only by the way that Galloway at that time belong'd to the jurisdiction of the Britains not of the Scots The Labours of St. Ninianus were no doubt much eas'd by the Arrival of another Saint who by Divine inspiration came thither out of Achaia bringing with him the precious Relicks of the Apostle St. Andrew This Saint named St. Regulus as Hector Boetius relates Watching one night at the Monument of St. Andrew was admonish'd from Heaven to take off the Holy Apostles Arm three Fingers and as many Joynts of one of his Feet and laying them Decently in a Vessel to carry them to the Island of Albion or Britain seated in the Confines of the World because in future times there would live a People which would give great Veneration to that Apostle and by his Intercession receive great Graces and Benefits both Earthly and Heavenly through the Divine goodness In complyance with which admonition the Holy man undertook that tedious Journey The Report of his arrival with that Sacred Treasure being spread through the Regions of the Picts inflam'd the minds of many to see and venerate those Holy Relicks Insomuch that as Boetius relates the People flock'd together from all quarters bringing Gifts and Offerings to the Holy Apostle Hergustus or Hungas their King invited with the fame of these things came also to visit this Holy man Regulus who receiv'd him with a Solemn Procession in which Priests and Monks Sang Hymns and Praises to God. The King as the same Author writes falling Prostrate on the the ground with great veneration kiss'd the Sacred Relicks and when all the Holy Rites were perform'd after the Christian manner he freely bestow'd his Royal Palace to the Honour of St. Andrew upon Regulus and the Priests with him and also built a Church not far from thence Dedicated to the same Apostle for the performance of Divine Service This is the place where in followiug Ages the Primates of Scotland establish'd their Arch-Episcopal See. Which place saith Cambden the Antients call'd Regimont or Regulus his Mount where Ungus King of the Picts built the principal Church of his Kingdom call'd to this day St. Andrews Boetius describes the Ornaments with which this Pious King Enrich'd this his new built Church viz. Pattens Copes Chalices Basons Lavers c. fram'd of Silver and Gold Some modern Writers question the Truth of this Story out of an aversion perhaps to Sacred Relicks However Pope Boniface the VIII in an Epistle to Edward the I. writes plainly thus Your Royal Highness may please to understand that the Kingdom of Scotland was Converted to the Vnity of the Catholick Faith by the venerable Relicks of St. Andrew the Apostle Such saith he was the great goodness of Almighty God. The Picts call'd the Priests which came with St. Regulus Coldei or Colidei Worshipers of God To these others from among the Picts and Britains joyn'd themselves leading a Solitary life With such fame of their Sanctity saith Buchanan that being dead their Cells were Converted to Churches Although in Truth if we speak of the prime Original of these Coldei they began in the times of Persecution under Dioclesian The Gests of this St. Regulus are Celebrated in the English Martyrology which some mistake only as to the time of his death In the year of Grace 395. the Glorious Emperour Theodosius dy'd for whose Soul St. Ambrose Devoutly Pray'd the Prince Honorius assisting at the Altar He left the Eastern Regions to his Eldest Son Arcadius the Western to his youngest Honorius of tender years under the Tuition of Stilico whose Daughter he had Married Stilico not content with this Honour attempted to Establish his own Son and to that end permitted Barbarous Nations to waste the Empire which were at last the ruine of it In the IV. year of Honorius Pope Siricius dy'd to whom succeeded Anastasius Aman saith St. Hierom of rich Poverty and Apostolick Solicitude He mainly oppos'd the Error of Origen then creeping into Rome and made an Edict directed especially to the Vicar of Britain That although he utterly forbad the Offering of Pagan Sacrifices yet his pleasure was that the Ornaments of publick Works though representing Pagan Superstititions should be preserv'd This Island at this time seems to sit at ease secur'd from the Violence of its Northern Enemies by a Roman Legion quarter'd in the Borders and govern'd by Marcus a Roman General sent thither by Honorius The Poet Claudian in his Panegyrick to Stilico gives testimony of this then Peaceable estate But alas this Calm lasted but a little while for the Troubles arising in Italy occasion'd the Forces which defended Britain to be call'd home and these troubles were caus'd by the Invasion of Alaricus King of the Gothes to which Stilico gave some stop vanquishing the Gothes in a Battle to their utter ruine if Stilico to promote his Ambitions designs had not permitted them to retire back into Pannonia that he might continue in possession of the Emperour's Forces And indeed upon a second Invasion of these Barbarous Enemies another Battle was fought by Stilico who once more overcame them and to this Battle the Roman Legions which defended Brittain were drawn from thence About these times Pope Anastasius dying Innocentius first of that Name succeeded a sincere oppugner of Pelagianism the founder of which Heresie Pelagius is said to be Born in Britain and therefore term'd the British Serpent St. Hierom takes him to be a Scot others affirm him to be Abbot of the famous Monastery of Bangor where 201 Monks got their Living by the Labour of their Hands Certain it is he was a Monk for St. Augustine tells us This Heresie was not invented by Bishops or Priests but by a Monk And as St. Isidore assures us By a stupid vain stragling Monk Incorrigible smelling Feasts and Fawning on Magistrates for their good Cheer having taken up his Graceless Heresie in his Old and almost doting Age He taught that man might be sav'd by his Merits without Grace That every one is directed by his own Natural free-will to the attaining of Justice That Infants are born without Original sin and as Innocent as Adam before his Fall that they are Baptiz'd not that they should be free from sin but that by Adoption they may be admitted into the Kingdom of God and that although they were not Baptiz'd yet they should enjoy an Eternal and Happy Life though excluded from the Kingdom of God. These Heresies began to appear in publick about the years 404 and 405. notice thereof being taken by Pope Innocentius Pelagius prepar'd a Letter of Purgation presented to Zosimus Successor of Innocentius His Doctrines being every where reprov'd he Appeal'd to the Judgement of a Lawful Synod but one of the Bishops appointed to Accuse him falling sick and so not able to appear at Lidda where the Synod was Assembled Pelagius gave such Cautelous Answers to the Proposals of the Bishops there present that he escap'd Censure and was accounted
inbred custom among them to sell their Children which unhappy custom continu'd many Ages in our Nation Insomuch as in the days of our King Henry the Second by the Testimony of Giraldus Cambrensis A Synod at Armagh in Ireland was fain to make a Decree for redeeming of such English Youths as had been sold for slaves in that Island And before that time among the Laws of Inas King of the West-Saxons there is more then one Decree which under great Penalties forbid this unnatural Traffique Lastly St. Gregory himself in his Epistle to Candidus his Procurator in France gives him order To redeem such English Children as he met with sold for Slaves in that Kingdom and to send them to Rome to be there instructed in the Christian Faith In truth almost all Antient Writers agree in the story though some differ about the time some ascribing it to the time of Pope Benedict but most and that most truly to the latter end of Pope Pelagius St. Gregory's immediate Predecessor St. Beda thus delivers the true Circumstances of this Story and tells us That by Tradition from their Ancestors it was brought to them that St. Gregory took so much care for the Salvation of our Nation that on a day when great variety of Merchandize was brought into the Market at Rome by Foreign Merchants St. Gregory especially took notice of three young Children of a pure Complexion Beautiful looks and Hairs Gracefully order'd and enquir'd out of what Country they came and being told they came from the Island of Britain where the Inhabitants generally are so Comely ask'd whether they were Christians or Pagans and being told they were Pagans Sigh'd saying Alas what pitty is it that the Prince of Darkness should possess men of such bright Countenances and that persons so amiable in their Looks should have Souls devoid of inward Grace Then he ask'd what was the Name of their particular Nation to whom was answered That they were call'd Angli Well may they be so call'd said he for they have Angelick Countenances suitable to such who shall be Co-heirs with Angels He further ask'd how the Province is call'd from whence they came the Answer was that they were Inhabitants of the Province call'd Deiri said he importing they should be deliver'd from the Ire of God de ira dei eruti and call'd to partake of his Mercy His last question was How the King of that Nation was call'd and being told Alle in allusion to that name he presently reply'd Allelujah must be Sung in those parts to the Praise of God who created all things After which Discourse he went to Pelagius then Bishop of the Roman and Apostolick See himself not being then Pope and humbly intreated him to send into Britain some Ministers of Gods word to Convert that Nation to Christ adding That he himself was ready to be employ'd with Gods assistance in such a work if his Holiness thought fit But his offer could not be taken for the Romans would not permit his Absence so far from the City Notwithstanding a while after when hewas exalted to the Popedom he brought to perfection what was so long and so earnestly desir'd by him sending indeed other persons to Preach the Gospel there but making their Preaching much more effectual by his Councels Exhortations and Prayers By which relation it is confirm'd that this did not happen in the time of Benedict for a good while pass'd after Pope Benedict's death before St. Gregory was Prefect of the City after which it was that he undertook a Monastical Profession in a Monastery built by himself Ad clivum scauri from whence he was call'd to be Arch-Deacon of the Roman Church then sent Nuncio to Constantinople At his return from thence he afforded our English Youths so much Grace and Favour But though Alla King of the Deiri by the Selling of the said Children gave occasion of bringing of Christianity to the Angli yet was not he so happy to hear any thing of it himself for the Divine Election regarded his Son Edwin who succeeded him not immediately but after the death of Edelric whose Reign was short and inconsiderable save only that in his first year St. Columban after he had spent many years in the Monastry of Banchor in Ireland came over into Britain with twelve Companions and from thence went into France He was not above 20 years of Age when he undertook this Journey and yet was so Courteously receiv'd in France by Childebert that he gave him choice of any place for his abode Whereupon He and his Companions entring into a Desart place found a ruinous piece of ground encompass'd with old Walls but water'd with warm Springs and of old call'd Luxovium and there fix'd their abode While St. Columban liv'd thereabout he was Instructor to the Holy Virgin Phara said to be a British Nun and Neece to the Saint himself but of this Nun more perhaps hereafter In the year 590. a War broke out between the Picts and Scots Aidan or Edan Crown'd King by St. Columba at Hy then enjoy'd the Principality over the Scots the cause of this War was the same which rais'd so much Contention between the Britains and Saxons for the Scots out of Ireland were invited by the Picts to assist them against the Britains as the Saxons were by the Britains to assist them against the Picts and Scots and these Irish Picts imitating the Saxons soon grew Insolent and being supply'd with new Aids at last obtain'd a Kingdom and then rooted out the very Name of Picts St. Columba though far distant in his Isle of Hy or Iova had a strange prospect of a great Battle then fought between these Scots and Picts for calling his Brethren together to Prayer he Kneeling down said Let us now Pray fervently for this People and their King Aidan for at this very hour the Battle against their Enemies begins A little while after rising up and looking towards Heaven he said Now are the Barbarous Enemies put to flight and the Victory is given to Aidan though dearly purchas'd for of his Army 303. are slain Ecclesiastical Stories are not without Examples of Gods Pleasure in revealing to his Servants things thus happening in parts remote This same year dy'd Cissa King of the South-Saxons and his Kingdom devolv'd to Ceaulin King of the West-Saxons yet so as Edelwalch Son of Cissa enjoy'd the Title of King as Homager to Ceaulin and this year also was chiefly Illustrated by the advancement of St. Gregory to the Popedom who immediately after the death of Pelagius was with wonderful Applause of all Degrees and Orders in Rome placed in St. Peter's Chair to the great benefit of the whole Church and the incomparable Felicity of our For his admirable Gests among which the most Illustrious was the Conversion of our Ancestors he was deservedly call'd St. Gregory the Great and the Apostle of England The year following Britain affords a memorable Example of the
Instability of Worldly Greatness and Power in the person of the hitherto Prosperous King of the West-Saxons Ceaulin who after all his Conquests was at last overcome in Fight and expell'd his Kingdom and Life also for such was the general hatred all men bare to him that they unanimously conspir'd his destruction A Battle was fought between him on the one side and the Saxons and Britains on the other side in Wiltshire at a place call'd Wansdike fabulously reported to have been made by the Devil upon a Wednesday taking its Name from Woden or Mercury the Saxon Idol The cause of raising this Rampire seems to be the separation of the Kingdom of the Mercians from the West-Saxons Near to this is seated a Village call'd Wadensbury and here Ceaulin Fighting this Battle was utterly broken and soon after dy'd After his death Cealric his Brothers Son possess'd the Kingdom of the West-Saxons but being much inferior in Courage to his Predecessors did not inherit that extent of Power which Ceaulin had exercis'd over the other Saxon Princes This opportunity was not omitted by Ethelbert King of Kent and next in Power to Ceaulin who without much hazard obtain'd the Preheminence by means whereof a freer way was open'd to communicate Christian Truths to several Provinces of the Kingdom after they were embrac'd by Ethelbert as they soon were St. Gregory in the third year after he was Pope by his Wisdom and Authority restor'd the Churches of Ireland to Catholick Unity from which they had been separated by a quarrel about the tria Capitula spoken of before His Epistle unto them concerning that subject is extant by which they received full satisfaction For presently after several of their Bishops and other Devout persons undertook Pilgrimages to Rome to express their Duty to the Supreme Bishop There is another Epistle of the same Holy Pope in Answer to certain doubts and questions which the Irish had propos'd to him touching the Rites and manner of Baptism But however the state of the Irish Churches then was the Churches of Britain are declar'd at this time free from any stain either of Schism or Errour in Doctrine In the year of Grace 593. Edelric King of the Northumbrians dy'd whom succeeded Ethelsred the Cruel At first he vigorously defended his own Dominions then unjustly invaded the bounds of others and every where sought occasions of exalting his Glory Many Combats were undertaken by him Prudently and executed Gallantly for neither would he be restrain'd by Sloth nor by his Courage prick'd on to Temerity about the same time Redwald came to the Kingdom of the East-Angles But fatal indeed was this year in the Death of our Saxon Princes for Crida King or Duke of the Mercians now ended his Life to whom succeeded his Son Wibba or Wippa who after also dying left behind him three Illustrious Children Penda Kenwalch and Sexburga About this time also dy'd the Virtuous Queen Ingoberga and received the reward of her Patience she had been the Wife of Childebert King of the Franks and after she had brought him a Daughter was unworthily repudiated by him Her memory challenges a place in this History as mother to Birtha or Aldiberga Queen of Kent whose Piety and Endeavours so dispos'd the Heart of her Husband Ethelbert that it was ready to receive the Christian Faith soon after tender'd unto him by St. Augustine And now behold the Sun of Righteousness began to dawn again upon this Island and dispel the Darkness of Idolatry and Superstition and now a new Seed of Pious Princes Immaculate Virgins Devout Monks and a multitude of all sorts excelling in Christian Virtues and Graces sprung up and flourish'd to the admiration of all Christian Churches so as even from this time our Island began to deserve the Title of the Isle of Saints It will be needful to give you a prospect at one view how the Provinces were divided and what Princes Rul'd in each It is agreed on all hands that this Day-Star of Christianity began to shine among the Saxons in the year of Grace 590. for then the Apostolick Messengers from Rome receiv'd their Mission from the most worthy Successor of St. Peter St. Gregory the Great in the seventh year of his Pontificate and began their Journey toward our Island though they did not arrive here 'till the year following At this time the Saxon Heptarchy was establish'd in Britain and all the Provinces thereof were entirely under the Dominion of the Angli and Saxons except the Northern Kingdom of the Picts and Scots the Western parts in Cambria and Cornwall were not yet wholly subdu'd by the Saxons The Kings governing the Heptarchy their Names and Provinces are as follows Ethelbert was then in the 35th year of his reign He was the Son of Irmeric Son of Otha Son of Eska Son of Hengist this Kingdom contain'd Kent as now bounded Next over the South-Saxons which Kingdom compriz'd Sussex and Surrey reign'd Eldwalch the Son of Cissa the Son of Ella who first establish'd this Kingdom this was the seventh year of Eldwalch his reign Thirdly the King of the West-Saxons under Celric in his first year as Nephew to Ceaulin who founded this Kingdom in the year of Grace 519. within his Dominions were comprehended Hampshire Barkshire Wiltshire Somersetshire Dorsetshire Devonshire and part of Cornwal Next over the East-Saxons Sebert was in the first year of his reign he was the Son of Sledda Son of Erkenwin who in the year of Grace 527. establish'd that Kingdom containing Essex Middlesex and so much of Hartfordshire as is under the Bishop of London's Jurisdiction whose Diocess is Adequate to that Kingdom After this was the Kingdom of the Northumbers to which belongeth whatever lyeth between Humber and Edenburgh It was sometime divided into two Kingdoms of Bernicia and Deiri Bernicia contain'd Northumberland with the South of Scotland to Edenburgh The Deiri consisted of part of Lancashire with the entire Counties of York Durham Westmerland and Cumberland The whole Kingdom at this time was govern'd by Ethelfrid in the fourth year of his reign who was the Son of Alla Son of Ida who founded that Kingdom in the year of Grace 547. After this in the year 575. the Kingdom of the East-Angles was founded containing Norfolk Suffolk Cambridgeshire with the Isle of Ely and some part of Bedfordshire At this time Redwald had been King four year he was the Son of Titillus Son of Vffa esteem'd the first King and Founder of the said Kingdom in the year of our Lord 575. The last though largest was the Kingdom of Mercia so call'd for that it is seated in the middle of the Island It was the Marches or limits on which the other Kingdoms did border It comprehended the the whole Counties of Lincoln Northampton Rutland Huntingdon Buckingham Oxford Worcester Warwick Darby Nottingham Leicester Glocester Stafford Chester part of Lancashire Herefordshire Shropshire and part of Bedfordshire At this time when St. Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory to the Conversion of the Saxons Wibba the Son of Crida was King or chief Governour of Mercia which Crida laid the Foundation of it in the year of our Lord 585. These were the Saxon Kings and these their limits when Almighty God sent his Apostolical Missioners to Convert the Blind Saxons to the Christian Faith Yet were these limits in continual motion as the success of Princes prov'd good or bad And among these Kings commonly one was most Puissant over-ruling the rest who stil'd himself King of the English Nation which Super-eminence Ethelbert King of Kent at this time enjoy'd to whom the Word of Life was first offer'd and by him thankfully accepted Thus stood the state of Christianity in this Island under the Government of the Romans and British Kings In what a different state it now is may easily be discern'd by the Judicious Reader Fiat Voluntas Dei. FINIS Jesus is condemned to die
and Tomb of Saints because it had been Built by the immediate Disciples of our Lord and to him Dedicated as Venerable Antiquity doth testifie All which consider'd to deny so great a Blessing confer'd on our Nation must savour of Passion and un-excusable Partiality The time and occasion of St. Joseph's Arrival here and the particular Acts of him and his Companions after so many years of change and alteration cannot befully accountable The time in all likelihood was when Suetonius Paulinus was Pretor here and when Policletus Favourite to Nero came hither with his Retinue the occasion of his coming is less certain Some write that St. Joseph was sent hither by St. Philip the Apostle or Evangelist grounding their opinion from Procalphius who speaks little to that purpose Tradition informs us that St. Joseph at his first coming Address'd himself to Arviragus then King of the Britains and said to be the Founder of the University of Oxford by the help of an Augur or Prophet named Olenus Calenus from whom it was first called Calena And although Arviragus did not submit to the Doctrine of St. Joseph yet he gave him leave to publish it in Peace so well was he prepar'd to the Entertainment of Divine Truth by humane Education Nay he was also pleas'd to afford Joseph and his Companions a place of Retreat not only commodious for their Devotions but sufficient for their Sustenance call'd by the Britains the Glassey-Island or Avallonia in which certain Lands were alloted both by Arviragus and his Son Marius containing about 12 Hydes for the Nourishment of those Godly persons being the first of ground in this Island Dedicated to the Service of God and after called Godney The first thing these new Inhabitants undertook was to build and Consecrate a Church for the Worship of God which they Dedicated to the Honour of the most Blessed Virgin Mary And as is affirm'd amongst other things relating to Glastonbury Monastery in an Epistle of St. Patrick who died there was Consecrated Miraculously by our Blessed Lord himself to the Honour of his Mother This wonderful Consecration is more fully declar'd by the Testimony of the Illustrious Bishop of St. David the Extirpator of Pelagianisme out of Britain as hath been Collected out of the Antiquities of Glastonbury by Willià m of Malmsbury to this effect following That St. David with other Bishops coming to Glastonbury invited by the Sanctity of the place resolv'd to Consecrate the Church there formerly erected to the Honour of the Mother of God and having provided all things necessary for that purpose the night before his intended Ceremony our Blessed Lord appear'd to St. David in his sleep and demanded the cause of his coming thither which St. David forthwith declar'd whereupon our Lord taking him by the Hand told him That he himself many years before had Dedicated the said Church to the Honour of his Mother and that That Holy Ceremony was not to be Profain'd by any mans repeating And having said this with his Finger pierc'd through the Bishops Hand telling him this should be a sign that what himself had formerly Anticipated ought not again to be Renew'd and withall promis'd him that when the said Bishop the next day at the Canon of the Mass should pronounce the words Per ipsum cum ipso in ipsoâ—â— His Hand should be restor'd sound to him The Bishop awaking found his Hand pierc'd and others saw and touch'd the Wound with great Admiration and the Preparation for the Consecration was laid aside and during the Celebration of Mass the Bishops Hand became Sound The sum of what hath hitherto been here related is repeated by St. Augustine the Convertor of our Nation in an Epistle of his to St. Gregory the Great and by Copgrave in the Life of St. Joseph and is further testify'd by an Antient Inscription cut in Brass fasten'd to a Pillar in the same Church declaring in effect what hath been said already This Inscription is recorded by Sir Henry Spelman in his Collection of Councels and yet by him pretended to be Fabulous First He doubts whether any Christian Churches were Erected so early Which doubt is certainly groundless unless he mean such Magnificent Structures as have been built since Christianity hath been publickly cherish'd and countenanc'd but that even under the Harrows of Persecution the Christians made shift to Erect or Assign places to meet in and perform the Rites and Duties of Religion is Attested by all Ecclesiastical Histories Secondly If Churches were Built yet they were not Encompass'd with ground for Burial before St. Cuthbert 's time Burial within Cities being forbidden by the Roman Laws Sure this is a false conceit for King Ethelbert and his Bishop St. Augustine before St. Cuthbert's days were Buried in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at Canterbury Constantine the first Christian Emperour was buried amongst the Relicks and Bones of the Apostles and Martyrs And as for the Roman Law forbidding Burials in Cities it was antiquated long before this however Glastonbury was no City scarce a Village rather a Desart far from Rome and under the Dominion of Brittish Princes well-wishers to Christianity and the simplicity thereof in those days Thirdly Dedication of Churches was not then in use Doubtless many Ceremonies and Solemnities have been added by the Church but as certainly the Houses or Places which the most Primitive Christians assigned for the Worship of God were by some Ceremonies Dedicated to that use as by erecting a Title fixing a Cross c. as the most antient Records testifie But lastly That which most displeases Sir Hen. is the Dedication of this Church to the Blessed Virgin for he thinks such a kind of Devotion was not thought of until many Ages after but then he must forget the Tradition of Spain attested in all their Liturgies and many of their Councils that from the first entrance of Christianity into that Kingdom several Churches have been erected to the Honour of that Blessed Virgin witness that most Famous Temple at Saragosa called Dell Pilar Celebrated above 1000 years since by St. Maximus Bishop of that City in several Hymns by him composed in Honour of that Venerable House called Angelical because the Pillar on which the Virgins Statue was fixed is thought to be brought thither by the Ministery of Angels After the Death of Arviragus Marius his Son succeeds him in the Brittish Throne resembling his Father as in Courage and other Prince-like Virtues so also in his kindness to these holy Strangers This Marius is reported to have had a great Victory over the Picts who were doubtlesly no other than the Northern Britains then unconquered and consequently unciviliz'd by the Romans but who remaining in their Barbarous custom of painting their Bodies got a new name of Picts After the Death of this Marius in the Reign of Coilus his Son our St. Joseph is said to end his Labours and Mortality in the 82 of our Lord and second year of
