A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

CHAP. V. (Book 5)

An Account of the Churches of England.

IN the beginning of the Ninth Century, King Alfred re-establish'd the Universities, and caus'd * 1.1 the Liberal Arts and Sciences to flourish in England, inviting over the Abbot Grimbaldus, and several other Learned Men of France; but the Kings his Successors were chiefly imploy'd in Reforming the Corruptions of Manners and Discipline. In the beginning of this Century King Edward, upon the Remonstrances and Threats of the Pope, who complain'd that for Seven years the whole Country of the West-Saxons was destitute of Bishops, caus'd a Council to be assembled at Canterbury, in which Archbishop Phlegmon presided, and where several Persons were chosen to be * 1.2 Bishops in that Province, and elsewhere, who were ordain'd by Phlegmon after his Return from Rome, whither he went on purpose to give an Account to the Pope of the Proceedings of the Council, and to pacifie him. The Pope approv'd their Regulations, order'd that for the future the Churches should no longer be left vacant, and confirm'd the Primacy of the Church of Canterbury. All these Actions are attributed by several Authors to Pope Formosus, but in regard that this Pope dy'd a long while before the time of King Edward, they are rather to be ascrib'd to John the Ninth, who possess'd the See of Rome in the beginning of Edward's Reign, A. C. 904. to which this Council may be referr'd.

The same King publish'd in the year 906. divers Laws against the Disturbers of the Tran∣quility * 1.3 of the Church; against Apostates whom he condemns to death; against Clergy-men who commit Robberies or Fornication; against Incestuous Persons; against those who refuse to pay Tythes, or to keep Sundays and Fasting-days; and against Sorcerers and leud Women, who are condem∣ned to different Punishments. It's also ordain'd in that Edict, that Persons condemn'd to dy for Ca∣pital Crimes, should be permitted to make a Confession of their Sins in private to a Priest; and that those, who have been deprived of any Member for an Offence, and survive three days, should cause their Wounds to be dress'd, and receive Consolation, after having obtain'd a Licence from the Bishop.

King Ethelstan, who succeeded Edward in the year 923. in like manner caus'd certain Laws to * 1.4 be Enacted relating to Ecclesiastical Affairs, with the Advice of the Prelates, Lords, and Learned Men of his Kingdom, by which he ordain'd, That all the Lands, and even those of his own De∣means, should be liable to pay Tythes. He enjoyn'd all those, who held any Estates of him, to al∣low somewhat for the Maintenance of the Poor, and other charitable Uses: He prohibited Outrages that were done to the Churches, and again condemn'd the Sorcerers and Witches to Imprisonment, and to pay great Fines: He regulated the manner of proving the Innocence of Accused Persons, by Fire or Water-Ordeal; Forbad the keeping of Markets, or buying and selling on Sundays: And ordain'd that perjur'd Persons and false Witnesses should be depriv'd of Christian Burial. To these Laws he added divers Instructions for the Bishops, and recommended the Reading in the Monaste∣ries every Friday Fifty Psalms upon his Account.

Forasmuch as the most remarkable Circumstances of those Laws, is that which relates to the Clearing or Convicting of an Accused Person, by the Trial of Fire or Water, then commonly call'd Ordeal; and in regard that the manner of performing it is there explain'd at large; it may not be improper here to insert an Account of that passage. If any one be desirous to clear himself by Or∣deal, that is to say, by the Trial of Fire or Water, let them come to the Priest three days before he do it, who shall give him a Benediction after the usual manner; and during those three days let him eat no∣thing but Bread and Salt or Pulse; let him hear Mass every day; let him make an Oblation; let him receive the Sacrament on the day he is to undergo the Trial, If it be that of Cold Water, let him be plung'd one Fathom below the Surface of the Water. If it be that of a Hot Iron, let it be put into his Hand, and left there three days, without looking on it. If it be that of Hot Water, let it be made boyling hot, and let the Hand or Arm of the Accused Person be put into it, In all these Trials, both the Accused Person and the Accuser are to Fast, and to cause Twelve Witnesses to be present, who may take an Oath with them, and let Holy Water be sprinkled upon them. There are two Editions of these Laws, one of which is printed at large, and the other is an Abridgment of them.

