blasphemous mouthes of Hereticks doe reiect as vaine superstitious and impious actions But farre otherwise did CHRIST his Apostles and SAINCTS teach both by words and deeds And what they thought and did can by noe other meanes be mamanifested but by the hystories of their liues Soe that both to conuince Heretiques and interpret the doubtfull Saincts liues the interpretation of Scripture and hard passages of holy scripture the Liues and examples of the SAINCTS doe greatly helpe Which made S. HIEROME call the Liues of SAINCTS the interpretation of holy scripture and S. AVGVSTINE say that the holy scripture treateth not only of the commaundements of God but alsoe of the liues and manners of the SAINCTS to the end that yf we chance at anie time to doubt of the true sense and vnderstanding thereof we way receaue light and instruction from that which they haue done For composing our liues and manners according to the imitation of the SAINCTS we need not feare falling into errour when we see how the supreme gouernour of all hath adorned them with manifest miracles and with euident signes declared that their Liues were gratefull vnto him Their liues therefore must allwaies serue vs as a mirrour besore our eyes therein to behould our owne vices Saincts liues a paterne for our actâ—â—s to learne to correct them and to looke vppon their heroicall vertues to endeauour to imitate them There the proud shall find how to become humble the hard-hearted how they may be mollified the cold how they may be warmed the tepid how they may be heated the pious and feruent of spirit how they may be more and more inflamed with the loue of heauen and in a word all of whatsoeuer age sex condition profession or calling may theÌ„ce reape sweet flowers of all kind of vertues documents of wholsom peanance and liuely examples of true pietie farre more efficacious to moue their minds to the practise of goodnes then the force of weake words only This S. AVSTEN affirmeth of him self This in times past manie noble Lords and Matrones of Rome did testifie who being all ether staggering in their faith or growing cold in charitie by only Hier. ad Marcell hearing of the most holy life of great S. ANTHONIE the Hermite were enflamed with soe great feruour of spirit and fier of deuotion that abhorring their former life and desiring euer after to slie all sinne and occa sions of sinne they bad adiew to the vaine world and the pompes pleasures thereof separated them selues from the conuersation and companie of men and applying their minds wholly to the diuine seruice followed the banner of CHRIST and his SAINCTS crucified their owne bodies togeather with all the vices coÌ„cupiscences thereof But not to these only but to manie others allsoe the same is read to haue happened in the like case Considering therefore and pondering oftentimes these things with my self I was much grieued that in Causes mouing the Authour to write these lines these lamentable times wherein our miserable countrey is afflicted spoyled and oppressed by heresie the Catholicks amidst these tribulations were depriued of the great profitt and consolation which they might receaue by the reading of the Liues of their SAINCTS because that eyther their workes were not written or yf they were written it was in such Authours that now are scarse to be found that in Latine which is not for the capacitie of the vnlearned I was noe lesse grieued allso that the SAINCTS them selues that heretofore were the ornaments and Lights of our countrey were now being vnknowne depriued of their part of that due honour which otherwise should haue beene done vnto them being made knowne For these reasons then and partly for myne owne priuate exercise but principally gentle Reader for thy consolation I haue here aduentured seeing noe better writer would take soe worthie a work in hand to trie my penne in behalf of our glorious SAINCTS and to sett forth though not as worthily as I should yet as truely and sincerely as I could the Liues of all the most renowned SAINCTS of our â—land of great Britaine and of the Iles thereunto belongingâ— and thereby I haue restored againe to all good Catholicks my Countreymen that which the cruell iniurie of the times had violently robbed them off and sought to haue buried in the darknes of perpetuall obliuion But because all workes that are exposed to the publick view of the world are exposed allso to the censure of diuers sortes of poeple diuersly affected I thought conuenient to set downe here some few aduertisemeÌ„ts aswell to preuent all occasions of misconstructions or cauills that might be taken in the reading of this treatise as allso to informe the well-inclined Reader against some doubtes or difficulties that may occurre in the perusing of the same First then because the most illustrious Cardinall Baronius a man that hath otherwise well deserued of the Baronius his mystake Church of God for his Ecclesiasticall historie doeth contrarie to the auncient and common opinion of the world robbe the Benedictine order of one of its greatest ornaments S. GREGORY the great and denie that