Peter design'd Abbot of his New Monastery to assure S. Gregory of the well-fare of his children and the great hopes of a good successe of their Mission 2. Withall he made a request for a fresh supply of New Missioners to assist them in the dispensation of Divine Mysteries considering the great coÌ„course of those which desired instruction to comply with all which exceeded the power of those few labourers already employd And lastly for his own information and enablement to govern as became him the infant-Church of the Saxons so as to give no offence nor advantage of calumny to the Brittish Clergy which no doubt attentively bent their eyes upon his actions S. Augustin proposed certain Questions and difficulties to S. Gregory desiring his resolution of them What these particular Questions were will appeare when S. Gregories answer comes 3. For the present we will only take notice of a somewhat confident Censure which a Protestant B. Godwin has given of S. Augustin on this occasion Augustin saith he was perhaps no ill man but his ignorance was shamefull as appears by the Questions proposed by him to S. Gregory But he might have considered that those Questions principally regarding outward Rites and Iurisdiction which Rites were not altogether uniformly practised at Rome and in France c. It was necessary in a tender Church as this was to take care and circumspection about matters which otherwise were not of so great importance However the Character wich S. Gregory from knowledge and experience gave of S. Augustin deserves more to be regarded then B. Godwins which Character is contain'd in an Epistle written by that Holy Pope to King Ethelbert Our most Reverened Brother and Fellow-bishop Augustin saith he is a man very learned in the Rule of Monastick Institution full of the Science of the Sacred Scriptures and through the Divine Grace eminent in good works and vertues 4. Iohn Pits testifies moreover that by the same Messengers Letters were sent to Saint Gregory from King Ethelbert whom he reckons among the ancient Illustrious Writers of Brittany because there were extant besides a Treatise call'd Decrees of Iudgment a Book of Epistles writen by the same King to S. Gregory and S. Augustin as this Authour collects from S. Beda IX CHAP. 1. 2. c. The Gests Miracles Translation c. of S. Ivo 1. WIthout interrupting the order of the Gests of S. Augustin the next of which regards S. Gregories Answer to his Letters and Requests which will not arrive till this year of our Lord six hundred be past We will here interpose the Gests of two Saints the one a stranger but dying in Brittany the other a Brittain but dying beyond seas and of both the death hath been consign'd to this year 2. The first was S. Ivo concerning thorn Camden thus Writes The River Vse being ready to enter into Cambridgshire passes by a town handsom enough and well inhabited which in the Saxon tongue was anciently call'd Slepe but now S. Ives from Ivo a Persian Bishop who about the year six hundred travelled through England and every where left a sweet-odour of his Sanctity carefully sowing the word of God where he pass'd and at last left his name to this Town where he ended his life From whence notwithstanding the Monks of Ramsey shortly after translated his Body thither This was a very rich Monastery seated among the Fennâ— about seaven miles distant from thence 3. More particularly concerning this Saint we read in Capgrave Florentius Matheâ—â— of Westminster and Malmsburiensis that he was born in a Citty of Persia called Frianeos that his Father was a Prince there named Yomos and his Mother Isitalia That his onely Brother Athanatos lived an Eremiticall life in a certain wood and was illustrious for Miracles That Saint Ivo was elected Bishop in the town where he was born and not long after translated to the Archiepiscopall See of the Citty Asitanea Which See he governed with great Sanctity and prudence till a terrible famine so desolated the Countrey that Parents were compelled to devour their children By reason whereof Saint Ivo with eleaven more devout companions forsook that Region and passing through many countreys at last came to Rome where by the advice of the Pope they severed themselves and Saint Ivo by divine disposition together with his Nephew Sithius his kinsman Inthius and some others caâ—e into Brittany Where he spread the Gospell wheresoever he came and afterward went over into France where yet he could not be perswaded to abide long though the king and people expressed all kindnes and respect to him but returned into Brittany and to his death remaind in a town call Slepe at three miles distance from Huntington serving God all his days in watching fasting and prayers 4. The occasion of the Translation of his body from thence is by the same Authours described after this manner His Sacred Body remained severall ages in the place of his buriall insomuch as his Memory was lost in that place But at last in the year of Grace one thousand and one a certain husband man as he was plowing the ground light upon his Tomb which being taken up and opened the Body of a Bishop in his Pontificall ornaments was seen in it Whereupon the Pastor of that village called Ednoth a Monk being sent for they with his advice caried the Body into the Church and with great reverence placed it near the Altar The night following the same Bishop S. Ivo appeared in a very reverend form and with great brightnes to a Carpenter called Ezi and told him who he was commanding him to signify to another Ednoth Abbot of Ramsey that he should translate his and his companions bodies from thence to his Monastery But the poor man not having the boldnes to relate this vision he appeared to him a second time repeating the same commands Which he still neglecting to perform at the third apparition the Bishop smote him on the side with his Crosier telling him that the pain of that stroke should remain till he had performed what had been enjoyned him The mun awaking presently after found a greivous pain in his side as if a sword had peirced it 5. That was he compelled to declare his vision to the Abbot which assoon as he had done he was freed his pain But the Abbot would give no credit to what the man told him but calling him clown and fool said Must we translate and venerate the ashes of I know not what cobler The night following the Holy Bishop appeared to the Abbot and said Rise quickly for I whom thou scornfully calledst Cobler have brought thee here a pair of boots that will last a good while These thou must putt on and wear for my sake Having said thus he seemed to draw on his leggs a pair of boots with care to make them sitt smooth and hand som. Presently the Abbot waking felt such horrible pain
to us Be diligent in learning for I know not how long I may last nor whether my Creatour will very shortly take mee from you Such speeches made us beleive that he foresaw when he should dye The night following he passed without any sleep at all and spent it wholly in praying and praysing God The morning following very early he bid us to be very attentive and diligent to make an end of writing the Lesson we had begun So that we continued in receiving his Dictats till nine of the clock After which hower we went in solemâ—e Procession with Relicks of the Saints as the Office of that day required One of us his Disciples in the mean time stayd with him and told him saying There remains still one Chapter of the Treatise which you did dictate to us But I fear it will be too great trouble for you to speak No said he Take your pen presently and Write and he did accordingly 7. About three of the Clock after noon he called mee to him and said I have in a little boxe some precious things there is Pepper incense and Oraria which some interpret Handkercheifs others Stoles and some likewise Chaplets for numbring of Prayers which say they therefore from him took the name of Beades Run presently and fetch them and desire the Preists of our Monastery to come hither that I may distribute among them some such small Gifs as God bestowd on mee This I performed with much trembling And when the Preists were come he earnestly requested every one of them not to faile to pray and say Masses diligently for him Which they also heartily promised him But they burst out into bitter weeping when he told them he beleived they should never see his face again in this world But again it was a ioy to them when he said It is now time if such be the pleasure of God my Creatour that I should be delivered out of this flesh and goe to him who when I was not framd mee of nothing I have lived a long time and my mercifull Iudge has well ordered my life The time of my freedom is at hand for my soule desires to see Christ my King in his glory In such like speeches to our great comfort and edification he spent ioyfully that which was his last day till even 8. The foresaid young Disciple of his whose name was Wilberck sayd once again to him Dear Master There remains yet one sentence unwritten But he answerd Well well all is finished Thou hast said right Come and turn my head for I much desire to sitt and look to my Oratoâ—y and pray to my heavenly Father Thus being layd upon a hayr-cloath spread on the floor as he was singing these words Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. he happily breathed forth his soule And we may assuredly beleive that considering his laborious constancy in praising God his soule was by Angells caried to eternall ioyes 9. Now all which heard his speeches and were witnesses of the manner of the death of this our good Father Beda doe professe that they never saw any one end his life with so great tranquillity of mind and devotion For as you have heard as long as his soule continued in his body he never ceased to praise God and with arms stretchd forth to give thanks to him Now you must know that besides what I have written there remain many other particulars which for want of skill in expressing I am forced to omitt Yet I have a purpose through Gods help to relate more amply severall other things which I saw and heard from him This account did this Disciple give of his holy Masters death After which as we read in the Authour of his Life in Capgrave there followd in the room where he dyed a sweet fragrancy so wonderfully odoriferous that all the persons present thought themselves in Paradise for no Perfumes or precious balsam came near the sweetnes of it 10. And hereto William of Malmsbury adds which was omitted by the said Disciple That the whole congregation of the Monks being assembled he received Extreme-Vnction and communicated the Body of our Lord for his Viaticum to strengthen him in his last combat against his spirituall enemies and moreover that having kissed them every one he earnestly desired to be remembred in their Prayers c. 11. He dyed on the seaventh day before the Calends of Iune which was the twenty sixth of May But because that day was also the Feast of our great Apostle S. Augustin therefore the Church thought fitt to commemorate S. Beda the day following and so we find both in the Roman and English Martyrologes He was buried in his own Monastery in which from his infancy he had lived about threescore years But the fame of his Sanctity afterward encreasing his Bones together with the Sacred Body of Saint Cuthbert Bishop of Lindesfarn were translated to Durham and there reposed together 12. Assoon as his Death was known abroad severall Letters came from forrain countreys to desire some of his Treatises and Books Two Epistles there are still extant from S. Boniface and from S. Lullus Successour to him and to S. Willebrord to the same purpose And particularly S. Lullus writing to Cuthbert who had been his Disciple three and forty years and was afterward Abbot of the same Monastery tells him that he had sent a Vesture all of silk to enwrap the Relicks of his beloved Master To which the Answers of the same Cuthbert also are still extant 13. I doe not know by what warrant from Ancient Monuments the devout Writer by some stiled the Chancellour of the Blessed Virgin B. Alanus de Rupe affirms that Saint Beda was the first who began in England the Exercise of particular Devotions and reciting of Chaplets to the honour of that glorious Queen of Virgins for so weer find the Oraria distributed by S. Beda to his Brethren interpreted And that from Brittany such Devotion was propagated into France and other forrain countreys 14. I will conclude this Narration with the large Testimonies given to S. Beda's learning and Piety even by Enemies to that Religion which he taught Thus then writes Camden of him Beda among all our Writers is a lover of Truth And again Our Beda the singular glory of England for his piety and erudition gott the Title Venerabilis He gave up himself as he testifies to the Meditation of Holy Scriptures and wrote a very great number of Volumes in an age turmoyld with huge waves of barbarism Thus likewise Whitaker Beda did excell in many vertues and singular learning To the same purpose Foxe Beda was a man worthy of eternall memory the whole Western Church of that age gave him the palm and preeminence for learning and understanding of Scripture Very many more like testimonies may be added but I will content my self with that of the carnall Apostat Bale
