Prince of the nation did send to demaund whether it was thought pleasing to them to haue him declared for God But they did not consent vnto it being angry and taking it ill that before their decree and sentence the refulgent power of Christ crucified had drawne all to his worshippe And this was disposed of against their wils that the diuinitie of Christ should not be preached by the decree of mortall men nor Christ should be accompted as one of those many Gods which were ordained by them By which it appeareth that the President did not write onely to Tyberius the Emperour of these things but to the Senate also sending diuers messengers vnto them per nuntios about it and to wish them to declare him for God which the world in greate multitudes had already acknowledged so to be Which the Senate could not vpon so many vnfallible testimonies and motiues deny to be true But they were angry that he was so receaued without their allowance an in so much as they were able were enemies to his worship which redounded to the true and greater honour of Christ as the same holy father writeth to winne the whole world to worshippe him by his owne effulgent vertue and power not onely without their helpe or furtheraÌ„ce but maugre in dispite of the greatest humane resistance and opposition of the Romane Senate 5. Orosius also with many others so write that Pilate wrote both to Tyberius the Emperour and Senate of the miracles which Christ or his disciples publikely wrought in his name and that the people were thereby so conuinced Orosius lib. 7. c. 4. that he was God that they striued who should soonest and most honour him Pilatus praeses Palestinae prouinciae ad Tiberium Imperatorem atque ad Senatum retulit de passione resurrectione Christi consequentibusque virtutibus quae vel per ipsum palam factae fuerant vel per discipulos ipsius in nomine eiâ—s fiebant de eo quod certatim crescente plurimorum fide Deus crederetur And as Sabelicus Antonius Sabel l. 2. Ennead 7. with others writeth diuers haue deliuered that Pilate himselfe did truely repent him of deliuering Christ to the Iewes was actually a Christian and obtained pardon of his sinnes Non defuerunt qui traderent Pilatum suae impietatis paenitentiam egisse meruisseque adeo veniam And that in this beginning of the Freculphus Lexouien Episc l. 1. cap. 9. Ghospell the faith of Christ might be euery where receaued without let or contradiction as the auncient learned Father Freculphus writeth God put it into the minde of Tyberius the Emperour to giue it way and suppresse the persecution of the Senate Quod profecto diua prouidentia iam tunc Caesaris sensibus ingessit vt absque vllo obstaculo in ipsis dumtaxat initijs Euangelij sermo vsquequaque percurreret And as our learned contryman S. Gildas with others witnesseth S. Gildas lib. de Excid conqu Brit. c. 6. threatned death to those should accuse Christians Tempore summo Tiberij Caesaris absque vllo impedimento Christi propagabatur religio comminata Senatu nolente à Principe morte delatoribus militum eiusdem Which is proued and confirmed by all sorts of writers Tunc Senatus edicto constituit Christianos ab vrbe esse exterminandos Sed Caesar hoc indignatus accusatoribus Christianorum mortem comminatus est Then the Senate ordained by an edict that Christians Matth. Westm an gratiae 37. Ranulph Higeden in Manuscript Polichronic l. 4. c. 4. Manuscript antiq Gallic in Tiberio Fore tom 1. Act. p. 30. Frâ—â—â—lph supra should be driuen forth of the citie But the Emperour being therewith offended threatned death to the accusers of Christians And not content with this ex illa die say these Authors caepit immutari laudatissima Caesaris prius modestia in poenam contradictoris Senatus Nam adeo crudeliter desaeuit in Romanos quod vix aliquem eorum reliquit incolumem Sicque contigit vt qui Christo spreuerant duce saluari à Caesare proprio punirentur froÌ„ that day of this edict of the Senate against Christians in Rome the former most commended modestie of Caesar began to be chaunged into the punishment of the contradicting Senat for he was so cruell against the Romans that he scarcely left any of thom safe And so it came to passe that they which had despised to be saued by Christ our Capitaine were punished by their owne Emperour 6. The onely pretence of excuse of the Senate against so many miracles and inuincible arguments that Christ was the true Messias and sonne of God Tertullian Apologet proued to them and acknowledged by the Emperour Romans Britans and other inhabitants at Rome at that time was this vetus erat decretum as Tertullian and other write ne Deus ab Imperatore consecraretur nisi a senatu probaretur It was an old decree that a God should not be consecrated by the Emperour except he were approued by the Senate For in Pontificum libris ita seruatum est seperatim Naucl. in chron volum 2. g. ner 2. p. 512. Libr. Pontific Rom. Paganor nemo sit habens Deos nouos siue aduenas nisi publicè ascitos priuatim colunto diuos qui coelestes semper habiti colunto Constructa à patribus delubra habento so it was kept in the books of the high Preists let no man separatly haue new or straunge Gods except publikely allowed let them be priuately worshipped let those Gods which were alwayes accompted celestiall be worshipped Let them he had for teÌ„ples that were builded by the Fathers where we see that the Senate it selfe could not by their Pagan lawe make any decree against the priuate but onely publike worshipping of Christ but priuatim colunto that Christ might priuately be worshipped euen then in Rome notwithstanding their edict Which yet tooke noe effect at all The Emperour disabling it And both our Englishand Magdebur cent 1. l. 1. col 354. l. 2. col 24. Fore to 1. Act. and Mon. in Tiberius Nicholas Vignier Biblioteque historiale p. 699. other Protestant Antiquaries and ministers doe thus relate this matter when Tyberius Cesar hauing receaued by letters from Pontius Pilate of the doings of Christ of his miracles Resurrection and Ascension into heauen and how he was receaued as God of many was himselfe also moued with beleife of the same and did conferre thereof with the whole senate of Rome to haue Christ adored as God but they not agreeing thereunto refused him because that contrary to the lawe of the Romans he was consecrated said they for God before the Senate of Rome had so decreed and approued him Thus the vaine Senate following rather the lawe of man then of God and which where contented with the Emperour to reigne ouer them were not contented with the meeke King of glory the sonne of God to be their King And therefore after much like sorte to the
