and being before the Diuision of Prouinces was fully made into Archiepiscopall Sees ruled diuers cheife Churches and farre distant as Collen Tungers and Treuers as also his Successour S. Maternus did and both of them were probably heare in Britaine and conuerted many heare for Marianus ioyneth these with other S. Valerius and S. Maternus Disciples os S. Peter were by probabilitie in Britaine sometime holy Preachers and Bishops of those dayes which preached not onely in their owne Prouinces but in these vttermost and extreme parts Qui non solum propria Prouincia sed in extremis vltimis industrij illustres existentes regna Tyrannorum vicerunt And this greate encrease and multiplication of Christians continued all this age in these Countries as these forreyne Antiquaries tell vs and vntill the death of S. Maternus which was in the yeare of Christ Marian. Scot. aetat 6. in Nerua 133. as they witnes all which time and longer our renowned Bishop and Countriman still liued and often visited this his natiue Country preaching heare And yet before the end of this age we had a new supply of Apostolike men sent hither from the See of Rome and Authoritie thereof as I shall further declare in the next Chapter THE XXXVI CHAPTER OF THE STATE OF ECCLESIASTICALL affaires in Britaine in the Papacy of S. Clement Empire of Traian and Reigne of King Coillus vnto the end of this first hundred of yeares of Christ 1. S Cletus hauing happily ended his life by Martyrdome S. Clement tooke vpon him the gouernement of the Apostolike Roman See and the tyrannicall time of Domitian being now by his death expired and his Acts for their crueltie generally recalled by Nerua though Emperour Marian. Scotus l. 2. aetat 6. Method apud eund col 255. Martin Pol. Supput in Clem. Traiano Matth. West an 102. 98. 117. 124. alij litle aboue one yeare Traian succeeded him holding the Empire vntill or about the yeare of Christ 117. being for diuers yeares a Persecutor of Christians especially about Rome the Easterne and other parts remote from this Nation where King Coillus agreat friend and fauouror of Christians reigned 2. Before I proceede further in S. Clements dayes my promise before and vrgent reasons to be remēbred hereafter doe call vpon mee to cleare the doubt whether S. Clement was ordained by S. Peter his Successor immediate or noe S. Clement himselfe thus writeth in these words S. Peter himselfe Clemens Rom. Epist 1. for his greate charitie towards all men when he perceaued his death at hand in the Assembly of our Brethren the whole Church hearing him taking mee by the hand vttered these words heare mee my brethren and fellowe Seruants because as I am taught of him my Lord and Maister Iesus Christ that sent mee that the day of my death is at hand I ordayne this Clement your Bishop to whome onely I commit the Chaire of my preaching and doctrine To him I deliuer the power of binding and loosing deliuered to mee by our Lord that of all things whatsoeuer he shall decree on earth the same be decreed in heauen For he shall binde that which ought to be bounde and shall loose that which ought to be loosed as he which perfectly knoweth the Rule of the Church Ipse Petrus pro immensa charitate quam erga omnes homines gerebat in ipsis diebus quibus vitae finem sihi imminere praesensit in conuentu fratrum positus apprehensa manu mea in auribus totius Ecclesiae haec protulit verba audite me fratres conserui mei quoniam vt doctus sum ab eo qui misit me Domino magistro meo Iesu Christo dies mortis meae instat Clementem hunc Episcopum vobis ordino cui soli meae praedicationis doctrinae Cathedram trado Ipsi trado à Domino mihi traditam potestatem ligandi soluendi vt de omnibus quibuscunque decreuerit in terris hoc decretum sit in caelis Ligabit enim quod oportet ligari soluet quod expedit solui tanquam qui ad liquidum Ecclesiae regulam nouerit This Act so concerning and so publikly effected and concerning the whole Church registred by so worthie a present witnesse and partie in that busines leaueth no place of exception vnto it especially when we see allmost all that followed cōfirming it S. Anacletus the next successor to S. Clemēt whom our greatest Anaclet epist 1. 3. to 1. Concil Matt. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 24. Io. Pris defens hist Brit. p. 73. Rob. Barnes l. de vit Pontif. in Anacleto Alexādro Alexand. Pap. 1. epist 1. S. Leo 2. apud Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. col 238. Florent Wigor an 50. 