feare of God in B. Chadd Psal. 17. Lincolne shere Charite beleueth all things 1. Cor. 13. Miracles at the tombe of S. Chead Lincolne dyocese Holy IloÌ„d An. 670. The first Synode or Conuocation of the english church The determinations of the holy fathers to be folowed Vowe of obedience â— religioÌ„ An. 673. Theodore the Archebishop of Caunterbury deposeth VVinfride bishop of Lichefilde c. Essex Saint Erkenwalde the 4. bishop of London Berking in Essex Children browght vp in NoÌ„â—eries 2. Câ— 1â— Sinne purged by paine in this lyfe Good workes * The like maner of deuotion vsed Constantia a holy woman at the â—â—mbe of Hilarion the monk as S. Hierom recordeth in the life of Hilarion writen by him Tom. 1. Beholde how farre differeÌ„t the faith of our primitiue church is from the false faith of protestants Note the iudgemeÌ„t of S. Bede An. 677. An. 678. The dioceâ—es of Yorke Carlele and Dyrham Holy â—â—nd Lincolne shere The first bishops of Lincolne The CoÌ„uersion of Sussex to the faith Sussex In Bosam a monasterie before the faith openly receiued in Sussex A miserable famine in Sussex before the faith receaued The first christeniÌ„g in Sussex miraculous Selsee Selsee the first monasterie in Sussex now brought to the faith Miracles in the monasterie of Sâ—â—â—ee in Sussex Fasting against the plage Intercession of Saintes Masse in the memory of Saints That is of Hampshere The Vites inhabited HaÌ„pshere as the Saxons Sussex Sussex and HaÌ„psphere The secoÌ„d Synode of the church of EnglaÌ„de The v. firste general councels receaued by a coÌ„moÌ„ consent of the church of EnglaÌ„d about 800 yeares past The 5â— In this monasterie S. Bede was brought vp Priuilege from Rome for the libertie of monasteries Order of singing and churche seruice from Rome The heresy of the Monotholite The Pope is informed of the state of the church Lege Cipr. lib. 1. epist 3. et Aug. ep 92. 93. VVhy the miracles here reported ought not to be mistrusted Luc. 22. Nonnes coÌ„secrated of bishops The I le of Eelye VVhat burdens are borne now a dayes of lesse then kinges children and yet no grief felt at all * The napkins and partlets taken from S. Paules body healed the sicke and expelled diuels Act. cap. 19. c. In Cambridge shere An example for the coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of purgatory The sacrifice of the Masse propitiatory An. 680â— Vow and habit monasticall Colchester Dorchester in Barkeshere In holy Ilond Going to Rome accompted a matter of deuotion in our primitiue church 2. Cor. 22. The ferâ—â—ry Reseruation of the blessed Sacrament Howseling befoer death Blessing with the signe of the crosse A Nunnerie burned for the sinnes of the inhabitaÌ„s CoÌ„fessioÌ„ to the priest Psal. 94. Penaunce enioyned Abuses of religious persons punished by God from heauen An. 684. The welâ—hmen An. 635. Holy IloÌ„de The I le of Cochette The life of S. Cutbert being yet a monke In the first booke the. 27. chap. The life of S. Cutbert writen by S. Bede is ex tant in the. 3. tome of his workes The third Synod of the english church CoÌ„secration of bishops with a number of bisshops S. Cutbert the example of a good Bisshoppe S. Cutberts deuotion at masse time Quomodo in vâ—â—asua dilexerunt se iâ—a in merâ—e noÌ„ sunt separati As they loued in their lyfe so in their death they were not seuered Holy Ilond The deuotion of bisshops in times past In the third tome of S. Bedes workes If they which now preach only faith had such faith they should see such miracles now Holy Ilond Of S. Iohn of Beuerlake Act. cap. 3. Dedication of churches The faith of our primitiue church An. 689. Pilgrimage to Rome a woÌ„t matter in our primitiue church An. 690. An. 692. * People of high Allemaigne about the cyte of Camin * People of the higher part of â—â—iseland VVe reade in the Actes of the Apostles that S. Paul and Stlas were forbidden of the holy Ghost which was by reuelatioÌ„ to preache the worde in Asia and in Bithinia Act. cap. 16. The Redshankes Friseland conuerted to the faithe The gouuernemeÌ„t of the