take a view of the effects which these Letters and admonitions produced in the persons to whom they were directed King Ethelbert and Saint Augustin King Ethelbert therefore casts down all Idols and commands the Temples accustomed to profane and impious Sacrifices to be changed into places of pure Worship and Piety And S. Augustin assisted by fresh labourers purges those profane Temples and instead of Idols erects the Sacred Crosse the Hieroglyphick of our Faith 2. More particularly King Ethelbert to whom S. Gregory had proposed Constantin for a pattern with a munificence like Constantins gave his Palace and whole Royal Citty of Canterbury to S. Augustin saith Camden and built for himself a Palace at Reculver Regulbium Which place Saith Parker was situated near the Sea Where likewise he founded a Monastery the last Abbot whereof was called Wenred Nothing now remains of this place by reason the Sea breaking in has cover'd it Onely the tops of towers other ruins of the Monastery are marks to Seamen that they may avoyd the dangerous flats there 3. Together with the Royal Citty King Ethelbert conferred likewise on S. Augustin and his Successours many Regall Priviledges Iura Regalia Among which one was a right of coyning Money with his own Stamp For to this effect Selden thus Writes The ancient Right of the Arch-bishops of Canterbury is signified by an Old Coyn one side whereof is signed with the name Plegmuud Arch-bishop and the other with the name of Eâ—cmund the Coyner The Prototype is preserved in the Treasure of the family of Cotton where I my self saw a peice of silver having imprinted on it the name image of Celnoth Arch-bishop And it seems the right of coyning money generally esteemed a Regal Priviledge did belong to the Arch-bishop as Lord of that Citty in those times 4. This Right remained to that See till the times of King Ethelstan about the year of Grace nine hundred twenty four who then abrogated it in the opinion of Selden publish'd a Law that not any coyn should passe but such as was stamped with the Kings Image Notwithstanding it was not quite abrogated for among the same Kings Laws this is one Let there be seaven Minters or Coyners at Canterbury Of which four shall belong to the King two to the Arch-bishop and one to the Abbot So that this prerogative remained many ages entire to the Arch-bishops though the measure and valew of the money coynd was restrain'd by King Athelstan who commanded the same coyn for price and quantity to have passage through his dominions and that none out of Citties should be permitted to stamp it Neither can it appear from any authentick Record but that this Priviledge continued till the time of the Norman Conquest 5. To the same See of Canterbury also by vertue of S. Gregories Rescript did belong an Vniversall Iurisdiction over the whole Island Forthough in a Synod shortly following the Brittish Bishops made their opposition and contradiction to this Priviledge for which reason S. Augustin forbore to presse it Yet the same was afterward admitted not only by all the Churches of the Saxons but of Brittany in the largest sence yea of the Brittanies in the plurall number Britanniarum comprehending in the language of ancient Authours Polybius hist. l. 3. and Ptolomy Georg. l. 2. both old Scotland which is Ireland and Albany which is Modern Scotland For on the See of Canterbury did both those Nations depend in Ecclesiasticall matters 6. Thus Queen Matildis call'd S. Anselm the Arch-bishop of the prime See and Primar of the Northern Islands call'd Orcades And before S. Anselms time the custom was for the Irish Bishops to receive Consecration from the Arch-bishops of Canterbury as evidently appears from S. Lanfrancs letter to Gothric King of Ireland extant in Baronius as likewise from the letter of Murchertac another Irish King and Dofnald a Bishop to S. Anselm Arch-bishop of Canterbury in which they request him to institute a Bishop at Waterfoxd by vertue of the power of Primacy over them which was invested in him and of the authority of Legat of the Apostolick See which he exercised This is testified by Eadmerus the Monk an eye-witnes of that transaction 7. Next as touching Scotland in the modern acception though anciently it was subject to the Arch-bishop of York by a Decree of Pope Eleutherius sent by Fugatius and Damianus Yet now S. Gregory derogated from that Decree and either having regard to S. Augustins sanctity or the eminent Empire of Ethelbert who was in some sort Monarch of the whole Island he publish'd a New Decree that all Churches of the Brittanies should be subject to the See of Canterbury And this is manifest in the Controversy between Alexander King of the Scotts and the foresaid Eadmer who at the request of that King was appointed Bishop of S. Andrews in Scotland by Radulphus Arch-bishop of Canterbury whom the King would have to receive Consecration from the Arch-bishop of York but he refused informing him that the authority of the See of Canterbury did of old extend over all Brittany and therefore that he would require Consecration from the said Arch-bishop But the King not being satisfied Eadmer chose rather to relinquish his new Bishoprick then prejudice the Prerogative of the Prime See of Brittany XV. CHAP. i. 2 The King of the Northumbers overcomes the King of the Scotts 1. THE year following which was the six hundred and third of our Lords Incarnation Ethelfrid King of the Northumbers overcame Edan King of the Scotts This Ethelfrid saith Beda was a most potent King and wonderfully thirsty after glory He had wasted the Brittains more then any of the Saxon Princes and had made many of their Provinces tributary Whereupon Edan King of the Scots inhabiting Brittany being mov'd by the great progresse of his Victories came against him with a mighty and well appointed army but was overcome and forced to fly back with few attendants For in a place called Degsasten or The Stone Degsa celebrated by that battell his whole army in a manner was destroyed Yet in the same combat Theobald Brother of Ethelfrid with that part of the army lead by him was slain And from that time till the dayes of S. Beda himself never durst any King of the Scotts enter Brittany against the English Nation 2. The said King Aidan as Fordon the Scottish Chronicler testifies after that discomfiture did so afflict himself with greif that two years after he dyed at Kentyre After whose death Kennet Ker son of Conal seysed on the Crown but within lesse then a years space dying Eugenius Buydwel Son of Aeidan succeeded in the Kingdom Which King Eugenius saith he infested the Regions of the Saxons and sometimes of the Picts with furious irruptions But in this clause he manifestly contradicts S. Beda forecited who likewise elsewhere expressly affirms That the Scotts inhabiting Brittany contented themselves with
Offrings to the Church of Tours and of Saint Martins and some to the Church of Mans. This was the substance of her Will and a few months after spent with sicknes she departed this life by orders left in writing having given freedom to many of her servants At her death she was as I conjecture seaventy years old By the vertues devotion and charity of this good Queen we may collect that Aldiburga her daughter at least unquestionably her neer kinswoman brought the like into Brittany XXII CHAP. 1.2 c. The Saxon Heptarchy or Seaven Kingdoms of the Saxons in Brittany with their respective limits and Princes at this time when S. Augustin came to convert our Nation 1. THE next thing that occurrs in our Ecclesiasticall Records touching Brittany is the rising of the Sun of righteousnes upon it by the Light whereof the darknes of Idolatry and Pagan superstition was dispelled and a new seed of pious Princes zealous Bishops immaculate Virgins devout Monks and multitudes of all sorts far excelling in all Christian vertues and Graces the late Brittish inhabitants sprung up and flourished to the admiration of all other Christian Churches insomuch as that from this time Brittany began to deserve the Title afterwards annexed to it of being called The Isle of Saints 2. But before I relate how and by what degrees the foundations of so great a Happines were layd it will be expedient to give a generall prospect at one view of the present state of Brittany how the Provinces were divided into severall Saxon-Goverments and what Princes ruled in each 3. It is agreed generally among our Writers that the Day-star of Christianity at least bâ—gan to shine in Brittany in the year of Grace five hundred ninety six for then the Apostolick Messengers from Rome received their Mission from the most worthy Successour of Saint Peter S. Gregory the Great in the seaventh year of his Pontificate and begun their iourney towards our Island though they did not arrive here till the year following 4. Now at that time the Saxon Heptarchy was established in Brittany for all the Provinces of it excluding the Northern Kingdoms of the Scotts and Picts with the Western parts called Cambria or Wales possessed by the Brittains and likewise Cornwall not yet wholly subdued by the Saxons were entirely under the dominion of the Angli and Saxons and having been by degrees conquered by severall Princes and Captains out of Germany which were independent of one another each one challenged his conquest and governed the Provinces subdued by him as his own lawfull right possessions though some of them proving lesse powerfull and confind within narrower limits then others in a short time were forced to demand protection and consequently acknowledge some dependance on their more powerfull neighbours 5. The Kings so governing each his respective portion were in number Seaven Their Names and Provinces were as followeth in order according to the antiquity of each Kingdom 6. First Ethelbert was then in the thirty sixth year of his Raign over the Kingdom of Kent He was Son of Irmeric Son of Otha Son of Eska Son of Hengist who founded that Kingdom in the year of Grace four hundred fifty seaven His Kingdom containd the County of Kent as it is at this day bounded without any considerable difference 7. Next over the Southsaxons which Kingdom comprised Sussex and Surrey raignd Edilwalch the Son of Cissa the Son of Ella who established that Kingdom in the year four hundred ninety one Then was the seaventh year of Edilwalch's raign 8. Thirdly the Kingdom of the West-Saxons was now the fifth year possessed by Celrick Brothers Son to Ceaulin Son of Kenric Son of Cerdic founder of that Kingdom in the year of our Lord five hundred and nineteen Within whose Dominions were comprehended Hantshire Berkshire Wiltshire Somerset Dorsetshire Devonshire and part of Cornwal 9. Next over the East-Saxons Sebert then was in the first year of his Raign He was Son of Sledda Son of Erkenwin who in the year of Grace five hundred twenty seaven founded that Kingdom containing Essex Middlesex and so much of Hartfordshire as is under the Bishop of Londons Iurisdiction whose Diocese is adequate to this Kingdom 10. After this was the Kingdom of the Northumbers to which belonged whatsoever lyeth between Humber and Edenborough-Frith It was sometimes subdivided into two Kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira Bernicia contain'd Northumberland with the South of Scotland to Edenborough and Deira consisted of part of Lancashire with the entire counties of York Durham Westmorland and Cumberland The whole Kingdom at this time was governed by Ethelfrid in the fourth year of his Raign Who was Son of Edelric Son of Alla Son of Ida who founded that Kingdom in the year of our Lord five hundred forty seaven 11. After this was the Kingdom of the East-Angles containing Norfolk Suffolk Cambridgshire with the Isle of Ely and some part of Bedfordshire At that time Redwald had been four years King thereof who was Son of Titillus Son of Vffa esteem'd the first King and founder of it in the year of Grace five hundred seaventy five 12. The last though largest of the Saxon Heptarchy was the Kingdom of the Mercians so call'd because being seated in the middle of the Island it was the Marches or Limits on which the other Kingdoms did border It comprehended the whole Counties of Lincoln Northampton RutlaÌ„d Huntingdoâ— Buckingham Oxford Worcester Warwick Darby Nottingham Leicester Stafford Chester Glocester Part of Lancashire Herefordshire Shropshire and Bedfordshire At this time when S. Augustin the Monk was sent by Pope Gregory to the Conversion of the Saxons the King or at least Cheif Governour of Mercia was Wibba son of Crida who layd the foundations of it in the year of our Lord five hundred eighty five 13. These were the Kings raigning in Brittany when Almighty God from heaven visited it by sending Apostolicall men to teach the blind Inhabitants the wayes to glory and Happines And these were the limits of their respective kingdoms Which limits notwithstanding were in continuall motion varying according to the successe good or bad of the Princes invading as oft they did the bounds of their Neighbours And among these seaven Kings commonly one was most puissant overruling the rest who stiled himself King of the English Nation Which supereminence Ethelbert King of Kent at this time enjoyd to whom the Word of life was first offred and by him thankfully accepted as shall consequently be declared 14. Now since in the poursuit of our History we are to give an Account of occurrents relating to another new Government and Church in Brittany being little concerned hereafter in the affaires of the Brittains themselves We will therefore in the following Books denote the Succession of times not by the Brittish but Saxon Kings in whose raigns they shall happen respectively And though at this time in the Saxon Heptarchy the Kingdom of Kent was both the most powerfull
one accepted the Episcopall ministery and charge there till the time that S. Beda wrote his History when a certain Prelat called Daniel was ordained Bishop of the West-Saxons and Gevissi Notwithstanding true it is that at this time presently after the conquest of the Island S. Wilfrid discharged that Office there being one saith William of Malmsbury whom King Cedwalla sett over the whole Province as Master and Governour neither without his assent would he himself doe any weighty matter in his kingdom VI. CHAP. 1.2 c King Cedwalla having made Inas his Successour in devotion goes to Rome to receive Baptism 5.6 c. The occurrents of his iourney his Companions 9. c. Assoon as he was baptized he dyed at Rome His Epitaph c. 1. THE year following which was the year of Grace six hundred eighty eight Cedwalla who had hitherto acted the Lions part now devested himself of his naturall feircenes entertaining thoughts and designs of peace meeknes and humility and though he was a victorious King and withall young full of spirits and vigour yet he made choice rather to shew himself an humble servant of Christ then to continue his raign full of temporal glory This was a wonderfull change of the right hand of the Almighty of which we may confidently acknowledge S. Wilfrid to have been the principal Instrument And therein admire the good Providence of God in the disposall of that his faithfull servant 2. Wee can scarce find in Ecclesiasticall story any example except S. Athanasius of an innocent holy Prelate which suffred persecutions and banishments so frequent and tedious for we shall see S. Wilfrid once more restored and again banished and after that restored again all which vicissitudes of suffrings did not onely cooperate to the perfectionating his own soule in patience but were occasions of procuring eternall happines to thousands of soules Whole nations were converted to Christ by this wandring Prelate as the Frisons South-Saxons and inhabitants of the Isle of Wight so that he had the fate of the ancient Prophets to be loved and honoured every where but in his own native countrey 2. But to return to Cedwalla This year in a voluntary and heroïcall devotion he devested himself of his Royall Purple and assumed the Habit of a Pilgrim to visit the Monuments of the Holy Apostles at Rome and there to receive the humble badge of Christianity There wanted not in Brittany many holy and Venerable Bishops and Prelats who might have conferred that blessing on him as S. Theodore at Canterbury S. Erconwald at London S. Hedda in his own countrey and S. Wilfrid also then present with him to whom wee may adde the holy and learned Abbot S. Aldelm the Abbot Cymbert and many others But it seems Cedwalla calling to mind that his Noble Predecessours King Lucius the Emperour Constantin and King Ethelbert had received their Faith and Baptism from Rome he desired to repair to the fountain of Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and to pay his huÌ„ble respects to the Princes oft he Apostles then in a sort living and governing in their Successour Sergius at that time Pope 3. To this effect S. Beda has left us an account of this matter In the third year of the raign of Alfrid King of the Northumbers saith he Cedwalla King of the West-Saxons after he had for two years space valiantly governed his Kingdom voluntarily quitted the same for our Lord and for the gaining an eternall Kingdom and went to Rome For his desire was to obtain this singular priviledge and glory to be washed from his Sins by Baptism at the Sepulchers of the Blessed Cheif Apostles for he had been taught that by Baptism only the entrance into eternall life was opened to mankind Withall he had a hope that assoon as he was baptised he should be freed from his mortall flesh and passe to everlasting ioyes Neither did he fayle of his hope in either of these regards so great was the Mercy of God to him 4. Before he departed out of Brittany he took care to compose and settle his Kingdom under the government of a worthy Successour For which purpose with the advice and consent of his Nobles choice was made of Inas a Prince of the Blood Royal being great grandchild of Cuthbald brother to King Kâ—negils or as Florentius writes the son of Ken son of Ceolwald brother of Kinewald sons of Cuthwin who was son of Ceaulin Others affirm him to have been the son of Cissa founder of the Monastery of Abindon He was a young man of eminent endowments which gained him the affections of all and thereby the Crown Therefore as William of Malmsbury well observes he was advanced to the Principality rather for his courage and industry thâ—n proximity of blood being a Prince of admirable valour prudence and piety by which qualities he obtaind great affection at home and reverence abroad Insomuch as he exercised supreme authority the space of forty years wanting two without any apprehension of treachery 5. King Cedwalla having provided so worthy a Successour delayed not his iourney to Rome In which his Companions were Saint Aldelm Abbot of the Monastery oâ— Malmsbury who had also another motive to obtain from the See Apostolick certain Priviledges and liberties to this Monastery and as some writers affirm Saint Leitphard a Bishop and Martyr who returning from Rome anâ— passing through a forest called Trecaultium near Arras was by certain impious persons lewdlâ— slain But of this supposed companion of King Cedwalla no mention is made among ouâ— Ecclesiasticall Writers 6. Having taken ship they landed in the Province of the Morini or Terouanne in France the nearest to Brittany where saith Suriuâ— and Miraeus King Cedwalla then a Catechumen having heard of the Sanctity of an Abbot called wulmar and of his admirable zeale anâ— prudence in instructing soules repaired to him to receive his spirituall counsell and a more perfect knowledge in Christian Mysteries The holy Abbot at that time had finished the building a Church to the honour of the Blessed Virgâ—n and of S. Peter the Apostle 7. From thence travelling through France and having passed the Alpes King Cedwalla called by Paul Warnefridus Theoâ—wald a Prince who in his own countrey had fought many battells after which having been converted to the Faith of Christ he hastned to Rome there to receive Baptism and by the way passing through Câ—â—alpin Gaule or Lombardy he visited the King of that Nation called Cunibert by whom he was entertained with wonderfull humanity and magnificence 8. From thence arriving at Rome very opportunely near the Solemnity of Easter at which time by the ancient custom of the Church the Sacrament of Baptism was solemnly administred to such as had been converted from Infidelity he addressed himself to Pope Sergius in the Second year of his Pontificat by whom he was gladly received and admitted to Baptism in which also according to the usuall manner his Name
