Rome and Britaine then receaued that Canon of holy Scripturs and those Bookes to be Canonicall which the present Roman Church embraceth for such and not that maymed and mangled new Canon which our English Protestants with some others of their Schoole would onely haue receaued for that peece of his Epistle which is left vnto vs being very short and very few citations of Scripturs vsed in it onely one out of the New Testament and not aboue 4. or 5. out of the Old yet among these so few he citeth for Canonicall Scripture such as these men disallow for such namely these words by their Protestants Translation according to King Salomon wisedome will not enter into a spitefull soule nor inhabite in a bodie subiect to sinne This is found onely in the second Chapter of the Booke of Wisedome which with Sap. 2. diuers others the sixt Article of our Parlament Protestant Religion disalloweth to be holy And S. Gildas the most auncient Writer left vnto vs citeth Articul 6. of Prot. Relig. Gild. l. de excid conq Britan. as parts of holy Scripturs receaued by our Primatiue Christian Brittans diuers Bookes of holy Scripturs which the new Religion doth not admite The old Antiquities of Glastenbury which more plainely and fully set downe the Apostolike Labours and Trauailes of these holy Legats then any other Monument we haue and of many glorious Saints both of the Disciples of S. Ioseph and the Apostles and of these Legats buried at Glastenbury and the long liuing of S. Damianus and Faganus there 9. yeares and their greate deuotion to that holy place and how theire Disciples there liuing Religious Eremits by Succession 267. yeares vntill S. Patrike his comming thither died and were buryed there but whether the Legats themselues there were interred or returned thence they doe not deliuer but leaue it doubtfull hij vero duo sancti regionem istam in principio ad fidem Christianam conuerterunt sed vtrum ibi requiescunt vel indè redierunt non inuenimus scriptum Ibi multi ex Discipulis Sanctorum Phagani Deruiani requiescunt qui per ducentos sexaginta septem annos quidem alij post alios vsque Aduentum sancti Patricij in praefata Insula sicut Anachoritae habitauerunt And so I end this second Age. The end of this Second Age. THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF GREAT BRITAINE THE THIRD AGE THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF GREAT BRITAINE THE THIRD AGE THE I. CHAPTER WHEREIN IS DELIVERED THAT S. VICTOR being now Pope Seuerus Emperour and S. Lucius yet King of Britaine but shortly dying S. Victor was Supreame in gouernment of the whole Church of Christ in Asia Afrike and Europe and particularly in Britaine which so acknowledged and receaued from him the true obseruation of Easter as it had done with other Catholike customes from S. Eleutherius before AS I closed vp the second Age with the Renowned Pope S. Victor Seuerus Emperour of Rome and that our most Illustrious relucent Lucius King of Britaine So I must open my way and passadge to the Third and next Centurye by the continuance Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. An. 194. Baron Tom. 2. An. 194. Seuer Binius Tom. 1. Concil in Vict. Iacob Gordon An. 194. Matth. Westm An. 198. Florent Wigornien An. 199. of the same Rulers in the worlde S. Victor began his Papacie in or about the yeare of Christ 194. as Marianus and diuers others write But our Monks and Contrimen Matthew of Westminster and Florentius Wigorniensis giue him a later entrance to the See Apostolike The former saith it was in the yeare of Grace 198. Anno gratiae 198. Victor Romanae Sedis Pontifex effectus The other saith that Pope Eleutherius liued vntill the yeare after this 199 when Victor was chosen Martinus Polonus maketh him not Pope before the beginning of this Age in the yeare of Christ 203. And therefore finding no memorable thing of this Pope belonging to the Ecclesiasticall History of Britaine vntill this time I doe heare first remember him 2. This holy Pope in his Epistle to Theopâ—ilus Patriarke of Alexandria Victor Epist ad Theoph. Alexand Tom. 1. Concil Damasus in Victor Papa Florent Wigor in Chronic. An. 200. Marian. Scot. aetate 6. An. 192. stileth himselfe