Antiquit. Glast Guliel Malm. l. de Antiq. Caeno Glast Capgr in S. Patricio S. Ioseph Aram. Manuscr Ant. de prima Instit Eccl. officij Vit. S. Lupi Sur. Haraeus in eod Constant in Vit. S. Germani Antisiodoren Antiq. Glaston Guliel Malm. supr Capgr in S. Patricio Manuscript Antiq Capgrau in S. Brendano Manuscr Brit. supr Capgr in S. Dubritio S. Dauid Antiq. Eccl. Landau Caius l. 1. Antiq. Cantabr S. Asaph in Vit. S. Kentigerni Capgr in eod they there submitted themselues and diuers of their sacred company to this Apostolike first Rule and Order of S. Ioseph lyuing in the same manner as he and his Associats did They themselues stayed there 9. yeares whether they died there or not the Antiquities doe not determine but clearely testifie they left there a Succession of their holy companie huing and dying there in that Apostolike holy Order and S. Eleutherius Pope granted diuers Indulgences to that holy place Our next Apostolike men sent hither from the Roman See and Pope Celestine both S. German and S. Lupus by an old Brittish Antiquitie and other Authours were before they were Bishops Monkes of the old Monastery and Order of Lirinum which both by them and others ioyned in one with our old Brittish Order heare and all agree that without all question S. Lupus was a Monke of that Order Rule and place and S. German liued euen being a Bishop and Legate a life as strict and in as great austeritie as any Regular then did vsed gaue and left that example heare S. Patrike the next Apostolike Legate of these parts was Abbot of this our sacred Brittish Apostolike Order and Rule in our Monastery of Glastenbury And then the Monks of Britaine Ireland and Scotland with other agreed in the same Order and Rule and of the same Order he sent Monks into America and the Ilands thereof S. Gomogillus and S. Vuandilocus had in their Monastary monachos circiter tria millia about 3000. Monks of the same Order and besides others the Monastery of Bangor had few lesse of the same Rule After S. German and his Associates departure hence S. Dubritius and S. Dauid were the Popes Legates or greatest commaunders heare by the highest spirituall Power S. Dubritius was a famous Maister to such Schollers and S. Dauid liuing long in the next Age founded many Monasteries of this Order and left his Rule after his death which I haue sett downe in due place S. Kentegern was renowned in his time fot this Regular life and had in his Monasterie continuall learned Preists and Preachers all most 400. Apostolike men besides others whome he sent to preach in all these westerne parts and liuing vnto the time of S. Gregory Pope who approued confirmed and much commended his holy Order state and course of life as S. Asaph his renowned Scholler and Successour in his Episcopall See and dignitie and Capgraue in his life are ample witnesses At before and after S. Augustines Ionas in Vit. S. ColuÌ„bani Capgrau in eod Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Columbano Ionas in Vit. S. coÌ„ming hither S. Columban a Monke of Bangor of this Order with his holy companions was renowned in France Burgundy and Italy and there founded many Monasteries both of Monks and Nunnes of this our old Order and Rule and Pope Honorius confirmed it euer in those places 9. The Lirinum Monks of that learned Order vnited themselues with him in his Rule and among others S. Attila who succeeded him Abbot in his Monastery of Luxouium was one The Disciples and Schollers of S. Augustine in Vit. S. Attalae S. Eustachij Script Vit. S. Liuini Archiepisc Surius Haraeus al. in eod 12. die Nouemb. Antiq. Glaston Tabulis fixae Gul. Malm. l. de Antiq. Caenob Glaston sent into England by S. Gregory Pope ioyned in this holy Order and Rule such was S. Liuinus made Preist by S. Augustine and after a Bishop and by some an Archbishop who liued with S. Foillanus Helius and Kilianus were holy Monks of this our old Order S. Liuinus being Disciple to S. Benignus the renowned Abbot of Glastenbury Disciple to S. Patrike as the name place and time agreeing proue S. Paulinus the first Archbishop of Yorke in the Saxons time a principall man in the Roman Mission with S. Augustine liued in our Monastery of Glastenbury with our Monks there diuers monthes and made new buildings or reparations there for them and their holy Order Thus the Antiquities there testifie at lardge S. Brithwald a Antiq. Glaston Bed Hist Eccles Catal. Archiep. Cant. Godwin in Brithwaldo Monke of Glastenbury of our old Order was chosen to be Abbot among the Monks that came from Rome in their Monastery at Reculuer in Kent and after Archbishop of Canterbury S. Benedict Bishop one of the first and most renowned Abbots in Canterbury the first Englishman Abbot there after those of S. Augustins Mission and was first instructed by Monks of our old Capgr in S. Benedic Bisc Bed Histor Florent Wigorn. Chron. Matth. Westm Chronic. Antiq. Glaston Gul. Maâ—mesb l. Antiq. Caenob Glaston Brittish Order in Northumberland went thence to Lirinum Monastery that ioyned then with S. Columbanus and our old Order was there two yeares and there professed long before S. Benedicts Rule came thither went to Rome whence S. Augustine and his Monks came and there liued with the Roman Monks was after Abbot of S. Augustins in Canterbury Monke and Abbot among our Monks in Northumberland of our old Order no Monastery then and there hauing receaued S. Benedict his Rule And aboue 40. yeares after his death S. Ticca Abbot and Successour in his Monastery with his Monks Ticca venerabilis Abbas cum suis Monachis carrying with him in time of Persecution the bodies of S. Benedict and all the Abbots of that Abbey went to Glastenbury of our old Order then and hundreds of yeares after and was Abbot there many yeares Cum suis Monachis Glastoniam vsque peruenit eandeÌ„que Ecclesiam sub nomine Abbatis plurimos annos rexit It is euident by all Historians that the Monks of S. Benedict Biscop in our North England those of Glastenbury other Monasteries heare much differed in many and much materiall things from the Monks of any late or new Order then in Italy or other place or Nation As in Church seruice and obseruations habit dyet Abbots Monks and many things distinguishing such Rules not to be mentioned heare belonging rather to an other place and time if need be thereof THE XXVI CHAPTER THAT DIVERS 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 1. BY this appeareth that as these Legats Commission was not confined within the temporall limits and bonds of King Lucius and the Romans heare in Britaine commonly by our Antiquities and
