50. fol. 42. Rex ab hoc seculo transiens Coillum filium habuit successorem By whom he reigned but a short time not aboue sixe yeares Others affirme he reigned a farre longer time the Protestant Publishers of the Brittish Historie ascribe 52. yeares for his Reigne Polidor Virgil giueth him 48. yeares Stowe saith he reigned 53. yeares Harding auoucheth that he dyed When he had Reigned sixtie yeares and three His Tribute payed full well to Rome Citie Of Christs faith some what he was enformed But much more he needed to haue bene reformed But howsoeuer the question about the time of his Regiment long or short be resolued certaine it is that he was a friend to Christians and if he reigned long longer was their peace by his permission and if his Regiment was shorter yet the quiet of Christian Religion was not thereby abbreuiated for Coillus his Sonne being also very fauourably affected to Christians and leauing the Kingdome to his Sonne Lucius vnder whome the whole Nation was conuerted to the faith of Christ we cannot finde any King of Britaine in those dayes which was an enemy to Christianitie so that if any outrage or crueltie was committed against any of that profession it was rather by the malice of Marian. Scot. lib. 2. aetat 6. in Tit. Martin Polon Supput col 36. in Tit. Matth. Westm an 81. Florent Wig. in Tit. the Druids and some such and not by regall commaunde and Authoritie which rather stood for the defence then offence of Christians all that time 2. And so long as Titus Sonne of Vespasian was Emperour of Rome which was but two yeares and not many moneths ther was no Persecution of Christians there not putting any of them to death and so mercifull he was to all that he pardoned the very conuicted that had conspired against him and vsed them as familiarly as he did before vir omni genere virtutum mirabilis adeo vt amor deliciae humani generis diceretur Hic in Imperio tantae bonitatis Domitian a vâ—ry wicked and persecuting Emperour fuit vt nullius omnino sanguinem fuderit sed conuictos aduersum se coniurationis dimitteret atque in eadem familiaritate qua antea habuerat retineret But after Euseb Hist in Chron. Marian Martin Matth. West Flor. supr the death of Titus his younger Brother Domitian taking the Empire vpon him differed so much from his Brother and Vespasian his Father before him that he fell into so greate pride and impietie that he caused and commaunded himselfe to be called and worshiped as God and was the second after Nero who setting forth his cruel Edicts to that end persecuted Christians and the Church of Christ Which crueltie of his allthough it did not extend to our Christian Britans as Rome still by the Roman Lawes enioying there their priuiledges and immunities from compulsion to square themselues in matters of Religion to the Emperiall lawes and Edicts yet being of force against all that had not such municipall prerogatiues many of these bannished and persecuted Many Christians in this Persecution of Domitian fled into Britaine Christians as in the Persecution of Nero before as our Protestant and other Antiquaries tell vs fled into this our Britaine whether that Persecution did not nor could extend it selfe for refuge and succour at the least vntill his wicked Edicts 15. yeares and some moneths after the beginning of his Empire immediately vpon his death for their crueltie were reuoked by Nerua his Successour who by his first Edict recalled all which Domitian had bannished Nerua primo edicto suo cunctos exules quos Domitianus relegauit reuocari praecepit Whereupon a Protestant Bishop and Antiquarie speaking of this time of Domitian Matth. Westm an Dom. 97. Godwin Conu of Brit. p. 18. Tripart hist l. 1. c. 7. calleth Britaine a refuge for Christians And addeth both from Cassiodorus and his owne iudgment It was not counted vnlawfull for these to be Christians that dwelt beyond Italy and France as in Britaine or neere the Pireney Mountaynes and so to the westerne Ocean Whereby vndoubtedly it came to passe that many professing Christ not daring to abide neere vnto the heart of the Empire as in Italy France or some other of the neerest Prouinces made choyce of our Britaine where to leade their liues in such sort as they might enioye libertie of conscience 3. By which meanes it seemeth that the number of our Apostolike men though their names be buried in obliuion by iniquitie of time was againe S. Ioseph of Aramathia diuers of his coÌ„pany died about this time as also others our primatiue Christians renewed and encreased diuers of the former now hastning to their death and some of them credibly deceased allready Among which we may with good warrant number S. Ioseph of Aramathia and others of his holy companions which though they were subiect vnto him as their Abbot and cheife yet for yeares and age litle or not at all inferiour vnto him in probable iudgment And S. Ioseph was so venerable for yeares before this time that the holy Euangelists as our Protestants translate them tell vs he was at the death of Christ one and thirtie yeares of age And he was as the Antiquities of Glastenbury with many other Authorities witnesse before his coming Matth. cap. 27. Marc. cap. 15. Luc. cap. 23. Ioa. cap. 19. into Britaine an honorable Counceller in high esteeme with the Iewes and so honoured by Pilate the President of Iury that he boldly had accesse vnto him asked and obtayned of him the body of Christ which he buryed in his one Tombe thinking thereby that he had not long to liue and so old he was at his coming hither that as many before haue thought his sonne Ioseph was consecrated a Bishop at the least assigned to that dignitie Therefore the auncient writers and Antiquities of this Historie say that within few yeares M. S. antiq de Vit. S. Ioseph ab Aramathia Io. Capgrau in eod Antiquit. Glast alij of their setling themselues at Glastenbury they gaue place to nature and ended their liues one earth and S. Ioseph as probably the rest was buryed by the holy Chappell which they had founded to the blessed Virgin Mary effluentibus paucis annorum curriculis sancti memorati carnis ergastulo sunt educti inter quos Ioseph sepultus est positus in linea bifurcata iuxta Oratorium praedictum And about this time our renowned Archbishop S. Aristobulus died heare a late writer saith by Martyrdome at Glastenbury setting downe the time about the yeare of Christ three score and ten which how true it is I dare Author of the Engl. Martyrol 15. day of March. not affirme because I finde none of his Authours which he citeth who are Arnoldus Mirmannius Dorotheus in Synopsi Baronius to deliuer any such thing but if we should leaue him to a naturall death we cannot coniecture
hauing three sonnes Locrinus Albanact and Camber did at his death diuide the IlaÌ„d into three parts or Prouinces Loegria now England to Locrinus his eldest sonne Albania Scotland to Albanact the second and Cambria Wales to Camber the youngest Locrino primoginito dedit illam partem quae quondam Loegria nunc vero Anglia nominatur Albanacto filio natu secundo dedit Albaniam quae nunc Scotia vocitatur Cambro vero tertio filio dedit Cambriam quae modo wallia nominatur reseruata Locrino Regia dignitate This might suffice for this busines for being testified with so many domesticall and forreine priuate and publike witnesses that this Tripartited diuision was heare from the beginning and first name of Britaine we must needs for euery seuerall part and Prouince assigne a seuerall gouernment and order therein as their Rulers and Gouernours were diuers and distinct 2. But our Antiquities carry vs further and informe not onely that London Yorke and Caerlegion were the seuerall cheife Cities in this diuision but the Kings which founded them for such ordayned them likewise to be the Seats and Residences of three seuerall Archiflamens or Protoflamens For the glory and Noblenes of London therevpon named Augusta I haue spokeÌ„ before and as it is the common opinion in Antiquities that it is the most auncient Citie of this Iland builded by Brutus as not onely the Brittish Historie Galfridus Virunnius and our English Antiquaries after them but Gildas Sigebertus and others sufficiently witnes and except M. Stowe is deceaued in his Authours Aethicus an old Pagan Philosopher testifieth no lesse affirming that Brutus named this kingdome Brutannia And Ihon Harding in his plaine verse with others recordeth how he there from the very beginning instituted an Archflamens Seate And Troynouant he made full especially An Archflaume his Sâ—e Cathedrall certayne A temple thereof Apolyne to optaine By Troian Lawe This is commonly written to haue bene 1100. yeares before Christ And it is a coÌ„mon receaved opinion among our Antiquaries that EbraÌ„cus sonne to Mempricius about 100. yeares after builded the Citie of Yorke calling it after his name Kairbranke as both Brittans and Saxons Catholiks and Protestants consent Whereas Harding and Stowe with others affirme he seated an Archflamen Harding saith Hee made a Temple in Ebranke Citie Harding Chron. c. 21. f. 22. Stowe Hist in Ebranke Of Diane where an Archflamen he sett To rule Temples as that time was his dett In the tweÌ„tith yeare of his Reigne writeth Stowe he builded Kayrbranke since by the Saxons called Euorwike now corruptly Yorke wherein he builded a Temple to Diana and sett there an Archflamen and was there buryed when he had reigned 60. yeares Thus auncient these our Historians make Archflamens in Britaine and I haue related their very words not that I thinke the name and worde Archflamen but onely their office and calling among the Gentils to be so auncient as the time assigned to our Brutus but of youÌ„ger continuance and age by diuers hundreds of yeares the word Flamen not knowne vntill the time of Numa Pompilius and taken from a kinde of attyre worne vppon their heads on Festiuall dayes yet the office of Flamen Ranulp Higed l. 1. c. 24. and Pontifex and Archflamen and summus Pontifex was allwayes the same among the Pagans 3. The Institution of the third Archflamen at Caerlegion vppon vske was of later time as also the Foundation of that Citie first builded by Belinus as the Brittish Historie Galfridus Virunnius Matthew Westm Ranulph Higeden Caxton Harding Stowe Hollinshed and to write in his words most parte of Holinshed Hist Engl. lâ—b 3. cap. 4. Galfr. Mon. l. 3. Hâ—st c. 10. Vâ—run l. 3. Matth. West aetat 5. Ranulpâ— Higeden l. 1. c. 48 all our writers haue deliuered Galfridus calleth this Citie Kaerose Virunnius nameth it Caerusc the Monke of Westm Kaerusc Higeden termeth it Caerhuth And such nake it kept vntill the comming of the Romans hither when of their Legions wintring there it was named Caerlegion as also Chester was as the same Ranulphus which liued and wrote his Historie there with others witnesseth And this Caerusc was the Metropolis of those parts And as diuers of the Authours testifie Belinus seated an Archflamen there as he also confirmed the Archflamens of London and Yorke Thus among Harding Cron. f. 29. c. 33. others Harding relateth Three Archflamens he made through all Britaine As Archbishops now in our Lawes bene There Temples all to gouerne and domaine At Troynouant one Logres to ouersene Her fals Gods to serue and to queme At Ebranke an other for Albany And at Caerleon for Cambre one soueranly So hath Stowe with others And their generall agreement is that these Stowe Hist in Belâ—n were the cheife most renowned and Metropolitan Cities in Britaine which being so amply proued and so many consenting that there were Archflamens in them all so long before the coÌ„ming of Christ lesse Authoritie then we haue for this matter might serue vs to coÌ„fesse that seeing at the abolishing of these Pagan Rulers and Rites they ought to be and were changed into so many Archbishops or Metropolitans in Christian Religion And this is so euident a truth in Histories that the Protestant Bishop himselfe which before with one onely opposed against Archflamens freely confesseth that at this time Archbishops were placed in those three Cities in Britaine and in them onely where so many haue testified and shall testifie further hereafter these Archflamens were resident Thus he writeth At what time Christian Godwin Cat. of Bishops in London 1. p. 181. edit an 1615. Râ—â—â—gion 〈◊〉 first publiâ—ly receaued in this Island there were established in the same 28. Sees or Cathearâ—â—i Churches whereof three were Archbishopricks Yorke whose Prouince was Scotland and the North of England Caerlegion now called Carlcon vpon vsk to which the Churches of Wales where subiect and lastly London that had Iurisdiction ouer the rest of England 4. Therefore this which is the cheifest matter in this busines being thus granted by all and the other so sufficiently proued I will onely add to the former for the more euidency hereof the testimonie of some few others such as eyther were before the time of Geffery of MoÌ„mouth the Translatour of the Brittish History or tooke their notice from other Authours then that History Ranulphus Higeden in his Manuscript History citeh Alfridus Beuerlacensis who by a Protestant Bishop wrote an excellent History from the beginning of the Britans and coming of Brute hither to his owne time in the Reigne of King William the Bastard allmost 100. yeares before Geffery of Monmouth could write Ab origine Britannorum ad suam aetatem vsque contexuit Historiam Io. Bal. l. de Scrip. cent 2. in Alfrid Beueâ—lacen Alfâ—idus Beuerl apud Ranulph â—â—geden l. 1. c. 52 de Episcopâ—tâ—b in lâ—bro Manusc perpulchram And writeth as Ranulphus citeth him that in the time of Lucius the first Christian
was Founder of others namely Bangor in Wales which long continued in that state vntill it was after changed into so greate a Monastery of aboue 2000. Monkes as our Histories testifie A Protestant Bishop would haue an other Vniuersitie for so he calleth it by the name of Accademia Legionensis the Vniuersitie of Caerlegion which he would haue to be Westchester others rather take it for Caerlegion in Glamorganshire to haue bene founded in this time of King Lucius and to haue ended in the time and manner that Stamford did The Brittish Historie calleth it Gymnasium Philosophorum a Schoole of Philosophers and seateth it in Caerlegion vpon Vske in Glamorganshire making it a fourth distinct place from the Metropolitan Church and the Seuerall Churches of S. Iulius wherein were sacred Nonnes and S. Aaron of Canons Regular 7. And whereas the Authour of the Brittish Historie the Monke of Westminster and others haue told vs that these holy Legats with the assistance of King Lucius did not onely change the Pagan Temples vnto Christian Churches dedicating them to the onely true God and his Saints vno Deo eiusdem Sanctis dedicauerunt but diuersisque Ordinatorum Caetibus repleuerunt did replenish them with diuers companyes of parsons ordered or liuing in order that we should not be ignorant what they ment by this phrase of speach the one of them most auncient expoundeth himselfe after in the like case that he ment thereby how they placed Religeous men and women Monkes and Nunnes in diuers of those Churches Ecclesias vsque adsolum destructas renouat atque Religiosis Caetibus viroruÌ„ ac mulierum exornat Speaking this of King Galfr. Hist Brit. l. 9. c. 8. Arthur after he builded againe the Churches which the Pagan Saxons had destroyed And the very practise of these holy Legats and King Lucius doth proue no lesse for we finde diuers Religeous houses of both sexes whose Gulielm Malm. Manuscr Hist de Antiq. Caenobij Glaston foundation must needs be referred to this time First of the most auncient Monastery of Glasteâ—bury of which more hereafter diuers Antiquities beare witnesse that it being decayed and in a manner forgotten it was reuiued by these Legats and king Lucius Assistance and Religeous men placed there A Protestant Bishop produceth an old Manuscript which restifieth of an other then founded at Winchester onely his error is which the Antiquitie doth not say that it was the Cathedrall Church confounding them as one Godwin Catal. of Bish. in Wincester 1. Galfrid Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 8. c. 17. l. 10. c. 4. Mat. West an gratiae 498. Manuscr Antiq. Eccl. Winton whereas both the Brittish Historie and Matthew of Westminster make them two seuerall Churches otherwise he thus truely writeth a Church in Winchester according to a Report that I finde in an old Manuscript was first built and erected by King Lucius who abolishing Paganisine embraced Christ about the yeare of our Lord 180. and placing Monkes in the same allotted for their maintenance lardge Reueneâ—es which hearetofore had belonged for the most part vnto the Flâ—mins and other Heathen Preists And this Monastarie so continued vntill the Persecution of Dioclesian when it was destroyed and the Monks Martyred or dispersed yet vpon the ceasing of the Persecution it was presently within one yeare and thirtie dayes new builded and the Church hallowed and dedicated vnto the honour and memorie of S. Amphibalus that had suffered death for Christ in the late Persecution by Constans Bishop of Winchester in the yeare 309. the 15. day of March at the request of Deodatus Abbot The first Dedication of that Church in King Lucius time by the two Legats Faganus and Damianus Bishops was by that old Antiquitie October 29. 189. The Antiquities of Winchester make it more auÌ„cient it thus continued a famous Monastary vntill the yeare 519. at which time Cerdick the first King of the west Saxons being a Pagan conuerted the Church into the Temple of Dagon and either slewe or chased away all the Monkes This was that holy Sanctuary whether to the Altar of this Church one of the sonnes of Mordred did fly for succour against Constantine the YouÌ„ger who there cruelly slewe him before the Altar Constantinus filios Mordredi caepit alterum Iuuenem Guintoniae in Ecclesiam Sancti Amphibali fugientem ante altare trucidauit in the yeare 543. Galfr. Mon. Hist Brit. lib. 11. cap. 4. Westm an 543. Stowe Histor in Const Iunior Holinsh. Hist of Engl. Pits in Amphibal Iuniore Man Script callic Angl. antid Galfr. Mon. l. 8. c. 16. 24. Hist Gallic Manuscr an t Princ. or que nous cap. 47. An. 477. Galfrid Mon. Hist l. 8. c. 9. Annales Abingdon apud Harpesfeld decicimo saeculo pag. 203. Others say it continued within 17. yeares of Augustins comming hither others continue Christians there farre longer time 8. And the like I may say of the Monasterie in London where the other sonne of Mordred was cruelly put to death by the same King Constantine before the Altar alterum vero Londonijs in quorundam Fratrum Caenobio absconditum atque tandem iuxta altare inuentum crudeli more affecit Thâ—se Sanctuaries and priuiledges of these Churches and sacrifing Altars thus violated were of those Immunities before remembred which King Lucius endowed such sacred places with There was also an other Monastery at Anisbury where both Aurelius Ambrosius prope Caenobium Ambrij and by him Vther Pendragon was buryed by the Bishops and Abbots of the Prouince so many Abbies then Conuenerant Pontifices Abbates atque totus Clerus eiusdem Prouinciae tanti Regis funus procurauerunt This Monastery was builded there long before and then had 300. Monkes in it as diuers auncient Historians doe warrant vs. Besides these we reade also in the old Annals of Abington neare Oxford of the greate Antiquitie thereof that Constantine the greate was brought vp in or by that house that it had in those primatiue times of Christianity heare about 600. Monkes belonging vnto it whereof aboue 500. liued vpon their labour in the woods and Desarts adioyning and came to the Monastery vpon festiuall Euens and dayes and 60. others which euer continued in the Monastery in seruing God De Antiquitate illius caenobij celebritate illius ante Anglorum Aduentum multa refert quod Monachi supra quingentos illi fuerant asscripti qui per siluas loca deserta quae in vicinia fuere manuum labore victitabant ad caenobium singulis Sabbatis Dominicis conuenientes praeter sexaginta qui assiduè in ipso caenobio versanbantur quod Constantinus ille Magnus Abingdoniae educatus fuerat Wherefore seeing we finde litle S. Asaphus in Manuscr Vita S. Kentegerni Capgr Catal. in eod Godw. Cat. in S. Asaph 1. founding but rather desolation of such holy Monuments betweene the death of King Lucius and the YouÌ„ge of greate Constantine when this Monastery by the auncient Records
11. S. Claudias childrens paines and charges in furthering the Conueruersion of Britaine 199. 6. S. Claudia endeed her daies at Sabinum in Vmbria 161. 10. Claudius the Emperor banished the Iewes from Rome 82. 3. Claudius brought the Orcades and Anglesie into subiection 335. 4. S. Clement goes into Iury to receaue instructions about our Sauiour 19. 2. S. Clement conuerted by S. Peter ib. S. Clement was personally with S. Peter in Britaine 164. 3. 176. 5. S. Clement succeeded S. Cletus in the gouernment of the Roman See 173. 1. S. Clement constituted by saint Peter his successor 173. 2. S. Clement numbered after S. Cletus and S. Linus and why 174. 2. c. S. Clement yeelded the Papacy to S. Linus 175. 4. S. Clement twice Pope 176. 5. S. Clement sent Bishops into Britaine 177. 6. Sainct Clement sent Bishops into France ib. S. Clement by the prerogatiue of the See of Rome commanded the Bishops of the East to sēd Bishops and Preachers into the West ib. S. Clemant bānished by Traian into the Iland Chersonesus 185. 1. S. Clement Martyred ib. S. Cletus succeeded S. Linus in the See Apostolike 169. 1. Coel King of Britaine 373. 2. 452. 4. Coel Father to the Empresse Helena ib. Coel slaines Asclepiodotus 451. 2. Coel ceaseth the Persecution against Catholiques ib. Coel frees Britaine from the Power of the Romans ib. Coel enacteth a seueare Law against the Romans and their fauourers 453. 4. Coel in dread of Constantius 376. 5. or 373. 5. Coel concludeth a peace with Constantius ib. Coel gaue Constantius his daughter Helena in mariage ib. Coel either twice King or else not King vntill towards his death 376. 6. or 373. 6. Coel propably a Christian 453. 4. Coel his death 459. 3. Coillus whē King of Britaine 196. 1. Coillus begot Lucius in his old Age. ib. Coillus confirmed the Priuiledges of the Monastery of Glastenbury 198. 6. Coillus supposed to haue bene a Christian King 198. 3. Coillus was no Christian King 133. 5. Coillus in some sense may largely be called a Christian 134. 7. Coillus did probably write vnto Pope Alexander that he was willing to giue way to Christian Religion 198. 6. S. Columbanus write a Rule of Monasticall life 330. 6. S. Columbanus his Rule confirmed by Pope Honorius 330. 6. 332. 8. S. Columbanus a Monke of Bangor of our auncient Brittish Order ib. S. Columbanus founded many Monasteries both of Monkes and Nunnes of our old Order ib. The Mōkes of Lirinum vnited them selues with S. Columbanus in his Rule 332. 9 The 10. Commandements giuen by God in the Law of Moyses 244. 4 The 10. Commandements all of the Law of Nature excepting that of obseruing the Sabboth ib Commodus succeeded his Father Marcus Aurelius Antoninus in the Empire 247. 1. Commodus exceeded all former Emperours in impiety ib. Commodus fauorable to Christians ib. Communion vnder one kind vsed in the time of Pope Cornelius 381. 8. or 391. 8. Communion vnder one kind vsed in S. Syluesters time in the Church of Rome 539. 2. Conche S. Martins Sister and S. Patrikes mother v. Couche Sacramentall Confession in S. Syluesters time 538. 2. Confirmation allowed for a Sacracrament by S. Cyprian 382. 10. or 392. 10. Confirmation defined to be a Sacrament in the Councell of Arles 483. 2. Constantius Clorus elected Cesar 391. 1. Constantius employed in cruel warrs in Germany 418. 2. Constantius hath the recouery of Britaine committed vnto him 392. 1. 458. 1. Constantius twice in Britaine 376. 5. or 373. 5. Constantius concluds a peace with King Coel. ib. Constantius marrieth King Coels daughter Helena at his first comming into Britaine ib. Constantius mariage with S. Helena trew mariage euen by the Romā Lawes 458. 1. Constantius put away S. Helena 409. 4. Constantius by his diuorchment of Sainct Helena depriued himselfe of regall Power in Britaine 409. 4. Constantius receaues Theodora a Pagan Concubine vnder the name of wife 409. 4. Constantius mariage with Theodora adulterate 458. 1. Constantius receaueth againe his wife S. Helena 458. 1. This was at his second being in Britaine 376. 5. or 373. 5. Constantius no instrument of Persecution 409. 4. 460. 5. Constantius finding the Christians in Britaine free at the death of King Coel so preserueth them 411. 4. c. 460. 5. c. Constantius alwaies a worshipper of the trew God 410. 4. or 419. 4. Constātius memorable acte to make triall of trew Christians ib. Constantius restoreth Christian Religion in Britaine and other places 463. 2. c. Constantius permitteth Churches to be erected 464. 4 Constantius fals sicke at Yorke 465. 4. Constantius warned by an Angell to leaue the Empire to Constantine 396. 6. 465. 5. Constantius crownes his sonne Constantine Emperour and prophesieth that he should aduance Christian Religion 465. 5. Constantius dieth at Yorke 401. 9. The time of Constantius death 466. 6. or 464. 6. Constantius sumptuous buriall at Yorke ib. Constantius buriall performed according to some with Christian solemnities 412. 5. Constantius body found at Caernaruon and honorably emtombed among other Christians ib. Constantine the Great sonne of Cōstantius and S. Helena 396. 6. Constantine a Britan by birth ib. Constantine escapeth from Dioclesian and Maximian 465. 5. Constantine arriues safely at Yorke ib. Constantine crowned Emperour ib. Constantine proclamed Emperor in Britaine 467. 1. Constantine designed to be Emperor by God himselfe 467. 1. Constantine kept Britaine quiet for Religion ib. Constantine restored all holy places in Britaine ib. Constantine had his education at Abingdon 469. 3. Constantine in Britaine prepares warre against the infidell Persecutor 470. 1. Constantine carried with him from Britaine a greate Power of his Country Brittish Souldiars 542. 2. Constantine committed the gouernment of Britaine to the Roman Proconsuls 542. 3. Constantine a worshipper of Christ before his miraculous Conuersion 471. 2. Constantins miraculous Vision of the Crosse ib. Constantins Vision of Christ in his sleepe ib. Constantine commands Christ onely to be worshipped 472. 3. Constantins miraculous Victory against his Pagan enemies by the signe of the Crosse 472. 4. Constantine aduanceth Christian Religion in all places destroying Idolatry 472. 5. Constantins wonderfull care deuotion and expedition in establishing Christian Religion and destroying Idolatry 473. 5. Constantins greate reuerence to the signe of the Crosse the ensigne of his Victories 473. 6. 488. 6. Constantine troubled with a Leprosie 475. 2. Constantine counselled by the Pagan Flamens to wash himselfe in a Bath of childrens bloude 475. 2. Constantine abhorreth the fact restoreth the children with rewards ib. Constantins Vision of Sainct Peter and S. Paul ib. Constantins Baptisme Confirmation at Rome by Sainct Syluester ib. The miracles which happened thereat ib. Constantine did not prolonge his Baptisme so longe as some write 489. 1. c. Constantine made a publike Oration persuading to embrace Christian Religion 476. 4. Constātine puts out an Edict against the Iewes 480. 4. Constantine consented and in dew manner
