as followeth He became a Christian in Brittany converted by some unknown Primitive Beleiver Before his Conversion his name was Suetonius being born of noble parents Out of Brittany he under took a voyage to Rome moved therto by other devout Christians to be instructed more perfectly in the holy Faith by the Blessed Apostle S. Peter by whom being baptised as a testimony of his present happines and hopes of a future accomplishment of it he was called Beatus After he was sufficiently instructed he was esteemed worthy to be employed in the Apostolicall office of instructing others In his return toward his Countrey passing through Helvetia now called Suizzerland he neglected not to disperse the good seed with which he had been furnish'd at Rome and perceiving that very many in that Countrey chearfully embraced the true Faith he rested there pursuing his journey no further Thus he became the Apostle of the Helvetians illustrious for his Piety holines and miracles In his declining age having distributed all his substance to the poore he retir'd himselfe to the exercises of a contemplative life chusing for his habitation nere a village called Vrbigenum Vnderseven a Grotte in a Mountain out of which with the sign of the Crosse he expelled a dangerous and cruel serpent It is not certain in what place he dyed S. Bede makes only this mention of him At Rome is the commemoration of S. Beatus a Confessour on the ninth of May. But the Roman Martyrologe thus In the Town Vindecinum or Vendosme is celebrated the deposition of S. Beatus a Confessour But the Ecclesiasticall Writers of Germany the Annals of the Helvetians and Monuments of the Church of Constantia doe unanimously agree that he dyed in his solitude neer Vnderseven in Helvetia in the hundred and tenth yeare of our Lord when the Emperour Traian raigned VI. CHAP. 1. Testimonies of S. Peters preaching in Brittany 2. Proved by the Catalâ—gue of the Provinces of the severall Apostles 3. And by the testimony of Pope Innocentius the first 4. S. Paul sayd to have preached in Brittany 5.6.7 Simon Zelotes reported by Nicephorus to have preached in Brittaâ—ny but disproved by C. Baronius 8.9 The time of S. Peters coming in to this Island uncertain as likewise his Gests 1. IT was no doubt a great mercy which God extended to this our Island that he was pleased so early to enlighten it with his Divine Truth and moreover to transforme its barbarous inhabitants into Apostles and Messengers of salvation to other Countreys also But a far greater blessing yet did God bestow on it by directing hither his Apostle him who was the Prime of the whole order S. Peter himselfe whose accesse to this Island is attested by Ancient Monuments and by Writers who had no interest at all to induce them to partiality Those who formerly had preached the Gospell here were persons though of great holines and zeale yet such as for want of an Apostolicall Episcopall Character could onely preach unto baptise those with whom they conversed But wheresoever any of the Apostles themselves came or persons sufficiently qualified by them they provided for posterity also The former could only beget children but the other could beget both children and Fathers establishing in the places where they preached a constant order and Government which might last to the worlds end 2. When the Apostles before their separation divided by lott among themselves the severall Regions of the world the West became the portion of Saint Peter as Eusebius quoted by Metaphrastes testifies saying S. Peter spent twelve yeares in the East and twenty he pass'd at Rome in Brittany and other citties in the West Which passage though it be not extant in any Books of Eusebius now remaining this does not prejudice the validity of this authority since as S. Hierom writes in his Catalogue Eusebius publish'd an infinite number of volumes and among others an Vniversall History together with an Epitome of it severall Books likewise of Martyrs and other works Of which a great number are by the iniury of time perished And in some of those we may ought reasonably to judge that those words were found rather then to imagin that such a Writer as Simeon would voluntarily feign such things from his own brain since he had no interest in the glory of Brittany and besids was one who for his Sanctity is venerated in the Greek Church 3. The same Authour out of ancient Monuments adds furcher S. Peter says he out of the East came to Rome from whence he went to Millan and Photice which are Citties in the continent In which places having constituted Bishops and Preists he pass'd into Brittany In which Island having made a long abode and converted to the Faith of Christ severall Nations of unknown names he had a Vision of Angells which sayd to him Peter the time of thy dissolution is at hand and it is necessary that thow goe to Rome where thou must suffer the death of the Crosse and so receive the reward of righteousnes Having received this Revelation he glorified God giving thanks for the same and continuing certain dayes among the Brittains during which he enlightned many more with the word of Grace having constituted Churches and ordained Bishops Preists and Deacons in the twelfth yeare of the Emperour Nero he return'd to Rome To this revelation made to him in Brittany the Apostle has regard in his second Epistle saying I know that shortly I must put off my Tabernacle even as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shew'd me 4. Hereto wee may adde an important testimony of S. Innocent the first Pope of that name who writing to Decentius Bishop of Eugubium hath this passage Who can be ignorant or not observe that that which hath been delivered to the Roman Church by Peter Prince of the Apostles and is there observed to this day ought to be obediently kept by all and that nothing ought to be introduced or super-added by any which doth not come from the same authority or seems to be practised in imitation of any other Especially since it is manifest that through all Italy Gaules Spain Africk and Sicily as likewise the interiacent Islands none ever instituted any Churches but only such as the Venerable Apostle S. Peter or his Successours did ordain Preists and Bishops If any would contradict this let them produce Records testifying that any other of the Apostles can be found or heard to have taught in those Provinces Therfore if no such Records can be produced they must be obliged to submitt to the observation of that which the Roman Church teaches and practises from which without doubt they received their Originall This they must doe least while they affect strange observances they may seem to divide from the Head of Ecclesiasticall Institutions 5. This positive Assertion of so ancient learned and Holy a Pope to witt that none of the Apostles besids
it is onely thirteen days old 15. And as touching your Father Columba and his Successours whose Rule you say you follow and whose Sanctity has been asserted by many Miracles I might answer That in the last day many will say to Christ that in his name they have prophecied cast out Devills and wrought many Miracles to whom he will say That he never knew them But far be it from mee to apply this to your Fathers since it is more iust that I should beleive good then evill of persons unknown to mee Therefore I will not deny but that they were devout servants of our Lord and favoured by him since with a pious intention though rusticall Simplicity they served him And my iudgment is that such an erroneous Observance of Easter did not much preiudice or endanger them because not any one had shewd them Rules of a more perfect Institut Wheras no doubt if any Catholick skilfull in calculation had rightly informed them they would as well have followd his instructions as they did obey these Precepts of God which they had learnt Wheras if thou and thy Companions henceforth contemne to obey the Decrees of the See Apostolick yea of the Vniversall Church which are moreover confirmed by Holy Scriptures without all doubt you will sin greivously For though your Fathers were Saints are they so few in number living in the corner of a remote Island to be preferred before the Vniversal Church spread over the whole world And if your Columba yea ours also if he were Christs was a Saint powerfull in Miracles shall his authority outweigh that of the Apostle to whom our Lord said Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevayl against it And to thee I will give the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven 16. Wilfrid having thus finished his discourse the King addressing his speech to Bishop Colman said Tell mee Were these words in very deed spoken by our Lord to S. Peter Who answered They were indeed spoken to him The King replied Can you produce any proof of so great power given to your Columba He answered No Sir The King added Doe both sides then among you agree that these words were spoken principally to S. Peter and that the keyes of Heavens gates were given him by our Lord They answered We both acknowledge this Thereupon the King concluded saying And I also assure you I have no intention to contradict the Porter of heaven but according to my knowledge and power I will obey his Ordinances in all things for feare when I come to heaven gates and he who keeps the keyes be displeased with mee there be none to open them and let mee in When the King had said thus all that were present both accessours and bystanders applauded his speech and relinquishing their former imperfect instituts speedily embraced those which appeared to be better 17. Thus ended this Synod ot Conference What effect it produced among the Scotts shall be shewed when we have concluded the Narration of another Controversy at the same time agitated touching the manner and fashion of the Ecclesiasticall Tonsure XVIII CHAP. 1.2 c. A Controversy in the same Synod touching Ecclesiasticall Tonsure Three severall manners of Tonsure 12. Agreement between the Saxons and Scotts c. in all Points of Doctrine 13. Obstinacy of the Scotts 1. THAT at this meeting there was a dispute touching Ecclesiastical Tonsure S. Beda expresly testifies But does not explain the point wherein the difficulty lay Yet this is certain that there was not any one in that Assembly which either derided or neglected the said Tonsure as Protestants now doe 2. The primitive antiquity of this Tonsure by which Ecclesiasticall persons for a sign of distinction frō the Layty by cutting off some part of the hair on the top of their heads formed it into the fashion of a Diadem or Crown is referred by S. Isidor to the Apostles and said to be an imitation of the Nazarites for thus he writes If I be not deceived the practise of the Ecclesiastical Tonsure was derived from the Nazarites Who first nourishing their hair and suffring it to grow long undertook by vow a laborious Exercise of Continence abstinence and other austerities which having performed they shaved their heads and by Gods command cast their hayr into the fire of the Sacrifice signifying thereby that they consecrated the perfection of their Devotion to our Lord. The practise according to this example was introduced by the Apostles importing that Ecclesiastical persons devoted to the service of God are consecrated to him as the Nazarites were which they testified by cutting off the hayr so professing that they devested themselves of the old man and his acts 3. The Controversy therefore was about the manner and fashion of the Tonsure of which there were severall kinds the Principall whereof are said to have taken their Originall from Saint Peter or Saint Paul The manner of Saint Peters was to shave the top of the head leaving below toward the forehead and ears a Circle or Diademe representing the Crown of thorns which our Lord bore Thus write Amalarius and Alcuinus who addes that this Saint Peter ordaind to the end that Clergy-men might be distinguished from secular not only in their cloathing but form of wearing their hayr And Steven the Preist called also Eddius writes of Saint Wilfrid that he willingly received from Saint Dalfinus Arch-bishop of Lyons the form of S. Peters Tonsure resembling the Crown of thorns encompassing our Lords head 4. This is the form of Tonsure at this day in use among the Disciples of S. Benedict and S. Francis as likewise some other Religious Orders and no doubt was anciently received by all Ecclesiasticall persons and which by the Greeks is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in following times as Bellarmin observes Ecclesiasticall persons among the Secular Clergy changed this Tonsure instead of the said Diademe about the lower part of the head shaving only the top or crown of the head in form of a Circle the which Circle at this day is enlarged according to the degrees of their Orders By which change the ordinance made by the fourth Council of Toledo is manifestly transgressed Let all Ecclesiasticall persons and Lectours as likewise Deacons and Preists shave the whole upper part of their head and leave below only the crown of a Circle Not as in the parts of France the Lectours are observed to doe who weare long hair as lay-men doe and onely shave a small Circle on the top of their heads For such a fashion is observed in Spain only by Hereticks Wherefore it is necessary for the taking away scandall from the Church that this mark of shame be abolished and that there be one onely fashion of Tonsure as is practised generally in all Spain 5. The Second manner of Tonsure is supposed to have descended from Saint Paul and saith S.
