the Archbishops of that place which were since the Conuersion Much persecution and Martyrdome was in Londen before this vnder King Lucius in any Historie and for other reasons before mentioned I haue rather made him farre more auncient Yet it is apparant enough that London tasted of this Persecution euen in the first arising thereof for we reade that in the time of Alectus to whome Asclepiodotus succeeded Paganis Galfrid Mon. Hist Brit. l. 5. c. 4. Virun l. 5. Hist Harding Chron. c. 56. Mat. West An. 294. Manuscr Antiq. in Vit. S. Albani Iacob Genuen Capgrau in â—od me was publikly professed there which could not easely be done without greate Persecution of Christians especially the sacred Preists of the Arehiepiscopall See in that Citie And in the Towne of Verolamium where S. Alban was Martyred it was a strange thing at the time of his death to heare of Christianitie and they which were conuerted by his miraculous death had neuer bene Christians before but were vnbaptized as that History relateth This Persecution being generall to all Churches and places euen in the beginning thereof came to the Citie of Caerlegion where the Church being destroyed and the Schoole founded by King Lucius ouerthrowne the holy Preists and other Christians there had their part therein 2. Among others S. Iulius and S. Aaron were then cruelly Martyred in that Citie being by all Citizens and Inhabitants there Aaron Iulius Legionum Gild. l. de excid c. 7. Bed Hist Eccl. lib. 1. c. 7. Galfrid Mon. l. 5. c. 5. Girald Cambr. Itin Cambr. l. 1. c. 5. Henric. Hunting Hist l. 1. in Diocletian Capgrau Catal. in S. Alban Io. Bal. Praef. in l. de Script cent 1. in Amphibalo Dauid Powell Annot. in c. 4. Girarld Cambr. descr Cambriae vrhis ciues most cruelly then torne in peeces with Torments neuer heard of before passi sunt inaudita membrorum disceptione in testimonium Dei excelsi Others say it is euident in Histories that they were learned meÌ„ brought vp in the Colledge or Schoole there founded by King Lucius thus write two of our cheifest Protestant Antiquaries Ex Sanctorum Historijs constat Amphibalum Aaronem Iulium sanctissimos Dei Martyres caelestem Christi doctrinam apud vrbem Legionum inter litteras tradidisse Ex nobili Gymnasio vrbis Legionum viri multi summa pietatis doctrinae laude conspicui prodierunt vt Amphibalus Iulius Aaron By which Authorities and testimonies ioyning these holy Martyrs for education Schoole learning preaching and professing Christ with that most renowned Prâ—ist and Bishop S. Amphibalus they incline to hold and teach that they also were Clergy men And if we remember what I haue said before how S. Alban was not our Protomartyr in respect of time but otherwise and this Persecution at Caerlegion when these holy Martyrs were putt to death was at the destruction of the Cathedrall Church there being at the same time as the like desolation was at Winchester loÌ„g before S. The old schoole of CaerlegioÌ„ brought forth many glorious Martyrs in this time Alban his Martyrdome I must needs say the same of these Saints as the Annals of Winchester doe of their Martyrs And this the rather because our Antiquaries before haue told vs that S. Amphibalus that conuerted S. Alban was borne bredd instructed in learning and remayned at Caerlegion and being there in all probable iudgment when these trobles began there was as our Brittish History witnesseth pursued and in present danger to be apprehended by the Persecutours when S. Alban gaue him first entertaynment and succour and addeth plainely that when S. Amphibalus thus fledd from Caerlegion S. Iulius S. Aaron were absque cunctamine presently Martyred there S. Iulius and S. Aaron martyred at Caerlegion with many others before S. Alban Galfr. Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 5. hauing their members so torne in peeces as the like had not bene heard of before Inter caeteros vtriusque sexus summâ Magnanimitate in acie Christi perstantes passus est Albanus Verolamius Iulius quoque Aaron vrbis Legionum ciues quorum Albanus charitatis gratia feruens confessorem suum Amphibalum à Persecutoribus insectatum iam iam comprehendendum in domo sua occuluit Caeteri verò duo inaudita membrorum discerptione lacerati ad egregias portas Hierusalem absque cunctamine cum Martirij trophaeo conuolauerunt The very same testimony Gildas l. de excid c. 8. is giuen hereof by S. Gildas both for S. Amphibalus then flying the Persecutours and the Martyrdome of these Saints at that time S. Bede also is witnesse that S. Alban entertayned S. Amphibalus flying the Persecutours Clericum quendam Persecuâ—ores fugientem hospitio recepit And that S. Aaron S. Iulius were martyred at that time Passi sunt ea tempestate Aaron Iulius Bed Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 7. Matth. Westm an 303. Girald Cambr. Itiner Cambr. l. 1. c. 5. Gildas excid Bâ—â—t c. 8. Legionum vrbis ciues The like haue others Therefore Giraldus Cambrensis doth worthely call them our two Noble Protomartyrs in this time onely in dignitie second and next to S. Alban and Amphibalus but in time first and before them Duo nobiles post Albanum Amphibalum praecipui Britanniae Maioris Protomartyres These our two Protomartyrs are wonderfully commended in our Histories S. Gildas saith of them that they stood out in the Army of Christ with greatest magnanimitie summa magnanimitate in acie Christi perstantes dico Giraldus Cambrensis is witnes that among the Martyrs of that time they were the cheifest next to S. Alban and S. Amphibalus Post Albanum Amphibalum praecipui Martyrio coronati Iulius Aaron How Girald supr Itiner Cambr. l. 1. c. 5. they were honoured of the holy Catholike Christians of that time with Churches dedicated vnto them Pilgrimages to the places of their Martyrdome and they both there and in other places honoured inuocated and The Martyrs then honored with prayers and Pilgrimages to them prayed vnto presently vpon the ceasing of the Persecution I will declare among other memories of that time in their place in the beginning of the next Age. 3. Now it will suffice to conclude with that their Title of glory and renowne Girald Cambr. supr which the auncient and learned Bishop of their Nation before hath giuen them as their due and honour to the place of their triumphant death Iacent hic duo Nobiles Britanniae Maioris Protomartyres ibidem Martyrio coronati Iulius Aaron Heare lie at Caerlegion the two Noble Protomartyrs of great Britaine and crowned with Martyrdome there Iulius and Aaron This Title to be the first Martyrs of Britaine in that most terrible Persecution and with such exceeding magnanimitie and Christian constancy as hath bene before remembred in enduring Torments neuer vntill then heard of without any example going before them but giuing themselues the first example
the Christians heare in this Nation did not onely enioy freedome and Immunitie from all penalties and Persecution against Christian Churches and Monasteries that were ruinated restored and new builded Religion but as in the time of his Father made and freely had publike exercise and Profession thereof as our old Churches reedified new builded and erected Bishops Preists and all Cleargie and Religious men restored to their former quiet Reuenewes honours and dignities 2. Of this we haue diuers testimonies and examples in particular yet left vnto vs as out of the old Annalls of Winchester where we finde of that old Church builded in the time of King Lucius and destroyed in the late Persecutiō the Church of Winchester builded in the time of King Lucius and hallowed and dedicated Annal. Eccles Winton Godwin Catalog of Bishop Wincester in initio October 29. 189. By Faganus and Damianus Bishops amongst the rest at this time of Dioclesian went to wracke the buildings thereof being ruinated and made euen with the ground and the Monkes and all the officers belonging vnto it either slaine or enforced to fly for the present time in the yeare 309. the Church a foresaid was againe reedified and that with such wonderfull forwardnesse and Zeale as within one yeare and thirty dayes both it and all the Edifices belonging vnto it as chambers and other buildings for the Monkes and officers were quite finished in very seemely and conuenient manner The 15. day of March following it was againe hallowed and dedicated vnto the honor and memory of Amphibalus that had suffered death for Christ in the late Persecution by Constans Bishop of Winchester at te request of Deodatus Abbot of this new erected Monastery It is euident by this Relation and that is saide before that this holy worke so publike and with freedome and zeale was quite finished in the time of Constantine his being heare before he went hence against Maxentius And yet we see both Bishop Abbot Preists and Religious men publikly and honorably restored to their former condition The Church with vnspeakable deuotion builded and dedicated to that holy Saint and Martyr which in the late Persecution was most hated by the enemies of Christ So I say of the Church of S. Alban Ecclesia a Church as S. Bede writeth mirandi operis atque eius martyrio condigna extructa est a Church Bed Eccl. Hist l. 1. c. 7. Mat. West An. 313. of wonderfull workemanship and worthie of his martyrdome was builded so soone as the Christians were heare at quiet Redeunte temporum Christianorum serenitate Matthew of Westminster hath the same words and explaneth this time of the quiet of Christians heare when this Church was so sumptuously builded to haue bene ten yeares after his Martyrdome decem scilicet annis post passionem eius elapsis the perfect finishing whereof he setteth downe to haue bene in the same yeare in which Constantine went from hence towards Rome against Maxentius Which was by him in the 6. yeare of Constantine and before the generall ceasing of Persecution in other places Constantine not being absolute and sole Emperor vntill his victory against Maxentius nor the generall quiet then presently ensuing Both S. Bede and the Monke of Westminster write that in their seuerall times often curing of infirmities and Bed Matth. supr other miracles were wrought there in quo videlicet loco vsque ad hanc diem curatio infirmorum frequentium operatio virtutum celebrari non desunt The old Churches of S. Iulius and S. Aaron martyred in the late Persecutio◠in the Citie of Caerlegion deriue their auntient Foundation from this time So doe many others founded in honor of seuerall Martyrs then cruelly putt to death for the name of Christ So I affirme of all the Cathedrall Churches Archiepiscopall and Episcopall which I haue before remembred with their Particular Sees and Cities founded in the time of King Lucius and destroyed in the Persecution of the Tyrants Dioclesian and Maximinian as also those that were not Episcopall but subordinate and inferior ouerthrowne with that tempest of Persecution for S. Gildas S. Bed and others testifie without exception that all they which were then pulled downe euen to the ground were now reedified renouant Ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas Matthew of Westminster Gild. l. de excid conquest Brit. ca. 8. Bed Eccles Hist l. 1. c. 8. Mat. Westm an 313. plainely writeth that besides the new Churches builded in honor of their late Martyrs of which S. Gildas and S. Bede also make this memory Basilicas Sanctorum Martyrum fundant construunt perficiunt The Christians heare at this time renewed builded againe all the Churches dedicated to former Saints which had bene so destroyed and throwne downe to the ground Sanctorum Ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas renouant 3. And when we are warranted both by Protestant and Catholike Antiquaries Matth. Parker Antiq. Brit. pa. 8. Io. Goscel Eccl. Hist Manuscrip de Archiep. Can. tuar prope Init. Manuscr Gallie Antiq. cap. 28. also that from the beginning of Christianitie heare we had many Abbots Monkes and Monasteryes in euery Age tot tantaque Abbatum Monachorum Cenobiorum vetusta nomina quae quouis seculo extiterunt And that these Monasteryes were all destroyed in Dioclesian his Pesecution we must needs assigne their restauration to this time as I haue first exemplified before in the old Monastery of Winchester now reedified with so greate speede and deuotion the Abbot thereof being called Deodatus To this I ioyne the Monastery of Abingdon allready spoken of where this our greate King and Emperour Constantine as the old Annalls thereof doe pleade had his education when he was young wherein there where as it testifieth further aboue 500. Chron. Monast Abingdon apud Nich. Harpesf Eccl. Hist saecul 10. c. 9. Monkes liuing by the labour of their hands in th◠woods and Desarts adioyning vpon son dayes festiuall dayes comming to the Monastery besides 60. which did continually abide in the same seruing God there Quod Monachi supra quingentos illi fuerant adscripti qui per syluas loca deserta quae in vicinia fuere manuum labore victitabant ad Coenobium singulis Sabbatis Dominicis conuenientes praeter sexaginta qui assiduè in ipso Coenobio versabantur quod Constantinus ille Magnus Abingdoniae educatus fuerit Therefore we cannot doubt if we will accept this auntient Record for witnesse but of all other Monasteries this greate Emperour had an especiall care of restoring and endowing this his nursing place of education 4. To this time we may assigne the reedificing of the noble Monastery first builded by the Founder Ambrius or Ambry after called Amsbury in Wiltshire where at the comming of the Saxons hither there were 300. Religious men Coenobium trecentorum fratrum in monte Ambrij qui vt fertur fundator Galfr. Monum Hist Brit. l. 8. c. 9.
greate authoritie doth warrant vs that he preached in extremis vltimis not onely in one prouince but the very laste and vttermost in respect of that place which must needes comprehend this Iland of Britayne we may not now exclude him from hence where he hath bene honored with a Church dedicated to him as an holy Bishop so many hundreds of yeares aboue 1400. since in a Nation so peculiarly honoring the memories of the renowned Apostles and Saints thereof with such testimonies of loue and duitie And this the rather because we are told by forrain writers that he was not onelie Apostolorum discipulus a disciple of the Apostles Arnold Mitm Theatr. Conu gent. and sent to these western parts whether as before it is hard to finde any to haue bene sent from any Apostle but S. Peter And this Church being aunciently a Bishops See as the Kentish Protestant Antiquary hath told vs before and yet without the City of Canterbury it giueth more strenght to this opinion for all Antiquities agree that through out the whole kingdome in the time of King Lucius all the Cathedrall and Episcopall Churches were in cyties Which argueth this See to haue had a more auncient originall then from that time for further proofe whereof the auncient Manuscript History Histor Roffen M. S. of Rochester saith Extra Ciuitatem in parte Orientali est Ecclesia Beati Martini vbi Sedes Episcopalis erat without the city of Canterbury one the East side is the Church of S. Martine where there was a Bishops See And Bishop Godwin was the last Bishop there in the time of Archbishop Lanfranke who would not permit any successor therein saying that two Bishops might not be in one city Godwino vltimo illius Sedis Episcopo successorem Lanfrancus subrogare noluit dicens quod in vna ciuitate duo Episcopi minime esse deberent Standing vpon the Canons of the Church as his reason argueth which further confirmeth this custome to haue bene long more auncient then the Canons in that behalfe And seeing Cathedrall Churches ordinarily take their denomination of the first Saincts that were Bishops there except some other extraordinary merits of Saints and deuotion vnto them giue them this priuiledge this may be some warrant vnto vs in this case to incline to thinke this S. Martine eyther preached heare or so well deserued of this Nation that we may not easily depriue him of this honour 8. To this I may probably ioyne S. Nathanael spoken of in the Ghospel Not vmprobable but S. Nathaniel was and preached in Britaine and termed of our Sauiour a true Israelite for as our French Historians tell vs he was both consecrated Bishop by S. Peter the Apostle and was successour to S. Aphrodisius in the See of Bituriges in Fraunce about the time of S. Peters coming hither and at his direction at those times and by the Greeks in their Menologe called Symon Therefore seeing some haue so contended before Guliel Eisengr centen 1. f. 54. an 54. Anton. part-1 tit Anton. De. moch l. 2. c. 24. Graeci in Menolog Baron in Annot. in Martyrol 28. Octob. Sim. Chan. to bring one S. Symon into Britayne and demonstration is also made that it could not be S. Symon Zelotes the Apostle to leaue a place of due credit to their Authoritie I may credibly ascribe it to S. Nathanael called S. Symon and by some the brother of S. Philip the Apostle and generally after the Ascension of Christ at the dispositioÌ„ of S. Peter principally in these Western parts where although cheifely he bore the title of the Bishops of Biturigum Burages in Berry in Fraunce yet he trauailed in diuers other parts as appeareth in Histories as others likewise did who tooke their names of being Bishops of certayne places Which is most euident in S. Peter himselfe who although he neuer tooke name of Residency but at Anthioch and Rome yet he trauay led and preached in so many Nations as I haue and shall set downe hereafter 9. And if we will follow the Antiquities of Glastenbury vpon whose authoritie Antiq. Glast M. S. in tabul lignea perantiqua Io. Capgrau in Catalog in S. Ioseph ab Aramathia the Protestant Antiquaries of England haue builded much in many things we are told in them that S. Iosephe sonne of S. Ioseph of Aramathia that buryed Christ came hither liued dyed heare came hither with his Father and that holy company and also lyued and dyed a Bishop heare That he was not a Bishop at his coming hither it seemeth euident by many arguments first because no History maketh mention of any Episcopall function S. Iosephe sonne of S. Ioseph of Aramathia by diuers Antiquities was a Bishop heare and probably consecrated heare by S. Peter or his Disciples performed then by him or any of that happy society secondly by all Antiquities they liued and dyed in the Eremiticall state of life Which much differeth from Episcopall which conuerseth with and ruleth others and the Churches committed vnto his chardge Thirdly in all Antiquities and Monuments of these holy men remembred eyther by Catholiks or Protestants S. Ioseph of Aramathia is called the cheife and principall ex quibus Ioseph ab Aramathia primus erat Intrat Aualoniam duodena caterua vivorum Inscriptio antiqua in aere in Caenob Glaston Tabul antiq ib. Ioh. Capgr in S. Ioseph ab Aramath Godwin CoÌ„u of Britaine p. 11. Theater of Brit. l. 6. Camd. in Glastenbury Capgr in S. Patricio Flos Aramathiae Ioseph est primus â—orum Iosephes ex Ioseph genitus patrem comitatur Where S. Ioseph that was no Bishop is euery were stiled their cheife and Ruler Therefore his sonne Iosephe could be no Bishop at that time for so a Bishop whose office is to rule and in all languadges by all interpretation is an Ouerseer Cheife commaunder and Ruler of others his subiects should haue bene inferiour subiect commaunded and caled to and by his inferiour and subiect Therefore to iustifie the prediction of our Sauiour after his Ascension that Iosephe should be a Bishop which the Antiquitie of Glastenbury setteth downe as a thing then done saying of him Iosephe quem Dominus Iesus priùs in ciuitate Sarath in Episcopum consecrauit Iosephe whom our Lord Iesus had consecrated for a Bishop before in the city Sarath We must needes say that he was afterward according to the designment and Prophesie of Christ consecrated Antiquit. Glaston apud Cap. grau in S. Ioseph ab Aramath a Bishop in this kingdome for Prophesies that be true are so certayne they shall come to passe that often times they are expressed as presently done and acted as is vsuall in holy Scripturs and other wtiters when they are not to be performed long after because they are as assuredly to be after in due time as if they were presently acted and fulfilled as we must needes interprete this For the reasons before demonstrate that
Clement for the same as S. Anacletus doth and he liued in the yeare 255. The like hath Pelagius the second and others And to write from the first generall and greate Councells the first Nicen Councell both in the fourth sixr and seuenth Canon both in Greeke and Latine and in all Copies maketh mention of such Primats and Metropolitans and their priuiledges calling it antiqua consuetudo the old custome so doth the second Councell at Arles in France where our Archbishop of London was present and subscribed for the Cleargie of this Nation about the same time And the first generall Councell of Antioche setteth downe how in euery Prouince there should be a Metropolitan ouer the other Bishops and that other Bishops might doe nothing without his allowance And saith the old Rule and Canon of the Fathers was so and from the beginning secundum antiquam à Patribus nostris Regulam constitutam vt vult qui ab initio obtinuit Patrum Canon as an other translation readeth Therefore this so certaine and auncient a Rule and Canon so generall so binding and from the beginning thus testified by these first generall Councells must needs be the same which is before deliuered from S. Clement and S. Anacletus in this matter 4. And to make all sure by our English Protestants Religion to passe Booke of Consecratiō of Archbishops c. in Praefat. Articl of Relig. 36. Tho. Roger. Annalis Artic. 36. ouer their priuate writers in this case the generall Rule of their Religion for making vnto them such Primats and Archbishops as they haue assureth vs this was the practise of the Church euer since the Apostles time So doth their publik Glosse vpon the Articles of Religion to which all their Protestant Bishops and Ministers haue sworne to maintaine the doctrine thereof as they write Perrused and by the lawfull Authoritie of the Church of England allowed to be publike And thus Intituled on euery leafe as vpon this in particular The Catholike doctrine of the Church of England In which they expressely write of their Protestant Archbishops which they call Primats as their Catholike Predecessors were It is agreable to the word of God and Practise of the Primatiue Church that there should be Archbishops The superioritie which Archbishops enioye and exercise is groūded vpon the word of God And for a summe of their reasons Couell Examinat c. 9. pag. 105. 106. herein thus they print with publike priuiledge Apostolicall ordination reason the custome of all Churches auncient and well gouerned and nature it selfe doth ordaine Archbishops in their Prouinces to Rule the Church Which is asmuch in so few words containing the heads of all cheife Arguments for this matter as either S. Anacletus or any Catholike writer at this day doth or can vse in this busines And giue this greatest warrant they are able to those holy writings of S. Clement and Anacletus and in mysteries besides whether of the Popes Supremacy ouer all Christian people and Churches or any other deliuered in them being the first witnesses hereof we haue after Apostles whome they their immediate Schollers and successors alledge both for teaching and practising the same And for these present questions of cheifest importance as for others hereafter they doe in expresse termes thus both alledge and allowe these so auncient Testimonies of this holy Apostolike mā Anacletus Episcopos officio pares ordine duplici distinxit eos Primates siue Patriarchas appellari voluit qui in illis ciuitatibus praeessent in quibus olim primarij Flamines Robertus Barnes l. de vit Pontif Rom. in Anaclet excuss Lugduni Batauorum 1615. cum gratia priuileg illustrium DD. ordinum generalium sederunt in alijs Metropolitanis vrbibus Episcopos Metropolitanos vel Archiepiscopos nominandos esse censuit Ab ipso Domino Primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersumque Christiani nomine populum concessum esse asseruit Pope Anacletus did distinguish Bishops equall in calling into two orders he would haue them called Primats or Patriarks which ruled in those Cities in which in olde times the primary Flamins did sitt in other Metropolitan Cities he did holde that the Bishops should be named Metropolitans or Archbishops He affirmed that Primacie was graunted by our Lord himselfe to the Roman Church ouer all Churches and all Christian people Therefore seeing it is so amply confessed that what S. Anacletus hath deliuered vnto vs was by the warrant instruction and example of S. Peter and S. Clement his Predecessor and diuers times among other holy directions sufficiently declareth that in his time it principally appertained vnto him to send Bishops and Preists into this as to other parts of the world that they which would be accompted Sheepe and belonging to the Folde of Christ may knowe whether those Sheephards and Pastors which they followe are true and lawfull Pastors or no we cannot better learne this distinction to knowe them by then of this holy man made Preist and tought by S. Peter himselfe and after succeeding him in that highest Chardge and dignitie especially seeing he hath more particularly then any others of that Age to my reading deliuered this cognizance to Posteritie cheifely to know their cheife Pastors Bishops by and of others so plainely that no man except willfully can be deceaued therein First he setteth downe the Inferior Orders Inferior Ecclesiasticall Orders to assist at the Masse in the Apostles time vnder holy Preisthood as Deacons Subdeacons and other Ministers to assist the Bishop in the holy sacrifice of Masse making that their principall office and dutie as of a Preist to offer the sacrifice of Masse Episcopus Deo sacrificans testes secum habeat plures quam alius Sacerdos Sicut enim maioris honoris gradu fruitur sic matoris testimonij incremento Indiget In solēnioribus diebus aut Septem aut quinque aut Anacletus epist 1. tres Diaconos Subdiaconos atque reliquos Ministros secum habeat qui sacris induti vestimentis in fronte a tergo Presbyteri è regione dextra laeuaque contrito corde humiliato spiritu ac prono stent vultu custodientes eum a maleuolis hominibus consensum eius praebeant sacrificio Where expressely naming Bishops and Preists to offer sacrifice and Deacons Subdeacons and other Cleargie men besides them Diaconos Subdiaconos atque reliquos Ministros and appointing their places and manner of ministring in the holy sacrifice in sacred vestements must needs make that their cheifest office and imploiment And allthough he doth not name in particular those Orders that were inferior to Subdeacons but onely in a generall name atque reliquos Ministros yet thereby expressing they were diuers and their cheife chardge and attendance was to assiste Bishops and Preists at Masse he must needs meane those auncient Inferior Orders which still and euer were in the Catholike Church and which that blessed Father S. Ignatius liuing then
there abouts and S. Euaristus being Martyred in the beginning of the Reigne of Adrian S. Euaristus Papa Martyr Ecclesiam Dei sub Adriano Imperatore suo sanguine purpurauit S. Alexander the first of that name was his next Successor and ruled the See Apostolike 10. yeares 5. Moneths 20. dayes by the most receaued opinion The liues of Popes asscribed to S. Damasus say so many yeares 7. monethes 2. dayes annos Decem menses 7. dies 2. Matthew of Westminster alloweth to his Papacy but 8. yeares 5. Moneths and 2. dayes Sedit annis 8. mensibus 5. diebus 2. in the beginning of whose Regiment and vntill the fourth yeare of Pope Alexander and the sixt of Adrian the Emperour in the yeare of Christ 124. Coillus was King in Britain then leauing the Crowne to his youÌ„g sonne Lucius not aboue ten yeares old as the same MoÌ„ke of Westminster with others reckoÌ„ But by others Coillus liued and continued King long after Which seemeth more probable euen Rem Higed l. 4. c. 16. Catal. Reg. Britannor ante Hist Brit. an 125. 165. Holinsh. Hist of Engl. Matth. Westm an gratiae 115. by that which Matthew of Westminster himselfe with the common opinion alloweth that Coillus was an old man before he begat Lucius Natus est Coillo Regi Britonum vnicus filius quem vocauit Lucium qui factus est Patri gaudium exultatio quasi in senectute quasi ab haerede destitutus generat eum Which could not probably be in this yeare of Christ 115. when he saith Lucius was borne For by that computation I haue made before of the marriadge of his Grandfather and Grandmother after the coming of the Emperour Claudius hither at this time when Lucius is supposed to be begotten Coillus could not be much aboue fourtie yeares of Age and so not then an old man nor to be saide to doe any thing in his old Age much lesâ—e allmost out of hope of a child an heire for Age in senectute quasi ab haerede destitutus 2. This Emperour Adrian is he which in the beginning of his Empire about the yeare of Christ 123. came into Britaine and among other Reformations and Prouisions he made heare as Spartianus and others after him testifie caused the French which we call the Picts wall to be made to seperate Spartianus in Adriano Stowe Hist Holinsh. Histor of Engl. Theater of great But. l. 6. and deuide that part of Britain which was vnder the Romans from the Northren Inhabitants not subiect to them Hadrianus Britanniam petens multa correxit murumque per Octoginta millia passiuum primus duxit qui Barbaros Romanosque diuideret In his first yeares he was a Persecutor of Christians among whome S. Euaristus the last Pope was by his Authoritie put to death and he caused to take away the memory of Christ the Statues of Deuills to be erected in the place of our Lords Passion and by Seuerus Sulpitius and others is termed the fourth Persecutor In loco Dominicae Passionis daemonuÌ„ Simulachro constituit Seuer Sulpitius sacrae Hist l. 2. Yet soone he corrected his error therein forbidding ChristiaÌ„s to be punished for their Religion Quarta sub Hadriano Persecutio numeratur Quam tamen postea exerceri prohibuit Iniustum esse pronuntians vt quisquam sine crimine reus constitueretur And wrote so expressely commanding to Minutius Fundanus Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 3. in chron An. 9. Adriani Hier. de Script Eccles in Quadr. Aristid Hier. Epist 84. Euseb l. 4. c. 8. 9. Iust in Apol. Matth. Westm an 135. Aelius Lamprid. in Alexandro Seuero his Proconsull in Asia moued there perhaps by the Apologie Oration of S. Quadratus vnto him for Christians and the letters of Sereius Granianus his Legate in behalfe of Christians declaring their Innocencie And S. Aristides presented the like Apologie vnto him And he was so much moued by these meÌ„ that one of our owne HistoriaÌ„s writeth that he was thereby instructed and informed in the Christian Religion Inperator Hadrianus per Quadratum Apostolorum Discipulum Aristidem Atheniensem virum fide sapientia plenum ac per Serenum Legatum libris de Christiana Religione compositis instructus est eruditus And Aelius Lampridius confirmeth asmuch or more when he saith that this Emperour Adrian did intend to receaue Christ for God and caused Temples in all Cities to be erected without PagaÌ„ Idols which remained so in Lampridius time and were called Adrians Churches which he inteÌ„ded to the honor of Christ but was kept backe froÌ„ performing it by feare or flattery of the Idolaters told by their Oracles that if he proceeded so all would become Christians and their Temples should be left desolate and forelorne Christo templum facere voluit Alexander eumque inter Deos recipere Quod Adrianus cogitasse fertur qui templa in omnibus ciuitatibus sine simulachris insserat fieri quae bodie idcirco quia non habent Numina dicuntur Adriani Quae ille ad hoc parasse dicebatur sed prohibitus est ab ijs qui consuleÌ„tes sacra repererunt omnes Christianos si id optato euenisset templa reliqua deserenda And these were motiues to very many in these dayes to embrace Christian Religion both at Rome where the minde and iudgment of the Emperour himselfe a good Prince was so knowne to be conuinced by the constancie and Innocency of the Christians and their vnanswerable Apologies for the onely truth of their Religion and euident errors and falsehood of the Pagans superstitious Rites now made manifest in all places 3. So that to extend my pen no further then to the bounds I haue appointed vnto it First for Rome where we had many Britans Christians and other then resident we are told by the best allowed Relation of those things that the holy Pope S. Alexander did then conuert to the faith a greate part of the Roman Nobilitie Alexander Romanus Hadriano Imperatore regens Ecclesiam magnam partem Romanae Nobilitatis ad Christum conuertit Among whome was Hermes the cheife Prefect or Ruler of Rome Hermes Praefectus vrbis qui per euÌ„ Vita S. Alexand. Papae 1. in Breu. Rom. 3. die Maij. Alexandrum crediderat The encrease of Christians in the Papacie of this holy man was so greate that notwithstanding the fauour and loue of the Emperour vnto Christians the Pagan Flamins and others were so malitious Martin Polon in Alexandro 1. against him that they procured him to be put to cruell death euen in the time of the same Emperour These proceedings especially of the fauour of the Emperour to the Christians their pietie constancie and encrease were so much diuulged in the world that among others they moued or more incited our King of Britaine which then was Coillus or Lucius to send to Pope Alexander as we are informed by forreine Histories and procure of him to haue the Christian faith
Nennius as I could with my best diligence obserue Onely with this further difference that the note of their number to be 28. in all is in the first and later Manuscript written in the end after the Cities recited in the laâ—â— and oldest it is sett downe before the names of the Cities And although at the first vewe these Relations will seeme to vary much yet an indifferent Reader though but meanely exercised in reading auncient Manuscripts and obseruing how often and ordinarily vnlearned or improuident Scribes doe mistake alter add or detract letters in transcribing old writings he will reconcile them with litle or no materiall difference 2. And Henry ArchdeacoÌ„ of Huntington who as Geffry of MoÌ„mouth writeth Galfr. Monum Hist l. 12. c. 20. Henricus Hunting historiar l. 1. §. Hucusque L. 1. Fere in Initio had written his History before he translated the Brittish Historie had not seene it as he relateth the coÌ„ming of Brutus hither as he found it in other Authours which had written it before in alijs Authoribus reperi saith this our Britaine which he called so after his owne name ex nomine suo Britanniam vocauit besides innumerable walled stronge Castels had aunciently in the Britans and Romans time 28. most Noble Cities erat ciuitatibus quondam 28. nobilissimis insignita praeter Castella innumera quae ipsa muris turribus portis ac seris erant instructa firmissimis Ciuitatum autem nomina haec erant Britannicè And these 28. Cities names in Brittish speach were these Kair Ebrancid est Eboracum Yorke Kair chent 1. Cantuaria Canterbury Kair Gorangon 1. Wigornia worcester Kair Lundene 1. Lundonia London Kair Legion or Lirion 1. Leâ—â—â— stria Leicester Kair Collon 1. Coleceastria Colchester Kair Glou. 1. Gloueceastria Glocester Cair Cei 1. Ciceastria Kair-Briston Kair-Ceri 1. Cicerceastria Kair Guent 1. winceastria winchester Kair Grant 1. Granteceastria quae modo dicitur Cantebrigia alias Grantebrigia Cambridge Kair Lion quam vocamus Carleuil Carlile Kair Dauri 1. Doreceastria Dorchester Kair Dorm 1. Dormeceastria quae sita in Huntedonensi Prouincia super Flumen quod vocatur Nen penitus destructa est Dormanchester not Godmanchester or Gormanchester in Huntington shire vpon the Riuer Nen vtterly destroied It was betweene Wansford and Stilton about twelue myles North from Huntington in the Roade way to Yorke Kair Loitchoit 1. Lincolnia Lincoln Kair Merdin quae nunc quoque sic vocatur Still so called Kair Guorcon Kair Cucerat Kair Guortigern Kair vraac Kair Celemion Kair Meguaid Kair Licelid Kair Peris 1. Porcestre Kair Kegion al. Lerion in qua fuit Archiepisâ—opatus tempore Britonum nunc autem vix maenia eius comparent Vbi vsca â—adit in Sabrinam in which there was an Archbishops See in the time of the Britons now scarly appeare the walls thereof where the Ryuer Vsc falleth into Seuerne Kair Draiton Kair Mercipit Kair Segent quae fuit super Tamesin non longè a Reding vocatur Silcestre Haec erant nomina Ciuitatum tempore Romanorum Britannorum Kair Segent which was vpon the Riuer of Thems not farre from Reding and is called Silcestre These were the names of the Cyties in the time of the Romans and Britans Thus this Archdeacon of Huntington 3. And the Monke of Chester Ranulphus Higeden citing Alfridus thus writeth in the same manner Regio Britanniae quondam erat ciuitatibus nobilissimis Raâ—ulph Higid Polychronic l. 1. c. â—â— M. S. 28. insignita The Country of Britaine was in old times adorned with 28. Cyties besides an innumerable number of Castles defensed with most stronge walls Towers Gates and Locks The names of the Cyties were these Caerlud that is London Caer Ebranc Yorke Caerkent Canterbury Caergorangon worcester Caerlirion Leycester Caer Clau Glorcester Caer Golden Colchester Caerrei Chichester Which the Saxons aunciently called Cissancester Caerceri Cirencester Caerwent Winchester Caergrant Cambridge Caerliel Lugubalia Carlile Caerperis Porchester Caerdrom Dorchester Caerludcoit Lincoln Caermerthin that is to say the Citie of Merlin Caersegen Silcester which is seated vpon Thames nor farre from Reding Caerthleon or Caerlegion that is the Ciâ—ie of Legions which first was called Legecester but now it is named Chester Caer Badon Bathe which sometime was called the Citie of Achamannus Caer Paladur Septoma now Shastesbury There are also others names of Cities found in Chronicles Thus this Manuscript Authour speaking of Caerlegion vpon Vsc where the Achiepiscopall See was in the l. 1. cap. 48. next Chapter Diuers of these Cities had their Foundation or at the least tooke their denomition long after this time of the generall ordaining Bishops in our Cities as Caer Golden Colchester tacking the name from King Coel Father to the holy Empresse S. Helena mother to Constantine the Emperour Cair Guortigern of King Vortigern and Caer Merthin of Merlin so we may not number these among our first Episcopall Cities Diuers also of the others were so vnknowne in the time of Henry of Huntington that he a very learned and auncient writer dareth not to take vpon him to deliuer what or where they were as he and Ranulphus Higeden after him doth of the other remembred Cities Which we may take to be the reason that this later writer did not mention them at all But yet if we looke into our Histories we shall finde more auncient Cities as Ranulphus saith and among them diuers which were then Episcopall Sees Ihon Rous affirmeth that Oxford first Io. Rous apud Stowe Hist Brit. in Ebranke Galfrid Monum Hist l. 4. c. 16. Annales Duren apud Leland in comment Antiq Britan. v. Doris Leland supra verb. Couae verb. Manditi Castrum called Caier Mennip at building thereof after Bellisitum Caier Bossa Rhidohen and lastly Oxford was founded by King Ebranke as Yorke was Galftidus calleth it Caerpen huelgoit Leland from the Antiquities of Douer writeth that it was a Citie before the time of King Aruiragus that builded the Castle adioynÌ„ing and nameth it a most renowned Citie and that King Lucius builded a Church in that Castle referunt ijdem Annales Lucium Regem Britannorum And the same Authour from Antiquities is witnes that there was an other auncient City of the Britans called by them Cairbro by the I le of Wight He writeth also that there was aunciently a Bishops See at S. Maus in Cornewayle by Famouthe and that S. Manditus was Bishop there giuing that name to the place now a fisher Towne It is also euident in our Histories that besides the Citie Venta that is Wincester called among other names Venta Belgarum the Inhabitants in those parts being called Belgae there were diuers other auncient Cities of that name among the Britans as Venta Silurum by Camd. in Brit. in Belg. Io. Leland supr in Venta Verolamium Ptolom Cosmograph descript Britan. Hect. Boeth in elucidatione Regionum Oppid ante Historiam some in South wales neare Chepstow quite destroyed Venta
