wonted deuotions he went this round Masse and prayers for the dead and added to the end of his prayers Requiescant in pace he heard from the ground the voyces as it were of an infinite armie that answeared Amen Whereby he found his labours and prayers to be verie gratefull and profitable vnto the soules departed The same holy man being an ardent follower of our Lords example would euerie day without anie spectatours execute acts of profound humilitie in washing with his owne hands the feete of diuers poore people couering them a table giuing them sufficiencie of meate and at length His works of humilitie as their deuout seruant taking away what was left This seruice being finished and his poore guests dismissed he would remaine in the same roome the space of two or three howers at his prayers Vntill once entring according to custom to exercise these pions offices not hauing bene before troubled with signe of anie sicknes suddenly vnknowne to all his soule departed out of his mortall lodging The māner of his death leauing it void of all vitall spiritt His familie and seruants that had long bene acquainted with his customs thinking that then he was alsoe busied at his prayers let him lie there a whole day And the next morning breaking into his chamber they found a dead bodie starke and stiffe without anie signe of life Therefore with great cryes and lamentations they buried him in the Church of Winchester But the Citizens of the towne because they sawe him intercepted by a kind of suddaine death buried the worthie memorie of the holy man in the deepe caues of silence being ignorant that it is written The man that liueth well cannot die ill And by what Sap. 4. death soeuer the iust man shall be preuented and ouertaken he shall be in a place of refreshing and comfort But a long time after this their rashnes was corrected by the allmightie power of him that cannot erre for to Ethelwold Bishop of the same place as one night he watched and He appeareth to S. Ethelwold prayed according to his custom before the reliques of the Saincts in the Church of Winchester there appeared three persons which stood by him not in an extasie but fully awake The middest of the three spake these words I am BIRSTAN in times past Bishop of this cittie This on my right hand is BIRINE the first preacher and that on my left is SWITHINE the speciall Patron of this Church and Cittie And thou must know that as thou seest me here present with them soe doe I enioy the same glorie with them in heauen Why therefore am I depriued of the honour and reuerence of mortall men who am highly exalted in the companie of heauenly spirits Saincts are to honoured At these words they vanished and euer after by the commaundement of S. ETHELWOLD his memorie was celebrated with great veneration By this we may learne that holy men the prouidence of heauen soe disposing may sometimes be taken away by suddaine death and not without a speciall fauour in getting by a minute of paine that which others cannot obtaine but by manie yeares torments of sicknes This holy man was consecrated B. an 932. died in the yeare of our Lord 934. Thus much of him we haue gathered out of WILLIAM MALMESBVRY lib. 2. de Pontific Angl. and MATHEW WESTMINSTER ann 932. NICHOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 10. cap. 8. POLIDORE VIRGILL lib. 6. ARNOLD WION lib. 2. lig vitae and others mak◠worthie mention of him The life of S. WILGIS Confessor and Monk of the holy order of S. BENEDICT IAN. 31. Out of S. Alcuinus in the life of S. willibrord THERE was in that part of the Brittsh Iland called Northumberland a househoulder named Wilgis by byrth a Saxon or Englishman who hauing bene naturall father vnto WILLIBRORD afterwards a Sainct and Archbishop of Vtreight as if he had perfourmed the whole dutie of his mariage resolued both he and his wife to leaue the world and vndertake a religious course of life which holy purpose how vertuously he accōplished was by miracles afterwards sufficiently testified and made knowne to the world For hauing left his secular garments he putt on the black monasticall habitt of the holy order of S. BENEDICT and made profession of a Monk not He taketh the habit of S. Benedict vppon a forced seruice but out of a true will and desire to religion And because in leauing his house and temporall goods enrouling him self into a spirituall warrefare in the campe of IESVS CHRIST he had vndertaken a perfect life he would not therefore be backward in what he professed but in all things shewed him self to be a most perfect seruant vnto the deare master he serued But when he had for a while giuen a patterne of his vertuous life in the schoole of the monasterie he became soe braue a souldier that the rudnes of the fearefull desert could not afright him for shutting vp him self within the limitts of a streight and narrow cottage that stoode between He leadeth an eremiticall life the Ocean and the riuer Humber dedicated to S. ANDREW the Apostle he laboured in the exercise of a solitarie conuersation and imitating his grand master S. BENEDICT he led a heauenly and angelicall life on earth in purenes exceeding the ruddie blush of the rose or the whitenes of the fayre lillie but delightfully shining with a more sweete varietie of vertues then doth a doue in the beames of the sunne with diuersitie of colours Within a short space his desire to lie hid was betrayed by the wonder of his frequent miracles and his name was blowne soe farre abroade with the trumpet IAN. 31. of fame till it arriued at the Kings Court and sounded such an alarum all ouer the countrey of Scotland that great store of people flocked vnto him whom he neuer sent away emptie but allwaies loaden with the sweet instructions and admonitions of his heauenlie learning The fame of his vertue drawes manie schollers being compelled herevppon to labour sometimes in a contemplatiue and other times in a practicall manner of life He became at last of soe great esteeme and honour with the King and Nobles of the Realme that they gaue him the possession of some lands neere adioining and bestowed manie other rich guifts vppon him by help whereof he built an honourable Church on the Sea side in honour of the B. Virgin MARIE and gathered togeather a Conuent of Beuedictine Monks small in number but great in the exercise of true vertue and religion These he gouerned as Abbott with all sainctitie of He buildeth a monasterie life doctrine vntill the diuine clemencie willing to set a period to the conflicts of his holy labours absolued this his worthy champion from the most painfull warrefare of this present life to raigne in his heauenly Court which soe long he had thirsted for and desired He was very honourably buried
President And hauing found all the premises to be in truth most cleere manifest with one voyce they all signified soe much vnto Pope Innocent the third who before His cano 〈…〉 tion by Pope Innocent had committed the exact inquirie of this matter vnto them and now being fullie informed of the truth greatnes of S. GILBERTS famous miracles he enrolled him into the number of canonized Saincts in the yeare 1202. in the raigne of King Iohn The same yeare the eleauenth day of October his bodie was taken out of the earth traÌ„slated into a rich shrine in which it was kept with great reuerence and deuotion His life is written by John Capgraue and Nicholas Harpesfield Hist. Ecel saec 12. cap. 37. whom we haue followed But it hath bin written more at large by some other authors whose names I Know not The life of S. INAS King and confessor monk of S. BENEDICTS Order FEB 6. Out of Nicholas Harpsfield hist Eccl. saec â— cap. 10. INAS descending from the royall stemme of Saxon kings succeeded Cedwall in the kingdom of the Westsaxons about the yeare of our lord six hundred eightie nine He was a Prince accomplisht with most heroicque vertues of mind in whom was an equall contention betweene a rare Knowledge of militarie politick discipline and a sincere deuotion to Christian religion that being excellent in both it was hard to iudge in whether he excelled He was a liuely patterne of fortitude the true image of prudence and a vertuous modell of religion With which and such like vertues hauing setled his kingdom in peace both at home and abroade he then bent his whole endeauours to the enacting of good and holesome lawes to bridle the corrupt and dissolute manners of his subiects and to preuent such faultes and offences as are more incident vnto that age Amongst others of his lawes some were touching the prerogatiues His good lawes and gouernmeÌ„t pollitick gouernment of the Church where a greuous punishmeÌ„t is allotted to such as doe not permitt an infant to enioy the Sacrament of baptisme within thirtie dayes and yf by such neglect he chaunced to die without baptisme the father of the child incurreth the forfeiture of all his goods Allsoe a seruant that by the commaunde of his master should worke on a sunday was freed from the bondage or seruice of his Master who was taxed ouer aboue with a forfeit of thirtie shillings But yf a seruant should attempt the same of his owne accord he was to be punished with stripes Manie other good lawes were enacted by the prudence of this holy King whose whole life indeed was the liuely example of his lawes II. FVRTHER tokens of his pietie and loue to religion are the monasteries His pietie in building Churches which he soe sumptuously founded out of the expenses of his royall Exchecquer and chiefly the Abbey of Welles which he built from the ground the renowned Abbey of Glastenburie which most stately he repayred for the monkes of S. BENEDICTS order and dedicated the Church to our Sauiour and S. PETER and PAVL It stood in a marish and fennie place little commodious for the preseruation of bodily health but verie proficuous for Christian philosophers or monkes who defend that the happines of men doth consist chiefly in the spirituall health of the soule and that they can with more attention applie their minds vnto the contemplation of heauenly things the more remote they are from the flattering allurements of the eyes of the world He enriched a chappell in this Church Note what wealth he bestoweâ—h