* 1.1VI. CHAP.
1.2.3. Cuthred Arch-bishop of Canter∣bury dying, gave order that his body should be buried in the Archiepisco∣pall Church: to the prejudice of Saint Augustins Monastery.
4. Bregwin succeeds him.
5.6. S. Eadburga Abbesse. Six Saints of the same name.
* 1.21. THE same year Cuthred Arch-bishop of Canterbury, after he had admi∣nistred that See seaventeen years, dyed. When he was ready to dye, saith William of Malmsbury, he commanded his servants to bury him privatly in his Archiepiscopall Church which was built within the walls of the Citty. And because the Monks of S. Augustin, whose Monastery was seated without the said Citty, by an Ancient custom which they were stubboraly constant to observe, did challenge as their vn∣doubted right that the Bodies of the Arch-bi∣shops should be buried in their Church, in so much as they would probably endeavour even by vio∣lence to take away with them his Body after he was dead: therfore he enioynd his family, as soon as he was dead to abstain from any noise in beway∣ling his death, both in the Citty and Palace, so that no notice of his death being given abroad, there might be no concourse of people, and by that means they might without disturbance bury him in the Archiepiscopall Church, and not apprehend any danger that the Monks would take him out of the ground, when they should perceive how they had been overreached by cun∣ning.
2. But B. Godwin relates,* 1.3 that the Tradition was that the Body of Arch-bishop Cuthbert was not buried in the Archiepiscopall Church it self, called Christ-Church, but in another lesser Church seated near it and dedicated to S. Iohn, which he had built on purpose for baptizing infants: and which both himself and his successours vsed in their life time for a Consistory, and for a place of buriall after they were dead. Moreover that this Church in after ages having been consumed by fire together with the Cathedrall Church, was never after rebuilt.
3. The motive inducing the Arch-bishop to make this change,* 1.4 was, in the iudgment of Sir Henry Spelman, a kind of indignation that his Cathedrall Church should be deprived of the honour of being a sepulcher of eminent persons, and particularly of Arch-bishops who had performed all Episcopall duties in it. Therefore in as much as till that time there had no buriall places been permitted within Citties,* 1.5 he had recourse to the Pope for a dispensation from that obligation: and to the King for a change of the place of buriall both for Arch-bishops and Kings.Notwithstanding if the foregoing relation be true, what need was there of that subtilty to circumvent the Augustinian Monks, who doubtlesse would not have had the boldnes to contradict the Orders both of the Pope and King?
4. The year following there was substitu∣ted to Cuthbert in the Archiepiscopall See,* 1.6 Bregwin, who was consecrated on the Feast of S. Michael the Archangel. This Bregwin, according as we read in the Antiquities of Brittany,* 1.7 was born in old Saxony of noble pa∣rents: After he had passed his childhood he be∣took himself to the study of sacred learning: to which he had so great an affection, that for ad∣vantaging himself in his studies he passed over into Brittany, quite forsaking his native soile. After some abode in Brittany, he was for his modesty and vertue so much in generall esteem and favour, that he had the priviledge of na∣turalization. And he made so great progresse in sacred knowledge, that he alone was esteemed worthy to be the successour to Cuthbert in the Archbishoprick. After which he did so excell in all good works, that not any in his time ap∣proached within many degrees to him.
5. At that time the Holy Virgin and Ab∣besse Eadburga, sirnamed Buggan, also dyed, It is no wonder there should be some con∣fusion in Writers touching her and other Saints of the same name: Of which no lesse then six are recorded in our Ecclesiasticall Mo∣numents.