who wrote as they coÌ„monly teach when the Britans still held the Religion deliuered vnto them in the Apostles time without alteration doe testifie that the altars here from the beginning were sacra altaria Sacrosancta altaria sacrificij caelestis sedes holy altars sacred altars the seate of the celestiall sacrifice altars at which preists did sacrifice and say Masse Sacerdotes sacrificantes inter altaria stantes Altars sanctuaries and priuiledges refuge for such as fled vnto them testified by our protestants themselues Gildas epistol de excid conquest Britan. edit per protestant who further witnessing that the first general councell of Nice was receaued here in Britanie in the da iâ—… of Constantine and now by our protestant statute is of high authoritie and vndeniable in England witnesse also The Niâ—…en councell in that canon which Caluine and all other receaue saith plainely that the Lambe of God offered vnbloodely is layed vpon the holy table Stowe and howe 's histor an 542. theater of great Britanie l. 6. statut an 1. Eliz. Regin 1. Iacob Regis Fraunc Masâ—…n with direct of the protest Archb. Abbots booke of consecrat pag. 243. and the sacrifice of Christians beeing as is inuincibly proued the moste holy body and blood of Christ and the altar the place whereon it is offered by that connexion in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutuall correlatiues and inseparable nomine re it cannot possibly bee otherwise So that if any testimonie of heauen or earth men or Angels Catholicks or Protestants will satisfy in this matter it is manifestly conuinced that S. Peter preached and established a sacrificing preisthood and the doctrine and practise of holy Masse in this our nation 13. And yet if any man is desirous to heare S. Peter himselfe confirme that from heauen which hee so approued on earthe wee may add such his testimony also to the holy Angels before and bringe other Apostles from heauen also that were massinge preists when they liued here to iustifye the same in and to this kingedome Wee reade in the aunciently written life of S. Sampson Archbishop of yorke when our protestants say the Britans still kept their Apostolick first receaued Religion a man so holy and miraculous that S. Iltutus prophesied of him beeing but a boy of seuen yeares old that he should be a light to this nation the cheife of all and Archbishop very profitable to the church of God Cum septem esset annorum ad S. Iltutum Abbat em discendi gratia adducitur qui videns puerum osculatus est eum dicens gratias Deo agimus qui lumen hoc nobis indignae de gente nostra accendere dignatus est in terra En caput omnium nostrum en Pontifex summus multam Ecclesiae Dei profuturus Manuscript antiq Capgrau in Catalog in vita S. Sampsonis Ep. Confess he was made a deacon and after a massing preist by the great massing preist and Bishop S. Dubritius the Popes Legate consecrated by the massinge Bishop S. Germanus who was sent hither from S. and Pope Celestine to settle the church of Britanie both wheÌ„ he was made deacon and preist a doue descended vppon him and staied immouably vntill the office was ended Beeing made a preist hee was so glorious and renowned a massinge preist that alwaies in his life he had Angels assisting and ministring vnto him whensoeuer he said Masse Omni tempore vitae suae Angelos dum celebraret sibi assistere in sacrificio ministrare videre meruit Yet this man aboue all of this nation was in such fauour with God S. Peter S. Iames called the brother of our Lord S. Iohn the Euangelist and the court of heauen that these three great Apostles with a great company of celestiall citizens densissimis candidatorum turmis appeared vnto him and S. Peter told him that our Lord Iesus Christ had chosen him to bee a Bishop and soone after an Angell appeared to S. Dubritius and commaunded him to consecrate S. Sampson a Bishop in whose consecration they that were present did see a Doue sent from heauen to stand immouably vppon him Nec multo post Angelus Domini beato Dubritio apparens Sampsonem ordinari Episcopum praecepit in cuius consecratione qui aderant columbam caelitus emissam immobiliter super eum stare videbant 14. And in the time of S. Mansuetus the first Bishop of London in the Saxons time when S. Peter did miraculously appeare about the dedicatinge of the church of westminster as many both holy and auncient Catholicke writers and protestants antiquaries assure vs and the circumstances of the historie demonstrate it to bee true hee sent this charge and commaund to S. Mellitus Bishop of London who had determined to dedicate it the next day followinge I haue dedicated the church and by authoritie of my sanctification preuented the episcopall benediction Therefore tell the Bishop what thou hast heard and seene and the signes remayninge will iustifie thy wordes to bee true Therfore let him absteine from dedication and supply that which wanteth to offer there the holy sacrifice of our Lords body and blood Ego sum Petrus qui cum meis ciuibus constructam in meo nomine basilicam dedicaui episcopalemque benedictionem meae sanctificationis authoritate praeueni Dic ergo Pontifici quae vidisti audisti tuoque sermoni signa parietibus impressa testimonium perhibebunt Supersedeat igitur dedicatione suppleat quod omisimus Dominici corporis sanguinis Sacrosancta mysteria S. Alured Riuall M. S. in vita S. Eduardi Regis confess Iacob Gen. Episc in eius vit M. S. antiq Sur. in vit eius Capgrau in eius vit Franc. Mason l. of consecrat here wee see that S. Peter now in glory both allowed and commaunded the sacrifice of Masse which when hee liued and conuersed on earth hee had practised frequented and instituted with so great diligence and deuotion 15. So likewise when in the time of the Danish fury here hee appeared to comfort this afflicted contry where hee had preached and taught this holy doctrine hee did not chuse any man to reueale his glad tidings vnto and the deliuery of this kingdome but S. Brithwold that great and famous massinge preist and Bishop of Winchester or Wilton and in the most known massinge place of England the Abbey of Glastenbury and did fortell how S. Edward Kinge and confessor that most great reuerencer of holy Masse perhaps yet vnborne and borne in exile in Normandy should bee Kinge in England and deliuer it from those floods of miseries wherewith it was then surrounded and longe time had beene And to assure vs this was a true vision and prophesie of S. Peter and hee an approuer of all louers of holy Masse as God also is this hee addeth Erit cum dormieris cum patribus tuis visitabit Dominus populum suum faciet Dominus redemptionem plebis suae Eliget enim sibi virum secundum
Dei genitricis auxilio in necessitatibus suis refocillobantur The twelue holy men spoken of before S. Ioseph and his companions yeeldinge deuout seruices to God and the blessed Virgin attendinge to watchings fastings and prayers were in their necessities releiued by the helpe of the same Virgin Mother of God Antiquitat Glast apud Capgrau in Catalog in S. Ioseph ab Aramath S. Patricio antiq M. S. tabulis affixae in ead Eccles Glaston and others So that whomsoeuer S. Peter S. Paul S. Ioseph or any other man will truly and seriouslie allowe or in his owne singular conceipt or phantasie imagin to haue beene the first preacher teacher of the Christian faith and Religion in Britanie or what or whose order and forme of Masse and Liturgie they will say was then here vsed and practised they must needs by all authorities warranted iudgements acknowledge that the holy preists here in that time were sacrificinge massinge preists their externall Liturgie and sacrifice the sacrifice of Masse wherein Christs holy body and blood were consecrated and offered both for the liuinge and faithfull departed the Saints were remembred and prayed vnto and no materiall difference betweene that and the present Masse of either the Greeke or Latine church And so I end this first age and hundred yeares of Christ THE SECOND AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XV. CHAPTER Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other antiquaries that sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops and sacrifice of Masse continued and were honored in this kingdome of Britanie from the beginninge of this hundred yeares vntill Kinge Lucius time when it was wholly conuerted to that faith WE are now come to the beginninge of the second age or century of yeares of Christ when by all accompts in historie Kinge Coillus that was bred vp at Rome was Kinge in Britanie and S. Anacletus Pope of Rome When many of our before remembred massinge and sacrificinge Brittish preists as namely S. Mansuetus S. Beatus his holy companion before by some named Achates and S. Timotheus were liuinge And though I doe not find any particularly named whome S. Anacletus sent hither of the holy preistly massinge order yet to followe euen the opinion and direction of English Protestant antiquaries in this busines wee must needs graunt that hee had a care of this contry as wel as others in this kind for they testifie of this Pope Ab â—…pso Domino primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersumque Christiani nomine populum concessum esse asseruit Robert Barns l. de vit Pontific Roman in Anaclet Ormerod pict Pap. pag. 78. Pope Anacletus affirmed that supremacy was graunted from our Lord himselfe to the church of Rome ouer all churches and all Christian people Because saith hee Christ said to S. Peter who liued and died at Rome thou art Peter or a rocke and vppon this rocke I will builde my church Quia inquit Petro agenti morienti Romae dixit tu es Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam By which reason amonge others diuers other learned English Protestant writers with publicke priuilege and allowance doe proue vnto vs first confessinge with this holy Pope that Christ made S. Peter the supreame and cheife gouernour of his church secondly that this supreamacy was necessary and to continue foreuer in his church and thirdly because S. Peter dyinge Bishop of Rome and at Rome and there onely possibly to haue his laste and immediate successor and so constituted by himselfe as is euident in S. Clement before it euidently followeth by the reason of this holy Pope and protestants that euen by Christ himselfe this supreamacy ouer all churches and Christians was graunted to the church of Rome Whereuppon these protestants testifie in his life that hee ordeyned diuers lawes bindinge the whole church and still obserued Rob. Barnes in Anacleto 2. And if we may beleeue the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury and in the whole world also Matthew Parker hee telleth vs how in particular his iurisdiction extended into this kingdome of Britanie and that the diuision and constitution of Archbishops sees with vs was by Pope Anacletus his ordination Ex Anacle to huius insulae diuisionem Matth. Parker antiquitat Brit. pag 24. And that he was a sacrificinge massinge preist it must needs be graunted both by his owne and our protestant testimonies also of him for hee himselfe is witnesse that hee was made preist by the great sacrificinge and massinge Apostle S. Peter à Sancto Petro Apostolorum Principe presbyter ordinatus Anacletus epist 3. To. 1. concil and our protestants do plainely confesse of this holie Pope Sacerdotem sacrificaturum ministros vestibus sacris indutos seu testes custodes sibi adhibere ordinauit Episcopos vero plures ministros sibi in sacris faciendis adiungat quod Sacerdote maior ac dignior sit Robert Barnes l. de vit Pontif Roman in Anacleto Pope Anacletus ordeined that when a preist was to offer sacrifice hee should take vnto him as witnesses and keepers ministers in holy vestiments And that a Bishop should ioyne vnto him more ministers when he said Masse And that hee is greater and more worthie then a preist The authoritie from whence they cite this is much more plaine where the very order wee still vse in solemne Masses is expressed But the protestant words manifestly proue that the sacrifice of Masse and sacrificinge vestures were vsed froÌ„ the daies of the Apostles Therfore this holy Pope exercising supreamacy and enactinge lawes for the whole church in Britanie or wheresoeuer as these protestaÌ„ts there doe testifie it must needs bee confessed that the preists which in his time either for Britanie or any other nation were consecrated immediatlie by himselfe or mediatly by his authority were as himselfe was sacrificinge massinge preistes and the deacons also for which hee made decrees by the testimony of these men Robert Barnes Sup. in Anaclet Matth. Parker antiquitat Britan. pag. 24. were also as they teach such as serued at the altare and sacrifice of Masse as Master Foxe speakinge of the very deacons ordeined by Pope Anacletus proueth in these termes therefore serued the office of the deacons as wee reade to lay the offerings of the people vppon the altare to bee hallowed and when the misteries be consecrated to distribute the cupp of the sacred blood of the Lord to the faithfull people Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary Ambros l. de omnib diuin offic 3. And much part of the aboade and residency of this holy Pope as also of his predecessors and successors as appeareth before and will bee more manifest hereafter was in that knowne massinge and sacrificinge house of our noble contriwoman S. Claudia or her children And the order of Masse which hee vsed was the same which was practised by S. Peter the Apostle and by him deliuered to the church as these protestants haue before
by them allowed what highest spirituall offices the same glorious Apostle and his disciples performed here TO proue more amply what hath beene said of S. Peters beeing and preachinge here and to shewe what hee did for the first foundinge of our church A protestant Archbishop from diuers authorities writeth Whit gifts Answ. to the Admonition pag. 65. sect 1. and def of the Answ. pag. 318. The Apostle Peter did in euery prouince appoint one Archbishop whom all other Bishops of the same prouince should obey An other with great priuiledge saith Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 3. Peter preached in â—…e place but hee there ordeyned Bishops and teachers and founded churches And to shew that all these and such benefits came to vs first from S. Peter and his holy see of Rome among other Marcus Antonius de Dominis now by the greate mercy of God a penitent in the catholicke church when hee was in profession a protestant in England Marcus Anton de Domin de Repub christian l. 4. cap. 10. with publick priuiledg in England and a chosen champion for that Religion against the Pope by cheifest protestant authoritie in England then testifieth Est caput Roma quatenus ab ea diffusum est euangelium in reliquas totius occidentis ecclesias in multas orientis atque in barbaras etiam extra Romanum Imperium nationes Rome is the head of the church in so much as from it the ghospell was diffused into the other churches of all the West and into many of the East and into barbarous nations also without the Romane Empire And our Soueraigne kings speach in parlam 1. publickly protested of this church of Rome It is our mother church and consequently that it first brought vs forthe in spirituall christian birth as mothers doe their natural children to the world and that wee except wee will turne bastardly vnnaturall and disobedient children doe owe and must performe all dutie and obedience vnto it our most holy mother in Christ And to further this our bounden dutie the protestants of England in their Theater of the Emp. of greate Britante pag. 203 l. 6. c. 9. num 5. will helpe vs foreward whoe write in this maner That S. Peter the Apostle preached the word of life in this Iland as to other gentiles hee did for whome God had chosen him that from his mouth they might heare the ghospell as himselfe alleadgeth and that hee here founded churches and ordeined preists and deacons which is reported by Simon Metaphrastes out of the greek Antiquities and Gulielmus Eisingrenius in the first of his Centuries Therfore this beeing written by soe learned and holy a man as S. Simon Metaphrastes was and soe auntient aboue 700. yeares since and out of such monuments and Authorities of the Gretians as in his time were honored with the Title of Antiquities this alone might content vs in this matter as it hath already the best learned protestant Antiquaries of this nation But because allowance is giuen to the authoritie which cannot be denyed because it is the maner of Protestants to mynce authorities I will cite that holy auntient Father and Saint S. Sim. Metaphr 29. die Iunij in his owne wordes which bee these RomaÌ„ redijt ex qua venit Mediolanum Photicen quae sunt ciuitates in Continente In quibus cum constituisset Episcopos Presbyteros venit in Britanniam Quo in loco cum longo tempore fuisset moratus multas gentes non nominatas attraxisset ad fidem Christi angelicam aspexit visionem quae dicebat Petre instat tempus tua resolutionts oportet te ire Romam in qua cum mortem per crucem sustinueris recipies mercedem Iustitiae Cum ergo propterea Deum glorificasset egisset gratias apud Britannos mansisset dies aliquot verbo gratiae multos illuminasset ecclesias constituisset episcoposque presbyteros diaconos ordinasset duodecimo anno Caesaris Neronis rursus Romam reuertitur S. Peter by reuelation came to Hierusalem at the death of the mother of God then returning into Egipt by Africk came againe to Rome From whence hee came to Milane and Photice which bee cities in the contineÌ„t in which when hee had constituted Bishops and preists hee came into Britanie where when hee had stayed a longe time and drawne many nations not named to the faith of Christ hee had an Angelicall vision which saide ô Peter the time of thy Resolution is at hande and thou must goe to Rome in which when thou hast suffered death by the crosse thou shalt receaue the reward of lustice Therfore when hee had glorified God and giuen thankes for it and remayned some dayes with the Britans and illuminated manie with the word of grace and founded churches ordeyned both Bishops priests and deacons hee returned againe to Rome in the twelueth years of the Emperor Nero. Hitherto the very words of this learned Saint soe precisely and particularly describeing the tyme and comming of that glorious Apostle into this Iland staying here with his returne to Rome againe that as noe man except an infidell will or can deny it no Author of antiquitie or credit auouching halfe so much for either S Paul or any other Apostle to haue beene here at all soe except wee of EnglaÌ„d wil shew our selues the most vngratefull disobedient to that our first and most glorious Pastor and parent of all nations in the world except HierusaleÌ„ Antioch and Rome wee ar most engaged to honor and reuerence this most glorious Apostle his Successors in his holy Sec for neither Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia or Bythinia which hee himselfe particularly remembreth 1. Pet. 1. v. 1. nor any other kingdome or nation mentioned in any Author of credit and Antiquitie and to bee paralelled with him whom I haue cited approued euen in this point with all Catholicks and the moste iudicious indifferently mynded and best learned protestants can constantly affirme and proue that they had receaued such benefites and blessings from S. Peter as this our Britanie which to visitt hee went soe farr stayed therein soe longe and enritched as with soe many and vnansweareable graces and fauors continuinge them soe longe vntill he was admonished from heaueÌ„ to returne from hence to Rome as before his cominge thither hee also was as Metaphrastes die 29. Iunij S. Leo serm de Apostol with others write directed to come helpe vs in the west And if wee will follow the Roman tradition Baron annotat in 9. Maij in Pudente that Domus Pudentis erat primum hospitium S. Petri Romae the house of Pudens was the first lodging of S. Peter of Rome wee are more strictly bound to Rome and Rome to vs that beeinge the house of our renowned christian contrywoman Lady Claudia as our protestant writers tell vs. Matth. Parker antiq Britan. pag. 2.3 Godwyn Conuers of Britanie Cambd. in Britan. Theater of Brit. l. 6. Now lett vs enquire and sett downe