supr an 201. Westminster the Antiquitie in S. Peters Church in Cornhill in London with others witnesse that Lucius was crowned King in the yeare of Christ 124. The yeare of our Lord God saith the Antiquitie of S. Peters Church 124. Lucius was crowned King and the yeares of his Reigne were 77. yeares To which the Monke of Westminster iustly agreeth crowning him King in the yeare 124. Anno gratiae 124. Lucius Regni diademate insignitus est And recording his death in the yeare 201. Anno gratiae 201. Inclitus Britannorum Rex Lucius ab hac vita migrauit ad Christum This Monke is stiled by our Protestant Antiquaries to be most exquisite in the true Supputation of yeares Matthaeus Florigerus quantum Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. centur 3. in Matth. Floriger ad Historiam in recta annorum supputatione singularis And of all writers of such matters we may lawfully Iudge that the auncient Authour or Authours of the Manuscript preserued in that Church dedicated to S. Peter to testifie to all Posteritie how that Church was founded by King Lucius and was the first Archiepiscopall See or Church in Britaine as is contained in that Antiquitie was most diligent and industrious in searching out the truth of such things so publikly to be receaued Such likely were the reasons which moued the Cambridge Antiquarie to affirme so resolutely as he hath done that King Lucius sent Eluanus and Meduuinus to Rome about his and this Countryes Conuersion so long before the dayes of the Papacie of Eleutherius and they returned hither againe in his time to help to effect that holy worke And I hope such an Vniuersitie as Cambridge would still be accompted and in Catholike times hath bene would not without greate warrant from their owne or some other Antiquities which they remember not in particular suffer it to be published and printed as the generall saying and testimony of their whole Vniuersitie That King Lucius when the question of Religion was in hand came purposely to Cambridge about it and there being resolued by the holy learned Christians which were students in Cambridge that the Religion which they professed was true he sent Eluanus Meduuinus to the Pope of Rome in the 156. yeare of Christ and the 18. of his owne Reigne for the receauing of Christian Religion in Britaine Cantabrigiam Lucius pius moderatus Princeps clementissimusque Hist Cantabrig Accadem Auth. Ioanne Caio ex aedibus Io. Daij An. Dom. 1574. pag. 22. Britannorum Rex venit Cui cum ex Sanctorum virorum qui Christum professi sunt Cantebrigiae studebant praedicatione persuasum est non fuisse vana quae de Deo deque Trinitate diuulgata sunt fidei Christianae cupidus à Pontifice Romano vt ad Christi fidem reciperetur per Legatos Eluanum Meduuinum petijt id egit Anno Domini 156. regni sui 18. THE VII CHAPTER DECLARING MANY HVMANE LETS and Impediments hindering King Lucius and his Noble Britans some yeares from publikely professing Christian Religion which secretly they embraced and the occasions of diuers mistakings eyther of Historians or their Scribes in the Date Times and Titles of letters written about the Conuersion of Britaine to the faith of Christ 1. WHEN the Estate of Ecclesiasticall affaires in Britaine had taken so happy proceedings and effect that both our King heare and many principall men were thus conuerted to the faith of Christ from their former errours and superstitions and so greate hope and forwardnes there was to haue that faith publikely professed which they Diuers humane feares and Impediments now chancing and hindering King Lucius from open profession of Christian Religion in Britaine priuately embraced and acknowledged for the onely truth many wordly temptations and oppositions did presently arise to hinder these new and vntrayned Souldiers of Christ to make so bold and open Profession of their holy Religion as many holy Martyrs at that time and they themselues not long after did and the glory of that required For as we may probably with many Antiquities affirme that the fauourable Edicts of diuers Emperours and among them Antonius surnamed Pius yet reigning had some what encouraged them in temporall respects actually to be baptized in that Religion The Martyrdome of the holy Popes S. Telesphorus and S. Higinius which their internall vnderstanding and Iudgment was by many inuincible motiues and Arguments conuinced before to be onely true So now by like contrary wordly euents and lets they were for some time more slowe and Antoninus Pius Emperour incensed against the Britans dull to professe it openly They did perfectly vnderstand that notwithstanding the pretended and expected fauour of the present Emperour eyther by his commande or permission two holy Popes to omit many others in other places S. Telesphorus and S. Higinius procures of their Conuersion cruelly Polydor. Virgil. Vrb. Anglic. Hist l. 2. pag. 42. Iulius Capitol in Antonin Nichol. Vignier Biblioth Histor and An. 143. were putte to death for that Religion euen in Rome itselfe vnder the Emperours sight within the space of foure yeares or litle more by all accompts And because present and home daungers doe most terrifie they did see and tasted that the present Emperour Antoninus was at this time incensed against the Britans and had allready sent Lollius Vrbicus with forces hither and he had fought some Battailes against the Britans As both our owne and the Roman Historians testifie Pius Antoninus id temporis Imperator Lollium Vrbicum The superstitious education and disposition of Marcus Aurâ—lius Antoninus adopted Successour in the Empire Legatum in Britanniam misit qui factis aliquot praelijs Insulanos in officio manere coegit 2. And to maintayne and foster these conceiued and ingendered humane feares and Impressions to liue and continue longer then Antoninus Pius was like to liue now being old and long time Emperour when he came first to the Empyre by the Adoption of Hadrian he was commanded or directed by him that Marcus Aurelius Antoninus whom from his Infancy he had trayned vp in the Gentils superstitions should succeed him in the Empire Iul. Capitolin in Marco Aurelio Antonino When he was but 8. yeares old he was putt by Adrian into the Colledge of the Salij most superstitious Preists of Mars and was made a Preist a cheife Marcus Aurelius Antoninus his PersecutioÌ„ against Christians Prelate or Ruler a Southsayer and Master among them octauo suae aetatis anno ab Adriano in Saliorum Collegium relatus est in Saliata functus Sacerdotio Praesul vates Magister nonnullos inaugurauit exaugurauit nemine praeeunte quod ipse carmina didicisset So that there could be litle hope but this man so superstitiously brought vp and such a maker and vnmaker of their Sacrificers and Enchaunter would still continue in the same and professe himselfe an enemy to all Impugners of such
