might be laid prostrate in humility but let this your humility have its confidence too for I a Sinner have most certain hope that your sins are forgiven through the grace of our Omnipotent Creator and God our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ. And to this end you were Elected that others sins might be forgiven through you Neither shall you hereafter find sorrow for any guilt because you endeavour to make joy in Heaven by the conversion of so many the same our Creator and Redeemer when he speaks of the repentance of Man saies I say thus unto you There shall be greater joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repents than over ninety nine Just persons that need no repentanca Now if over one Penitent there is made great joy in Heaven what great rejoyceing do we think there was at the conversion of such a number of People from their Errours who coming to the faith by repentance has condemned the evil it had done Amidst therefore the joy of Heaven and the Angels let us repeat those words of the Angels which we said before let us say therefore Glory be to God on high and on earth peace good will towards men Observations upon this Epistle Bede recites this Epistle but not all only as much of it as is included within these two fore-going Marks as thus ††but the Date which is here wanting he shews for when he writ a Letter to Melitus going into Britain dated as you see above the fifteenth day of the Kalends of July our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus being Emperour in the nineteenth year after the Consulship of our said Lord the eighteenth year in the fourth Indiction He adds in the following Chapter about which time he sent a Letter to Augustine concerning Miracles which he knew were wrought by him in which lest through the number of them he should incur the danger of self-opinion and pride he exhorts him in these words I know Most Dear Brother that Almighty God c. as above That date of the fifteenth of the Kalends of July agrees with the year of our Lord 601 about which time he wrote more Epistles Gregory To Aldiberga Queen of the English HE that desires after this Earthly dominion to acquire the glory of an Heavenly kingdom to gain his ends ought diligently to labour in the service of his Creator that by degrees of working he may attain to what he desires which we rejoyce you have done our Beloved Son Laurence the Priest and Peter the Monk at their return related in what manner your Majesty behaved it self towards our most Reverend Brother and Follow Bishop Augustine and what assistances and comfort you bestowed on them likewise And indeed we bless Almighty God who out of his mercy propitiously vouchsafed to reserve the Conversion of the English Nation for your glory and advancage For as by Helen of Blessed memory the Mother of the most pious Emperour Constantine he inflamed the hearts of the Romans towards the Christian Faith So in regard of the frequent Zeal of your Majesty we hope his mercy will effectually work upon the English Nation And indeed you ought also long since by your good prudence which is purely Christian to have inclined the mind of our most glorious Son your Husband that for the good of his Kingdom and of his own Soul he should follow that Faith which you profess forasmuch as by him and through him in the Conversion of the whole Nation a reward worthy of you would spring up in the joyes of heaven Since as we have said your Highness hath been confirmed in the right Faith and taught the Scriptures this thing ought not to have been difficult or tedious to you And because by God's appointment a fit time is now offered strive the Divine grace assisting you to repair with gain what has hitherto been neglected therefore by daily exhortations strengthen the mind of your most Glorious Husband in the love of the Christian Faith Let your care and example increase in him a love towards God and let it so stir up his mind especially for a through Conversion of the whole Nation under yee that from the servency of his devotion yee may offer up to Almighty God an acceptable sacrifice that those things which are reported of you may increase and in all respects be found true concerning you Your excellent vertues are not only known to the Romans who more particularly pray for your life but also in divers places even as far as Constantinople to the most excellent Emperour that as we have joy in the consolation of your Christianity so also in the Heavens the Angels may rejoyce at your further perfection So therefore with all diligence and devotion apply your selves to the assistance of our above-named Reverend Brother and Fellow Bishop and of the rest of the Servants of God whom we sent thither for the conversion of of your Nation that with our Most glorious Son and your Husband you may reign with happiness here and after a long time of years attain to the endless joyes of the life to come We beseech Almighty God that he would inflame the heart of your Majesty with the fire of his Grace to a performance of these things we have spoken of and of his good pleasure grant you the fruit of an eternal Reward Observations upon this Epistle It may be doubted what Queen of England this Adilberga was for the Wife of King Edilbert was called Bertha as Bede affirms lib. 1. cap. 25. but I think them both the same but as it commonly happens strange words are ill rendred by Forreigners as hero Bdrga for Bertha for Ald and Aldi are sometimes corruptly added in proper names for Edil and Athel signlfying in the Saxon Language Noble or Honourable which may be seen in the Title of the following Epistle where Gregory calls the King Aldibert whom Bede every where calls Edilberth others for the most part Ethelbert Ald also because it properly signifies Old may by Translation denote Honourable and may seem to be added to the name of Berga or Bertha as an honourable Attribute so that Aldi-berga signifies the same with Noble and Honourable Berga or Bertha Gregory To Aldibert King of the English He congratulates with him concerning the Conversion of that Nation FOR this reason Almighty God commonly advances the best Men to the government of Nations that by them the gifts of his Grace might be dispersed among all those whom they are set over which thing we know has been done in the English Nation over which Your Majesty was therefore made chief that by the good qualities that are given you You might the better convey those Heavenly comforts to the Nation under your subjection And therefore Most Renowned Son carefully preserve that Grace which you have received by the especial providence of God make haste to propagate the Christian Faith among your Subjects increase the servency of your own Faith in furthering their
ignorant of the diversity of Actions which as I said proceeded from diversities of AEra's I will set them down distinctly according to the most Authentick Historians Bede and his Followers reckon the years thus In the thirty first year of Theodosius the Younger and of Christ 430 the Britains craved assistance but in vain of AEtius the third time Consul Thus Bede But here may be enquired which is the principal AEra by which this account is made If it be the year of Christ 430 then the difference will be whether Theodosius began his Reign in the year 399 or 407 which are eight years difference The AEra therefore must be brought from Theodosius his Reign for Bede supposeth him to have begun his Reign in the year 399 and in some Copies of Ninnius there is a note of Computation adjoyned which Mr. Cambden saith taketh away all scruples and clears all doubts which maketh the beginning of his Reign to have been Anno 407. Again if you make the chief AEra of this Computation to be AEtius third time Consul the difference is greater and we must now seek out the time from the Kalendars of the Councels and we shall find that the third Consulship of AEtius fell out to be in the thirty ninth year of the said Theodosius which should be according to Bede in the year 439 and yet in that account is made after the Birth of Christ 446 and supposeth Theodosius to begin his Reign according to the Computation in Ninnius in the year 407 whereas according to Bede it should be in the year 399. Thus much as to Bedes first Account next he saith Under Valentinian the Third German once or twice came into Britain and led an Army of Britains against the Picts and Scots Here the Computations must be made of Valentinian the Emperour and German The time of Valentinian after Theodosius is uncertain yet of necessity must be after the year 446 according to Bede and yet German by approved Authors as Mr. Cambden relates died in the year of Grace 435. Ninnius writeth that German returned into his own Country after the death of Vortigern Now considering that Vortigern called in the Saxons and Bede saith That in the first year of Martianus and the year of our Lord 449 the Nation of the English Saxons arrived in Britain how is it possible that German dying in the year 435 could return into his Country after the death of Vortigern who called in the Saxons in the year 449 and lived many years after In the year of Christ 433 Prosper Tyro who then lived writeth That Britain after sundry overthrows was brought in subjection to the Saxons Thus we see one Computation draweth us back whilest another setteth us forward whilest some reckon from Christ some from Theodosius some from AEtius some from Valentinian and Martianus and others from German But it will not be here amiss among the rest of the Computations to set down that which is adjoyned in some Copies in Ninnius From the Consulship of the two Gemini Fusius and Rubellius unto Stilico the Consul are reckoned 373 years From Stilico unto Valentinian the Son of Placidia and to the Reign of Vortigern 28 years From the Reign of Vortigern to the discord of Gintoline and Ambrose are 12 years which Battle is Guoloppum that is Cathquoloph Vortigern held the Kingdom when Theodosius and Valentinian were Consuls and in the fourth year of his Reign the Saxons came into Britain and were entertained by Vortigern when Felix and Taurus were Consuls From the year wherein the Saxons came into Britain and were received by Vortigern unto Decius Valerianus are 69 years By this Account the coming of the Saxons into Britain was in the twenty first year of Theodosius the Younger in the year of our Lord 428 and this saith Mr. Cambden cometh nearest to the Computation of Bede But I have rather followed the received Opinion calculated from the Consulship of AEtius who in Gildas is called AEgitius and in another Copy AEquitius than by so far setting back the time upon too much nicety to differ from all other Historians Having shewn the manner occasion and time how the Saxons first entred this Nation it will now be necessary to relate by what craft and policy HENGIST their General at last attained to be King and Governour of Kent which place at first was intentionally assigned him in Trust and for his more honourable Reception or at least better encouragement in using his utmost endeavour to carry on the War against Vortigern's Enemies But during the time his Souldiers had so Couragiously acted in his absence as to deserve Reputation he secretly managed his Interest at home providing them greater supplies as occasion should offer and gathering a greater Body together upon notice given him speedily embarked with his Brother Horsus and observe the luck of it that no sooner they appeared in BRITAIN but were received with great joy by King Vortigern who at that time was much infested with the Inroads of the Picts and Scots After his Reception the King gave him little or no rest for the present in his new Territories till he had received further proofs of his Valour and Conduct in quelling the rage and fury of his inveterate Enemies The Battles with these Picts the Saxons maintained to their great honour and reputation yet some Historians will not believe that ever King Vortigern was a Man of so weak a Judgment so earnestly to urge so crafty and powerful a Nation as the Saxons then were to his assistance but that at first they came by chance into the Island according to an ancient Custome among the English Saxons a People in Germany as it was also at first among other Nations that when in multitudes a People so increased that their own Country was not able to contain them by an especial Edict of their Prince a set number was chosen out to cast Lots how many for that year were to depart the Land and seek out new employments in the Wars of other Nations For so hath it been conjectured of these that they came out of their own Country into Britain to offer themselves to serve in their Wars for meer want of employment and sufficient maintenance at home which was the first occasion given for their Arrival into this Land Hengist by this time having gained a considerable Interest among the Britains and more especially perceiving that the King wholly depended upon his Valour and Conduct takes his advantage in considering the best and surest means how he might speedily advance his greater Promotion not only during his own life but his Heirs and Successours after him in order to which Polidore Virgil saith That he fenced a Country round about with which he was only entrusted afterwards planted Garrisons in such places as seemed best to him for his advantage The King not yet perceiving the shower of Misfortune with black Clouds threatning him takes
BRITANNIA ANTIQUA ILLUSTRATA OR THE ANTIQUITIES OF ANCIENT BRITAIN Derived from the Phoenicians Wherein the Original Trade of this ISLAND is discovered the Names of Places Offices Dignities as likewise the Idolatry Language and Customs of the Primitive Inhabitants are clearly demonstrated from that Nation many old Monuments illustrated and the Commerce with that People as well as the Greeks plainly set forth and collected out of approved Greek and Latin Authors TOGETHER With a CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY of this Kingdom from the first Traditional Beginning until the year of our Lord 800 when the Name of BRITAIN was changed into ENGLAND Faithfully collected out of the best Authors and disposed in a better Method than hitherto hath been done with the Antiquities of the Saxons as well as Phoenicians Greeks and Romans The First Volume By AYLETT SAMMES of Christ's Colledge in Cambridge Since of the Inner-Temple Si quid Novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum Horatius LONDON Printed by Tho. Roycroft for the Author MDCLXXVI This Book entituled BRITANNIA Antiqua Illustrata c. Is Licensed to be Printed by the Appointment of the Right Honourable Sr. JOSEPH WILLIAMSON Principal Secretary of State to His Sacred MAJESTY March 8 th 1674 5. Roger L'Estrange TO The Right Honourable Heneage Lord Finch BARON OF DAVENTRY AND LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF ENGLAND MY LORD IT was the constant Custome in all Ages that Subjects of this High Nature namely History and Antiquity wherein are preserved and rescued from Time the Acts and Reliques of Great Persons should be Dedicated to the Great and not submitted to any ordinary Protection This Consideration of it self might have carried me in the Publication of these my Labours to make this Humble Address to Your Lordship whose Eminent Vertues though they may be more Illustrious in that High Sphere wherein You are worthily placed yet were they ever highly conspicuous and You have been long since in the eye of the World what You are now in the Court of Honour Let this Work therefore in all Humility be Dedicated to Your Lordship and if my Endeavours have been any thing answerable to the Dignity of the Matter I have undertaken if the Antiquities of this Nation be thereby more illustrated the History cleared and the Methods of former Writers rectified and amended that is if the Work in general be found useful and sound and with its Novelty in some points carries truth along with it I shall esteem it my chiefest glory that I have laid it at Your Lordships feet entreating favour for those things only which Your Lordship out of Your Great Judgment and Goodness shall think some waies commendable But if from my great Labour and Industry I promise to my self more than possibly will be allowed me however the Work it self may serve to stand as a Testimony and Monument of that Publick Spirit eminent in Your Lordship whereby at its first appearance in the World You readily encouraged so promising an Undertaking which if well managed as I hope in some measure it hath been would undoubtedly be to the honour and benefit of Your Country May God Almighty long preserve Your Lordship in that high Station in which You act to the Honour of His MAJESTY the Good of this Nation and the desires of all Honest men So prayeth My Lord Your Lordships most humble and devoted Servant Aylett Sammes THE PREFACE TO THE READER HAving for some years past wholly employed my self in the diligent searching into the Histories of our Nation I found by experience that the words of Livy in his Preface to his Roman Decades were most true where he writeth That the Beginnings of Nations and the times next succeeding those Beginnings as yielding least pleasure both to Writer and Reader were generally neglected and Men naturally hastned to those Ages which being not so far removed yielded a pleasanter prospect and seemed more closely to concern their knowledge For how few are there who have taken the pains faithfully to collect and in a distinct Method to order rightly the scattered Records of Ancient BRITAIN which are only here and there to be pickt out of divers Authors and not to be found much less well disposed with an ordinary diligence or superficial enquiry Most of our Modern Chronicles content themselves with beginning from the Conquest few go beyond it as if with the general sort of Readers they were impatient until they came to the Battels of Cressy and Agencourt the differences of the Houses of York and Lancaster the Insurrections in Kent or something of that nature which being of a later Date hath yet left an uncertain sound in our ears and is expected to be sett off with no small flourishes or vulgar elocution And indeed the design of such Writers is not to be discommended who following the general stream of Mankind consult their own advantages For in subjects of this nature as the Antiquity and Original of Kingdoms the question of the Poet may perhaps be easily asked and as soon resolved in the same verse Quis legit haec nemo hercule nemo Vel duo vel nemo Few there are who will trouble their heads to enquire by what means their first Ancestors possest themselves of those pleasant Lands in the fruitfulness whereof they at present rejoyce but content themselves to derive their knowledg as high as their own Families only and discourse the Chronicles to the Beginning of their Pedigrees as if there Nature and the World was at a stop and all knowledg beyond that was mere Chaos and Confusion But notwithstanding whatever might be objected of this like nature against this present undertaking I have not been discouraged in going through with it For if the Grecians who had the best Historians in the World were nevertheless called Children by their own Neighbours because they knew not or neglected their own Original will it not be a shame for us also to be ignorant in the Antiquites of our own Nation a Nation great in its Infancy and like Hercules one of its first Discoverers deserving an History even in its Cradle But because there have been some who have already handled this Subject and that not without great Commendation I shall not insist farther upon the usefulness of the design in general but only inform the Reader in short what he is to expect in this present work which hath not been already fully discussed by others lest perhaps it may be thought that I have only trod in the steps of other men and like those idle Imitators whom Horace calls a servile sort of Cattel have only jog'd on in the long beaten road of former Antiquities I confess I might with greater security and much more ease in the delivering of the Antiquities of the British Nation have followed Mr. Cambden out of whom merely to collect hath been counted praise-worthy and whom to imitate is esteemed not only safe but honourable As his Learning was great so