England allowed to bee publicke Thom. Rogers booke of the faith of England pag. 1. doe playnely saie that S. Aristobulus was Archbishop in this our Britanie Thus hee writeth in the name of English protestants and by their warrant Rogers supra artic 36. pag. Albeit the Termes and Titles of Archbishops we finde not yet the superioritie which they enioye and authoritie which Bishops and Archbishops doe exercise in orderinge and consecratinge of Bishops and ecclesiasticall ministers is grounded vppon the word of God for wee finde that in the Apostles daies how themselues both were in dignitie aboue the Euangelists and the 70. disciples and for authoritie both in and ouer the church as twelue patriarches saith Beza and alsoe established an ecclesiasticall heerarchie Hence came it that bishop was of Hierusalem Iames of Antioch Peter of the Asian churches Iohn of Alexandria marke of Ephesus and all Asia Timothie of all Creete Titus of Philippos Epaphraditus of Corinth and Achaia Apollos of Atheâ—…s Dionisius of Fraunce Crescens of Britanie Aristobulus Beza in act Apost 1.2 D. Chrisosto in Act. Homil. 33.2 Hieron in Gal. Euseb D. Hieron ad Euagr. D. Hier. in 2. Tim. 1. Theod. arg in epist. ad Tit. Theod. in epist. ad Phil. Euseb lib. 2. Dorotheus in Apostol Synops Where we see S. Aristobulus not onely ioyned in ranke and dignitie of spirituall preeminence with the Euangelists and Apostles themselues but with the generall authoritie of the protestant church of England plainely declared to bee the first founder of ecclesiasticall hierarchie and Archbishop of this our Britanie And to giue euident testimonie that in their iudgement this nation of the west both deriued the succession of the Bishops thereof from S. Peter and Aristobulus and neuer wanted by such vntil these dayes they thus conclude in this matter supra pag. 197.198 Finally from the Apostles dayes hetherto neuer wanted a succession of Bishops neither in the East nor Weste churches soe prouideÌ„t hath the almightie beene for the augmentation of his glorie and people by this kinde and callinge of men And thus much for the first Archbishop of Britany ordeyned by Saint Peter Now to come to speake of the Bishops hee consecrated and ordeyned for vs although it is precisely proued before that such there were Episcopos ordinauit S. Peter ordeyned Bishops here in Britanie for vs and euery Archbishop which is cheife of Bishops such as S. Aristobulus was vnto vs doth necessarily inferr and proue some Bishops subordinate and vnder els hee could not bee the cheife and principall for euery Archbishop inferreth necessarily some Bishops or Bishop vnder him their cheife in that callinge Diuers Antiquities of Glastenbury apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph affirme that one of the holy company of Saint Ioseph of Aramathia namly his sonne Iosephe was a Bishop which if so it was hee must needes bee subordinate to S. Aristobulus And yett if I would sett downe vncertayne thinges I might place our holy Bishoppe and marty S. Angulus in or neare this time with much more probabilitie then some without any authoritie I can finde referr him to the dayes of Diocletian his persecution or say that S. Martine to whome the christian Romans builded dedicated the church at Canterbury was a British Bishop and in this time for that such a S. Martyne a Bishop there was about those dayes there bee many testimonies and that hee was consecrated by Romane authoritie and soe aunciently to proue it probable hee was a Britanie that the auntient Manuscript of Radulphus de Diceto deane of London or whosoeuer Author of Abbreuiatio chronicorum saith that it was builded in the time of kinge Lucius for speaking of the time of that our first christian kinge hee affirmeth Abbreuiatio chronicorum in Lucio M. S Tunc constructa est extra Cantuariam ecclesia Sancti Martini then the church without Canterbury dedicated to S. Martyne was builded As diuers also were to S. Peter our moste glorious Apostle One I finde consecrated by S. Peter or his successor at Rome which was both a Britanne and liued and died a Bishop here in the time of S. Aristobulus a Germane writer calleth him Achates but I take not that to bee his name hee was one of the happy companions of S. Beatus our noble contryman consecrated at Rome of whome I will speake more when I come to that glorious man when I haue first entreated of the consecration of S. Mansuetus a renowned Bishop borne in this Iland consecrated by S. Peter himselfe This man as many antiquities say was natione Scotus by contry a Scot of the north part of this kingedome made Bishop by S. Peter whose disciple hee was before and sent into these parts or consecrated by him here and made Bishop of TulluÌ„ in Lorrayne Tullenses habuere ApostoluÌ„ suaeque in Christum fidei primuÌ„ Antistitem S. Mansuetum S. Petri Apostoli discipulum S. Clementis CollegaÌ„ origine ScotuÌ„ Arnold Merman in Theatro Conuers gentiuÌ„ in Metensib The inhabitants of Tullum saith Arnoldus Mermannius bad for their Apostle and first Bishopp of their faith in Christ S. Mansuetus a disciple of S. Peter the Apostle the fellowe of S. Clement a Scot by birth An other citinge alsoe for Authors Antonius Democarez and Petrus de Natalibus saith Guliel Eiseng centenar 1. part 1. dist 3. pag. 56. Petrus de Natal l. 11. c. vlt. Anton. Monchiacen Democh. l. 2. de Miss contr Caluin c. 33. S. Mansuetus natione Scotus ex nobili prognatus familia Simonis Barionâ—… Apostolorum Coryphaei discipulus socius B. Clementis Episcopi Mettensis à Petro Leucorum in vrbe Tullensi primus Antistes consecratus est anno Christi 49. Tiberio Claudio Caesare Augusto In the 49. yeare of Christ in the Empire of Claudius S. Mansuetus a Scot by contry borne of a noble family disciple of S Peter cheife of the Apostles companioÌ„ of S. Clement Bishop of Metz was By Peter consecrated the first Bishop in the citie of Tullum Mermennius before cited saith in Theatro conuers gentium that Saint Clement whose companion this our contrye man Saint Mansuetus was was Bishop of Metz in or about the 40. yeare of Christ in the â—…yme of Caius Caligula Emperor Metensibus fidei Religionisque Antistes fuit S. Clemens Romanus anno quod excurrit 40. Caio Galigula Imperatore S. Petro pontifice maximo But to admitt that S. Mansuetus was not made Bishop by S. Peter vntill the 49. yeare of Christ and was noe Bishop but an assistant of S. Clement at his first sendeing by S. Peter of him to Metz yett to haue a Bishop of our nation and consecrated and sent to forreyne parts by the cheife Apostle is an inuincible argument that both S. Peter was the first founder and father of the Brittans birth and life in Christ disposed of all spirituall affaires here longe before the cominge of any other Apostle either into this kingedome or part of the world to conuert it and left
Vicar or Vicegerent in his kingdome to see iustice ministred the church of Christ to bee defended from wronge and the priuiledges thereof to bee kept inuiolable Which this holy king moste christianly performed for when all ecclesiasticall matters were settled here by the Popes authoritie and these Lawes here appointed for this kingedome first here coÌ„cluded and then with the rest confirmed by the Pope cuncta quae fecerant à Pontifice confirmari impetrauerunt Then this kinge accordinge to the direction and instructions of the holy Pope to speake in Protestants owne words endowed the churches of Britanie with liberties Lucius Rex ecclesias Britanniae libertatibus muniuit Which ar to many to bee related and ar sett downe in the Brittish historie Matthew of Westminster and others Pontic Virun lib. 4. in fine Galf. Mon. lib. 4. histor Reg. Britan. cap. 20. Matth. Westm an 186. Protest Annot. vppon Matth. West an 187. Galfrid Monum sup l. 4. Matth. West an 187. And in this sence our best Brittish and christian Saxon kings who were most obedient euer to the church of Rome were from that time and by vertue of that donation of Pope Eleutherius giuinge Lucius the Title of the vicar or vicegerent of God in his kingdome soe called and enioyed that Title as a Protestant Lawier and Antiquarie thus deduceth Selden Analect l. 1. pag 4â—… Ex quo non solum Britannorum sed etiam Anglorum subsequentes Reges hoc nomine vicarij Dei sunt potiti From which time or the graunt of Pope Eleutherius the kings that followed not onely of the Britans but English alsoe obteyned this name of the vicars of God and citeth the auntient Lawyer Henry Bracton for the same But wee neede not demurre vppon the authorities of priuate Lawyers or Antiquaries for this matter For wee haue Lawes themselues of good kinge Edward which William the Bastard afterward confirmed a Protestant Lawyers or rather the words of the Lawe to confirme warraÌ„t this Where the very words of the Lawe thus auntient and confirmed are these Leges S. Eduardi apud Gul. Lamb. fol. 126. pag. 2. leg 1. cap. 17. leg 77. Rex autem quia Vicarius summi Regis est ad hoc est constitutus vt regnum terrenum populum Domini super omnia sanctum veneretur Ecclesiam eius regat ab iniuriosis defendat maleficos ab ea euellat destruat penitus disperdat Quod nisi fecerit nec nomen Regis in eo constabit verum testante Papa Iohanne nomen Regis perdit The kinge because hee is the Vicar of the highest king is constituted for this to rule the terrene kingedome and people of God and aboue all things hee ought to reuerence his holy church and defend it from iniurious people and to pull from it and destroy and wholly ouerthrowe euill doers Which except hee performeth the name of a Kinge shall not bee appearinge in him but as Pope Iohn doth wittnes he loseth the name of a kinge or Ruler Where wee see by the publicke Lawes themselues that the Kinge is not called the Vicar or Vicegerent of God in respect of spirituall but temporall affaires to reuerence and defend it and suffer noe wronge to bee done vnto it or priuiledges taken from it which is more plainely expressed in the same Lawe in this maner leg S. Vsuardi supr Debet Sanctam EcclesiaÌ„ regni sui cum omni integritate libertate iuxta constitutiones patrum praedecessorem seruare fouere manutenere a kinge ought to keepe foster maintayne the holy church of his kingedome with all integritie and libertie accordinge to the constitutions of the Fathers and predecessors Which a kinge ought to sweare in proper parson vppon the ghospels and relicks of Saints before the laietie preists and clergie before hee is crowned by the Archbishops Bishops of the kingdom hither to this holy law of our auntieÌ„t kings I haue insisted vpon this Epistle of Pope Eleutherius the longer because with Protestants it is in soe high esteeme soe auntient and certaine that a Protestant Bishop writeth Wee haue seene the Bishop of Romes owne letter to kinge Lucius that is reputed to bee the first christian kinge of Britanie Iohn Bridges def of the gouernm in the church of Engl. l. 16. pag. 1355. The Theater writers say it is in the custody of Syr Robert Cotton Baronet of Conington in Huntington shire Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. c. 19. Others say it is likewise founde in the old historie called Brutus Caius antiquit Cantab. l. 1. Stowe writeth I finde the same entered in a booke intituled Constitutions pertayninge to the Guilde hall of London Stovve histor in Kinge Lucius And it is founde alsoe amonge the old Lawes of Saint Edward our kinge and others before him and placed receaued as a part of our Lawe both by our Saxon kinges and Norman alsoe as namely kinge William the first as the Protestant publisher of them himselfe a lawyer and antiquarie is witnesse vvith all moste all writers plaerique scriptores omnes as hee testifieth Williel Lambard lib. de Priscis Anglorum legib fol. 1. ante praef fol. 126.131 Therefore I may boldely terme Pope Eleutherius the first Christian Lawe maker and first director and confirmer of Lawes in this kingedome Which how it can stand to bee iustly done as all these our kinges their nobles clergies lawyers and these Protestants auouche without as greate a preeminent power as the Popes of these times doe clayme or commonly Catholicks ascribe vnto them I leaue to the quickest sighted Protestants to distinguish And yet this schole of Protestant antiquaries doe reade a lesson vnto vs to clymbe a stepp higher in such affayres For they assure from the same publick lawes of our auncient Saxon and other kinges and from the same Pope Eleutherius his owne donation that hee declared to be annexed to the crowne of this kingedome all the Ilands betweene vs and Norway and that our kings should haue care thereupon to enioye them The words of that auncient Lawe by Protestant publishing and allowance publick ar these Leges Edâ—…wardi Regis c. 17. apud Lumbard supr fol. 130 pag. 2. Debet de iure Rex omnes terras honores omnes dignitates iura libertates coronae regni huius in integrum cum omni integritate sine diminutione obseruare defendere dispersa dilapidata amissa regni iura in pristinum statum debitum viribus omnibus reuocare Vniuersa vero terra tota Insulae omnes vsque Norwegiam vsque Dariam pertinent ad coronam regni eius sunt de appendicijs dignitatibus Regis vna est Monarchia vnum est regnum vocabatur quondam Regnum Britanniae modo autem vocatur Regnum Anglorum tales enim metas fines praedictae sunt constituit imposuit coronae Regni Dominus Eleutherius Papa sententia sua qui primo
points of doctrine amonge the assemblies of some generall councells as that of Sardis where appeales to the Pope were decreed and Nyce in the tyme of greate Constantine vvee had our Bishops present And all men of readinge are assured of this both Constantine the Emperor in his epistle to the churches and S. Athanasius in his Apologie write plainely that this our Britanie receaued the councell of Nice Epist Constāt apud Theodoret Athanas Apolog. Therefore it is a very idle and ignorant coniecture or rather malitious error of some Protestants to seeme to write as though Britany had receaued the faith frō some of the Asiatical churches because some of the later Scots and Britans die erre in that obseruation but this error of the Britans as diuers haue proued allready was quite differēt from that of some part of Asia greeke And the first gretian that came hither except some sent by Roman Authoritie that I finde was S. Regulus Albutus borne in Achaia whoe came into Scotland when Augustinus was kinge allmost two hundred yeares after this and longe after the controuersie of keepinge Easter was ended and brought thither holy relicks of S. Andrew the Apostle vvhoe coming into Pictland and the fame of this knowne very many came to reuerence the holy relicques of the Apostle and made offerings there and the kinge of the picts Hirgustus receaued by him with procession and lyinge vppon the grounde vvith much reuerence kissed the holy relicques and after masse ended hee bequeathed his palace to Saint Andrew and to Regulus and the Preists to serue God in Huius rei fama per Pictorum regiones delata permultorum animos ad visendas venerandasque sacras Apostoli reliquias attendit Confluxerunt ergo illuc vndique donaria Christi Apostolo pretiosa afferentes Affuit Heirgastus Rex eorum quae fama ad eum detulerat visendi cupidas Venientem ad se Regulus cum sociijs pio apparatu cum Sacerdotum ac Monachorum religiosa deductione in hymnis canticis excepit Rex humi procumbens sacras reliquias multa veneratione osculatus vbi sacra Christiano more cuius ipse Heirgustus erat obseruantissimus erant peracta regium palatium amplis structuris ornatum diuo Andreae Regulo ac Sacerdotibus ibidem deinceps Optimo Maximo Deo famulaturis liberè erogauit struxit haud procul à palatio sacram aedem diuo Apostolo dicatam and builded an other church not far from the palace dedicated to the holy Apostle And thus much of S. Victor Next to him succeeded Pope and S. Zepherinus whoe to proue hee still maintayned this Romane supreamacie as his predecessors before ouer all Bishopes Primates Patriarckes and whomsoeuer or wheresoeuer of the cleargie or others did generally decree as these Protestants tel vs. Rob. Barns in vit Pontif. Rom. in Zepherin hee calleth him Seuerus Sine Romani Pontificis authoritate accusatum Episcopum nec à Primate nec à Patriarcha nec à Metropolitano in Iudicio condemnandum esse That a Bishop accused should not bee condemned neyther by the Primate nor Patriarcke nor Metropolitane without the authoritie of the Pope of Rome By which is euident that euen the Archbishops themselues of Britanie to whome all others were subordinate in thinges spirituall were subiect to the Pope of Rome at this time Pope Calixtus succeeded next and to speake in a Protestant Doctors wordes Powel l. 1. of Antichrist pag. 130.131 Calixtus Pope defined that all Bishops though gathered in a generall councell shall fulfill the vvill of the church of Rome They which doe not this are pronounced to keepe a conciliable not a councell And to bee short in this matter the Protestants of England proue vnto vs that this busines of the spirituall power of that See ouer all other churches is the cheife scope of many of their Epistles decretall Rob. Barns in vit Vrbani Antheri Dovvnam lib. 1. Antichristi cap. 3. pag. 35. And to giue some particular instances hereof more in Britanie in this age wee finde in histories Matth. West an 257.258 that Pope Stephē about the yeare of Christ 257.258 or 259. When S. Mellon then noe Christian was sent from hence by publick authoritie to Rome about the temporall affaires of this kingedome conuerted him to the faith of Christ made him preist and soone after Bishop exempting him from his ciuill imployments of this his country and by his Apostolicke power sent him Archbishop to Rhoan in Normandie Petr. de Nat. de vit 51. Vincent in Specul l. 11. c. 74. Martyrol Rom. 22. Octob. Ioh. Capgr in 5. Mel. M. S. antiq in eod Catal. Episcop Rothmag Matt. West And amonge others our glorious men and martyrs here in this age it is the common opinion that S. Amphibalus whoe conuerted S. Alban Matth. Paris p. 178.179 Lidg. in vit cius Engl. Martyrol 25. Iun. both was a Britan borne and consecrated at Rome some say by Pope Saint Zepherinus what and how glorious his historie is for his preaching and martyrdome with vs all histories of that time are full and how renowned hee and others of his holy company sent by that Apostolicke See were at the same time in Scotland namely Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus and Carnonus both Scottish and English histories wil witnesse Where S. Amphibalus was the first Bishop they had and in Mona the Iland Amphibalus Brito vir insigni pietate primus Antistes ibi creatus Hector Boethius Scotor histor lib. 6. fol. 102. Bal. centur 1. in Amphib Holinsh. hist. of Scotland in Chrakint Veremund apud Boeth supr And soe honored was he of that most worthie Kinge of Scotland Chrathlintus that to shew the honor hee yeelded to this holie Legate and his companions and somewhat to behold the Religiō of that time the Scottish historie thus speaketh vnto vs. Hector Boeth supr Holinsh. hist of Scotlād in Chrah Chrathlintus Rex sacram Antistitis aedem muneribus ornauit amplissimis calicihus patenis candelabris alijsque similibus ad sacrorum vsum commodis ex argento auroque fabrefactis altarique cupro are clauso prouentus ad ea ex agris in sacrae aedis vicini constituit Fuit id templum omnium primum Christiano ritu vbi Pontifex sacerque magistratus sedem haberet primariam inter Scotos cuius nostri meminere scriptores dedicatum Kinge Chrathlint did adorne the Holy Howse of the Bishop Amphibalus with most honorable guifts chalices patens candlesticks and others seruinge for the vse of Masse made of syluer and gold and an Altare inclosed with copper and brasse and appointed reuenewes for them out of the country adioyninge That was the first Christian church where a Bishop and holy magistrate had his cheife See amonge the Scots that is remembred by our writers Thus were the Bishops and preists consecrated at and sent from Rome honored in this nation at that time When wee reade further the See of Rome to haue beene
conuertit Apostatas reuocauit Pelagianos ciecit nondum renatos baptizauit simulachra subuertit Ecclesias construxit agrotis ministrauit languores curauit atque in magna vixit abstinentia praedicabat ad flumen vsque Fordense ad mare Scotium Caledonos Athalos Horestos ac vicinarum Albainae regionum Incolas docendo mouendo hortando ad verae pietatis obseruationem instigauit Hee kept the forme of the primatiue church after the maner of the Apostles goinge on foote to preach hee conuerted very many to the faith recalled Apostats cast forth Pelagians baptized those that wanted baptisme ouerthrew the Idols builded churches ministred to the sick cured diseases and liued in great abstinence hee preached euen to the riuer of Fordune the Scottish See hee incited by teaching admonishinge and exhortinge to the obseruation of true piety the CaldoniaÌ„s Athals Horests and the inhabitants of the Regions neare to Albania This holy Bishop beeing first Bishop of Glascow in Scotland came into Walles about the yeare of Christ 560 and there settled an episcopall See hee beeing the first Bishop thereof by the riuer Elwy and notwithstandinge hee was at the first resisted therein by Malgo or Malgocunus a Brittish kinge in that contry yett his authoritie and power soe preuailed that to speake in a Protestant Bishops phrase Hector Boeth hist Scot. in Kentigern Godwin Catalog in Assaph 1. The kinge at last was content to allow the same church to bee an episcopall see and moreouer to bestowe vppon it diuers Lordships manners immunities and priuiledges Kentegern hauinge stayed here some number of yeares gaue ouer his Bishoprick vnto a disciple of his named Assoph a man of greate vertue and learninge whoe writ the life of his Master Kentegern and besides that hee was disciple to soe greate a patron of the Apostolick Roman See to giue Euidence that hee himselfe was soe alsoe affected notwithstandinge there were then many Bishops and Archbishops alsoe in Britanie yett a Protestant Bishop writeth Bal. centur 1. in Asapho à Pontificis Romani discipulis Angliam aduentantibus authoritate vnctionem accepit Hee receaued both authoritie and consecration from the disciples of the Pope of Rome that came into England and liued vntill the yeare of Christ 590. claruit anno à communis salutis origine 590. Within foure yeares of S. Augustines coming hither Before which time alsoe and in this age S. Iuo a Persian by birth and an holy Archbishop was sent by the Pope of Rome into this our Britanie or England together with Sithius his Nephew Inthius his Kinsman and others of whome the Towne yet called S. Iues in Huntington shire where about hee moste liued tooke the name dyinge after many yeares in the yeare of Christ 600. or there about beeinge here longe time by the Pope of Rome his mission before S. Gregory his sendinge S. Augustine hither Iohn Capgrau in S. Iuone Flor. Wigorn. an 600. Anâ—…r Leucand Gotâ—…elin in vita eius Neyther were our owne Archbishops that liued in this age after S. Dubritius Vodinus and Sampson otherwise affected in this matter First S. Sampson beeing driuen by the pagans from Yorke Pyramus or Pyrannus chapleyne to that greate freind of the Romane See kinge Arthur was Archbishop there conuocato Clero populo with common consent and consecrated by S. Dubricius the Popes Legate and primate here then noe other beeing to consecrate him Galfrid Monum histor Reg. Brit. lib. 9. cap. 8. Matth. Westm. an 522. The immediate successor to S. Dubricius bothe in his legatine power from the See of Rome and primate Metropolitane here in those times by common consent of writers Protestants and others was Godwyn Catalog in S. Dauids 1.2 and Landaffe 1. Bal. centur 1. in Dubrit and Dauid Capgrau Catalog that glorie of this nation S. Dauid to vvhome S. Dubritius resigned in his life liuing as an Exemite Delicto Episcopatu eremiticam vitam elegit ac tenuit S. Dauid by his legatine power translated the Archbishops See from Caerlegion where it was instituted by Pope Eleutherius to Meneuia S. Dauids of this name where it after remayned in S. Dubrit S. Dauid Giral Cambr. itinerar Cambr. Capgrau in S. Dauid Wee reade of this our holy and learned Metropolitane that hauinge expelled the Pelagian heresie and restoringe the true faith Saint Dauid was constituted Archbishop of all Britanie and his citie dedicated the Metropolitane See of all the contry see that whosoeuer should gouerne it should bee Archbishop Therefore all heresie beeing expelled all the churches of Britanie receaued the maner and Rule by the Romane Authoritie monasteries or builded in all places and S. Dauid vvas made the highest protector cheifest preacher from vvhome all receaued the Rule and forme of well liuinge Hee vvas an order correction and imitation to all learninge to the Readers life to the needy norishment to Orphans a susteyner of the naked the head of the contry a Rule to monkes life to seculars Expulsa haeresi fides sanis pectoribus reboratur sanctus Dauid totius Britanniae Archiepiscopus constituitur necnon ciuitas eius totius patriae Metropolis dedicatur ita vt quicumque eam regeret Archiepiscopus foret Expulsa itaque haeresi omnes Britanniae Ecclesiae modum regulam Romana authoritate acceperunt Monasteria per loca construuntur sanctus Dauid summus protector summus praedicator à quo omnes normam atque formam rectè viuendi acceperunt effectus est Ipse cunctis or do correctio innitatio legentibus doctrina egentibus vita orphanis nutrimentum nudis fulcimen patriae caput monachis regula secularibus vita fuit The Archbishop of London in this time as our Protestants tel vs. Matth. Parker antiquitat Brit. pag. 7. Godwyn Catal. in London in Theonus Stowe histor in Lucius Holinsh. histor of Engl. Matth. Westm. an 586. Galfrid Monument hist i. 11. c. 10. was Theonus or Theanus vvhoe takinge the chardge of London vpon him the yeare 553. the yeare 586. hee vvith Thadiorus Bishop of Yorke takinge their clergie and reliques of Saints with them gett them into Walles and Cornwall to the rest of their contrymen whom the Saxons had drovven thither Soe that except these Protestants deceaue themselues and others this Archbishop of London and Thadiorus of Yorke alsoe must needs bee of the same minde with the others before for the Roman spirituall power in this nation for these Protestants Godwyn Catal. in S. Dauids 1.2 telling vs that S. Dubritius liued vntill the yeare of Christ 522. and S. Dauid which succeeded him sate longe to vvit 65. yeares they both must needs bee made Bishops vnder him and their flyinge into Walles and ioyneninge with the Britans there dooth planely conuince that they were of that opinion for if S. Dauid was now deade which cannot appeare yet moste manifest it is that both S. Kentegern and S. Asaph those moste worthie Bishops cheifest then in those parts and all Britanie alsoe if