on Glastebury with an incomparable wealth of gould and siluer and gaue rich ornaments therevnto of an incredible value considering those times For the building of the chappell he gaue two thousand six hundred fortie pound weight of siluer and to the aultar two hundred threescore and foure pound weight of gold A chalice with a patin ten pound of gold a Censar eight pound of gold two candlesticks twelue pound and an halfe of siluer a couer for the Ghospell-booke or Missall twentie pound weight of gould vessells cruets for wine and water to the aultar thirtie pound weight of gould an holy-water-pott twentie pound weight of siluar Pictures of our Sauiour our blessed Ladie and the twelue Apostles one hundred threescore and fifteen pound weight of siluar and twentie eight of pure gould besides what was spent of both kinds in the embroderie of the copes vestments and other ornaments a great number of pretious gemmes rich iewells embrouched therein In these and such like workes of piety he spent his labour time meanes following chiefly in all his doings the holie counsels precepts of S. ALDELME a BENEDICTINE Monke and Bishop of Sherburne whom he all waies honoured reuerenced as the father and spirituall guide of his soule His wife perswades him to leaue the world III. IN THE meane time his holie wife Ethelburg a woeman of a royall stock and of a mind as noble neuer ceased dayly with a pious importunitie to sollicite him that now at lest being well struck in yeares and come as it were into the winter of his age he would quitte him self of the dangerous incuÌ„brances of this world worldly cares and attend only vnto God and diuine matters But finding as before that her words tooke little or noe hould in the Kings mind she as woemeÌ„ neuer want inueÌ„tion practised by a plott of pious subtletie to winne him to her good desires And tooke her opportunitie on a day wheÌ„ the King in his pallace adorned with the glittering splendour of courtly rarities his table loadeÌ„ with the poÌ„pe of gould siluer plate had made a royall baÌ„quet amongst his Nobles and lauisht out much wealth in great mirth and iollity On the morrow departing thence the Queene presently coÌ„maunded the keeper of his lodgings to defile and as much as was possible to deforme all that former shew of glorie Note the subtletie of her inucution by daubing pargetting the walls floores of the house with the strong-sented plaster which cattle lay behind them and to furnish the roomes with great store of rubbish rubble and all such ill fauoured stuffe that was most loathsome to the eye lastly into the Royall bed where the King the night before had laine an vglie sow that had newly brought forth a litter of pigges was honourably placed Being then in the way when she thought all this to be done according to her commaund fayning some busines of great weight importaÌ„ce which could not be without great daÌ„ger omitted she easily hastened the Kings returne for as yet they were scarse a mile in their iourney But entring his chamber of presence seeing the place which but yesterday might be compared with the delights of Sardanapalus him self soe suddenly deformed changed into soe vglie and horrid a spectacle he was thunder-strucken with admiration at
learning a rare thing in their sex they writt manie spirituall and consolatorie workes which enuious time hath suffered to perish but some epistles of theirs and specially one to S. ALCVINE and his answer therevnto are extant amongst his workes The inscription of his to them is thus To the most noble in holines of Christian religion the most deuoted to the studie of wisedome the two Virgins consecrated to God Gisla his sister and RICTRVDE his daughter the humble Brother and Father ALCVINE wisheth the health of perpetuall Blessednes At length these holy Virgins after the long exercise of vertue and good workes est this world toreceiue the crowne of their virginitie in heauen amongst that glorious quire of other holy Benedictine Nunnes They florished about the yeare 770. in the raigne of Alrick King of Kent Thus much we haue taken out of Nicholas Harpsfield soec 8. c. 6. Arnould Wion Iohn Pitts de scrip Aug. an 770. and others S. GVTHLACVS MONACHVS ET EREMITA ORD S. Benedicti April 11. 〈◊〉 f. The life of S. GVTHLAKE Priest and Anacherite of the holy order of S. Benedict APR. 11. Written by Felix a Benedictin monk of Croyland THE WORTHIE seruant of IESVS-CHRIST Saint GVTHLAKE borne of noble parents Guthlakes Parents Pâ—nwald and Tecta descended lineally from the royall stemme of the Mercian Kings but he ennobled his princely progeniture with the nobilitie and spendour of religion and vertues Which his future excellencie and incomparable vertue a strainge and admirable presage seemed to make knowne and A strange apparition at his abyrth manifest at his verie byrth For the same hower that his mother lay in child-bed of this holy offspring a fayre yellow hand as it were of a man appeared by the crosse which stoodâ— opposite to her house casting forth wonderfull beames of brightnes And when the poeple of the countrey flocked togeather in great troupes to behould that miraculous apparition the same hand made the signe of the Crosse on the house doore of the labouring woeman presently vanished A happy signe precursour of his birth foreshewing that in his life time he should allwaies carrie in his bodie the peanance of Christs holy crosse But the multitude of poeple much astonished amazed at this vnacustomed spectacle began as the manner is with diuers and doubtfull opinios to wauer in their sundrie expositions of that diuine miracle the greatest part affirming that surely it betokened some great heauenly misterie when the mid wiue came forth with newes that the child for whose sake that wonder appeared was borne In baptisme he was named GVTHLAKE and during the time of his childhood he appeared to beare in a cleere louing countenance soe gratefull and acceptable a grace that his sole looks were of force sufficient to purchase loue in the minds hearts of all men II. AT THE age of twentie fower yeares he began verie hotly to follow and practise the noble acts of militarie discipline to defend him self and his whole race against the aduersaries which tooke head against them and being sett forth in warlick ornaments and hauing mustered togeather some troupes of souldiers he began cruelly to He giueth him self to the warres in his youth inuade his enemies to besiege to wâ—es to ouerthrow castles in soemuch that out of his worthie deeds of armes he purchased to him self manie titles trophies and monuments of fame throughout the countrey But in the midest and heate of all this crueltie he was not soe farre corrupted with a desire of militarie glorie but euen in that blouddie kind of life he gaue some fignes of true pietie for oftentimes he would restore back the third part of his spoiles to those he had vanquished thereby ouercoming his enemies the second time with curtesie as before he had done with the sword At leÌ„gth calling to mind by a diuine inspiration the lamentable ends of manie great kings and princes of his ancestors and considering that the secular pompe of the world is but as a puffe of smoake and a vapour quickly vanishing and remembring the shortnes of mans daies the vneertaintie of his death the terrour of his departure out of this life the seueritie of Gods tribunall and the eternitie of the paines in the life to come he resolued to giue ouer that course of life and calling his fellow souldiers togeather he bad them adiew in these words Hitherunto my deare friends I haue waged warre in the regiment of the worlds vanities froÌ„ hence forth I am determined to beare armes only vnder the ensignes of IESVS-CHRIST our true and dearest captaine Choose your selues an other leader whose colours ye may follow for I will follow the banner of our Lords holy Crosse sainctified in his pretions bloud And noe reasons nor prayers being able to turne him from this pious resolution he cast of his martiall armes and went to the famous monasterie of Benedictin monkes at Ripendown in the Kingdom of Mercia where hauing taken the habitt He becometh a Benedictine monk of a monk vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT he entred into a verie strict and seuere manner of life depriuing him self not only of the superfluous but allmost of the necessarie vse of meate drinke and sleepe The Psalmes himnes and other knowledge of holy scripture he learned with a wonderfull facilitie within the space of two yeares He was of a pleasant couÌ„tenance humble in his behauiour and gate religious and full of the feare of God in his workes coÌ„stant in fayth His manner of life in the monasterie perseuerant in hope abounding in charitie prouidet in his counsell and verie circomspect mild in his words And liuing amongst his brethren he imitated the diligent laborious bee which auoyding all infectious weeds sucks whatsoeuer is good and profitable out of all the sweet flowers round about and brings it to her hiue For as he highly detested all manner of vice soe he striued and endeuoured with a great contention of mind to expresse in him self not only one but all the good manners and vertues of those with whom he liued Therefore whatsoeuer was excellent or notable in each of theÌ„ he heaped it all to him self the learning of one the continencie of an other this mans pacience the others submission humilitie the silence of some the strict diet of others and their night and day watchings and in a word he ranked into him self alone a goodly traine or lift of all others vertues and pious actions III. Now when he had made good triall of him self for the space of two yeares and shewed a worthie example of vertue and holines in that excellent schoole of religion he beganne to aspire His desire of a solitarie life to a higher manner of perfection being taken with a wonderfull desire of an eremiticall and solitarie life Therefore hauing communicated his purpose with his Abbott and brethren with their good leaue and well-wishes he was dismissed to his