Cornhill in King Lucius time are witnes So we euer kept vnuiolably with honor the memories of S. Ioseph of Aramathia S. Amphibalus sainct Alban S. Aaron Iulius and others Martyrol Rom. 28. die Octobr. Ado. Et Vsuard eodem die Engl. Martyrologe 28. Octobr. Beda Martyrol 28. Octob. all auncient CaleÌ„d Breuia Rom. in festo S. Simonis Chan. 28. die Octobr Protestant CoÌ„m booke die 28. Octobr in the seru of S. Simon and in Calendar 28. Octobr. Menolog Graec. 6. Id. Maij. Baron annot in Martyrol Rom. 28. Octobr. Venantius Fortunat l. 8. c. 4. Magdeburgen Centur. 1. col 586. l. 2. Crato in vita S. Simonis Iudae Abdias certain Apost lib. 6. Ant. part 1. tit 6. cap. 14. Pert. de Nat. l. 9. c. 115. Eutropius Persa l. de vit S. Simonis Iudae Anton. part 1. titul 6. ca. 28. §. 3. Petr. de Natal l. 4. c. 105. Guliel Eisengr Centen 1. part 6. dist 6. Vincent in specul Sabellic En. 7. lib. 4. Magdeburg Cenrur 1. supr l. 2. c. 10. col 584. Isidor lib. de vita morte Sanctorum Hartin Sâ—hedel Chron. fol. 107. S. Dorothaeus l. de 12. Apostolis 4. But all our historians of Antiquitie printed Manuscripts which I haue seene many both of our Brittans and Saxons agree with the whole Latine Church with all Martyrologes that be auncient as that of the Romans Ado Vsuardus and others that Natalis Beatorum Apostolorum Simonis Chananaei Thadaei qui Iudas dicitur Quorum Simon in Aegypto Thadaeüs in Mesopotamia Euangelium praedicauit deinde in Presidem simul ingressi cum innumeram gentis illius multitudinem Christi subdidissent martyrium consummarunt The natiuitie so the Church nameth the happy Martyrdome and death of Saints of the blessed Apostles Simon of Chananee and Thadaeus who is called Iudas the 28. day of October of the which Simon preached the ghospell in Egypt Thadaeus in Mesopotamia then entering together into Persia when they had made an innumerable multitude of that Nation subiect to Christ they consummated martyrdome So hath S. Bede in his Martyrologe so haue all auncient Calenders of Britans and Saxons So hath the whole Latine Church in the festiuitie of this holy Apostle to bind all English Christians as well Catholiks by the Rules before as Protestants by the commaunding squares of their Religion the Parlament and their CoÌ„munion Booke they all celebrate with the Latine Church the festiuitie of this glorious Apostle vpon the 28. of October when he suffered martyrdome as before with S. Iudas in Persia When they which hold he came into Britaine keepe his day vpon the sixt of the Ides of May the tenth day of that moneth 5. And this is the auncient opinion of the fathers concerning this holy Apostle that he with S. Iude was martyred in Persia among whom Venantius Fortunatus so renowned among our Protestants for S. Pauls preaching heare hath made it publike to the world thus testifying that he was martyred in Persia with S. Iudas neuer bringing him neare vnto this Nation Hinc Simonem ac Iudam lumen Persida gemellum Laeta relaxato mittit ad astra sinu And to ioyne forraing Protestants with these of EnglaÌ„d in this busines The Mardeburgians say plainely that if Nicephorus doth say that S. Simon preached the ghospell to the OccideÌ„tall Ocean Brittish Ilands he doth it without any certaine testimony Narrat sed sine certo testimonio Nicephorus EuangeliuÌ„ Simonem propagasse per regiones ad Occidentalem OceanuÌ„ sitas Insulas Britannicas Where they be so farre from allowing his coming to these Ilands that they accompt his preaching in the Contryes neare the west Ocean vnprobable and make him to be liuing in the East Countries and preaching there ending his life 50. yeares after this Iland had receaued the faith of Christ by these Protestants before And Crato the Disciple of these two Apostles S. Simon and Iudas followed them throughout 12. Prouinces of Persia writing all they did and suffered there by the space of 13. yeares the like hath Abdias The like hath Antoninus Petrus de Natalibus Eisengrenius and others Their liues also in the same manner were writteÌ„ by Eutropius a Persian sonne of Adimundus Xerxes King of Babylon both in the Chaldy and Greeke tonges To these I add Vincentius Sabellicus the Magdeburgian Protestants of Germany in their Centuries S. Isidor or whosoeuer the auncient author of the booke of the life and death of the Apostles who saith besides iacet in Bosphoro that he is buried in Bosphorus And died many yeares after his supposed death in Britaine The like hath also Hartmannus Schedel teaching that he both preached and suffered martyrdome in Persia also Dorotheus that auncieÌ„t Greeke father himselfe that is alledged to say that S. Simon the Apostle was crucified killed and buried in Britaine in Britannia crucifixus occisus ac sepultus est the greatest authoritie for his being heare is coÌ„trary to himselfe if so he should meane of this our Britaine for in the same place he maketh S. SimoÌ„ the Apostle to haue bene crucified in the East CouÌ„try in or neare Egypt cruci alligatus occisus est in Ostracina ciuitate Aegypti maketh S. Simon the Apostle Bishop of Hierusalem so neuer to come neare vnto Britaine So small is his Authoritie in the matter The Authour of Fasciculus temporum saith he was martyred in Persia Fasciculus temp an 74. with S. Iude. Simon Iudas martyrisati sunt in regionibus Persidis The auncient Anonymus that writeth the liues of the Apostles published by Frediricus Nausea Bishop of Vienna saith that S. Simon Iudas were sent by reuelation into Anonymus in vit passione SS Apostolorum Apostolorum Simonis Iude. Persia to confouÌ„d the wicked Sorcerers Zaroes and Arfaxard which had fled thither from S. Matthew the Apostle in Ethiopia and the Prince of Persia was then named Baradach that they had many Disciples there of which they ordeyned Preists DeacoÌ„s and other Clergy men that in one yeare they baptized aboue fourty thousands besides children and the King himselfe that they ordeined Abdias Bishop of Babilon that came with them from iury That Craton their Disciple wrote their liues which Iulius Africanus translated into Latine and after many miracles there wrought they were there martyred togeather with S. Sennes by whome they were harboured So that if we will beleeue either auncient or later Greeke or Latine or the Persians themselues Catholiks or Protestants or any thinge that can be preteÌ„ded for authoritie worthie to be followed in this matter S. Simon the Apostle was neither crucified killed buried or preached in or neare vnto this Nation 6. Wherefore I cannot in any wise giue allowance vnto him who not onely placeth him among the saints and Apostles of Britaine but citeth diuers auncient writers as he saith for this his relation In Persia the Passion of the gloroius Apostle S. Simon surnamed
high Pastorall chardge After the death of Nero others enioy the Empire a very shorte time in spirituall things so also at or soone after that time the supreame Gouernors in temporall affaires both in the Roman Empire and this kingdome of Britaine were changed Nero the Emperor the same yeare he Euseb in Chron. Matt. Westm in Galba Otho Vitell. Marrian Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. Martin Polon in Supput Flor. Wigorn. alâ—j Martyred the holy Apostles murthered himselfe and Galba was Emperor though a short time of sixe monethes or litle more and Otho who stewe Galba was an Emperor allthough of a lesse continuance for being in the fourth battaile he fought with Vitellius conquered by him hauing had victory in the three former impatient of dishonor killed himselfe bearing the name of Emperor but three monethes And Vitellius which triumphed ouer him enioyed as short an Imperiall life onely eight monethes long as his death for his cruell wickednes was dishonorable stabbed to death cast into the Riuer of Tyber and wanting buriall Cum Vitellius multa crudeliter ac nequiter Romae ageret minutissimorum ictuum punctionibus est excarnificatus ad Vespasian Emperour vltimum in Tyberim mersus communi caruit Sepultura After these Vespasian was Marius King in Britaine no Persecutor of ChristiaÌ„s but a freind and Benefactor to theÌ„ inuested in the Empire enioying it allmost eleuen yeares 2. In Britaine Marius commonly esteemed the sonne of Aruiragus and Genuissa the reputed daughter of Claudius was King and both these so farre from being enemies and Persecutors of Christians that King Marius is by diuers as I haue shewed before reported to be a Christian and by all opinions both a friend and Benefactor vnto them confirming vnto the Christian Eremites of Aualon S. Ioseph and his Associates those Donations liberties and Immunities which his Father King Aruiragus had formerly granted Iohn Harding Cronicle c. 47. vnto them And the Emperor Vespasian whas so friendly and fauourable to holy Christians that when he was in Britaine before he was Emperour as Vespasian Emperour also a freind to Christians and thought to haue beleeued in Christ Harding from more auncient Authours hath testified he procured those Immunities and Exemptions for S. Ioseph and his company which King Aruiragus endowed them with And I doe not doubt but he was so farre a Christian in iudgment that I may recompt him in the number of those first Emperours of whome Tertullian thus writeth The Emperours themselues would haue Tertullian Apol. contr gent. c. 21. beleeued in Christ if the Emperours had not bene necessarie to the world or men that where Christians might haue bene Emperours Sed Caesares credidissent super Christo si aut Caesares non essent saeculo necessarij aut si Christiani potuissent esse Caesares For we finde in auÌ„cient Histories Manuscripts and others written diuers Manusc French hist pr. Or que nous sommes hundred yeares since that this Vespasian being Miraculousely cured of a naturally irrecouerable desease by the power of Christ did plainely acknowledge him to be the sonne of God fuist le filz de Dieu And promised therevpon to reuendge his death vpon the Iewes Which he performed when he sacked Hierusalem and so slaued that people For executing which Iustice of God and desolation of the Iewish Nation this kingdome of Britaine though so farre distant thence was present there as both Haebrew English writers euen Protestant Ministers are witnesses with 20000. souldiers I 20000. Britans serued under Vespasian at the sacking of Hierusalem by VespasiaÌ„ and Titus reade saith a learned Protestant Antiquarie and Minister in Ioseph Bengorion a very authenticall Haebrew Authour a Testimony of the passing of twentie thowsand Britans valiant souldiers to the seige and fearefull sacking of Hierusalem vnder the conduct of Vespasian and Titus the Roman Emperour Therefore so many thowsands going so greate a Iorney to fight vnder so Christanly a minded Generall and for the Quarrell of Christ we cannot thinke but many of these were Ioseph Bengor apud Rich. Hakluit praef l. Nauigat Angl. also in iudgment Act or both Christians 3. And so we may worthely register Britaine for one of the first beleeuing Nations though so farre distant from the place of the life death and first preaching Credible that many of these Britans were Chsistians of Christ and boldly say it was the first cheifest principall or onely kingdome that sent so greate forces and so farre of through so many difficulties to execute the iust Reuendge of God vpon his Enemyes And the Christian either publike profession or knowne disposition of many Brittish Souldiars there mixed with the Romans vnder Vespasian must needs be a Motiue to iustifie his words for true to force Iosephus to those forcible complaints to the Iewes at that time that they could not expect any help froÌ„ God for as Oratio Iosephi ad Iudaeos Egesippus l. 5. excid Hierosolymitani cap. 15. they had forsaken him so he also had forsaken them And he that was wont to defend them was gone to the Romans their Enemyes who then worshiped the true God whome the Iewes had offended and the true God was with the Romans an praesidium speratur diuinum atque auxilium de penetralibus Sed qui nos defendebat ad hostem migrauit quoniam quem nos colebamus Romani venerantur nos offendimus Quis autem ignorat cum illis esse deum So that whether soeuer we goe where BritaÌ„s Iosephus Egesipp supr were in that time either in Iury about HierusaleÌ„ where the faith of Christ was first preached or Rome in Italy where the cheife Vicar of Christ was seated The cheife Rulers in Britaine friends to Christians in this time or in Britaine then termed by Iosephus and Egesippus an other world Quid attexam Britannias interfuso Mari a toto orbe diuisas a Romanis in orbem terrarum redactas We finde there were many Christians among them And their cheife Rulers euen in temporall affaires not vnchristinaly minded as Vespasian in Iury King Marius in Britaine at Rome Coillus his sonne afterward King heare brought vp at Rome euen from his Infancy hic ab Infantia Romae nutritus a greate friend to Christians both there and in Britaine when Matth. Westm an 78. Galfrid Monum li. 4. ca. 18. PoÌ„tic Virun Hist Brit. l. 4. Stow Hist in Coillus he came to Rule 4. And to come to the spirituall cheife Gouernour of the Church of Christ in the See at Rome in this time to defere the Question whether S. Linus or S. Clement immediately succeeded to S. Peter vntill I come to S. Clements place by common computation and heare to followe that opinion which the Church of Christ seemeth to preferre that S. Linus was S. Peters next successour in the Papall Gouernment Linus Pontifex primus post Petrum Breuiar Rom. die
preached heare in Britaine by such as he should thinke The King of Britaine Sedeth to Pope Alexander to haue Christian Preachers sent hither fittest for that designement Albertus Krantzius a worthie Historian and one which hath giuen light to diuers of our Antiquities relateth this matter thinking it was King Lucius which now began so timely to shew his loue and liking of Christian Religion Religionem Christi Lucius quondam Britanniae Rex ab Alexandro primo eius nominis summo Pontifice impetrauit in Insula praedicari Albert. Krātzius Metropol l. 1. c. 6. Matth. Westm an 115. Baron Annal. to 2. an D. 132. Zepherin Binnius in Vit. Alexandr to 1. Concil Matth. Westm an 124. 132. Io. Bal. l. de Scri. Brit. Cent. 3. pag. 143. in Matth. Florigero Prot. Publ. of Matth. West in Praefat. Which may well stand with the common opinion of King Lucius his owne conuersion in the time of Pope Eleutherius especially if we will folow Matthew of Westminster and his followers which haue told vs before that King Lucius was borne in the 115. yeare of Christ for by that accompt he was 18. yeares of Age at the Martyrdome of S. Alexander by the common opinion in the 132. yeare of Christ and King Coillus had then bene dead 7. or 8. yeares by Matthew of Westminster whome our Protestāt Antiquaries stile a man excellently learned in all kind of learning and in the right Supputation of yeares singular Vir suo seculo in omni genere bonarum literarum plane eruditus quantum ad Historiam in recta annorum supputatione singularis So we haue King Lucius old enough by this mans testimony so singular in Historicall Accompts to write to Pope Alexander of this matter before his death and iustifie the very words of the recited Antiquitie Or if we will followe the other opinion which I haue written to be more probable that King Coillus liued longer this hindereth nothing but either Lucius in the life of his Father might request this of Pope Alexander and King Coillus thought by diuers before to haue bene actually a Christian to haue giuen allowance vnto it or he himselfe being so persuaded in iudgment did so write to that holy Pope more moued vnto it by the example of the Emperour and so many Nobles of Rome whome he ment to followe at the least in performing that fauour to so many Britans now allready Christians and more desiring so to be which his proceedings were honorable in him though he himselfe intended not to be a Christian and offensiue to none in Authoritie whome he needed to feare And yet afterward seeing S. Alexander so cruelly King Coillus supposed by some to be a Christian put to death for that Religion did deferre to procure that happines to himselfe which he did to others But Harding supposeth him to haue bene a Christian and therevpon saith Lucius was the second Christian King of Britaine Harding Chron. 50. 51. in Coillus and Lucius And it will appeare hereafter that about this time there were diuers Christian Preachers sent into Britaine within few yeares after the death of Pope Alexander if not in his life they conuerted many heare to the faith of Christ among whome I may probably number S. Timothie Marcellus or Marcellinus and S. Saluine Of who me I shall speake more in the certaine time of S. Timothie an Apostolike Preist sonne to S. Claudia a noble Britaine probably sent into Britaine by Pope Alexander King Lucius his Reigne 4. Heare onely I say of S. Timothie a Britiane of this Nation by his holy Mother S. Claudia Sabinella who as diuers write preached in this kingdome sent hither by the Roman See Apostolike must needs be sent hither about this time For as the auncient Roman Martyrologe with others testifie he was at Rome and martyred there in the time of Antoninus Romae Sanctorum Martyrum Marci Timothei qui sub Antonino Imperatore Martyrio coronati sunt Petrus Merssaeus Catal. Archiep. Treuer in S. Marcello 20. Magdeburgen Cent. 1. l. 2. Martyrolog Rom. die 24. Martij Which Antoninus began his Empire in or about the yeare of Christ 138. within 6. yeares of the Martyrdome of S. Alexander Pope Therefore to allowe him but competent and ordinary time for his coming hither from Rome where he was borne and liued his aboade heare returne to Rome againe and being there before his Martyrdome I cannot finde any fitter time or parson when and by whom he was sent hither then Pope Alexander sollicited by our King of Britaine to send such to preach heare and no S. Marcellus a Britan and Bishop preached heare in his time man more fitt then he by his Mother a Britane and so not vnskilfull in the Britans tongue and their affaires 5. S. Marcellus also was a noble Britan of this Nation and had preached heare and among others persuaded King Lucius to embrace the faith of Christ departed so soone hence at that time that he was the third Bishop of Caspar Bruch Cat. Episc Tungren Petr. Merssaeus Catal. Archiep Treuer Anton. Democh. l. 2. contra Calu. Guliel Eisengr centen 2. Tungers the first being S. Maternus S. Peters Disciple and by him sent with others thither into those parts the second Auitus our blessed Countryman the next continuing that See 29. yeares and was after Archbishop of Treuers where he was martyred and S. Metropolos succeeded him as the Annals of Treuers witnesse in the second yeare of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus long before the commonly supposed time of King Lucius Conuersion By which accompt he must needs be a Preist or Bishop heare in this time I haue now in hand Annal. Eccles Verdun Rich. de Wasseburg l. r. f. 32. antiq de la Gaule Belgique 6. So I say of S. Saluine the third Bishop of Verdune in Lorayne termed by the Annals of that Church long before King Lucius his death to haue bene his old acquaintance which must needs be heare in Britaine long time before and giueth some argument he was also borne in this kingdome And no man will doubt but King Coillus which in his younger time and S. Saluin probably Bishop heare in this time and a Britan. when Christian Religion was more persecuted by the Roman Emperours their Augustals Proconsulars Lieutenants and other Prefects in Prouinces then now it was and eyther vpon his owne pietie to that holy profession or at the suite and petition of Christians heare or their friends had as all the Antiq. Glast in Tab. ligneis Guliel Malm. l. de antiq Caenob Glaston Io. Capgr in Catal. in S. Ioseph ab Aramathia Etalij Antiquities of Glastenbury William of Malmesbury with others witnes confirmed to the Christian Eremits there those priuiledges which his Accestours King Aruiragus and Marius had granted before would now in more easie times be persuaded to write to Pope Alexander then the most renowned man in the Christian world
and the other Meduuinus made Preist were sent backe againe to preach in Britaine Consilio Senioris Romae placuit â—osdem Legatos baptizari Catholica fide suscepta ordinari Eluanum in Episcopum Meduninum autem in Doctorem Antiquit. Eccles Landaffeâ— Thus haue the auncient Antiquities of the Church of Landaffe and others Therefore I doe not see how it is probable that these men being but Catechumens should preach that faith to King Lucius before their going to Rome they themselues hauing not yet embraced it And much lesse dare I so boldly affirme as a Protestant Bishop and Antiquarie doth perhaps more for his hate to Rome then loue of truth and by good warrant that Eluanus and Meduuinus had often inculcated the faith of Christ to King Lucius Qui eandem ipsi fidem saepius inculcassent But to excuse this man he holdeth before that they Bal. l. de Scriptor Brita centur 1. in Eluan Meduuino were both baptized by Apostolike meÌ„ heare in Britaine were become Preists to preach and Minister the Sacraments and were recompted among the most renowned heare for those offices before they were sent to Rome Eluanus Meduuinus Britannorum Doctores in Britannia nati imbibitis primum Ethnicorum litteris scientiam habebant cum eloquentia non infaeliciter coniunctam Per Apostolicos viros tandem in Christo renati adeo Scripturis sacris operam dederunt vt in dispensandis Dei Ministerijs inter primos haberentur Per eos igitur vt per illos qui candem ipsi fidem saepius inculcassent litteris suis Rex Lucius ad Eleutherium Pontificem egit vt apud Romanos Christianorum adscriberetur numero If he had proued this by any allowed Authoritie we might haue harkned vnto him but citing none for any thing here affirmed but Ihon Capgraue Ioanne Capgrauio teste for King Lucius sending Eluanus and Meduuinus to Rome which no man denieth I dare not second him in the rest which he findeth no warrant to affirme Yet doe I not denie hauing proued so much before that as this man teacheth there were Apostolici viri diuers Apostolike men then in Britaine perswading King Lucius and his subiects to the Religion of Christ Such I seeke in particular and not Catechumens and yet more then probable it is that neyther Eluanus nor Meduuinus was eyther Christian or Catechumen at this time nor diuers yeares after or els we must make them to haue stayed at Rome aboue twenty yeares fot their better Instruction Baptisme and Consecration For I haue proued before that there was so long time euen from the death of this present Pope Higinius of whose dayes we now entreate and the beginning of the Papacie of S. Eleutherius to whom as Pope Eluanus and Meduuinus were sent by King Lucius So that finding no warrant to allow them Preists or Preachers as yet I must reserue them to King Lucius conuerted to the faith with many of his Subiects Nobles and others by S. Timothie and Marcellus BritaÌ„s their true time and place where I shall giue them their worthely due and deserued honour 3. But we finde some Apostolike men in this very time to haue preached the faith in Britaine to King Lucius himselfe as well as to his subiects and these to haue bene of this Nation though by warrant and Authoritie from the Apostolike See of Rome Among these two are cheifely commended vnto vs in this busines S. Timothie and S. Marcellus or Marcellinus And to begyn with S. Timothie we finde that he preuay led so farre with King Lucius that by his learning our King was induced to the Religion of Christ S. Lucius Britanniae Rex S. Timothei eruditione ad Religionem Christi inductus est Petrus Mâ—â—ssâ—us in Catal. Archiepisc Treuer in S. Marcello alias Marcellino Henric. Pantal. de vir Illustrib Germ. part 1. p. 116. Io. Naucler vol. 2. general pag. 565. Io. Caius l. 1. Antiq. Cant. Academ Legenda S. Timothei Petrus de Natalib l. 1. c. 24. Harris Theat l. 1. And to make this an opinion both of Catholiks and Protestants Henricus Pantaleon writeth that King Lucius of Britaine was the Disciple of S. Timothie S. Lucius ex Regio Britannorum sanguine Timothei Discipulus And citeth the Magdeburgian Protestants Stumphius and the Annalls of Curre in Germany And Nauclerus with others writeth plainely that one S. Timothie came into Britaine and Lucius King of Britaine and his kingdome of Britaine did receaue the faith of Christ from him Lucium Britanniae Regem cum tota Britannia à Timotheo Apostolo qui in Britanniam venerat fidem recepisse Where we see this matter constantly affirmed both by Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries that King Lucius did receaue the faith from one S. Timothie and he was so renowned that he is stiled an Apostle at the least to King Lucius and the Brittish Nation And that we might the better come to notice what S. Timothie this was that so deserued of this kingdome they doe allmost Indiuiduate him when they agree it was one S. Timothie Disciple to S. Paule the Apostle Of this name which can in any probable sence be termed S. Paules Disciples we finde but two remembred in Histories S. Timothie Bishop of Ephesus to whom S. Paule wrote two Epistles part of holy Scripture and S. Timothie sonne of our noble Countrywoman S. Claudia honoured in holy Scripture S. Pius Papa 1. Epist ad Iustum Viennens Epiâ—c Tom. 1. Biblioth Sanct. by S. Paules penne who as S. Pius Pope of Rome writeth was ab Apostolis educatus brought vp by S. Peter and Paule and so might iustly be termed Disciple to eyther of them and very probably tooke his name from the other S. Timothie familiarly acquainted in his parents house as appeareth in the same Epistle where it is also manifest that this youÌ„g S. Timothie and his holy Parents were of the most faithfull Disciples which S. Paule then had as they were also to S. Peter and his next following Successours for when allmost all had forsaken him in his imprisonment before his death these remayned constant and ministring vnto him And allthough S. Timothie was then 2. Tim. 4. very young yet now being come to be of auncient yeares was an holy Preist had performed the exhortation of Christ to perfection to giue all to the poore and followe him for he had giuen ouer his Patrimony leauing his house at Rome called of his name Timothinae Timothies house and preached the Ghospell And being by his Mother a Brittan remembred by the example and writing of S. Paul to haue an especiall care of this his Couâ—â—â—y and to manifest his true loue to it to winne it to Christ as he had before performed the same to the Natiues thereof which were at Rome So that if these Historians which testifie King Lucius was conuerted or persuaded to the faith of Christ by S. Timothie and said no more that he was S. Pauls Disciple