euer he liued a Monke vnder the holy RVLE of the Great Patriarch of Monkes sainct BENEDICT and consequently affirmes that sainct AVGVSTINE and his fellow-Monkes whom he sent to conuert our countrey who were professed of the same Monasterie in Rome vnder sainct GREGORY were not of the same Order lest my Reader should chaunce to stumble vppon this new opinion which since hath been by manie famous and learned writers hissed out of the schoole of true Historie I will here for his better instruction briefly sett downe some few authorities of manie auncienter and later Authours then Baronius who doe all constantly asseuer the contrarie that is that both S. GREGORY him self and the Monkes he sent and made Apostles of England were indeed of the holy Order of sainct BENEDICT and not of I know not what Equitiam familie as Baronius pretends And omitting here to draw arguments from the auncient charters writings graunted to Monasteries euen in the time of sainct AVGVSTINE him self which all euidently conuince the same for a truth as of some you may reade in his life May the 26. I will first draw into the lists of this Combat that ornament of our Countrey sainct ALDELME Bishop of Sherburne who died aboue nine S. Aldelme against Baronius huÌ„dred yeares before Baronius was borne In his worke then which he writt in verse of the prayse of Virgins Virginitie hauing spoken much in commendation of out holy Father sainct BENEDICT whom he affirmeth to haue been the first that ordered the exercises of Monasteries and a monasticall life he maketh this epilogue to the paragraphe of sainct BENEDICTS prayses * Benedicti Huius alumnorum numero glomerantur ouantes Quos tenet in gremio facunda Britannia ciues A * Benedicto quo iam nobis Baptismi gratia
the way to purchase a crowne by flying out of the lists of the battle Or how can he glorie in the prize of the victorie who would not runne to the end of the race To whom when the bishop had answeared that he did not flie but obeyed the commaund of heauens messenger This was not a message from God replied the other but a false inuention of the deuils malice who did not soe much desire to educe thee out of prison as to seduce thee being out For he is shrewdly netled with the pious workes of thy life past and to see thee allwaies enioy the present consolation of the holy Ghost in all thy afflictions whose presence giueth constancie to all men constancie getts victorie and victorie purchaseth euerlasting glorie Returne theÌ„ to the place deputed to thee from aboue to obtaine thee a crowne and know that to morrow our heauenly father will honour thee in heauen with that eternall happines to liue with his sonne for euer XII Now that Sainct ELPHEGVS was brought back to the Againe he is cruelly tormented place of his triall with great ioy he expected the hower wherein he should receaue the crowne of martirdom But being come neere to the prison gate he was apprehended by a troupe of those butchers who hauing cruelly beaten him with stripes and hurt his braine with greuious blowes vppon the head lockt him vpp in a prison allmost half dead where euery hower of the night they cast on a fier made of purpose whatsoeuer they could imagine would yeeld the filthiest stink and smoake to annoy the holy man in that close roome But a good part of the night being past the gates of heauen opened and those glorious spirits began to be compartners in The Saincts come to visitt him his suffrings and to breath forth the sweet odours of eternall life resounding with their melodious voyces himmes of celestiall ioy and melodie Whom as S. ELPHEGVS heard and considered to the great comfort of his painfull soule he beheld saint DVNSTAN late Archbishop of Canturbury glorious in countenance and habitt asisting amongst them who stretching forth his hand spake to him in these words To thee ô Inuincible Champion of our eternall King to honour thee with our dutie we come sent from him who hath graunted thee victorie ouer thine enemies and prepared thee an euer-florishing crowne in heauen Behould what companie thou shalt perpetually enioy after this mortall life the citizens of our heauenly Hierusalem and the most glorious domestiks of God yf thou ouercome with patience what remaines to be suffered for the loue of CHRIST For we haue beheld the manifold labours of the cittie the burning of the Churches the slaughter of our children thy chaines and reproches and the redoubling of thy torments after benefitts bestowed vppon them Armed then with the power of heauen doe thou willingly vndergoe what remaines knowing that the suffrances of this time are not Rom. 8. wort ie of the future glorie which shall be reuealed in vs. For the time of torment is but one day and that a short one too but that of rewarde is infinite and without anie end Take good courage then and fight manfully to obtaine the eternall glory promised to those that for the loue of God ouercome the world At these words those glorious spirits vanished XIII IN THE meane time his fetters chaines fell off and all his sores All his wounds are healed miraculously and wounds