History Narration or Exposition as History signifieth of Ecclesiasticall affaires can be more requisite or necessary to knowe and truely finde true Religion to receaue and professe it Wherefore seeing all true Christians confesse and agree that this holy Lawe Religion Religation and Dutie was truely taught by Christ and his holy Apostles and Disciples and as in many other Kingdomes and Countries so in this Noble Kingdome of greate Britaine by his greatest Apostles and Disciples S. Peter S. Paule S. Ioseph of Aramathia that buried Christ and others then and after most holy and learned true Apostolike men and nothing is more common and frequent in the mouthes and penns of the learned then that the Britans receauing this most true and holy Religion neuer left lost changed or altered it not when they left or lost the greatest part of their Country in the six hundred yeares of Christ nor long after And all Writers agree that neuer any Heresie except the Pelagian of which it was happily freed by our renowned Apostles and Prelats S. German S. Lupus S. Seuerus and S. Dauid tooke roote in Britaine for a longe time after By which we are assured by all accompts that the Church of Britaine enioyed many glorious Apostles Apostolike Saints and others teaching preaching and professing with the Church and Christians here the most holy and vndoubted true Religion of Christ in all Articles both now questioned and others as all our Rulers spirituall and temporall Kings and Subiects Britans and Saxons did thereby giuing and duely to this renowned and greatest Iland the name and Title of the most Noble and Holy first Christian Kingdome in the world To renewe and illustre whose honor and glory therein lately too much by some obscured and shew the way of truth to all that be now wandring in error and want direction to know the holy true Religion of those happy times in this Nation that if they will not be willfully erring and ignorant they may easely and plainely knowe it and securely embrace and professe it as their holy and Religious Auncestors and Predecessors did This dutie hath cheefly called vpon me to write this Ecclesiasticall History of our Noble Britaine deducing it from the Natiuitie of our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus vntill the happy full Conuersion of our Auncestors the Saxons in the seuenth hundered yeare after which time our Ecclesiasticall Histories are plaine and perfect not needing helpes or Additions And this which I haue taken in hand especially the first 600. yeares are the most difficulte Worke Britaine had to be performed in this kynde most or many of the Antiquities and Monuments of those times by many outrages of enemies to those holy dayes parsons and proceedings destroyed consumed concealed suppressed defaced or abused and those that from many difficulties and dangers be still preserued are not without greate fauour labour diligence and cost to poore Students especially Catholiks to be obtained Yet I a poore Catholike Student in holy learning from my young yeares vnto my now old Age may boldly confesse which this History itselfe will proue that I haue seene diligently perused the most best Monuments and Antiquities extant or their true Copies which I could learne of know and procure requisite and vsefull for such a Worke and therefore at the entreaty and desire of diuers my learned friends hauing better opinion of my studies and reading then I dare affirme of my selfe haue taken this greate charge in hand and wholly performed and ended it written in our English tongue because principally of England and to English men FINIS AVTHOR ad Lectorem STEWKLIA me paruum genuisti magna parentes Quâm faelix antiqua magis BROVGHTONIA Turris Hunc LANCASTRA locum tenet HVNTINGTONA priorem Quo cum Matre Pater sub saxo conditurvno Quos sociat Tumulus socient caelica Regna RICHARDVMQVE sua reliqua cum prole perennes Qui legis haec relegens te supplex oro preceris THE INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE FIRST TOME THE FIRST AGE THE FIRST CHAPTER TReating generally of the Natiuitie of Christ in the time of Augustus Emperour of Rome and Kymbelnie King of Britaine And how it came to the knowledge of the Britans pag. 1. Chapt. ij Contcining Diuers particular wonderfull things at or about the time of the Birth of Christ at Rome or in other places which came thither by true relation by meanes whereof our Britans at Rome and they in Britaine from them tooke soone notice of his Natiuitie 3 Chap. iij. Of diuers particular motiues preparations and dispositions at home for the inhabitants of Britaine to learne out knowe and embrace the Natiuitie and Religion of Christ. 9 Chap. iiij Of the time of the Empeperour Tyberius 12 Chap. v. Further continuing the extraordinary preaching and reuealing of Christ at Rome by meanes whereof among many others diuers Britans were connerted in the dayes of Tyberius 18 Chap. vj. That S. Iames the Apostle who is commonly said to haue preached in Spaine in this time did not preach in Ireland as some write yet his preaching to the Iewes in Spaine might prepare the way for the spirituall good of some in Britaine although none of them conucrted by him 25 Chap. vij Of the time of Caius Caligula Emperour and some Christian Britans of this nation probably both at Rome and in Britaine in his daies 30. Chap. viij Of the time of Claâ—dius and how by our Protestants testimony one of the twelue Apostles then preached in Britaine 36 Chap. ix Wherein is proued by Protestant Antiquaries that among the three Apostles S. Peter S. Paul and S. Simon Zelotes which are thought by any Antiquaries to haue preached heare in Britaine it was not S. Paul which first preached heare but S. Peter 40. Chap. x. How S. Simon Zelotes neuer Preached in this our Britaine â—uen by the best testimony of Protestants and others nor any Simon an Apostle but S. Simon Peter and perhaps S. Simon Leprosus or S. Nathantel by by some called S. Simon 43 Chap. xj Wherein Diuers Protestants incline to thinke S. Peter preached here in Britaine before his comâ—ing to Rome and what probabilitie that opinion hath 49 Chap. xij Wherein is shewed to be the most probable opinion that S. Peter at his first comming to Rome was receaued thereby Britans of this Nation and who probably they were 54 Chap. xiij Makeing manifest vnto vs how and whome in particular S. Peter the Apostle sent from Rome vnto vs and so consequently into this kingdome of Britaine also so knowne and renowned then among the Nations of the westerne world 63 Chap. xiiij Wherein is proued by many Arguments Authorities and Antiquaries both Catholiks and Protetansts that S. Peter the Apostle parsonally preached and founded Christian Religion in this kingdome 68 Chap. xv Wherein is both Answeare Made to Protestant obiections against S. Peters preaching in Britaine by the Protestants themselues and their owne Authors and by the same confirmed that S. Peter
WHEREIN DIVERS PROTESTANTS INclyne to thinke S. Peter preached heare in Britaine before his coming to Rome and what probabilitie that opinion hath 1. DIVERS English Protestant writers whether for loue to S. Peter or dissick to Rome knowing what great warrant ther is for sainct Peters preaching heare incline to affirme it to haue bene before he came to Rome Amonge whome the THEATER WRITERS producing diuers testimonies Theater of great Britaine l. 9. c. 9. §. 5. for his being in Britaine they add If Peter were heare at all It was before he went to Rome and that the Ghospell was preached heare before it was in Rome if Peter were the first as some hold that preached there both Diuers English Protestants incline to thinke S. Peter preached in Britaine before he came to Rome and how probably which may be more probable if we consider the huge multitudes of Christians fifteen thousand saith Baronius which dispersed themselues into all parts of the worlde Vpon the martyring of S. Stephen at Hierusalem Where we see that they make the coming of S. Peter into this our Nation to haue beene so soone after the Ascension of Christ that they seeme to suppose it to haue beene before his coming to Rome and make it the more probable opinion their owne phrase that it was soone after the Martyrdome of S. Stephen which was to speake in their owne words presently vpon the death of Christ which was diuers Theater supr yeares before any Authoritie teacheth he came to Rome And their opinion before that Britaine receaued the faith in the time of Tyberius will make theÌ„ of that minde being before proued that S. Peter was the first Apostle that preached heare For which they bring his owne testimony to S. Brithwald and other testimonies And that which is written before of S. Mansuetus a Bishop of this Nation sent to Toul in Lorraine by S. Peter in the time of Caius Caligula giueth some allowance to this opinion if we will followe those Historians which write he was sent thither at that time in the yeare of Christ 40. making it not vnprobable but he was sent from S. Peter being in or neare this Iland 2. The like I may say of S. Aristobulus made Bishop as William Eisengrenius saith in the yeare of Christ 39. who as commonly Protestants will tell vs hereafter was our Bishop heare in Britaine and this the rather because we Guliel Eisengr Centenar 1. part 1. dist 7. fo 67. 66 dist 8. Sophron. Patria Hierosol l. delabor S. Petr. Paul finde that about the same time and in the same yeare if we may beleeue this Author the same holy Apostle S. Peter placed S. Pancratius Bishop of Tauronienium and sainct Marcianus Bishop of Syrocufa in the Iland of Sicilia neare vnto Italie and diuers others farre distant from Hierusalem Antioch or any Easterne place of the aboade of that greate Apostle as S. Clement with diuers others into the hither parts of Germany as the antiquities of those places are witnesse And if we call to memory the vnspakeable labours and expedition vsed by this Apostle in such sacred a busines before remembred how in that time he is said to remaine at Antioch he visited as the Scripture is euidence Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia the hither partes Petr. 1. v. 1. of Asia from whence we shall not finde it a more difficult iorney for that renowned Apostle to vouch safe to visite this Iland of Britaine if we consult with Cosmographers in these affaires then to come from Antioch in Syria the cheife place of his residency at that time to visit all those Contries related in which he preached as the Scriptures assure vs. But these be but coniectures vpon which I may not found an Historiall Narration especially when we haue a whole world of witnesses to the contrary that Rome was the first place in the west whether S. Peter came and was cheifly directed vnto And S. Peter came to Rome before he came into Britaine the cheifest reason of the dispersion of the Disciples at the martyrdome of S. Stephan is before answered how they preached onely to the Iewes And the Scripture is manifest that the Apostles were then at Hierusalem except the Apostles and not dispersed And the history of the Acts of the Apostles keepeth Act. c. 8. v. 1. S. Peter preaching in the East Ionge after this to the Iewes and Gentiles vntill such time in the dayes of Claudius Emperour it pleased Christ our blessed Sauiour as many and greate Authorities doe warrant vs to send and direct this his cheifest Apostle to make a great parte of his Residencie at Rome the greate and commaunding Imperiall Citte at that time in the world that he might the better by that meanes preach the Ghospell both by himselfe S. Peters seating himselfe at Rome foretold by holy scripture â—â—bbins and Sibils before Christ. and his Disciples to these Westerne Nations and Contries of the world 3. Of this mission of S. Peter to Rome Esay the Prophet though in more generall termes had longe before admonished saying as I haue alledged before that God would send of his Apostles into Italy Of this the auncient Rabbins before Christ were witnesses as a Iewe himselfe hath proued against the Iewes that Rome should be the cheife place of the Lawe and Religion of the Messias Sybilla Erythraea longe time before preached this Hieronymus à sanct fide l. contra Iudaeos Sybill Erithaer in l. Nasalographi 1. Imperial Scrip. Venetijs an 1516 per Patriarch Venet. approbat Pontif. Rom. to the Gentiles when Prophesying of Christ and his twelue Apostles thus she foretolde in vltima aetate humiliabitur Deus humiliabitur proles diuina Iungetur humanitati deitas iacebit in faeno agnus puellari officio educabitur Deus homo Eliget sibi ex piscatoribus deiectis numerum duodenarium vnumque diabolum non in gladio bellouè Eneadem vrbem Regesque subijciet sed in hamo piscantis in deiectione pauperie superabit diuitias superbiam conculcabit morte propria nocturno suscitabit commutabitur viuet regnabit consummabuntur haec omnia fietque regeneratio Vltimo bonos iudicabit malos Surget stella mirabilis Danaos illuminabit orbem illustrabit In Eneadem latus piscatoris nomen agni vsque ad fines seculi virtute perducet Inde in Eneade iuncta vinctos à diabolo liberabiâ— In the laste age God will be humbled and the sonne of God will be humbled the lambe shall lye in Hay God and man shall be brought vp by a virgin seruice he shall chuse vnto him out of fishers and meane persons a number of twelue one of them a deuill He shall make subiect vnto him the citie of Aeneas Rome Kings not by sworde warre but by the hooke of a fisher in deiection pouertie he shall ouercome Riches he shall treade downe pryde with
Martyrolog Roman 21. Iulij Act. S. Praxedis in Breuiar die 21. Iulij S. Pudentianae die 19. Maij. interred there Cuius S. Praxedis corpus à Pastore presbytero in patris sororis Pudcntianae sepulchrum illatum est quod erat in caemiterio Priscillae via Salaria And yet besides this memorable foundation for the publike good of the Church of Christ these Romans themselues doe tell vs and the lately continued buildings themselues testifie that there was an other such secret Church yard at her owne house to hide protect and bury holy Martyrs in In ipso Titulo Pastoris vbi erant thermae Nouati quae Timothinae dictae ipsae balnei inferiores Caesar Baron Annot. in Martyrol Rom. die 16. Ianuarij cellae instar porticuum sibi concameratione coniuctae quae vsque in hanc diem cernuntur poene integrae caemiterij loco ad sepeliendos sublatos occulte martyres inseruisse creduntur And thus we haue found out now at the last the house of our noble Christian Britans at Rome to haue bene the first lodging of the great Apostle S. Peter there his first Church and Seate the Harbour of S. Paul and many of their Disciples and Successors Popes of Rome after them the first Seminary colledge or mother of Christian learning there or in the westerne world the common and ordinary place of holy Christian assemblies and exercises from whence as from the originall well and fountaine the water of life did take course and current to diffuse it selfe vnto all parts and Nations of the Occidentall world We may make some estimate and apprehension of the wonderfull charitable helpe and assistance this most happy house of our noble Brittish Christians parents of S. Claudia yeelded to the holy worke of conuerting this and all other westerne Countries if besides their extraordinary loue to their owne Nation we doe reflect vpon that the old Roman Martyrologe hath told vs before of this Priscilla Employing herselfe and her substance to serue the Saints and Seruants of Christ se suaque Martyrol Rom. dic 16. Ianuarij in S. Priscilla martyrum obsequio mancipauit That she and her husband were two of the cheifest of the nobilitie of Britaine kept hostages at Rome for this kingdome and yet after so many yeares spent and their honorable reuenewes much exhausted in these pious workes in maintaining and releeuing distressed Christians by rhemselues substance and greate numbers of Attendants and seruants attending also to those holy ends they left so much to posteritie that in the Family of their grand child S. Pudentiana in the same house there Vita S. Pudent in Breuiar Rom. die 19. Maij. Bar. Tom. 2. Annal. in S. Praxede were nonaginta sex homines 96. Christian men ordinarie Attendants and S. Praxedes her Sister liuing there 19. holy Christians were martyred in that house at one time THE XIII CHAPTER MAKING MANIFEST VNTO VS HOW and whome in particular S. Peter the Apostle sent from Rome into these parts of the world next vnto vs and so consequently into this kingdome of Britaine also so knowne and renowned then among the Nations of the westerne world 1. NOw let vs examine more particularly who they were whom S. Peter thus receaued in Rome by our Brittish Countrymen sent into these parts of the world next adiacent vnto this Iland That if we finde the first preachers of the faith of Christ in all these Countries next vnto vs were sent by sainct Peter so well acquainted with our Roman Britans we may boldely conclude that this kingdome alone was not left vnremembred in those holy Ambassages Our Protestant Antiquaries from S. Innocentius twelue hundred yeares since and other Antiquities acknowledge it for so certaine and vndoubted a truth Quis nesciat cum sit manifestum that no man can be ignorant of it being manifest But S. Peter founded the first Churches of Africke Italy Godwyn Conu of Britaine p. 3. Innoc. 1. epist ad Decent dist 11. Simon Metaphr 29. dic Iunij Bar. Annal. an 44. Fraunce Spaine Sicily and the Ilands that lye betwixt them Sardinia or Corcica Maiorca Minorca And for Sicily and those Ilands we neede not expect S. Peters coming to Rome for while he was in the East so farre of he sent S. Martianus and Paccatius thither landed there himselfe in Sicily the cheifest Iland when he came to Rome Of Italy there is no question among writers Protestants or others but it fell to the diuision of sainct Peter for though Act. Apost c. 12. 13. 14. 15. Sophron. tom 7. Biblioth Patr. Hartmann Schedel Chronic. chronicor f. 205. many bring sainct Barnabas into Italy yet it is euidēt by the holy Scriptures themselues that it must needs be longe after sainct Peters coming to Rome And when sainct Barnabas Brother to S. Aristobulus by some father in lawe to sainct Peter preached in Italy it was as antiquaries say by the direction of sainct Peter Barnabasè 72. Discipulis fuit natione Cyprius is in Italiam veniens ex praecepto Petri omnem Longobardiam praedicando docendo circuiuit apud Mediolanum primus Cathedralem locum tenuit Barnabas one of the 72. Disciples was by Nation a Cyprian he coming into Italy by the commaundement of Peter went about all Lombardy preaching and teaching and was the first that held the Cathedrall place at Millane The next Nation to this in the way to this Iland of Britaine is that of the Heluetians or Switcers whose Theater of great Britaine lib. 6. Pantal. de vir Illustrib Germ. Apostle as our Protestants assure vs was that our renowned Countriman S. Beatus sent Apostle thither by his Master sainct Peters authoritie of which matter I am to speake more hereafter For the parts betweene Heluetia and vs Sebastian Munster the Magdeburgian Protestants in the first of their Sebastian Munst Cosmograp l. 3. Magdebur cent 1. Henricus Pāt de vir Illustrib Germ. part 1. pag. 100. Henricus de Erford hist Germ. Catal Episc Tungr Catal. Epis Met. Catal. Episcop Tullen Guhel Eisengr Centen 1. Henric. de Erford apud Munster Pant. sup beat Rhenan l. 2 rerum Germ. p. 88. Francis Burgoing Eccl. hist l. 2. c. 1. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Bal. l. de Scriptor in Kentegern Io. Capgrau cat in S. Kentegern Guliel Lomb. l. de leg Regum Britan. in Ewardo Confessore Richard Kackluyt in Reg. Arthu Edga Arnold Mirman in Theatro Conu gent. Acta S. Ioan. in Breuiar Rom. die 25. Iulij Martyrol Rom. 25. Maij. Bed Mart. ib. Vsuard ib. Ado. Breuiar Eccles Toletan Greg. 7. Epist ad Alphōsum Reg. Vincent in spec hist lib. 6. cap. 6. Francis Mas l. 2. of Consecrat cap. 2. Loyes de Mayerne Turquet historie general d'Espagne li. 4. p. 179. Beuter ib. Vincent supr Centuryes Henticus Pantaleon Iodocus Willichius Arnoldus Mermannius Henry of Erford and other historians of Germany both Catholiks and Protestants are witnesses with the
Preist sainct Trophimus sent from sainct Peter the Apostle and from thence by little and little the gift of faith was infused to the other Regions of Fraunce Where we see it proued by the publike letters and testimonie of all the Bishops of that Prouince That it was a certaine and confessed truth among all the Churches of Fraunce and knowne also at Rome that sainct Trophimus who was so renowned in Fraunce was sent thither by sainct Peter which yet doth not condemne their opinion which say sainct Paul in his Iorney from Rome to Spayne left him by the way at Arles whether he was formerly sent by sainct Peter and sainct Paul finding him at Arles went on his Iorney leauing sainct Trophimus where he found him Which confirmeth that I haue deliuered before of this matter and thus I haue compassed and circuited all CouÌ„tries round about vs find that they all first receaued the faith of Christ in these times by sainct Peter the Apostle and his disciples and no other meanes but this was left or to be fownde in histories to bring the first knowledge of saluation to this Kingdome And hauing this farre entreated of sainct Peters Disciples let vs now speake of that most glorious Apostle himselfe his preacing heare THE XIIII CHAPTER WHEREIN IS PROVED BY MANY ARGVments Authorities and Antiquaries both Catholiks and Protestants that sainct Peter the Apostle parsonally preached and founded Christian Religion in this kingdome 1. NOW I am come to giue that glory to this kingdome whereof a Protestant thus speaketh we should accompt it Godwyn Conu of Britâ—ine p. 6. a greate glory to our Nation to deriue the peti-degree of our spituall linadge from so noble and excellent a father as sainct Peter And diuers others of that profession will seeme to giue that Preeminencie vnto him To satisfie therefore these men and giue that due honour to this kingdome this is sufficieÌ„tly proued before by those that haue told vs he preached in all kingdomes and Ilands of the west therefore this Cuontry so greate and ample a portion of the westerne world and the most florishing Iland thereof cannot be excluded from this prerogatiue This moued our first Christian King Lucius and the S. Peter his personall preaching and founding our Church in Britain proued by all human authoritie cheifest of the cleargie heare in that time in the first publik and generall conuersion of this kingdome to dedicate the first and principall Churches of this Land to this glorious Apostle as our first father and founder in Christ as namely two in one cittie of London the one of them the Metropolitane cheife See diuers hundreds of yeares scituated in Cornhill and still keeping the name of sainct Peters Church The other at westminster also to this day Stowe hist in K. Lucius an D. 179 Holinsh. ib. hist of Engl. The Table of S. Peters Church there Ihon Norden Specul Britan. part 1. p. 42. Camden in Brit. Belgae Sommersetshâ—re Francis Mason Consecrat l. 2. c. cap. 2. pag. â—0 retayning the name sainct Peters Church and diuers others in this kingdome when except that of Glastenbury dedicated to our blessed lady sainct Mary we cannot finde the like of dedicating so auncient and many Churches to any other sainct sainct Paul sainct Ioseph or whom soeuer supposed to haue preached heare 2. The next argument shall be from the testimonie of our holy King Inas and the Clergie of England then Who in the place of the olde Church of Glastenbury building a very magnificent new Church dedicated it to Christ sainct Peter and sainct Paul and in the high forefront thereof engraued certaine verses in the honour of sainct Peter and sainct Paul among which these three are founde Surgit in his templum quod placet ara Deo Anglia plaude lubens mittit tilâ— Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus Glasconiam irradiat The first which our Protestants omitt to translate is thus in Thâ—se to wit sainct Peter and sainct Paul a Church and an Altar pleasing vnto God is raised The other two are thus tranâ—lated by our Protestants Be glad England Rome sâ—â—deth health to thee and Apostolicall Brightnes doth lighten Glastenbury And they say that this is ment either of doctrine or protection But the words mittit â—â—bi Roma salutem That Rome sâ—nt saluation vnto Britaine and the Apostolicall brightnes of sainct Peter and Paule did illuminate Glastenbury doe include onely doctrine and Saluation and no mention there at all is had of protection which is contrary to protestant Religion and in Catholik Religion for so worthie a King as sainct Inas was to ascribe the patronadge of Glasten burie to sainct Peter and sainct Paul if neither of them had giuen Influence to the first settling of Religion there and exclude sainct Ioseph who both liued and died in that place is an harsh vnworthie construction And to giue further testimonie that the words of that Inscription are altogether to be vnderstood of our first conuersion and receauing the faith from sainct Peter and Rome all those verses excepting the words Anglia and Glastonia England and Glastenbury are taken word by word from Venantius Fortunatus Bishop of Venant Fortun. l. 3. c. 7. Poyctires in Fraunce who testifieth in those verses as I haue by others proued before that Gallia Fraunce and the Allobroge people of Sanoye and the Dolphinists were conuerted by S. Peter and his disciples and S. Paul also preached there as I shall shew hereafter And therefore among the rest of the encomiasticall verses of those two glorious Apostles hath these Gallia plaude Lubens mittit tibi Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus visitat Allobrogas Which King Inas applyed to Britanie and Glastenbury in the same maÌ„ner onely changing Gallia into Anglia and Allobrogas into Glastoniam and to make a true verse visitat into Irradiat in the maner before related Anglia plaude lubens mittit tibi Roma salutem Fulgor Apostolicus Glastoniam irradiat Which he neither would nor truly could haue done except as venantius Fortunatus truely found by vndeniable Authorities that Fraunce and the people of Sauoy and Delphinate did first receaue the doctrine of Saluation from Rome S. Peter and S. Paul So King Inas had sufficient warrant to apply the very same and in the same sence to Britaine or England and Glastenbury to haue receaued the first light of faith from the same Rome and holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul 3. I may add to these the testimony of Kenulphus King of the Mercians with vs to Pope Leo the third where in his epistle vnto him thus he writeth vnde Tibi Apostolica dignitas inde nobis fidei veritas Innotuit from whence Apostolicall dignitie was deriued vnto thee which by all consent was from S. Peter Kenulphus Rex Mercior epist ad Leonem Pap. 3. the Apostle from thence the truthe of faith appeared or was made knowne vnto vs Which by the reason
