but that afterward the sayd Abbey was destroyed which was again repaired by S. Edward the Confessour and richly endowed In which testimony is implied that from the beginning there were placed in it a Convent of Monks Concerning whose Rule and Institute we shall treat hereafter 4. A Second Metropolitan Church at this time was erected at the City of York which a learned Writer Philip Berterius quoted by Bishop Vsher esteems in that age the prime Citty and Church of Brittany Whose opinion the Bishop seems to approve saying Though as this day London be the most noble Citty of the whole British Kingdome and though it has been in former ages celebrated by Ammianus Marcellinus as an ancient Town and by Cornelius Tacitus as famous for Marchandise and abord of strangers Nowithstanding the most learned Berterius positively affirms that York was much rather the ancient Metropolis of the Diocese of Brittany not only as being a Colony of the Romans but because there was placed the Emperours Palace and Courts of Iudgment And hence it is that Spartianus in the life of the Emperour Severus calls it by way of preeminence The Citty The same thing is likewise further proved by this That in the Synod of Arles assembled under Constantin the Great among the subscriptions the name of Eborius Bishop of York precedes Restitutus Bishop of London Though I am not ignorant that in the ordring of such subscriptions regard was had rather to the antiquity of the persons then dignity of their Sees 5. As for the third Metropolitan Citty of Cair-leon upon Vsk Henry of Huntingdon thus writes of it In Cair-legion there was an Arch bishoprick in the times of the Brittains but at this day one can scarce discern any remainders of its walls except a little where the River Vsk falls into Severn And Giraldus Cambrensis adds that in the same Citty there were in ancient times three Noble Churches One bearing the Title of the holy Martyr Iulius which was beautified with a Monastery of Virgins consecrated to God A second founded by the Name of his companion S. Aaron ennobled with an illustrious Quire of Canons And the Third famous for being the Metropolitan See of all Cambria 6. Notwithstanding however this Citty of Cair-leon being in the times of King Lucius the Civill Metropolis of those parts might then to be design'd from an Archiepiscopall See yet we doe not find in History any ancient Bishops with that Title Yea the Church of Landaff seems to have enjoy'd that Title before Cair-Leon Concerning which Church thus writes Bishop Godwin The Cathedrall Church of Landaff as some report was first built by King Lucius about the year of Grace one hundred and eighty Notwithstanding I doe not find any Bishop there before Dubritius who was consecrated Bishop there by S. German Bishop of Auxerre and was by the King and whole Province elected Arch-bishop over all the Welsh Brittains saith the Authour of his life extant in Capgrave 7. Vpon these grounds it was that in succeeding times the Bishops of Landaff refused Canonicall obedience to the Metropolitans of Menevia or S. Davids as appears by a Protestation made by Bishop Vrbanus in the Councill of Rhemes before Calixtus second Pope of that name part whereof is cited by Bishop Vsher out of the Register of that Church as followeth From the time of our ancient Fathers as appears by the handwriting of our Holy Patron Teiliavus this Church of Landaff was first founded in honour of S. Peter and in dignity and all other Priviledges was the Mistresse of all other Churches Thus it remained till by reason of intestin seditions and forraign war in the days of my Predecessour Herwold it became weakned and almost deprived of a Pastour by the cruelty of the inhabitants and invasion of the Normans Yet there always remain'd in it Religious men attending to Divine service After this partly by reason of the neighbourhood of the English from whom we differed nothing in matters touching Ecclesiasticall Ministery as having been bred and instructed together and likewise because from most ancient times that is from the time of Pope Eleutherius there hath always been a Bishop of this place subject to none After the coming of S. Augustin into Brittany the Bishop of Landaff has always been subject and obedient both to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and also the King of England Thus argued the sayd Bishop Vrbanus but what proofs he had does not appear Certain it is that in all Records at this day extant there is no mention of any Bishop actually sitting at Landaff before Dubritius Whence it is that the erecting of that See is attributed to S. Germanus by Mr. Camden saying Germanus and Lupus French Bishops having repress'd the Pelagian Heresy largely spread in Brittany erected Landaff into a Cathedrall Church preferring thereto the most holy man Dubritius to be the first Bishop to wit in the year of our Lord four hundred thirty and six 8. Besides these the same King built a Church at Dover concerning which Bishop Vsher writes in this manner That in the time of King Lucius there was a Chappell erected in the Castle of Dover and dedicated to the honour of our Saviour is related by Leland out of the Annals of the same Citty venerable for their great antiquity The same thing we likewise read in a Commentary touching the first beginning of the sayd Castle where it is sayd That in the one hundred sixty one year of our Lord King Lucius built a Temple to Christ on the height of Dover-Castle for the maintaining of which he assign'd the Tribute of that Haven And whereas in a later Chronicle of Dover we read That among other liberalities besto'wd by King Lucius on God and his Church one was the building of a Church in the Castle of Dover to the honour of S. Mary the glorious Mother of God where both the King and his people as likewise their Catholick Successours received the Sacraments and Holy Rites of Christian Religion This does not prejudice the foregoing Record for all Churches are primarily erected to the honour of Christ and in consequence thereof to the honour of his Saints 9. There are severall other sacred places and Churches which in old Records pretend to King Lucius as their Founder but whose pretentions cannot in reason and prudence be admitted Thus the Authour of the Chronicle of Glastonbury written about four hundred years since relates That in the one hundred eighty seaventh year of our Lords Incarnation the Bishoprick of Somerset took its beginning being erected by the Holy men Fugatius and Damianus and for a long time the Episcopall See was placed at Kungresbury in which very many Bishops sate successively till the dayes of Ina King of the West Saxons the number gests and times of which Bishops can no where be found But in the time of the foresayd King Ina Daniel who as we have received
most illustrious are S. Aaron and S. Iulius who in this persecution of Diocletian and Maximianus consummated a most glorious Martyrdom there 3. Concerning whom our Countrey-man Balâ— though as became an Apostat a bitter Enemy of the Roman-Catholick Church writes thus Iulius and Aaron Noble Cittizens of the famous Citty of Caer-Leon for so Isca of the Silures is called from two Legions garrisond there and Disciples in Christ of the holy Martyr Amphibalus were most illustrious ornaments of piety to our Countrey of Brittany These two addicted themselves with much diligence to the study of learning not only in their own countrey but also undertook a Voyage into forraign Nations for the attaining skill in good arts for history informs us that they studied at Rome especially and therfore celebrates them much for their Learning 4. Iohn Fox likewise commends these two holy men but mistakes when he calls them Cittizens of Verolam whom Gildas and S. Beda positively affirm to have been inhabitants of Caer-Leon The words of S. Beda are these At the same time during the persecution of Diocletian Aaron and Iulius Cittizens of Caer-Leon together with very many others in diverse places of both sexes suffred Martyrdom Who after the suffering of severall tortures had their members torn asunder by unheard of cruelty and at last consummating a glorious Martyrdom they sent up their soules to the ioys of the heavenly Citty The same expression is used concerning them in the Roman Martyrologe on the first of Iuly when the Martyrdom of Aaron and Iulius is commemorated And both the said Martyrologe and S. Beda have borrowed the phrase describing the manner of their death from our most ancient Historian Gildas 5. And the deuout Brittains of those times after the same manner honourd the Memory of these two Holy Martyrs as they had done that of S. Albanus and S. Amphibalus by erecting Altars and Churches to their honour Thus Giraldus Cambrensis in his Itinerary of Wales treating of the famous Citty of Caër-Leon writeth Here lye the bodies of two Noble Christians and next to S. Albanus and S. Amphibalus the most illustrious Protomartyrs of Brittany who were here crowned with Martyrdom I mean Iulius and Aaron each of which had a famous Church erected to his honour in this Citty For there were in ancient times in the said Citty three magnificent Churches One of the Martyr S Iulius adornd with a Quire and Convent of Religious Virgins A second dedicated to the honour of his Companion S. Aaron and graced with a Noble Quire of Canons The third was the Metropolitan Church of all Cambria This last Church was afterward translated by the holy Bishop S. David to Menevia the authority of Dubritius Legat of the Bishop of Rome concurring thereto 6. It is observable that all these Churches were built by Brittains long before the Saxons entred into this Island So that there is no need of expecting S Gregory the Great or S. Augustin the Monk to him who would find arguments to proove the Antiquity of the Roman Faith touching the Veneration of Saints in Brittany 7. Besids these wee find celebrated in ancient Martyrologes the memory of two Noble Brittish Christians the Disciples of S. Amphibalus who were crownd with Martyadom in the same persecution of Diocletian their names are Stephanus and Socrates Mention is made of them likewise by S. Beda Vsuardus Ado and others whereto also severall ancient Manuscripts doe accord We find no particular Gests of theirs only in the English Martyrologe it is said that in the Province of the Silures Churches were built to their honour Now whether this Stephanus was Bishop of London it is a doubt A Bishop of that name is sayd to have governed that See in this age though Authours place him somewhat later To this time likewise is referd the murdring of all the Monks in the Monastery of Winchester built by King Lucius Of which wee shall speak in the next year but one 8. Whilst the Romans thus raged in Brittany very many Christians not having the courage to keep their ranks expose themselves to their Enemies Violence yet resolving not to betray their Faith withdrew themselves from the fury of men least by the immanity of torments they should be compell'd to renounce it Thus Gildas writes of the remainder of Christians in those dayes Those persecuted Christians saith he which were left hid themselves in woods defarts and caves of rocks expecting from God the iust Iudge of all when he would please to execute his iudgments on their persecutours and restore safety and liberty to their own soules 9. This Christian prudence and caution of theirs was suitable to the advice given the year before by the holy Pope and Maâ—tyr Caius at Rome when the persecution first began For he in an Assembly of beleivers meeting together on that occasion thus spoke to them Our Lord Iesus Christ who perfectly foresees and knows the frailty of mankind hath ordained two ranks and degrees of Beleivers namely Confession and Martyrdom to the end that those who have not strength or courage enough to sustain the weight of Martyrdom may at least hold fast the Grace of Confession Let such yeild up the glory of Martyrdom to the valiant soldiers of Christ which are resolved to coÌ„bat for him and take a sollicitous care of their own soules Let them therfore who are so disposed depart out of this feild of battell whither they please together with our dear children Chromatia and Tiburtius and for the rest who are more courageously resolved let them remain still here in the Citty with mee 10. This flight of Christians in Brittany suitable to the Roman practise gave occasion to Persecutours to extend their rage upon Churches and Monasteries all which by this tempest were so uterly destroyd that as Gildas saith in severall Provinces of this Island there remained no marks at all of Christian Religion This desolation continued about seaven years till the happy return of Constantius as soon as he was created Caesar by whose clemency the Christian Faith and worship again flourishd in Brittany and this much sooner then in any other parts of the Roman Empire Which mercy of God seems to have been extended in a speciall manner toward the Brittains because as S. Beda saith they only preserv'd among them their primitive Faith received in the dayes of King Lucius entire and inviolate till the Raign of Diocletian XX. CHAP. 1.2.3 Carausius the Admirall of the Emperours Navy his rapines and rebellion he takes possession of Brittany 4.5 Maximianus his preparations against him without effect 6. The Tyrant left in quiet possession of Brittany subdues the Caledonian Brittains A monument of his Victory 1. THIS Tyranny of the Roman Emperours against Christian Religion God was pleased to revenge by permitting another Tyrant to raise himself against them in Brittany This was Carausius who saith Victor drew his Originall from
assemblies of lawfull Pastours Adding withall That they constituted in diverse Citties of the Kingdome twenty eight Bishops which were in subjection to three Arch-Bishops and Metropolitan Sees The Prime See was London to which Loegria and Cornwall was subject to wit all the Provinces on the South of Severn and Wales The second was Yorck to which was submitted Deira and Albania divided from Loegria by the River Humber The Third was the Citty of Legions which had Dominion over Cambria or Wales separated from Loegria by the River Severn This Citty was anciently seated on the River Osca in Glamorganshire as the old walls and buildings there doe shew 3. Thus that Historian herein following a more ancient Writer Geffrey of Monmouth with whom accord severall others mention'd by Bishop Vsher. And though he as likewise Bishop Godwin call this a vain invention and Dream as truly they may justly if by that passage of our Historian were to be understood that immediatly upon the first Conversion of the Brittains so many Bishops and Arch-Bishops were established in the Kingdom Notwithstanding we may reasonably interpret the meaning to be That in ordring the Ecclesiasticall Policy of the New Christian Church they according to the pattern given not only by the Roman but all Eastern Churches design'd a distinction of Dioceses and Provinces according to the number and splendour of the respective Citties So that there being then in Brittany twenty eight Citties as S. Bede says compass'd with walls and fortified with Towres and Gates they ordain'd that in future times when the number of Pastours was multiplied each Citty and Territory belonging to it should be governed by a particular Bishop Wheras in the beginning those who were consecrated Bishops did not confine themselves to one place but according to occasions and emergent necessities transfer'd their solicituds and exercise of their Pastorall duties from one Citty and Province to another till in future times the Harvest encreasing and labourers proportionably multiplying every Bishop and Pastour in his Iuridiction was limited to his peculiar flock with a prohibition to exceed his limits 4. This sence of the forecited Historians seems to be given by the Authour of the ancient Book belonging to the Monastery of Abingdon quoted by Bishop Vsher where we read this passage The Venerable man Pope Eleutherius sent to the illustrious King Lucius his Messengers Faganus and Divianus religious persons and sufficiently instructed in the Christian Faith These holy men did with great devotion baptize both the King himselfe and his people who unanimously embraced the Christian Faith and withall destroyed Idols and built Churches to the worship of God In a word these two men in all things seeking the glory of God and the propagation of Christian Religion decreed that there should be appointed in all places particular Ministers of the Omnipotent God and that in those Cities where formerly resided Arch-flamens according to the Superstition of the Pagans in their place should be establish'd Arch-Bishops and likewise to the ordinary simple Flamens should succeed Bishops Now at that time there were in the three most famous places to wit London York and the Citty of Legions ordained three Arch-Prelats that is Arch-flamens of the Pagan Superstition 5. This distinction and subordination of Arch-flamens and Flamens though we doe not find mention'd by Roman Writers to have been setled among the Idolatrous Brittish Preists under those Titles Yet that the Druids had an Order and Degree among them and that there was one Principall person who enioyd a Domination over their whole Body Caesar an eye-witnes of their customs doth acquaint us From whence necessarily follows that since one single person could not alone have an inspection over so many subjects so widely dispersed it necessarily follows that he must have subordinate Ministers to govern in severall places and to give him an account of the state of their affairs And indeed without such a subordination it was impossible they should subsist in one Body insomuch as these blind Heathens have shew'd greater effects of reason and naturall prudence in composing their Congregation then our Modern Sects withall their pretended light of Scriptures have done 6. These Druid-Preists have the Title of Arch-flamens and Flamens given them not by themselves but by our Historians writing of them in imitation of the Romans among whom those Titles were in use so call'd from the Flamen or flame-colourd Hat wherewith their heads were always coverd These Flamines among the Romans were of severall orders according to the Deities whom they served as Iupiter Mars c. And each order had a distinct Cheif and all these cheifs were subject to the Pontifex Maximus a Title assum'd by the Emperours themselves VIII CHAP. 1.2 c. Of twenty eight Cities anciently in Brittany The names of them out of ancient Authours 7. In what sence Arch-Bishops are saâ—d to have been in those times 1 NOw wheras mention has been made of twenty eight Citties in Brittany suitably to what our ancient Gildas has written that this Island was strengthned with twice ten and twice four Citties it will not be a vain Curiosity to enquire what those Citties were which were design'd for the Sees of so many Bishops 2. To give a full satisfaction to such an enquiry will be no easy matter considering so great and frequent Vicissitudes of inhabitants tongues governments and warrs which since these times have succeded in this our Countrey from all which must needs follow great confusion of names and destruction of places 3. Our Ancient Historians have scattringly mention'd severall of them and particularly Nennius a Monk of Bangor and the Arch-deacon of Huntingdon have made a collection of them But the most exact Catalogue of them is afforded us by the late learned Bishop Vsher described out of two very ancient Manuscripts extant in Sir Iohn Cottons Library which he sayth he coÌ„par'd with nine Written Copies more in which the old Brittish names were seâ— down together with an interpretation of them as followeth 4. These are the Names of all Citties in Brittany in number twenty eight I. Caïr Guintguic which perhaps is Norwich call'd by the Brittains Cair Guntins Or rather it is Winwick in Lancashire The old Glossary of Nennius interprets it Winchester II. Caâ—r Mincip or Municip erroneously written in Henry of Huntingdon Mercipit This is Verolam a Town neer S. Albans which as we read in Tacitus was anciently a Free-town enioying the Priviledge of the Citty of Rome III. Caïr Liqualid or Legevit or Lualid This is Luguballia call'd by Huntingdon Caïr Leil now Carlile IV. Caïr Meguaid or Meigâ—od at this day Meivod in the Province of Montgomery It was anciently call'd by Ptolomy and Antoninus Mediolanum V. Caïr Colun or Colon which Geffrey of Monmouth and Huntingdon call Colchester situated on the River Coln and it is in Antoninus his Itinerary call'd Colonia VI. Caïr Ebranc by others Caïr branc it is York
that S. Patrick was by birth a Brittain yet mistakes in the particular Province For it was not in the Northern parts of Brittany that he was born but in the South-west coast among the Dimetae dwelling in the Province call'd Penbrockshire as besides Stanihurst a learned Irish Antiquary it is asserted by our Learned Camden The words of Stanihurst are these In the year of our Redemption three hundred sixty one a certain honourable and vertuous person call'd Calphurnius or Calphurinus had by his equally vertuous wife whose name was Conchessa a Son who at his Baptism was call'd Suchar or Socher which name afterward was by S. German Bishop changed into Magonius and in conclusion by Pope Celestin he was named Patrick Now Patrick was born in a territory of Brittany lying by the Sea which anciently was named Triburnia or Eiburnia This is a place of the Dimetae in Penbrockshire called by Ptolomy the Promontory of the Octopitae and at this day S. Davids or Menevia Menew A countrey this is stony and barren saith Giraldus Cambrensis neither cloath'd with woods nor divided with rivers nor adorn'd with meadows but â—n all sides expos'd to winds and tempests Notwithstanding this rude unfruitfull place as Camden relates was the â—etreat and dwelling of persons eminent in sanctity For Calphurnius a Brittish Preist as we find in our Ecclesiasticall Records in a valley of this countrey call'd Rosina had by his Wife Concha the Sister of S. Martin Bishop of Tours a Son call'd Patrick the Apostle of Ireland And also David a most Religious Bishop removed his Archiepiscopall See from Caer-leon Isca Legionum in Monmouthshire to Menew which is the remotest corner of this Region 5. In these testimonies we find not only the place of S. Patricks birth but the names of his parents also All which though with some variety is confirm'd by S. Beda who writes thus S. Patrick who was also called Sochet was by Nation a Brittain Where after great tribulations suffred in his youth he became an instrument of salvation to his nation and countrey He was begotten in Brittany by his Father Calphurnius a Deaton who was the Son of Potitus a Preist and his Mothers name was Concha The place of his birth was a village call'd Bannava in the Region of Triburnia not far distant from the Western Sea Which village we find was unquestionably situated in the Province of Neustria where anciently Gyants are said to have dwelt Thus writes S. Beda from Probus the first Describer of S. Patrick Gests 6. Now wheras Calphurnius the Father of S. Patrick is said by some to have been a Preist or more truly by S. Beda a Deacon we are to understand that according to the Ecclesiasticall Laws and custom of that age his Father after receiving holy Orders profess'd continency as S. Hilary of Poictiers and S. Restitutus Bishop of London likewise did 7. And as for S. Patricks Mother called Conches or Conchessa she was Sister or rather as Bishop Vsher iudges daughter to the Sister of the famous S. Martin Bishop of Tours who flourish'd gloriously in this age and who according to Sulpitius Severus his computation was at this time in the forty fifth year of his age He came out of Pannonia Hungary descended from parents saith the same Authour according to worldly dignity of no mean degree Thus much of the Birth countrey and Parents of this glorious S. Patrick of whose wonderfull Gests we shall in prosecution of this History have frequent occasion to treat X. CHAP. 1.2.3.4 c. Iulian succeeds Constantius Becomes an Apostate and Persecutour 7. c. Is slain to whom Iovian succeeds and restores Christianity 10. Iovian dying Valentinian is chosen Emperour 1. COnstantius in the five and twentieth year after his Father Constantins death and in the eleaventh after the death of his Brother Constans dyed of a feaver at Mopsuestia in Cilicia to whom Iulian formerly created Caesar by him succeeded in the Empire which he polluted by his infamous Apostacy 2. He had from his infancy not only been bred in the Profession of Christianity but was likewise inscrib'd in an inferiour Ecclesiasticall Degree of Lector but being of an inconstant curious disposition and unfortunatly falling into the acquaintance and freindship of certain Pagan Philosophers and Magicians he was perverted by them And though during Constantius his life he dissembled his change yet being possess'd of the Empire he publickly profess'd not only a defection from the Christian Faith but an implacable hatred of it and resolution to employ all the power of Earth and Hell to destroy it 3. The first proof hereof he gave as S. Gregory Nazianzen witnesses in taking away that famous Labarum or Imperiall Ensign of the Crosse which in Constantins and Constantius his times leading their Armies had given them assured victories in place whereof he restor'd the Images of the Heathen Gods and Devills together with the representations of Eagles Dragons Wolves Minotaurs c. which the soldiers were commanded to adore 4. Moreover saith Suidas he endeavoured to abolish all other monuments of the Holy Crosse insomuch as he caused to be digg'd out of the-Earth a representation of the Citty of Constantinople on the top wherof Constantin had caused the Crosse to be fixed to denote the felicity of that New Citty And his custome was both in words and Writing to object to Christians by way of ignominy their Veneration of the Holy Crosse. For this speech of his is quoted by S. Cyrill of Alexandria O wretched Christians said he you have left off to adore and worship those sheilds Ancilia which the great God Iupiter Father of Mars lett fall from heaven to be a reall not verball pledge of his perpetuall protection to our Citty and which are still kepd in it Instead of which you adore the wood of the Crosse painting images of it on your foreheads and before your dores Thus Iulian censures the Rite of the Ancient Church and of all the faithfull in his time who on all occasions express'd their Veneration of that blessed sign and instrument of our Redemption 5. With the same malignity he sought to abolish all other Sacred images and Statues erected in severall places to preserve the memory of past Divine benefits as likewise the Relicks of former Saints and Martyrs Thus Sozomen relates how he caused to be thrown down the miraculous Statue of our Saviour which the devout woman who had been curd by him of an issue of blood had rais'd at Caesaréa Philippi in the place wherof the impious Apostat erected his own But immediatly fire from heaven divided his Satue in the mid'st throwing to the ground the upper half which remain'd till the Historians days all black as things strook with lightning use to be 5. The same Authour likewise recounts how the same Impious Emperour consulting a certain Oracle at Daphne neer Antioch and the Devill which
Lady conceiving a furious jealousy against her with the help of her Mayd murdred her and hid her body in the stable into which the Lords horses at his return would by no means enter And hereby was discovered his Ladies crime The Nunnes of Saint Belian honour the Body of S. Honoria translated thither above three hundred years since 7. In Spain likewise at Pobletum in Catalonia rests the Body of S. Columbina And at Dertosa are venerated the Relicks of S. Candida Moreover as Mendoza testifies in all the Religious Houses of the Iesuits through all Portugall some parts of the Bodies of these Virgin-Martyrs are reverently repos'd and the Feast of S. Vrsula and her companions is after a particular manner solemnis'd over all that Kingdome Lastly a Father of the same Society named F. Gomez caried with him into the East Indies a Sacred Head of one of these Virgins by whose intercession the ship and passengers were freed from an otherwise unavoydable danger 8. We will conclude this Narration with a passage of the learned Thomas Bozius who treating of the Martyrdom of S. Vrsula and her companions writes thus How great a measure of Christian fortitude hath been implanted in the hearts of the women of that Northern Island since the time that S. Eleutherius Bishop of Rome sent into Brittany S. Fugatius and S. Damianus Romans may be evidently seen from this one example For from all antiquity of the Church through the whole world cannot be produced an Example equalling the vertue and courage of these Holy Virgin-Martyrs THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY UNDER BRITTISH KINGS THE TENTH BOOK I. CHAPTER 1 2. c. Of the Saxons Angli and Iutes 6 7. Their naturall disposition and employments 8.9 Their Religion Deities c. 10.11 Their Chastity 1. THE Narration of the Gests and glorious Martyrdom of S. Vrsula and the eleven thousand Brittish Virgins hath obliged us to transgresse a little the order of time in this History For by that occasion we have inserted some particular occurrents touching the actions and cruelty of the Saxons in Brittany whereas their first entrance into it and the occasion thereof hath not yet been declared Which therefore now are to be related in their order 2. But in preparation hereto enquiry is to be made who these Saxons were whence they came and with what Associats how they were qualified both in regard of their naturall disposition and also their Civill policy and Religion In consequence whereto we will consider the present miserable condition of Brittany and the speciall crimes generally raigning in it which according to the judgment of prudent men then alive provoked Almighty God to root out the inhabitants and in their room to place a strange barbarous and inhuman people 3. There came into Brittany saith S. Beda great numbers of three the most robustious and couragious Nations of Germany to wit the Saxons English Angli and Iutes At the first the Saxons were most numerous For though in following ages Brittany took the name of England Anglia from the Angli so that the appellation of Saxons was quite obliterated Yet after their first invasion and possession of the Island it receiv'd a new name from the Saxons and to distinguish it from its originall countrey of Saxony it was call'd Transmarina Saxonia Saxony beyond sea as appears in the Epistles of S. Bonifacius the Apostle of Germany and else where 4. The Saxons were a Nation derived from the Saca a powerfull people in Asia which disburthening themselves by sending our colonies abroad a great part of them settled themselves on the Coasts of Germany toward the Northern Sea from the Rhene as far as the Citty Donia now call'd Denmarc saith Ethelwerd an ancient and Trincely Writer Grand-child to Ethelwolf a Saxon King in the year nine hundred and fifty So that their Territory comprehended anciently besides the now Dutchy of Saxony the countrey of Holsatia and some other adjoyning Provinces 4. The Angli saith the same Authour came out of a Region call'd Anglia situated between the Saxons and the Iutes Giotos Their Capitall Citty in the Saxon tongue is call'd Sleswic and by the Danes Hattby Therefore Brittany is now call'd England from these Conquerours and from thence came their first Captains Hengist and Horsa So that the ancient precise seat of these our Progenitours the Angli is a small Province in Denmark at this time also call'd Angel 5. The Iutes call'd by Ethelwerd Giots whence soever they receiv'd their appellation were anciently seated on the Northern coast of the Cimbrian Chersonesus called by the Danes to this day Iutland They were probably derived from the Gutti placed by Ptolomy in Scandia and their seat is still call'd Gothland Yet these are not to beesteem'd the same Goths or Getes which with their victories anciently measured all Europe for their habitation was neer the Euxin Sea beyond the River Ister or Danubius as the Roman Historians doe unanimously affirm Now in what speciall Provinces of Brittany these Iutae seated themselves it does not by any marks appear for we doe not find any mention of any Principality of the Iutes in this Island as we doe of the Saxons and Angli So that perhaps they were mingled up and down as accessaries to the other two Though in the opinion of some they were Iutes which possessed themselves of the Kingdom of the South-Saxons and the Isle of Wight 6. As touching the disposition of these three Nations which are all comprehended under the Title of Saxons especially by Extern Writers we have already declared from Zosimus and others that they were esteemed the most valiant of the most robustious bodies and most agile of all the Germans terrible for their sudden and violent incursions c. Therefore Witichindus the Monk treating of them saith That the Franks wondred to see such men of tall stature of invincible courage of new habits wearing their long haire spread over their shoulders and arms but especially they admir'd the undauntednes of their courage They were cloath'd in short coates and arm'd with long lances and their posture was to lean upon their sheilds having great daggers behind upon their reins Moreover so impatient they were of any scorn or dishonour that when Symmachus being Consul at Rome had prepared great numbers of them to fight as Gladiatours for the entertainment and delight of the people the night before they were to be produced into the Theater twenty nine of them without any ropes strangled themselves 7. Their principal exercise and skill was in Piracy by sea for which purpose they contented themselves with small flat boates Myâ—parones so agile and manageble that they did so torment the coasts of Gaule Spain and Brittany that the Romans were oblig'd to appoint for their guards in opportune places all along those shores soldiers and Officers which they entitled Comites littoris Saxonici per Britanniam Galliam c. Counts of
midway between the Church of Saint Martin and the walls of the Citty In this Temple after it had been purified from its former Superstitions and the Idol cast out S. Augustin consecrated to the honour of S. Pancratiâ—â— 3. Concerning which Church Sir H. Spelman in his Councils furnishes us with this Extrait out of an ancient Manuscript of the foundation of S. Augustins Monastery in Canterbury Augustin being ordaind Bishop returned into England and was received by the King and peoâ—ple with all becoming solemnity and by the same Kings grant obtaind an Episcopall See in the Citty of Canterbury which was the Primatial Church of the English Nation The pious King himself undertaking the Patronage of that Church did triumph through ioy constituting him the President of his Metropolis whom before he had received as a poore stranger Neither did he onely make him a Spirituall Watchman over his Citty but his whole Dominions also translating the throne of his Kingdom into a Pontificall Seat and his Royal Court into a Church of Christ. 4. Yea moreover to shew that he had putt off the old man with his acts and putt on the New by the wholesom advice of the blessed Bishop he caused that Idol-temple seated Eastward from the Citty between the Church of S. Martin and the walls in which he had oft according to the rite of his Superstition sacrifised to Devills and not to God to be purged from the pollutions of Paganism and having broken in peices the Idol which was in it he changed it into an Ecclesiasticall Synagogue and caused it to be consecrated by the name of S. Pancratius Martyr And this was the first Church dedicated by our Patriark and prime Prelat S. Augustin 5. Now it was very convenient and suitable to reason that the blessed child Pancratius who at Rome the Mistresse of the world was honoured as a famous Martyr should especially be venerated by the English since that certain English Children exposed to sale in Rome by their beauty and brightnes had moved Saint Gregory then an Abbot in the Monastery of S. Andrew built by himself to associate those English children with Angels 6. After this narration there follows in the same Manuscript a relation of a prodigy caused by the Devill enraged against Saint Augustin for eiecting him out of his possession Whilst the blessed Bishop S Augustin saith that Authour was celebrating Masse the first time in the same Church the Enemy of mankind envying the purity of the English Nation likely to be much encreased by the child Saint Pancratius and out of rage to see himself expelled from a place possessed by him so long a time he endeavoured all he could to destroy that Church to the ground A rent in the Eastern wall of it plainly seen to this day which he made with his nayles is a sufficient witnes of his rage By which is evident that the Masse is not hated by Calvinists alone 7. King Ethelberts liberality ended not here for as the same Authour writes Saint Augustin obtained of him after this a certain portion of land adjoyning in which the King built a Church to the honour of the Apostles S Peter and S. Paul to be as it were a perpetuall munition and Safe-guard for himself and his whole kingdom and instituted therin a Convent of Monks to serve God for ever over whom was canonically chosen and placed Abbot a Monk called Peter one of S. Augustins companions sent thither from the See Apostolick But between the foundation and endowment of this Monastery there intervened six years saith Sir H. Spelman as appears by the Charters of that Foundation 8. In this Church saith S. Beda the Bodies of S. Augustin and his Successours the Arch-bishops of Canterbury as likewise of the Kings of Kent were designed to be buried Notwithstanding this Church was not consecrated by S. Augustin but by his Successour S. Laurentius And the first Abbot of the Monastery was Peter a Preist 9. S. Augustin also by the liberality and assistance of the King obtaind another Church in the same Citty which as he was informed had been built by the ancient Christians in the time of the Romans This Church he consecrated to the glory of our Lord and Saviour and adioyning thereto he fixed an habitation for himself Successours where he lived with such Clerks as he had brought with him out of France who performed all the Ecclesiasticall Offices in the Church For a Monastery was not instituted in that Church till the age following And though these Latter Monks contended with the other for antiquity yet they lost their cause For as the Authour of the forementioned Manuscript observes in all the authenticall Priviledges granted by Popes to the Monastery of S. Peter and S. Paul we find this clause inserted As in the infancy of Christianity in England this was the first wherein Monasticall Instituts were observed So we decree that it with all belonging to it remain for ever free from all service undisturbed by all secular noyse and tumults and exempted from all Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and burdens 10. Moreover the Church of S. Martin without the walls of the Citty eastward in which the Queen before had performed her Devotions he made an Episcopall See in which he placed a Suffragan Bishop Corepiscopum who was alwayes to remain at home or at the Archiepiscopall Palace within the Citty and supplied the place of the Arch-bishop when he was to attend the King or to be absent upon occasion of Visitations or other affaires At such times he celebrated Solemnities in the Metropolitan Church after which he returned home He being a Monk had power to call Monks to his assistance He performed the Office of Arch-deacon and summoned ordered and corrected such Clergy-men as pertained to the Arch-bishop but those Clergy-men which lived in the Mannâ—rs pertaining to the Monks were corrected by the Priour of the Church otherwise called the Dean The same Suffragan Bishop likewise conferred the Minour Orders in the Arch-bishops absence Yet we doe not find that ever he was summoned to Councills or subscribed in them This custom continued till the beginning of King William the Conquerours raign At which time the last of such Suffragan Bishops was Godwin who dying in the fourth year of his raign S. Lanfranc then Arch-bishop refused to substitute another in his place alledging that two Bishops must not be in one Citty whereas his See was out of the Citty Therefore instead of a Suffragan Bishop he constituted one of his Clarks Arch-deacon For which he was by many condemned Though in that age generally through the Church those Corepiscopi were suffred to expire because it was found that they took too much upon themselves so as to consecrate Holy Oyles to ordain Preists c. insomuch as for humbling them many Decrees had been made in Councills c. VII CHAP. 1.2 c. Ten thousand baptized by S. Augustin by the
