those places with his
eyes, wherein Christ our Sauiour performed and wrought all the
mysteries of our redemption, the names of which places he onely knew
before by the reading of the Scriptures. Whereupon he began his
iourney, and went to Ierusalem a witnesse of the miracles, preaching,
and passion of Christ, and being againe returned into his countrey, he
was made the aforesayd Abbat. He flourished in the yeere of Christ
1020. under Canutus the Dane.
* * * * *
The voyages of Swanus one of the sonnes of Earl Godwin vnto
Ierusalem, Anno Dom. 1052, recorded by William of Malmsburie lib. 2.
de gestis regum Anglorum, Capite 13.
Swanus peruersi ingenij et infidi in regem, multoties a patre et fratre
Haroldo desciuit: et pirata factus, prædis maritimis virtutes maiorum
polluit. Postremò pro conscientia Brunonis cognati interempti, et (vt
quidam dicunt) fratris Ierosolimam abijt: indeque rediens, a Saracenis
circumuentus, et ad mortem cæsus est.
The same in English.
Swanus being of a peruerse disposition, and faithlesse to the king, often
times disagreed with his father and his brother Harold: and afterwards
proouing a pirate, he stained the vertues of his ancestours with his
robberies vpon the seas. Last of all, being guilty vnto himselfe of the
murther of his kinseman Bruno, and (as some do report) of his owne
brother, he trauailed vnto Ierusalem: and in his returne home, being
taken by the Saracens, was beaten, and wounded vnto death.
* * * * *
A voyage of three Ambassadours, who in the time of K. Edward the
Confessor, and about the yere of our Lord 1056, were sent vnto
Constantinople, and from thence vnto Ephesus, together with the
occasion of their sending, &c. recorded by William of Malmesburie, lib.
2. de gestis regum Anglorum, capite 13.
Die sancti paschatis ad mensam apud Westmonasterium assederat,
diademate fastigatus, et optimatum turma circumuallatus. Cumque alij
longam quadragesimæ inediam recentibus cibis compensantes, acriter
comederent, ille a terrenis reuocato animo, diuinum quiddam
speculatus, mentes conuiuantium permouit ampliorem perfusus in
risum: nulloque causam lætitiæ perquirere præsumente, tunc quidem ita
tacitum donec edendi satietas obsonijs finem imposuit. Sed remotis
mensis, cum in triclinio regalibus exueretur, tres optimates eum
prosequuti, quorum vnus erat comes Haroldus, secundus abbas, tertius
episcopus, familiaritatis ausu interrogant quid riserat: mirum omnibus
nec immeritò videri, quarè in tanta serenitate diei et negòtij, tacentibus
cæteris, scurrilem cachinnum ejecerit. Stupenda (inquit) vidi, nec ideo
sine causa risi. Tum illi, vt moris est humani ingenij, sciscitari et
quærere causam ardentiùs, vt supplicibus dignantèr rem impertiatur.
Ille multùm cunctatus tandem instantibus mira respondit: septem
dormientes in monte Cælio requiescere iam ducentis annis in dextro
iacentes latere: sed tunc in hora ipsa risus sui, latus inuertisse sinistrum:
futurum vt septuaginta quatuor annis ita iaceant: dirum nimirum
miseris mortalibus omen. Nam omnia ventura in his septuaginta
quatuor annis, quæ dominus circa finem mundi prædixit discipulis suis:
gentem contra gentem surrecturam, et regnum aduersus regnum,
terræmotus per loca, pestilentiam et famem, terrores de coelo et signa
magna, regnorum mutationes, gentilium in Christianos bella, item
Christicolarum in paganos victorias. Talia mirantibus inculcans
passionem septem dormientium, et habitudines corporum singulorum,
quas nulla docet litera, ita promptè disseruit: ac si cum eis quotidiano
victitaret contubernio. His auditis, comes militem, episcopus clericum,
abbas monachum, ad veritatem verborum exsculpendam, Manicheti
Constantinopolitano imperatori misere, adiectis regis sui literis et
muneribus. Eos ille benignè secum habitos episcopo Ephesi destinauit,
epistola pariter, quam sacram vocant, comitante: vt ostenderentur
legatis regis Angliæ septem dormientium marturiales exuuiæ.
Factúmque est vt vaticinium regis Edwardì Græcis omnibus
comprobatum, qui se a patribus accepisse iurarent, super dextrum illos
latus quiescere: sed post introitum Anglorum in speluncam, veritatem
peregrinæ prophetiæ contubernalibus suis prædicarunt. Nec moram
festinatio malorum fecit, quin Agareni, et Arabes, et Turci, alienæ
scilicèt a Christo gentes, Syriam, et Lyciam, et minorem Asiam omnino,
et maioris multas vrbes, inter quas et Ephesum, ipsam etiam
Hierosolymam depopulati, super Christianos inuaderent.
The same in English.
Vpon Easter day king Edward the Confessor being crowned with his
kingly diademe, and accompanied with diuers of his nobles, sate at
dinner in his pallace at Westminster. And when others, after their long
abstinence in the Lent, refreshed themselves with dainty meats, and fed
thereupon very earnestly, he lifting vp his mind from earthly matters
and meditating on heauenly visions (to the great admiration of those
which were present) brake forth into an exceeding laughter: and no man
presuming to enquire the cause of his mirth, they all kept silence til
dinner was ended. But after dinner as he was in his bedchamber putting
off his solemne roabes, three of his Nobles to wit earle Harold, an
Abbot, and a Bishop, being more familiar with him then the residue
followed him in and bouldly asked him what was the occasion of his
laughter: for it seemed very strange vnto
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the
Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.