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
also into the same conceit and superstitious folly Hereupon were the monuments and dormitories of the Saints againe opened their bodies translated some of them entire into new Sepulchres and others dismembred peece by peece and carried into farre Countries that Church or Nation being conceived most happy which had procured any the least bone into their possession of such especially of the Saints which were in greatest credit and opinion with the people So that now the cruelty of the barbarous tyrants in the height of persecution might seeme to be revived in the dawning of Superstition Which notwithstanding there might perchance bee somewhat said in their excuse as viz. that the Reliques then by them so zealously affected were most of them true and reall not counterfeited by any cheating Mountebanke and therefore worthy of all due respect and reverence For who so cold in his affection to the Saints that would not gladly give them honor even in their dust So much respect no question may be due unto the Reliques of the Saints if truely such as by Pope Leo was afforded to a parcell of the crosse sent to him by the Byshop of Hierusalem of which he tells that Prelate in an answere to him Particulam dominica crucis cum eulogijs dilectionis tuae veneranter accepi That he received it with great reverence and thankes 3 Not to descend more downeward we will looke backe into those former times and therefore least corrupted wherein we find first mention of the Reliques of St. GEORGE And in the first place we meet with Gregory of Tours who flourished in the next age after Pope LEO above-named and dyed about the yeare 596. A man of speciall quality a Byshop by his calling and as he testifieth himselfe Author of many severall books and treatises Quos libros licet rusticiori stilo scripserim c. Which though he wrote in a more plaine and homely stile yet he doth earnestly conjure all those which should succeed him in that charge per adventum Domini nostri c. Even by the comming of our Saviour CHRIST and by the dreadfull day of judgment that neither they suppresse them or cause them to be unperfectly transcribed Sed ut omnia vobiscum integra inlibataque permaneant sicut à nobis relicta sunt but that they be preserved as uncorrupted and entire as they were left by him Of these bookes seaven of them did especially concerne the myracles of the Holy Martyrs and in the first thereof he tells us in the generall Multa de Georgio martyre miracula gesta cognâ—vimus that he had knowne of many myracles done by Saint GEORGE And in particular habentur eius reliquiae in vico quodam Cennomannensi ubi multa plerunque miracula visuntur Some of his Reliques also are in the Village of Le Maine where oftentimes there were seene many myracles There is a further passage in that Booke and Chapter which though I shall relate yet I will hardly take upon me to defend it it is briefly thus Huius reliquiae cum reliquorum Sanctorum à quibusdam ferebantur c. Some certaine men that carried with them some of St. GEORGE'S Reliques and of others also of the Saints came once unto a place in the frontires of Lymosin where a few Priests having a litle Chanterie or Oratorie made of boards did daily powre out their Devotions to the Lord. There for that night they begg'd for lodging and were accordingly made welcome The morning came and they prepar'd to goe forward in their jorney they were not able to remove their Knap-sacks capsulas out of the place wherein they laid them Loth to depart without their Reliques it came at last into their minds that sure it was the will of GOD they should bestow some of them on their Hosts which being done the difficulty was removed and they proceeded in their journey This storie as before I said I will not take upon me to defend Onely I note from hence that in this Gregories time or before it rather the Reliques of St. George were in especiall credit and so by necessary consequence the Saint himselfe exceeding famous 4 Not to say any thing here of St. George's head and of the Temple built of purpose by Pope Zacharie in honour of it which we shall speake of presently in a place more proper wee finde the Reliques of our Martyr mention'd with great honour in Aymonius An Author of the middle times anno 837. not long before the shutting in of the first day of learning in the Christian Church one of the Monks of St. GERMANS monasterie in the Suburbs of Paris and publike Notarie thereof for the time being Before we come unto his testimonie we must first take notice that Childebert Sonne of Clovis the first Christian King of France who began his reigne about the yeare 515 did in the later of his time anno 542. erect a Monasterie neere Paris unto the honour of St. Vincent This monasterie thus founded as he endowed it with many Lands and large immunities so he enriched it with the Reliques of St. Vincent and St. GEORGE and part also of the Holy Crosse all which he brought with him out of Spaine whither he had before made two famous journeyes Witnesse whereof the Charter of the Foundation copied out by Aymonius and is as much of it as concernes our purpose this which followeth Childebertus Rex Francorum c. In honorem S. Vincentij Martyris this Vincent was converted by St. GEORGE as before is said cuius reliquias de Spania apportavimus