might also bring his Name into Britain to be worshipped And this I think is the true Original of Teutates As for those who would have this Teutates to be the same with the German Tuisco or Mars mentioned by Tacitus from whence we call Mars his Day Tuesday But if we consider how by Livy he is called Mercury they have no other ground for their Opinion but only the like founding of part of the first syllable and so they may easily be convinced To this God MERCURY there is no mention made what Sacrifices were offered to him Caesar writes that there were a great number of Statues erected in his Honour and that the Invention of all Arts and Sciences were attributed to him That he was the Leader in all Journies and Guide in all waies and that he had moreover a wonderful efficacy for the promoting gain in Mony or any Merchandize a power no doubt highly esteemed of by the Phoenicians MARS was worshipped by the Gauls and Britains under the Name of Hesus and this Hesus we have proved to be of Phoenician Derivation in another place viz. Hizzus by which Name the Phoenicians as well as Britains called their Mars so that there is no doubt to be made from whence and from whom this God proceeded Caesar saies the Gauls attributed to this God the government of War He was likewise called Camolus or Camulus signifying in the Phoenician Tongue a Lord or Governour In an old Coyn of Cunobelinus Mr. Cambden reports he saw the portraiture of an Head stamped with an Helmet on it also with a Spear and these Letters CAMU From this Camulus came Camalodunum or Mars Hill now Maldon in Essex And methinks the very name of Mars and Dunum a Hill are yet preserved in its Name This Hesus Mars or Camulus I conjecture was not only worshipped as the God of War but of Peace also We find one Coyn with an Ear of Corn upon it with these Letters CAMU likewise a Tree with I know not what Beast lying by it with the same Inscription and these both Cunobelins's Coyn Prince of Camolodunum Besides there was a little Altar cast out among Rubbish-stones near Riblechester in Lancashire with this Roman Inscription PACIFE RO MARTI ELEGAUR BA POS. VIT. EX VOTO And is thus interpreted To Mars the bringer of Peace ELEGAURBA Dedicated this out of his own Vow But how favourable he was in time of Peace to the Britains I know not but certain it is that to him as well as Taramis Men were often sacrificed as appears by this of Lucan Horrensque feris Altaribus Haesus Lactantius calls this God HEUS but here it is to be considered whether by the similitude of Names he does not confound two Deities for Dues is a known name of Bacchus and it is very probable that since the Ancients say that Bacchus was born near Phoenicia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon Phoenicia nigh to AEgypts Banks That the Phoenicians might bring this God into Britain as well as Ceres and Proserpina as shall be shewn by and by the name of Bacchus is the Phoenicians Bacchus the Son of Chus as Damesec is used for Dacmeset the City Damascus This will give some light to what I have in another place written of the Inscription found in Zealand namely HERCULI MARCUSANO HERCULES the Lord of the Cusites viz. those of the Dorienses that followed him out of Phoenicia into these Western Parts But to come to HEUS This name was given to Bacchus from one of those barbarous and loud Exclamations used at his solemn Feasts namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are all of Phoenician Derivation hues as Bochartus thinks signifies He is the Fire Att-es Thou art the Fire for at his Orgia the People used in his Honour so to call him for he was esteemed by the Ancients to be the Fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the term used by the Ancients in Exclamation to any that they found to be Drunk and Saboi in the same Phoenician Dialect proceeds from Saba to be Drunk From these different Roots many of Bacchus his Ancient names are derived but it will be too long here to discourse of them all It shall therefore suffice that Heus here mentioned by Lactantius in all probability was Bacchus and introduced by his Country-men the Phoenicians into this Island We find in the Superstitions of the Britains something very like unto Bacchus his Orgia although the Name of the God be not put down by Pliny where he saies That the Britains dyed themselves like AEthiopians at some solemn Sacrifices and performed their worship with Men and Women going naked For this was the Custome of the ancient Heathens that at the publick Feast of Bacchus having drank up a large quantity of Wine and using many shrill and horrid Out cries he was esteemed most Religious who could run about the maddest insomuch as they tore their Cloaths from their backs and not only so but the weaker sort were oftentimes endangered in their Limbs In this manner they ran promiscuously Men and Women together cutting and slashing each other till the heat of their Wine was allayed either by loss of Blood weariness or want of sleep Now the reason of the Britains Painting themselves like AEthiopians at these Sacrifices might proceed from the imitation of Bacchus himself who was feigned by the Ancients to have maintained long Wars in India and AEthiopia and was alwaies painted with a swarthy and black Complexion and drawn with Tygres Beasts very frequent in those hot Countries As for that Heus named by the Author of Queroli Anubis Latrans viz. the barking Anubis for as he was made in the form of a Dog so he is to be referred to those deformed Spectres of Britain mentioned by Gildas who exceeded almost in number those of Egypt and without doubt were derived from that Country by the Phoenicians So that it being an AEgyptian Hieroglyphick in the shape of a Dog might be called Huad or something like it Huad signifying in the British Tongue a Dog but as for Hesus the name of Mars and Hues of Bacchus they have no reference at all to it but were general Gods both to Britain and Gaul and were the Hizzus and Hues of the Phoenicians whereas these sorts of deformed Spectres were found only upon the Walls of Cities according to Gildas and it may be in some particular places only and had the Tuition of such Cities and Towns according to the Superstition of the AEgyptians To the God Hues or Bacchus I suppose those Priests mentioned by Marcellinus and called Euuges or Eubages are to be referred for as the Acclamations from whence Bacchus received that Name was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so we may apprehend that these Priests were called Eubages and Euugaes and signifie as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persons dedicated to Hues Eochartus
the Romans worshipt the Gods of the Nations they conquered Mr. Cambden makes this a Tutelar God and interprets CAD Cadenorum the Protectour of the Cadeni but it seems the People were called Gadeni so that it should be Gad not Gad but granting time might make this small alteration yet we find not in other Inscriptions to the Tutelar Genius's of particular places that the name of the Place is signified in any neither was it reasonable it should being that such Altars were made for private use only and needed no Inscription to signifie what they were In my opinion the signification of these Inscriptions are to be sought further The God Magon or Mogon to whom these Altars were erected seems to be brought into Britain by the Phoenicians and in all probability may be the God of the Canaanites Baal-Magon the Lord Magon For as from Dag a Fish they made their Idol Dagon so this Idol of the Sun from the melting quality that Planet hath might from Mag which signifies to melt be called Magon and that this Magon the British God was the Sun and so consequently of Phoenician Original this addition of Cad seems to verifie The Assyrians from whom the Phoenicians had his name Belus also called the Sun according to Macrobius Cad and Cadcad by duplication and Macrobius saies that the interpretation of his name signifies One or Only and Cad in the Chaldean and Syrian Tongue signifies One And this Attribute they gave to him because as the same Author reports he was the greatest and almost the only God and all the rest accounted but his Assisters and Coadjutors In the Inscription DEO MOUNO CAD MOUNO is the same in Greek as CAD in the Phoenician Dialect viz. the Only Julian the Apostate after he had revolted from the Christian Religion and forsaken the only true God embraced this Cad viz. the Sun an only God so falsly called In his Oration of the Sun he makes Azizus whom we have proved to be Hesus that is MARS and Monimus whom we will shew to be Theut or Teutates that is MERCURY to be his Assisters His words are these I intend to speak something of the Phoenician Theology They that inhabit Edessa a Place consecrated from all Ages to the Sun make Monimus and Azizus placed or seated with him Jambicus interprets it that Monimus is MERCURY and Azizus MARS Mercury who is called Theut here we find called Monimus and much upon the same account for as Theut was the Inventer of Letters so Monimus was the God of Eloquence both Attributes of Mercury the latter of which names is referred to the Phoenician Minom an elegant and quaint Speaker which we have mentioned in this place because seated with this Belinus or Belus In Palmyra a City of the Phoenicians there was this Inscription which because it refers to this God Belinus I will put down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Agli-Belus and Malach-Belus Native or Country Gods that is as some interpret it To the Winter and Summer Sun for upon the Marble on which this Inscription was found He was both waies represented but the Britains represented him with a Harp as may be seen in an Ancient Coyn of Cunobelinus and without question had all the opinions of him as the Greeks and Phoenicians had That this was a God greatly reverenced in Britain we may gather from Cunobelinus and Cassobelinus two great Princes who bear his Name and as in the Eastern Countries it was esteemed a great Honour to be descended of him so a Poet in the commendation of a Bowl saies Belus omnes A Belo That it was the Cup of BELUS and his Race so undoubtedly many Princes in Britain esteemed it an Honour to be called by his Name We will see therefore what is the meaning of CUNO for it is no more the part of Cunobelinus than CASSI is of Cassibelinus who by Ninnius the Britain is called simply Bellinus and by Dio Suellan for Vellan or Mellin which are all corruptions of Belin as Mr. Cambden himself confesseth Cuno therefore being not part of the Name but in all likelyhood some Honourable Office or Title of this Prince let us see what it might signifie among the Britains for seeing this God came from the Phoenicians why might not this Title of Cuno also be derived from them Upon this we may suppose that Cuno Belinus might be as much as Cohen Belinus the Prince of Belinus according to that saying Rex idem Hominum Phoebique Sacerdos The Priest-hood in those daies being worn by the greatest Princes so that Cuno might become upon that account an Honorable title as worn by several Kings as Cuneglasus Cunedaglus Cungetorir the last signifying a High Priest as likewise Hanibal Asdrubal and Maharbal of the same signification among the Carthaginians But all these Names might have very easie Interpretations relating to this way were it not too far beyond my purpose likewise Cuno Belinus may signifie the Son of Belinus for Cuno signifies born or begotten And as the Phoenicians esteemed it their highest Honour and Credit of their Princes to be derived from Bel why may not the Old Britains desire to initiate them in this so that all the significations of Cuno mentioned by Mr. Cambden may very rationally relate to this Original But to return to Belinus or APOLLO he is called by the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yellow and from hence possibly Belinus in the British Language might come to signifie that Colour but that the colour Belinus should give name to this God as Mr. Cambden supposes is impossible for these following Reasons 1. Because he is called Belis as well as Belinus but the Colour Belinus in all its corruptions retains the N as Belyn Melyn Felyn Villan and Suellan To speak the truth Melinus not Belinus is the proper name for Yellow the word of which Colour was also taken from the Romans and Melinus cannot be imagined to give name to Cuno Belinus who lived in the daies of Augustus and Tiberius when Caesar had only visited this Island and no Roman Colonies had been planted here to change the British Language And here I will take notice that Dio calls Cassobelinus Suellan which Suellan Mr. Cambden derives from Gweliw signifying a waterish Colour not a yellow Such confusion hath the Suppositions of divers coloured Paintings among the Britains created 2. In all Inscriptions of this God we find him written BEL not Fel Vel or Mel which might have happened had he received his Name from that Colour Besides in all the Additions to his name this Colour is absolutely excluded as he was entituled Belsamen by the Phoenicians that is Lord of Heaven so possibly in Britain for his Sister the Moon was called Belisama as much as to say Queen of Heaven Not yellow Heaven or yellow Moon which is very absurd but it might happen that Dio not knowing the Original of this
Importance whose Inhabitants were dealt with according to their greater or lesser Obstinacy in yielding some being received into Mercy and others quite driven out of their Dwellings For these successes Claudius was oftentimes by his Army saluted with the Name of IMPERATOR a Title never given to any in the same War but once but now often reiterated with the universal Acclamations of all but whether out of flattery to his Person or that some extraordinary circumstances in the Wars with the Britains above other Nations deserved it is uncertain Afterwards he disarmed the Britains and thought that sufficient for his security without proceeding to the confiscation of the Goods of the Nobility and Gentry for which Clemency of his they erected Temples and Altars to him and with Sacrifice worshipt him as a God Having thus gained sufficient Honour he prepares for his Return to Rome sending before him Pompeius and Silanus who had married his Daughters to carry the Tidings of his Victories leaving behind him also Plautius to finish what he had so well begun and to subdue the remainder of the Island All this was accomplisht within sixteen daies for no longer was he in Britain and with so little noise and trouble that it gave occasion to Suetonius not long after to write That he subdued the Country without any Battle fought or the least Blood shed At his Return to Rome whence he had been absent in all but six Months he received a most Magnificent Triumph and as if his Atcheivments had exceeded all Example the Senate decreed yearly Games to his Honour and set up stately Arches not only in Rome but at Bulloigne also the place from whence he set out In this Expedition they gave moreover to him and his Son the Sir-name of BRITANNICUS a Title no less glorious to them than that of Germanicus Africanus or Asiaticus to others and conferred on them with far greater circumstances of Acknowledgment from the State And this may be said to the Honour of our Nation that even in the height of the Roman Empire it was esteemed so considerable a part of the World that it was held not Inferiour to any of the forementioned Provinces and cost as many Legions in preserving it as all Asia and was never forsaken by the Romans but in their last extremity At the Triumph of Claudius to make it more splendid the Governours of Provinces were summoned to appear and as in a publick Jubile all Banished persons for what Crimes soever were for that time admitted into Rome Upon the Loover of the Palace a Naval Coronet was fixed as if at that time BRITAIN had been the Mistress of the Sea and that the Ensign of its new Subjection Provinces presented their Crowns of Gold Gallia Comata or France one of nine pound Spain one of seven pound weight He ascended the Capitol by the stairs on his knees supported on each sides by his Sons in law Pompeius and Silanus He entred in Triumph the Adriatick Sea in a stately Vessel more like a Palace than a Ship To his Wife Messalina by the Senate was allowed the Highest place to sit in and in his Triumph she followed his Charriot in her Caroch or Hanging-Coach after them followed Valerius Asiaticus Julius Silanus Sidius Geta and others on whom in respect of this Conquest he had heaped Triumphal Ornaments the rest followed on foot and in their Robes After this he exhibited Triumphal Sports and Games having assumed for that end the Consular Office and Authority and besides the Solemnities in the Theatres he instituted Horse Races for Prizes between every Course which were ten in all Bears were killed Champions fought and the choicest Youths out of Asia danced the Warlike-dance in Armour In the Field of Mars he exhibited a War-like shew wherein he represented the storming and sacking of a Town and the Surrender of the British Princes himself presiding in the Robes of a General To Licinius Crassus Frug. he gave the Honour to follow him in his Triumph mounted upon a Trapped Courser with a rich Caparison and arraied in a Robe of Date-tree work Upon Posidius the Eunuch he bestowed a Spear-staff without a Head Upon C. Gavius Chains Bracelets Horse-trappings and a Coronet of Gold and all in memory of his British Conquest THE British History CONCERNING THE EXPEDITION OF CLAUDIUS And these Times CLAUDIUS at his coming to Land at Portchester besieged that Town to the Releif whereof came Guiderius and the Battle went on the Britains side until Hamo a Roman disguising himself like a Britain got the opportunity of killing the King and retiring Arviragus least the Britains should be discouraged concealed his Brothers death and dressing himself in his Armour as King continued the Battle and so obtained a great Victory Claudius fled to his Ships and Hamo to the next Woods whither Arviragus pursued him and hunting him out to the Sea-coast there slew him at a Haven before he could take Shipping called afterwards by the name of Hamon's-Haven and Hampton and at this day Southampton Thus died Guiderius in the year of our Lord Forty five and Arviragus his Brother for want of Issue succeeded him ARVIRAGUS the youngest Son of Cunobelin and Brother of Guiderius received the Kingdom in the year of our Lord forty five No mention is made of this King in the Roman Histories of these Times which maketh the Reign of this Prince too much suspected considering that in these daies many memorable things were done and Recorded by the Romans concerning this Island and more Inferiour Persons taken notice of and so it seemeth more strange that a Soveraign Prince of so active a Spirit as Arviragus is made and so Victorious against the Romans should be totally neglected by their Historians so that I am afraid as well his Encounters with Hamo as his Marriage with Genuissa a supposed Daughter of Claudius as likewise his Treaty with the Emperour his Homage to him the naming of Caerleon or Glovernia Claudiocestria in honour of his Nuptials with Claudius his Daughter as likewise his Exploits against Vespatian at Richborough will be all accounted of the same stamp and for that reason I will omit them And I will only make mention that about the sixth year of his Reign Joseph of Arimathea sent by Philip the Apostle preached as is generally supposed the Gospel of Christ in this Island having a place assigned him about Glastenbury by this King whom afterwards he converted to the Christian Faith if Harding writes true Joseph converted this King Arviragus By his preaching to know the Law Divine And Baptized him as written hath Nennius The Chronicler in Britain Tongue full fine But his Authority may be supposed to be as bad as his Verses for we find but two Nennius's one Brother of Cassibelan and long before this time the other called Bancharensis and writ not in the British Tongue but in the Latin However it is agreed that about these times the Christian Faith