the Crosse for the salvation of the world in a certain most beautifull crystall-glasse by a Brother of the Temple well known The which present was confirm'd by the testimony of severall Persons to wit of the Patriark of Ierusalem of Archbishops Bishops Abbots and other Prelats together with Noblemen dwelling in the holy Land Thus writes that Historian and consequently declares at large with what honour and reverence King Henry the third together with the whole Clergy and Nobility entertain'd the sayd holy treasure 5. Moreover whereas doubts and scruples were by some spread among the people concerning the reality and truth of that blood Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln the glory of that age and of our Kingdom for Piety and Learning gave full satisfaction to doubting minds by a narration of the Fact which that Historian himself being present heard and committed to writing to this effect Ioseph of Arimathea sayd the Bishop a noble Counsellor being one of the hearers of Iesus or rather a Disciple who bore speciall affection to him out of tender compassion was very solâ—icatonâ— how his most venerable body might be preserved from the rage and fury of the Iews For he was a most 〈…〉 of him as Nicodemus likewise was But these and other rich men had â—â—eraâ—d their affection to him for fear of the Iews least being accused they should loose their essaâ—s and incâ—rre the hatred of their â—â—â—â—treymen such a 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—â—itude does accompany riches 6. When Iesus therfore was crucified and dead Ioseph went boldly to Pilat which shews him to be a person of consideratioâ— and begd the body of Iesus which was granted him He then notwithstanding the murmuring of the Iews with all honour and reverence took down the most holy body from the Crosse which was all oâ—er in severall mannâ—â—s mangled and bloody And having a linnen Clâ—â—â—â— very fine hanging â—own behind 〈◊〉 neck over his shoulders least he might irreverently touch that most holy Body with his naked hands he carefully and devoutly wiped with it the sacred wound◠〈◊〉 yet 〈◊〉 and distilling Moreover making 〈◊〉 of the sayd 〈◊〉 instead of a sponge having drawn the nayles out of the wounds which were all dyed with blood he wiped and cleansed them as the Crosse it selfe 7. Now when the sayd Ioseph had carried the Body of Christ not far from Golgotha or Calvary where he had been crucified to the place where his sepulcher is now worshipped there he layd it in a New tomb where never any body had been layd which had been decently cut out of a rock and where himselfe intended to have been buried But before he buried it he washed the holy Body which at hath been sayd was many ways wounded and covered with blood and this first in regard of his bloody sweat of which we read His swear was like great drops of blood falling down to the ground Again by reason of his whipping for he was scourged most cruelly so as not only to leave marks in his body but to make the blood run down Besides this his Crown of thorns which the Iews violently press'd upon his head with a great number of pricks did not only â—â—ing his head and forehead but deeply wounded and severed it with blood Moreover the â—ayles made wide holes through his hands and feet And lastly the soldiers spear did not only wound but opened a wide passage into his side being thrust into it at least once if not severall times For these reasons the foresayd venerable Counsellor Ioseph carefully washed his body Besides that such was the custom of the Iews before their burialls as it is still when persons of any consideration are to be buried particularly Religious men He wash'd it therfore because it was moreover to be embalmed He wash'd it because he had an intention and religious design to appropriate the same blood to his own devout use and to reserve it as a treasure and most precious Medecine for his soul. And moreover he neglected not the water become red with a tincture of blood he would not cast it away but kepâ— it in a clean vessell But far more reverently did hee reserve the pure blood distilling from the wounds of his hands anâ— feet And above all he did with wonderfull reverence and holy feare receive into a most precious vessell the blood mixâ— with water which he carefully pressed out of his right side which he iudged to â—ssue from the vessells adioyning to his heart this he esteem'd a treasure unvaluable and in a speciall manner to be reserv'd for himself and his Successours Such was the discourse of that Venerable Prelat copied by the Historian his Auditour 8. It may perhaps seem a wonder why S. Ioseph would ordain that such a precious Treasure should be buried with his Body For surely naturall Reason and the practise of all Ages doth dictate to us that it is an argument of our affection and respect to a dead freind to be willing to reserve any thing of valew belonging to him to esteem it because of such a relation and for rendring him In a sort always-present to us especially when by speciall deserts we are obliged to be mindfull of him and without our own great danger cannot neglect to commemorate his benefits All which considerations and many more have place in this example So that to find fault with and condemne the primitive Devotion in paying a respect and Veneration to the Relicks of Saints and above all of this Saint of Saints is to renounce human reason yea to range one's selfe in the society of Evill Spirits which only abominated and durst not approach neare unto them But why then did S. Ioseph take order that such most precious adorable Relicks should be buried with him and hid from mankind 9. The true reasons hereof may be first because if in such times before Christianity had been establish'd in this Island they had been consign'd to any particular persons either a loosing of profanation of them could scarce have been avoyded Whereas a certainty that they were reserved in that place would be an occasion to stir up the Devotion of present and succeeding Christians to frequent it and reap benefit by the vertue of them And again S. Ioseph had no doubt the same design herein that the Emperour Constantin afterwards express'd as Eusebius informs us who with great care made a collection of the Relicks of the Apostles which he richly adorned and commanded they should be layd up in his Tombe to the end that being dead he might be made partaker of the prayers which there in honour of the Apostles should be offred to God XIV CHAP. 1. S. Phagan 〈…〉 to S. Ioseph 〈…〉 2. Such a succession 〈…〉 Lucius afterward the plate was 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 3. The memory of S. Ioseph renew'd there in after ages 1. WHen S. Ioseph was dead theâ—e succeded in the prefecture of that holy place S. Phagan who is sayd to have
kinred 12. By which expression the Historian seems in the opinion of Baronius to have principally pointed at this famous Conversion of Brittany For having with all diligence searched into Ecclesiasticall monuments he professes he could could not find out any to whom that passage in Eusebius could be applied except our Brittish King Lucius whose name is commemorated in the ancient Martyrologes usually read in Churches Neither is it any wonder that Eusebius should either be ignorant or silent concerning the particular affairs of Brittany concerning which as may be shewd by many Examples he treats very negligently But enough hath been sayd touching the motives probably inducing King Lucius at this time publickly to embrace the Christian Faith We will consequently declare the manner and order of the said Kings conversion accompanied with that not only of his family but generally his whole Kingdom III. CHAP. 1. A History of the Conversion of Brittany anciently written by Elvanus Avallonius lost 2. The Relation of Bale and the Magdeburgenses concerning it 3.4.5 c. King Lucius being unsatisfied in his old Religion demands instruction of Pope Eleutherius And why he has recourse to him 1. IF the Ancient History of Elvanus call'd Avallonius that is of Glastonbury mention'd by Radulphus Niger in his Chronicle and â—ale who is sayd to have lived in these very times of Antoninus the Philosopher Commodus his son and Pope Eleutherius and to have written a Book of the Original of the Brittish Church if this History I say were still extant we might with more assurance proceed in the relation of the particulars touching this most happy conversion of our Countrey Wheras now we must content our selves with gleaning out of lesse ancient Writers such parcell's as they will afford us to make up the following Narration Notwithstanding since we cannot charge them with delivering to posterity their own inventions we ought to receive their scattred Records as the Relicks of ancient Tradition extracted out of Primitive Histories now swallowd in the gulfe of time 2. Now in our Narration that we may approve our sincerity we will not neglect the iudgment and testimonies of such Modern Writers as have searched into Antiquity though otherwise averse from Catholick Religion Among which thus writs Bale King Lucius says he was it seems scandalis'd at the meannesse and Poverty of Christ as the Iews formerly were For though Christian Religion had for the space of more then a hundred years been propagated through Brittany yet it seem'd to him deprived of its due splendour because it had hitherto been administred by simple poore and contemptible persons and however it wanted the Emperiall Authority of Rome to support it Therfore as soon as he was informed by Trebellius and Pertinax the Emperours Lievtenants that upon the ceasing of persecution severall illustrious Romans had embraced it he then began to entertain a more worthy conceit of it And to the same effect write the Centuriators of Magdeburg though with some mistake as hath been observed 3. This stone of offence to wit Poverty and want of worldly splendour and advantages being thus removed King Lucius now seriously comparing the Christian Faith with what he had been taught by his Druids the simplicity and sanctity of the one with the unclean and inhuman Superstitions of the other but especially considering the inestimable Promises of eternall Glory and Happines not only proposed but by evident demonstrations establish'd in the Gospell to which his own Preists never pretended any claim at all No wonder if he grew unsatisfied and weary of his former Errours and willing to admit a further illustration of those verities with a few beams wherof he had formerly been enlightned 4. Now it seems there not being then in Brittany or not known to the King any Ecclesiasticall persons of authority sufficient to establish a new Church though there wanted not such as had skill enough to perswade satisfy him in the Truth of Christian Religion the principall of which were the foremention'd Elvanus of Avallonia and Medwinus of the Province inhabited by the Belgae Hence it came to passe that King Lucius no doubt by the advice of these holy persons was oblig'd to seek for a more perfect instruction and to implore a greater authority for setling the common affairs of Christianity from abroad 5. For which purpose though in the neighbouring Kingdom of Gaule there were at that time living and famous many holy Bishops eminent for Piety and learning the most illustrious among which was S. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons and shortly after a most glorious Martyr Yet to none of these had King Lucius recourse either for counsell or assistance But ordring his Messengers to passe through that Nation he directed them beyond it to Rome the fountain of all Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction and to S. Eleutherius a worthy Successor of S. Peter in the Apostolick Chair 6. Indeed if he had at that time consulted S. Irenaeus he would have told him what himselfe had taught the world in his Book against Heresies That to this Roman Church by reason of its more powerfull principality it is necessary that every other Church should have recourse that is all faithfull Christians wheresoever dispers'd Because in that Church the Tradition derived from the Apostles was safely conserv'd Tertullian likewise an Eminent Preist then alive would have given him the same advice Whosoever thou art saith he that would'st better employ thy curiosity in the busines of thy salvation take a view of the principall Churches founded by the Apostles c. If Italy be nearest thee thou maist repaire to Rome from whence our authority in Africk is likewise derived A Church it is happy in its constitution to which the cheif Apostles together with their blood shed forth the whole doctrine of Christianity Lastly the security of making that Church the Rule both of doctrin and disciplin would have been excellently declared by the foresaid glorious Saint Irenaeus saying By making known the Faith of that cheifest most ancient and through all the world most renouned Church of Rome founded and constituted by the most glorious Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and by an uninterrupted succession of Bishops derived to our times we confound all those who any way either by an unlawfull self-love vain-glory blindnes or or perversenes of opinion doe make separated congregationâ— professing other Doctrines And in consequence the same holy Father adioyns a Catalogue of the Names of all the Bishops of Rome from S. Peters dayes the twelfth and last wherof living in his time was this S. Eleutherius to whom King Lucius address'd himselfe for a more perfect information in Christian verities and to obtain Ordinances and lawes necessary for the constitution of a well ordred Church in his Kingdome IV. CHAP. 1.2 Bishop Vshers iudgment of King Lucius his Message to the Pope 3. Instructions given by the King to Messengers 4.5 Pope
of our more Ancient Historians as Geffrey of Monmouth Hoveden c. doe mention it But what ever becoms of this Epistle certain it is that the story of King Lucius his conversion c. does not depend on it but is confirm'd by most Authentick Records and unquestion'd Tradition V. CHAP. 1.2 Fugatius and Damianus sent back with King Lucius his Messengers 3. Concerning Elvanus one of the Kings Messengers 1. THis Epistle if indeed genuine was brought back by the same Messengers whom King Lucius had sent to Rome Elvanus and Medwinus and together with them there came two other Holy Men commission'd by Pope Eleutherius not only to instruct and baptise the King and those who imitating the Kings good Example embraced the Christian Faith but also to order and establish all Ecclesiasticall affairs in the Kingdome The names of those two strangers were Fugatius and Damianus 2. The Employment about which these men were sent argues them to have been sufficiently qualified thereto And hence it is that our more Modern Historians both Catholicks and Protestants doe not doubt to stile them Prelats Antistites and Bishops For indeed without such a Character and Authority how could they erect Bishopricks consecrate Churches dispense Orders c 3. It is not likewise without probability what other Writers say concerning our Brittish Messenger Elvanus that he was consecrated a Bishop at Rome by Pope Eleutherius And whereas others contradict this upon a supposition that when he with his companion went to Rome they were only Cathecumens not baptis'd before that time the contrary seems to appear in that they were formerly Preachers of the Christian Faith both to King Lucius and others And besids their Education sufficiently shews their capacity For as a late Writer out of ancient Monuments asserts they were of the number of S. Ioseph of Arimathea's Disciples full of zeale to Gods glory according to knowledge bred up in a contemplative life of Prayer and Mortification at Glastonbury where according to the Testimony of Adam Domerham and Iohn a Monk Authours of the Antiquities of Glastonbury The twelve holy men companions of S. Ioseph and their Successors in the same number did for a long time lead an Eremiticall life there and converted great multituds of Pagans to the Faith of Christ. It is therfore very credible that so well a qualified person as Elvanus was as Tradition delivers consecrated a Bishop at Rome since no prejudice therby was done to the Apostolick Canons forbidding Neophyts to be assumed to so sublime a degree As for his Companion Medwinus the same Tradition informs us that being endued with eloquence and fluency of speech he was qualified there also with the Office of a Preacher and Doctour of the Christian Faith VI. CHAP. 1.2 King Lucius with his Queen c. baptised 3.4.5 c. Rites of ancient Baptism signing with the Crosse Vnction Benediction of the water Exorcismes c. 11.12.13 These come by Tradition confirm'd by S. Basile 14. The Centuriators blaspemies against them 1. FVgatius and Damianus being admitted to King Lucius his presence acquainted him with the great ioy caus'd at Rome by his happy conversion and how in complyance with his desire they were sent by the Holy Pope Eleutherius to administer the Rites of Christianity And hereupon both the King and his whole family with many others received Baptism according to the course and ceremony of the Roman Church Thus we read in the Ancient Roman Martyrologe Pope Eleutherius brought to the profession of Christian Faith many of the Roman Nobility And moreover sent into Brittany S. Fugatius and S. Damianus who baptis'd King Lucius together with his Wife and almost all his people 2. The Name of King Lucius his Queen baptised with him is lost but in ancient Records the memory of his Sister call'd Emerita is still preserv'd who for her Holines and constant suffring Martyrdom for Christ ha's worthily obtain'd a place among the Saints More shall be sayd of her hereafter 3. Now since all Ancient Histories agree that King Lucius was baptis'd solemny according to the Roman rite it will be expedient to declare the order and form therof as may be collected out of the Monuments and Writings of this Primitive age which was no doubt conformable to the Ordinances of the Apostles as S. Iustin Martyr S. Irenaeus and Tertullian living in these times doe confidently affirm against all Hereticks and innovatours challenging them all to shew wherin any of the Apostolick Churches and principally that of Rome have deserted the ancient Faith and Disciplin established by the Apostles 4. Now though to the essence and substance of the Sacrament of Baptis'm there be necessarily required no more besides the due Matter which is Water the due Form of Words to be pronounced and a right Intention of him who conferrs it Yet that besids these there were even in those Primitive times adioyned severall other Sacred and ceremonious rites very effectuall to apply and imprint the sence and vertue of that Sacrament in the minds of all those who received it is most evident from ancient Tradition and the Writings of those times Which additionary Ceremonies were commanded to be used in Solemne baptisms through the whole Church by S. Clement S. Hyginus S. Pius and other Primitive Popes by a prescription no doubt from the Apostles though probably not used every where with due reverence 5. But though those Ceremonies had not been expressly enioynd by the Apostles who can iustly deny but that the Church and her Governours concerning whom our Lord saith He that heareth or obeyeth you heareth me had sufficient authority to render the administration of the Sacraments more solemne and august by ordaining externall Rites in the celebration of them as long as they doe not command our beleif of the absolut necessity of them in themselves 6. Of the sayd Additionary Rites the principall are these 1. The arming of the person to be Baptised with the sign of the Crosse. 2. The annointing him on the head with holy Oyle 3. and likewise with Chrism 4. The solemn blessing of the Water design'd for Baptism 5. The using of Exorcisms and holy Prayers for the driving away the Enemy of mankind Of all these Ceremonies at this day banish'd from all Congregations but only the Roman and Greek Churches and in regard of the first and last the English Protestant Church there are evident proofs that they were in use at this time when our King Lucius was baptiz'd 7. First touching signing with the Crosse Tertullian is so expresse even by confession of Protestants and that not only in Baptism but a world of other occasions that it is to no purpose to quote him This was the Character which distinguishd true Beleivers in that age from Infidells And particularly with regard to King Lucius there is to this day extant an ancient Coyn stampd with the Image of this King his Name LVC. and the sign of