that will not stand to their Iudgment they interdict him which punishment amongst them is held most greuious They that are so excommunicated are accompted in the number of the wicked and vngratious All men shune them all men eschue their company and communication This is one of the cheifest things that they labour most to beate into mens minds that the soules dye not but doe after death passe from one to an other And hereby they thinke men should be most stirred vnto vertue when the feare of death is nothing regarded Also they dispute many other things as of the starrs and of their mouings of the bignes of the world and the earth of the nature of things of the strength and power of the Gods Immortall and doe therein instruct the youth Thus we haue heard what those Druids and their followers which had not before submitted themselues to Christ did or could plead for the maintenance of their pretended Religion and honour and glory which they principally enioyed by profession thereof 3. Now lett vs a litle examine their cause by their owne Authours and their owne proceedings for to write at lardge of their most grosse and inhuman absurdities would require a volume from mee as the like hath done of other writers against such Pagan Gentils their superstitions Whereas all creaturs cry out vnto vs especially the more Noble as the Celestiall bodies in searching whose natures and effects these men were most conuersant that there is an eternall and omnipotent maker and causer which created all things who being without begining or ending was made or caused by no other caeli enarrant gloriam Dei opera manuum eius annuntiat firmamentum And diuine worship is onely due vnto him for his allmightie excellencie and the benefites which man a reasonable creature receaued and further expecteth and needeth to receaue from him which we commonly call Religion a Religeinge Religation or dutifull binding of man enformed with a reasonable intellectuall and immortall soule ordayned as it were the Lieutenant and Viceroy of God to gouerne this inferiour world by his better eternall part assured that better and eternall things are ordayned for him if he doth not depriue himselfe of them but seeke finde out and performe the will and commandement of so infinite good and bountifull a Creatour Preseruer and Maitayner of all things especially for the vse and end of man so dignified and exalted among his creaturs Which these Druids and their Disciples were so farre from effecting that they gaue him noe honour at all neuer remembring him among those they worshiped but doing the greatest dishonour they could vnto him in giuing that glory and maiestie which is onely proper and due to him to his rebellious creaturs and professed enemies damned and infernall soules hundreds of thowsands before them and diuers of these by probable Historicall accompts of later time and Creation then the Authour of their owne Sect Druius was And if we will followe Iulius Caesar who of all writers writeth most of their pretended ReligioÌ„ liuing in the time of their cheifest sway and best knew what they professed he writeth of the Germans that they differed much from the French and their Druids in Religion Hauing no Sacrifices and onely accompting them for Gods whome they see and by whome they are manifestly knowne to be helped as the Sunne Moone and such visible things and heard not of any other God Germani multum à Gallorum consuetudine differunt Neque Sacrificijs student Deorum numero Iulius Caesar l. 6. Belli Gallici Andreas Althanur BreÌ„zius in scholijs in Cornel. Tacit. l. de sit Mor. Germ. Henric. Pantal. l. de Vir. Illustrib part 1. p. 40. 41. eos solos ducunt quos cernunt quorum apertè opibus inâ—antur Solem Vulcanum Lunam reliquos ne fama quidem acceperunt Yet the German writers are so confident that the Druids ruled there in Religion that they shew vs to this day in Germany as farre as Bauaria two especiall places where they were wonted to assemble vnder greate Okes to exercise their superstitions and in detestation thereof two Monasteries called Oberaltaich and Nideraltaich were founded there to blot out their memory In Banaria quoque inferiore sub quereu magno superiore inferiore suam superstitionem exercebant quae loca postea in Monasteria conuersa etiamnum Oberaltaich Nideraltaich appellantur Therefore these could not be Professours Teachers of the true God his worship and Religion which for diuers people and Countries and for themselues also had such varietie and change of Gods and Religion in diuers times and places and yet all of them professing most grosse and stupid ignorance or willfull Idolatrie the greatest Irreligion to God that can bee 4. And as they thus proued themselues to be Athests leauing no possible true God to be worshipped so by their errour of Transmigration of soules from one body to an other they fall into one of these absurdities that one soule might and should in the end informe many euen hundreds of bodyes or els cease at the last to informe cease to be and made mortall And as Chimericall a fictioÌ„ it was of theÌ„ to say as Lucan expoundeth