for entertaining and releeuing persecuted Preists and Christians his house there being dedicated a cheife Church most Christians resorting to it And other Apostolike men sent from Rome into Britaine in this time 227 Chap. X. Of the last holy labours of S. Timothie in Britaine his honour with S. Denis the Areopagite his returne from hence to Rome and Martyrdome there and Martyrdome of S. Pius Pope in the same place 231 Chap. XI Of the holy Popes next succeeding Sainct Pius and their Religion The fauorable Edict of Marcus Aurelius Emperour for defence and protection of Christians and the Christian Lieutenants Trebellius and Pertinax with the forhidding the Druids Religion occasions of the publike receauing and profession of Christianitie in Britaine by King Lucius and his subiects 234 Chap. XII How the Religion of the Druides in Britaine made some binderance for the generall receauing of the lawe of Christ But conuicted to be abominable Idolatrie and Superstition the Professors of it generally embraced the faith of Christ detesting their former Infidelities and Impieties 240 Chap. XIII Of Pope S. Eleutherius and how in his Papacie and by his Papall order and power Britaine had the honour to be the first Christian kingdome in the worlde and eldest daughter of the mother Church of Christ King Lucius by his Embassadors and petition to the Pope of Rome so obtaining 247 Chap. xvj Wherein is related how King Lucius did not onely sue vnto the Pope of Rome by his Embassadges for the generall settling of Christian Religion in Britaine but for ciuill and temporall lawes also to be allowed by him to rule heare in Temporall affaires 252 Chap. xv The mission of the holy Legats saincts Damianus Fugatianus Bishops and diuers others from sainct Eleutherius Pope of Rome at the request of sainct Lucius King heare in Britaine by Authoritie to plant and setle heare the true Christian Religion 260 Chap. xvi How these holy Roman Legats by Power and Commission from the Pope and Apostolike See of Rome conuerted and confirmed vnto and in the faith of Christ all manner of Parsons in all places of Britaine whether the Nobilitie Flamens Archflamens or of what Order or degree soeuer 266 Chp. xvij How in Britaine these holy Legats placed Archbishops Bishops in our Cities Archbishops in the places of Archflamens and Bishops for Flamens And how by all writers such dignities were among the auncient Pagans both in Britaine and other Nations 272 Chapt. xviij In what Places of Britaine these cheifest coÌ„manding Archflamens were to witt at London Yorke and Caerlegion and how these Roman Legats placed for them Archbishops with their seuerall commands and Iurisdictions some of them by the Apostoliâ—e power extending and coÌ„manding ouer Prouinces and Countries not temporally subiect to King Lucius of Britaine or the Romans but rather enemyes vnto them in ciuill affaires 279 Chap. xix Of the Episcopall Sees and Cities of the Inferiour Bishops subordinate to the Archbishops which where and how many they were ordained by these Roman Legats and continued Bishops Sees in the Romans and Britans time 285 Chap. xx How S. Eleutherius Pope did not onely by his Papall Authoritie establish and settle Religion Ecclesiasticall thiÌ„gs heare but directed what temporall Lawes were to be vsed appointed the bounds and limits of this kingdome sending and allowed Crowne to our King and such Lawes Order continued heare in many Ages after 295 Chapt. xxj Of many Archiepiscopall Episcopall and other Churches and Monasteries both of men and women founded and ritcly endowed and priuiledged in this time 304 Chap. xxij How after these Roman Legats had fully settled the affaires and estate of our Church heare they went againe to Rome to procure the Pope there to ratifie and confirme what they had done which he did and they returned hither againe with that his Confirmation and many other Preachers then sent hither from Rome 311 Chap. xxiij Of the Archbishops of London Yorke and Caerlegion in this time in particular many other inferiour Bishops and the Roman Church Discipline heare also setled by Papall Authoritie 316 Chap. xxiv Of the comming of these holy Legats to Glastenbury their holy labours deeds and long aboade there their renewing there the old Religeous Order of S. Ioseph of Aramathia and his brethren greate priuiledges and indulgeÌ„ces by theÌ„ procured to that holy place the glory honour and renowne thereof in the whole Christian world 322 Chap. xxv Of the greate honour and Renowne of our old Brittish Apostolike Order of Religion from the comming of sainct Ioseph of Aramathia in the yeare of Christs Natiuitie 63. without any discontinuance or Interruption by some and very short time after his death by all many hundreds of yeares in greate perfection without any change or alteration to be named a Mutation of Monasticall Rule being the Mother or Nurse of Monasticall holy life to many Nations and Religious Orders in them by which also many CouÌ„tryes to Christ were conuerted 328 Chap. xxvj That diuers of the Britans which liued in that part of Britaine then called Albania now Scotland were conuerted by the same meanes and manner by these Roman Legats as the other Britans of Loegria and Cambria were at that time 333 Chap. xxvij Of diuers bookes or writings of sainct Phaganus Damianus Eluanus Meduuinus and others Charters and Immunities of Pope Eleutherius and King Lucius the Scripturs heare receaued in the old Latine Translation and the same Canon of them which Catholicks now obserue and followe 337 THE THIRD AGE THE I. CHAPTER VVHerein is deliuered that sainct Victor being now Pope Seuerus Emperour and sainct Luciuâ— yet King of Britaine but shortly dying sainct Victor was Supreame in gouernment of the whole Church of Christ in Asia Afrike and Europe and particularly in Britaine which so acknowledged and receaued from him the true obseruation of Easter as it had done with other Catholike customes from sainct Eleutherius before 343 Chap. ij Of the time and place of King Lucius his death That he did not die or was martyred in Germanie Neither had he any Sister called Emerita martyred there It was an other Prince of Britaine after this time This our first Christian King Lucius died at Gloucester in Britaine 346 Chapt. iij. How notwithstanding the death of King Lucius without Heire to succeede in the gouernment of the kingdome the Brittans perseuered constantly in the Christian faith and the Scots by Preachers sent from sainct Victor Pope of Rome at the entreatie of their King Donalde receaued the faith and as the Brittans continued in it vntill the Protestants time euen by their owne confessions 350. Chap. iv That allthough the being of the Scots in Britaine in the time of sainct Victor is vncertaine and not proued but rather otherwise yet the Inhabitants of the part now called Scotland Britans or whosoeuer were conuerted in King Lucius and this time The Bishops of the conuerted Scots were euer true Bishops and they euer
so soone so encounter ouerthrowe three Legions of RomaÌ„ Souldiars besides their adherents as these men say And Eusebius saith that Constantine himselfe came hither againe in Britanniam inuasit and was heare longer after this pretended Reuolt and at his death gaue Britaine his auncient Patrimony to his eldest sonne assignabat auitam sortem grandiori natu filio Againe these men say Octauius was King heare vntill Maximus his time and marryed his onely daughter and Heire vnto him When it is a common consent in Antiquities that this Maximus or Maximianus was not King in Britaine vntill after the 380. yeare of Christ Therefore he must needs be granted to haue bene very youÌ„ge and of too few yeares at the going of Constantine hence for him to commit the gouernment of Britaine vnto him or for himselfe to haue so soone vsurped it against so righfull and a potent King and Emperour 5. And our most auncient and best Historians S. Gildas S. Bede Marianus Gild. l. de Excid conq Brit. c. 10. â—â—â—gebert Chron. Eutrop. Hist Polyd Virgil. Angl. Hist l. 3. p. 49. Stowe Howes Hist in ConstaÌ„t Constantius Iulian Hollinsh Hist of Engl. l. 4. Fast Reg. Episc Angl. Ammian Marcelli l. 20. in init l. 26. 28. Florentius Wigorniensis Ethelwerdus Henry of Huntington and William of Malmesbury allthough as diligently as they could recoÌ„pting our Kings of Britaine neuer mention any such Octauius or Octauian But the cheifest and most auncient of them S. Gildas plainely saith that this Iland was at this time and vntill Maximus or Maximian a Britan tooke vpon him the Empire a Roman Iland Insula nomen Romanum tenens And diuers Historians both late and auncient Catholiks and Protestants doe particularly set downe our Kings after Constantine the Greate Roman Lieutenants heare vntill these dayes as Constantine Constantius Iulian Valentinian Gratian Emperours our Kings Martinus Lupicinus Nectaridius Theadosius Fraomarius and other Roman Lieutenants and Gouernours heare And when the Councell of Ariminum was kept about the yeare of Christ 360. and the 23. yeare of Constantius sonne of Constantine the Greate it is certaine that this Constantius was our King in Britaine and bore the chardges of the poorest Bishops of this Kingdome as then vnder his gouernment which were present there and he was so farre from loosing Britaine or any other Country of his Empire then that as Sozomen and others testifie that Councell thus wrote vnto him at this time sic tuum creuit Imperium vt vniuer si orbis terrarâ—m gubernacula teneas Epist Ariminen Concil ad ConstaÌ„tiuÌ„ Imp. apud Sozom. Histor l. 4. c. 47. His Empire was so encreased that all the world was vnder his Gouernment This was aboue 20. yeares after the death of the greate Constantine in whose time this Reuolt of Britaine from him is thus supposed and aboue twyce so longe time of the imagined vsurpation heare by Octauius And Zonaras writeth that this Constantius in the 14. yeare of his Empire bannished or rather carried with him S. Athanasius into Britaine at his comming hither Eodem anno 14. Magnus Athâ—nasius à Constantio in Britanniam deportatur Ioa. Zonar tom 3. Ann. f. 117. c. de Constantio Constante 6. Therefore I dare not to assent that in this time of the greatest florishing Estate of the RomaÌ„ Empire the Power thereof in Britaine especially from whence the glory of it grew to that greatenes eyther Octauius or any other so much preuailed heare to barre the Emperours of that honour But he might towards the time of Maximus or Maximianus when the Empire had more enemyes and lesse power preuaile in some such sort as these Historians haue writen of him allthough they differ also in Maximianus aswell as in Octauius One saith he was the sonne of Trahern vncle to S. Helen Maximian Harding Cronc c. 63. f. 51. Galfr. Monum Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 9. Pontic Vir. Hâ—st l. 5. Matth. Westm An. 379. Harding supr King Traherne his sonne to Constantine next Heire others affirme he was sonne of Leolinus an other vncle of S. Helen greate vncle to Constantine Leoninus Constantini auanculus ipsum genuerat And erat patre Britannus à Leolmo Constantini auanculo procreatus matre vero Natione Romanus ex vtraque parte regalem originem ducens And one of them saith Octauius was King but 14. yeares ending with the beginning of Maximian his reigne And so we may well allowe such an Octauius to haue borne the name of a King in Britaine in those troblesome dayes of the Romans ruling heare diuers petty Kings being probably at that time in this Nation aswell by the testimony of these Authours which then make Octauius King as others So they terme Conanus a King that Maximian tooke his Kingdome from him cui Regnum Britanniae eripuerat So was Dionotus King in Cornwayle Dionotus Rex Cornubiae So was his Galfr. Monum l. 5. c. 1â— 15. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matth. Westm an 390. 392. Manuscr Antiq. in vit S. Niniani Capgr in eod Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Niniano brother Carodocus before him Dionothus qui fratri suo Caradoco in regnum successerat And yet vnder our cheife King and Emperour Maximian at that time Cui Maximianus Insulae principatum commendauerat And S. Ninian who lyued Bishop heare in the end of this Age had Kings for his Ancestores Regali ex prosapia beatus Ninianus extitit oriundus And yet the greate distance of the place of his birth from King Coel and these remeÌ„bred argueth he was not of their Line And all these Kings or Regents heare were most certainely by our Antiquities Catholike Christians 7. Therefore the Temporall State in respect of any of theÌ„ could not be any The falling of CoÌ„stantius Emperor to the Arrian Heresie a great hurt to Catholike ReligioÌ„ in many places hinderance but rather help and furtherance to the increase of Christian ReligioÌ„ in their time But it was rather the Heresie of Constantius the Arrian Emperour which hindered the glory of true Religion then in this Kingdome as it did in other places and Countries of the world if it did not so much florish heare theÌ„ as in his blessed Father CoÌ„stantine the Greate his Empire And yet we may be bold to affirme that the State of our Brittish Church euen in The kingdome of Britaine as free as any from the Arrian Heresie those distempered dayes when the holy Writers of that Age complaine the allmost whole Christian world to haue bene polluted with the ArriaÌ„ Heresie was as renowned for our Bishops and Cleargie and as free from that infection as any Nation was We haue heard before that our renowned Archbishop of London Restitutus with diuers others Bishops of this Kingdome was present at the greate Councell of Arles celebrated diuers yeares after CoÌ„stantine went from Britaine to Rome And allthough we doe not expressely finde it writen of
