not to suffer them selues to be deceiued with those vaine illusions But the giddie multitude terrified with the apprehensioÌ„ of that fantastick daÌ„ger ranne allmost all out of the Church to quench those false flames which they could not doe allbeit they powred on true water vntill by the prayer of S. CVTHBERT the authour of those fallacies being putt to Is putt to flight flight his vaine flashes vanished togeather with him into the ayre Whereat the poeple much astonished and ashamed humbly on their knees acknowledged their follie demaunded pardon for that soe great lightnes and inconstancie Nether did he only commaund these fantastick fiers but allsoe true flames too which wheÌ„ a whole Village could not queÌ„ch with great store of cold water were by the seruent streames of his teares and prayers vtterly extinguished and manie houses deliuered that at once were in danger to be deuoured by that mercilesse Element Whereby in these two miracles he worthyly imitated the vertues of two worthie auncient Saincts in chasing away the fayned fier that of our most holy father S. BENEDICT of whom S. GREGORY the Great reporteth the like and in the other the act of Mâ—ircellinus the most venerable Bishop of Anchona who when the same cittie was all in fier by his prayers miraculously deliuered it Most fitly therefore vnto these holy men that of the prophet Esay may be applied When thou shalt passe Esay 43. through the fier thou shalt not be burnt and the flame shall not burne against thee VIII BVT LET vs now see of what power this holy man was against the open furie and warre of this hellish fiend Hildmer Prefect vnto A woeman possessed with the deuill King Egsrid had a verie deuout wife verie much giuen to religious and Catholick workes who one day being bufied in exercises of pietie giuing of almes to the poore at the same instant she was suddenly possessed with the deuill which made her roare out with such horrid cries and howlings that they gaue sufficient testimonie of the great danger she was in Her husband that was well beloued of S. CVTHBERT posted vnto him in great hast and tould him into what a perillous disastre his wife was fallen entreating him againe and againe by all the force of his affection to be mindfull of her in his prayers and to send a Priest to minister the venerable sacrament of the Eucharist vnto her who was now come to the periode of her life Thus he sayd meaning to hide her disease being ashamed to let him vnderstand that she was possessed by the deuill as supposing it to be a punishment for some secret enormious crime The holy man foreseeing the perplexitie of his soule and the torments of his wife Wherefore replied he hast thou conceaued soe bad an opinion of thy wife Not only the wicked and such as haue quite forsaken the seruice of allmightie God are in this life subiect to the tortures and racks of the deuill but the innocent allsoe and such manie times as are endowed with great sainctitie of life by the secret iudgment of God are tried and exercised in this world with such like torments But be of good courage I will goe my self along with thee and before we be there we shall find thy wife deliuered Is deliuered by to 〈◊〉 ching his bridle out of this distresse And as they drew neere to the house where that poore captife lay languishing sudainly the wicked spiritt being not able to abide the approach of the holy spiritt which inhabited his vertuous soule fled away and left the woeman released out of those deuilish bands who rising as it were out of a deepe lethargie ranne ioyfully to salute the holy man and taking hould only of his bridle she was presently as sound and perfect as euer which caused her to breake into infinite ioy and thanksgiuing testifieing withall that then first she was prefectly cured when she touched his horses bridle IX IN THESE and such like workes of vertue the holy man hauing spent manie yeares in the monasterie of Mailros his good Abbot Eata sent him to the monasterie of Lindisfarne to plant there allsoe the Rule of monasticall perfection and made him superiour thereof For Lindisfarne allbeit it were a bishoprick yet the Bishop and all his cleargie were monks from S. AYDAN their first Bishop who was a Monk but S. CVTHBERT was the first that reduced them to the rule and order of S. BENEDICT For coming sayth S. BEDE in his life to the Church or Monasterie of Lindisfarne he presently Here formeth the Monks of Lindisfarne to S. Benedicts rule deliuered monasticall institutions to the monks there both by word and work But there were some brethren in the monasterie who chose rather to follow their auncient custom then obey a Regular obseruance Whom he notwithstanding ouercame with the modest vertue of his patience and by dayly exercise conuerted them by litle and litle to a state of better purpose But disputing oftentimes in the coÌ„uent of the Rule Which was that of S. BENEDICT since at that time there was noe other rule extant in the latine Church when he His great patience was toyled with most sharpe iniuries of those that contradicted him he would rise from his seate and without anie shew of discontent ether in mind or countenance depart and dismisse the Conuent for that time But on the morrow as yf he had endured noe resistance the day before he would repeate the same admonitions to the same auditours vntill by little and little as we haue sayd he had brought them to his owne desires For he was a man verie excellent in the vertue of patience and most inuincible in enduring couragiously all aduersities which opposed them selues against him ether in soule or bodie and noe lesse bearing a merrie countenance in all disastrous and sad mischances soe that he gaue the world to vnderstand that being armed with the internall consolation of the holy ghost he contemned all externe misfortunes Moreouer he His wonderfull was ching was soe wonderfully giuen to watching and prayer that sometimes for three or fower nights togeather he tooke no sleepe at all And yf perchaunce as mans nature is sleepe forcebly seised vppon him he was wont to shake off both it and teadiousnes in his prolixe prayers eyther with manuall labour or goeing about the Iland diligently searching how all things were caried and managed And when some others of his brethren did complaine and take it verie grieuously yf anie one chaunced to awake the out of their mightly or noonly sleepes he contrariwise was wont to say that such an one calling vppon him was farre more gratefull then troblesom For he is cause sayth he that shaking of sluggishnes I settle my self to some Rare exaÌ„ples of goodnes good worke or meditation He was soe exceedingly giuen to coÌ„punction of heart soe ardently inflamed with heaueÌ„ly desires that he neuer celebrated the holy solemnities of
