was so farre a Roman as by all Antiquities by his mother and education he truely was they stile him Marius a Roman Marius nobilis Romanus And he was so farre from hauing any true Title to the Crowne by being the Bastard sonne of Aruiragus that he was declared king by the Emperors Authoritie Caesaris Authoritate Britonum Rex appellatus and to take all controuersie away was forced to marry his owne Sister by Father the eldest dughter of Aruiragus and his lawfull wife Queen Voada Harum natu maiorem vt iam inde Insulae status pacatior foret Matrimonio sibi copulauit Which all mē knowe no Christian could doe And yet this was after the greate victory of Marius against the Scots and Picts with their Captaine Roderike which was as Matthew Westminster Matth. Westm an D. 75. Bal. cēt 1. in Ioseph Ara. and others write not aboue a yeare before the death of S. Ioseph that chancing in the 75. and this in the 76. yeare of Christ In which Battaile the two Daughters of Queene Voada their Brother as it seemeth being dead were taken Prisoners and the eldest the next Heire of Britaine after the matters pacified which was not in any probabilitie before S. Iosephs death was as I haue said before marryed to Marius her Bastard Brother Which marriadge if I may so terme it was still continued by them was begotten in it Coillus after King and Father to our first Christian King S. Lucius 7. So that if we speake properly and strictly of Christians and name them onely such which actually and really both in faith and profession doe hold onely the Christian Religion and no other it is euident that none of these three Kings of Britaine Aruiragus Marius or Coillus was a Christian much lesse conuerted or baptised by S. Ioseph But if we speake of Christiantie In what sense these Kings may largely be termed Christians in a more ample and extēded sense as Tertullian and some other auncients haue done of Tyberius Caius and some other Emperours not actually Christians but so affected especially in some points and as he doth of Pilate Tertullian Apol. aduersus gentes Matth. c. 27. v. 24 which washed his hands and said he was innocent of the putting of Christ to death Innocens sum a sanguine huius I am Innocent of the blood of this iust parson that he was in consciens a Christian pro sua conscientia Christianus we may speake the like of these Kings And goeso farre with Hardings Authour as to say with him Ioseph conuerted this King Aruiragus By his preaching to knowe the lawe diuine For it is not vnprobable but he was perswaded the Lawe and Religion which S. Ioseph professed was true But whereas Harding addeth And baptised him as written hath Nennius The Chronicler in Britaine tongue full fine Except we take baptising in a very lardge and Poeticall amplifying construction and say Harding a Poet did thereby vnderstand the true knowledge of Baptisme and not the receauing thereof neither Nennius nor any approued Authour doth or can proue any such thing By this also we are sufficiently assured that neither S. Ioseph of Aramathia nor any of his company though otherwise most holy and renowned Saints and excellently deseruing of this Natiō none of them conuerting either the King Nobles or people of Britaine as so many worthie Authours and Antiquities haue told vs may be named the Apostle which conuerted this kingdome to the faith of Christ or first founded Christian Religion heare THE XXVIII CHAPTER IN WHAT REVEREND SENSE S. IOSEPH of Aramathia is termed Apostle by some holy Fathers the renowned sanctity of him and his companions together with some particular points of their holy Religion now denyed by some but euen from their time to this Miraculously approued 1. BVT allthouh S. Ioseph was not in the common sense an Apostle properly vnto this Nation yet we may not depriue him of his due honours among which one as S. Hilary writeth was to enioy the name of an Apostle in an other yet most honorable construction and meaning after the S. Ioseph how named an Apostle same manner as he also calleth S. Ioseph husband to the blessed virgin an Apostle because as the Apostles did beare Christ about into the world by their preaching so these more really and personally carried him in their armes The one in his Infancy into Egipt this other to his sacred sepulchre Ioseph enim Apostolorum habet speciem quibus Christus circumferendus est creditus Hilar. comment in Matth. can 33. idcirco quanquam in duodecim Apostolorum numero non fuerit Discipulus Domini nuncupatur The other Apostles and bearers of Christ were diuers but this Apostolike or Christ-bearing dignitie to take the blessed body of our Sauiour from the holy Crosse so solemnely to carry it vnto bury it in the sacred sepulchre was a peculiar honour and prerogatiue to this S. Ioseph and registred by all the foure Euangelists for this his most heroicall Act of Christian Matth. c. 27. v. 57 58. 59. 60. Marc. c. 15. v. 43. Luc. c. 23. v. 50. Ioa. c. 19. v. 38. 39. 4. charitie and magnamitie with greatest honour and not without iust desert seeing at that time when all the properly named Apostles as Christ had foretold them were offended because of him as our Protestants tanslate forsooke him and fled this most holy and valiant Apostle Saint and Souldiar of Christ went boldly vnto the President that had condemned him asked obtained Matth. c. 26. v. 31. 65. and buried his sacred body with so greate pompe and honour as the Euangelists haue remembred For which his greate and singular faith and beleife in Christ and loue of him the malice of the Iewes was so vehemently incensed against him as the Antiquities of Glastenbury Vincentius Drogo Episcopus Antiq. Glast apud Capgr in S. Ioseph Drogo Ep. Hostien hist de morte Resurrect Saluat Greg. Turon l. 1. hist Franc. §. 22. p. 18. Vincent specul hist l. 5. c. 56. 57. 58. Euang. ascript Nicod Acta Pilati apud Greg. Tur. supr al. Hostiensis Gregorius Turonensis the Ghospel ascribed to Nicodemus who assisted him in that holy action the publike Acts of Pilate founde and examined by Theodosius the Emperor and other Authours and Monuments beare testimonie that they presently incloased him a close Prisoner in an obcure Cell watched him by the high Preists themselues hating him more then they hated Christ himselfe 2. Yet he was miraculously deliuered from thence to the greate amazement and confusion of his Persecutors and hauing solemnized the Assumptiō of the blessed Virgin Mary with the Apostles renowncing all his worldly wealth and terreene honour his freinds Coūtry Ritches aduentured so long tedious and dangerous a Iorney after S. Peter into this parte of the worlde to liue and die in contemplation of the Mysteries of his Masters Religion in a corner of an
which by their weake grownds and feeble Authorities haue so much as in them lieth made S. Pauls preaching in Britaine to be neither credible nor probable both which I haue thus disproued and proued it be both possible credible and probable that he was and preached in this kingdome THE XXXI CHAPTER CONCERNING THE TIME OF S. PAVLS coming into and preaching in Britaine That it could not be vntill the later end of the Empire of Nero a litle before the Martyrdome of S. Paule and was heare but a very short time 1. CONCERNING the time of S. Pauls supposed coming hither being but a circumstance of a doubtfull obiect and matter it selfe it must needs be more doubtfull and vncertaine the Authours of the English Martirologe and the Three Conuersions of Britaine asscribe his coming to the fourth yeare of Nero Engl. Martyrol die 25. Ianuar. The first saith According to diuers auncient writers in the fourth yeare of Nero the Emperor his Reigne the Ieweâ—â—eing by his Edict banished Rome he S. Paul The error of them which thinke S. Paul came into Britaine in the 4. yeare of Nero confuted parsonally came into Britaine and there preached the faith of Christ The other writeth in this order Arnoldus Mirmannius in his Theater of the Conuersion of all Nations affirmeth S. Paul to haue past to Britaine in the 4. yeare of Nero. Anno Domini 59. and there to haue preached Diuers Protestants seeme to incline to the same opinion and for the same respects But as I haue proued before this could not be and the first Authour contradicteth himselfe both in the time and his Authour of 3. Conu of Brit. p. 22. Engl. Martyr Iune 29. Authours for in an other place vsing the same Authorities of Theodoret Sophronius Venantius Fortunatus MirmaÌ„nius as in the former not any one of them speaking any such thing he saith It is recorded by diuers auncient writers that about the yeare of Christ threescore and seuen S. Paule came parsonally into our Iland of greate Britaine and there preached the Christian faith And the Authour of the booke of the Three Conuersions is as much deceaued if he thinketh Arnoldus Mirmannius did teach that S. Paul came hither in the fourth yeare Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Godwin Conuers p. 7. of Nero as our Theater Protestant writers doe cite him for Mirinannius speaketh of no yeare at all of S. Paule his coming hither But making S. Paule to begin his trauailes after his Imprisonment by Nero in the fourth yeare of his reigne caryeth him presently into Syria Pamphilia Licaonia Phaenice Mysia Phrigia Galatia Bithinia Achaia Macedonia the rest of Greece and Asia and after Arnold Mirm. Theatro conu gent. all this affirmeth he came into the west Spaine France and Britaine Quarto Neronis anno postremum iter ingressus peragrauit tertium aut quartum Syriam Pamphiliam Lycaoniam Phaenicen Mysiam Phrygiam Galatiam Bythiniam Achaiam Macâ—doniam reliquamque Graeciam pariter Asiam Illericum vsque Christianae Religionis prorogans pomaeria Demum ad Occidentis Europae Climata importare Euangelium studens Hispaniam primum hinc Galliam inde Britanniam petens Where he maketh his coming into these parts one of his last labours and his last of all except his returne to Rome to suffer Martyrdome in the later time of Nero. And he is no lesse deceaued which saith About the later end of Guiderius Reigne or not longe after Claudius returne to Rome it seemeth both by testimonie of auncient writers and by the course of S. Pauls peregination that he came into this land of Britaine and heare preached the Ghospell For it is euident Harris hist M. S. l. 1. c. 15. by diuers places of holy Scripture that it was both loÌ„ge after the returne Rom. 15. Act. ca. 26. c. 27. 28. c. 25. Matth. Westm ad an 44. alij Stowe Howes hist in Claudius Cat. Prot. ReguÌ„ Brit. of Claudius the Emperor vnto Rome being about the 44. or 45. yeare of Christ and after his death also 8. or 9. yeares after this and after Nero had reigned some time before S. Paule came to Rome itselfe or any part of Europe or the West And this Author naming in generall auncient writers for his assertioÌ„ mistaketh them in this thing for none doth or can whether auncient or late writer contrary to Antiquitie and the holy Scripture so affirme The cheife testimonye he bringeth is from Theodoret affirming that S. Paul came into Italy and into Spaine and profited the Ilands that lye in the Sea in Italiam Theod. in Ps 116. venit in Hispaniam peruenit Insulis quae in Mariiacent vtilitatem attulit But I haue shewed before that Theodoret interpreteth himselfe of Ilands in the Adriaticall See and nameth them in the plurall number And it rather maketh against then for that opinion if by impossibilitie he could be vndestood of our Britaine for he setteth downe S. Pauls visiting those Ilands after his being both at Rome and Spaine 20. yeares at the least after the Returne of Claudius to Rome froÌ„ Britaine He alledgeth Petrus de Natalibus to as litle purpose writing as he saith that S. Paul conuerted one Lucius in Britaine and his Disciple S. Tymothie baptized him what this Lucius and Tymothie Petrus de Natal l. 1. c. 24. were I will entreate hereafter but certaine it is that S. Timothie Bishop of Ephesus continued at his chardge and came not hither and if we should suppose the contrary contrary to all Antiquitie yet coming hither with S. Paul and S. Paul not coming vnto any westerne part of many yeares after as I haue made demonstration before this disproueth and proueth not his purpose speaking of no time at all And this Authour contradicteth himselfe in this Relation for he expressely writeth in these words S. Paule after his second Imprisonment at Rome came into Britaine Which was many yeares as I haue Harris supr l. 1. allready proued after the death of King Guiderius and Claudius his returne to Rome and very long after this our Britaine had receaued the faith of Christ from S. Peter and his Disciples 2. And to manifest vnto vs that S. Paule did not come into Britaine vntill he had performed his promise of going into Spaine after his dismission from his imprisonment at Rome and his long trauaile into the East Countries againe we haue both Antiquitie and Scripture for sufficient warrant to be firmely of that minde For all those Authours which I haue cited before for S. Paules preaching in these parts especially in Spaine as the Martyrologes of the Romans Vsvardes S. Bede and Ado Petrus Cluniacensis Trithemius Antonius Democharez Eisengrenius Mirmannius Genebrard Matthew of Westminster with others as diuers Protestants namely the Magdeburgians Francis Bargoing their English Protestant Bishop Godwin their Publishers and Comments vpon Matthew Westminster with many others agree that after Matth. Westm an
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
the Roman See Apostolike And therefore the finall determination of our King his Nobles and most Religious and wisest Aduisers in this Noble worke was to petition to the Pope of Rome by letters and Ambassadors from hence that he would accordingly as his high Pastorall charge and office called vpon him in such affaires to take this greate Action in hand and effect it by such men and meanes as should be thought most fit and approued vnto him Whether this Resolution and Ambassadge of King Lucius was made and directed first at this time in the Papacie of S. Eleutherius or toward the later end of Pope Soter I dare not to determine because we reade in the best and most allowed Relation of this Ambassadge that it was now acted in the very beginning of the Popedome of Eleutherius and then both King Lucius letters and Ambassadors were come to Pope Eleutherius at Rome with this suite Huic Eleutherio initio Pontificatus supplices literae venerunt à Act. Eleutherij Papae in Breuiar Rom. die 26. Maij. Anton. Sabellicus l. 5. Ennead 7. Platina in Eleutherio Lucio Britannorum Rege vt se ac suos in Christianorum numerum reciperet Which giueth Argument that if such letters and Ambassadors were not sent in the life of Pope Soter and hindered of execution by his vnexpected Martyrdome yet at the least the Resolution heareof was made in his time otherwise those Ambassadors and letters could not haue bene transported so farre and so soone if we should expect resolution to his dayes as to be there in the beginning of his Papacie The largnes of this kingdome the diuersitie and manifold number of parsons euen of cheife accompt both in spirituall and ciuill respect commorant in distinct and much seperated places whose consent was requisite and many of them thir Iudgments not presently conuicted Stow Hist in Lucius Matt. Park Ant. Brit. p. 4. Io. Gosceln Eccles Hist Io. Balaeus l. de Script cent 1. in Lucio Pio. Act. S. Soteris in Breu. Rom. 22. April Baron Tom. 2. an 179. in Sotere Eleuther Seuer Bin. notat in to 1. Concil in Vita Soteris Eleut Anton. Sabellic l. 5. Ennead 7. Goscelin Bal. supr for such a messadge and other difficulties drawe me deeper into this opinion that this Ambassadge was attempted or concluded in Pope Soters time For as our learned Protestant Antiquaries write haec contigerunt anno à Christi aduentu in carne 179. vt veriores Annales commemorant according to the truest accompt in Histories this Ambassadge was in the 179. yeare of Christ in which yeare by the common accompt S. Soter was put to death on the 22. day of Aprill and the See Apostolike was voide before S. Eleutherius his Election 10. dayes So the remnant of this yeare from the second day of May is farre too short a time to assigne for the managing of so many and important affaires especially if we add the sending hither againe from Rome by Pope Eleutherius Damianus and Fugatianus which was also done in this yeare as these men affirme and much more if Eluanus and Meduuinus which were but Catechumens and not Baptized when they were sent from hence to Rome were so perfectly instructed examined and ordinarily as the course of the Roman Church was at that time proceeded in taking Ecclesiasticall Orders Eluanus returning a Bishop and Meduuinus a cheife Preacher and Preist these things requiring a longer time then is allotted before to be done in the Papacie of Eleutherius if they returned hither this yeare with S. Fugatius and Damianus as our Antiquaries incline to deliuer I must needs also incline to hold this Ambassadge was begun in S. Soter his time and by his death hindered Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Lucio Matth. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 5. Stowe Hist in Lucius Io. Gosc Hist Eccl. from execution vntill this beginning of S. Eleutherius Ruling in the Church of Christ 4. But how soeuer this Ambassadge may be questioned when it was taken in hand in the time of Pope Soter or not before the entrance of S. Eleutherius into that chardge it is a confessed truth and out of Controuersie among all Historians Catholiks or Protestants both that this Ambassadge about the publike Conuersion of Britaine was from King Lucius King in Britaine to the Pope of Rome as also that at this time all Countries betweene this kingdome and Rome as France Lorrayne Germany and Italy had many renowned learned Bishops and Preists neyther was Britaine destitute of such as I haue proued before And this was well knowne to King Lucius as our Protestant Antiquaries thus assuer vs hereof Cumque cognouisset Lucius Matth. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 4. quamplures nobiles Romanos fidem Christi à Romano Pontifice accepisse eorumque exemplo Christianum nomen in singulas Prouincias sparsum disseminatum statuit All Nations in the west part of the world as well as Britaine by all antiquaries receaued the Christian faith from Rome in eadem fide sub Eleutherio tunc Romano Pontifice inaugurari When King Lucius knew that very many noble Romans had receaued the faith of Christ from the Pope of Rome and by their example the Christian name was dispersed and sowen into all Prouinces he appointed to be inaugured in the same faith by Eleutberius then Pope of Rome Where we see it iustified by the first Protestant Archbishop that euer was whome the rest of our English Protestants doe willingly followe that not onely the Nobles of the Romans had receaued the faith of Christ from the Pope of Rome but all Prouinces had followed their example therein Whereby it is euident both that there were many learned Bishops and Clergie men betweene this and Rome of whome King Lucius with farre lesse labour and difficulties might haue receaued the faith of Christ then from the Pope of Rome had not the Preeminency of that Apostolike See in such cases called vpon him to appeale thither for the generall and Iuridicall setling of himselfe and kingdome in the Christian faith And by this narration itselfe without further Authoritie in this place it is manifest that if King Lucius had not vsed the Roman Popes power and direction herein he had bene singular hauing no example to warrant him but the example of all Prouinces singulas Prouincias in this part of the world receauing the faith from the Pope of Rome to condemne him euen in the Iudgment of Protestants themselues if he had otherwise proceeded in this busines 5. Therefore I can but maruayle what a Protestant Bishop meaneth first to extoll with greate praise our King Lucius for this Action and after asmuch condemne him in the same respect He commendeth him in this manner great cause haue we with all thankfullnes to celebrate the memory of this excellent Godwin conu of Brit. p. 35. Prince by whome God did not onely blesse this Land with the knowledge of his
King of the Britans there were in Britaine three Archbishops Sees To witt at London Yorke and Caer-hursc the Citie of Legions in Glamorgan shire to whom there were subiect 28. Bishops then called Flamens that is to the Metropolitan of London were subiect Cornewall and all Loegria to the Riuer Humber To him of Yorke all Northumberland from Humber with all Albania To the Citie of Legions was subiect all Cambria then adorned with seuen Bishops now with fower Suffragans Sedes Archiepiscoporum in Britannia tres fuerunt tempore Lucij Regis Britannorum primi Christiani videlicet apud London apud Eboracum apud Caer-hursc vrbem Legionum in Glamorgancia Quibus tunc subiecti fuerunt 28. Episcopi Flamines tunc vocati Videlicet Londoniensi Metropolitano Cornubia tota Loegria vsque ad flumen Humbrum Eboracensi verò tota terra Northimbrina ab arcu Humbri fluminis cum tota Albania Vrbi Legionum subiacuit tota Cambria 7. tunc Episcopis nunc verò 4. Suffraganeis insignita Quam flumen Sabrinae tunc secernebat à Loegria I haue perused an old French Manuscript Historie whose manner of writing and Characters may well giue it a greater Age then any copy of Galfridus Translation though it be continued vntill within 400. yeares perhaps by some other but whether so or otherwise this differeth in very many things euen in this Historie from that Translation of the Brittish History whether we will follow that which our Protestants haue published or that which Ponticus Virunnius did epitimate and so he cannot ground what he deliuereth vppon Galfridus First they differ in the number of the Flamens Galfride and Ponticus number 28. in Britaine besides the Archflamens this History saith there were but 27. they say that King Lucius was buried at Glocester dying by Galfridus in the yeare 156. and by Virunnius an 159. the French History deliuereth he died in the yeare 196. So long after and though he died at Glocester yet he was buried at Caerlegion Galfride calleth this Citie Kaer-ose and Virunnius Caer-usc whereas the French Authour nameth it the Citie of Legions which iâ— vppon the Ryuer of Vsks not as others terme it And he nameth Yorke Euerwicks as the Saxons did and not as Geffry Ponticus and the Britans did of Ebranke Therefore this auncient Authour whether before or after Galfridus cannot be saide to take his directions from that Translation Manusc French Hâ—st very old pr. or que nous sommes c. 9. an 18â— with which he crosseth so often both in these and other matters Yet for this busines we haue now in hand he deliuereth it in these words At that time there were in Britaine now called England 27. Flamins and three Archflamins according to the manner of their Paganismâ— but the aforenamed Doctours Fagan and Damian cast them out and where were Flamyns they made Bishops and where there were Archflamyns they made Archbishops The Sees to these three Archflamins To what Archbishop what Bishops and Prouinces were subiect The Orchades Iles and Scotland subiect to the Archbishop of Yorkâ— M. S. Françoise supr an 180. Galfr. Monum Hist Brit. l. 5. c. 1. being in the three most Noble Cities of Britaine which were London Euerwicks and the Citie of Legions vppon the Ryuer vsks in the Country of Glamorgan in Wales not farre from Seuerne which is in a place delitious and passing in Ritches all other Cities To these three were subiect 27. Bishops To the Archbishop of Euerwicks were subiect Deira and Northumberland Scotland and Albania diuided by Dieceses beyond Humber which parteth them from Loegres which now is called England To the Archbishop of London were subiect Loegres and Cornwayle And he setteth downe with the truth and common opinion that these things were acted about the yeare of Christ 180. both in Pope Eleutherius and King Lucius time which the published Translation of Galfridus must needs mistake affirming King Lucius died in the yeare 156. when Eleutherius was not Pope while long after So this Authour must needs follow others and not Galfridus in this narration And the Manuscript History named Abbreuiatio Chronicorum in that copy which I follow beginning at Adam and ending in the yeare of Christ 1063. argueth the Authour farre more auncient then Geffry of Monmouth and placing this History of planting Religion heare by Faganus and Diuuanus Pope Eleutherius Legats betweene the yeare 170. and 180. writeth more truely of this matter then our published Galfridus Translation and could not imitate that herein Yet this Authour plainely testifieth that these two Legats finding heare in Britaine three Archflamens besides 28. Flamens one of them at London a second at Yorke and the third at Caerlegion constituted Archbishops in their places conformably limiting their Circuits and Iurisdictions Erant tunc in Britannia 28. Flamines tres Archiflamines vbi erant Flamines Episcopos vbi autem Archiflamines Archiepiscopos posuerunt Manuscr Hist Abbreuiatio Chronicorum inter ann 170. an 180. Io. Bal. l. de Scrip. Brit. cent 2. in Radulph de Rizeto Londonensi Archiepiscopo subiacuit Loegria Cornubia Eboracensi Deira Albania Vrbi autem Legionum Cambria 5. Vnto these I may ioyne Dicetus Deane of London or as a Protestant Bishop calleth him Radulphus de Rizeto who though he wrote a litle after Galfridus dying about the yeare of Christ 1200. yet he did not follow Galfridus Translation but assigneth this labour of the Popes Legats in placing Bishops and Archbishops for Flamens and Archflamens to the yeare of Christ 178. aboue twenty yeares after King Lucius death by Geffery his Translation Theater of great Britaine l. 6. Dicetus Deane of London a Manuscript in the Kings Library ad an 178. Yet by our Protestant writers of the Theater of greate Britaine in his Manuscript in the Kings Library at the yeare remembred 178. this matter is thus registrid There were in Britaine eight and twenty Flamyns and three Archflamins in stead of which so many Bishops and Archbishops were appointed vnder the Archbishop of London were the Prouinces of Loegria and Cornubia vnder Yorke Deira and Albania vnder vrbs Legionum Cambria And Harding differing aboue thirtie yeares in his computation from the Bishop of Asaph his Translation and so in no manner to be thought his follower in this matter yet thus he agreeth herein Harding Chron. f. 4â— c. 51. Of 3. Archflamens they made Archbishopricks One at London Troynouant that hight For all Logres with Lawes full autentikes To rule the Church and Christentee in right An other at Carlion a Towne of might For all Cambre at Ebranke the third From Trent North for Albany is kvde I haue cited Martinus Polonus Bergomensis Ptolomeus Lucensis Platina Hartmannus Schedel and diuers French Historians before all of them so farre differing from the Brittish Historie in their calculation and other circumstances that they caÌ„not be called followers thereof yet they all agree that the Flamens and Archflamens