Sancti Patricij in commemorata Insula permanserunt So we see the ouerraging Persecution of Dioclesian did not disperse or hurt them And in the generall spoile of the Pagan Saxons in this kingdome when an other abomination of desolation was heare in Britaine this holy house still enioyed both Monkes and an Abbot called Morgret and was so fare from destruction or ruine thereby that it then receaued more libertie and a new endowment the King of Domnonia giuing Gulielm Malm. l. de Antiq. Glast vnto it the land called Inswitrin in the 601. yeare of Christs Incarnation Anno Dominicae Incarnationis 601. Rex Domnoniae terram quae appellatur Inswitrin ad Ecclesiam vetustam concessit ad petitionem Morgret eiusdem loci Abbatis And it appeareth by this Authour that he had seene the originall Charter itselfe thereof for besides his setting downe the very names of the Abbots to whome it was granted and the Bishop Manuto who wrote the Charter and signed it with others Ego Manuto Episcopus hanc Chartam scripsi he addeth of the King that granted it that the scedule was so old whereon his name was writen that it could not be knowne Quis iste Rex fuit scedulae vetustas negat scire In the Danish Inuasion and Persecution some of those Infidels did attempt to spoyle it but being Miraculously stricken blinde and therevpon penitent for their wickednes and receauing their sight by the meanes of the blessed Virgin Mary they caused a pretious Crosse of curious work of gold siluer and pretious stones to be made and offered it in the old Church in memory thereof multi eorum audientes sanctitatem huius loci ne matrem misericordiae alios quorum inibi corpora pausant ad Iracundiam prouocarent recesserunt Sed tamen intrauerunt nonnulli nec impunè Nam Virgo faecunda arma Iustitiae concutiens omnes caecitate mulctauit quos postea paenitentes quod iniquè gesserant detestantes misericorditer illuminauit Denique facta collatione Crucem eleganti satis opere ex auro argento pretiosis lapidibus fabricauerunt Ecclesiae veteri ad huiusce miraculi monumenta obtulerunt And this holy place was made as a common Sanctuary to Religeous persons in such stormes and tempests to preserue themselues the holy Relicks of Saints and such sacred things there from Pagan Persecution THE XXV CHAPTER OF THE GREATE HONOVR AND REnowne of our old Brittish Apostolike Order of Religion from the comming of S. 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 Countryes to Christ were conuerted 1. IF after so long a Circuite of time and inuolued with so many difficulties to hinder vs from certaine knowledge of such The most holy and auncient Apostolike Order of Glastenbury there setled by S. Ioseph of Arimathia Chastitie obedience pouertie things we are desirous to make some estimate what was the Rule of this holy Order it somewhat appeareth by that is said and is resembled in our Histories and diuers obseruances thereof kept in such strict Orders as afterward borrowed them from hence The three Vowes or states of perfection of chastitie pouertie and obedience necessary in all such conditions of life were diligently and exactly performed in this Order Cōcerning obedience at and before the first comming of S. Ioseph of Aramathia with the rest hither S. Ioseph was ordained their Superior by the Apostle which directed them hither his praefecit amicum suum Ioseph ab Aramathia qui Dominum sepeliuit Flos Aramathiae Ioseph est primus eorum So writeth William of Malmesbury the Antiquities of Glastenburye Capgraue and others who keepe a successiue continuance of most of their Guliel Malmes l. de Antiq. Caen. Glast Io. Capgr Catal. in S. Ioseph ab Aramat Antiq. Glaston Abbots after both in the Britans and Saxons time who Ruled them and to whome they were obedient Iure Abbatis rexit The pouertie which these men with the contempt of Riches professed is sufficiently declared in forsaking all they had of their owne and liuing by their labour and such things as at the first were giuen vnto them by Infidels in a strange Country And after King Lucius was conuerted they had nothing but the Almes of Christians and their owne paines and Industrie to sustaine them and yet these not at their owne but Abbots disposition The holy place wherein they liued being left so long and strangely desolate without man woman or childe after the death of S. Ioseph and his companions the substitution of Monkes in the same number of 12. by S. Damianus and Phaganus and the continued succession in that number their names registred their so often assembling and meeting euery day in the holy Church The greate chastitie is remembred of them which be most mentioned by Historians no marryed or vnchaste woman euer inhabiting there by any Antiquitie giueth a warrant boldly to say they liued in perpetuall sacred chastitie 2. If we will follow the more common opinion of Antiquaries that the Miraculous man S. Patricke the Apostle of Ireland was Abbot there and giue allowance to the old Manuscript Epistle asscribed vnto him we must Their holynesse and austeritie of life say their austeritie of life and deuotion were wonderfull For he saith of the twelue which were there in his time and whose names for their honour he setteth downe that he was not worthie to vntye the buckles of their shewes non dignus eram soluere corrigias calceamentorum eorum And yet we reade of him in approued Authours that he was one of the most holy vertuous and Miraculous men that euer liued omni namque Die Psalterium cum canticis himnis ducentis orationibus cantauit offerebat corpus Christi docebat Discipulos turbis praedecabat in omni hora signo crucis Christi centies signabat se In prima vero noctis parte centum Psalmos canebat ducentis vicibus genua curuabat a pullorum cantu in aquis stabat donec adimpleret orationes suas post haec dormiebat super lapidem nudum alterumque sub capite eius posuit tunicam pelliceam habebat circa lumbos suos in aqua tinctam he did euery day singe the Psalter with canticles and himnes and two hundred prayers he offered the sacrifice of Christs body taught his Disciples preached to the people and in euery hower signed himselfe an hundred times with the signe of the crosse of Christ In the first part of the night he sunge an hundred psalmes and bowed his knees two hundred times and from the crowing of the cocke he stood in the water vntill he