accident in an epistle written to Eulogius Patriarke of Alexandria And in A church dedicated to S. August perpetuall memory of the fact a Church was built by the same riuer and dedicated to our wonderfull Baprist saint AVGVSTINE in which the petitions of the faythfull were miraculously heard and graunted XX. RETVRNING againe from Torke by the way he cured one of a most horrid leaprosie by making the signe of the Crosse and calling vppon his diuine name that cures all diseases But comming into the Countie of Dorsett all waies announcing CHRISTS holy Ghospell His aduersaries instly punished he arriued at a Village where the wicked poeple not only refused to obey his doctrine but very impiously and opprobriously beat him and his fellowes out of their Village and in mockerie fastened Fish-tayles at their backs which became a new purchase of eternall glory to the Saincts but a perpetuall ignominie to the doers For it is reported that all that generation had that giuen them by nature which soe contemptibly they fastened on the backs of these holy men And saint AVGVSTINE hauing left these wicked poeple to carrie the markes of their owne shame and trauelled with his holy companie about fiue miles further through desert and vnhabited places being cruelly oppressed with the three familiar discomodities of trauellers hunger thirst and wearines he that sate vppon the fountaine wearied with his iourney CHRIST IESVS voutchsafed to appeare visibly vnto him with words of heauenly comfort and Christ appeareâ—h vnto him encouragement Then the holy man being refreshed with the sweet fountaine of eternall life fell presently vppon his knees and adored the place of CHRISTS footsteps and striking his staffe into the ground there straight sprung forth a cleere fountaine of cristall streames in which all his fellowes quenched the extremitie of their thirst and gaue infinite thankes to allmightie God who had voutchsafed to helpe them in that necessitie And the same place The monastery of Cernell was afterwards called CERNEL a name composed of Latine and He brew for Cerno in Latine signifies to see and El in Hebrew signifies God because there our holy Apostle AVGVSTINE was honoured with the cleere vision of him that is true God and man Moreouer vppon the some fountaine in memorie here of a chappell was built dedicated to our Sauiour which togeather with the fountaine my Authour had seene and the water cured manie diseases Afterwards one Egelward a rich man founded a fayre Monastery of Benedictine monks in the same place dedicated to saint PETER the Apostle which was called the monastery of Cernel and dured to the last fatall destruction of Abbeies in the vnfortunate raigne of Henry the eight XXI BVT Sainct AVGVSTINE hauing trauelled ouer the greatest He returneth to Canturbury part of England like a true Apostle allwaies on foote and by the vertue of his preaching and miracles conuerted infinitie poeple to the fayth soe that be may deseruedly be called our Apostle who not only layd the first foundation of Catholicque religion amongst vs but by his owne preaching lightened allmost all the whole Iland he returned to his perpetuall and Metropolitan seate of Canturbury where he was receaued by the poeple as the angelicall messenger of their peace and happines with great ioy and triumphe When a troupe of diseased persons flocking about this diuine Phisitian behould a threefold wretched creature bound with a triple chaine of calamitie was presented He was lame of both his legges dease and dumbe His prayers were sighes his wordes bellowings and his discourse signes But saint AVGVSTINE heard him that could not speake spake to him that could not heare and directed him that could not goe For in the name of the blessed TRINITIE he gaue that thrise miserable wretch a threefold cure Soe that he was able to He cureth one lame deafe and dumbe 〈◊〉 firmely to speake plainly and to heare distinctly But he ouerioyed with his new receaued health became soe vainely merrie that with his troublesom tongue newly taught to speake he molested the whole Church and poeple with babling euen in the time of the diuine office soe that for punishment he suffered a relapse into his former miserie till hauing done worthy satisfaction for that fault he was againe released by the powerfull prayers of S. AVGVSTINE and togeather with the outward health of bodie he was restored allso to the stablenes of a more setled gouernment of mind in his soule The testimonie of an old ma baptised by Augustane XXII HERE it shall not be amisse to sett downe the attestation of a verie old man that liued in my Authours time who affirmed that his grandfather had been baptised by saint AVGVSTIN and had often seene the holy man encompassed about with troupes of poeple preach and worke manie miracles He had learnt allsoe from his father and grandfather the forme of bodie of saint AVGVSTINE and that he was of a verie maiesticque person and in stature tall and that his grandfather hauing been baptised by the hands of the holy man liued manie yeares aboue an hundred and the blessing of old age descending likewise to his father and from his father to him who now when he made this relation had long outliued an hundred yeares Thus this old man But now our holy Apostle being wholly wounded with the loue of heauen and aspiring to nothing more then out of the tumults of this world to attaine to the eternall rest of our Lord knocked dayly at the heauenly gates with the continuall peales of his prayers sighes and teares desiring to be dissolued to liue with CHRIST Till at length vnderstanding by diuine reuelation that his desire was heard and that shortly he should be deliuered out of the thraldom of the flesh he solemnly in presence of the King and all his court ordayned the holy monke and his chiefe fellow-preacher saint LAVRENCE to succeed him in the Sea of Canturbury as in times past the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER appoynted CLEMENT for his successor in the Roman Primacie For long before he had made MELLITVS bishop of LONDON by whose meanes the countrey of the East-Angles was conuerted and IVSTVS his suffragane in Rochester Soe that allmost all the dominion of King ETHELBERT which raught from Canturbury to the riuer Humber in Yorke-shire was wholly conuerted to Christianitie by the labours of these holy Benedictine Monkes saint AVGVSTINE and his fellowes XXIII BEHOVLD now ô thou blessed Archparent of the regeneration An Apostropâ—â— to S. Augustine of the English nation by leauing thy stately Mother Rome thou hast gayned England for thy Daughter whom thou maiest nourish as a fayre spouse for the King of heauen Now after the iourney of the great world thou hast taken this other world of the vast Ocean breathing a most fayre and temperate ayre most pleasant and fertill with fields meadowes pastures brookes riuers and seas most gratefull with woods hills and plaines most abounding
for breath that a man of His wonderfull humilitie soe great meritts and good works in the Church of God might securely passe out of this world to God Peace Brethren peace sayd he for I am as fearfull and carefull of this my iourney towards God as yf I had neuer done good work in all my life For yf by the assistance of diuine grace anie good hath been in me or anie fruit proceeded from my weaknes I greatly tremble and feare lest I haue not conserued the same grace with that reuerence and humilitie as was necessarie And armed with the shield of this prefect humilitie which his dying words testified to be well grounded in his heart he sweetly reposed in our Lord the 28. day of March but his feast is celebrated this seauenth of Aprill which is the day of his canonization This life is taken chiefly out of William Malmesbury who liued in the same time with S. Stephen The Roman mart maketh mention of him this day Baronius tom 11. Sigebertus in Chron. ann 1107. Arnould Wion lib. 1. c. 42. Nicholas Harps field and manie others doe amply speakâ— his prayses S. ELPHEGVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVAâ— Martir 〈…〉 The life of S. ELPHEGVS Archbishop of Canturbury and Martir of the holy order of S. BENEDICT APR. 19. Written by Osborne a monk of Canturbury ELPHEGVS desceÌ„ding by byrth from most noble Ancestors ordered the whole course of his life according to the rules of excelleÌ„t prudence and humilitie His parents much admiring the inocencie of his industrious mind and life putt him to be worthyly brought vp in the knowledge of good learning and the true wisedome of He taketh the habitt of a Benedictin Monk Christian religion Whâ—n this godly youth made it the whole studie of his philosophie to learne how to loâ—â— God desiring only to know and obey him and all wales to subâ—â—â—â— him self and his actions to the sweet yoake of his diuine seruice Being touched therefore with a spirit of maiestie neglecting his fathers inheritance and forgetting his mothers griefe who dearly loue â—im he forsoke the vaine world and putt on the habitt 〈◊〉 of a monk of S. BENEDICTS order in a little monasterie called 〈…〉 st where he began to sett aside all the self-will of his owne priuate desâ—â—es humbling him self to the seruice and obedience of all his bâ—ethren whose only instrument as it were the sâ—â—wed him self â—o be in aâ—â— occasions allwaies striâ—â—â—g with all to profitt more 〈…〉 ore in the loue of God and by much watching and fasting to 〈◊〉 the rebellious motions of his bodie to the rule and subiectioâ— of reason And indeed not only to him self but to whom soeuer else he was able to doe good he endeauoured carefully to performe it which yf he could not to some 〈◊〉 â—e abstained from doeing thâ—m harme Hauing piously spent 〈◊〉 yeares in a monasticall lifeâ— partly in the monasterie afâ—â—esayd 〈◊〉 partly in famous Ben 〈…〉 Abbey of Glasenbury when he 〈…〉 aued the florishing time of youth to steale away he resolued to vndertake a stricter course of life and to enter into a single câ—â—batâ— with the auncient enemie of mankind Therefore goeing out of hâ—s monasterie he came to the place He vndertaketh a solitarie liâ—e called Bathe where the warme strings that rise out of 〈◊〉 earth are profitable against manie diseases and there he remayne 〈…〉 tt close vp in a little lodge which he built him self chastising his bodie with