Wigor 198. 220. Matth. Westm An. 205. 206. noble Parents constat Seuerum fuisse Maiorum claritudine nobilissimum yet not able to describe his Auncestrie doth sufficiently proue him a stranger to those Countryes and their Historians And to make further Manifestation herein allthough he was borne in Afrike about Tripolis so farre from Britaine yet he had Marryed a Brittish Lady as diuers of the same Authours and others testifie and had by her Bassianus his sonne after King of Britaine and Emperour also Some say her name was Martia and the first wife of Seuerus and Sister of Fulgentius the Britan that warred against and slew Seuerus at Yorke Fulgenius Matris Bassiani frater as the Brittish History reporteth And this Brittish Lady could not be Married to Seuerus after his comming into Britaine but longe before where he then liued in the East parts of the world For in Britaine he liued but a short time by our Protestants calculation in their Catalogue of the Kings of Britaine 4. yeares The Magdeburgian Protestants haue the like accompt following Eusebius Florentius Wigorniensis maketh his aboade heare but three yeares The Monke of Westminster scarcely alloweth him 2. yeares continuance heare The like haue others all agreeing he was old and feeble at his comming hither Yet Bassianus his sonne by our Dio in Caracalla Brittish Lady was so old at his death that he succeeded him both in this kingdome and the Empire who being Emperour but 6. or 7. yeares was as Dio and others write at his death goeing on his 29. yeare of Age aetatis annum agens vndetrigisimum Allmost 20. yeares olde when his Father first landed in Britaine 4. Therefore it is so farre from being a disproofe of Seuerus his discent from the Regall Race of our BritaÌ„s because he was borne in Afrike that liued so remote from hence with so many difficulties ioyning himselfe in Marriadge with a Lady of Briraine of so Noble a Family that her brother claimed to be King heare is a pregnaÌ„t ArgumeÌ„t that he also was of our Brittish kingly Race and so discended as our Antiquarie hath before described And in this respect being the fittest most likely maÌ„ by his true Title to the Crowne of Britaine with the vnion of the Roman Brittish forces to appease the Tumults heare Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Harding Chron. in Seuer c. 52. alij by this his vndoubted Right to the Crowne of Britaine he was so coÌ„fident to effect this designe that he brought but two Legions of Roman Souldiers to assist him For the more willing enterprise whereof Britaine the Natiue Country of his Empresse she still liuing and Bassianus their sonn 's vndeniable Title to be King heare after his Father called vpoÌ„ him to take this expeditioÌ„ in his owne parson otherwise most vnfitt for such a Iorney and attempt for as diuers write he was not onely olde but so lame and trobled with the Goute that for the most part he was carried in his bed-couche Senex iam morbo articulari Hector Boeth Scot. Hist l. 5. f. 87. laborans lectica plurimum vehebatur Thus it appeareth how probable it is that Seuerus was not onely discended of the Line of our Brittish Kings but was immediate true Heire to the Crowne of Britaine for being granted that he was right Heire to Androgeus the eldest sonne of King Lud there could be Galfrid Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 3. c. 20. l. 4. c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Matth. Westm aetat 5. ca. 25. 26. 27. 28. Hard. Chron. c. 41. 42. 43. 44. Holinsh. Hist of Engl. l. 3. c. 10. Stowe and Howes Hist in Lud. Cassibelan Theomantius Balaeus l. de Scri. Brit. centur 1. in Fulgenio none to claime it before him For it is the generall consent of our Historians Brittish or Saxons Catholiks or Protestants that King Lud left two sonnes behinde him younge at his death the forenamed Androgeus being the eldest vndoubted Heire of Britaine and Theomantius or Tenancius the secoÌ„d two Brothers Cassibelan which next ruled in respect of the Minoritie of his nephewes Androgeus the eldest going a way with Iulius Caesar and Nennius after CassibelaÌ„ by the departing hence of the eldest brother Androgeus Theomantius ruled After whome Aruiragus Marius Coillus and Lucius by whose death without Issue or Heire in Britaine the immediate true Right of this kingdome belonged to Seuerus And after Seuerus his death Bassianus his onely sonne by the Brittish Empresse his wife Sister to Fulgenius of the Regall blood of Britaine Fulgenius vir sanguine Regio clarus and so neare Titler to the Crowne that he with greate assistance aduaunced his claime vnto it being both by Father and Mother his Father Vncle taken away by death the next immediate Heire was both King of Britaine and Emperour by all Antiquities And by this we finde how vntrue or to no purpose the supposed Decree of the Roman Senate was to disable those to gouerne heare which discended of Brittish Parents THE VI. CHAPTER OF THE STATE OF CHRISTIANS ESPECIALLY in Britaine in the time of Seuerus vnder whome allthough in some parts there was greate persecution of Christians yet not heare in Britaine but the Christians were heare in quiet without affliction 1. NOW to speake somewhat of Seuerus his Alienation or affection from or to Christian Religion it is the common opinion and our owne Antiquaries be of the same that in diuers places of the Empire he was an enemy so farre vnto it that many terme him the fift Persecutor among the Emperours after Nero and many Christians in diuers Prouinces were Martyred in his Empire Post Neronem Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. an 283. Matth. Westm An. 195. Florâ—nt Wigor in Cron. An. 189. 211. Iudas Scrâ—ptor Eccle. teÌ„pore Seueri apud Euseb l. 6. c. 6. Baron To. 3. Annal. An-204 Spartianus in Seuero Euseb in Chron. l. 6. c. 2. Hier. l. de Scrip. Eccl. in Origene c. 54. Magd. coÌ„t 3 Dio. Hist Rom. l. 51. Acta S. Phil. Martyris apud Baron To. 2. An. 204. notaâ— in Martyr 13. Sept. Martyr Rom. 13. Septemb. Bâ—d Vâ—nard Ado. eod die Act. S. Philipp supr Cornel. Tacitus l. 17. Seuerus quintam Persecutionem in Christianos excitauit plurimique Sanctorum per diuersas Prouincias Martyrio coronantur And it is so certaine by all forreine Antiquities that there was such Persecution in his time that it was allmost a common opinion that the comming of Antichrist was at hand as an Ecclesiasticall Writer of that time hath left to Posteritie propterea quod persecutionis tumultus contra nos excitatus multorum mentes tam grauiter perturbaret Antichristi aduentum omnium ore atque sermone iactatum iam tum appropinquare arbitratus est Yet we doe not finde any expresse Edict or Prohibition of him vntill about the tenth yeare of his Empire When as
where all agree Restitutus was affirmeth that in the former Councell 11. yeares before Bishops were assembled out of all parts of the world Ad Arelatensem vrbem ex omnibus mundi partibus celebâ—atum Concil Arel 2. 1 can 18. Arelat Concil 1. can 7. fuisse ConciliuÌ„ In which we finde a Decree for all Nations that the Presidents of Countryes being Christians were to be at the direction of the Bishops in such places concerning Religion Which must needs besides that is said before giue vs sufficient Argument that in this yeare 314. Constantine was a professed Christian I haue somewhat out of Order of time ioyned this second Councell of Arles to the first in regard they were by the common opinion kept so neare together in one place vnder one Pope S. Syluerster one Emperour of our Country Constantine and our Archbishop with others of this kingdome was present in them such men as he neuer going alone without others of their Clergie to any Councell Bishops or Preists and in this time especiall care being taken by our renowned Emperour as I haue shewed before Epistol Const ad Chrest supr Concil Roman can 1. Histor Tripartit l. 3. c. 2. l. 2. cap. 3. from his owne publike order that they should at his charge and cost so be safely conueyed with their due Attendance to that place where these Councels were to be assembled and there also to be prouided for during the time of the Councells at his cost Quibus Augustus Constantinus vehicula annonas praestari praecepit THE VIII CHAPTER THE GENERALL ESTABLISHING ENDOWing and honoring of Christian Religion Bishops Preists other Clergymen chast and Religious parsons in all places of the Empire by Constantine 1. NEITHER did this renowned Emperour confine his loue and fauours towards Christian Religion vnto the Christians of his owne the west Empire but vnto all as God by an holy Angell before reuealed both Catholiks and Protestants so acknowleding that Christians in the whole world should be at peace and Idolatry was generally to Baptist Mantuan l. 2. de vita S. Blasij Io. Bal. l. 1. de Act. Pont. Roman in Sylu. 1. be ouerthrowne by this Noble Emperour Nunc bonus expulsis Romana in regna Tyrannis Adueniet Princeps sub quo pacabitur orbis Et finem accipiet veterum cultura Deorum This Noble Emperour and Instrument of God the more easily and peaceably to procure and setle this generall quiet and securitie of Christians Licinius being now Emperour in the East he married his half Sister Constantia daughter of his Father Constantius by Theodora vnto him she was by common opinion a Christian at this time by which meanes and at the least in respect of other fauours receaued from Constantyne Licinius professed himself a Friend to Christians and ioyned with Constantine in diuers Edicts Edicts of Constantine and Licinius Emperours for Christians quiet in all places Euseb Histor l. 9 cap. 9. l. 10. cap. 5. Zozomen Histo l. 1. cap. 7. Euseb sup l. 10. c. 5. l. 9. cap. 9. for their quietly enioying and professing their Religion restoring to them their Liberties lands goods Churches and other freedomes And that these their Priuiledges to Christians might come to the knowledge of all they caused them to be published in all places vt autem Constitutionis huius honestatis nostrae determinatio omnibus innotescere valeat haec scripta nostra passim proponi ad omnium cognitionem duci conueniet ne quenquam honestatis huius nostrae constitutio latere queat And as Eusebius witnesseth both Constantine and Licinus did send these their Lawes for the Immunities of ChristiaÌ„s euen to Maximinus the Tyrant in the East to be obserued by him Cum ipse Constantinus tum Licinius Imperator cum eo Deum bonorum omnium Authorem vtrique placantes vna sententia ac voluntate legem pro Christianis perfectissimam ac plenissimam constituunt ac ipsam legem Maximino qui adhuc Orienti dominabatur amicitiam erga ipsos praetexebat mittunt And he either for loue or feare caused it to be promulged and published by his Authoritie to all Presidents vnder him All this was done by Constantine the yeare next after his Victory against Baron Annal. An. 313. Spondan ibidem Marian. Scot. aetat 6. l. 2. an 309. Maxentius as Baronius and others write in the 313. of Christ but by Marianus setting downe the death of Maximinus in the yeare 309. it must needs be sooner if his accompt be true 2. But howsoeuer it is euident by Eusebius others that Maximinus soone after mouing warre against Licinius by instigation of his Idolatrous Preists being ouerthrowne brought to misery did put those his Seducers to death Euseb Histor l. 9 cap. 10. worshipped the God of Christians and published a most absolute Lawe for their libertie and freedome His Constitution is extant in Eusebius all this was effected and he miserably died in the 313. or 314. yeare of Christ by Baronius Baron Spond an 313. 314. and Spondanus largest reckoning And by the same Computators Licinius afterward violating his faith and falling to warre with Constantine and persecuting Christians being brought to distresse and desolation hanged himself in the yeare of Christ 318. Constantine must needs be acknowledged Baron Spond an 318. to haue bene the sole and onely commanding Emperour in the worlde before this time for Sozomen with others witnesseth that Licinius the last then bearing that name vtterly ouerthrowne both at Sea and land by the forces of Constantine first hopelesse of recouery fledd to Nicomedia and some time Sozom. Histor l. 1. cap. 7. after liued an obscure and base life at Thessalonica before he came to that desperate end Licinius pedestribus copijs naualibus amissis se Nicomediam recepit postea vitam priuatam Thessalonicae ad tempus degens ibi è medio sublatus est 3. Eusebius from the Testimony of Constantine himself writeth strange Miracles wrought by the Banner of this Emperour bearing the Crosse that Euseb lib. 2. Vit. Constant cap. 7. 8. 9. in what part soeuer of the Army it was seene the Enemyes fledd and rane away And if in any part of his Army the Souldiars began to faint presently The miraculous Banner of Constantine hauing the signe of the Crosse in it vpon the bringing of this holy Banner thither they recouered and obtained Victory whereas there were 50. men appointed to attend this Banner and in turns to beare it neuer any one of them in executing that office did miscary Among these onely one which bore it seeing the Warre to be greate and in his Iudgment dangerous deliuered this Ensigne to an other and departing from it was wounded and died but he which tooke the Banner from him had no hurt at all And when very many darts were cast at him they all missed his body and were Miraculously receaued in the slender
the Christian Cleargie there should be free from Tributs and Vectigals and all this was done as he setteth downe before the ouerthrowe Constantine gaue to Licinius or Licinius opposed against him Which Baronius affirmeth was in the 316. yeare of Christ And in the very next yeare 314. of Christ the same Authour Baron Annal. An. 314. Matth. Westm An. 321. Ado in Chronic. Baronius setteth downe the first Councell of Arles where as he from Ado and others writeth there were 600. Bishops assembled together with Claudius Vitus Eugenius and Cyriacus the Popes Legats and addeth further from Eusebius that Constantine himselfe was there present with the Bishop Sed ipsum Imperatorem Constantinum cuÌ„ Episcopis interfuisse Eusebius declarat Which presence and sitting of ConstaÌ„tine with the Bishops in Councell Euseb l. 1. de Vita Constant cap. 37. Eusebius plainely confesseth Tanquam communis Episcopus a Deo constitutus ministrorum Dei coegit Conâ—â—lium in media istorum frequentia ac congressu adesse vna considere non dedignatus in medio consessu quasi vnus e multis assedit And yet affirmeth that diuers other Councels were called and kept in Baron An. 315. this yeare as at Ancyra in Galacia Neocaesarea in Pontus and Laodicea in Phrigia In the next yeare 315. he affirmeth Constantine published a Decree in preuenting murthering of children like a good Christian Prince Constantinus Imperator dignam planè Christiano Principe edidit sanctionem And an other against the Iewes which persecuted such of their Profession as became Christians commanding therein all such Iewes with their partakers to be burned And subiected all Christians which should forsake their Religion and professe Iudaisme to the same punishment So we might proceede to the other yeares betweene this and the 324. yeare wherein Baronius would haue him to be baptized needles to be related in this place these being more then sufficient to proue he was baptized longe before that time Which Ensebius doth giue plaine testimony vnto euen by Baronius his owne calculation for Baronius setting downe the warre betweene Constantine and Licinius to haue bene in the yeare 316. Eusebius saith that Licinius did then oppose against Euseb Hist l. 10 cap. 8. 9. God Allmightie whome he knew Constantine did worship Licinius vbi belelum Constantino inferre decreuit etiam ipsum omnium Deum quem a Constantino colisciebat impugnare aggreditur Eusebius thus writeth immediately after those Letters written to Anilinus Caecilianus and others before about the seuenth yeare of Constantinus as Baronius before hath witnessed Eusebius there also calleth Constantine a man renowned for all kinde of pietie omnis pietatis virtute clarus 7. And to put vs out of all doubt in this busines Euseb doth manifestly proue Euseb l. 1. vit Constant c. 34. 35. 36. 37. 41. that Constantine had giuen such freedome and donations to the Church of Christ as be remembred honored Bishops builded Churches caused Councels to be called and was present in them with the Bishops and many things of like nature before the tenth yeare of his Empire Heremias Sozomen before Sozom. l. 1. Hist cap. 8. hath witnessed that he receaued the Sacraments in the Church in this time Sacra mysteria percipere Which none but actually and really Baptized Christians might doe or did at any time If any man shall obiect that S. Melchiades Pope was a Maryr and so not likely to receaue such fauours from Constantine Baronius well answeareth he was accompted as many others were for the greate Persecution he endured vnder Maximian and not because he Baron An. 313. was violently put to death for Religion but dyed in a peaceable time Which the old Roman Martyrologe confirmeth Romae S. Melchiadis Papae qui in persecutione Martyrolog Roman die 10. Decembr Maximiani multa passus reddita Ecclesiae pace quieuit in Domino Which proueth that CoÌ„stantine had giuen Libertie to ChristiaÌ„s before S. Melchiades death which was within a yeare and litle more of Constantine his Victory against Maxentius After which time there is a silence in Histories of any Persecution where Constantine reigned And therefore S. Syluester being fled to the Mountaine Soractes in Persecution when he was sought for to christen Constantine by Diuine Vision argueth for them that hould before that the was baptized in the seuenth yeare of his Empire and by S. Syluester not then Pope but soone after and so said to be baptized by S. Syluester Pope because a litter after by the death of S. Melchiades he was choseÌ„ to that dignitie 8. The opinion of Constantine his Leprosie and miraculous curing thereof at his Baptisme can be no argument for the deferring thereof to a later time for we find that his daugter S. Constantia or Constantina was also infected with that desease as most probable from her Father and as miraculously cured thereof at S. Agnes her Tombe by her prayers as her Father was by S. Syluester his baptizing him So that we may rather say of them both so miraculously cured to the greate glory of God Conuersion of many as Christ said of the man borne blinde whome he gaue sight vnto that neither he nor his Parents in that respect had sinned but that the workes of God might be manifest in him Then with Pagans impute such punishment to the demerits Io. cap. 9. of Constantine which Euagrius ernestly contendeth to cleare him off And the greatest matter that is obiected being the death of Crispus his sonne this Euagr Hist l. 3. cap. 40. 41. could be no cause to deserue that Leprous punishment Crispus death being longe after Constantine his Baptisme wherein he was cleansed from that infirmitie Which both Baronius and Spondanus confesse and affirme Sozomen Baron SpoÌ„d An. 324. proueth by many Arguments that Crispus liued many yeares after his Father Constantine was a Christian Costantini ad Christum conuersionem plurimis arguâ—entis demonstrat longè ante Crispi obitum contigisse ipsumque Câ—â—spum plures vixisse annos postquam Pater Christo nomen dedisset 9. Therefore I meruaile how they could write before that Constantine was not baptized vntill the 324. yeare of Christ in which they say Crispus his death was and now thus confidently teach that which I onely contend that Constantine was a Christian longe many yeares before that time And Nicephorus Platina and others teach that this Crispus was baptized by S. Nicephorus lib. 7. cap. 33. in fine Platina in Marco Syluester together with his Father Constantine when Maxentius was ouerthrowne in the seuenth yeare of Constantine Vna cum ipso Crispus eius filius diuinum participauit lauacrum ambo candidam vestem induerant pulsis vrbe Tyrannis And Sozomen plainely affirmeth that Crispus died in the 20. yeare of the reigne of Constantine and before in his life being Caesar ioyned with Sozomen Hist Eccles l. 1. c. 5. his Father in many Lawes for
