Christian Britons in one day Factoque agmine denso inuaserunt Romanos vna die omnes interfecerunt And their Leader Gallus cōtemptuously throwne into a brooke taking name thereof as our Protestant Antiquaries with Antiquitie thus deliuer Asclepiodotus recouered Britaine and slew the Romans Captaine named Liuius Gallus neare vnto a brooke there at that time running into which brooke he threw him by reason whereof it is called in Brittish Nant Gallon since in Saxon tongue Gallus or Wallus Harding supr c. 56. Galfr. Monll 5. c. 5. Virun lib. 5. Matth. Westm an 294. brooke and to this day the streete where some times the brook rāre is called Walbroks And proueth the History of this Brooke both by publike Records and Inquisitions 5. Asclepiodotus vpon this Victory was crowned King of Britaine by Parlament saith Harding and by common consent of the people as both the Brittish History Virunnius and Matthew of Westminster write being Duke of Cornwall before Triumphatis Romanis caepit Asclepiodotus regni diadema capiti suo populo annuente imposuit All these last Writers except Matthew of Westminster say Dioclesian his Persecution began heare in his time of which I shall speake hereafter And it seemeth that diuers Historians not obseruing that Constantius was heare twice marrying S. Helen the first time and the second time receauing her againe when Maximian the persecuting Emperour had forced him to putt her away doe there vpon vary much about the yeares of our Kings in those times An old Manuscript Chronologie doth say Bassianus reigned 27. yeares Carausius whome yt calleth Carēcius 39. yeares Alectus 15. yeares Asclepiodotus 10. yeares Coel 4. yeares And after him his Sonne-in-Lawe and daughter Constantius and Helen 11. Matth. Westm an 295. Catal. Reg. Brit. supr Hollinshed Hist of Engl. c. 23. in Asclepiod Hollinsh Hist Engl. supr yeares The Protestant Cataloge of our Kings hath told vs that Asclepiodotus reigned 30. yeares The same hath Hollinshed calling it the common accompt of our Chroniclers And by the same Authours and diuers others King Coel in the later end of whose reigne the Romans by Constantius came in againe was King 27. yeares Thus he writeth of this matter Coelus Earle of Colchester began his Dominion ouer the Britans in the yeare of our Lord 262. Thus Coelus or Coell ruled the Land for a certaine time so as the Britans were well content with his Gouernment and liued the longer in reste from Inuasion of the Romans because they were occupied in other places but finally they finding time for their purpose appointed one Constantius to passe ouer into this I le with an armie the which Constantius putt Coelus in such dread that immediately vpon his arriuall Coelus sent vnto him an Ambassadge and concluded a peace with him couenanting to paye the accustomed Tribute and gaue to Constantius his daughter in marriadge called Helen a noble Ladie and learned Shortly after King Coell died when he had reigned as some write Cap. 27. supr Fabian Matth. Westm Galfrid Monum Pont. Virun Harding supr Manuscrip Antiq. pr. Regnū Brit. Compilatio M. S. de gest Bri. Angl. Lib. M. S. qui vocatur Scala mundi Sozomenus Hist Eccles l. 2. c. vlt. Euseb l. 4. de Vita Constantin Socrates Eccles Hist l. 1. c. vlt. Eutropiusl 10. Hier. in Chron. Ruffin l. 1. c. 11. Bal. cēt 1. in Flauio Constantin Stow. Histor in Cōstant Holins Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 29. Bal. Cent. 1. in Helena Flauia 27. yeares And then he setteth downe as all other Antiquaries doe Constantius Father of Constantine the greate our next King And this he calleth the common opinion of our Writers Which I finde not onely in our printed Historians but in diuers Manuscripts not wanting Antiquitie for their warrant though among them there is difference about the yeares of the reignes of those Kings all consenting they reigned and succeeded one to an other heare as hath bene related 6. And we must eyther say Coelreigned long was twice King or not King when Constantius marryed S. Helen his daughter but after toward his death or els contradict all Antiquaries Greeks or Latines Christians or Pagans Catholiks or Protestants in the Historie of the Age and Empire of the most renowned noted and honorably remembred Emperour that euer was in the world Constantine the Greate For they all agree that he dying about the yeare of Christ 340. was then 65. yeares old hauing bene Emperour aboue 30. yeares and as Sozomen with others proue was at the least when he began to reigne 34. yeares of Age Constantinus circiter quintum sexaginta aetatis suae annum moritur Ex quorum annorum numero triginta vnum regnauit The like hath Eusebius duos triginta annos extra paucos menses dies cum Imperio fuit eundemque annorum numerum vita duplicabat Socrates saith vixit Imperator Constantinus annos sexaginta quinque triginta vnum regnauit Eutropius saith his Age was 66. and his Reigne 31. yeares S. Hierome and Ruffinus for the Latins agree with them Our Protestants say he died in the 66. yeare of his Age and the 32. of his Reigne è vita decessit senex aetatis suae anno 66. Imperij 32. à Christi Incarnatione 339. the 339. yeare of Christ And by all in the yeare 340. at the furthest The like Argument I may vse by the life and death of his blessed Mother S. Helena in all Iudgments dying before her Sonne being about 80. yeares old then and but a young Virgin when she was marryed to Constantius his Father One of our cheifest Protestant Antiquaries and not so plainely receauing the former Order in our Kings doth confirme it further saying Helena liued 79. yeares and then departed Holinsh. supr l. 4. c. 29. this life about the 21. yeare of her Sonnes reigne Her Sonne the Emperour Constantine liued till about the yeare of Christ 340. after he had ruled the Empire 32. yeares and odd moneths Therefore both he and all others must needs allowe the Reigns and Successions of our Brittih Kings before remembred and in a manner free this kingdome from the Romans in their times as also make it euident that the Roman Emperours neither did nor could raise any Persecution against our Christians in Britaine except in the time when Constantius first came hither in the dayes of the Emperour Aurelianus about the 3. yeare of his owne Empire and yeare of Christ 273. and marryed Helen Daughter of Coel then or after King or both which no Antiquitie affirmeth but all deny it or the short Reigne of Alectus vntill the comming of Maximian the Tyrant hither in the time of Asclepiodotus as the common opinion is THE IX CHAPTER OF THE POPES OF ROME IN THIS TIME how by all writers euen the Protestants themselues they were holy men and both they and other learned holy Fathers in this time were of the same faith and Religion which