were perfectly healed When it was an excellent sight to behould ELPHEGVS singing with those heauenly quiristers and reioycing amongst their ioyes But the next morning had noe sooner made a glorious shew of a good meaning but he was led out of prison with an armed band of souldiers and carried ca horseback to receiue his sentence before the iudgement seate of impious tiranny Where this choise was giuen him Eyther pay gould for thy ransom or this day thou shalt be made a miserable spectacle to the world I offer you answeared he with an vndaunted courage the gould of diuine wisedom which warnes you to leaue the vanitie you His indgement loue soe dearly and turne the whole care and endeuour of your minds to the true seruice of the only liuing God which diuine counsell soe oâ—en proposed yf yet obstinately yee despise to follow yee will perish by a worle death then euer Sodom did nether shall you or your succession take anie long-during roote in this land At these words those officers of hell leaped furiously vppon him and hauing beaten him with their halberds to the ground they began to lay aâ— him with stones and whatsoeuer else came to hand Whilst he being gott vppon his knees powred out this prayer to allmightie God O IESVS-CHRIST only sonne of the eternall father who camest into this world through the womb of the imaculate Virgin MARIE to saue sinners receiue my soule in peace and haue mercie on these my tormentors with that he was stricken flatt to the ground but rising againe he went on O good Pastour O only Pastour defend the children of thy Church which with a dying voice I recommend vnto thy diuine care Then one called Thrum whom the day before he had confirmed ranne violently vppon him and with a cruell blow fastened his mercilesse axe in his sacred head whereby that conquering spiritt was sett at libertie to receaue a glorious and triumphant crowne of martirdom in heauen But the Princes of the Danes desiring to hide the wickednes of their owne fact and darken the lustre of the Martirs glorie decreed to drowne He goeth to heauen a martir his dead bodie in the riuer supposing thereby that the foulnes of their crime would soe much the more easily be kept close by how much the more the memorie of the Sainct was blotted out of the minds of the poeple But what the Danes intended for his reproche CHRIST turned to his glorie For all that multitude of poeple which by his preaching had renounced their errours stood vp in armes for his defence choosing rather to accompanie him in death then to suffer his dead bodie by whose meanes while it liued they had receaued the ablution of life to be buried in the vnsatiable A controsie about his bodie gulph of the waters Therefore that sacred relique being a cause of controuersie betweene two poeple of disageeing opinions remayned vnburied and vndrowned But the consellours of both parties meeting in the euening with the force of reason to decide the cause of that contention it was concluded by common consent of both sides ioyntly to make intercession to the Sainct him self that yf he were of anie power or estimation before the face of allmightie God he would shew the strength of his authoritie in the decision of this doubtfull question Behould sayd the impious Danes a bough cutt from its nourishing stock depriued both of barke and moisture yf this embrewed in ELPHEGVS his bloud shall appeare the next
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
thy bodie to Satan that thy soule may be A terrible punishment of one that would not forgiue his enemies saued in the day of iudgement He had scarse ended these words when the miserable wretch by the gâ—ashing and grinding of his teeth the gastly staring of his eyes his foaming at the mouth and antick turning and rouling of his bodie into strange postures gaue euident restimonie by what diabolicall spiritt he was gouerned At length being freed againe by S. WOLSTAN he was the second and third time possessed in like manner vntill from the bottom of his heart he promised to forgiue his enemies XVII THE vertuous life of this holy man was ennobled with manie other miracles and wanted not the guift of prophesie By S. Wolstanâ— guift of prophesie which he disswaded one Ailwine who a long time had liued a solitarie life at Malâ—erne hills from his desire of goeing to Hierusalem foretelling him that God allmightie would worke wonderfull things by his meanes Ailwine yeelding vnto his perswasioÌ„s founded afterwards a famous monasterie of S. BENEDICTS order at Malâ—erne where he gathered togeather the number of three hundred Benedictine Monkes XVIII ONE Sewulf whom he had often exhorted to embrace a monasticall life to doe worthie penance for his sinnes excusing him self and alleadging that the rigour of it did exceed his weaknes of bodie the Bishop sayd Well goe this waie thou shalt be a Monk whether thou wilt or noe At length waxing old he tooke the habitt of S. Benedicts order at Malmesburie where the very remembrance of S. Wolstans words euer after thundered a milder and humbler behauiour into him XIX As on a time he stroaked the head