dicebat Petre instat tempus tuae resolutionis oportet teire Romam in qua cum mortem per crucem sustinueris accipies mercedem Iustitiae Cum ergo propterea deum glorificasset egisset gratias apud Britannos mansisset dies aliquot verbo gratiae multos illuminasset Ecclesias constituisset Episcoposque Presbyteros Diaconos ordinasset duodecimo anno Caesaris Neronis rursus Romam reuertitur when S. Peter had stayed but a short time with the Romans and had baptized many and fownded the Church and ordeyned Linus Bishop he came to Tarracina in which when he had ordeyned Epaphroditus Bishop he came to Sirmium a citie of Spaine in which place when he had constituted Epinaetus Bishop he came into Egipt whē he had made Rufus Bishop of Thebes which hath seuē gates and Marke the Euangelist Bishop of Alexandria he came againe to Hierusalē by reuelatiō for the migratiō or passing out of life of Mary the mother of God After this returning into Egipt through Africk the returned againe to Rome From which he came to Milane and Photice which are cities in the cōtinent in which after he had appointed Bishops and Preists he came into Britaine in which place whē he had stayed a longe time and had drawne many natiōs not named to the faith of Christ he had an Angelicall visiō which said O Peter the time of thy Resolution is at hand And thou must goe to Rome in which when thou hast suffered death by the crosse thou shalt receaue the reward of Iustice Therefore whē he had glorified God for it and giuen thākes stayed after with the Britans some dayes and illuminated many with the word of grace and constituted Churches and ordeined both Bishops and Preists and Deacons in the twelfth yeare of the Emperour Nero he returneth to Rome Hitherto the Relation of this holy learned and auncient Sainct writer Where the labours and trauailes of S. Peter are so orderly and punctually set downe after his first coming to Rome that except so worthie a man had sounde certaine and vndoubted Authoritie for such a Relation no man can be so malicious as to thinke he would so confidently and particularly haue written of that matter 10. And it appeareth plainely by that I haue written before that both by Catholiks Protestants all the rest of S. Alredus his narration of S. Peters Iorneyes are most true certaine except this last of his coming hither and so longe remayning in this our Britaine these parts which I matuaile that any man of this kingdome will call in question being deliuered by so many Authorities before and aboue all other parts of that his Relation fortified by so manie vndeniable circumstances and Arguments as the time when the way by which he came a longe continuance of his aboude heare his passage by this Iland to drawe many vnnamed nations to the faith of Christ what he did heare his making of Bishops Preists and Deacons founding of Churches his loue to this kingdome so greate that vntill he was admonished from Heaven by an Angell to returne againe to Rome to receaue his crowne of Martyrdome he had so happily placed his Apostolicall Cathedrall See in this Imperiall and commanding Iland of this Northren and westerne world and by his blessed presence and heauenly labours left it Illustrious to succeeding generations not onely to be stiled Romana Insula the Roman Iland as I haue written before but as the same Apostle himself did testifie to S. Brithworld S. Peters preaching in Britaine proued by infallibly diuine authoritie Bishop of Winton or Wilton as our Protestant Historians doe plainely testifie together prouing that S. Peter first preached in this kingdome of greate Britaine The Protestant Theater writers haue these words It is reported by Aluredus Riuallensis the writer of King Edward the Confessors life that a holy man Theater of great Britaine l. 6. c. 9. studious and carefull for a gouernour to succeede was in his sleepe told by S. Peter that the kingdome of England was his wherein himself had first preached and would also prouide him successors Which other Protestants thus further confirme Alredus Francis Mason of Consecrat of Bishop l. 2. c. 2. p. 47. Sutcliffe subuers Godwyn conu of Britaine p. 4. Riuallensis an English Abbot left written aboue 500. yeares agone a certaine Reuelation or apparition of S. Peter to an holy man in the time of King Edward the Confessor shewing how he had preached himself in England and consequently the particular care he had of that Church and Nation Thus farre these Protestants So that if this was a true Reuelation there needeth no more testimony in this matter for the wittnes of Angels glorified Saints cannot by any possibilitie be vntrue and the vision testifiing that S. Peter himself had first preached heare in this kingdome is an euident demonstration both that he preached heare and was the first either immediately by himself or mediately by his disciples and Substituts which preached the faith of Christ in this kingdome Therefore all the difficultie will be in the proposers of this holy Reuelation he to whome it was made and they which haue commended it to writing And because supernaturall things such as this was cannot be proued by naturall Argument a priore by their cause to giue some certaine and vndoubted proofe thereof a Posteriore by some effect necessarily conuincing some supernaturall power to haue had Influence thereto for the more credite of this sacred truthe proue by these Protestants themselues 11. And first concerning the writer and recorder of this holy history they haue told vs it was Alredus Riuallensis a man of that worth learning and Ioh. Balaeus de Scriptor Cētur 2. fol. 88. p. 1. in Alred Riual pietie that to speake in a Protestant Bishops words he was Cistertiensiū Monachorum Abbas natione Anglus gencre doctrina inculpatae vitae moribus praeclarus enituit Episcopatum ac alios honores mundanos omnino recusabat vt ad virtutum exercitia maximè ad Euangelij praedicationem expeditior haberetur Vir erat vt alter Bernardus ingenio pius consilio modestissimus Abbot of the Cistersian monkes by Country an English man he was eminently renowned by birth learning and holy life and conuersation he refused a Bishoprike and other worldly honors vtterly that he might be more ready to the exercises of vertues chefely for preaching the ghospell he was a man as an other S. Bernard Godly in wit and most modest in counsaile He that desireth more of this holy witnes may finde in our auncient M. S. antiq de vit Sanct. Ioh. Capgr in Cata. l. in S. Alred Abb. Manuscripts our learned Countriman Ihon Capgraue and others how he is registred among the most glorious and miraculous Saints of this Natiō to which our Protestant Bishop before hath giuen allowance where he giueth vs assured knowledge that this
his Epistle to the Romans was made Bishop of Britaine Dorothaeus agreeth wholy with this Protestant not in his booke of the Apostles but of the 72. Disciples where he plainely saith Aristobulus ipse ab Apostolo ad Romanos commemoratus Episcopus Britanniae factus est Aristobulus named by the Apostle to the Romans was made Doroth. in Syno 72. Discip in Aristobulo Bishop of Britaine Where by the words Bishop of Britaine and not in Britaine or any particular place of Britaine it is euident that he was made the cheife commanding Bishop or Archbishop of Britaine the whole kingdome of Britaine being subiected vnto him in spirituall proceedings and it is cleare in all such Examples in Antiquitie not one instance to be giuen to the contrary as appeareth in the same auntient Father S. Dorothaeus in that place and others entreating of the same subiect And the words The Bishop of Britaine will allowe no other interpretation And if there were no other motiue to induce vs to be of this opinion but the consent of writers both Catholiks and Protestants that this holy Bishop of Britaine was one of the 72. Diciples of Christ as both the same S. Dorothaeus our contriman Florenâ—â—us Wigorniensis Doroth. supr in Titul Florent Wigorn. in Catal 72. Discipul Arnold Mirm. in Theatr. Gul. Eiseng cent 1. Magdeb cent 1. and later Authours agree it would be a warrant sufficient in this cause when we doe not finde in Antiquities but probably all the 72. that suruiued were constituted Archbishops in their diuisions in those that concerne vs most which were settled in our neighbouring Nations Fraunce and Germany I haue exemplified before Alnoldus Mirmannius in his Theater of the Conuersion of Nations and the Authorities which he followeth will make this a matter out of question for he deriueth the whole Hierarchicall order of the Church of Christ in this kingdome from this holy man in Arnold Mirm. in Theatr. conu gent. in Britann this manner Britannia Straboni a Britone Regenun cuipata primum Aristobulum vnum certe ex classe 72. Discipulorum Apostolum est nacta Deinde nacta est Britannia Fugatium Damianum qui ordinem Hierarchicum Ecclesiae istic fundatae ab illo inchoatum constituerunt sanxeruntque more nimirum Apostolico Britaine so named by Strabo from King Brito or Brutus had first for the Apostle of it Aristobulus one doubtlesse of the order of the 72. Disciples After that it had Fugatius Guliel Eisengren centenar 1. in S. Aristobulo Actor cap. 13. and Damianus who constituted and confirmed after the Apostolik manner the Hierarchicall order of the Church there founded begun by him Where he ascribeth to S. Aristobulus this our holy Archbishop of this our Britaine named of Brutus three Attributes all commonly properties allmost quarto modo belonging to S. Aristobulus Archbishop of Britayne consecrated by diuers Authours an dom 39. and before S. Paule Archbishops to be our Apostle to haue founded our Church and begun our Ecclesiasticall Hierarchicall order Which cannot belong to any other then an Archbishop especially in so greate a kingdome 3. And if we will followe Eisengrenius and his Authours he will tell vs that this holy Saint and Archbishop of Britaine was made Bishop in the 39. yeare of Christ within fiue or sixe yeares of his Ascension and before S. Paule the Apostle himself did receaue imposition of hands or S. Mansuetus Other Bishops or some other Bishop then in Britayne besides S. Aristobulus by any accompt or any other that is remembred in Antiquities to haue bene a Bishop in or of this Nation except the most glorious Apostle our first Father in Christ S. Peter was made a Bishop Therefore it doth euidently followe that next vnto S. Peter that renowned Saint and Disciple of Christ S. Aristobulus was by S. Peters meanes the first Archbishop of this kingdome Who were these Bishops in particular in or of Britayne by this accompt Which maketh it also an vndoubted truth warranted both by holy Scriptures Apostolike Tradition and all cheifest Authorities as these Protestants haue proued vnto vs that we also had some Bishops whosoeuer they were subordinate to this cheife ouerseeing commaunding and Arch-Bishop S. Mansuetus Beatus his Anonymus companion and S. Augulus probably Bishops heare in Britayne and by the same Authoritie of S. Peter for all this is necessarily induced and depending of the name nature office and dignitie of an Archbishop instituted and ordayned heare by that greatest Apostles power and Authoritie For it is an implicancy of contradiction and in naturall euidence impossible that there should be an Archbishop aboue all other Bishops where Engl. Martyrol 7. Febr. in Augulus Drek in alm an 1620. 7. Febr. Io. King serm at Pauls Crosse 26. Mart. an 1620. pag. 45. Martyrolog Rom. 7. Febr. Bed Martyrol ib. vsuard hac die Petr. de Natal in Catal. l. 3. cap. 105. Ado Vuandelbert apud Baron in annot in Martyrol 7. Febâ— Calendar Eccles Sarisb Engl. Martyrol 7. Febr. Rabanus hac die there is no Bishop for him to be the cheifest or vnder him And that such we had by S. Peters ordination it is in plaine termes acknowledged before both by Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries testifiing and prouing that this highest Apostle when he instituted this most sacred subordination did ordaine both Bishops Preists Deacons in and for this kingdome Who these our Primatiue Bishops were in particular or any of them the Iniurie of time and so many Enemies of holy Religion vnder whose heauy burthens and persecutions this kingdome hath often groaned doe make it a greater labour Yet it is euident by that I haue already proued that S. Mansuetus S. Beatus and his holy companion though to vs now Anonimus of which two I shall speake more hereafter may be recompted in this number 4. To which we may probably add S. Augulus Bishop of Augusta London in England as both Catholiks and Protestants expound it and among them one in a Sermon before King Iames speaking to the Londiners saith your citty hath bene aunciently stiled Augusta For we reade both in the auntient Roman Martyrologe that also of S. Bede Vsuardus Ado Vandelbertus Petrus de Natalibus and others that this S. Augulus was Bishop of Augusta in Britannia Augusta or London in Britaine and was a martyr Augustae in Britannia Natalis beati Auguli Episcopi qui aetatis cursum per Martyrium explens aeterna praemia susâ—ipere meruit Baronius saith he cannot tell when he suffered Quo tempore passus sit hactenus mihi obscurum But if we compare the name of London at that time it was called Augusta with other circumstances and with the Catalogue of the Bishops of London after the time of King Lucius we shall very probably finde that this worthy Saint our Bishop of London is to be reckoned one of the first Bishops that were consecrated in this kingdome long
of coÌ„secrating Bishops is called Mos Britannorum Scotorum The custome or manner of the Britans and Scots in consecrating Bishops and the same is there pâ—oued of the Christians in Ireland in those times For the same Antiquities testifie that there was a Bishop sent for out of Ireland to be present and a Consecratour of S. Kentegern after that manner accito de Hibernia vno Episcopo more Britonum Scotorum in Episcopum ipsum consecrari fecerunt 3. We are also taught by a Protestant Bishop that S. Asaph who write the Io. Capgrau M. S. S. Asaph supr in S. Kentegerno life of S. Kentegern and succeeded him in his Episcopall See in Wales and by his sanctitie gaue that denomination vnto it was consecrated Bishop by holy vnction vnctionem recepit And there speaketh as though it was the essentiall ceremony of that holy Order ascribing there no other thing essentiall vnto it but authoritatem vnctionem authoritie and inunction so that Authoritie Ioh. Bal. lib. de Scriptor cent 1. in Asaph fol. 34. being the same with Iurisdiction he maketh the Sacrament onely or cheifely to consist in Anointing with holy Chrisme And though these testimonies that this Order or manner of consecrating Bishops was a generall custome with the Britans Scots and Irish people when S. Kentegern was made Bishop which was long before the death of S. Patrike the Popes Legate in these Countries and before any notice taken of the Canons of holy Councels in this matter doe sufficiently proue this ordering of Bishops with holy Chrisme was essentiall and from the time of the Apostles yet if we will followe the opinion of the Protestant Archbishop Whitgift M. Foxe M. Barnes and Ioh. Witg. Answere to the Admonit p. 65. sect 4. p. 66. sect 1. Foxeto 1. pag. 12. Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. in Anacleto S. Anacletus Epi. ad Galliae Episc tom 1. Concil other English ProtestaÌ„t writers testifying S. Anacletus that was made Preist by S. Peter the Apostle and after succeeded in the See of Rome to be Authour of the Epistles extant in his name it maketh this matter out of Question For answearing the petition of the Bishops of Fraunce desirous to be instructed by him in this matter thus he writeth Vt a beato Petro Principe Apostolorum sumus instructi a quo Presbyter sum ordinatus scribere vobis sicut petistis non denegabimus Ordinationes Episcoporum authoritate Apostolica ab omnibus qui in eadeÌ„ fuerint Prouincia Episcopis sunt celebrandae Qui simul conuenientes scrutinium diligenter agant ieiuniumque in omnibus celebrent precibus manus cum sanct is Euangelys quae praedicaturi sunt imponentes Dominica die bora tertia orantes sacraque vnctione exemplo Prophetarum Regum capita eorum more Apostolorum Moysis vngentes quia omnis sanctificatio constat in Spiritu sancto cuius virtus inuisibilis Sancto Chrismate est permixta hoc ritu solemnem celebrent ordinationem As we were instructed by S. Peter Prince of the Apostles by whome also I was made Preist we will not deny to write vnto you as you haue requested Ordinations of Bishops by Apostolike authoritie are to be celebrated by all the Bishops that are in the same Prouince Who assembling together let them diligently make scrutiny and let them celebrate fasting with all prayers and imposing their hands â—ith the holy ghospels which they are to preach praying vpon our Lords daye at the third hower and with holy vnctio by example of Prophets and Kings anointing their heads according to the manner of the Apostles and Moyses because all sanctification consisteth in the holy ghost whose inuisible vertue is mixed in holy Chrisme and by this Rite let them celebrate solemne ordination Where we learne of an eye witnesse and Anditor and Disciple of S. Peter so authentically witnessing it that the other Apostles and S. Peter did not onely vse his holy anointing of those Bishops they consecrated but in this externall ceremony the vertue and grace of that Sacrament was giuen 4. To giue further confirmation to this Antiquitie and inuincibly proue that this manner of consecrating Bishops with holy vnction must needes descend from the Apostles it was the generall custome in all parts of the world Asia Afrike and Europe both in the Greeke and Latin Church in the first vnspotted dayes of Christianitie For Asia and the Greeke Church Marcus Marc. Anton. de Dom. l. 2. c. 2. p. 187. Antonius de Dominis when he was a writer for Protestants and by their warrant in England writeth plainely Areopagitae Dyonisio tributum opusculum vnctionem ponit expressè the worke ascribed to Dionisius the Areopagite doth expresly put vnction in consecrating a Bishop And proueth directly out of S. Gregory Nazianz. orat 20. de laudib S. Basilij orat 5. ad Pat. Basil Naziancen that both S. Basile and he also were consecrated Bishops with this holy Ceremonie me Pontificem vngis For Afrike he citeth diuers Councels And for Europe and the Latin Church he alledgeth the Epistle of S. Anacletus before cited addit vnctionem capitis Anacletus quae est antiquissima I rather cite these Protestants for these then the auncient Catholike Authours themselues knowne to all learned men that no Protestant may stand in doubt of the veritie of the Antiquities 5. And to speake a litle more of the Latin Church in which England is S. Gregory saith playnely that the annointing of Bishops is a Sacrament and so cannot be omitted Qui cum in culmine ponitur Sacramenta suscipit vnctionis Gregor in c. 4. 1. Reg. Quia vero ipsa vnctio Sacramentum est is qui promouetur bene foris vngitur si intus virtute Sacramenti roboretur he a Bishop that is placed in the top receaueth the Sacrament of vnction Because that vnction is the Sacrament he which is promoted is well anointed out wardly if inwardly he is strenghtned by the vertue of the Sacrament The learned Fathers S. Isidor Amalarius Fortunatus at Treuers S. Isidor lib. 2. de Eccles offic c. 25. Stephan aduers tractat de Sacrament Altar S. Iuo serm de reb Eccl. de signific Indumentorum Bed l. 3. detabernaculo vasis eius Et apud Amalar supr Protest Booke of Articles of Religion art 25. in Germany Stephanus Adnensis a Bishop and S. Iuo in Fraunce testify the same that a Bishop is consecrated cheifly with this holy ceremony of vnction So doth S. Bede in England saying Indutus sacris vestibus Pontifex mox oleo vnctionis perfunditur vt per gratiam Spiritus Sancti consecratio perficiatur The Bishop attyred with sacred vestiments is presently perfused with oyle of vnction that consecration may be perfected by grace of the holy Ghoste Where we see all which the Religion of English Protestants in their publike Articles thereof requireth to a Sacrament an externall signe instituted by Christ
in that See was to be cheife Gouernour of all Churches and he gaue this instruction and direction generally vnto all and for all Christian people and Churches in all places and parts of the world Europe Asia or Afrike Anacl Epist 2. Epist 3. he immediately addeth of the Roman Church that by a singular Prerogatiue it did obtayne Primacie and Eminencie of power ouer all Churches and all Christian people not from the Apostles onely but from Christ himselfe haec verò sacro sancta Romana Apostolica Ecclesia non ab Apostolis sed ab ipso Domino Saluatore nostro Primatum obtinuit eminentiam potestatis super vniuersas Ecclesias ac totum Christiani populi gregem assecuta est as he said to S. Peter thou art Peter or a Rocke and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church c. sic vt ipse beato Petro Apostolo dixit Tu es Petrus super haue peâ—ram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Clem. Epist 3. Epist 2. And a litle after showeth againe how the Roman Church was made the cheifest by authoritie from heauen prima ergo Sedes est caelesti beneficio Romanae Ecclesiae Then he nameth the See of Alexandria to be the second where S. Peters Disciple S. Marke the Euangelist seated himselfe by S. Peters Authoritie Secunda autem Sedes apud Alexandriam beati Petri nomine à Marco eius Discipulo atque Euangelista consecrata est And the third at Antioch by Authoritie of S. Peter also who was there resident before he came to Rome and placed a Successour there Tertia autem Sedes apud Antiochiam eiusdem beati Petri Apostoli nomine habetur honorabilis quia illic priusquam Romam veniret habitauit And to leaue it without question that he sent the names of all other Cities and places whether in Britaine or else where in which Primats were to be being the Order of the Apostles that the Bishops of all Nations might know who was to be Primate or Cheife among them that they might yeeld him due honour he addeth there Reliquas verò vt praediximus in quodam Tomo prolixitatem vitantes Epistolae vobis conscriptas direximus Inde namque beati Apostoli inter se statuerunt vt Episcopi singularum scirent gentium quis inter eos primus esset quatenus ad eum potior eorum folicitudo pertineret How according to this Tome or booke of S. Anacletus this Iland was diuided into fiue Prouinces I haue in some sorte insinuated before which Giraldus Cambrensis relateth and diuers Protestants and others in this manner as he saith he founde it then both in Papall and Imperiall Acts or Constitutions Iuxta Prouinciarum numerum quas tempore Gentilitatis habuerat Insula quinque Metropoles Iuxta Girald Cambr. l. de Sedis Meueuensis dignitate Matth. Parker l. antiq Brit. p. 24. l. Pris defens Histor Britan. p. 73. 74. Io. Leland Indice Brit. ant v. Britanniae Beat. Rhenan l. de redus German 3. p. 123. 124. Wolefangus Lazius in CommeÌ„tarijs Reipub. Romanae p. 172. Tomum enim Anacleti Episcopi Romani sicut in Pontificalibus Romanorum gestis Imperialibus continetur directum Galliarum Episcopis iuxta statum gentilium ante Christi aduentum Britannia habuit Prouincias numero quinque Britanniam primam Britanniam secundam Flauiam Maximiam Valentiam Prima dicta est Occidentalis pars Insulae Britannia secunda Cantia Tertia Flauia quae Mertia Quarta Maximia idest Eboraca Quinta Valentia Albania seilicet quae nunc abusiue Scotia dicitur according to the number of Prouinces which it had in the time of the Pagans the Iland of Britaine hath fiue Metropolitan Cities For according to the Tome of Anacletus Bishop of Rome as it is contayned in the Decrees of the Popes of Rome and Emperours directed to the Bishops of France according to the state of the Gentils before the coming of Christ Britaine had fiue Prouinees Britaine the first Britaine the second Flauia Maximia Valentia The first was the west part of the Iland the second Kent the third Flauia called also Mertia The fourth Maximia that is to say Yorke The fift Valentia Albaniae now corruptly named Scotland The Metropolitan Citie of the first Britaine was Caerlegion The Metropolitan of the second Dorobernia now Canterbury In the third London In the fourth Yorke In the fift Alba taken to be the Citie now named S. Andrewes Thus farre Giraldus out of S. Anacletus Tome extant in his time as he hath witnessed both in the Papall and Imperiall Decrees 3. And this diuision of this Iland into fiue Metropolitan Sees according to S. Anacletus diuision was obserued by S. Damianus and Fugatianus in King Eleutherius time preaching the faith throughout all the Iland from Sea to Sea Qui fidem Christi per vniuersam Insulam à Mari vsque ad Mare plantauerunt which diuision might then be allowed by these Legats but that Canterbury and S. Andrewes actually had Primats in them must haue relation to later times but this argueth their auncient Right from the beginning to haue bene Metropolitan Cities as now they are and long time haue bene The first Canterbury not then made a Metropolitan See because giuing that Title to London it could not haue so many Cities and Bishops vnder it as the diuision of S. Anacletus prescribed then twelue in number And for the other in Scotland no meanes then to erect it to that dignitie the King being still a Pagan Sigonius also who expressely handleth this matter testifieth that Britaine was diuided into those fiue Prouinces before remembred and was so before Constantine the Greate his time which obserued the diuision Sigonius l. 4. de Occidentali Imperio p. 89. 90. made before paucis mutatis changing few things among which for Britaine probably was that he allowed the names Maxima or Maximia for Yorke and Valentia for Albania or Scotland the first so named from Maximinus Girald Cambr. Matth. Park Io. Pris alij supr and the other by Valentinian Which is proued by Sextus Rufus a Pagan writer who writing to the same Valentinian the Emperour of the Prouinces of France and Britaine mentioneth the rest of Britaine not naming Valentia vnknowne then by that name as it seemeth by his recitall of our Sext. Rufus Breu. rer gestar Po. Ro. ad Valentianum Augustum Anicetus Ep. Decret to 1. Concil Gratian. dist 30. Beatus Rhenanus rerum Germanic l. 3. p. 123. 124. Pelag. 2. Ep. Decret t. 2. CoÌ„c Nicen. Concil Can. 4. 6. 7. Concil Aâ—elat 2. Can. 5. Conc. Antioch 1. can 9. Prouinces omitting it an Argument that name was but lately giuen vnto it and after S. Anacletus time And what this holy Pope hath written before of the Apostles constituting such Primats and Metropolitans and the places where they should be is word by word approued by S. Anicetus about the yeare 167. so likewise by S. Lucius expressely citing S.
