which by their weake grownds and feeble Authorities haue so much as in them lieth made S. Pauls preaching in Britaine to be neither credible nor probable both which I haue thus disproued and proued it be both possible credible and probable that he was and preached in this kingdome THE XXXI CHAPTER CONCERNING THE TIME OF S. PAVLS coming into and preaching in Britaine That it could not be vntill the later end of the Empire of Nero a litle before the Martyrdome of S. Paule and was heare but a very short time 1. CONCERNING the time of S. Pauls supposed coming hither being but a circumstance of a doubtfull obiect and matter it selfe it must needs be more doubtfull and vncertaine the Authours of the English Martirologe and the Three Conuersions of Britaine asscribe his coming to the fourth yeare of Nero Engl. Martyrol die 25. Ianuar. The first saith According to diuers auncient writers in the fourth yeare of Nero the Emperor his Reigne the Ieweâ—â—eing by his Edict banished Rome he S. Paul The error of them which thinke S. Paul came into Britaine in the 4. yeare of Nero confuted parsonally came into Britaine and there preached the faith of Christ The other writeth in this order Arnoldus Mirmannius in his Theater of the Conuersion of all Nations affirmeth S. Paul to haue past to Britaine in the 4. yeare of Nero. Anno Domini 59. and there to haue preached Diuers Protestants seeme to incline to the same opinion and for the same respects But as I haue proued before this could not be and the first Authour contradicteth himselfe both in the time and his Authour of 3. Conu of Brit. p. 22. Engl. Martyr Iune 29. Authours for in an other place vsing the same Authorities of Theodoret Sophronius Venantius Fortunatus MirmaÌ„nius as in the former not any one of them speaking any such thing he saith It is recorded by diuers auncient writers that about the yeare of Christ threescore and seuen S. Paule came parsonally into our Iland of greate Britaine and there preached the Christian faith And the Authour of the booke of the Three Conuersions is as much deceaued if he thinketh Arnoldus Mirmannius did teach that S. Paul came hither in the fourth yeare Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Godwin Conuers p. 7. of Nero as our Theater Protestant writers doe cite him for Mirinannius speaketh of no yeare at all of S. Paule his coming hither But making S. Paule to begin his trauailes after his Imprisonment by Nero in the fourth yeare of his reigne caryeth him presently into Syria Pamphilia Licaonia Phaenice Mysia Phrigia Galatia Bithinia Achaia Macedonia the rest of Greece and Asia and after Arnold Mirm. Theatro conu gent. all this affirmeth he came into the west Spaine France and Britaine Quarto Neronis anno postremum iter ingressus peragrauit tertium aut quartum Syriam Pamphiliam Lycaoniam Phaenicen Mysiam Phrygiam Galatiam Bythiniam Achaiam Macâ—doniam reliquamque Graeciam pariter Asiam Illericum vsque Christianae Religionis prorogans pomaeria Demum ad Occidentis Europae Climata importare Euangelium studens Hispaniam primum hinc Galliam inde Britanniam petens Where he maketh his coming into these parts one of his last labours and his last of all except his returne to Rome to suffer Martyrdome in the later time of Nero. And he is no lesse deceaued which saith About the later end of Guiderius Reigne or not longe after Claudius returne to Rome it seemeth both by testimonie of auncient writers and by the course of S. Pauls peregination that he came into this land of Britaine and heare preached the Ghospell For it is euident Harris hist M. S. l. 1. c. 15. by diuers places of holy Scripture that it was both loÌ„ge after the returne Rom. 15. Act. ca. 26. c. 27. 28. c. 25. Matth. Westm ad an 44. alij Stowe Howes hist in Claudius Cat. Prot. ReguÌ„ Brit. of Claudius the Emperor vnto Rome being about the 44. or 45. yeare of Christ and after his death also 8. or 9. yeares after this and after Nero had reigned some time before S. Paule came to Rome itselfe or any part of Europe or the West And this Author naming in generall auncient writers for his assertioÌ„ mistaketh them in this thing for none doth or can whether auncient or late writer contrary to Antiquitie and the holy Scripture so affirme The cheife testimonye he bringeth is from Theodoret affirming that S. Paul came into Italy and into Spaine and profited the Ilands that lye in the Sea in Italiam Theod. in Ps 116. venit in Hispaniam peruenit Insulis quae in Mariiacent