vtterly against it as others affirme or whether at length he did winke at her wicked course and seeme to be ignorant of her mischieuous practise as manie asseuer howsoeuer I say it came to passe certaine it is that betweene them was shewne an example of as detestable perfidiousnes as anie that is recorded in historie For breaking the sacred lawes not only of hospitalitie but allsoe of all goodnes and pietie they caused holy king ETHELBERT to be cruelly murdered in king Offas owne house by the bloudie hands of one winebert who had been brought vp a seruant Ethelbert cruelly murdered vnder Sainct ETHELBERTS father and now to recompence his former fauours receaued became the cruell Minister of his death being drawne thereunto with the couetous desire of reward To what wickednes doeth not the vnsatiable hunger of gould compell mortall hearts This false winebert brought holy ETHELBERT from his faythfull companie into a priuate roome who like an innocent lambe suspecting noe harme at all went securely with him Then hauing bound him fast with a most cruell blow he strake off his head who with his hands and eyes lifted vp towards heauen yeelded vp his soule soe pure in innocencie and soe glorious with martirdom into the hands of his deare creatour and redeemer the twentith day of May. Which being perceaued by his intended spouse Alfrid with a mind quite ouerthrowne with sorrow to see her royall hope soe suddenly dasht she went forth to his companie that without doores expected the coming of their beloued Master and with a lamentable noyse related the crueltie of this tragicall scene Who bearing this sorrowfull newes and being not able to reuenge his death returned in dolefull manner into their downe countrey being compelled insteed of a wedding-song to sing an Epitaphe for the losse of their holy King Then Alfrid renewing her complaints Alfrid becometh a Nunne Jngulphus in hist Croyland foretould manie miseries to her Mother which afterwards fell out accordingly And she her self refusing to admitt anie other mortall woers consecrated her virginitie to her immortall spouse CHRIST-IESVS and in the fennes of Crowland she tooke the habit of a Nunne and lead a solitarie liâ—e vnder the holy rule of saint BENEDICT for the space of fortie yeares after But King Offa her father which much encreased the suspition that he had been allsoe consenting to saint ETHELBERTS death presently lead his armie into the prouince of the East-Angles soe suddenly depriued of their King and by force of armes subdued it to his owne dominion IV. THE bodie of this holy King thus traiterously slaine was by the commaund of Offa committed to an ignoble buriall in the bankes of the riuer Lugge at a place now called Marden Whither as those cruell ministers carried it in great scorne it was found to be soe light as if it had been allreadie ennobled with the dotes of heauenly glory But the allmightie Goodnes euer zealous of his seruants suffered not the holy reliques of this Sainct to be buried in obliuion in that base place but miraculously testified his vertue and pietie to the world For the night following was made glorious with a heauenly A light appeareth ouer his graâ—e light that appeared ouer the graue of this holy martir to the great astonishment and terrour of the countrey adioyning And the third night after his sacred Martirdom saint ETHELBERT appeared in a vision to a simple man thereabouts and commaunded him to transport his bodie to the monasterie built on the bankes of the riuer Wye Which was faythfully performed and by the way a blind man was restored to sight by the merits of the holy Sainct It was then buried in a place aunciently called Ferne-wood where now stands the towne of Hereford And ouer his holy sepulcher for the space of manie yeares glittered euery night a heauenly splendour to shew of how great merit his blessed soule was in the sight of Allmightie God V. BVT King Offâ— greatly terrified with these miracles and the A Church dedicated to S-Ethel bert guilt of his owne conscience became wonderfull penitent for his former life and making his sonne Egfrid a King with him self in great deuotion went to Rome the better to expiate his foule and bloudie deeds past At Rome following the zeale and example of INAS King of the West-Saxons he made his Kingdome subiect to a Tribute then called Peter-pence afterwards Rom-scot After his retune into England for the greater satisfaction of his sinnes at a place in Hartfordshire then called Holmehurst now saint ALBANS he built a magnificent Monastery in honour of the worthy Protomartir of great Britaine saint ALBANE whose sacred reliques See more in the life of S Albane Iune 22. after long lying hid came miraculously to light about the same time which was in the yeare of our Lord 795. He allsoe endowed the same Monastery with manie lands and rich reuenewes for the maintenance of a goodly Conuent of aboue an hundred Monkes of the holy Order of saint BENEDICT Allsoe for a further testimonie of his penance he gaue the tenth of all his goods vnto the Church and the poore He founded allso the Benedictine Abbey of Bathe and in Warwickshire he built a Church where the adioyning towne from it and him beareth the name of Off-Church But after the death of King Offâ— which was in the yeare of our Lord 797. Milfrid a pettie King of the Mericans moued with the continuall and dayly miracles wrought at saint ETHELBERTS Tombe gaue infinite treasure thereunto and built a famous Church of stone to his honour which remayneth to this day in Hereford by the name of saint ETHELBERTS Church and is the Cathedrall of that cittie S. Ethelberts well And then that place was first made a Bishops-sea But out of the place where the holy bodie of saint ETHELBERT had layne before issued forth a fountaine of most cleere water called saint ETHELBERTS well ouer which now stands a Church which without doubt was built in honour of this holy martirs buriall there For it must needes be some strange motiue that made men build a Church in that place which is within tenne yards of the riuer Lugge which at euerie floud ouerflowes it soe that it cannot be come at but by boate The well I haue seene my self it is of a most pure water and much esteemed of all good Christians thereabouts In which one thing to this day is most strange and miraculous that when the riuer Lugge adioyning ouerflowes his bankes and that within Note a strange thing the forsayd Church it is knee-deepe and more of that muddie-red water this Well of saint ETHELBERT allbeit it be quite â—uerâ—lowne yet it remaynes most pure and cleere amidst those â—roubled waters vnworthy to be mingled with the puritie thereof And this I haue heard constantly and faythfully affirmed by manie of the Inhabitants thereabouts who are not ashamed to acknowledge a miracle done by the meritts of