supr an 201. Westminster the Antiquitie in S. Peters Church in Cornhill in London with others witnesse that Lucius was crowned King in the yeare of Christ 124. The yeare of our Lord God saith the Antiquitie of S. Peters Church 124. Lucius was crowned King and the yeares of his Reigne were 77. yeares To which the Monke of Westminster iustly agreeth crowning him King in the yeare 124. Anno gratiae 124. Lucius Regni diademate insignitus est And recording his death in the yeare 201. Anno gratiae 201. Inclitus Britannorum Rex Lucius ab hac vita migrauit ad Christum This Monke is stiled by our Protestant Antiquaries to be most exquisite in the true Supputation of yeares Matthaeus Florigerus quantum Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. centur 3. in Matth. Floriger ad Historiam in recta annorum supputatione singularis And of all writers of such matters we may lawfully Iudge that the auncient Authour or Authours of the Manuscript preserued in that Church dedicated to S. Peter to testifie to all Posteritie how that Church was founded by King Lucius and was the first Archiepiscopall See or Church in Britaine as is contained in that Antiquitie was most diligent and industrious in searching out the truth of such things so publikly to be receaued Such likely were the reasons which moued the Cambridge Antiquarie to affirme so resolutely as he hath done that King Lucius sent Eluanus and Meduuinus to Rome about his and this Countryes Conuersion so long before the dayes of the Papacie of Eleutherius and they returned hither againe in his time to help to effect that holy worke And I hope such an Vniuersitie as Cambridge would still be accompted and in Catholike times hath bene would not without greate warrant from their owne or some other Antiquities which they remember not in particular suffer it to be published and printed as the generall saying and testimony of their whole Vniuersitie That King Lucius when the question of Religion was in hand came purposely to Cambridge about it and there being resolued by the holy learned Christians which were students in Cambridge that the Religion which they professed was true he sent Eluanus Meduuinus to the Pope of Rome in the 156. yeare of Christ and the 18. of his owne Reigne for the receauing of Christian Religion in Britaine Cantabrigiam Lucius pius moderatus Princeps clementissimusque Hist Cantabrig Accadem Auth. Ioanne Caio ex aedibus Io. Daij An. Dom. 1574. pag. 22. Britannorum Rex venit Cui cum ex Sanctorum virorum qui Christum professi sunt Cantebrigiae studebant praedicatione persuasum est non fuisse vana quae de Deo deque Trinitate diuulgata sunt fidei Christianae cupidus à Pontifice Romano vt ad Christi fidem reciperetur per Legatos Eluanum Meduuinum petijt id egit Anno Domini 156. regni sui 18. THE VII CHAPTER DECLARING MANY HVMANE LETS and Impediments hindering King Lucius and his Noble Britans some yeares from publikely professing Christian Religion which secretly they embraced and the occasions of diuers mistakings eyther of Historians or their Scribes in the Date Times and Titles of letters written about the Conuersion of Britaine to the faith of Christ 1. WHEN the Estate of Ecclesiasticall affaires in Britaine had taken so happy proceedings and effect that both our King heare and many principall men were thus conuerted to the faith of Christ from their former errours and superstitions and so greate hope and forwardnes there was to haue that faith publikely professed which they Diuers humane feares and Impediments now chancing and hindering King Lucius from open profession of Christian Religion in Britaine priuately embraced and acknowledged for the onely truth many wordly temptations and oppositions did presently arise to hinder these new and vntrayned Souldiers of Christ to make so bold and open Profession of their holy Religion as many holy Martyrs at that time and they themselues not long after did and the glory of that required For as we may probably with many Antiquities affirme that the fauourable Edicts of diuers Emperours and among them Antonius surnamed Pius yet reigning had some what encouraged them in temporall respects actually to be baptized in that Religion The Martyrdome of the holy Popes S. Telesphorus and S. Higinius which their internall vnderstanding and Iudgment was by many inuincible motiues and Arguments conuinced before to be onely true So now by like contrary wordly euents and lets they were for some time more slowe and Antoninus Pius Emperour incensed against the Britans dull to professe it openly They did perfectly vnderstand that notwithstanding the pretended and expected fauour of the present Emperour eyther by his commande or permission two holy Popes to omit many others in other places S. Telesphorus and S. Higinius procures of their Conuersion cruelly Polydor. Virgil. Vrb. Anglic. Hist l. 2. pag. 42. Iulius Capitol in Antonin Nichol. Vignier Biblioth Histor and An. 143. were putte to death for that Religion euen in Rome itselfe vnder the Emperours sight within the space of foure yeares or litle more by all accompts And because present and home daungers doe most terrifie they did see and tasted that the present Emperour Antoninus was at this time incensed against the Britans and had allready sent Lollius Vrbicus with forces hither and he had fought some Battailes against the Britans As both our owne and the Roman Historians testifie Pius Antoninus id temporis Imperator Lollium Vrbicum The superstitious education and disposition of Marcus Aurâ—lius Antoninus adopted Successour in the Empire Legatum in Britanniam misit qui factis aliquot praelijs Insulanos in officio manere coegit 2. And to maintayne and foster these conceiued and ingendered humane feares and Impressions to liue and continue longer then Antoninus Pius was like to liue now being old and long time Emperour when he came first to the Empyre by the Adoption of Hadrian he was commanded or directed by him that Marcus Aurelius Antoninus whom from his Infancy he had trayned vp in the Gentils superstitions should succeed him in the Empire Iul. Capitolin in Marco Aurelio Antonino When he was but 8. yeares old he was putt by Adrian into the Colledge of the Salij most superstitious Preists of Mars and was made a Preist a cheife Marcus Aurelius Antoninus his PersecutioÌ„ against Christians Prelate or Ruler a Southsayer and Master among them octauo suae aetatis anno ab Adriano in Saliorum Collegium relatus est in Saliata functus Sacerdotio Praesul vates Magister nonnullos inaugurauit exaugurauit nemine praeeunte quod ipse carmina didicisset So that there could be litle hope but this man so superstitiously brought vp and such a maker and vnmaker of their Sacrificers and Enchaunter would still continue in the same and professe himselfe an enemy to all Impugners of such