with this Elogy In England the Commemoration of S. Eadbert Bishop of Lindesfarn eminent for his learning and piety 2. His Successour in the same See of Lindesfarn was Edfrid a man saith the same Bishop Godwin who from his childhood had been brought up in good letters and in that age was highly esteemed for his eminent learning This is that Edfrid at whose request S. Beda extolled the vertues and miracles of his Predecessour S. Cuthbert both in prose and verse as appears by his Epistle prefixed to his Book 3. About the same time dyed S. Adamannus the devout Abbot of Hy commemorated in our Martyrologe on the second of September To him is attributed the conversion oâ— most of the Irish and many Brittains to the true observation of the Solemnity of Easter according to the Catholick manner though he could not reduce the obstinate minds of his own Monks His zealous endeavours herein are thus expressed by S. Beda 4. At that time the greatest part of the Scotts in Ireland and not a few Brittains in Brittany by our Lords blessing conformed themselves to the right Ecclesiastical time of celebrating the Paschal Solemnity For Adamannus a Preist and Abbot over the Monks lived in the Isle of Hy having been sent in Embassage from his Nation to Alfrid King of the Northumbers and staying a good space of time in his Province carefully observed the Canonicall Rites of the English Church and moreover was seriously admonished by certain learned men that he with a few Monks hid in the utmost corner of the world should not presume to live in a practise directly contrary to the custom of the whole Church in the Paschall Observance and other Ecclesiasticall Decrees By which admonitions his judgment became quite changed insomuch as he willingly preferred the Observances which he had seen and heard in the Churches of the English before the customs of his own countrey For he was a good man and wise and moreover eminently skillfull in the Scriptures 5. When he was returned home he employd his utmost care to induce his Monks in Hy and all the rest depending on them to return into the path of Truth which he had lately found and with his whole heart approved But all his endeavours through their obstinacy proved vain Whereupon leaving them he sayled into Ireland where by preaching and modest exhortations he perswaded in a manner all the Monks who were not subiect to the Dominion of the Monastery of Hy to quitt their Errour and return to Catholick Vnity in observing the legitimat time of Easter which he taught them Thus having celebrated in Ireland one Canonicall Solemnity of Easter he returned to his Island And again earnestly preached the true Observance to his own Monks yet could by no means perswade them to conformity Now it hapned that before the years Circle was finished he was taken out of this world Divine ProvideÌ„ce so mercifully disposing that this Holy man who was an earnest lover of Vnity and Peace should be taken from hence to eternall Happines before the next â—asâ—hall time was come least he should be compelled to enter into a more sharp debate and discord with those who would not be perswaded to follow him in the way of Truth 6 The same year the Northumbers received a great defeat from the Picts for as Mathew of Westminster relates Brithric a Count of the Northumbers being desirous to avenge the death of his Master King Egfrid invaded in a hostile manner the land of the Picts but as his Lord before had done he likewise felt the curses of the Irish for he also was slain by the Pictish people Notwithstanding as shall be shewd ten years after this the Northumbers had a sufficient revenge upon them XVI CHAP. 1.2 c. The Picts reduced to the Catholick observance of Easter upon occasion of an Epistle written to their King Naitan by the Holy Abbot Ceolfrid 1. WHAT S. Adamannus could not effect among his Scottish obstinat Monks and Islanders of Hy to take away their Errouâ— about the Paschall Solemnity was the next year brought to passe among the Picts by their King Naitan exhorted thereto and instructed by the holy English-Saxon Abbot Ceolfrid The order and manner of this memorable change S. Beda thus describes 2. At that time saith he Naitan King of the Picts inhabiting the Northern coasts of Brittany by frequent meditation on Ecclesiasticall Writings became rectified in his iudgment and renounced the errour which formerly himself and his whole nation had embraced and persisted in reducinâ— all his Subiects to the Catholick observance of the solemnity of our Lords Resurrection Now to effeâ—â— this more easily and with greater authority bâ— sought for help and advice from the English Nation whose Religion he knew was instituted according to the pattern of the Holy Roman and Apostolick Church 3. He sent therefore Messengers to the Venerable man Ceolfrid Abbot of the Monastery of the Blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul seated in a place called Girwum at the mouth of the River Wire and near the River Tine in the Government of which Monastery he succeeded the Holy Abbot S. Benedict Biscop And by those Messengers the said King Naitan requested him to send in Writing instructions to him by which he might be enabled more efficaciously to confute such as presumed to observe the Paschall Solemnity in an undue time He desired likewise to be informed of the true and â—anonicall manner of Ecclesiasticall Tonsure Moreover he entreated him to send him Masons and Architects to build a Church in his countrey of stone after the Roman manner promising that he would dedicate it to the honour of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and likewise that both himself and all his subiects should in all things imitate the manners and Disciplin of the Holy Roman and Apostolick See as far as they who lived at so great a distance from thence and whose language was so different could be informed 4. The most Reverend Abbot Ceolfrid very willingly complying with desires and requests so full of Religion and Piety sent him such Architects as he demaÌ„ded and withall wrote an Epistle containing an exact information in all the points proposed to him by the King Which Epistle by reason of the prolixity of it it will not be expedient to transcribe the curious Reader may have recourse to Saint Beda's History for it who no doubt as may appear by the stile was either the inditer of it or at least had a great influence in the framing it For at this time he was a Monk living under the government of Ceolfrid and the â—ame of his learning was so far spread that the year next following Pope Sergius by letters to the said Abbot invited Saint Beda to Rome whither he had gone but that news of the said Popes death prevented his voyage 5. The sence of the said Epistle is summarily this In the first place as
insupportable persecutions by Pagans it is permitted to fly 11. That Tribute might be exacted from the Slavi inhabiting in that countrey 12. That by his Messenger Lul he had sent him a Roll signifying where and how many Crosses are to be made in celebrating Masse 4. For as much as concerned the Priviledges to be given to his Archiepiscopall See of Mentz he in a distinct Letter declared in this Form By the Authority of the Blessed Apostle Saint Peter wee doe ordain that the foresaid Church of Mentz be for ever to thee and thy Successours erected and confirmed a Metropolitan Church having under it these Citties Tongres Colen Worms Spire and Troyes Trectis or Trecas as likewise all the Nations of Germany which by thy preaching thou shalt convert to the Light of the Gospel 5. Lastly whereas Saint Boniface had signified to the said Pope that he had built a Monastery dedicated to the honour of our Saviour in a forest of vast extent in which he had placed Monks who lived under the Rule of Saint Benedict in great austerity abstaining from flesh and wine who had no servants but contented themselves to live by their own labour in which Monastery he purposed with the Popes leave to retire himself some times to rest his old weary limbs and after death to be buried and consequently desired his Holines to patronize it and endue it with convenient Priviledges Hereto the Pope condescended subiecting the said Monastery immediatly to the See Apostolick forbidding any Bishop or others to exercise any authority in it or so much as say Masse unlesse invited by the Abbot and confirming for ever all lands of which it was possessed at that time or should accrue to it afterward 6. These were the last Letters which passed between Saint Boniface and Pope Zacharias for he presently after dying and Pope Steven the next year succeeding in his place who held that See onely three days after whom another Pope of the same Name and stiled Steven the third being consecrated Saint Boniface wrote an Epistle to him professing his Duty and obedience as he had done before for the space or thirty years to three Popes his Predecessours and in conclusion he asked his pardon for the delay of sending that Letter the cause whâ—reof was his necessary occupation in repairing Churches which to the number of thirty had been burnt by the malice and fury of Pagans XXV CHAP. 1.2 The Bodyes of Saint Kiliam Saint Colman and S. Totnan translated by Saint Boniface 3 4 c. Their Gests and Happy Martyrdom and wonderfull discovery of their Relicks 1. THE same year Saint Boniface with great devotion took up the Bodies of Saint Kilian formerly Bishop of Wirtzburg Saint Colman a Preist and Saint Totnan a Deacon all which had come out of their Native countrey Ireland to preach the Gospell in Germany where they were blessed with the Crown of Martyrdom Their Sacred Bodies I say Saint Boniface now took up to expose them to the veneration of devout Christians and afterward to bury them more honourably a happy presage of the honour himselâ— was shortly after to receive 2. Now though â—heir Gests doe not properly belong to our present History Yet so much interest this piety of Saint Boniface gives us in them that a breif account of their actions and Martyrdom will not be iudged altogether impertinent here which wee will collect from a very ancient Anonymous Authour in Surius 3. Saint Kilian saith he was born of a Noble Stock in Ireland and from his childhood was brought up in learning But shortly by Gods preventing Grace despising curious study and worldly enticements he retired himself into a Monastery where with great perfection he gave himself to Prayer and the observance of Regular Disciplin Such progresse he made hereby in all piety and vertue that he was esteemed worthy in due time to be promoted to the Degree of Preisthood and afterward to the Government of his Monastery 4. The same of his Sanctity being far spread and drawing very many to see and admire it the Holy man fearing the tentation of vainglory began to meditate how he might retire himself from the knowledge of freinds and withall the Spirit of Charity to the soules of others inflaming among so many others in this age his heart likewise he took with him certain companions and passing over into Brittany he from thence sailed into France and travelling through severall Regions he entred into Germany as far as Wirtzburg determining there to sow the precious seed of the Gospell Which that he might doe with better successe he went to Rome to demand from the See Apostolick in which at that time Conon sate â—ope a licence and power to preach to Pagans And having obtained this togeâ—her with Episcopall dignity he returned â—o the same place in Germany 5. At his going to Rome he had left Saint Gallas the famous Abbot in Germany and at his return he left Saint Columban in Italy so that there remained to attend him only Saint Coloman a Preist and Saint Toâ—an Deacon And being arrived at Wirtzburg 〈◊〉 found a new Duke there called Gozbert Now after he had spent some time in preaching the Gospell with great efficacy the said Duke sent for him to appear before him and demanded what New Doctrine that was which he taught To whom the Holy Bishop freely revealed the Summ of Christian Doctrin touching the Blessed Trinity the Incarnation of the Son of God other necessary Mysteries of our Religion At that time the Duke though convinced of the unconquerable truth of his Doctrin yet deferred the acknowledging of it But not long after seeing the Holy mans perseverance he came privatly to him to be more perfectly informed and forsaking the Idolatrous worship of Diana who had been held in great veneration by him he gave up his name to Christ and on the next solemnity of Easter was baptized Whose example was followed by great multituds of his Subiects in Franconia 6. Now the said Duke had formerly taken to wife a Lady named Geilana who had been maried to his Brother and remained still a Pagan The unlawfullnes of which mariage the Holy Bishop delayd to discover to the Duke fearing it might be a hindrance to his embracing the Faith But when he saw him well established therein he then told him sincerely that such a Mariaâ—e was forbidden by the Religion he professed The Duke at the hearing of this was much afflicted and astonished for he loved his wife with great passion Yet his answer was That he resolved not prefer the love of any creature before God But tâ—at at present preparing for an expedition against his enemies he could not suddenly effect a busines of so great importance but at his return he would perform his duty 7. But when these things came to the knowledge of the Duchesse Geilana her rage was horribly inflamed against the Men of God and she meditated continually how