assemblies of lawfull Pastours Adding withall That they constituted in diverse Citties of the Kingdome twenty eight Bishops which were in subjection to three Arch-Bishops and Metropolitan Sees The Prime See was London to which Loegria and Cornwall was subject to wit all the Provinces on the South of Severn and Wales The second was Yorck to which was submitted Deira and Albania divided from Loegria by the River Humber The Third was the Citty of Legions which had Dominion over Cambria or Wales separated from Loegria by the River Severn This Citty was anciently seated on the River Osca in Glamorganshire as the old walls and buildings there doe shew 3. Thus that Historian herein following a more ancient Writer Geffrey of Monmouth with whom accord severall others mention'd by Bishop Vsher. And though he as likewise Bishop Godwin call this a vain invention and Dream as truly they may justly if by that passage of our Historian were to be understood that immediatly upon the first Conversion of the Brittains so many Bishops and Arch-Bishops were established in the Kingdom Notwithstanding we may reasonably interpret the meaning to be That in ordring the Ecclesiasticall Policy of the New Christian Church they according to the pattern given not only by the Roman but all Eastern Churches design'd a distinction of Dioceses and Provinces according to the number and splendour of the respective Citties So that there being then in Brittany twenty eight Citties as S. Bede says compass'd with walls and fortified with Towres and Gates they ordain'd that in future times when the number of Pastours was multiplied each Citty and Territory belonging to it should be governed by a particular Bishop Wheras in the beginning those who were consecrated Bishops did not confine themselves to one place but according to occasions and emergent necessities transfer'd their solicituds and exercise of their Pastorall duties from one Citty and Province to another till in future times the Harvest encreasing and labourers proportionably multiplying every Bishop and Pastour in his Iuridiction was limited to his peculiar flock with a prohibition to exceed his limits 4. This sence of the forecited Historians seems to be given by the Authour of the ancient Book belonging to the Monastery of Abingdon quoted by Bishop Vsher where we read this passage The Venerable man Pope Eleutherius sent to the illustrious King Lucius his Messengers Faganus and Divianus religious persons and sufficiently instructed in the Christian Faith These holy men did with great devotion baptize both the King himselfe and his people who unanimously embraced the Christian Faith and withall destroyed Idols and built Churches to the worship of God In a word these two men in all things seeking the glory of God and the propagation of Christian Religion decreed that there should be appointed in all places particular Ministers of the Omnipotent God and that in those Cities where formerly resided Arch-flamens according to the Superstition of the Pagans in their place should be establish'd Arch-Bishops and likewise to the ordinary simple Flamens should succeed Bishops Now at that time there were in the three most famous places to wit London York and the Citty of Legions ordained three Arch-Prelats that is Arch-flamens of the Pagan Superstition 5. This distinction and subordination of Arch-flamens and Flamens though we doe not find mention'd by Roman Writers to have been setled among the Idolatrous Brittish Preists under those Titles Yet that the Druids had an Order and Degree among them and that there was one Principall person who enioyd a Domination over their whole Body Caesar an eye-witnes of their customs doth acquaint us From whence necessarily follows that since one single person could not alone have an inspection over so many subjects so widely dispersed it necessarily follows that he must have subordinate Ministers to govern in severall places and to give him an account of the state of their affairs And indeed without such a subordination it was impossible they should subsist in one Body insomuch as these blind Heathens have shew'd greater effects of reason and naturall prudence in composing their Congregation then our Modern Sects withall their pretended light of Scriptures have done 6. These Druid-Preists have the Title of Arch-flamens and Flamens given them not by themselves but by our Historians writing of them in imitation of the Romans among whom those Titles were in use so call'd from the Flamen or flame-colourd Hat wherewith their heads were always coverd These Flamines among the Romans were of severall orders according to the Deities whom they served as Iupiter Mars c. And each order had a distinct Cheif and all these cheifs were subject to the Pontifex Maximus a Title assum'd by the Emperours themselves VIII CHAP. 1.2 c. Of twenty eight Cities anciently in Brittany The names of them out of ancient Authours 7. In what sence Arch-Bishops are saâ—d to have been in those times 1 NOw wheras mention has been made of twenty eight Citties in Brittany suitably to what our ancient Gildas has written that this Island was strengthned with twice ten and twice four Citties it will not be a vain Curiosity to enquire what those Citties were which were design'd for the Sees of so many Bishops 2. To give a full satisfaction to such an enquiry will be no easy matter considering so great and frequent Vicissitudes of inhabitants tongues governments and warrs which since these times have succeded in this our Countrey from all which must needs follow great confusion of names and destruction of places 3. Our Ancient Historians have scattringly mention'd severall of them and particularly Nennius a Monk of Bangor and the Arch-deacon of Huntingdon have made a collection of them But the most exact Catalogue of them is afforded us by the late learned Bishop Vsher described out of two very ancient Manuscripts extant in Sir Iohn Cottons Library which he sayth he coÌ„par'd with nine Written Copies more in which the old Brittish names were seâ— down together with an interpretation of them as followeth 4. These are the Names of all Citties in Brittany in number twenty eight I. Caïr Guintguic which perhaps is Norwich call'd by the Brittains Cair Guntins Or rather it is Winwick in Lancashire The old Glossary of Nennius interprets it Winchester II. Caâ—r Mincip or Municip erroneously written in Henry of Huntingdon Mercipit This is Verolam a Town neer S. Albans which as we read in Tacitus was anciently a Free-town enioying the Priviledge of the Citty of Rome III. Caïr Liqualid or Legevit or Lualid This is Luguballia call'd by Huntingdon Caïr Leil now Carlile IV. Caïr Meguaid or Meigâ—od at this day Meivod in the Province of Montgomery It was anciently call'd by Ptolomy and Antoninus Mediolanum V. Caïr Colun or Colon which Geffrey of Monmouth and Huntingdon call Colchester situated on the River Coln and it is in Antoninus his Itinerary call'd Colonia VI. Caïr Ebranc by others Caïr branc it is York
by Tradition was the last who sate in the Chair of Kungresbury transfer'd that See which had continued six hundred years or more at Kungresbury to a Town then call'd Tethescine but now Welles which was given by King Ina who also consented to the Translation The said Daniel was the last of the Brittains who sate in that Bishoprick 10. This Story at least for as much as concerns the antiquity of the Episcopall See of Kungresbury seems to want a solide foundation For that Town took its name about the year of our Lord seaven hundred and eleaven from a holy man called Cungar a son of a Constantinopolitan Prince who coming into Brittany and desirous to live a retired life was kindly received by King Ina who bestow'd on him that portion of Land call'd afterward by his name and withall built for him a Mansion and Oratory there As for the Church of Wells it was then built by King Ina and endow'd with Lands by Kenulphus the Successour of King Ina in the year seaven hundred and sixty six But saith Bishop Godwin it was then not a Cathedrall but Collegiat or Monasticall Church and was erected into an Episcopall See in the year nine hundred and five in which the first Bishop was Adelmus XII CHAP. 1.2 King Lucius richly endows Churches with possessions 3.4 Priviledge of Sanctuary long continued in Brittany 1. KIng Lucius as he was very zealous and munificent in building Churches to the Glory of God he was no lesse in liberall endowments and Priviledges bestow'd on them To this purpose Matthew of Westminster call'd Florilegus writes thus In the year of Grace one hundred eighty seaven Lucius the glorious King of the Brittains having seen the true Worship of God largely spread in his Kingdom liberally bestow'd possessions and territories on Churches and Ecclesiasticall persons and also firmly established them with Charters and immunities Such liberties he gave to Churches and their Precincts that if any Malefactour made his refuge to them he became safe from all injuries of any man whosoever Thus living happily in the love of God and his Neighbour he governed his Kingdom in great peace A Modern Historian Richard White adds That this King having destroyed all the Idols and worship of false Gods transfer'd all their possessions on Christian Churches which he further enrich'd with more Lands and greater immunities as knowing very well that greater honour is due â—o the houses of the true God 2. We may from hence in some degree compute this King Munificence to Gods Church for since he judged that the Worship of the true God ought to be more splendid and sumptuous then that of their profane Idols had been by searching into ancient Monuments we shall find that the former Brittish Idolatry had been very costly and consequently the true worship much more To this purpose Geffrey of Monmouth and after him Ponticus Virunnius thus writes At London the Pagan Flamens sacrificed yearly forty thousand cowes a hundred thousand sheep and fowle of all kinds so many as could scarce be numbred And besides all these they offred thirty thousand savage cattle stags and other beasts bred in the woods 3. As for the Priviledge of Sanctuary granted by King Lucius to Churches he seems therein to have been a pattern to the Emperour-Constantin and other Christian Princes in future Ages who by their Laws gave unto the Church the like prerogative Hence the Fathers of the Councill of Orleans above eleaven hundred years since made this Canon to renew the use of former Canons and Lawes Concerning Manslayers adulterers and theeves who shall seek refuge in a Church we now ordain that that shall be observed which the Ecclesiasticall Canons have decreed and the Roman Law appointed to wit that it shall not be lawfull for any man by force to draw them from the Courts of Churches or houses of Bishops 4. This respect and reverence which King Lucius shew'd to the Church and Church-men was for many ages continued in Brittany more then in any Christian Nation besides These Priviledges of Sanctuaries were extended not only to Churches and Church-yards but much further according to limits and bounds determined by Bishops Insomuch saith Giraldus Cambrensis that by the indemnity of such immunity far exceeding the indulgence allow'd by the Canons of the Church which grant security only to the body and members of offenders many were induced to commit great outrages and from such places of Refuge did greivously molest both their Countrey and even their Princes themselves Whence appears with what religion the Ordinances of King Lucius were received and practised by posterity XIII CHAP. 1.2 c. A famous Church and Monastery erected by King Lucius at Winchester with Possessions and Priviledges which continued till the raign of Diocletiaâ— 6.7 Of what Institute the Monkâ— in those days were 9. Severall decays and restitutions of that Monastery 1. THE Piety of King Lucius in the sixth year after his conversion did more gloriously shew it selfe in the foundation and plentifull endowment of a Church and Monastery at Winchester then call'd Ventae Belgarum Which Church saith Bishop Godwin was consecrated by Fugatius and Damianus on the twenty ninth of October in the year one hundred eighty nine 2. Moratius a very ancient Authour quoted by Thomas Radburn Harpsfeâ—ld Bishop Vsher c. gives us a perfect description of this Church and Monastery And first as touching the dimensions and bounds of it he writes thus as he is quoted by Thomas Radburn Bishop of S. Davids The measure of the Church founded by King Lucius according to Moratius in his first Book and second Chapter was in length two hundred and nine paces in breadth fourscore paces and in heighth ninety two paces From one corner crosse the Church to the opposite corner were one hundred and thirty paces The situation of the Monastery on the East side of the Church towards the Temple of Concord was one hundred paces in length and in breadth towards the New Temple of Apollo â—orty On the Northpart it was one hundred and sixty paces in length and ninety eight in breadth On the West side of the Church there were in length one hundred and ninety in breadth one hundred On the south coast there were in length four hundred and fifty paces and in breadth five hundred and eighty On this side was seated the Episcopall Palace as likewise the habitation of the Monks 3. In the next place the same Authour Moratius describes the large possessions wherewith this Church and Monastery were endowed by King Lucius saying The limits of their possessions were extended twelve miles round about the Citty of Winchester reaching so far on every side In which space there were on each quarter seated eight wealthy Villages Now if one Church possessed so large 2 Territory we may collect how richly all the Churches of Brittany were endowed even in those Primitive times 4. The forementiond Thomas
this controversy is well determin'd by the learned Bishop Vsher though an Irishman who says Dempster is the first and onely Writer that ever dreamt that Melanius was a Scott XVI CHAP. 1. The Emperour Valerianus first favours afterward persecutes Christians 2. He is taken Captive by the King of Persia. 3. Many Tyrants and Vsurpers in the Empire 4. Gallienus Son to Valerianus slain 5.6 Claudius a Worthy Emperour succeeds His raign short but his posterity in the following age possesses the Empire VAlerian in the beginning of his raign showd not any disfavour to Christians but in his fifth year he raised a furious persecution which was the eighth against them in which the holy Pope Stephanus was crowned with Martyrdom to whom succeeded S. Sixtus the second of that Name who the same year tasted of same the Cup. And in his place sate S. Dionysius To the same Emperours cruelty the glorious Martyr S. Cyprian became a Sacrifice and at Rome S. Laurence though inferiour in degree yet excelling all other Martyrs in his magnanimously suffring with contempt most exquisite torments 2. But almight God speedily and heavily visited all this precious blood upon the Emperour Valerian who being taken prisoner in a battell against Saporeâ— King of the Persians lived many years in a most miserable slavery being made that Kings footstoole when he mounted his horse and at last his body was excoriated and salted with salt to be an eternall monument of the instability of human glory Neither was it a small aggravation to his unhappines that his Son Gallienus left sole Emperour never attempted either by treaty or war to redeem him 3. Notwithstanding though Gallienus was by iust title Sole Emperour yet never was there in so few years so many Vsurpers of the Empire as during his raign for in severall Provinces of the Roman world no fewer then thirty Tyrants assumed the Title of Emperours Among which those who had the Government of Gaule as Posthumius Tetricus c. were always favoured and assisted by the Armies in Brittany which was a portion of that Prefecture This is testified by a world of ancient Medalls inscrib'd by their names and faces which have been diggd up in severall places in this Island 4. At last after more then five years luxuriously and sluggishly spent Gallienus was by the treachery of Claudius his next Successour slain together with his Brother and children 5. Within lesse then three years Claudius dyed an Emperour highly esteem'd by the Romans for his courage wisdome and morall vertues but yet he was a persecutour of Christians After his death his Brother Quintillus took the Name of Emperour but within seaventeen days was slain by his own soldiers either for his austerity or because they had heard that Aurelianus was chosen Emperour by the Eastern Armies who therfore in history is esteemed the immediate Successour of Claudius 6. Notwithstanding the family of Claudius which was Flavian was sufficiently recompenced for the misfortune of his Brother Quintillus in that a daughter of his other Brother Crispus called Claudia being maried to Eutropius an eminent person of the Dardanian Nation bore to him Constantius Chlorus who established the Empire in his family for severall generations XVII CHAP. 1. Aurelianus the Successour of Claudius overcomes Zenobia and leads her Captive 2. He marches against the Tyrant Tetricus 3.4 He his accompanied by Constantius who makes himself illustrious 5 6.7 The Emperour Aurelianus his just Sentence in a controversy among Christians 1. AMong all the late Vsurpers of the Empire there remained only two in the beginning of Aurelianus his raign Zenobia in the East Queen of Palmyrene and Tetricus in the West Against these two therfore the Emperour turn'd his Arms beginning first with Zenobia a Lady of most masculin courage whom at last notwithstanding he with much difficulty subdued and lead with him in triumph to Rome where she and her off spring lived in a private but splendid fortune 2. After this Aurelianus march'd against Tetricus who had severall years acted the Emperour in Gaule with whom likewise conspired the Brittish Army But not dating to oppose the Emperour in battell he retired into Catalonia whither being pursued he voluntarily surrendred himself to him and was permitted not only to live but to live in esteem with him being trusted with the government of a Province in Italy 3. In this expedition Aurelianus was accompanied by Constantius Chlorus who here layd the foundations of bringing the Empire into his own family For behaving himself with admirable courage and conduit in freeing the Citty call'd Augusta Vindelicorum or Ausburg from a streit seige with which the barbarous Germans had surrounded it and afterward defeating the Enemies forces in a battell near the said Citty he gained so great a share in the Emperours favour and opinion that he made choice of him to be trusted with a Army into Brittany a Province then unquiet and ill affected 4. In this voyage of Constantius were layd the grounds of strange revolutions not only in regard of his own family but of the whole Church of God For now it was that he maried the so famous Brittish Lady S. Helena of whose birth we have already spoken Now it was that the glorious Emperour Constantin the Great was born and educated by his holy Mother in at least a love if not a Profession of Christian Religion by whom in a few years the Catholick Church was not only freed from the most heavy persecution it ever had groand under but made to triumph over Hell it selfe and the Kingdom of Hell Pagan Idolatry But a more full account of these things deserving our most exact inquiry we will referre to the following Book 5. And we will conclude this with relating a memorable passage out of Eusebius touching a most just and impartiall iudgment given by the Emperour Aurelianus alhough a Heathen in a controversy among Christians by which he acknowleged the authority and dignity of the Bishop of Rome contradicted and despis'd by Modern Sectaries The busines in debate was this 6. Paulus Samosatenus having broached a most execrable Heresy by which he denyed the Divinity of the Son of God was in a Synod of Eastern Bishops reduced from his Errour But upon his relapse he was by them excommunicated and deposed from his Bishoprick of Antioch But the obstinate Arch. heretick refused to relinquish either his opinion or his See Hereupon the said Bishops gave an account both of their iudgment and his perversenes to Dionysius Bishop of Rome and other Bishops in the West Now this controversy coming to the Notice of secular Magistrates the Emperour himselfe was desired to pronounce sentence therin which he performed in a manner that might have become a good Christian Prince related thus by Eusebius 7. When Paulus saith he refused to depart out of the house belonging to that Church of Antioch the Emperour Aurelian being desired to