among the stains and Errours of his writings they reckon these That he seems to maintain the libertie of mans will And that the law is possible for he sayes it is no impossible thing for men who have a good will to love God above themselves and their neighbours as themselves Yea moreover he denyes concupiscence to be sin Lastly in general they write that the doctrine of Iustification was delivered by the Doctours of this age too negligently and obscurely that is much otherwise than Luther delivered it 34. In the third Century they find yet more things to displease them The Doctours of this age say they for the greatest part admitt free will Thus Tertullian Origen Cyprian and Methodius Again the most sublime article of Iustification is for the most part obscured by Origen and Methodius And as for the doctrine touching Good works the Doctours of this age did yet more decline from the true Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and Luther then those of the former For they invented and inculcated many voluntary observances Thus Tertullian doth immoderatly extoll chastity and continence Origen attributes to good workes that they are a preparation to salvation and consequently a cause And with the like errour was Cyprian misled who ascribes to good works that they are the Guardians of hope the stay of Faith and cause us to abide continually in Christ to live in God and to attain to heavenly promises and Rewards Then for Pennance the doctrine thereof hath been wonderfully depraved by the Writers of this age They impute remissions of sins to Contrition Cyprian expressely affirmes that sins are redeemed and washed away by penitentiall satisfaction Moreover the same Cyprian speakes dangerously not according to the Tradition of Christ and the Apostles concerning unction in Baptisme saying it is necessary that the person baptised should be annointed with Chrisme that thereby he may become the annointed of God and have the grace of Christ in him And concerning the Eucharist Cyprian does superstitiously faine that some vertue accrews thereto from the person administring it for he sayes the Eucharist sanctified on the altar And again The Priest doth execute the office of Christ and offers sacrifice to God the Father Which phrase of offring sacrifice is used also by Tertullian You may moreover say they observe in the writings of the Doctours of this age Origen and Cyprian not obscure signes of Invocation of Saints And lastly touching the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome Cyprian affirms expressely and without any foundation of holy scripture that the Roman Church ought to be acknowledged by all for the mother and root of the Catholick Church Likewise Origen sayes that Peter by vertue of Christs promise deserved to be made the foundation of the Church The foresaid Cyprian hath moreover on this subiect other dangerous opinions as where he tyes and limits the Pastorall office to ordinary succession And for bids inferiours to iudge Bishops and prelates of the Church 35. It is pitty to proceed any further in producing out of the following Centuries the sometimes sad but most often angry complaints acknowledgments made by these honest German Writers how generally their Patriark Luthers Doctrines have been preiudged and condemned by the fathers and Doctours of Gods Church and the Faith of the present Roman Church asserted The further they proceed in their collection a greater number of yet more Severe Iudges they discover till in short tyme they cannot find one to speake a good word for them And this like a conscionable Iury they attest In so much as one would be tempted almost to suspect that they had been secretly bribed by the Pope to publish their own condemnation 36. These things considered I cannot fore see any probabilitie of a Debate likely to ensue touching this Historie I mean for asmuch as concerns the doctrinall part of it nor any considerable arguments to proove against the result of it that the points of Catholick faith have not been taught through all the ages comprised within its limits And as for the ages following that is since the Conquest by the Normans it is out of all dispute that our forefathers have been Romans in a deeper degree perhaps then wee their children are now 37. But I must acknowledge I am not secure against quarrels for as much as concerns the Christian practises of pietie and vertue commended in the Saints whose Gests are heere related and the reason is because our modern sectaries have a quite different notion of vertue and pietie from that which Catholicks from the beginning to this age have entertained Therefore such Readers missing in this booke storyes of Exploits performed in old tymes such as they magnifie in their primitive red-lettred saints of their new fashioned Calendars and finding practises here exalted for vertues which with their good-will they would renounce in their Baptisme as works and pompes of Sathan I shall not want adversaries good store of all ages and sexes 38. For I confesse that among the hundreds of Saints commemorated in this book of whom not a few are acknowledged for Saints even by the Protestants and which is more for Workers of stupendious Miracles not one can be found of their new Mode Not one can be found magnified as Inventours of new Doctrines opposite to the Common faith of the Church Not one who to spread abroad such Doctrines armed subiects against their Princes demolished altars burnt Churches violated Holy Virgins or invaded the possessions of God Not one who thought his Christian libertie could iustifie sacrilegious lusts in breaking vowes of Chastity and soliciting others to doe the like Here we shall not read of somuch as one Good-wife of the citty or country not one chamber-maid Prentice or Groome disputing with Doctours and Bishops and confuting all the Fathers and Councils of Gods Church c. So that if for want of such qualifications as these all our antient Holy Bishops Martyrs Doctours and Virgins must be unsainted there remains for us no remedie but the old uncomfortable one Patience 39. Yet perhaps this defect or want of heroicall perfections will not so confidently at least in publick be obiected against our Worthies as the vertues for which we commend them A continuall macerating of the flesh with abstinences fastings Watchings Haire-cloathes lying on the cold hard ground and the like these austerities our moderne spiritualists will mock at as uselesse us voluntary self-afflictions concerning which they assure God wil say Who hath required these things at your hands And they will be yet more angry and doe hope that God will be so too against consecrating ones self to perpetuall Virginity or continence in Mariage against secluding ones selfe from all conversation with the world against almost all use of the tongue except speaking to God against an entire submission of the will to the Direction of another and specially against renouncing riches honours Pleasures c. 40. But such
as followeth He became a Christian in Brittany converted by some unknown Primitive Beleiver Before his Conversion his name was Suetonius being born of noble parents Out of Brittany he under took a voyage to Rome moved therto by other devout Christians to be instructed more perfectly in the holy Faith by the Blessed Apostle S. Peter by whom being baptised as a testimony of his present happines and hopes of a future accomplishment of it he was called Beatus After he was sufficiently instructed he was esteemed worthy to be employed in the Apostolicall office of instructing others In his return toward his Countrey passing through Helvetia now called Suizzerland he neglected not to disperse the good seed with which he had been furnish'd at Rome and perceiving that very many in that Countrey chearfully embraced the true Faith he rested there pursuing his journey no further Thus he became the Apostle of the Helvetians illustrious for his Piety holines and miracles In his declining age having distributed all his substance to the poore he retir'd himselfe to the exercises of a contemplative life chusing for his habitation nere a village called Vrbigenum Vnderseven a Grotte in a Mountain out of which with the sign of the Crosse he expelled a dangerous and cruel serpent It is not certain in what place he dyed S. Bede makes only this mention of him At Rome is the commemoration of S. Beatus a Confessour on the ninth of May. But the Roman Martyrologe thus In the Town Vindecinum or Vendosme is celebrated the deposition of S. Beatus a Confessour But the Ecclesiasticall Writers of Germany the Annals of the Helvetians and Monuments of the Church of Constantia doe unanimously agree that he dyed in his solitude neer Vnderseven in Helvetia in the hundred and tenth yeare of our Lord when the Emperour Traian raigned VI. CHAP. 1. Testimonies of S. Peters preaching in Brittany 2. Proved by the Catalâ—gue of the Provinces of the severall Apostles 3. And by the testimony of Pope Innocentius the first 4. S. Paul sayd to have preached in Brittany 5.6.7 Simon Zelotes reported by Nicephorus to have preached in Brittaâ—ny but disproved by C. Baronius 8.9 The time of S. Peters coming in to this Island uncertain as likewise his Gests 1. IT was no doubt a great mercy which God extended to this our Island that he was pleased so early to enlighten it with his Divine Truth and moreover to transforme its barbarous inhabitants into Apostles and Messengers of salvation to other Countreys also But a far greater blessing yet did God bestow on it by directing hither his Apostle him who was the Prime of the whole order S. Peter himselfe whose accesse to this Island is attested by Ancient Monuments and by Writers who had no interest at all to induce them to partiality Those who formerly had preached the Gospell here were persons though of great holines and zeale yet such as for want of an Apostolicall Episcopall Character could onely preach unto baptise those with whom they conversed But wheresoever any of the Apostles themselves came or persons sufficiently qualified by them they provided for posterity also The former could only beget children but the other could beget both children and Fathers establishing in the places where they preached a constant order and Government which might last to the worlds end 2. When the Apostles before their separation divided by lott among themselves the severall Regions of the world the West became the portion of Saint Peter as Eusebius quoted by Metaphrastes testifies