Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	ancient_a	church_n	faith_n	1,854	5	5.2308	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14916	Ancient funerall monuments within the vnited monarchie of Great Britaine, Ireland, and the islands adiacent with the dissolued monasteries therein contained: their founders, and what eminent persons haue beene in the same interred. As also the death and buriall of certaine of the bloud royall; the nobilitie and gentrie of these kingdomes entombed in forraine nations. A worke reuiuing the dead memory of the royall progenie, the nobilitie, gentrie, and communaltie, of these his Maiesties dominions. Intermixed and illustrated with variety of historicall obseruations, annotations, and briefe notes, extracted out of approued authors ... Whereunto is prefixed a discourse of funerall monuments ... Composed by the studie and trauels of Iohn Weeuer.	Weever, John, 1576-1632.; Cecil, Thomas, fl. 1630, engraver.	1631 (1631)	STC 25223; ESTC S118104	831,351	907

VERA EFFIGIES IOHANNIS WEEVER AETATIS SVAE 55. ANNO 1631. Lanchashire gaue him breath And Cambridge education His studies are of Death Of Heauen his meditation Stipendium peccati Mors. Gratia Dei vita aeterna per Dm. N. I. Chr. Primus Adam de terra terrenus Secundus Adam Dominus de Coelo Vt in Adamo omnes moriuntur Ita in Christo omnes viuificabuntur Hic iacet Sunt nisi praemissi quos perijsse putas Mors haec reparatio vitae est ANCIENT FVNERALL MONVMENTS WITH IN THE vnited Monarchie of Great Britaine Ireland and the Ilands adiacent with the dissolued Monasteries therein contained their Founders and what eminent persons haue beene in the same interred As also the Death and buriall of certaine of the Bloud Roiall the Nobilitie and Gentrie of these Kingdomes entombed in forraine Nations with other matters mentioned in the insuing Title Composed by the Trauels and Studie of Iohn Weeuer Spe labor leuis London Printed by Tho HARPER M.DC.XXXI And are to be sold in Little Britayne by Laurence Sadler at the signe of the Golden Lion T. Cecill sculp ANCIENT FVNERALL MONVMENTS WITHIN THE VNITED MONARCHIE OF GREAT Britaine Ireland and the Islands adiacent with the dissolued Monasteries therein contained their Founders and what eminent Persons haue beene in the same interred AS ALSO THE DEATH AND BVRIALL OF CERTAINE OF THE Bloud Royall the Nobilitie and Gentrie of these Kingdomes entombed in forraine Nations A worke reuiuing the dead memory of the Royall Progenie the Nobilitie Gentrie and Communaltie of these his Maiesties Dominions Intermixed and illustrated with variety of Historicall obseruations annotations and briefe notes extracted out of approued Authors infallible Records Lieger Bookes Charters Rolls old Manuscripts and the Collections of iudicious Antiquaries Whereunto is prefixed a Discourse of Funerall Monuments Of the Foundation and fall of Religious Houses Of Religious Orders Of the Ecclesiasticall estate of England And of other occurrences touched vpon by the way in the whole passage of these intended labours Composed by the Studie and Trauels of IOHN WEEVER Spe labor leuis LONDON Printed by THOMAS HARPER 1631. And are to be sold by Laurence Sadler at the signe of the Golden Lion in little Britaine TO THE SACRED AND IMPERIALL MAIESTIE OF OVR DREAD SOVERAIGNE THE MOST MAGNIFICENT ILLVSTRIOVS AND PVISSANT MONARCH CHARLES BY THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE IRELAND AND MANY ILANDS KING THE MOST POWERFVLL PROTECTOR OF THE FAITH THE MOST ROYALL PATRON PRESERVER AND FOSTERER OF THE VNDOVBTED RELIGION OF IESVS CHRIST THE PATTERNE OF TRVE PIETIE AND IVSTICE AND THE PRESIDENT OF ALL PRINCELY VERTVES HIS HIGHNESSE MOST LOWLY AND MOST LOYALL SVBIECT IOHN WEEVER IN ALL HVMILITY CONSECRATETH THESE HIS LABOVRS THOVGH FARRE VNWORTHY THE VIEW OF SO RESPLENDANT A GREATNESSE THE AVTHOR TO THE READER HAuing seene iudicious Reader how carefully in other Kingdomes the Monuments of the dead are preserued and their Inscriptions or Epitaphs registred in their Church-Bookes and hauing read the Epitaphs of Italy France Germany and other Nations collected and put in print by the paines of Schraderus Chytraeus Swertius and other forraine Writers And also knowing withall how barbarously within these his Maiesties Dominions they are to the shame of our time broken downe and vtterly almost all ruinated their brasen Inscriptions erazed torne