75. Bed Martyr 9. cal Decembr Hier. l. de Scriptor in Clem. Epiph. haeres 27. Ioa. Pap. 3. Epist decretal Tom. 2. Concil Egbert Ser. 3. de incremento manifestatione Catholicae fidei Protestāts approue approueth both that Epistle this very part thereof containing this Act of S. Peter in diuers places S. Alexander likewise carrying with him Protestant approbation twyce in one Epistle citeth and alloweth the same Act for S. Peters Ipse Apostolorum Princeps in ordinatione beati Clementis populum instruens And againe beatus Princeps Apōstolorum Petrus qui in ordinatione sancti praedecessoris nostri Clementis instruens clerum populum So doth S. Leo the second as S. Marianus Florentius Wigorniensis and others testifie S. Bede saith the same of S. Clement Hic ex praecepto beati Petri Ecclesiae suscepit pontificatum S. Hierome saith most of the Latines held so plerique Latinorum secundum post Petrum Apostolum putant fuisse Clementem S. Epiphanius a Grecian is of the sameopinion Pope Ihon the third aboue 1000. yeares since expressely setteth downe this History from that Epistle of S. Clement And Egbertus cōuincibly thus proueth this Epistle nec vnquā defecit in Ecclesia Romana fides quam habuerat quam praedicauerat Petrus sicut ei promiserat Dominus quando imminente passione sua dixit ad eum Ego rogaui pro te vt non deficiat fides tua hoc est fides Ecclesiae quam tibi commisit Beatus autem Petrus cum sciret appropinquare sibi passionem suam sanctum Clementem quem ad fidem conuerterat baptizauerat ordinauit in Episcopum eiusque gubernationi sedem suam Ecclesiam quam ipse rexerat commisit ita successor beati Petri factus estin Sede illa Nam quod Linus Cletus successores Petri fuisse leguntur ita intelligendum est quod adhuc ipso viuente Coadiutores eius extiterunt in gubernando populum Dei Romae ad hoc abipso erant in Episcopos ordinati vt scribit quidam Apostolicorum Patrum Episcopis Germaniae Galliae The faith which Peter had and preached did neuer faile in the Roman Church as our Lord promised him when a
Cornhill in King Lucius time are witnes So we euer kept vnuiolably with honor the memories of S. Ioseph of Aramathia S. Amphibalus sainct Alban S. Aaron Iulius and others Martyrol Rom. 28. die Octobr. Ado. Et Vsuard eodem die Engl. Martyrologe 28. Octobr. Beda Martyrol 28. Octob. all auncient CaleÌ„d Breuia Rom. in festo S. Simonis Chan. 28. die Octobr Protestant CoÌ„m booke die 28. Octobr in the seru of S. Simon and in Calendar 28. Octobr. Menolog Graec. 6. Id. Maij. Baron annot in Martyrol Rom. 28. Octobr. Venantius Fortunat l. 8. c. 4. Magdeburgen Centur. 1. col 586. l. 2. Crato in vita S. Simonis Iudae Abdias certain Apost lib. 6. Ant. part 1. tit 6. cap. 14. Pert. de Nat. l. 9. c. 115. Eutropius Persa l. de vit S. Simonis Iudae Anton. part 1. titul 6. ca. 28. §. 3. Petr. de Natal l. 4. c. 105. Guliel Eisengr Centen 1. part 6. dist 6. Vincent in specul Sabellic En. 7. lib. 4. Magdeburg Cenrur 1. supr l. 2. c. 10. col 584. Isidor lib. de vita morte Sanctorum Hartin Sâ—hedel Chron. fol. 107. S. Dorothaeus l. de 12. Apostolis 4. But all our historians of Antiquitie printed Manuscripts which I haue seene many both of our Brittans and Saxons agree with the whole Latine Church with all Martyrologes that be auncient as that of the Romans Ado Vsuardus and others that Natalis Beatorum Apostolorum Simonis Chananaei Thadaei qui Iudas dicitur Quorum Simon in Aegypto Thadaeüs in Mesopotamia Euangelium praedicauit deinde in Presidem simul ingressi cum innumeram gentis illius multitudinem Christi subdidissent martyrium consummarunt The natiuitie so the Church nameth the happy Martyrdome and death of Saints of the blessed Apostles Simon of Chananee and Thadaeus who is called Iudas the 28. day of October of the which Simon preached the ghospell in Egypt Thadaeus in Mesopotamia then entering together into Persia when they had made an innumerable multitude of that Nation subiect to Christ they consummated martyrdome So hath S. Bede in his Martyrologe so haue all auncient Calenders of Britans and Saxons So hath the whole Latine Church in the festiuitie of this holy Apostle to bind all English Christians as well Catholiks by the Rules before as Protestants by the commaunding squares of their Religion the Parlament and their CoÌ„munion Booke they all celebrate with the Latine Church the festiuitie of this glorious Apostle vpon the 28. of October when he suffered martyrdome as before with S. Iudas in Persia When they