yeares after this in the time of Dioclesian his Persecution when S. Alban a cheife man there was martyred for the Christian faith the Citie of Verolamium was by all Histories so ignorant thereof as if there neuer had bene any Christian there before much lesse a Bishop which should haue very ill intended to his greate office to suffer himselfe and his cheife chardge to haue so presently apostated from Christ 7. But I must rather hold that the rest of the Bishops Sees were where we finde Christians professing constantly euen to death their holy faith in that most tempestuous time of persecution where we finde any Bishop to haue bene then or where the first Bishops were seated when the Saxons were conuerted then where not any of these but a manifest priuation or destitution of these is found And we haue the old English Historie and others for witnes Old English hist part 4. in K. Lucius that many Bishopriks of the time of King Lucius were still in this Land in those dayes So we may probably add to these Bishopricks by these Titles the Citie of Lichfeild not vnprobably that which Nennius nameth Caerligalid Io. Ross Warwicen l. de Episcop Wigorn. Theater of great Brit. lib. 6. Stowe Hist Romans in Coill Holinsh. Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 26. so constant in Christian Religion in the Persecution of Dioclesian that at one time it brought forth a thousand Martyrs and thereuppō tooke in the Saxon tongue the name Lichfeild a feild of blood and in the Conuersion of the Saxons was at the first a Bishops See by the old Scottish or Brittish Bishops The like I say of Dorchester now a Villadge neare Oxford but aunciently a Citie Caer Dor as before Dorcestria and Ciuitas Dorchestriae and in the Primatiue Church of the Saxōs a Bishops or the rather onely Bishops See of the kingdom of the Mercians or Middle English diuers hundreds of yeares vntill time of King William the first when Remigius Bishop thereof remoued his See to Lincoln That there was a Bishops See in Huntington shire eyther at the decayed Citie Caer dorm before named or at Godmanchester we haue diuers testimonies both of late and auncient time a late writer speaking of the Bishops ordayned by these Legats of Pope Eleutherius absolutely affirmeth They founded a Bishopricke in the Citie of Gumicastrum now called Godmanchester in Huntinghton shire where S. Machutus was sometime Bishop about the yeare of Harris Theatr. Brit. Tom. 2. in Manuscr Hist Vit. S. Machuti Theater of great Brit. in descr of Hunting shire Manuscr Antiq. Harding Chron. f. 26. 27. c. 30. our Lord. 550. So hath the old written life of S. Machutus as our Theater writers testifie and diuers others and among these an old Manuscript History Among these I may number besides the Archflamens and Arcbishops See in London an other inferiour place of a Flamen and Bishop after first founded as Harding with others witnesseth by Dunwallo S. Paules Church the Bishops See now is seated there He made sixe Temples say Authours in Logres Cambre and Albanie and as many Flamens to rule them of states as Bishops now doen. A Temple also in Troynouant sothely Of peace and concorde he made verely In which when there fell any discorde Emong his Lords there were they made accorde And thus noteth This Temple was S. Paules Church in London How the Pagans dedicated it to Apollo and there sacrificed to him I haue said before And this neuer being either the Arcflamens or Arcbbishops See and yet presently vpon the Conuersiō of the Saxōs made a Bishops seate giueth strength to this opinion and we finde in our Histories more Arcbishops of London in the time of the Britans then of Yorke and Caerlegion both Ioyned together yet was the Citie of London more subiect to tumults and alterations then eyther of these was some Argumēt that to make so greate a number both Archbishops and Bishops there be accompted together 8. But though we leaue London onely to an Archbishops See we shall otherwise make vp our common reckoning of 28. Bishops in that time A Protestant Bishop writeth that Chichester was a Bishops See in the Britans time and had a Bishop at the comming of S. Augustine hither and citeth Roger Houeden for his Authour which I doe not finde in him but that Chester Godwin Catal. in S. Dauids 1. Roger. Houedē Part. 2. Annal. in Rege was then a Bishops See he affirmeth in the life of King Ihon the place I take it which this Protestant meaneth Where he also plainely affirmeth the same of Worchester The old Citie of Lincolne also to haue bene then a Bishops See we haue the conueniencie of place Antiquitie of the Citie both with the Britans and Romans Cair Lud Coit Cair Loichoit Lindum Lindocollinum and that in the Conuersion of the Saxons next vnto Yorke it was made the first Bishops See in those parts 9. Now if we stay heare before we proceed further we haue probably found all the first Bishops Sees that were vnder the Iurisdiction of London both in Loegria and Cornewayle besides some others For Harding holding Hardin Chron. f. 29. c. 23. Sigebert Gemb Chron. ann 445. Matth. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 9. there were 13. Flamens vnder the Archflamen of London and others that there were 14. we haue Antiquities to direct vs that there were but 7. Bishops vnder Yorke and no more vnder Caerlegion so allowing 28. with the common opinion 14. of these must needs be vnder the Iurisdiction of the Archbishop of London to witt the Bishop of Cornwayle of Exceter Bathe Glocester Worchester Silcester Shastesbury Winchester Canterbury Dunwich or some other Bishops Sees vnder the Archbishop of London in King Lucius or the Brittans time place among the Easte Angles afterward Godmanchester Leychester Leichfeild The other 4. Carleyle Chester Lincoln or Leichfeild if we subiect Lincoln to London and Alchlud were vnder Yorke this Citie of Alchlud was very auncient and renowned in the North parts and by Harding and others stood at Harding supr f. 20. c. 21. Bed Hist l. 1. c. 12. Galfrid Monum Histor Brit. l. 9. c. 5. 6. the West end of the Picts wall and by our Brittish History and S. Bede not farre from thence and as is euident before was both vnder the Spirituall Iurisdiction of Yorke and the temporall Gouernment also of our Kings in this part of Britaine distinct from Scotland long after this time And to speake as our Brittish History doth it was not in Scotland Albania but neare or towards it Constituit Ebrancus vrbem Alclud versus Albaniam And if it had Hist Brit. l. 2. c. 7. bene in that part which now is called Scotland yet when this Citie was builded Bishops Sees vnder Yorke and when it was also made a Bishops See the Scots had nothing to doe there abouts except as Theeues and Pirats then liuing in the out Ilands as both
dedicated vnto them which were changed into Christian Churches Leland writeth that King Lucius built a new Church in the Castle of Douer and citeth the Annals thereof for warrant Io. Leland assert Arthurij c. 7. Annal Duren ibid. Will. Lambard peramb. of Kent p. 158. Iacob Genuen Epis in Vita S. Aug. Cantuar. Archiep. Capgr Catal. in eodem Tradunt Annales Dorensis Caenobij Lucium Regem Britannorum Christianum Ecclesiam Seruatori suo in Durensi Castro consecrasse William Lambard the Antiquarie of that Country also saith King Lucius builded a Church within Douer Castle Iacobus Genuēsis Bishop of Genua Capgraue and others writeth of an old Church at Compton in warwicke shire carrying argument of foundation in that time The Authour saith it was a Parish Church and had such a Preist for the Pastor thereof receauing Tithes hundred of yeares before S. Augustine time which if it were so we may make coniecture of an vnsearchable number in the same condition Which our Antiquities sufficiently confirme before teaching that the Temples of all the Gods of the Gentils which were in all parts of Britaine were changed into Christian Churches And Anacletus apud Rob. Barnes in Vit. Pont. in eod our Protestants tell vs it was the old Decree of Pope Anacletus which these Legats of the Pope would not transgresse that as Bishops were to be in cheife Cities so they should appoint Preists in Castles Townes and Villages binding them to Residencie there Ne Episcoporum dignitati derogaretur in egregijs tantum vrbibus Episcopos constituendos censuit Presbiteros verò ab Episcopis in Castellis Pagis ac Villis constituendos esse ea lege vt inibi vitae suae spacium transigerent Which to haue bene obserued in this Conuersion the multitude of Bed Hist Galfr. Mat. Westm alij in Diocles Churches destroied heare by Dioclesian within an hundred yeares after sufficiently declareth 5. And we finde in Antiquitie that in this very time of King Lucius besides the Cathedrall Churches in the greate Cities there were others also builded in them as namely Glocester Worchester Caerlegion and others for we reade of diuers kindes of Churches in them all both Cathedrall and others King Lucius was buried at Glocester in the Church of the cheife Order in Ecclesia primae sedis The same distinction is giuen for Winchester which necessarily Galfr. Monum Hist l. 5. c. 1. Mat. Westm an 201. Galfr. l. 8. c. 17. l. 9 c. 12. Bed Mat. supr inferreth other Churches or a Church in eyther of them of inferious Order For the word first proueth a second for the Inferiour Churches besides the Cathedrall in Caerlegion they are remembred in Histories So of other Cities not inferiour vnto these Glocester being then but a new and no greate Citie We may finde others as at Abington in Oxfordshire Ambsbury in Wilshire Cambridge Stamford and other places to be remembred hereafter where to haue bene Christian Churches in that time there is still sufficient Argument and Euidence left vnto vs. And the Pagan Temples being throughout the whole kingdome and now with their Reuenewes encreased by King Lucius and changed into Churches dedicated to Christ and his Saints as before is proued euidently conuinceth these to haue bene more honorable and as generally in all places and so not to be numbred as the others were and all this alteration made by King Lucius with the direction and Order of the Roman Legats S. Phaganus and S. Damianus And this is that which our old Manuscript Annals of Landaffe with other Antiquities testifie that our Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie was setled Bishops ordayned and the Rule of well liuing taught in Britaine according to the commande and direction of Pope Eleutherius secundum Antiquitates Manuscr Eccles Landauen Iussum be ati Eleutherij Papae Ecclesiasticum ordinem constituit Episcopos ordinauit benè viuendi normam docuit And to prouide aswell for the continuall maintenance and repayre of the house of God at the first founding and building thereof those auncient Schooles Colledges or Vniuersities of this kingdome which all now had receaued the faith and Religion of Christ and so were to be as Seminaries and Mothers of Christian Diuinitie and holy learning for preseruation and Vpholding of Gods Church King Lucius endowed with greate Priuiledges and Immunities that they might more quietly and diligently employ themselues to their so profitable and holy studies 6. This his Charter of priuiledge to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge the Antiquaries thereof proue by diuers auncient Testimonies the Bull of Pope Honorius Bulla Honorij Papae ann 624. Charta Regis Cadwalladri An. 685. Charta Regis Arthuri an 531. die 7. Apr. apud Caium l. 1. de Antiq. accad Cantabrig 1000. yeares since the Charter of King Cadwalladrus and King Arthur long before wherein is contayned that he granted to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge as King Lucius with other Kings had done before to be free from all publike Vectigals and Burthens that they might more quietly and freely attend their studies consilio assensu omnium singulorum Pontificum Principum istius Regni Licentia sedis Apostolicae statuo praesenti scripto firmiter decerno vt Ciuitas Scholarium praedicta vbi hactenùs splendorem scientiae lumē doctrinae gratia fauente Conditoris mei Praedecessores acceperunt à publicis vectigalibus operibus onerosis absoluantur vt quietudine Doctores inibi Scholares valeant doctrinae studio inhaerere sicut gloriosus Rex Britanniae decreuit The like I may Ioan. Harding Chron. c. 25. f. 22. Io. Rosse Histor Manuscript Io. Caius Apol. accad Cant. de Antiq. l. 1. William Harrison Descr of Britaine c. ◠Tit. of Vniuersities pag. 146. Stowe Hist in Bladud Bal. praefat in lib. de Script Twyn l. de Ant. Oxon. Harrison supr Harris Manuscr Hist Grafton Chron. Bal. l. de Script Brit. cent 1. in Congello Bannachorren Galft Mon. Hist Brit. l. 11. c. 12. Matth. Westm an 603. Io. Bal. Praef. in l. de Scri. Brit. Galfi Mon. Hist Brit. l. 9. c. 12. Galft Mon. Hist lib. 4. c. 19. Matt. West an 185. King Lucius founded diuers Monasteries both of men and women affirme of Stamford which from the time of King Bladud vntill it was interdicted by S. Gregory Pope for Pelagian Heresie continued an Vniuersitie So of Glamorgan clayming but a litle later Originall Greekelade and Lichelade of such Antiquitie Bellisitum now Oxford as it pleadeth Theodford where as a Protestant Antiquarie boldly writeth there were 600. students in auncient times and others not so well remembred To all which now conuerted to the faith of Christ and trayning vp spirituall souldiers for the defence Profession and maintenance thereof we haue sufficient grounds before to affirme King Lucius gaue the like priuiledges as vnto Cambridge one and the same reason being for all And yet besides these which he found founded before he himselfe
Hist Brittans Saxons and Scots iudgments the surest Authour we can haue in this matter setting downe the comming of the Picts into these parts first to the Scots in Ireland and then landing in Britaine in the time of Marius as I haue before related longe after the Natiuitie of Christ proueth that the Scots came hither longe after that time Procedente autem tempore Britannia post Britones Pictos tertiam Scotorum Nationem in Pictorum parte recepit And againe Hibernia propriè patria Scotorum est ab hac egressi vt diximus tertiam in Britannia Beda Eccles Hist lib. 1. cap. 1. Britonibus Pictis gentem addiderun◠And the Scottish Antiquaries which would make so longe and auncient a Catalogue of their Kings doe not at any time call them or any of them in those times Kings of Scotia or Scotland Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Georg. Buchan Rer. Scoticar l. 1. 2. 3. 4. c. but Kings of the Scots Scotorum Reges 3. And to returne to Ecclesiasticall matters againe This is confirmed by this present History of the Conuersion of the King of Scots Donaldus by Pope Victor and his Apostolike Preachers among whome we doe not finde any one Bishop to haue bene sent nor any Bishoprike erected in any place where probably this King Donald or any King of the Scots ruled longe time after this The Scottish Antiquaries themselues that stand so stiffely for the Antiquitie of their Nation doe freely acknowledge that the first Episcopall See that euer was where their Kings ruled was erected in the time of Dioclesian his Persecution and this in the Iland of Mona and giuen to S. Amphibalus a Brittish Bishop by King Crathlint King of the Scots at that time Fuit id templum Hect. Boeth Scot. Hist lib. 6. fol. 102. omnium primum Christiano ritu vbi Pontifex sacerque Magistratus sedem haberet primariam inter Scotos cuius nostri meminere Scriptores dedicatum Nunc S. Palladius sent by S. Caelestine Pope the first Bishop of Scots sent from Rome vocant Sodorense Fanum And they both confesse that S. Palladius whome S. Caelestine Pope sent to the Scots aboue 200. yeares after this was the first Bishop which any Pope made sent thither the first that consecrared other Bishops among the Scots Erat Palladius primus omnium qui Sacrum inter Scotos Hector Boethius Scot. Hist l. 7. f. 133. Georg. Buchan Rer. Scotic l. 5. in Rege 42. Hector Boeth supr l. 6. Holins Hist of Scotland p. 88. Manusc Antiq. Io. Capgrau in Vita S. Niniani Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 7. f. 119. Io. Bal. l. de Scriptorib Brit. cent 1. in Niniano Beruicio egere Magistratum a summo Pontifice Episcopus creatus And creditur idem Palladius primus Episcopos in Scotia creasse And they set downe the Bishops and places which and where he created them Seruanus in the Iles of the Orchades and Toruanus for the Picts Palladius Seruanum Episcopum ad Orchadas Insulas creauit Et Teruanum Pictorum Archiepiscopum constituit These were the first Bishops which the Scottish Antiquities remember to haue bene either among them or the Picts except S. Ninian sent a litle before from the See of Rome to conuert the Pictish Nation The old Manuscript and Capgraue in S. Niniā his life say that he there ordained Preists consecrated Bishops diuided the Coūtry into Parishes Ordinauit Presbyteros Episcopus cōsecrauit totam terram per certas Parochias diuisit He being a Noble Britan by birth preached both to the Scots Picts and Britans that were in those parts and dyed an old man about the yeare of Christ 432. about which time S. Palladius came hither Ninianus Episcopus sanctitate Miraculis clarissimus Scotorum Pictorum Britouumque Doctor ad senium vsque obijt faelicitatis nostrae Anno 432. 4. It is an euident falsehood which a Puritane Scottish Historian speaking of this time of Paladius his preaching to the Scots affirmeth that vntill then the Churches were gouerned by Monkes without Bishops Ad id vsque tempus Georg. Buchan Rer. Scoticar l. 5. Rege 42. Ecclessiae absque Episcopis per Monachos regebantur For I haue shewed before how from the beginning of Christianitie the Churches of Christ in all places were gouerned by Bishops and such euer ruled heare in Britaine also thirtie or more in number heare in Britaine and how the Northren inhabitants of Britaine that were Christians whether Britans Picts or Scots were subiect to the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishops which were vnder him And allthough at the first Conuersion of the Scots of this our Britaine whether continuing in the out Ilands or in some small numbers within the maine kingdome not being Owners or Possessioners of any Cities places which were or by the practise of the primatiue Church might be allowed for Fpispall Sees they could not haue Bishops of their owne at that time yet I haue instanced before that so soone as they came to enioy such places as might be allowed for Bishops Residences they also enioyed Bishops with all other Holinshed Hist of Scotland in K. Eugenius Io. Bal. l. de Scri. Brit. cent 1. in Brigida Lagin Capgr in S. Brig Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 9. f. 187. Holinsh. hist of Scotl. in Malcolme 3. Hector Boeth Scotor Hist l. 7. f. 133. Henric. Huntington Hist l. 3. Christian Nations so they had S. Amphibalus in Mona Bishop of Soder there S. Ninian and other Bishops consecrated by him And a Protestant Antiquarie in his Historie of Scotland writeth that the Scots had Bishops in the time of Maximus and were banished then with the other Scots And we finde many Auncient Bishops as Machillas Bruno and others Successours to S. Amphibalus in Soder And the Scottish Historians confesse that the Hebrides Ilands Galloway and the adioyning Countryes were subiect to that Bishops See till the time of King Malcome the third about the yeare of Christ 1057. Hebrides Gallouidiam ac illis vicinus Regiones Sodorensi Episcopo cui in Mona Sedes erat Sacra vsque ad Malcolmi tertij Regis tempora in rebus paruisse diuinis And the same Scottish Antiquaries with others proue that allthough their Bishops were commonly chosen at the first out of their Culdeis holy Preists or Monkes yet they were consecrated and made Bishops as others were Ex monachis Culdeis Pontifices assumerentur And to be assured that these Scottish Bishops were truely and ritely consecrated it was an old custome of the Scots in the time of S. Wiro allmost a thowsand yeares since that when Manuscr Ant. in Vita S. Wironis Episc Capgr Catal. in eod the Scots had any Bishop to be Consecrated they sent him to Rome to be sacred there moris erat apud Incolas Pastorem à se electum Romam manibus Apostolicis ordinandum dirigere ordinatumque sedem plebem
is more plaine by the old Brittish Antiquities affirming that many thowsand Martyrs and Confessours bodies lay there Asserunt Antiquae Britonum Historiae multa Sanctorum Martyrum Confessorum millia in illa Insula nomine Enhly sepulturam habuisse Therefore these old Martyrs must needs be in that onely famous time of Martyrdome heare vnder Dioclesian no other such to be found in Histories Sainct Dubritius also with many others liued and died there The miseries and wants such numbers endured there may be coniectured by the the streitnes of the I le doubtfull whether it hath one Parish Church or no. So Harrison supr c. 10. I say of S. Lides Iland where a Church is dedicated to him So of I le Bree corruptly Hilbery renowned for Pilgrimadges thither in auncient times So Harrison supr c. eod Manusc antiq Capgr in Vita S. Kebij of Englsuash or holy I le so named of the BritaÌ„s as a ProtestaÌ„t Antiquarie coÌ„fesseth of the greate number of holy Saints whose bodies are buried there was also called Cairkyby of Kyby a Monke that dwelled there as he confesseth This S. Kebius was consecrated Bishop by S. Hilary and liued there some time moued by the auncient holynes of that place So of the Iles of S. Barri and S. Dunwen old Brittish Saints giuing names vnto them by their liuing there So of the Hebrides or Euboniae Iles 43. in number All which belonged William Harrison descript sup c. 10. Hect. Boet. Hist lib. 6. Hollinsh Histor of Scotl. in Fincomarke Bal. cent 1. in Amphibalo Hect. Boeth Hist l. 6. Hoâ—â—â—ns Hist of Scotl. in Crathl Georg. Buchan Rege 35. to the Iurisdiction of the Bishop in Man at the first as a Protestant confesseth the first there being S. Amphibalus in this time And so of other out Ilands vpon the Coaste of this kingdome diuided from Scotland of which Iles hereafter then desolate gaue also such entertaynment to those our Saints in that time whose particular memory is not so well preserued And as our Scottish Historians write many of them fledd into the Country now called Scotland Magnus piorum numerus No small number of the faithfull among the Britans fledd vnto the Scots and Picts to auoyd Persecution Where as a Protestant Antiquary with others confesseth they being many of them renowned both for learning and pietie liued in poore Cells in such austeritie holines of life that thereupon they were honoured with the name of the worshippers of God Culdeis that name being giuen vnto them and after their deaths their Cells changed and dedicated into Churches Multi ex Britonibus Christiani saeuitiam Dioclesiani timentes ad Scotos confugerunt è quibus complures doctrina vitae integritate clari in Scotia substiterunt vitamque solitariam tanta sanctitatis opinione apud omnes vixerunt vt vita functorum cellae in templa commutarentur ex eoque consuetudo mansit apud posteros vt prisci Scoti templa cellas vocent Hoc genus Monachorum Culdeos appellabant And for those that liued still in that part of Britaine where the Romans then reigned they write as our owne Historians haue done before Euagata est rabies illa non Hector Boeth Scotor Hist l. 6. fol. 100. modo ab oriente in Occidentem sed etiam per alterum Orbem Britanniam vnde Christiana pietas truculentis inhumanis eius ingenij adinuentis plagis concussa immani tortorum vesania ac Persecutionis diuturnitate tota fermè est eiecta pijs viris ac Religiosis persecutionum metu in Eremos ac ferarum lustra concedentibus vbi expertes iniuriarum verè Monasticam sanctissimamque exegerunt vitam Where we learne that our holy Christians then were put to such miseries that flying into the woods and wildernesses they did rather chose to liue Hungry and naked in the Dens of deuouring wolues hoping to find more mercy among sauadge rauening beasts then the persecuting Pagans allmost extinguishing Christian Religion heare with their crueltie Which may most truely be affirmed for to omitte particularities to their place the vnspeakeable malice of the Persecutours was so enraged that without all colour or pretence of iuridicall proceedings they most tyrannically Martyred the holy Christians that were to be founde euen by a thowsand and thowsand at a time in distinct times and places as we reade in the Historie of one onely blessed Martyr S. Amphibalus 2000. at two seuerall murtherings So we must apprehend of other times and places Manuscr Antiq. in Vita S. Amphibâ—â—â— â—apgr Catal. in eod otherwise so greate and generall a desolation in so lardge a Christian kingdome could not haue bene effected in 9. yeares Persecution The Antiquaâ—ies of Cambridge tell vs how among other desolations in this time by Maximian heare their Vniuersitie and Citie was burned as also all Churches were at that time Inter caeteras praeclara illa vrbs Philosophiae parens Cantabrigia palatijs Io. Caius Hist Cantabrig p. 24. aedificijsque pulcherrima ab Herculio Maximiano homine impio sanguinario Dioclesiani Exercitus Principe Imperij socio exustaest vnaque omnia templa euersa omnes Sacrosanctae Scripturae bonarum Artium libri qui occurrebant publicè in foro concremati And he that was then heare King at the deuotion of â—â—cobus GenueÌ„ io Vita S. Albani Amphibali Anglic. Antiq. scâ—iptor ibid. the Romans Asclepiodotus whome the Italian Writer Iacobus Bishop of Genua and his old Translatour into English heare in the life of S. Alban and S. Amphibalus call Askepodot ioyned in this Persecution with Dioclesian and Maximinian and gaue sentence and Iudgment against them and putt them and diuers thowsands of Christians then to death extending his Rge and malice against the Christians in all places he could as these and others witnesse Yet others there be that speake otherwise better of King Asclepiodotus as I shall relate hereafter THE XVII CHAPTER OF DIVERS HOLY MARTYRS MOST CRVELLY putt to death at Winchester Caerlegion and other places in Britaine long before the Martyrdome of S. Alban with their greate honour and renowne 1. THE first Persecution of Christians heare in Britaine which I Annal. Manuscr Eccles Winton finde in particular was that which I haue before remembred out of the Antiquities of Winchester in which the holy sacred Preists of the Cathedrall Church being then destroyed were putt to death Interfecti sunt Monachi in Ventana Ecclesia destructa The Martyrdome of the Monks of Winchester by the Annals of that Church was diuers yeares before S. Albanus which by the computation of those Annals was 7. or 8. yeares before the Martyrdome of S. Alban and yet the same Antiquities doe sufficiently insinuate that this Persecution of Dioclesian began in Britaine in the yeare before their Martyrdome Some before referre the Martyrdome of S. Augulus Archbishop of our old Augusta London to this time but not finding that name among
for entertaining and releeuing persecuted Preists and Christians his house there being dedicated a cheife Church most Christians resorting to it And other Apostolike men sent from Rome into Britaine in this time 227 Chap. X. Of the last holy labours of S. Timothie in Britaine his honour with S. Denis the Areopagite his returne from hence to Rome and Martyrdome there and Martyrdome of S. Pius Pope in the same place 231 Chap. XI Of the holy Popes next succeeding Sainct Pius and their Religion The fauorable Edict of Marcus Aurelius Emperour for defence and protection of Christians and the Christian Lieutenants Trebellius and Pertinax with the forhidding the Druids Religion occasions of the publike receauing and profession of Christianitie in Britaine by King Lucius and his subiects 234 Chap. XII How the Religion of the Druides in Britaine made some binderance for the generall receauing of the lawe of Christ But conuicted to be abominable Idolatrie and Superstition the Professors of it generally embraced the faith of Christ detesting their former Infidelities and Impieties 240 Chap. XIII Of Pope S. Eleutherius and how in his Papacie and by his Papall order and power Britaine had the honour to be the first Christian kingdome in the worlde and eldest daughter of the mother Church of Christ King Lucius by his Embassadors and petition to the Pope of Rome so obtaining 247 Chap. xvj Wherein is related how King Lucius did not onely sue vnto the Pope of Rome by his Embassadges for the generall settling of Christian Religion in Britaine but for ciuill and temporall lawes also to be allowed by him to rule heare in Temporall affaires 252 Chap. xv The mission of the holy Legats saincts Damianus Fugatianus Bishops and diuers others from sainct Eleutherius Pope of Rome at the request of sainct Lucius King heare in Britaine by Authoritie to plant and setle heare the true Christian Religion 260 Chap. xvi How these holy Roman Legats by Power and Commission from the Pope and Apostolike See of Rome conuerted and confirmed vnto and in the faith of Christ all manner of Parsons in all places of Britaine whether the Nobilitie Flamens Archflamens or of what Order or degree soeuer 266 Chp. xvij How in Britaine these holy Legats placed Archbishops Bishops in our Cities Archbishops in the places of Archflamens and Bishops for Flamens And how by all writers such dignities were among the auncient Pagans both in Britaine and other Nations 272 Chapt. xviij In what Places of Britaine these cheifest coÌ„manding Archflamens were to witt at London Yorke and Caerlegion and how these Roman Legats placed for them Archbishops with their seuerall commands and Iurisdictions some of them by the Apostoliâ—e power extending and coÌ„manding ouer Prouinces and Countries not temporally subiect to King Lucius of Britaine or the Romans but rather enemyes vnto them in ciuill affaires 279 Chap. xix Of the Episcopall Sees and Cities of the Inferiour Bishops subordinate to the Archbishops which where and how many they were ordained by these Roman Legats and continued Bishops Sees in the Romans and Britans time 285 Chap. xx How S. Eleutherius Pope did not onely by his Papall Authoritie establish and settle Religion Ecclesiasticall thiÌ„gs heare but directed what temporall Lawes were to be vsed appointed the bounds and limits of this kingdome sending and allowed Crowne to our King and such Lawes Order continued heare in many Ages after 295 Chapt. xxj Of many Archiepiscopall Episcopall and other Churches and Monasteries both of men and women founded and ritcly endowed and priuiledged in this time 304 Chap. xxij How after these Roman Legats had fully settled the affaires and estate of our Church heare they went againe to Rome to procure the Pope there to ratifie and confirme what they had done which he did and they returned hither againe with that his Confirmation and many other Preachers then sent hither from Rome 311 Chap. xxiij Of the Archbishops of London Yorke and Caerlegion in this time in particular many other inferiour Bishops and the Roman Church Discipline heare also setled by Papall Authoritie 316 Chap. xxiv Of the comming of these holy Legats to Glastenbury their holy labours deeds and long aboade there their renewing there the old Religeous Order of S. Ioseph of Aramathia and his brethren greate priuiledges and indulgeÌ„ces by theÌ„ procured to that holy place the glory honour and renowne thereof in the whole Christian world 322 Chap. xxv Of the greate honour and Renowne of our old Brittish Apostolike Order of Religion from the comming of sainct Ioseph of Aramathia in the yeare of Christs Natiuitie 63. without any discontinuance or Interruption by some and very short time after his death by all many hundreds of yeares in greate perfection without any change or alteration to be named a Mutation of Monasticall Rule being the Mother or Nurse of Monasticall holy life to many Nations and Religious Orders in them by which also many CouÌ„tryes to Christ were conuerted 328 Chap. xxvj That diuers of the Britans which liued in that part of Britaine then called Albania now Scotland were conuerted by the same meanes and manner by these Roman Legats as the other Britans of Loegria and Cambria were at that time 333 Chap. xxvij Of diuers bookes or writings of sainct Phaganus Damianus Eluanus Meduuinus and others Charters and Immunities of Pope Eleutherius and King Lucius the Scripturs heare receaued in the old Latine Translation and the same Canon of them which Catholicks now obserue and followe 337 THE THIRD AGE THE I. CHAPTER VVHerein is deliuered that sainct Victor being now Pope Seuerus Emperour and sainct Luciuâ— yet King of Britaine but shortly dying sainct Victor was Supreame in gouernment of the whole Church of Christ in Asia Afrike and Europe and particularly in Britaine which so acknowledged and receaued from him the true obseruation of Easter as it had done with other Catholike customes from sainct Eleutherius before 343 Chap. ij Of the time and place of King Lucius his death That he did not die or was martyred in Germanie Neither had he any Sister called Emerita martyred there It was an other Prince of Britaine after this time This our first Christian King Lucius died at Gloucester in Britaine 346 Chapt. iij. How notwithstanding the death of King Lucius without Heire to succeede in the gouernment of the kingdome the Brittans perseuered constantly in the Christian faith and the Scots by Preachers sent from sainct Victor Pope of Rome at the entreatie of their King Donalde receaued the faith and as the Brittans continued in it vntill the Protestants time euen by their owne confessions 350. Chap. iv That allthough the being of the Scots in Britaine in the time of sainct Victor is vncertaine and not proued but rather otherwise yet the Inhabitants of the part now called Scotland Britans or whosoeuer were conuerted in King Lucius and this time The Bishops of the conuerted Scots were euer true Bishops and they euer
