Quia Ecclesiam S. Georgij positam in loco qui Ad Sedem dicitur minorem quà m oportet diligentiam habere cognovimus utile esse prospeximus quoniam Monasterium tuum eidem Ecclesiae noscitur esse coniunctum eius tibi curam committere hortantes ut sollicitudinem illic congruam studeas adhiberi et Psalmodiae officium solenniter exhiberi facias Et quia Ecclesiam istam reparatione certum est indigere volumus ut quicquid illuc accedere potuerit ipse accipere atque in eius reparationem ut praevideas debeas erogare St. GEORGE'S Church situate Ad sedem not being lookt unto with that diligence w ch belongs unto it since it is so neere your unto Monasterie we thinke it good to commit the care thereof unto you Requesting that you would bestow your utmost diligence upon it and have a care the Psalmodie or daily prayers be solemnely performed And since we have beene credibly informed that it is out of reparation it is our pleasure that you gather up the profits of it and lay them out upon the worke so farre as you thinke it fit So farre the letter As for the writer of it not to say any thing of his exceeding industrie and learning whereby hee gained unto himselfe the attribute of Magnus he died about the yeare 604. before which time the Temple of St. GEORGE was now growne old and ruinous quite out of reparation Which being so considering what durable Materials Churches are commonly composed of and in what strong and lasting forme compacted I am almost perswaded that the Church here mentioned was built immediately upon the death and dissolution of our Martyr 9 From Gregory we will descend on one of his successours in the Chaire of Rome by name Pope Zacharie who entred on that Dignity Anno 742. the founder of St. George's Church in Velo Aureo or as some others call it in Velabro a part of Rome The chiefe occasion of the building was our Martyrs head which precious Relique was given unto him by the Venetians and by him here inshrined in a Church built onely for that purpose Idem quoque viz. Zacharias Basilicam B. Georgij in Velabro condidit eoque loci caput ipsius Sancti collocavit So Platina affirme's it I know indeed that the later editions of that Author reade it B. Gregorij but questionlesse they are mis-printed For in an old edition of this booke at Colen anno 1529. afterwards in that of Lovaine corrected by Oniphurius anno 1572. it is B. Georgij as before we read it Herm. Schedell addes that besides the Church there was also built a Monasterie and that it did continue in great honour even unto his times Huius inelyti Martyris caput cum postmodum Venetijs delatum fuisset in eius honorem Monasterium et Ecclesia erecta fuit quod nunc usque maxima veneratione perseverat A Church it seemes of great name and credit such which of long hath beene a title of some Roman Cardinall For in the life of Alexander 6. we have there mention of one Raphael Cardinall of St. George's Camerarius S. Ecclesiae High Chamberlaine of the State Ecclesiasticke And in the 5. Tome of the Bibl. S. Patrum we have aâ—tract de Iubileo written by Iames then Cardinall of St. GEORGES Iacobi S. Georgij ad velum aureum Diaconi Cardinalis de Iubileo liber unus as the title tells us Which Iames was nephew to Pope Boniface the eighth by him advanced unto that office in his first call of Cardinals anno 1295. So de la Bigne the first Collectour of those Volumes out of an ancient Manuscript of Alphonso Chicarelli 10 Hitherto our enquirie hath beene made in Asia and in Europe onely we will now crosse over into Africke that so it may appeare that every part of the knowne world I meane knowne anciently hath in it some memoriall of our Saint and Martyr In this we will content our selves with Alexandria the Queene of Cities and Metropolis of Africa as Sir George Sandys calls her where we shall find an ancient Temple dedicated to St. GEORGE For thus the Letter of Ioh. Comus the Suffragan of Amba Gabriel Patriarch of Alexandria directed to Pope Clement 8. and dated on the 28. of December anno 1593. Tres Alexandria sunt Ecclesiae Catholicae una nomine principis Angelorum S. Michaelis secunda S. Marci Evangelistae ac tertia nomine Martyris magni S. Georgij extra urbem ad littus maris salsi et omnes istae Ecclesiae indigent aedificatione vestitu et impensis pauperum et egenorum There are saith he three Christian Churches in Alexandria St. Michaels the Archangell St. Markes the Evangelist and thirdly that of St. George the great Martyr without the City and neere unto the Sea all which doe stand in need of reparation ornaments and money for the entertainment of the poore I know that Mr. Sam. Purchas doth account this Letter and the whole businesse handled by Baronius in his Corollarie ad Tom. 6. where this Letter is to be forged and counterfeit as having in it a submission of this Patriarke and the Church of Egypt to the See of Rome whereas indeed there was no such matter But somewhat surely there was in it which might occasion such an Embassie to Rome and some dependance of the Christians of this Country upon the Pope It being noted by G. Sandys that multitudes of late have beene drawne to receive the Popish Religion especially in Cairo the Seate of the Alexandrian Patriarke of the Cophties or native Christians of that Country by the industry of Friers having had the Roman Liturgie sent them from Rome together with the Bible in the Arabicke language As for the thing it selfe it is affirmed by Mr. Phurchas that there are three Christian Churches in Alexandria which is inough to confirme our purpose Other Churches there also are dedicated to St. George of good antiquitie though of lesse note as viz. that of Caire in Egypt that of Beddi in the realme of Ethiopia and lastly that in Constantinople built by Iustinian the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Procopious hath it What Churches have beene consecrated to his memorie with us in England wee shall see hereafter 11 If any thing may be objected against ought that we have spoken in this present Chapter and the last it is in likelyhood the case of Faustus Rhegiensis and the Pseudo-Martyr in Sulpitius Severus both which were held for Martyrs although the one of them was a Theife and the other an Hereticke Of Faustus Rhegiensis who in the opinion of the ancient Church was reckoned for a Semi-Pelagian it is affirmed by Doctor Abbotts afterwards Lord Byshop of Salisburie that he had place in the French Martyrologies a Festivall allotted to him on the 17. of Ianuary and a Temple dedicated to him by the people of his owne City Immò et in Martyrologie Gallicano inter Sanctos
are the principall SYLLABVS CAPITVM PART I. The Preface 1 THe nature of Curiositie 2 And pronenesse of the present Age to new fancies 3 The opening of the cause in hand 4 The Reasons which induced the Author to undertake the Patronage of St. George's Cause and Historie 5 His resolution in it and the manner of his proceeding 6 The method of the whole 7 The Authors free submission of himselfe and his performance to the wise and learned CHAP. I. 1. Three kindes of Imposture 2. The first Author of Scholasticall or fabulous Hiâ—â—â—rie 3. The three ages of the Church in these later times 4. Iacobus de Voragine the Author of the Golden Legend his time and qualitie 5. His fiction of St. George's killing of the Dragon 6. The remainder of that Legend continued out of Ovid. 7. The fable of St. George's Birth in England 8. Poetically countenanced by Edm. Spencer 9. The Legend of the Dragon reiected by the learned Romanists 10. Defended by Geo. Wicelius 11. The Scene thereof removed from Africke into Asia CHAP. II. 1. Of Heretickes and their Originall 2. Their early practices to corrupt the Gospell 3. Their arts to countenance their cause 4. Their plots discovered and condemned by Councels and by Fathers 5. The iniurie done by Heretickes vnto the History of St. George 6. St. Athanasius accused for Magick by the Arians 7. Of Alexandra Diocletians wife in the Arian Legend 8. The indiscretion of some Church-Historians in their choyce of Argument CHAH. III. 1. A proposition of the two contrary opinions 2. Calvin the first that ever bid defiance to St. George 3. Melanchthon misreported by the Papists 4. Calvins opinion in it by whom seconded 5. Saint George by whom first made an Arian Byshop 6. The principall abettours of this last opinion 7. No enemie more dangerous to the Truth than a great mans errour 8. An examination of the Arguments drawne from the Canon of P. Gelasius 9. And the Authority of Cardinall Baronius CHAP. IIII. 1. A coniecture at those reasons which may make the History of St. George suspected 2. The Church of Rome too prodigall in bestowing Divine honours 3. False Saints no preiudice vnto the true 4. The lives of Saints how fabulously and vainely written 5. What might induce the Church-Historians to that veine of writing 6. The vndertaking of Aloysius Lippomanus how well performed 7. The inter-mixture of vaine Fables no preiudice to truth of Story 8. Of Arthur Guy of Warwicke and Sir Bevis 9. Haereticall dreames and practices not able to beare downe the truth 10. An application of the whole vnto St. George CHAP. V. 1 Vndoubted