King Edmund had no less Zeal for the maintaining of the Discipline of the Church, than his Predecessor Ethelstan. He held in the year 944. which was the third of his Reign, even on Easter-day, * 1.5 an Assembly of the Prelates and Lords, in which he made certain Laws relating to Chastity, and the payment of Tythes, and of the Alms-penny; as also against those who offer'd Violence to Nuns; against perjur'd Persons, and those who assisted at profane Sacrifices. In these Laws are specified the Ecclesiastical Penalties to be inflicted on the Infringers of them; viz. The privation of Christian Burial and Excommunication. The Bishops are there enjoyn'd to repair their Churches at their own Charge, and to prefer a Petition to the Prince, for the Reparation of others, and for their Ornaments. He likewise made Laws for the punishment of Murderers, and for the regulating

of Marriage-Solemnities. This Assembly was held under Wulstan Archbishop of York and Odo Arch-bishop of Canterbury.

The latter made about that time, certain Ecclesiastical Constitutions, by way of Admonition or * 1.6 Instruction, in which he recommends, 1. That the Church should be left in the peaceable Enjoyment of its Priviledges and Immunities, and that no Taxes should be laid on the Revenues belonging to it. 2. He admonishes the King and the Princes to obey the Archbishop and Bishops; to be humble; to oppress no Man; to administer Justice to all; to punish Criminals; and to relieve the Poor with their Alms. 3. He orders the Bishops to lead an Exemplary Life; to visit their Diocesses once eve∣ry year; to preach the Truth boldly to Kings and Princes; to Excommunicate none without just grounds, and to shew to All the way to Salvation. 4. He enjoyns the Priests in like manner to live Circumspectly, and to wear Habits conformable to their Order. 5. He gives the same Admo∣nition to all the Clergy. 6. He exhorts the Monks to perform their Vows, and forbids them to turn Vagabonds, contenting themselves only with wearing the Habit of Monks, without leading a Life consonant to their Profession: He recommends to them working with their own Hands, reading and prayer. 7. He prohibits Incestuous Marriages with Nuns, or near Relations. 8. He recom∣mends Peace and Union, 9. He enjoyns the Observation of the Solemn Fasts of Lent; of the Em∣ber-Weeks, of Wednesday and Friday; and the Celebration of Divine Service on Sundays and Festivals. Lastly, He recommends the payment of Tythes. There is also a Pastoral Letter written by this Archbishop, and directed to his Suffragans, which is related by William of Malmsbury.

Edmund being kill'd in the year 946. his Brother Elred took possession of the Throne. We have * 1.7 no Laws enacted by this Prince, only the Charter of a considerable Donation made by him to the Monastery of Crowland, in favour of Turketulus, who had been formerly Chancellor of the Kingdom, and to whom he gave that Abbey. This was done in an Assembly of Bishops and Lords held at Lon∣don in the year 948.

After the death of Elred, which happen'd in 955 Edwin the Son of Edmund was proclaim'd King, but sometime after, part of England Revolting, Edgar the Brother of Edwin got a share of his Do∣minions, and upon his Brother's Death, obtain'd the sole Possession of the whole Kingdom. This Prince being more Religious than his Predecessors, entirely re-establish'd the Purity of Discipline in the Church of England, and brought the Monastical Course of Life into Repute, by the Advice of S. Dunstan, who may be call'd the Restorer of th•• Ecclesiastical Discipline in England.

