haereticis Britannos ad Catholicam fidem dirigat Hee consecrated many massinge preists and Bishops in this kingdome among whom the cheifest was that massing Saint Dubritius Archbishop the cheife Doctor Primate the Popes Legate Prosper in Chronic. An. D. 432. Io. Capgrau in S. Dubritio Matth. Westm. Galfrid Monument hist. Brit. l. 9. cap. 12. Rob. Caenal l. 2. M. S. Gallic antiq M. S. antiq Io. Capgrau in vita S. Dubritij Episcopos in pluribus locis Britanniae consecrarunt dextralis partis Britanniae beatum Dubritium summum Doctorem Archiepiscopum statuerunt a protestant Bishop writeth Dubritius was made Archbishop by Germanus and Lupus and they appointed his see to bee at Landaffe Godwin Catalog in S. Dauide this holy Archbishop by the heauenly direction did consecrate that notorious massinge preist S. Sampson Archbishop of Yorke in whose consecration a miraculous vision appeared to confirme his callinge and Religion and both S. Dubritius and others did see a piller of fier miraculously proceeding from his mouth as hee celebrated the holy Masse and hee himselfe all his life had Angels ministring vnto him in that blessed sacrifice Angelus Domini beato Dubritio apparens Sampsonem ordinari Episcopum praecepit In cuius consecratione qui aderant columbam celitus emissam immobiliter super eum stare videbant Eodem die Sampsone celebrante Dubritius cum Monachis duobus columnam ignis de ore eius procedentem rutilare perspexit Ille vero omni tempore vitae suae Angelos dum celebraret sibi assistere in sacrificio ministrare meruit M. S. antiquit Capgrau in S. Sampsone Episcopo what massinge preistes and Archbishops the immediate successors of these two renowned Archbishops were I shall lay downe herafter more at large 7. And such as these were such also was the Archbishop of London S. Vodinus and all Bishops and preists vnder him and so consequently in all Britanie at that time which aswel appeareth by their owne historian S. Gildas venerable S. Bede as also Matthew of Westminster with others who speaking of the miserable and generall persecutiō of the christian Britans in al places quasque Prouincias amonge other cruelties they tel vs these infidels martyred the Brittish preists as they were standing at the altars where they said Masse Sacerdotes iuxta altaria trucidabāt Gild. de excid conquest Brit. Matth. Westm. an gratiae 462. Bed l. 1. histor Eccles cap. 15. therefore the preistes generally then were altare sacrificinge and massinge preists otherwise they could not haue beene thus cruelly put to death at the altars and places of saying Masse in all all parts of this nation at that time Neither could there possibly at that time bee any other preists but massinge preists except they would turne hereticks which we doe not reade and leaue the doctrine and Religion of their both Archbishops Bishops and Masters in diuinitie which in this time were by all testimonie both of Catholicks and Protestants either the onely or principall S. Dubritius of whome I haue spoken before S. Iltutus and S. Gildas all moste holy and miraculous men and knowne massinge preists For concerninge S. Iltutus he was as a Protestant Bishop with Vicentius and Antoninus confesseth scholler to the renowned Popes Legate and massinge Bishop S. German spoken of before Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Ilchtuto alias Iltuto And to proue him a massinge preist and all his schollers after him that were preists to haue bene massinge preists Nennius our moste auncient exceptinge Gildas writer which wee haue left testifieth in his Manuscript historie that there was in a church which this massinge Saint Iltutus builded a miraculous Altar susteyned only without any propp or foundation by the power of God altare quod nutu Dei fulcitur Nennius histor M. S. in fine post nomina ciuitatum Britanniae and this miraculous altar so inuisibly susteyned did remayne in Nennius time manet vsque in hodiernam diem altare potestate Dei fulcitum 8. To proue S. Gildas to haue beene of this opinion and practise his historie de excidio Britanniae often cited in this treatise is full of altars massinge and sacrificinge preists and maketh their irreuent sayinge of Masse and often neglect of celebrating that holy sacrifice to haue beene one of the cheife causes of Gods indignation against them and depriuinge them of this kingedome and giuinge it to the Saxons theire professed enemies And hee was one of the renowned schollers of his massing Master S. Iltutus as S. Sampson the great massing Archbishop of Yorke of whome I haue spoken before and S. Dauid that moste holy sacrificinge and miraculous Archbishop of Caerlegion of whome hereafter and S. Paulinus were as both Catholicks and Protestants are witnesses M. S. antiq de vit S. Iltuti Ioh. Capgrau in Iltuto Ioh. Bal. centur 1. de scriptor Brit. in eod what this Paulinus was and whether hee that was sent hither with S. Augustine I dare not affirme yet considering the longe time S. Iltutus liued as many then did and hee beeing liuinge as diuers write Bal. supr in the yeare of Christ 520. hee might haue in his olde age a scholler that might liue longer then S. Paulinus death that came with S. Augustine and was Archbishop of Yorke for many our holy Bishops as S. Kentegern and S. Dauid liued longer and we finde no other renowned Paulinus here in those times And Nennius who saith expressely that hee omitteth of purpose to speake of those that came with S. Augustine and were not of this nation yet maketh a most honorable memory of that Paulinus Archbishop of Yorke saying that hee baptized 12000. at one time and ceased not baptisinge fourtie dayes together Nennius in histor M. S. prope finem 9. So that it is not vnprobable but this holy man S. Paulinus was the scholer of S. Iltutus and leauinge his contry as manie did in that rage of the Saxons wēt to Rome and liued to come hither againe to accomplish so holy labours as hee did with those other massinge preistes sent hither at that time Which hee might well performe if wee allowe him to bee 20. yeares old at the death of his Master S. Iltutus as before in the yeare 520. and as an other Protestant Bishop writeth Godwin Catalog Yorke 1. pag. 558. to haue died in the yeare 644. which accompt maketh him but 124. yeares old two yeares yonger then his fellow scholler S. Dauid by all antiquities makinge him 146. yeares of age at his death Post 146. aetatis annum vt omnes eius fatentur historiae mortuus In the yeare of his age 147. anno aetatis suae centesimo quadragesimo septimo And twenty one yeares yonger then S. Kentegern by all histories dyinge when hee was one hundred eightie and fiue yeares old cum esset centum octaginta quinque annorum Ioh. Bal. centur 1. de scriptorib Britan in Dauid Menenien Ioh. Capgrau· Catal in S. Dauid M. S. antiq in
his body and blood broken and shed for remission of sinnes by the omnipotent words of Christ This is my body this is my blood being of eternall infallible and vndoubted truth so consecrated by truely and duely ordeyned preists vnto the end of the worlde Therefore most euident it is by all kinde of Arguments and testimonies that the holy Apostle and Euangelist S. Matthew as the rest also did and of dutie was bound to offer the most holy sacrifice of Masse And that hee thus did as the rest of the Apostles also did it is manifest by diuers antiquities which wee haue of this holy Apostle 14. First it is commonly agreed vppon both by Catholicke and Protestant writers that hee preached and suffered Martyrdome in Ethiopia hauing first conuerted the Kinge and many others and that of all nations the Christians of Ethiopia were euer most deuout to the holy sacrifice of Masse the protestants themselues ar witnesses and as they haue had that holy sacrifice from their first receauinge the faith of Christ which in all things as transsubstantiation of bread and wine into the bodie and bloody of Christ according to the doctrine of S Matthew before and offeringe of the said blessed body and blood with inuocation of Saints and prayer for the deade so their tradition ascribeth it to S. Matthew the Apostle as ordinarily it is referred vnto him And not onely S. Abdias which liued in that time by his workes vsually receaued Iulius Africanus and others be witnesses that he said Masse and was martyred at the holy altare by Kinge Hirtacus but that vndoubted historie of his life and death which the vniuersall church of Christ followeth approueth and proposeth vnto vs so testifieth Origen in Genes Euseb histor lib. 3. cap. 1. Socrat. lib. 1. c. 15. Doroth. in Synops Magdeburg cent 1. l. 2. col 777.776 Edw. Grimston in Presbyter Iohn Pag. 1088.1089 Missa Aethiopum siue S. Matthaei Apostoli Biblioth SS Patr. Tom. 6. Iudoc Cocc Tom. 2. Sebastian Munster Cosmograph l. 6. cap 57. Abdias Iul Afr. c. l. de vita Apost in S. Math. Metaphrast in S. Matth. Anton. part 1. Petr. anot l. 8. cap. 100. 15. Rege mortuo Hirtacus eius successor Ephigeniam Regiam filiam vellet sibi dari in matrimonium Matthaeum cuius opera illa virginitatem Deo vouerat in Sancto proposito perseuerabat ad altare mysterium celebrantem iussit occidi vndecimo calendas Octobris Vita S. Matth. Apostoli in Breuiario die 21. Septembr Kinge Aeglippus whome S. Matthew had conuerted to the faith being deade Hirtacus his successor desiringe to Mary his daughter Ephigenia sheâ—… by the helpe of S. Matthew hauinge vowed virginitie to God and perseueringe in her holie purpose hee commaunded S. Matthew to bee killed as hee was celebrating Masse at the altare on the eleuenth of the calends of October Which history and relation must needs bee approued by the Protestant church of England keeping his festiuitie with the former histories the church of Rome the auncient Martyrolodges of Rome S. Bede Vsuardus and others vpon the same day Engl. Protest Comm Booke in fest S. Matth. Apostol calend 21. Septembr 11. cal Octobr. Martyr Rom. Bed Vsuard eod die Ado Treuer 16. To which the auncient Manuscript of an author Anonimus published in print all most an hundred yeares since by Fredericus Nausea Bishop of Vienna writtin as hee saith characteribus plusquam vetustis in exceedinge old characters in a most auncient library giueth this ample testimony hauinge before related the history of S. Matthewes preachinge there Cumque omnes respondissent Amen mysteria Domini celebrata fuissent Missam suscepisset omnis Ecclesia retinuit se Sanctus Matthaeus iuxta altare vbi corpus ab eo fuerat Christi confectum vt illic Martyrium expectauit nam expansis manibus orantem spiculator missus ab Hyrtaco à tergo puncti ictu feriens Apostolum Dei Christi Martyrem fecit And when all had answered Amen and the mysteries of our Lord were celebrated and all the Christian assembly had heard Masse S. Matthew kept himselfe still by the altare where the body of Christ was consecrated by him and expected Martyrdome For as hee was praying with his hands stretched forth the executioner beeing sent from Kinge Hyrtacus cominge behinde him thrust the Apostle of God throughe and made him a Martyr of Christ Anonymm antiq l. in vitas miracula passionis Apostolorum in pas S. Matth. Apost cap. 6. 16. And this may fully satisfie for S. Matthew the Apostle that he was a sacrificinge and massinge preist and did both say Masse and ordeyne other holy massing and sacrificinge preists and deliuered a forme of that holy sacrifice to the Christians of Ethiopia I haue bene more large in him because hee was the first amonge the Apostles which in his ghospell wrote of these sacred mysteries and beeinge an Apostle and confirmed in grace neither did nor could in this or any article of Christian Religion beleeue or practise otherwise then Christ commaunded and instituted and the rest of the Apostles and Euangelists did also beleeue teache and exercise as I haue taught in generall of them all Now in particular of euery of them with so much breuitie as I may the difficultie beeinge already cleared vntill I come to S. Peter in whom beeinge besides his primacy amonge the Apostles and in the whole church of Christ our protoparent Pastor and Father in Christ I must spend some longer time in that respect to deduce our holy sacrificinge and massing preisthood from him 17. The next of the Euangelistes and scripture writers which entreateth of this blessed mistery is S. Marke whose words in his ghospell as our protestants translate them concerninge Christs institution of this sacrifice are these Iesus tooke breade and blessed and brake it and gaue to them and said take eate This is my body and hee tooke the cup and when he had giuen thanks hee gaue it to them and they all dranke of it and hee said vnto them this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many Marc. cap. 14 ver 22.23 Where wee see as in S. Matthew before so heare S. Marke doth assure vs that the misteries there celebrated were Christs body and blood shedd for many and so accordinge to that which is already proued in this matter must needes bee an holy sacrifice in the iudgement of this Euangelist and that by his owne continual vse and practise of saying Masse and deliueringe a perfect forme and order thereof vnto the churches where hee preached and liued we haue many testimonies 18. First the very Masse it selfe which hee deliuered to the church of Alexandria and others which hee founded is yet vsed in those parts and knowne to all antiquaries Missa S. Marci seu Ecclesiae Alexandrinae in Biblioth patrum and it doth agree in all matters of substance with the Masse of the Latine church And he himselfe had
tu dixisti hoc facite in meam commemorationem 33. And how carefull and diligent an obseruer and practiser of this massing doctrine hee was in act and deed daily in his whole life we may be assured by the worthie writers of his life and death Hilduinus Abbot of S. Denis in Fraunce where hee was buried about 800. yeares since Roswita or Roswida not longe after and others who confidently and from publick testimony write that neither his strict imprisonment in a dungeon could hinder him from performing this holy dutie but there both persuadinge the people present and writinge vnto others absent to confirme them more said Masse in that vnfit place to proue how acceptable it was Christ Iesus with a multitude of Angels appeared vnto them all with such a light from heauen as had beene seene at the very time when they were to communicate comforted his holy Martir Sed nec carcereis praesul praeclarus in antris desinit obsequium Domino persoluere dignum sed docuit plebem studiosè conuenientem ac celebrat sacrae solitò solemnia Missae Est vbi caelestem debebat frangere panem lux noua tristifico subito fulgebat in antro in qua sidereae regnator splendidus aulae scilicet angelica pariter comitante caterua apparens charum consolabatur amicum Trithem l. de scriptorib in Hildonio Roswida Hilduinus Abb. in vita S. Dionisij Areopag cap. 29. Roswita l. de vit S. Dionis Areopag alijs THE X. CHAPTER How all the rest of the Apostles in particular S. Andrew Iames the great Thomas Iames the lesse Philip Bartholomew Symon Thaddaeus and Matthias were sacrificinge Preists and Apostles and vsually offered the sacrifice of Masse NOw let vs come to the rest of the holie Apostles which haue not in scriptures written of these misteries and proue of them all and in order except S. Peter the first whom I haue promised to put in the last place that in their sacred functions they offered the most holy sacrifice of Masse And first to begin with S. Andrew It is a receaued opinion Iodoc. Cocc Tom. 2. l. 7. artic 5. de purgator that this holy Apostle did first deliuer that forme of Masse which was auntiently and from the beginninge vsed in the church of Constantinople and after called the Masse of S. Iohn Chrisostome the great and learned Patriarke of that place because it was enlarged by him and is stil as our protestants acknowledge vsed to this day in the churches of Greece Edwin Sands relation of Religion cap. 53. or 54. And that hee himselfe did vsually and daily offer this moste sacred oblation of Christs body and blood wee haue moste auncient and vndeniable testimonies whether we will professe our selues Catholicks or protestants in Religion for both these agree in this that S. Andrew was martyred by Aegeus Procōsull of Achaia in the citie Patras and they celebrate his day of festiuitie vppon the laste of Nouember And they doe or ought if they make not fictions of theire owne deduce the history of his passion from the auncient penners and relators thereof which bee the preists and deacons of Achaia which were eye witnesses and present at the same S. Cyprian or whosoeuer was the auncient Author of the booke amonge his workes de duplici Martyrio The old Anonimus who wrote the booke of the Apostles liues published by the learned Bishop of Vienna Fredericus Nausea S. Simeon Metaphrastes himself a learned grecian and auncient of those parts S. Iuo S. Bernard Algerus the auncient writer of the liues of Saints the whole latine church in the publicke seruice of the feast of S. Andrew the Apostle the auncient Breuiary of the church of Salisbury in England and others are witnesses that S. Andrew beeinge persuaded and threatned by Aegeus the Proconsull to sacrifice to the Pagan Gods answered publicklie vnto him in these wordes Ego omnipotenti Deo qui vnus verus est immolo quotidie non taurorum carnes nec hircorum sanguinem sed immaculatum Agnum in altari cuius carnem posteaque omnis multitudo credentium manducauerit Agnus qui sacrificatus est integer perseuerat viuus I doe daily sacricrifice to God almightie the onely true God not the flesh of bulls nor blood of goates but the immaculate Lambe vppon the altar whose flesh after all the multitude of beleeuers haue eaten the Lambe that is sacrificed remayneth whole and liuinge Breuiar Missale Rom. Martyrolog Rom. Bed Vsuard vlt. Nou. Protestant comm Booke in calendar Nouem infest vlt. Nouem Cooper v. Andreas Godw. conuers Magdeb cent 1. in Andr. Apostolo Act. S. Andrea per Presb. Diacon Achaiae Ciprian l. de duplic Mart. Anonim in mirac vit Pass Apost in S. Andrea Sim. Metaphr in S. Andr. S. Iuo Carnoten Episc serm de Sacram dedicat ser 4. Algerus contra Berengar S. Bernard apud Francisc Feuarden annotat in Frenaeum l. 4. contra haer cap. 32. pag. 361. Iacob Genuen Epis in vit S. Andrea vlt. Nouem Breu. Ecclesiae Salisbur ibidem 2. Thus it is euident that S. Andrewe the Apostle did offer this holy sacrifice of Masse and euery day and that the sacrifice was Christ himself the true Lambe of God that taketh away sinnes Amonge the holy auncient and renowned witnesses S. Iuo supr ser 4. speakinge of this holy sacrifice of Masse thus wtiteth In memoriam veniunt verba beati Andreae Apostoli quibus asserit in caelis esse corpus Domini de altari posse sumi corpus Domini Cuius inquit carnes cum sint comestae in terris à populo ipse tamen in caelestibus ad dexteram Patris integer perseuerat viuus The wordes of S. Andrew the Apostle doe come to memory in which hee affirmeth that the body of our Lord is in heauen and yet may his body bee receued from the altare Whose flesh saith hee when it is eaten of the people on earth yet he perseuereth whole and aliue in heauen at the right hand of his Father And this giueth full satisfaction for S. Andrew that hee was a sacrificinge and massinge preist 3. The next in order is S. Iames the brother of S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist martired by Kinge Herode as we reade in the 12. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles where our protestants thus reade About that time Herod the Kinge stretched forth his hand to vexe certaine of the church And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword Actor cap. 12. ver 1.2 Which his timely death hath taken from him such ample memory as is deliuered of some other Apostles that liued longer in histories But beeing assured before by all kinde of testimonies that he was one of them to whom our blessed Sauiour gaue power and commaundement to offer the holy sacrifice of his body and blood that he there being consecrated a preist and one of the three Apostles which our Sauiour most loued and hee him