truths the ground of fabulous reports 2 The priviledge of two French Churches and the Fables thence arising 3 The Barons case of Gascoygne 4 St. George's killing of the Dragon how â—arre it may be iustified 5 The Portraiture of Constantine 6 The Order of the Dragon and of St. Michael 7 St. George how pictured commonly and what it signifieth 8 The memorable story of St. George's his Horse 9 The picture of St. George how made a Fable and by whom 10 The entertainment of it in the Church of Rome 11 The Reformation of the Missall 12 A finall answere to all those on the part of Calvin CHAP. VI. 1 The whole story of George the Arian Byshop 2 George Byshop of Alexandria not proved by Doctor Reynolds to be a Cappadocian 3 The Cappadocians infamous for their lewdnesse 4 The life of George before he was appointed Byshop 5 His Butcherly behaviour in that holy Dignity 6 Degraded in the Councels of Sardica and Seleucia 7 An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Drusius in making George the Laodicean to be the same with him of Alexandria 8 The strange effects of fancie and preconceipt 9 George's returne to Alexandria and the manner of his death 10 George Byshop of Alexandria never reputed for a Martyr 11 Shreds of the Arrian Legend by whom patch'd on vpon St. George's Cloake 12 Sr. W. Raleighs resolution in received opinions 13 A transition to the examination of Witnesses on St. George's side The second Part. CHAP. I. 1 THe Name and Etymologie of GEORGE 2 The Story of St. George by Metaphrastes 3 The time of that Author and the reason of his name 4 The opinion of him in the Greeke-Church 5 This Metaphrastes not the same with Simeon the Schoole-master 6 The Country Parentage and first fortunes of St. George 7 The State of the Roman Empire at that time and Persecution then beginning 8 The speech of George vnto the tyrants his torments and his death 9 The manner of his death according to Frier Anselme and the English Storie 10 Fabulous histories of that nature of what profit to the reader 11 A reiection of the residue in Metaphrastes 12 Arguments Ab autoritate negative of what credit in the Schooles CHAP. II. 1 Magnentius mentioned in the former Storie what hee was 2 Vestem exuere militarem the meaning of it and when vsed 3 Lydda the Scene of this great action now called St. George's 4 Malmesbury reconciled with other Authors 5 No executions permitted by the Ancients within their Cities 6 The former Story iustified most of it by Eusebius 7 St. Ambrose testimony of St. George how certaine to be his 8 The time and Canon of P. Gelasius 9 The Story of St. George why reckoned as Apocryphall 10 The meaning of Gelasius not to explode the Martyr with his Hystorie 11 The Arrian George not likely in so small a tract of time to be reputed as a Martyr 12 A Catalogue of the Authors cyted in this booke which haue made honourable mention of Saint George as also of those Princes Peeres and Prelates which haue done him honour digested in their times and ages CHAP. III. 1 The state of learning in the Church divided into two naturall dayes 2 The time and learning of Venerable Bede 3 His testimonies of St. George 4 Of Dacianus King of Persia and who he was 5 Persia taken in some Authors for the Easterne Countries 6 A reconcilement of the other doubts touching this Dacianus 7 The Martyrologies of Vsuardus Rabanus Maurus and Notgerus 8 St. George how said to haue converted many people 9 The witnesse of Vincentius Iacobus and Antoninus Florent 10 Nicephorus Callistus and his evidence 11 The suffrage of Sabellicus Schedell Bergomensis and Volaterran 12 Of the Magdeburgians and some other Protestant Divines 13 A recollection and application of the whole proofes CHAP. IIII. 1 Foure seuerall wayes used by the Church to keepe aliue the memory of the Martyrs 2 The way of Martyrologies how ancient 3 The Roman Martyrologie and what it testifieth of St. George 4 Natale what it is in the construction of the Church 5 The testimonie given vnto St. George in the Greeke Church 6 St. George why called Tropaeophorus 7 Commemoration of the Dead how vsed in the Church primitive 8 The depravation of the ancient vse of it in the Church of Rome
tainted the Hereticks inserting such passages into their Histories as might perswade the world to thinke them of their party the others labouring so to describe their lives and passions as might procure unto their shrines a greater measure of Devotion and attendance The one of these an effect onely of a superstitious Piety the other a designe of a malicious cunning 2 And first beginning with the Legendaries which of these two Impostors are the last in time and least in danger they tooke beginning from one Peter sirnamed Comestor the Author as his friends doe stile him and as himselfe inscribe's his worke of the Scholasticall Historie But they which looke upon his Writings with the eye of judgment and not of blind Affection have thought it fitter to bestow upon him that Character which I haue somewhere read of Herodotus and to intitle him Fabulosae Historiae Patrem the Father and Originall of all those fabulous Tales and Legends which at this day are so frequent in the Roman Church Sure I am that Bellarmine hath given him this Censure that he inserted into the sacred Stories of the Bible many things out of vulgar glosses and prophane Authors not rarely mingling with it uncertaine and unprofitable Fables Scripsit autem saith he inserens verbis sacris multa ex glossis ex prophanis Auctoribus non rarò admiscens incertas Historias He liv'd and writ about the yeare 1150. which Age with that that followed may most deservedly be intituled Fabulous 3 For as the learned Varro call'd the first Ages of the world before the Floud conceive it of Deucalion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obscure because of the ignorance thereof and those which were before the first Olympiad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fabulous because of those so frequent Fables of the Gods and Goddesses in them delivered but those that next succeeded them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Historicall the writings of it beginning now to be worthy credit so is it also in these latter Ages of the Church There was a time which Bellarmine doth call Infelix seculum a time of ignorance and darknesse which lasted from the yeare 900. unto the yeare 1100. or thereabouts There also was a time which wee may properly call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Fabulous delighted only in the myracles apparitions of the Saints with other matters of that nature the fruits of superstitious fancies And last of all when learning was reviv'd by Petrarch and his endeavours seconded by Fl. Blondus Aeneas Sylvius Picus Mirandula and others of that time and Country the Church may justly stile her Acts and Monuments Historicall and true the knowledge of the present times having expell'd the ignorance of the first Ages and discovered the fabulous vanities of the other 4 Not to search further in this Argument let it suffice that we have found the first Father of the Legendaries in the Westerne Churches nor is it to be doubted but that he had a fruitfull issue in an age so prone to Superstition Of these the man of greatest Fame was Iames Archbishop of Genoa in Italie a native of that Country his surname De Voragine so call'd in the opinion of Helvicus quasi Vorago esset Bibliorum propter crebras allegationes because he was so great a Student in the Holy Scriptures so frequent in quotations Philippus Bergomensis and Possevin since him will rather have it to bee de Viragine a litle Village in the territorie of Genoa the place of his Nativity Oraeus in his Nomenclator placeth him ad Annum 1278. Helvicus in the yeere 1280. And Bergoâ—mensis ten yeeres after Anno 1290. None of them differing from the truth though from themselves The last of these give 's him the commendation both of Eloquence and Learning and Vossius makes him in his worke de Latinis Historicis to be the first Translatour of the Bible into the Italian language His workes were many and of good opinion in the Church but none of equall credit with the Historie which he collected of the lives of Saints Himselfe intituleth it Historia Lombardica call'd by the people for the excellency thereof as it was then conceiv'd the Golden Legend A booke in the esteeme and judgment of those times of high desert how ever now the learned Papists haue rejected it with shame inough There is saith Master Harding in his Detection an old Moathe-eaten booke wherin Saints lives are said to be contein'd certaine it is that among some true stories are many vaine fables written And Lud. Vives give 's him this censure for a farewell that he was homo ferrei oris plumbei Cordis some also adde Animi certè parùm prudentis severi a man of litlewit and lesse judgment a leaden heart and a brazen forehead 6 Of him and of his Legend more hereafter and for the present let us looke upon him in his so memorated Storie of St. George and of thâ— Dragon He begins it thus Georgius Tribunus genere Cappadox pervenit quadam vice in Provinciam Lybiae in civitatem quae dicitur Silena