only by the way that Galloway at that time belong'd to the jurisdiction of the Britains not of the Scots The Labours of St. Ninianus were no doubt much eas'd by the Arrival of another Saint who by Divine inspiration came thither out of Achaia bringing with him the precious Relicks of the Apostle St. Andrew This Saint named St. Regulus as Hector Boetius relates Watching one night at the Monument of St. Andrew was admonish'd from Heaven to take off the Holy Apostles Arm three Fingers and as many Joynts of one of his Feet and laying them Decently in a Vessel to carry them to the Island of Albion or Britain seated in the Confines of the World because in future times there would live a People which would give great Veneration to that Apostle and by his Intercession receive great Graces and Benefits both Earthly and Heavenly through the Divine goodness In complyance with which admonition the Holy man undertook that tedious Journey The Report of his arrival with that Sacred Treasure being spread through the Regions of the Picts inflam'd the minds of many to see and venerate those Holy Relicks Insomuch that as Boetius relates the People flock'd together from all quarters bringing Gifts and Offerings to the Holy Apostle Hergustus or Hungas their King invited with the fame of these things came also to visit this Holy man Regulus who receiv'd him with a Solemn Procession in which Priests and Monks Sang Hymns and Praises to God. The King as the same Author writes falling Prostrate on the the ground with great veneration kiss'd the Sacred Relicks and when all the Holy Rites were perform'd after the Christian manner he freely bestow'd his Royal Palace to the Honour of St. Andrew upon Regulus and the Priests with him and also built a Church not far from thence Dedicated to the same Apostle for the performance of Divine Service This is the place where in followiug Ages the Primates of Scotland establish'd their Arch-Episcopal See. Which place saith Cambden the Antients call'd Regimont or Regulus his Mount where Ungus King of the Picts built the principal Church of his Kingdom call'd to this day St. Andrews Boetius describes the Ornaments with which this Pious King Enrich'd this his new built Church viz. Pattens Copes Chalices Basons Lavers c. fram'd of Silver and Gold Some modern Writers question the Truth of this Story out of an aversion perhaps to Sacred Relicks However Pope Boniface the VIII in an Epistle to Edward the I. writes plainly thus Your Royal Highness may please to understand that the Kingdom of Scotland was Converted to the Vnity of the Catholick Faith by the venerable Relicks of St. Andrew the Apostle Such saith he was the great goodness of Almighty God. The Picts call'd the Priests which came with St. Regulus Coldei or Colidei Worshipers of God To these others from among the Picts and Britains joyn'd themselves leading a Solitary life With such fame of their Sanctity saith Buchanan that being dead their Cells were Converted to Churches Although in Truth if we speak of the prime Original of these Coldei they began in the times of Persecution under Dioclesian The Gests of this St. Regulus are Celebrated in the English Martyrology which some mistake only as to the time of his death In the year of Grace 395. the Glorious Emperour Theodosius dy'd for whose Soul St. Ambrose Devoutly Pray'd the Prince Honorius assisting at the Altar He left the Eastern Regions to his Eldest Son Arcadius the Western to his youngest Honorius of tender years under the Tuition of Stilico whose Daughter he had Married Stilico not content with this Honour attempted to Establish his own Son and to that end permitted Barbarous Nations to waste the Empire which were at last the ruine of it In the IV. year of Honorius Pope Siricius dy'd to whom succeeded Anastasius Aman saith St. Hierom of rich Poverty and Apostolick Solicitude He mainly oppos'd the Error of Origen then creeping into Rome and made an Edict directed especially to the Vicar of Britain That although he utterly forbad the Offering of Pagan Sacrifices yet his pleasure was that the Ornaments of publick Works though representing Pagan Superstititions should be preserv'd This Island at this time seems to sit at ease secur'd from the Violence of its Northern Enemies by a Roman Legion quarter'd in the Borders and govern'd by Marcus a Roman General sent thither by Honorius The Poet Claudian in his Panegyrick to Stilico gives testimony of this then Peaceable estate But alas this Calm lasted but a little while for the Troubles arising in Italy occasion'd the Forces which