Constantine laboured all he could euen till his dying day to haue the holy faith of Nice continue stable and permanent for euer and to innouate any thing therein should be to conteme so many holy Confessors and Martyrs which had professed it and the old Institution and obseruation of the Catholike Church continuing vntill his Empire Cum intelligamus Constantinum Principem omnium Posterorum memoria Epist Concil Arimin ad Constant Imperat. apud Socrat. l. 2. Hist cap. 29. post mortem celebrandum diligenter elaborasse vt fides illa Nicaae literis prodita accuratissimè perquisita explorataque esset absurdum plane videretur eo iam post acceptum Baptismum vita functo ad tanquilâ—itatem sibi debitam profecto aliquid in ea nouare tot sancâ—os Confessores Martyres qui huius doctrinae Authores inuentoresque fuerunt quique vt vetus Ecclesiae Catholicae institutum poscebat omnino senserunt inque eo perstiterunt perpetuo prorsus contemnere Quorum fidem ad tui Imperij tempora Deus per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum perduxit And there earnestly exhort him that no Innouation be made but suffer them to perseuer quietly in the faith of their Predecessors directed by the holy ghost and neither to adde nor detract any thing to those auncient Decrees which by his Fathers pietie had bene obserued and kept so long vnuiolate Tuam clementiam obtestamur vt non permittas quicquam nouari ad eorum contumeliam qui vita excesserint sed nobis facias potestatem in his quae sunt à Maioribus quos quidem ingenuosè prudenter spiritu sancto illis opem ferente omnia transegisse constat Decreta sancitaque firmè perseuerandi Flagitamus ne quid veteribus Decretis vel detrahatur vel adijciatur omnino sed omnia quae patris tui pietate vsque ad hoc tempus obseruata fuerunt rata firmaque permaneant neque de caetero nobis quicquam de ijs rebus facessus molestiae aut a nostris ipsorum Ecclesijs nos abesse sinas By this greate euidence of 400. witnesses both our renowned Constantine both lyuing and dying and this Kingdome of Britaine is hitherto free from all suspition of Heresie Of the continued Innocency of Britaine from that fowle and allmost generall Infection I shall speake more heareafter that which I haue said before sufficiently excuseth Constantine And both Theodoret SozomeÌ„ doe most plainely cleare him The first affirmeth that he was so earnest a Professor and Patrone of the Nicen faith all his life that so long as he liued no man durst openly deny it dum vixit Constantinus nemo â—am apertè reijcere ausus est The other doth euidently proue that he was so grounded in the true Catholike faith established Sozom. Hist Eccl. lib. 3. c. 1. at Nice that the Arrian Preist which seduced his Sister Constantia and his sonne Constantius afterward being by his Sisters meanes present with him at his death and trusted to deliuer his last Will to his sonne Constantius neuer durst bewray himselfe to Constantine that he was an Arrian much lesse persuade that holy Emperour to that Heresie peâ—ceauing how firme and constant he was in the true Catholike faith non fuit ausus palam facere Theodoret. Hist Eccl. l. 2. c. 3. malum suum cum videret quanta esset regiae mentis in re diuina firmitas But he reserued the vomiting of that his poison to Constantius whome he infected after his Fathers death THE XIX CHAPTER HOW BRITAINE HAD MANY BISHOPS at the true greate Sardican Councell they and the other Bishops Preists and Christians heare professed the true Catholike faith and were free from Heresie 1. NEITHER was Constatius soone after his Fathers death infected with the Arrian Heresie either to endanger Britaine or any other Nation vnder his Dominion but consented to the recalling of S. Athanasius from Exile Epist Constantij ad S. Athanas apud Socr. l. 2. Histor c. 18. Athan Apolog. 2. Socrat. l. 2. c. 16. Sozo l. 3. c. 10. 11. Nicephorus Histor Eccl. l. 9. c. 12 Sozom. supr c. 11. Conc. Sardic ep to 1. Conc. Athanas epist ad Antioch Tom. 1. oper S. Athan. apud al. and some time to his continuing his dignitie at Alexandria And whether it was for loue of S. Athanasius or feare of his Brother Constans writing earnestly vnto him in fauour of S. Athanasius he wrote diuers frendly letters vnto him after this of which Socrates setteth downe three and consented to the calling of the greate generall Councell of Sardyce 10. or 11. yeares after the death of Constantine the Greate his Father as Socrates and Sozomen affirme wherein S. Athanasius was proued innocent and as he then present with many others proueth the Nicen faith was confirmed and vtterly forbidden to be questioned Sancta Synodus quae Sardis conuenit Decreto sanciuit ne quid vlterius de fide scriberetur sese contentos esse Nicaena fide declarauerunt vt cui nihil deesset in qua integra solida pietas contineretur neque edendam esse aliam professionem fidei ne illa quae Nicaae scripta est suos numeros non habere videretur neue illis quibus libido est semper noua statuere occasio huiusmodi suppeditaretur vt iterum atque iterum de fide definiant Athanas Apol. 2. contra Arrianos 2. And at the calling of this Councell the same renowned Catholike Doctor calleth this Constantius as also his Brother a knowne Catholike Emperor Diuers Bishops of Britaine 5. at the least present at the generall Councell of Sardice But probably diuers more a most Religeous Prince in Magno Concilio Sardico ad EdictuÌ„ Religiosissimorum Principum Constantij Constantis And we are sure that at this time our Kingdome of Britaine retayned the former glorious estate and glory of Religion it had before in the dayes of Constantine and was still free from the Arrian Heresie For the same glorious Confessor S. Athanasius present in that Councell saith that among more then 300. Bishops assembled there which Sex Ruf. Breuia Rer. gest po Ro. ad Valentiniani Aug. Sigonius l. 4. de Occid Imperio p. 89. 90. Arnold Mylius in Antiq. nomin Region Insular c. Sepher Bin. Annot. in Conc. Sardic to 1. CoÌ„c Baron Spond An. 347. Athanas Apol. 2. freed him and professed the Nicen faith the Bishops from the Prouinces of Britaine ex Prouincijs Britanniarum were there And as the RomaÌ„ Writers testifie there were from the diuision of the Empire by Constantine and as many suppose before fiue Prouinces heare in Britaine Britanniae quinque Maxima Caesarieâ—â—â—s Valentia Britannia prima Britannia secunda Flauia Caesariensis So that if we should allowe but one Bishop out of euery of these Prouinces to haue bene at the Sardyce Councell and there to haue subscribed for the rest of their Prouinces or Diocesses we must grant fiue Brittish
intermedium occupant De Italia enim superuacaneum est dicere Aiunt enim Romae quae est longè maxima eum fuisse adeo omnium sermone celebratum vt in officinarum omnibus vestibulis Porticibus ei paruas posuerint Imagines hinc sibi praesidium tutelam parantes Cum ergo venirent innumerabiles conabantur omnes contrectare ex pelliceis illis vestibus aliquam percipere benedictionem Where we see yet the Religion deuotiō not of Manuscr Antiq. Capgr in Vit. S. Cadoci Episcopi Martyris a few but many Britans then multi Britanni to goe so farre on Pilgrimage to holy parsons places and Reliks among those our glorious Monke Abbot Bishop and Martyr S. Cadocus went thrise on Pilgrimage to Hierusalem seuen times to Rome and to these Reliks of S. Andrew in Scotland staying preaching there seuen yeares as is also before remembred THE XXVII CHAPTER OF MANY RENOWNED ARCHBISHOPS OF all our Archiepiscopall Sees heare many other learned and holy Bishops and Apostolike men heare in this time and their Religion the Catholike Religion 1. WE reade in this time there was a learned Bishop or as Trithemius stileth him Archbishop of the Scots called Hildebertus Tutor and Instructor of that renowned learned Father of this Nation Caelius Sedulius Sedulius Hildeberti Scotorum Archiepiscopi ab ineunte aetate Discipulus Io. Trithem l. de Script Eccl. in Sedulio Ioa. Bal. lib. de Scrit Britan. in Caelio Sedulio Others giue him onely the Title a very learned Bishop of the Scots Hildebertus eruditus Scotorum Praesul But if we vnderstand this in that common sence and meaning as Bishops and Archbishops of places are taken and vnderstood that Hildebertus should be Archbishop of any See or Citie among the Scots sainct Palladius being by all Antiquities set downe to be their first Archbishop excepting the Archbishops Hildebertus the learned Tutor of Caelius Sedulus probably Archbishop of Yorke of Yorke and he sent by Papall and extraordinary Authoritie as Apostle to that Nation I dare not ioyne with them further in opiniō herein then say he was in this Age one of our Archbishops of Yorke and by that right Title Archbishop of all Scots or whatsoeuer Christian people in the North parts and Ilands of this kingdome Britaine vnder that Archiepiscopall Iurisdiction by Pope Eleutherius first order and Institution 2. Which I may further confirme by the authoritie of all them which call him Archbishop of the Scots they also teaching that he was Instructor of Author apud Bellarm. lib. de Script in Sedul Io. Trithem in Caelio Sedul Bal. in eod cent 1. Iodoc. Cocc in Catal. Scriptor Sedulius in his yoūger yeares à tenera aetate and those that write of Sedulius the time wherein he florished and died some place his deth vnder Cōstantius sonne to Constantin the Greate some in the 430. yeare of Christ others in the yeare 460. by none of these Accompts could Hildebertus be otherwise called Archbishop of the Scots then in that meaning I haue deliuered At the time of the first accompt the Scots were not in this kingdome as I haue made manifest before and before Hildebertus could be Tutor to Sedulius by either of the later reckonings the Scots were probably driuen out of Britaine by Maximus about the yeare 379. when Sedulius being long time Scholler to this Bishop must needs be old in the 430. of Christ and much older neare an hundred yeares old if he liued vnto the yeare 460. yet he is not by any Writer noted for an old man We cannot say that this Hildebertus was Archbishop of the Scots in Ireland for although diuers hold that diuers of the Scotish Irish had receaued the faith of Christ before saint Palladius or S. Patrike were sent vnto that Nation by Pope Celestine yet it is made plaine by the old Writer of the life of sainct Modwenna and others that at the comming of sainct Patrike thither the Irish people there were eyther Pagans for the most part or not well instructed in Christiā Religiō gentes illae partim Paganicis erroribus M. S. Antiq. de vit S. Modeuen Virg. Capgrau Catal. in eadem inuolutae partim fidem nondum plenè intelligebant Which could not be probably truely said of any Nation hauing so learned an Archbishop as Hildebertus is proued to haue bene with other Bishops Preists and Cleargie men as that greate dignitie inferreth and bringeth with it And the Antiquaries not onely of this but other Nations agree that sainct Palladius was the first Archbishop or rather Bishop that was euer sent into Ireland in the time of Pope Io. Trithem l. de Script Eccl. fol. 26. in Pallado Celestine and by him long after this Age Palladius Britannorum seu Scotorum Insulae Hiberniensis à Caelestino Papa primus ordinatus Episcopus Where Trithemius calleth him the first Bishop no Archbishop of that people yet he confesseth that sainct Patrike was immediatly after by the same Pope made Archbishop there Post quem sanctus Patricius genere Brittus à sancto Caelestino Papa consecratus in Archiepiscopum Hiberniensem 3. I doe not find the names of any others either certainely or probably remenbred in Histories to haue bene Archbishops of Yorke in this Age except Archbishops of London in this time Taurinus spoaken of before did in the beginning thereof supply that place of dignitie there The names of the Archbishops of Londō haue bene better preserued amōg which in this Cētenary of yeares we finde first S. Stephē commonly Will Harrison descript of Engl. Stowe Hist in Lucius Godwin Catal. of Bishop London Harris Hist Manuscr l. 4. cap. 7. by our Protestant Antiquaries accounpted the seuenth Archbishop there to which some Catholike Historians as M. Harris in his Manuscript History seemeth to agree But seeing I haue proued S. Augulus our holy Archbishop Martyr whom they passe ouer to haue bene Archbishop there ioyning with Theanus Eluanus Cadar Obinus Conā Palladius all which they place reckō before Stephē there be foūd seuen Archbishops there before him and he cannot be the seuenth but the eight in that See Next to Stephē they accoumpt in this Age Iltut or Iltuta after him Restitutus which was at the Councell of Arles spoken of before then Dedwyn Theodwyn Tadwyne Tatwyne or Tacwyne then Thedred Tidred or Theodred An old Manuscr Hist Gallic an 427. Gennad in Catal honor ib. Philip. Berg. Hist Io. Trith l. de Script Eccl. in Fastidio French Manuscript History testifieth that one named Gouncelyn was Archbishop of London about this time And whereas both Gennadius Honorius Philippus Bergomensis Trithemius and other strangers tell vs that Fastidius about this time was a Brittish Bishop very learned a deuoute and worthie both Preacher and Writer and therefore by them registred among the holy Writers of his time Fastidius Episcopus Britannorum in Scripturis sacris eruditus verbi Dei Praedicator
subscribed to the Roman Councell vnder S. Syluester 481. 5. Constantine subscribed in the Councell of Arles 483. 3. Constantine did neuer call or confirmed any Councell as a supreame iudge or sentencer 541. 5. Constantine put out an Edict for the quiet of Christians in all places 486. 1. Constantine ouerthrows Licinius 487. 2. Constantine by publike Edicts ascribeth his victories to Christ 487. 4. Constantine honoreth the chast and virginall life 488. 7. Constantine exempted the Cleargy from secular Iudges 489. 7. Constantins donation and munificent enriching the Church of Rome 497. 1. l c. Constantine determined to place his Emperiall seat at Troy 500. 1. Constantine in a Vision commanded to build his Emperiall City at Bizantium 501. 1. Constantine cals his Emperiall Seat Constantinople 502. 2. or 495. 2. Constantine acknowledge the Primacy of the Church of Rome 506. 3. Constantine furdereth the Councell of Nice 507. 6. Constantine refuseth to sitt downe vntill the Councell had caused him so to doe ib. Constantine bannished Arrius 507. 7. Constantins humble reuerence to S. Anthony 522. 6. Constantine made peace with the Persians 531. 4. Constantine procureth quietnesse for the Christians in Persia 532. 6. Constantins greate deuotion at the feast of Easter 532. 5. Constantine frounded a famous Church to the 12. Apostles in Constantinople 532. 6. Constantine erected in the same stately Images of all the Apostles ib. Constantine held prayers and protection of Saincts and helpe to the dead by them and prayer for the dead by the liuing 533. 6. Constantine reuerenced Relikes ib. Constantine commanded S. Athanasius to be restored 531. 3. Constantins death 534. 8. Constantine died not so soone as some write 530. 1. Constantine liued vntill the yeare 339. or 340. 531. 3. Constantins dead body vsed with great Christian pompe 534. 8. Constantius dead body greatly reuerenced by the Christians 534. 8. Constantine worshipped in his picture after his death 535. 9. Constantine prayed for by Preists and others after his death ib. Constantins Reliques worke many miracles 535. 10. Constātins Image workes many miracles ib. Constantine enrowled among the Saints in the Greeke Meneologe 477. 5. S. Constantia Constantins daughter a Virgin and holy Nunne 535. 10. S. Constantia cured from a Leprosie by S. Agnes ib. S. Constantia erected a Nunnery by the place where she was cured 536. 10. Constantius not presently after his Father Constantins death infected with the Arrian Heresie 548. 1. Constantius consented to the recalling of S. Athanasius from exile ib. Constantius sent diuers friendly letters to S. Athanasius ib. Constantius falling into Heresie a great hurt to Catholike Religion in many places 544. 7. Constantius consented to the calling of the great Councell of Sardice 548. 1. Constantius laboureth to peruert the Councell of Ariminum 553. 4. Constantius persecuteth Catholikes 553. 5. Constantius commandeth Vrsatius to persecur the Bishops that would not subscribe to the Arrian Heresie ib. Constantius mallice against Liberius Pope ib. Constantius his Persecution came not into Britaine ib. Constantius by some excused to be no Heretike but a professed Catholike at his death 559. 6. Constantius confessed Christ to be the naturall sonne of God 561. 8. Constantius acknowledged three faults at his death and which they were 559. 6. Penitent for the same ib. Constantius his holy death 560. 6. An Angelicall harmony heard at his buriall 560. 7. Constantius baptized by Enzoius an Arrian ib. Constantius baptized with the true forme of Baptisme 561. 8. Constantius Age and time of death 561. 9. Constantius sent Iulian the Apostata to the dangerous warres of Gallia with intention to haue him slaine 562. 1. Constantius secretly incited Vadomarus King of the Frankes to take armes against Iulian. ib. S. Cornelius Pope maintained appeales to Rome 384. 12. or 395. 12. Sainct Cornelius his other Decrees ib. S. Cornelius Martyred 379. 5. Couche or rather Conche S. Martins Sister married in Britaine 577. 1. Couche S. Patrikes Mother ib. Couldeis men so called by the Scots and who they were 588. 4. Couldeis the principall instruments in conuerting the Scottish and Brittish Nations 389. 4 Couldeis chosen for Bishops ib. Generall Councells necessary 506. 3. No generall Councell to be gathered without the authority of the Church of Rome 540. 4. The first Councell of Anthioch ordained that in euery Prouince their should be a Metropolitan 188. 3. A Councell of Bishops in Cornewall 388. 4. A Councell gathered by S. Syluester at Rome 480. 4. This Councells Decrees concer-cerning Orders the Primacie c. 481. 5. The first Councell at Arles in France consisting of 600. Bishops 482. 1. The Legats of the Pope their present ib. This Councels Decrees 482. 2. The Councell of Nice gathered 505. 1. c. The Popes Legats subscribed first in the same 506. 2. The Councell of Nice desireth the Confirmation of the Pope 509. 12. The Councell of Sardice confirmed the Nicen faith 548. 1. The Coūcell of Sardice Orthodoxall 550. 3. The generall Councell of Sardice quite different from an hereticall Conciliable of the same name ib. The Councell of Ariminum gathered 551. 1. The number of Bishops there both Catholike and Arrian 552. 2. The Councell of Ariminum subscribed to a Materiall error 553. 4. The Councell of Ariminum dissolued ib. Crathlint King of the Scots builded S. Amphibalus a Church in the I le of Man 430. 2. Crathlint his great zeale and deuotion ib. Creete an Iland in the Adriatike Sea 142. 4. Creete aunciently knowne by the name of Hecatompolis 143. 4. 210. 3. The Metropolis of Creete Metropolis to the adiacent Ilands 143. 4. Crosses made and worshipped 138. 5. 328. 5. c. Crosses and Images certaine tokens of Christianity 323. 2. or 321. 2. The Crosse of our Sauiour found out by S. Helen 515. 8. c. The Crosse of our Sauiour knowne by a miracle 520. 22. The Crosse of our Sauiour diminished not for being cut and carried away 520. 21. Crucifying neuer vsed by Britans 45. 3. Curia a City in Rhetia when builded 348. 5. Curia when first a Bishops seat ib. A custome amongst the Romans to haue all strange euents related to the Emperour at Rome 3. 3. D. S. Damasus Author of the Pontificall 174. 2 S. Damasus an aduancer of that Religion which Protestants call Papistry 576. 8. S. Damianus and Fugatianus appointed by S. Eleutherius for his Legats into Britaine 260. 1. S. Damianus and Fugatianus their Power and Commission 260. 2. c. S. Damianus and Fugatianus planted Christian Religion in Britaine 263. 5. c. S. Damianus and Fugatianus were both Bishops 265. 7. S. Damianus and Fugatianus preaching in Britaine and many conuerted by them 266. 1. c. A Protestant confuted for affirming them to haue preuailed litle in preaching 267. 2. S. Damianus and Fugatianus conuerteth vniuersities 269. 4. Sainct Damianus and Fugatianus change the Pagan Temples into Christian Churches 304. 1. S. Damianus and S. Fugatianus returned to Rome for the
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
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
Cornhill in King Lucius time are witnes So we euer kept vnuiolably with honor the memories of S. Ioseph of Aramathia S. Amphibalus sainct Alban S. Aaron Iulius and others Martyrol Rom. 28. die Octobr. Ado. Et Vsuard eodem die Engl. Martyrologe 28. Octobr. Beda Martyrol 28. Octob. all auncient CaleÌ„d Breuia Rom. in festo S. Simonis Chan. 28. die Octobr Protestant CoÌ„m booke die 28. Octobr in the seru of S. Simon and in Calendar 28. Octobr. Menolog Graec. 6. Id. Maij. Baron annot in Martyrol Rom. 28. Octobr. Venantius Fortunat l. 8. c. 4. Magdeburgen Centur. 1. col 586. l. 2. Crato in vita S. Simonis Iudae Abdias certain Apost lib. 6. Ant. part 1. tit 6. cap. 14. Pert. de Nat. l. 9. c. 115. Eutropius Persa l. de vit S. Simonis Iudae Anton. part 1. titul 6. ca. 28. §. 3. Petr. de Natal l. 4. c. 105. Guliel Eisengr Centen 1. part 6. dist 6. Vincent in specul Sabellic En. 7. lib. 4. Magdeburg Cenrur 1. supr l. 2. c. 10. col 584. Isidor lib. de vita morte Sanctorum Hartin Sâ—hedel Chron. fol. 107. S. Dorothaeus l. de 12. Apostolis 4. But all our historians of Antiquitie printed Manuscripts which I haue seene many both of our Brittans and Saxons agree with the whole Latine Church with all Martyrologes that be auncient as that of the Romans Ado Vsuardus and others that Natalis Beatorum Apostolorum Simonis Chananaei Thadaei qui Iudas dicitur Quorum Simon in Aegypto Thadaeüs in Mesopotamia Euangelium praedicauit deinde in Presidem simul ingressi cum innumeram gentis illius multitudinem Christi subdidissent martyrium consummarunt The natiuitie so the Church nameth the happy Martyrdome and death of Saints of the blessed Apostles Simon of Chananee and Thadaeus who is called Iudas the 28. day of October of the which Simon preached the ghospell in Egypt Thadaeus in Mesopotamia then entering together into Persia when they had made an innumerable multitude of that Nation subiect to Christ they consummated martyrdome So hath S. Bede in his Martyrologe so haue all auncient Calenders of Britans and Saxons So hath the whole Latine Church in the festiuitie of this holy Apostle to bind all English Christians as well Catholiks by the Rules before as Protestants by the commaunding squares of their Religion the Parlament and their CoÌ„munion Booke they all celebrate with the Latine Church the festiuitie of this glorious Apostle vpon the 28. of October when he suffered martyrdome as before with S. Iudas in Persia When they which hold he came into Britaine keepe his day vpon the sixt of the Ides of May the tenth day of that moneth 5. And this is the auncient opinion of the fathers concerning this holy Apostle that he with S. Iude was martyred in Persia among whom Venantius Fortunatus so renowned among our Protestants for S. Pauls preaching heare hath made it publike to the world thus testifying that he was martyred in Persia with S. Iudas neuer bringing him neare vnto this Nation Hinc Simonem ac Iudam lumen Persida gemellum Laeta relaxato mittit ad astra sinu And to ioyne forraing Protestants with these of EnglaÌ„d in this busines The Mardeburgians say plainely that if Nicephorus doth say that S. Simon preached the ghospell to the OccideÌ„tall Ocean Brittish Ilands he doth it without any certaine testimony Narrat sed sine certo testimonio Nicephorus EuangeliuÌ„ Simonem propagasse per regiones ad Occidentalem OceanuÌ„ sitas Insulas Britannicas Where they be so farre from allowing his coming to these Ilands that they accompt his preaching in the Contryes neare the west Ocean vnprobable and make him to be liuing in the East Countries and preaching there ending his life 50. yeares after this Iland had receaued the faith of Christ by these Protestants before And Crato the Disciple of these two Apostles S. Simon and Iudas followed them throughout 12. Prouinces of Persia writing all they did and suffered there by the space of 13. yeares the like hath Abdias The like hath Antoninus Petrus de Natalibus Eisengrenius and others Their liues also in the same manner were writteÌ„ by Eutropius a Persian sonne of Adimundus Xerxes King of Babylon both in the Chaldy and Greeke tonges To these I add Vincentius Sabellicus the Magdeburgian Protestants of Germany in their Centuries S. Isidor or whosoeuer the auncient author of the booke of the life and death of the Apostles who saith besides iacet in Bosphoro that he is buried in Bosphorus And died many yeares after his supposed death in Britaine The like hath also Hartmannus Schedel teaching that he both preached and suffered martyrdome in Persia also Dorotheus that auncieÌ„t Greeke father himselfe that is alledged to say that S. Simon the Apostle was crucified killed and buried in Britaine in Britannia crucifixus occisus ac sepultus est the greatest authoritie for his being heare is coÌ„trary to himselfe if so he should meane of this our Britaine for in the same place he maketh S. SimoÌ„ the Apostle to haue bene crucified in the East CouÌ„try in or neare Egypt cruci alligatus occisus est in Ostracina ciuitate Aegypti maketh S. Simon the Apostle Bishop of Hierusalem so neuer to come neare vnto Britaine So small is his Authoritie in the matter The Authour of Fasciculus temporum saith he was martyred in Persia Fasciculus temp an 74. with S. Iude. Simon Iudas martyrisati sunt in regionibus Persidis The auncient Anonymus that writeth the liues of the Apostles published by Frediricus Nausea Bishop of Vienna saith that S. Simon Iudas were sent by reuelation into Anonymus in vit passione SS Apostolorum Apostolorum Simonis Iude. Persia to confouÌ„d the wicked Sorcerers Zaroes and Arfaxard which had fled thither from S. Matthew the Apostle in Ethiopia and the Prince of Persia was then named Baradach that they had many Disciples there of which they ordeyned Preists DeacoÌ„s and other Clergy men that in one yeare they baptized aboue fourty thousands besides children and the King himselfe that they ordeined Abdias Bishop of Babilon that came with them from iury That Craton their Disciple wrote their liues which Iulius Africanus translated into Latine and after many miracles there wrought they were there martyred togeather with S. Sennes by whome they were harboured So that if we will beleeue either auncient or later Greeke or Latine or the Persians themselues Catholiks or Protestants or any thinge that can be preteÌ„ded for authoritie worthie to be followed in this matter S. Simon the Apostle was neither crucified killed buried or preached in or neare vnto this Nation 6. Wherefore I cannot in any wise giue allowance vnto him who not onely placeth him among the saints and Apostles of Britaine but citeth diuers auncient writers as he saith for this his relation In Persia the Passion of the gloroius Apostle S. Simon surnamed
