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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10829	The admirable life of Saint VVenefride virgin, martyr, abbesse. Written in Latin aboue 500. yeares ago, by Robert, monke and priour of Shrewsbury, of the ven. Order of S. Benedict. Deuided into two bookes. And now translated into English, out of a very ancient and authenticall manuscript, for the edification and comfort of Catholikes. By I.F. of the Society of Iesus	Robert, Prior of Shrewsbury, d. 1167.; Falconer, John, 1577-1656.; Baes, Martin, engraver.	1635 (1635)	STC 21102; ESTC S115985	37,470	252

his Illustrious birth by his Noble Religious exemplar demeanours When Venerable Beuno came to this Lords house he was most respectfully by him entertayned and after charitable salutatiōs passed betweene them the Saint tould him that he was sent by God to erect a Church in his Territory as he had done in other places and I doubt not said he but that God hath by a very feruent and peculiar inspiration drawne me hither from his other seruants with whome I liued els where with great content to performe some great good particularly for you and yours Wherefore for his diuine Maiesties seruice I humbly intreate a small part of your ample inheritance to rayse therein a Church where others with my selfe will daily pray for your safety The Noble man moued with the Saintes Venerable aspect and speaches resolued forthwith to graunt what he asked and yielded this wise answere vnto him With good reason holy Father am I bound to giue you a part of what Lands I possesse for the seruice of him who gaue all vnto me and I conceaue indeed that you haue pleasured me much in asking this Charity of me more profitable to my selfe then to you Wherefore this very Mannour which now I liue in I do from this tyme forward wholy alienate frō my selfe and all myne yielding the possession all right therof most gladly vnto you and hauing no more then one child a tender Virgin the greatest delight indeed and worldly ioy of my hart I will besides bequeath her to your holy instructions and prayers that her life may be holy and her conuersation such as may be pleasing to God and contentfull to me also And hauing put the Saint in possession of the place and promised moreouer to help him in the building by him intended for a conuenient aboad of Gods Religious children and seruants he chose afterwards a place for himselfe to dwell in vpon a high hill ouer against it that when he could not inioy the holy mans presence he might a far of looke at least towards him and recreate himselfe often in the day by being with him holily and continually imployed in the seruice of God spiritually conioyned CHAP. II. How S. Wenefrides Parents did help the Saint in building his Monastery become also with their Daughter his deuout Auditours and obedient children How likewise S. Wenefride vpon hearing S. Beuno's exhortations resolued to leaue the world and conserue her virginity intreating him to mooue also her Parents thereunto VVHen the Saint began to build his Church and monastery the Lord Theuith did not faile with meanes liberally to further it vouchsafing also many times to put his owne hands to this holy worke for the example of others and the sooner to finish it as a thing by him for the glory of God and good of his owne scule exceedingly desired So as the Church was no sooner raysed and made fit for the holy man to preach and offer the diuine Sacrifice in but himselfe with his Wife and VVenefride his Daughter were daily and deuoutely present at such holy exercises he obseruing still this Custome to place his Child at the Saintes feete whilst he preached willing her to be attentiue to his speaches VVhich became not fruitles in her soule holily euen then in her tender yeares and graciously prepared feruently to practise in her life such heauenly documents as from the Saints mouth she continually learned And her delight in hearing him was such as with leaue of her Parents she often visited him alone by her selfe to be enriched the more with a profitable and practicall knowledge of diuine verities from him And albeit her Parents as their most gracious and only child dearely affected her and had placed after a worldly manner the only hope of their posterity in her by resoluing with an ample dowry to marry her in due tyme to some Noble and chiefe person of the in this doubtfull conflict betweene humane diuine loue passing in her thoghts the powerfull illuminator and best Directour of holy soules interiourly suggested this counsel vnto her that by Saint Beuno whose holy speaches had occasioned this pious resolution first in her hart firmely then rooted to propose it vnto her Parents whose power and authority she wisely knew to be very great with them by reason they honoured him much and in all things he said gladly obeyed him VVherfore one day finding him alone after his manner holily retired she humbly and boldly manifested her purpose thus vnto him Holy Father I come here to make knowne vnto you the holy fruites of your speaches and Gods graces togeather in my Soule whereby I haue byn effectually and I hope happily moued to estrange my selfe wholy from Worldly contentments and to consecrate my Virginity purely to him who liberally gaue me the beeing I haue and hath hitherto cōserued this enriching Treasure graciously in me Humbly beseeching you to obteyne for me my Parents good leaue and permission so to continue The Saint forthwith as beyond all expression delighted to know that the