gathered a numerous Congregation of Disciples into whose minds they instilled the waters of saving knowledge Yea moreover they mingled with the Instructions of Christian Doctrin out of Holy Scriptures other Documents likewise of Poetry Astronomy and Ecclesiasticall Computation In proof whereof there remained alive to these times severall of then Disciples who understood the Latin and Greek Tongues as perfectly as their Native language Thus writes S. Beda 2. And forasmuch as concerns the Greek tongue the said Arch-bishop saith B. Godwin erected a Schoole for the teaching of it in a village which from thence was called Greeklade but now corruptly Cricklade The teachers whereof afterward repairing to Oxford about twenty miles distant from thence are supposed to have thereby layed the foundations of that most famous Vniversity Notwithstanding Brian Twine the Antiquary of the said Vniversity will not allow this to have been the prime Originall thereof but earnestly contends that it was a long time before in the times of the Brittains founded by certain Grecian Doctours 3. The said B. Godwin addes that the Arch-bishop and Abbott brought with them from Rome a plentifull store of most choice Books both Greek and Latin and among the rest a Homer so accuratly written in such beautifull letters that it is scarce credible that at this day there should be extant any one Copy even among the most exquisite Prints either more fair or more perfectly correct then it 4. So great indeed was the benefitt which this Nation received from the diligence zeale and liberality of these two eminent persons that Saint Beda with iust reason affirmed That there had never been more happy times since the Saxons and English first entred this Island Such valiant and withall Christianly pious Kings governed here that they were a terrour to all barbarous Nations Likewise generally their Subjects desires were caried to heavenly and eternall ioyes at this time more effectually preached unto them then any time before And who soever were willing to be instructed in Sacred learning had Maisters ready the teach them Moreover they begun now through all to Churches of the English to learn the Roman manner of singing in the Church which before was only practised in Kent And the first Master of Ecclesiasticall Musick in the Kingdom of the Northumbers except Iacob heretofore mentioned was Eddi sirnamed Steven who was invited thither out of Kent by the most Venerable Prelat Wilfrid who was the first Bishop of the English Nation which taught the Saxon Churches the Catholick manner of living VIII CHAP. 1.2 Saint Theodore visites all Provinces 3.4 c. He ends the Controversy about the Bishoprick of York between S. Wilfrid and Saint Ceadda to the advantage of S. Wilfrid 6. c. S. Ceadda made Bishop of the Mercians at Lichfeild 1. WHereas S. Beda as hath been declared testifies that the Holy Arch-bishop Theodore made a progresse through all the Provinces of Brittany to reform abuses determine Controversies and settle Order and Vniformity every where in as much as an Vniversall Iurisdiction was committed to him by the Pope We will here mention some particular Gests of his especially recorded in our ancient Monuments 2. In the first place then saith S. Beda the Arch-bishop Theodore coming to the Citty of Rhofi Rochester which See since the death of the Bishop Damian remaind Vacant he there ordaind a man more versed in Ecclesiasticall matters and content with the former simplicity of living then exercised in secular businesses His name was Puâ—ta He was most eminently skilld in the Roman manner of Singing in the Church which he had learnt from the Disciples of Pope Gregory 3. From thence he went Northward and in the Kingdom of the Northumbers concluded a long debate touching the Bishoprick of York to which there were two pretenders both venerable and Holy Bishops S. Wilfrid and S. Ceadda S. Wilfrid had been first Elected thereto and was sent by Alâ—frid King of the Deiri or Yorkshire into France to be consecrated by Agilbert Bishop of Paris But his Father King Oswi upon what Motive is not declared appointed Saint Ceadda then an Abbot among the Northumbers to be Bishop of York to which he was consecrated by the impious and Sacrilegious Wina formerly Bishop of Winchester and then of London This controversy the Arch-bishop Theodore determined to the advantage of S. Wilfrid who returned into Brittany a little before his arrivall and in Kent saith Saint Beda ordained Preists and Deacons untill the Arch bishop Theodore came to his See 4. In this Controversy the Sanctity of Saint Ceadda did eminently shine forth who readily and humbly obeyed the Arch-bishops sentence and willingly rendred both his See and Episcopall dignity to S. Wilfrid This is thus related by the same S. Beda When the Arch-bishop saith he charged S. Ceadda that he had not been duly consecrated Bishop he with an humble voyce answered If you are sure that I have not entred into this Bishoprick aright I willingly depart from the Office for truly I never judged my self worthy of it but it was simply out of Obedience that I though unworthy thereof undertook it being thereto commanded The Arch-bishop hearing the humility of his answer said that it was not requisite he should quitt the Episcopall dignity and therefore he again perfected his Consecration after the Catholick manner Now what Errour had been committed in his former Consecration is not declared by any of our Writers For though his Ordainer Wina were indeed an unwortly Bishop impious and Sacrilegious and though he had been consecrated to a Church not vacant this might be a sufficient cause to oblige him to relinquish that See but neither of these could invalidate his Consecration 5. Now it hapned at the same time very commodiously that Iarumanâ—us Bishop of the Mercians dying King Wulfere requested the Archbishop to appoint a Bishop over his Province The Arch-bishop would not ordain there a New Bishop but desired King Oswi that Ceadda might be given them for their Bishop who at that time lived quietly in his Monastery at Lestinghe Thus S. Ceadda undertook the Bishoprick of the Nation of the Mercians and likewise of the Lindesfari which he according to the examples of the ancient Fathers administred with great diligence and perfection of life Thus writes the same Saint Beda From whose words misunderstood Iohn Stow erroneously collects that S. Ceadda was Bishop both of the Mercians and of Lindesfarn also whereas the Lindesfari in that passage are the inhabitants of Lincolnshire among whom not long before the Christian Faith having been spread they had a Bishop of their own seated at Sidnacester an ancient Citty whereof at this day no traces remain 6. S. Ceadda now a second time Bishop did not for all that relinquish his Monasticall manner of living but according to the ancient custome joynd it with the Episcopall And for that purpose saith S. Beda King Wulfere gave unto him a
thereto But the peircing eyes of a Lover discovered her flight pursued her thither Which she perceiving by secret pathes through our Lords guidance she escaped to Oxford whither she arrived very late in the dark night But thither also did lust and rage conduct the furious Lover who early in the morning entred the Town Then the Holy Virgin whose strength was wholly spent utterly despaired of all succour from Creatures and therefore having recourse to Gods omnipotence only she with rears begged of him a defence to her self and punishment to the Ravisher This she did at the instant when the Young Prince whose Name was Alard or Algar was entring the gate of the Town attended by many servants She had no sooner sent up his Prayer to heaven but by a Divine hand the lustfull young man was struck with blindnes Which visible iudgment opened the eyes of his mind and made him clearly perceive how hatefull to God his obstinate attempt was Whereupon by Messengers directed to the Virginâ—e â—e condemned his own foâ—ly and with great submission begged pardon promising an eternall banishment of all such desires out of his mind This his repentance procured compassion â—rom the Holy Virgin by whose â—enewd Prayers his blindnes was as quickly cured as â—t had been inflicted This Miracle recorded by all our Historians was so notable to all and so unquestioned for many Aâ—es that as William of Malmsbury observes the Princes of this Island had a scrupulous fear to enter into that gate of the Citty which Algar found so fatall to himself 14 In thankfullnes to God for this deliverance the pious Virgin erected another Monastery where assembling other chast companions of the same Institut and devotion she â—pent the remainder of her life in purity and divine Contemplation And after her death her immaculate Body reposing there became the principall Ornament of the Citty For though long before this in the time of the Brittains Oxford had been a Seat of the Muses yet wee doe not find that the English Saxons as yet had restored it to that dignity 15. Hence it is that Camden a diligent surveyer of ancient Monuments thus writes Our Ancestours the Brittains with great prudence consecrated this Citty of Oxford to the Muses which from Greklade they translated hither as to a more happy and fruitfull Seminary But the following ages under the Saxons being much employed in destroying of Citties this place was not exempted from the common lott So that for a long time it was celebrated for nothing but the Relicks of S. Frideswâ—de who was numbred among the Saints because a certain Prince called Algar violently attempting her chastity after she had by solemn vowes consecrated it to God was miraculously struck with blindnes 16 The Memory of her Sanctity is celebrated in our Martyroloâ—e on the niâ—eteenth of October And as for her Monastery a first inhabited by Religious Virgins it was in after times possessed by Seculars Canons from them it came to Regulars as shall be shewd in due time 17. This year aâ—so dyed S. Ethelburga formerly Queen of the West-Saxons who had so zealously and prudently incited her Husband King Ina to relinquish the perishing glory and pleasures of this world that he might without interruption attend only to eternal and Spirituall happines After his departure to Rome she retired her self into that famous Monastery of Barking where she professed a Religious life and after some time was elected Abbesse in which Office having with great Sanctity spent severall years she happily dyed and is numbred in our Martyrologe among the Saints on the ninth of Iuly William of Malmsbury writing of her and King Ina her husband says that they were both united in mutuall charity during their Lives and after their deaths both dignified by God with Divine Miracles 18. This is a different S. Ethelburga from her who was first Abbesse of the same Monastery of â—arking who was daughter of Anna King of the East Saxons and Sister to Saint Erâ—oâ— Wald Bishop of London She had for her Successour in the Office of Abbâ—sse 〈◊〉 S. Hildelitha to whom S. Aldelm dedicated his Book of Virginity And after her the third Abbesse of the same Monastery was this Saint Ethelburga Queen of the West-Saxons Insomuch as that Monastery well deserved 〈◊〉 Title given it by one of our Historians who stiles it a well known Sacred Repository of many Saints 19. Wee will conclude the occurrents of this year with breifly recording the Memory of a certain devout Hermite called S. Aâ—nuâ—f who as a Memoriall of his Sanctity has 〈◊〉 his name to a Town in Huntingdonshire whâ—â—e he piously lived and happily dyed â—is called Arnulfsbury or more contractedly Eynsbâ—ry near a place dedicated to S. Neoâ— There this devout Hermite having served God many years with great fidelity and fervour after he had filled the whole Province with the odour of his vertues this same year blessedly dyed as wee read in our Martyrologe where his Name is recorded among the Saints oâ— the two and twentieth of August X. CHAP. 1. 2. c. The Letters of Pope Zachrias to S. Boniface with severall Ordonnances 1 IN the year of Grace seaâ—en hundred forty one Pope Gregory third of that name dyed to whom succeeded Pope Zachrias Which being come to the knowlâ—dge of S. Boniface in Germany he presently wrote an Epistle to him by one oâ— his Preistâ— called Denechard to testify his obedience give him an account of his proceed in S. AmoÌ„g which he inform'd him that he had newly erecteâ— three Bishopricks in Germany The Episcopall Seat oâ— one was a Town called Wirtzburg of another Buriburg and of the third Erfsfurt or as some write Eychstedt so called from the abundance of Oakes growing near These Episcopall Sees he desires may be confirmed and established by the Pope And severall other Points he added in which he humbly desired the said Popes Order and resolution As will appear by the Answer returned to him the following year 2. Another Letter likewise he sent by the same Preist to a certain Prefect whose Territory lay in his way to Rome desiring him that he would grant the same security and afford the same assistance to this his Messenger that he had formerly done to others The said Prefects name is Regibert 3. As touching the three Episcopall Sees by him newly erected he does not name the Bishops ordaind in them But by the Subscriptions to a Synod the next year wee may collect that they were those three Preists which in the year of our Lord seaven hundred twenty five he had called to his assistance out of Brittany namely Burchard Witta and Willebald Burchard was consecrated by him Bishop of Wirtzburg Herbipolis Witta who likewise from Whitenes for so the German name signifies is by some named Albuinus had his See at Buriburg an ancient Town near Fritzlare or Paderborn And Willebald who came out of
as followeth He became a Christian in Brittany converted by some unknown Primitive Beleiver Before his Conversion his name was Suetonius being born of noble parents Out of Brittany he under took a voyage to Rome moved therto by other devout Christians to be instructed more perfectly in the holy Faith by the Blessed Apostle S. Peter by whom being baptised as a testimony of his present happines and hopes of a future accomplishment of it he was called Beatus After he was sufficiently instructed he was esteemed worthy to be employed in the Apostolicall office of instructing others In his return toward his Countrey passing through Helvetia now called Suizzerland he neglected not to disperse the good seed with which he had been furnish'd at Rome and perceiving that very many in that Countrey chearfully embraced the true Faith he rested there pursuing his journey no further Thus he became the Apostle of the Helvetians illustrious for his Piety holines and miracles In his declining age having distributed all his substance to the poore he retir'd himselfe to the exercises of a contemplative life chusing for his habitation nere a village called Vrbigenum Vnderseven a Grotte in a Mountain out of which with the sign of the Crosse he expelled a dangerous and cruel serpent It is not certain in what place he dyed S. Bede makes only this mention of him At Rome is the commemoration of S. Beatus a Confessour on the ninth of May. But the Roman Martyrologe thus In the Town Vindecinum or Vendosme is celebrated the deposition of S. Beatus a Confessour But the Ecclesiasticall Writers of Germany the Annals of the Helvetians and Monuments of the Church of Constantia doe unanimously agree that he dyed in his solitude neer Vnderseven in Helvetia in the hundred and tenth yeare of our Lord when the Emperour Traian raigned VI. CHAP. 1. Testimonies of S. Peters preaching in Brittany 2. Proved by the Catalâ—gue of the Provinces of the severall Apostles 3. And by the testimony of Pope Innocentius the first 4. S. Paul sayd to have preached in Brittany 5.6.7 Simon Zelotes reported by Nicephorus to have preached in Brittaâ—ny but disproved by C. Baronius 8.9 The time of S. Peters coming in to this Island uncertain as likewise his Gests 1. IT was no doubt a great mercy which God extended to this our Island that he was pleased so early to enlighten it with his Divine Truth and moreover to transforme its barbarous inhabitants into Apostles and Messengers of salvation to other Countreys also But a far greater blessing yet did God bestow on it by directing hither his Apostle him who was the Prime of the whole order S. Peter himselfe whose accesse to this Island is attested by Ancient Monuments and by Writers who had no interest at all to induce them to partiality Those who formerly had preached the Gospell here were persons though of great holines and zeale yet such as for want of an Apostolicall Episcopall Character could onely preach unto baptise those with whom they conversed But wheresoever any of the Apostles themselves came or persons sufficiently qualified by them they provided for posterity also The former could only beget children but the other could beget both children and Fathers establishing in the places where they preached a constant order and Government which might last to the worlds end 2. When the Apostles before their separation divided by lott among themselves the severall Regions of the world the West became the portion of Saint Peter as Eusebius quoted by Metaphrastes testifies saying S. Peter spent twelve yeares in the East and twenty he pass'd at Rome in Brittany and other citties in the West Which passage though it be not extant in any Books of Eusebius now remaining this does not prejudice the validity of this authority since as S. Hierom writes in his Catalogue Eusebius publish'd an infinite number of volumes and among others an Vniversall History together with an Epitome of it severall Books likewise of Martyrs and other works Of which a great number are by the iniury of time perished And in some of those we may ought reasonably to judge that those words were found rather then to imagin that such a Writer as Simeon would voluntarily feign such things from his own brain since he had no interest in the glory of Brittany and besids was one who for his Sanctity is venerated in the Greek Church 3. The same Authour out of ancient Monuments adds furcher S. Peter says he out of the East came to Rome from whence he went to Millan and Photice which are Citties in the continent In which places having constituted Bishops and Preists he pass'd into Brittany In which Island having made a long abode and converted to the Faith of Christ severall Nations of unknown names he had a Vision of Angells which sayd to him Peter the time of thy dissolution is at hand and it is necessary that thow goe to Rome where thou must suffer the death of the Crosse and so receive the reward of righteousnes Having received this Revelation he glorified God giving thanks for the same and continuing certain dayes among the Brittains during which he enlightned many more with the word of Grace having constituted Churches and ordained Bishops Preists and Deacons in the twelfth yeare of the Emperour Nero he return'd to Rome To this revelation made to him in Brittany the Apostle has regard in his second Epistle saying I know that shortly I must put off my Tabernacle even as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shew'd me 4. Hereto wee may adde an important testimony of S. Innocent the first Pope of that name who writing to Decentius Bishop of Eugubium hath this passage Who can be ignorant or not observe that that which hath been delivered to the Roman Church by Peter Prince of the Apostles and is there observed to this day ought to be obediently kept by all and that nothing ought to be introduced or super-added by any which doth not come from the same authority or seems to be practised in imitation of any other Especially since it is manifest that through all Italy Gaules Spain Africk and Sicily as likewise the interiacent Islands none ever instituted any Churches but only such as the Venerable Apostle S. Peter or his Successours did ordain Preists and Bishops If any would contradict this let them produce Records testifying that any other of the Apostles can be found or heard to have taught in those Provinces Therfore if no such Records can be produced they must be obliged to submitt to the observation of that which the Roman Church teaches and practises from which without doubt they received their Originall This they must doe least while they affect strange observances they may seem to divide from the Head of Ecclesiasticall Institutions 5. This positive Assertion of so ancient learned and Holy a Pope to witt that none of the Apostles besids
veighing sharply against the dissolutnes of the Brittish Clergy in his time sayth that many of them did usurp the Chaire of S. Peter with defiled feet thereby shewing that the whole Ecclesiasticall Order here did receive their Originall and Preist hood with a right of succession from S. Peter the Ordinary Supreme Pastour in a speciall regard of the Western parts of the world and who likewise prevented S. Pauls coming hither severall years 4. Particular Witnesses in Antiquity of S. Pauls preaching the Gospell in this Island are Theodoret S. Hierome and others The former of these Writing on the hundred and sixteenth Psalm saith Blessed S. Paul breifly teaches us to what Nations he had preached saving Truth saying From Ierusalem round about unto Illyricum he fill'd all nations with the Gospell of Christ. And after this he came into Italy and continued his iourney even to Spaine Moreover he brought salvation to the Islands also lying in the Sea S. Hierom likewise mentioning the travells of S. Paul saith He went out of the East as far as Spain and from the Red sea that is the Southern Ocean to the Western Ocean But more expressly Venantius Fortunatus in his Poem of the life of S. Martin speaking of S. Paul saith He pass'd the Ocean and through all Regions and accessible Islands those which are inhabited by the Brittains and the utmost Thule his Trumpet proclaimed the Gospell 5. For this reason our English Martyrologe doth deservedly reckon S. Paul among the Apostles of Brittany in that regard professing a particular acknowledgment and veneration to him VIII CHAP. 1.2 c. Testimonies of the Acts of S. Aristobulus a Disciple of S. Peter and an Apostle to the Brittains 1. THere is moreover still extant in Ecclesiasticall Records the Memory of an illustrious Disciple of S. Peter or S. Paul who probably accompanied one of them into Brittany who after many years labour in our Lords vineyard was consummated here and that is the Blessed Apostolicall Saint Aristobulus Concerning whom we read this passage in the Greek Menology Aristobulus was one of the Seaventy Disciples who was a follower of S. Paul preaching the Gospell and ministring to him in all places where he travelled By whom likewise he was ordaind a Bishop for the Region of the Brittains But in another Edition of the same Menology translated formerly by one William a Cardinal and inserted by Canisius in his second Volume of Antiquities we read that this S. Aristobulus was ordained not by S. Paul but S. Barnabas for this is the tenour of that Passage The commemoration of S. Aristobulus a Bishop of Brittany and Brother of the Blessed Apostle S. Barnabas by whom being ordained a Bishop he was sent into Brittany and there preaching the Faith of Christ and constituting a Church he attaind the glory of Martyrdome 2. Moreover a Fragment published lately by B. Vsher under the name of Haleca B. of Caesar Augusta Sarragoçe S. Aristobulus is declared to be the Disciple of S. Peter These are the words Among the Brittains is celebrated the Memory of many Martyrs and principally of S. Aristobulus one of the seaventy Disciples who was also call'd Zebedaeus the Father of Iames and Iohn Husband of Maria Salome who together with S. Peter went to Rome And there leaving his family he was sent a Bishop into England where he dyed a Martyr in the second yeare of the raign of the most cruell Emperour Nero. 3. Now wheras S. Aristobulus is every where named Bishop of the Brittains without any particular Citty assigned for his Seaâ— this doth argue that in those times of zeale and simplicity Apostolicall men did not confine theÌ„selves to any determinate place but like clouds hoverd up and down being in a sort present to all and dispensing showres seasonably every where Thus S. Augustin our Apostle at first was ordaind Bishop of the English Nation as Bede calls him till more Provinces being converted he confind himselfe to a particular Seat 4. Arnoldus Mirmannus with other Authours likewise extend the life of this Brittish Apostle to the ninety ninth yeare of our Lord affirming that he dyed in Brittany And wheras both in the Greek Menology and the Fragment of Haleca as likewise in the Roman Martyrologe he is sayd after performing the course of his preaching to have been consummated by Martyrdome this is to be interpreted according to the expression of the Primitive times in which those were called Martyrs who for the propagation of the Gospell went into forraign parts there expâ—â—â—ng themselves to all dangers and dying in such an Employment though their death was not violent 5. And such was the condition of S. Aristobulus concerning whom this is further added in the Greek Menology Aristobulus having been ordained Bishop by S. Paul was sent into Brittany a region of most cruell and savage men By whom he was sometimes tormented with stripes and sometimes also dragg'd up and down the common Market-place He perswaded many to adioyn themselves to Christ. And having constituted Churches and ordaind Preists and Deacons there he happily ended his life 6. In the English Martyrologe this is added That he dyed at Glastonbury a place far enough removed from the Trinobantes where the Romans exercised their power Probable it is that having spent so many years in the laborious exercise of his Apostolick Office he in his old age retired himself into that place of solitude and Recollection there quietly disposing himself for his leaving the world This was indeed a practise very familiar to like Saints For thus in the following Age Fugatius and Damianus sent hither by Pope Eleutherius to convert King Lucius and his subjects retired at last to the same place And afterward the like was done by S. Patrick who being a Native of Brittany after having spent many years in propagating the Gospell in Ireland at last returned back and took up his finall rest at Glastenbury 7. This is that Aristobulus mention'd by S. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans saying Salute those which are of the household of Aristobulus And the reason why he did not salute him by name doubtles was the same for which he omitted the saluting of S. Peter because he was at this time departed from Rome into or towards Brittany 8. Thus far did the Gospell make a progresse in Brittany in the very infancy of Christianity before the death of S. Peter and S. Paul as may be gathered out of the few Relicks of Ecclesiasticall Records not wholly extinguish'd A great accesse to which felicity of this Island accrew'd by the coming hither of S. Ioseph of Arimathea and his companions which though hapning toward the end of Nero's raign yet because most of the occurents pertaining to their Gests belong to the times of severall Emperours succeeding we will refer them to the following Book And for the present it will suffise that we have
Eleutherius his Answer 6. Other particulars of the said Answer 1. COncerning the message sent by King Lucius to Pope Eleutherius thus writes Bishop Vsher I doe not find among our more ancient Writers what was the principall Motive inducing King Lucius to procure and send for from Rome Doctours and Teachers of the Christian Faith Onely in a Book belonging to the Monastery of Abingdon I read That the sayd King having heard the fame of the Sanctity of Preachers at that time living in that Citty sent his Messengers with publick Letters in great expedition most devoutly and earnestly beseeching the Venerable Pope Eleutherius that by his order and will he might be made a Christian. Now no man can be ignorant of the strict alliance and frequent commerce which in those times interven'd between the Brittains living within the Province subject to the Romans and that Imperiall Citty So that here there is no necessity that we should recurr to the Primacy of the Roman Bishop 2. Notwithstanding although this last clause was added on purpose to make the readers beleive that this Kingdom had no dependance at all on Rome in Ecclesiasticall affaires contrary to the foremention'd assertion of Pope Innocent the First and the Traditionary practise of so many ages we see the testimonies of S. Irenaeus and Tertullian doe evince the contrary which likewise is more evidently demonstrated in the pursuit of this History 3. Now as touching the particular Instruction given by King Lucius to his Messengers the Protestant Authour of the Brittish Antiquities thus declares King Lucius saith he resolued to be inaugurated and solemnly initiated in the Christian Faith by Eleutherius the then Roman Bishop For which purpose be dispatched with Letters and commands unto him two illustrious and eloquent men Elvanus of Glastonbury or Auallonia and Medwinus of the Province of the Belgae By whom he requested the Roman Bishop that he would please to direct his Messengers and Legats with order to baptise him being already imbued with Christian Doctrine He moreover desired that they might bring with them the Roman Laws according to which he might order and establish both the Ecclesiasticall and Civill state in his Kingdom But the pious Bishop Eleutherius being much more zealous to propagate the Divine doctrin then to illustrate his own fame signified to him his inexpressibile ioy for gaining of so great a King to the obedience of Christ but for the civill ordering of his Kingdome that his interessing himselfe therin was to no purpose Those Lawes were not necessary for the constitution of a Christian Commonwealth and that in them many things were establish'd which ought not to be observed by thâ—se who professe the Christian Faith c. 4. S. Beda having mention'd these requests of King Lucius to Pope Eleutherius add's presently that he obtained the effect of his pious Petition that is for as much as concern'd his further instruction and initiation in Christian Religion c. This will appear by the Answer said to be sent by the said Pope in Writing to this day preserved by our Historian Mathew of Westminster the Tenour wherof is as follweth 5. Your request to us is that we would transmit to you a Copy of the Roman and Imperiall Laws which it seems you desire to make use of in your kingdom of Brittany But you must be informed that the Roman Lawes and such as are enacted by the Emperour are not of such obligation but they may any time be rejected which the Law of God in no case must be Now by the Divine mercy you have of late submitted your selfe in your Kingdom of Brittany to the Law and Faith of Christ so that you have already with you both the Old and New Testament Out of them therfore by Gods inspiration and with the common counsell of your Kingdom collect and frame a Law and by it through the Divine assistance govern your Kingdom of Brittany You are Gods Deputy in your Kingdom according as the Kingly Prophet says the Earth is our Lords and the fullnes of it the round world and all that dwell in it And again the same Kingly Prophet saith Thou hast loved righteousnes and hated inquity therfore thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnes above thy fellows And again O God giue thy iudgment to the King and thy iustice c. He saith Thy judgment not the judgment and justice of Caesar. For the Christian Nations and people of your kingdom who live under your peaceable protection are the children of God under his care who according to the Gospell protects them as a Hen gathering her chickens under her wings c. The Nations therfore of your Kingdom of Brittany are your people which being hitherto divided you ought to gather into one unanimous congregation to the obedience of the Faith and Law of Christ constituting of them one Church which you must cherish maintain protect and govern that so you may raign with Christ for ever whose Deputy you are in the foresaid Kingdom 6. Thus far doth the said Historian relate the tenour of this Epistle adding withall by way of Preface that this was the entire form of it Notwithstanding some Modern Writers further adioyn therto these following passages Woe to the Kingdom whose King is a child and whose Princes eat early in the morning A King is here call'd a child not for his want of growth and age but for his folly injustice and madnes since according to the Kingly Prophet Bloody and deceitfull men shall not live out half their dayes c. Now by eating in the morning we are to understand gluttony and Luxury for by Luxury come all perverse and filthy things according to King Salomons speech Into a malevolent soule wisedom will not enter nordwell in a body subject to sin A King has his title from governing not having a Kingdom You will be a King as long as you rule well which if you cease to doe the name of a King will remain in you no longer but you will leave to be a King which God forbid Almighty God give you his grace so to govern your kingdome of Brittany that you may for ever raign with him whose Deputy you are in the foresaid Kingdom This Epistle saith Cambden was dated in the yeare when L. Aurelius Commodus a second time and Vespronius were Consuls agreeing with the one hundred eighty third year of our Lord. 7. I was unwilling to forbear transcribing this Epistle though I cannot but acknowledge that the reasons proving it suppositious seem to mee very concluding as containing words tasting of the Norman Latin and English Lawe besids there are in it alledged Texts of Scripture according to S. Hieroms Translation who liv'd two hundred years after Eleutherius Again Eleutherius speaks to King Lucius in the plurall Number according to a modern stile not then in use when he says Vos estis Vicarius Dei And lastly not any
VII Caâ—r Custeint This Citty was formerly called Seiont near Caernarvont being the same which Antoninus calls Seguntium But it chang'd its name into Caïr Custeinâ— because Constantius the Father of Constantin was buried there Whose body saith Mathew of Westminster was found at Caernarvon near Snowdon in the time of King Edward the first after the Conquest and by his command honourably buried in the Church VIII Caïr Caratauc or Caïr Caradoc in the borders of Shropshire between the Rivers Temdus and Colunus Where King Caractacus rais'd against the Roman Generall Ostorius a great Rampire but was there defeated by him There a Citty being afterwards rais'd was from his Name called Caïr Caradoc So that Geffrey of Monmouth and Huntingdon are much mistaken who interpret this Citty to be Salisbury IX Caïr Grant or Granteceaster or Grantbridge now Cambridge taking its name from the River Grant or Gront X. Cair Maunguid or Manchguid suppos'd to be the same Which by Antoninus is called Mancunium or Manchester in Lancashire others conceive it to be Manduessedum or Manchester in Warwickshire XI Caïr Lundein by others Caïr Lud now London XII Caïr Guorthigirn a Citty situated in Radnorshire and called from King Vortigern who conceild himself there being afraid of punishment for his horrible crimes but was found out by Divine Iustice and by Lightning burnt together with his Citty What the prime name of this Citty was in King Lucius his dayes does not appeare XIII Caïr Ceint or Kent now called Canterbury formerly Dorobernia XIV Caïr Guiragon or Guorangon that is Wigornia The Welsh call it Caër Wrangon the English Worcester Antoninus calls it Branonium and Ptolomy Branogenium XV. Caïr Perâ—s otherwise Portcester from the commodiousnes of the Haven It is now called Portsmouth XVI Caïr Daun named by Antoninus Danus now Doncaster in Yorkshire XVII Caïr-Legioâ— taking its name from the the twentieth Legion by Iulius Agricola's appointment quartering there It is at this day called Chester or Westchester XVIII Caïr Guricon or Guoricon or as Cambden writes it Caïr Guaruinc now warwick so called because it was a Garrison of the Romans which in the Brittish Language is called Guarth XIX Caïr Segeint or the Citty of the Segontiaci which were the people who first surrendred themselves to Caesar It is now called Silcester in Hampshire XX. Caïr Leon or Vsk so call'd because the second Brittish Legion brought over by Vespasian was quartered here It was seated in Monmouthshire but is now quite demolished XXI Caïr Guent called by the Romans Venta Belgarum to distinguish it from severall other places called Ventae being in the Province of the Belgae a people which came out of lower Germany and seated themselves in Hampshire it is now called Winchester XXII Caïr Brito a Citty placed between the Rivers Avon and Fome it is now called Bristol XXIII Caïr Lerion by the Saxons afterward called Legecestria now Leicester XXIV Caïr Draiton the situation whereof is now uncertain there being many places of that name Bishop Vsher thinks it is the same now call'd Dragton in Shropshire XXV Caïr Pentavelcoit seated on the River Ivel in Somershire now called Ivelcester or Ilchester The same learned Bishop writes it Caïr Pensavelcoit supposing it to be Pentsey in Sussex where William the Conquerour first landed XXVI Caïr Vrvac called by Antoninus Vriconium and by the Saxons Wrekenceaster at this day Wroxcester in Shropshire XXVII Caïr Calemion or as Mr. Cambden reads it Caïr Calion which he thinks to be Camelet in Somersetshire where remains the footsteps of an ancient Roman Camp and where many Roman Coyns are frequently found XXVIII Caïr Luitcoit or rather Lindcoit by Antoninus and Ptolomy call'd Lindum by the Saxons Lindecollinum at this day Lincoln 5. These are the twenty eight Citties of Brittany all which cannot yet be asserted to have been extant at least under those names in the dayes of King Lucius since among them there are severall which took their Title from persons living in after-ages as Caïr Vortigern Caïr Casteint c. And Caïr Draiton seems to have been a Saxon building 6. Henry of Huntington in the account of them varies somewhat from this and in the place of some of these omitted by him substitutes others as Caïr Glou that is Glocester Caïr Cei or Chichester Caïr Ceri that is Cirencester Caïr Dorm call'd by Antoninus Durobrivae at this day Dornford in Huntingdonshire Caïr Dauri or Caïr Dorin now Dorcester And Caïr Merdin still remaining with the same name from whence a Province in Wales takes its title These are the Cittie 's design'd to be the Residences of Arch-bishops and Bishops when the number of Pastors should be so encreased as to supply them 7. Now whereas here is mention'd the Title of Arch-bishops we are to take notice that that Title was not in use as yet in the Church in the dayes of King Luciâ—s but yet the same latitude of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction was from the beginning under the name of Metropolitan Bishops For the Policy of the Church being squared according to the Civill as the Governours of Citties which were Metropoles exercised an Authority over other Citties also depending on them so did the Bishops likewise of those Citties over the whole Provinces IX CHAP. 1.2.3 Of Saint Theanus first Bishop of London 4.5 Elvanus his Successour 1. HOw many of those twenty eight Citties were in those dayes supplied with Bishops is uncertain Besides Elvanus consecrated Bishop at Rome our Ecclesiasticall Records mention only one Brittish Bishop more called Theanus the first Metropolitan Bishop of London where our devout King Lucius built a Church consecrated to S. Peter and seated in the place called Cornhill 2. The truth of this is testified by an ancient Table belonging to the same Church wherein was this Inscription In the year of our Lord one hundred seaventy nine Lucius the first Christian King of this Land founded the first Church at London namely the Church of Saint Peter in Cornhill He established likewise there an Archiepiscopall See and the prime Church of the Kingdom and so it continued for the space of four hundred years till the coming of S. Augustin the Apostle of England c. Thus the Inscription 3. But Iocelinus a Monk of Furnes testifying this holy Prelat Theanus to have been the first Archbishop of this new erected See of London makes him to be the Founder of this Church for thus he writes Thean or Theanus is sayd in the time of King Lucius to have built the Church of S. Peter on Cornhill in London being assisted therein by Ciranus the Kings Cheif Cupp-bearer 4. After Theanus his decease the time of whose government in that See is uncertain there succeeded him therein S. Elvanus who generally is acknowledged the second Metroâ—politan of London But whether in those times there was in Brittany any Iurisdiction properly Metropoliticall which must presuppose an erection of severall subordinate Dioceses cannot by any of our
by Tradition was the last who sate in the Chair of Kungresbury transfer'd that See which had continued six hundred years or more at Kungresbury to a Town then call'd Tethescine but now Welles which was given by King Ina who also consented to the Translation The said Daniel was the last of the Brittains who sate in that Bishoprick 10. This Story at least for as much as concerns the antiquity of the Episcopall See of Kungresbury seems to want a solide foundation For that Town took its name about the year of our Lord seaven hundred and eleaven from a holy man called Cungar a son of a Constantinopolitan Prince who coming into Brittany and desirous to live a retired life was kindly received by King Ina who bestow'd on him that portion of Land call'd afterward by his name and withall built for him a Mansion and Oratory there As for the Church of Wells it was then built by King Ina and endow'd with Lands by Kenulphus the Successour of King Ina in the year seaven hundred and sixty six But saith Bishop Godwin it was then not a Cathedrall but Collegiat or Monasticall Church and was erected into an Episcopall See in the year nine hundred and five in which the first Bishop was Adelmus XII CHAP. 1.2 King Lucius richly endows Churches with possessions 3.4 Priviledge of Sanctuary long continued in Brittany 1. KIng Lucius as he was very zealous and munificent in building Churches to the Glory of God he was no lesse in liberall endowments and Priviledges bestow'd on them To this purpose Matthew of Westminster call'd Florilegus writes thus In the year of Grace one hundred eighty seaven Lucius the glorious King of the Brittains having seen the true Worship of God largely spread in his Kingdom liberally bestow'd possessions and territories on Churches and Ecclesiasticall persons and also firmly established them with Charters and immunities Such liberties he gave to Churches and their Precincts that if any Malefactour made his refuge to them he became safe from all injuries of any man whosoever Thus living happily in the love of God and his Neighbour he governed his Kingdom in great peace A Modern Historian Richard White adds That this King having destroyed all the Idols and worship of false Gods transfer'd all their possessions on Christian Churches which he further enrich'd with more Lands and greater immunities as knowing very well that greater honour is due â—o the houses of the true God 2. We may from hence in some degree compute this King Munificence to Gods Church for since he judged that the Worship of the true God ought to be more splendid and sumptuous then that of their profane Idols had been by searching into ancient Monuments we shall find that the former Brittish Idolatry had been very costly and consequently the true worship much more To this purpose Geffrey of Monmouth and after him Ponticus Virunnius thus writes At London the Pagan Flamens sacrificed yearly forty thousand cowes a hundred thousand sheep and fowle of all kinds so many as could scarce be numbred And besides all these they offred thirty thousand savage cattle stags and other beasts bred in the woods 3. As for the Priviledge of Sanctuary granted by King Lucius to Churches he seems therein to have been a pattern to the Emperour-Constantin and other Christian Princes in future Ages who by their Laws gave unto the Church the like prerogative Hence the Fathers of the Councill of Orleans above eleaven hundred years since made this Canon to renew the use of former Canons and Lawes Concerning Manslayers adulterers and theeves who shall seek refuge in a Church we now ordain that that shall be observed which the Ecclesiasticall Canons have decreed and the Roman Law appointed to wit that it shall not be lawfull for any man by force to draw them from the Courts of Churches or houses of Bishops 4. This respect and reverence which King Lucius shew'd to the Church and Church-men was for many ages continued in Brittany more then in any Christian Nation besides These Priviledges of Sanctuaries were extended not only to Churches and Church-yards but much further according to limits and bounds determined by Bishops Insomuch saith Giraldus Cambrensis that by the indemnity of such immunity far exceeding the indulgence allow'd by the Canons of the Church which grant security only to the body and members of offenders many were induced to commit great outrages and from such places of Refuge did greivously molest both their Countrey and even their Princes themselves Whence appears with what religion the Ordinances of King Lucius were received and practised by posterity XIII CHAP. 1.2 c. A famous Church and Monastery erected by King Lucius at Winchester with Possessions and Priviledges which continued till the raign of Diocletiaâ— 6.7 Of what Institute the Monkâ— in those days were 9. Severall decays and restitutions of that Monastery 1. THE Piety of King Lucius in the sixth year after his conversion did more gloriously shew it selfe in the foundation and plentifull endowment of a Church and Monastery at Winchester then call'd Ventae Belgarum Which Church saith Bishop Godwin was consecrated by Fugatius and Damianus on the twenty ninth of October in the year one hundred eighty nine 2. Moratius a very ancient Authour quoted by Thomas Radburn Harpsfeâ—ld Bishop Vsher c. gives us a perfect description of this Church and Monastery And first as touching the dimensions and bounds of it he writes thus as he is quoted by Thomas Radburn Bishop of S. Davids The measure of the Church founded by King Lucius according to Moratius in his first Book and second Chapter was in length two hundred and nine paces in breadth fourscore paces and in heighth ninety two paces From one corner crosse the Church to the opposite corner were one hundred and thirty paces The situation of the Monastery on the East side of the Church towards the Temple of Concord was one hundred paces in length and in breadth towards the New Temple of Apollo â—orty On the Northpart it was one hundred and sixty paces in length and ninety eight in breadth On the West side of the Church there were in length one hundred and ninety in breadth one hundred On the south coast there were in length four hundred and fifty paces and in breadth five hundred and eighty On this side was seated the Episcopall Palace as likewise the habitation of the Monks 3. In the next place the same Authour Moratius describes the large possessions wherewith this Church and Monastery were endowed by King Lucius saying The limits of their possessions were extended twelve miles round about the Citty of Winchester reaching so far on every side In which space there were on each quarter seated eight wealthy Villages Now if one Church possessed so large 2 Territory we may collect how richly all the Churches of Brittany were endowed even in those Primitive times 4. The forementiond Thomas