ceu sanctae crusis beatissimi Georgij c. quorum reliquiae ibi sunt consecratae c. In the same Author also we have another story of St. Georges arme given by Iustinian the Emperour unto St GERMAN then Byshop of Paris as he return'd from his Pilgrimage to Hierusalem by the way of Constantinople Vnáque brachium D. Georgij Martyris pro magno munere contulit as mine Author hath it Which Relique was afterwards by Saint GERRMAN bestowed upon the Abbey of Saint Vincent wherein he was interred and which since then hath beene call'd St. GERMANS Thus much I finde recorded of the Reliques of our Martyr not to say any thing of his colours or his banner preserv'd as Schedell tells us in Bamberge â— City of Germany magna cum solennitate with great Solemnitie and this enough to shew that even from the beginning his Reliques and himselfe were alwayes had in speciall honour 5 And now at last we come unto the last of those foure wayes or courses whereby the Church endeavored to preserve alive the memory of the Saints and Martyrs viz. the calling of such Temples by the names of those blessed Spirits which she had solemnly erected to GODS speciall service and consecrated to his honour A custome which she long had practised even in the very times and heate of Persecution when as it was more dangerous unto the
his Martyrdome or being 10 Onely Wicelius of as many as I have seene endeavours to make good the Tale by reason A man of good abilities in Learning and as we may conjecture by his writings no furious Papist however it hath pleas'd Balaeus to give him that unworthy â—itle of Papisticus adulator a Popish Parasite He in his Hagiographie or History of the Saints writteÌ„ as it appeares by his Epistle Ded. in the yeare 1541. doth argue thus Gentilitas persuasa fabulis poeticis credidit quicquid fingebatur de tauro Marathronio apro Caledonio belluis terrae exitiosissimis Verù quando nos omnipotentiae divinae fortitèr gesta omnia religiosè adsoribimus nil erit absurdum Draconem Lybicum abs Deo per dextram Christiani equitu è medio sublatum ne plus damni inferret miseris mortalibus The Gentiles saith he induced thereunto by poëticall fictions onely did willingly beleeve the stories told unto them of the Caledonian Boare destroyed by Meleager of the Marathronian Bull w ch was slain by Hercules What error is it then or what absurdity if we w ch attribute all noble Acts unto the mighty hand of God if we I say beleeve that God destroyed this Lybian Dragon by the valor of a Christian ChampioÌ„ So he His argument we see is drawne à posse Dei from the power of God which no man question'd and wherein the businesse is mistaken the scruple being not what might possibly be done by God in the extent of power but what was done in truth of Story Sr. W. Rawleigh in his most excellent Historie of the World seeme's somewhat to incline this way but of him and his conceit in a place more proper 11 Thus have we spoken hitherto of an African or Lybian Dragon for so it is reported in the Legend and in those other Authors whose testimonies wee have used but wee must now remove our Scene and carry the whole story with us into Asia How this was done or by what meanes I am not able to determine unlesse perhaps those Spirits for I dare not call theÌ„ Angels which translated the dwelling house of the blessed Virgin out of Asia into Eurpe to make some satisfaction for that injurie conveied the storie of this Dragon out of Africk into Asia Sure I am that they of Syria and Palestine are very confident that the Dragon was their Country-man and that St. George encountred him in the Plaines of Libanus neere unto Berytus now Barutti a chiefe Towne of Syro Phoenicia Thus witnesseth Ludov. Patritius in the first booke of his owne Travels speaking of this Berytus Nihil ibi memoratu dignum praeter id quod incolae memorant locum viz. vetustate exesum squalentemque ubi autumant D. Georgium Regis filiam ab immanissimo Dracone asseruisse c. We found there nothing worthy note but an old ruinous Chappell built in the place where as they say St. George redeem'd the Kings Daughter out of the very jawes of a dreadfull Dragon So hee and he begun his journey anno 1504. or thereabouts during the Raigne of EMANVELL King of Portugall to whom at his returne to Lisbone hee addressed himselfe Adrichomius in his Description of the holy Land anno 1589. goeth more particularly to worke and makes the place to be as before wee said the Feilds of Libanus betweene the Rivers of Zidon and Adonis Where in his Map of Aser we have the pictures of the Dragon and the Knight in a fearefull skirmish and in his text he tels us that the place is by the Natives call'd by the name of Cappadocia it being wee must thinke the birth-place of S. George's glories and that St. George there kill'd the Dragon In hoc loco qui ab incolis Cappadocia appellatur non longè a Beryto memorant inclytum Christi militem D. Georgium Regis filiam c. as he there hath it In memory of which exployt there was a Castle an Oratorie built after in the same place being consecrated to Saint George and the whole Country thereabouts to this day call'd St. George's Valley If this suffice not for the removing of it into Asia we may reade in Mr. Seldens notes on the Poly-Olbion that hee is pictured in his Knightly forme at Beryth a City of Cyprus he means questionlesse of Syria with a Dragon