fasting and abstinence after an incredible rigorous manner Within a short time manie of the better sort of the countrey flocked vnto him to discouer the spirituall wounds of their soules desiring to haue them tented with the sharpnes of his pious correction and cured with the salue of his good counsell Whence it came to passe that within a short time he had gathered togeather no small Conuent of monkes in the same place which him self gouerned according to the Benedictin rule and discipline which he had learned before II. HE WAS wont greatly to blame and rebuke those who did chainge their secular habitt but would not chainge their life Doth not that man sayd he seeme to be full of falsehood who maketh Against those that change their habits and not their manners shew to be what he is not indeed whilst he conterfaits one thing in his habitt and beares an other in his heart For it is better not to chainge our habitt at all then hauing chainged to neglect the conuersion of our manners But hauing erected an ample house for his disciples and prescribed a perfect law of sobrietie and continencie vnto them and taught them how to bridle and curbe their carnall desires he remayned him self shutt vp in a little narrow lodging where be attended only to the more important and weightier affayres of his monks In the meane time manie of his subiects being vnmindfull of their promise and profession made to allmightie God the raines of obedience being lett loose beganne to spend whole nights and dayes in imployments vnworthy their holy profession Against whose greuious offences allmightie God sent a reuengfull punishment For as one night S. ELPHEGVS as his custom The diuine punishmeÌ„t of a negligent monk was stood a holy sentinell at his prayers he heard a great noyse and clamour within the Monasterie And goeing forth found one of the brethren lying along in miserable affliction vppon whom stood two men of most horrid lookes and filthie apparell who cruellie scourged him with whippes and fierie serpents And as he awaked and roared out loud witnesses and signes of his extreme payne his tormentors did vpraid him that as he had not obeyed God nether would they obey him With which words they continued their crueltie till they had beaten his soule out of his bodie At this woefull fight the holy man quite resoluing into teares returned back to his Cell But the rest of the brethren being terrified with this accident confessed their faults did worthie peanance and amended their liues euer after III. BVT the incomparable S. ETHELWOLD Bishop of Winchester being dead a great contention arose betweene the Monks and the A contention about eleâ—ting a â—ishop of Winchâ—ster secular clergie touching the election of a successour For the Clergie of that Church that before led a most wicked life contrarie to the decrees of the holy canons and being oftentimes rebuked for the same by the forenamed Bishop they not only refused to correct their lewd manners but laboured with an obstinnate spiritt to defend their lewdnes it was decreed by a Regall law that they should be expelled and their function committed to others that were more worthie Therefore the clergie being driuen out the Benedictin Monks that feared God were introduced againe Whence it came to passe that in the choosing of a bishop the secular Clergie a Clergie man the Monks desired to promote a Monk to the place each striuing to aduance a man of his owne coate Which great
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
want of other instruments they broke vp the cement and lesser stones which fastened the tomb-stone with an iron candlestick found there by chaunce Then putting all their confidence in God and the holy Saincts intercession they fell vpon their knees and sett vppon a work which they knew farre exceeded their owne strength and laying their shoulders to that huge stone with great ease they mooued it to the other side When presently they beheld that sacred bodie to be most entier and vncorrupted and Willam Malmesbury affirmeth for ceataine that it remay ned in the same integritie for the space of one hundred yeares after Degâ—t Pont. lib. 1 de gest reg l. 1. cap. 16. But now an other thought troubled our two busied monks which was that they wanted a boord to carrie the holy bodie to the boate in which perplexitie as they composed and wrapped it in linnen cloathes they found vnder the bodie a boord as it were prepared for the same purpose Then lifting vp that sacred treasure on their shoulders they carried it to the water side the king and Archbishop following after who in the meane time had disposed garrisons throughout the cittie and on both sides of the riuer Thames to preuent all occasion of tumult among the cittizens Being wafted ouer to the next shoare Canutus with his owne hands putt the bodie into the waggon and thus with great pompe and honour garded with a mightie troupe of souldiers it was transported to Canturbury and there receiued with great reuerence and ioy of the whole cittie His bodie translated to Canturbury And the third day after Queene Emme with her some Hardecaunt very deuoutly visited it leauing behind her manie verie ample and rich offerings as euident witnesses of her fayth and deuotion XVII NETHER was there wanting store of diuine miracles which at that time honoured this translation and allsoe in after ages and from thence forth he was held not only for a most holy bishop but for a Martir too VVherein when S. LANFRANK Archbishop of Canturbury made some doubt because he did not die directly for the confession of the fayth but in that he would not satisfie the couetousnes of the pirats and ransom his owne life and proposed the reason of his doubt to the worthie S. ANSELME then Abbott of the Benedictin monastery of Bec in France who afterwards succeeded LANFRANK in the Archbishoprick S. ANSELME most grauely and elegantly handled that question affirming that it was a thing not to Eadm in vita Anselmi l. 2. be doubted but that ELPHEGVS who was enflamed with soe great loue to wards God and his neighbour that he chose rather to suffer a cruell death then to see his neighbours vniustly depriued of their goods and money would with a farre greater inclination and burning desire haue embraced a death offered him for the profession of CHRIST and his Ghospell Therefore the loue and desire he had to see iustice exactly defended and maintayned brought him to those strieghts Now CHRIST who is both iustice and Veritie pronounceth those all soe to bee blessed that sâ—ffer persecution for Iustice Againe the martirdom of S. IONH Baptist endured not for the Math. cap. 1. Fayth but for the truth in reprehending Herod for adulterie is of most famous memorie throughout the whole Church and why not that of S. ELPHEGVS suffered for the maintenance of iustice which and the works of all other vertues as they are referred to allmightie God may be true causes of Martirdom These and such like reasoÌ„s mooued LANFRANK not only to honour hiâ—h euer afterfor a Martir but caused his life to be faythfully written by Osberne a monke of Canturbury whom we haue followed which he confirmed by his authoritie and made to be read in the English Church The day of his glorious martirdom was celebrated the ninteenth of Aprill on which he was martired The historie written of him by the foresayd Osberne S. Thom. 22. qu. 124 art 5. is recited by Laurence Surius tom 4. The particulars of his translation we haue taken out of Nicholas Harpsfield saec 11. cap. 9. The Roman martirologe maketh mention of him And Baronius tom 10. 11. Malmesbury de gest reg lib. 1. de gest pontis lib. 1. Roger Houedon priori parte Annal. an 1011 and 1012. Mathew Westminster an 1011. Iohn Capgraue and all our English writters are full of his prayses In the Breuiary of Sarum he hath anoffice of three lessons But in an auncient manuscript of S. BENEDICTS Order which belonged to the monastery of Burton vppon Trent he is serued with twelue lessons S. ANSELMVS ARCHIEPISCOPVS CANTVARIENSIS Monachuâ— Benedictinus April 21. 〈…〉 The life of S. ANSELME Archbishop of Canturb of the holy order of S. BENEDICT APR. 21. Anno. 1080. Written by Edmerus a moÌ„k of Cant. that liued in the same time with S. Anselme IN WRITING the excellent life and incomparable vertues of the worthie Prelat S. ANSELME who from the humilitie of a Benedictin monk was raysed to the Metropolitan dignitie of Canturbury we most perforce imitate the art of Geographers who in the com-of a little card describe the globe of the whole world I will coÌ„preheÌ„d APR. 2â— in a few words that which well deserues a volume and giue you a brief pourtraict or a bridgemeÌ„t of the works of this glorious Sainct this great doctour this mirrour of Bishops this ornament of our English Church and bright sunne of the Benectin familie Vnto whoÌ„ that nothing might be wanting for the making vp of a man perfect in all things was added the nobilitie of a godly honourable parentage He was borne in the cittie Augusta neere the coÌ„fines of Burgandy His His worthie pareâ—tage father was called Gundulphus by nation a Lumbard who vsing much to the cittie of Augusta married there a ladie called Ermerberg by whoÌ„ he had the happines to haue ANSELME They were both of noble bloud rich but very contrarie in life and manners for his fathers greatest care was to spend his time in worldly mirth and pleasure and to liue merrily when on the order side his wife carefully gouerned her house constantly perseuering in the coÌ„tinuall exercise of pious vertuous workes to the last gaspe of her life But Gundulphus being by the death of his good wife freed froÌ„ the bonds of matrimonie His father becometh a monke it pleased allmightie God to make him enter into more pious coÌ„siderations reclaime his old age tired with sayling amoÌ„g the turbulent pleasures of the world to retire to the quiet shoare of a monasticall life wherein he spent the rest of his daies happily But ANSSELME the worthie branch of this noble stock in whoÌ„ from his teÌ„der age it seemed vertue was incorporate to become visible to mortall eyes with the siluer innoceÌ„cie of his sweet carriage behauiour purchased the loue affection of all men Well doeing which other men gett by labour industrie