relating what is extant in the ancient Monuments of severall Churches touching this matter Generally all Authours which have written of the Ecclesiasticall affairs of Bavaria Rhetia Vindelicia and the Cantons of the Swizzars do agree in this that a certain holy person called Lucius preached the Gospell of Christ in Bavaria and some other parts in Germany from whence he proceeded to Rhaetia in which Countrey he dyed and was buried in the Citty of Curia or Chur situated in the Countrey of the Helvetians or Grisons This saith Gaspar Buschius quoted by Raderus is certain But who this Lucius was of what family or nation cannot certainly be determined He adds that this Lucius who ever he was having preached among the Bohemians and other Regions bordering on the River Danubius was banish'd from thence and came into Rhaetia where he built for himselfe a poor narrow cottage c. 4. Aegidius Tscudus writing of the Ancient Rhaetia denotes the precise time when this Holy Apostolicall man came into those Countreyes saying that about the year of Christ one hundred seaventy six Eleutherius being Bishop of Rome Lucius out of a zeale to plant the Christian Faith is sayd to have come into Bavaria which he converted to the Faith and afterwards retired into Rhaetia c. But Andreas Presbyter as Raderus testifies determins this to have hapned more lately For says he about the year of our Lord one hundred eighty two Eleutherius the twelfth after S. Peter being Pope and in the raign of the Emperour Commodus Lucius being poor naked and therefore lesse encombred undertook a voyage into forraign Nations and by his preaching and Miracles is beleiv'd to have converted to the Faith of Christ the parts about Bavaria and the whole Countrey of Rhetia situated among the Alpes Aubertus Miraeus agrees in the same Chronology and lastly Alfledius most accuratly referrs this to the year of our Lord one hundred and ninety 5. Such a concurrence of Testimonies to which may be added the ancient Records of those Nations and Churches together with the Ecclesiasticall Office of the Cathedrall Church of Curia or Chur all these leave the matter unquestionable at least thus far that those Nations were about that time converted by one called Lucius Which Nations being seated not far from the place where about that time was performed the foremention'd Miracle of the saving the Emperour Marcus with the whole Roman Army from almost inevitable destruction by the prayers of his Christian souldiers no doubt they were thereby powerfully enclined to the embracing of the Christian Faith 6. But now who this Lucius was and out of what Countrey he came is a dispute among learned Authours who produce three onely of that Name 1. Lucius of Cyrene mention'd in the Acts of the Apostles and probably in the Epistle to the Romans too 2. Our Brittish King Lucius 3. Lucius or Lucion a pretended son of Constantius Chlorus and Helena And to each of these the Conversion of those Nations is by some Writers ascribed 7. As touching the first of these namely Lucius of Cyrene a Prophet and teacher at Antioch in the time of the Apostles that he could not be the Apostolick Converter of those German Nations seems unquestionable both from the ancient Martyrologes Eastern and Western affirming him to have lived and dyed in the East and likewise from the ancient Records of those Churches in Bavaria and Rhaetia which doe not pretend to such an Antiquity of the Profession of Christianity So that the learned and Noble Authour Marcus Velserus thus confidently writes concerning him The trifling assertions of those who confound Lucius of Cyrene with the Brittish Lucius deserve not to be answer'd since they doe not consider how vast a space there is between their times 8. And whereas our Hollingshead out of I know not what Apocryphall Writings would entitle to the Conversion of those Nations another Brittish Prince Lucius or Lucion pretended to be the second son of Constantius by our Brittish Lady Helena who is sayd to have been banished by his Father for killing his elder Brother and after his banishment to have repented and embraced the Christian Faith which he afterward preached in Germany c. the fabulousnes of this report discovers it selfe not only by the silence of all Ancient Historians living in and after the times of Constantius not any one of which make the least mention of such a Prince but on the contrary expresly affirm that Constantin was the only son born to Constantius by Helena Thus writes Eusebius familiarly acquainted with Constantin in the first Book of his Life To the same effect writes the Panegyrist Eumenius in his Oration pronounced to Constantin as likewise Liveneius descanting on another Panegyrick of an uncertain Authour spoken to the Emperours Maximian and Constantin And lastly Baronius who confidently affirms That Constantius begot of Helena any other son or daughter besides Constantin cannot be found recorded any where 9. To this unanswerable Proof against the assertion of Hollingshead follow'd herein by Broughton may be added the generall consent of the ancient Monuments and Writers of Germany and Rhaetia agreeing in this that the Conversion of those Nations was effected above one whole century of years before the age of Constantin 10. The first Lucius being therefore excluded for his too great antiquity and the third as living if at all much too late for such a work it remains that the Conversion of those Nations must be ascribed only to the second Lucius our first Pious Christian King 11. And indeed him only doe the most Ancient Monuments and Writers of those Churches and Regions acknowledge for their Prime Apostle Insomuch as Raderus a learned Authour and very diligent in the search of old Records confidently pronounces That the Beleif is most certain grounded upon the Testimonies of Authours most ancient and of prime Note that it was our Brittish King Lucius who converted those Nations The same is with the like confidence asserted by Aegidius Tscudus in his Treatise concerning Antient Rhetia by Andreas Presbyter by Petrus Mersaeus by Hertmannus Schedel Stumfius Aubertus Miraeus Nauclerus Notkerus Balbulus in his Martyrologe and Baronius To these may be added a Testimony of yet greater authority taken from the Church of Curia or Chur in whose Ecclesiasticall Office King Lucius is commemorated as the first Doctour and Apostle of that Countrey the place of whose buriall is there venerated though his Relicks have been dispersed through severall places in Germany And in the last place the same is confirmed by that Treasury of the Records of all Churches the Roman Martyrologe out of which every year on the third of December is chanted The Commemoration of S. Lucius King of the Brittains at Curia a Citty of Germany who was the first among Kings which received the Faith of Christ in the time of Pope Eleutherius XVI CHAP. 1.2.3 Of the iourney and
the Grace of the holy Ghost celebrated frequently Masses and Synods in vaults where the Bodies of holy Martyrs rested 7. After S. Mello's Baptism S. Stephanus ere long promoted him by all the severall Ecclesiasticall degrees to the sublime Order of a Bishop for S. Mello continually adhered to him Now by how stupendious a Miracle he was designed to be the Bishop of Rhotomagum or Roüen we find in his life collected out of ancient Ecclesiasticall Records in this manner 8 S. Stephanus together with S. Mello persever'd in Fastings and watching Now on a certain day whilst the Holy Bishop S. Stephanus was celebrating Masse both himselfe and S. Mello saw an Angell standing at the right side of the Altar Masse therfore being finish'd he gave to him a Pastorall Croster or staff which the Angell held in his hand saying Receive this staff with which thou shalt govern the inhabitants of the Citty of Roüsen in the Province of Neustria And though the labours of away and course of life hitherto unexperienced by thee may prove burdensom notwithstanding doe not feare to undertake it for our Lord Iesus Christ will protect thee under the shadow of his wings Thus having received a benediction from the holy Pope he betook himself to his iourney And when he was come to Altissiodorum or Auxerre in Gaule having in his hand the staff which he had received from the Angell he by his prayer restored to health a man who had his foot cut in two peices by an axe 9. The learned Molanus calls S. Mello the first Bishop of Roüen and seems to proove it by an Ancient Distick of that Church importing as much But a former more authentick Tradition describ'd out of the ancient Catalogue of Bishops of that Church by Democharus declares that S. Nicasius preceded S. Mello in that Bishoprick However saith Ordericus Vitalis The Ancient Pagan Superstition after the Martyrdom of S. Nicasius possess'd the said Citty filling it with innumerable pollutions of Idolatry till the time that S. Mello was Bishop there XV. CHAP. 1.2 c A prosecution of the Gests of S. Mello Bishop of Roüen 5. Dempster impudently challenges him to be a Scott 1. BEcause we would not interrupt this story of S. Mello it will be convenient here to prosecute his life and Gests unto his death which hapned almost two and twenty years after his Ordination Thus therfore the Gallican Martyrologe relates concerning him 2. S. Mello unwilling to delay the execution of the Mission impos'd on him by the Holy Ghost departed from Auxerre and went streight to Roüen Where courageously setting upon his divine employment he began to preach to the inhabitants the name of Christ with such efficacy of speech and power of miracles to which the admirable Sanctity of his life added a greater vertue that in short time he brought almost the whole Citty to the obedience of Faith This great change began especially when on a certain day the people were busy in attending to an abominable sacrifice offred to a certain false Deity of theirs For S. Mello coming there suddenly upon them and inflam'd with a heavenly zeale sharply reproved that frantick people for their blindnes which worship'd a senceles stock as if it were a God And presently calling on the Name of Christ and making the triumphant Sign of the Crosse he immediatly tumbled down the Idoll and with the word of his mouth alone in the sight of them all broke it into small peices-Hereupon the people being astonish'd with this sight willingly attended to his admonitions who taught them the knowledge of the true God and the hope of immortall life to be attaind by his pure Worship By this means a great multitude of the Cittizens became imbued with the Doctrines of our holy Faith and purified by the water of Sacred Baptisme And S. Mello in the same place from which he had expelled the Devill erected the first Trophey to our Lord building there a Church under the Title of the Supreme most Holy Trinity In which Church the people being assembled every Sunday were instructed more perfectly by him in the Worship of God there he offred the unbloody Sacrifice and communicated to his flock the means and helps by which they might attain salvation 3. Thus the flock of Christ encreasing plentifully every day certain Merchants of other countreys negotiating there became attentive and obedient to the Divine Word for whose commodity the Holy Bishop built another Church in an Island where they might more conveniently assemble themselves to which he gave the Title of S. Clement He added moreover a third Church to the end he might comply with the fervour of the multitudes flowing together to see the Wonders wrought by him This he consecrated to the veneration of the most holy Virgin the Mother of God and placed there a Colledge of Preists therby designing it for an Episcopall See 4. Having thus persisted the space of many years in the discharge of his Apostolicall Office and by the seed of the Divine Word having begotten many thousand soules to Christ this Blessed man a veteran Soldier in our Lords warfare at last in the year of Grace two hundred and eighty departed to his eternall rest there receiving from his heavenly Generall whom he had served with great courage perseverance and glory an inestimable Doâ—â—tive and reward He was buried in a vault in the suburbs over which afterward was erected a Church dedicated to S. Gervasius a glorious Monument worthy of him From whence notwithstanding afterward when the Danish armies raged in France his sacred Body was removed into parts more remote from the Sea and reverently layd at a Castle called Pontoise where to this day it reposes in a Church which from him takes its Title where the memory of so illustrious a Champion of Christ lives with great glory and splendour 5. This account gives the Gallican Martyrologe of our Blessed Brittish Saint Mello or Melanius Probus as Possevin calls him Whom yet in opposition to the universall consent of all Writers and Records agreeing that he was a Brittain Dempster most impudently in his Scottish Menology will needs call a Scott falsly affirming that Possevin acknowledges him for such Wheras to this time there is not mention in any ancient Writers of such a Nation as Scotts in this Island Or if there had been certain it is that their countrey never having been subdued by the Romans there was no Tribut sent from thence to Rome which yet we see was the occasion of S. Mello's first going thither But it is Dempsters constant practise ridiculously to adopt into a Scottish family all persons whatsoever which in these Primitive times are called Brittains If this were granted Ireland would have a better title to this Saint then Scotland for in this age that Island was the only countrey of the Nation called Scots which afterward transplanted themselves into the Northern parts of the Caledonian Brittains But
S. Peter Eutychianus the successour of Pope Foelix who immediatly followed S. Dionysius And in this year were Consuls Aurelianus and Bassus 2 That Constantin was born this year appears evidently out of Eusebius an Authour familiarly known to him who in the first Book of Constantin's life says That God continued his raign the space of more then thirty years that is thirty two years and a few months as he saies in another Book and that the said number being doubled was the measure of the years of his life Now the common opinion of Chronologists being that he dyed in the year of Grace three hundred thirty seaven since Eusebius allows to his age little above sixty two years it will follow that his birth was in this year 3. The speciall relation we have to this glorious Prince will deserue our inquiry into the place likewise of his birth concerning which there is some disagreement among Historians For besides Authours of of good esteem as Ferreolus Locrius and Thomas Boziâ—s the publick Oratours sent from our Kings to the Councills of Constance and Basil positively affirm that he was born at York in a place called Pertenna which B. Vsher interprets to be the Colledge of Vicars attending the Quire at this day called Bederne which heretofore was a part of the Emperours Palace And certain it is that in following times Constantius had his cheif residence there where at last he also dyed 4. Others there are which assign London for the place of his birth as William Stevenson in his Description of London grounding their opinion probably on this for that afterward at the request of his Mother Helena he caused London to be compass'd about with a wall of stone and brick as Camden affirms Whereas Henry of Huntingdon and Simon of Durham report Saint Helena her self to be authour of that work which saith B. Vsher is confirm'd by a great number of Medalls stamp'd with her image which have frrequently been found under the said walls But all this is no proof at all that Constantin was born there 5. It is most probable that he was born as his Mother before had been at Câ—lâ—qestor about which also she built a wall For this was the Citty where her Father usually resided and where Constantius his affairs at this time cheifly lay For in the Northern parts there were as yet no troubles at all it will be almost twenty years before Constantius toward the end of his life be called into those Provinces upon occasion of sedition among the Caledâ—nian Brittains III. CHAP. 1.2 c. The relation of Nicephorus c. touching Constantins birth in Bithynia confâ—ted 1. WHatsoever hath been hitherto written out of approved Authours either touching Saint Helena's quality birth or countrey or Constantins originall is contradicted especially by some Greek Historians particularly Cedrenus and Nicephorus to whose authority though of no moment considering both their manifest fabulousnes in other matters their contradicting one another in this and the latenes of their writing yet some learned Authours of our Age doe deferr particularly Lipsius a person eminently skill'd in all Antiquities 2. The relation given by Nicephorus touching the mariage of Constantius with Helena is this The Roman Empire says he having been cruelly wasted by the Persians Parthians Sarmatians and other bordering Nations Diocletian and Maximianus then Emperours sent Constantius call'd by him Constans as their Embassadour to the Persian King to pacify him with kind speeches and gifts Constantius in his way thither putt in at a haven called Drepanum in Bithynia in the bay of Nicomedia Where to satisfy his lust his host prostituted his own daughter a maid of great beauty to whom Constantius gave for reward his royall vesture embroydered with purple The same night upon occasion of a wonderfull vision Constantius gave a strict châ—â—ge to the maids father that he should not permitt her to be touchd by any other and that he should with all care see the child well educated because sayd he in my sleep I saw a sun against nature rising from the westhern sea Having then perform'd his Embassy he return'd to Rome another way where he was presently created Caesar together with Galerius and not long after they were both of them Emperours c. 3. This story of Nicephorus saith the Illustrious Cardinall Baronius may by many unanswerable arguments be confuted being evidently contrary to certain Chronology For if Constantin was born when his father was created Caesar which was in the year of Grace two hundred ninety two it will necessarily follow that he was but fourteen years old when he was proclamed Emperour wheras by Eusebius his account who was inwardly known to him he was at least seaventeen years old when his Father was first design'd Caesar and above thirty at the beginning of his own raign It is very probable therfore that Nicephorus mistook Bithynia for Brittany and because afterward the Town call'd Drepanum was beautified by Constantin and from his Mother call'd Helenepolis therfore he fancied it to be the place of her birth Whereas besides many Authours of good credit the Gallican Oratour who pronounc'd a solemn Panegyrick at the mariage of Constantin and Fausta the daughter of Maximian saith in expresse words that he ennobled Brittany with his birth 4 Notwithstanding in confirmation of Nicephorus his relation at least for as much as concerns the exclusion of Brittany from being the place of Constantins birth the learned Lipsius adioyns a testimony of Iulius Firmicus Maternus a writer of those very times whose words are Our Lord Augustus Emperour of the whole world the Pious happy and wise Prince Constantin the greatest the Son of late Deified Constantin of most happy and venerable memory who by the propitious favour of God was elected to free the world from tyrannicall excesses and domesticall seditions that so the deformity of slavery being taken away we might enioy the blessing of a secure liberty and shake from our weary necks the yoak of captivity a Prince who whilst he fought for our freedom was never deserted by fortune though otherwise most instable in affairs of Warr He was born at Naisus a Citty of Illyricum and from his almost infant years managed the stern of the Commonwealth which authority having fortunatly obtain'd he with wholesom moderation governs the Roman world This noble Character Lipsius will needs apply to Constantin the Great and consequently affirms that he was born far from Brittany at Naisus a Citty of Illiricum or Dardania confining to Thrace 5. But as M. Camden in an Epistle to Lipsius declares which is further strongly confirm'd by the R. F. Michael Alford a learned Iesuit of our Nation it is evident that Firmicus published his Book during the raign of Constantius Son of Constantin the Great as appears by his dedicating it to Mavortius Lollianus by the Title of Proconsul who was Consul in the eighteenth year of Constantius So
perspicuous 5. And concerning Amphibalus some Writers doe not without some reason doubt whether Amphibalus the Teacher of the Caledonians be the same with him who taught S. Albanus Because both the regard of time and quality of their persons seem to pronounce them to be severall He who taught the Caledonians is in ancient Writings said to have been forty years before a Bishop of the Prime See in the North under King Crathlintus wheras this Amphibalus the Converter of S. Albanus to the Faith is by our Historians simply call'd a Clark some times a Preist or a Monk for so we read in the Annalls of Winchester S. Amphibalus a Monk and Doctour in the Church of Caermardin otherwise call'd the Citty of Melin in wales 6. But as touching the time it does not necessarily proove his age to have been so excessively long but that he might have lived to this time and those who describe his Martyrdom affirm him to have been very old 7. Again considering his Titles it is well known that the name of Sacerdos Preist and Bishop were in those ancient dayes used promiscuously And moreover Amphibalus having had his Mission from the Bishop of Rome to preach the Gospell in Brittany no doubt was qualified for Episcopall functions Then whereas he is stiled a Monk it was the usuall practise among those Primitive Apostolicall Missioners to spend much of their time in solitary retirements to exercise prayer and Mortification And Cairmardin being not far distant from Caïr Leon the place of S. Amphibalus his Nativity might probably be chosen by him for such a retreit 8. But it will be more difficult to determin the place from whence he last came into the Southern parts of Brittany for if we beleive the Scottish Historians we must say that he came from the Caledonians though indeed they declare that their Amphibalus dyed quietly without any violence or persecution Whereas our writers professe that he came from the Western provinces of the Silure or Dimetae now South Wales But according to the more Authentick Narration of S. Albanus his life he seems to have come into Brittany from Rome and through France for he is sayd to have pass'd through regions of Heathens or such as professed the Pagan Idolatry of the Romans 9. Next for as much as concerns S. Albanus in our English Martyrologe he is stiled the Cheif Procuratour Oeconomus of Brittany from whence we may collect that he was the Emperours Quaestor or Treasurer to gather his rents and Tributs For such Officers were usually sent into the Provinces which were not Consular And these Procurators were some times Gentlemen of Rome of which rank S. Albanus his family seems to have been Some times likewise they were the Emperours liberti or freed servants as Dio informs as 10. Having premis'd these remarks touching the two holy Martyrs we now proceed to the Narration of their Gests according to the ancient authentick relation preserv'd by Capgrave X. CHAP. 1.2 c. The Ancient authentick Acts of S. Albanus his wonderfull Conversion by S. Amphibalus c. 1. THis then is the tenour of the Acts of the holy Proto-martyr of Brittany Saint Albanus thus they begin when the persecution under the Emperour Diocletian moved against Christians began to rage through the whole Empire a certain man named Amphibalus illustrious for his vertues and learning having pass'd the Sea into Brittany came through the divine conduct to Verolam And having entred the Citty he resorted to the house of Albanus desiring to be entertain'd as a stranger Now this Albanus was a Cittizen of Verolam eminent for his quality being descended from an illustrious Roman family He received the holy man with great kindnes and liberality And having withdrawn him from the noise of the servants into a privat room he ask'd him secretly How could you being a Christian passe without danger through the regions inhabited by Gentiles and arrive safely 〈◊〉 his Citty 2. This question was seasonably indeed made considering the subtile means employed by Diocletian for the discovery of Christians for as we read in the Acts of Martyrs cited by Baronius it was not permitted to any one either to buy or sell till he had offred incense to certain little Idols sett up in the Markets And moreover about all streets passages and fountains were placed Officers with order to compell all that would draw water or have their corn ground to sacrifice first to such Idols To this question therfore S. Amphibalus thus answered 3. My Lord Iesus Christ the son of the living God sayd he preserv'd mee safe among all dangers and sent mee into this Province for the salvation of many to the end that by preachin◠his holy Faith I may prepare a people acceptable to him But who is this Son of God replied Albanus Can God be said to be born These are strange speeches such as I never heard before I desire therfore to be inform'd what opinion you Christians have of these matters Then the Holy man answered thus Our Faith teaches us to acknowledge the Father to be God and the Son likewise to be God Which Son of God in infinite mercy vouchsafed to take our flesh upon him for the salvation of mankind that he might redeem us by suffring death And discoursing at large of the Birth Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Christ he added If you O Albanus will beleive these things to be true you will receive power by calling on the name of Christ to restore to health any infirm sick persons And the truth is I an come into this Citty on purpose to preach to you the healthfull Doctrin of our Lords Passion because our mercifull God will reward your kind offices of humanity and hospitality to which you frequently addict your selfe with the inestimable recompence of eternall happines Then Albanus ask'd him What honour and worship must I exhibite to Christ in case I embrace his Faith The other answered Beleive this that our Lord Iesus together with the Father and the Holy Ghost is one God and thou wilt have perform'd a work of high esteem in his sight But Albanus sayd what is all this Sure thou art mad thou knowst not what thou sayst No human understanding or reason can comprehend these things But be sure of this that if the inhabitants here of this Citty came to know that thou makest such discourses of Christ without delay they would put thee to a cruell death For mine own part I am very solicitous in thy behalf for fear some mischeif befall thee before thou departest from hence Having said this be arose and went his way much disturbed As for Amphibalus he spent the whole night alone in watching and prayer 4. The same night whilst Albanus was sleeping on the topp of the house wonderfull visions from heaven were presented to him With which being much affrighted he rose presently from his bed and went down to the lower
it is thus from his own relation declar'd by Eusebius Constantin saith he was distracted and disquieted with great doubts and feares what this wonderfull Vision should portend In which solicitude of thoughts the night overtooke him And when he was asleep our Lord appeard to him bearing the same sign which had been shown him from heaven and commanded him to cause a draught and Copy representing the same sign which had appeard to him to be framed and that he should make use of that as a firm guard and protection whensoever he was to committ battell with his enemies 10. The Historian adds as soon as the day appeared he rose from his bed and declared to his freinds this mysterious vision And afterwards calling together the most cunning artificers skillfull in gold and precious stones he placed himself in the mid'st among them and by words describ'd to them the form and pattern of the Sign which had appeared from heaven Commanding them to imitate the form therof in gold and precious stones And the said Authour giving a description of the Labarum or Banner caried always in Constantins Army thus proceeds The Emperour saith he did always after make use of this Saving Sign of the Crosse as a sure defence against all hostile violence and danger the expresse representations wherof he commanded to be made and perpetually be caried before his Army 11. The devotion of this pious Emperour encreasing more and more to the Sacred Crosse moved him to cause innumerable representations of it to be placed in severall places both publick and private To this purpose writes the same Eusebius So great and so divine was that love wherwith the Emperour embraced our Lord that he took care that the Ensign of his saving Passion should in a faire Table adorned with much gold and precious stones of all kinds he fixed in the Entrance of his Palace in the principall room in the middle of his house and in the guilded roof therof That seemed to the most holy Emperour to be a firm bullwark of his Empire 12. No wonder then if the veneration of the Holy Crosse became yet more encreased among Christians We have shewd in the life of S. Albanus that it was even from the beginning practised Which practise sems now to have been authorised by our Lord himselfe from heaven And that the devout Christians of these times understood it so appears by the generall zeale they shewd in honouring this mark of our Salvation which that it was acceptable to God was demonstrated by innumerable Miracles wrought thereby But to return to Constantin VI. CHAP. 1.2 Constantius victorious march to Rome 3.4 He fights with Maxentius and overcomes him who is drown'd in the Tiber to the infinite ioy of the Romans c. 7.8 c. Constantin venerates the Crosse. D. whittacres mistake 1. COnstantin being encourag'd with this so glorious a testimony of Divine assistance armed with the Crosse both on his helmet and forehead and conducting an army before which was caried the same triumphant Ensign pursued his expedition into Italy and approaching to the Alpes subdued the Segusians presuming to resist him And having pass'd those Mountains conquered the Taurini and after them the Citty of Verona which trusting in the multitude of its garrison had the boldnes to shutt the gates against him Aequileia Mutina and all other Citties on this side the Pâ— follow'd the fortune of Verona 2. Thus having cleared all the Provinces behind him of Enemies he marched courageously to Rome it selfe where the Tyrant for more then sixe years had exercised all manner of crimes He had not the courage all that time to issue once out of the Citty or to oppose Constantins progresse partly being stupified with his lusts and affrighted with prodigies and divinations of his Sooth-sayers 3. But assoon as Constantin approached to the Citty Maxentius was enforced to draw out his army consisting of one hundred and seaventy thousand foot and eighteen thousand horse all these numerous forces he raged beyond the Milvian bridge so that they were shut out of the Citty by the river To the strength of his army the Tyrant added the subtilty of a stratagem for he had caused the bridge so to be framed that at his pleasure he might for his advantage easily dissolve it 4. On the other side Constantin having ranged his army himself with great courage gave the onset by which he immediatly broke his enemies ranks so that little resistance was made except by the Pretorian soldiers who expecting no pardon because they onely had created Maxentius Emperour covered the ground with their dead bodies 5. The enemies being thus put to flight found their flight unsucces'full because the straitnes of the bridge hindred them so that the slaughter was excessively great and there being no other meane to avoyd the sword but by entring the River great multitudes were swallow'd by it As for the Tyrant he to conceale himself had cast off all marks of his authority and adventured into the Tiber but not being able to ascend the steep banks was hurried down the stream and drowned His body was cast upon the shore below which the Roman people having found they cut off his head which fastning on the topp of a speare they caried it up and down the Citty with great ioy and triumph 6. Since Rome was built saith the Panegyrist never shone a day celebrated with greater and a more universall ioy or that deserved to be so celebrated then that of Constantins triumph after this Victory His triumphall chariot was attended not with conquered Princes or Generalls but with the Roman Nobility freed from dungeons and chains Rome did not enrich herselfe with spoyles of enemies but herselfe ceased to be the Spoyle of an inhuman Tyrant c. 7. This common ioy acclamations and applauses the pious Emperour would have to be asscribed not to himself but God only the vertue of his holy Crosse to whom he gave the praises and acknowledgment of his Victory as Eusebius testifies And Prudentius adds that Constantin at his triumphall entrance into the Citty commanded the Crosse to be caried before his army to the end Rome might see by what arms she had been freed from slavery and moreover that he enjoyn'd both the people and Senat of Rome to prostrate themselves before the Crosse and adore the name of Christ. 8. It is a great mistake therfore in somâ— Protestant Writers by name Whitaker who affirms that Constantin indeed did use the sign of the Crosse which appeard to him from heaven for an Ensign but that no proof can be given that the Crosse was honoured or venerated by him Wheras the passage now cited out of Prudentius evinces the contrary and Sozomen expressly affirms that Constantin gave great honour to the holy Crosse both for the aid afforded him by its vertue in his warr against his enemies and likewise for the Divine apparition of it
fled to Fincomark King of Scotland who refused to yeild him up at the request of Traërnus on the contrary in his quarrell he rais'd an army fought and vanquish'd Traërnus in the Province of Westmerland which say they since Carausius his times belonged to Scotland All which story seems an invention on purpose to illustrate the name of Scotland and its pretended Kings of which no mention as yet can be found in any approved Authours 7. At this time Constantin made his abode in Gaule afterward called France where he was much distracted and disquietted and more by the factions of Schismaticks among Christians then any commotions of confining barbarous Nations Vpon which occasion he was compell'd to command a Generall Assembly or Synod of the Western Empire to meet at Arles for composing the seditions rais'd by the Donatists To which Synod since the Brittish Bishops were by name call'd it is requisite we should make some stay to declare the proceedings of it IX CHAP. 1.2 c. Schism of the Donatists and its occasion 3. c The Donatists after severall condemnations still appeale 1. THE Enemy of Truth and Peace having lost the advantage of opposing Christian Religion by the violence and rage of his instruments the Heathen persecuting Emperours did not for all that cease from his malice which was heightned by Envy against it but rather executed another way with more successe by suggesting matter of seditions and divisions among Christians themselves The first publick infamous Scene of which scandalls was Carthage in Africk And the occasion was this 2. Caecilianus Archdeacon to Mensurius Bishop of Carthage had reprehended a Spanish woman call'd Lucilla then living in that Citty because before receiving the holy Sacrament she had with veneration kiss'd the head of a certain person esteem'd by her a Martyr yet not acknowledged for such by the Bishop Lucilla being a woman of great power and wealth upon this reprehension conceived an implacable rage and fury against Cacilianus earnestly expecting all occasions of revenge 3. This was afforded her not long after in the year of Christ three hundred and six when upon the death of Mensurius Caecilianus was chosen Bishop of that Citty For he requiring a restitution of certain vessells of silver and gold belonging to his Church which in the late time of persecution had by his Predecessour been recommended to the fidelity of certain Elders of that Citty they to avoy'â— the necessity of restoring them ioyn'd themselves to the faction of Botrus and Celesius who had ambitiously sought after the same Bishoprick and were rejected the resentment of which repulse incited them to question the Election of Caecilianus Lucilla earnestly ioynd herself to this faction of unjust discontented persons who publickly withdrew themselves from the Communion of their Bishop by which means there was rais'd in Africk a most horrible and irreconcileable Schism the flame wherof could not for many ages be extinguish'd 4. These factious persons to strengthen their party invited to Carthage a number of African Bishops who formerly in a publick Councill at Cirtha had been convicted Traditores that is such as for feare of persecution had deliver'd up to Heathen Magistrats the Holy Vessels and Books belonging to the Church among whom the principall was Secundus Bishop of Tâ—gisis and Primat of Numidia These Bishops seaventeen in number kept their Assemblies at Carthage separated from Caecilianus in opposition to whom they presumed sacrilegiously to ordain another counterfeit Bishop of Carthage calld Maiorinus one who had been Lector to Caecilianus when he was Archdeacon and was now a Domestick of Lucilla 5. Moreover to iustify their Schism these Bishops who were most manifest Traditors themselves alledged that Caecilianus his Ordination was illegall because he had received imposition of hands from Felix Bishop of Aptungis and others whom they falsly accused of their own crime They likewise wrongfully charged Caecilianus that he had forbidden necessary provision to be administred to certain Martyrs in prison during the last persecution All which calumnies they by letters spread through the whole countrey of Africa Caecilianus in the mean time being acknowledged lawfull Bishop by Marcellus Bishop of Rome and all other Bishops through the Catholick Church before whom he confidently offred himselfe to a legall tryall This relation is given by S. Optatus and Saint Augustin 6. Now though this Schism was cheifly forged by Botrus and Celesius together with the foremention'd Elders and Lucilla and encreased by Secundus and other Traditors Bishops yet it first took its name Title from Donatus Bishop of a place call'd Casae nigrae or Black Cottages in Numidia who first at the instigation of Lucilla withdrew himself from the communion of Caecilianus whilst he was Deacon But the Donatists being ashamed to take their appellation from one who had been condemn'd by Pope Melchiades chose rather to call themselves Donatists from another Donatus who succeeded Majorinus in the Schism and whom they esteem'd a person of great eminence both for learning and Sanctity 7. This unhappy Schism received such strength in a short space that within three years ioyning themselves with Traditors Bishops and drawing into their sacrilegious Communion all the Numidians they assembled a Councill of no fewer then two hundred and seaventy Bishops which continuing together seaventy five dayes and repeating all their former Constitutions made a Decree that all those who were guilty of the horrible crime of Tradition if they refused to be rebaptised should notwithstanding be admitted into Communion as if they were innocent 8. When Constantin had overcome Maxentius the Donatists obtain'd of Anulinus Governour of Africk to send his letters full of calumnious accusations against Caecilianus unto the Emperour who was then in Gaule and some of the same Schismaticall Bishops made a voyage to him earnestly requesting him to appoint Iudges of their cause The Emperour himself saith Optatus with great indignation answered theÌ„ You require a secular iudgment from mee who my self expect the iudgment of Christ. Yet with extreme importunity they at last wrested from him for their Iudges Maternus Bishop of Colonia Agrippina Rheticius Bishop of Austun Marius of Arles 9. But presently after this Constantin conâ—idering of what weight and necessity the authority of the Roman Bishop was in such a cause he commanded the Donatists Bishops together with Caecilianus and as many other of his Communion to attend these three Iudges at Rome to debate and conclude the cause before the holy Pope Melchiades in a Roman Synod To whom likewise the pious Emperour wrote a letter in which he tells the Pope that he thought fitt to send these contending Bishops before him to the end they might receive iudgment from him and the other Iudges as you know saith he the most holy law of God requires 10. A Synod therfore being assembled at Rome the result therof after a diligent examination of the parties and witnesses was a
