thought of the least
danger that could threaten her purity; fasting and prayer were her
delight, by which she endeavored to render her soul acceptable to her
heavenly bridegroom. Her beauty and her extraordinary qualifications,
rendered more conspicuous by the greater lustre of her virtue, drew to
her many suitors for marriage. But a mountain might sooner be moved than
her resolution shaken. The prince of the West-Saxons waited on her with
rich presents; but she refused to accept them or listen to his
proposals, saying she had chosen the Lord Jesus, the Redeemer of
mankind, for the Spouse of her {346} soul, and had devoted herself to
his service in the state of virginity. But her greatest victory was over
the insidious attempts of Werbode, a powerful, wicked knight of her
father's court. The king was greatly indebted to the valor and services
of this knight for his temporal prosperity, and entertained a particular
affection for him. The knight, sensible of this, and being passionately
fond of Wereburge, made use of all his interest with the king to obtain
his consent to marry her, which was granted, on condition he could gain
that of the royal virgin. Queen Ermenilde and her two sons, Wulfade and
Rufin, were grievously afflicted at the news. These two princes were
then upon their conversion to Christianity, and for this purpose
resorted to the cell of St. Chad, bishop of Litchfield, under pretence
of going a hunting; for the saint resided in a hermitage, situate in a
forest. By him they were instructed in the faith, and baptized. Werbode,
finding them an obstacle to his design, contrived their murder, for
which he is said to have moved the father to give an order in a fit of
passion, by showing him the young princes returning from the bishop, and
incensing him against them by slanders: for the king was passionate, and
had been likewise prevailed on by his perfidious minister to countenance
and favor idolatry. Werbode died miserably soon after, and Wulfere no
sooner heard that the murder was perpetrate but, stung with grief and
remorse, he entered into himself, did great penance, and entirely gave
himself up to the advice of his queen and St. Chad. He destroyed all the
idols, converted their temples into churches, founded the abbey of
Peterborough, and the priory of Stone, where the two martyrs were
buried, and exceedingly propagated the worship of the true God, by his
zealous endeavors and example.

Wereburge, seeing t