saying S. Peter spent twelve yeares in the East and twenty he pass'd at Rome in Brittany and other citties in the West Which passage though it be not extant in any Books of Eusebius now remaining this does not prejudice the validity of this authority since as S. Hierom writes in his Catalogue Eusebius publish'd an infinite number of volumes and among others an Vniversall History together with an Epitome of it severall Books likewise of Martyrs and other works Of which a great number are by the iniury of time perished And in some of those we may ought reasonably to judge that those words were found rather then to imagin that such a Writer as Simeon would voluntarily feign such things from his own brain since he had no interest in the glory of Brittany and besids was one who for his Sanctity is venerated in the Greek Church 3. The same Authour out of ancient Monuments adds furcher S. Peter says he out of the East came to Rome from whence he went to Millan and Photice which are Citties in the continent In which places having constituted Bishops and Preists he pass'd into Brittany In which Island having made a long abode and converted to the Faith of Christ severall Nations of unknown names he had a Vision of Angells which sayd to him Peter the time of thy dissolution is at hand and it is necessary that thow goe to Rome where thou must suffer the death of the Crosse and so receive the reward of righteousnes Having received this Revelation he glorified God giving thanks for the same and continuing certain dayes among the Brittains during which he enlightned many more with the word of Grace having constituted Churches and ordained Bishops Preists and Deacons in the twelfth yeare of the Emperour Nero he return'd to Rome To this revelation made to him in Brittany the Apostle has regard in his second Epistle saying I know that shortly I must put off my Tabernacle even as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shew'd me 4. Hereto wee may adde an important testimony of S. Innocent the first Pope of that name who writing to Decentius Bishop of Eugubium hath this passage Who can be ignorant or not observe that that which hath been delivered to the Roman Church by Peter Prince of the Apostles and is there observed to this day ought to be obediently kept by all and that nothing ought to be introduced or super-added by any which doth not come from the same authority or seems to be practised in imitation of any other Especially since it is manifest that through all Italy Gaules Spain Africk and Sicily as likewise the interiacent Islands none ever instituted any Churches but only such as the Venerable Apostle S. Peter or his Successours did ordain Preists and Bishops If any would contradict this let them produce Records testifying that any other of the Apostles can be found or heard to have taught in those Provinces Therfore if no such Records can be produced they must be obliged to submitt to the observation of that which the Roman Church teaches and practises from which without doubt they received their Originall This they must doe least while they affect strange observances they may seem to divide from the Head of Ecclesiasticall Institutions 5. This positive Assertion of so ancient learned and Holy a Pope to witt that none of the Apostles besids
give his iudgment on the matter made a most holy and religious Decree For he commanded that the Episcopall house should be given to those to whom the Christians of Italy and Bishops of the Citty of Rome should by their letters assign it And thus at last Paulus to his great shame and infamy was by the authority of the Secular supreme Power entirely expelled from his Church THE SIXTH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAP. 1.2 Constantius his first Expedition into Brittany 3. He was then only a Roman Senatour 4. He is received peaceably by the Brittains 5.6 c. He associates himself with Coëlus a Brittish Prince and marries his daughter Helena 1. THERE are mention'd in Story two Voyages of Constantius Chlorus into Brittany The first was now in the year of Grace two hundred seaventy four and the fourth of Aurelianus his raign presently after Tetricus had submitted to him in Spain The other was almost twenty years after when Carausius in Brittany took on him the Title of Emperour against whom he was sent Now for want of distinguishing these two Voyages great confusion has been brought into the History of Constantius and his Son Constantin by Grecian Writers as shall hereafter appear 2. Concerning this first Expedition Baronius in a discourse proving his son Constantin to have been born in Brittany thus writes This hapned in the time of the Emperour Aurelianus by whom Constantius illisstrious for the fresh memory of the Emperour Claudius to whom he was allyed was sent with an Army into Brittany to the end he might contain that Nation frequently accustomed to tumults in their duty and fidelity to the Emperour 3. Suitably hereto we read in the life of S. Helena That the Romans taking into consideration the dammage they had receiv'd by the losse of the Kingdom of Brittany which always adhered to the interests of such Tyrants in Gaule as had usurped the Title of Emperours such were Posihumius Tetricus c sent thither the Senatour Constantius with authority who had lately subdued Spain unto them a man wise courageous and beyond any other zealous to enlarge the Majesty of the Empire Constantius therfore at his first arrivall into Brittany was not Emperour nor so much as Caesar that is deputed to succeed in the Empire but simply a Patritian and Senatour This not being observ'd by certain Authours has occasion'd great obscurity in history and given advantage to some Greekish Writers to entitle other Provinces to the Birth of Constantin 4. Constantius being arriv'd in Brittany was beyond expectation with all quietnes and submission receiv'd as the Emperours Lieutenant both by the Brittains and Romans That which may be supposed to have been the principall cause of such compliance in the Brittains was the Religion profess'd by them which taught them as to yeild Faith and worship to Christ so also their duty and obedience to Caesar that is to Aurelianus universally acknowledged the only lawfull Emperour The Romans likewise in Brittany being but few and withall having among them no Generall Officer For Tetricus whom they formerly obeyd had newly deposed himselfe they had but small encouragement to resist a Generall so famous as Constantius guarded by an Army lately victorious 5. To such a quiet reception of him the many vertuous qualities of Constantius no doubt much contributed The which we find celebrated by Eumenius a Rhetorician of these times in a Panegyricall oration pronounced to his son Constantin By considering the passages wherof we may be better directed to a view of the state of these times then by almost any succeeding Historians The clause therin referring to our present subiect is this What shall I speak sayes he concerning your Fathers recovery of Brittany The sea was so calme when he passd it as if being astonish'd at the burden it caried it had lost all its motions And when he aborded the Island victory did rather expect him there then accompany him thither What shall I say of his clemency and mercy by which he forbore to insult over those whom he had conquered What of his iustice by which he restored all dammages to those which had been pillaged What of his Providence by which having strengthned him self with associations he so behaved himself in the exercise of his iurisdiction that those who had formerly been treated as slaves were made happy by a liberty restored to them and those who had been guilty of crimes were by forbearing of punishment moved to repentance 6. Now wheras the Oratour here mentions associations made by Constantius with the Brittains it is most probable that he reflected on the freindship and affinity contracted by him wich such Princes as were then of power in the Island among which the most eminent was Coellus Prince of the Trinobantes and Iceni of whom we spoke before To him therfore did he in a particular manner apply himselfe and not only induced him to submit to Aurelianus and renew his former tribute but moreover to make the league more inviolable and to endear the minds and affections of the Brittains to himself he demanded affinity of that Prince and espoused his only daughter S. Helena then a Virgin All this is confirmed by an ancient Poet whose verses the learned Bishop Vsher cites from Ioannes de Garlandia 7. The same likewise is recorded in the life of S. Helena extant in Cap-grave to this effect Moreover Coël King of the Brittans and Father of Helena assoon as he was informed of Constantius his arrivall fearing to make war with a person so famous for many noble victories he directed Embassadours to him to demand peace and to promise subiection upon those terms that he should still enioy the possession of his Principality paying the accustomed tribut To these conditions Constantius agreed and having demanded hostages confirmed a peace With him Not long after a greivous sicknes seised on Coël of which in a short time he dyed After whose death Constantius having maried the beautifull Princesse Helena took possession of his Principality 8. To this effect doe our ancient Records relate Constantius his first expedition into Brittany and the consequences of it And hereto doe subscribe the most learned Historians of the Western Church in opposition to the fables grounded on manifest mistakes which some Writers of the Greek Church have publish'd which shall shortly be examined and refuted II. CHAP. 1.2 The Birth of Constantin in Brittany 3.4 5. A Controuersy about the place of his birth 1. THE year after the happy mariage between Constantius then only a Roman Senatour and Helena in Brittany was born Constantin afterward worthily sirnamed the Great not only for his Victories over severall Tyrants and reducing the Roman Empire to a peaceable and flourishing state but principally for destroying the Empire of Sathan and advancing the Kingdom af God over Idolatry and all kinds of impious superstitions At this time there sate in the Chair of