there is not express'd by the Writers of his life Yet our Martyrologe relates on the sixth of Iune that he rested in our Lord with great Sanctity about the year of Christ four hundred and three and the visions and wonders preceding his death are thus related by those who have written his life 8. An Angel of our Lord from heaven appear'd to him with a pleasant countenance saying O worthy soldier of God may the joy of our Lord always encrease in thee and his peace continually remain with thee Be ready prepar'd for e're long God will call thee out of this world and thou shalt meet thy heavenly King with a palm of Victory This celestiall Messenger of God stay'd with him a good space and fill'd his soule with a spirituall sweetnes known only to God A second time another Angell appear'd unto him and sayd I am Michael the Archangel sent to thee from our Lord by whose command I am to acquaint thee with what shall shortly befall Behold I declare unto thee the hour of thy departure for after ten dayes thou shalt ioyfully issue out of thy prison of flesh and escape out of the dungeon of this world With inestimable gladnes thou shalt meet thy heavenly King into whose presence we will beare thee and he will receive thee with glory enrolling thee among the Cittizens and Courtiers of his kingdom 9. It is said that his Mother and sisters were present and assisting at his death being invited thither by the fame of his miracles And after his departure it seems they caried his body back with them into Brittany But afterward when the Pagan Saxons demolish'd the Christian Sepulchers in our Island it was transported again into Flanders for thus we read in his life 10. The Holy man dyed the eighth day before the Ides of Iune and his Body was buried in the Isle of Plet or Plecit where it remained many years illustrious by many miracles But barbarous people afterwards invading the Countrey forced the Brittains to fly into forrain regions at which time the Brethren of the foresaid Monastery took up the sacred Body and carried it with them over the Sea which divides Brittany from Gaule And travelling with this sacred pledge at last they arrived at his own Monastery where they repos'd it Where because it was not entertained with due honour a certain Noble Marques call'd Arnulphus appointed by God to be the instrument of the safety of many men removed it to the Monastery of Blandinium in Gaunt together with the precious Relicks of the famous Confessour Bertulpus Which Translation was made on the third day before the Nones of December when Clotharius raigned in France On which day yearly to this time the sacred Body is caried in a solemne Procession And what miracles were wrought severall times during such Processions Cap-grave relates III. CHAP. 1. Constans quiets Gaule and comes into Brittany 2 3. A Synod at Sardica where Brittish Bishops come 4. Gests of the Synod 5.6 c. Of Appeales to Rome c. 12.13 c. S. Athanasius restor'd and again banish'd 15.16 Constans his death 1. IN the yeare three hundred forty two as Paulus Diaconus writes great commotions began in the Roman Empire For the Nation of the Franks setling themselves in Gaule used all hostility against the Romans But this trouble was quickly appeas'd by the Emperour Constans who coming out of Illyricum â—ought with and subdued them After which he pass'd over into Brittany which usually follow'd the motions of Gaule This appears from Iulius Firmicus who in a Book dedicated to the same Emperour recounts this journey performed during the tempestuous season of Winter telling him that the Brittains at the unlook'd for sight of him were affrighted into obedience 2. Four yearts after this upon occasion of great combustions especially in the Eastern Empire the two Emperours ioyn'd to call a Council intended to be Oecumenicall For the Eastern Bishops of the faction of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia Cheif-Pillar of the Arians had condemned S. Athanasius in two Synods at Tyre and Antioch On the contrary Iulius Bishop of Rome in a Synod of Italian Bishops received him into his Communion notwithstanding the intercession of the Orientals who sent to Rome their Decree of the condemnation of S. Athanasius Wherupon a Schism between the Eastern and Western Churches being likely to break forth to prevent it the Orthodox Emperour Constans earnestly solicited his brother Constantius ro joyn with him in calling a Generall Councill therby to preserve inviolate the heritage of their Fathers piety by which he had establish'd the Empire destroyed Tyrants and reduced to his obedience many barbarous Nations 3. Hereupon a Synod was assembled the year following at Sardica in Illyrium to which there came out of the Western Empire about three hundred Bishops and out of the East onely seaventy sixe Now among the Western Bishops some there were who came out of Brittany as S. Athanasius in whose cause especially the Synod met expressly affirms naming one of them to wit Restitutus Bishop of London who twenty years before had been at the Councill of Nicea to establish the Faith of the Consubstantiality of the Son of God In which regard to treat more particularly of this Synods affairs appertains to our present History for therby will appeare the conformity of the Brittish Churches in those dayes to the Faith and Discipline of the Catholick Church 4. For as much therfore as concerns the Acts of this Synod the principall was a confirmation of Faith establish'd in the Council of Nicéa Next the declaring the innocence of S. Athanasius Marcellus Asclepas and other Orthodox Bishops persecuted and chased from their Sees by the Arian faction together with the deposition and excommunication of their adversaries Then succeeded a condemnation of those Eastern Bishops which deserted the Synod and made a Schismaticall Assembly at Philippopolis neer Sardica where they likewise publish'd Decrees and Canons in contradiction to the lawfull Synod 5. Then touching matters of Disciplin establish'd in this holy Synod the most considerable was the confirming by an expresse Canon the lawfullnes of Appeales that is Petitions for Revisions of Episcopall causes From all other Churches both Eastern and Western to the See Apostolick of Rome The form of which Canon is as followeth 6. Osius Bishop said This must likewise necessarily be added That it may not be lawfull for Bishops to passe out of their own Province into another Province in which there are Bishops unlesse peradventure they be invited by their Brethren least they should seem to shut the dore of Charity But if it happen that in any Province a Bishop have a contention against his Brother Bishop one of the two may call out of another Province a Bishop to judge the cause But if any Bishop shall be judged and condemned in any cause yet thinks his cause to be good In this case to
many prayers entreated him to stay some time with him and as he had signified in his Message restore order to the Church in that Region because in a manner all the inhabitants had lost the Catholick Faith S. Gildas accordingly travelling through all the Provinces of Ireland restored Churches instructed the Clergy in the true Faith and worship of the holy Trinity cured those who had been poysond with Heresy and expelled all Teachers of Errour So that by his Zeale and diligence Truth began again to flourish in the countrey 10. After this the Holy man built many Monasteries in that Island and instructed the children of many of the Nobility in learning and piety And to win the greater number to the service of God he himself became a Monk and brought to the same Profession very many as well of the Nobility as meaner persons and orphans He compassionatly freed likewise from the tyrannicall slavery of Infidels many poore Christians c. 11. Thus this holy man became as it were a second Apostle to Ireland repairing the ruines of that Faith which Saint Patrick first preached among them Now whereas Adamannus says that the Epistle first sent him out of Ireland was brought by Faithfull men If we enquire who these Faithfull men were it will appear very probable that among them the Holy Abbot Komgall was one for the Writer of his life sayes that at this time namely in the seaventh year after the foundation of the Monastery of Beancher which saith B. Vsher was built in the year of Grace five hundred fifty five that holy man sayld into Brittany out of a desire to visit some holy men and to remain there some time where he built a Monastery in a certain village called Heth. 12. How long S. Gildas abode in Ireland is not manifest though for so great a work as he performed there a short time would not suffise But it is without question that he returned into Brittany where he also dyed in a good old age For thus writes Pits of him At last Gildas the glorious Confessour of Christ being ninety years old ended his life in great holines in the Monastery of Banchor where he was buried the fourth day before the Calends of February in the year of Grace five hundred eighty three when Maglocunus sustaind the Brittish Empire falling to ruine And on the same day is celebrated in our Martyrologe the memory also of the other Saint Gildas Albanius Now whereas it is said that Maglocunus was then King of Brittany that may possibly be true for the succession of the Brittish Princes during these tumultuous times for want of Writers is very uncertain 13. If we consider the great age in which he dyed that may reasonably be applied to him which B. Vsher would rather referr to the former S. Gildas namely that S. Brendan the Son of Finloga in the year of our Lord five hundred sixty two came into Brittany to visit the holy old man Gildas dwelling there who was famous for his great wisedom which passage is extracted out of an uncertain Authour of his Life For at that time Gildas was more then threescore and ten years old XI CHAP. 1. The Raign of King Ethelbert 2.3 c. Of S. Columba His Contention with King Dermitius whence followd a Civill Warr in which the King is miraculously overthrown 6. S. Columba pennanced by S. Finian a Bishop 7. And excommunicated by a Synod of Bishops 1. IN the year of Grace five hundred sixty one Irmeric King of Kent after he had raignd thirty years dyed leaving behind him a Son and a Daughter His Son and Successours name was Ethelbert his daughters Ricula This is that happy and famous Ethelbert who according to his Name was the glory and splendour of his Nation who had the first prerogative of receiving and propagating the Christian Faith among the Saxons Some disposition thereto was begun in his Fathers time who by Hector Boëtius his testimony who calls him Iurminric permitted in his Kingdom at least a privat exercise of Christian Religion But before it will be openly professed there by his Son thirty years of his raign must be spent as shall be shewd hereafter During which time many changes hapned to his state for he was frequently exercis'd in war wherein toward the beginning he sustained great losses which afterward he repair'd by many victories with which he much enlarged the limits of his dominions 2. In the third year of his raign the famous S. Columba by occasion of Civil wars and the iniurious dealing of the Bishops in Ireland was compell'd to quitt that Island and come into Brittany Thus does Adelmannus who wrote the life of that Saint relate the particulars Two years after the Civil war at Culedre bene when Dermitius son of Kerbail was Monark of Ireland and all businesses were determin'd before the Kings Tribunal it happned so that S. Columba was obliged to appear before him to challenge a certain free man who had been made a captive And when the cause being pleaded before the King an uniust sentence had been pronounced by him the Man of God rose up with great indignation and before all there pâ—esent said thus O uniust King Know that from this moment thou shalt never see my face within thy dominions till God the Iust Iudge shall have diminish'd thy Kingdom for thy iniustice For as thou hast despis'd mee here before thy Nobles by a Wrongfull iudgment so shall the Eternall God despise thee before thine enemies in the day of war Having said thus he presently took horse smiting him with his whip so as that great store of blood issued from him This being observ'd by the Kings Counsellors present they wondred at it and humbly entreated the King to comply with the Holy mans request for fear God should dissipate his Kingdom according to his threatning 3. But the King filld with fury would not understand that he might doe right but moreoveâ— swore that he would toke revenge on all the kinred of S. Columba and make them all slaves And according to this Oath he gathred a mighty army of three and twenty thousand horse foot and charrets and with it march'd to the confines of that countrey with a resolution utterly to extirpate the inhabitants When therefore the people of Conal heard of the Kings coming they likewise were assembled to the number of three thousand desirous to fight manfully in defence of their countrey being in so great danger and placing all their hope in God alone S. Columba rose very early and being full of Gods Spirit he encouraged them and with a loud voyce which sounded terribly through the whole army he said to them Fear nothing God himself shall fight for you as he did with Moyses against the Egyptians at the Red sea Not any of you shall suffer the least harm for our Lords wrath is inflam'd against this proud Kings army so that if but
Columba into Brittany Ceaulin and Cutha mov'd a Civill war against Ethelbert But Malmsbury and Huntingdon acknowledge Ethelbert King of Kent to have been the aggressour For it seems being vex'd to see the Dominions and power of Ceaulin King of the West-Saxons so much encreas'd for besides his own Territoryes immediatly subiect to him the other Saxon Princes in the East and South acknowledged a dependance so that Ceaulin assum'd the Title of Monark Hereupon Ethelbert a valiant Young Prince being mindfull of the glory of his Ancestours who first had establish'd a Kingdom in Brittany and had always enjoyd a preeminence above other Princes resolved to enlarge the bounds of his Empire and not to content himself with the only Province of Kent 2. In pursuance of which design he rais'd an Army and with it march'd out of his own confines into the Province of the Regni or Surrey where passing unwarily over a little River calld Vandalis he was rudely repuls'd by Ceaulin and again endeavouring to march forward the Armies mett at a Village calld Wibbandun now Wimbledon where he was with a great slaughter of his army compelld to fly back into Kent having lost in the combat his two Cheif Captains Oslaf and Knebban Near the place where the battell was fought remains still a Monument of it to wit a rampire rais'd in a round form as encompassing a Camp which is at this day calld Knebensbury or the Burg of Kneben 3. Ethelbert after this losse sought to strengthen himself by forrain aid for which purpose he treated a freindship and confederacy with the neigbouring powerfull Kingdom of the Franks to make which confederacy more lasting he desired to joyn it more strictly by mariage which accordingly was effected 4. Hitherto when we had occasion to mention that Kingdom we calld it Gaule which was its ancient Primitive name But afterward a Nation out of Germany calld Franks invading it and under King Pharamond possessing the greatest part of it changed the name of it from Gaule into France and so hereafter we shall call it The Successours of Pharamond for severall generations were Pagans till by the Apostolick zeale of Saint Remigius Bishop of Rhemes in the year of Grace four hundred ninety nine King Clodovéus was converted to the Christian Faith and with him the greatest part of his kingdom Which Faith ever after continued and encreased there 5. At this time that Kingdom was divided into four parts each of them severally governed by four Kings Sons of Clotharius and Grandchildren of Clodovéus Charibert the Eldest Son had the seat of his Kingdom at Paris Chilperic at Soissons Gunthram at Orleans and Sigebert at Rhemes Now a daughter of one of these did Ethelbert King of Kent marry but of which of them particularly is not mention'd in our Story Saint Beda indefinitly writes that she was daughter of a King of the Franks 6. The name of this Lady according to S. Beda Malmsburiensis c. was Berta But S. Gregory who liv'd in this age and had entercourse by letters with her more rightly calls her Aldiberga and adiudges great praise due to her in the conversion of the Saxons 7. The parents of this Lady made a difficulty to deliver a daughter professing the Christian Faith to the bed of a Pagan But Ethelbert engaging himself to allow her and her family an entire freedom publickly to professe her Religion and to exercise all the Sacred Rites belonging to it the mariage was concluded and the Lady sent into Brittany 8. She was attended by a prudent and devout Christian Bishop called Lethardus by Harpsfeild said to have been Bishop of Salvanort but he doubts there is an errour in the Copies where this unknown name is found This Bishop is in Capgrave stiled the Precursor of S. Augustin and one who opened the dore by which he brought in Christianity 9. There were then in Dorobernia the prime Citty of Kent since calld Canterbury severall Churches which had been built many ages before by Christians in the times of the Romans and which had not been utterly demolish'd by the Saxons Among which the Queen made choice of that which was dedicated to the honour of Saint Martin a holy Bishop in wonderfull veneration through all France For thus writes Saint Beda There was near to the Citty toward the East a Church anciently consecrated to the memory of S. Martin whilst the Romans inhabited Brittany In which Church the Queen who as hath been said was a Christian usually perform'd her devotions 10. What those Devotions were is thus more particularly express'd by the Authour of the life of the Holy Bishop Lethardus in Capgrave who writes thus In the most ancient Church of the Holy Bishop S. Martin situated near the Citty the Queen together with her Christian family did frequent the Sacraments of Masses and Prayers in the celebrating whereof the Blessed Bishop Lethardus was President or Cheif Prelat For the saying or singing of Masses were indeed the Solemn Devotions of the Church in those times as appears for as much as concerns France particularly the Native countrey of this Queen by the Councils of Orleans and Tours celebrated in these very times And this is acknowledged to have been the generall practise of this age by the Centuriators of Magdeburg who write thus The reader hereby may observe that the Solemnities of Masses did now fill all places And for as much as concerns Brittany we have already shewd that among the Northern Picts S. Columba knowing by revelation the death of S. Brendan in Ireland celebrated a Solemne Masse for his soule XIV CHAP. 1.2 King Ceaulins conquests and death 3. c. The Kingdom of the East Saxons Erected 1. THE two Saxon Kings in Kent and the Western parts did not prosecute their hatred against one another but esteemd it more for their advantage to enlarge their Dominions by invading the Provinces as yet in the possession of the Brittains In order whereto Ceaulin King of the West-Saxons who had hitherto employ'd his forces in the conquest of places bordring especially on the Sea sent his Brother Cutha or Cuthwolf with an army into the inland Provinces The Successe of which expedition is thus described by Florentius and which saith he was undertaken in the year of Grace five hundred seaventy one 2. Cuthulf the Brother of King Ceaulin fought with the Brittains in a place calld Bedanford or Bedford And having obtaind the Victory he took from them four Royal Citties to wit Linganburgh a place now unknown Egelesburgh now calld Aylsbury in Buckinghamshire Bensingtun or Benson in Oxfordshire and Egnesham where placed is uncertain After which victory he the same year departed this life 3. In the year five hundred seaventy five was erected the Kingdom of the East Angles in Norfoll Suffolk and Cambridgshire together with the Isle of Ely The name of the first King raigning there was Vffa from whom his