iuxta quam Civitatens erat stagnum instar Maris in quo Draco pestifer latitabat flatuque suo ad muros civitatis accedens omnes inficiebat quapropter compulsi cives duas oves quotidiè ' sibi dabant ut eius furorem sedarent Cum ergo iam oves pene deficerent inito consilio ovem cum adiuncto homine tribuebant Cum igitur sorte omnium filij filiae consumpti essent quadam vice filia Regis unica sorte est deprehensa Draconi adiudicata c. Once on a time for so wee will begin it St. George of Cappadocia a Colonell or a Tribune of the Soldiers at that time came to the Country of Lybia and to the Citie of Sisena A City as Don Quixote said of his Kingdome errant that is not to bee found in all the Map Neere to this Towne there whs a Lake as big as any Sea God blesse us and in that Lake a deadly Dragon which with his breath did poyson all the Country round about him and therefore the poore people were compell'd God helpe em to give him every day two sheepe to keepe him quiet At last when all their sheepe were spent alas poore people they were compell'd to give him every day one sheepe and one man or one woman with it to make up the number And then when almost all their Sonnes and Daughters had beene eaten at length the cruell and unlucky lot fell upon the Kings Daughter her Fathers onely Child and her mothers blessing It was a sorry house I warrant you but who could helpe it the poore Lady was drawne forth into the Fields and stript of all her gay attire and bound unto a stake and ready for the foule Feind that was to eate her c. 6 So farre the Storie or the Tale rather in the Legend the rest of it for the more variety we will make bold
Order of the Dragon so call'd because his Knights did beare for their Devise a Dragon falling headlong pour tesmoigner que par son moyen le Schisme et l' heresie dragons devorans de la religion avoyent ' esté vaincus et supplantez And this saith he that made the booke entituled Les estats du Monde translated since by Grimston to testifie that by his meanes the Dragons of Heresie and Schisme which otherwise no doubt had destroyed religion and devoured the Church were vanquished and suppressed Much like to this in the Device is the French Order dedicated to Saint Michael instituted by King Lewis the 11. not long after Anno viz. 1469. Vnto the coller of which Order there is fastened the picture of St. Michael the Archangell combatting with the Dragon of the infernall Deepes aureaque imagine S. Michaelis draconem infernalē prosternentis pectus insigniente So saith Hospinian But this in reference rather to the encounter of St. Michael with the Dragon in the Apocalypse 7 With these the portraiture of Constantine above-mentioned and the two militarie Orders of St. Michael and the Dragon St. George as he is commonly expressed in picture holdeth good proportion and correspondence His picture as in the present times we use to draw it but ab initio non fuit sic it was not thus from the beginning For I have read it in the life of Theodorus Syceotes commonly call'd Archimandrita or Chiefe-Abbot borne in the time of the Emperour Iustinian that then St. George was onely pictured as a faire yong man richly arrayed and of an haire somewhat inclining unto yellow For so Elpidia doth describe him in the relation of her dreame to this her Grandchild Theodorus if at the least we may take this or any thing upon Surius word who fathereth this discourse upon one George a Priest the Scholler of this Ahbot Videbam fili mi dulcissime these are old Grandams words adolescentem valde formosum splendidis vestimentis ornatum aureaque fulgentem coma illi similem quem pro S. Georgio in eius historia cernimus Thus was hee pictured anciently But in the middle times hee was presented to the common view more like a man at armes mounted upon a lusty Courser a young maide kneeling by him and a fierce Dragon thrust through with a Speare gasping for life just as we see him painted but there is no mention of the young maide on our common Signe-posts A picture which in the darker and more ignorant times was thought to represent that storie which was then publish'd in the Legend which since it hath bin otherwise resolv'd by the learned of both parties that it did only represent some mysterie or allegorie hath not a litle exercis'd their wits and fancies Perkins will have it as before we noted to bee in former times a representation of our Saviour who vanquished the Divell for the deliverance of his Church in which conceit of his many Divines have closed in with him which wee then noted also out of Charles Stephanus Baronius doth conceive it to be the picture of some state or Country petitioning according to the custome of those times the ayde and helping-hand of so great a Saint against the violence of the Divell In virgino n. illa typus exprimitur more maiorum provinciae vel civitatis alicuius quae adversus diaboli vires tanti martyris imploret auxilium Villavincentius and Hyperius have applyed it to the civill Magistrate whose principall endeavours ought to aime at this that they defend the Church from the covetous tyrannie of the Oppressour the old Serpent Dr. Reynolds as hee preferres this last conceit before that of Baronius so doth he seeme to prize his owne both before this or any other With him the meaning of the embleme or picture Emblematicall must be this that all true Christians whom the Apostle calls Gods husbandrie might learne hereby how much it doth concerne them to make warre against the Dragon and to destroy him with the sword of the Spirit Vt sciant omnes Christiani quos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei appellat Apostolus 1. Cor. 3. militandum sibi adversus draconem Apocal. 12. eumque Dei gladio confodiendum So he in his praelections on the Apocrypho and the same words almost repeated in his booke de Rom. Idololatria For my part I rather choose for why in such variety may not I also assume the liberty of conjecture to make it at the least in part historicall as being thus contriv'd of purpose in those times and by those men which most affectionately were devoted to our Martyr to publish to posterity how bravely he refell'd the Divell how constantly hee persevered in the profession of his faith the whole Church praying with him and kneeling like the Virgin by him in that holy action that GOD would give him strength subdue that enemy the Dragon 8 How long the picture of St. George hath beene commended to us in this Knightly forme I cannot easily determine onely I will be bold to say that it is not very moderne or of small standing in the Church as may bee gathered out of the History of Nicephorus Gregoras This Author was by birth of Greece and wrote the History of that declining Empire beginning at the yeare 1200 and ending it anno 1344. about which time it is conceiv'd that he was gathered to his fathers In the 8. booke he wrote eleven in all there is a memorable storie of St. George's Horse which for the rarenesse of it and that it is so proper to the cause in hand it shall not grieve me to relate nor any Reader to peruse Primo quadragessimae Sabbato cum postridie orthodoxorum Imperatorum Patriarcharum proclamanda esset memoria tum quoque Theodorus Logotheta generalis à vespera ad nocturna sacrailla de more accessit Media verò sub nocte me astante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 audiente quidam ab Imperatore adest novum illi nuncium apportans c. On the first Saturday in Lent the Commemoration of such godly Emperours and Patriarchs as had departed in the Faith being the morrow after to be solemnized it pleas'd the Lord high Chancellour Theodorus for so on the authority of Meursius in his Graeco-Barbara I thinke good to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say it pleas'd him to be present with us according to the custome at those night-watches About the time of midnight I stāding neere him and harkning to divine Service a Messenger in all the hast came to him frō Andro the Elder then our Emperour telling this strange newes and desiring his opinion But now saith he when as the Soldiers of the Guard Milites Imperatorij were going to their rest there was a fearfull neighing heard so upon the suddaine that it made all of us amazed the rather because there were not any Horses then about the Court all of them carried