childe and the Princes eate early in the morning I doe not call a King a child for his youth or Minoritie but for his folly Iniquitie madnes according to the kingely Prophet The blood thirsty and deceatefull men shall not outlyue Psal 55. halfe their dayes By eating We shall vnderstand gluttonie by glouttonie luxurie by luxury all filthie wickednes and Mischeife according to King Salomon wisedome will not enter into a spitefull soule nor inhabite in a body subiect to sinne A King hath Sapien. 2. his name of gouerning and not of his kingdome so longe you shall be a King as you rule well otherwise you shall not be so named and loose that name which God forbid God grant that you may so rule your Realme of Britaine that you may reigne with him euerlastingly whose Vicar you are in the sayed kingdome To whome with the Father c. Thus this Epistle is related by this Protestant Historian out of the Booke of Constitutions of London M. Lambert setteth it downe among S. Edward his Lawes in this order EPISTOLA DOMINI ELEVtherij Papae Lucio Regi Britanniae ANno 169. à Passione Christi Dominus Eleutherius Papa Lucio Regi Britanniae Al. 156. scripsit ad petitionem Regis Procerum Regni Britanniae Petistis The Epistle and Order of S. Eleutherius Pope concerning Britaine à nobis Leges Romanas Caesaris vobis transmitti quibus in Regno Britanniae vti voluistis Leges Romanas Caesaris semper reprobare possumus Legem Dei nequaquam Suscepistis enim nuper miseratione Diuina in Regno Britanniae Legem fidem Christi habetis penes vos in Regno vtramque Pagmam ex illis Dei gratia per Consilium Regni vestri sume Legem per illam Dei patientia vestrum Reges Britanniae Regnum Vicarius verò Dei estis in Regno iuxtae Prophetam Regem Domini est terra plenitudo eius Orbis terrarum Vniuersi qui inhabitant in eo Et rursum inxtae Prophetam Regem dilexisti iustitiam odisti miquitatem proptereà vnxit te Deus tuus oleo latitiae prae consortibus tâ—is rursum inxta Prophetam Regem Deus Indicium tuum c. non enim Indicium neque institiam Caesaris Filij enim Regis gentes Christianae populi Regni sunt qui sub vestra protectione pace Regno degant consistant iuxta Enangelium quemadmodum galina congregat pullos sub alis c. gentes verò Regni Britaenniae populi vestri sunt quos diuisos debetis in vnum ad concordiam pacem ad fidem ad legem Christi ad sanctam Ecelesiam congregare reuocare fouere manutenere protegere regere ab iniuriosis malitiosis ab inimicis semper defendere Vae Regno cuius Rex puer est cuius Principes manè comedunt No voco Regem puerum propter paruam nimiam aetatem iuxta Prophetam Regem viri sanguinum dolosi non dimidiabunt dies suos c. per come stionem intelligimus gulam per gulam luxuriam per luxuriam omnia turpta mala inxta Salomonem Regem in maleuolam animam non introibit sapientia nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis Rex dicitur à regendo non à Regno Rex eris dum bene regis quod nisi feceris nomen Regis non in te constabit nomen Regis perdes quod absit Det vobis Omnipotens Deus Regnum Britanniae sic regere vt possitis cum eo regnare in aeternum cuius Vicarius estis in Regno praedicto qui cum patre Filio c. THE EPISTLE OF LORD ELEVtherius Pope to Lucius King of BriÌ„taine IN the yeare 169. from the Passion of Christ Lord Elâ—utherius Pope wrote to Lucius King of Britaine at the request of the King and Nobles of Britaine You requested of vs to haue the Lawes of the Romans and Caesar to be sent ouer vnto you which you would haue vsed in the Kingdome of Britaine We may allwayes reproue the Roman and Imperiall but the Lawe of God we may not reproue For you haue lately by the diuine mercy receaued in the kingdome of Britaine the Lawe and faith of Christ you haue among you in the kingdome both the Partes thereof out of them by the grace of God with the Counsaile of your kingdome take a Lawe and by that with the help of God you shall Gouerne your kingdome of Britaine You are verily the vicegerent of God in your kingdome according to the Prophet a King The earth is our Lords and the fullnes thereof and the globe of the earth and all that dwell therein And againe by the Prophet a King Thou hast loued Iustice and hated Iniquitie therefore thy God hath annointed thee with oile of gladnes aboue thy fellowes And againe by the Prophet a King ô God giue thy Iudgment to the King and thy Iustice to the Kings sonne Not the Iudgment and Iustice of Caesar And the sonnes of the King there are Christian Nations and people of the kingdome which may liue and be vnder your protection and peace and kingdome according to the Ghospell euen as an hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings c. for the Nations and people of the kingdome of Britaine be yours whom now diuided you ought to gather together to concord and peace and to the faith and to the Lawe of Christ and to his holy Church recall them norish them maintaine Gouerne and defend them allwayes from iniurious and malitious parsons and from their enemyes Woe to the kingdome whose King is a Child and whose Princes eate early in the morning I call not a King a Child for his little or greater age but for foolishnes and Iniquitie and Madnes according to the Prophet a King men of blood and crafty shall not liue halfe their dayes By eating we vnderstand glutonie by glutonie luxurie by luxurie all filthie things and euill according to Salomon a king Wisedome will not enter into a malitious soule nor dwell in a body subiect to sinnes A King is named of ruling not of a kingdome You shall be a King so long as you Gouerne well but if you doe otherwise the name of a King shall not remayne with you and you shall loose the name of a King which God forbid God allmightie grante you may so gouerne the kingdome of Britaine that you may Reigne with him for euer whose vicegerent you are in the aforesaide kingdome who with the Father and sonne c. 3. Hitherto this part of S. Eleutherius Epistle which the Publisher in the yeare 1568. thought to haue benâ— written aboue fiue hundred yeares before and feemeth to say it was among the old Lawes priscis legibus he then published in the Library of Matthew Parker the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury Planè suscipio atque profiteor magna fide Religione ex