seedes of diuine grace sowne by his speaches were beginning to grow so happily in her willingly vndertooke to obteyne of her Parents what she desired throgh the cōfidence which he had in their singular piety towards God readines to do what his diuine Maiesty would haue them CHAP. III. S. Beuno proposeth S. VVenefrides desire to her Parents obteyneth their grant therin they giue away in almes her intended dowry ioy to see rare beginninges of future sanctity and solide vertues in their Daughter THe holy mā a powerfull Oratour with thē who as Children reuerently respected and desired to obey him in a heauenly language imparted vnto them S. VVenefrids desires and made them withall capable to know that it would be no ordinary act of their due loue to God gladly and freely to dedicate to his seruice what in this world was dearest vnto them Their answere vnto him with teares of ioy and praysing of Christ for his graces affoarded so singularly to their child was no other then a full and free leaue giuen to S. VVenefride of forsaking the world to serue her heauenly Spouse who by so high and holy a vocation had called her vnto him And so wishing her a happy progresse therein they resolued also to draw out of the same this benefitt to thēselues that giuing away to the poore her ample dowry for a secular mariage by them prepared and distributing in holy vses besides a very great part of their owne princely wealth and possessions as troublesome vnto them and with pouerty delighted due to the king of heauen who by espousing their Child was growne to be heyre as it were vnto them they might run more lightly the way of his commandements in a holy freedome frō worldly solicitudes spend end the remainder of their life in gayning to themselues heauenly treasures eternally to enrich them wherein they became animated afterwards by the rare example of their daughters

for them which I do promise to do for you my beloued deare Children after Christ shall take me vnto him And whereas said she to other worldly soules vnwilling to dye and fearefull to behold the face of their high ludge whome they are guilty in their liues grieuously to haue offended Death commeth as a cruell iaylor to breake down their mortery houses and to drag them forcibly vnto him So to holy Soules he euer cōmeth as a welcom guest and therefore findeth the dore of their hart open to receaue him like vnto men expecting the returne of their Lord from his hea she with a glad patience to goe to her heauenly Spouse silently sustayned often and earnestly beseeching him not to let the infernall Enemy be frightfull vnto her in her last agony And finding by her much weaknes forces decayed that her dissolution approached she called for the Saint her Confessor to receaue the diuine Sacrament of him as a safe protection in so dreadfull a passage And behoulding her sisters kneeling round about her and grieuing aboue measure to loose her presence no lesse comfortable then profitable vnto them Deare Children said she grieue not so I beseech you at my happines thus approaching but reioyce rather with me that I shall fully now enioy him in heauen whome in earth heere I haue loued Treade also so neerely as you can my footesteps by seruing him as I haue done contemning for his sake such baites and base pleasures as the world can affoard you Let your promised fayth to him be inuiolably obserued who by his mercyes and merits is only able to bring you comfortably to this passage and eternally to crowne you Cōceaue your bodies though youthfull and faire to be as truly they are but loathsome prisons of your soule and mortery houses apt if you take not heed to pollute defile you and persuade your selues assuredly that so miserable a world as this is and full of temptations can yield no true happines or pleasures without daungers vnto you To others also that came to visit her she ceased not at times as her voyce would serue to giue profitable aduises aboue all that they should be ready for that passage which herselfe then was entring into and to spend their liues in such sort as they might receaue comfort when that moment should approach on which Eternall weale or woe dependeth sweet manner comforting herselfe and him also by a certaine hope they shey should meete againe ere longe and liue in heauen eternally togeather she afterwards humbly besought him that her body might be buried neere vnto Theonia her holy Mother which the Saint gladly promised And soone after in an act of feruent prayer vpon the 3. day of Nouember she breathed out her pure soule into her Redeemers hands ready to receaue it Which being perceaued by S. Elerius and the sisters praying about her they fall into such new complaints and sad expressions of their sorrow that the Saint was enforced to smother his owne griefe and to comfort them all he could by declaring that she was only gone to Heauen before them where gloriously vnited with God she would be no lesse powerful ready then when she liued in earth by her prayers to help them Her body nothing changed in the louelines thereof by death was neere vnto Theonia solemnly afterwards interred euen in the ashes as it were of many other great Saints buried in that place before amōgst whom Cheb and Sennan the one lying at her head and the other by her side were for sanctity miracles in their dayes famously renowned and had Churches therfore euen yet remayning in that Prouince to their memories erected wherein by wonderous signes their glory with God is now frequently testified And albeit these two other