of Pope Boniface the fifth to Iustus Arch-bishop of Canterbury writing thus I perceive by your Letters that our Predecessour of Blessed memory Gregory appointed to Augustin and his Successours for the future the Metropolitan and primitive See in the Citty of Canterbury where the Head of the whole Nation since the times of Paganism resideth 20. The same is confirmed by the universall practise of all succeeding times Whereby it is evident that the entire exercise of Ecclesiasticall authority in ordring changing and translating of Bishopricks and Arch-bishopricks was by all our Ancestours acknowledged to belong to the See Apostolick Yea B. Parker a Successour of S. Augustin in the See of Canterbury as to the Rents belonging to it and his kind of iurisdiction also though an Apostat from his Faith challenges this Iurisdiction upon no other grounds but because Saint Augustin received it from Saint Gregory to the prejudice of London and yet both he and his Successours in contradiction to their own claim and practise will deny that Saint Gregory or his Successours enjoyd any lawfull Iurisdiction over Brittany 11. With these letters and by the same Messengers saith S. Beda the zealous and charitable Pope Saint Gregory sent likewise all manner of things necessary for the solemn worship of God and ministery of the Church He furnished them with Sacred Vessels cloathes for Altars Ornaments for Churches Vestments proper for Bishops Preists and other Ecclesiasticks Relicks of the Holy Apostles and Martyrs and likewise very many Books And for this his liberality he is by Calvinists branded with the note of Superstition But it is no wonder that such men would despoyle Gods Church of all splendour and ornaments who have despoyld Faith it self of all good works XIII CHAP. 1.2 c. S. Gregories New Orders touching demolishing Pagan Temples and Rites 5. A Priviledge to the Monastery of Glastonbury 1. WHen S. Gregory had dispatched away these Messengers new cares began to disquiet his mind In his Letter to King Ethelbert he had advised him to demolish the Temples dedicated to Idols that no marks of former Superstition might remain But upon after-thoughts he considered that those Temples being purified might be usefull for the worship of the true God Therefore apprehending the Kings zeale and hasty obedience he hastned away other Letters which saith S. Beda deserve to be recorded as a Monument of his affection and continuall solicitudes for the good of our Nation They were directed to Mellitus Abbot in the tenour following 2. After the departure of thee and thy company we were in great suspension of mind not having heard any tidings of the prosperousnes of your iourney When therefore it shall please God to bring you safe to our most reverend Brother ◠Augustin acquaint him how having diligently considered the affaires of England I have now iudged best that the Temples consecrated to Idols in that Nation should not be demolished but only the Idols themselves Let therefore Holy Water be made and sprinkled through the said Temples and then Altars may be built and Sacred Relicks be placed in them which being done they will be usefull for the service of God And besides the Saxons having cleansed their hearts from Errour by the knowledg and worship of the true God will more willingly and familiarly resort to the accustomed places which they see standing 3. And whereas they were wont to kill many Oxen in their Sacrifices to Devills they may be perswaded to make this change in that solemnity that on the anniversary day of the Dedication of their Churches or Feasts of such Martyrs whose Relicks they have they may raise Tents or Boothes about the said Churches and celebrate the solemnity with merry feasting At which time they must not immolate their beasts to the Devill as formerly but kill them for meat to be eaten to the praise of God the giver of them By this means whilst we permitt them a continuance of their former externall jollities their minds will more easily be brought to entertaine spirituall joys For it will be impossible at once to withdraw such rude untractable minds from all their former customs they will not be brought to perfection by sudden leaps but leasurely by steps and degrees Thus did our Lord indeed make himself known to the people of Israel in Egypt But withall permitting them to continue their custom of Sacrifices he taught them to offer them to his Honour which before they did to Devills Thus their hearts being wholly changed they relinquished some thing and retaind likewise some thing of their former practise So that though the beasts were the same which they were wont to offer yet since they offred them now to God and not to Idols the Sacrifices were not the same These things I desire thee to tell our fore named Brother that he may consider being there present how best to be have himself 4. The discreet Reader may here observe how just a Title this Holy Pope S. Gregory had to the Name of Apostle of the English Nation since amidst the distractions and tumults of businesses which necessarily attēded the care of all Christian Churches yet in one year he could write so many letters give so many admonitions conferr so many Indults and Graces and all this with so much affection zeale labour and solicitude that he may seem to have had no other thing in his thoughts but how to adorn this New English Church and make her fitt to become a beloved Spouse of our Saviour 5. To this year likewise belongs what we read in William of Malmsbury out of the Antiquities of Glastonbury touching a Royall Priviledge then granted to that Monastery In the year of our Lords Incarnation six hundred and one that is five years after the coming of S. Augustin the King of Domnonia granted the land called Ineswitrin to the ancient Church situated there the land containing five families quinque cassata This he did at the Petition of Worgrez Abbot of the same place The Grant was subscribed by Manvorn Bishop and the said Abbot Worgrez Now the Name of the King saith the Authour does not appear being worn out of the Writing by age But that he was a Brittain can not be doubted since he calls the place Ineswitrin for that is the Brittish name We may likewise consider of how great Antiquity the said Church was which is there and then called an ancient Church The Abbots of the same Church were doubtles Brittains too as appears by their barbarous Names Ladaemmid and Bregorer The times when they succeeded one another are unknown But their Names and Dignities are to be plainly seen in a Picture on one side of the Altar in the Great Church XIV CHAP. 1.2 c. K. Ethelberts Munificence to the Church 4.5 Priviledge of Coyning given to S. Augustin and his Successours 9 c. The Arch-bishop of Canterburie's Iurisdiction over all Brittany Ireland c. 1. WE will now
them therefore to Ecclesiasticall Vnity and charity the Saxon Bishops enioyned S. Aldelm present in the same Synod to write effectually in their names to Geruntius King of the sayd Brittains in Dâ—nmonia or Cornwall and to demonstrate to them their dangerous errours and schism earnestly inviting them to depose their passions and aversenes from their brethren and unanimously to promote the true Faith This charge was imposed on S. Aldelm as being a person the most eminent for learning and piety in that age and this he discharged with the sufficiency expected from him as may appear by the said Treatise or Epistle yet extant the tenour whereof in English wee will hereto adioyn 3. And whereas from those words of Saint Beda saying that Saint Aldelm wrote against the Brittains because they offended much against Ecclesiasticall Chastity certain of our late more learned Pâ—otestant Writers doe pretend to derive and confirm the lawfullnes of mariage in Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall persons But besides that this collectioÌ„ is disproved by ancient Manuscripts in which wee read not Castitatem but Charitatem the following Epistle it self will be an evident confutation in which not one word can be found which gives any suspicion that the Brittains were guilty of incontinence or impurity but extreme uncharitablenes is imputed to them Which clearly evinces that the printed copies ought to be corrected 4. But before we sett down the said Epistle of Saint Aldelm it will be fitt to premise how in the way as he was going to this Synod he was presented with a Letter from certain Religious Virgins to witt Hilâ—elida whom he stiles the Mistresse of Regular and Monasticall conversation together with Iustina Cuthburga and Osburgi who had some relation of kinred to him also Alfgiaa scholastica Hidburga Berngida Eulalia and Tecla Which Letter he highly commended as arguing not only a great zeale and love of chastity vowed by them but an exquisite skill in Holy Scriptures with the flowers whereof they gracefully adorned their Letter In answer whereto he compiled a whole Book which he inscribed Of Virginity and which the Reader may find in the Bibliothecâ Patrum XVII CHAP. 1.2 c. The tenour of Saint Aldelms Letter in the name of the English Saxon Synod to Geruntius King of the Brittains in Cornwall 1. THE Letter of Saint Aldelm reproving the errours of the Brittains now followeth which though it be some what long will deserve a place in our History though it were onely to shew that excepting two or three points of Discipline there was a perfect agreement between the Saxons and Brittains in all things touching the Catholick Faith otherwise the Saxon Bishops would not have railed in case they had erred to rectify their iudgment The Inscription of the said Letter is as followeth 2 To my glorious Lord Geruntius King of the Western Kingdom whom I as God the searcher oâ— hearts is my witnes doe embrace with brotherly charity And likewise to all Gods Preists inhabiting Danmonia or Cornwall I Althelm unworthy Abbot doe wish health and salvation in our Lord. 3. Being lately in a Synod of Bishops assembled out of the whole nation in a manner a wonderfull multitude of Gods Preists came thither being moved thereto out of a solicitude for the good of the Churches and care of the peoples salvation to the end that advising in common about the Ecclesiasticall Canons and Ordinances of the Fathers they should through Christs assistance be putt in practise 4 After these things were duly perform'd the whole Assembly uâ—animously imposed upon mee though unworthy a command to frame Letters directed to your Piety in which I might acquaint you with their fatherly suggestion request that you would be carefull not to break the Vnity of the Catholick Church nor admitt opinions not suiting with the Christian Faith since so doing you would deprive your selves of future rewards in heaveÌ„ For what proffit can any one receive from good works done out of the Catholick Church although a man should be never so strict in Regular Observances or retire himself into a desart to practise an Anachoreticall life of Contemplation 5. Now that you may better understand for what especiall causes this Letter is directed to you I will here breifly discover them to you Wee have heard and by severall relations been assured that your Preists doe very much swerve from the Rule of Catholick Faith enioynd in the Scriptures and that by their quarrells and verball coÌ„tentions there is arisen in the Church of Christ a greivous Schism scandal whereas the Psalmist saith Great peace is to those who love thy name and among them there is no scandall For the Peace of Religion is preserved by a charitable concord of mens minds as on the other side contention violates Charity Hence the same Psalmist exhorts all those who embrace the true Faith to a fraternall unity saying It is God who makes brethren to live in one mind in a house Now by this House is understood the whole Church of God spread through the world For Hereticks and Schismaticks being estranged from the Communion of the Church and by contending about severall new opinions encreasing in their nuÌ„bers doe like unproffitable tares sown in a rich soyle corrupt and defile our Lords harvest But the Apostles truÌ„pet doth represse this shamefull humour of contention saying If any one will be contentious we have no such custom nor the Church of God which is without spott or wrinckle For that peace is the Mother of Catholicks is declared by the Evangelicall Oracles Blessed are the peaceable for they shal be called the children of God And hence it is that when our Lord and Saviour descended from heaven that he might wipe away the hand-writing of our first parents which was against us and that by Peace intervening he might reconcile the world an Angelicall Quire melodiously sung Glory to God on high and on earth peace to men of good will and the Psalmist saith Let Peace be made by thy power and abundance in all thy Towers 6. Moreover a rumour is spread abroad that in your Province there are certain Preists and other Ecclesiasticks who contrary to the teaching of the Church doe obstinatly refuse to admitt the Tonsure of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and doe pertinaciously defend themselves with this excuse that they doe imitate the Tonsure of their Predecessours whom with pompous phrases they exalt as men eminently illustrated with Divine Grace Whereas if we presse them to tell us who was the first Authour of this their rasure and Tonsure either out of ignorance of the Truth or dissembling a lye they have not a word to say But wee and many others with us can assure them that Simon the Inventour of Magicall arts was the Authour of this Tonsure The fraudulent and diabolicall skill of Necromancy contrived by whom against S. Peter is testified by the ancient Book called The Combat of the