regno sacerdotio clero iurare antequam ab Archiepiscopis Episcopis regni coronaretur Tres enim Rex habere debet seruos scilicet luxuriam auaritiam cupiditatem quos si habuerit seruos bene illustrè regnabit Regno omnia debet praemeditari hoc Regis est Quia malè cuncta ministrant impetus iuxta Euangelium omne regnum in se diuisum desolabitur Truly a King ought of right to obserue and defend all the Lands and honours all the dignities and rights and liberties of the Crowne of this kingdome wholly with all integritie and without diminution and with all his power recall to the auncient state and due all the rights of the kingdome which were dispersed dilapidated and lost And all and the whole Land and all the Ilands vnto Norwey and vnto Denmarke doe belong to the Crowne of his kingdome and they are of the Appendences and dignities of the King and it is one Monarchie and one kingdome and aunciently was called the kingdome of Britaine but now is â—alled the kingdome of the English men For our Lord Eleutherius Pope who first by inspiration of God did send an hallowed crowne to Britaine and Christianitie to Lucius King of the Britons did ordayne and impose to the Crowne of the kingdome such boundes and limits as are spoken before by his Decree in the yeare one hundred sixtie seuen after the Passion of Christ A King also ought to doe all things in the kingdome truely and by the Iudgment of the Peeres of the kingdome For Right and iustice ought to Reigne more in a kingdome then wicked will That is Lawe which allwayes doth right but will violence and force is not right A King ought to feare God and loue him aboue all things and keepe his Commandements throughout the kingdome He ought also to preserue foster maintaine gouerne and defend against Enemies the holy Church of his kingdome with all integritie and libertie according to the Constitutions of the Fathers and Predecessours so that God may before all things be honoured and euer had before his eyes He ought also to erect good Lawes and customes allowed and blott them out which be wicked and bannish them all from the kingdome He ought to doe right iudgment in the kingdome and keepe Iustice by the Counsaile of the Nobles of his kingdome All these things a King must sweare in his owne parson looking vpon and touching the holy Ghospels and vpon holy and sacred Reliks before the Realme and Preisthood and Clergie before he be crowned by the Archbishops and Bishops of the kingdome For a King must haue three things slaues vnto him to wit luxury aâ—arice and concupiscence which if he maketh sâ—aâ—es he shall reigne well and renownedly he must premeditate all things for the kingdome and this is the office of a King Because violences doe minister all things ill according to the Ghospell euery kindome diuided in itselfe will be desolate 5. Hitherto this our holy and auncient Lawe of the office and dutie of our Kings vsed and practized euen from the beginning of Christianitie publikly receaued heare both in the Britans and Saxons gouernment founded warranted and grounded vppon the Authoritie and direction of the holy Pope S. Eleutherius as appeareth by that part of his Epistle which I first recited immediately without any one sentence worde or sillable interposed betweene them annexed and ioyned to this Lawe as the originall cause motiue allowance and confirmation thereof Whereby we may cleartly see the greate power prerogatiue and Iurisdiction the Popes of Rome euen from the beginning and first founding Christian Religion heare claimed had and exercised in this kingdome and from the first Christian King we enioyed a Saint and blessed man all our Kings Britans Saxons or whatsoeuer Christians to these dayes did with this whole kingdome allowe to the Apostolike See of Rome as much as it claimeth now at our hands and as any good and learned Catholiks doe yeeld vnto it From that holy and eminent See we had by these greatest Testimonies Christian Religion planted and Iuridically setled heare Our Episcopall and Archiepiscopall Sees assigned our first Bishops and Archbishops to enioy them appointed and consecrated Direction giuen euen in temporall and ciuill affaires what Lawes we should take our King Possessor but of a part of this kingdome declared to be King of all Britaine and so many adiacent Ilands enioyed by his enemyes and an hallowed Crowne sent him to weare as Monarch and King of them all A Protestant Lawyer Bracton l. 1. de acquir rer Dom. c. 8. Io. Selden Analect p. 46. and Antiquarie saith that from this Popes donation our Kings had the Title viracius Dei vicar or vicegerent of God and citeth Bracton for his Authour who rather denyeth then affirmeth it onely he saith against the sence of Protestants that it is euident a King ought to be vnder the Lawe being but Gods vicegerent Quod sub lege Rex esse debeat cum â—it Dei vicarius And Roger Houeden who reciteth this verie Lawe verbatim hath not that Title Vicarius noâ— the woâ—de Regert to Rule which our Protestants apply to the Church the Title is Regis Officium the Kings dutie and is this Rex atque Vicarius eius ad hoc Roger. HouedeÌ„ Annal. part poster in Henric. â— c. de legib Angl. est constitutus vt regnum terrenum populum Dei super omnia sanctam Ecclesiam reuereatur ab Iniuriatoribus defendat maleficos ab ea euellat destruat penitus disperdat where aboue all things he must reuerence the holy Church and be ruled by it and not Rule it And this all our Christian Kings to King Edward the sixt a child did publikly professe before their Coronation as the old Order thereof is witnes And these Titles to be Vicarius Cbristi in his Pontificale Roman in Benedictione Coronatione Regis holy Church is as fully before giuen to Pope Eleutherius by King Lucius and his Christians and Regere to rule it vnder Christ made by them the Popes peculiar as they were euer after to these Times 6. And to speake more particularly of the ciuill and temporall Lawes which King Lucius requested Pope Eleutherius to giue direction in and he accordingly established in this kingdome this holy King now a Christian did not and could not by his Religion demand the Roman Pagan Lawes without alteration or correction of S. Eleutherius but according to such moderation change or alteration he should vse in them to speake in a Protestant Bishops words Lucius made request vnto Eleutherius to send him some Kinde of Abstract of the Roman Lawes whereby he might establish a setled order of Gouernment Godwin Conu of Britaine p. 29. in his Dominions And when Pope Eleutherius directed him to take his Lawe conformable to the Lawe of God by the aduise of his kingdome ex illis Dei gratia per consilium Regni