away and pilfered by which inhumane deformidable act the honourable memory of many vertuous and noble persons deceased is extinguished and the true vnderstanding of diuers Families in these Realmes who haue descended of these worthy persons aforesaid is so darkened as the true course of their inheritance is thereby partly interrupted grieuing at this vnsufferable iniurie offered as well to the liuing as the dead out of the respect I bore to venerable Antiquity and the due regard to continue the remembrance of the defunct to future posteritie I determined with my selfe to collect such memorials of the deceased as were remaining as yet vndefaced as also to reuiue the memories of eminent worthy persons entombed or interred either in Parish or in Abbey Churches howsoeuer some of their Sepulchres are at this day no where to be discerned neither their bones and ashie remaines in any place to bee gathered Whereupon with painefull expences which might haue beene well spared perhaps you will say I trauailed ouer the most parts of all England and some part of Scotland I collected the Funerall Inscriptions of all the Cathedrall Churches of the one and in some of the other and euer by the way gathered such as I found in Parochiall Churches I likewise tooke view of many ancient Monuments not inscribed demanding of the Church officers or others the inhabitants for whom such and such Tombes or Sepulchres were made and erected which was told me according to that truth which was deliuered vnto them by tradition after all this scrutinie finding so few or none at all in many Churches time the malignitie of wicked people and our English profane tenacitie hauing quite taken them away for lucre sake I was altogether discouraged to proceede any further in this my laborious and expencefull enterprise vntill I came casually into the acquaintance of my deare deceased friend Augustine Vincent Esquire Windsor Herald keeper of the Records in the Tower who perswaded me to goe forward as I had begun and withall gaue me many Church-Collections with diuers memorable Notes and Copies of Records gathered by himselfe and others and by his meanes I had free accesse to the Heralds Office to write out such antiquities as I could there finde for my purpose But aboue all I am most bound to loue the foresaid Vincents memory for that he made me knowne to that honourable Gentleman Sir Robert Cotton Knight and Baronet who forthwith apprehending the scope and drift of this my Argument his generous disposition being alwaies ready to afford his best furtherance to other mens industrious labours gaue me his able directions and withall lent me out of his inestimable Librarie such Bookes and Manuscripts as were most fitting for my vse But alas this worthy repairer of eating-times ruines this Philadelphus in preseruing old Monuments and ancient Records this Magazin this Treasurie this Store-house of Antiquities Sir Robert Cotton is now lately deceased whose excellent good parts are well conceiued in a Funerall Elegie which hath happily come into my hands and which I thinke fitting here to be inserted Viro clarissimo Roberto Cottono ab antiqua Regum prosapia oriundo Epicedium Qualis Homerus erat cuius de fonte furores Sacros hauserunt veteresque nouique Poetae Talis eras nostros inter Cottone Britannos Rerum explorator veterum Ciuilia iura Regni Magnatum molimina munia Regum Et populi nexus faustos diuortia saeua Nauigia et merces castra artes religiones Nummos structuras chartas solennia verba Et quic quid bello faceret vel pace triumphos Callebat dextrè nemo magis omnis ab illo Et tua

wherein they stood not onely vpon the words of their former crie but reading something out of a paper they went more particularly ouer the office and ca●ling of Hacket how he represented Christ by partaking a part of his glorified bodie by his principall spirit and by the office of seuering the good from the bad And that they were two Prophets the one of mercy the other of iudgement called and sent of God to assist this their Christ Hacket in his great worke These men were apprehended the same day The 26 of Iuly Hacket was arraigned and found guiltie as to haue spoken diuers most false and traiterous words against her Maiestie to haue razed and defaced her Armes as also her picture thrusting an iron instrument into that part which did represent the breast and heart For the which he had iudgement and on