THE SECOND PART OF THE PROTESTANTS PLEA AND PETITION FOR PREISTS AND Papists Beeing an historie of the holy preisthood and sacrifice of the true Church of Christ Inuincibly prouing them to be the present sacrificing preisthood prouing also the sacrifice of the Masse vsed in the Catholike Roman church and that these were promised and foretold by the Prophets instituted by Christ and exercised by all his Apostles Moreouer that they haue euer from the first plantinge of Christianitie in this our Britanye in the dayes of the Apostles in euery age and hundred of yeares beene continued and preserued here All for the most part warranted by the writinges and testimonies of the best learned Protestant Doctors and antiquaries of England and others The preisthood beeing chaunged there is made of necessitie a chaunge also of the lawe Hebr. cap. 7. ver 12. WITH LICENCE Anno 1625. AN ADMONITION OF THE Author to all Readers of this his historie comprehending the Argument and contents thereof KNowinge well by longe and daiely purchased experience the great and greeuous persecutions which formerly haue beene raysed and persecuted in England against consecrated Preists of the Romane Church and professors of that Religion and for nothing more then holy priesthood and the sacred sunctions thereof And yet often hearinge all sorts of people euen persecutors themselues contestinge and cryinge out they would willingly stand to the Iudgement of and bee arbitrated by diuine Authoritie and reuerend antiquitie I an vnworthie member of that holy order a longe student in diuinitie to which these are either parts or haue a subordination for my discharge of dutie to God and his holy Church comfort and strengtheninge those that bee in truth and satisfying or confounding such as bee in error haue taken in hand to write a briefe history of this subiect beginning at the first originall of Christianitie especially in this Kingdome of great Britaine to which onely after my more generall Introduction and preface ended to preuent 〈…〉 both in writer and Readers I will confine my selfe And to winne the loue and likinge of all and auoide the dislike of any I meane to follow that most frendly and to all protestants fauourable maner and methode in writinge insinuated in the Title of this worke alwaies or moste commonly to carry with mee the allowance and warrant of the best learned Doctors and Antiquaries of their Religion And yet for Catholicks I trust none of them shall finde the least occasion of feare that though I shal walke vpon so vnlâ—…uell ground I will betray their moste iust and holy cause but rather adde a greater luster and splendor of glory then bringe any the least diminution of honor vnto it And make this matter so palpably manifest by all Authorities diuine and humane the scriptures both of the old and new testament and all kinde of expositors of them friends or ennemies that they which shall not acknowledge the vndoubted and onely truth of the doctrine of the holy Catholike Church in these misteries must needes bee said wilfully with malice to close their eyes against it And though the lawe of Moises wherein the Prophets liued and God spake by them was but a figure of thinges to come and gaue but a darke shadowe or glimeringe of the gratious brightnes and shininge which our blessed Sauiour the true light of the world reuealed vnto it in the lawe of the ghospell yet I shall in the very beginning as a preface to this holy historie so inuincibly proue by the scripture 〈◊〉 old testament by all original texts hebrue or greeke all Authors the Rabines before Christ the best learned Doctors of the primatiue Church of Christ and protestants themselues that the Messias promised and foretold by the Prophets was to ordeine a new sacrificing priesthood and that blessed sacrifice of his bodie and blood which wee coÌ„monly name the sacrifice of the Masse and this was one of the most apparant distinctiue signes to know him by so that whosoeuer denieth this consequently denieth Christ to bee the true Messias And the more plainely to demonstrate this when I come to the first plantinge of the faith of Christ in this kingdome in the Apostles time I will make manifest by all testimonies and antiquities that Christ our blessed Sauiour and Messias accordingly to the prophesies of him did institute this sacrificing priesthood and both celebrated and ordeined the sacrifice of Masse for his Church for euer That all his Apostles were sacrificing massing preists and offered that blessed sacrifice And that in this kingdome of Britanie in particular as in the whole Christian world besides in euery age and hundred of yeares from the first preachinge and receiuing of Christian Religion here in the Apostles time in the first second third fourthe fift and six hundred yeares of Christ and so longe as the best learned protestants affirme that holy primatiue Church remained vnspotted in the first receiued truthe and integritie thereof The same holy sacrificing priesthood a continual succession of sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops and sacrifice of Masse euer continued here in the same maner as they are now vsed and obserued in the present Romane Church without any the least essentiall change or difference By reason whereof many cheife Articles in Religion now questioned as the supernaturall change or transubstantiation of bread and wine into the blessed body and blood of Christ there offered a propitiatorie sacrifice for sinne prayer to the blessed Virgin S. Mary other Saints and Angels prayer for the faithfull departed merit of sacrifice and good workes with insufficiencie of sole faith and other principall things which protestants commonly disallow in Catholicke Religion will bee thus proued and deduced in euerie age in this our Britanie euen with the allowance of our best learned protestants and such antiquities as they approue and cannot disallow One most materiall point of the Popes power and spirituall prerogatiue in this nation from the first embracinge of Christian Religion in all ages which I promised in my first parte I vnderstand to bee effectually performed already Therefore I shall sparinglie make mention thereof in this history except in some things and places where it shall bee needfull for the more perfect handlinge of the present subiect of this worke And hereby it will sufficiently appeare vnto all protestants and persecutors of the holy Catholike Romane Church that seeing the controuersie is whether the Catholike or protestant church is the true church of Christ that by no possibilitie the protestant congregation can bee this true and holie church For by their owne Articles of their Religion to which all protestant Bishops and ministers haue sworne and subscribed Articl of Engl. protest Relig articul 19. The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in which the pure worde of God is preached and the Sacraments bee duly ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that are requisite to the same Which bee the
not reade in any other passage of scripture before Dauids time but in that place of Genesis what the order preisthood or sacrifice of Melchisedech was The same is testified by S. Paule the Apostle to the Hebrues Hebr. 5.6 7.17 And all learned texts Hebrue Chaldy Greeke and Latine agree onely the Hebrue maketh it plaine that God had made such a promise to Melchisedech that Christ should bee a preist after his order for euer 5. For where our English protestantes takinge vppon them to translate and followe the Hebrue and as before translate Thou art a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech The Hebrue is Our Lord hath sworne and will according to my word or as I promised to Melchisedech Hal dibrati Malchisedech Where wee cannot without corrupting the Hebrue dibrati takinge the last letter away reade otherwise Therefore seing S. Paul plainely saith that Christ was a preist after the order or maner of Melchisedech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repeating it in diuers places And the Prophet Dauid saith that God swore it and so promised to Melchisedech wee must needes beleeue that Christs preisthood and sacrifice after this order to continue for euer is vndeniably testified and expressed in that place of Genesis and act of Melchisedech Which to leaue S. Paul vntill I come to the new testament is proued by the greatest protestants that euer were 6. Luther vppon that place alleaged by Dauid in psalm 110. Tom. 8. saith Melchisedech Rex erat Sacerdos obtulit panem vinum pro Patriarcha Abraham eius familia Quid est vero oblatio panis vini pro Abrahamo Hoc exprimit Sacerdotium Christi ab hoc tempore vsque ad finem mundi quo mysterium altaris Sacramentum pretiosi corporis sanguinis sui offert Ecclesia Melchisedech was a Kinge and Preist hee offered bread and wine for Abraham and his family What doth the offeringe of bread and wine for AbrahaÌ„ meane This doth expresse the preisthood of Christ from this time to the end of the world in which the church doth offer the mistical Sacrament of his pretious body and blood Philip Melancthon in concil Theolog. part 2. pag. 373. saith Excipit Melchisedech redeuntem ex praelio Abraham eum ad sacrificium admittit eique benedicit Melchisedech receaueth Abraham returninge from battaile and admitteth him to sacrifice and blesseth him Caluine diuers times confesseth in c. 7. ad Hebr. vers 9. pag. 924. That this was the opinion of the old Fathers and hee plainely saith Veteres Ecclesiae Doctores in hac opinione fuerent vt in oblationem panis vini insisterunt sic autem loquuntur Christus Sacerdos est secundum ordinem Melchisedech atqui panem vinum Melchisedech obtulit ergo panis vini sacrificium Sacerdotio Christi conuenit The auncient Fathers were in this opinion that they insisted in the oblation of bread and wine for so they speake Christ is a preist after the order of Melchisedech but Melchisedech did offer breade and wine therefore the sacrifice of bread and wine agreeth to the preisthood of Christ. 7. The godly and learned man as Master Doctor Sutcliffe calleth Andreas Crastouius the Caluinist l. 5. de Miss papist c. 26. Andr. Crasteuius l. de opific. miss 1. sect 66. saith wee may not reiect the consent and harmony of the auncient Fathers both for their nearenes to the Apostles age and the singular agreemeÌ„t of them al together yet he addeth hic omnium veluti conspiratione oblatio Melchisedechi sacra proponitur vt non tantum Abrahae militibusque sed etiaÌ„ Deo incruentum sacrificium simboliâ—…è oblatum videatur Here as it were with consent of all the holy oblation of Melchisedech is proposed that it was not onely to Abraham and his souldiers but that it seemeth to haue beene an vnbloody sacrifice simbolically offered also to God Theodor BibliaÌ„der a learned protestant l. 2. de Trinit pag. 89. writeth erat apud veteres Hebraeos dogma receptissimum in aduentu Missiae benedicti cessatura esse omnia legalia sacrificia tantumque celebrandum sacrificium Thoda gratiarum actionis laudis confessionis illud peragendum pane vino sicut Melchisedech Rex Salem Sacerdos Dei altissimi temporibus Abrahami panem vinum protulit It was among the old Hebrues a most receaued Maxime that at the coming of the blessed Messias all legall sacrifices should cease and onely the sacrifice Thoda of thankes geuing praise and confession should bee celebrated and that to bee done with bread and wine as Melchisedech King of Salem and preist of God most high in the time of Abraham brought forth breade and wine Thus this learned protestant 8. But where hee saith onely that the Rabbines wrote thus Melchisedech did bringe forth bread and wine that is his glosse for FraÌ„ciscus Stancarus Apud Petr. Gallat l. 10. de arcan The best learned protestant of his time in the Hebrue antiquities doth assure vs from the most auntient Rabbines of which I haue cited Rabbi Samuel before the like or more plaine for the sacrificing of Melchisedechs bread and wine and that onely neuer to cease but to continue in the time of the Messias So haue R. Moses Hadarsan R. Pinhas and R. Ioai as the same protestant with others testifieth So that wee plainely see by all authoritie the holy scriptures the auncient Rabbines and the generall consent of the holy primatiue Fathers of Christs church as they are warranted by the best learned protestants of forrein natioÌ„s whether Lutherans or Caluinists that both Melchisedech the plaine figure of Christ in this did offer sacrifice in bread wine and this kinde of sacrifice though after a more excellent maner as the lawe of the Messias so requireth was to bee offered by him and his holy preists in that lawe Now let vs come to our English protestants to make all sure from any contradiction and learne of them that the best learned of theÌ„ doe so write and all of them ought soe to acknowledge by their owne Religion 9. For euidence whereof it is a common maxime and ground of Religion among them that the scriptures especially as they translate them and logically deduced conclusions from them are the word of God Feild pag. 226. wotton def of Parkins pag. 467. To speake in their wordes all matters concluded logically out of the scriptures ar the word of God aswel as if they were expressely set downe in it word by word And so of necessitie must they all say if they will maintaine any externall shew of Religion for reiecting traditions and the authoritie of the church as they doe and claiminge onely by scriptures in all matters of faith they must needes allowe soe ample authoritie to deductions from scriptures for euident it is and they willingly confesse that all things which they hold euen as matters of faith are not expressely sett downe in scriptures And this is an expresse article of faith
4. pag. 118. de Sacrosancta Eucharistia Ipsius necessitatem toties inculcauit nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberetis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis â—…anis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro mundi vita Ioh. 6. Luc. 22. postea in vltima caena accepto pane gratias egit fregit dedit eis dicens hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis datur hoc facite in meam commemorationem Panis consecrationem in corpus Christi vini in sanguinem ipse coram Apostolis fecit eandem ipsi quoque vt facerent frangerent darent expressè mandauit Concerninge the holy Eucharist Christ did very often inculcate the necessitie of it except you shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you The food which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world After in his laste supper when he had taken bread he gaue thankes brake and gaue to them saying this is my body which is giuen for you doe this in my commemoration Hee made the consecration of breade into the body of Christ of wine into his blood before the Apostles and expressely commaunded that they also should do the same consecration of bread wine into Christs body and blood 10. And in an other place he teacheth with S. Chrisostome whom he followeth therein and other holy auncient Fathers Marc. Anto. l. 1. cap. 1. pag. 9. Chrisostom hom 17. in epist ad Hebr. That the sacrifice which the Apostles were here commaunded to offer by Christs wordes doe this and which by that power they did offer and which all truely consecrated preists did after offer was the same body blood of Christ which hee himselfe offered the same and no other sacrifice Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Quid ergo nos ait Chrisostomus nonne per singulos dies offerrimus offerrimus quidem Et vna est hostia non multae Quomodo vna est non multae quia semel oblata est in Sancto Sanctorum hoc autem sacrificium exemplar est illius idipsum semper offerrimus Pontifex noster ille qui hostiam mundantem nos obtulit ipsam offerrimus nunc quae tunc oblata quidem consumi non potest And much more to as great effect or greater and yet at his pleasure hee doth maine and make lame the sentences of that holy Author And to auoide the friuolous cauill of some about the wordes in my remembrance or commemoration of mee whereby they would haue it gathered that this is onely a commemoratiue sacrifice or commemoration of that sacrifice this man with all other Protestants Marc. Ant. l. 1. cap. 12. pag· 146 147. Mumer 26.27 and the expresse scriptures are witnes that the preists and sacrifice of the lawe of nature and Moises of Adam Seth Enoch Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob and his twelue sonnes Iob Melchisedech Aaron and all in the lawe were true preists and sacrificers yet they were in all Christian learninge but figures of the truth in the time of the Messias 11. Therefore if this were onely a commemoration it should at leaste by as great reason and authoritie bee also a sacrifice and the parson that celebrateth it a sacrificinge preist both beeing farr more excellent then those preists and sacrifices And the words in remembrance or commemoration are so far from hindering the truth of these preists and sacrifice that they rather giue a second power vertue vnto them euen by these protestants themselues for they haue told vs before that by these wordes doe this Christ gaue power to consecrate the bread and wine into his body and blood and doe what hee did in that sacrifice then addinge after the wordes in remembrance or commemoration he gaue them a second power and commaundement different from the other yet both of them preistly and sacrificall otherwise Christ himselfe should bee said which cannot be that hee did consecrate and offer this remembrance of himselfe and his owne action Therefore the words must needs conteine a double virtuall power and commaund to the Apostles the one part and principall beeing to doe that Christ did expressed plainely in the powerfull wordes doe this the other in remembrance or commemoration conteyned in the same terms Which was by a then publick protestant preachinge minister both preached publickly and with publicke allowance after printed in this maner Edw. Maie serm of the communion of Saints printed by Iohn Dauson an 1621. pag. 6. 12. God hath giuen to preists a power ouer his owne naturall bodie which is himselfe for to them onely was it said doe this in remembrance of mee by which words they haue commission to dispose of that very body which was giuen for the life of the world and of that inualuable blood which was shed to redeeme sinfull soules for which cause the Bishops and presbyters haue as antiquitie can tell beene honored with an honor which no Kinge no Angel had euer giuen him They are the makers of Christs body they doe a worke which none but the holy Ghost besides them euer did And in the margine hee thus citeth Isodor Pelusota l. 2. epist 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a power the Kings of the earth haue not An other speakinge of the consecratory preistly power by those words of Christ spoken in his parson This is my body This is my blood concludeth Couel def of Hooker pag. 116.117.276 The omnipotency of God maketh it his body And of preists To these parsons God imparteth power ouer that naturall body which is himselfe a worke which antiquitie calleth the making of Christs body And of preistly power By blessing visible elements it maketh them inuisible grace it hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for the life of the world and that blood which was powred out to redeeme soules Others say The sacrifice of the altare and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primatiue church The primatiue church did offer sacrifice at the altare for the deade sacrifice for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles and auncient Fathers Aerius was iustly condemned of heresie by the primatiue church for denying sacrifice for the dead Middlet Papistom pag. 51.91.113.49.137.139.47.48 Fâ—…ild l. 3. cap. 29. pag. 138. 13. And to put vs out of doubt that this is or should bee the common doctrine and Religion of all English Protestants their chosen champion with greatest allowance amonge them as hee affirmeth writeth plainely Haec est fides Regis haec est fides Ecclesiae Anglicanae this is the faith of the Kinge this is the faith of the church of England Io. Casaub resp ad Card. Peron pag. 51.52 And their publicke statute of al the Protestant Princes of England saith so and so decreeth to be obserued of all authentically prouinge in protestants Religion that this most holy sacrifice of the altar was instituted by Christ that it is