midway between the Church of Saint Martin and the walls of the Citty In this Temple after it had been purified from its former Superstitions and the Idol cast out S. Augustin consecrated to the honour of S. Pancratiâ—â— 3. Concerning which Church Sir H. Spelman in his Councils furnishes us with this Extrait out of an ancient Manuscript of the foundation of S. Augustins Monastery in Canterbury Augustin being ordaind Bishop returned into England and was received by the King and peoâ—ple with all becoming solemnity and by the same Kings grant obtaind an Episcopall See in the Citty of Canterbury which was the Primatial Church of the English Nation The pious King himself undertaking the Patronage of that Church did triumph through ioy constituting him the President of his Metropolis whom before he had received as a poore stranger Neither did he onely make him a Spirituall Watchman over his Citty but his whole Dominions also translating the throne of his Kingdom into a Pontificall Seat and his Royal Court into a Church of Christ. 4. Yea moreover to shew that he had putt off the old man with his acts and putt on the New by the wholesom advice of the blessed Bishop he caused that Idol-temple seated Eastward from the Citty between the Church of S. Martin and the walls in which he had oft according to the rite of his Superstition sacrifised to Devills and not to God to be purged from the pollutions of Paganism and having broken in peices the Idol which was in it he changed it into an Ecclesiasticall Synagogue and caused it to be consecrated by the name of S. Pancratius Martyr And this was the first Church dedicated by our Patriark and prime Prelat S. Augustin 5. Now it was very convenient and suitable to reason that the blessed child Pancratius who at Rome the Mistresse of the world was honoured as a famous Martyr should especially be venerated by the English since that certain English Children exposed to sale in Rome by their beauty and brightnes had moved Saint Gregory then an Abbot in the Monastery of S. Andrew built by himself to associate those English children with Angels 6. After this narration there follows in the same Manuscript a relation of a prodigy caused by the Devill enraged against Saint Augustin for eiecting him out of his possession Whilst the blessed Bishop S Augustin saith that Authour was celebrating Masse the first time in the same Church the Enemy of mankind envying the purity of the English Nation likely to be much encreased by the child Saint Pancratius and out of rage to see himself expelled from a place possessed by him so long a time he endeavoured all he could to destroy that Church to the ground A rent in the Eastern wall of it plainly seen to this day which he made with his nayles is a sufficient witnes of his rage By which is evident that the Masse is not hated by Calvinists alone 7. King Ethelberts liberality ended not here for as the same Authour writes Saint Augustin obtained of him after this a certain portion of land adjoyning in which the King built a Church to the honour of the Apostles S Peter and S. Paul to be as it were a perpetuall munition and Safe-guard for himself and his whole kingdom and instituted therin a Convent of Monks to serve God for ever over whom was canonically chosen and placed Abbot a Monk called Peter one of S. Augustins companions sent thither from the See Apostolick But between the foundation and endowment of this Monastery there intervened six years saith Sir H. Spelman as appears by the Charters of that Foundation 8. In this Church saith S. Beda the Bodies of S. Augustin and his Successours the Arch-bishops of Canterbury as likewise of the Kings of Kent were designed to be buried Notwithstanding this Church was not consecrated by S. Augustin but by his Successour S. Laurentius And the first Abbot of the Monastery was Peter a Preist 9. S. Augustin also by the liberality and assistance of the King obtaind another Church in the same Citty which as he was informed had been built by the ancient Christians in the time of the Romans This Church he consecrated to the glory of our Lord and Saviour and adioyning thereto he fixed an habitation for himself Successours where he lived with such Clerks as he had brought with him out of France who performed all the Ecclesiasticall Offices in the Church For a Monastery was not instituted in that Church till the age following And though these Latter Monks contended with the other for antiquity yet they lost their cause For as the Authour of the forementioned Manuscript observes in all the authenticall Priviledges granted by Popes to the Monastery of S. Peter and S. Paul we find this clause inserted As in the infancy of Christianity in England this was the first wherein Monasticall Instituts were observed So we decree that it with all belonging to it remain for ever free from all service undisturbed by all secular noyse and tumults and exempted from all Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and burdens 10. Moreover the Church of S. Martin without the walls of the Citty eastward in which the Queen before had performed her Devotions he made an Episcopall See in which he placed a Suffragan Bishop Corepiscopum who was alwayes to remain at home or at the Archiepiscopall Palace within the Citty and supplied the place of the Arch-bishop when he was to attend the King or to be absent upon occasion of Visitations or other affaires At such times he celebrated Solemnities in the Metropolitan Church after which he returned home He being a Monk had power to call Monks to his assistance He performed the Office of Arch-deacon and summoned ordered and corrected such Clergy-men as pertained to the Arch-bishop but those Clergy-men which lived in the Mannâ—rs pertaining to the Monks were corrected by the Priour of the Church otherwise called the Dean The same Suffragan Bishop likewise conferred the Minour Orders in the Arch-bishops absence Yet we doe not find that ever he was summoned to Councills or subscribed in them This custom continued till the beginning of King William the Conquerours raign At which time the last of such Suffragan Bishops was Godwin who dying in the fourth year of his raign S. Lanfranc then Arch-bishop refused to substitute another in his place alledging that two Bishops must not be in one Citty whereas his See was out of the Citty Therefore instead of a Suffragan Bishop he constituted one of his Clarks Arch-deacon For which he was by many condemned Though in that age generally through the Church those Corepiscopi were suffred to expire because it was found that they took too much upon themselves so as to consecrate Holy Oyles to ordain Preists c. insomuch as for humbling them many Decrees had been made in Councills c. VII CHAP. 1.2 c. Ten thousand baptized by S. Augustin by the
others 5. Another eminent Example of the like Charity to others with neglect of himself the same King formerly gave in the time of a wasting Pestilence For being peirced to the soule with compassion seing such a world of funeralls he earnestly prayd to God as King David had done that he would spare his people and turn the scourge against himself and his family Which prayer Almighty God heard for presently after the plague seised upon him with such violence that he was brought to the utmost extremity Lying thus a victime for the whole Nation and inwardly ioyfull in hope that with his single death he should purchase a world of lives to others he saw three persons of a stature more then human who approached to his bed and conversing together spoke many words full of comfort to him At last one of them sayd to him O King thy Prayers and resignation are acceptable to God Thou art one of ours for shortly thou shalt receive an immortall crown for thy Faith Charity and Piety But that time is not yet come For God at the present gives thee both thine own and thy subiects liveâ— Now thou art willing to dye for them Shortly thou shalt dye far more happily a Martyr for God Having said this they disappeared leaving the King full of wonder Who presently recoverd his health and after that not any of his subiects dyed of the same infection 6. The Authour of his life adds That the King was wont to relate to his Bishops that not only with his intellectual but corporall eyes also he often saw Angelical Spirits in great splendour By which visitations Divine love was much more kindled in his heart and a studious care to encrease in all vertues And because corporal purity doth frequently attend that of the mind by the consent of his Queen Kineburga daughter of Kinegils King of the West-Saxons he abstaind from matrimonial conversation knowing well how gratefull to heavenly spirits is an aversion from carnall sensuality 7. Thus happily did King Oswald proceed in his course to heaven when that scourge of all good men Penda King of the Mercians envying the progresse of Christianity and the glory of Oswald became an instrument of exalting him to a heavenly Crown For whilst King Oswalds thoughts were busied in advancing Châ—ists Kingdom the said Tyrant made an impression into a Province belonging to him to repell which King Oswald with an army mett him in a place by S. Beda calld Macerfelth 8. It is not yet decided in what Province that place of combat between these two Kings is seated The inhabitants of Lancashire earnestly contend that King Oswald was slain neer a well known village of theirs calld Winwick where they find a place to this day nam'd Macerfelth and alledge likewise an ancient Inscription in the Church of Winwick importing the same And their coniecture may seem to receive strength from this consideration that the said Province certainly belonged to the Dominion of King Oswald who was assalted by Penda 9. Notwithstanding Camden and others of our learned Writers doe rather design the place of the Combat in the Western part of Shropshire neer the Kiver Morda where there is a town from Oswald calld Oswestre and by the Brittains Oswalds-Crosse And this agrees with what wee read in Saint Oswalds life that the place of the Combat was near the confines of Armorick Wales seaven miles distant from Shrews bury not full half a mile from King Offa's ditch dividing Wales from England and Sixteen mileâ— from the Monastery of Wenlock In the feild where the battell was fought a Church called the White Church was founded to the honour of Saint Oswald near which arises a fresh spring which the Inhabitants call Saint Oswalds fountain 10. Now although Shropshire anciently belonged to the Kingdom of the Mercians yet at this time it seems among other Provinces to have been a portion of King Oswalds conquests For the same Authour relates how Penda a little before this had been overcome and puâ—t to flight by King Oswald so that it seems that part of the Mercian kingdom was become an accession to that of the Northumbers 11. The two armies therefore ioyning here that of King Oswald could not sustain the fury of Penda but after a short combat was forced either to seek safety by flight or like devout Soldiers fighting for God and his Church by patient exposing themselves to purchase immortality King Oswald seing his Army dispersed perceived that now the hower promised him by the Angels was come Therefore he was not very solicitous to avoyd his Enemies weapons but in the expression of William of Malmsbury having seen all his guards cutt in peices though he had as it were a grove of iron weapons planted on his breast yet neither the greivousnes of his wounds nor the approach of death could hinder or interrupt his devout Prayers to God for the salvation of his faithfull subjects Thus was this Blessed King slain saith Saint Beda in a place called in the English tongue Macerfelth in the year of our Lords Incarnation six hundred forty two and the thirty eighth of his age on the fifth day of August 12. The barbarous Tyrant Penda was not satisfied with the death of his Enemy but most cruelly raged against his dead body which he cutt in peices and caused his head and armes divided from the trunk to be hung up on three stakes as a Trophey and monument of his Cruelty and to be a terrour to others XI CHAP. 1. 2. c. King Oswi buries the Relicks of his Brother S. Oswald 5.6.7 The Incorruption of his hand testified in severall ages 8. 9. c. His other Relicks where disposed The great Veneration given to him Churches built in his honour 1. THE inhuman Tyrant Penda thought by his barbarous usage of the Holy King Oswalds liveles body to render him a spectacle of misery but Almighty God shewd himself more powerfull to glorify him then the Tyrant had been to dishonour him For his Members had been for a whole years space exposed to the injuries of rain and tempests yet notwithstanding they preserved their former lineaments lively freshnesse and comlines The head and left arm continued all that time hanging on the stakes and the right arm was faln into water for no man durst take them away or shew any regard to them for fear of the Tyrant 2. At last Oswy the Brother and Successour of King Oswald by a Divine Oracle was admonished to perform due respect to his Brothers torn Body by bestowing an honourable buryall on it Therefore fearles of the Tyrants rage or power he gathered an Army and marching into that Province he came to the place Where taking out of the Water the right Arm he inclosed it in a Silver Boxe and reverently deposed it in the Church of S. Peter in a Citty then called Bebba from a Queen of that Name now Bamburg
could not hinder the fury of Ebroinus was in common fame charged with the crime though according to the Gallican Martyrologe she was at this time retired into a Monastery 3. The said Martyrologe therefore will give us a true information of this Fact where on the twenty eighth of October in the commemoration of this Holy Bishop we find this passage Clodoveus being some years before dead and his Widow S. Bathildis retired into her Monastery at Cala Ebroin Maire of the Palace a most cruel man and extremely disaffected to Ecclesiasticall persons began to rage every where with sacrileges rapines and murders of innocent persons No wonder therefore if S. Ennemund Bishop sirnamed Dalfin incurred his hatred because out of an affection of piety and iustice he was earnest with the King to ease the people of their pressures Therefore after that the Brother of the Holy Bishop who was Prefect of Lyons had been slain at Orleans upon a false accusation as if he had an intention to rebell Ebroin presently after with the like violence persecuted S. Ennemund Who being informed that accusations were falsely charged on him before the King perceiving the machinations of his cruel adversary at first departed from Lyons But presently after taking courage and placing his whole trust in God he returned thither again where whilst he was diligent in his devotions and pious works he was seised upon by the Emissaries of Ebroin and to the generall extreme greif of the Citty caried away with shew that he was to be lead to the Kings presence but by the way near Chaillon in Burgundy he was murdred by night whilst he prayd God to pardon his enemies and so for a reward of his iustice charity and patience he received a never fading crown of Glory 4. This Narration doth evidently absolve the good Queen Bathildis Whose memory ought to be in a speciall manner precious to us since she descended from a Saxon family in Brittany which she left unwillingly For as the Authour of her life in Surius and Haraeus who lived in the same age recounts She was stolln out of Brittany by Pirats and by them sold to Erchinoald a famous Prince in France then Maire of the Kings palace In whose service she behaved herself so decently for she descended from Noble Saxon Ancestors that the said Erchinoald's Lady being dead he intended to have taken her to wife But the Holy Virgin withdrew her self from his sight till he had maried another This her Modesty made her so acceptable to King Clodovaeus the second of that name son of Dagobert that as we read in the Appendix to Gregory Bishop of Tours he made her though a stranger his Queen for her prudence and comlines and had by her three Sons Cloathair Childeric and Theodoric 5. After Clodovaeus his death she awhile governed the Kingdom with her children and then with great difficulty obtaind permission of the Nobility to retire her self into a Monastery built by her self in a place called Cala in the Territory of Paris over which she had placed Abbesse a Holy Virgin called Bertilia sent for by her out of the Monastery of Iâ—dro To this Monastery of Cala therefore she retired where she lived a great example of Piety and vertue Now at that time there being in Brittany few Monasteries of Religious Virgins saith Saint Beda many Noble men sent their daughters out of Brittany into France to be instructed there and espoused to their Heavenly Bridegroom especially in the Monasteries of Brige Cale now called Chelles and Andilege 6. She built likewise in the Territory of Amiens at a place called Corbey a Monastery for Religious Monks which she magnificently enriched with possessions and all things necessary for their subsistence Over which Monks she placed Abbot a venerable person called Theofred whom she had for that purpose desired to be sent out of the Monastery of Luxueil Luxovium Which Abbot was afterward a Bishop 7 Neither was her piety confined to France onely For she honourd with many precious Gifts the Churches of the Holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul at Rome out of the great love and devotion she had to them Likewise great liberality she extended to the poor and to persons professing a Reclused solitary life in the same Citty 8. Thus in all conditions both as a simple Virgin a Queen and a Religious Nunne she sparkled with all divine Graces Particularly during her Regency by her zeale the Simoniacal Heresy which then defiled the Church of God was quite driven out of the Kingdom And for a further proof of her innocency touching the death of S. Ennemund or Dalfin Bishop of Lyons there is mention in her life of another Bishop called Sigebrand who by the practise of Ebroin against her will without conviction or examination was slain coÌ„trary to Law and iustice 9. Her piety to Holy Bishops particularly to S. Eligius the famous Bishop of Noyon is celebrated by S. Audoâ—n Bishop of Rouen who lived at the same time and wrote his life For he relates with what affection and devotion this Holy Queen with her children and Nobles hastned to take care for his honourable enterment Her desire was it should be conveyed to her Monastery of Cala but by no force it could be removed Whereupon overcome with a violent greif she uncovered his face which she bedewed with showrs of tears At last turning her self to her Nobles she said We now see it is not his will that his body should be removed from his own Citty let us therefore permitt his own flock to enioy it Which words she had no sooner uttered but the Body and Coffin became easily moveable so that two persons alone were able without difficulty to carry it Thus having venerated the Sacred Body she retired weary and hungry for she had continued a Fast of three days with Prayers and tears thereby to know Gods will for disposing the Body 10. The same Holy Writer further declares the same Queens devotion to S. Eligius after his death and how in a vision by night he commanded a certain Courtier to reprove her for wearing iewells and costly apparrell during her Widdow-hood Which she did not out of Pride but because she thought it fitting to be done whilst she took care of administring the Kingdom during her sons minority This command thrice repeated not having been executed by the said Courtier he was pâ—nished with a violent feaver During which having been visited by the Queen he declared it to her and immediatly the feaver quitted him Whereupon the Queen layd aside her Iewells and Ornaments a great part of which she distributed to the Poor and with the richest of them she made a most beautifull sumptuous Crosse which she deposed at the head of S. Eligius or S. Eloy Which devotion of hers was imitated by the Nobles so zealously that in a short time his Church was enriched with incredible riches Offrings
that extremity that he could not so much as ride on horseback but by his servaÌ„ts was caried in a hand-litter In this maÌ„ner he was brought to Meaux Meldum a Citty of France where four days and nights together he lay as one dead and a faint breathing scarce perceptible shewd only that he was yet alive Thus long continuing without meat or drink without speaking or hearing any thing spoken at last about day-break on the fifth day he awaked as from a deep sleep and sate up in his bed Then opening his eyes he saw about him his Brethren singing Psalms and weeping And sighing a little he demanded where Acca the Preist was Presently therefore he was called for and seeing the Holy Bishop pretty well recovered and able to speak he kneeled down and the other Brethren with him and gave thanks to God for so great a blessing 9. After this they sate down together and entred into discourse concerning the terrour of Divine iudgments which discourse having continued awhile the Holy Bishop commanded all the rest to leave the room except Acca to whom directing his countenance and speech he said A terrible Vision lately hapned to mee which I intend to discover to thee but which thou must conceale till I see how it shall please God to dispose of mee There stood before mee a certain person in a glorious shining vestment who said he was the Archangell Michael and that he was sent to recall mee from death For sayd he our Lord moved by the Prayers and tears of thy Brethren and Disciples and by the Intercession of his most Blessed Virgin Mother has given thee life Therefore I assure thee that thou shalt for the present recover of this sicknes but be prepared for four years hence I will visit thee Thou shalt arrive safe in thy native countrey and there receive the greatest part of thy possessions and conclude thy life in great tranquillity 10. The event shewed this Vision to have been no illusion for presently the Holy Bishop perfectly recovered his health to the great ioy of all who gave humble thanks to God for it And not long after renewing his iourney he came safe into Brittany But because he arrived not there till the year following wee will here interpose a Narration of the great chaÌ„ges hapning in this Island in the mean time which gave a new course to the Holy Bishops affaires XXIII CHAP. 1.2 Ethelred King of the Mercians becomes a Monk 3. He founds certain Monasteries 4. Coâ—nred succeeds in the Kingdom 5.6 Munificence of King Ina And of Bugga a Princesse to Glastonbury c. 1. SAint Wilfrid among other requests to Pope Iohn had desired him to write Letters in his favour to Ethelred King of the Mercians which he also did accordingly But in the Holy Bishops absence King Ethelred having been visited with the Grace and mercy of the Omnipotent was become a Monk saith Henry of Huntingdon And this change all our other ancient Historians attribute to his piety and contempt of worldly glory Whereas certain Modern Protestant Writers not traind up in the School of Gods Spirit doe without any ground from Antiquity affirm That King Ethelred being touched with remorse of his crimes and a terrour in conscience for having usurped the Kingdom was moved to build a Monastery and to enter himself into it after he had held the Kingdom full thirty years 2. As touching the place where this devout King undertook a Monasticall Profession S. Beda thus writes There is in the Province of Lindissi or Lincolnshire a Noble Monastery named Beardanam which was much affected and honoured by Offrida Queen of the Mercians as likewise by her husband Ethelred 3. The same King before he forsook the world had founded severall other Monasteries one whereof he bestowed upon Egwin afterward Bishop of Worcester of which himself makes mention thus Being in the prime of my age in the days of Ethelred King of the Mercians I made my humble request to him that he would vouchsafe to bestow on mee an ancient Monastery called Fledâ—nburch which he with great kindnesse granted mee It was seated in the Province of Worcester neer to the River Avon is at this day called Flatbury a place which saith Camden in the Primitive Church of the English was inhabited by Religious men The same Authour likewise ascribes to this King Ethelred the founding of the famous Monastery of Evesham concerning which wee shall treat more largely e're long 4. The Successour to King Ethelred in the Kingdom of the Mercians was Coënred or Kenrea son to his Brother Wulfere who diligently imitated all his vertues for as his Predecessour had done he passed his life in great sincerity of manners being eminent for his piety to God and justice in administring his Kingdom Thus writes Polydor Virgil and William of Malmsbury And as he lived so likewise ended he his life according to his example for he built many Monasteries and after a few years embraced also a Monasticall Life 5 Piety and munificence to Gods Church was the ordinary employment busines of the Kings of this age For Ina also King of the West-Saxons by the Counsell of S. Aldelm re-instated the ancient Monastery of Glastenbury in all possessions and priviledges which by reason of former troubles had been taken from it and settled the Monks in good order under the government of their Abbot Hemgesil And the said Abbot dying this year he gave to his Successaur Berwald severall Lordshâ—ps mentioned in his Grant preserved by the said Authour and the Tabernacles and other Vessells of gold and silver given by the said King to that Monastery are of a valew almost incredible Also at the same time Bugga the daughter of Kentwin formerly King of the West-Saxons seemed to contend with King Ina in adorning this famous Church and Monastery for as Alcuin in his Poâ—m recounts she built there a Chappell in which were twelve sumptuous Altars shining with gold and silver and consecrated to the twelve Apostles This she did for the refreshment of her Fathers soule who was there buried 6. The same King Ina moreover built a Church in Somersetshire at a Town anciently called Theorodunum and vulgarly Tiddington but afterwards for the abundance of springs named Welles To which he added a Colledge for Ecclesiasticall persons to live sequestred from the world in devotion The Church he dedicated to God the Apostle S. Andrew which shortly after saith Camden was by Princes and Noble men enriched with large revenews It grew in succeeding times into an Episcopall See and Athelm is by Bishop Godwin reckoned the first Bishop of Welles in the year of Grace nine hundred and five So that Polydor Virgil was mistaken in saying that King Ina erected it into a Bishoprick XXIV CHAP. 1. 2. c. Saint Wilfrid returns with the Popes Letters which are neglected by King Alfrid 8.9 who shortly after dyes 1. IN