think thereto by Quatratus a Disciple of the Apostles and Aristides a Philosopher of Athens who wrote an Apology for them He died in the year of our Lord one hundred thirty nine and of his Age sixty two in his life time he had designed Caesar Lucius AElius a man exceedingly dear to him but he dying Antoninus Pius received the Empire Antoninus Pius ANTONINUS for his Princely Vertues Sirnamed PIUS and by the Senate called the Father of his Country was a Lombard born Son of Aurelius Fulvius and Nephew to Titus Aurelius Fulvius who had been Consul and held other Offices of great Authority and State At his first entrance into the Empire by an Ordinance of his as many as were of the Roman World were made Citizens of Rome by which Edict the Southern Britains within Hadrians Wall as well as other Provinces enjoyed that high Dignity and Priviledge but the Northern Inhabitants not content with their Liberty and the Bounds assigned them brake into the Roman Pale and began to waste wide but by the Conduct of Lollius Urbicus then Lieutenant they were not only driven back but confined to a narrower compass namely the Friths of Edinborough and Dunbritton where Lollius repaired the Ancient Fortification first begun by Agricola That this Wall built by Lollius was in Scotland Mr. Cambden learnedly proves and not where Hadrian built his to wit between Carlile and New-castle He saith Capitolinus cited by Mr. Cambden vanquisht the Britains and having driven out the Barbarians made another Wall of Turffs beyond that of Hadrians which makes me wonder at Speed who proves the same Author to say that it was Hadrian's Wall The same Errours he commits in writing That for these Atchievments Lollius obtained the name of Britannicus when indeed it was Antoninus himself to whom Fronto as the Panegyrical Oratour saith ascribed the Honour of this War and hath testified that He Although sitting still at home in the Palace of Rome had given charge and Commission to another General for the War yet like the Pilot of a Gally sitting at the Stern and guiding the Helm deserved the Honour of the whole Voyage and Expedition In the time of this Emperour the Brigantes also a Nation of all others most impatient of Forreign Servitude brake in upon Genounia which Mr. Cambden guesses to be Ginnethia or North-Wales within the Jurisdiction of the Romans but were soon driven back and fined with the loss of one part of their Territory This is all upon Record touching Britain in the daies of Antoninus Pius saving that Sejus Saturrinus as is collected from the Digests had charge here of the Roman Navy He Reigned twenty three years or as others say twenty two years seven months and twenty six daies and died of a Feavour at Lorium the seventh day of March in the year of his life 75 and of Christ 162. Among many of his Vertues which fill out a worthy Character it is most especially Recorded of him In his Youth he did nothing Rashly nor any thing in his Age Negligently Marcus Aurelius MArcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus Philosophus for by so many names he was called was the Son of Elius Verus who died Praetor and whose Family was derived from Numa Pompilius second King of Rome his Mother was Domitia Gamilla Daughter of Claudius Tullus He was the adopted Son of Antoninus Pius and ingrafted into his Family by the marriage of Faustina his Daughter having taken upon him the Title of Emperour he chose Lucius Verus the Son of Lucius Ceionius Commodus for his associate in the Empire It is observable that this Verus was born the same day as Nero and indeed he imitated him in all the Vices and Cruelties of his nature so that whilest these two Princes sate together upon the Throne then might Mankind be judge and spectatour at the same time of a Just and equal Government and a Proud and insolent Tyranny Aurelius was nothing but Glemency moderation and goodness on the other hand Verus gave himself to Pride carelessness haughtiness and cruelty and as the Vertues of the one secured him from the attempts and mixtures of the others Vices so were the Exorbitances of this Verus nothing allayed by the sweetness of Aurelius his deportment so that what is a rare Example and perhaps not to be equalled in all precedent and future Ages from the same height of Power at the same time streamed forth the most different Extreams of unlimited Greatness But Goodness was the longest survivor for Verus dying of an Apoplexy after nine years Reign Aarelius was left in possession of the whole Empire And now the Britains impatient alwaies of Forreign Subjection raised new Commotions for the appeasing whereof Galphurnius Agricola was sent Lieutenant The Sirname of Agricola no doubt was terrible to the Britains who could not but remember the great Overthrows they had received formerly under a General of that name and indeed the Commotions lasted not long after his Arrival but seemed to be ended with fortunate success for which there was raised an Altar in gratitude to the Syrian Goddess a peculiar Deity of this Island as appeareth by this Inscription found in a Stone taken out of the Picts Walls DEAE SURI AE SUB CALP URNIO AGR ICOLA LEG AUG PR PR A. LICINIUS CLEMENS PRAEF C. O. H. I. HAMMIOR The glory of having dispatched this War so soon Fronto for Roman Eloquence inferiour to none ascribes wholly to the Emperour Aurelius for although the State still as residing in Person in the Court of Rome gave out only the Commission for the War yet he protesteth That like a Pilot at the Helm who steers and directs the Ship he deserved the Honour of the whole course Nothing else is recorded of Britain during Antoninus his Reign saving that Helvius Pertinax afterwards Emperour was employed in these Wars being translated hither from his Service against the Parthians and here for some time afterwards remained Antoninus Reigned nineteen years and eleven daies and died on the seventeenth day of April in the year of our Lord 181 having by his Vertue kept up to the Renown of his Predecessour and so endeared the Name of the 〈◊〉 that it was held by the Romans afterwards in equal veneration with there of the Gods and in nothing was he unhappy saith Capitolinus save that he left behind him a Son Comm. Antoninus COMMODUS ANTONINUS the Son of Aurelius degenerated from the Vertues of his Father and may be said the successour of Verus rather than of Antonine The known Adulteries of his Mother Faustina and himself being a Twin together with the Wickedness of his life gave liberty to some to please themselves in thinking he was not the true Son of so worthy a Father At nineteen years of Age he was invested in the Empire when the violence of his Temper which under the Authority of a Father and the discipline of worthy Tutors could not be kept under meeting
of Eleutherius And the first is the Date it bears which in the Text is dated 169 in the Margin 156 yet neither agree with the time of Eleutherius his Popedom if we will follow the most approved Authors For although Bede saies he was made Bishop of Rome in the year of our Lord 167 yet Eusebius in his Chronicle places the beginning of his Popedom in the sixteenth year of the Emperour Antoninus that is in the year of our Lord 179 But in his History and indeed truer to the following year of Antonium which is of our Lord 180. Baronius is of the same Opinion also and confirms it by the Letters of the Martyrs at Lyons which were presented to Eleutherius himself 2. Besides if this Epistle be true it makes King Lucius to take a very preposterous course in sending so far as Rome to Eleutherius for the Roman Laws when he might sooner and with less trouble have procured them at home from the Roman Governour for from the time of the Emperour Claudius who subdued most part of Britain the Roman Laws were in force here nay very well known to the further parts of Yorkshire And Tacitus saies he had erected here Roman Courts and Tribunals which was about an hundred years before Lucius came to the Government But we shall pursue this discourse no further it being plain and obvious to any that are but meanly acquainted with those Histories 3. This Epistle makes no mention of any Power or Authority the Romans had in these parts but makes Lucius an absolute Monarch as in nothing subject to the Roman Governour You are Gods Vicegerent in your own Kingdom not Claudius Caesars or any other Emperour Contrary to the Customes of those times Among the Jews King Herod was under Pilate and King Agrippa under Faelix and Festus and so it was likewise usual in other Provinces but without doubt Lucius was a British King as he is rightly so stiled in the Life of Eleutherius but it was but of some part of it not of the whole Island or that part which separated from Scotland by a Wall which was under the Romans yet it is not to be doubted but that in some part of it he had a Power under the Romans neither is it any hard matter to describe the Places of his Government for he being the Son and Successour of King Coile and Coile the Son of Marius and Marius of Arviragus which some report to be Togenus others the same with Tacitus his Prasutagus King of the Iceni The Iceni inhabited that part of Britain which the East Angles did under the Saxons it comprehended Norfolk Suffolk and at some time Cambridge Their Royal City was Venta of the Iceni now called Castor in Norfolk near to the City of Norwich but this place is too far distant from Glastonia a little Village of the Belgae in the Kingdom of the West Saxons which Arviragus as they say gave to Joseph of Arimathea and his Companions that came with him But this seems to intimate that Arviragus was rather King of the Belga and Dobuni that is of the West Saxons than of the Iceni and that which promotes this Opinion is his being most usually in those parts and his entertainment in Claudiocestria if we will credit Gaufridus but that which takes away the doubt unless we will suspect the Author himself is the testimony of Hector Boethius Scotus who shews that Arviragus was by Birth an Icene and was substituted by Claudius Caesar King of Britain furthermore the Iceni first received the Christian Faith in Britain 4. This word Manutenere which we translate Maintain was not in use in Eleutherius his time but smells rather of the Norman Latin from which it crept into our Country Laws 5. Those places which are quoted out of the Holy Scripture are taken out of the Translation of St. Hierom who lived two hundred years after Eleutherius 6. This Epistle never came out in the World till almost a thousand years after the death of Eleutherius but out of what Monks Cell it came is uncertain but that which ought to be most observed is that it is no where to be found in Gaufridus Monumuthentis contemporary with Hovedenus who was always diligent in the Collection of the British Antiquities This Answer of the Pope by Letter to Lucius was sent by Fugatius and Damianus Men of sound doctrine and holy life by whose hands the King with all his Nobles received Baptisme and shortly after by their industry and the earnest desire and endeavours of King Lucius the Doctrine was so far propagated that the Temples and Altars of the Heathen Gods were in most places flung down and demolished the Christian worship set up in their places and the Church established under Form and Government In the Seats of twenty eight Flamens and three Arch Flamens which presided over the whole Nation being all of them either converted or expulied were constituted twenty eight Bishops and three Arch-bishops whose Chairs for the greater convenience of Government were continued in the same places the Archi-Flamens resided in The first and Metropolitan Seat was at London and the Cathedral St. Peters in the memory of that Saint from whose Successour Eleutherius they had received the Faith The second was at York The third at Carlile but of the particular extent of these places I shall treat more fully anon The Succession of Bishops in the See of London THe first to the Times of the Saxons is thus Theanus who was in the daies of Lucius consecrated the Church of St. Peters Cornhill and by the assistance of Ciranus the Kings Cup-bearer performed all the Rites thereunto belonging Some report he built the Church The second Eluanus he added a Liberary to it The third was Cadar the fourth Obinus the fifth Conanus the sixth Palladius the seventh Stephanus the eighth Iltutus or Iltutius the ninth Deduinus the tenth Theodredus the eleventh Hilarius the twelfth Vitelinus the thirteenth Vodinus Mr. Cambden calls him Theonus But before we proceed any further it will be necessary to say who and what these Flamens were and of their being changed into Bishops and Arch-bishops What these Flamens and Arch-flamens were and their being changed into Bishops and Arch-bishops I Wish we had seen the Book of Gildas for it can hardly be found in ancient Authority that there was ever any distribution of Flamens and Arch flamens into their particular Provinces or that the words Arch-flamens and Arch-bishops were in use in the time of Lucius or that Metropolitical Jurisdiction and the Ceremony of the Pall had any being in those daies For Flamens among the Romans were no other than their Priests so called from a Thred or String as Varro saith with which they bound their Head as Flamines some Pileamines from a Cap they wore and from Sacrificing commonly called Priests and every one of these lookt after the proper Offices and Duties of their particular Gods at first
in all probability the Places may be confounded and some write that he built a Church at Dover and endowed it with the Toll of that Haven Not content in having performed so many excellent Works he is said at length to have resigned his Kingdom and Travelled into Germany out of desire to propagate the Christian Faith to have converted Bavaria and afterwards going into Rhetia there to have lived in a Cell under a Rock which was afterwards called the Rock of Lucius then to have proceeded into that Country wherein the City Curia stood where living in a Cave and preaching to the Infidels he was at last betrayed and brought before the Governour who put him to death in a Tower called Marula His Body was brought into Britain and buried in Glocester so that it will not be improper to relate what Matthew of Westminster saith in confirmation of this matter Anno Gratiae CCI Inclytus Britannorum Rex LUCIUS in bonis actibus assumptus Claudiocestriae ab hâc vitâ migravit ad CHRISTUM in Ecclesiâ primae sedis Honoriftcè sepultus est He Reigned twelve years and dying without Issue left the Kingdom divided among many of the Royal Blood who all setting up their Titles miserably involved the whole Nation in Civil Wars and Combustions Upon this the Picts took advantage of the Publick Distractions and brake into the Southern parts flinging down the Wall that was built as a Rampier to defend the Frontiers and for a long time finding no resistance wasted the Country far and wide so that if it be true what is reported of King Lucius That out of zeal for Religion He went into Bavaria to preach the Gospel leaving his Kingdom to be managed by the chiefest of his Nobility without declaring a Successour how much better had it been if he had employed his time and labours in his own Dominions which surely in so short a time could not be so entirely instructed in the Faith of Christ but that there was room left for the employing of so great a Talent given him for the use and comfort properly belonging first to his own Country Neither could a Prophet want Honour in his own Country who had Royal Authority to back his Priestly Function However therefore the story of King Lucius or Lever-Maur as to the main of it may betrue namely That there was such a Person that Ruled in this Island and embraced the Christian Religion yet that he should have so great Authority as absolutely to establish it casting down the Flames and Arch-flamens the Religion of the Romans whose Province it was and to set up in their room Bishops and Arch-bishops seemeth not only improbable but impossible also If he was a King beyond Hadrians Wall what had he to do with London and Carlile and if on this side he was but a Tributary and Vassal to the Romans and so could not so easily abolish their Worship as indeed it manifestly appears out of Inscriptions of the Romans in this Island who after his time continued their Altars to the Heathen Deities But that he should forsake his Kingdom and out of an over-fond opinion of Chastity neglect the duty of a Prince in not providing a Successour to his Crown that he should leave his Kingdom at sixes and sevens that he should think himself more useful in a Cell than a Throne for the propagating Religion in another Country and not in his own and imagine that absconding in Holes and Deserts would shew a greater light to the World than being placed upon a Hill manifestly shews from what Forge those Inventions proceeded and that they were the idle Talks of our crafty Ancestors whose business it was to gain Honour to their own Constitutions by perswading the World that no Obligations Civil or Moral although of the highest nature and concern but must be cancell'd in order to his attaining perfection which they placed in that lofty Poverty of a Monastick life And thus much is sufficient to be said of King Lucius The Troubles that arose after his decease continued as Fabian thinketh fifteen years the English Chronicle saith fifty Harding four which difference proceedeth from the various Calculations of the time of his Reign and upon the same Subject Matthew of Westminster thus delivers himself Quo defuncto speaking a little before of the death of King LUCIUS he proceeds to say dissidium inter Britones surrexit quià absque Haerede decessit Romana Potestas infirma est Manfit itáque Britannia in dissidio usque ad adventum SEVERI qui eam posteà Romanae restituit Dignitati Some make his Decease in the daies of the Emperour Hadrian whom the English Chronicles follow others continue his Reign but to the daies of Aurelius and Verus Emperours The first cannot be true by reason it agreeth not with the time of Eleutherius who according to the most diligent Chronographers began to govern the See of Rome in the year 169 which is thirty years after the death of Hadrian and sate in the Chair fifteen years namely to the year of our Lord one hundred eighty four The latter is equally false considering that the Letter from Eleutherius to King Lucius the Date whereof Mr. Cambden followeth in contradiction to Bede was sent when Lucius Aurelius Commodus was second time Consul with Vespronius which was in the year one hundred seventy nine or one hundred and eighty Anno currente and ten years after the death of Verus the Emperour Basing stokius makes LUCIUS to begin his Reign in the year of our Lord one hundred eighty three in the second year of Commodus the Conversion of this Prince according to that Account must be in the first year of his Reign and the last of Eleutherius his Popedom circumstances very improbable for supposing that this Godly Prince should begin his Reign with the establishment of Christian Religion yet what becomes of Fugacius and Damianus returns to Eleutherius after they had been a year in Britain and the Ratifications of their proceedings the year after obtained at Rome if in the last year of Eleutherius the Kingdom was first Converted as manifestly appears if this Calculation were true The British Histories generally make Septimius Severus the Roman Emperour to succeed Lucius in the Kingdom of Britain and after him many other Emperours so that for the future we shall see the same Persons though with different circumstances in the Records of both Nations made Actours in the soveraign Authority Many have found fault with the British History upon this account but whether it was that the Royal Blood of the Native Britains was utterly extinct or that the Compiler of these Stories was weary of inventing Names sure I am that the following Emperours had no more right to the Island than the preceding And there is no where found that Severus either by Marriage Adoption or Donation received the Kingdom so that for many years we may bid farewel to the British