defended Britain to be call'd home and these troubles were caus'd by the Invasion of Alaricus King of the Gothes to which Stilico gave some stop vanquishing the Gothes in a Battle to their utter ruine if Stilico to promote his Ambitions designs had not permitted them to retire back into Pannonia that he might continue in possession of the Emperour's Forces And indeed upon a second Invasion of these Barbarous Enemies another Battle was fought by Stilico who once more overcame them and to this Battle the Roman Legions which defended Brittain were drawn from thence About these times Pope Anastasius dying Innocentius first of that Name succeeded a sincere oppugner of Pelagianism the founder of which Heresie Pelagius is said to be Born in Britain and therefore term'd the British Serpent St. Hierom takes him to be a Scot others affirm him to be Abbot of the famous Monastery of Bangor where 201 Monks got their Living by the Labour of their Hands Certain it is he was a Monk for St. Augustine tells us This Heresie was not invented by Bishops or Priests but by a Monk And as St. Isidore assures us By a stupid vain stragling Monk Incorrigible smelling Feasts and Fawning on Magistrates for their good Cheer having taken up his Graceless Heresie in his Old and almost doting Age He taught that man might be sav'd by his Merits without Grace That every one is directed by his own Natural free-will to the attaining of Justice That Infants are born without Original sin and as Innocent as Adam before his Fall that they are Baptiz'd not that they should be free from sin but that by Adoption they may be admitted into the Kingdom of God and that although they were not Baptiz'd yet they should enjoy an Eternal and Happy Life though excluded from the Kingdom of God. These Heresies began to appear in publick about the years 404 and 405. notice thereof being taken by Pope Innocentius Pelagius prepar'd a Letter of Purgation presented to Zosimus Successor of Innocentius His Doctrines being every where reprov'd he Appeal'd to the Judgement of a Lawful Synod but one of the Bishops appointed to Accuse him falling sick and so not able to appear at Lidda where the Synod was Assembled Pelagius gave such Cautelous Answers to the Proposals of the Bishops there present that he escap'd Censure and was accounted
and Tomb of Saints because it had been Built by the immediate Disciples of our Lord and to him Dedicated as Venerable Antiquity doth testifie All which consider'd to deny so great a Blessing confer'd on our Nation must savour of Passion and un-excusable Partiality The time and occasion of St. Joseph's Arrival here and the particular Acts of him and his Companions after so many years of change and alteration cannot befully accountable The time in all likelihood was when Suetonius Paulinus was Pretor here and when Policletus Favourite to Nero came hither with his Retinue the occasion of his coming is less certain Some write that St. Joseph was sent hither by St. Philip the Apostle or Evangelist grounding their opinion from Procalphius who speaks little to that purpose Tradition informs us that St. Joseph at his first coming Address'd himself to Arviragus then King of the Britains and said to be the Founder of the University of Oxford by the help of an Augur or Prophet named Olenus Calenus from whom it was first called Calena And although Arviragus did not submit to the Doctrine of St. Joseph yet he gave him leave to publish it in Peace so well was he prepar'd to the Entertainment of Divine Truth by humane Education Nay he was also pleas'd to afford Joseph and his Companions a place of Retreat not only commodious for their Devotions but sufficient for their Sustenance call'd by the Britains the Glassey-Island or Avallonia in which certain Lands were alloted both by Arviragus and his Son Marius containing about 12 Hydes for the Nourishment of those Godly persons being the first of ground in this Island Dedicated to the Service of God and after called Godney The first thing these new Inhabitants undertook was to build and Consecrate a Church for the Worship of God which they Dedicated to the Honour of the most Blessed Virgin Mary And as is affirm'd amongst other things relating to Glastonbury Monastery in an Epistle of St. Patrick who died there was Consecrated Miraculously by our Blessed Lord himself to the Honour of his Mother This wonderful Consecration is more fully declar'd by the Testimony of the Illustrious Bishop of St. David the Extirpator of Pelagianisme out of Britain as hath been Collected out of the Antiquities