This Saint was born in the Country of the West-Saxons, in the first year of King Ethelstan's Reign A. C. 923. He enter'd into Holy Orders very young, and after having compleated his Stu∣dies, * 1.8 made application to Athelm Archbishop of Canterbury, who introduc'd him into the Presence of King Ethelstan: Afterward having fall'n into some disgrace at Court, he retir'd to Elfeg Bishop of Winchester, who advis'd him to embrace the Monastical Life, which he accordingly did, and con∣tinued in his Retirement till the Reign of King Edmund, when he was invited to Court by that Prince: He did not remain long there, without being obnoxious to the Envy and Hatred of several Persons, who misrepresented him to the King; insomuch that he was oblig'd to retire to his Solitude of Glassenbury, where he took up his Abode; altho' he was restor'd to the Favour of King Edmund, who had always a great respect for him; granted considerable Revenues to his Monastery, and con∣tinu'd to follow his Counsels, not only in the management of Civil Affairs, but also of Ecclesiastical. He was no less esteem'd by King Elred, who determin'd to nominate him to the Bishoprick of Win∣chester; but Edwin having receiv'd a severe Reprimand for his Irregularities from this Abbot, ba∣nish'd him, and pillaged his Monastery. However, King Edgar recall'd him immediately after his Accession to the Crown, and made him not only Bishop of Winchester, but also conferr'd on him the Government of the Church of London. At last the Archbishoprick of Canterbury being vacant in the year 961. by the death of Odo; Elfsin Bishop of Winchester, who was appointed to supply his place, dying in a Journey he made over the Alps to Rome, to fetch the Pall; and Berthelim, who was substituted in his room, having refus'd to accept that Dignity, Dunstan was Invested with it a few days after, and went to Rome to receive the Pall. At his return, he apply'd himself altogether to the Reformation of the Clergy of England, and took upon him to Expel all those who refus'd to lead a Regular Course of Life, and to Restore the Monks to their former Station,

This Saint had for his Fellow Labourers and Imitators of his Zeal, Ethelwold Bishop of Win∣chester, and Oswald Bishop of Worcester, who founded a great number of Monasteries, and took much pains in Reforming the Clergy, and Extirpating the Vices that were predominant in England. The former dyed in the year 984. before S. Dunstan, who foretold his approaching Death, as well as that of the Bishop of Rochester, in a Visit which those two Prelates made him: but the latter did not dye till after this Archbishop, viz. in the year 992. As for S. Dunstan, he surviv'd King Edgar, who dy'd in 975▪ and maintain'd the Right of the young Prince Edward, against the Pretensions of Alfride, who endeavour'd to transfer the Crown to her Son Ethelfred; but Edward being Assassinated Three years after by the Treachery of that Queen, Dunstan was constrained to Crown Ethelfred, and foretold the Calamities that should befall England, and the Family of this young Prince, as a Punishment for his Crime, and that of his Mother. At last S. Dunstan dy'd laden with years and honour A. C. 988.

In his time, and apparently by his Direction, King Edgar in 967. not only publish'd Laws like to those of his Predecessors, for the preservation of the Revenues of the Church; for the Payment of Tythes, and S. Peter's Pence; and for the Solemn Observations of Sundays and Festivals; but also

divers Ecclesiastical Constitutions, relating to the Manners and Functions of Clergy-men; to the Celebration of the Mass; to the Confession and Pennances that ought to be impos'd on those who commit Sin, &c. Indeed these Canons may serve as a kind of Ritual for the Use of Curates. It is affirm'd that they were made in the year 967. by King Edgar; but this does not appear to be altogether certain, and perhaps they are of a later date. The Discourse which this King made to Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury, and to Oswald and Ethelwold Bishops of Worcester and Winchester, is much more certain. He there inveighs against the Irregularities and Disorders of the Clergy, and pathetically Exhorts those Bishops to joyn their Authority with His, to repress their Insolence; and to oblige them to apply the Ecclesiastical Revenues to the Relief of the Poor, for which Use they were design'd. To the end that this Order might be put in Execution, he granted a Commission to those three Prelates to take the Matter in hand, and gave them power to turn out of the Churches such Clergy-men as liv'd dissolutely, and to Substitute others in their room.

By virtue of this Injunction, S. Dunstan held a General Council A. C. 973. in which he ordain'd * 1.9 that all the Priests, Deacons and Subdeacons, who would not lead a sober Life, should be Expell'd their Churches, and caus'd a Decree to be made, to oblige them to Embrace a Regular and Mona∣stick Course of Life, or to Retire. And accordingly, these three Bishops turn'd the old Clergy-men out of most part of the Churches, and put Monks in their place, or else forc'd them to assume the Mo∣nastical Habit.