which hold he came into Britaine keepe his day vpon the sixt of the Ides of May the tenth day of that moneth 5. And this is the auncient opinion of the fathers concerning this holy Apostle that he with S. Iude was martyred in Persia among whom Venantius Fortunatus so renowned among our Protestants for S. Pauls preaching heare hath made it publike to the world thus testifying that he was martyred in Persia with S. Iudas neuer bringing him neare vnto this Nation Hinc Simonem ac Iudam lumen Persida gemellum Laeta relaxato mittit ad astra sinu And to ioyne forraing Protestants with these of EnglaÌ„d in this busines The Mardeburgians say plainely that if Nicephorus doth say that S. Simon preached the ghospell to the OccideÌ„tall Ocean Brittish Ilands he doth it without any certaine testimony Narrat sed sine certo testimonio Nicephorus EuangeliuÌ„ Simonem propagasse per regiones ad Occidentalem OceanuÌ„ sitas Insulas Britannicas Where they be so farre from allowing his coming to these Ilands that they accompt his preaching in the Contryes neare the west Ocean vnprobable and make him to be liuing in the East Countries and preaching there ending his life 50. yeares after this Iland had receaued the faith of Christ by these Protestants before And Crato the Disciple of these two Apostles S. Simon and Iudas followed them throughout 12. Prouinces of Persia writing all they did and suffered there by the space of 13. yeares the like hath Abdias The like hath Antoninus Petrus de Natalibus Eisengrenius and others Their liues also in the same manner were writteÌ„ by Eutropius a Persian sonne of Adimundus Xerxes King of Babylon both in the Chaldy and Greeke tonges To these I add Vincentius Sabellicus the Magdeburgian Protestants of Germany in their Centuries S. Isidor or whosoeuer the auncient author of the booke of the life and death of the Apostles who saith besides iacet in Bosphoro that he is buried in Bosphorus And died many yeares after his supposed death in Britaine The like hath also Hartmannus Schedel teaching that he both preached and suffered martyrdome in Persia also Dorotheus that auncieÌ„t Greeke father himselfe that is alledged to say that S. Simon the Apostle was crucified killed and buried in Britaine in Britannia crucifixus occisus ac sepultus est the greatest authoritie for his being heare is coÌ„trary to himselfe if so he should meane of this our Britaine for in the same place he maketh S. SimoÌ„ the Apostle to haue bene crucified in the East CouÌ„try in or neare Egypt cruci alligatus occisus est in Ostracina ciuitate Aegypti maketh S. Simon the Apostle Bishop of Hierusalem so neuer to come neare vnto Britaine So small is his Authoritie in the matter The Authour of Fasciculus temporum saith he was martyred in Persia Fasciculus temp an 74. with S. Iude. Simon Iudas martyrisati sunt in regionibus Persidis The auncient Anonymus that writeth the liues of the Apostles published by Frediricus Nausea Bishop of Vienna saith that S. Simon Iudas were sent by reuelation into Anonymus in vit passione SS Apostolorum Apostolorum Simonis Iude. Persia to confouÌ„d the wicked Sorcerers Zaroes and Arfaxard which had fled thither from S. Matthew the Apostle in Ethiopia and the Prince of Persia was then named Baradach that they had many Disciples there of which they ordeyned Preists DeacoÌ„s and other Clergy men that in one yeare they baptized aboue fourty thousands besides children and the King himselfe that they ordeined Abdias Bishop of Babilon that came with them from iury That Craton their Disciple wrote their liues which Iulius Africanus translated into Latine and after many miracles there wrought they were there martyred togeather with S. Sennes by whome they were harboured So that if we will beleeue either auncient or later Greeke or Latine or the Persians themselues Catholiks or Protestants or any thinge that can be preteÌ„ded for authoritie worthie to be followed in this matter S. Simon the Apostle was neither crucified killed buried or preached in or neare vnto this Nation 6. Wherefore I cannot in any wise giue allowance vnto him who not onely placeth him among the saints and Apostles of Britaine but citeth diuers auncient writers as he saith for this his relation In Persia the Passion of the gloroius Apostle S. Simon surnamed
