These Churches of Asia the lesse St. Iohn governed and placed Bishops in them 7 The Christians in the Kingdomes of Cazan and Astracan and other Countries in Asia under the dominion of the Emperour of Muscovia who hath under him in Europe and Asia a greater extent of Land than the Roman Catholicks have in Europe All the Asiatick Christians before named are of the Greek communion and observe the Greek rites 8 The Armenians under their two chiefe Patriarchs one of these Patriarchs liveth under the Turke the other under the Persian In Cardinall ' Baronius Annals you may read of 1000 Armenian Bishops Thaddaeus whom they much esteeme preached the Faith to them Now I heare the Patriarch of the greater Armenia to be called Moses As these Christians live in Armenia the greater and lesser so also in many Countries and Cities of Asia Africa and Europe About the yeare 324 Gregory whom they call Illuminator was Bishop of Armenia who suffered Martyrdome under Licinius the Emperour In the yeare 1609 Abbas the Persian Emperour put to death 1000 of these Christians upon a Letter fained to bee written from their Patriarch to the Pope of Rome acknowledging him to be Head of the Church 9 The Iacobites who inhabit a great part of Asia and other places mingled with Mahumetans and Pagans Their Patriarch having many Bishops under him keepeth residence in Caramite the Metropolis of Mesopotamia wee may reade of a Patriarch of the Iacobites in the time of Heraclius the Emperour 10 The Chaldean and Assyrian Christians with others under the Patriarch of Mozul who have many of them their Services in the Syrian Tongue being the language in which our Lord preached These Christians inhabite mingled with Mahumetans and Pagans a great part of the Orient for beside the Countries of Babylon Assyria Mesopotamia Parthia Media c. wherein many of these Christians are found They are scattered farre and neere in the East both Northerly in Cathaia and Southerly in India Trigautius reckoneth 14 Metropolitans viz. of India China Cambaia Mogor Hilam Nzivin Prath Assur Bethgarmi Halack Passes Mauzeor xam Raziqueor besides many Archbishops and Bishops Cardinall Vitriacus in his History of the East reporteth these Christians with the Jacobites to be more in number then the Latines and Greeks These Christians were converted by Saint Thomas the Apostle and in their Service-book they have this Hymne as Trigantius reporteth The Indians the Chinoises the Persians and other Islanders and they that are in Syria Armenia Grecia and Romania in commemoration of S. Thomas doe offer prayse to thy holy Name 11 The Maronites in Mount Libanus who have a Patriarch and eight or nine Bishops under him 12 The Indians of Saint Thome so called because they received the Christian Faith from Saint Thomas the Apostle These Christians inhabite many places in the East Indies as Melia-par where Saint Thomas was buried and hath a goodly Temple erected to his name Angamall where an Archbishop resideth Cranganor Negapatan Vaipecotan and others Trigautius writeth that when the Portugals arrived at Cochin that the Lord Iacob ruled the Malabar Church who stiled himselfe Metropolitan of India and China and that Ioseph succeeded him Iosephus Indus borne in Cranganor in East India also writeth of a great Prelat to whom twelve Cardinals were subiect with two Patriarchs and many Archbishops and Bishops 13 The Chinoises possesse a Countrey little lesse then all Europe Saint Thomas preached the Gospel first amongst them afterwards they had a supply of Preachers from Iudea K. Tay with Neu huanti reigning in the yeer 782. They erected a Monument declaring the bringing in of the Gospell into China in what Provinces it was promulgated and how many yeeres it flourished The Monument is graven with Syrian Letters with these words Adam sacerdos Presbyter Papalis Zinostan seu regionis Sinarum in the margent of this Monument there are divers names engraven of them that brought the sweet Name of our Lord Iesus Christ among them as Constantinus Saba cusio seu Aethiops Dominus Sergius c. Paulus Venetus writeth of a Christian Church in the great Citie of Quinsay I read also of Gaspara a China Bishop 14 Cathaia is one of the largest Empires upon the face of the whole Earth in which there be also many Christians They write of a Christian King of Tenduc whose native Subiects are Christians besides he ruleth farre and wide over many Provinces whose inhabitants are also for the most part Christians To conclude there is neither speech nor language but his voice hath beene heard among them The sound of the Gospell is gone out into all Lands and the Word of God into the ends of the World In Africa are these Christians following 1 VNder the Patriarch of Alexandria whose iurisdiction hath been from the River of Nilus to the Gaditan straits In the City of Caire only are thought to be 200000 Christians Saint Marke was their first Bishop and now Metrophanes governeth and precedeth there brought up in Oxford sent hither by Cyrill the then Patriarch to our late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury In Cardinall Baronious Annalls you may read of a