them that when a soule left a body in this world it went into an other world and there informed an other body Vobis Authoribus vmbrae Non tacitas Erebi sedes Ditisque profundi Luc. l. 1. Pallida regna petunt Regit idem Spiritus artus Orbe alio longe For so they must needs make more worlds where generation and corruption is besides this terrestriall and sublunary were we inhabit And therefore iustly doth the same Authour call their profession Barbarous rites a false manner of worship and singular against all the world besides Et vos barbariâ—os ritus moremque sinistrum Sacrorum Druidae positis repetistis ab armis Solis nosce Deos caeli sidera vobis Aut solis nescire datum And thus in their Religion we finde neyther true God to be worshipped nor true man to worship him And their practise both tooke away all things that are required to true worship and Religion and they exercised in place of them quite contrary and vnlawfull things Which we shall euidently perceaue if we examine them by the Decaloge or Ten commandements giuen by God in the Lawe of Moyses commonly thought both by Diuinitie and Philosophie to be the Lawe of Nature except that of the Sabboth day to be obserued 5. The first of one onely God we haue heard how they transgressed it so likewise of not making any Idoll to adore or worship hauing the Idols and false Gods before remembred S. Gildas is an able witnes that the monstrous Idols of Britaine in this time were not inferiour in number to those of Egipt commonly esteemed the most Idolatrous Nation of the world and some of them with deformed lineaments remayned to be seene in his time And this blinde people of Britaine
Spartianus writeth in his Iorney from Syria to Alexandria he made many Lawes forbidding vnder greate penaltie any man to be either a Iew or Christian In Itinere Palaestinis plurima Iura fundauit Iudaeos fieri sub graui paena vetuit Idem etiam de Christianis sanxit And as Dio and others witnesse he consented euen by his Imperiall letters both to the depriuing of S. Philip of the Augustall Prefectship of Egipt being become a professed Christian and giuing Authoritie to Terentius his Successor secretly to martyr him But for Seuerus excuse we finde the greatest and allmost onely Persecution of this time to haue bene either in or about Iury occasioned by the tumults of the Iewes or in Afrike wher Seuerus was borne and principally in Egipt then full of Christians the Prefect himselfe S. Philip a professed Christian and so potent as the letters of Seuerus vnto him say he liued more like an absolute King then Prefect that Prefecture of Egipt being of so greate Authoritie and dignitie te tanquam Regem potius quam praefectum elegit Egipti Praesidem and Cornelius Tacitus affirmeth as much of the Prerogatiue of that Presidentship Aegiptum a diuo Augusto Equites Romani obtinent loco Regum 2. Therefore Africk being the Country of Seuerus birth and so formidable an â—nemie in former times to the Romans as all Histories report and now so abounding with Christians slanderously accused by their Pagan Enemies to be Enemies to the Roman Empire Seuerus may seeme by such acclamations against his owne inclination to haue giuen way to Persecution And the rather because the Gnostick Heretikes giuen then ouer so farre to all filthines that as Irenaeus Nicephorus and others write they did publikly professe and so practise that all which would come to perfection in their Sect which they onely allowed must commite all filthines omnem eos oportere perpetrare Nicephor l. 4. c. 2. Hist Eccl. Iraen apud eund aduers Haeres l. 1. c. 24. turpitudinem infandis omnibus faeditatibus satisfacere These Heretiks being accompted Christians with Pagans might sooner prouoke the Emperour by such mens informations against the most holy Professours of Christian Religion Which were so free from being such as they were falsely reputed with those their Enemies to be that as Athenagoras in his defensiue Oration for theÌ„ in the name of the Christians desired no mercie or fauour but to be vtterly rooted out if those impious slaunders could be proued true against them Si vera ista sunt nulli parcite generi animaduertite in eiusmodi facinora Athenagor orat pro Christianis Niceph. l. 5. Hist c. 26. Tertull. l. ad Scapul c. 4. vnà cum coniugibus liberis radicitus nos extirpate occidite Nicephorus saith Christianitie florished in his time Cum Seuerus successit satis bono loco res nostrae fuere Vniuersae multitudines domus totae ad fidem accedebant And Tertullian then liuing saith Ipse etiam Seuerus Pater Antonini Christianorum memor fuit nam Proculum Christianum qui Toparcion cognominabatur qui eum per oleum aliquando curauerat requisiuit in Palatio suo habuit vsque ad mortem The Emperor Seuerus a louer of Christians and in Britaine no Persecutor of them but protected such eius quem Antoninus optimè nouerat lacte Christiano educatus Sed clarissimas faeminas clarissimos viros Seuerus sciens huius Sectae esse non modo non laesit verum testimonio exornauit populo furenti in os palam restitit Seuerus also himselfe Father of Antoninus was kinde to Christians for he sought for Proculus à Christian who had some time before cured him with oile and kept him in his Palace with him so long as he liued He was exceedingly well knowne to Antoninus that was nursed by a Christian woman And Seuerus knowing both most renowned women as also most honorable men to be of this Profession was so farre from doeing them any hurt that he commended them and openly resisted euen to their face the raging people Therefore if Seuerus the Emperour was of his owne disposition so great a louer of Christians in generall if he honoured Proculus in his Palace so long as he liued gaue allowance that his Sonne and Heire Antoninus Bassianus Tertull. supr Dio in Seuero Antonino Caracull Baron To. 2. Annal. An. 195 King of Britaine and Emperour