truth of the preaching of Moyses that for a memory holy relike of him they brought with them as both continued tradition and diuers historians verie auncient testifie the stone whereon Moses preached very miraculous one writeth thus Which stone was holy as some men then did teach And did miracles so was the common speach In honour it was had both of great and small And holden for a relike most speciall This stone was called the Regall of Scotland On which the Scottish Kings were set At their coronoment as I can vnderstand For holinesse of it so did they of debt All their Kings vpon this stone was set Vnto the time of King Edward with long shanks Brought it away againe the Scots vnthanks At Westmonastery it offered to Saint Edward Which is confirmed by the Scottish histories teaching how they brought this Hector Boeth Scotor hist l. 1. fol. 2. l. 13. fol. 309. stone out of Egypt to Portugall from thence to Ireland and then into Scotland where it remained vntill King Robert his time their King being crowned sitting vpon it vntill King Edward the third of England brought it with many others cheifest Iuells into England and they say it was a propheticall stone to that wheresoeuer it was found it forshewed the Scots should reigne there and thereupon had of old this inscription Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Inuenient lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Which is now fulfilled in King Iames reigning here as it was by the Scottish long since in Portugall Ireland and Scotland in all which places they say the Scots haue reigned 6. So we see that the inhabitants of this kingdome from the beginning in many persons had knowledge of the true God and foreknowledge of Christ and not the Scots onely but Britans also for what was the opinion and foresight of the Druides concerning the true God and Messias to be borne of a Virgin must needs be the doctrine and religion aswell of Britans as Scots the same Druides being teacheâ—â— Masters and Rulers to both those peoples in religious affaires Neither did this their beleife of the true God and Christ to come faint or diminish in the inhabitants of this Iland after the death of King Iosinas who commaunded and Fynnanus that allowed and permitted the worshippe of the true God no King in this Iland for any thing we finde in histories British or Scottish euer forbidding but at the least consequently permitting what was commaunded or allowed before in such things But the nearer the time of the natiuity of Christ approched the signes and motiues to embrace it rather encreased then diminished vntill this nation actually and generally receaued the true faith after the Ascension of Christ with the first conuerted Gentiles as will be manifest in this history And here I end the time Matth. Westm an gratiae 15. Marian Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. Florent Wigor an 16. Hector Boeth in Metel hist Scot. alij of Augustus the Emperour Kymbeline continuing still King in Britaine and Metellanus among the Scots as they write in the 15. or 16. yeare of Christs Natiuity THE IV. CHAPTER Of THE TIME OF THE EMPEROVR Tyberius 1. IN the dayes of Tyberius the next succeeding Emperour The true knowledge of Christ was more clearely manifested vnto the world and among others to some Britans of this nation especially such as then liued in Rome For as in the time of this Emperour our Sauiour began and ended his preaching and suffered his passion for our Redemption So these things in such order as they were accomplished in the land of Iury they were presently and truely delated and sent to the Emperour at Rome and others there as many Protestant both of England and other nations with other Antiquities agree They of Protest praef in Mat. West Bal. centur 3. in Ranulph Hygeden Matth. Flori. Matth. Westm an D. 37. Ranul Hygeden in Polych l. 4. c. 4. Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. in Tyberio Metho hist Et apud Marian. supr England much recommend vnto vs Matthew of Westminster and Ranulphus Higeden especially as they haue publication and allowance by them Yet these Authours both in their printed and manuscript histories consent in this with others that Tyberius was truely informed at Rome of the miraculous life and preaching of Christ long before his Passion And being afflicted with a leprosie was so confident in the heauenly power of Christ esteeming him then at the least for a great Prophet Saint and worker of miracles that he sent with greate solemnity Volusianus to Hierusalem to entreate Christ Iesus to come with him to Rome to cure him of his incurable malady But the Iewes had caused Pilate to put him to death before the Ambassadour came thither 2. The Magdeburgian Protestants with others haue published to the world an Epistle of Lentulus out of the Annals of the Roman Senators to this Magdebur cont 1. l. 1. cap. 10. col 354. epist Lentulâ— ad Tyber Imp. Emperour Tyberius before the death of Christ thus beginning apparuit his temporibus adhue est homo magnae virtutis nominatus Christus Iesus qui dicitur à gentibus Propheta quem eius discipuli vocant filium Dei suscitans mortuos sanans omnes languores There appeared in these times and still is a man of greate vertue named Christ Iesus who is called of the gentiles a Prophet whom his disciples call the sonne of God raysing the deade and curing all diseases And presently vpon Egesippus Anaceph de morte Christi Matth. Westm an 33. Florent Wigor an 38. Tertull. Apolon c. 5. 21. Eust hist l. 1. cap. 24. Oros l. 7. c. 4. the death of Christ as it is proued both by our owne and forreine Antiquaries auncient and later Greekes Latines Catholiks and Protestants Pontius Pilate wrote vnto Tiberius the Emperour at Rome of the Passion of Christ in this manner De Passione Dominica Pilatus Tyberio Caesari scripsit in hunc modum Nuper accidit quod ipse probaui Iudaeos per inuidiam se suosque posteros crudeli damnatione peremisse Nam cum promissum haberent patres eorum quòd Deus illis mitteret de caelo sanctum suum qui eorum merito Rex diceretur hunc se promiserit per virgineÌ„ ad terram missuruÌ„ Iste me praeside HebraeoruÌ„ Deus cum venisset vidissent euÌ„ caecos illuminasse leprosos muÌ„dasse paraliticos curasse daemones ab hominibus fugasse mortuos suscitasse ventis imperasse super mare siccis pedibâ—s ambulasse multa alia mirabilia fecisse cum omnis populus IudaeoruÌ„ hunc Dei filiuÌ„ dicerent inuidiaÌ„ contra eum passi sunt Principes SacerdotuÌ„ mihique traedideraÌ„t alia pro alijs mentientes dixerunt illuÌ„ Magum esse contra legem eorum agere Ego autem credidi ita esse flagellatuÌ„ tradidi arbitrio eoruÌ„ At illi crucifixeruÌ„t eum sepulto ei
Iewes were scourged and intrapped for their vniust refusing by the same way which thy did preferre For as they preferred the Emperour reiected Christ so the iust permission of God did styrre vp their owne Emperours against them in such sorte that both the Senatours themselues were almost all deuoured and the whole citie most horribly afflicted for the space almost of 300. yeares together After the Passion and Resurrection of Christ this foresaied Tyberius Nero liued 6. yeares during which time no persecution was stirring in Rome against the Christians through the commaundement of the Emperour 7. And to come home into our owne Contry of Britaine we shall not onely finde all those preparing dispositions to Christian Religion rememored before in the time of Augustus the worshipping of one onely true God the birth of Christ to be borne of a Virgin with Churches founded to that honour still obserued by many and those the wisest best learned and of most integrity of life and conuersation But the time of these figures being now accomplished those professours came nearer to Christianity S. Martiall writeth S. Martial epist ad Burdegalen cap. 2. that he found in his time Temples and altars dedicated by the Druides Ignoto Deo to the vnknowne God Which he in the Apostles time interpreteth of Christ There were also so many in this kingdome then liuing in perpetuall chastity in honour of Christ a virgin borne of the blessed Virgin that as Opimerus Opimerus chronograph in Tyrio Caesare writeth in one Iland of this our British Sea in Insula in Britannico mari belonging to this kingdome there were seuen cheife Rulers in Religion which he calleth by Bishops names Antistites that liued in perpetua virginitate in perpetuall virginity Likely to be the same British Iland whereof Plutarch the Pagan Philosopher and after him Eusebius writeth all whose Plutarchus lib. de Oracul Eus l. â— praeparat Euang cap. inhabitans by the Britans were accompted holy Saints vbi incolae omnes sacrosancti à Britannis habentur We may adde vnto these and from the same approued Authours and others that as in diuers other nations and places drowned in the damnable errours of the Pagan Idolatries in worshipping hellish deuills in the place of God these wicked spirits being now conquered by the death and passion of Christ thereby seing their kingdome to be at an end and desolate did manifestly testifie the same by their silence and forsaking the Idols and Oracles when before they gaue answeares and were honoured Plutarch supr Sueton. Et alij as the Pagan writers themselues euen in whole bookes of that subiect are witnesses so here in our British Iland though so farre distant from the locall passion of Christ the deuils which were adored here for Gods both felt the power and vertue thereof and inforcedly confessed it in as manifest termes and signes as they which were honoured nearer to Hierusalem or rather more expressely and plainely then they did For in other Regions not so remote from Iury they did ordinarily onely confesse it by their silence and ceasing to be worshipped But in Britaine they made manifest so much as they could that the death of Christ had not onely depriued them of that morall life and beeing which they possessed by the idolatrie and false honour yeelded vnto them by their worshippers but that the Passion and death of Christ was a kinde of death euen to their naturall essence and liuing making therevpon a shew to their simple worshippers that they did altogether cease to be and liue valuing a dishonorable life to be worse then death 8. Plutarch Eusebius and others from the testimony of Dimetrius an eye witnesse himselfe with hundreds or rather thousands of Britans here with him seing obseruing and witnessing the same matter thus relate this history in the name person and words of the same Dimetrius a gretian trauayling and present here in Britaine at that time in these termes nauigaui ipse auxilio Plutarch lib. de Oraculis Euseb l. 5. praeparat Euan c. 9. Regis videndi gratia ad proximam Britanniae Insulam Cumque ibi essem magna tempestas in aere commota nimbis fulminibus omnes exterruit Quam rem accidisse Insulares dicebant quia ex daemonibus aliquis deficeret Sicut enim lucerna dum ardeat â—emini noceat extincta vero multis sic magnas animas aiebant propitias esse dum viuant dum verò extinguantur aut corrumpantur aut cum nimbis grandine vt modò pestifero cuncta replent veneno I sayled to the next Iland to Britaine and when I was there a greate tempest being raised in the ayre terrified all men with showers and lightnings which thing the Ilanders said did chaunce because one of the deuils did dye For as a candell so longe as it burneth hurteth no man but being extinguished offendeth many so said they greate soules are fauourable while they liue but when they are extinguished they either are corrupted or fill all places with stormes hayle as they doe now with pestiferous poyson Thus farre Plutarch which Eusebius â—iting addeth thus immediately from himselfe haec Plutarchus animaduerendum Eusebius l. 5. praeparat Euang. c. 9. autem arbitror diligenter quo tempore daemonis mortem fuisse dicit quippe Tyherij tempore Saluator Dominus nester cum hominibus conuersatus omne daemonum genus ab humana depulit vita Habes igitur a summis apud GeÌ„tiles viris non alio tempore vnquam quam temporibus Saluatoris nostri daemones extinctos fuisse Thus Plutarch and it is diligently to be considered at what time he saith the death of the deuill chaunged For in the time of Tyberius our Sauiour and Lord conuersing with men driue all kinde of deuils from mans life Therefore you haue it from the cheifest men among the Gentils that the deuils were not extinguished at any other time then in the times of our Sauiour 9. By which it is made euident in naturall knowledge That the learned Druides and other Philosophers here in Britaine acquainted with all these things at home and vnderstanding by frequent and certaine relation from Rome the mentioned miracles and proceedings concerning Christ and his holy Religion as these Protestants haue before declared and knowing by naturall science in Philosophy that deuils and intellectuall spirits are immortall and cannot dye which they confessed after their pithagoricall manner of the soules of men this imagined death of deuils neuer was heard of vntill the time and passion of Christ They could not but conclude that he had triumphed ouer them and put them to silence and was that sonne of the virgin vnknowne God sonne of God God of heauen and earth the liuing God maker and creatour of all things whom they had so longe expected to be reuealed to the world and many of them in such manner as is related before so longe time had worshipped prayed and sacrificed vnto