did not enter into that See till the year of Grace seaven hundred thirty five And indeed that seems to have been one of the last things he ever wrote for in it he complains of his age and sicknes Neither would it have been very seemly for a simple Monk to write instructions of that Nature to an eminent Father of the Church but that the advantage authority of age might iustify it 17. Many Books he has written of great curiosity and subtilty but his cheif delight was to meditate and interpret Holy Scriptures which he did with so unwearied a diligence that he allowed no time oâ— leasure for the Devill or the flesh to tempt him And particularly concerning his Expositions of Scripture he says That if they brought no other proffit to the Readers at least they were beneficiall to himself in this that whilst he employed his whole studies on them he avoyded all vain thoughts of wordly things 18. A principall encourager and inciter of him to proceed in such expositions was the Reverend and Holy Bishop Acca the successour of S. Wilfrid in the Episcopall See of â—â—gustald as William of Malmsbury testifies There is still extant a Letter of Acca to him in which he exhorts him to explain the Gospell of S. Luke with a iust Commentary after he had finished that upon the Acts of the Apostles Many others had desired the same thing from him but he deferred or rather excused the labour partly for the difficulty and likewise because S. Ambrose had left a sufficient explanation of the Gospell But these reasons not satisfying the Holy Bishop Acca who told him that the commentary of S. Ambrose it self needed an Interpretation Hereupon S. Beda delayd no longer but in an Answer testifyed his Obedience Which Letter also he prefixed to the same Commentary 19. Such his Expositions of Holy Scriptures were even in his own age of so reverend esteem that by an Ordonnance of an English Synod they were received into the Ecclesiasticall Office and at this day by the consent of the Vniversall Church many Lessons on severall occasions are publickly read in the Church-Service out of his Homilies 20. It is not unexpedient to treat so particularly concerning S. Beda's study meditation and explanation of Holy Scripture to stop the mouths of Modern Sectaries who vainly impute the pretended Errours and Superstitions of Catholicks to their ignorance in Scripture Whereas we see a holy mortified disinteressed person who spent his whole life in prayer and Meditation on Scripture and yet confidently taught those Doctrins and Practises which such men will needs call Superstitions Errours 21. I will conclude this Discourse of this Holy Doctours Life with those words which he is sayd a little before his death to have spoken to his Disciples If by my labours and study I have in any measure proffited you or the Church of God render mee I beseech you this requitall to be mindfull of mee after my death there where Christ our Lord is every day both the Preist and Sacrifice of Propitiation XXV CHAP. 1.2 c. The order and circumstances of the happy Death of S. Beda 1. AS touching S. Beda's happy departure out of this Life to God there is still exitant an Epistle written by one of his Disciples whose name I suppose was Cuthbert afterwards Abbot of his Monastery It is written with great sincerity neither is it obnoxious â—o any suspicion of being supposititious We find it annexed to the end of his Works and well deserves a place in this History The person to whom it was directed is not known and the Writers name onely guessed at But the tenour of it is as follows 2. The small Gift you were pleased to send mee I gratefully received and your devout Letter I read with much consolation especially finding in it that your Community does carefully celebrate Masses and Prayers for our Beloved Master and Father in God Beda Therefore being moved rather by my affection to him then any opinion of mine own ability I will most willingly acquaint you in a short discourse with the order and circumstances of his happy departure out of this world since I perceive that you desire and have requested to be informed of it 3. His last sicknes began about a forthnight before Easter and continued till the Feast of our Lords Ascention The thing which most troubled him in it was shortnes of breath other pain he had little or none During all which time he ceased not day and night to give thanks to God All this hindred him not to continue his Lessons to his Disciples at the Ordinary howers and except that short time all the rest of the day he spent in singing of Psalms with great chearfullnes of mind The whole night likewise except when sleep which was very short interrupted him he spent in Prayer and giving of thanks to God I sincerely professe I never saw nor heard of any man who so incessantly employed his time in praising God A most blessed man certainly he was He would sometimes repeat also that sencence of S. Paul It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of God and other like passages of Holy Scripture to admonish us by meditating on our last hour to awake from spirituall sleep and negligence Again at other times he would sing certain Antiphones for both our and his own consolation Particularly in repeating one which begins thus O King of glory Lord of all power when he came to those words Leave us not orphans he broke forth into excessive weeping But he would again resume it and such was his employment all the day As for us his Disciples who attended him we could not abstain from weeping Some times wee would read and presently burst forth into tears and sometimes we would read and weep together 4. In such an exercise mixt with greif and ioy we passed the dayes of Lent till the aforesaid Feast And he would oftimes reioyce and give God thanks for his sicknes frequently saying God corrects every child whom he receives sometimes also he would repeat that speech of S. Ambrose I have not so lived among you as that I need to be ashamed neither doe I fear to dye because I have a mercifull Lord. 5. In those dayes moreover besides our dayly Lessons he accomplished two Works which deserves to be remembred for the strangenes the one was the Translation of S. Iohns Gospell into the English tongue for the Churches proffit till he came to those words in the sixth Chapter but What are these five loaves and two fishes among so many The other was a Collection of memorable passages out of S. Isidores works 6 But when the Tewsday before our Lords Ascension was come his sicknes became much more violent and breathing more difficult and besides that a swelling began to arise in his feet Yet all that day he taught and dictated to us very chearfully and he would now and then say
to us Be diligent in learning for I know not how long I may last nor whether my Creatour will very shortly take mee from you Such speeches made us beleive that he foresaw when he should dye The night following he passed without any sleep at all and spent it wholly in praying and praysing God The morning following very early he bid us to be very attentive and diligent to make an end of writing the Lesson we had begun So that we continued in receiving his Dictats till nine of the clock After which hower we went in solemâ—e Procession with Relicks of the Saints as the Office of that day required One of us his Disciples in the mean time stayd with him and told him saying There remains still one Chapter of the Treatise which you did dictate to us But I fear it will be too great trouble for you to speak No said he Take your pen presently and Write and he did accordingly 7. About three of the Clock after noon he called mee to him and said I have in a little boxe some precious things there is Pepper incense and Oraria which some interpret Handkercheifs others Stoles and some likewise Chaplets for numbring of Prayers which say they therefore from him took the name of Beades Run presently and fetch them and desire the Preists of our Monastery to come hither that I may distribute among them some such small Gifs as God bestowd on mee This I performed with much trembling And when the Preists were come he earnestly requested every one of them not to faile to pray and say Masses diligently for him Which they also heartily promised him But they burst out into bitter weeping when he told them he beleived they should never see his face again in this world But again it was a ioy to them when he said It is now time if such be the pleasure of God my Creatour that I should be delivered out of this flesh and goe to him who when I was not framd mee of nothing I have lived a long time and my mercifull Iudge has well ordered my life The time of my freedom is at hand for my soule desires to see Christ my King in his glory In such like speeches to our great comfort and edification he spent ioyfully that which was his last day till even 8. The foresaid young Disciple of his whose name was Wilberck sayd once again to him Dear Master There remains yet one sentence unwritten But he answerd Well well all is finished Thou hast said right Come and turn my head for I much desire to sitt and look to my Oratoâ—y and pray to my heavenly Father Thus being layd upon a hayr-cloath spread on the floor as he was singing these words Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. he happily breathed forth his soule And we may assuredly beleive that considering his laborious constancy in praising God his soule was by Angells caried to eternall ioyes 9. Now all which heard his speeches and were witnesses of the manner of the death of this our good Father Beda doe professe that they never saw any one end his life with so great tranquillity of mind and devotion For as you have heard as long as his soule continued in his body he never ceased to praise God and with arms stretchd forth to give thanks to him Now you must know that besides what I have written there remain many other particulars which for want of skill in expressing I am forced to omitt Yet I have a purpose through Gods help to relate more amply severall other things which I saw and heard from him This account did this Disciple give of his holy Masters death After which as we read in the Authour of his Life in Capgrave there followd in the room where he dyed a sweet fragrancy so wonderfully odoriferous that all the persons present thought themselves in Paradise for no Perfumes or precious balsam came near the sweetnes of it 10. And hereto William of Malmsbury adds which was omitted by the said Disciple That the whole congregation of the Monks being assembled he received Extreme-Vnction and communicated the Body of our Lord for his Viaticum to strengthen him in his last combat against his spirituall enemies and moreover that having kissed them every one he earnestly desired to be remembred in their Prayers c. 11. He dyed on the seaventh day before the Calends of Iune which was the twenty sixth of May But because that day was also the Feast of our great Apostle S. Augustin therefore the Church thought fitt to commemorate S. Beda the day following and so we find both in the Roman and English Martyrologes He was buried in his own Monastery in which from his infancy he had lived about threescore years But the fame of his Sanctity afterward encreasing his Bones together with the Sacred Body of Saint Cuthbert Bishop of Lindesfarn were translated to Durham and there reposed together 12. Assoon as his Death was known abroad severall Letters came from forrain countreys to desire some of his Treatises and Books Two Epistles there are still extant from S. Boniface and from S. Lullus Successour to him and to S. Willebrord to the same purpose And particularly S. Lullus writing to Cuthbert who had been his Disciple three and forty years and was afterward Abbot of the same Monastery tells him that he had sent a Vesture all of silk to enwrap the Relicks of his beloved Master To which the Answers of the same Cuthbert also are still extant 13. I doe not know by what warrant from Ancient Monuments the devout Writer by some stiled the Chancellour of the Blessed Virgin B. Alanus de Rupe affirms that Saint Beda was the first who began in England the Exercise of particular Devotions and reciting of Chaplets to the honour of that glorious Queen of Virgins for so weer find the Oraria distributed by S. Beda to his Brethren interpreted And that from Brittany such Devotion was propagated into France and other forrain countreys 14. I will conclude this Narration with the large Testimonies given to S. Beda's learning and Piety even by Enemies to that Religion which he taught Thus then writes Camden of him Beda among all our Writers is a lover of Truth And again Our Beda the singular glory of England for his piety and erudition gott the Title Venerabilis He gave up himself as he testifies to the Meditation of Holy Scriptures and wrote a very great number of Volumes in an age turmoyld with huge waves of barbarism Thus likewise Whitaker Beda did excell in many vertues and singular learning To the same purpose Foxe Beda was a man worthy of eternall memory the whole Western Church of that age gave him the palm and preeminence for learning and understanding of Scripture Very many more like testimonies may be added but I will content my self with that of the carnall Apostat Bale
of Saint Cuthbert 1. THE same year Brittany saw a spectacle which all other Christian countreys esteemed prodigious but was become no wonder in our Island and this was a potent King in his ripe age and the midst of his prosperity to renounce all wordly glory advantages and contentment and to prefer before all these a poor Cell a course habit sparing and simple dyet and submission to the meanest of his Subiects This was Ceolulf King of the Northumbers to whom S. Beda had dedicated his History of Brittany not so much that he might by his eminent quality be a protectour of it or of the Authour as by his learning and iudgement to be a correctour And it is not to be doubted but that so many examples which he found there of persons contemning hating and flying from all worldly tentations and pleasures had a strong influence on his mind to inflame it with the love of heavenly and only true happines 2. A little before he thus offred himself a Holocaust to our Lord he had bestowd liberally many possessions on the Monastery of Lindesfarn where the famous S. Cuthbert learnt and practised the rudiments of his Sanctiâ—y whose life and glorious actâ—ons he had read in S. Beda's writings Hoveden among the munificent gifts of this King to S. Cuthbert reckons these pâ—aces Vdecester Wittingham Edulfingham and Cewlingham But the Religious King esteemed this liberality not considâ—rable unlesse he gave himself likewise to him by embracing a penitenciall Life in his Monasteâ—y which this year being the ninth of his raign he performâ—d 3 This space of nine years spent in vanity saith Huntingdon seemed to him a whole age for he was in great anguish of mind that so great a part of his Life should be lost in the vain cares and encombrances of the world He resolved therefore to consecrate the remainder of his years to spirituall Wisedom and to the eternall advantage of his own soul. Therefore proposing to himself out of the History of S. Beda six potent Kings for his imitation he resolved to follow their examples These were Ethelred King of the Mercians and Kenred his Successour Likewise Cedwalla King of the West-Saxons and Ina his Successour Sigebert King of the East Angels who became a Monk and was afterwards slain by the Tyrant Penda And Sebbi King of the East Saxons who embracing a Religious Profession by Dâ—vine revelation foresaw the wishd-for day of his death he saw it and was glad These did not consume their Substance with harlots like the Prodigal son but went on their way with sorrow sowing their seed that they might return with ioy and present their â—heaves to our Lord. King Ceolulf therefore added a seaventh Hebdomadam to the number of perfect Kings and receiving a Monasticall habit in exchange of the Temporall Crown which he left God sett upon his Head a glorious Crown of one entire precious stone 4. The Monastery into which he retired was thâ—t of Lindesfarn the Monks whereof were the Disciples of S. Aidan whom long before this King Oswald had sent for thither out of Scotland and they following his example practised far more rigourous austerities then were usually seen else where For not only all the Râ—ligious men and women too of that institut continued fasting every Wednesday and Friday till Vespers were accomplished but also wholly abstained from wine and all strong drink contenting themselves with Water mingled with a little milk But whether it was that experience shewd them that English Complexions not so robustious as those of the Scotts could not support this great austerity or whether likewise it was out of condescendance to the delicacy and infirm temper of King Ceolulf at his entrance an indulgence was given to the Monks and they were permitted for their drink to use a moderate proportion of Wine or Ale 5. Now besides his former liberalities to that Monastery King Ceolulf at the time of his Monasticall Tensure gave the Mannor of Warkworth So writes Camden out of our Ancient Monuments Warkworth saith he with all its dependences was a possession of the Church of Lindesfarn by the gift of King Ceolulf For this mansion at his renouncing the world he bestowd on the said Church in which beinâ— made a Monk he aspired to a heavenly kingdom 6. Our Martyrologe in which his memoâ—â— is celebrated among the Saints on the fifth of Ianuary refers his death to this saâ—â— year But certain it is that his life was proâ—longâ—d there the space of twenty thrâ—â— years So that we are to interpret thaâ— thiâ— year he dyed to the world Now how happily he concealed himself in that solitude from the world and how charged he was with merits and graces when he left it this is sufficiently testified saith William of Malmsbury by the honour he received in being buried close to S. Cuthbert and by many Divine Miracles wrought there by his intercession His Relicks were afterward translated to Northam saith Hoveden where they likewise became illustrious by Miracles being placed in a Church there built by Egred Bishop of Lindesfarn about seaventy years after this Kings death and dedicated to the honour of Saint Peter Saint Cuthbert and S. Ceolulf 7. This Holy King resigned his Kingdom to his Nephew Eadbert or Egbert a Successour likewise of his vertue and piety for saith William of Malmsbury he governed it the space of twenty years with great prudence and iustice He had likewise a Brother of his own name Arch-bishop of York who by his own wisedom and his Brothers power restored his See to its primitive dignity But of these two illustrious persons more hereafter VIII CHAP. 1.2 Saint Boniface his iourney to Rome 5.6 c. He by Apostolick authority erects severall Bishopricks in Germany 1. THE Gests of S. Boniface which are the principall busines of the greatest part of this Age almost yearly furnishing our History doe call us into Germany from thence to attend his iourney to Rome which he again undertook in the year of Grace seaven hundred thirty eight The occusion of his iourney as we read in the Authour of his Life the account whereof is collected from that of his Disciple S. Willebald was partly to visit Pope Gregory third of that Name as likewise to commend himself to the Prayers of the Holy Apostles and other Saints reposing there and also to obtain from the said Pope as appears by his Letters a resolution of certain difficulties touching the care of soules committed to his charge 2. He went therefore to Rome attended by a great troop of French men Bavarians and Brittaine Where being arrived he was kindly received by the Pope The people of Rome likewise had him in such veneration that they flocked in great multitudes to his preaching and endeavoured to detain him a long time among them For of old it had been their custom when any man of note or sanctity came to Rome they would with