exhibited to the People one especially was a Wood wherein were painted two hundred Deer covered with Palms and Britains mixed among them which sheweth that the Britains were still matter of novelty and delight to the Romans The Gordians Father and Son thus happily removed Maximine who had been all this while in Germany hastned to Rome breathing nothing but Revenge to the Senate and People but endeavouring first to reduce the City of Aquilea who shut its Gates upon him in his passage he was slain at the Siege thereof by his own Souldiers It is reported by Capitolinus that the City was yielding to admit him had not one Menophilus a Senatour perswaded them that BELINUS a God peculiar to the Britains and Gauls and who had a Temple at Aquilea declared by his Oracle that Maximine should be overcome This the Priests gave out and therefore after his death the Souldiers bragg'd about That APOLLO fought against them and that they were not overcome by the Senate and Maximus who succeeded Maximinus but by the power of the Gods From the circumstances of this story is collected that the British God BELENUS was the same with APOLLO or the SUN and was the Bel or Baal of the Phanicians from whence the latter part of Eligabal the Emperours name is derived With Maximine died his Son and Caesar Maximine in the year of our Lord 238 after they had sate in the Empire three years The British Histories allow him King of this Island after whom follows an Interregnum but I shall proceed with the Roman Emperours Pupienus Maximus And Clodius Balbinus EMPEROURS PUPIENUS MAXIMUS and CLODIUS BALBINUS chosen by the Senate Emperours against Maximine were not so linked together in Affection as they were nearly joyned in Authority Balbinus was of greater Birth and Nobility but Pupienus exceeded him in Wisdom and Conduct insomuch that both of them over-valuing themselves the one upon the gifts of Fortune the other the endowments of his Mind were both slain by the Praetorian Souldiers having joyntly Reigned little more than a year during whose short continuance in Power we find not the least remembrance of them in our Island M. Anton. Gordianus AT the Age of fourteen Gordianus was elected Emperour by the Praetorian Bands he was the Son of a Daughter of Old Gordianus being so young he Ruled by the Advice of Misitheus a prudent Counsellour whose Daughter he took in Marriage And now some glimmering light appeareth concerning the Government of this Island out of an Altar-stone found in Cumberland at a place then called Castra Exploratorum with an Inscription for the health of this Emperour his Wife and the whole Family set up by AEmilius Crispinus who was Captain of Horse under Nonnius Philippus Lieutenant General of Britain as appeareth by the Stone it self IOM. PRO SALUTE IMPERATORIS M. ANTONI GOR DIANI P. F. INVICTI AUG ET SABI NIAE TURIAE TRANQUILE CONJUGIRIUS TOTAQUE DOMU DIVIN EORUM ALA AUG GORDIA OB VIRTUTEM APPELLATA POSUIT CUI PRAEEST AEMILIUS CRISPINUS PRAEF EQ Q. NATUS IN PRO AFRICA DE TUIDRO SUB CUR NONNII PH LIPPI LEG AUG PROPRETO ATTICO ET PRAETEXTATO COSS. After Gordianus had governed the State for the space of six years he was deposed by Julius Philippus who to make way for himself first poysoned Misitheus and then insinuating himself into favour was the destruction of his Master for Gordianus by the Power of Philip being cast out of the Throne was soon afterwards by the jealousie of the Usurper slain in the year of Grace 245 and of his Age 22. Gordian is accounted in the British History King of this Island upon the account of his being Father to Claudius whose Title we shall examine hereafter M. Julius Philippus PHILIP by treachery and disloyalty to his Soveraign having ascended the Throne proved a better Prince than Subject By embracing the Christian Religion he strived to wipe away the stains of his former life much to be approved of if Sincerity were joyned with his Profession but nothing worth if to daub over a guilty Conscience he applied himself to Pardon and Pennance only Eusebius to prove his Sincerity writes That he submitted to be placed in the room of Common Penitents because in many things he had been faulty This was a piece of humility not to be slighted if with that self denial he had resigned his ill-gotten Power or employed that Authority in the open owning and propagating the truth But such was the earnest desire even in those Primitive times of gaining mighty Prelates to the Church that the comfortable part of the Gospel Forgiveness of Sins was used as a Bait only to draw them in being drest up in fashion and formality light and trivial Ceremonies which had a shew of submission whilest the weightier parts of the Law without which the other availeth nothing were either neglected or dissembled Against this Philip first Marinus set himself up Emperour but he failing Decius was advanced by the Souldiers whom whilest Philip sought to reduce was himself slain by his own Army and his Head cut off by the Teeth The memory of him is preserved in Britain upon a Pyramid or long Stone dug out of the ground not far from Old Carlile with this Inscription IMP. CAES. M. JUL. PHILIPPO PIO FELI CI AUG ETM. JUL. PHI LIPPO NOBILIS SIMO CAES. TR. P. COS Eusebius saith he Reigned seven years but Eutropius and Victor whom I follow give him but five Upon the news of his death the Praetorian Souldiers kill'd his Son PHILIP whom he had created his Caesar so that we see his disloyalty to his natural Soveraign Gordianus was returned double fold upon him and the Christian Religion which might save him in the World to come did not exempt him from the Punishments of this life attending Treason and Usurpation Gn. Messius Quinctus Trajan Decius DECIUS elected Emperour by the Persinn Legions proclaimed in Verona by the Roman Souldiers and confirmed at Rome by the voice of the Senate was a wise and valiant Prince but Reigned but two years being in his Wars against the Goths betrayed by his own Captain Trebonianus Gallus where having the misfortune to see his two Sons Decius and Hostilianus whom he had made his Associates in the Empire slain before his face he threw himself into a Whirl-pool which soon swallowed up both him and his Sorrows He was a great enemy of the Christians and raised the seventh Persecution Trebonianus Gallus TREBONIANUS GALLUS having betrayed Decius was upon his death admitted Emperour He created his Son Volusianus a Child his Caesar but he enjoyed not long the Imperial Crown for giving himself up to Pleasures at Rome he neglected the preservation of the Empire insomuch that the Goths breaking in on the Frontiers made great havock till AEmilian his General put a stop to them and giving them Battle overthrew them with a wonderful slaughter for which great Action
but to be vertuous poor and disgraceful blind themselves they became haters of the Light and the measures of their Actions was what was most pleasing to themselves No other differences of good or evil were admitted all weighed alike saving that the worst was most an end the weightier All things were done directly contrary to the Publick welfare and safety not by the Laity only but the Clergy also and they who should have been Examples of Vertue often proved the Ring-leaders to Vice Many of them lovers of Wine and Drunkenness wallowing in that sin grew benumm'd and senseless others swoln with Pride and Wilfulness became contentious envious indisereet in their Judgments uncapable to distinguish what was good what evil what lawful or unlawful Thus qualified both Priests and People they resolve saith Gildas to choose several Kings of their own for that they had not all one Monarch appears not by the custome of the past Ages only but the succeeding also the particular time of their election as by the confused computations of those troublesome daies may be most probably guessed was in the year 446 or 447 which was the year of AEtius his Consulship as appeareth out of the Kalendar of the Consuls when having sued to Rome for Assistance they were absolutely rejected and so forced to stand upon their own safeguard And who would not think but that a People thus left to themselves and bereaft of so potent Allies as the Romans would have behaved themselves cautiously and warily in so great a concern But hear what Gildas saith of their heady and rash proceedings in this weighty Affair Kings saith he were Anointed not according to Divine approbation but the Voices and Suffrages of such as were more Cruel than others and again as suddenly deposed and murthered by their Advancers without examining the truth to make room for others more Insolent and Cruel If any of their Princes seemed more mild and inclinable to good Counsel upon him as the Subverter of Britain without respect to his Person the open hatred and malice of all was levelled Thus Affairs proceeded in the State and in the Church no less Commotions ensued for Pelagianisme again getting head through the means of a sew the British Clergy not able to withstand it intreat the second time German to their assistance He with Severus a Disciple of Lupus his former Associate coming into the Island stand not now to dispute as formerly for the generality were not infected with the Heresie but discovering the Heads and teachers of the new Doctrine adjudge them to Exile who being by the Secular Power delivered to him were by him conveyed beyond Sea where he disposed of them in such places as they could neither infect others and were themselves under cure by better Instruction Germanus the same year died in Italy After his departure the Britains receive News that their old Enemies the Scots and Picts were returning with greater preparations than ever that they threatned the destruction of the whole Land and intended no less than to plant themselves from one end thereof to the other But before their Arrival as if the Instruments of Divine Vengeance were at strife which should first destroy a wicked Nation the residue that the Sword and Famine left alive were now swept away with a sore Pestilence insomuch that the living scarce sufficed to bury the dead But for the present as one Evil drives off another the destroying Plague preserved the Land from the more Barbarous spoylers which for fear of the Contagion durst not engage too far in the Inland Countries But as soon as the Infection ceased the Enemy began to advance and were entred as far as Stamford on the River Welland VORTIGERN then King of the Britains newly elected to the Crown hearing of their approach was then meditating how best he might secure himself and had resolved to flie into those parts of the Island now called Wales of the Original of this Vortigern and his advancement to the Crown I have spoken before in the British History under the Emperour Honorius he is described by the truest Historians an insolent and haughty Tyrant neither wise in Counsel nor experienced in War yet doted on by the People for his Vices so well suiting with their own heedless of the Common danger and esteeming the Publick Treasure as a Fund only to satisfie his Lusts and Extravagance Nevertheless awakened with the Clamours of the People he summons a General Councel to provide some better means than hitherto had been found to put an end to these Incursions from the North where it was concluded that the Saxons should be called into Britain and Embassadours sent with great Presents to invite them Witichindus a Saxon Writer reporteth that the Embassadours at their Audience spake as followeth Most Worthy Saxons The distressed Britains tired out with the continual Incursions of their Enemies hearing the fame of their Valour have sent us to implore your Assistance the Land they possess large and spacious and abounding with all things they wholly leave to your devotion and disposal Hitherto we have lived with freedom under the Protection of the Romans next to them we know none worthier than your selves and therefore to your Valour we flie for refuge Leave us not below our present Enemies and we shall be ready to perform whatsoever by you shall be imposed Thus writes an Author of their own yet Ethelwerd saies that they promised no Subjection but League and Amity only The Saxons thus invited to what they willingly would have sued for made no delay but returned this short and speedy Answer Be assured that the Saxons will be true Friends to the Britains and not only stick close by them in their Adversity but be at all times ready to procure their wealth and prosperity The Embassadours return joyful with these Tidings but how the Saxons performed their Promise you may read in Gildas and shall be declared in their following History At what time these things happened in Britain according to the diversity of Computations in this most confused Age can be but uncertainly guessed at For by the several accounts of Authors there are at least twenty years difference whilest some measure the time from the AEra others from another amidst so great variety I have thought fittest to follow the most received Opinion which makes the Entrance of the Saxons to be about the year of our Lord 448 or 449 and the Actions of German in this Island in the year 431 to 447 in which time both his Expeditions are included Neither let any wonder that being the Saxons came not before the year 448 and German is reported to have defeated that Nation before the year 447 how this can possibly be reconciled since I have said before that it was no new thing for the Saxons to make Incursions into this Island long before they were invited hither by publick Authority Yet that the Reader may not be
shape of a Sea-monster with a Mans-head especially to such miserable folks as are just upon the brink of drowing And they report that some being taken out of the water dead were found with their Noses red just as if some body had violently suckt blood from them and hence it is a common saying Nicken haffuer sugit hannom Nicken hath suckt him Mara was their night-Hagg which used to torment them in their sleep hence they said Maren rider ham the Mare rid him and to this day some superstitiously take the Disease called Ephialtes or the oppression of the Chest for a Witch or Goblin and call it the Night-Mare Hence came the word Mar to signifie a Disease in general Taufana whether a God or Goddess is uncertain This Idol is mentioned by Tacitus whose Temple upon the confines of the Marsians was destroyed by the Romans Caesar saith he to the end that the waste and spoil of the Country might spread wider divided his greedy Legions into four Bodies for the compass of fifty mile together with Fire and Sword he made havock of all not sparing either Sex or Age. All things sacred and prophane were levelled with the Earth and amongst them the most famous Temple of Tanfane Lipsius upon this place i thinketh the Etymology of the word may be fetched from Taenfunk signifying the beginning of all things But this as being too far fetched is generally rejected Loccenius writeth thus Tanfana seemeth to be derived from Tan or Than signifying in the German Tongue a Firr-tree and fahn or fan in the old Gothoteutonick a Lord. In the Hymn of the Blessed VIRGIN written in old Language by Bonaventure Vulcanius and published at Leiden it is found thus Miki Leid sai waia menia fan i. e. My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and in the Song of Simeon Fra Leitai scalck teinana fraugmond fan Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace Lord. Martianus Capella lib. 11. de nuptiis Philologiae Mercurii saith They are called Panes Fauni and Fanes c. who inhabit Woods Forrests Groves Lakes Fountains and Rivers upon which place Grotius ex Glossis Isiodori thus observeth Fones are Gods of Woods the Goths would write them Fanes or Faanes Therefore Tanfana mentioned by Tacitus seemeth to have been nothing else but the Patron or Lord of some Grove The Romans would call him Sylvanus or Mars because he presided over Woods and was thought to drive away Wolves and secure Fences And Lucius and Johan Frensheinius will have it Diana And this Reason is further added because the Temple of Tanfana stood in a Grove between Amisia and Luppia in Westphalia as its scituation is described by Cluverius Now that the Grove was of Firr may very probably be gathered from the importance of the word which kind of Trees without doubt were anciently more abounding in Germany than now adaies when the ground was not so well cultivated Nor was it an unusual thing in other Nations to fetch the names of their Gods from particular Trees and especially Groves So Jupiter of the Romans was called Fagitalis from a Grove of Beech-trees consecrated to him as Pliny writeth Thus Loccenius But this derivation seemeth not satisfactory upon the account that the Ancients worshipped their Fawns and Satyrs and such like Gods that presided in Woods and Groves not in that high manner as we may gather Tanfana was worshipped To such petty Deities they erected only Altars of Turf and such like materials and offered Fruits and Spices upon them And when we read of Jupiter Fagitalis or Viminalis or the like we must not understand by them was meant the chief Thunderer but take them for some Vejoves or little Jupiters who for such small Offices they were imployed in were contented with a wooden Statue and once a year a Garland Had Tanfana been such a God or Goddess only certainly Tacitus would not as he doth so particularly make mention of him for whereas he passeth over all other Sacred places he especially recordeth this Temple of Tanfana giving it the title of CELEBERRIMUM TEMPLUM the most famous Temple so that we may rather take him for some great Divinity and so indeed his name importeth for as Fan signifieth Lord so doth Tan or Thane Great Mr. Sheringham giveth another account of it I had rather saith he interpret Tanfan the God of Lots from the Saxon word Tan signifying a Lot And this interpretation seemeth more congruous because the Antient Saxon's who possessed Westphalia and the Countries adjoyning used especially to decide their affairs by Lots and he refers us to Somner's Saxon Dictionary upon the word and the Saxon History of Bede concerning their election of Captains by Lot And that this was a very Ancient custome of the Germans in general Tacitus who writ of this very Tanfan taketh notice They used also casting and drawing Lots very much their way of proceeding was plain they cut down a Branch from some Tree that bare fruit and then cleft the same into little slips and after they had distinguished them with different notches they scattered them helter-skelter upon a white Cloth If it were a Publick Consultation the Priest of the City if a Private the Master of the Family first praying to the Gods and with eyes lift up to heaven took each of them up three times and then interpreted them according to the mark set before upon them By this description it is scarce to be doubted but Tanfan was their God of Lots to whom they addressed themselves to interpret future Events and perhaps it was to him they payed their Vows a Custome mentioned by* Sidonius when they drew out every tenth Captives by Lot and hung them up upon a Tree or if this strangling of Captives was performed to the honour of Woden according to his own institution yet the particular determining of the party most acceptable might be the peculiar office and imployment of Tanfan Tan properly signifies a twig or slip and by a Metonimy a Lot made of a Twig or as Tacitus hath it the Branch of a Fruit-bearing tree In the Laws of Friesland Tit. 14. there is one yet extant concerning the manner of Casting Lots which it seems continued in use after Christianity it self some few circumstances only varied but the name of Tan whereby they called their Lots still exactly preserved The Law runs thus The Lots ought to be after this manner Two slips cut off from a Branch which slips are called Taenes one signed with the sign of the Cross the other unmarked being wrapt up in a clean Cloth are to be laid upon the Altar or on some Relicks and the Priest if any be present or for want of one some young Child may take one of those Lots from the Altar in the mean time prayers are to be made to God If those seven who have sworn concerning Manslaughter committed have sworn true that he should shew it by some evident token If