of Glastonbury by Willià m of Malmsbury to this effect following That St. David with other Bishops coming to Glastonbury invited by the Sanctity of the place resolv'd to Consecrate the Church there formerly erected to the Honour of the Mother of God and having provided all things necessary for that purpose the night before his intended Ceremony our Blessed Lord appear'd to St. David in his sleep and demanded the cause of his coming thither which St. David forthwith declar'd whereupon our Lord taking him by the Hand told him That he himself many years before had Dedicated the said Church to the Honour of his Mother and that That Holy Ceremony was not to be Profain'd by any mans repeating And having said this with his Finger pierc'd through the Bishops Hand telling him this should be a sign that what himself had formerly Anticipated ought not again to be Renew'd and withall promis'd him that when the said Bishop the next day at the Canon of the Mass should pronounce the words Per ipsum cum ipso in ipsoâ—â— His Hand should be restor'd sound to him The Bishop awaking found his Hand pierc'd and others saw and touch'd the Wound with great Admiration and the Preparation for the Consecration was laid aside and during the Celebration of Mass the Bishops Hand became Sound The sum of what hath hitherto been here related is repeated by St. Augustine the Convertor of our Nation in an Epistle of his to St. Gregory the Great and by Copgrave in the Life of St. Joseph and is further testify'd by an Antient Inscription cut in Brass fasten'd to a Pillar in the same Church declaring in effect what hath been said already This Inscription is recorded by Sir Henry Spelman in his Collection of Councels and yet by him pretended to be Fabulous First He doubts whether any Christian Churches were Erected so early Which doubt is certainly groundless unless he mean such Magnificent Structures as have been built since Christianity hath been publickly cherish'd and countenanc'd but that even under the Harrows of Persecution the Christians made shift to Erect or Assign places to meet in and perform the Rites and Duties of Religion is Attested by all Ecclesiastical Histories Secondly If Churches were Built yet they were not Encompass'd with ground for Burial before St. Cuthbert 's time Burial within Cities being forbidden by the Roman Laws Sure this is a false conceit for King Ethelbert and his Bishop St. Augustine before St. Cuthbert's days were Buried in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at Canterbury Constantine the first Christian Emperour was buried amongst the Relicks and Bones of the Apostles and Martyrs And as for the Roman Law forbidding Burials in Cities it was antiquated long before this however Glastonbury was no City scarce a Village rather a Desart far from Rome and under the Dominion of Brittish Princes well-wishers to Christianity and the simplicity thereof in those days Thirdly Dedication of Churches was not then in use Doubtless many Ceremonies and Solemnities have been added by the Church but as certainly the Houses or Places which the most Primitive Christians assigned for the Worship of God were by some Ceremonies Dedicated to that use as by erecting a Title fixing a Cross c. as the most antient Records testifie But lastly That which most displeases Sir Hen. is the Dedication of this Church to the Blessed Virgin for he thinks such a kind of Devotion was not thought of until many Ages after but then he must forget the Tradition of Spain attested in all their Liturgies and many of their Councils that from the first entrance of Christianity into that Kingdom several Churches have been erected to the Honour of that Blessed Virgin witness that most Famous Temple at Saragosa called Dell Pilar Celebrated above 1000 years since by St. Maximus Bishop of that City in several Hymns by him composed in Honour of that Venerable House called Angelical because the Pillar on which the Virgins Statue was fixed is thought to be brought thither by the Ministery of Angels After the Death of Arviragus Marius his Son succeeds him in the Brittish Throne resembling his Father as in Courage and other Prince-like Virtues so also in his kindness to these holy Strangers This Marius is reported to have had a great Victory over the Picts who were doubtlesly no other than the Northern Britains then unconquered and consequently unciviliz'd by the Romans but who remaining in their Barbarous custom of painting their Bodies got a new name of Picts After the Death of this Marius in the Reign of Coilus his Son our St. Joseph is said to end his Labours and Mortality in the 82 of our Lord and second year of