thereto But the peircing eyes of a Lover discovered her flight pursued her thither Which she perceiving by secret pathes through our Lords guidance she escaped to Oxford whither she arrived very late in the dark night But thither also did lust and rage conduct the furious Lover who early in the morning entred the Town Then the Holy Virgin whose strength was wholly spent utterly despaired of all succour from Creatures and therefore having recourse to Gods omnipotence only she with rears begged of him a defence to her self and punishment to the Ravisher This she did at the instant when the Young Prince whose Name was Alard or Algar was entring the gate of the Town attended by many servants She had no sooner sent up his Prayer to heaven but by a Divine hand the lustfull young man was struck with blindnes Which visible iudgment opened the eyes of his mind and made him clearly perceive how hatefull to God his obstinate attempt was Whereupon by Messengers directed to the Virginâ—e â—e condemned his own foâ—ly and with great submission begged pardon promising an eternall banishment of all such desires out of his mind This his repentance procured compassion â—rom the Holy Virgin by whose â—enewd Prayers his blindnes was as quickly cured as â—t had been inflicted This Miracle recorded by all our Historians was so notable to all and so unquestioned for many Aâ—es that as William of Malmsbury observes the Princes of this Island had a scrupulous fear to enter into that gate of the Citty which Algar found so fatall to himself 14 In thankfullnes to God for this deliverance the pious Virgin erected another Monastery where assembling other chast companions of the same Institut and devotion she â—pent the remainder of her life in purity and divine Contemplation And after her death her immaculate Body reposing there became the principall Ornament of the Citty For though long before this in the time of the Brittains Oxford had been a Seat of the Muses yet wee doe not find that the English Saxons as yet had restored it to that dignity 15. Hence it is that Camden a diligent surveyer of ancient Monuments thus writes Our Ancestours the Brittains with great prudence consecrated this Citty of Oxford to the Muses which from Greklade they translated hither as to a more happy and fruitfull Seminary But the following ages under the Saxons being much employed in destroying of Citties this place was not exempted from the common lott So that for a long time it was celebrated for nothing but the Relicks of S. Frideswâ—de who was numbred among the Saints because a certain Prince called Algar violently attempting her chastity after she had by solemn vowes consecrated it to God was miraculously struck with blindnes 16 The Memory of her Sanctity is celebrated in our Martyroloâ—e on the niâ—eteenth of October And as for her Monastery a first inhabited by Religious Virgins it was in after times possessed by Seculars Canons from them it came to Regulars as shall be shewd in due time 17. This year aâ—so dyed S. Ethelburga formerly Queen of the West-Saxons who had so zealously and prudently incited her Husband King Ina to relinquish the perishing glory and pleasures of this world that he might without interruption attend only to eternal and Spirituall happines After his departure to Rome she retired her self into that famous Monastery of Barking where she professed a Religious life and after some time was elected Abbesse in which Office having with great Sanctity spent severall years she happily dyed and is numbred in our Martyrologe among the Saints on the ninth of Iuly William of Malmsbury writing of her and King Ina her husband says that they were both united in mutuall charity during their Lives and after their deaths both dignified by God with Divine Miracles 18. This is a different S. Ethelburga from her who was first Abbesse of the same Monastery of â—arking who was daughter of Anna King of the East Saxons and Sister to Saint Erâ—oâ— Wald Bishop of London She had for her Successour in the Office of Abbâ—sse 〈◊〉 S. Hildelitha to whom S. Aldelm dedicated his Book of Virginity And after her the third Abbesse of the same Monastery was this Saint Ethelburga Queen of the West-Saxons Insomuch as that Monastery well deserved 〈◊〉 Title given it by one of our Historians who stiles it a well known Sacred Repository of many Saints 19. Wee will conclude the occurrents of this year with breifly recording the Memory of a certain devout Hermite called S. Aâ—nuâ—f who as a Memoriall of his Sanctity has 〈◊〉 his name to a Town in Huntingdonshire whâ—â—e he piously lived and happily dyed â—is called Arnulfsbury or more contractedly Eynsbâ—ry near a place dedicated to S. Neoâ— There this devout Hermite having served God many years with great fidelity and fervour after he had filled the whole Province with the odour of his vertues this same year blessedly dyed as wee read in our Martyrologe where his Name is recorded among the Saints oâ— the two and twentieth of August X. CHAP. 1. 2. c. The Letters of Pope Zachrias to S. Boniface with severall Ordonnances 1 IN the year of Grace seaâ—en hundred forty one Pope Gregory third of that name dyed to whom succeeded Pope Zachrias Which being come to the knowlâ—dge of S. Boniface in Germany he presently wrote an Epistle to him by one oâ— his Preistâ— called Denechard to testify his obedience give him an account of his proceed in S. AmoÌ„g which he inform'd him that he had newly erecteâ— three Bishopricks in Germany The Episcopall Seat oâ— one was a Town called Wirtzburg of another Buriburg and of the third Erfsfurt or as some write Eychstedt so called from the abundance of Oakes growing near These Episcopall Sees he desires may be confirmed and established by the Pope And severall other Points he added in which he humbly desired the said Popes Order and resolution As will appear by the Answer returned to him the following year 2. Another Letter likewise he sent by the same Preist to a certain Prefect whose Territory lay in his way to Rome desiring him that he would grant the same security and afford the same assistance to this his Messenger that he had formerly done to others The said Prefects name is Regibert 3. As touching the three Episcopall Sees by him newly erected he does not name the Bishops ordaind in them But by the Subscriptions to a Synod the next year wee may collect that they were those three Preists which in the year of our Lord seaven hundred twenty five he had called to his assistance out of Brittany namely Burchard Witta and Willebald Burchard was consecrated by him Bishop of Wirtzburg Herbipolis Witta who likewise from Whitenes for so the German name signifies is by some named Albuinus had his See at Buriburg an ancient Town near Fritzlare or Paderborn And Willebald who came out of
Poets Musicians vain ieasters drinkers and feasters be utterly forbidden since great scandalls and suspicion arise from such 21. That all Ecclesiasticks and Monks fly particularly the Sin of Drunkennes 22. That such likewise live in a fitt preparation for the Holy Communion and that when occasion is they confesse their sins c. 12 That Lay persons also young and old dispose themselves so as to be fitt to receive the same Holy Sacrament 24. That Seculars be not admitted to Religious Profession till after fitt examination and probation 25. That after every Synod Bishops promulgate to their Clergy the Decrees there made 26. That the people be exhorted to Almsgiving by which their sins may be redeemed but withall that they be taught not so to trust in their Almes as from thence to take a licence to sin 27. That in the Holy exercise of Psalmody whether in the Latin or Saxon tongue men be carefull to ioyn their hearts to their voyces And that those who doe not understand the Office in Latin should however be carefull to have their minds and affections fixed upon God and Spirituall things 28. That Monasteries be not burdned with a greater multitude then they can maintain That Superiours doe not over-presse their Religious with labour and that both Men and women Religious abstain from secular vanity and fashions in apparell 9. That Monks and Nunns be not permitted to inhabit among Seculars 30. That since there is a suspicion entred into the minds of Kings and Princes that Ecclesiasticks Bishops and Preists doe not bear them inward affection nor wish their proâ—perity but rather the contrary The said Ecclesiasticks in this Synod doe protâ—st that such suspicion is without ground and iâ— it were iust they should be guilty oâ— sins not only contrary to their sublime Profession but even to the common Duty of Christians To shâ—w therefore that they wâ—re free from a vice so detestable it was ordained Tâ—at all Ecclesiasticks and Monks in every Canonicall Hower should incessantly implore the Divine â—lemency for the safety of their Kings Dukes Nobles and all Christian people as â—ell as for themselves 31. Thatâ—â—ey â—â—ey be all unanimons in Faith Hope and Charity both to God and one another and diligent in Praâ—ing both for the Living and the Dead celebrating often the Propitiatory Sacrifices for their repose c. 6. To this effect were the Canons of this worthy Synod After the conclusion whereoâ— Cuthbeâ—t the Arch-bishop of Canterbury sent a Copy of all the Acts and Decrees by his Deacon Kâ—nebert to Saint Boniface thereby shewing him that he had not been unmindfull of his admonitions nor of the Precepts of Pope Zacharias And it is not to be doubted but now King Ethelbald renewd thâ—t respect to Gods Church which he shewd so worthily in his younger years a further proof whereof he gave two years after this in restoring the Priviledges and immunities thereof which had by himself and others been so much infringed XX. CHAP. 1. Succession of Kings in Kent 2. Kenred a hopefull Prince of the West-Saxons unhappily slain 3. The Monastery of Bredon in Worcestershire founded 4 5 c. Of Sampson a naughty Scottish Preist 1. THE year following Edilbert King of Kent and eldest son of Withred after a raign of three and twenty years dying withoâ—t issue his Brother Edbert succeeded him Some of our Historians account Edbert the elder Brother and affirm that he dying this year Edilbert the next succeeded The Eâ—rour on which side soever it lyes is not much materiall And indeed these Princes oâ— Kent to whom the Titles oâ— King are given wâ—re so obscure that no wonder both their names and actions should be delivered to poâ—terity uncertainly In the late Sâ—nod at Cloveâ—â— in Kent among the subscriptions none 〈◊〉 named as King but Ethelbald King oâ— the Mercians to whom these Princes were tributary and therefore those three Brothers Edilbert Edbert and Alâ—c wâ—o raigned successively in Kent are to be esteemed â—s reckond under the Tiâ—les of Princes and Dâ—â—es Subscribers to the said Synod As touching the Prince who now dyed all that is recorded of him is that he bestowd on the Monastery of Religious Vâ—rgins at Menâ—rey in the â—sle of Thanet certain lands as Harpsfeild declares 2. The same year which was the ninth of the Raign of Cuthred King of the West-Saxons saith Huntingdon his Son Kenric was slain a Prince of wonderfull hopes tender in years but vigorous and â—eirce in combats and ioyfull to find any occasion to exercise his valour This young Prince in a certain expedition being too eager in pursuing his good successe through immoderat heat discontented his own soldiers and in a â—edition raised by them was slain 3. To thiâ— year is referred the new erection of a Church and Monastery at a Town called Bredon in the Province of Worcester by a certain Noble man of the Mercian kingdom called Eanulf Concerning which Camden thus writes At the root of the said Hills is seated a Town called Bredon where was a Monastery founded Concerning which wee read this passage in a Charter made by Offa who was afterwards King of the Mercians I Offa King of the Mercians doe give land containing thirty five acres of tributaries to the Monastery named Breodun in the Province of the Wiccians Worcestershire to the Church of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles built there which my Grand-father Eanulf founded to the praise and glory of God who lives for ever This devout Charity of Eanulf Almighty God rewarded by exalting to the throne of the Mercian Kingdom his grandchild Offa who held it illustriously the space of nine and thirty years as shall hereafter be declared 4. This is all which occured memorable in Brittany this year Passing therefore over into Germany wee shall find there the whole care of the late planted Church to lye in a manner upon Saint Boniface alone Who being much disquieted with false Teachers pretending to be Preists and spreading pernicious errours touching the Sacraments of the Church his best remedy was to consult the See Apostolick for which purpose he sent this year Burchard Bishop of Wirtzburg to Rome with Letters to acquaint Pope Zacharias with the impediments which he mett with in propaâ—ating the Faith 5. What those speciall impediments were does appear by the Popes Answer In which wee find that great numbers of false Preists who never had been ordained by Bishops and confounding all Ecclesiasticall order refused to be subiect to Bishops against whom they armed popular tumults making separated Congregations in which they taught doctrines contrary to Catholick Faith not requiring before Baptism an abrenunciation of Satan and refusing to sign with the Crosse yea not so much as instructing such as were baptized in the Faith of the Blessed Trinity 6. And among such Ministers of Satan a principall one was a certain Scott named Sampson who also had the impudence to teach that without the Mysticall
5. There succeeded in his place Beornred who yet by others is not reckoned among the Mercian Kings because he impiously slew King Ethelbald and uninstly usurped his place from which he was cast by his worthy Successour King Offa. This is breifly thus related by Hoveden In the year of Grace seaven hundred fifty seaven a civill warr was raised in the Kingdom of the Mercians between the usurping Tyrant Beornred and Offa. But coming to a battell Beornred was compelled to fly and Offa by this victory became King 6. Beornred being thus deposed could find no security among the Mercians who all hated him both high and low He seems therefore to have fled into the Kingdom of the Northumbers For twelve years after this wee find him acting the last exploit of his cruelty in that countrey which was the burning of the Citty called Cataract now Catteridge But himself scaped not punishment long for the same year he through the iust iudgment of God perished likewise by fire Thus writes Mathew of Westminster III. CHAP. i 2. Pope Paul's Letter to Egbert King of the Northumbers 3 4 King Egbert becomes a Monk 1. THE same year Pope Steven dying there succeeded in his place Paul first of that name From whom wee find an Epistle not yet published directed to the two Northumbrian Brethren Egbert or Eadbert King of that countrey and Egbert Bishop of York In which he signifies to them how a certain Abbot called Fordred was lately come from thence to Rome where he made his coÌ„plaint to him that whereas a certain Abbessâ— had bestowed three Monasteries upon him the names of which were Staning Frago or Cuchawald and Donemade the said King had violently taken them from him and bestowed them on his Brother the Prince Mol. In case this complaint was true he desired the King to consider how great a crime and how dangerous to his soule it was to invade places dedicated to the service of God taking them from him who was ready to perform that service and bestowing them on another who was wholly immersed in worldly cares 2. What successe this Epistle had it does not appear Onely this is certain that at this time the Kingdom of the Northumbers was full of disquiets The year before this the King with the help of the Picts had taken from the Northern Brittains or Cumbrians the Strong Castle of Dunbritton as he had a little before from the Scotts the Territory of Coyle or Kiâ—e by which means probably his treasure being exhausted he was forced to reward his Brother Mollo's services out of Church revenews However it is not to be doubted but that a King so pious as Egbert was would not resist the Fatherly admonitions of so worthy a Pope 3. An irrefragable proof that he would not persist in such injustice was this that presently after he heroically contemned all worldly glory to serve God in solitude and devotion Which is thus related by Huntingdon with whom generally all other Historiâ—ns agree In the third year of the raign of Kernulf King of the West-Saxons saith he Eadbert King of the Northumbers seeing the unhappy lives and miserable deaths of the two Kings Ethelbald and Sigebert and with them comparing the landabâ—e life and glorious death of his Predecessour Ceolâ—olf he wisely chose the better part which shall never be taken from him For relinquishing his Kingdom which he resigned to his son Osulâ— and receiving a Monasticall Tonsure which would procure for him an eternall Crown cloathing himself likewise with dark simple rayment for which he should afterward receive vestments â—hining with a heavenly splendour he retired into a Monastery This now is the eighth of those Saxon Kings who for the Love of Christ quitted or to speak more truly for the hope of an infinitly more glorious celestiall Kingdom willingly exchanged an earthly throne And no doubt the eight Beatitudes shall be their rewarâ—s which are promised to voluntary Poverty Now the Tonsure which he received is by the Authour of the Epitome of S. Beda's History called the Tonsure of S. Peter from whence some would inferr that he did not become a Monk but a secular Clark But besides that all our Historians almost affirm expressly that he lived afterward and happily dyed in a Monasticall Profession That phrase of the Tonsure of S. Peter signifies that it was not the Scottish but Roman Tonsure which he received and which then was common both to the Seâ—â—lar Clergy and Religious persons also Yet withall that in his Monastery he was adopted to an Eâ—clesiasticall State and order is testified by Hâ—veden 4. Ten years this good King lived in his solitude and poverty after which he received the reâ—ompence of his Piety His memory remained in benediction with posterity and his Name is in our Martyrologe commemorated among the Saints on the eleaventh day of Iune Wee read in the Authour of S. Cuthberts life in Capgrave that there was a great freindship between this good King thâ— famous French King Pipin who likewise sent many Royall presents to him IV. CHAP. 1.2 Of S. Agatha a devout English Abbesse in Germany â— 4 c The Gâ—sts of the Holy Virgin Saint Lioba an Abbesse also there 14 Blasphemies of the Lutheran Centuriators 15.16 c Of Saint Tetta an English Abbesse of Winburn Mistresse of S. Lioba 1. THE same year two Holy Virgins Disciples of S. Boniface happily followed him to Heaven These were S. Agathe and S. Lioba both of them educated in the Monastery of Winburn and both esteemed fitt to be invited out of Brittany to establish Monasticall Discipline and piety in Germany where they were likewise both of them constituted Abbesses of the same Monastery successively 2. The name indeed of S. Agatha is not found among those who at S. Boniface's invitation went into Germany in the year seaven hundred twenty five so that it seems she was sent afterward Little is spoken of her in ancient Writers but only that she was Abbesse of the Monastery of Bischosheim after that S. Lioba had resigned that Office to undertake another nearer to Mentz It is a sufficient Proof of her piety that her Name is commemorated among the Saints on the twenty eighth of Iune 3. But the Name and Sanctity of S. Lioba was much better known in the Church Her Life was first written by Mogon a Monk of Fulda and afterwards better digested by Rodolphus another Monk there at the command of his Abbot Rabanus Maurus And out of him Haraeus thus compendiously recounts her Gests 4. At the time when the Venerable Abbesse Tetta Sister to King Ethelhard Kinsman and successour of Ina in the kingdom of the West-Saxons governed the Monastery of Religious Virgins at a place called Winburn in Dorcetshire there lived in the same Monastery a spirituall daughter of that devout Mother called Lioba Whose Gests my purpose is breifly here to relate 5. The parents of S. Lioba