of the Ghospell to haue risen in this our west and this Island of Britaine to haue enioyed the very morning of his ascent the brightnesse thereof peirring through the mistie clowdes of errour and shining here in Britaine euen in the dayes of Tyberius towards whose end Christ suffered his death and by whose Indulgence towards Christians their profession was propagated farre and neare Which Assertion the said Gyldas doth not deliuer coldely or doubtingly but with greate confidence and relying vpon good grounds as it appeareth when he saith scimus we know for certaintie that this was in the later times of Tyberius which was immediatly after our blessed Samours Passion 5. An other English Protestant Antiquary writeth It may appeare that the Christian Religion was planted here in Britaine in this land shortly after Christs Holinshed hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 5. Franc. Mason ep dedicat Franc. Mason Consecrat lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 51. time An other directed as he saith by the present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury is so earnest vpon the words of Gildas or malice to Rome that thus he speaketh Tyberius died in the yeare of Christ 39. according to Baronius Where vpon it followeth that Britaine receaued the ghospell fiue yeares at least before either Paul or Peter came to Rome By which it is euident by these Protestant writers of England that they are confident that diuers of this nation receaued English Protâ—staÌ„ts from S. Gildas and otherwise proue that Britaine recâ—aued the faith of Christâ—n Tybâ—rius his time and by meanes of Rome the faith of Christ soone after his Ascension in the time of Tyberius which could probably be effected by no other way or mediation but by Rome where many Britans then liued and inhabited and as before where and whence onely they could take notice and knowledge of such things Which may sufficiently be coÌ„uinced euen out of that place of S. Gildas wherevpon these English Protestants doe ground themselues and as they are both published and vrged by them being these Interea glaciali frigore rigenti Insulae velut longiori terrarum secessu soli visibili non proximae verus ille non de firmamento Gildas l. de conq Britan. c. 6. solum temporali sed de summa etiam coelorum arce tempora cuncta exceâ—ente vniuerso orbi praefulgidum sui coruscum ostendens tempore vt scimus summo Tyberij Caesaris quo absque vllo impedimento eius propagabatur Religio comminata Senatu nolente a principe morte delatoribus militum ciusdem radios suos primum indulget id est sua praecepta Christus In the meane time he who is the true sunne not onely from the temporall firmament but from his high tower of heauen exceeding all times shewing his bright shinning to the whole world in the later time of Tyberius Caesar in which without any Impediment his Religion was propagated death being threatned by the Prince against the Senates will to the Accusers of his Souldiers Christ doth first afford his beames to wit his precepts to the Iland stiffe with frosen colde and by a longe separation of the earth seperated from the visible sunne Where we see that if our Protestant Antiquaries haue delt sincerely with S. Gildas he is both a witnesse that this Iland of Britaine which is that he there describeth did both take knowledge of Christ the true heauenly sunne and benefite of his celestiall light in the later time of Tyberius where he suffered for redemption of the world and that Emperour threatening death to the accusers of them which should receaue him for the Messias did giue occasion that the faith of Christ was so soone preached and embraced in this so remote and colde a Region then subiect to the Empire of Tyberius 6. Therefore we cannot by this auncient Authority deuise any better meanes how the religion of Christ was then first planted here but as I haue proued before from Rome the residency of that Emperour where these mysteries of Christianity were first reuealed authentically examined allowed and confirmed where that commaunde and priuiledge of the Emperour for Christians was decreed and published and where or whence onely the inhabitants of this nation by their dwelling and continuing there or receauing continuall intelligence from thence could learne or come to the notice of these things Neither can the Protestants of England contending thus that there were Christians here in this time be of any other opinion for they doe not yea cannot assigne any one other but such as were sent from S. Peter when he was come to Rome are from him and by his authoritie before he was seated there that preached the faith of Christ in this I land either in that time or aboue twenty yeares after for they finde not any other vntill the coming of S. Ioseph of Aramathia who buried our Sauiour and came not hither vntill the 63. yeare after his natiuity and the time of Tyberius the Emperour his death 24. at the least Longe before which time the Britans had both learned Preists and also Bishops sent hither or consecrated here by the blessed Apostle S. Peter 7. And if S. Mansuetus of whome I haue spoken before as the Germane histories assure vs was consecrated by S. Peter and sent or went so farre a Catal. Episcop Gullens in Lothoring Arnold Mirm. in Theatr. Conuers Gent. Gal. Eâ—sengren cent 1. part 1. dist â— fol. â—6 Pet. de Natal l. 11. c. vlt. Franc. Bellefor Cosmogr l. 2. col 263. Ant. Demochar l. 2. c. 33. de Miss contr Caluin Iorney to him in the easterne contries for that holy purpose whether he went out of this kingdome with direction or from the city of Rome with instruction giuen him there yet he being sent and directed to goe so farre to Peter and consecrated by him and by him againe directed and sent an Apostolike preacher and Bishop into these parts we may not be so alienated from that most blessed Apostle but to giue him this his due to acknowledge That he or they who directed this our contryman to S. Peter aboue all others was or were also first directed by the same S. Peter in such things And thus hauing the cheife Apostle of Christ highest Ruler in spirituall things taking notice care and charge of this kingdome in this his time The Emperour our frend and fauourer giuing all allowance and noe prohibition to Christianity and by so many extraordinary motiues as are before remeÌ„bred so greate a feruour and forwardnesse of the inhabitaÌ„ts here to receaue the faith Our Kings of Britaine were rather freinds and furtherers then enemies to Christian Religion in this time of Christ there could now no impediment be found to hinder it except in our owne Kings which was not so for concerning our gouernment here in Britaine if Aruiragus was then King here as some historians seeme to teach vs he was a frend and no Enemy to Christian religion as we shall
by sainct Peter yet this hindereth not but that as before he spent much time labour in that kinde as nature and charitie bound him in this his natiue contry which is testified in plaine termes both by Methodius that most auncient writer and sainct Marianus Scotus his owne contriman of this Iland who speaking of diuers Apostolike Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. in Nerua col 254. Method apud eund supr men of that time whom they call Insignes sanctitate gratia pollentes renowned men excelling in sanctitie and grace among whome they name both this our holy Bishop and sainct Clement his associate they say of them non solùm propria prouincia sed in extremis al. externis vltimis industrij illustres regna Tyrannorum vicerunt They were not onely industrious renowned for preaching in their owne contries but also in extreme or externe and vttermost nations ouercame the kingdomes of Tyrants Where it is euident by these two greate witnesses that this most blessed Bishop of Britaine preached here in his owne contry propria prouincia at that time And thus I end the Empire of Caligula Guiderius reigning in Britaine THE VIII CHAPTER OF THE TIME OF CLAVDIVS AND HOW by our Protestants testimony one of the twelue Apostles then preached in Britaine 1. NOw we are come to the time of Claudius when both Catholiks and Protestants assure vs both that the Apostles formally preached vnto the Gentiles and there were many Christians in this our Britaine But before we proceed further to auoide all ambiguitie or errour that might chaunce in these matters in the iudgment of Protestants let vs first craue their best assistance and direction by some certaine grounds and maximes in history as infallible rules truely and plainely to square our narration by least we be deceaued They Certaine historicall grounds and Maximes giuen by our ProtesiaÌ„t Antiquaries to knâ—we what Apâ—stles first preached in Britaniâ— propose some fewe for most certaine and vndoubted generall verities which will easily leade vs to many vndoubted particular conclusions First they say which in some sort is remembred before that this kingdome of Britaine receaued the faith of Christ soone after his Ascension Secondly that this holy Religion was preached here by some one at the least of the Apostles Thirdly who they are in particular of that most holy number and order of whom mention is made in histeries to haue preached in this nation Fourthly that in the time of Claudius of which we now intreate diuers Christians came hither from Rome when he persecuted them there Fiftly that sainct Paul came not to Rome or to any of these west parts vntill longe after the death of Claudius in the reigne of Nero Sixtly that sainct Simon Zelotes whom some write to haue preached and bene martyred in Britaine was put to death in Persia with sainct Iude. Seuenthly that it was the 63. yeare of Christ before sainct Ioseph of Aramathia that buried our Sauiour came hither with his religious companions Lastely that sainct Peter that great Apostle was one of those three Apostles sainct Paul and sainct Simon Zelotes the other two which are reported in histories to haue preached heare All which assertions Theater of great Britanie lib. 6. Camden in Britan. Stowe And howe 's hist Holinsh. hist of Engl. Godwyn Conu of Brit. Catal. of Bishop Protest Comm. Booke Parker antiquit Britan. Mason Booke of Ordin with others are taught by the cheifest Protestant antiquaries and historians of England in their common booke of their religion their Theater and other writings of most credit with them for vndoubted historiall verities By which it euidently will be concluded by their owne graunts and directions that sainct Peter was the onely Apostle that first brought or sent Christianitie into this kingdome Which is particularly also proued before in the case of S. Mansuetus the first Preist and Bishop which was borne in this Iland which any histories I reade make mention of yet consecrated by S. Peter sent and directed by him with others of his disciples into these parts 2. But to make all these things so euidently true euen by these Protestants that no man with any pretence of probabilitie shall be able to make contradiction vnto them They shall all and euery of them be particularly and Inuincibly proued true by these meÌ„ themselues The first of the faith of Christ receaued heare soone after his Ascension and in the time of Tyberius is verified before from these Protestant Authours To which I add this their Testimony againe The Apostle himselfe saith the sound of the ghospell went through the earth and was heard vnto the ends of the world Which his sayings cannot more Theater of great Britaine l. 6. c. 9. Rom. 10. v. 18. fitly be applied to any other Nation then to vs of Britaine whose land by the almightie is so placed in the terrestriall Globe that thereby it is termed of the auncient the the ends and deemed to be situated in an other world And againe Immediately after Christs death doth Gildas fasten our conuersion where he writeth that the glorious Ghospell of Iesus Christ which first appeared to the world in the later time of Tyberius Caesar did euen then spread his bright beames vpon this frosen Iland of Britaine The Gildas de excid Brit. like testimony they reiterate in an other place Which I will cite hereafter and according vnto this runneth the whole current of their writers of antiquitie from the highest and greatest to the louest and meanest among them 3. Their first Protestant Archbishop Matthew Parker in his Intituled Antiquitates Britannicae The Antiquities of Britaine proueth it from Antiquities in Matth. Parker antiquit Brit. p. 1 these words primam Christianae Ecclesiae originem institutionem in Insula Britannica ex antiquissimis patrum scriptorumque testimonijs repertemus nor modo peruetustam eam fuisse sed etiam ab ipso primum per Apostolos propagato per orbem Euangelio initia duxisse accepisse incrementa we shall finde out of the most auncient testimonies of the Fathers and writers That the first beginning and institution of the Christian Church in the Iland of Britaine was not onely very auncient but to haue had beginning and receaued increases euen from the time when the Ghosppell was first propagated in the world by the Apostles And he yeeldeth his reason immediatly in this maÌ„ner Gildas enim Antiquisâ—imus inter eos qui fide digni sunt Britannicaruâ— râ—rum scriptor tradit Britannos iam inde ab ortu Euangelij Christianam 〈◊〉 fidâ—m for Gildas the most auncient writer of Brittish matters among those that 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—edit doth deliuer that the Britons receaued the Christian faith euen from Engliâ—h ProtestaÌ„ts mistake the testimonie of Gildas about the time of the faith of Christ receaued heare the rising vp of the ghospell The Protestant Bishops and others Authors of their greate Theater of
