before must needs be from S. Peter And we reade in an Epistle of Pope Ihon the fift written in the yeare 686. to Ethelred King of the Marshes and to Alfride King of Northumberland on the behalf of Bishop Wilfrid for the restoring his Chuch vnto him with certaine Monasteries that this land of Britaine first receaued the faith of Christ by S. Peter Ioa. Pap. 5. epist ad Ethelred Alfrid Reges Guliel Malmes l. 3. de Pontific c. de Archiep. Ebor ex libr. Step. Cantuariens in vita S. Wilfrid Archiepis Ebor. Harr. hist tom 1. cheife of the Apostles the words are as followe Dominis eminentissimis Ethelredo Regi Merciorum Alfrido Regi Deirorum Bernitiorum Ioannes Papa de vestra Religionis accâ—ssibus gratia Dei cooperante gaudemus feruorem fidâ—i â—ernentes in vobis quam ex praedicatione principis ApostoloruÌ„ Deo vestros animos illuminante percepistis efficaciter tenetis Pope Ihon to the most â—â—inent Lords Ethelred King of the Mercians and Alfride King of the Deires and Bernitians we reioyce of the accesses of your Religion the grace of God cooperating perceauing the feruour of faith in you which you haue receaued â—y the preaching of the prince of the Apostles Where we playâ—ely see the first preaching of the faith of Christ in those parts ascribed to S. Peter the Apostle For testimony whereof we may also add the words of Pope Alexander the third in his epistle to King Henry the second of England where he playnely saith That England was vnder S. Peters protection euer since Christs name was glorified there Or why did Arnobius that renowned father 1200. yeares since speaking of S. Alexand. Pap. 3. epist ad Henric. 2. Reg. Angl. Eugubin de donatione Const Arnobiuâ— lib. 2. contra gentes Peters trauayles say that he preached in all the Ilands and prouinces of the west in Insulis prouincijs quas Sol occidens lustrat except he thought he was heare in Britaine the most renowned Iland of all the western world Where the lesser and more vnnoble are included as by such generall words they are the most noble and worthie cannot be thought to be excluded 4. And so certaine this seemeth that a late writer inclineth to think that Harris in Theatr l. 1. S. Peter gaue denomination to some places at his being heare There is saith this Authour in the North parts an old Citie called Aldclihit which in the Britans time many hundred yeares passed bore his S. Peters name For Aldclihit in the Brittish tonge is as much to say as Peters Clyhit or Peterclyhit for so Henricus Huntingtoniensis a learned Author of reuereÌ„d antiquitie telleth vs in his first booke of Histories where he saith Orientalis autem habet in medio sui vrbem Guidi Henric. Hunting l. 1. hist occidentalis supra se hoc est ad dextram sui habet vrbem Aldclyhit quod lingua BritonuÌ„ significat Petrum Clyhit est autem iuxta fluuium nominis illius Thus in This Authour wrote before the printing â—f Henry of Huntington by the Protestans so citeth the Manuscript For the printed booke hath Petram Clyhit and not Petâ—um English the east part of Northumberland hath in the midst of it a cytie called Guidi and in the west part on the right hand thereof there is a cytie called Aldclyhit which in the Britans languadge doth signifie Peters Clyhit or Peter Clyhit The which standeth vppon a Ryuer of the same name In which sence also the words of S. Prosper seeme to be vnderstoode who writing of S. Celestine Pope of Rome his care to purdge this Iland of the Pelagian Heresie and conuert Ireland to the faith of Christ speaketh in this manner dum Romanam Insulam studet seruare Catholicam fecit etiam Barbaram Christianam while â—e studieth to keepe the Roman Iland Catholike he also made the Barbarous Iland Christia Whereas Prosper l. contra collatorem c. 41. by the Barbarous Iland he vnderstandeth Ireland so by the Roman Iland he meaneth and describeth this Iland of Britaine Which can in no other sence especially at that time be called the Roman Iland but as it was vnder S. Peters spirituall Empire and Regiment and his Successours Popes of Rome For first in respect of temporall subiection this Iland was neuer at any time wholly Romana Insula a Romane Iland all those Countryes beyond Seuerus or Adrians wall were free from subiection to the Romans and in S. Prosper his time and S. Celestine of which he speaketh It was further from hauing any such denomination both Scots Picts and Saxons hauing inuaded and spoyled diuers prouinces of that part Which the Romans did formerly possesse and the Romans at that time had nothing at all to doe in this Iland but the Britans had Kings of their owne as Vortigern Vortimer Aurelius Ambrosius and others Which construction of S. Prosper is more warranted by the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury who citeth Cardinal Pole the Popes legate in these termes neuer improuing but allowing them haÌ„c Insulae nobilitatem atque gloriaÌ„ Dei prouidentiae atque beneficientiae soli acceptam ferendam sed tamen Matth. Parket l. antiquâ—t Brâ—t â—n Reginaâ—d Pol. Cardina p. 351. 