the 28. of Iuly hee was brought from Newgate to a gibbet by the Cro●e in Cheape where being moued to aske God and the Queene forgiuenesse be fell to railing and cursing of the Queene and began a most biasphemous prayer against the diuine Maiestie of God They had much ado to get him vp the ladder where hee was hanged and after bowelled and quartered His execrable speeches and demeanure as well at his arraignment as death vtterly distained and blemished all his former seeming sanctitie wherewith he had shroudly possessed the common people Thus you see how easily ignorant people are seduced by false new doctrines how suddenly they ●●ll from true Religion into heresie frensie and blasphemie robbing the Church of all her due rites and as much as in them lies God of his Glory which abuse of these times I leaue to be reformed by our reuerend Clergie On the next day to make an end of the Story Edmund Coppinger hauing wilfully abstained from meat and otherwise tormented himselfe died in Bridewell And Henry Arthington lying in the Counter in Woodstreet submitting himselfe writ a booke of repentance and was deliuered such was the end of these men saith mine Authour of whom the ●il●ie people had receiued a very reuerend opinion both for their sincere holinesse and sound doctrine And in the yeare 1612. Aprill 11. Edward Wightman another peruerse heretique was burned at Lichfield This Wightman would faine haue made the people beleeue that he himselfe was the holy Ghost and immortall with sundrie other most damnable opinions not fit to bee mentioned amongst Christians Yet for all this this heretique had his followers It is much to be wished that all backsliders from our Church should be well looked vnto at the first and not to runne on in their puritanicall opinions Of the Shcismatiques of those times and more especially of Martin Marprelate these Rythmicall numbers following were composed Hic racet vt pinus Nec Caesar nec Ninus Nec Petrus nec Linus Nec Coelestinus Nec magnus Godwinus Nec plus nec minus Quam Clandestinus Miser ille Martinus Videte singuli O vos Martinistae Et vos Brownistae Et vos Barowistae Et vos Atheistae Et Anabaptistae Et vos Haketistae Et Wiggintonistae Et omnes Sectistae Quorum dux fuit iste Lugete singuli At Gens Anglorum Presertim verorum Nec non qui morum Estis honorum Inimici horum Vt est decorum Per omne forum In secula seculorum Gaudete singuli A certaine Northern Rimer also made these following Couplets vpon him and his seditious Pamphlets The Welchman is hanged Who at our Kirke flanged And at her state banged And brened are his buks. And tho he be hanged Yet he is not wranged The de'ul has him fanged Is his kruked kluks His name was Iohn Penry a Welshman a penner and a publisher of books intituled Martin marre Prelate he was apprehended at Stepney by the Vicar there and committed to prison and in the moneth of May 1593. hee was arraigned at the Kings bench in Westminster condemned of Felonie and afterward suddenly in an afternoone conuaied from the Gaile of the Kings Bench to Saint Thomas Waterings and there hanged with a small audience of beholders saith Stow. CHAP. XI Of the conuersion of this our Nation from Paganisme to Christianity including generally the Foundations of religious houses in the same and the pietie in the Primitiue times both of religious and Lay persons OF the conuersion of this our Island from Paganisme to Christianity diuers authenticall Authors both ancient and moderne haue written at large a little then of so much will suffice for this present Discourse Christiana doctrina sexaginta octo plus minus annorum spacio post passionem Domini nostri Iesu Christi totum fere orbem peruagata est within the space of threescore and eight yeares or thereabouts after the death and passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Christian Religion was spread almost ouer the face of the whole world And so fruitfull and famous was this spreading of the Gospell that Baptista Mantuan a Christian Poet compares the increase thereof with that of Noah thus alledging vnto it Sicutaquis quondam Noe sua misit in orbem Pignora sedatis vt Gens humana per omnes Debita caelituum Patri daret orgia terras Sic sua cum vellet Deus alta in regna reuerti Discipulos quosdam transmisit ad vltima mundi Littora docturos Gentes quo numina ritu Sint oranda quibus caelum placabile Sacris As Noah sent from the Arke his sonnes