he gather'd into a Flock the remainder of those who had been Converted by St. Joseph of Arimathaea and his Companions consirming them in the same Faith. This St. Marcellus was afterwards ordain'd Bishop of Tongres and Triers these two Cities being govern'd at that time by one Bishop In the Annals of which Church we read That Lucius King of Britain was made a Christian and Baptiz'd by this Marcellus a Teacher of the Inhabitants of Triers Yet there are more Authentick Testimonies demonstrating That he was Baptiz'd by Fugatius and Damianus sent by Pope Eleutherius This Holy Bishop Marcellus was the first Britain who suffer'd Martyrdom out of this Island as St. Alban was the first who suffer'd within it his Sufferings were in a great Persecution rais'd by Marcus Aurelius the Successor of Antoninus Together with Marcellus there came from Rome another Illustrious Saint of Noble Birth and Plentiful Fortunes which yet he relinquish'd that with the more freedom he might Preach Christ Crucify'd This Timotheus was the Son of Pudens a Roman Senator and of his Wife suppos'd to be the famous Claudia the British Lady forespoken of He was also Brother of Novatus as also of S. Pudentiana and Praxedes whose memories are Anniversarily celebrated by the Catholick Church His coming hither is a considerable proof that his Mother was a Britain It may be collected out of the Ecclesiastical Offices that Pudentiana a Virgin with her Sister Praxedes the Daughters of Pudens practising the Duties of Christian Religion with admirable Piety Sold her Patrimony and distributed to the Poor the Money thence arising giving her self wholly to Fasting and Prayer by her Zeal and endeavours her whole Family consisting of 96. persons was Converted to the Faith and Baptiz'd by Pope Pius And the publick Sacrifices being forbidden by Antoninus the Holy Pope Celebrated the Divine Mysteries with other Christians in the House of Pudentiana who afforded those Holy Persons all necessary Sustenance and being thus imploy'd in such Offices of Piety she dy'd the 14th of the Calends of June in the year of our Lord 161. and was bury'd in the Coemetery of Priscilla in the Salarian way Her Brother Novatus dy'd the year following concerning whose Death there is a Letter yet extant from Pastor a Holy Priest from Rome to Timotheus then imploy'd in his Apostolick Office in Britain signifying unto him That the venerable Virgin Praxedes was in great affliction for the death of her Sister Pudentiana Pope Pius and many Honourable Christians came to comfort her and amongst the rest her Brother Novatus who about two months after he departed from his Sister Praxedes fell sick and was forthwith visited by the Holy Pope and Praxedes as also by other godly persons to his great Comfort That Novatus in the presence of those persons declar'd his Will and bequeath'd all his Estate to Timotheus and Praxedes and shortly after departed in the Lord. And by this Letter Pastor desir'd To know of Timotheus how he would have the Estate of his Brother Novatus dispos'd to the end that what the said Timotheus directed might be observ'd therein To which Letter Timotheus is said to give this Pious Answer Persum'd with Christian Charity wherein after a Salutation savouring of the Holy simplicity of that Age and desire to be recommended to the Memory and Intercession of the Holy Apostles the Prelate of the Apostolick See and all Saints he signifies his desire That what ever share was given to him by his Brother Novatus should be at the dispose of his Holy Sister Praxedes and the Holy Priest Pastor to whom he return'd his Answer Which was after shown to Pope Pius who gave thanks to the Father Almighty and after at the request of Praxedes Dedicated a Church in the Baths of Novatus at Rome in the Bricklayers-street where the Holy Pope also constituted a Roman Title and consecrated a Font for Baptism Those Titles were for the most part signify'd by Crosses and were first in the nature of particular Parishes by Pope Evaristus assign'd to the cure of particular Priests The Bathes which are here nam'd from Novatus have elsewere their denomination from Timotheus and were scituated upon the mountain called Viminal And in Truth the Christians privately resorted to this place for the celebration of their Divine Mysteries before any Church was Solemnly Consecrated there as may be found in the Acts of Justin the Philosopher who calls it the Timothean Bath The same year that Novatus dy'd the Emperour Antoninus ended his Life after him succeeded Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus joyntly governing the Empire with equal Authority In the second year of these Emperours dy'd the Holy Virgin Praxedes the particulars of whose death are recorded by Pastor in this manner Two years and 18 days after this Church was Dedicated there was a great Persecution rais'd against Christians to enforce them to Worship Idols and many were Crown'd with Martyrdom Now the Holy Virgin Praxedes fervent in the Holy Ghost secretly conceal'd many good Christians in the said Title or Church whose bodies she strengthen'd with Food and their minds with Exhortations proceeding from Gods spirit Insomuch as notice was given to Aurelius that Christian Assemblies were made in her House he then sent his Officers thither who laid hold on Symitrius a Priest and 22 persons more all which the Cruel Emperour commanded to be put to Death in the same Title without any Examination their Bodies Praxedes took by night and bury'd in the Coemetery of Priscilla but soon after afflicted for the suffering of the Saints with many Groans she Pray'd that she might pass out of this Life her Prayers found access unto our Lord Jesus for in the 44th day after the Martyrdom of the fore-mention'd Saints she went unto the Lord and Pastor the Priest bury'd her Body in her Fathers Coemetery of Priscilla upon the Salarian-way This Persecution was begun at the Instigation of Heathen Philosophers especially of the beastly Cynicks particularly of Crescence that infamous Wretch mention'd with indignation by Justin Martyr Thus much is deliver'd concerning the Holy Children of Pudens the Roman Senator in the Acts of whom our Nation had an Interest partly in regard their Mother was a British Lady and that Timotheus was their Brother who exercis'd his Apostolick Office in this Island and no doubt had a great influence in disposing the mind of King Lucius towards the Christian Faith of Timotheus little more is written saving that after the Death of his Sister Praxedes he return'd to Rome where he became a Prey to those Sensual Philosophers and ended his Life by Martyrdom with his worthy Companion Marcus as appears by an Epistle of Pope Pius wherein amongst other things he declares S. Timotheus and Marcus to have ended their Lives by a Happy Conflict And he concludes his Letter to the Bishop unto whom it was directed thus Take care dear Brother that thou follow these Saints in imitating their zeal and freeing thy self from the Chains
the ground This Church from the days of King Lucius was design'd for a Burying place of our Kings as at this day and after it was Re-edify'd by St. Edward the Confessor A second Metropolitan Church was about this time erected in the City of York esteem'd in that Age the prime City and Church of Britain The third Metropolitan Church was then also built at Landaff or Caerleon upon Vsk in which City now ruin'd were three Noble Churches one bearing the Title of the Holy Martyr Julius Beautifi'd with a Monastery of Virgins Consecrated to God. A second founded by the Name of his Companion St. Aaron And a third famous for being the Metropolitan See of all Cambria although Dubritius is mention'd in History to be the first Arch-bishop of the Welsh Britains concerning the Church of Landaff and the Superiority of it something may be gather'd out of the Protestation of Vrbanus before Calixtus the second in the Councel of Rhemes However sure it is that after the coming of St. Augustine the Monk the Bishop of Landaff hath always been subject to the See of Canterbury This King Lucius built another Church also at Dover in Honour of our Blessed Saviour and his Glorious Mother and some other Churches elsewhere As this King shew'd himself Munificent in Building of Churches so also was he Liberal in his Endowments and Priviledges bestow'd upon them by transferring the Possessions of Idol-Temples to Christian Churches and further Enriching them with more Lands and greater Immunities so that some Malefactors might have refuge within their Precincts which benefit of Sanctuary hath been continu'd and increas'd by most succeeding Princes neither were the Revenues belonging to Pagan Temples inconsiderable for that Religion was very costly for it is certain that the Pagan Flamens in London Sacrific'd yearly 40000. Cows 100000. Sheep innumerable sorts of all Fowl besides 30000. Savage Beasts as Staggs and other Beasts of the Forrest Besides all this King Lucius in the 6th year after his Conversion Founded a Church and Monastery at Winchester which he plentifully Endow'd it is said to be a Church of vast Dimensions and Adorn'd with an Episcopal Palace the Possessions of it extended 12. Miles round about the City This Church was Dedicated to the Honour of our Saviour by Fugatius and Damianus and Devotus a Monk by them Constituted the first Abbot from this time until the time of Dioclesian the Monks here quietly serv'd God after the Rule and Order prescrib'd by St. Mark the Evangelist and first Bishop of Alexandria which Rule is thus describ'd by Cassianus saying These Monks did not content themselves to retain the order of living practis'd by the Primitive Christians whereof we read in the Acts of the Apostles That they had all things in common accounted nothing their own sold their Possessions and laid the price at the Apostles feet to be divided amongst such as had need But these Monks aspir'd to practices more sublime for retiring them to the most secret places they led a Life of unparallel'd Abstinence and Austerity in Reading of Holy Scripture day and night in fervent Prayer and continual Labour of their Hands without regard of Food or Sustenance save only that every second or third day they would receive some slender Sustenance for necessity not for the satisfaction of their Apetite and not then until after Sun-set The Light they spent in Labour or Holy Exercises Darkness suffic'd for the care of their Bodies Under the Persecution of Dioclesian this Holy Fraternity was dissipated but not long after again restor'd and their Church Consecrated by Constantius Bishop of Winchester in the year of Grace 309. taking a new Name from St. Amphibolus who with St. Alban was Crown'd with Martyrdom and by this Name Gildas calls it in his relation of the Sons of Mordred Murder'd by Constantine in this place It suffer'd a second Eclipse when the Infidel Saxons laid waste all Holy places in this Island Howbeit no sooner did the Saxons embrace the Faith of Christ but they repair'd this Church and Monastery after call'd de Hida and restor'd it to greater Splendor and Magnificence then it had before in which Splendor and Beauty it continu'd fortify'd by Charters of Kings and Bulls of Popes untill all Religious Houses were swallow'd up by the sury and Avarice of Henry the VIII So as St. Edward the Confessor in his Charter to the Monastery of Westminster prov'd a Prophet who declar'd The same Charter should continue in force so long as the love of Christianity should remain in this Nation Our Devout and Wise King Lucius did not only endow Churches and Monasteries for the present Worship of God but provided Seminaries of Learning and Piety for the future increase thereof the most Famous of which was the School and Monastery of Bangor in North-Wales It is said to be the first Colledge of Christian Philosophers but is in some Authors mistaken for another of that Name in Vlster from whence proceeded the famous Bishop St. Malachias whose Life is elegantly written by St. Bernard However this famous Monastery it seems prosper'd so well for a long time that at the coming of St. Augustine into England more than 2000. Monks were found in it This King was not only careful to plant and settle the Christian Faith within his own Kingdom but as many Antient and Credible Records testifie personally sow'd the Seeds of Christianity in Germany and other Forreign parts and as some say there ended his days as his Virgin Sister and Martyr also did Fugatius or Phaganus and Damianus being inform'd of St. Joseph and his Companion 's retirement to Glastonbury and their deaths there visited the place which they found reduc'd to little better then a Covert of Wild-Beasts so little encouragement or countenance had the Christian Faith receiv'd yet by Divine conduct they discover'd an Antient Church built by St. Joseph and his Companions and Consecrated as afore-said by God himself they also found the Holy-Cross with several Writings and other Tokens declaring the place to have been formerly an Habitation of Christians and receptable of those prime Disciples They therefore added another Oratory built of Stone Dedicated to the Honour of St. Peter and St. Paul and on the Top of the Tor or Mountain rais'd a Chappel to the Honour of St. Michael the Arch-Angel And lastly to continue the Service of God which had been interrupted they establish'd a succession of 12 Devout persons in memory of St. Joseph and the first 12. which Succession continu'd till the coming of St. Patrick the Apostle of Ireland unto this place These two Holy men made this place their Retirement for the space of nine years and there dy'd and were bury'd as is believ'd about the year of our Lord 199. After the Death of Lucius which happen'd in the 7th year of Severus none of the British Race were permitted to reign but Legats from the Emperour commanding the Roman Army In the time of Commodus
he fell on his Face to the ground and burst asunder in the middle and was in that manner depriv'd both of Life and Communion This struck the Eusebian Faction with wonderful Terrour and consternation the Fame whereof soon spread it self over the whole World and confirm'd the Emperour's Faith and the Nicene Decrees This year dy'd the Holy Pope Marcus Successor of Silvester and in his stead Julius succeeded in the last year of our Renowned Emperour one of whose last Acts of Devotion was the building of a most Magnificent Temple at Constantinople in Honour of all the Apostles that he might Eternize their memory among all Nations In this Temple he placed twelve Honorary Repositories which should be as so many Pillars in memory of the twelve Apostles and caus'd his own Tomb to be plac'd in the midst of them enclos'd on each side with six of them having an opinion That their memory would procure much profit to his Soul by being so made partaker of their Prayers which would there be offer'd in Honour of the Apostles As many other British and Saxons Kings in erecting Churches and Monasterres have since done for the Redemption of their Souls and so express'd themselves in several Charters of their Foundation This Emperour it seems so Happily enjoy'd his faculties and strength of Reason in such perfection that till the extremity of his Age he still continu'd to write Orations and to Minister Advice to his Friends well becoming a good Christian He also publish'd good Laws expedient for Humane Society and not long before his Death he recited a Funeral Oration in the usual place wherein he Discoursed Of the Immortality of Souls of the Rewards of Pious men and the Miseries of such who liv'd ungodly lives This he pronounc'd with such Gravity and Constancy that one of his Domestique Servants a Pagan and pretender to Wisdom being ask'd what he thought of the Emperour's Oration Answered though with some unwillingness That the things spoken seemed to be true especially commending that part of the Oration which decry'd a multitude of Gods. It is said that a Comet of an unusual bigness appear'd in the Heavens as portending his death for he soon after fell into some Distemper which enforc'd him to use Hot Baths and being remov'd to his Mothers City Helenopolis in Bythinia he continu'd some considerable time in the Church Consecrated to the Holy Martyr St. Lucianus there offering his Prayers and publick Vows to God and there considering his last day he fell humbly upon his Knees in this Church confessing his sins and craving pardon for them and then it was that he first became worthy to receive Absolution by imposition of Hands and Prayer in imitation of the Saving Laver of Baptism After these and such like Holy Mysteries were perform'd he was cloath'd with Kingly Robes shining bright as the Light and then laid in a Bed of a most pure Whiteness his Imperial Purple he rejected and never made use of it afterwards Then with a clear distinct voice he Pray'd and gave Thanks to God declaring He was now assur'd of Happiness and Immortality being made partaker of Divine Light. With great detestation he bewail'd the miserable state of Pagans in that they were depriv'd of all Divine Blessings To his great Officers who stood about him and deplor'd their unhappiness in the loss of such an Emperour wishing him a long Life he answer'd That he had now attain'd true Life indeed and he himself understood his own Happiness and therefore he long'd for his departure to God. And having made his Will and given Honourable Pensions to the Inhabitants of his new City and left his Empire as a Patrimony to his Children during the Solemnity of Pentecost he departed this Life in Glory and Renown The universal Mourning and Sorrow of his People and the Solemnities of his Funeral are set forth at large by many Authors Great multitudes of the People with the Priests ceas'd not to pour forth their Prayers to God with Tears and Groaning for the Soul of their departed Emperour his memory was also so precious amongst the Britains that they built Temples in Honour of him one whereof still remains of his Name in North-Wales which was erected after they were driven by the Saxons into those quarters Constantine at his death divided the Roman Empire amongst his three Sons so that his Eldest Son Constantine enjoy'd Gaul Spain Britain and all the Conquer'd Countries on this side the Alpes Constantius his second Son only present at his Fathers Death possess'd himself of the Eastern Regions and Aegypt And the youngest Son Constans had the Government of Italy and Africk Now as touching the second Constantine within whose Jurisdiction our Country is compriz'd His Reign was short not lasting full four years sure it is He and his Brother Constans stuck close to the Catholick Faith Establish'd in the Nicene Councel so as all the Western Churches were by their means secur'd from the infection of Heresie which miscrably defac'd the Eastern parts in regard Constantius there suffer'd himself to be perverted by the Arrian Hereticks Constantine the younger in proof of his Orthodoxy and in performance of his Fathers Will restor'd Athanasius from his banishment at Triers where he had continu'd above two years to his Church at Alexandria his banishment was the easier to him in regard he was sent thither by Constantine the Father in order to his safety and entertain'd there with all Honour and Liberality by Constantine the Son whose constant residence was in Gaul and who govern'd Britain by a Deputy never coming thither himself In the 4th year of his Reign he pass'd over into Italy upon what design is uncertain However he was soon there Traytorously slain by his Brothers Soldiers if not by his Order By the Death of this Constantine the whole Western Empire became the Dominion of Constans who placed Vetranio as his Lieutenant in Britain where after a few years he usurp'd the Title of Emperour About this time there flourish'd in Britain a Holy Bishop of great fame call'd St. Gudwall who was born of Noble Parents and largely communicated to others those Treasures of Heavenly Wisdom which he had been gathering from his youth his Instructions Enlightn'd many so as they were enabled to enflame others with Divine Love the Odour of his Holy Conversation declaring in him the operations of Heavenly Grace was pleasant to all both Clergy and Laity The Patrimony he receiv'd from his Parents was very ample yet despising worldly Riches he gave it all to the Church And perceiving his Pastoral Office engag'd him in Worldly Cares and Solicitudes and willing to disburden himself thereof he recommends his Church to a worthy Successor and retires himself into a Monastery within his own Diocess where he led a perfect Monastical or rather Angelical Life His Monastery was placed near the Sea in a Bay where-of the Holy man observing a certain vast Rock or Promontory shooting forth retir'd