his next and immediate Successor S. Metropolus saying that he was Archbishop there in the second yeare of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Catal. Treuer Arch. supr Metropolus caepit tempore M. Aurelij Antonini anno secundo Marcus Aurelius Antoninus beginning his Empire by accompts betweene the yeares of Christ 158. and 163. though S. Metropolus did presently succeede to S. Marcellus Matth. Westm an 159. Marian. Scot. an 163. Bar. Tom. 2. Annal. an eod in the Archbishops See of Treuers S. Marcellus left that greate chardge to come hither to returne thither againe and be Martyred before the second yeare of Marcus Aurelius King Lucius must needs be a Baptized Christian before the 165. yeare of Christ long before Pope Eleutherius Papacy And if we followe the Annals of Tungers telling vs that when he was Bishop there King Lucius a ChristiaÌ„ Baptized by S. Marcellus a Britaine longe before the Papacy of S. Eleutherius assisting S. Timothie long before he came to Treuers he performed this holy office in Britaine we are enforced to say that he stayed heare very short time which will not serue to conuert a King and Country Lucium cum tota gente conuertit And presently posted bake with as greate celeritie to Treuers and without stay or ceremony was admitted Archbishop and as presently was Martyred very vnprobable things or els we most say he preached heare at the same time S. Tymotheus did and assisted in the conuersion of King Lucius which the Annals Catal. Archiep. Treuer supr of Treuers themselues sufficiently proue when they say that S. Marcellus after his rerturne from the Conuersion of King Lucius Sancte prudentissime praefuit he ruled the Archiepiscopall See there holily and most prudently Catal. Archiepis Tâ—euer in S. MaÌ„sueto Which to be truely and so certainely affirmed of the gouerment of so greate and lardge a Prouince as Treuers then was and still is requireth no short experience and space of time 7. I may reckon in this number our first Preist and Bishop I finde of this Nation S. Mansuetus consecrated by S. Peter the Apostle first Bishop of Tullum in Lorraine and after Archbishop of Treuers before S. Marcellus often coming into Britaine as I haue proued before liuing very long euen to S. Eleutherius time as many then did and among others S. Maternus his Predecessor Disciple also of S. Peter gouerned the Sees of Treuers Cullen and Catal. Archiep. Treuer in S. Materno Tungers vntill the yeare 133. and so may not be depriued of all the glory of the Conuersion of King Lucius and his people The like I may probably affirme of S. Thean after Archbishop of London S. Sampson or Theodosius or S. Mansuetus Thean Sampson and others probably preached here in this time both Archbishops after at Yorke and others For if S. Eluan one of King Lucius his Ambassadors to Rome about the Conuersion of Britaine and there consecrated Bishop by the Pope did giue place to Sainct Thean to be Archbishop of London before him and he was his Successor we must needs conceaue that S. Thean had bene long time Bishop before as many others heare were otherwise Sainct Eluan in so greate honor for his Ambassadge and consecration at Rome and that praise is giuen him in Histories for his vertue and learning would before the death of S. Thean in the Vacancy of 3. Archbishopricks and 28. Bishops Sees then in Britaine haue had a greate honor before that time and his Companion S. Meduuinus so prime and excellent a man should haue returned a Bishop from Rome and not onely a Doctor but that there were many worthie and learned Bishops heare then in Britaine deseruing or actually hauing that Prerogatiue before him And were or could so many Archflamens Flamens be conuerted in the generall Conuersion and embraced Christian Religion if none of them had resigned their places before Or who can imagine that King Lucius entered into such a Dispute of Learning without consultation with his learned Flamens and Archflamens which then ruled not onely in spirituall but temporall affaires Or how could he and his temporall Nobles be conuerted except the others were first conuicted to be in error How can it with credibilitie be conceaued that so many of those cheife Gentile Preists should willingly relinquish their professions and most of them be made and consecrated Christian Preists and Bishops by the common opinion except many of them had professed Christianitie before New Conuerties might not by the lawe of Christ be admitted to that charge and dignitie in his Church 8. And of this opinion are or ought to be our Cambridge Antiquaries in expresse termes testifiing that King Lucius sent Eluanus and Meduuinus Io. Caius histor Cantabrig p. 22. to Rome about his Conuersion in the yeare of Christ 156. and it was in the yeare 178. before they returned hither againe to exercise their Preistly function which they had receaued at Rome id egit anno Domini 156. regni sui 18. King Lucius sent these Ambassadors to Rome in the 156. yeare of Christ and 18. of his Reigne Regem Baptizarunt anno Domini 178. and either they or Damianus and Fugatianus Baptized the King and his Subiects in the yeare of our Lord 178. which was 22. yeares after the first sending of Eluanus and Meduuinus to Rome by these men The olde Manuscript of the life of S. Helen our contry Manuscr Antiq. de Vita S. Helenae Capgrau in Catal. in eadem woman and holy Empresse with Capgraue and others follwing it testifie the same when they say that King Lucius soone after his Fathers death being but young in yeares in inuenili aetate did send Epistles to the Pope of Rome humbly entreating to be made a Christian by his direction Lucius ex Patre Coillo optimae indolis puer in Inuenili aetate senilem animo canitiem moribus praeferebat Qui cum defuncto Patre Regni diademate insignitus fuisset exitum suum praeferri volens principio à Spiritu Sancto edoctus Epistolas Papae humiliter direxit petens vt ab eo fidem Christianam recipere mereretur The like hath the Authour of the Brittish Historie Galfrid Monum Hist Reg. Brit. l. 4. c. 19. Pontic Virun l. 4. Brit. Hist and Virunnius who seemeth to alledge Gildas in the same sence when he saith he writeth many things in many places of King Lucius de quo Gildas multa tradit multis in locis And allthough it is now in the Copies of these Authours or most of them that this messadge was sent to Eleutherius it cannot be but that name is in them mistaken Eleutherius being neither Pope nor probably Preist when by these Authours these men and messadge was sent to Rome by King Lucius a young man and newly crowned for Matthew of Matth. Westm an gratiae 124. Manuscrip Antiquit in the Church of S. Peter in Cornhill in London Matth. Westm
Wigor 198. 220. Matth. Westm An. 205. 206. noble Parents constat Seuerum fuisse Maiorum claritudine nobilissimum yet not able to describe his Auncestrie doth sufficiently proue him a stranger to those Countryes and their Historians And to make further Manifestation herein allthough he was borne in Afrike about Tripolis so farre from Britaine yet he had Marryed a Brittish Lady as diuers of the same Authours and others testifie and had by her Bassianus his sonne after King of Britaine and Emperour also Some say her name was Martia and the first wife of Seuerus and Sister of Fulgentius the Britan that warred against and slew Seuerus at Yorke Fulgenius Matris Bassiani frater as the Brittish History reporteth And this Brittish Lady could not be Married to Seuerus after his comming into Britaine but longe before where he then liued in the East parts of the world For in Britaine he liued but a short time by our Protestants calculation in their Catalogue of the Kings of Britaine 4. yeares The Magdeburgian Protestants haue the like accompt following Eusebius Florentius Wigorniensis maketh his aboade heare but three yeares The Monke of Westminster scarcely alloweth him 2. yeares continuance heare The like haue others all agreeing he was old and feeble at his comming hither Yet Bassianus his sonne by our Dio in Caracalla Brittish Lady was so old at his death that he succeeded him both in this kingdome and the Empire who being Emperour but 6. or 7. yeares was as Dio and others write at his death goeing on his 29. yeare of Age aetatis annum agens vndetrigisimum Allmost 20. yeares olde when his Father first landed in Britaine 4. Therefore it is so farre from being a disproofe of Seuerus his discent from the Regall Race of our BritaÌ„s because he was borne in Afrike that liued so remote from hence with so many difficulties ioyning himselfe in Marriadge with a Lady of Briraine of so Noble a Family that her brother claimed to be King heare is a pregnaÌ„t ArgumeÌ„t that he also was of our Brittish kingly Race and so discended as our Antiquarie hath before described And in this respect being the fittest most likely maÌ„ by his true Title to the Crowne of Britaine with the vnion of the Roman Brittish forces to appease the Tumults heare Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Harding Chron. in Seuer c. 52. alij by this his vndoubted Right to the Crowne of Britaine he was so coÌ„fident to effect this designe that he brought but two Legions of Roman Souldiers to assist him For the more willing enterprise whereof Britaine the Natiue Country of his Empresse she still liuing and Bassianus their sonn 's vndeniable Title to be King heare after his Father called vpoÌ„ him to take this expeditioÌ„ in his owne parson otherwise most vnfitt for such a Iorney and attempt for as diuers write he was not onely olde but so lame and trobled with the Goute that for the most part he was carried in his bed-couche Senex iam morbo articulari Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 5. f. 87. laborans lectica plurimum vehebatur Thus it appeareth how probable it is that Seuerus was not onely discended of the Line of our Brittish Kings but was immediate true Heire to the Crowne of Britaine for being granted that he was right Heire to Androgeus the eldest sonne of King Lud there could be Galfrid Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 3. c. 20. l. 4. c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Matth. Westm aetat 5. ca. 25. 26. 27. 28. Hard. Chron. c. 41. 42. 43. 44. Holinsh. Hist of Engl. l. 3. c. 10. Stowe and Howes Hist in Lud. Cassibelan Theomantius Balaeus l. de Scri. Brit. centur 1. in Fulgenio none to claime it before him For it is the generall consent of our Historians Brittish or Saxons Catholiks or Protestants that King Lud left two sonnes behinde him younge at his death the forenamed Androgeus being the eldest vndoubted Heire of Britaine and Theomantius or Tenancius the secoÌ„d two Brothers Cassibelan which next ruled in respect of the Minoritie of his nephewes Androgeus the eldest going a way with Iulius Caesar and Nennius after CassibelaÌ„ by the departing hence of the eldest brother Androgeus Theomantius ruled After whome Aruiragus Marius Coillus and Lucius by whose death without Issue or Heire in Britaine the immediate true Right of this kingdome belonged to Seuerus And after Seuerus his death Bassianus his onely sonne by the Brittish Empresse his wife Sister to Fulgenius of the Regall blood of Britaine Fulgenius vir sanguine Regio clarus and so neare Titler to the Crowne that he with greate assistance aduaunced his claime vnto it being both by Father and Mother his Father Vncle taken away by death the next immediate Heire was both King of Britaine and Emperour by all Antiquities And by this we finde how vntrue or to no purpose the supposed Decree of the Roman Senate was to disable those to gouerne heare which discended of Brittish Parents THE VI. CHAPTER OF THE STATE OF CHRISTIANS ESPECIALLY in Britaine in the time of Seuerus vnder whome allthough in some parts there was greate persecution of Christians yet not heare in Britaine but the Christians were heare in quiet without affliction 1. NOW to speake somewhat of Seuerus his Alienation or affection from or to Christian Religion it is the common opinion and our owne Antiquaries be of the same that in diuers places of the Empire he was an enemy so farre vnto it that many terme him the fift Persecutor among the Emperours after Nero and many Christians in diuers Prouinces were Martyred in his Empire Post Neronem Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. an 283. Matth. Westm An. 195. Florâ—nt Wigor in Cron. An. 189. 211. Iudas Scrâ—ptor Eccle. teÌ„pore Seueri apud Euseb l. 6. c. 6. Baron To. 3. Annal. An-204 Spartianus in Seuero Euseb in Chron. l. 6. c. 2. Hier. l. de Scrip. Eccl. in Origene c. 54. Magd. coÌ„t 3 Dio. Hist Rom. l. 51. Acta S. Phil. Martyris apud Baron To. 2. An. 204. notaâ— in Martyr 13. Sept. Martyr Rom. 13. Septemb. Bâ—d Vâ—nard Ado. eod die Act. S. Philipp supr Cornel. Tacitus l. 17. Seuerus quintam Persecutionem in Christianos excitauit plurimique Sanctorum per diuersas Prouincias Martyrio coronantur And it is so certaine by all forreine Antiquities that there was such Persecution in his time that it was allmost a common opinion that the comming of Antichrist was at hand as an Ecclesiasticall Writer of that time hath left to Posteritie propterea quod persecutionis tumultus contra nos excitatus multorum mentes tam grauiter perturbaret Antichristi aduentum omnium ore atque sermone iactatum iam tum appropinquare arbitratus est Yet we doe not finde any expresse Edict or Prohibition of him vntill about the tenth yeare of his Empire When as
Iulia his second wife a Roman if she may be termed a wife his first lawfull still liuing He reigned as Baronius contendeth 17. yeares 8. moneths and 3. dayes But our Historians make Baron An. D. 195. 213. Flor. Wigorn. Chron. An. 180. 202. his Empire somewhat longer Matthew of Westminster maketh him Emperour compleate 18. yeares Romanum consecutus Imperium imperauit annis 18. Florentius Wigorniensis citing Cassiodorus and the Roman Historie saith he was Emperour 18. yeares and 3. Moneths Seuerus regnauit annis 18. teste Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. in Seuero Galfr. Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun Hist l. 5. Matth. Westm an 206. Ioan. Harding Chron. c. 53. Bal. l. de Script Brit. cent 1. in Fulgenio Audaci Cassiodoro mensibus etiam tribus secundum Historiam Romanam Marianus Scotus saith he held the Empire 19. yeares Cum 19. annis Seuerus tenuisset Imperium decessit And whereas it is generally agreed vpon both by our Brittish and Saxon Historians and Antiquaries whether Catholiks or Protestants that Fulgenius after his former discumfiture by Seuerus went ouer into Scythia interpreted to be that Country which now is called Denmarke and brought with him a greate Armie of the people of that Nation which our Antiquities call Picts before he fought with Seuerus and they both there were slaine or died at Yorke Fulgenius cum diutius resistere nequiuisset transfretauit in Scythiam vt Pictorum auxilio dignitati restitueretur Cumque ibi omnem InuentuteÌ„ Patriae collegisset reuersus est cum maximo nauigio in Britanniam atque Eboracum obsedit these were none of the Christian Picts or Scots which liued in our Ilands who had ioyned with Fulgenius before and many of them were slaine as the same Authours testifie conâ—ucebat in auxilium sibi quo scumque Insulanos populos inueniebat but they were Pagan Picts of whome many remaining heare after the death of these two Generals they had a place giuen vnto them to Inhabite in the Country Albania Carausius vt triumphum habuit dedit Pictis locum mansionis in Albania vbi cum Britonibus mixti per sequens aeuum Galfr. Mon. supr c. 3. Fabian Hist Polychron Wil. Harrison descri of Brit. c. 22. Hollinsh Histor of Engl. l. 4. c. 23. Bed Hist Eccles l. 1. Capgr in S. Niniano Hect. Boeth Scotor Hist l. 7. Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Ninia Bernicio manserunt Thus write our Brittish Historians and our Protestant Antiquaries agree when they say that Carausius gaue vnto the Scots Picts and Scithians the Country of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited And these were those Pagan Picts and people which S. Ninian and others sent from Rome did longe after conuert to the faith of Christ as S. Bede and others testifie for the Ilanders which were Picts and Scots were conuerted in Pope Victor his time as I haue declared before which is an other Argument against the Scottish writers which would haue themselues seated in the Country now called Scotland so long a duration of yeares as they haue claymed before THE VII CHAPTER HOW IN THE TIME OF BASSIANVS SONNE of Seuerus being Emperour he was both in Britaine whence he was discended and other places he was a friend to Christians and Persecutour of their Persecutours How S. Zepherine the Pope then sent diuers Apostolike men into Britaine 1. AS soone after the death of the Emperour Seuerus the TeÌ„porall state of our Britans being freed from many surges waues of calamities did finde a calme So the Church of Christ especially in this kingdome eÌ„tered thereby into an harbour of some ease and quietnes from such enormities afflictioÌ„s as vsually growe and happen in such times For the Quarrell for this kingdome being principally betweene Seuerus and Fulgenius their Complices and Confederats allthough Seuerus was actually slayne in that bloody conflict at Yorke yet Fulgenius followed presently after being by all Writers mortally wounded in the same Battayle Fulgenius laethaliter vnlneratus est And for Posteritie the Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matt. Westm An. 206. Harding Chron. c. 53. condition of Seuerus was farre berter then that of Fulgenius for whether the Britons or Romans should preuayle in choosing a King or Emperour Seuerus leauing two Sonnes one of the Brittish the other of the Roman blood left prouision for both euents When the case of Fulgenius was not such he himselfe not noted to haue had any true Title to the Crowne of Britaine but chosen King or Captayne of them which would not admitt the Romans Gouernment duce Fulgenio and Fulgenius Dux populi profligati And King Fulgenius Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matt. Westm supr Hard. supr elected to be King rather of Loue and necessitie then by any Title he had so to be And if he had any Right by discent to the Crowne of Britaine seeing we reade of no child or Brother he left behinde him that Title which he claymed must needs discend to the eldest Sonne of Seuerus which was Bassianus Sonne also to the Sister oâ— Fulgenius as some before haue written now hauing by the death of his Father Seuerus and vnkle Fulgenius both their Titles with the allowance of the Empresse Martia his Mother lawfully inuested in him 2. Therefore to decide and end all Controuersies in this busines the Britans with common assent did chuse and accept Bassianus both for their King being the next and vndoubted Heire whether we shall staÌ„d eyther vpon his Fathers or vnkles Title and also for Emperour as the Eldest Sonne and Heire of Seuerus vndoubted Emperour and for his leauing Sonnes behinde as the cheifest cause made a God among the Romans So writeth Herodian with others Mos est Romanis consecrare Imperatores qui superstitibus filijs vel successoribus Herodian l. 4. moriuntur And an English Protestant Antiquarie though not citing Authoritie deliuereth the same in these words The Romans accustome to consecrate Stowe Hist Romans in Seuerus with Immortalitie such Emperours as at their death leaue eyther children or Successours in the Empire behinde them And those which are endued with that honour they canonize amongst the Gods Therefore to vse the speach of an other Protestant Historian from Antiquitie Seuerus by birth a Roman but in blood a Harrison descr of Britaine c. 22. Manuscr Gallic Antiq. cap. 109. Galfr. Mon. l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matth. West an 206. Harding Chron. in Seuerus Bassianus Holinsh. Hist of Eng. l. 4. cap. 22. Harris descript of Brit. c. 22. Tertull. ad Scapul c. 4. Spartian in Caracall Briton and the lineall Heire of the body of Androgeus Sonne of Lud and Nephew to Cassibelan was Emperour and King of Britaine Geta borne of a Roman woman Iulia was chosen Emperour by diuers Romans but soone after slayne by his halfe Brother Bassianus the Briton This
Bassianus reigned alone both Emperour and King of Britaine vntill his death Besides his hereditarie Title to this kingdome it seemeth that the Christian Britans heare were not a litle moued to chuse and receaue him for their King for the hope they had that he would eyther become a Christian or at least a friend and no Enemy to that Profession of which in his youth and tender yeares he had giuen no vulgar Argument for besides many other hopefull graces and gifts he was then endued with and brought vp by a Christian Nurse and Christian children when he did see any Christian Martyrs brought to wild beasts to be killed and deuoured he would weepe or turne his face away as Spartianus is an ample witnes Si quando feris obiectos damnatos vidit fleuit aut ocolos auertit And being but seuen yeares old hearing that one of his Christian Playfellowes was greeuously beaten for that his Religion as the common interpretation is he could not long after enduer the Procurers of his beating by the same Authour Septennis puer cum collusorem suum puerum ob Iudaicam religionem grauius verberatum audisset neque patrem suum neque patrem pueri vel Authores Spartian supr verberum diu respexit Where the Pagan Authour by the Iewes Religion as often such men doe vnderstandeth Christian Religion which both his Nurse and this Playfellow of Bassianus her Sonne did professe And in this hope of the Britans now Christians that â—assianus would rather be a friend then Persecutour of such they were not deceaued for allthough contrary to his first education when he was with Christians being separated from them he fell to such and so many kindes of Impietie as Histories doe recompt and putt an innumerable company of the Pagan Roman Nobles to death and many of them which had bene greatest Enemies to Christians yet he died innocent from Christian blood and Persecution and by his seueare punishmeÌ„t towards their aduersaries iustly to be interpreted a Reuenger of their wrongs and former calamities The common opinion is that he reigned betweene 6. and 7. yeares Allthough I finde in an old French Manuscript Historie entreating Manuscr Gallic Antiq. c. 109. much of the affaires of this kingdome written aboue 400. yeares since that he was King of Britaine 29. yeares Bassian tenoit le Roilme de Bretaine 29. ans 3. All Bassianus his time and diuers yeares before in the Empire of Seuerus S. Zepherine was Pope of Rome who as our Protestant Antiquaries acknowledge being giuen wholly to the seruice of God more then earthly things ended his life with holy Martyrdome Zepherinus rei diuinae magis quam Ioh. Bal. l. 1. de Act. Rom. Pont. in Zephermo Robert Barns in Vit. Pont. Rom. in eod Matth. Parker Antiq. Brit. c. 17. humanae intentus Martyrio coronatus est These ProtestaÌ„ts also doe relate many worthy Actes of this holy Pope amoÌ„gst which these they sett downe at large in their publike Writings He Decreed saye they that Preists should not consecrate the blood of Christ in a Chalice of wood That all which were of yeares of discretion should communicate at Easter at the least euery yeare That Preists should be present when the Bishop said Masse That a Bishop accused should not without the Authoritie of the Pope of Rome be condeÌ„ned in Iudgment eyther by Primate Patriarke or Metropolitane Sanguinis Christi coÌ„secrationeÌ„ no in calice ligneo fieri debere statuit Omnes iaÌ„ Puberes vt semel in Anno ad Paschatis Ferias Eucharistiam sumerent edixit CuÌ„ Episcopus celebraret Missae sacra iussit omnes Presbyteros adesse Sine Romani Pontificis authoritate accusatuÌ„ EpiscopuÌ„ nec a Primate nec à Patriarcha nec à Metropolitano in iudicio coÌ„demnanduÌ„ esse This holy Pope as I haue cited before from Iacobus Genuensis others consenting thereto conuerted our renowned Countryman S. Amphibalus which Iacob Genuen Episc in Catal. Sanct. in S. Amphibalo Author of the Engl. Martyrol die 25. Iunij Io. Lidgâ—te Monac Buâ—iens in â—ius Vita Gerar. Liâ—gh in â—udim Insignium wonne by his preaching life and death after so many thowsands of this Nation to Christ Of whome a late Writer citing diuers Antiquities thus writeth S. Amphibale being a Noble young man of Britany and going to Rome with Bassianus Sonne to Seuerus Viceroy of the Britans was there by Pope Zepherinus instructed secretly in the Christian saith baptized made Preist and sent back into Britaine there to preach vnto others Neyther may we with prudence iudge that so greate a concourse of our Brittish Nobilitie being then at Rome and S. Amphibalus thus conuerted a greate Noble man termed in Antiquities the Sonne of a Prince and so not without attendance that he alone was thus conuerted and employed by that holy Pope at this time And not vnprobable but some of those holy Apostolike men which are yet remembred in Histories to haue assisted S. Amphibalus afterward in preaching Christ in Veremuâ—d apud Hâ—câ—or Boeth Scoâ—or Hist l. 6. f. 102. Holâ—insh Hist of Scotl. in Chrathlint these parts receaued their Ordination and Instruction for the same at Rome now or about this time such as were Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus and Carnocus there is no repugnancie in time for these were old men when the Persecution of Dioclesian raged heare and S. Alban was martyred in the yeare of Christ 282. passus est gloriosus Martyr Albanus anno Domini Manuscr Antiq. Vit. S. Albani Capgr Catal. in eod Bar. Annal. An. 221. Robert Barnes in Vit. Pont. Rom. in Zeph. Io. Bal. l. 1. Act. Pont. Rom. in eod Dio in Caracal Spartian in Caracalla Dio in Macrino Manuscr Gallic Antiq. c. 14. CoÌ„pilatio M. S. de gest Brit. Ang. in Carausio ducentesimo octogesimo secundo And S. Zepherine continued Pope as both Catholike and Protestant Antiquaries agree vntill the yeare of Christs Natiuitie 220. when as a Protestant Bishop writeth he was crowned with Martyrdome anno Domini 220. martyrio coronatus est About this time also or a litle before Bassianus Emperour King of Britaine was murthered betweene Edessa and Carras by Mardianus a Centurion he marrying with the Sister of the holy Christian Lady Mammea left their Sonne Heliogabalus behind him who soone after was Emperour An old French Manuscript History saith that Bassianus was slayne by Carausius who after reigned 38. yeares The same hath the Manuscript Compilation in these words tandem fauentibus Britonibus Carausius dimicauit cum Bassiano interfecit eam sic gubernaculum regni in se suscepit THE VIII CHAPTER HOW VERY MANY KINGS WITH VARIABLE proceedings Ruled heare in Britaine before Constantius Father to the Greate Constantine by S. Helen our Brittish Lady yet the Christians heare were quiet from Persecution in all or most of their time 1. AFTER the death of S. Zepherine Pope Calixtus the first of Lamprid. in Diadame
Iul. Capitolin in Macrino Matth. Westm an 214. Flor. Wigorn. Chron. an 226. Marian. aetat 6. in Macrin Mart. Polon in Macrino Henr. Hunt Hist l. 1. Dio in Macrino Eusebius l. 6. c. 15. Henr. Hūt Hist l. 1. Matth. West An. 215. Martin Polon alij Marian. aetat 6. in Heliogabalo Florent Wigor Chron. an 229. 207. that name succeded in the See Apostolike of Rome And Bassianus being as before murthered Macrinus a Mauritanian or Moriscan by Nation with his sonne Diadumenus or by some Diadumenianus obtained the Empire but they were both slayne by their owne souldiers rebelling against them when they had bene Emperours but one yeare and two moneths After whome Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Heliogabalus or Elagabalus sonne of Bassianus Caracalla before spoken of was chosen Emperour by the Armie his Mother was named Soemiades or Semiamira the daughter of Mesa Sister to Iulia the Empresse the second wife of Seuerus and this Soemiades or Semiamides was Sister to that most renowned Christian Lady Mamea Mother to Alexander the Emperour Henry of Huntington and Florigerus asscribe 4. compleate yeares to the Empire of Heliogabalus adeptus imperium tenuit 4. annis Martinus alloweth him not fully so longe a Regiment Yet Marianus saith with Roman writers that he was Emperour 4. yeares and 8. Moneths Marcus Aurelius Heliogabalus Antonini Caracallae filius regnauit annis quatuor mēsibus 8. iuxta Historiam Romanam Florentius Wigorniensis hath the same words both for that continuance of his Empire and Authoritie of the Roman History affirming it that he was true and immediate next King of Britaine not onely during the time of his Empire but in that space also when Macrinus and his sonne Diadumenus were Emperours euen from the death of Antoninus Bassianus Caracalla his Father the vndoubted King of Britaine both by his Fathers and Mothers Title For allthough Martinus saith that Seuerinus sonne of Bassianus was Emperour with his Father Antonius Caracalla imperauit annis Martin Polon Supput An. 212. in Anton. Caracalla in Macrino Marc. Anton. alij Septem Seuerinus filius eius yet seeing this Authour who so writeth consenteth with all others that Macrinus immediately succeeded to Bassianus Caracalla and Heliogabalus to Macrinus he must needs to iustifie that his testimonie of Seuerinus being Emperour with Bassianus his Father say that this Seuerinus died with his Father or before or was the same sonne of Bassianus which others doe call Heliogabalus Marcus Antoninus and other names which Heliogabalus is stiled by in Histories 2. While these things were acted with the Romans the state of Britaine was also vnquiet and allthough Heliogabalus and his brother Seuerinus also if Bassianus had any such sonne was next true King of Britaine yet neither of them enioyed it For by all writers one named Carausius was King of Britaine not onely next after Bassianus but by diuers Authours some time also while he liued giuing an ouerthrowe either to Bassianus the Emperour or Matth. Westm an 286. rather some Lieutenant or generall of his of the same or like name heare in Britaine and so made himselfe King of Britaine After whome by our Brittish Historie and Ponticus Virunnius Asclepiodotus Duke of Cornwayle was made King deposing Alectus sent hither against Carausius with three Legions Galfr. Monum Hist lib. 5. cap. 4. Pont. Virun l. 5. Matth. Westm An. 292. 293. 294 Harding Cron. c. 56. 57. Galfrid Mon. l. 5. Pontic Virun l. 5. Hard. Chron. cap. 59. Matth. Westm 302. Catal. Reg. Brit. alij Matth. Westm Ann. 286. Will. Harris Descript of Brit. Hollinsh Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 23. and as Matthew of Westminster and Harding write was King three yeares vntill Asclepiodotus deposed him Next to Asclepiodotus was King Coel Father to the most renowned Empresse S. Helena married to Cōstantius Emperour and Mother to Greate Constantine their sonne our most glorious King and Emperour after which time our History will not be so obscure and confused as now it is For as in the Succession of these I haue remembred there is question so concerning the time of their gouernement and their conuersation also whether it was Christian or otherwise it is not free from difficultie Antiquaries agree that Carausius was next King to Bassianus Therefore when Matthew of Westminster and some others would not haue Carausius to be King vntill about the 286. yeare of Christ it must needs be an error either in them their Scribes or Printers for it is euident before and all the Roman Writers proue that Bassianus was dead many yeares and diuers Emperours had succeeded longe before this time and Matthew of Westminster himselfe saith that Bassianus making warre against the Parthians was circumuented slaine of his Enemyes betweene Edessa and Carras in the yeare of Christ 213. Anno gratiae 213. Bassianus Imperator contra Parthos bellum mouens Matth. Westm An. 213. Otto Frising Chron. l. 3. c. 29. Floren. Wigorn. an 204. 226. Marian. aetat 6. an 218. in Caracallo inter Edessam Carras ab hostibus circumuentes occisus est which was aboue 70. yeares before he bringeth Carausius to attempt any thing for the Crowne of Britaine Florentius Wigorniēsis followeth the like accompt and setteth downe the very place of his death there to be Osdroena And Marianus affirmeth the same with the Roman Histories saying it was in the yeare of Christ 218. And both our old Brittish History and Ponticus Virunnius who giue the greatest light in this matter say plainely that Carausius liued in Bassianus time Bassianus regno potitur Eo tempore fuit in Britannia Inuenis quidam Galfrid Mon. Hist Reg. l. 5. c. 3. Pont. Virun l. 5. nomine Carausius And add further that Carausius ioyning with the Picts which Fulgenius had got together against Seuerus Father to Bassianus fought with his Army and ouerthrowing it was made King of Britaine Prodiderant Bassianum Picti quos dux Fulgenius matris suae frater in Britanniam conduxerant Nam dum ei auxiliari debuissent promissis donarijs Carausij corrupti in ipso praelio diuerterunt se a Bassiano in commilitones eius irruerunt Vnde stupefacti caeteri Galfr. Pontic supr cum ignorarent qui socij qui hostis ocius dilabuntur Victoria cessit Carausio Qui vt triumphum habuit regnique gubernaculum suscepit dedit Pictis locum mansionis in Albania vbi cum Britonibus mixti per sequens aeum manserunt And these Picts and Scots must needs be those of which the Scottish Historians write when they say Bassianus made peace with them and the Britans which followed Fulgenius and so went from hence to Rome Icto cum Scotis Pictis Hector Boeth Scotor Hist l. 6. fol. 88. 89. Galfr. Virun sup faedere dataque pace Fulgentio ijs qui cum eo coniurauerant Britonibus Romam cum patris vrnâ contendit And whereas the Brittish History and Virunnius say