vtilitatem attulit But I haue shewed before that Theodoret interpreteth himselfe of Ilands in the Adriaticall See and nameth them in the plurall number And it rather maketh against then for that opinion if by impossibilitie he could be vndestood of our Britaine for he setteth downe S. Pauls visiting those Ilands after his being both at Rome and Spaine 20. yeares at the least after the Returne of Claudius to Rome froÌ„ Britaine He alledgeth Petrus de Natalibus to as litle purpose writing as he saith that S. Paul conuerted one Lucius in Britaine and his Disciple S. Tymothie baptized him what this Lucius and Tymothie Petrus de Natal l. 1. c. 24. were I will entreate hereafter but certaine it is that S. Timothie Bishop of Ephesus continued at his chardge and came not hither and if we should suppose the contrary contrary to all Antiquitie yet coming hither with S. Paul and S. Paul not coming vnto any westerne part of many yeares after as I haue made demonstration before this disproueth and proueth not his purpose speaking of no time at all And this Authour contradicteth himselfe in this Relation for he expressely writeth in these words S. Paule after his second Imprisonment at Rome came into Britaine Which was many yeares as I haue Harris supr l. 1. allready proued after the death of King Guiderius and Claudius his returne to Rome and very long after this our Britaine had receaued the faith of Christ from S. Peter and his Disciples 2. And to manifest vnto vs that S. Paule did not come into Britaine vntill he had performed his promise of going into Spaine after his dismission from his imprisonment at Rome and his long trauaile into the East Countries againe we haue both Antiquitie and Scripture for sufficient warrant to be firmely of that minde For all those Authours which I haue cited before for S. Paules preaching in these parts especially in Spaine as the Martyrologes of the Romans Vsvardes S. Bede and Ado Petrus Cluniacensis Trithemius Antonius Democharez Eisengrenius Mirmannius Genebrard Matthew of Westminster with others as diuers Protestants namely the Magdeburgians Francis Bargoing their English Protestant Bishop Godwin their Publishers and Comments vpon Matthew Westminster with many others agree that after Matth. Westm an
were baptised and clerely forsooke their former errors and Idolatrie This was in the yeare after the birth of Will. Harrison descript of Brit. cap. of Relig. Edw. Grymston Booke of Estat in Scotland pag. 20. Christ our Sauiour 203. The like haue other English Protestants of this matter of whome one saith Scotland receaued the faith in the time of Pope Victor the first in the yeare 203. and Idolatrie did quite cease vnder King Crakinte who died in the yeare 313. Celestine the first sent Palladius thither to roote out the PelagiaÌ„ Heresie which began to encrease there vnder Eugenius the second who died in the yeare 460. since this time the Realme continued longe in profession of the Romish Church vntill these later dayes the Reigne of King Iames who now liueth 4. Thus we see how ignorantly or rather impudently some Protestants haue written in affirming that because some of the Britans and Scots of this Iland at the comming of S. Augustine hither were fallen into old and exploded error of some Churches of Greece that therefore without any warrant or Writer so affirming they receaued their first faith from the Churches of Asia when it is euident by all Antiquities and these Protestants themselues that the Britans did receaue Christian Religion from the Pope of Rome S. Eleutherius and the Scots from Pope S. Victor the two greatest Promulgers and Defenders of the true Paschall obseruation and greatest Enemies to the other erroneous custome and abuse that euer were And being so plainely All Britaine both Britans Scots and others Christians euer subiect to the Pope in Spirituall busines vntill Caluins time confessed by these Protestants before that the Scots which agreed in Religion with the old Christian Britans of this kingdome as all Protestants and others agree did continue in the Profession of the Romish Church from their first Conuersion vntill the crowning of King Iames the sixt a Child in his Cradell what a childish new vpstart Profession of Protestants must that needs be by their owne confession which beginning with not contradiction of a yet speachlesse Infant to build one such a grounde hath reiected the Authoritie of all Popes Councels Churches holy learned Fathers Saints holy