seemed to be in him by nature since he had consecrated his infancie through the ignorance of vice and emulatiō of vertue Being sett to schoole he profitted beyond all his other fellowes He had scarse seene fifteen yeares of age but straight he began with a graue prudence to cōsider with him self of the dangers miseries of the world plottīg how he might better settle him self in the true seruice of God when he resolued that noe manner of life was comparable to that of monks religious men Therefore being desirous to leaue the world become a monk he asked the S. Auselme asking the habitt of a monke is denied habitt of an Abbot of that countrey who fearing his fathers displeasure that was ignorant of ANSELMS intētion herein refused to graunt his request But ANSELME cōstant in his holy purpose made his prayer to allmightie God to send him some corporall sicknes that soe at lest he might become a monk and a Patient in Religion to cure the diseases or rather conserue the innocencie of his soule His prayers were heard and his request graunted when languishing in his desired sicknes he sent to the Abbot with manie earnest entreaties to be admitted into his order for that now he feared death was at hand But he vpō the same humane respects as before againe denied his petitiō II. AFTERWARDS his health returning againe worldly pleasures and prosperities soe sweerly smiled vppon him now in the flower of his youth that the feruour of his former purposes and desires began by little a little to grow cold especially after the death of his good mother whom he highly loued and respected he tooke againe to him self free scope to follow the inclination and desires of his sensuall appetits not only forgetting the spiritt of his first Vocatiō but allsoe omitting his studie in sciences which before he had soe carefully His fathers anger against him followed But while thus he hunted in the traine of his owne passions it pleased allmightie God to looke vpon him with the ey of a mercifull clemencie and permitted his father to enter into such an extreme dislike of him that he could not affoord him as much as a good looke hating and disdayning in his sonne as well the good as the euill when on the other side nether his filiall humilitie or dutie was of power to appease or anie way satisfie his angrie father Wherevppon he chose rather to renounce all his worldly inheritance then to endure the stormes of such furie fearing to runne the hazard of further inconuenience Therefore iudging his friends and domesticques to be his greatest enemies he forsoke his fathers house to seeke his content and repose else-where He departed with one only companion partly in France partly in Burgundy he spent the space of three yeares But the worthie fame of Lanfranks pietie and learning coming to his eares he ranged him self into the list of manie other yong men of his vertuous schoole in the Benedictin Abbey of He becometh schol ler to Lanfrank Bec in Normandy When it was rare to see how ANSELME was not soe ioyfull to be a scholler of soe excellēt a master as Lanfrank was glad to be a master to soe worthy a scholler The masters care and labour in teaching was rewarded in the scholler with an extraordinarie diligence of learning what he taught in soe much that in a short time he not only made a great progresse into the knowledge of holy scriptures and other good doctrine but allsoe exercising him self in watching and prayer and other actes of deuotion he became verie desirous to attaine to the height of vertuous perfection For the familiar conuersation he vsed with his good and vertuous master S. LANFRANK caused the light of his auncient resolution towards a monasticall life againe like a fayre morning of pietie to breake out through the clouds of worldly vanities wholly to dedicate him self to Gods seruice True it is that he was much perplext with difficulties to attayne the end he aymed at On the one side he found him self greatly inclined to lead a solitarie life in the desert thereby to applie and employ his thoughts more securely in diuine cōtēplation on the other side he thought it a more secure way to liue vnder the rod of obedience in a monasterie againe his father hauing left him heyre of great lands and goods he was in doubt whether he might not doe God greater seruice liuing in the world and yearly distributing the best part of his meanes to the poore pious vses In these perplexities this prudent yong man would not of him self resolue anie thing in a matter of soe great moment but consulted his master LANFRANK sincerely laying open the secret thoughts of his heart fully He consulteth Lanfrank of choosing a course of life resigning his will into his hands with intention to follow the dictamen of his good counsell The master was vnwilling to resolue his scholler in a matter of such importance but referred it to the iudgment of the venerable Prelat Maurill Archbishop of Roane vnto whom they went both and proposed their difficultie who hauing heard the cause counselled ANSELME to embrace a religious and monasticall life as the most perfect and assured way to heauen and following this aduise he resolued to humble his neck vnder the sweet yoake of CHRIST in the holy order of Sainct BENEDICT III. BVT THERE remayned yet an other difficultie of choosing the place whether he should take the habitt at Cluny or Bec at the first he thought his labour and learning might be to manie profitable at the other he feared it would like a little starre before the sunne be darkened with the bright splendour of LANFRANK and soe become of little or noe seruice at all While his thoughts were tossed with these wauering opinions he began to discourse with him self in this sort Why ANSELME what dost thou meane what doest thou think on Doest thou intēd to make a monasticall life the first stepp to obtaine fame glorie renowne and superioritie God forbid For the true scope of a monke must be to humble him self to others and He taketh the habitt of S Benedict vtterly to despise all titles of honour dignitie And this thou wilt attaine to at the Abbey of Bec or noe where Therefore without all delay he went thither putt on the habitt of S. BENEDICTS order in the sayd monastery where the venerable man Hurluin was Abbot who out of his owne meanes and patrimonie had first built founded that Abbey ANSELME was then at the age of 27. yeares when he became soe carefull attentiue to imitate the vertues of his other brethren that at the terme of three yeares he became him self to be a bright mirrour of religious perfection and monasticall discipline to the whole conuent Soe that B. LANERANK being taken from the Priorship to be made Abbot of the monastery of Cane ANSELME much against
belonging to a good bishop yet in his mind there remayned allwaies a pious desire to goe in pilgrimage which his intention allbeit hidden from mans knowledge yet to God it was most knowne whose diuine goodnes shewed him the fauour at length to attayne the end of his wished desires III. FOR finding a fitt opportunitie he left his bishoprick and He forsaketh his bishoprick togeather with his auncient companions Plechelme and Otgerus he trauelled into France choosing rather to lead a poore and humble life amoÌ„gst straingers then to liue in pompe and glorie in his owne countrey But the more he sought to flie the glorie and honours of the world the more they followed him for in France King Pepin hearing of his great sainctitie receaued him and his fellowes with He is honorably entert ayned by King Pepin wonderfull ioy and honour And hauing vnderstood of their desire to a priuate manner of life he gaue them a place proper for that purpose called Peter-mount in the Diocesse of Liege neere Ruremond where was built a chappell dedicated to the B. Virgin MARY and a famous monasterie of sainct BENEDICTS order in honour of the Prince of the Apostles sainct PETER In this place sainct WYRE finding him self seated according to his owne desire beganne againe to enter into the course of a monasticall life vnder the holy rule of S. BENEDICT which long since he had professed in England amongst His holy exercises the English monks setting forth him self and his fellowes as liuely patternes of religion and vertue to be imitated CHRIST only was the end of all his actions his tongue spake nothing but CHRIST his heart was acquainted with no other thought but of CHRIST for whose loue he dayly sacrificed him selfe to his seruice in watchings prayers fasting and all other mortifications and vertues belonging to a true religious and monasticall life Shining to the countrey both in learming holy coÌ„uersation And being adorned with manie vertues in bodie he liued on earth but in mind he was wholely conuersant in the diuine contemplation of heauen In fine it were too long worthyly to rehearse all the vertues of this holy man IV IN THE meane time King Pepin held him in soe great veneration that to him only as the spirituall guyde of his soule and the King Pepins humilitie in coÌ„fession patrone of his life he was wont to confesse and reueale the sinnes and deformities of his soule Nether was this good Prince ashamed to goe barefooted to confession vnto him and humbly to submitt him self to the arbitrement of his will soe highly he esteemed his sanctitie Moreouer he often made vse of the mature counsell of this holy man in the managing of the chiefest and weightiest affayres of his Kingdom At length Sainct WYRE began to perceaue the neere approach of death by the feeling of his two harbengers old age and sicknes that came vppoÌ„ him When decreasing dayly in strength he still encreased in vertue couragiously expecting that blessed minute which should sett free his soule to flie to the eternall reward of his meritts till by the violence of an ague he chainged the fall of his mortall bodie with the rising of an mmortall life and gaue vp his holy spiritt into the hands of his deare redeemer the eight day of May about the yeare of our Lord 763. His bodie was honourably buried in the foresayd chappell of the B. Virgin were manie miracles are wrought through the meritts of this glorious Sainct His bodie or