1. cap. 69. viaÌ„ ipsam atque rationeÌ„ qua haec nobilitas atque gloria parta est a sede Romana nobis pâ—imo semperque monstratam patefactam fuisse we must ascribe tâ—is nobilitie and glory of this Iland to haue the first of all receaued the faith of Christ to the prouidence and Bounty of God but yett that the away and meanes how this Nobilitie and glory â—as gotten to this nation was first and alwayes shewed and made open from the See of Rome Which must needs be extended and ascend to S. Peter and the Apostles time as the words primo semperque first and alwayes doe demonstrate for it is the common opinion of our Protestant writers and amonge them three of their Bishops here cited that Britanniae Ecclesiae origo ab Apostolis ipsis Parker in Indice v. Britannia Bal. l. de Scriptor Cent. 1. in Ioseph Ara. Godwyn Conu of Brit. c. 2. p. 15. Theater of great Britaine l. 6. cap. 9. pag. 202. probatur that the begynning of the Church of Britaine was from the Apostles 5. How the first Apostle that preached heare could be no other then S. Peter I haue made manifest by our Protestants before and in their Theater of greate Britaine their best learned Antiquaries from diuers authors and approued Antiquities thus testifie sainct Peter the Apostle is supposed to haue preached in Britaine And agayne That S. Peter the Apostle preached the word of life in this Iland as to other Nations he did for whome God had chosen him that from his mouth they might heare the ghospell and beleeue as himself alledgeth and that he heare founded Churches and ordeyned Preists and Deacons which is reported Metaphrast Gul.
that Christians were farre moore dutifull and faithfull to God then their Persecutors were Longe illi sunt quam vos erga Deum liberiores atque fidentiores Vos cultum Dei non tenetis Quocirca illum colentibus aemulatione inuidetis ad mortem vsque persequimini De rebus eiusmodi alij quidam prouinciarum Rectores diuinissimo patri meo scripserunt Quibus ille rescripsit nihil molestiae faciendum esse talibus viris nisi quid aduersus Imporium Romanum moliti esse deprehenderentur Quin ad me multi de eis literas dederâ—â—t quibus de patris mei quem imitandum mihi esse duxi sententia respondi Si quis actionem aduersus quempiam eiusmodi habens deferat illum duntaxat vt huiusmodi hominem Delatus quidem à crimine absoluatur etiamsi talis esse appareat Ipse autem Delator Iudicio paenas pendat And allthough diuers yeares of this Emperour his Reigne had passed before he established such publike Order for the quiet of Christians and much Persecution was in the beginning of his time yet it cannot be thought to haue had warrant and Originall from him And it was allmost in the beginning of his Empire the third yeare thereof as some write that S. Iustine wrote Matth. Westm an gratiae 141. an Anton. Pij 3. and deliuered vnto him his Apologie for Christians and made him friendly vnto them Anno gratiae 141. Iustinus Philosophus librum de Christiana Religione compositum Antonino tradidit eumque benignum erga Christianos fecit And he was surnamed Pius Godly by some iudgments for his pietie towards Christians aswell as for other respects Antoninus Pius gener Adriani erat erga Mart. Polon in Antonino Pio. Christianos Pius And he himselfe before is witnes that he proposed his adopting or Father in lawe Adrian so friendly to Christians to be imitated by him herein Quem imitandum mihi esse duxi And he therefore being so fully Antoninus Pius Epist supr persuaded that Christians did worship God truely and better then any Pagans their Persecutours these must needs be motiues to our King of Britaine Motiues to the King of Britaine to be a Christian euer a fauourer of Christians now much more to defend and maintayne that Religion when in so doing he might also maintayne his honour with God with the Emperour and thereby obtayne rest and quietnes to his conscience on earth and eternall peace and happines to his soule in heauen 4. And both for the continuance and encrease of Christians heare in Britaine all this time from Pope Alexander of whom the King of Britaine procured Godwin Conu of Brit. pag. 18. Caius l. 1. ant q. Cantab. Will. Harris descr of Brit. Holinsh. Hist of England Preachers to be sent hither we are assured not onely by Catholiks but diuers Protestant writers And sure if there had not bene Christians heare to exhort our King to Christian Religion and by him to be fauoured therein he could neyther haue bene persuaded by them to Christianitie or bene a friend to them for their quiet and libertie in professing thereof And yet besides the Court and Residence of our King we see euen by that litle light of Many Britans receaued the faith of Christ in this time our Antiquities that in sondry and farre separate places there were many which both preached the faith to others and which at such mens preaching embraced it Among others we reade in peruetustis Annalibus Burtonensibus sic lego Anno Domini 141. hic baptizati sunt nouem ex Doctoribus scholaribus Io. Caius l. 