The story of Jetzer, taken out of Dr. G. Burnet's letters with a collection of miracles wrought by popish saints, during their lives, and after their deaths, out of their own authours, for information of all true-hearted Protestants : with a prefatory discourse, declaring the impossibility and folly of such vain impostures.

MIRACLES Wrought by POPISH SAINTS.

ABOUT the beginning of the 15th Century, a Franciscan happened to preach in Francfort, and one Wigand a Dominican coming into the Church, the Cordelier seeing him, broke out into exclamations, praising God that he was not of an Order that prophaned the Virgin, or that poysoned Princes in the Sacrament, (for a Dominican had poysoned the Emperour Henry the VII. with the Sacrament,) Wigand being extreme∣ly provoked with this bloudy reproach, gave him the Lye, upon which a dispute arose, which ended in a tumult that had almost cost the Dominican his life, yet he got away. The whole Order resolved to take their revenge, and in a Chapter, held at Vimpsen in the year 1504. they contrived a method for supporting the credit of their Order, which was much sunk in the opinion of the people, and for bearing down the reputation of the Franciscans. Four of the juncto undertook to manage the design; for they said, since the people were so much disposed to be∣lieve Dreams and Fables, they must dream of their side, and endeavour to cheat the people as well as the others had done. They resolved to make Bern the Scene in which the project should be put in execution; for they found the people of Bern, at that time apt to swallow any thing, and not disposed to make severe en∣quiries into extraordinary Matters. When they had formed their design, a fit Tool presented it self; for one Ietzer came to take their habit as a Lay-brother, who had all the dispositions necessary for the execution of their project: For he was extreme simple, and was much inclined to Austerities, so having observed his temper well, they began to execute their project the very Night after he took the Habit, which was on Lady-day 1507. one of the Fryars conveyed himself secretly into his Cell, and appeared to him as if he had been in Purgatory, in a strange fi∣gure, and he had a Box near his mouth, upon which as he blew, fire see∣med to come out of his mouth; he had also some Dogs about him, that appeared as his Tormentors. In this posture he came near the Fryar, while he was a bed, and took up a celebrated Story that they used to tell all their Fryars,

to beget in them a great dread at the laying aside their habit, which was, that one of the Order, who was Superiour of their House at Soloturn, had gone to Paris, but laying aside his habit, was killed in his Lay-habit. The Fryar in the Vi∣zard said, he was that person, and was condemned to Purgatory for that Crime; but he added, that he might be rescued out of it by his means, and he seconded this with most horrible Cries, expressing the Miseries which he suffered. The poor Fryar (Ietzer) was excessively frighted, but the other advanced, and re∣quired a Promise of him to doe that which he should desire of him, in order to the delivering him out of his Torment. The frighted Fryar promised all that he asked of him; then the other said, he knew he was a great Saint, and that his prayers and mortifications would prevail, but they must be very extraordinary. The whole Monastery must for a week together discipline themselves with a Whip, and he must lie prostrate in the form of one on a Cross, in one of their Chapels, while Mass was said in the sight of all that should come together to it; and he added that if he did this, he should find the effects of the love that the B. Virgin did bear him, together with many other extraordinary things; and said, he would appear again accompanied with two other Spirits; and assured him, that all that he did suffer for his deliverance, should be most gloriously rewarded. Morning was no sooner come than the Friar gave an account of this Apparition to the rest of the Convent, who seemed extremely surprized at it, they all pressed him to undergo the discipline that was enjoyned him, and every one undertook to bear his share; so the deluded Fryar performed it all exactly in one of the Cha∣pels of their Church: This drew a vast number of Spectatours together, who all considered the poor Fryar as a Saint, and in the mean while the four Fryers that managed the imposture, magnified the Miracle of the Apparition to the skies in their Sermons. The Fryar's Confessor was upon the Secret, and by this means they knew all the little passages of the poor Fryar's life, even to his thoughts, which hel∣ped them not a little in the Conduct of the matter. The Confessor gave him an Ho∣stie, with a piece of Wood; that was, as he pretended, a true piece of the Cross, and by these he was to fortify himself, if any other Apparitions should come to him, since evil Spirits would be certainly chained up by them. The Night after that, the former Apparation was renewed, and the masqued Fryar brought two others with him in such Vizards, that the Fryar thought they were Devils indeed. The Fryar presented the Hostie to them, which gave them such a check, that he was fully satis∣fied of the vertue of this preservative.

The Fryar, that pretended he was suffering in Purgatory, said so many things to him relating to the Secrets of his life, and Thoughts, which he had from the Con∣fessor, that the poor Fryar was fully possessed with the opinion of the reality of the Apparition. In two of these Apparitions, that were both managed in the same manner, the Fryar in the Masque talked much of the Dominican Order, which he said was excessively dear to the B. Virgin, who knew her self to be conceived in Ori∣ginal sin, and that the Doctors who taught the contrary were in Purgatory: That the Story of S. Bernard's appearing with a spot on him, for having opposed himself to the feast of the Conception, was a Forgery: but that it was true, that some hide∣ous

Flies had appeared on St. Bonaventure's Tomb, who taught the contrary. That the B. Virgin abhorred the Cordeliers for making her equal to her Son; that Scotus was damned, whose Canonization the Cordeliers were then soliciting hard at Rome; and that the Town of Bern would be destroyed for harbouring such plagues within their walls. When the enjoined discipline was fully performed, the Spirit appeared a∣gain, and said, he was now delivered out of Purgatory, but before he could be ad∣mitted to Heaven he must receive the Sacrament, having died without it, and af∣ter that he would say Mass for those, who had by their great charities rescued him out of his pains. The Fryar fancied the voice resembled the Prior's a little; but he was then so far from suspecting any thing, that he gave no great heed to this suspi∣tion. Some days after this, the same Fryar appeared as a Nun all in Glory, and told the poor Fryar, that she was St. Barbary, for whom he had a particular devotion, and added, that the B. Virgin was so much pleased with his charity, that she intended to come and visit him: He immediately called the Convent together, and gave the rest of the Fryars an account of this Apparition, which was entertained by them all with great joy; and the Fryar languished in desires of the accomplishment of the promise, that St. Barbara had made him. After some days the longed-for delusion appeared to him, clothed as the Virgin used to be on the great Feasts, and indeed in the same Habits: there were about her some Angels, which he af∣terwards found were the little Statues of Angels, which they set on the Altars on the great Holy Days. There was also a pulley fastned in the room over his head, and a cord tied to the Angels, that made them rise up in the Air, and flie about the Virgin, which encreased the delusion. The Virgin, after some endearments to himself, extolling the merit of his charity and discipline, told him that she was conceived in Original Sin, and that Pope Iulius II. that then reigned, was to put an end to the dispute, and was to abolish the Feast of her Conception, which Sixtus IV. had instituted, and that the Fryar was to be the instrument of persua∣ding the Pope of the truth in that matter: She gave him three drops of her Son's bloud, which were three tears of bloud that he had shed over Ierusalem, and this signfied that she was three hours in Original Sin, after which she was by his Mer∣cy delivered out of that state: For it seems the Dominicans were resolved so to compound the matter, that they should gain the main point of her Conception in Sin; yet they would comply so far with the reverence for the Virgin, with which the World was possessed, that she should be believed to have remained a very short while in that state. She gave him also five drops of Bloud in the form of a Cross, which were Tears of Bloud, that she had shed while her Son was upon the Cross. And, to convince him more fully, she presented an Hostie to him, that appeared as an ordinary Hostie, and of a sudden it appeared to be of a deep red colour. The cheat of those supposed visits was often repeated to the abused Fryar; at last the Virgin told him, that she was to give him such marks of her Son's love to him, that the matter should be past all doubt. She said that the five wounds of St. Lucia, and St. Catharine were real wounds, and that she would also imprint them on him; so she bid him reach his hand; he had no great mind to receive a favour in which he was to suffer so much: but she forced his hand,

and struck a nail through it; the hole was as big as a grain of pease, and he saw the Candle clearly through it; this threw him out of a supposed transport into a real agony; but she seemed to touch his hand, and he thought he smelt an Oynt∣ment, with which she anointed it, though his Confessour persuaded him, that that was onely an imagination; so the supposed Virgin left him for that time.

The next night the Apparition returned, and brought some linen Clothes, which had some real or imaginary virtue to allay his Torment: and the pretended Virgin said, they were some of the Linens in which Christ was wrapped; and with that she gave him a soporiferous draught, and while he was fast asleep, the other four wounds were imprinted on his body, in such a manner that he felt no pain.

But in order to the doing of this, the Fryars betook themselves to Charms, and the Subprior shewed the rest a book full of them; but he said, that before they could be effectual, they must renounce God, and he not onely did this himself, but by a formal act put in writing signed with his Bloud, he dedicated himself to the Devil; it is true, he did not oblige the rest to this, but onely to renounce God. The composition of the Draught was a mixture of some Fountain-water and Chrism, the Hairs of the Eyebrows of a Child, some Quicksilver, some grains of Incense, somewhat of an Easter Wax-Candle, some consecrated Salt, and the Bloud of an unbaptised Child. This Composition was a secret which the Subprior did not communicate to the other Fryars. By this the poor Fryar, Ietzer, was made almost insensible: when he was awake, and came out of this deep sleep, he felt this wonderfull impression on his body, and now he was ravished out of mea∣sure, and came to fansie himself to be acting all the parts of our Saviour's Passi∣on: he was exposed to the People on the great Altar, to the amazement of the whole Town, and to the no small mortification of the Franciscans. The Dominicans gave him some other draughts that threw him into convulsions, and when he came out of those, a voice was heard, which came through that hole which yet re∣mains, and runs from one of the Cells along a great part of the Church: for a Fryar spoke through a pipe, and at the end of the hole, there was an Image of the Virgins, with a little Jesus in her armes, between whom and his mother the voice seemed to come; the Image also seemed to shed Teers, and a Painter had drawn those on her Face so lively, that the people were deceived by it. The little Jesus askt why she wept; and she said, it was because his honour was given to her, since it was said that she war born without sin: in conclusion, the Fryras did so over act this matter, that at last even the poor deluded Fryar himself came to discover it, and resolved to quit the Order.

It was in vain to delude him with more Apparitions; for he wellnigh kill'd a Fryar that came to him, personating the Virgin in another shape with a Crown on her head: he also over-heard the Fryars once talking amongst themselves, of the Con∣trivance and Success of the imposture, so plainly, that he discovered the whole Mat∣ter, and upon that, as may be easily imagined, he was filled with all the horrour with which such a Discovery could inspire him.

The Fryars fearing that an imposture, which was carried on hitherto with so much success, should be quite spoiled, and be turned against them, thought the surest way was to own the whole Matter to him, and to engage him to carry on the Cheat. They told him in what esteem he would be, if he continued to support the reputation that he had acquired, that he would become the chief person of the Or∣der; and in the end they persuaded him to go on with the Imposture: But at last, they fearing lest he should discover all, resolved to poyson him: of which he was so apprehensive, that once a Loaf being brought him, that was prepared with some spices, he kept it for some time, and it growing green, he threw it to some young Wolves Whelps that were in the Monastery, who died immediately. His constitu∣tion was also so vigorous, that though they gave him Poyson five several times, he was not destroyed by it; they also prest him earnestly to renounce God, which they judged necessary, that so their Charms might have their effect on him; but he would never consent to that: At last they forced him to take a poysoned Hostie, which yet he vomited up soon after he had swallowed it down; that failing, they used him so cruelly, whipping him with an iron Chain, and girding him about so strait with it, that to avoid farther Torment he swore to them, in a most imprecating stile, that he would never discover the secret, but would still carry it on; and so he deluded them till he found an opportunity of getting out of the Convent, and of throwing himself into the hands of the Magistrates, to whom he discovered all.

The four Fryars were seised on, and put in prison, and an account of the whole Matter was sent, first to the Bishop of Lausanne, and then to Rome; and it may be easily imagined, that the Franciscans took all possible care to have it well examined, the Bishop of Lausanne, and of Zion, with the Provincial of the Dominicans, were appointed to form the Process. The four Fryars first excepted to Ietzer's credit; but that was rejected: Then being threatned with the Question, they put in a long plea against that; but though the Provincial would not consent to that, yet they were put to the question; some endured it long; but at last, they all confessed the whole progress of the Imposture. The Provincial appeared concerned; for though Ietzer had opened the whole Matter to him, yet he would give no credit to him; on the contrary, he Charged him to be obedient to them, and one of the Fryars said plain∣ly, that he was in the whole secret, and so he withdrew; but he died some days after at Constance, having poyson'd himself, as was believed. The Matter lay a∣sleep some time, but a year after that a Spanish Bishop came, authorized with full power from Rome, and the whole Cheat being fully proved, the four Fryars were solemnly degraded from their Priesthood, and eight days after, it being the last of May 1509, they were burnt in a Meadow, on the other side of the River, over a∣gainst the great Church; the place of their Execution was shewed me, as well as the Hole in the Wall, through which the voice was conveyed to the Image. It was certainly one of the blackest, and yet the best carried on Cheat, that has been ever known; and no doubt had the poor Fryar dyed before the discovery, it had passed down to posterity, as one of the greatest Miracles that ever was; and it gives shrewd suspition, that many of the other Miracles of that Church, were of the same na∣ture, but more successfully finished.

