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.

* 1.1XIX. CHAP.

1.2. &c. The Gests of Saint Mildreda, and Saint Milgitha Sisters to Saint Milburga

9. And of their Brother Saint Me∣resin.

* 1.21. WE will next adioyn to Saint Mil∣burga her equally Holy Sister Saint Mildreda, who in her tender infancy was by her Mother Saint Ermenburga sent into France, to be educated and instructed in the Monastery of Cala (now called Chelles) nea•• Paris, that so Divine Love might first take possession o•• her soule. There, as we read in the Legend of her Life in Capgrave,* 1.3 she excelled all the other Virgins her companions in humility and other vertues.

2. During her younger years, her beauty and other Graces rendred her the Oblect of the impure desires of severall persons, which she constantly and courageously resisted, passing untouched through the flames of lustfull tentations. Whence some Writers of following ages, from an unwary mi∣stake, have related that she was cast into a fiery furnace, because whilst she live•• there in a secular Habit, she utterly re∣fused the Mariage of a person of great Qua∣lity: and by Divine assistance was preser∣ved from burning But neither William of Malmsbury, nor any of our Ancient Records mention this Miracle: Therefore we wil∣lingly abstain from adorning that illu∣strious Virgin with borrowed and false or suspected colours.

3. Assoon as King Egbert had finished the Monastery in the Isle of Thanet for expiation of the Murder of the two forementioned Princes, Saint Mildreda was recalled out of France; and by Saint Theodore Arch-bi∣shop of Canterbury consecrated Abbesse there over seaventy Religious Virgins:* 1.4 among whom she behaved her self rather as a servant then a Mistresse; desiring more to be loved then feared by them: and by continuall watching, fasting and prayers spent her life in the service of God.

4. After a like rehearsall of her vertues▪* 1.5 Harpsfeild addes, That she having severa•• years with great Sanctity administred the Office of Abbesse, at last by sicknes was confined to her bed: when causing all her Religious Virgin•• to be assembled, she gave them many Instructions full of piety, above all earnestly exhorting them to conserve among themselves mutuall charity and Humility. After which she happily depar∣ted to our Lord on the third day before the Ide•• of Iuly: and was both dur••ng her life and after her death powerfull in Miracles.

5. Her Body was with great honour en∣terred in the said Monastery of Menstrey: where it reposed near four hundred years, illustrious by the Veneration of pious Chri∣stians, and the glory of frequent Miracles. From thence about the year of Grace one thousand and thirty it was translated to Can∣terbury, Alstan being Abbot there as shall be declared Concerning which Translation William of Malmsbury thus writes,* 1.6 In following time the Sacred Body of Saint Mildred was tran∣slated to the Monastery of Saint Augustin in Canterbury; where it is with great devotion ve∣nerated by the Monks, and for the fame of her piety and sweetnes, answerable to her Name, honoured by all. And although all the corners of the said Monastery are full of Saint Bodies, eminent for their Sanctity and Merits, insomuch as any one of them might suffise to give a luster to the whole Kingdom, yet the Relicks of none are with more affectionate honour venerated, then hers. She is present to all that love her, and ready to hear and fullfill the requests of every one, &c. At London likewise there remains to this day a Church dedicated to her ho∣nour.

6.* 1.7 Moreover her Memory is celebrated in the Belgick Provinces. For as Aubert Miraeus testifies, part of her Relicks was transported

to Daventry, and reposed there in the Ca∣thedral Church. Mention is also made of the same Relicks in the Gallican Martyrologe,* 1.8 on the thirteenth of Iuly, in these words. At Daventry in Belgium is the Veneration of the Relicks of S. Mildreda an English Virgin, consecrated to God in the Monastery of Chelles in the Territory of Paris, which are reposed in the Cathedral Church of S. Lebuin, together with the Bodies of the same Saint Lebuin, and also of S. Marcellinus. Her departure out of the world have given luster to this day. Saint Mildreda was conveniently associated to these two Saints, Lebuin and Marcellinus, for her agree∣ment with them both in her faith and countrey: For they were English-Saxons like∣wise, who together with Saint Willebrord preached the Faith to the inhabitants of Friseland and Geldres: of whom we shal treat hereafter.

7. The determinate year of the death of these two Holy Virgins Saint Milburga, and Saint Mildreda, is uncertain: Cer∣tain only it is that it is wrongfully ascri∣bed by some Writers to the year of Grace six hundred sixty four. For since the same Authours affirm that they were con∣secrated by Saint Theodore Arch-bishop of Canterbury, who came not into Brittany till after that year, it is evident that in their computation there is an Antichro∣nism.

8. We may therefore more commo∣diously ascribe it to this year of our Lords Incarnation six hundred seaventy six: In which year on the six and twentieth of February, our Martyrologe commemo∣rates the Deposition of their youngest Si∣ster Saint Milgitha (or, Saint Milwida.) Concerning whom a very shhort account is given by our ancient Authours: For of her wee read only that she en∣tred into the Monastery of Estrey, built by the Penitent King Egbert in Kent, where she so well imitated the Sanctity of her Si∣sters, that she likewise deserved a place in the Catalogue of our Saints.

6. From these we must not separate a young Brother of theirs, called Mere••in:* 1.9 Con∣cerning whom Mathew of Westminster and Florentius testify this only, that he was a child of eminent Sanctity.

Notes

• * 1.1

  XIX. CH.
• * 1.2

  A. D. 67••.
• * 1.3

  ••p. Capgrav. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 S. Mildred
• * 1.4

  Ibid.
• * 1.5

  Harpsf. saec. 7. c. 10.
• * 1.6

  Malmsb. de Reg. l. 2. c. 1••.
• * 1.7

  Mir. in Fast. Belg. 13. Iulij.
• * 1.8

  Martyrolog. Galli•• 1••. Iulij.
• * 1.9

  Westmon •• A. D. 676. Wigorn. A. D. 675.