he addeth of him Cum non diu mansisset apud Romanos sancto baptismate multos regenerasset Ecclesiam constituisset Linum Episcopum ordinasset when he had stayed not long with the Romans and baptized many and founded the Church and ordained Linus a Bishop he went into Spaine then into Egipt and so to Hierusalem by reuelation for the Transmigration of the mother of God then returned into Egipt and through Africk returned to Rome from whence he came to Millan and Photice and so into Britaine Which time being truely calculated will teach vs that he came hither in or about the 54. yeare of Christ when in the way hither he made so many Bishops in Fraunce long before S. Paule came although as a prisoner first to Rome or any other Apostle thither or to any westerne Nation For as I haue proued before S. Peter going vp to Hierusalem by Reuelation at the death of the blessed virgin did staye but a short time there and in the Easterne parts in that Iorney but the chardge of the westerne world being more peculiarly committed vnto him before he returned vnto it to dischardge this dutie heare and allthough S. Simon Metaphrastes bringeth him back againe by Rome yet he speaketh of no stay he made there at this time but presently bringeth him into Britaine THE XVII CHAPTER WHEREIN IS PROVED BY THE BEST ENglish Protestant writers their Bishops and others that S. Peter founding the Church of Britaine ordained in it an Archbishop Bishops and Preists 1. THat we may without contradiction of any Catholik or Protestant except willfully erring in their owne proceedings be assured that S. Peter performed heare all Pastorall duties in foūding vnto our predecessors in this our Britaine the true vndoubted Church of Christ and so left it to posteritie because I stand assured my pen shall still in all things carry with it an vndoubted Assent of Catholiks seeing this matter of the true Church founding thereof professing the doctrine which it teacheth to all her childrē and they ought to followe concerneth vs all so much that the Protestants of this Nation agree there is no saluatiō to be had or expected out of this holy societie I will set downe by their warrant both what this Church is and how it was first in all things essentiall and by them needfull to saluation founded heare by Saint Peter the Apostle 2. Concerning the first the Canon or decree of the Protestant Religion in their Synodicall and Parlament Articles to which all Protestant Bishops and Ministers of England haue sworne and subscribed is this The visible Church Articl of Religion an 1562. ar 19. of Christ is a Congregation of faithfull men in the which the puer word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same Hitherto this publik Protestant Article of Religion Therefore seeing it is allowed and proued before by these men that S. Peter first founded the Church of Christ in this kingdome to insist still in their owne allowances I must shew by them how he performed these things which by these Protestants must needs be in euery true Church to wit true and lawfull Ministers to preach the word of God and duely minister the Sacraments So there be three things essentiall true Ministers the puer word of God preached and Sacraments duely ministred among which the two last depend vpon the first true and lawfull Ministers For where true and Orthodoxall Ministers are and accordingly preach the word and Minister the Sacraments there the puer word must needs be preached and Sacraments duely ministred And contrariewise where such Ministers are not there these things cannot be possibly by such performed Which this Protestant Rule of Religiō confirmeth in an other Article in these words It is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him the office of publick preaching Articul 23. or ministring of the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same And those we ought to Iudge lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this worke by men who haue publick authoritie giuen vnto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vyneyard And in their Article intituled of Consecratiō of Bishops and Ministers they set downe these orders degrees in such men Archbishops Bishops Preists and Deacons and haue set forth a booke both by the Regall Authoritie of King Edward the Sixt Q. Elizabeth and King Iames our present Soueraigne and their Parlaments for the particular consecration of all those degrees and in that so highly authorized Booke assuer vs that all these degrees and Orders haue euer bene in the Church of Christ from the dayes of him and his Apostles And all particular writers among these Protestants as they are bound by subscription to these Articles so they plainely testifie in their writings among whom the publick and approued Protestant comment vpon these Articles Intituled The Catholick doctrine of the Church of England With greate priuiledge Rogers in Artic. 