Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

King Edmund.

* 1.1EDmund the sonne of Edwarde the elder, by his thirde wife (as is declared) and brother of Ethelstane, being of the age of xx. yeares, entred his raigne: who had by hys Queene Elgina,* 1.2 two sonnes, Edwyne, and Edgarus, surnamed Pacificus, which both reigned after him, as fol∣loweth. This Edmund continued his reigne vj. yeares & a halfe. By him were expulsed the Danes, Scottes, Nor∣mandes, and all foreine enemies out of the land. Such Ci∣ties and Townes which before were in the possession of strangers: as Lyncolne, Nottingham, Derby, Stafforde, and Leycetour, he recouered out of their hands. Thus the realme being cleared of foreine power, for a time: then the king set his study and mind in the redressing and maintai∣ning the state of the Church: which all stoode then in buil∣ding of Monasteries, and furnishing of Churches, eyther with newe possessions,* 1.3 or w^t restoring the olde which were taken away before. In the time of thys Edmund, thys I find in an old written story, borowed of W. Cary: a citizen of London, a worthy treasurer of moste worthy Monu∣ments of antiquitie. The name of the author I can not al∣ledge: because the booke beareth no title, lacking both the beginning, and the latter end. But the words therof faith∣fully recited, be these: Huius regis tempore, facta est dispersio Monachorum Eushmensis coenobij,* 1.4 cum substitutione Canoni∣corum per Althelmum, & Vlricum laicos, & Osulphum Episco∣pum. &c. That is: In the time of this King, there was a scattering or dispersion made of the Monkes out of the Monastery of Eusham, and Canons substituted in theyr place: through the doing of Athelmus, & Ulricus lay men, and of Osulfus Byshop. &c.