to see the ruine of those perishing soules and perceauing his iourney to the desired place of martirdom to be hindered by that huge concourse of poeple fell downe on his knees and humbly made his prayer to him whose side flowed water and bloud for the redemption of the world to giue a safe passage to that poeple soe desirous to be present at his death Then by the allmightie power A notable miracle of him that diuided the red sea for the Israelites the furie of that great riuer was stopped and the channell made drie for the holy Martir to passe the flowing of his prayers and teares before allmightie God tooke from the riuer the power of flowing and layd open a fayre passage for him self and the poeple through the waters VII BVT the vertue of this wonderfull miracle gaue grace to the Officer that was appoynted to be ALBANS executioner to cast off all The executioner conuerted thought of such like woluish crueltie and become a meeke lambe of CHRISTS flock For throwing away his sword that should haue done that blouddie deed he fell prostrate at the holy Martirs feet confessed his errour and humbly demaunded pardon crying alowd that there was noe other true God but the God of the Christians and earnestly desiring to die in steed of him whom he was commaunded to putt to death But his beliefe moued the rest of those ministers of mischiefe to greater rage and furie and falling vppon that new Confessour of CHRIST they beate out his teeth tore his mouth that had giuen testimonie to the truth and soe bruised all his limmes with cruell blowes that in his whole bodie scarse anie one part was left vnhurt yet in heart he remayned firme and sound in the confession of his fayth But leauing this wretched creature in that miserable plight they arriued at length Is cruelly beaten to the toppe of the hill where an infinite number of poeple were expecting to behould the action of this tragicall scene Who being generally tormented with an extremitie of heate drought He obtayneth a fountaine by his prayers S. ALBAN by his prayers obtayned to haue a cleere fouÌ„taine spring out of that dried earth by which the multitude queÌ„ched their thirst yet allwaies thirsted for the effusion of his bloud by whose meritts they had receaued that benefitt soe great was the vngratefull crueltie cruell ingratitude of their blinded minds which ascribed all these most seÌ„sible miracles to the power of their owne seÌ„slesse Gods VIII THEREFORE whetting still the edge of their owne furie on the vnshaken rock of the holy Martirs constancie and vertue they He is beheadded were more and more incensed to the shedding of his innocent bloud A new executioner was chosen to giue the deadly blow for them all who at once made a cruell separation of his head from the bodie that his blessed soule might take a happie flight to the crowne of euerlasting life which our Lord hath promised to those that suffer for his sake But the cruell executioner was not permitted to triumphe in his wicked fact for his eyes ashamed as it were to The punishment of his executioner behould their Masters crueltie fell miraculously out of his head at the very instant that he gaue the Martir his death soe that loosing the guides that had directed him to doe what he did he lost allsoe the power to see what he had done Which miracle caused manie of the Gentils there present to confesse that he was iustly punished Meane while the poore souldier whom they had left halfe dead below had cralled to the toppe of the hill and coming to the holy body of saint ALBAN he was presently restored againe to the perfect vse of all his limmes But that happines was soone after seconded with a farre greater for making profession of the fayth of A souldier martired CHRIST he was forthwith beheadded and by being baptised in his owne bloud was made worthie to follow his leader saint ALBAN into the euerlasting ioyes of CHRIST-IESVS the eternall crowne and glory of his Martirs S. ALBAN was martired about the yeare of our saluation three hundred and three and his bodie was buried in the same place of his martirdom IX BVT about the yeare of our Lord fower hundred fortie six and an hundred fortie three yeares after the passion of S. ALBAN the Pelagian Heresie as ouer the rest of the world soe chiefely it raygned in great Britaine in which it is reported to haue first begunne To suppresse this infection sainct GERMAN Bishop of Auâ—er The Pelagian â—eresie suppressed and Lupus Bishop of Troy came out of France into our Iland by the force of whose arguments and miracles the impudent mouthes of the Pelagians were stopt And at that very time manie great miracles and cures of diseased persons being wrought at the sacred tombe of S. ALBAN thither the holy Bishops went for deuotion sake to giue thankes vnto allmightie God for their successe and S. GERMAN hauing opened the holy monument layd therein manie reliques of the Apostles and other Martirs that the same place might containe the bones of them whose soules enioyed one and the same glory in heauen Which done he tooke thence some part of the earth which had receaued the holy Martirs bloud and which yet blushed therewith to be by him reserued as a most pretious treasure The auncient Britans ouer come by the Saxons and a worthy reward of his labour Afterwards the English and Saxons that were Pagans like vnto a furious tempest inuaded the Iland of great Britaine and by force of armes droue the auncient inhabitants thereof to the mountaines and farthest parts of the countrey now called Wales persecuting not only the men but the Christian fayth which they professed Then amongst others the auncient cittie of Verulam being destroyed and all sacred monuments and Churches demolisht the memory of the glorious Martir Sainct ALBAN was extinguished for the space of three hundred fortie fower yeares and to the raygne of the most famous King of the Mercians Ossa who following a diuine reuelation that commaunded him to search out those holy reliques and place them in a more worthy monument assembled the poeple and Clergie togeather and armed with fasting and prayer they ascended the mountaine where the holy Martir suffered In the meane time the diuine goodnes that would not haue that treasure lie hid anie longer sent forth a heauenly splendour which glittered ouer his sepulcher and lighted them to find out those desired reliques For hauing digged in the same place they found his sacred bodie in a The inuention of S. Albans bodie wodden chest togeather with the reliques of the Apostles and Martirs which Sainct GERMAN had placed therein Therefore the King and whole assemblie being replenished with inestimable ioy translated that sacred treasure with great veneration and solemnitie singing of himnes and prayses to allmightie into an auncient Church neere Verulam
breade in Idlenes he laboured manie times with his owne hands in the tillage of his land III. AFTER the death of King Morken during whose raigne he was made Bishop the kinsmen of the same King like the sonnes of Beliall plotted and conspired his death whereof the holy man being admonished by reuelation from God he tooke his iourney into Southwalls which countrey was at that time richly beautified with the florishing vertues of S. DAVID with whom hauing spent some time he receaued of the King of that countrey called Cathwalla a peece of land to build a monasterie And hauing erected a He buildeth a monasterie monasterie at Elue in Flintshire he there constituted his Episcopall sea He gathered togeather in that monasterie the number of nine hundred threescore and odd Monks which all serued God vnder regular discipline in a verie strict and rigid manner of life Three hundred of the most vnlearned of them were deputed to the labour of husbandrie to toile and â—ill the fields and keepe sheepe other cattle other three hundred were employed in workes within the The manner of life of the ancieÌ„t moÌ„ks monasterie to prouide victualls and other necessaries and the rest which were sufficiently learned were allotted to the quier night and day to celebrate the diuine office and none of these were easily permitted to wander abroade but were bound to the limitts of their monasterie as to the Sanctuarie of our Lord. The holy Bishop diuided them into diuers companies or conuents and as one companie ended the diuine office in the Church an other presently entred to beginne the same againe and that hauing done comes a third companie in like manner soe that by the continuall succession of the diuers companies