necessary or expedient for humane life Now this one particular is worthy of eternall memory that immediatly before his last day he recited a funerall Oration in the place accustomed wherin by a continued discourse he spoke of the immortality of soules of the rewards which God had prepared for those who lived piously in this world and on the contrary of the miserable end of those who lead ungodly lives Which discourses pronounced with gravity and constancy aâ—d so affect some of his domesticall servants that one of them a Pagan Idolater who pretended to wisedom being ask'd What his opinion was of the Emperours Oration answered though with some unwillingnes that the things spoken by him seem'd to him to be true and particularly that he could not but highly commend his discourse against a multitude of Gods Such entertainments as those the pious Emperour had among his familiar freinds a little before his death by which he seem'd to make the way to a better life more easy and eaven 5. Eutropius relates that there appeared in heaven at that time a Comet of an unusuall biggnes portending his death After which he fell into some distemper which encreasing forced him to make use of hott bathes in the Citty From whence saith Eusebius he was removed to his Mothers Citty Helenopolis in Bithynia where for a long time continuing in the Church consecrated to the Holy Martyr S. Lucianus he offred his Prayers and publick vowes to God 6. The same Authour in another place pretends that Constantin was at this time baptis'd by the Arian Bishop of Nicomedia neer that Citty But the generall Tradition of the Western Church refutes him as hath been shew'd Therfore what was done by Constantin was not receiving Baptism but Pennance which the same Eusebius relating it calls an imitation of saving Baptism For thus he writes when the consideration of his last day came into Constantins mind he iudging this an opportune time for him to be cleansed of his sins which as a mortall man he had committed and beleiving that by the efficacy of Divine Mysteries and an imitation of the saving laver of Baptism his soule would be purged he I say considering these things fell humbly on his knees in the Church of Martyrs at Helenopolis and there confessing his sins he offred himself a suppliant to God for the pardon of them And then it was that he first became worthy to receive absolution by imposition of hands and prayer 7. In the last place touching his death the same Authour thus prosecutes his Narration Assoon as all holy Mysteries were perform'd he was cloathed with Kingly robes shining brighter then light and was layd in a bed of a most pure whitenesse for his Imperiall Purple he rejected and would never make use of it afterward Then with a clear distinct voyce he prayd and gave thanks to God adding words to this purpose Now I am assured of happines and immortall life now I am made partaker of Divine light Withall he with detestation bewayld the state of miserable Pagans whom be affirm'd most unhappy in that they were deprived of such divine blessings 8. And when the Centurions and other Superiour Officers were admitted and deplored with mournfull voyces their unhappines in the losse of such an Emperour wishing him a longer life To these he answered that now he had attain'd true life indeed and that himself only understood his own happines for which reason his desire was to hasten his departure to God After this he disposed his will in which he gave honourable pensions to such Romans as inhabited the Royall Citty new built by him As for his Empire he left it as a Patrimony to his children Thus dyed Constantin during the solemnity of Pentecost 9. As for the Vniversall mourning the clamours of the people the tearing of garments and prostration of bodies on the ground practised by the Soldiers to testify their inconsolable sorrow for so great a losse together with the glorious solemnization of his funeralls at which was only of all his Sons Constantius present all these things may be read at large in the same Authour This one passage in him must not be omitted where he writes thus Great multitudes of people together with the Preists did not cease with teares and much groaning to powre forth Prayers unto God for the soule of the Emperour wherin they performed an Office very acceptable and desired by the pious Prince himself And likewise God therby shew'd his singular goodnes to his servant both in that after his death his Empire descended to his own dear children and that himself obtain'd repose in the place so affected by him wherin the Memory of the Apostles was ioyâ—tly celebrated 10. That the Church did not doubt of the happines and glory of this pious Emperour after his death the Martyrologes of the Greek the Gallican and Brittish Churches are assured testimonies in which on the one and twentieth of May his Memory is anniversarily solemnised And particularly in Brittany Temples were built and dedicated to his honour One of which still remaines in the Province of the Ordovices or Northwales call'd at this day by his name which was erected by the Brittains when they Were driven by the Saxons into those quarters THE EIGHTH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAP. 1.2 Constantin divides the Empire among his three Sons 3. Brittany under Constantin the younger 4. His kindnes to S. Athanasius 5. He is slain by his Brothers soldiers 1. THE Emperour Constantin at his death divided the Roman Empire among his three Sons so as that his eldest Son Constantin enioy'd for his portion the Provinces of Gaule Spain Brittany and all other conquer'd countreyes on this side the Alpes Constantius the Second Son being only present at his Fathers death took possession of the Eastern Regions together with Egypt and the youngest son Constans had the government of Italy and Africk 2. Now the Gests of these and severall succeeding Emperours we will leave to such Historians as have written of the generall affaires of the Church and Empire For having confin'd our selves to matters which concern the Ecclesiasticall state of Brittany our purpose is to treat no further of such Emperours then as they are necessary for Chronology or shall concern our own countrey 3. As touching therfore the Second Constantin within whose Iurisdiction Brittany was comprised his Raign was short not lasting entirely four years And all that we can record of him is that he was constant in the Profession of the Catholick Faith establish'd in the Great Council of Nicaea wherin he was imitated likewise by his Youngest Brother Constans So that by these two Emperours means all the Western Churches were secured from the infection of Heresy which miserably defaced the Eastern parts by reason that Constantius raigning there suffred himself to be perverted by Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia and other Arian Hereticks 4. Now an illustrious proof
spoiles and dispersing them he quickly rescued the prisoners together with the cattle and other prey Which he restor'd to the miserable natives excepting a small part bestow'd on his weary Soldiers And so entred into the Citty in triumph ioyfully received by the people lately plunged in extreme misery and in a moment recovered by his valour There he made some stay with an intention to attempt greater matters yet without putting the army to hazard For by captives and spies he was inform'd that the sudden excursions of so many feirce nations could no other way be repress'd but by subtilty Hereupon to divide them he publish'd Edicts promising impunity to all who would submitt And those which came in he dispers'd into other quarters severally allowing them provisions Which gave an invitation to many more to submitt likewise After this he desir'd the Emperour to send over to him as his Deputy Governour in Brittany Civilis a man of a more then ordinarily sharp iudgment in such affairs and withall of great integrity At likewise for his Lievtenant in martiall affaires Dulcitius very skillfull therin And thus pass'd the affaires in Brittany that year 6. Two years after he march'd with his army from London northward where he putt to flight severall Nations which formerly had the insolence to invade the Roman provinces Thus he restor'd to their former security and plenty many Citties and castles which had been vex'd with many calamities But whilst he was busy in these matters he had like to have been circumvented by the treason of one Valentinus a Pannonian who for some great crimes had been banish'd into Brittany For this man being of an ambitious turbulent Spirit had solicited many of the Soldiers to conspire with him against Theodosius But the design being discovered he contented himself with the execution of Valentinus and a few of his nearest associats for he would not by tortures search further into the conspiracy least by dispersing a fear among his soldiers he should incite them to pursue the like attempts 7. Having escap'd this danger he successfully prosecuted the warr putting strong garrisons into Citties and limitany castles and in a short time recover'd the Province from the Enemies in which he placed a Governour 7. So that now that part of Brittany which was vnder the Romans dominion was divided into five Provinces The first call'd Britannia prima contain'd all the southern parts between the Sea and the Rivers of Thames and Severn The second call'd Britannia Secunda comprehended the Silures Dimetae and Ordovices that is all Wales The third call'd Flavia Caesariensis probably from this Theodosius his Son afterward Emperour of the Flavian family embraced all the Regions between Thames and Humber The fourth call'd Maxima Caesariensis reach'd from Humber to the River Tine And lastly Theodosius having expell'd the Picts and Scotts out of all the Province beyond Tine as far as between Dunbritton and Edinborough call'd this fifth Province Valentia In which was the wintring camp of a Roman Legion to represse the incursions of the Scotts 9. Theodosius having thus happily settled Brittany was two years after call'd by the Emperour to Court where he was made Generall of the Horse in Iovinus his place by the Senat honour'd with a Statue of brasse But the most illustrious effect of his martiall exploits was the recommending of his Son by the brightnes of them to the Empire XII CHAP. 1.2 c. Of S. Ninianus Birth and education 3. Of S. Moyses Apostle of the Saracens said to have been a Brittain 1. THE year after Theodosius his departure out of Brittany our Ecclesiasticall Monuments commemorate S. Ninianus call'd by S. Beda S. Ninias his iourney to Rome to be there instructed in the true Orthodox Faith which he afterward with great efficacy communicated to his own countrey So that it is probable he attended Theodosius in that voyage 2. Concerning whose birth we read thus in his life He was born in great Brittany of a Princely Stock in that Region where the Western Ocean as it were stretching forth its arm and on each side making two angles divides the Provinces of the Scots and English as at this day they are separated Which countrey even to the times of the Saxons enjoy'd their own King as we are assured not only from the credit of History but even the memory of some yet alive His Father was Prince of that countrey Cumberland by Religion a Christian and truly happy in the blessing of such a Son Whilst Ninian was yet a child he shew'd great devotion to Churches and wonderfull love to his associats He was sober in his diet sparing of his tongue diligent in reading grave in conversation averse from lightnes and always carefull to subject the flesh to the spirit 3. At last by a forcible instinct of Gods holy spirit the Noble youth undertook a pilgrimage despising wordly riches and carnall affections Therfore passing over Sea into Gaule and taking his way through the Alpes he entred Italy and with a prosperous iourney came to Rome Where being arrived he went to the Cheif Bishop Pope Damasus to whom he declared the cause of his iourney Whereupon the Holy Bishop commending his devotion receiv'd him with the tendernes of a Father and appointed him Teachers to instruct him in the Disciplines of Truth and Orthodox Faith as likewise in the wholesome sence of Scriptures 4. By this relation it appears that S. Ninian was of the Nation of the Southern Picts And whereas he is call'd Son of a King that Title in the liberal stile of our ancient Legendaries signifies no more then a person of Power and riches in his countrey Though as Bishop Vsher observes in the ancient English Annalls there is frequent mention of the Kingdom of the Cumbri Cumberland whereto the Southern Picts belong The Authour of his life thus proceeds 5. Young Ninianus therfore with wonderfull avidity studying Gods word like a diligent Bee composed for his own use as from many flowers out of severall Sentences of holy Doctours honey-combs of spirituall wisedom which being layd upp in the hive of his bosome he preserv'd them for his own interiour refection in due time likewise to be poured forth for the consolation of many others Thus being chast in body prudent in mind provident in counsels circumspect both in actions and words he was commended by all and every day more favour'd by the supreme Bishop 6. Now it is no wonder that this holy Young man should make choice of Rome for education considering what speciall care the Emperour Valentinian took for the promoting of learning there and the priviledges cōfer'd by him on strangers which came thither to perfect themselves in Studies of literature as appears by his Law still extant in the Theodosian Code And Pope Damasus likewise being himself learned was a great favourer therof 7. Now how S. Ninianus after little more then twenty years was
hundred and eighty XXIII CHAP. 1. Honorius Emperour of the West 2. c. Pelagius the Heretick appears c. 5. The Roman Legion call'd our of Brittany 6.7 Alaricus invading Italy is twise vanquish'd 8. Innocentius Pope 1. IN the year of Grace three hundred and ninety five the glorious Emperour Theodosius dyed for whose soule S. Ambrose devoutly prayd the Prince Honorius assisting at the Holy Altar He left his Empire between his two Sons committing the Eastern Regions to the Elder son Arcadius and the Western to the younger Honorius who being of tender years was left under the tuition of Stilico whose daughter he maried Yet Stilico afterward not satisfied with this honour attempted to establish his own son to effect which he call'd or at least permitted barbarous Nations to enter and wast the Empire who in conclusion were the destruction of it 2. In the fourth year of Honorius his raign Pope Siricius dyed to whom succeeded Anastasius a man saith S. Hierom of rich poverty and Apostolick solicitude which he express'd in opposing the Errour of Origen which Ruffinus and his Disciple Melania now brought into Rome The same Holy Pope likewise first repress'd the Heresy of Pelagius which first appeared under him Of which for the relation which that Arch-heretick had to Brittany from whence he came we shall presently treat more largely 3. The year following the same Emperour publish'd an Edict which Iacobus Gothofredus conceives to have been directed to the Vicar of Brittany The From of Which Edict was this As we utterly forbid the offring of Pagan Sacrifices so our pleasure is that the Ornaments of publick Works though representing Pagan Superstitions should be preserved And to the end those who presume to demolish them pretend not any authority for so doing we hereby command that if any ancient Inscription or Law be found such papers be taken out of their hands and brought to us Thus Wrote the Emperour to Proclianus Vicar of the five Provinces Into which number Brittany was lately divided as hath been shewd 4. This Island seems at this time to have enioyd repose being freed from the violence of their Northern Enemies by a Roman Legion quartered in the confines It was governed by a Roman Generall call'd Marcus whom Honorius sent hither Of this peaceable State of Brittany the Poet Claudian gives testimony in his Panegyrick inscrib'd to Stilico who was Consull in the year of Christ four hundred 5. But this calm lasted but a little space for troubles hapning in Italy all the forces which defended Brittany being call'd away this poore Island was left miserably expos'd to her barbarous enemies Those Troubles were caused by an invasion of the Goths under their King Alaricus who out of Pannonia by the Norick Alpes descended to Trent from thence driving a Garrison of Honorius and so peircing into Rhetia was there stop'd by Stilico who made great preparations against him 6. The following year a battell was fought between Alaricus and Stilico wherin the Gothes were vanquish'd and might have been utterly destroyd had not Stilico permitted them to retire back into Pannonia This he did to the end his ambitious designs might more securely proceed during troubles by means of which he continued in possession of the Empires forces 7. Alaricus by pact with Stilico return'd towards Italy with a more numerous army And presuming to subdue the Countrey was again fought with by Stilico at Pollentia and once more overcome To this Battle the Roman Legion which was the only defence of Brittany was sent for as Bishop Vsher from Claudian the Poet well observes But such frequent invasions by barbarous Nations oblig'd the Romans to strengthen their Citty with new walls and Towers as the same Claudian elegantly relates 8. In these times Pope Anastasius dying there succeeded him in the Apostolick See Innocentius first of that name concerning the integrity of whose Faith thus writes S. Hierom to Demetrias a Virgin in Africa Because I feare saith he yea have been credibly inform'd that the venemous spriggs of Heresy he meanes Pelagianism doe still budd forth in Africa I thought my self obliged out of a pious affection of charity to admonish thee firmly to hold the Faith of the Holy Pope Innocentius who in the Apostolick chair is now Successour and Son to Anastasius and take heed of entertaining any strange Doctrins what ever esteem thou mayst have of thine own wit and skill XXIV CHAP. 1.2 Of Pelagius the Brittish Heretick 3.4 c The speciall Points of his Heresies condemn'd by severall Popes Synods c. 11. Brittany infected 12. Of Vigilantius his Heresies 1. HEre it will be seasonable to treat of the New blasphemous Heresy of Pelagianism which now began to infect the world The Authour of it was Pelagius by birth a Brittain for which cause S. Augustin stiles him Pelagius by Sirname Brito and S. Prosper more expressely calls him the Brittish Serpent And hereto consent S. Beda Polidor Virgâ—ll and generally Modern Historians But whether his originall came from the Roman Provinces in Brittany or the Scottish some doubt may be made considering S. Hierom in severall places mentioning him calls him a Scott descended from the Scottish Nation bordering on Brittany and elsewhere he says that he the most stupide of men was stuffed with Scottish pulse Not withstanding the Authour of S. Albanus his life in Capgrave affirms that he was Abbot of that famous Monastery of Bangor where two thousand and one hundred Monks under the Discipline of one Abbot did get their living by the labour of their hands 2. Certain it is that he was a Monk for by that title he is call'd for the most part by the Bishops in the Councill of Diospolis because he had no Ecclesiasticall degree And S. Augustin saith After many ancient Heresies a New one is lately risen not invented by any Bishops or Preists no nor so much as inferiour Clarks but by a sort of Monks which dispute against the Grace of God Isidor the Pelusiot adds that he was a vain stragling Monk incorrigible one who wandred from Monastery to Monastery smelling out feasts and fawning on Magistrats for their good chear c. observing withall that it was in his old age that he fell into this Heresy whereas before he had liv'd according to S. Augustins testimony in repute for his sanctity and Christian life of no ordinary perfection 3. The speciall Points of his Heresy are thus sett down by Sigebertus In Brittany saith he Pelagius endeavoured to defile the Church of Christ with his execrable doctrines Teaching that man may be saved by his merits without Grace That every one is directed by his own naturall Free will to the attaining of iustice That infants are born without Originall sin being as innocent as Adam was before his Transgression That they are baptised not to the end they should be
And to the end that nothing might be wanting to render him consummate in learning after severall years frequenting the Gallican Schooles where he was taught the liberall Sciences he went to Rome and there he enrich'd his mind with a perfect knowledge of the Imperiall Laws At his return he was made Governour of the Citty and Territory of Auxerre the place of his Nativity 5. But not to dilate upon the occurrents of his Life during his secular state we will from the Relation of Constantius a pious and learned Preist of the same age who wrote his life declare by how strange a Providence he was assum'd into the Ecclesiasticall Profession and promoted to the sublime degree of a Bishop 6 Whil'st he was Governour of Auxerre the Bishop of that Citty was a holy man call'd Amator This good Bishop being in the Church and whil'st he was preparing himself to perform his Office perceiving among others Germanus Prefect of the Citty entring with a body and mind compos'd to modesty and piety he commanded immediatly that the dores should be safe lock'd And then being accompanied with many persons of the Clergy and Nobility he laid hold on Germanus and devoutly calling on the name of our Lord he cut off his haire and devesting him of his secular ornaments he very respectfully cloathed him with a Religious habit Which having done he said thus to him Now most dear Brother it is our duty to be diligent in preserving this honour committed to thee without stain For assoon as I am dead Almighty God committs to thee the Pastorall charge of this Citty 7. Amator shortly after died in whose place Germanus succeeded about the year of Grace four hundred and eighteen as Bishop Vsher reckons And being Bishop the austerity of his life is thus describ'd by the same Authour From the first day in which he undertook the Episcopall Office to the end of his life he never used Wine vinegar oyle nor so much as salt to give a savoury tast to his meat At his Refections he first took ashes into his mouth and after that barley bread and this so slender and ungratfull diet he never us'd till toward sun-set Some-times he would passe half a week yea seaven whole days without any satisfaction given to his craving stomack His bed was hard boards coverd over with ashes and to prevent any profoun'd sleep he would admit no pillow under his head Why doe I speak of sleep When as he spent whole nights in continuall sighing and incessantly waterd his hard couch with his tears He was a zealous observer of hospitality and whensoever any poor or strangers came to him he would prepare for them a plentifull feast whilst himself fasted Yea with his own hands he would wash their feet kissing them and sometimes bedewing them with showrs of teares Withall to the end he might cleanse himself from the stains which by familiar conversation with men could not be avoyded he built a Monastery into which he oft retir'd himself feeding and refreshing his mind there with the wonderfull sweetnes of celestiall contemplation Thus qualified was S. Germanus before he exercis'd his Apostolicall Office in Brittany impos'd on him by Pope Celestinus 8. Next as touching his companion S. Lupus he was born at Toul a Citty of the Leuci of a Noble family his Fathers name was Epirochius After whose death he was sent to schoole and there imbued in the study of Rhetorick He was maried to Pimeniola Sister to S. Hilarius Bishop of Arles a Lady from her youth inflam'd with a love of Chastity And hence it came to passe that after seaven years spent in mariage by divine inspiration both of them mutually exhorted one another to a state of Conversion And Lupus himself by a strong impulse from heaven was moved to visit the Blessed S. Honoratus first Abbot of the famous Monastery of Lerins To whom being come he humbly submitted himself to his Discipline with meek shoulders undergoing the yoak of our Lords service and mortifying himself with continuall watchings and fastings After he had spent a year there in a great fervour of faith he return'd to the Citty of Mascon with an intention to sell his possessions there and distribute the money to the poor When Loe on a sudden he was unexpectedly snatch'd away and compell'd to undertake the administration of the Bishoprick of Troyes His admirable sanctity is celebrated by the writers of those times and particularly Sidonius Apollinaris in an Epistle written to him after he had been forty five years Bishop stiles him Father of Fathers Bishop of Bishops and a second Iacob of his age 9. Such were the Apostolick Reformers of the ancient Brittish Churches their humility and austerity of Life had a proper and specificall vertue to oppose the Pride and sensuality of Pelagian Hereticks Such Missioners as these were indeed worthy Delegats of the Apostolick See whose particular Gests before they came to Sea we leave to French Ecclesiasticall Annalists as how S. Germanus consecrated with a Religious Veyle the holy Virgin S. Genoveufe how he bestowd on her as a memoriall a certain coyn casually found imprinted with the sign of the Crosse. But the accidents befalling them at Sea must not be omitted which are thus related by the forenam'd Constantius 10. These two holy men saith he under the conduct and direction of our Lord took shipping and were by him safely protected and tryed in and by many dangers At first the Ship was caried with favourable winds from the Gallick shore till they came into the midst of the Sea where no land could be discover'd But presently after this the fury of a whole Legion of Devills envying their voyage design'd for the salvation of a world of soules assail'd them These oppose dangers raise stormes darken the heavens and make darknes more horrible by adding therto fearfull swellings of the sea and ragings of the aire The sailes are no longer able to sustain the fury of winds nor the boat to resist mountains of waves dashing against it So that the ship was 〈◊〉 forward rather by the prayers then skill or force of the mariners And it so fell out that the prime Pilot the Holy Bishop Germanus was then securely compos'd in sleep That advantage the tempest took to encrease in horrour since he who only could resist it was in a sort absent So that the ship overset with waves was ready to sink Then at last S. Lupus and all the rest in great trouble and feare awak'd the old man who only was able to withstand the fury of the elements He not at all astonish'd at the danger addresses his prayers to our Lord and his threats to those of the Ocean and to the raging storms he opposes the cause of Religion which invited them to that voyage And presently after taking a small quantity of oyle which he blessed in the Name of the holy Trinity and Sprinkling it on the raging waves immediatly
casa 3. Here the Reader may observe that this Bishop was by the confession of these Lutheran Protestants famous for his Sanctity and miracles and withall one who dayly studied the Holy Scriptures Yet he was very devout in giving respect and Veneration to Gods Saints to whose honour he likewise built Churches S. Martin dyed not above thirty years before S. Ninianus ended his life and yet we find a Church built by S. Ninianus and dedicated to S. Martin Yet the same Protestants make sharp invectives against the Roman Church for imitating these Saints magnified by themselves 4. The Example of S. Ninianus was imitated by the Brittish Church neer the same age for when S. Augustin the Monk came into Brittany to convert the Saxons he found saith S. Beda in the Citty of Canterbury a Church dedicated to the honour of S. Martin which had been anciently built in the times when the Romans inhabited this Island 5. S. Ninianus before he dyed divided the Provinces of the Picts into Parishes he ordained Preists there and consecrated Bishops This he did by the authority of the Roman Bishop from whom as hath been related he received his Mâ—ssion 6. As touching the Miracles which God wrought by his servant S. Ninianus although my intention be to be spating in relating such things yet since the foremention'd Lutheran Writers acknowledge this Saint to have been famous for them it may be expedient in this place to record one as followeth 7. In the Region of the Picts saith the Authour of S. Ninianus life there was a certain Prince named Tudwal a proud high-spirited man who contemning the admonitions of this man of God and derogating from his doctrin and life resisted him openly On a certain day having been more then ordinarily troublesome and rude to him God the Supreme heavenly Iudge would not suffer any longer the iniuries offred to his holy Servant to passe unrevenged but strook this proud man with an intolerable pain in his head by the violence of which those lofty eyes of his became utterly blind So that he which had before impugn'd the Light of Divine Truth deservedly lost the light of this world But upon beâ—ter consideration he sent a message to the holy Bishop humbly beseeching him in imitation of our Lords benignity to return to him good for ill and love for hatred The Venerable Bishop hereupon first sharply reprov'd the Prince and then touching him imprinted on his eyes the sign of the Crosse when immediatly his pains ceased his blindnes was dissipated and afterward the Prince highly honoured the Holy Bishop and readily granted whatsoever he ask'd of him 8. As touching the place of his Buriall and Episcopall See call'd Candida casa and by the Saxons Wit-hern Malmsburiensis thus writes of it Candida casa is the name of a place in the confines of England and Scotland where is the sepulcher of the Blessed Confessour Ninias by nation a Brittain who there first preached the Gospel of Christ. That name was given to the place by occasion of a Church which the holy Bishop there built of hew'n stone which to the rude Brittains seemd a wonder This Holy man Ninias is celebrated by Antiquity for his many miracles 9. There is extant in Bishop Vshers Brittish Antiquities an Epistle of our Learned Countreyman Alcuinus not printed among his works wherin he testifies the great fame of the Sanctity and Miracles of this Blessed Bishop It is directed to the Religious Preists then living at Candida Casa And Paschasius Radbertus recounst a Miracle in the same age wherin Alcuinus who attended on the Emperour Charles the Great liv'd which miracle hapned to a devout Preist celebrating Masse at the Saints monument There was a certain Religious Preist saith he nam'd Plegils who frequently solemnis'd Masse at the Body of S. Ninias Bishop and Confessour Who living a vertuous and holy life began frequently to beseech our Lord that he would please to shew visibly to him the nature and verity of the Body and Blood of Christ in the most Blessed Sacrament This Prayer he made not from want of Faith in the truth of the Mystery but meerly out of an affection of devotion and piety Consequently the Authour declares how to his great consolation our Lord appeard to him in the Sacrament in the form of a young child XII CHAP. 1.2 c. S. Germanus his second coming into Brittany 6.7.8 He Ordains Bishops here Of Landaff 10.11 He instituts the Vniversity of Oxford 1. THree years after the death of S. Ninianus S. Germanus Bishop of Auxerre was once more invited into Brittany to perfect the good work which he had formerly begun in rooting out the Pelagian Heresy there spreading it self again The relation we must borrow from the same Authour the learned Preist Constantius to whom Baronius gives this Character that he was a Writer of those times of most perfect integrity and sincerity in all things 2. In the mean time says he a Message from Brittany comes declaring that the perversity of the Pelagian Heresy by the impious diligence of a few Authours began to enlarge it self there Hereupon once more the prayers of all are again address'd to S. Germanus that he would maintain the cause of Divine Grace which by his diligence formerly prevayl'd The Holy Bishop made no delay to comply with their petition for his delight was to labour and even spend his strength in the service of Christ. The Devills envy began now to languish as the Holy mans vertues encreas'd neither durst he so much as tempt him whom by experience he knew to be a freind of God 3. There was adjoyn'd to him for his companion Severus Bishop of Triers a person of consummate Sanctity who had long preach'd the word of God to the Nations of Germania Prima In his way he pass'd by Paris where he is received with great joy and acclamations of the people as the presence of so eminent a Saint well deserved 4. In the mean time infernall Spirits flying through the whole Island foretold the return of Saint Germanus being forc'd to doe so against their wills Insomuch as that one nam'd Elaphius a principall person of the countrey without any notice given of the Holy Bishops journey came in hast to meet them He brought with him his Son upon whom from the flower of his youth a lamentable infirmity had seis'd For all his members were withred and the hamm of his leggs so drawn together that by reason of the drynes of his thigh he could not sett his foot to ground Elaphius was attended by almost the whole province which assembled together though no advice had been given them of the Holy Bishops coming By whom assoon as they mett together an Episcopall Benediction was confer'd on the people and the words of Truth preach'd to them S. Germanus perceives that the generality of the people persever'd constant in the doctrin which he had left
his aid the barbarous warlick Saxons prostituted it to their rapines and tyranny This Character we read of him in Malmsburiensis At that time Vortigern was King of Brittany a man voyd both of courage and counsell yea addicted wholly to carnall pleasure and the slave of almost all vices particularly of avarice pride and luxury He as we read in the Gests of the Brittains solicited and with the hope of making her a Queen deflourd his own daughter and of her gott a Son Who notwithstanding his incestous birth was by a miracle of Divine Grace a Saint his name being S. Faustus 3. His wife was a Lady equall to him in blood but most unlike in disposition By her he had three Sons Vortimer Catigern and Pascentius Whilst she lived he governed his Principality with moderation but after her death he loosed the rains to all vices For which having been reproved by S. Germanus and upon his impenitence in a Synod excommunicated he revenged himself by inflicting the fore mentioned iniuries and calumnies upon the Holy Bishop But in the end was severely punish'd by fire from heaven 4. Before his Election to the Vniversall Government of Brittany he was Prince of the Danmonij or as others write Consul of the Gevisses inhabitants of the South-western parts about Cornwall or South-wales Which Principality it seems he had governed well enough to be esteemd not unworthy to be preferr'd above his formerly fellow Princes though indeed that age the men of which Gildas calls atramentum aetatis the inke of their age afforded it seems so little choice that a Prince not absolutly vicious deserved reputation However this unworthy King is recorded a restorer of the Citty of Oxford We will awhile suspend a relation of the Gests of this unhappy King to the end we may interpose some affairs touching the Churches of Brittany at this time occurring XIV CHAP. 1.2 c S. Dubricius ordained Bishop of Landaff by S. Germanus The place of his Birth c. 1. AMong the actions beneficiall to Brittany done by Saint Germanus the election and consecration of Saint Dubricius to the Bishoprick of Landaff was deservedly reckoned This Dubricius say the Centuriatours of Magdeburg sirnamed Gainius Vagiensis from the place where he was born was peradventure the Son of a Monk by Euedila a Noble Virgin and grew afterward famous among tâ—e English Thus write they without all authority from antiquity desirous to faign one Example at least to be a president for their Master Luthers incest 2. But from more authentick Testimonieâ— it appears that Saint Dubricius was by nation a Brittain born in the Province of the Dimeta or West Wales he was sirnamed Gainius from the River which runs by the place where he was born His Fathers name is not mentioned among Authours his Mother was Euedila a woman of a clear fame for her vertues Thus write Bale Picts Powel and the Authour of his life in Capgrave 3. It is there moreover related how being a child care was taken to imbue his mind with litterature And having attained a few years more he made such proficiency in learning that not the ignorant only but such also as had acquired a good degree in knowledge repaired to him to encrease their skill among whom were Saint Theliaus Saint Sampson Saint Aidanus and others In the soile of his Nativity neer the River Vaga from whence he was called Vagiensis he chose a fitt seat for his own and his Disciples studies and there he spent many years in the charitable employment of communicating his learning to others Afterward having by command of an Angel built a Church there he preached and taught the people wholesom Christian Doctrin Moreover by imposing his hands he often cured many infirmities insomuch as those which came to him sad and unsound returned joyfull and in health And therefore he was qualified fitt to be advanced by S. Germanus to the Degree of a Bishop 4. The period of his life is uncertain Yet certain it is that he lived to a very old age for many years after this he was transferr'd by Aurelius Ambrosius then raigning to the Arch-Bishoprick of Caër-Leon in the Province of Monmouth So that he will once more occurre in our History As for his Disciples Saint Theliaus Saint Iâ—tutus c. eminent Saints and Doctours which therefore could not likewise escape the calumnious pens of the Lutheran Centuriators we shall treat of them in the following age 5. But here we must not omitt what a learned French writer Andrew Saussay in his French Martyrologe relates of another famous Disciple of Saint Germanus named Saint Briocus a Brittain who was afterward Bishop in Armorica or lesser Brittany so illustrious for his Sanctity that the See of his Bishoprick is to this day from his name called S. Brieu a suffragan Bishoprick to Tours 6. Saint Briocus saith he was by countrey an Englishman he should have said a Brittain of the Province of Corticia descended of a Noble Stock He was by Saint Germanus of Auxeâ—â—e preaching the Orthodoxe Faith there brought out of Brittany into Gaule and here by him instructed happily in the Discipline of Piety After he had enriched his mind with saving Doctrins he returned into his Native countrey and there informed his parents in the true Faith which he likewise preached with great successe in the countrey about After this being desirous to employ our Lords Talent yet more copiously he came over into Armorica where having shed the beams of Evangelicall Light on the minds of his kinsman Conanus Count of Triguâ—er Trecorensem he afterward cleansed him with the Laver of Baptism Then assembling severall devout persons aspiring to the perfection of a Religious life he built a Monastery and there by the liberality of the said Count he layd the foundations of an Episcopall See and being consecrated Bishop by the Archbishop of Tours Metropolitan of that countrey he with an admirable splendour of vertue ad piety governed the said Diocese the space of thirty years Afterward making a journey to Angiers to furnish himself with Ecclesiasticall ornaments he there breathed forth his spotlesse soule From thence his Body was caried back and with great honour buried in the Church which himself had built where frequent miracles were wrought at his Relicks Thus as he gave his name to the Monastery Town and Mother-Church of that Diocese so he likewise afforded continuall protection to them 7. Certain Irish Historians would challenge S. Briocus to their countrey as having been born in the Territory of Cork But his having been a Disciple of Saint Germanus who had nothing to doe with Ireland proves him a Brittain And whereas Bishop Vther conjectures that the Master of Saint Briocus might have been another Saint Germanus Bishop of Paris who lived in the following age His living with Conanus and relation of kinred to him demonstrate him both a Brittain and more ancient then the