Where, as concerning this matter betwene Monkes and other of the clergie, first it is to be vnderstande: that in the realme of England,* 1.5 heretofore before the time of Dun∣stane: the Byshops seas and cathedrall churches were re∣plenished with no monkes, but wyth priestes and canons (called then clerks or men of the clergy) After this begin∣neth to rise a difference or a sect betwixt these two parties, in straitnesse of life and in habite:* 1.6 so that they which liued after a straiter rule of holines, were called monkes, & pro∣fessed chastitie: that was, to liue from wiues, (for so was chastitie then defined in those blinde daies) as though holy matrimony were no chastitie, according as Paphnutius did well define it in the councel of Nice. The other sort whych were no monkes but priests or men of the clergy called, li∣ued more free from these monkish rules and obseruances: and were then commōly (or at least lawfully) maryed,* 1.7 and in theyr life and habite, came nearer to the secular sorte of other christians. By reason wherof great disdaine & emu∣lation was among them: in so much that in many Cathe∣dral churches, where as priests were before, there monks were put in. And contrary, sometime where as Monkes were intruded, there priests and canons againe were pla∣ced, and monkes thrust out: wherof more shal appere here after (by the grace of Christ) when we come to the lyfe of Dunstane. In the meane time, something to satisfie the co∣gitation of the reader, which peraduenture either is igno∣rant, or els would know of the first cōming in of monks, into this realme and Church of England in the Saxones time:* 1.8 this is to be noted, according as I finde in old Chro∣nicles, namely in the latine history of Guliel. de gestis ponti∣ficum Angl. recorded, touching the same. That about thys time of king Edmund or shortly after, when hardnes and straitnesse of life, ioyned with superstition, was had in ve∣neration, and counted for great holinesse: Men therefore, either to winne publique same with men, or merites with God, gaue themselues to lead a straite life: thinking there∣by, the stranger their conuersation was,* 1.9 and farther from the common trade of vulgar people, the more perfect to be toward God and mā. There was at that time (and before that) a monastery in France named Floriake, after the or∣der and rule of Benedict: from the which Monasterie did spring a great part of our english mōks. Who being there professed, and afterward returning into England, did cō∣gregate men daily to theyr profession. And so, partly for strangenesse of theyr rule: partly for outwarde holinesse of their strait life: partly for the opinion of holinesse that ma∣ny had of them, were in great admiration: not onely with the rude sort, but with kinges and princes: who founded their houses, maintained their rules, and enlarged them with possessions. Among the which order of monks com∣ming from Floriake, especially was one Oswaldus, first a monke of Floriake, then bishop of Wirceter and of Yorke: a great patrone and setter vp of monckery.* 1.10 Touching the which Oswaldus, William in his booke, De pontific. writing of his historie, hath these woordes: Familiaris per id temporis Anglis consuetudo fuit, vt si qui boni afflati essent desiderio, in beatissimi Benedicti monasterio caenobialem susciperet habitū: a quo, religionis huiusce manauit exordium, &c. That is, It was a common custome at that time amōg English men, that if any good men were well affected or minded toward religiō, they went to the Monasterie of blessed S. Bene∣dict in France, and there receiued the habite of a Monke: Wherupon the first origine of this religion began,* 1.11 &c. But of this Oswald bishop of Yorke, and Dunstane bishop of Canterburie, and Ethelwold bishop of Winchester, howe they replenished diuers Monasteries, & Cathedral Chur∣ches with Monkes: and howe they discharged maryed Priestes and Chanans out of their houses, to plante in Monkes in their celles: more shall be spoken (by the grace of Christ) heereafter. Nowe let vs returne againe to the matter where we left, of king Edmund: who besides his noble victories against his enemies, and recouering the Cities aboue expressed into his own hāds: did also subdue the prouince of Cumberland. And after he had put out the eyes of the two sonnes of Dunmail king of Cumberland,* 1.12 he committed the gouernance therof to Malcolinus king of Scots: vpon promise of his trustie seruice & obedience, when the king should stande in any neede of him. In the time of this king, Dunstane was not yet Archbi. of Can∣terbury, but onely Abbot of Glastenbury:* 1.13 of whom many fabulous narrations passe among the wryters, importing more vanity then verity. Wherfore this is one of the first: what time Edgarus called Pacificus was borne,* 1.14 Dun∣stane being the same time Abbot of Glastenbury (as the monkish fables dreame) heard a voyce in the ayre of cer∣taine Angels singing after this tenour, and saying: Nowe peace commeth to the church of England in y^e time of this child and of our Dunstane, &c. This I thought to recite, that the christian reader might the better pōder wyth him∣selfe, the impudent and abhominable fictions of this Ro∣mish generation. Out of the same mint also haue they for∣ged, how the sayd Dunstane should heare the aungels sing the Kyrieeleyson, vsed to be song at euensong in the church. Guliel de pontif. lib. 1. Which is as true as that the Harpe hanging in a womans house, played by it selfe the time of the Antheme, called Gaudent in coelis, &c. What would not these deceiuers faine in matters something likely, whych in thinges so absurde and so inconuenient, shame not to lie and to forge so impudently & also so manifestly? Through the motion of this Dunstane: King Edmund builded and furnished the monasterie of Glastenbury, & made the sayd Dunstane Abbot thereof.

Concerning the ende and death of this King, sundrye opinions there be, Alfridus and Marianus say: that while this King Edmund endeuored hymselfe to saue his sewer from the daunger of his enemies, which would haue slaine him at Pulcherchurch: the king in parting of the fray was wounded, and died shortly after. But Guliel. de Regibus. lib. 2. sayeth, that the king being at a feast at Pulcherchurch

vpon the day of S. Augustine, espied a fellon sitting in the hall, named Leof, whom he before for his fellony had exi∣led. And leaping ouer the table did flie vpon him, & pluc∣ked the thiefe by the haire of the head to the ground. In which doyng, the fellon with a knife wounded the king to the death, and also with the same knife wounded many o∣ther of the kings seruants, and at length was all to hew∣en, and died forthwith.