S. Peter there for as I haue proued before this Pudens being a Sabiline and no Romane as of the citie of Rome by birth was neither Senator Christian Catechumen or perhaps not borne at that time and the house was onely called his house because longe after he was owner of it as it was also after called Domus S. Nouati Domus S. Timothaei and S. Pudentianae the house Martyrol Rom. die 20. Iunij 26. Iulij Baron Annot. ibid. Et in Sanct. Nouato Tim. Pudent Praxede Baron in annot 19. Maij. Authour of 3. Conuers part 1. p. 17. Rob. Barnes in vit Pont. Rom. in Pio 1. Martyrol Rom. 20. die Iunijin S. Nouato of S. Nouatus the house of S. Timothie the house of S. Pudentiana the blessed children of S. Pudens and S. Claudia our Contry woman who all successiuely possessed it termed by their name for the time as vsually houses places be by the owners name vntill in the time of Pope Pius the first It was by the Donation of S. Pudentiana absolutely conuerted to a Church and euer since after her death called the Church of S. Pudentiana as the Romane Antiquities themselues and their continually kept tradition together with some English Protestants and others testifie Which before was called the house of them as they possessed it in order or the house of them all sometimes as the old Roman Martyrologe calleth it the house of all those foure children of S. Pudens and Claudia for speaking of them all by name S. Nouatus Tymotheus Pudentiana and Praxedes it addeth horum domus in Ecclesiam commutata Postoris Titulus appellatur The house of these being chaunged into a Church is called the Title of Pastor 5. And it is euident that the Father of the Lady Claudia by all probabilitie God win Conu of Brit. pag. 17. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. §. 6. owner of this house where all his children longe after liued was yet liuing and possessor thereof both now and when S. Peter was first entertained there for Martiall the Poet which liued in this time and wrote in the dayes of Domitian and Nerua long after maketh an honorable memorie of the Father of Lady Claudia then lyuing calling him Socer of Pudens the Father of his wife S. Claudia our Contry woman by parents for the word Socer hath no other meaning then a Father in lawe Father to the wife whose Father in Cooper Rider Thom. Thomas Calepin alij v. Socer Martial l. epigr. saepe Io. Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Claudia Ruffin Io. Pits l. de Vir. Illustrib in ead Godwin Conu of Britaine Et alij lawe he is or Father to the husband of that wife to whom he is so termed Socer Father in lawe Cothen Pentheros so in Hebrewe Greeke Latine and all languages Euident it is also that Pudens had no other wife but Claudia to haue any other Socer or Father in lawe by and she longe ouer lyued her husband Pudens And that this Father in lawe was as noble for his faith and Religion in Christ as by discent and birth we may easely enforme ourselues if from noe other grounds yet from the most holy and vertuous education of his daughter in that profession whoe by the examples and documents of her pious parents the best Tutours of children their greatest charge was by their Instruction come to that perfection in the lawe of Christ that being yet but young in all opiniōs when S. Paul wrote his secōd Epistle to S. Timothie a litle before his The Brittish parents of S. Claudia were Christians death she deserued the stile of one of the foure principall Christiās in the iudgemēt of that great Apostle as two greate Doctours S. Chrysostome Theodoret expound that passage of his Epistle Salutat te inquit Eubulus Pudens Chrysost inep 2. ad Tim. c. 4. Linus Claudia fratres omnes nominatim illos memorat quos nouerat magis fide feruere S. Paul saith Eubulus saluteth thee and Pudens and Linus Claudia and all the Brethren he remembreth them by name whom he knewe to be more feruent in faith and againe Theodoret vpon that place saith Meliorum Theod. in ep 2. ad Tim. cap. 4. in eund loc virtut is amantiorum nomina in serut alios autem commu ni appellatione vocauit S. Paul put in the names of them which were the best and most louing of vertue By which we may sufficiently see the greate pietie not onely of S. Claudia but her holy parents also the then honours of this kingdome that had caused her then vnder their charge to be taught and instructed in so excellent a manner in true Religion 6. And if I may haue the like licence to write for the Religion of this Father in lawe to Pudens which a Protestant Bishop taketh to proue Pudens the sonne in lawe a Christian I may doe it with much more reason for thus he writeth That the same Pudens was a Christian we haue a greate presumption in the Epigram Godwin Conu of Britaine pa. 17. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. §. 6. of Martial where for his vertuous carriage he calleth him S. Maritus but a greater in an other of the same Martial wherein he yeeldeth him thanks for persuading him to amend his writings that for obscenitie and lasiuiousnesse are indeed not to be endured by Christian eares and this it is Cogis me calamo manuque nostra Emendare meos Pudens libellos That by this kinde of argument the Father of Claudia our Noble Contryman Martial l. 7. Epigram 11. was in all degrees as good or rather better Christian then his sonne in law Pudens was is most euident for those verses which Pudens did well like Martial l. 7. Epigram 57. ad Rufin and allowe yet by the testimony of Martiall himselfe might not be imparted to the Father in lawe of Pudens but would seeme light vnto him occupied in more serious things for thus he writeth vnto Pudens S. Eubulus named with honour by S. Paul probably was the Father of S. Claudia and a Britan. Commendare meas instanti Rufe camaenas Parce precor Socero seria forsan amat Where we see that the grauitie of the Father in lawe to Pudens was greater then his therefore much more we may presume from hence that he was a Christian then the other by that argument And yet we haue a better Author both for his Christianitie and name also for the other three named by Martyrol Rom. 20. Iunij in San. Nouato Martia in Epigram S. Paul to send salutations to S. Timothie from Rome at that time for certaine except Eubulus the first were most continuing in one house Pudens and Claudia were then married as is euident in the auncient Romane Martyrologe and others And seeing by the Romans tradition and other testimonies the house wherein they dwelled was the cheife lodging
in the later end of the twelfth yeare of Nero as S. Simeon Metaphrastes noteth and the next yeare coming to Rome preached there some time and was Martyred in the beginning of the 14. and last yeare of Nero allthough Matthew of Westminster and some others set downe the death of S. Peter in the 13. yeare of Nero differing from those that say Nero killed S. Peter S. Paul and himselfe the 14. and last yeare of his Empire Nero Petrum se interfecit 2. By this we see the exceeding greate Pastorall and Fatherly care and S. Petâ—rs Pastorall â—are of Britaine â—â—nding Châ—ists Church in it loue of this greatest Apostle S. Peter to this kingdome that allthough he was so extraordinarily admonished by the holy Angel to returne to Rome yet he neither would nor did forsake this Nation vntill he had perfectly settled such an Hierarchicall Order and holy gouernement heare as I haue described and was needfull in the first founding of the Church of Christ among so many Countries and Prouinces of this Western world And the loue and dutie of many Britans especially such as were not so perfectly intructed in the faith cannot be thought but to haue bene reciprocall to that supreame Pastor How it is pâ—obable diuâ—rs Britans went with S. Peter from hence to Râ—me in so greate degree that it moued many of them to attend him in his returne to Rome to be better instructed in true Religion as diuers also after his departure hence did vndertake that Iorney to that end such as S. Beatus and his Associate were And S. Peter being now come to Rome immediately from this kingdome without staying in that Iorney as may be sufficiently gathered out of the words and admonition of the Angel vnto him before his going hence and both hauing in his company diuers Britans and at Rome finding yet aliue as appeareth by S. Paul writing to S. Timothie before diuers Christian Baron Tom. 2. Annal. Ann. 165. S. Iustin apud â—und supr Britans in that house which as is shewed before and Baronius from S. Iustine and others proueth was both his and other Christians common lodging patebat domus Pudentis ab initio Petri Romam aduentus hospitio Christianorum we are sufficiently allowed to be of that opinion that he was entertained now at this his coming againe to Rome froÌ„ Britaine in the same house as at S. Pâ—ter at 〈…〉 to Râ—m◠〈…〉 recâ—auâ—d againe in our Bâ—â—â—â—ns â—ouse with many â—â—herâ— his first coming and vsually in the time of his continuance and residence there And in this Noble Christian Britans house it seemeth S. Peter among other his Apostolicall labours and designments for the Church of God wrote his second Epistle wherein he maketh memory of some memorable things that chanced vnto him by all probable Iudgment in this Nation as of the Angells appearing vnto him the forewarning of his death at hand and that S. Peter in his 2. 〈◊〉 sâ—â—meth to 〈◊〉 â—f the visioÌ„ 〈…〉 â—râ—taâ—â—e it should be in Rome Knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewâ—d mee As our English Protestants translatâ— which words of the holy Apostle doe seeme to haue reference vnto that Apparition and admonition to him of his death at hand of which I haue spoken 2. 〈◊〉 1. vers 14. before For we doe not finde in Histories more then two warnings heareof giuen by Christ to S. Peter the first and most euident in Britaine and the other more obscure at Rome recorded by S. Linus Egesippus S. Bede and Linus l. de Pass Apost Egesipp de excid Hieros l. 3. c. 2. Beda Sermone de S. Petro Paulo Tom. 7. others when S. Peter a litle before his death being sought for by Nero and willed by the Christians to forsake Rome to auoide the fury of the persecuting Tyrant being come to the gate of the Citie Christ appeared vnto him and being demanded by S. Peter whether he went Domine quo vadis Christ answered Iterum veniâ— crucifigi Which S. Peter interpreted to be spoken of his Passion because Christ who suffereth in all his members was also to suffer with S. Peter Intellexit Petrus de sua dictum passione quod in ea Christus passurus videretur qui patitur in singulis non vtique corporis dolore sed quadam misericordiae compassione aut gloriae celebritate And this cannot be well construed to be that admonition of his death which S. Peter wrote off in his Epistle being both obscure and in all probable Iudgment after the writing of that his Epistle and immediatly before his apprehension and death as appeareth by those Authours affirming S. Peter was presently taken and martyred conuâ—rsus in vrbem redijt captusque à persecutoribus cruci adiudicatus Therefore seeing besides this so obscure admonition giuen to S. Peter by Christ of his death we finde no other but that most cleare and manifest foretelling thereof to S. Peter by an holy Angel in Britaine we must needs conclude that the holy Apostle in that passadge of his Epistle how he should shortly leaue the Tabernacle and dwelling place of his soule his mortall body as our Lord Iesus Christ had shewed vnto him did this Nation that honour to remember in his holy writings that foresight and admonition of his end approaching made vnto him by the heauenly vision and Instruction thereof which he had in Britaine And signifiing in the first words of this his laste Epistle that he wrote it to all beleeuing Christians at that time saying Simon Peter a Seruant and an Apostle 2. Petr. 1. v. 1. 2. of Iesus Christ to them that haue obtayned like pretious faith with vs grace and peace S. Peters care and loue to Britaine to his death and after in heauen by his owne promise be multiplied We must needs acknowledge that coming then immediately from the Christians in this Nation whome he had so lately conuerted he most fatherly remembred them with others in those words and the whole Epistle following especially where he writeth I thinke it meete as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stirre you vp by putting you in remembrance Knowing that Vers 13. 14. 15. shortly I must pute of this my Tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed mee Moreouer I will endeuour that you may be able after my decease to haue these things allwayes in remembrance In which wordes this our kingdome of Britaine doth most iustly claime that S. Peter remembred it and rather then any other citing there the admonition which he receaued by the holy Angell heare and there protesteth his greate care he had of this CouÌ„try that it might not onely during his life but after his death remaine constant in the profession of Christian Religion And by Oecumenius and diuers others both the Greeke and Latine Text giuing way to that exposition S. Peter did there promise
and being before the Diuision of Prouinces was fully made into Archiepiscopall Sees ruled diuers cheife Churches and farre distant as Collen Tungers and Treuers as also his Successour S. Maternus did and both of them were probably heare in Britaine and conuerted many heare for Marianus ioyneth these with other S. Valerius and S. Maternus Disciples os S. Peter were by probabilitie in Britaine sometime holy Preachers and Bishops of those dayes which preached not onely in their owne Prouinces but in these vttermost and extreme parts Qui non solum propria Prouincia sed in extremis vltimis industrij illustres existentes regna Tyrannorum vicerunt And this greate encrease and multiplication of Christians continued all this age in these Countries as these forreyne Antiquaries tell vs and vntill the death of S. Maternus which was in the yeare of Christ Marian. Scot. aetat 6. in Nerua 133. as they witnes all which time and longer our renowned Bishop and Countriman still liued and often visited this his natiue Country preaching heare And yet before the end of this age we had a new supply of Apostolike men sent hither from the See of Rome and Authoritie thereof as I shall further declare in the next Chapter THE XXXVI CHAPTER OF THE STATE OF ECCLESIASTICALL affaires in Britaine in the Papacy of S. Clement Empire of Traian and Reigne of King Coillus vnto the end of this first hundred of yeares of Christ 1. S Cletus hauing happily ended his life by Martyrdome S. Clement tooke vpon him the gouernement of the Apostolike Roman See and the tyrannicall time of Domitian being now by his death expired and his Acts for their crueltie generally recalled by Nerua though Emperour Marian. Scotus l. 2. aetat 6. Method apud eund col 255. Martin Pol. Supput in Clem. Traiano Matth. West an 102. 98. 117. 124. alij litle aboue one yeare Traian succeeded him holding the Empire vntill or about the yeare of Christ 117. being for diuers yeares a Persecutor of Christians especially about Rome the Easterne and other parts remote from this Nation where King Coillus agreat friend and fauouror of Christians reigned 2. Before I proceede further in S. Clements dayes my promise before and vrgent reasons to be remēbred hereafter doe call vpon mee to cleare the doubt whether S. Clement was ordained by S. Peter his Successor immediate or noe S. Clement himselfe thus writeth in these words S. Peter himselfe Clemens Rom. Epist 1. for his greate charitie towards all men when he perceaued his death at hand in the Assembly of our Brethren the whole Church hearing him taking mee by the hand vttered these words heare mee my brethren and fellowe Seruants because as I am taught of him my Lord and Maister Iesus Christ that sent mee that the day of my death is at hand I ordayne this Clement your Bishop to whome onely I commit the Chaire of my preaching and doctrine To him I deliuer the power of binding and loosing deliuered to mee by our Lord that of all things whatsoeuer he shall decree on earth the same be decreed in heauen For he shall binde that which ought to be bounde and shall loose that which ought to be loosed as he which perfectly knoweth the Rule of the Church Ipse Petrus pro immensa charitate quam erga omnes homines gerebat in ipsis diebus quibus vitae finem sihi imminere praesensit in conuentu fratrum positus apprehensa manu mea in auribus totius Ecclesiae haec protulit verba audite me fratres conserui mei quoniam vt doctus sum ab eo qui misit me Domino magistro meo Iesu Christo dies mortis meae instat Clementem hunc Episcopum vobis ordino cui soli meae praedicationis doctrinae Cathedram trado Ipsi trado à Domino mihi traditam potestatem ligandi soluendi vt de omnibus quibuscunque decreuerit in terris hoc decretum sit in caelis Ligabit enim quod oportet ligari soluet quod expedit solui tanquam qui ad liquidum Ecclesiae regulam nouerit This Act so concerning and so publikly effected and concerning the whole Church registred by so worthie a present witnesse and partie in that busines leaueth no place of exception vnto it especially when we see allmost all that followed cōfirming it S. Anacletus the next successor to S. Clemēt whom our greatest Anaclet epist 1. 3. to 1. Concil Matt. Parker Antiq. Brit. p. 24. Io. Pris defens hist Brit. p. 73. Rob. Barnes l. de vit Pontif. in Anacleto Alexādro Alexand. Pap. 1. epist 1. S. Leo 2. apud Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. col 238. Florent Wigor an 50. 75. Bed Martyr 9. cal Decembr Hier. l. de Scriptor in Clem. Epiph. haeres 27. Ioa. Pap. 3. Epist decretal Tom. 2. Concil Egbert Ser. 3. de incremento manifestatione Catholicae fidei Protestāts approue approueth both that Epistle this very part thereof containing this Act of S. Peter in diuers places S. Alexander likewise carrying with him Protestant approbation twyce in one Epistle citeth and alloweth the same Act for S. Peters Ipse Apostolorum Princeps in ordinatione beati Clementis populum instruens And againe beatus Princeps Apōstolorum Petrus qui in ordinatione sancti praedecessoris nostri Clementis instruens clerum populum So doth S. Leo the second as S. Marianus Florentius Wigorniensis and others testifie S. Bede saith the same of S. Clement Hic ex praecepto beati Petri Ecclesiae suscepit pontificatum S. Hierome saith most of the Latines held so plerique Latinorum secundum post Petrum Apostolum putant fuisse Clementem S. Epiphanius a Grecian is of the sameopinion Pope Ihon the third aboue 1000. yeares since expressely setteth downe this History from that Epistle of S. Clement And Egbertus cōuincibly thus proueth this Epistle nec vnquā defecit in Ecclesia Romana fides quam habuerat quam praedicauerat Petrus sicut ei promiserat Dominus quando imminente passione sua dixit ad eum Ego rogaui pro te vt non deficiat fides tua hoc est fides Ecclesiae quam tibi commisit Beatus autem Petrus cum sciret appropinquare sibi passionem suam sanctum Clementem quem ad fidem conuerterat baptizauerat ordinauit in Episcopum eiusque gubernationi sedem suam Ecclesiam quam ipse rexerat commisit ita successor beati Petri factus estin Sede illa Nam quod Linus Cletus successores Petri fuisse leguntur ita intelligendum est quod adhuc ipso viuente Coadiutores eius extiterunt in gubernando populum Dei Romae ad hoc abipso erant in Episcopos ordinati vt scribit quidam Apostolicorum Patrum Episcopis Germaniae Galliae The faith which Peter had and preached did neuer faile in the Roman Church as our Lord promised him when a
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