of a little boy called Nicholas whom he brought vp from a child and now euen in his A WoÌ„der youth beganne to loose his hayre I think my sonne sayd he thou wilt shortly be bald and why Father replied the boy doe not you keepe my hayre on my head Beleeue me sonne answered the holy Bishop as long as I liue soe much as remaynes shall not fall away And soe it came to passe But within the verie weeke that the holy man died all that yong mans hayre went soe cleane away that there remayned nothing but the bare scull XX. Newes being brought him that his sister was dead Now then answered he the plough is come into my land and verie He foreseeth his owne death shortly the brother will follow his sister Neyther was he a false Prophet for within a short time after being taken with an extreme seauer his old age soone perceaued that death was at hand Then nothing was to be seene among his monks and other friendâ— about him but teares sighs and lamentations woefully bewailing the losse of soe pious a Father When he on the other side with a deuout exhortation proceeding from a ioyfull countenance stroue to appease their griefs saying that his death would be noe losse of life but a change for a better promising not soe to forsake them but that with his prayers to allmightie God he would for euer assist them His great confideÌ„ce in almightie God and that being free out of his prison of clay by how much neerer he was ioyned vnto God by soe much readier he would be to comfort and defend them Thrise happie tongue that out of the store-house of a secure conscience durst power out words of soe great confidence Some with sighs and sobbs desire to haue him prayd for and he largely promiseth to pray for them all O strange wonder See how his holy simplicitie was ignorant of hauing anie diffidence in the mercie of allmightie God Therefore in the yeare of our Lord 1095. this glorious confessor of CHRIST this bright starre of the Benedictine order in England hauing with a wonderfull rare example of holy life gouuerned the Sea of Worcester the space of thirtie fower yeares deliuered vp his vertuous soule into the hands His death of his creatour to receaue the rewards of his worthie labours the ninteenth day of January in the eightie seauenth yeare of his age His bodie was brought into the Church and detained there three dayes vnburied The very forme and complexion thereof seeming rather to sett forth the gracefull beautie of a liuing Bishop then the horrour of a dead corps The Episcopall ring which he had receaued at his consecration manie yeares before his death would not hang on his finger for his flesh was soe consumed by his extreme penance and austerity of life that his bodie was nothing but skinne and bone But although his ring often times fell from his finger thus A notable miracle consumed yet was it neuer lost and he did often say that he would carrie with him to his graue that ring which without ambition he had receaued Being dead diuers essayed to take off his ring but in vaine for that which before fell off manie times of it self by noe violent meanes could now be drawne off The fourth day he was buried with great reuerence by Robert Bishop of Hereford who long before had entred into a strict and holy league of friendship togeather with S. WOLSTAN XXI SOME yeares after his death a mercilesse fier taking hould of the topp of the Church burnt and consumed it in miserable sort An other as strange the lead came powring downe like rayne the great beames their supporters being consumed as whole trees tumbled to the ground soe that in such a confused wrack of ruine it seemed nothing that was within the compasse of the Church could escape the rage of the fier Yet the sepulcher of the blessed Sainct remayned free from these outrageous flames and was not as much as touched or smutched with anie of the coales ashes or anie thing else that fell from aboue And to giue greater euidence to the miracle the verie strawmatte on which those did kneele that prayed before his tombe was found whole and vntoucht XXII ABOVT a hundred yeares after his death his holy body was taken vp and enclosed in a very pretious shrine being found in all His body vncorrupted after an hundred yeares his Pontificall robes as entier and vncorrupted as when he was layd in the ground The feast of his translation is celebrated the seauenth of Iune Manie other miracles were wrought by the supreme worker of miracles through the intercession and meritts of this blessed Sainct which I willingly omitt my purpose being not to write Saincts liues that the world may only wonder at their miraculous deeds but chiefly to draw men to imitate their vertuous liues Yet in this historie we haue had great store both of vertues and miracles God of his infinite goodnes giue vs grace to admire and prayse his diuine power in the one and to follow the vertuous examples of his blessed Sainct in the other Amen His life we haue taken chiefly out of the author of it SENATVS BRAVON a Monk of Worcester Besides whom WILLIAM MALMESBVRY de
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