under him and a young Maide kneeling to him An Argument no doubt whereby the people make themselves beleeve that the great Dragon was kill'd within their borders even as to justifie the Tale of our Sir Bevis and his Page the Gyant Ascapart the people of Southampton have placed their portraitures upon their gate But of the Legend and those unwarrantable Fables thence arising we have spoke inough Only me thinkes this their exact and punctuall pointing out the place of this great duell brings in my mind what I have somewhere read of the blind Senatour Montanus Who beeing once at Supper with the Emperour Tyberius highly commended the great Mullet which hee heard say was set before them on the Table and shewed how faire it was how fat how it fill'd the Charger how it lay and ever as he spake hee turn'd his face and pointed with his finger to the higher end of the Table whereas indeed the Mullet was a great deale below him CHAP. II. 1 Of Heretickes and their Originall 2 Their early practâ—ceâ— to corrupt the Gospell 3 Their arts to countenance their cause 4. Their plots discover'd and condemn'd by Councels and by Fathers 5 The iniurie done by Heretickes unto 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 1 I Have now done with the first kind of Imposture conversant about the Historie and lives of Saints the last as before I said in time and the least in danger That onely did intend to dispose the mind to entertaine ungrounded Fables doubtfull traditions and unwarrantable fictions whereby it might be rais'd unto a constant liking of those parties commended to it in those Fables fictions and traditions But this that followes endeavours principally to infect the understanding and to prepare the will to countenance that cause which themselves support infuâ—ing into every part and Section of their writings some secret venome which the unheedfull Reader may swallow unawares That as I said before an effect onely of superstitious Piety but this a treacherous designe of malicious cunning A cunning even as old as Heresie it selfe Heresie I meane as now we take the word for a malicious and stubborne opposition to the truth delivered to us in the holy Gospell I say as now we take the word for if we take it accordingly as it hath bin used in ancient Authors we have not onely Heresies in Christianity but even in Iudaisme in the Law of Mahomet in Philosophy both naturall morall But
so much as it appeares by Athanasius of their bad conditions Nor is it strange that Homo Cappadox monstrum Cappadox should bee here used proverbially rather to signifie the bad conditions of the man than his Birth or Countrey considering that fides Attica and fides Punica Gracum ingenium tenebrae Cymmeriae with many others of that kinde are commonly so used in the best Authors Well then it is not prooved as yet by Dr. Reynolds that George the Arian Byshop was by birth a Cappadocian whether there were no other George of Cappadocia acknowledged as a Martyr but this George the Arian we shall see hereafter 4 But for his Country not to waste longer time in it it is affirmed for certaine by Amm. Marcellinus who liv'd about those times and whose report may well be taken in this case I say it is affirm'd by him in expresse termes that George of Alexandria was borne at Epiphania in the Province of Cilicia In Fullonio the old Bookes read it in Fullio and infulio but mended by Gruterus out of the autographon of Faucherius natus ut ferebatur apud Epiphaniam Ciliciae oppidum auctusque in damna complurium contra utilitatem suam reique communis episcopus Alexandriae est ordinatus So Ammianus and this is more expresse than any thing that hath beene hitherto produced to make him borne a Cappadocian For his conditions St. Gregory of Nazianzen tells us that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of a bad kindred and worse qualities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Not any way ennobled in his knowledge nor affable in his Conversation no not so much as making any shew of godlinesse or cloaking his â—mpieties with faire and specious pretexts but apt to any bold attempt and a most proper iustrument to disturbe the common peace In his beginnings a most base and servile Parasite the common flie that suckt at every Table so fitted for that office that all his words and actions did seeme to have no other end than filling of his belly His first preferment was an Oâ—fice of all others the most base and sordid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Caterer forsooth or Provisor generall of Hogs-flesh for the armie In which he bare himselfe so faithlesly so much unto his owne desire of filthy Lucre that at the last even he was forc'd to take himselfe unto his heeles and as the custome is of Vagabonds never to tarry long in any place untill at last he setled in the Church of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And here saith Gregory he left off his roaguing and began his Villanies But yet wee must not thinke that he was made a Byshop per sâ—ltum as the Lawyers say not taking in his way others the inferiour orders of the Church For Athanasius tells us that hee had before beene made a Priest and that he so demeaned himselfe in that holy Calling that he was forthwith deposed from the Ministery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But strugling in