S. Iosephe was not then consecrated a Bishop by Christ Neyther doth the Antiquitie so say but in Episcopum consecrauit Christ consecrated him to be a Bishop afterward And we doe not reade that Christ after his Ascension did actually consecrate any Bishop hauing committed those Functions to his Apostles In so much that S. Paule himselfe that was so extraordinarily and aboue all others that euer were called by Christ chosen and designed by him to be a Bishop and Apostle that he often and confidently and as it were singularly speaketh of himselfe Paule Ephes 1. v. 1. Colossen 1. v. 1. Galat. 1 v. 1. an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God Paulan Apostle not of men neyther by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father who raysed him from the dead Yet when he speketh of his Episcopall Consecration and the exercise of that holy Function in the first Chapter of his Epistle to the RomaÌ„s saying Paula seruant Rom. 1. v. 1. Protest CoÌ„cord ibidem of Iesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated vnto the Ghospell of God He referreth this as our Protestants in there CoÌ„cordance of Scripturs in that place expouÌ„d him to his CoÌ„secration in the 13. Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles by fasting prayer and imposition of hands And before that time he neuer exercised Act. 13. v. 1. 2. 3. any Function meerly Episcopall The like I may say of S. Barnabas by Act. 11. 12. 13. the same warrant who though a Companion of S. Paul and Preacher vnto the people yet vntill he had at the same time with S. Paul externally receaued ordinary Consecration he entermedled not with those peculiar offices 10. The like examples to omit others we haue of this Nation We reade of S. Sampson Archbishop of Yorke that S. Peter S. Iames and S. Ibon Apostles Io. Capgrau in Caâ—alog in S. Samplone Episcop Et M. S. antiquit â—bâ—d appeared vnto him before his Consecration and one of them being demaunded by him who they were he said Ego sum Petrus Christi Discipulus hic Frater Domini Iacobus Euangelista Ioannes Dominus Iesus Christus te sibi in Praesulem elegit tâ— consecrare nos misit Quem cum benedictione consecrassent abeius oculis elapsi sunt I am Peter the Disciple of Christ and this Iames the Brother of our Lord and Ihon the Euangelist Our Lord Iesus hath chosen thee for a Bishop and sent vs to conserate the. Whome when they had consecrated with benediction they disappeared out of his sight Where nothing can be more playne then that this should be a true Consecration and thereby S. Sampson and Vndoubted consecrated Bishop if true consecration could be so obtayned for all things required vnto it are here expressed that our Lord Iesus had chosen him in Praesulem for a Bishop as the other Antiquitie was of S. Ioseph in Episcopum for a Bishop Here is Christs warrant to consecrate him and the three greatest Bishops and Apostles to performe it and the words are plaine that in that manner they effected it quem cum benedictione consecrassent Yet it was adiudged both by heauen and earth God and man that this was no Consecration nor S. Sampson yet to be accompted a Bishop but to expect the ordinary Consecration by Bishops for it followeth in the same History nec multo post Angelus Domini beato Dubritio apparens Sampsonem ordinari Episcopum praecepit not long after an Angel of God appearing to S. Dubritius then Archbishop heare commaunded that Sampson should be consecrated a Bishop which he performed by the externall Rites of consecrating Bishops and this his externall Consecration by that holy Archbishop then the Popes Legate heare was so miraculously confirmed that as it followeth in the same Antiquitie They which were present at his Consecration did see a Doue sent from heauen immouably to stand ouer him In cuius consecratione qui aderant columbam caelitùs emissam immobiliter super eam stare videbant 11. And we haue heard from these Protestants others before that S. Peter Godwin Catal. Wâ—nchester 31. in Brithâ—ald Capgr in S. Edward Conf. M. S. Antiq. in eod Alred Rieuall in Vit. S. Edwardi Stowe histor in Edward Confesan 1043. Holins hist of Engl. l. 8. cap. 1. did crowne King Edward the Confessour being an Exile in Normandy Yet he was not King or so accepted vntill many yeares after and then ordinarily crowned by the common Order of Coronation belonging to our Kings at Winchester as our Protestant historians thus assuer vs Edward was crowned at winchester by Edsinus then Archbishop of Canterbury on Easter day in the yeare of our Lord 1043. When the Propheticall Coronation of him by S. Peter was many yeares before To these I may add the Dedication of the Church of our blessed Lady at Glastenbury builded by S. Ioseph of Aramathia and his holy company which Christ himselfe is written to haue dedicated And that of Westminster by an apparition of S. Peter the Apostle onely with this difference that the figuratiue Dedication of this last by S. Peter did declare what he had there done before as I haue partly shewed allready and more hereafter the other foresignified what should by some Bishop be effected after no Bishop being of that company then to performe it which I make an other Argument to shew that S. Ioseph was no Bishop at that time but if at all consecrated by S. Peter or his Disciples And if we may giue so much credit to a late writer that S. Aristobulus our first Archbishop suffered Martyrdome at Glastenbury the place of S. Ioseph and his sonne their onely or cheifest aboade in this Nation It will make it more vndoubted that if S. Ioseph was Martyr Angl. die 15. Martij in S. Aristobulo a Bishop he was consecrated eyther immediately by S. Peter or by this his renowned Disciple our Archbishop then S. Aristobulus whose daughter S. Peter had marryed Cepit vxorem Petrus filiam Aristobuli fratris beati Barnaâ—ae Apostoli ex qua suscepit filium filiam and sent him hyther as he sent S. Sophronius Hierosolym Episc Libell de labor S. Petri Pauli Simon Metaphrast die 29. Iun. HartmaÌ„ Schedel in Chronic Chron. f. 205 his Brother S. Barnabas to Millan in Italy as Hartmanus Schedel with diuers other Authours witnesseth THE XIX CHAPTER OF DIVERS CHRISTIAN CHVRCHES OR Oratories such as the state of things then allowed erected and founded in Britaine in the time of S. Peters preaching heare 1. WE haue heard before how among other holy labours of S. Peter in this kingdome Ecclesias constituit be constituted some Churches how many in number or which they or any of them in particular were it is not so easy to set downe from Antiquities all being in a manner silent of those proceedings and we may not expect to finde any such Churches in that time to carry that glory and honour