innumerable Saintes haue ben interred in that holy ground yet was the same for S. VVenefrides Sepulcher afterwards especially honoured graced with numberles and notorious miracles by her prayers there obteyned S. Elerius also soone after holily disceased was buried in a Church erected to his Name and memory in which at this very day Almighty God through his merits and prayers worketh miraculous cures vpon persons either diseased or distressed The End of the first Booke AN APPENDIX Of the Translatour concerning diuers particulars of S. Wenefrids History omitted by the Author MY Author Courteous Reader more carefull to write plainely and truly his History then to obserue the conditions of an exact Historian speaketh not of the ty me wherein S. Wenefride liued as he should haue done nor when her body was to Shrewsbury translated nor whether S. Elerius or other Saints reliques mentioned in her life were with it transferred Wherefore I will heere adde what I haue read for your further satisfaction First therefore I find in a learned collection which a friend of myne hath made of British and English Antiquities either wholy omitted or obscurely expressed by other writers that S. Wenefride liued about the yeare of Christ 660. And wheras S. Bede flourishing also at that tyme hath made no mention of her at all in his History amongst the other Saints of our Countrey it might well happen because the continuall iarrs and bloudy quarrels between the Britans and Saxons did so hinder all commerce betweene these two Nations as that it seemes the Acts of one Church became almost wholy vnknowne vnto the other especially in Yorkeshyre where S. Bede most commonly liued far distant from any part of Wales so as his silence of her and of S. Elerius in the Roman martyrologe acknowledged as of many other British Saintes gloriously flourishing in those dayes and before insinuated also by my Author disproueth nothing that is by him or any other learned Anti quary affirmed Her body was in the yeare of our Lord 1138. translated to Shrewsbury togeather with the reliques of many other Saintes neere ruder parts of the world then the others did the histories of their holy liues haue not been by learned mens pens equally diuulged In so much as M. Camden no fauourable reporter of such Catholique Acts and Monuments rarely now extant speaking of the old british Monkes of Glastenbury Monastery from the first A postolicall tymes of that Church hath these wordes in his Britannia Primis his temporibus viri san ctissimi c. In these first tymes to wit of the British Church before the Saxons inuasion of England more then 1100. yeares since many most holy men night and day attending to the seruice of God liued in this place maintayned by the Kings liberality and trayning vp youth in piety liberal sciences imbraced a solitary life that so with greater quiet repose they might attend to the studies of Diuinity and exercise themselues in all seuerity to beare the Christ of Christ c. Of which sort of Monkes so by him described were very many Religious men dispersed in like manner though all parts of that Church liuing either in holy

finding him in that most pittifull plight stood amazed at the miracle as not able any way to help him Wherfore by their aduise he began to repent him of his fault and humbly besought amōgst the other Saints S. VVenefrid to help him The rest also ioyning in like prayer with him after they had cryed aloud and all togeather Holy VVenefride take pitty on him his hand was presently loosed from the hatchet and his arme to all freedome restored Which euident miracle seene by the people they renewed their wonted veneration to the Saint They shewed also vnto Priour Robert and his companions the Cut which the man had made in the branch of the tree remayning still for a testimony thereof so as with very good reason they all much reuerenced that holy place by innumerable miraclesso diuinely graced CHAP. XIII How Priour Robert the Author of this historie did himselfe take vp the holy body of S. VVenefride and carry it towards Shrewsbury How also in the way he wrought a miracle by some of the earth found in the Holy head of that Blessed Martyr PRior Robert hauing had a generall leaue from the Pastour of the Church and his parishioners to take vp the Saintes body went downe without a guide into her Tōbe or Sepulcher and by an interiour light communicated then diuinely vnto him knowing where it lay caused the Tombestone to be remoued and labourers to digge towards the body which when they had found the Prior causing them to goe forth out of the Vault he only with some Priests and Religious persons stayed behind singing psalmes of ioy deuoutely togeather into the sicke mans stomack but he fell soundly asleepe and when he awaked found himselfe of his daungerous and painefull infirmity perfectly recouered By which most euident Miracle the credit of those sacred reliques to the great ioy of the Priour himselfe and his companions was diuinely confirmed and the deuotion of all present towards them increased Others also there present did learne from thence what due veneration reuerence was to be yielded afterwards vnto them CHAP. XIV How Priour Robert after seauen dayes iourney arriuing with the sacred Reliques at Shrewsbury was by his Abbot commanded to place them in S. Giles his Church neere the gate of that Citty vntill all was ready for their sollemne receauing into the Monastery VVith anotable miracle which happened in that place PRior Robert his company in seauen dayes ended