it would be more then impietie to thinke hee either neglected the power or brake the commaundement of his Master whome he so much loued and loued him againe for so he should not haue beene so principall a frend and louer of Christ but his professed enemy in continually violatinge his lawe and commaundement And being both brother to S. Iohn and consecrated and ordeyned preist at the same time in the same maner and order as hee was how could S. Iohn be a massinge and sacrificinge preist so vndeniably as is proued of him except S. Iames were also in the same degree 4. Further it is proued that S. Iames liued sometime before his death was martired in Hierusalem where the publick sacrifice of the Christian church at that time was the holy Masse for as Hieremias Patriarke of Constantinople proueth against the Protestants in his censure and others The holy Masse is a sacrifice instituted of Christ. Hierem. in censura Concil 6. Constantinop in memory and commendation of all his mercy and humilitie sustained for our soules Saint Iames the Apostle called our Lords brother first reduced into order that liturgie and sacrifice beeinge so instructed of Christ to doe it in all parts of that holy sacrifice nothing els is handled but an vniuersall order of thinges which our Sauiour vndertooke for our redemption Then this S. Iames also a cheife Apostle of the same Christ consecrated with the same solemnitie the other was and liuinge and dyinge in the same place a great Saint and Martyr as the oother was could not possibly differ from him in this point nor from the rest of the Apostles all of them by all consent before agreeinge in these misteries And it is an historicall approued veritie by all antiquities that these few disciples which this S. Iames conuerted in Spaine and brought with him to Hierusalem were directed and sent thither againe by S. Peter the Apostle that great massinge preist as hereafter and they were such as he that sent them in that respect 5. S. Thomas followeth next in Apostolick order how hee was a sacrificinge and massinge preist I haue shewed before in S. Iohn And this holy Apostle preachinge in India altares and diuers other pregnant arguments of his saying Masse in those parts are found amonge them there Christiani qui Indias frequentarunt quas olim diui Thomae praedicatio peragrauit altaria Christiana cum reliquijs quibusdam Imaginis Virginis in speluncis inuenerunt Florimund Raem de origine Haer. l. 8. cap. 12. And Franciscus Aluares de reb Ind. that liued longe in those parts writeth that their Annals testifie they had a church built in their contry within ten yeares of Christs Ascension which church there still remayneth and beareth the name as euer it did the church of our Lady of Mount Sion and the reason why it is so called is because the stone where of the altar was builded was brought thither from Mount Sion The same is proued by others and protestants themselues further declaringe the maner of their saying Masse still continued with great reuerence and deuotion teachinge how they neuer say Masse without incense and three cleargie men a preist deacon and subdeacon and they deriue their Religion from S. Thomas the Apostle An other an English Protestant minister from experienced trauailers and antiquitie writeth est Capella Indorum there is a Chappell of these Indians conuerted by S. Thomas in Mount Caluary at Hierusalem where onely the pilgrims of India by theire preists singe Masse after their order consecrating and makinge conficientes the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ of bread and wine They behaue themselues with greatest attention reuerence humilitie and deuotion Therfore wee cannot doubt but S. Thomas taught and practised these misteries both there and wheresoeuer hee liued and preached Edw. Grim. booke of estates pag. 1088.1089.201.203 Sebast. Munster l. 6. cap. 57. vide multos apud Gul. Eisengr centen 1. fol. 168. Rich. Hackluits booke of trauailes in mount Sinay Sir Iohn Mandeuil pag. 36. cap. 14. 6. Concerning S. Iames commonly called S. Iames the lesse and brother of our Lord whose place is ordinarily numbred next I haue spoken before how and by Christs appointment as the greeke writers say hee composed a forme of Masse and deliuered it to the churches where hee liued and so must needs bee a professor and practiser of that which he taught to others and consequently consecrated massing and sacrificinge preists to performe the same His Masse approued of in the sixt generall councell held at Constantinople as our protestants allow is stil extant and known to all learned men in all things of substance agreeing with the vsuall present missale of the Roman churche Censura Oriental Hieremias Patriarch Constantinapol ib. cap. 10. Proclus S. Nichol. Methon Bessarion apud Gul. Eisengr cent 1. fol. 186. Concil general 6. can 52. can Apost 3. Missa 5. Iacobi in Biblioth Patr. al. Morton apol part 2. pag. 8. 7. Now followeth S. Philip which followed the same opinion and practise of the holy sacrifice of Masse for wee doe not onlie often reade in generall that hee founded churches and consecrated Bishops preists deacons and other inferior cleargie men which none but they which hold a sacrificinge preisthood and sacrifice of Christs body and blood in holy Masse allowe But S. Simeon Metaphrastes liuinge where S. Philip preached with others testifieth in particular Sacerdotes altaria vbique in illis locis statuit construxit pro sacrificijs illis quae fiebant in daemonum altaribus sacrosancti fecit in eis peragi sacram misterij celebrationem Hee appointed preistes and builded altars euery where in those places and for those sacrifices which were vsed to bee offered vppon the altars of deuils hee caused the holy celebration of the sacred mistery to bee perfected Anonimus supr l. in Pass Apostol in S. Philippo Gul. Eisengr centur 1. fol. 157.158 alibi Simeon Metaph. in S. Philippo Apostolo Sur. die 1. Maij. And the protestant Sebastian Munster with others teacheth how the Abissines testifie from their Apostolick antiquities and constitutions of the Apostles themselues preserued by continuall tradition with them that amonge other misteries of Christian Religion deliuered by them this of the holy sacrifice of Masse and Christs sacred body and blood offered therin was one and that S. Philip the Apostle was principally theire Apostle and preached these things to them Asserunt imprimis Philippum Apostolum apud eos praedicasse Euangelium Sebastian Munst. Cosmograph l. 6. cap. 56. 8. Touchinge S. Bartholomew we read that hee preached in India where that knowne massinge Apostle taught and left that holy sacrifice so that two Apostles if they had not beene confirmed in grace free from error as all agree they were no Christian will thinke they could preache and practise contrary doctrines in so great misteries to and in one people place and time and wee further reade that S. Bartholomew
and first massinge and sacrificinge preists and Bishops in this nation and shew plainly how wee had and euer continued an holy and hierarchicall succession of such sacred parsons from S. Peter that greatest Apostle of Christ in all ages offeringe the blessed bodie and blood of Christ in the sacrifice of Masse vnto these times So that it shall euidently appeare although this kingedome hath for situation beene called an other world yet it did neuer from the beginning of Christianitie here differ frō the known Catholick Christian world in these holy misteries vntill these times 4. For the truth and veritie of this first plantinge the sacrificinge Christian preisthood and sacrifice of Masse in this kingdome it is little or nothing materiall whether it was S. Peter S. Paul or S. Simon Zelotes or S. Ioseph of Aramathia or any others disciples to any of those or any others of the Apostles because as before is proued they all agreed in these holy thinges yet to know who was our first founder and Father in Christ to whome wee owe for that the greatest reuerence dutiful children should and ought to performe to deriue from him our happy Hierarchicall succession in holy things and to know the truth which some haue veiled and obscured to much it is a thing most worthy our knowledge and our shame if wee shoulde dwell in ignorance thereof Therefore to be breife because it is lately and largely proued that S. Peter was this our first parent in Christ by all testimonies for this place it will suffice to shew how the best learned English Protestant antiquaries most backward in this busines by certaine Maximes or vndoubted grounds in antiquitie doe consequently and by an euident necessitie binde themselues and al others to be of this opinion Stowe and Howes histor 5. First they say the twelue Apostles diuided the world amongst them to conuert it Secondly which followeth from the former that this kingdome fell in diuision to one of these Apostles· Thirdly that there is a silence in histories that any Apostle but S. Peter S. Paul this none of the twelue and S. Simon Zelotes were here Fourthly that this kingdome receaued the faith if not sooner in the beginninge of the Empire of Claudius Fiftly that in his time many Christians came hither from Rome and diuers here were in that time conuerted to the faith of Christ Sixtly that S. Paul came not to Rome nor any of these western parts while longe after the death of Claudius in the dayes of Nero as the scripture it selfe with all histories is witnesse therof Seuenthly none of them doth affirme that S. Simon Zelotes was here at all but if hee were here they incline to thinke hee came not hither vntill the cominge of S. Ioseph of Aramathia in the 63. yeare of Christ when in all opinions diuers of this kingedome were Christians allmost 20. yeares and some preists of this nation very longe before that time 6. From hence an halfe blind man must needs make this vndoubted and infallible conclusion that S. Peter was our first Apostle and Father in Christ These protestant antiquaries of Englād giue vs further warrant both from themselues and antiquitie that S. Peter did in euery Prouince appoint one Archbishop whom all other Bishops of the same Prouince should obey Peter preached in no place but hee there ordeyned Bishops and teachers and founded churches And that it is confirmed almost 800. yeares since by Simeon Metaphrastes a learned Saint of the Greeke church out of the Greeke Antiquities and diuers others that S. Peter preachinge the word of life in this Iland hee here founded churches and ordeyned preistes and deacons And except S. Peter himselfe S. Iohn S. Iames S. Marke and S. Timothie with whom they Paralel S. Aristobulus our first Archbishop were not Archbishops this great Saint was by theire allowance our Archbishop in Britanie and as before so constituted by S. Peter no other being then to ordeine him to that dignitie in this nation all which our protestants thus write with publick warrant and priuiledge Iohn Whitguift answere to the admonition pag. 65. sect 1. and def of the answ pag. 318. Clem. Rom. apud eund Polydor. Virg. l. 4. de inuent c. 12.13 Sutcliff Subuers pag. 3. Theater of great Britanie l. 6. cap. 9. Sim. Metaphrast die 29. Ian. Eisengren centen 1. Thom. Rogers in artic Relig. of Engl. articul 36. 7. Therefore except this great massing preist and Apostle S. Peter should bee of an other opinion and practise in these thinges in this our Britanie then hee and all the other Apostles had beene in all other times and places before which no Christian can once imagine he also consecrated massing and sacrificing preists and Bishops in and for this kingdome And although our losses of such sacred monuments haue beene great yet wee haue not altogether loste the memory of al their names one and the first which I finde in histories was S. Mansuetus natione Scotus borne in this kingdome of great Britanie and by the antiquities of the church of Toul in Lorraine claimed to bee the first Bishop of that citie so likewise of the church of Treuers except the identitie of the name deceaueth mee to be afterwarde liuinge very longe Archbishop there because hee made much stay or residence in those places yet both our learned contriman S. Marianus and Methodus nere the Apostles times affirme that hee as others which they there name S. Clement Felix Rusticus Moses Martinus c. preached both in propria prouincia exterius both in their owne and other nations Annal. Tollens Arnold Mirman in Theatr. conuers gent. Belliforest Cosmograph Petr. Merssaeus Catalog Archiep. Treuerens in S. Mansueto Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. col 254. Method apud eundem supr 8. This holy contriman of ours beeinge consecrated preist by S. Peter that greate massinge preist and Apostle must needes himselfe also by that if wee had no other argument bee a massinge preist But wee ar not so streightned of proofes in this matter for wee haue warrant by the French German histories that hee was one of the companions of S. Clement vncle to S. Clement the Pope that great massinge Archbishop of Metz sent thither as Arnoldus Mirmannius thinketh in the time of Caius Caligula so auncient a massinge preist he maketh this our glorious contrimā Arnold Mirm. supr Annal. Tullen Bellifor supr Gul. Eisengren centur 1. Petr. de natal l. 11. Demochar l. 2. de Miss contra Caluin Caio Caligula Imperante Tullenses habuere Apostolum suaeque in Christum fidei primum Antistitem S. Petri Apostoli discipulum S. Clementis Collegam origine Scotum The inhabitants of Toul had for their Apostle first Bishop of their faith in Christ S. Mansuetus disciple of S. Peter the Apostle companion of S. Clement hee beeinge a Scot by natiuitie Eisengrenius and the Authors hee followeth hath the same onely saying he was made Bishop of Toul Anno Christi 49. in
