obtained that the Primacy of England was translated from Canterbury to Litchfield in his own Dominions He obtained of Charles the Great that the English going to Rome should be free from Customes and other duties With Charles the Great during his whole Reign he had great intercourse sometimes enmity otherwhiles friendship as appears by the kind Letters of that Emperour written to him yet extant wherein he stiles him the MOST POTENT KING OF THE WEST CHRISTIANS And now about this time were Images first brought into the English Church to be worshipped for Charles the Great sent the decrees of the Synod of Nice into Britain of which hear what Hoveden writes wherein saith he Alas for pity by the unanimous consent of three hundred Bishops or more met together in that Councel were decreed many things inconvenient may quite contrary to the true Faith as is most especially the worshipping of Images which the Church of God doth absolutely hate Against which Book Albinus wrote an Epistle excellently well strengthned with the Authority of the Holy Scriptures which together with the aforesaid Book himself presented in the name of the Princes and Bishops of this Land unto the aforesaid Charles King of France Which Book is reported to have so worked with that Emperour that in the Synod of Frankford he caused those Constitutions to be repealed This Offa to keep the Britains from making inrode into his Country caused a Ditch or Trench to be made almost an hundred miles in length from Sea to Sea that is from the mouth of the River Wy unto Dee concerning which in after daies John of Salisbury in his Policration writeth thus Herald ordained a Law that what Welch-man soever should be found with a weapon on this side the limit which he had set them that is to say Offa's Dike he should have his Right hand cut off by the King's Officers The Issue of King Offa was Fgfrid his Son and Successour Ethelburga married to Birthric King of the West-Saxons of whose life and death you will read in the next Kingdom Elsled supposed second wife of Ethelred King of Northumberland Elsrid the youngest Daughter promised in marriage to Egilbert King of the East-Angles EGFRID EGFRID the Son of Offa had in his life time been made Partner with his Father in the Kingdom and as if his life had been woven up with his he survived him but four Months having given his Subjects the hopes of a longer Reign he restored to the Church whatever his Father and Predecessours had taken from them He had neither Wife nor Issue and was buried in the Church of St. Albans of his Father's foundation KENWOLF KENWOLF of the Royal blood succeeded Egfrid in the Kingdom he had Wars with Ethelbert sirnamed Pren King of Kent whom taking prisoner he brought into Mercia and soon after at the High Altar dismissed having as Simeon reports put out his eyes and lopt off his hands He Reigned twenty one years and was buried in the Monastery of Winchcomb which himself had founded KENELM KENELM the Son of Kenwolf a Child of seven years was left under the Tuition of his elder Sister Quendrid but she ambitious to Rule her self caused him to be made away by one Askbert who alluring him to the Woods on pretence to hunt there slew him and secretly buried his body the murther is said to be miraculously discovered by a Dove dropping a written Note on the Altar at Rome it was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Milton thus renders it Low in a Mead of Kine under a Thorn Of head bereast ly'th poor Kenelm King-born Soon after the death of this Prince the Kingdom of Mercia became Tributary to Egbert the West-Saxon Monarch though not without some strugling on both sides but the Actions of suceeding Princes in this Kingdom as they were but few and happened all in the life of that Monarch so I shall reserve them to be told there in their due place for in this Heptarchy I design not to write any further than to his daies who by degrees united the divided States and moulded them into one entire Dominion THE KINGDOM OF THE West-SAXONS Contained Counties Cornwall Devonshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Hantshire Barkshire KINGS Cerdic Kenric Ceaulin Cearlick Ceowlf Kingils Kenwalch Eskwyn Ketwyn Ceadwalla Ina. Ethelard Cuthred Sigibert Kinwulf Birthric CERDIC CERDIC the Tenth in descent from Woden and the Beginner of the West-Saxon Kingdom with five ships and Kenric his Son setting forth from Germany arrived at Britain in the year 495 and landed at a place afterwards called from his name Cerdic-Shore He was an old experienced Souldier and long exercised in the Wars of Saxony At his first setting foot on land he gave signal proofs of his Valour by often repelling the Britains who endeavoured to hinder this New settlement and for six years together without any fresh supplies maintained his ground with advantage about which time Porta another Saxon with his two Sons Bida and Megla in two ships arrive at Portsmouth thence called and at their first landing slay a British Noble man with many of the Common sort who disorderly gathered against them The Britains to redeem these losses with strong Musters though slowly assemble together under Natanleod or Nazaleod a British King and one of their greatest saith Huntington however he came by so unusual a name but are miserably defeated with the death of their Prince and five thousand of his men In this battel it is said that Cerdic was assisted by Ella the South-Saxon and Oisc King of Kent together with Porta who had now been seven years in the Island From this British King the Saxon Annals write that a small Region adjoyning to Cerdicsford was called Nazaleod Six years after Stuf and Withgar Cerdic's Nephews with three ships land at Cerdics-ford or as others say Certic shore and in a set battel overthrow the Britains and five years following if the former battel be not to be referred to this time Cerdic again with his Son obtained another signal Victory upon the gaining of which and the strength of the new supplies he at last assumed Regal Dignity After he had continued conquering in the Isle twenty four years the Saxon Annals report a third Battel fought at the same place but with doubcful success as if this only had been the field of fortune Mr. Cambden in his Chronographical Description of these two places Cerdic shoar and Cerdics-ford hath much confounded the natural course of this History by placing them at so vast a distance which if true can never be reconciled with the truth of these Relations Cerdic shoar be placeth as far as Yarmouth Cerdic a warlike Saxon saith he landed here i. e. at Yarmouth whereupon the Inhabitants at this day call the place Cerdic-sand and the writers of Histories Cerdic shoar and after he had made sore War upon the Icent took Sea and sayled from hence into the West parts
he might make away Trajan at last compast it by this wile He caused Rumors to spread abroad and Letters given to Gratian how that his Wife was coming in person to visit him which Gratian believing and hastning to meet her opening the Litter wherein he thought she was was barbarously murthered by Androgathius taking in his bosom his deaths wound where he hoped to have received his Empress St. Ambrose was the second time sent to demand his Body but not accepted because he refused to communicate with those Bishops which had sided with Maximus All things thus succeeding to the desire of Maximus having setled the State of France and casheir'd those Officers who had sided with Gratian he created Victor his Son Caesar committing his Infancy to Nannius and Quintinus Masters in Military skill whom he appointed to be his Tutors And now he sends his Embassadours to Theodosius who governed in the East to require or rather to demand to be admitted sharer in Power which was for the present consented unto by Theodosius and he saluted Emperour by him and his Image exhibited to the Alexandrines and set up in the publick Market-place Having thus by Violence and Extortion graspt all into his possession and filled his own Cosfers with the spoil of the Common-wealth he made the defence of Catholick Religion a cloak to cover his oppression and Tyranny Priscillian and other Hereticks convicted in the Councel of Bourdeaux and appealing as their manner is to his usurped Tribunal he condemned to death although disswaded by Martin that good Bishop of Towrs alleadging It was sufficient they were Excommunicated by the Church to which in matters of Faith they were only ameanable These were the first that being Executed by the Civil Power for matters of Religion left a foul and dangerous president to posterity After this he entred with his whole Army into Italy which struck such terrour into Valentinian that flying to Theodosius he earnestly besought him to undertake his Quarrel and to redress the Violence of Maximus Theodosius after much entreaty for he upbraided Valentinian because an Arrian consented to his Suit and with all his Forces marehed against the Tyrant who then lay secure at Aquileia and in two Battles overthrew him whom afterwards betrayed by his own Souldiers he delivered to the Executioner His Son Victor was vanquished and slain in Gallia and Andragathius who had assassinated Gratian threw himself headlong into the Sea The British Souldiers who had assisted Maximus invaded as saith Bede that part of France called Armorica from whence the Britains first arrived into this Island but in this Bede is infinitely mistaken or else we are altogether ignorant of his meaning This was the end of Maximus and his Empire who is reasonably supposed to be that Clemens Maximus who had under his Command the second Legion Augusta which was removed from Germany by Claudius the Emperour and lying long in Garrisonat Isca Silurum or Caerleon in Wales was afterwards translated to Rhutupia or Richborow for he is called by Arsonus the Rhutupine Robber and that his name was Clemens that Inscription of the Bononians set up to his Honour doth sufficiently witness DD. N. N. MAG C. MAXIMO ET FL. VICTORI PIIS FE LICIBUS SEMPER AUGUSTIS B. R. NATIS But whether or no that part of the Inscription MAG doth sufficiently authorize Basingstoak to say this is meant of Magnentius who slew Constans the Emperour and was afterwards slain by Constantius I will not determine but leave to others to judge THE British Account OF MAXIMUS And the state of AFFAIRS IN HIS DAIES MAXIMUS whom we must now call Maximian took to Wife as hath been said before the Daughter of Octavian a British Lord but sore against the will of Conan Meridoc Duke of Cornwal who hoped by matching himself with that Lady to obtain the Crown wherefore after the Marriage concluded spur'd on with the loss of a Kingdom and the disgrace to see a Rival preferred before him he passes into Scotland raises Forces and entring the Country on this side the Humber wasted far and wide On the other hand Maximian arms and encountring him in several Battles the success was so equal and the loss on both sides so great that they were both content upon the mediation of Friends to come to an agreement A Peace concluded Maximian passed into France and invaded the Country Armorica and in a Battle overcame and slew Imball the King of it and then granted it to Conan Meridoc to be held of him and the Kings of Britain for ever changing the Ancient name Armorica into that of Little Britain Conan possessed of the Country expels the Ancient Inhabitants plants Britains in their stead who it seems grown exceeding squeemish and disdaining to take the Women of Gaul to their Wives Conan thought it necessary to supply them out of Britain A Messenger therefore was dispatched to Dionethus another Duke of Cornwal for Meridoc must be supposed to have Resigned and Governour of Britain under Maximian to enjoyn him forthwith to send over into Little Britain eleven thousand Virgins a hard task that is eight thousand for the Commons and three thousand for the Nobility yet others who thought not the raising so many a sufficient employment make the number fifty one thousand that is eleven thousand of the better sort and forty thousand of the Vulgar The Count Palatine saies eleven thousand of the one and sixty thousand of the other But however it is Dionethus sent his Daughter Ursula a Lady of excellent Beauty whom Conan had desired in marriage These Virgins taking Shipping together a number never heard of besore or shall ever after in one Fleet were not far from shoar when the ill manner'd Winds blowing rudely upon them drowned many and the rest dispersed they who escaped the Tempest fell into the hands of Guanius King of the Hunns and Melga King of the Picts upon the Coast of Germany set there by Gratian to watch the motions of Maximian These Princes either surpriz'd with the exceeding Beauty of these Damosels or disdaining to see so much Ugliness together for different Passions often produce the same effect slew them all Ursula self not escaping and as if they intended to destroy the Country whence they proceeded they invaded the Island on the North and proceeded on with great slaughter of the Inhabitants Maximian advertis'd thereof sent Gratianus with three Legions to withstand them who entering the Island drave them back and constrained them to refuge in Ireland This Gratianus is supposed by Mr. Hollinshead to be the same who afterwards usurped in the daies of Honorius Flav. Theodosius THEODOSIUS after the death of Maximus was in full possession of the whole Empire for Valentinian was treacherously strangled in Vienna by Eugenius first a Grammarian then a Souldier and Arbogastes a base Commander but he lived not long after for having brought the Murtherers of Valentinian to condign punishment and
