certain Tree, of late enclosd within walls, where it is beleiod was fixd the post to which the holy Martyr was tyed, and where his bowells were forn out.
2. Or rather probably there was the place of his buriall: which was perform'd with such secrecy, as hath been said, that till the year of Grace one thousand one hundred seaventy and eight the sacred Body could never be discovered. But in that yeare, saith Mathew of Westminster, the Blessed Martyr S. Albanus was seen visibly to goe out of the Church dedicated to him, and to come to a certain man inhabiting in the town of S. Albons, to whom he said, Follow mee. Who seeing him shining glo∣riously like the Sun, was affraid: yet in obedience followd him Northward: and the high way shone with his brightnes. As they walked, the man said to the Holy man, Sir who are you? Who answered, I am Albanus the first Martyr of Britta∣ny, and I now lead thee to the Sepulcher of S. Amphibalus, by whose preaching I was converted to our Lord, and became a Martyr; that his bones may be discovered and reverently removed to a more decent place. Thus they talked together familiarly like two freinds: and in the end he shewd him the place: which the man diligently observed, setting certain stones in order there to be a mark for the finding it againe. Thus writes that Authour: and the same is related more diffusedly by Mathew Paris.
3. Then it was that the Sacred Body was translated to the Church of S. Albans, where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••any Miracles were wrought by his in∣tercession, that the year following Lewis King of France, who came into England in devotion to visit the Shrine of S. Thomas of Canterbury, was desirous to continue his voyage likewise to S. Albans, but was dis∣swaded by his Nobles accompanying him, as the same Authour reports.
4. As touching the time time of this Holy Martyrs death, though the year be well-enough known, to witt, the two hundred eighty seaventh year of our Lord: yet for the day, it is not particularly design'd in any Hi∣story or Monument. For wheras in the English Martyrologe his passion is celebrated on the twenty-fifth of Iune, three days after that of S. Albanus: yet surely then was commemo∣rated not his death, but the Translation of his sacred ashes to Verolam where they were re∣pos'd in the Church of S. Albanus built by King Offa. This day it is which Harpsfeild meant▪ when he wrote thus, Verolam never saw any day more joyfull and beneficiall. A Martyr meets a Martyr, the scholler meets his Master, the Host meets his Guest, and one Cittizen of heaven meets another. Albanus now openly and honou∣rably entertains that guest at his return, whom before he had secretly dismis'd, least he should fall into his Enemies hands: He now leads him into a magnificent Temple, to whom before he could give no security in a cottage. These things happned in the year one thousand one hundred sea∣venty eight, on the five and twentieth day of Iune.
5. But though the Brittains had been for∣merly ignorant of the place where S. Amphi∣balus his Body lay, yet that was no hindrance to their Veneration of him from the be∣ginning. For as may be gathered out of a forecited passage of Gildas, within ten years after his Martyrdom a Church was erected to his honour: And in the year of our Lord three hundred and nine another Church at Winchester was consecrated to S. Amphibalus, which the Saxons afterward rebuilding dedi∣cated to S. Peter.