Archbishop of the Roman and Vniuersall Church Victor Romanae ac vniuersalis Ecclesiae Archiepiscopus This Epistle with this stile of Archbishop of the Vniuersall Church as our auncient and learned Historian Florentius Wigorniensis witnesseth was written in the yeare of Christ 200 the 13. of the Calends of August Victor Romanae ac vniuersalis Ecclesiae Archiepiscopus Theophilo Fratribus Alexandrae Christo famulantibus salutem in Domino haec Epistola data est 13. Calendas Augusti Our learned and renowned Countryman also S. Marianus hath the same words concerning this Supreame Spirituall stile power of Pope Victor ouer the Vniuersall Church onely differing in the yeare from Florentius Victor Romae ac vniuersalis Ecclesiae Archiepiscopus To this dignitie of Supreamacy both claymed exercised Matthias Flacius Illyric Io. WigaÌ„dus Mat. Iudex Basil Faber cent 2. c. 8. col 155. cent 3. col 168. Barn in Vit. Pontif. Rom. in Victore Io. Bal. l. 1. de Act. Pontif. Roman in eod Robert Barnes supr Damasus seu Anastasius in Victore Rob. Barn l. de Vit. Rom. Pont. in Pio 1. Florent Wigor in Chron. Ann. 202. Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. An. 194. Robert Barnes supr in Victore S. Victor Epist 1. Decret ad Theophilum Alexandriae Episcopum apud Sur. Seuerin Bin. to 1. Conc. Magdeb. cent 2. Marian. Scot. aetat 6. an 194. Mart. PoloÌ„ Supput in Vict. Florent Wigor An. 200. Robert Barnes l. de Vit. Pont. in Victore by this holy Pope S. Victor both forreine and English Protestants giue full allowance when they plainely confesse that he excommunicated the Churches of Asia for their obstinate error in the Paschall obseruation Victor missis literis fratres omnes Asiaticos Ecclesias vicinas à se excommunicatione Ecclesiae exclusos reiectos palam denuntiat The same Title and preeminent power he both claymed and executed by these men when as they testifie he excommunicated Theodorus for affirming Christ was onely man Victor Theodorum dicentem Christum purum hominem sine Deo esse Ecclesia eiecit And Interdicted all them which vpon an Iniury done would not be reconciled to him that had hurt them Sacris Interdixit illis qui ob illatam Iniuriam reconciliari nollent ei qui laesit And yet as both the Protestants and all Catholiks acknowledge he did not make any new ordinance in this but as S. Pius had done before Pius Pascha die Dominica esse celebranda instituit And his Immediate Predecessor Eleutherius our Apostle had done the same Victor Papa dâ—tis latè libellis constituit vt Pascha Die Dominico sicut Praecessor eius Eleutherius à 14. luna
day doth create this his most true and holy body blesseth it and diuideth it to the godly receauers And the words of S. Cyptiā cited by the Magdeburgeā Cyprian Epist 63. ad Caecilium Protestants before out of his 63. Epistle which is to Caecilius are grossely corrupted by them for S. Cyprian doth not say as they cite him before sacrificium Deo patri ipse primus obtulit hoc fieri in sui commemorationem praecepit Christ was the first that offered sacrifice to God the Father and commanded it to be done in commemoration of him For in so saying S. Cypian should haue euidently written vntruely for many before Christ both in the Lawe of nature and Moyses offered sacrifice to God before Christ was Incarnate But S. Cyprian most truely saith that Christ in his last supper was the first that offered himselfe his blessed body and blood to God in sacrifice and commanded the same to be done after him Iesus Christus ipse est summus Sacerdos Dei patris sacrificum patri seipsum primus obtulit hoc fieri in sui commemorationem praecepit And then followeth immediately that which they haue cited from thence that Preists supply the place of Christ in the offering of this Sacrifice and must offer it secundum quod ipsum Christum videat obtulisse as they see Christ offered it in his last supper by the omnipotencie of the word of Christ changing the bread into his blessed body and wine into his pretious blood as S. Cyprian hath told vs before and this most holy Catholike Doctrine he teacheth in diuers Cypr. l. de Orat. Dominicâ Epist 34. Epist 11. 