Miracles wrought by Ignatius, as they are related in Ch. 16. and 17. of The Glory of the Blessed Father St. Ignatius, Printed at Roven, 1633. after the Copy compiled at Cracovia.

Miracles wrought by St. Ignatius, in his life time.

IGnatius, Founder of the Society of Iesus, is reported to have done these following Miracles in his Life time.

It fell out at Barcelona, that two Brothers, about their Patrimony, had long sued one another, and he, in fine, whose fortune it was to lose the Suit, falling through too vehement apprehension into despair, hung himself with a Halter upon a Beam in his Chamber: The bruit of which came no sooner to the Ears of St. Ignatius, but suddenly he betook himself to the place, and cutting asunder the Halter from that unfortunate Rafter, gave order that the dead Body should be laid upon a Bed; which done, falling apart upon his Knees, he began with many tears to demand the safety of that miserable Creature at the Hands of Almighty God; but whilst Ignatius (being at that time but a Student in the Grammar-School) was thus earnest in his Prayers, they who were there present standing in suspence, with their Eyes fixed upon the Bed, (a thing full of miracle) the dead Man returned suddenly to life, and had the use of his Voice so long, till calling for a Ghostly Father, he had confessed his Sins and received Absolution, and then at last gave up the Ghost, late∣ly redeemed from out the Jaws of Hell into the Hands of his Creator.

He recovered immediately a certain Man called Bastida, who had been many years sick of the Falling-Sickness, by casting up his Eyes and Prayers for him to Heaven.

He often chased the Devil out of possessed Persons, by the Sign of the Cross.

He restored a Woman to health, who lay half dead of a Consumption.

He delivered one Simon Rodriguez, being also at Death's door, from his Disease, by a pious Embrace.

Iohn Baptista Coco, who by accident one Evening had so burnt his Hand, that it became utterly unserviceable, and disabled for any manual Function, the next day by his Prayers had his Hand healed and restored.

Returning sick into his own Countrey of a quotidian Ague, and Preaching often in the open Fields, (because the Churches were not capable of the Concourse of Peo∣ple,) howbeit his weakness would not permit him to raise his Voice aloud, yet every word of his Sermon was perfectly and distinctly heard and understood by all Men for the space of more than 300 Paces.

Coming once to visit one Alexander Petronio, who lay sick in a dark and close Chamber and Bed, in regard the Windows and Doors were kept shut to keep out the light, he replenished the Room with the supernatural splendour of his Face, and recovered the sick Person.

He freed one Elutherio Pontano, who had been grievously molested for the space of more than two years, with certain foul Temptations of the Devil, by his only see∣ing and discoursing with the Party.

The College of Loretto being fearfully haunted with Spirits, appearing in sundry foul shapes of Men and Beasts, and the ordinary Exorcisms, and other Ceremonies, usually having been applied, and those fearfull Apparitions nevertheless not ceasing, the Rector of the College addressed himself by Letters to St. Ignatius, commending the business to his holy Sacrifices and Prayers, who no sooner received news of it, but he absolutely freed the House from those haunts of ill Spirits by his Prayers and Letter, not for the present only, but for ever after.

St. Ignatius his Linen, being washed with devotion by a certain devout Woman, restored life and motion to her withered and dead Arme.

One Isaac, a Jew, refusing with a passionate obstinacy to become a Christian, and contemning courtesies, and all other courses taken with him by others, was by Saint Ignatius soon satisfied, appeased, and persuaded to be Baptized, by the only utte∣ring of these three words, Mane nobiscum Isaac.

A certain Person of Note, being of a more turbulent Spirit than was fit longer to be endured, and St. Ignatius not being able by gentle persuasions to cure his diseased Mind, changing at last his style, and beginning to call upon the Justice of God, and represent unto him the Vengeance of Heaven, he did it with such a feeling, and expression of fervour, that the Walls and House appeared to him to tremble and shake with horrour; with the sight of which the standers by, being stricken, im∣mediately fell upon their Knees, imploring the Mercy of God by their Prayers and Vows; and the Delinquent, prostrating himself at the Feet of St. Ignatius, and with a Voice of Confusion begging pardon for his offence, promised from thence forward an amendment of himself.

Father Leonard Kesselius, residing at Colen, had a vehement desire to see St. Ignati∣us, then at Rome, above 300 Leagues distant from thence; and having besought the B. Father by. Letters, that it might be lawfull for him to travel on foot to Rome; he made answer, that his presence was necessary at Colen for the good of others, en∣joining him besides not to stir from thence, for that Almighty God peradventure by some other course might so provide, that he might see him without the pains and toil of so tedious a journey; the Father therefore being one day at his Prayers, St. Ignatius appeared unto him, being yet alive and breathing, and discoursed long with him, to his infinite contentment.

The B. Father lying often sick, if in the mean time any difficulty hapned, for the solving of which his vertue and wisdom was required, he seemed in a manner to be perfectly recovered, and his Mind guiding his Body, appeared a sound Man; so that it became familiar to them of the Houshold, as often as he fell sick, to desire that some Business of Consequence might happen, for the facilitating of which St. Ig∣natius might rise, and be quit of his Disease.

Miracles wrought by St. Ignatius after his decease.

In the Processes for the Canonization of St. Ignatius, commenced by the Au∣thority of the Ordinaries first, and afterwards by that of the See Apostolick, more than 200 Miracles are related, wrought by the Merits and Intercession of St. Ig∣natius after his decease; besides which, there are divers others as authentical, not yet published, (because those former for his Canonization were more than sufficient) confirmed nevertheless by the grave Testimonies of Men beyond exception, and Printed at Rome, and other Parts of Italy, in Spain, and in Germany and other Places, by the approbation of them whom it concerneth to approve them: Here only I will relate some few, because my brevity promised will not permit many.

When the Body of St. Ignatius lay exposed upon the Bier, for the performance of his Funeral Rites, one Bernadina, a Roman, had a vehement desire to bring a Daughter of hers, who had been long troubled with the Hemorrhoids, so grievously, that no art of Physick could cure her, to kiss the Hands of his dead Body, assuring her self the recovery of her Daughter by that touch; but the Daughter, transpor∣ted oftentimes by the press of People, not being able for the throng to approach near the Body, her Mother laid hold of a piece of his Garment, and had no sooner applied it to her Daughters Body but she was quit of her Disease.

Father Nicholas Bobadilla, having been long sick of an Ague, was recovered by lying in the Bed of St. Ignatius.

At Manresa, a certain Lady of Quality feeling no living motion of her Child in her Womb, for the space of three hours before she was brought to Bed, at last was delivered of a dead Child; the unfortunate success of which, being much la∣mented by the standers by, the rather because the Child had not been Christened; the Midwife about half an hour after the delivery of the Woman, implored with confidence the help of St. Ignatius, and had scarce begun her Prayers, but the Child, before pale and black, returned now to Life.

St. Ignatius being besought for the Life of a little dead Infant of an Indian Wo∣man, restored the Child to Life.

He restored many blind Men their Sight, deaf Men their Hearing, lame Men their Limbs, cured Men stricken with the Palsie, others given over by the Physi∣cians and lying at death's door, he restored perfectly to their Health. He appeared to many after his decease, either delivering them from grievous tentations, or free∣ing them from their Diseases or other dangers, or giving them good Counsel, or fore∣telling things to come, or comforting such as served him with divine Consola∣tions; and in his Journey to Heaven, at the very instant of his decease at Rome (as afterwards appeared by computation of Hours) he appeared in Glory to that Noble and Religious Lady Margareta de Lilus, commending the Society to her, as a prin∣cipal Benefactress of the College of Bolonia.

Many Devils have been cast out of possessed Persons, and out of Houses which they haunted▪ by the Relicts of the Holy Father, or by hanging up his Picture.

The Oil of the Lamp which burns before his Body, hath wrought many strange Cures.

He hath eased many Women who have called upon him in the extremity of their Child-bearing Labours, and bestowed Children upon barren Women.

At Carpentras a certain Woman being delivered of a Child without motion, and of the Complexion of a Blackmoor, so that it was doubtfull what course was to be taken in this prodigious accident, whether the Child ought to be Christened or no, or whether it were to be deferred till some motion were discovered in it; at last, by the persuasion of a certain Canon, they implored the aid of St. Ignatius, by which the Child was suddenly not recovered only, but so recovered that his Coun∣tenance became chearfull and fair.

He cured divers of the Pleurisie.

He protected many Men from the fury of their Enemies; others, being fallen head-long from some dangerous precipice, were defended from all hurt by invoking his Name.

At Cesenza one Angelo Lopez, upon the Eve of St. Ignatius, in expression of his affection, had filled his Windows with many Paper-Lanthorns, adding to each Lanthorn the Picture of the Saint, and with infinite demonstrations of gratulation, repeated often these words, Io Loyola, B. Pater io! but in the midst of this triumph, by chance it came to pass, that by the greatness of the Wind the Fire had taken hold of his Lanthorns, which when it was observed by some Rascality of the Vul∣gar, they began to scoff at his devotion, upbraiding the man for his superstition, and with a bitter allusion to his Motto of Triumph, invert the words of it thus; At, at, Beatus uritur: At, Loyola crematur! At which the man growing infinitely out of patience, out of his sense of this irreligion used to St. Ignatius; And I for my part, quoth he, have so high an esteem of the Sanctity of the B. Father, that I believe him to be able to protect his singed Picture from the Fire: Neither was he deceived in his be∣lief, for the flame having consumed the Paper round about it, forbore to touch the Picture, either in demonstration of the Sanctity of the B. Father, or in observan∣cy of the zeal of him who desired it.

At Braga a certain Woman having been lately brought to bed, was so much weakened, for many days after, with a continual Flux of Bloud, that life could hardly be kept in her from following the course of the Flux; who drinking of the water into which her Child had been dipped, having been wrapped immedi∣ately before in the Garments of Saint Ignatius, her Flux suddenly stopped, and she recovered her accustomed strength.

In the Town of Gumarent a certain Woman having lost the use of her Sight and Hearing, and received the Holy Oil and other Rites of the Church, lay ut∣terly out of her senses; and whilst some about her, out of Devotion, were endea∣vouring to put her in mind of her last words, a certain Woman, who in courtesie came to visit her, called to remembrance, that a little piece of the Girdle St. Ignatius used in his life time, having lately been sent to her by a Son of hers of the Society; which she with great Confidence, and Reverence towards God, presently applied

to the sick Woman; which done, she began to recover her senses by degrees, to breath, to stretch out her Hands, and make signs for Meat, to the Admiration of the Physicians, for the suddenness of the Cure. All which things were after∣wards confirmed by the Attestation of sworn Witnesses.

At Caglari a certain elder Brother snatching up a Knife at dinner time, hurt his younger Brother in the Eye; and at the same time the Daughter of a certain Gen∣tlewoman, carving at the Table, was sorely hurt in like manner, in one of her Eyes; both which calling upon the Aid of Saint Ignatius, were delivered from dan∣ger, beyond expectation.

Another Woman had been so weakned, for the space of four Months, with continual Pains, that she was utterly deprived of the use of her Feet; but the Feast of St. Ignatius drawing near, she, desirous to partake of the common Jollity that day expressed in our Church, was not frustrated of her desire; for her Pain cea∣sing, and her Feet being restored to their wonted Strength, she came thither with Joy, to have a share in the Devotion.

In the same place, upon the Eve of St. Ignatius, the Artillery playing round, a little Infant who could not speak, and who had never heard the Name of St. Igna∣tius, cryed out, to the Admiration of all standers by, To morrow is the day of B. Ig∣natius. But they who were present, hearing a thing so full of Wonder, for Expe∣riment sake, demanded again of the Child, what was to be done to morrow, who answered as before.

At Majorca dwelt a certain Woman, who through the Contraction of her Sinews, was become so Lame, that she could not go without Crutches; the whole Town therefore being filled with the noises of Trumpets, Voices, and other Musical▪ Instruments, Almighty God inspired her with a desire of Visiting our Church; who put her self in readiness to go, notwithstanding the dissuasions of her Sister, who feared she might miscarry by the press of People, she nevertheless gave no Ear to her Dissuasions, but put her self upon the way, and was suddenly Cured, and recovered strength in her Feet; and throwing away her Crutches, with∣out any help betook her self to the Church, where in Thanks-giving she caused a Mass of the B. Sacrament to be said.

Another Woman, who some years past had received her Sight by the means of this B. Father, lying now again desperately sick, and being given over by four Physicians, not forgetfull by whom she had received Light before, now again re∣posed all her Hopes and Confidence in the same Physician: One Night therefore she called out upon one of the Women, who were accustomed to Watch with her Make haste, quoth she, come hither with speed and behold this Glorious Splendor! O if thou hadst come sooner, thou shouldst have beheld my St. Ignatius visiting me! for I am now Recovered, and perfectly well. And the Event confirmed it to be true; for the Physicians themselves could not deny, but that she was Cured by some Secret Power.

At Monte in Gallicia a great Fire raging for many days together, and consu∣ming a certain Wood, gathered still new forces, dispersing and spreading it self

far and near, there being no humane means to stop or restrain it, to which the Wind rising upon a sudden, drove the Flames towards the Barns and bordering Town, so that the Fire was now advanced within three or four Paces of the Corn and Houses; a certain person therefore, taking the Picture of St. Ignatius, which he had about him, and falling to his Prayers, threw it into the midst of the Flames, there where the Fire raged most, and threatned greatest Ruine, and immediately the fury and rage of it ceased, the Flames which flew highest descended and vanished, and the whole Fire returned upon a sudden from whence it began: And, which is worth Admiration, a certain Woman, who had observed the throwing in of the Picture, leaping into the midst of the smoaking Brands, raked away the Ashes with her Fin∣gers, and being unhurt, brought away the Picture from the midst of the burning Coals.