both the King and his Castle were consum'd so as his Body was never after seen Vortigern thus remov'd the whole Power of the Kingdom was devolv'd upon Ambrosius by the Unanimous Consent of the whole Nation For which purpose saith Sir Henry Spelman a Council or Assembly was call'd about the Mountains of Erir in North-wales by which he was exalted to the Royal Dignity In the year 465 or in the year following How Happy this change was will appear by what follows for Ambrosius as soon as he was plac'd in the Throne imploy'd himself in repairing Churches which had been ruin'd He was indeed a Prince Magnificent in his Gifts Sedulous in the Worship of God averse from Flatteries a Valiant Soldier and very Skilful in Commanding an Army and for these Virtues was famous in far distant Regions and being so renown'd a Prince he may possibly be the same Ambrosius mention'd by Eugypius in the Life of St. Severine wherein he intimates That the Holy Bishop finding favour from Odoacer whose Reign in Italy he had fore-told requested the King to free a person call'd Ambrosius from Banishment And truly Baronius citing this passage is of the same opinion several years pass'd after Ambrosius attain'd the Throne either in Peace or without any considerable War between the Britains and Saxons During this calm St. Patrick who many years before return'd out of Ireland dy'd in his Solitary retreat at Glastonbury in the Antiquities whereof we may find That after the Death of Vortigern Aurelius Ambrosius raign'd and then it was that St. Patrick the Apostle of Ireland and first Abbot of Avallonia after he instructed his Brethren in Regular Discipline and competently enrich'd that Monastery with Possessions procur'd from Kings and Princes yielded to nature in the 39th year after his return to that Island and was buried in the Old Church on the Right-hand of the Altar by direction of an Angel a great flame in the sight of all breaking forth in the same place The Irish Writers will needs have it that St. Patrick's Body reposes in the Church of Down-Patrick in Ireland on whose side St. Bernard seems to be in his Life of St. Malachias where he intimates That St. Patrick 's Body rests in the See of Armagh accompanied with those of St. Columbanus and St. Bridget The difference may easily be decided for no doubt but some considerable Relicks of his Sacred Body at the request of the Irish have been deposited at Down aforesaid a world of Examples of the like Errour being extant in Ecclesiastical History The space of eight years being compleat after the Battle of Whippedsflet Hengist took up Arms against the Britains and once more discomfited them carrying away immense Spoils The Truth is in these days sometime the Britains and sometime their Enemies had the Victory so that Hengist perceiving that with those Forces which he had he could make little progress against so Valiant a Captain as Ambrosius nor hardly maintain the Provinces given to him by Vortigern sent for new and greater Supplies out of Germany whereupon a famous Saxon call'd Ella with his three Sons Cymen Pleting and Cissa and a numerous Army took Sea and by the direction of Hengist bent their course towards Sussex and landed at Cymen-Shore so call'd from Ella's Eldest Son. Now while the Saxons were landing the Britains rais'd a loud Cry at which a World of People repair'd to them from the places adjacent and straight a Combat began the Saxons men of great Stature and Courage receiv'd the Britains Politickly and they as Imprudently set upon their Enemies for coming in loose Companies one after another they were easily slain by the Saxons who kept themselves together in close Bodies So as the Britains who still came in to Aid their Country-men were suddainly discourag'd by the noise they heard of the formers Defeat They were all therefore put to flight as far as a Wood call'd Andredsleige so as the Saxons possess'd themselves of the Sea-coast of Sussex every day by little and little enlarging their limits until the ninth year after their coming In which ninth year whilst Ella and his company boldly enter'd further into the Country the Princes and Nobles of the Britains met in Arms at a place call'd Mercredeburn and Fought against the Saxons The Victory was doubtful for on both sides the Armies were much impair'd and broken So as each of them retir'd back to their own quarters Matthew of Westminster saith That Ella and his Sons were forc'd to forsake the Field and fearing his strength not enough to make good his present Conquests much less to enlarge them sent into Germany for new Supplies which being arriv'd he continu'd his Progress in gaining more Territories 'till he establish'd a new Kingdom of South-Saxons Now while Aurelius Ambrosius imploy'd his Forces in repressing those Southern-Saxons Hengist having left his Kingdom of Kent well guarded took a Journey into the Northern Provinces where joyning with the Picts and Scots he took many Cities and Towns before the Britains could oppose him and for Security of his Conquests he built many Castles and Strong-holds but demolish'd all Churches wheresoever he came King Ambrosius being inform'd hereof with great Courage as in Gods Cause march'd after him and beholding as he pass'd on his Journey the Towns laid waste and the lamentable ruines of the Churches with the Miseries of the poor People he could not as is said refrain from Weeping Whereupon by Vow He promis'd Almighty God that if he Would render him Victorious over the Saxons all the ruin'd Churches he would re-build and restore How this Pious Vow was approv'd by God let the success demonstrate Ambrosius now resolv'd to provoke the Saxons to a Combat found Hengist with his Forces beyond Humber who intended to set upon the Britains in a Field call'd Maisbely through which Ambrosius was to pass whom he hop'd to find unprovided But the British King had notice of this design and prevented it However the two Armies met in good order and a fierce Battle began between them much Blood was shed on both sides At last Hengist perceiving his Army to give ground and the Britains to prevail fled to a Town nam'd Cair-conan now Cuningsbury but considering the weakness of that Town he betook himself to the Swords and Spears of his Soldiers Ambrosius pursued him and by the way put all the Saxons he found to the Sword and having obtain'd a great Victory gave devout Praise and Glory to the God of Heaven Hengist indeed Fortified his Camp the best he could near the said Town but in a few days was forc'd to come to a Battle before his Camp which prov'd fatal to him and his for the greatest part of his Army was cut in pieces and himself taken Prisoner and Beheaded by the Brittains This Battle was Fought on the bank of the River Don. The manner how Hengist was taken is thus related The Valorous Duke or Consul of Glocester Eldoll was very desirous
to cope with Hengist and therefore with the Forces under his command furiously piercing into the Enemies Squadrons found him at last and laying hold on the fore-part of his Helmet with main force drew him within his own Troops saying God hath at last fulfill'd my desire He it is who hath given us the Victory Vpon this the Saxons fled Octa the Son of Hengist to York Esca and not a few with him betook themselves to the City of Acluid After this Victory Ambrosius took the City Caerconan which he enter'd Triumphantly Then Ambrosius calling his Captains together commanded them to Decree what should become of Hengist whereupon Eldad Bishop of Glocester and Brother of Eldol impos'd Silence on them all and gnashing his Teeth for rage told them Though all there present had a desire to set him free I my self would cut him in pieces Why saith he do you delay O Effeminate Britains did not Samuel a Prophet having taken the King of Amalec Prisoner in Battle cut him in pieces one Limb after another saying As thou hast made many Mothers Childless so will I make thy Mother Childless this day Do you therefore deal in the same manner with this Barbarous King who is another Agag and hath depriv'd a world of British Mothers of their Children When Eldad had thus said He drew his Sword and leading Hengist out of the City cut off his Head sending his wretched Soul to Hell. Whether this Speech or Action became a Christian Bishop I must leave to Graver Judgments Ambrosius thus Triumphing was not unmindful of his Vow but took care to repair the Houses of God which had been lately destroy'd and placing in them Priests and other Clergy-men he reduc'd the Divine Service to its Pristine order and where ever he found any Idols or Temples of False Gods he defac'd them utterly out of the memory of men He Studiously observ'd Justice and Peace especially as to Ecclesiastical persons on whom he liberally confer'd Revenues injoyning them to Pray for the King and state of Gods Church Hengist thus dead his Son Aesca by Bede nam'd Oisc succeeded in the Kingdom of Kent and from him his Successors were call'd Oisckings what became of his Brother Otta who was said to fly to York can no where be found in any Antient Writer and therefore little Credit is to be given to what is reported of him by some late Writers That Ambrosius should bestow upon him the Province of Galloway in Scotland which was not in his disposal The same year wherein Hengist was slain the Holy Virgin St. Bridget came out of Ireland into Britain to obtain some Relicks of her Dear and Honour'd Patron St. Patrick whose Disciple she had been and a great admirer of his Sanctity She stay'd here some years in a small Island near Glastonbury call'd Bekery where was an Oratory Consecrated to the Honour of St. Mary Magdalen afterward leaving behind her Scrip Chain Bell and other Vestments of her own wearing which for the memory of her Sanctity were there repos'd she return'd to Ireland where not long after she rested in our Lord and was Buried in the City of Down Concerning her we may thus read in the Martyrologies This day the first of February is Celebrated the memory of the Blessed Virgin St. Bridget who in Testimony of her Virginity having touch'd the Wood of an Altar it became presently green She is said to have out-liv'd St. Patrick only 30 years In the English Martyrology there is a Commemoration of a British Martyr call'd St. Sophias whose death is assign'd to the 490 year of our Lord He was the Son of Guilleicus Prince of the Ordovices or North-Wales and undertook a Monastical Profession in a Monastery Built by himself in the same Province He had such Devotion to our Lords Passion that he made three Pilgrimages to Jerusalem to visit the Marks and Foot-steps of it A great Veneration also he had for Rome and those places which had been Consecrated by the Blood of the two Princes of the Apostles Being at Rome he was by the Bishop thereof Consecrated Bishop of Beneventum which See he govern'd with Prudence and Sanctity till at last he was slain by an Impious Pagan at the Holy Altar while he was Celebrating the Mystery of our Redemption No less famous at this time was the Holy British Virgin St. Keyna Illustrious she was for her Birth being the Daughter of Braganus Prince of that Province in Wales which from him was call'd Brecknokshire but more Illustrious for her Zeal to preserve her Chastity for which she was call'd in the British Tongue Keynvayre that is Keyna the Virgin This Prince Braganus or Brachanus is said to have had twelve Sons and as many Daughters by his Lady call'd Macella Daughter of Theodoric Son of Tethphalt Prince of Garthmatrin afterward nam'd Brecknock their first born Son was St. Canoc of whom more hereafter their eldest Daughter was Gladus Mother of Cadocus by St. Gunley a Holy King of the Southern Britains their second Daughter was Melaria or Nonita the Mother of the Holy Archbishop St. David mention will be made hereafter of Almedha another of their Daughters As for St. Keyna when she came to ripe years many Noble persons sought her in Marriage but she utterly refus'd that state having Consecrated her Virginity to our Lord by a perpetual Vow at length she determin'd to forsake her Country and find out some Desert place where she might attend to Contemplation wherefore directing her Journey beyond Severn and coming to certain Woody places She requested the Prince of that Country that she might be permitted to serve God in that Solitude The Prince was willing to grant her request only he told her The place did so swarm with Serpents that neither Men nor Beasts could inhabit in it To which she reply'd That her Trust was fix'd in the Name and Assistance of Almighty God and therefore she doubted not to drive all that Poisonous brood out of that Region Hereupon the place was readily granted to the Holy Virgin who prostrating her self to God in fervent Prayer obtain'd of him to change all the Serpents and Vipers there into Stones so as to this day the Stones in that Region resemble the Windings of Serpents through all the Fields and Villages as if they had been so fram'd by the Hand of the Engraver Cambden gives some account of this Miracle On the Western Banks of Avon saith he is seen the Town of Cainsham some are of Opinion that it was nam'd so from Keyna a most Holy British Virgin who according to the Credulous perswasion of former Ages is believ'd to have turn'd Serpents into Stones for that such like Miracles of sporting Nature are there sometimes found in the Quarries I my self saith he saw a Stone brought from thence representing a Serpent roll'd up into a Spire The Head of it stuck out in the outward Surface and the end of the Tayl terminated in the Center Many years
Monk held a Councel in a place from thence call'd Augustine's Oak and as Antiently Theophilus Assembled a Synod in the Cause of Athanasius in a place call'd Ad Quercum at the Oak Now whereas in this Synod were Assembled many great Saints and Holy Bishops the Lights of the British Churches as St. Dubritius St. Daniel St. David St. Telian and St. Paulin of whom some mention hath been made already it will not be amiss here to subjoyn a summary of their respective Gests least if they should be set down particularly there would be such intermixture as might perhaps confound the Readers memory especially considering the wonderful length of time which most of them liv'd Concerning St. Daniel enough hath been said We shall here begin with St. Dubritius who was born in the Province of the Demetae or West-wales Sir-nam'd he was Guainius from the River Guain near which he was born his Fathers Name is not mention'd but his Mother was call'd Euedyla a Woman of wonderful Virtue and Piety during his Childhood he was committed to the care of Teachers to be instructed in Learning suitable to that Age In his riper years he made such Progress in Science that very many not only among the Ignorant but the more skilful also repair'd to him for Instructions Amongst which were St. Thelian St Sampson St. Aidan and others He made choice of a place near the River Vaga proper to receive the great number of Scholars which came to him and there directed their Studies In the same place having built a Church by the direction of an Angel he there taught the People and by imposing his Hands Cur'd frequently the Sick of divers Infirmities so that they which came to him Feeble and full of Anguish return'd Joyful and in Perfect Health He was taken from his Imployment of Teaching by St. German in his second Voyage to Britain and with the consent of King Mauricus and all the Clergy Consecrated Bishop of Llandaff as hath been said in the year of Grace 436. by which account since he out-liv'd the said Synod of Brevi it is plain the length of his Life was wonderful for at that time he had been a Bishop more then 80 years In the year 492. Aurelius Ambrosius coming to the Mountains of Ambri near to Caer Carec now Salisbury where the British Princes Trayterously Murder'd by Hengist lay appointed Pastors to two Metropolitan Churches granting York to the Illustrious St. Sampson and Caerleon to Dubritius the latter vacant by the Death of Threminius Geoffry of Monmouth adds That he was Primate of Britain and Legate of the Apostolick See Which Dignity it seems was annexed to that Church by St. German from the Authority which in his Mission hither he receiv'd from Rome In the year 516 He Solemnly Crown'd King Arthur after which being very Aged as hath been said he relinquish'd his See and retir'd into the Isle of Berdsey to prepare for his Death from which repose notwithstanding his Zeal to the Catholick Faith drew him to the Synod of Brevy St. David being his Successor as aforesaid Three years after full of Sanctity and Age he gave up his Soul into the Hands of his Creatour in the said Isle of Berdsey where among a multitude of Saints he chose his place of Burial and there his Sacred Body repos'd until the year of Grace 1120. at which time it was translated from thence with great Honour by Vrbanus Bishop of Landaff and bury'd in the Cathedral Church on the North-side of the Altar of our Blessed Lady At which time the whole Country of Glamorgan was afflicted with a great Drougth no Rain having there fallen for many Weeks but when these Holy Relicks were translated great store of Rain sell to the comfort of the Inhabitants One of the most Illustrious Disciples of St. Dubritius was St. Thelian descended of a Noble British Family what-ever the Centuriatours of Magdeburg have malignantly wrote of him From his Infancy he was addicted to Devotion Prayer and contempt of Secular Pleasures and being come to his riper Age he was for his Wisdom and Piety Sir-nam'd Helias because with his Doctrine he Enlightn'd the Hearts of the Faithful as the Sun doth the World. He was instructed in the Holy Scriptures by St. Dubritius 'till he was enabled to clear the most difficult places therein Then having heard the fame of a certain wise man call'd Paulinus he went to him to confer with him of the most abstruse Misteries of Gods Word by this means he contracted Friendship with St. David a man of great Perfection in Sanctity insomuch as their Hearts were so firmly knit together by Charity and the Grace of Gods Holy Spirit that in all things they had but one Will When St. Dubritius was translated from Landaff to the Metropolitan Church of Caerleon St. Thalian succeeded him in Landaff wherein he sate many years For it is said he dy'd not until the coming of St. Augustine into Britain by whom his Successor St. Oudoceus was Consecrated When a certain Infection call'd the Yellow Plague infested Britain raging against Men and Beasts by Divine Admonition he departed into a far Country accompany'd with many Disciples where he abode 'till by the same Authority he was re-call'd Neither did he cease day or night by daily Prayer and Fasting to Pacifie Gods Wrath and then gathering together all his Devout Companions return'd and all his Life after exercis'd Supreme Jurisdiction over all the Churches in the Western Britain He dy'd at last being replenish'd with all Virtues in a good Old Age. Many Miracles are recorded to be done by him both before and after his Death One of them only which Bishop Godwin thought not fit to pass over is this After he was dead the Inhabitants of three several places contended earnestly which of them should enjoy his Body Those of Penualum where his Ancestors had been Buried those of Lantelio vaur where he dy'd and those of Landaff among whom he had been Bishop When therefore no agreement could be made amongst them there appear'd presently three Bodies so like to one another that three Eggs resemble not more perfectly Whereupon each of those People took one of them and so ended the Controversy But by frequent Miracles at his Tomb in Landaff it appear'd that the Inhabitants thereof possess'd the true Body Now whereas mention is made of Paulinus said to be Instructer to Thelian and who sent for St. David to the Synod of Brevi His true Name seems to be Paulens of whom we find it thus written That St. David as soon as he was promoted to Priesthood went to Paulens a Disciple of St. German and that in a certain Island he led a Holy Life acceptable to God and that St. David liv'd with him many years and follow'd his Instructions Paulens at last by extream pains in his Eyes lost the use of them Whereupon calling his Disciples together he desir'd that one after another they would look upon
the Reign of the Emperour Titus After the Death of Nero Cruel to himself his own Mother the poor Christians and indeed to all Mankind and the barbarous extinguisher of those two most Glorious Lights then shining in the World St. Peter and St. Paul the Family of the Caesars failing four Emperours were set up and pulled down within the space of two years Vespasian only excepted who becoming Conquerour at last settled the Empire and restored Peace The Romans in Britain were unconcern'd in these Broils and were well affected to Vespasian who by his Deputy Frontinus placed a Legion in Caerleon St. Joseph after a Solitary Life led at Glastonbury where he seems to Institute a Monastical Profession with his said Companions and such other Holy Persons as his and their Labours had Converted to the Faith Died their about the said 82 year of our Lords Incarnation and was Buried at Glastonbury as his Companions also were in or near the Church Built by him where since innumerable Converts and Christians have been Interred It is thought the Body of this Renowned Saint was deposited in a Cave over which a Chappel was after Built to his Honour as this Epitaph there found imports Ad Britones veni post quam Christum Sepelivi Dorni requievi His Reliques not having been discover'd some Devout persons in the days of Edward the III. obtain'd leave to search for them The Patent for that purpose is yet extant to this effect That a supplication having been made by John Blome of London wherein he affirms that he had received a command from Heaven diligently to seek till he could find the Body of the Noble Councellor Joseph of Arimathaea which reposes in Christ within the limits of Glastonbury Monastery and which for the Saints Honour was to be discover'd in those times And for that it appear'd by Antient Records that his Body was there buried The said King if so desirous to bestow due Honours to the Monument and Venerable Reliques of him who exprest so great Piety and Charity to our dying Redeemer that he took his Body from the Cross and plac'd it ina New Monument which he had built for himself and hoping that by the revealing of his Holy Reliques greater Grace and Favour should be shew'd by God to him and his Kingdom did give and grant permission as much as in him lay to the said John Blome to dig where he should find it expedient within the precincts of the said Monastery in order to the searching out of the said precious Reliques according to the Injunction and Revelation made unto him provided he did it with the consent of the Abbot and without prejudice to the Monastery What was found upon this search doth not appear but the Piety and Devotion of the King may be easily collected The same Monuments which inform us of the Life Death and Burial of St. Joseph at Glastonbury as an unquestionable Tradition in all Ages agreed unto by Britains Saxons Danes and Normans do likewise testifie That he brought with him into Britain two Silver Vessels fill'd with the Blood of our Saviour Christ which were buried with him in his Tomb Several Proofs hereof were extant even to the days of Queen Elizabeth amongst others the Narration of William Good a Jesuit who was born in the Reign of Henry the 8th and bred up in his Childhood at Glastonbury and affirms That in his time certain Brass-plates were Engraven to perpetuate the memory of these things as also Chappels Grots Crosses Arms and the observation of the Festival of St. Joseph on the sixth of the Calends of August which remain'd as long as the Monks enjoy'd the Charters of their Munificent and Royal Benefactors but are now buried in the ruines of the place He confesseth never any Monk knew the certain place of this Saints Sepulcher The common report was it was extreamly deep under ground somewhere in or about Hambdenhill but when ever the Saints Body shall be found multitudes would resort to it invited with the great and innumerable Miracles which should be there wrought He remembers to have seen upon a Stone-Cross which was demolish'd in Queen Elizabeth's days a Plate of Brass on which was written That in the 30th year after the Passion of our Lord Joseph of Arimathaea with 11 or 12 Companions came into Britain and were permitted by King Arvitagus to abide at Glaston then called Avallonia like Solitary men and that he brought with him two small Silver Vessels of the Sacred Blood and Water which flow'd out of Christ's side after his death And that a Cross was there Erected many years before to shew the length of the Chappel which St. Joseph built of wailed Roddes of the most Holy Virgin on the out-side of the Wall of which Chappel were Engraven in Antient Characters JESUS MARIA There were then other Remarks and Footsteps of these Truths to be there found Now that St. Joseph and Nicodemus also with due veneration gather'd the Blood of our Lord which for many Ages was Piously Worshiped by Devout Christians both in the East and West is testified by divers Antient Histories and Martyrologies and to this purpose it is remarkable what Matthew Paris hath related in the year of our Lord God 1247. Namely That then the Master of the Temple and Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem sent a certain portion of the Blood of our Lord shed upon the Cross in a most Beautiful Christal Glass by a Brother of the Temple which Present was confirm'd by the then Patriarch of Jerusalem by Archbishops Bishops Abbots and other Prelates and Noblemen then dwelling in the Holy-Land The said Historian further declaring at large With what Honour and Reverence this Holy Treasure was entertain'd by King Henry the III. and his whole Clergy and Nobility And at the same time to give satisfaction to doubting Minds Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln the Glory of that Age for Piety and Learning affords us a large Narration of the Fact to the effect following That Joseph of Arimathaea a Noble Councellour and one of the Hearers of Jesus or his Disciple rather out of tender compassion was very sollicitous how his venerable Body might be preserv'd from the rage of the Jews Howbeit both He and Nicodemus and other rich men though most cordial Lovers of Jesus yet conceal'd their Affection for fear of their Estates Nevertheless when Jesus was Crucify'd Joseph went boldly to Pilate and beg'd the Body of Jesus and by Pilat 's permission notwithstanding the murmuring of the Jews with all due Honour and Reverence took down the most Holy Body from the Cross all mangled and bloody and with a fine Linnen-cloath Devoutly and carefully wip'd the Sacred Wounds as yet moist and distilling and having drawn the Nails out of the Wounds he wip'd and cleans'd them at the Cross and then carrying the Body from Golgotha he laid it in a new Tomb where never any body had been laid and which was decently cut out of