54. l. delapsis Epistol 56. Magdeb. cent 3. c. 4. col 83. other places And among the rest in his 54. Epistle which he and the Councell of Carthage wrote vnto Pope Cornelius to assure vs these holy Popes and he agreed in these Mysteries they plainely affirme Christs body and blood to be present and receaued there by the mouthes of commuricants He taught also by these men that the Eucharist is sanctified on the Altar The Preists sanctifie the Chalice supply the place of Christ and offer Sacrifice to God Cyprianus ait Eucharistia in altari sanctificatur Rursus ait sacerdotes sanctificare calicem Item sacerdotem inquit vice Christi fungi Deo patri sacrificium offerre They also acknowledg S. Cyprian giueth diuers examples of communion onely in one kinde and how both in and before the time of Pope Cornelius it was vsuall with the Bishops of Rome or Italy at the least and others to minister this Sacramēt to communicants onely vnder the forme of bread and to giue them no other liquid thing at that time but water which all men know could be no part of that Sacrament potest ex Cypriani libro 2. Epistola 3. Magdeb. cent 3. c. 5. col 149. tit de ritibus circa caenam ad Cornelium apertè colligi cum tempore Cornelij tum ante eum Romanos aut etiam Italicos alios Episcopos in administratione caenae Dominicae plebiin calice tantum aquam porrexisse non vinum seu sanguinem Domini 9. It is also euident by S. Cyprian that not onely in his time but euen from the Apostles the Sacrifice of Masse was vsually offered for the faithfull departed Magd. supr col 82. Cypr. Ep. 66. ad Plebem Clerum Furnitanorum Epist 57. lib. de mortalitate tractat de disciplinâ habitâ Virg. de Stella Magis Innocent Mart. Magdeb. cent 1. c. 4. col 84. col 82. Magdeb. cent 3. c. 4. col 86. tit de castitate virginitate and they therein prayed for The like he teacheth of Intercession to Saints in heauen and their prayers for them that liue which these Protestants confesse to haue bene S. Cyprian his doctrine Cyprianus libro tertio Epistola 15. lapsos dixit auxilio Martyrum apud Deum adinuari And thy confesse that S. Cyprian plainely holdeth that the Martyrs and Saints deceased pray for them that liue Certè in fine prioris Epistolae libri primi non obscurè sentit Cyprianus Martyres Sanctos defunctos pro viuentibus orore These Protestants further confesse that S. Cyprian aequaled or rather preferred the true Virginall life to that of Angels and calleth the chaste and single life of Clergie men a state of Angelike condition And allthough Marriadge is good and instituted by God yet continency is better and Virginitie more excellent Cyprianus Virginitas inquit aequat se Angelis si verè exquiramus excedit dum in carne luctata victoriam contra naturam refert quam non habent Angeli In libro de dono pudicitiae Liber de singularitate Clericorum eodem modo castitatem statum vocat qualitatis Angelicae Et sermone de Natiuitate Christi etsi bona sunt instituta à Deo coniugia melior tamen est continentia virginitas excellentior They tell vs further that he teacheth the doctrine of meritt and good works to take away sinne and iustifie Cyprianus l. 3. Epistolarum Epistola 25. sentit meritorum praecedentium defensione obuelari peccata Et in sermone de eleemosinis ex professo sentit peccata commissa post Baptismum eleemosynâ bonis operibus extingui And both to proue this doctrine and iustifie those Bookes of Tobias Ecclesiasticus and others which our Protestants deny to be Canonicall Scripture he teacheth the contrary and citeth them as holy Scriptures with others for these opinions Id probare conatur dictis Scripturae vt Tobiae quarto sicut aqua extinguit ignem sic eleemosyna peccatum And all the other Bookes and parts of them which the present Roman Church admitteth for holy Scripture and our English Protestants disallowe for such S. Cyprian doth receaue them as Catholiks now doe as appeareth in these Marginall citations where besides Tobias and Ecclesiasticus before granted he approueth in expresse termes the Booke of Wisedome a the Booke of Baruch the Prophet (b) l. 2. aduers Iud. c. 6. de orat Domin the song of the 3. children Cyprian Ep. 62. 52. exhort Mart. c. 12. ad Quirin l. 3. c. 59. l. de mortalitate (c) de orat Dom. Serm. de lapsis the History of Susanna (d) Epist 40. l. de bono pudicitiae of Bel and the Dragon in the Booke of Daniel (e) Epist 56. l. de Orat. Dominica Ser. de eleemosina and Bookes of the Machabees (f) Epistol 55. 56. exhort Mart. cap. 11. And yet that he did not ascribe all to Scripturs and reiect Traditions as our Protestants doe they haue sufficiently confessed before when they acknowledge S. Cyprian taught so many points of doctrine which as they say are not contayned in Scripturs 10. To which they adde many more of greate moment as of the validitie number ministration and true Ministers of the Sacraments the principall essentiall