At Friburg a little Child of three years of age by chance had broken his Arme, the Mother of whom fearing the displeasure of her Husband, being then absent, invoketh the help of St. Ignatius, but she had scarce ended her Prayers, when, to her infinite contentment, she found her Child before her Eyes, whole and with∣out hurt.

St. Ignatius being invoked, wrought a present Cure upon divers who had been sorely wounded, whose Cure would otherwise have exacted a long time.

Many Men by the presence of St. Ignatius his Picture, or by the presence, or by the application or touch of his Relicks, have cured the Plague when it raged most sorely and consumed Multitudes.

A certain Nobleman at Placa perceiving the Sky to be overcast with thick Clouds, and fearing a great spoil of his Corn, lying yet open in the Field, made a Vow to St. Ignatius for the preventing of the Tempest, so that when all the adjoyning Ter∣ritories swell'd with flouds of Rain, not a drop had touched or fallen upon his Fields.

At Naples one Vincentio Pagano having prepared certain artificial Fires for the Celebration of the Feast of St. Ignatius, had dangerously through his own folly scorched his Hand, upon which accident certain Women of his acquaintance began to flock about him, applying to his burnt Hand a Note or Superscription of St. Ig∣natins his Hand-writing, the touch of which presently eased his pain, and the ra∣ging of the burnt part, which usually ceaseth not till a certain day, was out of hand appeased.

At Catanzaro a certain pious Woman, having a Son by one Gasper Mariscano, (her Husband,) out of her Devotion to St. Ignatius, had a desire to have him Chri∣stened by the name of Ignatius, howbeit her Husband (in regard the Relicks of Irenaeus were preserved in that City) had rather the Child should have been called Irenaeus; but in Conclusion, after much debate about the business, they concluded the Child should be named Ignatius Irenaeus; but this contention occasioned many diffe∣rences betwixt the Man and Wife, for the Wife ever after called her Child Ignatius, and gave a strict command to them of her Houshold to do the like; and Gasper on the other side, commanded them to call him Irenaeus: The difference had continued thus betwixt them almost three months, when arguing the business one morning,

they both grew somewhat hot, till the Father, at last, in jest, Well, quoth he, let the strife be put to the arbitrement of the Child it self; to which the Mother was contented to agree; whereupon the Father, in merriment, demanded of his Child, at that time but three months old, by what name he would have himself called; when, behold! the Child miraculously received the use of his Tongue, distinctly pronouncing the name of Ignatius; which Voice so took his Father with admiration of the Miracle, that from thence forward he gave order his Child should be called Ignatius, dedicating him to the Service of St. Ignatius.

In the Territory of Peru in the West-Indies, one Christopher Martinez de Peredes, for the space of four years together, was forced through the lameness of his Feet to make use of one Crutch in the beginning, and afterwards of two; who hea∣ring, upon the Feast of St. Ignatius, the Triumph of the People, And shall I, quoth he, upon this day, when all Men are in jollity, remain as it were an unbidden Guest? shall I alone remain destitute? which words he had scarce uttered, when his Feet recovered forces, and he found himself so strong, that early the next morning, without any other help, he betook himself to the College.

One Benedicto Lopez, Prefect of the silver Mines, pursuing a certain Ethiopian Fu∣gitive, was set upon by five others at unawares, who stabbing and butchering him in sundry places dragged him from his Horse in a most barbarous manner: In which his extremities he implored the aid of St. Ignatius, who presently presented himself to him in these exigents, and laying hold of his Cloak, bore off, with both hands, the Blows of his Enemies, so that at last (his Enemies being departed, and the B. Father vanished) he found himself safe, and without hurt, saving that his Hat and other Garments were pierced.

A certain Lady at Avignon had a Son much afflicted with a violent continual Fe∣ver, who besides the Disease it self, with the violence of it had one of his Hands disjoynted, and in a deformed manner turned the wrong side outward, so that in the opinion of the Physicians he was in danger of the loss of his Hand, if not of his Life with it; which lamentable case a certain Religious Woman, allied to the sick Youth, compassionating, vowed three Masses, and as many Wax Candles to St. Ig∣natius, for the health of her Kinsman; which done, the Youth immediately reco∣vered, and for a more infallible confirmation of the Miracle, his Hand was replaced in the right place.

At Barcelona one Elizabeth Rebelles, a Religious Woman, being in some high place busie about her work, upon a sudden unfortunately tumbled headlong to the ground, and received so sore a blow, that her Thigh-bone, which is the solidest Bone of the Body, was utterly broken; the Physician and Chirurgion were im∣mediately called, who for more than forty days together, with what diligence was possible, applied all the Remedies their Arts afforded, howbeit to little purpose; in conclusion, the sick Woman was brought to those terms, that in all Mens judg∣ments she was past recovery, and as it was conceived, could not last longer than that day; yet notwithstanding, as soon as a Relick of St. Ignatius was applied to her heart, she presently recovered.

One Hierome Humphrey, a Boy of ten years of age, upon one of his Eye∣brows, near the Temples, had received a mortal wound, which occasioned an inflamma∣tion in his Eye, and cast him into a Fever; for which the Chirurgion had him in a cure a month, not being able to help him, for the wound did not only not heal, but grew so wide, that it received a tent of a finger long, and voided so much filth as amazed the Chirurgion: The Mother of the Child made a Vow to St. Ig∣natius, commending her Child to him; and behold! when (another Chirurgion in the mean time having been called, for the better consulting about the Cure) the bands of the sore were unfolded, they found the wound perfectly healed, closed up, and sound.

One Ferdinando Pertel having fallen into a Tertian Ague, which afterward pro∣ved to be a double Tertian, and at last a pestilent Fever, with a kind of raving and fearfull horrour of his Senses, was forsaken by the Physicians, and lay in his last Extremity; being prepared with all the Rites of the Church, and invoking St. Ignatius, whose Picture he held in his hand, he began suddenly to recover, and was cured of his Disease.

One Anne Barzellona, a Wom•••• of sixty years of age, having for about the space of two years been so miserably strucken with the Palsie, that she was unfit for any labour, and unable without Crutches to go up and down stairs, and with her Crutches also seemed rather to creep than go; which when the applica∣tion of Remedies would not help, and she besides was taken with an Apoplexy in her other side, so that she became impotent, and was confined to her Bed; find∣ing her self thus void of all humane help, by the assistence of her Crutches and one Margaret her Sister, she betook her self to a Chapel of St. Ignatius, two hours travelling distant from her Lodging, where making a Vow in honour of St. Igna∣tius, immediately she began to find her self better, and was able to bow her Knee, which before was grown stiff; and having ended her Devotions, arose full of contentment, and returned a joyfull Woman nimbly to her Lodging.

A Bone and Superscription of St. Ignatius being applied to the Eyes of a cer∣tain Widow of Majorca, called Iane Clara Noguera, who was Blind, restored her to sight.

Divers other Miracles of St. Ignatius are related in a late Life of his, set forth by Father Pedro Ribadeneira in Spanish, Printed at Madrid in the year 1601, and Translated by others into Latin, Greek, Italian, the Polish, and other Languages, and published in the chief Cities of Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and other places, where such as are curious to peruse them, may find them.

Miracles wrought by Saint Francis Xaverius and Saint Philip Nerius, taken out of Chapt. 18 and 20. of the fore-mentioned Book.

Upon the Frontiers of Piscaria he raised a Boy, who for many hours together had lain drown'd in a Well. In the Town of Mutan in like manner he raised a∣nother Boy, who dying of a Pestilential Fever, had remained dead four and twenty hours. At Comire he rais'd a third Body, which had lain buriedunder the Earth a

a whole day together. Near the Promontory of Comori he rais'd a Girl; not far from that place, a certain married Woman. In the Island of Vaccare near Zeilan, the Son of a certain Infidel. At Malaca the Daughter of one who had been late∣ly converted. At Bembari a certain Boy: Another at Comari. At Punical he rai∣sed a Man who had lain dead a whole day. Near Manapar he raised one Antoni Miranda. At Malaca a certain man's Daughter who had been three days buried and overwhelmed with Earth. He restored to Life in like manner the Son of one Mahomet Serangio, who had lain three days under Water; to omit others rai∣sed by him in his Life time.

After his Death he restored almost as many to Life. In the Processes of his Ca∣nonization mention is made of above five and twenty persons raised by him from death to life. He often restored blind men to their sight; dispossessed possessed persons; cured many lying desperate, and given over by the Physicians; healed Lepers; cal∣med tempestuous Seas; preserved Ships from Wrecks; restored the Lame to their Limbs; and recovered men stricken with the Palsie. He foretold infallibly ma∣ny things to come; penetrated mens concealed thoughts; had a certain knowledge of Secrets and things absent. He appeared in divers places far distant at one and the self-same time; he spake several Languages which he had never learned, as readily, congruously, and eloquently as if he had been born and bred among those Nations. And it fell out oftentimes, that at such times as he preached to multitudes of people men of several Nations, at the same time heard him utter their own Language; and with one and the self-same Answer he often satisfied the demands of several Infidels. He was so ravished and transported with the desire and love of God, that he was often and miraculously raised from the ground, with a countenance inflamed, eyes sparkling and fixed upon the Heavens; and being surcharged with Celestial joy, was forced to exclaim, Sat est, Domine! Sat est. By the sign of the Cross he tur∣ned salt Water into fresh, in several Vessels at Sea. Having dipped a brazen Cru∣cifix which he wore about his Neck into the Sea, to appease a Tempest, and by accident lost it, walking the next day upon the shoar, he espied a Sea-Crab mira∣culously bringing him his Crucifix in his claws, which having delivered it, sud∣denly returned back into the Sea, from whence it came.

He ended his life at Sancion, near China, in the year 1552. famous for many Miracles. His Body was found entire long after his death, howbeit it was nei∣ther bowelled nor balmed, but buried in Quick-lime; and it appeared many months after its decease, lively, full of juce and fresh colour, soft and tractable, sending forth an admirable sweet savour, and many times Bleeding, for which he was ho∣noured, and reputed a Saint immediately after his death. It appeareth by the Process of his Canonization, that many dead Bodies were raised by him, after his death; that many Lamps burned before his Body with Water onely put into them, as clearly as if they had been onely filled with Oil; which being oftentimes ex∣tinguished, took fire again of themselves without humane help: that divers were cured by him, or by his Relicks, or Pictures, of Leprosie, Palsie and other in∣curable diseases.

Saint Philip Nerius preserved his Virginity untouched, and he discerned in chaste

persons the perfume of Chastity, and in others the rankness and stench of Uncha∣stity. He arrived to the Knowledge of many things concealed from him, such as are the most intimate Secrets of mens Hearts. He restored one dead Man to life, in his life time; another after his own decease. He was seen raised from the ground in the time of his Masses.

Miracles of some others, taken out of their Lives.

POpe Iohn, when he came to Corinth, a Gentleman lent unto him a Horse whereon his Wife used often to ride, and when the Horse was sent back, he could never abide that the Woman should come on his back; so that it seemed, that Beast which had carried the greatest Man of Dignity and Authority in the World, disdained to be checked and ruled by a Woman; the Gentleman marking it, and holding it for a very strange thing, (as it was indeed,) sent the Horse to∣be given unto the Pope. Pag. 147.

A Ship, wherein were three hundred persons, being in a Storm, and in danger to be cast away, they recommended themselves to St. Iuvenal, and they saw him walk on the waves of the Sea, and the Tempest ceased. See his Life, p. 60.

St. Anthony was a corpulent man, but the Devil, displeased with his good life, molested him, and one night would have strangled him, and had already set his Hands to his Throat, so that he was in danger of death; but recommending him∣self to the glorious Virgin, and saying the Hymn, O Gloriosa Domina, the Devil left him, and vanished away. See his Life, p. 193.

St. Anthony had the gift of Tongues, with a pleasant, clear and ringing Voice; and though there was at his Sermons many Thousand persons of different Lan∣guages, yet they all understood him. As at Rome, where the People of sundry Nations listening unto him, and he preaching in the Italian Tongue, yet they all understood him.

Preaching one time in France, near Bruges, in the Field, because of the multitude of People, (it was Summer,) and whilst he preached it began to Thunder and Lighten grievously, wherefore the People doubting to be throughly wet, began to haste away to shelter; St. Anthony bid them be quiet, for they should not be wet; all the People gave credit to his words, and none stirred out of his place, then it began to rain very much throughout all the Countrey, but upon the People that heard his Sermon there fell not one Drop.

It hapned in the same Province in France, that a devout Woman was desirous to go to the Sermon of St. Anthony, but her Husband would not suffer her because she was sickly; she went up unto the top of her House, looking toward the place where he preached, and though she was two Miles off, yet she heard the words of the Preacher as if she had been hard by. Of this the Husband of the good Woman was witness, who calling her, and she answering, that she stayed there to hear the Sermon; he scoffed and derided at her words, and with some pain he went up to the place where his Wife was, and he also heard the words as plain as if he had been hard by.