in the evening farre off unto their Stables This tumult not yet quieted another noyse of the same kinde but greater than the former was heard unto the Emperours Chamber who presently dispatch'd a Servant to inquire into the matter The servant did as was commanded Sed nihil audivit aliud nisi ab equo in quodam palatij pariete ante victricis deiparae sacellum quem Paulus olimpictor praestantissimus effinxisset D. Georgium pulcherrime sustinentem esse editum c. The servant did as was commanded but heard no other noyse than what did seeme to him to issue from the picture of a certaine horse bearing St. George upon his backe which Paul the famous painter had long since painted on that part of the pallace-wall which is close by our Ladies Chappell This is saith hee the message which I am commanded to deliver and to acquaint you also that his Majesty desires your present counsell Ad haec Logotheta iocatus Gratulor tibi inquit Imperator futuros triumphos c. quibus auditis At tu quidem inquit Imp. isto responso exhilarandi mei gratia usus rem ignorare visus es Ego autem dicam tibi Nam ut patres nostri nobis tradiderunt equus iste alias ad eundem modum hinnijt cum Baldwinus Latinorum Princeps a patre nostro pulsus urbem amissurus esset The Chancellour repairing upon these summons to the Emperor found him exceedingly disquieted and therefore sportively accoasting him I doe my Leige said he congratulate those noble tryumphs which the lusty neighing of St. George's horse portend unto you To whom the Emperour replyed It seemes my Lord that you of purpose to compose my thoughts and make me merry will not take notice of the matter but I am able to instruct you in it For I have heard uppon good credit that this same picture of an Horse neigh'd formerly as now it did just when that Baldwin Emp. of the Latines in Constantinople was beleagured by my Father and the City taken So farre the storie All we will note from hence is this that Baldwin mention'd in the Historie began his Raigne anno 1227. and that St. George both in his time and long before was painted mounted on his Horse which is as much as I desire for my present purpose 9 Saint George thus pictured eyther by way of Hieroglyphicke as some conceive it or of Historicall representation as I rather should conjecture it was not long before the vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle calls them had improoved it into a Fable And now St. George must be ennobled for the killing of a Dragon which he never saw and ransoming of King Nemo's Daughter for in the Legends there is nothing told us of his name Iust as upon the post-fact the Normans fram'd that doughty tale of St. Romanus and the Dragon or those of Orleans the no lesse memorable storie of Saint Aignans Stone Which beeing so the people thus affected by reason of those pictures which did then commonly expresse Saint George and the composers of the Legends willing to countenance those fictions which were already of good credit with the people it came to passe that not these onely of the vulgar but even the best and wisest as the times then were ranne headlong on the same Errour The rather because the Author of the Legend then in most esteeme was not of ordinary ranke a man of speciall eminence for his Workes and Learning Archbyshop of a chiefe Citie in Italie and of good credit for a long time together in the Court of Rome I meane Iacobus de Voragine whom in this case the Cardinall Baronius justly blames for making that an Historie or a Fable rather which was in all Antiquitie intended onely for an embleme In nullis enim quae recensuimus S. Georgij actis antiquis quicquam legitur eiusmodi viz. the killing of the Dragon c. sed a Iacobo de Voragine absque ulla maiorum autoritate ea ad historiam referuntur quae potius in imagine illa typum exprimunt c. All I shall add is this which may perchance bee else objected that De Voragine did frame his Legend according to the common fame and the expression of St. George in common Pictures and not the pictures made according to the fancie and tradition of the Legend For it appeares out of Nicephorus above-mentioned that this our Martyr had beene pourtraied in this fashion some space of time before the Latines were expuls'd Constantinople which hapned in the yeare 1260. Whereas Iacobus de Voragine began to bee of credit at the soonest Anno 1278 and as it is conceived by others not till the yeare 1290. which before we noted 10 But to proceed the Legend thus composed and by such a man and so agreeable unto the humour of the people no marvaile if it found a willing entertainment in the publicke service of the Church so that in tract of time the Legend or historia Lombardica for so the Author calls it became a principall part in the Roman Breviarie Bona Breviariorumpars quod quidem ad lectiones matutinas attinet ex Lâ—mbardica desumpta est licet verbis paululum immutatis So saith Wicelius and wee well know how justly hee might say it as in the generall so also in the particular of St. George For in an old Booke which I have long had in my custodie entituled Horae B. Mariae Secundùm vsum Sarum Wee have this History of St. George and of his Dragon thus framed into an Antheme and as it there appeareth appointed to be sung on his publicke Festivall the Antheme this O Georgi Martyr inclyte Te decet laus gloria Praedotatum militia Per quem puella regia Existens in tristitia Coram Dracone pessimo Salvata est Ex animo Terogamus corde intimo Vt cunctis cum fidelibus Coeli iungamur civibus Nostris ablutis sordibus Et simul cum laetitia Tecum simus in gloria Nostraque reddant labia Laudes Christo cuÌ„ gratia Cui sit honos in secula George holy Martyr praise and fame Attend upon thy glorious name Advanc'd to Knightly dignitie The Daughter of a King by thee As she was making grievous moane By a feirce Dragon all alone Was freed from death Thee we intreat That wee in Heaven may have a seat And being wash'd from every staine May there with all the Faithfull raigne That wee with thee together may Sing gladly many a sacred Lay The gracious throne of Christ before To whom be praise for evermore 11 So was it in our Ladies Horarie or horarium according to the use of Sarum and so no question in other of their publike Service-Bookes untill the reformation of Religion began in Germany by Luther made those of Rome bethinke themselves and make some necessary reformation also in such particulars as were most scandalous and offensive A reformation not onely of their manners which since the difference began have
Athanasius Not long after followed another Synod holden at Seleucia a Towne of Asia the lesse anno 358 or thereabouts wherein this Alexandrian George was againe degraded The Fathers here assembled intended as it seemes some mitigation in the points of Controversie then on foote and therefore did declare our blessed Saviour to be of a like Substance with the Father though not the same So that the difference now was onely in a letter though such a letter as made the difference but little lesse The Nicene Creed pronouncing CHRIST to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same Substance and this affirming him to bee onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the like substance To which decree this George a peremptorie and stubborne Arian would not yeeld For which with other matters proov'd against him hee was sentenced to bee degraded I say with other matters prooved against him because wee reade in Sozomen that they of Egypt had accused him in the Councell of rapine and such other contumelious crimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As that Author hath it 7 In this Seleucian Synod was present also another George Byshop of Laodicea a Citie of Syria an Arian also or one at least which did not favour the Homousians for so they call'd them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Socrates But yet it seemeth a peaceable and quiet Arian one who not onely willingly subscribed unto the Canons of that Councell but also made himselfe head of a partie against George of Alexandria in the behalfe and cause of Cyrill of Hierusalem This Cyrill being a learned a godly Byshop had a cause dependant in that Synod and those which were profess'd and peremptorie Arians did purpose to depoâ—e him that so there might be roome to settle in Hierusalem a Prelate of their faction But on the other side there was no want of such who though they loved him not for his Opinions which were true and Orthodoxe did yet admire his learning and respect his person Hereupon the Councell was divided into two parts or factions whereof the one was govern'd by Acacuis Byshop of Caesarea and George of Alexandria the other by this George Byshop of Laodicea and Sophronius of Pompeiopolis And after the determination of the Councell there is this mention of him in the same Author that hee did doubtfully declare himselfe in the points of Doctrine then questioned sometimes abetting the Decrees of the Seleucian Synode and sometimes more inclining to the opinions of the Arians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which being so I doe the rather wonder at a strange mistake in the learned Drusius who makes this George the Laodicean to be the same with him of Alexandria For in his Notes upon Sulpitius Severus ad Pag. 149. he hath it thus Georgius Laodiceae Episcopus Cappadox Arianorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and afterwards ad Pag. 156. Georgius Alexandriae Episcopus à Constantio constitutus cum prius fuisset Episcopus Laodecenus Which words of his first make the Laodicean George to bee of Cappadocia and afterwards translate him to the Church of Alexandria but neither rightly An errour into which it is not possible almost so great a Scholler should bee drawne aside by specious shewes and a similitude or rather an identitie of names 8 But such for certaine is the quality of fancie and of preconceipt that it doth frame and fashion all things like it selfe just as those