Reliques 588. 3. Heirgustus builded a Church to S. Andrew ib. S. Helena borne of noble Parents in Britaine 392. 2. S. Helena the sole heire and daughter to King Coel. ib. S. Helena was not borne in Bithinia 392. 3. S. Helena but younge when she married Constantius 377. 6. S. Helena the lawfull wife of Constantius 392. 3. From whence it came that she was called Concubine 393. 1. 397. 6 S. Helens sumptuous pallace 395. 4. S. Helenas lands about Treuers probably descended to her by her Mother 395. 5. S. Helenas Sanctitie of life 395. 4. S. Helenas beauty learning and other qualities 398. 8. Whence first called Stabularia 400. 9. S. Helena in some sort may be called and Inholdresse 397. 6. S. Helena the Mother of 4. Children 401. 1. S. Helena alwaies a Christian 406. 1. c. S. Helenas guifts to the City of Treuers 407. 2 S. Helena not baptized by S. Syluester 408. 3. S. Helena compelled to depart from Constantius 414. 2. S. Helena perswades Constantine to persecute the Iewes 478. 1. S. Helena neuer a Iew or corrupted by such 478. 2. S. Helena departed not out of Britaine with her sonne Constantine 478. 2. c. S. Helena present at Rome at the Roman Councell consented to it 480. 4. S. Helena visiteth the holy lande 513. 1. S. Helenas great labours in finding out the holy Crosse 515. 8. c. The time she found the Crosse 463. 2. S. Helena sent part of the Crosse and the Nailes to her sonne 519. 20. S. Helena builded a new City called Hierusalem 521. 1. S. Helena buildeth a sumptuous Church at our Sauiours sepulcher 521. 1. S. Helena waites on two Nunnes in Hierusalem 522. 5. S. Helena founded a Religeous house of Nunnes 527. 23. S. Helena builded a Tēple where she found the holy Crosse 522. 7. S. Helena founded diuerse other Churches 522. 7. sequent S. Helena turned the Potters fielde into a buriall place for strangers 525. 19. S. Helenas happy death 527. 23. The yeare of the same 527. 26. Two Cities builded in her name 527. 25. S. Helenas body carried from Rome to Constantinople 528. 24. The day of her festiuity 528. 25. Heliogabalus Bassianus sonne chosen Emperour 372. 3. Heliogabalus name and linadge ib. Heliogabalus trew heire to Britaine but neuer enioyed it 373. 2. Heluius S. Ioseph of Aramathias nephew 124. 1. Heluius came in S. Iosephs company into Britaine ib. Hengistus his murders 600. 4. Hengistus destroies Monasteries ib. Heraclius a Souldiar conuerted and how 440. 3. 442. 1. Heraclius his desire of Martyrdome 442. 1. Heraclius beaten and cruelly brused 443. 2. Heraclius cured by touching S. Albans head ib. Heraclius buried S. Alban ib. Heraclius martyred ib. Hermes the cheife Prefect of Rome conuerted by S. Alexander Pope 197. 3. Herod declared by the Senat King of the Iewes 5. 5. Herod builded Cesarea in honour of Augustus ib. Hiberia a Country so called in Armenia 28. 5. A Hierarchy acknowledged by Protestants in the Church 93. 1. c. The Hierarchy of Archbishops Bishops c. setled in Britaine by the Popes Authority 272. 1. c. The Hierarchy of the Church of Britaine deriued from S. Aristobulus 93. 2. The Hierarchy instituted by S. Peter in Britaine did continue without interruption vntill Queene Elizabeths Protestant Persecution 41. 1. S. Higinius Successor in the Papacy to Sainct Telesphorus 208. 2. S. Higinius his Religeon by English Protestants testimony in thinges now questioned by them ib. S. Higinius carefull of the conuersion of England 209. 3. S. Higinius sent a letter to King Lucius to further his conuersion 211. 5. S. Higinius Martyred 219. 1. Hildebertus the learned Tutor of Coelius Sedulius probably Archbishop of Yorke 590. 1. or 560. 1. Historians deputed vnto the Emperours reigne the yeare werein he died 201. 1. Historians mistooke in setting donne the time of King Lucius conuersion 220. 3. Historians often mistaking the name of Pope Eleutherius 221. 3. Hugh Earle of Shrewsbury dieth a miserable death and why 567. 5. I. S. Iames the Apostle preached not in Ireland 25. 1. S. Iames preached in Spaine 26. 2. S. Iames preched only to the Iewes in Spaine 27. 5. S. Iames cōuerted according to some but 9. persons in Spaine 26. 2. Idolaters sacrificed in Groues and woodes 241. 1. All Idols fell to the Ground at the entry of our Sauiour into Egipte 6. 7. S. Ioseph of Aramathia inclosed by the Iewes in a close Prison 136. 1. S. Ioseph watched by the high Preists themselues ib. S. Ioseph Miraculously deliuered from them 136. 2. S. Ioseph came into Britaine and when 22. 6. 106. 1. S. Ioseph the first foūder of a Monasticall life in Britaine 110. 4. S. Ioseph the most auncient of any Regular Abbot in the schoole of Christ 331. 8. S. Iosephs comming made doubtfull by some others wholy denie it ib. S. Ioseph was not sent hither out of France by S. Philip the Apostle 111. 1. S. Ioseph with S. Philip amongst the Gaules of Asia 120. 7. S. Ioseph came from parts not farre distant from where S. Philip preached ib. S. Ioseph landed about the North part of Britaine 121. 7. S. Ioseph probably directed into Britaine by S. Peter 121. 9. S. Ioseph was present at the Assumption of our Lady ib. All S. Iosephs Associats vowed chastitie vntill their arriuall in Britaine 124. 1. Diuers of S. Iosephs companions Noble personadges and some of our Brittish kings descended from them ib. S. Ioseph imprisoned in Venodocia 125. 2. 127. 1. S. Ioseph sett at libertie by a Noble man whome he conuerted to the faith 125. 2. S. Ioseph extreamly persecuted by the Iewes 126. 2. S. Ioseph with his associats preached litle 128. 2. S. Ioseph and his companions at the first gaue themselues to a Monasticall and eremiticall life 128. 2. c. S. Ioseph admonished by an Angle builded a Church to our Lady 109. 2. 128. 2. 129. 3. 136. 2. S. Ioseph releiued in his necessities by our B. Lady 329. 4. S. Ioseph did not actually conuert to the faith of Christ either King Aruiragus Coillus or Marius 131. 1. S. Ioseph how named an Apostle 135. 1. S. Ioseps praiers and duties to our B. Lady 136. 2. S. Ioseph makes Crosses and other pictures 138. 5 S. Ioseph brought hither reuerenced Relickes ib. S. Ioseph his death 170. 3. S. Ioseph buried and where ib. S. Ioseph his sonne a Bishop in Britaine 97. 9. S. Iosephs sonne consecrated Bishop by S. Peter or his Disciples ib. King Iosinas ouerthrew Idolatry 10. 3. Iouinian created Emperour 570. 1. Iouinian refused to be Emperor ouer Infidels ib. Iouinian made choise rather to leaue the warre then sacrifice to Idols ib. Iouinian allwaies a constant Catholike 571. 3. Iouinians short raigne 371. 2. Ireland named Ierna 28. 7. Irelands other names ib. Ireland by Britaine not conuerted in Constantins time 503. 6. c. In Ireland no Christian to be named before S. Patritius his time 26. 2. The
preached in in this kingdome 80 Chap. xvj Wherein is set downe both by Protestants and others when S. Peter prâ—â—ched in Britaine if not before his comming to Rome yet afterâ—aâ—d both in the dayes of Claudiâ—s and Nâ—ro 85 Chap. xvij Wherein is proued by the best â—ngliâ—h Protestant writâ—rs their Bâ—â—hâ—â—s and others that S. Peter founding the Church of Britaine ordained in it Archbishops Bishops and Preists 90 Chap. xviij Wherein are set downe by warrant of Protestants and other Aâ—thorities the names in particular of the first Archbishop and diuers Bishops of or in Britaine in this time by S. Peters Ordination 92 Chap. xix Of diuers ChristiaÌ„ Churches or Oraâ—oâ—ies such as the state of things then allowed erected and founded in Britaine in the time of sainct Peters preaching here 100 Chap. xx Wherein for the better decerning of truely consecrated Bishops so many Ecclesiasticall matters depending there upon is shewed by the Antiquities how these Bishops were here consecrated in the Apostles time and succeeding Ages 103 Chap. xxj Of the comming of S. Ioseph of Aramathia who buried Christ into this our Britaine And how it is made doubtfull or denied by many writers but without either reason or Authoritie 106 Chap. xxij Wherein is proued by all Kinde of testimonies and authorities that for certaine S. Ioseph of Aramathia with diuers holy Associates came into preached liued died and was buried in Britaine at the place now called Glastenbury in Summerset shire 108 Chap. xxiij Examining who sent S. Ioseph hither and euidently prouing that he was not sent into Britaine by S. Philipp the Apostle from our neighbouring Gallia or France confuting all pretended arguments and authorities to that purpose 111 Chapt. xxiv Further prouing that S. Philipp the Apostle was not in that Gallia France next to Britaine neither were S. Ioseph and his associates tâ—â—râ— or came from thence into Britaine 116 Chap. xxv That many other Christians came â—ither especially into the Nâ—rthren parts and Ilands with S. Ioseph of Aramathia besides them which continued with him at Glastenbury and many of them married with Britans continuing Christianitie heare in their children and posteritie vntill the generall Conuersion of Britaine vnder the first Christian Kings Lucius and Donaldus 124 Chapt. xxvj Of the comming and settling of sainct Ioseph and his company where Glastenbury now is then a wildernes rather to professe the penitentiall contemplatiue Eremiticall Religious life then employ their time in preaching 127 Chap. xxvij That sainct Ioseph did not actually conuert to the Christian Religion eyther King Aruiragus Coillus or Marius 131 Chap. xxviij In what reuerend sense S. Ioseph of Aramathia is termed Apostle by some holy Fathers the renowned sanctity of him and his companions together with some particular points of their holy Religion now denied by some but euen from their time to this Miraculously approued 135 Chap. xxix Wherein is shewed how our Protestant Antiquaries and others of England vehemently contending to proue that sainct Paule the Apostle preached heare in Britaine doe proue no such thing by any Authorities they alledge for his being heare 139 Chap. xxx How it is very probable that sainct Paule preached heare in Britayne although not vntill long after that sainct Peter and his Disciples had first heare founded the Church of Christ 144 Chap. xxxj Concerning the time of S. Pouls comming into and preaching in Britaine That it could not be vntill the later end of the Empire of Nero a litle before the Martyrdome of sainct Poule and was heare but a very short time 147 Chap. xxxij Of our holy Christian Britans in Rome at this time and cheifely of Lady Claudia and her holy family 153 Chap. xxxiij Of S. Peter his returne from Britaine to Rome and fettling the Apostolike Papall power there His greate care of Britaine and our Christian Britans dutifull loue and honor to him 161 Chap. xxxiv Entreating of the time of Pope Linus Vespasian Emperor and Marius King of Britaine and of our Christians in those dayes both at Rome in Britaine and other places 165 Chap. xxxv Of the state of Christian Religion in Britaine in the time of Pope Cletus King Marius or Coillus and how we had heare in Britaine a continued Succession both of Preists and Bishops all this first hundred of yeares 169 Chap. xxxvj Of the state of Ecclesiasticall affaires in Britaine in the Papacy of S. Clement Empire of Traian and Reigne of King Coillus vnto the end of this first hundred of yeares of Christ 173 THE SECOND AGE THE I. CHAPTER VVHerein is related by all Testimonies of Protestants and others how in the Papacie of S. Anacletus this kingdome was diuided into Prouinces for Christian Primats and Bishops and that these Bishops and holy Preists were Massing sacrificing Preists and consecrated by such forme and manner of Consecration as the present Roman Church now vseth as likewise all our Primatiue Brittish Bishops and Preists were and diuers such sent into these parts by this holy Pope as sainct Peter and Clement had giuen charge before 185 Chap. II. How in the Papacie of saint Euaristus and Empire of Traiane the same holy Pope sent a Legate to our King in Britaine to exhort him to Christian Religion and the benefite thereof Traian commanding that Christians should not be persecuted 192 Chap. III. Of the state of Britaine in Ecclesiasticall Affaires in the time of sainct Alexander Pope Adrianus Emperour and Coillus or Lucius his sonne King heare Their affections to Christian Religion and of diuers Apostolike men sent from the See of Rome preaching heare 195 Chap. IV. Of the Ecclesiasticall estate of Britaine in the Popedome of Saint Sixtus the rest of the Empire of Adrianus and beginning of Antoninus Pius How many learned Britains were conuerted and conuerted others to the faith of Christ in this time 200 Chap. V. Of the greate encrease of Christians in Britaine in the Papacie of sainct Telesphorus and sainct Higinius and how King Lucius himselfe did now either actually receaue and priuately professe the Christian Religion or made promise thereof 208 Chap. VI. Wherein is entreated what learned and Apostolike men they were which preached in this time in Britaine and conuerted King Lucius and very many of his people Such were sainct Timothie sainct Marcellus Mansuetus Theanus with others 212 Chap. VII Declaring many Human lets and Impediments hindering King Lucius and his Noble Britans some yeares from publikely professing Christian Religion which secretly they embraced and the occasions of diuers mistakings eyther of Historians or their Scribes in the Date times Titles of letters written about the Conuersion of Britaine to the faith of Christ 219 Chap. VIII Of the Holy Pope S. Pius and our renowned Christian Britans by their Mother S. Claudia S. Pudendentia sainct Nouatus sainct Timotheus and sainct Praxedes with their holy families and friends in Rome 223 Chap. IX Of S. Timothie still preaching in Britaine his disposing his teÌ„porall goods in Rome
heare the Ghospell and beleeue as himselfe alleadgeth And his owne words are these by Protestants translation God made choyse amonge vs that the Gentiles by my mouth should heare Io. Bal. l. 1. de vit Pontif. Rom. in Petr. ex Mant. l. 6. de fast Philip. Pantal. chron an 38. Petr. epist 1. cap. 1. v. 1. Iacob ep c. 1. v. 1. the word of the ghospell and beleeue Therefore S. Peter and not S. Iames was the first preacher to the Gentiles And our best learned Protestants doe proue that S. Peter did not preach formally to any nation of the Gentiles nor to the Gentiles in Bythinia Capadocia Pontus Gallatia or any other place vntill after this but to the Iewes onely dwelling there Quotquot erant illis Iudaea ab origine regnis Edocuit Christum veterique reduxit ab vsu Which both S. Peter himselfe and S. Iames testifie in the beginning of their Epistles And were it not for the authoritie of those which write that S. Peter did coÌ„secrate those seuen Disciples of S. Iames making them Bishops and sending them into Hiberia Spaine we might thinke the Hiberia where Sainct Iames preached was the Hiberia in or neare Armenia a place farre more neare and likely for him to preach in then this west Contry of Spaine is For there also is a Nation then named Hiberia or Iberia and the people thereof Cooper v. Iber. Abrah Orteâ—ius in Catal. nomin antiq in Iberia in descript Asiae Iberi or Hebres as the Spaniards also were called as both Protestants and others testifie the Georgians now are dwelling there being a Contry of Asia neare Pontus Euxinus 6. And to giue all contentmeÌ„t that may be in this matter it doth not seeme altogether vnprobable especially the auÌ„cient Scots now called Irish inhabiting of Irelande and the Scots of Scotland being aunciently one and the same people with the old inhabitants of some of the maritane parts of Spaine now Portugall as both Scottish Irish and English historians also informe vs That S. Iames the Apostle preaching in Spaine neare vnto or among the Hector Boeth Holinsh. hist of Irl. Mat. Westm aetat 5. c. 5. people of Spayne from whom diuers of our Scots and Irish are come some fame of his preaching though short and miracles there might come from them to the Scots their Contrimen mixed with our Britaines here and by that heauenly doctrine which seemed vnto them litle or nothing to differ from that which had longe before more darkely beene taught among them before the coming of Christ and hearing that S. Iames was returned vnto Iury and Hierusalem againe and the cheifest Apostles Doctours and Teachers of that holy Religion were there But diuers both Scots and Britans which then dwelled together and as before were of one and the same minde in spirituall things vndertooke that pilgrimage and sacred Iorney and there meeting with S. Peter the cheifest of that blessed company and first preacher Hect. Boeth in descr Scot. Reg. fol. 4. 5. Hieron l. 2. contr Iouin Abrah Oâ—tel in Cosmog Bâ—libaldâ—n Coâ—mog Munst in Cos Cooper v. Scotia Calepin v. Scot. Aâ—â—stâ—â— lib. de mund Thâ—odor Hâ—st â—ccâ—esâ—â—â—t Claud. Pâ—oâ—om Geogâ—â—p l. 2. c. 2. Claud. Panyger to the Gentiles were instructed by him in the faith of Christ And this S. Mansuetus being stiled both by Antiquities and later writers before to haue beene natione Scotus sufficiently conuinceth he was either a Britan or Scot of this Iland of Britaine for although all those three people before remembred were sometimes named Scoit as Hector Boethius and diuers others doe witnesse yet to haue beene constantly and ahsolutely named Scots was and is peculiar to those of this Iland Scoticum nomen ob eminentem prae caeteris virtutâ—m solum nobis etiam nunc superest quum in Hispania in Hibernia vetusiate interierit And it was so aunciently decayed both amoÌ„g those inhabitants of Spaine and Ireland that euen in the time of the Apostles and before it was almost proper to them of this Iland 7. That which we call now Ireland was in the time of Aristotle or the auncient Authour of the booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the world among his workes called Iâ—rna So doth Theodoret name it Claudius Ptolomaeus calleth it Iuernia or Hibernia And Claudianus Hyberne Scotorum Tumulos fleuit glaciali Hiberne so that we see the name Scotia Scotland appropriate to our northren part of Britaine and this whole Iland by some was named Scotia For Commentar in Claud. Ptolom as Pirckeinerus or whosoeuer the Commentor vpon Claudius Ptolomaeus was all this Iland hath beene called by some Scotia Scotland Anglia nunc dicitur vulgo England prius Loegria Deinde Scotia vulgo Scothland Albania prius Caledonia Rufo Britannia secunda And among all historians Latine French Spannish Scottish English or what els The northren part of Britaine is absolutely called Scotland and so hath euer beene since the name Albania or Britannia ceased there And if Ireland hath bene at any time named Scotia Scotland it was onely among the Scottish or Irish writers and such as followed them therein those Irish historians willing to giue that denomination vnto it because many of the Scots with other people dwelled there when the true name and among straungers was not so but as I haue declared before from auncient histories and to speake in a Protestants words therein Authour of the Booke of Estates in Ireland Edw. Grymst estate of the King of great Britaine p. 22. following good authorities thus he discribeth it Ireland which some of the auncients called Hibernia others Iuernia Iuuernia and Ierne and Ogigia and by the Irish themselues Erim called by Ptolomee litle Britaine lyes betweene Britaine and Spaine Where we see the name Scoland is neuer attributed simply vnto it by these Authours Iudgments either by the Irish themselues or other writers late or auncient And as all men know The sentence of Hector Boetius is that the name of Scots and Scotland hath beene of late proper to them of this our Britaine and quite ceased and discontinued both in Spaine and Ireland Arnoldus Mirman Theatr. conuers gent. Gulielm Eiseng Centen 1. part 1. distinct 3. fol. 56. Petr. de natalib l. 11. cap. vit Ant. Monchiacen Demochar l. 2. de Miss contra Caluin cap. 33. Franc. Bellâ—for Cosmograph l. 2. col 2. col 263. Catalog Episc Tullers and yet they which terme S. Mansuetus natione Scotus a Scot by nation are late writers as Arnoldus Mirmannius Gulielmus Eisengrenius Antonius Democharez Francâ—s Belleforest and others speaking after the vulgar manner of nameing Scot and Scotland in their time of which onely they speake not entering into any controuersie what people haue beene called Scots but are such as call no other Scots or Scotland then of our Britaine 8. So that the truth which is affirmed in this matter is onely this that S. Mansuetus disciple of S. Peter the Apostle and
greate Britaine giue testimony vnto this in these words There are who vpon a very good ground from the words of Gildas the most auncient of our Brittish Historians will haue the sunne of the ghospell longe before the coming of Ioseph of Aramothia hither to haue risen in this our wâ—st and this Iland of Britaine to haue enioyed the very morning Assent the brigtnesse thereof perâ—iâ—g Theater of great Britaine l. 6. c. 9. §. 5. through the mustâ— cloudes of errour and shyning heare in Britaine euen iâ— the 〈◊〉 of Tiberius towards whose end Christ suffered his death and by whose Indulgence towards Christians their profession was propagated farre and neare Which assertion the saied Gildas doth not deliuer couldely or doubtingly but with great confidence and relying vpon good grounds as it appeareth when he saith Scimus c. we know for certainety that this was in the later times of Tiberius which was immediatly after our blessed Sauiours Passion Their Protestant Bishops Bale and Godwyn say The Britans receaued the doctrine and discipline of their Church from the Apoles of Christ The religion of the Britans was that which the Apostles by the commaundemeÌ„t of God deliuered to the Churches of the Christians And continued in the Country of the Britans from the Apostles tyme. Their most renowned Antiquary Sir Camden Clarentieux among Harolds is of the same opinion in diuers editions D. Fulke saith The Britans continued in the faith of Christ from the Apostles Godwyn Conu of Britaine p. 43. 44. Balaeus l. 2. de Act. Rom. pont in Gregor 1. Camden in Britan Fulke Answ to counterf Cath. p. 40. Powel Annotat in l. 2. Giraldi Cambren Itiner Cambr. c. 1. Holinsh. hist of Engl. c. 21. p. 102. Selden in Anal. Gildas epist de Excid Conq. Brit. cap. 6. time An other addeth The doctrine of the Britans and their worship of God was pure and from the Apostles themselues Holinshed saith the Britans Christianity neuer failed from the Apostles time In like manner write diuers others needlesse to be recited And most of them ground vpon the Authoritie of S. Gildas as some of them haue plainely before expressed 4. Therefore for better satisfaction of the Readers I will cite at lardge the words of that holy Auncient British writer as our English Protestants haue published him to the world and some Manuscripts also haue These they are Interea glaciali frigore rigenti Insulae velut longiore terrarum secessu soli visibili non proximae verus ille non de firmamento solum temporali sed de summa etiam caelorum arce tempora cuncta excedente vniuerso orbi praefulgidum sui corruscum ostendens tempore vt scimus summo Tyberij Caesaris quo absque vllo impedimento eius promulgabatur Religio comminata Senatu nolente à Principe morte dilatoribus militum eiusdem radios suos indulget id est sua praecepta Christus In the meane time to this Iland stiffe with forsen could and farre distant from the visible sunne That true sunne which is Christ doth vouchsafe his beames that is to say his precepts shewing to the whole world his glittering brightnesse not onely from the temporall firmament but from his high Tower of heauen exceeding all times in the latter time of Tyberus Caesar without any impediment his Religion was propagated the Prince threateing death to the accusers of his souldiers against the will of the Senate Hitherto the very words of S. Gildas as he is published by Protestants Who freely acknowledge that clause of the time of Tyberius to be wanting in other copies of that holy writer as namely in that which was put forth by Polydor Virgill and others And the very first word of this narration Interea Protestant Ann. in Prologum Gildae in Marg. in cap. 14. in marg in the meane time doe seeme plainely to conuince that they are no part of S. Gildas especially in that sence that he thought this kingdome to haue receaued the faith of Christ in the time of Tyberius but in the dayes of Claudius For they being of a Relatiue nature and hauing relation to that which went before they must in due construction of necessitie proue that this receauing of Religion interea in the meane time was when things last and immediately spoaken of before were done Which were the subiection of the Britans the second time to the Romans Which was in the time of Claudius coming hither in the fourth yeare of his Empire and of Christ the 44. which our Protestants Matth. Westm an Do. 44. 4. Claudij Stowe Holinsh. Camden with others Protest annot in c. 5. Gildae Protest annot tit in c. 6. Gild. notes vpon these places of S. Gildas doe make most manifest For the chapter which goeth immediatly before the recited Authoritie is thus by them intituled De secunda gentis subiectione of the second subiection or subduing of this Nation to the Romans Which was in the beginning of the Reigne of Claudius and then immediately followeth the next chapter wholy before recited and by these Protestants intituled De religione Of religion receaued heare Therefore if the Religion of Christ was receaued by the Britans by Gildas onely Interea in the time when they were subdued by Claudius it cannot be S. Gildas doth not affirme that the Britans receaued the faith in Tiberius time but in the dayes of Claudius gathered from him that they receaued it sooner Otherwise it was not receaued Interea in that time the words of the holy historian But howsoeuer that Authoritie is to be vnderstood It proueth at the least to the greate honour of this kingdome that it receaued the faith of Christ in the beginning at the least of the Empire of Claudius Which George maior and other his Protestant followers doe rather approue in this tenor that immediately after Christs Resurrection vnder Claudius the light of the Gospell was kindled in Britaine And this Georg. maior in Praefat. Stowe Howes histor in Agricola Theater of Britaine l. 6. c. 9. Godwyn Conu pag. 1. 2. Stowe and Howes hist in Agricola Godwyn supr pag. 2. must needs be by some one of the 12. Apostles or their Disciples by the sentence of these Protestants assuring vs first in these words soone after the Ascention of Christ the holy Apostles being dispersed through out the earth diuided the Prouinces among them by lot to preach the ghospell in And againe It is deliuered plainely by sondry auncient writers that Britaine fell in diuision among the Apostles And so of necessitie it must needs receaue the faith of Christ either immediatly by some one of that most blessed company or mediately by their Disciples or both which is most probable in so greate a busines exceeding the labour of one and not performed onely by the schollers and Disciples seeing by these Protestants grounding vpon auncient writers it fell out to the diuision Britaine receaued the faith
