The church-history of Brittany from the beginning of Christianity to the Norman conquest under Roman governours, Brittish kings, the English-Saxon heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) monarchy ... : from all which is evidently demonstrated that the present Roman Catholick religion hath from the beginning, without interruption or change been professed in this our island, &c. / by R.F., S. Cressy of the Holy Order of S. Benedict.

XVII. CHAP.* 1.1

1.2. S. Amphibalus lead prisoner towards Verolam: in the way miraculously cures a sick person.

3. He is barbarously tormented: his gutts wrapp'd about a stake.

4. During his torments he enveighs against Idolatry.

5. His Executioner is converted.

6. A voyce from heaven testifies S. Amphibalus his Sanctity: He dyes: and his Body is privatly buried.

1. AFter the offring made of so many im∣maculate Victimes to God,* 1.2 S. Amphiba∣lus, saith Mathew of westminster, became the sole object against whom these bloody Executioners powrd forth all their rage: for binding his arms with sharp and streit cords, they so drove him with naked feet before their horses toward the Citty of Verolam: who the nearer he approached to his be∣loved Disciple S. Albanus, the lesse was he sensi∣ble of the roughnes of the wayes and toyle of the iourney: Moreover in the way Amphibalus fast bound as he was, had yet the vertue to unloose a sick person from the bonds of his infirmity,

2. This miracle is thus related in the life of S. Amphibalus:* 1.3 In the way as they pass'd, a cer∣tain infirm person began to crye out:

O servant of the High God, help mee, that by thy intercession I may be freed from this my greivous infirmity: for I beleive that by calling on the name of Christ over mee, thou maist speedily restore my health.

Whereupon immediatly in the sight of them all the sick person arose chearfull and perfectly reco∣ered. This miracle finds credit generally among all,* 1.4 except Iohn Foxe, who says there was no cause which might move al∣mighty God to shew his power: As if there were neither infidells to be converted, nor beleivers to be confirm'd, nor such mali∣cious Sectaries as himself to be preiudged.

3. But to proceed in the suffrings of this glorious Martyr,* 1.5 as they are related in his Acts to have been inflicted on him at the end of his long iourney, when he was entred into the confines belonging to the Citty of Verolam. There the foresaid Inhabitants of Vero∣lam barbarously stripp'd him of his garments: and fastning a stake into the ground, they with a sword ripp'd up his belly, and tying the end of his gutts about the stake with cruell whipping thy forced him to walk about it, so inwrapping it with his bowells: And not content thus, they with knives and lances tore the rest of his body, as if he had been a mark sett on purpose to exercise their wea∣pons

upon. All this while the man of God stood with a cheerfull countenance, as if he had suffred nothing, being every moment more constant, though there was not left any part of his body in which there were not imprinted marks of his Martyrdom: insomuch as it seemd a prodigious thing, that after so many tortures and sorts of death, he could have any life remaining in him.

4. The same moment, diverse who were there present and saw the constancy of the holy Martyr, renounced their Idolls, and submitted themselves to the Faith of Christ, beseeching the Blessed man to pray to God for them that they might par∣take eternall Happines, for the obtaining of which they were ready to lay down their lives. Which when it was known, the Cheif Magistrate calling the Officers gave them command to kill all those who had cast off the worship and reverence of Heathen Gods, and embraced the Doctrine of the Christian Preacher. Immediatly they executed this horrible Edict, and putt to death a thousand persons, whilst Blessed Amphibalus look'd on, and commended their soules to our Lord.

5. Then one of the by-standers, ruder then the rest, thus spake to the man of God, O p••ttilesse wretch, way hast thou deceived these simple people with thy frudulent speeches, withdrawing them from the worship of the Gods? By thy cunning per∣swasions we have utterly lost our parents and freinds. Notwithstanding though hereby thou hast above measure incensed both Gods and men, yet even now at last by thy repentance thou maist re∣cover their pardon and favour. And this will be a proof and sign of thy repentance, if thou wilt re∣nounce the impious Sect, which hitherto thou hast followed, and begin to adore the omnipotent Gods, which perhaps out of ignorance thou hast offen∣ded. If thou wilt doe this, then the same all-power∣full Gods will restore again to life those whom thou hast murdred.

6. To whom the Holy man thus answered, O In∣fidell, whilst thou endeavourest with thy false praises to ex••••ll thy Gods, be assured that thou hast offended the true God by thy speeches. For it is Iesus Christ my Lord who alone has the power to raise and give life to the dead. As for those whom yee worship as Gods, and think them to be power∣full in heaven, they doe now suffer most horrible torments in hell. And partakers in the fellowship of those torments shall be all injust persons, adul∣terers, slanderers and such as by their reprobate actions whilst they liv'd here, rendred themselves like to Devills. And for thy part, O Pagan, and all who like thee worship Idolls, except you quickly renounce your heathenish Superstition, and con∣vert your selves to the Faith of Christ, you shall all incurr the same punishments in hell. Doe not des∣pair, for the mercy of God is great. Breake off your evill wayes, and make hast to be partakers of the Grace of Baptism. By Baptism all sins are forgiven; Heaven is opened to men, who therby become as it were new creatures, having devested themselves of their old wicked inclinations. For those who be∣fore Baptism, by their sinns were Children of the Devill, become afterward Sons of God. Run ther∣fore for refuge to this Grace, that you may escape everlasting torments.

7. When the impious Pagans heard these spee∣ches, they were kindled with rage, and with all their forces laboured to deprive him of life. But the holy Martyr, though he was on all sides brui∣sed with a great multitude of stones, which were thrown at him, yet he remain'd immoveable in prayer, not stirring any way from the place where he stood.

8. But when at last the hower was come in which he was to surrender to God his victorious spirit, lif∣ting up his eyes to heaven, he saw our Lord Iesus standing at the right hand of the Father, and heard an harmonious cōcert of Angells in heaven, amongst whom he saw his beloved Disciple S. Al∣banus whom he presently invoked to his help, saying, O Holy Albanus, pray to our Lord that he would send his good Angell to meet and protect mee, that the accursed fiend and his associats may not binder my passage into life Immediatly after which Prayer, there appeared two Angells, glo∣riously shining with celestiall splendour, which came to him: And a voyce from heaven was heard saying, Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt presently be in Paradise with thy Disciple.

9. When the Pagans heard this celestiall voyce, they stood amazed. But the holy Angells took with them the Blessed mans soule, shining with a brightnes white as snow, and with hymnes and praises carried it into heaven. In the mean time the Pagans ceased not to overwhelm with stones the livelesse body, bound as it was with cords. But afterwards, a certain Christian privily took away the Body, and with a diligent care buried it. This is the summ of the Life and Martyrdom of S. Amphibalus, recorded by an ancient Bri••tish Authour,* 1.6 who, saith Harpsfeild, lived before the time of S. Beda,

Notes

• * 1.1

  XVII. CH.
• * 1.2

  Florilig. ad A. D. 303.
• * 1.3

  Act. S. Am••¦phib. ap. Cap. grav.
• * 1.4

  ••. Fox. in Acts and M. in perscent. 10
• * 1.5

  Act S. Am∣phib.
• * 1.6

  H••rpsf in 6. ••aecul. cap. ••••