must bewayle the vnspeakeable want and losse which this kingdome long time by many miseries and afflictions suffered by the death of so holy iust and prudent a Prince and Ruler hapning by the most diligent Calculatours of time we haue in the beginning and first yeare of this Age. Anno gratiae 201. Inclitus Britannorum Rex Lucius in bonis actibus assumptus ab hac vita migrauit ad Christum THE II. CHAPTER OF THE TIME AND PLACE OF KING LVCIVS 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 1. BEING come to celebrate the day of the death of our glorious King Lucius for the Ioy that he enioyed thereby and bewayle The time of King Lucius death it for the vnspeakeable losse this Nation receaued thereby we are to fall into the like difficulties both of the time and place Matth. Westm an gratiae 201. Manuscript Antiq Eccles S. Petri in Cornhill Londin Matth. Paris in Hist maiori apud Io. Caium l. 1. Ant. Cantab. Acad. pag. 109. Martin Polon Supputat an 188. in Eleutherio thereof which we passed for the beginning of his Reigne and Conuersion to Christ before handled and dissolued yet for the time of his death the auncient Manuscript of S. Peters Church in Cornehill in London and Matthew the Monke of Westminster haue giuen vs particular intelligence that it was in the first yeare of this third hundred of yeares Matthew Paris writeth the same And Martinus Polonus that testifieth King Lucius wrote to Pope Eleutherius concerning his Conuersion in the yeare 188. must needs giue euidence to that opinion for certaine it is by all Antiquities that King Lucius liued many yeares after that to see his kingdome conuerted to Christ And our Protestant Antiquaries with the best Authours as they say which confesse this first writing of King Lucius to Pope Eleutherius was not before the 178. yeare of Christ Haec contigerunt anno à Christi aduentu in carnem 178. vt potiores commemorant Annales For William of Malmesbury Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Lucio Pio. Caius supr pag. 111. in his Manuscript History of Glastenbury and other old Antiquities thereof doe proue that after S. Damianus and Faganus had conuerted this kingdome by the Papall Commission of S. Eleutherius they did continue 9. yeares at the least at Glastenbury King Lucius still liuing and reigning heare Guliel Malm. l. de Ant. Coen Glaston Antiq. Manuscrip tab fixae Glast Polid. Virgil. Hist in Lucio Lilius Hist alij Hollinshed Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 19. Stowe Hist an 179. in Lucius Io. Bal. l. de Scriptor Britan. centur 1. in Lucio Pio. Author of the Engl. Martyrol 3. day of December Martyrol Rom. die 3. Decemb. alij Polidor Lilly Hollinshed Stowe and other Protestants leane to this opinion 2. About the day of his death there is better Agreement for both those which say he died in Britaine both Catholiks and Protestants as also they which deny it affirming he died in Germany agree that this was vpon the third day of December Lucius Pius Claudiocestriae tertia die Decembris vitae suae finem accepit So writeth a Protestant Bishop of England with others And the Roman Martyrologe with others which otherwise write of the place of his death consent Tertio Nonas Decembris Lucij Britannorum Regis qui primus ex ijs Regibus Christi fidem suscepit tempore Eleutherij Papae 3. The place and manner of his death is more questioned diuers forreyne writers contend that he forsooke his kingdome and being made a Preist and afterward Bishop preached to the Rhetians in Germany was Bishop there of Curre and died by Martyrdome The Roman Martyrologe inclineth to this opinion making his death to haue bene Curiae in Germania At Curre in Germanie saying plainely as I haue cited before that this Lucius which died there was the first of the Kings of the Britans which receaued the faith of Christ in the time of Pope Eleutherius This is the greatest Authoritie I finde for this opinion yet this Authour doth not take vpon him to say that he was eyther Bishop or Martyr which he would not neyther by his Order and rule of writing which might not omit such things could haue omitted if he had knowne or probably thought eyther of them to haue bene true And whereas this Authour confidently saith of King Lucius that he was primus ex ijs King Lucius did not preach in Germanie neyther was he martyred or died there Regibus qui Christi fidem suscepit the first of the Brittish Kings which receaued the faith of Christ it doth formerly appeare that diuers Authours euen of this Nation which might better learne the truth hereof then a stranger could haue written otherwise both of Aruiragus Marius and Coillus Brittish Kings And I haue giuen sufficient warrant before that for the faith and Religion of King Lucius in particular it was Christian before the Papacy of S. Eleutherius and the generall Conuersion of the kingdome of Britaine and not of King Lucius was wrought in the time of Pope Eleutherius And yet this Authour absolutely affirmeth that King Lucius himselfe did receaue the faith of Christ in the time of Pope Eleutherius fidem Christi suscepit tempore Eleutherij Papae Neither doth he in that or any other place make any memory of S. Author of the Engl. Martyrol ex Eisengren cent 2. d. 1. Breuia Curiensi 4. Decemb. Caspar Bruch Catal. Episcop Curien Io. Stumpff in Rhetia Magdeburg cent Guliel Eisengr centenar 2. Io. Naucler gener 6. volum 8. Petr. de Natal l. 1. cap. 24. Emerita supposed by some others to be Sister to our King Lucius and departing forth of Britaine with him to haue bene martyred in Germany in or neare Curre in Rhetia to which in some Iudgments the Ecclesiasticall Office of that Church seemeth to giue allowance at the least for one Lucius regio stemate apud Britannos ortus borne of the Brittish Kingly Race and his Sister S. Emerita but this proueth rather that it was not S. Lucius our King but an other of the Kingly Line which I shall proue hereafter to haue bene a Sonne of Constantius and S. Helena Empresse that honour of Britaine an elder brother to Constantine the Greate Emperour who became an holy Clergie man and preached in those parts of Germany Which together with the likenes or Identitie of name Regall Race and nearnes in blood gaue occasion to some to thinke it was the renowned first Brittish Christian King of that name which vndertooke that course of life and so ended it there 4. That our first Christian King Lucius could not be Bishop there is euident before when I haue kept him so long in Britaine that for
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