allmost all the same reasons and Bed Martyrol 15. Cal. Octobr. Mart. Rom. die 17. Septemb. Vsuatd Ado Mart. Anglic. Secundum vsum Sarum cod die Engl. Marty 17. Sept. authorities to assist mee which I vsed for S. Augulus and therefore need not repcate them againe and no argument or Authour but that late writer without all warrant for these as for S. Augulus to impugne mee and him I haue fully answeared Onely one thing he writeth to their honour which I willingly allowe There are diuers Churches yet remayning in Wales that in auncient times haue bene dedicated in their honour among whom also their memory is yet famous vntill this day especially in Monmouthshire and the Southern parts adioyning But that they were martyred vnder Diocletian he bringeth no Authoritie The Authours which he citeth for them being those I alledged before are silent S. Soâ—ates and S. Stephen probably maâ—tyred in Britaine about this time of any such thing onely they say that vpon that day not speaking of any time they were martyred in Britaine Neyther can I finde any grounde with him or elswhere for that he saith of them They were conuerted to the faith of Christ in our Primatiue Church by the preaching of S. Amphiball Preist and Martyr For Britaine and the Britans were conuerted long before And though many Christians in Britaine were put to death in the time or Persecution commonly ascribed to Dioclesian as a thowsand at one place called Lichfeild which argueth the inhabitants heare then were Christians and more needed grace of perseuerance then preaching especially towards the Countryes now called Wales yet I doe not finde any particularly named in auncient Authours but S. Alban Heraclius Amphibalus Aaron and Iulius except we should allow of that which Regino writeth of S. Lucia Virgin and Martyr in Britaine Lucia Virgo in Britannia Which is discredited by himselfe for he saith she Regino in Chronic an D. 242. was putt to death in Britaine in the yeare of Christ 242. Which probably was before Dioclesian was borne Yet will I not denie but Regino PrunieÌ„sis mistaking the time for the number of yeares may otherwise write a truth that S. Lucia Virgin Martyr in Britaine by Regino Pruniensis Lucia a Virgin was martyred in Britaine and in the dayes of Dioclesian and if halfe so much Authoritie had or could be brought for S. Augulus Socrates or Stephen I should not so easilie haue disabled it Onely one thing I will adde concerning the place of S. Augulus Martyrdome 10. That a late French writer in his Historie of this our Britaine seemeth to Andre du Chesne Taurauge en l'Historie general d'Angleterre Escosse d'Irland thinke that Caerlegion was in the time of Iulius Agricola and by him named Augusta which if it were so it onely varieth the particular place of his Martyrdome nothing detracting from the glorie of him or this Nation or contradicting that I haue said of the time of his death for no memory is in Histories of any such there in the time of Dioclesian nor any Archbishops name of that place preserued long after Dioclesian his death Tremonius S. Dubritius the first that be named in Histories which rather confirmeth the honor of the place of his Martyrdome to LondoÌ„ especially seeing this Authour bringeth neither reason nor Authoritie to infring it if we take the denominatioÌ„ Augusta to haue bene giuen heare in respect of the Nobility of the place it must needs best agree to our most auncient and noble Citie as Camden and others yeeld that reason ea dignitate floruit Londinum vt Augusta dici caeperit many forreine Cities very famous were called Augusta in that respect as Vacienorum Augusta praetoria Camden in middle sex pag. 217. Monster in Cosmogra Cooper in Augusta Abraham Ortelius in Indice Antiq. Region Insul Vrb. Oppid c. Augusta Taurinorum Augusta Tricastinorum Augusta Veromanduorum Augusta Valeria Augusta Emerita Augusta Bracchara Augusta Acilia Augusta Tiberij Augusta Vindeliciorum Augusta Caesarea Augusta Vestonum Augusta Treuirorum and other famous Cities among Cosmographers which haue taken that name for their Noblenes and not from the Roman Legion called Augusta lying in so many places And of all places Caer-legion could not be so named from that relation no euidence giuen that any so named Legion continued there And the generll name Caer-legion the Citie of the Legion conuinceth it had not the name from any Legion in particular much lesse Augusta for then it should haue bene named Caer-augusta and not Caer-legion as we see all the others are before named Augusta absolutely without reference to any Legion either in generall or particular And the Cities before named Augusta are called as we see of the Countryes where they be or were and not from any Roman Legion 11. I haue mentioned before that the Emperour Traian was a Persecutor of Christians and among many others the renowned Pope S. Clement was barbarously first exiled and after cruelly put to death But this Persecution as it much aduanced the honor of our Brittish Christians so it gaue occasion to encrease their number Our noble Christian Brittish house at Rome as in this time and before it was the most frequented receptacle of Christians releeuing them in all their wants while they liued so now in this storme of Persecution besides the famous Sepulchrary and burying place which it had most charitably before prouided in via Salaria bearing the name of S. Priscilla our Brittish Foundresse thereof there was an other very costely burying place Loco caemiterij at their owne dwelling house as the Baron Annot. in Martyrol Rom. die 16. Ianuarij Romans haue before confessed where they secretly buryed the bodyes of the holy Martyrs suffering in these Persecutions ad sepeliendos sublatos occultè Martyres And as I haue shewed before this Christian Brittish house hauing so greate resorte of Christians vnto it that at one time there were in it baptized nonaginta sex homines 96. men besides women and children as that phrase is vsually taken in Histories and was as the coÌ„mon schoole Seminary cheife Church and place to minister Sacraments and consecrate holy parsons we must needs conclude from hence that this kingdome of Britaine was before all other Nations to take especiall fruite and benefite thereby to haue diuers of those holy Preists there consecrated to be sent hither vnto it This the lawe of the Ghospell allowed the chardge of S. Peter exacted and S. Clement as duely performed the lawe of nature pleading for Britaine to our Christian Brittish house and schoole in Rome that so it ought to be And yet an other lawe and of no small power with those that desired to serue Christ with quiet and securitie the lawe of necessitie drewe many Christians from Rome and those parts of the Empire where the Persecution then raiged as diuers both Catholike and Protestant Authours haue before proued to come vnto and liue
preached heare in Britaine by such as he should thinke The King of Britaine Sedeth to Pope Alexander to haue Christian Preachers sent hither fittest for that designement Albertus Krantzius a worthie Historian and one which hath giuen light to diuers of our Antiquities relateth this matter thinking it was King Lucius which now began so timely to shew his loue and liking of Christian Religion Religionem Christi Lucius quondam Britanniae Rex ab Alexandro primo eius nominis summo Pontifice impetrauit in Insula praedicari Albert. Krātzius Metropol l. 1. c. 6. Matth. Westm an 115. Baron Annal. to 2. an D. 132. Zepherin Binnius in Vit. Alexandr to 1. Concil Matth. Westm an 124. 132. Io. Bal. l. de Scri. Brit. Cent. 3. pag. 143. in Matth. Florigero Prot. Publ. of Matth. West in Praefat. Which may well stand with the common opinion of King Lucius his owne conuersion in the time of Pope Eleutherius especially if we will folow Matthew of Westminster and his followers which haue told vs before that King Lucius was borne in the 115. yeare of Christ for by that accompt he was 18. yeares of Age at the Martyrdome of S. Alexander by the common opinion in the 132. yeare of Christ and King Coillus had then bene dead 7. or 8. yeares by Matthew of Westminster whome our Protestāt Antiquaries stile a man excellently learned in all kind of learning and in the right Supputation of yeares singular Vir suo seculo in omni genere bonarum literarum plane eruditus quantum ad Historiam in recta annorum supputatione singularis So we haue King Lucius old enough by this mans testimony so singular in Historicall Accompts to write to Pope Alexander of this matter before his death and iustifie the very words of the recited Antiquitie Or if we will followe the other opinion which I haue written to be more probable that King Coillus liued longer this hindereth nothing but either Lucius in the life of his Father might request this of Pope Alexander and King Coillus thought by diuers before to haue bene actually a Christian to haue giuen allowance vnto it or he himselfe being so persuaded in iudgment did so write to that holy Pope more moued vnto it by the example of the Emperour and so many Nobles of Rome whome he ment to followe at the least in performing that fauour to so many Britans now allready Christians and more desiring so to be which his proceedings were honorable in him though he himselfe intended not to be a Christian and offensiue to none in Authoritie whome he needed to feare And yet afterward seeing S. Alexander so cruelly King Coillus supposed by some to be a Christian put to death for that Religion did deferre to procure that happines to himselfe which he did to others But Harding supposeth him to haue bene a Christian and therevpon saith Lucius was the second Christian King of Britaine Harding Chron. 50. 51. in Coillus and Lucius And it will appeare hereafter that about this time there were diuers Christian Preachers sent into Britaine within few yeares after the death of Pope Alexander if not in his life they conuerted many heare to the faith of Christ among whome I may probably number S. Timothie Marcellus or Marcellinus and S. Saluine Of who me I shall speake more in the certaine time of S. Timothie an Apostolike Preist sonne to S. Claudia a noble Britaine probably sent into Britaine by Pope Alexander King Lucius his Reigne 4. Heare onely I say of S. Timothie a Britiane of this Nation by his holy Mother S. Claudia Sabinella who as diuers write preached in this kingdome sent hither by the Roman See Apostolike must needs be sent hither about this time For as the auncient Roman Martyrologe with others testifie he was at Rome and martyred there in the time of Antoninus Romae Sanctorum Martyrum Marci Timothei qui sub Antonino Imperatore Martyrio coronati sunt Petrus Merssaeus Catal. Archiep. Treuer in S. Marcello 20. Magdeburgen Cent. 1. l. 2. Martyrolog Rom. die 24. Martij Which Antoninus began his Empire in or about the yeare of Christ 138. within 6. yeares of the Martyrdome of S. Alexander Pope Therefore to allowe him but competent and ordinary time for his coming hither from Rome where he was borne and liued his aboade heare returne to Rome againe and being there before his Martyrdome I cannot finde any fitter time or parson when and by whom he was sent hither then Pope Alexander sollicited by our King of Britaine to send such to preach heare and no S. Marcellus a Britan and Bishop preached heare in his time man more fitt then he by his Mother a Britane and so not vnskilfull in the Britans tongue and their affaires 5. S. Marcellus also was a noble Britan of this Nation and had preached heare and among others persuaded King Lucius to embrace the faith of Christ departed so soone hence at that time that he was the third Bishop of Caspar Bruch Cat. Episc Tungren Petr. Merssaeus Catal. Archiep Treuer Anton. Democh. l. 2. contra Calu. Guliel Eisengr centen 2. Tungers the first being S. Maternus S. Peters Disciple and by him sent with others thither into those parts the second Auitus our blessed Countryman the next continuing that See 29. yeares and was after Archbishop of Treuers where he was martyred and S. Metropolos succeeded him as the Annals of Treuers witnesse in the second yeare of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus long before the commonly supposed time of King Lucius Conuersion By which accompt he must needs be a Preist or Bishop heare in this time I haue now in hand Annal. Eccles Verdun Rich. de Wasseburg l. r. f. 32. antiq de la Gaule Belgique 6. So I say of S. Saluine the third Bishop of Verdune in Lorayne termed by the Annals of that Church long before King Lucius his death to haue bene his old acquaintance which must needs be heare in Britaine long time before and giueth some argument he was also borne in this kingdome And no man will doubt but King Coillus which in his younger time and S. Saluin probably Bishop heare in this time and a Britan. when Christian Religion was more persecuted by the Roman Emperours their Augustals Proconsulars Lieutenants and other Prefects in Prouinces then now it was and eyther vpon his owne pietie to that holy profession or at the suite and petition of Christians heare or their friends had as all the Antiq. Glast in Tab. ligneis Guliel Malm. l. de antiq Caenob Glaston Io. Capgr in Catal. in S. Ioseph ab Aramathia Etalij Antiquities of Glastenbury William of Malmesbury with others witnes confirmed to the Christian Eremits there those priuiledges which his Accestours King Aruiragus and Marius had granted before would now in more easie times be persuaded to write to Pope Alexander then the most renowned man in the Christian world
Christoque fideliter commendatas tandem de terris ad Christum migranit quarto decimo Calendas Augusti iuxta Patrem sanctum Pudentem sepulta About the yeare of Christ 160. Baronius Baron Tom. 2. Annal. an 162. seemeth to hold it was in the next yeare 161. And by all accompts it must needs be in a little before or after this time for all writers of her life affirme she died in the dayes of the Papacie of S. Pius and Empire of Antoninus Pius who by all recknings of his Imperiall Gouernment died a litle before or soone after this yeare 3. Very soone after the death of S. Pudentiana died also her brother S. Nouatus S. Pastor Epist ad S. Timoth. supr as among other testimonies we reade in that Epistle which S. Pastor or Hermes sent to their Brother S. Timothie then farre out of Rome and probably by the circumstances of time and others heare in Britaine where he S. Nouatus Preist a Brittan by his Brittish Mother S. Claudia thus writeth that S. Praxedes being afflicted much for the death of S. Pudentiana Pope Pius many Noble Christians and her Brother S. Nouatus came to comfort her and within a moneth and 28. dayes after his returne from her S. Nouatus fell sicke and about 13. dayes after died of that sicknes Post mensem dies viginti octo aegritudine detentus est Nouatus postquam abcesserat à conspectu Virginis Praxedis And tertio decimo die transiuit ad Dominum It seemeth by S. Pastor in this his Epistle to S. Timothie of his happy death and disposing his temporall Riches that he was a Preist a Sacrificing Massing Preist as it is euident before S. Pius then Pope was for S. Pastor there plainely testifieth that both Pope Pius and Nouatus did often remember S. Timothie at the Altar of our Lord. Idemque Nouatus vos frequenter cum Beatissimo Pio Episcopo ad altare Domini commemorabat The cheife cause of this so often their remembring S. Timothie our Brittish Preist preaching heare in Britaine is often remembred in the Masses of S. Pius Pope and S. Nouatus S. Timothie in the holy Sacrifice of Masse especially by S. Pius the Pope I cannot ascribe but to the greate care that holy Pope had of the greate chardge he with his Predecessour had committed to S. Timothie about his preaching and labours in Britaine so much concerning the Apostolike See and Church of Christ that an holy Pope and Pastor could not but often remember and commend it in his best office of Sacrifice to God And S. Nouatus so holy a man as all Antiquities of him giue euidence so louing a Brother and carefull of his Countries Conuersion and good of the Christians then distressed that he left all his worldly wealth to be disposed by this his Brother S. Timothie diligently labouring in the Haruest of Christ in Britaine and S. Praxedes his Sister the cheifest Nurse and Releeuer of Gods seruāts in Rome to be imployed to such holy ends and vses could not be vnmindefull in his prayers and Sacrifice of such a Brother and his Countries most important busines which he had in hand This holy Saint was as also his Father Mother Brother and Sisters instructed in the faith by the holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule Romae Depositio Sancti Nouati filij Beati Pudentis Senatoris fratris Martyrol Rom. 20. die Iunij Bed Vsuard Ado eod die sancti Timothei Presbyteri Sanctarum Christi Virginum Pudentianae Praxedis qui ab Apostolis eruditi sunt in fide That he was a Preist the Martyrologe is silent but that which I haue before cited from his renowned acquaintance and friend S. Pastor giueth vs sufficient warrant to be of that opinion How The house of S. Nouatus an other Harbour for the Popes and Saints in Rome he in herited his parents vertues in exercising all works of pietie harbouring and releyuing the persecuted and distressed Seruants of God that his house which had bene the first lodging of S. Peter and harbour to diuers his Successours and a Receptacle fosterer of all Christiās resorting thither both for spirituall and temporall comforts was so continued all his time Se suaque Act. S. Nouati c. in Antiq. cod Baron tom 2. Annal. an 159. Christianorum obsequio mancipasse cōstat And his most Noble house was open to all Christians Nobilissima Christianis patens apud quam Thermae Nouati This was a distinct house and place from that where his holy Sisters formerly liued as both the two auncient Cardinals Titles in Rome S. Pudentiana and S. Praxedes still continued from that time as I haue shewed before and the visitation which saint Nouatus going from his owne house to his Sister saint Praxedes after saint Pudentiana her death registred by saint Pastor then present in an other distinct house where she then continued in Harbouring and releyuing the Saints of Christ aboundantly testifie S. Pastor to the greate honour of saint Nouatus and Praxedes also thus relateth it 4. That saint Nouatus accompanyed with S. Pius the Pope and many Noble Christians went to saint Praxedes her house to comfort her about her Sisters death Multi nobiles Christiani ad eam veniebant consolabantur eam vna cum Episcopo Pio ventique ad eam Germanus vester Nouatus And saint Pius together with saint Praxedes and saint Pastor went from saint Praxedes her house to the house of saint Nouatus when and where he was sick and staied with him there 8. dayes eamus ad eum fuimus in domo eius diebus ac noctibus octo And vntill after the death of saint Nouatus who gaue all his substance to saint Timothie and saint Praxedes she had no Interest in that house How charitable and munificent saint Nouatus was to the poore Christians may some what appeare by saint Pastor his Relation of him when he went to comfort his Sister where he saith of him to saint Timothie Germanus vester Nouatus qui est frater noster in Domino multos Christianos pauperes donis suis resecit ministrauit omnibus de facultatibus suis Your naturall Brother Nouatus who is our Brother in our Lord did releeue many poore Christians with his guifts S. Nouatus dying leaueth all to S. Timothie and S. Praxedes to be employed for releife of Christians and ministred to them all out of his substance And as in his life he had euer an especiall care of the spirituall good of this kingdome his Country so at his death he was not vnmindefull of it but gaue all be had to his Brother saint Timothie then labouring and preaching heare and to his Sister saint Praxedes as mindefull of it though she was at Rome Hoc placuit ei vt vobis vna cum beata Praxede omnem substantiam suam relinqueret And made as it were Superuisours of this his last Will
our generall Conuersion to be compassed at this time so many principall Agents therein violently putt to death and the Emperours without whose permission or conniuencie it could not probably be brought to passe so enraged and cruell against vs for such things Yet cannot this stay and adiourning of this greatest publike good of this Nation be imputed to pusillanimitie of minde or want of Heroicall Christian fortitude and magnanimitie in our Christian King and diuers of his people and Nobles among them who as before had receaued the Christian faith and priuately professed it but to the Iniquitie of the violent and ouerswaying times and Pagan Emperours with their Lieutenants Imperiales or Proimperatours Proconsuls Propretours hindering that holy worke For allthough the state of Britaine was not so seruile to the Romans as the condition of many kingdomes was but we euer had our owne Kings both by inheritance and discent of our former auncient Brittish regall Race and with the desired allowance and agreement of the Roman Emperours after the marriadge of King Aruiragus with Genuissa daughter of Claudius and the greatest dutie they could demande was their Tribute yet because in a publike and authoritatiue change of Religion in a whole kingdome there must also be a change of such lawes and customes as were contradicting and repugnant vnto the Religion to be receaued this could not be done in such persecuting dayes without greate ielousie in the Persecutours Emperours of an vtter reuolt from them in all respects And therefore our old Manuscripts both of Nennius and S. Gildas also as they are commonly reputed doe tell vs that when our generall and publike Conuersion was there was also an Imperiall allowance permission or tolleration for it from the Roman Emperours or their Lieutenants heare Missa Nennius in M. S. Hist Gildas in Hist M. S. in publica Biblioth Cantabr in Colleg. S. Benedicti legatio ne ab Imperatore Romanorum saith Nennius Missa legatione ab Imperatoribus Romanorum writeth Gildas in two Seuerall Manuscripts one in the publike Library of Cambridge the other in saint Benets Colledge there The reasons hereof I shall deliuer in due place hereafter 3. That which is wanting yet and to be added to the honour of our Apostle and Countryman saint Timothie is his glorious Martyrdome so honoured of saint Pius the Pope then and soone after also martyred that writing to the renowned Bishop of Vienna not long vnmartyred and exhorting him to constancy and perseuerance in afflictions and Persecution in Christ proposeth onely vnto him for the most worthie examples this saint Timothie and his holy companion at Martyrdome and probably of his labours in Britaine saint Marke saying they were Preists brought vp by the Apostles continuing vntill this time with whome he had imparted the word of faith men called of God and now liuing in euerlasting Ioyes in heauen S. Timothie and Marke haue ended their course by a good Combatt O Brother remember thow imitatest them S. Pius Epist ad Iustum Vienn Episcop Tom. 1. Biblioth Sanct. apud Baron Tom. 2. Annal. an 166. in following them and be not bound with the bands of the world presbyteri illi qui ab Apostolis educati vsque ad nos peruenerunt cum quibus simul verbum fidei partiti sumus à Domino vocati in cubilibus aeternis clausi tenentur Sanctus Timotheus Marcus per bonum certamen transierunt Vide frater vt illos imiteris sequendo ne vinculis mundi illigeris This is that greate honour of Britaine and Gods Church whome saint Dionisius the Areopagite that wonderfull Diuine and His honor with S. Denis the Areopagite glory of saint Paules Schollers honored so much as euery Reader may see in his diuine Bookes de diuinis nominibus Ecclesiastica Hierarchia of diuine names the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie calling him most holy sanctissime and the like and dedicated them to him as the auncient Title Compresbytero Timotheo Dionisius Presbyter Denys Preist to his fellow Preist Timothie and in his Baron Tom. 2. Annal. an 109. booke de diuinis nominibus citiâ—g an Epistle of saint Ignatius written after the other saint Timothie Bishop of Ephesus his death doe witnes Baronius and others so acknowledging How before his death he disposed his wordly Pius Pap. Epist ad S. Iust tom 1. Bibliot Sanct. Baron an 166. wealth to the glory of Gods Church and recommended the care of his Country Britaine to the most glorious lights then of Christs Church saint Pius Pope and his worthie friends and familiars saint Soter and saint Eleutherus or Eleutherius after Popes we may gather by his former loue and labours for this Nation The Martyrdome of S. Timothy and S. Pius Pope And so after so many yeares of most holy life trauailes for the Church of Christ after his releeuing and maintenance of so many Saints lodged Manuâ—cr Antiq. in Monast S. Cirian Martyrol Rom. die 24. Martij Tabul Ant. apud Baron Tom. 2. ann 162. Pius Pap. 1. Epist ad S. Iustum supr 1. Epist 2. ad eund fedd clothed and fostered both with temporall and spirituall sustenance his chardges and prouision in his holy house many of them also martyred there he was also martyred with his worthie Associate and fellow Preist saint Marke at Rome the 24. day of March an 165. And saint Pius the Pope of Rome was martyred also soone after vnder the same persecuting Emperours his death at hand being reuealed vnto him as he writeth in an other Epistle to saint Iustus of Vienna in France and Bishop there Reuelatum mihi esse scias collega beatissime citius me finem huius vitae esse facturum THE XI CHAPTER OF THE HOLY POPES NEXT SVCCEEDING S. 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 forbidding the Druids Religion occasions of the publike receauing and profession of Christianitie in Britayne by King Lucius and his subiects 1. S Pius hauing thus gloriously ended his holy life and Papacie saint Anicetus by the more common opinion after many Auncients Iraeneus Tertullian Hegesippus Eusebius Epiphanius with others teacheth that saint Anicetus succeeded him in this hihest chardge Yet there be very auncient Hieron l. de Scr. in Hegesippo Optat. Mileu l. contra Parmen August Epist 161. Rober Barnes l. de Vit. Pontif. Ro. in Aniceto and worthie Authours as saint Hierome Optatus saint Augustine with others which hold that saint Anicetus was Pope betweene saint Higinius and saint Pius And an English Protestant writer though he followeth the first and more common opinion for the Order of his Succession next after saint Pius yet saying of him that he was Pope in Antoninus Pius his Empire sub Antonino Pio vixit he must fall to the second opinion by that I haue spoken before of the time of Antoninus