greate Britaine giue testimony vnto this in these words There are who vpon a very good ground from the words of Gildas the most auncient of our Brittish Historians will haue the sunne of the ghospell longe before the coming of Ioseph of Aramothia hither to haue risen in this our wâ—st and this Iland of Britaine to haue enioyed the very morning Assent the brigtnesse thereof perâ—iâ—g Theater of great Britaine l. 6. c. 9. §. 5. through the mustâ— cloudes of errour and shyning heare in Britaine euen iâ— the 〈◊〉 of Tiberius towards whose end Christ suffered his death and by whose Indulgence towards Christians their profession was propagated farre and neare Which assertion the saied Gildas doth not deliuer couldely or doubtingly but with great confidence and relying vpon good grounds as it appeareth when he saith Scimus c. we know for certainety that this was in the later times of Tiberius which was immediatly after our blessed Sauiours Passion Their Protestant Bishops Bale and Godwyn say The Britans receaued the doctrine and discipline of their Church from the Apoles of Christ The religion of the Britans was that which the Apostles by the commaundemeÌ„t of God deliuered to the Churches of the Christians And continued in the Country of the Britans from the Apostles tyme. Their most renowned Antiquary Sir Camden Clarentieux among Harolds is of the same opinion in diuers editions D. Fulke saith The Britans continued in the faith of Christ from the Apostles Godwyn Conu of Britaine p. 43. 44. Balaeus l. 2. de Act. Rom. pont in Gregor 1. Camden in Britan Fulke Answ to counterf Cath. p. 40. Powel Annotat in l. 2. Giraldi Cambren Itiner Cambr. c. 1. Holinsh. hist of Engl. c. 21. p. 102. Selden in Anal. Gildas epist de Excid Conq. Brit. cap. 6. time An other addeth The doctrine of the Britans and their worship of God was pure and from the Apostles themselues Holinshed saith the Britans Christianity neuer failed from the Apostles time In like manner write diuers others needlesse to be recited And most of them ground vpon the Authoritie of S. Gildas as some of them haue plainely before expressed 4. Therefore for better satisfaction of the Readers I will cite at lardge the words of that holy Auncient British writer as our English Protestants haue published him to the world and some Manuscripts also haue These they are Interea glaciali frigore rigenti Insulae velut longiore terrarum secessu soli visibili non proximae verus ille non de firmamento solum temporali sed de summa etiam caelorum arce tempora cuncta excedente vniuerso orbi praefulgidum sui corruscum ostendens tempore vt scimus summo Tyberij Caesaris quo absque vllo impedimento eius promulgabatur Religio comminata Senatu nolente à Principe morte dilatoribus militum eiusdem radios suos indulget id est sua praecepta Christus In the meane time to this Iland stiffe with forsen could and farre distant from the visible sunne That true sunne which is Christ doth vouchsafe his beames that is to say his precepts shewing to the whole world his glittering brightnesse not onely from the temporall firmament but from his high Tower of heauen exceeding all times in the latter time of Tyberus Caesar without any impediment his Religion was propagated the Prince threateing death to the accusers of his souldiers against the will of the Senate Hitherto the very words of S. Gildas as he is published by Protestants Who freely acknowledge that clause of the time of Tyberius to be wanting in other copies of that holy writer as namely in that which was put forth by Polydor Virgill and others And the very first word of this narration Interea Protestant Ann. in Prologum Gildae in Marg. in cap. 14. in marg in the meane time doe seeme plainely to conuince that they are no part of S. Gildas especially in that sence that he thought this kingdome to haue receaued the faith of Christ in the time of Tyberius but in the dayes of Claudius For they being of a Relatiue nature and hauing relation to that which went before they must in due construction of necessitie proue that this receauing of Religion interea in the meane time was when things last and immediately spoaken of before were done Which were the subiection of the Britans the second time to the Romans Which was in the time of Claudius coming hither in the fourth yeare of his Empire and of Christ the 44. which our Protestants Matth. Westm an Do. 44. 4. Claudij Stowe Holinsh. Camden with others Protest annot in c. 5. Gildae Protest annot tit in c. 6. Gild. notes vpon these places of S. Gildas doe make most manifest For the chapter which goeth immediatly before the recited Authoritie is thus by them intituled De secunda gentis subiectione of the second subiection or subduing of this Nation to the Romans Which was in the beginning of the Reigne of Claudius and then immediately followeth the next chapter wholy before recited and by these Protestants intituled De religione Of religion receaued heare Therefore if the Religion of Christ was receaued by the Britans by Gildas onely Interea in the time when they were subdued by Claudius it cannot be S. Gildas doth not affirme that the Britans receaued the faith in Tiberius time but in the dayes of Claudius gathered from him that they receaued it sooner Otherwise it was not receaued Interea in that time the words of the holy historian But howsoeuer that Authoritie is to be vnderstood It proueth at the least to the greate honour of this kingdome that it receaued the faith of Christ in the beginning at the least of the Empire of Claudius Which George maior and other his Protestant followers doe rather approue in this tenor that immediately after Christs Resurrection vnder Claudius the light of the Gospell was kindled in Britaine And this Georg. maior in Praefat. Stowe Howes histor in Agricola Theater of Britaine l. 6. c. 9. Godwyn Conu pag. 1. 2. Stowe and Howes hist in Agricola Godwyn supr pag. 2. must needs be by some one of the 12. Apostles or their Disciples by the sentence of these Protestants assuring vs first in these words soone after the Ascention of Christ the holy Apostles being dispersed through out the earth diuided the Prouinces among them by lot to preach the ghospell in And againe It is deliuered plainely by sondry auncient writers that Britaine fell in diuision among the Apostles And so of necessitie it must needs receaue the faith of Christ either immediatly by some one of that most blessed company or mediately by their Disciples or both which is most probable in so greate a busines exceeding the labour of one and not performed onely by the schollers and Disciples seeing by these Protestants grounding vpon auncient writers it fell out to the diuision Britaine receaued the faith
probable to entertaine this exiled Apostle then this Iland of Britaine which harboured at that time so many other Christians conuerted at Rome before by S. Peter that our Protestants haue thus with a common consent written of that time It hath passed with allowance among the Theater of great Britaine l. 6. c. 9. learned Senate of our Antiquaries that when Claudius and Nero began to bannish and persecute the Christians in Rome many Romans and Britains being conuerted to the faith fled thence into these remote parts of the earth where they might and did more freely enioy the libertie of their professions Which disciples of S. Peter so multiplied and encreased heare in that very time of Claudius that a Protestant Bishop and Antiquary writeth thus confidently of those dayes That there be manyfold testimonies of very credible Authours who witnesse that the Godwyn Cataloge of Bishops in Yorke 1. faith of Christ was receaued in diuers particular places of this Iland presently after the Ascension of Christ or at least while the Apostles yet liued Therefore if in the time of Claudius whē no other Apostle had bene at Rome or any of these parts of the world and presently vpon the Ascension of Christ so many both Romans and Britans which were Christians and must needs be the disciples of S. Peter were in this Iland in diuers particular places and this so vndoubted a thing by these Protestants That it hath passed with allowance among the learned Senate of our Antiquaries and is confirmed by manifolde testimonies of very credible Authours It is a strange vnnaturall and vndutifill minde and will in them that would and willingly doe admite so many of the disciples of S. Peter to haue bene receaued heare and with more cruelty then either Claudius or Nero could in any opinion performe bannish the blessed Apostle S. Peter their father and ours in Christ both from Rome and this kingdome also Thus I haue fully satisfied the obiections of such Protestants as would exclude the greate Apostle S. Peter from this Nation and depriue the Inhabitants of Britaine of so greate an Honor to be the spirituall children of that our most worthie Protoparent in Christ Now I will by the consent of these men set downe so neare as Antiquities will giue me warrant the time or times when he preached heare and what he happily effected heare in those his greate labours and trauailes hither THE XVI CHAPTER WHEREIN IS SET DOWNE BOTH BY Protestants and others when S. Peter preached in Britaine if not before his coming to Rome yet afterward both in the dayes of Claudius and Nero. 1. I Haue before examined that Protestant opiniō which because it findeth S. Peter both to haue bene the first that preached in Rome and that he was heare in Britaine would bring him hither before his first coming to Rome And therefore will now speake little thereof Our Theater Protestants frō thence would thus inferre S. Peter was heare before he euer went to Rome both which may be Theater of great Britaine l. 6. c. 9. §. 5. more probable if we consider the huge multitudes of Christians fifteene thousand saith Baronius which dispersed themselues in all parts of the world vpon the martyring of S. Stephen at Hierusalem which was presently vpon the death of Christ Their opinion which would bring S. Peter into Britaine before he came first to Rome examined Hitherto these Protestant Bishops and Antiquaries making it the more probable opinion as their owne words which may be more probable import that S. Peter preached heare before his first coming to Rome of which minde also all those English Protestant Bishops and writers most needes be which from the Authoritie of S. Gildas as they would expound him doe contend that Britaine receaued the faith of Christ in the dayes of Tyberius or Caius Matth. Parker antiquit Brit. p. 1. Georg. Abb. apud Mason cōsecrat l. 2. c. 3. p. 51. Mason ibid. Theater of Brit. p. 202. Caligula Emperors and before the Empire of Claudius in the beginning of whose Reigne S. Peter came first to Rome for they all agree that we first receaued the faith from some one of the Apostles and they haue concluded before that no other Apostle but S. Peter could be heare in those dayes Of this opinion is the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury and the present that is Director of the Authour of the bookes of the pretended consecration of their Bishops the Author of that Booke the writers of their Theater and others And if those words they cite were the true words of Gildas they make not a little for that sentence being these Tempore vt scimus summo Tyberij Caesaris suos radios primum indulget id est sua praecepta Christus Christ did Annot. Protest Marginal in prologum Gildae afford his beames to wit his precepts to the I le of Britaine in the later time of Tiberius as we know But because the Protestant publisher himself of Gildas doth freely acknowledge that they were not vsually in the copies of Gildas I dare not ascribe so much vnto them But if we will allow the computation of Arnoldus Mirmannius following as it seemeth the auncient Catalogue of the Bishops of Metz who telleth that S. Peter sent our Countrimā S. Mansuetus into Arnold Mirm. in Theatro Conu gent. Catal. Episcop Metens those parts together with S. Clement the first Bishop there in the yeare of Christ 40. in the time of Caius Caligula two or three yeares before S. Peter came to Rome it giueth not a small allowance to this opinion for those Histories doe not relate from what parts East or west these men were sent but the very Country of S. Mansuetus Natione Scotus will rather incline vs to thinke S. Peter had bene then in this Iland or neare vnto it at that time or els we must send this holy Saint of Britaine without authoritie a very lōg Iorney to S. Peter in the East and so farre back againe towards these Countries Or if we should make so ample an acceptation of Galatia where the Scripturs testifie 1. Petr. 1. S. Peter preached before the dayes of Claudius as some Cosmographers and Antiquaries doe we shall bring him so neare vnto vs in those dayes that considering the infinitie labors of that Apostle and his loue to this kingdome it will be noe vaine coniecture to thinke he visited Britaine in those dayes Which is rather confirmed if we reflect and allowe of that which I haue set downe before that his first entertainment at Rome was among the Britans of this Nation to whom he could not haue better direction nor so good from any other as from this kingdome 2. But to come to things certaine vndoubted in this History of S. Peters S. Peter preached in Britaine both in the time of Claudius and Nero Emperours liuing and preaching in this Iland it is an historicall veritie out of