the eyes of God and is with devotion celebrated by his Church being commemorated both in our English and also the Roman Martyrologe on the twentieth day of August But the Centuriators of Magdeburg reading all these things are moved to choler both against S. Beda Sebbe and all Monks in generall which choler suggested this profane censure to their pens A Monasticall course of life not having any ground in Gods word stood in need to be recommended by vain dreams and Visions And again In this seaventh age say they Kings began to relinquish their authority and to addict themselves to a Monasticall life Which impiety must be adorned with lying miracles Hence Beda writes concerning King Sebbe that in a Vision three men appeard to him as he lay sick in his bed and foretold to him both the day of his death and that it should be without pain So that to forsake all worldly pleasures and contentments purely for the Love of God is not only not warranted by Gods word but is an impiety excluding men from the enioying of God in the judgment of these new sensuall Evangelists 7. But how after this holy Kings death God was pleased to declare how far different a judgment he gave of his servant the same learned and devout Historian thus further relates A Coffin of Stone saith he was prepared for entombing the Body of this holy King But when they endeavoured to putt the Body into it they found that it was a hands-breadth too long for the Coffin Whereupon paring away as much of the stone at each end as they could they thereby lengthned it about the measure of two fingers breadth Yet after all it would not receive the body Whereupon finding so great a difficulty to enteire him they intended either to seek out a new Coffin or to endeavour by hewing the body to shorten it so much as to make it enter into the Coffin But by a wonderfull accident which could proceed from no lesse then a heavenly power both these designs of theirs were prevented for presently in the sight of the Bishop and Sighard son to the said King and Monk who together with his Brother Seofrid raignd after him a great multitude likewise of others being present the Coffin was found of a convenient length insomuch as there was room enough to place a cushion under his head and yet at the feet there remaind four fingers breadth beyond the body He was buried in the Church of Saint Paul the Doctour of the Gentiles by whose teaching he had learnt to aspire to heavenly things onely 8. To this day his Sepulcher is seen in the same Church adioyning to the Wall on the North side and encompassed with railes But the present Monument being of marble and not ordinary stone as at first shews that in ages following through some mens devotion it was changed and more honourably entombed So that a late malignant Historians skoffe does little prejudice S. Beda's narration saying that the Coffin which in the beginning was miraculously lengthned hath been since by a new Miracle again contracted 9. The Holy Bishop of Worcester Ostfor consecrated the year before by Saint Wilfrid this year dyed in whose place succeeded a Religious person named Egwin born of Princely blood but one who aspiring to a higher kingdom for Christs sake became poor Concerning whom we shall treat more largely hereafter for great examples of patience and equanimity in suffrings he will afford us insomuch as being tryed in the furnace of many tribulations his sanctity became illustrious not in Brittany onely but forrain regions also THE TWENTIETH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAPTER 1.2 Of English Missioners sent to convert the Germans 3.4 c. S. Egbert the First Mover in that work He is desirous to goe himself but is hindred by God and employed to bring the Scotts to the Vnity of the Church 8.9 Wibert preaches without Successe to the Frisons 10.11 S Willebrord with eleaven others undertake the Mission 1. THE same year of Grace six hundred ninety three was made illustrious by the death and Martyrdom of two Apostolicall Brethren of the English Nation both of them called by the same name Ewald whose zeale for the enlarging of Christs kingdom compelled them to become strangers to their own countrey and in the company of severall other devout Preists to passe over into Germany exposing themselves to all incommodities and dangers yea death it selfe for the rescuing of a world of soules from ignorance and Idolatry in which hitherto the Devill had held them captive 2. But before we apply our selves to the relating of the particular Gests of these two Apostolick Martyrs it will be requisite that we return three years back to the year six hundred and ninety in which the Mission for the conversion of severall German nations began We deferd it to this year because now are seen the first fruits of the labours of those Apostolicall Missioners It will now therefore be seasonable to relate the occasion and first execution of this Mission the names of the devout persons who undertook it their first attempt and succeeding progresse hitherto Which having done we will in due place declare the wonderfull and happy successe of it 3. The First Mover in this holy Work and cheif Architect of so glorious a design was S. Egbert of the rudiments of whose Sanctity this our History has from S. Beda treated in the year six hundred sixty four where we declared how he together with his companion Edelhum in the time when Finan and Coleman were Bishops went out of this their native countrey into Ireland together with many other associats both of Noble and meane condition Not long after the great plague which had almost wasted Brittany passed over into Ireland and among many others seised on this S. Egbert then living in an Irish Monastery called Rathmelsige Who expecting death with great compunction examined his former life and with many teares besought almighty God not to take him out of the world till he had performed due pennance for his sins He adioynd to his Prayers a Vow never to return to his native countrey to recite the whole Psalter dayly to fast every seaventh day c. After which God restored him to his health and he lived many years in great perfection of humility meeknes continence and simplicity and both by his example and teaching was very beneficiall to the Irish. 4. After he had spent twenty six years thus devoutly in Ireland in the year of Grace six hundred ninety saith S. Beda and out of him Baronius he took a resolution to extend his charity to forrain Nations and for that purpose to undertake the Apostolicall Office of preaching the Gospell to such as had yet never heard of it Particularly he knew that in Germany there were many Nations as yet in darknes from whom the English and Saxons now inhabiting Brittany drew their Originall such were the
with this Elogy In England the Commemoration of S. Eadbert Bishop of Lindesfarn eminent for his learning and piety 2. His Successour in the same See of Lindesfarn was Edfrid a man saith the same Bishop Godwin who from his childhood had been brought up in good letters and in that age was highly esteemed for his eminent learning This is that Edfrid at whose request S. Beda extolled the vertues and miracles of his Predecessour S. Cuthbert both in prose and verse as appears by his Epistle prefixed to his Book 3. About the same time dyed S. Adamannus the devout Abbot of Hy commemorated in our Martyrologe on the second of September To him is attributed the conversion oâ— most of the Irish and many Brittains to the true observation of the Solemnity of Easter according to the Catholick manner though he could not reduce the obstinate minds of his own Monks His zealous endeavours herein are thus expressed by S. Beda 4. At that time the greatest part of the Scotts in Ireland and not a few Brittains in Brittany by our Lords blessing conformed themselves to the right Ecclesiastical time of celebrating the Paschal Solemnity For Adamannus a Preist and Abbot over the Monks lived in the Isle of Hy having been sent in Embassage from his Nation to Alfrid King of the Northumbers and staying a good space of time in his Province carefully observed the Canonicall Rites of the English Church and moreover was seriously admonished by certain learned men that he with a few Monks hid in the utmost corner of the world should not presume to live in a practise directly contrary to the custom of the whole Church in the Paschall Observance and other Ecclesiasticall Decrees By which admonitions his judgment became quite changed insomuch as he willingly preferred the Observances which he had seen and heard in the Churches of the English before the customs of his own countrey For he was a good man and wise and moreover eminently skillfull in the Scriptures 5. When he was returned home he employd his utmost care to induce his Monks in Hy and all the rest depending on them to return into the path of Truth which he had lately found and with his whole heart approved But all his endeavours through their obstinacy proved vain Whereupon leaving them he sayled into Ireland where by preaching and modest exhortations he perswaded in a manner all the Monks who were not subiect to the Dominion of the Monastery of Hy to quitt their Errour and return to Catholick Vnity in observing the legitimat time of Easter which he taught them Thus having celebrated in Ireland one Canonicall Solemnity of Easter he returned to his Island And again earnestly preached the true Observance to his own Monks yet could by no means perswade them to conformity Now it hapned that before the years Circle was finished he was taken out of this world Divine ProvideÌ„ce so mercifully disposing that this Holy man who was an earnest lover of Vnity and Peace should be taken from hence to eternall Happines before the next â—asâ—hall time was come least he should be compelled to enter into a more sharp debate and discord with those who would not be perswaded to follow him in the way of Truth 6 The same year the Northumbers received a great defeat from the Picts for as Mathew of Westminster relates Brithric a Count of the Northumbers being desirous to avenge the death of his Master King Egfrid invaded in a hostile manner the land of the Picts but as his Lord before had done he likewise felt the curses of the Irish for he also was slain by the Pictish people Notwithstanding as shall be shewd ten years after this the Northumbers had a sufficient revenge upon them XVI CHAP. 1.2 c. The Picts reduced to the Catholick observance of Easter upon occasion of an Epistle written to their King Naitan by the Holy Abbot Ceolfrid 1. WHAT S. Adamannus could not effect among his Scottish obstinat Monks and Islanders of Hy to take away their Errouâ— about the Paschall Solemnity was the next year brought to passe among the Picts by their King Naitan exhorted thereto and instructed by the holy English-Saxon Abbot Ceolfrid The order and manner of this memorable change S. Beda thus describes 2. At that time saith he Naitan King of the Picts inhabiting the Northern coasts of Brittany by frequent meditation on Ecclesiasticall Writings became rectified in his iudgment and renounced the errour which formerly himself and his whole nation had embraced and persisted in reducinâ— all his Subiects to the Catholick observance of the solemnity of our Lords Resurrection Now to effeâ—â— this more easily and with greater authority bâ— sought for help and advice from the English Nation whose Religion he knew was instituted according to the pattern of the Holy Roman and Apostolick Church 3. He sent therefore Messengers to the Venerable man Ceolfrid Abbot of the Monastery of the Blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul seated in a place called Girwum at the mouth of the River Wire and near the River Tine in the Government of which Monastery he succeeded the Holy Abbot S. Benedict Biscop And by those Messengers the said King Naitan requested him to send in Writing instructions to him by which he might be enabled more efficaciously to confute such as presumed to observe the Paschall Solemnity in an undue time He desired likewise to be informed of the true and â—anonicall manner of Ecclesiasticall Tonsure Moreover he entreated him to send him Masons and Architects to build a Church in his countrey of stone after the Roman manner promising that he would dedicate it to the honour of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and likewise that both himself and all his subiects should in all things imitate the manners and Disciplin of the Holy Roman and Apostolick See as far as they who lived at so great a distance from thence and whose language was so different could be informed 4. The most Reverend Abbot Ceolfrid very willingly complying with desires and requests so full of Religion and Piety sent him such Architects as he demaÌ„ded and withall wrote an Epistle containing an exact information in all the points proposed to him by the King Which Epistle by reason of the prolixity of it it will not be expedient to transcribe the curious Reader may have recourse to Saint Beda's History for it who no doubt as may appear by the stile was either the inditer of it or at least had a great influence in the framing it For at this time he was a Monk living under the government of Ceolfrid and the â—ame of his learning was so far spread that the year next following Pope Sergius by letters to the said Abbot invited Saint Beda to Rome whither he had gone but that news of the said Popes death prevented his voyage 5. The sence of the said Epistle is summarily this In the first place as