that Carausius did kill Bassianus dimicat cum Bassiano eum interemit This was not Bassianus our King and Emperour sonne of Seuerus and Martia but one Quintus Bassianus a Legate of the Romans Perierunt eo tumultuario Hect. Boet. Hist Scot. l. 6. fol. 100. Holinsh. Hist of Scotl. in Chrathlint praelio Quintus Bassianus Legatus Hircius Caesaris Procurator in Britannia cum illis praeter Romanorum militum ingentem numerum gregariorum magna multitudo Now being the common receaued opinion both of Roman and other Writers that Seuerus died in the yeare of Christ 213. the Authour of the Catalogue of our Brittish Kings thus setteth downe their Successions RegimeÌ„ts with their continuance Bassianus Caracalla 6. yeares Carausius 7. yeares Alectus 6. Catal. Reg. Brit. ante Hist Galfr. Monum yeares Asclepiodotus 30. yeares Coelus 27. yeares After whome Constantius his sonne in Lawe by marrying his daughter S. Helen succeeded in the Crowne By which accompt we haue betweene the death of Seuerus and Constantius his reigning heare 76. yeares and from Carausius his death and the beginning of Constantius Reigne 65. yeares Harding maketh the distances Ioan. Harding Chron. c. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 59. shorter asscribing to Bassianus 7. yeares to Carausius 4. Alectus 3. Asclepiodotus 10. and Coile 11. yeares Yet by this accompt also Carausius was dead many yeares before that time wherein Hector Boethius and some others make him to haue first aduaunced any title to the crowne of Britaine 3. Yet we may make some part of Attonement betwene these opinions if we shall say with the Brittish and other Histories that Carausius was but a younge man in the time of Bassianus or Heliogabalus the true Kings of Britaine eo tempore erat quidam Iuuenis in Britannia nomine Carausius And he went to Rome to procure his Commission there of the Senate to be Admirall to keepe the Brittish seas Romam profectus petiuit liceÌ„tiam a Senatu vt Maritimam Matth. Westm an 286. Stowe Hist Titul the Romans an 285. Britaniae ab incursione Barbaricâ nauigio tueretur Quae petijt impetrauit cum chartis sigillatis Britanniam petiuit And after he was thus admitted Admirall longe time and diuers yeares must needs be spent before he could come to that power by sea and Land with Britans Picts and Scots to be King of Britaine allthough he was as diuers hold of the kingly Race ex Regio stemmate Hector Boeth Scot. Hist lib. 6. Hollinsh Hist of Scotl. in Crathlint and Vncle to that renowned Christian King of the Scots Crathlintus though some stile him to haue bene of base Linadge ex infima gente procreatus vnprobable in a maÌ„ obtaining such honour of the Roman Senate renowne amoÌ„g Princes Kings and Emperours and diuers of them Christians But to goe no further out of my way into a matter of temporall Historie whether Bassianus or his sonne Heliogabalus both Emperours and Britans by Parentage or Carausius was in Britaine at this time we are by this which is saide assured that the Christians heare were in quiet and peace for if Bassian us still continued Hector Boeth alij sup Harding cap. 53. King he had made peace with all Christians heare whether Britans Picts or Scots before his departure hence to Rome as I haue before remembred And allthough Heliogabalus was otherwise a man of such wicked conuersation that I had rather to referre any man desirous to knowe the manner both of his owne and Fathers life to forreine Writers then fill my pen with the dishonour of their Race in them yet no Historie maketh mention that he was any Persecutour of Christians If Carausius was King it is not vnprobable but he was a Christian aduanced chosen and honored with that kingely dignitie by the Christians confederate with and assisted by the Christian Scots and Picts their Kings or Rulers and against the Pagan Romans a professed Patrone and Propugnor of the Rights and priuiledges and Reuenger of the wrongs and Iniuries of the Christians heare contending by all meanes he could euen with the aduenture of his life loosing it in that Quarrell to restore the Christians of this kingdome to that quiet and honorable estate to be free from thraldome of forrein Pagans which they happily enioyed in the gouernment of King Lucius and the Roman Senate began now to infringe and violate This was the pretended end and scope of his designes allthough by some Writers not with a litle desire of his owne greatnes and exaltation no strange disease among greate Princes in any Age 4. Neyther doe we findeÌ„ that Alectus sent hither with three Legions against Carausius allthough he slew him in Battayle and ouerthrew his armie making himselfe King and so continuing three yeares insulam tenuit per triennium Compilatio M. S. de gest Brit. Angl. in Alâ—ect Galfr. Monum Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 4. Pont. Vir. l. 5. Maâ—th West an 292. Compilatio M. S. Supur did persecute the Christian Britans vnder pretext of Religion but for following Carausius and not yeelding subiection to the Romans as they required Alectus maximaÌ„ intulit Britonibus cladem quia relictâ Republicâ societati Carausij adhaeserant Where we see the reason of that affliction of the Britans by the Romans because quia they had forsaken the common wealth and Gouernment thereof and followed Carausius an Vsurper as the Romans esteemed him And other Historians maKe it plaine that onely the followers of Carausius and no others were thus prosecuted by Alectus interficitur Carausius in eius sequaces saeuitum est And Matthew of Westminster also saith that Alectus did afflict onely those Britans who forsaking their Country had committed themselues to the command of Carausius Alectus Carausium interfecit Pont. Virun l. 5. Deinde cladem maximam Britonibus intulit qui Republica relicta Carausij se coÌ„miserant Iussioni Which Harding more plainely coÌ„fesseth wheÌ„ he saith Matth. Westm an 292. Harding Cron. cap. 56. of Alectus Alecto then crowned and made King of all Britaine reigning fully yeares three and well he ruled in all manner werking And if Alectus or his Pagan Souldiers and Vnderrulers did vniustly persecute any Britans for Religion neyther he nor they did escape the Iust vengance of God executed vpon them by the Christian Britans in the like kinde for when Alectus and his Infidell consorts were at London gathered together to make solemne Sacrifice to their Idols they were by the Christians driuen from their Sacrifice Alectus Pontic Vir. l. 5. Galfr. Mon. l. 5. c. 4. Mat. West an 294. Harding Chron. cap. 56. Holinsh. Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 23. Stowe Howes Hist Romans in Asclepiodotus shamefully putt to flight and slayne his army scatered and though by Leuius Gallus his Colleage in some part renewed againe yet both their Generall Gallus and all his Romans were slayne by the
Christian Britons in one day Factoque agmine denso inuaserunt Romanos vna die omnes interfecerunt And their Leader Gallus cōtemptuously throwne into a brooke taking name thereof as our Protestant Antiquaries with Antiquitie thus deliuer Asclepiodotus recouered Britaine and slew the Romans Captaine named Liuius Gallus neare vnto a brooke there at that time running into which brooke he threw him by reason whereof it is called in Brittish Nant Gallon since in Saxon tongue Gallus or Wallus Harding supr c. 56. Galfr. Monll 5. c. 5. Virun lib. 5. Matth. Westm an 294. brooke and to this day the streete where some times the brook rāre is called Walbroks And proueth the History of this Brooke both by publike Records and Inquisitions 5. Asclepiodotus vpon this Victory was crowned King of Britaine by Parlament saith Harding and by common consent of the people as both the Brittish History Virunnius and Matthew of Westminster write being Duke of Cornwall before Triumphatis Romanis caepit Asclepiodotus regni diadema capiti suo populo annuente imposuit All these last Writers except Matthew of Westminster say Dioclesian his Persecution began heare in his time of which I shall speake hereafter And it seemeth that diuers Historians not obseruing that Constantius was heare twice marrying S. Helen the first time and the second time receauing her againe when Maximian the persecuting Emperour had forced him to putt her away doe there vpon vary much about the yeares of our Kings in those times An old Manuscript Chronologie doth say Bassianus reigned 27. yeares Carausius whome yt calleth Carēcius 39. yeares Alectus 15. yeares Asclepiodotus 10. yeares Coel 4. yeares And after him his Sonne-in-Lawe and daughter Constantius and Helen 11. Matth. Westm an 295. Catal. Reg. Brit. supr Hollinshed Hist of Engl. c. 23. in Asclepiod Hollinsh Hist Engl. supr yeares The Protestant Cataloge of our Kings hath told vs that Asclepiodotus reigned 30. yeares The same hath Hollinshed calling it the common accompt of our Chroniclers And by the same Authours and diuers others King Coel in the later end of whose reigne the Romans by Constantius came in againe was King 27. yeares Thus he writeth of this matter Coelus Earle of Colchester began his Dominion ouer the Britans in the yeare of our Lord 262. Thus Coelus or Coell ruled the Land for a certaine time so as the Britans were well content with his Gouernment and liued the longer in reste from Inuasion of the Romans because they were occupied in other places but finally they finding time for their purpose appointed one Constantius to passe ouer into this I le with an armie the which Constantius putt Coelus in such dread that immediately vpon his arriuall Coelus sent vnto him an Ambassadge and concluded a peace with him couenanting to paye the accustomed Tribute and gaue to Constantius his daughter in marriadge called Helen a noble Ladie and learned Shortly after King Coell died when he had reigned as some write Cap. 27. supr Fabian Matth. Westm Galfrid Monum Pont. Virun Harding supr Manuscrip Antiq. pr. Regnū Brit. Compilatio M. S. de gest Bri. Angl. Lib. M. S. qui vocatur Scala mundi Sozomenus Hist Eccles l. 2. c. vlt. Euseb l. 4. de Vita Constantin Socrates Eccles Hist l. 1. c. vlt. Eutropiusl 10. Hier. in Chron. Ruffin l. 1. c. 11. Bal. cēt 1. in Flauio Constantin Stow. Histor in Cōstant Holins Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 29. Bal. Cent. 1. in Helena Flauia 27. yeares And then he setteth downe as all other Antiquaries doe Constantius Father of Constantine the greate our next King And this he calleth the common opinion of our Writers Which I finde not onely in our printed Historians but in diuers Manuscripts not wanting Antiquitie for their warrant though among them there is difference about the yeares of the reignes of those Kings all consenting they reigned and succeeded one to an other heare as hath bene related 6. And we must eyther say Coelreigned long was twice King or not King when Constantius marryed S. Helen his daughter but after toward his death or els contradict all Antiquaries Greeks or Latines Christians or Pagans Catholiks or Protestants in the Historie of the Age and Empire of the most renowned noted and honorably remembred Emperour that euer was in the world Constantine the Greate For they all agree that he dying about the yeare of Christ 340. was then 65. yeares old hauing bene Emperour aboue 30. yeares and as Sozomen with others proue was at the least when he began to reigne 34. yeares of Age Constantinus circiter quintum sexaginta aetatis suae annum moritur Ex quorum annorum numero triginta vnum regnauit The like hath Eusebius duos triginta annos extra paucos menses dies cum Imperio fuit eundemque annorum numerum vita duplicabat Socrates saith vixit Imperator Constantinus annos sexaginta quinque triginta vnum regnauit Eutropius saith his Age was 66. and his Reigne 31. yeares S. Hierome and Ruffinus for the Latins agree with them Our Protestants say he died in the 66. yeare of his Age and the 32. of his Reigne è vita decessit senex aetatis suae anno 66. Imperij 32. à Christi Incarnatione 339. the 339. yeare of Christ And by all in the yeare 340. at the furthest The like Argument I may vse by the life and death of his blessed Mother S. Helena in all Iudgments dying before her Sonne being about 80. yeares old then and but a young Virgin when she was marryed to Constantius his Father One of our cheifest Protestant Antiquaries and not so plainely receauing the former Order in our Kings doth confirme it further saying Helena liued 79. yeares and then departed Holinsh. supr l. 4. c. 29. this life about the 21. yeare of her Sonnes reigne Her Sonne the Emperour Constantine liued till about the yeare of Christ 340. after he had ruled the Empire 32. yeares and odd moneths Therefore both he and all others must needs allowe the Reigns and Successions of our Brittih Kings before remembred and in a manner free this kingdome from the Romans in their times as also make it euident that the Roman Emperours neither did nor could raise any Persecution against our Christians in Britaine except in the time when Constantius first came hither in the dayes of the Emperour Aurelianus about the 3. yeare of his owne Empire and yeare of Christ 273. and marryed Helen Daughter of Coel then or after King or both which no Antiquitie affirmeth but all deny it or the short Reigne of Alectus vntill the comming of Maximian the Tyrant hither in the time of Asclepiodotus as the common opinion is THE IX CHAPTER OF THE POPES OF ROME IN THIS TIME how by all writers euen the Protestants themselues they were holy men and both they and other learned holy Fathers in this time were of the same faith and Religion which
quorum numero beatum Melorum fidenter credimus extitisse Which is further confirmed in the same Antiquities testifying that after many yeares the Reliks of this holy Saint were with greate reuerence translated to the Church of Amsbury and there in their shryne layed vpon the Altar Post multorum annorum curricula Praedicatores Alienigenae scrinium cum Reliquijs sancti Melori circumquaque deferentes peragratis terrarum tractibus iniunctum sibi officium exercentes Ambrisburiam tandem deuenerunt super altare Reliquias sanctas posuerunt The remouing of these Reliks to the Church and Nunnery of Amsbury must needs be before the preuayling of the Pagan Saxons and Hengist his murthering our Noble Britans and taking King Vortiger Prisoner hard by that place at Stonehendge by Treachery For at that time both that and all other Religious houses and Churches those Pagans could enter to were destroyed Yet the Historyes haue told vs before that many yeares were passed ouer betweene the buriall and remouing these holy Reliks thither Neither dare I affirme that this History is more auncient then this time For excepting the Religious house of Glastenbury all others had their Foundation after the Cōuersion of King Lucius who dyed in the beginning of this Age. And probably we may coniecture this Translation of these sacred Reliks was in the time of S. Germanus and Lupus the Legats of Pope Celestine being and preaching heare for they were praedicatores Alienigenae Strange Preachers and the most renowned strange Preachers we can thinke these to be much deuoted to the reuerēce of our holy Brittish Reliks by all Historyes making solemne Pilgrimadges vnto thē And if we affirme these holy Reliks were first interred in these dayes the circuite of many yeares post multorum annorum curricula after which they were remoued by strange Preachers will well agree with the comming of those strangers the Popes Legats hither about the yeare of Christ 432. which was before the Nunnery of Amsbury was destroyed 5. The Historie of this holy Saint is thus sett downe by the auncient writers S. Meliorus his Martyrdome thereof Melorus or Meliorus was the onely Sonne and Heire of Melianus Duke of Cornwayle Who in the seuenth yeare of his Gouernment calling an Assembly of the Nobles to consult about the affayres of his Country was in the same assembly murthered by his owne Brother named Rinoldus his Sonne Melorus being but 7. yeares old at that time This Rinoldus hauing thus killed the Father knowing his Sonne to be the onely true Heire and fearing if he should liue to mās estate he might take the Dukedome from him being his iust inheritance sought to murther him also and bringing him into Cornewayle where there was a Councell of Bishops and others gathered together whose consent he laboured to haue for the putting of Melorus to death to make himselfe secure in his so wickedly procured dignitie But when the holy Bishops assembled detested so barbarous impietie and cruelty and would in no wise assent vnto it This wicked vsurping Vncle to make this child loathsome and so vncapable or vnfitt for Gouernment caused his right hand and left foote to be cutt of After which he had an hand of siluer and a foote of brasse and was brought vp in a Monastery in Cornewayle vntill he was 14. yeares old daily profiting and encreasing in vertue and holy learning aswell as in yeares And this his siluer hand did miraculously bend too and froe and stretch out itselfe to doe the office of a naturall hand as if it naturally consisted of bones sinewes veines blood and flesh Mirumque in modum manus illa argentea quasi reflexus carneos habere manum extendere recludere caepit quasi natiuam ossibus neruis venis sanguine atque pelle Wherevpon the wicked Tirant his Vncle taking him from the Abbot and Religeous men committed him to one named Cerialtanus to be brought vp bribing him with promises of many possessions and rewards to putt Melorus to death which he most wickedly and barbarously effected cutting of his head Which done the Sonne of Cerialtanus with the consent of his Father bearing the head of the holy Martyr vpon the wall of the Castle fell downe from the wall broke his neck and died Cerialtanus then tooke vp the head of the Saint and brought it to the Tirant his Vncle. Who with ioy receauing it badd the wicked Murtherer goe to the topp of an hill adioyning and whatsoeuer he could there see he would giue him to possesse Cerialtanus going to the hill thinking to see round about sodenly was struken blinde one both his eyes and presently died And the wicked Vncle touching the sacred head brought vnto him within three dayes after ended his wretched life with a miserable death The Bishops and Clergie buried his holy body and head with great honour together Where they which faithfully prayed vnto him did obtayne their desire Sepulto ab Episcopis Clericis capite cum sacro Bishops Preists others pray to S. Meliorus Martyred corpore Corpus sanctum cum honore sepelierunt vbi opem eius cum fide implorantes optatum remedium gaudentes consequi solebant THE XI CHAPTER CONTAYNING AN ABREVIATE OF SOME ROman Emperours and inuincibly prouing that the most holy Queene and Empresse S. Helen was a Britan of Regall Race the onely true and lawfull wife of Constantius Emperour and Constantine the Greate their true lawfull Sonne and Heire borne in Britaine 1. I Haue spoken before how the Roman Emperours after the death of Heliogabalus vntill Constantius marryed first or after receaued againe Helen daughter of Coel had litle command in this kingdome and so not so necessarie to be much remembred in the Ecclesiasticall Historie thereof none of them except the two Philips the Father and Sonne dignified in Histories with name of Christianitie therefore it will suffice to sett downe breefely their names and continuance of their Empiers which our Protestant Antiquaries doe thus propose vnto vs After Seuerus Bassianus Surnamed Antonius Carracalla succeeded How 's Stowe Hist Titul the Romans in Seuerus in the Empire he was murthered by Martialis when he had gouerned sixe yeares Macrinus one yeare Antonius Heliogabalus three yeares Alexander Seuerus 13. yeares Iulius Maximus 3. yeares M. Antonius Gordianus one yeare Iulius Philippus they omitt Philip the second his Sonne the first Christian Emperour 5. An Epitomie of the Roman Emperours yeares Decius 2. yeares Trebonianus Gallus and Vibius Hostilianus two yeares Iu lius Aemilianus foure moneths Licinius Valerianus sixe Lacinius Gallicinus fifteene At this time there arouse in diuers Countries thirtie Vsurpers which are called the thirtie Tirants of the which Lollianus Posthumus Victorianus Tetricius as it is supposed kept Britaine from Gallicinus Flauius Claudius two Aurelianus fiue Tacitus sixe moneths Florianus three moneths This yeare 276. Aurelian the Dane was chosen Emperour he hated Christians and in the fourth yeare of his Reigne he
enoblest it with thy birth And an other ô fortunata nunc omnibus beatior terris Britannia quae Constantinum Caesarem vidisti O happy Britaine that first of all sawest Constantine Of this Helen her Religion finding the Crosse good deeds in walling London and Colchester which in honour of her they say beares a Crosse betweene foure Crownes and for the Inuention she is yet celebrated in holy Roode-day in May and of this Constantine her Sonne a mightie and Religous Emperour that in this ayre receaued his first light and life our Britons vaunt not vniustly as in that spoken to King Arthur Rob. Cloestren Now it worth iended that Sibile the sage biuore That there ssold of Britaine thre men be ybore That ssold winne the aumpire of Rome of tweye yed it is As of Bely and Constantine and thow art the thredde ywis Which very words were publikly iustified also by Hoelus King of litle Britaine Hist Brit. l. 9. ca. 17. Galfr. Mon. Hist Bri. l. 9. c. 16. Old Engl. Manuscr Hist c. 52. Caxtō Hist part 5. f. 50. Harding Chron. c. 80. f. 74. Camden Romans in Britaine pag. 74. edit ann 1610. and it is registred both in our olde Brittish and Saxon Histories both Manuscripts and others that Constantine sonne of S. Helen was Ancestor to King Arthur and others of this kingdome Which must needs be by his Mother S. Helen a Britan and of the Regall Race of this kingdome for by Constantius his Father a stranger heare Constantine could not be Ancestor to our Kings of Britaine The other cheifest Protestant Antiquary writeth in this manner euen in his last Edition Constantius what time he serued in Britaine vnder Aurelian tooke to wife the daughter of Caelus or Caelius a Brittish Prince on whome he begatt that Noble Constantine the Greate in Britaine For so together with that greate Historiographer Baronius the common opinion of all other Writers with one consent beareth witnesse vnlesse it be one or two Greeke Authours of late time and those dissenting one from the other and a right learned man grounding vpon a corrupt place of Iulius Firmicus This is that Helen which in antike Inscription is called venerabilis pijssima Augusta and for Christian pietie for cleāsing Hierusalē of Idols for building a goodly Church in the place where our Lord suffered and for finding the sauing Crosse of Christ is so highly commended of Ecclesiasticall writers And yet both Iewes and Gentils termed her by way of ignominy and reproach Stabularia because she a most godly Princesse sought out the Cribbe or Manger wherin Christ was borne and in the place where stood that Hostelry founded a Church Heareupon S. Ambrose they say that this Lady was first an Inholder or Hostesse c. Capgraue Manuscr antiq in Vit. S. Helenae Capgr in ead Annal. Aquitan apud Bouchet l. 1. cap. 5. and the old Manuscript of S. Helens life affirme the like saying the Iewes in hatred of her in doing so many holy Christian deeds derogatory to their profession and building so glorious a Church ouer the holy Cribbe where Christ was borne raised that slaunder Impijssimi Iudaei cum tanta bona ab Imperatrice in eo rum opprobrium facta cernerent ipsam inter se ex inuidià stabulariam vocauerunt eo quod supra stabulum tam vilem locum eis admodum exosum tam nobilem Ecclesiam aedificauit The Annalls of Aquitane where her children lyued and say she discend from our King S. Lucius shall be cited in the next Chapter The error of them which deferre her marriadge vntill Constantius comming hither after Asclepiodotus death is palbable For by that accompt as of Matthew Westminster Constantine was but an Infant 5. yeares olde when after Constantius his Fathers death he was both King of Britaine and Emperour For he setteth downe their marriadge in the yeare of Christ 302. and in the yeare 307. saith he was declared Emperour Anno gratiae 307. Constantinus Matth. Westm an 302. 307. Harding Chron. ca. 62. Constantij Helenae filius in Britannia ex Rege Imperator creatus And others by that mistaking make him litle older But they are to be vnderstood of the reconciliation of Constantius to S. Helen after the death of Theodora not his first taking her to wife being allmost 30. yeares before in the time of Aurelianus Emperour for after he had married S. Helen in Britaine at that time and had ruled this kingdome no short space he went againe from hence to Rome and returned hither the second time as is manifest before when be dyed heare Which many more Authours both Manuscripts and Manuscr antiq in Vit. S. Helenae Io. Capgr Catal. in eadem others confirme in this manner Cum illam S. Helenam in Thori societatem accepisset Constantius generauit ex ea filium quem appellauit Constantinum Ipse vero Constantius cum regno Britanniae aliquandiu potiretur Romam reuersus And then they bring him hither the second time and lyuing heare diuers yeares and dying at Yorke as others haue done before Britanniam rediens post annos Manusc Cap. supr Pomponius Laetus compend Rom. Hist in Constantio Chloro vndecim apud Eboracum morti subiacuit regnum filio Constantino reliquit Leauing the kingdome to his eldest sonne Constantine And this is euident by the time of Constantine his Age and Reigne before remembred out of the most auncient Histories of this matter and such as no man willing to retaine the name of an Antiquary may deny I add to this that Constantine at his Fathers death was a marryed man then marryed vnto Fausta daughter of Maximianus Herculius the Tyrant and by him made Augustus and yet Panegyric 1. in nuptijs Constantini Faustae Baron Annal. an 307. was marryed to an other wife before as the Authours of that time are witnesses and had Priscus his eldest sonne by this former wife named Mineruina Of which all Histories both Christian and Pagan are plentifull THE XII CHAPTER OF THE OTHER THREE CHILDREN OF CONstantius and S. Helen and particulary of two of them S. Lucius and S. Emerita renowned and glorious Martyrs for holy Christian Religion among forreine Pagans S. Lucius an holy Bishop preaching it to them in Germany 1. HAVING thus euidently cleared the Historie for the birth and Education of these two greate Glories of the world the Mother and sonne in Britaine I ame to speake some thing of other children this happy Empresse S. Helē had in this Nation by her husband Cōstantius for allthought the greatnes of that greate Emperour Cōstantine doth in the Histories of that time drawe all mens pens and eyes to describe and beholde his splendor and renowne and in some sort eclipse the honour of diuers others renowned in those dayes yet we finde in auncient memorable Antiquities that S. Helen had other children besides Constantine whereof some were in their lyues renowned in S.