Constantino parebat in summa laetitia vitam egerunt And were not onely quiet vnder him but thus liued in greate Ioy and did encrease being honored and rewarded by him creueruntque in dies magis magisque tam beneuoli tamque pacis concordiae studiosi beneficijs ornatae 6. And relating his experiment to proue constant Christians before remēbred and how he admitted such for his nearest friends and Counsailers in amicorum atque adeo Consiliariorum numero habere decreuit He gathereth from hence that the Gaules Britans and others vnder him were by him exempted from the penall Lawes of the persecutors he taking them away and making them frustrate in his Dominions Hinc capere coniecturam licet neque Gallis neque Britannis neque alijs qui circiter montes Pyrenaeos ad Oceanum Occidentalem vsque incolunt contra leges visum esse Christianam Religionem dum adhuc vita suppeditabat Constantio profiteri And the obiections which Baronius maketh doe rather proue then improue the quietnes of Christians in this Nation when Constantius was heare For first the vnquietnes of Italy rather helped then hindered our peace our Persecution proceeding from thence now not able to persecute vs nor take reuendge of Constantius for protecting vs. And his being in Britaine he being so friendly allwayes to Christians as Baronius often confesseth must much more procure ease and freedome to our Christians where there was noe man of power to contradict or resist it Constantius being both King and Emperor heare and the kingdome of Britaine a Christian kingdome Therefore howsoeuer his reasons make doubt of some other places whose state and condition was not like vnto ours of Britaine Bed l. 1. Hist c. 8. Galf. Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 5. 6. Manusc Galli antiq c. 28. 29. Virun l. 5. Hist Harding Chron. cap. 57. 58. 59. 60. Henricus Hunting Hist l. 1. Socrates Eccles Hist l. 1. c. 1. Eus l. 1. Vit. Cōstantini c. 9. Theodoret. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 24. they doe not moue any question of the quiet thereof in cause of Religion but establish and confirme it And therefore our owne best allowed and auntient Historians S. Bede Galfridus Henry of Huntington an old French Manuscript Virūnius Harding others setle Constantius heare in Britaine after all our Persecution ended nothing but all fauour to Chrstiās heare in his time and not onely a tolleration graunted but publicke profession of Christianitie generally allowed by Regall and Imperiall warrant of Constantius vsed exercised as shall immediatly more plainely appeare in the next Chapter 7. And if we had rather harken to forreine writers in or neare that time we haue sufficient warrant not onely that he recalled himself from the worship of the Pagan gods as diuers are witnesses Constantius se à Deorum Gentilium veneratione auocauerat But as Eusebius and others testifie of him he gaue free power and licence to all vnder him to exercise Christian Religion without any molestation illis qui ab ipso regebantur liberam verae in Deum religionis sine Constantine the greate first instructed in Christian Religion in Britaine molestia excolendae permisit potestatem And this as he writeth when the greatest Persecution was in other places And had care to instruct his sonne Constantine the Greate which he left his Heyre in the same faith as we may easely conclude from the words of Constantine himselfe registred by Theodoret huius Dei adiutus ope orsus ab vltimis Oceani finibus vniuersum orbem terrarum Sozom. Eccles Hist l. 1. c. 5. Chronicon Monast Abingdonien apud Nich. Harpesfeld Hist Eccl. 10. saecul p. 203. c. 9. firmae salutis spe erexi that euē from the ends of the Ocean meaning Britaine he was assisted by God And Sozomen saith it is euidently knowne vnto all men that greate Constantine was first instructed in the Christian faith amōg the Britans Apud Britannos liquidò constat inter omnes Constantinum primum religione Christiana imbutum And the Cronicle of Abington neare Oxford testifieth he was brought vp in that old Abbey which we must needs asscribe to his parents Constantius and Helena And we find not any other but Constantius except we will apply it to King Coel and then it was receaued and approued by him who heare in Britaine caused the persecutors to be putt to death and the Persecution therevppon ceased as S. Gildas writeth emarcescentibus Gild. l. de conq Brit. c. 8. nece suorum Authorum nefarijs Decretis For this must needs be applied to Persecutors in Britaine and not to the Tyrants Dioclesian and Maximinian the Persecution heare endeed longe before their death as is proued before and neither of them nor any other Emperor but Constantius hauing power or commaund heare at this time And herevpon our Protestant Historians themselues thus testify of him Constantius abolished the superstition of the Stowe Howes Hist tit Romās in Constantius Constantine Gentils in his Dominians So that afterward Britaine felt no persecutions Constantius renounced the Idolatrie of the Gentils THE II. CHAPTER OF THE FINDING THE HOLY CROSSE by S. Helen in Constantius his time His Christian life and death and crowning his sonne Constantine Emperour heare in Britaine 1. I Haue shewed before out of S. Gildas and others aswell that the Persecution called Dioclesians did not continue ten yeares in this kingdome in one place he termeth it Persecutionem Dioclesiani Tyranni nouennem the nine yeares Persecution of Dioclesian the Tyrant and in the next Chapter not wholly ten yeares longe bilustro turbinis necdum expleto As also that it wholly ended Gildas l. de excid cōquest Brit. c. 7. 8. in the time of King Coel those Persecutours then hauing no power or Authoritie heare and so together with their other ouerruling and commanding Decrees the bloody Edicts of persecuting Christians heare were vtterly extinct and made inualidate and as is euident before neuer being renewed but alltogether omitted by Constantius this greate friend of Christians such of this Nation were fully and vndoubtedly thereby restored to their auncient liberties Priuiledges and Immunities in matters of Religion if Constantius and Helen our Emperour and Empresse King and Queene had then giuen no further and expresse approbation vnto them Which we may not reasonably call into question when we remember their absolute and independing regall right and possession without contradiction they had in this kingdome the naturall loue and affection they bore vnto it and that to them with their Religious care and desire they had to defend and aduance Christian Religion euen in times and places when and where they were not so enabled nor drawne therto with so many and strong bands of dutie and affection We haue heard before that other Churches vnder his Empire were endowed by his benefits and munificence thereby they lyued in greate Ioy and encreased the choysest Christians were his dearest Friends and