Kings and Christian Rulers in so many hundreds of yeares Or how can any man Scot or other apprehend that except King Donald his Nobles and Counsailers therein had bene assured that the cheife disposition of spirituall affaires belonged to the See of Rome and Pope thereof that he a Christian in Iudgment at the least before as so auncient and approued Antiquities proue and in peace and amitie with King Lucius of Britaine where so many renowned Bishops and Clergie men then liued and to whome by the Testimonie and Decree of Pope Eleutherius before remembred all Scots â—nd Picts about this kingdome of Britaine were Feudatories and Subiects and that in France and all other Nations betweene our Scots and Rome there were many holy and learned Christian Bishops and Clergie men that he in prudence would or could haue sent so solemne Ambassadge and supplication to effect this suite to the Pope of Rome whose Emperour then or presently after and before this holy worke was wholly effected was the greatest enemy in the world to the Scottish Nation with all force malice and Power he could inuadinge it Therefore we must needs conclude euen by Protestant warrant and allowance that this whole kingdome of Britaine from the first Conuersion thereof to Christ did euer and continually vntill these dayes of Ihon Caluine that Father of the English Protestant Religion in all dutie and obedience perseuere in the vnitie and doctrine of the Popes and Church of Rome by whome it was first conuerted to Christianitie THE IV. CHAPTER THAT ALLTHOVGH THE BEING OF THE Scots in Britaine in the time of S. Victor is vncertaine and not proued but rather otherwise yet the Inhabitants of the part now called Scotland Britans or whosoeuer were conuerted in King Lucius and this time The Bishops of the conuerted Scots were euer true Bishops and they euer obedient to the See of Rome 1. BVT before we enter into any further particulars of the Conuersion of the Scottish Nation by S. Victor Pope and his Apostolike Disciples imployed therein which is very sparingly remembred in any Antiquities left vnto vs to deliuer our selues so farre as we can from Ambiguities and vncertainties it is requisite to say some what at least in generall of what parte place When the Scots now supposed to be conuerted to the faith came first into Britaine and where they now liued Country or Iland in or about this great Iland of Albion or Britaine these Scots were which are recorded to be conuerted at this time For whatsoeuer the Scots pleade that this hapned to their Nation long after their entrance into this greate Iland which they contend to haue bene in the yeare of the worlds Creation 4617. Annum quo Albionem Scoti ingressi fe runtur ab orbe condito tradunt supra quater millesimum sexcentesimum decimum septimum This Hect. Boeth descript Scot. Reg. fol. 4. Nicephor l. 1. Hist cap. 10. Alphonsus Rex Euseb in Chron. Isid l. 5. Origin Cyprianus lib. Exhort Martyr Hieron in Epist ad Tit. August lib. 12. ciuit cap. 10. Martyrolog Rom. Marian. aetate 6. an 1. Math. West an 1. Protest Angl. marginal Annotat in illum locum Holâ—insh Hist of Engl. l. 3. cap. 18. Iacob Gordonus in Apparatu cap. 2. seemeth to be a strange calculation and not firme enough to be builded vpon for how could the Scots liuing in darke ignorance of God and heauenly things and knowing nothing of the Creation of the world or such things but by all writers a very vnlearned rude and barbarous people exiled bannished and wandering men possibly haue any such certaine Tradition of their arriuall in Albion in such a yeare of the worlds Creation of which they were long time after vtterly ignorant And Hector Boethius the Scottish Historian which with other writers setteth downe this Conuersion in the 203. of Christ and yet maketh that to be in 5399. yeare of the worlds Creation differeth from all other Computations eyther of Nicephorus recompting the birth of Christ in the 5500. yeare of the world K. Alphonsus in the 6984. Euseb 5199. S. Isid 5220. S. Cyp. to his time 6000. and S. Hier. S. Aug. in their dayes 6000. long after S. Cyp. By the Roman Martyrologe 5199. betweene the Creation Christ By Marianus 4163. Matthew of Westminster maketh an other accompt some English Protestant Antiquaries make the distance betwene the Creation 3066. others 3807. Others of them reckon otherwise And by some writers it cometh to about 4000. yeares Such and so manifold variances being among learned Christians in this accompt we may not easely admitt for certaine what any man will therein propose from a Scottish PagaÌ„ surmised Tradition Especially when we haue many Antiquities both Brittish English and