old Saxons The martyrâ—ome o◠〈◊〉 english priests in Saxony * People of the higher Frisia An. 696. VVilbrord an english man the first Archebishop of Vltraict in FrisselaÌ„d Let the Christian reader here aduise him self whether he may scorne at this vision bicause in heathen writers as in the Menippus of Lucian and other such fonde tales are fained or rather to beleue it bicause so lerned and holy a man râ—porteth it the time also of our first coming to the faith considered Truly I thinke therefore the heathen and infidell faineth such thinges in his false religion bycause he knoweth thaâ— God reueleth the lâ—ke to such as serue him in true religion Euen as S. Augustin noteth that therefore the diuell is delighted with externall sacrifice of man bicause he knoweth that kinde of worship to be due and proper to God him selfe Lib. 10. de Ciuit. dei Cap. 19. Holy Ilond A true and necessary doctrine for this wicked time Psal. 13. A old prouerbe Actor 7. In Northumberland Catholike â—osâ—ruations to be preferrâ—d The place of Christes natiuite * Of this church erected by Helena mother of Constantin Paulinus Nolensis maketh mention Epist. 11. ad Seuerum The deuotion of the Christians in Ierusalem aboue a thousand yeres past Et erit sepulchrum eius glorisum And the place of his buriall shall be glorious sayth the prophet Esaie Cap. 11. * VVho thinketh this incredible lett him geue a reason of the pathe way by Salisbury called S. Thomas pathe by Clarengdon parke * This abridgement is extant in the 3. tome of S. Bedes workes An. 705. * In the borders of VVilshere The dioceses of Sussex and HaÌ„pshere diuided Celse fouÌ„ded by Eadbert the first bishop of Celse in Sussex by Chichester Lib. 3. cap. 52. The lyfe of bishop VVilfrid the Apostle of Sussex Holy Ilond * The countre about Salisbury Lib. 3. cap. 28. Lib. 4. cap. 12. The heresie of the monothelites condemned The See Apostolique Bishopp VVilfride the Apostle of Sussex * Now called weimouth in which Abâ—by vnder this Ceolfrid S. Bede was brought vp and liued al daies of his life A lerned letter of the Abbat Ceolfridâ— vnto Naitan kinge of the Peyghtes or Redshankes A proufe out of holy Scripture of the Catholique obseruation off Easter Exodi 12. a. 2 c. 18. This first moneth beginneth in the first moone after the Aequiuâ—ctium Exodi 12. a. 2. Exod. 12. c. 15. Nume 33. a. 3. Exod. 12. c. 17. It is so called Act. 20. and Ioan. 20. The B. Sacrament is offred vp to god the father Leuit. 23. a. 5. Leuit. 23. The contrary opinion is refuted * The xxj daie of marche Gene. 1. * The moneth of Aprill * Dies Dominicâ— He meaneth the Pelagians The inuention of the golden number Matt. 16. Act. 8. They did beare the signe of the crossâ— in their so rehead which vsed to bleâ—se them selues therewith This accompt is now called the golden numbre An. 716. Rom. 10. An. 728. An. 725. An. 729. An. 731. * Of Yorke * Of holy Iland and al NorthuÌ„berland
to Britanie when the most puissaunt king Bride Meilocheus sonne raigned ouer the Redshanks in the ninth yere of his raigne and did by his learning and example of life conuert that nacion to the faith of Christ. In consideration whereof the aforsay de yle was geuen him in possessioÌ„ to make a monasterie For the yle is not greate but as though it wer of fiue families by estimatioÌ„ His successours kepe it vntil this day wher also he lieth buried dying at the age of lxxvij yeres about xxxij yeres after that he cam into Britain to preach But befor that he trauailed to Britaine he made a famous monasterie in IrelaÌ„d whiche for the great store of okes is in the Scottish tong called Dearmach that is to say a fild of okes of both the which monasteries very many mo religious houses were afterward erected by his scholars both in Britaine and also in Ireland Of all the which the same abbey that is in the yle where in his bodye lieth buried is the head house This yle is alwayes wont to haue an Abbat that is a priest to be the ruler to whoÌ„ both the wholle countrey and also the bishops them selfes ought after