the diuine seruice was maintayned in that Church night and day without anie intermission Amongst these Monks there was one called Asaph a man of verie great vertue and a worker of manie miracles him S. KENTIGERNE loued aboue all the rest and for his vertuous life he deliuered vnto his hands the care of the monasterie and appointed him for his successour in the Bishoprick IV. THE HOLY man remayning on a time longer at his deuotions then his ordinarie custom was his face appeared fierie and glistening to the great admiration of the beholders and after his prayers were ended he fell into most grieuous lamentations which He hath a reuelation of S. Dauids death moued some of his disciples humbly to request him to declare the cause of his soe great sadnes To whom after a silent pawse You must know sayd he my deare children that the crowne and glorie of Britanie and worthy father of his countrey S. DAVID is now departed out of the prison of his bodie to receaue his rewards in heauen Beleeue me I beheld not only a great multitude of Angels but the Lord of Angels CHRIST IESVS him self come to meet him and leade him into the glorie of his heauenly paradise Know likewise that our Britanie being depriued of this her great light will groane for the losse of soe great a Patrone who Prayse of S. Dauid whilst he liued was the only buckler of our defence against the reuengefull sword of Gods iuste anger half drawne out to punish the malice of our Countrey and long since had not his vertue withheld it had made a generall slaughter amongst vs. Now therefore our Lord will deliuer this countrey into the hands of strange nations which neyther acknowledge him for God nor his religion for the truth And this our wretched Ile shall be inhabited He prophesieth the miserie of Brinie by Pagans and all Christian religion therein shall for a time be vtterly destroyed but afterwards by the wonderfull mercie of allmightie God all shall be repayred againe and the countrey reduced notonely into her auncient but into a farre better and more florishing state of religion V. THIS Blessed Sainct had bene seauen times at Rome where vnto S. GREGORIE the great afterwards Apostle of the English Bishops confirmed by the Pope he related the whole course of his life the manner of his election and consecration and all other chances which had befalne him The holy Pope vnderstanding him to be a man of God and ful of the grace of the holy Ghost confirmed his consecration which he knew to haue proceeded from God and supplieing according to his earnest desire such ceremonies as had bin omitted therein he dismissed him vnto his pious chardge by the holy Ghost inioyned VI. IN THE meane time death hauing exercised his reuenge on all the holie mans enemies in Albanie or Scotland the inhabitants thereof forsaking the way of truth and returning like doggs to feed vppon their owne vomitt fell againe into the riteâ— of flatt Idolatrie And therewithall the heauens and elements with drawing their vsuall influences caused a generall famine and dearth in their countrey Till at length allmightie God raysed a King named Redereth who hauing bin baptized in Ireland by the disciples of S. PATRICK with all his heart honoured allmightie God and studied by all meanes to restore his kingdom to the true faith of CHRIST He sent therefore messengers with letters directed vnto S. KENTIGERNE earnestly desiring him by the name and loue of our Lord to returne to his desolate flock that was left destitute of all care and cure affirming it to be a thing vnworthie for a pastour to forsake his sheepe a Bishop his Church for whose loue he ought to lay his soule at stake vnlesse he would turne a mercenarie who flies for feare of persecution Likewise he assured him that his enemies which sought his life had allreadie in seeking it lost their owne Therefore the holy man ordayning S. ASAPâ— his successour with six hundred and threescore of his Monks tooke his S. Kentigerne returned into Scotl. iourney towards Glasghn The king giuing thankes to allmightie God with a great multitude of people went to giue him the meeting and to receaue him with honour due vnto soe great a Sainct He hauing first giuen his benediction to the whole companie sayd All those whosoeuer enuie the saluation of men and are aduersaries vnto the word of God I commaund them by the vertue and power of our Lord IESVS CHRIST suddenly to depart hence lest they be an hinderance vnto those who will receaue the truth At Note a strainge miracle vertue of his words these words agreat multitude of most horrible and vglie spiritts was scene to flie out of that companie with wonderfull swiftnes at which sight they all trembled with the verie apprehension and feare But the Sainct exhorting them to take courage and comfort gaue them to vnderstand what goblins they did beleeue in and therevppon incited them to giue creditt vnto the true faith of IESVS CHRIST when in a short time by his continuall preaching and miracles he recouered all the inhabitants of that countrey out of the The fruits of his prechings black night of
health to all that deuoutly aske it The soueraigne vertue whereof sayth the same Authour I my self haue experienced for being ouerthrowne with a greeuous sicknes and arriued at deaths gate calling to mind the diuine fauours which S. WALBVRG incessantly shewed to her beloued seruants I commaunded some of the sacred oyle which flowed from her bodie to be brought of which at a most desired draught I draÌ„ke vp a litle bottle full deuoutly saying these words O Blessed virgin WALBVRG for reuerence of thy most beloued brother S. WILLIBALD Bishop whose vnworthie successour am I Phillip a sinner make worthie intercession to our Lord forme according as my sinnes require that I may recouer out of the grief One cured with the oyle that floweth froÌ„ her bodie of this my sicknes to the prayse of allmightie God and his vnspotted mother the Virgin Marie This done to the great admiration of all I recouered perfectly out of a disease which had giuen the foyle to all humane art of phisick Manie other miracles of the same oyle are reported by the authours of her life are wrought yet in these daies at Eistadt where her body lies to the great confusion of hereticks the glorie of God and our holy Father S. BENEDICT vnder whose rule she ruled being aliue The Reuerend Father Iames Gretser hath set forth a booke in the yeare 1620. in which he recites manie famous miracles done at her tombe authentically examined prooued true with the testimony of eye-witnesses Soe that this glorious Virgin like vnto a fruitfull and fayre oliue-tree growing in the fields of Gods Church vnder the happie shade of the Benedictine order dilateth the name and fame of her sainctitie ouer the world by the effusion of a pretious oyle which cureth and healeth all diseases by the mightie power of him who hath and will be wonderfull glorious in his Saincts foâ— euer AmeÌ„ The life of this glorious Virgin is writteÌ„ verie largely Faythfully sayth Baronius by Wolphardus a monke and Phillip Bishop of Eystat in Germanie out of whom we haue gathered this historie The Roman Martirologe Baronius tom 9. anno 735. Trithemius in his worke of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. cap. 150. Arnould Wion in his martirologe Molanus in addit ad Vsuardum Iohn Capgraue and others make honourarable mention of her The life of S. MILGITH Virgin and Nunne of S. BENEDICTS order FEB 26. MILGITH or MILVIDE daughter to Merwald king of the Mercians and S. ERMENBVAG and sister to the most holy Virgins MILBVRG and MILDRED is much commended by our English historiographers for her great holines of life in the conseruation