they were called CUMERO by themselves and by the Examples he brought if they were proper he ought to have inferred they received their Names of Britains from Others which indeed they did as I have partly shewn and shall shew more at large hereafter Grant we then that Brit or Brith c. was the name of these Islanders and that the name signifies in their Tongue Painted depainted dyed or coloured yet it is not reasonable to believe that Brit signifying a Britain came from Brith signifying a Colouring but rather that Brith Colouring came from Britha a Britain my Reason is this Because that Customes in Nations arising from some general likings and insensible creepings upon the People are not so much taken notice of by themselves as by Neighbours and lookers on so that although they may be remarkable in themselves yet are they not so to those who by several gradations and steps have received them for which cause I am not deceived if I think that names of Countries arising from some strange and unaccountable Customes have been given them by their Neighbours who have been absolutely surprized by them for the novelty of them For instance of which shall be Gallia Comata not called so by themselves but their Neighbours by reason of their immoderate nourishing their Long hair The like may be said concerning the Aspect Greatness Scituation Nature and other Circumstances of People and here is to be observed that the Ethiopians had nothing in their own Denomination of themselves that signified Black because it was no wonder in their own Country to be so AEthiopem Albus derideat neither ought we to think that the Islands of the Cannibals now called the Caribees had any thing in their own Appellation given to themselves that denoted any such barbarous Action But it was the Complexions of the one and Customes of the other that gave occasion to Strangers to call them so This is a good Argument to induce me to believe that the Britains were not called Brith by themselves from their being Painted That which confirms most in this Opinion is the connexion of Reason but rather the coincidence of Words It is certain say they that these Islanders were a Painted-people Brit signifying Painting and these Painted-people were called Brits therefore Bryth must needs give them their Name To this I Answer Let us consider how many names of Nations have become common Appellatives of some Customes peculiarly belonging to such Nations To instance in a few A Sybarite signifying a debauched Person from Sybaris the most exquisite of Luxurious Commonwealths a Ghaldean was a common name among the Jews for any South-sayer an Egyptian was as much as to say a Magician or Sorcerer so it is supposed it happened with the Britains when they were immoderately given to Painting themselves that their Neighbours the Gauls or some others by long use might call whatever was painted by the name of Brit or Brith as much as to say Like a Britain so that in time a Painted-man and a Britain might be all one the proper name Britain being become a common Appellative To evidence this plainer let us look farther into the word Egyptian and we shall see something more in its Derivatives that makes to this case In the time of the Saracens possession of Spain there entered a sort of People into Christendome calling themselves AEgyptians as much as to say Subtile or Cunning People and so took up the trade of Fortune-tellers AEgypt having in those daies kept up the repute of such Sciences These sort of People used to paint their Hands Face and Neck as they do to this day to make themselves appear more horrid and strange and are now at this day among us called Gypsies not that all came out of Egypt or pretended so but because they use the same Arts in Painting and Fortune-telling and in our Laws provided against them are called Gypsies or People colouring their Hands and Face Now some have derived though falsly these Gypsies from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Paint because a painted Person in that manner and a Gypsie is all one Now as Gypsie has no relation to painting it self but by accident and the syllable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought not to be the Root alone of its Derivation seeing it is derived from AEgypti primitively and immediately from the Egyptians so I think it is with the word Brit signifying Painting that it came from the People called Britains and not that the Britains came from it so from Egypt comes an Egyptian from thence a Gypsie and from whence if I am not mistaken a Gyp the meanest of Servants a swarthy Turn-spit c. In like manner I think that Brit comes from Britanni and they from Britannia Britania from Strabo's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was the Bratanac of the Phoenicians so that their Painting comes in only by accident in the diminutive Brith and hath nothing to do in the Original Primitive of Britannia the Root of which ought not to be Brit alone And although it is to be supposed that none can be so mad as to derive Egypt from Gyp the Antiquity of the name Egypt being sufficiently known yet it has happened that the not considering of the Antiquity of Britannia which really was the Bratanac of the Phoenicians hath caused that Brith and Brits whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Saxons many hundred years after the First Olympiad when this Island received the Name which are diminutions and corruptions of the Primitive word have been accounted the Original To manifest this let us hear what Humphry Lloyd a Gambro-Britain and a Learned and diligent Searcher after Antiquities saith concerning BRITAIN namely he confidently and boldly affirms that there is not any British word whose first Radical Letter is B if this be true then it plainly appears that the word Brith and Brit if not the same with Pryd are not genuine British words but are derived from some Forreign Name which crept by degrees into their Language which exactly agrees with the Bratanac of the Phoenicians or the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words by Trading and Custome introduced into their Language whose Idiom in their own genuine production admits not of a B in the first Radical Hence I believe it might proceed that when the Greeks had named them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their Country 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Islanders after their own manner turned the B into a P and called themselves Prydayns as Humphry Lloyd proves out of Ancient Copies and Traditions of their Old Poets and Bardi for it is Recorded by Bishop Cooper something to this purpose At Evy Church saith he two miles from Salisbury in the digging down of a Wall a Book containing twenty Leaves of very thick Velom was found which from the hands of Mr. Richard Pace Chief Secretary to the King I read but being sore
was propagated in this Island but whether by Joseph of Arimathea who as the first Protestant Bishop saith had a Seat allotted him in the very ends of Arviragus his Dominions or by Simon Zelotes or St. Paul himself or some others is uncertain But it is plain out of Tertullian that the British Nation to which the Romans had no access had owned Subjection unto Christ which was in this Age. But the most received Opinion of the Inhabitants and which seemeth to carry the greatest Antiquity is That JOSEPH of Arimathea the same who embalmed our Saviours Body was sent into Britain by St. Philip where he preached the Gospel and founded a Church in a place called Ines withren in the British Tongue now Glastenbury which place was granted to him by this Arviragus King of Britain the dimensions of which Church according to the Custome of those Primitive times not very Magnificent is taken out of* Sr. Henry Spelman as he collected it from a Plate which was fixed on a Pillar in the New Church and preserved after the demolishing of that Monastery the words of the Plate are these ANno post Passionem Domini xxxj duodecim Sanai ex quibus JOSEPH ab Arimathea Primus erat buc venerunt qui Ecclesiam bujus Regni primam in hoc loco construxerunt qui Christi in honorem suae Matris locum pro eorum Sepultura praesentialiter dedicavit Sancto David Meneventium Archicpiscopo hoc testante Cui Dominus Ecclesiam illam dedicare disponenti in sompnis apparuit eum a proposito revocavit necnon in signum quod ipse Dominus Ecclesiam ipsam prius cum Cimiterio dedicârat manum Episcopi digito perforavit sic perforata multis videntibus in 〈◊〉 apparuit Posten ver ò idem Episcopus Domino revelante ac Sanctorum numero in eadem crescente quendam cancellum in Orientali parte huic Ecclesiae adjecit in honore Beatae Virginis consecravit cujus Altare inestimabili Saphiro in perpetuam hujus rei memoriam insignavit Et nè locus aut quantitas prorsus Ecclesiae per tales augmentationes oblivioni traderetur erigitur haec Columpna in linea per duos Orientales angulos ejusdem Ecclesiae versùs meridiem protracta praedictum Cancellum ab ea abscindente Et erat ejus longitudo ab illa linca versùs Occidentem lx pedum latitudo verò ejus xxvj pedum diffantia centri istius Columpnae à puncto medio inter praedictos angulos xlviij pedum Thus rendered into English THere arrived here XII Holy Men of whom JOSEPH of Arimathea was Head in the year from the Passion of Our Lord XXXI who built in this place the first Church of this Kingdom who viz. Joseph of Arimathea appointing a Place for their Burial dedicated it in honour of the Mother of Christ David Archbishop of Menew attesting the same to whom the Lord intent on the Dedication of that Christian Church appearing in a Dream recalled deterred and advised to desist from that purpose and in token that the Lord had before dedicated that Church and Church-yard he bored the Bishops hand through with his finger which appeared so bored through on the Morrow to many Eyewitnesses Afterwards the same Bishop the number of the Saints of that Church increasing the Lord revealing it to him added to that Church on the Easternpart a Chancel which he consecrated in Honour of the Blessed Virgin the Altar of which for a Memorial of the same to future Ages be adorned with a Saphire of unknown value and least the place and plat-form of that Church through such Augmentations might be forgotten there is erected a Column or Pillar in a Line drawn through the Eastern Corners of that Church towards the South dividing the aforesaid Chancel from the same and the length of it was from that Line towards the West threescore feet its breadth twenty six feet the distance of the Centre of that Column from the middle Point between the afore said Corners forty eight feet The first Church of the Christians In Britaine a b c d The compass of the Church-yard the extent whereof is not certainly known but so large as to contain according to Melkinus who lived in the year of our Lord 550 a thousand Graves amongst whom lies Joseph of Arimathea c. about the South Angle of the Oratory about K and f where also St. Patrick Abbot of this place was also Entomb'd under a Stone Pyramid which was afterwards according to the devotion of the time overlaid with Silver e f The length of the Church sixty foot f g The breadth of the Church twenty six foot b The Walls of the Church according to Malmsbury made of Twigs winded and twisted together after the Ancient Custome that Kings Palaces were used to be built So the King of Wales by name Heolus Dha in the year of our Lord 940 built a House of white Twigs to retire into when he came a hunting into South-Wales therefore it was called Cyguyn that is the White House For to the end it might be distinguished from Vulgar buildings he caused the Twigs according to his Princely quality to be barkt Nay Castles themselves in those daies were framed of the same Materials and weaved together for thus writes Giraldus Cambrensis of Pembroke Castle Arnulphus de Montgomery saith he in the dales of King HENRT the First built that small Castle of Twigs and slight Turf Such Reed Houses as these we all along see in Ireland and in many places in England I The Roof which according to the usual Custome of the Britains was of Straw or after the nature of the soyl in that place of Hay or Rushes So Bede A great fire being kindled in the midst of the House it happened that some sparks flying high set the Roof of the house on a flame which easily took fire because it consisted of Wicker and Straw After the same manner was the Old Roman Capitol it self built according to Ovid Quae fuerat nostri fi quaras Regia nati Adspice de Cannâ Straminibusque domum Ka the Door the top whereof reacheth to the Eeves of the house which in those daies were very low Kb the East Window over the Altar KKK the South Windows Having delivered thus much concerning the Antiquity of this Christian Church I will conclude the same with some necessary Observations thereupon Observations upon the before-mentioned Inscription in memory of the first Christian Church in Britain THe Character upon this Plate is not so Ancient as not above 300 years old if so much and though there might be in other places which is difficult to prove Churches built so early yet that they were encompassed according to the Modern Custome with Church yards will hardly be granted There were many Churches in the Cities of Britain soon after the first Times of Christianity but never any Church-yards till the time of Cutbert the
of Eleutherius And the first is the Date it bears which in the Text is dated 169 in the Margin 156 yet neither agree with the time of Eleutherius his Popedom if we will follow the most approved Authors For although Bede saies he was made Bishop of Rome in the year of our Lord 167 yet Eusebius in his Chronicle places the beginning of his Popedom in the sixteenth year of the Emperour Antoninus that is in the year of our Lord 179 But in his History and indeed truer to the following year of Antonium which is of our Lord 180. Baronius is of the same Opinion also and confirms it by the Letters of the Martyrs at Lyons which were presented to Eleutherius himself 2. Besides if this Epistle be true it makes King Lucius to take a very preposterous course in sending so far as Rome to Eleutherius for the Roman Laws when he might sooner and with less trouble have procured them at home from the Roman Governour for from the time of the Emperour Claudius who subdued most part of Britain the Roman Laws were in force here nay very well known to the further parts of Yorkshire And Tacitus saies he had erected here Roman Courts and Tribunals which was about an hundred years before Lucius came to the Government But we shall pursue this discourse no further it being plain and obvious to any that are but meanly acquainted with those Histories 3. This Epistle makes no mention of any Power or Authority the Romans had in these parts but makes Lucius an absolute Monarch as in nothing subject to the Roman Governour You are Gods Vicegerent in your own Kingdom not Claudius Caesars or any other Emperour Contrary to the Customes of those times Among the Jews King Herod was under Pilate and King Agrippa under Faelix and Festus and so it was likewise usual in other Provinces but without doubt Lucius was a British King as he is rightly so stiled in the Life of Eleutherius but it was but of some part of it not of the whole Island or that part which separated from Scotland by a Wall which was under the Romans yet it is not to be doubted but that in some part of it he had a Power under the Romans neither is it any hard matter to describe the Places of his Government for he being the Son and Successour of King Coile and Coile the Son of Marius and Marius of Arviragus which some report to be Togenus others the same with Tacitus his Prasutagus King of the Iceni The Iceni inhabited that part of Britain which the East Angles did under the Saxons it comprehended Norfolk Suffolk and at some time Cambridge Their Royal City was Venta of the Iceni now called Castor in Norfolk near to the City of Norwich but this place is too far distant from Glastonia a little Village of the Belgae in the Kingdom of the West Saxons which Arviragus as they say gave to Joseph of Arimathea and his Companions that came with him But this seems to intimate that Arviragus was rather King of the Belga and Dobuni that is of the West Saxons than of the Iceni and that which promotes this Opinion is his being most usually in those parts and his entertainment in Claudiocestria if we will credit Gaufridus but that which takes away the doubt unless we will suspect the Author himself is the testimony of Hector Boethius Scotus who shews that Arviragus was by Birth an Icene and was substituted by Claudius Caesar King of Britain furthermore the Iceni first received the Christian Faith in Britain 4. This word Manutenere which we translate Maintain was not in use in Eleutherius his time but smells rather of the Norman Latin from which it crept into our Country Laws 5. Those places which are quoted out of the Holy Scripture are taken out of the Translation of St. Hierom who lived two hundred years after Eleutherius 6. This Epistle never came out in the World till almost a thousand years after the death of Eleutherius but out of what Monks Cell it came is uncertain but that which ought to be most observed is that it is no where to be found in Gaufridus Monumuthentis contemporary with Hovedenus who was always diligent in the Collection of the British Antiquities This Answer of the Pope by Letter to Lucius was sent by Fugatius and Damianus Men of sound doctrine and holy life by whose hands the King with all his Nobles received Baptisme and shortly after by their industry and the earnest desire and endeavours of King Lucius the Doctrine was so far propagated that the Temples and Altars of the Heathen Gods were in most places flung down and demolished the Christian worship set up in their places and the Church established under Form and Government In the Seats of twenty eight Flamens and three Arch Flamens which presided over the whole Nation being all of them either converted or expulied were constituted twenty eight Bishops and three Arch-bishops whose Chairs for the greater convenience of Government were continued in the same places the Archi-Flamens resided in The first and Metropolitan Seat was at London and the Cathedral St. Peters in the memory of that Saint from whose Successour Eleutherius they had received the Faith The second was at York The third at Carlile but of the particular extent of these places I shall treat more fully anon The Succession of Bishops in the See of London THe first to the Times of the Saxons is thus Theanus who was in the daies of Lucius consecrated the Church of St. Peters Cornhill and by the assistance of Ciranus the Kings Cup-bearer performed all the Rites thereunto belonging Some report he built the Church The second Eluanus he added a Liberary to it The third was Cadar the fourth Obinus the fifth Conanus the sixth Palladius the seventh Stephanus the eighth Iltutus or Iltutius the ninth Deduinus the tenth Theodredus the eleventh Hilarius the twelfth Vitelinus the thirteenth Vodinus Mr. Cambden calls him Theonus But before we proceed any further it will be necessary to say who and what these Flamens were and of their being changed into Bishops and Arch-bishops What these Flamens and Arch-flamens were and their being changed into Bishops and Arch-bishops I Wish we had seen the Book of Gildas for it can hardly be found in ancient Authority that there was ever any distribution of Flamens and Arch flamens into their particular Provinces or that the words Arch-flamens and Arch-bishops were in use in the time of Lucius or that Metropolitical Jurisdiction and the Ceremony of the Pall had any being in those daies For Flamens among the Romans were no other than their Priests so called from a Thred or String as Varro saith with which they bound their Head as Flamines some Pileamines from a Cap they wore and from Sacrificing commonly called Priests and every one of these lookt after the proper Offices and Duties of their particular Gods at first