FACIUNDUM CURAVIT These Roman Inscriptions testifie she was highly worshipped in Germany but I believe she was not first brought thither by the Romans but as may be gathered from 〈◊〉 by the Phaenicians upon the Sea Coasts of Belgium or else by this OSIRIS King of Egypt who entred into Germany with an Army as far as the Danube This expedition as Diodorus Siculus relates he left inscribed upon a Monument which he thus translated into the Greek Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am OSIRIS who led an Army into every Region as far as the uninhabitable Countries of the Indians and those lying to the North as far as the fountains of the River Isther If this be true we need not seek far to know how the Gods of the Saxons and Romans came to be many of them the same having both of them the AEgyptians for their Masters ISIS saith Aventinus after the slaughter of her Husband and death of her Son came into Germany to Gambrivius whom the Germans esteem the first Inventer of Ale whom she taught the use of Corn and how to sow thresh and grind it and how to make Bread of it and possibly to Her Gambrivius owed the Invention of Ale likewise for we read in Herodotus that a drink made of Corn was first found out in AEgypt And this may suffice to have spoken of the Gods of the Saxons HAving finished what I intend concerning their Religion in the next place we come to treat of their Civil and Military Customes Some were of greater Antiquity as being derived from the first beginnings of their Nation before they came from Asia Of this sort I shall only touch of a few because I desire to hasten to those times that more nearly relate to our selves They had a Custome which afterwards spread over all Germany not to begin Battel until they had consulted with their Wives whom they chose for that purpose whether by Lot or other presages they found it convenient to fight or no thus Tacitus who also giveth the reason For saith he they think that in Women there is a kind of Sanctimony and foresight so that they disdain not their Counsel nor neglect their Answers Caesar when he made War with Ariovistus King of the Nations living upon the Rhine as himself declareth in his Commentaries understood by some Runagates that his Enemies were advised by a certain sort of Cunning Women not to give Battel before the New Moon a time very much observed by our Ancestors which when he had learned and knew to be the way of those Countries he forced them to Battel and this Stratagem grounded upon the superstition of his Enemies so prevailed that Ariovistus though attended with four hundred thousand sighting men was quite discomfited and put to flight Clemens Alexandrinus writeth thus There are saith he among the Germans a sort of Women which are called Holy who observing the heads of Rivers and the sound and rolling of Water-falls guess at and foretel things to come These permitted them not to fight with Caesar until the New Moon These Women were called by the Saxons Adeltuns the reason of their name I have given before how that it sprang from the Runic or Magick way of writing invented by Woden The Gauls called them Alirons and Aventinus giveth this description of them The Cimbrians had a kind of Women that used to foretel things to come whom in their Country Language they called Alirones These being girt about with brass girdles or belts bare-footed and gray-haired with a linnen Tunick and white Vest which was under neath fastned with brass-buttons running among the Tents with naked Swords fell among the Captives and striking them flat to the ground drew them along to brass Cauldrons then lifting them up cut their Throats and by the blood that fell into the Cauldron foretold the event of War Others opening their Bellies by their bowels interpreted Victory In the midst of fighting they used to be at the Skins which covered their Carts so quick and hard that they would yield a fearful and horrid drumming The Saxons did not reckon time by Years but by Winters so likewise the Age of their life and this Custome they continued after Christianity it self Mr. Sheringham produceth an old Saxon Manuscript wherein the Age of our Saviour Christ is so computed which for the sake of them who love to search into the ancient Customes of our Ancestors I will set down word for word out of him Se haelend Crist syddan he to ê§ysum life com mann Æ¿aearð geÆ¿eaxen Ãara he Æ¿aes þrittig þintra eald on þaere menniscnysse ða began he þondra þircenne geceas ê§a tê§elf leorningcnihtas þa ðe Æ¿e apostolas hatad This Saviour Christ after he had come into this World and was grown up when he had lived in his Humanity thirty winters he began to work Miracles and then chose 〈◊〉 twelve Disciples whom we call Apostles They likewise counted their time not by Daies but by Nights and we at this day say a Sennight and Fortnight not Sevendaies and Fourteendaies And the reason of their counting by Nights and not by Daies might arise from that high superstition they had of the Moon whose Increase and Wane they observed in the beginning of Actions of the highest concern They used to engrave upon certain squared Sticks saith Verstegan but whence he had it I know not the course of the Moons of the whole Year whereby they could alwaies certainly tell when the New Moons Full Moons and Changes should happen as also their Festival daies and such a Carved stick they called Al-mon-aght that is to say Al-mon-heed to wit the regard or observation of all the Moon 's and hence saith he is derived the name of Almanac This derivation is like many others of the same Author carrying a World of seeming Invention and pure Ignorance for who knoweth not that Almanac is an Arabick composition from which Language also we borrow many other terms in Astronomy as Nadir and Zenith and in Chimistry the words Alchimy Alembic all made up of Greek words with the Arabick particle Al. They made Leagues and Friendships in blood Thus Hading Son of Gran King of Denmark entered into Society with Liser the Pyrate as Saxo writeth The ancient Danes When they made a League used to bedaub their foot-steps with blood sprinkled on them strengthening the Obligation of friendship with the mutual mixture of their blood by which Method Liser and Hading being knit together in the strictest Bonds of Amity proclaimed War against Loker Lord of the Curetes This Custom the Getes in all probability brought out of Scythia with them for we read it was the Customs of the Scythians as is plainly seen in Lucian's Dialogue inscribed Toxaris or Friendship wherein Toxaris is introduced thus speaking As soon as we have cut our fingers and dropped the Blood into a Bason and dipped the top of our Swords in it and then
were brought Answer was made that they came out of the Isle of Britain the People whereof were as well-favoured to see unto Then he asked again whether those Islanders were Christians or enshared still with the Errors of Paganisin To which it was answered they were Painims but he fetching a long deep sigh from his very heart root Alas for pity quoth he that the foul Fiend and Father of Darkness should be Lord of so bright and lightsom faces and that they who carried such grace in their Countenances should be void of the inward Grace in their hearts and souls Once again he desired to understand by what name their Nation was known They made answer that they were called Angli And well may they be so named quoth he for Angel-like faces they have and meet it is that such should be fellow-heirs with Angels in Heaven But what is the name of that Province from whence these were brought Answer was made that the Inhabitants of the said Province were called DEIRI Deiri quoth he they are indeed De irâ eruti that is delivered from anger and wrath and called to the mercy of Christ. How call you the King of that Province saith he Answer was made that his name was Aelle Then he alluding to the name said that Allelu-jah should be sung in those Parts to the praise of GOD the Creator Coming therefore to the Bishop of the Roman and Apostolical See for himself as yet was not made Bishop he intreated that some Ministers of the Word should be sent into the English Nation by whose means it might be Converted to Christ and even himself was ready to undertake the performance of this work with the help of God in case it would please the Apostolical Pope that it should be so BENEDICT who then sate in the Chair of Rome readily heard and joyfully embraced so charitable a motion and Gregory encouraged by the leave of that Pope undertakes the Journey himself but he was not gone far but the Roman Citizens who for his holiness of Life and sincerity of Doctrine looked on him as their chiefest stay and comfort by earnest supplications and passionate requests obtained his Revocation who thus put by his so much desired enterprize nevertheless continued his ardent endeavors for this great work of Conversion which he had means to perfect afterwards when for his great Merit he was advanced to a higher capacity of acting For after the death of BONIFACE being chosen his Successor he pitcht upon Augustine for his chief Instrument in this work a Man of whose endowments for such a Ministry he was sufficiently satisfied as having together with an Austere sanctity of life the spirit and courage of an Apostle and whom by preferment he had nearly engaged to himself having made him Provost of his own Monastery at Rome Augustine thus qualified sets on for his Journey but the Monks who were to attend him and over whom he was created Abbot whether by the disswasions of others who represented the danger of their Journey or discouraged by their own Fears draw off from the enterprize and send back Augustine in the name of all to desire Gregory to release them from a Mission which was likely to be not only dangerous but ineffectual as to a Nation fierce and barbarous and a Language they understood not And this is the occasion of the following Epistle wherein Gregory encourages them to proceed in the work of Conversion which I have set down and many others because they shew the unwearied diligence and vigilant care of that great Pastor to remove all Obstacles that might hinder and to improve all Advantages to help on so necessary and charitable an undertaking THE British EPISTLES OF GREGORY the GREAT GREGORY Bishop servant of the Servants of GOD To the Servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. He exhorts those that go from Britain to be terrified with no difficulties whatsoever but bring to perfection what they had happily begun BEcause it is better not to begin good things than after they are begun negligently to give them over it concerns you my Dearest Children with God's assistance to endeavour an accomplishing that Good work which lately you have undertaken neither let the tediousness of your Journey or the tongues of Evil men any waies affright you but with all vehemency and zeal put an end to those things God being your guide which you have already begun knowing that the greatness of your Labours shall be attended with eternal glory In all things humbly obey Augustine your Governour at his return whom we have made Abbot over you knowing how abundantly it will profit your own Souls If any thing shall be compleated by you according to his advice Almighty GOD protect you with his Grace and grant that I may see the fruits of our labour in an Eternal Country And although I cannot labour with you yet I hope I shall be rewarded together with you because I am willing to labour * God have you safe in his keeping my Beloved Children Given the tenth of the Kalends of August our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus being Emperour in the fourteenth year after the Consulship of the said Lord the thirteenth year Indiction the fourteenth i. e. in the year of our Lord 596. Observations upon this Epistle Those things in the preceding Epistle which follow this mark * I find not in the old Gregorian Register but are annexed here by us according to the Copy of that Epistle in Bedes Eccl. Hist. lib. 1. cap. 23. The Author of the Register hath every where omitted the Inscription of these Dates to the great damage and injury of the Curious Searchers of Antiquity In Bede there follows another Epistle of Gregory the Great not found in the Register The Reverend Pope sent Letters saies he by the same Persons meaning Augustine and his Companions to Etherius Archbishop of Arles that he would courtcously entertain Augustine going for Britain of which this is the stile GREGORY servant of the Servants of GOD To our most Reverend and Holy Brother and fellow Bishop Etherius That he would courteously receive Augustine and his Companions ALthough Priests having Charity pleasing to God need not the commendation of any other Religious person yet because time hath fitly presented it self we have taken care to send our Letters to your Brotherhood signifying that we have sent thither Augustine the servant of God and Bearer of these Presents with other servants of God for the benefit of Souls whom 't is very necessary your Holiness should readily assist with a Sacerdotal care and speedily afford him what comforts you can and that you may the willinglier favour him we have enjoyned him particularly to declare the cause of his Journey hoping that that being known you would for God's sake seriously endeavour the business requiring it their benefit and welfare Gregory the Great To Candidus the Priest going to the Patrimony of Gaul To whose care he commends the Patrimony
of St. Peter in Gaul and that out of it he should buy English Boys and clothes for the Poor GOing forward with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ to the government of the Patrimony which is in Gaul we would that your charity out of the mony it shall receive provide clothes for the Poor and English Boys that are about seventeen or eighteen years old who being put into Monasteries may do God good service in regard the mony of Gaul which in our Land cannot justly be expended may be laid out to advantage in its proper place But if you shall receive any thing out of the Revenues which are said to be taken away we will also that out of those clothes be provided for the Poor or as we said before Boys who may be instrumental in the service of Almighty God But because they are all Pagans that are found thereabouts I will that a Priest be sent over with them lest any sickness happen to them on the way that they may be Baptized when he finds them ready to die So let your Charity act and make hast to fulfil these things Gregory the Great To Palladius Bishop of Xanton To Pelagius of Tours and To Serenus of Marseilles Fellow Bishops of Gaul To whom he commends Augustine whom he had sent into England ALthough Priests having charity pleasing to God need not the commendations of any other Religious person yet because time has fitly presented it self we have taken care to send our Letters to your Fraternity signifying that we have sent thither Augustine the Servant of God and Bearer of these presents with other Servants of God for the benefit of Souls whom 't is very necessary your Holiness should readily assist with a Sacerdotal care and speedily afford him what comforts you can and that you may the willinglier favour him we have enjoyned him particularly to declare the cause of his Journey hoping that that being known you would for God's sake seriously endeavour the business requiring it their benefit and welfare Gregory the Great To Virgilius Bishop of Arles and Metropolitan of Gaul He commends Augustine to him whom he had sent into England to propagate the Gospel ALthough we are confidently assured that your Brotherhood is alwaies intent upon good works and ready at any time of its own accord to interest it self in causes pleasing to God yet we thought it not altogether unprofitable to speak to you out of a Brotherly charity that the comforts which ye ought out of your own good natures freely to have afforded stirred up by these our Epistles might be increased in a greater measure We therefore declare to your Holiness that we have dispatched hither Augustine the servant of God and Bearer of these presents whose zeal and diligence is well known to us with other Servants of God for the welfare of Souls as he when he comes into your presence can testifie in which business it is necessary that you assist him with both Counsel and Supplies and cherish him as it behoves you with your Paternal and Sacerdotal consolations For when he shall have obtained those comforts from your Holiness if it is any thing available as we doubt not to promote the cause of God you also shall receive your reward who so piously afforded the benefit of your assistance for the promoting of good works Gregory the Great To Desiderius of Vienna and Syagrius of Augustodunum Fellow Bishop of Gaul He commends Augustine to them WE shall entertain a good opinion of the sincere charity of your Brotherhood if out of love to St. Peter Prince of the Apostles you bestow it in relieving our Servants since the nature of the cause requires it in which of your own accord ye ought rather to wish to be fellow-labourers and partakers We therefore declare to your Holiness that we have sent hither God so ordering it Augustine the servant of God Bearer of these presents whose zeal and diligence is well known to us with other Servants of God for the cure of Souls when you shall understand exactly from his own Relation what is enjoyned him your Brotherhood may in every thing the business shall require with more readiness assist him that you may be counted as is meet the furtherers of good works therefore in this thing let your Brotherhood study to manifest the demonstrations of its affection that the good opinion we have already entertained of you by hearsay may receive a further confirmation in us of you by your works Gregory the Great To Arigius a Noble man of Gaul To whom he commends Augustine HOw much goodness and how much meekness with charity pleasing unto Christ is shining in you we are certainly informed from Augustine Servant of God Bearer of these presents and we give Almighty God thanks that hath given you these gifts of his grace by which you may appear praise-worthy amongst men and in his sight which is truly profitable glorious We beseech therefore Almighty God that these gifts which he has so freely granted you he would multiply and take you and all yours into his protection and that he may so order the manner of your glory in this life that it may be beneficial to you here and what is more to be wished in the life to come Greeting therefore your Honour we desire with a Fatherly tenderness that the Bearer of these presents and the Servants of God that are with him may find in those things that are necessary your assistance since they will be the better able through God's help and the benefit of your favour to perform those things that are commanded them Gregory the Great To Theoderick and Theodebert Kings of the Frankes concerning Augustine Servant of God sent to the English Nation AFter that Almighty God had adorned your Kingdom with a pure and upright Faith and by the integrity of the Christian Religion had made it eminent above other Nations we conceived great grounds of presuming that you would especially have desired that your Subjects should be converted to that Faith in which you are Kings and Lords over them And indeed there came to our hands the earnest Petition of the English Nation God commiserating their condition to be converted to the Christian Faith but your Priests their Neighbours wholly neglect it and are much wanting by their Exhortations in seconding their desires For this cause therefore we have carefully sent thither Augustine servant of God Bearer of these presents whose zeal and diligence is well known unto us with other Servants of God whom we have enjoyned to take some of the neighbouring Clergy along with them to know their minds and with their Admonitions as much as in them lies further their willingness in which thing that they may prove effectually able with a Fatherly charity saluting your Highnesses we desire that these whom we have sent may merit your favour and because 't is a business of Souls may your Power protect and