his next and immediate Successor S. Metropolus saying that he was Archbishop there in the second yeare of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Catal. Treuer Arch. supr Metropolus caepit tempore M. Aurelij Antonini anno secundo Marcus Aurelius Antoninus beginning his Empire by accompts betweene the yeares of Christ 158. and 163. though S. Metropolus did presently succeede to S. Marcellus Matth. Westm an 159. Marian. Scot. an 163. Bar. Tom. 2. Annal. an eod in the Archbishops See of Treuers S. Marcellus left that greate chardge to come hither to returne thither againe and be Martyred before the second yeare of Marcus Aurelius King Lucius must needs be a Baptized Christian before the 165. yeare of Christ long before Pope Eleutherius Papacy And if we followe the Annals of Tungers telling vs that when he was Bishop there King Lucius a ChristiaÌ„ Baptized by S. Marcellus a Britaine longe before the Papacy of S. Eleutherius assisting S. Timothie long before he came to Treuers he performed this holy office in Britaine we are enforced to say that he stayed heare very short time which will not serue to conuert a King and Country Lucium cum tota gente conuertit And presently posted bake with as greate celeritie to Treuers and without stay or ceremony was admitted Archbishop and as presently was Martyred very vnprobable things or els we most say he preached heare at the same time S. Tymotheus did and assisted in the conuersion of King Lucius which the Annals Catal. Archiep. Treuer supr of Treuers themselues sufficiently proue when they say that S. Marcellus after his rerturne from the Conuersion of King Lucius Sancte prudentissime praefuit he ruled the Archiepiscopall See there holily and most prudently Catal. Archiepis Tâ—euer in S. MaÌ„sueto Which to be truely and so certainely affirmed of the gouerment of so greate and lardge a Prouince as Treuers then was and still is requireth no short experience and space of time 7. I may reckon in this number our first Preist and Bishop I finde of this Nation S. Mansuetus consecrated by S. Peter the Apostle first Bishop of Tullum in Lorraine and after Archbishop of Treuers before S. Marcellus often coming into Britaine as I haue proued before liuing very long euen to S. Eleutherius time as many then did and among others S. Maternus his Predecessor Disciple also of S. Peter gouerned the Sees of Treuers Cullen and Catal. Archiep. Treuer in S. Materno Tungers vntill the yeare 133. and so may not be depriued of all the glory of the Conuersion of King Lucius and his people The like I may probably affirme of S. Thean after Archbishop of London S. Sampson or Theodosius or S. Mansuetus Thean Sampson and others probably preached here in this time both Archbishops after at Yorke and others For if S. Eluan one of King Lucius his Ambassadors to Rome about the Conuersion of Britaine and there consecrated Bishop by the Pope did giue place to Sainct Thean to be Archbishop of London before him and he was his Successor we must needs conceaue that S. Thean had bene long time Bishop before as many others heare were otherwise Sainct Eluan in so greate honor for his Ambassadge and consecration at Rome and that praise is giuen him in Histories for his vertue and learning would before the death of S. Thean in the Vacancy of 3. Archbishopricks and 28. Bishops Sees then in Britaine haue had a greate honor before that time and his Companion S. Meduuinus so prime and excellent a man should haue returned a Bishop from Rome and not onely a Doctor but that there were many worthie and learned Bishops heare then in Britaine deseruing or actually hauing that Prerogatiue before him And were or could so many Archflamens Flamens be conuerted in the generall Conuersion and embraced Christian Religion if none of them had resigned their places before Or who can imagine that King Lucius entered into such a Dispute of Learning without consultation with his learned Flamens and Archflamens which then ruled not onely in spirituall but temporall affaires Or how could he and his temporall Nobles be conuerted except the others were first conuicted to be in error How can it with credibilitie be conceaued that so many of those cheife Gentile Preists should willingly relinquish their professions and most of them be made and consecrated Christian Preists and Bishops by the common opinion except many of them had professed Christianitie before New Conuerties might not by the lawe of Christ be admitted to that charge and dignitie in his Church 8. And of this opinion are or ought to be our Cambridge Antiquaries in expresse termes testifiing that King Lucius sent Eluanus and Meduuinus Io. Caius histor Cantabrig p. 22. to Rome about his Conuersion in the yeare of Christ 156. and it was in the yeare 178. before they returned hither againe to exercise their Preistly function which they had receaued at Rome id egit anno Domini 156. regni sui 18. King Lucius sent these Ambassadors to Rome in the 156. yeare of Christ and 18. of his Reigne Regem Baptizarunt anno Domini 178. and either they or Damianus and Fugatianus Baptized the King and his Subiects in the yeare of our Lord 178. which was 22. yeares after the first sending of Eluanus and Meduuinus to Rome by these men The olde Manuscript of the life of S. Helen our contry Manuscr Antiq. de Vita S. Helenae Capgrau in Catal. in eadem woman and holy Empresse with Capgraue and others follwing it testifie the same when they say that King Lucius soone after his Fathers death being but young in yeares in inuenili aetate did send Epistles to the Pope of Rome humbly entreating to be made a Christian by his direction Lucius ex Patre Coillo optimae indolis puer in Inuenili aetate senilem animo canitiem moribus praeferebat Qui cum defuncto Patre Regni diademate insignitus fuisset exitum suum praeferri volens principio à Spiritu Sancto edoctus Epistolas Papae humiliter direxit petens vt ab eo fidem Christianam recipere mereretur The like hath the Authour of the Brittish Historie Galfrid Monum Hist Reg. Brit. l. 4. c. 19. Pontic Virun l. 4. Brit. Hist and Virunnius who seemeth to alledge Gildas in the same sence when he saith he writeth many things in many places of King Lucius de quo Gildas multa tradit multis in locis And allthough it is now in the Copies of these Authours or most of them that this messadge was sent to Eleutherius it cannot be but that name is in them mistaken Eleutherius being neither Pope nor probably Preist when by these Authours these men and messadge was sent to Rome by King Lucius a young man and newly crowned for Matthew of Matth. Westm an gratiae 124. Manuscrip Antiquit in the Church of S. Peter in Cornhill in London Matth. Westm