Iewes were scourged and intrapped for their vniust refusing by the same way which thy did preferre For as they preferred the Emperour reiected Christ so the iust permission of God did styrre vp their owne Emperours against them in such sorte that both the Senatours themselues were almost all deuoured and the whole citie most horribly afflicted for the space almost of 300. yeares together After the Passion and Resurrection of Christ this foresaied Tyberius Nero liued 6. yeares during which time no persecution was stirring in Rome against the Christians through the commaundement of the Emperour 7. And to come home into our owne Contry of Britaine we shall not onely finde all those preparing dispositions to Christian Religion rememored before in the time of Augustus the worshipping of one onely true God the birth of Christ to be borne of a Virgin with Churches founded to that honour still obserued by many and those the wisest best learned and of most integrity of life and conuersation But the time of these figures being now accomplished those professours came nearer to Christianity S. Martiall writeth S. Martial epist ad Burdegalen cap. 2. that he found in his time Temples and altars dedicated by the Druides Ignoto Deo to the vnknowne God Which he in the Apostles time interpreteth of Christ There were also so many in this kingdome then liuing in perpetuall chastity in honour of Christ a virgin borne of the blessed Virgin that as Opimerus Opimerus chronograph in Tyrio Caesare writeth in one Iland of this our British Sea in Insula in Britannico mari belonging to this kingdome there were seuen cheife Rulers in Religion which he calleth by Bishops names Antistites that liued in perpetua virginitate in perpetuall virginity Likely to be the same British Iland whereof Plutarch the Pagan Philosopher and after him Eusebius writeth all whose Plutarchus lib. de Oracul Eus l. â— praeparat Euang cap. inhabitans by the Britans were accompted holy Saints vbi incolae omnes sacrosancti à Britannis habentur We may adde vnto these and from the same approued Authours and others that as in diuers other nations and places drowned in the damnable errours of the Pagan Idolatries in worshipping hellish deuills in the place of God these wicked spirits being now conquered by the death and passion of Christ thereby seing their kingdome to be at an end and desolate did manifestly testifie the same by their silence and forsaking the Idols and Oracles when before they gaue answeares and were honoured Plutarch supr Sueton. Et alij as the Pagan writers themselues euen in whole bookes of that subiect are witnesses so here in our British Iland though so farre distant from the locall passion of Christ the deuils which were adored here for Gods both felt the power and vertue thereof and inforcedly confessed it in as manifest termes and signes as they which were honoured nearer to Hierusalem or rather more expressely and plainely then they did For in other Regions not so remote from Iury they did ordinarily onely confesse it by their silence and ceasing to be worshipped But in Britaine they made manifest so much as they could that the death of Christ had not onely depriued them of that morall life and beeing which they possessed by the idolatrie and false honour yeelded vnto them by their worshippers but that the Passion and death of Christ was a kinde of death euen to their naturall essence and liuing making therevpon a shew to their simple worshippers that they did altogether cease to be and liue valuing a dishonorable life to be worse then death 8. Plutarch Eusebius and others from the testimony of Dimetrius an eye witnesse himselfe with hundreds or rather thousands of Britans here with him seing obseruing and witnessing the same matter thus relate this history in the name person and words of the same Dimetrius a gretian trauayling and present here in Britaine at that time in these termes nauigaui ipse auxilio Plutarch lib. de Oraculis Euseb l. 5. praeparat Euan c. 9. Regis videndi gratia ad proximam Britanniae Insulam Cumque ibi essem magna tempestas in aere commota nimbis fulminibus omnes exterruit Quam rem accidisse Insulares dicebant quia ex daemonibus aliquis deficeret Sicut enim lucerna dum ardeat â—emini noceat extincta vero multis sic magnas animas aiebant propitias esse dum viuant dum verò extinguantur aut corrumpantur aut cum nimbis grandine vt modò pestifero cuncta replent veneno I sayled to the next Iland to Britaine and when I was there a greate tempest being raised in the ayre terrified all men with showers and lightnings which thing the Ilanders said did chaunce because one of the deuils did dye For as a candell so longe as it burneth hurteth no man but being extinguished offendeth many so said they greate soules are fauourable while they liue but when they are extinguished they either are corrupted or fill all places with stormes hayle as they doe now with pestiferous poyson Thus farre Plutarch which Eusebius â—iting addeth thus immediately from himselfe haec Plutarchus animaduerendum Eusebius l. 5. praeparat Euang. c. 9. autem arbitror diligenter quo tempore daemonis mortem fuisse dicit quippe Tyherij tempore Saluator Dominus nester cum hominibus conuersatus omne daemonum genus ab humana depulit vita Habes igitur a summis apud GeÌ„tiles viris non alio tempore vnquam quam temporibus Saluatoris nostri daemones extinctos fuisse Thus Plutarch and it is diligently to be considered at what time he saith the death of the deuill chaunged For in the time of Tyberius our Sauiour and Lord conuersing with men driue all kinde of deuils from mans life Therefore you haue it from the cheifest men among the Gentils that the deuils were not extinguished at any other time then in the times of our Sauiour 9. By which it is made euident in naturall knowledge That the learned Druides and other Philosophers here in Britaine acquainted with all these things at home and vnderstanding by frequent and certaine relation from Rome the mentioned miracles and proceedings concerning Christ and his holy Religion as these Protestants haue before declared and knowing by naturall science in Philosophy that deuils and intellectuall spirits are immortall and cannot dye which they confessed after their pithagoricall manner of the soules of men this imagined death of deuils neuer was heard of vntill the time and passion of Christ They could not but conclude that he had triumphed ouer them and put them to silence and was that sonne of the virgin vnknowne God sonne of God God of heauen and earth the liuing God maker and creatour of all things whom they had so longe expected to be reuealed to the world and many of them in such manner as is related before so longe time had worshipped prayed and sacrificed vnto
his owne death He shall raise himselfe in the night time shall be chaÌ„ged he shall liue and Reigne and all these things shall be brought to passe and there shall be a regeration at the last he shall iudge the good and the euill A meruaylous starre shall arise it shall illuminate the Greekes Illustrate the world The side of the fisher shall by power bring the name of the lambe into the citie of Rome vnto the end of the world From thence Rome ioyned vnto him he shall deliuer the bounde from the deuill Hitherto the words of that Sybilla in the time of Priamus writteÌ„ in the Chaldy tonge and translated into Greeke and being founde in the Tresury of Emmanuel Eugenius King of Sicily translated it into Latine and was published by the Patriarke of Venice with great priuiledge before the reuolt of Luther or deniall of the Popes iurisdiction Like is the testimony both of Catholiks and Protestants in this matter And both the auncient Fathers as S. Augustin Lactantius with others and the Church of God it selfe longe since ioyning the Sebastian MuÌ„st Cosmograph l. 2 p. 208. Hertm Shedel Mag. Chron. aerate 3. f. 35. Aug. l. 18. de ciuit Dei Lact. offic Defunct in hymno Aug. sup c. 21. to 6. concione ad Catechum in ep ad Rom. l. ciu 18. cap. 45. Eus praep Euang. Magdeburg ceÌ„t 1. Clem. Rom. epist 1. Constant Mag. in decret S. Sylu. apud Gennad Patriarch Constant sect 3. pro Concilio Flor. Abb. Vrsperg apud Eisengr ceÌ„t 1. fol. 123. Marcell epist 1. ad Episc Antioc S. Leo serm 1. de Natal Apostol Petr. Pauli S. Sim. Metaphr in vit Petr. prophesies of the Sybils with those of the Prophet Dauid tâ—ste Dauid in Sybilla giue testimony vnto this 4. S. Clement himselfe both Disciple and Successor to S. Peter saith of him that he was commaunded by Christ as the more potent amonge the Apostls to come to Rome and illuminate the west the more darke part of the world Qui obscurioreÌ„ mundi plagam occideÌ„tis velut omnium potentior illuminare praeceptus est quique integrè potuit implere praeceptum And CoÌ„stantine the great Emperour our Renowned King and Contryman thus witnesseth That the see of Rome hath primacy and Principalitie in matters of Religion because our holy lawe maker and Sauiour Iesus Christ sent S. Peter thither and coÌ„maunded him to hold his Chaire there and there he was put to death AequuÌ„ est enim vt ibi diuina lex obtineat apicem principatum vbi sanctus legislator Iesus Christus Saluator noster misso Beato Petro iussit Cathedram tenere vbi patibuluÌ„ passus est Abbas Vrspergensis saith that Christ coÌ„maunded S. Peter to come to Rome Aduentus Petri in Romam primi fuit praeceptuÌ„ Christi iubentis S. Marcellinus to the AntiochiaÌ„s saith that his See was first with them but by the coÌ„maundement of Christ It was traÌ„slated to Rome S. Leo saith that S. Peter Prince of the Apostolike order was sent to Rome the chifest place of the Roman Empire beatissimus Petrus Princeps Apostolici ordinis ad arceÌ„ Romani destinatur Imperij And to conclude this matter S. Simeon Metaphrastes is a witnesse that S. Peter coming from his Easterne Trauailes to Hierusalem Christ appeared in a vision and said vnto him Arise Peter goe to the west for it hath need to be lightned with thy torches and I will be with thee reuersus est Hierosolymam visus est autem ei Dominus in visione dicens surge Petre vade ad occidentem opus enim habet vt tuis illustretur facibus ego ero tecum Which is sufficiently insinuated by our renowned Contrimen Florentius Wigorniensis and Marianus Scotus as they are published by Protestants The first saith of S. Peter was sent to Rome Romam mittitur The other saith it was superna visione ordinante by the ordinance of an heauenly vision And diuers Catholiks and Protestants say omnem occidentalem plagam suo specialiter Apostolatui destinatam That all S. Peter directed by Christ to all the westeren NatioÌ„s as Britaine and others the westerne Nations were designed to S. Peters Apostleship 5. Whereby it is manifest that S. Peter was not onely sent by Christ to the Imperiall Citie of Rome and Italy but vnto all the Occidentall Nations whether vnder the Romane Empire then or noe for the Empire and kingdome of Christ euen on earth his holy Church was not to be confined within Flor. Wigorn. an 2. Claudij Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. in Nerone M. S. apud Lipp 14. Sep. Franc. Burgoing histor Eccl. l. 2. 3. 4. 5. Stow. hist p. 34. edit an 1614. Mere des hist aetat 6. f. 22. c. 13. the limits of any terrene or earthly Empire of what Nation soeuer But the whole world was giuen to Christ for his Inheritance And the then Emperiall Citie of Rome though a commaunding place to the vaste mightie Pagan Empire at that time yet by the coming of Sainct Peter his liuing preaching dying and setling the highest powerable Apostolike See and Chaire there it was made not the heade of the worldly Empire that was greate but the heade of the whole world in the cheifest affaires of men without restriction or limitation of either time or place As saith S. Leo that holy and learned Pope of this Roman citie Vt ciuitas sacerdotalis regia per sacram Beati Petri sedem caput orbis effecta latius praesideres religione diuina quam dominatione terrena Rome was made by the holy See of S. Peter a preistly and Kingly Citie heade of the world and to rule further by diuine Religion then by earthly Regiment And therefore as when S. Peter made Antioch the place of his greatest Residency in the Easte he preached to so many other Nations in that part of the world so now being sent to the greate Imperiall Citie in the westerne parts he likewise vsed the same Pastorall care labour and diligence to conuert the westerne Nations euen those that be most remote either from Hierusalem or Rome such as this kingdome is for they properly and most really are the westerne Contries and that Occidens west which is obscurior mundi Plaga the more obscure or darke part of the world for whose lightning sainct Peter was as sainct Clement before hath witnessed sent to these westerne Regions For howsoeuer we will expounde this obscure plaga of the world in the west whether it be for temporall and bodily darkenesse for the greate distance from the visible funne or darkenesse of minde growne by barbarous rudenesse or howsoeuer Rome and Italy are not so to be termed neither Fraunce Spaine or any Contry betweene Rome and vs being all nearer the Southe and Easte and accompted ciuill Nations before the preaching of Christ vnto them And the Apparition and words of Christ vade ad occidentem goe to the west for it hath need
IS SHEWED TO BE THE MOST probable opinion that S. Peter at his first coming to Rome was receaued there by Britans of this Nation and who probably they were 1. THE holy and learned auncient Pope sainct Leo treating of the coming of sainct Peter to Rome for the settling of his supreame Apostolicall power and preeminency there and reconciling this westerne part of the world vnto Christ writeth in this manner CuÌ„ duodecim Apostoli accepta per spirituÌ„ sanctuÌ„ omnium locutione linguarum imbuendum Euangelio mundum distributis sibi terrarum S. Leo ser 1. de S S. Apost Petro Paulo partibus suscepissent beatissimus Petrus Princeps Apostolici ordinis ad arcem Romani destinatur Impery vt lux veritatus quae in omnium gentium reuelabatur salutem officatius se ab ipso capite per totum mundi corpus effunderet Cuius autem nation is homines in hac tunc vrbe non essent aut quae vsquam gentes ignorarent aut Roma didicisset I am populos qui ex circumcisione crediderant erudieras iam Antiochenam Ecclesiam vbi primum Christiani nominis dignitas est orta fundaueras I am Galatiam Cappadociam Asiam atque Bithyniam legibus Euangelicae praedicationis impleueras nec vt dubius de prouentu operis aut de spatio tuae ignarus aetatis Trophaeum crucis Christi Romanis Acibus Inferebas quò te diuinis praeordinationibus anteibant honor potestatis gloria passionis When the twelue Apostles hauing receaued by the holy Ghost the guift of speaking all languages diuiding the parts of the earth amongst them had vndertaken to endue the world with the ghospell most blessed Peter Prince of the Apostolike order is seÌ„t to the chiefest place of the RomaÌ„ Empire That the light of the Truth which was reuealed for the saluatioÌ„ of all natioÌ„s might more effectually diffuse it selfe from the heade thereof to the whole body of the world For what NatioÌ„ was there that men thereof were not theÌ„ in this citie or what Nations in any place could be ignorant of that which Rome had learned Now thou S. Peter hadst instructed the people of the circumcision which had beleeued Thou hadst already founded the Church of Antioch where first the dignitie of the Christian name was risen Thou hadst already replenished Pontus Galatia Cappadoâ—ia Asia and Bithynia with the lawes of preashing the ghospell neither as doubtfull of the successe of thy worke or ignorant of the space of thy age Thou didst bringe the Trophie of the Crosse of Christ to the Roman Towers whether by the preordination of God both the honor of thy power and glory of thy passion went before thee Where we see by this most learned Pope the generall consent of the other holy Fathers and Antiquitie concurring with him in this declaration that it was the mercifull preordinance of God that seeing the whole world and in that these westerne nations also were to be instructed in the truth and the number of the Apostles to performe so woÌ„derfull a worke was so small That Rome theÌ„ being the of the head world where people of all Nations liued especially of these westerne Regions and more principally of this kingdome of Britaine hauing many thereof then making their dwelling at Rome The cheifest Apostle should be directed and sent thither by Christ to bring this happie worke the more easily to passe and settle there for euer by the glory of his passion the honor of his greatest Apostolicall power quò te diuinis praeordinationibus anteibant honor potestatis gloria passionis 2. In this happines common to all then dwelling at Rome this Iland hauing so many Britans both as hostages and otherwise residing there as all our histories of those times assure vs was equall with the best In one which S. Peter first entertained at Rome by Britans his Cathedrall See Church first in their howse I take to be the greatest honor and happines this kingdome euer had or any other could haue this our Britaine stript and ouerwent them all Which was that our Britains then dwelling at Rome were the first except the Romans themselues deceaue me that receaued entertained and happily harboured that blessed Guest S. Peter there The first erection of sainct Peters Chaire and See the coÌ„maunder of the Christian world in spirituall things was made in the howse of one of our noble BritaÌ„s there Where the first ChristiaÌ„ Church of that greate and holy Apostolike Citie as the Christian pouertie of that time would permit was founded where the ghospell was preached the most blessed Sacrifice of the sacred body and blood of Christ was offered for the lyuing and the deade where the dayly and ordinary Synaxes and holy Assemblies of Christians then for these and other most holy exercises of Christian Religion were kept from whence many holy disciples of that highest Apostle were afterward sent and directed by him both into this kingdome of Britaine and other nations in this westerne world the happy and renowned Christians of this Country that then dwelled there in the best sorte and sence they could cooperating and assisting in so heauenly labours For whereas we are told for an vndoubted truth by a Tradition of the Romans that S. Peter Traditio Romanorum apud Baron in Annotat. in Martyrolog Roman 19. die Maij in Pudent Authour of the 3. conuers with others was first lodged at Rome in the howse of Pudens a Senator and that the Christians met there at their Synaxis had their Church there which is now called the Church of S. Pudentiana maiorum firmatum traditione praescriptum est domum Pudentis Romae fuisse primum bospitium S. Petri Principis Apostolorum illicque primum Christianos conuenisse ad Synaxim coactam Ecclesiam vetustiss imumque omnium Titulnm Pudentis nomine appellatum qui Pastoris nomine dictus reperitur hodie vulgò Ecclesia S. Pudentianae nuncupatur The Romans must giue me leaue to write and more then probably to proue that this howse called by them the howse of Pudens a Romane Senator came not to him from his Roman Auncestors but rather by his wife Iure vxoris suae a noble Christian and lady of Beda Martyrol 14. cal Iunij Seuerin Binnius annotat in Tom. 1. Concil in S. Pio. Baron Tom 2. Annal. 159. Zepher Bin. annot in tom 1. coÌ„cil in Pio. 1. Traditio Romanorum apud Patres tam Latin quam Graecos Matth. Westm ad An. 42. Florent Wigor hist an 28. 60. Stowe And Howe 's hist Britaine called by our histories and sainct Paul also Claudia by others Priscilla or Sabinella 3. And so at the coming of sainct Peter to Rome this holy place was the howse and habitation of the Christian Brittish parents of that renowned Lady Claudia which then liued as hostages at Rome to the Emperour for this lande and kingdome of Britaine and by that meanes it was their happines and honor to
S. Peter there for as I haue proued before this Pudens being a Sabiline and no Romane as of the citie of Rome by birth was neither Senator Christian Catechumen or perhaps not borne at that time and the house was onely called his house because longe after he was owner of it as it was also after called Domus S. Nouati Domus S. Timothaei and S. Pudentianae the house Martyrol Rom. die 20. Iunij 26. Iulij Baron Annot. ibid. Et in Sanct. Nouato Tim. Pudent Praxede Baron in annot 19. Maij. Authour of 3. Conuers part 1. p. 17. Rob. Barnes in vit Pont. Rom. in Pio 1. Martyrol Rom. 20. die Iunijin S. Nouato of S. Nouatus the house of S. Timothie the house of S. Pudentiana the blessed children of S. Pudens and S. Claudia our Contry woman who all successiuely possessed it termed by their name for the time as vsually houses places be by the owners name vntill in the time of Pope Pius the first It was by the Donation of S. Pudentiana absolutely conuerted to a Church and euer since after her death called the Church of S. Pudentiana as the Romane Antiquities themselues and their continually kept tradition together with some English Protestants and others testifie Which before was called the house of them as they possessed it in order or the house of them all sometimes as the old Roman Martyrologe calleth it the house of all those foure children of S. Pudens and Claudia for speaking of them all by name S. Nouatus Tymotheus Pudentiana and Praxedes it addeth horum domus in Ecclesiam commutata Postoris Titulus appellatur The house of these being chaunged into a Church is called the Title of Pastor 5. And it is euident that the Father of the Lady Claudia by all probabilitie God win Conu of Brit. pag. 17. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. §. 6. owner of this house where all his children longe after liued was yet liuing and possessor thereof both now and when S. Peter was first entertained there for Martiall the Poet which liued in this time and wrote in the dayes of Domitian and Nerua long after maketh an honorable memorie of the Father of Lady Claudia then lyuing calling him Socer of Pudens the Father of his wife S. Claudia our Contry woman by parents for the word Socer hath no other meaning then a Father in lawe Father to the wife whose Father in Cooper Rider Thom. Thomas Calepin alij v. Socer Martial l. epigr. saepe Io. Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Claudia Ruffin Io. Pits l. de Vir. Illustrib in ead Godwin Conu of Britaine Et alij lawe he is or Father to the husband of that wife to whom he is so termed Socer Father in lawe Cothen Pentheros so in Hebrewe Greeke Latine and all languages Euident it is also that Pudens had no other wife but Claudia to haue any other Socer or Father in lawe by and she longe ouer lyued her husband Pudens And that this Father in lawe was as noble for his faith and Religion in Christ as by discent and birth we may easely enforme ourselues if from noe other grounds yet from the most holy and vertuous education of his daughter in that profession whoe by the examples and documents of her pious parents the best Tutours of children their greatest charge was by their Instruction come to that perfection in the lawe of Christ that being yet but young in all opiniōs when S. Paul wrote his secōd Epistle to S. Timothie a litle before his The Brittish parents of S. Claudia were Christians death she deserued the stile of one of the foure principall Christiās in the iudgemēt of that great Apostle as two greate Doctours S. Chrysostome Theodoret expound that passage of his Epistle Salutat te inquit Eubulus Pudens Chrysost inep 2. ad Tim. c. 4. Linus Claudia fratres omnes nominatim illos memorat quos nouerat magis fide feruere S. Paul saith Eubulus saluteth thee and Pudens and Linus Claudia and all the Brethren he remembreth them by name whom he knewe to be more feruent in faith and againe Theodoret vpon that place saith Meliorum Theod. in ep 2. ad Tim. cap. 4. in eund loc virtut is amantiorum nomina in serut alios autem commu ni appellatione vocauit S. Paul put in the names of them which were the best and most louing of vertue By which we may sufficiently see the greate pietie not onely of S. Claudia but her holy parents also the then honours of this kingdome that had caused her then vnder their charge to be taught and instructed in so excellent a manner in true Religion 6. And if I may haue the like licence to write for the Religion of this Father in lawe to Pudens which a Protestant Bishop taketh to proue Pudens the sonne in lawe a Christian I may doe it with much more reason for thus he writeth That the same Pudens was a Christian we haue a greate presumption in the Epigram Godwin Conu of Britaine pa. 17. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. §. 6. of Martial where for his vertuous carriage he calleth him S. Maritus but a greater in an other of the same Martial wherein he yeeldeth him thanks for persuading him to amend his writings that for obscenitie and lasiuiousnesse are indeed not to be endured by Christian eares and this it is Cogis me calamo manuque nostra Emendare meos Pudens libellos That by this kinde of argument the Father of Claudia our Noble Contryman Martial l. 7. Epigram 11. was in all degrees as good or rather better Christian then his sonne in law Pudens was is most euident for those verses which Pudens did well like Martial l. 7. Epigram 57. ad Rufin and allowe yet by the testimony of Martiall himselfe might not be imparted to the Father in lawe of Pudens but would seeme light vnto him occupied in more serious things for thus he writeth vnto Pudens S. Eubulus named with honour by S. Paul probably was the Father of S. Claudia and a Britan. Commendare meas instanti Rufe camaenas Parce precor Socero seria forsan amat Where we see that the grauitie of the Father in lawe to Pudens was greater then his therefore much more we may presume from hence that he was a Christian then the other by that argument And yet we haue a better Author both for his Christianitie and name also for the other three named by Martyrol Rom. 20. Iunij in San. Nouato Martia in Epigram S. Paul to send salutations to S. Timothie from Rome at that time for certaine except Eubulus the first were most continuing in one house Pudens and Claudia were then married as is euident in the auncient Romane Martyrologe and others And seeing by the Romans tradition and other testimonies the house wherein they dwelled was the cheife lodging
before must needs be from S. Peter And we reade in an Epistle of Pope Ihon the fift written in the yeare 686. to Ethelred King of the Marshes and to Alfride King of Northumberland on the behalf of Bishop Wilfrid for the restoring his Chuch vnto him with certaine Monasteries that this land of Britaine first receaued the faith of Christ by S. Peter Ioa. Pap. 5. epist ad Ethelred Alfrid Reges Guliel Malmes l. 3. de Pontific c. de Archiep. Ebor ex libr. Step. Cantuariens in vita S. Wilfrid Archiepis Ebor. Harr. hist tom 1. cheife of the Apostles the words are as followe Dominis eminentissimis Ethelredo Regi Merciorum Alfrido Regi Deirorum Bernitiorum Ioannes Papa de vestra Religionis accâ—ssibus gratia Dei cooperante gaudemus feruorem fidâ—i â—ernentes in vobis quam ex praedicatione principis ApostoloruÌ„ Deo vestros animos illuminante percepistis efficaciter tenetis Pope Ihon to the most â—â—inent Lords Ethelred King of the Mercians and Alfride King of the Deires and Bernitians we reioyce of the accesses of your Religion the grace of God cooperating perceauing the feruour of faith in you which you haue receaued â—y the preaching of the prince of the Apostles Where we playâ—ely see the first preaching of the faith of Christ in those parts ascribed to S. Peter the Apostle For testimony whereof we may also add the words of Pope Alexander the third in his epistle to King Henry the second of England where he playnely saith That England was vnder S. Peters protection euer since Christs name was glorified there Or why did Arnobius that renowned father 1200. yeares since speaking of S. Alexand. Pap. 3. epist ad Henric. 2. Reg. Angl. Eugubin de donatione Const Arnobiuâ— lib. 2. contra gentes Peters trauayles say that he preached in all the Ilands and prouinces of the west in Insulis prouincijs quas Sol occidens lustrat except he thought he was heare in Britaine the most renowned Iland of all the western world Where the lesser and more vnnoble are included as by such generall words they are the most noble and worthie cannot be thought to be excluded 4. And so certaine this seemeth that a late writer inclineth to think that Harris in Theatr l. 1. S. Peter gaue denomination to some places at his being heare There is saith this Authour in the North parts an old Citie called Aldclihit which in the Britans time many hundred yeares passed bore his S. Peters name For Aldclihit in the Brittish tonge is as much to say as Peters Clyhit or Peterclyhit for so Henricus Huntingtoniensis a learned Author of reuereÌ„d antiquitie telleth vs in his first booke of Histories where he saith Orientalis autem habet in medio sui vrbem Guidi Henric. Hunting l. 1. hist occidentalis supra se hoc est ad dextram sui habet vrbem Aldclyhit quod lingua BritonuÌ„ significat Petrum Clyhit est autem iuxta fluuium nominis illius Thus in This Authour wrote before the printing â—f Henry of Huntington by the Protestans so citeth the Manuscript For the printed booke hath Petram Clyhit and not Petâ—um English the east part of Northumberland hath in the midst of it a cytie called Guidi and in the west part on the right hand thereof there is a cytie called Aldclyhit which in the Britans languadge doth signifie Peters Clyhit or Peter Clyhit The which standeth vppon a Ryuer of the same name In which sence also the words of S. Prosper seeme to be vnderstoode who writing of S. Celestine Pope of Rome his care to purdge this Iland of the Pelagian Heresie and conuert Ireland to the faith of Christ speaketh in this manner dum Romanam Insulam studet seruare Catholicam fecit etiam Barbaram Christianam while â—e studieth to keepe the Roman Iland Catholike he also made the Barbarous Iland Christia Whereas Prosper l. contra collatorem c. 41. by the Barbarous Iland he vnderstandeth Ireland so by the Roman Iland he meaneth and describeth this Iland of Britaine Which can in no other sence especially at that time be called the Roman Iland but as it was vnder S. Peters spirituall Empire and Regiment and his Successours Popes of Rome For first in respect of temporall subiection this Iland was neuer at any time wholly Romana Insula a Romane Iland all those Countryes beyond Seuerus or Adrians wall were free from subiection to the Romans and in S. Prosper his time and S. Celestine of which he speaketh It was further from hauing any such denomination both Scots Picts and Saxons hauing inuaded and spoyled diuers prouinces of that part Which the Romans did formerly possesse and the Romans at that time had nothing at all to doe in this Iland but the Britans had Kings of their owne as Vortigern Vortimer Aurelius Ambrosius and others Which construction of S. Prosper is more warranted by the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury who citeth Cardinal Pole the Popes legate in these termes neuer improuing but allowing them haÌ„c Insulae nobilitatem atque gloriaÌ„ Dei prouidentiae atque beneficientiae soli acceptam ferendam sed tamen Matth. Parket l. antiquâ—t Brâ—t â—n Reginaâ—d Pol. Cardina p. 351. 1. cap. 69. viaÌ„ ipsam atque rationeÌ„ qua haec nobilitas atque gloria parta est a sede Romana nobis pâ—imo semperque monstratam patefactam fuisse we must ascribe tâ—is nobilitie and glory of this Iland to haue the first of all receaued the faith of Christ to the prouidence and Bounty of God but yett that the away and meanes how this Nobilitie and glory â—as gotten to this nation was first and alwayes shewed and made open from the See of Rome Which must needs be extended and ascend to S. Peter and the Apostles time as the words primo semperque first and alwayes doe demonstrate for it is the common opinion of our Protestant writers and amonge them three of their Bishops here cited that Britanniae Ecclesiae origo ab Apostolis ipsis Parker in Indice v. Britannia Bal. l. de Scriptor Cent. 1. in Ioseph Ara. Godwyn Conu of Brit. c. 2. p. 15. Theater of great Britaine l. 6. cap. 9. pag. 202. probatur that the begynning of the Church of Britaine was from the Apostles 5. How the first Apostle that preached heare could be no other then S. Peter I haue made manifest by our Protestants before and in their Theater of greate Britaine their best learned Antiquaries from diuers authors and approued Antiquities thus testifie sainct Peter the Apostle is supposed to haue preached in Britaine And agayne That S. Peter the Apostle preached the word of life in this Iland as to other Nations he did for whome God had chosen him that from his mouth they might heare the ghospell and beleeue as himself alledgeth and that he heare founded Churches and ordeyned Preists and Deacons which is reported Metaphrast Gul.
before haue a relation of this to be proued from the Greeke Antiquities I will asceÌ„d much higher then the dayes of Nicephorus euen to the time of our greate Emperour King and Cuontryman Constantine in whose age and Empire about thirteene hundred yeares since that greate glory of learned men in Greece Eusebius as an auncient learned sainct of that Nation testifieth hath written that S. Peter preached Euseb Pamphili apud S. Sim. Metaphrast die 29. Iunij and longe time as it appeareth by him in this our Britaine and the neare adioyning westerne Nations Eusebius Pamphili dicit Petrum duodecim annos esse versatum in Oriente vigint autem tres annos transegisse Romae in Britannia in ciuitatibus quae sunt in Occidente adeo vt sit totum tempus praedicationis Petri triginta quinque anni Eusebius Pamphylus saith that Peter conuersed in the East twelue yeares and spent three and twenty at Rome and in Britaine and in the cities which be in the west So that the whole time of the preaching of Peter is thirtie and fiue yeares Where he speaketh of the compleate yeares of S. Peters preaching in the west omitting the parts of yeares or taking S. Peters going to Hierusalem againe at the death of our blessed Lady out of the 25. yeares of his abode in the west Which accompt our English Protestants in their Fasti of the Kings and Bishops of England confirme Let no man obiect that his testimony is not sufficient he being an holy learned saint liuing in Constantinople the cheife Citie of Greece where Eusebius works were then most famous knowne to all men of learning and hauing so constantly auouched it when all Greece could argue him of vntruth if it had â—ene otherwise Who but extraordinarily wicked will once imagine that so worthy an Authour would to his owne eternall shame and confusion haue once inuented such a forgery what Grecian since that time or before by some numbers of yeares hath so much fauoured the Church of Rome as to honour it with vntruthes when they haue rather endeuoured the contrary as many haue written Neyther Fasti Regum Episcoporum Angliae vsque ad Gul. seniorem doe those workes of Eusebius which be now commonly extant contradict but rather confirme that which is cited from him before of S. Peter his spending much time in preaching in Britaine For although Eusebius both in his History and Cronicle saith with the generall opinion of historians that S. Peter was Bishop of Rome 24. or 25. yeares yet this is so farre from keeping him from Britaine that it maketh it a matter almost incredible but in some part of that time he was in Britaine And first all those renowned Authours Greeke and Latine which affirme that S. Peter preached heare in Britaine affirme also that he was so longe Bishop of Rome And seeing the world was euen by Christ and the Apostles themselues so diuided among them to preach the ghospell in and conuerte it to the faith what other Apostle did make any Residence so neare vnto vs by many huÌ„dreds of miles as Rome the See of S. Peter all histories of their liues and deaths be constant in this And I haue proued before that no other of the 12. Apostles amoÌ„g whom this diuision was made except S. Peter preached either in or neare to this kingdome 8. And all those Authors before haue proued that S. Peter preached in all these westerne Nations during that time when he is saide to haue had his cheife Residencie at Rome as the same Eusebius with the holy Scriptures and all historians affirmeth that during his first named Residency of Antioch in ponto Galatia Bithinia Cappadiocia Asia praedicauit he preached in Pontus Galatia Bithynia Cappadocia and Asia Some of those places fully Euseb in Chron. Euseb hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 1. Godwyn Conu of Brit. c. 1. pag. 5. Act. Apost c. 15. v. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. or allmoste as remote from Antioch as Britaine is from Rome And our Protestants themselues with the Scriptures and many historians testifie that after S. Peter his settling at Rome he went againe from thence to Hierusalem and Antioch also farre more distant from Rome then Britaine is And if S. Peter had not preached heare it is euident before that none of the twelue Apostles to whose preaching the world was first by Christ committed had performed it And so we should perhaps haue in that respect bene the most vnhappie kingdome in the knowne world at that time not any on of so greate extension greatnes and honour being to be reckoned but probably as appeareth by former Relations one Apostle or other preached the ghospell in it 9. An other also a GreciaÌ„ an holy Sainct as is set downe in the Menologe Menol. Graecor in S. Sim. Metaphr Sur. Et Lippom die 27. Nou. in festo eius Ioh. Molan in addit ad Vsuard 27. Nou. Conrad Gesner in Bibl. in Io. Psell of the Grecians and dyuers Latine Martyrologes as Surius Lippomannus and Molanus and his holy life written by Ioannes Psellus much commended by the Protestants CoÌ„radus Gesnerus Iosius Simlerus IoaÌ„nes Iacobus Frisius and others setteth downe all the circumstances of S. Peters coming hither by what contries the time of his staying heare what he performed in this kingdome how he was heare admonished by an Angell from heauen to returne againe to Rome to suffer Martyrdome and other matters of such consequence in so greate a busines that there is not more certaine and particular Relation left in any Antiquitie we haue for any historicall truth and veritie concerning this Nation which any Antiquarie Catholik or Protestant giueth the most vndoubted credit and assent vnto then for this preacing of S. Peter and his plaÌ„ting the Church of Christ in this Iland Thus this holy Saint liuing 800. yeares past setteth downe the holy Iorney of that blessed Apostle our first father in Christ S. Peter Cum non diu mansisset apud Romanos sancto Sim. Metaphrast die 29. Iunij baptismate multos regenerasset Ecclesiam constituisset Linum Episcopum ordinasset venit Tarracinam in qua cum Epaphroditum ordinasset Episcopum venit Sirmium ciuitateÌ„ Hispaniae Quo in loco cum Epinaetum coÌ„stituisset Episcopum venit in Aegiptum cum Thebis quae septem habet portas Rufum Alexandriae auteÌ„ Marcum Euangelistam eorum qui se in disciplinam tradiderunt Episcopatui praefecisset rursus venit Hierosolymam ex reuelatione propter Deiparae Mariae migrationem Deinde reuersus est in Aegiptum per Africam rursus Romam redijt Ex qua venit Mediolanum Photicen quae sunt ciuitates in continente in quibus cuÌ„ constituisset Episcopos presbyteros venit in Britanniam quo in loco cum longo tempore fuisset moratus multas gentes non nominatas attraxisset ad fidem Christi angelicam aspexit visionem quae
