The actes of Englysh votaryes comprehendynge their vnchast practyses and examples by all ages, from the worldes begynnynge to thys present yeare, collected out of their owne legendes and chronycles by Iohan Bale. ...

¶Monkerye augmented by Dun∣stane.

SAynt Dunstane here in Englā¦de beynge taught of Iryshe mō¦kes at Glastenburye,* 1.1 was fo∣unde verye connynge in wāton musyck, in sorcerye, and in Image makynge out of all maner metals, stone, and kyndes of wode. By these and soche lyke occupy¦enges, he founde the meanes to augmēt and enryche the monasteryes of mōkes and nonnes euerye where whithin Eng¦lande, not withstandynge he had oft ty∣mes moche a do with deuyls and with women. Yet had he at length these pry∣uyleges than aboue all other spirytuall doers. He wanne by hys musyck and fay¦re speche,* 1.2 the good fauer of dyuerse wo∣men, yea, of some whiche had bene the kynges cōcubynes, as Alfgyne, wilfrith

and soche other, though he afore had put them to paynes. By hys sorceryes,* 1.3 he alwayes made the kynges fytt for hys ghostlye purpose, as wyll apere heraf∣ter, specyallye by kynge Edmonde that was Ethelstanes brother, whom by hys necromancye he brought to the poynte, inuysysyblye to haue bene torne in pe∣ces. What he gote by hys Image makyn¦ge,* 1.4 the scripture sheweth playne, whiche curseth both the hande and the instru∣ment of the Image maker. Sapi. 14. and Deutro. 27. Thys storye declareth more at large Osbertus monachus in uita Dunsta∣ni, Vincencius. li. 24. Ca. 74. Antoninus par. 2.* 1.5 ••i. 16. Ca. 6. Martanus Scotus, Guilhelmus Mal¦mesburiensis, Ranulphus Cestrensis li. 6. Cap. 10. Volateranus, Bergomas, Nauclerus, Iohan Capgraue, Iohan hardynge Vuyllyam Caxton, Iohan 1. yd gate, and Robert Fabyane.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Dun∣stanus magn{us}.
• * 1.2

  musyck
• * 1.3

  sorcerye
• * 1.4

  Caruyn¦ge.
• * 1.5

  autours