re deerat The persecuted Christians she assisted with her welth labour confort and all offices of charitie for some she did hide in her house others she exhorted to constancy of faith she buryed the bodies of others To those that were in prison and durance she was wanting in no kinde of releife Of her Sister S. Pudentiana we reade that Act. S. PudeÌ„tianae in Breu. Rom. die 19. Maij. Mart. Rom. eod die Ado Treuer ad 12. Calend. Iulij Mombâ—it tom 2. Beda Vsuard 19. die Maij. Sur. Lipp eod die she was of admirable sanctitie in Christian Religion She had in her family notwithstanding the Persecution 96. Christian men nonaginta sex homines And whereas the Emperour Antonius had made a Decree that Christians should not publikly offer their Sacrifice the holy Pope S. Pius with the ChristiaÌ„s vsed to say Masse in her house Quod autem ab Antonino Imperatore sancitum erat ne Christiani publicè sacrificia facerent Pius Pontifex in aedibus Pudentianae cum Christianis sacra celebrabat And she gently entertayned them and ministred all necessaries vnto them Quibus illa benignè acceptis quae ad vitam necessaria essent suppeditabat Therefore if this sanctitie of these childen was deriued vnto them from their holy Parents and after their deaths when their Ritches and Reuenewes were diuidie into so S. Claudia her â—ouse as a ChristiaÌ„ schoole and Seminarie to teach the Christian faith in Britaine and the westerne NatioÌ„s many portions one onely daughter dwelling in that their house at Rome was able to keepe such hospitalitie that besides 96. Christian men which she kept in her family she receaued the Pope and all Christians resorting to her and supplyed both their spirituall necessities in making her house their setled Church to celebrate Masse and other diuine exercises and ministred also temporall things vnto them as their needs required how much the rather must we conclude these things of their holy Parents more enabled to performe such bounties then any their children were And this much more in the time of the parens of S. Claudia being by exemption as strangers not so lyable to the Roman Pagan lawes and penalties of them and so Christian Assemblies were more frequent and freely kept there then in any Roman house the Apostles and their Disciples there more securely entertayned Religion exercised Preists Cleargie men consecrated and directed into diuers Countries and among so many so greate multitudes of Christian Britans liuing in that house and vsually resorting thither and there instructed we may not thinke but diuers Britans then and there receaued holy preistly Orders and consecration And with others were sent into this kingdome some of which number I shall remember hereafter when I haue first brought S. Peter againe from Britaine to Rome because they principally depended one him and by him or his Suecessours receaued Consecration Iurisdiction Directions and Instructions for the Conuersion of this and other western Countries After a long and happy life spent in such sanctitie she ended her dayes at Sabinum in Vmbria whether she retired herselfe to her Husband S. Pudens his noble house and Municipium there after his death THE XXXIII CHAPTER OF S. PETER HIS RETVRNE FROM BRItaine to Rome and setling the Apostolike Papall power there His greate care of Britaine and our Christian Britans dutifull loue and honor to him The cheife Scate of the Messias Prophesied to be at Rome ABOVT this time the Prophesie preserued among the auncient Rabins that the cheife Seate of the Messias should be in Rome was to be performed in his cheife Apostle and Vicar S. Peter Which the Prophetisses and Sybils among Henricus à S. fide l. contra Iudaeos Sybilla Erythrea apud Franc. Petr. Arch. l. 1. de otio Relig. Bernard Senen 6. part Serm. 1. de Fest Mariae Anton. Chron. part 1. tit 3. c. 9. Hartm Schedel in Sybill Sybill Erythr in Nazaograp p. 53. the gentils had also receaued and deliuered to posteritie testifiing that this greate and victorious Citie which had triumphed ouer so many potent peoples Kings and kingdomes should be subdued to the Messias not with the force of sword but by the fishers S. Peters hooke Non in gladio belloue Aeneadem vrbem Regesque subijciet sed in hamo piscantis and this fisher should there and ouer Kings subiect vnto it setle the name and victory of Christ for euer In Eneadem latus piscatoris nomen Agni vsque ad fines seculi virtute perducet Therefore this Imperiall Regiment of the Church and Kingdome of Christ being principally committed to S. Peter so from him to remaine in his Successors in that prime Apostolike See and the time of his death now drawing neare hauing allmost ended his preaching in these parts of the world to giue that further honor to this kingdome of Britaine an Angel appeared vnto him telling him the time of his leauing this world was at hand and that he must returne to Rome where after he S. Peter admonished in Britaine from heauen of his death at haÌ„d to be in Rome had suffered death vpon the Crosse he should receaue his reward of Iustice Angelicam aspexit visionem quae dicebat Petre instat tempus tuae resolutionis aportet te ire Romam in qua cum mortem per crucem sustinueris recipies mercedem iustitiae This heauenly vision and admonition was made vnto this blessed Sim. Metaphr die 29. Iunij Sur. alij in fest SS Apost Petri Pauli Apostle heare in our Britaine after he had bene heare long time quo in loco cum longo tempore fuisset moratus For which extraordinary grace shewed vnto him when this holy Apostle had giuen thankes vnto God and setled the state of our Primatiue Church heare in Britaine as I haue before made mention in the twelfth yeare of Nero as this auncient and holy Authour writeth he returned from hence to Rome Cum ergo propterea deum glorificasset egisset gratias apud Britannos mansisset dies aliquot verbo gratiae multos Stowe Howes hist in Nero. Sueton. in Nerone Dio Cass Matt. Westm in eodem Marian. Scotus l. 2. aetat 6. Mart. Polon Supputat in Netone â—or Wigorn an 14. Neâ—onâ—s Matth. Westm â—n 13. Neron Cassiodor Maâ—an â—or Wiâ—â—r sup illuminasset Ecclesias constituisset Episcoposque Presbyteros Diaconos ordinasset duodecimo anno Caesaris Neronis rursus Romam reuertitur Some English Protestants write the 14. yeare of Nero the holy Apostle S. Peter hauing accomplished his preaching in the west parts returned to Rome where he preached againe as he did before Which may without much difficultie or difference be easily reconciled to the former if we say with Suet onius Dio and others that Nero reigned 13. compleate yeares and some monethes Nero quintus ab Augusto imperauit annis 13. mensibus octo And S. Peter went from Britaine
litle before his Passiō he said vnto him I haue asked for thee that thy faith faile not That is the faith of the Church which I haue commited to thee And Peter when he knew his passion to be at hand tooke S. Clement whome he had conuerted and baptized and ordained him Bishop and committed to his gouernment his See and Church which he had gouerned and so he was made the successor of S. Peter in that See For where we reade that Linus and Cletus were the successors of S. Peter we must so vndestand it that while he liued they were his Coadiutors in gouerning the people of God at Rome and for that end they were ordained Bishops as an auntient Pope writeth to the Bishops of Germanie and France which must needs be this Epistle of Pope Ihon the third before mentioned both the subiect being the same this auncient Authour related and written to the Bishops of Germany and France as the beginning of that verie Epistle is thus an able testimonie Ioannes Episcopus vniuersis Germaniae Galliae prouincias constitutis in Domino salutē So we haue besids a world of other witnesses the Decretall Epistles of two aunciēt Popes Io. Pap. 3. in fine Epist Marian. Scot. Florent Wigor supr Bed in Martyr Manuscript an t in Bibliotheca publ Cantabrigiae volum 28. tract 9. Sabellicus l. 9. Ennead 7. Henticus Hunting hist l. 3. this of Pope Ihon aboue a thowsād yeares since who in the end of this Epistle calleth it his Decree and the other of S. Leo so named by S. Marianus Florentius Wigorniensis and others Leo secundus in sua decretali Epistola To these I may add S. Damasus Pope commonly esteemed Authour of the Pontificall cited by S. Bede before Anastasius time to whom Bellarmin asscribeth it and directly said in an old Manuscript in Cambridge to be written by Damasus Gesta Romanorum Pontificium Authore Damaso 3. So writeth Sabellicus saying S. Damasus was authour of it and gaue it to S. Ierome to peruse Damasus omnium qui antese fuerant Pontificum vitas monumentis tradidit deditque id opus Hyeronimo cognoscendū and it is euery where approued by our best Historians Florentius Wigorniensis William of Malmesbury Henry of Huntington and others among which this last saith plainely for this matter that S. Augustine did ordayne S. Laurence his Successour at Canterbury in his life time as S. Peter did S. Clement at Rome Laurentium vero adhuc viuens ordinauerat Augustinus in Archiepiscopum exemplo S. Petri qui Clementē similiter ordinauerat I haue cited Florentius Wigorniensis sor the same opinion before S. Damasus saith plainely that S. Peter consecrated S. Clement Bishop and committed his See and the Church to his chardge leauing vnto him that highest spirituall Pontificall power which Christ committed vnto him Petrus beatum Clementem Episcopum consecrauit cui Cathedram vel Ecclesiam omnino disponendam commisit dicens sicut mihi gubernandi tradita est à Domino meo Iesu Christo potestas ligandi soluendique ita ego tibi committo And if I should grant vnto Bellarmin which truth of History will not permit mee that Anastasius who liued 800. yeares since was Authour of this worke his allowance is that I haue him a publikely approued witnes for this matter so many hundred yeares auncient Which he confirmeth also in the life of S. Clement as also this Epistle to 8. Iames testifying from the same Epistle that S. Peter committed the Papall dignitie and chardge of the Church to him and that Linus and Cletus are numbred before him onely because S. Peter made them Bishops before that time Clemens ex praecepto beati Petri suscepit Damasus in S. Clemente Ecclesiae Pontificatum gubernandum sicut ei fuerat à Domino Iesu Christo Cathedra tradita vel commissa Tamen in Epistola quae ad Iacobum scripta est qualiter ei commissa est à beato Petro Ecclesia reperies Ideo Linus Cletus ante cum scribuntur quia ab ipso Principe Apostolorum ad ministerium Sacerdotale exhibendum sunt Episcopi ordinati The like is testified by S. Clement in his third Epistle not subiect to that censure some taxe this with in that it is written to S. Iames Bishop of Hierusalem thought to be dead at this time where he plainely calleth S. Peter his Ordinator beatus Petrus Instructor Ordinator noster The Clemens Rom. Epist 3. l. Recognit Gelasius Catal. Illustr Vir. in Rufino like he doth in those bookes which with Gelasius and Rufinus who translated them out of Greeke allmost 1300. yeares since by common agreemcnt all acknowledge to be S. Clements vndoubted works And the mayne obiection against this Epistle of S. Iames the Apostle his death before S. Peter is not worthie recitall For Nichephorus Marianus Florentius Wigorniensis Martinus Polonus and others which acknowledge that yet approue this Epistle and S. Clement to haue bene chosen Successour to S. Peter by that testimony And S. Dorotheus that auncient Father and many others are witnesses S. Dorothaeus li. de 72. Discip l. de 12. Apostolis that the next Successour to the first S. Iames first Bishop of Hierusalem was besides his other name Simon or Simeon called also Iames and by the Hebrew phrase of speaking calling neare kinsmen Brothers named the Brother of our Lord as the first Iames his Brother was by that custome 4. Therefore I may now boldly say with our holy and learned auncient Marian. Scotus l. 2. aetate 6. in Adriano S. Aldelmus l. de laudib Virginitatis c. 12. Bishop Saint Aldelmus conuerted by S. Gregory the greate as he himselfe writeth à quo rudimenta fidci baptismi Sacramenta suscepimus that S. Clement was the first Successour of S. Peter and the second Gouernour of the Roman Church allthough some in vaine and without cause preferre Linus and Cletus before him Clemens caelestis Clauicularij primus Successor secundus Romanae Ecclesiae dispensator quanquam nonnulli Linum Anacletum in Pontificatus Regimine nequaquam S. Clement yeelded the Papacy to S. Linus soone after S. Peters death sine causa praeferant Yet I doe freely and willingly yeeld to saue the honour and manner of speaking of the Roman Martyrologe and some auncient Fathers for the Canon of the Masse naming S. Linus and Cletus before S. Clement hath onely meaning of prioritie in time that as Baronius interpreteth S. Epiphanius and Rufinus and might haue added many more S. Clement gaue place to these to execute the Apostolike dignitie before him and vpon Baron Annal. Tom. 1. an Christi 69. Henric. Spondan p. 124. Epiph. haer 27. Rufin Praefat. in Clem. Wern Rolwink Fascic temp an 94. this motiue as some haue written least by accepting the chardge imposed one him by S. Peter in his life he might leaue an example of daunger to other Prelates to substitute Successours whome they