dicebat Petre instat tempus tuae resolutionis oportet teire Romam in qua cum mortem per crucem sustinueris accipies mercedem Iustitiae Cum ergo propterea deum glorificasset egisset gratias apud Britannos mansisset dies aliquot verbo gratiae multos illuminasset Ecclesias constituisset Episcoposque Presbyteros Diaconos ordinasset duodecimo anno Caesaris Neronis rursus Romam reuertitur when S. Peter had stayed but a short time with the Romans and had baptized many and fownded the Church and ordeyned Linus Bishop he came to Tarracina in which when he had ordeyned Epaphroditus Bishop he came to Sirmium a citie of Spaine in which place when he had constituted Epinaetus Bishop he came into Egipt whē he had made Rufus Bishop of Thebes which hath seuē gates and Marke the Euangelist Bishop of Alexandria he came againe to Hierusalē by reuelatiō for the migratiō or passing out of life of Mary the mother of God After this returning into Egipt through Africk the returned againe to Rome From which he came to Milane and Photice which are cities in the cōtinent in which after he had appointed Bishops and Preists he came into Britaine in which place whē he had stayed a longe time and had drawne many natiōs not named to the faith of Christ he had an Angelicall visiō which said O Peter the time of thy Resolution is at hand And thou must goe to Rome in which when thou hast suffered death by the crosse thou shalt receaue the reward of Iustice Therefore whē he had glorified God for it and giuen thākes stayed after with the Britans some dayes and illuminated many with the word of grace and constituted Churches and ordeined both Bishops and Preists and Deacons in the twelfth yeare of the Emperour Nero he returneth to Rome Hitherto the Relation of this holy learned and auncient Sainct writer Where the labours and trauailes of S. Peter are so orderly and punctually set downe after his first coming to Rome that except so worthie a man had sounde certaine and vndoubted Authoritie for such a Relation no man can be so malicious as to thinke he would so confidently and particularly haue written of that matter 10. And it appeareth plainely by that I haue written before that both by Catholiks Protestants all the rest of S. Alredus his narration of S. Peters Iorneyes are most true certaine except this last of his coming hither and so longe remayning in this our Britaine these parts which I matuaile that any man of this kingdome will call in question being deliuered by so many Authorities before and aboue all other parts of that his Relation fortified by so manie vndeniable circumstances and Arguments as the time when the way by which he came a longe continuance of his aboude heare his passage by this Iland to drawe many vnnamed nations to the faith of Christ what he did heare his making of Bishops Preists and Deacons founding of Churches his loue to this kingdome so greate that vntill he was admonished from Heaven by an Angell to returne againe to Rome to receaue his crowne of Martyrdome he had so happily placed his Apostolicall Cathedrall See in this Imperiall and commanding Iland of this Northren and westerne world and by his blessed presence and heauenly labours left it Illustrious to succeeding generations not onely to be stiled Romana Insula the Roman Iland as I haue written before but as the same Apostle himself did testifie to S. Brithworld S. Peters preaching in Britaine proued by infallibly diuine authoritie Bishop of Winton or Wilton as our Protestant Historians doe plainely testifie together prouing that S. Peter first preached in this kingdome of greate Britaine The Protestant Theater writers haue these words It is reported by Aluredus Riuallensis the writer of King Edward the Confessors life that a holy man Theater of great Britaine l. 6. c. 9. studious and carefull for a gouernour to succeede was in his sleepe told by S. Peter that the kingdome of England was his wherein himself had first preached and would also prouide him successors Which other Protestants thus further confirme Alredus Francis Mason of Consecrat of Bishop l. 2. c. 2. p. 47. Sutcliffe subuers Godwyn conu of Britaine p. 4. Riuallensis an English Abbot left written aboue 500. yeares agone a certaine Reuelation or apparition of S. Peter to an holy man in the time of King Edward the Confessor shewing how he had preached himself in England and consequently the particular care he had of that Church and Nation Thus farre these Protestants So that if this was a true Reuelation there needeth no more testimony in this matter for the wittnes of Angels glorified Saints cannot by any possibilitie be vntrue and the vision testifiing that S. Peter himself had first preached heare in this kingdome is an euident demonstration both that he preached heare and was the first either immediately by himself or mediately by his disciples and Substituts which preached the faith of Christ in this kingdome Therefore all the difficultie will be in the proposers of this holy Reuelation he to whome it was made and they which haue commended it to writing And because supernaturall things such as this was cannot be proued by naturall Argument a priore by their cause to giue some certaine and vndoubted proofe thereof a Posteriore by some effect necessarily conuincing some supernaturall power to haue had Influence thereto for the more credite of this sacred truthe proue by these Protestants themselues 11. And first concerning the writer and recorder of this holy history they haue told vs it was Alredus Riuallensis a man of that worth learning and Ioh. Balaeus de Scriptor Cētur 2. fol. 88. p. 1. in Alred Riual pietie that to speake in a Protestant Bishops words he was Cistertiensiū Monachorum Abbas natione Anglus gencre doctrina inculpatae vitae moribus praeclarus enituit Episcopatum ac alios honores mundanos omnino recusabat vt ad virtutum exercitia maximè ad Euangelij praedicationem expeditior haberetur Vir erat vt alter Bernardus ingenio pius consilio modestissimus Abbot of the Cistersian monkes by Country an English man he was eminently renowned by birth learning and holy life and conuersation he refused a Bishoprike and other worldly honors vtterly that he might be more ready to the exercises of vertues chefely for preaching the ghospell he was a man as an other S. Bernard Godly in wit and most modest in counsaile He that desireth more of this holy witnes may finde in our auncient M. S. antiq de vit Sanct. Ioh. Capgr in Cata. l. in S. Alred Abb. Manuscripts our learned Countriman Ihon Capgraue and others how he is registred among the most glorious and miraculous Saints of this Natiō to which our Protestant Bishop before hath giuen allowance where he giueth vs assured knowledge that this
before our common Conuersion in the dayes of King Lucius and so consequently by S. Peter or his Disciple S. Aristobulus no other then with eminent Authoritie being heare to consecrate him Bishop and settle him Bishop of Augusta London For first this citie was not called Augusta in the Reigne of King Lucius when this Nation was generally conuerted but onely Londinum London nor neuer since that time or by any before but by the Romans at their first setling heare in the time of Claudius when as before is proued S. Peter preached in this kingdome Secondly the first Bishop of London as all the rest from King Lucius time to the coming of S. Augustine were Archbishops and this onely in all Antiquities called onely Bishop of Augusta in Britaine Thirdly this was a Martyr and so we doe not reade of any Iotz in Catal. Epis Brit. Io. Godcel de Episc Lōd Matth. Parker antiq Brit. Godwin Catal. of Bishops Stowe Histor Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Harris in Theat to 1. Will. Harris descr Archbishop of London except on S. Vodinus Martyred in the times of King Vortigerne and Hengist in whome both the times names callings and other circumstances are much different making it vnpossible that they were one and the same man Fourthly no Antiquitie or Antiquary Catholike or Protestant setting downe the Catalogue of the Archbishops of London as Iotzeline of Furnes Ihon Godcilene Matthew Parker Godwine Stowe the Theater writers or any other once nameth this S. Augulus to be any of them that were since King Lucus time But make S. Thean the first the last Theonus that formerly was Bishop of Glocester and in or about the yeare of Christ 553. became Archbishop of London and about the yeare 586. together with Thadiocus Archbishop of Yorke fled from the Pagan Saxons into wales and left their Sees vacant vntill the coming of S. Augustine And betweene these there is not any one but S. Vodinus before a Martyr or that hath any resemblance in name or other description with S. Augulus Their names be these Thean Eluanus Cadar Obinus Conan Palladius Stephan Iltut Theodwin or Godwyn Catal. in London alij supr Dedwin Thedred Hillary Restitutus Guitelnius or Guitelinus Fastidius Vodinus Theonus 5. A late writer in his Manuscript History of Britaine saith plainely that S. Harris in Theat tom 1. Nicasius the first Bishop of Roan in Normandy of Fraunce preached heare in this Britaine in these times And he seemeth to rely much vpon Arnoldus Mirmānius who saith Britones instruxit formauitque fide S. Nicasius imperante S. Nicasius Bishop in our Britaine by some writers Nerone Nicasius did instruct and forme in the faith the Britans in the time of Nero being then delegated an Apostle thither illuc Apostolus delegatus And this he proueth to be vnderstood of our Britans because the Britans of Armorica Arnold Mirm. in Theatr. Conu gent. in Fraunce were not called Britans vntill long after which by all writers is a thing most certaine and out of Question Therefore except that Authour spake very vnproperly to call them Britans that were not vntill 300. yeares after he must needes meane to speake truely the Britans of this Iland And this S. Nicasius being sent Apostle by Roman Authoritie as he saith to the Britans in the time of Nero it must needes be by S. Peter And although the same Authour in the same place ioyneth with the Britans whome S. Nicasius thus instructed in the faith the people of Normandy Roan Picardy which be people in Fraunce Britones Normandos Rothomagenses Picardos this hindereth nothing but he might preach both to them and the Britans heare also as many others did and that which followeth omnemque maris Oceani tractum instruxit he instructed in the faith all the Coaste of the Ocean sea cannot well be iustified except we bring him hither into our Britaine for those Countries he nameth in Fraunce be farre from being omnis maris Oceani tractus either all or the half part of the Coaste of the French Ocean 6. To these I may probably add S. Martine lyuing in the Apostles time and Probable that S. Martin Disciple of the Apostles was a Britan or preached heare so renowned in this kingdome that in the time of King Lucius to speake in an old Authours words constructa est extra Cantuariam Ecclesia Sancti Martini a Church was builded vnto him without Canter bury Which is the same S. Bede and others write was the old Church builded there in the time of the Romans who where departed hence before the dayes eyther of S. Martine M. S. Abbreuiatio tempor in Rege Lucio Bed hist Anglic. in S. Augustino l. 1. Stowe histor in Ethelbert Theater of great Brit. Matth. Parker antiq Brit. Godwyn Conu of Britaine p. 40. Ado in chronic ad an 101. Will. Lamb. perambulation of Kent p. 13. the Pope or S. Martine Bishop of Tours in Fraunce by all accompts And Ado and others testifie this S. Martine was a Bishop in the time of Traiane and armo D. 101. Disciple of the Apostles Martinus Episcopus Discipulus Apostolorum Viennae resedit And M. Lambert the Protestant Antiquary doth assure vs that this Church by Canterbury dedicated to S. Martine was both builded in the Romans time and was and continued a Bishops See vntill the coming of the Normans hither and so extraordinarily there were two Bishops Sees in one City this being substitute to the Archbishop which argueth how greate the honour was that this nation gaue vnto him And yet a Church so aunciently dedicated to him heare would of it selfe by Brittish proceedings in such affaires induce vs to thinke that eyther he was a Britan borne or preached in this our Britayne or both For in perusing our Antiquities of those times we shall hardly finde any Church dedicated in this kingdome to any Saint except the blessed Virgin Mary for her eminent priuiledge but to such as were Saints of this Nation as S. Alban Amphibalus Aaron Iulius or preached heare as S. Peter the Apostle S. Clement his Disciple and successor and such like 7. To make which more apparantly probable vnto vs we haue two renowned and annuncient Authors Methodius and S. Marianus who speaking Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. in Nerua Imp. col 254. Method apud cund supr of this holy Bishop S. Martine and telling he liued and suffered Martyrdome in the time of Nerua the Emperour within the first hundred yeare of Christ say That non solum propria prouincia sed in extremis vltimis industrius illustris non solùm confessione quin martyrio existens regna Tyrannorum vicit He was not onely industrious and renowned in his owne Prouince but also in the vttermost and last Regions not onely a confessour but a Martyr conquered the kingdomes of Tyrants Therefore to graunt vnto Ado that he was sometime Bishop of Vienna in Fraunce seeing so
with them to continue to succeeding Generations How poore the ChristiaÌ„ Churches were in thâ—se times when the Church of Glastenbury builded by the Licence of King Aruiragus and at the entreatie of the Roman Lieutenant as Harding from others writeth by the holy company of S. Ioseph was made but of writhen wands and so desolate within one hindred and three yeares onely after the first building Harding Chroic c. 47. f. 7â— Antiq. Glascon apud Capgrau in S. Patricio Et M. S. antiq ib. Bed Hist Angl. Capgrau in Catal. in S. Niniano Bed hist Angl. l. 2. cap. 14. of it that caepit locus esse ferarum latibulum qui prius fuerat habitatio Sanctorum The place which had bene an habitation of Saints began to be a Dene of wylde beasts And diuers hundreds of yeares after this the first Church of stone to remayne durable that is remembred to haue bene in Britaine was builded by S. Ninian at witherne as S. Bede and others write and King Edwine of Northumberland long after S. Augustins coming hither was christened at Yorke in the Church of S. Peter the Apostle which he had builded of wood in Ecclesia S. Petri Apostoli quam ipse de ligno construxit And the dayes euen heare in Britayne were then such for Christians that we must rather seeke their places of abode and poore Oratories among the Desarts and obscure corners in Cells and Cotages then in populous cities and costly buildings As our auncient Christian Poet writing of such times in Britayne thus expresseth Sic vt erat celebris cultu numeroque Deorum Nochamus apud Bal. alios Cum Iouis Imperium staret Britannia tellus Sic vbi terrestres caelo descendit ad oras Expectata salus patribus fuit inclyta Sanctis Qui Neptunicolum campos Cambrica rura Corineasque casas loca desolata colebant Which our Protestants haue thus translated for vs. Tâ—â—aâ—eâ— of gâ—â—â—t Bâ—â—tainel 5. c. 4. As were the Britans famous for their zeale To gentile Gods whiles such they did adore So when the heauens to earth did truth reueale Blessed was that Land with truth and learning store Whence Brittish plaines and Cambreas desart ground â—o Bal. l. 1. dâ— vit Pontif. Roman Bap. Mantuan l. 1. de Fast And Cornewals â—rags with glorious Saints abound To which purpose a ProtestaÌ„t Bishop doth alledge an other Christian Poet in this maner Nam cum Caesarei gens sanguinolenta tyranni Praedacentur oues Christi nullasque liceret Christigenis habitare vrbes impune ferarum Consortes facti fines tenuere supremos Orbis When the persecution of Nero the Tirant grew so bloody and destroyed the sheepe of Christ and no Christians might without punishement liue in cites They became companions of wild beasts and inhabited the vttermost ends of the world Therefore if out of the priuate houses of Christians in those times we would finde any places to beare the names of publike Churches or Oratories for the Christians then conuerted though neuer so meane and obscure we must seeke them out of frequent and inhabited places in the Deserts and wildernesses whether the rage of persecution did not so easily penetrate 2. And to finde any such after so many huÌ„dreds of yeares and changes of things in this kingdome we must be content with probable Arguments and Probahle that S. Peters Church at westminster had some Originall at this time testimonyes as is vsuall in such cases not expect demonstrations which caÌ„not be giuen in such affaires AmoÌ„g such Deserts of that time diuers ProtestaÌ„t and other Antiquaries will tell vs the place of S. Peters Church at Westminster was Thus they write Thorney now Westminster was called Thorney-Iland for that is was ouergrowne with Briers and Thornes which Thorney place was in the Ihon Norden in Specul Britan. pag. 4. 2. Polidor Virgil. Angl. hist l. 2. pag 41. Holnish Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 10. pag. 25. Harris descript of Brit. cap. 2. pag. 140. Richard Vit. Hist l. 5. Io. Selden Anaclet cap. 6. Sulcardus apud Vit. Seld. Stowe hist in K. Lucius Holinsh. hist supr Harrison sup Ihon Norden Specul Brit. part 1. in Middelsex pag. 42. time of King Lucius clensed about the yeare 186. which Lucius is said to lay the first foundation of the greate Temple of S. Peters Which clensing of that place by this religious King building a Church there and dedicating it to S. Peter giueth no swall argument vnto vs to thinke it had a more auntient founding with some Relation from the beginning to that holy Apostle otherwise there were many farre more fit and conuenient places in or about the City of London to build so stately a Church then a desolate briery and thorney Iland And the Church of S. Peter in Cornhill being dedicated to him and the Cathedrall Church by all Antiquities we cannot be of any other minde but S. Peter had some former title vnto that denomination Which is rather strengthned in that these Protestants from Antiquities testifie that Theonus Archbishop of London in King Lucius time who had his See at S. Peters in Cornhil and helped to the building thereof preached read and ministred the Sacraments there to such as made resort vnto him in this IlaÌ„d Church A Protestant Antiquary writeth I haue heard that there are or haue bene Records in the same Abbey of Westminster which declare it was a Church before the Britans receaued the faith of Christ He meaneth the time of King Lucius Then if he speaketh properly it proueth it was a Christian Church before that time For the word Church in English Kyrke in the Scottish languadge of the Greeke Chiriache the house of God our Lord cannot by Christians be applyed or giuen to the Idols or pagan Gods of the Infidels but onely to Christ our true Lord and God And this is confirmed by the knowne vision and words of S. Peter the Apostle in that place in the time of S. Ethelbert King of Kent and S. Mellitus Bishop of London which I haue alledged before from many allowed Antiquities where S. Peter said of this place and Church By some a Christian Church at Aldâ—lyhit Quem locum proprijs manibus consecraui which place I consecrated long agoe with my owne hands Which must needes as I before haue proued be vnderstood of his parsonall presence and consecration of that Church when he liued and Harisin Theatr. l. 1. preached heare for then onely and neuer since he had proprias manus his owne proper and naturall hands to execute either that or any function with 3. A late writer in his Manuscript History inclineth to thinke there was a Church founded by S. Peter the Apostle in the North parts of this Land aunciently called Aldclihit in the old languadge of that place Peters Clihit as though S. Peter founded it and it tooke the denomination from him and citeth Henr. Hunting hist l. 1. Matth. Parker
Mordraius to be the then Harris M. S. Hist l. 1. c. 25. Hector Boeth Hist Scot. in Crathlint Bal. l. de Script cen tr in Amphibalus Theater of great Britaine l. 6. c. 9. §. 4. S. Iosephs Sister Married to a Britan Nicholaus Vignier Bibliothee Hist an 63. King or Ruler of the Iland Mona and that the place where he was conuerted named the city Saract was Soder in the I le of Man which was the first Bishops See we reade of in those parts in the time and persecution of Dioclesian And our Protestant writers of the Theater of greate Britaine tell vs of some others of this company of S. Ioseph that liued in the world and were not of the Religeous number that settled at GlasteÌ„bury with S. Ioseph and among them name a Sister of S. Ioseph called Eurgaine who to speake in their words afterwards marryed a Britan named Siarklos and they cite Georg Owen Harry for the same opinion And Nicholas Vignier a French writer in his Bibliotheke Historiall in the yeare of Christ 63. plainely affirmeth Ioseph of Aramathia arriued this yeare in great Britaine auec vne trouppe with a troupe or great number of his companions To these I may add the testimonie of Tertullian before of the timely receauing of the faith of Christ by our Northren Britans commonly confounded in Histories with the Scottish Nation by reason of their dwelling long together and how Petrus Cluniacensis writing to S. Bernard as our Theater Protestants cite and followe him Theater of great Brit. l. 6. c. 9. §. 9. therein supposeth the Scottish men the more auncient Christians as not being in the like subiection to the Romans as the other then were Which cannot more probably In what respect the Scots may be termed the more auncient ChristiaÌ„s be affirmed of any then these that came by those Antiquities with S. Ioseph into those outward Ilands where the Scots then inhabited and with whome they vnited themselues as also with our Northren Britans Neither can we thinke but among so many euen hundreds as before which came hither at that time some of them left a Posteritie of children as is exemplified in two before one the Nephew the other kinsman of S. Ioseph and we may take notice from the names themselues of some of these that be recited as Iosue Aminadab and Loth that they were Christians no others in these parts in those times taking names from Scripture but they onely and for Loth one of them that is named certaine it is by our Brittish and other Histories that he was a Christian so of Ygerna and King Arthur which likewise by these Antiquities did discend from those of the company of S. Ioseph And allthough these three last were late in respect of that first age of Christ and liued when Britaine generally professed Christian Religion yet Helaius Nephew or Grandsonne to S. Ioseph placed for the first of that Genealogiein this Land at the time of S. Iosephs comig hither and his sonne Iosue must needs be liuing in the daies of S. Ioseph and Aminadab the sonne of Iosue being by his name a Christian did probably liue vnto the dayes of Kings Lucius and Donâ—lâ—us to be of those which continued a succession of Christiantie heare vntill the generall Conuersion of Britaine at that time So we may reasonably affirme of the posteritie of Peter kinsman to S. Ioseph in some part before remembred out of those Antiquities and after the same proportion Iudge of the children of Eurgayne S. Iosephs sister her Brittish husband Siarklos if they left any behind them in the world For no man will once coniecture that either sonne Sister Nephewe kinsman or kindred of S. Ioseph would vndertake so long and tedious a Iorney with him from Iury into Britaine to liue poore Exils heare but for the loue of Christ and his holy Religion so extreamely persecuted by the Iewes in S. Ioseph for his honorable burying of our Sauiour and his friends and kindred as we are taught in approued Histories that the mallice hatred of the Iewes was not more enraged against any Disciple of Christ then towards S. Ioseph and his frends And as Gregorius Turonenfis and others testifie maiorem in eum habentes saeuitiam quam Antiquit. Glast apud Capgr in S. Ioseph Drogo Episc Hostien Hist de morte Resurrectione Saluatoris Greg. Turon l. 1. Hist Franc. §. 21. p. 18. Vincent in spec Hist l. 5. c. 56. 57. 58. Act. Pilati apud Capgrau Turon supr Nicodem in EuaÌ„g Eremita Anon. author l. 5. Graa Manuscr antiq Glaston Monasterij tabulis affixum in membranis in ipsum Dominum vt cum ille a militibus hic ab ipsis Sacerdotibus custodiretur The Iewes had more hatred against Ioseph then against our Lord himself for whereas Christ being buried was kept and watched by souldiers Ioseph being imprisoned in a close place without any light was garded and watched by the Preists themselues Yet he was Miraculously from thence and them deliuered and preserued to honour this kingdome with the holy life and death of himselfe and many his Religeous companions and friends 3. The auncient Brittish Eremite of whom I haue spoken before testifieth that S. Ioseph his wife came in this company with her husband and that it was appointed and promised of God to them and their posteritie Ioseph ab Aramathia qui Christum sepeliuit cum vxore filio Iosephe nomine in maiorem Britanniam sibi semini eius promissam venerunt And the Collectours of the Antiquities of Glastenbury who as it seemeth by their oâ—ne testimony were most diligent and carefull to deliuer nothing to posteritie but what they found to be approued by auncient Historiographers as the first words of their History deliuer affirme the same Quoniam dubia legentem fallunt certa dubijs ablatis atque ex antiquis Historiographorum dictis probata de antiquitate Glastoniensis Ecclesiae quaedam inseremus It is also testified in this Antiquitie recommended to containe so certaine and vndoubted verities that the Pagan King that had imprisoned S. Ioseph his companions in the Country now named Nothwales Mordraius a Christian set vp a Christian King in his place named Celidonius sonne of Natianus his wife the daughter of Lalel or Label a noble Persian was also a Christian And citeth the auncient Brittish Eremite for the Authour hereof But this was rather to be esteemed some noble Gouernour or Ruler called by the name Rex King or Ruler of some few people in which sence all Rulers though meane may be truely termed Reges Rulers and not such potent parsons as the name is now allmost appropriated vnto of which Ranke and Order King Lucius was the first Christian King and Donaldus next to him THE XXVI CHAPTER OF THE COMING AND SETTLING OF S. Ioseph and his company where Glastenbury now is then a wildernes rather to professe the penitentiall contemplatiuâ— Eremiticall
a stranger to the Romans whose Annals would not haue left any woman of their Nation though of meaner merit and glory then she was in so greate darknes of obliuion Further when we finde such a penurye of the names Pudens and Claudia in the Roman and other Histories that there is allmost no mention of them And yet we see them both remembred and ioyned together in one line and to be in one Citie of Rome and by all probable Iudgment in one house and as husband and wife by the holy Apostles writing of them as he is commonly interpreted And a Pagan writer also of that time who well knew both Pudens and Claudia and their children plainely affirmeth with many later Authours that this Claudia lyuing in Rome in the same house with Pudens and his vndoubted wife was borne of Brittish Parents which cannot be verified of any other Claudia we must needs therefore be of opinion that this our Brittish Claudia was as bewtifull in spirituall fayrenes and Religion for S. Pauls testimony thereof as in corporall bewty by th◠Poets writing 5. Wherevpon it is the constant receaued and not to be questioned opinion among writers Catholiks and Protestants Christians and Pagans English French and others that the holy Christian Claudia so dignified by S. Paul was the same Brittish Lady Claudia whome Martial so commendeth borne of Brittish Parents Claudia caeruleis cum sit Rufina Britannis Edita Elle estoit Bretonne de Nation she was a Britan by Nation And by the happie occasion of this so renowned and noble Christian of this Nation continually then residing at Rome and so perfectly instructed in the faith of Christ and acquainted with the holy Apostles many spirituall blessings were in that time bestowed vpon many our Britans both at Rome and heare in Britaine of this both Catholiks and Protestants agree allthough there is diffence in the order and manner thereof The first Protestant Arch-Bishop thus writeth of this holy Brittish Lady hanc iam ad Christum conuersam non minus est verisimile Christiana dogmata ad Britannos misisse suos quam ante Matth. Parker Antiquit. Brit. p. 3. acceptam fidem Epigrammata Martialis Nec verisimile solum sed verum iudicandum est in tam nobili familia fuisse cum Claudia gentiles suos Britannos qui vna baptizati fuerunt à quibus Euangelij Ignicula per totam gentem Britannam dispersa viritim ad multos peruenerunt After Claudia was conuerted to the faith of Christ it is as likely that she sent Christian doctrine to her Countrimen the Britans as before she receaued the faith she sent the Epigrams of Martial Neyther is it onely likely but to be adiudged true that in so noble a familie there were with Claudia diuers Britās of her Country which were baptized with her from whome the sparkes of the Ghospell being dispersed through all the Brittish Nation came from one to an other to many The Protestant Bishops with other their Antiquaries in their greate Theater of greate Britaine thus write of her This Claudia with S. Pauls spirituall Theat of great Brit. l. 6. c. 9. Manna is said to send the choysest and chastest of the Posies of Martiall whose verses generally are no lessons befitting Ladies for new yeares guifts vnto her friends in Britaine both for to feede their soules with the bread of life and to instruct their mindes with lessons best fitting vnto ciuill behauiour Which thing moued the Poet himselfe with no small selfe glory in his verse thus to write Dicitur nostros cantare Britannia versus And they note in their Margine these wordes Claudia senas both S. Pauls and Martials writings into Britaine Which is allowed by other Protestants also among whome one a cheife Antiquarie thus boldly speaketh of this Lady Harrison description of Britaine in Claudia Io. Bal. l. de script Brit. cent 1. in Claudia Rufina Martial speaketh reioycing that his Posies were reade also in Britaine and onely by her meanes who vsed to cull out the finest and honest of his Epigrams and send them to her friends for tokens saying after this manner Dicitur nostros cantare Britannia versus Britaine is said to sing our verses Like is the testimonie of other Protestants to whome in that they affirme much spirituall good to haue growne to this Nation of Britaine by the beleeuing Britans and others which liued in or resorted vnto the house of S. Claudia in Rome I willingly consent vnto them and haue allready proued no lesse and will speake more of the same hereafter 6. But where these men so constantly auouch this holy Lady was a translater Lady Claudia neither sent S. Pauls Epistles nor Martial his Poems into Britaine of S. Pauls Epistles and sent them hither for the Instruction of others and also sent into this Nation the Epigrams of Martial prouing the first onely by some likelyhood because they assuer themselues by the verse of Martial recited that Britaine was reported to singe his verses as the last is vntrue and not affirmed by Martiall or any other except these Protestants and a foule forgery to blemish the bewty of that holy Lady so the other hauing no warrant or Authoritie but their falsely imagined congruence from that must needs be as vnprobable And first where these men say that the Poet sayth his verses were sung in Britaine by the meanes of this holy and vertuous Lady Martial hath no such thing but rather the contrary for except she a woman of so greate chastitie modestie and pietie by all testimonies could so farre forgete her shamefaste sexe and temperate carriadge and exceede the boldnes of men euen her owne Father and Husband she was so farre from being an approuer and recommender of Martiall his Poems vnto others in Britaine that by the Poets owne testimonie she vtterly condemned them for their vntollerable wantones and scurrilitie for so did both her Father Father in lawe to Pudens her Husband and her owne Husband also as the same Poet himselfe hath before plainely confessed saying of the Husband of Claudia to whome he presented diuers Poems that he compelled him to correct and amend his books Cogis me calamo manuque nostra Emendare meos Pudens libellos Martial l. 7. Epigram 11. ad Pudentem And S. Claudia her Father was much more auerted from the Poems of Martiall then Pudens his sonne in Lawe was by that Poets owne confession for euen those Poems which he sent to Pudens would haue so much bene disliked by Claudia her Father that he entreated S. Pudens not to communicate them vnto him because he knew well he condemned their leuitie Commendare meas Instanti Rufe camaenas Parce precor socero seria forsan amat Martial l. 7. Epigram 57. ad Rufin And a simple suggestion it is to write she culled out the finest and honestest of his Epigrams and sent them hither for this she could not doe without reading
23. Septemb. in S. Lino gubernauit Ecclesiam How carefull and mindefull this Pope was of the spirituall good of this Nation and the meanes he had to effect it may be gathered by his acquaintance and familiarity which he had with our Britans then remayning Pope Linus his care of Britaine at Rome by whom and with whom he was most releiued and resident as is before related And to instance in some particulars it seemeth that both S. Beatus and his other holy Brittish companion of whome I haue Hâ— consecrateth diuers Brittish Preists of this Nation spoken before were consecrated Preists and sent into these parts by this Pope S. Linus To which opinion both our English and German Protestants with other Authours induce me Our English Protestant Antiquaries write in this manner As Beatus Rhenanus in his Historie of Germanie Pantaleon and others Theater of great Britaine l. 6. §. 9. doe reporte one Suetonius a Noble mans sonne in Britaine conuerted to the faith by the first Planters of the Ghospell in this Iland and after his baptisme called Beatus was sent by the Brethren from hence vnto Rome to be better instructed and further directed by Saint Peter By which and that I haue proued before that S. Peter was put to death soone after his returne to Rome from hence it may well be concluded that S. Beatus and consequently also his companion in the same case were consecrated by S. Linus and not by S. Peter for Pantaleon proueth that these men were long at Rome to be instructed both in faith and learning requisite for such Ecclesiasticall parsons before they were consecrated Preists and directed into these Countries and this rather by S. Peters succesfor then by himselfe then Martyred and in heauen S. Beatus Heluetiorum Apostolus Henric. Pantal. de viris Illustrib Germ. parte 1. p. 114. Stumpff l. 7. Bibliotheca Patrum minor Chronic. chronicor tom 2. Beatus ille nobilibus parentibus natus ex Britania RomaÌ„ profectus est vt a S. Petro in vera fide rectius institucretur Cum autem in humanioribus literis optime profecisset atque Suetonius diceretur Christianis dignus visus est qui doctrinaÌ„ veram perciperet atque eandem vbique disseminaret Which could not be well effected in so short a time as is shewed before S. Peter liued after his returne from Britaine to Rome Therefore I must needs asscribe it to the time and ordinance of S. Linus Which I may safely affirme in both opinions concerning S. Linus aswell of them which deny him to haue bene Pope and affirme that what he did in Papall affaires he did it by S. Peters direction and appointment ex praecepto beatt Petri Apostoli as also of such as say he was true Pope and immediate successor to S. Peter in which last opinion there can Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. Mart. Polon Supput in S. Lino Leo 2. epist decret Florent Wigorn. in Siluan Otho be no pretence of difficultie at all And in the former opinion allthough we may not without iust reason say that Expâ—aecepto Petri S. Linus proceedings by commandment of S. Peter are to be vnderstood of things he did in the life of S. Peter and time of his absence from Rome for if S. Linus was not Pope after but S. Clement it should rather be said that S. Linus did ex praecepto S. Clementis as S. Clement then liuing commanded and directed then by the commandement of S. Peter who being dead neither could command as Pope nor be esteemed Pope yet we may lawfully suppose that S. Peter who had bene in Britaine and had such care thereof And seeing in his life time S. Beatus and his Brittish companions went so long a Iorney as from hence to Rome to be instructed in the faith and desirous to be consecrated Preists to preach in their Countrie would giue chardge and direction to S. Linus his successor to performe those duties for the spirituall good and honor of this Nation 5. And so we may probably vpon sufficient warrant suppose these holy Brittish Preists and Saints were directed into these parts both by S. Peter and S. Linus Authoritie and Order By this holy Pope also were such Britans as were Christians in Rome at that time instructed the most principall place of S. Linus Residence being then in the house of S. Claudia our Brittish Lady and so ordinary and vsuall that S. Paul before seemeth to number and accompt him one of that family Eubulus greeteth thee and Pudens and Linus and Claudia that house being as is allready shewed the most knowne and frequeÌ„t place of ChristiaÌ„s in Rome eyther to instruct or be instructed in ReligioÌ„ minister or receaue the holy Sacraments thereof And allthough King Coillus of Britaine did not openly professe himselfe a Christian at that time for feare of the Roman Emperour and Senate yet being brought vp at Rome and in this time and so farre a Christian in iudgment and affection that he confirmed to the Eremits of Glastenbury those immunities and priuiledges which Antiquit. Glast in tabula antiq Io. Capgr Cat. in S. Iosepho Ara. Gulielm Malm. l. de antiq coenobij Glast M. S. his Grandfather and Father Kings Aruiragus and Marius had graunted before vnto them we must needs affirme that he learned this his so greate allowance and loue to Christians and their Religion at Rome from S. Linus and his Disciples in whose time of Papacy he liued and had his education and Instruction there by all Antiquities And to giue vs assurance that this S. Linus had a Pastorall care as part of his greate chardge and cuer as necessitie required and the times would permite to send Bishops and preachers into these parts where Britaine is we are told by diuers French Historians and from their primatiue Antiquities that euen in the first yeare of his dignitie he sent Saint Cler to the Realme of Britanny Armorike who brought with him the Mere des histoires chroniques de France lib. 1. fol. 87. Alani Bouchard Annales de Bretaigne l. 1. f. 19. Nayle wherewith the right Arme of S. Peter was crucefied and S. Cler there setled his Episcopall See in the city of Nantes in the yeare of grace 72. THE XXXV CHAPTER OF THE STATE OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION in Britaine in the time of Pope Cletus King Marius or Coillus and how we had heare in Britaine a continued Succession both of Preists and Bishops all this first hundred of yeares 1. S Linus being martyred S. Cletus succeeded him in the Apostolike Roman See and was Pope aboue 11. yeares And for temporall Rulers Matthew of Westminster and diuers after him doe testifie that King Marius died in the 78. yeare of Christ left Coillus his sonne his Successour in this kingdome Anno gratiae 78. Marius Britannorum Matth. Westm an 78. Catalog Regum Britann in Mario Stowe Hist in Marius Harding Cronicle in King Marius c.