appearing vnto her and incouraging her according Ambros serm 90. de passione beatae Aguetis Virg. to her name to be Constant in the faith and loue of Christ spe recuperandae salutis venit ad Tumulum Martyris nocte preces fideliter fundebat Quod dum faceret repentina sommi suauitate corripitur videt per vifum beatissimam Agnetem talia sibi monita praeferentem constanter Age Constantia crede Dominum Iesum Christum filium Dei esse Saluatorem tuum per quem modo consequeris omnium vulnerum quae in corpore tuo pateris sanitatem Wherevpon as S. Ambrose lyuing in that Age and others witnesse Constantine at the request of his cured daughter S. Constantia there erected a Church and Tombe to S. Agnes and Constantia perseuered in virginitie by her many virgins both meane and Noble and renowned receaued the holy veales Perseuerauit autem Constantia Augusti filia in virginitate per quam multae virgines mediocres nobiles illustres Sacra velamina susceperunt Our holy and auncient learned Countryman S. Aldelmus with most honorable Titles remembreth her among the most Aldelm l. de laudib virginitat cap. 25. Ado. Vienn in Chron. Fascicul Temp. an 294. Harris Hist Tom. 4. Libell de munificent Constant Tom. 1. Concil Baron Spond Annal. an 330. sacred virgins saying that by her persuasion and example allmost all the daughters of the Roman Pretors and allmost all Noble and beutifull virgins professed virginitie and among these Attica and Arthemia daughters of Gallibanus by others Gallicanus most potent in the Empire Quarum genitore Gallihano nullus in Romana Monarchia praestantior extitit And citeth the life of S. Constantie written long before Quod plenius de conuersatione illius scripta opuscula produnt She erected a Monastery of Nunnes neare the place where she was cured and there shutting vp her selfe with many other Nunnes serued God with greate deuotion and sanctity of life in the same place all her life after her death her body was buried by S. Agnes Therefore I may boldly say The honour of Britayne by the greate Emperour Constantine with our Monke of Bury in his olde verse of this most glorius Emperour Reioyce ye folkes that borne be in Britaine Called otherwise Beutus Albion that had a Prince so notably soueraine Brought forth and fostered in your Region Ihon Lydgaâ—e lib. 8. cap. 12. That whilom had the domination As cheife Monarch Prince and President Ouer all the world from East to Occident THE XVII CHAPTER THAT THE POPES AND CHVRCH OF ROME in this time were of the same Religion they now are and all Christian Catholiks then professed the same with them the Supremacy of that See Apostolike 1. SOME euen of our owne Historians write and namely the Monke of Westminster that S. Siluester continued Pope vntill the yeare wherein Constantine deceased and both of them died in the same yeare 340. That as they had both laboured together in their liues for aduancing the honor and Church of Christ so they died together Matth. Westm Anno gratiae 340. to receaue the merited reward of their labors Anno gratiae 340. magnificus Imperator Constantinus vitam laudabilem glorioso fine terminauit Quo etiam Anno Sanctus Syluester viam vniuersae carnis ingressus migrauit ad Dominum Dignum plane omnino conueniens vt qui simul circa incrementum Ecclesiae perseueranter laborauerant simul reciperent promeritam pro labore retributionem And if we should approue the opinion of Baronius and Spondanus so expounding Baron Spond Annal. an 314. S. Damasus in S. Syluestro to 1. Concil the old Roman Pontificall in this point that S. Syluester entered the Papacie in the yeare of Christ 314. Anno Christi trecentesimo decimo quarto Calendis Februarij Syluester Romanus subrogatus in locum Melchiadis sedere caepit and allowe vnto S. Syluester so long possessing thereof as the same Pontificall doth three and twenty yeares ten moneths and 11. dayes Syluester sedit annis viginti tribus Mensibus decem we should conclude in Baronius opinion of the death of Constantine that S. Syluester and ConstaÌ„tine died in one and the same yeare Baron Spond supr Anno. 337. as Matthew of Westminster affirmeth although not the same 340. in number which he hath deliuered But to followe the other opinion which seemeth more common and better pleaseth Baronius Binius and our Protestants also Baron Annal. an 336. 337. Binius annotat in Marc. Iul. lib. 1. Hier. in Chron. Marian. aetat 6. an 333. Sozom. Hist Eccl. lib. 2. cap. 19. that after the death of S. Syluester before Constantine dyed there were two othr Popes Marcus and Iulius the first being Pope a very short time but 8. Moneths by S. Hierome and Marianus by Sozomen a litle space Cum Marcus post Syluestrum ad exiguum tempus Episcopatum Romanum gessisset Iulius in illam Sedem successit And Iulius was Pope but in the last yeare of Constantine being as these Authors hold the first yeare of his Papacy By which accompt the reckening of our Monke before that S. Syluester and Constantine dyed in the same yeare is rather coÌ„firmed then infringed So if as these men say Marcus was Pope within 15. dayes of the death of S. Syluester continued the Papacie Baron Binn supr but 8. Moneths and Iulius immediatly succeeded him but a litle before tâ—e death of Constantine it is apparant that S. Syluester and Constantine might or did dye in the same yeare 2. And to our present purpose which is to be perfectly satisfied and instructed of what Religion these Popes were which liued in this time when the true Christian Religion was not onely permitted but publikely and with authoritie both spirituall and temporall Papall and Imperiall generally professed in all Nations whether the same which we haue heard of Constantine before the publike graunt and warrant of the Popes Supremacy Roman Religion of the Sacrifice of Masse prayer and erecting Churches to Saints prayer for the dead Purgatorie Pilgrimage honor to holy Reliks Images and such other cheife points as Protestants now call into Question or the new doctrins of these men And it can be no Question but the Maisters and Schollers Teachers and Learners Catechizers and Catechised Baptizers Both Popes Emperour and all but Heretiks were then of the present Roman Religion euen by enemies vnto it so testifying Io. Bal. l. 1. 2. de Rom. Pont. in Syluestr Mar. co Iul. Bal. sup l. 1. in Syluest Robert Barnes in vit Pontif Roman in â—od and Baptised as their condition was must needs be of one and the sance minde and iudgment in such things they were all Holy men and Confessors as our Protestant Writers are witnesses and to make them also to giue both euideÌ„ce and iudgment that they were of the Catholike Roman Religion now professed
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.