must bewayle the vnspeakeable want and losse which this kingdome long time by many miseries and afflictions suffered by the death of so holy iust and prudent a Prince and Ruler hapning by the most diligent Calculatours of time we haue in the beginning and first yeare of this Age. Anno gratiae 201. Inclitus Britannorum Rex Lucius in bonis actibus assumptus ab hac vita migrauit ad Christum THE II. CHAPTER OF THE TIME AND PLACE OF KING LVCIVS 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 1. BEING come to celebrate the day of the death of our glorious King Lucius for the Ioy that he enioyed thereby and bewayle The time of King Lucius death it for the vnspeakeable losse this Nation receaued thereby we are to fall into the like difficulties both of the time and place Matth. Westm an gratiae 201. Manuscript Antiq Eccles S. Petri in Cornhill Londin Matth. Paris in Hist maiori apud Io. Caium l. 1. Ant. Cantab. Acad. pag. 109. Martin Polon Supputat an 188. in Eleutherio thereof which we passed for the beginning of his Reigne and Conuersion to Christ before handled and dissolued yet for the time of his death the auncient Manuscript of S. Peters Church in Cornehill in London and Matthew the Monke of Westminster haue giuen vs particular intelligence that it was in the first yeare of this third hundred of yeares Matthew Paris writeth the same And Martinus Polonus that testifieth King Lucius wrote to Pope Eleutherius concerning his Conuersion in the yeare 188. must needs giue euidence to that opinion for certaine it is by all Antiquities that King Lucius liued many yeares after that to see his kingdome conuerted to Christ And our Protestant Antiquaries with the best Authours as they say which confesse this first writing of King Lucius to Pope Eleutherius was not before the 178. yeare of Christ Haec contigerunt anno à Christi aduentu in carnem 178. vt potiores commemorant Annales For William of Malmesbury Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Lucio Pio. Caius supr pag. 111. in his Manuscript History of Glastenbury and other old Antiquities thereof doe proue that after S. Damianus and Faganus had conuerted this kingdome by the Papall Commission of S. Eleutherius they did continue 9. yeares at the least at Glastenbury King Lucius still liuing and reigning heare Guliel Malm. l. de Ant. Coen Glaston Antiq. Manuscrip tab fixae Glast Polid. Virgil. Hist in Lucio Lilius Hist alij Hollinshed Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 19. Stowe Hist an 179. in Lucius Io. Bal. l. de Scriptor Britan. centur 1. in Lucio Pio. Author of the Engl. Martyrol 3. day of December Martyrol Rom. die 3. Decemb. alij Polidor Lilly Hollinshed Stowe and other Protestants leane to this opinion 2. About the day of his death there is better Agreement for both those which say he died in Britaine both Catholiks and Protestants as also they which deny it affirming he died in Germany agree that this was vpon the third day of December Lucius Pius Claudiocestriae tertia die Decembris vitae suae finem accepit So writeth a Protestant Bishop of England with others And the Roman Martyrologe with others which otherwise write of the place of his death consent Tertio Nonas Decembris Lucij Britannorum Regis qui primus ex ijs Regibus Christi fidem suscepit tempore Eleutherij Papae 3. The place and manner of his death is more questioned diuers forreyne writers contend that he forsooke his kingdome and being made a Preist and afterward Bishop preached to the Rhetians in Germany was Bishop there of Curre and died by Martyrdome The Roman Martyrologe inclineth to this opinion making his death to haue bene Curiae in Germania At Curre in Germanie saying plainely as I haue cited before that this Lucius which died there was the first of the Kings of the Britans which receaued the faith of Christ in the time of Pope Eleutherius This is the greatest Authoritie I finde for this opinion yet this Authour doth not take vpon him to say that he was eyther Bishop or Martyr which he would not neyther by his Order and rule of writing which might not omit such things could haue omitted if he had knowne or probably thought eyther of them to haue bene true And whereas this Authour confidently saith of King Lucius that he was primus ex ijs King Lucius did not preach in Germanie neyther was he martyred or died there Regibus qui Christi fidem suscepit the first of the Brittish Kings which receaued the faith of Christ it doth formerly appeare that diuers Authours euen of this Nation which might better learne the truth hereof then a stranger could haue written otherwise both of Aruiragus Marius and Coillus Brittish Kings And I haue giuen sufficient warrant before that for the faith and Religion of King Lucius in particular it was Christian before the Papacy of S. Eleutherius and the generall Conuersion of the kingdome of Britaine and not of King Lucius was wrought in the time of Pope Eleutherius And yet this Authour absolutely affirmeth that King Lucius himselfe did receaue the faith of Christ in the time of Pope Eleutherius fidem Christi suscepit tempore Eleutherij Papae Neither doth he in that or any other place make any memory of S. Author of the Engl. Martyrol ex Eisengren cent 2. d. 1. Breuia Curiensi 4. Decemb. Caspar Bruch Catal. Episcop Curien Io. Stumpff in Rhetia Magdeburg cent Guliel Eisengr centenar 2. Io. Naucler gener 6. volum 8. Petr. de Natal l. 1. cap. 24. Emerita supposed by some others to be Sister to our King Lucius and departing forth of Britaine with him to haue bene martyred in Germany in or neare Curre in Rhetia to which in some Iudgments the Ecclesiasticall Office of that Church seemeth to giue allowance at the least for one Lucius regio stemate apud Britannos ortus borne of the Brittish Kingly Race and his Sister S. Emerita but this proueth rather that it was not S. Lucius our King but an other of the Kingly Line which I shall proue hereafter to haue bene a Sonne of Constantius and S. Helena Empresse that honour of Britaine an elder brother to Constantine the Greate Emperour who became an holy Clergie man and preached in those parts of Germany Which together with the likenes or Identitie of name Regall Race and nearnes in blood gaue occasion to some to thinke it was the renowned first Brittish Christian King of that name which vndertooke that course of life and so ended it there 4. That our first Christian King Lucius could not be Bishop there is euident before when I haue kept him so long in Britaine that for
old Latine Manuscript History mortuus est Lucius sepultus in Claudiocestria The old Manuscript of S. Peters Church in Cornhill at London auoucheth from diuers Antiquities that he was buried at Gloucester where the Church of S. Francis was after builded being at the time of his death the Cathedrall and Episcopall Church of that Citie as I haue remembred Ihon Harding also witnesseth of this Kings death and bury all at Glocester At Cairglowe buried after his dignitie 6. And not to exclude the testimony of our Protestant Antiquaries in this Relation in their Theater of great Britaine written and coÌ„posed by diuers of their best Historians and published with their common applause and Approbation they make this History of King Lucius his death in Britaine a matter without question true and thus scoffingly condemne those writers Which would carry him to end his dayes in Germanye That this Lucius should be the Apostle to the Bauarians or that his Sister Emerita was crowned with the Flames of Martyrdome fifteene yeares after his death I leaue to the credit of Aegedius Schudus and Hermannus Scedelius the Reporters Others of them plainely say Lucius was buried at Glocester Yet this generall consent of Antiquitie for his first buriall at Glocester doth nothing hinder but as the kuowne deuotion both of the Britans and Saxons after them towards holy Reliks did often and with greate reuerence and solemnitie remoue the bodyes of holy Saints or parts of them for their greater honour So it might or did after fall out with the whole body of this renowned King or some part thereof And the Tradition of Winchester is that the whole body of King Lucius or a greate part thereof being once remoued before was the second time Translated thither there lieth in the bodie of the greate Church vnder a marble stone eleuated about two foote froÌ„ the pauement the same stone being now broken in two places hauing vpon â—t and those holy Reliks a Crosse of 7. greate brasse buttons whereof 5. are set downe in length and the other two making the perfect figure and forme of the Crosse one on each side of the others making the length And this reuerent Translation of King Lucius body to diuers places in Britaine is sufficiently insinuated by the old Authour of the French Manuscript History I Manuscr Gallic sup c. 9. haue cited before who allthough he confidently affirmeth that King Lucius died at Glocester deuia a Gloucestre yet he addeth that he was afterward buried in the cheife See in the Citie of Caerlegion En Leglise del Primer See cest assauoir en la cittie de Legions estoit enterres and this he saith was in the 196. yeare of Christs Incarnation l'an de l'Incartion 196. 4. or 5. yeares sooner then others before haue set downe his death except the forenamed Manuscript Compilation which hath the same Computation of his death saying sepultus Compilatio M. S. de gest Brit. Angl. in Lucio est Anno Incarnationis Dominicae 196. herede carens THE III. CHAPTER HOW NOTWITHSTANDING THE DEATH of King Lucius without Heire to succeede in the gouerment 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 1. AND both to assure vs further of the vndoubted truth of those Histories which testifie the death and buriall of King Lucius to haue bene in Britaine and not in any forreine The greate losse Britaine had of King Lucius his death Region as also to giue vs better notice and triall what honour peace and quiet spirituall and temporall with other happines this kingdome enioyed by King Lucius blessed life and loste them by the losse of him it is the constant agreement of Antiquities Galfr. Monum Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 1. Virun l. 5. Histor Matth. Westm An. 201. Holinshed Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 19. Compilatio M. S. de gest Brit. Angl. in Lucio that Britaine now made by his death destitute not onely of so worthie a King but also of any certaine Heire or Successor of that Regall Race fell to intestine discord and variance by which it was miserably afflicted long time vpon that occasion Caruerat ille sobole oritur seditio inter Britones de successuro in Regnum Romana potestas infirmata est A Protestant Historian thus writeth in generall of this matter King Lucius dyed without issue by reason whereof after his decease the Brittans fell at variance which continued about the space of fiftene yeares as Fabian thinketh howbe it the old English Cronicle affirmeth that the contention betwixt them remained fifty yeares though Harding affirmeth but foure yeares Which his words of Hardings opinion that this variance among the Brittans continued but 4. yeares are to be ameÌ„ded for Harding setteth downe Matth. Westm An. 205. Florent Wigor in Chro. Marianus Scotus Martin Polon in Seuero Harding Chronic c. 51. f. 44. the dissentions of the Brittans as other Historians doe and maketh them of as long continuance onely he saith that Seuerus the Emperour came hither foure yeares after the death of King Lucius to seeke to appease things so doth Matthew of Westminster Florentius and others as farre as Harding doth his words be these of King Lucius death For cause he had non heire to keepe the land Through all Britaine the Barons gan discord Vnto the time that Romans tooke on hand To chose a Prince by their stedfast accord But 4. yere were gone or then they could accorde In which then Seuer the Senatour Hether came to be their Gouernour Where Harding doth limit the foure yeares onely to the Romans to take notice and deliberate of these things and conclude to send Seuerus hither saying But foure yeares were gone or then they could accorde Meaning the Romans about this matter for it is euident both by Harding and all other Antiquaries that Seuerus did not accord the Britans but the variance continued heare during his whole life and he was slaine at Yorke in the same contention as both Harding and all others testifie Harding saith But King Fulgen of Pightes and Scots againe Harding Chron. c. 53. s 45. With hoost full great seiged Ebranke citee Which Seuer rescowed and was slaine And Fulgen also for beten there did die And he continueth the Brittans warrs and tumults heare long time after Seuerus his death and his sonnes after him as other Antiquaries likewise Christians in Britaine quiet for Religion vntill the Persecution of Dioclesian doe finding litle quiet heare vntill the later end of Constantius Father of Constantiue the Greate Emperour Which will more appeare hereafter so farre as it carrieth any connexion with our Ecclesiasticall History 2. And yet notwithstanding such a worlde of vnquietnes heare
conqu Brit. c. 7. ad Persecutionem Diocletioni Tiranni And not onely in the time of Dioclesian his Persecutiō following in this Age we finde euen whole Cities Townes as Verolamium and others vtterly destitute of Christians but long before and about this time we are assured that there were very many Britans and not of meane estate but such as were publikly employed about the affaires of S. Mello a Britan Archbishop of Roan in Normādy the kingdome and sent from hence to Rome about it that eyther were fallen from Christianitie or neuer forsooke their Pagan Religion For we reade both in auncient Manuscripts and other Authours in the life of S. Mello a Britan and after Archbishop of Roan in Normandy sent thither by S. Stephen Pope not onely that he and his Brittish Companions which were then sent to Rome to paye the Tribute of Britaine there were Pagans and sacrificed in the Temple of Mars but it was then the custome of the Britans comming thither about that office so to doe which to be a custome could not be Manuscr antiq in Vita S. Mellonis Episc Confessoris Io. Capgrau Catalog in eod younger then these dayes time short enough betweene this and that time to make a custome Tempore Valeriani Imperatoris Mello quidam de maiori Britannia oriundus Romam venit vt Patriae suae Tributū solueret Imperatori seruiret Ibique sicut mos erat cum socijs suis ad templum Martis ductus est vt sacrificaret And it seemeth this custome had bene from the first submission of the Britans to the Romans for both Protestants and others affirme that in Octauius Augustus time Ambassadours came from Britaine to Rome swearing Fealtie in the Stowe Howes Hist in Octauius Augustus Temple of Mars offering gifts in the Capitall to the Gods of the Romans And we haue Testimonie in our Histories that after King Lucius death and this very time which we haue now in hand it was the vse and custome of our Britans heare when any of their Nobilitie or Gentry were to obtayne the dignitie of Knighthood to send them to Rome to receaue that honour there and after such Pagan Rites and ceremonies that Christians could not in conscience so accept thereof And yet such multitudes euen in this time flocked thither from hence so to be created that in this time when S. Amphibalus was conuerted Iacob Genuen Episc in Catal. Sanctor in S. Amphabel and Alban to the faith by Pope S. Zepherine as Iacobus Genuensis a learned Bishop writeth 15. hundred were so created Of all which we finde no memory that any more were Christians then S. Amphibalus and S. Alban and yet both these conuerted after they had thus professed Paganisme S. Amphibalus by Pope Zepherine who after made him Preist at Rome and S. Alban S. Alban descēded of the Romans long after his returne from Rome by the same holy Saint Amphibalus sent hither by Pope Zepherine in Britaine And yet as the old Brittish Writer of Author Britan. Antiq. in Vita S. Albani Capgr in eod S. Alban his life Capgraue and others witnesse S. Alban was rather discended of Noble Roman then Brittish Parentage Albanus ex illustri Romanorum Prosapia originem ducens probably both of Roman and Brittish Auncestours 4. And it seemeth the condition of many of others was not vnlike and thereby a greate allurement for them to continue in the Romans Religion of whose blood they were discended in whose municipall and priuiledged Townes many of them liued and from whome they hoped and expected to receaue terreane honours and Aduancements The Britans generally or for the most part professing the holy Christian Religion preferring heauenly before earthly honours Yet it is euident by this is saide that in this short tract of time after the death of King Lucius many of the Britans by the continuall trobles of that time and conuersation with Pagans were either fallen from Christianitie or as holy Gildas saith professed it but coldly tepidè in respect of that zeale and feruour which was vsed in the dayes of Saint Lucius And yet Seuerus of himselfe was not so much giuen to wicked life but renowned Martin Polon Supput in Seuero not onely for warlike affaires but for learning and studyes Praeter bellicam gloriam ciuilibus studijs scientia Philosophiae clarus fuit And so greate an enemy to Incontinēcy that he puished Adultery by Lawe with death with such seueritie that Dio writeth that whē he was Consul he foūde by Records Dio in Seuero Herodianus in Seuero Herodianus l. 3. that 3000. had bene put to death for that offence Ego cum Consul essem inueni scriptum in Tabulis tria millia Maechorum morte fuisse mulctata And was after his death made a God among the Pagans And Herodianus saith he died rather of greefe for his childrens wickednes then of sicknes Maerore magis quam morbo consumptus vita functus est Which greefe for the sinns of his sonnes as also Galfr. Mon. l. 5. c. 2. F. or Wigorn. An. 195. 217. Mat. Westm an 205. Harding Cron. c. 53. f. 44. Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Matth. Westm an 206. Hard. sup Pont. Virunn l. 5. Dio Hist l. 55. of his owne in permitting the Christians in many places to be greuiously persecuted I would not deny but that he died of any such greefe is vntrue being most certaine that he after so many Conquests in other Countryes when he came to fight against his Country Christians he was enforced dishonorably to make a Wall and Trench of aboue 130. miles in lenght to keepe his Enemyes back from inuading him and slaine in battaile by Fulgenius others call him Fulgentius brother by some before to his first lawfull true wife the Empresse Martia a Briton Interfectus est Seuerus Imperator In acri certamine interficitur Seuerus And by the Roman Writers themselues he was at this time when he was so slaine at Yorke 65. yeares old And allthough he left 32. Legions as Dio writeth to defend that his temporall Empire which had so persecuted the Church of Christ yet that temporall Empire with all those propes began to stagger and notwithstanding so greate Persecution the kingdome of Christ as Tertullian then liuing witnesseth was adored and ruled in all places Cum Romani tot Legionibus suum Imperium muniant nec trans istas gentes Tertullian aduers Iudaeos c. 7. porrigere vires regni sui possint Christi autem Regnum nomen vbique porrigitur vbique creditur ab omnibus gentibus supranominatis colitur vbique regnat vbique adoratur And particularly heare in Britaine as he hath said before Christianitie reigned whether the Pagan Romans could not nor durst come but walled and trenched in themselues for feare 5. He left behinde him two sonnes Bassianus his eldest by his lawfull wife of Britaine before remembred and Geta by
Iulia his second wife a Roman if she may be termed a wife his first lawfull still liuing He reigned as Baronius contendeth 17. yeares 8. moneths and 3. dayes But our Historians make Baron An. D. 195. 213. Flor. Wigorn. Chron. An. 180. 202. his Empire somewhat longer Matthew of Westminster maketh him Emperour compleate 18. yeares Romanum consecutus Imperium imperauit annis 18. Florentius Wigorniensis citing Cassiodorus and the Roman Historie saith he was Emperour 18. yeares and 3. Moneths Seuerus regnauit annis 18. teste Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. in Seuero Galfr. Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun Hist l. 5. Matth. Westm an 206. Ioan. Harding Chron. c. 53. Bal. l. de Script Brit. cent 1. in Fulgenio Audaci Cassiodoro mensibus etiam tribus secundum Historiam Romanam Marianus Scotus saith he held the Empire 19. yeares Cum 19. annis Seuerus tenuisset Imperium decessit And whereas it is generally agreed vpon both by our Brittish and Saxon Historians and Antiquaries whether Catholiks or Protestants that Fulgenius after his former discumfiture by Seuerus went ouer into Scythia interpreted to be that Country which now is called Denmarke and brought with him a greate Armie of the people of that Nation which our Antiquities call Picts before he fought with Seuerus and they both there were slaine or died at Yorke Fulgenius cum diutius resistere nequiuisset transfretauit in Scythiam vt Pictorum auxilio dignitati restitueretur Cumque ibi omnem InuentuteÌ„ Patriae collegisset reuersus est cum maximo nauigio in Britanniam atque Eboracum obsedit these were none of the Christian Picts or Scots which liued in our Ilands who had ioyned with Fulgenius before and many of them were slaine as the same Authours testifie conâ—ucebat in auxilium sibi quo scumque Insulanos populos inueniebat but they were Pagan Picts of whome many remaining heare after the death of these two Generals they had a place giuen vnto them to Inhabite in the Country Albania Carausius vt triumphum habuit dedit Pictis locum mansionis in Albania vbi cum Britonibus mixti per sequens aeuum Galfr. Mon. supr c. 3. Fabian Hist Polychron Wil. Harrison descri of Brit. c. 22. Hollinsh Histor of Engl. l. 4. c. 23. Bed Hist Eccles l. 1. Capgr in S. Niniano Hect. Boeth Scotor Hist l. 7. Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Ninia Bernicio manserunt Thus write our Brittish Historians and our Protestant Antiquaries agree when they say that Carausius gaue vnto the Scots Picts and Scithians the Country of Cathnesse in Scotland which they afterward inhabited And these were those Pagan Picts and people which S. Ninian and others sent from Rome did longe after conuert to the faith of Christ as S. Bede and others testifie for the Ilanders which were Picts and Scots were conuerted in Pope Victor his time as I haue declared before which is an other Argument against the Scottish writers which would haue themselues seated in the Country now called Scotland so long a duration of yeares as they haue claymed before THE VII CHAPTER HOW IN THE TIME OF BASSIANVS SONNE of Seuerus being Emperour he was both in Britaine whence he was discended and other places he was a friend to Christians and Persecutour of their Persecutours How S. Zepherine the Pope then sent diuers Apostolike men into Britaine 1. AS soone after the death of the Emperour Seuerus the TeÌ„porall state of our Britans being freed from many surges waues of calamities did finde a calme So the Church of Christ especially in this kingdome eÌ„tered thereby into an harbour of some ease and quietnes from such enormities afflictioÌ„s as vsually growe and happen in such times For the Quarrell for this kingdome being principally betweene Seuerus and Fulgenius their Complices and Confederats allthough Seuerus was actually slayne in that bloody conflict at Yorke yet Fulgenius followed presently after being by all Writers mortally wounded in the same Battayle Fulgenius laethaliter vnlneratus est And for Posteritie the Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matt. Westm An. 206. Harding Chron. c. 53. condition of Seuerus was farre berter then that of Fulgenius for whether the Britons or Romans should preuayle in choosing a King or Emperour Seuerus leauing two Sonnes one of the Brittish the other of the Roman blood left prouision for both euents When the case of Fulgenius was not such he himselfe not noted to haue had any true Title to the Crowne of Britaine but chosen King or Captayne of them which would not admitt the Romans Gouernment duce Fulgenio and Fulgenius Dux populi profligati And King Fulgenius Galfr. Mon. Hist l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matt. Westm supr Hard. supr elected to be King rather of Loue and necessitie then by any Title he had so to be And if he had any Right by discent to the Crowne of Britaine seeing we reade of no child or Brother he left behinde him that Title which he claymed must needs discend to the eldest Sonne of Seuerus which was Bassianus Sonne also to the Sister oâ— Fulgenius as some before haue written now hauing by the death of his Father Seuerus and vnkle Fulgenius both their Titles with the allowance of the Empresse Martia his Mother lawfully inuested in him 2. Therefore to decide and end all Controuersies in this busines the Britans with common assent did chuse and accept Bassianus both for their King being the next and vndoubted Heire whether we shall staÌ„d eyther vpon his Fathers or vnkles Title and also for Emperour as the Eldest Sonne and Heire of Seuerus vndoubted Emperour and for his leauing Sonnes behinde as the cheifest cause made a God among the Romans So writeth Herodian with others Mos est Romanis consecrare Imperatores qui superstitibus filijs vel successoribus Herodian l. 4. moriuntur And an English Protestant Antiquarie though not citing Authoritie deliuereth the same in these words The Romans accustome to consecrate Stowe Hist Romans in Seuerus with Immortalitie such Emperours as at their death leaue eyther children or Successours in the Empire behinde them And those which are endued with that honour they canonize amongst the Gods Therefore to vse the speach of an other Protestant Historian from Antiquitie Seuerus by birth a Roman but in blood a Harrison descr of Britaine c. 22. Manuscr Gallic Antiq. cap. 109. Galfr. Mon. l. 5. c. 2. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matth. West an 206. Harding Chron. in Seuerus Bassianus Holinsh. Hist of Eng. l. 4. cap. 22. Harris descript of Brit. c. 22. Tertull. ad Scapul c. 4. Spartian in Caracall Briton and the lineall Heire of the body of Androgeus Sonne of Lud and Nephew to Cassibelan was Emperour and King of Britaine Geta borne of a Roman woman Iulia was chosen Emperour by diuers Romans but soone after slayne by his halfe Brother Bassianus the Briton This