and order fully how this sacrifice was to bee celebrated he concludeth thus in that chapter The rest I vvill set in order vvhen I come 1. Corinth c. 11. v. vlt 34. reseruing it to tradition beeing to longe a worke to bee comprised in an epistle 28. Whereuppon S. Augustine expoundinge those very words caetera cum venero ordinabo The other thinges I will order when I come as hee readeth writeth in these words Augustin epistol 118. ad I anuarium cap. 6. Tom. 2. operum eius vnde intelligi datur quia multum erat vt in epistola totum illum agendi ordinem insinuaret quem vniuersa per orbem seruat Ecclesia ab ipso ordinatum esse quod nulla morum diuersitate variatur Whence wee are giuen to vnderstand that it was to much for him to insinuate in an epistle all that whole order of celebration which the vniuersall church obserueth in all the worlde to bee there ordered of him which is not varied with any diuersitie Where wee see plainlie that by the testimony of S. Paul himselfe warranted with this great authoritie hee deliuered a forme of Masse vnto the church and the church in S. Augustines time still continued it without any diuersitie or difference to bee excepted against 29. And where S. Paul writeth to S. Timothy according to our protestants translation I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuinge of thankes bee made for all men for Kings and all that bee in authoritie 1. Timoth cap. 2. v. 1.2 it is the common interpretation of the holy Fathers and expositors of scriptures that hee there alludeth to the order vsed in the holy sacrifice of Masse where these things were obserued as appeareth in the moste auncient Masses wee haue extant So S. Remigius S. Augustine S. Bede S. Bruno S. Anselme Haymo Petrus Lombardus and diuers others writinge vppon that place expound them of the holy Masse S. Remigius saith Apostolus dirigens haec verba Timotheo in illo tradidit omnibus Episcopis presbyteris omnique Ecclesiae quando deberent Missarum solemnia celebrare pro omnibus orare The Apostle directinge these wordes to Timothie and in him deliuered to all Bishops and preists and to the whole church when they shoulde celebrate the solemnities of Masse and pray for all Remigius in 1. Timoth cap. 2. Augustin epistol 59. quaest 5. Beda in 1. Timoth. cap. 2. Bruno Haimo Petr. Lombard alij in eund loc 30. And a little after Quam formam vel exemplum omnes Ecclesiae modo retinent nam obsecrationes sunt quicquid praecedit in Missarum solemnijs vbi incipit Sacerdos consecrare mysteria corporis sanguinis Domini Which forme or example all churches doe still retaine for obsecrations are all whatsoeuer it said in the solemnities of the Masse vntill that place where the preist beginneth to cōsecrate the misteries of the body and blood of Christ sayinge Te igitur clementissime Pater Which bee the first words of the canon Orations or prayers are those which the preist vttereth in the consecratiō of the Eucharist euen to the fractiō of the body of our Lord that is when the preist putteth one part of the host into the chalice Postulations are the blessiings which the Bishop saith ouer the people inuocating vpon them the name of God The giuing of thanks are prayers which the preist after the people haue receaued doth render vnto God the Father who hath offered vnto them the mistery of the body and blood of his sonne for theire saluation Which all moste word by worde and in the same sence is deliuered by S. Augustine in his 59. epistle quaestione 5. Tom. 5. where he setteth downe the whole order and maner of the sacrifice of Masse as wee now vse it and expoundeth S. Paules wordes to that purpose as the other holy and learned recited Father likewise doth 31. And to make all sure by our protestants themselues they assure vs that S. Trophimus mentioned by S. Paul was his disciple and left by him at Arles in Fraunce when hee passed from Rome to Spaine althoughe Eisengrenius proueth from the french Annals and diuers antiquities that he was disciple both of S. Peter and S. Paul B. Petri Pauli discipulus Guliel Eiseng centen 1. part 1. dist 3. fol. 53. And was of such fame and renowne as Pope Zosimus 1200. yeares since the Romane Martyrologe Zosimus To. 1. concil Martyrol Roman in S. Trophimo die 29. Decembris the Magdeburgian Protestants with others testifie ex eius praedicationis fonte tota Gallia fidei Rinulos accepit out of the fountaine of his preaching all Fraunce receauing the channels of faith Magd. centur 1. l. 1. in Trophimo yet the auncient Brittish antiquitie suppressed by our protestants of which before and more herafter is a sufficient warrant and witnesse that hee deliuered and obserued in Fraunce a certaine forme and order of the holy sacrifice of Masse and the same was vsed and practised also both at Rome and here in Britanie likewise at that time M. S. Britan. antiq pr. Stores in exordium 32. And the same is as euidently proued from his renowned scholler S. Denis the Areopagite Who in his booke of the ecclesiasticall Hierarchie cap. 5.7 epist ad Demophil setteth downe the whole order of the sacrifice of Masse and how the preist behaued himselfe at the holy altare both before and after consecration how the catechumens energumens and publick penitents were not permitted to bee present but onely to the prayers which were before the oblation of the sacrifice He setteth down how bread and wine was proposed on the altare how blessed consecrated into the body blood of Christ and offered in sacrifice How greate reuerence and prayer was also vsed vnto Christ vnder the externall species O tu diuinum sacratissimumque Sacramentum obducta tibi per signa obscuritatum quasi vela integumenta patefacta perspicuè nobis ostende mentisque nostrae oculos singulari quae obtegi non potest luce comple Hee sheweth how a memory of Saints is there made mystica Sanctorum recitatio fit He teacheth how the preist or Bishop prayed for the dead for remission of their sinnes and to come to glory Precatur oratio illa diuinam clementiam vt cuncta dimittat per infirmitatem humanam admissa peccata defuncto eumque inluce statuat regione viuorū Which is as much as the Romā church now vseth in that holy sacrifice of Masse And hee remembreth how in the ende the preist acknowledgeth the dignitie of that holy sacrifice to bee so great that he was vnworthy to offer it but that Christ did both giue power and commaund to doe it when hee said to his Apostles doe this in commemoration of mee Religiosè simul vt Pontificem decet post sacras diuinorum operum laudes de sacrificio quod ipsius dignitatem superat se purgat dum primò ad cum clamat
cor suum qui faciat omnes voluntates suas qui me opitulante regnum adeptus Anglorum Danico furori finem imponet Erit enim acceptus Deo gratus hominibus terribilis hostibus amabilis ciuibus vtilis Ecclesiae laudabilemque vitam sancto fine concludet It shall come to passe when thou shalt sleepe with thy Fathers our Lord will visit his people and our Lord will cause a redemption of his people For hee will chuse vnto himselfe a man accordinge to his owne hart which shall doe all his desires who by my helpe obteyninge the crowne of England shall make an end of the Danish fury For hee shall bee acceptable to God gratefull to men terrible to his enemies amiable to his citisens profitable to the church and hee shall conclude his laudable life with an holy end And the holy and learned writers of his life thus immediatly add all which things the euent of the thinge proued to bee fulfilled in S. Edward Quae omnia in beato Eduardo completa rei exitus comprobauit Therefore this must needs bee a true vision and prophesie of S. Peter Alured Riuall l. de vit S. Eduardi Iacob Episc Gen. in vit eius M. S. antiq ibid. Capgrau in Catal. in S. Eduardo Rege Confessore Sur. in vit eius Lippom. Godwin Catal. of Bishops in B. Brithwild 16. This is that holy Kinge that left the hereditary miraculous power of curing the disease called the Kings euill obteyned by his piety to his successors This is that great reuerencer of massinge preists this is hee who at the time of eleuation at holy Masse in England vpon Whitsunday did see by reuelation the Kinge of Denmarke drowned in the sea by the coaste of Denmarke as hee was takinge ship to come to inuade England and his nauy dispersed which peractis Missarum solemnijs as soone as Masse was ended hee confidently related This holie Kinge to speake in protestants and their authors words Stowe histor in Edward CoÌ„fessor before the day of his natiuitie was elected of God who perseuering in chastitie ledd all his life dedicated to God in true marriage wherefore as wee haue knowne proued by good and sufficient men being witnesses God greatlie glorified him in his life with wonderful signes Therefore it is euident that S. Peter and God himselfe with the whole court of heauen did and doe allowe of massinge preists and the holy sacrifice of Masse not only as it was celebrated in the beginning but after all additions which protestantes write or imagine were put vnto it for after all these added and longe after as wee see both S. Peter and God himselfe did thus approue and honor the both reuerent sayers and hearers of that blessed sacrifice THE XIII CHAPTER Wherein is proued how after the death of S. Peter in the time followinge commonly ascribed to S. Linus and Cletus in the see of Rome and to Marius Kinge in Britanie the Britans both at home and abroade vsed the sacrificing preisthood preists and Masse HItherto wee haue spoken of S. Peter who being martired by Nero the Emperor it is a question whether S. Linus whom and S. Cletus he had consecrated Bishops at his beeinge at Rome before heâ—… came into these West parts or S. Clement did immediatly succed him S. Leo the second with our renowned contrimen S. Marianus Florentus Wigorniensis and to speake in Martinus Polonus wordes Leo Papa 2. epistol decretal Marian. Scot. lib. 2. aetat 6. in Nerone Florent Wigorn. an 50. al. 72. Martin Pol. supputat col 33. in Lino They which searched more diligently concerning the chaire of the Romane church doe say that Linus and Cletus did not sitt as Popes but as coadiutors of the Pope to whome S. Peter in his life onely committed the dispensation of ecclesiasticall things for which beeing endowed with so great authoritie they deserued to bee placed in the catalogue of the Popes but S. Peter appointed S. Clement his successor Dicunt qui de cathedra Romanae Ecclesiae diligentius perserutati sunt quod Linus Cletus non sederunt vt Pontifices sed vt summi Pontificis coadiutores quibus in vita sua beatus Petrus vnam tradidit ecclesiasticarum rerum dispensationem propter quod tanta authoritate dotati meruerunt in catalogo Pontificum poni Clementem vero ipse beatus Petrus successorem constituit Which S. Clement himselfe as he is commonly receaued doth also likewise affirme of himselfe and S. Leo saith Linum Cletum nihil vnquam legibus suis ex pontificali ministerio potestatiuè egisse sed quantum eis à beato Petro praecipiebatur tantum solumodo agebant Linus and Cletus did nothinge at any time by theire lawes by papall ministery or power but how much was commaunded them by S. Peter so much onely they did Clem. Roman epistol 1. Leo Papa 2. epist decretali supr apud Marian. Wigorn. alios which wee finde in their liues that the first ex praecepto Petri Apostoli constituit vt mulier in Ecclesiam velato capite intret constituted by the commaundement of S. Peter that a woman should haue her head couered when shee entred the church The other by the precept of S. Peter ordeyned 21. preists in the citie of Rome Cletus hic ex praecepto Petri viginti vnum presbyteros ordinauit in vrbe Roma Martin Polon supputat in Lino Cleto alij 2. But because many others and great authors incline to thinke they were Popes I meddle not to discusse this matter little pertinent to my present purpose because very little is written of them But this most certaine it is that whether they were Popes or no being consecrated by S. Peter that knowne massing preist and Pope and hauinge S. Clement their successor that knowne massinge Pope they must needs bee also massinge preists and Popes if they were Popes And for S. Linus who as both Catholicks Protestants testifie did write the acts of S. Peter in the same sort as they are published giueth plaine testimony to the daily saying of Masse offering therin the blessed body and blood of Christ and sheweth how the signe of the Crosse was vsed in the celebration thereof euerie day ô crux quae quotidiè carâ—…s immaculati Agni fidelibus diuidâ—… populis Linus in histor pass S. Petri. And it is proued not onely by histories but S. Paul himselfe doth sufficiently incline vs to knowe that his cheife lodginge was in the then cheife massinge house of our Christian Britans at Rome and not onely of him and other the Popes but such holy disciples as came to Rome vnto them for writing vnto S. Timothie 2. Timoth. 4. hee remembreh onely to salute him but fower parsons Eubulus Linus Pudens and Claudia which seeme to haue had all or the moste of their permanency in that house where S Timothy also had beene entertayned when hee was at Rome and therefore they alone salute him beeing as S. Chrisostome and Theodoret wel
a refuge and receptacle of them that were in those times persecuted for Christian Religion Matthew of West Anno gratiae 115. Ioh. Bal. l. de script in Matth. Westm Rob. Bar. sup in Higinio Matth. Westm. an 150. Matth. Westm. an gratiae 124. 15. And to omit forreine examples beyonde number in this case when the Saxons of this nation were conuerted by the disciples of Gregory though S. Augustine was a very miraculous man and his companions many and holy learned men and industrious in that sacred worke found many worthie and renowned Bishops here with their cleargies that assisted them with al their power in the conuersion of this nation as those glorious Bishops S. Molocus that ioyned with S. Bonifacius sent from Italy with many good mē cum piorum caetu S. Iue S. Kentegern S. Asaph S. Lethardus stiled the precursor and vvay maker to S. Augustine praecursor ianitor venturi Augustini with others and had all the furtherance the holy Queene S. Bertha and her husband Kinge Ethelbert the most potent in this Iland reigninge from the vttermost coasts of kent vnto Humber and by the vertues of S. Bertha and S. Lethardus by many arguments a Christian in iudgement and affection before S. Augustines cominge hither Hect. Boeth hist l. 9. fol. 178. Holish hist of Engl. l. 5. c. 29. pag. 112. Capgrau in S. Iuone M. S. in vit eius in S. Asaph Kentegern Godvvin Catal. Bal. centur 1. de script Capgrau in S. Lethard Matth. Parker antiq in S. Augustin Stowe histor in Kinge Ethelb Holinsh. histor of Engl. Theater of great Brit. in K. Ethelbert Bed l. 1. histor l 2. 16. Yett S. Augustine and fine other Archbishops of Canterbury after him S. Laurence S. Mellitus S Iustus S. Honorius and S. Adeodatus were deade and aboue foure score yeares passed after the cominge of S. Augustine into England before this kingdome wholly submitted it self to the true discipline of holy church in the time and by the labours of that our moste learned Archbishop S. Theodor. Godvvin Catal. in Theodor. Matth. Parker in eodem Capgrau M. S. in vit S. Theodori Therfore seeing wee haue so ample warrant in antiquities as the olde chronicle of Landaffe ascribed to S. Telian S. Bede the old English Chronicle named Beatus Cocelin and others that the faith of Christ was preached in Britanie in the time of Kinge Lucius in the 156. yeare of Christ and very many conuerted by preists sent from the Pope of Rome which was not aboue three yeares after the death of this Pope S. Higinius in the papacy of Pope Pius the first we may not with iudgement thinke but these preists or diuers of them that had wonne so many to Christ in that time were sent in the dayes of this massing Pope S. Higinius and his sacrificinge predecessors which besides that is already said in this matter will more appeare in the next Pope S. Pius the first Chronicon Landaf apud Io. Caium l. 1. antiq Cantabrig pag. 107. Beda l. 1. histor cap. 4. Chronicle Brutus an 156. Gocelin in vita S. Augustini cap. 31. Stovve histor in Kinge Lucius Io. Caius supr 17. This holy Pope by all accompts gouerned the church of Christ at Rome whē by so many auncient authorities the preists sent from thence had so increased and propagated the Christian faith in this kingedome who the better to bee mindefull of this nation as his predecessors by that amonge other motiues were liued and conuersed moste and more then with any of any other contrie or nation with our Christian Britans that were then at Rome in so much that we haue allowance both from Catholicks Protestants that a great part of their cheife residency was in the house of S. Claudia our noble Christian contriwoman and with such freedome and libertie to commaund therein that diuers protestants besides all Catholicke antiquities assure vs this holy Pope by the graunt donation of her holy children did cōsecrate it for the first Christian church in Rome Robert Barnes in vita Pontif. Rom. in Pio 1. Thermas nonati templo dedicauit Pope Pius the first dedicated the house of Nouatus sonne of S. Claudia for a church An other thus writeth of him in this matter Hee consecrated the first temple of Rome vvhich vvas dedicated to 5. Pudentiana the Temples of Christians hauing bene in former times in hidden and obscure caues Edvv. Grimston booke of est in the church of Rome pag. 436. the Catholicke antiquities that testifie this are to many too be cited Act. vit S. Pudentianae Breu. Rom. die 19. Maij. Martyrol Rom. 19. Maij. Baron annot in eod Rom. Martyrol die 20. Iunij but they all agree that the Popes of Rome were ordinarily intertayned in this house of our Christian Britans and especiallie this holy Pope Pius said Masse there and vvas there releiued by S. Pudentiana daughter to our Brittish Ladie Claudia and the Christians came thither vsually to heare Masse vvhen Antoninus the Emperor had forbidden Christians to haue Masse publickly Quòd ab Antonino Imperatore sancitum erat ne Christiani publicè sacrificia facerent Pius Pontifex in adibus Pudentianae cum Christianis sacra celebrabat 18. And to manifest farther vnto vs what a massinge Pope this S. Pius was and how in all probable iudgement that holy doctrine amonge others was propagated here in Britanie these antiquities tell vs there was in that Brittish house ninty sixe Christian men nonagiata sex homines Christiani Pius Pap. 1. epist and the like hee writeth of the house of Euprepia where hee also liued and said Masse vbi nunc cum pauperibus commorantes Miss is agimus And hee was so zelous herein and to haue Masse said with all attention deuotion that he decreed as these protestants testifie to write in their owne words Sacerdotibus negligentius Missae sacra facientibus paenas statuit Robert Barnes in vit Pontific Rom. in Pio 1. Grimston in Pius 1. Io. Func commentar in Chronolog l. 5. in Pio 1. an 145. He ordeyned punishments for preists that said Masse negligently That if any by imprudency shoulde shedd any of the blood of Christ vppon the ground hee shoulde doe penance fourtie dayes If vppon the altare 3. dayes That if vpon the linen cloath vnder the chalice 4. dayes If vpon the other linen cloathe 9. dayes That hee should lick vp the blood of Christ that was shedd or if that could not be either pare it or washe it away and so pared or washed either to bee burnt or kept reserued in the sacrarie Vt si quis per imprudentiam de sanguine Christi effunderet in terram paenitentiam ageret dies 40. Si super altare dies 3. Si super linteum substratum calici 4. dies Si super aliud linteum dies 9. Sanguinem Christi effusum lambere vel si id fieri non possit aut radere aut eluere rasum aut lotum
propalandum in extremam miserat Albionem Which was in the yeare of Christ 203. Humanae salutis tertius supra ducentessimum And euer continued in the same as theire historians contend vnto these dayes of heresie nostri qua fide pietate instituti semel fuerunt hactenus erroribus aspernatis perseuerant Which was written in the yeare of Christ 1526. Anno salutis Christianae sexto vigesimo supra millesimum quingentesimum 3. So longe and longer these massinge preists sacrifice of Masse continued there with honor by their writers and our English Protestants affirme as much in these termes Edw. Grimston in the est of the K. of great Britanie pag. 20. cap. 17. Scotland receaued the Christian faith in the time of Pope Victor the first in the yeare 203. and idolatry did quite cease vnder Kinge Craknite who died in the yeare 313. Celestine the first sent Palladius thither to roote out the Pelagian heresie which began to encrease there vnder Eugenius the seconde who died in the yeare 460. since this time the realme continued longe in the profession of the Romish church vntill these later dayes the daies of Kinge Iames our present soueraigne as hee there expresseth Therefore seeing the profession of the Romane church which froÌ„ the beginning by these authorities and testimonies both Catholicke and Protestant euer continued there was the profession of the sacrifice of Masse and massinge preists such was the profession euer vntill now in those parts Againe this part of this Iland was subiected both by Pope Eleutherius and Victor to the Archbishop of Yorke a massing Prelate either S. Theodosius or S. Sampson therefore the preistes subiect to that see must needs bee massinge preists Harrison description of Britanie in K. Lucius Godwin Catalog in Yorke pag. 555. edit an 1515. and both S. Gildas S. Bede and all antiquities assure vs that this Religion was preserued in peace and quiet here vnto the persecution of Diocletian Gild. l. de excid Britan cap. 7. Bed histor eccl l. 1. cap. 4. antiq Winton apud Godw. Catal. in Winchester 1. and the Annals of Scotland tell vs expresselie of the altars chalices patens and all vessels instruments and ornaments vsed in the holy sacrifice of Masse to haue bene in honorable and publicke vse in this time in that contry Hector Boeth Scot. histor l. 6. fol. 102. 4. And if we leaue Britanie and returne againe to Rome and the Pope there S. Zepherine these protestants assure vs he was rei diuinae magis quam humanae inteÌ„tus a man more giuen to diuine then humaine affaires a Protestant Bishops words and yet they absolutly teache hee claimed and exercised supreame spirituall iurisdiction and made decrees concerninge the holy sacrifice of Masse of what mater the chalice and paten in and on which the body and blood of Christ should be consecrated in that sacrifice were to bee made and how preists ought to bee present when the Bishop celebrated the sacrifice of Masse cum Episcopus celebraret Missae sacra iussit omnes presbyteros adesse Bal. in act Pontif. Rom. l. 1. in Zepherino Edw. Grimston pag. 436. in Zepherin Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Zepherin alij Sacer and by the sentence of their first Protestant Archbishop hee was so far from doing any dishonor to this holy sacrifice of Masse that ad pulchriorem materiam formamque mutare voluit The chaunge hee made was for the more honor therof Math. Parker antiquitat Britan. pag. 47. Magdeb. cent 1. cap. 5 col 146. beeing nothing but that I cited before of causing the sacrificing instruments to be made of a better matter making no other chaunge at al therin And within few yeares after the next Pope but one Vrbanus the first as these protestants assure vs made a lawe that eueÌ„ in the poorer churches the sacrificinge vessels should either bee of gold siluer or tinne Ne vasa sacra vitrea sed aut aurea aut argenâ—…ea aut stannea in inopioribus Ecclesijs essent legem tulit Rob. Barnes in Vrban 1. Edw. Grimston estate of the church of Rome in Vrban 1. pag. 436. Magdeb. cent 1. cap. 6. col 146. and that Pope Fabian an holy Saint and miraculously chosen to the papall dignitie made a decree about the sacrifice of Masse what preists were to bee allowed to say Masse And they put it out of all question that the most renowned other Fathers of this age as Tertullian S. Ciprian with others taught and maintained this doctrine of the sacrifice of Masse Magdeburg cent 1. cap. 4. col 83. titul de Eucharist sacrificio so they write of Pope Stephen Faelix Sixtus in this age whom they acknowledge for holy Saints and open maintayners and practisers of this blessed sacrifice shewinge how in their time the whole canon was secretly read as is now obserued Sixtus dum Sacerdos canonem ante celebrationem sub silentio legeret vt in populo Sanctus triplicatum caneretur instituit And neither bringe any Pope or Father to the contrary or any Pope altered any thinge in this holy sacrifice which they doe or can dislike 5. And concerning communion it selfe in one onely kinde by the laitie and such as saide not Masse now vsed in the Latine church with much dislike of many protestants these protestants themselues confesse vnto vs. Magdeburgen· cent 3. cap. 6. de ritib. circa caenam col 149 that it was the custome of the church of Rome of Italy and with other Bishops for the communicants to receaue onely vnder the forme of bread And some of our English Protestants as Master Parkins Parkinsus l. demonstr problem pag. 155. giueth many instances and examples of such communicating And amonge others bringeth S. Ciprian to bee a witnes hereof writinge in this time as also the Protestants of Germany doe teachinge this custome in those churches of Rome Italy and others to haue bene more auncient then this time and moste certaine it is that both S. Ciprian and Tertullian before him testifie it was also soe vsed in Afrike to communicate onely vnder the forme of blood Ciprian l. de laps l. de spectacul Tertullia l. 2. ad Vxorem cap. 5. S. Irenaeus proueth the same of the age before and both S. Chrisostome or whosoeuer author of the opus imperfectuÌ„ super Matthaeum S. Augustine Isichius S. Bede Theophilact and others doe so expound that act example of Christ at Emaus in S. Lukes Ghospell after his resurrection thus by our protestants translation hee tooke bread and blessed it and brake and gaue to them Homil 16. operis imperfect supr Matth. August consens Euang. l. 3. c. 25. Isych l. 2. in Leuit c. 9. Bed Theop. in c. 24. Luc. cap. 24. v. 30. the same exposition is made of breakinge of breade in the 2. and 20. chapter of the acts of the Apostles by the auncient author of that vnperfect worke and our learned coutrimen Ionas Aurelianensis and S. Bede and the