Mary sitting at our Lords feet and exchange it for that of Martha's ministery in attending and providing a supply to his necessities in his members 2. And some such cause occurr'd some disorders in the new-founded Church of Ireland hapned which after ten years quiet repose drew him out of his solitude Which though we cannot precisely determine what it was yet no doubt it is involv'd in some one or more of the Canons and Decrees of a Synod which upon his return into that Island he assembled 3. Which Decrees for many ages conceal'd and by negligence expos'd to rust and mothes have been of late days by the industry of S. Henry Spelman rescued and restor'd to light though in severall places defac'd Wee will not here trouble the Reader with the entire Transcript of them since those who are more curious may have recourse to the said S. Henry Spelmans first volume of Brittish and English Councils It will be sufficient to select from them some speciall Canons which will give us some light to discover the Ecclesiasticall Discipline of those times 4. It is there ordain'd That if any Ecclesiasticall person from the Dore-keeper to the Preist shall not for decency wear a Tunick and have his hair cutt after the Roman manner or shall permitt his wife to goe abroad unvayl'd shall be separated from the Communion Again That a Monk and consecrated Virgin shall not abide in the same lodging nor travel in the same Chariot That if a Monk shall neglect the Divine Office and wear long haire he shall be excommunicated That the Alms of Excommunicated persons or Pagans shall not be receiv'd That if any Christian shall be guilty of manslaughter fornication or consulting Soothsayers he shall perform Pennance for each crime the space of a year And he that is guilty of stealing half a year of which twenty days he shall eat bread only But withall he must be oblig'd to restitution That if any Christian shall beleive Spirits may be represented in a Glass he shall be anathematiz'd c. That if any consecrated Virgin shall marry she shal be excommunicated till she be converted and forsake her adulteryes which having done she shall perform due Pennance After which they are forbidden to live in the same house or town That if any Preist shall build a Church he must not offer Sacrifice in it before it be coÌ„secrated by the Bishop That if a Clergyman be excommunicated he must say his Prayers alone and not in the same house with his Brethren Neither must he presume to offer or consecrate till he be absolv'd That a Bishop may not ordain in another Bishops Diocese without his permission Only upon Sundays he may offer Sacrifice That a Clark coming from the Brittains into Ireland without Letters testimoniall be not suffred to minister 5. There is no mention made of this or any other Irish Synod in any Authour except only in a generall expression of Iocelinus and Probus who wrote S. Patricks life extant among S. Bedas works And in him wee find this only passage The most holy Bishop S. Patrick together with three other Bishops and many Clercks came to a fountiain call'd Debach which flows from the side of Crochon toward the East there to celebrate a Synod touching Ecclesiasticall affaires and they sate neer the fountain When behold two daughters of King Logaren came early in the morning to wash in the same fountain as woemen there usually did and they found the Holy Synod with S. Patrick neer the fountain Now the Bishops names were S. Patrick Auxilius and Issernininus for this is the Inscription of this present Synod Thanks be given to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Pà tricius Auxilius and Isserninus to the Preists Deacons and whole Clergy Health It is better we should premonish those who are negligent then blame things past for Salomon says It is better to reprove then be angry The tenour of our Definition is here under written and begins thus If any captive c. Of these two Bishops Auxilius and Isserninus mention has been made before 6. Another Holy Bishop and Disciple of S. Patrick challenges once more a commemoration in this History to wit S. Albeus in whose life extant in Bishop Vsher we read That when he heard that S. Patrick had converted to our Lord Engus King of Munster Momonensium and was with him in his Royal Citty Cassel he came to salute them Now the King and S Patrick much rejoyced at the arrivall of S. Albeus whose joy to see them also was great There the Holy man reverently entertained his Master S. Patrick for he was very humble After this King Engus and S. Patrick ordaind that the Archiepiscopall See of all Munster should for ever be placed in the Citty and chair of S. Albeus 7. And as touching the Conversion of King Engus this passage also is extant in the same learned Authour a little before The glorious Bishop S. Patrick having sowen the Faith of Christ in the Regions of Lenster prosecuted his way to the limits of Munster And the King of Munster named Engus hearing of the Holy Bishops coming with great joy mett him having an earnest deâ—sire to beleive and be baptised He conducted therefore S. Patrick with much reverence and joy to his Royal Citty call'd Cassel and there the King having been instructed beleived and received Baptism 8 It is probable that S. Patrick abode at this time severall years in Ireland For three years after this he consecrated S. Benignus Archbishop of Armagh And then quite devesting himself of all solicitude for others he returned into Brittany to his much desired solitude of Glastenbury where he likewise ended his dayes 9. As for his Successour S. Benignus he also after seaven years spent in care of his Province thirsting after solitude and willing to see again his most beloved Master came to Glastenbury desirous to receive from him a most perfect Rule of Monasticall Profession This he did saith Malmsburiensis by the admonition of an Angel And being come thither he demanded of S. Patrick what place he should make choice of to live in Vnion with God alone divided from human society 10. The Answer given him by S Patrick who encourag'd him to persist in his present purpose is thus recorded by Adam of Domerham Benignus saith he discovered to S. Patrick the motives of his journey who exhorted him to pursue happily his well begun purpose saying Goe my beloved Brother taking only your staff with you And when you shall be arriv'd at the place appointed by God for your repose wheresoever having fix'd your staff in the ground you shall see it flourish and grow green there know that you must make your abode Thus both of them being comforted in our Lord with mutuall discourses Saint Benignus being accompanied only with a youth nam'd Pincius begun his journey
where nothing occurs in the way which has any note of antiquity but only a chappell dedicated to S. Piran seated in a sandy place who was a Holy man which came from Ireland and if wee may beleive the Legend fedd ten Irish Kings and their armies with his three cowes rais'd to life dead piggs and dead men and in that place devested himself of his mortality 6. Wee might adjoyn here the Gests of other Holy men who began to be known about this time as S. Cadocus sirnamed Sophias Abbot and Martyr likewise S. Gildas not the Historian though he also liv'd at the same times and S. David Bishop of Menevia who was born in the year of Grace four hundred sixty two But because their principall actions were perform'd many years after in the following Age wee will refer them thither XX. CHAP. 1.2 c. Proofs that the story of S. Vrsula belongs to this time And Disproofs of all others pretentions 1. DVring the raign of the infamous Brittish King Vortigern whilst the minds of the Brittains effeminated with vice yeilded allmost without resistance to the tyranny of their neighbours and call'd in for more barbarous enemies from a remote countrey to be Tyrants of their own God rais'd another Brittish army to blott out the shame and cowardice of the former an army of Virgins conducted by a Royal and Saintly Virgin the glorious S. Vrsula For that to this time their Martyrdom is to be referd and not to any former age many circumstances in their Story which cannot suit with former times doe demonstrate strongly 2. For those Authours which assign this Story the year of Grace two hundred thirty eight are manifestly disproved because the name of Hunns who were their murderers was not in those days known in Italy or Germany besides they mention a certain Pope named Cyriacus of whom there is no memory in the rank of Roman Bishops saith Baronius Adde to this that no reason can be alledged why such numbers should then either fly or be sent out of their countrey 3. Other Writers therefore more probably affirm that S. Vrsula and her companions suffred when the Tyrant Mayimus in the year of Christ three hundred eighty three lead with him into Gaule a great army of Brittish soldiers which he seated in Armorica to whom these virgins are suppos'd to be destin'd for wives This opinion is iustified by Baronius from Galfridus and Polydor Virgil to whose authority may be added that of the Breviary of Sarum in the Lessons of that Feast 4. But the short time of Maximus his raign after his passing ouer into Gaule and his continuall employment in warr could not permitt him to attend to the settling Colonies of inhabitants in Armorica whither himself never went for as Zosimus writes he presently march'd to the banks of the Rhene Moreover the French Historians refer the erecting a Principality of Brittains in Armorica to a much later date when Meroveus was King of the Francks which was in the year of Grace four hundred forty eight Likewise Dionotus Prince of Cornwal who was Father to S. Vrsula is acknowledg'd by our best Historians to have liv'd long after the Emperour Gratianus his time who was slain by Maximus so that S. Vrsula could not be alive much lesse mariageable in those dayes Neither is there any mention among Historians of Hunns so early infesting Germany or exercising Piracy on the River Rhene or the Western Ocean 5. Those Historians therefore have best orderd their calculations who assign the Martyrdome of these glorious Virgins to the present Age when Attila King of the Hunns truly sirnam'd Gods Scourge wasted Italy and the Western Regions To demonstrate which if we consult the Writers of those times we shall find that the Armies of Attila consisting of a mixture of many barbarous Nations to the number of seaven hundred thousand soldiers overran and destroy'd a great part of Germany and Gaule and this both by Sea and land For this we have the Testimonies of Writers either then alive or within few years after Thus Sidonius Apollinaris elegantly describes in verse this horrible invasiō of Gaule by vast armies of those barbarous Nations in a Panegyrick to Avitus chosen Emperour in Gaule written by him And Gregory Bishop of Tours relates their wasting of Germany the burning of the Citty of Metz their massacring of Preists before the holy Altars c. And in the life of S. Lupus we read how that holy Bishop was lead away captive by Attila from the Citty of Troyes to the Rhene 6. Now wheras in the Gests of these Holy Virgin-Martyrs frequent mention is made of the Tyrant Maximus for which cause principally Baronius and other Writers doe assign their Martyrdom to the time when Maximus who slew the Emperour Gratianus went out of Brittany into Gaule attended with a numerous Brittish Army We shall in the Roman story find another Tyrant Maximus also descended from the stock of the other Maximus slain by the first Theodosius as Procopius relates which younger Maximus in these times invaded the Empire after the death of Valentinian and of whom Sidonius makes mention at the same time that he describes the wasting of Aremorica whither these Holy Virgins intended their voyage And moreover the same Authour in the same Panegyrick mentions the Piracy exercis'd by these barbarous people on the Brittish Sea where he again repeats the name of the same Maximus who appointed Avitus his Generall to resist them All these circumstances and occurrents meeting at this time strongly argue that now it was that S. Vrlusa and her holy Companions so gloriously began and finish'd their voyage 7. This will yet more clearly appear if we consider the present state of Brittany For now Vortigern having call'd in the Saxons to aid him against the Picts Hengistus and his Brother Horsa at first arriving with small but warlick Troops serv'd the Brittains successfully against their Enemies But afterward despising their freinds for their vices and cowardlines they sent for more numerous forces and together with them Hengistus caus'd his beautifull daughter Rowena to be brought with whose allurements the foolish King Vortigern being ensnared demanded her for his wife and bought her of her Father with the price of the whole Province of Kent After which the Saxons making peace with the Picts and Scotts turn'd their arms onely against their Benefactours At first they began complaints about pay and want of provisions theatning unless they might be satisfied to lay the whole Island wast Which threats they presently after with all inhumanity executed and in a dire manner took revenge of all the crimes committed by the Brittains against God and his Religion which they professed 8. During these troubles and miseries tragically described by Huntingdon a world of Brittains of both sexes forsook their countrey upon which a malediction from God did so visibly lye and fled into strange
which time S. Leo the first governed the Church and Marcian the Roman Empire when Ateila infested Italy He is here improperly call'd an Englishman for though the Angli were at that time in Brittany and probably S. Richard was descended of a family of that particular Nation yet many yeares pass'd before the Island received from them the appellation of England 4. The said Office further prosecutes the Narration of the piety and innocence expressed by this Saint even in his tender years how a verse he was from wantonnes and luxury incident to that age wholly giving himself to reading of Holy Scripture conversing with men of learning and vertue c. insomuch as he gained not only fervent love from his parents but veneration from his companions and strangers 5 But because the following wars and especially the Idolatrous Rites of his countreymen the Saxons furious enemies of the Religion to which our Lord had call'd him were a hindrance to his free progress in piety there we further read how he was miraculously invited to forsake his countrey and to depart ino Italy For thus it follows in the said Office Whilst the Blessed S. Richard was assiduously intent on his devotions and prayers to God there appear'd to him in sleep the glorious Apostle S. Peter commanding him in the name of Almighty God to take a journey into Apulia and there to preach the word of God to the Andrians That he should not apprehend the length of the way or the threatnings of Infidels because our Lord would be present to assist him Having said this the Apostle vanish'd And S. Richard being awak'd from sleep immediatly rose and casting himself before a Crucifix gave humble thanks to God and S. Peter for this Visitation The day following he forsook his Brethren who were persons of power and eminence and taking leave of his dearest freinds began his journey notwithstanding their importunity to detain him Being arrived at Rome he address'd himself to the Holy Pape Gelasius and declar'd what commands had been in a Vision impos'd on him by the Holy Apostle thereupon beseeching him that with his permission and blessing he might goe to Andria there to fullfull the Ministery enjoyn'd him Gelasius hearing this did greatly rejoyce and observing the venerable aspect of S. Richard together with his gravity ordained him Bishop of the Church of Andria and commanded him that whither soever he went he should preach the Gospell of Christ and this done kissing the holy man he gave him his beneâ—iction 6. Through the whole course of his journey S. Richard accordingly preach'd the word of God and by many miracles and cures wrought on the sick converted many to the Faith and worship of the true God till at length he arrived at Andria There before the gate of the Citty he saw a blind man and a woman bowd and contracted together both which begg'd an Alms of him Whereupon he began to expound to them the Word of God c. and perceiving the blind man to be devoutly attentive to his speeches he said to him If thou wilt beleive in Iesus Christ and be baptis'd thou shalt receive thy sight Who answer'd I believe in Iesus Christ whom thou preachest and I beg that I may be baptis'd Assoon as this was said the Holy man with his hands making the sign of the Crosse upon the blind mans eyes he immediatly recover'd his sight and casting away the staves which had help'd him in walking he gave due thanks to God and to S. Richard by whom he had been enlightned As for the woman when she saw this miracle she likewise was converted and S. Richard seeing her Faith took her by the hand whereupon she presently rose up streight and walking cryed with a loud voyce There is onely one most high God who by his good servant hath made mee whole At these clamours of the woman the greatest part of the Citty met together and attending to the Holy Bisphops preaching were in a short time converted God working many other Miracles by him and having broken down all their Idols were baptis'd by him 7. Not long after this there follow'd the foresayd Apparition of S. Michael to the people of Sipontâ— who commanded them to erect a Chappell there to his name This they signified to their Bishop Laurentius and he to Pope Gelasius desiring his advice what was to be done His answer was that such being the will of the Blessed Archangel a Church should forthwith be built And that this should be executed by the Holy Bishops Laurentius of Siponto Sabinus of Carnusium Pelagius of Salapia Roger of Cannae and Richard of Andria 8. Then follows a Narration how the two Holy Bishops Roger of Cannae and Richard of Andria performed their journey to Siponto on foot with dayly fasting toylsome labour and incommodity from the burning heat of the Sun Which incommodity on their prayers was miraculously remedied by the flying of a mighty Eagle over their heads which shadow'd them during all their journey to Siponto At their arrivall they executed what had been enjoyn'd them as we read in the publick Office of the Church To conclude no more doe we find recorded of this Holy Bishop but his holy and happy death commemorated in our Martyrologe on the Ninth of April XIX CHAP. 1.2.3 The coming of Cerdic the Saxon founder of the West-Saxon Kingdom 1. IN the year of Grace four hundred ninety four a third Noble German call'd Cerdic arriv'd in Brittany For having heard how by the valour of the Saxons two Kingdoms had been there erected he resolv'd to pretend likewise for a share in the spoiles being a man of high spirits and noble descent as having proceeded from the stock of Woden one of the German Gods 2. His coming is thus describ'd by Henry of Huntingdon In the forty seaventh year after the first coming of the Angli Cerdic and his Son Cenric attended with five ships arriv'd in Brittany and landed at a place afterward call'd Cerdic-shore The same day great multituds of the Brittains meeting fought with them The Saxons having ranged their forces in order stood immoveable before their ships The Brittains boldly set on them and then retired but were not pursued by the enemy who resolved not to quit their place Thus was continued the fight the Brittains sometimes charging and then retreating till the nights darknes sever'd them After which the Brittains having experience of the feiâ—cenes of these new-come strangers departed so that neither side could boast of a Victory Yet this advantage the Saxons had that they took possession of their enemies shore and by little and little enlarg'd their conquests along the Sea coasts 3. Their landing was in the Province of the Iâ—eus comprehending Suffolk and Norfolk yet there they setled not But marching through the Island they came into the Western parts where in time they erected the New powerfull Kingdom of the West-Saxons XX. CHAP. 1.2
build the Church of Brittany When the Prince his Father was dead the Nobles of the Countrey with the consent of the whole people were desirous he should succeed in the Royalty But he neglecting worldly pomp assum'd with him sixty companions and with them entred into a Monastery there undertaking a Monasticall Profession After some years spent there he went into Ireland where for the space of twenty years he addicted himself to the studies of litterature and the holy Scriptures There and then it was that the foresaid S. Coemgen was recommended by his parents to be instructed by him 3. Having in this space saith Leland heap'd a great treasure of learning under the most perfect Teachers of that Island he return'd into Brittany and in the Province of Corinia or Cornwall intended to employ for the benefit of others also that treasure And to shew that he had not all this while forgotten much lesse deserted his Râ—ligious profession he built there a Monastery not many miles distant from the Severn shore neer a town in those days call'd Loderic and Laffenac and afterwards from his name Petrocstow at this day more contractedly Padstow 4. At this time the Saxons under Cerdic had possess'd themselves of that Province And hence it is that the Narration of his gests follows thus in Capgrave Assoon as S. Petroc with his Disciplis had left their ship and were landed there certain Reapers then at work spoke rudely and bitterly to them and among other contumelious speeches requir'd them that their conductour S. Petroc should for the asswaging of their thirst cause a spring of fresh water to issue out of a rock there adjoyning This they said either in derision of them being strangers or for a tryall whether their sanctity was answerable to their Profession Hereupon S. Petroc who never refused those that ask'd any thing in his power address'd his prayers to our Mercifull Lord and with his staffe smiting the rock immediatly there gush'd forth a spring of clear sweet water which flows there to this day 5. Those barbarous Pagans utterly ignorant of Christian Religion were astonish'd at this Miracle And when the Holy servant of God ask'd them whether there were in that Province any one who profess'd the Christian Faith they directed him to a certain Holy man call'd Samson concerning whom they acquainted him that he lead a solitary life and exercis'd himself in corporall labours fasting watching and Prayers and that he sustain'd life with no other thing but a small portion dayly of barley bread This it that Samson who first succeeded S. David in the See of Mersevia and afterward was Bishop of Dole in Lesser Brittany concerning whom we shall treat in due place 6. After thirty years aboad in this solitude in which he is sayd to have instructed Credan Medan and Dachant three of his principal Disciples illustrious for their learning and piety he left his Monastery of Lodoric and undertook a forrain pilgrimage visiting Rome and after that Hierusalem From whence he is said to have proceeded as far as India and to have spent seaven years in the exercises of a contemplative life in a certain unknown Island of the Eastern Ocean From which tedious voyage he at last return'd home and with twelve companions retir'd himself into a dry and barren solitude The Prince of that part of Cornwal was called Tendur a man of a feirce and savage nature 7. His death in our Ecclesiasticall monuments is referr'd to the year of Grace five hundred sixty four And he was buried in the place now call'd Petrocstow or Padstow In which town anciently was placed an Episcopall See which was afterward translated to another town calld Bodmin The reason wherof seems to have been because the Body of S. Petroc which had first been simply and meanly buried at Padstow was afterward transfer'd and honourably repos'd at Bodnun To which purpose we find this passage in Mathew of Westminster The Bishops of Cornwal had their See at S. Petroc's of Bodmin apud Sanctum Petrocum de Bodmini for so the words are to be corrected saith Bishop Vâ—her And the same place was meant by Harpsfeild thus writing The Monument of S. Petroc is in the Citty Bosuenna the most noted town of Merchandise Emporium of Cornwal 8. But the Relicks of S. Petroc did not always rest at Bodmin for from thence they wâ—re stolln conveyd over sea into Lesser Brittany and reverently plac'd in the Monastery of S. Meven but in the time of King Henry the second restor'd Thus writes Roger Hoveden Martin a Canon Regular of the Church of Bodmin by stealth took away the Body of S. Petroc and fled with it into Brittany to the Abbey of S. Meven Which theft having been discovered Roger Priour of that Cathedrall Church with the more ancient Canons of the Chapter address'd themselves to King Henry the Father for at that time he had made his son likewise King And from him they obtained a strict command to the Abbot and Convent of Saint Meven that without delay they should restore to Roger Priour of Bodmin the said Body of S. Petroc Which if they refus'd the King gave order to Roland of Dinant the Governour of Brittany to take away the sacred Body by force and give it to the said Roger. Assoon as the Abbot and Monks of S. Meven heard of these things to prevent any dammage to their Church they restor'd the said Body entire and without any diminution to the foresaid Priour swearing withall upon the Holy Gospels and upon the Relicks of certain Saints there that it was the very same Body unchanged and unempair'd 9. The reason why the Convent of S. Meven in lesser Brittany were so desirous of the Relicks of S. Petroc was because S. Meven himself the Patron of that Monastery was born in our Brittany as many other Saints besides from hence had fled thither and were with great veneration honour'd in the territory of S. Malo Where likewise Iudicael Prince of the Armorici or Lesser Brittany who was descended from our Brittany built the said Monastery XXV CHAP. 1.2 c. The battell between the Saxons and Brittains and death of King Vther-pendragon or Natanleod 1. THE five hundred and eighth year of our Lord was fatall to the Brittains by the death of their valiant King slain in a battell against the West-Saxons For thus writes the Noble Historian Ethelwerd In the seaventh year afteir their arrivall Cerdic and his son Cenric slew Natan-leod King of the Brittains and with him five thousand of his soldiers 2. Mathew of Westminster relates the same somewhat more expresly and withall signifies who this Natan-leod was for thus he writer In the year of Grace five hundred and eight Cerdic and Kenric provok'd the Brittains to a battell At that time Vther King of the Brittains was sick in such extremity that he could not turn himself from one side to another in his bed Wherfore he
security it being on all sides compass'd with the Sea Whence appears the esteem that the Brittains had then of Rome which argues that between them there was an agreement in Religion 4. The Exploits of King Arthur after his Coronation are thus recorded by Florilegus At that time saith he the Saxons invited more of their Countreymen out of Germany And under the Conduct of Colgrin they subdued all that part reaches of Brittany which from Humber â—â— Marâ— Cantanensium to the Sea of Cathanes Whereof as soon as King Arthur was inform'd he march'd with an Army toward York which was then held by the Saxons Colgrin assoon as he heard of King Arthurs approach met him with a great multitude near the River Duglus in Lancashire and coming to a battell Colgrin was put to flight and was pursued by King Arthur to York Now Baldulph the Brother of Colgrin at the same time lay with some forces toward the Sea expecting the coming of the Saxons He intended to make an irruption by night upon King Arthurs Army But the King being admonish'd hereof by Spies sent Cador Duke of Cornwall with six hundred horse and three thousand foot to intercept the Saxons Who setting on them unexpectedly kill'd great numbers of them and compell'd the rest to fly 5. Whilst King Arthur diligently pursued the siege of York there arrived the next year in the Northern parts a famous German Captain call'd Cheldric with seaven hundred boats who landed in Albania The Brittains therefore were afraid to encounter such great multitudes Whereupon King Arthur was compelled to leave the Siege of York and retired with his army to London Where taking counsell of his freinds he sent messengers into Lesser brittany to King Hoel to inform him of the calamity of this Island Now Hoel was Nephew of King Arthur by his sister Therefore hearing of his Vncles danger he commanded a great Army to be gathered and with fifteen thousand men having a prosperous wind he landed safely in the haven of Hamon where with great honour and ioy he was receiv'd by King Arthur 6. With these new forces encourag'd he gaind the next year two famous victories against the Saxons The former saith Huntingdon near the River call'd Bassas The latter in the wood of Chelidon Both these battells were fought in Lincolnshire near to the cheiâ— Citty whereof Ninius places the wood call'd Cathcoit Calidon And Mathew of Westminster writing of this second victory saith that the Brittains made near Lincoln a great slaughter of the Saxons of whom no fewer then six thousand were slain And the remainders flying to the forrest of Caledon were pursued by King Arthur who commanded the trees to be hewd down and layd athwart to hinder their escape By which means the Saxons being enclosed and reduced to extreme famine begg'd leave to depart the Kingdom leaving all their spoyles behind them By this Exploit of King Arthur the Saxons were expell'd out of the middle Provinces of Brittany Whereas in the Western parts they grew more powerfull insomuch as the year following Cerdicius fram'd there an establish'd Kingdom 7. Those Historians who relate the Heroicall Gests of King Arthur to equall him with Hercules mention principally twelve great Battells fought and as many victories gaind by him upon the Saxons Of which these two last are accounted the sixth and seaventh It suffices as to my present design though I be not curiously exact in adhering to that computation and assigning the proper time and manner of each in order 8. Another Victory call'd by Huntingdon the eighth though the year be not mention'd was gaind against those barbarous Enemies neer the Castle call'd Guinnion In that battell King Arthur caried upon his shoulders the Image of the Blessed Virgin-Mother of God and all that day by the vertue and power of our Lord Iesus Christ and S. Mary his Mother the Saxons were compell'd to fly and perish'd with a great slaughter The succeeding exploits of this famous King shall breifly follow in their due place VII CHAP. 1.2 c. Of Saints in Wales of S Daniel Bishop of Bangor 1. WHilst most of the Provinces of that part of Brittany afterward call'd England were thus miserably disquietted the Western parts since call'd Wales enjoyd great repose and were illustrated by far more glorious Exploits of great numbers of Saints who flourish'd there Such were S. Dubricius S. Sampson S. David S. Thelian S. Kined S. Paternus S. Daniel S. Iustinian c. Some of these have been already mention'd and more of their Gests will follow 2. As touching S. Daniel he is reported by Bishop Vsher from Bale to have instituted a Colledge or Monastery of the Apostolick order for the sacred Exercices of learned and pious men The place where this Colledge was founded was in Arvonia the countrey of the Venedati not far from the streit where men passe into the Isle of Anglesey out of Wales which Colledge he call'd the Port or Haven And the time of this new Erection was the year of our Lord five hundred and Sixteen In the same place not long after Malgo Conan built a Citty which for the beauty of its situation he called Bancor or Bangor where likewise was the seat of a Bishop in which this S. Daniel was the first who sate So that it is a mistake in B. Godwin affirming that before the times of the Normans there had been no Bishop there 3. This Citty of Bangor was a place distinct from the famous Monastery of that name though Malmsburiensis confounds them together True it is that in both places there was a Monastery But this was seated in the Province call'd Arvonia now Caernarvon upon the River Menai dividing it from Anglesey Wheras the other was in Flintshire Again this Monastery was first erected by S. Daniel wheras the other was extant even in the infancy of Christianity under King Lucius as hath been shewn In both of them there lived Monks called by Bale Apostolici ordinis viri men of the Order Apostolicall because in imitation of the Apostles they practis'd self-abnegation and a renouncing of temporall possessions 4. This Holy man Daniel saith Pits from Leland was joynd with S. Dubricius and David in confuting and condemning the Pelagian Heresy for which purpose he was present at the Synod of Brevi He dyed in the same year of Grace five hundred forty four in which the holy Bishop S. David dyed And he was buried in the Isle of Berdesey calld the Rome of Brittany for the multitude of Saints there liuing and buried in which regard saith B. Vsher it is still in the Welsh language calld Yr ugain mil Saint He is commemorated in our ancient Martyrologe on the tenth of December Who succeeded him in that Bishoprick it does not appeare VIII CHAP. 1. 2. c. Of S. Iustinian his Gests 1. THere were at this time two other Saints which though by birth strangers yet challenge a
in his practise fullfilld the Instructions which he mett with in reading Now it fell out that his Master Paulens with extreme pains falling on his eyes lost the use of them Hereupon calling his Disciples together he desired that one after another they would look upon his eyes and say a prayer or benediction on them When they had done this and that he receiv'd no ease or remedy David said thus to him Father I pray you doe not command mee to look you in the face for ten years are pass'd since I studied the Scripture with you and in all that time I never had the boldnes to look you in the face Paulens admiring his humility said since it is so it will suffise if by touching my eyes thou pronounce a benediction on them Presently therefore assoon as he touched them sight was restored to them XIV CHAP. 1.2 The Westsaxon Kingdom founded 3.4 Priviledges given to Cornwall c. 5.6 A second combat at Monâ— Badonicus 7. c. Fables of King Arthurs conquests 1. THE same year in which the Synod of Brevi was celebrated Cerdic began the Kingdom of the West-Saxons that is saith Huntingdom in the seaventy first year after the first coming of the Saxons and in the raign of the Emperour Iustin the Elder of that name With him agrees Ethelwerd Malmsbury and others And Thomas Rudburn in his greater Chronicle addes that he was crowned with Pagan Ceremonies at Winchester in the place which once had been the Church of the true God but which those barbarous heathens had changed into a Temple of Dagon having slain all the Monks who served God there 2. The raising of this New Kingdom sufficiently disproves the Fables of Geffrey of Monmouth who reports great and frequent Victories of King Arthur in these dayes Whereas Huntingdon expresly declares that this year a terrible battell was fought between Cerdic and the Brittains and that on both sides the Captains fought magnanimously till even but then the Saxons gott the victory which would have been more bloody to the Brittains had not the darknes hindred the pursuit After this the fame of Cerdic and his son Kinric was largely spread through the whole land For from that day began the Kingdom of the West-Saxons which remains to our times having swallowd all the other Principalities And Ranulpâ—us of Chester relates how after many battells fought betweem King Arthur and Cerdic wherin sometimes one some times the other had the better at last King Arthur grew weary and contenting himself with an oath of fidelity received from Cerdic he gave to him the Provinces of Hampshire and Somerset 3. But Thomas Rudburn taking no notice of any Oath of Fidelity declares that King Arthur growing weary of renewing war against Cerdic entred into league with him by which Cerdic obliged himself to the inhabitants of Cornwal to permitt them paying an annual tribute to enjoy the exercise of Christian Religion And that such a speciall indulgence was allowd to that Province appears by the great numbers of Saints which in these and the following times flourished there whereas scarce any were to be found in other parts of Brittany subject to the Saxons Now the ground of this Priviledge afforded particularly to them of Cornwal no doubt was because great multitudes of Brittains flying from the Saxons into those most distant and more defensible parts as likewise into Wales rendred them more capable to resist new Masters who therefore were forced to give them better conditions 4. Notwithstanding we are not to suppose that the two Provinces of Hampshire and Somerset mentioned by Ranulphus and Cornwall by Rudburn were all the Provinces which made up the new Kingdom of the West-Saxons for besides them Cerdic had subdued the Danmonij in Devonshire the Durotriges in Dorsetshire the Atrebatij in Barkshire and the Belgae in Wiltshire And to these shortly after was added the Isle of Wight which he bestowd on his late arriv'd kinsmen Stuffa and Whitgar who saith Camden utterly destroy'd the Brittish inhabitants there at Whitgarn-burg from Whitgar so call'd but now more contractedly Caresburg 5. Whilst Cerdic was busy establishing his new Kingdom fresh enemies to the Brittains arriv'd For as Mathew of Westminster relates in the year five hundred and twenty the Saxon Captains Colgrin Baldulf and Cheldric lately subdued by King Arthur at York and forced to abiure the Island repented themselves of the Covenants made and returning took land at Totenes from whence passing through Cerdic's dominion they came to the Citty of Bath which they besieged The fame whereof coming to King Arthur he caused the hostages left by them to be hanged And gathering a might army came to raise the siege Where the armies being ioyned he calling on the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary whose Image he wâ—re over his armour he slew great numbers of them and among the rest Colgrin and his Brother Baldulph Which Cheldric seing fled and by the Kings command was purâ—â—ed by Cador Duke of Cornwal who rested not â—ill he overtook them in the Isle of Thane where â—e slew Cheldric and â—orced the rest to yeild 6. Though some particulars in this Nâ—râ—ation may deserve to be excepted against is the place which is sayd to have been the Citty oâ— Bath neer which is the Mountain called Badonicus where Arthur before he was King is sayd to have defeated the Saxons long before the time mentioned by this Historian Besides Bath being a part of Cerdics new Kingdom how come the new arrived Saxons to besiege it Notwithstanding it may probably be answered that there might have been and comparing our Writers it is likely there were two battles fought by Arthur at this Mount Badonicus And again the Citty of Bath being seated in the utmost extremity Westward of Cerdic's Pricipality it might perhaps at this time have been in the possession of the Brittains 7. As touching King Arthurs invoking our blessed Lady's assistance in the fight it was a devotion generally practis'd by the Church in this age For two year before this there having been assembled two Councils in the East one at Ierusalem and another at Constantinople the Synod of Ierusalem thus wrote to the Bishops of the other Council O most holy Bishops we beseech you to pray with us to our Lord for these same things for the necessities of all Gods Preists ought to be common Make your supplications likewise together with us to the most holy and glorious Virgin Mary Mother of God that she would intercede for the peace of the holy Churches and for the victory and long life of our most pious and most Excellent Emperour The like practise we find elsewhere of which many Examples may be given 8. The year following King Arthur was called into the Northern parts to assist Prince Howel who three years before was come out of Lesser Brittany to his aid and was now besieged by the 〈◊〉 and Scots in the Citty
called Acluid in which he lay sick Vpon King Arthurs approach saith Mathew of Westminster the Enemies retired to a place called Mureif whither he pursued them But they escaping by night fled to a Lake named Lumonoy Whereupon Arthur gathering many ships together encompassed the Island and in fifteen days brought them to such extreme famine that many thousands of them perish'd In which utmost danger the Bishops of that Regioâ— came bare-foot to the King with teares beseeching him to take pitty of that miserable people and to give them some small portion of that countrey to inhabit under the Yoake of perpetual servitude The King mollified with the teares of the Bishops both pardon'd his Enemies and granted their request 9. Here it is that some of our Brittish and Saxâ—n Writers ground the subjection of Scotland to the Crown of Brittany Particularly Walsingham relates how King Arthur having subdued Scotland placed over it as King a certain person named Angulsel who at a publick Feast in Caer-leon caried King Arthurs sword before him and did homage to him for his Kingdom And that successively all the Kings of Scotland were subject to the crown of Brittany But it seems very improbable that King Arthur at a time when his own countrey was peece-meale renting from him should be at leasure to conquer forrain Nations And however if the Scots were indeed now subdued certain it is that they shortly shook off that yoke XV. CHAP. 1.2.3 Of the Holy Bishop Nennion And of S. Finanus 1. WHereas in the last recited exploit of King Arthur it is sayd that certain Pictish or Scottish Bishops were suppliants to him in behalf of their distressed countreymen our inquiry must be what Bishops those probably were That the Province of the Picts where the Citty of Acluid was seated had many years since received the Christian Faith by the preaching of S. Ninianus hath been already demonstrated But who were his Successours till this time we can only find by conjecture In the Annals of Ireland there is mention of a certain Bishop call'd Nennion who is sayd to have flourished in Brittany about the year five hundred and twenty and to have had his seat in a place called the great Monastery This man probably was the Successour of S. Ninianus and this Great Monastery the same with Candida Casa where was the Monument of that Apostolick Bishop which by reason of frequent miracles wrought there invited great numbers of devout men to embrace a Coenobiticall Life as hath been shewd from Alcuinus Of this Bishop Nennion we read in the life of S. Finanus this passage That the said S. Finanus having in his childhood been instructed by S. Colman a Bishop was afterward recommended to â—he care of Nennion The words of Tinmouth extant in Capgrave are these Behold certain ships out of Brittany entred the said haven in Ireland in which ships was the Holy Bishop Nennion and severall others accompanying him These men being received with great ioy and honour Coelanus Abbot of Noendrum or as Iocelin writes of Edrum very diligently recommended young Finanus to the Venerable Bishop Thereupon Finanus presently after returned with him into his countrey and for severall years learned from him the Rules of a Monasticall life at his â—ee called the great Monastery Moreover with great proficiency he studied the Holy Scriptures and by invoking the name of Christ wrought many Miracles 2. Concerning the same Finanus it is further added Having been more then ordinarily instructed in Monastick institutions and holy Scripture by S. Nennion Finanus determined to take a journey to the See Apostolick to the end he might there supply whatsoever was defective in saving knowledge At Rome therefore he continued the space of seaven years dayly studying and advancing in Sacred science And after that he ascended to the degree of Preisthood 3. Thus much by the way concerning the holy Bishop Nennion who probably was one of those who interceded with King Arthur in behalfe of their countrey And it was about this time that S. Finanus lived under his Discipline For thus B. Vsher in his Chronologicall Index writes in the year five hundred and twenty Nennion Bishop of the See called The great Monastery flourish'd at this time in Brittany XVI CHAP. 1.2 Fables concerning King Arthur censured 1. IN the year of Grace five hundred twenty three King Arthur after the death of his wife Guenevera maried a Noble Lady called Guenhumara By occasion of which mariage his fame was spread through all countreyes This is thus declared by Florilegus In the forenamed year saith he King Arthur having reduced the Isle of Brittany to its former state maried a wife named Guenhumara descended from the Noble stock of the Romans She had been brought up in the Court of the Duke of Cornwal and in beauty excelled all the women of Brittany To this mariage he invited all Princes and Noble persons in the Regions adjacent and during the celebration of it such sports and such magnificence both in feasting and military exploits were shewn by him that Nations far removed did admire and emulate him By this means from some transmarine Kings he gained love and in others he imprinted a fear and terrour 2. Within little more then a year after this mariage he is sayd to have passed into Ireland and there to have taken Prisoners the King Gillamur and his Nobles and subdued the whole Island From thence to have sayled into Holland Gott-land and the Isles of Orkney all which Regions he brought under Tribute 3. Such Fables as these invented by idle and ignorant Bards and with addition published in a Latin stile by Geffrey of Monmouth have passed for true stories not only among the Brittains in succeeding times who might be pardond if in their poverty and miseries they recreated their minds with the imagined past glory of their Ancestours but they have imposed on forrain Writers and some of them otherwise not unlearned Hence it is that Malbranque a diligent French Antiquary has been induced to acknowledge that King Arthur after having forced Brittany from the Saxons subdued afterward that part of France which was inhabited by his own countreymen the Morini 4. Neither hath the Brittish Fables ended here They have sent King Arthur into Norway and his exploits there are thus recorded by Mathew of Westminster In the year of Grace five hundred thirty three King Arthur having a design to subdue all Europe passed with a Navy into Norway Where being arrived he found Sichelin King of that countrey dead who had bequeathed that Kingdom to Loth sisters son to King Arthur a Prince of great vertue and magnificence The sayd Loth had at that time a son called Walwan a youth twelve years old who was recommended to Pope Vigilius to be by him brought up from whom likewise he received the Order of Knight hood In the end King Arthur