things which starre when the wise men of the Chaldeans did behold in the night time they said It signified the new birth of God The like doe Philo. l. 3. Chronogr an 3. Herodis Macrobius l. 2. Saturnal Dion Cass in vita Augusti Suidas in Augusto Nicephor l. 1. hist Ecclesiast c. 17. Euseb de praepar Euangel Philo the Iew Macrobius Dion and Cassian Pagans besides the Scriptures and Christian writers testifie of the martyrdome of so many thousand Innocents by Herode and the relation of that as of such other euents made presently to Augustus the Emperour at Rome Who also about this time offering to his Pagan God Apollo Pithius their Hechatombe greate sacrifice of an hundred Oxon could receaue noe other Answere but this that an Hebrewe child that ruled the Gods was borne and their Oracles put to silence wherevpon the Emperour builded in the Capitoll a greate Altar with this Latine Inscription Ara primogeniti Dei The altar of the onely begotten sonne of God Then all these things thus happening at and about the Natiuity of Christ were thus truely and faithfully deliuered at Rome and so came to the knowledge of our Britans there and from them and the Romans also both to the Romans and Britans in this kingdome So did other mysteries concerning Christ especially of his flyeing into Egypte then subiect vnto Caesar Augustus and the Presidents there keeping the same lawe and custome of giuing intelligence vnto him 7. Among which one so admirable publike generall and beyond example Epiphanius l. de ProphetaruÌ„ vita interitu in Ieremia Dorotheus in Synopsi in Hieremia propheta Fascicâ—l tempor Palladius in vita Apollinis there testified by the auncient Fathers Sainct Epiphanius Dorotheus and diuers others could not might not be concealed Ieremias signum dedit sacerdotibus Aegyptiacis quod oporteret simulachra corum concuti decidere per Seruatorem puerum ex virgine nasciturum in praecepi iaciturum Propterea etiam nunc virginem in lecto infantem in praesepio collocant adorant Et cum causam olim Ptolomaeus Rex percontaretur responderunt mysterium esse ipsis à maioribus traditum quod illi à sancto Propheta acceperunt Ieremy the Prophet gaue a signe to the Preists of Egypt that their Idols should be broken in peeces and fall downe by the Sauiour of the world a child to be borne of a virgin and to be layed in a stall Therefore euen still they worship a virgin in a bedd and a child in a Cribbe And wheÌ„ longe agoe their King Ptolomy demaunded the cause They Answered it was a mystery deliuered to them from their Auncestours which they receaued from the holy Prophet And according Origen in Exod. Pallad Hist Pan. in vit Apol. Sozom l. 5. hist Eccle c. 20. Cassio l. 6. c. 42. Nicephor l. 10. c. 31. Guliel Eiseng cent part 1. dist 3. volaterâ—â—n coÌ„ment l. 13. Petr. de Natal l. 3. c. 218. If. cap. 19. v. 1. Pallad hist sup to this so soone as our Sauiour was brought into Egypt a contry as Origen and others write most full of Idols they all fell downe and were broken in peeces Diuers write that S. Aphrodisius sent Bishop into France by Sainct Peter was prefect of Egypt then and moued by that miracle S. Aphorodisius genere Aegypti praefectus eo tempore quo puero Iesu in Aegyptum fugato in templa deorum illato Idola omnia corruerunt B. Petri Apostolorum Coryphaei discipulus Buturicensis Ecclesiae consecratus est antistes Anno Christi 48. This was also foretolde by the Prophet Esay who by our Protestants translation writeth of this time The Lord shall come into Aegypt and the Idols of Egypt shall be moued at his presence Wherevpon Palladius in the