astouishment of his amazed brethren And other whiles when the holy man began to recite his canonicall howers and pronounced those words Deus in aduitoriuÌ„ meuÌ„ intende the same celestiall spirits distinctly answered Domine ad adiuuandum me festina ioyning their heauenly harmonie to the sacred deuotion of S. GVDVVALL But now this glorious Confessor hauing wholly abandoned and forsaken the world crucified him self with CHRIST in soe much that for his sake he hated his owne soule according to the words of the Ghospell yet was he not satisfied herewith but endeauoured dayly to better him self in perfection He departeth to an other part of the countrey wherevpon after a consultation had with his brethren he resolued to leaue this habitation seeke a conuenient place to build a monastery elsewhere Therefore they sayled into an other Prouince where hauing obtayned of a great man a peece of land fitt for his purpose he layd the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of a monasterie in which togeather with his brethren he led a most heauenly and angelicall life on earth totally applying him self to the contemplation of heauen and heauenly things amidst the continuall exercises and mortification of a most deuout monasticall life IV. IN THE meane time manie miracles were wrought by the diuine He cureth a dumbe child power of allmightie God at the intercession of this holy man amoÌ„g which one was that he gaue speech to a child tenne yeares old that was borne dumbe others which for breuities sake are here omitted And manie heauenly fauours he receaued at the hands of the diuine goodnes whereof one and not the lest was that tenne daies before his death performing the sacred misteries of our redemption at the aultar the holy Archangell S. MICHAEL togeather with the two He hath an apparition and a reuelation of his death princes of the Apostolick companie PETER and PAVL appeared visibly vnto him and amongst other diuine consolations reuealed the happie minute of his death exhorting him withall to prepare him self thereunto with watching fasting and prayer to gaine a greater crowne of glory in heauen Therefore the next day hauing assembled his brethren togeather he made knowne the manner of this reuelation exhorting them to the contempt of the world and a constant perseuerance in the seruice of allmightie God Then a welcome His laâ—â— sicknes sicknes taking hould of his holy bodie made him more feelingly vnderstand that his time drew neere when being armed with the sacraments of the Church amidst the deuout prayers and recommendations of his weeping Brethren he ioyfully yeelded vp his blessed soule into the hands of his deere redeemer which in the forme of a white doue was seene to take her flight towards the heauenly dwellings He died the sixth day of Iune and ouer his sacred reliques shined a glorious splendour all the night following V. AMONGST others that were present at his death were his mother A controuersie miraculously decided and Sisters who very earnestly desired to haue his bodie transported into his owne natiue countrey to be honourably buried in the Church where he had been bishop But his Brethren aâ— first absolutly resisted their petitions till the controuersie was decided by miracle For putting the sacred bodie in a waggon the beasts that drew it were permitted to take their owne waies when contrary to the desire of both parties they went directly to be Iland called Plet which was the place yf I be not deceaued where the holy man led a solitarie life in a rock of the Sea as is aboue sayd And there his sacred body lay buried for the space of manie yeares famous for miracles all the couÌ„trey ouer Till that Prouince of the Britans being inuaded by barbarous enemies the Monkes of S. GVDVVALLS transported his bodie into France Arnulphus marquis of Flanders caused The tranâ— lation of his body it to be very honourably translated to the famous Benedictine Abbey of saint PETER and PAVL aâ— Gaunt togeather with the holy reliques of saint BERTVLPHE This translation happened in the raigne of Clotarins ouer the Kingdom of France and it is yearly celebrated in the sayd Monastery of Gaunt the third day of December His life is written by an auncient Authour recited by Laurence Surius tom 6. and by Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue both whom we haue followed Very honourable mention is made of his great vertue Sainctitie and Miracles in the life of Saint Bertulphe in the second tome of Surius February the fifth and by Vsuard Molanus and others The life of saint ROBERT Confessor and Abbot vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT IVNE 7. Written by an auncient Authour recited by Surius THE Venerable Abbot ROBERT borne in Yorkeshire shunning from his very infancie the vaine sports and pastimes of other Children his equalls soe worthyly profitted in the studie of good learning that he was afterwards promoted to the gouernment of a Church in that countrey But discharging him self within a while of that office and all care and cure of soules he went to the Benedictine Abbey of Whiteby where