brother â—â—omeing into England with a nauie of twentie fiue ships hopeing â—o bring some relief vnto these broyles and calamities was slaine â—y the strainge and wicked treacherie of GODWIN Earle of Kent â—ll his armie murdred in most cruell manner by the coÌ„maund of the sayd Godwin and by the blouddie hands of his faythlesse friends and countreymen After whose death S. EDWARD wholly destitute of all humaÌ„ assistance liued as a man miserably banished from his countrey kingdom and royaltie he much feared to fall into the snares of wickednes and doubted lest he should either be falsely betrayed by his owne seruants or purchased for the butcherie by his enemies Therefore putting his cheifest coÌ„fidence in the almightie he humbly prostrated himself before the court of heauen powred out his deuout prayers lamentations after this manner Behould o my Lord God how in myself I am destitute of all helpe comfort my neerest friends and kindred haue forsaken me my verie neighbours and confederats are readie to stand against me and now that my Father hath finished his manifold labours with death the crueltie of my enemies and traiterous subiects hath deuoured my bretheren and depriued me of their companie my nephews are cast into banishment Canâ—tus had maried his mother my owne mother carelesse of my safetie is giuen in mariage to the only enuier and destroyer of my glorie And thus desolate and lest alone without comfort they are not yet satisfied but thirst allso for my bloud But left to thee o Lord poore and miserable I trust thou wilt be an ayde and succour to thy poore orphan In times past thou didest wonderfully preserue King Edwin deliuering him out of the iawes of death and establishing him in his kingdom Thou didest restore that bright ornament of England S. OSWALD from a miserable banishment to the royaltie of his crowne giue him conquest ouer all his enemies by the vertue of the holy Crosse If now in like manner thou will voutchafe to be my helper and keeper and settle me in my Fathers kingdom I vow euer to acknowledge thee for my God and thy B. Apostle S. PETER for my Patrone whose most sacred Relique at Rome I promise to visitt vnder thy good leaue protection S. Edward voweth a pilgrimage to Rome and gouernement From this time euer after being made stronger in faith and liuelier in hope confidently expecting he expected the will of our Lord referring himself wholly into the hands of his sacred prouidence and disposition IIII. TILL AT length when death had robbed Canutus of thevse of the world cutt of his sonnes before they were ripe the English freed thereby from the hard yoake of the Danes elected EDWARD for their king and caused him to be consecrated and annoynted in He is crowned in the yeare 1043 by meanes of Count Godwin as saith Baronius honorable manner at Winchester by the hands of Eadisâ—â—â— Archbishop of Canturbury Then the Clergie began againe to florish and shine with wisedome and sainctetie Abbeies and Monasteries excelled with all kind of religious discipline Churchmen performed their offices in peace and the communaltie their duties in order The verie earth it self seemed to reioyce hereat and send forth fruit in more abundance the ayre became more healthfull and euen the waues of the sea more patient and temperate And forreigne kings and Princes strucken with admiration at soe suddaine a chainge were glad with this soe great a king to enter into a firme league of peace and frienship only Denmark desiring reuenge and breathing The royal vertues of S. Edward nothing but slaughter still threatned the vtter ruine and destruction of the English nation But amidst all these ioyes the blessed king was nothing puft vp with pride of humane glorie at his prosperitie nor terrified with his threatned ruine but alwaies measuring his greatnes by his goodnes he proposed vnto him self a deuout manner of life appearing equall to his domesticks humble to Religious men â—nd Priests gratefull to his people compassionate to the distressed â—nd bountifull to the poore He vsed noe exception of persons for â—he poorest and humblest mans cause as well as thâ— richest he euer â—eighed in the ballance of true iustice and pleaded for them both â—ith equitie alwaies shewing him self a pittifull father vnto poore â—rphans and a righteous iudge vnto widdowes He graunted whatâ—oeuer was asked him and what was giuen he receaued with silence Noe man euer beheld him eyther puft vp with pride or growne â—â—erce with anger or blemished with gluttonie It is vnspeakable â—ow great a despiser he was of money for he ueuer was found to be â—yther sadder in the losse or merrier in the possession thereof He was of a comly and meane stature of bodie nether verie grosse nor â—ery slender of a fayre sanguine complexion his beard and hayre â—rowne â— AS ONCE he tooke his rest in bed the chamberlaine came in See the wonderfull contempt of money the rare clemencie of soe great a king â—â—d opening the chest where the Kings treasure lay putt therein such â—oneies as he had brought and departed forgetting