Miracle 1. A Second Witnes of the Sanctity of this Mother-Church of Christianity built by S. Ioseph at Glastonbury in honour of our Blessed Lady as likewise of the wonderfull Priviledge confer'd on it by our Lord himselfe who was pleased personally to consecrate it is the Illustrious Bishop of Menevia S. David the extirpatour of Pelagianism in Brittany His testimony is extant in the Antiquities of Glastonbury collected by William of Malmsbury in these words 2. Saint David with seaven other Bishops of whom he was Primate came to Glastonbury invited thereto by the Sanctity of the place place and had a resolution solemnly to consecrate an ancient Church there erected to the honour of the Blessed Virgin-Mother of our Lord. Having therefore provided all things requisite for the performance of that sacred Ceremony on the night immediatly preceding the intended Dedication he as nature required yeilded to sleep in which our Lord Iesus appeard to him and mildly demanded of him the cause of his coming thither This without delay S. David declar'd unto him But our Lord presently turn'd him from his resolution of dedicating the Church saying to him That must not be done And taking the Bishops hand he told him that many years since he himselfe had dedicated it to the honour of his Mother therfore that holy Ceremony ought not to be profan'd by any mans repeating it And having sayd this with his finger he peirced through the Bishops hand Telling him that this should be a sign that that ought not to be again renew'd which himselfe had formerly anticipated And withall he promis'd him that the next day when in reciting the Canon of the Masse he was to pronounce those Words Per ipsum cum ipso in ipsum By him and with him and to him be all honour and glory to thee O God the Father in the Vnity of the Holy Ghost he should have restord the integrity and soundnes of his hand The terrour of this Vision quickly drove sleep from the Bishops eyes whereupon with great earnestnes he examined whether that were indeed reall which our Lord seem'd to have done to him And having found it so he wondred at it and expected what would be the issue The next day all that were present with admiration saw and touched the prodigâ—ous wound Hereupon all the Preparation for a â—onsecration came to nothing and the miracle divinely wrought being made known publickly to all the Hearers encreas'd the admiration And in conclusion when Masse was celebrated the Bishops hand was restord to its former soundnes 3. This miracle is not forgotten nor contemn'd even by some Protestant Writers though in repeating it they willingly omit the name of Masse which having banish'd from their own Churches they are loath it should appeare of so great Antiquity and which is more considerable dignified by our Lords mentioning it and working a wonderfull miracle during the celebration of it VII CHAP. 1.2 A third witnes is our H. Apostle S. Augustin the Monk The fashion and homelines of that Church 1. A Third Witnes of equall authority though later date is S. Augustin the Apostle of our Nation who in an Epistle to S. Gregory the Great mentions the summe of what hath been hitherto related as a Tradition receiv'd in those days A part of this Epistle is recited by three Protestant Bishops as a firm argument of the Primitive antiquity of Christian Religion in our Island The words of S. Augustin are these In the confines of western Brittany there is a Royall Island by an ancient Name called Glascon It is largely extended being encompassed with waters abounding with fish and rivers in many places standing in pooles commodious for many uses of human life and which is most considerable it hath been dedicated to the exercises of Sacred Duties For there the first Professours of Christian Religion found as the report is a Church not built by the skill of men but prepared by God anâ— fitted for human salvation The which Church was afterward by many miracles and many mysterious operations demonstrated to have been consecrated by our Lord the Creatour of the world to his own glory and the honour of his most Blessed Mother the Virgin Mary To this Church was afterwards added an Oratory built of stone which was dedicated to Christ and his holy Apostle S. Peter 2. And hereto agrees that which we read in the life of S. Ioseph The foresaid Saints conversing together in that Solitude after a little time were admonish'd in a Vision by the holy Archangel Gabriel to build unto the honour of the holy Mother of God and perpetuall Virgin Mary a Church in a place shewd from heaven to them Whereupon they in obedience to those Divine admonitions finish'd the building of a Chappell the walls wherof on all sides were made of rods warled or interwoven This was done in the one and thirtieth yeare after the Passion of our Lord and in the fifteenth after the Assumption of the glorious Virgin Mary Here we may see saith D. Fuller the simplicity of Primitive Devotion and the native fashion of Brittish buildings in that age and some hundred years after For we find that Hoel Dha King of Wales An. D. 940. made himself a Palace of Hurdleworke call'd Tyguyn or the White house because to advance it above other houses the rods wherof it was made were unbark'd having the rind strip'd off Which was then counted gay and glorious This homely building however suiting with the simplicity of the builders soules did deserve and was indeed preferd in the veneration of all succeeding times before the magnificent structures of squared stones and marble adorn'd and enrich'd with gold and precious stones which in following ages by the Devotion though perhaps mix'd with some vanity of lesse perfect Christians were splendidly erected VIII CHAP. 1.2 A fourth Testimony of ehe Building a Church at Glastonbury by S. Ioseph from an Ancient Inscription at Glastonbury here produced 3.4 c. Sir Henry Spelmans Exceptions against that Inscription answer'd 1. THe last Testimony justifying most of the particulars before mentioned touching this Primitive Church built by S. Ioseph of Arimathea is taken from a very ancient Inscription cut in brasse and heretofore fastned to a Pillar in Glastonbury Church Which Inscription Bishop Godwin therfore rehearses that he may demonstrate that S. Ioseph indeed came into Brittany and after him Sir Henry Spelman caused it to be entirely transcrib'd and put into his Collection of our Brittish and English Councills The tenour of it is as followeth 2. In the one and thirtieth year after the Passion of our Lord twelve Holy men among whom Ioseph of Arimathea was Cheif came to this place and here built the first Church of this Kingdom Which Christ in the honour of his Mother himselfe dedicated together with a place for their buriall as S. David Bishop of Menevia testified who having an intention to consecrate it
kinred 12. By which expression the Historian seems in the opinion of Baronius to have principally pointed at this famous Conversion of Brittany For having with all diligence searched into Ecclesiasticall monuments he professes he could could not find out any to whom that passage in Eusebius could be applied except our Brittish King Lucius whose name is commemorated in the ancient Martyrologes usually read in Churches Neither is it any wonder that Eusebius should either be ignorant or silent concerning the particular affairs of Brittany concerning which as may be shewd by many Examples he treats very negligently But enough hath been sayd touching the motives probably inducing King Lucius at this time publickly to embrace the Christian Faith We will consequently declare the manner and order of the said Kings conversion accompanied with that not only of his family but generally his whole Kingdom III. CHAP. 1. A History of the Conversion of Brittany anciently written by Elvanus Avallonius lost 2. The Relation of Bale and the Magdeburgenses concerning it 3.4.5 c. King Lucius being unsatisfied in his old Religion demands instruction of Pope Eleutherius And why he has recourse to him 1. IF the Ancient History of Elvanus call'd Avallonius that is of Glastonbury mention'd by Radulphus Niger in his Chronicle and â—ale who is sayd to have lived in these very times of Antoninus the Philosopher Commodus his son and Pope Eleutherius and to have written a Book of the Original of the Brittish Church if this History I say were still extant we might with more assurance proceed in the relation of the particulars touching this most happy conversion of our Countrey Wheras now we must content our selves with gleaning out of lesse ancient Writers such parcell's as they will afford us to make up the following Narration Notwithstanding since we cannot charge them with delivering to posterity their own inventions we ought to receive their scattred Records as the Relicks of ancient Tradition extracted out of Primitive Histories now swallowd in the gulfe of time 2. Now in our Narration that we may approve our sincerity we will not neglect the iudgment and testimonies of such Modern Writers as have searched into Antiquity though otherwise averse from Catholick Religion Among which thus writs Bale King Lucius says he was it seems scandalis'd at the meannesse and Poverty of Christ as the Iews formerly were For though Christian Religion had for the space of more then a hundred years been propagated through Brittany yet it seem'd to him deprived of its due splendour because it had hitherto been administred by simple poore and contemptible persons and however it wanted the Emperiall Authority of Rome to support it Therfore as soon as he was informed by Trebellius and Pertinax the Emperours Lievtenants that upon the ceasing of persecution severall illustrious Romans had embraced it he then began to entertain a more worthy conceit of it And to the same effect write the Centuriators of Magdeburg though with some mistake as hath been observed 3. This stone of offence to wit Poverty and want of worldly splendour and advantages being thus removed King Lucius now seriously comparing the Christian Faith with what he had been taught by his Druids the simplicity and sanctity of the one with the unclean and inhuman Superstitions of the other but especially considering the inestimable Promises of eternall Glory and Happines not only proposed but by evident demonstrations establish'd in the Gospell to which his own Preists never pretended any claim at all No wonder if he grew unsatisfied and weary of his former Errours and willing to admit a further illustration of those verities with a few beams wherof he had formerly been enlightned 4. Now it seems there not being then in Brittany or not known to the King any Ecclesiasticall persons of authority sufficient to establish a new Church though there wanted not such as had skill enough to perswade satisfy him in the Truth of Christian Religion the principall of which were the foremention'd Elvanus of Avallonia and Medwinus of the Province inhabited by the Belgae Hence it came to passe that King Lucius no doubt by the advice of these holy persons was oblig'd to seek for a more perfect instruction and to implore a greater authority for setling the common affairs of Christianity from abroad 5. For which purpose though in the neighbouring Kingdom of Gaule there were at that time living and famous many holy Bishops eminent for Piety and learning the most illustrious among which was S. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons and shortly after a most glorious Martyr Yet to none of these had King Lucius recourse either for counsell or assistance But ordring his Messengers to passe through that Nation he directed them beyond it to Rome the fountain of all Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction and to S. Eleutherius a worthy Successor of S. Peter in the Apostolick Chair 6. Indeed if he had at that time consulted S. Irenaeus he would have told him what himselfe had taught the world in his Book against Heresies That to this Roman Church by reason of its more powerfull principality it is necessary that every other Church should have recourse that is all faithfull Christians wheresoever dispers'd Because in that Church the Tradition derived from the Apostles was safely conserv'd Tertullian likewise an Eminent Preist then alive would have given him the same advice Whosoever thou art saith he that would'st better employ thy curiosity in the busines of thy salvation take a view of the principall Churches founded by the Apostles c. If Italy be nearest thee thou maist repaire to Rome from whence our authority in Africk is likewise derived A Church it is happy in its constitution to which the cheif Apostles together with their blood shed forth the whole doctrine of Christianity Lastly the security of making that Church the Rule both of doctrin and disciplin would have been excellently declared by the foresaid glorious Saint Irenaeus saying By making known the Faith of that cheifest most ancient and through all the world most renouned Church of Rome founded and constituted by the most glorious Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and by an uninterrupted succession of Bishops derived to our times we confound all those who any way either by an unlawfull self-love vain-glory blindnes or or perversenes of opinion doe make separated congregationâ— professing other Doctrines And in consequence the same holy Father adioyns a Catalogue of the Names of all the Bishops of Rome from S. Peters dayes the twelfth and last wherof living in his time was this S. Eleutherius to whom King Lucius address'd himselfe for a more perfect information in Christian verities and to obtain Ordinances and lawes necessary for the constitution of a well ordred Church in his Kingdome IV. CHAP. 1.2 Bishop Vshers iudgment of King Lucius his Message to the Pope 3. Instructions given by the King to Messengers 4.5 Pope
of our more Ancient Historians as Geffrey of Monmouth Hoveden c. doe mention it But what ever becoms of this Epistle certain it is that the story of King Lucius his conversion c. does not depend on it but is confirm'd by most Authentick Records and unquestion'd Tradition V. CHAP. 1.2 Fugatius and Damianus sent back with King Lucius his Messengers 3. Concerning Elvanus one of the Kings Messengers 1. THis Epistle if indeed genuine was brought back by the same Messengers whom King Lucius had sent to Rome Elvanus and Medwinus and together with them there came two other Holy Men commission'd by Pope Eleutherius not only to instruct and baptise the King and those who imitating the Kings good Example embraced the Christian Faith but also to order and establish all Ecclesiasticall affairs in the Kingdome The names of those two strangers were Fugatius and Damianus 2. The Employment about which these men were sent argues them to have been sufficiently qualified thereto And hence it is that our more Modern Historians both Catholicks and Protestants doe not doubt to stile them Prelats Antistites and Bishops For indeed without such a Character and Authority how could they erect Bishopricks consecrate Churches dispense Orders c 3. It is not likewise without probability what other Writers say concerning our Brittish Messenger Elvanus that he was consecrated a Bishop at Rome by Pope Eleutherius And whereas others contradict this upon a supposition that when he with his companion went to Rome they were only Cathecumens not baptis'd before that time the contrary seems to appear in that they were formerly Preachers of the Christian Faith both to King Lucius and others And besids their Education sufficiently shews their capacity For as a late Writer out of ancient Monuments asserts they were of the number of S. Ioseph of Arimathea's Disciples full of zeale to Gods glory according to knowledge bred up in a contemplative life of Prayer and Mortification at Glastonbury where according to the Testimony of Adam Domerham and Iohn a Monk Authours of the Antiquities of Glastonbury The twelve holy men companions of S. Ioseph and their Successors in the same number did for a long time lead an Eremiticall life there and converted great multituds of Pagans to the Faith of Christ. It is therfore very credible that so well a qualified person as Elvanus was as Tradition delivers consecrated a Bishop at Rome since no prejudice therby was done to the Apostolick Canons forbidding Neophyts to be assumed to so sublime a degree As for his Companion Medwinus the same Tradition informs us that being endued with eloquence and fluency of speech he was qualified there also with the Office of a Preacher and Doctour of the Christian Faith VI. CHAP. 1.2 King Lucius with his Queen c. baptised 3.4.5 c. Rites of ancient Baptism signing with the Crosse Vnction Benediction of the water Exorcismes c. 11.12.13 These come by Tradition confirm'd by S. Basile 14. The Centuriators blaspemies against them 1. FVgatius and Damianus being admitted to King Lucius his presence acquainted him with the great ioy caus'd at Rome by his happy conversion and how in complyance with his desire they were sent by the Holy Pope Eleutherius to administer the Rites of Christianity And hereupon both the King and his whole family with many others received Baptism according to the course and ceremony of the Roman Church Thus we read in the Ancient Roman Martyrologe Pope Eleutherius brought to the profession of Christian Faith many of the Roman Nobility And moreover sent into Brittany S. Fugatius and S. Damianus who baptis'd King Lucius together with his Wife and almost all his people 2. The Name of King Lucius his Queen baptised with him is lost but in ancient Records the memory of his Sister call'd Emerita is still preserv'd who for her Holines and constant suffring Martyrdom for Christ ha's worthily obtain'd a place among the Saints More shall be sayd of her hereafter 3. Now since all Ancient Histories agree that King Lucius was baptis'd solemny according to the Roman rite it will be expedient to declare the order and form therof as may be collected out of the Monuments and Writings of this Primitive age which was no doubt conformable to the Ordinances of the Apostles as S. Iustin Martyr S. Irenaeus and Tertullian living in these times doe confidently affirm against all Hereticks and innovatours challenging them all to shew wherin any of the Apostolick Churches and principally that of Rome have deserted the ancient Faith and Disciplin established by the Apostles 4. Now though to the essence and substance of the Sacrament of Baptis'm there be necessarily required no more besides the due Matter which is Water the due Form of Words to be pronounced and a right Intention of him who conferrs it Yet that besids these there were even in those Primitive times adioyned severall other Sacred and ceremonious rites very effectuall to apply and imprint the sence and vertue of that Sacrament in the minds of all those who received it is most evident from ancient Tradition and the Writings of those times Which additionary Ceremonies were commanded to be used in Solemne baptisms through the whole Church by S. Clement S. Hyginus S. Pius and other Primitive Popes by a prescription no doubt from the Apostles though probably not used every where with due reverence 5. But though those Ceremonies had not been expressly enioynd by the Apostles who can iustly deny but that the Church and her Governours concerning whom our Lord saith He that heareth or obeyeth you heareth me had sufficient authority to render the administration of the Sacraments more solemne and august by ordaining externall Rites in the celebration of them as long as they doe not command our beleif of the absolut necessity of them in themselves 6. Of the sayd Additionary Rites the principall are these 1. The arming of the person to be Baptised with the sign of the Crosse. 