olde Greeke Writer sayth they were Arrian Heretiks Pagans which denyed Constantine to be legitmate and that they lyed therin Ariani Pagani calumniantur vti spurium Magnū Constantinum quin ipsi mentiuntur Egbertus saith she was Queene and Mother of Constantine Berengosus an eye witnesse of the most things writing of her saith first she was a Queene Helena Regina and so the lawfull wife of Constantius for the Concubine of the greatest King or Emperour that euer was is not thereby a Queene in such sence as these Authours name her Queene to Rule and gouerne Augusta cum filio conregnabat Nor can the lawfull true wiues of Kings be termed Queens by such worthie Authours except they were Queens by Title of Inheritance or such like as our Antiquaries write of Queene Helen that she was daughter and Heire to her Father King S. Helen her sumptuous Pallace Coel. Which this worthie Authour doth also though a stranger to vs confirme when he proueth she was of a most Noble Parentage and by experimentall Idem Berengosus l. 3. c. 2. sup Arguments because he had seene the old buildings of her stately Pallace continuing in his time the pauement whereof was Marble and Toochstone the most Regall Pallace in all those parts the walles were guilded with gold Her chamber was so sumptuous that the like was not in the world and to free her from all slaunders the chamber of her heart and soule was farre more pure and in all things she was obedient to the will of God and yet externally pleasing her husband Constantius although more pleasing to God then to her husband Nobilitatem eius apud Treuiros aedificiorum suorum adhuc antiqua testatur gentilitas vbi pauimentum domus illius varijs Marmoribus Pario quondam lapide stratum benè declarat quantum ibi prae aliis videretur habere Primatum Praeterea vero ipsa planities parietum fuluo auro velut Hiacinthino textu depicta bene testabatur insignia nobilitatis eius inuictae Insuper etiam Praediorum eius copiae Ecclesijs Dei olim collatae bene declarant quam nobilissima generis polleret Antiquitate sed cubile ipsius aureis setis instructum insignitum nobilitatem quodāmodo in ea quasi Romanorum testabatur Quiritum maximè cum ab ortu solis vsque ad vltimam Thyle cubili huic simile non posset inueniri Quia cubiculum cordis sui cubicularius ille nulla vnquam inquinauit pollutione de quo scriptum est in Cubili suo astitit omni viae non bonae Quoniam intrinsecus tantis ac talibus decorata fuit virtutibus idcirco per omnia in omnibus diuinis placebat obtutibus quia vero specie suâ pulchritudine forinsecus erat ornata ideo viro suo Constantio amabilis videbatur grata quoniam internae pietatis aeternae pulchritudinis ita instructa est norma vt Deo placeret in animâ Constantio in formâ secundum enim opinionem vulgi veritatem rei officiosa erat in obsequio viri sed officiosior ad obsequium Dei quoniam amor Constantij Dei ita in corde illius duplici ratione fuit distinctus vt Constantio exterius Deo subderetur interius 5. Thus we see how farre this most blessed and Noble Queene and Empresse was in all times from being base either by birth or conuersation such sanctity of life could neuer agree with that fowle name by which some haue so wrongefully termed her such Parentage Pallaces and Reuenewes able to entertaine the greatest Princes according to their state and dignitie must denominate their Noble Owners with better termes and attributes then Hostesse Inkeeper Stabularia Except we will expound them in so lardge a sence that we shall so stile Abraham and Loth that lodged the Angels those that entertained Christ all Receauers of Kings Princes and Emperours and all harbourers and exercisers of Hospitalitie for so both S. Helen and King Coel entertained Constantius the one an Husband the other a sonne in Lawe as Princes vse It seemeth this Palace and lands in and about Treuers to haue discended to S. Helen by her Mother or some Ancestor of that Country for both Beringosus saith S. Helen was brought vp at Treuers Helena Treuiro-Indigena ciuitatis And Ottho Frisingensis saith she was by some of her Ancestors Berengos supr l. 2. c. 1. Ottho Frisingen Chron. l. 4. c. 45. come from thence Helena ex Pago Treuirorum oriunda And Treuers being at that time the most renowned place of those Countries for Nobilitie Learning and Christian Relegion and she the onely child of her Father King Coel and to succeed him in the kingdome of Britaine he sent her thither to haue the most Noble education and there it was probably where she first came to be acquainted with Constantius then liuing in those parts And this made the Attonement betweene Constantius for the Romans and king Coel to be so soone and peaceably effected without any effusion of blood as our Antiquities testifie whereof it will be a difficult thing to giue any other reason in any morall iudgment 6. This Marriadge betweene Constantius and S. Helena daughter of King Coel is proued by many other forraine Historians so hath the auncient Bishop Iacob Genuen in S. Helena Trithem l. de Orig. Francorum Io. Naucler Chron. generat 6. p. 565. Hist Manuscr Gallic Antiq. c. 29. Iacobus Genuensis and Trithemius So plainely writeth Nauclerus Constantius Caesar in Britanniam missus Insulam Romanis pacauit eamque post interitum Coelis ductâ illius filiâ Helenâ vxore solus administrauit A very old Frēch Manuscript hath thus Constans came into Britaine and after the death of King Coelreigned ouer Britaine and tooke Helen daughter of Coel to wife This Helen was a woman of greate vertue and passing in Beuty all the Maydes of the Prouince of Britaine and there was not found any other so learned in Instruments of Musike and the 7. liberall Arts. For her Father Coel had no other child which might gouerne the Realme after him and therefore procured that she was so learned that she might Reigne after him Bouchet saith Cohel Duke of Cohelcester slew Asclepiodotus in Bouchet Annals de Aquitaine l. 1. c. 5. Nicholas Giles Annal. de France f. 8. p. 2. Zonaras Annal. Tom. 2. in Diocletiano Constante Zonar sup in Constantino Magno Battaile and was made King of Britaine Constantius married his daughter Helena and had Constantine by her An other French Historian saith Helena Mother of Constantine the Greate was daughter of Coel King of the Britans And whereas some would haue Zonaras to be a mouer of this question it is most cleare that Zonaras plainely saith S. Helen was the first and true wife of Constantius Constantine his eldest Sonne and so declared his lawfull Heire Successour Filio natu maiore Magno videlicet Constantino ex priore coniuge Imperij
heare of so wonderfull patience loue of Christ and Heroicall true fortitude to so many thowsands which by their singular example with inuincible couradge imitated them therein is the greatest honour we can yeeld to such blessed Saints one earth Their Festiuitie is celebrated by the old Roman Martyrologe vpon the first day of Iuly On which day as Baronius plainely writeth many Martyr Rom. die 1. Iulij others suffered Martyrdome with them Iulius Aaron Martyres cum alijs plurimis in Britannia sub Dioclesiano primo die Iulij So likewise affirmeth a Caesar Baron in Indice NominuÌ„ Sanctorum in Iulio Aarone Author of Engl. Martyr 1. Iul. late English Wtiter And the Roman Martyrologe which Baronius glosseth may well carry that construction for setting downe for a certaine truth that these two holy Martyrs were putt to death in Britaine vpon the first day of Iuly Primo die Iulij in Britannia Sanctorum Martyrum Iulij Aaron qui in persecutione Dioclesiani passi sunt it presently addeth Quo tempore ibidem quamplurimi diuersis crutiatibus torti saeuissimè lacerati ad supernae ciuit atis gaudia consummato agone peruenerunt At the same time in the same place very many tortured with diuers torments and most cruelly torne hauing ended their combate came to the Ioyes of heauen And S. Bede saith that ea tempestate Martyrol Ro. 1. die Iulij Bed l. 1. Hist c. 7. Henr. Hunting Hist l. 1. in Diocles Matt. West an 303. Io. Capgr in S. Albano alij Girald CaÌ„bren Itiner Camb. l. 1. cap. 5. Ranulph Higed l. 1. c. 48. Dauid Powel Annot. in Girald supr Harrison Descript of Brit. c. 13. Humfr. Lhuyd Brâ—uiar Britan. Et Tho. Twyne ib. f. 82. The glory of Caerlegâ—â—nâ—ur Archieâ—iscâ—â—all see before this time at that time when S. Aaron and S. Iulius were Martyred diuers others both men and women were putt to death Alijque vtriusque sexus passi sunt ea tempestate So hath Henry of Huntington passi sunt co tempore Aaron Iulius alij quo que plures vtriusque sexus So haue others And we cannot probably thinke that those raging Persecutours which in places where there were not in any degree so many Christians as in this renowned Citie an Archiepiscopall See and Christian Vniuersitie putt them to death by thowsands sent these heare by cruell Martyrdome to heauen alone These holy Martyrs by all Antiquities suffered Martyrdome at Caerlegion and both Giralâ—us Cambrensis Ranulphus Higeden writing at Westchester as also our Protestant Antiquaries of the same Country plainely say it was at Caerlegion in Monmouthshire which was the Archiepiscopall Citie and Schoole distinguishing it from Westchester by some called Caerlegion also I will onely cite one thus Englished to my hand by a Protestant Historian In this Region Monmouthshire is situated the most auncient and Noble Citie of Legions which our Countrymen call Caerleon are Wish that is to say the Citie of Legions vpon Vsk for difference sake betweene it and the other which is builded in Northwales vpon the Riuer Dee Of whome Giraldus writeth thus The same was an auncient and noble Towne the tokens whereof remayne as yet an huge Palace a Giantlike Tower goodly Bathes and hotehouses Reliques of Churches and places like Theaters compassed with beautifull walles â—artly yet standing Also buildings vndeâ— the grounde Conducts secreâ—â—e passages and Vaultes vnder the earth framed by wonderfull workemanship Thâ—â—â—â—â—th two Martyrs Iulius and Aaron which had Churches dedicate◠〈…〉 The like and more plainely haue many others auncient and late Catholiks and Protestants Therefore that Protestant Bishop which singularlie saith it was at Chester apud vrbem Legionum Cestriam nun vocatam is much deceaued in this matter Io. Bâ—l. Prâ—fat in l. de Scriptor THE XVIII CHAPTER HOW SAINT AMPHIBALVS A BRITTISH Bishop and many holy and learned Preists of the Britans in this Persecution went to the Scots and Picts were reuerently receaued of them and preached liued and continued there in greate Sanctitie and left greate Succession of such there after them 1. VPON this Persecution and Martyrdome of these holy Saints Gildas l. de excid c. 8. and others at that time as S. Gildas with others writeth they which escaped death hidd theÌ„selues in Woods Desarts Dens and fledd into Ilands to the Scots for refuge Qui superfuerant Hector Boeth Hist Scotor l. 6. f. 102. Georg. Buchan Rer. Scot. l. 4. in Rege 33. Hollinsh Hist of Scotland in Crathlint and Fincomarke siluis ac desertis abditisque spelnncis se occult aâ—ere Our Scottish Historians say a greate number of our Brittish Christians to auoide the crueltie of the Persecutours fledd to the Scots and Picts Magnus piorum numerus persequentium saeuitiam declinare cupiens ad Scotos Pictos concessit They haue preserued the particular names of diuers of them whome they recompt among the most renowned learned men of that Age such were Amphibalus a Bishop Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus and Carnocus worshippers of God called in the old Scottish languadge Culdeis which by their preaching taught the Religion of Christ with many labours throughout the Scots Countries There were then very many more but these the cheifest of them whose names came to posteritie Inter Nostrates eadem fuere tempestate sacra doctrina pollentes Ampbibalus Amistes Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus Caroncus Dei cultores Culdei prisca nostra vulgari lingua dicti Christi Seruatoris doctrinam omnes per Scotorum Regiones concionando multis pijsque sudoribus seminantes Fuere tunc alij permulti sed hij quorum nomina ad Posteros delata praecipui Many of these holy Brittish Christians liued in poore Georg. Buchan Rer. Scotic l. 4. Reg. 35. Hollinsh of Scotl. in Fincomarke Cels professing the most austeere penitentiall cremiticall life in so greate sanctitie that as these Scottish Antiquaries haue before deliuered their very Cels were dedicated into Churches after they were dead and with such reuerence obserued with that Nation our Protestants so confessing and testifying that from the time of those holy Brittish Saints which thus liued there the old Scots called Churches by the name of Cels Ex â—â—que consâ—etudo mansit apud Posteros vt prisci Scoti templa Cellas vocent 2. Among these our holy Bishop S Amphibalus a man of singular pietie and excellent in diuine learning Amphibaluâ— Brito vir â—â—sigâ—â— pietate sacra doctrina pollens preached the word of Christ throughouâ— the Scots and Picts S. Amphibalus a BritaÌ„ and Martyr a learned and holy Bishop in Mona I le with the Scots Countries speaking and writing much against the Pagans Religion 〈◊〉 dogma per Scotorum Pictorumqae Regiones propâ—â—aâ—do mâ—lâ—a a contra Geâ—â—â—â—um Religionem dicendo scribendoquâ— Crathlint then King of the Scots entertayned this holy Bishop and his company with greate loue and builded for them a â—hurch in the I
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
Cap. 66. supr in terris vllum a condito mundo sub sole visum est All the Nobles of his Army which worshipped him when he lyued kept their old manner custome at certaine times entring in and prostrating themselues one the groond saluted the Emperour after his death lying in his Coffen as if he had still bene Greate reuerence giuen by the Christians to the de ad body of Constantine lyuing The Senate and all other Magistrats worshipped his body with like reuerence All kind of people euen women and children in infinite number came to see this Solemnitie these things were thus performed many dayes This blessed Emperour was he alone which reigned when he was dead and to him alone God himselfe being Authour thereof all honours which were wonte to be giuen him when he lyued were giuen after his death For he being the onely Emperour which in all the Actions of his life piously and Religiously worshiped God the King of all his sonne Christ Iesus he alone by right obtained this honour by the will of God to haue that which was buryed in death to reigne among men Totius exercitus Duces Comites omniumque Principum caetus quibus antea in more fuit Imperatorem venerari pristinum morem consuetudinem conseruaÌ„tes statis temporibus introeuntes Imperatorem in capsula iacentem tanquam viuum etiam post mortem humi procumbentes salutabant Horum reuerentiam eodem pietatis officio subsequutus est Senatus omnes reliqui Magistratus Tum vero cuiusuis ordinis hominuÌ„ etiam muliercularum puerorum infinita turba ad idem spectaculum confluebat Haec per multos dies factitata Solus vero iste beatus Imperator etiam mortuus regnauit cum ei soli post hominum memoriam vel ipso Deo Authore omnes qui solebant honores tanquam superstiti tribuerentur Num cum is solus ex omnibus Imperatoribus Regem omnium Deum Christum eius omnibus vitae actionibus pie sancteque coluerit iure sane etiam hunc honorem solus adeptus est vt Dei voluntate quod in eo morte sepultum erat tamen apud homines regnaret 9. They also made his Picturs and in them worshiped him as though he Cap. 69. were still lyuing And painted him as reigning in heauen Neque haec voce tantum clamoribus significabant verumetiam re ipsa declarabant cum ea vita functum pictis tabellis tanquam viuum colerent Nam cum caeli effigiem in tabella proprijs Constantine worshipped in his pictures after his death coloribus expressissent depinguÌ„t eum super caelestes orbes in ethaereeo caelo requiescentem Thus his body was honorably kept vnburyed vntill his sonne Constantius came none of them being preseÌ„t at his death Then being with greate solemnitie brought to the Apostles Church where the Preists and people The Preists and others pray for the soule of their Emperor Constantine deceased with teares and mourning prayed vnto God for the soule of the Emperour Populus frequens vna cum Sacerdotibus non sine lachrymis sane magno cum geÌ„mitu preces pro animo Imperatoris Deo fundebant And so with sacred ceremonies and the sacrifice of Masse and holy prayers he was ioyned to the people Cap. 70. 71. of God in heauen Licet contemplari ter beatae animae tumulum Apostolici nominis Masse said for him deceased appellaâ—ione decorari Dei populum aggregari diuinisque ceremonijs mystico sacrificio sanctarumque precationum societate perfrui 10. Nicephorus writeth that the holynes and pietie of this renowned Emperour The Relicks of Constantino worke many miracles so his Image were so Miraculously approued after his death that God gaue such an infallible gift of healing and Miracles both to his graue and Image that all diseases whatsoeuer were certainely cured by the onely touching of them Magna gloria bonorum conciliator Deus virum eum veluti fidelem ministrum accumulauit Niceph. Hist Eccl. l. 8. cap. 55. sanationum Miraculorum gratia vrnae statuae ipsius quae in porpheretici marmoris columna posita est immissa vt deinceps nulla aegri tudo contrectatis eis non cederet fides verbi illius Christi adimpleretur dicentis ego glorificantes me glorifiâ—â—bo The memorable workes and foundations of Christian pietie Arguments of Constantine his Religion the most honored Emperor that euer was Churches most sumptuous Altars Chalices Patens Candelsticks and other vessels of gold and siluer which he founded Priuiledges Immunities and aimes which he bestowed vpon Religion are innumerable Eusebius hath writen his life in 4. Bookes and many others haue entreated of them able in themselues to minister subiect of a whole History therefore I must passe them ouer onely saying in generall with that Authour of this Noble Emperour Solus ex omnibus Romanis Imperatoribus Deum omnium Regem incredibili Euseb l. 4. vit Const cap. 75. pietatis studio honorauit solus omni cum libertate vocis linguae Christi verbum personuit solus vt ita dicam Ecclesiam eius praeter caeteras ab omni aeuo honoribus effecit Solus Impium multoruÌ„ deorum ficticium cultum sustulit omnesque vias Idololatriae refutauit Igitur dum viueret postque est mortuus his honoribus cumulatus est quales neminem aliquando nec apud Graecos nec Barbaros sed ne antiquissimis quidem Romanorum temporibus cum neminem cum isto conferendum vlla vnquaÌ„ seculorum memoria nobis profuderit adeptum esse quisquam commemorare potest Among all the Roman Emperours Constantine onely did with incredible feruour of pietie honour God the King of all he alone with all libertie of voice and tongue sounded forth the word of Christ he alone that I may so say more then all the rest in all Ages endewed his Church with honours He alone tooke away the feigned worship of many Gods and refuted all the wayes of Idolatry Therefore he alone both when he lyued and after he was dead had such honors heaped vpon him that no man can make relation that any man at any time eyther among the Greekes or Barbarians or in the most auncient time of the Romans obtayned the like It is not found in the memory of all Ages that any man was to be compared vnto him He left his three sonnes before remembred to serue and reigne Emperours after him in the S. Constantia dâ—uâ—hter to Consâ—anâ—ine an holy Nunneâ— example to many Noble Nuâ—â—â— worlde but his holy daughter S. Constantia some call her Constantina he left to serue God in perpetuall virginitie among sacred Nunnes who as I haue insinuated before being infected with Leprosie and going on Pilgrimage to the graue of S. Agnes Martyred in the Persecution before Constantins time and there continuing in prayer all night was Miraculously cured of her infirmitie S. Agnes