from one of the 12. Apostles by Protestants and portion of one of the cheife Masters in this sacred worke one of the Apostles of Christ himselfe Which the holy Prophet seemeth longe before to foreshew of this Iland one of the greatest and most remote longe from Hierusalem when speaking of the Apostles in the person of God he saith as Protestants Isai c. 66. v. 19. translate him And I will set a signe among them and I will send those that escape of them to the Nations to the Iles a farre of that haue not hard my fame neither haue seene my glory and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles Which diuers Protestants and not vnworthily apply to this Iland one of the Theater of Brit. l. 6. Godwyn supr Magdeburgen Centur. 1. l. 2. c. 7. col 518. Euseb l. 3. hist c. 1. Musculus ib. Prochorus hist c. 1. in tom 7. Biblioth patr S. Leo serm 1. de Apost Petro Paul Isidor l. de vita obitu Sanctorum c. 83. 71. Freculph Lexou To. 2. Chronic. l. 2. c. 4. Antiquit. Glast apud Capgrau in S. Patricio al. Hartman Schedel Chronic. Chron. f. 202. p. 1. Nicephorus hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 1. greatest in the world and furthest distant from Iury where this Prophesie was vttered 5. And this diuision a portition of the world among the Apostles to preach and publish the ghospell in is as these Protestants before doe warrant vs as also that Britaine as needs it must being one of the greatest Ilands of the world fell in this diuision among the Apostles Is plainely deliuered by soundry auncient writers The Magdeburgian Protestants tell vs that Eusebius saith it was a Tradition that the Apostles diuided the Prouinces of the world by lott amongst thē Quod Apostoli inter se sortiti sunt orbis terrarum prouincias And Musculus in his translation of Eusebius is witnes from Eusebius that it was the Tradition of the Church sicut traditio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continet Which is confirmed by S. Prochorus one of the seuen Deacons made by the Apostles as we haue his works S. Leo saith That the Apostles vndertooke to preach the Ghospell to the world diuiding it into parts among them diuisis sibi terrarum partibus S. Isidor or whosoeuer that auncient Authour of the booke de vita obitu Sanctorum among his works Freculphus Lexouiensis writeth so also and excludeth S. Paul from any part in this ordinary partition being after called an extraordinary Apostle Paulo cum caeteris Apostolis nulla sors propria traditur So we reade in the auncient Antiquities of Glastenbury Abbey Hartmanus Schedel saith of the Apostles totum orbem per Prouincias inter se partiti sunt The twelue Apostles parted the whole world among them by Prouinces So Nicephorus in many places Apostoli sicut diximus per omnem dispersi terram Prouincias orbis ad Euangelium praedicandum sorte partiti sunt The holy Apostles diuided among them by lot the Prouinces of the world to preach the ghospell Thus our English Protestants Godwyn Stowe Howes and others Godwin Conu of Britaine Stowe Howes hist in Agricola and others Breuiar Roman in vit S. Philipp Apost 1. Maij S. Matt. 21. Sept. Ioa. Whitgift Answer to the Ad. and def Bilson against the Purit Barl. Ser. of Bish. Bridg. def of the Eccl. gouern Covel def of Hooker Downam l. 4. c. 4. of Bishops 6. And to make all sure the Church of God in the publike offices of the holy Apostles S. Philip on the first day of may and S. Matthew the 21. of September propoundeth the same for a certaine truth vnto vs. Neyther doth the rule of our Protestants Religion their communion Booke impugne it and so none doe contradict it And our Parlament Protestants of England such as stand for the dignities and functions of Bishops against the Presbyterian Puritans such as their Bishops Whitgift Bilson Barlow Bridges and others make a reason of this diuision not onely the better to deriue true doctrine but Iurisdiction also vnto Bishops succeeding them both in doctrine and Episcopall power It is manifest say these men that the Bishops haue receaued and deriued their authoritie from the Apostles whose successors they are not onely in respect of doctrine but also in the gouernment of the seuerall Churches not onely Diocesian Bishops but Archbishops such as Metropolitans are were from the Apostles time And they exemplifie who these were in many places where the Apostles preached And yet this nothing hindereth any thing I haue written before of diuers Britans of this Nation conuerted to the faith of Christ before the time of Claudius for I shewed that to haue bene the great extraordinary grace and fauour of Christ to those persons now I entreate of the ordinary calling and Conuersion of this Country among others by the publike consent and agreement of the Apostles which although it was before the calling of S. Paul to be an Apostle yet I do not thereby goe about to exclude him from this holy worke wherein being extraordinarily called he laboured as extraordinary and probably also honored this Nation with his presence although after it had receaued the faith of Christ The diuision of the world being among the 12. Apostles before S. Paul his Consecration THE IX CHAPTER WHEREIN IS PROVED BY PROTESTANT Antiquaries that among the three Apostles S. Peter S. Paul and S. Symon Zelotes which are thought by any Antiquaries to haue preached heare in Britaine it was not S. Paul which first preached heare but S. Peter 1. NOw therefore being thus warranted by so generall a consent and harmony of cheife Protestants that the Faith of Christ was so soone preached in this Iland by some or other of the holy Apostles there is no difference cōcerning the vndoubted truth of that sacred Religiō whether it was by S. Peter Paul Andrew Iames Ihon or any of the rest all of them after the coming of the holy Ghost being as infallibly confirmed in grace and truth as S. Peter or whosoeuer in any opinion was cheifest among them yet in other respects it is not vnworthie a short inquiry by these men Needfull to knowe who was our first Apostles who in particular it was First because in the end of this first hundred of yeares I shall deliuer in particular so farre as these Protestants my Directours will giue me leaue what Religion it was which euery of our Apostles and Masters in Christ taught and deliuered to this Nation for knowledge whereof the knowledge who they were is first to be required Secondly in that respect we shall be tied with a more strict and binding obligation of dutie and debt to render our most obedient and respectiue filiall obseruance of religious children to that our worthie father in Christ who trauailed so farre and paynefull a iorney from Hierusalem to this Nation to make vs his regenerate children with so many and
must needs by these mē be wholy left to S. Peter and his Disciples For his second other Authour Capgrauius It is the forgery of this Protestant Archbishop for no such thing is to be found in him in all his booke of which this man citeth no place at all because nusquā est That he one of the Apostles the chiefest spirituall man and cōmaunders in the Church of God that euer were in the world should come hither as a nouice and Inferiour vnder S. Ioseph the superiour of all the Religious mē that came Antiq. Glascon apud Lel. in Assert Arthur Capgrau in S. Ioseph Stowe Howes histor Camden in Brit. Godwyn Conuers of Brit. Holinsh. hist of Engl. in Ioseph Michael Draytō Poly-Obion Selden Illustr Holinsh. hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 5. Menolog Graec. 6. Idus Maij. Baron annot in Martyrol Rom. in Sanct. Simone Chanan 28. die Octobr. Camden in Britannia Godwyn Conu of Britaine p. 2. with him as all Antiquities antiquaries Protestāts and others are witnesses is as incredible an absurditie And yet all this to no purpose if we should be so simple to admit them for good congruitie For by noe possibilitie could he be the first as before that preached heare And if no Christianitie had bene knowne heare which these Protestāts haue already disproued vntill this time yet he coming with S. Ioseph the Superiour of that holy cōpany rather S. Ioseph then any vnder him should be said to haue first preached the Ghospell and not S. Simon or any other vnder him An other Protestant historiā citing that very place of Nicephorus writeth thereof in this manner Nicephorus writeth in his secōd booke that one Simon Zelotes came likewise into Britaine where by that his diminitiue additiō one one Simō Zelotes he doth manifestly declare his opinion to be that this Simon could not be S. Simon the Apostle but some other Simon as Simon Leprosus or Nataniel also called Simon the Disciples of S. Peter that came into these parts as diuers French histories are witnes And Camden the greate Antiquary knowing it to be absurd that S. Simō Zelotes the Apostle should preach in Britaine and so certaine that S. Peter the Apostle called also Simon and most zelous in Religion preached planted the faith in this Nation Interpreteth that very place of Nicephorus to be vnderstood of S. Peters preaching heare An other a Bishop with Protestants proueth from Nicephorus himselfe that S. Simon Zelotes had not Britaine in his diuision but Egypt and Lybia and he that had Britaine was alius an other Apostle different from him his words be these whereas it is deliuered plainely by sondry auncient writers that Britaine fell in diuision amongst the Apostles amongst the rest Nicephorus hath these words Aegyptū Lybiā alius alius itē extremas Oceani Regiones Insulas Britānicas fortitus est One Apostle had for his part Egypt Lybia also an other Apostle had for his lot the extreame Regiōs of the Oceā the Brittish Ilāds 3. Therefore being euident both by Nicephorus these Protestants that it was S. Simō Zelotes the Apostle in their Iudgmēts which had Egipt Lybia allotted vnto him he that had the extreame Regions of the Oceā the Brittish Ilāds was alius an other not S. Simō Zelotes thy cānot possibly saye that he preached heare but S. Simō Bariona Peter for hauing grāted before that no other Apostle except S. Peter S. Paul S. Simō Zelotes are remēbred in histories to haue preached in Britaine thus now excluding both S. Paul for a long time S. Simon Zelotes for euer they must needs acknowledge that it was S. Peter that plāted the faith of Christ in this Natiō which some of thē haue before plainely cōfessed And the words of Nicephorus first obiected if they were to be vnderstood of S. Simō Zelotes yet they proue nothing for his preaching in this greate Britaine or neare vnto it his words be these eandemque doctrinam Nicephor hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 40. Stowe hist in Agricola etiam ad Occidētalem Oceanū Insulasque Britānicas perfert Which a Protestāt thus trāslateth and the same doctrine he brought to the Occidētall Oceā the Iles called Britannie Where he onely saith which is true that he preached as farre as vnto the west Oceā whē he was in the west cōfines of Africk to which the west Oceā is adiacēt But he neither saith that he brought that doctrine ouer the Oceā or preached it in any Brittish Ilād Neither doth any history say that he did preach either in Irelād Gernsey Ierusey the Hebrides Mona or any other Brittish Ile that lye betweene Africk vs are more truely called Insulae Britannicae the Brittish Ilands thē this not so named but absolutely Britannia greate Britaine Thē not preaching in any of them much lesse did he preach in this Ilād much lese was he crucified heare that kind of death neuer vsed by the Britans yet Dorotheus the cheifest Authour for this matter saith he was martyred Doroth. in Synops in Britannia in some place called Britaine or rather like to that name as our Protestants correct him which two of them doe together in these words Stowe And Howe 's hist in Agricola Dorotheus writeth thus Simon Zelotes passing through Mauritania and Africa preached Christ at length was crucified slaine and buried in Britaine or rather Bithania where it is euident they deny his being heare but rather in some place of like name Which may easily be proued out of Dorotheus himselfe who directly teacheth that S. Aristobulus one of the 72. Disciples Disciple of S. Peter as hereafter was Bishop of Britaine absolutely which he neither would nor truely could haue said if such an Apostle had preached bene martyred consequētly bene Bishop in this Britaine For it will euidētly appeare in the Doroth. supr in Aristobulo due place hereafter euen by these Protestants that S. Aristobulus was a Bishop heare longe before the time they haue assigned to S. Simō Zelotes cōtinued heare lōge time after his death And greate ingratitude it had bene both of the Brittish and Saxon Christians If so renowned an Apostle of Christ one of the twelue had both preached and bene martyred heare and as a late writer without Author of the Engl. martyrologe 28. Octobr. pag. 296. any Authoritie seemeth to thinke ordeined Preists and Deacons erected Churches and the like if noe monument had bene kept thereof no Church no Chappell no altar erected to his honor memory whē we fee it farre otherwise in all Nations where any Apostle preached and suffered martyrdome And in this kingdome where S. Peter onely preached dyed not we see the most aūcient Churches of this lād except to the blessed Virgin Mary were dedicated vnto him in our first publike receauing of christiā Religiō as those two in Londō S. Peters Church at westminster in
Cornhill in King Lucius time are witnes So we euer kept vnuiolably with honor the memories of S. Ioseph of Aramathia S. Amphibalus sainct Alban S. Aaron Iulius and others Martyrol Rom. 28. die Octobr. Ado. Et Vsuard eodem die Engl. Martyrologe 28. Octobr. Beda Martyrol 28. Octob. all auncient CaleÌ„d Breuia Rom. in festo S. Simonis Chan. 28. die Octobr Protestant CoÌ„m booke die 28. Octobr in the seru of S. Simon and in Calendar 28. Octobr. Menolog Graec. 6. Id. Maij. Baron annot in Martyrol Rom. 28. Octobr. Venantius Fortunat l. 8. c. 4. Magdeburgen Centur. 1. col 586. l. 2. Crato in vita S. Simonis Iudae Abdias certain Apost lib. 6. Ant. part 1. tit 6. cap. 14. Pert. de Nat. l. 9. c. 115. Eutropius Persa l. de vit S. Simonis Iudae Anton. part 1. titul 6. ca. 28. §. 3. Petr. de Natal l. 4. c. 105. Guliel Eisengr Centen 1. part 6. dist 6. Vincent in specul Sabellic En. 7. lib. 4. Magdeburg Cenrur 1. supr l. 2. c. 10. col 584. Isidor lib. de vita morte Sanctorum Hartin Sâ—hedel Chron. fol. 107. S. Dorothaeus l. de 12. Apostolis 4. But all our historians of Antiquitie printed Manuscripts which I haue seene many both of our Brittans and Saxons agree with the whole Latine Church with all Martyrologes that be auncient as that of the Romans Ado Vsuardus and others that Natalis Beatorum Apostolorum Simonis Chananaei Thadaei qui Iudas dicitur Quorum Simon in Aegypto Thadaeüs in Mesopotamia Euangelium praedicauit deinde in Presidem simul ingressi cum innumeram gentis illius multitudinem Christi subdidissent martyrium consummarunt The natiuitie so the Church nameth the happy Martyrdome and death of Saints of the blessed Apostles Simon of Chananee and Thadaeus who is called Iudas the 28. day of October of the which Simon preached the ghospell in Egypt Thadaeus in Mesopotamia then entering together into Persia when they had made an innumerable multitude of that Nation subiect to Christ they consummated martyrdome So hath S. Bede in his Martyrologe so haue all auncient Calenders of Britans and Saxons So hath the whole Latine Church in the festiuitie of this holy Apostle to bind all English Christians as well Catholiks by the Rules before as Protestants by the commaunding squares of their Religion the Parlament and their CoÌ„munion Booke they all celebrate with the Latine Church the festiuitie of this glorious Apostle vpon the 28. of October when he suffered martyrdome as before with S. Iudas in Persia When they which hold he came into Britaine keepe his day vpon the sixt of the Ides of May the tenth day of that moneth 5. And this is the auncient opinion of the fathers concerning this holy Apostle that he with S. Iude was martyred in Persia among whom Venantius Fortunatus so renowned among our Protestants for S. Pauls preaching heare hath made it publike to the world thus testifying that he was martyred in Persia with S. Iudas neuer bringing him neare vnto this Nation Hinc Simonem ac Iudam lumen Persida gemellum Laeta relaxato mittit ad astra sinu And to ioyne forraing Protestants with these of EnglaÌ„d in this busines The Mardeburgians say plainely that if Nicephorus doth say that S. Simon preached the ghospell to the OccideÌ„tall Ocean Brittish Ilands he doth it without any certaine testimony Narrat sed sine certo testimonio Nicephorus EuangeliuÌ„ Simonem propagasse per regiones ad Occidentalem OceanuÌ„ sitas Insulas Britannicas Where they be so farre from allowing his coming to these Ilands that they accompt his preaching in the Contryes neare the west Ocean vnprobable and make him to be liuing in the East Countries and preaching there ending his life 50. yeares after this Iland had receaued the faith of Christ by these Protestants before And Crato the Disciple of these two Apostles S. Simon and Iudas followed them throughout 12. Prouinces of Persia writing all they did and suffered there by the space of 13. yeares the like hath Abdias The like hath Antoninus Petrus de Natalibus Eisengrenius and others Their liues also in the same manner were writteÌ„ by Eutropius a Persian sonne of Adimundus Xerxes King of Babylon both in the Chaldy and Greeke tonges To these I add Vincentius Sabellicus the Magdeburgian Protestants of Germany in their Centuries S. Isidor or whosoeuer the auncient author of the booke of the life and death of the Apostles who saith besides iacet in Bosphoro that he is buried in Bosphorus And died many yeares after his supposed death in Britaine The like hath also Hartmannus Schedel teaching that he both preached and suffered martyrdome in Persia also Dorotheus that auncieÌ„t Greeke father himselfe that is alledged to say that S. Simon the Apostle was crucified killed and buried in Britaine in Britannia crucifixus occisus ac sepultus est the greatest authoritie for his being heare is coÌ„trary to himselfe if so he should meane of this our Britaine for in the same place he maketh S. SimoÌ„ the Apostle to haue bene crucified in the East CouÌ„try in or neare Egypt cruci alligatus occisus est in Ostracina ciuitate Aegypti maketh S. Simon the Apostle Bishop of Hierusalem so neuer to come neare vnto Britaine So small is his Authoritie in the matter The Authour of Fasciculus temporum saith he was martyred in Persia Fasciculus temp an 74. with S. Iude. Simon Iudas martyrisati sunt in regionibus Persidis The auncient Anonymus that writeth the liues of the Apostles published by Frediricus Nausea Bishop of Vienna saith that S. Simon Iudas were sent by reuelation into Anonymus in vit passione SS Apostolorum Apostolorum Simonis Iude. Persia to confouÌ„d the wicked Sorcerers Zaroes and Arfaxard which had fled thither from S. Matthew the Apostle in Ethiopia and the Prince of Persia was then named Baradach that they had many Disciples there of which they ordeyned Preists DeacoÌ„s and other Clergy men that in one yeare they baptized aboue fourty thousands besides children and the King himselfe that they ordeined Abdias Bishop of Babilon that came with them from iury That Craton their Disciple wrote their liues which Iulius Africanus translated into Latine and after many miracles there wrought they were there martyred togeather with S. Sennes by whome they were harboured So that if we will beleeue either auncient or later Greeke or Latine or the Persians themselues Catholiks or Protestants or any thinge that can be preteÌ„ded for authoritie worthie to be followed in this matter S. Simon the Apostle was neither crucified killed buried or preached in or neare vnto this Nation 6. Wherefore I cannot in any wise giue allowance vnto him who not onely placeth him among the saints and Apostles of Britaine but citeth diuers auncient writers as he saith for this his relation In Persia the Passion of the gloroius Apostle S. Simon surnamed
Francis Mason So that there can be no question with any Protestant in England both their Archbishops Bishops and Doctors of the English Protestant Church thus consenting but S. Peter as the rest of the Apostles directed so by the lawe and word of Christ and their owne Tradition Sutcliff Subu p. 3. Ihon Whitg Answ to the admonit p. 65. sect 1. and def of the Answ pag. 318. Clem. l. CompeÌ„diar Christ relig apud Pol. Virg. l. 4. de Inuent c. 12. Whitg supr in Indic p. 372. 373. 427. 470. 471. Clem. Roepist 1. to 1. Concil did ordain and consecrate such holy Rulers in those Churches which they founded and so consequently in this our Britaine according to that I haue allready written of his preaching heare Which diuers of these Protestant writers teache in plaine termes of him in particular one of them writeth thus Peter preached in no place but he there ordeined Bishops and teachers and founded Churches An other an Archbishop with them citing diuers authorities for his Assertion saith I proue that the names of Metroprolitane and Archbishop be most auncient yea that they were in the Church long before the ghospell was publickly embraced by any Prince or in any kingdome Polidor Virgil lib. 4. de Inuentoribus rerum cap. 12. saith that Clement in his booke intituled Compendiarium Christianae Religionis testifieth that the Apostle Peter did in euery prouince appoint one Archbishop whome all other Bishops of the same prouince should obey he saith also that the same Archbishop was called Primas Patriarcha Metropolitanus Which is also set downe at lardge from the mouth of S. Peter by the same S. Clement his Disciple and successor in his first epistle And so these Protestants iustifie both the precept and practice of S. Peter in this point which they must needs doe except by their owne warrant before they would make him a most wicked transgressor of the word of God the Apostles Tradition and his owne commandement 3. Therefore with the licence of these men we may boldly say with S. Simon Metaphrastes of S. Peters holy labors of this kind in Britaine verbo Metaph. 29. Iun. gratiae multos illuminauit Ecclesias constituit Episcoposque Presbyteros Diaconos ordinauit he illuminated many with the word of grace constituted Churches and ordained Bishops and Preists and Deacons And this the rather because not Arnold Mirm. Theatr. conuers gent. Sur. Lippom 29. Iun. Gul. Eisengr ceÌ„tenar 1. part 7. dist 8. Baron to 1. Annal. Harris hist to 1. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. Camden in Brit. Andre Chesne hist of Eng. Scot. and Ireland lib. 3. onely Arnoldus Mirmannius Surius Lippomannus Gulielmus Eisengrenius Baronius M. Harris in his Manuscript history and other Catholike writers haue thus deliuered But our Protestant Theater writers speaking of these matters proue the Relator of them lyued 800. yeares since and for his Authoritie produced them out of the Greeke Antiquities And the cheife Protestant Antiquary of EnglaÌ„d affirmeth it to be so certaine that it should not he doubted of so doth Andrew Chesne in his French history of this Iland and Ireland And so must all the Parlement Protestants of England who allowe the booke of Articles where it is decreed that a true Church cannot be without such cleargie Rulers Therefore being graunted by them before that S. Peter founded the Church of Christ in this kingdome they consequently haue graunted he ordained Bishops and others to exercise holy functions in that Church THE XVIII CHAPTER WHEREIN ARE SET DOWNE BY WARrant of Protestants and other Authorities the names in particular of the first Archbishop and diuers Bishops of or in Britaine in this time by S. Peters Ordination 1. ANd to discend to some particulars in this kinde our Protestants S. Aristobulus ordained Archbishop of Britaine by S. Peter as our Protestants assent will giue me warrant to set downe the very names of our first Archbishop and some Bishops ordayned by that greate Apostle S. Peter And concerning the Archbishop except we should turne disciplinary Puritans be singular against all English Protestants Catholiks and all Antiquities and deny that S. Peter himself S. Ihon the Euangelist and others of the Apostles were Archbishops we most needs by the publike warrant of our English Protestants affirme that S. Aristobulus was by S. Peter ordayned Archbishop of this our Britaine For supposing which is proued and graunted before that he was made Bishop by S. Peter in their common publike and allowed Commentary vpon the Articles of their Religion thus Thom. Rogers in Articul Relig. in Artic. 36. they place him among the confessed Archbishops of the Church of Christ and proue him to be Archbishop of this our Britaine in these termes In the Apostles dayes how themselues both were in dignitie aboue the Euangelists and the 72. Disciples and for authoritie both in and ouer the Church as twelue Patriarches Beza in act Apo. 1. 2. saith Beza and also established an Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie Hence came it that Bishop was of Hierusalem Iames of Antioch Peter of the Asian Churches Ihon of Alexandria Marke of Ephesus yea and all Asia Timothie of all Crete Titus of Philippos Epaphroditus of Corinth and Achaia Apollos of Athens Dionisius of Fraunce Crescens of Britaine Aristobulus Where we see it so manifestly acknowledged by these Protestants that S. Aristobulus was Archbishop of this our Britaine that except we would deny that dignitie to the Apostles and other knowne Archbishops there remembred we may not deny it to S. Aristobulus for our Britaine And so these Protestants in their words immediately going before doe name all these I haue recited for telling vs how the Superioritie Rogers supr and Authoritie which Archbishops doe exercise in ordering and consecrating of Bishops and Ecclesiasticall Ministers is grounded vpon the word of God they immediately exemplify in those men and words as I haue related making S. Aristobulus that cheife or Archbishop of Britaine from whome the consecraâ—â—â—n of Bishops and cleargy men was deryued to posteritie in this kingdome as it was from S. Iames at Hierusalem from S. Peter at Antioch S. Ihon in Asia S. Marke at Alexandria and the others remembred in those kingdomes and Prouinces of which they are named Archbishops by Whitg ag Cattw Bilson true differ Bridges l. of the Church of Engl. Downam def of the Serm. Gul. Camden in Britan. in Belg. Andre Chesne hist gen p. 132. these Protestants not onely in this but many other places 2. And S. Dorothaeus Bishop of Tyrus euen as our best Protestant Antiquaries alledge and expounde him doth sufficiently testifie Thus they write Dorothaeus Tyri Episcopus in sua Apostolorum Sinopsi tradit Aristobulum cuius meminit Paulus in Epistola ad Romanos Britanniae Episcopum factum fuisse Dorothaeus Bishop of Tyrus in his booke intituled Synopsis of the Apostles doth deliuer that Aristobulus of whom S. Paul maketh mention in
before our common Conuersion in the dayes of King Lucius and so consequently by S. Peter or his Disciple S. Aristobulus no other then with eminent Authoritie being heare to consecrate him Bishop and settle him Bishop of Augusta London For first this citie was not called Augusta in the Reigne of King Lucius when this Nation was generally conuerted but onely Londinum London nor neuer since that time or by any before but by the Romans at their first setling heare in the time of Claudius when as before is proued S. Peter preached in this kingdome Secondly the first Bishop of London as all the rest from King Lucius time to the coming of S. Augustine were Archbishops and this onely in all Antiquities called onely Bishop of Augusta in Britaine Thirdly this was a Martyr and so we doe not reade of any Iotz in Catal. Epis Brit. Io. Godcel de Episc Lōd Matth. Parker antiq Brit. Godwin Catal. of Bishops Stowe Histor Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Harris in Theat to 1. Will. Harris descr Archbishop of London except on S. Vodinus Martyred in the times of King Vortigerne and Hengist in whome both the times names callings and other circumstances are much different making it vnpossible that they were one and the same man Fourthly no Antiquitie or Antiquary Catholike or Protestant setting downe the Catalogue of the Archbishops of London as Iotzeline of Furnes Ihon Godcilene Matthew Parker Godwine Stowe the Theater writers or any other once nameth this S. Augulus to be any of them that were since King Lucus time But make S. Thean the first the last Theonus that formerly was Bishop of Glocester and in or about the yeare of Christ 553. became Archbishop of London and about the yeare 586. together with Thadiocus Archbishop of Yorke fled from the Pagan Saxons into wales and left their Sees vacant vntill the coming of S. Augustine And betweene these there is not any one but S. Vodinus before a Martyr or that hath any resemblance in name or other description with S. Augulus Their names be these Thean Eluanus Cadar Obinus Conan Palladius Stephan Iltut Theodwin or Godwyn Catal. in London alij supr Dedwin Thedred Hillary Restitutus Guitelnius or Guitelinus Fastidius Vodinus Theonus 5. A late writer in his Manuscript History of Britaine saith plainely that S. Harris in Theat tom 1. Nicasius the first Bishop of Roan in Normandy of Fraunce preached heare in this Britaine in these times And he seemeth to rely much vpon Arnoldus Mirmānius who saith Britones instruxit formauitque fide S. Nicasius imperante S. Nicasius Bishop in our Britaine by some writers Nerone Nicasius did instruct and forme in the faith the Britans in the time of Nero being then delegated an Apostle thither illuc Apostolus delegatus And this he proueth to be vnderstood of our Britans because the Britans of Armorica Arnold Mirm. in Theatr. Conu gent. in Fraunce were not called Britans vntill long after which by all writers is a thing most certaine and out of Question Therefore except that Authour spake very vnproperly to call them Britans that were not vntill 300. yeares after he must needes meane to speake truely the Britans of this Iland And this S. Nicasius being sent Apostle by Roman Authoritie as he saith to the Britans in the time of Nero it must needes be by S. Peter And although the same Authour in the same place ioyneth with the Britans whome S. Nicasius thus instructed in the faith the people of Normandy Roan Picardy which be people in Fraunce Britones Normandos Rothomagenses Picardos this hindereth nothing but he might preach both to them and the Britans heare also as many others did and that which followeth omnemque maris Oceani tractum instruxit he instructed in the faith all the Coaste of the Ocean sea cannot well be iustified except we bring him hither into our Britaine for those Countries he nameth in Fraunce be farre from being omnis maris Oceani tractus either all or the half part of the Coaste of the French Ocean 6. To these I may probably add S. Martine lyuing in the Apostles time and Probable that S. Martin Disciple of the Apostles was a Britan or preached heare so renowned in this kingdome that in the time of King Lucius to speake in an old Authours words constructa est extra Cantuariam Ecclesia Sancti Martini a Church was builded vnto him without Canter bury Which is the same S. Bede and others write was the old Church builded there in the time of the Romans who where departed hence before the dayes eyther of S. Martine M. S. Abbreuiatio tempor in Rege Lucio Bed hist Anglic. in S. Augustino l. 1. Stowe histor in Ethelbert Theater of great Brit. Matth. Parker antiq Brit. Godwyn Conu of Britaine p. 40. Ado in chronic ad an 101. Will. Lamb. perambulation of Kent p. 13. the Pope or S. Martine Bishop of Tours in Fraunce by all accompts And Ado and others testifie this S. Martine was a Bishop in the time of Traiane and armo D. 101. Disciple of the Apostles Martinus Episcopus Discipulus Apostolorum Viennae resedit And M. Lambert the Protestant Antiquary doth assure vs that this Church by Canterbury dedicated to S. Martine was both builded in the Romans time and was and continued a Bishops See vntill the coming of the Normans hither and so extraordinarily there were two Bishops Sees in one City this being substitute to the Archbishop which argueth how greate the honour was that this nation gaue vnto him And yet a Church so aunciently dedicated to him heare would of it selfe by Brittish proceedings in such affaires induce vs to thinke that eyther he was a Britan borne or preached in this our Britayne or both For in perusing our Antiquities of those times we shall hardly finde any Church dedicated in this kingdome to any Saint except the blessed Virgin Mary for her eminent priuiledge but to such as were Saints of this Nation as S. Alban Amphibalus Aaron Iulius or preached heare as S. Peter the Apostle S. Clement his Disciple and successor and such like 7. To make which more apparantly probable vnto vs we haue two renowned and annuncient Authors Methodius and S. Marianus who speaking Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. in Nerua Imp. col 254. Method apud cund supr of this holy Bishop S. Martine and telling he liued and suffered Martyrdome in the time of Nerua the Emperour within the first hundred yeare of Christ say That non solum propria prouincia sed in extremis vltimis industrius illustris non solùm confessione quin martyrio existens regna Tyrannorum vicit He was not onely industrious and renowned in his owne Prouince but also in the vttermost and last Regions not onely a confessour but a Martyr conquered the kingdomes of Tyrants Therefore to graunt vnto Ado that he was sometime Bishop of Vienna in Fraunce seeing so