and consecration of her virginitie to CHRIST But in what monasterie she professed I cannot certainly affirme Yet some write that she liued a Nunne in a monasterie which S. ETHELBERT built in Kent not farre from Canturburie It is likely that she liued eyther with one of her holy sisters with S. MILBVRG at Wenloke or with S. MILDRED in the I le of Tanet in Kent Certaine it is in whatsoeuer monasterie she liued that she was a NunÌ„ne of S. BENEDICTS order seeing that noe other rule but his was in those daies receaued in England Of her and her two sisters Polidore virgill giues this testimonie These most excellent virgins sayth he partly out of their holines of life partly out of their seruice Lib. 4. hist Ang in religion in which they exercised them selues with continencie were souÌ„d worthie to be by our fathers numbred afterwards among the Sâ—â—â—cts This holy Virgin florished 〈◊〉 the yeare 675. Florentius Wig. Mathew westminster Ranulphus Cicestrensis and others speake honourably of her vertues S. OSWALDVS EPISCOPVS WIGORNIENSIS IN Anglia Monachis Benedictinus Feb. 28. Mart. Ba … The life of S. OSWALD Bishop of Worcester confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT FEB 28. VVritten by senatus Branonius a monks of VVorcesler THE glorious Bishop and ornament of the Benedictin familie S. OSWALD borne of a most noble English race and endowed with a verie rare and beautifull forme of bodie began from his verie infancie to auoyde all such childish toies and follies as are incident to that age and wholely to applie him self to the sacred studie and exercise of true pietie and religion thereby to ennoble the nobilitie of his birth whith the nobilitie of vertue S. Oâ—o Archbyshop of Canturbury was his vncle a man of wonderfull wisedom S. Odo Archoyop of Cantâ—rbury his vncle and discretion of a graue behauiour a most iust and vpright mind and circumspect an all his actions vnto whom OSWALD was committed by his parents to be trayned vpp in the schoole of learning good manners and vertue Vnder this soe excellent a master our worthie scholler became soe good a proficient in all profane and diuine learning that he was promoted to a Canonrie in the Church of Winchester Where when others not regarding the institute of their order and calling let loose the raines to the lewd desires of their minds he constantly confined him self to the prescript rule of a canonicall life Soe that within a short space of time he was chosen Deane in which office all though as yet he were but yong yet he zealously endeauoured to correct the corrupt manners of the auncient and to reforme their youthfull mindes to the exercise of a celestiall rule and discipline But they growne old in their bad customs See how hurtfull a bad custom is would by noe meanes be recalled to the obedience of anie good order Therefore OSWALD despising all secular pompe and riches of this world determined to passe ouer into France to the Benedictin Monasterie of Florie where the bodie of our holie father S. BENEDICT is sayd to rest S. ODO his vncle who before he would vndertake He taketh the habit of S. Bentdict the Archbishoprick had receaued the habit of a monke in the same place being desirous to further his pious intention herein gaue him letters of commendation with tokens to the fathers there of his acquaintance OSWALD being safely arriued into the port of his desires putt on the habitt of S. BENEDICT amongst those French monkes And presently he that came thither to be instructed behaued and fashoned him self in such sort that others who thought them selues his masters might in him reade a lesson for their owne instruction His vertues and find manie examples of vertue worthie their imitation For he was a man of great mortification of a little sleepe sparing in his diet wise and moderate in his speeches and continuall in his prayers But how rarely he was indued with patience humilitie curresie humanitie meekenes and other vertues we may easily guesse out of the sincerity of his burning charitie wherein it is beyond the force of weake words to expresse how highly he excelled II. THE Abbot graunted him the priuiledge of a secret place in the Church where with more freedom and familiaritie he might
day not only in Wales but all England ouer is most famous in memorie of him But in these our vnhappie daies the greatest part of his solemnitie consisteth in wearing of a greene leeke it is a sufficieÌ„t theame for a zealous VVelchman to ground a quarrell against him that doeth not honour his capp with the like ornament that day VII THE miracles which were wrought by his meritts after his death are such soe manie that they farre exceed the limitts of this short discourse we will only relate some which haue the testimonie of an eye-witnesse to prooue them true In the raigne of King Stephen Gyrald Cambr. in Topogr Camb. Iâ—â—uers miracles the brooke which runnes aboue the Church-yarde of Meneuia or S. DAVIDS flowed with wine and the same time out of a Well or fountaine there called Pisteldewy that is the Conduit of Dauid sprang forth a great quantitie of milke And this is reported by him that liued at the fame time and most exactly was acquanited with the matters of that countrey A litle portable bell called S. DAVIDS Note a strange miracle was of great fame and admiration in VVales which when the souldiers presumed to retaine at the Castle of Raidnock contrarie to the desire of a woman that brought it suddenly the night following the whole towne was deuowred with fier the wall only excepted where that bell was hanged A boy that endeauoured to take yong pigeons out of a nest in S. DAVIDS Church of Lhanuaos had his fingers soe fastened to the stone that he could by noe meanes gett loose All much amazed at this miracle specially his parents and friends who togeather with the boy before the aultar of the same Church gaue them selues to continuall watching fasting and prayer the space of three dayes as manie nights when to the great ioy of all the stone fell from his hand The Authour of this storie not only liued at the same time but both saw and spake to the man to whom it happened who confessed him self that it was soe And which is more that stone being conserued in the Church remayned as an euerlasting witnes of the miracle with the plaine forme of his fingers imprinted in it as in a peece of waxe VIII MANIE thousands of other miracles haue been wrought by the meritts of this holy man both in his life and after his death which for breuities sake me omitt And here now could I willingly enter into a large field of this holy Saincts prayses did not feare of being ouer teadious withould my penne as vnworthy to be the truÌ„pett of the same of soe renowned a man I will only desire all true hearted VVelchmen allwaies to honour this their great Patrone and Protectour and humbly desire him that as in his life time he ouerthrew with his learning all the bullwarkes of the Palagian heresie soe now with his prayers and intercession to allmightie God he would supplicate the diuine Goodnes to cast a mercifull eye vppon his poeple and reduce his sometimes beloued countrey out of the Blindnes of Protestancie groueling in which it languisheth more lamentably then euer it did in the former errour that once againe those hills and valleies may resound with the Ecchoes of Gods diuine prayses sung in such monasticall quiers as haue been the ornaments there of in former ages and now are only the sad monuments of their auncient glorie God of his infinite mercie by the intercession of this glorious Sainct giue strength to those few that are in the truth soe to remayne and grace to the rest to acknowledge the same