after his Father should both be nursed by a Christian woman and be so familiar with such knowne professed Christians as Proculus was and was the Ouerseer of Euodus the Tutor or Bringer vp of Bassianus his Sonne as may be gathered both by Tertullian Dio and The Empresse Lady Martia wife to Seuerus a Britan and in profession or affection a Christian others and both Seuerus himselfe so greate an honourer both of most renowned Christian men and women and his Lady and Empresse Martia of Britaine so farre affected and disposed to Christian Religion that if she did not professe it in Act yet in affection and desire so honoured it that she would not permit her Sonne and Heire to be nursed by any but a Christian woman and the Ouerseer of so greate a chardge to be a Christian so famous and renowned for his faith as Proculus was knowne of all men to be These considered I dare not boldly say that Seuerus did in any time or place of his owne inclination wittingly and willingly without great incitation condiscend to such Persecutions as are remembred in Histories to haue bene in his Empire 3. And after his comming into Britaine we doe not finde the least suspition in our Antiquities that he did of himselfe or suffer any other to persecute any for Christian Religion But rather both of himselfe and at the Instance of his Brittish Empresse at the least a Christian in affection and both powerable with him and their Sonne Bassianus his Heire and Successour and for that loue and trust he founde in the Brittish Christians of all that part of Britaine South to the wall and Trench which Adrian and he made ioyning with him against his Enemies to possesse him of the Crowne of Britaine he was a greatefull friend to them and their holy Profession And all our Histories are cleare that Religion was heare in quiet without molestation or affliction vntill the Empire of Dioclesian that greate Persecutor Yet we cannot deny but all places in Britaine being now full of warlike miseries and the Christians heare both in Albania Loegria and Cambria mixed and ioyned both with Roman and Scythian Infidels many of them fell both to wickednes and Paganisme also Which occasioned holy Gildas to write that Christianitie was receaued but coldly of the Inhabitants of Britaine and with some continued perfect but not so with others before Dioclesian his Persecution Praecepta Christi ab Incolis tepidè apud quosdam tameÌ„ integrè alios minus vsque Gild. l. de excid
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
the Christians heare in this Nation did not onely enioy freedome and Immunitie from all penalties and Persecution against Christian Churches and Monasteries that were ruinated restored and new builded Religion but as in the time of his Father made and freely had publike exercise and Profession thereof as our old Churches reedified new builded and erected Bishops Preists and all Cleargie and Religious men restored to their former quiet Reuenewes honours and dignities 2. Of this we haue diuers testimonies and examples in particular yet left vnto vs as out of the old Annalls of Winchester where we finde of that old Church builded in the time of King Lucius and destroyed in the late Persecutiō the Church of Winchester builded in the time of King Lucius and hallowed and dedicated Annal. Eccles Winton Godwin Catalog of Bishop Wincester in initio October 29. 189. By Faganus and Damianus Bishops amongst the rest at this time of Dioclesian went to wracke the buildings thereof being ruinated and made euen with the ground and the Monkes and all the officers belonging vnto it either slaine or enforced to fly for the present time in the yeare 309. the Church a foresaid was againe reedified and that with such wonderfull forwardnesse and Zeale as within one yeare and thirty dayes both it and all the Edifices belonging vnto it as chambers and other buildings for the Monkes and officers were quite finished in very seemely and conuenient manner The 15. day of March following it was againe hallowed and dedicated vnto the honor and memory of Amphibalus that had suffered death for Christ in the late Persecution by Constans Bishop of Winchester at te request of Deodatus Abbot of this new erected Monastery It is euident by this Relation and that is saide before that this holy worke so publike and with freedome and zeale was quite finished in the time of Constantine his being heare before he went hence against Maxentius And yet we see both Bishop Abbot Preists and Religious men publikly and honorably restored to their former condition The Church with vnspeakable deuotion builded and dedicated to that holy Saint and Martyr which in the late Persecution was most hated by the enemies of Christ So I say of the Church of S. Alban Ecclesia a Church as S. Bede writeth mirandi operis atque eius martyrio condigna extructa est a Church Bed Eccl. Hist l. 1. c. 7. Mat. West An. 313. of wonderfull workemanship and worthie of his martyrdome was builded so soone as the Christians were heare at quiet Redeunte temporum Christianorum serenitate Matthew of Westminster hath the same words and explaneth this time of the quiet of Christians heare when this Church was so sumptuously builded to haue bene ten yeares after his Martyrdome decem scilicet annis post passionem eius elapsis the perfect finishing whereof he setteth downe to haue bene in the same yeare in which Constantine went from hence towards Rome against Maxentius Which was by him in the 6. yeare of Constantine and before the generall ceasing of Persecution in other places Constantine not being absolute and sole Emperor vntill his victory against Maxentius nor the generall quiet then presently ensuing Both S. Bede and the Monke of Westminster write that in their seuerall times often curing of infirmities and Bed Matth. supr other miracles were wrought there in quo videlicet loco vsque ad hanc