greate authoritie doth warrant vs that he preached in extremis vltimis not onely in one prouince but the very laste and vttermost in respect of that place which must needes comprehend this Iland of Britayne we may not now exclude him from hence where he hath bene honored with a Church dedicated to him as an holy Bishop so many hundreds of yeares aboue 1400. since in a Nation so peculiarly honoring the memories of the renowned Apostles and Saints thereof with such testimonies of loue and duitie And this the rather because we are told by forrain writers that he was not onelie Apostolorum discipulus a disciple of the Apostles Arnold Mitm Theatr. Conu gent. and sent to these western parts whether as before it is hard to finde any to haue bene sent from any Apostle but S. Peter And this Church being aunciently a Bishops See as the Kentish Protestant Antiquary hath told vs before and yet without the City of Canterbury it giueth more strenght to this opinion for all Antiquities agree that through out the whole kingdome in the time of King Lucius all the Cathedrall and Episcopall Churches were in cyties Which argueth this See to haue had a more auncient originall then from that time for further proofe whereof the auncient Manuscript History Histor Roffen M. S. of Rochester saith Extra Ciuitatem in parte Orientali est Ecclesia Beati Martini vbi Sedes Episcopalis erat without the city of Canterbury one the East side is the Church of S. Martine where there was a Bishops See And Bishop Godwin was the last Bishop there in the time of Archbishop Lanfranke who would not permit any successor therein saying that two Bishops might not be in one city Godwino vltimo illius Sedis Episcopo successorem Lanfrancus subrogare noluit dicens quod in vna ciuitate duo Episcopi minime esse deberent Standing vpon the Canons of the Church as his reason argueth which further confirmeth this custome to haue bene long more auncient then the Canons in that behalfe And seeing Cathedrall Churches ordinarily take their denomination of the first Saincts that were Bishops there except some other extraordinary merits of Saints and deuotion vnto them giue them this priuiledge this may be some warrant vnto vs in this case to incline to thinke this S. Martine eyther preached heare or so well deserued of this Nation that we may not easily depriue him of this honour 8. To this I may probably ioyne S. Nathanael spoken of in the Ghospel Not vmprobable but S. Nathaniel was and preached in Britaine and termed of our Sauiour a true Israelite for as our French Historians tell vs he was both consecrated Bishop by S. Peter the Apostle and was successour to S. Aphrodisius in the See of Bituriges in Fraunce about the time of S. Peters coming hither and at his direction at those times and by the Greeks in their Menologe called Symon Therefore seeing some haue so contended before Guliel Eisengr centen 1. f. 54. an 54. Anton. part-1 tit Anton. De. moch l. 2. c. 24. Graeci in Menolog Baron in Annot. in Martyrol 28. Octob. Sim. Chan. to bring one S. Symon into Britayne and demonstration is also made that it could not be S. Symon Zelotes the Apostle to leaue a place of due credit to their Authoritie I may credibly ascribe it to S. Nathanael called S. Symon and by some the brother of S. Philip the Apostle and generally after the Ascension of Christ at the dispositioÌ„ of S. Peter principally in these Western parts where although cheifely he bore the title of the Bishops of Biturigum Burages in Berry in Fraunce yet he trauailed in diuers other parts as appeareth in Histories as others likewise did who tooke their names of being Bishops of certayne places Which is most euident in S. Peter himselfe who although he neuer tooke name of Residency but at Anthioch and Rome yet he trauay led and preached in so many Nations as I haue and shall set downe hereafter 9. And if we will follow the Antiquities of Glastenbury vpon whose authoritie Antiq. Glast M. S. in tabul lignea perantiqua Io. Capgrau in Catalog in S. Ioseph ab Aramathia the Protestant Antiquaries of England haue builded much in many things we are told in them that S. Iosephe sonne of S. Ioseph of Aramathia that buryed Christ came hither liued dyed heare came hither with his Father and that holy company and also lyued and dyed a Bishop heare That he was not a Bishop at his coming hither it seemeth euident by many arguments first because no History maketh mention of any Episcopall function S. Iosephe sonne of S. Ioseph of Aramathia by diuers Antiquities was a Bishop heare and probably consecrated heare by S. Peter or his Disciples performed then by him or any of that happy society secondly by all Antiquities they liued and dyed in the Eremiticall state of life Which much differeth from Episcopall which conuerseth with and ruleth others and the Churches committed vnto his chardge Thirdly in all Antiquities and Monuments of these holy men remembred eyther by Catholiks or Protestants S. Ioseph of Aramathia is called the cheife and principall ex quibus Ioseph ab Aramathia primus erat Intrat Aualoniam duodena caterua vivorum Inscriptio antiqua in aere in Caenob Glaston Tabul antiq ib. Ioh. Capgr in S. Ioseph ab Aramath Godwin CoÌ„u of Britaine p. 11. Theater of Brit. l. 6. Camd. in Glastenbury Capgr in S. Patricio Flos Aramathiae Ioseph est primus â—orum Iosephes ex Ioseph genitus patrem comitatur Where S. Ioseph that was no Bishop is euery were stiled their cheife and Ruler Therefore his sonne Iosephe could be no Bishop at that time for so a Bishop whose office is to rule and in all languadges by all interpretation is an Ouerseer Cheife commaunder and Ruler of others his subiects should haue bene inferiour subiect commaunded and caled to and by his inferiour and subiect Therefore to iustifie the prediction of our Sauiour after his Ascension that Iosephe should be a Bishop which the Antiquitie of Glastenbury setteth downe as a thing then done saying of him Iosephe quem Dominus Iesus priùs in ciuitate Sarath in Episcopum consecrauit Iosephe whom our Lord Iesus had consecrated for a Bishop before in the city Sarath We must needes say that he was afterward according to the designment and Prophesie of Christ consecrated Antiquit. Glaston apud Cap. grau in S. Ioseph ab Aramath a Bishop in this kingdome for Prophesies that be true are so certayne they shall come to passe that often times they are expressed as presently done and acted as is vsuall in holy Scripturs and other wtiters when they are not to be performed long after because they are as assuredly to be after in due time as if they were presently acted and fulfilled as we must needes interprete this For the reasons before demonstrate that
giuing grace and internall grace performed in this holy vnction And all the auncient Christans of this kingdome Britans and Saxons before they were vnited in other things in the time of S. Theodor Archbishop of Canterbury euer agreed in this as before is manifest in the Britans their old custome and Saxons receauing the faith from S. Gregory who held this holy vnction to be a Sacrament And we reade in the life of S. Cedda our holy Bishop who coming Io. Capgrau in S. Cedda to Canterbury to be consecrated S. Deusdediâ— being dead before his coming thither and Wina being then the onelie Bishop a liue among the Saxons Bishop of the west Saxons Canonically ordered he ioyned with two Brittish Bishops which differed from the Church of Rome in the obseruation of Easter and they three consecrated S. Cedda Bishop assumptis in soâ—ietatem ordinationis duobus de Britonum gente Episcopis qui Dominicum Paschae diâ—m secùs morem Canonicum à quartadecima vsque ad vigesimam lunam celebrabant Where we see agreed by all parties though at difference in some other things that this sacred Rite of holy vnction was the cheife essentiall and materiall ceremony in consecrating Bishops and they which obtayned it in their consecration though wanting other ceremonies of that holy Sacrament were euer esteemed and honoured for true and lawfull Bishops and otherwise of such as want it the case of all Protestants at this time which haue by this meanes depriued themselues of all true Bishops Preists and other Cleargie men depending vpon true Bishops and so haue none but meere laye men in their profession and consequently no Church of Christ by their owne confessions But I shall more fully entreate these things hereafter when I shall both demonstrate that S. Peter and all the Apostles where Massing sacrificing Preists and neyther did nor could consecrate any others then such THE XXI CHAPTER OF THE COMING OF S. IOSEPH OF ARAmathia who buryed Christ into this our Britaine And how it is made doubtfull or denyed by many writers but without either reason or Authoritie 1. ABOVT this time when S. Peter and his holy Disciples were thus happily planting the faith of Christ and founding his Church in Britaine it is the common opinion which I will follow hereafter that S. Ioseph of Aramathia who as the Ghospell testifieth buryed our blessed Sauiour came hither in or about the 63. yeare of his Incarnation and for the greate Honor of this kingdome was with his Religious company the first Founder of Monasticall life in this Nation But before we Diuers make the coming of S. Ioseph into Britaine doubtfull others wholy deny it can giue him quiet possession heare by his presence life death and buriall to be made partakers of so greate happines as they brought vnto vs we finde as in S. Peter before many impediments and hinderances of such benefite to this kingdome for some make his coming hither doubtfull others affirme he was not heare at all The writer of the auntient Roman Martyrologe seemeth to thinke he died at Hierusalem for in his Festiuitie which he maketh the 17 day of March so he affirmeth Mart. 17. Hierosolymis S. Ioseph ab Aramathia Martyrol Rom. 17. Martij nobilis decurionis Discipuli Domini qui eius corpus de cruce depositum in monumento nouo sepeliuit Philippus Bergomensis followeth the same opinion that he liued and dyed in Iury. And Cardinal Baronius though in his Annals Philipp Berg. hist l. 8. f. 104. in an D. 34. Baron Annal. tom 1. an 35. Baron in annot in Martyrolog Rom. 17. Maâ—t Authour of the Booke 3. Conu part 1. c. 1. p. 24. n. 25. he citeth a Manuscript History in the Vaticane for his coming into and dying in Britaine yet in his Annotations vpon the Roman Martyrolog he inclineth to that which I haue cited from thence that he died in Hierusalem The Authour of the Three ConuersioÌ„s of EnglaÌ„d speaking of S. Iosephs coming hither saith albeit I finde no verie certaine â—r auntient writer to affirme it yet because our later Historiographers for two hundred yeares or more doe hold it to haue come downe by Tradition I doe not meane to dispute the matter heare 2. Others there be who allthough they agree with the common opinion and consent to the receaued truth that S. Ioseph came hither liued and died heare together with diuers of his religeous companions yet they assigne such a time for this his coming into this land that it cannot be reconciled to the true reasons of Antiquities in this point and so they weaken thereby the credit of the true Historye Ihon Funccius a Protestant writer seemeth vtterly to deny his coming hither at all soâ—â—â—â—â—gly sayâ—â—g thâ—se thingâ— Io. Funct lib. 6. Comm. in suam chronolog ad an 178. which the writers of Britaine deliuer of Ioseph of Aramâ—hia who 〈◊〉 the â—â—lp of Nicodemâ—s buried the body of Christ how with many others be caâ—â— to that 〈◊〉 and there first sowed the Ghospell of Christ and the rest I leaue them to the 〈◊〉 to be beleeued Quae de Iosepho de Aramathia qui Christi 〈…〉 Nicodemo sepalchro mandauerit tradunt Britanniae Scriptores quomodo ad 〈◊〉 cum multis alijs venerit ac Euangelion Christi primus ibidem seminauerit ac reliqâ—â— Britonibus credenda relinquo By which words if he meaneth that S. Ioseph was neuer heare at all I shall plainely confute him with the rest hereafter but if he intendeth onely that S. Ioseph was not the first as his words be Euangelion Christi primus ibidem seminauerit that preached heare it hindereth nothing at all for I haue proued S. Peter and his Disciples to haue well deserued that Preeminencie which perhaps this Protestant was willing virtually to graunt naming no others when in the immediate next words he addeth Quamuis non dubito quin multis annis ante Christi fides in Britannia fuerit culta Funct supr quam Lucius Rex ad eam peruenerit allthough I doe not doubt but the faith of Christ was reuerencedin Britaine many yeares before King Lucius receaued it But allthough these Exceptions against S. Ioseph doe carry a greater countenance of authoritie and credit then any were made against S. Peter as I haue inuincibly freed this holy Apostle from the least suspition therein so I will now This error confuted with the occasion thereof deliuer S. Ioseph and set him and his holy companions in the same state of libertie 3. And concerning the strongest obiections from the Roman Martyrologe and Bergomensis they onely take notice of his first Conuersation in Christianitie as they found it in the Ghospell and so they goe no further then it doth onely speaking of him in Iury and Hierusalem Besides if we should expownd them as Keepers of S. Ioseph out of Britaine they are at variance with themselues for the Roman Martirologe keepeth his festiuitie vpon the 17. day of
eye in any Island did behold And after confirmeth his narration with these miraculous Arguments presenting two boughes vnto her Saint Peter open the gates with your keyes Saint Paul defend with your sword Saint Andrew blesse with your Crosse All of you pray the God of heauen to giue her Maiestie long life happy health glorious dayes blessed posteritie and all prosperitie As for mee that haue bene spoyled of all I haue nothing left mee but these boughes the one a Branch of that Thorne that in memory of my blessed Maister euer buddeth one the day that he was borne The other in memory of his Martyrs which one the longest day begins to liue one which they began to dye THE XXIII CHAPTER EXAMINING WHO SENT S. IOSEPH HITHER and euidently prouing that he was not sent into Britayne by S. Philip the Apostle from our neighbouring Gallia or France confuting all pretended arguments and authorities to that purpose 1. BEING thus perfectly instructed in the truth of S. Ioseph of Aramathia and his Associats being heare It followeth next in Order to be truely informed from whome whence and when he came hither The opinion of many Protestants is that he was sent hither out of this Gallia or France next adiacent vnto vs by Saint Philip the Apostle then preaching there But as I haue not allowed this sentence before so I must now vtterly disable it to be receaued for true Which cannot better be performed then by first examining and improuing the reasons one which it is grounded and then set downe what is most probable to be followed in this Question Some Protestants as Foxe Dauid Powell Sir Francis Hastings and the Theater writers would Foxe to 1. Dauid Powell annot in hist Cambr. p. 12 13. Frā Hastings c. haue their Readers beleeue that S. Gildas held this opinion that S. Ioseph was sent to the Britans out of this next Gallia by S. Philip the Apostle But when we come to finde this testimony in Gildas we can finde no such Gildas to proue it by for the true History of Gildas which is de Excidio Conquestu Britanniae from which diuers of these men alledge it hath no such thing eyther Gildas pretended by some to say that S. Ioseph was sent out of France into Britaine by S. Philip the Apostle hath no such thing in the printed booke published by the Protestants or Polidor Virgil neyther in any Manuscript copy which I can finde or is cited for this matter Master Foxe writeth thus Gildas in his History affirmeth plainely that Britany receaued the Ghospell in the time of Tiberius the Emperour and that Ioseph of Aramathia was sent by Philip the Apostle from France to Britayne Gild. lib. de victoria Aurel. Ambrosij Master Hastings followeth Foxe as his Master word by worde onely he citing Gildas doth not alledge that booke And that Foxe Act. and Monum to 1. p. 96. which they cite from Gildas of Britayne receauing the faith in the time of Tiberius ouerthroweth the credit of this allegation for they cite both that and Saint Iosephs sending hither out of France by S. Philip the Apostle from one and the same Gildas and place in him And yet that Relation of Britayne receauing the faith in the dayes of Tiberius is in Gildas de Excidio Britanniae and onely in that and no other auncient Authour any Gildas or other for any thing I can finde in Antiquitie or iustified or iustifiable by any later writer For besides the true acknowledged Gildas of whome I haue spoken before called the wise cognomento sapiens we finde but two others mentioned in our Histories one of them liued at Rome and dyed as a Protestant Bishop testifieth in the yeare of Christs Incarnation 74. vitae compleuit cursum anno ab incarnato Dei verbo 74. And for any thing we reade was no Christian neyther wrote any such thing and dying diuers hundreds of yeares before Ioh. Bel. l. de Script cent 1. in Gilda Cambrio f. 15. Aurelius Ambrosius was borne could by no possibilitie be Authour of the booke intituled de victoria Aurelij Ambrosij of the victory of Aurelius Ambrosius from which this pretended testimony is alledged The other Gildas commonly named Albanius could not be Authour of this pretended Antiquity of S. Philips sending S. Ioseph to this Nation for though I acknowledge with the Brittish History Ponticus Virunnius Bale Pits and others that this Gildas wrote a booke of that Title and subiect yet it could not be this which is here produced for as both the Brittish History and Virunnius witnesse the names and Acts of the Roman Legats Damianus and Phugatianus with there Associates Galfrid Monu hist Reg. Brit. l. 4. cap. vlt. Ponticus Virunn Brit. hist l. 4. in fine were set downe by Gildas in that booke eorum nomina actus īn libro reperiuntur quem Gildas de victoria Aurelij Ambrosij inscripsit And yet these being so memorable things for our Ecclesiasticall History not any one of these Protestants which cite the pretended Gildas before though all of them writing of purpose of such matters doth make the least memory of them which they would not haue so grossely omitted if they had seene the true Gildas which was written in that time 2. Againe Doctour Powell a Protestant Citer of this new found Gildas Saith from thence that Ioseph of Aramathia came into this Iland about the yeare of Christ 53. Which differeth ten yeares from the receaued Historyes of the time of his coming hither and it is as much at variance with itselfe as it is cited by other Protestants for Ihon Foxe sayth some other alleadge out of Gildas Foxe l. 1. de victoria Aurelij Ambrosij that Ioseph of Aramathia was sent by Philip the Apostle from France to Britayne about the yeare of our Lord 63. Where we see euident contradiction in the pretended Authour and citers of him And in an other place this Protestant quite discrediteth this citation testifying that it was one and the same Gildas which wrote of Britayne receauing the faith in the Foxe l. 2. p. 106. time of Tiberius which was Gildas Sapiens and that wrote of S. Ioseph sent into Britayne out of France by S. Philip which as before he neuer mentioneth An other Protestant more disableth this citatiō making the difference of the time greater in this manner George Maior writeth in a preface that immediately Stow hist in Agricola after Crists Resurrection vnder Claudius the Emperour the light of the Ghospell was kindled in Britayne by Ioseph of Aramathia that buryed the body of Christ Polidor Virgil whome some Potestants though vntruely cite for S. Philips Bal. cent 1. l. de Scriptor f. 14. in Ioseph Arimath Polydor. Virgil. l. 2. hist Angl. p. 37. Polydor. Virgil. supr l. 1. p. 16. sending S. Ioseph hither out of France hath no such thing but maketh the meanes of his coming hither doubtfull whether by
chaunce or of purpose siue casâ— siue consilio in Britanniam venit and named the deuiser of this Gildas the moste impudent knaue that euer liued Sane is nebulo longè post homines natos impudentissimus Wherevpon the best Protestant Antiquaries Bale Camden Parker Stowe Godwine and others quite forsake that pretended authority neuer vouchsafing to alledge it and the citers of it by the contradictions there haue sufficiently reproued it diuers of them rather inclining to thinke as I shall entreate hereafter that S. Philip the Apostle was neuer in this next France to send S. Ioseph from thence into Britayne And no man of any indifferent Iudgment will thinke but if the true Gildas had written any such thing the most diligent Collectours of the Antiquities of Glastenbury who gathered so many and of farre meanner credit and Antiquitie then the true Gildas was would for the honour of that house in one place or other haue remembred it which none of them nor any other old or new credible writer hath done 3. Therefore seeing their hope from Gildas hath thus fayled theÌ„ let vs consider what other Authoritie they finde to relye vpon A Protestant Bishop writeth thus of S. Ioseph Hunc Philippus Apostolus cum non paruo comitatu a Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Ioseph Aram. f. 14. Gallijs in Britanniam misit nostrae salutis anno 63. vt post Capgrauium Scropum aliosque Scriptores Anglicos testis est locuples Polydorus Virgilius Anglicae Historiae libro secundo Philip the Apostle sent Ioseph with no small company out of France into Britayne in the yeare of Christ 63. as after Capgraue and Scroope and other English writers Polydor Virgil is a sufficient witnes in the second booke of his English history Where we see onely three particularly named Capgraue the cheifest whome Scroope seemeth to followe and Polydor Virgil. This laste as I Polyd. Vir. hist l. 2. p. 37. 41. 89. haue cited before hath no such thing in any place where he speaketh of S. Ioseph neuer so much as naming S. Philip the Apostle in this matter Capgraue reciteth such an opinion in the life of S. Ioseph out of Freculphus who as hereafter hath no such thing at all and in the life of S. Patrike written after that of S. Ioseph maketh the like narration of some which thinke that S. Io. Capgrau in Catal. in S. Ioseph in S. Patricio Io. Bal. de Script cent 5. f. 201. 202. in Io. Capgrau Godwin Conu Philip sent S. Ioseph hither but he brandeth it with this blemish si Veritatem sapiat lectoris arbitrio relinquo Which whether it tasteth of truth I leeue to the Iudgment of the Reader Which is farre from approuing it for a true History AnÌ„d by our Protestant Bishops who though they acknowledge Capgraue for a very learned Authour make him credulous enough in such things it vtterly discrediteth that report for when he had written all which he thought credible of the matter he then handled he immediately addeth Quae inferiùs digesta sunt si veritatem sapiant lectoris arbitrio relinquo The things which followe I leaue to the Reader to Iudge of their taste of truth And among these the first and cheifest of all is this of S. Philip the Apostle his coming into France and from thence sending S. Ioseph hither into Britayne So that we euidently see all authorities â—itherto alledged by these Protestants are rather against then for them in this busines 4. Their laste and principall whereupon they now relye herein is a pretended testimony of Freculphus the auncient learned Bishop of Lexouium The first Protestant Arch bishop of Canterbury citing for his onely Authour Freculphus l. 2. cap. 4. saith Philippus Apostolus qui in Galliam venit Euangelij Matth. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 3. praedicatione plures ad fidem vertit cum de Britannia modico freto separata Insula accepisset a qua Druidum superstitio manabat in Galliam delegit ex suorum sociorum numero duodecim quibus Iosephum Aramathiensem qui dominum ChristuÌ„ sepulchro condidit praefecit Philip the Apostle which came into France or Gallia and by preaching the Ghospell conuerted many to the faith when he vnderstood of Britaine an Iland seperated from thence by a narrow sea from which the superstition of the Druids did flowe into France he did chuse twelue out of the number of his fellowes among whome he ordained for Ruler Ioseph of Aramathia that buried Christ Another writeth in this maÌ„ner William of Malmesbury in his booke of the Antiquities Stowe History Romans p. 37. of Glastenbury alledgeth Freculphus to write in his second booke and fourth Chapter as followeth Philip the Apostle preaching the word of God in Gaule now called France chose out twelue amongst his Disciples whome he sent into Britaine to preach the word of life and vpon euery one of them he most deuoutely stretched out his right hand ouer these he appointed for cheife his deare freind Ioseph of Aramathia that buried our Lord. An other Protestant Bishop plainely saith the occasion Godwin Conu of Brit. p. 9. c. 2. Chronicil c. 4. of Iosephs coming hither Freculphus Bishop of Lexouia that florished an 840. reporteth to be this That when Philip the Apostle or as some thinke rather the Euangelist for their Actions are much confounded in Historyes preaching Christ in France had much to Doe with the Druydes who had their beginning and cheife Doctors in Britaine and vnderstanding that this our Iland was seperated from France by a small cut of a few howers saile he thought good to send ouer hither 12. Preachers the cheife where of was Ioseph aforesaid Thus perhaps other Protestants doe write and might be cited in the same sence but these be too many except their allegations were more free from falshood for first allthough William of Malmesbury in his Manuscript of the Antiquities of Glastenbury seemeth to alledge Freculphus for S. Philips sending S. Ioseph hither out of France or Gallia yet of the rest which these Protestants father vpon him about the Druides and all other circumstances set downe before he writeth not one worde neuer mentioning any such thing at all his words be these Freculphus testatur libro 2. cap. 4. quod Philippus praedicans Euangelium in Gallia duodecim Guliel Malm. l. de antiq Glast M. S. ex suis Discipulis elegit quos misit in Britanniam ad praedicandum verbum vitae super singulos manum dexteram deuotissimè extendit hi autem praefecit amicum suum Ioseph ab Aramathia qui dominum sepeliuit Venerunt his in Britanniam anno Dominicae Incarnationis 65. Assumptionis beatae Mariae 15 Freculphus in his secoÌ„d booke and fourth Chapter doth witnes that Philip preaching the Ghospell in Gaule did chuse twelue of his Disciples which he sent into Britaine to preach the word of life and vpon euery of them did most deuoutely stretch forth his