a Rock as provided and intended for Joseph himself But before our Saint would bury the Body he wash'd it for it was cover'd with Blood. First in regard of his late Bloody-Sweat Secondly by reason of his Cruel Scourging Thirdly The pressing of a Crown of Thorns upon his Head. Fourthly The Nails in his Hands and Feet Lastly The Souldiers Spear which did not only Wound but open a wide passage into his side Joseph also wash'd this Sacred Body in order to the Embalming of it He wash'd it saith Grosthead with an intention and Religions design to appropriate the same Blood to his own devout use as a most precious Treasure and Medicine for his Soul The Water tinctur'd with the Blood he would not cast away but kept it in a clean Vessel and the pure Blood distilling from the Wounds of his Hands and Feet he reserv'd with more Reverence But above all with more then ordinary Devotion and Holy Fear he receiv'd into a most precious Vessel the Blood mix'd with Water which he carefully press'd out of his Right side and which he judg'd to issue from his Heart This he esteem'd a Treasure invaluable to be reserv'd for himself and his Successours This was the Discourse and these the Sentiments of that Venerable Prelate upon the fore-mention'd occasion It may seem strange that Joseph accounting this Blood so inestimable a Treasure should yet ordain it to be put into the Grave with him as it is said he did He may be thought to do it least in such a time when Paganism prevail'd the Holy Relick might be Profan'd and if Christianity ever came to be uppermost Devout Christians might know whither to resort for it or perhaps he might have the same design with the Emperour Constantine who carefully collected the Relicks of the Apostles and after they were richly adorn'd commanded they should be laid up in his Tomb To the end as Eusebius tells us that being dead he might be made partaker of the Prayers which there in Honour of the Apostles should be offer'd unto God. After the death of S. Joseph S. Phagan succeeded in the Prefecture of this Holy Place and continu'd in it about 30 years and under him and other his Successors who enjoy'd the Possessions bestow'd upon them by the British Kings a Monastical Conversation was upheld until the Reign of King Lucius at which time the publick Preaching of the Gospel was not only permitted but encourag'd So as these Holy men in all likelihood were invited and by Charity compell'd to leave God for God to forsake their Solitude and imploy their Devotion and Labours in Converting and Saving the Souls of others by reason whereof it is reported that this place became Desolate Howbeit not long after the memory of St. Joseph stir'd up Devout Christians to visit and enlarge the Church here Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin as the Fountain and Original of Christian Religion in this Island A little before the death of St Joseph Julius Agricola was sent Pretor into Britain in the last year of Vespasian and was entertain'd with Opposition in Wales which with extraordinary diligence he resisted and made his Victory compleat at the Isle of Anglesey from whence Paulinus had lately been re-call'd by the Dreadful Rebellion of the foremention'd unhappy Queen of the Trinobantes Boadicea Agricola after took care to govern the Province in Peace to restrain the Avarice of the Roman Souldiers to defend the Natives from injuries and by his Courtesie and Civility invited them to delight in Peace Thereupon he encouragâ—d them to conform to the Roman Fashion of Life by building Houses Temples and Market-Places He caus'd their Children to be instructed in Arts and good Literature Applauding their Wits and Natural Endowments so as thereby the Roman Tongue became Familiar to the Britains and the Roman Eloquence in request amongst them In the third year of his Pretorship he March'd Northward and wasted the Country as far as Tweed and the Summer following he extended his Conquests as far as Bodotria now Edinborough Frith Eastward and Glotta now the Frith of Dunbritton Westward and strengthen'd the narrow space between them with Forts and Garrisons So as the only Enemies remaining unconquer'd were the Caledonian Britains at a Town thereabouts now called Abercurven an Antient Structure is at this day extant all of square Stones which the inhabitants call Julius's Hoft and fancy to have been built by Julius Caesar but more probably was rais'd by this Julius Agricola as a Monument of his Conquests In the fifth year of his Expedition he pierc'd into the Northwest Provinces toward Ireland as if he had an intent to pass over thither and indeed he is said to be invited over by a Petty Prince of that Island who compell'd by his Rebellious Subjects thereunto made some Addresses unto him The following year he spent in a March from Edinborough Northward to sind out the limits of the Country the Romans as yet not knowing whether Britain were an Island or not in which march of his he caus'd his Navy to keep pace with his Land-Army both for his Security and Supply but to the great Terrour of the poor Britains who to free themselves from this danger attempted the ninth Legion separated from the rest of the common Army yet were defeated but after under the Conduct of Galgacus eminent both for Nobility and Courage resolv'd to put all to the hazard of a Battle and assembling all their Forces upon the mountain Grampus after a Cruel and Bloody Fight were entirely Defeated This Battle was Fought in the last year of Agricola's Government For in the beginning of the year following which was the 5th of Domitians Reign he return'd to Rome where after some shew of Honour he became the object of that Tyrants Envy and not long after the Sacrifice of his Cruelty After the departure of Agricola it doth not clearly appear who succeeded some say Cneus Trebellius others Salustius Lucullus whom Domitian put to Death because he fram'd new fashion'd Lances and call'd them after his own Name this is all is mention'd in the Roman Histories during the remainder of Domitians Reign and his two Successors Nerva and Trajan little more is written concerning the state of Christianity in these times here in Britain save only that the Church of Britain in the year of Grace 100. sent a Legation to St. Clement Bishop of Rome desiring him to communicate unto them the Order and Rites of Celebrating Divine Service and it is deliver'd by Tradition that St. Clement set down the Order of offering Sacrifice instituted by St. Peter which was after us'd with some Addition throughout the whole Western Church In Trajan's time Britain was divided only into two Provinces call'd the first and second greater and less or the upper and lower Britain the former contain'd the Southern part as far as the River-Thames first possessed by the Romans the latter the Western Provinces as Cornwal Wales c. Toward the
little more of moment is mention'd concerning the British Affairs save that in his time Vlpius Marcellus drove back the Caledonian Britains who had made Irruptions into the Roman Territories in Britain The Conversion of Britain was so famous in the Church of God that Origen takes notice of it and the Faith of Christ spread it self even unto the Northern parts of this Island within two years after the Death of Lucius insomuch as Tertullian who liv'd about these times cryes out That those Provinces of Britain into which the Roman Armies were not able to pierce yet willingly submitted to the Faith of our Blessed Saviour Donaldus then King of those Northern quarters rejected the Worship of Divels embrac'd the Faith of Christ and obtain'd of Pope Victor the 15th after St. Peter several Learn'd and Illustrious men to be sent into those Northern parts to Baptize himself his Wife and Family with many of his Nobility Fulgentius a Kinsman of Lucius was certainly the first who instill'd the love of Christian Verities into the mind of Donaldus and advis'd him to send to Victor for more perfect Instructions By the conduct and Courage of this Fulgentius Donaldus obtain'd a great Victory over the Romans Severus himself was sain to engage his own Presence and Authority to repair this loss by a formidable Army this great exploit of the Emperour obtain'd him and his Sons the Title of Britanicus Fulgentius not long after ended his Life at York then the Imperial City Severus after this Victory built a new Wall with frequent Towers and a vast deep Trench and then retir'd with his Army to York but by the way was met and daunted with an Ethiopian Souldier Cole-black and Crown'd with Cypress who told him He had been all and overcame all and bid him now be a God This was an ill Omen which with others of like sort are said to presage his Death and indeed it follow'd soon after in that City where he was with exquisite Ceremonies made a God but his Ashes with Costly Odours were gather'd into a precious Box and with great veneration carry'd to Rome It is observ'd that these Caledonian Britains us'd no Garments but mark'd their Bodies with Pictures and Figures of Beasts as their chief bravery and from thence no doubt came to be call'd Picts or a Painted People In the fourth year of Antoninus Bassianus dy'd Donaldus who Coin'd Silver and Gold marking it on the one side with the Figure of the Saving-Cross on the other side with his own Face thereby to propagate the memory of the Christian Faith first embrac'd by him among all the Kings of that Nation he was bury'd in a field with Christian Ceremonies and Solemnities the same field having been Consecrated with accustom'd Prayers for the Burial of Christians By this the present Inhabitants of Scotland may discern the difference between the Christianity of this their first Christen'd King and that which they have lately chosen instead of it He would not rest after Death but in a place Consecrated by the Devotions of Holy Priests who celebrated his Obsequies according to the Primitive Christian Usage by making Oblations for him and offering the most Holy Sacrifice for the Refreshment of his Soul as St. Cyprian who liv'd not long after describes the manner or Antient Christian Burial and justly chargeth Bishop Martialis With Burying the Children of this Donaldus in the prophane Sepulchres of the Heathen Among other Ceremonies of Christian Burials this was one That a Cross was erected upon their Monuments Young Amphibalus born at Caerleon upon Vsk was from his tender years bred up in good Literature and about this time instructed in the Christian Religion afterwards he travell'd to Rome where he spent his time principally in Reading and Understanding Holy Scriptures and the Doctrine of Christian Religion till the beginning of the Cruel Persecution rais'd by Dioclesian This young man was ordain'd a Priest at Rome and sent back by the Pope into Britain and there became as some say Bishop of the Isle of Man. In the year of Grace 221. Pope Zephyrin dy'd and was succeeded by Calistus in whose time one Cadorus is said to be Bishop of London The Emperour Alexander Severus a Virtuous Prince no Enemy to Christianity which some conceive to have been profess'd by his Mother Mammaea was in the 14th year of his reign slain by the Treason of Julius Maximinus who succeeded in his place When Maximinus began his reign Christian Religion flourish'd not only in the Southern parts of Britain but among the Caledonians also where reign'd Chrathilintus a Christian Prince Successor of Donaldus he was instructed by Amphibalus returning about this time from Rome as some say At this time St. Pontianus Bishop of Rome govern'd the Church of God. Now the Tyrant Maximinus raising the sixth Persecution sharpen'd it especially against Bishops and Teachers of the Christian Faith by his command St. Pontianus suffer'd Martyrdom being beaten to death with Clubs To him succeeded St. Antherus a Graecian born who the year following was likewise put to Death by the same Tyrant Maximinus who was slain in his fourth year and the Holy Pope Fabianus sate in the Chair of St. Peter and about this time while Gordianus the younger reign'd the Christian Church enjoy'd great Tranquility in which calm the Bishops propagated the Faith many Churches and Altars were erected and no doubt in this Island also Obinus Bishop of London and Conanus his Successor were careful to imitate the Zeal of other Bishops Nonnius Philippus being Governour of Britain about this time Gordianus being in his 6th year was slain by the Treason of Julius Philippus who succeeded him Julius himself was also slain by his own Guards Howbeit before his death by the Grace of God he wash'd away his Sins by Baptisin and Pennance he was perswaded to embrace Christianity by St. Pontianus a man of high Dignity yet because Philip was known to be guilty of many Crimes he was not presently permitted to enter the Church until he had modestly condeseended to place himself among the Penitent and confess'd his sins with Reverent fear and Pious affection Now though after the death of Lucius no Britain generally was allow'd the Name of King yet several Princes of the British Blood exercis'd a Kingly jurisdiction amongst the rest Coelus had that Title over the Trinobantes Iceni and others and was the Father of Helena the Mother of Constantine the Great She is said to be born in Colchester the prime City of that Province which in memory of the Holy Cross found by her bears in its Arms A Cross between four Crowns Decius after the death of the two Philips extended his rage to the Religion by them Profess'd in whose time many Glorious Martyrs amongst the rest St. Fabianus Bishop of Rome who seal'd the firmness of their Religion with their Blood although some redeem'd themselves from Sacrificing to Idols obtain'd Libels falsely declaring they had Sacrific'd and
Gentiles The question was pertinent and thus answer'd by Amphibalus Our Lord Jesus Christ Son of the living God saith he preserv'd me safe from all dangers and sent me into this Province for the Salvation of many that by Preaching his Faith I might prepare a People acceptable to him Who is this Son of God reply'd Albanus Can God be said to be born these are strange Speeches which I never heard of before I desire to know your Opinion of these matters The Holy man answer'd Our Faith teacheth us to acknowledge the Father to be God and the Son also to be God who in Infinite Mercy vouchsafed to take our slesh upon him for the Salvation of Mankind that he might redeem us by suffering Death And then discours'd at large of the Birth Passion Resurrection and Ascention of Christ Concluding If you O Albanus will believe these things to be true you will receive Power by calling on the Name of Christ to Cure any Infirm or Sick person And the Truth is I am come to this City on purpose to Preach to you the healthful Doctrine of our Lords Passion because our merciful God will reward your kind Offices of Humanity and Hospitality to which you frequently addict your self which is the inestimable recompense of Eternal Happiness Then Albanus ask'd him What Honour and Worship must I exhibit to Christ in case I embrace the Faith The other answer'd Believe this that our Lord Jesus together with the Father and the Holy Ghost is one God and thou wilt have perform'd a work of high esteem in his sight Then Albanus reply'd What is all this sure thou art mad thou know'st not what thou say'st no Humane understanding or Reason can apprehend these things But be sure of this that if the Inhabitants of this City come to know thou makâ—st such discourse of Christ without delay they will put thee to a cruel death For my own part I am very sollicitous on thy behalf for fear some mischief befall thee before thou departest from hence Having said this he went away much disturb'd As for St. Amphibalus he spent the night alone in watching and Prayer The same night a wonderful Vision from Heaven was presented to Albanus sleeping with which being awak'd he went to his Guest and said to him Friend if those things which thou told'st me lately concerning Christ be true I pray thee to tell me freely the meaning of my Dream Me thought I saw a certain man come down from Heaven and presently an innumerable multitude of men laid hold of him and tormented him all the ways they could devise they bound his Hands with Chains they tore his Flesh most grievously with Whips they hung him on a Tree stretching his Hands across he was quite naked not having Shooes on his Feet his Hands and Feet were fastned to the Wood with Nails his side was pierc'd through with a Spear and from his Wound as it seem'd to me there flow'd both Blood and Water in his right Hand they put a Reed and on his Head they put a Crown of Thorns And after this barbarous Cruelty they insult over him with despiteful Speeches saying to him Hail King of the Jews if thou art the Son of God come down from the Cross and we will believe in thee And although they continu'd a long while thus reviling him the young man answer'd never a word but at last cryed out with a loud voice and said Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit And so Expir'd His lifeless Body was afterwards taken down from the Cross the Blood issuing abundantly out of it They then laid him in a Sepulchre of stone sealing the Monument and setting Guards to watch it But then follow'd a wonderful thing for the Bloodless Carcass return'd to Life and re-suming former strength came out of the Sepulchre Seal'd as aforesaid I my self with my own Eyes saw him how he rose again Then came from Heaven certain men cloath'd with Vestments white as Snow and taking the Man with them return'd from whence they came attended by an infinite number of others in like Garments which all the way ceas'd not to sing Praises Blessing the Father I not knowing who he was with his Son saying Blessed be God the Father with his only begotten Son. They express'd such wonderful joy as nothing could be compar'd to it These things I saw with many others which I neither will or ought to declare I beseech thee tell me what is signify'd by these things thus represented to me fear not any danger to your self but speak freely The Holy man Amphibalus having heard this sensibly felt his Heart visited by our Lord with all joy and presently taking out a Crucifix which he had about him secretly said to Albanus Behold in this Figure and Image thou may'st manifestly perceive the meaning and importance of thy last nights Vision for the Man which came from Heaven is this Jesus my Lord who refus'd not to undergo the punishment of the Cross that by his Blood he might free us from the guilt which we had contracted by the Transgression of our first Father Adam Now these men which laid violent hands upon him and so afflicted him were his own People the Jews For though they had a promise from God that he would send unto them from Heaven his own Son yet when He whom they so much and so long expected was come they would not acknowledge him to be the Author of their Salvation but contradicted him in every thing return'd to him Evil for Good and Hatred for his Love. And at last stir'd up with extream envy and malice against him they broke out into such horrible Impiety that they laid hold on him Crucify'd and Murder'd him Thus it was that our Lord redeem'd us with the price of his own Blood Thus by Dying he became victorious over death For being rais'd upon the Cross he drew all to him for descending voluntarily to the enclosures of Hell he freed from captivity his own Servants detain'd there and binding the Divel in everlasting Chains he cast him into utter darkness Then Albanus fill'd with wonder broke out in these words All that thou hast said of Christ is most true for the last night I evidently perceiv'd and with mine own eyes saw how Christ overcame the Divel how he bound him and thrust him down into the bottom of Hell where the damnable wretch lyes fast bound with Chains So that knowing what hath been told by thee is true from this moment I profess I will be thy most obedient Disciple Tell me therefore for I know thou art Ignorant of nothing how I must behave my self to the Father and Holy Ghost now that I profess my self a servant of the Son Amphibalus at this question gave thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for that Albanus of himself had the knowledge to pronounce those three Adorable Names and bid him believe firmly and profess faithfully that those three persons so
oppress'd Britains to their great joy were freed from Slavery and shameful Indignities and restor'd to the Roman Government under a Prince of great Clemency and Allied to them by his Marriage with Helena from whom they expected a Prince of their own Blood young Constantine then in Egypt with Dioclesian where he gave Illustrious Marks of his Courage in Battels being a very young man and inclin'd to the Christian Faith insomuch as Dioclesian began to envy him fearing least he should prove a destroyer of the Pagan Errours and thereupon by subtilty design'd his Death but almighty God preserv'd him the Tyrant no doubt knew the young man had been nourish'd from his Infancy with Christian Milk and with evil Eyes beheld what Cruelties were inflicted on the Christians He was therefore watch'd and detain'd under strict Guards and probably in danger of further mischief About this time he took to Wise Minervina by whom he had his Eldest Son Crispus The clemency and countenance of Constantius encourag'd the Christians to repair and new build Churches to the Honour of the Martyrs and publickly to Celebrate the Divine Misteries and Solemn Festivals contrary to the Report of some Scottish Authors For as Eusebius affirms Of the four persons conjoyn'd in the Government of the Roman World Constantius only clave to the living God and was displeas'd with the practices of the other three For whereas they wasted the Churches of God and defil'd their Provinces with the Innocent Blood of Christians He on the contrary procur'd Tranquility to his Subjects and as an Indulgent Father allow'd them the free exercise of the Christian Religion Constantius after three years abode in Britain was oblig'd to pass over into Gaul to oppose a German Nation which infested that Country he was accompany'd with a great number of Britains and with their help obtain'd a signal Victory In the year 300. Stephanus the VII Bishop of London is said to have ended his Life by Martyrdom not that he was put to death for the Christian Religion but for that the former Persecution he had suffer'd during the rage of Dioclesian which made his Life miserable and might perhaps hasten his Death In the year 302. Constantius seems to have return'd into Britain upon the Death of Asclepiodorus whom he left his President here Still he establishes Peace in the Church here whilst in all other Provinces Rivers of Christian Blood were pour'd out with great inhumanity The Bounty Clemency and Piety of this Prince render'd him Admir'd and Belov'd throughout the whole Empire the moderation of his Government and Liberality the mutual Affection between him and his Subjects is declar'd by this illustrious Example The Emperour Dioclesian having been inform'd that Constantius by his negligence and profuse Liberality had wasted his publick Treasure by Messengers sent on purpose sharply reprov'd him for it Constantius promis'd the Messengers in a few days to give them his Answer and in the mean time gave notice throughout his Dominions especially to the most wealthy of his Subjects that he stood in great need of Money and that they could never have a fitter opportunity to testifie their Affection and Duty to him Hereupon without any delay and with great chearfulness each contended with other who should send most so that in short time his Treasure was fill'd with innumerable sums of Money This being done Constantius invites the Messengers to be Spectators of his Wealth desiring them to tell the Emperour what they had seen And when they were gone the bountiful Emperour return'd all that Mass of Treasure to the respective Owners with an Affectionate resentment of their Duty and good Will to him It is further related of him That finding his Court and Family distracted into Faction by various Sects and Religions he publish'd an Edict That whoever would continue in his Service should conform himself to the Worship of the Roman Gods for no other should stay in his Court however they might enjoy their Liberty and Possessions but they must avoid his presence This Ordinance much troubled the Christians especially those who ambitiously affected worldly Honour for they preferring Mammon before God relinquish'd their Profession to conform themselves to Caesars Religion But several others sincere and genuine Disciples of Christ shew'd themselves willing rather to forsake their Princes service than Gods which being observ'd by Constantius he chased from his Court all those faint-hearted Hypocritical Dissemblers saying They would never preserve their Fidelity to him who had so basely betray'd their Faith to God So that he prefer'd to Dignities and committed the care of his safety to them whom he found constant From hence it came that the Britains who were generally Christians became Guards both to Him and other Emperours whom they usually encompass'd with long Halberts The Faithfulness of Christians probably mov'd Constantius to forsake Idolatry and willingly to acknowledge the only true God Governour of all the World and firmly to establish his Authority by the Prayers and assistance of Holy men and so he pass'd the remainder of his Life with great Glory and Tranquility To this happy change no doubt but St. Helena his Wife much contributed so that his Court seem'd little to differ from the form of a Church in which the Ministers and Servants of God offer'd daily Prayers and Sacrifice for him In the year of Grace 304. the Emperours Dioclesian and Maximianus after 20 years Reign weary of their fruitless Cruelty depos'd themselves from the Empire Galerius succeeded in the Government of the Eastern and Constantius of the Western Empire especially in France and Britain not affecting to heap up Treasure for himself but to Enrich his Subjects In the year 305. his young Son Constantine accompany'd Galerius in his War against the Sarmatians where he undertook a single Combat by the Emperour's Consent with their chief Leader whom by Divine assistance he overcame and led Prisoner to the Emperour and so obtain'd Glory by that which perhaps was intended for his Destruction This year as is Credibly reported St. Augulus Bishop of London receiv'd the reward of his constant Confession having been long persecuted for the Cause of Christ to him succeeded Iltutus or rather perhaps Restitutus who assisted at the first Councel and subscrib'd his Name thereunto The next year Constantius after he had quieted the Picts or Northern Britains return'd to York and there being Old was assaulted by his last Sickness The absence of his Son Constantine who was detain'd in manner of a Pledge by Galerius much afflicted him though he had other Sons with him by Theodora which gave him little satisfaction considering their want of Spirit and Courage Constantine observ'd how much he was both fear'd and envy'd and in danger of mischief whilst he remain'd in the Emperours hands and endeavour'd to secure himself by flight to contrive which with the more security he gave command that all the publick Post-horses should be Kill'd and by that means arriv'd in
