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neither held, honour'd, or preach'd up any thing but what we do, that is, the Redemption of Mankind, through the Paffion, Refurreetion and Afcenfion into Heaven of the Mediator betwixt God and Man, the Man JESUS CHRIST. And therefore, he always celebra ted the fame on the Lord's Day, from the 14th to the 20th Moon, not as fome fafly imagine, on the 14th Moon, whatsoever the Day was with the Jews: viz. by reason of the Faith of the Refurrection of our Lord, happening on the Day after the Sabbath, for the Hope of our Refurrection, the which also, he, with the Holy Church believ'd, would truly fall out on the Day after the Sabbath, now call'd the Lord's Day

CHAP. XVIII.

t

Of the Life and Death of the Religious
King Sigbercht.

T this Time the Kingdom of the East-
Eorpwald, the

Angles, after the Death

Succeffor of Redwald, was subject to his Brother Sigbercht, a good and religious Man, who long before had been baptiz'd in France, whilft he liv'd in Banishment, flying from the Enmity of Redwald; and returning home, as foon as he afcended the Throne, being defirous to imitate the good Orders he had feen in France, he set up a School for Youth to be instructed in Literature, and was assisted therein by Bishop

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shop Felix, whom he had receiv'd from Kent, and who furnish'd them with Masters and Teachers after the manner of Kent; and that King became so great a Lover of the Heavenly Kingdom, that quitting the Affairs of his Crown, and recommending the same to his Kinsman Ecgric, who before held a Part of that Kingdom, he went himself into a Monastery, which he had built, and being shorn, apply'd himself rather to gain an Heavenly Throne. When he had long done so, it hapned that the Nation of the Mercians, under the Conduct of King Penda, made War on the East-Angles; who finding themselves inferior in Martial Affairs to their Enemy, intreated Sigbercht to go with them to Battle, to encourage the Soldiers. He refusing, and opposing them, they drew him against his Will out of the Monastery, and carry'd him to the Army, hoping that the Soldiers would be less fearful, or think of flying in the Presence of him, who had once been a notable and brave Commander. But he still keeping in mind his Profession, whilft, in the midst of a Royal Army, would carry nothing in his Hand but a Wand, and was kill'd with King Ecgric, and the Pagans preffing on, all their Army was either slaughter'd or difpers'd. Anna, the Son of Eni, of the Blood Royal, a good Man and Father of an excellent, Offspring, fucceeded them in the Kingdom. Of whom we shall speak hereafter; he being also slain by the same Pagan Commander, as his Predecessor had been.

CKAP.

CHAP. XIX.

How Fursius built a Monastery among the East-Angles, and of bis Vifions and SanEtity, of which, bis Flesh remaining uncorrupted after Death, bore Testimony.

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WHILST Siglercht yet govern'd the

Kingdom, there came out of Ire land an Holy Man, call'd Furfius, renown ed for his Words and Actions, but remark able for fingular Virtues, being defirous to live a Stranger for our Lord, wherefoever he should find it convenient. He coming into the Province of the East-Saxons, was honourably receiv'd by the aforesaid King, and performing his usual Employment of Preaching the Gospel, by the Example of his Virtue and the Efficacy of his Discourse, converted many Unbelievers to CHRIST, and confirm'd those that already believ'd in his Faith and Love. Being fallen into some Infirmity of Body, he twas found worthy to enjoy an Angelical Vifion; in which he was admonish'd, diligently to proceed in the Ministry of the Word, he had undertaken, and indefatigably to continue his usual Watching and Prayers; for as much as his End was certain, but the Hour of it would be uncertain, according to the Saying of our Lord, Watch ye therefore, because ye know not the Day nor the Hour. Being confirm'd by that Vision, he apply'd himself with all speed

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to build the Place for a Monastery, which had been given him by King Sigbercht, and to establish regular Difcipline therein. That Monastery was delightful, by reason of the Nearness of the Woods and Sea, founded in a Castle, which in the English Language is call'da Cnobberesburg, that is, Cnobher's Town; the which afterwards, Anna, King of that Province, and the Nobility embellish'd with more stately Buildings and Donations. This Me was of a most noble Scotish Blood, but muc nore noble in Mind than by the Flesh. From his Boyish Years, he had particularly apply'd himself to reading of facred Books, and following Monastical Discipline, and, as is most becoming Holy Men, he carefully practis'd all that he learnt was to be done. In short, he afterwards built himfelf a Monastery, wherein he might with more Freedom indulge his Heavenly Studies. There falling fick, b as the Book writ of his Life sufficiently informs us, he was in a Rapture, and quitting his Body from the Evening, till the Cock crow'd, he was found

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In King Alfred, Eneofenir-bung, it is now call'd Burg-Castle, in Suffolk. Where this Monastery stood, In Mr. Cambden's Time was nothing but broken Walls, Flints, and British Bricks, quite overgrown with Thorns and Briars. There was an old Tradition that this Monastery was afterwards inhabited by Jews, and a Way there call'd Jews-Way, seems to countenance that Opinion. To this Monastery Cambden thinks King Sigebert retir'd; but Thomas Elienfis in the Monafticon assures us it was to St. Edmonsbury.

There were three that wrote of the Life, Fufare, of which one was written by an anonymous Author not long after his Death; the second was likewise by an anonymous Author, these the Abbot Arnulfus in the 11th Century republishd with Alterations.

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worthy to behold the Choirs of Angels, and to hear the Heavenly Praises. He was wont to declare, that among other Things he had diftin&ly heard this ecco'd, The Saints shall advance from one Virtue to another. And again, The God of Gods shall be seen in Sion. Being restor'd to his Body at that Time, and again taken from it three Days after, he not only faw greater Joys of the Biessed, but also extraordinary Combats of evil Spirits, who by their frequent Accufations wickedly endeavour'd to obftruct his Journey to Heaven; but the Angels protecting him, all their Endeavours prov'd in vain. Concerning which Particulars, if any one desires to be more fully inform'd, that is, with what fubtile Fraudulency, the Devils represented both his Actions and fuperfluous Words, and even his Thoughts, as if they had been writ down in a Book; and what pleasing or disagreeable Things he was inform'd of by the Angels and Saints, or just Men appearing to him among the Angels, let him read the little Book I have mention'd of his Life, and I believe he will thereby reap much spiritual Profit. But there is one Thing among the reft, which we have thought may be beneficial to many to be inferted in this History. When he had been lifted up on high, he was order'd by the Angels that conducted him, to look back upon the World. Then he cafting his Eyes downward, faw as it were a dark Vale in the Bottom, under him. He also saw four Fires. in the Air, not far distant from each other: Then asking the Angels, What Fires those were? Was told, They were the Fires which would kindle and consume the World. One of them of R Falhood,

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