testifie and if he sent S. Ioseph hither out of Francia it was that and no other Francia from whence he sent him The Antiquities of Glastenbury from the testimony of an auncient Monke of S. Denis in France to one Godfridus a Monke of Glastenbury relateth that the Church of Glastenbury was consecrated by the highest greate Bishop meaning as it seemeth S. Peter the Apostle the highest greate Bishop in that time and that it was called the second Rome for the multitude of Epist Godefrid Monachi Glast Antiquitates Glaston Manus tab Affix Saints buried there of the which S. Ioseph was the first Haec gloriosissimi Martyris Dionisij Ecclesia illa Glastoniensis de qua te asseris eandem priuilegij dignitatem habent Ista in Gallia illa in Britannia vno eodem tempore exortae à summo magno Pontifice consecratae Vno tamen gradu illa supereminet Roma etenim secunda vocatur hoc propter multitudinem Sanctorum inibi requiescentium quorum primus fuit Ioseph ab Aramathia ille nobilis Decurio qui Dominum sepeliuit pro cuius sepultura Dominus locum illum elegit atque benedixit THE XXIV CHAPTER FVRTHER PROVING THAT S. PHILIP the Apostle was not in that Gallia France next to Britayne neyther were S. Ioseph and his Associates there or came from thence into Britayne 1. BESIDES the recited Authorities of S. Isidor or the Authour of the booke of the life and death of Saints among his workes and the learned Bishop Freculpbus of which I haue spoken before for their opinion that held S. Philip the Apostle preached Ordo officij Muzarabici in festo S. Iacobi Apostoli fratris S. Ioannâ—s Apostoli Euangelistae in hymno in the next France or Gallia I finde the like mention in the auncient Muzaraban publike Church office receaued in the fourth Toletan Councell at wbich S. Isidor Archbishop of Hispalis for all Spaine was President In this Councell mention being made where the Apostles preached it is said Philippus Gallias That S. Philip preached in the Countries called Galliae Which although I doe not finde alledged by any Protestant to confirme this opinion of S. Philips being in this next France yet because I seeke the truth and am vnwilling to conceale any thing that may either help or hinder the finding fourth thereof I heare produce it and the rather because it giueth more countenance to that booke de vita morte Sanctorum to haue bene written by S. Isidor President in that Councell and taking as it seemeth that Muzaraban Office as warrant for his writing that S. Philip the Apostle was in Gallia as also Freculphus followed the steps of S. Isidor in the same Assertion for better deciding whereof because the Muzaraban Office is so breife as I haue related in this matter and I haue set downe the words of Freculphus before I will and what S. Isidor or other Authour of that booke hath written of this busines which is as followeth Philippus à Bethsaida ciuitate Isidor Hispal Episcopus l. de vita morte Sanctorum cap. 75. vnde Petrus Gallis praedicat Christum Barbarasque gentes vicinasque tenebris tumenti Oceano coniunctas ad scientiae lumen fideique portum deducit Deinde in Hierapoli Phrygiae Prouinciae Vrbe crucifixus lapidatusque obijt Philip of the citie Bethsaida from whence also Peter was preacheth Christ to the Gaules and bringeth Barbarous Nations and neare to darknes and ioyned to the swelling Ocean to the light of knowledge and tbe heauen of faith and after dyed crucifixed and stoned in Hierapolis a citie of the Prouince of Phrygia The very words of Freculphus before so that it is euident the one of these receaued them from the other and after these Hartmanus Schedel vseth the same phrase Philippus Hartm Sched Chronic. chron f. 202. p. 1. Gallias accepit that S. Philip had the Countryes Galliae Yet neither he nor any of the others make him the Apostle of this next Gallia or France neyther doe any of the Historians of France or Antiquities thereof best to be credited in such causes make mention of S. Philip or any other Apostle besides S. Peter and S. Paule to haue preached in that kingdome neyther any others but such as were Disciples vnto them and not to S. Philip or any other of the Apostles to haue taught the faith of Christ in that Nation 2. Neyther doth any of our French Historians once alledge or interpret M. Pniel I Tigeon M. Clem. Merch. M. I. le Frere de Leual in hist Andre Chesne hist general d'Angleterre d'Escosse d'Irland pag. 152. Bed Martyrol cal Maij. Martyr Rom. 1. die Maij. Vsuard Martyrol cod die Dorotheus in Synopsi in S. Phil. Magdeb. cent 1. in S. Philip Apost Prot. comm Booke in F. S. Philippi Calend. 1. Maij. eyther S. Isidor or Freculphus to vnderstand this next France by any Gallia or place where they write S. Philip preached But expound them both as they onely ment he preached in Scythia and CouÌ„tries farre remote from this France And so they expounde Freculphus himselfe in the place alledged Vincentius Abdias Nicephorus Sabellicus Eusebius Simeon Metaphrastes Clement of Alexandria and Policrates are of that minde So likewise teacheth S. Bede the Roman Martyrologe Vsuardus Dorotheus the Magdeburgian Protestants and the Protestants of England in their most authorised publike Church seruice booke Calenders and others And this is sufficiently testified and expressed in the words of S. Isidor and Freculphus before both of them plainely auouching that the Gaules and people to whome S. Philip preached were Barbarae gentes vicinae tenebris tumenti Oceano coniunctae Barbarous Nations neare Inhabitants vnto Countries of darkenes and conioyned to the swelling Ocean which haue no resemblance at all to this our Gallia but quite contrary or different For this Gallia is farre remote from either of the Poles Artike or Antartike and so by many degrees remoued from all Nations liuing in darknes Neither is the sea which is next to this Gallia tumens Oceanus that Ocean which is termed the swelling but Oceanus Scythicus the Ocean of Scythia where S. Philip by all Antiquities preached Neither was this Gallia at that time or any other euer esteemed a Barbarous Nation by any credible writer late or auncient Christian or Pagan Catholike Protestant or other but as a Protestant Cosmographer with others testifieth Fuit Gallia ab antiquis temporibus semper culta tam in vrbibus Sebastian MuÌ„st Cosmograph l. 2 cap. 38. quam in oppidis quam in agris hortis pratis Et vt strabo scribit qui tempore Incarnationis Christi vixit nullus tunc fuit angulus in Gallia incultus praeter lacus nemora quae culturam non admittunt Gallia was euer from auncient times repleniâ—â—â—d as well with cities as with Townes as with Feilds Orchards and Medowes and as Strabo writeth who liued in
amissam se recuperare posse sine Gallica virtute arbitrarentur The youth of the Gaules at that time was so plentifull that they filled as it were with a swarme all Asia finally neither did the Kings of the East make warre without an army of Gaules neither did Kings driuen froÌ„ their seats fly vnto others for succour then to the Gaules The Terrour of the Gaulish name was so greate and their vnuincible felicitie in armes such that they thought they could not keepe their maiesty in safetie nor recouer it being lost without the Gaulish puissance And our CouÌ„try Historian Matthew of Westminster relating the same Matt. Westm hist aetate 5. Stowe Howes hist in Belin. and BreÌ„nus Galfrid Monum histor Briton l. 3. Pont. Virun hist Brit. l. 3. Hâ—er Gebuin l. de libert Germ. cap. 12. Sebast Munster Cosm lib. 1. History of Brennus Leader of the Gaules being three hundred thowsands affirmeth sua prole totam Asiam repleuâ—runt they filled all Asia with their Issue And so gaue the name of Gallia or Gallatia vnto their posteritie 5. The like haue other English Historians Stowe Howes and the Brittish History with Ponticus Virunnius doe not differ of which this last writeth Exercitus eius adhuc Galatae nominantur his army or the posterity of it are called Galathians to this day Which name Galathians is the same with Gaules as also Galatia and Gallia are Onely with this difference that the Greekes more vsually called both the Gaules of Asia those next to vs in Europe Galathians and Galathia as their first auncient denomination was for as both Hieronymus Gebuinus and Sebastian Munster a Protestant with many others well proue this next Gallia was first called Galatia a Galate Rege of their King of that name and they were the Romans which altered it taking a sillable away and naming it for breuitie Gallia Romani autem dementes vnam syllabam pro Gallatia Galliam appellarunt And the old Greeke writer as Dion Cassius Dion Epitom p. 252. in Caio Calig Dion in Caesare Aug. p. 214. p. 313. in Vitellio Eutrop. l. 9. p. 122. Zosimus l. 4. in Gratiano Theodos Theoret in Epist Pauli in Id. Cresc in Galatia Godw. conu of Britaine p. 2. Eutropius Zosimus and S. Paul himself as both Theoderet and a Protestant English Bishop with others expownde him did call this our next Gallia by the first name Gallatia and these Gaules Galathians So doth Ammianus Mercellinus with others which a Protestant Bishop shall thus confirme Ammianus Mercellinus saith Gallos sermone Graeco Galatas dici solere That in the Greeke languadge the Gaules were vsed to be called Gallathians and thereof we haue a plaine testomony in Theodoret that writing of that place of the Apostle CresceÌ„s into Galatia c. sic Gallias appellauit saith he By which testimonyes it is made inuinciblye euident that S. Isidor Freculphus being Latine Authours followed the phrase of speach of the Romans and Latins and called the Asian Gallatia or Gallia plainely Gallia as the Latins vsually did and that they onely ment that S. Philip the Apostle preached in that Asiaticall Gallia and not in this of Europe neare vnto vs where or neare vnto it he neuer was 6. And yet to giue the greatest credit we may to them that would haue In what sence S. Philip the Apostle may be named the Apostle of the Frenchmen descending from Sicambria where he preached S. Philip to be named also the Apostle of these next Gaules and FraÌ„kes though he was neuer in that Nation whereas it is the common opinion of French and other Antiquaries that they came from Sicambria the Sicambers or Frankes by the Maeotides paludes betweene Scythia of Europe and Asia our Countriman Ingulphus Abbot of Crowland solueth this difficultie vnto vs in this manner Beatus Christi Apostolus Philippus cum Scythis verbum dei praedicasset plurimos eorum ad fidem Christi conuertisset rediens in Asiam per Sicambros viam fecit ac illis Christi nomen primus annunciauit De quibus exeuntes Ingulphus in Hist Croland Franci vt plures eorum Hierochronographi testantur beatum Philippum Apostolum suum specialem Protodoctorem Neopostolum adhuc tenent Philip the blessed Apostle of Christ hauing preached the word of God to the Scythians and conuerted very many of them to the faith of Christ returning into Asia passed by the Sicambers and first preached the name of Christ vnto them From which the Frankes or Frenchmen being descended as many of their holy Chronographers doe witnesse they accompt S. Philip the Apostle for their speciall first doctor and new Apostle So we haue credibly fownde how S. Philip the Apostle might in a lardge manner of speach be called the Apostle of those Frankes or Frenchmen which came from Sicambria but not of the auncient Gaules of this Gallia which came not from thence S. Philip the Apostle could not diâ—ectly send S. Ioseph hither from Sâ—â—aÌ„bria or any other place 7. Neither could S. Philip send S. Ioseph from Sicambria directly into this our Britaine for the time when he preached in Sicambria was by this authoritie long before his death and yet he was as I haue allready proued Martyred many yeares before S. Ioseph came into Britaine yet doe I not deny but S. Ioseph might be some time with S. Philip the Apostle when he was among the Gaules of Asia and other Nations there and that when he Hector Boeth hist Scot lib. 4. Holinsh. Hist of Scotl. Stow. Hist in Marius Galfrid Monu Hist Reg. Brit. l. 4. c. 17. Pont. Virun Hist Brit. lib. 4. Matth. Westm anno 75. came hither he came though long after S. Philips death from parts not farre remote from thence For we reade in our Scottish and other Histories that about this time greate numbers of those Countries arriued and setled in our Ilands and Northren parts among whome Hector Boethius speaking of this time of S. Iosephs landing heare saith sub id tempus populus quidam Morauiae vt nostris Annalibus est prodituÌ„ Romanis armis profligati suisque pulsi sedibus dispalatim ad Rheni Ostia deuenere Vndâ— conglobati nauibus vtcunque comparatis nouas sedes quaerendi gratia per vastos incognitosque maris tractus errauere prohibiti tandem Gallicis Britanicis Oris ab â—arum Incolis in Fortheam sunt delati About that time a certaine people of Morauia as our Annales doe testifie being driuen away by the Romans and expelled from their Seats came wandering to the mouth of Rhyne where gathered together and getting shipping as well as they could did roue through the vaste and vnknowne passadges of the Sea and being forbidden landing either on the French or Brittish Coastes by their Inhabitants they came to Forth by Pictland Where we see the time when place from whence this people came and where they landed and other circumstances agree with the Iorney of S. Ioseph
Glast M. S. tabulis ligneis affix in meÌ„branis Holy Reliks brought hither reuerenced by S. Ioseph M. S. antiq de vit S. Iosephi Capgrau in eodem Melkin in S. Ioseph Antiq. Glast tabul Fix Antiquit. quondaÌ„ in Monaster S. Edmundi in Suffolc S. Augustini Cantuar. Theater of great Brit. Cat. of Rerelig Houses Richard Gibbonus Catalog Religioas aedium in Comit. Somersetten L. vlt. de Pagan C. Theod. l. Decernimus C. de Episc Cler. nouel 117. c. 7. ex Iulian. Const 1. c. 1. Auth. coll 5 tit 17. Ord. Rom. de diuin offic c. deaedif Eccl. pag. 107. Prudent â—ym 5. de S. Vincent 12. de passionib Apost al. apud Bar. To. 2. Annal. die 26. Iulij Thorne as the Protestants themselues there name it had within the memory of diuers there lyuing so testifing vnto me two Trunkes or Bodyes the other of a greater bignesse and a prophane Protestant endeuouring to cut downe the greatest and likely both if God had not miraculously preuented his wicked designement was extraordinarily punished by cutting his legge and one of the chips which he hewed of flying vp to his head put out one of his eyes was enforced to desist yet hauing cut downe the greater Trunke onely except a litle of the barke on the one side this body of the tree so seperated from the roote and lying vpon the grounde 30. yeares together still continued the miraculous florishing as the other did and still doth and being after taken quite away and cast into a ditch farre of from the place it likewise florished and budded as it vsed before And after that yeare it was quite stollen away not knowne by whome or whether as the old people there affirmed There is also the remnant of a miraculous wallnut Tree neare S. Iosephs Chappell the stocke remayning still alyue with a few small bowes the rest cut away which neuer buddeth forth vntill the Feast of S. Barnabas the Apostle commonly esteemed the longest day and then it sodaynely florisheth as much as others of that kinde of which I haue spoaken before from the Protestant Bishop of that place Doctor Montague That which is left of this Tree keepeth the same miraculous course euery yeare in florishing and bringing forth of leaues but no other frute of nutts the braunches being when I sawe it of late yeares too small younge and tender to bring them forth or sustaine their weight 5. These holy men among other memoryes of their holy Christian profession made vsed and left there the Picture of the Crucifixe and other holy Images to testifie to posteritie they were Christians by Religion which there inhabited Figuram nostrae Redemptionis aliasque figuras manifestas repererunt quibus bene cognouerunt quod Christiani prius locum inhabitarunt which remained there vntill the coming of those Apostolike men which Saint Eleutherius Pope sent hither in King Lucius his time There they kept with greate reuerence which with like deuotion they brought so farre with them two small siluer vessels filled with the blood and sweate of our blessed Sauiour Duo vascula alba argentea cruore prophetae Iesu perimpleta There they left a Succession of the first and most holy Religeous men continuing except in one part of the second Age by some vntill S. Dunstan his time by all many hundreds of yeares after the Saxons coming hither and were renowned in all NatioÌ„s in the time of the Romans the Britans and diuers Ages of the Pagan Saxons as also after they were Christians in and after S. Augustine his dayes as I shall deliuer at large when I come to that Age. These two Religeous memories the vessels of sweaty blood of Christ and the signe of the Crosse found in that holy place gaue inuincible testimony it was the Residency and habitation of blessed S. Ioseph and his holy company none but good Christians reuerent preseruers of such Relicks and ensignes and as appeareth by the auncient lawes and monuments heare cited no Church founded by Christians but with a Crosse or Crosses erected there euen in those first happye times as a Title and memory THE XXIX CHAPTER WHEREIN IS SHEWED HOW OVR PROtestant Antiquaries and others of England vehemently contending to proue that S. Paule the Apostle preached heare in Britaine doe proue no such thing by any Authorities they alledge for his being heare 1. IT is a common opinion of our English Protestant Antiquaries and others of that Religion that S. Paule preached heare in Britaine but the testimonies and Authorities vpon which Protestants Arguments and authorities for S. Paules preaching in Britaine examined they ordinaly build doe not in my Iugment proue any such thing of him in particular more then of the other Apostles Their first Archbishop of Canterbury thus pleadeth for S. Paul Paulum ipsum gentium Doctorem cum alijs gentibus tum nominatim Britannis Euangelium nuntiasse post priorem suam Romae incarcerationem Theodoretus Sophronius Patriacha Matth. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 2. Lib. de curandis GraecoruÌ„ affect Hierosolymitanus affirmant both Theodoret and Sophronius patriarke of Hierusalem doe affirme that Paule himself Doctor of the gentils did preach the Ghospell to other Nations and namely to the Britans after his first imprisonment at Rome The Protestant Authours of their greate Theater of greate Theat of greate Brit. l. 6. c. 9. Britaine thus write of S. Paules being heare who doubtlesse after his first releasement from Rome confirmed the doctrine to these westerne parts of the world and among them as may appeare to this Iland of Britaine as both Sophronius Patriarke of Hierusalem and Theodoret an anncient Doctor of the Church doe affirme and proue saying that Fishers Publicans and the Tentmaker meaning S. Paule which brough the Euangelicall light vnto all Nations reuealed the same vnto the Britans Sir william Camden a principall Antiquarie speaking of S. Peters preaching heare ioyneth also S. Peter with him in these words Petrus etiam Camden Brit. in Sommersetshire ipse huc penetrauit diuini verbi lumen diffudit vti etiam Paulus teste Sophronio Theodoreto post secundam Romae Incarcerationem Also Peter himself came hither and diffused the light of the diuine worde as also Paule as Sophronius and Theodoret testifie after his second Imprisonment at Rome Also Andre du Chesne in his Andre de Chesne hist d'Anglet Escosse Hiberne p. 152. Stowe hist Romans Holinsh. hist of Eng. Harris descript of Britaine Author of 3. CoÌ„uers part 1. p. 21. 22. §. 22. Engl. Martyrol die 25. Ianuar. French Historie of England Scotland and Ireland saith S. Paule came hither apres se second prison a Rome after his second Imprisonment at Rome And citeth for this his opinion Theodoret and Sophronius as the alledged English Protestants haue done before of which opinion and vpon the same Authoritie are other English Protestant Historians as Stowe Holinshed and Harrison 2. To
partibus docuit Euangelium they name not Britaine except coniecturally Sophronius teacheth not that S. Paul preached in Britaine they include it in that clause and other parts of the west 5. Now to come to their other Authour Sophronius Patriarke of Hierusalem who as some Protestants before and some Catholiks also write doth teach in his Sermon of S. Peter and Paul and as a Protestant Doctor affirmeth 3. CoÌ„uers part 1. Engl. Martyr in S. Paul Sutcliffe subuers pag. 4. Sophron. l. aut Serm. de Petro Paulo in his Sermon of the Natiuitie of Christ that S. Paule preached in Britaine there is no such thing or the like in any of those Sermons Onely I finde in his Sermon or Booke of S. Peter and Paule how he writeth of S. Peter in this manner illi mundi procuratio committitur traduntur caelestium the saurorum claues Super caetum Apostolorum constitutus est vbique seminando verbum vitae the chardge of the world is committed to S. Peter and the keyes of the celestiall treasures The charge of the world committed to S. Peter are deliuered vnto him sowing the worde of life euery where Therefore these Authorities so magnified by Protestants for S. Pauls preaching heare cannot warraÌ„t vs in that behalfe Which some of their best Protestant Antiquaries haue both obserued and plainely confessed One of them thus writeth of the cheifest Harrison descrition of Britaine p. 22. 23. Authoritie some repose greate assurance vpon Theodoret that Paul the Apostle should preach the word of saluation heare after his deliuery out of Captiuitie But sith I cannot verefy the same by the words of Theodoret to be spoken more of Paul then Peter or the rest I will passe ouer this coniecture And their greate first Protestant Archbishop seeing the weaknes of the proofes for this opinion doth Matth. Parker Antiquit. BritaÌ„nic p. 2. 3. plainely say that S. Paul was not heare in parson at all And is coÌ„tent to acknowledge it for an vncredible vnpossible thing also that S. Paul was heare either parsonally by him himselfe in presence which he vtterly disableth or by sending Protestants confesse S. Paul was nâ—uer in Britaine any others hither except he conuerted Claudia Rufina our Brittish Lady at Rome the contrary whereof is euident and she sent the Christian faith to her freinds in Britaine hoc quod Pontificij incredibile atque adeo impossibile statuunt cum vero cohaeret maximè Quanquam enim ipse ad hanc Insulam profectus S. Claudia a Brittish Lady a Christian before S. Paul his first coming to Rome non sit tameÌ„ Claudiae Rufinae nobilissimae Britannae Graecis Latinisque literis instructae Christianam Religionem suasisse perspicuum est Hanc itaque iam ad Christum conuersam non minus est verisimile Christiana dogmata ad Britannos misisse suos quam ante acceptam fidem Epigrammata Martialis What a chimericall conceipted vntruth this is will more appeare when I come to this our Noble British Lady a Christian in Rome long before S. Pauls first coming thither An other a Protestant Bishop among them is witnes that it is so farre from a common and allowable opinion that S. Paul was in Britaine that diuers auncient and worthie Authours exclude him from Spaine itselfe and all other Westerne Nations except Italy whither he was brought a Prisoner to Rome Innocentius the first Bishop of Rome saith plainely that non of the Apostles Godwin Conu of Brit. p. 6. except Peter taught either in Spaine or in any other part of the west And Thomas Aquinas grounding himselfe vpon the Iudgment of Gelasius deliuered by Gratian vtterly denieth the repaire of S. Paul into Spaine So doth Dominicus Soto yeelding for his opinion that no auncient writer euer mentioned that voyadge And the French Historians Nicholas vignier and Francis Burgoing make it Nichol. Vignier Biblioth historial an 61. FraÌ„cis Burgoing l. 2. c. 1. l. 3. c. 2. Rom. cap. 15. very doubtfull the first saith it is not found by any certaine and trustiâ— Authours The other saith S. Paule did promise to goe into Spaine but it is not certaine that he was there THE XXX CHAPTER HOW IT IS VERY PROBABLE THAT S. Paule preached heare in Britayne allthough not vntill long after that S. Peter and his Disciples had first heare founded the Church of Christ 1. BVT although I may not be so confident as these our Protestants haue ben vpon so weake and slender foundations to builde an vndeniable and vnquestionable certaintie of S. Paules being preaching heare in Britayne Yet I doe not doubt but standing vpon other grounds then they haue done I may both publish it for a morally warrantable historicall truth that S. Paul preached heare that we may honour him for one of our holy Apostles sette downe a prefixed time though neare his death of his coming hither as also some few things which in morall Iudgment he performed heare And to S. Paul preached in Britaine begin with his coming hither we haue diuers both auncient and later Authorities to settle vs in that opinion First Eusebius himselfe bringeth him into our Neighboring Countries Italy Spaine and France to preach the Ghospell Dicitur peregre profectus in Hispaniam Italiam Christi Praeco verbum Eusebius Hist Eccl. l. 2. disseminasse Therefore coming of purpose to these parts to preach and to parts farre from Rome peregre profectus Christi Praeco and to sowe the word round about verbum disseminasse we may not exclude his labours out of this Nation S. Hierome speaketh more plainely and vrgeth the testimonie of S. Paule himselfe to intitle our Britaine so greate a part of the western world to be partaker of the preaching of S. Paul and speaketh as though God had ordayned his libertie from Prison to that end Sciendum Paulum â— Nerone dimissum Hieron in Catal. Scrip. in S. Paulo Apostolo vt Euangelium Christi in Occidentis quoque partibus praedicaret sicut ipse scribit in secunda Epistola ad Timotheum eo tempore quo passus est de vinculis dictans Epistolam In prima mea satisfactione nemo mihi affuit sed omnes me dereliquerunt non eis imputetur Dominus autem mihi affuit confortauit me vt per me praedicatio compleretur vt audirent omnes gentes Thus S. Hierome contendeth to proue by S. Pauls owne words and testimonie that he preached in these parts and his words vt per me praedicatio compleretur vt audirent omnes gentes that by mee the preaching might be fully knowne and that all the Gentiles 2. Tim. 4. v. 17. might heare as our Protestants translate doe proue no lesse For it is euident by S. Paul himselfe and all others that after his returne into the Eastern parts he preached vnto those he had instructed before and not fulfilled all his preaching there nor all the Gentils did or could heare him
there being dispersed in so many Nations also of the west of which this Nation was so greate a portion that where omnes gentes all the gentils were to heare S. Pauls preaching in this part of the world Britaine was not nor to make good S. Pauls words could be exempted especially seeing S. Hierome saith plainely and S. Paule confirmeth it that he was deliuered from his Prison to preach the Ghospell to all gentils of the West And S. Isidor beareth the same witnes for shewing how S. Paule preached in the Easte and then after in Italy and Spaine he addeth of the other western Nations ac nomen Christi multarum Isid Hisp l. de vita morte Sanctorum c. 71. manifestauit gentium populis quibus ante non fuerat declaratum and he made the name of Christ manifest to people of many Nations to which it was not before declared And saith he was chosen a Maister and preacher in all places and his Apostleship was giuen for the vncircumcised gentils Paulus in omnibus Magister Cap. 83. supr Praedicator eligitur Paulo Apostolatus praeputij in gentibus datus est S. Epiphanius seemeth to be of the same opinion And our renowned Countriman Epiph. haeres 52. Bed in Martyr prid cal Iul. to 3. S. Bede speaking of S. Paule saith that besides his greate labours in the Easte he also preached in the parts of the west Euangelium christi in Occidentis quoque partibus praedicauit Where the words the parts of the west spoken without restriction or limitation to any particular place parte Prouince or kingdome will not suffer so greate a part as greate Britaine to be excluded from his preaching 2. For which opinion we may also cite the auncient Roman Martyrologe Martyrol Rom. Ado Vsuard◠in Martyrol die 29. Iunij Petr. Cluniacen l. 2. ep 1. Trithem in S. Maximo Cat. Episc Mogune Ant. Demochar cont Calu. Gul. Eisengr cent 1. Philip. Bergom histor l. 8. an 90. Genebrard in Chron. an 63. Franc. Burgoing hist l. 3. c. 2. Magdeb cent 1. l. 2. c. 10. col 595. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Godw. Conu Ado Viensis Vsuardus Petrus Cluniacensis Trithemius the Cathalogue of the Bishops of Ments Philippus Bergomensis Antonius Democharez Gulielmus Eisengrenius Genebrard and others testifying S. Paules preaching in the west Countries neare vnto Britaine so doe diuers forrein Protestants and of this Nation also Francis Burgoing the Mageburgians with others writing plainely that in Italia Gallia Hispania alijs occidentis partibus docuit Euangelium he preached the Ghospell in Italy Gaule and Spayne and other west parts which he had concluded with himselfe citing for this proofe Philip. 1. v. 25. 26. Epist ad Phillem v. 22. and Rom. 15. By which relation we cannot without iniury both to S. Paul and this kingdome depriue Britaine of his preaching And therefore diuers both auncient and late writers doe expressely and particularly affirme that Sainct Paule preached in this Nation Among which for auncients I may alledge Venantius Fortunatus before for allthough as I haue proued his narration of S. Pauls preaching cannot without some Poeticall strain or fiction be verified yet being a Christian a Preist of Italy and Bishop of Poicters in France where he was most likely to be truely informed of S. Pauls labours he might not without too much liberty and amplification in his kinde extend them as he doth vnto Thule and the vttermost parts of the knowne world except he had found good warrant to write as he did that he preached in all the Dominions of the Britans the way and passadge thither Quasque Britannus habet terras quasque vltima Thule And Arnoldus Mirmannius plainely writeth of him Ad Occidentis Arnold Mirm. in Theatro cōu gent. Europae Climata importare Euangelium studens Hispaniam primum hinc Galliam inde Britanniam pridem a Claudio triumphatam Orchades caeterasque Oceani Regiones seu Insulas extremas quasque petens per Germaniam in Italiam contendit Desiring to carry the Ghospell vnto the Climats of the west and Europe going first into Spaine then to France from thence to Britaine where Claudius had triumphed a while before the Orchads and other Regions or Iles of the Ocean by Germany went into Italy Where we see a constant affirmation of his preaching heare with such circumstances and particulars that without greate Authoritie for so constant a Relation it had bene greate rashnes to haue made it To these we may adde Bellarmine who speaking of Christs sending his Apostles to preach saith he sent some into the furthest part of Britaine to destroy by them the Idols of the world and erect the Standard of the Crosse to chaunge lawes and customes and Bellarm. l. meditat Anglice translat pag. 207. to ouerthrowe the Tyranny of the Deuill Where speaking in the plurall number of Apostles sent hither he must needs by one of them vnderstand S. Paul For it is euident before euen by Protestants allowance that excepting him none of them but S. Peter preached in this kingdome of greate Britaine And in this opinion are diuers Catholike writers of this Nation expressely writing that S. Paule parsonally preached heare 3. M. Harris in his Manuscript History thus testifieth of him he came into Harris Theat l. 1 c. 15. Engl. Martyrol die 29. Iunij this lād of Britany and heare preached the Ghospell The Publisher of the English Martyrologe saith of him It is recorded by diuers auncient writers that he came parsonally into our Iland of greate Britaine and there preached the Christian faith And againe in another place according to diuers auncient writers S. Paul parsonally came into Britany and there preached the faith of Christ. The author of the Ianuarij 25. The Author of the 3. Conu of Brit. p. 22. Gulielm Camd. in Britannia in Sommersetshire Matth. Parker Antiquit. Brit. p. 2. booke intituled The 3. Conuersions is of the same iudgment So be many others and some Protestants as their cheife Antiquarie Camden who affirmeth that both S. Peter and S. Paul preached heare Petrus ipse huc penetrauit diuini verbi lumen diffudit vti etiam Paulus Therefore it is a farre fetched fiction of the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury to say that those which be of the Popes Religion doe make it a thing incredible and vnpossible that S. Paul either parsonally by himselfe or by any his Disciples preached heare pontificij incredibile atque adeo impossibile statuunt For Catholiks are so farre from making either of these either incredible or vnpossible that we willingly allowe them both for probable Onely I haue proued and by Protestants warrant that it is a thing both incredible and vnpossible that either S. Paul or any other of the Apostles but S. Peter and his Disciples should be the first and principall Founders of the Church of Christ in this Kingdome But they be Protestant and not Catholike writers