would S. Clemens primum à beato Petro vt dicitur ordinatus fuit sibi Successor Sed propter periculum voluit ante se beatum Linum Cletum Pontificari ne videlicet hoc exemplo Praelati substituerent sibi quos vellent And the words themselues which S. Clement vsed when he yelded this Papall dignitie to S. Linus as S. Epiphanius doth alledge them from his owne workes will well beare such construction of his Religeous meaning in that matter Secedo abeo erigatur populus Dei I giue place I Clemens Rom. apud Epiph. haer 27. goe away lett the people of God be prouided for For so he saith in an Epistle saith S. Epiphanius and this we finde in certaine Commentaries Dicit enim in vna Epistola sua Hoc enim in quibusdam Commentarijs reperimus 5. So it appeareth by that is said that S. Clement was twice Pope and at S. Clement twice Pope both those times for some space executed that highest function and dignitie first when it was imposed vpon him by S. Peter and he wrote his Epistles with that Title Clemens Romanae Ecclesiae Praesul Clemens vrbis Romae Episcopus Clemens Rom. epistol 2. 3. 4. Const Apost 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Ignat. Epist ad Mariam Cassobol Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Tertul. l. 3. carm Optat. l. 2. Aug. Epist 161. Martyr Rom. in Lin. Clet Clem. M. S. antiq Brit. Martin Polon supput col 35. in Clemente Bishop of the Roman Church and doth in them iuridically sett downe things to be obserued of the whole Church So likewise in his other Books where he deliuereth the Doctrine Tradition of the Apostles concerning the holy Sacrifice and other matters generally to be kept of all And not long after yeelding it vp to S. Linus whome S. Ignatius Irenaeus S. Augustine Optatus an old Brittish Manuscript which I haue seene others make the next to S. Peter for some yeares by that Title of S. Clements Resignation And secondly after the death of Cletus when it was imposed vpon him againe the second time and died in that dignitie as Martinus Polonus and others write Clemens quamuis à beato Petro esset electus tamen coegit Linum Cletum ante se pontificari Et ita est ipse primus post Petrum per electionem tertius verò per gradum This I haue written more at lardge not to labour to putt those two glorious Bishops Saints and Martyrs S. Linus and Cletus out of the Catalogue of the renowned Roman Popes but to giue due to S. Clement one of our Apostles S. Clement was heare in Britaine with S. Peter some time heare in Britaine except good arguments deceaue vs according to his worth and merite in this part of the world and redeeme that his most learned Epistle or Booke to S. Iames S. Simon or Simeon Bishop of Hierusalem much concerning his honour and this Nation For although we haue good witnesse of S. Paul S. Irenaeus and others of his conuersation and familiarity with S. Peter and him yet therein we learne from S. Peter and S. Clement themselues that he was with S. Peter in all his Iorneys greate in these parts neuer forsaking him one reason why he principally made choyse of him for his Successour as being so best acquainted with his Apostolike course Qui mihi ab initio vsque in finem comes in omnibus fuit per hoc veritatem totius Paul Epist ad Philipp cap. 4. Irenaeus l. 3. haer Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 5. 6. Clem. Rom. Epist 1. meae praedicationis agnouit Qui in omnibus tentationibus meis socius extitit fideliter perseuerans Quem prae caeteris expertus sum Deum colentem homines diligentem castum discendi studijs deditum sobrium benignum iustum patientem scientem ferre nonnullorum etiam ex his qui in verbo Dei instituuntur iniurias Propter quod ipsi trado à Domino mihi traditam potestatem ligandi soluendi O my brethren heare mee for as I am instructed of our Lord which sent me Iesus Christ the daye of my death is at hand I ordaine this Clemēt taking mee by the hand your Bishop to him alone I delyuer the Chayre of my preaching and doctrine Who from the beginning to the end hath bene a companyon vnto mee in all things or places and by this hath knowne the truth of all my preaching Who hath bene my fellowe faithfully perseuering in all my temptations whom aboue the rest I haue proued to worship God loue men to be chast giuen to the studies of learning sober gentle iust patient and