he putt on the habit and profession of a monke of saint BENEDICTS Order At that time one Richard Priour of our Ladies of Yorke had receaued a peece of land at a place called Fountaines where by the meanes of Thrustine Archbishop of Yorke he had built a Monasterie in which togeather with twelue other monkes ouer whom he was Abbott he led a Monasticall life according to the constitutions of the Congregation of Cisterce vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT Noe man there did eate his bread in idlenes nor gaue his bodie to rest but when it was ouerwearied with labour They all went hungry to the table and weary to bed Their diet only supplied necessitie not their appetite and yet without ether sadnes or murmuring they gaue God thankes with alacritie Therefore our saint ROBERT hauing He becometh a Cisterciaâ— Monke first obtayned leaue of his Abbot ioyned him self to this holy companie and chainged his black habit for a white that is from a Benedictine became a Cistercian still obseruing the Rule of our holy father saint BENEDICT And now it was rare to behould how strongly this holy man performed the accustomed labours of the monasterie how feruent he was in holy reading and contemplation and how deuoutly he followed his prayers and other monasticall exercises being venerable in his behauiour prouident in giuing of counsell and elegant in his speech II. IN THE meane time hauing spent fiue yeares in this place in He is made Abbot the yeare of grace a thousand one hundred thirtie seauen a noble man of Northumberland gaue an ample possession of land to the Church on which saint ROBERT built a new Monasterie and being chosen Abbot thereof he tooke with him eleuen other deuout monkes wherewith he furnished the same These he gouerned in the rigour of a monasticall life making him self soe perfect a patterne
His wonderfull abstinence of a abstinence that he neuer rose from the table with a full stomake and in Lent for the most part his greatest dainties were bread and water Whence it came to passe that at an Easter time his appetite and gust of meate was soe vtterly mortified ouerthrowne that he could not eate the meate which was set before him And when the monke that wayted vppon him demaunded why he did not eate Yf I had some oaten bread replied he moistened with butter I thinke I should be able to eate it Therefore the Monke Soe holy Dauid refused to drinke the water which he had desiâ—red his seruant brought some such bread when the holy man reflecting with him self that he had giuen a litle fauourable scope to his appetite conceaued soe great feare thereat that becoming a rigid and seuere reuenge to himself he refused to tast it at all but remayned fasting And that meate soe prouided he commaunded to be giuen to the poore that wayted at the Monastery gate where they found a fayre yong man of a very beautifull countenance who tooke the meate with the dish and vanished Which as they related to the holy Abbot behould the same dish fell vppon the table before him Whereby they vnderstood that an Angell sent from heauen had receaued that almes from the holy man III. OVER and aboue the accustomed taske of his diuine office and His prayers and the effects thereof prayers he dayly recited the whole Psalter of Dauid contayning an hundred and fiftie Psalmes But as once more earnestly he made his prayers vnto allmightie God and with the teares of his deuotion abundantly trickling downe his cheekes he powred forth his soule before the court of heauen desiring that as well his owne as the seruice of his brethren might be acceptable to the diuine maiestie and that they might be found worthy to haue their names written in the booke of life he heard these comfortable words come from aboue Take courage my Sonne for thy prayers are written in heauen Only two of them whose hearts haue been allwaies fixed to the loue of terrene things are inscribed in the dust of the world And not long after two Conuerses commonly called Lay-brothers casting off their habits made a miserable end of their liues in the world whereby the diuine reuelation of the holy man was verified IV. PASSING on a time by New-Castle he happened into a great He hindeâ—â—â—â— the wicked endeauours of the deuill multitude of yong men where he saw one with a wonderfull curiositie runne vp and downe amongst them fawning vppon them with an insolent countenance and as it were exhort and stirre them vp to the execution of some great matter When perceauing that he played not the part of a Man but rather the deceiptfull games of some wicked deuill by the powerfull force of his diuine words he commaunded him to depart Ho thou gallant sayd he these men doe not want thy worke quickly therefore be gone and follow me Presently â—e as yf he had been tied to their horse tayles went afâ—â—t holy Abbot through the durtie streets to the great astonishment of those that were present When they were gone out of the towne and come into the turnings of the highway Who art thou sayd the holy man and what was thy busines there Thou art not ignorant who I am replied he and thou knowest