Succession of Bishops from Saint Marke to Gabriell the then Patriarch There is a service in the Syrian tongue set forth by Severus Patriarch of Alexandria also a service in the Cophts Language set forth in print by Kirkerus The Cophts are the native EEgyptians and have a Patriarch of their owne Moreover Demetrius of Thessalonica hath set forth a Service used in Cair and among the Christians in Arabia The Holy Bishop Athanasius who opposed the Arrian World was sixe and forty yeares Patriarch of Alexandria with many other Holy Bishops as among others Poterius Bishop of Alexandria who was slaine by the Eutychian Hereticks haled through the streetes his body cut in pieces and his Entrailes chewed by them The Patriarchs of Alexandria have beene great Princes and weare a Crowne His title is Oecumenick Iudge So many Holy men lived in this Church in ancient time that it was called the Paradise of God 2 The Abassine Christians under the Emperour of Aethiopia who inhabit many Kingdomes of Affrica They received the Faith first from Philip and afterwards Saint Matthew the Apostle preached among them they have a Patriarch or Abuna a-man of great esteeme and estate Their Abuna when Alvares was in Aethiopia was called Marke a Reverend old Man aged about 110 a man gracious in his speech never speaking without blessing of God and giving of Thankes when hee goeth out of his Tent he rideth upon a Mule well attended Their Churches are builded round adorned with rich hangings and Plate They have their Service in their owne tongue Zago Zabo Bugana Raze that is The Vice-Roy of Bugana an Aethiopian Bishop was sent Ambassadour from the Aethiopian Emperour to Iohn King
of Portugall who remained in Europe many yeares whose Confession of faith is set downe by Damianus a Goes As also the Aethiopian Rites are set forth in Print by Alvares a Portugall Priest who was some yeares Leidger in Aethiopia sent thither by the King of Portugall Thomas a Iesuite writeth of a long succession of the Abassin Abunas There is also a succession of the Christian Abassin Emperours from Abraham called the Saint who reigned about the yeare 427 to Abbas and Claudius their late Emperours It is reported that the Turke hath subdued much of the Prets Country yet the Abassine Religion may continue which the Turke taketh not from any 3 The Christians also inhabit the Kingdome of Cephala Thevet writeth that they received the faith by the preaching of the Abassines 4. Moreover the Matacasian Kingdome received Christianity by the means of the King of Cephala The Matacasian King placed over his Churches eight Bishops and over them a Primate or Patriarch whom they call Elchadie or Ismael In time past Christianity flourished in the North-west part of Africa Wee read of Synods there of above 200 Bishops and in one Province called Zingitana where Carthage stood of 164 Bishops to bee under one Metropolitane When these Churches flourished they opposed the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome over them as appeareth by writings of St. Cyprian St. Augustine the sixt Councell of Carthage and by a Synod at Melevis in both which the African Fathers forbad appeales to Rome In the North-west parts of Africa doe remaine onely now two Bishopriks viz Septa and Tanger And whereas in Barbary Algier and other places there are many thousands of Christians in Captivity they are allowed by their Patrons the Moores the liberty of their Religion and the learnedest or eldest is to the rest in stead of a Priest 6 Beside the subiects of Prester Iohn very many people of the neighbour Kingdomes mixed with Mahumetans and Heathen people doe professe the Religion and Rites of the Abassin Christians as Miraeus affirmeth 7 In Congo called by some Manicongo there are or have beene some Christians Miraeus reokoneth up a succession of nine Christian Kings in that Kingdome 8 In Monomopata there have bin some Christians and they have had a King baptized 9. In the Isle of Zocotora there are some Christians who have also a Protomist or Bishop over them 10 The Portugals and Spaniards inhabit certaine Townes and Forts in Africa as also the English and Hollanders reside in some places of Africa Miraeus setteth downe Alphabetically the Bishopricks of Africa and reckoneth about 430 but howsoever many of the Bishopricks are not but ruinated and dissolved yet the Fame of the Sanctity and learning of their Holy Bishops heretofore shall continue for ever As of St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage St. Austin Bishop of Hippo Aurelius Bishop of Carthage Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria Origen Tertullian Arnobius and others who governed the Church of God after a most singular manner and having finished their course rest with God in Heaven But by the way to adde a word or two for the better understanding of this my Relation VVhereas you have heard of many Bishops in Europe Asia and Africa it will not be impertinent to set downe what manner of men these Bishops in the Primative Church were for some suppose Bishops and Elders to be all one which was the Herefie of Aerius and that they lived meanly upon Almes