eate you all of this for this is my bodie which shal be broken for many Likewise also hee tooke the cup after hee had supped the day before hee suffered looked to heauen to thee ô holy Father eternall God giuinge thankes blessed it gaue it to his Apostles and disciples sayinge take you and drinke you all of it for this is my blood Behold all those wordes are the Euangelists vntill those take and drinke either body or blood After they bee the words of Christ take drinke you all of it For this is my blood Consider euery thing who the day before saith hee that hee suffered hee tooke breade in his holy hands before it is consecrated it is breade but after the words of Christ come vnto it it is the bodie of Christ 11. The like hee hath in other places so haue other auncient and holy Fathers and so plainely that our protestants themselues doe freely graunt Foxe Tom 2. act and Monum in Queene Mary that it was so practised and deliuered by the Apostles themselues and that it was further the expresse commaundement of Christ to vse those or their equiualents words verba institutionis caenae râ—…citata omnino videntur Nam Paulus ea non frustra 1. Cor. 11. repetit quidem annexum mandatum hoc facite in mei commemorationem postulat vt historia illa de institutione passione Christi recolatur vt Paulus 1. Cor. 10. The words of the institution of the supper doubtles were recited in the Apostles time for Paul doth not in vaine repeate them in his first Epistle and eleuenth chapter to the Corinthiens and certes the commaundement of Christ do this in commemoration of mee doth require that the history of the institution and passion of Christ bee related as Paul witnesseth 1. Cor. 10. Magdeburgen centur 1. l. 2. cap. 6. col 500. c. Ritus circa caenam Domini Therefore by all consents this holy Pope exercisinge supreame spirituall iurisdiction in all places and beeinge so famous a massinge Pope and still retayninge the Masse of the Apostles and by some as before sendinge preists into this our Britanie neither these which he is supposed to haue sent hither or those others which stil after this suruiued of this natioÌ„ were or could bee any others then sacrificinge massinge preists neither our Christian Brittans at Rome so neare vnto him bee others then hearers or sayers of holie Masse 12. Successor to S. Alexander was S. Sixtus the first of that name who as these protestants tell vs was Pope ten yeares three moneths and 21. dayes succeedinge his blessed predecessor as well in this opinion and practise of sacrificinge preisthood and holy Masse as in the papall dignitie for as these men say Robert Barnes in vit Pontific Rom. in Sixton Io. Func l. 5. commentar in Sixto 1. an 121. sacra vasa ne quis praeter sacros ministros attingerent praecepit Quod corporale appellant ex lineo panno fieri iussit Missam non nisi in altari celebrandam esse constituit Hee commaunded that none but sacred ministers should handle the sacred vessels that which they call the corporall hee commaunded to be made of linnen cloath He ordeyned that Masse should not be celebrated but vpon an altare And so wee are assured by these enemies to holy Masse and sacrificinge preisthood that he in all places maintained both for hee was so absolute for the Popes supreamacy euen by these witnesses that hee gaue power to all ecclesiasticall ministers to appeale from their Bishop to the Pope of Rome Ab Episcopo ad Romanum Pontificem appellandi ius dedit ecclesiasticis ministris 13. Successor to S. Sixtus was Telesphorus both in dignitie and doctrine also by the warrant of these protestaÌ„ts for by them hee was so deuoted a defendor and teacher of sacrificinge preisthood and holy Masse that hee decreed euery preist should say three Masses vpon Christ-Masse day and an other dayes they shoulde not say Masse before the third hower of the day Hee commaunded that the songe of the Angels glory to God on high should bee sunge at Masse Yet say two Protestant Bishops and one theire primate there is nothing conteyned in gloria in excelsis but the same is taken out of the scriptures and to bee vsed of all true Christians Telesphorus who added it was a good Bishop a man notable for learninge and pietie eruditione ac pietate vir insigius and the church of Rome as yet pure in doctrine Rob. Barn supr in Telesphor Func l. 5. comment an 129. Stowe and Howes histor in Helius Adrian Cartwright adm Whitguift answ to admonit pag. 101. def pag. 602. Bal. l. 1. de act Pontif Rom. in Telesphor 14. S. Higinius succeedinge succeeded also by these protestants as well in exercising spirituall supreamacy ouer all Bishops decreeinge that no Metropolitane shoulde condemne any Bishop of his Prouince without the aduise of the other Bishops And for sacrificinge preisthood and Masse hee honored them so much that liuinge in the time of the Emperor Antonius Pius a fauourer of Christians he decreed that Christian churches should be dedicated with solemne rite of sacrifice of Masse Cum solemni ceremoniarum sacrificiorum ritu dedicanda esse Io. Funcc l. 5. commentar an 141. Rob. Barn in Higin supr and by an other protestant Templa dedicare cum solemni ceremonia sacrificio iussit In this Popes time as many of our protestant antiquaries with others from antiquities tell vs we had manie godlie Christian preachers and preists in Britanie which by so many testimonies before without any exception must needes be sacrificing massing preists and by many authorities conuerted many to that holy faith and sacrificinge massinge Religion of Christ in this kingdome Annal. Burton an 140. or 141. Harrison descript of Britanie Io. Caius l. 1. antiq Cantabrig Theater of great Britanie l. 6. Harris Theat Tom. 2. and no meruaile wheÌ„ so many Authors write that in one towne of Cambridge there were theÌ„ nyne such learned ChristiaÌ„s of that only place a schole of learninge at and diuers hundreds of yeares before that time as the antiquities and antiquaries of that vniuersitie informe vs. And no man can doubt of many such preists being here then if he duely consider the difficulties of a generall conuersion of so large and Idolatrous sauage nation as this at that time was and how all agree it was wholly conuerted long before the death of Kinge Lucius who by Matthew of Westminster commended by our protestants for an exact calculator of times and others beeinge borne in the 115. yeare of Christ was at the death of this Pope holdinge the papacie but 4. yeares 3. moneths and a very fewe dayes 35. yeares of age and had bene Kinge 25. yeares his Father Coillus dying when hee was but 10. yeares olde and yet by all antiquities in all his life euen before his owne conuersion a great frend and fauourer of Christians and this his kingedome
a refuge and receptacle of them that were in those times persecuted for Christian Religion Matthew of West Anno gratiae 115. Ioh. Bal. l. de script in Matth. Westm Rob. Bar. sup in Higinio Matth. Westm. an 150. Matth. Westm. an gratiae 124. 15. And to omit forreine examples beyonde number in this case when the Saxons of this nation were conuerted by the disciples of Gregory though S. Augustine was a very miraculous man and his companions many and holy learned men and industrious in that sacred worke found many worthie and renowned Bishops here with their cleargies that assisted them with al their power in the conuersion of this nation as those glorious Bishops S. Molocus that ioyned with S. Bonifacius sent from Italy with many good mē cum piorum caetu S. Iue S. Kentegern S. Asaph S. Lethardus stiled the precursor and vvay maker to S. Augustine praecursor ianitor venturi Augustini with others and had all the furtherance the holy Queene S. Bertha and her husband Kinge Ethelbert the most potent in this Iland reigninge from the vttermost coasts of kent vnto Humber and by the vertues of S. Bertha and S. Lethardus by many arguments a Christian in iudgement and affection before S. Augustines cominge hither Hect. Boeth hist l. 9. fol. 178. Holish hist of Engl. l. 5. c. 29. pag. 112. Capgrau in S. Iuone M. S. in vit eius in S. Asaph Kentegern Godvvin Catal. Bal. centur 1. de script Capgrau in S. Lethard Matth. Parker antiq in S. Augustin Stowe histor in Kinge Ethelb Holinsh. histor of Engl. Theater of great Brit. in K. Ethelbert Bed l. 1. histor l 2. 16. Yett S. Augustine and fine other Archbishops of Canterbury after him S. Laurence S. Mellitus S Iustus S. Honorius and S. Adeodatus were deade and aboue foure score yeares passed after the cominge of S. Augustine into England before this kingdome wholly submitted it self to the true discipline of holy church in the time and by the labours of that our moste learned Archbishop S. Theodor. Godvvin Catal. in Theodor. Matth. Parker in eodem Capgrau M. S. in vit S. Theodori Therfore seeing wee haue so ample warrant in antiquities as the olde chronicle of Landaffe ascribed to S. Telian S. Bede the old English Chronicle named Beatus Cocelin and others that the faith of Christ was preached in Britanie in the time of Kinge Lucius in the 156. yeare of Christ and very many conuerted by preists sent from the Pope of Rome which was not aboue three yeares after the death of this Pope S. Higinius in the papacy of Pope Pius the first we may not with iudgement thinke but these preists or diuers of them that had wonne so many to Christ in that time were sent in the dayes of this massing Pope S. Higinius and his sacrificinge predecessors which besides that is already said in this matter will more appeare in the next Pope S. Pius the first Chronicon Landaf apud Io. Caium l. 1. antiq Cantabrig pag. 107. Beda l. 1. histor cap. 4. Chronicle Brutus an 156. Gocelin in vita S. Augustini cap. 31. Stovve histor in Kinge Lucius Io. Caius supr 17. This holy Pope by all accompts gouerned the church of Christ at Rome whē by so many auncient authorities the preists sent from thence had so increased and propagated the Christian faith in this kingedome who the better to bee mindefull of this nation as his predecessors by that amonge other motiues were liued and conuersed moste and more then with any of any other contrie or nation with our Christian Britans that were then at Rome in so much that we haue allowance both from Catholicks Protestants that a great part of their cheife residency was in the house of S. Claudia our noble Christian contriwoman and with such freedome and libertie to commaund therein that diuers protestants besides all Catholicke antiquities assure vs this holy Pope by the graunt donation of her holy children did cōsecrate it for the first Christian church in Rome Robert Barnes in vita Pontif. Rom. in Pio 1. Thermas nonati templo dedicauit Pope Pius the first dedicated the house of Nouatus sonne of S. Claudia for a church An other thus writeth of him in this matter Hee consecrated the first temple of Rome vvhich vvas dedicated to 5. Pudentiana the Temples of Christians hauing bene in former times in hidden and obscure caues Edvv. Grimston booke of est in the church of Rome pag. 436. the Catholicke antiquities that testifie this are to many too be cited Act. vit S. Pudentianae Breu. Rom. die 19. Maij. Martyrol Rom. 19. Maij. Baron annot in eod Rom. Martyrol die 20. Iunij but they all agree that the Popes of Rome were ordinarily intertayned in this house of our Christian Britans and especiallie this holy Pope Pius said Masse there and vvas there releiued by S. Pudentiana daughter to our Brittish Ladie Claudia and the Christians came thither vsually to heare Masse vvhen Antoninus the Emperor had forbidden Christians to haue Masse publickly Quòd ab Antonino Imperatore sancitum erat ne Christiani publicè sacrificia facerent Pius Pontifex in adibus Pudentianae cum Christianis sacra celebrabat 18. And to manifest farther vnto vs what a massinge Pope this S. Pius was and how in all probable iudgement that holy doctrine amonge others was propagated here in Britanie these antiquities tell vs there was in that Brittish house ninty sixe Christian men nonagiata sex homines Christiani Pius Pap. 1. epist and the like hee writeth of the house of Euprepia where hee also liued and said Masse vbi nunc cum pauperibus commorantes Miss is agimus And hee was so zelous herein and to haue Masse said with all attention deuotion that he decreed as these protestants testifie to write in their owne words Sacerdotibus negligentius Missae sacra facientibus paenas statuit Robert Barnes in vit Pontific Rom. in Pio 1. Grimston in Pius 1. Io. Func commentar in Chronolog l. 5. in Pio 1. an 145. He ordeyned punishments for preists that said Masse negligently That if any by imprudency shoulde shedd any of the blood of Christ vppon the ground hee shoulde doe penance fourtie dayes If vppon the altare 3. dayes That if vpon the linen cloath vnder the chalice 4. dayes If vpon the other linen cloathe 9. dayes That hee should lick vp the blood of Christ that was shedd or if that could not be either pare it or washe it away and so pared or washed either to bee burnt or kept reserued in the sacrarie Vt si quis per imprudentiam de sanguine Christi effunderet in terram paenitentiam ageret dies 40. Si super altare dies 3. Si super linteum substratum calici 4. dies Si super aliud linteum dies 9. Sanguinem Christi effusum lambere vel si id fieri non possit aut radere aut eluere rasum aut lotum
Syriake text readeth in fractione Eucharistiae in breakinge the Eucharist And Iohn Caluine himselfe doth so plainely expounde the later place of the 20. chapter Actor cap. 2. v. 42. cap. 20. v. 7. Homil 17. operis imperfecti Beda ad cap. 20. act Ionas Aurelianen l. 3. de Imaginib text Syriac· Caluin in act 20. 6. And to make all sure the parlament statute of three Protestant Princes Kinge Edward 6. Queene Elizabeth and Kinge Iames. Statut. parlam· an 1. Edw. 6. an 1. Elizab and an 1. Iacobi Abridg. of stat titul seruice and Sacram. doth warrant vs that in the primatiue church communion was often vsed in one only kinde And the three first Euangelists S. Matthew Marke and Luke ar ample witnesses that the words of Christ drinke you all of this the ground of protestants in this contention were onely present with him and by him at that time made preists by all antiquities Matth. cap. 26. v. 20. Marc. cap. 14. ver 17.18 Luc. c. 22. v. 14. and so the words and commaundement could not possibly bee generall for that cause and if they had beene generall all the whole Christian worlde in all ages Catholicks from the beginninge and protestants since their new cominge had beene and ar guiltie of transgressinge that institution and commaundement Therfore seeing wee cannot finde any innouation in these misteries in this time let vs seeke out some more massing preists of this nation in this tempestuous season For such we finde particularly at Rome S. Mellanius as the Romane Martyrologe with others nameth him but by the auncient Manuscript history of his life and Capgraue S. Mellon He beeing a noble Britane and going hence to Rome to pay the tribute of his contry and serue the Emperor was conuerted to the faith of Christ by the massing Pope S. Stephen and by him takinge first all inferior orders was made a massinge preist Quem praefatus Papa sibi adhaerentem per omnes Ecclesiae gradus vsque ad Sacerdotium promouit Martyrolog Rom. die 22. Octob Baron ib. Vincent l. 11. c. 74. Petr. de natal l. 9. c. 93. Demochar contr Caluin M. S. antiq de vita S. Mellonis Ioh. Capgrau in catal in S. Mellone Episcopo and was so deuout a sayer of Masse that among other times as hee was sayinge Masse an Angell openly appeared both to the holy Pope and him at the right hand of the altare and Masse beeing ended designed him to goe to Rouen in Normandy where hee was the second Bishop next to S. Nicasius as the Annals of that church are witnesse and continued there a massinge preist and Bishop sent from that massinge Pope vntill about the yeare of Christ 280. which being before the beginninge of the persecution of Diocletian wee had then here in Britanie great numbers of massinge preists and Bishops as I haue proued before by our best antiquities 7. And though for that time wee are in a great defect and want of monuments yet wee haue warrant enough that both in and after that persecution wee had both massinge preists and Bishops to continue our hierarchicall succession for the present time of the persecution in this part of Britanie where the Romans ruled the persecution by that oportunitie and power raged wee must not looke into our churches and altars destroyed for publick vse of these holy points of Religion for as our best and moste auncient author S. Gildas writeth the Christians that remained did hide themselues in woods and deserts and hidden caues Qui superfuerant siluis ac desertis abditisque speluncis se occultauere Gildas l. de excid conq Biitan cap 8. S. Bede and others after both Catholicks and protestants haue the like Bed histor Eccl. Angl. l. 1. cap. 8. Matth. Westm. in Dioclet Theater of Brit. 16. Stowe Holinsh. histor of Eng. but if wee goe into the Northern parts beyond the Romans walland bounds where the Christian Britans and Scots vnder King Crathlint that renowned glory of that nation then reigned we shal finde both Masse and massinge preists of this our part of Britanie flying thither in honor and offeringe publicklie the moste holy sacrifice of Masse with great reuerence and solemnitie such were the holy massinge preist and Bishop S. Amphibalus Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus and very many others alijque permulti preachinge the doctrine of Christ in all the Scottish contries Christi seruatoris doctrinam omnes per Scotorum regiones concionando multis pijsque sudoribus seminantes Hector Boeth Scot. histor l. 6. fol. 102. Veremund apud eund ib. Holinsh. histor of Scotland in K. Crathlint 8. And among these holy doctrines that of holy Masse sacrificing preists preisthood were so honorable and renowned that this religious Kinge Crathlint did build a cathedrall church for that our persecuted massinge Bishop and preists endowinge it with great guifts and al things necessary for the honorable and reuerent sayinge of Masse as chalices patens Candlesticks and other such thinges requisite for the vse of sacrifice made of siluer and gold and an altare inclosed with copper and brasse Sed Crathlintus Rex sacra Antistitis aedem muneribus ornauit amplissimis calicibus patenis candelabris alijsque similibus ad sacrorum vsum commodis ex argento auroque fabrefactis altarique cupro aere clauso And that these and many others flyinge thither in this time were of this part of Britanie where the English inhabite it is plaine by these histories so that it is moste manifest that all this third age or hundred yeeres of Christ the holy sacrifice of Masse massing preists preisthood stil cōtinued in al this kingdome of great Britanie although not in such splendor and glory by reason of the great afflictions and miseries of those dayes as in better times I will make mention of diuers our massinge preists and Bishops that escaped death and suruiued after this persecution in the next age and so end with this THE FOVRTH AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XVIII CHAPTER How the holy sacrifice of Masse sacrificing and massinge preisthood preists and Bishops continued in this kingdome of great Britanie in al this age without any interruption or discontinuance IN the beginninge of this age and fourth hundred yeare the state of the church of Christ was little different either in Britanie or any other nation from that wherin it was in the later end of the former for as our histories tell vs the persecution begun by Diocletian did not cease although not in such extremitie of rigour vntill Cōstantine the great our contriman had bene Emperor some yeares in the seuenth yeare of his Empire by Matthew of Westminster Florentius Wigorniensis and others caepta semel persecutio vsque ad septimū annum Constantini feruere non cessauit Matth. Westm an gratiae 304. Florent Wigorn. an 299. al. 321. neither doe our Scottish writers Veremundus Hector Boethius and others differ herein for they are witnesses that manie holy Christians of