1. ant CaÌ„tab Accad p. 95. Cantabrigiae I reade in the very old Annals of Burton thus in the yeare of our Lord an hundred fortie one heare were baptized nine of the Doctours or Teachers and Schollers of Cambridge What great distance and separation of space Many Schollers of Cambridge now conuerted and conuerting others there is betweene Burton in Stafford-shire where these Annals were written and kept which testifie so many Schollers of Cambridge the cheife Towne of that Shire were baptized there at Burton hic baptizati sunt and the Vniuersitie of Cambridge is not vnknowne to English Readers And yet we are sure if they came so farre to be baptized they had bene catechized and instructed in the faith of Christ there before and so the faith of Christ had then bene taught at Cambridge and not by vnlearned Preachers to conuince so many learned men to be so deuoute to trauaile so farre to receaue holy Baptisme Neyther can any man imagin but the Brittish inhabitaÌ„ts betweene these two so distant places were also preached vnto by those holy men which preached in them both and passed from the one to the other Many others there be Stowe Histor Theater of great Brit l. 6. Willam Harris descript of Britaine Harris Theatr. l. 2. Annalâ—â— Burton in Coâ—â—â— S. Benedict in Bibliot ib. vol. 38. tract 2. Catholiks and Protestants which Iustifie this Antiquitie and the Antiquitie itselfe is yet extant in the Colledge of S. Benet in Cambridge where the very same words be without any difference at all Anno 141. hic baptizati sunt nouem ex Doctoribus Scholaribus Cantabrigiae And there written that the Booke belonged to the Abbey of Burton Qui fuit de Communitate Burtoniae 5. The Protestant Authours of the Theater of greate Britaine with others doe sufficiently approue what I haue written eyther of the continuance of the faith of Christ in Britaine in this time in generall as also of this Antiquity in particular although they adde some exceptions which rather are their owne mistakings then worthie the name ef exceptions First they truely testifie in this manner As we haue searched the first foundation of our faith so neyther Theater of great Brit. l. 6. c. 9. want we testimonies concerning the continuance of the same in this Lande vnto following Posterities allthough the iniurie of time and warre haue consumed many Records For the Britans that were dayly strengthned in their receaued faith by the doctrine of many learned and Godly men left not their first loue with the Church of Apoc. 2. 4. Zachar. 8. 23. Radulph Niger Euseb l. 4. c. 9. c. 13. l. 5. c. 5. Bal. Vit. l. 1. Ephesus but rather tooke hold of the skirts As the Prophet speaketh vntill the Tortures of Martyrdome cutt them of by death and those Fathers euen from the Disciples themselues held a Succession in doctrine not withstanding some repugnance was made by the Pagans and preached the Ghospell with good successe euen till the same at lenght went forth with a bolder countenance by the fauourable Edicts of The English Protestant Theater writers much ouer seeme in diuers things in this time Adrian Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius Emperours of Rome as Eusebius hath noted and in Britaine was established by the Authoritie of Lucius their King Of
truth but in such sort did it as thereby he hath purchased vnto the same the Title of Primogenita Ecclesiae the most auncient and first begotten of all the Churches in the world for that as Sabellicus hath well noted allthough Christ was preached elswhere priuately Britaine the first Kingdome in the world which publikely and generally receaued the saith of Christ in many other Nations long before yet omnium Prouinciarum prima publicitus Christi nomen recepit Of all Nations it was the first that with publike approbation of Prince and State receaued the Profession of Christian Religion Thus farre he commendeth King Lucius for the carriadge of this busines afterward insinuating first to his Readers that there were Christian Preists and Preachers heare in Britaine when King Lucius sent to Pope Eleutherius about the generall Conuersion of this kingdome and to vse his words there is no doubt to be made that at their hāds if he were not he might haue bene baptised that were the Instrumēts of his Conuersion And then he immediately thus addeth to dishonour this Noble King for this his most honorable Ambassadge But what shall I say humanitūs aliquid passus est he thought happily it would be some litle glory vnto him and a countenance also to the action to fetch them that might seeme to be the Authours of this designe from Rome the Seate of the Empire the Mistresse of the world yea and also happily the vpholders of his Crowne and Authoritie regall Thus farre this Protestant Bishop and Antiquarie all which I haue answeared before and now breifely repeate if King Lucius was or might haue bene baptised by any heare all they as I haue proued before of S. Timothie Marcellus Mansuetus and others sent hither or conuerted being cōsecrated