to shutt it â—gaine Which one of the groomes espieing came to the box and â—auing taken out as much money as he thought good went away â—ith it not knowing or suspecting the King to be soe neere â—nd presently hauing belike disburdened him self of that prey â—e returned and acted the like offence againe hauing still the King him self for his spectatour Which as the third time he attemâ—ted the King foreseeing by the spiritt of prophesie that the Treaâ—urer was at hand beleeue me good fellow sayd he thou art too â—mportune and vnreasonable take what thou hast gotten and be â—one for if Hugoline that was the Chamberlaines name come and â—â—ke thee he will not leaue thee one pennie of thy gettings The â—ellow suddenly fled and was scarse out of the doores when the Chamberlaine came in who finding some store of money taken â—way was much afflicted and trembled with verie feare his lowd â—ries and sighs bewrayeing the anguish and furie of his mind whereat the king rose vp and seeming ignorant of what had happened demaunded the cause of his great disquiet which being declaâ—ed he sayd Hould thy peace and rest content for it may be he â—hat tooke it hath more need of it then wee let him on Gods â—ame enioy it that which remaines is sufficient for vs. VI. THE NOBLES and Peeres of the Realme fearing soe worthie a stock should perish without fruit were sollicitous to haue a His care to â—â—serâ—e câ—â—aâ—tetie successour from this holy King and to that end they verie earnestly dealt with him to perswade mariage Whereto the King much amazed was verie loath to consent fearing lest the beloued treasure of his chastetie conserued but in the weaknes of a fray eâ—vessell might easily he dissolued with such a heate But what should he doe it he did obstinate y resist their
Bishops compelled me and when holy King EDWARD my s 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ed me to this 〈◊〉 He by the au 〈…〉 of the Sea Apostolicke layed this burden on my 〈…〉 ke shoulders and by this staffe commaunded me to be 〈…〉 sted with Episcopâ—ll dignitie now you exact me to giue vp the pâ—stâ—r all 〈◊〉 which you bestowed 〈◊〉 you take away the office which you 〈◊〉 me 〈…〉 And 〈…〉 ly I am soe farre from being ignorant of mi 〈…〉 wâ—â— insufficiencie that submitting my self to the sentence of this holy con 〈…〉 rie I will indeed resigne vp my staffe of offices but to whom to you â—â—e but rather to him by whose authoritie 〈◊〉 first receaued it Hauing sayd these words he went directly to S. EDWARDS sâ—rine and there speaking to the holy Sainct Thou know oft my 〈…〉 aigne Lord sayd he His speech before S. Edwards shrine how vnwillingly I vnderâ—ookâ— this charâ—ge how ofâ—eÌ„ I auoiyded iâ— how often I hidd and absented my self when I was sought for to 〈◊〉 it I confesse I playd not the part of a wise man in taking it but thou di 〈…〉 force me to it For allâ—hough 〈◊〉 neyther the election of my brethren â—on the desire of the people the consent of the Bishopâ— noâ— the fauoâ—â— of the Nobles yet tâ—y sole authoritie ouer me weighed downe all these thy will vrged me more then all the rest But now new Lordâ— new lawes our new Archbishop and our new King make new 〈…〉 rees and promulgate new op 〈…〉 They seeme to condemne thee of errour who diâ—â—â—â— co 〈…〉 d and me of presumption who consented And then 〈◊〉 as a mortall man thou mightest well be deceaued but canst thou now being vnited by the liuing God Therefore I will not resigne to them that exact what they gaue not who as being humane creatures may deceaue and be d 〈…〉 ed but to thee who didst first giue it and who now translated into the very truth it self hast escaped thâ— darke night of errour and ignorance to thee I say I willingly resigne my staffe of office to thy cure I committ the chardge of those thou hast commended vnto mee and to thee I may securely leaue them thy meritts being soe well knowne vnto me IX HAVING spoken these wordes a little lifting vp his hand full of a confidence more then humane he struck his crosier staffe into the stone which couered the holy Kings bodie saying Take He yeeldeth vp his office it my soueraigne Lord and giue it to whom thee pleaseth And putting of his Episâ—â—pall robes returned againe to his cowlâ—â—â—d hood and became a simple Monk among the Monks All men wondred to see the staffe soe stedfastly fastned in the stone as if there it had taken roote But when some attempting to take it away had fayled of their intent the matter was related to the Councell whence 〈…〉 frank A notable miracle presently sent Gundulf Bishop of Rochester to the tombe to fetch it who was not able to stirre 〈◊〉 with all his force Lanfrank astonished with the strangenes of the miracle hastened to the tombe him self togeather with the King and the other Bishops and hauing first made his prayer to allmightie God he tried with all the force he had to take away the staffe but in vaine Hereat the King being strickeâ— with admiration cried out that this was all the handie worke of God him self The Archbishop in like manner now dissoluing into tearâ—â— ingenuously confessed his errour vnto the holy man saying Verily our Lord is iust and he walketh with the simple and his communication is with those that are humble Deare brother â—e haâ—â— derided thy holy simplicitie but God hath brought forth thy iustice as the day light Our rash iudgment hath erred against thee and hath made knowne to the world thy simplicitie soe gratefull vnto God By the authoritie therefore of the office we exercise or rather by the iudgment of God himself which hath conuinced He is rest o red to his bishoprick vs we againe restore thee to the dignitie and impose the chardge vppon thee which vnaduisedly we endeauoured to take away But WOLSTAN alleadging his owne vnabl 〈…〉 and pretending the burden to be beyond his forces did contend that in soe sacred a place ought to be placed a holy prelate Notwithstanding ouercome