2. The annointing him on the head with holy Oyle 3. and likewise with Chrism 4. The solemn blessing of the Water design'd for Baptism 5. The using of Exorcisms and holy Prayers for the driving away the Enemy of mankind Of all these Ceremonies at this day banish'd from all Congregations but only the Roman and Greek Churches and in regard of the first and last the English Protestant Church there are evident proofs that they were in use at this time when our King Lucius was baptiz'd 7. First touching signing with the Crosse Tertullian is so expresse even by confession of Protestants and that not only in Baptism but a world of other occasions that it is to no purpose to quote him This was the Character which distinguishd true Beleivers in that age from Infidells And particularly with regard to King Lucius there is to this day extant an ancient Coyn stampd with the Image of this King his Name LVC. and the sign of
that she was a person of no good fame and that from a Pagan she became a Iew c. But all these fictions we shall in due place disprove and demonstrate that she was from her infancy a perfectly vertuous Christian bred up in that Religion by her Father who was a Christian too that she was maried to Constantius at his first coming into Brittany whom though perhaps she did not perswade to be a Christian yet she induced him to be a favourer of them c. But of these things hereafter XIII CHAP. 1. A persecution rais'd against the Church by the Emperour Decius 2. Libellatici who 3. The Novatian Heresy and occasion of it 1. DEcius after the death of the two Philips extended his rage to the Religion profess'd by them and as S. Gregory Nyssen saith thinking with his cruelty to resist the divine omnipotence by repressing the preaching of Gods word sent his Edicts to the Presidents of Provinces threatning them with terrible punishments unlesse they heaped all manner of disgraces injuries and torments upon all those who adored the Name of Christ. By which terrours threatned by the Emperour and executed by inferiour Magistrats those who were firm in the Faith approved themselves to be pure wheat of Gods floore such were S. Fabianus Bishop of Rome S. Alexander Bishop of Hierusalem and S. Babylas of Antioch which made a glorious Confession of Christ before many Witnesses and sealed it with their blood 2. But on the other side the same Tempest scattered the chaffe out of Gods barn for then began the name of the Libellatici in the Church A title given to those tepide worldly-minded Christians which by money redeem'd themselves from the obligation to be assistant at the Pagan Sacrifices and privatly obtain'd from the Roman Magistrats Libells or Testimonies in writing falsely declaring that they had sacrifised Which Hypocrisy was severely condemn'd by all Christian Churches but principally that of Rome where S. Cornelius succeeded S. Fabianus and of Carthage in which the glorious Martyr S. Cyprian sate For no better title did these Saints afford such dissembling Christians then that of Lapsi or Apostats 3. Whilst S. Cornelius possess'd S. Peters chaire there arose in Gods Church a great scandall which was the Novatian Heresy For Novatus having for his turbulency been driven out of Africk came to Rome where finding Novatianus swelling with envy and rage at the Election of S. Cornelius he easily drew him to be a favourer of his Schism and Heresy by which he excluded from all hope of pardon and reconciliation those which were called Libellatici or which had been guilty of any great crime although they had submitted themselves to due Pennance This Novatus is by our Gildas call'd a black â—wine who trodd under foot our Lords pearle and cast violent hands on the Church more worthy to be consumed by the fearfull flames of hell then to be made a Sacrifice on Gods altar And concerning his followers thus writes Saint Augustin Let us take heed of hearkning to those who deny that the Church of God has authority to forgive all sins whatsoever Those wretches whilst they will not understand how in S. Peter God has established a Rock and will not beleive that the Keyes of the kingdome of heaven have been given to the Church they let the same keyes fall out of their own hands These are they which boast themselves to be Cathari more pure then the Apostles doctrine requires c. XIV CHAP. 1. Decius betrayd by Gallus and slain He succeding is slain by his solders together with his Son Volusianus and the Empire comes to Valerianus and Gallienus 2. Of S. Stephanus Pope who baptises many 3.4 c. Among others S. Mello a Brittish Saint 1. THE Persecution rais'd by Decius though extremely violent was yet short for himself having raign'd little more then two years he was by the treachery of Trebonianus Gallus deserted in a battell fought against the Scythians where he lost his life being swallowed in a fenn In whose place the same Gallus together with his Son Volusianus succeeded by whose cruelty S. Lucius who follow'd S. Cornelius in the Roman See was crown'd with Martyrdom Immediatly after which they themselves were slain by their soldiers who cast the Imperiall Purple on Aemilianus which having worn but one months space he also was killd by them and Valerianus formerly chosen by another Army succeeded in the Empire who assum'd as his Collegue therin his son Gallienus 2. In the beginning of whose raign Stephanus the Successour of S. Lucius in the Apostolick See instructed baptis'd and ordain'd among others a glorious ornament of our Brittish Nation S. Mello otherwhere call'd S. Mallo S. Melanius and S. Meloninus sending him to govern the Church of Roüen in France This Mello being yet a Pagan was sent out of Brittany to Rome to pay the Tribut to the Emperour Valerian where according to the custome he with his companions was lead to the Temple of Mars to sacrifice 4. But presently after by divine Providence being admitted to the acquaintance of the Holy Pope Stephanus he became one among his hearers whilst he expounded to a few Christians the doctrines of the Gospell of Christ and being very attentive to his words he beleived and at his own earnest request received Baptism 5. In the ancient Acts of this holy Bishop S. Stephanus approved by Baronius to be Authentick we read of great numbers baptised by him to gether with the order and Form of the administration of that Mystery when Nemesius and his daughter together with many other Gentiles were baptised by him among whom probably this our S. Mello might have been one The words of the Acts are as followeth 6. S. Stephanus gave order that Nemesius should be conducted to the Church or Title of S. Pastor Where after he had catechiz'd him and his daughter according to the Christian custom and appointed a Fast to be observed till the evening when even was come he blessed the Font in the same Title and causing Nemesius to descend into the water he sayd I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Which having done turning himselfe to the daughter of Nemesius he sayd Doest thou beleive in God the Father Almighty She answered I beleive He added And doest thou beleive in Iesus Christ our Lord She answered I beleive Doest thou beleive the Remission of all sins I beleive Doest thou beleive the Resurrection of the Flesh She answered I beleive c. Then began many others to cast themselves at S. Stephanus his feet with tears beseeching him to baptise them So that in that day he baptised of both sexes to the number of sixty two And after this many other Gentiles of good rank in the world came to S. Stephanus desiring to be baptized by him Moreover tâ—is blessed Bishop being replenish'd With
quelled their fury Then he admonished his Collegue and encourag'd all the rest So with one breath and clamour prayers were powr'd forth to our Lord. Immediatly the Divine vertue shewd it self present the infernall Enemies were dissipated a calm tranquillity ensued the winds are turn'd and become favourable to their voyage the waves serviceably drive on the ship so that in a short time having dispatch'd a vast space they safely arriv'd in a quiet and secure haven 11. This Oyle made use of by S. Germanus was not that Sacramentall oyle consecrated for the spirituall comfort of the Sick but ordinary Oyle which we frequently read to have been used by holy men upon the like occasions and by their benediction of it to have produc'd the like effects in severall exigences Of the former fort of Sacramentall Oyle S. Iames in his Epistle speaks and of this latter S. Mark in the sixth Chapter of his Gospell saith Baronius Severall examples of the like may be read in Sozomen as where S. Anthony by annointing a lame man with oyle cur'd him and another holy Monk call'd Benjamin by the like means cured severall diseases And Ruffinus testifies that in his presence and sight severall miracles were after the same manner wrought by religious Hermits V. CHAP. 1.2 c. S. Germanus his Disputation against the Pelagians and Miracle 10. c. A victory over the Scotts by his Prayers 1. THese two Holy men saith the same Constantius being landed a great mulâ—itude from severall quarters meâ—t to receive them of whose coming they had been informed by the predictions of wicked Spirits which were sore affrighted thereat For these being by the power of Preists cast out of those whom they had possess'd did openly declare the furiousnes of the tempest and the dangers which themselves had oppos'd to their voyage and how by the command and sanctity of those holy men they had been vanquish'd Afterwards these venerable Bishops with their fame preaching and miracles fill'd the whole Island of Brittany the greatest of all others And being ouerpress'd with the multitudes of those who resorted to them they preached Gods word not only in Churches but in lanes and high wayes whereby Catholicks were confirmed in their faith and those who had been deprav'd were reduced to the Church They were receiv'd as if they had been indeed Apostles considering the authority which their holines gave them the eminency of their learning and the wonderfull miracles wrought by them Divine Truth therefore being declared by persons so qualified generally the whole Island submitted to their doctrin The authours of the contrary perverse persuasion lurked in dark holes being as the wicked Spirits also were vexed to see the people freed from their snares But at last after long study and meditation they presum'd to enter into dispute with these Apostolick men 2. The place made choice of as most proper for this disputation was not London as Hector Boethius imagins but Verolam then a famous Citty neer S. Albans where the Body of the glorious Martyr Saint Alban repos'd Now what pass'd in that solemne conflict is thus related by Constantius 3. The Pelagians came pompously attended by their flattering disciples in glittring and costly raiment and they rather chose to run the hazard of a conflict then by their silence to confesse they had an ill cause Infinite numbers of people were assembled there with their wives and children The disputants stood on each side very unlike in their condition For on one side was placed divine authority on the other human presumption Here was Orthodox Faith there perfidious Errour Here Christ was acknowledg'd the authour there Pelagius At the first entrance the Holy Bishops gave free scope of disputing to the Pelagians who vainly spent the time and tired the auditory with empty verball discourses But after them the Venerable Bishops poured forth the torrents of their eloquence accompanied with Evangelicall and Apostolicall thunder They mingled with their own discourses texts of divine Scripture and their assertions were attended with testimonies of Gods word Thus vanity was convinc'd and perfidiousnes confuted insomuch as the Pelagians by their inhability to reply confessing their own guilt the people standing by as iudges could scarce contain their hands frrom violence to them and with clamours acknowledged the Victory 4. Immediatly after this a certain person of authority being a Tribune of the army coming with his wife into the midst of the Assembly leading in his hand his young daughter about ten years old which was blind Her he presented to the â—oly Bishops desiring their help for her cure But they bid him first to offer her to the Adversaries Who being deterr'd by an ill conscience joyn'd their entreaties with her parents prayers to the Venerable Prelats Whereupon perceiving the expectation of the people and their adversaries conviction they address'd themselves to God by a short prayer And then S. Germanus full of the Holy Ghost invok'd the Blessed Trinity and taking from his neck a little boxe full of Holy Relicks in the sight of the whole multitude he applied it to the eyes of the young maid which immediatly loosing their former darknes were filld with a new light from heaven At this so apparent miracle the parents exult and the people tremble And after this day all mens minds were so clearly purged from their former impious heresy that with thirsting desires they receiv'd the doctrin of these Holy Bishops 5. The truth of this narration is acknowledg'd by severall Protestant Writers as Archbishop Parker S. Henry Spellman and others who highly exalt the learning Sanctity and Orthodox Faith of these two Apostolick Bishops but withall they purposely conceale the miracle and manner how it was performed fearing to commend that in S. Germanus which they resolve to reprehend in the Holy Monk S. Augustin calling his devotion to Gods Saints superstitions and his bringing into Brittany holy Relicks triviall fopperies affirming him to have been a Teacher rather of superstition then Faith But let us proceed in the Narration of Constantius 6. Perverse Heresy being thus repress'd saith he and the Authours of it confuted so that all mens minds were illustrated with the purity of Faith the holy Bishops repair'd to the Sepulcher of the glorious Martyr Saint Alban with an intention to give thanks to Almighty God by his intercession There S. German having with him Relicks of all the Apostles and diverse Martyrs after Prayer made he commanded the Sacred Sepulcher to be opened because he would there lay up these precious Gifts For he thought it convenient that the same Repository should contain the members of many Saints out of diverse regions whom Heaven had receiv'd and crownd for the equality of their merits Having then with great reverence depos'd joynd together so many Sacred Relicks he digg'd up from the place where the Blessed Martyr S. Alban had shed his blood a masse of dry earth which he