One time St. Anthony preaching, he saw a Traveller approach unto a noble La∣dy which was at the Sermon, and speak unto her; the Saint seeing her much trou∣bled, and change her countenance; bid her (as he stood in the Pulpit) not to believe that false Messenger, who brought her news that her Son was dead, for it was a lye without doubt, and said withall, that he that told it her was the Devil. The wicked Fiend would by this Lye have disturbed the Sermon, but seeing himself discovered, he vanished away in all their sights.

St. Anthony being in Padua, it was revealed to him that his Father was in dan∣ger of death at Lisbon, being accused of Man-slaughter, whereof he was innocent; wherefore he asked leave of his Guardian, and having obtained it, he was carried in one Night onely (by an Angel) from Padua unto Lisbon. Being come thither he spoke with his Father, and brought to pass, that the Judges caused the dead Body to be brought before him; St. Anthony before much people asked him if his Father had killed him; the dead Body spake, and said No, and that he was falsly accused thereof. The Judge, having seen the strange Miracle, set free the Father of St. Anthony, who remained in his company all night, and the next day he was carried back from Lisbon unto Padua, as he had been brought thither.

One time St. Anthony Preaching at the Funerals of a rich man, and among other things discoursed upon these words, Where thy treasure is, there is thy heart; to con∣firm these words, the Father said, that the former words be true, it is evident in this Rich man, who was covetous, for his Heart was to be found in his Chest, where his Money lieth; forthwith some went and opened it, and there they found the Heart of the covetous man indeed, as fresh as if it had been taken out of the Breast of a Man.

It happened often at the end of the Sermons of St. Anthony, that the People de∣parted with such desire to be confessed, that the Confessours of his Order, and of the other Orders also were not sufficient to satisfie them. He also heard Confessi∣ons; among others he also heard the Confession of a Paduan, who told him that he had kicked his Mother; St. Anthony reproved him sharply, and told him that the Foot that had struck his Mother was worthy to be cut off: The words of St. An∣thony were of such force in the mind of him that was confessed, that when he came home, he himself cut off the same Foot; St. Anthony being advertised thereof, cau∣sed him to be brought unto him, and restored him his Foot again, with the sign of the Cross,

All these Stories that follow are taken out of Cressy's Church-History.

ST. Winwaloc and his Disciples, being not content with their Habitation, prayed to God that he would direct them to a more convenient one; he shewed them a place remote in the Sea; but wanting a Ship, he renewed his Prayers, and having done this he said to his Brethren, Be courageous and firm in a strong faith, and as you see me

lead this Brother by the hand, so do every one of you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his next fellow's hand, and follow one another. Then invoking the Name of our Lord, with his Pastoral Staff he struck the Sea, upon which it opened a passage for them; so that taking one ano∣ther by the hand, and himself marching in the Front, they walked securely over the dry Sands, the Waters on both sides standing like Walls. Cres. pag. 183.

St. Benignus discovered to St. Patrick the Motives of his Journey to a solitary place, who exhorted him to pursue his purpose, saying, Go Brother, take only your Staff with you, and when you shall be arrived at the place for your repose, wheresoever having fixed your Staff in the ground you shall see it flourish and grow green, there know you must make your abode. St. Benignus, being accompanied only with a Youth named Pincius, began his Journey through woody and marish places, but as soon as he was arrived in an Island where he saw a solitary place, he presently fixt his Staff in the ground, which without delay wonderfully grew green, and brought forth fresh Leaves, and to this day the same Tree remains flourishing with green Boughs: Yet one in∣commodity it had, that there was no Water near, whereupon▪ St. Benignus gave his Staff to young Pincius, commanding him to go to a certain place full of Reeds, and there striking the ground with his Staff, he should without doubt find Water so earnestly desired by them; the Child obeyed, went to the place, and struck the ground three times, making three holes in it with the end of his Staff, which he had no sooner done, but immediately a Fountain gusht forth, from whence to this day a Brook is supplied, which is good for Fishing, and healthfull for many Infir∣mities. Cr. p. 194.

St. Piran fed ten Irish Kings and their Armies with three Cows; rais'd to life dead Pigs, and dead Men. Cr. p. 195.

At the Church of St. Almedha one especial thing usually happening on the So∣lemnity of this Virgin, seems to me very remarkable; for you may oftentimes see there young Men and Maids, sometimes in the Church, sometimes in the Church∣yard, and sometimes, whilst they are dancing in an even ground, encompassing it, to fall down on a sudden to the ground; at first they lie quiet, as if they were rapt in an Ecstasie, but presently after they will leap up, as if possessed with a Fren∣zy, and both with their hands and feet before the People they will represent what∣soever servile Works they unlawfully performed upon Feast-days of the Church; one will walk as if he were holding the Plough, another as if he were driving the Oxen with a Goad, and both of them at the time time singing some rude Tune, as if to ease their toil; one will act the Trade of a Shoe-maker, another of a Tan∣ner, a third of one that were Spinning. Here you may see a Maid busily weaving, and expressing all the postures usually in that work: After all which, being brought with Offerings unto the Altar, you would be astonished to see how they would re∣turn to their Senses again. Cr. p. 217.

The manner of St. Kentigern's Birth.

A certain King of Britarmy, who was a Pagan, begot of his Wife a very beauti∣full Daughter, she having been a frequent hearer of Sermons, became a Christian,

and though she had not been baptized, yet she was addicted to the duties of Eccle∣siastical Discipline, as much as the fear of incensing her Father would permit: she bore so great Devotion to the fruitfull Virginity of the blessed Virgin, that, mov'd with Womanish presumption, she begg'd that she might imitate her in her Con∣ception and Birth. At length, as she thought, she obtained her desire, for she found her self with Child. Now it is not to be conceived that this happened with∣out the embraces of a man, notwithstanding who that man was, or in what man∣ner, or when this was done, she oft protested, and with Oaths confirmed it, that she was utterly ignorant. Her Father perceiving this, and not being able by fair speeches or threatnings to wrest from her, who was the Father of the Child, for she seriously protested, that she had never suffered the unlawfull embraces of any man; hereupon in a rage he determined to execute upon her the Law established by his Ancestors, by which it was enacted, That whatsoever young Maid should be with Child by Fornication in her Father's house, should be thrown down headlong from the top of an high Mountain, and the person corrupting her should lose his head. In conformity therefore to this Law, the young Woman was placed on the highest point of a Mountain in that Countrey, called Dunpelder, from thence to be thrown down, and torn in pieces: She therefore with deep sighs, looking up to Heaven, implored Mercy: After this, she was cast down; but by the Fall was neither bruised, nor received the least harm, but sliding down easily and slowly, came safe to the bottom. The Pagans ascribed this to the Magical Enchantments of Christi∣ans, therefore they carried her several Miles into the Sea, and there left her, desti∣tute of all humane help, in a small Boat made of Leather without Oars, but the Boat was carried to a far distant Haven with great swiftness; being arrived there, the young Lady went out of the Boat, and presently after was brought to Bed of a Son, without the assistence of a Midwife. The next morning St. Servanus came to the place, and seeing the Mother with her Infant, he took them into his care, and baptized them, and called the Mother Thanen, and the Child Kentigern. Cr. p. 231.

St. Iustinian having reproved his Servants for idleness, and mispending their time, they were enflam'd with fury against him, insomuch as rushing upon him they threw him to the ground, and most cruelly cut off his Head: But in the place where his sacred Head fell to the ground, a Fountain of pure water present∣ly flowed, by drinking of which in following times, many were miraculously re∣stored to Health. But Miracles greater than these, immediately succeeded his Death; for the Body of the Martyr presently rose, and taking the Head between the two Armes, went down to the Sea shoar, and walking thence on the Sea, past over to the Port called by his Name, and being arrived to the place where a Church is now built to his memory, it fell down, and was there buried by St. David. Cr. p. 234.

St. David being enjoined to preach, he commanded a Child which attended him, and had lately been restored to life by him, to spread a Napkin under his Feet, and standing upon it he began to expound the Gospel and the Law to the Auditory. All the while this Oration continued, a snow white Dove descending from Heaven, sate upon his Shoulders; and moreover the Earth, on which he stood, rais'd it self

under him, till it became a Hill, from whence his Voice, like a Trumpet, was clearly heard and understood by all, both near and far off. On the top of which Hill a Church was afterward built, which remains to this day. Cr. p. 235.

St. David when Priest, went to Paulens, who in a certain Island lived a holy Life, with him St. David lived many years; now it fell out that his Master Paulens fell blind, hereupon calling his Disciples together, he desired that one after another they would look upon his Eyes, and say a Prayer or Benediction on them. When they had done this, and that he received no ease or remedy, David said thus to him, Father, I pray you do not command me to look you in the Face, for ten years are passed since I studied with you, and in all that time I never had the boldness to look you in the Face. Paulens admiring his humility said, Since it is so, it will suffice, if by touching my Eyes thou pronounce a Benediction on them. Presently therefore, assoon as he touched them, Sight was restored to them. Cr. p. 238.

St. Iohn, a British Priest, avoided the sight of Men, confining himself to a lit∣tle Cell, where in a little Orchard, cultivated by himself, he had planted a few Laurel Trees, which are now so increased that they afford a very pleasing shade; his custome was, under these to sit, read, or write, as he thought fit. After his death, among the said Trees there was one which through age was withered; then he to whom the care of the Place was committed digg'd up the Roots of the said dry Tree, and of the Body of it hewed out a Seat or Bench, upon which he used to sit. After he had used the Seat for the space of above two years, a thought of re∣morse coming into his heart, he said, Alas, Sinner that I am! why do I for my own con∣veniency make use of a Seat framed of the Tree which so holy a Priest planted with his own hands? Having said this, he presently took a Spade, and digging a deep hole in the ground, he put the Seat into it, after he had cut off the Feet which supported it, and then covered it with Earth. Now behold a great wonder! The very next Spring, this dry Bench, thus buried, sprouted forth into green branches as the other Trees did, which prospered so well, that at this day there are proceeded from it several young Trees, five or six Foot high, and some higher, which every year do more and more flourish. Cr. p. 246. Here Mr. Cressy brags▪ that the Centuriators took notice of this Saint, and of the Orchard, but conceal'd this Wonder.

The Miracle of St. Ivo's Translation.

St. Ivo's Body remained several Ages in the place of his Burial, insomuch that his Memory was lost in that place; but at last, in the year 1001. a certain Husband∣man, as he was plowing the ground, lighted upon his Tomb, which being taken up and opened, the Body of a Bishop in his Pontifical Ornaments was seen in it; whereupon the Pastor of that Village being sent for, they, with his advice, carried the Body to the Church, and with great reverence pl••ced it near the Altar; the night following St. Ivo appeared in a very reverend form, and with great bright∣ness, to a Carpenter called Ezi, and told him who he was, commanding him to sig∣nifie to Ednoth Abbat of Ramsey, that he should translate his and his Companions Bo∣dies from thence to his Monastery; but the poor Man, not having the boldness

to relate this Vision, he appeared to him the second time, repeating the same com∣mands; which he still neglecting to perform, at the third apparition the Bishop smote him on the side with his Crosier, telling him, that the pain of that stroke should remain till he had performed what he had enjoined him. The Man awa∣king, presently after found as grievous a pain in his side as if a Sword had pierced it. Thus was he compelled to declare his Vision to the Abbat, which assoon as he had done he was freed of his pain: But the Abbat would give no credit to what the Man told him, but calling him Clown and Fool, said, Must we translate and venerate the Ashes of I know not what Cobler? The night following the Bishop appeared to the Abbat, and said, Rise quickly, for I whom thou scornfully call'st Cobler, have brought thee here a pair of Boots that will last a good while, these thou must put on and wear for my sake. Having said thus, he seemed to draw on his Legs a pair of Boots, with care to make them sit smooth and handsome: Presently the Abbat waking felt such horri∣ble pain in his Legs, that he was not able to walk or stand; and fifteen years did he remain in this Infirmity. By this Miracle, the sanctity of the Bishop was ap∣proved, and his Body translated to Ramsey, to whose honour the Abbat Ednoth built a Church; in which he placed his Tomb in such manner, that half of it appeared within, and half of it without the Wall, to the end, that a Fountain of Water that flowed thence might be ready for the use of every one who came in devotion, whe∣ther the Church was shut or not; which Water, by the Merits of the Bishop, had the virtue to cure many Diseases. One great Miracle wrought there was on a Monk troubled with a Dropsie, his skin was strangely swell'd, and his breath so noisome, none could approach him, and his drought was so excessive, that he thought he could drink whole barrels; on a time, by admonition received in his sleep, he went to Saint Ivo's Monument, where after he had taken three draughts of the Water, he cast up all the superfluous Humours within him, and was resto∣red to perfect health. Cr. p. 293.