and Stipends For the first the Office of a Bishop is set downe by St. Paul Titus the 1. and 5. For this cause I left thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in every City Here we see Elders or Pastors to be in every City But Titus the Bishop had the charge to order and ordaine Elders for the whole Island in which wee reade 100 Cities to have been besides Townes Titus was their first Bishop and there is now an Archbishop residing there who hath Bishops under him For the second whereas some suppose that Bishops then lived upon almes or stipends heare what Saint Augustine hath left written of his little Bishopricke of Hippo in Africa Saint Augustine was a Patricians sonne and had a faire estate from his Father I saith hee went not from Riches but to Riches my fathers estate left mee was not the twentieth part in comparison of the Farms other Estates which I was Lord of by being Bishop of Hippo. In the 60 Epistle of Saint Cyprian you may perceive the estate of the Church of Carthage of which place hee was Bishop Also Eusebius setteth downe the condition of the Church of Rome under Cornelius the Bishop and Martyr who had under him 155 Clergie men besides a multitude of Widdows and Poor who were abundantly relieved and lest any man should thinke this to be done penuriously The said Cornelius writeth to Fabian Bishop of Antioch that so great a multitude were by the Providence of God made rich and abounding in all plenteousnesse In ancient time the Church Goods were divided into foure parts one to the Bishop for the mayntenance of his Dignity and State the second to the inferiour Clergy the third to the poore and the fourth for building repayring and adorning of the Church and other uses But whereas some think the chiefe points of Reformation to be put downe Bishops and to ceaze upon Church-livings and to put their Ministers to stipends I suppose it to be a great plague laid upon a Church to make their Ministers Stipendaries and so to depend upon the benevolences of their people it being the curse of God denounced upon the Priests of the Posteritie of Elie to bow for a piece of silver and to crowch for a morsell of bread For the miserable condition of Stipendarie Ministers reade Doctour Saravia who setteth downe the poornesse of their Stipends as also the difficulty of attaining those little Pittances allotted to them viz. that oft the Ministers are compelled to travell no small iourneyes to their Pay Masters in most humble manner as if it were begging their Stipends and yet many times sent away with empty Purses and laden with reproachfull words and this not only by the Treasurers but all by men of base condition as Shoomakers Taylors Curriers c. who are ready to reproach their poore Ministers saying You are our servants wee pay you your wages he reporteth also that he heard some of their Burgomasters say Wee must take heed to these our Ministers especially that their Stipends be not so great they that too much pamper their servants shall finde them stubborn and contumacious The greatest of the Primative Persecutours is affirmed to be Iulian the Emperour Who although hee set forth no Mandate to put Christians to death yet hee endeavoured by subtile meanes to undoe Christian Religion forbidding Christian Schools and the use of Learning debarring them from
about the five and thirtieth yeare of our Lord. Aristobulus one of the seventy Disciples was one of the first Bishops of Britanie The memory of these Arch-Bishops following viz. Of Patrick in Ireland Palladius in Scotland and of David in Wales who Preached the most sweete Name of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ in these Countries before named will never be forgotten In St. Peters Church in Cornehill London remaineth a Monument declaring that King Lucius founded that Church for a Bishops See and of a succession of Arch-Bishops there for 400 yeares Elvanus sate Arch-Bishop there by whose preaching with others King Lucius had beene converted as also Restitutus a married Bishop who with other British Bishops subscribed the Synode at Arles Anno 350. Neither is Vodinus one of the Arch-bishops of London to be left in oblivion who was murthered for reproving King Vortiger for putting away his wife and marrying Rowen daughter to Hengist an Infidel Reverend Bede telleth us of many Learned men and Bishops in Britany before and about the comming of Austin the Monk As also of Bishop Aidan and Finan who are at this day reckoned among the Romish Saints although they would have no Communion with the said Austin Likewise Arch-bishop Cranmer Bishop Ridley Bishop Latimer and others who restored Religion to the ancient Purity and sealed their Confession with their Blood will be had in Everlasting memory There are now in the Kingdomes above named eight Arch-bishops and about eighty Bishops The Clergy in these Kingdomes are learned best provided for and the most honorable of the reformed Churches The Bishops are Barons and sit in their Parliaments and two of the English Bishops viz. Durham and Eley have some regalities in their Diocesses In ancient time the Kings of England placed Clergy-men