S. Dunstan did not only shew his Constancy and Zeal, with respect to the Clergy, but was also as zealous in treating Kings and Princes: For he sharply reprov'd King Edgar for abusing a young Maid whom he had sent for out of a Monastery, and impos'd on him a Pennance of Seven years. A certain very potent Earl having married one of his near Kinswomen, he Excommunicated him, and refus'd to take off the Excommunication, altho' the King had commanded him, and the Earl had obtain'd a Brief of the Pope for his Restoration. S. Dunstan being inform'd of it, re∣ply'd, That he was ready to obey the Pope's Commands, provided the Person had really repented of his Of∣fence; but that he would not suffer him to persist in his Sin, nor without submitting to the Discipline of the Church to insult over the Prelates, and, as it were, to triumph in his Crime. At last, the Earl be∣ing mov'd with his Constancy, and the fear of those Punishments which the Divine Vengeance usu∣ally inflicts upon Excommunicated Persons, left his Kinswoman, did Publick Penance, and threw * 1.10 himself down prostrate before S. Dunstan in a Council barefoot, cloath'd with a Woollen Garment, holding▪ a Bundle of Rods in his Hand, and lamenting his Sin, from which S. Dunstan gave him Absolution, at the request of the Bishops of the Council.

The Reformation of the Clergy cannot be carried on without great Opposition, nor without crea∣ting many Male-contents, insomuch that in King Edgar's Life time, the Clergy-men depriv'd of their Benefices, used their utmost Efforts to recover them; and having made a Complaint in an * 1.11 Assembly held at Winchester, in the beginning of the year 975. they prevail'd upon the King by their Entreaties and the Promises they made to lead a more regular Course of Life for the future: But as they were about making a Decree for their Restoration, on Condition they should live more regularly, a Voice was heard coming as it were from the Crucifix, which pronounc'd these words, It will turn to no account, you have pass'd a just Sentence, and you will do ill to alter your Decisions. However, after the death of King Edgar these Clergy men renewed their Instances, and even offer'd force to drive the Monks not only from their Places, but also out of the Monasteries which were lately founded: But S. Dunstan always maintain'd his Reformation, which prevail'd in the most part of the Churches and Monasteries of England, under the Reigns of Edward and Ethelred.

S. Dunstan and S. Ethelwald did not only take pains to Reform the Ecclesiastical Discipline in England, but also in reviving the Study of the Liberal Sciences, and even they themselves compos'd some Works. A modern English writer, call'd Pits, says that S. Dunstan compil'd certain Forms of Archiepiscopal Benedictions; a small Tract on the Rule of S. Benedict; a Book call'd, Rules for the Monastical Life; several Writings against Vicious Priests; a Treatise of the Eucharist; another of Tythes; a Book of Occult Philosophy; a Tract for the Instruction of the Clergy, and some Let∣ters. And indeed, we cannot be certainly assur'd upon the Credit of this Writer, whether S. Dun∣stan were really the Author of these Works, which are no longer extant; but we find a Concor∣dance or Rule for the Monastick Life, and under the Name of Edgar set forth by Rainerus, which is apparently a Piece of S. Dunstan, as well as the other Constitutions of that Prince, and there is extant a Letter written by him to Wulfin Bishop of Worcester, which Father Mabillon publish'd from a Manuscript of Monsieur Faure, Doctor of the Faculty of Paris. The Life of S. Dunstan was written by Osborn Chaunter of the Cathedral Church of Canterbury, who was Contemporary with this Saint, and is found in the Fifth Benedictine Century of Father Mabillon.

If we may give farther Credit to Pits, S. Ethelwald in like manner compos'd several Tracts, * 1.12 of which he gives us this following Catalogue: A Book dedicated to Pope John XIV. concerning the Authority of the Bishops over their Priests; a Treatise against those Priests who commit Forni∣cation, and against their Concubines; another of the Abbots of Lindisfarn; another of the Kings, Kingdoms, and Bishopricks of England; a History of the Kings of Great Britain; a Narrative of his Visitations; a Treatise of the Planets and Climates of the World; the Treatise of the Abbots of Lindsfarn, which this Author attributes to S. Ethelwald, is apparently a piece compos'd in Verse by Ethelwulf a Monk of that Abbey. The other Works are no longer Extant, and perhaps never were, but only in Pits's imagination.