50. fol. 42. Rex ab hoc seculo transiens Coillum filium habuit successorem By whom he reigned but a short time not aboue sixe yeares Others affirme he reigned a farre longer time the Protestant Publishers of the Brittish Historie ascribe 52. yeares for his Reigne Polidor Virgil giueth him 48. yeares Stowe saith he reigned 53. yeares Harding auoucheth that he dyed When he had Reigned sixtie yeares and three His Tribute payed full well to Rome Citie Of Christs faith some what he was enformed But much more he needed to haue bene reformed But howsoeuer the question about the time of his Regiment long or short be resolued certaine it is that he was a friend to Christians and if he reigned long longer was their peace by his permission and if his Regiment was shorter yet the quiet of Christian Religion was not thereby abbreuiated for Coillus his Sonne being also very fauourably affected to Christians and leauing the Kingdome to his Sonne Lucius vnder whome the whole Nation was conuerted to the faith of Christ we cannot finde any King of Britaine in those dayes which was an enemy to Christianitie so that if any outrage or crueltie was committed against any of that profession it was rather by the malice of Marian. Scot. lib. 2. aetat 6. in Tit. Martin Polon Supput col 36. in Tit. Matth. Westm an 81. Florent Wig. in Tit. the Druids and some such and not by regall commaunde and Authoritie which rather stood for the defence then offence of Christians all that time 2. And so long as Titus Sonne of Vespasian was Emperour of Rome which was but two yeares and not many moneths ther was no Persecution of Christians there not putting any of them to death and so mercifull he was to all that he pardoned the very conuicted that had conspired against him and vsed them as familiarly as he did before vir omni genere virtutum mirabilis adeo vt amor deliciae humani generis diceretur Hic in Imperio tantae bonitatis Domitian a vâ—ry wicked and persecuting Emperour fuit vt nullius omnino sanguinem fuderit sed conuictos aduersum se coniurationis dimitteret atque in eadem familiaritate qua antea habuerat retineret But after Euseb Hist in Chron. Marian Martin Matth. West Flor. supr the death of Titus his younger Brother Domitian taking the Empire vpon him differed so much from his Brother and Vespasian his Father before him that he fell into so greate pride and impietie that he caused and commaunded himselfe to be called and worshiped as God and was the second after Nero who setting forth his cruel Edicts to that end persecuted Christians and the Church of Christ Which crueltie of his allthough it did not extend to our Christian Britans as Rome still by the Roman Lawes enioying there their priuiledges and immunities from compulsion to square themselues in matters of Religion to the Emperiall lawes and Edicts yet being of force against all that had not such municipall prerogatiues many of these bannished and persecuted Many Christians in this Persecution of Domitian fled into Britaine Christians as in the Persecution of Nero before as our Protestant and other Antiquaries tell vs fled into this our Britaine whether that Persecution did not nor could extend it selfe for refuge and succour at the least vntill his wicked Edicts 15. yeares and some moneths after the beginning of his Empire immediately vpon his death for their crueltie were reuoked by Nerua his Successour who by his first Edict recalled all which Domitian had bannished Nerua primo edicto suo cunctos exules quos Domitianus relegauit reuocari praecepit Whereupon a Protestant Bishop and Antiquarie speaking of this time of Domitian Matth. Westm an Dom. 97. Godwin Conu of Brit. p. 18. Tripart hist l. 1. c. 7. calleth Britaine a refuge for Christians And addeth both from Cassiodorus and his owne iudgment It was not counted vnlawfull for these to be Christians that dwelt beyond Italy and France as in Britaine or neere the Pireney Mountaynes and so to the westerne Ocean Whereby vndoubtedly it came to passe that many professing Christ not daring to abide neere vnto the heart of the Empire as in Italy France or some other of the neerest Prouinces made choyce of our Britaine where to leade their liues in such sort as they might enioye libertie of conscience 3. By which meanes it seemeth that the number of our Apostolike men though their names be buried in obliuion by iniquitie of time was againe S. Ioseph of Aramathia diuers of his coÌ„pany died about this time as also others our primatiue Christians renewed and encreased diuers of the former now hastning to their death and some of them credibly deceased allready Among which we may with good warrant number S. Ioseph of Aramathia and others of his holy companions which though they were subiect vnto him as their Abbot and cheife yet for yeares and age litle or not at all inferiour vnto him in probable iudgment And S. Ioseph was so venerable for yeares before this time that the holy Euangelists as our Protestants translate them tell vs he was at the death of Christ one and thirtie yeares of age And he was as the Antiquities of Glastenbury with many other Authorities witnesse before his coming Matth. cap. 27. Marc. cap. 15. Luc. cap. 23. Ioa. cap. 19. into Britaine an honorable Counceller in high esteeme with the Iewes and so honoured by Pilate the President of Iury that he boldly had accesse vnto him asked and obtayned of him the body of Christ which he buryed in his one Tombe thinking thereby that he had not long to liue and so old he was at his coming hither that as many before haue thought his sonne Ioseph was consecrated a Bishop at the least assigned to that dignitie Therefore the auncient writers and Antiquities of this Historie say that within few yeares M. S. antiq de Vit. S. Ioseph ab Aramathia Io. Capgrau in eod Antiquit. Glast alij of their setling themselues at Glastenbury they gaue place to nature and ended their liues one earth and S. Ioseph as probably the rest was buryed by the holy Chappell which they had founded to the blessed Virgin Mary effluentibus paucis annorum curriculis sancti memorati carnis ergastulo sunt educti inter quos Ioseph sepultus est positus in linea bifurcata iuxta Oratorium praedictum And about this time our renowned Archbishop S. Aristobulus died heare a late writer saith by Martyrdome at Glastenbury setting downe the time about the yeare of Christ three score and ten which how true it is I dare Author of the Engl. Martyrol 15. day of March. not affirme because I finde none of his Authours which he citeth who are Arnoldus Mirmannius Dorotheus in Synopsi Baronius to deliuer any such thing but if we should leaue him to a naturall death we cannot coniecture
world but by that office and priuiledge gaue chardge to those that were in the Easte to doe the same And there setteth downe what Order S. Peter Epist r. supra and the other Apostles tooke for setting of Patriarks or Primats in the cheife Cities where in the Pagans time their Archflamens were and cheifest Doctours Archbishops for their lesse cheife Flamens and Bishops in the other ordinary Cities And what was appointed him by S. Peter and he promised Matt. Westm an 94. Protest not ib. Francisc Belleforest hist Gall. Francisc Feuâ—ardentius in lib. 1. Iren. cap. 3. Anton. Democh. cont Calum Guliel Eisengr ceÌ„t in his behalfe that he effectually performed as into France which he named with other kingdomes of his chardge before he sent S. Denys Nicasius Taurinus Trophimus Regulus Paulus Saturninus Astroniomus Martialis Gratianus Iulianus Lucianus Firmius Photinus with others and the places whether he directed them are for the most part Archbishop Sees to this day Therefore we cannot doubt but eytheâ— S. Clement did well knowe that this kingdome of Britaine was yet prouided of such Apostolike men still liuing from S. Peters establishing them heare or els sending so many into our next neighboring Countrie he remembred Britaine in the same or like measure especially seeing it is euidently his owne words that he had a greater care of Britaine accompted a rude and barbarous Countrie at that time and among such reputed by S. Clement and so distinguished by that note from Italy Spaine France and Germany by him where recompting them he addeth that into those Nations that be more rude or barbarous he must send more wise and Clem. supr Ep. 1. austiere Bishops or preachers then into the other Ciuill Nations Vbi autem ferociores rebelliores gentes esse cognouerimus illuc dirigere sapientiores austeriores necessè habemus qui quotidie non cessent diuina seminare semina multos Christo lucrari ad rectam fidem viam veritatis perducere And this the rather Anaclet Epist 3. because he setteth downe the Apostles Order which he was to followe to Primats and Archbishops by S. Peter and S. Clement their order heare in Britaine besides other Biâ—hops constitute Primats where the Pagans had their cheife Archflamens as he did in France and his immediate Successour S. Anacletus as he himselfe and diuers others testifie did write a booke or Cataloge he calleth it a Tome of the names of the Cities both in Britaine and other places where such were to be resident and this according to the prescript and practise of S. Peter and S. Clement Episcoporum ordo vnus est licet sint Primates illi qui primas Ciuitates tenent Illi autem qui in Metropoli à beato Petro Apostolo ordinante Domino Girald Cambr. l. 2. de Iure Metrop Eccl. Meneuen ad Innoc. 3. Ioa. Pris defeÌ„s hist Britan. p. 73. 74. Matt. Park antiq Brit. p. 24. Werner Rolwinck in Fascic an Dom. 94. Harris descript of Brit. Harris Hist Manus l. 1. Godwin Catal. Yorke Parlm 1. Marian. Scot. l. 2 aetat 6. Method apud eund ib. Martyr Rom. die 11. Aug. Vsuard eod die Petr. de Natal l. 4. Vincent l. 11. à praedecessore nostro praedicto sancto Clemente seu a nobis constituti sunt non omnes Primates vel Patriarchae esse possunt sed illae vrbes quae praefatis priscis temporibus Primatum tenuere Patriarcharum aut Primatum vtantur nominibus quiahaec eadeÌ„ leges saeculi in suis contineÌ„t Principibus aliae auteÌ„ primae Ciuitates quas vobis conscriptas in quodam Tomo mittimus à sanctis Apostolis à beato Clemente siue à nobis Primates praedicatores acceperunt And according to this Cataloge or Tome of S. Peter S. Clement and S. Anacletus iuxta Tomum Anacleti ex Anacleto huius Insulae diuisionem Canterbury London Caerlegion Yorke and Alba in Scotland by some taken to be the Citie now called S. Andrewes vrbs Legionum Cantuaria Londonia Eboraca Alba vnde Albania prouincia were designed Sees of such Primats as Giraldus Cambrensis in his second booke to Pope Innocentius the third Sir Ihon Prise Matthew Parker the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury with others testifie 7. Therefore seeing he plainely writeth that some of these Cities euen in Britaine had receaued such Primats from S. Peter or himselfe and we finde it witnessed by many that one S. Taurinus sent by S. Clement was Archbishop or Primate of Yorke which is one of the Sees remembred for such both by S. Peter S. Clement and S. Anacletus we may not vtterly deny that he was our first Primate in that Citie And if he was the same which was Bishop of Eureux in France sent by S. Clement as diuers hold being vsuall in that time as Methodius Marianus and others teach for one Bishop S. Taurinê° thought by some the first Archbishop of yorke and sente by S. Clement to preach in diuers places and Countryes he liued long much propagated the faith of Christ was renowned for Miracles he wrought as the auncient Roman Martirologe with others giue euidence Euangelij praedicatione Christianam fidem propagauit ac multis pro ea susceptis laboribus miraculorum gloria conspicuus obdormiuit in Domino But whereas some say and Harris supr l. 1. Matth. Westm an gratiae 115. Hector Boeth Scotor hist l. 5. for 76. 77. 78. alledge S. Antoninus for Authour that this S. Taurinus did raise from death a daughter of Lucius King of Britaine filiam Lucij Legis Britanniae a morte suscitauit I cannot be of that opinion for first Lucius our Christian King was not borne vntill the yeare of Christ 115. and we doe not reade of any daughter or child he had And though Lucius Antenous the Roman Prefect did as some write prescribe lawes heare and in that respect might S. Antoninus mistaken by some for writing S. Tauriâ—â—â— raised from 〈◊〉 a daughter 〈◊〉 â—ius King in 〈◊〉 be called King and liued in Yorke in the time of Adrian the Emperour and so both his name Title the place and time might well agree that S. Taurinus might there raise his daughter to life if he had any which died there being so Miraculous a man miraculorum gloria conspicuus Yet this could not be that Miracle which S. Antoninus speaketh of for in that very place which is cited for the raising of the daughter of King Lucius of Britaine he hath no such thing not once naming any Britaine much lesse any King of Britaine but plainely saith that the Father of that daughter which S. Taurinus raised from death to life was Lucius ciuis Ebroicensis Lucius a Citizen Francis Godwin Cat. of Bishops Yorke 1. of Eureux which is in France and farre from our Eboracum Yorke in Britaine Where as a Protestant Bishop writeth It is reported that Constantius Chlorus the Emperour appointed Taurinus Bishop
in that See was to be cheife Gouernour of all Churches and he gaue this instruction and direction generally vnto all and for all Christian people and Churches in all places and parts of the world Europe Asia or Afrike Anacl Epist 2. Epist 3. he immediately addeth of the Roman Church that by a singular Prerogatiue it did obtayne Primacie and Eminencie of power ouer all Churches and all Christian people not from the Apostles onely but from Christ himselfe haec verò sacro sancta Romana Apostolica Ecclesia non ab Apostolis sed ab ipso Domino Saluatore nostro Primatum obtinuit eminentiam potestatis super vniuersas Ecclesias ac totum Christiani populi gregem assecuta est as he said to S. Peter thou art Peter or a Rocke and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church c. sic vt ipse beato Petro Apostolo dixit Tu es Petrus super haue peâ—ram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Clem. Epist 3. Epist 2. And a litle after showeth againe how the Roman Church was made the cheifest by authoritie from heauen prima ergo Sedes est caelesti beneficio Romanae Ecclesiae Then he nameth the See of Alexandria to be the second where S. Peters Disciple S. Marke the Euangelist seated himselfe by S. Peters Authoritie Secunda autem Sedes apud Alexandriam beati Petri nomine à Marco eius Discipulo atque Euangelista consecrata est And the third at Antioch by Authoritie of S. Peter also who was there resident before he came to Rome and placed a Successour there Tertia autem Sedes apud Antiochiam eiusdem beati Petri Apostoli nomine habetur honorabilis quia illic priusquam Romam veniret habitauit And to leaue it without question that he sent the names of all other Cities and places whether in Britaine or else where in which Primats were to be being the Order of the Apostles that the Bishops of all Nations might know who was to be Primate or Cheife among them that they might yeeld him due honour he addeth there Reliquas verò vt praediximus in quodam Tomo prolixitatem vitantes Epistolae vobis conscriptas direximus Inde namque beati Apostoli inter se statuerunt vt Episcopi singularum scirent gentium quis inter eos primus esset quatenus ad eum potior eorum folicitudo pertineret How according to this Tome or booke of S. Anacletus this Iland was diuided into fiue Prouinces I haue in some sorte insinuated before which Giraldus Cambrensis relateth and diuers Protestants and others in this manner as he saith he founde it then both in Papall and Imperiall Acts or Constitutions Iuxta Prouinciarum numerum quas tempore Gentilitatis habuerat Insula quinque Metropoles Iuxta Girald Cambr. l. de Sedis Meueuensis dignitate Matth. Parker l. antiq Brit. p. 24. l. Pris defens Histor Britan. p. 73. 74. Io. Leland Indice Brit. ant v. Britanniae Beat. Rhenan l. de redus German 3. p. 123. 124. Wolefangus Lazius in CommeÌ„tarijs Reipub. Romanae p. 172. Tomum enim Anacleti Episcopi Romani sicut in Pontificalibus Romanorum gestis Imperialibus continetur directum Galliarum Episcopis iuxta statum gentilium ante Christi aduentum Britannia habuit Prouincias numero quinque Britanniam primam Britanniam secundam Flauiam Maximiam Valentiam Prima dicta est Occidentalis pars Insulae Britannia secunda Cantia Tertia Flauia quae Mertia Quarta Maximia idest Eboraca Quinta Valentia Albania seilicet quae nunc abusiue Scotia dicitur according to the number of Prouinces which it had in the time of the Pagans the Iland of Britaine hath fiue Metropolitan Cities For according to the Tome of Anacletus Bishop of Rome as it is contayned in the Decrees of the Popes of Rome and Emperours directed to the Bishops of France according to the state of the Gentils before the coming of Christ Britaine had fiue Prouinees Britaine the first Britaine the second Flauia Maximia Valentia The first was the west part of the Iland the second Kent the third Flauia called also Mertia The fourth Maximia that is to say Yorke The fift Valentia Albaniae now corruptly named Scotland The Metropolitan Citie of the first Britaine was Caerlegion The Metropolitan of the second Dorobernia now Canterbury In the third London In the fourth Yorke In the fift Alba taken to be the Citie now named S. Andrewes Thus farre Giraldus out of S. Anacletus Tome extant in his time as he hath witnessed both in the Papall and Imperiall Decrees 3. And this diuision of this Iland into fiue Metropolitan Sees according to S. Anacletus diuision was obserued by S. Damianus and Fugatianus in King Eleutherius time preaching the faith throughout all the Iland from Sea to Sea Qui fidem Christi per vniuersam Insulam à Mari vsque ad Mare plantauerunt which diuision might then be allowed by these Legats but that Canterbury and S. Andrewes actually had Primats in them must haue relation to later times but this argueth their auncient Right from the beginning to haue bene Metropolitan Cities as now they are and long time haue bene The first Canterbury not then made a Metropolitan See because giuing that Title to London it could not haue so many Cities and Bishops vnder it as the diuision of S. Anacletus prescribed then twelue in number And for the other in Scotland no meanes then to erect it to that dignitie the King being still a Pagan Sigonius also who expressely handleth this matter testifieth that Britaine was diuided into those fiue Prouinces before remembred and was so before Constantine the Greate his time which obserued the diuision Sigonius l. 4. de Occidentali Imperio p. 89. 90. made before paucis mutatis changing few things among which for Britaine probably was that he allowed the names Maxima or Maximia for Yorke and Valentia for Albania or Scotland the first so named from Maximinus Girald Cambr. Matth. Park Io. Pris alij supr and the other by Valentinian Which is proued by Sextus Rufus a Pagan writer who writing to the same Valentinian the Emperour of the Prouinces of France and Britaine mentioneth the rest of Britaine not naming Valentia vnknowne then by that name as it seemeth by his recitall of our Sext. Rufus Breu. rer gestar Po. Ro. ad Valentianum Augustum Anicetus Ep. Decret to 1. Concil Gratian. dist 30. Beatus Rhenanus rerum Germanic l. 3. p. 123. 124. Pelag. 2. Ep. Decret t. 2. CoÌ„c Nicen. Concil Can. 4. 6. 7. Concil Aâ—elat 2. Can. 5. Conc. Antioch 1. can 9. Prouinces omitting it an Argument that name was but lately giuen vnto it and after S. Anacletus time And what this holy Pope hath written before of the Apostles constituting such Primats and Metropolitans and the places where they should be is word by word approued by S. Anicetus about the yeare 167. so likewise by S. Lucius expressely citing S.
1. de Antiquit Cantab. Accadem in Arce Londin inter Antiquit. Concess vt idem supr p. 72. Britaine had bene instructed there in learning and Religion Vbi hactenus splendorem scientiae lumen doctrinae gratia fauente Conditoris mâ—i Praedecessores acceperunt And in particular speaking there of King Lucius what Immunities he granted to that Vniuersitie testifieth further that this our first Christian King did receaue the faith of Christ by the preaching of the learned Christian Schollers of Cambridge Sicut gloriosus Rex Britanniae Lucius decreuit Christianitatem amplectens praedicatione Doctorum Cantabrigiae This Charter was dated at London in the yeare of Christ 531. the seuenth day of Aprill Dat. Anno ab Incarnatione Domini 531. septimo die Aprilis in Ciuitate London The Charter of King Cadwalladar to Almericus Rector of the Schollers of Cambridge Almerico Rectori Scholarum Cantabrigiae giueth not vnlike testimonie when it witnesseth Charta Regis Cadwalladri Rect. Schol Cantabrig in Antiq Cantabr Io. Caium l. 1. de Antiq. Cant. Accadem p. 92. 93. 94. that his Praedecessours Kings of Britaine Lucius Asclepiodorus Constantine Vhother-Pendragon Arthur and his Father Ceadwall Kings of Britaine did honour and reuerence the Inhabitants of the Citie of Cambridge for their learning and sanctitie and because the cheifest Philosophers and louers of wisedome in all Europe had gone from that Citie Quemadmodum Antecessores mei Rectoribus eiusdem Ciuitatis concesserunt statuendo confirmauerunt videlicet Lucius Asclepiodorus Constantinus Wther-PendragoÌ„ Arthurus Pater meus Ceadwallus Britanniae Patris altissimi gratia Reges qui Ciuitatis Cantabrigiae habibatores causa doctrinae Cambridge renowned for learning longe before this time sanctitatis vitae honorantes in reuerentia habuerunt amore cum ex illa Ciuitate praecipue praecesserunt Philosophantes scientiae amatores totius Europae And before declareth how Cambridge the most renowned Mother of learning was builded and founded by Cantaber a Spaniard many hundred yeares before Christ and walled about by Grantinus Sintque Doctores Scholares illius celeberrimae matris Philosophiae Ciuitatis Cantabrigiae à Cantabro aedificatae necnon à Grantino Comite hono rabiliter muratae ab omni calumnia inquietatione scandalo liberi Which diuers Oxford men and Antiquaries though no friends to the glory of Cambridge yeeld vnto both Catholiks and Protestants 8. Therefore if Cambridge was so renowned for learning and Christian Io. Ross Histor Wilâ—iam Harris descript of Brit. c. 3. p. 148. Nich. Cantilupus Hist Cantab. Io. Bal. in Praefat. l. de Script Brit. Harding CroÌ„cle c. 25. f. 22. Merlin apud eund ib. Io. Ross Hist in StaÌ„ford Stow hist in Bladud Io. Caius Hist Cantabr Accad p. 20. Will. Harrison Descript of Brit. c. 3. pag. 148. Hector Boeth Hist Scot. Plutatchus Dial. Holinsh. descrip of Irland p. 48. Velleius Patercul Hist Rom. l. 1. Pontic Virun l. 1. Hist Brit. Io. Bal. supr in Praef. Sanctirie and Religion in the time of King Lucius we may boldly affirme that nine and many times nine Schollers there were Christians in this time and these nine were not the first that were conuerted there And as I haue spoaken of Cambridge so we may more then probably hold of our other Schooles or Vniuersities in this our Britaine then namely Stamford founded by King Bladud and furnished with Philosophers of Athens by him and so continued a place of learning vntill the coming of S. Augustine hither when it was by the Pope of Rome interdicted for Heresies Glamorgan before the first Arriuall of Iulius Caesar heare Eridon or Criclade and perhaps others For besides our owne Writers testifying these things Plutarch and other Groecians are witnesses that the learned GroeciaÌ„s had much resort into these parts euen this our Britaine before the birth of Christ And Velleius Paterculus is witnes that the learned Groecians dispersed themselues into many Countries and Cities to encrease learning Corpora gentis illius separata sunt in alias Ciuitates And Vitrunnius a Roman Writer plainely with the truth confesseth that our Britaine before Christs time euer loued learning and had their renowned men both for Greeke and Latine learning vnicum est in tot tantis turbinibus verum semper litteras amauit vtraque lingua saepè plurima floruerunt magni vates sicut Plenidius Oronius And all Histories forreine and domesticall Christian and Pagan Catholike and Protestant are full what a learned Sect that of the Druids was how they florished in France and of the learning of that Nation contending with Greece itselfe for prioritie and preeminencie therein and yet that the principall and cheifest of that profession were heare in Britaine therefore seeing they were with all mankinde borne in ignorance not learned but to learne and God did not doth not will not miraculously Many Learned meÌ„ of Britaine in other Schools besides Cambridge now conuerted infuse knowledge to such men his Enemies we must needs allowe them Accademies Shooles learning and teaching places to be first instructed and then instruct others in so many Arts and sciences for whose knowledge they are so much by all Antiquaries commended 9. Then to denie those which I haue recompted to haue bene their Schooles and teaching places testified for such by so greate Authoritie and seeke or feigne others without any allowance to supply that vse and office would argue vs of greate willfulnes in simplicitie or errour And for performing such a busines as the generall Conuersion of this Kingdome so lardge and ample to furnish and enioy so many Places and Dignities of Archbishops Bishops and other Cleargie with learned and worthie men will shortly and now at hand require vs to finde we must needs say that verie many both in Cambridge as also in all Schools in Britaine were conuerted to the faith of Christ catechised long before they were baptized and baptized no short time and enabled to instruct and teach others before they were thought worthie of holy Orders Preistly and Episcopall calling and dignitie to which by the lawe of the Ghospell of Christ Neophits new Conuertits and young Schollers were not to be admitted not without vrgent cause when such men could not possibly performe such duties and difficulties as in such time and circumstances are expected and of necessitie must be done by Clergie men And by this Conuersion of so many learned men of Cambridge then the principall Schoole and place of learning at one time and place and proportionably of other such places and learned persons therein being founded and dedicated for the Instruction of others from the highest the King himselfe to the lowest and meanest subiect we may easely learne what a greate meanes motiue and disposition it was to King Lucius his Nobles and all others to consider and diligently discourse and dispute with themselues and others how vnworthie that profession of their Pagan Religion was which so many
addeth all these workes Eugeny confirmed Then if Pope Eugenius or Harding Chron. f. 43. c. 51. Higinius confirmed and allowed these affaires and proceedings we must needs yeeld they were in a greate forwardnes in this his time No man can reasonably say that the name Eugeny is mistaken for Eleutherius for there is no proportion betweene those two names for any Authour Scribe or Printer to commit so greate an error especially no man correcting it as an escape in writing and to assure vs heareof the same Authour maketh mention in Hard. supr the same Page both of Eleutherius calling him by our English phrase Eleuthery and Higinius by the same manner of our languadge naming him as before Eugeny which confirmed these things And it is no maruaile or any singular thing but vsuall and the ordinary common course for Popes to giue such order before hand how things shall be setled when there is such hope of happy proceedings and Apostolike men taking the chardge in hand as heare it was at this time if God shall so cooperate with their labours and to proceede otherwise is to worke without warrant and Authoritie So S. Paul writeth to S. Titus that he had left him in Crete to constitute Bishops or Preists in euery Citie yet it would be greate and vnwarranted boldnes to say that S. Titus profited there so much in his time to make and ordaine so many Preists or Epist Pauli ad Tit. cap. 1. Bishops there for we are told by Homer Strabo liuing about S. Pauls time and others that there were an hundred Cities in Crete and there vpon it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the I le of an hundred Cities in Homers time Poeta aetate sua Cretam Strabo Geograp l. 10. p. 338. Homet Odyff 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est centum vrbibus instructam esse inquit So when S. Peter sent any Apostolike man or men into any Nation he gaue him direction and warrant where to constitute Bishops so did the other Apostles so did the Popes of Rome in this last Age in the Conuersion of America other Countryes and for this our Britaine I haue proued before that S. Anacletus euen by the order of the Apostles gaue direction and made a litle booke setting downe therein where Pirmats and others were to be resident and this when there was lesse hope of our Britans Conuersion then now and no such successe therein 4. Thus it was also in the time of S. Augustine when he was sent hither by S. Gregory to the Saxons He sent him his Archiepispopall Pall to be Archbishop of London yet he seated himselfe after by warrant at Canterbury and gaue him power to send an Archbishop to Yorke if that Country should receaue Greg. Epist ad August Bed Eccles Hist Gent. Angl. l. 1. c. 29. the Christian faith and he would send him an Archiepispopall Pall and that See should haue Bishops vnder it and be a Metropolitan See Ad Eboracum vero ciuitatem te volumus Episcopum mittere quem ipse iudicaueris ordinare ita du ntaxat vt si eadem ciuitas cum finitimis locis verbum Dei receperit ipse quoque duodecim Episcopos ordinet Metropolitani honore perfruatur Quia ei quoque si vita comes fuerit Pallium tribuere Domino fauente disponimus And yet it is certaine that S. Augustine in his time neuer sent Archbishop to Yorke neither did he make aboue two Bishops in his owne Prouince S. Mellitus at London and S. Iustus at Rochester Neither did S. Gregory liue to send a Pall to any Archbishop of Yòrke or see any there Neither euer had that See since the Saxons time twelue or halfe twelue Bishops vnder it Neither did S. Augustine who receaued this warrant for all the Saxons preuaild so farre nor all that came with him or after him from Rome to conuert halfe the English Nation but farre the greater part of them was conuerted by holy Bishops Preists Religious men which were of our auncient Hierarchiall Brittish succession and order heare And allthough I doe not finde it expressely affirmed in any Antiquarie but Harding that S. Higinius now Pope did so particularly giue assistance and direction in this busines of our Britains Conuersion yet many very auncient and renowned Writers giue such testimonie herein that we must needs graunt that to be most true which Harding affirmeth and that after coming Scribes and Copiers of their Histories haue done the Authours wronge by their negligence or ignorance in writing one man for another Eleutherius for Higinius For among others S. Bede as he is extant saith that King Lucius of Britaine did write to the Pope of Rome in the yeare Bed Eccl. Hist l. 1. c. 4. of the Incarnation of our Lord 156. anno ab Incarnatione Domini centesimo quinquagesima sexto that by his order or command he might be a Christian Obsecrans vt per eius mandatum Christianus efficeretur The Manuscript Antiquities of the Church of Landaffe more auncient in probable Iudgment then S. Bede Antiq. M. S. Eccles Landaffen Galfr. Monum Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 1. Hist Brut. Stowe Hist in Lucius Caius Anti. Cātabr l. 1. p. 107. M. S. ant and written by a Brittan which should not be ignorant in that the greatest busines of his Country giueth the same testimonie of the same yeare anno ab Incarnatione Domini 156. The auncient Authour of the Brittish Historie also a Brittan maketh King Lucius a Christian in and before this yeare 156. in direct termes So testifieth the old Historie called Brutus auncient Records belonging to the Guildehall in London the Antiquities of S. Edwards Lawe◠Goceline in the life of S. Augustine so writeth Nauclerus and diuers auncient Manuscript Antiquities which I haue seene Therefore to saue so many auncient and worthie Authours and their Scribes from a double error both of the time and name of the Pope to whome King Lucius did now write we must needs lay this single taxe vpon such as haue Transcribed their Histories that they did mistake the name of the Pope writing Eleutherius for Higinius And this they were more easily drawne vnto because they found that Pope Eleutherius was a greate Agent in the generall Conuersion of this Nation which was long after this time and their Scribes are more excusable in this point And this by their leaue we must say or els both wander from the proued truth of this Historie and lay a double imputation of mistaking vpon these Authours or their Transcribers For it is euident by all Antiquities that S. Eleutherius was not Pope many yeares after this time which they must contradict if they will maintaine their mistaking And where they say that King Lucius wrote to the Pope of Rome in this yeare they must recall that and say he wrote then to no Pope for Eleutherius was not Pope vntill long after King
was baptized his subiects followed his example Matth. Westm in such order that in a short time there was not heare any Infidell to be found Quod cum factum fuisset concurrerunt ad Baptismum Nationes diuersae exemplum Regis sequentes ita vt in breui nullus inueniretur Infidelis Hartmannus Schedel reporteth Hartni Scedel Chron. Chronic. f. 115. p. 2. Epist S. Patricij apud Capgrau in vita eius Leland assert Arthurij Antiq. Glast Scriptor vitae S. Helenae apud Capgrau in Catalog as others before that these Legats baptized the King and his people Regem ipsum ac populum The Historicall Relation of S. Patrike commonly called his Epistle witnesseth that they conuerted both the King people trauailing quite through Britaine Phaganus Deruianus Regem cum suo populo ad fidem conuerterunt peragrantes Britanniam The old Authour that wrote S. Helen her life recordeth how vpon the Baptisme of King Lucius all the people of the whole Nation presently flocked together to be instructed in the faith of Christ and were baptized Nec mora concurrentes vndique totius Nationis populi Regis exemplum insequuntur eodemque salutari lauachro mun dati caelesti Regno restituuntur Harding thus setteth it downe in his olde verses Eleuthery the first at supplication Harding Chron. c. 51. f. 43. Of Lucius sent him two holy menne That called wer Faggan and Duuyen That baptized him and all his Realme throughoute With hertes glad and laboure deuoute Sigebertus saieth generally of the Britans without restriction that they Sigebert Chron. in Regno BritaÌ„norum receaued Christianitie by the Legats of Pope Eleutherius sent at the request of their King Lucius Britanni instantia Lucij Britanniarum Regis per Legatos Eleutherij Papae Mysteria Christianitatis perceperunt Walterus Rollwink in his Fasciculus writeth that Fuganus and Damianus the Legats of Pope Eleutherius baptized both King Lucius and his people who vpon the solemne Baptisme of their King submitted themselues to Christian Religion Eleutherius Walter Rollw in Fascicul teÌ„p an 184. misit Legatos Lucio Regi Britonum qui eum cum populo suo baptizarunt Solemniter Rege Lucio baptizato subiectus populus eius exemplo fidei colla submisit pacificè THE XVII CHAPTER HOW IN BRITAINE THESE HOLY LEGATS placed Archbishops and Bishops in our Cyties Archbishops in the places of Archflamens and Bishops for Flamens And how by all writers such dignities were among the auncient Pagans both in Britaine and other Nations 1. WHEN the Ecclesiasticall affaires of Britaine had thus prosperously proceeded that the King and all his Nobilitie were become Christians as Gildas Nennius the Antiquities of Landaffe and others after them testifie Rex cum vniuersis Britanniae Regulis Baptismum susceperunt And as an other Copie of Gildas agreeing with Nennius readeth Lucius Britannicus Rex cum vniuersis Regulis totius Britanniae Baptismum susceperunt And in the Antiquities of Landaffe Lucius totius Britanniae Primates Baptismum susceperunt And all Scholes Cities Druids Teachers and Schollers of Idolatrie were thus conuerted to Christ as all our Antiquaries Catholiks and Protestants haue deliuered so that all both Rulers and subiects both temporall and such as were then called spirituall had now embraced that Religion and worship of God which as it was diametrically as it were repugnant to the superstions of the Gentils in Britaine about their Idols termed Gods so it vtterly condemned many of their barbarous and prophaine customs and obseruations in meerely ciuill and human affaires and proceedings as I haue in very many things intollerable to be practized or permitted giuen Instance before Therefore as the state of Religion and reueâ—ence to God was now changed and onely heare wanted an externall Authoritatiue setling of an Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie of Bishops Preists Cleargie men to gouerne in Religion and places or Churches for professing and publike practise of the same which were now to be prouided by these holy Legats so King Lucius as the Vicar of Christ in this kingdome in temporall things as S. Eleutherius stileth him in his Epistle about this busines wrote vnto that holy Pope for his direction also in this greate affaire of changing his temporall Lawes to make all sure that nothing should be receaued and established heare either concerning the dutie and office of man to God or man to man one towards an other but what should haue direction or allowance Godwin Conu of Brit. p. 26. The Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie of Archbishops Bishops Preists and other Clergy men now setled heare by the Popes authoritie from the See Apostolike of Rome Of this second I will speake when I haue in some manner finished or deliuered the first the setling or founding our Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and gouernement in such affaires 2. That these Roman Legats did presently vppon our Conuersion appoint the Sees of Bishops and Archbishops according to the place and number of the Flamens and Archflamens of the Pagans is so generally receaued for an vndeniable truth in Antiquities as a Protestant Bishop singularly excepting one other of his profession heare naming him that he perceiueth not any that haue gainesaid it before Maister Doctor Sutcliffe But contrariwise diuers both auncient and learned are to be found that haue partly broached it and partly applauded the same And yet this bold faced man against all learned Antiquitie in his owne confession pleaseth to call it a deuise so childish and ridiculous as he cannot but wonder that any man of Learning and Iudgment should approue it And bringeth no more reason then he doth Authoritie for this his singularitie Onely he saith that Fenestella which directly teacheth this dignitie of Archflamens among the Gentils is not the auncient Fenestella which was in the time of Tiberius the Emperour but a man of later time then that which Fenestella printed published by the ProtestaÌ„ts of Basile may not be so shuffled ouer vpon the bare word of one Protestant of England against all his Brethren in Basile where by their Authoritie the booke was printed and published for a true auncient Fenestella And it is a strange conceite of his to be vttered to vewe to thinke to Father this opinion first vpon Gratian as thus he doth The defendor of this conceit is Gratian whome I doubt not we may accompt the first Authour of the same For I haue proued in the first chapter of this Age at lardge both by Catholiks and Protestants that diuers lyuing and writing in the time of the Apostles were of this opinion and proued it by the practise of the Apostles themselues which appointed Primats for those cheife Cities of Prouinces where in the time of the Gentils their Archflamens were resident and Ruled and gaue order this vsadge should be obserued by Posteritie And this Protestant Bishop contradicteth himselfe in this matter for first making Gratian Authour heareof presently he thus addeth of him True