setled the Empire on his Sons he died to the grief of all men the Union of the whole Empire in the Person of so worthy a Prince raising no small expectations of a great and glorious Reign In his daies Chrysan was Vicar of Britain of whom more in the following Emperour HONORIUS HONORIUS by the will of his Father Theodosius succeeded in the Western Empire During his Minority Stilico was appointed his Governour a man for a long time famous having been an inward Companion of Theodosius and emp'oyed in the British Wars against the in roads of the Scots Vandals Picts and Saxons and therein he behaved himself with great conduct and success which Claudian implieth where he introduceth Britain thus speaking Me quóque vicinis pereuntem gentibus inquit Munivit Stilico totam quam Scotus Hibernem Movit infesto spumavit remige Thetis Illius effectum curis ne bella timerem Scotica nec Pictum tremerem ne littore toto Prospicerem dubiis venientem Saxona ventis Me to ill Neighbours long a Prey expos'd With safety now hath Stilico inclos'd Whilest the false Scot the Irish shoar alarums And with those Vermin all the Ocean swarms 'T is through his care no longer Wars I fear The Scots and Picts alike now dreadless are No longer on the Coasts I quivering stand Nor fear a Fleet of Saxons on the Strand But his great Atchievments were attended with no less Ambition for not content with the management of the whole Empire in the Minority of Honorius nor satisfied with the honour of having his Daughter an Empress by matching her with his Ward be flew up to so high a pitch that in the end he ruined not only himself but the whole Empire For by sowing the seeds of Sedition amongst the Lieutenants of Provinces and raising factions at Court he made so evil a fermentation through all the Government which of it self was decaying that the publick Enemy taking the advantage grew daily upon it and on all sides assaulted it s now tottering Fabrick That which in this nick of time most unluckily promoted its ruine was a Party of the Goths who having served the Romans faithfully for twenty years and now fallen into the displeasure of this great Favourite being disgraced and casheir'd to revenge their wrongs publickly Revolted choosing Alaricus for their Captain who not long after proved the Scourge of Rome In these daies Chrysanthus the Son of Marian a Bishop who had been made Vicar of Britain by Theodosius deserved so much honour for the prudent management of the Common-wealth that considering his Birth the Son of a Church-man and his great Integrity he was thought the fitter man to oppose the Schisine of the Cathari who stiffly maintained That men of Baptism relapsing into mortal sin could not renew their state of Salvation To withstand these he was chosen and installed at Constantinople much against his will Bishop of the Novatians and is the same Person whom we find in Ecclesiastical Histories so much commended for his great Temperance and Mortification Contemporary with him flourished Fastidius a British Bishop and wrote Books of Divinity yet not withstanding that Britain was so well furnished with eminent Divines Pelagius a Native of this Island brought up in the Monastery of Bangor in Wales about this time found opportunity to introduce new Heresies into the Church He having travelled Italy and AEgypt and insinuated himself into the company first of Paulinus Bishop of Nola and afterwards of St. Augustine finding that preferment came not so fast as he expected and thinking his great Travels and Study not sufficiently or not time enough rewarded set up for new Opinions and returning into Britain with his Disciples Coelestius a Scot and Agricola spread them wide poysoning the minds of the Britains a Nation saith Gildas greedy of any Novelty By this time ALARICUS King of the Goths laid siege unto Rome it self and now that glorious Empire like a Body departing not able to defend its more noble parts began to contract and draw in its succours from all sides and such Forces which lay scattered for the defence of the outward Provinces were summoned to relieve the very heart and Seat of its Empire amongst the rest the British Legion which in the Marches kept station against the Barbarians was called away which Claudian witnesseth in these words Venit extremis Legio praetenta Britannis Quae Scoto dat fraena truci serróque not at as Perlegit exanimes Picto moriente figuras Hither the Legion too from Britain came Which curbs the Scots and does fierce Nations tame Who whil'st the painted Picts expiring lie Beholds the breathless Figures how they die And now the Britains finding themselves deserted by the Romans and the Barbarous Nations continually assaulting them the Scots from the Irish Seas the Saxons from the German and the Picts from the North beholding withal the desolations of the Continent through the weakness of the Roman Empire and the power of its Enemies the Vandals who had wasted Belgia even to those places whence is nearest passage into Britain and learing lest the heating-flame of their Neighbours fire might fly over to them also thought it expedient to choose some General or Soveraign Commander to lead them First they elected Marcus who it may seem then was Deputy of the Island but his carriage not agreeing with their giddy Courses him they as suddenly slew and in his stead set up Gratian a Country-man of their own whom they Crowned and arrayed in the Purple Robe and adored as their Prince but the favour of a heady Rout is as fatal as its fury for upon some slight mislike taken to him after four Months end they deprived him not only of life but Empire also There was among them a Common Souldier whose name was Constantine with him on a sudden so taken they are upon the conceit of a luckiness in his name as without any other visible Merit to create him Emperour CONSTANTINE making use of the opportunity and gathering his Forces together whilest the heat lasted putting to Sea from Britain landed at Bullen in France and what with the terrour of his Name and the numbers of his Followers he easily brought over to his Party all the Roman Forces on this side the Alpes Valentia in France he manfully defended against the puissance of Honorius the Rhine which long time before had been neglected he fortified with Garrisons Upon the Alpes as well Cottiae and Penninae as those towards the Maritime Coasts where ever the passages lay open he placed Garrisons built Forts and Castles and in Spain under the Conduct of his Son whom of a Monk he had made his Caesar he warred with the like fortune and success And now grown high and proud by the constant current of so many Felicities not content that Honorius had freely yielded to him a share in the Empire and kindly accepted his excuse wherein he alleadged the
that Dioneth a supposed King of Britain or Duke of Cornwal who assisted them hardly escaped the Battle But of any such person as Dioneth ruling in this Island our Histories make no mention and very unlikely it is that they who but just now sued so earnestly to Rome for succour against the Common Enemy the Picts and Scots should now enter into League with them and oppose their Friends who came so far and kindly to relieve them As for Dursius and Firgus Kings of the Scots and Picts the supposed Leaders of all these Incursions into Britain as it is not my business to gain-say their History so neither will I relate their Actions in particular although set down in the Scottish Histories with exactness of Circumstances namely their order of Battle and manner of Fight their different Entrenchings Marches Sieges Numbers of slain and Articles of Peace things whereof Gildas and Bede make not the least mention Authors of far greater Credit and Antiquity than any produced by the Scottish Writers But thus much may be noted in this place that it seemeth not to accord with the truth of History that those Nations that at this time infested the Island rather with wild and licentious Inroads than a just and regular War and are described by Gildas like ravenous Wolves or Tories issuing from their hollow Caves Dens and lurking Holes and alwaies taking advantage of the Romans absence should be supposed to be under Order and Discipline in a steady course of Invasion especially if we consider with what ease they were repulsed at the appearance of one Legion only and how without the least molestation they suffered the Wall to be built a thing they would never have permitted had they been as well linked together in great Bodies and under good Government as their minds were unanimous in Plunder and Rapine No more therefore are the Scottish Writers to be heeded in such Relations than Jeoffery of Monmouth when he varies most from Authentick story As soon as the Romans were finally departed and their Resolution of not returning known the Scots and Picts differing in Manners yet agreeing in the desires of Spoil and Blood-shed with more considence than ever like dusky Vermin in the heat of day and full Noon in whole swarms issued out of their narrow Holes and Caves and all the Country north even unto the Wall immediately seize and as Natural Inhabitants not fearing any more to be dispossessed plant and manure it In the mean time they who kept Garrison on the Wall like idle Spectatours and more dreading to be assaulted than daring to oppose the growing Enemy stood trembling and quaking upon the Battlements like Men placed rather to view their Losses than to revenge them whilest day and night they kept ward in their Stations by continual beholding their Foe they conceived the more dreadful apprehensions of them and by doing nothing spent their Spirits and grew idle Thus standing with Weapons in their hands and esteeming it Manhood sufficient if they did but face the Invader they tamely suffered the half-naked Picts to come under the Battlements and with their Engines and Hooks to pull them down headlong the rest quitting the Wall betook themselves to flight and left the Enemy in possession of the Fronteir-Cities who having with such ease broke into the Province followed their fuccess with like vigour pursuing the Britains into the Inland-Countries and making havock and destruction wheresoever they came To the heap of these Calamities without were added no less from within for the Britains employed in the Guard of the Fronteirs had neglected the Tylling Ground upon which so great dearth and scarcity ensued that they were constrained for want of Provisions to rob and pillage each other They who came from the North as may probably be supposed and had fled from the Enemy being not able to buy when they came to the Southern parts seized what they could find upon which rose Discords and Animosities Civil dissensions and Wars For this Nation as Gildas observeth though feeble in repressing an Enemy yet in homebred-quarrels was alwaies obstinate and hardy And now whilest they wore themselves out with continual acts of Hostility the Famine grew general upon all the whole Country was exhaust of Bread the staff and strength of life and those miserable People that remained were forced to maintain their lives by Hunting and such like Prey as the wild Forrest would afford Notwithstanding these great calamities and troubles in the State there happened new divisions in the Church for Heresie groweth fastest in distracted times Agricola the Son of Severianus a Disciple of Pelagius had spread his Doctrine wide among the Britains but the sounder part disliking his Opinions but not able to confute them beg'd assistance from the Churches in France who sent them Germanus Bishop of Auxere and Lupus of Troys These coming into Britain by assiduous preaching in Churches Fields and Streets and as some write by doing Miracles confirmed many in the Faith regained others and in a publick Disputation at Verulam confuted the chief of the Hereticks The time of Germanus his Arrival is uncertainly guessed at most probably in the year 430. Matthew of Westminster placeth him under the year 446 not long before the entrance of the Saxons and indeed certain it is that he had to do with that Nation here as shall be shewn in the sequel But that it was after they were called into this Island under the Leading of Hengist and Horsus and not before cannot be collected For the Incursions of the Saxons into Britain were no new thing before their publick Arrival wherefore I shall follow on the course of Germanus his Actions in these troubled times not breaking them into parts and parcels according to the confused computations of this Age take them out of Constantius the Writer of his Life who lived in the next Age. The Picts and Saxons with joynt Force making daily inroads from the North those Britains who for fear or hunger had not yielded themselves to the Enemy but stood daily upon their defence gathering into a Body from out of Mountains Caves and thick Woods full of bushes Bryers and Brambles began to march with all their strength against the Enemy but jealous of their own Power and it may be now as Gildas writeth trusting more on the assistance of God than Man they sent for Germanus and his Colleague in the strength of whose prayers they had more considence than in the numbers of their Men Being come their presence in the Camp was no less than if a whole Army were joyned to their assistance It was in the time of Lent when the People instructed by the daily Sermons of these Pastors came flocking to receive Baptism There was a place in the Camp set apart for Divine Service and dressed up with Boughs on Easter-day The Enemy having intelligence of this and thinking that the Britains were more intent upon Religion