truth and forsake their present errours The life of S. Dauid was written by S. Kentigerne but whether the same be extant it is vncertaine Ioannes Anglicus and Giraldus Cambrensis haue written the same allsoe out of whom and Nicholas Harpsfield me haue gathered the foresayd historie Manie other authors make worthie mention of him The life of Sainct CHAD Bishop and Confessor of the holy order of S. BENEDICT MAR 2. Gathered out of Venerable Bede de gest Ang. SAINCT CHADDE borne in Northumberland brother to S. CEDDE Bishop of London of whom you may reade the seauenth of January was at first scholler vnto S. AIDAN Bishop of Lindisfarne in whose vertuous schole he made a great progresse in learning and good manners being allwaies verie carefull to execute in deed whatsoeuer he learned by studie In his youth he went into Jreland where tohgeather with S. EGBERT he led a strict monasticall life in continuall continencie exercising him self with great diligenâ— in the pious art of prayer and meditation of the holy scripture Returning into England after that famous controuersie betweeue S. WILFRID the Benedictine monk and Bishop Colman concerning the due celebration of Easter and other Church-rites was decided togeather with his brother S. CEDDE he receaued the rule of our holy father S. BENEDICT and succeeded his brother in the gouernment of the Benedictine Abbey of Lesting in Yorke-shire Which charge he discharged with great sainctitie and example of good life till in the yeare of our Lord 664. when S. WILFRID being chosen Bishop of Yorke and sent into France to be consecrated by the Bishop of Paris stayed soe long beyond the seas that Sainct CHADD by the meanes of king Oswy was consecrated and installed in the Episcopall sea of Yorke by the hands of Wini Bishop of the West-saxons and the only He is cousecrated Bishop of Yorke Bishop lawfully ordayned Bishop extant then in England II. SAINCT CHAD being aduanced to this height of dignitie began presently to make the pietie and vertue of his life correspond to the eminencie of his sacred function bending all his endeauours for the conseruing of the Ecclesiasticall veritie and ordinances of the Catholick Church and making his owne dayly exercise a true patterne of deuotion humilitie and continencie vnto his subiects He was wont to read much preach often trauell abrod after the true Apostolicall manner allwaies on foote from towne and village piously furnishing the whole countrey with the sacred doctrine of CHRISTS ghospel At length S. THEODORE being consecrated Archbishop of Canturbury made a visitt ouer the Churches of England correcting as he went whatsoeuer he found amisse when amongst the rest he chanced to rebuke S. CHAD as not lawfully consecrated See the wonderfull humilitie of the Sainct If thou His great humilitie knowest answeared he verie modestly that I haue not rightly vndertaken the bishoprick I most willingly giue vp my office for indeed I allwaies iudged my self farre vnworthie thereof and it was meere obedience which forced mee at first to take this sacred charge vppon mee But THEODORE being ouercome with the resigned humilitie of this answeare replied that it was not necessarie to leaue his bishoprick but only to haue his installement approoued after the Catholick manner But S. CHAD after three yeares gouernment of that sea being more desirous of a priuate and quiet life resigned vp
owne choise and he chose him self an habitation in the Iland of Crowland in Lincoluethire a place at that time most remote from all humane companie and which as well for manie fennes marshes and rude groues thereof as allsoe through feare and horrour of deuils and goblins that molested it was neuer before inhabited by anie Into this desert our famous champion being wafted ouer in a little boate with two other youthes in his companie on the verie feast of saint BARTHOLOMEW the Apostle in whose meritts he had a He entreth the horrid 〈◊〉 of Crowland particular confidence began to leade a solitarie and strict life Hauing built a little cottage he vsed for his cloathing the raw and rude skinnes of beasts his diet was a small quantitie of barley bread and water which he did not tast till after sunnsett But the common enemie of mankind enuying soe great vertue and goodnes assaulted him with such a vehement spiritt of temptation that he brought him euen to the verie brink of falling into the bottomlesse gulfe of despaire for being much ouerthrowne in mind and troubled more then can be expressed he begann to think of flying away and forsaking the desert when the almightie helper and comforter of his seruants in affliction sent him his diuine assistance by the meanes of the holy Apostle saint BARTHOLOMEW who appearing In temptation 〈◊〉 conforted by S. Bartholomew visibly vnto him reuiued his weake spiritts with such like words Be of good comfort my sonne and resume thy strength and courage thou hast entred a mightie battaile it doth not become a professour of soe great and worthie a purpose to be ouerthrowne with a little blast of tentation Therefore goe on couragiously for allbeit our Lord permitt the to be tempted notwithstanding he will make thy temptations redound to thy greater good Thou art cruelly sett vpoÌ„ to be ouerthrowne but I haue made intercession for thee that they fayth doe noe fayle thou art assisted from aboue our Lord hath putt to his helping hand It is his will and pleasure that those whom he loueth be tempted tried in all which thou must behaue thy self as his seruant with patience and yf thou abound with tribulation suffered for CHRIST thou shalt receaue a superabundance of consolation through CHRIST Feare not therefore thy owne weaknes for the spiritt of God it is that helpeth and strengtheneth thee Putt they whole confidence then in him for he is the only health of his seruants he will be to thee as a tower of fortitude against they enemies At these words the holy Apostle vanished out of his sight and he remayned much comforted and strengthened in our Lord and from that day he was neuer more tempted to despayre allthough the wicked spiritts neuer ceased to molest him other waies IV. FOR at an other time two infernall spirits tranformed like The decâ—â—â—â—fall counsell of the deuill angels of light beganne with verie earnest perswasions to counsell him to fast all the weeke long without anie food at all promising that by that meanes he should attaine to the height of perfection For disallowing of his biduall and triduall fasts they proposed vnto him Thâ— eâ—â—ects of 〈◊〉 derat â—â—sting the fast of Moyses and Elias and the abstinence of other auncient fathers that liued in Scety for an example But the scope of their deuelish pupose was this that abstaining wholly from all meate by the continuance of his fasting he might be the cause of his owne ouerthrow For fasting when it exceeds the bounds and rules of a moderate discretion causeth the bodie to languish the spiritts to faint the desire to deuotion waxeth dull the effects of good works are taken away and the intellectuall eye of conteÌ„plation is dimmed Therefore B. GVTHLAKE perceauing the falsehood and guile of this deuelish counsell calling vpon the name of CHRIST cried out with the royall psalmist Let God arise and his enemies be dissipated and let 〈◊〉 Psalm 〈◊〉 that hate him flie from before his face At which words those hellish monsters filling the ayre with mournfull houlings and lamentations departed to their house of darknes And GVTHLAKE euer after despised all the assaults of the deuill and easily suppressed all his wicked suggestions V. BVT by how much the more inuincible his holy purpose grew He is cruelly 〈…〉 ested by the deuils