this southern part of Britanie in the time of Constantius fledd to the Picts and Scots for succour and were there religiously entertained by King Crathlint Veremund apud Hect. Boeth l. 6. Scotor histor fol. 102. pag. 1. Constantius Diocletiani more in Britannia Christianae Religioni fuerit insidiatus Vnde magnus piorum numerus persequeÌ„tium saeuitiam declinare cupiens ad Scotos Pictos coÌ„cessit Hos Crathlintos Rex ad se confugientes beneuolo affectu suscepit And the Romane histories agree with this teachinge that in the beginning of the Empire of Constantine vntill he had the vision of the Crosse and was admonished to seeke and send for S. Siluester then Pope to baptize him the persecution still continued and S. Siluester hid himself in the mountaine Soracte which an English Protestant Bishop with the Italian writers thus relateth Io. Bal. l. 1. de act Rom. Pont. in Siluestro At postquam soboles Helenae sanctissima Caesar Constantinus apud diuos hominesque fauorem nactus in excelso vidit crucis aere formam Tunc redijt tandem Romam Soracte relicto atque sub Augusto magnos sortitus honores 2. Yet notwithstanding this secret profession and practise of Christian Religion in this time wee haue certaine testimonies of the continuance of these holy doctrines of the sacrifice of Masse sacrificing preists and preisthood in this our Britanie in those dayes For our Scottish historians before alleaged giue euidence that those massinge preists which I haue named before did I liue a while after this time and that in the isle Mona there was a sacrificinge Bishop and preists that said Masse with such ritche ornaments and instruments for that time as I haue described and that this massinge Bishops name was Amphibalus Bishop of Soder beeing a Britane liued and died there an old man longe after the death of S. Amphibalus our martir Amphibalus Brito vir insigni pietate primus Antistes ibi creatus Christi dogma per Scotorum Pictorumque Regiones propalando multa contra Gentilium Religionem dicendo scribendoque gloriosum Christiano viro planè dignum multa senectute viuendo fessus faelicemque sortitus est finem Boeth Veremund sup l. 6. histor Scot. where besides the time not agreeing and the old age wherein this S. Amphibalus liued and died a glorious confessor but no Martyr the contry whence hee was a Britan Amphibalus Brito proue it was an other different Saint from the Martyr Amphibalus of whome we doe not reade that hee was a Bishop nor a Britan but coming hither from other places of persecution as the writers of his life are witnesses Vir quidam meritis doctrina clarus nomine Amphibalus transiens in Britanniam verolamina Domino ducente perueâ—…it M. S. antiq Author vitae S. Albani antiquus in vit S. Albani Ioh. Capgrauius alij in vit S. Albani which he also himselfe doth witnes in this words to S. Alban My Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of the liuinge God hath preserued mee from daungers and for the saluation of many sent mee into this nation Dominus meus Iesus Christus filius Dei viui securum inter discrimina me custodiuit pro multorum salute ad istam me misit prouinciam 3. And we had at this time here in Britanie liuinge after the persecution of Diocletian many others both Bishops and preists that exercised and offered the sacrifice of Masse amonge which S. Taurinus was Archbishop of Yorke exâ—… 〈◊〉 protestant antiquaries and others ar deceaued not that Taurinus which was in or before the dayes of Kinge Lucius but another more late and liuinge in this time placed Archbishop there in the time of Constantius Chlorus who came hither as Matthew of Westminster writeth in the yeare of Christ 302. Matth. Westm an gratiae 302. and by the consent of the same Constantius or more as a Protestant Bishop and antiquary from antiquities thus deliuereth Godwin Catal. of Bishops in Yorke 1. pag. 555. it is reported that Constantius Chlorus appointed Taurinus Bishop of Eureux to bee Archbishop there at Yorke Which is almoste or fully 200. yeares after the other Taurinus was sent into Fraunce by S. Clement both by Catholicks and Protestants And by all writers S. Restitutus was at this time or soone after Archbishop of London for in the yeare of Christ 326. hee was of such renowne and honor that he was chosen the onely Bishop of this Britanie to be present at the great councell of Bishops at Arles in Fraunce to which hee thus subscribed for this our Britanie Ex Prouincia Britanniae ciuitate Londinensi Restitus Episcopus Martyrol Rom. die 11. Augusti Vsuard eod die Vincent in spec l. 11. c. 78 79. Petr. in catal l. 4. cap. 50. Matth. Westm an 94. protest annot marg in eund Tom. 1. concil in Arelat conc Io. Bal. l. de scrip cent 1. in Restit Godwin Catal. in London in Restitutus Matth. Parker antiq Brit. 4. And a friuolous exception it is for Stowe with all others so to confesse and after to add Hee writeth not himselfe Archbishop and therefore maketh that matter of Archbishops doubtfull or rather ouerthroweth that opinion Stowe histor in Kinge Lucius For it is euident by the subscriptions of that councell that many of the greatest Archbishops in this part of the world were present and subscribed there yet not anie one of theÌ„ subscribed by the name of Archbishop so it was in other councels And as a Protestant Bishop and antiquary assureth vs in these words Godwin supr hee subscribed to the decrees of the same couÌ„cel which hee brought ouer with him In which it is decreed that none but sacrificinge consecrated preistes might offer the sacrifice of Masse Concil Arelat can 15. And among so many Bishops and preists as were present there Claudianus and Auitus the Legats of that renowned massinge preist and Pope S. Siluester by protestants confession were present and subscribed to this councell Therefore this our Archbishop then the primate of all Britanie must needs bee a massinge preist as also all preists and Bishops vnder him Of our third Archiepiscopall see at Caerlegion I doe not finde the name of any Archbishop before Tremounus vrbis legionum Archiepiscopus Archbishop there in the time of Aurelius Ambrosius Galfrid Monum histor l. 8. cap. 10. though wee know that many were there before this time And yet the memories of all our Bishops that escaped aliue from this persecution are not perished For besides those I haue recompted we are assured both by Catholicke and Protestant antiquaries that the Bishop of Winchester called Constance was now liuinge and dedicated there a church newly reedified to the honour of S. Amphibalus the Martyr in the yeare of Christ 310. within 21. yeares after it was destroyed in the persecution Because it is a memorable history and not onely warranted by an old Manuscript but published and approued by a new Protestant Bishop I will
relate it in these his owne words Manuscript antiq Godwin Catal. of Bish. in Winch. pag. 207. This church as the same Author olde Manuscript saith was hallowed and dedicated vnto the honour of our Sauiour October 29.189 by Faganus Damianus Bishops about the space of 100. yeare the church of Christ had then peace in this land viz. vntill the reigne of Dioclesian who endeauouringe to roote out Christian Religion not onely killed the professors of the same but pulled downe all churches and Temples any where consecrated vnto the exercise thereof Amongest the rest this of Winchester at that time went to wracke the buildings thereof beeinge ruinated and made euen with the grounde and the Monkes and all the officers belonginge vnto it either slaine or enforced to flie for the present time and yet afterward to denie Christ This happened anno 289. not longe after the death of this cruell Tyrant to witt the yeare 309. The church aforesaid was againe reedified and that with such wonderful forwardnes and zeale as within one yeare and thirtie dayes both it and all the edifices belonginge vnto it as chambers and other buildings for the Monkes were quite finished in very seemely and conuenient maner The 15. day of Marche following it vvas againe hallovved and dedicated vnto the honor and memory of Amphibalus that had suffered death for Christ in the late persecution by Constance Bishop as my author saith of Winchester at the request of Deodatus Abbot of this nevv erected monastery The like or greater expedition was vsed in buildinge and dedicatinge a church to S. Alban of great coste sumptuousnes where hee suffered Martyrdome and yet as Matthew of Westminster writeth it was finished or builded within ten yeares of his death and martyrdome Fabricata decem scilicet annis post passionem eius elapsis S. Bede saith as soone as the persecution ceased a church of wonderfull worke was builded there vnto his honor Vbi postea redeuÌ„te temporum Christianorum serenitate Ecclesia est miri operis atque eius Martyrio condigna extructa So our histories testifie of S. Iulius and Aaron in particular Bed histor Eccl. l. 1. cap. 7. Matth. Westm. an gratiae 313. Io. Capgrau in S. Albano 6. And to make it manifest vnto vs that there were many Bishops left here after this persecution to consecrate and dedicate so many new builded founded and consecrated churches as were presently after the persecution ended erected in this kingedome and to execute other episcopall functions the best and moste auncient histories wee haue as S. Gildas S. Bede with others testifie that bilustro necdum ad integrum expleto before ten yeares of persecution were ended S. Gâ—…ldas words the ChristiaÌ„s eueryvvhere renevv their churches pulled dovvn to the ground found build finish churches of their holy Martyrs and celebrate their festiuities Bilustro supradicti turbinis necdum ad integrum expleto emercescentibusque nece suorum Authorum nefarijs decretis laetis luminibus omnes Christi Tyrones renouant Ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas basilicas Sanctorum Martyrum fundant construunt perficiunt ac velut victricia signa passim propalant dies festos celebrant And that wee may be assured that among these holy Christian exercises the holy sacrifice of Masse was offered by their sacrificinge and massinge preists it immediatly followeth in these renowned antiquities sacra mundo corde oreque confiâ—iunt They celebrate theire sacrifice with a pure hart and mouth And our antiquaries both Catholicks and Protestants assure vs there were altars for sacrifice in these churches S. Gildas calleth the altars altaria sacrosancta sacred altars whereon the heauenly sacrifice is offered and laied Sacrifieij caelestis sedem And that all the preistes of these Brittish churches were sacrificing or massing preistes at the altars Sacerdotes sacrificantes inter altaria stantes Gild. l. de excid Stovv histor in Constantine 2. Galf. Mon. histor Brit. l. 11. cap. 4. Matth. Westm an gratiae 543. 7. And if we wil appeale to other churches and iudges in this time whether to our Kinge and Emperor now a Christian or to the Popes of Rome yet Saints and holie men by the licence of our protestants or to generall councels the first being celebrated in this time or to the renowned Fathers that liued and wrote in this age wee shall finde these holy doctrines and exercises of the sacrifice of Masse sacrificinge massinge preists and preisthoâ—◠〈◊〉 haue beene in greatest honor as well in all other Christian nations as in this kingdome For CoÌ„stantine our Kinge Emperor and contryman we cannot better learne what minde and Religion hee was of in these matters then from S. Siluester then Pope and his Master and Father in Christian Religion who instructed him therein and from the first generall councell of Nice wherin and wherto hee was present and consented And to make all sure and walke with the passe of protestants in this trauaile wee are told by these men that this massinge Pope declared and decreed in what sacred attire both the preists which offered and the deacons which serued and ministred in the sacrifice of Masse should bee inuested Rob. Barnes l. de vit Pontif. Roman in Siluestro and to speake in a protestant Bishops wordes Huius Siluestri permulta feruntur instituta de chrismate consecrando pueris confirmandis temptis ornandis altaribus tegendis missatoribus constituendis vngendis vestiendis hostijs adorandis seruandis sacrificijs ceremonijs alijsque ritibus Very many institutions are ascribed to this Siluester of consecratinge chrisme confirminge children adorninge churches coueringe altars makinge massinge preists anointinge and vestinge them adoringe and reseruing the consecrated hostes of sacrifices ceremonies and other rites By which no man can doubt but S. Siluester was a massing preist and Pope this renowned Emperor conuerted by him a reuerencer of holy Masse and sacrificinge preisthood 8. which truth and doctrine for this age is more confirmed by the great generall councell of Nice where Constantine present assented and S. Siluester also present by his Legats Victor and Vincentius subscribinge approued in which it is plainely declared that none but consecrated massinge preists haue power to offer that holie sacrifice Concil Nicen. 1. can 14. per al. translat can 18. and to carry our protestants consents with vs herein the present protestant Archbishop of Canterbury director of Master Frauncis Mason together with this his directed secretary warrant vs herin sufficiently in these words The Nicen councell in that canon which Caluine and all other receaue saith plainely that the Lambe of God offered vnbloodily is laide vpon the holy table Fran. Mason in pref of his booke of consecrat pag. 243. therfore this holy councell being by all iudgements generall hauinge besides the consent of the Pope and Emperor the allowance and subscription of 318. Bishops and immediatly in those dayes as our protestants Theater of great Britanie l. 6. with others assure vs
wee see by the testimony both of the Britans and protestants themselues that these were more zelously obserued of the Christian Britans at that time whose faith and Religion is so much commended by our protestant writers then they were by S. Gregory or S. Augustine then or be at this time by the present church of Rome and the members therof 11. Therfore it being the common and generally receued opinion both of our English Protestant Bishops as Parker Bale Godwin with others and their Doctors and antiquaries as Powel Foxe Fulke Middleton Gosceline Stowe Howes Holinshed and too many to be recited that at the cominge of S. Augustine hither the faith and Religion of the Christian Britans here was in all materiall points sounde and perfect and the same which they receued in the time of the Apostles much more and rather must they needes yeeld and allowe that honor to the Religion and doctrine of S. Augustine and the other disciples of S. Gregory which they preached and planted here being by so many and all humane testimonies before acknowledged in all matters controuersed betweene them to be the vndoubted true and perfect Religion of Christ Parker antiquit· Britan. pag. 6.45.46 Balaus l. 2. de Act. Pontific in Gregorio Magno l. de scriptor Brit. centur 1. in Augustin Dionotho Godvvin conuers of Brit. Povvell annotat in l. 2. Giraldi Cambr. de Itinerar Cambr. cap. 1. Foxe Act. and Mon. pag. 463. edit an 1576. Fulke ansvv to counterf Cathol pag. 40. Middlet Papistom pag 202. Io. Goscelin hist Eccl. de vit Arch. Cantuar. Stovve and Howe 's hist. in K. Ethelbert Holinsh histor of Engl. cap. 21. pag. 102. 12. And to make all sure and vnquestionable except with athests and infidels enemies to Christ himselfe wee haue both the present and propheticall witnesse of God himselfe that by no possibilitie can deceiue vn in this case and this confessed and receued euen by our protestant writers who first assure vs that in the controuersie betweene the Britans and S. Augustine God gaue so miraculous testimony for S. Augustine his Roman companions to teach the truth in all thinges controuersed then betweene them and the Britans that the Britans were therby so extraordinarily conuicted and confounded to speake in protestant wordes that they confessed in deede that to bee the true way of righteousnes which Augustine had preached and shewed them Stowe and Howes histor in K. Ethelbert and God could not possibly giue other testimony by these protestants and all learninge except hee would or could blasphemie to affirme contradict himselfe for by all professors of Christian Religion he had promised that Catholicke church vniuersall should neuer err and yet protestants with others thus confesse all other churches throughout the world agreed with Augustine in Christ Of Gods propheticall testimonie hereof wee haue many witnesses Catholicks and Protestants S. Asaph in the life of S. Kentegern many Manuscripts the Brittish history Matthew of Westminster with others for Catholicks and amonge protestants their first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury their protestant Bishop Bale with others S. Asaph in vit S. Kentegern M. S. antiq in eod Galfr. Monum l. 7. cap. 3. Matth. Westm an 465. Matth. Parker antiquit Britan. pag. 49. Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Kentegern this last speakinge of the Pagan Saxons inuadinge this kingdome and ouerthrowinge Christian Religion bringeth S. Kentegern thus to prophesie loÌ„ge before how S. Augustine and his associats should restore it againe not onely vnto the auncient state of Religion but a better then it enioyed in the time of the Britans Christianae legis Religio vsque ad praefinitum tempus dissipabitur Sed in pristinum statim immo meliorem miserante Deo in fine reparabitur 13. The auncient Manuscript history of S. Kentegerns life S. Asaph Capgraue and others say S. Kentegern prophesied this and publickly told it to his disciples at the time of the death of S. Dauid which as our protestants write was aboue 50. yeares before the cominge of S. Augustine hither M. S. antiq de vita S. Kentegerni Io. Copgrau in S. Kentegerno Episcopo Confessore who beeing at that time as often very earnest at his prayers and much lamentinge after being demauÌ„ded by his disciples the cause of his great sorrowe after a short silence thus answered Knovve you my dearest children that S. Dauid the ornament of Britanie Father of his contry is euen novv loosed from the prison of his flesh and gone to the heauenly kingdome Vnderstand you that Britanie depriued of so great a light shall lameÌ„t the absence of so great a patrone who opposed him selfe against the sword of God halfe drawne against it for the wickednes of the inhabitants thereof that it should not be fully drawne and bringe it to destruction Our Lord will giue Britanie ouer to forreine nations that know him not And the Isle shall bee emptied of the inhabitants by Pagans The Religion of the lawe of Christ shall bee destroyed vntill a certaine time in it But by the mercy of God it shall be againe repayred vnto the former and vnto a better state then it was before Seruo Dei quodam die prolixius orationi intento facies eius quasi ignea apparens stupore extasi circumstantes repleuit Intucbantur enim faciem eius tanquam vultum Angeli stantis inter illos Completa oratione grauissimis lamentis se dedit Et cum discipuli causam tristitiae humiliter ab eo peterent paulisper in silentio residens tandem ait Noueritis filij charissimi Sanctum Dauid decus Britanniae patrem patriae carnis carcerem modo egressum regna caelestia penetrasse Credite mihi quod non solum Angelorum multitudo in gaudium Domini sui illum introduxit sed Dominus noster Iesus Christus ei obuiam procedens ad portas paradisi gloria honore coronauit eum me vidente Scitote etiam quod Britannia tanto lumine orbata tanti patroni lugebit absentiam qui gladio Domini propter malitiam inhabitantium semi euaginato super illam ne penitus ad internitionem extractus percuteret semetipsun opponebat Tradens tradet Dominus Britanniam exteris nationibus Deum ignorantibus sed à Paganis ab indigenis euacuabitur insula Christianae legis Religio vsque ad praefinitum tempus dissipabitur in ea sed in pristinum statiâ—… immo meliorem miserante Deo iterum reparabitur 14. Our protestant historians doe likewise relate the actuall chaunge of Religion here then for the better and for better preachers in these wordes Edvv. Hovves and Stovve histor in K. Ethelbert Gild. l. de excid Amonge many the Britans doings which their ovvne historiographer Gildas doth lamentably sett forth in vvritinge hee saith of them thus that they neuer tooke care to preach the ghospell of Christ vnto the Angles and Saxons vvhich inhabited the land amonge them But yet the goodnes of God prouided for the
immunities which he graunted to the most knowne massing places of Britanie as Glastenbury and others and the great reuerence he vsed to all massinge preists and Prelates are sufficient testimony of this and to bee seene allmost in all histories Manuscripts and others of that time and hee liued vnto the yeare of Christ 542. Now if wee come to the Archbishops Bishops vnder them Matthew of Westminster and others tell vs that for Yorke that renowned massinge man S. Sampson was Archbishop there 7. yeares after the beginning of this age anno gratiae 507. Floruerunt in Britānia Sanctus Sampson Eboracensis Archiepiscopus S. Dubritius Vrbis Regionum Archiepiscopus Matth. Westm an 542. alij Matth. Westm an gratiae 507. what a miraculous massing preist and Prelate he was I haue spoken in the former age 3. That S. Dubritius ruled all in the Archiepiscopal see of Caerlegion where most both Bishops preists were in these daies at the least vntill the 16. yeare of this age I haue shewed before whē S. Dubritius with the rest of the Bishops of Britanie crowned King Arthur in that yeare Who was Archbishop of London at this time it is not so certainly remembred in particular But the Author of the Brittish history translated by Galfridus assureth vs that there was an Archbishop of London at this time that hee together with S. Dubritius Archbishop of Caerlegion the Archbishop of Yorke did crowne Kinge Arthur Trium Metropolitanarum sedium Archi Praesules Londoniensis videlicet Eboracensis nec non ex vrbe Legionum Dubritius hic Britanniae primas Apostolicae sedis Legatus Galfr. Mon. histor Reg. Brit. l. 9. cap. 12.13 and by the circumstances of the history these three Archbishops performed that great solemne coronation at the solēnitie of Masse at which both the Kinge these three Archbishops with the other Bishops of theire diuisions and the nobilitie of Britanie were present And this coronation is cheifely attributed to S. Dubritius because it was in his diocesse Dubritius quoniam in sua diocesi caria tenebatur paratus ad celebrandum obsequium huius rei curam suscepit and he was the Popes Legate And all histories agree that when the Bishops and cleargie either of London or Yorke diuision were persecuted by the Pagans they fledd for succour to the knowne massinge preistes and Prelates of Caerlegion diocesse communicatinge with them in Religion 4. S. Dubritius waxinge old and desirous to liue a solitary and contemplatiue life the holy Saint Dauid was miraculouslie chosen to succeed him Capgrau in S. Dauid Gyrald Cambr. Itiner Cambr. l. 2. cap. 1. Godwin in S. Dauids I haue shewed before that he was the scholler of the massing preist S. Iltutus scholler of the massinge Prelate Popes Legate S. Germanus This holy Archbishop was so renowned a massinge preist and Prelate that as wee reade both in auncient Manuscripts and other histories hee brought with from Hierusalem beeinge a pilgrime there an holy and miracalous Altar giuen him by the Patriake there on which he consecrated the body of our Lord. In quo Dominicum consecrabat corpus M. S. antiq de vit S. Dauidis Capgrau in Catalog in eod and to make euident vnto all that S. Dauid did say ordinarily Masse in Britanie aswell as at Hierusalem and likewise so did all the Bishops here of Britanie then and with great solemnitie to omitt many other memorable testimonies hereof we reade in the antiquities of Glastenbury Capgrauius and others a Protestant Bishop writeth that the history is still preserued engraued in Brasse at Wells in Sommersetshire though hee somewhat minceth it how S. Dauid and seuen other Bishops goinge to Glastenbury to dedicate the holy church there Christ appeared vnto him the night before the intended dedication and bid him absteine from dedicatinge it for it had beene dedicated before to the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother M. S. antiq Io. Capgrau Catalog in S. Patricio antiq Glaston Godwin conuers of Brit. pag. 11. and to testifie the truth of this vision testimony left a miraculous wound in the right hand of S. Dauid tellinge him how it should bee as miraculously healed as it was hurt in this maner crastina die cum Pontificalibus inductus cum per ipsum cum ipso in ipso in Missa pronuntias ipso qui tecum loquitur operante per ipsum quem sacro conficies ore vulnus quod nunc abhorres nusquam esse videbis Et cum sanctus iussa complesset sicut praedixit Dominus efficitur sanus To morrow when thou art adorned with thy pontificall vestiments and shalt pronounce in Masse the words by him with him and in him he that speaketh with thee workinge by him whome thou shalt make with thy sacred mouth thou shalt see noe where the wound which thou now abhorrest And when the Saint had done as hee was commaunded as our Lord foretold he was made found And it followeth in the same ātiquitie preserued in Brasse by Thomas Highes of Wells esquier as that protestant Bishop writeth heretofore fixed vppon a piller of S. Iosephs chappell which hee himselfe had read Godwin supr cap. 2. pag. 11. 5. Postea idem Episcopus Domino reuelante quendam cancellum in orientali parte haic Ecclesiae adiecit in honore beatae Virginis consecrauit cuius altare inestimabili sapphiro in perpetuam huius rei memoriam insigniuit Afterward the same Bishop S. Dauid by the reuelation of our Lord did add a certaine chauncell to this church in the east parte and consecrated it in the honor of the blessed Virgin whose Altar for perpetuall memory of this thinge hee did adorne with a sapphire of an inestimable price Where we euidently see the doctrine practise both of the Archbishop and Bishops of Britanie seuen of them beeing then present to goe on pilgrimage to holy places and relicks that they were sacrificing preists said Masse and with great reuerence and solemnitie and in that holy sacrifice consecrated by consecratinge wordes of their mouthes and offered the blessed body and blood of Christ vsed the same canon wee now doe as the wordes per ipsum cum ipso in ipso with the other circumstances tell vs and so honored the holy Altars whereon this heauēly sacrifice was offered that they there offered inestimable guifts and ornaments to honor them withall which is as much as any preist of the present Roman church teacheth or contēdeth at this time or Catholicke Religion alloweth them to doe 6. This renowned Archbishop so miraculous for his birth prophetically foretold his life and death and so holy and pleasing vnto God that as I haue shewed in him alreadie God spared to take vengeance on the sinnes of the Britans for his sake during his life died in the yeare of Christ 546. but 50. yeares before S. Augustines coming hither as our protestants themselues with others witnesse Bal. l. de scriptor Britan. cent 1. in Dauid
Meneuiensi and by an other protestant which faith he sate longe to witte 65. yeares Godwin Catal. in S. Dauids 1. S. Dauid hee liued within 16. yeares or nearer to S. Augustins arriuall in this kingedome an 596. for as I proued before his predecessor S. Dubritius was Archbishop there in the yeare 516. and after and died not vntill the yeare 522. though in his old age he had a little before resigned his charge to S. Dauid Godwin sup in S. Dauids in S. Dubritius Bal. cent 1. in eod Galfr. Mon. l. 11. hist. Britan. cap. 3. there is some question in histories whether as Giraldus Cambronsis and some others say Cenauc was immediate successor to S. Dauid or S. Theliaus Telianus Eliud all one man by others Girald Cambr. Itiner Cambr. l. 2. c. 1. Godw. M. S. Dauids antiquitat Eccles S. Dauidis apud Godwin Catal. Epis pag· 506. in S. Dauids but for this matter it mattereth nothing for this Cenauc was scholler and successor to S. Patern that great knowne massinge preist and Prelate companion to S. Dauid in his holy pilgrimage And so could not differ from these holy Saints in so great questions in Religion And for the other S. Telian or Eliud there is no doubt for hee was scholler to the renowned massinge Prelate S. Dubritius and by him so throughly instructed in diuinity that being indued with the holy Ghost hee could perfectly expound all difficulties of holy scriptures A sancto Dubritio Episcopo in scripturis sanctis eruditus fuit donec explicaret M. S. de vita S. Theliai Capgr· Catalog in eod and was so vndiuided a companion of S. Dauid his predecessor not onely vnder their Master Paulinus not vnprobably hee that liued to bee Archbishop of Yorke that great massing Prelate in S. Augustines time but in his pilgrimage to Hierusalem and so by Rome from which hee could not differ in Religion and so intrely and nearely conioyned in Religion and affection that as wee reade in his life they were both of one minde perfectly in all things Sanctum Dauid perfectae hominem vitae sibi associauit quos tanta coniunxit dilectio sancti spiritus gratia quod idem velle nolle ambobus esset Therefore hee could not possibly nor the Bishops and preists vnder him differ from S. Dauid in so great matters but were wholly of the same mind and practise with him in those thinges And the church of Rome in all Catalogues receueth and acknowledgeth him for an holy Saint which it neuer did will or can doe to any an enemie and apposite vnto it in those misteries And this sacrificinge massinge Prelate probably was Archbishop of Caerlegion amonge the Britans at the cominge of S. Augustine hither liuinge longe after that time and as a late writer holdeth Engl. Martyrolog die 25. Nouembr vntill the yeare of Christ 626. liuinge before diuers yeares amonge the massing preists and Bishops of Fraunce and not vnprobably was there when S. Augustine first landed here and neither present at or consenting vnto that opposition to S. Augustine 7. And concerninge the two other Archiepiscopall sees London and Yorke although there is little memory left of Ecclesiasticall affaires in them beeing both with their whole diocesses in those times moste greeuously afflicted and almoste wholly eaten and deuoured vpp by the Pagan persecutors in Religious things yet for these doctrines wee haue in hand there is sufficient testimonie left in antiquities that so longe as the state of Christian Religion had publick and open profession there was also there the like publicke vse and exercise of these points of Catholicke Religion And after the external face of Christianitie was ouerthrowne yet at the leaste in many places of those Prouinces a priuate vse and exercise was still coÌ„tinued of these articles euen to the coming of S. Augustine and after vntill the general conuersion of the Saxons themselues And for Yorke wee haue the knowne massing Prelate Pyramus chapeline to Kinge Arthur that great Patron of sacrificinge preists holy Masse which as his place required was deputed to say Masse and ordinarily so did before that Religious Kinge Galfrid Monum l. 9. histor Reg. Briton cap. 8. Matth. Westm an gratiae 522. and as Thadiocus succeeded him in place and dignitie so likewise hee was his successor in opinion and practise in those questions as will euidently appeare if wee onely consider that they were both ordeyned by the authoritie Legantine power either of S. Dubritius or S. Dauid those famous massinge preists Prelats primats and Saints But wee haue the generall warrants of the renowned S Gyldas Badonicus which now liued and vntill within 16. veares of S. Augustins cominge hither florishinge in the yeare of Christ 580. as a protestant Bishop and antiquary with others writeth Bal. l. de scriptor Britan. cent 1. in Gilda Badonico proueth that in this time all the preists of Britanie were sacrificantes sacrificinge massinge preists inter altaria at the holy altars the seates of the celestiall sacrifice sedes caelestis sacrifiâ—…ij and Probus that wrote the life of S. Patricke in this age testifyinge as much Gildas l. de excid conquest Britan. Probus in vita S. Patricij inter opera S. Bedae 8 And if we turne our eyes to looke into the further and more northien parts of the diocesse of this Archiepiscopall see in Golloway and Albania wee shall finde many particular testimonies of this veritie There wee shall finde S. Kentegern that most miraculous holy Saint so far a massing preist and Prelate and after the Roman order that hee had in his schole or monastery vnder him in the north of Britany besides 600. that were not learned 260 learned diuines trayned vp to pâ—…eacâ—… and offer the holy sacrifice of Masse M. S antiq de vit S. Kentegerni Io Capgrau Catal. in eod Io. Bal. l. script Britan. cent 1â—… in Kentern Godwin Catal. in Asaph Hector Boâ—… Scotor histor l. 9. and he had an other as great a schoole and companâ—…e of massinge men in Britany which he left to S. Asaph and sent of these into all parts both of this our Britanie and into other nations as Norwey and Island beeing warranted in all these things by the Popes of Rome where hee was seuen times on pilgrimage Romam septies adijt and in all things conformed himselfe to that holy Apostolicke church and at his death gaue strict ommaund to all vnder his charge to be in all thinges obedient to the church of Rome de Sanctorum Patrum decretis sanctaeque Romanâ—… Ecclesiae institutis firmiter custodiendis fortia dedit ac dereliquit praecepta And that hee liued either after or vnto the cominge of S. Augustine I will demonstrate herafter 9. And to come to London diocesse now afflicted with Pagan persecutors yet wee find Theonus a massinge preist and Prelate familiarly acquainted with S. Dauid that massing Archbishop hauing beene Bishop of Glocester before to haue beene Archbishop