knowing to beare the iniuries of some euen from them that be instructed in the word of God For which respects I deliuer vnto him the power of binding and loosing which was deliuered to mee by our Lord. Where we see it plainely testified both by S. Peter and S. Clement his Secretary aswell as Successour that he was with S. Peter in all his trauails and places euen to the end that we may be assured he was with him heare in Britaine which was his last place of stay before this at Rome and this was a cheife cause why S. Peter thought S. Clement most fitt for this dignitie for he whom he calleth homines diligentem so louing and kinde to all men must needs be more kinde and carefull of them with whom he had conuersed and whose necessities he best knew 6. And yet besides this loue of S. Clement to these parts of the worlde which he had so trauailed with S. Peter the same holy Apostle as he himselfe witnesseth gaue him expresse chardge to send learned Bishops vnto all Cities in those parts where S. Peter had not ordayned such before Episcopos S. Petrus Apost apud Clem. Rom Epist 1. per singulas ciuitates quibus ille non miserat perdoctos prudentes sicut serpentes simplicesque sicut columbas iuxta Domini praeceptionem nobis mittere praecepit And to make it manifest that among other Countries he sent also into this our Britaine S. Clement sent Bishops into Britaine and by S. Peters direction according to S. Peters direction he saith plainely that he desired and intended to send such Bishops and preachers into Italy Spaine France Germany and to include Britaine to all other Nations in these parts of this westerne world wishing the Bishop of Hierusalem to whom he wrote to doe so in the Easte Vos per vestras Dioeceses Episcopos sacrate mittite quia nos ad alias partes quod idem inssit agere curabimus Aliquos verò ad Gallias Hispaniasque mittemus quosdam ad Germaniam Italiam atque ad reliquas gentes dirigere cupimus Where we see S. Clement by this power committed to him by S. Peter and Prerogatiue of the See of Rome thought it is dutie and tooke vpon him not onely to send Bishops and Preachears into all this westerne
it is that hauing first deliuered it as his owne opinion in one Godwin supr p. 27. place afterwards he citeth for the same Clement a Pope wherein either he abuseth vs in citing that which neuer was written or himselfe is abused by some couÌ„terfeit Clement Therefore whether this Clement be counterfeit or no this Protestant must needs be a counterfeit for if this ClemeÌ„t were a counterfeit he was couÌ„terfeited long before Gratians time being cited by him as auncient and so the auncient counterfeiter of Clement must needs broach this opinion before Gratian. But except the auncient Popes Anacletus Anicetus Stephen the first Lucius S. Leo the second S. Marianus Scotus and Florentius Wigorniensis Cap. 1. supr our learned Countrimen all before Gratian were deceaued are counterfeitors this was the true Clement Disciple of S. Peter and so they cite and approue him euen in this matter they confirme that not onely S. Clement but S. Peter the Apostle thus both practized and ordained and how in the time of the Pagans there were Archflamens and they were cheife ouer the other Flamens as Patriarks and Primats be ouer Bishops in the Lawe of Christ 3. And if this man had trauailed no further into Antiquities then those of this Nation he might haue found both Archflamens in the Pagans time heare in Britaine and that the Legats of Pope Eleutherius did constitute and ordaiâ—e Archbishops in their places and this affirmed by Authoritie more Abbas Spanheymens l. de Script in Sigeberto Gembl Bal. l. de Script cent 2. in Henric. HuÌ„tingt Henric. Huntin Histor lib. 1. in Prologo Hist auncient then Gratian was For both Sigebertus GeÌ„blacensis Henricus Huntingtoniensis and others which wrote before Gratian doe take often and expresse notice of our Brittish Historie in which we reade of this matter in these words fuerunt tunc in Britannia octo viginti Flamines nec non tres Archiflamines quorum potestati caeteri Iudices morum atque phanatici submittebantur Hos etiam ex praecepto Apostolici Idololatriae eripuerunt vhi erant Flamines Episcopos vbi erant Archiflamines Archiepiscopos posuerunt Sedes autem Archiflaminum in tribus nobilioribus ciuitatibus fuerant Londonijs videlicet atque Eboraci in vrbe Legionum quam super Oscam fluuium in Glamorgantia veteres muri aedificia sitam fuisse testantur There were then in the time of King