a Rock as provided and intended for Joseph himself But before our Saint would bury the Body he wash'd it for it was cover'd with Blood. First in regard of his late Bloody-Sweat Secondly by reason of his Cruel Scourging Thirdly The pressing of a Crown of Thorns upon his Head. Fourthly The Nails in his Hands and Feet Lastly The Souldiers Spear which did not only Wound but open a wide passage into his side Joseph also wash'd this Sacred Body in order to the Embalming of it He wash'd it saith Grosthead with an intention and Religions design to appropriate the same Blood to his own devout use as a most precious Treasure and Medicine for his Soul The Water tinctur'd with the Blood he would not cast away but kept it in a clean Vessel and the pure Blood distilling from the Wounds of his Hands and Feet he reserv'd with more Reverence But above all with more then ordinary Devotion and Holy Fear he receiv'd into a most precious Vessel the Blood mix'd with Water which he carefully press'd out of his Right side and which he judg'd to issue from his Heart This he esteem'd a Treasure invaluable to be reserv'd for himself and his Successours This was the Discourse and these the Sentiments of that Venerable Prelate upon the fore-mention'd occasion It may seem strange that Joseph accounting this Blood so inestimable a Treasure should yet ordain it to be put into the Grave with him as it is said he did He may be thought to do it least in such a time when Paganism prevail'd the Holy Relick might be Profan'd and if Christianity ever came to be uppermost Devout Christians might know whither to resort for it or perhaps he might have the same design with the Emperour Constantine who carefully collected the Relicks of the Apostles and after they were richly adorn'd commanded they should be laid up in his Tomb To the end as Eusebius tells us that being dead he might be made partaker of the Prayers which there in Honour of the Apostles should be offer'd unto God. After the death of S. Joseph S. Phagan succeeded in the Prefecture of this Holy Place and continu'd in it about 30 years and under him and other his Successors who enjoy'd the Possessions bestow'd upon them by the British Kings a Monastical Conversation was upheld until the Reign of King Lucius at which time the publick Preaching of the Gospel was not only permitted but encourag'd So as these Holy men in all likelihood were invited and by Charity compell'd to leave God for God to forsake their Solitude and imploy their Devotion and Labours in Converting and Saving the Souls of others by reason whereof it is reported that this place became Desolate Howbeit not long after the memory of St. Joseph stir'd up Devout Christians to visit and enlarge the Church here Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin as the Fountain and Original of Christian Religion in this Island A little before the death of St Joseph Julius Agricola was sent Pretor into Britain in the last year of Vespasian and was entertain'd with Opposition in Wales which with extraordinary diligence he resisted and made his Victory compleat at the Isle of Anglesey from whence Paulinus had lately been re-call'd by the Dreadful Rebellion of the foremention'd unhappy Queen of the Trinobantes Boadicea Agricola after took care to govern the Province in Peace to restrain the Avarice of the Roman Souldiers to defend the Natives from injuries and by his Courtesie and Civility invited them to delight in Peace Thereupon he encouragâ—d them to conform to the Roman Fashion of Life by building Houses Temples and Market-Places He caus'd their Children to be instructed in Arts and good Literature Applauding their Wits and Natural Endowments so as thereby the Roman Tongue became Familiar to the Britains and the Roman Eloquence in request amongst them In the third year of his Pretorship he March'd Northward and wasted the Country as far as Tweed and the Summer following he extended his Conquests as far as Bodotria now Edinborough Frith Eastward and Glotta now the Frith of Dunbritton Westward and strengthen'd the narrow space between them with Forts and Garrisons So as the only Enemies remaining unconquer'd were the Caledonian Britains at a Town thereabouts now called Abercurven an Antient Structure is at this day extant all of square Stones which the inhabitants call Julius's Hoft and fancy to have been built by Julius Caesar but more probably was rais'd by this Julius Agricola as a Monument of his Conquests In the fifth