in the greatest Offices of the Kingdome The Protestants also inhabit the Kingdome of Denmark with the Balticke Islands and the great Islands in the Ocean as Islands part of Freisland The Kingdome of Norway being in length about 1300. miles and not halfe so much in breadth There are in Denmarke and Norway two Archbishopricks and foureteene Bishoprickes These Kingdomes received Christianity from the Apostles or Disciples as Merman affirmeth There were two Danish Bishops in the first Councell of Nice viz. Marcus Metropolitanus Protogenes The Kingdome of Sweden bigger then France and Italy in which Kingdome is one Arch-Bishopricke and seven Bishopricks The Kingdome of Transilvania in a manner intire In the Kingdome of Poland being of no lesse space than Spaine and France laid together the Protestants in great numbers are diffused through all the quarters thereof having in every Province their publicke Churches orderly severed and bounded with Dioces There are also in Polonia many Greeks or Russes who have eight Bishops whose Metropolitane is the Arch-Bishop of Kiovia These Bishops are not beggarly but well provided for and of good esteeme Isidore Arch-Bishop of Kiovia before named went to the Councell of Florence attended with 100. Horse There are also many Armenians Christians whose Bishop is resident in Leopolis In France the Protestants had at the conference of Poisie 2150 Congregations In this Christian Kingdome Philip the Apostle with many holy Bishops preached the faith as Dionysius Disciple of S. Paul the first Bishop of Paris and Martyrs Lazarus Photinus Disciple of Polycarp and Irenaeus B. of Lions Hilary B. of Poicteurs who tooke great paines to purge France from the Arrian Heresie Remigius Bishop of Rhemes who baptized Clodoveus the first Christian King of France Neither should wee forget Germanus Bishop of Anxer nor Lupus Bishop of Tros who crossed the Seas to aide the British Bishops against the Pelagians The Protestants have also the greatest part of Germany all the temporall Princes of note being of late Protestants except the Dukes of Bavaria and Cleere and in a manner all the Free Cities and Hanse Townes The Protestants detain also in their possessions the Archbishopricks of Magdenburgh and Breame with the Bishopricks unto them belonging As also the Bishopricks of Verdden Halberstad Osnaburgh and Minden When Magdenburgh was converted to the Faith Albert was there Bishop Cresceus Disciple of Saint Paul was one of the first Bishops in Germany and Winibrode an Englishman commonly called Boniface is Famous amongst the Archbishops of Ments whom the Pagans murthered in hope of prey and found only in his Coffers a few bookes and Relicks The first Bishop of Wertburgh was Burchard a Britaine this Bishop is Duke of Franconia and Lord of part of Vortland The first Archbishop of Breme was Ausgarius who converted Erick the third King of Denmarke Also in these later times the memory of Doctor Luther who caused Reformation in some parts of Germany is very precious in the Countries by him reformed They have also halfe the Netherlands there were lately Bishops in these parts as amongst others Amandus Bishop of Utrecht who converted the Gauntois to the Christian Faith As also Frederick Bishop of the said See who for reproving Lodowick the Emperour for keeping Iudith was put to death but now in these Countries and some others they have no Bishops but appropriating the Church-livings to themselues they give their Ministers Pensions But I fear that in this their taking to themselves the Church-livings set apart by their Fore-fathers for the service of Almighty God and paying their Ministers pensions they doe no otherwise than a King of Spaine did who taking very much from the Church built a Monastery or two of whom the Proverbe went That he had taken a Sheep from Almighty God and given him again out of it the Trotters Now what the miserable Effects are which follow upon the want of Bishops in those Countries let the abundance of Heresies Sects Schismes and Religions amongst them testifie to the world Also they have more than halfe Switzerland and the Grisons Country in which Countries have beene many Bishops The Protestants also live mingled with the Romanists in Hungarie Austria Bohemia Piemont and other places Severinus is accounted the Apostle of Austria In those Countries have beene many holy Bishops and Doctours who have shined like Stars in the Firmament illuminating the Darknesse of the blind World with the light of their Celestiall Doctrine The second sort of Christians in Europe are The Roman Catholicks Who inhabit SPain being in compasse 1893 miles or thereabouts in times past divided into many Kingdomes but now united into one In this great Kingdome are about eleven Archbishops and many Bishops men of great Dignity and Estate Saint Iames is affirmed to be the Apostle of Spaine as also Saint Paul Osius Bishop of Corduba whom Constantine honoured for the marks of Iesus Christ that he bore and Isidore Bishop of Sivill are famous for opposing the Arrian Hereticks with Illefonsus Archbishop of Toledo Isidorus Scholer Fulgentius and others The revenues of