the greatest part thereof was afterwards translated to Maâ—stricht in Germanie into the Cathedrall Church of that cittie where it is kept with great veneration of the inhabitants and his feast celebrated with an office of a double His life we haue gathered out of the author thereof recited by Surius tom 5. and Molanus in indic Sainct Belgii The Roman Martyrologe this day Baronius tom 8. anno 631. Trithemius of the famous men of S. Benedicts order lib. 3. cap. 63. Arnold Wion lib. 2. cap. 53. Vsuard and mâ—nie others doe make aâ—ple mention of S. WIRE The life of Sainct FREMVND King and Martyr MAY 11. Written by Burchard a Monk of the same time FREMVND descending from a royall stock inherited the gouernement of the Kingdom when his father Offa was soe ouerthrowne wich old age that he was vnfit to manage those affayres anie longer But FREMVND when he had raygned a yeare and an half ruling his state by the balance of true iustistice He forsaketh his kingdom he soe litle esteemed the vaine pompe of the world in respect of the loue of heauen that vnawares of his parents and subiects of his Kingdom with two only in his companie whereof one was Burchard that writt his life and liued with him while he liued he departed to a secret and vnknowne Ermitage in the Iland called Ilefage which at that time was inhabited only by deuils and wicked spirits In this place hauing built a litle cottage and an oratorie in honour of the B. Virgin MARY he spent the space of seaueÌ„ yeares in continuall watching fasting and prayer dayly sacrifycing himself to God by the rude mortification of his bodie and ouercoming the rebellious passions of the mind When the deuill enuying soe great sainctitie in sainct FREMVND with manie grieuous batteries of temptations sought to ouerthrow his godly resolution bringing into his memory the pompe and glory of the world ly dignitie which he had forsaken and filling his mind with manie thoughts of the great good which his youtfull dayes might haue brought to his countrey But he found this souldier of CHRIST soe firme a rock that all his vaine assaults could nether shake nor stirre him from the seate and ground of vertue for hauing his heart alltogeather erected towards heauen and heauenly things he loathed to returne againe to the vanities of the world once despised for the loue of CHRIST therefore well might he be wearied with the temptations of the deuill but ouercome he could not be He is sent for to defend the Countrey II. IN the meane time the Danes breaking into England wasted and spoyled all with fier and sword as they went and hauing martired King EDMOND Offa much fearing their power sent for his sonne Fremund home Whom when the messengers had most straingely found out in his poore cell at his prayers falling downe at his feet they bewayled and declared the necessitie of his friends and parents the arriuall of their enemies the threatned ruine of the Christians and the vtter ouerthrow of their fayth vnlesse by his prudence and courage the countrey were defended against the furie of their barbarous enemies The champion of CHRIST much amazed at this newes staggered in his resolution not knowing what course to take Till recommending the matter to allmightie God by prayer he vnderstood it to be his will that he should goe Therefore armed with the shield of fayth he returned Fremund returneth to his couÌ„trey
the worthie examples of them both soe to rule the flock of CHRIST committed to their charge that they may attaine to the euerlasting happines which these enioy in heauen Amen The life of Sainct DVNSTAN is written by Osberne a monke of Canturbury who florished in the yeare 1020. Surius recites it in his 5. tome Out of which and NICOLAS HARPSFIELD saec 10. cap. 3. 6. 7. we haue chiefly gathered this whole historie of his life The Roman martirologe maks mention of him And not loÌ„g after his death Canutus King of England in a famous sinod at winchester ordayned amongst other things that the memorie of Sainst DVNSTAN should be yearly celebrated in the English Church as it is in the Sarum Berniarie But in an auncient manuscript Breâ—iary of Sainct BENEDICTS Order J find the seast of his holy deposition celebrated the 19. of May with an office of twelue tessons Baronius tom 10. Trithemius in his worke of the illustrious men of Sainct BENEDICTS Order lib. 3. cap. 221. lib. 4. cap. 100. william Malmesbury de gest reg Ang. l. 2. and more amply de gest Pont. lib. 1. and ali our English writers doe worthyly speake his prayses And glorious mention is made of him in the lines of S. Edward king and martir march the 18. of Sainct ELPHFGVS Archbishop and martir Aprill the 19. and elsewhere The life of S. ETHELBERT King and Martir MAY. 20 Written by IoaÌ„nes Anglicus ETHELBERT sonne to Etheldred king of the East-Angles from his verie infancie gaue worthy signes of great towardlines and vertue which in riper yeares he brought to an higher degree of The exercises of his yout h. Christian perfection Coming to yeares of discretion he was sett to schoole wherein he not only profitted much in learning but allsoe auoyding all the fond allurements and vaine pleasures of the world contrarie to the custom of children nobly borne he spent his greatest endeauours in dayly prayers giuing of almes and other vertuous workes of Christian pietie excelling all his equalls in yeares as farre in vertue and learning as in the royaltie of his bloud for when they were sweating in the dustie exercises of their youthfull games ETHELBERT was deuoutly weeping in the Church He is made King of the â—â—st-Angleâ— at his prayers At length death hauing robbed his father of the cares of this world ETHELBERT succeeded in the gouernement of the Kingdome when it was rare to behould with what prudent counsell mercifull iustice meeke iudgement and all other vertues beloÌ„ging to a good Prince he ruled his subiects liuelily expressing both in word worke and example that by how much the more a man is exalted to the height of dignitie by â—oe much he ought to beare a mind more submissiue and courteous vnto all whereby he wonne a wonderfull and singular grace in the hearts of his nobles and people To his mother the Queene he allwaies dutifull loue and respect as vnto his gouernesse and whatsoeuer was pleasing to her desire stood euer with his good liking II. IN THE meane time allbeit of him self he were wholly bent His Nobles perswade â—im to Martie to embrace perpetuall chastitie soe naturall a propension he had to the loue of all vertue yet being earnestly perswaded by the vrgent prayers of his Nobilitie lest otherwise being destitute of an heyre his Kingdom might fall into some danger he yeelded to their desires and gaue his mind to mariage Then the name and fame of one Seledrid only daughter to a Prince rich and potent in the south part of England to whom after her fathers death that Kingdom fell for a dowrie being in the mouthes of all men her our noble ETHELBERT was perswaded to take to wife thereby to ioyne the possession of that principalitie vnto his owne Kingdom But he refused to listen to this counsell affirming that Egeon her father allbeit he were not vnnoble yet he was reported to haue been allwaies much inclined to guile deceipt part whereof sayd he he hath in former time practised against my father At length after a long deliberation he made choise of Alfred daughter to Offa King of the Mercians and the more strictly to oblige her and her father vnto him this vertuous Prince went him self with a He taketh his iourney into Mercia small garde of his owne countrey into Mercia or Midle-England to fetch her in pompe from her fathers court But at his very entrance into this iourney he was terrified with manie strange prodigies and accidents as soe manie fatall signes of his death to which he hastened Ascending on horseback the earth was shaken vnder him and all the cleernes of the day was suddenly darkened with a thick clowd in which appeared a pillar of light breaking out by times that only gaue him light to see his way at length that being buriâ—d in those sad â—lowdes the sunne it self seemed to haue forgotten his office of lighting the world becoming dreadfully darke and black to the sight of him and his companie Where manie being much amazed deuined strangely what those signes might portend only the holy King ETHELBERT in whose heart was engraffed soe pious a candour of nature that he constered all sinister suspicions of deceit in the best sence and constantly perseuered in his proposed A free coÌ„science is voyd of feare iourney with a merrie heart and speech comforting and encouraging his companie to let a firme confidence in the mercie and goodnes of allmightie God banish out of their hearts all vaine feare of worldly dangers And falling downe on his knees amongst them all he made his prayer to our Lord and presently the sunne dispersed those darke cloudes and gaue them perfect light againe III. THEREFORE he arriued safely into Mercia and to the court of King Offa at a place in Hâ—refordshire called Sutton-Wallis where he was at first most courteously and royally entertayned by Offa. But the night following holy ETHELBERT was much terrified and troubled in his sleepe with manie strange dreames and visions presaging his ensuing death as allsoe the immortall glory which should follow This King Offa had a wife called Quendred who hearing her daughter Alfrid highly extolling the See the enuy of wicked woemaÌ„ nobles dotes vertues and riches of Ethelbert and his Kingdome and preferring them before her owne fathers was presently wounded to the heart with the sharpe thornes of a iealous enuie with which she laboured soe cruelly that she could not be deliuered but by the death of King ETHELBERT and the possession of his kingdom Therefore going presently to King Offa her husband she dealt earnestly with him to further her damnable proiect in murdering that innocent Prince For behould sayd she how God hath deliuered your enemie into your hands that by his death his kingdom may passe vnto the right and title of you and your successors In summe whether Offa consented to her deuilish purpose as some Authours say he did or whether he were