there in these times A Protestant Bishop writeth Theonus being first Bishop of Glocester forsooke it and tooke the charge of London vpon him the yeare 553. Godwin Catalog in London in Theonus but the Brittish historye proueth him to haue beene Archbishop of London before the death of S. Dauid Theonus Glouecestrensis Episcopus in Archiepiscopatum Londoniarum eligitur TuÌ„c obijt sanctissimus Vrbis Legionum Archiepiscopus Dauid in Mineuia ciuitate Galfrid Monum histor Reg. Brit. lib. 11. cap. 3. and so hee must needs hee ordeyned Archbishop by the consent and allowance of that massinge high Prelate S. Dauid And hee continued Archbishop there vntill the yeare of Christ 586 when together with Thadiocus Archbishop of Yorke and very many of their cleargy they fled into Walles and other places Matth. Westm. an 586. Stowe histor Galfrid Monum hist. l. 11. cap. 10. And to proue all then were sacrificinge massinge preists here S. Gildas then liuing at that time hath so before affirmed the sacrificinge massinge which protestants and others confesse to haue beene then in London and other places of that diocesse confirme it their flying for succour only to the places where Masse and massinge preistes continued as in Wales Cornewayle and little Britanie manifestly conuince it to be so Stowe histor in Constantine 2. Galfr. Monum l. 11. histor cap. 4. 10. This is proued by those holy churches and massinge altars which the Pagans did reserue and not destroye by conuerting to them to the Idolatrous worship and sacrifices of theire Pagan Gods Si qua Ecclesia illoesa seruabitur hec magis ad confusionem nominis Christiani quà m gloriam faciebant Nempe ex cis deorum suorum templa facientes prophanis suis sacrificijs sancta Dei altaria polluerunt Matth. Westm. ad an gratiae 58â—… And when aboue al other thinges questioned our protestants moste disallowe the reuerence of holy relicks and not contendinge that there was any Christian Religion in these Archbishops their cleargie but either the massinge Religion or their protestant profession doe plainely confesse that these were massinge preistes and not Protestant Ministers for they with other aÌ„tiquities acknowledg that the greatest care which these two Archbishops their Bishops and preists had in those tempestuous times was how to keepe with reuerence and from irreuerence the holy relicks of their Saints so notwithstanding so many daungers and difficulties carryed most of them vnto these places of their rest and refuge so farr off Walles Cornwaile and Britanie in Fraunce Holinsh. histor of Engl. Galfrid Monument histor Reg. Brittan l. 11. cap. 10. Matth. Westm an gratiae 586. Tunc Archipraesulis Theonus Londoniensis Thadiocus Eborascensis cum omnes Ecclesias sibi subditas solo tenus destructas vidissent cum pluribus ordinatis cum reliquijs Sanctorum in Cambriam diffugerunt timentes ne Barbarorum irruptione tot tantorum sacra ossa veterum à memorijs hominum delerentur si qua imminenti periculo minimè subtraxissent Plures etiam Armoricanam Britanniam petentes Therefore no protestant can will or by the grounds of their Religion may say that these were Protestants but vndoubtedly Catholicke Papists reuerencers of holy Masse relicks of Saints such doctrines as protestancy doth not allow thereuppon they plainely call them sacrificulos massinge preists H. Matius Germanorum lib. 5. pag. 39. 11. Neither did these doctrines and the profession of them cease here with vs betweene this publick desolation in the 586. of Christ and the yeare 596. when S. Augustine came hither euen in those parts which the Saxons posessed but there were diuers Bishops and sacrificinge massinge preists still continuinge in them and the holy sacrifice of Masse was still though not so generally and publickly as before continued also in this time and many of the Saxons themselues euen from the dayes of Kinge Arthur when many of them receaued the Christian faith still continued therein and this testified by protestant writers Holinshed histor of Engl. pag. 122.123 l. 5. teachinge how vppon a great victory of that renowned Kinge against them hee pardoned al that would and did receue the Christian faith which were many And Hardinge with others testifieth that Stanford at this time was a Christian vniuersitie though with some errors Harding histor and yet a great part of them must needs bee Saxons And in those very places themselues where the Pagan Saxons moste principally ruled and reigned the Christian massing sacrificing Religion was there permitted and tolerated euen by the Kings allowance as a protestant historian proueth in these words Holinsh. histor of Engl. l. 5. pag. 107. At the same time that Constantine the next Kinge to Arthur was driuen into Wales there reigned amonge the English men one Iourmericke the fifth as Bede saith from Hengist The same Iourmerick though hee were not christened himselfe yet hee permitted the Christian faith to bee preached amongst his people and concludinge a league with the Scottish men and Picts kept the same inuiolate duringe his life time So likewise it was in the kingdome of the Kentish Kings extendinge to Humber for Kinge Ethelbert had marryed a Christian gaue peace to Christians in his dominions as wee may also gather the like of the kingdome of the east Angles whose Kinge Scebert was a baptised Christian except a protestant historian is deceued in the yeare of Christ 569. or before then beginninge his Reigne and beeing christened in Fraunce in the Regiment of his Brother and predecessor Kinge Carpewalde Stowe histor in east Angles in K. Scebert anno 569. and in many other places of Loegria this EnglaÌ„d the like instances may be giuen for the enimitie between the Saxons and Britans was not principally for ReligioÌ„ but who should rule here and possesse this kingdome aspernebantur vt plurimum Saxones Britonum Sacerdotum tum Gualiam incoleÌ„tium doctrinam tametsi veram profiterentur inuisae gentis magis quam disciplinae de qua multa atque praeclara frequentius audiuerant odio permoti Hect. Boeth l. 9. Scot. histor fol. 177. and they had peaceable commerce amitie and correspondence with all other Christians round about them French Scots and Picts as is declared before 12. And to putt all out of doubt in this matter wee are taught by many credible and vncontroleable antiquities that euen at the coming of S. Augustine hither there were diuers renowned massing sacrificing Bishops here with their massinge preists that preached euen to the Saxons and conuerted many and that these holy Bishops and preists did in all things agree with the Apostolicke Romane church and receued mission power and iurisdiction from thence Amonge these was S. Kentegern for the Northren and other parts of this kingdome who preached to the Saxons proued their Pagan Gods namly woden whom principally they worshipped as cheife God to haue beene onely a man a Kinge amonge them and a damned creature S. Asaph in vita S. Kentegerni M. S. antiquit in
and vsually offered the sacrifice of Masse pag. 174. Chap 11. How S. Peter the cheife Apostle first founder of the church of Christ in this our kingedome was a sacrificinge massinge preist deliuered a forme of Masse to the church consecrated many massing preists in this part of the worlde nere vnto vs and some of this kingdome pag. 189. Chap. 12. Wherein is proued euen by protestants that whatsoeuer Apostle or other first preached Christ in Britanie brought sacrificinge preisthood hither and S. Peter first founded here our ecclesiastical Hierarchie of sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops pag. 219. Chap. 13. Wherin is proued how after the death of S· Peter in the time following commonly ascribed to S· Linus and Cletus in the see of Rome and to Marius Kinge in Britanie the Britans both at home and abroade vsed the sacrificing preisthood preistes and Masse pag. 242. Chap. 14. How duringe the time of S. Clement his papacy and all this first hundred yeares of Christ our Christian Britans together with all other continued these holy doctrines and offices of sacrificinge preisthood preists and the sacrifice of the blessed body and blood of Christ in Masse pag. 252. Chap. 15. Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other antiquaries that sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops and sacrifice of Masse continued and were honored in this kingdome of Britanie from the beginning of this hundred yeares vntill Kinge Lucius time when it was wholly coÌ„uerted to that faith pag. 278. Chap. 16. Wherin is proued by testimonies of protestants others that this kingdome in the time of Kinge Lucius was coÌ„uerted by massing Preists and Bishops and the holy sacrifice of Masse and such massinge preists and Bishops continued here in honor all this age pag. 310. Chap. 17. How notwithstandinge the manifold tumults and persecution of Christian Religion in this kingdome of Britanie in this third hundred yeares yet the holie sacrifice of Masse sacrificinge and massinge preists and Bishops still here continued without any totall discontinuance pag. 323. Chap. 18. How the holy sacrifice of Masse sacrificing and massing preisthood preists and Bishops continued in this kingdome of great Britanie in all this age without any interruption or discontinuance pag. 338. Chap. 19. Wherin is manifestly proued that all this fift age the sacrifice of Masse massinge preists and Bishops did continue in honor in this our Britanie pag. 366. Chap. 20. Wherein is proued by protestants and others that the church of Britanie Rome accorded in this age in these misteries and how all the Popes being massinge preists and Popes yet no one of them made any materiall alteration in this sacrifice pag. 388. Chap. 21. Wherein being confessed by our protestant writers that all the Popes of Rome vnto S. Gregory were massing preistes and Popes yet not any one of them by these protestants confession made any the least materiall chaunge or alteratioÌ„ in these misteries pag. 403. Chap. 22. Wherein euident demonstration is made euen by these protestaÌ„ts them selues that neither S. Gregory the great which sent S. Augustine with many other holy learned men into England did make any materiall addition or alteratioÌ„ in these misteries But the Religion which those his disciples preached here was in all points by all testimonies both of God and man Britans themselues and Saxons Catholicks and Protestants auncient and late writers the true Religion of Christ and in all thinges wherin they differed from the Britans more pure then that which they then professed pag. 414. Chap. 23. Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other testimonies that duringe all this age and hundred of yeares vntill and after the cominge of S. Augustine this kingdome had many holy massing preists and Bishops agreeing in these and all other articles of Religion with the church of Rome pag. 437. The Errata PAg. 38. line 1. members Numbers Pag. 197. line 23. Martianus Martinus There are two cyphers X. Pag. 130. 174. in the chapters in steed of X. and XI and so consequenter which should haue made the 23. chapters to haue bene 24. AN ECCLESIASTICAL PROTESTANT HISTORIE OF THE HIGH PASTORAL AND FATHERLY CHARGE and care of the Popes f Rome ouer the church of Britanie From the first plantinge of the Christian faith there by S. Peter the Apostle and his Disciples continued in euery age and hundred of yeares by holy Bishops and cleargie men sent hither and consecrated by them his Successors in the See Apostolicke Euidently deduced and proued by historicall narration from the published and priuiledged writings to appease all protestants of the most learned and allowed English protestant pretended Bishops Doctors Antiquaries and others of that Religion Mementote praepositorum vestrorum qui vobis locati sunt verbum Dei. Obedite praepositis vestris subiacâ—…te eis ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri Hebr. 13. With licence 16â—…5 THE GENERAL ARGVMENTS OF THE ENSVINGE HISTORIE SERVINGE ALSO FOR A PREFACE to the Reader to declare the scope of the Author and contents of the worke THE Catholick Author well acquainted with the proceedings of Protestants in these times and the controuersies of them to accept and allowe of nothing but what is liked and allowed by them selues and yet to make the world beleeue they are Reuerencers of antiquitie and would willingly embrace and followe that which was our first faith in any question deliuered by the Apostles thence continued from them the greatest of all beeing that who planted here first the holy faith and since had cheifest commanding power in such things Hee setteth historically downe from the best Antiquaries and learned protestant writers of this contry other antiquities approued by them the meanes and maner of our first conuersion vnto Christ and by what spirituall cheife ruling authority this nation hath euer beene gouerned in such thinges since then vntill the conuersions of the Saxons by S. Augustine and his associats sent hither by Saint and pope Gregory the first after which tyme now aboue 1000. yeares our protestants put it out of Question and agree that the power of the popes of Rome absolutely ruled here in such matters Therfore this historie of the first sixe hundred yeares is diuided into sixe Centuries or ages euery one conteyninge one hundred yeares In the first hee sheweth from those protestant Authors and Antiquaries how S. Peter that greate Apostle of Christ both immediately by himselfe and mediately by his holy disciples first preached here founded our church consecrated for vs Bishops preists and other cleargie men and ordeyned all thinges thereto belonging and how from this first institution by him we euer had a continued succession of such consecrated parsons vnto the more generall conuersion by pope Eleutherius in the daies of kinge Lucius after which time there can bee no question of such a succession of Bishops here And how after the death of S. Peter vnto the end of the first hundred
the Apostles v. 2. hee was soe ordeyned as our english protestants by their conference of the first chapter and verse of S. Paules Epistle to the Romans Rom. cap. 1. v. 1. are Interpretors hereof when the other Apostles had preached longe before and otherwise alsoe executed their Apostolicke function Secondly it is euident by the same holy scriptures Rom. 1. c. 1. act cap. 27.28 many Antiquities and these protestants themselues soe clearely cōfessinge Theater of great Brit. lib. 6. Godw. Conuers Parker antiq Britan. that S. Paul came not to Rome nor any part neare Britanie or these westerne nations vntill many yeares after S. Peter was both come to Rome and this kingdome of Britanie had receaued the faith of Christ at the latest in the time of Claudius according to these protestants by some Apostle as before the first coming of S. Paul to any of these westerne Regions beeing longe after in the time of Nero to whome hee appealed from the Iewes and Festus and soe was brought prisoner to Rome and soe continued two yeares not going from thence to any other place Actor c. 25. v. 10.11.12 cap. 27. 28. v. 30. That S. Symon Zelotes should bee the first Apostle that preached here or was here at all it is as vnprobable or rather vnpossible by these protestants for first diuers of them disable him euer to haue beene here Stowe and Howes histor in Agricola Holinsh. hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 5. rather thinkinge the place Britānia where some haue thought hee preached to bee mistaken and not to bee vnderstood of this nation or that Simon which is supposed to haue beene here was not S. Simō the Apostle but some other of that name as S. Simon Leprosus or Nathaniel also by some named Simon which preached in these westerne parts namely in Fraunce and not vnprobably here Secondly these protestants which would haue vs thinke S. Simon the Apostle preached here Menologie Graec. in Nathan Bar. in martyrol Rom. 28. octob Guliel Eisengr centurie· 1. alij refer his beeing here vntil the coming of S. Ioseph of Aramathia coniecturinge that hee came with him who came not hither vntil the yeare of Christ 63. when they graunt that Britanie had receaued the ghospell by an Apostle soe longe before as is alreadie declared from them Parker Antiquit. pag. 3. Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. 10. Thirdly to make all sure Such as haue taught that one S. Symon did preach in a place called Britannia Doroth. in Synops Maenolog Graec. 6. Id. Maij. doe alsoe affirme that the same S. Symon suffered martyrdome and was crucified in the same place and they keepe the feast of his martyrdome vpon the tenth day of May. When concerning S. Symon Zelōtes the Apostle not onely the whole latine church and all catholicks in the world but Protestants also both of England and all other nations in their most publicke seruice bookes and kalenders of their churches receaued and allowed by their parlaments and highest Rules in their Religion which all of them ar bownde to obey and followe doe celebrate the festiuitie of S. Symon Zelotes the Apostle vpon the 28. day of October aboue fiue moneths after and all iointly agree in the historie of his life and death teaching hee neuer preached in any part of Europe or neare our Britanye and was martyred in Persia diuers thousands of myles frō hence Martyrolog Rom. die 28. Octobr. Breuiar Miss Rom. eod die Bed in Martyr eod die Vsuard Ado eod die Protestant com Booke and all their kalenders with their Bibles 28. of Octob. Now there is noe other left to bee our first Apostle and Father in Christ but S. Peter except some ignorant or willfull man will alledge S. Ioseph of Aramathia who though hee was noe Apostle yett as some say hee was sent hither out of Fraunce by S. Philip one of the Apostles and soe mediately the same S. Philip. though neuer here in parson might bee our Apostle I answere as before that wee contend for the first Apostle that either immediately by himselfe or mediatly by his disciples preached here and founded our church and not to exclude all Apostles in after times from this kingdome for I wil at leaste probably shew that S. Paul was here a little before his death in an other place and there alsoe giue his due to S. Ioseph and his holy company in a far more honorable degree then any protestant or other one writer yet to my reading hath performed towards them But S. Ioseph from whomsoeuer hee was sent cominge hither but in the 63. of Christ almost twenty yeares as before after this kingdome had receaued the faith of Christ neyther S. Ioseph nor any of that holy fraternitie could bee the first preacher here And soe farr vnprobable or impossible it is that by the Iudgment of our English protestants or others S. Philip the Apostle should bee then in Fraunce to send S. Ioseph hither that hee was many yares before crucified soe dead by martyrdome in Phrygia at Hierapolis there in Asia as the common consent of antiquities the whole-church of God and the protestants of England in the Rituall of their Religion generally vsed and allowed by them and all other protestants doe wittnesse and therfore keepe his festiuitie accordingly vppon the first day of May in or about the 54. or 55. yeare of Christ longe before S. Iosephs cominge into this part of the world Bre. Rom. 1. Maij. Martyrolog Rom. Bed Vsuara Ado 1. Maij. Chrysost hom de 12. Apost Abd. lib. 10. Metaphrastes 14. Nou. Euseb l. 4. c. 24. Niceph lib. 1. ca. 39. Pet. de Natal l. 4. c. 107. Antō part 1. tit 6. ca. 11. Eisengr contra 1. Prot. Com. Booke and kalend 1. Maij. Therfore of necessitie both Catholiks and protestants must needs acknowledge that S. Peter the most worthie and blessed Apostle was our first most happy father master in Christ which I haue made lardge demonstration of in other places and will for particulars bee more euident in the next chapter and this whole history an historicall truth soe testified by many authors that Syr William Cambden whome others therein followe the best antiquary of this nation writeth in many editions Quid ni crederemus why should wee not beleeue them Cambden in Britania in diuerse editionis Andree Chesnee l 3. hist d' Angleterre Budley pag. 171. Makinge S. Peters preachinge and foundinge the church of Christ here in Britanie a thinge soe certayne that hee meruayleth any man of Iudgment can make doubt thereof Therfore I may boldly vse these wordes and affirme them true of a protestant Bishop in the name of the rest Wee should accompt it a greate glory to deriue the pedigree of our spirituall linage from soe noble and excellent a father as Saint Peter Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. 6. THE II. CHAPTER Where both the former is more manifestly declared and in particular farther proued by these protestants antiquities