Clement for the same as S. Anacletus doth and he liued in the yeare 255. The like hath Pelagius the second and others And to write from the first generall and greate Councells the first Nicen Councell both in the fourth sixr and seuenth Canon both in Greeke and Latine and in all Copies maketh mention of such Primats and Metropolitans and their priuiledges calling it antiqua consuetudo the old custome so doth the second Councell at Arles in France where our Archbishop of London was present and subscribed for the Cleargie of this Nation about the same time And the first generall Councell of Antioche setteth downe how in euery Prouince there should be a Metropolitan ouer the other Bishops and that other Bishops might doe nothing without his allowance And saith the old Rule and Canon of the Fathers was so and from the beginning secundum antiquam à Patribus nostris Regulam constitutam vt vult qui ab initio obtinuit Patrum Canon as an other translation readeth Therefore this so certaine and auncient a Rule and Canon so generall so binding and from the beginning thus testified by these first generall Councells must needs be the same which is before deliuered from S. Clement and S. Anacletus in this matter 4. And to make all sure by our English Protestants Religion to passe Booke of Consecratiō of Archbishops c. in Praefat. Articl of Relig. 36. Tho. Roger. Annalis Artic. 36. ouer their priuate writers in this case the generall Rule of their Religion for making vnto them such Primats and Archbishops as they haue assureth vs this was the practise of the Church euer since the Apostles time So doth their publik Glosse vpon the Articles of Religion to which all their Protestant Bishops and Ministers haue sworne to maintaine the doctrine thereof as they write Perrused and by the lawfull Authoritie of the Church of England allowed to be publike And thus Intituled on euery leafe as vpon this in particular The Catholike doctrine of the Church of England In which they expressely write of their Protestant Archbishops which they call Primats as their Catholike Predecessors were It is agreable to the word of God and Practise of the Primatiue Church that there should be Archbishops The superioritie which Archbishops enioye and exercise is groūded vpon the word of God And for a summe of their reasons Couell Examinat c. 9. pag. 105. 106. herein thus they print with publike priuiledge Apostolicall ordination reason the custome of all Churches auncient and well gouerned and nature it selfe doth ordaine Archbishops in their Prouinces to Rule the Church Which is asmuch in so few words containing the heads of all cheife Arguments for this matter as either S. Anacletus or any Catholike writer at this day doth or can vse in this busines And giue this greatest warrant they are able to those holy writings of S. Clement and Anacletus and in mysteries besides whether of the Popes Supremacy ouer all Christian people and Churches or any other deliuered in them being the first witnesses hereof we haue after Apostles whome they their immediate Schollers and successors alledge both for teaching and practising the same And for these present questions of cheifest importance as for others hereafter they doe in expresse termes thus both alledge and allowe these so auncient Testimonies of this holy Apostolike mā Anacletus Episcopos officio pares ordine duplici distinxit eos Primates siue Patriarchas appellari voluit qui in illis ciuitatibus praeessent in quibus olim primarij Flamines Robertus Barnes l. de vit Pontif Rom. in Anaclet excuss Lugduni Batauorum 1615. cum gratia priuileg illustrium DD. ordinum generalium sederunt in alijs Metropolitanis vrbibus Episcopos Metropolitanos vel Archiepiscopos nominandos esse censuit Ab ipso Domino Primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersumque Christiani nomine populum concessum esse asseruit Pope Anacletus did distinguish Bishops equall in calling into two orders he would haue them called Primats or Patriarks which ruled in those Cities in which in olde times the primary Flamins did sitt in other Metropolitan Cities he did holde that the Bishops should be named Metropolitans or Archbishops He affirmed that Primacie was graunted by our Lord himselfe to the Roman Church ouer all Churches and all Christian people Therefore seeing it is so amply confessed that what S. Anacletus hath deliuered vnto vs was by the warrant instruction and example of S. Peter and S. Clement his Predecessor and diuers times among other holy directions sufficiently declareth that in his time it principally appertained vnto him to send Bishops and Preists into this as to other parts of the world that they which would be accompted Sheepe and belonging to the Folde of Christ may knowe whether those Sheephards and Pastors which they followe are true and lawfull Pastors or no we cannot better learne this distinction to knowe them by then of this holy man made Preist and tought by S. Peter himselfe and after succeeding him in that highest Chardge and dignitie especially seeing he hath more particularly then any others of that Age to my reading deliuered this cognizance to Posteritie cheifely to know their cheife Pastors Bishops by and of others so plainely that no man except willfully can be deceaued therein First he setteth downe the Inferior Orders Inferior Ecclesiasticall Orders to assist at the Masse in the Apostles time vnder holy Preisthood as Deacons Subdeacons and other Ministers to assist the Bishop in the holy sacrifice of Masse making that their principall office and dutie as of a Preist to offer the sacrifice of Masse Episcopus Deo sacrificans testes secum habeat plures quam alius Sacerdos Sicut enim maioris honoris gradu fruitur sic matoris testimonij incremento Indiget In solēnioribus diebus aut Septem aut quinque aut Anacletus epist 1. tres Diaconos Subdiaconos atque reliquos Ministros secum habeat qui sacris induti vestimentis in fronte a tergo Presbyteri è regione dextra laeuaque contrito corde humiliato spiritu ac prono stent vultu custodientes eum a maleuolis hominibus consensum eius praebeant sacrificio Where expressely naming Bishops and Preists to offer sacrifice and Deacons Subdeacons and other Cleargie men besides them Diaconos Subdiaconos atque reliquos Ministros and appointing their places and manner of ministring in the holy sacrifice in sacred vestements must needs make that their cheifest office and imploiment And allthough he doth not name in particular those Orders that were inferior to Subdeacons but onely in a generall name atque reliquos Ministros yet thereby expressing they were diuers and their cheife chardge and attendance was to assiste Bishops and Preists at Masse he must needs meane those auncient Inferior Orders which still and euer were in the Catholike Church and which that blessed Father S. Ignatius liuing then
wine his Countrimen and friends heare to Christ would not giue ouer so holy a worke to take so long a Iorney to dispose of temporall things which he had so contemned before in respect of Religeous and heauenly busines 3. And thus it proued true for S. Timothie writing againe to S. Pastor his brother in holy Preisthood and his most holy Sister S. Praxedes Timotheus confratri presbitero Pastori sanctissimae Sorori Praxedi in Domino salutem S. Timothie committerh the disposing of his temporall Ritches in Rome to S. Pius Pope S. Praxedes his Sister and S. Pastor to Ecclesiasticall vses desiring to be remembred at the memory of the holy Apostles and to S. Pius Pope and all Saints there referreth the disposition of all that temporall substance to S. Pastor and Praxedes giuing them full power and Authoritie to dispose thereof Oramus sanctimonium vestrum vt nos commendare dignemini memoriae sanctorum Apostolorum sancto Pio Episcopo sanctae Sedis Apostolicae Praesuli omnibus sanctis Agnoscat Sanctitas vestra quia quod germano suo Nouato placuit nobis famulis vestris placet vt in arbitrio sanctae virginis sit quod mihi dereliquit quod vobis sanctae virgini placuerit ex eo faciendi plenam per omnia habeatis potestatem This power and Epistle being receaued by S. Pastor at Rome from S. Timothie in Britaine he deliuered the Epistle to Pope Pius to reade who gaue thanks to God to see so greate pietie in our holy Countriman accepta hac Epistola gaudio repleti sumus tradidimus eam legendam His house that was S. Nouatus house dedicated a Church by Pope S. Pius sancto Pio Episcopo Tunc beatus Pius Episcopus gratias egit Deo omnipotenti And sainct Praxedes so soone as she had receaued this warrant from sainct Timothie entreated sainct Pius the Pope to dedicate that house of Nouatus for a Church because the building was greate and spatious which saint Pius performed dedicating a Church there at Nouatus Bathes and constituted it a Roman Title consecrating a Baptisterie or Font there the fourth of the Ids of May Eodem tempore virgo Domini Praxedes accepta Potestate rogauit beatum Pium Episcopum vt in Thermis Nouati quae iam in vsu non erant Ecclesiam dedicaret quia in eis aedificium magnum spatiosum videbatur esse quod placuit Pio Episcopo dedicauit Ecclesiam in Thermis Nouati in vrbe in loco qui appellatur vicus Lateriorum vbi constituit Titulum Romanum in qúo Baptisterium consecrauit quarto Idus Maias This Title or Church decayed with oldnes was decently reedified and renewed by Henry Cardinall Caietan Preist and Baron Annal. Ecclesiast Tom. 2. an 162. Ado Treueren Martyr 12. Cal. Aug. Sur. die â—1 Iulij in S. Praxede Cardinall of that auncient Title when Caesar Baronius wrote his Historie of this Age anno quo haec scribimus Ado Archbishop of Treuers and others write that this Church or Title was dedicated in her parents time in titulo quem Pater earum Pudens dedicauit Which may be well said in respect of the continuall residence and continuance of the holy Apostles or their Disciples and other Apostolike sacred Preists and Christians there continually seruing God And after this solemne dedication by saint Pius our holy Country woman The honour of this our BritaÌ„s Church in Rome S. Praxedes Martyrs and other holy Saincts there saint Praxedes continued there in greate holines both in time of quiet and Persecution entettayning all Christians and releeuing such of them as were needy there In so much that soone after this time Antoninus Pius being departed out of this life and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus succeeding him in the Empire and persecuting Christians and our blessed Countrywoman notwithstanding the terror of Persecution continuing S. Pastor in Act. S. Praxed Ado. Treu. 12. cal August Sur. alij 21. Iulij Bed Vsuard Rom. Martyrol die 26. Maij. Petr. Cat. l. 5. c. 58. her auncient Religeous charitie in harbouring and maintayning the persecuted Christians the Emperour being informed of such meetings and assemblies to be vsed and continued in the house of saint Praxedes sent his persecuting Instruments thither who apprehended many among whome he commanded saint Simitrius an holy Preist and 22. others without any examination or Processe of lawe barbarously to be put to death in the same Church Vulgatum est Antonino Imperatori quod conuentus fieret in domo Praxedis qui misit tenuit multos inter quos Simitrium Presbyterum cum alijs viginti duobus quos sine interrogatione gladio puniri praecepit in eodem Titulo Whose bodies saint Praxedes carefully gathered together and reuerently in the night time buryed them in her holy Mothers funerall place And she herselfe soone after within 34. dayes of this greate Martyrdome departed this life to receaue her eternall happines and reward in heauen and was buryed there also neare her holy Father by saint Pastor the reuerend Preist and Martyr who also wrote her life In which place saith he the prayers of Saints doe florish at this day Vbi florent hodie orationes Sanctorum 4. Neyther did this holy Brittish Receptacle and Nursery of sacred Preists and Christians departe froÌ„ this so long continued Religion deuotion charitie vsed there by the death of saint Praxedes nor she saint Pius and saint Pastor vpon that warrant or Resignation of saint Timothie spoken of before so This Church bore the name of S. Timothie and euen by the Romans coÌ„fession was from S. Peters first coming to Rome the greatest receptacle of Christians there transferre the dominion and Rule thereof from him though erecting a Title or Church there but they still reserued a commande thereof to him and it bore his name Balneum Timotheum Thermae Timothinae Timothies Bath after saint Praxedes death and saint Timothies also keeping long the name of the last Brittish owner thereof Baronius freely confesseth after this time that this Brittish house was then and had bene the common and vsuall lodging place of Christians in Rome from the first coming of saint Peter thither patebat Pudentis Senatoris domus vt alias meminimus ab initio Petri Romam aduentus hospitio Baron Annal. Eccl. Tom. 2. an 165. Christianorum And he very often times reiterats the like And to make this good we haue many worthie Writers some in the life of S. Iustine the renowned Christian Philosopher and Martyr who as the Authours testifie did offer his second Booke for the Defence of Christian Religion to Marcus Martyrol Rom. die 13. Aprilis Bed Vsuard Ado Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius CoÌ„modus the persecuting Emperours and defended it publikely in disputation after this time secundum librum pro Religionis nostrae defensione praefatis Imperatoribus Marco Antonino Vero Lucio Aurelio Commodo porrexisset This
Archbishop or Archbishops of London with their See Archbishops as had bene before their going againe to Rome or now were here to be setled and confirmed in those Sees with all such Rites and Ceremonyes as belonged to that highest calling in the Church of Britaine By vertue and power whereof they placed and confirmed in the See of London S. Thean one Protestant writer calleth him Thomas he builded the Iocelinus l. de Episc Brit. Goscelin Hist Eccl. c. de Episcopis Londin Harris M. S. Hist to 2. Will. Harris descrip of Britaine Stowe Histor in King Lucius Hollinsh hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 19. Godwin Catal. of Bish. London 1. Godwin Catal. supr in Yorke 1. Catal. Episcop Hierosol Nicephor Continuator Flor. Wigor Eusebius Hist Eccl. Harris Hist l. 2. Will. HarrisoÌ„ descript of Brit. c. 9. Church dedicated to S. Peter in Cornehill in London by the ayde of Cyran cheife Butler to King Lucius this some what draweth mee to their opinion before remembred which rather make his Cathedrall See at Westminster at the least vntill the other was builded and I haue sufficiently insinuated before from Antiquities that all the Metropolitane Churches were either changed from Archflamens Temples or newly builded at the chardges of our King and no subiect named Concerning Yorke a Protestant Bishop writeth The first Archbishop that euer Yorke had our Histories say was one named Sampson appointed by the foresaide King Lucius The veritie whereof I cannot but suspect in regard of the name For I finde not that the names of the old Hebrewes or Christian Saints were yet in vse Which reason of his is not true for euen in Hierusalem itselfe where S. Iames was made first Bishop he had his next Successors Simeon Iustus Zachaeus Tobias Beniamin Ioannes Matthias And in Britaine itselfe I haue proued before that we had S. Aristobulus and S. Timotheus and as some write one Aaron in this time which came with the holy Legats hither and soone after S. Aaron our holy Martyr vnder Dioclesian S. Stephen was shortly after Archbishop of London and by some the first of all was named Thomas And as vntrue it is that either our Historyes doe say there were onely foure Archbishops of Yorke in the Britans time Sampson Taurinus Bishop of Eureux Pyrannus and Tadiacus or that Sampson was the first Archbishop there for the first of the number many reckoÌ„ dyuers others and more and this Sampson could not possible be the first by his owne accompt The first Archbishops and Bishops of Yorke placing Taurinus there in the time of Constantius Chlorus 200. yeares before S. Sampson was Bishop there And by the accompt of the Brittish History and others S. Sampson which fledd hence into litle Britaine was the seuenth Archbishop of Yorke Pastor Eboracensis septimus in Armorico regno frequentabitur So readeth Matthew of Westminster and diuers others Matth. Westm An. 490. Sigeb Gemblacen Chronico 445. Galfr. Monum Hist l. 7. c. 3. Mat. Westm an 464. Radulph Niger apud Harris Manuscr Hist l. 2. c. 20. Will. Harridâ—scr of Britaine cap. 9. Wherefore I must rather harken to Radulphus Niger as M. Harris in his Manuscript History writeth to himselfe ad William Harrison a Protestant Antiquary and others who tell vs that S. Theodosius was made the first Archbishop of Yorke in this time of King Lucius So they coÌ„fidently affirme And if this Protestant Bishop could proue that S. Taurinus Bishop of Eureux was Archbishop of Yorke in Canstantius Chlorus time we shall finde 10. Archbishops there from this time 7. to S. Sampson whome he nameth the first but was long after and beside S. Taurinus Pyrannus and Thadeoceus but S. Taurinus of Eureux was not lyuing aboue an hundred yeares before Constantius Chlorus time 4. Maister Harrys saith Eadnochus a Martyr was the third Archbishop there and S. Teruanus the fourth The second fift and sixt he nameth not Trith l. de Scri. in Sedul Manus Hist Vit. S. Niniani Capgr in eod Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Niniano Hector Boet. Hist Scotor l. 7. f. 119. 133. Trithemius calleth Hildebertus Maister to Sedulius an Archbishop so doe others Among these we may number Ninian sent by the Pope into those parts and exercising Archiepiscopall Power both among the Britans Scots and Picts which none but the Archbishop of Yorke could doe and the Country of Pictland neuer was an Archiepiscopall Prouince So I say of S. Teruanus whome as our Scottish Historians write S. Palladius the Popes Legate made Archbishop neither Pictland nor Scotland many hundred yeares after hauing any Archbishop but the Archbishop of Yorke And likely it is this is the same S. Teruanus whome Maister Harris onely numbreth among the Archbishops of Yorke not yeelding his reason or any Authour If there was any Taurinus or Sampson besides him that was the seuenth and went into Armoca they may be added to this number but I dare nor take vpon mee to set them in order as they succeeded How the Pope subiected all the Country now called Scotland to the Iurisdiction of this See I haue said before and now he confirmed the same making that Metropolitan the spirituall Superior of that Country in which then there were many Christians and by the testimony of Tertullian and others before this time that the Christian Religion was preached and planted there from Rome whether the temporall power of the Romans could not come did truely confirme that Tertullian Apol. S. Leâ— Serm. 1. de Natali Apost Petri Pauli saying of S. Leo speaking to Rome per sacram beati Petri sedem caput orbis effecta latiùs praesideres Religione diuina quam Dominatione terrena Thow being made the head of the worlde by the See of S. Peter rulest further by Diuine Religion then terreane DominioÌ„ These streights we haue passed in seeking to finde Archbishops of Caerlegion the first Archbishops of London and Yorke in King Lucius time and now comming to Caerlegion we fall vpon greater difficulties in this trauaile A Protestant Bishop and Antiquarie would make this way vnpassable when he saith we must accompt S. Dubritius the first Bishop Not that I deny any other to haue sate Godwin Catal. of Bish. in Landaffe 1. and S. Dauids 1. there before him but because he is the first whose name is remembred And it is probable he had no Predecessors because the memory of his Successors is so carefully preserued But as this mans Authoritie is so weeke to be rested vpon that it hath often before deceaued them which builded vpon it so his reason heare alledged is of as feeble streÌ„gth For the memory of the Successors haue bene so carelessely preserued by his owne confession after that he hauing cited two different Catalogues of their names onely aboue twenty in number concludeth in these termes against himselfe before of these forenamed Bishops vntill Harpesfeild hist in fine 7. saeculi Io. Bal. l.
Spartianus writeth in his Iorney from Syria to Alexandria he made many Lawes forbidding vnder greate penaltie any man to be either a Iew or Christian In Itinere Palaestinis plurima Iura fundauit Iudaeos fieri sub graui paena vetuit Idem etiam de Christianis sanxit And as Dio and others witnesse he consented euen by his Imperiall letters both to the depriuing of S. Philip of the Augustall Prefectship of Egipt being become a professed Christian and giuing Authoritie to Terentius his Successor secretly to martyr him But for Seuerus excuse we finde the greatest and allmost onely Persecution of this time to haue bene either in or about Iury occasioned by the tumults of the Iewes or in Afrike wher Seuerus was borne and principally in Egipt then full of Christians the Prefect himselfe S. Philip a professed Christian and so potent as the letters of Seuerus vnto him say he liued more like an absolute King then Prefect that Prefecture of Egipt being of so greate Authoritie and dignitie te tanquam Regem potius quam praefectum elegit Egipti Praesidem and Cornelius Tacitus affirmeth as much of the Prerogatiue of that Presidentship Aegiptum a diuo Augusto Equites Romani obtinent loco Regum 2. Therefore Africk being the Country of Seuerus birth and so formidable an â—nemie in former times to the Romans as all Histories report and now so abounding with Christians slanderously accused by their Pagan Enemies to be Enemies to the Roman Empire Seuerus may seeme by such acclamations against his owne inclination to haue giuen way to Persecution And the rather because the Gnostick Heretikes giuen then ouer so farre to all filthines that as Irenaeus Nicephorus and others write they did publikly professe and so practise that all which would come to perfection in their Sect which they onely allowed must commite all filthines omnem eos oportere perpetrare Nicephor l. 4. c. 2. Hist Eccl. Iraen apud eund aduers Haeres l. 1. c. 24. turpitudinem infandis omnibus faeditatibus satisfacere These Heretiks being accompted Christians with Pagans might sooner prouoke the Emperour by such mens informations against the most holy Professours of Christian Religion Which were so free from being such as they were falsely reputed with those their Enemies to be that as Athenagoras in his defensiue Oration for theÌ„ in the name of the Christians desired no mercie or fauour but to be vtterly rooted out if those impious slaunders could be proued true against them Si vera ista sunt nulli parcite generi animaduertite in eiusmodi facinora Athenagor orat pro Christianis Niceph. l. 5. Hist c. 26. Tertull. l. ad Scapul c. 4. vnà cum coniugibus liberis radicitus nos extirpate occidite Nicephorus saith Christianitie florished in his time Cum Seuerus successit satis bono loco res nostrae fuere Vniuersae multitudines domus totae ad fidem accedebant And Tertullian then liuing saith Ipse etiam Seuerus Pater Antonini Christianorum memor fuit nam Proculum Christianum qui Toparcion cognominabatur qui eum per oleum aliquando curauerat requisiuit in Palatio suo habuit vsque ad mortem The Emperor Seuerus a louer of Christians and in Britaine no Persecutor of them but protected such eius quem Antoninus optimè nouerat lacte Christiano educatus Sed clarissimas faeminas clarissimos viros Seuerus sciens huius Sectae esse non modo non laesit verum testimonio exornauit populo furenti in os palam restitit Seuerus also himselfe Father of Antoninus was kinde to Christians for he sought for Proculus à Christian who had some time before cured him with oile and kept him in his Palace with him so long as he liued He was exceedingly well knowne to Antoninus that was nursed by a Christian woman And Seuerus knowing both most renowned women as also most honorable men to be of this Profession was so farre from doeing them any hurt that he commended them and openly resisted euen to their face the raging people Therefore if Seuerus the Emperour was of his owne disposition so great a louer of Christians in generall if he honoured Proculus in his Palace so long as he liued gaue allowance that his Sonne and Heire Antoninus Bassianus Tertull. supr Dio in Seuero Antonino Caracull Baron To. 2. Annal. An. 195 King of Britaine and Emperour after his Father should both be nursed by a Christian woman and be so familiar with such knowne professed Christians as Proculus was and was the Ouerseer of Euodus the Tutor or Bringer vp of Bassianus his Sonne as may be gathered both by Tertullian Dio and The Empresse Lady Martia wife to Seuerus a Britan and in profession or affection a Christian others and both Seuerus himselfe so greate an honourer both of most renowned Christian men and women and his Lady and Empresse Martia of Britaine so farre affected and disposed to Christian Religion that if she did not professe it in Act yet in affection and desire so honoured it that she would not permit her Sonne and Heire to be nursed by any but a Christian woman and the Ouerseer of so greate a chardge to be a Christian so famous and renowned for his faith as Proculus was knowne of all men to be These considered I dare not boldly say that Seuerus did in any time or place of his owne inclination wittingly and willingly without great incitation condiscend to such Persecutions as are remembred in Histories to haue bene in his Empire 3. And after his comming into Britaine we doe not finde the least suspition in our Antiquities that he did of himselfe or suffer any other to persecute any for Christian Religion But rather both of himselfe and at the Instance of his Brittish Empresse at the least a Christian in affection and both powerable with him and their Sonne Bassianus his Heire and Successour and for that loue and trust he founde in the Brittish Christians of all that part of Britaine South to the wall and Trench which Adrian and he made ioyning with him against his Enemies to possesse him of the Crowne of Britaine he was a greatefull friend to them and their holy Profession And all our Histories are cleare that Religion was heare in quiet without molestation or affliction vntill the Empire of Dioclesian that greate Persecutor Yet we cannot deny but all places in Britaine being now full of warlike miseries and the Christians heare both in Albania Loegria and Cambria mixed and ioyned both with Roman and Scythian Infidels many of them fell both to wickednes and Paganisme also Which occasioned holy Gildas to write that Christianitie was receaued but coldly of the Inhabitants of Britaine and with some continued perfect but not so with others before Dioclesian his Persecution Praecepta Christi ab Incolis tepidè apud quosdam tameÌ„ integrè alios minus vsque Gild. l. de excid