to teach The Lawes of God vnto the world aright So Christ his Seruants sent abroad to preach The word of life and Gospell to each wight No place lay shadowed from that glorious Light The farthest Isles and Earths remotest bounds Embrac'd their Faith and ioy'd at their sweet sounds Now to speake of the conuersion of this Island out of a namelesse Authour who writes a booke De regnis Gentibus ad Christi sidem conuersis thus Prima Prouinciarum omnium sicut antiquissimi Historiarum Scriptores memoriae prodidere quorum etiam authoritatem M. A. Sabellicus inter nostrae aetatis recentiores est sequutus Britannia Insula publico consensu Christi fidem accepit The first of all Prouinces or farre countries as ancient Historiographers haue deliuered to memory whose authority M. A. Sabellicus one amongst the late writers of our age doth principally follow this Island of Britaine by common consent receiued the Christian faith The glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ saith Gildas Albanius surnamed the wise the most ancient of our British Historians which first appeared to the world in the later time of Tyberius Caesar did euen then spread his bright beames vpon this frozen Island of Britaine And it is generally receiued for a truth that Ioseph of Arimathea who buried the body of our Sauiour Christ laid the foundation of our faith in the West parts of this kingdome at the place or little Island as then called Aualon now Glastenbury where he with twelue disciples his

Supreme heed of this Englyshe Churche We yowr Gracys pore and most vnworthy Subiects Francys Priour of yowr Graces Monastery of Saint Andrew the Apostle within yowr Graces Towne of Northampton and the hoole Couent of the same being steryd by the gryffe of owr conscience vnto greate contricion for the manifolde negligence enormytes and abuses of long tyme by vs and other owr predecessours vndre the pretence and shadow of perfyght Religion vsyd and comytted to the greuous displeasure of Almyghty God the craftye decepcion and subtell seduccion of the pure and symple myndys of the good Christian people of this yowr noble Reame knowlegen owr selffes to haue greuously offendyd God and yowr Highnesse owr Soueraign Lord and Founder Aswell in corrupting the conscience of yowr good Christian subiects with vayne superstitious and other vnprofitable ceremonyes the very means and playn induccions to the abominable synne of Idolatry as in omyttyng the execucion of suche deuowte and due observaunces and charitable acts as we were boun●den to do by the promises and avowe made by vs and our predecessors vnto Almighty God and to yowr graces most noble progeni●ors orygynall Founders of yowr saide Monastery For the which obseruances and dedys of charyte only yowr saide Monastery was indowed with son●ry possessions Iewels ornaments and other goods moueable and vnmoueable by yowr graces saide noble progenitors The revenues of which possessions we the saide Priour and Couent voluntaryly onely by owr pr●pre conscience compellyd do recognyce neither by vs nor owr predecessors to haue ben emploied accordyng to the origynall intent of the Founders of yowr saide Monastery that is to saie in the pure observaunce of Chrysts Religion accordyng to the devowte rule and doctryne of holy Saint Benedict in vertuose exercyse and study accordyng to owr professyon and avowe ne yett in the charytable sustayning comforting and releiving of the pore people by the kepyng of good and necessary hospitality But as well we as others owr predecessors callyd religiouse persones within yowr said Monastery taking on vs the habite or owtewarde vesture of the saide rule onely to the intent to lead owr liffes in an ydell quyetnes and not in vertuose exercyse in a stately estymacion and not in obedient humylyte haue vndre the shadowe or color of the saide Rule and habite vaynly detestably and also vngodly employed yea rather deuowred the yerely reuenues yssuing and comyng of the saide possessions in contynuall ingurgitacions and farcyngs of owr carayne bodyes and of others the support●res of owr voluptuose and carnall appetyte with other vayne and vngodly expensys to the manyfest subvertion of deuocion and clennes of lyvyng and to the most notable slaunder of Chrysts holy Euangely which in the forme of owr professyon we dyd ostentate and openly advaunte to kepe most exactly withdrawing therby from the symple and pure