with their instant intreaties in sight of them all he came vnto the sepâ—lcâ—â—r and taking the crosier staffe in his â—and drew it forth with as great facilitie as if it had stuck but in 〈◊〉 peece of soft clay or 〈◊〉 Then the King and Lâ—â—frank both fell pnostrate at his feete desiring pardon of their errour and ear 〈…〉 tly recommending them selues to his holy prayers finding hereby to be most true that God hath made foolish the wisdom of this world and the foolish things thereof he hath chosen that he may 〈◊〉 the wife The holyman that would 1. Cor. 1. not be behind them in 〈…〉 litie and courtesie seeing them prostrate before him with all submission of mind prostrated likewise at their feete whence he would not rise without the Archbishops benediction which done he returned to his chardge X. A WOEMAN possessed with a wild deuill that caused her â—auingly to wander vpp and downe the fields and desert war by the He cureth possessed persons benediction of S. WOLSTAN restored to her self againe and deliuered from the power of that wicked spiritt the Sainct commaunding her to giue prayse thankes vnto allmightie God not to WOLSTAN to loue vertue and liue chastly left some worse mischief should befall vnto her She following his holy admonitions entred into a Nunnerie and led a life therein both gratefull and acceptable vnto allmightie God â—n other possessed person that was bound to a post with iron chaines speaking and roaring out a confusion of soe mavoyces that those that heard thought he had had an armie of men in his bellie which spake through his mouth The holy Bishop coming towards him he beganne to tremble and quake in all the parts of his bodie to gnash and grind his teeth to foâ—me at the mouth and horridly to bellow out against him The Bishop much pittying his woefull case lifted vp his hands to heauen and deuoutly made his prayers vnto allmightie God for his deliuerie and the end of his prayer brought a beginning of perfect health and libertie to the tormented person XI A LEAPER vglie and horrid to behold spotted all ouer his He healeth a leaper bodie with the vnseemely markes of his disease washed him self in a bath wherein was putt the water that had washed S. WOLSTANS haÌ„ds and presently the swelling of his blister◠〈◊〉 â—â—asswaged the contagious matter ranne out and all his bodie became as pure and cleere as a yong childs 〈◊〉 a nunne daughter to King Harold was troubled with such a dangerous swelling in her eyes that her â—ylidds being growne to thick lumpes of flesh had quite couered her
present found at the self same time some poore leapers at the doore expecting an almes The Sainct bad her giue those apples vnto the wretches at the doore but the woeman whether of niggardlines or out of some horrour she conceaued refused soe as she thought basely to bestow them saying that she brought them for her and her religious sisters and not for such loathsom creatures This answere much displeased the holy virgin who sharpely reprehending her for hindering a work of charitie with a prophetick spiritt tould her that in punishment of this offence all the trees in her orchard should wither away neuer beare fruict againe the woeman departed and being come home found her trees which she had left well stored with aples to haue store of nothing but want and from that time they remayned drie barren and fruitlesse euer after VI. A NAVGHTIE woeman being deliuered of a sonne vnlawfully begotten the better to hide her offence layd it to the chardge of the holie Bishop Broon disciple to S. PATRICK But when he auowed the contrarie that he was most free from anie such wicked act S. BRIGITT sent for the woeman and asked her whoe was the father of Puniâ—â—meÌ„t of 〈◊〉 her child she answered verie impudently that noe man but the Bishop had to doe with it Wherevppon the Sainct making the signe of the Crosse vppon the mouth of that vile woeman presently her shameles tongue swelled in her head that she could not speake She allso made the same signe of life on the tongue of the little infant A new-borne child speaketh and demaunded of him who was his father A strainge miracle he that neuer spake word before answeared very distinctly that it was not the Bishop but a deformed and vile fellow the basest amongst all the common people and thus by the discouerie of the truth the holy Bishops reputation remayned vntouched that miserable woeman did penance for her slander and the people gaue thankes vnto the allmightie searcher of our hearts and secrets VII THE daughter of a great Prince hauing vowed perpetuall chastitie and chosen IESVS CHRIST for her only spouse was neuerthelesse forcibly sollicited by her father to marrie On the day appointed The vertue of the signe of the Crosse for her mariage when the banquet and all other rich preparations were in a readines she stole away secretly from her fathers house and fled for refuge into S. BRIGITTS monasterie Her father accompanied with manie horsemen pursued her meaning to take her out by force the Sainct seeing them come made the signe of the Crosse on the ground and at the verie instant the men horses and all stood flock still like soe manie statues Then the Prince acknowledging the strength of the mightie hand of God to hould him did penance for his rashnes and at the prayer of the Sainct both he and and his followers were sett at libertie and his daughter perseuered in the perfourmance of her sacred vow VIII THIS blessed Sainct hauing cured manie diseases the fame of her sainctitie was blowne ouer the countrey which made two leapers come vnto her with teares entreating to receaue their S. Brigitt cureth leapers health for whom hauing made her prayer vnto allmightie God she blessed a little water and bad them wash one and other therewith one of them being cured she commaunded him to wash his companion but he was soe rauisht with ioy to see him self recouered and soe fearefull to loose his