stole or by fraud usurped any thing belonging to the Church to Bishops or other Ecclesiasticks of inferiour degrees For his desire was to give his protection especially to those whom he had so reverently received and whose Doctrine he had embraced 2. What those Decrees and Forms of Iudgments were may be seen in that celebrated Manuscript called the Text of Rochester which in the days of King Henry the first was composâ—d by Enulphus Bishop of that Citty under this Title These are the Decrees or Iudgements which King Ethelbert constituted in the life time of Saint Augustin Here I will sett down onely such Laws as regard the Church and which Saint Beda seems to mention The which have been brought by Sir H. Spelman into the first Tome of English Councils and expressed both in the Saxon and Latin tongues The sence of them here follows 3. Whosoever shall uniustly take away any thing belonging to God and the Church shall make satisfaction by a twelve-fold restitution If such things belong to a Bishop he shall restore eleaven fold If to a Preist nine fold If to a Deacon six fold If to an inferiour Clark three fold If the peace of the Church shall be violated by any one let satisfaction be made by paying double and the like for disturbing the peace of a Monk If when the King shall call an Assembly of his people and any iniury shall be offred them the Offender shall restore double and moreover pay to the King fifty shillings Solidos If when the King shall be entertained in any house any dammage shall be done there let it be recompenced double c. 4. Besides these saith the same Sir H. Spelman in his Annotations to these Decrees there follow many other Laws pertaining to honesty of life and correction of manners but these are all which regard the Church The precise time when these Decrees were published does not appear but as the Title declares they were made whilst Saint Augustin was alive and as the care of the Church manifests they were published after King Ethelberts conversion XXVI CHAP. i S. Augustin ordains S. Laurence his Successour 2.3 c. His Bull confirming the Monastery of Canterbury suspected 1. THERE is among our Historians great variety of iudgments touching the number of years spent by Saint Augustin in Brittany and in what year he dyed Those who place his death in the third year of this Century as Iohn Stow or in the fourth as Baronius endeavours to collect from Saint Beda doe too-much hasten his end For the Charters of King Ethelbert before mentioned declare that he was alive in the fifth year On the other side those prolong his life too-much who affirm that he dyed not till the year of Grace six hundred and fifteen as some Authours quoted by F. Reyner in his Apostolatus or thirteen as Sir Henry Savill in his Chronologicall Fasts or twelve as Malmsburiensis or eleaven as Polydor Virgil For Pope Boniface in his Letters dated six hundred and ten does suppose him dead Therefore in such variety of opinions Sigebert and Mathew of Westminster most probably place his death in the year of Grace six hundred and eight 2. A little before his death Saint Augustin consecrated Laurence a Bishop designing him his Successour in the Archiepiscopall See Which he did after the example of many former holy Bishops who upon their view of death approaching relinquishing the care of others attended devoutly to the contemplation of that one necessary thing This same passage is thus related by Saint Beda Laurence succeeded Saint Augustin having been ordained Bishop by him whilst he was yet alive out of an apprehension least after his death the State of the Church as yet tender being destitute of a Pastour though but foâ— a moment shâ—uld begin to falter And herein he followed the Example of the Prime Pastour of Gods Church namely Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles who having founded the Church of Christ at Rome is reported to have made Saint Clement his Coadjutour in preaching the Gospell and consecrated him his Successour 3. The last publick Act attributed to Saint Augustin was the Confirming by a Solemne Bull all the Rights and Priviledges of his Beloved Monastery of Saint Peter and Saint Paul exempting it from all Episcopall Iurisdiction from all tribute servitude c. Prohibiting all Bishops to say Masses exercise Ordinations or Consecrations c. as by their own authority or Iurisdiction in that place deputed for the Treasury of Saints and burying place of succeeding Arch-bishops and Princes And assigning the Election of Abbots to the free Suffrages of the Monks c. All which Priviledges he confirmed with a denunciation of eternall damnation to transgeessours of them by the authority of Saint Peter and his Vicar the Bishop of Rome Saint Gregory This Bull was published in the presence and with the approbation of King Ethelbert his Son Eadbald all the Nobility of the Kingdom his Successour Laurence Mellitus Bishop of London Iustus Bishop of Rochester and Peter the Abbot and Monks of the same Monastery 4 To which Bull there was appended a Seale of Lead Neither is it a wonder saith the Transcriber of the said Bull that Saint Augustin being a Roman an Apostle of the English Nation and a Legat of the Apostolick See indued with a plenary Authority to erect Bishopricks and consecrate Bishops all which were to be subject to him should have the power and right to make use of a leaden Seale Though for the space of five hundred years the like priviledge was not afterward granted to any of our Bishops 5. Notwithstanding Sir H. Spelman not unreasonably suspects this not to be a genuine Bull because the fabrick of the Seale expresses not so great antiquity and the Sculpture of it more elegant then suited with that age likewise the Image of our Saviour and the form of a Church engraved in it ressembles the exactnes almost of these later times Moreover the Letters of the Inscription are such as were used in far later ages about the raign of King Henry the second or Richard the first And lastly the Seal is appended to the Bull not after the Roman fashion with a Chord of Silk but with a Skrole of parchmin after the Norman custom To these we may add that by mentioning in the same Writing together both Laurence his Successour and Peter the Abbot who was drowned above a year before that designation of a Successour the order of times is manifestly crofounded and the authority of the Bull prejudiced 6. However that most of these Priviviledges were even from the beginning conferred on that Monastery yea by Saint Augustin himself in vertue of a delegated authority from the See Apostolick though the simplicity of that age did not need such Legall Instruments and formall clauses the constant Tradition of that age doth justify Which Priviledges in succeeding times were frequently ratified by following Popes
was miraculously forbidden and hindred as we shall shew more at large when we come to the season of that Mission For Almighty God designed him for another employment which was the reducing of the Scottish Monks and Clergy to a conformity with the Catholick Church in the Celebration of Easter in Canonicall Tonsure and other Rites How this was effected S. Beda thus relates 10. Not long after saith he those Monks also which inhabited the Island of Hy of the Scottish nation together with all the Monasteries subiect to them were by Gods Providence brought to the Catholick Observance of Easter and Canonicall Tonsure For in the year after our Lords Incarnation seaven hundred and sixteen in which after that Osred King of the Northumbers was slain Coeâ—red governed there there came to them out of Ireland the holy and Venerable Preist Egbert of whom we spoke before and was with great reverence and ioy received by them He being a very winning Teacher and moreover one who devoutly practised what he taught was willingly hearkned to by them all and by his diligent and pious exhortations changed the inveterate Tradition of their Ancestours to whom we may apply that saying of the Apostle That they had a zeale of God but not according to knowledge and taught them to celebrate the Prime Christian Solemnity and to receive the Canonicall Tonsure after the Catholick and Apostolick manner And herein we may admire the mercifull dispensation of Divine Providence that the same Nation which formerly had with great willingnes communicated to our Ancestours the Light of Divine knowledge should afterward by our English Nation be brought to a perfect form of living in things whereof they were formerly ignorant As on the other side the Brittains who refused to communicate to the English the knowledge of the Christian Faith now that the same English were perfectly instructed in the Rule of Christianity yet they remaind in their inveterate Errours and celebrated Christian Solemnities and Rites in a manner different and opposite to the Vniversal Church 11. Now the said Monks of Hy by the teaching of Egbert received the Catholick Rites when Dunchad the tenth from S. Columba was Abbot of that Monastery and about fourscore years after they had sent Aidan to preach the Gospell to the English Nation The man of God Egbert remaind thirteen years in the said Island which he had consecrated as it were anew to our Lord by bringing among them the Spirit of Christian communion and peace 12. At length in the year of our Lords Incarnation seven hundred twenty nine in which the Paschall Solemnity fell on the eighth before the Calendâ— of May when he had solemnly celebrated Masse in Memory of the said Resurrection of our Lord the same day he likewise went to heaven and there in the Society of our Lord and his Apostles finished the ioy of that highest Festivity which he had begun on earth with his Brethren whom he had converted to Vnity Yea now he never ceases to celebrate it without end 13. And truly it was a wonderfull dispensation of the Divine Providence that this Venerable man not only passed out of this world to the Eternal Father upon the Paschal Feast but when that Feast was celebrated aright on such a day as it never had been before in those places This was great ioy to the Monks that they were arrived to the certain Catholick time of that Feast and that they were assured to enioy the Protection of the same Venerable Father by whom they were rectified And it was a ioy to him that he was preserved alive till he might see his Disciples solemnise that day together with him which formerly they had always avoyded Thus being assured of their amendment the most Reverend Father exulted to see that day of our Lord he saw it and was glad Thus happily he dyed and both in the Roman and other Martyrologes his name is recited among the Saint on the four and twentieth of April THE SEAVETEENTH BOOK OF THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITTANY I. CHAPTER 1.2 c. Pope Vitalians Letter to King Oswi concerning the election of an Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the place of Wigard who dyed at Rome 1. BY reason of the distractions caused by the late raging Pestilence the two principall Sees of Brittany were some years vacant But in the year of Grace six hundred sixty five by the care of two pious Kings Oswi King of the Northumbers and Egbert King of Kent order was taken for supplying them Thus writes Saint Beda King Oswi saith he though he had received his education and instruction from the Scotts yet now came to understand of a truth that the Roman was the Catholick Apostolick Church therefore ioyning in counsell with Egbert King of Kent they with the election and consent of the English Clergy sent to Rome to be ordained Arch-bishop of Canterbury a certain vertuous Preist and fittly qualified for that dignity named Wigard one of the Clergy of the late Arch-bishop Deus-dedit to the intent that he being invested with Archiepiscopall authority might ordain Catholick Bishops over all the Churches in Brittany 2. Moreover in token of their respect to the See Apostolick together with Wigard they sent Letters and presents to Pope Vitalâ—an who then sate in S. Peters Chaire with vessels of gold and silver in no small number saith the same Authour 3. Wigard being arrived at Rome and having acquainted the foresaid Pope with the cause of his iourney presently after both himself and almost all those of his attendance were swepd away by a pestilence which suddenly seised on them 4. Pope Vitaliam by his Letters to King Oswi dated the year following and which are extant in S. Beda gave him an account of these things In which Letters he first congratulates the Kings Orthodoxe faith and zeale for propagating the same Faith among his subjects Exhorting him earnestly in all things to follow the pious Rule and Tradition of S. Peter and S. Paul who were the two great Lights of the Vniversall Church Particularly he instructs him how the Catholick way of observing the Paschall Solemnity came from their teaching and practise 5. Consequently he informs him how he could not so soon find a man in all points adorned with such qualities as they required in a Prelate considering that the great distance of their countrey deterred men from accepting the Episcopall charge there But assoon as a fitt person could be found he would not fayle to direct him thither to pluck up all the tares which the Enemy had sown in their Churches 6. Then he adioyns his gratefull acknowledgment for the Gifts which he had sent in honour to the Blessed Prince of the Apostles assuring him that both himself and his whole Clergy would dayly pray to Almighty God for his health But as for the design'd Arch-bishop Wigard who brought those gifts he with great greife recounts his sudden taking out of