diem curatio infirmorum frequentium operatio virtutum celebrari non desunt The old Churches of S. Iulius and S. Aaron martyred in the late Persecutio◠in the Citie of Caerlegion deriue their auntient Foundation from this time So doe many others founded in honor of seuerall Martyrs then cruelly putt to death for the name of Christ So I affirme of all the Cathedrall Churches Archiepiscopall and Episcopall which I haue before remembred with their Particular Sees and Cities founded in the time of King Lucius and destroyed in the Persecution of the Tyrants Dioclesian and Maximinian as also those that were not Episcopall but subordinate and inferior ouerthrowne with that tempest of Persecution for S. Gildas S. Bed and others testifie without exception that all they which were then pulled downe euen to the ground were now reedified renouant Ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas Matthew of Westminster Gild. l. de excid conquest Brit. ca. 8. Bed Eccles Hist l. 1. c. 8. Mat. Westm an 313. plainely writeth that besides the new Churches builded in honor of their late Martyrs of which S. Gildas and S. Bede also make this memory Basilicas Sanctorum Martyrum fundant construunt perficiunt The Christians heare at this time renewed builded againe all the Churches dedicated to former Saints which had bene so destroyed and throwne downe to the ground Sanctorum Ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas renouant 3. And when we are warranted both by Protestant and Catholike Antiquaries Matth. Parker Antiq. Brit. pa. 8. Io. Goscel Eccl. Hist Manuscrip de Archiep. Can. tuar prope Init. Manuscr Gallie Antiq. cap. 28. also that from the beginning of Christianitie heare we had many Abbots Monkes and Monasteryes in euery Age tot tantaque Abbatum Monachorum Cenobiorum vetusta nomina quae quouis seculo extiterunt And that these Monasteryes were all destroyed in Dioclesian his Pesecution we must needs assigne their restauration to this time as I haue first exemplified before in the old Monastery of Winchester now reedified with so greate speede and deuotion the Abbot thereof being called Deodatus To this I ioyne the Monastery of Abingdon allready spoken of where this our greate King and Emperour Constantine as the old Annalls thereof doe pleade had his education when he was young wherein there where as it testifieth further aboue 500. Chron. Monast Abingdon apud Nich. Harpesf Eccl. Hist saecul 10. c. 9. Monkes liuing by the labour of their hands in th◠woods and Desarts adioyning vpon son dayes festiuall dayes comming to the Monastery besides 60. which did continually abide in the same seruing God there Quod Monachi supra quingentos illi fuerant adscripti qui per syluas loca deserta quae in vicinia fuere manuum labore victitabant ad Coenobium singulis Sabbatis Dominicis conuenientes praeter sexaginta qui assiduè in ipso Coenobio versabantur quod Constantinus ille Magnus Abingdoniae educatus fuerit Therefore we cannot doubt if we will accept this auntient Record for witnesse but of all other Monasteries this greate Emperour had an especiall care of restoring and endowing this his nursing place of education 4. To this time we may assigne the reedificing of the noble Monastery first builded by the Founder Ambrius or Ambry after called Amsbury in Wiltshire where at the comming of the Saxons hither there were 300. Religious men Coenobium trecentorum fratrum in monte Ambrij qui vt fertur fundator Galfr. Monum Hist Brit. l. 8. c. 9.
so soone so encounter ouerthrowe three Legions of RomaÌ„ Souldiars besides their adherents as these men say And Eusebius saith that Constantine himselfe came hither againe in Britanniam inuasit and was heare longer after this pretended Reuolt and at his death gaue Britaine his auncient Patrimony to his eldest sonne assignabat auitam sortem grandiori natu filio Againe these men say Octauius was King heare vntill Maximus his time and marryed his onely daughter and Heire vnto him When it is a common consent in Antiquities that this Maximus or Maximianus was not King in Britaine vntill after the 380. yeare of Christ Therefore he must needs be granted to haue bene very youÌ„ge and of too few yeares at the going of Constantine hence for him to commit the gouernment of Britaine vnto him or for himselfe to haue so soone vsurped it against so righfull and a potent King and Emperour 5. And our most auncient and best Historians S. Gildas S. Bede Marianus Gild. l. de Excid conq Brit. c. 10. â—â—â—gebert Chron. Eutrop. Hist Polyd Virgil. Angl. Hist l. 3. p. 49. Stowe Howes Hist in ConstaÌ„t Constantius Iulian Hollinsh Hist of Engl. l. 4. Fast Reg. Episc Angl. Ammian Marcelli l. 20. in init l. 26. 28. Florentius Wigorniensis Ethelwerdus Henry of Huntington and William of Malmesbury allthough as diligently as they could recoÌ„pting our Kings of Britaine neuer mention any such Octauius or Octauian But the cheifest and most auncient of them S. Gildas plainely saith that this Iland was at this time and vntill Maximus or Maximian a Britan tooke vpon him the Empire a Roman Iland Insula nomen Romanum tenens And diuers Historians both late and auncient Catholiks and Protestants doe particularly set downe our Kings after Constantine the Greate Roman Lieutenants heare vntill these dayes as Constantine Constantius Iulian Valentinian Gratian Emperours our Kings Martinus Lupicinus Nectaridius Theadosius Fraomarius and other Roman Lieutenants and Gouernours heare And when the Councell of Ariminum was kept about the yeare of Christ 360. and the 23. yeare of Constantius sonne of Constantine the Greate it is certaine that this Constantius was our King in Britaine and bore the chardges of the poorest Bishops of this Kingdome as then vnder his gouernment which were present there and he was so farre from loosing Britaine or any other Country of his Empire then that as Sozomen and