and the yeare he died in our writers are verie different He was first buried in his owne Monastery of Weremouth but afterwards his holy reliques were translated to Durham where togeather with the head of King Oswald and the bones of King Coolwulphe a Benedictine Monke of Lindisfarne they were found in a linnen bagge within the tombe of our great saint CVTHBERT during the raigne of William the second when Ranulphus the seauenth bishop of Durham translated the bodie of the same sainct CVTHBERT into the new Church which he had built where the sacred bones of saint BEDE remayne to this day with this Epitaphe too vnelegant for the shrine of soe learned a man Beda Dei famulus monachorum nobile sidus The Epitaphe of his Tombe Finibus e terrae profuit Ecclesiae Solers iste Patrum scrutando per omnia sensum Eloquio viguit plurima composuit Annos in vitater duxit * Quinque vitae triginta Praesbiter officio Maximus ingenio Iunij septenis viduatur carne Calendis Angligena Angelicam commeruit patriam They are in no sorte to be borne with or beleeued who haue A false opinion of his translation written or rather dreamed that his body was transported to Genua in Jtaly For hitherunto I doe not find this affirmed by anie approoued Authour And not a few asseuer that in his life time he neuer went out of the bounds of England and to say that he was transported after death into forreigne lands seemeth to be a monstrous and strainge opinion worthy to be banished into farre countreyes His life we haue collected out of diuers graue Authours William Malmesbury de gest reg Ang lib. 1. cap. 3. Ioannes Anglicus recited by Iohn Capgraue in his legend of English Saincts and Trithemius in his worke of the illustrious men of saint Benedicts Order lib. 3. cap. 155. lib. 2. cap. 21. But his life hath been written by Cuthbert his disciple a Benedictine in the same Monasterie and one much auncienter then all those being an ey-witnes of what he writes out of whom and an other auncient manuscript written by one that suppressed his name we haue taken a great part of his life Mention is made of him in the Roman Martirologe and all our Historiographers as well English as others doe highly sound forth his prayses The end of May. S. BONIFACIVS MARTIR GERMANORVM APLVS APOSTOLVS Benedictinus Angluâ— Junij 5. M. baâ—â— f. The life of S. BONIFACE Archbishop Apostle of Germanie of the holy order of saint BENEDICT IVNE 5 Writen by S. Willibald Bishop of Eiâ—â—â—â—tadt in Germanie WHEN the Englishmen that came out of Germanie had coÌ„quered the Iland of great Britaine and giuen it the name of England the Catholick religion brought in by King Lucius was forced to giue place to Paganisâ—â—e till after an hundred and fortie yeares by the preaching of S. AVGVSTINE the Benedistine Monke it was againe restored to Christianitie Then manie holy men of the same order profession allthough they thought them selues most happy in the purchase of soe great good something notwithstanding they iudged to be wanting for the making vp of their felicitie because their owne auncient countrey of Germanie which they had left was yet detayned in the black night The place of his birth and desire of a religious life of Idolatrie The care and cogitation hereof much troubled and exercised the hearts of manie and chiefly of this holy Benedictine Monke WINFRID afterwards called BONIFACE Who being borne of very worthy parents at Kyrtâ—n in Deuonshire was from his very childhood possessed with a wonderfull loue of the heauenly wisedome and a perfect monasticall manner of life in soe much that he opened the secret of this desire vnto his father VVho greatly displeased thereat endeauoured partly with flattering enticements large promises and partly with threatnings to deterre him from that pious course But by how much the more earnestly the father stroue to reclaime his sonne to the loue of the world by soe much the more coÌ„staÌ„tly the holy child full of the diuine grace remayned firme in his good purpose and studied to attayne to the knowledge of heauenly learning VVhence by the wonderfull prouidence of allmightie God it came to passe that his father who was his only hindrance being taken with a sudden sicknes deposed all his former stubbornesse and sent his sonne to the Benedictine Abbey at Excester six miles He taketh the Habit of S. Bene dict distant from the place where he was borne commending him to the care of VVolphard the venerable Abbot of the same Monastery by whom he was courteously receaued where he beganne to performe all the duties of a monasticall life that were agreable to his tender age growing dayly as in age more perfect in the exercise of vertue II. BEING gone out of the yeares of his childhood he soe entierly subiected him self to the institutions of his ancients and the exercise of sacred reading that euery day his soule was enriched more and more with the diuine guifts of manie vertues In summe when vnder the obedience of the forenamed Abbot he had professed and obserued all the discipline of a regular life according to the Rule of the great Patriarch of Monkes saint BENEDICT for the space of manie yeares and being not able there for of want teachers to satiate his thirst of diuine learning according to the greatnes of his desire with the consent of his Abbot and brethren he went to the Monastery of Nutscelle where vnder the discipline of Winbert the Abbot he made soe wonderfull a progresse in all manner of His great progresse in learning learning and vertue that his fame being diuulged ouer the countrey manie flocked thither to become his schollers When he the more he was exalted to the height of science and excellencie of other vertues the more close he kept him self within the ward of humilitie euer honouring his iuferiours as his equalls and embracing them with the armes of true loue and charitie according to the counsell of the wiseman By how much thou art Eccl. 3. greater humble thy self in all things At the thirtith yeare of his age he was adorned with the sacred dignitie of Priestood when by reason of his great learning and vertue he was held in soe great He is made Priest veneration in that countrey that a Synod being assembled at the same time to difcusse some ecclesiasticall controuersies wherein some certaine decrees were ordayned which notwithstanding were submitted to the honourable suffrage of the Archbishop of Canturbury by the consent of the King and Councell BONIFACE was chosen to be most fitt to treate of soe weightie a matter with the Archbishop which busines he soe brauely and solidly dispatched that he purchased to him self grace and fauour with all men III. BVT retayning allwaies in his mind a pious desire to labour His ardent desire to conuert Insidels in the conuersion of Infidells
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
of him And in an anncient Breâ—iary of S. Benedicts Order which belonged to the Monastery of Burton vppon Trent I find his death celebrated with an office of three Lessons S. ALBANVS PROTOMARTIR IN ANGLIA Iunij 22 〈…〉 The life of Sainct ALBAN the first Martir of Great Britaine IVNE 22 Out of Venerable Bede and an auncient manuscript of S. Albans WHEN the bloudie persecution which the two cruell Emperours Diocletian and Maximian raysed against the Catholick Church raged ouer the world the furie thereof was soe cruelly outrageous that it could not be contayned within the bounds of the Ocean but powred it self out in crueltie euen into the remotest Ilands of the Christian world and amongst others into our famous Iland of Great Britaine Where saint ALBAN was the captaine and leader of that sacred warrefare who being a citizen of the auncient Cittie of Verulam which The place of his birth at that time was a Colonie vnder the Roman Emperours and borne of a famous stock receaued first the Christian fayth by the precepts and instructions of the most holy martir Amphibaluss of whom allsoe we must in this history make often and honourable mention For after that by preaching he had purchased other countreies to CHRIST being enkindled with an ardent zeale of gayning more and more soules to Gods Church he came to Verulam where first with courteous hospitalitie he was entertained by our ALBAN as yet a Heathen But vnderstanding that his new guest Amphibalus was He defireth to know the points of fayth not only a professour but a teacher all soe of the Christian name he was desirous to heare him discourse of the assertion of his fayth and Amphibalus was as eager to giue his Host an accompt thereof hoping to winne him to the same profession Therefore he shewed him how allmightie God consisting of one essence three persons soe dearly loued the world that he sent the second person in Trinitie his only Sonne froÌ„ heauen as a witnes and messenger of his loue for the reconciliation and redemption of mankind Who when he was true God of God yet soe farre he humbled him self for our healths sake that he voutchsafed to take humane flesh vppon him and be borne of a Virgin allbeit he were the maker and creatour of the same flesh and of his mother the Virgin And these sayd he are the principles of our Fayth these by the instruction of the holy Ghost were manie ages agoe knowne and foretould by manie of the Iewes and since confirmed by the wonderfull workes of CHRIST him self and receaued by the common consent of allmost all nations and in embracing of these points consisteth the height of all felicitie and perpetuall miserie followeth all that denie them II. BVT at first ALBAN seemed to laugh at these things and contemne them and to hould the teacher of them him self not only to He laugheth at the misteries of Fayth be vaine in his doctrine but allsoe scarse sound in his witts in auoching such paradoxes soe abhorring as he thought from all sense and reason For who can be brought to beleeue sayd he that sayd he that God had a Sonne and the same soone to be made man and borne of a Virgin without a father and she to remaine both a Virgin and a Mother In summe that daies discourse was broken off and ALBAN being displeased with Amphibalus and his doctrine went to please his troubled mind in his bed whilest his holy teacher Amphibalus sorrowfull that his words had