Apostles and by the ten books of S. Clement 7. But as for us we are able according to the authority of Holy Scriptures to give a true and sufficient testimony of our Tonsure and doe affirm that S. Peter ordained this Rite of Tonsure for severall causes First that thereby he might on his head bear a representation of our Lord who ascending the Crosse for our Redemption was Crownd by the execrable Iews in a cruell manner with sharp peircing thorns Next that the Preists of the Old and New Testament might be distinguished by their habit and Tonsure And lastly that the same Apostle and his followers might carry the ridiculous expression of scorn used by the Romans who when they sold their slaves taken in war they were wont to crown them But in the Old Testament this Signe of Tonsure took its Originall if I be not mistaken from the Nazarites who were persons consecrated to God for it is a mark of a Royall and Sacerdotall descent For a Tiara was anciently sett on the heads of the Preists which being enwrapped in fine linnen was round like the Middle Sphere and this is represented by that part of the head which is shorn Now a Crown or Diademe was a golden circle of some breadth which encompassed the heads of Kings And both these signs are expressed on the heads of Clergy-men concerning whom S. Peter saith You are an elect nation a Royal Preist-hood And moreover by this Rite of shaving and polling is signified our duty to cutt off all our vices and that we should devest our selves of our sins as we doe of our haires 8. But there is among you another practise far more pernicious to soules which is that in the observation of the Solemnity of Easter you neglect to follow the Rule of the three hundred and eighteen Fathers who in the Nicene Councill with great sagacity established the Circle of Nineteen years to last to the end of the world by the numbers of Eight and Eleaven and also ordained the Paschall supputation from the fourteenth day of the Moon to the one and twentieth making these the terms of the Paschall Circle which it is unlawfull for any one to transgresse Whereas the Preists among you according to the Account and Circle of Anatolius or rather according to the Rule of Sulpitius Severinus who described a Course of eighty four years doe some-times observe the Paschall Solemnity on the fourteenth Moon with the Iews whereas the Bishops of the Roman Church doe observe neither of these ways of calculation Neither have they decreed that posterity should follow the Paschall Table of Victorius which contains a course of five hundred thirty two years For there was a sort of Heretiks in the East called Tessera-decatitae because they celebrated the Paschall Solemnity on the fourteenth Moon with the Iews who blaspemed our Lord and trode under foot the pearles of the Gospell And for this they were excluded from the Communion of the Church and ranked among the unhappy conventicles of Schismatiks Of these as I remember S. Augustin makes mention in his Treatise of Ninety Heresies 9. But besides these enormities there is another thing wherein they doe notoriously swerve from the Catholick Faith and Evangelical Tradition which is that the Preists of the Demetae or South-west Wales inhabiting beyond the bay of Severn puffed up with a conceit of their own purity doe exceedingly abhorâ— communion with us insomuch as they will neither ioyn in prayers with us in the Church nor enter into society with us at the Table yea moreover the fragments which we leave after refection they will not touch but cast them to be devoured by doggs and unclean Swine The Cupps also in which we have drunk they will not make use of till they have rubbed and cleansed them with sand or ashes They refuse all civil salutations or to give us the kisse of pious fraternity contrary to the Apostles precept Salute one another with a holy kisse They will not afford us water and a towel for our hands nor a vessell to wash our feet Whereas our Saviour having girt himself with a towell washed his Disciples feet and left us a pattern to imitate saying As I have done to you so doe you to others Moreover if any of us who are Catholicks doe goe amongst them to make an abode they will not vouchsafe to admitt us to their fellowship till we be compelled to spend forty dayes in Pennance And herein they unhappily imitate those Hereticks who will needs be called Cathars or Puritans 10. Such enormous errours and malignities as these are to be mournfully bewayld with sighes and teares since such their behaviour is contrary to the precepts of the Gospell and suiting with the Traditions of Iewish Pharisees concerning whom our Saviour saith Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees who cleanse the outsides of Cupps and dishes On the contrary our Lord disdaind not to be present at feasts with Publicans and sinners thereby shewing himself a good Physician who was carefull to provide wholesom cataplasms and medecines to heale the corrupt wounds of those that conversed with him Therefore he did not like the Pharisees despise the conversation of sinners but on the contrary according to his accustomed clemency he mercifully comforted the poor sinfull woman who bewayld the former pollutions of her life and casting herself at our Lords feet washed them with showres of teares and wiped them with the curled locks of her haire concerning whom he said Her many sins are forgiven her because she hath loved much 11. Since therefore the truth of these things cannot be denyed we doe with earnest humble prayers and bended knees beseech and adiure you as you hope to attain to the fellowship of Angels in Gods heavenly kingdom that you will no longer with pride and stubbornes abhorr the doctrines and Decrees of the Blessed Apostle S. Peter nor pertinaciously and arrogantly despise the Tradition of the Roman Church preferring before it the Decrees and ancient Rites of your Predecessours For it was S. Peter who having devoutly confessed the Son of God was honoured by him with these Words Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevayle against it And to thee will I give the keyes of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heaven If therefore the Keyes of the kingdom of heaven were given to S. Peter who is he who having despised the principall Statuts and ordinances of his Church can presumingly expect to enter with ioy through the gate of the heavenly Paradise And if he by a peculiar Priviledge and happines received the power of binding and the Monarchy of loosing in heaven and earth who is he who having reiected the Rule of the Paschall Solemnity and the Rite of the Roman Tonsure will not rather
ancient Ecclesiasticall Monuments a wife of another name assign'd to him namely Priscilla Notwithstanding this being the name of Pudens his Mother it is not unprobable that Claudia in succeeding times might for her husbands sake assume his Mothers name However matters in this point stood it can not be denyed that our Countrey has a great Obligation to a late Noble and Learned Writer Francis Moncaeus Lord of a Signory call'd the Cold Valley who has published a Discourse full of ancient literature entitled Ecclesiae Christianae veteris Britannicae incunabula Regia in which he confidently pretends out of Antiquity to demonstrate this our Claudia Ruffina to have descended from the Royall blood of Brittany and to have been the Wife and Mother of Saints far more glorious And moreover this one proof hereto may be added that our Ancient Histories report that Timotheus the eldest son of Pudens came into Brittany where he converâ—ted very many to the Faith and at least disposed King Lucius to his succeeding Conversion Now it is very likely that it was out of regard to his Mother a Brittish Lady that this Apostolicall Saint made so particular a choice of Brittany to be the Province in which he desired to exercise his Christian zeale and charity 10. It only remains to be spoken of this Claudia Ruffina what we find in the Martyrologe of England upon the seaventh of August where we read these words A Commemoration of S. Claudia 11. It is an ambition scarce excusable upon groundlesse suspicions to lay claim to Saints and Patrons as some modern writers would entitle the Wife of Plautius who in Claudius his time as hath been sayd triumphed for Victories over Brittany to an Apostolicall office of converting many in this Island when she was here with her Husband Her name was Pomponia Graecina and according to Tacitus his relation â—he was accused of a strange Religion externae Superstitionis forbidden by the Roman Laws the cognizance of which pretended crime was by the Senat permitted to her husband who according to an ancient Institut in force at Rome in the presence of her kindred sate as Iudge of the fame and life of his Lady and in conclusion pronounced her innocent This Account given of her by Tacitus has induced learned Writers to beleive that this extern Superstition layd to Pomponia Graecina's Charge was no other then the Profession of the Christian Faith the fruits of which in her practise being perfect humility obedience chastity and all other celestiall vertues it is no wonder that her husband should so easily absolve her But that she should be a companion of Plautius when he was sent General into Brittany was against the Roman Laws and Custome as the same Tacitus elsewhere declares Probable it is that staying at Rome in regard of her husbands authority in Brittany she might be visited by Claudia Ruffina and other new converted Brittains and by such means be made partaker of Evangelicall light and become a Disciple of S. Peter 12. But a more unquestionable Disciple of S. Peter we find in ancient Ecclesiasticall Monuments by birth a Brittain by name Mansuetus and by office an Apostolicall converter and Patron to the Citty of Toul in Lorrain being the Metropolis of a people called Leuci. Concerning whom Isengrenius as likewise Arnoldus Mirmannus out of old Records gives this Testimony that he was by Nation a Scot born of a Noble family a Disciple of Simon Bariona that is S. Peter Cheif of the Apostles companion of S. Clement Bishop of Metz and consecrated by S. Peter the first Bishop of Toul a Citty of the Leuci in the forty ninth yeare of Christ and in the raign of Tiberius Claudius Caesar. 13. Now wheras he is called a Scot this is to be understood as King Lucius in Ancient Records is called a King of England that is of that Countrey which was afterward call'd England For as Mr. Cambden well observes after most diligent disquisition the name of Scots is not to be found in any Ancient Writer till the Age of Constantin the Great about which time they are supposed to have settled themselves in the Northern parts of Brittany So that it may confidently be affirmed that S. Mansuetus was a Northern Caledonian Brittain who either in the company of Adminius a Brittish Prince or Bericus a Noble man of the same Countrey or as an Attendant of Caractacus went to Rome where he was converted by S. Peter and as hath been sayd design'd by him the Apostolicall Bishop of Toul probably at the request of some Proselytes of that Countrey 14. A yet more authentick Testimony both of the life and death of this Holy Bishop is extant in the ancient Gallican Martyrologe on the third of September where we read this passage At Toul a Citty of the Leuci there is on this day a commemoration of S. Mansuetus a Bishop who was of Noble birth by Originall a Scot and one of the first Disciples of S. Peter by whom being baptized he devested himself of his former Heathenish name and assumed the Title of Mansuetus or Meek from the Meeknes of the Lamb of God which he imitated He by the same S. Peter was sent to enlighten this Citty with Evangelicall verities At his first entrance whereinto he found it so wholly given up to abominable Idolatry that his preaching and exhortations would have produced little fruit had not Divine power promoted his endeaâ—vours by a wonderfull Miracle by whose assistance this Preacher of salvation restored to life and health a son of the Governour of this Citty who from a high Tower beholding certain horse-troops exercising themselves fell down to the ground all bruised and torn Vpon occasion of this Miracle the Governour with his whole family and a great number of the Cittizens joyn'd themselves to the flock of Christ and were signed with the saving Character of Baptisme After which the word of God had a free course and great multitudes not only of the Inhabitants of this Citty but also of the Countrey adioyning were established in the knowledge of salvation Thus S. Mansuetus enioying a firm peace erected and consecrated a Church to the Holy Trinity under the Patronage of S. Steven the first Martyr He likewise ordained here Ecclesiasticall Ministers and having instructed the people generally in the knowledge and practise of all manner of Piety in the fortieth yeare after he had begun the exercise of his Apostolicall Office he quietly closed his eyes in the sleep of death and so attained to the fruition of eternall rewards with Christ whom he always only thirsted after 15. A third holy Brittish Disciple though not Convert of S. Peter's Antiquity records to wit one both in Title and reality Beatus or Blessed Of this Saint mention is made by severall Writers some of them averse from Catholick Religion Yet none of them speak of him without admiration The summe of his Acts recorded by them is
and B. Godwin cast on the memory of our glorious Apostle Saint Augustin to whom they impute this horrible Massacre as if by his instigation that Pagan King had by this cruelty revenged their refusall to submitt to his Metropoliticall authority Whereas by the ioynt testimony of our Historians and the expresse words of Saint Beda Saint Augustin was dead long before to wit five years at least 8. But they reply that those words of Saint Beda quamvis ipso iam multo antè tempore ad caelestia regna sublato that is though Saint Augustin himself a good while before this was translated to Heaven included in a Parenthesis were added by Papists to salve Saint Augustins honour and are not found in the Saxon Translation of Saint Beda made by King Alfred True it is that in the Latin and Saxon Edition publish'd by Abraham Whelock in the year 1643 those words appear not in the Saxon Copy But the publisher though a Protestant ingenuously confesses that not only in all Impressions of Saint Beda's History some of which saw the light before any Protestants were but in all ancient Manuscripts extant in the Libraries of Cambridge that Clause of S. Beda was extāt and never included in a Parenthesis but only distinguish'd by Comma's 7. Surely if we will iudge of Saint Augustin by the Spirit of his Father and Master Saint Gregory we would not suspect him of so horribly murdrous a disposition For Saint Gregory though Rome and all Italy had been many years infested and wasted by the Lombards yet was so fearfull of being in any measure accessory to blood that he durst not concur to the death of any one of their Princes though he was assured therby to free the whole countrey from their Tyranny And S. Augustin himself as hath been shewed taught King Ethelbert a quite contrary Lesson That in the cause of Religion no violence or compulsion ought to be used 8. If any credit may be given to Ancient and till this age never questiond Tradition Saint Augustin was a man of eminent piety of admirable zeale for the rooting out Pagan Idolatry and planting the Gospell in this Island And even Protestants themselves acknowledge that Almighty God gave testimony to his Teaching by many great miracles If he had been guilty of some defects Christian Charity requires us either not to mention them or to let a thousand great obligations we have to his Memory preponderate them But upon meer ungrounded suspicions disproved by the current of Story to charge with crimes execrable to Heathens a person in the iudgment of the whole Church for almost a thousand years now raigning with Christ in glory is certainly a presumption of which God with whom the death of his Saints is precious will one day require a severe account 9. Yet of late this poysonnous humour of calumniating Gods Saints is become the principall Character of