solemnity with Religious Banquets Neither let them any longer sacrifice Beasts to the Devil but to the praise of God let them kill those Creatures for their own eating and in their fulness give thankes to the Giver of all things that whilst there are left them some inward tokens of Rejoycing they may the easier be brought to the inward Joyes of the Spirit For to wean obdurate minds from all things on a sudden without doubt is impossible He that endeavours to climb on high it is necessary he should rise by degrees and paces not by leaps so the Lord made himself known to the children os Israel in Egypt the customary Sacrifices which they were wont to offer to the Devil he reserved in his own worship that by his command they should offer living creatures in his sacrifice Forasmuch as their hearts being changed they lost somethings of the sacrifice and retained others so that although they were the same creatures they were wont to offer nevertheless offering them to God and not to Idols they were not the same Sacrifices These things I would have your charity to declare to our aforesaid Brother that he for the present being placed there may consider how all things ought to be ordered Given the twelsth day of the Kalends of July Indiction the fourth God preserve you safe my Dearest Son given the fifteenth day of the Kalends of July in the nineteenth year of our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus Emperour after the Consulship of the said Lord the eighteenth Indiction the fourth i. e. in the year of Christ 601. Gregory To Augustine Bishop of the English Of the use of the Pall and of the Church of London ALthough 't is certain that the inexpressable Rewards of an eternal Kingdom are reserved for those that labour in the service of God yet it is necessary that we should allow them the Ensigns of Honour that by such Rewards they may be encouraged the more abundantly to labour in Spiritual works and because the late Church of the English through the mercy of our Lord and your diligence is brought to the grace of Almighty God we grant you the use of the Pall in that Nation but for only celebrating the solemnity of the Mals so that you ordain through all places twelve Bishops that shall be under your Jurisdiction Forasmuch as the Bishop of the City of London shall alwaies hereafter be consecrated by a Synod of his own and receive the honour of the Pall from this holy and Apostolick See in which through God's grace I serve I will also that you send a Bishop to the City of Tork whom you shall think fit to be ordained so that if the same City with the bordering places shall receive the Word of God let him also ordain twelve Bishops that he may also enjoy the honour of a Metropolitan because we intend God willing to bestow on him in like manner the Pall if he is of a meek and courteous behaviour whom nevertheless we will that he submit to the Authority of your Brotherhood After your death so let him preside over the Bishops he shall Ordain that by no means he submits to the power of the Bishop of London But hereafter let this distinction of Honour be between the Bishops of London and York that he be accounted first that was first ordained Let them with common counsel and joynt action order whatever ought to be done for the love of Christ let them unanimously agree in the Right and whatsoever they agree on not by contradicting one another bring to perfection Let your Brotherhood therefore have in subjection under you not only those Bishops whom you have ordained or those that shall be ordained by the Bishop of York but also all the Clergy of Britain our Lord God Jesus Christ being the Author forasmuch as from the life and doctrine of your Holiness they may receive the form of rightly believing and living well and may by executing their office with a sincere Faith and good Manners when the Lord shall please attain to an Heavenly Kingdom The Lord keep you safe Most Reverend Brother Given the tenth day of the Kalends of July our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus being Emperour in the nineteenth year after the Consulship of the said Lord the eighteenth year Indiction the fourth that is in the year of Christ 601. THE LIFE OF S t AUGUSTINE The first Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY Written in Latin by Sr. Henry Spelman IT would be needless to use many words concerning this Augustine his Life and Actions after he was sent by GREGORY to convert the English plainly appear in the following discourse But what and who he was before little concerns us He was a Roman I think by Birth and a Monk of the Benedictine Order and was afterwards made Provost of St. Gregory's Monastery at Rome as you may understand from the Epistle of St. Gregory himself to Syagrius Bishop of Augustodunum Called forth from thence by Gregory he is sent into Britain with sourty Monks his Companions and others of the Clergy over whom he made him Abbot in the year of our Lord 596 and in the year 597 arriving in Britain he converted to the Faith Ethelbert King of Kent and the greatest part of his People whom on the day of Pentecost he Baptized in the Church of St. Martin at Canterbury which had continued from the time of the Romans till then The same year afterwards he went to Arles where he was by Etherius Arch-Bishop of that City who was so commanded by Gregory ordained the Arch-Bishop of the English the sixteenth of the Kalends of December in the City of Arles Returning to Fngland he was received by both King and People with all imaginable Joy and soleninity besttting his Quality and had the Royal City of Canterbury bestowed upon him by the King for an Episcopal See and the Kings Palace for a Cathedral Church to be erected unto Christ so that the King seemed to imitate what is reported to have been done by the Emperour Constantine the Great Being ordained Bishop he consulted St. Gregory by Messengers and Questions of the form of Government to be imposed on the Church he had lately established amongst the English Saxons The Answers he received we will set down a little below Soon after he was honoured by the same Gregory with the Pall by which the fulness of Power is signisted in the year viz. of Christ 601. Being then Metropolitan of Britain he summons a Councel in the borders of Worcestershire that he might be something nigher the British Clergy and Bishops at that time residing in Wales to which he warned them to appear the place of Session appointed was Augustine's Ac that is Augustine's Oaks where being assembled Augustine demands from them Obedience to the Bishop of Rome and the Reception of the Roman Ceremonies into the British Church The Britains stiffly opposed this and after the business had been a long time controverted on both sides
another Synod or Session was agreed on where a greater number of the British Clergy were present amongst them seven Bishops The old Controversie is again renewed but when Augustine found that he was likely to gain no further he desired they would but conform to him and the Romans in three things only 1. In the observation of Easter 2. In the administration of Baptism 3. In assisting him with their preaching to the English Saxons But they suspecting the pride of Augustine would not bondescend to him in these things neither Lamentable was the event of this Assembly which shall be related when we come in order to the place for the British Church differed in many things from the Roman as appears out of Gildar and Bede and this following discourse Concerning the Manners of Augustine I shall determine nothing he is blamed by our Age and extolled by Antiquity They report him to have been learned pious and an Imitator of Primitive holiness the Apostle of the English often in watchings fastings prayers and alms zealous in propagating the Church of his Age and of Religion and earnest in rooting out Paganism The first Introducer of Roman Monks and other Rites and Ceremonles in repairing and building Churches diligent enough and for working Miracles extraordinary famous From hence by reason of humane frailty his mind perhaps grew more lofty and proud which thing St. Gregory himself seemed to take notice of who admonished him by an Epistle that he should not be puffed up with the greatness of his Miracles He is ill spoken of for the Massacre of the Priest of Bangor and not without a cause if as is reported he excited King Edilfrid to that horrid slaughter Concerning him thus Câ—â—grave in his Life St Augustine was by stature very tall so that he appeared from the shoulders above the rest of the people his face was lovely but majestical withal there 's no body can relate the Wonders and Cures he did among the People He alwaies walked on foot and most commonly he visited his Provinces bare-footed and the skin on his knees was grown hard and insensible through continual kneeling Concerning the time when he died the opinions of Authors are many so that which to fix on is uncertain Stow makes it the 29 of May in the year of Grace 603 Bede in the year 604 Augustine himself in his Leaden Bull if it be truly his cites a Character of King Ethelbert dated the year of our Lord 605 from which 't is manifest that he was then living Thomas Sprot relates that he held a Councel at Canterbury in the year 605 Matthew 〈◊〉 Westminster following Segthert saies that he died in the year of Grace 608 Howden in the year 610 Trevet and Polydore in the year 611 Malmsbury in the year 612 and Savil in Fastis in the year 613. How long therefore he governed the Church of Canterbury so great is the disagreement of Writers that I date not determine any thing concerning it But it appears manisest enough that he began in the year of our Lord 596 in which he was sent by St. Gregory or in the year 597 in which he was received by King Ethelbert and ordained Bishop of Canterbury by Etheriâ—â—s Arch-Bishop of Arles 'T is agreed on that he was buried in a Monastery of his own name which he had built with the assistance of King Ethelbert and in the Porch of that Church dedicated to St. Peter and Paul but not as yet consecrated in a stone Coffin covered over with Iron and Lead with this Inscription Inclytus Anglorum Praeful pius Decus Altum Hîc Augustinus requiescie corpore sanctus The Church afterward being consecrated by Lawrence his Successor his Coffin was brought into the Church and placed on the North side where afterwards was an Altar of his name and this Inscription affixed Hîc Requiescit AVGVSTINVS Dorobernensis Archiepiscopus qui olim huc à Beato Gregorio Romae Urbis Pontifice directus à Deo operatione miraculorum suffultus Ethelbertum Regem gentem illius ab Idolorum cultu ad fidem perduxit completis à pace diebus officii sui Defunctus est 7. Kal. Junii eodem Rege Regnante He was Canonized for a Saint and now holds a place in the Roman Martyrology on the seventh day of the Kalends of June i. e. the 26 day of May. He is said to have written one Book to Gregory of his prosperous success and one Book of the Statutes of his Churches and Eleven Questions which Gregory Answered lib. 12. Tom. 2. which Bede also relates lib. 1. cap. 37. Hist. Angl. Augustine arrives in England is courteously received of Ethelbert King of Kent he imitates the life and doctrine of the Primitive Church he baptizes the King and is honoured with an Episcopal Seè. Bede lib. 1. cap. 25. AUgustine being strengthned by the encouragement of Blessed Father Gregory returns with the rest of the Servants of Christ that were with him to the work of the Word and comes into Britain Edilberth at that time was the most powerful King of Kent who had extended the bounds of his Empire to the Banks of the great River Humber by which the Southern and Northern people of England are separated There is towards the Eastern part of Kent the Isle of Tanet of indifferent bigness the compass of it according to the usual computation of the English is six hundred Families which the River Vantsum parts from the Continent in breadth about three surlongs and in two places omy fordable for it runs its head both waies into the Sea Here landed Augustine the Servant of the Lord with his Companions as is reported about fourty in number they had taken along with them Interpreters of the French Nation as Pope Gregory had commanded them Being arrived he sends to Edilberth giving him to understand that he came from Rome and had brought good tidings with the proffets of Eternal happiness to them that would receive them and an Everlasting kingdom after this life with the true and living God The King hearing this commanded that they should tarry in the Island they had landed in and that all necessaries should be afforded them till he had determined what to do with them for he had heard of the Christian Religion before having married a Christian Wise of the Royal Family of the French by name Bertha whom he had received from her Parents on this condition that she should have free exercise of Religion and liberty to have a Bishop by name Luidhard whom they had given her as an assistant and strengthner of her faith The King after some daies past came to the Island and sitting down in the open Air commanded that Augustine and his Companions should be brought into his presence thither for he feared to admit them into any House being perswaded by his old Superstition that if they brought with them any Charms or Incantations they could not so easily work upon him
But they armed with the power of God and not the Devil bearing a Silver cross before them for their Banner and the Image of our Lord and Saviour painted on a Table and singing Litanies prayed unto the Lord for the eternal salvation of themselves and of those for whose sakes and to whom they were come But when with the Kings leave sitting down they had preached the Word of life to him and to all his Nobles that were with him the King made Answer saying The words and promises which Ye have made are indeed fair but unto which as being new and uncertain I cannot suddenly yield my assent laying aside the Religion I have so long maintained with all the English Nation But because ye are strangers and come a great way and as it seems to me would impart to us the knowledge of things you believe the truest and best we will not in the least give you any molestation but rather courteously receive you and take care that all things necessary shall be provided for your maintenance neither do we prohibit but that ye may gain all ye can to the Faith of your Religion And accordingly he alotted them their residence in the City of Canterbury which was the Metropolis of all his Kingdom neither did he abridge them of the freedom of meeting of preaching or neglect their temporal provision It is reported that when they came nigh to the City after their manner with the holy Cross and the Image of the great King our Lord Jesus Christ with an agreeable-voice they sang this Litany We pray thee O Lord in thy mercy that thy sury may be turned away and thy Anger from this City and thy holy House because we have sinned Allelujah But when they came to the Dwellings provided for them they began to imitate the Apostolical life of the Primitive Church by applying themselves to continual prayers watchings and fastings to the preaching the Word of God to all that would hear them by despising all things of this World as superfluous and receiving only those things that were necessary for those they taught for their sustenance living exactly according to the Rules they taught others having a mind ready to suffer any Adversity even to die for the truth that they preached The success of which was some believed and were baptized admiting the simplicity of their innocent lives and the sweetness of their heavenly doctrine There was near this City towards the East a Church anciently built in honour of St. Martyn whilst the Romans inhabited Britain in which the Queen whom above we declared to have been a Christian was wont to pray In this therefore first they begun to assemble sing pray perform Mass preach and baptize until the King being converted to the Faith they obtained a greater liberty of Preaching every where and of building and repairing Churches But when he among the rest being delighted with the pure life of these Saints and their sweet Promises the truth of which they confirmed by shewing many Miracles believing was baptized many flocked in from all parts to hear the word and leaving the Rites of Heathenism joyned themselves to the unity of the holy Church of Christ at whose Faith and Conversion the King is reported so far to have congratulated as nevertheless not compels any to receive Christianity only those that believed he embraced with a nearer affection as fellow-Citizens with him of the heavenly Kingdom For he had learnt