Papisticae Missae inseruit And yet this sacrificinge massinge and papisticall Pope was hee by all antiquities on whome Britanie in those dayes did cheifly depend for direction and instruction in matters of Religion 3. Therefore to make all peace and attonement wee may by the proceedings and institutions of this holy Pope and our Master and Pedagogue in Christ let vs learne of our protestants themselues what were the things he added to the sacrifice of Masse whether any matter essentiall or that may be excepted against They haue told vs that before his additions the Masse was papisticall and concerninge his additions In initio sacrificij vt psalmus Iudica me Deus discerne causam me am c. à sacrificaturo diceretur ordinauit graduale in Missa ordinauit He ordeyned that the psalme Iudge mee ô God discerne my cause should be said in the beginning of the sacrifice by the preist that offereth the sacrifice and he ordeyned the graduale should be said in Masse Rob. Barn l. de vit Pontif. Rom. in Caelest Magdeb. cent 5. in Caelest so write others of these protestāts amōg whom one a Bishop saith Caelestinus introitum graduale responsorium tractum offertorium vt propria inuenta papisticae Missae inseruit Pope Celestine did put into the papisticall Masse as inuentions of his own the introite graduale responsorie tract and offertory Iohn Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary Cartwright admon Whitg answ to the admonit pag. 94. sect 1.2 Io. Bal. l. 2. act Pontif Roman in Caelestino which wordes of his vt propria inuenta as his owne inuentions are the euident forgery and inuention of this protestant for all these thinges are plaine wordes of holy scriptures in all places and so the inuentions of God himselfe and not Pope Celestines And if hee meaneth that the placing them in the Masse was his inuention which hee doth not insinuate why was it not lawfull for him to vse the scriptures in Masse otherwise no prayer or part of Masse or whatsoeuer liturgie or publicke office of any church could bee lawfull nothinge could be lawfull for nothinge is more lawfull or warranted then the word of God and scripture Yet it was not S. Celestines inuention to place any one of these in the Masse but they were all vsed therin before his time euen by the confession of these protestants themselues For first concerning the introite it is one of the psalmes of Dauid the 42. by the Latine accompt and by the Hebrue 43. and such kind of introite to the holy Masse was in vse longe before this Popes time as our protestants acknowledge wherof one thus confesseth Io. Foxe To. 2. Act. and Monum Q. Mary pag. 1401. Chrisostome in the eleuenth homely vpon the Ghospell of S. Matthew saith that in his time and before his time the vse was to singe whole psalmes till they were entered and assembled together And so belike Caelestinus borrowed this custome of of the Greekes and brought it into the Latine church Therfore by these men S. Caelestine was not the Author of this custome yet if he had bene no protestāt or Christian will say that sayinge or singinge holy psalmes so warranted in scripture is an vnlawfull but a lawfull and godly exercise 4. The same protestant Author maketh the graduale response and tract of as auncient standinge when hee thus speaketh of the graduale and consequently of the others belonging vnto it Foxe supr the graduale the people were went to singe when the Bishop was about to go vp to the pulpit or some higher standinge where the worde of God might be better more sensibly heard at his mouth readinge the epistle and the ghospell Which custome hee maketh as auncient or more auncient then the time of Pope Alexander in the Empire of Traian Touchinge the laste which is the offertorie it is euident by these protestants and al testimonies before that it was and of necessitie must needs be vsed from the begininge for where there is Masse sacrifice and oblation offered there must needes bee an offeringe or offertorie thereof otherwise it could not bee offered Foxe supr Therefore this protestāt acknowledgeth it to haue bene vsed before the time of S. Irenaeus so neare the Apostles and that hee thus doth remember it Iren. l. 4. cap. 18. pro diuersis sacrificiorum ritibus simplex oblatio panis vini fidelibus sufficiat In stedd of diuers rites of sacrifices in the olde lawe one oblation of breade and wine serueth Therfore I will conclude with these words of a protestāt Archbishop Celestinus was a godly Bishop and the church of Rome at that time had the substance of the Sacraments according to Gods word neither was there any superstition mixed with them Iohn Whitg def of the answ to the admonit pag. 588. 5. And in this opinion are and ought to bee all our English Protestant antiquaries and diuines which generally hold teach that the Britans of this kingedome inuiolablie kept the true faith and Religion of Christ in all things vntill the cominge of S. Augustine and his companions from S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome in the later end of the sixt hundred yeares for most certaine and vndoubted it is by all antiquities that this nation at this time of S. Celestine being infected with the Pelagian Hereticks learned and subtile in disputation this holy Pope sent many holy Bishops hither to confute that heresie instruct the ignorant repaire the decaied discipline of our church and reforme many abuses growne by reason of that heresie and the Saxon Pagans which then were entered into this Iland Which Legates of this holy Pope must needs bee adiudged to bee of the same faith and Religion with him that sent them by his authoritie and direction to effect those holy labours He sent the two holie Bishops S. Germanus Lupus into this part of Britanie S. Palladius into Scotland S. Patricke and Segetius into Ireland I haue spoken of S. Palladius before how by his power from the see of Rome hee placed sacrificing and massinge preists and Bishops amonge the Scots and Picts in the north parts of this kingdome of vnited great Britanie Prosper in Chronic. ad An. 432. Rob. Barnes l. de vit Pontif. Rom. in Caelestino Io. Bal. l. 2. Act. Pontif. Rom. in eod Bal. l. de scriptor Brit. cent 1. in Leporio Agricola 6. Also I haue shewed out of our auncient Brittish Manuscript otherwise before how both S. German and Lupus were massinge preists and Bishops and obserued the auncient forme of Masse composed by S. Marke therefore beeing sent by authoritie from that massinge Pope S. Celestine they neither did nor might vary and differ from the opinion and practise of him that sent him as S. Prosper who liued at that time and others write to supply his owne place and parson in ordering and reforminge the church of Britanie Papa Celestinus Germanum Antisiodorensem Episcopum voce sua mittit vt deturbatis
longe and tedious trauailes hee founde in those parts diuers massinge preistes that did vsually say Masse and had most sumptuous Altars of Christal who affirmed they were disciples to S. Patricke and by him directed thither And were most holie and miraculous men and amonge other things then prophesied to S. Brendan how that contrie should bee descryed and visited againe by Christians to their great good comforte after many ages as happily wee finde it was Post multa annorum curricula declarabitur ista terra vestris Successoribus quando Christianorum superuenerit persecutio Written in many Manuscripts manie hundreds of yeares before the late discouerie of America and by Capgraue others published longe before that time THE XX. CHAPTER Wherein is proued by protestants and others that the church of Britanie and Rome accorded in this age in these misteries and how all the Popes beeing massinge preists and Popes yet no one of them made any materiall alteration in this sacrifice THus hauinge shewed both by Catholicke and Protestant authorities that the holy sacrifice of Masse massing preists and preisthood generally and inuiolablie continued in Britanie all this age and hundred of yeares because it is confessed this nation was still hitherto directed in Religion by the see Apostolicke of Rome and there want not protestāt aduersaries which say the Popes there in this time also added and altered diuers things to and in the sacrifice of Masse wee will now proue by these protestants them selues that not anie one Pope altered or added any one materiall or leaste essentiall thinge therein in this age The first Pope after S. Celestine which these men accuse for addinge or alteringe in this matter is that moste learned and renowned Pope S. Leo against whom a Protestant Bishop thus exclaimeth Bal. l. 2. de Act. Pontif. Rom. in Leone 1. Robert Barns in vit Pont. in cod Leo primus Thuscus in canone Missae hoc sanctum sacrificium immaculatam hostiam hanc igitur oblationem non sine magna Dei blasphemia addidit Pope Leo the first a Tuschan by birth did add in the canon of the Masse not without great blasphemie of God this holy sacrifice immaculate offeringe and therefore this oblation To this I answere and first to the pretended addition of the prayer Hanc igitur oblationem That as our renowned contryman S. Albinus with others proueth Albin Alcuin l. de diuin offic cap. de celebrat Missae this prayer especially the first part which hee taxeth is as auncient in the Masse as the Apostles time and was vsed both by S. Peter and others of that sacred order Missam Petrus Antiochiae dicitur celebrasse in qua tres tantum orationes in initio fidei proferebantur incipientes ab eo loco vbi dicitur Hanc igitur oblationem Therefore S. Leo added nothinge in this prayer beeing for the first part vsed by the Apostles and others in their dayes which is that this Protestant Bishop excepteth against and for the later end thereof which hee taxeth not was by this man himselfe and others both Catholicks and Protestants added longe time after and then first by S. Gregorie the great and first Pope of that name Baleas l. 2. de Act· Pontfic Rom. in Gregorio 1. Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in eodem alij communiter 2. So that it is euident S. Leo neither did nor could add any part of this prayer to the sacrifice of Masse as his owne addition or inuention all that hee did or possiblie could doe therin was to take order that the decree or custom of the Apostles should be obserued which cannot be either great or little blasphemie of God as this barbarous mouth affirmed but honor vnto God in that behalfe To make all sure I will cite the whole praier then vsed thus in English Therefore ô Lord wee beseech thee that thou wilt be pleased to accept this oblation of our seruice and all thy family through Christ our Lord. The rest being added by S. Gregory is thus and dispose our dayes in peace and commaund wee may bee deliuered from euerlasting damnation and numbred in the flocke of thy elected seruants In which addition of S Gregory there is not any one word of matter now in controuersie but al holy and allowable by Protestant Religion And in that part which I say with S. Albin or Alcuine was vsed by the Apostles there is not one word except oblation which is or can by protestants bee called into controuersie by them or any Christiā Therfore to answere that hoc sacrificium immaculatam hostiam together If S. Leo added these wordes to the canon of the Masse then the canon of the Masse was before S. Leo his pretended additions and in other places of this canon of which no protestant doth or will produce any Author beeing as is proued before apostolicall this Liturgie of Masse is called in can Missae antiq donum munus sanctum sacrificium illibatum oblatio benedicta adscripta rata rationabilis sacrificium hostia pura hostia sancta hostia immaculata A present a guift holy sacrifice vnspotted an oblation blessed adscribed ratified reasonable a sacrifice a pure hoste an holy hoste an immaculate hoste 3. And this Protestant Bishop himselfe hath testified also that the offertorie was vsed in S. Celestines time before which is this in English O holy Father omnipotent eternall God receue this immaculate sacrifice or oblation which I thy vnworthie seruant doe offer vnto thee my liuinge and true God for my innumerable sinnes and offences and negligences and for all here present as also for all faithfull Christians both liuinge and deade that it may bee to mee and them for saluation to eternal life Suscipe sancte Pater omnipotens aeterne Deus hāc immaculatam hostiam quam ego indignus famulus tuus offero tibi Deo meo viuo vero pro innumerabilibus peccatis offensionibus negligentijs meis pro omnibus circumstantibus sed pro omnibus fidelibus Christianis viuis atque defunctis vt mihi illis proficiat ad salutem in vitam aeternam Amē So likewise it was for the chalice offerimus tibi Domine calicem salutaris ô Lord wee offer vnto thee the chalice of saluation And I haue proued in all ages before from Christ euen with the allowance of our protestants that Masse was an holie sacrifice and all truely consecrated preistes did euer in all times and places still offer that moste holy sacrifice both for the liuinge and faithfull departed and that this was so an vndoubted and generally receued custome truth in the whole church that by our protestants graunt it was iustly condemned to bee heresie to deny it and this longe time before S. Leo was borne Therefore none of those names could bee by any possibility his inuentiō in this kind Which this protestant accusing Bishop him selfe to confound and contradict himselfe teacheth in the same place when hee saith of
S. Leo Missae sacrificium approbanit Hee did approue the sacrifice of Masse therfore Masse was termed and knowne to be so accepted a sacrifice before his time and approbation For a thinge approued or to bee approued vnseparably carrieth with it a precedency to the approbation that which is not cannot possibly bee approued as a thinge past or present and euery such allowance or approbation necessarily supposeth the thinge to bee so allowed or approued And this will suffice for S. Leo. 4. After whome in this age the onely Pope which is produced by these men to haue added or altered in the Masse is Gelasius of this Pope a protestant thus writeth Robert Barnes in vit Pontif. in Gelasio praefationem Missae verè dignuÌ„ iustum est instituit But this is euidentlie vntrue as I haue proued before for S. Ciprian and before him Tertullian informe vs it was in vse in the church before their times and S. Ciprian alleadgeth it is an apostolicall common known custome of the church Ciprian l. de orat Dominic and Foxe the protestant proueth Io. Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary that this could not bee any inuention of Gelasius for that both the auncient Greeke church before that time and both S. Ciprian and S. Augustine so agree it was in vse before Ciprian sup Aug. de vera Religione cap. 3 therefore followeth therein the opinion of Thomas Waldensis that it could not bee the inuention of Pope Gelasius And Pope Vigilius which liued not longe after Gelasius who writinge to the Bishops of Germany and Fraunce desirous to know the order which the church of Rome obserued in the prefaces of Masse answereth in this maner Vigilius epistola ad Episcopos Germaniae Galliae Inuenimus has nouem praefationes in sacro catalogo tantumodo recipiendas quas long a retro veritas in Romana Ecclesia hactenus seruauit Wee finde that these 9. prefaces are to bee receued in the holy catalogue which truth hath longe time from former ages hitherto obserued in the Roman church And thus hee recoÌ„pteth them one of Easter another of the Ascension of our Lord the third of Pentecoste the fourth of the natiuitie of our Lord the fift of the apparition of our Lord the sixt of the Apostles the seuenth of the holy Trinitie the eight of the Crosse the ninth in Lent And thus concludeth has praefationes tenet custodit sancta Romana Ecclesia has tenendas vobis mandamus These prefaces the holy Roman church obserueth these wee commaund to bee kept by you And Houeden as our protestants haue published him reciteth all these out of the same authoritie to haue bene receued in England in a councel of our Bishops manie hundred yeares since setting downe the begininge of euery one of them and addeth the tenth of the blessed Virgin decimam de beata Virgine Roger. Houeden in annal part posterior in Henr. 2. 5. And our English Protestants themselues by their highest parlamentary authoritie in such things with them vse the same prefaces except that of the Apostles and blessed Virgine in their publick church seruice their communion booke Protest communion booke titul communion and yet in that of the blessed Virgine which seemeth to haue beene added after the dayes of Pope Vigilius there is no inuocation of her nor any matter now questioned by protestants found in it And concerninge that of the Apostles of matters questioned there is onely this clause or petition vnto God for preseruing his church vt gregem tuum Pastor aeterne non deseras sed per beatos Apostolos tuos continua protectione custodias vt ijsdem Rectortbus gubernetur quos operis tui Vicarios eidem contulisti praesse Pastores That God the eternall Pastor will not forsake his flocke but keepe by his blessed Apostles with continuall protection that it may bee gouerned by the same Rulers whome Vicars of his worke hee hath appointed Pastors to rule it Which is not a prayer immediatlie to the Apostles but to God for the protection of his Apostles and such as our protestants themselues in their publick seruice on S. Michael his day doe vse for the protection of Angels as is manifest in their collect or prayer of that feast being the old Catholick prayer word by word translated into English And yet if there were any immediate prayer vnto the Apostles or any other Saints or Angels in any oÌ„f these prefaces I haue proued before that it was the receaued doctrine of Christs church from the beginninge 6. And if wee should allow vnto protestants that Pope Gelasius did add in the prefaces all that clause verè dignum iustum est vnto per Christum Dominum nostrum What is there in it but holy and allowable and still practised by themselues in their church seruice This it is verè dignum iustum est aequum salutare nos tibi semper vbique gratias agere Domine sancte Pater omnipotens aterne Deus per Christum Dominum nostrum ô Lord holy Father omnipotent eternall God verely it is a thinge worthie and iust right and belonginge to saluation that wee alwayes and in all places giue thanks to thee by Christ our Lord. Are not all Christians in all iudgements bound to bee of this minde and this being a dutie so bindinge and belonginge vnto al that beleeue in Christ is it not the better the oftner and more publickly it be acknowledged oâ—… if it be good by protestants and in their publick practise how can it be ill in Catholicks or could bee so in Pope Gelasius And if hee had added Te igitur clementissime Pater per Iesum ChristuÌ„ filium tuum Dominum nostrum supplices rogamus ac petimus Therefore ô moste mercifull Father wee aske and beseeche thee by Iesus Christ thy sonne our Lord. It is the same reason as before this beinge a very Christian and holy prayer by Protestant Religion to aske all things of God in the name of Christ as hee himselfe said whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name that will I doe Io. c. 14. v. 13. and whatsoeuer yee shall aske of the Father in my name hee may giue it you Io. c. 15. v. 26. 7. Whereby these men may see that neither the primatiue church which vsed inuocation of Saints nor the present church of Rome insistinge therein did or doe diminish any honor or dutie to Christ by honoringe them which honor him and are honoured by him Yet S. Remigius witnesseth this prayer Te igitur clementissime Pater to haue beene vsed from the Apostles Remig. in epist. 1. ad Timoth. cap. 2. Wheras some protestants write of Pope Gelasius Balaeus l. 2. de actis Pontif. Rom. in Gelasio Gelasius hymnos prefationes gradualia collectas orationes praescripsit Pope Gelasius did prescribe hymnes prefaces graduals collects and prayers I haue proued by these protestants that all these were vsed in the church and laudably longe before and by the word praescripsit hee did