insomuch as that Constantius advis'd with many Eastern Bishops about it Who resolv'd him It was better to allow of Athanasius then hazard a Civil War. The year following Athanasius return'd into the East and was at first receiv'd by Constantius with some Kindness and permitted to return to his See at Alexandria But the year following the Arrian Bishops becoming boundless in their Power and Malice by the death of the Orthodox Emperour Constans who by the Conspiracy of Magnentius Chrestius and Marcellinus was Traytorously slain at Helena a Town in France It is said he had a Prediction That he should die in his Grand-Mothers Lap. His death was greatly bewail'd by St. Athanasius who foresaw the danger was like to ensue unto the Catholick Faith by the loss of Constans and the evil of the sole remaining Emperour who was yet at present very much incumber'd by two Tyrants the one was Vetranio who had once govern'd in Britain and was after Proclaim'd Emperour in Illyricum but was soon depos'd by Constantius who yet not only spar'd his Life but suffer'd him to spend the remainder of his Life in Retirement full of Pleasure and Abundance The other Tyrant was Magnentius who took the Title of Emperour at Augustodunum in France and held it three years and then after the loss of a Battel was forc'd to kill himself After this Victory Constantius would be call'd the Emperour of the whole World and assum'd the Impious Title of his Eternity and then extended all his Pride and Power to oppress the Catholick Faith and establish the Arrian Heresie even in the Western Churches also commanding a Councel to be Assembled at Arles in France where he extorted the Suffrages of the Bishops in favour of his Heresie and condemnation of St. Athanasius drawing in the Legate of Pope Liberius who had newly succeeded Julius Howbeit Liberius more than once sollicited the Emperour by Legates and Epistles on the behalf of St. Athanasius complaining That the Suffrages of Bishops were mercenarily sold according to the Princes inclination Whereupon Constantius perceiving the endeavours of Liberius render'd the Sentences of his pack'd Synods invalid sought to win him by Promises and Favours to his Party that proving ineffectual he sent for him when Liberius was come to him he stoutly protested He would suffer any thing rather than being a Christian to become an Arrian At which the Emperour being offended sent him into Banishment to Beraea a City of Thrace whereto he chearfully submitted rejecting 500 Crowns which the Emperour sent for his Maintenance In his place was substituted a certain Roman Priest call'd Felix one who though in judgement a Catholick yet comply'd with the Arrians Liberius wanting constancy and weary of his Banishment after two years return'd from it with as much Infamy as he had submitted to it with glory yielding at last to the condemnation of St. Athanasius and subscribing to a Confession of Faith fram'd in a Synod at Sirmium wherein though there was nothing Haeretical yet the word Consubstantiality being left out his subscription to it was scandalous and argu'd an unlawful complyance with the Arrians After all this returning again to Rome he breaks off all Communion with the Arrians and joyns himself in Communion with Athanasius to whom he thus writes Our Confession belov'd Athanasius is that the Word is the Son of God being according to his Nature begotten of God his Father not created he is God his Fathers Colleague in his Empire and obtains an endless Kingdom for infinite Ages Amen Whilst Constantius in the West thus afflicted the Catholick Church and Faith Gratian Father of Valentinian afterwards Emperour was Pro-Praetor of Britain He was rais'd from a vile Original to this high degree for his Courage and Virtue in his younger Age he is said to have been a Seller of Ropes such was his strength that five Soldiers were not able to wrest a Rope out of his Hands for his favouring Magnentius he was depriv'd both of Office and Estate Martinus succeeded him in his Pro-Praetorship of Britain who govern'd this Island with great Justice and Kindness to the Britains his Government was shortned upon this unhappy occasion Constantius being a Prince very Suspitious imploy'd Officers to search out such as were practising against him One Paul a Notary was very much esteem'd of him for his Malicious Sagacity in such matters and therefore sent by him into Britain to bring over in Chains such Soldiers as had intermedled in the Conspiracy of Magnentius Paul executed this Authority with such Cruelty and Injustice that the Pro-Praetor to prevent the Miseries of so many Innocents first intercedes by way of Intreaty and being therein unsuccessful protested he would leave the Province rather than behold such Oppression This Paul for his Subtilty call'd Catena being thus thwarted in his Cruelty Craftily involves the Pro-praetor himself in a Suspition of the same Guilt and Treason so as he presumes to seize upon him and put him in Fetters with the rest Martinus betakes himself to his Sword in defence of himself and therewith wounds Paul but not Mortally and thereupon turns his Sword upon his own Breast and so dy'd lamented of all men In the year of our Lord 359. the Church of God was expos'd to great danger and infamy by the Councel of Ariminum then Assembled by the Authority of the Arrian Emperour Constantius with design to abolish the Faith of the Consubstantiality of the Son of God. He commanded his Praefect Taurus That when the Bishops were met together he should not permit them to depart till they had all consented in one Faith It is said that out of Illyricum Italy Africk Spain and Gaul and out of Britain also under the notion of Gaul he gather'd together more than 400 Bishops The Emperour commanded allowance of Necessaries to these Bishops but those of Gaul and Britain refus'd it as an unseemly thing and chose rather at their own Costs to maintain themselves Three only out of Britain excepted who being destitute of Subsistence out of their own Sees made some use of the Emperour's Liberality and perhaps were not to be disprais'd for it These Bishops being assembled were prescrib'd what they should do by the Emperours Letters and severely enjoyn'd to determine nothing which might touch the Eastern Bishops and when they had finish'd their Decrees they were to send them to Court by two Bishops In these Letters it is observ'd that he Subscribes himself Constantine not Constantius Notwithstanding all which the Holy Bishops Couragiously perform'd their Duties for they confirm'd the Nicene Creed sorbidding any addition or diminution thereof and protesting They would never depart from the Faith which they had receiv'd from God the Father by the Prophets and our Lord Jesus Christ which the Holy Spirit taught in the Gospels according as was deliver'd by Tradition of the Fathers succeeding the Apostles to the times when this Controversie was debated at Nicaea against an Heresie which then arose All
which discovery the rage of this Empress was much restrain'd For these Holy Bodies being with due Honour translated to the Ambrosian Church not only many vex'd with unclean Spirits were heal'd but a Citizen of Milan who had been blind many years hearing the noise and acclamations of the People desir'd to be led to the said Church and there obtain'd leave with his Handkercheif to touch the Coffin of those Martyrs and wiping his Eyes with the said Handkercheif they were immediately open'd so as he saw clearly to the joy and astonishment of the Beholders and whole City and although the fame hereof did nat heal the Empress fully of her Spiritual Blindness yet it allay'd her fury against the Holy Bisohp St. Augustine himself then at Milan gives a large testimony of these Miracles as also doth St. Ambrose himself who further also declares That the Devils themselves upon this occasion cast out confess'd it to be done by the Power and Virtue of the Martyrs which they were not able to resist but to their excessive torment Not long after this St. Augustine is said to have return'd to his own Country in Africk but by the way at Ostia to have lost his Blessed Mother Monica of whom in his Confessions he writes That when the day of her Dissolution was at hand she made it her request that Commemoration should be made of her at Gods Altar from whence she knew the Holy Sacrifice and Victim was dispens'd and by which she hop'd to blot out the Hand-writing against her and joyfully to Triumph over the Devil After the death of Maximus Theodosius left Valentinian Emperour of the West adding to his Government Gaul Britain and Spain infested with Tyrants But before he entrusted him with this great Charge the Pious Emperour Theodosius instructed him in the Orthodox Faith which he the more easily did in regard Justina Valentinian's Mother was then lately dead The year following broke forth an Heresie since renew'd by Luther Justifying such as renounc'd their Monastical Profession and approving the Incestuous Embraces of Consecrated Nuns Jovinian an Apostate Monk was the Author of this Heresie and publickly was declar'd an Heretick for it by Pope Siricius St. Hierom St. Ambrose and St. Augustine wrote against this Heresie in particular St. Hierom terms it Venemous Doctrine in three respects First For that it affirms Virgins Widdows and Married Women being Baptiz'd to be of the same merit in case they differ not in other works Secondly That those who with a compleat Faith have been Regenerated by Baptism cannot afterwards be subverted by the Devil Thirdly That there is no difference in point of Merit between Fasting from Meats and receiving them with Thanksgiving Siricius in his Epistle to the Church of Milan gives this Character of Jovinian That he was an Imitator of the Devil an Enemy of Chastity a Teacher of Luxury a hater of Abstinence and lover of Gluttony In opposition to which Doctrine a Synod is assembled by the same Holy Pope wherein is declar'd That the Vows of Marriage are not to be disparag'd yet greater Honour is to be attributed to the Spiritual Marriage of Virgins That Jovinian 's opinion was contrary to the Christian Law and Tradition of the Church and therefore Jovinian and all his Complices were condemn'd of Heresie and Blasphemy by this Synod and by their Sentence cast out of the Church And St. Ambrose in a Synodical Answer of the Church of Milan to the Pope tells him That those Hereticks who then fled to Milan were avoided by all as if they had been infected with the Plague and thrust out of the City like Vagabonds And St. Augustin reciting the Positions of this Heresie concludes That Holy Church had most Fruitfully and Couragiously resisted this Monster And in truth it was soon extinguish'd neither doth this Heresie ever appear to have crept into this Island in those times so precious and Venerable was Virginity especially here that Fasting and Abstinence were frequently us'd and Seminaries of Chastity in great numbers Erected and Plentifully Endow'd The young Emperour Valentinian after a troublesome reign of four years was slain near I yon 's before his death he desir'd Baptism but liv'd not to obtain it After his Death the Tyrant Eugenius invaded the Western Empire He pretended to be a Christian but was indeed addicted to Heathenish Superstitions he was soon slain by Theodosius who prepar'd himself to encounter this Tyrant not so much by Force of Arms as with Prayer and Fasting He kept watch rather in the Church then the Camp lying prostrate in the Company both of his Priests and People before the Monuments of the Apostles and Martyrs cover'd with Sack-cloth and begging Divine assistance The General employ'd in this Expedition was Stilico call'd out of Britain after he had freed the Country from the incursions of Scots and Picts and planted a Roman Legion to secure the Northern Borders The Holy young man St. Ninian before mention'd about this time shew'd forth the Glorious Fruits of his Pious Education under the Holy Popes Damasus and Siricius for he then was newly Consecrated Bishop and sent back into his own Country to Preach the Saving Truths of Christs Gospel to the rude Nation of the Southern Picts seated between Cumberland and the Bay of Dunbritton This man of God in his return from Rome was desirous to visit the Glorious Bishop St. Martin at Tours by whom he was Honourably receiv'd and very much esteem'd as a person of extraordinary Sanctity and like to prove a Happy Instrument of Salvation to many Being dismiss'd by St. Martin he arriv'd at the place where he design'd to settle and there found a great concourse of People who it seems had notice of his return and readily receiv'd him with great Joy and Devotion as a great Prophet He first began to root up their ill planted Superstitions to disperse their long gather'd wicked Customs and to demolish their impious Idolatries and having so purg'd their minds from Errour he instructed them in all the Duties belonging to good Christians and by his works and example shew'd them a pattern of all Virtue and Piety confirming all by frequent Miracles He chose for his seat of Episcopal residence a place afterward call'd Witehern seated near the Sea by which almost encompass'd it hath only one passage to it toward the North and as saith Cambden Is in the Province of the Novantes now call'd Galloway This Episcopal Seat by the Latin Writers is nam'd Candida Casa or the White-house and was here Erected by Ninianus in the time of this Theodosius And thus as St. Bede also confirms The Southern Picts receiv'd the true Faith by the Preaching of this Holy man. Many years he spent in his Apostolical Office for his death ensu'd not till 38 years after his first entrance He Consecrated Bishops ordain'd Priests dividing the Country into Parishes More will be said of him hereafter when his Death is to be related observing this
Orthodox Howbeit at the same time his prime Disciple Caelestius was Condemn'd for his Heresies at Carthage in a Synod there held from which he Appeal'd to the Roman See but not daring to pursue his Appeal he fled into Asia where by fraud he obtain'd the degree of a Priest These Errors were afterwards condemn'd at a Synod held at Milevis in Numidia and both Condemnations were approv'd by Pope Innocentius who Excommunicated as well Pelagius as Caelestius yet so as upon their revoking their Errours they might be restor'd to Catholick Communion Nevertheless their Heresies still spreading the African Bishops of both Councels deputed St. Augustine to confute them which Charge he perform'd to his great Renown Both these Hereticks cloak'd their Doctrines in Ambiguity of words and endeavour'd to surprize the Popes by a dissembled submission to their Judgements but their fraud being detected and their Tergiversations at last discover'd Pope Zosimus again Condemn'd their Doctrine and Excommunicated their Persons which Sentence was Solemnly pronounc'd by Sixtus a Roman Priest not long after Pope whom the Pelagians esteem'd their Patron but without cause Now this Heresie having been Proscrib'd by so many Synods and more than once by the Roman See the Emperour Honorius publish'd an Imperial Sanction by which he not only Banish'd Caelestius and Pelagius out of Rome but ordain'd That the Teachers thereof should incurre the same Punishment Notwithstanding all this care yet inregard this so execrable an Heresie favour'd the Corruption of Nature and Humane Pride and Sensuality it continu'd in many Countries especially in Britain so as the Churches of Gaul thought fit to send two Eminent Bishops thither At the same time another Infamous Heretick Vigilantius infected Gaul also St. Hierom would rather have him call'd Dormilantius for that being full of an unclean Spirit he went about to Combat against the Spirit of Christ by teaching That the Sepulchres of Martyrs were not to be venerated and condemning the Devout Vigils Celebrated before the Festivals of Gods Saints He likewise with Jovinian Declaim'd against Fasting preferr'd Riches before voluntary Poverty and Marriage before Virginity which Errours saith St. Jerom Were detested by the whole Catholick World. In the year of Grace 406. the Picts and Scots wasted the Confines of Britain Marcus was then Governour whom on a suddain the Army Saluted Emperour but the inconstant Soldiers finding his Incapacity as suddainly depos'd him and chose Gratianus born in this Island Him also within four Months they slew which being divulg'd abroad Scots Norwegians and Danes march'd Cross the Island wasting all with Fire and Sword. In this extremity the British Army proclaim'd a Soldier call'd Constantine Emperour not for merit but the fancy of his Name as if the present ruines could not be repair'd but by another Constantine Geffery of Monmouth tells another Story of the Election of this Constantine as if he had been Brother to a King of Armorica or Little-Britain of British Extract this indeed is little better then a meer Fiction For first this Constantine as Bede witnesseth was chosen Ex infima Militia out of the lowest rank of the Army Secondly He directed Messengers to Honorius to excuse himself as compell'd by the Soldiers to accept the Title Howbeit this Constantine passes over into Gaul where gathering an Army he subdu'd all the Regions on this side the Cottian Alpes and then accounted his possession of the Empire secure So as he drew his Son Constans out of his Monastical Solitude and created him Caesar He placed the seat of his Empire at Arles planted Guards upon the River Rhine and broke the Forces ef the Vandals and other Nations who had wasted those Provinces Constans prov'd successful in Spain and for his good success there was pronounc'd Emperour by his Father to whom he repair'd leaving Gerontius General in Spain but the year following Constans was sent back into Spain attended by Justus a famous Captain which so offended Gerontius that he took sides with the Barbarous Soldiers in Gaul so as Constantine could not repress them which caus'd both in Gaul and Britain a Revolt from the Roman dependance although some Authors insinuate That Honorius himself by his Letters exhorted the Britains to shift for themselves Gerontius hereupon assumes the Title of Emperour and Invests Maximus whom he left in Spain with the same Purple Afterwards he marcheth against Constantine whom he Besieg'd at Arles Honorius sent an Army into those parts upon the approach whereof the Soldiers of Gerontius forsook him and the remaining Spaniards attempt to kill him setting the House on fire in which he was whereupon having first kill'd his Wife he kills himself Constantine afterwards having been Besieg'd and past hope of Relief devests himself of the Imperial Purple and flying for refuge to a Church was there Consecrated a Monk and after slain with his Son Julian in his passage to Italy A year before whose death Rome was sack'd by the Goths and not only the Immense Wealth of that City but the Ornaments of Churches also became a Prey to the Barbarous Soldiers About this time mention is made of Melorus a young British Martyr He was the Son of Metianus Duke of Cornwall dispossess'd of his Dukedom and slain by Rinaldus his Brother Melorus at his Fathers Death was not above seven years old The Cruel Uncle to secure himself in his unlawful possession designes the death of the Child a whole Synod of Bishops there Assembled intercede for the Life of it so as the Tyrant contented himself with the cutting off the Childs Right-hand and Left-foot in place whereof were fram'd a Hand of Silver and Foot of Brass Melorus thus maim'd was Educated in a Monastery of Cornwall till he was fourteen years Old spending his time in Reading Holy Scripture and every day growing in Innocence Virtue and Piety Rinaldus at last by many Gifts and Promises tempted the Childs Guardian to cut off his Head which he sent to Rinaldus the Messenger who carried it by the just judgement of God fell from the Castle-Wall with the Head in his Hands and broke his own Neck It is said That the Childs Nurse coming to the place where the Body lay there she saw a Vision of Angels and Heavenly Lights shining with unspeakable Brightness The Body was after Buried in a Decent place but the day following found above ground three several times it was Buried and still the same accident happ'ned By common advice therefore the Body was laid upon a Cart to which were fastned too young Bulls never us'd to the yoak These were permitted to go at liberty without any Leader whether Gods Providence should direct them The Bulls becoming Tame carried the Body to a certain place and then stood still but the Company attending the Cart not liking the place as not fit for the Childs Burial us'd all means by forcing the Wheels and otherwise to drive the Cart further but found it so fix'd by Divine Power that it could be no
inviting his Countrymen to the imitation of his Virtue and Piety St. Germanus and Lupus encourag'd him to go into Ireland and that especially upon this occasion On a day St. Patrick in his sleep saw a man coming to him out of Ireland with many Letters in his Hand one of which he gave to the Saint who read it In the beginning of it was written This is the voice of the Inhabitants of Ireland As soon as St. Patrick had read these words He heard the voices of many Infants crying to him as out of their Mothers wombes in several Provinces of Ireland Holy Father come and converse amongst us St. Patrick having heard this felt great Compunction in his Heart but could read no more of the Letter As soon as he awak'd he gave Thanks to God being assur'd by this Vision that our Lord had call'd him to be an Instrument of the Salvation of those who thus cry'd unto him It is written That St. Patrick hereupon asking Councel of our Lord touching this Affair and by the means of the Angel Victor receiv'd this Divine Oracle That forsaking his Country and Parents he should pass over into Gaul there to be more perfectly instructed in the Christian Doctrine and Discipline Palladius sent into Brittain by Pope Caelestine being as yet but a Deacon sound the Civiller part formerly under the Roman Jurisdiction defil'd with Heresie and the Northern parts under the Scots wholly buried in the mists of Paganism Of this he sent notice to the Pope who re-call'd him to advise of Remedies for both these mischiefs To oppose the Pelagian Heresie he directed Germanus and Lupus to rescue the Northern parts of the Island from Paganism he sent back Palladius after he had exalted him to an Episcopal Degree as his Legate and Apostle of the Scottish Nation as Prosper more at large relates It is said that Palladius attempted the Conversion of the Irish but in vain so that the British Scots were the peculiar objects of his care and endeavours and this appears the more clearly for that Servanus and Tervanus the two principal Disciples of Palladius are reckon'd among the Learned Teachers of Britain of whom the former was sent to instruct the Inhabitants of the Orcades and the other to the Picts over whom he was created Archbishop and as some say succeeded St. Ninianus The labours both of Servanus and Tervanus were very prosperous but Palladius is thought not to have liv'd above a year after he was made Bishop Soon after the first Voyage of Palladius into Britain the People thereof being neither willing to receive that perverse Doctrine which Blasphem'd the Grace of Christ nor able to refute the Subtilties of those who maintain'd it by common advice crav'd assistance from the Gallican Bishops who in a Synod for that purpose assembled made choice of St. Germanus and St. Lupus one Bishop of Auxerre and the other of Troyes to pass over into Brittain to confirm the Faith of Coelestial Grace All which was done as appears by Prosper with the Consent and by the Direction of Pope Caelestine Germanus was born at Auxerre descended from Illustrious Parents brought up in good Literature wherein he so advanc'd himself that he became an Ornament to his Country and that nothing might be wanting to the perfecting of his Learning after he had frequented the Gallican Schools where he was taught the Liberal Sciences he went to Rome where he inrich'd his Mind with the perfect knowledge of the Imperial Laws At his return he was made Governour of the City and Territories of Auxerre the place of his Nativity While he was Governour there Amator the Bishop of that City a Holy man preparing himself in the Church to perform his Office and perceiving Germanus their Prefect entering with a Body and Mind compos'd to Modesty and Piety commanded immediately that the Doors should be fast Lock'd And then accompanied with many of the Clergy and Nobility laid hold on Germanus and devoutly calling on the Name of the Lord cut off his Hair and devesting him of his Secular Ornaments respectfully cloath'd him with a Religious Habit and said thus to him Now my Dear Brother it is our Duty to be diligent in preserving this Honour committed to thee without stain For as soon as I am dead Almighty God commits to thee the Pastoral Charge of this City Amator shortly after dy'd in whose place Germanus succeeded about the year of Grace 418. From the first day in which he undertook the Episcopal Office to the end of his Life he never us'd Wine Vinegar Oyle nor so much as Salt to give a Relish to his Meat At his Refections he first took Ashes into his Mouth and after that Barley-bread and this so slender and ungrateful Diet he never us'd till toward Sun-set sometimes and as is said he would Fast half a Week yea seven whole days without any satisfaction given to his craving Stomach his Bed was hard Boards cover'd over with Ashes and to prevent any profound sleep he would admit no Pillow under his Head He spent indeed whole nights in continual Sighing and incessantly water'd his hard Couch with his Tears He was a zealous observer of Hospitality and when ever any poor or Strangers came to him he would prepare for them a Plentiful Feast while himself Fasted yea with his own Hands he would wash their Feet Kissing and sometimes Bedewing them with showers of Tears He built a Monastery into which he oft retir'd feeding and refreshing his Mind there with the wonderful sweetness of Caelestial Contemplation St. Lupus was born at Toul a City of the Leuci of a Noble Family after his Fathers death he was sent to School and there imbew'd in the study of Rhetorick he Married the Sister of St. Hilarius Bishop of Arles she was inflam'd with the Love of Chastity from her youth Hence it was that after seven years spent in Marriage by Divine Inspiration both of them exhorted one another to a state of Conversion Lupus by a strong impulse from Heaven was mov'd to visit the Blessed St. Honoratus first Abbot of the Famous Monastery of Lerins to whose Discipline he humbly submitted himself in continual Watchings Fastings and Mortifications and intending to Sell his Possessions and distribute the Money to the Poor he was on a suddain compell'd to take upon him the Bishoprick of Troyes where he behav'd himself so well that he was stil'd the Father of Fathers Bishop of Bishops and a second Jacob of his Age. These two Holy men under the conduct of our Lord took upon them to be the Apostolick Reformers of the British Churches their Humility and Austerity of Life had a proper and specifick Virtue to oppose the Pride and Sensuality of the Pelagian Hereticks What befell them at Sea would not be omitted At first their Ship was carried with favourable Winds from the Gallick Coasts 'till they came into the midst of the Sea where no Land could be discover'd but presently after the