Offa by this victory became famous and terrible William of Malmsbury adds that Alric King of Kent by this unhappy battell against the Mercians did cast a great clowd upon the glory of his times 8. It is probable that by such great successe enlargement of power which this victory gave to Offa the other Saxon Kings might be so terrified as to seek assistance from abroad especially from Charles the illustrious King of the French But sureâ—y there is small truth in the relation made by Mathew Paris how not only Alric King of Kent was slain in this battell but that thereupon five Kings of Brittany should in a pompous manner writte a common letter to the said Charles in which calling themselves the most powerfull Kings of Brittany they demanded his aid and strict society giving him the Title of Imperiall Maiesty and that he in his Letter to King Offa should stile himself the most potent of all Kings These seem to be groundles fictions borrowd by that Authour from some such fabulous Writers as began to abound in this age However certain it is that King Charles had not the Title of Emperour given him till many years after this time 9. And as groundlesse is another Story of the same Authour how after the conquest of Kent the same King Offa subdued all the other Saxon Kings and particularly Alred King of the Northumbers whom he compelled to fly into Wales And that thereupon some hostility began between Offa the French King Charles who is sayd to have written to Offa a threatning Letter containing imperious demands and that King Offa should answer What have I doe with Charles the beyond-Sea King Iâ— he offer any iniury to mee I will in hostile manner invade him and endeavour to make him tributary to my Crown These are triviall inventions which the said Hâ—storian borrowd from some obscure Writer who straind his witt to sound forth in an immodest indiscreet manner the praises of King Offa. 10. As for that clause which regards Alred King of the Northumbers it is true that this year in Easter-week his subiects compelled him to fly out of York and afterward out of his Kingdom as Huntingdon relates And Hoveden more expressly declares that King Alred by the unanimous consent of the Northumbers was deprived of all power and priviledge of a King and that he changed the Majesty of a Prince into the miserable condition of a banished person First he fled into the Citty Bebban attended with a very small train and afterward he had recourse to Cynotha King of the Picts This misfortune therefore was not brought upon King Alred by Offa as the foregoing fabulous narration pretends Neither did he fly into Wales but into the Province of the Picts 11. Alred being thus compelled to forsake his kingdom there was chosen in his place Ethelred son to the late King Edilwald Mul. But neither did Ethelred sitt quiet any long time in his throne but by another faction of his Subjects was expelled and the same misfortune hapned to severall succeeding Princes there by a fatall giddines then possessing the minds of that Northern Nation 12. This same year Kenulf King of the West-Saxons extended his liberality to the Church of Shirborn upon which as Camden from his Charter declares he bestowed a possession of one Mansion seated on the Westside of the River Lym not far from the place where it enters the Sea This land he gave to the end that salt might there he made for the necessity and manifold use of the said Church XIII CHAP. 1. The Monastery of Bathe founded by King Offa 2. Succession of English Bishops 3 4 c. The happy death of S. Walburga Virgin and Abbesse 1. THE following year Offa King of the Mercians founded a Monastery at Bathe This Monastery being afterward burnt and utterly ruined by the Danes was restored by King Edgar being delighted with the magnificent situation af the place and because there he first received the Crown of his Kingdom 2. The same year Eadulf Bishop of Rochester dyed and was succeeded by Diora to whom a certain Noble man in Kent named Egbert gave so much land as ten ploughs could labour besides certain woods To Milred likewise Bishop of Worcester was substituted Weremund And to Efna Bishop of Hereford Ceolmund 3. In the year of Grace seaven hundred seaventy six the Blessed Virgin Walburga made a happy change of a mortall life for an immortall We have a ready shewed that she was daughter to Richard by right a King and Sister to S Wintbald and S. Willibald and that together with them she went into Germany to S. Boniface She was constituted Abbesse of a Monastery at Heydenham the same town where her Brother S. Winnebald governed a Monastery of Religious men There she lived with wonderfull Perfection both by her words and example teaching her spirituall children to live the life of Angells 4. Her Life was written by Wolfhard a devout Preist who lived in the next Century and who recounts many wonderfull Miracles wrought by her intercession to whom I refer the devout Reader But one ought not to be omitted since it is related by an Authour that writes what hapned to himself This is Philip Bishop of Eystadt who also wrote her Life He relates how her Sacred Body was first buried in her own Monasteay of Heydenham and afteâ—ward translated at least a great part of it to Eystadt and reposed in a Monastery consecrated to her Name There saith he to this day which was five hundred years and more after her death there flows from her chast Relicks a precious Oyle of soveraign and universall vertue to cure all manner of diseases The wonderfull vertue whereof I my self had experience of For being cast down by a vehement disease of proof against all Art of Physick or naturall remedies I commanded some of that Sacred Oyle to be brought to me which with earnest Prayers to God and begging her intercession I drunk Which was no sooner done but to the admiration of all I presently recover'd my perfect health 5. Her Sanctity was so famed that many Churches ambitiously sought and obtaind some portion of her Relicks Thus in the Gallican Martyrologe on the fourth of August we find a commemoration of the receiving the Relicks of S. Walburga Virgin Abbesse which with great honour were brought out of Germany to Furnes in Flanders by Baldwin sirnamed Ferreus Count of the same countrey And in the same place saith Haraeus there was built a Monastery of the Order of S. Benedict to her honour wherein since hath been placed a Colledge of Canons 6. Again in the Gallican Martyrologe on the second of May there is at Anâ—werp said to be an anniversary celebration of the memory of this Holy Virgin from whose tomb doth flow an oyely liquour which restores health to very many who desire her assistance and intercession
a sumptuous shrine for the honour of this glorious Martyr added also a most magnificent Monastery for obtaining of Priviledges for which by advice of the Bishops recourse was had to the Pope Concerning which Monastery Mathew of Westminster writes that as S. Alban was the Prime among the Brittish Martyrs and Saints so his Monastery excelled both in possessions and liberties all the other Monasteries of the Kingdom 5. To this day is preserved the Charter which King Offa made to this Monastery in which he mentions the foresaid miraculous discovery of the holy Martyrs body adding that since Honour given to God and pious devotion to his Saints is the stability of an earthly kingdom the prosperity of long life and will undoubtedly be rewarded with eternall happines therefore he gave such lands and possessions there named to the said Monastery freeing it likewise from all tributs and burdens Apponting withall over it as Abbot Willigoda a Preist to govern it according to the Rule of S. Benedict for ever Lastly requiring that dayly prayers should continually be offred there for the soules of himself and his freinds 6. At the same time the Abbot of Croyland called Patrick successour to the first Abbot thereof Kenulph seeing the devotion piety of King Offa to Gods Saints and his kind inclination to the Prayers of Religious men obtained froÌ„ him a Charter likewise by which he took into his Protection the said Monastery confirming all the possessions and Priviledges formerly given to the same freeing the Monks thereof from all secular burdens and impositions as he had newly done his brethren the Monks of S. Alban such is his expression VII CHAP. i. 2 c. The Gests and Martyrdom of S. Ethelbert King of the East-angles 1. COncerning this King Offa the Character given him by William of Malmsbury is very proper saying In one and the same man sometimes vices did palliate themselves with a shew of vertue and sometimes vertues did succeed vices that a man would be uncertain in what shape to represent such a changeable Proteus For the same year in which he shewd himself so pious toward the Holy Martyr S. Alban he shewd himself most impious in cruelly killing an innocent Prince and making him a Martyr 2. This Prince was Ethelbert the Son of Ethelred and Leofrana by whom he was carefully instituted in piety and all vertues He had now governed the Kingdom of the East-angles forty four years with such iustice and moderation that he was tenderly loved by all his subiects All which time he had never admitted any proposall of mariage but now yeilding to the importunity of his Mother and Nobles who earnestly desired to see a Successour he remitted to their iudgments to propose to him a fitt Consort 3. When they were therefore to consult about the person in the first place they generally turned their thoughts upon a Princesse among the South-Saxons whose name was Seledrida and her Fathers Egeon by whose death she was possessed of a very considerable Province besides other great riches Therefore they advised the King to make choice of her whose Treasures and territory would be a great strength and accession to his Kingdom But the King whose iudgment was directed by better Rules then humane policy and interests reiected the proposall because that Province which Egeon had left unto his daughter was procured by uniust and fraudulent means and therefore he could not expect a benediction from God upon the possession of it 4. Some few others therefore whose counsells were guided by Principles more sublime and not so worldly proposed to the King a daughter of the most potent King Offa whose name our Historians generally call Alfreda only by Ingulfus she is named Etheldrita a Virgin endowd withall Graces against whom no exception could be made Yea moreover such affinity contracted with her Father would be an absolute security to the Kingdom To this therefore King Ethelbert consented and thereupon Embassadours were dispatched to King Offa to demand of him this grace which he willingly granted so that conditions on both sides were readily agreed on 5. When the time appointed for the mariage drew near King Ethelbert thought fitt to goe to the Mercians thereby to shew more affection and respect in conducting his espoused Lady home But when he began his iourney there hapned to him many terrible prodigies portâ—nding a fatall successe Among which this was one When he mounted on horsback attended by a great multitude of his loving Subiects who earnestly prayed for his happines on a sudden besides a great earth-quake the Sun became wholly darkned insomuch as one could not discern another neither durst they remove by reason of the trembling of the earth All were astonished at this and falling prostrate on the ground earnestly besought God to avert his wrath from them But the King more devoutly then the rest humbly begged of God at least an internall Light by which he might discern whether that iourney and the occasion of it were acceptable to him and for the benefit of his own soule in token of which he besought him to cease the trembling of the earth no to restore the Suns Light Assoon as he had ended his Prayer all these prodigies immediatly ended Thereupon the King confidently prosecuted his iourney though his Mother terrified by such ominous signs earnestly endeavoured to disswade him 6. Assoon as he was entred into Mercia attended by a small guard God was pleased in a vision by night to signify to him his approaching death and the immense glory which should follow it For First it seemed to him that the roof of his Palace fell upon him and that his Mother seeing it let fall from her eyes teares of blood Afterward he saw a wonderfully great and most beautifull Tree which certain persons feircely endeavoured to hew down and out of the wounds made in it flowed a torrent of Blood eastward Then a pillar of Light from the South more bright then the Sun seemed to rise up and himself in the shape of a Bird having the extremities of his wings shining like gold had a great desire to embrace that glorious pillar so that mounting to the top of it he heard a most celestiall Harmony to which he with infinite pleasure attended till his sleep ending all vanished away 7. The next morning he recounted this Dream to his freinds at which their astonishment and fears were renewed with great encrease considering such fearfull signs as the falling down of a house his Mothers bloody teares a fair tree cutt down and blood issuing out of it Thereupon they attempted to perswade him to return and not to tempt God after so manifest a warning given him of danger But the King thinking it both dishonourable and unsafe to publish a suspicion of any treachery in so great a King as Offa and withall considering that though in his Vision there were many ominous signs yet the end seemed glorious and
sirnamed the Great Huntingdon and Hoveden doe thus write oâ— it In the said year which was the fifteenth of the Raign of Kenulf King of the West-Saxons began a great change of the right hand of the most High For then did Charles the Greaâ— King of France upon the death of his Father King Pipin begâ—n his raign to whom thirty years after the Roman Empire which had been glorious so many ages became subject and continues so to his Successours to these times 2. We declared before how a great league of freindship and Royall presents interven'd between the two late Kings Pipin and Egbert King of the Northumbers The like freindship and society did Alâ—ed now King of the Northumbers demand of Charles the glorious Successour of King Pipin This we collect from a Letter written by him and his Queen Ogâ—â—fu to S. Lullus Arch-bisop of Mentz In which he desires him to assist with his counsell and favour the Embassadours which he had sent to his Lord and Patron the most glorious King Carl that peace and freindship many be established between them 3. In the same Epistle likewise which is an answer to one sent him from S. Lullus in behalf of the disquietted Churches in his dominion the same King and Queen not only humbly begg the Holy Bishops prayers for themselves but likewise send him a Catalogue of the Names of their speciall kinred freindâ— lately dead of whom they desire him to be mindfull at the Holy Altar assuring him that the same Charity shall be extended to all his relations in their Churches Indeed we can scarce meet with any Epistleâ— written in theâ—e times but this is generally onâ— clause and part of the busines 4. About this time saith Harpsfeild there flourished in Brittany two Religious Virgins famous for their piety and learning calld Rictrudis and Gisla Disciples of the famously learned Alcuin who taught very many aâ— this time in Brittany He was not unmindfull of the advice given him by his Master Archbishop Egbert of going to Rome and thence returning into France But seeing how usefull and even necessary his abode was in Brittany he delayd the said iourney till a fitt opportunity was presented him as we shall declare And as touching the foresaid Illustrious Virgins we shall in due time mention the kind and learned Letters which passed between them and their Master when he lived in France XII CHAP. 1. Succession of Bishops 2. Of Pope Adrian to whom the King of the Northumbers sends Embassadours 5. The Church of S Boniface miraculously preserved from fire 6 7 c Offa King of the Mercians invades and subdues severall Principalities Fictions of Mathew Paris 1. IN the year of our Lords Incarnation seaven hundred seaventy one the two Bishops of the East-Angles luckily again dyâ— together and to Aldebert Bishop of Dumwich is substituted Eglafe to Lanfeâ—t Bishop Oâ— Helmham Athelwolf In the next following age these two Sees were united into one which first remaind at Helmham thence waâ— translated to Thetford and lastly to Norwich 2. The year following to Pope Steven succeeded the worthy and learned Pope Hadrian first of that name to whom Alfred King of the Northumbers sent an Embassadour to congratulate his assuÌ„ption and for other Ecclesiasticall affairs not recorded To this Embassadour Alcuin gave an Epistle direâ—ted to the same Pope full of humble respect to him and congratulation to the Church for enioying the happines of so worthy a Pastour The Embasadours name was Angilbert whom Alcuâ—â— calls his most beloved Son to wâ—om he câ—â—mitted certain requests to be presented by word of mouth 3. The same year Kenulf King of the West-Saxons added to his former liberality towards the Ancient Monastery of Glastonbury the Mannor of Compton This he gave to the Abbot thereof called Waldun who newly succeeded to Guban 4. Afterward the See of London being vacant by the death of Eadgar in his place succeeded Kenwalck Nothing remains of the Gefts of either Neither can any account be given more of the names of Cuthrid Bishop of Lichfeild who dyed at the same time to whom was substituted Bertâ—â—n Hoveden calls them by other names as likewise the Episcopall See too It is a difficulty not worth the penetrating 5. It will not be impertinent in this place to relate how miraculously God gave testimony to the Gests Doctrine Sanctity of S. Boniface of late happy memory by defending his Church of Fritzlar froÌ„ the fury of the Saxons They making an invasion into the confines of the French dominions besieged a certain Strong Castle called Barimburg During which siege they wasted with sword and â—â—e the countrey circumjacent Their principall rage was directed against the Church of Fritzlare built by S. Boniface and concerning which he had prophecied that it should never be consumed by fire Whilst the furious Pagans were exeâ—cising their utmost diligence to make this a false Prophecy and were heaping wood and casting firebrands to sett it on fire there appeard to severall Christians in the foresaid Castle and to some Pagans likewise two men in white shining raiments who protected the Church from fire so that by no diligence or pains taken within or without the Church could the Pagans effect their desire On the contrary a terrour from heaven seising on them they fled away none pursuing them When they were gone there was found one Saxon Soldier stark dead upon his knees with fire and wood in his hands bowing down in the posture of one blowing the fire with an intention to burn the said Church Thus did God shew his power and favour to his faithfull servant And though shortly after he permitted the Church of S. Swibert at Werda to be consumed by fire yet so terrible a punishment he inflicted on the Authours that it became evident that the said Blessed Bishop preached the true Orthodoxe Faith 6. In the year of Grace seaven hundred seaventy four Offa King of the Mercians a Prince of high Spirits began troubles which in successe of time endangerd the ruine of severall petty kingdoms of Brittany For having three years before this subdued the Nation of the Hestings in the Southern parts of the Island or Sussex he extended his ambition to add also the kingdom of Kent to his conquests And because Lambert or as some Copies write Lambert then Archbishop of Canterbury endeavoured to defeat his ambition he turned his indignatioÌ„ against that Church also the dignity and revenews of which â—e sought to diminish For he took from it severall Mannors as Cherring Seleberts Chert and severall others which were afterward restored 7. This wart between Offa and Alric is thus breifly described by Huntingdon In the twentieth year of Kenulf King of the West-Saxons saith he Offa King of the Mercians fought against the Kentish men at place called Ottanford where the slaughter was most horrible especially on the Kentish partâ— So that King