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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
S. Dauid was deade were longe time liuing ruling after this and yett such patrons of the Romane spirituall power with their whole cleargie as before is euidently proued by these Protestants that noe Catholick may yeeld more to the See of Rome in these then they did in those dayes And if S. Dauid was deade yett the next successors of him in that Archiepiscopall See which were Cenauc and S. Teliaus or Eliud must needs alsoe succeed him in that opinion of him towards the Roman See for though little is written of Bishop Cenauc but onely that hee was Bishop of Patern and after successor to S. Dauid in the See Archiepiscopall of S. Dauids this sufficiently conuinceth it for the Bishoprick of Paterne beeing then vnder the iurisdiction of S. Dauid 〈◊〉 cannot thinke that the Bishop thereof was otherwise affected in this matter then his soe holye and learned Metropolitane to whome hee owed obedience And his very beeing Archbishop of Meneuia immediatly after S. Dauid doth proue the same by these Protestants before Godwyn Catal. in S. Dauids Girald Cambr. itiner Cambr. antiquit eccles Meneuen apud Godwyn supr whoe haue tould vs that by the power of the Romane See Meneuia was made the Metropolis and this Bishop did not nor could accept it in any other sence or by other Title of S. Teliaus the matter is more manifest more beeinge written of him by Protestants and others that hee was Scholler to S. Dubritius the Popes Legate the vndiuided companion of S. Dauid in their holy pilgrimadge not onely soe farr as Rome but to Hierusalem it selfe where hee was consecrated Bishop and after his returne home and the death of Cenauc beeing Archbishop of Meneuia then had principalitie ouer all the churches of the west Britanie vnto the end of his life Principatum super omnes ecclesias occidentalis Britannia vsque ad â—…em vitae sua tenuit Godwyn in Landaffe Girald Cambr. Caius antiquit Cantabrig l. 1. pag. 146. Catal. Epis Landaf Ioh. Capgr in Catal in S. Thellao Engl. Martyrol die 25. Nouember And was Archbishop there at and after alsoe by some the death of S. Augustine For it is euident by the Brittish historie as it is allowed by our Protestants and by their owne chronologie of the kings of Britanie that S. Dauid himselfe liued within 16. yeares of S. Augustines coming hither Galfrid monum histor Reg. Brit. l. 11. cap. 3. Tunc obijt sanctissimus vrbis Legionum Archiepiscopus Dauid Meneuia ciuitate intra Abbatiam suam iubente Malgone Venedotorum Rege in eadem Ecclesia sepultus pro eo ponitur in Metropolitana sede Kincos Lampaternensis Ecclesia Antistes ad altiorem dignitatem promouetur Then Dauid the moste holy Archbishop of the citie of Legions died in the citie of Meneuia within his owne Abbey and by commande of Malgo kinge of North walles was buried in the same church Kincus hee which by others before is called Cenauc Bishopp of the church of Patern is placed in the Metropolitane See and promoted to an higher dignitie For as these Protestants Matthew of Westminster and others are witnesses Protest Catalog Rer. Britan. in Malgo. Matth. West an 586 581. this kinge began his Reigne in the yeare of Christ 581. or 580. so that by this calculation there cannot bee from the death of S. Dauid dyinge in this kings time and the coming of S. Augustine hither by all accompts in the yeare 596. aboue 15. or 16. yeares at the moste Soe that wee either must say these two Successor of S. Dauid liued a very short time after they were called to that dignitie the contrarie whereof is sett downe before or that S. Telaus this patrone of the See of Rome and a canonized Saint of that church was liuing in the time of S. Augustines preaching in this kingedome Which is the more confirmed by all those histories which relate the opposition of some Brittish Bishops and religions men against S. Augustine Bed lib. 2. histor cap. 2. Galfrid mon. lib. 11. hist. Matth. Westm. an 603. Capgran in S. Augustino and speaking of an Archbishop of the citie of Legions and yett not anie one of them maketh the least mention that any Archbishop did either resist S. Augustine or pretend the least dislike of the spirituall supreamacie in the See of Rome or gainesay any order or decree of the blessed Pope S. Gregorie which sent him hither nor any Protestants though diuers of them name the Bishops as they coniecture which resisted S. Augustine Matth. Parker ant Britan. in August Godwyn Conuers of Brit. Stowe histor in Ethelb Bal. l. de Act. Pont. Rom. in Gregor 1. doe once name S. Telaus or any Archiepiscopal See at