myndys of yowr graces subiects the onely truth and comfort which they oughte to haue by the true faith of Christe And also the devyne honor and glory onely due to the glorious Maiestye of God Almyghty steryng them with all persuasions ingynes and polyce to dedd Images and counterfett reliques for owr dampnable lucre Which our most horryble abhominacions and execrable persuacions of yowr graces people to detestable errours and our long coueryd Ipocrysie cloked with fayned sanctite We revolving dayly and continually ponderyng in owr sorowfull harts and therby perseyuing the botomlas gulf of euerlastyng fyre redy to devowre vs if persysting in this state of lyvyng we shulde departe from this vncertayn and transytory liffe constrayned by the intollerable anguysh of owr conscience callyd as we trust by the grace of God who wolde haue no man to perysh in synne with harts most contrite and repentante prostrate at the noble feet of yowr most roiall Maiestye most lamentably doo craue of yowr highnes of yowr habundant mercy to grant vnto vs most greuous agaynst God and yowr highnes yowr most gracious perdon for owr saide sondry offences omyssyons and negligences comytted as before by vs is confessyd agaynst yowr hyghnes and yowr most noble progenitors And where yowr hyghnes being supreme hedd immediately next aftre Christe of his Church in this yowr Roialme of England so consequently generall and only reformator of all religious persones there haue full authority to correcte or dyssolue at your graces pleasure and libertye all Couents and Relygious companyes abusyng the Rewles of their profession And moreouer to yowr highnes being owr soueraygn Lord and vndoubted founder of yowr saide Monastery by dissolucion whereof apperteyneth onely the oryginall title and propre inherytance as well of all other goods moueable and vnmoueable to the saide Monastery in any wyse apperteyning or belonging to be dissposed and imployed as to yowr graces most excellent wysdome shall seme expedyent and necessary All which possessyons and goods yowr highnes for our saide offences abuses omyssyons and neglygences being to all men obedyent and by vs playnly confessed now hath and of long tyme past hath hadd iust and lafull cawse to resume into yowr graces hands and possessyon at yowr graces pleasure The resumption wherof yowr highnes neverthelesse licke a most naturall lovyng Prince and clement gouernor ouer vs yowr graces po●e and for owr offences most vnworthy subiects hath of long season differred and yet doth in hope and trust of owr voluntary reconciliacion and amendment by yowr graces manyfolde lovyng and gentyll admonyshments shewyd vnto vs by dyuerse and sondry meanys We therfor consyderyng with owr selffes your graces exceedyng goodnes and mercy extended at all tymes vnto vs most miserable trespassers against God and yowr hyghnes For a perfight declaracion of yowr vnfeyned contricion and repentance felyng owr selffes very weeke and vnable to obserue and performe owr aforesaid avowes and promyses made by vs and owr predecessors to God and yowr graces noble progenitors and to imploy the possessyons of yowr saide Monastery accordyng to the fyrst will and intent of the oryginall Founders And to the intent that yowr highnes yowr noble heires and successors with the true Christian people of this yowr graces Roialme of England be not from hensforth estsones abused with such feyned deuocion and deyllysh persuasions vndre the pretext and habyte of Relygion by vs or any other which shulde happen to bear the name of Relygyous within yowr saide Monastery And moreouer that the saide possessyons and goods shulde be no lenger restreyned from a bettyr or more necessary employment Most humble beseechen yowr highnes owr most gracyous soueraign Lord and Founder that it might licke yowr Maiesty for the discharging and exoncrating vs of the most greuous bourden of owr payned consciens to the immynent parell and danger of owr dampnacion that we shuld be in if by persisting in the state that we now rest in we shulde be the lett of a more godly and necessarie imployment graciously to accept owr free gifts withought coercion persuasion or procurement of any creature liuing other then