King Sebert having built St. Peter's Church at Westminster, and endowed it with many possessions; now on the night before the day designed for the Dedication of this Church, St. Peter appearing to a certain Fisherman in the habit of a stranger, on the other side of the River of Thames, demanded to be wafted over, which was done; being gone out of the Boat, he entred into the Church in the sight of the Fisherman, and presently a Heavenly light shone so clear, that it turned the Night into Day. There was with the Apostle a multitude of Heavenly Citizens, coming out and going into the Church, a Divine Melody sounded, and an Odour of un∣expressible fragrancy shed abroad. As soon as all things pertaining to the Dedication of the Church were performed, St. Peter return'd to the poor Fisherman, who was so affrighted with his Divine splendor, that he almost lost his senses, but Saint Peter kindly comforting him, brought him to himself. Thus both of them entring into the Boat, St. Peter asked him if he had any provision; who answered, that partly being stupified with seeing so great a Light, and partly detained by his return, he had taken nothing, being withall assured of a good Reward from him: Hereto St. Peter replied, let down thy Net, the Fisherman obey'd, and immediately the Net was filled with a multitude of Fishes, they were all of the same kind, except one

Salmon of a wonderfull largeness. Having then drawn them to the shoar, St. Peter said, Carry from me this great Fish to Mellitus the Bishop, and all the rest take for thy hire; and moreover be assured, that both thou all thy life time, and thy Children after thee for many years▪ shall be plentifully furnished with these kind of Fishes; only be carefull you fish not on our Lord's days. I who speak now with thee am Peter, and I my self have now De∣dicated this Church, built to my fellow-Citizens, and to my Honour, so preventing by my own Authority the Episcopal Benedicton. Acquaint the Bishop therefore with the things thou hast seen and heard, and the Sign yet marked on the Wall will confirm thy speeches. Let him therefore surcease from his design of Consecrating the Church, and only supply what I have omitted, the Celebration of the Sacrament, and the Instruction of the People. Let him like∣wise give notice to all, that I my self will oftentimes visit this place, and be present at the Prayers of the faithfull; and will open the Gates of Heaven to all that live soberly, justly and piously in this World. As soon as he said this, he presently vanisht from his sight. The next morning, as the Bishop Mellitus was going in Procession to the Church, with an intention to Dedicate it, the Fisherman met him with the Fish, and related to him whatsoever St. Peter had enjoyn'd him: at which the Bishop was astonished, and having unlockt the Church doors, he saw the Pavement mark'd with Letters and In∣scriptions both in Greek and Latin, and the Wall anointed in twelve several places with Holy Oil; he saw likewise the remainders of twelve Torches sticking to as many Crosses, and the Church every where yet moist with Aspersions. All which being observ'd by the Bishop and People, they gave thanks. A farther Testimony of this Miracle is afforded by the whole Progeny of this Fisherman, for his Children, according to the command from their Father, brought the Tithes of all their Gains by Fishing, and offered them to St. Peter, and the Priests attending Divine Service in his Church. But one among them having presumed to defraud the Church of this Oblation, presently was deprived of the wonted benefit of his Trade, till having confess'd his fault, and restored what he had reserv'd, he promised amendment for the future. And moreover, the Fisherman, who was very simple, and as yet not a Christian, described to the Bishop very exactly the shape and Lineaments of St. Peter, well known to the Bishop by his Picture at Rome. Cr. p. 308.

St. Lawrence found the Son of a man who had kindly entertained him, dead, and the Parents in great sorrow, who with a loud voice cryed to him, O holy man! re∣store our Son to us, that we may more firmly believe in Christ. Hereupon the Bishop ha∣ving offered up his Prayers, said to the Child, arise, who presently rose up, and withall testified, That being dead, his Soul was violently drawn by horrible Spirits to the flames of Hell; but upon the Prayers of St. Lawrence it was by Angels, shining with bright∣ness, brought back to the Body. Cr. p. 327.

A Miracle wrought at King Oswald's Cross.

Bothelm, a Monk of Hagulstad, walking unwarily by night upon the Ice, fell sud∣denly and broke his Arme; one morning having heard that one of his Brethren was to go that day to the place of the Holy Cross, he desired him to bring him a small portion of that Sacred Wood, for he said he was confident it would cure him by

God's help. The Brother performed what he desired, and gave him a little of the Moss which covered the outside of the Wood, which he put into his bosome; when he went to Bed, forgetting to lay it by, it remained in his bosome all night, but waking about midnight, he felt something that was cold lying against his side, and searching for it with his Hand, he perceived that both his Hand and Arme were become perfectly whole. Cr. p. 347.

A certain Woman who had a long time been deprived both of her Sight and Hearing, to her it was suggested by Revelation, that she should repair to the Bi∣shop Birinus for her Cure, she delayed not therefore, but took with her a Guide to conduct her: The Bishop therefore seeing the Womans piety, immediately made the sign of the Cross upon her Eyes and Ears, whereupon both her Sight and Hearing were restored to her. Cr. p. 351.

St Fursey's wonderfull Visions.

On a certain time he was rapt from his body, and in that ecstasie, which conti∣nued from Evening to Cock-crowing, he was favoured with the sight of troops of Angels. Three days after, being again in an ecstasie, he saw yet more glori∣ous apparitions of Angels. Moreover there were discovered to him very earnest contentions of wicked Spirits, who by many accusations of a certain Sinner, late∣ly dead, endeavoured to stop his passage to Heaven, but by reason the holy An∣gels protected him, they could not effect their desire. On a certain time, being elevated in spirit, he was commanded by the Angels which conducted him to look down upon the Earth; whereupon, bowing his Eyes downward, he saw as it were a dark Valley under him, in a very low bottom: He saw likewise in the Air four Fires, not much distant one from another, and asking the Angels what Fires those were, he was told, that those were the Fires which now enflamed the World, and would in the end consume it, viz. the Fire of Lying, the Fire of Covetousness, the Fire of Dissention, and the Fire of Iniquity. Now these four Fires increasing by little, at last joyned together, and became an immense Flame; and when they approached near them, Fursey was affraid, and said to the Angel, Sir, Behold, the Flames come close to us; but the Angel answered, Fear not, for since thou didst not kindle this Fire, it will not burn thee; for though this Flame seems to thee great and terrible, yet it tries every one according to his Merits, so that the Concupiscence which is in any one, shall burn in this Fire; for accordingly as every one being in the Body is enflamed by unlawfull pleasures, so being loosed from his Body shall he burn by condign torment. Then he saw one of the three Angels, which in both Visions had been his Conductors, go before the other and divide the Flame, and the other two fly∣ing on each side of him, which defended him from the danger of the Fire. He saw likewise many Devils flying through the Fire, and kindling war against the Just: These malign Spirits pursued him likewise with Accusations, but the good Angels defended him: And after this, he saw great numbers of blessed Spirits, among which some were of his own Nation, Priests who had well discharged their Office, as he had heard by report; by these he was informed of many things,

very profitable, both to himself and all who are willing to attend them. When they had finished their speeches, and were returned to Heaven with the rest of the Angels, there remained onely with St. Fursey the three Angels mentioned before, who were to restore him to his body. And when he came close to the foresaid great Fire, one of the Angels divided it as before; but when the Man of God was come to a door which stood open among the Flames, the unclean Spirits snatching up one of those whom they were tormenting in the Flames, and casting him against him, touched him, and burnt his Shoulder and one of his Cheeks. He knew the Man, and remembred when he was ready to die he had received from him a Garment: But the Angel, laying hold of him, cast him back into the Fire; but the Devil answered, Do not cast him back, since you have once recei∣ved him; for as you have taken the goods belonging to a Sinner, so you must be partakers of his Punishment; but the Angel replied, He took not that out of Covetousness, but for saving the Man's Soul. After this, the burning ceased, and the Angel turning him∣self to St. Fursey, said, The Fire that thou hast kindled has now burnt thee, for if thou hadst not received Money from this Man who is dead in his sins, thou hadst not tasted of his torments. St. Fursey, being afterwards restored to his body, carried visibly in his shoulder and cheek, all his life time, the marks of the burning which he had suf∣fered in his soul. Cr. p. 354.

St. Eanswitha's Monastery being seated on the top of high Rocks, they found this incommodity in their retirement, which was a penury of sweet water: the ho∣ly Virgin was sensible of this inconvenience; and after she had by Prayer sollici∣ted our Lord, she went to the Fountain, more than a mile remote from the Mo∣nastery, and striking the water with a Staff, commanded it to follow her; the deaf Element heard and obey'd the sacred Virgin's voice, and against the inclina∣tion of Nature followed her steps, till overcoming all the difficulties of the pas∣sage, it mounted up to the Monastery, where it abundantly served all their uses. One particular more increased the admiration of the event; for this Rivulet in the way being to pass through a Pool, flowed notwithstanding pure and free from all mixture. Cr. p. 357.

St. Cuthbert, when a Child, saw St. Aidan's Soul carried into Heaven. And likewise on a certain day, as he was journeying alone, about the third hour, he turned aside into the House of a certain Matron, being desirous to repose there a while, and to get food not for himself but his Horse: The Woman received him kindly, and earnestly desired that she might make something ready for his refecti∣on; but he refused, telling her, that he could not eat, because it was a day of Fast, for it was indeed Friday; she notwithstanding persisted in her desire, and told him, that all the rest of his Journey he would find no Habitation, therefore I desire you would eat, lest you should faint if you fast all day; notwithstanding out of love to fasting, he would not be overcome by the Woman's importunity, but fasting as he was he continued his Journey till evening; when St. Cuthbert saw he could not finish his Journey that day, neither was there any Lodging near, as he was riding he saw certain Cottages, which in the Summer time the Herdsmen had built for their present use, but then the Winter approaching, they were left empty; thi∣ther

he went with an intention to stay all night, and tying his Horse to the Wall, he gathered up a bundle of Hay which the wind had blown from the House-cove∣ring, and gave it him to eat, and himself passed his time in Prayer. But on a sudden he saw the Horse lift up his head, and with his teeth biting somewhat that was on the House-roof, and presently after he drew down a linen Cloth wrapped up; being desirous therefore to know what that was, he took up the linen, and found wrapped up in it half a Loaf of Bread warm from the Oven, and so much Flesh as would suffice himself for one refection; he blessed God, who vouchsa∣fed to provide a Supper for him and his companion; half of the bread therefore he gave to his Horse, and the other half he eat himself. Cr. p. 366.

A Secular Priest foolishly adventured to make a tryall whether St. Ethelreda's Body yet remained uncorrupted, fastening therefore a Candle to the end of a Rod, he passed it through a hole which the Danes had made in the Sepulchre, and looking in as curiously as he could, searched round about the Tomb. And not content with this, with the end of a forked stick he endeavoured to draw to him the Cloths in which her Body was enwrapped, and some part of the Body he discovered; when the H. Virgin, having indignation that a vile person should presume to look upon her naked Body, with great violence drew back the Cloths, insomuch as he striving against her fell backwards, and was forcibly dashed against the Pavement; by which fall he became lame all his life, and afterwards was struck with Madness. Cr. p. 383.

A doubt entring into the minds of some touching the Incorruption of St. With∣burga, sister to St. Ethelreda, 55 years after her death, when the bodies of these two Virgins were translated, that doubt was put to the tryall. As touching Saint Ethelreda, considering the ancient proofs of her incorruption, none durst presume to touch her body; but they discovered the body of St. Withburga as far as her Breasts, and she was seen perfectly entire, more like to one asleep than dead, with a silk Cushion under her Head, her Veil and Vestments shining as if they had been new, her countenance chearfull, with a Rosie blush; her Teeth white, her Lips a little opened, and her Breasts exceeding small. One of the Monks ad∣venturing to touch her body, a lively blush coloured her Cheeks, as if she still had breath in her. Cr. p. 385.

It happened on a certain Sunday, when St. Winefrid's Parents were gone to Church, some necessary occasions detained her at home; at which time a certain young man named Caradoc, the Son of Alan, Prince of the Countrey, entred the House, where he found the Virgin alone sitting by the fire; she knowing the Prince, ha∣stily rose up, and desired to know his pleasure. His answer was, You are not ig∣norant who I am, and how I abound in riches and honour; all these riches and honours you shall partake if you will yield to my will. The Virgin perceiving his intent, held down her Head and blushed extremely: At first she seemed as if she were much troubled that he should find her unadorned and she told him, Sir, you being a Prince, there is no doubt but you are able to heap upon me all worldly happiness in abundance, if I were your Wife; however he pleased to expect here a while till my Father's return, in the mean time I have some business in my Chamber, and I will return presently. This she

said to gain a little time, for she saw the young man burning with Lust; with much adoe he permitted her to go to her Chamber, having hopes she would re∣turn as soon as she was dressed; she therefore entred hastily her Chamber, and as hastily went out at the other door, and ran towards the Church. As soon as the young man perceived this, he drew his Sword, ran after her, and soon over∣taking her, with a stern countenance struck off her Head; and immediately in the place where it fell to the Earth, a most pure and plentifull Spring gushed forth, which flows to this day, and by the holy Virgin's merits gives Health to a World of diseased persons. It being in the steep descent of a Hill when the Virgin's Head was cut off, it lightly running down to the bottom slid into 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Church, whereas the Body remained in the place where it first fell. The Congre∣gation were wonderfully astonished to see the Head tumbling among their Feet, they all went out▪ and found the Murtherer near the lifeless body, wiping his Sword on the grass; St. Bueno therefore seeing his pride, and having in his hand the Virgin's Head, looked on him and said, Impious Villain! hast thou no shame of the stain wherewith thou hast defiled thy high Birth? and shewest thou no repentance of this horrible crime? thou hast disturbed the peace, thou hast polluted the Church, thou hast pro∣voked God: since therefore it is so, I beseech him without delay to inflict on thee a just pu∣nishment for this thy detestable crime. As soon as he had ended these words the young man fell to the ground, gave up the Ghost, and, which was more wonderfull, his Body presently disappeared, and many say it was swallowed up by the Earth, and with the wicked Soul sunk into Hell: But Bueno kissing the Head which he had in his hand, joyned it to the body, covering it with his Mantle, celebrated Mass at the Altar, preached, and prayed that the Virgin's Soul might return to her Body; this Prayer being ended the Virgin rose up as from sleep, and clean∣sing her Face from the dust and sweat, filled the Congregation with wonder and joy. Now in the place where the Head was rejoyned to the Body there appeared a white circle compassing the Neck, small as a white Thread, which continued all her life; and from that white circle she had the name of Winefrid; and after her death when she appeared to any, that white mark was always visible. The place where her bloud was shed is at this day called St. Winefrid's Well. The stones likewise both where the Spring gusheth forth, and beneath in the Current, having been sprinkled with her bloud, retain the redness to these times; which colour nei∣ther the length of many Ages, nor the continual sliding of the water over them, has been able to wash away. And moreover a certain Moss, which sticks to the said stones, renders a fragrant odour like Incense. Cr. p. 389.