others testifie that Councell thus wrote vnto him at this time sic tuum creuit Imperium vt vniuer si orbis terrarâ—m gubernacula teneas Epist Ariminen Concil ad ConstaÌ„tiuÌ„ Imp. apud Sozom. Histor l. 4. c. 47. His Empire was so encreased that all the world was vnder his Gouernment This was aboue 20. yeares after the death of the greate Constantine in whose time this Reuolt of Britaine from him is thus supposed and aboue twyce so longe time of the imagined vsurpation heare by Octauius And Zonaras writeth that this Constantius in the 14. yeare of his Empire bannished or rather carried with him S. Athanasius into Britaine at his comming hither Eodem anno 14. Magnus Athâ—nasius à Constantio in Britanniam deportatur Ioa. Zonar tom 3. Ann. f. 117. c. de Constantio Constante 6. Therefore I dare not to assent that in this time of the greatest florishing Estate of the RomaÌ„ Empire the Power thereof in Britaine especially from whence the glory of it grew to that greatenes eyther Octauius or any other so much preuailed heare to barre the Emperours of that honour But he might towards the time of Maximus or Maximianus when the Empire had more enemyes and lesse power preuaile in some such sort as these Historians haue writen of him allthough they differ also in Maximianus aswell as in Octauius One saith he was the sonne of Trahern vncle to S. Helen Maximian Harding Cronc c. 63. f. 51. Galfr. Monum Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 9. Pontic Vir. Hâ—st l. 5. Matth. Westm An. 379. Harding supr King Traherne his sonne to Constantine next Heire others affirme he was sonne of Leolinus an other vncle of S. Helen greate vncle to Constantine Leoninus Constantini auanculus ipsum genuerat And erat patre Britannus à Leolmo Constantini auanculo procreatus matre vero Natione Romanus ex vtraque parte regalem originem ducens And one of them saith Octauius was King but 14. yeares ending with the beginning of Maximian his reigne And so we may well allowe such an Octauius to haue borne the name of a King in Britaine in those troblesome dayes of the Romans ruling heare diuers petty Kings being probably at that time in this Nation aswell by the testimony of these Authours which then make Octauius King as others So they terme Conanus a King that Maximian tooke his Kingdome from him cui Regnum Britanniae eripuerat So was Dionotus King in Cornwayle Dionotus Rex Cornubiae So was his Galfr. Monum l. 5. c. 1â— 15. Pontic Virun l. 5. Matth. Westm an 390. 392. Manuscr Antiq. in vit S. Niniani Capgr in eod Bal. l. de Script cent 1. in Niniano brother Carodocus before him Dionothus qui fratri suo Caradoco in regnum successerat And yet vnder our cheife King and Emperour Maximian at that time Cui Maximianus Insulae principatum commendauerat And S. Ninian who lyued Bishop heare in the end of this Age had Kings for his Ancestores Regali ex prosapia beatus Ninianus extitit oriundus And yet the greate distance of the place of his birth from King Coel and these remeÌ„bred argueth he was not of their Line And all these Kings or Regents heare were most certainely by our Antiquities Catholike Christians 7. Therefore the Temporall State in respect of any of theÌ„ could not be any The falling of CoÌ„stantius Emperor to the Arrian Heresie a great hurt to Catholike ReligioÌ„ in many places hinderance but rather help and furtherance to the increase of Christian ReligioÌ„ in their time But it was rather the Heresie of Constantius the Arrian Emperour which hindered the glory of true Religion then in this Kingdome as it did in other places and Countries of the world if it did not so much florish heare theÌ„ as in his blessed Father CoÌ„stantine the Greate his Empire And yet we may be bold to affirme that the State of our Brittish Church euen in The kingdome of Britaine as free as any from the Arrian Heresie those distempered dayes when the holy Writers of that Age complaine the allmost whole Christian world to haue bene polluted with the ArriaÌ„ Heresie was as renowned for our Bishops and Cleargie and as free from that infection as any Nation was We haue heard before that our renowned Archbishop of London Restitutus with diuers others Bishops of this Kingdome was present at the greate Councell of Arles celebrated diuers yeares after CoÌ„stantine went from Britaine to Rome And allthough we doe not expressely finde it writen of
alij Socrat. l. 3. c. 1. Iulianum contra Barbaros hac de re misisse vt cum illis confligens ibi interiret Nicephorus calleth this the common conceipt and opinion sermonibus vulgatum fuit And Constantius limiting his Authoritie to doe nothing without consent of others dedit illi in mandatis Imperator vt nihil sine Ducū consilio moliretur And not onely this but he secretly incited Vadomarus King of the Frankes to take Armes against Iulian and incited others by his letters which they sent to Iuliā for their excuse to inuade the Romans where Iulian ruled Illi Legatum ad eum Iulianum mittere literas Imperatoris quae eos in fines Romanorum ire iusserant ostendere caeperunt Which when Iulian perceaued and remembring the old hatred he had borne him frō his childhood he requited him with the like measure shewing most loue and fauour to those vnder his gouernment whome Constantius hated or disfauoured most which among Christians were the Catholike Bishops and others whome he had persecuted Iulianus quo pacto populum sibi deuincire eiusque conciliare beneuolentiam posset cogitat Ad quam rem tali vsus est astutia Nouerat pro certo Constantium vniuersae illi populi multitudini quae fidem Consubstantialis amplexabatur maxime inuisum esse tum quodillos Ecclesijs ipsorum exturbauerat tum quia Episcopos qui ad illos spectabant proscriptos in exilium eiecerat 2. And this his fauour and kindenes towards Catholicks had continued with him euen from his first being Caesar in these parts as euidently appeareth