cut after the Roman manner or shall permit his Wife to go abroad Vnvail'd he should be separated from the Communion That a Monk and Consecrated Virgin shall not abide in the same Lodging nor Travel in the same Chariot That if a Monk shall neglect the Divine Office or wear long Hair he shall be Excommunicate That the Almes of Excommunicate Persons or Pagans shall not be receiv'd That if any Christian shall be guilty of Man-slaughter Fornication or consulting Southsayers he shall perform Pennance for each Crime the space of a year And he that is guilty of Stealing half a year of which 20 days he shall eat Bread only and be withall oblig'd to Restitution That if any Christian shall believe Spirits may be presented in a Glass he shall be Anathematiz'd c. That if any Consecrated Virginshall Marry she shall be Excommunicated 'till she be Converted and forsake her Adulteries which having done she is to perform due Pennance after which they are not to live in the same House or Town That if any Priest shall build a Church he must not offer Sacrifice in it before it be Consecrated by the Bishop That if a Clergy-man be Excommunicated he must say his Prayers alone and not in the same House with his Brethren neither must he presume to Offer or Consecrate 'till he be Absolv'd That a Bishop may not Ordain in another Bishops Diocess without his Consent only upon Sundays he may offer Sacrifice That a Clark coming from Britain into Ireland without a Testimonial be not suffer'd to Minister There is no mention made of this or any other Irish Synod in any Author except only the Authors of St. Patrick's Life where this general Passage may be found The most Holy Bishop St. Patrick together with three other Bishops and many Clarks came to a Fountain call'd Debach which flowes from the side of Crochon toward the East there to Celebrate a Synod touching Ecclesiastical Affairs and they sate near the Fountain when behold two Daughters of King Legaren came early in the morning to wash in the same Fountain as Women there usually did and there found the Holy Synod with St. Patrick near the Fountain The Inscription of this Synod runs thus Thanks be given to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Patricius Auxilius and Isserninus to the Priests Deacons and whole Clergy Health It is better we should premonish those who are negligent then blame things just for Solomon saith It isbetter to Reprove then to be Angry The Tenor of our Definition begins thus If any Captive c. Another Holy Bishop and Disciple of St. Patrick is once more to be Commemorated St. Albeus who when he heard that St. Patrick had Converted to our Lord Engus King of Munster Momonensium and was with him in the Royal City Cassel came to Salute them Now the King and St. Patrick joyfully receiv'd him And the Holy man Reverently Entertain'd his Master St. Patrick for he was very Humble After which this King Engus and St. Patrick ordain'd that the Arch-Episcopal See of all Munster should be for ever placed in the City and Chair of St. Albeus The Conversion of King Engus was after this manner When St. Patrick had Sown the Faith of Christ in Lemster he Prosecuted his way to the limits of Munster where the King with great Joy met him having an earnest desire to Believe and be Baptiz'd and with much Reverence conducted him to his Royal City Cassel and having been instructed Believ'd and receiv'd Baptism Three years after this St. Patrick Consecrated St. Benignus Arch-Bishop of Armagh and there quitting his Sollicitude for others return'd into Britain to his much desir'd Solitude of Glastonbury where he ended his days His Successor St. Benignus after seven years spent in Care of his Province Thirsting after Solitude and willing to see his Beloved Master and desirous also to receive from him a most perfect Rule of Monastical Discipline by the Admonition of an Angel came to Glastonbury and there demanded of St. Patrick What place he should make choice of to live in Vnion with God alone divided from Humane Society St. Patrick's answer was That he should pursue Happily his well begun purpose saying Go my beloved Brother and take only your Staff with you and when you shall be arriv'd at the place appointed by God for your Repose wheresoever it be having fix'd your Staff in the ground you shall see it slourish and grow Green there know you must make your abode Both of them being thus comforted with mutual Discourses St. Benignus accompanied only with a Youth named Pincius began his Journey through Woody and Moorish places but as soon as he was arriv'd at an Island where he saw a Solitary place and which he judg'd sit for his Habitation he presently fix'd his Staff in the ground which without delay wonderfully grew Green and brought forth Leaves There therefore St. Benignus resolv'd to abide until Death in the Service of God alone And for many years after the same Tree as a witness and sign of the Blessed man's Sanctity remain'd flourishing with Green Boughs over his Oratory Now though that Solitary place separated from Worldly Conversation was very proper for the attending God in Divine concerns yet one Incommodity it had that no Water was near so that young Pincius was compell'd every day to fetch Water almost three Miles off Whence it came to pass that partly through Weariness but principally through suggestions of wicked Spirits he grew dis-heartned which the Holy man perceiving oft-times endeavour'd to Comfort and Encourage him At last taking compassion of his Labours he Prostrating himself on the ground Humbly and Heartily besought our Lord to open for his Servant a Spring of Water which might sufficiently supply his Necessities After which admonish'd by an Angelick Vision he gave his Staff to young Pincius commanding him to go to a certain place full of Reeds and their striking the ground with his Staff he should without doubt find water so earnestly desir'd by them The Child obey'd went to the place and in the Name of the Blessed Trinity struck the ground three times making three Holes in it with the end of the Staff which he had no sooner done but immediately a Fountain gush'd forth from whence to this day a Brook and that no small one is supply'd being not only productive of Fish but Sanative also of many Infirmities This Island is said to have the Name of Ferramere Bishop Vsher seems to agree that this Holy Bishop four years before his Death came into Britain and relinquish'd his Arch Episcopal See for his retirement as aforesaid He is suppos'd to have ended his Life about the year of Christ 455. And 630 years after His Sacred Body was translated to Glastonbury by the direction and care of Thurston then Abbot The Example of St. Patrick and St. Benignus was imitated by many other Irish Saints who to enjoy perfect vacancy from Worldly Affairs retir'd
the Regal Authority Some Writers affirm He dy'd a Natural Death others say He dy'd by Poison administred to him by his Mother-in-Law Rowena into whose mind the Devil suggested to cause a Servant of his to give him Poison which he having drunk and perceiving the approach of Death he divided his Treasures among his Soldiers earnestly exhorting them to Fight Couragiously for their Country Moreover He commanded a Pyramid of Brass to be made and plac'd in the Haven where the Saxons usually landed upon which Pyramid his Body should be laid that the Enemies seeing the Body of so Valorous a Prince might be frighted back into their own Country More probable it is that he intended his Statue should be plac'd on the Pyramid for being a Christian Prince he was Decently and Solemnly Buried after the Christian manner And it is said He was Buried in the City of the Trinobantes now London and with him was Buried the Crown and Glory of the British Nation Beside his Courage he is said to be Eminent in other Virtues especially Piety and some say In his War against the Saxons he bore in his Ensign the Image of our Lord Jesus Christ To which Devotion of his we may impute his Victories or at least to his Pious and Charitable care in restoring the Churches destroy'd by the Saxons The year after Vortimer's death Hengist return'd out of Germany with greater Forces and took a firmer possession of his Kentish Kingdom and for the better Establishment of his Family therein joyn'd his Son Aesca with him in the Regal Power To oppose them the Britains invade his Country with a great Army consisting of four great Bodies Conducted by four Valiant Captains but when the Conflict was begun at Creganford the Britains found themselves too weak for the Saxons which were new Recruited with great numbers of chosen Robustious Soldiers who with their Swords and Battle-Axes cleft asunder the Bodies of the Britains Yet did they not give ground till their four Captains were slain but afterwards were so terrified that they fled as far as London and never after had the Courage to bring an Army into Kent again so that Hengist and his Son quietly enjoy'd that Kingdom fixing their Palace at Canterbury Thus began this new Kingdom of Kent in the eighth year after the Arrival of the Saxons in Britain It is not probable that this exalting of Vortimer was any Deposal of his Father for Vortimer being Dead his Father continu'd King and for a while gave proof of his Courage in repressing the Ambition and Violence of Hengist though after he return'd to his former Licentious Slothfulness Now during these Wars Hengist is recorded to have exercis'd extream Cruelty in all places where his Armies came and especially in Kent against Priests and Holy Virgins great numbers of which he caus'd to be Massacred Demolishing Churches and Profaning Altars Among the Victims of his Barbarous Cruelty the memory of Voadinus Arch-Bishop of London only remains in our English Martyrology who being a man of great Sanctity reprov'd Vortigern for repudiating his Lawful Wife and Marrying an Infidel which so inflam'd Hengist with rage that he commanded the Holy Bishop with many other Priests and Religious men to be slain Gildas declares That great numbers of Bishops and Priests were Massacred by this Saxon King And St. Bede relates more particularly the Rapines Cruelties and Devastations of this Impious King wherewith he miserably fill'd the whole Island The year of Grace 461. is noted with an Act of most Perfidious Cruelty perpetrated by this Barbarous Prince His Ambition was not satisfied with the Kingdom of Kent so as he resolv'd to enlarge his bounds in Britain by any means and finding that by exercise of War the British Courage increas'd he therefore turn'd his Thoughts to invent some Stratagem for the compassing his Designes He insinuates himself into the minds of Vortigern and his Nobility as if he were desirous of Peace and Amity with them which if they would grant he would turn his Arms against the Picts and Scots and drive them out of the Island quickly did he obtain belief from the easy Nature of Vortigern whereupon a meeting is appointed between the Britains and Saxons with this caution that each King should be attended with 300 only and those un-arm'd and at this meeting they were to treat of the Conditions of Peace The place appointed for this Fatal Assembly was a Plain near Sorbiodunum or Old Salisbury a City seated in the Province of the Belgae wherein remains a Monument of a Dire Tragedy for both sides being met a great Feast was prepar'd for the Britains at which the Articles of Agreement were to be ratified by mutual Promises and Oaths Towards the end of this Feast when they were dissolv'd in Wine Hengist on a suddain call'd aloud To Arms which was the Watch-word agreed among the Saxons who immediately drew out short Swords conceal'd under their Cloathes and quickly slew their Un-arm'd Guests the Britains Howbeit which is remarkable Eldol the Valiant Consul or Governour of Glocester snatching up a stake by Chance lying near with it slew seventy of the Treacherous Saxons A Monument of this Barbarous Tragedy not long after rais'd by the Britains continues to this day and is Vulgarly call'd Stone-henge Upon Salisbury-Plain where in a space of ground compass'd with a Ditch are placed as in a three-fold Crown Stones of an incredible vastness some of them 28 foot in hight and 7 in breadth over many of which other great Stones are plac'd a-cross Cambden believes That this Monument was rais'd in memory of this Treachery by Ambrosius Aurelianus or his Brother Vterpendragon by the help and Art of Merlin the famous Magician though others deliver that it was a Magnificent Sepulcher rais'd for Ambrosius himself slain near this place from whom the Town of Ambresbury-not far distant took its Name In this Slaughter the Saxons took Vortigern Prisoner and the year following bound him with Chains threatning Death unless he would deliver up 38 of his Cities and Strong-holds Vortigern to save his Life quickly yielded to their demands which being confirm'd by Oath they gave him his Liberty And first they seiz'd upon the City of London then York and Lincoln and then Winchester All which adjoyning Provinces they wasted killing the Inhabitants They Levell'd with the ground all Churches and Buildings belonging to Ecclesiastical Persons kill'd the Priests near the Altars burn'd all Books of Holy Scripture and heap'd Earth on the Sepulchres of Martyrs Religious men to escape their fury were sain to fly into Desarts Woods and Rocks carrying with them the Relicks of Saints And as for Vortigern seeing this horrible destruction he retir'd into the North part of Wales and there inclos'd himself in a Town call'd Genorium Now the three Provinces with which Vortigern redeem'd his Life are with more probability express'd by Malmsburiensis in this manner Of old saith he the Eastern and Southern Saxons with the
sight The Blind man answer'd I believe in Jesus Christ whom thou Preachest and beg that I may be Baptiz'd Whereupon the Holy man with his Hands making the Sign of the Cross upon the Blind-man's Eyes he immediately receiv'd his Sight And casting away the Staves which had help'd him in walking he gave Thanks to God and St. Richard by whom he had been Enlightned As for the Woman when she saw the Miracle she likewise was Cnoverted so as St. Richard perceiving her Faith took her by the Hand whereupon she rose up streight and walking cry'd out with a loud voice There is only one most high God who by his good Servant hath made me whole At these Acclamations of the Woman the greatest part of the City met together and attending to the Holy Bishops Preaching were in short time Converted God by him working many Miracles so as the said Converts having broken down all their Idols were Baptiz'd by him Not long after which follow'd the Apparition of St. Michael to the People of Siponto who commanded them to Erect a Chappel there to his Name This they signified to their Bishop Laurentius and He to Pope Gelasius desiring his advice what was to be done His Answer was That being will'd by the Blessed Arch-Angel a Church should forthwith be built and that it should be perform'd by the Holy Bishops Laurentius of Siponto Sabinus of Cannusium Pelagius of Salapia Roger of Caunae and Richard of Andria Upon this the two Holy Bishops last mention'd took their Journey to Siponto on foot with daily Fasting toylsom Labours and incommodity from the burning heat of the Sun which incommodity upon their Prayers was miraculously remedied by the flying of a mighty Eagle over their Heads which shadow'd them during their whole Journey At their Arrival they perform'd what they came for as we may read in the publick Office of that Church The Death of this Holy Bishop is Commemorated in the Martyrology yearly on the 9th of April In the year of Grace 494. A third Noble German came into Britain Nam'd Cerdic a man of a High Spirit and Noble Descent as proceeding from the Stock of Woden Hearing of two Kingdoms already Erected in Britain he resolv'd to venture for a share in his Country-mens Atchievements For that purpose with his Son Cenric and five Ships he landed at a place after call'd Cerdic-shore and the same day was met by multitudes of Britains who Fought with him The Saxons having rang'd their Forces in order stood immoveable before their Ships The Britains boldly set upon them and then retir'd but were not pursu'd by the Enemy for they were resolv'd not to quit their place The Fight continu'd the Britains sometimes Charging then retiring 'till night sever'd them and after the Britains perceiving the fierceness of those new come Strangers departed yet so that neither side could boast of Victory only this advantage the Saxons had that they took possession of their Enemies Shore and by little and little enlarg'd their Conquests along the Sea Coasts Their landing was in the Province of the Iceni comprehending Suffolk and Norfolk but there they settled not for marching through the Island they came into the Western parts where in time they Erected the new and Powerful Kingdom of the West Saxons The Island thus dismembred by Barbarous Enemies yet sustain'd greater Damage by Civil Dissentions rais'd by Pascentius a Son of the late King Vortigern who after the Death of his Father perceiving the Minds of the Britains inclin'd to Ambrosius fled into Germany where he remain'd several years endeavouring to gather Forces sufficient to restore him to the Throne of his Ancestors at length about the year 496. he came with a Powerful and well furnish'd Army and landed in the Northern parts of the Island with intent to revenge his own and his Fathers injuries upon Ambrosius Upon news hereof Ambrosius marches speedily to meet him they came to a Battle wherein Pascentius was overcome and forc'd to fly into the Country of the Scots where he recruited his Army and return'd once more to try his Fortune against the Britains But hearing that Ambrosius lay sick at Winchester he thought it better to work his revenge by Treason then open force Therefore by Gifts and Promises he hir'd a certain Saxon call'd Eopa to fain himself a Physitian and a Britain who under this feign'd shew and with a pretence of great Piety and Affection to the King being admitted mingled Poison in a Potion administred to him of which Ambrosius presently dy'd in the 31th year of his Reign But Pascentius did not long enjoy the fruits of his Treason For Vterpendragon Brother to the dead Ambrosius and General of his Armies marching against Pascentius obtain'd a Signal Victory against him and in a Battle slew him and his Captains that came with him The year following Vter came to Winchester and calling an Assembly of the Clergy and People of the Kingdom took upon him the Crown of Britain which is said to have been set upon his Head by the Holy Bishop Dubritius Vter then calling to mind a great Comet which had appear'd the year before darting sorth only one Beam at the end whereof was seen a Globe of Fire shap'd like a Dragon out of whose Mouth proceeded two Beams one reaching to Gaul and the other shooting towards Ireland which ended in seven less Beams For this reason he commanded two Dragons to be made of Gold like to that which had appear'd one of them he gave in Oblation to the Church in Winchester the other he carried with him placing it in every Combat in his Ensign and from that time he was call'd in the British Language Vtherpendragon And hence it is that to this day our Kings in their War-like Expeditions carry the like Ensign Vter had no sooner put on his Crown but he was forc'd to exchange it for a Head-piece for Esca the Successor of Hengist and his Son Octa attended with a mighty Army of Saxons Invaded the Northern Provinces of Britain and destroy'd all the Munitions between Albany and York At last when they attempted the Siege of the City of Alcluid Vterpendragon came upon them with all the strength of the Country and enter'd Battle against them The Saxons manfully resisted and in the end compell'd the Britains to fly as far as a Mountain call'd Danet which they seiz'd upon as a place of refuge being so dismay'd that they scarce knew what they did but at last they resolv'd upon a prudent Exploit which was Courageously to set upon the Enemies by night This Design they executed Prosperously for the Saxons being thus unexpectedly invaded scarce endur'd any Combat at all but were utterly routed and Esca and Octa were taken Prisoners whom the King carried with him to London where he caus'd them to be kept safe About this time Arthur became of ripe Age. The year of Grace 500. in our Ecclesiastical Monuments is remarkable for the Death of St. Cadoc the