The Writers of Ecclesiastical History are not agreed about the immediate Successor of S. Dunstan * 1.13 in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury: Some give him the Name of Siricius, and others of Alfric or Aelfric: however, it is certain that the latter was Archbishop of Canterbury in the beginning of the following Century, in regard that he sign'd in that Quality a Priviledge granted by King Ethel∣red: He was a Pupil of S. Ethelwald, succeeded him in the Monastery of Abington; was afterward made Abbot of Malmsbury by King Edgar, then Bishop of some Church in England, about which Authors are not agreed; and at last, being advanc'd to the Metropolitan See of Canterbury, he go∣vern'd that Church till about the year 1006. This Archbishop in his time was in great reputation for his profound Skill in the Sciences of Grammar and Divinity, insomuch that he was Surnam'd The Grammarian. His Sermons were translated into the Saxon Tongue, in order to be read publickly in the Churches, and his Letters were inserted in the Synodical Books of the Church of England. The English Writers assure us, that their Libraries were full of a great number of Works of this Archbishop, written in the Saxon Tongue, and they have lately publish'd some of them translated into Latin, viz. A Paschal Homily of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, in which he discourses much after the same manner as Ratramnus or Bertram, and two Letters, one to Wulfin Bishop of Salisbury, and the other to Wulstan Archbishop of York on the same Subject, which were printed at London in 1566, 1623, and 1638. In the Body of the Councils is contain'd a Canonical Letter of Alfric, directed to Wulfin, which is a kind of Ritual for the use of the Priests. The principal Manuscript Treatises of this Author, compos'd in the Saxon Tongue, are an History of the Old and New Testament till the Taking of Jerusalem; a Penitential; Eighty Sermons; a Letter concern∣ing the Monastical Life; another against the Marriage of Clergy-men; a Saxon Chronicle of the Church of Canterbury; certain Lives of the Saints, and Versions of some Latin Works; among o∣thers the Dialogue of S. Gregory.

Sometime before Fridegod, a Monk of S. Saviour at Canterbury, wrote in Verse, at the request * 1.14 of Odo, the Lives of S. Wilfrid and of S. Owen Archbishop of York; the former was publish'd by Fa∣ther Mabillon in the first part of the Third and Fourth Benedictine Centuries. William of Malmes∣bury observes, that these Verses are not altogether contemptible, but that Fredigod intermixes so ma∣ny Greek words and Phrases which render them unintelligible.

At the same time Lanfrid, a Monk of Winchester, wrote the Life of S. Swithin, and a Relation * 1.15 of the Miracles that happen'd at his Translation; and after him Wulstan, Monk of the same Mo∣nastery, compos'd in Verse the History of that Translation, and the Life of S. Ethelawld.

Thus we have given an Account of almost all the most remarkable Circumstances that occur in the Ecclesiastical History of England in the Tenth Century.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The State of England in the Tenth Cen∣tury.
• * 1.2

  A Council at Canter∣bury under King Ed∣ward and Phlegmon, Archbishop of that City
• * 1.3

  ••••ng Ed∣ward's Laws.
• * 1.4

  King E∣thelstan's Laws.
• * 1.5

  An Ecclesi∣astical As∣sembly un∣der King Edmund.
• * 1.6

  Odo Arch-bishop of Canterbu∣ry.
• * 1.7

  An Assem∣bly of Bi∣shops at London A. C. 948.
• * 1.8

  S. Dunstan Archbishop of Canter∣bury.
• * 1.9

  A general Council of England in the year 973.
• * 1.10

  A Council under S. Dunstan and King Edgar.
• * 1.11

  A Council at Win∣chester A. C. 975.
• * 1.12

  S. Ethel∣wald Bishop of Win∣chester.
• * 1.13

  Alfric or Aelfric Archbishop of Canter∣bury.
• * 1.14

  Fridegod Monk of S. Saviour at Canterbu∣ry.
• * 1.15

  Lanfrid and Wul∣stan Monks of Win∣chester.