Iulia his second wife a Roman if she may be termed a wife his first lawfull still liuing He reigned as Baronius contendeth 17. yeares 8. moneths and 3. dayes But our Historians make Baron An. D. 195. 213. Flor. Wigorn. Chron. An. 180. 202. his Empire somewhat longer Matthew of Westminster maketh him Emperour compleate 18. yeares Romanum consecutus Imperium imperauit annis 18. Florentius Wigorniensis citing Cassiodorus and the Roman Historie saith he was Emperour 18. yeares and 3. Moneths Seuerus regnauit annis 18. teste Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. in Seuero Galfr. Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun Hist l. 5. Matth. Westm an 206. Ioan. Harding Chron. c. 53. Bal. l. de Script Brit. cent 1. in Fulgenio Audaci Cassiodoro mensibus etiam tribus secundum Historiam Romanam Marianus Scotus saith he held the Empire 19. yeares Cum 19. annis Seuerus tenuisset Imperium decessit And whereas it is generally agreed vpon both by our Brittish and Saxon Historians and Antiquaries whether Catholiks or Protestants that Fulgenius after his former discumfiture by Seuerus went ouer into Scythia interpreted to be that Country which now is called Denmarke and brought with him a greate Armie of the people of that Nation which our Antiquities call Picts before he fought with Seuerus and they both there were slaine or died at Yorke Fulgenius cum diutius resistere nequiuisset transfretauit in Scythiam vt Pictorum auxilio dignitati restitueretur Cumque ibi omnem InuentuteÌ„ Patriae collegisset reuersus est cum maximo nauigio in Britanniam atque Eboracum obsedit these were none of the Christian Picts or Scots which liued in our Ilands who had ioyned with Fulgenius before and many of them were slaine as the same Authours testifie conâ—ucebat in auxilium sibi quo scumque Insulanos populos inueniebat but they were Pagan Picts of whome many remaining heare after the death of these two Generals they had a place giuen vnto them to Inhabite in the Country Albania Carausius vt triumphum habuit dedit Pictis locum mansionis in Albania vbi cum Britonibus mixti per sequens aeuum Galfr. Mon. supr c. 3. Fabian Hist Polychron Wil. Harrison descri of Brit. c. 22. Hollinsh Histor of Engl. l. 4. c. 23. Bed Hist Eccles l. 1. Capgr in S. Niniano Hect. Boeth Scotor Hist l. 7. Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Ninia Bernicio manserunt Thus write our Brittish Historians and our Protestant Antiquaries agree when they say that Carausius gaue vnto the Scots Picts and Scithians the Country of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited And these were those Pagan Picts and people which S. Ninian and others sent from Rome did longe after conuert to the faith of Christ as S. Bede and others testifie for the Ilanders which were Picts and Scots were conuerted in Pope Victor his time as I haue declared before which is an other Argument against the Scottish writers which would haue themselues seated in the Country now called Scotland so long a duration of yeares as they haue claymed before THE VII CHAPTER HOW IN THE TIME OF BASSIANVS SONNE of Seuerus being Emperour he was both in Britaine whence he was discended and other places he was a friend to Christians and Persecutour of their Persecutours How S. Zepherine the Pope then sent diuers Apostolike men into Britaine 1. AS soone after the death of the Emperour Seuerus the TeÌ„porall state of our Britans being freed from many surges waues of calamities did finde a calme So the Church of Christ especially in this kingdome eÌ„tered thereby into an harbour of some ease and quietnes from such enormities afflictioÌ„s as vsually growe and happen in such times For the Quarrell for this kingdome being principally betweene Seuerus and Fulgenius their Complices and Confederats allthough Seuerus was actually slayne in that bloody conflict at Yorke yet Fulgenius followed presently after being by all Writers mortally wounded in the same Battayle Fulgenius laethaliter vnlneratus est And for Posteritie the Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matt. Westm An. 206. Harding Chron. c. 53. condition of Seuerus was farre berter then that of Fulgenius for whether the Britons or Romans should preuayle in choosing a King or Emperour Seuerus leauing two Sonnes one of the Brittish the other of the Roman blood left prouision for both euents When the case of Fulgenius was not such he himselfe not noted to haue had any true Title to the Crowne of Britaine but chosen King or Captayne of them which would not admitt the Romans Gouernment duce Fulgenio and Fulgenius Dux populi profligati And King Fulgenius Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matt. Westm supr Hard. supr elected to be King rather of Loue and necessitie then by any Title he had so to be And if he had any Right by discent to the Crowne of Britaine seeing we reade of no child or Brother he left behinde him that Title which he claymed must needs discend to the eldest Sonne of Seuerus which was Bassianus Sonne also to the Sister oâ— Fulgenius as some before haue written now hauing by the death of his Father Seuerus and vnkle Fulgenius both their Titles with the allowance of the Empresse Martia his Mother lawfully inuested in him 2. Therefore to decide and end all Controuersies in this busines the Britans with common assent did chuse and accept Bassianus both for their King being the next and vndoubted Heire whether we shall staÌ„d eyther vpon his Fathers or vnkles Title and also for Emperour as the Eldest Sonne and Heire of Seuerus vndoubted Emperour and for his leauing Sonnes behinde as the cheifest cause made a God among the Romans So writeth Herodian with others Mos est Romanis consecrare Imperatores qui superstitibus filijs vel successoribus Herodian l. 4. moriuntur And an English Protestant Antiquarie though not citing Authoritie deliuereth the same in these words The Romans accustome to consecrate Stowe Hist Romans in Seuerus with Immortalitie such Emperours as at their death leaue eyther children or Successours in the Empire behinde them And those which are endued with that honour they canonize amongst the Gods Therefore to vse the speach of an other Protestant Historian from Antiquitie Seuerus by birth a Roman but in blood a Harrison descr of Britaine c. 22. Manuscr Gallic Antiq. cap. 109. Galfr. Mon. l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matth. West an 206. Harding Chron. in Seuerus Bassianus Holinsh. Hist of Eng. l. 4. cap. 22. Harris descript of Brit. c. 22. Tertull. ad Scapul c. 4. Spartian in Caracall Briton and the lineall Heire of the body of Androgeus Sonne of Lud and Nephew to Cassibelan was Emperour and King of Britaine Geta borne of a Roman woman Iulia was chosen Emperour by diuers Romans but soone after slayne by his halfe Brother Bassianus the Briton This
aetate in multa veneratione habitus 6. If we will informe our selues when and about what time he first preached and what was the doctrine in particular which he learned and was so soundly and perfectly instructed in at Rome brought from thence and preached heare we cannot better be secured in them but to finde out so neare as we can by Antiquities when the Picts heare were first conuerted to Christ because we haue bene assuredly warranted before that he was the first which preached Christ vnto them conuerted them to him and thereby is honored by the name of their Apostle His Religion which he professed and preached heare must needs be the same which by all Authors he learned at Rome and had his commission from the Pope there to publish it heare in The Picts heare conuerted in this Age and how soone Britaine the same which I haue before proued to be the knowne Christian Religion of the Popes and Church of Rome in those dayes Which did not in any point agree with that Protestant new learning which is now practised in England or any so termed Protestant Country which will more plainely appeare hereafter by the publikly professed Religion of all of this kingdome Britans Scots or Picts in those dayes I haue insinuated before that both Heirgustus King of the Picts and his Pictish people and subiects were Christians and publikly professed that Religion This is plainely and inuincibly proued both by our Scottish and English Historians as also that in the yeare of Christ Veremund Hist Scot. Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 6. Hollinsh Hist of Scotl. 369. fuit annus virginei partus nonus supra trecentesimum sexagesimum at what time Heirgistus King of the Picts was obseruantissimus a perfect most obseruant Christian Prince a sufficient signe and Argument that he was no young Scholler in the Schoole of Christ but had made greate progresse and much profited therein so likewise had all the Inhabitants of those Northren parts whether Picts Scots or Britans for the Historians of those places and others also assure vs that not onely Britans but Scots and Picts had many Monkes And first for Scots when Maximus had both conquered and quite bannished them from this Iland both Scottish and English Catholike and Protestant Historians thus speake of them The same time the Scottish Bishops and Preists Boeth supr Hollinsh Histor of Scotl. in Eugen. Bucan Histor Scot. l. 4. in Reg. 39. being bannished as well as the other sort of the Scottish people a number of their Mōks got them into the I le of Iona now called Colmkill where they erected a Monasterie for their owne habitation the worthinesse whereof hath bene right famous euen to these our dayes as that which was afterward endowed with many faire reuenewes by diuers of the Scottish Kings who had their burials there after the returne of the Scots into Albanie This was in the time of Maximus his being King heare and before he assumed the Empire by all Antiquaries This was in the yeare of Christ 379. Annus à Christi aduentu in carnem trecentesimus septuagesimus nonus Hect. Boeth l. 6. Histor Georg. Buchan Rer. Scot. l. 4. in Reg 39. And at that time as their Historians proue the Picts were generally and publikely instructed and professed Christians nec à Sacerdotibus Monachis qui tum in summo erant honore Picti etsi publicè Christianis institutis imbuti Iniuriam abstinuerunt And tenne yeares before this time both the Picts and their King were professed Christians as is shewed before and professed the same Religion in the most strict Order of Monkes and otherwise as the Roman Catholiks now doe Among those that were famous then in this Profession diuers of their names be these with honour preserued Inter nostros Damianus Presbyter Gelasius Thebaculus Merinatus Damiani Germanus Diaconi Nerius Hect. Boeth l. 6. Hist fol. 108. Boeth supr Buchan l. 4. in Reg. 35. Holinsh. Hist of Irel. Elusenius Merinus Machabaeus Syluerius Monachi And yet long before this time also in the dayes of King Fincomarke of Scotlād who reigned 47. yeares died multis virtutibus nobilis noble for many vertues in the yeare of Christ 358 Salutis humanae āno trecētesimo quinquagesimo octauo the Picts had receaued the faith of Christ before that time for whilst King Fincomarke reigned Fincomarco Rege Scotis adhuc Imperante by diuers Writers diuers of the Irish Annal. Scotic Hect. Boeth sup l. 6. fol. 104. Hollinsh Hist of Ireland people receaued the Lawe of Christ by meanes of a worthie Christian womā of the Picts as the Scottish other Histories testifie Per id tempus mulier Christianae pietatis cultrix Pictici eam fuisse sanguinis Scotici asseuerant Annales Regina insinuata Christi nomen illi mirifice praedicauit reuerendumque effecit This or the like memorable History I haue placed before in the dayes of Constantine the Greate for other parts by auncient Writers of greate authoritie But our Scottish and English Historians applying it to these parts and in the time of King Fincomarke must needs hold their Picts Conuersion very auncient in the time of King Fincomarke as I haue related making his Reigne 47. yeares Hect. Boeth l. 6. Scotor Hist fo 101. Hollinsh Histor of Scotl. in Finkomarke and yet affirming that he began to Reigne in the first yeare of the Empire of Constantine the Greate and was immediate Successor to King Crathlint which so religiously entertained our Brittish Christians flying to the Scots for succour and releife in the greate Persecution of Dioclesian before mentioned and this King Crathlint reigning but 24. yeares decessit Crathlintus postquam rei Scotieae praefuisset annos viginti quatuor Some say he Georg. Buchan l. 4. rer Scot. in Reg. 34. Hector Boeth Histor Scot. l. 6. f. 102. reigned not compleate 24. yeares but died in that last yeare nor compleate and Fincomarke was not onely by him choasen his Successor but by publike applause and acclamation presently accepted and crowned King Crathlinthus vicesimo quarto sui principatus anno fato concessit Quo anno Fincomarcus eius Patruelis Cormacho Crathlinti Patruo prognatus regno per manus morientis accepto cunctis conclamantibus vt faustum faelixque foret fatali Marmori progenitorum more insidens Rex ab omnibus est salutatus Therefore ioyning these receaued opinions of Historians together that the Picts were so timely and perfectly conuerted to the faith that in King Fincomarke his Reigne they had euen their women so learned and excellent in Christian Religion that they were so singularly powerable and honorable therein that the like instance is not founde in Histories and that S. Ninian by so many S. Ninian Apostle of the Picts brought vp at Rome in the times of S. Siluester Pope and Constantine the Greate Emperor Authorities was the first Apostle and Conuerter of that Nation we
by him ordained the first Bishop of Tullum Toul in Lorraine was by nation borne in that part of Britaine which now and euer of late for many yeares is and hath beene called Scotland But whether he was a Britaine or a Scot those Authorities doe not determine But it will more fully appeare hereafter that he was by birth a Britian that part of this Iland at that time being part of Britaine and longe after which among others Martial the Poet maketh manifest for that time for speaking of the inhabitants of that part of this kingdome which now is called S. Mansuetus disciple of S. Peter the Apostle was a Britain Scotland To Quintus Ouidius that was to trauaile thither from Rome he calleth them Britans of Caledonia Quinte Caledonios Ouidi visure Britannos The contry now called Scotland was part of Britainâ— in this time and longe after And it should seeme by Martial that this Quintus Ouidius himselfe was a Britain of this nation and perhaps of the kindred or retinue of lady Claudia for he doth not onely speake of his longe Iorney from Rome to our North part of Britaine as before now Scotland but in the same place setteth downe that he was to returne againe into Italy from hence and make his abode at Martial l. 10. epigram 44. ad Quintum Ouidium Martial supr epigr. 44. Sabinam where the howse of our Contry woman lady Claudia and her Husband Pudens was Sed reddarâ— tuis tandem mansure Sabinis But this hereafter when I come to that time But this sufficiently conuinceth both that the northreÌ„ inhabitants of this kingdome in those dayes were called Britans and that there was entercourse betweene Rome Romans and them especially when we see an old man fitter to sit by the fire then to take so longe a iorney as the Poet there describeth him not onely to goe to the remotest places of this kingdome from Rome but to make his returne into Italy againe And here I end the dayes of Tiberius leauing Cunobeline still King in Britaine or Guiderius newly begun his Reigne THE VII CHAPTER OF THE TIME OF CAIVS CALIGVLA Emperour and some Christian Britans of this nation probably both at Rome and in Britaine in his daies 1. AFTER the death of Tiberius Caius Caligula succeeded in the Empire but reigned so short a time as I haue before remembred Caius Caligula Emperour a frend and fauourer of Christians neither doe we reade that among his other vices which were many and greate that he was a persecutour of Christians for those outrages which he committed against the Iewes which among others our owne historians doe report were rather in reuenge against the Iewes for the death of Christ and their persecuting of Christians then for any hatred to Christian Religion And it was a iust punishment of God towards that incredulous people their holy temple that had beene so longe renowned for the true worship and sacrifice of God to see it now polluted Matthew West an 40. Theat of Britaine in Caius Caligula with the Idolatrous sacrifices of the Gentiles the Idol of Iupiter and the Emperour himselfe a vile and wicked man to be worshipped and adored there as the Lord of heauen and earth Caesar templum quod erat Hierosolymis iussit prophanari sacrificijs Gentilium Iouis statuam ibi collocat seque vt Dominum coeli terrae coli adorari praecepit When otherwise concerning Christians he still permitted Matth. Westm 38. 39. Niceph. Histor Eccl. l. 2. cap. 10. Arnold Miâ—m in Theat Conuers gent. the fauourable Edict of Tiberius to remaine in force He bannished Pilate by whome Christ was crucified He depriued Herode of his kingdome and together with Herodiades his brothers wife which he kept the occasion of the martyrdome of S. Ihon the Baptist he driue into bannishment and these and such fauours and Iustice he extended vnto the Christians who together with their frends had complained to L. Vitellius President of Syria which he related the Christians proueing it to Caligula And though this man made a shew of warre against the Brittans yet it was not for any matter concerning Stow and howe 's hist in Gindeâ—ius Holinsh. hist of Engl. l. â— Galfrid monum lib. 4. hist cap. 13. Pontic Virun li. 4. Britan. hist Stab Geograph Christian Religion 2. And we are assured both by the British history Ponticus Virunnius diuers Protestant writers that not onely Adaminus sonne of King Kimbeline with his retinue liued with the Emperour Caligula but there were then many Britanni obsides Romae Britans kept for pledges or hostages then at Rome And this Emperour did nothing in matters of hostility against the Britans but only made a shew of warre and returned with contempt And the Brittish Kings at that time whether Kymbeline Guiderius or Aruiragus were frendly S. Mansuetus Britan made Bishop by S. Peter the Apostle vnto Christians In the time of this Emperour we reade that S. Peter the Apostle consecrated our holy contry man S. Mansuetus which he had Christened before in the time of Tyberius a Bishop and sent him to Tullum in Lorraine Tullenses habuere Apostolum suaeque in Christum fidei primum Antistitem Arnoldus Mirmannius in theatro conuersionis gentium §. Metensibus Eisengr cent 1. distict 3. part 1. Anton. Democh lib. 2. de Missa â—ontra Calo cap. 33. Petr. de natalib l. 11. c. vlt. Franc. Bellefor Cosmog l. 2. S. Mansuetum S. Petri Apostoli discipulum S. Clementis collegam origine Scotum The Tullensians or inhabitants of Tullum in Lorraine had for their Apostle and their first Bishop of their faith in Christ S. Mansuetus a Scot by natiuity the disciple of S. Peter the Apostle and câ—mpanion of S. Clement This is testified also by many others as Gulielmus Eisengrenius Antonius Democharez Petrus de natalibus with others saying S. Mansuetus natione Scotus ex nobili prognatus familia Simonis Bar-ionae Apostolorum Coryphaei discipulus socius beati Clementis Episcopi Metensis à Petro Loucorum in vrbe Tullensi primus Antistes consecratus est Mansuetus by nation a Scot so they terme our northren Britans borne of a noble family the disciple of Simon Bar-ionas the cheife of the Apostles fellow of S. Clement the Bishop of Metz was consecrated by S. Peter the first Bishop in the citie of Tullum 3. Hitherto these Authours onely this difference I finde betweene them Arnold Mirm. in Theatr. Conuer gent. in S. Clem. Metensi Episc that Arnoldus Mirmannius saith S. Clement whose companion S. Mansuetus was was Bishop of Metz by S. Peters appointement in the 40. yeare of Christ Caio Caligula Imperatore when Caius Caligula was Emperour And Eisengrenius saith S. Mansuetus was made Bishop of Tullum in the yeare 49. eight or neyne yeares after Which may easily be reconciled together by saying S. Mansuetus was sent by S. Peter in the yeare of Christ 40. and tooke
Zelotes who according to diuers auncient writers among The Authour of the English Marty rologe printed ann 1608. 28. Octobr his greate mistaking authorities other his PeregrinatioÌ„s came into our IlaÌ„d of Britany about the yeare of Christ fourty and sixe and there preached the Christian faith baptized ordeined Preists DeacoÌ„s erected Churches and the like whereby we may worthely call him our Apostle and with greater solemnitie celebrate his feast by whom we receaued so singular graces benefites He afterward went into Persia with S. Iude to preach the ChristiaÌ„ faith to the infidels of that Country where at last he receaued the reward of his labours by martyrdome Nicephor l. 2. c. 40. Pol. Vir. l. 7. hist West ann 636. 652. Dor. in Synopsi Matth. Westm an 125. being nayled to a crosse though Dorotheus writeth that he suffered and was buried in Britany Hitherto this Authour and he citeth for his warrant as I haue placed theÌ„ in the Margin Nicephorus Polidor Virgil Matthew Westminster Dorotheus Of all which not any one affirmeth these things Matthew Westminster Poildor Vergil doe not so much as name S. Simon the Apostle except Matthew Westminster saith he was Bishop of Hierusalem next after S. Iames. Dorotheus doth not say that S. Simon the Apostle was either crucified or at all in Persia neither doth Nicephorus neither doth any of these or any other say that S. SimoÌ„ was heare about the yeare of Christ 46. neither caÌ„ that possibly be true by any coÌ„putation for by the vndeniable testimonies of many auncieÌ„t Fathers he was preseÌ„t with other of the Apostles at the death of the blessed Virgin in the same yeare or 45. yet by Nicephorus all that seeme to thinke Matth. Westm an 45. Dorotheus in Synop. Niceph. l. 2. c. 40. loc cit he was in Britaine he preached both through Mauritania all Afrike therefore noe being for him in Britaine at that time Nicephorus maketh it more vnpossible saying he trauailed through Egypt and Africk theÌ„ through Mauritania and all Lybia preaching the ghospell And the same doctrine he brought to the Occidâ—ntall Ocean Which all Cosmographers know not to be that part of the Otean which is next vnto vs vpoÌ„ the coste of Afrike for Britaine froÌ„ thence is in the Boreale North Ocean the Occidentall OceaÌ„ of Afrike is that which is next to the Asores Chanary Ilands others exteÌ„ding towards America Which seemeth to haue bene that which deceaued Nicephorus if he though Abrah Ortel in typo Orbis Africae descript Ptolom Bilibald Pirckeymher lij in Afric Stephan v. Brit. Isac in Lymphr S. SimoÌ„ came froÌ„ the west Ocean to the Brittish IlaÌ„ds taking perhaps all those IlaÌ„ds to be coÌ„prehended vnder that name But more probable it is that the Britannia to which S. Simon went if to any or was put to death in is the Britannia in the East Country neare vnto Persia For Isacius is witnes that of ould there were three Britaines this which we inhabit a second about Thyle now Island a third in the Easte which is most like to be that which Dorotheus Nicephorus meane in this matter Or if we will say that S. SimoÌ„ went froÌ„ the west coast Ocean of Afrike vnto Persia if he passed by the MediterreÌ„ Adriake sea which was his easiest iorney going by Iury as he did he passed by Britannis or Britannia an Iland in the Adriacke Sea called by some Elaphusa Stephanus v. Brettotia Brettannis or Elaphites 12. myles from Malta by Pliny And that there was an other Britania or BritaÌ„nis in the same passadge betweene Afrike Italy is testified by our English Protestants in their Theater who cite Polybius for Authour that Speed Theater l. 5. c. 4. Polyb. Eglog l. 10. 11. 42. Camden in Brit. Theater l. 5. c. 1. §. 11. Claudius Ptolomaeus in Geograph Sebast Munster in Cosmograph Bilibald Pirck-emher in Ptolom Abrah Ortelius in Theatro Orbis Rich. Hackluyt trauails of English c. Isidor l. de viâ—a morte Sanctoâ—um in S. Simone Harris Hist Ecc. of Britaine to 1. M. S. HaÌ„nibal was inclosed within the streights of Britaine which must needs be about Italy neare Afrike not out of his iorney by Sea to Iury Persia wheÌ„ if he had come by our Britaine to goe thither he should either haue returned the same way againe or compassed the greatest part of the whole coÌ„tinent passed the frozen seas by the North pole which way no man is remeÌ„bred and knowne to haue gone at that time yet vncertaine whether passable or no after his laÌ„ding he had most vast and Barbarous CouÌ„tries to trauaile through where no man writeth he euer was before he could come to Persia as all Cosmographers auncient late are witnesses wheÌ„ passing by the other Britaine or British IlaÌ„ds he had a short ready Iorney by sea by laÌ„d to trauaile onely through Iury or Syria to Persia those CouÌ„tries there where these ProtestaÌ„ts others tell vs he preached liued loÌ„g was put to death This was his trauaile by laÌ„d as we haue heard before froÌ„ such as wrote the life of that holy Apostle And that was the part which fell vnto him as S. Isidore others affirme when the Apostles diuided the world among theÌ„ to preach the Ghospell in 7. An other late writer there is who in his Manuscript History neuer printed would bring him hither after S. Paul which also some Protestants haue vrged before But I haue answeared this in theÌ„ already long before that time Britaine had by these protestaÌ„ts receaued the faith of christ The like I say to those Protestants which would haue S. Philip the Apostle to send S. Ioseph of Aramathia hither out of Fraunce in or about the yeare of Christ 63. many ChristiaÌ„s being heare by there owne coÌ„fession loÌ„g before that time yet wheÌ„ I come S. Philip the Apostle neuer came into Gallia Fraunâ—â— ly Britaine nor neare vnto it to the dayes of S Iosephs coming into this Iland I will proue at large that S. Philip the Apostle neuer came into this Gallia or neare vnto it For this place it will suffice that both by ProtestaÌ„ts Catholiks S. Philip the Apostle was crucified in Hierapolis in Phrygia many yeares before this his supposed sending S. Ioseph hither from this our Fraunce or Gallia So there is no place or possibilitie Protestant Author of the historie l'estat de l'Eglise printed an 1556. Euseb in Chronic. an 54. Philip. Borgom an 52. left for any Apostle but S. Peter to haue bene our first Father Master in Christian Religion Which I shall more plainely directly make this manifest hereafter In the meane time I am to set downe some former labours and proceedings of this holy Apostle S. Peter yet onely such as haue connection with our Ecclesiasticall Historie of Britaine THE XI CHAPTER
which by their weake grownds and feeble Authorities haue so much as in them lieth made S. Pauls preaching in Britaine to be neither credible nor probable both which I haue thus disproued and proued it be both possible credible and probable that he was and preached in this kingdome THE XXXI CHAPTER CONCERNING THE TIME OF S. PAVLS coming into and preaching in Britaine That it could not be vntill the later end of the Empire of Nero a litle before the Martyrdome of S. Paule and was heare but a very short time 1. CONCERNING the time of S. Pauls supposed coming hither being but a circumstance of a doubtfull obiect and matter it selfe it must needs be more doubtfull and vncertaine the Authours of the English Martirologe and the Three Conuersions of Britaine asscribe his coming to the fourth yeare of Nero Engl. Martyrol die 25. Ianuar. The first saith According to diuers auncient writers in the fourth yeare of Nero the Emperor his Reigne the Ieweâ—â—eing by his Edict banished Rome he S. Paul The error of them which thinke S. Paul came into Britaine in the 4. yeare of Nero confuted parsonally came into Britaine and there preached the faith of Christ The other writeth in this order Arnoldus Mirmannius in his Theater of the Conuersion of all Nations affirmeth S. Paul to haue past to Britaine in the 4. yeare of Nero. Anno Domini 59. and there to haue preached Diuers Protestants seeme to incline to the same opinion and for the same respects But as I haue proued before this could not be and the first Authour contradicteth himselfe both in the time and his Authour of 3. Conu of Brit. p. 22. Engl. Martyr Iune 29. Authours for in an other place vsing the same Authorities of Theodoret Sophronius Venantius Fortunatus MirmaÌ„nius as in the former not any one of them speaking any such thing he saith It is recorded by diuers auncient writers that about the yeare of Christ threescore and seuen S. Paule came parsonally into our Iland of greate Britaine and there preached the Christian faith And the Authour of the booke of the Three Conuersions is as much deceaued if he thinketh Arnoldus Mirmannius did teach that S. Paul came hither in the fourth yeare Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Godwin Conuers p. 7. of Nero as our Theater Protestant writers doe cite him for Mirinannius speaketh of no yeare at all of S. Paule his coming hither But making S. Paule to begin his trauailes after his Imprisonment by Nero in the fourth yeare of his reigne caryeth him presently into Syria Pamphilia Licaonia Phaenice Mysia Phrigia Galatia Bithinia Achaia Macedonia the rest of Greece and Asia and after Arnold Mirm. Theatro conu gent. all this affirmeth he came into the west Spaine France and Britaine Quarto Neronis anno postremum iter ingressus peragrauit tertium aut quartum Syriam Pamphiliam Lycaoniam Phaenicen Mysiam Phrygiam Galatiam Bythiniam Achaiam Macâ—doniam reliquamque Graeciam pariter Asiam Illericum vsque Christianae Religionis prorogans pomaeria Demum ad Occidentis Europae Climata importare Euangelium studens Hispaniam primum hinc Galliam inde Britanniam petens Where he maketh his coming into these parts one of his last labours and his last of all except his returne to Rome to suffer Martyrdome in the later time of Nero. And he is no lesse deceaued which saith About the later end of Guiderius Reigne or not longe after Claudius returne to Rome it seemeth both by testimonie of auncient writers and by the course of S. Pauls peregination that he came into this land of Britaine and heare preached the Ghospell For it is euident Harris hist M. S. l. 1. c. 15. by diuers places of holy Scripture that it was both loÌ„ge after the returne Rom. 15. Act. ca. 26. c. 27. 28. c. 25. Matth. Westm ad an 44. alij Stowe Howes hist in Claudius Cat. Prot. ReguÌ„ Brit. of Claudius the Emperor vnto Rome being about the 44. or 45. yeare of Christ and after his death also 8. or 9. yeares after this and after Nero had reigned some time before S. Paule came to Rome itselfe or any part of Europe or the West And this Author naming in generall auncient writers for his assertioÌ„ mistaketh them in this thing for none doth or can whether auncient or late writer contrary to Antiquitie and the holy Scripture so affirme The cheife testimonye he bringeth is from Theodoret affirming that S. Paul came into Italy and into Spaine and profited the Ilands that lye in the Sea in Italiam Theod. in Ps 116. venit in Hispaniam peruenit Insulis quae in Mariiacent vtilitatem attulit But I haue shewed before that Theodoret interpreteth himselfe of Ilands in the Adriaticall See and nameth them in the plurall number And it rather maketh against then for that opinion if by impossibilitie he could be vndestood of our Britaine for he setteth downe S. Pauls visiting those Ilands after his being both at Rome and Spaine 20. yeares at the least after the Returne of Claudius to Rome froÌ„ Britaine He alledgeth Petrus de Natalibus to as litle purpose writing as he saith that S. Paul conuerted one Lucius in Britaine and his Disciple S. Tymothie baptized him what this Lucius and Tymothie Petrus de Natal l. 1. c. 24. were I will entreate hereafter but certaine it is that S. Timothie Bishop of Ephesus continued at his chardge and came not hither and if we should suppose the contrary contrary to all Antiquitie yet coming hither with S. Paul and S. Paul not coming vnto any westerne part of many yeares after as I haue made demonstration before this disproueth and proueth not his purpose speaking of no time at all And this Authour contradicteth himselfe in this Relation for he expressely writeth in these words S. Paule after his second Imprisonment at Rome came into Britaine Which was many yeares as I haue Harris supr l. 1. allready proued after the death of King Guiderius and Claudius his returne to Rome and very long after this our Britaine had receaued the faith of Christ from S. Peter and his Disciples 2. And to manifest vnto vs that S. Paule did not come into Britaine vntill he had performed his promise of going into Spaine after his dismission from his imprisonment at Rome and his long trauaile into the East Countries againe we haue both Antiquitie and Scripture for sufficient warrant to be firmely of that minde For all those Authours which I haue cited before for S. Paules preaching in these parts especially in Spaine as the Martyrologes of the Romans Vsvardes S. Bede and Ado Petrus Cluniacensis Trithemius Antonius Democharez Eisengrenius Mirmannius Genebrard Matthew of Westminster with others as diuers Protestants namely the Magdeburgians Francis Bargoing their English Protestant Bishop Godwin their Publishers and Comments vpon Matthew Westminster with many others agree that after Matth. Westm an