* 1.1XII. CHAP.
1.2. &c. Saint Willebrord ordained at Rome Arch bishop of Vtrecht. His Name chan∣ged into Clement, &c.
1. BVT relinquishing a while Brittany, the affaires happily succeeding with our English Apostolick Missioners in Germany re∣quire our care and attendance to them, and that wee should contemplate the wonder∣full goodnes of God to that Nation. Wee have before related how, considering the multitude of Converts there, it was thought expedient by our holy and zealous Preists to compose and settle the Church there in good Order by ordaining Bishops to govern it: And how for this purpose Saint Swibert and Saint Willebrord were chosen by them as most meet to sustain so sublime and weighty an Office. For this purpose Saint Swibert was sent into Brittany to receive consecration from Saint Wilfrid the rightfull Arch-bishop of the Nor∣thumbers, though at this time living in exile among the Mercians. After which Consecra∣tion performed, he returned the same year into Germany, where how executed his Epis∣copall charge, and how wonderfully God assi∣sted him hath been declared.
2. As for Saint Willebrord, who six years before this had been at Rome, from whence he received authority of preaching Christ to the Pagans, how this same year by the coun∣sell and recommendation of the Pious Prince Pipin he undertook a second voyage thither to receive Episcopall Ordination, Saint Beda in his History declares. He might have received Ordination either in Brittany or France, but New Episcopall Sees were to be erected, which by the ordinary Iurisdiction of Bishop•• could not be done, and therefore authority to effect that was to be obtained from the Su∣preme Bishop. Now how this was performed ••. Beda thus ••ela••est
* 1.23. After that the foresaid English-Preists, bad for the space of siverall years preached the Gospell in the countrey of the Frisons, by the ge∣nerall consent of them all Pipin sent the Vene∣rable man Willebrord to Rome, the Pontificat whereof was still administred by Pope Sergius, to the end he might be ordained Arch-bishop of that Nation. Which according to his request was fullfilled in the year six hundred ninety six after our Lords Incarnation. Now he was ordained in the Church of the Holy Martyr Saint Cecily, and on the day of her Feast: and the Pope who ordai∣ned him imposed on him the Name of Clement, and presently after, to witt, fourteen dayes after his arrivall at Rome, he dismissed him that he might return to his Episcopall See.
4. The which See by the munificence of Pipin was established in his illustrious Castle, which in the old German language was called Wiltaburg, that is the Town of the Wil••••, but in the Gallick language was called Vtrecht. In this place a Church was built, and the most Reverend Bishop preaching the Word of Faith far and wide, and re∣covering much people from their Pagan Errours, erected in those Regions many Churches and some Monasteries. For not long after the said Venerable Arch-bishop ordained severall other Bishops out of the number of his Brethren the prime Missioners who attended him at his first coming, of which some are falln asleep in our Lord: but Willebrord himself, sirnamed Clement, is yet alive (that is, in the seaven hundred and one and thir∣tieth year of Grace, in which Saint Beda en∣ded his History:) A Prelat he is Venerable for his old age, for this is the thirty sixth year since he was Bishop: and after manifold labours and dangers sustained in this Christian Warfare, he with his whole mind and a longing desire expects a heavenly retribution.
5. To this Narration of Saint Beda tou∣ching the Ordination of Saint Willebrord, Al∣binus Flaccus, who has compiled the Gests of this Holy Prelat, addes one particular very memorable, to witt, that it was not per∣formed without a Prophecy & Revelation from heaven preceding it: for thus he writes: On the fourth day before Saint Willebrords arri∣vall at Rome the Holy Pope Sergius was in sleep ad∣monished by an Angell to receive him with great honour,* 1.3 as being a man appointed by God to en∣lighten many soules, who came thither to receive the supreme honour of Preist-hood, and therefore that he should deny him in none of his requests. The Pope thus admonished entertaind him with wonderfull honour and ioy, and by conversation with him observing in him great Fervour, devo∣tion of Religion, and plenitude of wisedom, having appointed a convenient day, and assembled great numbers of Prelats to ioyn with him in the Ordi∣nation, to which there was a wonderfull concourse of people, he publickly ordained him Arch-bishop with great solemnity, after an Apostolick manner, in the Church of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles, and when he was ordained, he imposed on him the name of Clement. Moreouer he vested him with his own Pontificall Robes, adding likewise the Pall, an ensign of the plenitude of Archiepiscopall di∣gnity. Whatsoever he desired, whether Sacred Re∣licks of Saints, or Ecclesiasticall ornaments, he with all chearfullnes bestowed upon him, and ha∣ving conferred on him his Apostolicall Benedi∣ction, with wholesome precepts and admonitions, he sent him back to the Work of the Gospell.