those which were in PrisoÌ„ or distressed anywise or oppressed by fraude or Iniury she deliuered those that were bannished she caused to be restored to their Countryes againe Wheresoeuer she came she adorned the Christian Churches with renowned Monuments and in all godly duties of life offered true worship vnto God 8. And concerning her finding out the holy Crosse Sepulchre and other sacred Monuments and Relicks of Christ her labours and paines were wonderfull and by diuers Authours Miraculously assisted by God so saith Sozomen monstratione Dei optimi Maximi God allmightie shewed her the place Sozom. Hist Eccl l. 2. c. 1. Ruffin Hist l. 1. c. 7. Niceph. Callist Eccl. Hist l. 8. c. 29. Sozom. Nicephor supr And Russinus locus sibi diuino indicio designatus And Nicephorus Deo signis quibusdam visionibus nocturnis ostendente Yet this nothing hindereth but she might also vse the humane helpe of an Hebrew dwelling in the Easte who by an old Writing was informed of the place and so informed Queene Helen thereof Indicio vti quidam memorant Hebraei cuiusdam versus Orientem habitantis qui auito quodam scripto admonitus locum commonstrauit Which opinion both Sozomen and Nâ—cephorus recite from others but deliuer for their owne sentence that is was by diuine Reuelation But neither of these hindâ—reth but rather assist and further one the other so well agreeing together The testimony of God giuing infallible veritie and truth to humane witnes in itselfe questionable and not knowne for certaine nor easely to be followed in a busines of so greate difficulte and consequence as this was For as Eusebius Euseb vit Const l. 3. c. 25. Ruffin Hist l. 1. cap. 7. Socrat. l. 2. c. 13. Sozom. l. 2. c. 1. Theod. l. 1. Hist cap. 18. Nicephor Callist l. 8. Hist cap. 29. Ruffinus Theodoret Sozomen Socrates and others are ample witnesses not onely wicked men but by their ayde all the damned deuils did labour with all deuices they could to hide and vtterly to blott out with obliuion that sacred Monument of Immortalitie Impious and wicked men did thinke to make the Sepulchre of our Sauiour to be forgotten and not to be remembred And in this manner they endeuoured to conceale the truth 9. They first begaÌ„ with great toyle troble to digge strange earth in other places and bring it thither to couer all the place Then they raised a greate heape of earth exceeding highe and paued it with stones couering our Lords Sepulchre with a greate Rampire after that nothing might be wanting to finish their intended wickednes vpon that huge heape of earth they made an horrible and execrable burying place for bodies of lewd people And erected a secret Temple to the deuill of wantoÌ„ Venus filling it with Idols Then they there offered detestable Sacrifices vpon their impure Altars polluted with all abomination For they thought they should not otherwise compasse their intention except by these horrible impieties they could vtterly suppresse that holy Sepulchre Olim viri impij imo vero istorum subsidio vniuersum daemonum genus omni studio incubuit vt illud diuinum immortalitatis monumentum tenebris obrueret obliuioneque penitus deleret Illud Seruatoris sepulchrum impij quidem scelerati homines ex hominum memoria delere cogitabant quae eorum insâ—itia fuit censebant veritatem ad hunc modum se posse occultare Itaque primum permultum capere laboris caeperunt in terra aliunde extrinsecus inueh enda qua locum vniuersum obducerent Deinde cum molem terrae in immensam altitudinem erexissent constrauissentque lapidibus diuinuÌ„ sepul chrum ingeÌ„te aggere supra iniecto obtegere post cum nihiliam illis ad opus explendum deesset super illum terrae cumulum nefandum reuera execrabile bustum animarum construere recessum lasciuae veneris daemoni vna aedificare simulachrisque mortuis complere Tum detestabiles ibi victimas super impuras aras omni nequiciae labe pollutas immolare Nam non aliter illud quod instituerant se putabant ad exitum posse perducere quam vt per ista nefaria scelera salutare illud sepulchrum penitus obruerent 10. And so farre they had preuailed by their most malitious prophaine proceedings in obscuring those sacred and holy Relicks InstrumeÌ„ts of Christs Passion and Resurrection for mans RedeÌ„ption that allthough euer since then there had bene many Christians and a continuall Succession of Bishops there 26. in number from S. Iames to Macharius then Bishop by common computation this sacred Sepulchre wherein the blessed body of our Sauiour was buryed and other honorable Monuments of him were so secretly buryed and interred in the darke graue of obliuion that they were vtterly vnknowne as I haue remembred before vntill it pleased God so to honour this Nation of Britaine that he miraculously reuealed them to the holy Queene Empresse thereof S. Helen and by Eusebius and others also not improbably to Constantine that glorious Issue of this Kingdome For they say that he gaue order and commandement by diuine instinct and inspiration diuino afflatus spiritu Euseb l. 3. de vit Constant cap. 25. 26. diuini numinis instinctu impulsus to haue all those prophaine and heathnish vile Impurities by which their knowledge and honour were suppressed to be remoued and abandoned 11. In this sacred worke peculiarly and most gratiously by Gods diuine prouidence reserued for the perpetuall glory of our Britans the Emperour by his highest terreane Power needfull therein was cheife CoÌ„mander and his blessed Mother the principall happy effecting Commissioner and Instrument Filio suo Constantino ei Helenae opem per regiam suam potentiam Authoritatem Cap. 42. porrigente And no other Potentate or whatsoeuer mightie and powerable in the worlde as Eusebius well noteth thought worthie to perfect that holy dutie Nemo enim vel ex Praefectis vel ex Ducibus vel ex ipsis Imperatoribus Lib. 3. cap. â—5 supr ad eorum conatus euertendos satis idoneus repertus est praeter vuum solum qui quidem vtpote Deo omnium Guhernatori charus diuino eius afflatus spiritu locum omni impura materia obductum obliuione ignorationeque obrutum iri non est passus 12. So that as Britaine allthough placed in the end of the worlde and by some accompted an other worlde had aboue all Nations the honour to bury Sainct Ioseph of Aramathia heare who aboue all others had the honour to take downe from the holy Crosse the sacred body of our Sauiour embalme it shrowde and entombe it in his most holy Sepulchre So it wonne this honour from the whole world besides to giue life and being to that blessed Emperour and Empresse who tooke so longe and greate a Iorney and labour she in her old Age to propose and restore to due reuerence and honour the reuerend and sacred monument of the