Divine Verities as far as they had â—carnâ— them they in succession of times should be instructed by the English Nation in those things which they had not so well learnt and be brought to a perfect form of living As on the contrary the Brittains who refused to make known to the English that knowledge of Christianity which they had when as afterward the English became by other means perfectly instructed in the Rule of Christian Faith and Discipline they remain in their old errour and irregular practises neither admitting the ancient Catholick Tonsure on their heads and observing the Christian solemnities contrary to the Orders and practise of the Catholick Church 4. Now these Monks of Hy by the instruction of Saint Egbert received the Catholick Rite when Dunchad was their Abbot about fourscore years after they had sent Aidan their Prelat to preach to the English Nation This Dunchad was the tenth Abbot of Hy after Saint Colomba and the Annals of Vlster observe that he admitted the Roman Rites of Easter in the year of Grace seaven hundred and sixteen on the fourth day before the Calends of September being Saturday and that he dyed the year following 5. As touchinh S. Egbert S. Beda addes that he remained thirteen years in the sayd Island which by a new Grace of Ecclesiasticall Communion and peace he had consecrated to Christ. Concerning his happy death we shall speak in due place THE TWO AND TWENTIETH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAPTER 1.2 c. The Gests of the Holy Abbot S. Ceolfrid He resigns his Office and in travelling toward Rome dyes at Langres in France 1. THE year of Grace seaven hundred and seaventeen is illustrated by the deaths of two glorious English Saints the great S Swibert Apostle of the Germans and Saint Ceolfrid the worthy Successour of S. Benedict Bâ—scop in the government of the Monasteries of Saint Peter and S. Paul at Wiremouth and Girwy in the Kingdom of the Northumbers 2. Treating above of the occurrents of the year of our Lord six hundred eighty three we then out of a History of Saint Beda lately published concerning the Abbots of those two Convents related the memorable Gests and happy deaths of Easterwin Sigfrid and S. Benedict Biscop who had been Abbots of the same before this S. Ceolfrid to whom S. Benedict at his death recommended the care of them both and by whom Saint Beda himself received his education in learning and piety Now therefore it will be requisite to pursue his Narration concerning this his devout carefull Master and Benefactour Which is as follows 3. S. Ceolfrid saith he was a man industrious in all things sharp of witt diligent in busines ripe in iudgment and fervent in his zeale for promoting Religion He as hath been already declared by the assistance of S. Benedict Biscop in the space of seaven years founded perfected and governed the Monastery of S. Paul the Apostle and afterward became Abbot both of that and the other Monastery also of S Peter which considering their mutuall charity and propinquity were to be esteemed as one Monastery In which Office he continued twenty eight years carefully and prâ—dently accomplishing the worthy design begun by his Predecessour S. Benedict For he added severall new built Oratories encreased the number of Sacred Vessels and Vestments for the Altars and Church and also much enlarged the Libraries of both the Monasteries formerly well furnished by his Predecessour Particularly he added three Pandects of a New Translation to a former one of an old of which one he took with him in his last voyage to Rome leaving the others to each Monastery one he gave likewise a large Book of Cosmography of an admirable work which S. Benedict had bought at Rome 4. Moreover he purchased of the devout and learned King Aldfrid a peice of land of eight families near the River Fresca for a possession to the Monastery of S. Paul which land had been taxed by S. Benedict but he dyed before he could accoÌ„plish the purchase But afterward in the raign of King Osred Saint Ceolfrid made an exchange of this land for other land of twenty families near a town called Sambuâ—e from which it tooke its name because it lay nearer and more conveniently to the Monastery for the effecting of which exchange he added a considerable Summ of money And having done this he sent certain Monks to Rome who obtained of Sergius Pope of happy memory a Priviledge for the security of the Monastery as S. Benedict before had received from Pope Agathon and this latter likewise as the former was confirmed in a Synod by the subscription of the Magnificent King Aldfrid and the Bishops there present In his time also a certain servant of Christ learned in Scriptures and secular knowledge called Witmer undertaking a Monasticall Profession in the Monastery of S. Peter which he afterwards governed gave for a perpetuall possession to the same Monastery a peice of land of ten families which had been given him by King Aldfrid 5. But S. Ceolfrid after a long and exact practise of Regular Observance instructions for which he had received partly from his Father Saint Benedict and partly himself had collected from the ancient Fathers after an incomparably skillful exercise of Prayer and Psalmody never omitted by him after a wonderfull fervour showed by him in correcting the disobedient and irregular as likewise an equall mildnes in comforting and strengthning the infirm after a sparingnes in eating and drinking not usuall in governours as likewise a coursenes and vilenesse in cloathing at last seeing himself full of dayes and by reason thereof incapable of continuing the due Office of a Spirituall Superiour in teaching and giving good example to his Monks having seriously and a long space meditated on these things at last it seemed to him most expedient to give order to his Monks that according to the Priviledge given them and according to the Rule of the Holy Abbot Saint Benedict they should chuse to themselves an Abbot as himself had been chosen young by his Predecessour then going to visit the Sepulchers of the Apostles that by this means himself night have the opportunity before his death to attend to his own soule in solitude and exemption from secular cares and they under the conduct of a younger Abbot more perfectly observe the instituts of a Regular life 6. Now having made this proposall though all the Monks at first opposed themselves with sighs tears and prostrations yet at last he obtained his desire And so earnest he was to begin his iourney that the third day after he had discovered his purpose secretly to his Brethren he began it towards Rome For he was afraid least he should be prevented by death before he could come thither as in effect it fell out and indeed he was desirous to avoyd the importunity of his freinds men of quality in the world who he knew would interpose delayes and lastly
earnest disputes they could not come to an agreement on a sudden a furious quarrell arose among them which became so inflamed that with the same madnes and with the same arms with which they had slain the Holy Martyrs who came among them only to save their soules they now destroyed one another 8. This slaughter being at an end those which remained alive moved with the same hope of treasure ran to the coffers which when they had broken up instead of gold and silver they found nothiâ—g but books and other papers of Spirituall Doctrine This fayling oâ— their expectation did so enrage them that they threw away the Books in the feild and among the fenns and other incommodious places Yet notwithstanding through a marveylous Providence of God and for a Proof of the sanctity of his servants the same Books and papers a long time after were found entire and undefaced and so caried to the Churches where they remain to this day 9. Among the rest there was found one Book of the Gospells which the Holy Bishop for his comfort always caried with him This Book though it was cutt quite through with a sword as may still be seen yet with such cutting not one letter of it was abolished which truly was a wonderfull Miracle It is reported that S. Boniface when the murdrer was ready to strike him with his sword held up that Book to defend his â—ead as nature suâ—gests in such a danger by which means it came to be cutt thorough The Murderers being thus frustrated of â—heir hopes went sorrowfull to their homâ—s 10. But when the Nâ—ighbouring Christians heard of the Martyrdom of these holy men they with armed forces entred the countrey of those barbarous Murderers who preparing themselves for defence were so oppressed with the guilt of their crime that they could nothing resist but fled away and were slain by the Christians so suffring a double destruction of their bodies in this world and their soules in Hell 11. Not long after the Ecclesiasticks of Vtrecht came and took the Sacred Body of S. Boniface which they caried back and honourably buried in their Church This being known to S. Lullo Arch-bishop of Mentz he called together a great number of his Clergy and of secular men of a higher condition and declared to them the death of S. Boniface and how his Body was enterred at Vtrecht contrary to the expresse order which he had given He desired them all therefore to ioyn with hâ—m in executing the holy Bishops last will Hereupon they all went to Vtrecht and having receivâ—d the Sacred Body they â—rought it back with great pomp and solemne Processions to Mentz from whence to the great greif vexation of Saint Lullo it was conveyed to Fulda where with great honour and veneration it was reposed Thus writes Cardinall Baronius from the Authour of Saint Boniface his life taken out of Saint Willebalds Narration Where likewise is a declaration of many wonderfull Miracles wrought there by his Intercession Which the devout Reader at leasure may peruse He with his Companions suffred this year on the Nones of Iune thirty six years after he had received the Charge and Apostolicall Office of preaching to the Pagans 12. Concerning the place where these holy Martyrs suffred Miraeus calls it Ostracha in the Eastern Friseland And as for the Number of them a different account is given by severall Authours He who