a strauÌ„ge and vncustomed order to be subiect according to the example of the first teacher who was no bishop but a priest and a monke The report is that some things ar written by his scholars coÌ„cerning his lyfe and sayings but yet what maner of man so euer he was we know this of him for a surety that he left successours men that excelled in great continence in passing charite and vertuous trade of religious lyfe In obseruing the high feast of Easter they trusted to vncertaine compasses and no maruaile consydering that no man sent vnto them the decrees made in generall counsayles for the keping thereof Yet they diligently obserued all such workes of deuotion and chast conuersation as they could learne in the prophets in the ghospels and the Apostles writings This keping of Easter continued no small time with them that is to witt vntill the seuen hundreth and sixteneth yere of our Lordes incarnation by the space of an hundreth and fiftie yeres after they receiued the faith But when the right reuerend and holy father and priest Egbert came to them from England liuing in Christes quarell in exile in Ireland being a man very well learned in the holy scripture and singular for the perfett lyfe which he had lead many yeres together they were reformed by him and brought to kepe Easter on the true right and laufull day Neuerthelesse they did not alway before that time solemnise and keepe the feast of Easter vppon the fourtenth daye after the chaunge of the moone according to the Iewes custome as some men supposed but on the same day though in an other weke then it was conuenient For they knewe as Christen men do that the resurrection of our Lorde whiche was on the firste daye of the weke ought allwayes to be celebrated on the first daye of the weke also but as ignoraunt and highvplandysh men they had not learned when the same first daye of the weke whiche nowe is named Sounday shoulde come Yet for as muche as they continued in perfecte charitye they deserued to attaine the perfitte knowledg of this thing according as the Apostle promiseth saying And yff ye be off an other mynds God will reueile that also vnto yowe But hereof we shall treate more at large hereafter in a place conuenient Of the lyfe of Aidan the bishop The 5. Chap. FROM this yle therefore and from this couent of monkes founded by holy Columban Aidan was sent and consecrated bishop to instructe Englande in the fayth of CHRISTE at what tyme Segenius abbot and priest was head of the same monasterie Wherein among other lessons of liuing he left the Clerkes a most holsome example of abstinence and continence This thing did chiefely commend his doctrine to all men that the learning whiche he taught was correspondent to the life that he lead And why He was not desyrous after wordly goods he was not enamoured with present Vanitees His ioye and comforte was foorthwyth to distribute to the poore that mette him all that was geuen him of kinges or other wealthy men of the worlde He vsed to trauayle continually bothe in the citye and in the countrey neuer on horse backe but allwayes on foote except peraduenture greate neede had forced him to ryde And in his trauaile what dyd he Forsoothe whome so euer he mette riche or poore incontinent abyding for a time with them either he allured them to receiue the faythe if they were out of the faythe or strengthened them in the faythe if they were in it exhorting them eftsoones no lesse in workes then wordes to almesse geuing and other good deedes And his religious lyfe so farre passed the slackenes and key colde deuotion of oure time that all they whiche went with him were they professed into religion or were they laye brethern gaue them selfes continually to contemplation that is to saye bestowed all their tyme either in reading scripture or in learning the psalter This was the dayly exercise of him and his brethren to what place so euer they came And if by chaunce it had happenned whiche yet happened seldome that he were bidden to the kinges banket he went in accompained with one