prescribe what hymnes prefaces graduals and collects or prayers were to bee vsed it is euident these were before and he being Pope and cheife prescribed the order how they should bee vsed which proueth he rather tooke some away then added any for amonge them were before praescripsit he prescribed which and no others should bee vsed And wheras there is a controuersie by some whether this prescription and orderinge these things was by Pope Gelasius or one called Scholasticus Master Foxe the Protestant historian decideth this question Io. Foxe in Q. Mary pag. 1403. teaching out of vetusto quodam libro de officio Missa an old booke of the office of Masse that these were both one and Gelasius beinge Scholasticus before was made Pope Gelasius Papa ex Scholastico effectus in ordine 48 And thus much of Gelasius 8. After whome for an intermedler in these affaires our protestants propose Pope Symmachus Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho Bal. l. 2. in eod who commaunded gloria in excelsis Deo to bee sunge vppon sondayes and feasts of Saints In Dominico die Sanctorum natalitijs gloria in excelsis canendum esse dixit or by an other praecepit But if they meane the first part of this holy hymne it was the songe of the Angels at the birthe of Christ and recommended vnto vs in scripture and by one of these protestants vsed at Masse by the commaundement of Saint and Pope Telesphorus who liued in the Apostles time gloria in excelsis Deo c. in Missa canendum praecepit Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Telesphoro S. Petro and if they meane the whole canticle as it is now vsed their brother Iohn Foxe with others thus testifieth Iohn Foxe supr in Q. Mary The hymne gloria in excelsis which was sunge of the Angels at the birth of our Sauiour was augmented by Hilarius Pictauiensis with those words that follow singing it first in his owne church which was an 340. afterward brought into other churches by Pope Symmachus And our histories testifie it was vsed here in Britanie by S. German in his time And our English Protestants vse it in their publicke church seruice at this day by publicke authoritie Engl. Protestant communion booke morninge prayer 9. That which a Protestant Bishop writeth of this Pope that he reduced the Masse to forme Missam in formam redegit Bal. l. 2. Act. Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho is his formall forgery or foolery confounded by many vndeniable instances graunted by protestants before as the forme of Masse of S. Peter S Iames S. Matthew S Marke S. Clement S. Basile S. Chrisostome and Popes of Rome longe before this time as amonge other witnesses this Protestant Bishop himselfe testifieth of S. Innocentius Syricius S. Celestine S. Leo and Gelasius Bal. in Act. Pontif. Rom. in Innocent Syric Calestino Leon. Gelas therefore without euident contradiction and wilfull errour he cannot intend or affirme that Pope Symmachus did first bringe the Masse into order Therefore of necessitie to keepe himselfe from these absurdities he must vnderstand that Pope Symmachus confirmed or allowed of the forme of Masse formerlie vsed in the church which all Popes good Christians euer did and ought to doe 10. And here endeth the fift hundred yeare at which time and longe after as with others our protestants assure vs that S. Dubritius that great massinge Prelate and Archbishop primate here the Popes Legate and great Master of diuinitie together with S. Iltutus priuiledged in the same facultie by papall authoritie and S. Gildas by whome all Britanie and other contries receaued instruction were liuinge and consequently agreeing in all thinges with the church of Rome Bal. cent 1. in Dubritie Iltuto Gylda Albanio Godwin Catal. in S. Dauids Capgrau Catal. in Dubrit Iltut Gild. About which time also amonge diuers others those three great lights of our Brittish church knowne massinge preists and Bishops S. Dauid that succeeded S. Dubritius in his archiepiscopall dignitie S. Thelians and S. Patern began to florish and went that great Pilgrimage to Hierusalem M. S. antiq Capgrau Catal. in S. Dauid S. Thelian S. Paterno alij M. S. S. Theliai apud Godwin Catal. in Landaff 2. and both in going and returninge through Italy and those places and ordinarily sayinge Masse must needs vse that order and forme therof they found to bee vsed at Rome and all places receauinge direction from thence in such affaires and so here I end this age and centenary of yeares THE SIXTH AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XXI CHAPTER Wherein being confessed by our protestant writers that all the Popes of Rome vnto S. Gregory were massinge preists and Popes yet not any one of thē by these protestāts cōfession made any the least materiall chaunge or alteration in these misteries NOw wee are come to the sixt age or hundred of yeares of Christ wherin liued S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome that sent S. Augustine and diuers other holie cleargie men hither which conuerted a greater part of this nation and kingdome called England Wherefore seeing by confession of our best learned protestants the Christian Britans of this Iland had from their first conuersion vnto Christ and did at the coming of S. Augustine from Rome continue in the same holy faith and Religion which they had learned and receued in the Apostles time and hitherto we haue not found any materiall difference in any age between them the church of Rome in these cheif questions I haue in hand now to make euidēt demonstration by these aduersaries to the holy Romane Religion that this church neuer altered any substantiall matter by their owne iudgement at before or after the cominge of S. Augustine hither I will first set downe all the pretended chaunges additiōs or alteratiōs which these protestants charge that holy church withall in these affaires prouinge them to bee of no moment or essentiall And after shew how the Christian Britans in this age also as in all the former still agreed in these questions with the church of Rome And wheras there was then some difference betweene the disciples of S. Gregorie and the Britās here about the obseruation of Easter and some other questions rather ceremoniall then substantiall in Religion that the church euen by the testimonie of our protestants did hold the truth in these matters and such Britans and Scots as held the contrary were in confessed and vnexcusable error 2. The first alleaged chaunger or additioner of any thinge in the holy sacrifice of Masse which our protestants obiect among the Popes of Rome in this age is Horsmida who as these men write commaunded that altars should not be erected without the assent of the Bishop Ne altaria sine Episcopi assensu erigerentur iussit Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Horsmida Bal. in Act. Pont. in eod but this was according to holy scriptures to haue Superiors and commaunders to bee obeyed remember them
at that time diuers Bishops in this contrie or fitt for that moste holy order otherwise hee would not haue sent S. Mansuetus of this contrie forth of Britanie to execute that high dignitie in a straunge nation such as Lorrayne where Tullum is then was and still is to this Iland And this I may more boldly write by a consequent and concluded leaue and warrant from our Protestant Bishops and other such Antiquaries whoe in their greate Theater of Britanie giue vs diuers graunts and Rules to leade vs both to soe tymely a beeing of Saint Peter in this kingedome his disciples preaching here both claiming exercising such powerable iurisdiction and authoritie here as I haue related from others First they write in these words Theater of greate Britanie lib. 6. cap. 9. § 5 If Peter were here at all which they graunted and is demonstrated by them before it was before euer he went to Rome and the ghospell was preached here before it was in Rome if Peter were the first as some hold that preached there both which may bee more probable Againe thus they write § 7. It hath passed with allowance amonge the learned Senate of our Antiquaries that when Claudius began to bannish and persecute the Christians in Rome which they think to bee before this time of S. Mansuetus beeing Bishop of Tullum many Romans and Britans beeing conuerted to the faith fled thence into these remote parts of the earth where they might did more freely enioy the libertie of their professions And from this Sanctuarie of saluation the sad lamenting Lady Pomponia Graecina the wife of Aulus Plantius the first Lord lieutenant of Britanie brought that Religion whereof she was accused and stood indited vppon life and deathe which was noe other then the Christian profession And to interpret themselues more clearlye where as they hould this greate Lady the Lord Lieutenants wife was conuerted thus they sett downe their marginall direction concerning this matter Aulus Plantius his wife became a christian in Britanie Now to assure vs how soone it was that S. Peter and his disciples had made soe happie an entrance and wrought soe glorious effects in this our kingdome these very Protestants tell vs. That Aulus Plantius was sent hither out of germany with an army the second yeare of Claudius which was as some Protestants write in the 44. yeare of Christ by others the 45. and stayed here but a short time returninge to Rome and triumphing there for his victories ouer the Britans in the yeare of Christ 49. and then in the yeare 50. Publius Ostorius Scapula was Propraetor here Theater supr lib. 6. c. 6. pag. 193. Protestants in Festis Regum an Dom. 44. Claudij 3. Stowe and Howes histor an D. 45 By which accompt of these Protestants themselues this lamentinge Lady Pomponia Graemia by them here conuerted to the faith of Christ and all her christian company as chaunceth in such cases at soe greate parsonadges conuersion and many other christians of the Britans which they say were then conuerted by those disciples of S. Peter or by himselfe noe others then beeing here must needes bee conuerted before or in the 49 yeare of the Incarnation of our Sauiour in which as I proued before our contryman S. Mansuetus was ordeyned Bishop of Tullum by S. Peter which was 14. yeares before the cominge of S Ioseph of Aramathia hither by all antiquities and diuers by the scriptures themselues before S. Paul came to Rome or any westerne nation And if wee may beleeue the Protestant writers of the Theater they make the coming of S. Paul to Rome longe after writing in these wordes Theater of greate Britanie supr l. 6. § 7. Paule came not to Rome till the tenth of Nero. When both by them and the scriptures hee was a prisoner two yeares and could not depart from Rome Which maketh these Protestants reckoning 16. or 17. yeares after the conuersion of soe many in Britanie and consecration of S. Mansuetus that holy Bishop by S. Peter And to proue further vnto vs not onely that these first christians of Britany were conuerted by S. Peter but that others of this our nation were euen at this time consecrated preists and Bishops alsoe by S. Peter these Protestant Bishops and others hauing immediatly spoken before of the conuersion of Lady Pomponia Graecina herein Britany in or before the 49. yeare of Christ they proceede in these wordes Theater of the Empire of great Britanie l. 6.8.9 B. Rhenan in history of Germany Pantaleon And much about these times as B. Rhenanus in his history of Germany Pantaleon and others doe reporte one Suetonius a noble mans sonne in Britanie conuerted to the faith by the first planters of the ghospell in this Iland and after his Baptisme called Beatus was sent by the bretheren from hence vnto Rome to bee better instructed and further directed by Saint Peter himselfe And returninge through Suitcerland found such willingnes and flockinge of the people to heare and receaue the doctrine of Christ that hee there stayed and built an oratory not far from the bake Thun neare the Towne called Vnderfewen where in preachinge and prayers hee employed his time to the day of his death which happened in the yeare of grace 110. Hitherto the words of our english Protestants of this glorious and renowned man far exceeding that which they giue him here for as their Author Henricus Pantaleon de viris Illustr Germaniae part 1 p. 114 a German Protestant writeth plainely of him that hee was the Apostle of Heluetians S. Beatus Heluetiorum Apostolus Which Title and name none but puritans of anie Religion will giue to any but Bishops and none but such which onely haue power to consecrate preists without which a true church cannot bee can either bee or truely called their Apostle And that this holy Bishop of Britanie though hee staied most in Heluetia yet that hee was principally sent to bee a Bishopp in Britanie by Saint Peter it is euident by these Protestants before testifyinge that hee was returning into Britanie and soe cheifely directed by Saint Peter Pantal. supra Stamph lib. 7. de Sanct. Which Pantaleon with Stamphius and others doe more plainely witnesse saying S. Beatus ille nobilibus parentibus natus ex Britannia in patriam rediens c. S. Beatus borne of noble parents in Britanie returninge into his contry and adding of him omnia bona pauperibus distribuit hee distributed all his goods to the pore must needes bee in Britanie where of these his goods he was to make distributor of them And these Germā historians tel vs that hee had an other companion sent and directed with him from Rome by S. Peter or his authoritie there and beeinge alsoe a Britaine returned hither beeing consecrated Preist or Bishop by the same authoritie and at the same time So that wee see by these Protestants themselues that soe longe as S. Peter liued the Bishops and Preists
of Britanie were consecrated by him in this contry and in his absence hence went vnto Rome for their consecration and to bee directed by him This other companion of S. Beatus borne in this kingdome and consecrated at Rome by S. Peter and returninge hither where for any thinge wee reade otherwise in histories hee continued in preaching all his life and died here some Germane writers haue named Achates Anonymus apud Beat. Rhenan de Reb. German l. 3. pag. 172. Rhen. supr Whether that was his true name or noe it is not materiall to my purpose to question here the historie it selfe in germany beeing soe certainely and generally receaued that it is and aunciently was published printed and painted in their churches there Hac historia non solum picta est in templis ac scripta sed etiam typis expressa of this historie mention is made especially of S. Beatus in the Romane Martyrologe S. Beda Vsuardus Molanus Gulielmus Eisengrenius the Antiquities of Heluetia and expressely in the auncient monuments of the church of Constance and others Martyrolog Rom. 9. die Maij. Beda Vsuard Mol. ab Guliel Eis centur 2. part 5. Annal. Helu Momment Eccle-Constant Baron annot in Mart. Rom. 9. Maij. neyther can wee thinke that these two holy Bishops or preists of this kingedome of our Britanie were singular in this but that wee had more so consecrated and directed from Rome besides them and needed not Bishops and pastors here otherwise S. Beatus would not haue stayed moste of his time in Heluetia forth of his contry nor S. Peter his consercator and director our Apostle by these Protestants before giuen allowāce vnto it Neyther had S. Beatus beene sent the words of our Protestants and Pantaleon alsoe by the brethren from hence vnto Rome to bee better instructed and further directed by S. Peter himselfe Theater and Pantal. supr But that the Brethren and Christians here depended of Saint Peter and accompted it both their dutie and honor to this nation to haue their spirituall Guides Bishops and Preists consecrated and directed by him and his Apostolicque supreame power and commaunde in Religious thinges Now lett vs returne to S. Peters beeinge here in Britanie whereof I haue spoken before how to supply all spiritual wants of this kingedome and founde our church in Britannia longe tempore fuit moratus he stayed in Britanie a longe time as the greeke antiquities remembred vnto vs by our Protestāts haue told vs and to expresse his greate lo◅e care to this other western natiōs more particularly comended to his chardge this longe time was soe longe and his loue to vs so greate that as both S. Simō Metaphrastes and Eusebius Pamphili in some booke not now but in the time of Metaphrastes extāt and by him constantly cited say S. Peter stayed at Rome and in Britanie and the cities of the west three and twentie yeares Eusebius Pamphili dicit Petrum viginti tres annos trāseg◅sse Romae in Britannia in ciuitatibus quae sunt in occidente Simon Metaphrastes die 29. Iunij Eusebius Pamph. apud eund supr Surius 29. Iunij allotinge onely as it seemeth the rest of the 25. yeares which is commonlie said the time of his beeing at Rome and these parts to his Iorney in the east at the time of the migration of the B. Virgin our Lady forth of this world Which is confirmed by some of our Protestant antiquaries of England in these words This yeare 70. beinge the fourteenth yeare of Nero Bassus and Tuscus beeing then Romane Consuls the holy Apostle S. Peter hauinge accomplished his preachinge in the west parts returned to Rome where hee preached agayne as hee did before Ioh. Stow and Ed. Howe 's histor titul Romans in Iulius Agricola And before his departure hence as I haue allready remembred besides S. Mansuetus S. Beatus and such as hee consecrated Bishops of our nation in forreyn places or for them out of Britanie hee ordeyned here and for this kingedome Bishops Preists Deacons Apud Britannos Episcopos presbyteros diaconos ordinauit Who these Bishops in particular were I reade noe man precisely to sett them downe yett if wee will followe the antiquities of Glastenbury saying that S. Iosophe the sonne of S. Ioseph of Aramathia was a Bishop as both Catholicks and Protestants allowe them in other things I craue pardon probably to write that he was one of them which S. Peter consecrated here First because as is graunted before S. Aristobulus our Archbishop vnto whom S. Ioseph whether Bishop or noe was subiect was ordeyned by S. Peter Secondly because S. Ioseph is named a Bishop and yet in probable iudgmēt none when hee came hither with his Father S. Ioseph for by the same and all other antiquities and histories of that matter S. Ioseph his Father noe Bishop was the Abbot or Superior of all that company yet neither Catholick nor Protestant will easily instance that Bishops by order and Sacrament Superiors were or might bee Inferiors or subiects to any of Inferior degree Secondlie there is noe possibilitie by any authoritie that I finde at all to surmise that S. Ioseph was a Bishop before his cominge hither but the wordes of the antiquitie which say of him that Iesus consecrated him Bishop before in the citie Sarath Quem Dominus Iesus prius in ciuitate Sarath in Episcopum consecrauit Antiquit. Glast apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph ab Aramathia Which noe Protestant will or may by their Religion say was a true and reall consecration but rather propheticall what should bee done by orderly consecration after For this vision was longe after Christs Ascension into heauen where all Protestants of England euer since imprison him to keepe him from being present in the B. Sacrament of the altar Thirdlie they and all others generally denie such extraordinary proceedings where an ordinary and vniuersall order as in this case is appointed by Christ himselfe Wherfore S. Paul himselfe that vessell of Election and extraordinary Apostle though miraculously conuerted chosen and called yett bee neither was actually a christian without externall baptisme nor a Bishop but by Imposition of hands and ordinary consecration And wee reade of S. Sampson our holy Archbishop of yorke that before hee was a Bishop S. Peter S. Iames and S. Iohn appeared vnto him saying Io. Capgrau in S. Sampsone Episc Confessore Our Lord Iesus Christ hath chosen thee for a Bishop and sent vs to consecrate thee whom when they had consecrated with benediction they disappeared out of his sight Nocte quadam vidit se densissimis candidatorum turmis circundari tres Episcopos vestibus aureis ornatos cum illo ecclesiam ingredientes orare cuius vnus illorum ab ipso inquisitus qui esset ait Ego sum Petrus Christi Apostolus hic frater Domini Iacobus Euangelista Ioannes Dominus Iesus Christus te sibi in praesulem elegit te consecrare nos misit