Preists or Bishops heare by Authoritie from the Apostolike Roman See he must needs also be baptised by power from thence if he had not sent this solemne Ambassadge thither So likewise if he stayed the returne of his Ambassadours Eluan and Medwin if the Pope had sent no others hither seeing by all Antiquities these were but Cathecumens and not baptised when they were sent to Rome but there perfectly instructed baptised and cōsecrated the one a Priest the other a Preist and Bishop if these or eyther of them baptised him and his people if they alone had bene able to performe so generall and greate a worke it had bene done by the power of the Pope of Rome who consecrated them and by Authoritie sent them hither to that end 6. So if King Lucius had appealed in this busines to the Bishops of France or any Country betweene Rome and vs and if they had harkened vnto him herein without consulting with the Pope of Rome yet all they being consecrated and directed thither by his Authoritie as we haue seene before King Lucius and his subiects resolued to be Christians must become such by the labour power and warrant of the Pope of Rome And by that which is saide before by the warrant of our Protestants of the both claymed and practised supreame spirituall power of all Popes from S. Peter to this time of S. Eleutherius and of him also it is euident that this kingdome nor any other could be in such solemne and publike manner conuerted and all Ecclesiasticall matters with change of Temporall lawes be established without the warrant and approbation of the Apostolike See of Rome and Church thereof in which respect and noe other Sabellicus and others which truely call this our Britaine the eldest daughter of the Church primogemita Ecclesiae so terme it in respect of the Church of Rome our holy Mother which brought forth this Country generally and publikly to Christ before any other in the world by sending holy Preachers and Apostolike men hither which so brought it to passe to the greate honour of this Nation Eleutherius Graecia oriundus sed Neapoli Anton. Sabellicus l. 5. Ennead 7 in Italia ortus successit Soteri Cum hoc nuper dignitatem adepto Lucius Britanniae Rex per litteras egit vt se suos vellet Christianorum numero addicere Missi sunt eo Fugatius Damianus viri pietate insigni hi Regem cum tota domo populoque vniuerso Baptismi Sacramento insignauerunt sublatoque malorum daemonum cultu vera in gente pietas constituta est Sic Britannia omnium Prouinciarum prima publicitus Christi nomen recepit Where it is euident that Sabellicus this Protestant Bishops Authour giueth this dignitie to Britaine to be the eldest and first borne daughter of the Church because the Roman Church first and before all other Nations did bringe it wholy forth to Christ wholy conuerting it in which sence the King of France accompteth and stileth himselfe primogenitus Annal. Galliae in Claudio Ecclesiae the first begotten child of the Church among Kings because Stephen a King in France rather a Duke was in their opinion in the time of Claudius the Emperour conuerted to the faith of Christ by Apostolike men sent from the See of Rome And our King Iames whome our Protestants would haue to be the fourth such supreame heade of their Church in England after King Henry the eight the yoūge child King Edward the sixt and Elizabeth a woman and Queene plainely and publikly in open parlament hath thus confessed I acknowledge the Roman Church to be our Mother Church Therefore except Mother and Daughter be not correlatiues and vnseperable Britaine King Iames speach in his 1. Parlament was the Daughter hauing no elder Sister Daughter of that Church was the first borne Daughter of the Church by this prerogatiue primogenita Ecclesiae 7. And the Arguments which this Protestant Bishop would haue to accuse or condemne King Lucius of vaine glory for sending to Rome to establish Godwin Conu of Brit. supr p. 35. the Conuersion of Britaine because Rome was then the Seate of the Empire Mistresse of the world and happily vpholder of his crowne and regall Authoritie doe aduance the honour of King Lucius his zeale in Religion and Dutie to the Roman Church For if the Conuersion of Britaine in so vinuersall established order could haue bene compassed without allowance of the Pope of Rome it had bene more secure for him to haue abstayned from that Ambassadge sent vnto the Pope liuing in state of Persecution for his Christian Religion and cheife office therein by the temporall and Imperiall Rome temporall Seate of persecuting Emperours their times of conniuency onely excepted temporall Mistresse of the world temporall Vpholder or friend to the Regall crowne of Britaine so farre as it did nothing which tasted of alienation from the Roman Pagan Imperours will and dignitie with which King Lucius his professing a Religion persecuted by them and suing for establishing and confirmation thereof by the Authoritie of the Pope of Rome which aboue all other things was most distastfull to the Roman Empire and had for