daylie in strength constancie by soe much those enuiers of all vertue and goodnes incessantlie laboured to ruine his godly intentions sometimes terrifying him with vglie sights lashing his naked bodie with most cruell stripes violently carrying him out of his cell into the ayre among the horrid shapes of hellish monsters casting He seeth the paineâ— of the daâ—ed him into the bogges and puddles of the fennes dragging him and tearing him through the briers and brambles and lastly lugging him euen to the mouth of hell it self where not without grief and sorrow he beheld the soules of the damned tumbling among those sulphurous flames in the fuffrance of vnspeakable torments into which they insultingly threatned to cast him allsoe vnlesse he would forsake his habitation in that Iland which they termed theirs All which iniuries and cruell practises he bore off with the shield of patience vsing that of the Psalmist O Lord God in thee I haue hoped saue and deliuer me from all that persecute mee And as they thought to haue gott the victorie the holy Psal 7. Apostle S. BARTHOLOMEW his peculiar patron appeared in great light and splendour and commaunded those damned furies to restore him againe to his cell without doing him anie further iniurie Which as they gently and quietly performed a quire of angels from aboue was heard singing that versicle of the Psalme Ibunt Sancti de virtute in virtutem videbitur Deus Deorum in Sioâ—â— Psal 83. Thus triumphing ouer his infernall enemies out of their vexations he learned to be more humble feruent carefull powerfull and warie in all his actions He driues away the 〈◊〉 with the signe of the Crosse VI. AGAINE as once he was saying his mattins he saw two vglie deuils miserably weeping and lamenting of whom asking the cause Because thou answeared they preuaylest against vs in all things insoe much that we dare not presume to touch or come neere thee But the blessed man making the signe of the Crosse they vanished out of his sight Yet ceased not therefore to trouble and molest him by allmost all the meanes their deuilish enuie could inuent Sometimes making a sallie into the Iland in great troupes as yf whole armies of the BrittaÌ„s who at that time cruelly destroyed the English-men and among whom heretosore he liued in banishment The subtle deceipâ—â— oâ— the deuill had inuaded him other whiles making the whole Ilad treÌ„ble with their hellish noise by coming in great multitudes to his cell in the formes of brute beastes when he should heare the bleating of sheepe the bellowing of oxen the
hissing of serpents the neighing of horses the howling of wolues the roaring of lions the braying of asses the groning of beares the grunting of swine and diuers other most horrid noises which furiously encompasled him Against all which he vsed as braue patience and vertue as in times past those He confoundeth the deuils that assault him famous Ermites of Egipt so much praysed by S. HIEROM S. ATHONIE S. HILLARION and others and not long since our most worthie and memorable S. CVTHBERT in the Iland of Farne For being besieged as is aforesayd he armed him self with the signe of the holy Crosse saying It is in vaine Satan for thee to tempt me our Lord is my assistance and I will despise mine enemies It this the similitude of the Most-High which in times past thou wouldest assume to thy self in heauen art thou he who theÌ„ through pride didst aspire to the forme and liknes of God him self and now dost vilely and filthyly transforme thy self into the vglie shapes of brute and vncleane beasts Verely thou dost persecute CHRISTS poore seruants to thy owne great domage for by how much the more thou endeauourest to build vpon their backs by soe much the more resplendent crownes of glorie thou heapest on their heads to thyne owne confusion But turne into what shape thou wilt I am certaine that nether death nor Rom. 3. life nor angels nor powers nor principalities nor anie other creature shall be able to seperate me from the charitie and â—oue of God With these and such like words he putt to flight all those troupes of infernall monsters and euer after he not only ouercame all their hellish delusions plotts and sleights but allsoe gott absolute power and commaund ouer them as his slaues VII THEREFORE those wicked spiritts seeing they could not preuaile against him with their owne practises of mischief they incensed a clergiman that liued vnder his spirituall rules and gouernment called Bertheline with a wicked cogitation and temptation secretly to murder his holy master thereby to enioy as it were by inheritance that little house whatsoeuer else belonged vnto him But Bertilines He seeth the wicked practises of Berteline impious meaning being reuealed vnto the Sainct he sent for him and discouered vnto him all his secret counsels purposes to witt where when and by what meanes he had determined to execute that bloudie exploit Who presently falling prostrate at the holy mans feet with repeÌ„tant teares humbly craued obtained pardon euer after he was verie faythfull to S. GVTHIAKE remayned with him vntill death and had the honour to lay him in his graue Furthermore whilst he liued in this solitude his excellent counsell was ven profitable vnto manie for the good both of soule and bodie being famous allsoe for expelling deuils and curing diuers corporall diseases Manie things done a farre off he saw and declared as present and by the spirit of prophesie he foretould manie things to come long time before they happened He liued in this solitarines for the space of fifteen yeares in which time all his actions words and ininwardest His vertues in this solitarines cogitations breathed nothing else but sweet odours of pietie towards God and peace and charitie towards men Noe man euer saw him giue the lest signes of pride of mind or make the lest shew of anger in his countenance but in both he allwaies obserued one self-same setled and vnremoued constancie His aspect euer calme and quiet curteous and affable in his speech very prudent in giuing counsell of a singular humilitie of mind and a wonderfull continencie in his diett cloathing all things But allbeit the greatnes of the labours and afflictions whereunto he exposed him self in The loue of God ouercometh all difficulties this desert seeme after a manner to exceede all humane strength and power yet out of his immense loue to allmightie God and the allmost vndoubted and tried hope of future glorie they seemed verie light and pleasant vnto him All which God the only crowne of his saincts and their labours did wonderfully asswage and moderate with manie externe and interne consolations when besides others allreadie named the fowles of the ayre and fishes of the waters were seruicable and obedient to his commaunds and twise a day after he had been two yeares in the Ermitage morning and euening he He discour seth with an Angell deserued to intermingle most heauenly and vnexplicable discourses with an Angel which a little before his death being coniured thereunto him self confessed to Berteline who before had often heard him discourse but knew not with whom VIII IN the meane time he was visitted in this rude place by manie He is made Priest He coÌ„forteth King Ethelbald and ore relleth the restitution of his kingdom greate men by Hedda bishop who promoted him much against his will to the sacred dignitie of Priesthood by Ethelbald theÌ„ a banished man afterwards King of the Mercians who coming often to receaue some comfort in affliction from S. GVTHLAKE had great confidence by his prayers to be deliuered from the bloud-seeking hands his enemies Nether did his hope deceaue him for the holy man with the