these Druids there is one Primate which hath cheife Authoritie ouer them Where the Marginall note likewise is among the Druids one Primate and cheife ouer the rest And Ammonius speaking also in the words of Caesar hath the same and addeth further that when this Primate or Archflamen dyed an other the most worthie was substituted in his place by voices of the Flamens or Druids and sometime this Primacie or Principalitie was decided by armes His autem omnibus Druidibus praeest vnus qui summam inter eos habet Authoritatem Hoc mortuo si quis ex reliquis excellit dignitati succedit aut si sint plures pares suffragio Druidum Nonnunquam etiam armis de Principatu contendunt Wâ—ich must needs be vnderstood of the Druids and Flamens in one Prouince where there was also one temporall Gouernor and not of all the Druids and Flamens that were dispersed either in France Germanye and Britaine ioyntly together or any one of these greate Nations hauing diuers Prouinces and seuerall temporall Regents and Regiments at that time as all Histories proue After these Pagans so write our Christian Antiquaries euen Protestants habebant Druides sui ordinis supremum Pontificem Hâ—â—ric Pantal. de vitis Illustrib part 1. cap. 41. Magdeburgen centur 2. pag. 15. Beat. Rhenan Reâ— Germanic l. 3. pag. 123. 124. quo mortuo alius qui dignitate pollebat eligebatur Which supremus Pontifex highest spirituall man is as much as Archflamen or the like The Magdeburgians say there were diuers orders of such among the Gentils some Pontifices Maximi others Flamens and the inferior Preists Alij Pontifices Maximi appellantur alij Flamines Beatus Rhenanus deliuereth how the primatiue Christians did place Archbishops and Metropolitans according to the Prouinces of the Pagan Romans and particularly reciteth many saying they had Archbishops and Metropolitans for their old Primacy in the Pagans times propter ciuitatum veterem primatum and this is that saith he which Pope Lucius saith Cities and places in which Primats ought to gouerne were appointed long before Christ Atque hoc est quod Lucius Papa dicit apud Gratianum dist LXXX vrbes inquit loca in quibus Primates praesidere debent non a modernis sed multis ante Christi aduentum statutae sunt temporibus Quorum Primatus etiam pro maioriâ—us negotijs appellabant And there acknowledgeth that both this S. Lucius which was Pope in the yeare 155. and S. Clement Successor to S. Peter directed that these Metropolitans should be placed where ArchflameÌ„s were in the time of the Pagans The first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury his Successor there Whitegift Foxe Ihon Prise Barnes and other principall Protestants of England acknowledg as much and proue it from S. Anacletus Matth. Parker Ant. Brit. Whitgift against Cartw. Pris def hist Britan. Rob. Barnes in Vit. Pontif. in Anacl Otto Frigens Chron. l. 3. c. 2. and others that it was an Apostolicall ordination that such should succeed in place of the Pagan Archflamens Therefore seeing there is so generall a consent herein of all writers I will coÌ„clude with that auncieÌ„t Noble and learned Bishop Otto FrigeÌ„sis that wrote before GratiaÌ„ or the TraÌ„ssator of the Brittish Historie speaketh as plainely as either Fenestella did or any man can doe and with the generall opinion of Christians in his time vbi sub principibus gentium Flamines erant ibi postmodum a nostris locati sunt Episcopi Vbi illi Archiflamines nos Archiepiscopos vbi illi Protoflamines nos Primates seu Patriarchas habere caepimus omnes quidem vnius ordinis sed pro differentia ciuitatum diuersae dignitatis where vnder the Primas of the gentils there were Flamins there by Christians Bishops were placed Where they had Archflamens we began to haue Archbishops Where they had Protoflamens there we had Primats or Patriarks all of one order but of different dignitie for the diuersitie of the Cities THE XVIII CHAPTER IN WHAT PLACES OF BRITAINE THESE cheifest commanding Archflamens were to witt at London Yorke and Caerlegion and how these Roman Legats placed for them Archbishops with their seuerall commands and Iurisdictions some of them by the Apostolike power extending and commanding ouer Prouinces and Countryes not temporally subiect to King Lucius of Britaine or the Romans but rather enemyes vnto them in cyuill affayres 1. HAVING thus inuincibly proued by all Antiquities that there The â—ld Bâ—ittiâ—h 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Arcâ—flamens Flaâ—es Aâ—chbiâ—â—ops and â—ishops with thâ—ir Sees were among the Gentils especially in this kingdome of Britaine not onely Flamins but Archflamens and they seated in the principall gouerning Cities in seuerall Prouinces and how after the comming of Christ euen from the Apostles time and by their ordinance and Institution their Residences were to be changed into Archiepiscopall or Metropolitan cheife commanding Sees in the Christian Religion If we had no other particular proofe for this but in generall termes S. Edwards Lawes the testimonie of Gildas Nennius the Antiquities of Landaffe S. Isidorus who as Pope Eleutherius also calleth this Nation Gens Bruti Thomas Archbishop of Yorke a NormaÌ„ by birth in the time of King William the Leges S. Edwardâ— Reg. apud Gul. Lamb. l. de Prisâ—â—s legib f. â—â—6 Gildas apud 〈◊〉 l. 1. cap. 17. Vâ—r. l. 1. Cestren Pontic Nenn. Hist Ant. Land Ecc. Isid l. Etiml Thom. Ebor. apud Stowe â—â—â—ofe of Brute â—hahessinus aâ—â—d Prâ—s pag. 27. Guâ—iel Malmes apud eund Henr. Hunt Hâ—stor de Regâ—b Britan. Gualt Oxon. apud Harding ca. 16. Bal. 2. cent Sigeb Gembl Hist de Regno Brit. MariaÌ„ apud Harding c. 16. Literae defensoâ—iae Eduardi Regis 1. ad Papam Rom. apud Tho. Walsing Hist in Eduardo 1. Ypodig Neustriae an 13 1. Gildas apud Raâ— Higeden Manuscr chron c. 4â— Galfr. Mon. l. 1. Hist Brâ—t c. 17. Pontic Virun l. 1. Sigebertus An. 437. Haâ—â—m Scedel Chron. Chron. Ranulp Hâ—geden ca. 47. Stowe histor in Brute Harding Chronicl f. 16. c. â—â— first Thaliessinus aboue 1000. yeares since William of Malmesbury Henry of Huntington Gualterus Calenus Sigebertus with many others before Galfridus Monumetensis wrote and himselfe Virunnius and innumerable after both of this and other Nations and publike Parlaments as that in the time of King Edward the first at Lincolne where after most diligent search of Antiquities and due examination as this greatest matter of the right of a kingdome required sent his Apologeticall letters to the Pope of Rome sealed with an hundred seales and witnesses Rex Angliae ex deliberato apud Lincolniam conuocato Consilio pro iure suo declarando literam huius tenoris rescripsit centum sigillis signatam Wherein is declared and iustified that in the time of Hely and Samuel the Prophet Brutus the Troian landed heare and by his owne name called the Country Britannia before named Albion de nomine suo Britanniam sociosque suos Britones appellauit And
hauing three sonnes Locrinus Albanact and Camber did at his death diuide the IlaÌ„d into three parts or Prouinces Loegria now England to Locrinus his eldest sonne Albania Scotland to Albanact the second and Cambria Wales to Camber the youngest Locrino primoginito dedit illam partem quae quondam Loegria nunc vero Anglia nominatur Albanacto filio natu secundo dedit Albaniam quae nunc Scotia vocitatur Cambro vero tertio filio dedit Cambriam quae modo wallia nominatur reseruata Locrino Regia dignitate This might suffice for this busines for being testified with so many domesticall and forreine priuate and publike witnesses that this Tripartited diuision was heare from the beginning and first name of Britaine we must needs for euery seuerall part and Prouince assigne a seuerall gouernment and order therein as their Rulers and Gouernours were diuers and distinct 2. But our Antiquities carry vs further and informe not onely that London Yorke and Caerlegion were the seuerall cheife Cities in this diuision but the Kings which founded them for such ordayned them likewise to be the Seats and Residences of three seuerall Archiflamens or Protoflamens For the glory and Noblenes of London therevpon named Augusta I haue spokeÌ„ before and as it is the common opinion in Antiquities that it is the most auncient Citie of this Iland builded by Brutus as not onely the Brittish Historie Galfridus Virunnius and our English Antiquaries after them but Gildas Sigebertus and others sufficiently witnes and except M. Stowe is deceaued in his Authours Aethicus an old Pagan Philosopher testifieth no lesse affirming that Brutus named this kingdome Brutannia And Ihon Harding in his plaine verse with others recordeth how he there from the very beginning instituted an Archflamens Seate And Troynouant he made full especially An Archflaume his Sâ—e Cathedrall certayne A temple thereof Apolyne to optaine By Troian Lawe This is commonly written to haue bene 1100. yeares before Christ And it is a coÌ„mon receaved opinion among our Antiquaries that EbraÌ„cus sonne to Mempricius about 100. yeares after builded the Citie of Yorke calling it after his name Kairbranke as both Brittans and Saxons Catholiks and Protestants consent Whereas Harding and Stowe with others affirme he seated an Archflamen Harding saith Hee made a Temple in Ebranke Citie Harding Chron. c. 21. f. 22. Stowe Hist in Ebranke Of Diane where an Archflamen he sett To rule Temples as that time was his dett In the tweÌ„tith yeare of his Reigne writeth Stowe he builded Kayrbranke since by the Saxons called Euorwike now corruptly Yorke wherein he builded a Temple to Diana and sett there an Archflamen and was there buryed when he had reigned 60. yeares Thus auncient these our Historians make Archflamens in Britaine and I haue related their very words not that I thinke the name and worde Archflamen but onely their office and calling among the Gentils to be so auncient as the time assigned to our Brutus but of youÌ„ger continuance and age by diuers hundreds of yeares the word Flamen not knowne vntill the time of Numa Pompilius and taken from a kinde of attyre worne vppon their heads on Festiuall dayes yet the office of Flamen Ranulp Higed l. 1. c. 24. and Pontifex and Archflamen and summus Pontifex was allwayes the same among the Pagans 3. The Institution of the third Archflamen at Caerlegion vppon vske was of later time as also the Foundation of that Citie first builded by Belinus as the Brittish Historie Galfridus Virunnius Matthew Westm Ranulph Higeden Caxton Harding Stowe Hollinshed and to write in his words most parte of Holinshed Hist Engl. lâ—b 3. cap. 4. Galfr. Mon. l. 3. Hâ—st c. 10. Vâ—run l. 3. Matth. West aetat 5. Ranulpâ— Higeden l. 1. c. 48 all our writers haue deliuered Galfridus calleth this Citie Kaerose Virunnius nameth it Caerusc the Monke of Westm Kaerusc Higeden termeth it Caerhuth And such nake it kept vntill the comming of the Romans hither when of their Legions wintring there it was named Caerlegion as also Chester was as the same Ranulphus which liued and wrote his Historie there with others witnesseth And this Caerusc was the Metropolis of those parts And as diuers of the Authours testifie Belinus seated an Archflamen there as he also confirmed the Archflamens of London and Yorke Thus among Harding Cron. f. 29. c. 33. others Harding relateth Three Archflamens he made through all Britaine As Archbishops now in our Lawes bene There Temples all to gouerne and domaine At Troynouant one Logres to ouersene Her fals Gods to serue and to queme At Ebranke an other for Albany And at Caerleon for Cambre one soueranly So hath Stowe with others And their generall agreement is that these Stowe Hist in Belâ—n were the cheife most renowned and Metropolitan Cities in Britaine which being so amply proued and so many consenting that there were Archflamens in them all so long before the coÌ„ming of Christ lesse Authoritie then we haue for this matter might serue vs to coÌ„fesse that seeing at the abolishing of these Pagan Rulers and Rites they ought to be and were changed into so many Archbishops or Metropolitans in Christian Religion And this is so euident a truth in Histories that the Protestant Bishop himselfe which before with one onely opposed against Archflamens freely confesseth that at this time Archbishops were placed in those three Cities in Britaine and in them onely where so many haue testified and shall testifie further hereafter these Archflamens were resident Thus he writeth At what time Christian Godwin Cat. of Bishops in London 1. p. 181. edit an 1615. Râ—â—â—gion 〈◊〉 first publiâ—ly receaued in this Island there were established in the same 28. Sees or Cathearâ—â—i Churches whereof three were Archbishopricks Yorke whose Prouince was Scotland and the North of England Caerlegion now called Carlcon vpon vsk to which the Churches of Wales where subiect and lastly London that had Iurisdiction ouer the rest of England 4. Therefore this which is the cheifest matter in this busines being thus granted by all and the other so sufficiently proued I will onely add to the former for the more euidency hereof the testimonie of some few others such as eyther were before the time of Geffery of MoÌ„mouth the Translatour of the Brittish History or tooke their notice from other Authours then that History Ranulphus Higeden in his Manuscript History citeh Alfridus Beuerlacensis who by a Protestant Bishop wrote an excellent History from the beginning of the Britans and coming of Brute hither to his owne time in the Reigne of King William the Bastard allmost 100. yeares before Geffery of Monmouth could write Ab origine Britannorum ad suam aetatem vsque contexuit Historiam Io. Bal. l. de Scrip. cent 2. in Alfrid Beueâ—lacen Alfâ—idus Beuerl apud Ranulph â—â—geden l. 1. c. 52 de Episcopâ—tâ—b in lâ—bro Manusc perpulchram And writeth as Ranulphus citeth him that in the time of Lucius the first Christian
heare were now changed into Bishops and Archbishops the three ArchflameÌ„s as also the Archbishops which were ordayned in their places were at London Yorke and Caerlegion in Wales So also testifie our English Cronicles as the old English Chronicle published by Caxton Caxton Historie in King Lucius Old Manuscript Engl. Chronicle in K. Lucius Hoâ—â—â—h hist of Engâ— lib. 4. cap. 19. Stow. Howes Hist an 179. in Lucius Theater of great Britaine l. 6. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Eleuther Stowe supr Godwin Conuers of Brit. p. 26. Io. Selden Analect c. 6. Pomp. Laet. de Sacerd. Rom. c. 7. Fenestâ—â—l de Sacerd. Rom. c. 5. and thereby commonly called Caxtons Chronicle likewise doth an other more auncient English Manuscript History So testifie our Protestant Historians Raphael Holinshed Howes and Stowe the Protestant Theater writers Barnes Whitgift Bridges Barlowe and others against the Puritans and to conclude with two Protestants Stowe and Godwine the first saith it is the common opinion of the writers of that time The other as before granteth it is the Iudgment of diuers both auncient and learned and so generall that he a greate Searcher into Antiquities perceaueth not any that haue gaynesaid it before Doctour Sutcleffe And he is wholly reiected therein by such Prorestant Antiquaries as haue written since among whome M. Ihon Selden following the generall opinion of changing Flamens and Archflamens in Britaine to Bishops and Archbishops and placing the Archflamens and Archbishops in London Yorke and Caerlegion and citing both Pomponius Laetus and Fenestella addeth Quemadmodum autem Episcopis apud nos Archiepiscopi sic Flaminibus Archiflamines praeponebantur As among vs Christians Archbishops are aboue Bishops so in the Pagans Lawe were Archflamens aboue Flamens And he proueth with the rest before that although neither King Lucius nor the Roman Emperours had any command in Scotland yet these Legats submitted that Country to the Archbishop of Yorke his Iurisdiction diuisis Parochijs subiacuit Metropolitano Eboracensi Deira Albania quas magnum flumen Humbri à Loegria fecerunt And citing Polyder and Camden he addeth that in Polid. Virgil. l. 13 Hâ—st Camden â—n Brig auncient time the Archbishop of Yorke was Primate of Scotland and this was reestablished in a Prouinciall Councell heare by Hugo the Popes Legate in the time of King Henry the second Eboracensis autem Archiepiscopus in omnes Scotiae Praesules ac Antistites iure Primatus olim fungebantur Quod resancitum erat sub Henrico secuÌ„do Hugone Legato PoÌ„tificio His first Authour saith Polyd. Virgil. Angl. Hist l. 13. in Henric. 2. pag. 234. it was vrged in this Councell by Roger then Archbishop of Yorke that the Right of that See to haue Power ouer the Scottish Bishops might be restored vnto it for the Popes of Rome had euen from the beginning ordayned the Bishop of Yorke to be Primate of all Scotland and the Orchades and the rest of the Ilands Which Lawe so made the Bishops of those places had kept many yeares Agitatum est vt Rogerio Archiepiscopo Eboracensi qui id temporis eam tenebat sedem ius in Episcopos Scotiae restitueretur Quandoquidem Romani Pontificâ—s George Buc. kniâ—ht discourse of the 3. Vmuersitie c. 6. of S. Peteâ—s in Cornehill i am inde ab initio sanxerant ipsum Eboracensem Antistitem totius quoque Scotiae atque Orchadum caeterarumque Insularum Primatem Quam sanè datam legem eorum locorum Episcopi per multos deinde annos seruarunt The auncient Armes of S. Peters Church one Cornhill as our ProtestaÌ„t Antiquaries deliuer theÌ„ will keepe in memory from whom Religion heare receaued Foundatian Thus 〈…〉 and Archiâ—pisâ—opall Church â—â— S. Peter in 〈◊〉 LoÌ„dâ—n 〈…〉 they write This most famous Schoole Church of S. Peter in Chornill by right of prioritie and precedencie which belongeth to Antiquitie should haue the first place for it is held by our best Antiquaries to be the most aunciâ—nt Christâ—â—n Church of London being founded about the yeare of Christ 160. and it is recorded to be the most auncient See both of the Arâ—hbishops and also Bishops of â—â—ndon The Armes of this Church and Schoole of S. Peter in Cornhill be Argent a Crosse gules empaled with S. Peters keyes or the feild Azure But Sulchardus a Monke of Sulchard Monach Westm an 1061. Richard Vit. Hist l. 5. Westminster writing there in or about the yeare of Christ 1060. testifieth with others after him that S. Lucius King founded the first Metropolitan See of Londâ—â— at Westminster out of the Ruines of a Temple there formerly erected to 〈◊〉 THE XVIV CHAPTER OF THE EPISCOPALL SEES AND CITIES of the Inferiour Bishops subordinate to the Archbishops which where and how many they were ordayned by these Roman Legats and continued Bishops Sees in the Romans and Britans time 1. HAVING thus seated and disposed of our holy Primatiue Arche Cheife Higher and commanding Bishops in their seuerall Sees and Iurisdictions Method and Order by relatiue and mutuall connexion betweene such Where other Bishops were now placed in Britaine in this time with our auncient Cyties their Sees and Ordinary Lower Suffragan and Inferiour Bishops calleth vppon mee to setle these also so well as a desolation of our Antiquities will permitt in their Cities Dioceses and Gouernments We haue had two Rules from Antiquitie deliuered vnto vs before to help vs in this labour One that they were placed as the custome was from the beginning in our Brittish Cities The other that they were ordayned where the Pagan Flamens were before Gildas writeth that Britaine had eight and twenty Cities besides strong Castles but nameth them not Bis denis bisque quaternis ciuitatibus instructa So do many others Gildas libro de conq exidio Brit. in initio Nennius in proaem hist Manuscript among whom Nennius or Nenius is one and he deliuereth both the number and names of our Brittish Cities in this Order Haec sunt nomina omnium ciuitatum quae sunt in tota Britannia quarum numerus est 28. These are the names of all the Cities which be in all Britaine being 28. in number Cair Gnoricon Cair Guerthigirn Cair Municip Cair Megnod Cair Eboranc Cair Caratanc Cair Mauchguid Cair Caint Cair Peris Cair Legion Cair Regent Cair Guerit Cair Lerion Cair Pensanelcoit Cair Celermon Cair Gunting Cair Luordijs Cair Colan Cair Custemt Cair Granth Cair Lunden Cair Guoirangon Cair Danu Cair Legion Cair Britto Cair Droithan Cair Vrnach Cair Luitcoit Thus they are recompted by Nennius in one Copy In an other more auncient they are related thus Cair Guntgme Cair miuncip Cair Ligalid Meguard or Meguid Colun Ebranc Custemt Carntanc Granth Manuguid Lunden Guorchigirn Gumigon Peris Claun Legion Guricon Segemt Cair Legion Guar Vsic Guent Brithon Lerion Draithon Cair Pensa Vell Coit Vrnach Celennon Cair Luit Coit Thus they are seuerally written in those two seuerall Manuscript Copies of
Simenorum Venta Icenorum and Verolamium where S. Albons standeth was famous euen with the Pagan writer Cornelius Tacitus and Ptolomaeus So was Barwicke which Ptolomy nameth Tuesis of the Ryuer thereby passing diuiding England and Scotland Hector Boethius saith that Corinimum which now we call Shrewsbury was in auncient time a most famous Towne oppidum olim celebratissimum And at the comming of S. Augustine hither besides their Archbishop there were seuen other Bishops of seuerall Sees and Cities in that Iurisdiction of which scarcely any one in probable Iudgment is before recited 4. Therefore to trauaile no further in this enquiry we haue found more then a sufficient number of old Brittish Cities to setle 3. Archbishops and 28. Bishops in and yet not carry any of them into Scotland but onely where King Lucius and the Romans ruled Now I will endeuour particularly to The Episcopall Sees and Cities in particular in that Age. finde out the seuerall Cities and Sees of all many or most of them A late writer in a Manuscript Historie neuer yet printed thus recounteth them Winchester Glocester Cilicester Worcester Chechester Bangor Hereford Cardiffe Landaffe Morgan Alclud Canterbury Godmanchester in Huntington Haâ—â—is Manusc Tom. 2. in Lucius shiere where S. Machutus was Bishop about the yeare of our Lord 550. for the rest except the three Archbishop Sees London Yorke and Caerlegion he confesseth ignorance where they were A Protestant Historian William Harrison in his Description of England hath vsed some more diligence in this busines And thus proceedeth herein in old time we reade that there were eight William Harrison description of England c. 13. of Cities and Townes and twenty Flamins and Archflamins in the South part of this Isle and so many greate Cyties vnder their Iurisdiction Then to shew where they were and where Archbishops and Bishops succeeded them he addeth If any man be desirous to knowe the names of those auncient Cyties that stood in the time of the Romans he shall haue them heare at hand in such wise as I haue gathered them out of our writers obseruing euen their manner of writing of them so neare as to mee is possible without alteration of any corruption crept vp into the same Then he setteth downe the names of these auncient Cyties in this order Lundon Yorke Canterbury Colchester Lincoln warwicke aunciently called Cair Guttelin Cair Line or Cair Leon Cair Gwair Cair vmber Cair Gwaerton Chester or Cair Legion vpon Vsk Carleill S. Albons aunciently named Cair Maricipit Cair Municip verolamium Verlamcester and Cair watteling of the street whereon it stood Winchester Cisceter Silcester Bath Shastesbury worcester Chichester Bristow Rochester Portchester Cair Marden Glocester Leircester Cambridge formerly stiled Grantabric Cair Graunt After these 23. he addeth Cair vrnach peraduenture Burgh castle Cair Cucurat Cair Draiton now a slender villidge Cair Celemon Cair Megnaid pleading Ignorance of the fiue last places as likewise Cair Dorman of which I haue spoken before and Alcluid of which more hereafter But seeing both Britans and Saxons Catholiks and Protestants before haue agreed vpon these Cities and the diuision of this Iland into Loegria Albania and Cambria wales and that in England or Loegria alone there were so many Cities in the Britans time as are remembred onely two of them Cair Leon vpon vsc and Cair Merthen to be found in wales except we will place Cair Guorchigirn there we may not depriue the Archbishop there of his Suffragan Bishops nor that auncient Countrye of the old Cities but say these fiue not to be found in any part of Loegria by any Authour were Cities of wales howsoeuer their names vpon many accidents be changed since Nennius time and diuers of them were Episcopall Sees allthough Cair Draiton bewraieth itselfe to be no older then the Saxons Languadge heare and so could not be a Bishops See in the Reigne of King Lucius For most of the rest the onely Argument of this Protestant Authour finding them called by diuers old Brittish names if we had no other giueth them probable title to that Honour 5. But I shall help him with more both reasons and Authoritie herein Harding c. 25. 26. 27. Harding Cron. c. 23. 24. Stowe and Howes Hist in Bladud Leir Harris Hist Galfr. l. 2. Virun l 2. Annal. Wintomen Manuscr Godwin Catal. of Bishops Winchester 1. For the auncient Cities of Canterbury winchester Shastesbury Leircester Bathe Carlile and Alcliud We haue both Brittish and Saxon Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries affirming they were the auncient Residences of Flamens and so must by that is said before needs be Bishops Sees in this time And to exemplifie in some of them the old Manuscript Antiquitie of Winchester saith King Lucius builded there a Cathedrall Church Lucius Rex fundauit Ecclesiam Wintoniensem dedicating it to our Sauiour which a Protestant Bishop thus also writeth from the same or like Antiquitie The Cathedrall Church of Winchester according to a report that I finde in an old Manuscript was first build and erected by King Lucius Seeing then a Cathedrall Church and a Bishop are knit together we must needs acknowledg there was then a Bishop there And to speake in this mans and his Authours words This Church was hallowed and dedicated October 29. 189. by Faganus and Damianus Bishops And he proueth from the same Antiquitie that in the yeare 309. one Constans was Bishop there And in S. Dubricius time by the Brittish History Diuuanius was Hist Brit. l. 9. c. 15 l. 8. c. 17. Harding Chron. c. 76. f. 67. the Bishop of that place Episcopatus Guintoniae Diâ—uanio decernitur And concerning the Bishoprike of Alcliud it was then giuen to one named Eledanius Pontificalis Infula Alclud Eledanio decernitâ—r Elednore by Harding was Bishop there Which proueth it was a Bishiprock froÌ„ the beginning no change Harding Chro. c. 24. f. 21. Abbreuiatio Chron. inter an 170. 180. in Lucio of Sees being before this time For Canterbury it was first a Flamens seate And the old Manuscript History Abbreuiatio Chronicorum saith in this time and setling Bishops in King Lucius Reigne that the old Church of S. Martin which liued in the Apostles time was builded Tunc constructa est extra Cantuariam Ecclesia sancti Martini and to notifie that he ment thereby a Cathedral and Episcopall Church he addeth this when he speaketh of changing Historia RoffeÌ„n Manuscr Lambert PeraÌ„b of Kent p. 113. Flamens into Bishops And all Histories testifie that the holy Bishop Lethardus which came hither with Queene Bertha before S. Augustins time vsed it as his Episcopall See And Canterbury besides the Archbishop had an other Bishop in that Church of S. Martin diuers hundreds of yeares and Harding Chro. c. 23. Harding sup c. 30. f. 24. Stowe Hist Britan. in Morg. and Cunedag Lel. com Brit. antiq v. Manditi Castr Cap. in Catal. in S. Kebio Meloro Vrsula Gul. Malm. l. 1. de Regib c. 6.
l. 3. in Gul. 1. Contin Flor. Wigorn. in Praesul Cridiat Godwin Catal. in Exeter 1. Ann. Eccl. Meneuen apud eund supra in S. Dauids Galfr. Monum Hist Brit. l. 5. c. 1. Matth. Westm an gratiae 201. Hist Manuscr apud Harris Hist Tom. 2. c. 21. M. Lambert the Pâ—otestant Antiquarie of Kent saith from Antiquities S. Martins Church built by the Romans in Canterbury was a Bishops See vntill the Normans came in and so two in one Citie this substitute to the Archbishop Likewise we may so say of Shastesbury Bathe Leicester and Carleil by the same reason all of these as before hauing Flamens and being old auncient Brittish Cities the first named Cair Paladour Septonia The second Cair Badon Aquae Solis and Thermae by Ptolomaeus Leircester before by Henry of Huntington Cair Legion or Cair Lirion Leicestria Carlile Cair Lueill Cair Leill Lugubalia Cair Doill Which proue they were auncient Cities both to the Britans and Romans as Harding saith In Britaine tongue plainely Cair is to say a Citie in their language As yett in Wales is their common vsage As in the time of the Pagans there was a Flamen in Cornwaile So in exordio Christianae fidei in the beginning of Christianitie heare as Capgraue and others before him write there was a Bishop and a Synode of Bishops there Diuers of their names be preserued Kebius Manditus Columbanus Iwanus Dotharius with others in Succession and the See some time at S. Manus S. Petroks Crediton or S. Germans vppon diuers changes remembred by Antiquaries And a Protestant Bishop hath produced an old Manuscript belonging to S. Dauids that in these times of the Britans there was a Bishops See and Bishop at Exceter in Deuonshire And that an other of these our first Primatiue Bishops was seated at Glocester Cair Glowy or Glou we haue diuers Authorities for most of our Antiquities that entreate of the death of King Lucius say he was buried there in the Episcopall and Cathedrall Church In vrbe Claudiocestriae ab hac vita migrauit in Ecclesia primae Sedis honorificè sepultus est And M Harris in his Manuscript Historie saith he had an old written Chronicle which spake of this Church The Table of King Lucius hanging in S. Peters Church in Cornhill in London is witnes this Church stood where the Order of S. Francis was placed in Glocester And no Authour speaking either of change of Sees or new founding any there after in the Britans time our Histories are witnesses that one Theonus Bishop of Glocester was made Archbishop of London in the Britans time So was Eldad long before Bishop of Glocester in the Reigne of Aurelius Ambrosius That Caer Segent Segen or Silcester now onely there being a Farme house was a Bishops See in those Matth. Westm an gratiae 489. Galfr. Mon. Hist Brit. l. 8. c. 7. Manuscript Gallic antiq an 477. c. 47. Galfr. Mon. Hist Brit. l. 9. c. 15. Manuscr antiq apud Stowe Hist Britans and Sax. in Arthur Galfr. Monum l. 9. c. 1. Hist Brit. l. 6. c. 5. Harding Chron. c. 76. f. 67. dayes besides the name and place for a Flamen we are assured from the Brittish History that in the time of S. Dubritius Archbishop and King Arthur when diuers old Bishops Sees were voide this was one among the rest and that Bishoprick was giuen to one named Mauganius Episcopatus verò Silcestriae Mauganio decernitur This Citie was so renowned in the Britans time that as an old Manuscript witnesseth Constantius sonne of Constantine was honorably buried there and Constantine and Arthur there crowned with such Pompe and solemnitie as our Histories declare This place is 6. miles or there abouts from Reading in Barkshire the remnants of the wall with 4. places where the 4. gates were were two myles in compasse much Roman Money there was found in digging 6. Ihon Harding saith that Chichester was a Bishops See in the time of King Arthur and S. Dubritius and that Mangauero was Bishop there in those dayes And among these I would take Dunwich to haue also bene an Episcopall See about that Age the place in Suffolke no other Towne assigned for a Bishops See in that part of England giueth way vnto it our English Antiquaries confesse it was an auncient Citie and in probable coniecture that which our old Nennius expresseth among the most renowned Brittish Cities by the name of Caer Daun or Dunn after by the Saxons Danmocke or Dunwick no oâ—her auncient knowne Citie more answeareable to that Brittish Appellation And to giue more life to this opinion when the Saxons became Christians and had Bishops it was the care of the Popes and spirituall Rulers then to place both Arcbishops and Bishops where such had bene in the Britans time The two Archbishops Sees of London and Yorke which were voide were by S. Gregory appointed for such againe and by this Title diuers decayed Cities as I shall more expresse hereafter had also Bishops being Episcopall Sees when the Britans and Romans heare ruled And so S. Faelix by Stowe sup liber Elu Records Dun. this Title was first Bishop among the East Angles and of that Citie so renowned that it hath had as a Protestant Historian writeth from the Tradition and Records of that Citie two and fyftie diuine houses and very many of them Parish Churches Heare I haue rather sought to setle a Bishop then at Colchester as one doth where besides the old name Caer common to very Will. Harrison descr of Brit. c. 13 Nenn. Histor Henr. Hunt Hist l. 1. many that neuer were Episcopall Cities besides what I haue said before I finde no motiue at all to say it was at any time much lesse then a Bishops See it is in a corner of that Country an vnwalled thing vntill S. Helen her time much to late to make it a Bishops Citie in King Lucius dayes I can neither finde a Flamen there before nor any Bishop since either when the Britans Romans Saxons or any others ruled heare And yet to giue all to Colchester which the aduauncers thereof require that it was the Towne called Camulodunum as also Colonia of the Colonie planted by the Romans which is more then I dare to doe to giue two so seuerall and distinct names to one singular place by one people at one time yet allowing it so and a Municipium enioying the Romans priuiledges yet all this doth not sufficiently able it for being a Bishops See for we doe not finde that the Romans were then such friends to Christian Religion in those times as with publike allowance to place such spirituall Rulers in their priuiledged Townes as were contrary to the priuiledges Immunities of them so that of all Cities heare those which were Municipia to the Romans as Verolamium S. Albons others were they were the furthest from hauing Christian Bishops in them And we see by experience in Verolamium their Municipium that within one hundred
dwelling beyonde the wall were as free from subiection to the Romans as any Scots now were or rather more when we finde that in Claudius the Roman Emperour his time he with his Romans brought the Orchades and after Anglesy to their subiection And the Scottish Historians Veremund Hist Hector Boeth Scotor Histor Georg. Buchan in Donald Raph. Holinsh. Hist of Scotland auncient and late Catholiks and Protestants freely and plainely confesse that they receaued not the faith of Christ vntill the time of Pope victor and their King Donaldus the generall conuersion of the Brittans being prefected before vnder S. Eleutherius and S. Lucius King of Britaine So they as generally confesse and acknowledge they had no Bishop or Episcopall See among them vntill in Dioclesian his Persecution S. Amphibalus was their first Bishop S. Amphibolus a Britan the first Bishop of the Scots in the time of Dioclesian his Persecution and his See the first among them in the I le of Man they then hauing no Episcopall See or Citie within the Brittish continent at that time to place him or any other in 5. And allthough some Scottish writers labour to proue that they were seated in the continent of greate Britaine sooner then the time I haue limited vnto them and were by Maximus vtterly bannished hence euen with their Bishops and Monks this so easy and sodaine bannishment of them all generally which they confesse to haue bene done by an Edict or Proclamation of Maximus proueth they were rather in some few companies entered a litle before then seated heare and after their bannishment hence that part where they then were and now are was left onely to the old Inhabitants thereof the Brittans and some Picts there continuing still by Maximus his permission This their owne Historians generally acknowledge and further that S. Palladius sent vnto the Scots in the fifth Age by Pope Caelestinus was the first Bishop they had sent vnto them by such power which doth litle agree with their conceipt of theire Bishops heare in the time of Maximus except they will yeeld that as their temporall people were heare then vniust Intruders vpon the Brittans Soe their pretended Bishops were without due spirituall and Papall allowance and so were from hence bannished and exiled But we are fully assured before that this part of Britaine beyonde The Britans then inhaâ—â—ting where it is now called Scotland had a Bishop or Bishops in this time and where the wall had euen in this time of Pope Eleutherius and King Lucius Episcopall Sees and Bishops at the least one Bishops See and Bishop with Preists and Clergie men for all our Antiquaries haue assured deliuered for an vndoubted truth vnto vs before that in this time all the Temples of the Flamens in Britaine without any LimitatioÌ„ more in Loegria Cambria then in Albania were changed into Episcopall Sees and Bishops with Preists and other Clergie men placed in them Soe we are assured by all Kinde of Histories auncient late Catholike and Protestant That in Albania now Scotland Edenburgh was an auncient Flamens Citie and Residence and so now conuerted to be a Bishops See And by Foundation being of the same Antiquitie with Ranulp Higede Polichron l. 1. Hector Boeth declarat Scotiae Regionum ante Hist Scotor Guliel Malm. l. 3. de Pontif. Ranulp Higed Polychron l. 1. c. 48. Stow Hist Britans Yorke both of them builded by one and the same Brittish King Ebrancus And the old Flamens Citie Alcluid or Alclutht was also founded by the same King of Britaine There is question where this Citie for certaine was but all agree neare that wall of Diuision and so the priuiledges and power thereof most probably extended on both sides of that Diuision The Citie Caerliel or Lugubalia was a place of this Prerogatiue builded by Leil the seuenth in number of the Brittish Kings and out of doubt had power and prerogatiue in both sides of the wall both in Loegria and Albania hauing as our Antiquaries deliuer and experience yet proueth in it part of that famous wall of seperation habet haec vrbs aliquam partem illius Muri famosi qui transcindit Northumbriam Ranulphus Higeden and others placeth an old Citie vrbs Beble vrbs regia a Regall Citie vpon the Ryuer Twyde super ripam Twidi which diuideth England and Scotland and if it was a Flamens and Bishops See as the auncient glory of it persuadeth to thinke the Iurisdiction of it must needs extend into Albania 6. Besides we finde both in Protestant and other Antiquaries to speake in their words that 800. yeares before the comming of Christ Cunedagius King of all Britaine builded a Temple of Mars at Perche that is now S. Ihons Towne in Scotland and placed there a Flamine Therefore we may not singularly deny vnto this olde Citie and Flamens Seate which Antiquaries generally grant vnto all such in this time to haue bene changed into a Bishops See And Seuerus who caused the wall of seperation to be made or finished and defended comming hither after the death of King Lucius when this change of Temples into Episcopall Sees was generally made and confirmed this Temporall seperation could not in any respect hinder the extension and practise of spirituall power and Iurisdiction at that setling and establishing it heare generally in Britaine And the Scottish Historians themselues when they come to make Relation of their Conuersion in the time of Pope Victor after S. Eleutherius time and after the Brittans and Britaine had generally receaued the faith of Christ and all Ecclesiasticall matters heare established they neither say that any one Bishop was sent vnto them by Pope Victor but rather the Countrarye when it is hard to finde in Antiquities how any greate and temporally independing people or Nation such as the Scots then clay me to haue bene except they were subiected to other Bishops to rule and gouerne them in spirituall affaires which is properly belonging to that highe spirituall dignitie were conuerted without a Bishop or Bishops 7. And when S. Victor Pope sent Preachers vnto them they doe say that he sent them vnto them in and throughout Albania as if they and not the Brittans had then possessed and inhabited there but they say the Scots were then taught and instructed by Preists which Pope Victor sent to Veremund Hect. Boeth l. 5. Scot. Hist preach the Ghospell of Christ vnto the vttermost part of Albion Sacerdotibus praeceptoribus quos Victor Pontifex Maximus ad Christi dogma propalandum in extremam miserat Albionem which furthest part of Albion is 300. miles distant from that part of Albania which ioyned with Loegria England Therefore we see clearely that the Scots onely then liued in the furthest and most remote parte of Albion or some Ilands thereof and possessed not our greate Albania the Brittans Country and Possession and in such sense they may call their small place or places of aboude