life of Apollo saith he had scene a Temple neare vnto Hermopolis in which when Christ with the blessed Virgin Mary his mother and Ioseph came into Egypt at his entrance into the city all the Idols fell downe prostrate vpon their faces on the earth according to the prophesie of Esay And S. Epiphanius in his booke of the liues and deaths of the Epiphanius l. de vita interitu Prophetarum Prophets shewing how besides those things which be contained of them in holy scripture many or most of them did also further prophesie to the people where they liued of the coming of Christ and the miraculous signes and tokens of that time as namely Ieremy Azarias Helisaeus Ezechiel Osee Ionas Abacuc He writeth of the Prophet Osee signum dedit prodigium Dominum Epiphan supr in vita Osee scilicet venturum caelitus caeterum hoc fore indi cium aduentus eius si quercus illa in Selom findatur è seipsa in portiones bis senas fierent totidem quercus accidit ita He gaue for a signe and wonder that our Lord should come from heauen and this to be a signe of his coming if an oke tree which was in Selom should cleeue a sunder from it selfe into twelue parts and be made so many oke trees and so it came to passe These and so many other most straunge and miraculous things of that time remembred in histories most euident signes and demonstrations of the miraculous birth of Christ being according to the custome and Imperiall decree exactly certified by the presidents of all prouinces where they hapened to Augustus the Emperour at Rome where so many Britans were of this nation Galfrid monum lib. 4. hist cap. 11. Theater of great Britaine l. 5. c. 6. Guido de ColuÌ„na apud Fabian in hist in Cunob Fabian ib. of greatest dignity learning and wisedome as King Kimbeline himselfe at or about that time many both his noble attendants and hostages and Druids that ruled in matters of religion and were our most learned men to instruct them there were present or resident and for their singular straungnes being noted and obserued by all as concerning all in the greatest question of their soules could not be singularly or carelessely passed ouer by so many worthy wisest Britans alone They alone could not be straungers and vnacquainted with the preachings and prophesies so publike and manifest to all as they were for if we may beleeue Pagans or Christians Catholike or Protestant writers For thus it is related This Sybilla indued with the spirit Matth. Westm aetat 4. cap. 14. Protest annot ib. in Merg Iudic. Sebastian Munster Cosmograph lib. 2. Hertman Schedel chronic aetat 3. fol. 35. August serm contra Iudaeos Lactant. Euseb of prophesie preached in Macedonia Herostaia Agalguldea Cilicia and Galatia Then she went into Ethiopia Gabaon Babylon Africke Lybia Pentapolis and Palestina Audientes igitur Romani famam eius nuntiaucrunt haec omnia Imperatori Mittens ergo Imperator decernente Senatu ad eam legatos cum magno honore vocatam fecit eam adduci Romam Therefore the Romans hearing her fame told all these things to
Scotia Scots land which could Iosephus orat ad Iudaeos apud Egesipp l. 5. c. 15. yet be very small when Iosephus in the Age before had testified that it had no land at all Scotia terris nihil debet of which and their place of habitation at land I shall speake more when I come to their Conuersion in the time and by the meanes and help of Pope Victor in the beginning of the next Age And for this present and my purpose now concerning the Conuersion of the Brittans in Albania this which I haue saide sufficeth to let vs be assured it was effected in the same time and manner as the other of our other Brittans in Loegria and Cambria and by the same meanes Mission and Apostolike men sent and directed hither and heare their sacred Actions and labours were confirmed by the highest Papall power of holy Pope Eleutherius THE XXVII CHAPTER OF DIVERS BOOKES OR WRITINGS OF S. Phaganus Damianus Eluanus Meduuinus and others Charters and Immunities of Pope Eleutherius and King Lucius the Scripturs heare receaued in the old Latine Translation and the same Canon of them which Catholiks now obserue and followe WHEN our holy Ecclesiasticall state was thus setled in Britaine that the