from the Teachers and Authors of his salvation that the service of Christ ought to be voluntary not constrained neither did he deser long but gave his Teachers places befitting their Degrees in his Metropolis of Canterbury and conferred upon them Possessions necessary in several kinds in the year of Christ 601. THE ANSWERS OF GREGORY TO THE QUESTIONS SENT BY AUGUSTINE The first Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY For the better government of the new erected Church of English-Saxons Out of Bede's Hist. Ecclesiast lib. 1. cap. 27. IN the mean while Augustine the Man of God came to Arles and by Etherius Archbishop of the same City according to the Commands he received from the holy Father Gregory was ordained Archbishop of the English Returning therefore into Britain he sent immediately to Rome Lawrence the Priest and Peter the Monk to certifie Pope Gregory that the Christian Faith was received by the English and that he himself was made Bishop desiring also his opinion in certain Questions he thought necessary to be resolved in to all which he speedily received Answers proper to the Questions proposed which we thought fit here to insert into our History The first Question of Augustine Bishop of the Church of Canterbury Of Bishops how they should converse with their Clergy of those things that are presented to the Altar by the offerings of the Faithful how many portions there ought to be and how a Bishop ought to behave himself in the Church The Answer of Gregory Pope of the City of Rome How Bishops ought to act in the Church the Holy Scripture witnesses which you understand very well no doubt and especially the Epistles of St. Paul to Timothy in which he endeavors to teach him how he ought to behave himself in the House of God And it was ever the custome of the Apostolick See to deliver Instructions to Bishops that were ordained that out of every thing that came to the Altar there ought to be made four divisions viz. One for the Bishop and his family for hospitality and entertainments the second for the Clergy the third for the Poor and the fourth for repairing Churches But because your Brotherhood is well skilled in the Orders of a Monastery you know nothing ought to be possest by the Clergy apart in your English Church which lately by God's grace is brought to the Faith it ought to imitate the Conversion which was used by our Fathers in the beginning of the Church among whom none said any thing was his of those things he possessed but all things were in common among them The second Question of Augustine I desire to be informed whether Pr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able 〈◊〉 marry and if they shall marry whether they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Question Bede hath not but joyne the following Answer to the first Question Sr. Hen. Spelman hath added in out of the Bath Edition An. 1518. The Answer of Gregory If there be any of the Clergy out of holy Orders that cannot contain they ought to provide themselves Wives and to receive their stipends from without because concerning those portions which we have spoken of before we know 't is written that 't was divided to every one as every one had need And indeed there ought some consideration and care to be had of their Stipends that they may be kept under Ecclesiastical Rules that they shew good Manners in their lives that they may be diligent in singing Psalms and that they keep by God's assistance their hearts tongues and bodies
pure from all unlawful things What necessity is there of making a long discourse of dividing Portions of shewing Hospitality and of doing Mercy to those that live a Common life when all that is overplus is to be bestowed upon Pious and Religious uses the Lord our Master teaching us all what remains bestow in Alms and hold all things are clean unto you Luke the 11th The third Question of Augustine Since there is but one Faith why are there divers customes of Churches One custome of Mass in the holy Roman Church and another in those of Gaul The Answer of Gregory Your Brotherhood knows the Custome of the Roman Church in which you may remember you were bred but it is my pleasure that if you can find either in the Roman Church or those of Gaul or in any other Church any thing more pleasing to God carefully choose it and what things soever you can gather from many Churches of honest Institution introduce them into the English Church which as yet is young in the Faith for things are not to be beloved for the places but places for the good things in them Out of every Church therefore choose what is Pious Religious and Right and gather them together as it were in a bundle and by practice infuse them into the minds of the English The fourth Question of Augustine I beseech you what punishment ought to be inflicted on him that commits Sacriledge The Answer of Gregory This your Brotherhood may understand from the person of the Thief how he ought to be corrected for there are some that have found ways to commit thest and there are others that offend in this nature out of necessity From whence it follows that some are to be punished with fines others with stripes some more severely others more gentily and when you proceed against any with more rigour than ordinary you must do it out of charity not fury because 't is done to him that is punished with this intent that he might not be committed to Holl fire For we ought to instruct the Faithful so as good Fathers are wont their carnal Children whom for their faults they whip and yet they desire that those whom they thus afflict should be their heirs and carefully keep for them whatsoever they possess whom angrily they thus seem to torment Alwales therefore keep in your mind this charity which suggests a mean in chastizing so that the mind can do nothing without the rule of Reason Perhaps you way ask How these things that are taken by stealth from the Church may be restored but God forbid that the Church should receive with increase for the loss of Earthly things or go about to make advantage of vain trifles The fifth Question of Augustine Whether two own Brothers may marry two own Sisters which are removed from them by many degrees The Answer of Gregory This is certainly lawful for we find nothing in inholy Writ that seems to contradict this point in the least The sixth Question of Augustine To what degree the Faithful may marry with their kindred and whether it be lawful for Stepmothers and their kindred in Law to be joyned in wedlock Gregory's Answer A certain Secular law in the Roman Common wealth permits that whether Brother and Sister or the son and daughter of two own Brothers or two own Sisters may marry but we haue learnt by experience that from such kind of Marriages no issue can be produced and holy Writ forbids the uncovering of the Nakedness of our near kindred from whence it follows that the third and fourth generation of the Faithful may lawfully marry To be joyned in marriage with ones Mother-in-law is a great sin for 't is written in the Law Thou shalt not uncover thy Father's nakedness neither indeed may a Son discover the nakedness of his Father but because 't is written they shall be two in one flesh he that shall presume to uncover the nakedness of his Stepmother which was one flesh with his Father hath certainly uncovered his Father's nakedness 'T is forbidden also to marry a near Relation-in-law because by the former it was made as the flesh of the Brother for which thing John the Baptist was beheaded and ended his life in holy Martyrdom on whom it was not imposed to deny Christ and yet he was slain for confessing Christ but because our Lord Jesus Christ had said I am the Truth and because John was killed for the truth he poured out his blood for Christ. The seventh Interrogation of Augustine I desire to know whether a Divorce may be issued out against those that are married unlawfully and whether they may be denied the benefit of the Communion The Answer of Gregory Because there are many in England which still remain in Infidelity that are reported to be joyned in wicked and unlawful Matrimony when they shall come to the Faith they are to be admonished that they abstain and made to understand that it is a grievous sin Let them stand in fear of the terrible Judgment of God lest for a little carnal pleasure they incur eternal torments nevertheless they are not for this thing to be deprived of the Communion of the body and blood of our Lord lest we should seem to punish those things in them in which they had bound themselves through ignorance before the Laver of Baptism For in these times the holy Church corrects some things with rigour some things out of mildness it tolerates and other things it wisely dissembles and so bears with some faults and winks at them as at last what it disliketh by forbearances and seeming connivance it overcometh and all that are brought to the Faith are to be admonished that they commit no such thing and if any shall they are to be deprived of the Communion of the body and blood of our Lord because as in those things which they did through ignorance the fault in some measure is to be born withal so it ought resolutely to be prosecuted in those that are most afraid knowingly to offend The eight Interrogation of Augustine If for the great distance of places Bishops cannot easily meet whether a Bishop may be ordained without the presence of other Bishops The Answer of Gregory Certain it is in the Church of the English in which as yet there is no other Bishop but your self you can ordain a Bishop no other way than without Bishops for when can Bishops come from Gaul that may assist as witnesses at the ordination of a Bishop But we would that your Brotherhood should so ordain Bishops that they be not too far disjoyned from one another that there may be no hindrance but that at the ordination of a Bishop others may be present other Pastors also whose presence is very requisit ought to have easie means of access When therefore Bishops shall be so ordained in places near one another the ordination of a Bishop ought never to be without three or four Bishops assisting
Augustine A SYNOD called by Augustine first Archbishop of Canterbury by the assistance of Ethelbert King of Kent to Augustine's Ac a place in Worcestershire There being present besides Augustine and his Roman Clergy seven Bishops and many British Doctours to wit in two Sessions in which Augustine first demands obedience to the Church of Rome afterwards that the Britains be conformable to the Romans in three things 1. In celebrating of Easter 2. In the administration of Baptism 3. In the preaching with him to the English-Saxons AUgustine by the power of King Ethelbert called to a Conference the Bishops or Doctors of the greatest and next adjoyning Province of the Britains to a place at this very day in the English tongue called Augustineizac i. e. Augustine's Oak in the confines of the Wiccians and South-Saxons where he began to perswade them with a Brotherly admonition that regarding the peace of the Catholick Church they would unite their endeavours to his in the common Preaching to the Nations for they did not keep the Lord's day of Easter at its due season but from the fourteenth to the twentieth day of the Moon which computation is contained in the circle of eighty four years Moreover they observed many things contrary to the unity of the Church who when after a long disputation could not be brought either by the prayers exhortations or threats of Augustine and his Companions to yield their assent but rather valued their own Traditions above all the Churches In the World under Christ. Holy Father Augustine put an end to this long and difficult Controversie saying We beseeth God which makes us to dwell in the house of his Father with one accord that he would be pleased to inspire us with his heavenly gifts that we may know what Traditions are to be followed which waies we ought to take to enter into his kingdom Let some sick person be brought and by whose prayers he shall be cured let his faith and labours be looked 〈◊〉 most pleasing to God and as fit to be embraced by all men which when his Adversaries though unwillingly assented to there was one brought of the English Nation that was deprived of the light of his eyes who after he had been set before the British Priests and could receive no help or cure from their ministery at length Augustine compelled thereunto by a just necessity bended his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ beseeching him that he would restore to the Blind the sight he had lost and that by the bodily enlightning of one man he would cause the light of his spiritual Grace to arise in the hearts of all the Faithful Neither was it long before the Blind was enlightned and Augustine cried up by all the true preachers of heavenly light Then the Britains confessed that they themselves indeed thought that to be the'true way of Righteousness which Augustine preached but that they could not lay aside their Ancient customes without the consent and free leave of their whole Nation Whence they desired that there might be another Synod called to which more might come which when it was agreed on there came as is reported seven British Bishops and many Learned men from their famous Monastery which in the English tongue is called Bancornaburg over which at that time Abbot Dinoth is said to have presided who a little before their going to the aforesaid Councel went first to a certain Man both holy and wise who led an Anchorite's life among them They asked him whether they should lay aside their Traditions at the preaching of Augustine who made answer If he is a man of God follow him they said how shall we know this he replied The Lord saies take my yoke upon you for I am meek and humble in heart if therefore Angustine be meek and humble in heart it is credible that he himself beareth the yoke of Christ and offereth the same to be born of you But if he be cruel and proud it appeareth that he is not of God neither ought ye to take care what he saith They said again but how shall we make a discovery of that he said Contrive it so that he and his come first into the place of the Synod and if he shall rise up to you as you come near know ye that he is the Servant of Christ and obediently hear him but if he shall despise you nor rise up to you when ye are more in number let him be slighted by you also They did as he had said and it sell out that Augustine as they drew near sate still in his Chair which when they saw they grew presently angry accusing him of pride and endeavoured in all things he said to contradict him He said unto them Ye do many things contrary to our custome and that of the Catholick Church nevertheless if ye will obey me in these three things That ye celebrate Easter in its proper time That ye perform the ministery of Baptism by which we are born again to God according to the custome of the holy Roman and Apostolick Church That ye preach the Word of God together with us to the English Nation as for the other things which ye do although contrary to our customes we will quietly tolerate them all But they made answer that they would do none of those things neither would they acknowledge him for an Archbishop discoursing therefore among themselves they said If he would not just now rise up unto us how much more when we are subject to him will be then condemn us as nothing To whom Augustine the Man of God is reported thus threatningly to have Prophesied If ye will not accept of peace with your Brethren ye are like to accept of war from your Enemies and because ye would not preach the way of life to the Nation of the English ye shall suffer by their hands the punishment of death which in every thing the divine Judgment concurring was performed as he had foretold for a little after Edilfrid the strongest King of the English having gathered together a great Army about the City of Chester which by the English is called Legacester but truer by the Britains Carlegion he made a great slaughter of that Nation but when he was going to give the Onset he espied Priests of theirs who were come thither to intreat God for the success of the Army standing apart on a place of advantage he asked who they were and for what business they had met there Most of them were of the Monastery of Bangor in which there is reported to have been such a number of Monks that when the whole Monastery was divided into seven parts with their Rulers that were set over them no part contained less than three hundred Men all which got their living by the labour of their hands Many of these therefore after a Fast of three daies came with some others merely on the account of Prayer to the aforesaid Army having one