therefore was released of his Escuage for all his lands in Kent and Sussex which together with some of the ancient patrimony and seuen knights sees at Nethersfield in the County of Sussex are not yet alienated from this honorable family who by their paternall Ancestors and Matches are descended from many honorable houses and especially by Sir Moyle Finches Lady Elizabeth sole daughter and heire to Sir Thomas Heneage Vicechamberlaine and Councellor of Estate to Queene Elizabeth by whom she had many children and in her widdowhood receiued from King Iames the dignity of Vicecountesse of Maydestone and by King Charles was created Countesse of Winchelsey to her and to her heires Males ARCHBISHOPS OF CANTERBVRY CANONIZED SAINTS ANd first to begin with the first which was Austin the Monke famous for the many miracles which he wrought if we may beleeue the Legend Amongst which this following is said to be one Saynt Austyn entryd into Dorsetshyr giue me leaue to vse the character of my old Agon and came into a town wher as wer wycked peple and refusyd hys doctryn and preching vtterly and droof hym out of the town castyng on hym the tayles of Thornback or like fishes Wherfor hee bysought almyghty God to shew hys Iudgement on them And God sent to them a shameful token For the chyldren that were borne after in that place had tayles as it is said tyl they repentyd them It is seyd comynly that this fill at Strode in Kent but blessyd be God at thys day is no such deformyte The first of these fables is likewise written by Alexander Esseby saith Lambard and the later by Polydore Virgil who fathers it vpon Thomas Becket handling that hot contention betweene king Henry the second and Thomas Becket saith that Becket being at the length reputed for the kings enemy began to be so commonly neglected contemned and hated that when as it happened him vpon a time to come to Stroude the inhabitants thereabouts being desirous to despite that good Father sticked not to cut the taile from the horse on which he roade binding themselues thereby with a perpetuall reproach For afterwards by the will of God it so happened that euery one which came of that kindred of men which had played that naughty pranke were borne with tailes euen as brute beasts be Thus Polidore Virgils History howsoeuer if you respect the stile method and matter a good worke is blemished with this and other old wiues tales and follies For as hee was by office a collectour of the Peter-pence to the Popes gaine and lucre so sheweth he himselfe throughout by practise a couetous gatherer of lying fables fained to aduance not Peters but the Popes owne Religion kingdome and Miter saith my foresaid Author The day of the Translation was anciently kept holy the 26. day of May. The next canonized Archbishop which I finde was Honorius who was vnus ex discipulis beati Pape Gregorij vir magne reuerentie in rebus Ecclesiasticis sublimiter instructus one of the Schollers of blessed Pope Gregory a man of great reuerence and in Ecclesiasticall affaires highly instructed saith Capgraue in the life of the holy Saint Honorius propter virtutem et Euangelij predicandi studium honorandus plane et suspiciendus Honorius for his vertue and studious endeuour of propagating the Gospell throughly to be honoured and had in admiration saith Harpsfeld Many are the miracles attributed to his holinesse which were performed before vpon and after the translation of his Reliques which are needlesse to relate being like the rest of that kinde incredible The third Saint of this See in Capgraues Calender is Deus-dedit A deo datus or Deodat for before his name was Frithona so named after his election to this Archbishopricke of which a late writer thus descants in his Canto of the Catalogue of ancient English Saints Of Canterbury here with those I will begin That first Archbishops See on which there long hath bin So many men deuout as raisd that Church so high Much reuerence and haue wonne their holy Hierarchy Of which the first that did with goodnesse so in flame The hearts of the deuout that from his proper name As one euen sent from God the soules of men to saue The title vnto him of Deodat they gaue Verus erat Dei cultor vitiorum mortificator Virtutum amator verbi diuini non segnis sator c. He was a true worshipper of the euerliuing God a mortifier of vices a louer of vertues no slow vnprofitable sower of the diuine word and so forth In the like phrase much more is deliuered by Capgraue of this holy Bishop and Confessour He writ a booke of the Bishops of Canterbury his predecessour as witnesseth Pitseus That learned Priest Theodore