or two clerkes and taking a shorte repast he made spedely hast to read with his brethren or els weÌ„t other where forth to pray Euery deuout maÌ„ and womaÌ„ being at that time taught by his ensamples tooke vp a custome al the whole yere through sauing betwene Easter and whitsontyâ—e apon wensday and friday to continew in fasting vntill three of the clocke in the after none If rych men had done any thing amysse he neuer for hope of honour or feare of displeasure spared to tel them of it but with sharpe rebuking amended them If any gesse or straunger had come vnto him were he neuer so worshipful he neuer gaue mony but only made them good chere As for suche gyftes as in monye were liberally geuen him by ryche men he dyd eyther as we haue sayed geue them in a dole for the reliefe of the poore or els he layed it out for the raunsomyng of those that had been wrongfully solde finally many of such as by mony he had redemed he made after his scholers bringing them vpp in learning and vertue and exalting them to the highe dignite of priesthod The report is that when kynge Oswald desired first to haue a Prelate out of Scotland who might preach the fayth to him and his people an other man of a more austere stomacke was first sent Who when after a lyttell while preaching to the Englishe nacion he did nothing preuaile ne yet was wyllingly heard of the people he returned into his country and in the assemble of the elders he made relacion how that in teaching he could do the
Les annalâ—s de FiaÌ„â— Lib. 12. Cromerus iâ— eâ—ist ad Proceres Poloniae â— Cor. 12. Act. 4. 10. 〈◊〉 20. Act. 5. Heb. 11. Rom. 1. Hebr. 7. In postilla magna in Dom. â— Ad. Li. 2. ca. 3. lib. 4. ca. 3. 16. Li. 2. ca. 4. li. 3. ca. 25. Matt. 13. Act. 14. 1. Cor. 16. 1. Tim. 6. Colos. 1. Of the Author of this History Of his lerning Lib. de scri ecclesiasti Hieron in Cata. vir illust In Ioan. 6. Lib. 5. Histor. In Ioan. 6. Of his vertu In vitae Bedae In Ioan. 6. Lib. 1. Tripartâ— hist. lib. 1. cap. 1. In Epist. In Ioanne vj. 〈◊〉 VVhy the Author of this historyâ—s to be credited Of the matter of the history 〈◊〉 16. Sueton in Neronâ— â— Cor. 13. Of the miracles reported in this History Tobi. 12. Cap. 3. That the History ought not to seâ—e 〈…〉 Li. 6. câ— 9 Li. 7. ca. 18 Lib. 1. c. 5. Liâ— c. 8. 10. Lib. 2. cap. 8. Hist. tripart li. 1. c. 5. 10. 11. lib. 7 â— cap. 5. â—ozâ—m lib. 6. ca. 29. Lib. 7. c. 5. 〈◊〉 22. Li. 4. et in Philotheo The most lerned â—athers of the first â— â— yeres haâ—e wâ—â—ten Saints liues Tom. 3. Li. 1. 3. de virg Item inexhortat ad virgines In hom so 126. Li. 1. ca. 7. Li. 2. c. 30 Li. 4. c. 25 27. Li. 22. c. 8 In praefat ad Philotheum An admonition out of Theodoret touching miracles An other out of S. Augustin Lib. dâ— cura pro mor tuis gereÌ„da cap. 16. Cap. 17. Act. 9. 1. Cor. 12. Eccles. 3. Note Lib. eodem Cap. 16. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 13. Heretikes will not beleue miracles Confes. lib. Serm. 91. ProtestaÌ„ts pretende miracles Pag. 1677. Pag. 520. Pa. 444. Pag. 355. Pa 1670. * At VVei mouth at the riuer VVere whiche runneth by Dyrtham a Essex b Salisbury Exceter VVelles c Suffolck Norfolck and Cambrigd shere Northumbers are called in this stistory al. that dwel beyoÌ„d the riuer HuÌ„bre North ward d Sussex and Hapshere e Mercia or Marshland containeth the dioceses of Lâ—hfield and CoueÌ„try Lincolne and VVorcet f Essex g The countre of NorthuÌ„berland properly * That is 1800. miles * This hauen is now loste by the irruption of the sea * The Redshankes A description of Ireland * Colchester The yeare of our Lord 46. Actor 11. An. 156. An. 189. An. 286. The Martyrdom of saint Albane the firste Martyr of Britanny * â— which we call now dorsuolde â—odde Temples of Martyres holy daies CoÌ„secration of the B. sacrameÌ„t Heresies in BritaÌ„ny The Arrians heresie prospereth not with standing thâ— generall councell of Nice An. 377. An. 394. The propery of heretâ—kes An. 407. The first destruction of Rome The cause why the olde Brittons became weake and open to forain