having conquered the Norvegians placed his Nephew Loth in the throne and then with ioy returned into Brittany 5. Acts of Chevalry yet more prodigious have been in a seeming sober manner recounted especially by Geffrey of Monmouth which in a generall manner shall be here set down in the expression and with the Censure of Ranulphus of Chester As touching this King Arthur saith he among all Historians only thus extolled by Geffrey of Monmouth many doe wonder how any one can beleive those things to be true which are reported of him For if there were any probability that he conquered thirty Kingdoms if he subdued the King of the Franks if he slew Lucius the Emperours Governour in Italy how comes it to passe that all Historians Romans French Saxons should make no mention at all of such Heroicall Exploits of so great a Prince whereas they have related far lesse acts of persons much inferiour Geffrey tells us that his Arthur conquered Frollo King of the Franks whereas among the French Writers such a Name as Frollo cannot be found He says likewise that during the raign of the Emperour Leo King Arthur kild Lucius an Italian Generall of the Empire and yet according to all the Roman Historians there was no Lucius Governour in Italy Neither did King Arthur raign nor was so much as born in the time of Leo but of Iustinian the fifth Emperour after Leo. To conclude Greffrey says he much wonders that Gildas and S. Beda should make no mention of King Arthur in their Writings Whereas we may much rather wonder that this Geffrey should so highly extoll a man whose actions have scarce been mentioned by any ancient Historians of high esteem for their truth sincerity But perhaps this is the custom of every nation to exalt some one of their Princes with excessive praises as the Grecians have enormously magnified their Alexander the Romans their Octavian the English their Richard the French their Charles and in like manner the Brittains their Arthur This often happens saith Iosephus either for the beautifying of their Histories or the delighting their Readers or extolling their own blood 6. That there was such a King of the Brittains as Arthur and that he was a Prince of a most magnanimous and Heroical Spirit we are assured by Monuments of such unquestioâ—ned authority that Geffreys lyes cannot disparage them And had it not been that Almighty God had given up the Brittains to destruction no hand could have been more proper able to rescue them then King Arthurs and no doubt it was to his valour that we ought to ascribe the security of the remains of them amoÌ„g the Mountains of Wales But as for his conquering so many kingdoms and driving the Saxons out of his own these are inventions so impudently false that in the very same years to which these Victories are assigned our unquestioned Histories inform us that the Saxons made some notable progresse in their conquests and some new kingdom of theirs became established 7. It may notwithstanding be allowd to Malbranque since he will needs entitle King Arthur to the subduing his Morini that being weary of contending in vain with the Saxons and a surcease of arms being agreed between them King Arthur to avoyd idlenes might transport some forces over Sea into that Province of France and there settle in the Principality his kinsmaÌ„ Leodegarius bestowing on him the Strong Citty of Bouloign Bononia with the territory adjoyning with this condition that he and his Successours should hold it with acknowledgment and dependance of the Blessed Virgin to whom we have seen before that King Arthur bore so particular devotion All which saith that Authour is extracted out of the ancient Archives of that Citty 8. Thus much may be iudged expedient to be said concerning King Arthur of whom nothing will remain more to be related for the space of many years till we come to treat of his death The intercurring time being to be supplyed by a few passages touching Ecclesiasticall affaires occurring in Brittany XVII CHAP. 1.2.3 The Kingdoms of the East-angles and East-Saxons erected 4 The Isle of wight conquered whence the name 1. ABout the year of Grace five hundred twenty seaven two new Kingdoms were erected in Brittany without any disturbance from King Arthur The seat of them was in the Eastern parts of the Island The Province of the Iceâ—â— containing Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridgshire was possessed by the Angli and made up the Kingdom of the East-angles The Province of the Trinobantes containing Essex Middlesex were possessed by a Tribe of the Saxons and made up the Kingdom of the East-Saxons But whether of these two kingdoms began first is uncertain in our History because the names of their first Kings are for the unconsiderablenes of their actions not left recorded 2. Mathew of Westminster fixes their beginning in the same year five hundred twenty sixe when saith he there came out of Germany certain Pagans who seysed on the Eastern parts of Brittany namely that Region which is called the Kingdom of the East-Angles And some of the same Germans invading the Middle Provinces of the Island fought many battles against the Brittains But because their Leaders were many and not subordinate to one their names are forgotten The same year the Kingdom of the East-Saxons also took its Origiâ—nal in these days called Essex the first King whereof as is beleived was Erkenwin the Son of Offa. 3. This Writer does not acquaint us with the name of the first King of the East-Angles But that defect is supplied by Ranulphus of Chester though he assign the Original of that Kingdom much sooner For thus he writes In the year of Grace four hundred ninety 〈◊〉 the Kingdom of the East-Angles began under Vffa from whom all the succeeding Kings were anciently called Vffings which since we call Ficans or Fikeys Such is the uncertainty about the beginning of these two Kingdoms to discourse of which concerns not our design 4. The year following the Isle of Wight was invaded by King Cerdic and his Son Kinric as hath been sayd But almost three years passed before they could quite subdue it For in the year five hundred and thirty saith Huntingdon Certic and his Son with a numerous army fought with the Brittains in Witland or the Isle of Wight and having overcome them took possession of the Island In which battell they made a wonderfull slaughter of them at Whitgaresberg in the thirteenth year of their Raign This Island called in Latin Vâ—cta they gave four years after to their Nephews â—â—uffa and Witgar The Brittains call this Island Guith which saith Nennius signifies a divorce or renting asunder because is is divided from Brittany by so narrow a sea intervening that is seems to have been once ioynd with it The Saxons from the Brittish word called it Witland or Vitland XVIII CHAP. 1.2 A Synod assembled in Wales by Saint
his parents recommended to S. Sampson of Menevia One speciall Miracle is recorded to have been wrought by him which was that by his prayers a fountain sprung forth in a dry soile very effectuall for curing severall diseases and specially the Scurvey Psora which therefore is vulgarly call'd the Disease of S. Mein This is related in the Gallican Martyrologe on the fifteenth of Iune He is suppos'd to have dyed in the year of Grace five hundred and ninety And he is commemorated likewise in our English Martyrologe on the same day by the name of S. Main 9. After that S. Sampson had spent some years in his Monastery of Dole the Bishop of that Citty dying he was elected in his place And having in his custody the Pall which he had worn formerly being Arch-bishop of Menevia the same he made use of in his Episcopall functions also at Dole From whence his Successours Bishops of Dole taking advantage assum'd likewise to themselvas the honour of wearing a Pall and consequently of challenging an Archiepiscopall Iurisdiction and an exemption from the power of their former Metropolitan the Archi-bishop of Tours This they continued many ages till the dayes of Pope Innocent the third notwithstanding many oppositions and protestations of the said Arch-bishops And all that time the See of Menevia or S. Davids though acknowledged the prime Church and Metropolis of Cambria yet abstain'd from the Pall. For which cause Pope Eugenius the third under our King Henry the first subjected it to the See of Canterbury in the year of our Lord eleaven hundred forty eight 10. Thirty three years S. Sampson with admirable sanctity administred that Bishoprick and in the year five hundred ninety nine receiv'd his eternall Reward His body by reason of the frequent incursions of the Danes and Normans was removed from Dole to Orleans Where it was receiv'd with such reverence that a Church was built on purpose to keep it which to this day is dedicated to his honour although destitute of that sacred pledge which among many other Bodies of Saints was impiously burnt by those professed Enemies of Sacred things the Huguenots in the last age who seised on that Citty Thus we read in the Gallican Martyrologe on the twenty eighth of Iuly Some part of his Relicks was with great veneration repos'd in the Abbey of Middleton in Dorsetshire which was built by King Ethelstan in expiation of being at least accessory to the murder of his brother Edwin in the year of Grace nine hundred thirty four 11 His Successour in the See of Dole was his kinsman and companion of his voyage S. Maglore concerning whom we shall treat in due place XXIX CHAP. 1.2 c. Of S. Malo or Mahutus 1. ANother Kinsman of S. Sampson call'd S. Maclovius or S. Malo otherwise S. Mahutus was famous at this time He during the tempest rais'd in Brittany by the treason of Mordred against his Vnckle King Arthur and the bloody war following left the kingdom and pass'd likewise into Lesser Brittany the common refuge of devout men in those times 2. He was born in Brittany His Fathers name was Went He is call'd Hano in the Gallican Martyrologe a Count and founder of the Citty by Historians call'd Guincensis His Mother was call'd Derwella or Darwalla and she being threescore years old was deliver'd of him on the Vigile of Easter in the valley of Llan-carvan in Glamorgan-shire 3. In the same place at that time lived a Holy man call'd S. Brendan Abbot of the Monastery of Llan-carvan by whom this Infant so wonderfully born was baptis'd and afterwards educated in all vertue and piety From his childhood he is reported to have shin'd gloriously by innumerable Miracles saith Harpsfeild which indeed accompanied him all his life-time many of which are recorded by Vincentius and S. Antoninus but resolutly declar'd to be impostures by the Centuriators of Magdeburg without any proof 4. Our learned Camden affirms that the constant Tradition was that he was afterward made Bishop of a Citty in the Province of the Iceni now Huntingdon shire call'd by Antoninus Durosipons because seated neer the River Ouse but afterward the name was changed into Gormonchester from Gormon or Guthrum the Dane to whom upon his becoming Christian King Aelfred gave those Provinces Notwithstanding it is rather probable that the said Tradition was grounded on some mistake 5. In succession of time upon occasion of the troubles afore said S. Malo or Mahutus went beyond sea into Lesser Brittany where he liv'd in great sanctity But when the fame thereof was spread abroad as we read in the Gallican Martyrologe he out of a contempt of his own glory retir'd himself privily into a certain bordring Island where in his Eremiticall manner of living he express'd an Angelicall purity But the brightnes of the divine splendour discovered this light which endeavour'd to conceale it self For when the Inhabitants of the neighbouring Island heard say that a certain stranger excelling in the gift of preaching and power of Divine Miracles did hide himself there from the conversation of men this they were told by some who had receiv'd help from him they in a common assembly came and drawing him by force out of his solitude chose him for their Pastour and inviting the neighbouring Bishops they placed him in the Pontificall chair of the Citty of Aleth and partly by entreaties partly by mere force they compell'd him to be their Bishop and Ecclesiasticall Governour 6. S. Machutus being thus exalted to this dignity shed forth abundantly the beames of that Divine Grace with which he was replenish'd illustrating mens soules with the true knowledge of God inflaming them with his Love and affording both admonitions and examples of all vertues to which likewise he added a great efficacy by wonderfull operations and miracles Insomuch as since the Apostles time wee read not of any one who wrought greater wonders in the name of Christ then he For with his word he calmed tempests three dead persons he restor'd to life to the blind he gave sight by the sprinckling of Holy Water he expell'd Devills and quenched the poyson of serpents 7. Neither was it in regard of Miracles onely that this Holy Bishop was like unto those Princes of our Faith but resembled them likewise in his patience which was oftimes put to the tryall For he was assaulted by certain impious persons and suffred many calamities for iustice and Religion insomuch as in the end he was violently thrust out of his Episcopall Throne and Diocese together with seaven other devout persons whom he had chosen for his especiall companions and who imitated him in purity of living yet this so heavy a Crosse he bore after our Lord with a courageous mind as the Apostles heretofore did 8. Attended with these holy men Saint Mahutus fled into Aquitain and in the Citty of Xaintes Santonum he was most kindly entertaind and fatherly assisted by Saint Leontius
Arch-bishop of Bourdeaux and Metropolitan of that Citty who there accommodated him with a convenient habitation for serving God For the Holy Arch-bishop Leontius bore a most tender affection to him admiring and reverencing the Divine Graces which he observ'd in him whom he esteemd as sent from heaven to assist him in his Pastorall charge For which reason in all Visitations of his Diocese and Province he took him for his companion earnestly beseeching him to be his assistant by his wholesom counsells by his Prayers acceptable to God and by the examples of his holy Life 9. Moreover this Man of God although so disgracefully and uniustly exild was not unmindfull of his flock but forgetting all iniuries he dayly invok'd our Lords clemency for the conversion of that stubborn people The Divine Majesty aâ— last condescended to his Prayers and by an Angel acquainted him that his flock was now penitent and earnestly desir'd the return and favour of their Pastor and that it was Gods will that he should repair to them and restore to health that Region which was greivously afflicted with the scourges of Divine severity that he should restore plenty to the barren earth and bestow his benediction on the inhabitants And lastly having done this that he should again return to Xaintes where he was to be devested of his corruptible flesh that his soule might freely ascend to partake eternall felicity All these things the Holy Bishop perform'd according as God had commanded and when he came back from Brittany S. Leontius receiv'd him with greater ioy and express'd more respectfull Offices and kindnes to him then formerly 10. Shortly after this S. Mahutus or S. Maclovius dyed full of dayes and sanctity and was buried by Leontius in Aquitain And though the inhabitants of Aleth were deprived of the sacred Relicks of their prime Prelat whom they had treated so iniuriously yet the Name of Blessed Maclovius remains never to be blotted out which to this day both adorns and defends that Citty with his glorious protection and celestiall benefits Notwithstanding the Episcopall See does not now remain at Aleth but is remov'd to an Island two miles distant from thence anciently call'd Aaron where a Citty new built is in memory of their Holy Prelat and Patron call'd S. Malo Vrbs Macloviensis 11. To this large relation in the Gallican Martyrologe Iohn of Tinmouth adds That S. Mahutus with his seaven Disciples in devotion visited Rome where he redeemd many Infidell Captives and having instructed them in the true Faith baptis'd them Moreover that after forty years government having been iniustly and violently driven from his See at Aleth he cursed and excommunicated the people and then retired to an Island in Aquitain calld Agenis from whence he repair'd to Leontius a Bishop there Which relation contradicts the Gallican Martyrologe according to which S. Maclovius was so far from cursing his flock that he prayed dayly for it However the Centuriators of Magdeburg charitably remember only his cursing and not his prayers and most unskilfully write that he flourish'd under Leontius Bishop of the Saxons mistaking Saxonum for Santonum and that he curs'd the Brittains his own countreymen from whom he never receiv'd any iniury How long he liv'd appears not but his death is in our Martyrologe assign'd to the year of Grace five hundred sixty four XXX CHAP. 1.2 Of S. Brendan 3. Of S. Doc and S. Canic 1. SAint Brendan the spirituall Father and Instructour of S. Maclovius though by birth no Brittain is not be denied a place in this History Concerning whom we read in B. Vsher that he came out of Ireland to visit the Holy man S. Gildas Albanius in Brittany where he built a Monastery and a Church He was also Superiour in the Monastery of Lancarvan where he baptised S. Maclovius After that he returned into Ireland where he was Abbot of a Monastery call'd Birra and in the year of Grace five hundred seaventy one most happily ended his holy Life Of whose glory and Beatitude revealed to S. Columba the Authour of that Saints life call'd Adamannus thus writes where he introduces S. Columba thus discoursing with his Minister Diormitius Columba Goe and quickly provide all things necessary for celebrating the Holy Eucharist for this is the day of the blessed death of S. Brendanus Diormitius Why doe you command that we should prepare so solemnly for Masse to day since no Messenger from Ireland Scotia has yet brought tidings of the death of that Holy man Columba However goe and faile not to doe as I have commanded for this last night I saw heaven on a sudden opened and quires of Angels descending to meet S. Brendans soule by whose incomparable splendour the whole world was that houre enlightned 2. S. Brendan thus call'd to heaven enjoyd on earth also an eternall Monument of his name and Sanctity for in the Isles of Orkney a town and Church were built and were call'd from his Name The reason of which honour and devotion was because his Sacred body was thither translated The day of his death is celebrated in our Martyrologe on the sixteenth of May and his Translation on the fourteenth of Iune 3. We will here conclude with the Memory of a Holy Brittish Abbot call'd S. Doc who flourish'd in this Age. Of whom the Irish Annals thus write in the life of Saint Canic from whom the Province of Kilkenny took its appellation importing the Church of Canic When S. Canic was grown to an age capable of knowledge he was desirous of instruction and therefore pass'd over the Sea into Brittany to a Religious wise man naimed Doc and under him he studied diligently and was taught both learning and piety This S. Doc was one of the three Holy Brittains from whom the Irish learnd the form and Rites of celebrating Masse as hath already been shewd the other two were S. David and S. Gildas THE TWELTH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAPTER 1.2 c. Constentin succeeds King Arthur His Cruelly Pennance and undertaking a Religious life 1. IT seems the Brittains at the beginning had no such conceit of King Arthurs returning for surely they would have expepected awhile and not immediatly have filled his Throne with a succession of strange Princes The Bards had not yet contrived their fantasticall Stories which could find none in these times to hearken to them 2. Therefore after King Arthurs death Constantin according to his designation succeeded him in the Government of Brittany He was the Son of Cador Duke of Cornwall and kinsman to King Arthur His sufficiency to discharge that employment for the benefit of his countrey was enough approv'd by his glorious Predecessours choice But Almighty God having fix'd a period to the Brittish Monarchy permitted many factions to arise and many pretendants to the Principality the opposing of whom hindred Constantin from advancing the common proffit and safety of the Kingdom 3. Yea
Columba into Brittany Ceaulin and Cutha mov'd a Civill war against Ethelbert But Malmsbury and Huntingdon acknowledge Ethelbert King of Kent to have been the aggressour For it seems being vex'd to see the Dominions and power of Ceaulin King of the West-Saxons so much encreas'd for besides his own Territoryes immediatly subiect to him the other Saxon Princes in the East and South acknowledged a dependance so that Ceaulin assum'd the Title of Monark Hereupon Ethelbert a valiant Young Prince being mindfull of the glory of his Ancestours who first had establish'd a Kingdom in Brittany and had always enjoyd a preeminence above other Princes resolved to enlarge the bounds of his Empire and not to content himself with the only Province of Kent 2. In pursuance of which design he rais'd an Army and with it march'd out of his own confines into the Province of the Regni or Surrey where passing unwarily over a little River calld Vandalis he was rudely repuls'd by Ceaulin and again endeavouring to march forward the Armies mett at a Village calld Wibbandun now Wimbledon where he was with a great slaughter of his army compelld to fly back into Kent having lost in the combat his two Cheif Captains Oslaf and Knebban Near the place where the battell was fought remains still a Monument of it to wit a rampire rais'd in a round form as encompassing a Camp which is at this day calld Knebensbury or the Burg of Kneben 3. Ethelbert after this losse sought to strengthen himself by forrain aid for which purpose he treated a freindship and confederacy with the neigbouring powerfull Kingdom of the Franks to make which confederacy more lasting he desired to joyn it more strictly by mariage which accordingly was effected 4. Hitherto when we had occasion to mention that Kingdom we calld it Gaule which was its ancient Primitive name But afterward a Nation out of Germany calld Franks invading it and under King Pharamond possessing the greatest part of it changed the name of it from Gaule into France and so hereafter we shall call it The Successours of Pharamond for severall generations were Pagans till by the Apostolick zeale of Saint Remigius Bishop of Rhemes in the year of Grace four hundred ninety nine King Clodovéus was converted to the Christian Faith and with him the greatest part of his kingdom Which Faith ever after continued and encreased there 5. At this time that Kingdom was divided into four parts each of them severally governed by four Kings Sons of Clotharius and Grandchildren of Clodovéus Charibert the Eldest Son had the seat of his Kingdom at Paris Chilperic at Soissons Gunthram at Orleans and Sigebert at Rhemes Now a daughter of one of these did Ethelbert King of Kent marry but of which of them particularly is not mention'd in our Story Saint Beda indefinitly writes that she was daughter of a King of the Franks 6. The name of this Lady according to S. Beda Malmsburiensis c. was Berta But S. Gregory who liv'd in this age and had entercourse by letters with her more rightly calls her Aldiberga and adiudges great praise due to her in the conversion of the Saxons 7. The parents of this Lady made a difficulty to deliver a daughter professing the Christian Faith to the bed of a Pagan But Ethelbert engaging himself to allow her and her family an entire freedom publickly to professe her Religion and to exercise all the Sacred Rites belonging to it the mariage was concluded and the Lady sent into Brittany 8. She was attended by a prudent and devout Christian Bishop called Lethardus by Harpsfeild said to have been Bishop of Salvanort but he doubts there is an errour in the Copies where this unknown name is found This Bishop is in Capgrave stiled the Precursor of S. Augustin and one who opened the dore by which he brought in Christianity 9. There were then in Dorobernia the prime Citty of Kent since calld Canterbury severall Churches which had been built many ages before by Christians in the times of the Romans and which had not been utterly demolish'd by the Saxons Among which the Queen made choice of that which was dedicated to the honour of Saint Martin a holy Bishop in wonderfull veneration through all France For thus writes Saint Beda There was near to the Citty toward the East a Church anciently consecrated to the memory of S. Martin whilst the Romans inhabited Brittany In which Church the Queen who as hath been said was a Christian usually perform'd her devotions 10. What those Devotions were is thus more particularly express'd by the Authour of the life of the Holy Bishop Lethardus in Capgrave who writes thus In the most ancient Church of the Holy Bishop S. Martin situated near the Citty the Queen together with her Christian family did frequent the Sacraments of Masses and Prayers in the celebrating whereof the Blessed Bishop Lethardus was President or Cheif Prelat For the saying or singing of Masses were indeed the Solemn Devotions of the Church in those times as appears for as much as concerns France particularly the Native countrey of this Queen by the Councils of Orleans and Tours celebrated in these very times And this is acknowledged to have been the generall practise of this age by the Centuriators of Magdeburg who write thus The reader hereby may observe that the Solemnities of Masses did now fill all places And for as much as concerns Brittany we have already shewd that among the Northern Picts S. Columba knowing by revelation the death of S. Brendan in Ireland celebrated a Solemne Masse for his soule XIV CHAP. 1.2 King Ceaulins conquests and death 3. c. The Kingdom of the East Saxons Erected 1. THE two Saxon Kings in Kent and the Western parts did not prosecute their hatred against one another but esteemd it more for their advantage to enlarge their Dominions by invading the Provinces as yet in the possession of the Brittains In order whereto Ceaulin King of the West-Saxons who had hitherto employ'd his forces in the conquest of places bordring especially on the Sea sent his Brother Cutha or Cuthwolf with an army into the inland Provinces The Successe of which expedition is thus described by Florentius and which saith he was undertaken in the year of Grace five hundred seaventy one 2. Cuthulf the Brother of King Ceaulin fought with the Brittains in a place calld Bedanford or Bedford And having obtaind the Victory he took from them four Royal Citties to wit Linganburgh a place now unknown Egelesburgh now calld Aylsbury in Buckinghamshire Bensingtun or Benson in Oxfordshire and Egnesham where placed is uncertain After which victory he the same year departed this life 3. In the year five hundred seaventy five was erected the Kingdom of the East Angles in Norfoll Suffolk and Cambridgshire together with the Isle of Ely The name of the first King raigning there was Vffa from whom his
of Pope Boniface the fifth to Iustus Arch-bishop of Canterbury writing thus I perceive by your Letters that our Predecessour of Blessed memory Gregory appointed to Augustin and his Successours for the future the Metropolitan and primitive See in the Citty of Canterbury where the Head of the whole Nation since the times of Paganism resideth 20. The same is confirmed by the universall practise of all succeeding times Whereby it is evident that the entire exercise of Ecclesiasticall authority in ordring changing and translating of Bishopricks and Arch-bishopricks was by all our Ancestours acknowledged to belong to the See Apostolick Yea B. Parker a Successour of S. Augustin in the See of Canterbury as to the Rents belonging to it and his kind of iurisdiction also though an Apostat from his Faith challenges this Iurisdiction upon no other grounds but because Saint Augustin received it from Saint Gregory to the prejudice of London and yet both he and his Successours in contradiction to their own claim and practise will deny that Saint Gregory or his Successours enjoyd any lawfull Iurisdiction over Brittany 11. With these letters and by the same Messengers saith S. Beda the zealous and charitable Pope Saint Gregory sent likewise all manner of things necessary for the solemn worship of God and ministery of the Church He furnished them with Sacred Vessels cloathes for Altars Ornaments for Churches Vestments proper for Bishops Preists and other Ecclesiasticks Relicks of the Holy Apostles and Martyrs and likewise very many Books And for this his liberality he is by Calvinists branded with the note of Superstition But it is no wonder that such men would despoyle Gods Church of all splendour and ornaments who have despoyld Faith it self of all good works XIII CHAP. 1.2 c. S. Gregories New Orders touching demolishing Pagan Temples and Rites 5. A Priviledge to the Monastery of Glastonbury 1. WHen S. Gregory had dispatched away these Messengers new cares began to disquiet his mind In his Letter to King Ethelbert he had advised him to demolish the Temples dedicated to Idols that no marks of former Superstition might remain But upon after-thoughts he considered that those Temples being purified might be usefull for the worship of the true God Therefore apprehending the Kings zeale and hasty obedience he hastned away other Letters which saith S. Beda deserve to be recorded as a Monument of his affection and continuall solicitudes for the good of our Nation They were directed to Mellitus Abbot in the tenour following 2. After the departure of thee and thy company we were in great suspension of mind not having heard any tidings of the prosperousnes of your iourney When therefore it shall please God to bring you safe to our most reverend Brother ◠Augustin acquaint him how having diligently considered the affaires of England I have now iudged best that the Temples consecrated to Idols in that Nation should not be demolished but only the Idols themselves Let therefore Holy Water be made and sprinkled through the said Temples and then Altars may be built and Sacred Relicks be placed in them which being done they will be usefull for the service of God And besides the Saxons having cleansed their hearts from Errour by the knowledg and worship of the true God will more willingly and familiarly resort to the accustomed places which they see standing 3. And whereas they were wont to kill many Oxen in their Sacrifices to Devills they may be perswaded to make this change in that solemnity that on the anniversary day of the Dedication of their Churches or Feasts of such Martyrs whose Relicks they have they may raise Tents or Boothes about the said Churches and celebrate the solemnity with merry feasting At which time they must not immolate their beasts to the Devill as formerly but kill them for meat to be eaten to the praise of God the giver of them By this means whilst we permitt them a continuance of their former externall jollities their minds will more easily be brought to entertaine spirituall joys For it will be impossible at once to withdraw such rude untractable minds from all their former customs they will not be brought to perfection by sudden leaps but leasurely by steps and degrees Thus did our Lord indeed make himself known to the people of Israel in Egypt But withall permitting them to continue their custom of Sacrifices he taught them to offer them to his Honour which before they did to Devills Thus their hearts being wholly changed they relinquished some thing and retaind likewise some thing of their former practise So that though the beasts were the same which they were wont to offer yet since they offred them now to God and not to Idols the Sacrifices were not the same These things I desire thee to tell our fore named Brother that he may consider being there present how best to be have himself 4. The discreet Reader may here observe how just a Title this Holy Pope S. Gregory had to the Name of Apostle of the English Nation since amidst the distractions and tumults of businesses which necessarily attēded the care of all Christian Churches yet in one year he could write so many letters give so many admonitions conferr so many Indults and Graces and all this with so much affection zeale labour and solicitude that he may seem to have had no other thing in his thoughts but how to adorn this New English Church and make her fitt to become a beloved Spouse of our Saviour 5. To this year likewise belongs what we read in William of Malmsbury out of the Antiquities of Glastonbury touching a Royall Priviledge then granted to that Monastery In the year of our Lords Incarnation six hundred and one that is five years after the coming of S. Augustin the King of Domnonia granted the land called Ineswitrin to the ancient Church situated there the land containing five families quinque cassata This he did at the Petition of Worgrez Abbot of the same place The Grant was subscribed by Manvorn Bishop and the said Abbot Worgrez Now the Name of the King saith the Authour does not appear being worn out of the Writing by age But that he was a Brittain can not be doubted since he calls the place Ineswitrin for that is the Brittish name We may likewise consider of how great Antiquity the said Church was which is there and then called an ancient Church The Abbots of the same Church were doubtles Brittains too as appears by their barbarous Names Ladaemmid and Bregorer The times when they succeeded one another are unknown But their Names and Dignities are to be plainly seen in a Picture on one side of the Altar in the Great Church XIV CHAP. 1.2 c. K. Ethelberts Munificence to the Church 4.5 Priviledge of Coyning given to S. Augustin and his Successours 9 c. The Arch-bishop of Canterburie's Iurisdiction over all Brittany Ireland c. 1. WE will now
take a view of the effects which these Letters and admonitions produced in the persons to whom they were directed King Ethelbert and Saint Augustin King Ethelbert therefore casts down all Idols and commands the Temples accustomed to profane and impious Sacrifices to be changed into places of pure Worship and Piety And S. Augustin assisted by fresh labourers purges those profane Temples and instead of Idols erects the Sacred Crosse the Hieroglyphick of our Faith 2. More particularly King Ethelbert to whom S. Gregory had proposed Constantin for a pattern with a munificence like Constantins gave his Palace and whole Royal Citty of Canterbury to S. Augustin saith Camden and built for himself a Palace at Reculver Regulbium Which place Saith Parker was situated near the Sea Where likewise he founded a Monastery the last Abbot whereof was called Wenred Nothing now remains of this place by reason the Sea breaking in has cover'd it Onely the tops of towers other ruins of the Monastery are marks to Seamen that they may avoyd the dangerous flats there 3. Together with the Royal Citty King Ethelbert conferred likewise on S. Augustin and his Successours many Regall Priviledges Iura Regalia Among which one was a right of coyning Money with his own Stamp For to this effect Selden thus Writes The ancient Right of the Arch-bishops of Canterbury is signified by an Old Coyn one side whereof is signed with the name Plegmuud Arch-bishop and the other with the name of Eâ—cmund the Coyner The Prototype is preserved in the Treasure of the family of Cotton where I my self saw a peice of silver having imprinted on it the name image of Celnoth Arch-bishop And it seems the right of coyning money generally esteemed a Regal Priviledge did belong to the Arch-bishop as Lord of that Citty in those times 4. This Right remained to that See till the times of King Ethelstan about the year of Grace nine hundred twenty four who then abrogated it in the opinion of Selden publish'd a Law that not any coyn should passe but such as was stamped with the Kings Image Notwithstanding it was not quite abrogated for among the same Kings Laws this is one Let there be seaven Minters or Coyners at Canterbury Of which four shall belong to the King two to the Arch-bishop and one to the Abbot So that this prerogative remained many ages entire to the Arch-bishops though the measure and valew of the money coynd was restrain'd by King Athelstan who commanded the same coyn for price and quantity to have passage through his dominions and that none out of Citties should be permitted to stamp it Neither can it appear from any authentick Record but that this Priviledge continued till the time of the Norman Conquest 5. To the same See of Canterbury also by vertue of S. Gregories Rescript did belong an Vniversall Iurisdiction over the whole Island Forthough in a Synod shortly following the Brittish Bishops made their opposition and contradiction to this Priviledge for which reason S. Augustin forbore to presse it Yet the same was afterward admitted not only by all the Churches of the Saxons but of Brittany in the largest sence yea of the Brittanies in the plurall number Britanniarum comprehending in the language of ancient Authours Polybius hist. l. 3. and Ptolomy Georg. l. 2. both old Scotland which is Ireland and Albany which is Modern Scotland For on the See of Canterbury did both those Nations depend in Ecclesiasticall matters 6. Thus Queen Matildis call'd S. Anselm the Arch-bishop of the prime See and Primar of the Northern Islands call'd Orcades And before S. Anselms time the custom was for the Irish Bishops to receive Consecration from the Arch-bishops of Canterbury as evidently appears from S. Lanfrancs letter to Gothric King of Ireland extant in Baronius as likewise from the letter of Murchertac another Irish King and Dofnald a Bishop to S. Anselm Arch-bishop of Canterbury in which they request him to institute a Bishop at Waterfoxd by vertue of the power of Primacy over them which was invested in him and of the authority of Legat of the Apostolick See which he exercised This is testified by Eadmerus the Monk an eye-witnes of that transaction 7. Next as touching Scotland in the modern acception though anciently it was subject to the Arch-bishop of York by a Decree of Pope Eleutherius sent by Fugatius and Damianus Yet now S. Gregory derogated from that Decree and either having regard to S. Augustins sanctity or the eminent Empire of Ethelbert who was in some sort Monarch of the whole Island he publish'd a New Decree that all Churches of the Brittanies should be subject to the See of Canterbury And this is manifest in the Controversy between Alexander King of the Scotts and the foresaid Eadmer who at the request of that King was appointed Bishop of S. Andrews in Scotland by Radulphus Arch-bishop of Canterbury whom the King would have to receive Consecration from the Arch-bishop of York but he refused informing him that the authority of the See of Canterbury did of old extend over all Brittany and therefore that he would require Consecration from the said Arch-bishop But the King not being satisfied Eadmer chose rather to relinquish his new Bishoprick then prejudice the Prerogative of the Prime See of Brittany XV. CHAP. i. 2 The King of the Northumbers overcomes the King of the Scotts 1. THE year following which was the six hundred and third of our Lords Incarnation Ethelfrid King of the Northumbers overcame Edan King of the Scotts This Ethelfrid saith Beda was a most potent King and wonderfully thirsty after glory He had wasted the Brittains more then any of the Saxon Princes and had made many of their Provinces tributary Whereupon Edan King of the Scots inhabiting Brittany being mov'd by the great progresse of his Victories came against him with a mighty and well appointed army but was overcome and forced to fly back with few attendants For in a place called Degsasten or The Stone Degsa celebrated by that battell his whole army in a manner was destroyed Yet in the same combat Theobald Brother of Ethelfrid with that part of the army lead by him was slain And from that time till the dayes of S. Beda himself never durst any King of the Scotts enter Brittany against the English Nation 2. The said King Aidan as Fordon the Scottish Chronicler testifies after that discomfiture did so afflict himself with greif that two years after he dyed at Kentyre After whose death Kennet Ker son of Conal seysed on the Crown but within lesse then a years space dying Eugenius Buydwel Son of Aeidan succeeded in the Kingdom Which King Eugenius saith he infested the Regions of the Saxons and sometimes of the Picts with furious irruptions But in this clause he manifestly contradicts S. Beda forecited who likewise elsewhere expressly affirms That the Scotts inhabiting Brittany contented themselves with