St. Clare, an Hermit, when come to years of maturity, was by his Parents af∣fianced to a beautifull Virgin; but when the time wherein the Marriage was to be solemnized approached, the young Man withdrew himself from his Parents House, and out of Britanny passed over into France; but there a Noble Woman dwel∣ling near him, enflamed with lust, impudently attempted his Chastity; but Saint Clare resolutely resisted the shameless Lady; notwithstanding which resistence, when her sollicitations still more and more encreased, he was forced to forsake his Monastery; the lascivious Lady desperately enraged with his departure, sent two

Murtherers in search of him, who at last found him in a poor Cottage, where they set upon him with opprobrious speeches, and at last drawing out their Swords they cut off his Head: St. Clare presently after arose, and with his Hands taking up his Head, by the assistence of Angels, carried it to a Fountain not far distant, in∣to which he cast it, and then carried the same back to the Oratory of his Cell, and going on a little farther towards a Village near the River Epta, he there consumma∣ted his Course. Cr. p. 411.

Two Kentish Princes, Ethelred and Ethelbert, being murthered, and buried un∣der the Seat where the King was wont to sit, the Murther was most miraculously discovoured; wherefore taking up the Bodies, and honourably putting them into Coffins, the Arch-bishop Theodorus commanded to carry them to Christ-Church in Canterbury, but in vain they attempted this, for with all the force they could use they could not remove them out of the place; whereupon, changing his purpose he advised to transport them to the Church of St. Augustin, but with as little success as before; at last it was agreed they should be carried to the Monastery of Wering, of great renown in those days, which being resolved upon, the Bodies were as easily removed as if they had no weight at all; being arrived at that place, the Bodies were buried near the great Altar, where many wonderfull Miracles are dai∣ly wrought. Cr. p. 412.

St. Wilfrid entring into a Village called Tiddafrey, there met him a great mul∣titude of Women, offering their Children to be confirmed by him. Amongst them, one Woman mingled her self, craftily carrying in her Armes her dead Child, pretending that he should be catechised, but inwardly persuaded that by the Bishop's sanctity he should be restored to Life; the Bishop therefore uncovering the Child's face, to the end he might perform the due Rites, found that he was dead; then the Woman, perceiving that her fraud did not succeed, betook her self to prayers, earnestly beseeching him for God and his holy Mothers sake, if he had any Faith or Pity, to restore Life to her Child; saying this, she cast her self at his Feet, and would not be removed, thus offering an importunate violence to∣ward him: All this while the Bishop continued doubtfull, whether he should seem rash in attempting the Miracle, or reject the Tears and Prayers of the disconso∣late Woman, but a charitable Pity at last got the victory; therefore, after he had with a low voice repeated certain devout passages out of the Psalms, he laid his right hand upon the dead Body, whereupon immediately the Soul was restored, for by gasping, moving his Eye-lids, and stirring his whole Body, he gave proof that he was alive. The Child was called Ethelwald, who was afterward a Monk at Rippon.

Another Miracle wrought by St. Wilfrid on a Monk, who, falling from the top of the Church, whilst it was a building at the cost of King Egbert, broke all his Bones, and tore asunder all his Members, was restored to Health by the Prayers of the Bishop and his Covent. Cr. p. 422.

St. Ositha's Head being cut off by a Danish Pirate, at the very place a clear Fountain broke forth, which cured several kinds of Diseases; moreover as soon

as her head was off, the Body presently rose up, and taking up the Head in the Hands, by the conduct of Angels walked firmly the streight way to the Church of St. Peter and Paul, about a quarter of a Mile distant from the place of her suf∣fering; and when it was come there, it knocked at the door with the bloudy Hands, as desiring it might be opened, and thereon left marks of bloud; having done this, it fell there down to the ground. Cr. p. 424.

The Miracles of St. Wereburga's driving away Wild-geese.

At Chester there was near the Walls of the Town a Farm belonging to the Mo∣nastery, the Corn whereof was much wasted by flocks of Wild-geese, which the Steward of the place endeavoured, but in vain, to chase away; of which incommo∣dity he made complaint to St. Wereburga, whereupon she commanded him, saying, Go your ways and shut them all up in a house. He wondring at so strange a command, thought the Saint spoke those words in jest: But when she renew'd the same injuncti∣on constantly, and in a serious manner, he returned among the Corn, where seeing great numbers of such fowl devouring the grain, he with a loud voice commanded them in his Mistresses name to follow him; hereupon immediately they all in one drove followed him, and were shut up together in a House. Now it happened that a certain servant privately stole one of the said birds, which he kill'd, and hid, with intention to eat it. The next morning early▪ the Holy Virgin went to the house, where after she had in a chiding manner reprehended the birds for usurping that which belonged not to them, she commanded them to flie away and not return: Immediately the whole army of them took wing; but being sensible of the Injury done them, they flew not away, but hovering over the Holy Virgins head, with wonderfull noise made complaint of their loss. She hearing their importunate cla∣mours, understood by inspiration the cause thereof; and after search made, the Offender confessed his theft; whereupon she commanded the bird to be restored to her companions; after which they all with one consent flew away, so as not any bird of that kind was afterward seen in that Territory. Cr. p. 427.

After St. Wereburga was dead her Body was carried to the Church of Trickingham, where it was most diligently kept, the doors of the Church being carefully barred, and a Watch moreover set upon it: But one night a deep sleep suddenly seised on those which watched; and at the same time great multitudes of the Inhabitants of Hambury coming on them, all the doors of the Monastery became opened, the Locks and Bars, without any violence offered, falling to the ground. Whereupon they took away the Body, not any one resisting, and with great joy carried it to Hambu∣ry, where it was honourably buried. In which place sick persons recover health, sight is restored to the blind, hearing to the dumb, the leprous are cleansed, and persons oppressed with several other Diseases do there praise God for their recove∣ry. Cr. p. 427.

St. Milburga rests at We••lock: In antient times her memory was celebrated by the Inhabitants, but after the coming in of the Normans, by reason that the place of her Scpulchre was unknown, she became forgotten: But of late a Covent of Cluny▪ Monks

Monks having been established there, whilst they were busie in erecting the Fabrick of a new Church, a certain Child running earnestly over the pavement, the vault of her Sepulchre broke under him, by which means the Body of the H. Virgin was discovered, which being taken up, a most odoriferous vapour, as of a most preti∣ous Balsam, perfumed the whole Church: and such a world of Miracles were wrought by her Intercession, that wonderfull multitudes flock'd thither, both rich and poor, insomuch as there was scarce room in the open Fields to receive them; so strong a faith they had to find remedy there for their maladies: Neither did they fail of their expectation, for none departed away without a Cure, or at least a mitigation of their Diseases. And particularly the King's-Evil, incurable by Physicians, was through the Merits of the Holy Virgin, healed perfectly in several persons. Cr. p. 429.

A wonderfull Miracle, shewing the efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

In a Battel where Prince Elwin was slain, among others there was one of the Prince's Souldiers, named Imma, slain, (at least in opinion.) This Soldier all that day and the night following lay among the other dead bodies, as if he had been slain; but at last his Spirit returning he sate up, and as well as he could, bound up the wounds he had received; then resting himself a while, he raised himself on his feet, and began to walk away, with an intention to find out, if possible, some friends, who might take care of him. As he was going away, he was met with and taken by some of the enemies, the Mercians, and brought to their Captain, a principal Officer of King Ethelred, who examined him what he was: The poor man was afraid to acknowledge himself a Soldier, therefore he answered that he was a poor country-man, who had a Wife, and was come in this Expedition with several others of the like quality, to bring Provision to the Army. Upon this answer the Officer commanded that care should be taken of his Wounds, and when they began to be almost cured, he made him every night to be put in Chains, to prevent his running away; but no Chains could hold him, for after they were gone which had put the Chains upon him, they presently fell off; and the cause of this Wonder was this: He had a Brother named Tunna, a Priest and Abbat of a Monastery in a certain Town which at this day from his name is called Tunnacestir: This Abbat having heard that his Brother was slain in the late battel, came himself to search for his bo∣dy; and having found another in all regards very like to his, he carried it to his Mo∣nastery, and there buried it honourably. Moreover he took care that several Masses should be said for the pardon of his sins; and by virtue of those Masses it came to pass that no bands could hold him, but they presently fell loose from him. In ••••e mean time the Officer, whose Prisoner he was, began to ask him, how came it to pass that he could not be bound? Whether he had about him certain Charms, which, as some think, have a power to untie all bands? His answer was, that he was ut∣terly ignorant of such unlawfull Arts; But, said he, I have a Brother in mine own countrey, and I am assured that he thinking I am slain, says frequent Masses for me; so that if I were now in the other World, I doubt not but my Soul by his intercession and prayers,

would be absolved from all pains. After he had continued a good space a Prisoner to the said Officer, those who guarded him observed by his countenance, gesture, and speeches that he was no countrey-peasant, but a person of quality. Thereupon the Officer calling him aside privately, enquired more diligently who he was; withall promising him that if he would simply declare his condition, he would not use him any thing the worse. He then plainly manifested to him that he was a Servant of the King of the Northumbers. Whereupon the Officer replied▪ I did assure my self by the manner of thy speech, that thou were not of a base condition: and now thou deservest to die, in revenge of all my brethren and kinsmen who have been slain in the Battel: but because I will not break my promise, I will not kill thee. As soon therefore as he had recovered health and strength the Officer sold him to a certain man at Lon∣don, called Freson: But neither could he be bound by his new Master; for after tryall of several sorts of Bands and Chains, they became all unloosed. When he therefore who had bought him perceived that he could not be restrained by Fetters, he gave him permission to redeem himself, if he could: For commonly after nine of the Clock in the morning, the usual time of Masses, his Bands were 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Upon this offer the Prisoner was suffered to depart, having first given his promise by Oath, that he would either send the money agreed on for his Ransome, or re∣turn and yield himself a Prisoner again. He went therefore from London into 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to King Lothere, Nephew to the famous Queen Ethelreda by her Sister, who like∣wise had formerly been a Servant to the said Queen; and from him the Prisoner re∣ceived the Money appointed for his Ransome, which according to promise he sent to his Master. Being thus free, after some time he returned to his Countrey, and coming to his Brother the Abbat, he related to him particularly all the Accidents, both good and bad, which had befaln him; and then perceived that his Chains for the most part had been loosed precisely at the Hours in which Masses had been celebrated for him, and moreover that many other commodities and comforts had befaln him from Heaven in his dangers, by his Brothers Prayers, and the Oblation of the Saving Sacrifice. Cr. p. 439.

On a certain day St. Cuthbert came to the Village of a certain Count, whose Wife at that time lay sick at the point of death; the Count himself met him in the way, and conducted him into his House, and acquainted him with the desperate state of his Wife, beseeching him that he would give his benediction to Water for sprinkling her; the Bishop assented to the Man's request, and Water being brought, he blessed it, and gave it to a Priest, commanding him to sprinkle the sick Lady with it; who thereupon entred into her Chamber, where she lay like one depri∣ved of sense and life, and both sprinkled her face and bed, yea withall, opening her Mouth, distilled a few drops into it; the Holy Water had no sooner touched her, but, O wonderfull! though she was utterly ignorant of what had been done, she pre∣sently recovered a perfect health of Body and Mind, and without delay rising up, she her self came to doe service to the Bishop, being the first of the whole Family which presented to him a Cup of refection Cr. pag. 469.

The Divine Disposition being pleased to demonstrate in how great Glory St. Cuth∣bert lived after his death, gave this Testimony: Eleven years after his burial his

Brother Monks, opening his Sepulchre to take up his bones, found his body per∣fectly entire, with a lively freshness, and all his limbs as flexible as if he had been a∣live, so that he appeared like a person rather asleep than dead; moreover all his Vestments were not only undecayed, but appeared in their primitive freshness, and also with the addition of a wonderfull lustre. Cr. p. 473.