taken noe deeper roote in the mind of his kind Host and still remayning carefull for his soules health betooke him self to his prayers in steed of sleepe nether was his petitioÌ„ to allmightie God in vaine For ALBAN being oppressed vnder the heauie wings of sleepe seemed to behould His vision being asleepe the whole tragedie of our Lords sacred passion soe perfectly acted before him that to his imagination it appeared not soe much to be in a dreame as in very deed represented to his corporall sight Terrified therefore out of his sleepe with the strangenes of this vision he went forthwith to Amphibalus and desired him yf those things which he preached of CHRIST were true to expound allsoe the meaning and interpretation of his dreame Who hauing first giuen thankes vnto allmightie God for soe wonderfull a vocation of his beloued Host drew out a Crucifix Amphibalus expoundeth his dreame which he allwaies carried about him and shewed in that signe how he might plainly vnderstand what his nightly vision did portend And following on with a declaration of CHRISTS Ghospell and passion conformeable to what he had seene in his sleepe he soe solidly discouered the mistery of CHRIST crucified that there was noe place for anie doubt left in the mind of ALBAN soe powerfully the holy Ghost had planted the truth of fayth in his soule By whose sacred vnction ALBAN Note the strange suddaine eonuersioÌ„ of S. Alban being wholly replenished with vnusuall sweetnes and contentment of mind desired now nether teacher nor arguments to instruct him but of his owne accord detesteth his false Gods abiureth his Idols professeth to acknowledge no other God to beleeue no other in his heart to confesse no other with his mouth but God the father and his sonne CHRIST-IESVS and him crucified He admireth the greatnes of the diuine pietie and goodnes in the redemption of mankind and beginnes wholly to be inflamed with his loue who voutchsafed first soe to loue humane frailtie that he vndertooke not only our nature but allsoe all the miseries adherent thereunto as allso a most shamefull death it self to redeeme man from the tirannie of eternall death to the glorie of Gods elect poeple Nay falling He worshippeth the Crucifix prostrate before the Crosse as yf he had seene CHRIST him self really hanging thereon he embraceth and kisseth his wounds giues him infinite thankes for calling him to the knowledge of his fayth being wholly carried beyond him self to thinke how to appeare worthily gratefull for the benefitt of soe vndeserued a vocation Therefore he bad adiew to all worldly pleasures and embraced teares and sighs for his greatest delights all other things he contemned that he might gaine CHRIST alone for all in him he placed all his hope and loue to him he soe perfectly vowed him self and all he had that he would rather a thousand times endure to be robbed of this life then to be separated from the fayth and charitie of his deare redeemer III. IN the confession of these and such like things Amphibalus admitted ALBAN to the purifying grace of Baptisme and at his He is baptised earnest entreatie remayned there some daies more amply to instruct him in all things that belonged to the profession of his receaued religion But in the meane time the renowned name of ALBAN and the fame of this fact allbeit secretly performed made that it came to the eares and knowledge of the
honourable mention of S. Amphibalus and speake all agreable to that which we haue sayd of him S. ETHELDREDA REGINA VIRGO ET ABBATISSA Ordinâ—â— S. 〈◊〉 in Anglia Junij 23. M. baâ—â—… The life of sainct ETHELDRED or AVDRY Queene Virgin and Abbesse of the holy Order of sainct BENEDICT IVNE 23 Out of the auncient records of Ely LEt the fabulous Greekes talke noe more of their chast Penelope who in the twentie yeares absence of her husband Vlisses liued continently in despite of the tempting importunitie of manie noble woers and let the proud Romans cease to bragge of their fayre Lucretia that chose rather to become the bloudie instrument of her owne death then to liue after the violent rauishment of her honour and lett all the world turne their minds to admire and their tongues and pennes to sound the praises of the Christian vertues and chastitie of our blessed ETHELDRED who being ioyned in wedlock to two kings one after an other preserued her self most pure in chastitie to be spiritually vnited to her heauenly spouse the king of Kings CHRIST-IESVS Let all the married admire and the vnwarried in their degree endeauour to imitate this example of wonderfull continencie the like whereof very few are to be found in the Ecclesiasticall histories Heare her life I The glorious Virgin ETHELDRED being daughter to Anna king Her pareÌ„ts of the East-Angles and his wife Hereswith adorned the royaltie of her bloud with the glory of her vertue and sainctitie For from her very infancie she studied to order all her actions to the seruice of allmightie God by auoyding the toying companie of other maydes The vertue of her youth her equalls and wholly betaking her self to embrace chastitie modestie humilitie and all other vertues as the only ornaments of a deuout soule And that they might be the better planted and rooted therein she nourished them with the food of her continuall prayers and watred them with the streames of her deuout teares making it her chiefest exercise to be present at the diuine seruice to visitt and frequent Churches wherin she was more delighted then in the splendour of her fathers royall pallace In a word she led soe holy a life in this her tender age that to her may be truly applied that saying of wisedom Aetas Senectutis vitaimmaculata A pure and immaculate life adorned with manie vertues begetts more veneration then manie yeares of old age for he liues long that liues well II. At length when this holy virgin had in this vertuous manner She is desired in mariage passed ouer her yonger yeares and was come to an age in which she appeared mariageable her vertue of mind wherin she excelled and beautie of bodie wherein she paralled allmost all yong virgins of that time being by flying fame made celebrious all ouer the contrey manie Princes and nobles that frequented her fathers court were much taken therewith and iudged it a wordly blisse which they greatly aymed at to be wedded to such excellent parts seated in soe fayre a throne of beautie But she contemning all wordly pleasures aspired only and wholly to the bedchamber of her eternall spouse CHRIST-IESVS for whose loue she desired allwaies to preserue her chastitie vntouched singing continually spirituall himnes and canticles to his honour and prayse and dayly sacrificing her self vnto allmightie God In the meane time the diuine wisedom soe disposing it and that her vnshaken resolution of chastitie might in this world be made more famous and deseruing a greater crowne of victorie and triumphe in the next she was earnestly She marrieth against her will desired in mariage by one Tunbert a Prince of the South part of the I le of Ely who hauing obtayned her fathers consent iudged him self sure of his desire till the flat refusall of the holy Virgin made him perceaue that more then one word was requisite to a bargaine Then her father interposing his royall authoritie his vertuous daughter ETHELDRED obeyed vsing violence to her owne desires to make them subiect to her fathers will Therefore being married in royall manner to the forenamed Prince behould that which amazeth the fond world and worldlings she was found worthie to imitate the Blessed Virgin MARIE and to lead a chast life togeather with her husband yf he may be called an husband who neuer rob A chast marriage bed his spouse of her virginitie But allbeit they were not as two in one flesh yet were they both of one mind in deuotion passing ouer their daies in prayer almes deedes and other good workes for both parties were consenting to the obseruance of chastitie till an happie death made a separation of that pious vnion and called Tunbert into an other world to receaue the euerlasting reward of his continent and chast life when he had liued in the bands of an vnexperienced wedlock the space of allmost three yeares III. THEN allthough our holy Virgin ETHELDRED piously lamented She retireth to Ely the death of her husband yet in heart she rather reioyced that now she was freed from the yoake of matrimonie hoping by that meanes more easily to escape the vaine allurements of the world Therefore in her owne house at Ely she began to lead a most retired and deuout life hoping in that place which was an Iland encompassed with store of shadie woods more securely to auoyd the vaine honours of the world There her deuotion encreased dayly and her pious desire was more and more enkindled with the fier of the holy Ghost But now her former labour being ouercome she is to be drawne out and ranged into a greater conflict that the palme and glory of her virginitie might more excellently be made manifest to the world For Egsrid King of the Northumbers made very earnest sute to haue her for his wife To which his petitioÌ„ allthough Her second maâ—â—â—ge to King â—gfrid to her it seemed rather odious then glorious yet being ouercome by the importunitie of her frieÌ„ds she vnwillingly yeelded for the gayning of a greater triumphe ouer those vaine pleasures againe she putt her virginitie to the hazard of mariage But with King Egfrid who was a yong man that boyled in the flower and ardour of youthly yeares she endured a farre greater combat allwaies remayning vnconquered In whom the loue of heauen was soe powerfull that it still preserued her holy purpose free from all carnall desires A straiâ—ge resoâ—utâ—oâ— of câ—asttie And in her kings pallace where other ladies are woÌ„t to be inflamed with those vnchast fiers she burned with the flames of His heauenly loue whom the Angells desire to behould and gaze on In a word for the space of twelue yeares our pious Virgin ETHELDRED liued in an holy marriage with her husband king Egfrid without suffering anie the lest blemish to her virginitie A thing soe worthy of admiration that it is hard to say whether the constancie of her or the patience of him that boyled with