health againe that he had not the courage eyther to wash or touch his fellow fearing thereby to repurchase his disease but he felt the punishment of God being suddenly couered all his bodie ouer with the same leaprosie when he saw his companion perfectly healed by the prayers of the holie Virgin IX IN THE monasterie of S. BRIGITT among her other Nunâ—â—â— there was one beautifull yong dame grieuously haunted with A Nâ—nne grieuously troubled with lasciuious thoughts lasciuious thoughts which had entred into her heart at the gates of her eyes by impurely gazing on a dishonest person vnto whom she had promised a meeting at time conuenient The flame of her filthie affections encreased daily and the deuill according to his custom forgott not to blow those impure coales neuer suffering the poore soule to take anie rest soe necessarie a thing it is to keepe a close gard ouer the gates of our senses for feare we giue death an entrance into our soule soe that being neere vnto the vtter ruine and shipwrack of her chastitie whilst S. BRIGIT vnto whoÌ„ our Sauiour had reuealed all that passed made her prayer for her she was inspired by Is cured by the prayers of S. Brigitt allmightie God to goe barefoot vppon hott burning coales which she performed and by the heate of one â—ier she quenched the flames of the other and by the sensuall paine of her bodie ouercame the eternall heate which did torment her soule On the morrow S. BRIGITT spake these confortable wordes vnto her Because sayd she thou hast fought couragiously this night and extinguished the flames of wantonnes which made warre against thee hereafter thou shalt be exempted both from them and the fier of hell then making her prayers vnto allmightie God for her she was cured of the burning of her feet and quite freed from the wonted temptations which did molest her X. A MAYD named Daria which was blind entreated S. BRIGIT to make the signe of the crosse on her eyes by meanes thereof she She giueth sight to a blind mayd not only recouered her sight but allsoe by an inward light in the soule she vnderstood that all whatsoeuer she could see in this world was subiect to corruption and vanitie and that that which we see oftentimes with our corporall eyes is but a barre and hindrance to the soule therefore she returned vnto S. BRIGITT and desired to be restored againe to her former blindnes The Sainct by her prayers shutt vp the windowes of her eyes in darknes which before she had opened to behold the light A Ladie of that countrey who had a daughter that was dumb from her verie byrth brought her at the age of twelue yeares vnto S. BRIGITT who taking the gyrle by the hand sayd Wilt thou for the loue of IESVS CHRIST keepe perpetuall chastitie Her mother answeared that her daughter forsooth She â—ureth a dumb gytle was dumb and could not speak Neuerthelesse replied S. BRIGITT I will not let her goe till she answeare me Then the gyrle spoke sayd she would obey her commaunds in all things In performance whereof she remayned a virgin euer after and spake as well and as distinctly as aniâ— of her sex XI NINE men conspired amongst them selues the death of one man whom they were agreed to kill at a sett day S. BRIGITT being She deliuereth a man from being slaine by his enemiâ—â— aduertised hereof laboured as much as was possible by prayers and entreaties to auert them
the exercising of iustice and obtayning of their soules health Besides all this he was wonderfully endowed with the spiritt of prophesie by vertue whereof he foretould verie manie things to come and had the perfect knowledge of things absent as yf they had bin present within the view of his owne corporall eyes And namely of the Saincts that should liue in Ireland and specially within the Prouinces of Conaght Munster for the space of a hundred yeares after he foretould the names vertues and places of their habitation Whomsoeuer he ether bound or absolued the diuine iustice approoued by euident signes to be bound and absolued Those vnto whom he imparted his benedictioÌ„ receaued the Blessing of our Lord and against whomsoeuer he pronounced the dreadfull sentence of his curse appeared straight replenished with the effects of malediction And whatsoeuer sentence proceeded from his mouth seemed to remyane soe irreuocably ratified as yf it had bin denouÌ„ced froÌ„ the tribunall of the allmightie Iudge Whence we may manifestly gather that the holy man firmly adhering vnto our Lord became one spiritt with him But albeit in some and most of his vertues he ether paralelled or excelled other His wonder full humilitie Saincts of Gods Church yet in humilitie he ouercame him self For in his epistles letters he was wont to nominate him self the lowest left and contemptiblest of all sinners And making small account of the wonderfull miracles and signes he wrought he would not daâ—e to iudge him self equall to anie the meanest man in perfection Nether amongst all these vertuous employments did he omitt to exercise him self in manuall labour as in fishing and tilling the earth but chiefly in building of Churches he would both with word and example incite his disciples to putt to their helping hands When neuerthelesse he did most instantly insist in baptising of the poeple and ordering clergimen for Church-seruice For he consecrated with his owne hands three hundred and fiftie Bishops he founded seauen hundred Churches and promoted fiue His infinite miacles thousand persons to the degree and dignitie of priesthood But of other clergimen of inferiour orders of Monkes and Nunnes which he segregated from the world to the diuine seruice none but he can tell the number who knoweth and foreseeth all things In this most holy manner running ouer the daies of this present life to attayne to the desired prize and reward of the future he florished with soe manie and soe great miracles that therein he is second to none of the Saincts his predecessours The