memory and obseruation thereof might be more firmely fixed and impressed in the vnderstandings and wills of men to haue duely in minde and performe those duties which particularly belonged vnto them in this Kinde these holy Legats as both Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries deliuer committed these their Acts to writing by which meanes they came and not onely by Tradition to the knowledge of Posteritie and the Popes of Rome to write in a Protestant Bishops phrase tooke these their proceedings heare in Britaine of all kingdomes their first begotten child in Christ as a Patterne to diuide other Prouinces in to Parishes and Diocesses Io. Bal. l. de Script Brit. cent 1. in Eluan as they had done heare Quum in fine essent omnia ordinatione quadam per Fugatium Damianum in rem Christianam permutata vt apud Posteros clariora perdurarent membranis Eluanus Meduinus dederunt Acta per Legatos l 1. 1. Inde ad nos non alio medio peruenerunt Ex hoc similibus fundamentis caepere postea Romanorum Pontifices occasionem Prouincias diuidendi in Paraecias Dioeceses A late Catholike Collector of holy Writers of this Nation saith that Eluanus did write one Booke of the Originall of the Brittish Church Eluanus Io. Pitseus l. de Illustr Britan. Script aetate 2. in Eluan Meduino Antiq. Glast Manuscript S. Patri Epistol Capgrau in S. Patricio Leland in Arthur assert scripsisse perhibetur de origine Ecclesiae Britannicae librum vnum And that Meduinus wrote a Booke of the Acts of Fugatius and Damianus in Britaine Meduinus Posteris tradidit Fugatij Damiani gesta in Britannia librum vnum The old Manuscript Antiquities of Glastenbury make mention of three Bookes founde there all which or parts of euery of them were writen in this time The first is called Scripta Sanctorum Phagani Deruiani The writings of the Saints Phaganus and Deruianus The second had among other things how these holy Legats procured 10. yeares Indulgence to that holy place The third was Volumen a Volume wherein were writen the Acts of the Apostles and the Acts and gests of S. Phaganus and Deruianus Volumen vnum in quo scripti erant actus Apostolorum pariter cum Actibus gestis Sanctorum Phagani Deruiani 2. I haue mentioned before how King Lucius wrote diuers Epistles to the Pope or Popes of Rome in his time about the setling of Christian Religion in this kingdome And as S. Eleutherius Pope of Rome directed him by the Counsaile and aduise of his Clergie and Nobles he caused a collection and correction of Lawes temporall to be compiled and published to gouerne The Christian munifiâ—â—nce and bouÌ„tic of King Lucius in this time his Christian kingdome by which continued long after in writing among many both Brittish and other Kings of this Nation allthough with some change or addition as the times and other circumstances required in such cases This holy King also granted made and signed many writings Charters and Donations for the defence maintenance and preseruation of Religion and the cheife Teachers and Professours thereof as to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge the Schoole of Bangor Monastery of Shaftesbury and such others and to euery Archiepiscopall and Episcopall See in Britaine both for the assuring the old Reuenewes and Priuiledges of the Archflamens and Flamens as others new and more ample which he conferred vnto them and such as should sitt and succeede in them for euer Pope Eleutherius granted many priuiledges immunities and Indulgences heare 3. In this time also the Rule of the holy Religeous men I haue spoken of before was written and obserued by them And besides the generall confirmation of Pope Eleutherius which I haue formerly spoken of for the ratifying and approuing the proceedings of his Legats he granted very many other particular Ratifications and Immunities to certaine Parsons and Places heare such was his Bull of Confirmation which the Cambridge Antiquaries contend he granted to that Vniuersitie such his grant of 10. yeares of Indulgence at the request of his Legats to the pilgrims that deuoutely visited the old Church of Glastenbury as likewise that of 30. yeares pardon to all Bishops that should with deuotion come one