and shew that S. Helen was neuer seduced to Iudaisme nor baptized by S. Siluester but onely confirmed in her Christian faith as all Christians present were by the Disputation betweene S. Siluester and the cheifest Iewes publickly inuincibly and miraculously by all mens Iudgments and their owne also conuinced by him And proue how among other euident falsehoods those supposed Acts contayne these that followe Constantius and Constans were Emperours in the East at this time Isach was high Preist among the Iewes That S. Siluester did abrogate the Faste of Satterday and instituted the Sonday and that he was ordayned Pope by Melchisedech with other such like monstrous fictions Therefore we may not loose the honour of our Country and most renowned Brittish Christian Queene and Empresse by such dreames and forgeries The wonderfull and exceeding greate zeale and deuotion of this most Noble Lady her piety and charitie to all with her bountie and munificence to the Church of Christ her restlesse paynes Pilgrimadges and labours to suppresse Idolatry and aduaunce the true honour and seruing of God when she was a free woman after her Husbands death I shall entreate in the next Age when I come to that time This which I haue said will redeeme and sett her free from the calumnies and aspersions which some would laye vpon her Parentage Country Conuersation in her young and wedded life 4. And to giue to Constantius her husband his due otherwise especially for his carriadge towards Christians and their Religion considering those ouerswaying times of Paganisme and Persecution against Christianitie allthough he was farre from giuing due to his Noble holy wife Queene Helen when for feare of the persecuting Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian he putt her away and tooke Theodora a Pagan Concubine vnder the name of a wife in her place except this his greate compelled blemish we must needs say he was a worthie Prince and in respect of Religion one of the best of all forreyne Kings or Rulers which Britaine had tasted of the Romans Imposition vpon it For allthough by the vnhappy yelding of Constantius vnto the persecuting Emperours Dioclesian Maximianus in or about the 292. yeare of Christ thereby making himselfe a Caesar to putt away Queene Helen and take Theodora he depriued himselfe of that Regall power in Britaine which he obtayned by his match with Queene Helen the true Heire and Queene of this kingdome and so armed the persecuting Emperors to extend their rage and fury against the Christian Britans which had bene exempted from that their vsurped Tyrany heare if Constantius had continued with his Christian Euseb in Chron. An. 292. Matth. Westm An. 296. wife Queene Helen and rested vpon her Title and the conditions betweene the Romans and Britans at that Marriadge and so cannot be excused herein yet otherwise their Persecution preuayling in his time we cannot finde he was any Instrument or Furtherer but rather an Asswager and to his power a Mitigator thereof euen whilst Theodora lyued with him being a greate Instrument to procure him to continue a Pagan as Fausta her Sister was to Constantine his sonne and both of them employed by their persecuting Father Maximian Emperour to that purpose Eusebius liuing in that time saith of him that he was the most renowned of all the Emperours in his time Fuit Constantius inter Imperatores nostri temporis facilè illustrissimus And giueth Euseb de Vita Constant l. 1. c. 8. cap. 9. his reason Cum quatuor in Romani Imperij gubernandi societate iungebantur solus hic faedere amicitiae cum Deo omnium Gubernatore pacto modum vitae a caeterorum institutis alienum disparemque consectatus est Illi enim Dei Ecclesias obsidione vastare euertere radicitus solo aequare ac templa concussis fundamentis disturbatisque prorsus delere aggressi sunt hic autem a nefando detestabili illorum scelere manus integras inuiolatas continuit neque vlla ex parte se similem illis praebuit Illi Intestina virorum simul ac mulierum pietatem maximè excolentium caede Prouincias suae ditioni subditas sceleratè contaminarunt when fowre were at one time ioyned together to Rule the Roman Empire this man onely Constantius among them making his leage of friendship with God the gouernour of all ledd his life diuers and different froÌ„ the Institutions of the rest For they weÌ„t about to pull downe the Churches of God vtterly to ouerthrowe them equall them with the ground and destroy them But Constantius kept his hand free and vnspotted from their abhominable and horrible wickednes and in no respect behaued himselfe as they did They pulled out the bowels of men and women that were the true worshippers of God and impiously defiled the Prouinces subiect to their Iurisdiction with slaughter hic suam ipsius animam asceleris labe vacuam assiduè conseruauit Constantius kept dayly his soule free from infection of sin The others to heape all sins together with certaine execrable wordes which they vsed to poure forth in worshipping their Idols deuoted first themselues and then all that were vnder their Rule to the cursed worshipping of deuils When Constantius contrarywise permitted free power to all vnder his gouernment to exercise the true Religion of God without molestation Illi quo mala omnia in vnum câ—aâ—eruarent vocibus quibusdam execrabilibus quae in simulachrorum cultu fundi so â—ent primum seipsos deinde omnes qui ipsorum obsequebantur Imperio nefariae daemo num venerationi deuouerunt hic pacis tranquillissimae illis qui ab ipso regebantur Authour factus liberaÌ„ eis verae in Deum Religionis sine molestia excolendae permisit potestatem The other three Emperours heare insinuated by Eusebius were the the greate persecutours Dioclesian Maximian and Galerius Actors in that most greuious Persecution commonly called the Persecution of Dioclesian he being the first and principall Mouer and prosecutour thereof The Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 8. c. 14. same Authour speaketh of him againe in the name of Christians nec belli aduersum nos praesumpti vllo modo particeps fuit sed quos sub se habuit pios indemnes ab omni calumnia securos seruauit neque domos EcclesiaruÌ„ demolitus nec aliud quippiam contra nos operatus He was not in any meanes partaker of warre against vs but those godly men which he had vnder him he kept them safe and secure from all troble neither pulling downe Churches nor working any thing against vs. Constantine the Greate his sonne giueth this testimony of him that in all his busines Const Magn. apud Euseb l. 2. De Vitá Const c. 48. and affaires he called vpon the true God with wonderfull deuotion Pater meus admirabili cum pietate in omnibus suis rebus gerendis Deo Patre inuocato clementiae opera executus est And in an other place witnesseth that his Father ConstaÌ„tius did worship all his life
Christians Ista fiebant anno Christi 292. regnante in Britannia Constantio Chloro Sub cuius postea regimine cū Imperator esset a tanta clade ita immunes eius vrbes erant vt Asilum Christianis afflictis tutissimum foret illa ipsa Britannia And to proue he continued in this true Christian affection and faith euen to his death an other taking vpon him onely to be an Interpretor of old Authours thus relateth his last Actions whilst he lay on his death bedd hearing Hollinsh Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 27. that his sonne Constantine was come and escaped from the Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian with whome he remayned as Pledge he receaued him with all Ioy and raysing himselfe vp in his bedd in presence of his other sonnes and Counsellors with a greate number of other people and strangers that were come to visit him he sett the Crowne vpon his sonnes head and adorned him with other Imperiall Robes Niceph. and garments executing as it were himselfe the office of an Herald and withall spake these words vnto his said sonne and to his Counsellors there about him Now is my Tripart Hist death to me more wellcome and my departure hence more pleasant I haue heare a lardge Epitaph and monument of buriall to witt myne owne sonne and one whome in earth I leaue to be Emperour in my place which by Gods good help shall wipe away the teares of the Christians and reuendge the crueltie exersed by Tyrants This I rekon to chance vnto me insteed of most felicitie And we finde how his body being found at Caernaruon likely Translated thither from Yorke where by common opinion he dyed in the time of King Edward the first was honorably Matth. Westm 1283. Thomas Walsingh Vpodig Neustriae an 1283. by his commandement buryed with other Christians in the Church Apud Caerneruon corpus Maximi Principis patris nobilis Imperatoris Constantini erat inuentum Rege Iubente in Ecclesia honorificè collocatum Which Christian dutie and obsequy would not haue bene performed vnto him especially so honorably and publikly in so Christian Catholike a time without either certaine knowledge or very probable opinion of his Christian Catholike Religion The Ceremonies solemnities and prayers vsed in such a case could not in conscience so be performed for a man dying in any other Profession The Harris Manuscr Hist l. 4 c. 2. Writers of this relatiō are of too greate Authoritie to be questioned And some Writers there be which hold his first buriall and funerall at Yorke was with Christian solemnities and obsequies such as could not be vsed but for a Christian And they produce Eusebius to testifie no lesse Who speaking of Constantius death and funerall saith that he being a most holy man was buryed Eusebius de Vita Constant lib. 1. c. 16. with greate pompe with Hymnes and prayses as a most blessed man Genitorem sanctissimum cum omni splendore maxima pompa extulit faustis acclama tionibus suaui hymnorum concentu omnes beatissimum illum celebrant And maketh his death as his life also so holy and Christian like that he saith God gau◠euident testimony thereof to all men then liuing Hunc morum vitaeque piè Religiosè ad virtutem institutae exitum esse in Imperatore Constantio vniuerso generi mortalium qui nostra memoria vixerunt Deus euidenter monstrauit THE XIV CHAPTER BY WHAT WICKED PLOTTS PRACTISES and deuises Dioclesian and Maximian began and prosecuted their wicked Persecution of Christians in Britaine and how Constantius was innocent and free therein 1. WHEN Dioclesian and Maximian the most infensiue Enemies of the faithfull Seruants Church of Christ intēded their mercylesse and matchlesse persecution against thē the easilyer to make it as vniuersall generall as it was bloodly Tyrannicall And perceauing that neither Nero nor any other their Predecessor in that prophane Impietie had or could before them trāsporte their rage in that kinde ouer our Ocean into this kingdome protected and Rampired both by cituation Sea Christiā Kings Rulers or fauourers of Christianitie and Immunities frō the Romā seuerities in such nature their study and practise was first to surprise ouerthrowe these firme Bullwarks Forts against them And therefore assuredly knowing that by the Regall clayme Title of Britaine Queene Helen was the lawfull and vndoubted Heire Owner thereof that she was a Christian discended of such parents absolute Queene of such a Country the rare vertues wisedome she was endued with her potency thereby with hir Victorious and triumphant husband Constantius that they had children to succeed them in the gouernment and kingdome of Britaine and such as by credible Antiquities before were Christians and thereby more likely to enlardge and dilate then restrayne or hinder the profession of Christianitie they knew these Impediments to their wiked designements must be taken away before they could take effect Wherevpon beginning with the cheifest and principall propugnacle the Title of Queene Helen her marriadge with Constantius and Loue betweene them they first assaulted this by pretended disabilitie in that Title Marriadge Her lawfull Title by Regall Lineall discent and Inheritance they frustrated in their Iudgment which then had no Iudge on earth by their pretended not to be examined Imperiall clayme and Preeminencie taking and reckoning for their owne whatsoeuer they could gett and keepe by force and sword And their more then Panegyricall Orator Mamertinus saith plainely in his Oration to Maximian the Emperour that the Britans were not onely subiect vnto him but that he landing in Britaine The Britans receued him with greate Triumphe offered themselues to his presence Mamertin orat Panegyric ad Maximian Imper with their wiues and children reuerencing not onely himselfe but euen the sailes and tacklings of that ship which had brought his diuine presence vnto their coasts and when he should sett foote on land they were ready to lye downe at his feete that he might as it were march ouer them so desirous they were of him That both the Britans and Nation adioyning to the boundes of that Isle were obedient to his commandements And giueth nothing to Constantius but as in the Right and Title of that Emperour 2. Like to this haue some others of the flattering Roman Writers by which we see they went about vtterly to disable Queene Helen to haue any S. Helenae compelled to departe from Constantius Title to this kingdome This they so vrged to Constantius and so disgraced his Marriadge with that renowned Lady that in the end they cōpelled him to putt her away and take Theodora the Pagan daughter of the persecuting S. Lucius and his Sister S. Emerita banished out of Britaine Emperour Maximian in her place Then they bannished S. Lucius and S. Emerita their holy children and after martyred them and to make all sure in their prodeedings detayned Constantine their other child
Engl. l. 4. c. 27. Stowe Howes Hist Titul Romans in Coil Galfr. Mon. lib. 5. c. 6. Hist Reg. Bâ—â—t and pleased them in vexing and tormenting Christians heare in Britaine yet otherwise he was very vnpleasing to them per omnia Romanam potestatem turhauerat He troubled the Roman Power in all things and therefore they were glad of his death Ponticus Virunnius himselfe a Roman saith they did esteeme him their greate enemy and as for such an one reioyced of his death Romani gauisi sunt tanto hoste interfecto And this Ioy was not onely of particular Roman Persecutours but of the whole Senate which ruled cheifely in matters of Estate Cumque id Senatui nuntiatum est gauisi sunt propter Regis mortem quia per omnia Romanam potestatem turbauerat Therefore when our Antiquities assure vs that Coel obtinuit Regnum obtayned the kingdome Regni diademate se insigniuit And Regni diademate potitus was Crowned and as an old French Manuscript speaketh reigned ouer Britaine regna sur Bretaigne and was thus enabled and made powerable to redresse what he found offensiue and wicked being absolute King and ioyfully so receaued of the Britans as our Historian said before Wherefore Britains were all full glad and fain Of King Coilus that succoured all their pain And he himselfe taking exceptioÌ„ to Asclepiodotus next to his chardging him with vsurping the Crowne for being too barkward in resisting the RomaÌ„ persecutors would not now fall into the like error with him but as is proued already succoured all their paine vtterly ceased the PersecutioÌ„ against the ChristiaÌ„s of Britaine which were thus Ioyfull of his CoronatioÌ„ thereby releiued redeemed theÌ„ froÌ„ their afflictioÌ„s all his time Which both by our owne forreine HistoriaÌ„s Catholikes ProtestaÌ„ts coÌ„tinued to the end of this third huÌ„dred of yeares the RomaÌ„s hauing no power heare either to persecute ChristiaÌ„s or to any other purpose But as our Brittish other Histories testifie wholy lost their gouernmeÌ„t heare vntill after the death of King Coel or the coÌ„ming of CoÌ„staÌ„tius his sonne in Law hither the second time very litle before King Coel his death Recolentes damnum quod de amisso regno habuerant Our Scottish Historians say that King Coel vtterly destroyed both the Romans and all the Britans also which were their Fauourers and set forth a seuere Edict to search forth all Romans and Britans which had followed them heare and caused them to be punished and put to death and so with most ioyfull and generall applause of the people Nobles and others that the crowne of Britaine was thus restored to the true Heyre of their Regall blood was crowned King and Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 6. f. 101. he established the kingdome in the Brittish gouernmeÌ„t againe Coel Victor factus Asclepiodotum Romanum Legatum cum Romanis Praesidijs quibusdam Britanis Nobilibus Romanorum fautoribus interemit Confectoque praelio Britonibus caeteris in fidem receptis vt summa potestas ad regiam progeniem cui impie fuerat adempta aliquando rediret populus omnis laetis acclamationibus Patribus authoribus ipsum Coelem regnare iubet Ille Primoribus regni ac populo quod regnum sibi detulissent gratijs actis vt regnum sibi stabiliret atroci iubet Edicto Romanos qui eorum sequebantur partes quoscunque Britannici sanguinis viros perquiri inuentos varijs extingui supplicijs So that now so seuere a Lawe being made and executed both against the persecuting Romans and all such Britans as had ioyned with them against the Christian Inhabitants of this Nation and all this done by the Authoritie of our King and with the consent both of the Nobilitie and people Primoribus regni populo we must needs end the persecution of Christians heare with the beginning of King Coel his Reigne 5. And it could not be singular in this point if we should hold that King Coel was actually a Christian and not onely a friend to such for first all they which affirme him to haue bene Kinsman or Heyre to our first Christian King S. Lucius easily proue him a Christian for such a man would not leade either child or any Kinsman which by him had that Title to haue any other theÌ„ Christian education Secondly by the time of his age whether he was to King Lucius so neare or no we must needs confesse he liued most part of his life when Christianitie florished in this kingdome being an aged man before Dioclesian his PersecutioÌ„ began Thirdly our Historians say that his daughter S. Helen which had her education by his direction was instructed taught in the Christian faith in fide Catholica instructa at que edoÌ„cta A late writer thus speaketh of this with his older Author Helena was first instructed in the faith of Manuscript antiq in Vit. S. Helenae Capgr in ead Harris Hist l. 4. c. 4. Petr. de Natal l. 7. c. 73. Christ by Coil her father as Petrus de Natalibus saith And yet if we encline to this opinion we may easely answeare them that will obiect the publike vniuersall restitution of Christian Religion as building Churches Monasteries and such holy Foundations was not in his time For by the common opinion his reigne was short litle or not aboue foure yeares A great part whereof was spent in extirpating the Persecutors and the rest in preparation Matth. Westm an 302. Galfrid Mon. l. 5. Hist c. 6. Virun l. 5. Harding Chron. c. 60. f. 48. to resist a new Inuasion of the Romans not reigning in quiet and securitie from these troubles and feares the space of two moneths by any Writers And so after so great and terrible tempest of Persecution it was a wonderfull comfort and happines for the Brittish Christians to enter into such a calme and quiet to liue in securitie and rest freed from their former miseries vnder so renowned a King which was all he could doe or they expect in such times and circumstances THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF GREAT BRITAINE THE FOVRTH AGE THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF GREAT BRITAINE THE FOVRTH AGE THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE GREATE PEACE AND QVIET THE Church of Britaine enioyed during the whole life and Reigne of Constantius Emperor and King heare in Britaine and Constantine his sonne by Sainct Helen was heare brought vp in Christian Religion 1. BEING now to enter into the History of the fourth hundreth of yeares we finde the estate of the world and Church of Christ as we left theÌ„ in the last Age S. Marcellinus Pope of Rome cheife Ruler in the house of God on earth the holy Cleargy and other Christians liuing in Persecution and Dioclesian MaximiniaÌ„ the persecuting Emperors in all places where they did or could ouersway afflicting them with most cruell miseries in Britaine lately redeemed from their bloody tyranny by King Coel still reigning heare we liued still in rest and quietnesse free both from
By Martinus Polonus the same yeare The like haue others by which accōpt and Confession Constantine should either be vnborne or not aboue 2. yeares old at the most when he was King of Britaine and Emperor also after his Fathers death When it is proued before by all Antiquitie and the best Historians which haue written of this matter Greeke Latine Catholiks and Protestants that he was aboue 30. yeares of age at this time and his Mother S. Helen whom Matthew of Westminster seemeth at this reconciliation to call virginem valde speciosam an exceeding beutifull virgin and Harding both good and young had bene Constantius his wife 35. or 36. yeares before and brought him diuers children whereof Constantine the Greate now so old as I haue remembred was the youngest shortly after this comming of Constantius this Attonement betweene him and King Coel thus made King Coel died within fiue weekes saith Harding a moneth and eight dayes saith Galfridus Hard. Chron. c. 6. Galfrid Monum Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 6. Pōt Virun Hist l. 5. Harding Chron. c. 61. Emenso mense grauissima infirmit as occupauit Coel ipsumque intra octo dies morte affecit Virunnius saith within one moneth Intra mensem emortiur Coelus So likewise hath the Monke of Westminster Coelus elapso mense vitam finiuit Harding writeth that Cōstantius was Emperor before he was King of Britaine But King Constance of Rome was hie Cheiftain By the Senate first made the Emperour And after King of Britain and Gouernour 4. And all Historians agree that he was Emperour next and immediately to Dioclesian Maximinian who as Baronius Spondanus and others proue gaue ouer the Empyre in the 304. yeare of Christ Marianus saith in the 305. yeare when by common accompt before Constantius was come into Britaine and continued heare and not enioying the Empire aboue 2. yeares if he had then bene first marryed to S. Helen and Constantine had bene their first or onely sonne or child he could not haue bene aboue one yeare old at his Fathers death to be both king of Britaine and Emperour When it is certaine out of Eusebius and others before that Constantine was aboue thirty yeares old and had bene generall of an Army before his Fathers death which the same Author further confirmeth when comparing Cōstantine the Greate with Alexander the Greate saying that Alexander liued but 32. yeares and reigned litle more then the third part of that tyme Constantine was as old as Euseb l. 1. de Vita Constantini c. 3. 4. Alexander was at his death when he began to reigne doubled Alexanders tyme of life reigned thrise as longe At noster hic Imperator eo aetatis tempore regnum obtinuit quo ille Macedo cessit è vita illius autem vitae spatium temporis propagatione duplicauit regnique longitudinem triplo reddidit diuturniorem Therefore Alexander liuing 32. yeares compleate compleuit duos triginta annos Constantius finding the Christian Britans free and quiet at the death of King Coel so preserued them Constantine must needs be so old at his Fathers death when he began to reigne and so his Father and mother Constantius and Helen married together a longer tyme. 5. But King Coel hauing freed the Christians of Britaine from Persecution and now dying left them thus quiett and secuer from those vexations to Constantius Who during his life continued and maintayned them in the same or rather in better condition as I haue sufficiently remembred before not onely in giuing them tolleration and freedome from trouble and molestation as Sozomen with others witnesse Constantius Constantini pater permisit Christianis Sozomen Hist Ecclesiast l. 1. c. 6 potestatem libere suam religionem excolendi And was not against the lawe for Christians in Britaine to professe their Religion in his tyme Britannis non contra leges visum esse Christianam religionem dum adhuc vitae suppeditabat Constantio profiteri But he preferred the most constant Christians to the highest Euseb l. 1. de Vit. Constantini c. 11. offices and greatest trust stipatores suos ipsius regni custodes constituit He himself confessed the true God abolished Idolatrie Repudiata penitus impiorum in varijs dijs colendis superstitione Deum omnium moderatorem vltro agnouit And so consecrated his whole family to God that his Court was as a Church wherein were both Cleargie men and godly Christians truely seruing God Omnem suam familiā vni Regi Deo consecrauit adeo vt multitudo quae intra regiam ipsam coiuerat nihil ab Ecclesiae forma distare videretur in qua iner ant Dei Ministri qui continuos cultus pro Imperatore etiam tum obierunt cum piorum hominum genus verè Deo inseruientium alibi apud Gentilium multitudinem ne nominari quidem absque periculo poterat This blessing and benefite he brought into Britaine and to our Christians heare and publickly maintained it euen in those tymes as this auntient Author is witnesse when the name of Christians in other places was so odious that without danger it could not be spoken off Which he further confirmeth in an other place where speaking in the name of Christians he saith that among the Emperors of that tyme onely Constanstius did neither in any sort persecute Christians or participated with them which did but kept all them which were vnder him without hurt and secure from all trouble neyther pulled downe Churches or did any other thing Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 8. c. 14. against them Constantius solus ex nostri temporis Imperatoribus nec belli aduersum nos praesumpti vllo modo particeps fuit sed quos sub se habuit pios indemnes ab omni calumnia securos seruauit neque domos Ecclesiarum demolitus nec aliud Idem Eusebius apud Baron Spondan Ann. 304. quippiam contra nos operatus And els where he teacheth againe that the parts of the west Empire did generatly receaue quietnes from Persecution when Constantius reygned which allthough Baronius and Spondanus doe not so well allowe vpon Eusebius his words in all places of the west because as they alleidge Constantius neither presently would nor could be against the Edicts of the Emperors still lyuing when he himself remained in Britaine in the end of the world and Italy was then full of warrs But Eusebius writeth not this Sozomen l. 1. c. 6. singularly but Sozomen and others testifie as much that when the Churches of God were persecuted in all other parts of the world onely Constantius graunted libertie of Conscience to the Christians vnder him Cum Ecclesiae in alijs orbis partibus persecutionum fluctibus iactarentur solus Constantius Constantini pater permisit Christianis potestatem liberè suam religionem excolendi And againe generally of all Christian Churches in the part of his Empyre Ecclesiae quae erant in eâ Imperij parte quae