A Coffin of stone was prepared for entombing the body of King Sebbe, but when they endeavour'd to put the body into it, they found that it was by a hands breadth too long for the Coffin; whereupon paring away as much of the stone at each end as they could, they thereby lengthened it about the measure of two fingers breadths, yet after all it would not receive the body, whereupon finding so great a difficulty to interr him, they intended, either to seek out a new Coffin, or to en∣deavour, by hewing the body, to shorten it so much as to make it enter into the Cof∣fin; but by a wonderfull accident, which could proceed from no less than an Hea∣venly Power, both these designs of theirs were prevented; for presently, in the sight of the Bishop, and Sighard, Son to the said King and Monk, who, together with his brother Seofrid▪ reigned after him, a great multitude of others being like∣wise present, the Coffin was found of a convenient length, insomuch that there was room enough to lay a Cushion under his head, and yet at the feet there remai∣ned four fingers breadths beyond the body. Cr. p. 486.

The wonderfull Story of a Man revived, and recounting his Visions.

A certain Man, who had been a good while dead, was restored to the life of his body, and related many notable things which he had seen: This Man was an ho∣nest House-keeper, who with his Family lived a Religious Life in a Religion of the Northumbers, called Incuningum; who having been struck with a Disease, the same goowing more and more violent upon him, it brought him to extremity, so that on a certain day towards evening he died; but the day following early he came to life, and suddenly raising himself up in his bed, all those who mournfully watched the body, were terribly affrighted and ran away, only his Wife, whose love to him was excessive, though she trembled at the sight, staid still by him.

The Man seeing his Wife, bid her be of comfort: Fear not, said he, for I am truly restored to life▪ from death which had seiz'd me, and permission is given me to live a while longer among Men; but my conversation thereafter must be quite otherwise than former∣ly it has been. Having said this, he presently rose▪ and went to an Oratory of that Village, where he remained a good while in Prayer: Afterward having divided his whole Substance into three Portions, one Portion he gave to his Wife, a second to his Children, and the third he distributed to the Poor.

Not long after, having thus freed himself from all worldly cares, he went to the Monastery of Mai••os, where having received Tonsure he entred into a Religious Life.

Now the account which he gave of his Visions, was on this manner: A certain person brightly shining in his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and vestments, conducted me, and we walked to∣gether silently, as it seemed to me, towards the place where the Sun rises in high

Summer. Thus walking together, we came to a place where there was on our left hand a Valley of a vast depth and breadth, and the length of it seemed infinite; one side of this Valley was terrible with its burning flames, and the other no less intolerable for the cold blasts, hail, and snow, driving through it; and both these places were full of mens Souls, which seemed to be forcibly tossed from one side to the other, for those which were in the fire, not being able to endure its scorching, leaped into the horrible cold, and not finding ease there, they leaped back into the unquenchable flames. Having observed an infinite number of deformed souls thus tormented, with an interchangeable vicissitude of tortures, without any respite of ease, I began to think that this place was surely Hell, of whose intolerable torments I had oft heard Preachers speak: But my Conductor, who went before me, answered these my thoughts, saying, Do not entertain such an imagination; for this is not Hell, as thou thinkest.

But when he saw me affrighted with so horrible a spectacle, he conducted me leisurely somewhat farther, where I saw all places round about me become obscure, and at length filled with utter darkness: Into which when we were entred, the darkness was so thick, that I could see nothing but the shape and vestment of my Conductor. And as we went on farther in this shady darkness, on a sudden there ap∣peared before us frequent globes of hideous flames, ascending out of a deep pit, and again falling down into it.

When I was come thither, presently my Guide vanished out of sight, leaving me alone in the midst of this darkness and horrid spectacle: But when the said Globes of Fire without any intermission mounted up, and again fell down, I per∣ceive that they were full of humane Souls, which, like sparks of fire carried up by the smoak, were sometimes cast upward, and then drawn back by the vapours, of fire. Moreover an unexpressibly noisome stink, belched out by those vapours, filled all the dark spaces round about. As I was thus standing still in a terrible fright, being uncertain what to doe, whither to go, and what would be the end of all this, I heard behind my back a most horrible noise, as of persons wailing in unutterable misery; and also at the same time I heard others loudly and scornfully laughing, as the rude vulgar people are wont to do, when they insult over their captive enemies. When this noise came nearer to me, I perceived a troup of wicked Spirits haling into the midst of that darkness the Souls of men which woefully cryed out, whilst the others burst forth into laughters. And among these Souls I could distinctly see one that was shaved like an Ecclesiastical person, another was a Lay-man, and a third was a Woman. These unhappy Souls, thus haled along by those spitefully malitious Spirits, at length were plunged into the midst of that burning pit. Into which after they were descended a good way, I could no longer distinctly hear the wailing of Men, and laughing of Devils, but only had in mine ears remaining a confused promiscuous sound.

In the mean time certain obscure Spirits ascended out of that fire-vomiting pit, which approached me on all sides, and with flaming eyes and stinking fire issuing out of their mouths and nostrils vexed me grievously. Moreover, with fiery pin∣cers, which they held in their hands, they threatened to catch me; but for all that,

though they frighted me, they had not the boldness to touch me. Being thus on all sides encompassed with darkness and enemies, I turned my eyes every way to see if there were any one to deliver me: At last there appeared by the way which I had passed something that shone like a Star, which increasing and approaching nearer and nearer, as soon as it came to me, all those hatefull Spirits which had endeavou∣red with their fiery pincers to lay hold on me, were dispersed and fled.

Now he whose coming drove away these Spirits was the same who at first had been my Conductor, who presently after turning his steps more southerly toward the East, led me out of that darkness into a clear and lightsome air; in which after we had walked a while, I saw before us a mighty Wall, of the length and highth whereof every way I could see no end; I began then to marvel to what purpose we should go to that Wall, in which I could discover neither door, window, nor any other passage; but being come to it, presently, I know not by what means, we found our selves on the top of it. And there appeared to me a most large pleasant Field, so replenished with all sorts of odoriferous Flowres, that the sweet fragrancy of them immediately took away all the former stench of the dark fiery fornace; and so great was the light there on all sides, that it far exceeded the brightness of mid∣day. Moreover there were in that Field innumerable assemblies of men in pure white garments, all rejoycing and singing. Now as he led me among these happy Choires, I began to think, that this might be the Kingdom of Heaven, which I had oft heard preached of; but he again answered to my thought, No; this is not Hea∣ven, as thou supposest.

And as we passed on in our progress, I saw before mine eyes a far greater and more pleasant Light than we had seen before, and in that Light I heard most sweet melody of persons joyfully singing, and so wonderfull a fragrancy of a most sweet odour issued from thence, that the former sweetness, which before seemed ex∣cessive to me, now I very meanly esteemed; as likewise the former Light, com∣pared with this, appeared almost obscure. Now, when I was in a hopefull ex∣pectation that we should enter into this blessed place, my Guide made a stop; and presently turning his steps, he led me back again the way that he had come.

And when in our return we were come to the joyfull mansions of those Inha∣bitants clothed in white garments, he said to me, Dost thou know what these things are which thou hast seen? I answered, No. He replied, That Valley which thou sawest so terrible by the scorching flames and horrible frosts, is the place in which those souls are to be tried and afflicted, which having delayed to confess and amend their sins, at the very point of death retire for safety to repentance, and so depart out of the body: These, because even in the last moment of their lives they confessed, and were contrite for their sins, they shall at least in the day of Iudgment come to the Kingdom of Heaven; and many of them before that day are eased and delivered by the Prayers, Fasting, and Alms of the Living, and especially by the celebrating the most holy Sacrifice. Moreover, that flame∣vomiting and stinking pit which thou sawest, is the very Mouth of Hell, into which who∣soever once falls, he shall never come out of it for all eternity. As for this pleasant flowry▪ field here before thine eyes, in which thou seest such multitudes of youth making merry, and clothed with white raiment, this is the place which is the receptacle of such souls as have con∣tinued

to their death in the exercise of vertue, but yet their works have not been of such perfection, as to deserve their present admission into the Kingdom of Heaven; yet all these in the day of Iudgment shall arrive unto the Vision of our Lord, and the joys of his hea∣venly Kingdom: But as for those who in their words, works, and thoughts, have attained to perfection, such, as soon as they have left the body, shall enter into that blessed Kingdom: To the confines of which Kingdom, that place pertains where thou sawest so great a Light, and heardest so sweet Harmony, and wast refreshed with so admirably sweet-smelling Odours: Thou therefore having seen all these things, must presently return to thy Body, and again, as formerly, live among men. If then hereafter thou wilt be diligent to examine all thine actions, and to observe uprightness and simplicity in thy conversation and speeches, thou also after death shalt receive a mansion among these joyfull troups of happy Spirits. For I, ha∣ving departed for a time from thee, did it to this end, that I might see what would in the end become of thee. When he had spoken thus to me, I had a horrible aversion from returning to my Body, being extremely delighted with the sweetness and beauty of that place which I saw, and the happy society of the persons living in it. Notwithstanding I had not the boldness to make any such request to my Guide. And whilst I was busie in these thoughts, I know not how, I presently perceived that I was again alive among men. Cr. p. 500.

Saint Decumanus, when his Head was cut from his Body, the Trunk raising it self up, took the Head, which it carried from the place where it was slain to a Spring not far off, which flowed with a most chrystalline Water, in which with the Hands it washed the bloud away; which Spring, in reverend memory of the Saint, is to this day called St. Decumanus's Spring▪ near to which place the Body, to∣gether with the Head, was buried. Cr. p. 526.

In those days there was in the Territory of Worcester a certain place wholly un∣cultivated, and almost unpassable, by reason of Thorns and Briers growing thick there. This place formerly called Homme, was in succeeding times named Eovesham, for the reason which I shall now declare. St. Egwin had appointed four Sheepherds to feed their flocks about the said Wood for the sustenance of his Monks. Now on a certain day it happened that one of the said Sheepherds, named Eoves, entring deeply into the midst of the Wood, there appeared before him a certain most glo∣rious Virgin, attended by two others, her Splendour darkened that of the Sun it self, and her Beauty incomparably exceeded all worldly features: she held in her Hand a Book, out of which she, with the other two Virgins, sung Hymns of praise to God. The poor man, dazled with this splendour, upon which he durst not fix his eyes, stood a while silent and trembling, and presently after in great fear retired home, and repairing to the Bishop acquainted him with this Vision. The Holy Bishop considering the matter advisedly with himself, on a certain day after he had fasted and prayed, taking three companions with him, went toward the place de∣scribed by the Sheepherd, walking all the way bare-foot, praying and singing Psalms; and commanding his attendents to stop at a distance, he himself passed farther into the Wood, and being come to the place, he fell prostrate on the ground, where, with many sighs and tears, he remained a good space, imploring a mercifull regard from our Lord. After which he rose up from Prayer, and immediately there ap∣peared to him the three Virgins, with the same Majesty and Glory as before; among

whom she who stood in the midst seemed more tall and resplendant than the other, in pure whiteness infinitely excelling Lillies, and in freshness Roses, and from her proceeded a celestial and inestimable Odour: she held in her hand a Book, together with a golden Cross, casting forth bright beams of light. Now whilst he thought within himself, that surely this was the Mother of our Lord, the said glorious Virgin as it were approving such his inward pious cogitation, stretching forth the said Cross, gave him a Benediction with it, and presently with that farewell disap∣peared. The Holy man with great joy rendring thanks to God for this favour, understood thereby that it was God's will that the same place should be consecrated to his Service, and dedicated to the Honour of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of our Lord. For during his former afflictions and persecutions he had made a Vow, that if God would vouchsafe to give a prosperous end to his desires, he would build a Church to his Service. Hereupon without delay he cleansed the place, began the work, and shortly brought it to perfection. Cr. p. 528.

St. Egwin, Bishop of Worcester, undertook a painfull Pilgrimage to Rome, thereby to satisfie for the offences of his People, and withall to doe a rigorous Penance for some faults committed in his youth: And to render his Pilgrimage more painfull, he, in the presence of a great multitude, bound about his Legs certain Iron Chains, and cast the Key, which locked them together, into the River of Avon, publickly protesting, that he would never esteem himself secure of the pardon of his sins, till either the Key were restored to him▪ or the Chains unloosed by a power supernatu∣ral. Having with great pain performed his Voyage, he at last arrived at Rome, where, whilst he was performing his Devotions in the Church of St. Peter, his Ser∣vants going to the River's side to buy provision for their Master, they found in a Fish's belly the Key which had formerly locked the Chains about his Legs, which being brought to him, he in the presence of a great multitude unlocked the said Chains. So that he who before was looked upon as a Sinner, was afterwards ho∣noured as a Saint. Cr. p. 528.

In the year 711. when St. Swibert went into a certain Village to celebrate Mass, a certain rich Man who had been a Pagan, but converted, and called Peter, condu∣cting a Cart laden with Materials for building a Monastery; in the way, by the malice of the Devil, Peter fell from the Cart under the Wheels, and was taken up dead, having his Head and other Members grieviously wounded; by occasion of which, there assembled a great concourse of People, when preparation was making for his Funerals, St. Swibert came to the place, and commanded the Body to be carri∣ed to his Cell, which being done, he with many sighs and tears poured forth his Prayers to restore to life the said Peter, who was a Servant of his Monastery, then rising up, and kissing the Body, immediately the dead Man revived, and rose up perfectly whole, insomuch as there was not left on his Body the least marks of any wounds, nor no settling of any bloud. Cr. p. 538.