* 1.15By the lawes of king Edmund (ordeyned and set forth, as well for the redresse of church matters, as also of ciuile regiment) it may appeare, that the state both of causes temporal & likewise spiritual, appertained then to y^e kings right (the false pretensed vsurpatiō of the bishop of Rome notwithstanding) as by these lawes is to be seene: where he by the aduise of his lordes and bishops, did enact & de∣termine concerning the chastitie & pure life of ecclesiastical ministers, and such as were in the orders of the Church, w^t the penalties also for them which transgressed the same.

Item, for tithes to be payd of euery christian man, and for the church fees, and alme fees, &c.

Item, for deflouring of womē professed, which we call Nunnes, &c.

Item, for euery bishop to see his churches repaired, of his owne proper charge, and boldly to admonish the king whether the houses of God were well maintayned, &c.

Item, for flying into the church for sanctuary, &c.

Item, concerning cases and determinations spousall, or matrimoniall, &c.

All which constitutions declare, what interest kings had in those days in matters as wel ecclesiastical as other, within their dominion, and that not only in disposing the ordinances and rites, such as appertained to the institutiō of the church: but also in placing and setting Bishops in their sens, &c.

In the tyme of this Edmund, was Ulstanus Archb. of Yorke,* 1.16 and Odo Archbishop of Canterbury, which O∣do beyng a Da••e borne (as is before touched) was pro∣moted to that sea by king Ethelstane, for that (as they say) hee being first bishop of Witone, & present with kyng E∣thelstane in the field against Analafus before mentioned, what time the said Ethelstane had lost his sword, he tho∣rough his intercession vp to heauen, did see a sworde from heauen, come downe into the sheath of the kyng. Whereof relation beyng made to the kyng by the foresayd Byshop,* 1.17 Ethelstane vpon the same was so affected toward Odo, that not onely he counted him for a Patrone of his life, but also made him Primate of Canterbury after the decease of Ulfelmus. This Odo was the first from the commyng of the Saxons, till his tyme which was Archbishop of Can∣terbury being no mōke.* 1.18 For all the other before him were of the profession of Monkes, of whō a great part had bene Italiās vnto Berctualdus. Notwithstanding this Odo, beyng also a stranger borne, after he was elected into the bishoprike, to aunswer to the old custome of others before him, sayled ouer into France, and there at Floriake (after the vsuall maner aboue mentioned of Englishmen) recei∣ued the profession and habite of monkish religion, as sayth my foresayd author. And like as the sayd Odo first beyng no monke, was made Archbishop of Canterbury. So al∣so Ulstanus the same tyme, beyng bishop of Yorke and of Worcester,* 1.19 differed from diuers his predecessours before him in profession and in habite: of whome the forenamed author thus writeth in his iij. booke, speaking of Ulstanus qui sanctitate discrepabat & habitu, that is, he differed in sanc∣timonie and in habite.* 1.20 Whereby is to be collected, that in those dayes was a difference in habite & garment, not on∣ly betwene monkes & bishops, but also betwene one Bi∣shop and an other. Albeit what difference it was yet, I do not finde. But I returne agayne to Odo, who by the de∣scription of his maners, might seeme not to be the worste that occupied that place, were it not that our lying histo∣ries faining false miracles vpon him (as they do of other) make him in deede to seeme worse then he was.* 1.21 As where they imagine that he should see from heauen a sworde fall into the scabberd of king Ethelstane. Itē, where he should couer and defend the church of Canterbury with his prai∣ers from raine.* 1.22 And also where he should turne the bread of the aulter (as the writer termeth it) into liuely fleshe, & from flesh into bread againe, to confirme the people which before doubted in the same. Where note agayn (good Rea∣der) that albeit this miracle were true, as no doubt it is vntrue: yet is it to be noted, y^t in those dayes was a great doubt among englishmen of the popish sacrament,* 1.23 & that transubstantiatiō was not receiued into the christiā creed. The like iudgement is to be geuē also of that, where our English writers testifieng of the same Odo, say that hee should prophesie long before of Dunstan, to be his succes∣sor in the church of Canterbury. But to let these fantasies and idle stories passe, this which we find of Odo, his own writing is certain, that the said Odo in the raigne of kyng Edmund, had a synode commensed of the chiefe Prelates and mē of the clergy in his time, to whom he directed this letter here following: the copy whereof I thought to ex∣presse, for the Reader to see what zelous care raigned in Archbishops then toward the Church of the Lord. The wordes of his epistle proceed in this tenour.