prosecuted the Epitome of Saint Beda's History reckons fifty three Huâ—baldus fifty two Râ—xfrid Bishop of Virecht fifty one and the Gallican Martyrologe onely two and twenty but perhaps there wee are to understand that only so many Names of them have been recorded by ancient Writers 13. The foresaid Authour of S. Bonifaces his liâ—e among these Martâ—rs names only two Bishops S. Boniface himself and S. Eoban but in the Gallican Martyrologe it is expressly sayd that S. Adelbar was also a Bishop probably ordained after they parted from Mentz For thus wee find his commemoration In Pâ—â—seland on the twentieth of April is celebrated the Translation of S. Adelbar Bishop of Erford and Martyr who was consecrated Bishop by S. Boniface and together with him crownd with an illustrious Martyrdom on the fifth of Iune His Body saith Miraeus in a manner entire is at this day with great veneration kept as Erford in the Cellegiat Church of CanoÌ„s dedicated to the most Blessed Virgin where they celebrate anniversarily his Memory on the twelfth day before the Calends of May. 14. Though the Body of S. Boniface was for the greatest part of it entombed at Fulda yet that some considerable Relicks of it were deposed at Bruges in Flanders is testified by the Gallican Martyrologe on the thirteenth of March in these wards At Bruges the deposition of S. Boniface Bishop and Martyr a man truly Apostolicall whose glorious Trophee together with that of S Eoban Bishop and other twenty two servants of God is yearly colebrated by the Catholick Church on the Nones of Iune being the day in which they finished their happy conflict 15. Now whereas some Writers will make it a doubt whether S. Boniface was of the English-Saxon blood to iustify which they endeavour to make a collection of some to themselves seemingly probable proofs that he was a Scott The contrary is expressly declared by S. Boniface himself in his Epistle written in his own of name seaven other Bishops in a Synod at Mentz to Heresfrid a Preist and Chapleyn to King Ethelbald where he says that they were all of the English Nation so that they also who affirm that Abel a Bishop one of the same Synod was a Scott are manifestly mistaken In anoter Epistle likewise of Saint Boniface to Pope Zachary we read this passage In the Church wherein I was born and had my education that is in Transmarin Saxony so England was anciently call'd for distinction from the other Saxony in the continent a Synod at London was assembled by S. Augustin Arch-bishop by S. Laurence S. Iustus and S. Mellibus Bishops Disciples of S. Gregory in which c. Yea he writes plainly that he was Vernaculus Gentis Anglorum a Native of the English Nation and that the Saxons were wont to tell him We are of one and the same blood 16. These Testimonies sure are more then sufficient to disprove the impudence of Dempster the Scottish Historian who affirms that in a Book a little before published by him he had by nine most firm arguments demonstrated out of Marianus and twenty other Authours that Saint Boniface was no Englishman but a Scott Whereas the same Marianus in expresse words writes that he was Natione Anglus by Nation an Englishman And Simson a Scottish Protestant Historian shews far greater sincerity then Dempster who says Boniface was born in England not far from Exceter at a town anciently called Cridiadunum now Kirten THE FOVR AND TWENTIETH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY
Books of Scripture Adding that the distance between Brittany and Tours in France where Alcuin lived was in no comparison so great as between Betthleem and Rome More particularly they humbly requested of him an Explication of the Gospell of Saint Iohn the Mysteries of which they earnestly desired to understand And though they had already the Treatises of S. Augustin upon that Gospell they were too difficult to be understood by them 3. This request of theirs he charitably condescended to as appeares by a prolixe Epistle of his placed before his Explication of S. Iohns Gospell directed to them In which he informs them in the time and occasion of S Iohns writing his Gospell for the confutation of Marcion Cherinthus Ebion and other Hereticks who denyed the Divinity of our Saviour He further observes for their instruction the difference in the stile between S. Iohn and the other three Evangelists For they are most copious in relating the externall actions and speeches of our Saviour which serve to direct Christian manners in this life Whereas S. Iohn is very breif in relating the facts of our Lord and cheifly insists on such speeches of his as regard the Vnity of the Trinity the felicity of eternall Life and such Mysteries as are more proper for a Contemplative Life He addes that in explaining this Gospell he durst not rely on his own iudgment but followed therein the Expositions of Catholick Doctours S. Ambrose Saint Augustin Saint Gregory Saint Beda and others out of whom with an humble heart and profound submission he had gathered variety of flowâ—rs and like a good Physicion out of many ingredients had composed a spirituall Medecine which might be healthfull to their soules 4. There is extant moreover another shorter Epistle upon the same subject prefixed before the sixth Book of his Annotations on that Gospell importing that he had sent them for their present use and devotion during the time of Lent certain Extraits out of his explications on that Gospell proper for their present use by meditating whereon they might be disposed with more spirituall ioy to celebrate the ensuing Paschal Solemnity 5. This Latter Epistle is inscribed to his Sister in Christ Gisla and his devout daughter Columba And whereas therein he acquaints them that he directed to them the whole exposition of the said Gospell thereby it is evident that the same person was intended by the two names of Rictrudis and Columba Both these Holy Virgins are commemorated among the Saints in our Martyrologe on the ninth of Aprill XIV CHAP. 1. 2. c. Alcuin sent for by Charles the Great into France 4.5 c. He disputes with convinces and converts Felix a Spanish Bishop an Arch-heretick who denyed the Divinity of our Saviour c. 1. CHarles King of France was deservedly stiled Great both for his victories in war and his zeale to advance Learning and Catholick Truth He not only willingly and liberally entertained all learned men who addressed themselves to him but invited them with great rewards to accept his bounty On a certain time saith Bromton two Scottish that is Irish Monks learned both in secular and Sacred knowledge came out of Ireland with certain Brittish Merchants into France These havâ—ng no wares to sell were wont to cry aloud among the people who came to the faire If any one be desirous of wisedom let him come to us for we have it to sell. This they did severall times Insomuch as many thought them out of their witts But the report of this coming to the King he sent for them and demanded whether they had wisedom to sell Their answer was Yes Sir we have it and in the name of God are ready to impart it to those who shall desire it He again asked them what they demanded in recompence They replyed We demand three things Commodious places to teach Schollars of towardly disposition and such necessary nourishment and cloathes as humane life requires Hereat the King was much ieyed and retaind them both with him Afterward when he went to war he left one of them named Clement at Paris in a convenient lodging and commended to his care certain Noble children with order that he should be furnished with all commodities The other he took with him into Italy and bestowed on him the Monastery of Saint Augustin at Pavia to the end he might there teach all that would apply themselves to him 2. But there was none so highly esteemed by him as our famous Alcuin whom about this time he earnestly invited into France upon two speciall Motives The former is thus expressed by Quercetan in his Preface to Alcuins Works The most glorious King Charles says he who by experience was acquainted with the learning and Wisedome of Alcuin both in France when he was sent thither to make a league of peace between the King of the Northumbers and King Charles as likewise at Pavia whilst he abode there He therefore in an honourable manner called him out of the remote parts of Brittany to assist his affectionat desire to promote the studies of true Wisedome and restore to light the Liberall Sciences which at that time were in a manner extinguished in France And the same is testified by Alcuin himself in an Epistle which he wrote to the same King Charles 2. But the other more important Motive of Alcuins coming into France was the same which his Master Egbert lately Arch-bishop of York had prophetically told him a little before his death That he should goe into France where he should produce much fruit beneficiall to Gods Church by opposing a new pestilent Heresy endeavouring to maintain that Christ was only the adoptive son of God 3. This Prediction was fullfilld when King Charles called Alcuin out of Brittany For then Elipandus Bishop of Toledo and Felix Bishop of Vrgel Vrgelitanus endeavoured to poyson the Church with their blasphemies iniurious to the Divinity of our Saviour This Alcuin testifies himself in a Book written against the former of these two Arch-hereticks I never entertained a servant to minister to mee saith he but I much rather affectionatly desire to doe service to all the servants of Christ And for this purpose by Divine ordination as I beleive I came out of Brittany to the most illustrious King of this Nation Charles For that it was Gods will I should doe so was foretold mee by a most holy man in my countrey who was endued with the Spirit of Prophecy Yea the same my most Venerable Master enioynd mee by his last command that wheresoever I heard of the rising of any new Sects contrary to Apostolick Doctrines I should addict my self entirely to the defence of the Catholick Faith 4. Presently after he was come into France the first thing he did was to write an Epistle to Felix exhorting him to return to the Vnity of the Church In answer whereto Felix returned not a Letter but large Book in which