ascribe this munificent work to King Ethelbert whose Tributary King Sebert his Nephew was Yea Polydor Virgil addes that the Citty it self a little before this was become part of King Ethelberts own Dominion And Camden to the like effect writes thus Ethelbert King of Kent under whom Sebert raigned as by courtesy in this Tract built a Church at London to the honour of Saint Paul the Apostle which in after times being enlarged and beautified grew to that vastnes and magnificence as we now see it as likewise to such rich endowments by which are plentifully maintained besides the Bishop a Dean Precentour Chancellour Treasurer fower Arch-deacons nine and twenty Prebends besides many others of inferiour rank 2. As Saint Peters Church in Westminster was erected upon the ruines of the Pagan Temple of Apollo So was this dedicated to Saint Paul upon those of a Temple to Diana Some marks whereof to this day remain saith the same Authour for ancient adjacent Lodgings in the Archives of the Church are called Diana's Chamber and in King Edward the firsts time an incredible number of beeves heads was digged up in the Church-yard the ancient Sacrifices Tauropolia solemnised to Diana c. 3. In this Church by the Kings appointment the Bishop and his Successours had their fixed seat The Church service being sung not by Monks but other Church-men who lived Canonically in community 4. To the Bishops of this Church saith Saint Beda King Ethelbert offred many rich gifts and for the maintenance of those who lived with the Bishops he added many territories and possessions Particularly the Lordship of Tillingham is named in the Formule of Donation supposed by Stow and Speed to have been written by Ethelbert in this manner King Ethelbert by Divine Inspiration hath given to Miletus rather Mellitus for the remedy of his soule the land called Tillingham for the use of the Community Monasterium of Saint Paul Which Donation in after ages King William the Conquerour confirmed in these words Know ye that I grant to God and Saint Paul and his Ministers the four and twenty Hydes of land which King Ethelbert gave near the Citty of London to the Church of Saint Paul at the first foundation to be free and quitt of all Gilds and of all expedition worke c. Where we find what quantity of ground that territory of Tillingham contained to witt four and twenty Hydes of land each hyde being as much as could be cultivated yearly by one Plough And therefore in a Donation made by Saint Dunstan we read it expounded thus I grant a portion of seaven Ploughs of land which in English is called seaven Hides A Hyde by Saint Beda is called a family or Manse XXII CHAP. 1. 2. An Episcopall See erected at Rochester 3.4 c. The Bishop of Landaff consecrated by the Arch-bishop of Canterbury 1. THE same year another Episcopall See was erected in the Province of Kent in a Citty by the Romans called Durobrum by Saint Beda Durobrevis in after times Roffa or Rochester from the name of a principall Saxon to whom it belonged Where King Ethelbert built a Church to the honour of Saint Andrew the Apostle the Episcopall See of S. Iustus the first Bishop who lately came from Rome with S. Mellitus Of whose Consecration S. Beda thus writes 2. S. Augustin ordained Iustus a Bishop in Kent it self in the Citty of Durobrevis which the English Nation from a prime Noble person inhabiting there called Rotchester There did King Ethelbert build a Church to the honour of S. Andrew the Apostle and bestowed on that B. as he had done on the Church of S. Paul many Gifts adding withall possessions and lands for the maintenance of those who attended on the Bishop and Church Thus in a few years the Province of Kent obtained two Episcopall Sees 3. The two Sees of London and Rochester acknowledged subiection to that of Canterbury And which is strange the like was at this very time done by the Brittish See of Landaff notwithstanding the late dissension of the Brittish Bishops in the Synod of Worcester For we read that S. Oudoceus the Successour of S. Theliau sirnamed Helios or The Sun for his learning and Sanctity came for Ordination to Saint Augustin 4. The same moreover appears by a Protestation made in the Synod of Rhemes by Vrban Bishop of Landaff to Pope Calixtus the Second of that Name in the year of Grace eleaven hundred and nineteen extant in B. Vsher. Which Protestation was by him thus conceived From the ancient time of our Fathers Holy Father as the Hand-Writing of our Holy Father Saint Theliau testifies this Church of Landaff first founded to the honour of Saint Peter the Apostle was in dignity and Priviledges the Mistresse of all the Churches in Wales till by seditions and warrs in the time of my Predecessour Herwold it was weakned almost deprived of a Pastour and annihilated by the cruelty of the inhabitants and invasion of the Norman Nation Yet there always remaind in it Religious men serving God both by reason of the neighbourhood of the English by whom they were instructed though differing from them in the Ecclesiasticall Ministery as likewise because from very ancient times that is from the days of Saint Eleutherius Pope and after the coming of Saint Augustin into Brittany the Bishop of this place hath always been subiect and obedient in every thing to the Arch-bishop of the Metropolitan Church of Canterbury and to the King of England 5. For what concerns the present year the same learned B. Vsher in his Chronologicall Index writes how Saint Theliau Bishop of Landaff and Caer-leon being dead Saint Oudoceus his Sisters Son succeeded him whom at his return from the Citty of Canterbury where he had been consecrated by Saint Augustin the Arch-bishop Mouric Prince of Glamorgan honourably received and by his authority confirmed the Priviledges of the Church of Landaff 6. The same Authour further declares the grounds upon which the Church of Landaff became subiect to that of Canterbury For sayes he The Bishops of Landaff as heyrs of those of Caer-leon disdaind to be subiect to the Bishops of Menevia to whom the Metropoliticall Iurisdiction had been transferd from Caer-leon And therfore from this time they rather chose to receive their Consecration from the Arch-bishop of Canterbury And the Church of Caer-leon was so annexed to the neighbouring Church of Landaff that the Dioceses were not only ioynd but the Territory likewise belonging to the Churches of Saint Iulius and Saint Aaron was given to Nuddus the one and twentieth Bishop of Landaff and his Successours as we find express'd in the Register of that Church 7. Now if there be any truth in these Records it will follow that those Protestant Writers are much mistaken who affirm that all the Brittish Bishops oppos'd S. Augustin On the countrary the most illustrious among them S. Theliaus and his Successour
stole or by fraud usurped any thing belonging to the Church to Bishops or other Ecclesiasticks of inferiour degrees For his desire was to give his protection especially to those whom he had so reverently received and whose Doctrine he had embraced 2. What those Decrees and Forms of Iudgments were may be seen in that celebrated Manuscript called the Text of Rochester which in the days of King Henry the first was composâ—d by Enulphus Bishop of that Citty under this Title These are the Decrees or Iudgements which King Ethelbert constituted in the life time of Saint Augustin Here I will sett down onely such Laws as regard the Church and which Saint Beda seems to mention The which have been brought by Sir H. Spelman into the first Tome of English Councils and expressed both in the Saxon and Latin tongues The sence of them here follows 3. Whosoever shall uniustly take away any thing belonging to God and the Church shall make satisfaction by a twelve-fold restitution If such things belong to a Bishop he shall restore eleaven fold If to a Preist nine fold If to a Deacon six fold If to an inferiour Clark three fold If the peace of the Church shall be violated by any one let satisfaction be made by paying double and the like for disturbing the peace of a Monk If when the King shall call an Assembly of his people and any iniury shall be offred them the Offender shall restore double and moreover pay to the King fifty shillings Solidos If when the King shall be entertained in any house any dammage shall be done there let it be recompenced double c. 4. Besides these saith the same Sir H. Spelman in his Annotations to these Decrees there follow many other Laws pertaining to honesty of life and correction of manners but these are all which regard the Church The precise time when these Decrees were published does not appear but as the Title declares they were made whilst Saint Augustin was alive and as the care of the Church manifests they were published after King Ethelberts conversion XXVI CHAP. i S. Augustin ordains S. Laurence his Successour 2.3 c. His Bull confirming the Monastery of Canterbury suspected 1. THERE is among our Historians great variety of iudgments touching the number of years spent by Saint Augustin in Brittany and in what year he dyed Those who place his death in the third year of this Century as Iohn Stow or in the fourth as Baronius endeavours to collect from Saint Beda doe too-much hasten his end For the Charters of King Ethelbert before mentioned declare that he was alive in the fifth year On the other side those prolong his life too-much who affirm that he dyed not till the year of Grace six hundred and fifteen as some Authours quoted by F. Reyner in his Apostolatus or thirteen as Sir Henry Savill in his Chronologicall Fasts or twelve as Malmsburiensis or eleaven as Polydor Virgil For Pope Boniface in his Letters dated six hundred and ten does suppose him dead Therefore in such variety of opinions Sigebert and Mathew of Westminster most probably place his death in the year of Grace six hundred and eight 2. A little before his death Saint Augustin consecrated Laurence a Bishop designing him his Successour in the Archiepiscopall See Which he did after the example of many former holy Bishops who upon their view of death approaching relinquishing the care of others attended devoutly to the contemplation of that one necessary thing This same passage is thus related by Saint Beda Laurence succeeded Saint Augustin having been ordained Bishop by him whilst he was yet alive out of an apprehension least after his death the State of the Church as yet tender being destitute of a Pastour though but foâ— a moment shâ—uld begin to falter And herein he followed the Example of the Prime Pastour of Gods Church namely Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles who having founded the Church of Christ at Rome is reported to have made Saint Clement his Coadjutour in preaching the Gospell and consecrated him his Successour 3. The last publick Act attributed to Saint Augustin was the Confirming by a Solemne Bull all the Rights and Priviledges of his Beloved Monastery of Saint Peter and Saint Paul exempting it from all Episcopall Iurisdiction from all tribute servitude c. Prohibiting all Bishops to say Masses exercise Ordinations or Consecrations c. as by their own authority or Iurisdiction in that place deputed for the Treasury of Saints and burying place of succeeding Arch-bishops and Princes And assigning the Election of Abbots to the free Suffrages of the Monks c. All which Priviledges he confirmed with a denunciation of eternall damnation to transgeessours of them by the authority of Saint Peter and his Vicar the Bishop of Rome Saint Gregory This Bull was published in the presence and with the approbation of King Ethelbert his Son Eadbald all the Nobility of the Kingdom his Successour Laurence Mellitus Bishop of London Iustus Bishop of Rochester and Peter the Abbot and Monks of the same Monastery 4 To which Bull there was appended a Seale of Lead Neither is it a wonder saith the Transcriber of the said Bull that Saint Augustin being a Roman an Apostle of the English Nation and a Legat of the Apostolick See indued with a plenary Authority to erect Bishopricks and consecrate Bishops all which were to be subject to him should have the power and right to make use of a leaden Seale Though for the space of five hundred years the like priviledge was not afterward granted to any of our Bishops 5. Notwithstanding Sir H. Spelman not unreasonably suspects this not to be a genuine Bull because the fabrick of the Seale expresses not so great antiquity and the Sculpture of it more elegant then suited with that age likewise the Image of our Saviour and the form of a Church engraved in it ressembles the exactnes almost of these later times Moreover the Letters of the Inscription are such as were used in far later ages about the raign of King Henry the second or Richard the first And lastly the Seal is appended to the Bull not after the Roman fashion with a Chord of Silk but with a Skrole of parchmin after the Norman custom To these we may add that by mentioning in the same Writing together both Laurence his Successour and Peter the Abbot who was drowned above a year before that designation of a Successour the order of times is manifestly crofounded and the authority of the Bull prejudiced 6. However that most of these Priviviledges were even from the beginning conferred on that Monastery yea by Saint Augustin himself in vertue of a delegated authority from the See Apostolick though the simplicity of that age did not need such Legall Instruments and formall clauses the constant Tradition of that age doth justify Which Priviledges in succeeding times were frequently ratified by following Popes
cites for it William of Malmsbury Huntingdom Florentius Mathew of Westminster c. 3. I have thought expedient saith he to describe here out of the Acts of S. Birinus a wonderfull Miracle beseeming an Apostolick man which is omitted by S. Beda It was thus The Holy man being arrived to the shore of the Brittish Sea and ready to take ship celebrated the Divine Mysteries offring to God the Sacrifice of the Saving Host as a Viaticum for himself and followers After which the season being proper he was hastily urged to enter the ship and the wind serving thē they sayled speedily when on the sudden Birinus called to mind that he had lost a thing infinitely precious to him which by the urging hast of the Sea-men having his mind other ways busied he had left behind him at land For Pope Honorius had bestowed on him a Pall or Corporal upon which he consecrated the Body of our Lord and afterward used to wrap in it a particle of the said Sacred Body which he hung about his neck and allways caried with him but when he celebrated Masse he was wont to lay it by him upon the Altar Armed therefore with Faith he by Divine inspiratiō went down frō the ship into the Sea and walkd securely upon it to the shore Where finding what he had left behind he took it and in like manner returned to the ship Which he found standing still immoveable whereas a little before he had left it sailing extreme swiftly When he was entred into the ship not one drop of water appeared on his cloathes Which the Marriners seeing kneeld before him and worshipped him as a God and many of them by his preaching were converted to the Faith of Christ. 4. This custom of carying with them the Consecrated Body of our Lord was practised from the beginning of the Church many proofs whereof are in Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Ambrose writing of his Brother Satyrus S. Basile c. Which pious custom saith Baronius as the fervour of Religion introduced so Religion as holy hath in latter times forbidden it Formerly a firm Faith incited to the doing that which Reverence afterward disswaded In both cases Gods faithfull people deserve commendation as we read both the confidence and the modesty of the Apostles praised in the Gospel both when they were sorrowfull to want our Lords presence for a moment and likewise when S. Peter desired his absence saying Lord goe from mee for I am a sinfull man 5. S. Birinus being thus arrived in Brittany with an intention to visit the inmost rudest parts of the Island according to his promise to Pope Honorius he found at his landing so full a harvest that as William of Malmsbury says he thought it a folly to goe any further or to seek out sick men whom he should cure when as in the place where he already was there were not any sound Thus it hapned to S. Birinus as it had formerly to S. Augustin who being sent to the Deiri in the North stayd at the very entrance into the Island in the South He has notwithstanding found a more favourable esteem among Protestant Writers then S. Augustin did thought both taught the same Doctrin For B. Godwin calls him a man of great zeal and devotion and Camden says he was illustrious for his Sanctity even to a miracle c. 6. At his first coming S. Birinus addressed himself to King Kinegils to whom he with a modest boldnes expounded the Summ of the Christian Faith which he was come so far to preach for his salvation The Doctrines of Christianity were not now become strange even among the Pagans in Brittany But withall it fell out very happily that at the same time the most vertuous and Victorious King of the Northumbers Oswald as S. Beda stiles him was then present at the West-Saxon Court being come thither to demand King Kinegils his daughter for his wife This pious King gave his royal testimony to the Truth of the Doctrine preached by S. Birinus which was suitable to that received in the whole kingdom of the Northumbers And this he did so effectually that King Kinegils submitted his iudgment to the King and Bishop desiring to be conducted to the gate which opens into Heaven Hereupon he was sufficiently catechised and after that admitted to Baptism in which by a pious commerce King Oswald became Spirituall Father to him whose daughter he presently after maried 7. The King being thus converted the whole Province generally followd his example for according to S. Birinus his Acts the people hastned in great troops to heare the H. Bishop preach and with their hearts humbly embraced the Doctrine taught by him And no wonder for besides the sanctity and innocence of the Preacher God was present with him to confirm his Doctrin by Miracles One particularly is recounted in the said Acts after this manner There was in the Province a certain ancient Woman who a long time had been deprived both of her sight and hearing To her it was suggested by revelation that she should repair to the Holy Bishop for her cure She delayd not therefore but took with her a Guide to conduct her The Bishop therefore seing the womans piety immediatly made the sign of the Crosse upon her eyes and ears whereupon both her sight and hearing were restored to her 8. The Christian Faith being thus spread in that Kingdom both the Kings saith S. Beda assigned to the Holy Bishop the Citty called Dorinca to be his Episcopall See Where severall Churches were erected and consecrated and great multitudes gained to Christ after which he went to our Lord. This Citty Dorinca is the same which is now called Dorchester not the principal town of Dorsetshire but another of that name seated near Oxford Which at this time belonged to the West-Saxons but afterward passed to the Mercians 9. This Holy Bishop not being by profession a Monk instituted in his Church at Dorchester a Community of Canons who lived in a kind of Regular Observance and according to S. Gregories directions imitated the Institut of the Primitive Church during the Apostles times wherein not any of them esteemed that which he possessed to be his own but they had all things common In the said Church this Holy Bishop and seaven and twenty of his Successours continued the space of four hundred fifty seaven years 10. Fifteen years S. Birinus laboured with great fruit in cultivating this our Lords vineyard and at last in the year of Grace six hundred and fifty received his reward on the third of December on which day he is commemorated in our Martyrologe He was buried saith S. Beda in the same Citty o◠Dorchester and several years after his sacred Body was translated into the Citty of Winchester by Hedde Bishop of the same Citty and reposed in the Church of the Blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul 11. This passage of S. Beda was
The lest arm likewise he layd there in a place separate from the other as also the Body And the whole Body sayth William of Malmsbury according to the course of Nature was turnd into dust But the arms and hands by divine power doe remain incorrupt as an Historian of great veracity affirms 3. How long those Sacred Relicks remaind there was to the said Authour in certain A report there is that a certain Monk of Peterborough perceiving great negligence in keeping that Treasure stole away the right arm and Silver boxe and deposed them in his own Monastery Ingulphus a grave Writer confirms this Suspicion for relating the cruel depopulations made by the Infidell Danes in that countrey he declares how the Abbot and Convent there were forced to fly who carried with him the Sacred Relicks of the Holy Virgins Kineburga and Kineswitha and the Priour says he accompanied with some of his Brethren taking the arm of S. Oswald King fled with it to the Isle of Ely 4. The benediction of S. Aidan saying Let this hand never be corrupted was fullfilld saith Beda for when it was severed from the rest of the Body after the battell it remains to this day incorrupt Now what this learned and devout Historians relates of his own time which was almost a hundred years after the death of S. Oswald the succeeding Writers in following ages testify also with regard to their times For William of Malmsbury who wrote four hundred years after S. Beda hath this Expression I beleive that the Truth of that Divine Oracle He dispersed he gave to the poor his iustice remains for ever was fullfilld in King Oswald For that royal right hand which had bestowd so many Almâ— together with the arm skin and sinâ—ws remains to this day fresh and incorrupt but the rest of the Body beside the bones did not escape the common condition of mortality but was dissolved into dust This may seem strange to the Reader but none has the impudence to dare to deny the Truth of this 5. In the next age after lived Roger Hoveden who was no Monk this is added because Protestant Writers impute such stories to the fiction of Monks who writes thus In the Citty Bebba seated on the top of a Mountain is a beautifull Church in which there is a precious boxe containing the right hand of the holy King Oswald which remains uncorrupted After him lived Mathew of Westminster who gives this testimony In the fight where King Oswald was slain his right hand and arm was cutt of which to this day remains free from corruption In the following age Iohn Capgrave thus writes When King Osâ—ald was slain his Arme was cutt from his body which hitherto remains incorrupt 6. Polydor Virgil a secular Preist in the next age recites the Propheticall speech of S. Aidan to King Oswald May this hand never perish This saith he we may beleive proceedeâ— from Divine Inspiration For the same hand always remaind entire though the body was consumed which is still preserved in a decent boxe and with great veneration deposed in the Church of S. Peter in the Royal Citty Lastly Nicholas Harpsfeild a secular Preist likewise who wrote not long after says yet more expressly S. Aidan who then sate at Table admiring this munificence of the King prayd that a hand so liberal might never wither Which Prayer to this our times did never want effect c. That munificent hand indeed did never wither For what S. Beda and our following Historians affirmd to be true each one in respect of his own age our present age likewise hath confirmed There are at this day alive Witnesses of great worth and veracity beyond all exception who have testified to mee that themselves saw the same hand 7. Now let the Reader iudge whether such a chain of Tradition deserves not rather our assent then the impudent charge of lying layd on all our Ancestours by the Centuriators of Magdeburg who without any ground or suspicion from Antiquity impute forgery Superstition or what other crime they please to Writers whose learning and piety has been approved and coÌ„mended by the whole Church 8. As for the other Relicks of this holy King his Sacred Head was deposed in the Monastery of Lindesfarn which himself had lately founded for his Bishop S. Aidan It was afterward removed from thence and more decently buried with the Body of S. Cuthbert And when the See of Lindesfarn was translated to Durham about the year of Grace one thousand and twenty together with the Body of S. Cuthbert the same Head was removed by Edmand Bishop of that See for William of Malmsbury a hundred years after testifies that the Head of S. Oswald together with his arms was found there 9. His other bones together with the trunk of his body saith S. Beda were by the industry and devotion of Offrida wise to King Ethelred son of Oswi at this time King of the Northumbers removed to the Monastery of Bardeney in Lincolnshire Who likewise recounts how when the Monks refused to receive these Sacred relicks out of an ancient hatred to his person as a stranger and Enemy to the Mercians by a Pillar of Light which all the night before stood over the Charriot in which these Holy Relicks were exposed to the aire they earnestly begged that their Church might be honourd with them And many other wonderfull Miracles recounted by him by William of Malmsbury and others which God was pleased to work in severall ages by the intercession of this holy King all these may be read in those Authours for I have no inclination to transcribe them Onely I will add that upon the incursion of the Danes these Relicks were from the Monastery of Bardeney translated to Glocester Yea so illustrious was the Memory of his Sanctity that severall other forrain Churches in Ireland Flander c. were ambitious to be partakers of them 10. Yea not only the bones of this Blessed King were held in veneration and operative in miracles But according to the testimony of S. Beda in the place where fighting for his countrey and Religion he was slain by Pagans frequent cures were wrought both on men and cattell Whence it came to passe that many took of the dust it self where his body fell and putting it into water thereby restord health to the sick Which custom was so much frequented that by the continuall deminution of earth a trench was made the heighth of a man in depth c. 11. So great was the veneration born among us to this Holy King that severall Churches and Monasteries were built and dedicated to him As in Cumberland neer the River Itun there is Kirk-Oswald another in Northumberland at Silecester neer the Picts wall a third in Lincolnshire at Bardeney a fourth at Glocester when his Relicks were translated thither And in Yorkshire the Monastery of Nosthil was consecrated to him saith Camden
man of excellent disposition and well deserving the Title of King was by his Father sett over that part of the Kingdom He went to Oswi King of the Northumbers to desire his daughter Alâ—fleda in mariage but could not obtain his request except himself and Subjects would receive the Faith of Christ and Baptism Whereupon he having given eare to the preaching of Truth the promise of a heavenly Kingdom the hope of a glorious resurrection and future immortality professed his resâ—lution to be a Christian though the Virgin should be denyed him He was hereto perswaded most effectually by a Son of King Oswi named Alchfrid his kinsman and freind who had also maried his Sister a daughter of King Penda called Kineburga He therefore together with all his freinds and attendants and their servants was baptised by the Bishop Finan in a village belonging to the King called The Village at the Wall Ad murum And having received four Preists men who for their learning and piety of life were esteemd fitt to teach and baptise his Nation he returned home with great ioy The names of these Preists were Cedda and Adda and Betti and Diuma of whom the last was by Nation a Scott the rest were English Now Adda was the Brother of Vetaâ— a famous Preist and Abbot of the Monastery called At the Goats-head Ad Capreae caput 4. These coming into the Province with the foresaid Prince diligently preached the Gospel and were willingly hearkned to by the people so that very many both of the Nobles and of inferiour degree dayly renounced Idolatry and were washed with Baptism the Fountain of Faith Neither did King Penda though an Idolater forbid it yea moreover he gave free leave to the preaching of the Gospel in his own Kingdom of the Mercians so that all who had a mind might heare it He likewise hated and scornd such as having been imbued with the Faith of Christ did not bring forth fruits suitable thereto saying That those wretches deserved contempt who neglected to obey their God in whom they beleived These things began about two years before the death of the said King Penda 5. The same year the Christian Faith was also restored among the East-Saxons who had formerly rejected it when the Holy Bishop Mellitus was expelled from thence It was saith Saint Beda by the instance of King Oswi that they now received it For Sigebert King of that Nation who raignd there after a former Sigebert sirnamed The little being a great freind to King Oswi frequently came to visit him in his Kingdom of the Northumbers who was wont to exhort him to consider that those could not be Gods which were made by mens hands c. Such exhortations being frequently and in a brotherly manner inculcated at last had their effect for Sigebert by the counsell of his own freinds who were likewise perswaded of the vanity of Idolatry was baptised with them by the Bishop Finan in the Royal village seated twelve miles from the Eastern Sea near the Wall which the Romans built athwart Brittany 6. Sigebert therefore become a Cittizen of the Kingdom of heaven returned to the seat of his Temporal Kingdom having requested King Oswi to give him some Teachers who might convert his Nation to the Faith of Christ and cleanse their soules in the saving Font of Baptism Oswi therefore sending to the Kingdom of the Midland-English recalled the man of God Cedde and adioyning to him another Preist sent them to preach the word to the East-Saxons These two going from place to place gathered a numerous Church to our Lord 7. This holy Preist Cedde was born at London in the same Province but had his education in the Monastery of Lindesfarn among the Scotts by whose recommendation he was first sent to preach among the Midland-English and now to the East-Saxons Where after he had spent about three years he returnd to the Church of Lindesfarn saith the same Saint Beda to speak with Finan the Bishop Who being informed by him how the work of the Gospel had prospered under him consecrated him Bishop of the East-Saxons having calld to him two other Bishops to assist in the ordination Cedde having thus received the Episcopal Degree returnd into his Province and prosecuting his employment with greater authority he erected Churches in several places and ordaind Preists and Deacons to assist him in preaching the word and administring Baptism Especially in the Citty by the Saxons calld Ithancestir a Citty in the Romans time nam'd Othona but now swallowd by the Sea it was seated on the bank of the River Pente He did the like in another Citty calld Tilaburg now Tilbury neer the River Thames In both these places he gathered communities of devout servants of our Lord whom he instructed in the Discipline of a Regular life as far as their rude minds were capable 8. Of this Holy Bishop Cedde we shall hereafter treat further as like wise of his three Brethren in Sanctity as well as blood Ceadda or Chadd Celin and Cimbert The seat of S. Cedds Bishoprick among the East Saxons was not Tilbury as Camden imagins but London the Metropolis of the Kingdom 9. The same year wherein began the Conversion of the East Saxons Honorius Archbishop of Canterbury ended his life the last day of September after he had administred that See the space of six and twenty years and was buried with his Fathers in the Monastery of S. Peter and S. Paul That See saith S. Beda was vacant eighteen monthes after which time Deus-dedit descended of the Nation of the West-Saxons was elected Arch-bishop and ordaind by Ithamar Bishop of Rochester on the seaventh day before the Calends of Aprill he governd that Church nine years four months and two days XVIII CHAP. 1.2 c. Of S. Wilfrid his Descent education c. 4.5 c. At twenty years of age he goes to Rome c. 8. He lives with Dalfin Bishop of Lyons who was murdred 1. IN this same year of Grace six hundred fifty three S. Wilfrid began to appeare in the world being now twenty years old and to give evident signs of those many graces which afterward eminently shone in him We shall oft be obliged in the pursuit of this History to meÌ„tion his Gests In this place therefore we will from S. Beda relate his descent manner of life during his child hood and till at the age of twenty years he undertook a Iourney to Rome to inform himself in certain Ecclesiasticall and Religious Observances which he could not approve in Brittany 2. He was born in the year of our Lords Incarnation six hundred thirty fower of a Noble English family when Eadbald raignd in Kent and Oswald over the Northumbers Being a child of a towardly disposition and innocent manners he behaved himself in all things with that modesty and circumspection that he was beloved and respected by those who were more aged as if he had been of ripe
severall years later X. CHAP. 1.2 c. The Gests of Saint Foillan Martyr And of S Vltan both of them Brethren of S. Fursey 1. THIS year was wonderfully fruitful in Saints For in the same S. Foillaâ— was crownd with Martyrdom He was Brother of S. Fursey and with him came oâ—t oâ— Ireland into Brittany where he lived a 〈◊〉 in the Monastery of Knobberri-burg and aâ—teâ— his departure succeded him in thâ— Oâ—ce oâ— Abbot as hath bene already declâ—â—â—d in thâ— year six hundred forty two He is commeâ—morated in our Martyrolâ—gâ— on the thirtieth of October and held in great veneration not only in Brittany but Ireland also and France 2. Concerning him we read thus in the French Martyrologe That out of Brittany he went to Rome to obtain a benediction and faculties from Pope Martin to convert Infidels Which having received he went into France where after some progresse made in his Apostolicall Office of preaching he was received with great reverence by S Gertruâ—e with whose assistance he founded the Monastery of Fosse Yet he did not so fixe himself in that place as if he had found there a quiet abode and secure haven and would dispense with his Apostolick Office but on the contrary his zeale to exalt the glory of Christ was so urgent in him that like lightning he went up and down plucking up the seed of Idolatry yet remaining there and sowing the true Faith he incited the inhabitants as yet spiritually blind to admitt the Light of Truth the Grace of God and eternall life to their soules those who were obstinat against the light he sharply reproved and both by exhortations and good example instantly besought and with a pious zeale even compelled them to be saved But the Enemy of mans salvation could no longer endure so watchfull a preacher of the Mystery of piety He therefore arms certain impious men with a blind envy and malice against hâ—m who violently and furiously assaulted this Holy Messenger of God in a forest of Hannow where with their swords they barbarously massacred him who did not resist them but dyed praying for them But God was not wanting to honour his servant for both from the merits of his past life and the miracles following his death he was acknowledged and honoured as a glorious Martyr and not long after a magnificent Monument was erected at his grave near Râ—dium a Town of Hannow which remains illustrious to this day where there is seen a Noble Monastery of Canons Regulars of the Order of Saint Norbert which takes its appellation from this Blessed Martyr 3. We must not separate Brethren Therefore we will here adjoyn the commemoration of Saint Vltan Brother to S. Fursey and Saint Foillan whose death in our Martyrologe is assigned to the same year on the second of May Concerning whom the Gallican Martyrologe thus writers on the first day of the same month At Peronne is the commemoration of Saint Vltan Confessour Abbot of the Monastery in the same town and Brother and Successour of Saint Fursey and of the glorious Martyr S. Foillan He was a wonderfull observer of Religious piety and by the assistance of Saint Gertrude of Nivelle having finished the Monastery of Fosse in the territory of Liege and emparted wholesome instructions to the Religious there returned to this Monastery of Peronne the Abbot whereof he was after his Brothers death he there honourably received and in a fatherly manner entertained S. Amatus Bishop of Sâ—ns who for his zeale to iustice was banished his Diocese and having spent the remainder of his life in a most holy conversation was called to his eternall reward and presently after was followed by S. Vltan Both whose Sacred Relicks are with due honour preserved partly at Peronne and partly at Fosse XI CHAP. 1.2 c. Of S. Christiana an English-Saxon Virgin 1. ABout this time most probably a Holy Virgin named Christina or Christiana derived from an English-Saxon family ended a most holy life yet her memory is not celebrated by any of our English Histories But Miraeus in his Belgick Calendar on the twenty sixth of Iuly thus writes concerning her Teneramund a town of Flanders Imperiall in the diocese of Gaunt seated at the meeting of the Rivers Scaldis and Tenera acknowledges two Tutelar Saints S. Hilduard Bishop and S. Christiana a Virgin whose Sacred Relicks are preserved there in a College of Canons S. Christiana was the daughter of a King of England And Saint Hilduardus flourished in the year seaven-hundred and fifty 2. But some what more particularly touching her parents and manner of life we read in the Gallican Martyrologe as followeth On the seaventh of September at Teneramund in the Bishoprick of Gaunt is commemorated the Translation of S. Christiana a Holy Virgin the daughter of Migraâ—nus King of England who coming into Flanders at Diclivena was received among the Religious Virgins and having devoutly performed her course of vertue in the service of our Saviour the Spouse of Holy Virgins there happily dyed and was buried with a great esteem of Sanctity And afterward being glorified by innumerable miracles to the end her veneration might be more frequent her Sacred Relicks were translated to Teneramunda and honourably reposed there in the Collegiat Church of the most Holy Virgin-Mother of God together with the bones of S. Hilduardus the Apostle and Tutelar Saint of the same town together with whom she is by the inhabitants of the same Town and Territory adioyning honoured as companion of the same Saint in the protection of that place 3. Again touching the manner how being born and educated a Pagan she was miraculously converted and exalted to so high a degree of Sanctity is thus further related in the same Martyrologe On the twenty seaventh of Iuly at Teneramunda in Flanders is celebrated the Memory of S. Christiana a Virgin who being the only daughter of Migramnus King of the English was in her tender age most devout to her false Gods and Idols according to the Tradition of her Ancestours But Almighty God looking on her with eyes of Mercy sent an Angell from heaven to her in the shape of a beggar who instructed her in the Christian Faith and commanded her to be baptised By whose conduct likewise she came to Dikelvenna where after she had with great perfection consummated her course she attained to eternall Beatitude Her Body afterward shining with many Divine Miracles was from thence translated to Teneramunda For whose honour and veneration Ringot Prince of that place having reedified a Church which had been demolished by the Normans commended the Patronage of that Citty to the same Holy Virgin Hence it was that to this day she is honoured by the inhabitants as their peculiar Protectresse 4. This Translation was performed in the year one thousand ninety two But who this Migramnus said to have been an English King was and what time he lived does not appear
by the incitement of Odobert he had submitted himself to receive Holy Orders By which exercises of Piety the shining beames of his Sanctity were spread abroad to the admiration of all 5. The Enemy of mans Salvation could no longer support the brightnes of Divine Graces shining in this Saint to obscure which he inflamed with lust the mind of a certain Noble Woman dwelling near who impudently attempted to expugne the Chastity of the Seruant of God But Saint Clare resolutly resisted the shameles Lady notwithstanding which resistance when her sollicitations still more encreased he was forced for his own quietnes and liberty â—o forsake the Monastery 6. The lascivious Woman desperatly enraged with his departure sent two Murderers in search of him who at last found him in a poor cottage where he had fixed his habitation with one onely companion named Cyrinus There they first sett upon him with many opprobrious speeches and at last drawing out their swords they most cruelly cutt off his head whilst he devoutly kneeling offred his Sacrifice of Chastity to our Lord the lover of pure minds and Patron of innocence 7. This glorious Champion of Chastity being thus Victorious by patience presently after arose and with his hands taking up his head by the assistance of Angells caried it to a fountain not far distant into which he cast it and then caried the same back to the Oratory of his Cell and going on a little further towards a Village seated near the River Epta which since took a new name from this glorious Martyr he there consummated his course and transmitted his blessed Soule to Heaven 8. Much to the same effect is the Narration of this holy Saints Martyrdom extant in Capgrave Where concerning his Companion Cyrinus we read That he being first dangerously wounded was by the prayers of Saint Clarus wonderfully restored to health And hence it follows in the fore said Martyrologe in this manner 9. Saint Cyrinus miraculously recovered took care of the Holy Martyrs buriall Who also afterward in a conflict for piety consecrated his own name likewise to Martyrdom whose memory is there celebrated on the thirteenth of Iune Moreover the Sacred Head of Saint Clarus is with due Veneration conserved in a Village in the territory of Paris called by his name whither it was afterward translated And at Paris it self in the ancient Monastery consecrated to Saint Victor the Martyr his commemoration is anniversarily repeated For thither the most Chast Martyr like the Patriark Saint Ioseph is sayd to have fled from the face of the foresaid unchast Lady And a fitt place it was for his retirement being in those dayes divided from the noyse and tumult of that Citty 10. The distinct place where this Holy Martyr suffred is there said to be in the Territory about Roâ—â—en in Normandy in tractu Vulcassino neer the River Seyne where in the Primitive times another S. Clarus a Preist and Martyr is recorded to have suffred Who immediatly after the Apostles times being sent from Rome to preach the Gospell illustrated a good part of Celtick Gaule first with his Doctrine and after with his Blood The day of his Passion is said to have been the fourth of November as that of our present Martyr the fifteenth before the Calends of August IV. CHAP. 1.2 c. The Martyrdom of two Kentish Princes Ethelred and Ethelbert 6 7. their murder miraculously discovered 8.9 c. Satisfaction made for it by King Egbert 1. A Little before the arrival of a New Arch-bishop of Canterbury from Rome two young innocent Princes Ethelred and Ethelbert in the Kingdom of Kent were crownd with Martyrdom For that Name was given to the violent death by which they were taken out of this world without any demerits of their own inasmuch as God was pleased miraculously to testify their innocence 2. We have before declared that Eadbald King of Kent had by his Queen Emma two sons Ermenred the elder and his Brother Ercombert Ermenred dying before his Father and leaving behind him two infants Ethelred and Ethelbert of whose Martyrdom we now treat not they but their Vncle Ercombert succeeded in the Throne Notwithstanding these two young Princes were bred as became their birth and were yet more enriched with Divine Graces then secular ornaments For saith Mathew of Westminster after their Regeneration by Baptism they remaining in their innocence and voluntary neglect of worldly advantages fortified their other vertues by the safe-guard of Humility 3. King Ercombert at his death recommended them to the care of his Son and Successour King Egbert who being a Prince of great benignity treated them with all Kindnesse and affection not having any jealousy or preiudice against them though their Title to the Kingdom in reason and iustice ought to have taken place of his who was their Vncle since they were children to the Elder Brother 4. But his kindnes to them did not last long For by the ordinary fate of Courts certain Sycophants suggested to him that by cherishing them he fomented his own danger Among these the principall Counseller of mischeif was one called Thunrâ— chieâ— Minister of state in that Kingdom who in a seeming care of King Egberts safety advised him to take out of the way these two Princes now of an age fitt for government whose vertues and excellent endowments had fixed them in the affections of the people so that it was iustly to be feared that either they would challenge their right or the people voluntarily give them it 5. These Suggestions at first were unwillingly heard by King Egbert who forbad him to continue them But Thunre called by others Thimur pretending duty and a zealous care of the Kings Safety again renewed them more earnestly and eloquently then before till in the end the King made no reply but by silence seemed to consent to his proposall Hereupon Thunre promising to himself at least impunity inhumanly murdred these two innocent Princes It was easy for him to execute this crime by reason of his familiarity and privacy with them for in his outward profession and behaviour he always expressed a great tendernes and affection to them in so much as they not suspecting any treachery at all from him afforded him all advantages against themselves so that with drawing them into a solitary place amidst his caresses and embracings of them he stabbed them with his ponyard 6. Having thus murdred them as the report is he buried their bodies in a deep trench which he digged under the Seat where the King was wont to sitt supposing that none would seek for them there But the Eye of Divine Providence from whom the secrets even of hearts are not concealed quickly discovered them and by many Miracles testified their innocence For the next time that the King was sitting there a flame issuing out of the Seat scorched and extrely terrified him Whereupon his servants digging the ground under it where they