The letter or an Epistle of Odo Archbishop of Caunterbury, sent to the other Bishops and men of the Clergy.

MIrabili cunctipotentis polorum praesulis clementia opitu∣lante: Ego Odo,* 2.1 ecclesiae Saluatoris Domini nostri Iesu Christi Archiepiscopus, Douerniensis ciuitatis Metropolitanus, coepiscopis fidei catholicae compagatoribus spirituali charitatis rigore meis confratribus. Praesentium prosperitatem aetherei{que} decoris beatitudinem, &c.

The same in English.

By the deuine grace of God, I Odo of the church of our lord and sauiour Iesus Christ, Archbishop & Metropolitane of the ci∣tie of Douer, to my fellow bishops, and fellow planters of the ca∣tholike fayth, and my fellow brethren in the spirituall bonde of charitie, with greeting, wish prosperitie in this world present, & in the world to come felicitie. If it were so, or by any meanes could be, that all the riches of this world were layd before myne eyes, so that I beyng Emperour had all things vniuersally vnder my subiection, all those things gladly would I geue, yea and my selfe also would offer willingly for the health of your soules, as which also do desire and trust likewise my self to be strengthened with the feruencie of your holynesse, as appertayning to those things wherin the Lord our God hath set vs to be workmen, &c.

And after a few other wordes of like effect, wherein he doth declare the heauy burden of his office, it followeth af∣ter this maner.

Wherfore most humbly and one vnworthy, but yet a deuou•• fellow brother of yours, I beseech and exhort your holines: that you will not shew your selues cold and negligent in the cure and regiment of soules, so that in the tyme of the feareful iudgement, the Lord doe not complaine of you, saying, my shepeheards did not feed my flocke, but they fed thēselues And agayne they were princes of my flocke, and I knew not of it. But rather let vs take heede, and be diligent ouer the houshold of the Lord, ouer which he hath set vs to be the leaders: to geue them meate & true mea∣sure of corne in tyme conuenient: that is to say, wholesome do∣ctrine. And although vpon myne owne demerites or worthinesse I do not presume to comfort or exhort any man: but as one be∣yng vnworthy & faultie in transgressions innumerable, am glad, and stand in neede, rather to be strengthened by your brotherly admonitions: yet for the auncient authoritie of my predecessors as of Augustine, of happy memory, and also of all other saintes by whose industrie the rule of christianitie did first florish and spring from this Metropolitane sea, vnto all quarters of England. There∣fore I haue thought good to direct vnto you these my letters to the profit of you all: especially, for that our renowmed & prince∣ly king Edmond, with all his people doth ioy to folow that which he heareth in you, and of you: and also, forsomuch as all his sub∣iectes which be vnder his Imperiall dominion, doe loue and de∣light to follow most ioyfully, the same and report of your sincere conuersation, &c.

This Odo continued bishop the space of 20. yeres. Af∣ter whom Elsinus was elected and ordained by the kyng to succeede through fauour and money:* 3.1 but in goyng to Rome for the Popes palle, in his iourney thorough the Alpes, he decayed and died for cold. Whereupon succeeded Dunstane▪ as in tyme and place (by the leaue of Christ) fo∣loweth to be declared.

This Edmund gaue to S. Edmund the Martyr before mentioned, the towne of Bredrich••ehworth, which is now called S. Edmondesbury, with great reuenues and lands appertainyng to the same. But concerning the friuolous miracles which our Monkish storywriters here ••ayne of this good Edmund, by the way (or rather out of the way) I let them passe.