36. setteth downe in this manner It is ageeable to the word of God and practise of the primatiue Church that there should be Archbishops Bishops and such like differences and inequalities of Ecclesiasticall Ministers and addeth The proofe from the word of God Albeit the termes and Titles of Archbishops we finde not yet the superioritie which they haue and authoritie which Bishops and Archbishops doe exercise in ordering and consecrating Bishops and Ecclesiasticall Ministers is grownded vpon the word And againe from the Apostles dayes hitherto there neuer wāted a Succession of Bishops neither in the Easte nor westerne Churches This is the generall and common opinion of all the English Protestant Bishops against their Puritans Thus their Archbishops whitgitf Bancroft their Bishops Bilson Barlow Bridges Doctors Fild Hooker Couell Downame Barlow Serm. before King Iames 21. Septembr an 1604. and others Whereof one writeth Episcopall function is an ordinance Apostolicall Christ hath acted it for succeeding posteritie and so it is thesis Pneumatichi a Canon or constitution of the whole Trinitie Thus a Protestant Bishop before our King with both his and the allowance of the Protestant Bishops as the Puritans themselues thus acknowledge The callings of Prelates be of diuine ordinance Offer of Conference as Bishop Barlowe auoucheth in his last Sermon The Bishop of Rochester with the consent and by the direction no doubt of some of the cheifest Prelates hath now lately published his Sermon preached in September before the King at Hampton Court the maine drift whereof is to proue that the office and calling of a Diocesan Bishop is a diuine and Apostolicall ordinance The same besides so many their Bishops and doctors before is remembred in their publick Apology intituled of the Consecration of the Bishops in the Church of England masked vnder the name of
reuisere And that holy The Bishops of ScotlaÌ„d euer truely consecrated as the Roman vse was Bishop together with Plechelmus which went with him was so Consecrated by the Pope according to that custome a custome so long since with that Nation that it seemeth to haue bene there kept and obserued from the time of the first Bishop there S. Ninian consecrated and sent thither by the Pope of Rome For S. Bede saith that this S. Plechelmus which was thus Consecrated at Rome with S. Wyro by the Pope was Bishop of Candida Casa S. Ninian his See both builded and founded by him Plechelmus in ea quae Candida Bed Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 24. Capgrau in S. Ninian Manuscript Capgr supr in S. Wyrone Episcopo casa vocatur Episcopi Praesulatum tenet Which standeth in that I le or Peninsula where this custome was to send their elect Bishops to Rome to be CoÌ„secrated by the Pope Moris erat apud Incolas eiusdem Insulae Pastorem a se electum Romam manibus Apostolicis ordinandum dirigere Which is euident by the words immediately following ordinatumque sedem plebem reuisere That the person thus elect and sent to Rome to be CoÌ„secrated Bishop by the Pope should after his Consecration returne to his See and people of his Diocesse which must needs be this Scottish Iland where Candida Casa was whether S. Pecthelmus or Plechelmus returned after his Consecration at Rome and there held his Episcopall See as S. Bede witnesseth so this custome must needs be in that Scottish Iland And except our Scottish Histories before deceaue vs when they call Teruanus Archbishop who was Bishop heare by S. Palladius Pope Celestine his Legate his ordination all the Scots obserued or were bound to this custome So that of all people in the world we may not call The ChristiaÌ„ Scots truely obedient to the See of Rome the validitie of the Scottish Bishops Consecration into any question or enter into the least suspition of any willfull reuolte of that people from the Church of Rome Of Ignorance as in the Paschall obseruation by distance of place and troblesomenesse of times they may be accused of any willfull error or disobedience they cannot be condemned 5. Allthough I haue bene thus sparing vpon the remembred reasons to affirme that the Scottish Nation either in this greate Iland or any the out Ilands thereof had before this