men whose eyes are tainted with the yellow jaundise conceive all Objects which they meet with to be yellow When once Pythagoras had formed the apprehension of his Schollers to entertaine these principles viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that unitie was the beginning of all numbers that numbers were the originall of points and lines and plaine figures and these the Parents of the Elementary bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. out of which bodies the whole world was animated and contrived when he had formed I say their apprehensions to these principles than which not any thing more foolish and absurd in nature it was not possible to alter them in their opinions And so affected also were the Epicurcans unto those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught them by their Master and out of which they were perswaded the whole world had beene compacted So is it also with these men who having taken a conceit against George the Arian and his butcherly proceedings think presently that every George they meet with in discourse or reading must be of Alexandria On this conceit first Dr. Reynolds confounded George the Arian with St. George the Martyr after Drusius confounded George the Laodicean with George the Arian There is another George B. of Alexandria too mention'd in Photius as the Author of a booke concerning Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But who he was saith he and in what time he lived I am not certaine I wonder some or other hath not resolv'd the doubt and made him also George the Arian that so we might have had a whole messe of Georges and all but one 9 But to returne unto my storie No sooner was the Councell of Seleucia ended but George prepar'd himselfe for his returne to Alexandria notwithstanding that he stood degraded by the Sentence of that Synod It seems he was a man not to be daunted either with complaints or Censures for presently on his returne he fell upon his former courses plaguing as well the Gentiles as the Christians which would not be in all points of his Opinion By meanes whereof and by his insolent carriage towards those of the better sort he became at last to be generally hated the rather because he was suspected to be a Tale-teller an Informer and that he did ill Offices betweene them and the Emperour Multos exinde accusans apud patulas aures Constantij ut eius recalcitrantes imperijs as in Marcellinus The occasion of his death is diversly related Our Ecclesiasticall Historians agree joyntly that the Emperour had given him license to convert the Temple of Mithras or the Sunne which had beene long time out of use into a Christian Church and that the Christians finding in it such heapes of slaughter'd bodies which had beene offered to that Idol exposed them to the publicke view thereby to make the irreligion and impiety of the Gentiles the more odious Netled with which they fell together on the Byshop whom before they hated and slew him in the place By Ammianus Marcellinus it is thus related that passing once by the goodly Temple dedicated to the Genius it may be of the Roman Empire with many of the people according to the custome waiting on him Flexis ad adem ipsam luminibus quamdiu inquit stabit hoâ— Sepulchrum casting his eyes upon it after a scornfull fashion how long said he shall these old ruines continue undemolished Vppon report of w ch the Gentiles furiously inraged and hearing presently upon it
together with the strange Conversion of the Empresse AREXANDRA both which before have had my blessing These intermingled with the horrible and most unsufferable torments which are there said to be applyed unto our Martyr so great so farre above the strength of nature to indure that wee must needs reject the very naming of them as things so short of Truth that in the greatest charity they may not be reputed possible And for the close of all a cheate or couzning tricke of his put by him on the Emperour whom hee perswaded after many of his torments that hee was now content to sacrifice unto the Roman Idols Which done the Church made trim the Priests in readinesse and many of the people gathered there together to behold the alteration hee calls upon the LORD and presently upon his prayers downe came a fire from Heaven by which both Temple Priests and many of the people were consumed This last accounted as an Errour or a Fable rather in the common Legends by Antoninus Florentinus who guessing at some reasons for which the passion of St. GEORGE was judged Apocryphall makes this for One Quòd Daciano dixerit for so hee calls him paratum se Sacrificare si faceret populum ad Templum congregari quo facto oratione eius igne coelesti totum Templum c. concremavit This last accounted also one of the principall excesses of this Writer in the composition of his Stories and for that noted by the Cardinall in his censure of him 11 These passages in Metaphrastes we admit not in our Storie and therefore leave the proofe thereof to such as thinke they may beleeve them But for the rest wee doubt not but to make it good by witnesses of speciall ranke and many of them of authority undeniable in points Historicall The rest I meane which is of principall moment and most necessary to the cause in hand as viz. his Countrey and Martyrdome in generall the manner of his Death the time and place of it all these wee doubt not to make good by such variety of Evidence and strength of testimony as may suffice to make the Storie free from all further question But for the greatnesse of his Parentage and Fortunes together with his Honourable place about the Emperour this wee will take upon the word of Metaphrastes untill wee finde some evidence not yet discovered which can prove the contrary Nor shall it be sufficient for any of the adverse party to say that no such circumstance may bee found in Eusebius who largely wrote the Story of that last and greatest Persecution no nor in Bede which mentions him nor in Vincentius or Antoninus both which are large inough in the expression of his History For wee know well inough that Argumenta ab authoritate negativè are shamefully exploded in the Schooles of Logicke that the argument would bee ridiculous should any one conclude that all the Silvian Kings reckoned in our Chronologies are to bee rejected because so many Writers of the history of Rome have spared to name them I know indeed in points of Faith and Morall duties wee may resolve it with the Fathers Non credimus quia non legimus and therefore I restraine my selfe to Cases of this qualitie and that no further till I see evidence of reason to convince me of an Error where proofe of testimony failes Which ground thus layd wee will proceed unto the justification of the history in METAPHRASTES so much thereof as wee have taken and is most materiall But we will first make cleare our passage in the removing of one doubt and commenting a little upon one memorable circumstance therein the better to explaine the meaning of the Author and content the Reader and having pointed out the scene of this great Action descend unto our evidence CHAP. II. 1 Magnentius mentioned in the former Storie what hee was 2 Vestem exuere militarem the meaning of it and when used 3 Lydda the Scene of this great action now called Saint George's 4 Malmesbury reconciled with other Authors 5 No executions permitted by the Ancients within their Cities 6 The former Storie justified most of it by Eusebius 7 St. Ambrose testimonie of St. George how certaine to bee his 8 The time and Canon of Pope Gelasius 9 The Storie of Saint George why reckoned as Apocryphall 10 The meaning of Gelasius not to explode the Martyr with his Historie 11 The Arian George not likely in so small a tract of time to bee reputed as a Martyr 12 A Catalogue of the Authors cyted in this Booke which have made honourable mention of Saint George as also of those Princes Peeres and Prelates which have done him Honour digested in their times and Ages 1 THree thinges there are then which are to bee dispatch'd before wee come to the producing of further Evidence on our party viz. A doubt to bee remooved a notable circumstance to bee explained and the designment of the place or scene of this great Action Of these the doubt to bee removed is that particular passage touching Magnentius said then to be a principall Favorite of DIOCLETIAN and at that time Consul and this may well be call'd a doubt because in all the Consular tables which I have searched and seene I cannot meete during the whole Empire of Diocletian a Consul of that Name But if wee can finde out the man I hope we shall agree with case inough about his being Consul and for the finding out the man wee must make two enquiries My first enquiry is whether Magnentius there mentioned might not be hee which afterwards slew Constans Sonne unto Constantine the Great and tooke unto himselfe that part of the Roman Empire which Constans then commanded To make this probable for wee aspire no further we must first understand that Diocletian when hee associated Maximinian in the Empire did take unto himselfe the name from IVPITER the other his from HERCVLES the one being thenceforth call'd Diocletianus Iovius the other Maximinianus Herculius But not content with this to make their memory in these adjuncts more eternall they rais'd two severall Companies of selected Souldiers whom they call'd Iovij Herculij Of these selected Companies Magnentius was at that time Captain or Commander Comes Herculiorum Ioviorum hee is called in the Latine storie when hee made slaughter of Prince Constans and therefore not unlikely but he may be the Favourite of Diocletian mentioned in Metaphrastes and by him rais'd unto this honour If any thing may bee objected against this it is that if Magnentius were at that time Consul when Saint George was made a Martyr eyther he had beene dead before the murther of the young Emperour Constans or else too old to undertake such enterprises Of his decease before that time I thinke there can bee nothing proov'd unlesse by way of possible conjecture And for his age allowing him for twenty anno 290. when our Martyr suffered about which age and sooner many