strengthned by whose Passion we are delivered from passion by whose Love we sought Brethren in Britain whom we knew not and by whose courtesie whom not knowing we sought we have found Who is able to relate how great the joy is that is arose in the hearts of the Faithful that through the Grace of Almighty God cooperating and your Brotherhood labouring the darkness of Errors being driven away the English Nation is covered over with the glorious light of holy Faith that now out of a sincere mind and pious devotion it tramples on those Idols to which before it madly croucht to that it prostrates it self before God with a pure heart that it is restrained from relapsing into sin by the rules and instructions of holy Preaching that it submits in mind to the Divine precepts but raised in understanding humbles it self in prayer on the ground lest in affections it should grovel in the earth Whose working is this but His that saies My Father hitherto works and I work Who that he might make it manifest to the World that he converts not by the wisdom of Men but by his own vertue and power The Preachers whom he sent into the World he made choice of without learning using the same method here also for in the English Nation he has wrought mighty things by the hands of weak Persons But there is my Dearest Brother something in this celestial gift which you ought extremely both to fear and rejoyce at †I know that Almighty God has shewn great Miracles by you in the Nation he would should be chosen from whence it is necessary that concerning the same heavenly gift you with fear rejoyce and with joy be afraid You may rejoyce that the Souls of the English through outward Miracles are drawn to an inward grace you ought to be afraid lest among the Miracles that are wrought your frail mind be puffed up too much by presumption and self-confidence so that outwardly raised in honour it inwardly falls through such vainglory Moreover we ought to remember that when the Disciples returning from preaching with joy said to their Heavenly Master Lord in thy name Devils are subject unto us they presently heard Rejoyce not for this but rather rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven They had placed their mind in a temporal and private joy because they rejoyced in Miracles but they are streight recalled from a private to a publick from a temporal to an eternal joy to whom it is said In this rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven For all the Elect don't work Miracles but the Names of them all are registred in Heaven to the Disciples of truth there ought to be no joy unless in that good which they have common with all and in which they have no end of their joy It remains therefore My Dear Brother that among those things which with the help of God you outwardly perform you alwaies inwardly strictly judge your self and particularly examine your self who you are and how great Grace there may be in that Nation for whose Conversion you have received the gift of performing Miracles and if ever you remember that you have offended our Creator either by word or deed alwaies bear it in mind that the remembrance of the guilt may suppress the rising glory of the heart and what power soever of working Miracles you shall receive or have received alwaies think it given not for your sake but for those for whose salvation 't was conferred upon you †There comes into my mind thinking of these things what became of one Servant of God even extraordinarily elected Certainly Moses whilst he brought the People of God out of Egypt wrought wonderful Miracles as your Brotherhood knows in the land of Egypt on Mount Sinai after he had fasted fourty daies and nights he received the Tables of the Law amongst dreadful Thunderings all the People being afraid In the service of Almighty God he alone enjoyed a familiar conference with Him the Red-Sea he divided in his Journey his guide was a Pillar of Cloud When the People were hungry he gave them Manna from heaven he miraculously gave them Flesh when they wanted in the Wilderness till they were cloyed but when in the time of Thirst they came to the Rock he mistrusted and doubted whether he could bring water from it which the Lord commanding he struck and opened a passage for the running water How great Miracles after this did he persorm in the Wilderness for the space of thirty eight years who can reckon them who can trace them as often as he doubted of any thing having recourse to the Tabernacle he secretly inquired of the Lord and was presently informed by the word of the Lord concerning that thing By the interposition of his prayers he appeased the Anger of the Lord towards his people when they were puffed up with pride or rebelled against him He caused the earth to open and swallow them up he foyled the Enemy with victories and shewed signs to his own People but when they came to the land of Promise he was called into the Mountain and heard of his fault that he had committed thirty eight years before because he despaired of bringing out water and he acknowledged that for this thing he could not enter into the land of Promise wherefore we ought to consider what a dreadful thing the judgment of Almighty God is who had done so many signal Wonders by this his Servant and yet kept his fault committed so long ago still in remembrance Therefore most Dearest Brother if we acknowledge him dead after so many Miracles for his fault whom we know to have been in a more especial manner elected by God Almighty with how great fear ought we to tremble who know not whether as yet we are elected What should I speak of the Miracles of Reprobates since your Brotherhood knows very well vvhat Truth it felf hath said in the Gospel Many shall come in that day saying unto me Lord in thy name we have Prophesied and in thy name we have cast out Devils and in thy name we have done wonders But I will say unto them I know ye not depart from me all you workers of Iniquity Therefore the mind is very much to be depressed and kept under amongst Signs and Miracles lest in those things it should seek its own glory and rejoyce in the joy of self exaltation In Miracles we ought to have respect to the gain of Souls and to his glory by whose power those Miracles are wrought but our Lord has given us one sign concerning which we ought extremely to rejoyce and by which we may acknowledge the glory of Election in us By this it shall be known whether you are my Disoiples if you love one another which sign the Prophet desired when he said Grant some token unto me O Lord for good that they that hate me may see and be confounded I speak these things that my Hearer's mind
Convension Destroy the worship of Idols raze their Temples establish the Manners of your Subjects in the great Purity of good living by exhorting terrifying encouraging correcting and by showing the Examples of Good works that you may find him your Rewarder in Heaven whose name and knowledg you shall extend upon Earth for he shall make your Name more glorious to Posterity whose Honour you endeavour to advance and preserve in your Nation So formerly Constantine a most Pious Emperour freeing the Roman Commonwealth from the preverse worship of Idols submitted himself and It to our Almighty LORD Jesus Christ and applied himself and his Subjects with his whole mind unto GOD from whence it came to pass that he transcended his Predecessours as much in Fame as he exceeded them in good works And now therefore let your Majesty make all possible haste to disperse the knowledg of one GOD the Father Son and Holy Ghost to Kings and their Subjects that you may in commendation and merit pass the Ancient Kings of that Nation And by how much you endeavour to wipe away the sins of others by so much you may rest more secure of your own offences before the dreadful examination of Almighty God Our most Reverend Brother Augustine Bishop well taught in the rules of Monastick life filled with the knowledg of the Holy Scripture and endued through God's grace with good works whatsoever he shall advise you willingly hear devoutly perform and carefully lay up in your memory because if you shall hear him in that which he speaks for God Almighty the same Almighty God will the sooner hear him intreating for you But if which God forbid you should neglect his words when do you think Almighty God will hear him for you whom you neglected to hear for God With all your mind therefore joyn your self with him in the fervency of Faith and assist him relying on that power which God has given you that he may make you partakers of his Kingdom whose Faith you have received and endeavoured to preserve in your Kingdom Furthermore we would that your Majesty should understand that as we know in Sacred Writ out of the words of our Almighty Lord that the end of this present World is at hand and that the Kingdom of the Saints shall come of which there shall be no end But the end of the World drawing near many things shall happen which before were not viz. alterations of the Air terrours from Heaven and contrary to the course of Seasons Tempest Wars Famine Pestilences Earth-quakes in divers places all which shall not come to pass in our daies but all of them shall certainly follow our daies If therefore you shall find any of these things happen in your Land let your mind in no sort be disturbed because these signs concerning the end of the World are therefore sent before that we should be careful of our Souls mistrustful of the hour of death that we may be found in good works prepared for the Judg at his coming These things I have spoken to you in short Most Excellent Son that when the Christian Faith shall be increased in your Kingdom my discourse also may be inlarged towards you then 't will be more proper to speak more when the joyes for the perfect conversion of the whole Nation shall be multiplied in your breast We have sent you also some small Presents which will not be small unto you when you shall receive them from us with the benediction of the blessed Apostle Peter Almighty God preserve and perfect in you that Grace he hath begun and extend your life to the course of many years and after long time receive you into the Congregation of his Heavenly Country Let the Grace of Heaven my Royal Son keep your Highness safe Given the tenth of the Kalends of July in the nineteenth year of our Lord Mauritius Tiberlus Augustue Emperour after the Consulship of the same eighteenth year Indiction the fourth i. e. in the year of Christ 161. Gregory To Virgilius Bishop of Arles He commends to him Bishop Augustine HOW great kindness ought to be shewn to Brethren coming of their own accord may be gathered from hence that to shew our charity they are most commonly invited by us and therefore if it should so fall out that our common Brother Bishop Augustine should come unto you let your charity as it ought receive him with all tenderness and affection and cherish him with the benefits of your consolation and teach others how fraternal charity ought to be respected And because it falls out that those that are furthest off commonly are informed first of what ought to be corrected if he shall make mention to your Brotherhood of any enormities committed either by Priests or others sitting with him by diligent search and scrutining examine all things and behave your selves so strict and careful in those things that offend God and provoke him to anger that for the example and amendment of others punishment only may strike the guilty and that false judgment afflict not the innocent Given the tenth day of the Kalends of July Indiction the fourth Bede after this saich Afflict not the Innocent here in the end and so goes on God keep you safe Most Reverend Brother Given the tenth day of the Kalends of July our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus being Emperour in the nineteenth year after the Consulship of the said Lord the eighteenth year Indiction the fourth i. e. in the year of Christ 601. Gregory To Melltus Abbot in France He gives Command to be sent to Augustine about the conversion of that Nation AFter the departure of our Congregation which is with you we were in great suspence because we could hear nothing of the happiness of your Journey but when it shall please Almighty God to bring you to our most Reverend Brother Bishop Augustine tell him I have a long time carefully considered of the condition of the English and am of opinion that the Temples of the Idols in that Nation ought by no means to be destroyed but only the Idols themselves that are in them Let holy water be provided and sprinkled about those Temples let Altars be built and Reliques kept in them For if those Churches are Elegantly built it is necessary they should be taken from the worship of Devils and appropriated to the service of the true God that whilst the people see their Churches are not destroyed they may put away their Errors from their hearts and knowing and worshipping the True God may more familiarly resort to those places they were wont to frequent And because many Oxen were wont to be slain in the sacrifice of Devils some other solemnity ought to be introduced instead of it that on the day of Dedication or Birth-day of the Holy Martyrs whose Reliques are there laid up let them make Arbors to themselves of the Branches of Trees about those Churches that were formerly Temples and let them celebrate the
solemnity with Religious Banquets Neither let them any longer sacrifice Beasts to the Devil but to the praise of God let them kill those Creatures for their own eating and in their fulness give thankes to the Giver of all things that whilst there are left them some inward tokens of Rejoycing they may the easier be brought to the inward Joyes of the Spirit For to wean obdurate minds from all things on a sudden without doubt is impossible He that endeavours to climb on high it is necessary he should rise by degrees and paces not by leaps so the Lord made himself known to the children os Israel in Egypt the customary Sacrifices which they were wont to offer to the Devil he reserved in his own worship that by his command they should offer living creatures in his sacrifice Forasmuch as their hearts being changed they lost somethings of the sacrifice and retained others so that although they were the same creatures they were wont to offer nevertheless offering them to God and not to Idols they were not the same Sacrifices These things I would have your charity to declare to our aforesaid Brother that he for the present being placed there may consider how all things ought to be ordered Given the twelsth day of the Kalends of July Indiction the fourth God preserve you safe my Dearest Son given the fifteenth day of the Kalends of July in the nineteenth year of our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus Emperour after the Consulship of the said Lord the eighteenth Indiction the fourth i. e. in the year of Christ 601. Gregory To Augustine Bishop of the English Of the use of the Pall and of the Church of London ALthough 't is certain that the inexpressable Rewards of an eternal Kingdom are reserved for those that labour in the service of God yet it is necessary that we should allow them the Ensigns of Honour that by such Rewards they may be encouraged the more abundantly to labour in Spiritual works and because the late Church of the English through the mercy of our Lord and your diligence is brought to the grace of Almighty God we grant you the use of the Pall in that Nation but for only celebrating the solemnity of the Mals so that you ordain through all places twelve Bishops that shall be under your Jurisdiction Forasmuch as the Bishop of the City of London shall alwaies hereafter be consecrated by a Synod of his own and receive the honour of the Pall from this holy and Apostolick See in which through God's grace I serve I will also that you send a Bishop to the City of Tork whom you shall think fit to be ordained so that if the same City with the bordering places shall receive the Word of God let him also ordain twelve Bishops that he may also enjoy the honour of a Metropolitan because we intend God willing to bestow on him in like manner the Pall if he is of a meek and courteous behaviour whom nevertheless we will that he submit to the Authority of your Brotherhood After your death so let him preside over the Bishops he shall Ordain that by no means he submits to the power of the Bishop of London But hereafter let this distinction of Honour be between the Bishops of London and York that he be accounted first that was first ordained Let them with common counsel and joynt action order whatever ought to be done for the love of Christ let them unanimously agree in the Right and whatsoever they agree on not by contradicting one another bring to perfection Let your Brotherhood therefore have in subjection under you not only those Bishops whom you have ordained or those that shall be ordained by the Bishop of York but also all the Clergy of Britain our Lord God Jesus Christ being the Author forasmuch as from the life and doctrine of your Holiness they may receive the form of rightly believing and living well and may by executing their office with a sincere Faith and good Manners when the Lord shall please attain to an Heavenly Kingdom The Lord keep you safe Most Reverend Brother Given the tenth day of the Kalends of July our Lord Mauritius Tiberius Augustus being Emperour in the nineteenth year after the Consulship of the said Lord the eighteenth year Indiction the fourth that is in the year of Christ 601. THE LIFE OF S t AUGUSTINE The first Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY Written in Latin by Sr. Henry Spelman IT would be needless to use many words concerning this Augustine his Life and Actions after he was sent by GREGORY to convert the English plainly appear in the following discourse But what and who he was before little concerns us He was a Roman I think by Birth and a Monk of the Benedictine Order and was afterwards made Provost of St. Gregory's Monastery at Rome as you may understand from the Epistle of St. Gregory himself to Syagrius Bishop of Augustodunum Called forth from thence by Gregory he is sent into Britain with sourty Monks his Companions and others of the Clergy over whom he made him Abbot in the year of our Lord 596 and in the year 597 arriving in Britain he converted to the Faith Ethelbert King of Kent and the greatest part of his People whom on the day of Pentecost he Baptized in the Church of St. Martin at Canterbury which had continued from the time of the Romans till then The same year afterwards he went to Arles where he was by Etherius Arch-Bishop of that City who was so commanded by Gregory ordained the Arch-Bishop of the English the sixteenth of the Kalends of December in the City of Arles Returning to Fngland he was received by both King and People with all imaginable Joy and soleninity besttting his Quality and had the Royal City of Canterbury bestowed upon him by the King for an Episcopal See and the Kings Palace for a Cathedral Church to be erected unto Christ so that the King seemed to imitate what is reported to have been done by the Emperour Constantine the Great Being ordained Bishop he consulted St. Gregory by Messengers and Questions of the form of Government to be imposed on the Church he had lately established amongst the English Saxons The Answers he received we will set down a little below Soon after he was honoured by the same Gregory with the Pall by which the fulness of Power is signisted in the year viz. of Christ 601. Being then Metropolitan of Britain he summons a Councel in the borders of Worcestershire that he might be something nigher the British Clergy and Bishops at that time residing in Wales to which he warned them to appear the place of Session appointed was Augustine's Ac that is Augustine's Oaks where being assembled Augustine demands from them Obedience to the Bishop of Rome and the Reception of the Roman Ceremonies into the British Church The Britains stiffly opposed this and after the business had been a long time controverted on both sides