made his Councellors His whole Court was like a Church And except we should with very much boldnes deny the testimony of S. Eusebius then Pope affirming that the holy Crosse was found in the time of his Papacy and he instituted the Euseb Epist 3. ad Episcopus Tuscul Campaniae Tom. 1. Concil Gratian. can Crucis dist 3. de cons Martin Polon supputat col 67. in Euseb Papa Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. in Constantio Florent Wigor Chron. in Galer Regino Chron. an 243. Feast of the Inuention thereof Gratian and Martinus saying the like S. Damasus or Learned Anastasius S. Marianus Florentius Wigorn Regino and diuers others which playnely write that the holy Crosse was found in their dayes sub huius tempore inuenta est crux Domini sub Constantio patre Constantini Magni vt in gestis Romanorum Pontificalibus habetur ita sub huius tempore inuenta est crux Domini 5. Nonis Maij we must not neglect this opinion 2. And this is not to deny or question that publike and famous in Historyes Solemnitie about the holy Crosse in the dayes of Constātine the greate better allowing such Christian Assemblyes Festiuities in so honorable manner then the times yet permitted but to reconcile so many worthie Authours giue Constantius and S. Helen their due in their professing their loue of Christian Religion before Constantine either reigned or was borne and some of these Authours which I haue Cited as namely Marianus Scotus setteth downe both these Acts of deuotious as before and the other in the dayes of S. Helen found the holy Crosse in the time of Constātius before the reigne of Constantine her sonne Constantine after the death of Constantius citing diuers Authours for these distinct and diuers Actions of Religion And it is but a weake obiection derogatorie to the honour of S. Helen and this Nation which a late writer maketh when he saith teste Eusebio libro 3. cap. 46. constat Helenam post Constantinum Christianam Religionem amplexatam esse Si igitur hoc tempore Eusebij Papae Marian. Scot. aetat 6. an 325. col 300. Constantinus necdum Christianus fuerit quomodo Helena Deorū adhuc cultrix inueniendae crucis Christi adeo studiosa fuisse potuit as Eusebius witnesseth in the 46. Chapter of his third booke he meaneth of the life of Constantine it is euident Obiection that Helen embraced Christian Religion after Constantine Therefore if in the time of Seuer Binius Annot. in Epist 3 Eusebij Papae Tom. 1. Concil Pope Eusebius Constantine was not a Christian how could Helena a worshipper of the Pagan Gods be so carefull to finde the crosse of Christ But Eusebius allthough a sufficient and greater prayser of Constantine more then of his Mother in all Answeare Histories a wonderfull holy Saint speaketh there of deuotion pietate not first instruction in Religion which as I haue shewed before he receaued from her and his Father Constantius in or before Pope Eusebius time and S. Helen was euen from her youth as I haue proued frō Antiquities instructed in Christian Religion And if these so many and learned Antiquaries should be deceaued in this particular Religious Act of Constātius or Helena or them both Yet they yeeld vs so many Authorities and so able to be of opinion that Constantius a friend and restorer of Christian Religion in Britaine and other places also Constantius and S. Helen both were able to giue and actually gaue their greatest regall both allowance and help for the publike exercise aduancement of Christian Religion to Britaine where no impediment or hindederance can be pretended they being absolute commaunders heare 3. And diuers euen of this Nation haue before deliuered that this our now King and Emperour did particularly place S. Taurinus Archbishop in Yorke wherein allthough they be mistaken if they vnderstand S. Taurinus Bishop of Eureux consecrated by S. Clement Pope neither the time nor place allowing yet we cannot safely say but he might or did place some other of that name there and if both this should faile yet so many more Authorities concurre that Constantius gaue consent and assistance to the publicke restitution of Religion heare in his time For this we haue the warrant of our most auntient and approued Antiquaries S. Gildas and S. Bede and after them Matthew of Westminster with others S. Gildas writeth that before the Persecution had bene heare ten yeares the wicked Decrees against Christians were annulled and frustrate and all the seruants of Christ as after a longe winter night with ioyfull eyes receaue the cleare light of the heauenly ayre they renew their Churches which were throwne downe to the ground they found build and perfect others in honor of their holy Martyrs and as it were set forth euery where their victorious enseignes celebrate festiuall dayes offer sacrifice with a pure heart and mouth all of them reioyce as children cherished in the lapp of their mother the Church bilustro supradicti turbinis necdum ad integrum expleto emarcescentibusque nece suorum Authorum nefarijs decretis laetis luminibus omnes Christi Tyrones quasi post hyemalem ac prolixam noctem temperiem lucemque serenam aurae coelestis excipiunt renouant Ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas Basilicas Sanctorum Martyrum fundant construunt perficiunt ac velut victricia signa passim propalunt dies festos celebrant sacra mundo corde oreque conficiunt omnes exultant filij gremio ac si matris Ecclesiae confoti S. Bede saith that so soone as the tempest of Persecution ceased the Christians which had hidden themselues in woods Desarts and secret Dens presently came forth and shewed themselues in publick doing those publick works of Christian Religion which S. Gildas before remembred Vbi turbo Bed Hist Eccl. lib. 1. c. 8. persecutionis quieuit progressi in publicum fideles Christi qui se tempore discriminis siluis ac desertis abditisue speluncis occultauerant renouant Ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas Basilicas Martyrum fundant And the rest as S. Gildas before and writeth plainely that this was done in the time of Constantius and that he died heare while these things were thus in Acting His Temporibus Constantius qui viuente Dioclesiano Galliam Hispaniamque regebat vir summae mansuetudinis ciuilitatis in Britannia mortem obijt The Monke of Westminster hath Matth. Westm An. 313. the same words with S. Bede of this publike profession of Christian Religion heare presently vppon the ending of the Persecution during ten yeares elapsis decem annis And addeth that then the Church of S. Alban was builded to his honor within ten yeares of his Martyrdome decem annis post passionem eius elapsis and yet temporum Christianorum serenitate in the quiet of Christian times heare which by that is sayd before must needs be in the dayes of Constantius 4. Likewise we find in the Antiquities
of the old Church of Winchester Manuscr Antiq. Eccl. Winton Marian. Scot. an 306. Martin Pol. An. 307. Manuscr Ant. Gall. ann 306. Matth. West ann 305. 307. Baron Spondan an 306 Gordan an 306. Iacob Grynaeus annot in c. 15. l. 1. Euseb de Vit. Constantini Anno 308. Henric. Hunt l. 1. Hist in Diocletian Constantio Regino Chron. l. 1. in Constant an 253. Stowe Howes sup Hist in Constantius that being destroyed with the rest in this late Persecution it was perfectly reedified in the yeare of Christ 309. and so either was in building or warranted to be builded in the dayes of Constantius then or so lately before by all accompts lyuing and reigning heare that it could not be done without his warrant or allowance The like we say of the Churches of S. Iulius and S. Aaron and other Martyrs of that time and all both Cathedrall Churches and others destroyed heare by Maximian that most cruell horrible faced man as Henry of Huntington calleth him Maximinianus vir crudelissimus vultu horrendus after whose leauing the Empire Christians were quiet heare as he saith and restored to their former liberties And as Regino writeth not onely in Britaine but generally where he ruled both Bishops were restored to their priuate Sees and many other things graunted for the profit of Christian Religion Constantij Temporibus pace Ecclesijs reddita Episcopi priuatis sedibus restituuntur alia plura Christianae Religioni profutura And particularly saith that the Monastery of Treuers was begun in his time Then much more in Britaine where he was both absolute Emperour and King to commande and no man daring to resist him To this our Protestant Antiquaries haue giuen sufficient allowance when they graunted vnto vs that Constantius abolished the superstition of the Gentils in his Dominions especially in Britaine where he now liued King and Emperor and so in abolishing the Pagans Rites and obseruances for dislike of them and loue to Christian Religion must needs for his short time be an extraordinary Aduancer thereof But when he had thus The death of Constantius in Britaine his great loue then of Christians and that Religion happily begun this holy worke in reparing the ruines of the Church of Christ in this kingdome and before he could bring it to due and his desired perfection he fell sick at the Citie of Yorke where soone after he deceased Yet in this short time of his sicknes his greatest care was to leaue and commit this his charge both concerning his Empire and this kingdome to his eldest sonne Constantine now liuing sonne of S. Helen who as he hoped for many reasons would be most ready and willing to maintaine and defend true Religion and with Iustice gouerne his subiects 5. And to this happy choise as both Zonoras and Pomponius Laetus doe Zonaras Annal. Tom. 2. in Constantino Pomp. Laet. Rom. Hist comp in Constātino Max. Euseb l. 1. de Vit. Constantini c. 18. Iac. Grynaeus annot in eum locum plainely testifie before and Eusebius and others sufficiently insinuate he was admonished and iustructed by Gods direction and an Ange Ilas is before related Which is confirmed by the effect and euent itselfe not onely of the generall establishing of Christian Religion in the world by Constantine in the time of his Empire but his extraordinary and Miraculous preseruation before he came vnto it and at this very time of his Fathers sicknes strangely escaping the Tyrants hands in Italy and comming safely to his sick Father Constantius at Yorke in our Britaine by the greate prouidence of God as Eusebius noteth who had often preserued him to bringe him hither so longe and dangerous a Iourney at that very time to succeede his Father Deus omnia eius causa faciebat prouide prospiciens vt in tempore praesto esset ad Patri succedendum Euseb Vit. Cōst l. 1. c. 14. And this Authour immediately addeth for presently when Constantine had escaped the stratagems of the deceipts he came with all speed to his Father and Cap. 15. supr after a longe space of time which he had bene absent from him presented him to his sight at that moment Constantius was ready to dye but when contrary to all hope he saw his sonne lepinge out of his bedd he embraced him saying that he had now cast that out of his mynde which onely troubled him at the point of death which was the absence of his sonne And therefore did ernestly pray and giue thanks for it to God affirming that now he rather desired to dye then lyue and setting himselfe in the midst of his children and in his place lying vpon his kingly bedd giuing ouer the Inheritance of his kingdome to his eldest sonne departed this life Thus hath Eusebius then liuing in that time Our Protestant Historians citing other auncient writers Hollins Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 28. 27. cit Eutr Sext. Aurel. Vict. Niceph Tripart Hist not differing from Eusebius thus translate and epitomate this History from them Whilest Constantine remayned at Rome in manner as he had bene a pledge with Galerius in his Fathers time fledd from thence and with all post haste returned to his Father into Britaine killing or hewghing by the way all such horses as were appointed to stand at Innes readie for such as should ryde in post least being pursued he should haue bene ouertaken and brought backe againe by such is might be sent to pursue him Constantius whilest he lay on his death-bedd somewhat before he departed this life hearing that his sonne Constantine was come and escaped from the Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian with whome he remained as a Pledge he receaued him with all Ioy and raysing himselfe vp in his bedd in presence of his other sonnes and Counsellors with a greate number of other people and strangers that were come to visit him he sett the Crowne vpon his sonnes heade and adorned him with other Imperiall Robes and garments executing as it were himselfe the Constātius crowneth Constantine his sonne Emperor and prophesieth how he should aduaunce Christian Religiō office of an Herald and withall spake these words vnto his saide sonne and to his Counsellors there about him Now is my death to mee more wellcome and my departure hence more pleasant I haue heare a lardge Epitaph and Monument of buriall to wit mine owne sonne and one whome in earth I leaue to be Emperour in my place which by Gods good help shall wype away the teares of the Christians and reuenge the crueltie exercised by Tyrants This I reckon to chaunce vnto me in steed of most felicity Thus carefull was this holy Emperour euen at his death to aduance the honour of Christ Thus he did prophesying how his sonne after him should aduance Christian Religion now by his Father declared Emperour but as Eusebius writeth longe before designed to that dignitie by God King of all Euseb Hist Eccles l. 5. c.
the Christian Cleargie there should be free from Tributs and Vectigals and all this was done as he setteth downe before the ouerthrowe Constantine gaue to Licinius or Licinius opposed against him Which Baronius affirmeth was in the 316. yeare of Christ And in the very next yeare 314. of Christ the same Authour Baron Annal. An. 314. Matth. Westm An. 321. Ado in Chronic. Baronius setteth downe the first Councell of Arles where as he from Ado and others writeth there were 600. Bishops assembled together with Claudius Vitus Eugenius and Cyriacus the Popes Legats and addeth further from Eusebius that Constantine himselfe was there present with the Bishop Sed ipsum Imperatorem Constantinum cuÌ„ Episcopis interfuisse Eusebius declarat Which presence and sitting of ConstaÌ„tine with the Bishops in Councell Euseb l. 1. de Vita Constant cap. 37. Eusebius plainely confesseth Tanquam communis Episcopus a Deo constitutus ministrorum Dei coegit Conâ—â—lium in media istorum frequentia ac congressu adesse vna considere non dedignatus in medio consessu quasi vnus e multis assedit And yet affirmeth that diuers other Councels were called and kept in Baron An. 315. this yeare as at Ancyra in Galacia Neocaesarea in Pontus and Laodicea in Phrigia In the next yeare 315. he affirmeth Constantine published a Decree in preuenting murthering of children like a good Christian Prince Constantinus Imperator dignam planè Christiano Principe edidit sanctionem And an other against the Iewes which persecuted such of their Profession as became Christians commanding therein all such Iewes with their partakers to be burned And subiected all Christians which should forsake their Religion and professe Iudaisme to the same punishment So we might proceede to the other yeares betweene this and the 324. yeare wherein Baronius would haue him to be baptized needles to be related in this place these being more then sufficient to proue he was baptized longe before that time Which Ensebius doth giue plaine testimony vnto euen by Baronius his owne calculation for Baronius setting downe the warre betweene Constantine and Licinius to haue bene in the yeare 316. Eusebius saith that Licinius did then oppose against Euseb Hist l. 10 cap. 8. 9. God Allmightie whome he knew Constantine did worship Licinius vbi belelum Constantino inferre decreuit etiam ipsum omnium Deum quem a Constantino colisciebat impugnare aggreditur Eusebius thus writeth immediately after those Letters written to Anilinus Caecilianus and others before about the seuenth yeare of Constantinus as Baronius before hath witnessed Eusebius there also calleth Constantine a man renowned for all kinde of pietie omnis pietatis virtute clarus 7. And to put vs out of all doubt in this busines Euseb doth manifestly proue Euseb l. 1. vit Constant c. 34. 35. 36. 37. 41. that Constantine had giuen such freedome and donations to the Church of Christ as be remembred honored Bishops builded Churches caused Councels to be called and was present in them with the Bishops and many things of like nature before the tenth yeare of his Empire Heremias Sozomen before Sozom. l. 1. Hist cap. 8. hath witnessed that he receaued the Sacraments in the Church in this time Sacra mysteria percipere Which none but actually and really Baptized Christians might doe or did at any time If any man shall obiect that S. Melchiades Pope was a Maryr and so not likely to receaue such fauours from Constantine Baronius well answeareth he was accompted as many others were for the greate Persecution he endured vnder Maximian and not because he Baron An. 313. was violently put to death for Religion but dyed in a peaceable time Which the old Roman Martyrologe confirmeth Romae S. Melchiadis Papae qui in persecutione Martyrolog Roman die 10. Decembr Maximiani multa passus reddita Ecclesiae pace quieuit in Domino Which proueth that CoÌ„stantine had giuen Libertie to ChristiaÌ„s before S. Melchiades death which was within a yeare and litle more of Constantine his Victory against Maxentius After which time there is a silence in Histories of any Persecution where Constantine reigned And therefore S. Syluester being fled to the Mountaine Soractes in Persecution when he was sought for to christen Constantine by Diuine Vision argueth for them that hould before that the was baptized in the seuenth yeare of his Empire and by S. Syluester not then Pope but soone after and so said to be baptized by S. Syluester Pope because a litter after by the death of S. Melchiades he was choseÌ„ to that dignitie 8. The opinion of Constantine his Leprosie and miraculous curing thereof at his Baptisme can be no argument for the deferring thereof to a later time for we find that his daugter S. Constantia or Constantina was also infected with that desease as most probable from her Father and as miraculously cured thereof at S. Agnes her Tombe by her prayers as her Father was by S. Syluester his baptizing him So that we may rather say of them both so miraculously cured to the greate glory of God Conuersion of many as Christ said of the man borne blinde whome he gaue sight vnto that neither he nor his Parents in that respect had sinned but that the workes of God might be manifest in him Then with Pagans impute such punishment to the demerits Io. cap. 9. of Constantine which Euagrius ernestly contendeth to cleare him off And the greatest matter that is obiected being the death of Crispus his sonne this Euagr Hist l. 3. cap. 40. 41. could be no cause to deserue that Leprous punishment Crispus death being longe after Constantine his Baptisme wherein he was cleansed from that infirmitie Which both Baronius and Spondanus confesse and affirme Sozomen Baron SpoÌ„d An. 324. proueth by many Arguments that Crispus liued many yeares after his Father Constantine was a Christian Costantini ad Christum conuersionem plurimis arguâ—entis demonstrat longè ante Crispi obitum contigisse ipsumque Câ—â—spum plures vixisse annos postquam Pater Christo nomen dedisset 9. Therefore I meruaile how they could write before that Constantine was not baptized vntill the 324. yeare of Christ in which they say Crispus his death was and now thus confidently teach that which I onely contend that Constantine was a Christian longe many yeares before that time And Nicephorus Platina and others teach that this Crispus was baptized by S. Nicephorus lib. 7. cap. 33. in fine Platina in Marco Syluester together with his Father Constantine when Maxentius was ouerthrowne in the seuenth yeare of Constantine Vna cum ipso Crispus eius filius diuinum participauit lauacrum ambo candidam vestem induerant pulsis vrbe Tyrannis And Sozomen plainely affirmeth that Crispus died in the 20. yeare of the reigne of Constantine and before in his life being Caesar ioyned with Sozomen Hist Eccles l. 1. c. 5. his Father in many Lawes for
of Christ 326. he boldly affirmeth she liued some yeares after that time Haud tamen affirmare dubitamus adhuc aliquot post haec vixisse annos And that she liued vntill the 335. of Christ or after it is euident by Eusebius Sozomen and others affirming that she left her three Nephewes sonnes of Constantine Caesars when she dyed And yet it is manifest by Eusebius and others that Constans his youngest sonne was not Caesar vntill the 30. yeare of Constantine when his Tricennall Feast was kept in the 335. yeare of Christ the eldest CoÌ„staÌ„tine being created Caesar in the 10. yeare of his Empire at the decennall festiuitie and Constantius the second in the 20. yeare when the vicennall Feast thereof was celebrated Cum triginta ipse annos in Imperio compleuisset filij eius numero tres Caesares diuersis creabantur temporibus Primus qui Patris erat cognominis decimo paterni Imperij anno honorem hunc adeptus est Secundus Aui nomine appellatus Constantius vicesimo ferè Imperij paterni anno quando publicus solennisque omnium hominum conuentus agebatur renuntiatus est Tertius Constants suit qui tricesimo paterni regni anno ad honorem euectus est The Age of S. Helen by Eusebius and others about fourescore yeares old octogesimum ferè aetatis suae annum confecisset doth proue as much for as is proued before she was a young Virgin when she was marryed to Constantius about the yeare of Christs Natiuitie 272. And the Age of Constantine her sonne being aboue 30. yeares of Age before he was Emperour and reigning Emperor no lesse time giueth good allowance vnto it suruiuing after her death by all accompts To which the reckening of Onuphrius and Onuphr in Roman Principib pag. 57. others that Constantine the Greate was borne in greate Britaine in the yeare of our Lord 272. according to my accompt before giueth more confirmation THE XVI CHAPTER OF THE HOLY DEVOVTE LIFE OF Constantine his Religion in many particulars His death glorious and not so soone as some relate it 1. SOME late Writers grounding vpon the Relation and Authorie Socrat. l. 1. Hist cap. vlt. 26. of Socrates doe seeme to hold that Constantine dyed the same yeare 337. Felicianus and Titianus being then Consuls Anno Christi trecentesimo trigesimo septimo Feliciano Baron Spond Annal. an 337. Titiano CoÌ„ss Constantinus Imperator ex hac vita migrauit vt disertè Socrates testatur addens diem nempe vndecimum Kalendas Iunij But I cannot assent either vnto Socrates so to thinke nor this Constantinâ— the Greate died not so soone as some recompt Interpretation of him for the reason for which Baronius and Spondanus assent vnto him for that after this yeare Lawes were rather founde inscribed in the name of his Sonnes then of Constantine their Father Vt Socratis Chronographiae de die CoÌ„ss consentiamus illud imprimis maximè persuadet quod leges posthac datae nominibus filiorum reperiantur inscriptae potiùs quaÌ„ ipsius Constantini Patris For Eusebius then liuing doth witnesse that Constantine did giue this Power and Authoritie whilst he liued Liberum eis fecit vt per se aliquid Euseb l. 4. de vit Const c. 52. l. 10. Hist cap. vlt. ad Reipublicae vtilitatem gererent And this is euident by the example and instance it selfe which these Authours obiect that Lawes were made in the Moneth of December in the yeare of these two named Consuls Felicianus and Titianus in the name of his Sonne Constantius Leges extant in Cod. Theodor. datae à Constantio ijsdem huius anni CoÌ„ss mense Decembri For Socrates their holds that these Consuls were in the next yeare to the Tricennall Feast as they affirme when Eusebius a present liuing witnesse and acquaintance to Constantine the Greate and others affirme that Constantine was Emperor allmost 32. yeares much more then a yeare after his Tricennall Feast Duos triginta annos extra paucos menses dies cum Imperio fuit Euseb l. 4. de vit Const supr Theodoret. Hist lib. 2. cap. 31. And these Authours themselues which pretend to follow Socrates doe much differ from him in their Accompt in this matter for they plainely teach that the Tricennalia of Constantine wherein his youngest Sonne Constans was created Caesar were kept in the 335. yeare of Christ Anno Christi trecentesimo Baron Spond Annal. an 335. trigesimo quinto celebrata sunt Tricennalia eiusdem Constantini Constans tertius eius filius ab ipso creatus est Caesar And then bring in the named two Consuls Felicianus and Tiatianus as also the death of Constantine to haue bene in the yeare 337. when Socrates saith plainely that in the immediate next yeare to the Tricennall anno post both those men were Consuls and Constantine Socrat. Hist lib. 1. cap. 25. 26. dyed Anno post Constantinus mortem obijt Feliciano Tatiano CoÌ„ss ad vndecimum Calendas Iunij Which cannot possibly agree together 2. Besides the opinion of those two to be Consuls in either of these yeares is very doubtfull and not to be followed for certaine for both Marianus Scotus Florentius Wigorniensis others confidently write that their yeare of Consulship was before the Tricennall yeare of Constantine in the 29. yeare of Constantine and 334. of Christ Anno Christi 334. 29. Constantini CoÌ„ss Faelicianus Titianus And that Vrsus and Polemius were Consuls in the next following Tricennall yeare and in the yeare 336. wherein as Socrates saith Felicianus and Titianus were Consuls and Constantine dyed not they or any one of them but Constantius and Constans were Consuls And the yeare 337. in which by Baronius and Spondanus Constantine deceased in the Consulhips of Felicianus and Tatianus neyther of them but Acindinus or Aridinus Marian. Scotus aetat 6. an 334. 335. 336. Florent Wigorn. Chron. in eiâ—d Consulib and Proculus were Consuls 3. Therefore diuers English Historians doe confidently hold both Catholiks and Protestants that Constantine lyued vntill the 339. or 340. yeare of Christ And both Eusebius Theodoret and others deliuer vnto vs so many Edicts Acts and worthie labors of this renowned Emperor after his Tricennall yeare and the time of his death by Socrates that we must needs hold he lyued longer after that time then he prescribeth This is manifest in the Historie Matth. Westm an 340. Stowe and Howes Hist Rom. in Const Pits l. de Illustr Brit. Script in Const Magno Bal. centur 1. in Flauio Constant of that most glorious man S. Athanasius Patriarke of Alexandria his vniust Banishment vnto Treuers in Germany and honorable restoring againe after two yeares and foure moneths Exile at Treuers as Theodoret and others testifie Diuus quidem Athanasius post annos duos quatuor menses Treuerensis exilij Alexandriam redijt Yet Baronius and Spondanus freely grant that he was bannished in the 336. yeare