blind the lame the dease the dumb the lunatick the leapers and all other diseased and grieued persons in the name of the Blessed Trinitie and by vertue of the holy Crosse of our redemption he restored to perfect health and the natutall function of their limmes Among which he is reported to haue bin the meruailous rayser of thirtie three from death to life a thing not read of anie other sainct of Gods Church Of which and other his miracles vertues thereescore and six bookes are sayd to haue bin written the greatest part whereof perished in the violence of fier during the raygne of GurmuÌ„d Turgesins But fower treatises of his life writteÌ„ at diuers times fower of his disciples S. BENIâ—NVS his successor S. MEL his nephew LVMAN Bishops little S. PATRICK his deare child are fouÌ„d yet extant And S. EVIN allsoe coÌ„piled his life in one volume partly in Latine partly in Jrish Out all which Iocelinus a Monk of Furne the authour of his life whoÌ„ wee haue followed in this historie maketh profession to haue gathered his whole treatise of S. PATRICK XII AT length the beloued seruant of allmightie God S. PATRICK He foreseeth his owne death loaden with age and merits hauing now faythfully and strongly ended the course of the charge committed vnto him foresaw both by diuine reuelation and the dissolution of his owne bodie that the eueâ—ing of his life was at hand And being in the Prouince of Vâ—ster not farre from the cittie of Downe and with him the pretious pearle of Jreland S. BRIGITT and a great number more of Ecclesiasticall and religious persons as the blessed sainct preached vnto them of the heauenly glorie of the saincts and the dwellings of the happie a glittering light appeared ouer the East part of the Church-yard of Down which was supposed to deseigne the place ordayned for his sacred buriall And this being soe expounded by S. BRIGITT the same light presently returned out of their sight towards heauen to foreshew thereby that his Blessed soule should in like sort ascend to the ioics of Paradise Then S. BRIGITT who had He falleth 〈◊〉 a desire he should be wrapt in a shrowd which purposely she had made for that end hastened to her monasterie to fetch it When in the meane time the holy man retired him self to the next monasterie where in the midst of a great multitude of his deuout monks he layd him downe on the bed of his last sicknes expecting the end of this mortall life or rather happily aspiring to the beginning of the immortall Vntill the disease growing still stronger drawne on with the weight of old age or rather our Lord calling him to a crowne of iustice the most blessed and happie bishop felt the hower of his death to draw-neere and reioysed that now he was arriued at the secure haueÌ„ of life into which through the gates of death he hastened Therfore being by the hands of S. THASACK Bishop his disciple armed with the diuine sacraments of the Church and lifting vp his eyes His happie departure to heauen like an other saint STEPHEN he beheld CHRIST IESVS in the midst of whole troupes of Angels expecting to receaue him into the euerlasting ioyes Into whose sacred hands blessing his disciples and commending them to God he deliuered vp his most pure soule passing out the thâ—â—ldon of this world to the neuer-dying â—oies of heauen O most blessed man to whom the heauens were layd open whom togeather with a lillie white companie of Virgins MARIS the imaculate Queene of heauen receiued whom legions of Angels admitted into their diuine quiers whom the foreseeing troupe of holy prophets doe accompanie whom the iudiciall Senate of the Apostles embraceth whom the laureat crownes of sacred martirs bautifieth the asseÌ„blie of glorious confessors adorneth and whom an innumerable multitude of all Gods elect Saincts and heauenly burgesses doe honour and glorisie for euer XIII HE DIED the seaueÌ„teeÌ„th day of March in the yeare of our Lord 493. in the first yeare of Anastasius the Emperour and in the hundred A summarie of his life tweÌ„tie third yeare of his age At the age of sixteene he was carried into banishment six yeares he liued therein eighteen yeares he spent vnder the tutorship of S. GERMAN and S. MARTIN his masters at the age of fiftie fiue yeares ennobled with the dignitie of Bishop he entred into Jreland
fists and heeles the Church is committed to the flames and all the flock of CHRIST slaine with the edge of the sword For the monks and all the poeple men woemen and children throughout the whole towne were tithed to the butcherie after a most cruell manner nine were slaine and the tenth saued soe that of all the monks there remayned but fower of the rest but eight hundred in all the towne The holie bishop was coÌ„mitted to the horrour of a close prison where he lay the space of seaueÌ„ moneths In the meane time allmightie God powred forth his reuengfull wrath against that barbarous poeple soe that within a a short time two thousand of them died miserably through most cruell torments in their gutts and all the rest being suddenly strucken with the same disease were sooner in danger of death then they were a ware of chainge Then they were admonished by the faythfull poeple to doe peanance for their sinnes and make satisfaction to the bishop which theâ— refused to doe imagining that afflction to haue befallen them bâ—â—haunce only But their destruction still encreasing and preuayling against all those that had endeauoured to depriue the holy man of life and now tenne now twentie being suddenly sent to follow their fellowes to death through most terrible torments of the head and entrailes struck such a terrour into those that remayned aliue that they ranne straight to the bishop and with teares desired pardon for their impietie committed and hauing with honour led him out of prison to the publick view of the poeple he spake these words vnto them Although your insatiable crueltie deserue noe pardon yet by the