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.

* 1.1VII. CHAP.

i.2. &c. The Gests and Martyrdom of S. Ethelbert King of the East-angles.

1. COncerning this King Offa, the Chara∣cter given him by William of Malms∣bury is very proper,* 1.2 saying, In one and the same man sometimes vices did palliate themselves with a shew of vertue, and sometimes vertues did succeed vices, that a man would be uncertain in what shape to represent such a changeable Proteus. For the same year in which he shewd himself so pious toward the Holy Martyr S. Alban, he shewd himself most impious in cruelly killing an innocent Prince and making him a Martyr.

2. This Prince was Ethelbert the Son of Ethelred and Leofrana by whom he was care∣fully instituted in piety and all vertues.* 1.3 He had now governed the Kingdom of the East-angles forty four years with such iustice and moderation that he was tenderly loved by all his subiects. All which time he had never admitted any proposall of mariage: but now yeilding to the importunity of his Mother and Nobles who earnestly desired to see a Successour, he remitted to their iudg∣ments to propose to him a fitt Consort.

3. When they were therefore to consult about the person, in the first place they ge∣nerally turned their thoughts upon a Prin∣cesse among the South-Saxons whose name was Seledrida, and her Fathers, Egeon, by whose death she was possessed of a very con∣siderable Province, besides other great riches. Therefore they advised the King to make choice of her, whose Treasures and territory would be a great strength and accession to his Kingdom. But the King whose iudgment was directed by better Rules then humane policy and interests, reiected the proposall, because that Province which Egeon had left unto his daughter was procured by uniust and fraudulent means, and therefore he could not expect a benediction from God upon the possession of it.

4. Some few others therefore whose counsells were guided by Principles more sublime and not so worldly, proposed to the King a daughter of the most potent King Offa, whose name our Historians generally call Alfreda, only by Ingulfus she is named Etheldrita: a Virgin endowd withall Graces, against whom no exception could be made: Yea moreover such affinity contracted with her Father would be an absolute security to the Kingdom. To this therefore King E∣thelbert consented, and thereupon Embas∣sadours were dispatched to King Offa to de∣mand of him this grace: which he willingly granted, so that conditions on both sides were readily agreed on.

5. When the time appointed for the ma∣riage drew near, King Ethelbert thought fitt to goe to the Mercians, thereby to shew more affection and respect in conducting his espoused Lady home. But when he be∣gan his iourney there hapned to him many terrible prodigies port••nding a fatall suc∣cesse. Among which this was one: When he mounted on horsback, attended by a great multitude of his loving Subiects who earnestly prayed for his happines, on a sudden, besides a great earth-quake, the Sun became wholly darkned, insomuch as one could not discern another, neither durst they

remove by reason of the trembling of the earth, All were astonished at this, and fal∣ling prostrate on the ground, earnestly be∣sought God to avert his wrath from them. But the King, more devoutly then the rest, humbly begged of God at least an internall Light by which he might discern whether that iourney and the occasion of it were ac∣ceptable to him, and for the benefit of his own soule: in token of which he besought him to cease the trembling of the earth, no to restore the Suns Light. Assoon as he had ended his Prayer all these prodigies imme∣diatly ended. Thereupon the King confident∣ly prosecuted his iourney, though his Mother terrified by such ominous signs earnestly en∣deavoured to disswade him.

6. Assoon as he was entred into Mercia at∣tended by a small guard, God was pleased in a vision by night to signify to him his approa∣ching death, and the immense glory which should follow it. For First it seemed to him that the roof of his Palace fell upon him, and that his Mother seeing it, let fall from her eyes teares of blood. Afterward he saw a wonderfully great and most beautifull Tree, which certain persons feircely endeavoured to hew down, and out of the wounds made in it flowed a torrent of Blood eastward. Then a pillar of Light from the South more bright then the Sun seemed to rise up: and himself in the shape of a Bird having the extremities of his wings shining like gold, had a great desire to embrace that glorious pillar: so that mounting to the top of it, he heard a most celestiall Harmony, to which he with in∣finite pleasure attended, till his sleep ending, all vanished away.

7. The next morning he recounted this Dream to his freinds, at which their asto∣nishment and fears were renewed with great encrease, considering such fearfull signs, as the falling down of a house, his Mothers bloody teares, a fair tree cutt down, and blood issuing out of it. Thereupon they attempted to perswade him to return, and not to tempt God after so manifest a warning given him of danger. But the King thinking it both dishonourable and unsafe to publish a suspicion of any treachery in so great a King as Offa, and withall considering that though in his Vision there were many omi∣nous signs, yet the end seemed glorious and happy: Therefore resigning himself into Gods hands he chearfully pursued his journey.