another Synod or Session was agreed on where a greater number of the British Clergy were present amongst them seven Bishops The old Controversie is again renewed but when Augustine found that he was likely to gain no further he desired they would but conform to him and the Romans in three things only 1. In the observation of Easter 2. In the administration of Baptism 3. In assisting him with their preaching to the English Saxons But they suspecting the pride of Augustine would not bondescend to him in these things neither Lamentable was the event of this Assembly which shall be related when we come in order to the place for the British Church differed in many things from the Roman as appears out of Gildar and Bede and this following discourse Concerning the Manners of Augustine I shall determine nothing he is blamed by our Age and extolled by Antiquity They report him to have been learned pious and an Imitator of Primitive holiness the Apostle of the English often in watchings fastings prayers and alms zealous in propagating the Church of his Age and of Religion and earnest in rooting out Paganism The first Introducer of Roman Monks and other Rites and Ceremonles in repairing and building Churches diligent enough and for working Miracles extraordinary famous From hence by reason of humane frailty his mind perhaps grew more lofty and proud which thing St. Gregory himself seemed to take notice of who admonished him by an Epistle that he should not be puffed up with the greatness of his Miracles He is ill spoken of for the Massacre of the Priest of Bangor and not without a cause if as is reported he excited King Edilfrid to that horrid slaughter Concerning him thus Câ—â—grave in his Life St Augustine was by stature very tall so that he appeared from the shoulders above the rest of the people his face was lovely but majestical withal there 's no body can relate the Wonders and Cures he did among the People He alwaies walked on foot and most commonly he visited his Provinces bare-footed and the skin on his knees was grown hard and insensible through continual kneeling Concerning the time when he died the opinions of Authors are many so that which to fix on is uncertain Stow makes it the 29 of May in the year of Grace 603 Bede in the year 604 Augustine himself in his Leaden Bull if it be truly his cites a Character of King Ethelbert dated the year of our Lord 605 from which 't is manifest that he was then living Thomas Sprot relates that he held a Councel at Canterbury in the year 605 Matthew 〈◊〉 Westminster following Segthert saies that he died in the year of Grace 608 Howden in the year 610 Trevet and Polydore in the year 611 Malmsbury in the year 612 and Savil in Fastis in the year 613. How long therefore he governed the Church of Canterbury so great is the disagreement of Writers that I date not determine any thing concerning it But it appears manisest enough that he began in the year of our Lord 596 in which he was sent by St. Gregory or in the year 597 in which he was received by King Ethelbert and ordained Bishop of Canterbury by Etheriâ—â—s Arch-Bishop of Arles 'T is agreed on that he was buried in a Monastery of his own name which he had built with the assistance of King Ethelbert and in the Porch of that Church dedicated to St. Peter and Paul but not as yet consecrated in a stone Coffin covered over with Iron and Lead with this Inscription Inclytus Anglorum Praeful pius Decus Altum Hîc Augustinus requiescie corpore sanctus The Church afterward being consecrated by Lawrence his Successor his Coffin was brought into the Church and placed on the North side where afterwards was an Altar of his name and this Inscription affixed Hîc Requiescit AVGVSTINVS Dorobernensis Archiepiscopus qui olim huc à Beato Gregorio Romae Urbis Pontifice directus à Deo operatione miraculorum suffultus Ethelbertum Regem gentem illius ab Idolorum cultu ad fidem perduxit completis à pace diebus officii sui Defunctus est 7. Kal. Junii eodem Rege Regnante He was Canonized for a Saint and now holds a place in the Roman Martyrology on the seventh day of the Kalends of June i. e. the 26 day of May. He is said to have written one Book to Gregory of his prosperous success and one Book of the Statutes of his Churches and Eleven Questions which Gregory Answered lib. 12. Tom. 2. which Bede also relates lib. 1. cap. 37. Hist. Angl. Augustine arrives in England is courteously received of Ethelbert King of Kent he imitates the life and doctrine of the Primitive Church he baptizes the King and is honoured with an Episcopal Seè. Bede lib. 1. cap. 25. AUgustine being strengthned by the encouragement of Blessed Father Gregory returns with the rest of the Servants of Christ that were with him to the work of the Word and comes into Britain Edilberth at that time was the most powerful King of Kent who had extended the bounds of his Empire to the Banks of the great River Humber by which the Southern and Northern people of England are separated There is towards the Eastern part of Kent the Isle of Tanet of indifferent bigness the compass of it according to the usual computation of the English is six hundred Families which the River Vantsum parts from the Continent in breadth about three surlongs and in two places omy fordable for it runs its head both waies into the Sea Here landed Augustine the Servant of the Lord with his Companions as is reported about fourty in number they had taken along with them Interpreters of the French Nation as Pope Gregory had commanded them Being arrived he sends to Edilberth giving him to understand that he came from Rome and had brought good tidings with the proffets of Eternal happiness to them that would receive them and an Everlasting kingdom after this life with the true and living God The King hearing this commanded that they should tarry in the Island they had landed in and that all necessaries should be afforded them till he had determined what to do with them for he had heard of the Christian Religion before having married a Christian Wise of the Royal Family of the French by name Bertha whom he had received from her Parents on this condition that she should have free exercise of Religion and liberty to have a Bishop by name Luidhard whom they had given her as an assistant and strengthner of her faith The King after some daies past came to the Island and sitting down in the open Air commanded that Augustine and his Companions should be brought into his presence thither for he feared to admit them into any House being perswaded by his old Superstition that if they brought with them any Charms or Incantations they could not so easily work upon him
Augustine A SYNOD called by Augustine first Archbishop of Canterbury by the assistance of Ethelbert King of Kent to Augustine's Ac a place in Worcestershire There being present besides Augustine and his Roman Clergy seven Bishops and many British Doctours to wit in two Sessions in which Augustine first demands obedience to the Church of Rome afterwards that the Britains be conformable to the Romans in three things 1. In celebrating of Easter 2. In the administration of Baptism 3. In the preaching with him to the English-Saxons AUgustine by the power of King Ethelbert called to a Conference the Bishops or Doctors of the greatest and next adjoyning Province of the Britains to a place at this very day in the English tongue called Augustineizac i. e. Augustine's Oak in the confines of the Wiccians and South-Saxons where he began to perswade them with a Brotherly admonition that regarding the peace of the Catholick Church they would unite their endeavours to his in the common Preaching to the Nations for they did not keep the Lord's day of Easter at its due season but from the fourteenth to the twentieth day of the Moon which computation is contained in the circle of eighty four years Moreover they observed many things contrary to the unity of the Church who when after a long disputation could not be brought either by the prayers exhortations or threats of Augustine and his Companions to yield their assent but rather valued their own Traditions above all the Churches In the World under Christ. Holy Father Augustine put an end to this long and difficult Controversie saying We beseeth God which makes us to dwell in the house of his Father with one accord that he would be pleased to inspire us with his heavenly gifts that we may know what Traditions are to be followed which waies we ought to take to enter into his kingdom Let some sick person be brought and by whose prayers he shall be cured let his faith and labours be looked 〈◊〉 most pleasing to God and as fit to be embraced by all men which when his Adversaries though unwillingly assented to there was one brought of the English Nation that was deprived of the light of his eyes who after he had been set before the British Priests and could receive no help or cure from their ministery at length Augustine compelled thereunto by a just necessity bended his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ beseeching him that he would restore to the Blind the sight he had lost and that by the bodily enlightning of one man he would cause the light of his spiritual Grace to arise in the hearts of all the Faithful Neither was it long before the Blind was enlightned and Augustine cried up by all the true preachers of heavenly light Then the Britains confessed that they themselves indeed thought that to be the'true way of Righteousness which Augustine preached but that they could not lay aside their Ancient customes without the consent and free leave of their whole Nation Whence they desired that there might be another Synod called to which more might come which when it was agreed on there came as is reported seven British Bishops and many Learned men from their famous Monastery which in the English tongue is called Bancornaburg over which at that time Abbot Dinoth is said to have presided who a little before their going to the aforesaid Councel went first to a certain Man both holy and wise who led an Anchorite's life among them They asked him whether they should lay aside their Traditions at the preaching of Augustine who made answer If he is a man of God follow him they said how shall we know this he replied The Lord saies take my yoke upon you for I am meek and humble in heart if therefore Angustine be meek and humble in heart it is credible that he himself beareth the yoke of Christ and offereth the same to be born of you But if he be cruel and proud it appeareth that he is not of God neither ought ye to take care what he saith They said again but how shall we make a discovery of that he said Contrive it so that he and his come first into the place of the Synod and if he shall rise up to you as you come near know ye that he is the Servant of Christ and obediently hear him but if he shall despise you nor rise up to you when ye are more in number let him be slighted by you also They did as he had said and it sell out that Augustine as they drew near sate still in his Chair which when they saw they grew presently angry accusing him of pride and endeavoured in all things he said to contradict him He said unto them Ye do many things contrary to our custome and that of the Catholick Church nevertheless if ye will obey me in these three things That ye celebrate Easter in its proper time That ye perform the ministery of Baptism by which we are born again to God according to the custome of the holy Roman and Apostolick Church That ye preach the Word of God together with us to the English Nation as for the other things which ye do although contrary to our customes we will quietly tolerate them all But they made answer that they would do none of those things neither would they acknowledge him for an Archbishop discoursing therefore among themselves they said If he would not just now rise up unto us how much more when we are subject to him will be then condemn us as nothing To whom Augustine the Man of God is reported thus threatningly to have Prophesied If ye will not accept of peace with your Brethren ye are like to accept of war from your Enemies and because ye would not preach the way of life to the Nation of the English ye shall suffer by their hands the punishment of death which in every thing the divine Judgment concurring was performed as he had foretold for a little after Edilfrid the strongest King of the English having gathered together a great Army about the City of Chester which by the English is called Legacester but truer by the Britains Carlegion he made a great slaughter of that Nation but when he was going to give the Onset he espied Priests of theirs who were come thither to intreat God for the success of the Army standing apart on a place of advantage he asked who they were and for what business they had met there Most of them were of the Monastery of Bangor in which there is reported to have been such a number of Monks that when the whole Monastery was divided into seven parts with their Rulers that were set over them no part contained less than three hundred Men all which got their living by the labour of their hands Many of these therefore after a Fast of three daies came with some others merely on the account of Prayer to the aforesaid Army having one
it as high a piece of Courtship to conform to the present way of worship their old Idolatry and now again revived Superstition In vain did Lawrence Successor to Augustine in the See of Canterbury endeavour by diligent preaching to stop the tide of this Apostasie for preferment at Court and the Countenance of the Prince drew more Proselites to Heathenisin than the good lives and examples of constant Professours could keep true and sincere in the maintenance of the Gospel But he was not long unpunished for whether workt by the strength of Education which suffereth not without violence principles well grounded to be rooted up or whether indeed as is related possessed with an evil Spirit he fell into soul fits of phrenzy and distraction the convulsions of the mind and often torments of an evil Conscience And now whilst in human appearance there seemed no hopes of amendment it so fell out that by extraordinary means he became penitent The story goes that Lawrence finding his labours ineffectual was resolved to retire into France and follow Justus and Melitus the one expelled London the other Rochester for the Apostasie was now spread wide into the Country of the East-Saxons also being at his devotions the night before his intended departure in the Church of St. Peter that Saint appeared to him and to make the Vision more sensible gave him many stripes for offering to desert his Charge the marks of which the next morning being shewn to the King with the cause why and the person from whom they were received so wrought upon his fancy already prepared that immediately forsaking his Incestuous life he embraced again the Christian Religion and became as zealous a Professour as he had been a violent Persecutor Though it should seem by the following Epistle of Pope Boniface that Justus not Laurentius was his Converter The Epistle of Boniface V. To Justus late Bishop of Rochester now Successor of Melitus in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury To our most Beloved Brother Justus Boniface sendeth Greeting WIth what devotion and watchfulness your Brotherhood hath laboured for the Gospel of Christ not only the tenour of your Letter directed to us hath manifested but the granted accomplishment of your undertaking For neither hath Almighty God forsaken the Obligation of his Name or the fruit of your Labour in what he faithfully promised to the preachers of the Gospel Behold I am with you even to the end of the World Which his clemency hath particularly shewn in your ministery opening the hearts of the Gentiles to receive the singular mystery of your preaching for with a great reward and the assistance of his goodness he hath illustrated the delightful course of your proceedings whilst of the Talents committed unto you by a faithful improvement rendring him a plentiful increase he hath prepared for you to lay up by multiplying the kind And this also is conferred on you by that retribution who constantly persisting in the ministry laid upon you with a commendable patience wait for the redemption of that Nation and that they might be profitable to yours their salvation is begun The Lord saying Whosoever shall endure to the end the same shall be saved Ye are saved therefore by a patient hope and the strength of forbearance that the hearts of unbelievers being purged from the natural disease of Superstition might obain the mercy of their Saviour For having received an express from King Eadbald our Son we find with how great knowledge in holy teaching your Brotherhood hath brought his mind to a true conversion and the belief of our undoubted faith Upon which occasion having a certain assurance of the continuance of the divine Clemency we believe that by the ministry of their preaching will follow not only the full conversion of those under his command but of the neighbouring Nations also Since as it is written The recompence of your works accomplished shall be given by the Lord the Rewarder of all good things And it may truly be effected that the sound of them hath gone throughout the whole earth and their words to the ends of the earth by an universal confession of Nations professing the Christian Faith Polydore Virgil relates that hereupon he was Baptized but it seemeth strange that Ethelbert so Religious a Prince had neglected that pious office to his Son and as for re-baptizing in case of Heresie or Apostasie it had been long before condemned in the Church After his conversion he re-called Melitus and Justus from banishment and built a Chappel within the Monastery of Peter and Paul at Canterbury He reigned twenty four years and by Emma daughter of Theodebert a French Prince had two Sons Ermenred and Ercombert Ermenred died before his Father and left a Daughter Dompnena and two infant Sons behind him Ethelred and Ethelbert but the Kingdom required a man to govern it Ercombert the younger Son succeeded his Father ERCOMBERT ERCOMBERT notwithstanding his elder Brother's Sons were living took possession of the Kingdom What he wanted in Right he made out in good Government being reported a most Religious and Christian King The Saxon Idols yet standing he utterly demolisht and commanded the Fast of Lent to be universally observed but he is noted by some for not restoring at his death the Kingdom to his Nephew whose undoubted Right it was But leaving two Sons behind Egbert and Lothair whom he had by Sexburg the daughter of Anna King of the East-Saxons it fell to them successively He reigned twenty four years EGBERT EGBERT the eldest Son of Ercombert after his Father's death obtained the Crown but conscious that the right of Inheritance lay in his Uncle's Sons Ethelred and Ethelbert to secure himself he dispatcht them both casting their bodies into a River that their murther might not be known but they were afterwards by the stream cast up upon the shore and discovered by the next Inhabitants who in great veneration for before they were esteemed Saints and now Martyrs interred their bodies and built over them a little Chappel or Oratory Their bones were afterwards removed and laid in the Abby of Ramsey in Hantshire Their Sister Dompnena married to Merwald a Mercian Prince founded the Abby of Minster in Kent wherein saith Stow she became the first Abbess Mr. Cambden placeth that Abby in Sheppy and saith it was founded by Sexburga Wife of Ercombert To make amends for this Murther he gave to the Mother of these Princes part of Tanet wherein to build and Abby His ill-gotten Power was but short reigning only nine years he left behind him two Sons Edric and Wigtred but his Brother Lothair seized the Kingdom In his days the Province of Kent was divided into Parishes by Theodorus not Honorius Arch-bishop of that See as Mr. Speed falsly accounteth who placeth also this Action in the days of Ercombert LOTHAIR LOTHAIR taking the advantage of the Minority of his Nephews stept into the Throne but he enjoyed it not in Peace