example of our Lord we are taught what we ought to doe who His speech to the poeple Joan. 13 when he voutchafed to wash the feet of his disciples did not exclude him whom he foresaw would betray him into the hands of his enemies nay he fedd him with the most sacred banquett of his bodie and bloud And hauing with the sole power of his word ouer throwne the officers of the Pharisees that came to apprehend Joan. 18. him he presently raysed them againe and cured them and which is a notable signe of his great goodnes those whom he perceaueth dayly with a stubborne mind to resist his diuine admonitions he suffers notwithstanding to liue yea and to excell their betters in humane goods and prosperities Wherefore because I desire to be an vnworthyly deuour follower of his sacred examples forgetting the burning of the cittie the shedding of soe much innocent bloud forgetting I say all the crimes of your former impietie done a-against me as our Lord entreated his father in behalfe of his Crucifiers Lâ—u 23. soe will I make intercession to him for you my tormentours Bring hither then some bread which forthwith shall be made wholesom and soueraigne against your infection that being refreshed therewith and receauing your desired health you may ether render thankes vnto the supreme giuer of all health or remaine more impious in your blasphemie and sacriledge And hauing giuen to With holy bread he cureth the infected Danes They reÌ„nder bad for good them all some of the bread which he had hallowed they were deliuered from that death-threatning infection X BVT ô barbarous ingratitude I all this goodnes could not draw a dram of true curtesie from those bloud-thirsting hearts For they were noe sooner restored to health but presently fower princes were sent to the bishop first to giue him some slight thankes for his benefitt and them to 〈◊〉 of him to ransom his life and libertie yf he would enioy ether with the summe of three thousand marks Which wheÌ„ he refuse 〈…〉 as being a thing against all iustice to giue the goods of the Church to Pirats they bound him againe in retters being on the verie festiuall day of Easter afflicted with most exquisite torments he was againe shutt vp in a prison Where as in a pensiue solitarines he gaue thankes to allmightie God in that he was found worthie to suffer for a good cause a See the subtle false hood of the deuill wicked spiritt appeared vnto him in forme of an Angel of light who being the father of all lies could not but tell a lie at the first word and say that he was sent from the court of heauen to deliuer him out of the horrour of that prison for the common good of his poeple Nether needed he to feare sayd that agent of Hell to be reprooued with the name of a cowardly Champion for Act. 9. Act. 12. this since he could not thinke him self humbler then the Apostles PETER who was led out of prison by an Angel or valianter then sainct PAVL whom was stolne out of the midst of persecution in a baskett And CHRIST him self to escape the hands of those that would haue stoned him went out of the Temple 10. 8. and by an euangelicall precept gaue licence to his disciples to flie from the face of persecution The holy bishop deceiued Matt. 10 with these faire-seeming speeches yeelded to follow his deceiuer out of the prison And hauing past ouer manie ditches and brookes of water through the darke and horrid shades of the night on a sudden the wicked spiritt vanished and left the holy man in the midst of bogges and marshes who now perceauing the guiles of his false leader fetcht a deepe sigh of greefe from the verie bottom of his heart and casting him self into Behould a miserable case the midst of those mirie places earnestly implored the assistance of our Lord in that miserie O Fountaine of all life sayd be powring out woefull streames of teares ô sole refuge of the children and stock of Adam why hath thy heauenly grace forsaken me in my old age whom in the flower of my youth it was neuer wont to fayle Wilt thou suffer him whoÌ„ soe loÌ„g thou hast mercifully preserued to be cast away and perish at the last O my beloued Lord how often in the shiphrack of this mortall life haue I had thee my deliuer Let me now againe I beseech thee haue experience of thy consolation in this vnhappie illusion of my enemie be my ayde in this vnlucky hower of my affliction The prison is behind me a riuer before me darknes round about mee and the horrid authour of darknes by me soe that wretched ELPHEGVS thy seruant stands encompassed on all sides with troupes of miseries and left poore to thy mercie thou I hope wilt be an ayde to thy forlorne Orphan XI WITH these and such like speeches the woefull witnesses of his afflicted heart he ceased not to callvppon the diuine mercie S. Elphegus comforted by an Angel when behould there appeared a yong man cloathed in most bright shining apparell bearing the ensigne of CHRISTS passioÌ„ in his hand and whither sayd he dost thou wander whither dost thou desire to flie Whither doth thy enuious conductour leade thee Is it