was Founder of others namely Bangor in Wales which long continued in that state vntill it was after changed into so greate a Monastery of aboue 2000. Monkes as our Histories testifie A Protestant Bishop would haue an other Vniuersitie for so he calleth it by the name of Accademia Legionensis the Vniuersitie of Caerlegion which he would haue to be Westchester others rather take it for Caerlegion in Glamorganshire to haue bene founded in this time of King Lucius and to haue ended in the time and manner that Stamford did The Brittish Historie calleth it Gymnasium Philosophorum a Schoole of Philosophers and seateth it in Caerlegion vpon Vske in Glamorganshire making it a fourth distinct place from the Metropolitan Church and the Seuerall Churches of S. Iulius wherein were sacred Nonnes and S. Aaron of Canons Regular 7. And whereas the Authour of the Brittish Historie the Monke of Westminster and others haue told vs that these holy Legats with the assistance of King Lucius did not onely change the Pagan Temples vnto Christian Churches dedicating them to the onely true God and his Saints vno Deo eiusdem Sanctis dedicauerunt but diuersisque Ordinatorum Caetibus repleuerunt did replenish them with diuers companyes of parsons ordered or liuing in order that we should not be ignorant what they ment by this phrase of speach the one of them most auncient expoundeth himselfe after in the like case that he ment thereby how they placed Religeous men and women Monkes and Nunnes in diuers of those Churches Ecclesias vsque adsolum destructas renouat atque Religiosis Caetibus viroruÌ„ ac mulierum exornat Speaking this of King Galfr. Hist Brit. l. 9. c. 8. Arthur after he builded againe the Churches which the Pagan Saxons had destroyed And the very practise of these holy Legats and King Lucius doth proue no lesse for we finde diuers Religeous houses of both sexes whose Gulielm Malm. Manuscr Hist de Antiq. Caenobij Glaston foundation must needs be referred to this time First of the most auncient Monastery of Glasteâ—bury of which more hereafter diuers Antiquities beare witnesse that it being decayed and in a manner forgotten it was reuiued by these Legats and king Lucius Assistance and Religeous men placed there A Protestant Bishop produceth an old Manuscript which restifieth of an other then founded at Winchester onely his error is which the Antiquitie doth not say that it was the Cathedrall Church confounding them as one Godwin Catal. of Bish. in Wincester 1. Galfrid Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 8. c. 17. l. 10. c. 4. Mat. West an gratiae 498. Manuscr Antiq. Eccl. Winton whereas both the Brittish Historie and Matthew of Westminster make them two seuerall Churches otherwise he thus truely writeth a Church in Winchester according to a Report that I finde in an old Manuscript was first built and erected by King Lucius who abolishing Paganisine embraced Christ about the yeare of our Lord 180. and placing Monkes in the same allotted for their maintenance lardge Reueneâ—es which hearetofore had belonged for the most part vnto the Flâ—mins and other Heathen Preists And this Monastarie so continued vntill the Persecution of Dioclesian when it was destroyed and the Monks Martyred or dispersed yet vpon the ceasing of the Persecution it was presently within one yeare and thirtie dayes new builded and the Church hallowed and dedicated vnto the honour and memorie of S. Amphibalus that had suffered death for Christ in the late Persecution by Constans Bishop of Winchester in the yeare 309. the 15. day of March at the request of Deodatus Abbot The first Dedication of that Church in King Lucius time by the two Legats Faganus and Damianus Bishops was by that old Antiquitie October 29. 189. The Antiquities of Winchester make it more auÌ„cient it thus continued a famous Monastary vntill the yeare 519. at which time Cerdick the first King of the west Saxons being a Pagan conuerted the Church into the Temple of Dagon and either slewe or chased away all the Monkes This was that holy Sanctuary whether to the Altar of this Church one of the sonnes of Mordred did fly for succour against Constantine the YouÌ„ger who there cruelly slewe him before the Altar Constantinus filios Mordredi caepit alterum Iuuenem Guintoniae in Ecclesiam Sancti Amphibali fugientem ante altare trucidauit in the yeare 543. Galfr. Mon. Hist Brit. lib. 11. cap. 4. Westm an 543. Stowe Histor in Const Iunior Holinsh. Hist of Engl. Pits in Amphibal Iuniore Man Script callic Angl. antid Galfr. Mon. l. 8. c. 16. 24. Hist Gallic Manuscr an t Princ. or que nous cap. 47. An. 477. Galfrid Mon. Hist l. 8. c. 9. Annales Abingdon apud Harpesfeld decicimo saeculo pag. 203. Others say it continued within 17. yeares of Augustins comming hither others continue Christians there farre longer time 8. And the like I may say of the Monasterie in London where the other sonne of Mordred was cruelly put to death by the same King Constantine before the Altar alterum vero Londonijs in quorundam Fratrum Caenobio absconditum atque tandem iuxta altare inuentum crudeli more affecit Thâ—se Sanctuaries and priuiledges of these Churches and sacrifing Altars thus violated were of those Immunities before remembred which King Lucius endowed such sacred places with There was also an other Monastery at Anisbury where both Aurelius Ambrosius prope Caenobium Ambrij and by him Vther Pendragon was buryed by the Bishops and Abbots of the Prouince so many Abbies then Conuenerant Pontifices Abbates atque totus Clerus eiusdem Prouinciae tanti Regis funus procurauerunt This Monastery was builded there long before and then had 300. Monkes in it as diuers auncient Historians doe warrant vs. Besides these we reade also in the old Annals of Abington neare Oxford of the greate Antiquitie thereof that Constantine the greate was brought vp in or by that house that it had in those primatiue times of Christianity heare about 600. Monkes belonging vnto it whereof aboue 500. liued vpon their labour in the woods and Desarts adioyning and came to the Monastery vpon festiuall Euens and dayes and 60. others which euer continued in the Monastery in seruing God De Antiquitate illius caenobij celebritate illius ante Anglorum Aduentum multa refert quod Monachi supra quingentos illi fuerant asscripti qui per siluas loca deserta quae in vicinia fuere manuum labore victitabant ad caenobium singulis Sabbatis Dominicis conuenientes praeter sexaginta qui assiduè in ipso caenobio versanbantur quod Constantinus ille Magnus Abingdoniae educatus fuerat Wherefore seeing we finde litle S. Asaphus in Manuscr Vita S. Kentegerni Capgr Catal. in eod Godw. Cat. in S. Asaph 1. founding but rather desolation of such holy Monuments betweene the death of King Lucius and the YouÌ„ge of greate Constantine when this Monastery by the auncient Records