Pilgrimadge to the Chappell of S. Michaell The old Decrees of the primatiue Popes receaued heare in this time there as the Antiquities of that place giue testimony 4. The Order of the holy Sacrifice of Masse and other publike seruice of the Church deliuered and established heare at that time was the Roman Order which the holy Legats our Apostles brought from Rome who also published heare the Decrees of the holy Popes from S. Peter to their time many of which so farre as our Protestant writers would giue mee leaue and allowance vnto I haue remembred before This time and Age also is the Eleuther Epist ad Regem LuciuÌ„ Leg. S. Edw. Lambert de leg Antiq. Godwin Conuers of Brit. first wherein eyther the Scripturs of the Old or New Testament were by any auncient Authour receaued and published in Britaine For S. Eleutherius Pope in his Epistle to King Lucius maketh it but a nuper late thing to haue the holy Scripturs in this kingdome By which also as by the knowne ignorance of the Britans in those dayes eyther in Greeke or Hebrew language it is euident they were receaued heare in the Latine tongue vnderstood The holy Scriptures receaued heare then in the Latine toÌ„gue with the same Canon of Bookes which the Roman Church now vseth by all the learned of this kingdome of Britaine Likewise we learne by the same part of Pope Eleutherius his Epistle to King Lucius that the Primitiue Church both at
for entertaining and releeuing persecuted Preists and Christians his house there being dedicated a cheife Church most Christians resorting to it And other Apostolike men sent from Rome into Britaine in this time 227 Chap. X. Of the last holy labours of S. Timothie in Britaine his honour with S. Denis the Areopagite his returne from hence to Rome and Martyrdome there and Martyrdome of S. Pius Pope in the same place 231 Chap. XI Of the holy Popes next succeeding Sainct Pius and their Religion The fauorable Edict of Marcus Aurelius Emperour for defence and protection of Christians and the Christian Lieutenants Trebellius and Pertinax with the forhidding the Druids Religion occasions of the publike receauing and profession of Christianitie in Britaine by King Lucius and his subiects 234 Chap. XII How the Religion of the Druides in Britaine made some binderance for the generall receauing of the lawe of Christ But conuicted to be abominable Idolatrie and Superstition the Professors of it generally embraced the faith of Christ detesting their former Infidelities and Impieties 240 Chap. XIII Of Pope S. Eleutherius and how in his Papacie and by his Papall order and power Britaine had the honour to be the first Christian kingdome in the worlde and eldest daughter of the mother Church of Christ King Lucius by his Embassadors and petition to the Pope of Rome so obtaining 247 Chap. xvj Wherein is related how King Lucius did not onely sue vnto the Pope of Rome by his Embassadges for the generall settling of Christian Religion in Britaine but for ciuill and temporall lawes also to be allowed by him to rule heare in Temporall affaires 252 Chap. xv The mission of the holy Legats saincts Damianus Fugatianus Bishops and diuers others from sainct Eleutherius Pope of Rome at the request of sainct Lucius King heare in Britaine by Authoritie to plant and setle heare the true Christian Religion 260 Chap. xvi How these holy Roman Legats by Power and Commission from the Pope and Apostolike See of Rome conuerted and confirmed vnto and in the faith of Christ all manner of Parsons in all places of Britaine whether the Nobilitie Flamens Archflamens or of what Order or degree soeuer 266 Chp. xvij How in Britaine these holy Legats placed Archbishops Bishops in our Cities Archbishops in the places of Archflamens and Bishops for Flamens And how by all writers such dignities were among the auncient Pagans both in Britaine and other Nations 272 Chapt. xviij In what Places of Britaine these cheifest coÌ„manding Archflamens were to witt at London Yorke and Caerlegion and how these Roman Legats placed for them Archbishops with their seuerall commands and Iurisdictions some of them by the Apostoliâ—e power extending and coÌ„manding ouer Prouinces and Countries not temporally subiect