cannot come this day to the desired place yee inuite mee The Saincts finding his hindrance reasonable bad him be readie prouided against the saturday following to enioy their companie sing with them Holy Holy Holy for euer DVNSTAN promised he would and those glorious spirits vanished out of his sight A holy Priest named Elfgar was at the same The witnes of his vision time made participant of this heauenly vision who afterwards became a faythfull witnes thereof vnto the world XXII THEREFORE S. DVNSTAN acknowledging that the time of his death was at hand and being secure of his eternall happines piously reioyced in our Lord and was replenished with a spicituall mirth towards all men And now the hower of the diuine office was come when the holy Bishop went ioyfully to the Aultar to sacrifice the Sonne of God to his eternall Father The Church was filled with a greater multitude of poeple then euer drawne thither by I know not what instinct as it were to heare some strange newes that had not been spoken off before Therefore the Ghospell at Masse being sung the Bishop went to preache vnto the The excellencie of his â—ast sermon poeple when the holy Ghost gouerning his heart and tongue he spoke more excellently then euer he had done before Then returning to the aultar he finished that dreadfull sacrifice and being come to the Benediction at the end of Masse which by bishops is more solemnly giuen he went againe into the pulpit where soe admirably he treated of the reall presence of the future resurrection of our bodies of the ioies of euerlasting life that one vnacquainted The reall presence with him before would haue iudged those words to haue proceded from the mouth of an Angell This done he returned to the aultar and solemnly gaue the poeple his benediction But being much wounded in his mind with a pious feare lest his dearest friends and children being strucken with the sudden blow of his death should grieue more vehemently then they would being forewarned of that dolefull separation to the great admiration of all he went the third time to the poeple WheÌ„ he noe sooner opened The wonderfull brightnes of his face his mouth to speake but like an other Moyses his face shined with such glittering beames of glorie that not one of all that huge assemblie was able to fixe his sight vppon him The inestimable sweetnes and ioy that then possessed the hearts of the assistants noe penne is able to describe But when the Seruant of God began to discouer the day of his death then all that mirth was turned to mourning and such mourning that DVNSTAN him self who was now destined to euerlasting ioies being mooued with naturall pittie and compassion seemed to beare a part in that dolefull consort But vsing violence to him self weeping he endeauoured to comfort the weeping affirming that they ought not to be sorow full for his departure whom noe labour or payâ—e but eternall rest and glorie would receaue and noe man that is grounded in the roote of true charitie should more esteeme his owne priuate and temporall comoditie then the eternall benefitt of his neighbour And allbeit he were absent from them in bodie yet The spirituall presence of the Saincts in spirit he would be allwaies present to helpe and ayde them with his prayers Hauing spoken to this purpose he recommenced them all to CHRIST and left them vnwilling to be depriued of the sight of his glorious countenance XXIII THE same day after dinner accompanied with a venerable troupe of monkes and other his friends he returned to the Church and hauing designed a place for his buriall he commaunded S. Dunstan falâ—eth sick to haue his graue opened And then a cruell sicknes seazing one his holy bodie confined his weake limmes to rest in bed where he lay all the friday following incessantly attending to God and diuine things and inciting all that came about him to adhere to the examples and footstepps of CHRIST-IESVS Thus conquering the strength of his disease with the weapons of a fir me fayth and deuotion he passed ouer that day till the morow which was the last of his labours and first of his desired rest arriued Then the Clergie and poeple flocked about him with a fearfull expectation of the euent which he had foretould of him self And DVNSTAN being most desirous to enter into the ioy of his Lord and hauing strengthened him self with the sacred bodie and bloud of CHRIST ioyfull expected the happie hower foretould in He is miraculously raysed togeather with his bed the foresayd vision When suddenly to the great astonishment of them all by the hidden power of the allmightie Deitie togeather with the bed wherein he lay he was miraculously eleuated three times to the top of the chamber and as often let quietly downe againe Then the holy man behoulding a companie of his amazed monkes and spirituall children about him sayd My most deare brethreÌ„ His last speech the beloued sheepe of my pasture your owne eyes haue beheld whither I am called whither I am going Yee are well acquainted with the path of my footstepps yee know the labour of my life past behould now the consummation thereof lifts me on high Wherefore with the briefe admonition of my dying voyce I exhort and counsell yee that yf yee desire to come whither I am going yee be not flack to apprehend the way that I haue walked in Allmightie God him self who hath directed my iourney to him self direct allsoe your hearts and bodies to fullfill his diuine will in peace And the whole coÌ„panie hauing answered Amen that blessed soule passed His glorious departure out of this world and by a sacred conuoy of heauenly spirits was coÌ„ducted into the heauenly lodgings to enioy the ineffable vision of Iâ—SVS-CHRIST God and man the glorious crowne and euerlasting reward of his labours XXIV THIS glorious Prelate died in the yeare of our Lord 988. His buriall when he had gouerned the Mettopolitan Sea of Canturbury twentie seauen yeares He was buried with greate reuerence and lamentation of his Monkes in the place which him self had designed within the quire before the degrees ascending to the high aultar in CHRISTS-Church Which we doubt not to haue been by him with great affection of pietie soe disposed that lying in bodie before the face of his beloued children whom he had left in the turbulent dangers of the world they might confidently haue recourse to him in thier necessities who in spirit according to his promise made would allwaies be present amongst them And indeed the manie miraculous effects wrought there at his intercession are manifest testimonies hereof Of which we will briefly relate some few only out of such authors as were Manie miraces wrought at his Tombe eye-witnesse of them Fiue woemen and one man receaued their sight as they prayed at his tomb others recouered their legges and other parts of their