succeeded Deodat as in seat so in Sainting Vnto this man all the British Bishops and generally all Britaine yeelded obedience first he was in his life as also in his discipline exercising the authoritie of his place wondrous seuerely Neuer before his time had England so many happy dayes nor so many learned men as vnder him and a little after Much might be said of his sanctity out of Capgraue and others but I will make an end with his end out of an old Manuscript Theodor yat was of Cawnterbury Erchbysshcoppe than and eke the hygh Prymat Of fowrscor yer of age so than did dy That twenty yer and two held that estat To grete honore and worschippe fortunat The yer of Crist syr hundryd forscore and ten Was whan hys sowl fro fleshe was lesed clen Odo surnamed Seuerus the Confessour for his singular austeritie of life and many vertues is reckoned in the new Legend amongst the Saints Of whom the foresaid Author of Polyalbion thus sings Then Odo the Seuere who highly did adorne That See yet being of vnchristened Parents borne Whose countrey Denmarke was but in East-England dwelt He being but a childe in his cleare bosome felt The most vndoubted truth and yet vnbaptiz'd long But as he grew in yeares in spirit so growing strong And as the Christian Faith this holy man had taught He likewise for that faith in sundry battels fought Dunstan succeeded Odo whose miracles by him wrought are said to be so many and so farre beyond beleefe that where to begin I know not much lesse where to end I will looke vpon him as I finde him lying on his death-bed where hee saw many strange visions of heauenly ioyes were shewed vnto him for his great comfort And vpon holy Thursday to vse the words of the old Legend he sente for alle hys brethren and askyd of them foryeuenesse and alsoo forgaue them all trespaces and assoyled them of all theyr synnes and the thyrd dey aftyr he passyd owt of this world to God full of vertues the yere of our Lord ix honderd lxxxviii and hys sowle was borne vp to Heuen wyth mery song of aungels all the peple hering

assistants preached the Gospell of life vnto the Islanders and found meanes there to build a Church or Oratorie of wreathen wands as also a little cell thereunto adioyning and this was the first religious house dedicated to the seruice of the true God in all Britaine and these religious men the first beginners or founders of that famous fenny-seated Monastery which is partly standing at this day of which more hereafter when I come to speake of the religious Foundations in Somersetshire In the meane while will you reade what our countreyman Iohn Capgraue in his Catalogue of English Saints writes of Iosephs comming into this kingdome Thus in English Ioseph with his sonne Iosephes saith he and ten more of his assistants sent hither by Philip the Apostle out of France for the inhabitants saluation preached zealously and without feare the true and liuely faith Aruiragus as then swaying the Scepter of this land The which Aruiragus howsoeuer he was vnwilling at the first to giue them entertainment or to heare them preach any doctrine repugnant to the traditions of his predecessours yet because they came from such a farre remote countrey as the holy Land and that he saw their ciuill behauiour their sanctitie and strict course in the manner of their life and conuersation he gaue them a certaine Island to inhabite in the West part of his dominions all compassed about with lakes and standing waters called Ynswitrim or the glassie Isle of which saith he a certaine Metrician made this Tetrastich Intrat Analoniam duodena caterua virorum Flos Arimathie Ioseph est primus eorum Iosephes ex Ioseph genitus patrem comitatur Hijs alijsque decemius Glasconie propriatur George Owen Harry in his Pedigrees vpon report from others saith Ioseph brought ouer with him his sister Eurgaine who afterwards married a Britaine whose name was Starklos Iohn Harding in his Chronicle of England will haue fourteene to accompany Ioseph in this iourney and that amongst many Britaines conuerted by them to the Christian faith Aruiragus the king was one to whom Ioseph gaue a shield of the Armes which now we call S. George his Armes such are the rimes in the English of those dayes two hundred yeares since or thereabouts Ioseph full holy and full wyse Of Arymathie wyth his felowes fourtene Into this lond then came and gaue contene In Bretayne then this Ioseph dyd conuerte