inuasioÌ„s * RedshaÌ„kes An. 403. Palladius the first bishop of Scotland An. 411. Ryâ— and euil life the Britains destructioÌ„ An. 429. The first arriuall of English meÌ„ in to Britanny Saxons English and Vites * The people of Essex of Sussex and of the westcountre The English meÌ„ occupied at the first all England except kent Essex Sussex and parte of the westcountre * The Redshankes The first spoilyng of BritaÌ„ny by the English men Counsell of the catholike bishops in Fraunce for extirping of Pelagianâ— heresy Tempest ceased by prayer and holy water An open disputatioÌ„ betwene Catholikes and heretikes of the pelagian secte in the yeare of our lorde 400. Relikes of holy Martirs The faith and deuotion of Christen bishops about the yere of our Lord. 400. The like Seuerâ— Sul piâ—ius writeth of S. Martin In epist. 2. presixa prologo in vitaÌ„ B. Martini The xl daies of LeÌ„t S. Germain putteth to flight an lioÌ„siâ—â— of insidels by singiÌ„g of lleluia Heretikes banished the countre sett it in rest and quiet S. Gregory sendeth S. Augustin to preache the faith to English men An. â— 96. A letter of S. Gregory exhorting S. Augustin to pursue his iourney to England An other letter of S. Gregory to the Archebishop of Aerls The I le of Tenet Our faith begann with Crosse and procession The life of our Apostles and first preacâ—ers Our first Apostle sayed masse The first Christening of Englishemen in Caunterbury This chapter is ful of much good lerning and godly instructioÌ„s The Sea Apostolike S. Augustin our Apostle was a moÌ„ke The clergy ouâ— of holy orders taketh wiues Luc. 11. The order of the English seruice choseÌ„ out of other diuers countres for the best Of church â—obberies Leuit. 18. Gen. 2. Of creatiÌ„g of bisshops The See of Rome The primacy of Caunterbury in England Leuit. 12. Oâ—â— 3. Luc. 8. Of natural infirmities Note DiffereÌ„ce betwene the new testament and the old lawe Math. 15. Ad TituÌ„ 1. Leuit. 15. VVhether in the acte of mariage be any sinne Psal. 50. Psal. 30. 1. Coâ— 7. Exod 19. â—â— ReguÌ„ 21. Of nightly pollutioÌ„s or iâ—lusions SuggestioÌ„ Delight Consent How sin bredeth in the hartes of meÌ„ Rom. 7. A palle from the Pope to Augustin the first Bishop of Caunterbury The priuilâ—ges of the Bysshops of yorke and London Holy water aultars and relikes Lucae 10. A godly letter of S. Gregory to Ethelbert the first Christen kinge of english men Christes church in Caunterbury * That monastery is now called the Augustines if itâ— stande yet An. 605. S. Gregory Bishop ouer the whole worlde 1. as head thereof S. Gregory our Apostle 1. Cor. 9. S. Gregory a religious maÌ„ S. Gregory the popes legat at Constantinople S. Gregory represseth an heresy riâ—ing in Constantinople Luc. 24. The workes of S. Gregory Lib. 1. cap. 27. Heb. 12. S. Gregory a great almes maÌ„ Psal. 111. Iob. 29â— A ioyfull â—eioysing of S. Gregory touching the conuersioÌ„ of EnglaÌ„d to the faith Masse said at the shrines of S. Peter and Paule in Rome An Epitaphe apon S. Gregory our Apostle The occasion why S. Gregory sent preachers vnto our countre * Angli * Angelicam * Of yorkeshere * Deiri * Deira eruâ—i Siclegit Polya lib. 1. Hist. Augl About South HamptoÌ„ Psal. 67. Our Apostles Faith coÌ„firmed by a miracle Matth. â—1 The generalâ— rule of our Sauiour euil construed in a particular case Thre 〈◊〉 proposed to the Bâ—tâ—n or wâ—â—ch bishopâ— A wrongâ— and 〈◊〉 te surmise A true prophecy of S. Augustin out Apostle The monastery of Bâ—gor in wales Fasting and praying in schismatikes auaileth not An. 604. Essex and the countre about London Memories of soules departed Agendae eorum The epitaphe vpoÌ„ S. Augustine touÌ„be in Caunteâ—bury Laurence the secoÌ„d Archebisshop of Caunterbury Our first Christen Bishops labour to reconcile the Scotts from their schisme to the Catholike vnitâ— The see Apostolike Mellite the first B. of London trauaileth to the Pope for instructioÌ„s c. This church stanâ—eth in Rome at this daye and is called S. Maâ—ia rotunda An. 613. The first English kinges of Britanny