the New reformed Gospell I will adde one example more of a calumniatour at least parallel to these witt Mr William Prinn alate stigmatized Presbyterian who in his not long since publish'd Censure of Arch-bishop Whitgift charges Saint Anselm that he induced Sir Walter Tirrel to murder King William Rufus Now by the consent of all our Historians Tirrel himself was no murderer for it was by the unhappy casuall glancing of an arrow that the King was slain However it hapned yet certain it is that at that time Saint Anselm was an exild person in France and whereas at that Kings burial many Noble men mett but few mourned for his death yet saith a late Protestant Historian of all mourners Anselm express'd most cordial sorrow at the news That blasphemous tongue therefore must expect that such envenomed darts as these shott against heaven it self will if he repent not one day descend upon his own head and the wounds made by them never be cured But alas what Repentance can be expected in such a person who is inveteratus dierum malorum when wee see in his decrepite age his rancorous tongue against innocent Catholicks yet more violently sett on fire of hell so far as to solicite a generall Massacre of them by publishing himself and tempting others to damne their soules also by publishing through the whole kingdom that in the last fatall calamity by fire hapning to London they were the onely incendiaries This he did though himself at the same time confessed that not the least proof could be produced against them But said he it concerns us that this report should be beleived Complaints of this most execrable attentat were made and severall Oathes to confirm this were offred But in vain However surely there is a reward for the innocent oppress'd And what soever Mr Prinn may think doubtles there is a God who iudges the world Let him therefore remember what the Spirit of God sayes Quid detu◠tibi aut quid apponatur tibi ad linguam dolosam Sagittae potentis acutae cum carbonibus desolatoriis that is What must be given to thee and what must be assigned to thee for thy portion O deceitfull Tongue Sharp darts cast by an Almighty arme with devouring coales of juniper 10. With as good reason therfore S. Augustin may be accused of the slaughter of these Brittishs Monks as S. Columban a Holy Irish Monk in France might be charged with the most horrible death of Queen Bronichild hapning at this very time for he also by the Spirit of Prophecy forewarn'd her of it And so far may we esteem the ancient Prophets guilty of the calamities befalling many Princes and Stares which by Divine Inspiration they foretold 11. To all this wee may adde that there was no such freindly correspondence between the Kings of Kent and the Northumbers as that this latter should be employed by the former as an instrument of his unworthy revenge On the contrary wee read that Ethelfrid bore so mortall a hatred to all Christians that he denounced to the Kings of Kent and Essex that he would be no lesse an enemy to them because they had forsaken the Institutes of their Fathers then he was to the Brittains and Scotts And to conclude according to the plain Narration of S. Beda the Pagan King Ethelfrid came with no design against the Brittish Monks but their slaughter was caused by occasion of his seing them on a hill together and being told that they were assembled there to pray to God against him So that the Pagan Authour himself of the slaughter absolves both King Ethelbert and S. Augustin unjustly condemned by partiall and ungratefull Christians V. CHAP. 1. Kinegils the West Saxon King overcomes the Brittains 2. 3 The death of Sebert King of the East-Saxons His Successours 1. IN the year of Christ six hundred and fourteen Kinegilsus King of the West-Saxons after he had raigned three years assumed his Son others say his Brother Quicelmus a companion in his Throne And presently after they both fought a battell
that saving Oblation was of wonderfull vertue for the redemption both of soule and body This relation I my self received from severall persons who had heard it from the man himself to whom these things befell And therefore I thought it expedient having been clearly convinced of the truth of it to insert it as undoubtedly certain in this my History Thus writes S. Beda After this disgression wee will return to Saint Wilfrid at Rome IV. CHAP. i. 2 c. Saint Wilfrids cause heard and determined in a Roman Synod to his advantage 1. WEE have already declared how Saint Wilfrid arriving at Rome found Pope Agathon in great solicitude concerning the faith of all Churches upon occasion of the Heresy of the Monothelites much spread in the East For which purpose among other Provinces he sent likewise into Brittany where he commanded a Synod to be assembled to the end he might explore whether the Faith of the Saxon Church there were sound and uniform with other Catholick Churches or in any point corrupted 2. The person sent by him for this purpose saith S. Beda was a Venerable Preist called Iohn Arch-Cantor of the Church of S. Peter and Abbot of the Monastery of S. Martin who this year arrived in Brittany being conducted by the most Reverend Abbot Biscop by sirname Benedict His busines was to invite the Arch-bisho Theodore to come himself or at least to depute another in his name to the Rome Synod to be assembled for repressing the foresaid Hiresy This appears by the said Popes Letters written the next year to the Emperours of Constantinople Heraclius and Tiberius in which this passage is extant Our hope was saith he to have ioynd to this our Assembly our Fellow-bishop Theodore a learned Philosopher and Arch-bishop of the great island of Brittany together with other Bishops abiding in those parts and for that reason we hitherto deferred this Council Which expression as it argues a wonderfull merit and esteem in which this holy Arch-bishop was held in that age so it disproves manifestly the assertion of Sir H. Spelman who thence collects that S. Theodore was called to the Council held at Constantinople whereas it is evident that it was the Roman Synod assembled the year following to which he was invited 3. In the mean time S. Wilfrid being arrived at Rome saith William of Malmsbury he found the whole Citty in a solicitous expectation of him For his coming was prevented by a Messenger sent from S Theodore Arch-bishop of Canterbury whose name was Kenewald a Monk of a modest and Religious comportment who brought with him in Writing severall Articles of accusation against S. Wilfrid conceived in very rude and bitter expressions S Hilda the famous Abbesse likewise sent Messengers on purpose to aggravate the charge against him This seemd a matter of so great consequence to the holy Pope Agathon that for determining it he presently assembled a Council of fifty Bishops and Abbots in the Great Church of our Saviour which had its sirname from the founder of it the Emperour Constantin Before this Council was S. Wilfrid summond accused defended and in the end absolved The whole proceeding of this Council in the cause of this holy Bishop which was the only busines debated in it cannot be better related then we find in thâ— authentick Copy of it preserved by William of Malmsbury and also extant in a Manuscript produced by Sir H. Spelman among his Councils of Brittany The Form whereof is as followeth 4. In the Name of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Chr. In the twelfth year of the raign of our most pious and glorious Emperour Constantin the elder and his Brethren our new made Emperours Heraclius and Tiberius in the seaventh Indiction in the month of October Agathon the most blessed Pope of the Catholick Church presiding the most holy Gospels being sett before in the Church of Saviour named from Constantin and together sitting with him these holy and learned Bishops as Assessours in the present cause Crescens Bishop of Vinon Phoberius Andreas of Ostia Iuvenal of Albano 5. Agathon the most Holy and Blessed Bishop of the Catholick Church and Apostolick Citty said thus to the Bishops sitting with him I doe not beleive that your Holy Fraternities are ignorant of the cause moving mee to call you to this Assembly For my desire is that your Reverences would ioyn with mee in hearing and treating of a Debate lately risen in the Church of the Brittish Isle where through Gods Grace the multitude of true Beleivers is encreased A relation of which Controversy hath been brought to us as well by information of persons thence arrived here as by Writings 6. Then Andrew the most Keverend Bishop of Ostia and Iohn of Porto said The ordering of all Churches dependeth on the authority of your Apostolick Sanctity who sustain the place of the Blessed Apostle S. Peter But moreover we by your command have read unto our fellow-Bishops sitting here with us the severall Writings which Messengers directed hither from Brittany presented to your Holines as well those which certain Messengers a good while since brought from the most Reverend Arch-bishop there together with the informations of others against a certain Bishop who as they say is privily slipped away as also those which were presented by the Devout Bishop Wilfrid Bishop of the Holy Church of York who having been cast out of his See by the forenamed Holy Arch-bishop is come hither In all which Writings though many questions be inserted yet we doe not find that by any Ecclesiasticall Canons he ha's been convicted of any crimes and consequently he was not canonically and legally eâ—ected Neither doe his accusers here present charge him wiâ—h any naughty acts meriting a degradation On the contrary it appears to us that notwithstanding his uniust suffrings he hath born himself modestly abstaining from all seditious contentions All that he hath done is that being driven out of his See the said venerable Bishop Wilfrid made known his cause to his fellow-bishps and it come for iustice to this See Apostolick 7. Agathon the most holy and blessed Bishop of the Catholick Church and of the Apostolick Citty of Rome said to his Brethren sitting with him Let Wilfrid the Venerable Bishop â—f the Holy Church of York who I am informed attends at the dores of our Secretary be here admitted and bring with him the Petition which he is sayd to have compiled The holy Bishop Wilfrid being entred into the Venerable Secretary said I beseech your Holines be pleased to command that my Petition may be openly read The most holy Bishop Agathon said Let the Petition of Venerable Wilfrid be received and publickly read And Iohn the Notaery received and read it to the holy and Apostolick Council in tenour following 8. I Wilfrid an humble and unworthy Bishop have at last by Gods assistance brought my steps to this supreme residence of Apostolick dignity as to a strong tower of safety from
whence doth proceed the regulation according to Sacred Canons to all the Churches of Christ and therefore I doe assure my self that your Venerable Paternities both by my suggestion in writing and likewise by the discourse which at my first coming I made to your Holines have been sufficiently informed that certain persons have violently and unjustly invaded my Bishoprick without convicting mee of any fault and in an Assembly in which were present Theodore the most Holy Archbishop of Canterbury and other Bishops they have endeavoured to usurpe my See which I had administred the space of more then ten years and in my Diocese three Bishops have been promoted though their promotion be contrary to the Canons Now upon what Motive or provocation the most holy Arch-bishop Theodore by his authority without my consent should ordain three Bishops in my See out of reverence to his person who was sent thither from this Apostolick Chair I am unwilling to examine Notwithstanding if it shall appear that against the Rule of Ecclesiasticall Canons being driven from my ancient See without any offence committed which is so severely punishable by the saâ—d Canons I have for all that been free from all factious tumultuousnes and quietly departed away after I had protested my innocence and the illegall proceedings against mee before the Bishops of the said Province I doe here submitt my self to your Apostolicall iudgment If your Sentence shall be that I remain deprived I doe with all willingnes and humble devotion embrace it But if you shall think fitt that I be restored to my Bishoprick this one thing I shall only begg of this Apostolick See that the foresaid invaders may be expelled from the Dioceses which I though unworthy have so many years governed Yet if you shall iudge expedient that more Prelats be ordained in the said Province of which I have been the sole Bishop I beseech you to take order that such may be promoted there as may be persons with whom I may quietly and peaceably ioyn in the administration of it 9. This Petition being read Agathon the most holy and blessed Bishop of the Holy Catholick Church and Apostolick Citty of Rome said It is no small satisfaction to this Assembly that in this Petition the Holy Bishop Wilfrid hath manifested to us that though he hath been unduly cast out of his See yet he never made any obstinate resistance by Secular power but with all humility begged the assistance of Blessed Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles withall professing his readines to submit to what soever Sentence the same Blessed Apostle from whom we receive our authority shall pronounce by my mouth 10. The Sacred Synod there residing among other decrees unanimously consented to this Wee doe ordain and Decree that the Holy Bishop Wilfrid be restored to the Bishoprick which he lately possessed And that the Arch-bishop shall ordain for his Coadjutours such persons as himself shall with the consent of a Synod to be assembled there make choice of and as for those persons who in his absence have illegally intruded into his Bishoprick let them be utterly expelled from thence And who soever shall refuse to receive this our Decree let them be interdicted 11. Saint Wilfrid being thus absolved and reestablished by Apostolick authority with the unanimous consent of the Roman Synod did not presently return but made his abode at Rome till the year following in which another more frequent Synod was assembled in the cause of the Monothelites of which Synod he appeared a principall member sitting there not as an Appellant but as sustaining the place of the Clergy of Brittany and Ireland 12. During the time of this his absence hapned the blessed death of his most beloved Disciple the glorious Virgin Saint Ethelreda or Ediltrudis twice a wife and always a Virgin Of whom wee have already by anticipation largely enough treated in the foregoing Narration of the Story of her Gests death buriall and incorruption to which wee referre the Reader We will onely adde the Prayer which the ancient English Church recited on the ninth of the Calends of Iuly being the day of her Deposition O God who doest encrease our ioy by the yearly Solemnity of thy Virgin S. Ethelreda Grant in mercy that wee may be assisted by her merits with the examples of whose Chastity wee are enlightned through our Lord c. Another Prayer to the same effect was in the Church Office on the day of her Translation on the three and twentieth of Iune V. CHAP. 1. S. Wilfrid declares the Faith of the Saxon Church in a Roman Synod 2. He obtains a Confirmation of the Priviledges of the Monastery of Medeshamsted or Peterborow 1. THE year following the same Pope Agathon saith Saint Beda having assembled a Synod at Rome of one hundred twenty five Bishops all whose names are found subscribed to the Synodall Letters in the fourth Action of the Sixth Councill against the Monothelites who taught that there was onely one Will and operation in our Saviour commanded Saint Wilfrid to be called to the same Synod and there to declare openly his own Faith as likewise the Faith of the Province and Island from whence he came Which he having done and thereby approved himself and his countrey-men to be Orthodox Catholicks it seemed good to the Council that among other things that also should be inserted in the Synodall Gests which was performed in this form Wilfrid the devout Bishop of York having appealed to the See Apostolick in a particular cause of his own by whose authority he was absolved from all accusations both certain and uncertain and afterwards called and admitted to this Synod of one hundred twenty five Bishops Where in the name of all the Churches in the Northern parts of Brittany and in the Isles of Ireland inhabited by English Brittains as likewise the Nations of Scotts and Picts he made open profession of the true Catholick Faith confirming it moreover by his subscription 2. The other Acts of this Synod not pertaining to our present History we will omitt After this Saint Wilfrid according to the Commission given him by Ethelred King of the Mercians obtaind from the See Apostolick and Roman Synod a Confirmation of the Priviledges and Exemptions granted by the said King to the Monastery of Medeshamsted or Peterborow which he had lately finished There is extant in Sir H. Spelmans Brittish Councils a Copy of a Breif of Pope Agathon to the same effect which he translated out of the Saxon language into Latin In which notwithstanding there is one passage whereby the said Pope constituts the Abbots successively of the said Monastery Legats of the Apostolick See in Brittany which seems repugnant to the custom and practise of that and following ages which always acknowledged that Title to be the ornament and honour of the See of Canterbury VI. CHAP. 1.2 c. A Synod at Hatfeild in Brittany touching the Faith against Eutyches S Theodore's