Age he was disabled for such a Iorney Further they which hold he was Bishop of Churr◠in Germany and Martyred there say this Martyrdome of his there was about the yeare of Christ 182. when I haue proued him liuing and King still in Britaine 9. yeares after Besides they say that S. Emerita his Sister went with him and was Martyred there also But it is euident by our Histories that our first Christian King Lucius had neyther Brother Sister nor childe but he was vnicus patris and begotten of King Coillus in his old Age hauing no other childe Anno gratiae 115. natus est Coillo Regi Britonum vnicus filius Matth. Westm an 115. Pontic Virun Hist Brit. lib. 4. quem vocauit Lucium qui factus est patri gaudium exultatio quia in senectute quasi ab haerede destitutus genuerat eum Whereby is euident that this King Lucius had neyther Brother nor Sister named Emerita or any other And with what probabilitie can it be affirmed that a King so holy and louing of his Countries good and quiet hauing no Christiā heire to succeede him would or in conscience could forsake his natiue Country and subiects in such a case that were in iustice belonging to his cheifest chardge which no other could execute to preach vnto forreyners which many of his subiects and others could and at his request would most willingly haue performed We reade in Histories that many descended of Regall Race haue in such cases bene taken forth of their Monasteries and Religeous Conuersation to gouerne kingdomes destitute of heires but that a King so vertuous wise louing and beloued of his Country hauing no such heire to succeede him but by such course to expose and leaue his kingdome to so many certaine miseries calamities as fell vpon Britaine by the death of King Lucius and probably were foreseene of all wise men did might would or could take such a course Antiquities haue no example iustice denieth it charitie cannot allowe it Further I shall proue hereafter that S. Emerita called the Sister of S. Lucius was the Sister of Lucius Sonne of Constantius and Helena and so neyther daughter of King Coillus nor Sister to our first Christian King Lucius and so he could not be that Lucius which preached in Germany Aegid Schudus in descript Rhethiae cap. 15. 5. And where they say he was Bishop of Curia Aegidius Schudus a German Writer proueth that Curia was not then builded no such Citie in that Country nor long after and therefore with Caspar Bruchius in his Catalogue of the Bishops of that Citie and others as well German and other Writers maketh Caspar Bruchius in Catal. Episc Curien in Init. the first Bishop of that place aboue two hundreds of yeares after the time of our first Christian King Lucius Bruchius saith it was not a Bishops See vntill about the 440. yeare of Christ Episcopatus Churensis vel Curiensis in Rhetis vnus ex vetustissimis Germaniae Episcopatihus caepit circa annum Christianae Redemptionis 440. and maketh Asimo the first and Puricius or Pruricius the second Bishop thereof Thus these German Writers themselues and others of them eyther doubt of or deny that History Iohannes Nauclerus much vrged Ioannes Naucl. in Chron. gener 6. pag. 565. for this Relation maketh it onely a report fertur and ouerthroweth the History of the Church of Curre so much stood vpon for this matter in confessing that by this History that Lucius which is said to haue preached in Rhetia was conuerted by S. Timothie the Apostle S. Paules Scholler dead long time before our S. Lucius was borne Sebastian Munster saith plainely that Sebast Monster Cosmogr l. 3. cap. 344. whereas there is a vulgar reporte à vulgo persuasum habetur he maketh no more of any Lucius preaching there that one Lucius peeached in that place if it were so it could not possibly be our first Christian King Lucius for he neuer went out of Britaine but very godly liued and died heare Britanniae ille Rex qui circiter Annum Domini 190. floruit patriam nequaquam exiens piè apud suos obdormiuit Caspar Bruchius also doth plainely reiect all that Historie as Caspar Bruchius in Catal. Episc Curien propè Initium Manuscr Gallic Antiq. An. 296. it is applyed by some to our King Lucius and among other reasons addeth that the greate difference of yeares will not permit it to be true Numerus Annorum non conuenit An old French Manuscript Historie ioyneth in the same and leaueth him liuing dying and buried in Britaine And if we come home to our owne Historians and Antiquities most likely to make the most true and King Lucius died and was buried in Glocester in the Cathedrall Church there certaine Relation of this their so renowned King they set downe the yeare the day and particular place of his death and the very Church one of his owne foundation where his body was enterred The day and yeare they haue remembred before the 201. yeare of Christ the third day of December Matth. Westm ann 201. Antiq. Eccl. S. Petri in Cornhill Lond. Galfr. Monum Hist Brit. l. 5. c. 1. Ponticus Virun Brit. Hist l. 5. in initio Matth. Westm 201. in Chron. Compilatio M. S. de gest Brit. Anglo in Lucio Manuscr Hist Gallicar Princip Or que nous sommes In Lucius Caxton Histor part 4. in K. Lucius Manuscr Hist Antiq. in Lucio Antiquit. Eccl. S. Petri in Cornhill Londini Harding Cronic c. 51. f. 44. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. c. 9. §. 18. Aegidius Schudus de Prisca Rhetia Hermanus Schedelius c. 3. Stowe Howes Hist Titul the Romans in Marcus Aurelius Antonius Harrisō Descriptiō of Britaine c. 9. S. Lucius body after translated to other places or some part thereof For the place our old Brittish History saith he died at Glocester and was with honour buried there in the Cathedrall Church In vrbe Claudiocestriae ab hac vita migrauit in Ecclesia primae Sedis honorificè sepultus est So likewise writeth Ponticus Virunnius vitam finiuit in vrbe Claudiocestriae sepultus Matthew of Westminster setting downe the time as before saith also he died at Glocester and was honorably buried there in the Cathedrall Church Inclitus Britannorum Rex Lucius in bonis actibus assumptus Claudiocestriae ab hac vita migrauit ad Christum in Ecclessa primae Sedis honortficè sepultus The same hath an ould Manuscript called Compilatio de Gessis Britonum Anglorum where in Lucio is sayed in vrbe Gloucestriae obijt in Ecclesia primae Sedis honorificè sepultus est The old Authour of the French Manuscript which beginneth or que nous sumes saith at the last he died at Gloucestre and was interred in the Church of the Cheife See Del primer See Our old English Chronicle saith he reigned with much honour and after died and lieth at Glocester so hath an
conqu Brit. c. 7. ad Persecutionem Diocletioni Tiranni And not onely in the time of Dioclesian his Persecutiō following in this Age we finde euen whole Cities Townes as Verolamium and others vtterly destitute of Christians but long before and about this time we are assured that there were very many Britans and not of meane estate but such as were publikly employed about the affaires of S. Mello a Britan Archbishop of Roan in Normādy the kingdome and sent from hence to Rome about it that eyther were fallen from Christianitie or neuer forsooke their Pagan Religion For we reade both in auncient Manuscripts and other Authours in the life of S. Mello a Britan and after Archbishop of Roan in Normandy sent thither by S. Stephen Pope not onely that he and his Brittish Companions which were then sent to Rome to paye the Tribute of Britaine there were Pagans and sacrificed in the Temple of Mars but it was then the custome of the Britans comming thither about that office so to doe which to be a custome could not be Manuscr antiq in Vita S. Mellonis Episc Confessoris Io. Capgrau Catalog in eod younger then these dayes time short enough betweene this and that time to make a custome Tempore Valeriani Imperatoris Mello quidam de maiori Britannia oriundus Romam venit vt Patriae suae Tributū solueret Imperatori seruiret Ibique sicut mos erat cum socijs suis ad templum Martis ductus est vt sacrificaret And it seemeth this custome had bene from the first submission of the Britans to the Romans for both Protestants and others affirme that in Octauius Augustus time Ambassadours came from Britaine to Rome swearing Fealtie in the Stowe Howes Hist in Octauius Augustus Temple of Mars offering gifts in the Capitall to the Gods of the Romans And we haue Testimonie in our Histories that after King Lucius death and this very time which we haue now in hand it was the vse and custome of our Britans heare when any of their Nobilitie or Gentry were to obtayne the dignitie of Knighthood to send them to Rome to receaue that honour there and after such Pagan Rites and ceremonies that Christians could not in conscience so accept thereof And yet such multitudes euen in this time flocked thither from hence so to be created that in this time when S. Amphibalus was conuerted Iacob Genuen Episc in Catal. Sanctor in S. Amphabel and Alban to the faith by Pope S. Zepherine as Iacobus Genuensis a learned Bishop writeth 15. hundred were so created Of all which we finde no memory that any more were Christians then S. Amphibalus and S. Alban and yet both these conuerted after they had thus professed Paganisme S. Amphibalus by Pope Zepherine who after made him Preist at Rome and S. Alban S. Alban descēded of the Romans long after his returne from Rome by the same holy Saint Amphibalus sent hither by Pope Zepherine in Britaine And yet as the old Brittish Writer of Author Britan. Antiq. in Vita S. Albani Capgr in eod S. Alban his life Capgraue and others witnesse S. Alban was rather discended of Noble Roman then Brittish Parentage Albanus ex illustri Romanorum Prosapia originem ducens probably both of Roman and Brittish Auncestours 4. And it seemeth the condition of many of others was not vnlike and thereby a greate allurement for them to continue in the Romans Religion of whose blood they were discended in whose municipall and priuiledged Townes many of them liued and from whome they hoped and expected to receaue terreane honours and Aduancements The Britans generally or for the most part professing the holy Christian Religion preferring heauenly before earthly honours Yet it is euident by this is saide that in this short tract of time after the death of King Lucius many of the Britans by the continuall trobles of that time and conuersation with Pagans were either fallen from Christianitie or as holy Gildas saith professed it but coldly tepidè in respect of that zeale and feruour which was vsed in the dayes of Saint Lucius And yet Seuerus of himselfe was not so much giuen to wicked life but renowned Martin Polon Supput in Seuero not onely for warlike affaires but for learning and studyes Praeter bellicam gloriam ciuilibus studijs scientia Philosophiae clarus fuit And so greate an enemy to Incontinēcy that he puished Adultery by Lawe with death with such seueritie that Dio writeth that whē he was Consul he foūde by Records Dio in Seuero Herodianus in Seuero Herodianus l. 3. that 3000. had bene put to death for that offence Ego cum Consul essem inueni scriptum in Tabulis tria millia Maechorum morte fuisse mulctata And was after his death made a God among the Pagans And Herodianus saith he died rather of greefe for his childrens wickednes then of sicknes Maerore magis quam morbo consumptus vita functus est Which greefe for the sinns of his sonnes as also Galfr. Mon. l. 5. c. 2. F. or Wigorn. An. 195. 217. Mat. Westm an 205. Harding Cron. c. 53. f. 44. Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Matth. Westm an 206. Hard. sup Pont. Virunn l. 5. Dio Hist l. 55. of his owne in permitting the Christians in many places to be greuiously persecuted I would not deny but that he died of any such greefe is vntrue being most certaine that he after so many Conquests in other Countryes when he came to fight against his Country Christians he was enforced dishonorably to make a Wall and Trench of aboue 130. miles in lenght to keepe his Enemyes back from inuading him and slaine in battaile by Fulgenius others call him Fulgentius brother by some before to his first lawfull true wife the Empresse Martia a Briton Interfectus est Seuerus Imperator In acri certamine interficitur Seuerus And by the Roman Writers themselues he was at this time when he was so slaine at Yorke 65. yeares old And allthough he left 32. Legions as Dio writeth to defend that his temporall Empire which had so persecuted the Church of Christ yet that temporall Empire with all those propes began to stagger and notwithstanding so greate Persecution the kingdome of Christ as Tertullian then liuing witnesseth was adored and ruled in all places Cum Romani tot Legionibus suum Imperium muniant nec trans istas gentes Tertullian aduers Iudaeos c. 7. porrigere vires regni sui possint Christi autem Regnum nomen vbique porrigitur vbique creditur ab omnibus gentibus supranominatis colitur vbique regnat vbique adoratur And particularly heare in Britaine as he hath said before Christianitie reigned whether the Pagan Romans could not nor durst come but walled and trenched in themselues for feare 5. He left behinde him two sonnes Bassianus his eldest by his lawfull wife of Britaine before remembred and Geta by
Episcopor Curien Ecclesiae Germans was borne of the Regall Race among the Britans and to propagate the faith of Christ came out of Britaine into Germany and preached first at Salisburge then at Ausburge from whence he was cast out by the Infidels there and then went with his sister S. Emerita to the Cytie of Chur where preaching againe both he and his Sister Emerita were Martyred by the Pagans S. Lucius at Chur in the castle of Mars and S. Emerita at Trine-castle And that there is without the walls of Chur a very old Monastery called S. Lucius which was begun by him and was his Oratory Lucium hunc aliqui regio stemmate apud Britannos ortum natum esse affirmant venisse autem illum amore propagandae doctrinae de filio Dei Iesu Christo ex Britannia in Germaniam vt Christum Germanis etiam adhuc Idololatris concionaretur eos ad Christum conuerteret Id aiunt illum primum fecisse Salisburgi postea Augustae Vindelicorum vbi cum eijceretur ab Infidelibus dicitur Churam cum sorore S. Emerita cessisse vbi cum itidem Idololatricas opiniones reprehenderet aliquamdiu concionaretur Christum liberatorem ab Infidelibus tum Rhetis caesi Martyrio coronati sunt S. Lucius S. Emerita S. Lucius Churae in Martis Castro S. Emerta apud Trimontium Est Churae extra vrbis muros Caenobium S. Lucij preuetustum in vitifero colle situm quod ab eo caeptum Oratorij loco conditum aiunt And he vtterly disliketh their opinion which hold that this was our first Christian King S. Lucius And that onely Tradition that the S. Lucius which was the Apostle of that people was Martyred Curae in Martis Castro at Chur in the Castle of Sebast Munster Cosmogr l. 3. ca. 214. de Episcopatu Curiensi Aegyd Schud in descript Rhaetiae Alpinae c. 15. alij Mars doe make it vnpossible to be our King Lucius so doth their Tradition that this S. Lucius which first preached vnto them was their first Bishop of Chur for both Sebastian Munster Egidius Schudus and others doe demonstrate that the Citie of Chur was not builded vntill after King Lucius time so he could neither be Bishop of nor Martyred in that Citie then not extant 3. And how would or in conscience could so wise and Religious a King as Lucius hauing no child or Heire fitt or able to gouerne Britaine or which the Romans would allowe forsake his owne kingdome to leaue it in such certaine distresse and troble both temporall and spirituall as after his death ensued and could not but be morally foreseene in his prudence with the Apostacy of so many Britans his subiects to aduenture vpon vncertaine successe to preach in forraine Countries or what Antiquitie doth proue that he was either Bishop Preist or Cleargie man all our Historians sett downe the time and place of his death and buryall in Britaine making him onely a glorious King Lay parson and Confessour no Cleargie man nor Martyr And those forreine Writers which inclyne to hold he went out of Britaine into Germany either for the most part mistake their Authours or grounde vpon heare-sayes and vnsound reports Nicholas Viginier vseth S. Bede for witnesse which Nich. Vign Biblioth Hâ—st pag. 765. Naucler Chron. Genera 6. p. 565. Petr. Merssaeus in Episc Treuer in Episcop TuÌ„gar in S. Marcelio Henric. Patal de Vir. Illust Germ. part 1. p. 110. Magdeb. cent 2. c. 2. col 9. hath no such thing And he himselfe beleeueth it not rather teaching the contrary Nauclerus saith fertur it is onely reported and setteth downe King Lucius death as our Historians doe Petrus Merssaeus writeth doubtfully some times saying S. Lucius of Britaine that preached in Germany was a King otherwhiles onely a Prince as Constantius and S. Helens sonne was Henry Pantaleon the Annals of Chur as he citeth them and Stumphius onely say that S. Lucius the Apostle of Chur was borne of the Regall Race among the Britans ex Regio Britannorum sanguine prognatus which is true of the second S. Lucius The Magdeburgian Protestants terme it a very fable to thinke that King Lucius left his Country and kingdome to preach in Germany fabulam omnino resipiunt quod Lucius Rex Imperio suo sponte abdicato factus sit Concionator qui in Gallijs in Germania nempe Augustae in Sueuia passim praedicarit Christum ac denique Curiensis Ecclesiae Doctor effectus Martyrio occubuerit And they say it is one of the fables with which the Deuill defiled the Church of Christ His fabulis Diabolus conspurcauit Ecclesiam Christi when and where King Lucius dyed was honorably interred in Britaine in the Cathedrall Church of Glocester I haue set downe in his time before 4. And a very greate mistaking it is of Auentine Feuardentius Gaspar Bruchius and Sebastian Munster if they incline to thinke that this Apostle Auentin apud Magdeb. cent 1. l. 2. c. 10. Feuardentius Annot. in Irenaeum l. 1. Har. c. 3. Gaspar Bruch Cata og Episc Curien Augustano Martyrol Rom. die 3. Decembr Annal. Ecclesiae ChurieÌ„ Breu. Eccl ChurieÌ„ die 3. 4. Decembr in festo S. Lucij Emeritae Martyrol Rom. die 6. Maij. Bed Vsuard Ado eod die Sebastia Munster l. 3. cap. 217. Act. Apost c. 13. Naucler gener 6. Volum 2. pag. 565. Bishop and Martyr of Chur and the Rhetians named Lucius was Lucius Cyrenensis S. Paules Kinsman and mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles For besides all those Authours named before the old Roman Martyrologe the Annals of Chur and their publike Church office one the Feasts of S. Lucius and his Sister S. Emerita with others doe fully assure vs that S. Lucius the Apostle there was borne in Britaine of the Regall Race there brother to S. Emerita a Martyr and Martyred at Chur. Of which not any one agreeth with S. Lucius CyreneÌ„sis for he was borne at Cyrena in Lybia poore by birth sonne of S. Simon Cyrenaeus that bore the Crosse of Christ Bishop of Cyrena where he was borne no Martyr and died the 6 day of May on which his Feast is kept when they of Chur celebrate their Apostles solemnitie vpon the third day of DeceÌ„ber And it is proued before Sebastian MuÌ„ster himself vrging it that the Citie of Chur was not builded vntill loÌ„g time after the death of S. Lucius CireneÌ„sis No other S. Lucius though many of that name is remeÌ„bred in any Martyrologe or other MonumeÌ„t to haue preached suffered Martyrdome in or neare that place or this time nor any other a Britan borne or of such Noble Parentadge but this our renowned S. Lucius sonne of Constantius and S. Helen therefore of necessitie we must yeeld as his due this honour onely to him And glorifie God that so greate a Prince of this Nation eldest Sonne to an Emperour our King and Empresse our Queene and by iust discent Heire both
heare of so wonderfull patience loue of Christ and Heroicall true fortitude to so many thowsands which by their singular example with inuincible couradge imitated them therein is the greatest honour we can yeeld to such blessed Saints one earth Their Festiuitie is celebrated by the old Roman Martyrologe vpon the first day of Iuly On which day as Baronius plainely writeth many Martyr Rom. die 1. Iulij others suffered Martyrdome with them Iulius Aaron Martyres cum alijs plurimis in Britannia sub Dioclesiano primo die Iulij So likewise affirmeth a Caesar Baron in Indice NominuÌ„ Sanctorum in Iulio Aarone Author of Engl. Martyr 1. Iul. late English Wtiter And the Roman Martyrologe which Baronius glosseth may well carry that construction for setting downe for a certaine truth that these two holy Martyrs were putt to death in Britaine vpon the first day of Iuly Primo die Iulij in Britannia Sanctorum Martyrum Iulij Aaron qui in persecutione Dioclesiani passi sunt it presently addeth Quo tempore ibidem quamplurimi diuersis crutiatibus torti saeuissimè lacerati ad supernae ciuit atis gaudia consummato agone peruenerunt At the same time in the same place very many tortured with diuers torments and most cruelly torne hauing ended their combate came to the Ioyes of heauen And S. Bede saith that ea tempestate Martyrol Ro. 1. die Iulij Bed l. 1. Hist c. 7. Henr. Hunting Hist l. 1. in Diocles Matt. West an 303. Io. Capgr in S. Albano alij Girald CaÌ„bren Itiner Camb. l. 1. cap. 5. Ranulph Higed l. 1. c. 48. Dauid Powel Annot. in Girald supr Harrison Descript of Brit. c. 13. Humfr. Lhuyd Brâ—uiar Britan. Et Tho. Twyne ib. f. 82. The glory of Caerlegâ—â—nâ—ur Archieâ—iscâ—â—all see before this time at that time when S. Aaron and S. Iulius were Martyred diuers others both men and women were putt to death Alijque vtriusque sexus passi sunt ea tempestate So hath Henry of Huntington passi sunt co tempore Aaron Iulius alij quo que plures vtriusque sexus So haue others And we cannot probably thinke that those raging Persecutours which in places where there were not in any degree so many Christians as in this renowned Citie an Archiepiscopall See and Christian Vniuersitie putt them to death by thowsands sent these heare by cruell Martyrdome to heauen alone These holy Martyrs by all Antiquities suffered Martyrdome at Caerlegion and both Giralâ—us Cambrensis Ranulphus Higeden writing at Westchester as also our Protestant Antiquaries of the same Country plainely say it was at Caerlegion in Monmouthshire which was the Archiepiscopall Citie and Schoole distinguishing it from Westchester by some called Caerlegion also I will onely cite one thus Englished to my hand by a Protestant Historian In this Region Monmouthshire is situated the most auncient and Noble Citie of Legions which our Countrymen call Caerleon are Wish that is to say the Citie of Legions vpon Vsk for difference sake betweene it and the other which is builded in Northwales vpon the Riuer Dee Of whome Giraldus writeth thus The same was an auncient and noble Towne the tokens whereof remayne as yet an huge Palace a Giantlike Tower goodly Bathes and hotehouses Reliques of Churches and places like Theaters compassed with beautifull walles â—artly yet standing Also buildings vndeâ— the grounde Conducts secreâ—â—e passages and Vaultes vnder the earth framed by wonderfull workemanship Thâ—â—â—â—â—th two Martyrs Iulius and Aaron which had Churches dedicate◠〈…〉 The like and more plainely haue many others auncient and late Catholiks and Protestants Therefore that Protestant Bishop which singularlie saith it was at Chester apud vrbem Legionum Cestriam nun vocatam is much deceaued in this matter Io. Bâ—l. Prâ—fat in l. de Scriptor THE XVIII CHAPTER HOW SAINT AMPHIBALVS A BRITTISH Bishop and many holy and learned Preists of the Britans in this Persecution went to the Scots and Picts were reuerently receaued of them and preached liued and continued there in greate Sanctitie and left greate Succession of such there after them 1. VPON this Persecution and Martyrdome of these holy Saints Gildas l. de excid c. 8. and others at that time as S. Gildas with others writeth they which escaped death hidd theÌ„selues in Woods Desarts Dens and fledd into Ilands to the Scots for refuge Qui superfuerant Hector Boeth Hist Scotor l. 6. f. 102. Georg. Buchan Rer. Scot. l. 4. in Rege 33. Hollinsh Hist of Scotland in Crathlint and Fincomarke siluis ac desertis abditisque spelnncis se occult aâ—ere Our Scottish Historians say a greate number of our Brittish Christians to auoide the crueltie of the Persecutours fledd to the Scots and Picts Magnus piorum numerus persequentium saeuitiam declinare cupiens ad Scotos Pictos concessit They haue preserued the particular names of diuers of them whome they recompt among the most renowned learned men of that Age such were Amphibalus a Bishop Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus and Carnocus worshippers of God called in the old Scottish languadge Culdeis which by their preaching taught the Religion of Christ with many labours throughout the Scots Countries There were then very many more but these the cheifest of them whose names came to posteritie Inter Nostrates eadem fuere tempestate sacra doctrina pollentes Ampbibalus Amistes Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus Caroncus Dei cultores Culdei prisca nostra vulgari lingua dicti Christi Seruatoris doctrinam omnes per Scotorum Regiones concionando multis pijsque sudoribus seminantes Fuere tunc alij permulti sed hij quorum nomina ad Posteros delata praecipui Many of these holy Brittish Christians liued in poore Georg. Buchan Rer. Scotic l. 4. Reg. 35. Hollinsh of Scotl. in Fincomarke Cels professing the most austeere penitentiall cremiticall life in so greate sanctitie that as these Scottish Antiquaries haue before deliuered their very Cels were dedicated into Churches after they were dead and with such reuerence obserued with that Nation our Protestants so confessing and testifying that from the time of those holy Brittish Saints which thus liued there the old Scots called Churches by the name of Cels Ex â—â—que consâ—etudo mansit apud Posteros vt prisci Scoti templa Cellas vocent 2. Among these our holy Bishop S Amphibalus a man of singular pietie and excellent in diuine learning Amphibaluâ— Brito vir â—â—sigâ—â— pietate sacra doctrina pollens preached the word of Christ throughouâ— the Scots and Picts S. Amphibalus a BritaÌ„ and Martyr a learned and holy Bishop in Mona I le with the Scots Countries speaking and writing much against the Pagans Religion 〈◊〉 dogma per Scotorum Pictorumqae Regiones propâ—â—aâ—do mâ—lâ—a a contra Geâ—â—â—â—um Religionem dicendo scribendoquâ— Crathlint then King of the Scots entertayned this holy Bishop and his company with greate loue and builded for them a â—hurch in the I
Martyre vel pro Martyre quem percutere iubebatur ipse potius mereretur percuti And so of a persecutour he became a companion in Truth and Faith Ex persecutore factus collega viritatis fidei Thus writeth Matthew of Westminster and others allthough with suppressing the name of this holy Martyr which the old Brittish Writer of S. Alban his life Capgraue and others call Heraclius and I am now to name him by it for allthough it was not giuen him in Baptisme Brit. Script Vitae S. Albani Manuscr Antiq. Capgr in eodem in water which he wanted yet his surest Baptisme in his owne blood for Christ his holy and most courageously and constantly sustained Martyrdome happily made him renowned and honorable thereby 2. This S. Heraclius hauing resolutely denyed his Paganisme craued pardon for his error and confessed Christ openly before so many persecutours and in the highest of their Malice and rage against S. Alban fell thereby into the same degree of Hatred with them for presently therevpon to speake in our old Authours words Inimici veritatis hominem arripiunt dentes excutiunt os eius sacrum dilacerant omnia eius ossa confringunt si nihil in corpore remansit illaesum fides tamen quae feruebat in pectore laedi non potuit The enemyes of truth apprehend him beate out his teeth rend his holy mouthe and breake all his boues and allthough nothing remayned in his body without hurt yet his feruent faith remayned without harme And being thus left so maymed lame and half dead with all the power and strength he could with his hands crept vp to the hill where S. Alban was Martyred whome when the Iudge espyed he said vnto him obsecra Albanum tuum pray to they Alban to sett thy bones in order and lay his head heare stricken off to thy body and thou shall receaue perfect health from him Bury him and lett him cure thee Heraclius answeared I most firmely beleeue that S. Alban by his merits is able to heale mee and easely performe that you mock vs with Tunc caput Martyris reuerenter assumens illudque corpori deuotus apponens desperatum corporis robur recuperare caepit sanus effectus Then reuerently taking the head of S. Alban and deuoutely laying it to his body he began to recouer the former strenght of the same despayred before And being thus miraculouslie recouered and made hole ceased not in the hearing of all the people to preach vnto them the meritt of S. Alban and Power of Christ and digging the earth buryed the body of S. Alban before them there Which the Pagans seeing said among themselues what shall we doe This man cannot be putt to death with sword we haue allready broken his body and he hath now receaued his former strength againe And apprehending him with horrible Torment they teare his holy body in peeces and lastely cutt of his head And so this happy souldiar perseuering in the faith of Christ together with most blessed Alban deserued to be honoured with the Crowne of Martyrdome 3. Hitherto the Relation of those our renowned auncient Historians whereby we doe not onely finde an example of Heroicall Christian fortitude in generall but learne euen in particular the holy and approued doctrine and custome of the Primatiue Christians of this kingdome aswell as of others to praye vnto holy Saints glorified in their Soules in heauen and reuerencing their sacred Relicks on earth thus miraculously allowed and approued of God before and for the euerlasting shame and confusion of so many his Persecutours and Enemies then present and all after commers that would oppose against those most Catholike doctrines and practises of the Church of Christ so publickly and inuincibly confirmed and warranted by his omnipotent and highest diuine Power before such a multitude both of Christians and Pagans so testifying the first by that meanes strengthned in the true faith the others in greate numbers as I shall presently declare conuerted to Christian Religion And the Iudge himselfe was hereby so moued and conuinced that he presently commanded the Persecution to cease Iudex tanta miraculorum Bed l. 1. Hist c. 7. caelestium nouitate perculsus cessari mox à Persecutione praecepit Iacobus Genuensis Bishop of Genua and his old English Translatour say this souldiar called Iacob Genuen Episc in Vita S. Albani S. Amphibal Anglic. Translat ib. by some before Herculius was a knight And they yeeld a reason besides their Assertion which was the noble renowne of S. Alban who as they say was Lord of the Citie of Verolame and Prince of the knights and Steward of the Land and the Iudge dred de for to slee him because of the greate loue that Emperour had to him and for reuerence of his dignitie and Power of his kindred vnto the time that he had informed Dioclesian And therefore when Iudgment was pronounced against him the which was deferred 6. Weeks vntill Maximian his comming into Britaine to see such wicked executions thus they deliuer it Than Maximian and Askepodot gaue finall sentence on him saying In the the time of the Emperour Dioclesian Albon Lord of Verolomie Prince of knights and Steward of Britaine during his life hath despised Iupiter and Appollyn gooddes and to them hath done derogation and disworship wherefore by the Lawe he is iudged to be deed by the hand of some knight And the body to be buryed in the same place where his heade shall be smitten of and his sepulchre to be made worshipfully for the honour of knighthood whereof he was Prince and also the Crosse that he bare And sklauin that he ware should be buryed with him And his body to be closed in a chest of Ledd and so layd in his Sepulchre This sentence hath the Lawe ordeyned because he hath renyed our principall Gods These Authours say Maximian and King Asclepiodote gaue this sentence THE XXII CHAPTER OF VERY MANY CONVERTED TO CHRIST by the miraculous death of S. Alban and after going to S. Amphibalus to be fully instructed by him suffered Martyrdome and being a thousand in number were diuers from the 1000. Martyrs at Lichfeild and those neare Verolamium 1. THAT we may take some notice of the greate numbers multitudes of people conuerted by the death and miracles of these two holy Martyrs we haue heard from approued Antiquities that euen many thousands had bene present eye witnesses of the miraculous diuiding of the water to giue free and dry passadge to S. Alban and those that were with him at his prayers when many drowned and lying in the bottome of the deepe Riuer were eyther miraculously preserued from death or so restored to life againe by his intercession the waters standing one both sides of their passadge like walls after their going ouer presently ioyned together againe and returned to their naturall current and flowing downeward as the propensitie of such liquid and heauy things requireth the fountayne one the topp of
of the old Church of Winchester Manuscr Antiq. Eccl. Winton Marian. Scot. an 306. Martin Pol. An. 307. Manuscr Ant. Gall. ann 306. Matth. West ann 305. 307. Baron Spondan an 306 Gordan an 306. Iacob Grynaeus annot in c. 15. l. 1. Euseb de Vit. Constantini Anno 308. Henric. Hunt l. 1. Hist in Diocletian Constantio Regino Chron. l. 1. in Constant an 253. Stowe Howes sup Hist in Constantius that being destroyed with the rest in this late Persecution it was perfectly reedified in the yeare of Christ 309. and so either was in building or warranted to be builded in the dayes of Constantius then or so lately before by all accompts lyuing and reigning heare that it could not be done without his warrant or allowance The like we say of the Churches of S. Iulius and S. Aaron and other Martyrs of that time and all both Cathedrall Churches and others destroyed heare by Maximian that most cruell horrible faced man as Henry of Huntington calleth him Maximinianus vir crudelissimus vultu horrendus after whose leauing the Empire Christians were quiet heare as he saith and restored to their former liberties And as Regino writeth not onely in Britaine but generally where he ruled both Bishops were restored to their priuate Sees and many other things graunted for the profit of Christian Religion Constantij Temporibus pace Ecclesijs reddita Episcopi priuatis sedibus restituuntur alia plura Christianae Religioni profutura And particularly saith that the Monastery of Treuers was begun in his time Then much more in Britaine where he was both absolute Emperour and King to commande and no man daring to resist him To this our Protestant Antiquaries haue giuen sufficient allowance when they graunted vnto vs that Constantius abolished the superstition of the Gentils in his Dominions especially in Britaine where he now liued King and Emperor and so in abolishing the Pagans Rites and obseruances for dislike of them and loue to Christian Religion must needs for his short time be an extraordinary Aduancer thereof But when he had thus The death of Constantius in Britaine his great loue then of Christians and that Religion happily begun this holy worke in reparing the ruines of the Church of Christ in this kingdome and before he could bring it to due and his desired perfection he fell sick at the Citie of Yorke where soone after he deceased Yet in this short time of his sicknes his greatest care was to leaue and commit this his charge both concerning his Empire and this kingdome to his eldest sonne Constantine now liuing sonne of S. Helen who as he hoped for many reasons would be most ready and willing to maintaine and defend true Religion and with Iustice gouerne his subiects 5. And to this happy choise as both Zonoras and Pomponius Laetus doe Zonaras Annal. Tom. 2. in Constantino Pomp. Laet. Rom. Hist comp in Constātino Max. Euseb l. 1. de Vit. Constantini c. 18. Iac. Grynaeus annot in eum locum plainely testifie before and Eusebius and others sufficiently insinuate he was admonished and iustructed by Gods direction and an Ange Ilas is before related Which is confirmed by the effect and euent itselfe not onely of the generall establishing of Christian Religion in the world by Constantine in the time of his Empire but his extraordinary and Miraculous preseruation before he came vnto it and at this very time of his Fathers sicknes strangely escaping the Tyrants hands in Italy and comming safely to his sick Father Constantius at Yorke in our Britaine by the greate prouidence of God as Eusebius noteth who had often preserued him to bringe him hither so longe and dangerous a Iourney at that very time to succeede his Father Deus omnia eius causa faciebat prouide prospiciens vt in tempore praesto esset ad Patri succedendum Euseb Vit. Cōst l. 1. c. 14. And this Authour immediately addeth for presently when Constantine had escaped the stratagems of the deceipts he came with all speed to his Father and Cap. 15. supr after a longe space of time which he had bene absent from him presented him to his sight at that moment Constantius was ready to dye but when contrary to all hope he saw his sonne lepinge out of his bedd he embraced him saying that he had now cast that out of his mynde which onely troubled him at the point of death which was the absence of his sonne And therefore did ernestly pray and giue thanks for it to God affirming that now he rather desired to dye then lyue and setting himselfe in the midst of his children and in his place lying vpon his kingly bedd giuing ouer the Inheritance of his kingdome to his eldest sonne departed this life Thus hath Eusebius then liuing in that time Our Protestant Historians citing other auncient writers Hollins Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 28. 27. cit Eutr Sext. Aurel. Vict. Niceph Tripart Hist not differing from Eusebius thus translate and epitomate this History from them Whilest Constantine remayned at Rome in manner as he had bene a pledge with Galerius in his Fathers time fledd from thence and with all post haste returned to his Father into Britaine killing or hewghing by the way all such horses as were appointed to stand at Innes readie for such as should ryde in post least being pursued he should haue bene ouertaken and brought backe againe by such is might be sent to pursue him Constantius whilest he lay on his death-bedd somewhat before he departed this life hearing that his sonne Constantine was come and escaped from the Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian with whome he remained as a Pledge he receaued him with all Ioy and raysing himselfe vp in his bedd in presence of his other sonnes and Counsellors with a greate number of other people and strangers that were come to visit him he sett the Crowne vpon his sonnes heade and adorned him with other Imperiall Robes and garments executing as it were himselfe the Constātius crowneth Constantine his sonne Emperor and prophesieth how he should aduaunce Christian Religiō office of an Herald and withall spake these words vnto his saide sonne and to his Counsellors there about him Now is my death to mee more wellcome and my departure hence more pleasant I haue heare a lardge Epitaph and Monument of buriall to wit mine owne sonne and one whome in earth I leaue to be Emperour in my place which by Gods good help shall wype away the teares of the Christians and reuenge the crueltie exercised by Tyrants This I reckon to chaunce vnto me in steed of most felicity Thus carefull was this holy Emperour euen at his death to aduance the honour of Christ Thus he did prophesying how his sonne after him should aduance Christian Religion now by his Father declared Emperour but as Eusebius writeth longe before designed to that dignitie by God King of all Euseb Hist Eccles l. 5. c.