where dissembled adventur'd boldly to cōfesse the name of GOD to whom it pleas'd the Lord to give so much of Heavenly grace that he not onely scorn'd the tyrants but contemned their torments This I find cyted by Hermanus Schedel in his Chronica Chronicorum and out of him by Bergomensis since by Molanus jn his Annotations upon Vsuards Martyrologie Iacobus de Voragine relyeth also in one passage on the authority of Ambrose so doth Vincentius and Antoninus Florentinus The treatise out of which his testimonie is avouch'd is by them call'd Liber praefationum not now extant Wicelius who doth also build on the authoritie of this Reverend Father saith that the booke is long since perish'd so perish'd as it seems that there is nothing left of it but the name and some scattered remnants Whether St. Ambrose were or not the Author of that treatise I cannot easily determine because in Possevin I find no mention of this tract who yet hath tooke upon him to marshall all the Workes of that excellent man even those also which are lost Yet on the other side his testimony vouch'd by Authors of that antiquity as those before recyted assure mee at the least so farre that such a worke was in their times receiv'd as his Adde unto this that Vossius reckoneth him with the Latine Historians in his late booke of that argument as having writ the lives of many of the Saints of Theodora namely of St. Celsus and Nazarius of St. Gervase and Protasius and as the Papists say of Agnes Which being so I must crave longer time before I shall reject these words ascribed unto him or not esteeme them true and worthy to be credited though not so fully as to build upon them altogether 8 But of our next witnesse there is lesse doubt and a larger testimonie though in his words we meet with somewhat which requires a Commentarie A witnesse which hath beene examined on the adverse part already where he was able to say nothing I meane Gelasius Pope of Rome and his so memorated Canon This Pope began his Papacie Anno 492. and dyed in 96. some foure yeares after About his time and long before it the Heretickes had busily employed themselves to falsifie the publike Acts and writings of the Church w ch thing they had effected so according to their wish that now it was high time to have a carefull eye upon them or else it may be they might have growne too potent to be easily suppress'd For this cause Pope GELASIUS having assembled 72. of his neighbour Prelates unto Rome did then and there with their advise and by their diligent assistance contrive a Catalogue of all such dangerous writings as were thought fit to be rejected giving to those which they accounted true orthodoxe the place and honour due unto them Which Canon since it is alleaged against us thereby to overthrow the History of our St. GEORGE we will in this place bring into the open view as much of it as concernes the businesse now in hand that so we may encounter them with their owne weapons The Canon is as followeth Gesta S. Martyrum qui multiplicibus tormentorum cruciatibus mirabilibus confessionum triumphis irradiant quis ita esse Catholicorum dubitet maiora eos in agonibus esse perpessos nec suis viribus sed dei gratia adiutorio universa tolerasse Sed ideo secundùm consuetudinem antiquam singulari cautela in Sancta Rom. Ecclesia non leguntur quia eorum qui scripsere nomina penitus ignorantur ab infidelibus idiotis superfluè vel minus aptè quam rei ordo fuerit scripta esse putantur Sicut cuiusdam Quiriaci Iulittae matris eius sicut Georgij aliorumque passiones huiusmodi quae ab haereticis perhibentur conscriptae propter quod ut dictum est ne vel levius subsannandi occasio oriretur in S. Romana Ecclesiâ non leguntur No◠tamen cum praedicta Ecclesia omnes Martyres atque eorum gloriosos agones qui Deo magis quam hominibus noti sunt cum omni devotione veneramur So farre the very words and letters of the Canon 9 By this it doth appeare that as the Saints in generall so also particularly St. GEORGE had beene abused and counterfeited in his Story in the close of the same Canon therefore it is reckon'd as Apochryphall as were a great many others of the same temper The reason why it was so reckon'd is by our latter writers diversly related Raphael Volaterran makes it to bee rejected onely so much of it as concernes St. Georges combat with the Dragon which also is assign'd by Antoninus amongst other causes but by neither rightly For in those times and many hundred yeares behind them the fable of the Dragon was not so much as thought of in the Church Christian. Iacobus de Voragine more nearely to the truth Ex eo quòd Martyrium eius certam relationem non habet because the storie of his death is told us in most perplext and uncertaine manner In Calendario n. Bedae c. For in the Calendar of Bede we find saith he that he was martyred in Diospolis a Towne of Persia in others that he lyeth buried in Diospolis not farre from Ioppe In some that he did suffer under Diocletian and Maximinian Emperours in others under Diocletian King of the Persians no lesse than 70. tributarie Kings being in presence Somewhat I say of this was rightly aym'd at by this blind archer but Bede is brought in by him somewhat too early as beeing a Post-natus scarce borne within two centuries of yeares succeeding But what need more conjectures or what use indeed is there of any since the same Canon which hath decreed the History of George then extant to be Apocryphall hath also told us that it was generally beleev'd to have beene writ by Hereticks This is inough to make the History of any S. suspected Apocryphall and that it was so written may easily appeare by that which was related in it touching Athanasius and the Empresse Alexandra not to omit that terrible massacre which by a cheating tricke he made of many of the people branded by ANTONINUS as before we noted 10 Hitherto have we spoken of GELASIUS Canon and nothing all this while which may redound from thence to St. GEORGES credit Nothing indeed in that which hath beene spoken hitherto because we were to lay our ground before we rais'd our building But that now done and the full meaning of the Canon duely pondered it will appeare for certaine that though Gelasius taxed the storie of St. GEORGE as dangerous and Apocryphall yet he hath done the Saint himselfe all due respects and confirm'd him to us This I did note before ou◠of the words of Bellarmine in a reply to Dr. Boys who needs would have both Bellarmine and Pope Gelasius speake for him in making our St. GEORGE to be a meere Chimaera or thing of nothing
Monasterij S. Galli a place among the Switzers His evidence compounded equally out of Bede and Vsuard the first part taken from the former the conclusion from the latter himselfe inserting this onely in the middle betweene both that after many inexpressible torments being at last beheaded he perfected that glorious worke by the effusion of his bloud In Perside civitate Diospoli passio S. Georgij Martyris qui sub Daciano Rege Persarum potentissimo qui dominabatur supra 70. Reges multis miraculis clarâ—â—t plurimosque convertit ad fidem Christi c. hitherto out of Bede Ipse verò post multos inauditos agones novissimè decollatus Martyrium sâ—um sanguinis effusione consummavit Then followes out of Vsuardus Cuius gesta Passionis etsi inter Apocryphas c. as before we had it 8 In these the testimonies of Bede Rabanus Maurus and Notgerus we finde it mention'd of St. GEORGE Plurimosque ad fidem Christi convertit That hee converted many to the Faith of CHRIST And answerable hereunto Vincentius Belvacensis Ad eius praedicationem credidit S. Vincentius That by the Preaching of Saint George St. Vincent who receiv'd the crowne of Martyrdome in Spaine received the Gospell Which doubtlesse must be understood of private reasonings and friendly conference with those whose soules hee chiefly tendred not by the way of any publicke Ministery wherein hee never was intrusted And certainly the Faithfull of the times Primitive especially during the heat of Persecution did much promote the holy Gospell by such private and domesticke meanes if I may so call it passing from house to house and