of Eureux to be Archbishop of Yorke This confirmeth the opinion that one and the same S. Taurinus sent into these parts by S. Clement was Bishop of Eureux in France and Archbishop of Yorke in Britaine But the supposed time of his remouall Matt. Westm in Constant Flor. Wigor in Chro. Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. Martin Polon in Suppu Io. Xephil Epitom Dion l. 55. in Caesar Aug. Camden in Middlesex English Martyr 7. Febr. Martyrol Rom. die 7. Febr. Bed eodem die Vsuard Ado. Vuandelb Petr. in Catal. l. 3. c. 105. Baron Annot. in Martyr Rom. 7. die Febr. Auth. of English Mart. 7. Febru must needs be mistaken for I haue proued before that S. Taurinus was sent with diuers others by S. Clement in or about the yeare of Christ 94. when there were by all accompts 160. yeares at the least betweene that and the first coming of Constantius Chlorus into Britaine For our other cheife Metropolitan See which we call now London being from the beginning of Christiantie heare as Camden and others witnes called Augusta we reade in approued Authours the auncient Roman Martyrologe S. Bede Vsuardus Ado and others saying he was Bishop of Augusta London in Britaine and ended his life with Martyrdome Augustae in Britannia Beati Auguli Episcopi qui aetatis cursum per Martyrium explens aeterna praemia suscipere meruit Baronius doth plainely confesse he knoweth not in what time he died Quo tempore passus sit hactenus mihi obscurum An other late writer is bold to say Augulus Bishop and Martyr in the Persecution of Dioclesian the Emperour for preaching the Christian faith in our Iland of greate Britaine was put to death by the enemys of truth about the yeare of Christ three hundred and fiue a litle after the death of S. AlbaÌ„ But I caÌ„not be of his minâ—e therein he neither alledging any one authour that so affirmeth nor reason which so induceth But many reasons there be to the contrary supposing with the common opinion that London was called Augusta because as Dio and Xephilinus write Legio Augustalis nominata hibernabat insuperiore Britannia The Roman Legion so termed wintered in the vpper Britaine neare London as is thought it was loÌ„g before S. Augulus probably first Archbishop of London about this time Dioclesians time when it was thus called in the daies of Caesar Augustus or soone after in the time we haue now in hand SecoÌ„dly the Catalogue of all the Archbishops of London froÌ„ the generall conuersion of this kingdome long after Dioclesian his persecutioÌ„ is hath bene carefully diligeÌ„tly gathered Dio Cassius l. 55. Xephil Epitom in Aug. Caesare Marcellinus l. 28. Andre Chesne Hist d' Angleterre l. 1. Iocelin de Episc Brit. Io. Gotcelin de eisdem Stowe hist Holinsh Hist of Engl Harr. Theatr. l. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Godwin Catal. of Bish. in London Harris Theaâ—r supr l. 4. c. 7. by many no such name as Augulus or like vnto it found among theÌ„ being accompted these Thean Eluanus Cador Obinus Conan Palladius Stephan Iltut Theadwin or Dedwin Thedred Hillary Restitutus which was at the Councell of Arles in France about the yeare of Christ 326. after Dioclesian his death And after him succeeded Guitelinus Fastidius Vodimus Theonus And no mention of S. Augulus or any such to be found 8. Further M. Harris in his Manuscript Theater taking vpon him more particularly then others to set downe the times of those Archbishops of London froÌ„ King Lucius time expressely saith About this time an Do. 308. liued Stephanus the seuenth Archbishop of London next after Paladius certaine yeares and died in London Wherefore making Stephanus the seuenth as others doe and saying he was Archbishop there in the yeare 308. which is within 3. yeares of the imagined time when S. Augulus was Archbishop Martyred there and Paladius which name hath no proportion with that of Augulus was his immediate Predecessor either Paladius or Stephanus by this accompt was Archbishop at the surmised time of S. Augulus Martyrdome and so no place found for him in London after King Lucius his conuersion And all our Histories are witnes how diligent the Christians of Britaine were immediately vpon the ceasing of Dioclesian his Persecution to renewe the memories and honor of their late principall Martyrs in honoring their Reliks and dedicating Churches vnto them And yet no mention at all of him though their Gsldas l. de excid conq Brit. Bed Hist l. 1. Galfrid Mon. Hist Brit. Virun Hist Britan. Matth. Westm an gra 313. Godwin Catol inwinchester 1. Archbishop and most noble Martyr if he had liued and suffered in that time No Church spoken of dedicated to him not his name once remembred in those Antiquities yet so worthie an Archbishop Primate Saint and Martyr he was that as I haue before mentioned he hath the best and most renowned writers of such things to be Registers of his Triumphe by holy Martyrdome and most of them in forreine Countries the memory of our first Apostolike men allmost by iniquitie of seasons heare forgotten in our owne writers but as we are enforced to begg and borrow them from strangers not so punctually and circumstantially allways writing of the affaires of Britaine then with many reputed an other world or continent as we could desire Therefore to giue S. Augulus his due place and deserued memory I cannot tell what time to assigne him more agreeable to his life and death then this whereof I now entreate for I haue shewed before how S. Peter left vs a Metropolitan S. Aristobulus who liued vntill these dayes of S. Clement and allmost the end of this Age in the 24. yeare of the next CeÌ„tury 124. Lucius our first Christian King tooke the Regiment of Britaine in hand when there was no Perfecution but all fauour for Christians heare the auncient Authours Matth. Westm an gratiae 124. alij which write of his death speake as though he had liued long before he was Martyred almost a course of life so say S. Bede and the Roman Martirologe Statis cursumper MartyriuÌ„ explens Vsuardus hath the like cursum temporis Bed Martyrol 7. Id. Februar Rom. Martyrol die 7. Februar Vsuard eod die per Martyrium explens So testifie others By which I haue sufficient warrant to thinke this glorious Saint our Metropolitan was one of them which S. Clement according to his owne promise before the chardge S. Peter gaue vnto him and so many haue allready testified sent hither into this kingdome S. Augulus probably sent Archbishop into Britaine by S. Clement Pope 9. And what I haue said of S. Augulus if I should incline to thinke the same of our two other glorious Martyrs of greate Britaine S. Socrates and S. Stephen which S. Bede the Roman Martyrologe and Vsuardus with others doe proue were martyred heare I haue all or
and many most or allmost all our Kings in the meane time being Pagans the Christians heare were quiet for Religion by Antiquities The auncient Manuscript of Winchester saith that from the first planting of the faith in Britaine in the Antiquitat Manuscr Ecclesiae Wintonien time of King Lucius to the first yeare of Dioclesian an hundred yeares together ChristiaÌ„ ReligioÌ„ was quiet in peace the Religious men all that while liued quietly in their Monasteries Durauit Christianitas in Britannia a tempore Bed Eccl. Hist l. 1. c. 4. Fâ—orent Wigor Chron. An. 162. 184. Henr. Hunting Hist l. 1. in Marcus Anton. Verus Peruetus Antiq. Manuscr de primo statu Landau Eccles Matth. Parker l. de Antiq. Britan. Goscelin Hist Io. Bal. cent 1. de Script Brit. Godwin Conuers of Brit. Theater of great Brit. alij Gildas l. de Excid Conquest Brit. c. 7. vide licet a primo Anno Lucij Regis primi Britannorum Cristiani vsque ad primum Annum Dioclesiani Principis quieta in pace centum annis tamdiu Monachi Deo seruientes praedictum vetus Caenobium Wintoniense quiete inhabitabant S. Bede absolutely affirmeth of the Brittans that from the planting of the faith of Christ among them in the dayes of King Lucius they kept it vnuiolate and whole in quiet peace vntill the times of Dioclesian Susceptam fidem Britanni vsque in tempora Dioclesiani Principis inuiolatam integramque quieta in pace scruabant Florentius Wigorniensis hath the verie same words so hath Henry of Huntington The old Manuscript History of the first state of the Church of Landaffe iustifieth that the Brittans kept this their first faith sincere without any stayne of error vntill the Pelagian Herisie Quam Christianae Religionis fidem sine aliqua praui dogmatis macula sinceram conseruauerunt vsqueduÌ„ Pelagiana Haeresis orta est This is also the generall opinio of our Protestant Antiquaries Yet we must not make this so vniuersall a truth to thinke that all which receaued the Christian faith in those dayes of King Lucius did Religiously obserue the same and that all the Brittans without exception were Christians for we reade in S. Gildas whose Authoritie we may not easily reiect praecepta Christi licet ab Incolis tepidè suscepta sunt apud quo sdam tamen integrè alios minus vsque ad Persecutionem Dioclesiani Tyrani nouennem permansere Allthough the Precepts of Christ which the Britans receaued in the time of King Lucius were coldly entertained of the Inhabitants heare yet among some they remayned whole and with others not in such integritie vntill the Persecution of Dioclesian the Tirant 3. We shall finde hereafter many continuing heare in Britaine in Paganisime both of the Princes and people before Dioclesian his Persecution began in this or any other Nation Yet it will be remembred for euer to the eternall honour of those our Primatiue Christian Brittans that notwithstanding the vniuersall Inundation of licentious Paganisme which had reigned heare before the hazard of the disfriendship of the Idolatrous Roman Emperours and Senate then swaying allmost the knowne world and diuers Persecutions of Christians raging in that time and ciuill dissentions now further by the death of King Lucius falling out among our Brittans yet in all these tempests of calamities and afflictions they still without any interruption or corruption continued in their holy Christian Religion not onely secretly but with externall glory and splendor of Bishops Preists Religious men and women Churches Altars and their Ornaments as I haue before remembred And at this present when in morall and wordly vsuall proceedings nothing could haue bene more feared then a relapse to Idolatry by the death of so worthie and holy a gouernour as King Lucius a new zeale and deuotion was kindled in the harts of the Northren Brittanes and Scots in imitating the example of The Scots with their King Donaldus receaue the faith of Christ froÌ„ S. Victor Pope him and his happy Subiects in this kinde For at or presently after his death King Donald then reigning ouer the Scots receauing from Pope Victor as King Lucius before had done from Pope Eleutherius holy Preachers and Instructors receaued and publikly with his wife Nobles and Hector Boeth Scotor Hist l. 6. f. 89. other subiects professed the faith of Christ Talem dederat Regi Donaldo animum pacis Princeps Authour Christus Dominus quod verae pietati aspernato malorum Daemonum cultu sese Paulo ante addixerat Nam Seuero imperante Romanis apud Victorem Pontificem Maximum qui quintusdecimus post Petrum Ecclesiae praefuit per Legatos obtinuit vt viri Doctrina Religione insignes in Scotiam ab eo missi se cum liberis coniuge Christi nomen profitentes baptismate insignirent Regis exemplum Scotica Nobilitas sequuta auersata impietatem Christi Religionem complexa Sacro fonte est abluta Fuit annus ille quo Scoti adlumen verae pietatis Dei optimi maximi benignitate vocati sunt recepti ab eo qui primus fuit humanae salutis tertius supra ducentesimum Christ our Lord Prince and Authour of peace gaue such a minde to King Donald that contemninge the worship of wicked Deuills he addicted himselfe to true pietie For when Seuerus was Emperour of the Romans by his Ambassadors he obtained of Pope Victor the fifteenth after S. Peter Which ruled the Church that men renowned for Learning and Religion to be sent from him into Scotland that might baptize him with his children and wife professing Christ The Scottish Nobilitie following the example of their King forsaking impietie and embrasing the Religion of Christ was baptized This yeare wherin the Scots by the mercy of God allmightie were called and receaued to the light of true pietie was the third aboue two hundred from the first of mans Saluation Thus farre this Scottish Georg. Buchan Rer. Scoticar l. 4. c. Rege 27. Holinsh. Hist of Scotl. in K. Donald Historian from the Antiquities of that Nation to which their Protestant Writers doe also in substance consent as also the Protestant Antiquaries of England Among which one writeth in this manner King Donald in the dayes of the Emperour Seuerus sent a Messenger with letters vnto Pope Victor being the 15. in number as they say after S. Peter declaring vnto him that he was fully minded to receaue the Christian Religion and vtterly to forsake the superstitious seruice of the Heathnish Gods and therefore instantly required him to send some godly learned men to instruct him in the right beleife The Pope hearing this and being glad to encrease the faith of Christ through all parts of the world sent with all speed into Scotland such well disposed parsons as he thought most meete for that purpose who at their arriuall there did their endeuour in such diligent sort that not onely the King but also through his exaÌ„ple a greate number of the Nobilitie