day of the Sabbath which ye do who will not celebrate it upon the first day of the Sabbath Peter solemnized the Lord's day of Easter from the sisteenth Moon till the twenty first which ye do not who observe the Lords day of Easter from the fourteenth to the twentieth Moon so that on the thirteenth Moon at Evening ye often begin Easter Neither did our Lord the Author and giver of the Gospel eat the old passover on that day but on the fourteenth Moon at Evening or deliver the Sacraments of the New Testament to be celebrated in Commemoration of his Passion also the twenty first Moon which the Law especially commends to our Observation ye utterly reject in the celebration of your Easter so that as I said before ye neither agree with John nor Peter Law or Gospel in the solemnizing the great Festival To these things Colman answered Did Anatholius a holy man and much commended in the sore-mentioned Church History think contrary to either Law or Gospel who writ that Easter was to be kept from the fourteenth to the twentieth Is it to be imagined that our most reverend Father Columba and his Successors men beloved of God either thought or acted any thing contrary to Holy Writ When there were many amongst them of whose heavenly Holiness the wonders and powerful Miracles they wrought have given sufficient Testimony who as I ever thought them to be Holy men so I will never desist from following their times manners and discipline Then Wilfrid 'T is evident said he that Anatholius was a man very holy learned and praise-worthy but what does that concern ye when ve do not observe his Decrees for he in his Easter following the Rule of Truth set forth a Circle of nineteen years which ye are either ignorant of or else utterly contemn if ve acknowledg it to be kept by the whole Church of Christ. He in the Lord's Easter so reckoned the fourteenth Moon that he acknowledged that on the same day after the manner of the Egyptians to be the fifteenth Moon at evening so he observed the twentieth day for the Lord's Easter but so that he believed that the day being done to be the one and twentieth of which rule of distinction he proves thee ignorant because sometimes ye plainly keep your Easter before the full Moon that is on the thirteenth Month. As concerning your Father Columba and his Followers whose sanctity ye say ye will imitate and whose rules and precepts confirmed by heavenly signs ye are resolved to follow I might Answer when many at Judgment shall say to the Lord that they have prophesied in his Name and cast out Devils and wrought many wonders the Lord will answer that he never knew them But far be it from me that I should speak this of your Fathers since 't is more reasonable of uncertain things to entertain good thoughts than bad for which reason therefore I do not deny them to be the Servants of God and beloved by God who out of an innocent simplicity and a pious intention love God Neither do I think such an observation of Easter to be much prejudicial to them as long as no body comes among them that can shew decrees of a better institution which they may follow who nevertheless I believe had some Catholick Calculator better instructed them would have followed those things which they knew and had learned to be the Commands of God You therefore and your Associates if you despise to follow the decrees of the Apostolick See when you have heard them nay of the Universal Church and those confirmed by Holy writ without doubt ye sin What though your Fathers were holy are the paucity of these in a corner of the farthest Island to be preferred before the Universal Church of Christ over the World What if this your Columba and ours too if he be Christ's was holy and powerful in Miracles ought he to be preferred before the blessed Prince of the Apostles to whom the Lord said thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and to thee will I give the Keys of the kingdom of Heaven After Wilfrid had thus spoken the King said Colman is it true that these words were spoken by the Lord to Peter Who answered True O King Then said he Have you any thing that you can bring to prove so great power was given to Columba but he said No we have not The King again said Do both you agree without any controversie on this that these words were principally spoken to Peter and the Keys of the kingdom of Heaven were given him by the Lord They both answered Yes Then the King thus concluded And I say unto you because he is the Door-keeper I will not contradict him but as far as I know and am able I desire to obey his commands in all things lest perchance I coming to the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven there be no body to open he being turned aside whom you have proved to hold the Keys After the King had said thus both those that sate down and those that stood great and small assented so that the less perfect Institution being abandoned every one made haste to apply themselves to those things they thought better The Dispute being ended and the Assembly dismist Agilbert returned home Colman seeing his Doctrine slighted and his Party despised taking along with him those that were resolved to be of his sect i. e. they that would not admit of the Catholick Easter and shaving of the Crown for there was no little question about that returned into Scotland to treat with his Party what he should do in the business Chad leaving the tract of the Scotish Doctrine returned to his See as acknowledging the observation of the Catholick Easter This Disputation fell out in the year of the Incarnation of our Lord 664 the twenty second year of King Oswy and the 30th year of the Bishoprick of the Scots which they had born in the Province of the English The wife of Oswy was Eanfled Daughter of Edwin King of Northumberland after the death of her husband she spent her daies in the Monastery of Streanshalch where she deceased and was interred in the Church of St. Peter in the same Monastery The Issue of King Oswy by Eanfled was this Elwin was slain in a battel against Ethelred King of the Mercians Elfled the eldest Daughter at a year old according to the Vow of her Father was committed to Hilda Abbess of Streanshalch to be bred up in Religion where she was afterwards Abbess and was buried in the Church of St. Peters in that Monastery Offrid the younger Daughter was married to Ethelred King of Mercia His natural Issue Alkfrid who succeeded Ethelwald in Deira came at last to the whole Crown of Northumberland Alkfled married to Peada Son of King Penda she is taxed by most Writers for the death of her Husband EGFRID
EGFRID eldest Son of King Oswy by his wife Eanfled succeeded his Father in the Kingdom A Prince as he is reported of an unquiet disposition His first wars were with Ethelred King of Mercia who had married his Sister with whom encountring by the River Trent he lost great part of his Army and his Brother Elswin a youth generally beloved who amongst the thickset was there unfortunately cut off Greater bloodshed had like to have ensued had not Theodorus Archbishop of York interposed and took up the quarrel so that a sum of mony being paid to Egfrid for the loss of his Brother the business was happily concluded His next wars were with the Irish a Nation saith Bede harmless and great friends to the English These he unprovoked furiously invades making no distinction between things holy or profane but with fire and sword laid waste the Country and buried it in the Ruines of its Cities Temples and Monasteries The Irish on the other side used no other weapons but Prayers and as my Author has it bitter Imprecations which may be supposed at last to have reached Heaven it self for the next year against the counsel and earnest perswasion of his sagest Friends and especially Cudbert the Bishop going to wars against the Picts he was trained into narrow straits by the Enemy and there cut off with most part of his Army This was so great a blow to the English that not only the Scots and Picts who before durst not look beyond their own Country but the Britains also began to bear up for Liberty and yearly to gain upon their old enemies This King took to wife Ethildrith Daughter of Anna King of the East-Angles she had been wife to Eunbert Prince of the Gervii a Nation lying in the Fens but notwithstanding marriage had kept her Virginity Nor did her second Nuptials with a King make her in the least alter her resolution and though invited to his Bed sometimes by passionate entreaties otherwhiles by perswasions of her friends who were made privy to it yet she continued obstinate contrary to the Apostle's Rule the dictates of Nature it self which at one time abhors communion and separation and against the Laws of common prudence and civility And all this to pursue an extravagant chastity and a purity of living against all other obligations whatsoever however she be cannonized St. Andrey of Ely where it seems leaving her Husband she ended her daies ALKFRYD ALKFRYD the natural Son of King Oswy during the Reign of his half Brother had retired into Ireland where he was well instructed in the Liberal Sciences and as Bede saith exceedingly well read in the Scriptures Advanced to the Crown he wore it with much prudence and moderation but the bounds of his Kingdom were much straitned by the inroads of the Picts and encroachments of the Britains But what he wanted in extent of Dominion he made up in the prudent management of what he had He married Kenburg Daughter of Penda the Mercian by whom he had an only Son that succeeded him he ruled twenty years OSRED OSRED the Son of Alkfrid was eight years of age when he came to the Crown but he was no sooner grown up to any ripeness but he gave himself to all viciousness of life committing Incest with veiled Nuns for which his wife Cuthburga weary of her own dishonour sued a divorce and built a Monastery at Winburn in Dorsetshire where she ended her daies But Osred lived not long after her departure for he was slain by his own Relations Kenred and Osric in the eleventh year of his Reign KENRED KENRED descended from Ida by a Bastard-line and succeeded Osred in the Kingdom of Northumberland his Reign is short being only of two years continuance during which time he left nothing memorable behind him OSRIC OSRIC Reigned ten years without memory of Acts Parentage Wife or Issue CEOLNULF CEOLNULF the Brother of Kenred Ruled the space of eight years when changing his Crown for a Cowl he turned Monk in Lindisfarn or Holy Island yet he proved none of the severest for he brought his Brethren from Milk and Water to drink good Wine and Ale bringing along with him good store of provisions and great Treasures by Simeon and all as the same Author writes to follow poor Christ. To him Bede dedicates his History but writes no more of him but that the beginning and process of his Reign met with many troubles and that the conclusion of them was doubtfully expected And this is the time of Peace so much commended by the foresaid Author when Princes Queens and Nobility forsaking their charges and other duties incumbent run themselves into Monasteries striving who should be foremost as if no salvation was to be obtained but in Cells and Cloysters His Brother was Archbishop of York and there founded a stately Library EGBERT EGBERT Nephew to King Ceolnulf succeeded in the Kingdom Whilst he was in wars against the Picts Ethelbald the Mercian taking advantage of his absence invaded part of Northumberland but upon what account or how revenged is not related In these Pictish Wars Egbert subdued Kyle and brought the Countries adjacent to it under his obedience Afterwards in the year 756 he joyns battel with Unust King of the Picts besieged and took by surrender the City Alcluith now Dunbritton in Lennox from the Britains of Cumberland and ten daies after lost his whole Army about Niwanbirig when resolving to lay down his Government though intreated to the contrary by his Subjects and Neighbouring Princes who profered to make good to him his losses by surrendring great Territories to him after the example of his Uncle turned Monk when he had Reigned twenty years About these times happened two extraordinary Eclipses one of the Sun in September Anno 733 the other of the Moon Anno 756. OSWULF OSWULF Son of Egbert succeeded his Father but in the same year was slain of his Servants at a place called Mikelwoughten ETHELWALD ETHELWALD sirnamed Mollo after the death of Oswulf was advanced to the Crown In his third year he fought a great battel at Eldune by Melros slew Oswyn a great Lord who rebelled against him and gained an absolute Victory but three years after he was slain by Alcred who succeeded him ALCRED ALCRED descended in the fifth degree from Ida King of Bernicia after the murther of his Soveraign seized the Kingdom of Northumberland In the fourth year of this King's Reign Cataracton now Catarik in Yorkshire a famous City in the time of the Romans was burnt to the ground by one Arnred a Tyrant who the same year came to the like end I should think that this Arnred might be Alcred did not others report that he Reigned five years Afterwards when driven out by his Subjects with a few Attendants he fled first to Bebba a strong Castle in those parts thence to Kinot King of the Picts He left Issue Osred who afterwards came to be
Christians For this King at first as is said was a great Persecutor of that way and if Fame belye him not after his conversion none of the sincerest Christians For the Bishoprick of London he sould to Wini who had been driven out of Winchester by Kenwalch the Saxon King But however this Simony be blameable in Wulfer yet he afterwards made amends in sending Jerumannus a painful Bishop to recover the East-Saxons who had fell from the Christian Religion into open Idolatry ETHELRED ETHELRED the Brother of Wulfer obtained next the Kingdom for Kenred the Son of Wulfer was put by upon what Account is not recorded His first Actions were the recovery of Lindsey and other Territories adjoyning which his Brother had lost to Egfrid King of Northumberland Afterwards he turned his Arms upon Kent wasted that Country sparing neither Church or Monastery and sacked the City of Rochester notwithstanding what resistance Lothair could make against him Putta their Bishop was forced to fly into Mercia where he sustained his old age by teaching School But Ethelred after thirty years Reign weary of the cares of Government retired to a Monastery at Bradney which himself had built and to make amends for his Injustice he restored the Crown to Kenred his Nephew though he had a Son of his own of Age able to succeed him His Wife Ostrid was slain by her own Subjects as Bedes Epitome Records Florence names them South-Imbrians but tells not the occasion of such horrid Treason KENRED KENRED having received the Crown from his Uncle Ethelred held it but four years when desirous to return to his private Life he commended the care of Government to Kelred the Son of Ethelred and in company of Offa the Son of Siger the East-Angle King and Edwin Bishop of Worcester went to Rome in the time of POPE Constantine the first where he and his Royal Companion were both shorn Monks and ended their days KELRED KELRED the Son of Ethelred by the Resignation of Kenred came to the Crown of Mercia in the year 715 he had an encounter with Ina King of the West-Saxons at a place called Wodnesburg in Wiltshire the success whereof is left doubtful Mr. Speed in his succession of English Monarchs treating of this Kelred gives him high commendations as a Prince beloved of his Subjects for his Vertues and much lamented by them at his death Thus he dresseth him up whom he will needs have to be the fourteenth Monarch but as his custom is without the least shew of Authority nay absolutely against it For we read in an Epistle of Boniface Archbishop of Mentz written to his Successor Ethelbald and yet extant that he was a defiler of Nuns and a breaker of the Priviledges of the Church And he admonisheth that Prince by his example to beware of such ossences lest they bring him into the same destruction For Kelred one day sitting at a Feast with his Nobles in the midst of his jollity was taken with an evil Spirit which worke him into high fits of distraction so that mad and raging he talked wildly by himseif and refusing the comforts of the Ministry and Saeraments finally died in despair of his salvation ETHELBALD ETHELBALD of the Royal blood succeeded Kelred not unlike him in his exorbitant life as the same Epistle of the Archbishop of Mentz doth witness but reclaimed in the end by that and other good advices he proved an excellent Prince Aften the death of King Ina the West-Saxon he so managed his affairs that all on this side Humber was intire at his Command He besieged and took the Town of Somerton about the year 740. And whilst Eadbert King of Northumberland was taken up in his Putish wars he entered his Country in his absence as the supplement of Bede's Epitome Records testifie Afterwards he waged War with Cuthred the West-Saxon newly come to his Crown whom he often engaged with inter changeable success But at last coming to a Peace they joyn both their Forces and invade the Welch whom in a great battel they overthrow But in the year 752 Cuthred the West-Saxon falling again at variance with him they sought another battel at Borford now Burford in Shropshire and a year after at a place called Secundune now Seckinton eight miles from Tamworth in Warmickshire He was slain as Huntington reporteth by the same Prince others say he was murthered in the night by his own Guards through the Treason of Beornred out of ambition to succeed him In this King's Reign at a Synod held at Gloveshow by Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury it was ordained among other things that the Lord's day should be carefully observed that the reading of the Holy Scriptures should be generally used in Monasteries that the Creed and Lord's Prayer should be taught in the English tongue and that publick Supplications should be made for Kings and all in Authority BEORNRED BEORNRED having trayterously slain King Ethelbald stept into the Throne himself about the year 754 but he enjoyed not long his ill-gained Honour for Offa the next of the Royal Family having for some time lain concealed until he could unite his Interest at length came upon him and in a set battel slew him after he had held the Kingdom by Usurpation for the space of two years or thereabouts as may be most probably calculated OFFA OFFA at the death of Beornred was received by the universal consent of his People and advanced to the Crown of his Ancestours He proved the Greatest that ever swayed this Scepter but though he often gave fair strokes for the whole Monarchy of the Island yet he was never able to compass that design His first enterprize was against the Hestings a neighbouring People whom he quickly subdued and added to his own Dominions Next he invades Kent and slaies their King Alric at a place called Ottenford then recalled by the West-Saxon King he engages with him at Besington where he wins the day and the Town for which they contended And now to add Treachery to his Conquests he invites Egilbert King of the East-Angles to his Court with fair promises of his Daughter in marriage whom no sooner come but he beheads ' and then seizeth his Kingdom But the baseness of this action blunted his Sword and we never after find him the same man as before so that the remaining part of his life will be spent in recounting his satisfactions Pilgrimage and such other deeds To expiate this murther he gave the Tenths of all he had to the Church and great possessions to the Church of Hereford where Egilbert was buried He caused the Reliques of St. Alban to be enshrined in a Cask of Gold set with precious Jewels and to the Martyr himself gives Lands and Tenements the Ancient demesns of his Crown He took a Journy to Rome to the Colledge of English there he gave a yearly Pension and a Tribute to the Pope through all his Dominions for which he