by them allowed what highest spirituall offices the same glorious Apostle and his disciples performed here TO proue more amply what hath beene said of S. Peters beeing and preachinge here and to shewe what hee did for the first foundinge of our church A protestant Archbishop from diuers authorities writeth Whit gifts Answ. to the Admonition pag. 65. sect 1. and def of the Answ. pag. 318. The Apostle Peter did in euery prouince appoint one Archbishop whom all other Bishops of the same prouince should obey An other with great priuiledge saith Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 3. Peter preached in â—…e place but hee there ordeyned Bishops and teachers and founded churches And to shew that all these and such benefits came to vs first from S. Peter and his holy see of Rome among other Marcus Antonius de Dominis now by the greate mercy of God a penitent in the catholicke church when hee was in profession a protestant in England Marcus Anton de Domin de Repub christian l. 4. cap. 10. with publick priuiledg in England and a chosen champion for that Religion against the Pope by cheifest protestant authoritie in England then testifieth Est caput Roma quatenus ab ea diffusum est euangelium in reliquas totius occidentis ecclesias in multas orientis atque in barbaras etiam extra Romanum Imperium nationes Rome is the head of the church in so much as from it the ghospell was diffused into the other churches of all the West and into many of the East and into barbarous nations also without the Romane Empire And our Soueraigne kings speach in parlam 1. publickly protested of this church of Rome It is our mother church and consequently that it first brought vs forthe in spirituall christian birth as mothers doe their natural children to the world and that wee except wee will turne bastardly vnnaturall and disobedient children doe owe and must performe all dutie and obedience vnto it our most holy mother in Christ And to further this our bounden dutie the protestants of England in their Theater of the Emp. of greate Britante pag. 203 l. 6. c. 9. num 5. will helpe vs foreward whoe write in this maner That S. Peter the Apostle preached the word of life in this Iland as to other gentiles hee did for whome God had chosen him that from his mouth they might heare the ghospell as himselfe alleadgeth and that hee here founded churches and ordeined preists and deacons which is reported by Simon Metaphrastes out of the greek Antiquities and Gulielmus Eisingrenius in the first of his Centuries Therfore this beeing written by soe learned and holy a man as S. Simon Metaphrastes was and soe auntient aboue 700. yeares since and out of such monuments and Authorities of the Gretians as in his time were honored with the Title of Antiquities this alone might content vs in this matter as it hath already the best learned protestant Antiquaries of this nation But because allowance is giuen to the authoritie which cannot be denyed because it is the maner of Protestants to mynce authorities I will cite that holy auntient Father and Saint S. Sim. Metaphr 29. die Iunij in his owne wordes which bee these RomaÌ„ redijt ex qua venit Mediolanum Photicen quae sunt ciuitates in Continente In quibus cum constituisset Episcopos Presbyteros venit in Britanniam Quo in loco cum longo tempore fuisset moratus multas gentes non nominatas attraxisset ad fidem Christi angelicam aspexit visionem quae dicebat Petre instat tempus tua resolutionts oportet te ire Romam in qua cum mortem per crucem sustinueris recipies mercedem Iustitiae Cum ergo propterea Deum glorificasset egisset gratias apud Britannos mansisset dies aliquot verbo gratiae multos illuminasset ecclesias constituisset episcoposque presbyteros diaconos ordinasset duodecimo anno Caesaris Neronis rursus Romam reuertitur S. Peter by reuelation came to Hierusalem at the death of the mother of God then returning into Egipt by Africk came againe to Rome From whence hee came to Milane and Photice which bee cities in the contineÌ„t in which when hee had constituted Bishops and preists hee came into Britanie where when hee had stayed a longe time and drawne many nations not named to the faith of Christ hee had an Angelicall vision which saide ô Peter the time of thy Resolution is at hande and thou must goe to Rome in which when thou hast suffered death by the crosse thou shalt receaue the reward of lustice Therfore when hee had glorified God and giuen thankes for it and remayned some dayes with the Britans and illuminated manie with the word of grace and founded churches ordeyned both Bishops priests and deacons hee returned againe to Rome in the twelueth years of the Emperor Nero. Hitherto the very words of this learned Saint soe precisely and particularly describeing the tyme and comming of that glorious Apostle into this Iland staying here with his returne to Rome againe that as noe man except an infidell will or can deny it no Author of antiquitie or credit auouching halfe so much for either S Paul or any other Apostle to haue beene here at all soe except wee of EnglaÌ„d wil shew our selues the most vngratefull disobedient to that our first and most glorious Pastor and parent of all nations in the world except HierusaleÌ„ Antioch and Rome wee ar most engaged to honor and reuerence this most glorious Apostle his Successors in his holy Sec for neither Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia or Bythinia which hee himselfe particularly remembreth 1. Pet. 1. v. 1. nor any other kingdome or nation mentioned in any Author of credit and Antiquitie and to bee paralelled with him whom I haue cited approued euen in this point with all Catholicks and the moste iudicious indifferently mynded and best learned protestants can constantly affirme and proue that they had receaued such benefites and blessings from S. Peter as this our Britanie which to visitt hee went soe farr stayed therein soe longe and enritched as with soe many and vnansweareable graces and fauors continuinge them soe longe vntill he was admonished from heaueÌ„ to returne from hence to Rome as before his cominge thither hee also was as Metaphrastes die 29. Iunij S. Leo serm de Apostol with others write directed to come helpe vs in the west And if wee will follow the Roman tradition Baron annotat in 9. Maij in Pudente that Domus Pudentis erat primum hospitium S. Petri Romae the house of Pudens was the first lodging of S. Peter of Rome wee are more strictly bound to Rome and Rome to vs that beeinge the house of our renowned christian contrywoman Lady Claudia as our protestant writers tell vs. Matth. Parker antiq Britan. pag. 2.3 Godwyn Conuers of Britanie Cambd. in Britan. Theater of Brit. l. 6. Now lett vs enquire and sett downe
at that time diuers Bishops in this contrie or fitt for that moste holy order otherwise hee would not haue sent S. Mansuetus of this contrie forth of Britanie to execute that high dignitie in a straunge nation such as Lorrayne where Tullum is then was and still is to this Iland And this I may more boldly write by a consequent and concluded leaue and warrant from our Protestant Bishops and other such Antiquaries whoe in their greate Theater of Britanie giue vs diuers graunts and Rules to leade vs both to soe tymely a beeing of Saint Peter in this kingedome his disciples preaching here both claiming exercising such powerable iurisdiction and authoritie here as I haue related from others First they write in these words Theater of greate Britanie lib. 6. cap. 9. § 5 If Peter were here at all which they graunted and is demonstrated by them before it was before euer he went to Rome and the ghospell was preached here before it was in Rome if Peter were the first as some hold that preached there both which may bee more probable Againe thus they write § 7. It hath passed with allowance amonge the learned Senate of our Antiquaries that when Claudius began to bannish and persecute the Christians in Rome which they think to bee before this time of S. Mansuetus beeing Bishop of Tullum many Romans and Britans beeing conuerted to the faith fled thence into these remote parts of the earth where they might did more freely enioy the libertie of their professions And from this Sanctuarie of saluation the sad lamenting Lady Pomponia Graecina the wife of Aulus Plantius the first Lord lieutenant of Britanie brought that Religion whereof she was accused and stood indited vppon life and deathe which was noe other then the Christian profession And to interpret themselues more clearlye where as they hould this greate Lady the Lord Lieutenants wife was conuerted thus they sett downe their marginall direction concerning this matter Aulus Plantius his wife became a christian in Britanie Now to assure vs how soone it was that S. Peter and his disciples had made soe happie an entrance and wrought soe glorious effects in this our kingdome these very Protestants tell vs. That Aulus Plantius was sent hither out of germany with an army the second yeare of Claudius which was as some Protestants write in the 44. yeare of Christ by others the 45. and stayed here but a short time returninge to Rome and triumphing there for his victories ouer the Britans in the yeare of Christ 49. and then in the yeare 50. Publius Ostorius Scapula was Propraetor here Theater supr lib. 6. c. 6. pag. 193. Protestants in Festis Regum an Dom. 44. Claudij 3. Stowe and Howes histor an D. 45 By which accompt of these Protestants themselues this lamentinge Lady Pomponia Graemia by them here conuerted to the faith of Christ and all her christian company as chaunceth in such cases at soe greate parsonadges conuersion and many other christians of the Britans which they say were then conuerted by those disciples of S. Peter or by himselfe noe others then beeing here must needes bee conuerted before or in the 49 yeare of the Incarnation of our Sauiour in which as I proued before our contryman S. Mansuetus was ordeyned Bishop of Tullum by S. Peter which was 14. yeares before the cominge of S Ioseph of Aramathia hither by all antiquities and diuers by the scriptures themselues before S. Paul came to Rome or any westerne nation And if wee may beleeue the Protestant writers of the Theater they make the coming of S. Paul to Rome longe after writing in these wordes Theater of greate Britanie supr l. 6. § 7. Paule came not to Rome till the tenth of Nero. When both by them and the scriptures hee was a prisoner two yeares and could not depart from Rome Which maketh these Protestants reckoning 16. or 17. yeares after the conuersion of soe many in Britanie and consecration of S. Mansuetus that holy Bishop by S. Peter And to proue further vnto vs not onely that these first christians of Britany were conuerted by S. Peter but that others of this our nation were euen at this time consecrated preists and Bishops alsoe by S. Peter these Protestant Bishops and others hauing immediatly spoken before of the conuersion of Lady Pomponia Graecina herein Britany in or before the 49. yeare of Christ they proceede in these wordes Theater of the Empire of great Britanie l. 6.8.9 B. Rhenan in history of Germany Pantaleon And much about these times as B. Rhenanus in his history of Germany Pantaleon and others doe reporte one Suetonius a noble mans sonne in Britanie conuerted to the faith by the first planters of the ghospell in this Iland and after his Baptisme called Beatus was sent by the bretheren from hence vnto Rome to bee better instructed and further directed by Saint Peter himselfe And returninge through Suitcerland found such willingnes and flockinge of the people to heare and receaue the doctrine of Christ that hee there stayed and built an oratory not far from the bake Thun neare the Towne called Vnderfewen where in preachinge and prayers hee employed his time to the day of his death which happened in the yeare of grace 110. Hitherto the words of our english Protestants of this glorious and renowned man far exceeding that which they giue him here for as their Author Henricus Pantaleon de viris Illustr Germaniae part 1 p. 114 a German Protestant writeth plainely of him that hee was the Apostle of Heluetians S. Beatus Heluetiorum Apostolus Which Title and name none but puritans of anie Religion will giue to any but Bishops and none but such which onely haue power to consecrate preists without which a true church cannot bee can either bee or truely called their Apostle And that this holy Bishop of Britanie though hee staied most in Heluetia yet that hee was principally sent to bee a Bishopp in Britanie by Saint Peter it is euident by these Protestants before testifyinge that hee was returning into Britanie and soe cheifely directed by Saint Peter Pantal. supra Stamph lib. 7. de Sanct. Which Pantaleon with Stamphius and others doe more plainely witnesse saying S. Beatus ille nobilibus parentibus natus ex Britannia in patriam rediens c. S. Beatus borne of noble parents in Britanie returninge into his contry and adding of him omnia bona pauperibus distribuit hee distributed all his goods to the pore must needes bee in Britanie where of these his goods he was to make distributor of them And these Germā historians tel vs that hee had an other companion sent and directed with him from Rome by S. Peter or his authoritie there and beeinge alsoe a Britaine returned hither beeing consecrated Preist or Bishop by the same authoritie and at the same time So that wee see by these Protestants themselues that soe longe as S. Peter liued the Bishops and Preists
hee directed his epistles to Pope Eleutherius diuers Epistles and consequently diuers Ambassadges soe reade the old Brittish historie Ponticus Virunnius Matthew Westminster as they ar published and allowed by our Protestants and others And these soe diuers epistles were onely to become a Christian to haue his kingdome instructed in the faith of Christ and all things thereto belonginge ordered by his highest papall authoritie petens ab eo vt christianus efficeretur And none of these epistles was that which our Protestants tell vs hee wrote vnto that holy Pope for lawes to gouerne his kingdome by which were distinct from this of which I shall speake hereafter Wherby it is euident that this blessed kinge his wisest councell at that time by soe often writinge both to this holy Pope Eleutherius and some others of his predecessors before as appeareth by that I haue written alreadie did fully and constantly informe themselues that the highest directing power in things religious was onely residing in the Popes of Rome otherwise they were all straungers vnto him far distant and aboue all Bishops of the world more persecuted all of them before this time and longe after sufferinge cruell deathes and Martyrdome for Christ Therefore it was for the due honor and right belonginge to that holie See and not temporall glory or countenance as a Protestant Bishop would glosse the matter Godwyn Conuers of Britanie c. 3. pag. 36. but the supreamacy of the Roman Bishops which these Protestants haue giuen to all the Popes before And because to speake in the words of the first Protestant Archbishop in England The renowne of the popes of Rome at that time was most famous in all the world for their often martyrdome and constancy sincere discipline of faith quorum tunc fama crebro martyrio constantia ac sincera fidei disciplina per totum Christianum orbem celeberrima fuit Matth. Parker antiquit Brit. pag 5. This was that which moued kinge Lucius to giue this due honor to the See of Rome and appeale vnto it for instruction for he saw that by that holy See the faith of Christ was dilated into all these nations as the recited Protestant Archbishop thus witnesseth Parker supr pag. 4. Cognouit complures nobiles Romanos candem fidem à pontifice Romano accepisse eorumque exemplo Christianum nomen in singulas prouincias sparsum disseminatum fuisse statuit in eadem fide sub Eleutherio tunc Romano pontifice inaugurari When Kinge Lucius knew that very many noble Romans had receaued the faith of Christ from the Pope of Rome and by their example the Christian name was dispersed and sowen abrode into all prouinces hee did resolue to receaue the same faith from Eleutherius the Pope of Rome