annorum multorum curriculis ob infestationem Barbarorum Paganorum gens Britannica magnâ ex parte hinc inde dispersa relictis sedibus per orbem diffusa est Hinc fratres assuÌ„pto corpore sancto mare transeuntes Franciam adeunt apud Clarum montem in Monasterio Blandinion locum perpetuae reliquiarum sanctarum quietis eligunt It is agreed by all that he died on the sixt day of Iune sexto Idus Iunij A Engl. Martyr 6. Iunij late writer saith in one place he finally reposed in our Lord about the yeare of Christ foure hundred and three Through forgetting himselfe or mistaken by his printer in an other place he writeth full of venerable olde Age in greate sanctitie and Febr. 22. holines of life he rested in our Lord about the yeare of Christ three hundred and fourtie and was one of the first of our Iland that preached the Christian faith in Flanders But by all this Age is the time of his holy life 12. We finde also in the authenticall life of S. Dauid vsed in his Ecclesiasticall Breuiar Eccles Sarisb in Festo S. Dauidis lect 6. Office in the Brittish and English Church that Eluueus was Bishop of Meneuia after called S. Dauids before S. Dauid was borne and had the honor to baptise that renowned man when he was new borne and for his performing Elueus Bishop of Meneuia in this Age. that holy office a most cleare Well neuer appearing before sprang vp to baptise him in ad ipsius baptizandi ministerium fons limpidissimae aquae emanauit qui nunquam antea visus fuit And this Bishop at that time was newly returned out of Ireland cum baptizaretur ab Eluueo Meneuensi Episcopo redeunte de Hibernia And so had gone thither as it seemeth about some Episcopall busines belonging Menâ—uia probably an Episcopall See before S. Dauids time vnto his chardge and office there Which approued testimony sufficiently proueth vnto vs that Meneuia was an Episcopall See longe before S. Dauid his setling the Archiepiscopall See there And if this Bishop S. Eluueus had then charge in Ireland that it was euen then the See Episcopall the Archbishop some time resideÌ„t there some time at Caerlegion I shall speake more of more both of this our other Archiepiscopall Sees of other Bishops heareafter And heare now also may I probably place S. Liephard a Brittish Bishop S. Liephard a Bishop of Britaine a Martyr in this Age. Saint and Martyr glorious euen in forreine Countries For it is reade of him that being borne heare in Britaine and consecrated Bishop in our Primatiue Church and going on Pilgrimage to Rome in his returne from thence in the Territory of Cambray in Hennalt at a place called HuÌ„court foure miles from the named Citie was put to death by Pagan theeues and his Feast is celebrated in the Church of Cambray on the fourth day of February That he was a Molan addit ad vsuardum Index SS Belgij Hereb in fastis SS Engl. Martyrolog 4. Febr. Bishop in our Primatiue Church of Britaine and put to death by Pagans in that Prouince where Pagans will not easily be founde in later times will giue some warrant to place him in this Age. THE XXVI CHAPTER OF THE HONORABLE TRANSLATION OF the Relicks of S. Andrew Apostle from Achaia to Britaine by S. Regulus The greate reuerence both Princes and others heare gaue vnto them and such and professed in other matters the Religion which Catholiks now doe 1. AS this our Britaine was made happy in the time of the Apostles with the presence and preaching of the cheife Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule So now in this Age and time so longe after their deaths and the rest of those chosen disciples of Christ to teach vs that they which be happily deceesed out of this mortall and entered into the heauenly life and triumphant Church may and doe by many meanes help assist and comforte his militant Seruants and Souldiars in this worlde it pleased his diuine Maiestie Miraculously as our Antiquaries and Arguments vndeniable proue vnto vs to honor this Nation and greate Iland with Epiphan Haeres 51. the sacred Relicks of that glorious Martyr and Apostle S. Andrew by naturall birth elder brother to S. Peter 2. And to testifie how greate a Iewell they and such are he caused theÌ„ to be transported so farre and longe a space and distance as betweene the place of Euseb l. 4. vitae Constant Socr. l. 1. cap. vlt. Hier. de Script Eccles in Luc. aduers Vigil in Chron. Chrysost Or. quod Christus sit Deus Veremun Hect. Boeth Scot. Hist l. 6. Hollin Hist of Scotl. in Fethelmacus his Martyrdome in Achaia to the remote parts of this Kingdome and in this order Constantine the greate Emperour fouÌ„ding at ConstaÌ„tinople the Church of the 12. Apostles with their Images and memoryes and his owne place of buriall betweene them as Eusebius Socrates S. Hierome and others are worthie witnesses and prouiding to translate many of their holy Relicks thither hoping thereby to procure greate profit to his soule quamplurimum vtilitatis illorum memoriam animae suae conciliaturam existimans Neque voâ—a eius expectationemque fefellit Deus AmoÌ„g others employed in this Religious worke S. Regulus an holy Abbot and Father of many vertuous Monkes at Patras in Achaia where S. Andrew was Martyred multorum verae pietati addictoruÌ„ in Patris ciuitate Pater atque Praeceptor and his sacred Relicks kept with greate reuerence who watching and praying at S. Andrewes Shrine thâ—re being the cheifest man which by the Edict of the Emperour were sent to worship those Relikâ— Relicks of Saints reuerenced of the Apostle which the Emperour himselfe meruailously reuerenced ex illâ—â— praecipâ—us qui Imperatoris Edicto diui Andreae Apostoli Reliquâ—â—s venerationiâ—â—â—â— sain quos ipse mira dâ—cebatur pietate assisterent fuerant destinati was â—dmonished from heauen to take parte of those holy Reliks a bone of the arme three fingers and three Toes of that Apostle bring them decently into the Iland of Albion in the remote parte of the world that the people there deuotely reuerencing saint Andrew might by the goodnes of God by his Ietercession obtaine both earthly and heauenly blessings Cum sacras ad Scriniolum ageret vigilias superne monitus est vt accepto sacrati brachij ossâ— tribus digitis totidemque alterius pedis articulis ac in vasculum decenter repositis Albionem Insulam in extremo orbis recessu sitam peteret futurum enim vt illie aliquando populus pia veneratione in diuum Andream ductus Dei beneuolentiâ terrena caelestia eius suffragio assequeretur charismata 3. By which direction S. Regulus taking the holy Reliks with diuers other very holy men for his Associats tooke this long Iorney in hand and after many dangers landed with these holy Relicks and his companions in that part of this