Three Archbishops placed heare for the â— ArchflameÌ„s in London Yorke and Caerlegion Lucius 28. Flamens and 3. Archflamens to whose power other Iudges were subiect These by the commande of the Pope his Legats deliuered from Idolatrie and where there were Flamens they placed Bishops and where there were Archflamens they placed Archbishops The Seates of the Archflamens were in the three most Noble Cyties London Yorke and the Cytie of Legions which the old walles and buldings doe witnesse to haue bene vpon the Ryuer Oske in Glamorgantia Hitherto this old Brittish Historie which is older then Gratian by so many yeares as were betweene the end and writing thereof at the death of Gadwallader the last King of the Btitans where it endeth about the yeare of Christs Natiuitie 689. or 690. by Sigebertus and others computation when the Brittish Authour thereof composed it and the writing of Gratian aboue 400. yeares after And Sigebertus who endeth his Chronicle in the yeare 1112. and then dyed as his Continuator there noteth Sigebertus Gemblacensis Monachus Descriptor praecedentium Continuatâ—r Sigebertiin Chron. an 1112. Sigebertus GeÌ„blacens initio Chronici c. de Regno Britannorum in hoc libro temporum obijt cui nos illa quae sequuntur fideli narratione subiecimus is a sufficient witnes euen in the beginning of his History that this Brittish History then was an old History narrat antiqua Britannorum Historia and vsually and cheifely citeth and followeth it for the Brittish affaires And Henry of Huntington who by Baleus and others dyed before Gratian had written was well acquainted with this Historye and wrote a Booke of the Kings of the Britans yet extant in the publike Library of Cambridge and so conformable to the Brittish History that our Protestants which published his workes thereby excuse themselues for not publishing that his worke because there is nothing in it but what is written by S. Bede and Geffery of Monmouth more at lardge quia nihil noui affert quod non in Beda Monemuthensi plenius Protestantium Annotatio inter librum 7. 8. Histor Henrici Huntingtoniensis Ponticus Virun Hist Brit. l. 6. in fine Ciacon 〈◊〉 Rossus BostoÌ„ apud Godwin in Assaph Bal. l. de Script cent 2. in Galfrid Ar. Notatio in Manusc exempl Cantab. Io. Bal. l. de Scrip. Brit. cent 2. in Waltero Caleno reperiatur And Geffery Archdeacon of Monmouth when he translated this Booke out of the Brittish into the Latine tongue and after Bishop of Assaph and Cardinall of the Church of Rome as Virunnius Ciaconius Leland Rosseus Bostonus the Protestant Bishop Bale and others say was an excellent Historian Historicus egregius and as the note vpon the olde Manuscript Copie thereof in Cambridge witnesseth translated it most truely simplicissime transtulit And this Booke was brought out of litle Britaine by Walter Calenus Archdeacon of Oxford a Britaine by birth a man most famous for learning as our Authours say and the Booke was then he dying in the yeare of Christ 1120. anno Incarnati filij Dei 1120. a most old Booke vetustissimum Britannici sermonis Codicem written aboue 400. yeares before per quadringentos eo amplius annos From which date vnto his time the same Archdeacon of Oxoford continued the Brittish History cloquently non incleganti sermone protraxit Britannorum Annales 4. So we euidently perceaue that we can hardly finde either more auncient or credible Authoritie for any Historicall truth in our Brittish Antiquities then for this For the Authour both was a Britan and wrote in that Languadge and the last passadges thereof written allmost a thowsand yeares since The Agents and Instruments of the translation thereof both Britans and the best learned and greatest Historians of that time this Bookew preserued by the Britans of Armorica or litle Britaine in France driuen thither by the Infidell Saxons with their Antiquities and other Ritches most pretious vnto them And so the former parts of this Booke wherein the Historie of these Archflamens is contained carrieth sufficient Argument of a farre more auncient date Which the Authour himselfe both in the Copie which is printed and that which Virunnius did epitomate and was neuer printed as the note vpon it testifieth doth witnesse for he expressely citeth Gildas for this Historie And Ponticus Virunnius seemeth to make Gildâ—s Authour of that part of this Booke For thus he writeth â—orum noâ—â—na Aâ—â—us in libro reperiuntur quem alter Gildas de victoria Aurelij Ambrosij inscripsit The names