and Christian Authours that Constantine after his Baptisme by S. Syluester stayed no litle time in Rome opēly professing himselfe a Christian and before his departure thence bestowed such greate Riches and Principalitie vpon S. Syluester the Roman Church as many Antiquites testify and left the Citie of Rome to S. Syluester After which he went to Ilium where old Troy stood intending to make it his Imperiall Citie 800. miles or litle lesse from Rome and builded the gates for a Cytie there vpō an high hill still remaying in Sozomē his time as he witnesseth profestus ad campum pro Ilio situm non longe ab Hellesponto vrbis formam magnitudinem descripsit inque praecelso edito portas extruit quae adhuc etiam a mari illac nauigantibus cernuntur And hauing thus farre proceeded therein building a new Citie was as the same Sozomen testifieth and Baronius admitteh admonished by an heauenly vision to desist from that worke and build his intended cheife Citie at Bizantium in Thracia which he did and going to this Bizantium so Miracoulously assigned vnto him began his Magnificent buildings there as Baronius and Spondanus themselues acknowledge Baron Spond in Indice Annal. v. Constantinus an 324. Iacob Gedeon An. 324. Bin. Tom. 1. Concil in Syluestro ◠Cedr supr Conc. Rom. c. 1. in the 324. yeare of Christ Consilium inijt de noua vrbe condenda in quam transferat Imperium post tentatum Ilium diuinitus eligit Bizantium Anno Christi 324. 12. Cedrenus setteth downe this building of Bizantium two yeares sooner the Roman Councell Baronius and others say that after Constantine was baptized he stayed the whole time of that Councell in Rome before he went into the Easte And the Donation itselfe of Constantine after he was baptized is dated in his 4. Consulshipp which Baronius Binius and others confesse to haue bene in the yeare of Christ 315. Marianus saith it was in the 312. yeare of Baron Bin. sup Marian. Scot. aetat 6. an 312. Concil Roman c. 1. Barthol Carranza ante Rom. Concil Roman Concil c. 20. vlt. his Incarnatiō And the Romā Councell wherein he a baptized Christiā both as the same Councell and others testifie was present and bore the chardges of the Bishops assembled there Constantinus vehicula vel annonas omni loco praestari praecepit was kept as the same Councell deliuereth in the third Consulship of Constantine which was by all men before the 315. yeare of Christ 3. Kalend. Iunij Donno Constantino Augusto tertio Prisco Consule By which it also appeareth that his sonne Priscus was lyuing longe after his Baptisme And so the opinion of them which say he was dead before is answeared by this Councell subscribed vnto by 284. Bishops 45. Preists 5. Deacons and 2. Cap. 10. 20. Acoluthists together with Constantine one Emperour and S. Helen his Mother after them as appeareth in all Copies of that Councell Et subscripserunt 284. Episcopi 45. Presbiteri 5. Diaconi duo scquentes Augustus Constantinus mater eius Helena Therefore this Councell being kept in Rome after Constantine was baptized as all agree and is euident in the same Councell in expresse wordes Constantinus baptizatus a Syluestro Episcopo vrbis Romae Cap. 1. and in the third Consulship of Constantine and this Emperour there present in Rome and two yeares after at the least as appeareth by the Act of his Donation to S. Syluester granted there before his going into the Easte bearing date the yeare of his fourth Consulship and at Rome Datum Romae Donatio Constantiniin fine sub tertio Die kalendarum Aprilium Domino nostro flauio Constantino Augusto quater et Gallicano viro clarissimo Consulibus he must needs be baptized longe before the 324. yeare of Christ about the beginning of S. Syluester his Papacy For this Roman Councell is cleare that he was baptized before the calling thereof and prouided waggons to transport so many Bishops thither which required no small time diuers of them comming from remote parts and Countryes Againe there was so generally a Conuersion of the Romans to Christ Roman Concil can 1. 10. before this Councell that the Prefect of Rome himselfe was conuerted and present in this Councell erat ibi Calphurnius Christianus Praefectus vrbis Besides whereas this Councell testifieth that S. Helen our Empresse was also there it proueth a longe time betweene the Baptisme of Constantine and then assembling of this Councell For our renowned Historians Marianus and Florentius Wigorniensis proue that S. Helen was in Britaine when her sonne was baptized at Rome by S. Syluester and hearing of it wrote vnto him frō hence Constantino a Papa Syluestro baptizato scripsit de Britannia sibi sua Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. an 321. Floren. Wigorn. in Chronic. mater Helena And without question had answeare from him againe before she addressed herselfe for so greate a Iorney and afterward was no short time in that Trauaile And before we bring either S. Helen or Constantine or any other to this Councell we must except we will vnreasonably with some deny that History say that the longe-prouided-for dispute betweene S. Syluester and the Iewes in the presence of both Constanstine S. Helen was solemnely summoned and kept after S. Helen her comming to Rome and before the beginning of that Councell we must allowe no shorte time for so greate a Councell And yet Constantine by the date of his owne Edict and Donation was in Rome 2. yeares at the least after all these things ended which will bring his Baptisme to the time of my former computation Otto Frigensis besides so many others before doth plainely say that Constantine Otto frigen Chronic. l. 4. cap 2. was a Christian before Licinius ioyned with him for the peace and Priuiledge of Christians in their publicke Edicts Constantinus Christianus factus pacem Ecclesijs reddidit cui etiam ad hoc Licinius consensum praebuit THE X. CHAPTER THE VNDOVBTED TRVTH OF THE DOnation and munificent enritching of the Church of Rome by Constantine the Greate Emperour 1. AMONG other the bounties and magnificences of Constantine to the Church of Christ especially the Apostolike See of Rome before he departed thence to Bizantium and the Easterne Countryes that which is called his Donation or gift to S. Syluester is renowned in Histories and bearing date in the yeare of his fourth time being Consul except it be misdated it must needs be granted in the 315. of Christ as Historians commonly consent Diuers especially Protestants of this Age haue called the credit hereof into question Yet except we shall disallowe Seuerin Bin. To. 1. Concil notat in Edict Constāt in S. Syluestro both the Testimony of God and men of greate credit and in no small number euen of this Nation besides an allmost nūberlesse company of other Countryes we may not deny the
stones in thy right hand let the bridle of thy horse loose and goe as the Angell of God shall leade thee And drawe the point of thy Labarum so on the ground that it may drawe and leaue a line behinde it by which trace and circuite shalt tho cause walles to be builded this old Citie almost dead thou shalt rayse to be new and thou shalt call it by thy name and make it the Queene of all Cities The name of Lord Iesus Christ shall be magnified in it and in it Churches of God shall be builded to the honor of all Saints and thy sonnes after thee and the sonnes of thy sonnes shall reigne in it Tu fixam cuspidem Labari in terra sic trahe vt semitam faciat transitus sui per quam semitam extrui facias muros hanc veteranam ciuitateni pene mortuam in iuuenculam suscitabis tui nominis vocabulum suscitabis ita vt Reginam illam facias o mnium vrbium Erit enim in ea nomen Domini Iesu Christi magnificum erant in Gul. Malmesb. l. 4. sup ea templa Dei ad honorem omnium Sanctorum constructa filij tui postâ—te filij filiorum tuorum regnabunt in ea William the Monke of Malmesbury saith that the answere was that an Imperiall Posteritie should reigne in that Citie for euer Et regnabit in ea perpetuo imperatoria progenies as we haue seene many hundreds of yeares performed And he addeth that Constantine by fasting and almes deeds procured the solution of this vision from heauen Huius somnij solutionem Augustus ieiunijs eleemosynis extrahebat è coelo And among other reasons did greately ioy also for this because he borne heare in Britaine a colder Nation could not so well endure the heate of the sonne he was by Gods commandement to build his cheife permanent Citie there where both the fruitefulnesse of the soyle and temper of the ayre were agreable vnto health Gratumque admodum fuisse ferunt Imperiali animo vt illic vrbem diuino iussu fundaret vbi soli vhertas coeli temperies mortalium saluti conueniret Quia enim in Britannia natus fuerat ardores solis exosus est 2. But the cheifest cause of his Ioy in this designment vnto Constantine was this to see his owne will so to haue concurred with the will of God and to be thus Miraculously confirmed that the greate Liberties Dononations which he had conferred vpon the Apostolike See of Rome and his leauing that his Imperiall Citie to S. Syluester then Pope and his Successors in honour of S. Peter and S. Paul ruling and Martyred there and to founde an other for himselfe and his Imperiall Posteritie plainely expressed aswell by this our English as other Authours paruit Augustus visioni procliue ciuitatemae quam Guliel Malmes supr Romae constituit professus non debere Imperatorem Romae principari vbi a Christo principabantur coronati Apostoli And as S. Aldelme addeth this worthie Emperour S. Aldelm l. de laudib Virgin cap. 12. supra presently vpon this heauenly vision direction went to the Church and acquainted the Bishop of that place an holy man named Sisaminus therewith and offering there gifts vnto God and receauing the holy Sacrament of Christs body tooke his horse and Labarum as he was directed and went as the Angell of God did leade him and caused the foundation to be laide as the marke of the Labarum prescribed And the Citie was called the Citie of Constantine Constantinople in the Greeke languadge to this day Euigilans Constantinus statim ad Ecclesiam perrexit indicansque Episcopo ciuitatis viro sancto nomine Sisamino somnium quod prius viderat offerens Deo munera communicans Sacramentum Dominicum ascendit equum perrexit quo eum duxit Angelus Domini atque per semitas Labari fundamenta creuerunt Appellata est autem ciuitas Constantini quod Graeco sermone interpretatur Constantinopolis vsque in hodiernum diem 3. Greate was the honour and glory both temporall and spirituall of this Citie William of Malmesbury saith the Wall was twenty miles in circuite Viginti millia passuum muro complexa And thereupon termed by the Turkes as Gul. Malm. supr Sebastian Munster Cosmogr l. 4. in Graecia Constantinopol Sozomen Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 2. Cosmographers haue writen Stampolei or Stampolda id est ampla ciuitas the greate Citie Sozomen witnesseth that in all mens Iudgments in his time it farre excelled Rome both for number of people aboundance of money and Ritches Tum frequentia hominum tum pecuniae diuitiarum abundantia Romam omnium consensu longè superaret And for spirituall Dignitie the same Authour writeth of this Citie the faith of Christ so increased there that very many Iewes and allmost all the Gentils there were conuerted to Christian Religion And this Citie being made the cheifest of the Empire at that time when the Religion of Christ was so generally dilated it did not afterward defilc itselfe either with the Altars or Temples of the Gentils except onely while Iulian did reigne a short time the error of the Gentils was renewed but preseÌ„tly after extinguished againe Constantine placed a Court called a Senate in it and assigned to the Senators the same honours and Priuiledges which were giuen to the old Romans and laboured to make this Citie called by his name equall to Rome which is in Italy He adorned it with many and most greate Churches to whose labour herein God himselfe gaue assistance and by certaine visions confirmed that the Churches founded in that Citie were holy and bringing saluation cuius propenso studio Deus ipse opem tulit visionibus quibusdam confirmauit Ecclesias in ea vrbe aedisicatas sanctas salutares esse He setteth downe one of these Churches principally to haue bene then in greate reuerence euen with Pilgrims resorting vnto it in pilgrimadge and deuotion called Michaelium because S. Michael the Archangell appeared there and in this Church Sozomen himselfe receaued greate help And diuers others fallen into ineuitable mischances and dangers into diseases and vnknowne greifes of body so soone as they prayed in that place were prefectly deliuered from the calamities where with they were oppressed Which would be too long to mention particularly being so many Eam quae in loco qui vestae sacer obim dicebatur in maximo honore tum a peregrinis tum a ciuibus ex illo tempore habitam fuisse constat Idem locus iam Michaelium nominatur Loco verò istud nomen eò impositum est quod pro certo creditur diuum Michaelem Archangelum ibi apparuisse Quod etiam ipse equidem non paruum in eodem loco beneficium adeptus verissimum esse confiteor Atque idica se habere argumento praeterea esse possunt multae aliae res quas compertum est ibidem gestas esse Nam nonnulli in graues
Nam literas scribunt illi de ea re passim ad omnes mittunt And hauing thus proceeded they returne home in the same Socrat. Hist Ecc. l. 2. supr c. 18. Niceph Hist Eccl. l. 9. c. 13. minde to their owne Cities Episcopi qui Sardicae conuenerunt rebus constitutis ad suas eorum Ciuitates reâ—erterunt And after that time as Socrates Nicephorus and others testifie our Bishops of Britaine and others of the West seperated themselues from the Hereticall faction in the East Deinceps Occidens ab Oriente per secessionem diuisus est Non amplius enim Occidentales cum Orientalibus haud eadem secum sentientibus negotij sibi quicquam coniunctionis esse voluere Yet Niceph. cap. 14. supr many of the most glorious men of the East also perseuered in the same Catholike profession as our Brittish and other Westerne Bishops did as Paulus Patriarch of Constantinople S. Athanasius of Alexandria S. Anthony and generally the Monkes of Egypt Eusebius Emissenus Titus Bostrensis Serapion S. Basile Eudoxius Acacius S. Cyrill Theodorus Perinthius S. Ephrem and others without number S. hitherto we see the state of Christs Church in Britaine to haue bene glorious both for number of renowned Catholike Bishops and freedome from all contagion and infection of the wicked errors ad Heresies of that time THE XX. CHAPTER HOW BRITTAINE HAVING MANY BIshops at the greate Councell at Ariminum all were free from Heresie And very few Brittans consented to Arrianisme But were free from Heresie vntill that of Pelagius 1. THAT this Country of Britaine after this florished with greate numbers of Worthie Bishops no Citie then vacant heare of such a Pastor and Ruler we may gather from diuers Antiquities as from the Epistle of the greate Councell of Ariminum in Italy not longe after this time written to Constantius the Emperor where our Bishops were present testifying vnto him that they were assembled there forth of all Cities towards the West most properly and significently to be applyed to this kingdome most West from thence Cuncti Episcopi ex omnibus Ciuitatibus ad Occidentem sitis Arimini in vnum conuenimus And the words all Bishops out of Epist Concilij Arimini ad Constantium Imperat apud Socratem l. 2. Hist c. 29. Sozom. Hist Eccl l. 4. c. 16. Seuer Sulpit. sacrae Hist lib. 2. Cap. 21. supr apud Sozomen Lib. Notitia Ep. orb Christiani siue Cod. Prouinc Rom. all Westerne Cities cuncti Episcopi ex omnibus Ciuitatibus ad Occidentem sitis cannot carry any other true construction but that our Episcopall Cities in Britaine were then so furnished and many or most of them present at that CouÌ„cell This is confirmed by the number of Westerne Bishops aboue 400. as Sozomen and others write assembled at Ariminum ad Conciliâ—m Arimini congregati sunt amplius quadringenti Episcopi besides 160. of the Easte at the same time gathered together at Seleucia in Isauria dum haec geruntur Episcopi Orientis numero circiter centum sexaginta Seleuciam quod est oppidum Isauriâ— conueniunt When it is euident in the old Manuscript Catalogue of Bishops called Notitia Episcoporum orbis Christiani or Codex Prouincialis Romanus that Britaine and all the Westerne Nations present in that Councell of Ariminum had not at that time many more then fower hundred Bishops Therefore we must needs grant that the Bishops of all Cities as well of Britaine as other CouÌ„tries of the West which had not excusable letts impediments were there present in such sence as the Epistle of that Councell is cited before And Seuerus Sulpitius Seuer Sulpit. sacrae Hist l. 2. is sufficient witnesse for this our Britaine in particular that it had many Bishops there for relating the number to haue bene aboue foure hundred out of the West quadringenti aliquando amplius Occidentales Episcopi Ariminum conuenere And the Emperor the better to encline them to his Arrian faction as it seemeth commanded prouision should be made for them all at his cost quibus omnibus annonas cellaria dare Imperator praeceperat But the Bishops of France Aquitaine and Britaine refused it and rather made choice to liue at their owne chardges then to be maintained by the Emperour and this refusall was generall to all the Bishops of Britaine Aquitaine and France except three onely of Britaine which receaued allowance from the Emperour and refused maintenance by the other Bishops themselues being poore id Aquitanis Gallis ac Britannis indecens visum repudiatis fiscalibus proprijs sumptibus vinere maluerunt Tres tantum ex Britannia inopia proprij publico vsi sunt cum oblatam a caeteris collationem respuissent sanctius putantes fiscum granare quam singulos 2. This affirmation that all the Bishops of Britaine excepting onely three which were poore were profered to be maintained by their fellow Bishops which were generally ritch as I haue declared before in the Foundation of King Lucius giuing them both all the Flamens and Archflamens Lands Reuenewes And others doth euidently testifie that Britaine had many Bishops at Ariminum when the number of three is but a tantùm allmost nothing in respect of the othrs And the same Authour there prouing that the Brittish Bishops were both acciti and attracti Cited and drawne or forced to come to that Councell by the Officers of Constantius now after his brothers death a professed friend of the Arrian Heresie or rather a professed Arrian then reigning in Britaine maketh it euident that our Brittish Bishops which could not pleade sufficieÌ„t cause of excuse and absence were generally present there And if those few poore Bishops of Britaine which were not able to beare their owne charges were drawne thither to be maintained by the Emperour how much rather must we iudge the same of so many potent and ritch in this Country which could pretend no such excuse So that we see no excuse but Harris Eccles Hist tom 4. cap. 24. infirmitie either by Age or sicknes to haue caused any Brittish Bishops absence thence A late Writer thinketh Iltutus then as he coniectureth Archbishop of London the Archbishops of Yorke and Carleon the Bishops of Winchester Cilicester and Glocester with others were there I see no particular warrant he bringeth more for these then any other of so many Episcopall Brittish Cities of that time which I haue before remembred all of them being in the same condition for presence or absence but where iust excuses and letts were singular to any in particular aboue the rest for good Authours before haue testified that all in generall were vrged to be there without any exception or to be expempted And allmost all Bishops in the worlde were then caused to be either at Ariminum in Italy where those of the West were or at Seleucia appointed for the Earstern Bishops Interim in Oriente exeÌ„plo Occidentalium Imperator iubet cunctos fere Episcopos apud
auncent Historian S. Gildas others after him are witnesses that in the time of King Constantine there was a glorious Abbey and holy Abbot there Sancti Abbatis complaining how sacrilegiously this King killed one of the sonnes of Mordred betweene the holy Altars intra ipsa sacrosancta Altaria flying thither for Sanctuary and sauegard and he himselfe hauing three sonnes Constans Aurelius Ambrose and Vtherpendragon perhaps for remorse and in satisfaction for that impietie deliuered his eldest sonne Constans to be a Monke in that Abbey Constantem Primogenitum tradidit in Ecclesiam Amphibali intra Guintoniam vt Monachalem ordinem susciperet and there he was a Monke Vbi Monachalem ordinem suscepit And so continued vntill Vortigerne tooke him by force out of his Cloister and made him King without the peoples consent because he was a Monke Vortigernus perexit Wintoniam Constantem Monachum Constantini filium de Claustro extractum duxit Lundonias eum vix annuente populo eo quòd Monachus esset erexit in Regem 4. There were then diuers Monasteries in London and Constantine mutthered an other youÌ„g Prince in one of theÌ„ Vnum Wintoniae in Ecclesia S. Amphibali ante altare trucidauit Alterum Londoniae in quorundam fratruÌ„ Caenobio absconditum Matth. Westm an 543. Stowe Howes Histor Brit. Sax. in Constan Vortiger crudeli morte daÌ„nauit Which our ProtestaÌ„ts thus acknowledge ConstaÌ„tine followed and one of the younge men he found in an Abbey at London slew him neare the Altar cruelly And how in Kent at the comming of Hengist the Pagan Saxon thither soone after this there were many Religious houses both of men and women and many of them were glorious Martyrs by the Saxon Persecutors Hengist slew the good Archbishop Vodine and many other Preists and Religious men All the Churches in Kent were polluted with blood the Nunnes with other Religious parsons were by force put from their houses and goods 5. These Religious houses must needs be builded and so furnished with goods and consecrated parsons before the Saxons entred and so in or before this Age these men being then when they were Pagans no Founders but destroyers of such MonumeÌ„ts not onely in Kent but in all places where they preuayled by all Histories Among these the sumptuous and stately Church Bed l. 1. c. 6. Mat. Westm an 313. 586. and Monastery of S. Alban builded within 10. yeares of his Martyrdome was one for the Monastery there was not as Matthew of Westminster proueth founded first by King Offa but being destroyed by the Saxons was reedified by him Hac tempestate Ecclesia beati Martyris Albani quae post Passionem suam miro tabulatu lapideo atque eius Martyrio condigna legitur fabricata deiecta penitus cum alijs creditur deleta donec per ministerium Offae Regis Angelo sibi reuelante corpus gloriosi Confessoris ac Martyris inuentum est Monasterium eis denuo fabricatum Therefore being by King Offa restored and builded againe denuo it was builded before and consequently before the Saxous time Ouertrowers and not Erectors of Monasteries 6. There was also now a noble Monastery at Amsbury in Wilshire neare Salisburie in which as an old French Manuscript and others say there were Manuscr Gallic Anâ—iq cap. 24. Galfr. Monum Hist Brit. l. 8. c. 9. at this time and after 300. En cel licu d' Ambri estoit à cel temps vne Abbaye de 300. Moignes This was founded olim long before by one named Ambrius neare Kaercaradoe Salisbury quae nunc Salesberia dicitur Erat ibi Caenobium trecentorum fratrum in Monte Ambrij qui vt fertur fundator eius olim extiterat Our old English Chronicle entreating of the desolation which the Pagan Old Engl. Chronic part 5. f. 43. SaxoÌ„s wrought in this kingdome in destroying Religious houses Churches and how Aurelius Ambrosius restored and builded them againe thus deliuereth that in generall and particularly of this Monastery King Aurilambros went through out the Lond and put away the name of Engyst Londe that Engyst after his name had called it before Then he let call it againe greate Britaine and let make againe Churches and houses of ReligioÌ„ Castles Cities and Borowes and Townes that the Saxons had destroyed The Britons ladd him to the mouÌ„t of Ambrian where some time was an house of Religion which then was destroyed through the Paynyms whereof a knight that was called Ambry that some time was founder of that house and therefore the hill was called the mount of Ambrian and after it was called Ambesbury The King Aurilambros let amend and redresse the house of Ambesbury and put therein Monkes but now there be Nonnes By this it is euident that this Religious house destroyed by these Pagans florished in this Age. 7. That there was a Monastery of greate renowne at Abingdon in Barkeshire Chron. Abingd apud Harpesfeld Hist Eccl. 10. saecul p. 203. in this time before the comming of the Saxons into Britaine the old Chronicle of that house is witnesse testifying that then there were 500. Monkes and more belonging to that Abbey lyuing in the Woods Deserts getting their liuing by their labours and vpon the holy dayes and sondaies comming together in their Monastery all excepting 60. which continually aboad in the Abbey seruing God there And that before King Cissa was a Christian he put these Monkes either to death or forced them from their Monastery and cruelly persecuted all Christians And allthough our Antiquities by Pagans Persecutions and Protestants are so perished that we haue a small part of our Ecclesiasticall memorable things preserued yet we may make coniecture of these matters with sufficient probabilitie that seeing Monasticall life came hither in the Apostles time and still increased except in the 9. yeares of Dioclesian his Persecution that the Religeous houses in Britaine were now come to a greate number especially when we finde the greatest Enemies they haue our Protestants and among them the best Antiquaries they haue thus to testifie In auncient time euen the greatest parsonadges held Monkes Friars William Lamb. perambulation of Kent p. 330. and NuÌ„nes in such veneratioÌ„ and liking that they thought not Citie in case to florish no house likely to haue longe continuance no Castles sufficiently defensed where was not an Abbey Pryory or Nunnery either placed within the walles or planted at hand and neare adioyning And that such was the deuotion of this time we may gather by our old Writers testifing that after the Pagan Saxons had destroyed the Churches and Abbeyes in Britaine yet many still remained and their Abbots were honored numbred among our Nobles and as spirituall Lords before the temporall So it was in that greate Solemnitie when Aurelius Ambrose kept the Feast of Pentecost at Ambesbury he had there many Bishops Matth. Westm an 490. Matth. Westm An. 498. Galfr. Monum Hist Briton l. 7. c. 16.
WHEREIN DIVERS PROTESTANTS INclyne to thinke S. Peter preached heare in Britaine before his coming to Rome and what probabilitie that opinion hath 1. DIVERS English Protestant writers whether for loue to S. Peter or dissick to Rome knowing what great warrant ther is for sainct Peters preaching heare incline to affirme it to haue bene before he came to Rome Amonge whome the THEATER WRITERS producing diuers testimonies Theater of great Britaine l. 9. c. 9. §. 5. for his being in Britaine they add If Peter were heare at all It was before he went to Rome and that the Ghospell was preached heare before it was in Rome if Peter were the first as some hold that preached there both Diuers English Protestants incline to thinke S. Peter preached in Britaine before he came to Rome and how probably which may be more probable if we consider the huge multitudes of Christians fifteen thousand saith Baronius which dispersed themselues into all parts of the worlde Vpon the martyring of S. Stephen at Hierusalem Where we see that they make the coming of S. Peter into this our Nation to haue beene so soone after the Ascension of Christ that they seeme to suppose it to haue beene before his coming to Rome and make it the more probable opinion their owne phrase that it was soone after the Martyrdome of S. Stephen which was to speake in their owne words presently vpon the death of Christ which was diuers Theater supr yeares before any Authoritie teacheth he came to Rome And their opinion before that Britaine receaued the faith in the time of Tyberius will make theÌ„ of that minde being before proued that S. Peter was the first Apostle that preached heare For which they bring his owne testimony to S. Brithwald and other testimonies And that which is written before of S. Mansuetus a Bishop of this Nation sent to Toul in Lorraine by S. Peter in the time of Caius Caligula giueth some allowance to this opinion if we will followe those Historians which write he was sent thither at that time in the yeare of Christ 40. making it not vnprobable but he was sent from S. Peter being in or neare this Iland 2. The like I may say of S. Aristobulus made Bishop as William Eisengrenius saith in the yeare of Christ 39. who as commonly Protestants will tell vs hereafter was our Bishop heare in Britaine and this the rather because we Guliel Eisengr Centenar 1. part 1. dist 7. fo 67. 66 dist 8. Sophron. Patria Hierosol l. delabor S. Petr. Paul finde that about the same time and in the same yeare if we may beleeue this Author the same holy Apostle S. Peter placed S. Pancratius Bishop of Tauronienium and sainct Marcianus Bishop of Syrocufa in the Iland of Sicilia neare vnto Italie and diuers others farre distant from Hierusalem Antioch or any Easterne place of the aboade of that greate Apostle as S. Clement with diuers others into the hither parts of Germany as the antiquities of those places are witnesse And if we call to memory the vnspakeable labours and expedition vsed by this Apostle in such sacred a busines before remembred how in that time he is said to remaine at Antioch he visited as the Scripture is euidence Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia the hither partes Petr. 1. v. 1. of Asia from whence we shall not finde it a more difficult iorney for that renowned Apostle to vouch safe to visite this Iland of Britaine if we consult with Cosmographers in these affaires then to come from Antioch in Syria the cheife place of his residency at that time to visit all those Contries related in which he preached as the Scriptures assure vs. But these be but coniectures vpon which I may not found an Historiall Narration especially when we haue a whole world of witnesses to the contrary that Rome was the first place in the west whether S. Peter came and was cheifly directed vnto And S. Peter came to Rome before he came into Britaine the cheifest reason of the dispersion of the Disciples at the martyrdome of S. Stephan is before answered how they preached onely to the Iewes And the Scripture is manifest that the Apostles were then at Hierusalem except the Apostles and not dispersed And the history of the Acts of the Apostles keepeth Act. c. 8. v. 1. S. Peter preaching in the East Ionge after this to the Iewes and Gentiles vntill such time in the dayes of Claudius Emperour it pleased Christ our blessed Sauiour as many and greate Authorities doe warrant vs to send and direct this his cheifest Apostle to make a great parte of his Residencie at Rome the greate and commaunding Imperiall Citte at that time in the world that he might the better by that meanes preach the Ghospell both by himselfe S. Peters seating himselfe at Rome foretold by holy scripture â—â—bbins and Sibils before Christ. and his Disciples to these Westerne Nations and Contries of the world 3. Of this mission of S. Peter to Rome Esay the Prophet though in more generall termes had longe before admonished saying as I haue alledged before that God would send of his Apostles into Italy Of this the auncient Rabbins before Christ were witnesses as a Iewe himselfe hath proued against the Iewes that Rome should be the cheife place of the Lawe and Religion of the Messias Sybilla Erythraea longe time before preached this Hieronymus à sanct fide l. contra Iudaeos Sybill Erithaer in l. Nasalographi 1. Imperial Scrip. Venetijs an 1516 per Patriarch Venet. approbat Pontif. Rom. to the Gentiles when Prophesying of Christ and his twelue Apostles thus she foretolde in vltima aetate humiliabitur Deus humiliabitur proles diuina Iungetur humanitati deitas iacebit in faeno agnus puellari officio educabitur Deus homo Eliget sibi ex piscatoribus deiectis numerum duodenarium vnumque diabolum non in gladio bellouè Eneadem vrbem Regesque subijciet sed in hamo piscantis in deiectione pauperie superabit diuitias superbiam conculcabit morte propria nocturno suscitabit commutabitur viuet regnabit consummabuntur haec omnia fietque regeneratio Vltimo bonos iudicabit malos Surget stella mirabilis Danaos illuminabit orbem illustrabit In Eneadem latus piscatoris nomen agni vsque ad fines seculi virtute perducet Inde in Eneade iuncta vinctos à diabolo liberabiâ— In the laste age God will be humbled and the sonne of God will be humbled the lambe shall lye in Hay God and man shall be brought vp by a virgin seruice he shall chuse vnto him out of fishers and meane persons a number of twelue one of them a deuill He shall make subiect vnto him the citie of Aeneas Rome Kings not by sworde warre but by the hooke of a fisher in deiection pouertie he shall ouercome Riches he shall treade downe pryde with
testifie and if he sent S. Ioseph hither out of Francia it was that and no other Francia from whence he sent him The Antiquities of Glastenbury from the testimony of an auncient Monke of S. Denis in France to one Godfridus a Monke of Glastenbury relateth that the Church of Glastenbury was consecrated by the highest greate Bishop meaning as it seemeth S. Peter the Apostle the highest greate Bishop in that time and that it was called the second Rome for the multitude of Epist Godefrid Monachi Glast Antiquitates Glaston Manus tab Affix Saints buried there of the which S. Ioseph was the first Haec gloriosissimi Martyris Dionisij Ecclesia illa Glastoniensis de qua te asseris eandem priuilegij dignitatem habent Ista in Gallia illa in Britannia vno eodem tempore exortae à summo magno Pontifice consecratae Vno tamen gradu illa supereminet Roma etenim secunda vocatur hoc propter multitudinem Sanctorum inibi requiescentium quorum primus fuit Ioseph ab Aramathia ille nobilis Decurio qui Dominum sepeliuit pro cuius sepultura Dominus locum illum elegit atque benedixit THE XXIV CHAPTER FVRTHER PROVING THAT S. PHILIP the Apostle was not in that Gallia France next to Britayne neyther were S. Ioseph and his Associates there or came from thence into Britayne 1. BESIDES the recited Authorities of S. Isidor or the Authour of the booke of the life and death of Saints among his workes and the learned Bishop Freculpbus of which I haue spoken before for their opinion that held S. Philip the Apostle preached Ordo officij Muzarabici in festo S. Iacobi Apostoli fratris S. Ioannâ—s Apostoli Euangelistae in hymno in the next France or Gallia I finde the like mention in the auncient Muzaraban publike Church office receaued in the fourth Toletan Councell at wbich S. Isidor Archbishop of Hispalis for all Spaine was President In this Councell mention being made where the Apostles preached it is said Philippus Gallias That S. Philip preached in the Countries called Galliae Which although I doe not finde alledged by any Protestant to confirme this opinion of S. Philips being in this next France yet because I seeke the truth and am vnwilling to conceale any thing that may either help or hinder the finding fourth thereof I heare produce it and the rather because it giueth more countenance to that booke de vita morte Sanctorum to haue bene written by S. Isidor President in that Councell and taking as it seemeth that Muzaraban Office as warrant for his writing that S. Philip the Apostle was in Gallia as also Freculphus followed the steps of S. Isidor in the same Assertion for better deciding whereof because the Muzaraban Office is so breife as I haue related in this matter and I haue set downe the words of Freculphus before I will and what S. Isidor or other Authour of that booke hath written of this busines which is as followeth Philippus à Bethsaida ciuitate Isidor Hispal Episcopus l. de vita morte Sanctorum cap. 75. vnde Petrus Gallis praedicat Christum Barbarasque gentes vicinasque tenebris tumenti Oceano coniunctas ad scientiae lumen fideique portum deducit Deinde in Hierapoli Phrygiae Prouinciae Vrbe crucifixus lapidatusque obijt Philip of the citie Bethsaida from whence also Peter was preacheth Christ to the Gaules and bringeth Barbarous Nations and neare to darknes and ioyned to the swelling Ocean to the light of knowledge and tbe heauen of faith and after dyed crucifixed and stoned in Hierapolis a citie of the Prouince of Phrygia The very words of Freculphus before so that it is euident the one of these receaued them from the other and after these Hartmanus Schedel vseth the same phrase Philippus Hartm Sched Chronic. chron f. 202. p. 1. Gallias accepit that S. Philip had the Countryes Galliae Yet neither he nor any of the others make him the Apostle of this next Gallia or France neyther doe any of the Historians of France or Antiquities thereof best to be credited in such causes make mention of S. Philip or any other Apostle besides S. Peter and S. Paule to haue preached in that kingdome neyther any others but such as were Disciples vnto them and not to S. Philip or any other of the Apostles to haue taught the faith of Christ in that Nation 2. Neyther doth any of our French Historians once alledge or interpret M. Pniel I Tigeon M. Clem. Merch. M. I. le Frere de Leual in hist Andre Chesne hist general d'Angleterre d'Escosse d'Irland pag. 152. Bed Martyrol cal Maij. Martyr Rom. 1. die Maij. Vsuard Martyrol cod die Dorotheus in Synopsi in S. Phil. Magdeb. cent 1. in S. Philip Apost Prot. comm Booke in F. S. Philippi Calend. 1. Maij. eyther S. Isidor or Freculphus to vnderstand this next France by any Gallia or place where they write S. Philip preached But expound them both as they onely ment he preached in Scythia and CouÌ„tries farre remote from this France And so they expounde Freculphus himselfe in the place alledged Vincentius Abdias Nicephorus Sabellicus Eusebius Simeon Metaphrastes Clement of Alexandria and Policrates are of that minde So likewise teacheth S. Bede the Roman Martyrologe Vsuardus Dorotheus the Magdeburgian Protestants and the Protestants of England in their most authorised publike Church seruice booke Calenders and others And this is sufficiently testified and expressed in the words of S. Isidor and Freculphus before both of them plainely auouching that the Gaules and people to whome S. Philip preached were Barbarae gentes vicinae tenebris tumenti Oceano coniunctae Barbarous Nations neare Inhabitants vnto Countries of darkenes and conioyned to the swelling Ocean which haue no resemblance at all to this our Gallia but quite contrary or different For this Gallia is farre remote from either of the Poles Artike or Antartike and so by many degrees remoued from all Nations liuing in darknes Neither is the sea which is next to this Gallia tumens Oceanus that Ocean which is termed the swelling but Oceanus Scythicus the Ocean of Scythia where S. Philip by all Antiquities preached Neither was this Gallia at that time or any other euer esteemed a Barbarous Nation by any credible writer late or auncient Christian or Pagan Catholike Protestant or other but as a Protestant Cosmographer with others testifieth Fuit Gallia ab antiquis temporibus semper culta tam in vrbibus Sebastian MuÌ„st Cosmograph l. 2 cap. 38. quam in oppidis quam in agris hortis pratis Et vt strabo scribit qui tempore Incarnationis Christi vixit nullus tunc fuit angulus in Gallia incultus praeter lacus nemora quae culturam non admittunt Gallia was euer from auncient times repleniâ—â—â—d as well with cities as with Townes as with Feilds Orchards and Medowes and as Strabo writeth who liued in
the time of the Incarnation of Christ there was no corner in Gallia vninhabited except lakes and woods which admit not habitation And not onely Ioannes Annius out of Xenophon S. Iustine and other auncients Ioan. Annius Comm. in Beros in orat Iustin p. 52. Bal. l. de Scriptor cent 1. in Samothe Io. SeldeÌ„ Anaclet l. 1. cap. 1. Nichol. Vigineâ— Biblioth Historial an mundi 1900. 2200. c. Io. Ioliuettâ—s in descript Gall. apud Abr. Ortel 1. 9. but our Protestant Antiquaries Bale Selden Nicholas Vignier Ihon Ioliuet and other French Historians assuer vs that these Gaules had learning and letters before the Graecians and that from this Gallia vsing the Greeke characters they were brought into Greece And that the Romans themselues did vse to send their youth and children into Gallia especially Massilia to be instructed in learning and ciuilitie Therefore this cannot be any of those Barbarous Countries related by those Authours where S. Philip preached But by those descriptions they might with more reason thinke S. Philip was in this our Britaine by some taken for a part of Gallia or an other continent and much more likely in those times to be a Barbarous Nation as it was nearer the Regions of Darknes by the Northpole and the swelling Ocean Yet no Authour affirmeth he was heare and from hence hither being a contradiction he could not send S. Ioseph 3. Moreouer if S. Isidor and the others cited before for S. Philip his preaching in Gallia had thereby ment this Gallia adiacent to Britaine they could not bring him eyther by Land or Sea into those Barbarous Nations where they affirme he long time liued or Hierapolis in Phrigia where he was put to death but he must needs haue passed through and preached in diuers other great interiacent Nations betwene them and yet they name not one for S. Isidor himselfe confineth this Gallia with these bounds Iuga Alpium the tops of the Alpes one the East side with the Ocean Sea one the west the Pyrenaean Isidor l. 14. Origin v. Gallia MouÌ„taynes one the South the Ryuer of Rhene and Germany Where by S. Isidor his owne accompt and description of this Gallia there be aboue a thowsand miles betwene the Countries where he with all others saith S. Philip liued and died and the nearest part of this Gallia vnto any of them by all Cosmographers In what Gallia S. Philip the Apostle preached Neyther shall we by this meanes exclude S. Philip from preaching to Gaules in Gallia or Gallatia nor contradict the opinion of S. Isidor and Freculphus but shewe what Gallia it was they truely did and must needs vnderstand the very same Nation farre from this Gallia where all writers agree he preached in the parts of Scythia and this by S. Isidor his owne interpretation for he plainely writeth of that Gallia or Gallatia where S. Philip by all Antiquities Isid l. 14. Origin did liue was named of the auncient people of the Gaules by whome it was possessed Dicta à prisâ—is Gallorum gentibus à quibus extitit occupata Ioannes Zonaras maketh this matter cleare diuiding the Gaules into the Gaules of Europe Io. Zonaras Ann. to 2. in Vitellio and not of Europe but Asia in expresse termes So doth Zosimus Diodorus Siculus and others Among whome the last writeth in this manner Zosim l. 4. in Gratiano Theodosio Dâ—odor Sicul. â—er antiq l. 5. c 9. Omnis ea Regio Galatia id est Gallia dicta est Haec à multis nationibus incolitur Natio vt plurimum ad Arcton sita Regio frigida vt quae hiemis tempore pro aqua niuibus oppleta existat Glacies quoque immensa adeo regionem occupat vt flumina congelata sint peruia transeuntibus non solum paucis sed exercitibus quoque cum curribus atque impedimentis all that Region is called Galatia that is to say Gallia It is inhabited of many Nations A Country for the most parte situated by the North a could Region which in the time of winter for water is couered with snowe And huge Ice doth so possesse the Region that the Riuers being frosen are passable for trauaylers and not onely for a few but for whole Armies also with their wagons and impediments And a little after he further addeth Qui ad Scythiam vsque habitant dicuntur Galli quas omnes gentes communi nomine Romani Gallos appellant Eorum qui subtus Arcton habitant quique Scythiae sunt propinqui vtpote caeteris agrestiores nonnullos aiunt humanis carnibus vesci They which dwell euen to Scythia are named Gaules all which Nations the Romans by a common name call Gaules And some of them which dwell vnder the North Pole and are neare to Scythia are said to eate mans flesh Titus Liuius also maketh mention of the Schytian Gaules when he thus relateth the speach of Manlius non me praeterit milites Tit. Liuius hist l. 28. in orat Manlij Consulis ad milites omnium quae Asiam colunt gentium Gallos fama belli praestare O Souldiers I am not ignorant that of all people or Nations which inhabite Asia the Gaules excell in fame of warre Thus renowned was the Asiaticall Gallia euen with the Romans and their Historians at that time 4. And Richardus Dinothus in his booke of Historicall common places Rich. Dinothus loc com hist l. 2. c. de Germanis citing Diodorus Siculus who hath testified as much before proueth that before the time of Caius Caligula the Emperor next vnto Tyberius vnder whom Christ suffered his passion the name of Germanie was not kowne but all those Countryes euen to Thracia were called Gallia or Gallatia all one in effect the Romans commonly naming them Gallia and the Greeks Gallatia Hier. Gebuler l. de libert Germ. c. 12. Germanorum nomen paulo ante Caij Caesaris tempora caepit innotescere cum antea omnes populi a Gallico Oceano ad Thraciam vsque Galatae vocarentur Which Hieronimus Gebulerius also confirmeth testifying that the Romans themselues aunciently called both the Germans and those which we now call Gaules or French by the common name of Gaules or Gallia Non nescimus veteres Romanos Trog Pomp. Iust hist l. 24. 25. communi Gallorum nomine cum Germanos tum Gallos comprehendisse Which also Iustinus Trogus Pompeius with many others speeking of the conquests of the Gaules vnder the conduct of Brennus commonly supposed to be a Britane and brother to our King Beline 400. yeares before the birth of Christ doe plainely affirme Gallorum ea tempestate tantae faecunditatis Iuuentus fuit vt Asiam omnem velut examine aliquo implerent denique neque Reges Orientis sine mercenâ—rio Gallorum exercitu vlla bella gesserint neque pulsi Reges ad alios quam ad Gallos confugerint tantus terror Gallici nominis siue armorum inuicta faelicitas erat vt aliter neque maiestatem suam tutam neque