for the Benefit of others And to shew that he had not deserted his Religious Profession he built a Monastery in a Town toward the Severnshore in those days call'd Loderic and Laffenac afterwards from him Petrocstow now more contractedly Padstow At this time the Saxons under Cerdic had possess'd themselves of that Province and when the Saint with his Disciples had landed and left their Ship certain Reapers then at work spoke rudely and bitterly to them and among other taunting Speeches requir'd them That their Conductor St. Petroc should for the asswaging of their Thirst cause a Spring of fresh Water to issue out of a Rock there adjoyning This was said either in Derision of them being Strangers or for a Tryal whether their Sanctity was answerable to their Profession Hereupon St. Petroc who never refus'd what was in his Power address'd his Prayers to our Merciful Lord and with his Staff smiting the Rock immediatly there gush'd forth a Spring of clear sweet water which is said to flow there at this day The Barbarous Pagans utterly ignorant of Christian Religion were astonish'd at this Miracle And when the Holy Servant of God ask'd them Whether there were any in that Province who Profess'd the Christian Faith They directed him to a Holy man call'd Sampson Who they told him led a Solitary Life and exercis'd himself in Corporal Labours Fasting Watching and Prayers sustaining himself daily with a small Portion of Barly Bread This is that Samson who succeeded St. David in the See of Menevia and after was Bishop of Dole in lesser Britain of whom more hereafter After 30 years abode in this Solitude wherein he is said to have instructed Credan Medan and Dathan three of his Principal Disciples Illustrious for their Learning and Piety he left his Monastery of Loderic and undertook a Foraign Pilgrimage to Rome and so to Jerusalem from whence he is said to have proceeded as far as India and to have spent seven years in the exercises of a Contemplative Life in a certain unknown Island of the Eastern Ocean from which tedious Voyage he at last return'd home and with 12 Companions retir'd himself into a dry and barren Solitude His death in our Ecclesiastical Monuments is referr'd to the year of Grace 564. and he was bury'd at Padstow in which Town was Antiently placed an Episcopal See which was after translated to Bodmin in regard the Body of the Saint was at first meanly Bury'd at Padstow and afterward transferr'd and Honourably repos'd at Bodmin But his Relicks did not always rest at Bodmin for as Roger Hoveden saith Martin a Canon Regular of the Church of Bodmin by stealth took away the Body of St. Petroc and fled with it to the Abbey of St. Meven in Britain the less Which Theft being discover'd Roger Pryor of that Cathedral Church with the Antient Canons of the Chapter address'd themselves to King Henry the Father for his Son was then likewise King and from him they obtain'd a strict command to the Abbot and Convent of St. Meven without delay to restore St. Petroc 's Body to the Pryour of Bodmin which if they refus'd the King gave order to Roland of Dinant the Governour of little Britain to take away the Sacred Body by force As soon as the Abbot of Meven heard hereof he restor'd the Body entire Swearing withall upon the Holy Gospels and the Relicks of certain Saints that it was the very same Body unchang'd and unimpair'd The reason why the Covent of Meven were so desirous of the Relicks of St. Petroc was because St. Meven the Patron of that Monastery was born in Great Britain and as many other Saints did fled into the less Britain and with great Veneration was Honour'd in the Territory of St. Malo where Judicael a Prince of that less Britain descended from this of ours built the said Monastery All Authors agree that the year 508. was fatal to the Britains for the loss of a great Battle wherein either their Valiant King or General of his Army was slain The Name of the Party mention'd to be slain makes the confusion The Noble Historian Ethelward expresly affirms That Cerdic and his Son Cenric slew Natanleod King of the Britains Mat. Paris indeed affirms That Uther was then sick and Natanleod his General Bishop Usher may decide this Controversy who affirms That Uther in the British Language was call'd Natanleod but after for his Valiant Acts obtain'd the Sir-name of Uter which in British signifies Terrible or Admirable Therefore his Son and Successor Arthur was call'd Mab Uther which signifies the Son of a terrible Prince because from his Childhood he was Fierce and Cruel Arthur being out of the British Language interpreted a Terrible Bear or an Iron-wall which breaks the Lyons Jaws Henry of Huntingdon thus describes this Battle Nazaleod saith he so he calls Natanleod was a Prince of great Fame and withall of great Pride of whom the Province was call'd Nazaleoli which after had the Name of Certicks-ford He gather'd an Army out of all Britain and Certic with his Son to enable themselves to encounter him had in so great danger obtain'd Aid from Aesca King of Kent and Ella the Potent King of the South-Saxons as likewise from Port and his Son lately arriv'd which Forces were divided into two main Bodies one led by Certic the other by his Son Cenric When the Battle was joyn'd King Nazaleod perceiving the right Wing of the Enemies conducted by Certic was much stronger than the other he turn'd all his Forces against it willing to destroy that which was Strongest He set upon it therefore with such Violence that he brake quite through them threw down their Ensign forc'd Certic to fly and made a great Slaughter of his Army in a short time But Cenric who conducted the left Wing seeing his Fathers Army routed rush'd vehemently on the backs of the Britains whilst they pursu'd their Enemies flying by this means the Combat became furious insomuch as King Nazaleod was slain and the Britains forc'd to fly of whom there fell 5000. and the rest sav'd themselves by their swiftness Thus the Saxons obtain'd a great Victory so that for some years they were not disturb'd by the Britains and the rather for that great multitudes of Valiant Soldiers came out of Germany to joyn with them This famous Battle fought in Hampshire the Province of the Belgae between the entire Forces of all the Saxons and Britains as it were for the Mastery had utterly ruin'd the British State had Vter left behind him a Successor of a Courage less Heroical then his Son Arthur that renown'd Prince whose glorious Exploits are now to be related The Gests of this Son and Successor of Vter are clouded by such mists of Fables that the Truth of his Story can hardly be related not for want but the excess of matter recorded of him and that by Writers who out of a desire to magnifie his Fame by their impudent Lies have almost
part of a mountain in that Country call'd Dunpelder from thence to be thrown down and torn in pieces She therefore with deep Sighs looking up to Heaven implor'd the Mercy and Help of her Redeemer with many Tears after this she was cast down but by the fall was neither bruis'd nor receiv'd the least harm but sliding down easily and slowly came safe to the bottom The Pagans there present ascrib'd this deliverance to the Magical Inchantments of the Christians and therefore with the Kings Consent they carried her several Miles into the Sea and there left her in a small Boat made of Leather without any Oares and destitute of all Humane help But it seems he who commands the Winds and the Seas was her Protector for by his Power the Boat was carried straight to a far distant Haven with greater swiftness then either Oares or Sails could have driven her Being there arriv'd the young Lady soon after at a place call'd Collenros was deliver'd without the assistance of a Midwife of a Son This Collenros probably is the same which St. Bede calls Coludi and Ptolomy Colania in the Province of Louden The next morning St. Servanus came to the place and seeing the desolate Mother with her Infant said My Beloved Child Blessed art thou who art come in the Name of the Lord He took them into his care nourish'd and Baptiz'd them calling the Mother Thanen and the Child Kentigern that is Cheif-Lord The Child being of a towardly Disposition profited much in Learning and Virtue and was Belov'd of St. Servanus beyond all his Companions and call'd Munhu as he is still nam'd among the Scots So as they who affirm his Birth to have been at St. Asaph in Flintshire are much mistaken which mistake perhaps ariseth from his being afterwards Bishop there However after 25 years we shall find him Consecrated Bishop of Glasco and then more is to be said of him The continual Troubles rais'd by the Saxons would not permit King Arthur to Solemnize his Coronation 'till eight years after his Fathers death But in the year of Grace 516. the Ceremony was Magnificently perform'd in a General Assembly of Bishops and Nobles at Caerleon St. Dubritius Bishop of that City setting the Crown on his Head. After which the Holy Bishop retir'd into a certain Island in Northwales call'd by the Britains Enhly and by the English Berdsey which Island saith Cambden Was inhabited by so many Saints that beside Dubritius and Merlin the Caledonian no fewer then 20000 Holy men were Buried there as Records inform us Concerning this Island saith Bishop Vsher It was call'd by the Britains The Rome of Britain for the distance of it the difficulty of Passage the Sanctity and Security of it since 20000 Saints are there Venerated as Martyrs and since it is on all sides encompass'd with the Sea. By which may be collected what esteem the Britains then had of Rome and what agreement in Religion there was between them At this time the Saxons invited more of their Country-men out of Germany And under the conduct of Colgrin they subdu'd all that part of Britain which lyes from Humber to the Sea of Cathanes whereof when King Arthur was inform'd he march'd with an Army towards York which was then held by the Saxons Colgrin met him with a great multitude near the River Duglas in Lancashire but coming to a Battle Colgrin was put to flight and pursu'd by King Arthur to York Baldulph the Brother of Colgrin at that time lay with some Forces toward the Sea expecting the coming of the Saxons He intended to make an Irruption by night into King Arthur's Army but the King being admonish'd thereof by Spies sent Cador Duke of Cornwall with 600 Horse and 3000 Foot to intercept the Saxons which Forces setting on the Saxons unexpectedly kill'd a great number of them and put the rest to flight King Arthur closely Besieg'd York during which Siege a famous German Captain call'd Cheldric arriv'd in Albania with 700 Boats. These great succours frighted the Britains from their Siege so as the King retir'd with his Army to London from whence he sent Messengers to his Nephew Hoel King of Little-Britain to inform him of the Calamity of this Island Hoel to succour his Uncle landed shortly after with 15000 men at the Haven of Hamon where he was with great Joy and Honour receiv'd by King Arthur Encourag'd with these new Forces he obtain'd the next year two famous Victories against the Saxons the former near the River Bassas the latter in the Wood Chelidon both in Lincolnshire near Lincoln the chief City No fewer then 6000 of the Saxons were slain the rest fled into the Wood or Forrest of Caledon and were pursu'd by King Arthur and there Immur'd by great Trees cut down and laid athwart so as they were thereby reduc'd to such extream Famine that they beg'd leave to depart the Realm leaving all their Spoils behind them By this Exploit the Saxons were driven out of the middle part of Britain Howbeit in the Western part they so prevail'd that Cerdicus there establish'd a Kingdom Another Victory this Heroick King is said to have obtain'd though the time be not mention'd against these Barbarous Enemies near the Castle call'd Guinnion In which Battle the King carried upon his Shoulders the Image of the Blessed Virgin-mother of God and all that day by the Virtue and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ and St. Mary his Mother compell'd the Saxons to fly after many had perish'd with a great slaughter the succeeding Exploits of this King follow after Whilst most of the Provinces of that part of Britain which is since call'd England were thus miserably disquieted the parts thereof since call'd Wales enjoy'd good repose and were made Illustrious by great numbers of Saints who flourish'd there as St. Dubritius St. Sampson St. David St. Thelian St. Kined St. Paternus St. Daniel St. Justinian and others some of these have been already mention'd and more of their Gests will follow As for St. Daniel he is reported by Bishop Vsher to have built a Colledge or Monastery of the Apostolick Order for the Sacred Exercises of Learned and Pious men in Arvonia the Country of the Venedati not far from the streight where men pass into the Isle of Anglesey out of Wales Which Colledge was by the Founder call'd the Port or Haven It was built in the year of our Lord 516. In the same place not long after Malgo Conan built a City which for the Beautiful Scituation of it he call'd Bancor or Bangor after it was the seat of a Bishop wherein this St. Daniel was the first who sate So that Bishop Goodwin is mistaken in affirming that no Bishop had been there before the Norman Conquest This City of Bangor was a place distinct from the famous Monastery of that Name There was indeed a Monastery in both places but this was seated in Arvonia now Caernarvan upon the River Menai dividing
numbers of Devout men to embrace a Caenobitical Life Of this Bishop Nennion we read in the Life of St. Finanus That he having been in his Childhood instructed by St. Coleman was afterward recommended to the care of Nennion when he came into Ireland and return'd with Nennion into Scotland and there Learn'd of him the Rules of a Monastical Life at his See call'd the great Monastery Finanus there also studied the Holy Scriptures and by invoking the Name of Christ is said to have wrought many Miracles And having been thus instructed by Nennion he took a Journey to the See Apostolick there to supply his defects in saving knowledge seven years he continu'd at Rome daily advancing in Sacred Science and then ascended to the degree of Priesthood This Nennion in probability was one of those who interceded with King Arthur and about the same time that St. Finanus liv'd under his Discipline I shall pass by the Death of Guenevera King Arthur's Wife and his second Marriage with great Solemnities at the sametime with the Prodigious Victories ascrib'd to him by some of our Writers in Forreign parts and proceed to other transactions more probable occurring in his time In the year 527. two new Kingdoms were Erected in Britain without any disturbance from King Arthur in the Eastern Provinces of Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridgeshire the Kingdom of the East-Angles was Establish'd and in Midlesex and Essex the Kingdom of the East-Saxons Which of these Kingdoms were first Erected is uncertain but both without doubt much about the same time The first King of the East-Saxons is believ'd to be Erkenwin the Son of Offa and the Kingdom of the East-Angles is thought to begin under Vffa from whom the succeeding Kings were Antiently call'd Vffings The year following the Isle of Wight by the Britains call'd Guith which signifies a divorce or renting asunder and by the Saxons Witland was Conquer'd by King Cerdic and given to his Nephews Stuffa and Whitgar But while Cerdic busied himself about the Invasion of the Isle of Wight St. David Bishop of Menevia Assembled a Provincial Synod call'd the Synod of Victory wherein all the Clergy of Wales or Cambria met together and confirm'd the former Decrees of the Synod of Brevy and added new ones for the Churches benefit from which two Synods all the Churches of Cambria receiv'd their Ecclesiastical Orders which also were confirm'd by the Authority of the Roman Church These Decrees were committed to Writing with his own hand and reserv'd in his own Church the Copies thereof being communicated to other Churches in that Province all which with many other Treasures of that Noble Library furnish'd by him have been lost partly by Age and Negligence but principally by the Incursions of Pirats who from the Isles of Orkney every Summer us'd to waste the Sea-Coasts of Cambria This loss indeed is to be deplor'd since by those Records we might have perfectly understood the state of the British Churches However we are assur'd that those Churches were regulated according to the Roman and practic'd the same both in Doctrine and Discipline and consequently that St. Augustine sent after to Convert the Saxons brought no Novelties with him since St. Gregory who sent him was exalted to St. Peter's Chair not above 60 years after this Synod It is written in the Life of St. Kined That when St. David had publish'd his Edicts for assembling this Vniversal Councel of Cambria he humbly invited St. Kined to it who excus'd his not coming in regard that for his sins he was become distorted and crooked in his Body and was besides unable to undertake such a Journey Whereupon it is said that St. Kined by the Prayers of St. David was restor'd to Heath and straightness and by his own Prayers reduc'd again to his Infirmity and Crookedness Whether this were so or no certain it is that this St. Kined fill'd Britain with the fame of his Sanctity He liv'd a Solitary Anachoretical Life in the Province now call'd Glamorganshire probably in the same place where yet remains a Chappel call'd St. Keneth's Chappel left as a Monument of his Sanctity as Cambden witnesses The Celebrating this Synod is the last publick Action we find recorded of St. David He would not accept of Metropolitical Jurisdiction but upon condition that he might transfer the See from Caerleon to Menevia a place of Remoteness and Solitude and in the Neighbourhood of many Saints and Religious Persons in the Islands and Territory adjoyning and therefore most acceptable to him Which Translation was approv'd by King Arthur and the Synod not then dissolv'd This Menevia is seated in the Province of the Dimetae now Pembrokeshire adjoyning to the most remote Province of Britain where the Soyl is Stony and Barren neither Cloathed with Wood nor interlac'd with Rivers nor adorn'd with Meadows but expos'd to the Sun and Windes yet with this Penury the Antient Saints and Bishops were best contented accounting the remoteness from Worldly Tumults and noise to recompense sufficiently all such Incommodities This Menevia or as the Britains call'd it Menew was in memory of this Holy Bishop nam'd by the Converted Saxons David Minster and by the Britains Twy Davy that is David's House and at this day St. Davids The Bishop whereof was for many Ages the Metropolitan of Cambria but at length became subject to Canterbury Notwithstanding the Inhabitants of Wales since the Norman Conquest commenc'd a Suit against the Arch-bishop of Canterbury for their former Right and Independance but the Cause was judg'd against them The Pastoral care and Zeal of St. David in maintaining the Catholick Faith against Heresies especially against Pelagianism and Ecclesiastical Discipline against Vices and Disorders was signally approv'd and manifested in the Synod of Victory Assembled by him ten years after his Consecration Neither was this his Pastoral care confin'd to his own Province but extended it self abroad also even to Ireland from whence he was often visited and consulted by Devout men In those days it was a frequent custom amongst the Irish-men to go in Pilgrimage and their Devotion was to visit the Monuments of the Apostles in Rome Amongst the rest one Barro an Abbot in the Province of Cork went thither and in his return pass'd by Menevia where he staid for the accommodation of a Ship and Wind. And indeed it was the practice of Devout Irish-men either in their going or returning to seek the Conversation of the Holy Bishop David whose Name like a precious fragrant Oyntment was spread all abroad It appears by Bishop Vsher's Catalogue that Irish Saints were to be sorted into several Orders according to the times wherein they liv'd The first Order Was of such as liv'd either Contemporaries with St. Patrick or presently after him The second Order Contain'd such Saints as liv'd about this Age such as were St. Finanus call'd by the Irish Fin and by the Britains Gain or Win St. Brendon c. It is said the Saints of
English Upon which the Holy Pope perceiving that he was a sincere man of God confirm'd his Consecration knowing it came from God. Moreover at the earnest request of St. Kentigern though with some unwillingness he condescended to supply those small defects which were in his Consecration and so dismist him to the work of his Ministry enjoyn'd him by the Holy-Ghost So that it appears nothing essentially necessary in this Consecration was omitted because the Holy Pope supply'd the defects meerly upon importunity The greatest fault the Holy Bishop could impute to himself was his being Consecrated by one only Bishop against the express Canon of a General Councel though indeed considering the danger and unquietness of the times if the words of the Canon were transgress'd yet the intent was not as not obliging to Impossibilities And this sense of the Canon appears by the Resolution of St. Gregory to St. Augustine That he being the only Bishop in the Church of the Angli might himself alone ordain other Bishops It is said of this St. Kentigern That during the whole course of his Life his custom was to eat only every third day and sometimes every fourth his food was Bread Milk Cheese and Butter He always abstain'd from Flesh and Wine or any other Drink which could Distemper Next his skin he wore a very rough Hair-cloath and over that a Garment made of Goat-skins together with a close Cowle and his uppermost cloathing was a white Albe He always wore a Stole and carried a Pastoral Staff or Crosier not Spherical Gilded or set with precious Stones but of simple Wood bowing back at the Top and in his Hand he ever held a Book thus was he always in readiness to exercise his Function whenever necessity or reason requir'd He lay in a stone Chest made hollow like a Biere under his Head lay a stone and under his body were cast Cinders and Cilice of Hair in which posture with some unwillingness he admitted a short sleep after which he would plunge himself into Cold Water and so recite the whole Psalter This practice neither Snow nor Rain interrupted nor any thing but Sickness or Journeying He six'd his Episcopal See in the City of Glasco where he also ordain'd a great Congregation of Religious men who liv'd according to the form of the Primitive Church in community of all things The Infidels in his Diocess he converted to the Faith Apostates and Hereticks by his sound Doctrine he reduc'd to the bosome of our Holy Mother the Church He every where threw down Idols and Images of Devils and built some Churches He distinguish'd Parishes by their certain bounds He was always travelling to gain Souls to God never riding but in imitation of the Apostles always going on foot And because he would not eat his Bread in Idleness his custom was to labour with his hands in Agriculture About this time our famous King Arthur upon some unknown occasion Abroad left the Administration of his Kingdom to his Nephew Mordred Son of Loth King of the Picts by his Sister Mordred in the Absence of his Uncle invades his Throne upon pretence King Arthur was a Bastard and born out of Lawful Marriage To this Treason the Traytor adds the Crime of Incest violently taking his Uncles Wife Queen Guenhumara And to strengthen himself he enter'd into a Confederacy with the King of the West-Saxons to whom he yielded up several Provinces This infamous Crime soon brings King Arthur back into Britain inflam'd with rage against his abominable Kinsman Mordred was prepared to hinder his landing where a Cruel Battle was fought between them in which Auguselus King of Albania and Walwan another Nephew of King Arthur were slain notwithstanding which at last King Arthur with infinite difficulty landed and renewing the Fight made a great slaughter of his Enemies compelling Mordred to fly to Winchester whither he was pursu'd by King Arthur where in a second Battle after much Blood-shed he was again put to flight toward Cornwall But King Arthur not ceasing to follow at last overtook him near the River Camblan where Mordred having rang'd his Forces in a desperate fury rush'd amongst his Enemies resolv'd rather to die then once more to shew his back to them In this Combat which continu'd almost a whole day after horrible Bloodshed on both sides King Arthur with the Courage and fury of a Lyon rush'd into the Troop where he knew Mordred was and making way with his Sword at last with horrible slaughter dispers'd the Enemies There fell the Traytor Mordred and with him several Saxon Commanders Elaphius Egbrith and Bruning and many thousands with them But this Victory cost King Arthur his Life for in the Combat he receiv'd a Mortal Wound and was convey'd by the Charity of a Kins-woman of his a Noble Matron call'd Morganis into the Island of Avallonia now Glastonbury which gave occasion to the foolish British Bards to invent the Story Of Morganis a Faery Goddess who carried the Body of King Arthur into Avallonia by Magick skill with promise to Cure his Wounds and that he should return with his former Strength and Courage to govern the Britains Who for many Ages expected his return as foolishly as the coming of the Messias is look'd for by the Jews When Guenhumara heard of her Husbands return she fled to the City of Caerleon and there took the Habit of a Religious Woman among the Nuns in the Monastery of St. Julius the Martyr The true reason why King Arthur would be carried to the Monastery of Glastonbury doubtless was partly to prepare himself more perfectly for Death in the company and by the assistance of the Holy Monks there and that after his death he might be bury'd among such a world of Saints as repos'd there from the beginning of Christianity The like we read of Constantine who for the like purpose was bury'd in like manner That he might have the Prayers of such as in succeeding Ages should come to visit those Monuments King Arthur before his death gave to that Monastery Brent March Poulden and other Lands besides which the Pagan Angli took away but after being Converted to the Faith restor'd with Advantage King Arthur appointed for his Successor a Kins-man of his call'd Constantine and having recommended himself to the Prayers of the Monks he dy'd Happily and after a Christian manner was bury'd with a Cross His conveyance to Glastonbury was it seems by his own Order and done with all Secresie and by like order his Death and place of Burial studiously conceal'd For says Matthew Paris the King dying was desirous to be hidden least his Enemies should insult and his Friends be molested at so great a Calamity Hence it is that Histories relate little or nothing of his Death and Burial Insomuch as the British Nation out of their Affection to him contend that he is still alive upon which occasion the Prophecy was invented and father'd upon Merlin That he should appear and