And thus much concerning the raign of king Edmūd,* 3.2 who after he had raigned vj. yeres and half, was slaine as is sayd at Pulchorchurch, and buried at Glastenbury of Dunstane:* 3.3 leauing behynd him two children, Edwine & Edgar, by his wife Elgina. But because the foresaid chil∣dren were yet yong & vnder age, therfore Edrede brother to king Edmund, and vncle to the children, gouerned as Protector about the space of 9. yeres and halfe,* 3.4 til Edwine the eldest sonne came to age. This Edrede with great mo∣deration, and fidelitie to the young children, behaued him∣selfe

during the tyme of his gouernement.* 3.5 In his tyme, Dunstane was promooted through the means of Odo the Archbishop, from Abbot of Glastenbury, to be Bishop of Wirceter, and after of London. By the counsayle of this Dunstane, Edrede was much ruled, and too much thereto addicted: In so much that the sayd Edrede is reported in stories to submit himselfe to much fond penance, and casti∣gations inflicted to him of the said Dunstane. Such zelous deuotion was then in princes, and more blynd superstiti∣on in bishops. And here agayn is an other miracle as fan∣tasticall as the other before, forged of Dunstane. That whē that Edrede beyng sicke, sent for Dunstane to be hys con∣fessor by the way: Dunstane should heare a voyce decla∣ring to him before, that Edrede was already departed, at the declaring wherof Dunstans horse fel immediately dead vnder hym,* 3.6 with lye and all.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Anno. 940.
• * 1.2

  Edmundus kyng of England.
• * 1.3

  Ex historia Ca∣riona.
• * 1.4

  Monkes put out of Eusham, the yeare of our Lord. 941.
• * 1.5

  The difference betweene Monkes and priestes.
• * 1.6

  Chastitie wrōg∣ly defined. Holy mariage by the definiti∣on of Paphnu∣tius is chastitie.
• * 1.7

  Monkes how they differed from Priestes, and how they first began in England.
• * 1.8

  Guliel. de ponti••••••••▪
• * 1.9

  The mon••∣stery of F••••riake.
• * 1.10

  Oswaldes Byshop of Yorke a great pa•••••••• of Monke∣ry. Guliel lin. 3. de pontif.
• * 1.11

  The orig•••• of monkery how it first began in England.
• * 1.12

  Dunstane Abbot of Glastonbu∣ry.
• * 1.13

  The sonnes of King Ed∣mund.
• * 1.14

  The imp••∣dent vanitie of the Popes Churche in forgyng false myra∣cles.

  Guliel. lib. 1. de pont. The mona∣stery of Glastonbu∣ry.

  Dunstane Abbot of Glostanbu∣ry.

  The Abbey of Glosten∣bury was first builded by K. Iue, by the coū∣sell of A∣delmus, after beyng de∣stroyed by the Danes. Guliel. lib. 2. de Regib.
• * 1.15

  The lawes of king Ed∣munde tou∣ching as well the state spiri∣tuall as temporall.
• * 1.16

  Vlstanus Archbishop of Yorke. Odo Arch. of Canter∣bury.
• * 1.17

  Guliel. de pont. lib. 1. Polycron. lib. 6. ca. 6.
• * 1.18

  Odo made monke at Floriake, af∣ter he was Archb. of Cāterbury. Guliel. de pont. lib. 1.
• * 1.19

  Guliel. lib. 3. de pont. Ebor.
• * 1.20

  The diffe∣rence of ha∣bite and garmentes among men of the Church.
• * 1.21

  False and lying myra∣cles noted vpon Odo.
• * 1.22

  A note to the reader.
• * 1.23

  Transub∣stantiation not yet re∣ceaued.
• * 2.1

  The letter of Odo Archb. to the prelates
• * 3.1

  Elsinus Archb. of Caunt. elect. S. Edmundes¦bury.
• * 3.2

  The children of King Edmund.
• * 3.3

  Anno. 946.
• * 3.4

  Edrede gouer∣nour of the Realme.
• * 3.5

  Dunstane made byshop of Wir∣ceter and after of London.
• * 3.6

  With lye and all.