time of S. Victor his sending Preachers to conuert them receaued the faith of Christ yet I may be bold vpon better warrant to deliuer that generally for the most parte the Inhabitants of that parte now called Scotland whether Britans Picts or Scots did then or soone after receaue the Christian faith for the Britans of that Country we haue heard before that they were conuerted in the time of King Lucius by the Legats Manuscr Antiq. de primo statu Landau Eccles Antiq. Glaston tabul ligneis Fixae Guliel Malm. l. de Ant q. Caenobij Glaston Tertull. l. contr Iudaeòs c. 7. Magdeburg centr 2. cap. 2. Theat of greate Brit. l. 6. and Apostolike Preachers sent by Pope Eleutherius To passe ouer printed Authorities in all mens hands the old Manuscript of Landaffe saith that both King Lucius and the Nobles of Britaine the name to the whole Iland then were baptized Lucius totius Britanniae Primates Baptismum susceperunt The Antiquities of Glastenbury from old Annals of credit Tradunt bonae credulitatis Annales doe deliuer that the Legats of Pope Eleutherius did preach and baptize through all parts of Britaine huic praedicando baptizando Britanniae partes peragrantes William of Malmesbury in his Manuscript Historie of the Antiquitie of that place plainely teacheth that they baptized preached and trauailed throughout the whole Iland Baptizantes praedicantes vniuersam Insulam peragantes And Tertullian speaketh directly of the Britans when he saith Britannorum Romanis inaccessa loca That the Britans in those places whether the Romans could neuer come had receaued the faith of Christ which must needs be vnderstood of the Britans which were then in Albania now Scotland And I haue proued before that in the time of King Lucius Pope Eleutherius and his Legats heare did make all the Christians of that Northren part whatsoeuer they were Britans Picts or Scots Bishops Preists others of the Cleargie or Laitie subiect to the Archbishop of Yorke And the Scottish Antiquaries who pleade so much for their honour say that Pope Victor his Preists which he sent hither did not onely preach the faith of Christ vnto the vttermost parte of this Iland of Britaine or Albion but instructed the people in Learning Diuinitie Incaepere nostri tum primum sacras Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 5. f. 89. 90. colere literas Sacerdotibus praeceptoribus quos Victor Pont. Max. ad Christi dogma propalandum in extremam miserat Albionem And by these Apostolike men thus sent from Rome by Pope Victor many of the Picts also which inhabited in the North of Britaine were coÌ„uerted at this time or before in the CoÌ„uersion in the time of King Lucius for allthough S. Ninian which came hither about the end of the fourth hundred of yeares of Christ is commonly reputed the first Bishop especially Consecrated at Rome and expressely by the Pope sent to that Nation yet many of them were long time before conuerted to Christian Religion and finding no other generall conuersions heare in our primatiue Church but vnder Pope Eleutherius and Victor we must asscribe these Picts Christianitie to them or their Disciples 6. Christian Religion was so propagated among these Picts in the later end of this Age that the very women of that Nation were able in dispute to confownd the best Learned Pagans Among them there was one most renowned Hector Boeth Scotor Hist l. 6. f. 104. 105. Ann. Scotici ibidem Hollinsh Hist of Ireland Marcus Antonius de Dominis l. 2. de Repub. Christ c. 8. p. 277. 278. not onely by our Irish Scottish Brittish or English Antiquaries whether Catholiks or Protestants but by the auncient Greeke writers among whome Theodoret with others witnesseth that a Christian Pictish woman so with reasons and Miracles conuinced a King and Queene with many others in Ireland in the time of greate Constantine Emperour that a Bishop was sent to that Nation to perfect that she had so happily begun And we finde that longe before the comming of S. Ninian both the King namely Heirgustus and people of the Picts generally were conuerted Christians and at the comming of S. Regulus thither with the holy Reliks of S. Andrewe the Apostle entertained and reuerenced them with greate zeale and deuotion and built a Church in honour of S. Andrewe endowing it with greate Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 6. f. 108. 109. Hollins Hist of Scotland in Augusiaâ—us An. D. 369. Will. Harris descrip of Brit. c. 9. Will. Harrison supr c. 9. possessions and