reign once more It seems in the year of Grace 1142. the Sepulchre of King Arthur could no where be found whereas the Sepulchre of his Heroick Nephew Walwin had then lately been found in the time of King William near the Sea-coast and was 14 Foot long But a while after in the time of Henry the II. by the industry of certain Devout persons King Arthur's Monument was found and the expectation of his return thereby vanish'd among the Welch People The manner how it was found is set forth by many Authors one of which affirms That the Abbot who found it shew'd him the Cross which lay over King Arthur 's Body the Characters whereof he read But we may receive the most Authentick account of this from the great Table of Glastonbury fram'd on purpose to preserve the memory of this Invention wherein it is thus written In this Island Avallonia or rather this Tomb of Saints at Glastonbury do rest King Arthur the flower of the Kings of Britain and Guenhavera his Queen who after their Decease were Honourably Bury'd near the Old Church between two Stone Pyramids heretofore Nobly Engraven and in the same place have their Bodies rested for many years to wit 628. years untill the time of Henry de Soili who after the burning of the said Church was Abbot there This Abbot after many admonitions by several persons commanded men to dig between the said Pyramids They dig'd exceeding deep and at last found a very great Bier of Wood shut close up which with their Instruments they open'd and within it discover'd the Kings Body and a Cross of Lead one whole side whereof was fill'd with this Inscription Here lyes Bury'd the famous King Arthur in the Island of Avallonia Then they open'd the Tomb of the Queen and the Hairs of her Head were spread over her Body and seem'd as if she had been but lately bury'd but as soon as they touch'd them they fell all into Dust The Abbot then and Convent with great Joy and exceeding Honour transfer'd their Bodies from thence and plac'd them in a double Monument of Stone Nobly Engraven on the one side in the great Church to wit The Kings Body by it self at the Head of the Tomb and the Queens on the East-side These Testimonies are enough to declare the unreasonableness of some late assertions that there never was any such man That many foolish stories pass concerning him cannot be deny'd but that it may be collected from St. Bede that there never was any such man is a mistake all that he says is That Ambrosius Aurelius a Modest man was the only person of the Roman Stock who over-liv'd the Miseries of the Britains at the time when the Saxons rais'd such Tragedies in the Island He denies not that he had Sons and Grand-children On the contrary Gildas expresly affirms That the Off-spring of Ambrosius in the times when he wrote did degenerate from the Virtue of their Ancestors It cannot therefore be deny'd that such a Prince govern'd the Britains as King Arthur that he reign'd about 33 years that he dy'd in the 70th year of his Age and was bury'd after the Christian manner as was sufficiently testify'd by the Cross over his Tomb which Cross was from the beginning esteem'd through the whole Church an assur'd Badge of Christianity The first degree of Apostacy declar'd by Julian was the casting away the Sign of the Cross which saith St. Cyril Is the prime and immoveable Foundation of the Faith profess'd by Christians and with which Athanasius hath in every Age triumph'd over all Superstition and Idolatry Whereas of late the Cross it self is now accounted Superstitious Before we come to shew how far the Successor of King Arthur degenerated from him something must be said of two famous men of that Age St. Iltutus and St. Sampson the former dy'd during the reign of that Heroical King He was the Son of a Noble Souldier Nam'd Rican his Mother was call'd Rieneguilida Daughter to a Prince of Little-Britain In his Childhood he was instructed in Learning but arriving to more years he apply'd himself to Martial Affairs and hearing of the Magnanimity of his Kins-man King Arthur he went to visit him after he apply'd himself to the Prince of Glamorganshire of whom he became so highly esteem'd that he advanc'd him to the highest condition in that State next himself After this he was Councell'd and perswaded by St. Cadocus to forsake the Secular Habit and Profession and to Consecrate the remainder of his Life to the Service of God that he might the more assuredly obtain Eternal Rewards and Happiness Iltutus submitting to the Councel of the Holy man relinquish'd the World and retiring to a commodious Mansion liv'd there some time a Solitary and Devout Life Then he had recourse to St. Dubritius Bishop of Landaff from whom he receiv'd the Tonsure and Crown Badges of a Religious Profession And thus with the Consent of his Wife vow'd perpetual Chastity which she also observ'd How the Centuriatours of Magdeburg have contradicted themselves in the relation of this Saint must be referr'd to their Writings Sure it is the memory of his Learning and Sanctity is preserv'd to this day in Glamorganshire where there is a Town and Church call'd Llanlivit or Llaniltut not far from Llancarvan the habitation of St. Cadocus where St. Iltutus diligently Preach'd Gods word and instituted a Colledge of Schollars which he instructed in Learning and Piety amongst whom the most Illustrious was the fore-nam'd St. Sampson who by his Masters direction embrac'd also a Religious profession of whom more presently It is said of this St. Iltutus that he was the Disciple of St. Germanus and had the Spirit of Prophecy As for his Disciple St. Sampson he was born in South-wales of Noble Parents after they had liv'd long Childless his Fathers Name was Amon and his Mothers Anne He was instructed in Humane knowledge Integrity of Life and a Monastical Institution by St. Iltutus and liv'd in a Monastery built by a Holy man call'd Piro in an Island not far distant from the Monastery of St. Iltutus and there is said to had led a perfect and Angelical Life Amiable in his Conversation Vigilant in Prayer and Persevering in good Works Not long after by the Death of Piro this Holy man Sampson was unanimously chosen Abbot Four years after his Election by the permission of St. Dubritius he went into Ireland but his stay was not long there for he was present at the Councel of Brevi He was after ordain'd an Arch-bishop in Britain but it cannot be assign'd of what place only it is without doubt reported that St. Sampson a British Arch-bishop went over into Little Britain and carried with him the Pall Ensign of his Dignity Great dispute hath risen whether this St. Sampson were Arch-bishop of York or Menevia the debate seems to have been concluded to the advantage of Menevia wherein St. Sampson is suppos'd to have succeeded Kinocus who
back he was receiv'd with more then ordinary respect but presently after dy'd full of Days and Sanctity and was bury'd by Leontius in Aquitain Now though the Inhabitants of Aleth were depriv'd of the Sacred Relicks of their prime Prelate whom they had treated so injuriously yet the name of Blessed Maclovius remains never to be blotted out adorning and defending that City to this day with his Coelestial Benefits and Glorious Perfection Howbeit the Episcopal See does not now remain at Aleth but is remov'd to an Island two Miles distant from thence Antiently call'd Aaron where a City new built is in memory of their Holy Prelate and Patron call'd St. Malo and Vrbs Macloviensis It is said that St. Mahutus with his seven Disciples in Devotion visited Rome where he redeem'd many Infidel Captives and having instructed them in the true Faith Baptiz'd them Saint Brendan his Spiritual Father and Instructor though no Britain by Birth is not to be deny'd some place in this History He came out of Ireland to visit the Holy man St. Gildas Albanius in Britain He was also Superiour in the Monastery of Lancarvan where he Baptiz'd St. Maclovius and returning into Ireland where he was made an Abbot there dy'd Happily in the year of Grace 571. The death of this Blessed man is said to be reveal'd to St. Columba who declar'd That he saw the Heavens on a suddain open'd and a Choire of Angels descending to meet St. Brendan 's Soul by whose incomparable Splendour the whole World was that night Enlightn'd St. Brendan thus call'd to Heaven enjoy'd on Earth also an Eternal Monument of his Name and Sanctity For in the Isle of Orkney a Town and Church were built and call'd from his Name the reason was because his Sacred Body was thither translated In this Age flourish'd a Holy British Abbot call'd St. Doc of whom is written That when St. Canic of whom the Province of Kilkenny took its Name was grown to an Age of capable knowledge being desirous of instruction he pass'd over into Britain to a Religious man call'd Doc and under him studied diligently and was taught both Learning and Piety This St. Doc was one of the three Holy Britains from whom the Irish learn'd the form and Rites of Celebrating Mass The other two were St. David and St. Gildas After the death of King Arthur Constantine according to his designation succeeded him in the Government of Britain He was the Son of Cador Duke of Cornwall and Kinsman to the King His sufficiency to discharge that employment for the Benefit of his Country was enough approv'd by the choice of his glorious Predecessor But Almighty God having fix'd a period to the British Monarchy permitted many Factions to arise and many Pretendants to the Principality the opposing of whom hindred Constantine from advancing the common profit and safety of the Kingdom Moreover Ambition and Revenge had such a Power over him that they invited him to commit Crimes which hast'ned the ruine of his Country Hence it is that Gildas calls him the Tyrant of Danmonia Tyrant in regard of his Cruelty and Tyrant of that Province because at that time several others had invaded each one their several Principalities and for the maintaining of their unjust Usurpations fill'd the whole Nation with all manner of Impieties which gave occasion to the same Gildas to publish a Passionate Invective against the Vices of the whole British Nation which had universally depriv'd the Inhabitants of all states and conditions an exceeding few excepted who forseeing the unavoidable destruction of the Nation withdrew themselves from publick Affairs and in solitude deplor'd the sins of others by great Pennances and Austerities procuring Indulgence to their own Souls In former times saith Gildas our Kings publick Officers private Persons Bishops and other Ecclesiasticks every one kept their Order and perform'd the Duties belonging to them But when they were dead there succeeded a Generation utterly ignorant of the former Virtues among whom all the Rules of Truth and Justice were so shaken and subverted that no footsteps nor so much as the least Monument of those Virtues appear'd in any of the said Orders Constantine at his first Ascension into his Throne bound himself by a Solemn Oath to govern Justly and to use his utmost endeavours to defend his Subjects from Injuries and Oppressions and the Commonwealth from the violence of its Enemies And yet the year following we find him charg'd with Perjury and the violation of his Faith by his Barbarous Cruelty and Sacrilegious Prophanation of Gods House For the two Sons of Mordred rising up in Arms against him to revenge their Fathers death joyn'd in Confederacy with the Saxons and fought many Battles with him but at last being compell'd to fly Constantine pursu'd them and one of them he slew before the Altar of St. Amphibalus his Church in Winchester the other who had hid himself in a Convent of Monks he Condemned to a Cruel death in London For this Sacrilegious Inhumanity Gildas in his too free stile calls Constantine The Tyrannical Whelp of the Lioness of Danmonia an infringer of the dreadful Sacrament of an Oath by which he bound himself before God and all his Saints to abstain from all Injustice and Treachery to his Subjects notwithstanding which in the very bosom both of their Carnal Mother and Spiritual Mother the Church near the most Holy Altar he had torn the Bowels of two Royal Youths though cover'd with the Vestments of a Holy Abbot whilst they stretch'd forth their Hands not armed with Swords to resist but to implore help from God and his Altar and yet he most Barbarously shed their Blood which with a Purple dye stain'd the seat of the Ecclesiastical Sacrifice and the Sacred Palls which cover'd it To this Invective the same Author adjoyns most pressing Exhortations to Constantine That he would do suitable Pennance for these horrible Crimes that if possible he might avoid the dark inextricable Torrents of Eternal fire in which otherwise he must for ever be roll'd and roasted By these Expressions it should seem these two Sons of Mordred were not so much to be blam'd for their rising all Circumstances consider'd Probable it is that these or such like Exhortations wrought a good effect upon Constantine for though some write that he was slain by Conan who succeeded in the Kingdom yet others tell another Story viz. That after a short reign having been depriv'd of his Wife and Children be grew weary of his Kingdom and privily stealing from his Friends went into Ireland and there for the love of Christ labour'd unknown like a poor Servant in a Mill but afterward by perswasion of a Monk to whom he discover'd his condition he was induc'd to shave his Head and Consecrate himself to a Religious Life in a Monastery where he is said to live with such Piety and Devotion that he became a pattern of all Virtues to the rest of the Monks That at last
Authority Now the said Island is usually govern'd by an Abbot who is a Priest to whose Jurisdiction the whole Province and even Bishops themselves by a custom no where else practic'd ought to be subject according to the example of their first Teacher S Columba who was only a Priest and Monk and no Bishop Of whose Life and Sayings many strange things are extant compil'd by his Disciples but what manner of man soever he was sure we are he left Successors famous for their great Continency Divine Love and Regular Institution The Companions to St. Columba are said to be twelve who came with him into Albion eminently indu'd with the Doctrine of Christ and adorn'd with great Sanctity their Names were Bathemius and Cominus afterwards Superiours over Monasteries and no mean Ornaments of the Christian Church among the Scots Also Cibthacus and Ethernau Nephews to St. Columba and Priests Moreover Domitius Rutius and Fethuo men Illustrious for their Descent but more for their Piety Lastly Scandalaus Eglodeus Totaueus Moteser and Gallan These men after Travell'd through the Region of the Scots and Pict and by their labour in Teaching Disputing and Writing imbu'd both those Nations with virtuous Manners and true Religion The Scotish Writers add one Companion more to St. Columba namely St. Constantine formerly King of the Britains who repenting his Crimes sharply reprov'd by Gildas became a Monk and went with St. Columba into Scotland where he Preach'd the Faith to the Scots and Picts He built a Monastery in Govane near the River Cluid which he govern'd as Abbot He is said to have Converted to the Faith the whole Province of Kentire where he likewise dy'd a Martyr and was buried in his Monastery in Govan The King who bestow'd the Isle of Hy upon St. Columba and by the eminence of his Piety drew him thither is said to be St. Comgal or Conval King of Dalrieda At the same time not far from St. Columba liv'd St. Kentigern lately return'd to his Bishoprick of Glasco to whom no doubt St. Columba was an Officious assistant in his Apostolick Office. Of the Solemn meeting of these two Saints with their Disciples we have already spoken That there was a perfect agreement between these two Saints and their Disciples is no doubt and between them and St. Augustine also except in one Rite or Ceremony about the time of keeping Easter Upon which inconsiderable difference some would infer that the British Churches received their Faith from the Eastern Churches and not from Rome St. Columba having spent more then 30 years in this Place and Service he impatiently beg'd of God to end his Pilgrimage after his Prayer ended he saw in a Vision certain Angels approaching to him to conduct his Soul to Heaven which sight was so joyful to him that his Disciples took notice of it But this sight was soon turn'd into sorrow for the Angels told him That upon the Prayers of the Pictish Churches God had added four years more to his Life At last in the year of Grace 597. the same year St. Angustine came into Britain this Holy man dy'd and his Holy body was buried in the Monastery of Hy from whence it was after translated or a great part of it into Ireland and repos'd in the Church of Dun-Patrick by an Inscription on his Monument it is signified That in that one Tomb three Saints St. Patrick St. Bridget and St. Columba did repose Hitherto the Saxon Princes had imploy'd their Forces to the destruction of the Britains but now finding little resistance from them turn'd their Arms against one another For three years after the coming of St. Columba into Britain Ceaulin and Cutha mov'd a Civil war against Ethelbert which Ethelbert the rather enter'd into because the Power of Ceaulin so much increas'd that he took upon him the Title of Monarch Hereupon Ethelbert a Valiant Young Prince mindful of the Glory of his Ancestors who had always enjoy'd a Preheminence above other Princes resolv'd to keep it And raising an Army march'd with it into the Province of the Regni or Surry where passing unwarily over a little River call'd Wandalis he was rudely repuls'd by Ceaulin but endeavouring again to march forward the Armies met at a Village call'd Wibbandun now Wimbledon where he was with a great slaughter of his men compell'd to fly back into Kent having lost his two chief Captains Oslaf and Kneban Where this Battle was fought still remains as a Monument of it a Rampire rais'd in a round form as encompassing a Camp call'd Knebensbury Ethelbert after his loss sought to strengthen himself by a Friendship and Confederacy with the Neighbouring Powerful Kingdom of the Franks to make which Confederacy more lasting he desir'd to confirm it by Marriage which he effected This Kingdom heretofore was call'd Gaul but afterwards the Franks a German Nation under their King Pharamond invading it and possessing the greatest part of it chang'd the Name from Gaul to France The Successors of Pharamond for several Generations were Pagans till by St. Remigius Bishop of Rhemes in the year of Grace 499. King Clodoveus was Converted to the Christian Faith and with him the greatest part of his Kingdom which Faith ever after continu'd and encreas'd there This Kingdom of the Franks was at that time govern'd by four Kings Sons of Clotharius a Daughter of one of which Kings Elthelbert Married nam'd Berta Gregory calls her Aldiberga to whom he attributes the Conversion of the the Saxons Her Parents not without some difficulty deliver'd their Christian Daughter to the Bed of a Pagan but had an engagement from Ethelbert to allow Her and her Family an entire freedom in Religion and so the Marriage was concluded The Lady was accompanied into Britain by a Prudent and Devout Bishop call'd Lethardus who is Styl'd The Percursor to St. Augustine and one who open'd the door to Christianity here There were then in Doroberni or Canterbury several Churches which had been built by Christians many Ages before in the times of the Romans and were not utterly demolish'd by the Saxons amongst which the Queen made choice of that which had been Dedicated to the Honour of St. Martin and stood Eastward of the City The Author of Life of this Bishop Lethardus tells us what Devotions this Queen perform'd in this Church viz. That she and her Family frequented the Sacraments of Masses and Prayers in the Celebrating whereof the Blessed Bishop Lethardus was President or chief Priest The saying or singing of Masses were the Solemn Devotion of the Church in those times as appears by the Councels of Orleans and Tours Celebrated in these very times insomuch as St. Columba by Revelation knowing the death of St. Brendan in Ireland Celebrated a Solemn Mass for his Soul. In the year of Grace 571. Cuthulf the Brother of King Ceaulin fought with the Britains at Bedanford now Bedford and having obtain'd the Victory he took from them four Royal Cities Linganburgh a
on her Hengist commands a Magnificent Feast to be provided for the Entertainment of his newly arriv'd Soldiers to which the King is Invited He appoints his Daughter to perform the Office of Cup-bearer to the King that he might surfeit his Eyes with her Beauty The design took effect for the King being a Slave to Beauty was presently wounded with the Gracefulness of the Maids looks and the Elegancy of her Gestures nourishing in his mind a hope to enjoy her Without delay he demands her for his Wife The Crafty Father pretends such a Marriage would be too mean for so great a Prince but with great importunity yields his unwilling willing consent to reward which and for a Dowry to his Daughter the King gives him the whole Province of Kent some writers say This Feast and Marriage were Celebrated at Thong-Castle where Rowena was instructed by her Father to Drink a Health to Vortigern after the German manner However certain it is that besides the infinite Damage to the Kingdom by Alienating so considerable a Member as Kent so convenient for the harbouring of new Forces this Marriage was in a high degree Pernicious because the King had another Wife and for that being a Christian he had joyn'd himself to a Pagan Idolatress Presently after this unhappy Marriage the Voyage and Martyrdom of St. Vrsula and her Companions happ'ned whose Heroical Constancy might help to wipe out that stain which the Lust of this King had cast upon the Nation Hengist having thus Prostituted his Daughter to the King who Prostituted his Country to Hengist the Saxons began to swell with ambitious Thoughts and knowing the Nation generaily dis-approv'd the Kings Marriage and cooled in Affection and Duty to him began to pick quarrels with him and contemn'd him for his Vices They therefore sought occasions of War against the Britains whom God had ordain'd to be punish'd for their Crimes so that Hengist boldly requir'd of his Son-in-Law the King a more Plentiful supply of Provisions otherwise he would renounce the League between them and lay waste the whole Island which Threats were presently attended with dismall Effects For the Saxons entring a League with the Picts gather'd an innumerable Army which without resistance spoil'd the whole Country Thus a flame kindled by the hands of these Pagans prov'd a just revenge of the Crimes of this Nation which Crimes were the less Pardonable because committed by those who profess'd themselves the People of the True God No wonder was it that the Saxons met with so little resistance seeing the Kings Marriage with an Infidel Lady his Divorce from his Lawful Queen and the delivering up so considerable a part of his Kingdom to Strangers had rais'd high Discontents against him among his Subjects However by common consent they besought him to take Pity on his Country ready to Perish at least not to neglect his Faith and the Church of God in danger to be destroy'd by Heathen Miscreants which if it should happen by his default and that the Diabolical Worship of Idols should prevail against Gods true Religion it would be punish'd by his own and his Peoples Eternal Misery The Bishops and Clergy repeated these Admonitions to him but all in vain wherefore Vortigern became deserted of all his Subjects and the Nobility by unanimous consent rais'd into his Throne his Son Vortimer No writers affirm that Vortigern was Depos'd but Deserted by his Subjects as a Prince given up to his Pleasures and therefore incapable to resist the Ambitious Designs of Hengist against whom the whole Nation was resolv'd to joyn all their Forces to expel him out of the Kingdom Vortimer was an earnest Incendiary of the War against these Saxons being resolv'd to endure their Boldness and Ambition no longer And for this reason most of the Britains follow'd him not that the Nobles depriv'd Vortigern of his Royal Authority or Created Vortimer King as a late Calvinistical Writer insinuates However this Change could not but work Divisions in the Kingdom for Vortigern for the space of sixteen years having had possession of the Kingdom could not want some Adherents to take his part so as those Divisions could not but give too great advantage to the Progress of the Ambitious Saxons Vortimer being thus exalted either as Associate with his Father in the Throne or as General of the British Forces hasten'd to give proof of his Country-mens good advice in their Election of him and taking notice of the Craft and Ambition of the Saxons study'd how to drive them out of the Nation vehemently urging his Father to attempt it so that an Army was soon rais'd this happ'ned the seventh year after their first entrance Great preparations were made on both sides at last they came to a Battle which was fought in the Fields of Eglestirpe now call'd Alesford a Town in Kent wash'd by the River Medway On the Britains side were three chief Captains who led each a third part of the Army Ambrosius Aurelianus led the first Division Vortimer the second and Catigern a younger Brother of Vortimer led the third The Saxon Army was Conducted by Hengist and Horsa In the beginning of the Battle Horsa set upon the Army of Catigern with such Vigour that it was disperss'd like Dust before the Wind and Catigern the Kings Son was slain but his Brother Vortimer a Prince of admirable Courage falling side-ways into Horsa's Squadrons routed them and kill'd Horsa the most Valorous of the Saxons the remainder of his Forces fled to Hengist who then was Fighting with Invincible Courage against Ambrosius so as the whole weight of the Combate lay upon Hengist who being Assaulted and brought into great straits by the Accession of Vortimer's Forces after he had a good while sustain'd the impression of the whole British Army was at last overcome and compell'd to fly which he had never done before Yet this Victory cost the Britains dear for great numbers of them were slain nay some Authors affirm That Hengist obtain'd the Victory The Body of Horsa was Buried at a place not far from the Battle in memory of him call'd Horstead Catigern's Body is suppos'd to have been Buried at Aylsford by the Saxons call'd Eglesford by the Britains Saisseneag-Haibail because the Saxons were there overcome To testifie which Victory there still remain four great Stones standing upright after the manner of Stonehenge in Wiltshire which from Catigern are vulgarly and imperfectly call'd Keith-cotyhouse Horsa thus dead the Saxons exalted Hengist to the Title of the King of Kent The same year he is reported to have Fought three Battles against the Britains but being unable to resist the Valour of Vortimer he was forc'd to retire into the Isle of Thanet where he was daily Assaulted with British Ships At last the Saxons leaving their Wives and Children in Thanet return'd to Germany to call in greater Forces The year after dy'd the Glorious King Vortimer the fourth year after he was assum'd to the Participation of