Martyrologe on the twenty fourth of March as likewise an Epistle written by the Holy Pope Pius to Iustus Bishop of Vienna in France 3. The Copy of which Epistle is as followeth Pius Bishop of Rome to his Brother Iustus Bishop Before thou didst depart from Rome our Sister Euprepia if thou doest well remember assign'd the Title of her house for maintaining the poore where we abiding with our poore brethren doe celebrate Masses Now we are desirous to be informed concerning thy affairs most happy Brother since thou tookst thy iourney to that Senatoriall Citty of Vienna as likewise with what successe thou hast spread abroad the seed of the Gospell Those Priests which had their first education from the Apostles and have continued to our dayes with whom also we divided the care of preaching the word of Faith having been call'd by our Lord doe now repose in their eternall mansions Saint Timotheus and Marcus have ended their dayes by a happy conflict Take care dear Brother that thou follow them by imitating their zeale and freeing thy selfe from the chains of this world Make hast to obtain with the Holy Apostles the everlasting palm of victory that palm which S. Paul attain'd by a world of suffring and S. Peter also from whom the Crosse it selfe could not take the love of Christ. Soter and Eleutherius worthy Priests salute thee Salute the Brethren who live with thee in our Lord. Cherinthus Satans prime Minister seduces many from the Faith May the Grace of Christ dwell for ever in thy heart 4. In this Epistle we see what a generall care this holy Bishop expresses and how his solicitude for the salvation of soules is not confin'd to Rome or Italy only As likewise how he professes that he divided the care of propagating the Gospell to Priests subordinate to him So that it cannot be doubted but that S. Timotheus his employment in our Lords Vineyard in Brittany proceeded from his care and was accompanied with his benediction A further proof whereof is afforded us in another letter of his to the same Iustus Bishop of Vienna which we here set down 5. Pius Bishop of Rome to his Brother Iustus Bishop health Attalus is arrived here bringing with him the Epistles of the Martyrs there whereby he has fill'd our hearts with inestimable ioy for their triumphs He acquainted uâ— that our holy Collegue Verus has victoriously triumphed also over the Prince of this world and that thou art seated in his place in the Senatoriall Citty of Vienna being cloathed with Episcopall Vestments Be carefull therefore faithfully to discharge in our Lord the Ministery which thou hast received Let not thy diligence be wanting decently and reverently to bury the bodies of the Martyrs as the members of Christ for the Apostles treated S. Steven Visit the prisons of the Saints and take care that none of them loose the fervour of their Faith Approve holy Martyrdoms by the light of the Holy Spirit in thee Encourage and encite them to continue constant in the Faith Let the Priests and Deacons observe thee not as a Master but as a Minister of Christ. Let thy piety and holines be a protection to the whole congregation under thee Our brethren whose names Attalus will acquaint thee with are freed from the Tyrants cruelty and now rest in our Lord. Pastor the Preist hath built a Title or Church and is happily dead in our Lord. Know O most blessed Brother that it has been revealed to me that the end of my life approaches shortly One thing I earnestly begg of thee that in the holy Communion thou wilt not be unmindfull of me This poor Senat of Christ at Rome salutes thee I salute the whole assembly of Brethren with thee in our Lord. 6. That which this holy Pope mentions of his approaching death was by the event prov'd to have been a Divine revelation for the year following he was crown'd with Martyrdom after he had sate ten years And Anicetus a Syrian succeeded him 7. As touching that advice concerning the Bodies of Martyrs severall examples of those Primitive times demonstrate that what he there advises was no superstitious invention of his own as our Modern Separatists doe call it but a duty received from the Apostles Such reverence did the Church of Smyrna expresse to the Relicks of S. Polycarpus who was martyrd two years after S. Pius as appears in their Epistle relating the circumstances of his blessed death The malicious Iews would have perswaded the Roman President to have refused the holy Martyrs body to the Christians of Smyrna least sayd they they should forsake their crucifica God and worship Polycarpus for a God for these miscreants could not distinguish a sacred Veneration due to holy Relicks from that Supreme adoration which belongs only to God But those holy Primitive Christians were better instructed for thus they write We say they have reposed the bones of Polycarpus more valuable to us then precious stones and purer then gold in such a place as is decent and becoming Where being all of us assembled God will give us the grace to celebrate with all possible joy and exaltation the day of his Martyrdom as being indeed the day of his more happy Nativity XVI CHAP. 1. Commotions in Brittany pacified by Calphurnius Agricola 2.3 Long and dangerous war in Germany A victory miraculously obtain'd by the Prayers of Christians 4. Successions of Popes Touching King Lucius 1. IN the eighth yeare of the raign of M. Aurelius and L. Verus the Northern part of the Empire especially in Germany and Brittany was cruelly agitated with tempests of seditions and wars In Brittany the Northern Province of the Ottadini about Berwick broke out into open rebellion for reducing of whom Calphurnius Agricola was sent into the Island upon whose approach the rebels quickly submitted And all that remains besides to keep alive his Memory is an Inscription upon a Pillar rais'd by A. Licinius wherein Calphurnius Agricola's name is engraved Which Pillar is dedicated to the Syrian Goddesse Dea Syria worship'd it seems by the Romans in that place Concerning which Goddesse the reader may consult our learned Mr. Selden in his Treatise of that argument 2. But the German war was more lasting and doubtfull which not belonging to our present design the relation of it must be sought for in the Roman Historians of this age Yet one circumstance in it conducing much to the glory of Christian Religion must not be omitted Which was the saving of the Emperour and the whole Roman Army not only from a certain destruction by the German Nations the Marcomanni Catti c. by whom they were inclosed but from a more irresistible enemy extremity of thirst All this obtain'd by the Prayers of Christian souldiers not only interrupted all persecution of them but obliged the Emperour by his publick Letters sent into all Provinces to professe his gratitude for so eminent a
deliverance 3. The particular circumstances hereof we shall refer to the following Book the argument whereof will be the happy and glorious conversion of our Brittish King Lucius to the Christian Faith To effect which this so wonderfull publick and unquestionable a miracle no doubt much conduced Now this conversion having been perfected in the beginning of the raign of the Emperour Commodus who succeeded his Father M. Aurelius which was four years after this stupendious deliverance of the Romans our Ecclesiasticall Monuments afford us little for the furnishing that space of time Therefore we will onely adde for a distinct clearing of Chronology the succession of the Bishops of Rome since the last mention'd Pope Pius the first of that name 4. To Pope Pius therefore having sate somewhat more then nine years and dying in the year of our Lord one hundred sixty six succeeded S. Anicetus to whom after nine years succeeded S. Soterâ— who having for the space of five years filled the Chair of S. Peter had for his next Successour S. Eleutherius in the year of our Lord one hundred and eighty in the third year after whose assumption to the Apostolick dignity King Lucius then an old man for he had raigned fifty eight years by Gods mercy and grace had his youth renew'd like an Eagle being born again by Baptism and made an heyr of an everlasting Kingdom THE FOVRTH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAP. 1. The Conversion of the Brittish King Lucius in his old Age. 2.3 Severall Motives thereto 4. Edicts of former Emperours in favour of Christians 5. An example of the Emperour Antoninus his Edict 1 KING Lucius had now governed the Brittains almost threescore years having begun his raign in the tenth year of his age when Almighty God at last subdued his heart to the beleif and obedience of his Gospell It may perhaps seem strange he should hold out so long against the Truth but yet if we consider the tenaciousnes of humane nature to inveterate customs especially such as are agreable to flesh and blood and likewise the horrible scandals and prejudices which then were cast on Christian Religion which even without such prejudices is extremely contrary to our naturall inclinations it is to be esteem'd no lesse then miraculous that a great King in such times as those were should have the courage to be the first example and this in his old age of submitting a Scepter and Crown to the spirituall Scepter of Christs Kingdom 2. Besides his so long experience of the innocence humility patience and peaceable dispositions of his Christian subjects we may suppose the principall Motives inducing him to yeild at last to the exhortations of many Apostolick Preachers such as were S. Aristobulus S. Marcellus S. Timotheus c. to have been two First the Testimonies that the Emperours themselves though otherwise Enemies to the Christian Faith gave to the Professours of it Next the wonderfull testimony that God gave thereto by rescuing the then raigning Emperour from unavoydable destruction by the prayers of his Christian souldiers 3. As touching the former Testimonies of Emperours they are the more weighty because given not out of any worldly respects but purely out of a conviction of the innocence of poor persecuted Christians after all severity rigour and cruelty had been used toward them to force them to renounce their Profession Moreover these Emperours were not such as Nero Vitellius or Domitian whose favour to Christianity would have been a disgrace and prejudice to it But Princes venerable to the world for their prudence courage and zeale likewise to their own superstition Such were Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius 4. We will here insert onely one Edict of the Emperour Antoninus by which we may gather the tenour of the others It is extracted out of the Writings of S. Iustin the Philosopher and Martyr who then flourished The form thereof is as followeth 5. The Emperour Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius Augustus Highest Preist this fifteenth time possessed of the Tribunitiall Power and this third time Consul Father of his Countrey To the people of Asia Health I am assured that the Gods will not permit those men to lye hid in obscurity who refuse to pay due honour and worship to them for they themselves will far more severely punish such then you can And you doe not consider that by molesting and tormenting those men whom you call impious and charge as enemies to the Gods you thereby doe the more confirm and encrease their Religion For to them it is a thing more desirable to be accused as criminall and to lay down their lives for their God then to enjoy the present life with worldly contentment Hence it comes to passe that by exposing their lives in this manner they obtain over you a more illustrious Victory then if they should perform whatsoever you require of them Now as concerning the Earth-quakes which both in late times and at this present also do happen I judge very reasonable to give you some admonition Whensoever such calamities befall you you are presently disheartned and in despaire and you impute to their Religion as if it alone was the cause of all misfortunes hapning to you On the other side whensoever any such accident befalls them they are thereby incited to a more constant and firm trust in God Whereas all that while you either loose all knowledge of God and utterly despise all sacred duties not only refusing to pay the worship and service due unto the Deity but greivously vexing and to the death pursuing those who doe observe and reverence him Now severall Magistrats and Governours of our Provinces have heretofore written letters in the behalf of those innocent men to our most holy and deified Father Hadrian To whom his Answer and Rescript was That no further trouble or molestation should be given to those men except they should otherwise be found guilty of any crime or that they had a design prejudiciall to the Roman Empire Many have likewise written to me in their favour to whom my Answer was That I assented to the Ordinance and Will of my late Father And my pleasure is That if any shall hereafter offer any injury or vexation to any Christian upon this account that he is a Christian the person so persecuted though he be found to be indeed a Christian shall be presently acquitted and his accuser shall undergoe a just and due punishment 6. This Edict though in this Copy directed only to the Eastern Provinces where the malice and petulancy both of Iews and Gentiles Enemies to Christianity was more violent yet no doubt had its effect in all other places also For besides that the cause of Christians was every where the same Edicts of this nature were sent over the whole Empire as we shall see in another of the same nature published by M. Aurelius and presently to be produced And however all Christians