Sacred Calendar

Fourth Lesson - Innocence Preferred to Power Won by Blood

Edward, surnamed the Confessor, was the nephew of the holy King Edward the Martyr, and himself the last Anglo-Saxon King. That he should succeed to the Kingdom was shown by the Lord in a trance to a most holy man named Brithwald. When he was ten years old the Danes, who were ravaging England, sought him, to put him to death, and he was driven into exile to dwell with his mother's brother, [Richard II.] Duke of Normandy, at whose Court [and that of his successors, Richard III., Robert surnamed "the Devil," and William the Bastard] he lived among all the allurements of vice a life of such uprightness and innocency as made all men to marvel. He was a burning and shining light for love of God and the things of God, very gentle-hearted, and quite free from any lust for power. Of him the saying is preserved, That he would liefer not be a King than win a kingdom through slaughter and blood.

Fifth Lesson - The Kingdom Repaired Beginning with God

When the [Danish] tyrants, who had robbed his brothers Edmund and Alfred of life and kingdom, were passed away, Edward was called back into his own country and with the hearty good-will and rejoicing of all, took the kingdom [in the year 1042, being then about forty years old.] He set himself to repair the breaches which wars had made, and began with the things of God. Of the Churches of the Saints, he built some altogether, and renewed others and gifted them with incomes and privileges, being chiefly fain that religion should rise from the low estate whereinto it had fallen. He was brought by the nobles of his Court to marry, but it is constantly said by all writers that in matrimony he remained a virgin with a virgin bride. So great was his love toward Christ, and so strong his faith, that somewhiles when the Mass was in saying, he won to see Him, with countenance full of grace, and glory of God's light. By reason of the abundance of his charity he was styled everywhere the father of orphans and of the poor, and he was never happier than when he had spent upon the needy the whole of his kingly treasures.

Sixth Lesson - Charity, Prophecy, and a Holy Death

He was famous for the gift of prophecy, and foretold by inspiration from heaven many things that were to befall England. Of this gift the following is a remarkable instance. Sweyn, King of the Danes, was embarking on ship-board with the mind to invade England, when he fell into the sea and was drowned, and God made known his death to Edward at the very same moment that it happened. He had a wonderful love toward John the Evangelist, so that he was used never to refuse anything for the which he was asked in his name. The Evangelist appeared to him one while in tattered raiment, and, in his own name, asked him for an alms. It befell that the King had no money, wherefore he took a ring from off his finger and gifted him therewith. Not long afterward, the Evangelist sent the same ring back to him by a pilgrim, with a message concerning his death, which was then at hand. The King therefore commanded that prayers should be made for him, and then fell blessedly asleep in the Lord, upon the very day which had been foretold to him by the Evangelist, that is to say, upon the 5th day of January, in the year of salvation 1066. He was famous for miracles, and in 1161 Pope Alexander III. numbered him among the Saints. But Innocent XI. commanded that his memory should be celebrated with a public Office throughout the whole Church, upon the 13th day of October, being that day whereon in the year 1102 his body had been lifted, and found uncorrupt and sweet-savoured.