in the case of S. Hilary that renowned glory of Gods Church who at the same time he was exiled by procurement of the wicked Arrians and consent of Constantius Emperor vniustly was by Iulianus whome he calleth his Lord and Religeous Caesar adiuged Innocent and for his loue and defence of S. Hilary did suffer more reprouch of the Arrian Persecutors then S. Hilary Hilar. l. ad Constantium Augustum endured Iniury by that Exilement as he himselfe the best witnesse auouched to Constantius Exulo non crimine sed factione falsis nuncijs Synodi apud te Imperatorem pium non ob aliquam criminum meorum conscientiam per impios homines delatus Nec leuem habeo quaerelae meae testem Dominum meum Religiosum Caesarem tuum Iulianum qui plus in Exilio meo à malis contumeliae quam ego iniuriae pertulit And S. Hilary returning into France in the end of the Empire Fortun. in Vit. S. Hilarij Seuer l. 2 Ruffin Hist l. 1. c. 31. Socrat. Hist l. 3. c. 8. vit S. Hilarij Sozom. l. 5. c. 12. S. Anton. ad Didymum apud Sozom. l. 3. c. 14. Vit. S. Hilar. sup in Breuiar Baro. Spondan An. 369. al. of Constantius and beginning of Iulianus by calling diuers Synods in which Saturninus and Paternus the cheife Agents of Arianisme there were excommunicated France was deliuered from that Infection and Britayne still ioyning with S. Hilary and the Catholicks of Gallia was free from thar venime Ad hunc modum doctrinam Concilij Nicaeni in ea Imperij parte quae ad solem Occidentem vergit ab Hilario Eusebio vercellensi defensam propugnatam accepimus And as S. Seuerus writeth Illud apud omnes constitit vnius Hilarij beneficio Gallias nostras piaculo haeresis liberatas Which must needs be in this time of Iulian his being Caesar and Emperor S. Hilary dying in the yeare 369. anno post Christum natum trecentesimo sexagesimo nono Soone after the end of Iulian his short Empyre hauing commanded others by his in the West an vnitie in Religion by many Councells of the Bishops of France and other Prouinces in these Occidentall parts Diuers of those Councells assembled after Iulian was Emperor and had reuolted from Christian Religion the whole time of his Empyre being by no accompt aboue two yeares and 8. moneths An Argument sufficient that the Persecution which he raysed against Christians did not extend to these Westerne Natiōs especially Britaine likely by his reuolt from Christ and death of his wife Helena and Constantius Baron An. 363. the Posteritie of our S. Helen the Heire of this kingdome now reuolted from him But howsoeuer this was Iulian quite leauing these Westerne Nations before he eyther persecuted Christians or left the Profession of their Religion liuing so short a time Emperor not two yeares by two moneths and three dayes as Baronius thinketh he doth demonstrate and neuer returning westward againe Socrat. Hist l. 3. c. 18. Cassiodor Hist Tripart l. 6. c. 47. but these Countryes in those dayes setled in Catholicke Religion Britayne could not be afflicted by his Apostasie But rather gayned then lost in Religion by him being all the time he was Caesar a friend to Catholicks and dying as Socrates Cassiodorus and others write in the seuenth yeare after he was declared Caesar occubuit anno septimo posteaquam a Constantio Caesar renuntiatus fuisset 3. So that he was aboue twice as long a friend to the Catholiks in Britayne as he was a professed Enemy to Christians in any place For Ammian Marcellin Speed Theater l. 6. c. 47. Stowe Hist in Iulian. Harris Theater Tom. 4 c. 26. if we grante vnto some what they contend that he ruled in Britayne and that Lupicinus and Alipius whome he employed to builde Hierusalem in fauour of the Iewes and their Religion did gouerne heare as Lieutenants in his time or Constantius this hindereth not the quiet of the Brittish Catholicks in his either Caesarship or Empire For the Authors themselues which most insist vpon these instances doe freely confesse first that Lupicinus was a very Christian man and Enemy vnto Hereticks One Harris supr of them thus writeth At what time Iulian was receaued Emperor by the Senate and people he began also to Reigne ouer Britayne vnder whome Lupiciniuc Praeter a Christian gouerned the Land And if I be not deceaued this was the same Lupicinius Epiph. l. de Haeres Haer. 80. the name time and other circumstances so pleade which Epiphanius maketh mention of who persecuted to death in the time of Constantius the Massilian and Martyrian Heretiks who denyed the grace of Baptisme fasting and many other Ammian Marcellin l. 20. cap. 1. Haeres Speed Stowe supr points of Catholike Religion And for the other Alipius it is manifest by Ammianus Marcellinus and our owne Historians euen Protestants that he could not molest the Brittish Catholicks in the Empyre of Iulian how soeuer he stood affected friend or foe to their Religiō for he was sent hither by Iulian being Caesar in the time of Constantius to resist the Inuasions of the Picts and Scots into the Marches of the Britanes Iulian himselfe not daring to leaue Gallia as much infested by the Almans and Iulian himselfe at that time as before is proued was a friend to the Catholike