pag. 23. Chronolog ibid. an 141. produceth an Antiquitie that soe affirmeth whereuppon hee writeth in this maner Whether Taurinus Bishop ouer the congregation at yorke were one of the nyne schollers of Grantha Cambridge spoken of in the chronicles of Burton I doe not certainely finde But certayne it is that Walterus Rollewink in his history fasciculus temporum an 94. saith S. Taurinus was Episcopus Eboracensis Bishop of yorke which is here in Britanie and soe not Ebroicensis in Fraunce where the same or an other of that name was Bishop about the same time And an other late writer Harris Theatrum l. 1. in his manuscript history alleadging both S. Antoninus and diuers others saith diuers haue written that both S. Nicasius and Taurinus were here in Britanie and for S. Taurinus S. Antoninus saith that S. Taurinus filiam Lucij Regis Britanniae à morte suscitauit S. Taurinus did raise from death the daughter of Lucius Kinge of Britanie S. Antonin hist. part 1. titul 6. cap. Which directly proueth that S. Taurinus was here in out Britanie this Kinge Lucius for certaine was eyther hee that liued to receaue the faith of Christ publickly in the time of Pope Eleutherius beginning his reigne in the yeare of Christ 124 Matt. Westm. an 124. or Lucius Antenous the Romane praefect in Britanie called there vppon Rex Britanniae Kinge of Britanie as well hee might prescribinge lawes vnto vs in Britanie as Hector Boethius Scetor hist l. 5. fol. 76.77.78 with others wittnesse and was resident at yorke in the time of the Emperor Adrian when and where S. Taurinus is supposed to haue beene Bishop and wrought this miracle For S. Anacasius beeing sent hither by S. Clement they which teach soe Harris supr produce the french histories that hee preached to the Britans which in that time were onely those of this kingdome the little Britanie in Fraunce then and longe after named Armorica and not Britannia And yett to omitt others Arnoldus Mermannus in his Theater of the conuersion of nations § Britones saith that amonge other people S. Anacasius beeing delegated thither an Apostle by S. Clement did instruct and informe in the faith the Britans and all the waste of the Ocean Sea Britones Normandos Rhotomagenses Picardos omnemque Maris Oceani tractum instruxit formauitque fide S. Nicasius à S. Clemente illuc Apostolus delegatus And to putt vs out of doubt that S. Clement did take vppon him the spirituall chardge of this our Britanie as well as of Fraunce and other places the same Author from others testifieth that our Archbishop S Aristobulus whoe as Eisingrenius saith had beene a Bishop from anno Christi the 39 the 39 yeare of Christ was yett our Apostle in Britanie aliue in the yeare of Christ 99. S. Clement then Pope Et quod excurrit 99. Clemente Pontifice Maximo Domitiano Imperatore Guliel Eisâ—…ng centen 1. part 1. dist 7. fol. 67. Arnold Mermman Theater conuers gent. in Albione And wee haue vett in England an old manuscript a short historicall relation M. S. antiq pr. Stores in Exordium Of the publicke Masse and church seruice of the Britans and French men from the Apostles time written before the vnion of the Britans with S. Augustines mission by S. Gregorie and written by a Brittish Author testifying that the publicke church seruice and Masse both of the french and Brittans was carried vp to Rome to S. Clement to bee examined and approued by him then Pope which hee accordingly performed by his papall power this Masse was euer after vsed both in FrauÌ„ce and this our kingedome of Britanie Soe that moste euident it is by those few Antiquities left vnto vs that in the time of S. Clement whoe was Pope in the later end of the first beginninge of the second hundred yeare of Christ this our church of Britanie was wholly in spiritual thinges dependant and subordinate to the church and Popes of Rome and thus much of the first age and hundred yeare from the birth of Christ When here and of this nation there were yett liuinge many Bishops consecrated by S. Peter and the Romane Papall authoritie S. Aristobulus Mansuetus Beatus and probably S. Iosephe Taurinus Nicasius Angulus and others for to add to the former S. Anacletus saith in his Epistle approued by our Protestants of England our contryman S. Marianus and others Rob. Barns in vita pont Rom. in Anacl Mar. Scot. l. 2. de aetat 6. col 250. Florent Wigorn. in Domit. that the prouinces where Archbishops were were diuided by the Apostles and S. Clement his predecessor ab Apostolis Beato Clemente praecessore nostro ipsa Prouincia diuisio renouata est Some do make Clitus and Anaclitus alone and make him praedecessour to S. Clement see Baro. to 1. Therefore most euident it is that S. Clement tooke vppon him and exercised this supreame Papall and spirituall power in this kingedome THE SECOND CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED YEARE THE IV. CHAPTER Shewing by these Protestants how the popes of Rome in this second Century of yeares claymed had and exercised supreame spirituall Iurisdiction and power in Britanie TO begin with the second age and hundred yeare Saint and Pope Anacletus offereth him selfe first beeing the next and immediate Successor to S. Clement and as hee himselfe wittnesseth Epist decretal Marian Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. col 250. Florentius Wigorn in Domitiano Matth. Westin an 102. Both instructed and taught and made preist by S. Peter cheife of the Apostles vt à beato Petro principe sumus instructi à quo presbyter sum ordinatus This holy Pope S. Peters disciple beginning his papacy in the 102. yeare of Christ as our Protestants of England enforme vs. Rob. Barns in vit pontif Rom. in Anacleto Ormerod pict of Pap. pag. 78. Thought that the primacy ouer all churches was grauÌ„ted to the church of Rome by our Lord himselfe and ouer all Christian people Ab ipso Domino primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersumque Christiani nomine populum concessum esse asseruit And they tell vs further how according to this supreamacie graunted by Christ to the Sea of Rome ouer all churches and Christian people hee executed the same in makinge his general decrees bindinge all Bishops Priests and others both concerninge the most blessed sacrifice of the Masse and Iurisdiction Amonge other thinges to speake in Protestant words Rob. Barns supra Episcopos officio pares ordine duplici distinxit eos primates siue patriarchas appellari voluit qui in illis ciuitatibus praeessent in quibus olim primarij Flamines sederunt in alijs metropolitanis vrbibus Episcopos Metropolitanos vel Archiepiscopos nominandos esse censuit Hee distinguished Bishops equall in order into two degrees causinge them to bee named Primates or Patriarkes which ruled in those cities in which of olde the Archflamens did sitt in other Metropolitane cities hee would haue them named Metropolitans or Archbishops and hee
and his company for a Protestāt Bishop according to the truth of histories writeth Godwyn conuers of Brit. pag. 16. c. 3. It seemeth that Ioseph and his fellowes preuayled little by their preaching and therefore gaue themselues at last vnto a monasticall and solitary life in the Iland of Aualon And euen their memorie was soe much forgotten when kinge Lucius was conuerted that as our best antiquities wee haue of that matter tel vs those which S. Eleutherius sent from Rome found the best information of them at Rome their auncient howse or church was foe desolat that it was become Latibulū Ferarum a den for wyld beasts at their cominge hither Antiquit. Glaston apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph Aramath in S Patr. I finde in histories no others from whom wee haue the leaste probabilitie to clayme a continuaunce in Religion therefore it must needs bee from Rome from whence alsoe wee had amonge these holy men some Bishops to continue a succession from thence For although S. Beatus was but lately deade liuing vnto this yeare 110. it is not vnlikely but his companion was still liuinge and except there were twoe of that name and in those times and the same contrie which no history doth remember S. Mansuetus was yet a liue and longe after vntil wee had manie other Bishops sent from Rome or consecrated here by the Romane authoritie in the time of this Kinge Lucius For wee reade in the Annals and Catalogue of the Archbishops of Treuers neare vnto Tullum that in the yeare 160. S. Mansuetus was Bishop there Mansuetus qui huic nomini vocationi suae vita proba anno Domini 160. optime respondit The seuenth Archbishop of Treuers was Mansuetus whoe by his godly life did excellently answeare this his name to bee meeke and his vocation in the yeare of Christ 160. Annales Arch. Treuer Petrus Merssaeus Catal. Arch. Treuer Which by noe historye I can finde was or could bee any other but Saint Mansuetus our contryman spoken of before both the name time and place soe neare vnto Tullum where hee was first Bishopp alloweinge it and nothinge impugninge it And amonge those Bishops here in Britanie and of our owne nation I finde two named beinge both consecrated and sent hither by the Authoritie of the See of Rome one of them S. Tymotheus sonne to our holy contryman Saint Marcellus or by some Marcellinus a Britanne borne and a Bishop here and after Bishop of the Tungers and lastely Archbishop of Treuers both which preached here in the time of Kinge Lucius longe before his conuersion and at or before this time and were instruments of his happy conuersion actually and parsonallye concurringe therto by mission and Authoritie from the Popes of Rome of which I haue made more lardge and ample relation in other places for this purpose soe many Authors here cited will suffice both Catholicks and Protestants consentinge that S. Tymothie and S. Marcellus or Marcellinus preached here in the time of kinge Lucius and before his conuersion Petrus de Natalib lib. 1. cap. 24. Harris Tom. 2. Magdeb. centur 2. Annal. Eccles Cur. Io Stumph in Rhetia Petrus Merssaeus in catalog Archiep· Treuer in Archiep. 20. Anton. Democh. l. 2. de Miss cont Caluin Gulielus Eisengren centen 2. part 4. distinct 7. Petr. Merss in Archiep. Treuer And that this S. Tymothie could not bee Saint Tymothie Bishop of Ephesus S. Pauls Scholler to whome hee wrote the Epistles whoe was martyred many yeares before Kinge Lucius was borne and S. Onesimus was his Successor in S. Ignatius time as hee himselfe is witnesse Epist ad Ephes But onely S. Tymothie our blessed contryman by his mother S. Claudia Martyrol Rom. die 20. Iunij and a child baptized by the Apostles and thereupon called their disciple whoe was owner of the house in Rome where S. Peter by the Roman tradition first entertayned there and of S. Tymothie the Lord thereof in his time named Thermae Timothinae the Bathes of Tymotheus Act. 5. Iustini Philosoph Baron annot in 20. Iunij in S. Nouato which hee forsooke for the loue of God and this his nation soe soone that by Pope Pius the first martyred in the yeare 154. his said house was cōsecrated a church hee himselfe beeing then in all probabilitie preaching in this Iland as so many Authorities cited doe warrant The historie of S. Marcellus or Marcellinus both to haue beene a Britane a Bishop and to haue preached here longe before S. Linus was conuerted that hee persuaded him to bee a Christian and after went into Germany and returned from thence into Britanie againe sent with others from Pope Eleutherius to conuert kinge Lucius this kingdome as they did is an vndoubted veritie acknowledged by all that write of that matter And therefore our Protestāts of England freely graunt vs in these wordes Euen from the dayes of those godlie men whoe first taught the Britans the ghospell there remayned amonge the same Britans some Christians which ceased not to teach and preach the word of God most sincerely vnto them But yett noe kinge amongst thē openly professed that Religion till at length this Lucius perceauinge not onely some of the Roman Lieutenants in Britanie as Trebellius and Pertinax with others to haue submitted themselues to that profession but alsoe the Emperor himselfe to begin to bee fauorable to them that professed it And then hee setteth downe how kinge Lucius sent to Pope Eleutherius to bee instructed in and receaue the faith of Christ and in like maner is the Relatiō of other Protestāts Holinsh. histor of England lib. 4. cap. 19. Math. Park Antiquit Britan. pag. 4.5 Ioh. Goscelius in histor Manuscript Bal. l. 2. de actibus Pontif. in Gregor 1. l. de Scriptor cent 1. in August Dirnoth Godwyn Conuers Powel annot in l. 2. Girald Cambr. c. 1. Foxe to 2. Act. pag. 463. Fulke Ans to count Cath. pag. 40. Middlet papist am pag. 202. Stowe Holinsh. c. Then if by these men there stil continued a succession of true preachers in Britanie from the Apostles time Protestant Articl of Religion Bils Whitgift Barlow Bridges Downam Hookeer Couel others against puritans Which the puclick Protestant Religion denieth to bee without true Bishops to consecrate such preists and preachers and the Romane Luietenants themselues and christians and soe consequently as the greatnes of their state and necessitie of the church here required had Bishops and rather from Rome beeing themselues Romans And I haue exemplified in soe many Bishops consecrated and sent hither by S. Peter and his holy successors Popes of Rome and not any one Instance can bee giuen of any one Bishop or preist in all this time sent or consecrated by any others wee must needes leaue that prerogatiue to Rome and honor to Britanie to haue had the holy Bishops and pastors of this church from thence And that Apostolicke See to haue ruled here in spirituall things as these Protestants haue freely acknowledged
destinauit coronam benedictam Britanniae christianitatem Deo inspirante Lucio Regi Britonum The kinge of right ought with all integritie and without diminution obserue and defende all lands and honors all dignities and Rights and liberties of the crowne of this kingedome wholly and call backe againe al the Rights of the kingdome that bee dispersed dilapidated loste with all his power vnto their auncient and due state And the whole and all the Land and the Ilands euen to Norway and Denmarke doe belonge to the crowne of his kingdome and at of the Appendicies and dignities of the kinge and it is one monarchie and one kingedome and it was anciently called the kingedome of Britanie now is called the kingedome of the English men for our Lord the Pope Eleutherius did by his sentence cōstitute and appointe such limites and boundes to the crowne of the kingedome first sending by the inspiration of God a hallowed crowne and Christianitie to Britanie to Kinge Lucius Hitherto this soe auncient publicke authoritie and antiquitie now seeing all writers Catholicks and Protestāts agree that both S. Eleutherius which made this declaration and confirmation of soe manie Ilands and Rights and Kinge Lucius which accepted it was in the like degree and all our kings soe many hundred yeares after many of them holy Saints which by this declaration esteemed these territories to bee their owne to keepe them all or any of them declarer or receauers from horrible and damnable vsurpation as of necessitie by these Protestants wee must doe what way is there to end this difficultie except wee allowe of the Popes Authoritie in such a declaration But to yeeld a greater and more auncient honor and priuiledge to this kingedome and the kings thereof then many Protestants enemies to our Brittish Antiquities will allowe vnto it not onely to comprehend al these Northren Ilands vnto Norway vnder the name of Insulae Britannicae the Brittish or Britons Iland But that the kingedome of Denmarke was subiect and tributary to Britanie diuers hundreds of yeares before Christ and soe consequently the adiacent Ilands which by Ius gentium belonged to the Continent next adioyninge wee shall by this exempt this kingdome from receauing any thinge by a free donation from Pope Eleutherius in this kinde claiminge by this that hee only adiudged the old Right and Title of Britanie to bee true and lawfull in this case not giuing any new prerogatiue by that confirmation Yett this will not exempt either kinge Lucius from embracinge or Pope Eleutherius from assigning and confirminge that diuision and preferringe the Title of kinge Lucius before the Scots and others which by their histories had then enioyed longe time diuers of those Ilands and soe wee must still acknowledge that both Eleutherius the Pope and kinge Lucius then thought the decision of such things did in some respect in conscience belonge to that See Apostolick otherwise neither would the one haue made it or the other sought for or accepted it in that maner both of them beeing worthie and renowned Saints in the church of Christ M. S. pr. Regnum Britanniae in Gurguntio Ioh. Rom. apud Stowe in cod Stowe and Howes histor in Gurg an ante Christ 375. Ioh. Lydgate in Cantab. Ioh. Harding Chron. c. 34. fol. 29.30 Caius antiq Cantab l. 1. Matth. Westm. aetat 5. c. 5. Hect. Boeth hist. Scot. Giral Cāb ap Stow. supr And into the same laborinth we fal by these men denying power in the Pope of Rome to giue pardōs or Indulgences to mitigate or release the punishments of sinnes if wee should harken vnto them for they greately commend vnto vs the Epistle ascribed to S. Patrick the Irish Apostle in the antiquities of Gastenbury to bee of greate authoritie and yett in this wee reade Quod sanctus Phaganus Deruuianus ab Eleutherio Papa qui cos miserat decē annos Indulgentiae impetrarunt That S. Phaganus and Deruuianus obteyned of Pope Eleutherius that sent them ten yeares of Indulgence for the pilgryms visiting that holie place a greater power in the Pope then the other by these Protestants And thus much of this hundred yeares Theater of great Britanie lib. 6. Godwyn Conuers of Britanie cap. 2. pag. 10. Ioh. Leland in Assert Arthur Antiquitat Glaston in tabula lignea Capgrau in Catal. in S. Patricio M.S. Antiq. in eodem THE THIRD CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED YEARE THE VII CHAPTER How the Popes of Rome in this third Centurie or hundred of years alsoe by our Protestants and others ruled and gouerned here in Britante in spirituall things by their supreame power therein NOw hauing ended this second hundred yeare when there was soe generall an acceptance of this highest papall Authoritie in Britanie by the kinge his Nobles three Archbishops soe many other Bishops and the noble cleargie and others here wee may bee more breife in ages followinge for it is a common consent of the Protestant writers of England that the same faith and Religion in all materiall points such as this is continued firme and inuiolable here at the least vntill the cominge of S. Augustine hither in the later end of the sixt hundred yeare And it is a veritie granted by all followinge S. Bede susceptam fidem Britanni vsque in tempora Diocletiani Principis inuiolatum integrumque quieta in pace seruabant The Britans kept the faith which they receaued in the time of kinge Lucius inuiolable and whole in quiet peace vntill the times of Diocletian Bed hist eccles l. 1. c. 4. Whoe did not begin his Empire vntill the yeare 285. his persecution longe time after about the yeare 296. And no man can thinke but amōge soe many Archbishops Bishops and cleargie men which together with the whole christian Religion embraced the papall power liued and gouerned the church of Britanie here many yeares in this age in the same maner and order as it was commended vnto them by the Romane supreame spirituall Authoritie of S. Eleutherius and his Apostolicke Legates Therefore to bee breife the next Pope which was in the beginning of this hundred yeare Scotland as hereafter a greate portion of this Iland and then a distinct greate and inuincible kingedome vnto the most powerable Romane Emperors was conuerted to the faith of Christ The very name of this holy Pope and Martyr carieth spirituall supreamacy with it in all the Christian world Asia Africk and Europe by the mouthes and pennes of all Protestants and others A Protestant Bishop for all shall answere in these words Pope Victor excommunicated all churches both greeke and latine which differed from his church in the obseruation of Easter Morton appeale l. 1. cap. 9. Which noe man can question but it was the highest act to haue and exercise such power ouer all churches and yett moste iustly and lawfully and hee a blessed man which both a Protestant Archbishopp and his maiestie kinge Iames shal testifie for all The church of Rome was then
a Rule to all saith our Kinge Kinge Iames in parlam The other saith Victor was a godly Bishop and a martyr and the church at that time was in greate puritie not beeinge longe after the Apostles times Whitgift Answ. to the admonition p. 80. sect 4. Wherfore Kinge Donalde of Scotland now moued by the example of Kinge Lucius his neighbouring Sociate in terrene principalitie and his whole kingedome and beeing assured by this supreame power spirituall exercised by S. Victor ouer all churches that it was his right and the surest waye in time of controuersies as that was in the obseruation of Easter to adhere vnto the cheife and commandinge church of Rome hee sent to this holy Pope to bee instructed in the faith of Christ a longe paineful troublesome iorney labour on both sides soe many Bishops now beeing in Britanie Fraunce and in all places betweene Scotland and Rome if kinges kingedomes could haue beene conuerted to the faith of Christ and matters of the church with them ordered without his direction or confirmation For as truely write the Scottish historians Pope Victor sent preists in extremam Albionem to the vttermoste part of Albion or the vttermoste Albion to preach the doctrine of Christ Hector Boeth l. 5. Scot. histor fol. 89. p. 2. Boeth supr p. 1. Buchan Rer. Scotic l. 4. Reg. 27. Holinsh. histor of Scotl. in Donald Ed. Grymst p. 20. in Scotl. § 17. the narration whereof is this Talem dederat Donaldo Regi animum pacis Princeps author Christus Dominus quod verae pietati aspernato malorum demonum cultu sese paulò ante addixerat Nam Seuero Imperante Romanis apud Victorem Pontificem maximum qui quintusdecimus post Petrum Ecclesiae praefuit per legatos obtinuit vt viri doctrina Religione insignes in Scotiam ab eo missi se cum liberis coniuge Christi nomen profitentes baptismate insignirent Regis exempla Scotica nobilitas sequuta auersata impietatem Christique Religionem complexa sacro fonte est abluta Fuit annus ille quo Scoti ad lumen verae pietatis Dei Optimi Maximi benignitate vocati sunt recepti ab eo qui primus fuit humanae salutis tertius supra ducēte simum à Scotorum Regni institutione quingentesimus tricesimus tertius Christ our Lord prince and Author of peace gaue such minde to kinge Donald that castinge aside the worship of wicked deuils hee had a litle before addicted himselfe to true pietie For when Seuerus was the Romane Emperor hee obteyned of Pope Victor the fifteenth after S. Peter that ruled the church that men renowned for learninge and Religion sent from him into Scotland might baptise him with his wife and children professinge Christ The Scottish nobilitie followeinge the example of the kinge forsakinge impiety and embracing the Religiō of Christ was baptized This was in the yeare of the Incarnation of Christ two hundred and three and from the beginninge of the kingdome of the Scots fiue hundred thirtie and three And a little after speakinge of the renowned leardned Christians of that time hee addeth Incipere nostri tum primum sacras colere literas Sacerdotibus praeceptoribus quos Victor Pontifex Maximus ad Christi dogma propalandum in extremam miserat Albionem At that time our Scottish men first began to study diuinitie hauinge for their Tutors those preists which Pope Victor sent to teach the Religion of Christ in Albion the vttermost country in this part of the world And againe nostri qua fide pietate instituti semel fuerunt hactenus erroribus aspernatis perseuerant Our contrimen of Scotlād perseuer at this day it was written in the yeare 1526. in the faith and pietie wherein they were then instructed Hector Boeth in fine praefat Bal. centur 5. in Hector Boeth And a Protestant of England in the yeare 1615. writteh Scotland receyued the faith in the time of Pope Victor the first in the yeare 203. Celestin the first sent Palladius thither to roote out the Pelagian heresie which began to increase there vnder Eugenius the second whoe died in the yeare 460. since this time the Realme continued longe in the profession of the Romish church vntill these later dayes Edward Grimston Booke of Estates pag. 20. cap. 17. Hee meaneth the dayes of this our Soueraigne kinge Iames the first of England and sixt of that kingedome Therfore it is a thinge without question that this holy Pope soe earnest for the spirituall supreamacie of his Apostolicke See settled it with other doctrines in this Iland where with the rest it still continued vntill these times as these Protestants haue declared Which is euident by all histories not any one affirminge but rather denyinge that hee altered anie thinge of that constitution of Pope Eleutherius submittinge the whole nation of Scotlande to the Archbishopp of Yorke in spirituall affaires And if kinge Donald and the nobilitie of Scotland then had not beene assured that this supreame spirituall power in disposinge and orderinge church matters in such cases had belonged onely to the Popes of Rome of all people and places in the world they would not haue appealed to Rome for those thinges at that time in the Empire of Seuerus when aboue all others there was the greatest enmytie and warrs betweene the Romans and Scots that euer were testified by all their histories Bed l. 1. histor c. 5. Hect. Boeth lib. 5. Scot. hist Bucan Rer. Scotic l 4. Holinsh. hist. of Scotl. in Seuerus In an other point alsoe wee are assured that S. Victor whoe had by his highest authoritie excōmunicated soe many churches both greeke and latine as these Protestants haue told vs before for their wronge keepinge of Easter settled the right obseruatiō thereof in Scotland at this time For to speake in Protestants wordes of this Pope Hee confirmed the ordinance of Pius touching the celebration of Easter vppon the Sonday Soe did Pope Eleutherius before him and soe consequently alsoe amonge other Christian doctrines by his legates taught and deliuered it here in Britanie And wee are taught by these learned Protestants that in the first generall councell of Nice De obseruatione Paschae antiquus canon sancitus est ne porro in hac re Ecclesiae variarent The old canon of the obseruation of Easter was decreed least the churches should afterward differ about it Ed. Grymstonp· 436. in Victor Rob. Barnes in vit Pont. Rom. in Victor Bal. lib. 1. de act prat in eod Magdeburg centur 3. in Eleuther Damas in Eleuther Barns iu Siluestro Magdeburg cent 4. And that wee had Brittish Bishops there which consented to this decree and receaued it for Britany they testifie in these termes Theater of greate Britanie l 6. cap. 9 pag. 206 n. 19. The Britannes continued constant in christianitie and the censures of their Bishops for the greate estimation of their constancie pietie and learninge were required and approued in greate