from man to man so to bring Peace unto the one Salvation to the other Wherefore perhaps Cecilius calls the Christians generally Latebrosam Lucifugam nationem in publico mutam in angulis garrulam A slie and corner-creeping kind of people active in private places but still and quiet in the publicke It seemes that some not well acquainted with the calling and condition of our Martyr have made him very famous in the arts of Preaching as one that first converted the Armenians and Iberi now call'd Georgians For Michael ab Ysselt a Low-Countrey-writer telling what Honours by that people are afforded to St. George relates it thus Cur verò tanto in honore habeant D. illum Georgium causam nonnulli afferunt quòd ille primus ad fidem Christi Armenos Iberosque convertisset But whosoever those nonnulli are that so report it they are no question in an errour there being in the Ecclesiasticall historians another and more likely meanes of their conversion on which this Michael doth reflect in these wordes that follow Licèt alij illud cuiusdam puellae miraculis virtutibus tribuunt 9 In the next place wee have the suffrage of Vincentius Bishop of Beau-vein in France Anno 1250. A man of that deepe learning that the great Schoole-man Thomas Aquinas is supposed and Bellarmine can hardly save him harmelesse in it to take a great part of his Prima secundae and secunda secundae word for word out of the first and third bookes of this Vincents speculum morale He in the 12 th booke of his speculum historiale doth report the story thus Sub persecutione Daciani in divers passages before he call's him Dacianus Praeses venit de Cappadocia Georgius miles Qui videns Christianorum augustias erogatis omnibus quae habebat militarem vestem exuit et indutus veste Christianorum in medium sacrificantium se obiecit atque in conspectu omnium exclamavit dicens Omnes dij gentiuÌ„ daemonia Dominus autem coelos fecit Cui statim Dacianus ira repletus ait Qua praesumptione vel dignitate hoc audes vt deos nostros daemones esse dicas Dic tamen unde es et quomodo vocaris qui respondit Christianus sum Georgius vocor genere et militia Cappadocus sed cuncta deserui vt liberiùs Deo coeli servirem c. During the persecution rais'd by the President or Lieutenant generall Dacianus came George a Cappadocian Knight into the Court. Who seeing into what miserable streights the poore Christians were driven making a doale of all hee had put off his military or Knightly habit and manifesting that hee was a Christian hee rush'd into the middest of the Idolaters and in the hearing of them all cryed out that All the deities off the gentiles were but divels and that it was the Lord onely which had made the heavens To whom the President With what presumption or upon confidence of what high dignity doest thou affirme that our gods are divels tell us thy name and whence thou art Who presently return'd this answere I am saith he a Christian my name George my countrey Cappadocia and there of honourable ranke but I have willingly abandoned all to serve the God of heaven with greater freedome c. And in the close of all martyrizatus autem est in Perside civitate Diospoli he suffered in Diospolis a cittie of the Persians on the 23. of April To this agree's in the maine of it Iacobus de Voragineâ— Georgius tribunus genere Cappadox c. George one of the Tribunes by birth a Cappadocian c. The next that followeth is that doughtie storie of the Lybian Dragon which told he closeth in with the relation of Vincentius The like doth also Antoninus Florentinus of both which I have spoke already Onely the last hath noted that the historie of George is reckoned as Apocryphall not that he was no Martyr but that there are some passages there scarce worthie credit Ponitur autem Legenda cius inter Apocryphas Scripturas non quin verè Martyr fuerit pro confessione nominis Christi sed propter quaedam quae notantur in ea de veritate dubia Which passages I also have observ'd already To end this section the booke entituled Fasciculus temporum written by a Carthusian Monke of the 14 th Centurie and printed in the yeere 1476. by Conradus Hoemborche ad Annum 291. pag. 33. doth ranke our George among the Martyrs of that yeere between Pantaleon and Iustus 10 The witnesse next to be examined is of Greece Nicephorus Callistus who liv'd about the yeare 1305. Andronicus the Elder then reigning in Constantinople to whom he dedicates his booke Who being sworne and examined saith as followeth Eisdem quoque temporibus the time of DIOCLETIANS furie Georgius ille magni inter ceriatores istos nominis agminis Martyrum Coryphaeus laborum pro Christo toleratorum veros fruetus percepit Hic in Cappadocia natus adhuâ— adolescens forma praestanti qui nondum primani produxisset lanuginem fortissimè certaminibus pro Christo perferendis martyrium obijt Captus enim quòd in daemones acriter invectus esset Imperatorumque impietatem derisisset supra naturae captum perquam acerbos sustinuit cruciatus Nam post carcerem vincula ungulae acutae cum excepare mox
Voragine and Antoninus The yeare thereof limited more particularly by the Fasciculus temporum ad ann 291. and by Oraeus to the yeare 289. to which wee will adjoyne Baronius who places it in his Annals and so reports it in his Annot. on the Calendar ad ann 290. A difference not observeable And last of all the day thereof assigned upon the 23. of Aprill 9. Kal. Maij. by Venerable Bede Rabanus and Notgerus as also by Vincentius and Antoninus and by the Martyrologies both Greeke and Latine not yet produced the manner of his death being affirmed also by the loosing of his head by Metaphrastes Bede Rabanus and Notgerus by Vincentius de Voragine Nicephorus Antoninus Schedell and Bergomensis Which being so wee may the better and with more justice apply the old complaint of Canus to the businesse now in hand Si namque in duorum ore vel trium firmum stat omne verbum cur adversus hanc legenâ— plurimis testibus rem tandem olim gestam contestantibus fidem Theologus abnegabit Since GOD saith he hath told us that out of the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word shall be established with what pretence of reason may a Divine oppose this Law and not give credit unto many witnesses affirming all together the same Historie For our parts so confident are we that our cause is just and true that if the adversaries of St. GEORGE are able to produce one single testimonie out of any ancient Author or out of any Author borne before the time of CALVIN to make good their affirmavit we will forsake our colours and revolt to them But I am bold to say they cannot For had the thing beene possible the learned Doctor Reynolds who spared no labour in the search would have produced it CHAP. IIII. 1 Foure severall wayes used by the Church to keepe alive the memory of the Martyrs 2 The way of Martyrologies how ancient 3 The Roman Martyrologie and what it testifieth of St. George 4 Natale what it is in the construction of the Church 5 The testimonie given vnto St. George in the Greeke Church 6 St. George why called Tropaeophorus 7 Commemoration of the Dead how used in the Church primitive 8 The depravation of the ancient use of it in the Church of Rome 9 The publike service of that Church on St. Georges day 10 Arguments drawne from the Church service of what validitie 11 Saint George continually famous in the Church Christian. 12 And among the Turkes 1 THus have we drawne together the suffrages of such which eyther positively have affirmed or Historically related any thing of St. George the Martyr In which wee finde sufficient proofe as of his Country so of the time and day and manner of his death and that so punctually so agreeably both to their foreman and themselves that never any Iurie agreed bettâ—r on a Verdict This done we now addresse our selves to make inquiry of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pillar and the ground of Truth as Saint Paul calls it to learne of her what she hath practically done in St. Georges honour For to the positive affirmations of some men in St. Georges cause and the historicall relations of some others if wee can also get the countenance and practise of the Church wee then may have some good assurance that no man will hereafter stirre against us Now in the practise of the Church we may observe foure wayes or courses whereby she hath continually endeavoured to keepe alive the memory of the blessed Martyrs in none of which she hath beene wanting such is her tender care and respect of him unto our St. George The first of these is the common Martyrologie or Calendar in which their Names and Passion briefly but unto all eternity are registred The second is by giving them some speciall place in her publicke Liturgies The third by recollecting up their Reliques and laying them with all due honour in some place fit for them And last of all the calling of such Temples by the names of these most blessed Spirits which she had solemnely erected to GODS speciall service and Consecrated to his honour How much the Church hath done in all and every one of these to keepe the memory of Saint GEORGE the Martyr alive and flourishing wee shall best see by