efficacie of his good counsell not only gaue new courage to his mind allmost quite ouerthrowne with sorrow and afflict ion bâ— allsoe by a propheticque spiritt foretould that through his prayers he should obtaine his kingdom and glorie againe and that his enemie had not long to line Only sayd he be mindfull that when allmightie God shall haue done well for thee thou be not vngratefull A certaine Abbot allsoe that came to visitt S. GVTHLAKE had giuen leaue to two of his clearks fayning some necessarie busines to goe to a village hard by where in a widdowes house they most wickedly gaue themselues to the works of gluttonie dronkennes and dishonestie In the meane time all their actions were reuealed to the holy man who tould the Abbot where they were what they sayd and did as distinctly as yf he had feene them The Abbot returning to his monasterie tould his clerkes where they had been with all other circumstances of words and works that had past whereby being much ashamed they humbly craued pardon for their fault IX A noble man belonging to the foresayd King Ethelbald and a yong man of Eastanglia both violently vexed and possessed by the He freeth two possessed persons deuill but the later soe extremely that he was madd allsoe in soe much that he would sett vppon all that came neere him with stones and staues and whatsoeuer else he could lay hould on whereby he slew three men that sought to bind him nether in his furie did he spare his owne bodie for with his teeth and nayles he would teare his flesh in peeces At length hauing been led by his friends to manie holie places all in vaine he was brought to S. GVTHLAKE who by a triduall perseuerance in fasting and
the instant when King Edgar sonne of Edmond was borne he heard sing an Anthime foretelling peace to the English Church by that happie byrth Allsoe at the Church of Bathe being verie seriously detayned in his prayer he beheld the soule of a yong Monke whom he had brought vp at Glastenbury carried vp by troupes of Angels into heauen And it was found that that youth The deâ—ill appearâ—th died at the same instant Being afterwards in his iourney to the King who in great hast had sent for him he was mett in the way by the deuill who very petulantly and like a Buffoone reioyced and sported him self before him Being demaunded the cause of his mirth he answered that the King DVNSTANS friend would shortly die which should be a cause of great trouble in the kingdom and he hoped that the next king would not fauour DVNSTAN nor his adherents But this Master of lies could The death of king Edmond as 946. not vtter two true tales togeather for allbeit it fell out indeed that king Edmond was slaine in his Pallace within seauen daies after yet his Brother Edred succeeded a man worthyly feruent in the seruice of Allmightie God and whoe honoured DVNSTAN with noe lesse loue fauour and reuerence then his predecessor Nay Elphâ—gâ—s Bishop of Winchester being dead king Edred with manic prayers sollicited sainct DVNSTAN to succeed in that Sea whose absolute refusall of that dignitie much grieued the good kings mind made him deale with good Queene Edgine his mother to perswade DVNSTAN to accept it but all in vaine for nether the mothers nor the sonnes entreaties could preuayle to make him take it IX AFTERWARDS sainct DVNSTAN went to visitt his The death of king Edred brethren at Glastenbury where he had not stayd long but king Edred being fallen mortally sick sent for him in all hast Who trauelling speedyly towards the Court heard a voyce from heauen that sayd King EDRED rests in peace And at the very sound of those words his horse fell dead vnder him without anie hurt to the rider Then going sorrowfully to the sorrowfull Court togeather with his fellowes he committed the bodie of the King to the Mother The bad life of king Edwin Earth Edwin the sonne of King Edmond succeeded in the gouernment of the Kingdom who filthyly defiled both the beginning and progresse of his whole raigne For omitting the impietie crueltie and tyrannie wherewith he outraged all sacred and prosane things he was a man soe beyond measure addicted to the pleasures of lust and lasciuiousnes that he languished in the loue of the mother and her daughter both togeather vsing both their bodies at his pleasure And which is horrible to be spoken on the verie day of his Coronation dinner being ended he forsoke the companie of all the Bishops Abbots Princes and Nobles of the realme and went into his priuate chamber where he sate in the midst embracing the mother and daughtér his ordinary strumpets Which act caused a great scandall and indignation amongst the Princes and Nobles then present Wherevppon the rest excusing them selues out of feare to incurre the kings anger S. DVNSTAN was seÌ„t to draw Note the great zeale of S. Dunstan him out off that lewd companie Who entring the chamber and finding the king hauing layd by his royall crowne dallying on the bed betweene those two naughtie woemen first with a sterne looke he sharply rebuked their lasciuiousnes and then with a low voyce he humbly entreated the king to redeeme this publick scandall and to returne to his Peeres to gladden them with his royall presence But the King anger and shame striuing in his mind for the mastrie absolutly refused to come Then DVNSTAN in the zeale of a holy anger tooke him fast by the hand and clapping the Diadem vppon his head drew him violently into the Hall amongst his Nobles These wicked woemen were soe ashamed and offended herewith that they perswaded the King allsoe highly enraged against S. DVNSTAN to banish him out of the kingdom Who not only banished S. DVNSTAN but sent wicked officers to the monasteries of Glastenbury to seaze vppon all the goods that belonged vnto it The like iniustice he vsed to manie other monasteries of England not only despoyling them of their lands goods and reuenewes but banishing the Monks allsoe that maintayned the profession and defence of a chast life Then the Abbey of Malmesbury sayth William a monke of the same place which sor the space of two hundred threescore and ten yeares before had been inhabited by Monkes Dereg l. 2. c. 7. was made a stable of secular Clerkes X. S. DVNSTAN therefore hauing receaued the decree of his banishment departed out of England ioyfull in his heart that he was worthy to suffer for the defence of iustice and loue of chaâ—itie He went into Flanders where the Lord of that countrey courteously entertayned him at the Cittie of Gaunt and there in the exercise of true pietie and religion he expected how it should please the diuine See the crueltie of a detestable woeman wisedon to dispose of him But the foresayd woeman or rather infernall furies were not satisfied with his banishment but plotted to haue him surprised by the way and robbed of his eyes which they fayled to execute for when the instruments of this crueltie arriued at the Port the Sainct had allreadie hoist sayles and was gone Our Lord greatly conforted Sainct DVNSTAN in this banishment by the meanes of his holy Apostle Sainct ANDREW to whom he was euer peculiarly denoted who visited him often and appeared vnto him with words and promises of great consolation In the meane time the allmightie and heauenly wisedome cast a mercifull eye on the English nation and vsed meanes for the perpetuall consolation thereof againe to restore DVNSTAN the Father of the countrey into his former and farre greater degrees of place and dignitie For the Northumbers and Mercians withdrew themselues King Edwin iustly punished from the subiection of King Edwin and made the Noble Edgar his brother their Prince vnder whose conduct they persecuted Edwin and droue him beyond the riuer Thames soe that all the couÌ„trey from thence to Humber was wholly subiect vnto Edgar And with in a short time death hauing ended the quarrell and taken away Edwin Edgar remayned Monarke of all England Who being desirous Edgar recalleth S. Dunstati to establish his kingdome with peace and iustice caused all the outrages committed by his predecessor to be repayred monasticall and Church-goods to be restored and by messengers sent into Flanders recalled S. DVNSTAN into the Countrey with great honour and reuerence committing him self and all his affayres to be ruled He is made Bishop of Worcester and ordered by the prudence of his care and counsell Moreouer that greater dignitie might authorise all his proceedings with manie prayers he perswaded him to accept the bishoprick of Worcester and he was consecrated at Canturbury