well my endeauours There is a pompous celebration of a rich mans wedding Note the maâ—ice of the deuâ—â—l in that towne and I was earnestly labouring to haue the groome slayne in the buanquet by his riualls that the guests being incensed with anger thereat might endeauour to reuenge his death and soe blinded with wrath and dronkennes their mutuall wounds might cause a sedition in the cittie that by the cutting downe of manie bodies I might reape an haruest of soules into my possession And now I was perswaded by the purchase of this victorie to haue returned in ioyfull triumphe to my Prince when my whole plott and counsell being ouerthrowne by thee I am constrayned to go home without anie gaine at all At these wordes the holy Abbot detesting the wickednes of that insernall monster commaunded him to depart to the determined place of his torments and neuer more hereafter to attempt to deceaue minkind Whereat the wicked spirit vanished taking his farewell with soe great horrour that their horses growing furious with neighing snoring and tearing the ground with their feet could hardly be held vnder the possession of their riders V. AN OTHER time the monkes being at mattins the holy man saw the Deuill standing in the habit of a countrey fellow at the quire He seeth the deuill inquiring into the faults of his Monkes doore and oftentimes endeauouring but in vaine to enter into it Then falling heartily to his prayers and stirring vp the hearts of his brethren to deuotion that infernall spie perceauing after a long expectance that he profitted nothing vanished away with anger and confusion The same holy Abbot celebrating once the dreadfull sacrifice of Masse saw in a vision a mightie storme at sea wherein a ship was sorely tost vp and downe in those swelling waues till the sterne being broken she ranne violently on her owne ruine and beating her self against a cruell rock dissolued her ioynts and ribbes into peeces left all the men her rulers to shift for them selues in the mercilesse billowes of the Ocean The holy man being greatly moued to compassion with this vision hauing finished his masse sent his Monkes to the sea side to take vp the bodies of those drowned persons They went and the fourth day after in the very place designed by saint ROBERT the sea cast vp the dead bodies which by their hands were honoured with Christian buriall VI. A HOLY matrone who by the pious persuasions of S. ROBERT S. Robert freed from a faâ—se Suspition by S. Bernard had contemned the gorgeous pride and vanitie of the world and betaken her self to a retired and deuout life was oftentimes visited by the same holy man to be by his godly instructions dayly aduanced in the way of vertue Which thing was a cause of manie bad suspitions in the iealous minds of some of his brethren who iudged that current of familiaritie to proceed from an impure spring And now they had infected the eares of manie with their misdeeming opinion till their complaints arriued to the knowledge of the great Patrone of his Order saint BERNARD Abbot of Clareuall in France To whom saint ROBERT went in person and he hauing had a reuelation of his great same and merits tooke him secretly aside and sayd Brother ROBERT those things are most false which the sinister suspition of manie hath bruted abroade against thy innocencie And in testimonie of his loue he gaue him a gyrdle which afterwards by the merits of them both gaue the benefitt of health to manie sick persons VII THIS holy Confessor was
and she dispersed all she had I say nothing of her great care and pietie shewed to sick persons orphans and widdowes to whom she was allwaies a most indulgent and pious Motheâ— I passe ouer in silence the affâ—ction reuerence she bore to Hermites and true religious mâ—n whom sometimes she visited and dayly furnished with sufficiencie Euery morning she The rare pretie of the King and Queene nourished nine orphan-children and gaue them victualls with her owne hands Besides these her custom was to receaue three hundred poore poeple into the pallace and hauing 〈◊〉 the doores she ranged them into order when the king on the on side and the Queene on the other serued CHRIST in his poore and gaue them meate with their owne hands peculâ—rly prouided for that purpose O the wonderfull pietie of these royall persons This done she went to the Church where during the time of the holy sacrifice of Masse she sacrificed her self to allmightie God with the long continuance of manie prayers sighs and teares And before the high Masse beganne she heard fiue or six priuate Masses euery day VI. THEN she returned to dinner rather to maintaine life then Her spare diet to satisfie the delights of her appetite for in her diet she was soe sober and sparing that her meales rather sharpened then extinguished her 〈◊〉 and she seemed rather to â—ast then to â—are her meate Throughout the whole Lent and fortie daies before Christmas she mortified her bodie with an incredible abstinence in soe much that out of the austeritie of her fasting she endured most sharpe paynes and gripings in her stomake all the daies of