Brocmale by name their Captain who was to defend them being intent at their Prayers from the Swords of the Barbarians But when Edilfrid had understood the cause of their coming he said If therefore they cry unto their God against us certainly they although they bear no Arms fight against us who prosecute us by their Prayers therefore he commanded the first slaughter to be made upon them afterwards he utterly overthrew the rest of the Forces of that wicked Army yet not without great loss of his own They report that there were killed in this fight of those that came to pray about twelve hundred Men only fifty escaping by flight Brocmale upon the first coming of the Enemy fled away with his Company leaving those unarmed and whom he ought to have defended naked to the hacking Swords of their Enemies So was fulfilled the Prophecy of the holy Bishop Augustine although he went to Heaven long before it that such perfidious people might feel the revenge of a temporal death who despised the advice offered them of eternal salvation The Answer of the Abbot of Bangor to Augustine the Monk requiring subjection to the Church of Rome Bid ipfis Be it known a and diogel without doubt i chwi yn unto you bod ni holl un that we all are ac arral yn and every one of us uvidd obedient ac and ynn ostingedig subjects i Eglwys Duw to the Church of God ac and ic Paab to the Pope o Ruvain of Rome ac and i boob to every kyar grissdion dwyual godly Christian y garu to love pawb every one yn i radd in his degree mewn in kariad parfaich perfect charity ac and i helpio to help pawb every one o honaunt of them ar air by word a and guec-thred deed i to vod be ynn blant the children y Duw of God ac and amgenach wyddod other obedience na hwn than this nidadwent vod I do not know due it neb to him yr yddeck chwi whom you name y benwi yn Paab to be Pope ne in Daad o Daad nor to be the Father of Fathers yw to be gleimio claimed ac and yw ouunn to be demanded ac uvyddod hivn and this obedience idden ni we are yn vared ready yw rodde to give ac and yw dalu to pay iddo ef to him ac and i pab to every krisdion Christian yn dragwiddol continually heuid yr Besides ydym ni we are dan under the lywodrath government Esgob of the Bishop kaerllion of Kaerleon ar wysc upon Uske yr hien who ysidd is yn oligwr to oversee dan under Duw God arnom ni over us y wneuthud to cause i ni us gadwr to keep ffordd the way ysbrydol spiritually The Abbot of Bangor which gave Augustine this Answer was without doubt the renowned Dinoth as will appear afterwards in a Norman Manuscript 'T is manifest also as well from his Answer as from those that are related above by Bede that the British Church at that time acknowledged no Subjection either to the Roman Bishop or any other forraign Patriarch neither had it any Communion with the Roman Church but 't was subject as from the days of Eleutherius to a Metropolitan of its own as to the Pope or Patriarch of another World the Archbishop of Kaerleon who as 't is reported acknowledged no superior in dignity but yn obligar Dan Dum under God governed the Church and People committed to his Charge without any other sharer in his Authority they had received the Eastern-Customs and the Asiatich rather than the Roman But who will not judge that Augustine behaved himself towards these poor Britains very uncharitably by taking away on a sudden their old Customs and introducing as suddenly new especially when his great Master Gregory had advised him to proceed in that business with more moderation in several Churches bore with several Customs neither would he that the Roman Rites themselves should every where be imposed but wisely considered the Custom of the place the circumstance of time and the Constitution of Believers For he said things are not to be loved for the places sake but places to be beloved for the good things in them see his Answer to the third Question of Augustine Amongst these things I desire to know how came it to pass that the Bishops of Kaerleon otherwise of Menew and their Successors who from the age of King Lucius to the very days of Augustine that is almost 400 years enjoyed the priviledges of a Metropolitan and were called Archbishops being by no Synod as I know of driven out could without any Crime be deprived of their Province and ancient Jurisdiction But it is enough that it was dorse by Augustine for his Party defend all their own actions stifly together with that horrible Massacre he contrived for the British Clergy For they say 't was sent from God for the better confirmation of their Traditions and Doctrine whilst others urge that Augustine himself was the greatest setter forward of this action and encouraged King Edilfred to the same But if a true discovery of this business as many would have it may be had from the event we are to think otherwise of this Butchery than they have delivered and that God himself abhorred such cruelty For when Edilfred King of the Northumbrians and Executioner of Augustine's wrath had committed so great a slaughter upon the innocent Monks of Bangor at Leicester and was triumphally making haste to destroy their remains with their famous Monastery there met him three British Princes the revengers of God's anger who confounded the Northumbrian King with his whole Army reeking in the blood of those poor Innocents they killed ten thousand and threescore and put the wounded King with some others to flight as God seemed to come down into the Army against those Augustians in behalf of those innocent Monks of Bangor and to have taken vengeance for their blood To excuse Augustine of this Blood-shed Bede is cited who saith that he was dead many years before but if the time of his sitting Arch-bishop be truly computed 16 years he must survive this Action and in the Book de Antiquitate Ecclesiae Anglicanae printed at London in the year 1572. it is said that those words of Bede wherein Augustine is mentioned to have been dead long before were foisted into the printed Copy of Bede by the Romanists contrary to the current of all Saxon Manuscripts But the general opinion grounded on Charity and the good Life and Miracles of Augustine however in some things he might be blameable hath acquitted him of acting in so bloody a Murder Neither do all the Romanists attribute the slaughter of those Monks to the Judgment of God inflicted on them for their rejecting the Rites and Customs of the Romish Church A Testimony hereof may be evidently shewn out of an old Manuscript written about four hundred years agoe in the ancient Dialect of the Normans by Nicholaus Trevet a
scyldig se man se ê§ana sie he age healf ê§ Æ¿iae daet Æ¿eorc If a Free man shall do it on that forbidden time he shall suffer the Mulct of Pillory and the Informer shall have half as well of the Mulct as the Wirgild Wirgild signifies a Composition made by the Party or his Friends for a fault committed This is all that we find upon Record either in Church or State that particularly relateth to King Wigtred He left Issue Edbert Ethelbert and Alric who all reigned in their turns EDBERT EDBERT the first Son of Wigtred reigned peaceably twenty three years nothing is left memorable upon Record during his Reign save that two blazing Comets appeared one before the Sun in the morning the other after him at night both darting their beams to the North. It was thought to portend the Desolations afterwards made by the Saracens who brake into France but were soon after expelled ETHELBERT the Second ETHELBERT the Second and second Son of Withred succeeded his Brother in the Kingdom He reigned for the space of eleven years and hath left nothing behind of Name or Issue He was buried among his Ancestors at Canterbury ALRIC ALRIC the third Son of Withred and last of the Royal Family of Hengist held the Scepter thirty four years He was slain in the battel of Otteford by the hands of OFFA the Mercian King whose overthrow saith Malmsbury was less dishonourable as vanquisht by so great a Monarch The Saxon Annals of 784 mention one EALMUND now reigning in Kent but he is no where else mentioned The following Kings either by wealth or faction obtained the Kingdom ETHELBERT the Third ETHELBERT the Third Sirnamed Pren the Annals call him Eadbright by what means is unknown usurped the Regal Power After two years reign contending with Kenulph the Mercian King who invaded his Territories he was taken Prisoner and led captive into Mercia and there for a while detained During his Imprisonment Cuthred was appointed by Kenulph to govern Kent and Simeon writes that Kenulph commanded to put out his eyes and cut of his hands but upon what occasion or whether the sentence was executed he hath left us in the dark Certain it is that Kenulph having finisht his Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire either out of commiseration of Human chance or relenting so severe a punishment or else to render the dedication of his Temple more illustrious taking this Princely Captive by the hand he led him to the High-Altar and there in the presence of Cuthred his Vice-Roy in Kent and ten Earls thirteen Bishops and many other Nobles he gave him his Liberty without Ransom and free leave to return to his Dominions But coming to Kent he was not received but retired to a private life and this is he and not the former Ethelbert whom the Annals of Canterbury affirm to be buried at Reculvers in the Isle of Tanct where he may be supposed to have lived after his expulsion a place most convenient and oftentimes used for such inglorious retreats He reigned only three years CUTHRED CUTHRED was created by Kenulph Vice-Roy of Kent but our Historians make him King and Usurper however he sate in the Throne but three years and we hear nothing of him but that he was present at the release of his Predecessor which should seem to argue that he was not the cause of his being kept out from the Crown BALDRED BALDRED last King of Kent was vanquished by Egbert the West-Saxon who seized his Dominion after he had reigned eighteen years and forced him to flie beyond the River Thames at which time this Kingdom and not long after the rest of the Heptarchy were reduced under the intire obedience of that Monarch THE KINGDOM OF THE East-SAXONS Contained Counties Essex Middlesex Part of Hartfordshire KINGS Sledda Sebert Sered Seward Sigibert the First Sigibert the Second Sigibert the Third Swithelm Sighere Sebba Offa. Selred Suthred SLEDDA SLEDDA the tenth from Woden is generally esteemed the first founder of the East-Saxon Kingdom though some following Huntington give the honour to Erchenwine his Father of whom nevertheless they tell us nothing saving his Name and Pedigree relating neither the number of his Forces the place of his landing or so much as the least encounter with the Britains In the same obscurity we might have passed over Sledda his Son had he not ennobled himself by the marriagt of Ricula Daughter of Emerick King of Kent and Sister to Ethelbert the first Christian Prince and Great Monarch of the English-men And indeed the whole transactions of this Province seem all along to have been redeemed from oblivion not by the glory or worth of its Princes or the greatness of its own proper atchievments but by the conjunction is had with other Kingdoms more powerful and the lustre it borrowed from neighbouring Princes with whom it was often linked in action In its beginning it was tributary to Kent and received its Protection from thence and this is the reason I have placed it next in order and though afterwards it came to be in a manner absolute yet it never rose to that height as to have one Monarch that could pretend to give Laws to other Kingdoms of the Saxons as all the rest at one time or another did It was bounded on the East with the Sea on the South with the Thames on the West with the Colne on the North with the River Stour But these two latter limits often varied according to the encroachments of the Mercians made upon them in the West and the East-Angles and those of Northumberland on the North. Neither is the time of the beginning of this Kingdom more certain some place it as high as the year 516 under Erchinwin others eleven years after in the year 527 and the fifteenth of Oisc second King of Kent Some begin it at the first year of this Sledda's Reign which they will have to be in the year 587 but leaving them in their Disagreement I shall begin the computation of this Kingdom from the death of Sledda who having reigned without any actions recorded the space of many years departed this life Anno 596 leaving issue Sebert and Segebald SEBERT SEBERT the eldest Son of Sledda succeeded his Father nothing more famous than he saving that he was the first introducer of the Christian Faith into this Province He was converted at the perswasions of his Uncle Ethelbert and the preaching of Melitus afterwards Bishop of London and received Baptism at his hands in his chief City of London where by the assistance of King Ethelbert then chief Monarch of the English-men he founded a stately Church or rather repaired and enlarged the old Structure dedicating it to the honour of St. Paul constituting it the Cuthedral of the See of London This Church Ethelbert then present endowed with good possessions as in his Grant to Melitus is evident by this following Record AETHELBERT Rex