of Christ when by Socrates reckening Constantine the Greate dyed When Theodoret saith plainely that this greate Constantine restored S. Athanasius by his Decree restituit autem Alexandriae decreto suo Athanasium quamuis adesset Eusebius summis Theodoret. l. 2. Histor cap. 1. viribus dissuaderet And Sozomen also doth euidently testifie that the Greate Constantine in his life time commanded S. Athanasius to be restored and so left it in his last Will and Testament and recordeth this returne of S. Athanasius as the first matter of moment done after his death Dum haec geruntur Theodoret. Hist lib. 1. cap. 31. Athanasius ex Gallia ad solem Occidentem vergente Alexandriam reuertitur Quem Constantinus dum adhuc maneret in vita reuocari in patriam iusserat Fertur etiam eum hoc idem in Testamento suo praecepisse Which Constantine the Sonne then ruling in those parts speedely and honorably for S. Athanasius performed testifying in his Publike Letters extant in the Workes of S. Athanasius Sozom. Histor Eccl. l. 3. cap. 2. Theodoret Sozomen and Socrates himselfe that it was his Fathers Ordinance and Commande Cum Dominus noster faelicis memoriae Constantinus Augustus Pater meus haberet in animo Episcopum illum ad propriam Sedem locumque restituere morte ante occupatus occumberet quà m id quòd erat sibi in optatis Epistol Const filij apud Athan. Apol. 2. Theod. l. 2. c. 2. Sozom. l. 3. c. 2. Socrat. l. 2. c. 2. Niceph. Hist Eccl. lib. 9. c. 3. l. 8. c. 54. explere posset consentaneum existimaui vt ipse institutum tam pij Imperatoris mihi exequendum susciperem 4. And the same Socrates manifestly proueth that this returne of S. Athanasius to Alexandria from Treuers after his so longe continuance there was presently vpon the death of Constantine the Father so soone as the certaine notice thereof did come to his sonne Constantine in France Eusebius setteth downe many memorable things of this greate Emperour done by him yet lyuing after the time of his supposed death by Socrates Namely the marriage of his second sonne with greate sumptuousnes the Father Emperour leading his sonne by the hand to that Solemnitie the Ambassages and gifts sent Euseb lib. 4. de vit Const c. 49. 50. 51. 56. 57. vnto him from the Indians His diuiding the Empire betweene his sonnes His dayly making of Lawes both concerning ciuill and warlike affaires assiduè leges ferebat aliquando de rebus ciuilibus aliquando de bellicis He prepared his greate Expedition against the Persians in so forcible and victorious manner associating diuers Bishops with him to giue assistance both by their counsaile and prayers that the Persians vnderstanding thereof fearing themselues not able to make resistante sent Ambassadors vnto him to entreate for peace Oratores ad eum de petenda pace mittebant which they obtayned vpon conditions for the quiet of Christians among them 5. Among these prouisions he caused a moueable Church magnificently to be made to carry with him in his Army for his Cleargie and himselfe to serue God in Ad bellum illud suscipiendum Tabernaculum ad Ecclesiae similitudinem magnificientia faciendum curauit in quo Deo victoriarum datori ipse cum Episcâ—pis supplicaret And further to explode the error which holdeth he was not baptised vntill a little before his death when these Ambassadours came vnto him it was the holy time of Easter and Constantine watched all night with Constantine his greate deuotion at the feasts of Easter other Christians in the Church magna agebatur diei Paschâ— eo tempore celebritas Imperaror cum caetâ—ris pernoctans vota precesque Deo persoluebat And this custome he yearely vsed in this greate Festiuitie as the same Author present witnesse thereof thus testifieth Statis quotidie teÌ„poribus soluscuÌ„ sololoquebatur Deo Cap. 21. 22. supr supplici voce in genua proiectus humili vultu deiectis oculis à Deo petebat ve quibus egeret rebus per illum consequeretur Sed hanc Religionis executationeÌ„ salutaris festi temporibus augeÌ„s omnibus viribus cum animi tum corporis diuinos sacroruÌ„ ritus obibat quasi qui huius magnae solemnitatis exempluÌ„ omnibus praeberet NocturnaÌ„ verò in hoc festo per vigilationeÌ„ tam claram reddidit quà m diurnaÌ„ lucem accensis tota vrbe per certos homines quibus hoc munus delegatum fuit quà m celsissimis cereis caÌ„delis etiam laÌ„padibus igneis omnes latebras collustraÌ„tibus vt illâ— mystica pernoctatio longe clarior ipsa solis luce redderetur Ad hunc moduÌ„ Deo ille sâ—o quasi sacerdos quidam sacra faciebat He did dayly at certaine vsuall times huÌ„bly vpoÌ„ his knees pray vnto God but this exercise of religion he encreased in the times of the Feast of Saluation with all The ceremony of lights in the Church vsed by Constantine in greate aboundance of them and watchings power of soule and body executing the sacred ceremonies giuing as it were an example vnto all of this greate Solemnitie In this Feast he made the watching in the night as bright as the light of the day most high waxe condels were set vp burning in all the Citie as also laÌ„pes shyning in euery corner diuers meÌ„ being assigned to execute that office So that this mysticall watching through all the night was made farre more bright then the light of the sonne After this manner as if he had bene a Preist he serued God 6. Vpon the opportunitie before remembred of the King of Persia sending Constantine procureth quiet for the Christians in Persia Ambassadors vnto Constatine to procure peace he also wrote vnto that King Sapores that the ChristiaÌ„s in his Dominions which were there in greate numbers at that time cum accepisset apud Persas frequentes esse Dei Ecclesias infinitum pene populum Christi gregibus contineri might liue at libertie and freedome Euseb l. 4. supr Sozomen lib. 2. Hist cap. 14. for their Religion And if we may beleeue Eusebius then lyuing and best knowing the affaires and proceedings of this most Noble Emperour after all these things were compassed and brought to end he began that glorious and renowned worke and foundation of the most sumptuous Church of the twelue Apostles in Constantinople vbi iam haec peracta fuerunt omnia Euseb supr c. 58. Apostolorum templum in fui cognomine ad perpetuam illorum memoriam conseruandam aedificare caepit Where it is euident by this then lyuing Authour and witnesse that he did not begin to build this Church vntill long after his tricennall Feast first finishing and ending those things I haue remembred and others And yet the glory and statelines of that worke as it is described by the same Writer was such that it could not be effected finished in many yeares Cap. 60. supr and yet
Cap. 66. supr in terris vllum a condito mundo sub sole visum est All the Nobles of his Army which worshipped him when he lyued kept their old manner custome at certaine times entring in and prostrating themselues one the groond saluted the Emperour after his death lying in his Coffen as if he had still bene Greate reuerence giuen by the Christians to the de ad body of Constantine lyuing The Senate and all other Magistrats worshipped his body with like reuerence All kind of people euen women and children in infinite number came to see this Solemnitie these things were thus performed many dayes This blessed Emperour was he alone which reigned when he was dead and to him alone God himselfe being Authour thereof all honours which were wonte to be giuen him when he lyued were giuen after his death For he being the onely Emperour which in all the Actions of his life piously and Religiously worshiped God the King of all his sonne Christ Iesus he alone by right obtained this honour by the will of God to haue that which was buryed in death to reigne among men Totius exercitus Duces Comites omniumque Principum caetus quibus antea in more fuit Imperatorem venerari pristinum morem consuetudinem conseruaÌ„tes statis temporibus introeuntes Imperatorem in capsula iacentem tanquam viuum etiam post mortem humi procumbentes salutabant Horum reuerentiam eodem pietatis officio subsequutus est Senatus omnes reliqui Magistratus Tum vero cuiusuis ordinis hominuÌ„ etiam muliercularum puerorum infinita turba ad idem spectaculum confluebat Haec per multos dies factitata Solus vero iste beatus Imperator etiam mortuus regnauit cum ei soli post hominum memoriam vel ipso Deo Authore omnes qui solebant honores tanquam superstiti tribuerentur Num cum is solus ex omnibus Imperatoribus Regem omnium Deum Christum eius omnibus vitae actionibus pie sancteque coluerit iure sane etiam hunc honorem solus adeptus est vt Dei voluntate quod in eo morte sepultum erat tamen apud homines regnaret 9. They also made his Picturs and in them worshiped him as though he Cap. 69. were still lyuing And painted him as reigning in heauen Neque haec voce tantum clamoribus significabant verumetiam re ipsa declarabant cum ea vita functum pictis tabellis tanquam viuum colerent Nam cum caeli effigiem in tabella proprijs Constantine worshipped in his pictures after his death coloribus expressissent depinguÌ„t eum super caelestes orbes in ethaereeo caelo requiescentem Thus his body was honorably kept vnburyed vntill his sonne Constantius came none of them being preseÌ„t at his death Then being with greate solemnitie brought to the Apostles Church where the Preists and people The Preists and others pray for the soule of their Emperor Constantine deceased with teares and mourning prayed vnto God for the soule of the Emperour Populus frequens vna cum Sacerdotibus non sine lachrymis sane magno cum geÌ„mitu preces pro animo Imperatoris Deo fundebant And so with sacred ceremonies and the sacrifice of Masse and holy prayers he was ioyned to the people Cap. 70. 71. of God in heauen Licet contemplari ter beatae animae tumulum Apostolici nominis Masse said for him deceased appellaâ—ione decorari Dei populum aggregari diuinisque ceremonijs mystico sacrificio sanctarumque precationum societate perfrui 10. Nicephorus writeth that the holynes and pietie of this renowned Emperour The Relicks of Constantino worke many miracles so his Image were so Miraculously approued after his death that God gaue such an infallible gift of healing and Miracles both to his graue and Image that all diseases whatsoeuer were certainely cured by the onely touching of them Magna gloria bonorum conciliator Deus virum eum veluti fidelem ministrum accumulauit Niceph. Hist Eccl. l. 8. cap. 55. sanationum Miraculorum gratia vrnae statuae ipsius quae in porpheretici marmoris columna posita est immissa vt deinceps nulla aegri tudo contrectatis eis non cederet fides verbi illius Christi adimpleretur dicentis ego glorificantes me glorifiâ—â—bo The memorable workes and foundations of Christian pietie Arguments of Constantine his Religion the most honored Emperor that euer was Churches most sumptuous Altars Chalices Patens Candelsticks and other vessels of gold and siluer which he founded Priuiledges Immunities and aimes which he bestowed vpon Religion are innumerable Eusebius hath writen his life in 4. Bookes and many others haue entreated of them able in themselues to minister subiect of a whole History therefore I must passe them ouer onely saying in generall with that Authour of this Noble Emperour Solus ex omnibus Romanis Imperatoribus Deum omnium Regem incredibili Euseb l. 4. vit Const cap. 75. pietatis studio honorauit solus omni cum libertate vocis linguae Christi verbum personuit solus vt ita dicam Ecclesiam eius praeter caeteras ab omni aeuo honoribus effecit Solus Impium multoruÌ„ deorum ficticium cultum sustulit omnesque vias Idololatriae refutauit Igitur dum viueret postque est mortuus his honoribus cumulatus est quales neminem aliquando nec apud Graecos nec Barbaros sed ne antiquissimis quidem Romanorum temporibus cum neminem cum isto conferendum vlla vnquaÌ„ seculorum memoria nobis profuderit adeptum esse quisquam commemorare potest Among all the Roman Emperours Constantine onely did with incredible feruour of pietie honour God the King of all he alone with all libertie of voice and tongue sounded forth the word of Christ he alone that I may so say more then all the rest in all Ages endewed his Church with honours He alone tooke away the feigned worship of many Gods and refuted all the wayes of Idolatry Therefore he alone both when he lyued and after he was dead had such honors heaped vpon him that no man can make relation that any man at any time eyther among the Greekes or Barbarians or in the most auncient time of the Romans obtayned the like It is not found in the memory of all Ages that any man was to be compared vnto him He left his three sonnes before remembred to serue and reigne Emperours after him in the S. Constantia dâ—uâ—hter to Consâ—anâ—ine an holy Nunneâ— example to many Noble Nuâ—â—â— worlde but his holy daughter S. Constantia some call her Constantina he left to serue God in perpetuall virginitie among sacred Nunnes who as I haue insinuated before being infected with Leprosie and going on Pilgrimage to the graue of S. Agnes Martyred in the Persecution before Constantins time and there continuing in prayer all night was Miraculously cured of her infirmitie S. Agnes
Constantine laboured all he could euen till his dying day to haue the holy faith of Nice continue stable and permanent for euer and to innouate any thing therein should be to conteme so many holy Confessors and Martyrs which had professed it and the old Institution and obseruation of the Catholike Church continuing vntill his Empire Cum intelligamus Constantinum Principem omnium Posterorum memoria Epist Concil Arimin ad Constant Imperat. apud Socrat. l. 2. Hist cap. 29. post mortem celebrandum diligenter elaborasse vt fides illa Nicaae literis prodita accuratissimè perquisita explorataque esset absurdum plane videretur eo iam post acceptum Baptismum vita functo ad tanquilâ—itatem sibi debitam profecto aliquid in ea nouare tot sancâ—os Confessores Martyres qui huius doctrinae Authores inuentoresque fuerunt quique vt vetus Ecclesiae Catholicae institutum poscebat omnino senserunt inque eo perstiterunt perpetuo prorsus contemnere Quorum fidem ad tui Imperij tempora Deus per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum perduxit And there earnestly exhort him that no Innouation be made but suffer them to perseuer quietly in the faith of their Predecessors directed by the holy ghost and neither to adde nor detract any thing to those auncient Decrees which by his Fathers pietie had bene obserued and kept so long vnuiolate Tuam clementiam obtestamur vt non permittas quicquam nouari ad eorum contumeliam qui vita excesserint sed nobis facias potestatem in his quae sunt à Maioribus quos quidem ingenuosè prudenter spiritu sancto illis opem ferente omnia transegisse constat Decreta sancitaque firmè perseuerandi Flagitamus ne quid veteribus Decretis vel detrahatur vel adijciatur omnino sed omnia quae patris tui pietate vsque ad hoc tempus obseruata fuerunt rata firmaque permaneant neque de caetero nobis quicquam de ijs rebus facessus molestiae aut a nostris ipsorum Ecclesijs nos abesse sinas By this greate euidence of 400. witnesses both our renowned Constantine both lyuing and dying and this Kingdome of Britaine is hitherto free from all suspition of Heresie Of the continued Innocency of Britaine from that fowle and allmost generall Infection I shall speake more heareafter that which I haue said before sufficiently excuseth Constantine And both Theodoret SozomeÌ„ doe most plainely cleare him The first affirmeth that he was so earnest a Professor and Patrone of the Nicen faith all his life that so long as he liued no man durst openly deny it dum vixit Constantinus nemo â—am apertè reijcere ausus est The other doth euidently proue that he was so grounded in the true Catholike faith established Sozom. Hist Eccl. lib. 3. c. 1. at Nice that the Arrian Preist which seduced his Sister Constantia and his sonne Constantius afterward being by his Sisters meanes present with him at his death and trusted to deliuer his last Will to his sonne Constantius neuer durst bewray himselfe to Constantine that he was an Arrian much lesse persuade that holy Emperour to that Heresie peâ—ceauing how firme and constant he was in the true Catholike faith non fuit ausus palam facere Theodoret. Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 3. malum suum cum videret quanta esset regiae mentis in re diuina firmitas But he reserued the vomiting of that his poison to Constantius whome he infected after his Fathers death THE XIX CHAPTER HOW BRITAINE HAD MANY BISHOPS at the true greate Sardican Councell they and the other Bishops Preists and Christians heare professed the true Catholike faith and were free from Heresie 1. NEITHER was Constatius soone after his Fathers death infected with the Arrian Heresie either to endanger Britaine or any other Nation vnder his Dominion but consented to the recalling of S. Athanasius from Exile Epist Constantij ad S. Athanas apud Socr. l. 2. Histor c. 18. Athan Apolog. 2. Socrat. l. 2. c. 16. Sozo l. 3. c. 10. 11. Nicephorus Histor Eccl. l. 9. c. 12 Sozom. supr c. 11. Conc. Sardic ep to 1. Conc. Athanas epist ad Antioch Tom. 1. oper S. Athan. apud al. and some time to his continuing his dignitie at Alexandria And whether it was for loue of S. Athanasius or feare of his Brother Constans writing earnestly vnto him in fauour of S. Athanasius he wrote diuers frendly letters vnto him after this of which Socrates setteth downe three and consented to the calling of the greate generall Councell of Sardyce 10. or 11. yeares after the death of Constantine the Greate his Father as Socrates and Sozomen affirme wherein S. Athanasius was proued innocent and as he then present with many others proueth the Nicen faith was confirmed and vtterly forbidden to be questioned Sancta Synodus quae Sardis conuenit Decreto sanciuit ne quid vlterius de fide scriberetur sese contentos esse Nicaena fide declarauerunt vt cui nihil deesset in qua integra solida pietas contineretur neque edendam esse aliam professionem fidei ne illa quae Nicaae scripta est suos numeros non habere videretur neue illis quibus libido est semper noua statuere occasio huiusmodi suppeditaretur vt iterum atque iterum de fide definiant Athanas Apol. 2. contra Arrianos 2. And at the calling of this Councell the same renowned Catholike Doctor calleth this Constantius as also his Brother a knowne Catholike Emperor Diuers Bishops of Britaine 5. at the least present at the generall Councell of Sardice But probably diuers more a most Religeous Prince in Magno Concilio Sardico ad EdictuÌ„ Religiosissimorum Principum Constantij Constantis And we are sure that at this time our Kingdome of Britaine retayned the former glorious estate and glory of Religion it had before in the dayes of Constantine and was still free from the Arrian Heresie For the same glorious Confessor S. Athanasius present in that Councell saith that among more then 300. Bishops assembled there which Sex Ruf. Breuia Rer. gest po Ro. ad Valentiniani Aug. Sigonius l. 4. de Occid Imperio p. 89. 90. Arnold Mylius in Antiq. nomin Region Insular c. Sepher Bin. Annot. in Conc. Sardic to 1. CoÌ„c Baron Spond An. 347. Athanas Apol. 2. freed him and professed the Nicen faith the Bishops from the Prouinces of Britaine ex Prouincijs Britanniarum were there And as the RomaÌ„ Writers testifie there were from the diuision of the Empire by Constantine and as many suppose before fiue Prouinces heare in Britaine Britanniae quinque Maxima Caesarieâ—â—â—s Valentia Britannia prima Britannia secunda Flauia Caesariensis So that if we should allowe but one Bishop out of euery of these Prouinces to haue bene at the Sardyce Councell and there to haue subscribed for the rest of their Prouinces or Diocesses we must grant fiue Brittish
and was a professed and open Enemy to all which durst call God the Sonne a Creature Quamuis facilitate ingenij illecebris Religionis ab Episcopis in quorum potestate fuit seductus sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consubstantialis verbum ex fidei Symbolo sub vnionis coniunctionisque omnium praetextu sustulerit sinceram tamen dictionis eius sententiam est professus Quum etenim Deum verbum germanum filium ante secula ex patre genitum dixit tum certus manifestusque eorum qui creaturam illum vocare ausi fuissent hostis extitit The like Niceph. l. 9. c. 50. he hath in other places and citeth S. Gregory Nazianzen to like purpose who doth as much or more excuse him he saith he died an holy death was buried with all honour and reuerence with holy Christian singing Himes and lights sanctis carminibus nocturnis himnis lucernarum ignibus Christiani obitum pium cohonestandum censent He calleth him the most holy of all Emperours and most louing of Christ Imperatorum santissime Christi amantissime He saith he was after his death glorified in heauen changing his earthly for an heauenly Empire Qui ad Deum translatus sis gloriae caelestis haeres tanto longius a nobis secesseris quanto Imperium illud quod cum hoc commutasti est augustius Thus S. Gregory Nazianzen is cited by Nicephorus But in his owne workes Greg. Nazien l. de Laud. S. Athanasij orat 1. 2. in Iulian. he is more plaine for the excuse coÌ„mendatioÌ„s of CoÌ„stantius defeÌ„ding him or excusing him in all matters obiected against him Which were three things that he caused the death of his sonne in Law the secoÌ„d for making IuliaÌ„ which proued an Apostate Emperor the third for his professing or fauoring the ArriaÌ„ Heresie All which he confessed at his death in his last words repeÌ„ted Tria haec Greg. Nazian l. in Laud. Athan. mala Imperioque suo principatu indigna ipsuÌ„ agnouisse narrant vnuÌ„ quod generi suo necem attulisset alteruÌ„ quod IulianuÌ„ ApostataÌ„ Imperatorem nominasset tertium quod nouis fidei dogmatibus studuisset simulque cuÌ„ his vocibus è vita aiscessisse The word narraÌ„t meÌ„ testifie proueth this was the testimony of others besides S. Gregory and yet he lyuing in that time and those parts a man of so greate renoâ—ne his owne Authoritie if it had bene singular is not to be lightly esteemed Yet diuers others besides those witnesses confesse as much Zonoras saith of this Constantius citing others as much as S. Gregory did that this Emperour at his death professed himselfe to be penitent for those Errors Constantius obijt Io. Zonar Tom. 3. Annal. in Constantio trium vt aiunt se paenitere professus caedis propinquorum collati in Iulianum Tituli mutatae Religionis And for this cheife point for changing his Fathers Religion and following the Arrians Nicephorus saith he did not a litle repent Niceph. Hist lib. 10. c. 1. him Quem non parum quod aliquid de paternae fidei professione mutauerit paenituit And Theodoret one of his greatest Accusers herein confesseth as much and more affirming he did bitterly complaine that he had changed his faith acerbe fuit conquestus quod fidem immutasset And againe he died with groaning and Theodor. Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 32. vlt. Theod. l. 3. c. 1. bewayling that he had chaÌ„ged his Fathers faith CoÌ„stantius cuÌ„ gemitu queremonia ob mutatam fidem paternam excessitè vita S. Gregory Nazianzen saith that at his death he purged and excused himselfe both before God and man in many words Deo hominibus multis verbis se excusasset atque purgasset Greg. Nazian orat in Iulian. conatuque suo animique impetu testacum Christianis reliquisset quanto pietatis tuendae studio impelleretur Wherevpon this holy learned Father saith he had pleasure to thinke of his end Ex postremis voluptas nascitur He saith this was the Orat. 2. in Iulian. more coÌ„mon opinion quod communius est that he died an holy death pio fine vitam clauserat he was buried with such solemnities as Catholiks vse in the Funeralls of them which make an holy end Publicis laudibus faustisque ominationibus pompisque deducitur ac Religiosis etiam his nostratibus cultibus nocturnis cantionibus faciumque gestationibus quibus nos Christiani pium è vita discessum honore prosequi consueuimus 7. And to confirme the opinion of men with the Authoritie and testimony of heauen and Angels he saith it was commonly related multorum auribus diuulgatum est that as his body was with such solemnitie carried to Constantinople to be buried there an Angelicall Harmony was heard by many as a reward of his pietie Vox quaedam summis è locis à nonnullis exaudiebatur velue psallentium prosequentium Angelicorum opinor caetuum quod pietatis illi praemium erat funebrisque remuneratio The same is related by Nicephorus and others Niceph. l. 9. Hist c. 50. Greg. Nazian orat 1. in Iulian. Wherevpon the same holy Father stileth him the Emperour most excellent most diuine and most louing of Christ ô Imperatorum praestantissime ac diuinissime Christique amantissime And confidently affirmeth he was after his death ioyned to God had receaued the Inheritance of the heauenly glory and departed hence to change his Empire for a better Qui Deo-coniunctus sis celestisque gloriae haereditatem acceperis atque hactenus à nobis migraris vt Imperium Greg. Nazian orat in laudem Athanasij cum meliore commutares Which no good and learned man such as this S. Gregory was could or would say of an irrepentant Heretike Therefore when he saith of this Emperour in an other place that some reported that he had vnprofitable repentance at his death inutili vt ferunt paenitentia in extremo vitae spiritu affectus he must needs speake as his owne words vt ferunt proue in the opinion of others And yet there speaking of the three things before cited which he repented him of two of them were theÌ„ remedilesse to wit the disinheriting of the next Heires to the Empire now being dead giuing Title to Iulian who had then vsurped the Empire and by force kept it But for his owne saluatioÌ„ there was no time too late in his life to haue true effectuall and iustifiing repentance And S. Athanasius then in exile farre from the place of Constantius his death and writing presently after that he was baptized by Athanas Epist de Synodis Aâ—ia Seleuc. Enzoius an Arrian and not hearing of his repentance after testified both by men and Angels as his silence thereof proueth might haue probable cause to thinke and write that he died as he liued an Arrian Constantius Haereticus suit ad finem vsque permanens in ea impietate This also may and