S. Dauids or anye other place in Walles at that time to haue consented to that opposition Hardinge in his Cronicle maketh this matter playne that the Britans which gainsaid S. Augustine did not deny the supreame spirituall power of the Pope of Rome in Britanie at that time but rather defended and maintayned it and thereby alsoe as they thought did iustely refuse S. Augustine for when hee demaunded obedience of them thus they answeared by this Author Ioh. Hardinge Chronicle cap. 88. in Ethelbert kinge of Saxons fol. 83.84 To which BritoÌ„s answeared that they not knew That hee had such estate in all Britanie For they had three Archbishops to obeyu Of Caerlion London and Yorke citie By Bishops of Rome graunted to vs ordinate Full longe afore yee had such dignitie Wherefore wee will obey noe nevv primate And specially none English nevv prelate For Englishmen and Saxons haue vs noyed And haue our Land and all our kyn destroyed Where wee see the Britans were soe far from disallowinge the Popes Authoritie in such things that by the same they both claymed and maintayned the power and prerogatiues of three Archbishops amonge them now foure hundred yeares since But these Protestants themselues with others acknowledge that the moste renowned Bishops that were in this kingedome at that time both receaued the Authoritie of the Pope of Rome and submitted themselues to S. Augustine his holy Legate Of the holines and learninge of S. Assaph I haue spoken before yett a Protestant Bishop saith of him Bal. centur 1. in Assaph A Gregorij Pontificis Romani discipulis Angliam aduentantibus authoritatem accepit hee receaued authoritie from the disciples of Gregorie the Pope of Rome that came into England S. Asaph in the life of his Master S. KeÌ„tegern Capgraue and others after affirme as much of S. Kentegern S. Assaph Ioh. Capgrau in vit S Kentegerni that hee did acknowledg this high power in S. Gregory the Pope and receaued power and confirmation from him All our histories with generall consent affirme the same of S. Lethardus the french Bishop that liued with Queene Bertha in Kent I haue proued the same of S. Iuo the Persian Archbishop that then preached in Huntington-shire Of S. Telaus alsoe the Archbishop of
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
yeares spirituall matters were ordered here by authoritie and direction from the see of Rome and successors of S. Peter there In the second hundred of yeares is proued by the same protestant authors and their antiquities how from the beginninge of that age to the end thereof all spirituall things were likewise managed here by that see Apostolicke more or lesse as the times then permitted And in the generall conuersion of kinge Lucius and his kingdome all ecclesiasticall businesses were done and settled by iurisdiction of the popes of Rome and their legats directed hither by their authoritie exercising here as ample iurisdiction spirituall to the greate honor of this kingdome as any pope of Rome may clayme Such was the estate of spirituall power and proceedings here in the third fourth fift and sixte age or hundred of yeares also in the later end whereof S. Augustine was sent hither to conuert our auncestors the Saxons In all which ages and Centenaries of yeares both the Kings Archbishops Bishops and others both Rulers and Ruled in this kingdome gaue as much priuiledge and prerogatiue to the popes of Rome as Catholicks now may doe by their catholick Roman Religion In which tyme also amonge all those christians which then liued here those Bishops of Scotland and Walles who as our protestants tell vs and commend them for it did onely or most oppose against the pope his legates and authoritie here were those alsoe by the same protestants which did much more intermeddle in princes affaires then any popes their legats or such as were most obedient vnto or Ruled by them Which proceedings the Author doth in all places leaue to protestants relation and medleth not with them otherwise at all But soe much as with probabilitie in historie hee may mitigateth such matters as some protestants euen with publick allowance of the protestant state of EnglaÌ„d haue boldly published to the world in that kinde freely and before God protesting as hee neuer hitherto had any intermedlinge with the temporall affaires of Princes but euer to his vttermost did yeeld and render all dutie vnto them praying for the safety honor and preseruation of his Soueraigne and this kingdome soe hee will euer continue the same moste humble and dutifull affection Other particular Questions in Religion depend vppon this Because whosoeuer in anie Religion hath