In the same hour St. Swibert died, his Soul appeared to St. Willebrord, requesting him that he would be present as his Funerals in Werda; whereupon he presently took Boat, and with several others made haste to Werda; where all these, as they were the day following, according to Custome, singing the Vigile of the Dead, a young

Man was brought among them, who had been made blind by Lightening, and with his clamours interrupting the Psalmody, and calling to the Saint to have his sight re∣stored, as soon as he had touched the Coffin he immediately recovered his sight. Another, who was raging mad, being brought in, and kissing the cover of the same Coffin, was presently restored to his Senses. A third also, who was possessed of the Devil, by the same means was freed from the wicked Spirit. Cr. p. 556.

St. Boniface one morning celebrating Mass in St. Michael's Church in Ordorf; after which, he commanded that Dinner should be made ready; but being told that there was no Meat, Is it so? answered he, How many thousands did God feed in the Wil∣derness, forty years together? Cannot he provide for his Servant, how unworthy soever, nourishment for one day? Having said this, he commanded the Table should be co∣vered, and presently a great Bird flew thither, bringing in her mouth a Fish, suffi∣cient to satisfie all their hunger, this Fish he bid should be dressed, which having eaten, the remainder was cast into the River. Cr. p. 569.

A certain devout Lady, named Irmgardis, attended only by two Maids, and her Son Gocellin, a Child of little more than eight years of Age, came to see the So∣lemnity of the Canonization of St. Swibert, (the first Saint that was solemnly Ca∣noniz'd,) and to demand the Pope's Benediction. Now it happened that whilst the Boat in which they came, was amongst others turn'd about for landing, the young Child who then stood near his Mother, by reason of the rushing of the Boats one against another, not being able to keep his standing, fell into the River; which his Mother seeing, would have thrown her self after him, if she had not been held back by such as were present. This happened about five of the Clock at even. Presently one of the Maids ran in hast to acquaint the Archbishop with this calamity; who came and found the Lady in the Church, shrieking out, and almost mad with grief; he with much adoe conducted her to his Lodging, and endeavoured to assuage her grief, but all in vain; for the whole night she spent in weeping, groaning, and praying to St. Swibert, by his accustomed piety to succour his afflicted servant; vowing withall, that if she might have her Child restored, she would consecrate him for ever to God's service in his Church. The day following about eight of the clock in the morning the dead body was found and taken up out of the River: Which being presented to his Mother, she became pale and fell into a swoon; but be∣ing recovered, she took the body in her Armes, and attended with a great troup of men and women weeping with her, she carried it into the Church, and laid it be∣fore the Sepulchre of St. Swibert. After which the whole company betook them∣selves to their Prayers; and within a very short time the Child's Spirit returned into him, so that he opened his eyes, and standing upon his feet he looked about with wonder on so great a multitude, and spoke some tender and kind words to his Mo∣ther. Cr. p. 687.

The Pagans having cut off St. Edmond's Head, they cast it into a secret place in a Thicket of the Wood adjoining, there it remained a whole year's space; after which the said Pagans retiring out of the Countrey, the first care of the Christians was to honour their holy King and Martyr. Assembling themselves therefore to∣gether out of their lurking places, they reverently took his Body out of the unclean

place where it had been cast, and then with all diligence sought for the Head; and whilst every one of them with equal affection searched each corner of the Wood, there happened a wonder not heard of in any age before: For whilst they disper∣sed themselves in all parts, and each one demanded of his companions, where it was that the Danes had cast the Head, the same Head answered them aloud in their own Tongue, Here, here, here; neither did it cease to cry out in the same words, till it had brought them to the place. And to add to the wonder, there they found a mighty and fierce Wolf, which with its fore-feet held the Head, as if appointed to watch and defend it from other Beasts. When they were come, the Wolf quietly resigned it to them. So with joyfull hymns to God they carried and join'd it to the Body, the Wolf in the mean time following them to the place where they buried it, after which, the Beast returned into the Wood; in all which time, neither did the Wolf hurt any one, neither did any one shew the least intention to hurt the Wolf. Cr. p. 736.

A certain Scotchman, buried in the Church at Rhemes, lay many years there un∣known, till the ground being afterwards digged for the burial of another, his Coffin was found, but could by no force of Men be opened, till the Pastour of the place, whose Name was Hildegarius, coming, opened it a little, and was infinitely ravished, with the odoriferous smell issuing out of it; within the Coffin he saw a Body en∣tire, cloathed with Priestly Vestments; therefore not daring farther to violate the Sepulchre, but laying boards over it, upon these boards he placed the other dead Body: The night following his Uncle, who had been dead many years, and was a Priest, appeared to him, telling him, that he had much offended God in violating the Sepulchre of a Holy Man. The like did the Holy Man himself make known to another, commanding him to signifie to the Priest, that unless he removed from out his Grave the stinking Carcase, he should quickly receive from God a severe punishment. Whereupon without delay he caused a new Grave to be made for the newly dead Person's Body. Afterward the same Holy Man in a Vision required a Husbandman, and again a Priest, to advise him in his Name to remove his Body from without into the Church, withall signifying, that he was of the Scottish Na∣tion, that his Name was Merilolan, and had been murthered in his way towards Rome on the River Aisne (Axona.) And lest he should forget the Name, he commanded him to write it with Chalk, which he seemed to give him upon the Cover of a Chest standing by; which he accordingly did, and writing it false, was corrected by the Holy Man. The next morning he found the Name written in so perfect a manner, that he could not write so well, though waking, and in the light. Cr. p. 813.

A Debate happening between the Secular Canons and the Monks, about their Revenue and Possession; the Canons pretensions were supported by the Queen, &c. on the Monks side stood King Edward, Saint Dunstan, &c. When the Debate was in the Assembly, St. Dunstan was silent, and holding down his head, he de∣bated in his mind what might be the best course to proceed in this Affair. A great silence was observ'd by the whole Assembly, every one expecting the Arch∣bishop's answer and resolution; when on a sudden an Image of our Lord upon

the Cross, which was fastened aloft in the Room, in the hearing of all that were present, spake these words distinctly; It must not be, it must not be; you have orde∣red things well, you shall doe ill to change them. This struck a terrour into the whole Assembly, and thereupon St. Dunstan said, My Brethren, what would you have more? you have heard the present Affair decided by a Divine Sentence; they answered, We have heard it. And upon this the Monks of Winchester remained secure. Cr. p. 883.

St Editha, Daughter to King Edgar, a little before her death built a Church to the honour of St. Dionysius; at the Consecration whereof by St. Dunstan he ob∣served how the Virgin frequently with her Thumb made the sign of the Cross upon her Forehead; at which being much delighted, he said, May that Thumb never be corrupted. Thirteen months after her death, St. Dunstan in a vision of sleep saw St. Dionysius holding the Virgin by the hand, who commanded that her memory should be celebrated on earth; the Virgin her self likewise admonished him to take up her Body; withall telling him that he should find her upper parts, her Eyes, and Hands, all corrupted, because in her childish age she had employed them lightly and vainly; but her Thumb, which she had frequently used in signing her self with the Cross, and all her lower parts remained uncorrupted, in as much as she had been always free from impurity and gluttony; hereupon St. Dunstan went to Wilton, and taking up her sacred Relicks, found all she had said to be true. But Canutus, the Danish King, who made small account of English Saints, was wont to say in jest, he could never believe that a King so licentious and cruel as K. Edgar, could have a Saint to his Daughter. And when Archbishop Ednot defended the sanctity of S. Editha, the King being then at Wilton, in a passion commanded her Sepulchre to be opened; which being done, the holy Virgin was seen to sit up, with a Veil be∣fore her face, in a posture as if she intended to assault the King; at which he terri∣bly affrighted started back, and fell half dead to the ground; but coming to himself, he ever held the holy Virgin in great veneration; and once being endangered by a Tempest at Sea, he implored her assistence; upon which the Tempest immediate∣ly ceased, and he came safe to Land. Cr. p. 895.

In the year of Grace one thousand and twelve, the people of a Town of Saxony named Colewiz (or Colbec) being assembled in the Church dedicated to the Holy Martyr Magnus. On the Vigil of our Lord's Nativity, the Priest, named Robert, according to custome, began the first Solemn Mass. At the same time there were fifteen Men and three Women in the Church-yard dancing and singing profane Songs, and they made such a noise that they hindred the Priest, for their voices were louder than the Choire which sung at Mass: The Priest therefore sent to them once and again to be quiet, but they contemned his command; whereupon in great indignation he said, May it please God and St. Magnus, that you may continue singing thus till a year be passed. Now what followed? This imprecation of the Priest had such force, that Azo, a Son of the same Priest, taking his Sister, cal∣led Ava, by the Arme to draw her from the rest, and she not being able to leave them, he pulled her Arme from her Body, and yet not a drop of Bloud was seen: She therefore with the rest remained singing a whole year. No rain fell upon

them; neither cold nor heat, hunger nor thirst, nor weariness troubled them. Their cloths and shoes were not worn out, but they continued incessantly, like mad peo∣ple, their singing. They by dancing so wore away the ground, that they sunk into the earth, first to the knees, and afterward to the middle, the trench became so deep. There was by their friends a kind of pent-house raised over them, to defend them from the foul weather; but there was no need of it. At last, when the year was ended, Herebert, Archbishop of Colon, came to the place, and absolved them from their bonds, and bringing them before the Altar of St. Magnus, he there reconciled them. The Priest's Daughter, with two others, presently gave up the Ghost; the rest slept three days and three nights without waking. Some of them dyed shortly after; but some remained many years alive, and by a trembling of all their members published to the world their sin and punishment. Cr. p. 919.

Iudith, Wife of Count Tosti, desiring of Agelwin, Bishop of Durham, to bestow on her some portion of the Relicks of that glorious Martyr, St. Oswin, King of the Deiri, received from him a large lock of his Hair, altogether incorrupted. And being desirous to confirm in Faith certain incredulous persons, she caused a great Fire to be kindled in the midst of her Hall, into which she cast the same Hair, which received no prejudice at all, but on the contrary a great lustre. Whereupon the Countess, by the Bishop's order, laid up the said Relick in a pretious Repository. Cr. p. 988.

A certain Church being to be consecrated to the honour of Saint Iohn the Evan∣gelist, devout King Edward the Confessour attended the Procession thither; when upon a sudden a Person in a stranger's habit pressing near the King, earnestly beg∣ged an Alms of him for St. Iohn's sake, the King having charitably given away all the Money he brought thither, took a rich Ring from off his finger and gave it to the stranger, who returning him many thanks, presently disappeared. It happened afterward, that two Englishmen went to adore the Sepulchre of our Saviour at Ieru∣salem, who at their return lost their way, and the night coming on them, they were in great pain what would become of them. Being in this perplexity, they saw passing by them a company of beautifull young men in white shining Garments, before whom went two carrying Torches in their hands, which took away all the obscurity of the night. After them followed a comely old man, attended by two on each hand, who looking aside, and spying the two Pilgrims, he stay'd, asking them, who and whence they were, what Religion they professed, who was their King, and what was the cause of their journey thither? They told him they were Englishmen, and Christians, that their King's name was Edward, that they came to visit the holy places of our Lord's Passion and Resurrection, and that the same day having wandred out of their way, they knew not where to find lodging or enter∣tainment. Then the venerable old man with a chearfull countenance bid them fol∣low him, conducting them into a most beautifull City, where they were most deli∣cately nourished and lodged. In the morning the same old man brought them on their way, and being out of the City, he said to them, My Brethren, doubt not but God will give you a prosperous journey homeward; I am John the Apostle and the Evange∣list; your King I affectionately love for his chastity, salute him in my name; and to take

from him all doubt, restore him this Ring which at the Dedication a Church to my Name he gave, being then disguised in the habit of a Pilgrim; tell him withall that the day of his death approaches, and that six months hence I will visit him, and conduct him after the Lamb, who is always attended by pure chast Souls. As soon as he had said these words, they presently found themselves in their right way; and with great joy returned home. Whither being come, they presented the Ring to the King, acquainted him with the Oracle, and taking him aside discovered to him what was told them of his death. As soon as they had mentioned the Name of St. Iohn, the King burst forth into tears, and after he had diligently enquired of them touching the things they had seen and heard in their Journey, he dismissed them with thanks. Cr. p. 988.

An Irish Priest preaching lately at Dublin on these words, Take no thought for to morrow, what ye shall eat, nor what ye shall drink, &c. brings in the example of the Pro∣phet Daniel, Daniel, saith he, was cast into the Lyons Den in Babylon, just then Ha∣bakkuk had prepared a Dinner for his Reapers, comes an Angel to Habakkuk, and tells him, Habakkuk, This Dinner thou hast prepared for thy Reapers, thou must car∣ry to Daniel which is in the Lyons Den in Babylon. Lord, said Habakkuk, I know not Daniel, neither do I know where Babylon is; whereupon the Angel took up Ha∣bakkuk by one single Hair of the Head and carried him to Babylon to Daniel in the Lyons Den. Babylon being three hundred Miles from the place.

A Priest preaching in a Nunnery in Dublin, just after the Birth of the P. of W. chose this Text, Knock and it shall be opened unto you: He told the Nuns what mighty Miracles were done by knocking; Nay, saith the Priest, by knocking we have got a P. of W. The Nuns fell a laughing, the Priest observing it; Hold, saith he, I do not mean such knocking as you mean.

Thus have you some Miracles of Ignatius, S. Anthony, &c. and a few of Mr. Cressy's many Stories of the Miracles of our English Saints; if these gain your Acceptance, you will oblige me farther to prosecute this Collection from more of their Legends, and present you with another small Book of the like nature.

FINIS.