afterwards Queene of Scotland who according to her name appeared indeed as a pretious Margarite before God and man For in the prime of her florishing age when others of such royall byrth are wont to decline to the vaine pleasures of the world she beganne to order her life according to the rules of continencie to loue God aboue all things to applie her self to the reading of diuine learning and with a delight to exercise and follow the rules and precepts of her reading Afterwards compelled by the importunitie of her friends more She marrieth Malcoline King of Scotland then her owne desires she was giuen in marriage to Malcoline King of Scotland when allbeit necessitie constrayned her to deale in worldly affayres yet she neuer soe tied her mind thereto as to forgett or omitt her spirituall exercise for she was more delighted with doing good workes then in the royall possession of her wealth and riches By her prudent counsell discretion and industrie the lawes of the realme were maintayned and the Catholick religion encreased Then her nothing was more firme in fayth more constant in patience grauer in counsell iuster in giuing iudgement and pleasanter in discourse II. MOREOVER she was wonderfully liberall to adorne Churches Her liberalitie to the Churches enriching them with gould and siluer vessells and very pretious ornaments in the place where her royall wedding was celebrated she built a fayre Church in honour of the holy Trinitie and beautified it with great store of riches and amongst others with a fayre Crucifix garnished with gould and many pretious stones She gouerned her familie in the loue and feare of God and especially her The gouernment of her children and familie children whom she would her self iustruct oftentimes in Christian doctrine vsing soe sweet a seueritie and soe seuere a sweetnes towards those vnder her charge that they all loued her with feare and feared her with loue in soe much that noe man in her presence durst presume to speake an vnseemly word Nay besides the often admonitions and continuall instructions of her children this pious Mother who may rightly be termed the Margurite of mothers would dayly powre out her deuout prayers and teares for them that hauing attayned to the knowlege of allmightie God they might truely serue him and by seruing him come to his loue and by his diuine loue purchase eternall happines with his Saincts Manie times all soe she would putt the She moueth the King to good workes King her husband in mind to exercise the workes of iustice mercie almes-deeds and all other acts of Christian vertues whom by the inward working of allmightie God in his soule she made to be most obedient to all good things In summe she omitted nothing that belonged eyther to the maintenance of Christian religion and pietie or the prudent gouernment of the Kingdom III. WHEN the king went in progresse ouer the realme with his court and a great traine of attendants this holy Queene kept his followers in soe good order that noe man durst attempt to steale anie thign by the way nor wrong or oppresse the poore A rare vertue in so great a dame countrey poeple in the lest And as in all things she was carefull to correct faults in others soe was she most patient and willing to haue her owne reprehended by others And to this end she would her self oftentimes desire her Confessor to giue her notice of whatsoeuer in her words or deeds was worthy reprehension desiring that for an encrease of vertue which others are wont to take as a calumnie According to the counsell of the royall Psalmist Let the iust man correct me in mercie and rebuke mâ—â— but Psal 140. let not the oyle that is the flatterie of a Sinner fatten my head IV. SHE was carefull allsoe to correct manie errours and bad She correcteth an erronr in keeping the Lent customs which had crept into the Scottish Kingdom against the vniuersall practise of the Catholick Church First she reformed an abuse touching the obseruance of Lent For the Scots beganne not their Lent till the munday after Ashwensday endeauouring to couer their errour with the authoritie of the Scripture which relating the fast of Christ proposeth but fortie daies to be obserued But she on the other side in an assemblie before the King made it plainly appeare that taking away the six Sundaies on which the Church is not wont to fast there would remaine but thirtie six daies and therefore the fower daies of the precedent weeke ought to be reckoned in the number of fasting-daies to make vp the iust summe of fortie daies and that for this cause they ought to beginne the Lent vppon Ashwensday Moreouer when manie And an other touching communion at Easter 1. Cor. 11. refused to receaue the Sacrament of the Eucharist at Easter alleadging their owne vnworthines and these words of the Apostle He that eateth drinketh it vnworthily eateth drinketh his owne iudgement she shewed them that to compare the worth of that dreadfull Sacrament with our vnworthines is noe comparison for he that is most worthie is in some kind vnworthy considering the infinite worth of that excellent Sacrament neuerthelesse allthough we be all indeed Sinners yet we may haue recourse to the sacrament of Peanance which is instituted to reconcile sinners to our Lord who sayth Vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee shall haue noe life in you And this is it that the Apostle admonisheth Iâ—an 6. 53. sinners to doe when he cries Probet autem scipsâ—m hoâ—â—â— sic de paâ—â— illo edat de calice bibat Let euery one examine and discusse his owne conscience and by confessing his sinnes and doing peanance Who receaues the sacrament worthily come with feare and reuerence to to the sacred misteries and then he shall not eate his owne iudgement as those doe who presume to receaue that venerable banquet with their soules loaden with the filth of sinne Allsoe she reformed manie other abuses touching the due obseruance of the Sunday the celebration of Masse and the sacrament of mariage within the degrees of consanguinitie prohibited by the Church and others V. DISCOVRSING at times with her Ghostly father touching the health of her owne soule and the sweetnes of euerlasting life her words seemed to 〈◊〉 replenished with a certaine diuine grace and her self was touchâ—â— with soe great compunction of heart that she seemed wholly to resolue into teares During the diuine seruice in the Church she shewed soe great deuotion and attention that she would neuer speake word to anieman touching anie worldly or secular busines but atteÌ„ded wholly to her prayers which were oftentimes accompanied with dâ—uout teares I 〈◊〉 her singular charitie Her charitie to the poore towards the poore whom she would oftentimes relieue with her greatest iewells becoming her self more poore them they for they being in want deâ—ired to haue riches