Where it is euidently confessed that if kinge Lucius had not acknowledged this highest spirituall dignitie in the See of Rome and haue sued to haue the Christian Religion settled here by that authoritie hee should haue beene singular in that kinde as our Protestants now are all other prouinces giuing then that honor to Rome and hauinge their faith in Christ established from thence And this is euidētly declared by the maner of the sending writting of this kinge to that Pope S. Eleutherius S. Bede saith hist eccl l. 1. c. 4. that K. Lucius did humbly beseech Pope Eleutherius by his letters that by his cōmaundement hee might bee made a Christian. Obsecrans vt per eius mandatum Christianus efficeretur The Roman Tradition saith In the beginninge of the papacy of Eleutherius there came humble letters vnto him frō Lucius Kinge of the Britans to receaue him and his subiects into the number of Christians Huic initio pontificatus supplices literae venerunt à Lucio Britannorum Rege vt se ac suos in Christianorum numerum reciperet Breu. Rom. in S. Eleuther 26. Maij. Baron hist. Eccl. tom 2. A Protestant Bishop readeth praying that by his direction and appointment hee might bee made a Christian Godwyn conuers p. 20. An other Protestant antiquary saith Desiring Eleutherius Bishop of Rome to send some deuout and learned men by whose instruction hee and his people might bee taught the faith and Religion of Christ. The old chronicle of Lādaffe is implorans vt iuxta eius ammonitionem christianus fiat Humbly entreatinge that by his appointment hee might bee made a christian Annal. Landaf apud com antiq Cantab l. 1. pag. 98. thus our Protestants alleadge that Antiquitie Others of them say Lucius sent an Ambassadge to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome by Eluanus and Meduinus Britans intreating Eleutherius by them that hee would open a passadge by himselfe and his ministers for the fosteringe and cherishinge of christian Religion in Britanie Frauncis Mason l. 2. p. 52. ca. 3. Like is the testimony of other historians both Catholicks and Protestants that kinge Lucius proceeded in this humble and submissiue maner in his writings and Ambassadges to the Pope of Rome at that time in these affayres The which highest authoritie spirituall in the Pope of Rome these our Protestants further confirme in that they teach generally that these two Ambassadors of Kinge Lucius Eluanus and Meduinus receaued all the authoritie they had to preach here in Britanie from Pope Eleutherius whoe consecrated the one Eluanus a Bishop and made the other a Doctor to preach the ghospell Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Stow. hist. in Lucius Godwyn conuers of Brit. Mason l. 2. c. 3. Bal. cent 1. in Eluan And the present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury Doctor George Abbot director of Master Mason as hee protesteth and his directed Scribe ar of this opinion that all the Bishops of Britanie after this deriued consecration and succession episcopal from this one onelie Bishop Eluanus consecrated and authorized by Pope Eleutherius Frauncis Mason consecrat of Bish l. 2. c. 3. p. 55.56 Which and more is approued by an other a Protestant Bishop by whome Pope Eleutherius euen in this great busines is termed Paterfamilias the Master of this spirituall howse and familie of Britanie Bal. l. de Act. Pont. Rom. l. 1. in Eleuther and this kingedome was consequently of his family and vnder his rule and commaund and thereupon as a good Master and Gouernour of this familie did confirme and solidate the Brittans and the whole kingedome in the faith receaued by the Apostles Eleutherius vt bonus paterfamilias de thesauro suo noua cum veteribus proferens effecit vt confirmatis consolidatis Britannis in suscepta prius ab Apostolis doctrina totum illud regnum in eius fidei verba iuraret And to make moste euident demonstration further euen by these Protestants aswel as by al other Antiquities that the supreame power spirituall in all proceedinges in this kingedome at that time was wholly and vndeniably in Pope Eleutherius and those his twoe Legats which hee sent hither Damianus and Fugatianus as they are commonly called The
ioyfull countenance as it were after a winter longe night receaue the temper and cleare light of the heauenly ayre they renew their churches destroied euen to the ground they build churches of the holy martyrs frame and perfect them as it were publicklie sett forth euery where their victorious Ensignes they celebrate holy dayes they perfect their sacrifices or sacred things with a cleane hart and mouth they all doe reioyce as it were children fostered in the lap of their mother the church The very same hath S. Bede whoe addeth Bed histor Eccl. l. 1. cap. 8. Progressi in publicum fideles Christi qui se tempore discriminis siluis ac desertis abditisque speluncis occultauerant The faithfull seruants of Christ shew themselues now in publick whoe in the time of the daunger had hidd themselues in woods and wildernesses and hidden dens And then hee writeth as S. Gildas before By which publick and hierarchicall Acts and offices of Bishops and preists as founding and dedicatinge churches to the honor of holy Martyrs that had late suffered in that persecution in institutinge and celebratinge their festiuities renewing and consecrating other defaced churches which none but Bishops might doe and sayinge Masse which hee expressely by perfecting their sacrifices or sacred rites with a cleane hart and mouth the preistly office and function it is moste euident that diuers both preists and Bishops with other cleargie men escaped in this persecution and soe still continued the hierarchicall succession of Archbishops and Bishops soe vniuersally established here before by the Popes of Rome and with the same dependance which they had before For noe historie maketh mention of any chaunge neyther of our Bishops then putt to death except S. Amphibalus vnlesse wee wil coniecture without warrant that S. Angulus suffered martyrdome in this time And notwithstanding soe many losses and desolations of our Antiquities wee haue testimonie of some Bishops in particular then liuing the persecution being ended For whoe can thinke but some of those which fledd into Scotland whether the persecution extended not with S. Amphibalus remayned there still in the Episcopall See of Mona which kinge Chrathlinte had soe honorably endowed to that purpose and longe after was an Episcopall See I haue named diuers of these renowned men before of whome some one in all probabilitie after the returne of Saint Amphibalus into these parts supplied that place and dignitie there And here in England it is euident by those antiquities wee haue left that wee had preserued from the fury of that persecution many both Bishops and Archbishops To exemplifie in London wee haue the names of Sixteene Archbishops there before the cominge of S. Augustine hither as both Iocelin of Furnes the Protestants Stowe Godwyn and others collect them Iocelin Catalog of British Bish Stowe histor in Lucius Godwyn Catalog in London 1. concil Arelat in Subscript tom 1. concil Stowe Godwyn supr And it is manifest that either Restitutus which was Archbishop of London and was present at the councel of Arles in Fraunce in the yeare 326. soone after this or Thedred or Hillary supposed to bee his immediate predecessors was then Archbishop And soe because euery Archbishop inferreth inferiour Bishops vnder him that wee had Bishops alsoe I will instance onely in Winchester where wee ar informed both by an old Manuscript Author and a new Protestant Bishop Godwyn Catalog of Bish in Winchest 1. old M. S. apud eundem supr That one Constans was Bishop there in this time and in the yeare 309. or 310. did vpon the 15. day of march hallowe and dedicate vnto the honor memory of S. Amphibalus that had suffered death for Christ in the late persecution a church there reedified with such wonderfull forwardnes and zeale as within one yeare and thirtie dayes both it and all the edifices belonginge vnto it were quite finished in very seemely and conuenient māner And that Deodatus was Abbot of this new erected Monastery Thus this Protestant Bishop from an old Manuscript By which and that which is spoken before in this chapter it is euident that England this part of Britanie then had both Bishops and Archbishops continuinge in the same order and maner as they were first instituted here by the See of Rome neither did they now begin to depart or seperate themselues from obedience to that See Apostolicke for soone after this the first general councel of Nice beeinge called these Protestāts haue told vs wee had Bishops there and most euident it is that it was receaued in this kingdome And yet the canon of that councell is soe manifest for the Popes of Rome supreamacy at the least ouer this western world wherein England is both in the time of this holy councell and before that a Protestant Bishop doth thus confesse it Feild l. 3. p. 60.61 In the time of the Nicen councell before as appeareth by the Acts of the councell limitinge their bounds there were three principall Bishops or Patriarkes of the christian church namely the Bishop of Rome Alexandria and Antioch Soe writeth the Protestant Archbishop Whitgift Foxe and others whereof one saith Whitgift def of the Answ. p. 331. Foxe tom 1. pag. 12. Rob. Barns in vit Pont. Rom. in Siluestro Sollicitudinem ecclesiarum pro recepta consuetudine veterum habendam esse statuerunt The fathers of the nicen councell did decree that accordinge to the custome receaued from them of old that the three cheife patriarkes of Rome Antioch and Alexandria should haue chardge of the churches Soe that if wee would seeke noe further then to these great enemies themselues of the Romane See yett they confesse vnto vs that it was not onely decreed in this nicen councell where as our Protestants haue told vs wee had Bishops consentinge and our kinge and contriman Constantine the great Emperor alsoe submittinge himselfe vnto it but that it was the old custome and tradition of the church that the Bishop of Rome was the principall Bishop and commaundinge Patriarke of all westerne churches amonge which this of our Britanie was euer now is and of necessitie must bee one and if wee will bee members of the church of Christ except wee can remoue Britanie from the vttermost part of Europe to lepp to Alexandria in Africke or Antioch in Asia wee must needs by this councel as it is glossed by our Protestants bee subiect to Rome as wee euer were by the old custome before that councell The words of these Protestants Whitgift and Foxe are these Whitgift Def. pag. 331. Foxe tom 1. pag. 12. The councell of Nice which was the yeare of our Lord 340. and in the sixt canon of the said councell wee finde it soe decreed that in euery prouince or precinct some one church or Bishop of the same was appointed and sett vp to haue the Inspection and Regiment of other churches about him secundum morem antiquum that is after the auncient custome as the words of the
the ghospell through the contryes of the Britans Scots and Picts ordeyned there preists consecrated them Bishops and diuided the contry into parishes as both Catholicks and Protestants are witnesses Audiens Pontifex Romanus quosdam in occiduis Britanniae partibus necdum fidem Christi suscepisse ad Episcopatus gradum Ninianum consecrauit Concreditum à Deo talentum per Britannorum Scotorum australium Pictorum terras ad senium vsque latissimè profudit Ordinauit presbyteros Episcopos consecrauit totam terram per certas parochias diuisit And liuinge in this preachinge vntill hee was very ould as a Protestant Bishop writeth Bal. centur 1. in Ninian Palladio Patricio he died in the yeare of Christ 432. before which time S. Palladius S. Patricius SS Germanus and Lupus were sent hither by S. Celestine Pope of Rome And yett that hee came hither in the fourth century it is euident for in his cominge hither from Rome hee came by S. Martin Bishopp of Tours in Fraunce as Capgraue and others writte Ioh. Capgr in S. Ninian and yett by Sigebert and others S. Martine died within the first 400. yeares Sigebert in Chronic. ad an 399. In which time alsoe wee had Coelius Sedulius of this nation scholler as a Protestant Bishop writeth to Hildiberthus a learned Bishop of Scotland Ioh. Bal. centur 1. in Coel. Sedul after whose death hee trauailed many nations for learninge sake as Spayne France Italy and Asia and beeinge excellently learned returned to Rome where hee longe time continued and was soe learned holy and gratefull a man to the Popes of Rome that Pope Gelasius to vse the Protestants words in the decrees distinct 15. calleth him venerable Sedulius and much prayseth his writings Neyther can wee thinke otherwise of his Master Bishop Hildibertus of whome hee was instructed and directed in these courses And this Sedulius himselfe alsoe was a Bishop as both Sigebertus and Bostius our contryman and the Protestant Bishop Bale from them are wittnesses Sigebertus Bostius apud Bal. centur 1. de Script in Coel. Sedul In which time alsoe liued S. Kebius our Cornish Bishop successor though perhaps not immediate to S. Amphibalus in the Bishoprick of Mona Ioh. Capgrau in S. Kebio Harpesf histor pag. 26. Pits in Kebio Whoe liued longe time with S. Hilary Bishopp of Poicters in Fraunce that worthie piller of the true Catholick faith and honor of the church of Rome and Successor of Saint Peter there that hee calleth him Hilar. ad Psalm 131. in Matth. can 16. Ecclesiae fundamentum caelestis Regni Ianitor cuius arbitrio aeterni aditus traduntur cuius terrestre iudicium praeiudicata authoritas sit in caelo Foundation of the church porter of the kingedome of heauen The happy foundation of the church the blessed porter of heauen to wose will die eternall passadges are committed whose iudgement on earth is preiudicate authoritie in heauen Such a tutor pedagoge and consecrator alsoe had this our happie contryman Saint Kebius in those turbulent hereticall times of the Arrians and their opposition against the Romane church a greate meanes by this our holy Bishop S. Restitutus Fastidius Priscus our Archbishops then and other godly Bishops of this nation to preserue this kingedome in the true faith and obedience to the Pope of Rome in soe much that S. Hilarie himselfe lib. de Synodis aduersus Arr. commendeth the Bishops of Britanie for the sinceritie in those times to their eternall honor Hee dyed as our Protestants write in the yeare of Christ 370. And in this age alsoe was that renowned S. Vrsula with her glorious company of Bishops other cleargie men Virgins and others as those Protestants ar witnesses whoe as both Ptolomaeus Lucensis Capgraue the Antiquities of Collene and the German histories testifie Baleus centur 1. in Vrsula Cynosura an 390. Stowe histor an 394. in Theodosius Martyrolog Roman die 21. 22. Octob. Beda hac die Vandelbert Baron in annot Ptolom Lucens in S. Vrsula Capgrau in S. Vrsula Annal. Coloniens c. made that their moste holy pilgrimadge to Rome and at their returne receaued the crowne of Martyrdome at or neare Cullen in Germanie where as alsoe in the whole Christian world and both to their honor and the glory of our country they are celebrated in the most auncient Martyrologes in which sacred company as Capgrauius and diuers others testifie there were manye Bishops of this kingedome as namelie Willielmus or Michael Columbanus Ywanus Eleutherius and Lotharius Which I rather name that wee may know how this kingedome at that tyme both was soe replenished with Bishops that it might spare soe manie to bee sent from hence with those holy Virgins and to giue euidence how deuoted and respectiue the Bishops and cleargie with the rest the Christians of this kingedome were towards the See of Rome in these dayes THE FIFTE CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED YEARE THE IX CHAPTER Shewinge by these Protestants of England how both the Popes highest spiritual power was still here continued and a perpetuall succession of our Bishops and Cleargie alsoe in Britanie from the See of Rome as in the other Ages before NOw wee are come to the fift Century in the beginning whereof the first Fathers of Heresie and Opposers against the holy Apostolick See of Rome which I finde to haue beene of our Brittish nation were the monstrous rebellious Hereticks Pelagius and Timotheus not that I finde them more formally directly opposite to the See Apostolick then other Hereticks were but as the nature and necessitie of heresie is to bee euer contrarie and disobedient to their cheife iudge and commaunder in such cases the Pope of Rome with councels assembled for as our Protestants tell vs diuers Popes of Rome both by themselues and in councels had condemned Pelagius for an hereticke and yett hee obstinately persisted in his condemned errors Innocentius the first condemned Pelagius the monke and Coelestius of heresie for preferringe free vvill before the grace of God and sayd the vvil of man by it selfe was sufficient able to fulfill the cōmaundements of God and tooke avvay the necessitie of Baptisme and faith in Christ Rob. Barns in vit Pont. Rom. in Innocent Bal. centur 1. de Scriptorib in Pelagio heresiarcha Innocentius primus Pelagium monachum Coelestium haereseos damnauit quod liberū arbitrium gratiae Dei praeferrent dicerentque voluntatē per se sufficere ad implenda Dei mādata praesul ordinatus Pelagius sui nominis haeresim fabricabat asserens hominem sine peccato nasci ac solo voluntatis imperio sine gratia saluari posse vt ita nefarius baptismum ac fidem tolleret Pelagius after hee was made a Bishopp framed an heresie of his name affirminge that man was borne without sinne and by the onely commaunde of his wil without grace by Christ might bee saued that the wicked man might soe take away both baptisme and faith Pope Sozimus alsoe as these men