thereof was in such renowne I must needs assigne the first beginning of it to King Lucius dayes And when we finde in good Authours such greate numbers of Monkes belonging to one onely Monastary of Elgue in Wales where S. Kentegern liued in S. Dauids time that they then amonted to allmost 1000. and this so euident that our Protestants themselues confesse it we must needs giue a very auncient being to that order there or not farre of A Protestant Bishop thus relateth it Kentegernus Godwin supr Bishop of Glascow in Scotland being dryuen out of his owne Country found meanes to erect a Monastery for himselfe and his company betweene the Riuers of Elwyd and Elwy where in processe of time hauing builded a Church and some other edifices fit for his entertaynemēt there flocked vnto him such multitudes of people as the nūber of his Monkes amonted vnto no lesse then 960. whereof it is said he appointed 300. that were vnlearned to tilladge and husbandry abroade other 300. he emploied in sondry Kindes of labous within the Monastery at home and the rest being diuided into companyes attended the seruice of God in the Church in such sort as day and night perpetually seruice was there continued some while by some and otherwhile by others according to an order by him established and set downe An other Io. Bal. l. de Scri. cent 1. in Kentegerno Bed Hist Eccles l. 2. c. 2. Galfr. l. 11. c. 12. Godw. Cōuers of Brit. Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Dionotho Galfr. Mon. Hist Brit. l. 11. c. 13. Protestant Bishop saith the number of these learned Monkes in the Monastery were 365 in Elguensi Collegio trecentos sexaginta quinque literatos viros semper ad id paratos habebat All both Catholiks and Protestants agree that notwithstanding the greate Persecution of the Pagan Saxons there were in one Monastery of Bangor aboue 2000. Monkes when S. Augustine came hither and as the Brittish Historie with others reporteth there were then in those parts an innumerable company of Monkes and Eremites Innumerabiles Monachi Eremitae Therefore we may rather wonder to our owne shame and confusion of the Enemyes of Monasticall life that among so many Persecutions and trobles as fell among the Britans from the Reigne of King Lucius to those dayes the number of Religeous men should in that space growe to so greate a reckoning then make the least doubt that diuers Monasteries were founded heare by that our first holy Christian King which an old Historia Gallica antiq Manuscr c. 28. French Manuscript History plainely affirmeth when it witnesseth that the Monasteries of Britaine were destroyed in the Persecution of Dioclesian as other Churches were 6. The like I affirme of Nunneryes and Monasteries of Religeous women aswell as of men which we may finde in the first comming of the Pagan Saxons hither of which a Protestant Historian from Antiquitie thus writeth all the Churches in Kent were polluted with blood The Nunnes with other Stowe Hist Brit. and Saxons in Vortiger Religeous parsons were by force put frō their houses and goods And this was not peculiar onely in this Country but generall in all Britaine sacred Nunnes being in all parts thereof as for breuitie for the Archbishop-See of London these in in Kent for Yorke we reade that in the City it selfe when the Pagan Saxons had destroyed the Churches and Religeous houses there both of men and women King Arthur did repaire them and placed diuers Conuents both of men and women in the repayred Monasteries Ecclesias vsque ad solum destructas Galfr. Mon. Hist Brit. l. 9. c. 8. renouat atque Religiosis caetibus virorum ac mulierum exornat And for Caerlegion the same and other Authours tell vs there was aunciently a Nunnery in the very Citie Templum Deo sacratarum Virginum And a Queene Lib. 9. c. 13. Mat. Westm an gratiae 541. Io. Goscelin Hist Manuscript Matth. Parker Antiq. Brit. pag. 8. of Britaine there receaued the habit of Religion among the Nun nes Inter Moniales habitum Religionis suscepit As both auncient Catholike Historians and new Protestant writers doe witnesse among which be Ihon Gosceline in his Manuscript Historie and Matthew Parker the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterburye both which also for Protestants expressely acknowledge that there were Religeous parsons and Monasteries heare in Britainte in all Ages from the very first Conuersion The first saith presbyterorum Monachorum Abbatum Praesulum Episcoporum sedium nomina permulta quouis saeculo extiterunt ab eo tempore quo primo sit orta from the first beginning of Christianitie in Britaine there were in cuery Age very many names of the Seates of Preists Monks Abbots Prelates Bishops And proueth from Antiquitie that within the first 400. yeares of Christ there were 11000. vowed virgins in Britaine at one time puellae verè virgines Deo consecratae The Protestant Arcbishop saith Tot tantaque presbyterorum Monachorum Episcoporum Ecclesiarum Caenobiorum sediumque vetusta nomina quae quouis saeculo extiterunt Very many old names of Preists Monks Bishops Churches Monasteries and Sees haue bene in euery Age. Of such Religeous and Regular parsons and places especially at Glastenbury now renewed or reuiued I shall more and in particular hereafter entreate THE XXII CHAPTER HOW AFTER THESE ROMAN LEGATS had fully setled 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 1. WHEN these holy laboures thus happily proceeded in all things required to the foundation and building the house of God in Britaine taken so good effect Archbishops and Bishops with their Sees consecrated and assigned Churches builded and endowed Schooles and Vniuersities erected and confirmed Monasteries and Nunneries founded and finished and all these holy proceedings prescribed taught directed and heare setled by these Roman Legats and Legatine power and most willingly and Religiously receaued and embraced by our first Christian King and Saint and holy Christian Britans his Subiects our late Nouelists Enemyes and Persecutors of this our old Christian Catholike Apostolike Apostles Roman and first holy Christian Kings Religion would haue thought and taught if they had then lyued that the Popes Authoritie by his Legats at our Kings suite and desire had taught allowed commanded and confirmed too much and would haue bene farre from seeking sueing for and requesting any further actuall and expresse confirmation or ratification of the Pope himselfe But those our holy Apostles and so glorious and renowned King were of a quite contrary minde to such men for our King who had sent such hūble petitions to Pope Eleutherius by his Embassadors Embassadges before to be instructed in the faith his kingdome Country Nobles all his people beloued Subiects to be