thought it their safest way though with so greate trauaile thither and danger there the Popes and Christian Romans then aboue all others persecuted to receaue baptisme and direction for their saluation there 5. But to finish the funerall honour of this our glorious Martyr allthough we doe not finde any man then which for feare of the persecutours presented himselfe to bury his holy body but the valiant Souldiar now the Souldiar of Christ conuerted vnto him which had boldly before them all reuerenced the Reliks of S. Alban who there digged a graue and layed the Martyrs body therein terram apperiens humo Corpus Albani operit tumulum desuper ipse Matth. Westm An. 303. composuit which was all he could doe then yet God allmightie in whose sight the death of his Saints is pretious as he had now glorified his Martyrs soule in heauen so yeelded from thence extraordinary honour to his body so meanely buryed making his poore graue more glorious then the sumpteous Tombe of Author Brit. Vitae S. Albani Manuscr Antiq. in Vit. eius Capgr in eodem Matth. Westm sup Manuscr Antiq. in Vit. S. Amphibali Capg in eod any Roman Emperour his persecutour or other for in the next night now following a Piller of Light was seene of all the Pagans themselues to stretch vp from the graue of the holy Martyr vnto heauen by which Angels discending ascending spent all the night in praising God and among other things which they did singe these words were often repeated and heard The renowned Man Alban a glorious Martyr nocte insecuta visa est columia lucis è tumulo beati Martyris caelos penetrare per quam descendentes Angeli ascendentes totam noctem in Dei laudibus deducebant Inter caetera vero quae canebant vox ista frequentius est audita Albanus vir egregius Martyr extat gloriosus Ad hoc spectaculum Honour of Saints subito fieret concursus And a thowsand PagaÌ„s ad mille homines were thereby conuerted to Christ S. Bede witnesseth that from the Martyrdome of S. Bed l. 1. Hist c. 7. Alban vnto his time cures and ofte Miracles were wrought in the place of his Martyrdome In quo loco vsque ad hanc diem curatio infirmorum frequentium Henric. Huntin l. 1. Hist operatio virtutum celebrari non desinit So hath Henry of Huntington long after him for his dayes also 6. The Crosse which he had in his hand when he suffered Martyrdome Matth. Westm an 303. Manuscr Antiq. in Vâ—ta S. Amphibali Capgr in eod Bed l. 1. Hist c. 18 Thomas Walsingh Hist Angl in Eduard 2. Râ—uerence of holy Reliks and was thereby sprinkled with his holy blood was reuerently preserued by the Christians then and presented to S. Amphibalus with greate honour The very ground where S. Alban suffered retained drops of his blood when S. German was sent hither by Pope Celestine and he carryed part thereof away for a greate Relike De ipso loco vbi beati Martyris effusus erat sanguis massam pulueris secum portaturus abstulit in qua apparebat cruore seruato rubuisse Martyrum caedem His Coate Caracalla which he had of S. Amphibalus and wherein he suffered Martyrdome was kept for a greate Relicke and in the time of King Edward the second the King himselfe with many Nobles present witnesses was so freshly bespotted with this Martyrs blood as if it had bene done Thom. Walsing supr but the day before So Miracously preserued as the blood in the place of his Passion Fas est credere quod ad honorem Sancti diuino Miraculo sanguis eius sic in hac veste seruatus sicut in puluere sui sepulchri per multa secula legitur conseruatus Cuius pulueris massam in qua rubebat adhuc sanguis Martyris Sanctus Germanus Altissiodorensis Episcopus secum abstulit detulit ad natale secum capellam construens in honorem Martyris memorati But of Churches and Chappels founded vnto his honour with Pilgrimadges vnto and reuerencing his holy Relicks I shall speake hereafter when I come to the ceasing of this Persecution and to speake of our other Martyrs THE XXI CHAPER THE CONSTANT PROFESSION OF CHRIST by the holy Souldiar Heraclius conuerted by the Miracles of S. Alban and his Martyrdome in and at the same time and place with S. Alban 1. GREATE is the honour which both our owne both Brittish and English and forreine Historians also yeeld to the Souldiar vntill then a Pagan and being one that ledd Saint Alban to his Martyrdome and conuerted by his Miracles in the way was then and there also most cruelly Martyred The old Roman Martyrologe thus remembreth him one of the Souldiars which ledd S. Alban Martyrol Rom. die 22. Iunij to his punishment being conuerted to Christ in the way suffered with him deserued to be baptized in his owne blood Passus est etiam cum illo vnus de militibus qui eum ducebat ad supplicium qui in via conuersus ad Christum proprio sanguine meruit baptizari S. Gildas saith this Martyr being conuerted by the Miracle S. Alban shewed when by his prayers the deepe Ryuer gaue place to him and a thowsand with him to passe ouer not wetting their feete the waters on both sides standing like walles as they did to the people of Israël to giue them passadge was of a wolfe made a lambe and did both vehemently Gild. l. de excid c. 8. desire and valiantly endure Martyrdome with him Iterignotum trans Tamesis nobilis fluuij alueum cum mille viris sicco imgrediens pede suspensis vtrimque modo praeruptorum fluuialibus montium gurgitibus aperiret priorem carnificem tanta prodigia videntem in agnum ex lupo mutaret vna secum triumphalem Martyrij palmam sitire vehementius excipere fortius faceret S. Bede relateth this History in like manner yet with more Emphasis of his glory for hauing spoken of the same strange Miracle by which this Souldiar was conuerted calling him Carnifex the designed Executioner to put S. Alban to death as S. Gildas and others doe to shew how wonderfully the grace of Christ wrought in him he addeth that by diuine Inspiration he made all speede he could to come to S. Alban and casting away his sword that was drawne to behead S. Alban Bed l. 1. Hist Eccles c. 7. Matth. Westm an 303. prostrated him see before his feete the whole assembly beholding it greately desiring that he himselfe might be worthie to be put to death with the Martyr or in place of the Martyr which he was commanded to strike Quod cum inter alios ipse carnifex qui eum percussurus erat vidisset festinauit ei vbi ad locum destinatum morti venerat occurrere diuino nimirum admonitus instinctu proiectoque ense quem strictum tenucrat pedibus eius aduo luitur multum desiderans vt cum
nec non Orientis Ecclesias paucis admodum exceptis quae Arianicae opinionis sunt Therefore very grosse or willfull and malitious to the honour of this their Noble Country of Britaine is the Error of those English Protestants which are not ashamed to suggest vnto ignorant Readers that against so many euident and vndeniable arguments and Authorities formerly alledged this kingdome first receaued the faith from some Scismaticall Church of Asia and onely vpon this poore and simple preteÌ„ce because at the comming of S. Augustine hither allmost 300. yeares after this time diuers amoÌ„g the Britans obserued the Feast of Easter as those fewe Easterne Churches did and otherwise then the Nicen Councell receaued and decreed when it is most cleare and euident by these greate witnesses Constantine our Emperour S. Athanasius Theodoret Socrates and others that all Britaine generally held and obserued the true obseruation of Easter both at the time of the Nicen Councell long before and after 4. And S. Bede calculating the time of the continuance of that Error among the Scots and Britans heare from the beginning to the end thereof proueth that it had bene heare but 30. yeares at the comming of S. Augustine hither for he plainely affirmeth that in the yeare of Christ seuen hundred and sixteene when it was extinct in the Scottish-irish Christians the greatest Promoters of it in these parts it had continued onely one hundred fifty yeares Bed Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 4. permansit autem huiusmodi obseruantia Paschalis apud eos tempore non pauco hoc est vsque ad annum Dominicae Incarnationis septingentesimum decimum septimuÌ„ per annos centum quinquaginta Which was 30. yeares before S. Augustine came into this Nation and no more When this kingdome first receauing the faith from S. Peter and the See of Rome must needs also receaue from them that obseruance they euer vsed in this Solemnitie which was the same the Nicen Councell receaued as Ceolfridus in his Epistle to Naitanus King of the Picts Ceolfred Abb. Epist ad Naitan Reg. Pict apud Bed Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 22. Wilfrid apud eund l. 3. c. 25 with others learnedly proueth teaching S. Peter taught it for an Apostolicall Tradition at Rome and from him S. Marke at Alexandria Decreuit Apostolica Traditio quae per beatum Petrum Romae praedicata per Marcum Euangelistam interpretem ipsius Alexandriae confirmata est vt adueniente primo mense adueniente in eo vespera diei quartae decimae expectetur etiam dies Dominica a quinta decima vsque ad vicesimam primam diem eiusdem Mensis In quacunque enim harum inuenta fuerit merito in ea Pascha celebrabitur And greate must needs their Error or willfulnes be which if the Error of the Britans and Scots herein had bene more auncient that therefore they would thereby make any Argument to deriue either that or any practice or opinion they had from that part of Asia which erred in this point for they were quite different Errors that in Asia the same with the Iewes not obseruing our Lords day but an other through ignorance of Canons and Ecclesiasticall Computations as S. Bede others proue Paschae diem non semper in Luna quartadecima cum Iudaeis vt quidam rebantur sed Bed Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 4. in die quidem Dominica alia tamen quam decebat hebdomada celebrabant sciebant enim vt Christiani Resurrectionem Dominicam quae prima Sabbati facta est prima Sabbat semper esse celebrandam sed vt Barbari rustici quaÌ„do eadem prima Sabbati Wilfr apud Bed l. 3. cap. 24. ea quae nunc Dominica dies â—ognominatur veniret minime didicerant And yet as S. Wilfrid witnesseth this Error was not heare generall but onely with some of them and not all his non totis And singular against all the world euen those parts of Asia from which our Protestants would bring it hither contra totum orbem stulto labore pugnant THE XIV CHAPTER OF THE FINDING THE HOLY CROSSE AND SEpulchre of Christ by S. Helen our Brittish Queene and Empresse and the greate honour done to them and other holy Reliks of Christs Passion 1. WHEN these holy and Religious workes and duties were thus in Action and performance by our Renowned King and Emperour Constantine his sacred and blessed Mother S. Helen our Queene and Empresse was noe lesse carefull and diligent in aduancing the honour of Christ And hauing as I remembred before forsaken and left her natiue Country of Britaine to visit Rome and exercise her greate Acts of pietie and deuotion there and those parts could not containe and confine the effects and labours of her zeale and charitie within those allthough so large and ample limits But knowing what blessings and happines were growne to the world by the Passion and death of Christ in Hierusalem vpon his holy Crosse hitherto by all meanes either Iewes or gentiles could procure obscured and suppressed could not end her painefull and pious pilgrimage vntill she had visited the parts where Christ had laboured and suffered so much for mans Redemption and as the Prophet had written and in an excellent manner aboue others was performed by her to worship Christ in the places theÌ„selues where his sacred feete Is c. 60. had stood on earth adorabimus in loco vbi steterunt pedes eius Which Eusebius and others after a singular manner in deuotion doe apply vnto her postquam Euseb l. 3. de Vit. Constant c. 41. locis in quibus Seruatoris erant impressa vestigia debitam venerationem adhibuerat idque conuenienter prophetico Sermoni dicenti adorabimus in loco vbi steterunt pedes eius she began by all meanes and industrie she could to finde out his holy Crosse to redeeme it from reproach and obscuritie and present it to publike honour and due luster of glory 2. The difficultie of this busines was greate for besides her tedious Iorney and Trauaile thither and diligent enquiry to finde out the place where the holy Crosse remayned by all meanes the Infidels could make concealed from the knowledge of Christians For as Socrates with others testifieth of the holy Sepulchre and the Crosse of Christ therein hidden or neare to it as they which embraced the faith of Christ did after his Passion worship his Sepulchre with greate honour So they which were enemies to his Religion did couer the place with a greate heape of earth and the more to suppresse the memory thereof did there erect a Temple to Venus her Idolatrous Statua Quemadmodum illi qui Christi fidem amplexarentur post tempus illius Passions illud Monumentum in magno honore habuerunt sic qui ab eius Religione abhorrereÌ„t loco illo aggere ingenti terrae mole obruto delubrum Venerâ—â— in eo Socrat. Hist Ecc. l. 2. c. 13. Theod. Eccl. Hist l. 1. c. 18. Sozom.