Deo Inspirante pro animae suae remedio dedit Episcopo Melito terram quae appellatur Tillingham ad Monasterium sive solatium scilicet Sancti Pauli Et ego Rex AETHELBERT ita firmiter concedo tibi Praesuli Melito potestatem ejus habendi possidendi ut in perpetuum in Monasterii utilitate permaneat c. Afterwards these two Princes founded the Church of St. Peters on the west of London at a place called Thorney where there stood a Ruinous structure built as the report goes by King Lucius upon the foundations of a Temple of Diana Here Sebert after thirteen years Reign was interred as likewise his Wife Anthelgoda more to be commended if he had laid the foundation of Christian Religion in the hearts of his Children as he had done in sticks and stones but dying his three Sons SERED SEWARD and SIGIBERT jumpt all at once into the Throne three heady and ungracious Princes for their Father was no sooner laid in the earth but they cast off publickly the Christian Religion and did open spight to its Professors Take the Relation from Bede Sebert departing this life to a better left his Kingdom to his three Sons who immediately returned to the open profession of Idolatry which during their Father's life they had partly dissembled and by publick allowance encouraged their Subjects in the worship of Idols when they saw the Bishop celebrating of Mass in the Church and delivering the Host to the people they haughtily demanded as report goes and with as much folly as impiety Why reach you not out the glittering Bread to us as well as you used to do to our Father Suaba for so in derision they called him and still continue to give unto the people To whom the Bishop made this Answer If you will be washed in the same fountain of life as your Father was you may also be partaker of the same Holy Bread But they persisting in their demands and the Bishop resolutely refusing they in great passion and fury banisht him their Kingdom who there-upon returned into Kent which at that time under Eadbald was in the same plight and afterwards passed into France with Justus then Bishop of Rochester But divine Vengeance suffered not long their impiety to go unpunished For going out to War against the West Saxons they were all cut off by the sword But nevertheless though the Authors of this Apostacy were taken away yet the people could not for some time be brought to embrace the Christian Religion Seward left Issue Sigibert SIGIBERT the First SIGIBERT Sirnamed the Little the Son of Seward the second Son of Sebert succeeded his Father in the Kingdom he hath left nothing behind him of his Reign so that he might be stiled the Little as well for his Actions as his Person He left a Son named Sighere and a Brother called Sebba but neither of them immediately succeeded him SIGIBERT the Second SIGIBERT the second of that name the Son of Segebald the Brother of Sebert reigned next in the Kingdom of the East-Saxons At his first coming to the Crown he was a Pagan with all his People but was at length converted by the ardent perswasions of OSWY King of Northumberland with whom he had contracted a near intimacy resorting often to the Court of that Prince to visit him Oswy who wisely knew how to improve the kindness of his Friend for the advantage of his Soul at last by friendly endearments at his own Palace upon the Wall brought him to Baptism which he received at the hands of Finnan a Bishop Being to return into his own Country he desired that some Preacher might be sent with him to instruct his People in the Religion which he himself had received Oswy to satisfie his just Requests chooseth one Gedda a laborious Pastor then residing in the Country of the Mercians to go along with him who coming into the Country of the East-Saxons by the help of others joyned with him in the Ministry so wrought upon the People committed to his charge that the Gospel of Christ daily increased more and more throughout the whole Province Gedda as a reward of his labours and to gain more Authority to his preaching was afterwards by Finnan at Lindesfern created Bishop of the East-Saxons which office he executed with great commendation for the space of many years ordaining Priests and Deacons for his assistance and Baptizing in all parts but especially at Ithancester and Tilbury Whilst these things were doing Sigibert who still continued stedfast in Religion was almost barbarously slain by the conspiracy of two of his Kinsmen who were attending of his person Being demanded after the Murther what it was that moved them to an act so foul and treasonable it is reported they returned this savage Answer That they had killed him for his easiness of Temper in forgiving Injuries and pardoning his enemies whenever they askt it Some have attributed his death to the judgment of God upon him for his disregarding the Censures of the Church and they give us this Relation One of these Earls that flew him had unlawfully married a Wife and being admonisht thereof refused notwithstanding to put her away for which sin being excommunicated but still continuing obstinate it was strictly forbidden under pain of the same Censure for any one to come under his Roof much less to eat or drink with him Notwithstanding this Sentence the King invited to a Banquet goes to his House but in his return meeting the Bishop he was struck with remorse and lighting from his Horse fell at his feet begging pardon for his offence It is said that the Bishop also alighting came up to the King and touching his head with his rod spake these words in the Authority of a Bishop Because thou wouldst not refrain from entring the House of the accursed in the same House shalt thou die And so indeed it came to pass This Gedda going afterwards to visit his Native Country of Northumberland upon the motion of King Ediswald there Reigning founded the Monastery of Lustinghem which he consecrated with Fasting and Prayer Sigibert is said to have Reigned fourteen years he left behind him a Son named Selred but the Crown fell not to him immediately after his Father's death but he followed many others who wore it before him SWITHELM SWITHELM the Brother of Segibert succeeded him in the Province of the East-Saxons we hear nothing of him but the course of his Christianity being baptized by Gedda in the Province of the East-Angles at a place of the Kings called Rendelsham Ediswald the Brother of King Anna and King of the East-Angles receiving him at the Font SIGHERE SIGHERE and SEBBA after the death of Swithelm took joyntly on them the government of the State the former was the Son of Sigibert the Little the latter his Brother They divided the Province into two Governments each of which they ruled distinctly In the beginning of their Reign there was
a place called Wodens-Beorth or Wodens-Dic that is to say Woden's Mount the conclusion of which was that the Saxons lost the day with the ruine of their whole Army and Ceaulin for this or other miscarriages was driven out of his Kingdom and the year after died in Exile after he had Reigned thirty two years CEARLIK CEARLIK the Son of Guthwolf Brother of the late King followed his Uncle Ceaulin advanced as may be guessed from his Father's vertues and the dislike the people had to the Line of Ceaulin who by his Son Cuthwin left two Grandchildren Kenbald and Cuth whose Right it was to inherit but the latter of these Reigned afterwards in his Posterity being the Grandfather of the famous Ine the eleventh King of this Province whose Brother Ingils was Progenitor in the fourth degree to Egbert that reduced the whole Heptarchy into an entire Monarchy This Cearlik as he had obtained the Kingdom by fraud and usurpation so he held it but a short while Reigning five years and odd months and them without any action worthy of remembrance CEOWOLF CEOWOLF the Son of Cuth the third and youngest Son of Kenric after the death of his Cousin-German Cearlic obtained the Kingdom During the whole time of his Reign which lasted twelve years he had continual wars sometimes with the Britains then with Redwald King of the East-Angles and afterwards with the South-Saxons with interchangeable success but saith Huntington with the greatest loss to them of the South In these Wars he died leaving his Kingdom to Kingils KINGILS KINGILS the Son of Ceola younger Brother to the late Ceowolf second Son of Cuth who was the third Son of Kearic succeeded his Uncle in the Kingdom He assumed for his Associate Cuichelm his Brother or as Florent of Worcester and Matthew of Westminster write his Son In their third year with joynt Forces they engaged the Britains at Beandune now Bindon in Dorcetshire and at the first encounter put them to flight with the slaughter of above two thousand Cuichelm proud with this success and envying the glory of Edwin who now Reigned in great honour King of the Northumberlands and had lately molested the West-Saxons drew a greater War upon himself and Associate by sending an Assassin to murther that Prince The name of this Villain was Eumcrus who under pretence of a Message from his Master was admitted to the presence of Edwin then at his Court on Easter-monday on the River Derwent in Yorkshire being advanced up to the King as if he would deliver his Embassie he suddenly drew forth a poysoned weapon which he had privately hid under his Coat and made a blow at him but by the interposition of Lilla one of the Kings Attendants who stepping between received the Ponyard through his own body the thrust was put off yet not so fully but that part of the weapon reached the King's Person By this time the whole company came in and incompassed the Murtherer who now grown desperate died not tamely but revenged his fate with the death of Forder a Courtier who next pressed upon him Edwin thus delivered though lying under cure resolves upon Revenge and promiseth Paulinus who had been long working him to the Christian Faith that if God would bestow Victory on him over his Enemies he would embrace the Faith and receive Baptism With these assurances given he raises an Army and invades the West-Saxons and with that success that overcoming them in several battels he gets into his hands many of those who had conspired his death some of which he executes others pardons and at last returns with great Honour into his own Country This expedition happened about the year 625. Four years after Kingils and Cuichelm had a battel with Penda the Mercian at Cirencester the result of which was a League of peace and amity betwixt them About this time the Kingdom of the West-Saxons received the Faith by the example of Kingils who was converted thereto by the preaching of Berinus and encouragement of Oswald who was then Suiter to his Daughter and received him at the Font the circumstances of which as likewise the progress of Religion under his success take altogether out of Bede who hath exactly related it The Conversion of the West-SAXONS THE Nation of the West-Saxons anciently called Gevisses in the Reign of Kingils received the Faith of Christ by the preaching of Berinus Bishop who by the advice of Pope Honorius came into Britain having promised by his assistance to go into the innermost Countries of the English where never yet Doctour had been and there sow the seed of holy Faith Whereupon by the command of the same Pope he received Episcopal Orders at the hands of Asterius Bishop of Genua But being arrived at Britain and first setting foot on the Country of the Guisses finding them all Pagans in the highest degree he thought it more profitable to preach the Word there than by going further to hunt out those whom he first intended Wherefore preaching in the aforesaid Province when the King himself first catechized and instructed together with his People were washing in the fountain of Baptism it happened that the most holy and victorious King of the Northumberlands Oswald was then present and received him at the Font. By a blessed conjunction taking him for his Son in the second Birth whose Son himself was to be by the marriage of his Daughter Both the Kings thereupon gave to the same Bishop the City of Dorchester for an Episcopal Seat where having built up and dedicated Churches and by labouring converted many people He departed this life and was buried in the same City This King dying Cenwalch his Son and Successour refused to receive the Faith and Sacraments of the Heavenly kingdom and not long after lost his Earthly one For putting away his wife the sister of Penda King of Mercia he took another wherefore being invaded by him he was driven out of his Kingdom and forced to flie to Anna King of the East-Angles with whom living in exile three years he acknowledged the Faith and embraced the truth For the King with whom he lived in exile was a good man and happy in a good and holy off-spring When Genwalch was restored to his Kingdom there came into his Province out of Ireland a certain Bishop by name Agilbert by Nation a Gaul but yet who had been in Ireland for the reading of the Scriptures not a little while He joyned himself with the King on his own accord taking upon him the Ministry of preaching whose learning and industry when the King perceived he made motion that he would accept there an Episcopal Seat and remain Bishop of his Nation who at his requests for many years ruled that Province with Sacerdotal Jurisdiction At last the King who understood the Saxon tongue only growing weary of a forraign Dialect underhand brought another Bishop of his own language into the Province by name Wini who
He that shall put out an Oxes eye shall pay five pence a Cows one shilling Of yearly Barley every Season shall be given 6 pound c. Here wanteth something Of a yoke of Oxen borrowed If a Boor shall hire a yoke of Oxen and hath Corn enough he shall pay the whole hire with Corn but if he want sufficient Corn he shall pay half in Corn and half in other goods Of Church Dues Every one shall pay his Church-dues at that place where he resided in the midst of winter Of him of whom Pledg is required If at any time a Pledg is required of a person accused and he hath not to lay down in pledg before his cause is heard and another will lay down pledg for him upon condition that the other may be in his custody till he receiveth his goods laid down for him and the second time the accused be forced to give Pledg and the party that first engaged will not again be security and so his cause fall it shall not be restored to the Surety what he laid down in the first cause Of the departure of a Boor keeper of the Peace A Boor that is keeper of the Peace if he leaves his house and goes to another place to dwell in he shall have power to carry with him his Overseer his Smith and a Nurse Of them who possess Lands He that possesseth 20 hides of land and is going to another place shall leave behind him 12 hides ready sown he that holdeth 10 shall sow six hides he that hath 3 hides and is a departing shall leave half an one sown If any one hath hired Roods of land of the Lord and hath plowed them and the Lord not content with the rent and service requireth more work and duty than was bargained for the Tenant shall not be bound to hold on those conditions unless the Lord give him an House neither shall he be prohibited plowing Of a Boor keeper of the Peace banished If a Boor keeper of the Peace shall be banished for any misdemeanour his house shall not be a refuge for him Of Wool A sheep shall not be sheared until Midsummer or the Fleece shall be redeemed with two pence Of the estimation of Men. Out of the estimation of the head of a Man that whilst he lived is valued at 200 s. there shall be substracted 30 s. to recompence his death to the Lord out of the estimation of the head of a Man valued at 600 s. 80 shall be substracted out of the estimation of the head valued at 1200 shillings an hundred and twenty shillings shall be substracted Of Maintenance to be allowed Out of 10 hides of land for maintenance shall be given 10 fats of Hony 300 loaves 12 gallons of Welch-Ale 30 gallons of small Ale 2 grown Oxen or 10 Weathers 10 Geese 20 Hens 10 Cheeses 1 gallon of Butter 5 Salmons 20 pound of Fodder and an hundred Eeles Of estimation by the head If any one be required to pay to the valuation of his head and being about to swear confesseth what in words before he denied nothing shall be demanded of him for penalty before he pay the whole value of his head Of a Robber that hath been Amerced the price of his head and is taken A Robber having been punished the price of his head and taken if he escape the same day the intire penalty shall not be again required if he was taken about night but if theft was committed before the foregoing night they shall pay who took him before as they can agree with the King or his Justices Of a Welch Servant killing a free English man If a Welch Servant shall kill an English man his Master shall deliver him into the hands of the Lord or the dead man's Relations or redeem him with 60 s. But if he will not part with mony let him free his Servant and let the friends of the slain sue for the value of his life If the freed Servant hath friends that will uphold his cause if not let him look to himself It is not required of a Free-man to pay with Servants unless he will redeem with a price the penalty of Capital enmity nor for a Servant to pay with Free-men Of things stolen and found with another Goods stolen and found with another if if he that vents them being called to an account will not take upon him the goods or the sale of them and yet confesseth that he sold some other goods to the party then it is the part of the Buyer to confirm by oath that he sold those very goods and no other Of the death of a God-father or God-son If any one kill a God-son or his God-father let him pay the same to the Relations as he doth to the Lord to satisfie for his death and his payment for the proportion of the value of the slain is to be more or less according as if payment were to be made to a Lord for his Servant But if the dead party the King received at the Font let satisfaction be made to him as well as to the Relations But if his life was taken away by a Relation substraction must be made of the mony to be paid to the God-father as it useth to be done when mony is paid to the Master for the death of his Servant If a Bishop's Son be killed let the penalty be half BUt this King INA is more especially celebrated by the Monkish Writers of those times for a great favourer of a Monastick life and a supporter of its Interest as well by his own profession of the same as by large Revenues and great Priviledges granted to its maintenance and honour But the chief of all his works was his stately Church at Glastenbury a place so renowned for its ancient Sanctity as being the first Seat of Christianity in this Island that our Ancestors called it The first Land of God The first Land of Saints in Britain The beginning and foundation of all Religion in Britain The Tomb of Saints The Mother of Saints The Church founded and built by the Lord's Disciples In the first planting of Faith in this Island there had been built as hath been shewn in the foregoing History by Joseph of Arimathea Philip or some of their Disciples a little Cell or Chappel for the exercise of Religion by those Primitive Apostles This being by this time decayed was afterwards repaired or rather a new one built in the same ground by Devi Bishop of St. Davids which also exposed to ruine was again kept up at the cost and charges of twelve Men coming from the North. But now NIA having well settled his Kingdom demolished that ruinous building and in the room of it erected a most stately and magnificent Church dedicating it to CHRIST and his two Apostles Peter and Paul guilding it throughout with gold and silver after a most sumptuous manner Upon the highest coping thereof he caused to be written in large Characters