in that our Mother Church thus they testifie and first of S. Syluester that Pedagoge ad Tutor of Constantine in these words There be very many Decrees of Pope Syluester of consecrating Chrisme confirming children adorning Churches couering Altars ordaining Massing Preistâ— annointing vesting them of worshiping adoring and reseruing the consecrated Hostes also of Deacons vesturs Albes Miters Palls Sacrifices Ceremonies Asiles Extreame vnctions other Rites Huius Syluestri permulta feruntur Instituta de Chrismate consecraÌ„do Ordinibus dandis pueris confirmandis templis ornandis Altaribus tegendis Missatoribus constituendis vngendis vestiendis Hostijsque vt vocant deificandis adornandis seruandis Item de Dalmaticis Cappis Corporalibus Albis Mitris Pallijs Pannis Peplis Sindonibus Sacrificijs Ceremonijs Asilis Extremis vnctionibus alijsque ritibus How a Preist should be vested when he sayd Masse that no lay man might empleade any of the Clergie That no Clergy man should be conuented before Magdeburgen centur 4. cap. 6. cap. 7. cap. 9. cap. 10. a secular Iudge If the Reliks of Saints or Martyrs were to be translated from other places they should be brought into Cities and Villages religiously in singing per Psalmodias Religiosè acciperentur ac deducerentur He approued and exercised the Primacy of the Pope of Rome as all other Popes then did The chast and Religious conuersation of Monkes and Nunnes were then vsed and liuers Monasteries of men and women then in Rome In the Clergie were these Degrees Bishops Preists Deacons Subdeacons Acoluthists Exorcists Lectors Ostiarij The Bishops Preists Deacons and Subâ—eacons were vnmarried and liued in chastitie Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi aut virgines eliguntur aut certè post Sacerdotium in aeternum pudici That the sacrifice of Masse might not be celebrated but in places consecrated by a Bishop Missae celebrationem in nullis praeterquam ab Episcopo sacratis locis faciendam Concilium Româ—num sub Syluestro constituit And in the same Councell to which both S. Syluester and Constantine subscribed it is defined as I haue Concil Roman can 20. before cited that the Roman See is the cheifest See Iudge of all and to be Iudged of none Emperor Clergie Kings or people nemo iudicabit primam Sedem quoniam omnes Sedes à prima Sede iustitiam desiderant temperari Neque ab Augusto neque ab omni Clero neque à Regibus neque à populo Iudex iudicabitur These Protestants Magdeburgen c. 6. â—upr cent 4. also deluer for the doctrine and vse of this time for penitents to make sacramentall Confession of their sinnes and Preists to enioyne pennances and giue absolution vnto such Penitents Concerning holy Scripturs the third Councell of Carthage in the beginning of the next Age apprehending the same Canon of holy Scripturs which the present Roman Church now receaueth Concil Carth. â— can 47. faith plainely that it receaued it from the Fathers which were before them Pro confirmando isto Canone innotescat quia à Patribus ista accepimus in Ecclesia August l. 2. doctrin Christian cap. 7. legenda And S. Augustine liuing in this Age is witnesse that the Apostolâ—ke Sees Rome the cheife receaued it so How vaine and Idle our Protestants and their Article of Religion in reiecting Traditions and onely admitting Scripturs in matters of Religion is euident in so many recited Articles which these men haue granted and yet deny them to be contained in or to be deduced from Scripturs as also their Article and doctrine against Communion onely in one kinde contending as though it could not be practized or permitted when these Protestants themselues confesse that in this time euen in the Roman Church Communion onely vnder one kinde was vsed Ambros orat Funebri de morte Satyri and by the greatest Doctors then in the Church of God namely S. Ambrose who so writeth and at his death practized it in himselfe onely receauing vnder the forme of bread as Catholiks now vse and his brother Satyrus others often so accustomed euen when they were in health Which these Paulin. in vita S. Ambrosij Protestants thus confesse Peregrinantes ac Nauigantes EucharistiaÌ„ secum circumtulisse Christianos ex Ambrosio apparet ex oratione Ambrosij in funere fratris Satyrij Magdeburgen cent 4. cap. 6. col 429. 430. Ab honorato Ecclesiae Vercellensis Sacerdote Ambrosio morituro oblatum esse corpus Domini quo accepto expiraret Paulinus tradidit in vita Ambrosij These men also teach that the doctrine of the See of Rome and the Fathers at this time concerning freewill and originall sinne was the same with that of the Magdeburgen cent 4. cap. 4. cap. 10. Roman Church in these dayes So that if any man will compare but these points of doctrine which S. Syluester and Constantine then held and practized with the English Protestant Religion as it is set downe in the priuiledge Booke of the Articles thereof warranted by Parlament Kings Authoritie Conuocation of their Protestant Bishops Oath and Subscription of them and their whole Ministery he shall not finde any one true Article then amoÌ„g them all which are opposite to the Church of Rome and Religion thereof at this time But whether we are Catholiks placing spirituall Primacie in the See of Rome then in S. Syluester or Protestants asscribing it vnto their Christian Kings Constantine then both King and Emperour heare we must be of this holy Religion wherein these two greate Rulers were so vnited together in all points especially seeing these Protestants haue warranted these two Princes were holy and of themselues worthie paterns to be imitated now as the whole Catholike Christian world then ioyned with them in doctrine S. Syluester Magdeburgen cent l. 4. cap. 10. being Pope say our Protestants did faithfully performe his office in teaching and amended many things in the Clergie was renowned for working Miracles and by them conuerted many to the faith at seuen Ordinations he consecrated 65. Bishops all ioyning with him in Religion Syluester factus Episcopus docendi munere fideliter functus est vitiosa in ordine Ecclesiastico multa emendauit miraculis claruit etiam quibus multos ad fidem conuertit Ordinationibus sacris septem perfectis creauit Episcopos sexaginta quinque So likewise did all other knowne Catholike Bishops in the whole world either actually assembled in or consenting vnto the renowned Councels of so many hundreds of Bishops of Nice Rome Arles and other places in his time agreeing and consenting together for theÌ„selues and the whole Christian world committed to their charge in Religion Like was the case of Constantine so farre as temporall Prince had to deale in these affaires Of all Emperors that euer were he was he greatest in Power and Dominions and the greatest Reuerencer we finde in Histories of the See Apostolike and Popes of Rome in his time and all other Godly Bishops and assisted all he could the assembling
corrupto orbe toto hanc â—tiâ—m Insulam extra orbem tam longe remotam veneno sui infecit erroris hac quâ—si via pistâ—lenâ—iaetrans Oceanum patefacta non mora omnis selues Haeresios cuiusque infulae 〈◊〉 semper aliquid audire graudenti nihil certi firmiter obtinenti insudit S. Gildas before him writeth to like purpose calling that Heresie Gild. l. de excid Brit. c. 9. in respect of this Nation transmarinum venenum a forreine and beyonde sea poison transported hither not bred heare nor naming any one particular Brittish Bishop Ruler of Church or Church infected with it And to grant this Kingdome then to haue bene vnder the Empire and Emperour Constantius then an Arrian which many of our owne Historians haue before denied all this will probably argue no more then that I haue yeelded vnto that some were infected heare but not of Bishops and learned Clergie In which sense Sozomen one of the best Examiners of those proceedings saith that he thinketh no Nation vnder the Roman Empire was quite free and cleare of that calamititie Nulla gens Romano subiecta Imperio ab hac calamitate credo vacua liberaque fuit And we haue a better witnes for Britaine to keepe it vndefiled Sozom. l. 4. Hist c. 26. from this and all other Heresies vntill that of Pelagius long after this time for so testifieth the old Manuscript Antiquitie of the Church of LaÌ„daffe written as it seemeth by the things therein handled before S. Gildas his time all being more auncient which plainely saith that the Britans neuer changed any point of faith which they receaued in King Lucius time nor were infected Antiquit. M. S. Eccl. Landauen with any spot of wicked Doctrine vntill Pelagius his Heresie arose Quam Christianae Religionis fidem sine aliqua praui dogmatis macula sinceram conseruauerunt vsque dum Pelagiana Haeresis orta est Therefore if the Arrian Heresie had any entrance hither it must needs be onely in some fewe particular men not in Publike parsons and Churches THE XXI CHAPTER CHIEFELY ENTREATING OF LIBERIVS Pope and Constantius Emperour manifestly clearing S. Liberius making him an holy Catholike Pope and Saint and the Emperour Constantius a true penitent and to dye a Catholike 1. THE Pope of Rome which succeeded to S. Iulius in the Hereticall time and Empire of this Constantius was Liberius and by them which number Saint Faelix substituted by the Arrians for Pope Liberius exiled in the Catalogue of Popes the same S. Faelix is likewise reckoned among the Bishops of that See Baron Spond Annal. an 357. Seuer Bin. Tom. 1. Conc. Annot. in vit Liberij Apostolike Diuers euen Catholike Writers doe seeme to hold that Liberius being bannished by the Arrian Emperour for refusing to communicate with the Arrian Hereticks did by troble and vexation yeeld to communicate with them externally but neuer consented vnto but euer in iudgment condemned their Heresie and so make him guiltie of a faulte in fact but not in faith in which he euer remained constant and vnmoueable And S. Athanasius whose testimony is greate and on whome they most rely in this opinion allthough he maketh Pope Liberius a most excellent paterne and example of constanty against those Heretiks yet in one place he writeth that either he by violence and threates of death consented to some materiall error by subscribing or the Arrians flandered him with such a fact testifiing Liberius was euer most free euen at this supposed time from Heresie and if any fault of fact was committed it was to be imputed to the wills of the Arrians and not of Liberius and Pope Liberius was no Arrian or consenter to them but an holy Pope yet Liberius then did not supply the Papall See but Felix was by theÌ„ reputed Pope by them substituted into the Papall See in place of Liberius being by them exiled Liberius post exactum in exilio biennium inflexus est minisque mortis Athanas Epist ad Solitariam vitam agentes Tom. 2. oper ad subscriptionem inductus est Verum illud ipsum quoque eorum violentiam Liberij in Haeresim odium suum pro Athanasio suffragium quum liberos affectus habebat satis coarguit Quae enim per tormenta contra priorem eius sententiam extorta sunt eaeiam metuentium sed ita cogentium voluntates habendae sunt Ruffinus Ruffin l. 1. Hist c. 27. leaueth it doubtfull whether Liberius was restored because he subscribed or at the instance of the Romans refusing to obay any other Bishop Liberius vrbis Romae Episcopus Constantio viuente regressus est Sed hoc vtrum quod acquieuerit voluntati suae ad subscribendum an ad populi Romani gratiam à quo proficiscens fuerat exoratus indulserit pro certo compertum non habeo By this it is euident that it could not be proued in those dayes that Liberius made any subscription or yeelding at all such as pleased or could please the Arrian Emperour and his Heretiks But Sozomen Socrates Theodoret and others comming to more certaine and prefect Intelligence of these things then Ruffinus confesseth he had attained vnto doe more clearely testifie that this report of Pope Liberius subscription was but the inuention and fiction of the Arrians who knowing Sozom. Histor Eccl. l. c. 4. 14. the greate Power of him and his See and that Constantius was so vrged by the Romans and Westerne Bishops to restore him that he could not deny it fathered this lye against Liberius for the Emperours and their excuse Imperator compellere tentauit Liberium fateri filium patri non esse consubstantialem In which he could not preuaile and then they raised this Rumour and slaunder rumorem dissiparunt Liberium verbum consubstantiale reiecisse asseruisseque filium patri dissimilem esse When this holy Pope at that very time as the same Authour proueth to disproue this slaunder intâ—rdicted all which allowed of that error Confessionis fidei formulam à Liberio adduxerunt quae illis qui filium patri non substantia caeteris rebus omnibus similem asseuerarent interdixit Ecclesia Yet the Imperour rather moued by feare then loue gaue him leaue to returne to Rome Emperator dat Liberio potestatem Romam reuertendi For the Romans so loued and honored Liberius for his excellent gifts and principally for so constantly defending the true faith and courageously resisting the Arrian Emperour that they tooke Armes for his exilement Populus Liberium tum quod in alijs rebus vir excellens spectatus erat tum quod Imperatori animo adeo excelso constanti in fide defendenda contradixerat tam eximie charum habuit vt seditionem plane maximam eius exilij causa conflaret resque ad caedem prorumperet 2. Socrates saith plainely that Liberius was restored because the Romans caused sedition for his Bannishment and threwe Felix whom the Arrians had Socrates l. 2.
Potestatem tamen saeculi praesentis omnino accipere renuit But lyued a poore penitentiall life with his 10. Disciples cum decem Discipulis suis which by some were termed Monkes monachi sunt as his History witnesseth some time vnder a Tent and allmost vnto his death in a Cottage or Cell vntill the King of Venedocia moued with his pietie and miracles gaue vnto him a Castle Contulit viro Dei Castellum suum Deo sancto Kebio in perpetuum 3. The miracles which God shewed by him were many and wonderfull Caecos illuminauit leprosos mundauit paraliticos mutos demoniacos sanauit His most aboad and residency was in Venedocia now Northwales and the Isle of Mona Man and as diuers write Bishop there if that Iland is not mistaken Anglesey Iland where S. Kebius both lyued and dyed being auntiently so called Mona In this Mona now Anglesey is the place called holy head of that holy Bishop where his Tombe still is or lately was and visited with reuerence as a late Writer confidently and as by experimentall knowledge thus testifieth He dyed at a place called Holy Heade in Wales where his ToÌ„be Harris Theater Tom. 4. cap. 32. is yet visited in Pilgrimage by the Inhabitants of that Country And as the Welch Writers euen Protestants doe freely confesse that this place of S. Kebius his aboad and death which the English men call Holy Heade is by the Welch or Britans still called S. Kebius Citie because he was Bishop there and of so greate Sanctitie Quod illi Angli holy heade quasi sacrum caput nos verò Caercibi Humfr. Lhuyd in Mona Insula apud Abraham Ortelium in fine Theatri Will. Harrison Descript of Brit. c. 10. in Anglesie id est ciuitatem Kibij dicimus Which an other Welch Antiquary a Protestant also thus confidently confirmeth The Welch men call it Tiremone or Mon and herein is a Promontorye or Byland called holy heade which hath in times past bene named Cair Kyby of Kyby a Monke that dwelled there 4. Yet to make vnion betwene these Authors both those Ilands some time of the same name situated in the same Sea and neare one to the other we may and not vnprobably grant that this holy Saint was Bishop of them both at the same time The names of his holy Disciples in particular I doe not finde for certayne except of S. Caffo to whose Sanctitie God gaue this S. Caffo miraculous testimony that in time of need being sent by S. Kebius for fier and the wicked Smith where he was to haue it denying it vnto him except he would carry it in his bosome which being enforced vnto he so carryed it vnto his Maister without any hurt to himselfe or his coate S. Kebius misit Manuscr antiq Capgr in S. Kebio Discipulum suum nomine Caffo vt ignem afferret Qui cum à quodam Fabro ignem peteret renuit ipse dare nisi in sinu suo portare vellet posito igne in sinu ei us reuersus est ad Magistrum suum sine laesione vestis suae ignem portans 5. But Maister Harris in his Manuscript Historie noting the yeare of Christ Harr. Hist tom 4. c. 33. 370. confidently writeth as hauing Authorie for it which he citeth not about this time lyued also an holy Saint of the Brittish Nation named Tefredaucus S. Tefredaucus in the I le of Mone where after his death he had a Church erected and dedicated in his name of whome Giraldus Cambrensis writeth this miracle In this I le of Mone saith he there is a Church in honour of S. Tefredaucus the Confessor into which on a time when Hugh Earle of Shrewsbury and the Earle of Chester came in by force and placing their houndes in the Church all night in the morning they founde them all madd And the cheife Earle himselfe with in one moneth after was slayne dyed a miserable death Giraldus thus truely hath this History but speaketh nothing of the Girald Cambr. l. 2. Itenerar CaÌ„br c. 7. time when this holy Confessor lyued Est in hac Insula Ecclesia Sancti Tefredauci Confessoris in qua Hugo Comes Slopesburiensis cum semel vna cum Comite Cestrensi hanc Insulam vi ingrederetur canes nocte quadam posuisset insanos omnes mane recepit Et ipsemet infra mensem miserabiliter extinctus occubuit If this Author is not deceaued in the time we may probably suppose this Saâ—nt Tefredaucus the circumstances aswell of time place and profession agreeing thereunto was one of the Disciples of S. Kebius then so conuersing lyuing and dying in that Iland of Mona or Anglesey The same History of this Church and Saint with Giraldus hath Humfrey Lhuyed in his Treatise of Mona onely he differeth in calling this Saint with a little difference Saint Fefridaucus Humfr. Lhuyd in Mona Insula Druidum Harris Tom. 4. c. 17. Ecclesia Sancti Fefridauci 6. M. Harris is of opinion that the holy Eremite and Martyr S. Decumanus lyued in this Age and before this time either in or soone after the 312. yeare of Christ And Capgraue with the old Manuscript of his life doth testifie S. Decumanus that he was of the olde Primatiue Christian Britans This man borne in the Io. Capgr Catal. in S. Decumano Heremita Martyre West part of Cambria of Noble and renowned Christian parents euen when he was very younge abstayning from the pleasures recreations of this life euen those that be voyde of sinne the more freely wholly to deuote and dedicate himselfe to the seruice of Christ loue of heauen and contempt of this world And knowing how difficult a thing it is for a man especially of Noble and greate parentage in his owne Country and among his carnall friends Ritches and delights continually apposing themselues against Christian perfection to serue God in so secure and holy estate in one conflict vanquished and subdued them secretly for feare of being pursued and hindered in his sacred course and enterprise stealing away from them and going into a Wildernes of a strange Country seperated from his owne by the Riuer or Sea of Seuerne where he Miraculously began his Miraculous Eremites life for comming to the Ryuer side and neither finding Ferry-man nor boate and fearing to be stayed by his friends pursuing him cutt a greate bundell of wandes growing there and binding them together in one faget passed vpon them to the other side neare Dorostor Castle as Capgraue nameth it now likely called Dunster adioyning vpon Seuerne Sea where he landed Defuit Naulum defuit Nauigium maturanda erat fuga è vestigio subsequentium vir Dei Misericordia Dei confidens nequaquam haesitans de potentia virgas secus mare in frutecto quas reperit crescentes colligauit in fasciculum tali vtens vehiculo misit se in profundum Et sic diuiua gubernante prudentia prouectus est ad
in our Monastery of Glastenbury ib. Pelagius the Heretike a Britan. 607. 2. Pelagius according to some a Scot. 609. 5. Pelagius once a Monke of Bangor 607. 2. Pelagius a good Scholler and first a Catholike Writer ib. Pelagius his Heresies 608. 3. or 605. 3. Pelagius banished out of Britaine 608. 2. or 605. 2. Pelagius Heresies condemned by Diuers Councells and Fathers 607. 2. Penance a Sacrament 382. 10. or 392. 10. Penance looseth sinnes ib. Perch now S. Ihones towne in Scotland 336. 6. A tēple builded at Perch vnto Mars ib. Perch a Flamens seat ib. Pertinax a Roman Lieutenant in Britaine a Christian 237. 3. Pertinax a cheife commander in the Roman army when it was Miraculously preserued by Christians ib. S. Peter Prince of the Apostles 54. 1. Peter a name rather of signification then vsuall denomination 122. 10. First giuen by Christ himselfe to Simon Bariona ib. S. Peter the cheife spirituall Pillar of the Church of Christ ib. The Church committed to S. Peter 143. 5. S. Peter conuerted 3000. at one sermon 20. 3. S. Peter the first preacher to the Gentils 28. 5. S. Peter first entertained at Rome by Britans 55. 2. S. Peter founded diuers Churches and consecrated diuers Bishops for the West before he was resident at Rome 31. 3. S. Peter came to Rome before he came into Britaine 50. 2. S. Peters seating himselfe at Rome foretold by holy Scripturs Rabbins and Sibills 50. 2. S. Peters great labours in Britaine 52. 6. S. Peters personall preaching in Britaine proued by all human Authority 68. 1. S. Peters apparition to a holy man 75. 10. S. Peters Prophecie of King Edward 78. 13. S. Peter testifies in a vision his being in Britaine 80. 14. Protestants obiection against S. Peters being in Britaine answered 80. 1. S. Peter preached in Britaine in the time of Claudius and Nero Emperours 86. 2. Probable that he came into Britaine the second time and when 89. 5. S. Peter in a vision commanded to returne to Rome 161. 1. S. Peter his Pastorall care of Britaine founding Christs Church in it 162. 2. 163. 2. S. Peter at his returne to Rome receaued in our Britans house 162. 2. S. Petrocke an Abbot and where 602. 7. Petrus one of S. Ioseph of Aramathias kinesmen 122. 10. He receaued that name in Baptisme by S. Peter ib. Petrus came into Britaine ib. Petrus of such note that he is called King ib. Petrus father to Kinges and Princes of Britaine ib. S. Philip the Apostle neuer came into France or neere vnto it 48. 7. 116. 1. c. In what Gallia he preached 118. 3. In what sense he may be called the Apostle of the French men of Sicambria 120. 6. S. Philip could not send saint Ioseph into Britaine from Sicambria or any other place 120. 7. S. Philip a Christian depriued of the prefectship of Egipte 365. 1. Philippus v. Iulius The Philippin Islands vnder the King of Spaine 141. 3. The Picts conuerted by whome and when 581. 6. Pictures honored 138. 5. c. Pilgrimages to holy relikes 509. 5. Pilgrimage vnto Saints 324. 3. 448. 2. S. Pius the first succeeded saint Higinius in the See Apostolike 223. 1. The time he ruled thar See ib. S. Pius pietie and Religion ib. S. Pius Decrees in matters of Religion according to Protestants 223. 1. S. Pius often remembred saint Timothy in the sacrifice of Masse 225. 3. The reason of his speciall care of S. Timothy ib. S. Pius sent a new supply of Clergy men into Britaine 227. 1. S. Pius had his death reuealed vnto him 233. 3. S. Pius Martyred 223. 1. 233. 3. Plancius v. Aulus Plinie the 2. Traians Lieutenant in Bithinia 192. 1. Plinie certifieth Traian of the number Constancy and piety of Christians 192. 1. Pomponia Gracina wife to the Emperour Claudius his Lieutenant in Britaine conuerted 88. 2. S. Pontianus Pope 378. 2. S. Pontianus doctrine ib. S. Pontianus Martyred ib. Pontius Pilate writes vnto Tiberius of the passion of Christ 12. 2. The tenor of his letter ib. Pontius Pilate reproched at Rome for our Sauiours death 14. 3. Pontius Pilate as some write became a Christian 5. 5. The Popes supremany 186. 2. 344. 2. 353. 4. The Pope his Supremacie acknowleged by S. Cyprian 383. 11. or 393. 11. The Popes supremacy not giuen by Constantine 541. 5. The Pope to be iudged by none 385. 18. The Pope hath no autority ouer Infidels 334. 1. The Popes authority ordeined by Christ as a rule to all other members of the Church 312. 1. The Popes great power prerogatiues and iurisdiction ouer Britaine 300. 5. The same acknowledged by all our Christian kinges vntill these daies 300. 5. Potentiana v. Sauinian Praiers and reuerence to our B. Lady 136. 2. Praiers vnto Saintes 136. 2. 324. 3. 448. 2. c. Praiers vnto Saintes allowed by S. Cyprian 381. 9. or 391. 9. Praiers to Angels and their protection of vs. 596. 6. Praiers for the dead 324. 3. Praiers for the dead allowed by saint Cyprian 381. 9. or 391. 9. S. Praxedes S. Claudias daughter 160. 10. S. Praxedes charitie towards Christians ib. S. Praxedes house ransaked in the time of M. Aurelius 220. 2. 229. 3. S. Praxedes death 230. 3. S. Praxedes buriall ib. The Prefect of Egipts great authority 365. 1. Preists are to offer the body and bloude of Christ 380. 8. Preists prohibited to sweare except in matters of faith 384. 12. or 394. 12. Preists are to vse holy vestiments at Masse ib. Preists ordained to say Masse in the Apostles time 190. 4. Preists then consecratad as the Roman Church now consecrateth ib. Preists are not to marry 382. 11. or 392. 11. 484. 4. Preists commanded to leaue their wiues by the Councell of Arles 484. 4. Preists in Britaine neuer kept companie with their wiues 484. 5. Preistly order neuer interrupted since saint Peters time continueth still in England 41. 1. Diuers orders of Pagan Preists amongst the Romans 277. 7. Their diuision and subordination ib. S. Priscillas Brittish parents conuerted 20. 3. S. Piscilla foundresse of the Churchyarde of her name in Rome probably Mother of saint Claudia 60. 8. S. Priscillas Church-yards admirable Architecture 62. 6. Priscillianus an Heretike condemned to death by Maximus the Emperour 574. 6. Priscus Prince of Charters placed amongst the Statues of the Gods the image of a virgin holding a child in her armes and why 10. 2. The Protestants vpstart Religion 353. 4. Protestants haue no true Church and why 191. 6. Protestants haue no true and lawfull Bishops and why ib. Protestants haue none but lay men in their Congregation 383. 11. or 393. 11. The Protestants 32. article proued to be false 485. 5. Protestants idle denying of Tradition 538. 2. Protestants can assigne no other but such as were sent by saint Peter who preached in Britaine in Tiberius time 22. 6. Protestant Antiquaries Historicall groundes to know what Apostle first preached in Britaine 36. 1. Protestants grant Britaine to haue