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.

* 1.1XX. CHAP.

1.2. &c. King Sebbe becomes a Monk: His sicknes: and Blessed death.

6. Impious folly of the Centuriators of Mag∣deburg.

7. &c. A miracle at the enterrement of the Holy King Sebbe.

9. The Holy Bishop Egwin succeeds to Ostfor in the See of Worcester.

1. THE same year afforded to the world an illustrious example of the contēpt of perishing honours and pleasures in the person of a Prince, who had many years en∣joyd them and by experience knew the iust valew, or rather the reall basenes of them, and unsatisfaction to be found in them. This was an example as ordinary in that age, as to be esteemed miraculous in this.

2. The person who afforded this example was Sebbe King of the East-Saxons, concer∣ning whose piety, and desire to relinquish his purple for a poor Religious habit we have spoken already. This desire at last he this year executed. The order and manner where∣of is thus related by S. Beda.

* 1.2[3. When Sebbe had spent thirty years in the government of the East-Saxons, all which time by his piety and devotion he shewed himself a soldier contending for a heavenly kingdom, he was at last assaulted by a grei∣vous sicknes, which left him not till it brought him to his grave. Being in this con∣dition he admonished his wife that she should no longer oppose his retirement from the world, but rather ioyn with him in dedicating the remainder of their lives in the service of God, since neither of them could any longer enioy any content in the pleasures, or rather slavery of the present world. It was with much adoe that he ob∣tained her liking hereto: But having at last with much importunity wrested her consent, he went to Valdhere then Bishop of London, and successour to S. Erconwald, and with his approbation and benediction he re∣ceived the Habit of Religion so long and so earnestly desired by him. He brought to the said Bishop a great summ of money to be di∣stributed among the poore, reserving no∣thing at all to himself, so great was his desire to become truly poor in spirit for the king∣dom of heaven.

4. When his sicknes encreased on him so far that he perceived his death to approach, being a person of a truly royall mind, and therefore apprehending least the pains of his end night enforce him either by words, ge∣stures or actions to behave himself other∣wise then became a person of his quality and condition, he being then at London, sent for the foresaid Bishop, and desired him that besides himself and two of his own servants, no other should be present at his death.

5. This request the venerable Prelat willing∣ly granted: And not long after the devout King in his sleep by a comfortable Vision was freed from all the anxiety of his former soli∣citude, and moreover had notice given him of the precise day in which he was to end his life. For, as himself afterward related, he saw three men in shining vestments coming to him: of which one sate down before his bed, whilst the other two his companions stood by, and askd him how he did. Then he that was sett down, said to him, Be of good chear, for your soule shall without any pain at all, and with great splendour forsake your body: and on the third day following you shall dye. And the event really made good both these promises which he received in the vision. For on the third day immediatly after Noon, without any sence of pain he breathed forth his soule as if he had quietly rested in sleep.]

6. Thus happily dyed this Religious King, whose death no doubt was precious in the eyes of God, and is with devotion celebrated by his Church, being commemorated both in our English and also the Roman Martyrologe on the twentieth day of August.* 1.3 But the Centu∣riators of Magdeburg reading all these things, are moved to choler both against S. Beda, Sebbe and all Monks in generall, which choler sug∣gested this profane censure to their pens, A Monasticall course of life, not having any ground in Gods word, stood in need to be recommended by vain dreams and Visions. And again: In this seaventh age, say they, Kings began to relinquish their authority, and to addict themselves to a Mo∣nasticall life Which impiety must be adorned with lying miracles. Hence Beda writes concerning King Sebbe, that in a Vision three men appeard to him as

he lay sick in his bed, and foretold to him both the day of his death, and that it should be without pain. So that to forsake all worldly pleasures and contentments purely for the Love of God is not only not warranted by Gods word, but is an impiety, excluding men from the enioying of God, in the judgment of these new sensuall Evangelists.

7. But how after this holy Kings death God was pleased to declare how far different a judgment he gave of his servant, the same learned and devout Historian thus further relates:* 1.4 A Coffin of Stone, saith he, was prepa∣red for entombing the Body of this holy King. But when they endeavoured to putt the Body into it, they found that it was a hands-breadth too long for the Coffin. Whereupon paring away as much of the stone at each end as they could, they there∣by lengthned it about the measure of two fingers breadth. Yet after all it would not receive the body. Whereupon finding so great a difficulty to enteire him, they intended either to seek out a new Coffin, or to endeavour by hewing the body to shorten it so much as to make it enter into the Coffin. But by a wonderfull accident, which could proceed from no lesse then a heavenly power, both these designs of theirs were prevented▪ for pre∣sently in the sight of the Bishop, and Sighard son to the said King and Monk, who together with his Brother Seofrid raignd after him, a great mul∣titude likewise of others being present, the Coffin was found of a convenient length, insomuch as there was room enough to place a cushion under his head, and yet at the feet there remaind four fingers breadth beyond the body. He was buried in the Church of Saint Paul, the Doctour of the Gentiles, by whose teaching he had learnt to aspire to heavenly things onely.

8. To this day his Sepulcher is seen in the same Church adioyning to the Wall on the North side, and encompassed with railes. But the present Monument being of marble, and not ordinary stone, as at first, shews that in ages following through some mens devotion it was changed, and more honou∣rably entombed. So that a late malignant Historians skoffe does little prejudice S. Be∣da's narration,* 1.5 saying, that the Coffin which in the beginning was miraculously lengthned, hath been since by a new Miracle again contra∣cted.

9. The Holy Bishop of Worcester Ostfor, con∣secrated the year before by Saint Wilfrid, this year dyed, in whose place succeeded a Re∣ligious person named Egwin, born of Prince∣ly blood, but one who aspiring to a higher kingdom, for Christs sake became poor. Concerning whom we shall treat more lar∣gely hereafter, for great examples of pa∣tience and equanimity in suffrings he will afford us, insomuch as being tryed in the furnace of many tribulations his sanctity became illustrious not in Brittany onely, but forrain regions also.

Notes

• * 1.1

  XX. CHA.
• * 1.2

  Bed. l. 4. c. 11.
• * 1.3

  Martyrolog. Anglic. & Rom. 20. Au∣gust. Magdebur. Cent. 7. f. 579.
• * 1.4

  Bed. l. 4. c. 11.
• * 1.5

  I••. Speed.