year of his Expedition he pierc'd into the Northwest Provinces toward Ireland as if he had an intent to pass over thither and indeed he is said to be invited over by a Petty Prince of that Island who compell'd by his Rebellious Subjects thereunto made some Addresses unto him The following year he spent in a March from Edinborough Northward to sind out the limits of the Country the Romans as yet not knowing whether Britain were an Island or not in which march of his he caus'd his Navy to keep pace with his Land-Army both for his Security and Supply but to the great Terrour of the poor Britains who to free themselves from this danger attempted the ninth Legion separated from the rest of the common Army yet were defeated but after under the Conduct of Galgacus eminent both for Nobility and Courage resolv'd to put all to the hazard of a Battle and assembling all their Forces upon the mountain Grampus after a Cruel and Bloody Fight were entirely Defeated This Battle was Fought in the last year of Agricola's Government For in the beginning of the year following which was the 5th of Domitians Reign he return'd to Rome where after some shew of Honour he became the object of that Tyrants Envy and not long after the Sacrifice of his Cruelty After the departure of Agricola it doth not clearly appear who succeeded some say Cneus Trebellius others Salustius Lucullus whom Domitian put to Death because he fram'd new fashion'd Lances and call'd them after his own Name this is all is mention'd in the Roman Histories during the remainder of Domitians Reign and his two Successors Nerva and Trajan little more is written concerning the state of Christianity in these times here in Britain save only that the Church of Britain in the year of Grace 100. sent a Legation to St. Clement Bishop of Rome desiring him to communicate unto them the Order and Rites of Celebrating Divine Service and it is deliver'd by Tradition that St. Clement set down the Order of offering Sacrifice instituted by St. Peter which was after us'd with some Addition throughout the whole Western Church In Trajan's time Britain was divided only into two Provinces call'd the first and second greater and less or the upper and lower Britain the former contain'd the Southern part as far as the River-Thames first possessed by the Romans the latter the Western Provinces as Cornwal Wales c. Toward the
inviting his Countrymen to the imitation of his Virtue and Piety St. Germanus and Lupus encourag'd him to go into Ireland and that especially upon this occasion On a day St. Patrick in his sleep saw a man coming to him out of Ireland with many Letters in his Hand one of which he gave to the Saint who read it In the beginning of it was written This is the voice of the Inhabitants of Ireland As soon as St. Patrick had read these words He heard the voices of many Infants crying to him as out of their Mothers wombes in several Provinces of Ireland Holy Father come and converse amongst us St. Patrick having heard this felt great Compunction in his Heart but could read no more of the Letter As soon as he awak'd he gave Thanks to God being assur'd by this Vision that our Lord had call'd him to be an Instrument of the Salvation of those who thus cry'd unto him It is written That St. Patrick hereupon asking Councel of our Lord touching this Affair and by the means of the Angel Victor receiv'd this Divine Oracle That forsaking his Country and Parents he should pass over into Gaul there to be more perfectly instructed in the Christian Doctrine and Discipline Palladius sent into Brittain by Pope Caelestine being as yet but a Deacon sound the Civiller part formerly under the Roman Jurisdiction defil'd with Heresie and the Northern parts under the Scots wholly buried in the mists of Paganism Of this he sent notice to the Pope who re-call'd him to advise of Remedies for both these mischiefs To oppose the Pelagian Heresie he directed Germanus and Lupus to rescue the Northern parts of the Island from Paganism he sent back Palladius after he had exalted him to an Episcopal Degree as his Legate and Apostle of the Scottish Nation as Prosper more at large relates It is said that Palladius attempted the Conversion of the Irish but in vain so that the British Scots were the peculiar objects of his care and endeavours and this appears the more clearly for that Servanus and Tervanus the two principal Disciples of Palladius are reckon'd among the Learned Teachers of Britain of whom the former was sent to instruct the Inhabitants of the Orcades and the other to the Picts over whom