8. King Offa at that time had his residence at a certain town now called Sutton-Wallis in Herefordshire, seated upon the River Lugge▪ (Lugus:) There the King received him with demonstrations of kindnes and ioy, the like did the Queen, whose name was Quen∣dreda. But whether this kindnes on the Kings part was sincere or no, it is left doubt∣full. But certain it is, that the impious Queen presently after his arrivall most ex∣ecrably contrived her Son in Law's murder, whereby without any danger or trouble she might procure to her family the accession of a new kingdom.* 1.4 This horrible design, it is sayd, she discovered to her husband King Offa, who at first expressed a detestation of it: but at length was perswaded by the Impious Queen if not to ioyn in the exe∣cution, at least to suffer her to doe it alone.

9. She had before this layd the execrable design, and provided a fitt executioner: His name was Winebert, and to him was assign'd the Office of conducting King Ethelbert, whensoever he was to treat about the ac∣complishing the Mariage. One day there∣fore after he had excused to him King Offa's meeting him, upon a pretence of indispo∣sition, he lead the innocent King through certain obs••ure passages of the Palace, where with the help of his associats there atten∣ding, he murdred him. And so was full∣filld his vision of a beautifull tree cutt down, and a stream of blood issuing from it. Yea withall the other part of the vision likewise was accomplished, in which was represented a glorious Pillar of Light, and a Bird with golden wings mounting to the top of it, and there entertaind with cele∣stial Musick: Which Bird was the soule of this pious King and Martyr received into heavenly ioyes.

10. Some of our Historians relate the fact after another manner:* 1.5 That in the Kings Bed-chamber a chair sumptuously adorned was placed upon planches which at plea∣sure might sink down, and draw the person after. And King Ethelbert having, after a day spent in feasting, been conducted into this his Bed-chamber, and sitting in the said Chair, fell down into a hollow place, where being over whelmed with bed-cloaths and pillows he was stifled. However the crime was performed, all consent that it was prin∣cipally by the Queen Quendreda's contrivance that this pious King was murdred: though all doe not charge King Offa with the guilt of conspiring, or so much as knowing of it till it was executed.

11. The Blessed Kings body being taken out of the Cave was by the command of King Offa buried privatly at a place called Marden near the River Lugg: whither whilst it was caried, it was found so light, as if it had been already ennobled with the Dotes of a glorified Body. But it lay not long in that ignoble Sepulcher: for the night following was seen a Pillar of Light sparkling its beams to the place where the Sacred Body lay: And the third night after, S. Ethelbert appearing in a vision to a simple husband-man, com∣manded him to transport his body to a Mo∣nastery built on the banks of the River Wye: which he accordingly performed, and by the way a blind man was restored to sight by the merits of this Holy Martyr: for so is he

generally called in all ages since, by reason of the frequent Miracles wrought by his in∣tercession: and this Title is expressly iustified by William of Malmsbury.

12. The place where he was buried, was by the Saxons called Fernley, but now He∣reford, where a fair Church had formerly been built: To which King Offa in testimo∣ny of his Repentance gave very rich Presents. There also he built a magnificent tombe for him: and in succeeding times the opinion of the holy Martyrs Sanctity did so encrease, that Milfrid one of the following Kings of Mercia much enlarged the same Church, de∣dicating it anew to the honour of S. Ethel∣bert. For thus writes Leland,* 1.6 From the time of King Offa the Citty of Hereford received great augmentation by occasion of the Monument of the glorious Martyr Ethelbert King of the East-Angles: and it is deservedly esteemed the prime Seat of that Province.

13. Out of the place where the Body of S. Ethelbert was first buried issued a foun∣tain of most clear water, called S. Ethelberts well, over which now stands a Church, no doubt built to his honour. For what other motive could the builder have, since it is placed so near the River Lugg, which every floud being overflown by the muddy waters of the River, never diminishes any thing of its own purity. This wonderfull effect to this day the neighbours, even Protestants, take notice of, and impute it to the Sanctity of the Saint, yet think it an impiety to ho∣nour the Saint so highly honoured by God. His Memory is celebrated in our English Martyrologe on the twentieth day of May.* 1.7

Notes

• * 1.1

  VII. CH.
• * 1.2

  Malmsb. de Reg. l. 1. c. 2.
• * 1.3

  Malmsb. de Pont. l. 4. Io. Angl. Ap. Capgr. in Ethelbert. Westmonast. A D. 794. Polyd. Virg. l. 4.

  Harpsf. saec. 8. c. 9.

  Molan: in Addit.
• * 1.4

  A. D. 794.
• * 1.5

  Westmonast. A. D. 794.
• * 1.6

  Leland.
• * 1.7

  Martyr. Ang. ••0. Ma••j.