littus oppositum prope castrum Dorostorum This place of S. Decombes or Decumanus either Miraculously Auth. of Engl. Mart. die 27. August landing or liuing is not as one hath lately written in Glocestershire which neither is adiacent vnto Seuerne Sea mare Sabrinum which he passed but onely the Ryuer Seuerne not hauing in any part of Glocestershire the name of Seuerne Sea but still the Ryuer Seuerne nor is opposite to any part of the Country now called Southewales from whence he came Nor had his passadge ouer a Ryuer in such maÌ„ner as is related bene so Miraculous as the History thereof declareth it was Neither was the part of Glocestershire adioyning to Seuerne Ryuer being the most pleasant and fruitefull part of that Prouince by all descriptions and euer most inhabited such a craggy vaste or rude wildernes and Desart as he landed and liued in Eo tempore quo Sanctus Decumanus diuinitus perductus in AngliaÌ„ venit erat in eo territorio in quo applicuit vasta Eremi solitudo frutetis vepribus obsita densitate siluarum in longum latum spatiosé porrecta montium eminentia sursum educta concauitate vallium mirabiliter interrupto Haec ei sedes complacuit haec pio eius proposito videbatur accommoda 7. Neither is-there any such Câ—stle in Gloster-shire either by Seuerne side or farre of named Dorster or DuÌ„ster or neare to that name whereby he laÌ„ded or any place of or like to his name Church villadge or any other such MonumeÌ„t Speed alij in Descrip Angliae Comiâ—atus Somerseten dedicated vnto him in any Antiquitie When quite otherwise in Sommersetshire we finde all these things agreeing it adioyneth to Seuerne Sea it is oppisite to Southe-wales it was there abouts longe time desart and vninhabited as the names of the villadges there now builded olde Cleue Wethicombe and Nettlecombe proue there is Dunster Castle vpon Seuerne Sea there very broade and making such a passadge there Miraculous Within three English Manuscr Ant. in vit S. Decumani Io. Capgrau in eod miles of that is a place called to this daye S. Decombs with a Church dedicated to his honour named S. Decombs or Decumans Church Therefore we may safely say that this place in Sommerset-shire was the holy habitation of this glorious S. Decuman or Decomb Heare he liued many yeares by herbes and rootes and as some hold on Festiuall dayes with the milke of a Cowe which he kept in sackcloath fastings and watchings vntill by a wicked Pagan much enueying his Sanctitie hating true pietie and detesting the sacred name of Christ being at his holy prayers and deuotions he was beheadded and martyred Vir Sanctus patriam commutans exilio antra desâ—rti pro fastu palatij caepit thidem commanere herbis radicibus victitare ieiunâ—â—s orationibus insistere carnem cilitio domans vigilijs paenaliter affligens Tali sub tenore vitam ducens Heremiticam in iam dicta solitudine multis vixerat annis Fertur etiam vaccam habuisse cuius lacte pro necessitate corporis saltem praeclaris festiuitatibus magis sustentaretur quam aleretur Cum igitur Sanctus Decumanus multimodis signorum floreret virtutibus vir quidam sed ipse vir Belial aspide saeuior vipera truculentior tanti patris inuidens sanctitati in odium verae virtutis in detestationem Christiani nominis furiali mente debacchatus bestialiter accurrit inter verba orationis preces sanctae deuotionis sanctum Domini capitis obtruncatione ad caelestia Regna transmisit 8. The same miracle is written of him as of S. Denis the Areopagite Saint Pauls Scholler that his head being stricken of his body stood vpright and with the Armes carryed the head from the place where it was cutt of vnto a Fountayne of most cleare water in which when he liued he vsed to wash it Which vnto this day saith Capgraue in memory and reuerence of him is called S. Decombs well sweete vsefull and holesome for the Inhabitants to drinke Truncus laceri corporis se erexit caput proprium rexit pendulis brachijs vectitare à loco decollationis vsque ad fâ—tem limpidissimi liquoris in qno caput suum proprijs manibus abluere pro consuetudine habebat Qui vsque hodie ad memoriam reuerentiam ipsius fons Sancti Decumani nuncupatur dulcis necessarius salubris incolis ad potandum In quo loco caput simul cum corpore postmodum à fidelibus quaesitum inuentum sepulturae honorificè tradebatur Where both his head and whole body being sought and found by the Christians were honorably buried And a Church afterward there builded in his memory and honour called still S. Decombs Church as the Towne or Village also honorably termed by his name 9. There is also and other Church dedicated to him in the Towne of Welles in the same Shire still standing and preseruing his name and memory A sufficient Argument of itselfe besides so many others before that he lyued and dyed in that Country no other giuing so much testimonie vnto him And the honour and reuerence which at that time and euer after vntill Protestants New Religion so much as it could defaced or obscured such holy memories was giuen to the sacred Eremites their Church and Reliks at Glastenbury in the same Country and neare the place of S. Decombs Heremitage occasioned him to make choyse of that Desart to liue and die in where or neare so many renowned Saints had gloriously triumphed ouer this world and all Enemies therein and with whose Religeous Successors he might some times meete for his spirituall good and comforte especially seeing as our Protestants themselues doe sufficiently acknowledge Saint Damian or Deruian sent hither by Pope and Saint Eleutherius with Saint Phaganus had there a Church very neare S. Decombs aboad by the same Castle or Towne of Stowe Howes Hist Tit. Rom. in Lucius Dunster where he landed True it is say these Protestant Writers that till this day there remayneth in Sommerset Shire in the Denaery of Dunstor a Parish Church bearing the name of S. Deruuian as a Church eyther by him founded or to him dedicated A sufficient motiue both for him to choose this place and commend his choyse thereof as Capgraue relateth or conceaueth thus he did Haec Capgrau in S. Decumano ei sedes complacuit haec pio eius proposito videbatur accommoda adeo vt reipsa videbatur dicere Haec requies mea in seculum seculi hic habitabo quoniam elegi eam I shall speake more of more such renowned holy Britans heare both Bishops Preists and others when I haue first spoken of our cheifest Rulers both Spirituall and Temporall Popes and Emperors our Kings heare in this Age. THE XXIV CHAPTER WHEREIN MAXIMVS OVR KING AND Emperor is cleared from many imputations and slaunders especially concerning true Catholike Religion which he both professed in himselfe and