him Bishop Augustine 495 Gregory to Melitus Abbot in France wherein he gives command to be sent to Augustine about the Conversion of that Nation 495 Gregory to Augustine Bishop of the English of the use of the Pall and of the Church of London 496 The Life of S. Augustine first Archbishop of Canterbury 498 Augustine is courteously received at his Arrival into England by Ethelbert King of Kent 500 The Answers of Gregory the Great to the Questions sent by Augustine for the better Government of the new erected Church of English-Saxons 502 A Synod called by Augustine the first Arch-Bishop by the Assistance of Ethelbert King of Kent to Augustine's Ac c. There being present the Roman Clergy seven Bishops many British Doctors First he demands Obedience to the Roman Church and that the Britains be conformable to the Romans in three things first in the Celebration of Easter Secondly in the Administration of Baptism Thirdly in preaching with him to the English-Saxons 509 The Answer of the Abbot of Bangor to Augustine the Monk requiring subjection to the Church of Rome p. 511 Of the famous Monastery of Bangor and the Conference held between Augustine and Dinoth Abbot of that place 513 Eadbald 515 The Epistle of Boniface V. to Justus late Bishop of Rochester now Successour of Melitus in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury 515 Ercombert 516 Egbert ibid. Lothair 517 Edric ib. Wigtred ib. Edbert 519 Ethelbert the Second ibid. Alric ib. Ethelbert the Third ib. Cuthred ib. Baldred ib. The Kingdom of the East-Saxons 521 Sledda ibid. Sebert 522 Sered Seward Sigibert ib. Segibert the First 523 Segibert the Second ib. Swythelme 524 Sighere ib. Offa ib. Selred 525 Suthred ib. The Kingdom of the South-Saxons 527 Ella ib. Cissa 528 Edilwalch 529 The Conversion of the South-Saxons by Wilfrid Archbishop of York ib. The Conversion of the Inhabitants of Wight 530 The Kingdom of Northumberland 533 Ida ibid. Ella 534 Ethelric ib. Edelfrid ib. Edwin 535 Bishop Honorius to Edwin King of the English 537 Osric 538 Eanfrith ib. Oswy 540 The Synod of Streanshalch now Whitby at the request of Hilda Abbess of that place under Oswy the Father and Alchfrid the Son Kings of Northumberland in the year of Christ 664 In which is Controverted the Celebration of Easter and other Ecclesiastical Rites 541 〈◊〉 Osred p. 545 〈◊〉 Ceolnulf Egbert Oswulf 〈◊〉 546 〈◊〉 Ethelred Elfwald Osred Ethelred 547 The Kingdom of the East-Angles 548 Usfa Titulus 549 Redwald Earpenwald Sigebert 550 Egric Anna Ethelherd Edelwald Aldulf Elfwold 551 Beorn Ethelred Egilbert 552 The Kingdom of Mercia 553 Crida Wibba Georl Penda Peada 555 Wulfer Ethelred Kenred 556 Kelred Ethelbald Beornred 557 Offa 558 Egfrid Kenwolf Kenelm 559 The Kingdom of the West-Saxons 560 Cerdic 561 Kenric Ceaulin 563 Cearlic Ceowolf Kingils 564 The Conversion of the West-Saxons 565 Kenwalch 566 Eskwin Ketwin Ceadwalla 567 Ina 568 The Laws of King INA 569 Ethelard Cuthred 580 Sigibert Kinwulf 581 Birthric 582 FINIS Cambden Cambden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Timagenes Polybius Festus Avicnus Onomacritus Cambden 〈◊〉 Isacius Tzetzes Camb. Brit. Ptolemy Geog. The truest Calculation Cluverius Geogr. Caesar. Com. Minutius Foe lix Tacitus Brietius Brietius Answered Tacitus Eusebius Herodotus Justin. Bishop Usher Learned Sir W. Rawleigh Note A German mile is four English Tibullus Scaliger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Learned Selden R. 1. R. 2. R. 3. Tacitus 1. Bocaitus Ezckiel 2. Josephus Herodotus lib. 4. Hesychius Pliny Didimus Crates Scholiastes Aristoph ad Ran. * In Dictione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diod. Sicul. Plutarch Caesar. Suidas Florus Justin. Paus. AElian Athenaeus Suidas Livy Plutarch Festus Caesar. Tully Caesar. lib. 1. Virgil. Quintilian Cambden Festus Plutarch Caesar. Com. Festus Plutarch Lazius Pontanus Strabo Caesar. Manlius Sherringham de Anglorum Origins Antonius Volscus Dominicus Marius Niger Servius Honoratus John Twyne Du Bartas c. Pliny's Nat. Hist. Lambard Hist. Richardi Viti lib. 1. Verslegan Speaking of the Kings of Palestine Utrecht the Utmost bound of Land Hugo Grotius De veritate Relig. Christ. lib. 1. Sanchoniathon a Phoenician Author Strab. lib. 3. * Medacritus viz. Melicartus Hercules Herodotus de Cassiteritibus Diodorus Sic. lib. 5. Plin. Nat. hist. lib. 8. Sancho Cambden Solinus Eustathius Ortelius Strabo Olivarius Solinus Eustathius Cambden Prolomy Cambden Bochartus This Island took not us Name from Brit Brith or Canta BRITAIN truly derived from Bratanac Bochartus Strabo Pliny Isidore Manethon Josephus Strabo Humphry Lloyd Bish Cooper Tacitus Herudotus lib. 4. Vulcanus Bochartus Strabo lib. I. Milton Herodotus in Melpomene Bochartus Blondus Buchanan Milton's Nist of England The Phoenician HANNO's Navigations Gerardus Vossius Isaac Vossius AElianus Strabo Bochartus Onomacritus Strabo Pomp Mela. Ptolomy Orpheus Aristotle Claudian Eustathius Martian Juvenal Pomp. Mela. Diod. Siculus Bochartus Procopius Pytheas Mass. Marinus Ptolomy Cadmus his Alphabet AEthicus Homer Odyss 1. vers 25. Statius lib. 4. ad Marcell lib. 5. in Proterp ad Crispinum Suidas Polybiur lit 3. Strabo lib. 2 Festus Avienus Tacitus Clem. A ex Plin. Nat. hist. Strabo lib. 4. Sanchoniathon Cambden 〈◊〉 Solinus Martial Tacitus Bochartus Ptolomy Franciscus Philelphus Lileus Geraldus Varro Pliny's Nat. Hist. Bochartus Marcellianus ex Timagi Stephanus Josephus Pausanias Enidius Geropius Sheringham Plutarch Solinus Prolomy Clitophon Pliny's Nat. Hist. Ptolomy Jornandus ex Cornello Tacitus * Note Godolanac is a place of Tynn from which Godolcan is derived Anton. Goll lib. 1. cap. 29. Jamblicus Julian the Apostate Tacitus Caesar. Lactant. Lucan Livy Philo Bibl. Sanchoniathon Plato's Phil. Tully Lactantius Pomp. Mela. Bochartus Polybius Cambden Plutarch Orosius Servius 8th AEneid Hesychius 2 Sam. 18. 14 Pausanias Quintilian Pliny Salassians viz. Gauls Eusebius Orosius Eutropius Salvianus Prosper Eumenius Salvianus Allobroges Isidorus and Diodorus Geraldus Camb. Rhenanus Ortelius Cambden Pliny Antoninus Dio Cassius Pliny Tacitus Gul. Malmsb. Antoninus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Itinery 〈◊〉 Girald lib. 2. cap. 1 5. Plutarch Silius Itals Tacitus Bochartus Old Seol on Juvenal Caesar Com. Quoere nominae BRITANNICA * Note Ducts I think should be ducitis as it is spoken of the Derivation of Paterius and Delphidius St. Hierom ad Hedeb Posidonius Strabo Festus Caesar. A 〈◊〉 account of this Chapter * Rahab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Latins from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made Puniceus and from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Poenus # 〈◊〉 Marther * Syrian ie Syrim then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Syri and by prefixing the Article Hassurim was brought in ‑ Assyrian Grorius in Epist ad Gall. 114 p. 242. Hesychius Herodotus Plin. Nat. hist. Strabo lib. 3. Geogr. Cambden Liv7 St. Hieroms Quest. on Gen. Varro's Antiq. Caesars Comment Caesar. Tacitus Caesar. Tacitus Sheringham de Orig. Angl. Pythias Polybius lib. 3. Thucidides Herodotus Stephanus in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isacius Tzer in Lycoph Mirae
into Britain 194 The Life of Julius Caesar 200 The British History relating to the second expedition of Julius Caesar 201 The first Inter-Regnum of the Roman's of thirteen years 202 The second Inter-Regnum of seven years and the third Inter-Regnum of four years follow in the course of the History The Sculpture of Drusus Claudius Caesar the second Roman in Britain 205 Drusus Claudius Caesar's Invasion of Britain out of the Roman Histories 207 The British History concerning the expedition of Claudius 211 The Sculpture of the first Christian Church of the Britains 213 Observations upon that Christian Church 214 The Continuation of the Roman History under D. Claudius Caesar by his Lieutenants 215 The Sculpture representing the manner how the Romans used sometimes to take Forts 219 The Life of D. Claud Caesar 221 Nero ibid. The Sculpture of Queen Boadicia 227 The Life of Nero 231 Galba 232 Otho 233 Vitellius 234 Vespatianus 235 The British History 238 The Continuation of the Roman History beginning with Titus Vespatian 239 Domitian 241 Galcacus's Speech to his Souldiers before battel 243 Agricola's Speech to his Army before battel 244 Nerva 250 Trajan ibid. Hadrian 253 The Continuation of the British History from Vespatian's daies to the fourteenth year of Hadrian 255 The Roman History p. 527 Antonius Pins 258 Marcus Aurelianus 259 Commodus Antoninus 260 The British History out of Bede 261 Observations upon the Epistle of Pope Elutherius to King Lucius 263 The succession of Bishops in the See of London 264 What the Flamens and Archflamens were and their being changed into Bishops and Archbishops 264 Concerning the Flamens and Archflamens of the Gentiles and the limits of their Jurisdiction after they were changed into Bishops and Archbishops 265 The Continuation of the Roman History under the Emperour Commodus as it relateth to this Island 269 The Oration of Clodius Albinus Lieutenant of Britain 270 Helvius Pertinax 275 Aurelius Commodus Severus to the Praefects Greeting 275 Didius Julianus 276 Septimius Severus ibid. Severus's Wall 279 The manner of the Romans Deifying their Princes 283 The British account of the Wars of Severus in this Island 287 Bass. Caracalla Anto. and his Brother Septimius Geta 288 The British History 289 Opilius Macrinus 290 Anton. Heliogabulus 291 Alexander Severus 292 Jul. Maximianus 293 Pupienus Maximus and 294 Clodius Albinus 294 M. Anton. Gordianus 294 M. Jul. Philippus 295 Gn. Messius Quintus Trajan Decius 296 Trebonianus Gallus 296 Publius Licinius Valerianus 297 Pub. Licinius Galienus 297 Marcus Aurelius Flavius Claudius 298 The British Writers concerning Claudius 299 L. Domitius Aurel. Valer. Aurelianus 301 M. Claudius Tacitus ibid M. Aurelius Valer. Probus 302 M. Aurelius Carus Carinus his Sons and Caesars Numerianus 303 C. Aurel. Valer. Dioclesianus Jovius and 303 M. Aurel. Valer. Maximianus 303 The Panegyrick Oration ascribed to Mamertinus in praise of the Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian Intituled only to Maximian p. 306 Observations out of the foregoing Panegyrick 311 The British History in the daies of Dioclesian and Maximian 314 Fl. Val. Constantius Chlorus 315 Constantine the Great 317 The British History in the daies of Constantine the Great 320 Constantinus Jun. 321 Constans 322 Flav. Val. Constantius 323 The British History in the daies of Constantius 325 Flav. Claud. Jul. Apostata 326 Flavius Jovianus ibid. Flavius Valentinianus 327 Flav. Gratianus and 331 Flav. Valentinianus 331 The British account of Maximus ' and the state of affairs in his daies 333 Flav. Theodosius 334 Honorius 335 The British History in the daies of Honorius uuto Vortigern who brought in the Saxons 341 The Affairs of Britain from the decay of the Roman State to the entrance of the Saxons 343 The Antiquity and Original of the Romans 353 With the distinction and division of the People 354 Of their Civil Governments 357 Of their Religion and some of their Gods and manner of worship 364 Of their four kinds of Sooth-saying 366 Their Order of Sacrificing 372 Of their Religious places of worship 373 Of their Military discipline 375 Of their manner of Encamping 379 Of their Habits both Men and Women 383 386 A Catalogue of the British Kings in the daies of the Saxons 388 The History of the British Kings in the daies of the Saxons 389 A Treatise of the ancient Monument called Stone-Henge 395 The Continuation of the British Kings in the daies of the Saxons p. 403 The Antiquity and Original of the Saxons in Britain 411 First of the Saxons 412 The next are the Angles 414 The last are the Jutes 417 That the Saxons were the same with the Getes and a branch of the Cimbri proved by the Language Customes c. of both Nations 419 Of Tuisco that he is vainly supposed the Founder of the German Nation and Conductour of our Ancestors Of the Progress of the Getes under divers Princes Ericus Woden and others 424 The Saxon Catalogue of Kings from Noah with the Scripture Catalogue as far as it goeth 427 Of Prince Woden 435 The Sculpture representing the Temple of Thor with whom is placed Woden and Frigga 445 The Sculpture of Rugiivith Porevith Porenuth and Swantovite 455 The Heptarchy of the Saxons in Britain 469 The Catalogue of the Kings of Kent 470 Hengist the first Saxon King of Kent 471 Oeric Octa Ermiric Ethelbert 475 The British Epistles of Gregory the Great for the Conversion of the Saxons 479 Gregory to Bishop Etherius 480 Gregory to Candidus the Priest going to the Patrimony of Gaul ibid. Gregory to Palladius Bishop of Xanton to Pelagius of Tours and to Serenus of Marseilles fellow-Bishops of Gaul 481 Gregory to Virgilius Bishop of Arles and Metropolitan of Gaul 481 Gregory to Desiderius of Vienna and Syagrius of Augustodunum fellow-Bishop of Gaul 482 Gregory to Arigius a Noble man of Gaul ibid. Gregory to Theoderick and Theodebert Kings of the Franks concerning Augustine Servant of God sent to the English Nation 483 Gregory to Brunichild Queen of the Franks of the Conversion of the English and of Augustine ibid. Gregory to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria he treats of the Conversion of the English and makes mention that in the Councel of Calcedon the Roman Bishop was stiled Universal p. 484 Observations upon that Epistle 486 Gregory to Menna of Tolouse to Serenus of Marseilles to Lupus of Cavation to Agilius of Mens to Simplicius of Paris to Malantius of Roan and to Licinius Fellow-Bishops 486 Gregory to Clotharius King of the Franks 487 Gregory to Brunichild Queen of the Franks 487 Gregory to Augustine Bishop of the English wherein he treats of the Conversion of the Nation and that he should not glory in the power of Miracles which oftentimes wicked men have performed 488 Observations upon that Epistle 491 Gregory to Aldiberga Queen of the English 491 Observations upon that Epistle 493 Gregory to Aldibert King of the English wherein he congratulates with him concerning the Conversion of the Nation 493 Gregory to Virgilius Bishop of Arles he commends to