their iourney backe againe with the sacred treasure to Shrewsbury and hauing before giuen notice to the Abbot of their approach they were willed by him to stay and repose the same decently in S. Giles his Church neere the gate of the Citty that the Lord Bishop and his Clergy with the rest of the people might be warned therof and in sollēne procession bring them to the Monastery And for the greater honor of them in the meane time prayed all the night that God through the merits prayers of great S. VVenefrid would be pleased to cure him he fell towardes the morning into a slumber and before the Priest came to say the first masse he was to the wonder of all present of the whole Citty likewise perfectly cured and made whole so as after he had soūded forth thankeful prayses to God the holy Martyr he returned without help of others ioyfully homewards on his feet CHAP. XV. VVith what solemnity pompe S. Wenefrides body was brought vnto the Abbey-Church of Shrewsbury And of a strange Miracle which happened thereat THE former miracle increased much the fame of these holy Reliques brought into the Citty and the opinion also of S. VVenefrids sanctity so that the cōcourse of people was very great daily honoring the holy Virgin in them Priour Robert in the meane tyme hauing by order of his Abbot treated with the Bishop about the solemnity of bringing her body frō S. Giles his Church to the Monastery it was agreed betweene them that the people of the Citty and Country likewise should be warned of the certaine day whē this solēnity should be kept and the Bishops blessing indulgences for such a feast promulgated to all that should be present in the procession Whereupon the throng of people kneeling on ech side of the streetes shedding teares of ioy for such a blessing brought amongst them was so great that it was a wōder to see how gratefull their deuotion was to God and to the Saint thus honored by them At which tyme also hapned an euident miracle in the sight of all worthy heere to be related The morning wherein this solemne procession was miraculously in the ayre ouer their heads and yet be kept from falling downe vpon them till the solemnity was ended and therfore they redoubled their praises to God and to the Saint as Authors of this great miracle wrought euidently before their face The Procession ended and the Bishop and Priests arriued with the Reliques at the Monastery they were by the Abbot and his Religious as lewells aboue all valew most reuerently receaued vpon the high Aultar dedicated to S. Peter and S. Paul magnificently placed where many apparent miracles for the help of soules and bodies are to Gods great honour glorified in his Saintes daily performed whose Name be praysed for euer and euer Amen CHAP. XVI The Conclusion of the Translatour vnto this second Booke of S. Wenefrids Life and Miracles I May say heere of S. VVenefrids miracles of those later especially wrought in Shrewsbury vpon such as honoured the Saint and were cured by the vertue of her reliques what S. Augustine in his 22. Booke of the Citty of God and 8. Chapter hath left written of a blind man miraculously restored to sight and other like miracles done at Millan whilst he liued there at the holy bodies of S. Geruasius and Protasius diuinely reuealed and translated by S. Ambrose to another place as S. VVenefrids Reliques were from Guitherine vnto Shrewsbury that the Citty to wit wherein they were done grandis era● immenso populo teste res gesta est was great and an immense cōcourse of people able to testifie the verity of them So as he must want dit in such Historicall verities as they will belieue any Gentill or Heathen Author before them the which my selfe haue proued by many experiences and for an example I will heere mention one It was my chance some yeares since to be the guest of a Protestant Gentleman in England of especial note and ranke in the Countrey wher he liued who seing me one day fixedly to look vpō a faire picture hāging in his Hall wherein the diuers torments of some Primitiue Martyrs were liuely represented Syr said he who can belieue as for my part I cannot that men to men and for Religion only euer vsed such barbarous cruelties more then butcherly inhumanities To whome for clearing of so certaine and testified a truth I alleaged what Tertullian in sundry places of his workes

height of Religious Perfection choosing for that purpose to sit at the Saints feet as S. Mary Magdalen did at the feet of our Sauiour neuer satiated with the delicacies which fell from that heauenly Table vnto her by his most pious speaches and deuout instructiōs within a smal tyme out a restles and most amorous desire fully to be what an height of sanctity perfection the spirit of God for the glory of himselfe good of others intended to raise her sought more and more to illuminate her soule by heauenly documents practicall lessons for the direction of herselfe others in a spirituall and Religious life which she as a very apt scholler did not only learne but practise also in such a manner that the Saint was ouerioyed to behould her And finally finding her fully enabled not only to guide herselfe but others also in courses of Perfection he called her Parents one day vnto him and tould them that as they had liberally graunted vnto him a Church and house for the seruice of God and help of his seruants so had his diuine Maiesty liberally requited their Charity towards him by singular graces affoarded to them and especially to their Childe whom now they might well choose and propose vnto