the cheife chardge and cure the particulars depend vpon his proceedings whether it bee Pope Prince Superintendents Presbyteries or whatsoeuer and soe beeing proued that from the beginninge of christianitie in this kingdome the Pope of Rome euer had cheife coÌ„maund direction in Religious things It must needs followe that which protestants name papistrie euer raigned here But I vnderstand there is a generall controuersiall historie to bee shortly published of all such things in particular from the first preaching of the Gospell in this kingdome which will giue full aâ—… ample satisfaction in all such Questions THE FIRST CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED OF YEARES THE I. CHAPTER Wherein is briefly made demonstration by the best learned protestant Antiquaries and others of England that Saint Peter the Apostle first preached the faith and founded the Church of Christ in this our Britanie TO bringe vs vnto a more certayne and vndoubted knowledge of the first preachers of christian Religion in this kingdome the best learned protestant Antiquaries wee haue prescribe certayne Rules and squares to bee directed by to come vnto them in their iudgment Matth. Parker antiq Britan. pag. 1. Godw. Conuers of Brit. Holinsh hist. of Engl. Mason l. 2· c. 2. pag. 51. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. cap. 9. first they affirme that the Britans receaued the faith soone after the Ascension of our blessed Sauiour in the time of Tiberius Caius Caligula or Claudius Emperor and they build this their assertion cheifely vppon the words of S. Gildas l. de Excid conq Britan. c· 5.6 Who speaking of things done here in Britanie either in the time of Caius or Claudius addeth Interea glaciali frigore rigent Insulae indulget sua praecepta Christus In the meane time while these things were doinge Christ doth afford his precepts to this frozen Iland In which place hee rather meaneth the time of Claudius then any other as may easely appeare to all iudiciall and equall readers of that auncient Author in the place alleadged needles to bee insisted vppon if wee will bee guided by our protestant directors because in their next Rules they shall make it euident It must needes in their opinion bee soe vnderstood For they deliuer for a second Maxime that this nation embraced and was taught the Religion of Christ by some one of the Apostles Soe say their Archbishop Parker in antiq Britan. Bal. in act Pontif. Rom. in Gregor 1. Cambd. in Brit. Fulke Answ. to a Romish cath pag. 40. Powel annot in l. 2. Giral Cambr. Itiner Cambr. c. 1. Holinsh. histor of Eng. c. 21. pag. 102. Stowe histor in Agricola Stow. supr Godwyn supr their Bishops Bale Godwyn their doctors and Antiquaries Cambden Fulke Powel Holinshed Stowe the Theater writers and others inclining to this opinion and some of them plainely teaching with diuers of the auntient fathers that the 12. Apostles deuided the world amongst them to preach the ghospell in assure vs that to speake in their wordes The holy Apostles beeing dispersed throughout the whole earth did diuide the prouinces amongst them to preach the ghospell in and it is deliuered plainely by sundry auntient writers that Britanie fell in diuision amongst the Apostles The third and laste generall Rule which these men assigne vnto vs is that mention is not made of any Apostle in any antiquitie to haue preached here but onely of S. Peter S. Paul and S. Symon Zelotes none of all these alleadged protestants or any other I reade doth speake of any other and amonge these one a protestant Bishop and Antiquarie writeth in these termes Godwyn Conuers of Britanie cap. 1. pag. 2. I finde mention of three onely of the Apostles to haue beene in our Britanie to wit Peter and Paul and Simon Chananaeus called also Zelotes For although some haue written that S. Iames preached in Ireland and S. Philip in this next adioyninge Gallia Fraunce which I haue at lardge refuted in other places yett noe one historian to my remembrance and reading doth teach that either of those twoe or any of the rest except those three before sett downe were at any time in this Iland These Rules of Protestants thus supposed and allowed it will with a small labour euidently appeare vnto vs by these men and all antiquities that the moste glorious Apostle Saint Peter was our first father and teacher in Christ For first concerning S. Paul hee himselfe and other scriptures and these protestants alsoe confesse hee was none of the 12. Apostles by whoÌ„ the world was soe diuided and though miraculously called by god before yett not properly an Apostle vntill in the 13. chapter of the Acts of