this time given to the Monks of Glastonbury of electing their own Abbott argues that in former ages the constituting of Abbots belonged not to the Monks but to the Bishop or the Prince from whose power and Iurisdiction the Monks could not exempt themselves without their free devesting themselves of it which we see here done by King Kentwin and Bishop Hedda concerning whom we shall speak more hereafter 7. As for King Kentuin the Memory of his Munificence to the Monastery of Glastonbury was there gratefully conserved for this Elogy we read of him in the great Table of that Monastery In the same place reposes the body of King Câ—â—twin under a stone-Pyramid in the Church-yard of the Monks He was the first of the English Kings which granted to the Isle of Glastonbury an Exemption from all Regal Service as the Brittish Kings before him had of old time confirmed 8. To this time is referred the erecting or rather restoring of the prime Church in the Isle of Ely which was first consecrated to the honour of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles but afterward entitled to S. Ediltrudis or Ethelreda Concerning which Church we read this testimony of B. Godwin Ethelbert saith he King of Kent by the advice of S. Augustin had seaventy years before this time built a Church in that place to witt in the year of our Lords Incarnation six hundred and seaven Which Church through neglect for want of reparation falling to ruine was rebuilt in a more magnificent manner in the year six hundred seaventy seaven by S. Ediltrudis This she did by the counsel of Wilfrid Arch-bishop of York but her Brother Aldulfus or Alnufus King of the East-Angles furnished the Charges of the work This Aldulfus was the Successour of Edilwald in that Kingdom and if according to Speed he was the Son of Ethelherd Brother of Anna he was not Brother but cousin german to S. Ediltrudis XXII CHAP. 1.2 c. Kent miserably wasted Putta Bishop of Rochester quitts his See in whose place Quichelm succeeds 1. AT this time there was a great desolation in the Churches and kingdom of Kent wherby the labours of Saint Theodore were much encreased Which desolation was caused by a furious invasion of that kingdom the year before by Edilred King of the Mercians What the provocation or motive of this warr was is not mentioned by ancient Writers but the effects of it were terrible 2. S. Beda thus breifly describes it In the year of our Lords Incarnation six hundred seaventy six Edilred King of the Mercians brought a furious army into Kent and layd the whole countrey wast yea without all regard of Piety or the fear of God profaned and demolished also Churches and Monasteries Particularly the Gâ—tty Rhofi or Rochester was utterly consumed in â—hat common calamity Of that Citty Putta was â—heâ— Bishop though absent at the time of its destruction Lothair was now King of Kent who fearing the violence and courage of Edâ—red saith Huntingdon made no resistance at all but auoyded his fight So that Edilred passed freely through the whole Province destroyed the Citty of Rochester and carted back with him innumerable Spoyles 3. As for Putta Bishop of Rochester being a man that loved quietnes and solitude he according to Saint Beda's relation seing his Church utterly spoyled and wasted retired to Sexulphus Bishop of the Mercians from whom having received the possession of a Church and a small peice of ground adioyning he there ended his life in peace He did not at all employ his solicitude about the restoring of his Bishoprick being one whose industry was little exercised in worldly affaires Therefore he contented himself in serving God after a poor manner in the foresaid Church and some times when he was entreated he would goe to other places for the instruction of Ecclesiasticall persons in the Roman manner of singing the Church service 4. The See of Rochester being thus deprived of a Pastour the Arch-bishop Theodore in the place of Putta consecrated Quithelm Bishop of that Citty and when he also shortly after quitted his Bishoprick by reason of its extreme poverty the said Arch-bishop substituted in his room another Bishop called Gebmund XXIII CHAP. 1.2 The death of Vina the Simoniacall Bishop of London 3 4. c. S. Erconwald succeeds in that See 1 DVring this confusion in Kent the Kingdom of the adioyning East-Saxons enioyd a profound peace under the government of Sebb and Sigher two pious Kings Particularly King Sebb employed all his care in advancing Piety among his Subjects in promoting the affaires of the Church and in encouraging devout persons to renounce thâ— world and consecrate themselves to God in a Monasticall Profession To which state of life himself also earnestly aspired being desirous to abandon his Regall authority and to change his purple for a poor Religious Habit but was hindred by the obstinacy of his Queen who refused to consent to a separation and to imitate her husbands piety and without her complyance the Ecclesiasticall Canon rendred him incapable of executing his pious design Many years he spent in perswading her to her own and his happines and at lost by devout importunity expugned her resistance as shall shortly be shewed 2. In the mean time a great part of his solicitude was employed in settling a worthy Prelut in London the Metropolis of his Kingdom We have declared before how Wina the Sacrilegious Bishop of the West-Saxons having for his crimes been expelled out of that Province with a summ of money Simoniacally procured from Vulfere King of the Mercians to be violently introduced into that See in the year of Grace six hundred sixty six which he for the space of nine years unworthily administred After whose death King Sebb expressed a zealous care to repair the prejudice and harm done to that Province by so impious a Prelat For which purpose he earnestly sought out a Successour as eminent for piety and integrity as the other was for his crimes 3. At that time there lived not any one in that Kingdom in so high esteem of all men for vertue and Religion as Erconwald He was as hath been declared the Son of Anna King of the East-angles not of Offa as Capgrave and from him Harpsfeild mistakes and from his tender years conceived a distast and contempt of secular designs and pleasures Insomuch as he relinquished his Native Province and retired among the East-Saxons where he employed his plentifull patrimony in works of piety We have already declared how he founded two Monasteries in that Kingdom one for himself at Chertsey in Surrey near the River Thames and another for his Sister Edilburga in Essex in a village called Barking 4 This in all regards so eminent an Abbot Erconwald was made choice of by King Sebbe to administer the vacant See of London to which he was consecrated by Saint Theodore Arch-bishop of Canterbury according to this relation of Saint Beda
was changed from Cedwalla to Peter the cause of which change is thus related by S. Beda At the time of his Baptism the foresaid Pope imposed on him the name of Peter to the end he might bear the Name of the Prince of Apostles out of a pious love to whom he had undertaken so long a iourney to visit the Monument of his most sacred Body 9. After the celebration of his Baptism he was according to the most ancient Ecclesiasticall custom cloathed with a White Vestment or Stole signifying the immaculate purity of those who had duly received that holy Sacrament The Stole was to be worn eight dayes but before those dayes were ended he was seised on by a mortall infirmity of which he dyed most happily to the great greif of the whole Citty 10. Pope Sergius bewayling the losse of so glorious and pious a Son to testify his affection and esteem of him celebrated his funeralls with great solemnity and moreover by his order his body was entombed in the Church of S. Peter and an Epitaph both in verse and prose inscribed on his monument saith S. Beda to the end the memory of his devotion might remain to future ages and that those who either did read or hear it might by his example be inflamed to the love and Zeale of Religion The Epitaph in verse is at large copied out by the same Authour containing a Summary of what hath been already related touching this glorious King To which was adioynd this Inscription in prose Here lyes buried Cedwalla otherwise named Peter King of the Saxons the twelfth day before the Calends of May in the second Indiction who lived about the space of thirty years and dyed in the fourth year of the Pontificat of Pope Sergius 11. It deâ—erves not our care to disprove the assertion of the fabulous Writer Geffrey of Monmouth who confounds this Cedwalla a Saxon King with Cadwallader the last King of the Brittains to whom he ascribes the heroicall Gests of Cedwalla so burying that Kingdom with honour Whereas it is evident from S. Beda William of Malmsbury Henry of Huntingdon Florentius of Worcester and the expresse tenour of the forementioned Epitaph that Cedwalla who dyed at Rome was King of the West-Saxons or Gevissi Which Nation was so called from the name of the Grand father of the first King Cerdic Geuvis the father of Elesa the Father of Cerdic saith Asser. Neither are there three Kings called â—edwalla mentioned by S. Beda as Baronius by mistake affirms but only two one who was a Brittish Prince who in the year of Grace six hundred thirty three slew the pious King of the Northumbers Edwin and this Saxon King Cedwalla of whom we now treat 12. A place is assigned to him in our Martyrologe among the Saints where on the twentieth of Aprill his deposition is commemorated with this Elogy that he was baptised at Rome by Pope Sergius and dyed in his white baptismall robe in the year of Christ six hundred eighty nine His whole raign not having coÌ„tinued full three years we have here to the relation of his Gests added that also of his happy death because we would not interrupt our narration concerning him though in the progresse of our Story we are not yet arrived to the year in which he dyed We will therefore return to relate occurrents hapning in the Saxon Churches in the mean time between King Cedwalla's raign and death Among which the most memorable are those which concern the last actions of our glorious S. Cuthbert VII CHAP. 1.2 S. Cuthbert gives the Religious Veyle to Queen Ermenburga 3.4 c. He obtains for a Holy Hermite Herebert that they should dye at the same time 8 He cures miraculously a sick Lady with Holy Water 1. WITH what unwillingnes S. Cuthbert was drawn out of his solitude to be exalted to the Episcopall Throne and with what perfection he afterward discharged his Episcopall function hath been already declared It remains that we relate how the conclusion of his Life was suitable to the beginning and progresse of it 2. Yet one action of piety more performed by him whilst he was Bishop we will not omitt which was the consecrating to almighty God the Queen Ermenburga whose heart it seems Gods holy Spirit had touched with compunction for all the mischeifs done by her to the Holy Arch-bishop Wilfrid This particular is thus related by S. Beda Not long after the death of King Egfrid the Servant of God S. Cuthbert being thereto requested came to the Citty Luguballia or Carlile there to ordain Preists and also to give his benediction to the Queen Ermenburga by conferring on her the Religious habite of Holy conversation 3. At the same time he was admonished from heaven concerning his approaching death which he discovered to a devout Hermit to whom he bore a particular affection and who had been accustomed once a year to repair to him for spirituall comfort and instruction The circumstances of their last conversation the same devout Authour setts down in the manner following 4. There was saith he a certain Venerable Preist named Herebert who for many years before had been ioynd in spirituall freindship to the Holy Bishop This man lead a solitary life in a little Island situated in the vast lake out of which the River Derwent flows and his custome was every year to visit the man of God to receive from him documents of piety and salvation He being informed that S. Cuthbert was to make some stay in the fore-said Citty came to him as his manner had been with a desire to be more inflamed in heavenly desires by his wholesome exhortations 5. They being thus mett together and interchangeably communicating to one another draughts of celestiall wisedome among other discourses S. Cuthbert said to him Be mindfull Brother Herebert to propose now to mee whatsoever doubts you desire to be resolved in for after we are parted we shall never see one the other in this life For I am assured that the time of my dissolution approaches and that I shall very shortly putt off this my mortall Tabernacle The devout Hermite having heard these words cast himself at his feet and with many â—eates and grones said I beseech you by our Lord that you will not forsake nor forgett your old companion but make your petition to the Divine mercy that as we have joyntly served our Lord together on earth we may likewise together passe out of this world to see his Glory For you know that I have always been diligent to conform my life to your admonitions and likewise according to your will to correct what soever faults I have any time committed through ignorance or frailty 6. Hereupon the Holy Bishop betook himself to prayer and being inwardly taught in Spirit that his petitions were granted by our Lord he said to him Arise dear Brother weep no longer but rather reioyce for the Divine Clemency
the Gospell to the Brabanters and Frisons Which Office having performed in an Apostolick manner he received an Apostolick reward which was a Crown of Martyrdom this year Rosâ—eydâ—s a learned Iesuit mentions him in the Calendar on the second of May. Whether this were a person distinct from him who was Brother to S. Ediltrudis is uncertain Concerning whom William of Malmsbury makes mention saying In the Church of S. Edmundsbury these lye the Bodies of two Saints German and Botulf whose Gests I cannot find in the Antiquities of that Church nor any where else Only this I find of them that the former was Brother to Saint Etheldritha and the second a Bishop XXIII CHAP. 1.2 Edilhun a Valiane Consul rebells against the King of the West Saxons and is subdued 3.4 The King of the Northumbers persecutes a holy Bishop 1. THE same year there were commotions both in the Western and Northern Provinces of our Island For in the West-Saxons Kingdom as Huntingdon relates Cuthred in the eleaventh year of his Raign fought a furious combat against Edelhun a Noble man Consulem of a most bold courage Who raising a sedition against his Lord and both their Armies meeting in the feild though Edilhun was far inferiour to the King in number of soldiers yet he maintaind the combat a long time with admirable courage for his single valour supplied the place of many bands of soldiers And when the victory was ready to declare it self for him an unfortunat wound peircing his body made the Kings iust cause to triumph over his perjury and infidelity 2. Edelhun with the blood issuing out of this wound expelled likewise Pride and contumacy out of his heart So that voluntarily submitting himself to his King and repenting his rebellious Treason he not only found pardon but was admitted into his Lords favour and freindship 3. But in the Kingdom of the Northumbeâ—s wee find a vertuous King persecuting a worthy Bishop and another innocent person and what the offence or provocation was not any of our Historians mention The Story is thus breifly touched by Mathew of Westminster and Hoveden Eadbert or Egbert King of the Northumbers took Renulphus Bishop of Lindesfarn Prisoner and lead him Captive into the Citty called Bebba where he was cast into chains in that state remained a long time Likewise he commanded the Church of S. Peter in Lindesfarn to be besieged The motive of which siege is further declared by the same Houeden saying Offo the son of Alfred an innocent young man was compelled for avoyding the fury of King Eadbert to seek sanctuary at the Relicks of the Holy Bishop S. Cuthbert where he remained till being almost starved to death by famin he was without armes taken out from thence As touching the Citty where the said Bishop was so straitly imprisoned and which in this Narration is called Bebba it is seated in the Province of Northumberland near the Isle of Farne and is at this day called Bamborow 4 Now though wee find expressed in no Historian the cause of the Kings displeasure against the said Bishop yet wee may perhaps probably collect it from other actions of the same King performed this year To which purpose the Authaur of the Epitome at the end of S. Beda's History relates how King Eadbert this same year by force annexed to his Dominions the territory of Cyel with other regions Now this Territory at this day called Keile or Coyle was possessed by the Scotts and was seated at the Frith of Cluid Glottae aestuarium where the Citty Alcuit and the Castle now called Dunbritton lyes Notwitstanding since the King of the Northumbers pretended to all the right which the Romans formerly enioyed in those parts which extended as far as the said Frith King Eadbert might think he had iust cause to recover it Now it is probable that the pious Bishop Renulf opposed the Kings ambition and avarice and so incurred his displeasure XXIV CHAP. 1.2 c. Pope Zacharias resolves severall Doubts of S. Boniface c. 1. THE following year nothing occurrs to furnish our History either in the Ecclesiasticall or Civill state of Brittany but only the death of two Bishops in the Kingdom of the Mâ—rcians of Witta Bishop of Lichfeâ—ld to whom succeeded Hemel And of Alwy Bishop of the Lindesfari whose place was supplied by Aldulf 2. But in Germany S. Boniface affords sufficient matter For he this year sent Lul or Lullo in a message to Pope Zacharias to desire of him a resolution of certain difficulties occurring in his Province and also a confirmation and Priviledges to his Archiepiscopall See of Mentz and his new founded Monastery of Fulda 3. As touching the Doubts proposed to the said Pope the Resolution of them is found in his Answer where he tells him 1. That he could not condemn him for refusing to communicate with the French Bishops who refused to keep the Promises made by them 2. That Christians ought to abstain from eating the flesh of Choughs Crows Storks and much more of wild horses 3. That the Roman Rite was upon Maundy Thursday after the making of Chrism to cause three Lamps to be lighted capacious enough to burn three days that upon Saturday the Vigil of Easter other Lamps to be lighted froÌ„ thence for the ceremony of blessing the Font. As for the making use of fires taken from burning glasses they had no such Tradition at Rome 4. Concerning such as had the falling-sicknes if it came from their birth they were not to be admitted into the Church for fear of infecting others But the same rigour was not to be used to such as had it afterwards those might be admitted to the Communion yet so as that they must come when all others had communicated 5. That there was no prohibition for Religious Virgins to wash one anothers feet as well as men 6. That it is more congruous not to admitt to Preisthood any till they be of good years and such as have a good testimony and that the age prescribed by Canons is thirty years Notwithstanding in case of want and necessity such may be taken as have passed five and twenty 7. As touching the Question how long men are to stay from eating Lard after the beast is skilld this was not found in Tradition yet his counsell was not to eat of it till it had been dryed well in smoke and then boyld Yet in case any desired to eat it unboyld let him at least abstain till after Easter 8. That concerning the revenews of the Church he need to make no scruple to require a shilling of every house solidum de casa and that would suffise 9. That in case any had been received into the Clergy who at their Ordination had conceald such Capitall sins as they had formerly been guilty of and such sins came afterward to be discovered such were to be deprived and condemned to Pennance 10. That in
degrees or orders the Nobles whom they call Edlingen Free-men whom they called Frilingen and Servants whom they called Lassâ— every Borough or District was governed by a Noble man to whom the Freemen and Servants were Subjects Now every year once their custome was to hold a generall Assembly of all these Boroughs and all degrees of Inhabitants The place of their meeting was called Marklo neaâ—â—he River Weser 7. Now this great Assembly being ready to meet the Man of God S. Leibwin had a resolution to present himself before it and there either to gain a good number of Converts to God or Martyrdom to himself It hapned that at this time he was entertained in the house of a certain Noble man of great Power to whom he communicated his intention But the said Noble man whose name was Folbert endeavoured to disswade him telling him that though there were some to whom he was very dear yet the greatest part would shew themselves enemies and endanger to take away his life He besought him therefore during the time of the Assembly either to return home or to goe to the house of his dear freind Davo after which he might come and visiâ— him again But the Holy man replied That he neither ought nor durst neglect to perform the work which our Lord Iesus Christ had commanded him to doe The Noble man hearing this opposed no further but remained very sad 8. The Assembly then being mett the courageous soldier of Christ taking all his Spirituall Armour and withall cloathing himself with his Preistly Vestments and taking a Crucifix in one hand as our Lords Ensign-bearer and in the other a Book of the Gospells presents himself in the midst of the Assembly where they were offring Idolatrous Sacrifices and devotions to their false Gods Which the Holy man seeing with an inflamed zeale loud voyce condemned their Superstitions telling them that they were Devills which they worshipped which would reward them with eternall torments Whereas if they would turn to the only true God the Creatour of all things and Saviour of men and repenting of their Idolatries embrace the true Faith and be baptized to the remission of their Sins he would grant them tranquillity and plenty in this world and everlasting glory in the next He added hereto That if they neglected to follow his wholesom and saving counsell God had preordained for their present punishment a King not far distant from them of wonderfull prudence courage and power who would avenge the cause of God by their destruction 9 When they heard these words they be came inflamed with rage against him calling him Seducer and Impostour and not content with this they snatchd out of the hedges stakes of wood which they sharpned intending to kiâ—l him with them for they wore no weapons at such assemblies But the Holy man protected by Supernaturall assistance passed through the midst of them undiscerned and so escaped 10. Yet among them some there were whose â—earts Aâ—mighty God touched with his Grace Of whâ—ch the principall was one called Buâ—o who ascending to an eminent place boldly told them that since they never refused to receive and hearken to Embassadours sent from their barbarous neighbours much lesse ought they to stop their ears against the speeches of an Embassadour sent from the Supreme God who to procure their good was willing to sacrifice his own life That they might iudge of the power of that God since he had delivered his servant from the fury of so great a multitude Therefore no doubt the threatning which in the name of his God he had made against them would certainly be executed The mind of the Multitude hearing these things was deeply struck with fear and thereupon they decreed by common consent That none should hurt or disquiet that Messenger of God but suffer him freely to passe whithersoever he thought fitt 11. Saint Liebwin therefore seeing such a visible proof of Divine protection over him gave due thanks to God though he was not without some greif that the blessing of Martyrdom was denyed him But since he could not suffer from others he spared not to afflict himself mortifying and crucifying the flesh and sensuall affections of it with Watching Fasting and Prayer by which mean without persecution he suffred a long Martyrdom And as for the Apostolick Office enioynd him he incessantly employed his time in teaching exhorting and baptizing great multitudes which dayly gave up their names to Christ. This he ceased not to doe till Almighty God this year thought meet to call him to receive the reward of a good and faithfull servant on the day before the Ides of November on which day his memory is celebrated both in the English and Gallican Martyrologe 12. After his death certain malicious Pagans among the Saxons envying so great a Congregation of Christians as assembled in his Oratory first despoyled the place and then sett it on fire They had a great desire to exercise their rage by some indignities to his Sacred Body but with all their diligence in seeking it they could never find it 13. Not long after the said Oratory was again restored It was built in the haven of the Citty called afterwards Daventry Which name it took from the forementioned person Davon a Noble man of Saxony and most cordiall freind and Disciple of S. Liebwin 14. In the mean time the devout servant of God Gregory dyed and Alberic succeeded him in the Archiepiscopall See of Vtrecht By his directions and command a certain Preist afterward a Bishop named Ludger was sent to seek out the Sacred Relicks of this Holy man of God which at last by a vision in sleep he was directed to find and having taken them up he with great veneration deposed them in the Church new built Many years after this Bertulf accounted the twentieth Bishop of Vtrecht is said to have been the founder of another Magnificent Church in the same Town which was consecrated to the honour of God and his faithfull servant Saint Liebwin VIII CHAP. 1.2 c. The Gests of Saint Winnebald 5. And of Saint Sola 1. THE same year likewise gave an end to the labours of two Disciples of S. Boniface S. Winnebald and S. Sola As touching the former he was as hath been sayd Son to Saint Richard the English King and Brother to S. Willebald There little remains in Ecclesiasticall Monuments recorded of him but that he was one of those Preists which in the year of Grace seaven hundred twenty five were called out of Brittany to assist S. Boniface in preaching to the Frisons He was by the same Saint afterward made Abbot of the Monastery of Heildesham Which Office did not so wholly employ him but that he travelled the countrey about to root out Idolatrous superstitions 2. The greatest difficulty he found was in reprooving and correcting the errours and vices of false Christians especially such as took on them the title and Office of Preists Many
writes Hoveden And Mathew of Westminster adds as a prodigy of great wonder that on mens cloathes were seen the sign of the Crosse which he conceived to have been intended by God for a warning against the coming of the Danes which shortly followed 5. In the place of Alfwold there was substituted Osred son to King Alred who a little before raigned in the Kingdom of the Northumbers But this Osred enioyd but a short time the fruit of the treason committed against Alfwold For within a years space the Northumbers according to their naturall inconstancy grew weary of him So that he was circumvented by the treachery of his Nobles and deprived of his kingdom after which he had the Monasticall Tonsure in the Citty of York and yet not finding security there he was compelled to fly out of the Kingdom 6. After the deposall of Osred the Northumbers recalled out of banishment Ethelred the son of Ethelwold who was a second time exalted to the throne Among the Epistles of Alcuin there is extant one directed to this King Ethelred after his restitution as likewise to Osbald and Osbert two of his Principall Nobles in which he with great affection admonishes them to sett before their eyes the great calamities lately befailn that Kingdom by the iniustice rapines uncleannes of former Princes which vices if they did not avoyd they must expect the like iudgments Particularly he exhorts them to apprehend the scourge which lately afflicted the Church of S. Cuthbert a place enriched with the holy Relicks of many Saints but now miserably wasted by Pagans Before which Letter was sent it seems King Ethelred was slain as appears by the destroying the Church of Lindesfarn 7. The same year in which King Alfwold was slain Tither or as Hoveden stiles him S. Gilbert Bishop of Hagustald dying Ethelbert a little before consecrated Bishop of Wite-hern or Candida casa relinquishing that See was translated to the Church of Hagustald 8. To this Ethelbert newly Bishop of Hagustald and to the Congregation of Monks there serving God in the Monastery dedicated to S. Andrew there is â—ound an Epistle also of the same Alcuin in which after congratulation for his assumption to that Bishoprick he humbly recommends himself to his and all their Prayers and exhorts them to be carefull in the pious education of young Religious that they may be worthy successours of the honour which they had obtained in other Churches and likewise that they might be intercessours for them when they were dead For saith he the prayers of the living are proffitable to the dead to obtain for some the pardon of their sins and to others an encrease of their happines In the same Epistle likewise he magnifies the beauty and sumptuousnesse of that Church and Monastery at Hagustald built long before by S. Wilfrid Which according to the testimony of William of Malmsbury was so magnificent that in no countrey on this side of the Alpes could be found a Church which might deserve to be compared with it Insomuch as those which came from Rome seeing it imagined they saw the Roman ambition in Brittany And indeed it was from Rome that S. Wilfrid called the Architects and Masons which built it II. CHAP. 1.2 c. Succession of Bishops in England Ethelard an illustrious Arch-bishop of Canterbury 5. Two young Northumbrian Princes murdred 6. Osred after his deposall and Monasticall Tonâ—ure slain 6. Ethelred maries the daughter of Offa. 1. EThelbert having relinquished the Episcopall See of Candida casa it was supplied by Eadulph or Baldulj who was ordained in a place called Hearvahalah which may be interpreted a place of Lords About the same time likewise after the death of Higbert Bishop of Lichfeild and lately called Arch-bishop there succeeded in the same See Aldulf who was the only Arch-bishop of that See which received a Pall from Rome for not long after this See was reduced to its primitive state simply Episcopall Moreover Alubert Bishop of Selesey in the kingdom of the South-Saxons dying in his place was substituted Osa by some called Bosa 2. The Archiepiscopall See of Canterbury had been a good space vacant after the death of Iambert and in the year of Christ seaven hundred ninety one was supplied by the translation of Ethelard thither from the See of Winchester to which he had eleaven years before been ordained He was a man to be compared yea prefered above the most famous Prelats of this Island if we except the first Apostolick Doctours of it For he restored unto the primitive splendour the dignity and Priviledges of his Church which had been depressed by King Offa and in what esteem he was for his Sanctity will appear by the Epistle of Pope Leo to King Kenulphus of which hereafter 3. A little after his assumption to this supreme See Alcuin wrote a letter of congratulation to him in which he exhorted him to imitate the vertues of his glorious Predecessours the Doctours and lights of Brittany by whose prayers he should certainly be assisted if he would reclame their intercession with whose Sacred Bodies and Monuments he was compassed Which Epistle seems to have been an answer to one which this worthy Prelat wrote to him to demand his counsell and instructions as one perfectly versed in all sacred and Ecclesiasticall learning touching the discharge of his New sublime Office 4. To the See of Winchester from which this illustrious Bishop Ethelard had been taken was promoted Egbald who is reckond the tenth Prelat of that Church 5. At this time was performed an impious fact by King Ethelred lately restored to the Kingdom of the Northumbers For whereas two children of the pious King Alfwold fearing the cruelty of King Ethelred had fled for security to the Church of York as to an inviolable Sanctuary they were by deceitfull promises withdrawn from thence and miserably slain by the said King in a place called Wonwaldremere The names of those two Princes were Elf and Elfwin 6 The death of Osred presently after this following did not deserve to be so much lamented because though he had been violently deposed from his throne to which King Ethelred was restored yet having been in some sort engaged in the security of a Religious life of which he had received the Tonsure it was not so glorious for him to aspire to a Crown to which Ethelred had a right preferable to his However he was about this time privatly recalled from his banishment in a place called Enfania by certain Princes of the Northumbers discontented with King Ethelred who interposed their oathes to be loyall to him But afterward his own soldiers deserting him he was taken prisoner by King Ethelred and upon his command slain in a place called Dingburch or as others call it Cunburg His body was caried to the mouth of the River Tine and buried in the famous Monastery seated there 6. King Ethelred not
it 1. WE will conclude this Book and Century with a short view of the state of Gods Church in Brittany at this time Sir Henry Spelman has published another Synod held this year at Clovesho In which after a publick attestation of the Vniformity of their Faith with the same which Saint Gregory the Great caused to the taught here at the first Conversion of the Nation with a Profession that what they beleived they would also in their lives practise a Decree was made for the restitution of all lands and goods which had been usurped by Lay-persons and violently taken from Churches and Monasteries 2 More specially Athelard Arch-bishop of Canterbury presiding in the same represented to the Synod how Ethelbald King of the Mercians had given formerly to the Church of our Saviour in Canterbury a certain Monastery called Cotham with all the Lands and possessions belonging thereto and that such his Donation might be of perpetuall force he sent by Cuthbert then Archbishop a Turf of the said land together with all Writings perâ—aining to the same Monastery which he required him to lay upon the Altar of our Saviours Church But after the death of the said Arch-bishop two men who had been educated by him named Veâ—head and Osbert by the Devills instigation stole away those Writings and caried them to Ceolulf King of the West-Saxons who thereupon took to his own use the said Monastery and land notwithstanding any thing that the Arch-bishop could alledge His Successours likewise in the Arch-bishoprick Bregwan and Iambert in severall Synods made complaints of this injury done to the Church of our Saviour both to the King of the West-Saxons and to Offa King of the Mercians who had subdued many Citties and particularly that Territory in which the said Monastery of Cotham was seated which he annexed to his own Dominion But now at last Kenulf King of the Mercians repenting of his injustice had restored all the said Writings adding withall a great summe of money humbly requesting that he might be absolved from the Excommunications denounced against Sacrilegious usurpers of Church-lands 3. Matters standing thus the said Arch-bishop Athelard together with his principall Officer Cuba brought the foresaid Writings into the Synod which were publickly read and approved Then he acquainted the Synod that by a mutuall agreement between himself and a certain Abbesse named Cynedritha she should possesse the said Monastery of Cotham with all lands belonging to it giving in exchange land of one hundred and ten Mansions and Sixty Hides Cassatarum in a place named Fleot and thirty in another called Tenaham and twenty in a third named Creges Ennulina all which lands King Offa had formerly given to her and her heyrs and after their decease to the Church of Beodford This agreement touching an exchange with a mutuall surrendry of all Writings on both sides the Arch-bishop desired might be approved and confirmed by the Synod that no difference might hereafter happen between his Successours and the heyrs of King Offa. He moreover gave to the same Abbesse another Monastery seated in a place called Pectonege which the devout King Egfrid had bestowd on him to be possessed by a right of inheritance XXIII CHAP. 1.2 c. The Martyrdom of S. Alcmund a Northumbrian Prince 4.5 c. Brithric King of the West-Saxons murdred by his Queen Eadburga For which it was ordained that the wives of succeeding Kings should never have the Title of Queens 1. THE Kingdom of the Northumbers at this time was again most greivously plagued by the Danish Pirats for a most horrible army of them landing in the Northern parts cruelly spoyled the Churches of Hercenes and Tynmouth 2. The same year also Alcmund son of Alred who had been there King was apprehended by the guards of the present Vsurping King Eardulf and by his command was slain together with all those who had been his companions in banishment 3. This Prince Alcmund was son of that King Alred who in the year of Christ seaven hundred seaventy four was by a rebellion of his Subiects driven out of his kingdom and fled to the Picts This Prince willingly followed his Father into banishment the incommodities whereof he bore with a Christian equanimity By such afflictions God disposed this pious Prince for a far richer crown For though by the relation of Mathew of Westminster he is said to have been slain by the cruelty of King Eardulf yet in our Martyrologe he is commemorated in the quality of a Martyr made a sacrifice to God by the inhumanity of the Danes Certain it is that he dyed a violent and uniust death and by posterity has been aâ—ways venerated as a Saint which God approved by many Miâ—racles In the Citty of Darby a magnificent Church was built to his honour called to this day the Church of S. Alcmund Another likewise was erected in Shrewsbury as our Martyrologe testifies where his Name is celebrated among Saints on the nineteenth of March. And in former times a great concourse thither was made especially from the Northern parts to pay their devotions to God in honouring his Saint their iniured countreyman 4. This Century concluded with the death of Brithric King of the West-Saxons by the treacherous cruelty of his Wife The manner thereof is thus described by Mathew of Westminster King Brithric saith he had taken to wife Eadburga daughter to Offa King of the Mercians This woman being exalted to so great honours did not content her self but was restlesse in her ambition to enioy alone all wealth and power Therefore with a tyrannous malice she was wâ—nt to accuse before the King and persecute all the Nobles of the Kingdom and all others who favoured iustice By which means she became the Obiect of the Vniversal hatred both of the Princes and inferiour subiects Because that wicked woman by her flatteries had so insinuated her self into the Kings affection and esteem that whosever she accused were presently either banished or slain Or if she could not obtain this her custom was privatly to destroy them by poison 5. Now there was at that time a certain young man of a Noble family and deeply in the Kings favour against whom the Queen not having any thing of which she could with any pretence of iustice accuse him she provided poyson with which she killed him And a part of this poyson the King unawares taesting immediatly dyed Her purpose then was not that the poison should be given to the King but only to the young man his favourite but by mishap they both drank of it and both presently dyed 6. The King being thus unhappily slain the Queen knowing how universally she was hated in great fear fled away privatly carying with her inestimable treasure And passing the Sea she went to the Emperour-Charles to whom she presented many rich gifts On a certain time 〈◊〉 she was among other Ladies standing in his presence being though a most wicked yet a