the ghospell through the contryes of the Britans Scots and Picts ordeyned there preists consecrated them Bishops and diuided the contry into parishes as both Catholicks and Protestants are witnesses Audiens Pontifex Romanus quosdam in occiduis Britanniae partibus necdum fidem Christi suscepisse ad Episcopatus gradum Ninianum consecrauit Concreditum à Deo talentum per Britannorum Scotorum australium Pictorum terras ad senium vsque latissimè profudit Ordinauit presbyteros Episcopos consecrauit totam terram per certas parochias diuisit And liuinge in this preachinge vntill hee was very ould as a Protestant Bishop writeth Bal. centur 1. in Ninian Palladio Patricio he died in the yeare of Christ 432. before which time S. Palladius S. Patricius SS Germanus and Lupus were sent hither by S. Celestine Pope of Rome And yett that hee came hither in the fourth century it is euident for in his cominge hither from Rome hee came by S. Martin Bishopp of Tours in Fraunce as Capgraue and others writte Ioh. Capgr in S. Ninian and yett by Sigebert and others S. Martine died within the first 400. yeares Sigebert in Chronic. ad an 399. In which time alsoe wee had Coelius Sedulius of this nation scholler as a Protestant Bishop writeth to Hildiberthus a learned Bishop of Scotland Ioh. Bal. centur 1. in Coel. Sedul after whose death hee trauailed many nations for learninge sake as Spayne France Italy and Asia and beeinge excellently learned returned to Rome where hee longe time continued and was soe learned holy and gratefull a man to the Popes of Rome that Pope Gelasius to vse the Protestants words in the decrees distinct 15. calleth him venerable Sedulius and much prayseth his writings Neyther can wee thinke otherwise of his Master Bishop Hildibertus of whome hee was instructed and directed in these courses And this Sedulius himselfe alsoe was a Bishop as both Sigebertus and Bostius our contryman and the Protestant Bishop Bale from them are wittnesses Sigebertus Bostius apud Bal. centur 1. de Script in Coel. Sedul In which time alsoe liued S. Kebius our Cornish Bishop successor though perhaps not immediate to S. Amphibalus in the Bishoprick of Mona Ioh. Capgrau in S. Kebio Harpesf histor pag. 26. Pits in Kebio Whoe liued longe time with S. Hilary Bishopp of Poicters in Fraunce that worthie piller of the true Catholick faith and honor of the church of Rome and Successor of Saint Peter there that hee calleth him Hilar. ad Psalm 131. in Matth. can 16. Ecclesiae fundamentum caelestis Regni Ianitor cuius arbitrio aeterni aditus traduntur cuius terrestre iudicium praeiudicata authoritas sit in caelo Foundation of the church porter of the kingedome of heauen The happy foundation of the church the blessed porter of heauen to wose will die eternall passadges are committed whose iudgement on earth is preiudicate authoritie in heauen Such a tutor pedagoge and consecrator alsoe had this our happie contryman Saint Kebius in those turbulent hereticall times of the Arrians and their opposition against the Romane church a greate meanes by this our holy Bishop S. Restitutus Fastidius Priscus our Archbishops then and other godly Bishops of this nation to preserue this kingedome in the true faith and obedience to the Pope of Rome in soe much that S. Hilarie himselfe lib. de Synodis aduersus Arr. commendeth the Bishops of Britanie for the sinceritie in those times to their eternall honor Hee dyed as our Protestants write in the yeare of Christ 370. And in this age alsoe was that renowned S. Vrsula with her glorious company of Bishops other cleargie men Virgins and others as those Protestants ar witnesses whoe as both Ptolomaeus Lucensis Capgraue the Antiquities of Collene and the German histories testifie Baleus centur 1. in Vrsula Cynosura an 390. Stowe histor an 394. in Theodosius Martyrolog Roman die 21. 22. Octob. Beda hac die Vandelbert Baron in annot Ptolom Lucens in S. Vrsula Capgrau in S. Vrsula Annal. Coloniens c. made that their moste holy pilgrimadge to Rome and at their returne receaued the crowne of Martyrdome at or neare Cullen in Germanie where as alsoe in the whole Christian world and both to their honor and the glory of our country they are celebrated in the most auncient Martyrologes in which sacred company as Capgrauius and diuers others testifie there were manye Bishops of this kingedome as namelie Willielmus or Michael Columbanus Ywanus Eleutherius and Lotharius Which I rather name that wee may know how this kingedome at that tyme both was soe replenished with Bishops that it might spare soe manie to bee sent from hence with those holy Virgins and to giue euidence how deuoted and respectiue the Bishops and cleargie with the rest the Christians of this kingedome were towards the See of Rome in these dayes THE FIFTE CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED YEARE THE IX CHAPTER Shewinge by these Protestants of England how both the Popes highest spiritual power was still here continued and a perpetuall succession of our Bishops and Cleargie alsoe in Britanie from the See of Rome as in the other Ages before NOw wee are come to the fift Century in the beginning whereof the first Fathers of Heresie and Opposers against the holy Apostolick See of Rome which I finde to haue beene of our Brittish nation were the monstrous rebellious Hereticks Pelagius and Timotheus not that I finde them more formally directly opposite to the See Apostolick then other Hereticks were but as the nature and necessitie of heresie is to bee euer contrarie and disobedient to their cheife iudge and commaunder in such cases the Pope of Rome with councels assembled for as our Protestants tell vs diuers Popes of Rome both by themselues and in councels had condemned Pelagius for an hereticke and yett hee obstinately persisted in his condemned errors Innocentius the first condemned Pelagius the monke and Coelestius of heresie for preferringe free vvill before the grace of God and sayd the vvil of man by it selfe was sufficient able to fulfill the cōmaundements of God and tooke avvay the necessitie of Baptisme and faith in Christ Rob. Barns in vit Pont. Rom. in Innocent Bal. centur 1. de Scriptorib in Pelagio heresiarcha Innocentius primus Pelagium monachum Coelestium haereseos damnauit quod liberū arbitrium gratiae Dei praeferrent dicerentque voluntatē per se sufficere ad implenda Dei mādata praesul ordinatus Pelagius sui nominis haeresim fabricabat asserens hominem sine peccato nasci ac solo voluntatis imperio sine gratia saluari posse vt ita nefarius baptismum ac fidem tolleret Pelagius after hee was made a Bishopp framed an heresie of his name affirminge that man was borne without sinne and by the onely commaunde of his wil without grace by Christ might bee saued that the wicked man might soe take away both baptisme and faith Pope Sozimus alsoe as these men
tell vs condemned this hereticke and to vse their wordes Rob. Barnes sup in Sozimo Papa That Sozimus might declare that nothinge was in any place ratified that was done in holy things except it were done by the Popes authoritie hee sent Faustinus a Bishop two preists to the councell of Carthadge The decrees of the councell were brought to Pope Sozimus which beeinge by him approued the Pelagian heresie was condemned euery where Vt Sozimus declararet nihil vsquam ratum fore quod in rebuâ—… sacris ageretur nisi id Romani Pontificis authoritate fieret Faustinum Episcopum duos presbyteros ad Cathaginensem Synodum misit Synodalia decreta ad Sozimum perlata sunt quibus approbatis Pelagiana haeresis passim damnata est Thus wee see by these Protestants that the Popes of Rome euen in this time when they were moste afflicted and Rome it selfe taken and sacked by Gothes in the time of this Pope Barns supr beeinge Pope but one yeare 3. moneths and twelue dayes Sozimo Pontifice Roma à Gothis capta est They still exercised and practised this highest spirituall power in all places euen in Africk as these Protestants assure vs and not onely in Europe where our Britanie is In which they shewed and exercised this their highest supreamacy in many and diuers matters in that time And first in this Busines of Pelagius the monke or Abbot of Bangor in Wales Thus writeth a Protestant Bishop with consent of Antiquities Bal. centur 1. de Scriptor in Palladio Graeco Hector Boeth hist Scotor l. 7. fol. 132.133 Holinsh. histor of Scotland Ed. Grymston cap. Relig. of Scotland pag. 20. Prosper in Chronico Palladius Graecus à Caelestino Romanorum Pontifice Antistes mittebatur vt Pelagianam haeresim quae tunc magnam Britanniae partem inquinauerat à Britannorum gente arceret atque Scotorum populum ad veram pictatem à qua continua bellorum atrocitate paulùm aberrarit rite reduceret Hunc ferunt concionibus pijs à quibusdam gentilium superstitiuÌ„culis ecclesias illas purgasse atque ob id in hodiernum vsque diem Scotorum Apostolus appelatur Palladius a Graecian was by Celestine Pope of Rome sent a Bishop to driue from the nation of the Britans the Pelagian heresie which then had defiled a great part of Britanie and rightly to reduce the Scots to true pietie from which by the continuall crueltie of wars they had erred The saying is that with his godly sermons hee purged those churches from some superstitions of the gentiles and soe is to this day called the Apostle of the Scots Here wee see it first left to the Popes Iudgment what was heresie to bee condemned what was error to bee recalled superstition to bee reformed and in his power spirituall the temporall Romane then hauinge nothing to doe in any part of this Iland to assigne and send a Bi-Bishop and Apostle to that nation which was neuer subiect either in temporall respects to the Romane Emperors whoe soe performed the highest sacred duties and authoritie in that church that as before and by all writers hee is called Scotorum Apostolus the Apostle of the Scots as iustlie hee deserued it settling all things there by his legatine power makinge a Bishop an Archbishop and the like matters of greatest Iurisdiction as namely S. Seruanus Bishop of the Orchads and S. Teruanus Archbishop of the Picts Palladius Seruanum Episcopum ad Orchadas Insulas missum vt Populum rudem christiana pietate institueret creauit Teruanum quem InfanteÌ„ lustrico lauerat fonte PictoruÌ„ Archiepiscopum constituit Palladius created Seruanus a Bishopp and sent him to the Orchads Ilands to instruct the rude people in the christian faith and hee appointed Teruanus whome hee baptized when hee was an Infant to bee Archbishop of the Picts Hector Boeth hist. Scotor l. 7. folio 133. pag. 1. Georg. Buchan Rerum Scoticar l. 5. Rege 42. pag. 146. Polidor Verg. hist. Anglic. l. 3. pag. 58.59 Thus the Scottish histories teach vs. By which it is euident that the whole state of the church of Scots and Picts alsoe was then settled by the Authoritie of this Roman Legate and that the other Gouernors which he appointed in it were alsoe sent from Rome for if Teruanus whom hee appointed Archbishop of the Picts was baptized when hee was but an Infant as these Scottish historians tell vs hee was baptized at Rome or those parts where S. Palladius then liued not in this kingdome where it is confessed by all antiquities that S. Palladius liued a verie short time And S. Teruanus beeinge made by him an Archbishopp amonge the Picts it both informeth that there were other Bishops there vnder him els he could not bee Archbishop cheefe of the Bishops there and maketh probable that S. Ninian whoe as a Protestant Bishop writeth Bal. cent 1. in Ninian Bernic died about this time was alsoe Archbishopp there and now dyinge Teruanus was by Palladius his legatine power ordeyned his successor or that both these were Archbishops of Yorke soe appointed by the See of Rome and named Bishops of the Picts because they with other prouinces were subiect to the Archbishops See of Yorke a subordination neyther altered by S. Celestine or any other Pope vntill such time as I haue before declared except in such extraordinary cases of special legats sent immediately from Rome with cheife authoritie such as S. Palladius was whoe by that prerogatiue exercised this iurisdiction extraordinarily in consecrating and instituting Bishops within the limits of the Metropolitane of Yorke which ordinarily belonged vnto his See by the order of Pope Eleutherius from the beginning of our publick receauing of the faith of Christ And the same care and chardge which S. Celestine then Pope of Rome tooke of the Scots and Picts at this time the same alsoe hee had and as cheife pastor performed both to this kingedome of Britanie and Ireland alsoe Concerning Britanie these Protestants assure vs that when Pelagius was dead before and his heresies by many Popes and councells condemned yett it beeing maintayned here by Leporius Agricola a very learned Hereticke Bal. centur 1. de scriptor in Leporio Agricola l. 2. de Act. Pontif. Rom. in Celestino Rob. Barns l. de vita Pontif. Roman in Caelestin That Saint Palladius of whome I haue spoken the Popes Legate in Scotland informed S. Celestine Pope hereof whoe therevppon sent the twoe french Bishops Germanus and Lupus hither to strengthen the Britans in the true doctrine of heaueÌ„ly grace and to coÌ„fute the wicked doctrine of the sufficiency of mans vvorkes vvithout the grace of Christ. Quod per Palladium audieÌ„s Caelestinus Pontifex Romanus Germanum Antissiodorensem Lupum Tracafessum Gallicanos Episcopos illuc misit vt Britannos in fide gratiae caelestis solidarent impiam atque Hipocriticam humanorum operum doctrinam confutarent And that wee may bee fully informed that S. Celestine the Pope did not send these two holy
come This man had disciples in greate number aswell French men as Britās of the which the cheifest were Sampson Paulinus Dauid and Gyldas Badonicus The same is proued vnto vs by other Protestants Merchiannus Rex in Dipl apud Caium antiq Cantabr l. 1. pag. 147. Catalog Sanct. Wall in S. Iltuto And how the Pope graunted him this priuiledge of such publick teachinge Magistralis tibi cura à Pontifice concessa est as the kinge of those parts in his princely graunt with others witnesse Therefore if the greatest doctors and teachers of others in Britanie in these times were thus licenced by the Popes their Legates and schollers of their legats wee cannot question but such as the Masters such likewise the schollers and disciples were especially when wee find their cheifest Schollers S. Dauid S. Sampson made Archbishops by the Poopes Authoritie and this former primate of all Britanie by the Popes graunt as hereafter Matth. Westm. ad An. 727. And that the scholers of Britanie were not then allowed without the Popes priuiledge doth further appeare by our Protestants Hardinghe Lydgate and others Ioh. Hardinge apud Bal. in praefat ad l. de Script Stow histor Ioh. Caius l. 1. antiq Cantabrig Brian Twin apol Oxon. l. 1. testifying that in the tyme of S Gregorie the vniuersities or publick Scholes of Stamford Caerlegion and perhaps some others were interdicted by the Pope for some errors they held at this time The Antiquaries of Cambridge contend Caius sup l. 1. that their vniuersity was then Innocent and soe preserued and priuiledged Brian Twyn apol l. 2. pag. 143. They of Oxord seeme to graunt and glory in it that S. Germanus the Popes Legate did confirme the orders and constitutions of the vniuersitie of Oxford and alledge Asserius Meneuersis to that purpose Asser Meneu apud Brian Twyn supr Diuum Germanum Oxoniam aduenisse annique dimidium illic esse moratum qui ordines instituta illius loci mirum in modum comprobauit Saint German came to Oxford and stayed there halfe a yeare and greately approued the orders and institutions of that place And to proue that all the Christians of this Britany then in this age acknowledged this power of the Pope or Rome and their dependance of him in spirituall things the Archbishops See of London beeinge wasted and persecuted by the pagan Saxons moste swayinge in the prouinces subiect vnto it wee doe not reade of any Archbishop of London after the martyrdome of S. Vodinus vntill Theonus Bishop of Glocester tooke charge thereof in the yeare 553. as a Protestant Bishop writeth in this manner Godwyn Catalog of Bish in Lond. in Vodinus and Theonas Stow. histor in Lucius I finde onely one of them named viz. Theonus that beeing first Bishop of Glocester forsooke it and tooke the chardge of London vppon him in the yeare 553. soe write other Protestants Therefore wee must now seeke to the other two Archiepiscopall Sees Caerlegion and Yorke For S. Dubricius hee was both consecrated by the Popes Legate S. Germanus and hee himselfe alsoe both the Popes Legate and Primate of all Britanie Britanniae Primas Apostolicae sedis Legatus Galfrid Monum hist Reg. Brit. l. 9. cap. 12. Godwyn Catal. in S. Dauids 1. Landaff 1. Soe that there is noe question of him but hee acknowledged this highest spirituall power in the See of Rome whose Legate hee was then in this kingedome Neyther can there bee any doubt of the Archbishop of Yorke in this behalfe at this time for S. Sampson was then Archbishop there whoe as before was both scholler to S. Dubritius soe earnest a patrō of the Romane See and alsoe of S. Iltutus as before scholler to S. German the Popes Legate and warrāted to bee publick professor teacher here by the Popes allowāce to giue more certaynety herein this holy man S. Sāpson was miraculously chosen of God as Capgraue and others write to the Archiepiscopall See of Yorke Ioh. Capgrau in Sampsone and was consecrated by S. Dubritius the Popes Legate and primate of Britanie Therefore there cannot bee the least suspition but that both hee and the prouinces both of the North of England and Scotland alsoe then vnder his iurisdiction were of the same opinion in this matter And if the Metropolitan See of London a little before destroyed as our histories tell vs. Galfrid mon. histor Reg. Brit. l. 8. cap 9. by the pagan Saxons with other churches of that prouince had then any Archbishop whose name is not remembred noe man of indifferent iudgement will thinke that he differed in opinion in this matter from those glories of this kingedome and church thereof S. Dubritrius the Popes Legate and S. Sampson consecrated by him by whome alsoe whose authoritie from the See of Rome if London then had any Archbishop at this time hee was likewise consecrated noe others then beeing to intermedle in that busines And our kings of that time Vortimer Aurelius Ambrosius Vther Pendragon and Arthur crowned kings by these holy Archbishops Legats patrons and knowne mainteyners of the priuiledges of the Apostolicke See of Rome Kinge Vortimer belonged to the age before therefore I onely here say of him as I am directed by our Protestants in the Brittishe historie as they approue it Galfrid Monum l. 6. cap. 14. Matth. Westm. an 454. That after hee was chosen kinge and obteyned victorie of the pagans soe soone as it was in his power hee did all thinges especially apperteyning to Religion by the direction or rather commaund as the words be of S. Germanus the Popes Legate Victoria potitus Vortimerus caepit reddere possessiones ereptas ciuibus ipsosque diligere ac honorare Ecclesias iubente Sancto Germano renouare Vortimer hauing obteyned victorie began to restore the possessions that were taken from the citizens and to loue and honor them and by the commaundement of S. German to renewe the churches Neyther can wee make it a straūge thing if wee will follow soe manie Protestant guides to leade vs as before that kinge Vortimer followed the commaundement of Saint German the Popes Legate in such affaires when they haue assured vs that by his direction and order both his Father Vortigern kinge before him was deposed and this man by the same power and order was chosen and erected to bee kinge And the same is the condition and case of Aurelius Ambrosius by the same power and proceedings made kinge as these Protestants tell vs when Vortigern was deposed the second time Protest Catalog Regum Britan. Stowe histor in Vortiger Aurel. Ambros and Vterp Holinsh. in eisd Soe likewise of Vterpendragon his brother both of them made kings by cōmon consent of the cleargie nobles the line of Vortigern beeinge quite disinherited and hee himselfe to write in Protestāt words burnt in his castle in Wales by Aurelius Ambrosius his brother Vter Galfrid monum histor Reg. Brit. l. 8. cap. 2.17 But Nennius writeth that one