other Bishops were subiecte 283. 4. Diuers Archbishops of London numbered 591. 3. Archflamens antiquity 275. 5. Archflamens were called Priests amongst the Gentils 276. 6. Archflamens were the same that PoÌ„tifices Maximi ib. Archflamens and Flamens in Britaine ruled not onely in spirituall but also in temporall affaires 217. 7. All Archflamens and Flamens in Britaine conuerted together with their Cities 270. 5. Archflamens and Flamens for the most part made Bishops after theiâ— Conuersion 217. 7. S. Aristobulus ordained Bishop 92. 1. S. Aristobulus consecrated by diuers Authors before S. Paul 94. 3. S. Aristobulus his death in Britaine by Martyrdome 171. 3. King Arthur descended from Heluius nephew to S. Ioseph of Arimathia 124. 1. Aruiragus King of Britaine 2. 2. 23. 7 Aruiragus put away his wife Voada Sister of Cataracus King of the Scots 132. 3. Aruiragus married Genuesse Claudius his supposed daughter 2. 2. 132. 3. Aruiragus leaues his kingdome to his sonne Marius 2. 2. 132. 3. Aruiragus write a booke in defence of plurality of wiues 132. 2. Aruiragus worshipped the Emperor Claudius as God 132. 2. Aruiragus dedicated a Temple vnto Claudius ib. Aruiragus granted Priuiledges to S. Ioseph of Arimathia 108. 1. 128. 2 Aruiragus was not a Christian conuerted by S. Ioseph 131. 1. c. Aruiragus small beneuolence towardes Christians 132. 2. Aruiragus liberality towards the Pagan Gods ib. Aruiragus in some sense may largely be termed a Christian 134. 7. Aruiragus buried in the Church he builded to Claudius 132. 3. Asclepiodotus Duke of Cornewayle King of Britaine 373. 2. Asclepiodotus slew the RomaÌ„s Captaine Lucius Gallus 375. 4. Asclepiodotus deposed Alectus sent hether against Carausius 373. 2. Asclepiodotus excused by some from any furthering of the Persecution of Dioclesian 451. 2. Asclepiodotus slaine by Coel. 451. 2. Asclepiodotus a Perturber of the Romans 452. 4. Asclepiodotus his death gratefull to the Romans 452. 4. The lenght of Asclepiodotus reigne 376. 5. or 373. 5. S. Athanasius recalled from exile 548. 1. S. Athanasius proued innocent by the Councell of Sardice ib. S. Attila Abbot next to S. Columban in his Monastery of Luxouium 332. 9. Aualonia so called from Aualla in the Brittish toÌ„gue signifying fruits 329. 4. S. Augulus Archbishop of London 94. 4. S. Augulus probably the first Archbishop of London 179. 7. S. Augulus probably sent into Britaine by S. Clement Pope 180. 8. S. Augulus Martyred though not in the Persecution of DioclesiaÌ„ 179. 7. S. Augustine our Apostle of EnglaÌ„d with his Associats was of no other but the old Apostolike Order and Rule that was vsed in S. Gregories Monastery 331. 7. S. Augustins Disciples ioyned in our auncient Brittish Order 332. 9. S. Augustine placed himselfe at Canterbury 210. 4. S. Augustine ordaâ—ned onely tow Bishops ib. S. Augustine did not preuaile so farre as to conuert halfe the Brittish Nation 210. 4. Augustus the Emperour established peace through the whole world 1. 1. Augustus consulteth with Sibilla Tiburtina about being made a God 3. 1. Sibyllas answere 4. 1. Augustus his strange Vision ib. Augustus erected an Altar with this inscription Haec Ara est primogeniti Dei 4. 2. Augustus great esteeme of the Sibils bookes 4. 3. Augustus would not be called Lord and why 5. 3. Augustus answere which he receaued from Pithius Apollo 6. 6. Auitus the second Bishop of Tungers 198. 5. Aulus Plancius the Emperor Claudius his Lieutenante in Britaine conuerted 88. 2. Aurelian the Emperour raiseth the 9. Persecution 391 1. Aurelius Ambrosius renewed the decaied Monasteries of Britaine 601. 6. Aurelius Ambrosius celebrateth the Feast of Pentecost with great solemnitie 601. 7. Aurelius Ambrosius buried in a regall manner ib. Aurelius vid. Marcus Auxentius Bishop of Millan an Arrian 559. 5. B. BAngor a famous Monastery 620. 8. Bangor Monasteries great number of Monkes ib. Bangor Monasteries Monkes deuided into 7. companies vnder 7. Priors 603. 8. The miraculous Banner of Constantine hauing the signe of the Crosse in it 487. 3. S. Barnabas S. Aristobulus brother preached in Italy only by directioÌ„ of S. Peter 63. 1. S. Barnabas sent from the East to Rome to diuulge the comming of Christ 19. 1. Bassianus Seuerus his sonne chosen both King of Britaine and Emperour 370. 2. Bassianus slew his halfe brother Geta chosen by some Romans for Emperour 370. 2. Bassianus brought vp by a Christian Nurse ib. Bassianus accustomed either to weep or turne his face when any Christians were put to death ib. Bassianus innocent of Christian bloude 371. 2. Bassianus causeth innumerable Roman Pagans to be killed ib. Bassianus slaine where and by whome 372. 3. Bassianus married the Sister of the holy Christian Lady Mummea 372. 3. Bassianus left a sonne named Heliogabalus 372. 3. S. Beatus a Britan Apostle of the Heluetians 63. 1. S. Beatus consecrated Preist by Pope Linus ib. S. Benedicte Biscop the first Abbot at Canterbury after those of S. Augustins Mission 333. 9. S. Benedicte went hence to the Monastery of Lirinum thence to Rome and liued among the Roman Monkes ib. S. Benedicte was a Monke of our auncient Brittish Order ib. S. Bernac a holy Abbot 604. 10. S. Bernac renowned at Rome for killing a pestiferous serpent ib. S. Bernac flead from Rome to auoid human applause ib. A Bishop imports as much as an ouerseere or cheife Commander 98. 9. Bishops consecrated with annointing with holy oyle 103. 2. The same Vnction a Sacrament 105. 5. Vsed by the Apostles ib. In this externall ceremony the grace of the Sacrament giuen 104. 3. This Vnction the generall vse both of the Greeke and Latin Church in the first vnspotted dayes of Christianity 105. 4. 190. 5. Bishops function acknowleged by Protestants to be a diuine ordinance 91. 1. Bishops superiority and authority exercised in ordering of Bishops and Ecclesiasticall Ministers by Protestants confession grounded in the word of God 93. 1. No trew Bishops or Preists among Protestants 106. 5. One Bishop in the primitiue Church vsed to preach in diuers Countries 178. 7. All Bishops may appeale to the See Apostolike 344. 2. Bishops not to be iudged 383. 11. or 393. 11. The Bishops of Scotland alwayes trewly consecrated as the Roman vse was 358. 4. Bishops Sees founded in France by S. Peter which are for the most part Archbishops Sees at this time 67. 5. The places and names of diuers auncient Bishoprikes 288. 5. Bishops Sees vnder the Archbishop of London in King Lucius time 292. 9. Bishops Sees vnder Yorke 292. 9. Bishops Sees vnder the Archbishop of Cambria 293. 11. or 263 11. Bishops of Britaine present at the first Nicen Councell 545. 7. Diuers Bishops of Britaine fiue at the lest present at the generall Councell of Sardice 548. 2. The Bishops gathered at the CouÌ„cell of Ariminum refused to be maintained by the Emperor Constantius 551. 1. Bishops of Britaine present at the Councell of Ariminum 551. 1. The Bishops of Britaine sincere faith testified by S. Hilarius 555. 6. The same
1. Caius Caligula profains the Temple of the Iewes ib. Caius Caligula bannished Pilate and deposed Herod ib. Caius Caligula makes onely a shew of warre against the Britans 30. 2. Calixtus succeeded fainct Zepherine in the Apostolike See 372. 1. Calphurnius Agricola sent by M. Aurelius to keepe Britaine in subiection 220. 2. Cambridge once Granta or Grantha 205. 6. Cambridge builded and founded by Cantaber a Spaniarde 206. 7. Cambridge Walled by Grantinus 206. 7. Cambridge a renowned auncient vniuersity 205. 7. c. Cambridge men instruct King Lucius and other Kings of Britaine in the Christian faith 205. 7. Charters of priuiledges and immunities of King Arthur to CaÌ„bridge 205. 7. The Charter of Cadwalladar to Almericus Rector of the Schollers of Cambridge 205. 7. Cambridge burned in the Persecution of Dioclesian 425. 3. or 428. 3. Cambridge Schollers generally conuerted 269. 4. Cambridge priuiledges granted by the Popes Honorius and Eleutherius ib. Cambridge priuiledged by King Lucius 308. 6. Canobeline or Kymbeline King of Britaine 1. 1. S. Canoch the eldest sonne of BraghaÌ„ a noble Britan. 585. 10. S. Canoch gaue himselfe wholely to the contemplatiue life ib. Canterbury first a FlameÌ„s seat 289. 5. Canterbury a Primats See 178. 6. CaÌ„terburys old Church of S. Martin built in King Lucius time 289. 5. The same Church a Bishops seaâ— ib. S. Carantocus sonne and heire to King Kederic 585. 11. 603. 9. S. Carantocus embraced a Religious life 586. 1. S. Carantocus preached in Ireland and when 586. 11. 603. 9. S. Carantocus diuers Pilgrimages ib. Carausius succeeded Bassianus in the the kingdome of Britaine 373. 2. The time of Carausius reigne 373. 2. Carausius ioyned with the Picts which Fulgentius had gathered together against Seuerus ib. Carausius slew Q. Bassianus a Legat of the Romans 374. 2. Carausius but a young man in the time of Bassianus 374. 3. Carausius procured at Rome to be Admirall of the Brittish seas ib. Carausius according to some of a kingly according to others of a base linage ib. Carausius probably a Christian and defender of Christians 375. 3. Carinus created Cesar 391. 1. Carinus slaine by lightning ib. Cathecumens not admitted to Apostolicall function 24. 9. King Ceolnulfus became a Monke in the Monastery of Lindisfarme 329. 5. Ceolnulfus procured a dipensation for the Monkes to drinke wine or ale ib. Cerialtanus murderer of S. Melorus 390. 5. Cerialtanus sonnes vnhappy death 390. 5. Cerialtanus falls blind and dies ib. Tow miraculous Chappels in the I le of Lewys 102. 3. The Charters of our Kings the most credible testimony in things oâ— Antiquity 108. 1. The Charters of diuers Kings doe testifie and approue the History of S. Ioseph of Arimathia ib. Chrestus a wicked Pagan by some translated Christus 83. 4. Chrisme according vnto Protestants appointed by Sainct Fabian to be hal owed on Maunday Thuâ—sday 378. 4. He not the first Author of consecrating thereof 379. 4. Consecrating of Chrisme taught by Christ and receaued by the Popes from the Apostles ib. Christ borne in the 42. yeare of Augustus the Emperour 1. 1. Christ in his last supper offered himselfe in sacrifice and commanded Preists to doe the same 380. 8. Christ his comming publikly preached in Rome before his Passion 19. 1. Christ after his Ascension actually consecrated no Bishops 98. 9 Christ committed that function to his Apostles ib. Christ appeared to S. Peter neere to the gate of Rome 163. 2. The Christian faith promulgated without any hinderance vnder Tiberius 15. 5. Christians accused as enemies of the Roman Empire 365. 2. Many Christians in the Persecution of Dioclesian fled into Britaine 170. 2. 17000. Christians martyred by Dioclesian in 30. daies 416. 4. Churches builded in Britaine in honor of the Natiuity of our Sauiour and when 9. 2. The most auncient Churches of Britaine dedicated to Sainct Peter 45. 3. A Church in Cornhill at London dedicated to S. Peter 101. 1. The antiquity of the same 284. 5. The same a Metropolitan See 305. 3 The Church of fainct Peter at Westminster probably an Archiepiscopall Seat in King Lucius time 306. 3 A Church dedicated to our Lady at Glastenbury 99. 11. Other Churches dedicated to the honour of our Blessed Lady 128. 2. 136. 2 Churches dedicated vnto Saints 128. 2. 136. 2. 304. 1. 524. 15. c. Churches hallowed 288. 5. Diuers Churches yet remaining in Walles dedicated to saint Socrates and saint Stephen 180. 9. Churches founded by King Lucius 305. 1. The number of our Brittish Churches in King Lucius time 306. 4. c. The Church called Michaelium in Constantinople 502. 3. The Church of Michaelium adorned with Altars and Crosses 503. 4. The Church builded by saint Helena at our Sauiouâ—s Sepulchre exceeded in beauty the Temple of Salomon 521. 2. A short description of the same 521. 3. The Dedication of it 522. 4. In the Church built on mount Oliuet the print of our Sauiours feet could no waies be continued to the rest of the pauement 523. 10. In the same Church that place of the Roofe where our Sauiour asceÌ„ded could not be couered 524. 12. Churches destroied in Britaine by Maximian 419. 3. or 410. 3. The ProtestaÌ„ts description of Christs visible Church 90. 2. Three things according to ProtestaÌ„ts essentiall to a Church and what they are ib. The Church founded vpon S. Peter 383. 11. or 393. 11. The cheife care of the Church committed to saint Peter and his Successors 161. 1. Out of the Church no saluation to be expected 90. 1. Churches neuer ruled by Monkes without Bishops 357. 4. King Cissa persecuted the Monkes of Abingdon 601. 7. Cissa the first Renewer of the same Monasterie 602. 7. Many Cities called Augusta in respect of the nobility of the place 181. 10. These Cities not so named from the Roman Legion Augusta ib. S. Claudia with her Britan Parents a Christian 33. 5. S. Claudias Britan Parents the first entertainers of saint Peter at Rome and their house the first Church for Christians there 33. 5. 55. 2. 56. 4. S. Claudia a Christian before sainct Paules first comming to Rome 143. 5. S. Claudia yet but young deserued the stile of one of the 4. principall Christians 58. 5. All obiections to proue Claudia honoured by S. Paul for a renowned Christian not to be our Brittish Lady Claudia disproued 154. 2. c. S. Claudia called Sabinella and why 155. 4. Sainct Claudia neuer sent sainct Pauls Epistles or Martials Epigrams into Britaine 156. 6. c. Sainct Claudia condemned Martials Epigrams for their scurrility 156. 6. S. Claudia renowned for her learning and skill both in Latin and Greeke 158. 8. 160. 9. S. Claudia did not translate S. Pauls Epistles 158. 8. Sainct Claudia her house in Rome brought great profit to Christian Religion 159. 9. The same as a Christian Schooll to teach the Christian faith in Britaine and the Westerne Nations 160. 10. Sainct Claudia had a second place at Rome for burying of Martyrs 182.
subscribed to the Roman Councell vnder S. Syluester 481. 5. Constantine subscribed in the Councell of Arles 483. 3. Constantine did neuer call or confirmed any Councell as a supreame iudge or sentencer 541. 5. Constantine put out an Edict for the quiet of Christians in all places 486. 1. Constantine ouerthrows Licinius 487. 2. Constantine by publike Edicts ascribeth his victories to Christ 487. 4. Constantine honoreth the chast and virginall life 488. 7. Constantine exempted the Cleargy from secular Iudges 489. 7. Constantins donation and munificent enriching the Church of Rome 497. 1. l c. Constantine determined to place his Emperiall seat at Troy 500. 1. Constantine in a Vision commanded to build his Emperiall City at Bizantium 501. 1. Constantine cals his Emperiall Seat Constantinople 502. 2. or 495. 2. Constantine acknowledge the Primacy of the Church of Rome 506. 3. Constantine furdereth the Councell of Nice 507. 6. Constantine refuseth to sitt downe vntill the Councell had caused him so to doe ib. Constantine bannished Arrius 507. 7. Constantins humble reuerence to S. Anthony 522. 6. Constantine made peace with the Persians 531. 4. Constantine procureth quietnesse for the Christians in Persia 532. 6. Constantins greate deuotion at the feast of Easter 532. 5. Constantine frounded a famous Church to the 12. Apostles in Constantinople 532. 6. Constantine erected in the same stately Images of all the Apostles ib. Constantine held prayers and protection of Saincts and helpe to the dead by them and prayer for the dead by the liuing 533. 6. Constantine reuerenced Relikes ib. Constantine commanded S. Athanasius to be restored 531. 3. Constantins death 534. 8. Constantine died not so soone as some write 530. 1. Constantine liued vntill the yeare 339. or 340. 531. 3. Constantins dead body vsed with great Christian pompe 534. 8. Constantius dead body greatly reuerenced by the Christians 534. 8. Constantine worshipped in his picture after his death 535. 9. Constantine prayed for by Preists and others after his death ib. Constantins Reliques worke many miracles 535. 10. Constātins Image workes many miracles ib. Constantine enrowled among the Saints in the Greeke Meneologe 477. 5. S. Constantia Constantins daughter a Virgin and holy Nunne 535. 10. S. Constantia cured from a Leprosie by S. Agnes ib. S. Constantia erected a Nunnery by the place where she was cured 536. 10. Constantius not presently after his Father Constantins death infected with the Arrian Heresie 548. 1. Constantius consented to the recalling of S. Athanasius from exile ib. Constantius sent diuers friendly letters to S. Athanasius ib. Constantius falling into Heresie a great hurt to Catholike Religion in many places 544. 7. Constantius consented to the calling of the great Councell of Sardice 548. 1. Constantius laboureth to peruert the Councell of Ariminum 553. 4. Constantius persecuteth Catholikes 553. 5. Constantius commandeth Vrsatius to persecur the Bishops that would not subscribe to the Arrian Heresie ib. Constantius mallice against Liberius Pope ib. Constantius his Persecution came not into Britaine ib. Constantius by some excused to be no Heretike but a professed Catholike at his death 559. 6. Constantius confessed Christ to be the naturall sonne of God 561. 8. Constantius acknowledged three faults at his death and which they were 559. 6. Penitent for the same ib. Constantius his holy death 560. 6. An Angelicall harmony heard at his buriall 560. 7. Constantius baptized by Enzoius an Arrian ib. Constantius baptized with the true forme of Baptisme 561. 8. Constantius Age and time of death 561. 9. Constantius sent Iulian the Apostata to the dangerous warres of Gallia with intention to haue him slaine 562. 1. Constantius secretly incited Vadomarus King of the Frankes to take armes against Iulian. ib. S. Cornelius Pope maintained appeales to Rome 384. 12. or 395. 12. Sainct Cornelius his other Decrees ib. S. Cornelius Martyred 379. 5. Couche or rather Conche S. Martins Sister married in Britaine 577. 1. Couche S. Patrikes Mother ib. Couldeis men so called by the Scots and who they were 588. 4. Couldeis the principall instruments in conuerting the Scottish and Brittish Nations 389. 4 Couldeis chosen for Bishops ib. Generall Councells necessary 506. 3. No generall Councell to be gathered without the authority of the Church of Rome 540. 4. The first Councell of Anthioch ordained that in euery Prouince their should be a Metropolitan 188. 3. A Councell of Bishops in Cornewall 388. 4. A Councell gathered by S. Syluester at Rome 480. 4. This Councells Decrees concer-cerning Orders the Primacie c. 481. 5. The first Councell at Arles in France consisting of 600. Bishops 482. 1. The Legats of the Pope their present ib. This Councels Decrees 482. 2. The Councell of Nice gathered 505. 1. c. The Popes Legats subscribed first in the same 506. 2. The Councell of Nice desireth the Confirmation of the Pope 509. 12. The Councell of Sardice confirmed the Nicen faith 548. 1. The Coūcell of Sardice Orthodoxall 550. 3. The generall Councell of Sardice quite different from an hereticall Conciliable of the same name ib. The Councell of Ariminum gathered 551. 1. The number of Bishops there both Catholike and Arrian 552. 2. The Councell of Ariminum subscribed to a Materiall error 553. 4. The Councell of Ariminum dissolued ib. Crathlint King of the Scots builded S. Amphibalus a Church in the I le of Man 430. 2. Crathlint his great zeale and deuotion ib. Creete an Iland in the Adriatike Sea 142. 4. Creete aunciently knowne by the name of Hecatompolis 143. 4. 210. 3. The Metropolis of Creete Metropolis to the adiacent Ilands 143. 4. Crosses made and worshipped 138. 5. 328. 5. c. Crosses and Images certaine tokens of Christianity 323. 2. or 321. 2. The Crosse of our Sauiour found out by S. Helen 515. 8. c. The Crosse of our Sauiour knowne by a miracle 520. 22. The Crosse of our Sauiour diminished not for being cut and carried away 520. 21. Crucifying neuer vsed by Britans 45. 3. Curia a City in Rhetia when builded 348. 5. Curia when first a Bishops seat ib. A custome amongst the Romans to haue all strange euents related to the Emperour at Rome 3. 3. D. S. Damasus Author of the Pontificall 174. 2 S. Damasus an aduancer of that Religion which Protestants call Papistry 576. 8. S. Damianus and Fugatianus appointed by S. Eleutherius for his Legats into Britaine 260. 1. S. Damianus and Fugatianus their Power and Commission 260. 2. c. S. Damianus and Fugatianus planted Christian Religion in Britaine 263. 5. c. S. Damianus and Fugatianus were both Bishops 265. 7. S. Damianus and Fugatianus preaching in Britaine and many conuerted by them 266. 1. c. A Protestant confuted for affirming them to haue preuailed litle in preaching 267. 2. S. Damianus and Fugatianus conuerteth vniuersities 269. 4. Sainct Damianus and Fugatianus change the Pagan Temples into Christian Churches 304. 1. S. Damianus and S. Fugatianus returned to Rome for the
3. 403. 3. S. Lucius had neither brother Sister nor child 348. 4. S. Lucius buried in Glocester 349. 5. S. Lucius translated to other places 349. 6. S. Lucius Pope Martyred 379. 6. S. Lucius Pope maintained the Popes supremacy 384. 12. or 395. 12. S. Lucius sonne to S. Helen mistaken by some for our King Lucius 401. 1. S. Lucius Apostle to a great part of Germanie ib. S. Lucius departed Britaine and why 402. 1. S. Lucius banished from Britaine 414. 2. S. Lucius founded a Monastery in Aquitane of his one name 402. 1. S. Lucius conuerted the Curienses ib. S Lucius Martyred ib. Lupuit sainct Patrikes Sister stolen by Pirats 595. 5. S. Lupus a Monke of Lirinum 332. 8. M. MAcrinus with his sonne Diadumenus succeeded Bassianus in the Empire 372. 1. Macrinus and Diadumenus slaine by their rebellious Souldiars ib. The Magdeburgenses falsely take Hiberia for Hibernia 26. 3. The Magdeburgenses depriue both Ireland Spaine of the presence of S. Iames. 27. 3. The Magdeburgenses corrupt S. â—yprian 380. 8. Mahumetans and others haue nothing but the sword to support their bastardly Religion 241. 1. S. Mansuetus the Disciple of S. Peter a Britan. 29. 8. S. Mansuetus consecrated Bishop by S. Peter 30. 2. 216. 7. or 217. 7. S. Mansuetus sent to Tullum in Lorraine ib. S. Mansuetus passing by Rome visiteth the Britans their 33. 5. S. Mansuetus preached in Britaine 35. 8. and came thither often 216. 7. or 217. 7. S. Mansuetus made Bishop of Treuers 216. 7. or 217. 7. S. Mansuetus liued vnto saint Eleutherius daies ib. S. Marcellinus Pope and Martyr 385. 18. S. Marcellus a Britane Disciple to S. Peter 164. 3. S. Marcellus probably buried saint Peter ib. S. Marcellus helped to the conuersion of King Lucius 198. 5. 216. 6. or 217. 6. S. Marcellus preached in Britaine and when 216. 6. or 217. 6. S. Marcellus the third Bishop of Tungers 198. 5. S. Macellus made Bishop of Treuers ib. S. Marcellus Martyred 198. 5. 220. 2. S. Marcellus a RomaÌ„ who some times followed Simon Magus conuerted by saint Peter 164. 3. S. Marcellus wrote the Acts of saint peter and saint Paule ib. S. Marcellus Martyred by Nero. ib. Marcus Aurelius Antonius ordained by AdriaÌ„ to succeede Antonius Pius in the Empire 220. 2. Marcus Aurelius trained vp in his infancy in the Gentils superstition ib. Marcus Aurelius put into the College of the Sali ib. Marcus Aurelius made Priest Southsayer and maister among them ib. Marcus Aurelius raised a generall persecution against Christians ib. Marcus Aurelius Miraculously conuerted to be at least a protector of Christians 220. 3. 236. 2. Marcus Aurelius and his army reliued by Christians and in what manner 236. 2. Marcus Aurelius his Edict and Letters vnto the Senate in the behalfe of Christians ib. Marcus Aurelius Edicte sent into Britaine ib. S. Marie Magdalen arriued at Marsiles in France 65. 3. Marius King of Britaine had no true Title to his kingdome 134. 6. Marius brought vp in his infancy at Rome 133. 5. Marius came into Britaine and when ib. Marius forced to marrie his owne Sister 134. 6. Marius was no Christian 133. 5. Marius in some sense may largly be called a Christian 154. 7. Marius was no persecutor of Christians 165. 2. Marius confirms saint Iosephs immunities 166. 2. Marius his death 169. 1. S. Marke he Euangelist seated him selfe at Alexandria by S. Peters authority 187. 2. S. Marke sainct Timothies worthy associate and fellow Priest 232. 1. S. Marke Martyred 233. 3. S. Marke Pope 540. 4. S. Marke gaue the Pale to the Bishop of Hostia and caused the Nicen creed to be read in the Church ib. Martia the Empresse wife to Seuerus a Britan. 366. 2. Martia by profession or in affection a Christian ib. Martials Epigrames no lessons befitting Ladies 136. 3. Martial desirous of fame 157. 7. Martial acquainted with Q. Ouidius who came into Britaine 157. 7. Martial presented his Epigrams to particular persons ib. S. Martianus and Pacatius sent by S. Peter to preach in Sicilie 63. 1. S. Martine disciple to the Apostles probably a Britan or preached in Britaine 96. 6 S. Martine Bishop of Tours borne in Pannonia 578. 2. S. Martine liued some time in Britaine ib. S. Martine foretells the ouerthrowe of the Emperour Maximus ib. S. Martine refuseth to come to the Emperour Maximus his table and why 573. 4. S. Martine vpon satisfaction made vnto him by Maximus comes vnto his feâ—sâ— ib. S. Martine honourably entertained by Maximus ib. The Masse and other Church seruice in Britaine the same that the Romans deriued from S. Peter and S. Clement 330. 6. The holy Maâ—se vsed with sacred vessels ornaments and râ—tes 430. 2. 588. â— The 〈◊〉 of the Masse offered 160. 10. The Sacrifice of the Masse allowed by the Councell of Arles 485. 6. Masse offered for the dead 381. 9. or 391. 9. 524. 13. 535. 9. S. Maternus disciple to S. Peter 217. 7. S. Maternus sent into Germany by S. Peter 640. 1. S. Maternus conuerteth Holsatia 64. 1. S. Maternus gouerneth the See of Treuers Collen and Tungers 172. 5. 217. 7. S. Maternus probably sometime in Britaine 172. 5. The time of his death ib. S. Mauritius and his Theban Legion martyred 416. 4. Maxentius his tyrannie 470. 1. Maxentius hated by the Romans ib. Maxentius great ouerthrowe 472. 4. Maxentius miserable death ib. Maximianus a persecutor of S. Helens children 405. 5. Maximianus forced Constantine to put away S. Helena and marrie his daughter Theodora ib. Maximianus plotteth against Constantine ib. Maximianus in Person in Britaine 415. 4. Maximianus his cruell persecutioÌ„ ib. Maximianus depriued all Britans of command 419. 2. or 410. 2. Maximinus caused Constantins Edict for Christians to be published 486. 1. Maximinus publisheth a Law for Christians 487. 2. Maximinus ouerthrowne by Lucius 486. 2. Maximinus his death 487. 2. Maximus the Emperour a Britan by birth 571. 4. Maximus his parents 572. 4. Maximus no vsurper of the Empire ib. Maximus no persecutor of Catholikes 573. 4. Maximus warreth against Valentinian the Younger in defence of Catholike Religion 573. 5. Maximus excuseth him selfe from crimes obiected to him by S. Martine 573. 4. Maximus greatly honored S. Martine ib. Maximus comdemneth the Heretike Priscillianus 573. 5. Maximus barred according to Paulinus from communion by S. Ambrose and why ib. Maximus medled not to iudge in Ecclesiasticall affaires 574. 5. Maximus ruled ouer all Britaine 575. 6. S. Meduuinus but a Catechumen when he was sent to Rome by King Lucius 213. 2. S. Meduuinus made priest and sent againe into Britaine ib. S. Melaria a Noble Britans daughter and Mother to S. Dauid 585. 10. S. Mellitus ordained Bishop by S. Augustine 210. 4. S. Mello a Britan. 367. 3. S. Mello once a Pagan 386. 1. S. Mello a Soldiar by profession ib. S. Mello Sent to Rome to pay Tribute 367. 3. 386. 1. S. Mello before he was conuerted sacrificed in the Temple of Mars