taking of them every one in their severall Order and speaking of them in particulars 2 Beginning with the first wee finde it on Record in Tullie that in the very first beginnings of the Roman State it was the Office of the chiefe Priest or Pontifex Max. to keepe a Register of all publike occurrences and to preserve them in some tables openly that so the people might peruse them Ab initio rerum Rom. saith he usque ad Publ. Mutium Pont. Max. res omnes singulorum annorum mandabat literis Pontifex Max. efferebatque in album proponebatque tabulam domi potestas ut esset populo cognoscendi Which Office discontinued in the time of Publ. Mutius was afterwards reviv'd by Iulius Caesar in his first Consulship being at that time chiefe Byshop of the Romans An institution of especial use service in that state as also in others there being not a greater spurre to vertue and Heroick undertakings than an assurance that the Fame of our atchievments well-deserving shall not be buried in the same grave with us perish w th our bodies For certainly the care both to live vertuously and if occasion so require to dye noblely must needs be much augmented in the minds of good and honest men when once they know that their performings shall not be folded up in silence but openly presented to the eyes and eares of all the people Vpon which grounds it was the custome of the faithfull in the first times and specially of those which were for place and power moâ—â— eminent amongst them to commit to publike memory the sufferings of all them which had confess'd the faith of CHRIST in the midst of tortures and continued constant in it even unto the death Not that they thought to adde thereby unto their glories who now were glorious in the Heavens but by preserving in continuall remembrance their infinite indurances for the truth and testimony of Religion to make the remnant of Gods people yet alive more apt to run that course and so to runne it that at the last they might attaine an equall guerdon Of which kinde of memoriall or publike Register is the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna extant in the fourth booke of Eusebius Historie that of the Lugdunenses and Viennoys in the fifth and lastly that also of Dionysius Byshop of Alexandria in the sixth and seaventh of the same Author 3 Of this kinde specially I meane in reference to the first times of Christian Religion were the two publike Martyrologies of the Greeke and Latine Churches The first originall of which not to looke further and perhaps fare worse may be referr'd most probably
unto Anterus Byshop of Rome about the yeare 238. at what time Maximinus having first kill'd his master Alex. Severus made havocke of the Church of GOD. Of him it is recorded that hee first caused the Acts and Passions of the blessed Martyrs to be diligently sought out and enroll'd by the publike Notaries in the common Registers of the Church lest else their memory might be determined with their lives Anterus primus statuit saith Platina ut res gestae Martyrum diligentèr exquisitae à notarijs scriberentur conscriptas recondi in aerario Ecclesiae mandavit ne unà cum vita bene agentium memoria aboleretur As for the Roman Martyrologie now extant as wee may well conclude that it was built upon that ground-worke or foundation of Anterus So we can ill affirme for certaine by whom the whole structure as we now see it was raised and perfected Onely we find in one of Gregories Epistles that then the Roman Church had upon register the names almost of all the Martyrs and a memoriall of their Sufferings digested as the Martyrologies now are according to their proper dayes the time onely of their passions and the place thereof assigned in them but litle of the circumstance and manner of their deaths Nos penè omnium Martyrum distinctis per dies singulos passionibus collecta in uno codice nomina habemus c. Non tamen codem volumine quis qualiter sit passus indicatur sed tantùm dies locus passionis ponitur Which booke or register here spoke of as it hath much resemblance in the forme and substance of it with the Roman Martyrologie now being so wee may happily resolve that it is the same augmented onely in the addition of such Saints as in the times succeeding have had place and some of them unworthily in the common Calendar This Martyrologie thus ancient as it may bee well supposed upon the Three and twentieth day of Aprill gives us this testimony of our Martyr viz. Natalis S. Georgij Martyris cuius illustre martyrium Ecclesia Dei veneratur The Passion of St. George the Martyr whose blessed martyrdome is in the Church of GOD in especiall honour And this briefly and in a word according to the use and nature of a Martyrologie 4 I have here rendred the Natalis in the Text by the English word of Passion because as I conceive it however it bee used in other Authors yet it must so be taken in the construction of the Church which did not use to solemnize the Birth dayes of the Saints but the dayes onely of their departure For they conceived it rightly that the birth-day of a Christian was his entrance into Glory by the gate of Death and that the worldly-minded man reputed that to bee the day of his Nativity by which hee entred into life And therefore Origen hath noted of the Christians of his time and of the times before him That they esteemed the day of Birth to be an entrance into anguish and temptation but celebrated with a solemne Feast the day wherein their friends and brethren were released from sinne and bondage Nunc nos saith hee non Nativitatis diem celebramus cum sit dolorum atque tentationum introitus Sed mortis diem celebramus utpote omnium dolorum depositionem atque omnium tent ationum effugationem Nay in his eighth Homily upon Leviticus hee affirmes for certaine that never any of the Saints did solemnize their Birth-day with good cheeâ—â— and festivals and not much after Soli peccatores super huiusmodi Nativitate laetantur That onely wicked men did so observe it Much also to this purpose that of St. Bernard in his Epistle to and against the Canons of the Church of Lyons who had presumed to introduce into the Church a new festivall The Feast of the Conception of the blessed Vigin The Church saith he hath by a spâ—ciall exception kept as holy the Birth-day of our Saviour of whom the Angels did affirme unto the Sheepe-heards that his Nativitie was tidings of great Ioy unto all the people Caeterorum autem non Nativitatâ—m sed mortem Sanctorum iâ—dicâ—t praedicat pretâ—oâ—am But for the rest saith hee the Church hath taught us that not the Birth-day of the Saints but the day rather of their dissolution is accounted precious In which no doubt hee did allude to that of DAVID Right precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints 5 If wee crosse over into Greece and aske what Honours they affoord unto St. GEORGE in their publicke registers wee find the Church there little lesse devoted to him than it is at Rome For thus Wicelius hath observ'd for us Veteres Graecos recensere in diario sub finem Aprilis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Greekes anciently in their Diarie or common Almanacke about the end of Aprill did celebrate the memory of St. GEORGE and SABAS as the Saints or Patrons of Military men Which Saba to note it by the way hath a place also in the Roman Martyrologie on the Foure and twentieth of Aprill and is there called Ductor militum a Captaine or Commander But not to stand alone upon the credit of Wicelius we have the Greeke Menologie for so they call it thus speaking of him and in the day agreeing with the Church of Rome Memoria Sancti Gloriosi Magni Martyris Georgij â—â—gnomento Tropelophori Fuit genere Cappadox passus sub Diocletâ—anâ— Imper. Id est This day is celebrated in memoriall of that most holy glorious and great Martyr George sirnamed Tropelophorus a Cappadocian by his Countrey who suffered under Diocletian In which we finde two circumstances which adde much unto him and his honour a sirname and an adjunct The adjunct is that hee is here stiled Magnus Martyr the great Martyr and not here onely but in divers other passages of Greeke writers For Metaphrastes gives this title to the Story of him Vita S. Georgij magni Martyris The History of George the great Martyr So also doth Pasicrates So also Comus the Suffragan of Amba Gabriel Patriarch of Alexandria doth call Saint GEORGES Church in that Citie Ecclesiam S. Georgij magni Martyris the Temple of George the Great Martyr But of this Comus more anon in the next Chapter 6 The sirname added in the Greeke Menologie unto Saint GEORGE is as Baronius reades it Tropelophorus for which hee is by Mr. Selden in his Titles of Honour justly tax'd it being plaine saith hee that it should rather be Tropaeophorus For proofe of which he hath produced a testimony out of Iohn Euchaites who flourish'd in the time of Constantinus Monamachus the Greeke Emperour about the yeare 1043. Which Euchaites being at that time a Byshop of the Greeke Church writing unto the Emperour above-named thus calls St. George the Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chiefe and President of warre the same Who from an