Oecumenius in verba illa Dado operam c. 2. Petr. 1. v. 15. to remember this Nation not onely during his life but after when he should be in Heauen as I haue shewed by diuers examples from auncient and credible Authours before shall remember more hereafter And in the next verse he proueth that he principally heare remembred Britaine and those Nations to which he had parsonally preached for he saith We haue not followed 2. Petr. 1. v. 16. cunningly deuised fables when we made knowne vnto you the power and coming â—f our Lord Iesus Christ but were eye witnesses of his Maiestie Where he plaineâ—y speaketh of such people and Nations to whome he had made knowne the power of our Lord Iesus Christ by his preaching such as Britaine was 3. And when being to leaue this world and his cheif Pastorall chardge which might not die with him to his successor we must further acknowledge how mindefull he was of this kingdome with others in that designement whether he constituted S. Linus or S. Clement to be his next Successor for the first as I haue shewed before was familiarly knowne to our Christian Britans and lyued most with them in Rome and the other S. Clement was not onely in the same estate but was parsonally heare with S. Peter in this Nation Neyther were our Christian Britans then vnmindfull or vngratefull for so many fauours of S. Peter vnto this Country but euer continued most dutifull and faithfull vnto him without any discontinuance of those obsequies vnto him for as I haue probably shewed they were the first that entertayned him in Rome and after so I cannot without preiudice and iniury The greate honor loue of our first Christian Britans to S. Peter and how probably diuers of them honorably buried him vnto this kingdome thinke but they were cheifely Christian Britans that performed the last and funerall duties to that holy Apostle among whom likely was S. Marcellus Disciple of S. Peter by birth a noble Britan of whom I will speake more hereafter for we reade in many that one of S. Peters Disciples so named did honorably bury that glorious Apostle martyred by the cruell Tirant Nero. Marcellus quidam Discipulus S. Petri accepit Corpus Apostoli Bed Hom. de S. Petro Paulo Tom. 7. oper Guliel Eisengr centur 2. part 6. Dâ—st 1. S. Anton. Vinc. Petr. de Nat. apud Magdebur cent 1. l. 2. c. 12. 650. 2. Tim. 4. lauit illud tali vnguento quod nunquam posset putrescere postea misit illud in monumento Yet I finde that there was an other Marcellus in this time a Roman borne Marci vrbis Romae Praefecti filius that sometime followed Simon Magus and was conuerted to the faith of Christ by S. Peter and wrote among other works the Acts of S. Peter and S. Paul But this man being thought to be martyred by Nero cannot so well be adiudged to haue bene the buryer of S. Peter seeing S. Peters Martyrdome was one of Nero his last Actions And we may not doubt but our Britans that first receaued S. Peter in their house at Rome and were euer afterward most faithfull and true vnto him both at libertie and in prison as we are taught by their loue to S. Paul in like case testified by himselfe and brought vp their children in such sorte that among other Acts of Christian pietie we finde as in S. Praxedes that they Vita S. Praxed in Breuiar die 21. Col. Iulij buried the bodies of the holy martyrs Imperatore Christianos persequente eos facultatibus opera consolatione omni charitatis officio prosequebatur Nam alios domi occultabat alios ad fidei constantiam hortabatur aliorum corpora sepeliebat ijs qui in carcere inclusi erant qui in ergastulis exercebantur nulla re deerat Therefore much more we may iudge that the holy parents their Christian Brittish family and friends who from the first coming of S. Peter to Rome had ministred in such duties vnto him were not wanting to performe this last and Antiquit. Glast Capgr Cat. in S. Ioseph Hard. in chron Stow hist Cornelius Tacit. in Vita Agricolae farewell obsequie to that greatest Apostle both in respect their greate loue and effection to S. Peter be sufficient Testimonialls thereof and aboue all others they might more freely performe it then many others For the Romans did not intermeddle then with the Britans in matters of Religion but left such affaires to their owne Gouernment and Brittish Gouernours as we see in their Kings then Aruiragus Marius Coillus and Lucius all friends and fauourers That neither S. PudeÌ„s S. Claudia any of their family or any Britan was then punishable by the Romans for Religion of Christians before Lucius was conuerted to the faith openly to professe it and none of them ioyned with the Pagan Romans in their Religion which we cannot affirme so freely of France where Claudius had forbidden the vse of their old Religion which in Britaine neyther he nor any other Emperour had done but the Christian Britans did both at home and els where vnder the Romans quietly enioy the free vse of the Religion of Christ vntill the Persecution of Dioclesian 4. If any man obiect that S. Pudens husband to S. Claudia was a Roman and so subiect to their Lawes in Religion I answeare first that it is euident before that the Father of S. Claudia a Christian and cheife commander in that family was yet lyuing and long time after Secondly I answeare that S. Pudens himselfe was but a Municeps and no Romane partaker thereby of the Roman priuiledges and immunities but not subiect to their penalties especially in things concerning Religion as is testified by Aulus Gellius and others their owne writers Municipes sunt ciues Romani ex municipijs suis suo Aul. Gellius Noct. attic l. 16. c. 13. Io. Selden Analect p. 39. Cicero l. 2. de legibus Iure legibus suis vtentes muneris tantum cum Populo Romano honorarij participes a quo munere capessendo appellati videntur nullis alijs necessitatibus neque vlla populi Romani lege astricti Marcus Tullius Cicero hath the like euen in matters of Religion and diuers others Therefore a Protestant Antiquarie boldly concludeth that by the Roman Lawes the Municipes such as S. Pudens was might be of what Religion they would without controlement Tanta municipiorum videtur fuisse libertas vt maiorum ac auitis sibique proprijs sacris vti minime prohiberentur Selden supr THE XXXIV CHAPTER ENTREATING OF THE TIME OF POPE Linus Vespasian Emperor and Marius King of Britaine and of our Christians in those dayes both at Rome in Britaine and other places 1. THE cheife Gouernour of the Church of Christ S. Peter hauing now happily by holy Martyrdome ended his labours in this world and obtained his Crowne and reward in heaueÌ„ as an other succeeded him in that
high Pastorall chardge After the death of Nero others enioy the Empire a very shorte time in spirituall things so also at or soone after that time the supreame Gouernors in temporall affaires both in the Roman Empire and this kingdome of Britaine were changed Nero the Emperor the same yeare he Euseb in Chron. Matt. Westm in Galba Otho Vitell. Marrian Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. Martin Polon in Supput Flor. Wigorn. alâ—j Martyred the holy Apostles murthered himselfe and Galba was Emperor though a short time of sixe monethes or litle more and Otho who stewe Galba was an Emperor allthough of a lesse continuance for being in the fourth battaile he fought with Vitellius conquered by him hauing had victory in the three former impatient of dishonor killed himselfe bearing the name of Emperor but three monethes And Vitellius which triumphed ouer him enioyed as short an Imperiall life onely eight monethes long as his death for his cruell wickednes was dishonorable stabbed to death cast into the Riuer of Tyber and wanting buriall Cum Vitellius multa crudeliter ac nequiter Romae ageret minutissimorum ictuum punctionibus est excarnificatus ad Vespasian Emperour vltimum in Tyberim mersus communi caruit Sepultura After these Vespasian was Marius King in Britaine no Persecutor of ChristiaÌ„s but a freind and Benefactor to theÌ„ inuested in the Empire enioying it allmost eleuen yeares 2. In Britaine Marius commonly esteemed the sonne of Aruiragus and Genuissa the reputed daughter of Claudius was King and both these so farre from being enemies and Persecutors of Christians that King Marius is by diuers as I haue shewed before reported to be a Christian and by all opinions both a friend and Benefactor vnto them confirming vnto the Christian Eremites of Aualon S. Ioseph and his Associates those Donations liberties and Immunities which his Father King Aruiragus had formerly granted Iohn Harding Cronicle c. 47. vnto them And the Emperor Vespasian whas so friendly and fauourable to holy Christians that when he was in Britaine before he was Emperour as Vespasian Emperour also a freind to Christians and thought to haue beleeued in Christ Harding from more auncient Authours hath testified he procured those Immunities and Exemptions for S. Ioseph and his company which King Aruiragus endowed them with And I doe not doubt but he was so farre a Christian in iudgment that I may recompt him in the number of those first Emperours of whome Tertullian thus writeth The Emperours themselues would haue Tertullian Apol. contr gent. c. 21. beleeued in Christ if the Emperours had not bene necessarie to the world or men that where Christians might haue bene Emperours Sed Caesares credidissent super Christo si aut Caesares non essent saeculo necessarij aut si Christiani potuissent esse Caesares For we finde in auÌ„cient Histories Manuscripts and others written diuers Manusc French hist pr. Or que nous sommes hundred yeares since that this Vespasian being Miraculousely cured of a naturally irrecouerable desease by the power of Christ did plainely acknowledge him to be the sonne of God fuist le filz de Dieu And promised therevpon to reuendge his death vpon the Iewes Which he performed when he sacked Hierusalem and so slaued that people For executing which Iustice of God and desolation of the Iewish Nation this kingdome of Britaine though so farre distant thence was present there as both Haebrew English writers euen Protestant Ministers are witnesses with 20000. souldiers I 20000. Britans serued under Vespasian at the sacking of Hierusalem by VespasiaÌ„ and Titus reade saith a learned Protestant Antiquarie and Minister in Ioseph Bengorion a very authenticall Haebrew Authour a Testimony of the passing of twentie thowsand Britans valiant souldiers to the seige and fearefull sacking of Hierusalem vnder the conduct of Vespasian and Titus the Roman Emperour Therefore so many thowsands going so greate a Iorney to fight vnder so Christanly a minded Generall and for the Quarrell of Christ we cannot thinke but many of these were Ioseph Bengor apud Rich. Hakluit praef l. Nauigat Angl. also in iudgment Act or both Christians 3. And so we may worthely register Britaine for one of the first beleeuing Nations though so farre distant from the place of the life death and first preaching Credible that many of these Britans were Chsistians of Christ and boldly say it was the first cheifest principall or onely kingdome that sent so greate forces and so farre of through so many difficulties to execute the iust Reuendge of God vpon his Enemyes And the Christian either publike profession or knowne disposition of many Brittish Souldiars there mixed with the Romans vnder Vespasian must needs be a Motiue to iustifie his words for true to force Iosephus to those forcible complaints to the Iewes at that time that they could not expect any help froÌ„ God for as Oratio Iosephi ad Iudaeos Egesippus l. 5. excid Hierosolymitani cap. 15. they had forsaken him so he also had forsaken them And he that was wont to defend them was gone to the Romans their Enemyes who then worshiped the true God whome the Iewes had offended and the true God was with the Romans an praesidium speratur diuinum atque auxilium de penetralibus Sed qui nos defendebat ad hostem migrauit quoniam quem nos colebamus Romani venerantur nos offendimus Quis autem ignorat cum illis esse deum So that whether soeuer we goe where BritaÌ„s Iosephus Egesipp supr were in that time either in Iury about HierusaleÌ„ where the faith of Christ was first preached or Rome in Italy where the cheife Vicar of Christ was seated The cheife Rulers in Britaine friends to Christians in this time or in Britaine then termed by Iosephus and Egesippus an other world Quid attexam Britannias interfuso Mari a toto orbe diuisas a Romanis in orbem terrarum redactas We finde there were many Christians among them And their cheife Rulers euen in temporall affaires not vnchristinaly minded as Vespasian in Iury King Marius in Britaine at Rome Coillus his sonne afterward King heare brought vp at Rome euen from his Infancy hic ab Infantia Romae nutritus a greate friend to Christians both there and in Britaine when Matth. Westm an 78. Galfrid Monum li. 4. ca. 18. PoÌ„tic Virun Hist Brit. l. 4. Stow Hist in Coillus he came to Rule 4. And to come to the spirituall cheife Gouernour of the Church of Christ in the See at Rome in this time to defere the Question whether S. Linus or S. Clement immediately succeeded to S. Peter vntill I come to S. Clements place by common computation and heare to followe that opinion which the Church of Christ seemeth to preferre that S. Linus was S. Peters next successour in the Papall Gouernment Linus Pontifex primus post Petrum Breuiar Rom. die