Brytons as how to know the incarnacyon Afore that Paynyms and also peruerte He taught them of his conuersacyon Of his passyon and his resurrectyon Wyth other thynges as the Chronycler sayth That apperteyneth to Christes fayth Ioseph conuerted king Aruiragus By hys prechyng to knowe the lawe deuyne And baptyzed hym as written hath Nennius The Cronycler in Bretayn tongue full syne And to Chryst lawe made hym enclyne And gaue hym a sheld of siluer whyte A crosse endlong and ouertwhart full perfyte These Armes were vsed throughout all Bretayn For a common sygne eche manne to know his nacyon From enemyes whiche now we call certayn Saint Georges Armes by Nenius enformacyon And thus these Armes by Iosephs creacyon Full long afore Saint George was generate Were worshcipt here of mykell elder date The seeds of true Religion thus sowne by the said Ioseph and his associates neare or vpon for about this accompt there is some difference amongst writers the yeare of our Sauiour Christ one hundred and fourescore Lucius surnamed Leuer Maur which signifies great brightnesse king of the Britaines vpon his request made to Eloutherius Bishop of Rome for as then and many yeares after the title of Pope was altogether vnknowne two learned Diuines were sent vnto him from the said Bishop at whose hands he receiued the lauer of baptisme And so it sell out our Histories say that not onely his wife and family accompanied him in that happie course but Nobles also and Commons Priests and people high and low euen all the people within his Territories And that generally all their Idols were then defaced the Temples of them conuerted into Churches for the seruice of God the liuings of their idolatrous Priests appointed for the maintenance of the Priests of the Gospell and that instead of 25. Flamines or high Priests of their idols there were ordained 25 Bishops as also for three Archflamines three Archbishops whereof one was seated at London another at Yorke and a third at Caerlion vpon the riuer Vske in Wales Of all which will it please you peruse a few lines penned by my foresaid Author Iohn Harding In the yere of Christes incarnacyon An hundryd fourescore and tenne Eleuthery the first at supplicacyon Of Lucius sente hym twoo holy menne That called wer Faggan and Duvyen That baptyzed hym and all his realme throughoute With hertes glad and laboure deuoute Thei taught the folke the lawe of Christ eche daye And halowed all the temples in Christes name All mawment and Idoles caste awaye Through all Bretayn of all false Goddes the same The Temples Flamines the Idoles for to shame Thei halowed eke and made Bishoppes Sees Twenty and eight at diuers grete citees Of three Archflamines thei made Archbishoprikes One at London Troynouant that hight For all Logres with lawes full authentikes To rule the Church and Christentee in right Another at Carlyon a towne of might For all Cambre at Ebranke the thirde From Trent North for Albany is kide Robert the Monke of Gloucester an old rimer who writes the language of our fathers about foure hundred yeares since doth summarily thus tell you how Ioseph planted and Luciu● established the doctrine of Christ in this our kingdome of Britaine His liues you will say are neither strong nor smooth yet perhaps they may giue your palate variety and as you like them you shall haue more hereafter Lucie Coeles sone aftur hym kyng was To fore hym in Engelond Chrestondom non nas For he hurde ofte miracles at Rome And in meny anothur stede yat thurgh Christene men come He wilnede anon in hys herte to fong Christendom Therfor messagers wyth good letters he nom That to the pape Eleutherie hasteliche wende And yat he to hym and his menne xpendom sende And yat he myghte servy God he wilned muche therto And seyd he wold noght be glad er hit wer ydo Tho ye Pape hurde thes twey h●ly men be sende Phagan and Damian hys soul to amende The ryghte beleue to teche and yaf him xpendom That folke faste aboute wide ther to com Thys was an hundryd sixti yer and too Aftur God was ybore this dede was ydoo Thus come lo xpendom into Brutayne lond But ther wer erst som preneliche xpendom had de fond As atte the plas of Glastyngbury Ioseph of Arimathie Liued ther in Christes lay wyth hij companie Ther wer tho in Brutayne false lawes to lere Eyght and twenty chese stedes Byshopriches as ●it were And thre Erchtemples as hit wer heyghest of echon London and Ebrackwike and