her life but the weaknes of her bodie could nothing weaken the strength of her vnconquered vertue At length falling into a grieuous ficknes she sent for her Confessor 〈◊〉 the second Prior of the Benedictine Monastery of Durham of wâ—om hauing first declared the manner of her life and at each word of the consolation which he gaue her powred out whole flouds of deuout teares she tooke her last farewell for sayd she I shall not long remaine in She desireth Masses and prayers after death this mortall life and thou wilt shortly follow me Two things therefore I desire of thee the first that during thy life thou be allwaies mindfull of me in thy masse and other prayers the second that thou take care of my children and keepe them allwaies in the feare of God lest the prosperitie of the world wheÌ„ they attaine to the height of terrene dignitie make them loose the happines of eternall life VII AFTERWARDS the vehemencie of her disease encreasing she was noâ—able to rise but seldom out of her bed But the fourth day The slaughter of King Malcoline before her happie departure the king being then abroade in a warlick expedition she grew on the suddaine more sad then her wonted custom saying to the assistants I feare more misfortune hath happened this day to the Kingdom of Scotland then in manie yeares before And soone after they vnderstood that the King and his sonne Edward had that very day lost their liues in the warres The fourth day after the kings death her sicknes giuing some truce to the former vehemencie of her paine she rose and went into her chappell and armed her approching end with the last Sacrament and the Viaticum of our Lords most pretious bodie Then the crueltie of her griefes laying her againe prostrate on her death-bed she vnderstood by the new arriuall of her sonne Edgar from the arâ—ie of the late ouerthrow receaued by their enemies when lifting vp her hands and eyes towards heauen she gaue infinite thankes vnto allmightie God who at the hower of her departure out of this A vvorthy example of patience world had sent her an occasion of soe great anguish for a triall of her patience by the suffrance of which she hoped to be clensed from some of her former sinnes In the meane time feeling the secret messengers of death to summon her departure she beganne deuoutly to recite this prayer Domine Iesu Christe qui ex voluntate Patris cooperante She dioâ—â— happily spiritu Sancto per mortem tuam mundum viâ—ificasti libera me and and at that word her soule being deliuered out of the chaines of the bodie quietly passed to the Authour of all true libertie CHRIST-IESVS whom soe dearely she had loued in her life time being made participant of the happines of those glorious spirits whose vertuous examples she had been all waies carefull to follow And her face which during her sicknes was soe wane pale returned after death to soe fayre a mixture of a red and white complexion that to the astonished behoulders it seemed to sett forth the countenance of a sleeping or liuing bodie rather then of one that was dead She died the tenth day of Iune in the yeare 1097. and was buried in the Church of the Blessed Trinitie which she had built in her life time The life of this glorious Queene hath been written by S. Alured Abbot of Rhieuall recited by Surius tom 3. and by Turgot second Prior of Durham whom we haue followed Allso Deidonatus lib. 12. hist Scotorum maketh ample mention of her as allsoe the Roman Martirâ—loge Vsuard Molanus and others The life of Sainct EADBVRG Virgin and Nunne of the holy Order of Sainct BENEDICT IVNE 15. Out of William Malmesbury and others EABVRG daughter to Edward the Elder King of England and Queene Elsgiue his wife Her parents at the age of three yeares gaue a notable proofe of her future Sainctitie For her father being desirous to trie whether the litle infant would be inclined to God or the world layd the ornaments of diuers professions in his chamber before her on the one side a chalice and the Ghospell and iewells rings and bracelets on the other Thither the litle gyrle being brought in the armes of her dandling nurse she was seated on her fathers lappe who sayd Choose my EADBVRG which of these things doe most delight thee She with a countenance as it were despising the rest greedily layd hould on the chalice and booke embracing them with Note her choise of a religiouslife a childish innocencie The whole companie of assistants cried out that it was an euident presage of future sainctitie in the gyrle and the father most tenderly kissing clipping his child Goe thy waies sayd he whither God calls thee follow happily the diuine spouse whom thou hast chosen and happy indeed may thy mother and I esteeme our selues being in religion ouercome by a daughter Therefore when riper yeares allowed her the perfect vse of discrecretion she went to the Benedictine Monasterie which her father had She taketh the habit of a Nunne built at Winchester and putt on the habit and profession of a Nunne vnder the holy Rule of saint BENEDICT when soe rarely she conformed her life to the lawes of her profession that by the