he was created Archbishop and as some say succeeded St. Ninianus The labours both of Servanus and Tervanus were very prosperous but Palladius is thought not to have liv'd above a year after he was made Bishop Soon after the first Voyage of Palladius into Britain the People thereof being neither willing to receive that perverse Doctrine which Blasphem'd the Grace of Christ nor able to refute the Subtilties of those who maintain'd it by common advice crav'd assistance from the Gallican Bishops who in a Synod for that purpose assembled made choice of St. Germanus and St. Lupus one Bishop of Auxerre and the other of Troyes to pass over into Brittain to confirm the Faith of Coelestial Grace All which was done as appears by Prosper with the Consent and by the Direction of Pope Caelestine Germanus was born at Auxerre descended from Illustrious Parents brought up in good Literature wherein he so advanc'd himself that he became an Ornament to his Country and that nothing might be wanting to the perfecting of his Learning after he had frequented the Gallican Schools where he was taught the Liberal Sciences he went to Rome where he inrich'd his Mind with the perfect knowledge of the Imperial Laws At his return he was made Governour of the City and Territories of Auxerre the place of his Nativity While he was Governour there Amator the Bishop of that City a Holy man preparing himself in the Church to perform his Office and perceiving Germanus their Prefect entering with a Body and Mind compos'd to Modesty and Piety commanded immediately that the Doors should be fast Lock'd And then accompanied with many of the Clergy and Nobility laid hold on Germanus and devoutly calling on the Name of the Lord cut off his Hair and devesting him of his Secular Ornaments respectfully cloath'd him with a Religious Habit and said thus to him Now my Dear Brother it is our Duty to be diligent in preserving this Honour committed to thee without stain For as soon as I am dead Almighty God commits to thee the Pastoral Charge of this City Amator shortly after dy'd in whose place Germanus succeeded about the year of Grace 418. From the first day in which he undertook the Episcopal Office to the end of his Life he never us'd Wine Vinegar Oyle nor so much as Salt to give a Relish to his Meat At his Refections he first took Ashes into his Mouth and after that Barley-bread and this so slender and ungrateful Diet he never us'd till toward Sun-set sometimes and as is said he would Fast half a Week yea seven whole days without any satisfaction given to his craving Stomach his Bed was hard Boards cover'd over with Ashes and to prevent any profound sleep he would admit no Pillow under his Head He spent indeed whole nights in continual Sighing and incessantly water'd his hard Couch with his Tears He was a zealous observer of Hospitality and when ever any poor or Strangers came to him he would prepare for them a Plentiful Feast while himself Fasted yea with his own Hands he would wash their Feet Kissing and sometimes Bedewing them with showers of Tears He built a Monastery into which he oft retir'd feeding and refreshing his Mind there with the wonderful sweetness of Caelestial Contemplation St. Lupus was born at Toul a City of the Leuci of a Noble Family after his Fathers death he was sent to School and there imbew'd in the study of Rhetorick he Married the Sister of St. Hilarius Bishop of Arles she was inflam'd with the Love of Chastity from her youth Hence it was that after seven years spent in Marriage by Divine Inspiration both of them exhorted one another to a state of Conversion Lupus by a strong impulse from Heaven was mov'd to visit the Blessed St. Honoratus first Abbot of the Famous Monastery of Lerins to whose Discipline he humbly submitted himself in continual Watchings Fastings and Mortifications and intending to Sell his Possessions and distribute the Money to the Poor he was on a suddain compell'd to take upon him the Bishoprick of Troyes where he behav'd himself so well that he was stil'd the Father of Fathers Bishop of Bishops and a second Jacob of his Age. These two Holy men under the conduct of our Lord took upon them to be the Apostolick Reformers of the British Churches their Humility and Austerity of Life had a proper and specifick Virtue to oppose the Pride and Sensuality of the Pelagian Hereticks What befell them at Sea would not be omitted At first their Ship was carried with favourable Winds from the Gallick Coasts 'till they came into the midst of the Sea where no Land could be discover'd but presently after the