to King Lucius of Britaine or the Romans but rather enemyes vnto them in ciuill affaires 279 Chap. xix Of the Episcopall Sees and Cities of the Inferiour Bishops subordinate to the Archbishops which where and how many they were ordained by these Roman Legats and continued Bishops Sees in the Romans and Britans time 285 Chap. xx How S. Eleutherius Pope did not onely by his Papall Authoritie establish and settle Religion Ecclesiasticall thiÌ„gs heare but directed what temporall Lawes were to be vsed appointed the bounds and limits of this kingdome sending and allowed Crowne to our King and such Lawes Order continued heare in many Ages after 295 Chapt. xxj Of many Archiepiscopall Episcopall and other Churches and Monasteries both of men and women founded and ritcly endowed and priuiledged in this time 304 Chap. xxij How after these Roman Legats had fully settled the affaires and estate of our Church heare they went againe to Rome to procure the Pope there to ratifie and confirme what they had done which he did and they returned hither againe with that his Confirmation and many other Preachers then sent hither from Rome 311 Chap. xxiij Of the Archbishops of London Yorke and Caerlegion in this time in particular many other inferiour Bishops and the Roman Church Discipline heare also setled by Papall Authoritie 316 Chap. xxiv Of the comming of these holy Legats to Glastenbury their holy labours deeds and long aboade there their renewing there the old Religeous Order of S. Ioseph of Aramathia and his brethren greate priuiledges and indulgeÌ„ces by theÌ„ procured to that holy place the glory honour and renowne thereof in the whole Christian world 322 Chap. xxv Of the greate honour and Renowne of our old Brittish Apostolike Order of Religion from the comming of sainct Ioseph of Aramathia in the yeare of Christs Natiuitie 63. without any discontinuance or Interruption by some and very short time after his death by all many hundreds of yeares in greate perfection without any change or alteration to be named a Mutation of Monasticall Rule being the Mother or Nurse of Monasticall holy life to many Nations and Religious Orders in them by which also many CouÌ„tryes to Christ were conuerted 328 Chap. xxvj That diuers of the Britans which liued in that part of Britaine then called Albania now Scotland were conuerted by the same meanes and manner by these Roman Legats as the other Britans of Loegria and Cambria were at that time 333 Chap. xxvij Of diuers bookes or writings of sainct Phaganus Damianus Eluanus Meduuinus and others Charters and Immunities of Pope Eleutherius and King Lucius the Scripturs heare receaued in the old Latine Translation and the same Canon of them which Catholicks now obserue and followe 337 THE THIRD AGE THE I. CHAPTER VVHerein is deliuered that sainct Victor being now Pope Seuerus Emperour and sainct Luciuâ— yet King of Britaine but shortly dying sainct Victor was Supreame in gouernment of the whole Church of Christ in Asia Afrike and Europe and particularly in Britaine which so acknowledged and receaued from him the true obseruation of Easter as it had done with other Catholike customes from sainct Eleutherius before 343 Chap. ij Of the time and place of King Lucius his death That he did not die or was martyred in Germanie Neither had he any Sister called Emerita martyred there It was an other Prince of Britaine after this time This our first Christian King Lucius died at Gloucester in Britaine 346 Chapt. iij. How notwithstanding the death of King Lucius without Heire to succeede in the gouernment of the kingdome the Brittans perseuered constantly in the Christian faith and the Scots by Preachers sent from sainct Victor Pope of Rome at the entreatie of their King Donalde receaued the faith and as the Brittans continued in it vntill the Protestants time euen by their owne confessions 350. Chap. iv That allthough the being of the Scots in Britaine in the time of sainct Victor is vncertaine and not proued but rather otherwise yet the Inhabitants of the part now called Scotland Britans or whosoeuer were conuerted in King Lucius and this time The Bishops of the conuerted Scots were euer true Bishops and they euer