themselues as a Mistresse able to guide them in their Redeemers seruice and as a bright shining patterne of religious Perfection Wherfore being diuinely called to another place I must heere said he leaue you to the helpes of Heauenly Graces which will not be wanting vnto you persisting as now you do holily in Gods seruice and to the carefull direction of your Daughter And then conuerting himselfe to S. VVenefride Our Lord said he deare Child hath appointed you to succeed me heere in my holy labours and abiding in these parts to go onwards happily your self to guide others fruitfully in the way to eternall life as hitherto I haue taught you And doubt not but by the mouing example of your death for him already susteyned and the holy conuersation of your life you wil be able to performe what I haue said and in this very place gather togeather for your heauenly spouse many pure and deuout Virgins guided vnto him holily by you But know withall that you shal not heere end your dayes but that after seauen yeares in prayer and pennance spent in this place to your owne great Merit singular edification of others our gracious Lord will call you to another that strangers also may in the knowledge and true seruice of him be illuminated by you and know also that heerby your memory shall become glorious in future ages and your merits published to the whole world by miraculous cures helpes affoarded vnto sickly and distressed persons praying vnto you CHAP. VIII VVherein is declared S. Wenefrides griefe for her Holy Fathers departure and his comfortable speaches vnto her concerning particular Graces intended by God towards herselfe and others by her THe Godly Virgin being excessiuely grieued at her holy Fathers departure he to cōfort her in so deep an affliction tooke her by the right hand and lead her to the fountayne which miraculously had risen in the tyme place of her martyrdome sitting togeather vpō a stone neere to the side of the well called therefore to this day S. Beuno's stone You see said he heere the monumēt of your sufferings and behold also the stones therein steyned as with your bloud shed for your Heauenly Spouses sake be you therfore now attentiue and mindfull of what I shall fore-tell you concerning three especiall ter my departure now from you into a remote part of this ●land God will giue me a Cell neere the sea shore when you would send any letters or tokens vnto me as his diuine Maiesty wold haue you to do and I also do intreate the same of you once at least euery year cast them only in the streame of this fountayne and they will passing into the Ocean by many creekes and turning-shores be diuinely safely directed vnto me which graces likewise to the worlds end shall be diuulged gloriously of you And hauing ended this his speach he led her backe againe vnto the Church and said then vnto her Behould heere this Church lodgings about it which hauing byn built by the charitable magnificence of your parents and my labours I leaue vnto you to be conuerted into a copious monastery of Chast Deuout Virgins who moued by your instruction holy example of life shall togeather with your selfe meritoriously practise those heauenly documēts which by a perfit contempt of the world and a full abnegation of thēselues the two maine grounds of Religious perfection I haue often deliuered by my speaches vnto you Stupendious miracles also done for the temporall eternall good of many repayring to this very place shall heerafter be effected to the prayse of their heauenly Maker and euen bruit beasts shall not want their share in such blessings striue therfore deare Child to exhibit your selfe in all things as a liuely patterne and example to others of all Vertue As for my poore selfe I shall goe whither Gods spirit will guide me euer retayne in my hart and soule a Fatherly and louing memory of you presence alwayes edified by your example instructed by your speaches Which words of hers together with her flowing teares so moued the Saint himselfe as also her louing Parents and others that were present as not to haue their owne sorrow by staying longer with her increased after he had blessed her with his hand as hauing no toūg through griefe to speake a word more vnto her hastned his pace faster then modesty would permit her to follow him vntill at length he was gon quite out of her sight neuer more in this world to behold him so that returning with her companiōs homeward for many dayes after she remayned in her sorrow till tyme at length discret thoughts hauing eased her hart she wisely and maturely began to reflect vpon his heauenly discourses and lessons formerly giuen vnto her both how she might practise them herselfe and draw others also to the exercise therof Which in a short tyme Gods grace and the force of her holy Example did so happily effect that a great number of Noble and deuout Virgins trampling worldly wealth Honours pleasures vnder their feet for the glory and seruice of Christ betooke themselues to her gouernment liued in religious discipline holily vnder her commanding or teaching them nothing but what herselfe practised first amongst them as a shining cleere Light in safe paths of sanctity to guide them yea with such a sweet mildenes motherly loue towards them that with equall merit and contentment they obeyed her commands and obserued such rules as she had established amongst them Her wholsome aduises also they receaued as heauēly oracles such remedies as in their difficulties temptations she wisely compassionably gaue them had a heauenly kind