Arch-bishoprick for I doe not know any one of the English Nation so capable of it considering the eminence of your learning and skill in the Ecclesiasticall Lawes of Rome As for my self I will by Gods grace for the future be very diligent to wipe out all old offences by my care to perform all good offices and among the rest I will endeavour by my intercession and all the authority I have to reconcile to you all the Princes who have hitherto been your persecutours 3. Saint Wilfrid answered the Arch-bishop with all meeknes as became so holy a person but to accept of the Arch-bishoprick without the order and decree of a Nationall Councill he would by no means consent Saint Theodore notwithstanding used his utmost endeavours to obtain his complyance in this point but in vain Therefore he sent Messengers with letters to Alfrid King of the Northumbers who succeeded Egfrid and to his Sister Elfleda Abbesse of Streneshalch earnestly requiring them to lay aside all displeasure and without delay to receive into their affection and favour the Holy Bishop These Letters are not now extant but others which he wrote to the same effect to Ethelred King of the Marâ—cians have been preserved by William of Malmsbury in this forme 4. Your admirable Sanctity My beloved son may hereby take notice that a perfect reconciliation is made between my self and the Venerable Bishop Wilfrid Therefore I doe admonish you and in the Love of Christ require that yâ—u woulâ— still continue as you have hitherto done your protection of him who these many years has beeâ— despoyled of his revenews and forced to live among Pagans in the Conversion of whom he has seâ—ved our Lord with great effect Therefore I Theodore humble Bishop doe now in my decrepite age make this request unto you desiring the same which the Apostles authority recommends touching a Holy Bishop who has so long a time possessed his soule in patience and in imitation of Christ our Head with all humility and meeknes expects an end of so many injuries done him Moreover if I have found favour in your eyes let mee enioy the comfort of seeing your face most desirable to mee and let not a iourney for that purpose seem burdensome to you that my soule may blesse you before I dye Beloved Son perform the requesâ— I have made you in behalf of the said holy Bishop and be assured that if you obey your Father who am shortly to depart out of this world you will reap great proffit to your soule by it Farewell 5 S. Wilfrid armed with these Letters and reâ—recommendations took his iourney to the Kingdom of the Northumbers and beforâ— he entred it he received a kind invitation â—rom King Alâ—frid who at his coming with the consent of a Synod assembled restored to him all the revenews of which he had been deprived The Church of Lindesfarn was now vacant by the voluntary cession and ensuing death of Saint Cuthbert And as for Bosa Bishop of York and Iohn lately ordained Bishop of Hagulstad or Hexham they shewed a greater inclination to preserve peace and declare their obedience to the ordinance of the Pope then to retain their dignities or revenewes To this effect the foresaid Authour thus writes When Saint Wilfrid came with the Arch-bishops Letters to the forementioned Kings he was entertained with very kind speeches and all expressions of favour And particularly King Alfrid who had familiarly known him before of his own accord invited him to come to him And being arrived he first of all restored to him the Monastery of Hengsteldeim and afterward by decree of a Synod the Bishoprick of York together with the Monastery of Rippon We will now leave him in quiet possession of his Bishoprick which lasted the space of five years after which shall be related fresh troubles and persecutions renewed against him XI CHAP. 1. The Martyrdom of Saint Lewina a Virgin 2.3 Her Relicks removed into Flanders and venerated there 1. TO this year of Grace six hundred eighty seaven is assigned in our ancient Records the death and Martyrdom of a certain Brittish Virgin called Lewina whose memory is celebrated in our Martyrologe on the two twentieth day of Iuly and she is said to have been slain in this our Island by a certain Saxon out of his hatred to the Christian Faith She suffred in the Province of the South-Saxons whom S. Wilfrid had lately converted to the Faith And she was buried in Sussex at a place called Seaford not far from the Town of Lewes which probably took its name from this Virgin 2. When the Danes in after ages cruelly vexed this Island and with a furious zeale imitated since by Calvinistes raged against the Monuments of Saints the Holy Virgins Body was taken up and translated beyond Sea where it was reposed at a place called Berga or Monts in Brabant or rather Flanders where now is seated the Town of S. Winoc Thus writes Miraeus in his Belgick Calender on the two and twentieth of Iuly Then is celebrated the memory of Levinna or Lewina an English Virgin whe flourished under Eubert or rather Egbert the Father of Alfrid King of the English Nation and suffred Martyrdom in the time of Theodore the seaventh Arch-bishop of Canterbury Her Sacred Body was taken out of her Monument by Edelin a Bishop and translated at last to Bergs of S. Winâ—c together with the Relicks of S. Oswald King and Martyr and of S. Itiâ—berga or Idalberga a Virgin Concerning the Miracles of Saint Lewina there is extant a Book written by Drogo Bishop of the Morini or Teroüâ—â—ne 3 Consonantly hereto wee read in the Gallican Martyrologe on the fifth of August At Bergs in the Province of the Morini is then celebrated the Memory of the reception of Saint Lewina Virgin and Martyr whose most Sacred Body was by Balger a Monk of Bergs brought to his Monastery from the Monastery of S. Andrew at Zevored or Seaford a Sea port in England The said Sacred Body being caried through severall villages and Towns in Flanders before it came to Bergs became illustrious by many Miracles affording comfort and health to any one who implored her intercession as Drogo Bishop of the Morini manifestly declares in his Book of the said holy Virgin and Martyrâ— Miracles XII CHAP. 1. Ina King of the West-Saxons 2.3 c. Saint Aldelm at Rome obtains Priviledges for his Monastery of Malmsbury A fabulous report concerning Pope Sergius 1. IN the year of Grace six hundred eighty eight began the raign of the glorious King Ina King of the West-Saxons as we have already declared when we treated of the cession of King Cedwalla after his conversion who left his throne to undertake a pilgrimage to Rome there to receive Baptism where he happily dyed in his Baptismall innocence 2. The same year Saint Wilfrid contenting himself with the Churches of York and Hagulstad which he administred with great
the Holy Fathers And lastly how during the space of forty five years in which he exercised the Episcopall charge he having been exposed to many dangers both at home and abroad at last attained to his eternall happy rest in our Lord. His Memory is celebrated among the Saints by the Church on the twelfth of October the day on which he dyed How his Sacred Relicks were translated from Rippon to Canterbury two hundred and thirty years after his death we shall in due place declare 8. His Successour in the See of Hagulstad or Hexham saith Saint Beda was Acca formerly one of his Preists a man of admirable magnificence for having founded a Church to the honour of Saint Andrew the Apostle he richly adorned it and having gathered many Relicks of the Apostles and Martyrs he raised therein severall Altars in which he placed the said Relicks Moreover he built in the same a most Noble Library furnished with a vast number of volumes He provided also for his Church all manner of holy vessels Lamps and other ornaments And for a more solemne performance of the Divine Office he sent for out of Kent a famous Cantour named Maban who had learnt Ecclesiasticall modulation of the Successours of Saint Gregory there Him he detained the space of twelve years to instruct his Monks both in such Song as they either had never learnt or by disuse had forgotten 9. The devout Bishop Acca also himself was very skilfull in Church-song and moreover learned in Holy Scriptures untainted in his Confession of the Catholick Faith and perfectly versed in Ecclesiasticall Discipline For from his infancy he had been brought up among the Clergy of the Holy Bishop Bosa Bishop of York And afterward aspiring to Religious Perfection he adioynd himself to Saint Wilfrid in whose attendance he continued to his death Whith him also he went to Rome where he learnt many things pertaining to Ecclesiasticall institution which he could not have learnt at home 10. Wee find in Saint Beda that Saint Acca before his exaltation to the Episcopall degree had been an Abbot for under that title there is an Epistle directed to him declaring how by his instinct and order Saint Beda had written his Treatise called Hexameron touching the Creation of the world And how after he was made Bishop he wrote oftimes to the same Saint Beda and exhorted him to write his Commentaries on Saint Luke c. shall be declared hereafter VIII CHAP. 1.2 c. Death of S. Aldelm Bishop of Shirborn 5.6 c. Elogies given to him even by Protestants 8.9 c. Forther succeeds him To whom an Epistle from Arch-bishop Brithwald 1 THE same year in which Saint Wilfrid dyed our Island lost another Star likewise of the first magnitude the Holy and most learned Bishop Saint Aldelm Bishop of Shirborn concerning whom frequent mention hath been already made 2. As touching his death thus writes the Auâ—hour of his life in Capgrave S. Aldelm in a good old age full of vertues and Sanctity departed to our Lord on the eighth day before the Calends of Iune in the seaven hundred and ninth year after our Lords Incarnation and the fifth year after he had been promoted to the Episcopall charge and the thirty fourth after his being instituted Abbot He was buried in his Monastery of Meldun or Malmsbury with great honour 3. His death was by divine revelation foreknown to Saint Egwin who in a certain Treatise thus writes Two years after the foundation of the Monastery of Evesham the Holy Bishop Aldelm departed to our Lord whith being made known to mee by revelation I called together she Religious Brethren to whom I declared the decease of that Venerable Father and presently after with great speed I took my iourney to the place where his Sacred Body reposed above fifty miles distant from his Monastery of Malmsbury Whither I conducted the same and there buried it very honourably Moreover I gave command that in every place in which the said Body dayly rested during the Procession there should be erected Sacred Crosses All which Crosses doe remain to this day neither hath any one of them felt any injury by time One of the said Crosses is yet to be seen in the Cloister of that Monastery 4. Two hundred and forty years after his death to witt in the year of Grace nine hundred forty nine saith the foresaid Authour his Sacred Body was taken up out of his Tomb and placed with great honour in a Shrine His Memory is yeaâ—ly celebrated by the Church on the Anniversary day of his death which was the twenty fifth of May. 5. This glorious Bishop is never mentioned by any of our ancient Historians without high praises Yea even our late Protestant Writers are very large in his commendations Bale though ordinarily rude and uncivill towards Catholicks yet of S. Aldelm he testifies that he was so diligently studious in all learning Divine and Humane that he far exceeded all the Ecclesiasticall Writers of his time And that both in verse and prose he was wonderfully learned both for Latin and Greek for his witt sharp and for his stile elegant He happily departed to our Lord in the year of his Incarnation seaven hundred and nine Camden likewise thus writes of him He is truly worthy that his Memory should for ever flourish not only in regard of his Sanctity but learning also He was the first of the English Nation who wrote in the purity of the Latin tongue and the first who taught the English to compose both verse and prose as well in the Greek as Latin stile This Aldelm after he was dead was reclamed by the Great King Athelstan as his Tutelar Saint The like Elogies doe Bishop Godwin D. Iames and the Centuriators of Magdeburg make of him 6. Yet after all this there is scarce one Point in which they condemne the Roman Church as an Errour iustifying their Separation from it but was held by him And particularly touching the Supreme Vniversall authority of the Pope in the heretofore mentioned Epistle of his to Gerontius King of Cornwall he in the name of the whole English Synod writes That S. Peter merited by a happy and peculiar Priviledge to receive from our Lord the Monarchicall Power of loosing sins both in heaven and Earth Moreover That the foundation of the Church and bullwark of Faith was placed principally on Christ consequently on Peâ—eâ— c. And that Christ who is Truth it self did thus establish on Peter the Priviledge over the Church Thou art Peter and on this Rock I will build my Church Yea Flacius Illyricus writes that S. Aldelm maintained That the Confession of the true Faith wholesome Doctrine and a life otherwise unreprocheable would nothing proffit him who lived in separation from the Vnity of the Catholick Roman Church This is the Faith taught then in the English Church and the Teachers of this Faith the Protestants now