those factious and distracted times against the Rulers of the Church hee was restored not long after And being of the Emperours Religion who then was wholly addicted to the Arian party and of a subtile head withall for the dispatch of great affaires he was conceiv'd to bee the fittest fellow to succeed Gregory the Arian Byshop of Alexandria who had before displanted Athanasius So Sozomen relates that he was setled in the roome of Gregory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As being active in his wayes and a stout Champion of tne Sect. 5 George thus appointed Byshop was put into possession of the Church of Alexandria by a choyce band of Souldiers sent by Constantius the Emperour for that purpose His behaviour answerable to his entrance violent and bloudy and such as was not long dissembled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as it is in Athanasius Hee made his entrance in the holy time of Lent and presently after the end of Easter-weeke there was no other tydings to be heard in Alexandria than violently casting of the sacred Virgins into prison committing of the Suffragan Byshops unto the custody of the men of Warre forcible spoyling of the Houses of Widdowes and of Orphans and other misdemeanours of this barbarous and hostile nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But in the Weeke immediately after Whitsontide the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uppon some solemne Fast gathered themselves together in the Church-yard to their Devotions not tarrying in the Church because they had no heart to recâ—ive the holy mysteries with George their Byshop This coÌ„ming to his knowledge he presently sent out unto SebastiaÌ„ then Captain of the Garrison and by Sect a Manichee to arme his forces and repaire to his assistance Where by the way I marvaile and that not a little that they which made St. George an Arian because of the identitie of names have not made St. Sebastian also an Hereticke of the Manichees on the same reason Vpon this message Sebastian hasted with his band and even upon that sacred day it was a Sonday made an assault upon the people in the place The profest Virgins were brought unto a flaming fire and threatned death in case they would not yeild to the condemn'd Opinions of the Arian Heretickes Such of them as continued constant in the Faith beeing immodestly dispoyled of all their garments and buffeted so cruelly upon the face that long time after it was a matter of some difficultie to know who they were No lesse than forty men were violently and after a strange manner torne in peeces the rest more mercifully dealt withall and banished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As for the bodies of the slaine they would not give them to their friends and kindred that so they might be honestly buried but kept them privately at home the better to delight satiate their eyes with that bloudy spectacle So true is that of Photius that George had wrought such barbarous and horrid cruelties in that poore City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That even the greatest persecution rais'd by the Gentiles might in comparison hereof be reputed mercifull 6 Such beeing his behaviour both before after it is not to be wondered at if the Church tooke speciall notice of it the rather because of Athanasius so unjustly dispossessed and persecuted by the Arian partie Constans at that time Emperour of the West and brother to Constantius an Orthodoxe professour and well inclined to holy Athanasius summoned a Councell of the Byshops of his Empire at Sardica a City of Illyricum anno 351. where among others some Byshops of the Britaine 's were assembled In this Councell the Nicene Creed beeing first verified and confirm'd the cause of Athanasius was debated whom by their generall suffrages they acquitted of all crime and by definitive Sentence degraded among others George the Arian from the Dignity of Byshop O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in
Both circumstances that of his buriall and this other mention'd last together in old Fryer Anselme quarto miliario à Modyn est Lydda civitas quâ— Diospolis dicitur in qua corpus B. Georgij testantur fuisse S. Georgius vulgo dicitur Shall we have more Roger de Hovenden in his Annals recyting there the names of such great personages as dyed in the Christian Campe at the seige of Ptolemais gives us among the rest three Byshops viz. Nâ—vus Episcopus de Acon Episcopus de Baruâ—h Episcopus de S. Georgio For at that time the Christians had made this Towne a Byshops Seate as we shall see heereafter 4 Onely in such a generall consent of Authors Will the Monke of Malmesbury doth seeme to differ from the rest who seemeth to make the Scene hereof to be Rama or Ramula a litle City not farre distant Ibi a dextra dimittentes maritima pervenerunt Ramulam civitatulam muro indigam B. Georgij si famae credimus martyrij consciam We came saith he leaving the Sea-shore on the right hand to a little Citty unwall'd knowne by the name of Ramula guilty if we may trust report of St. GEORGES Martyrdome And hereupon perhaps it is that Fryer Anselme who as before we noted hath made St. GEORGE to end his dayes in a burning fire hath chosen Rama for the place of ExecutioÌ„ his ashes being afterwards transferr'd sd he to Lydda there buried To reconcile w ch difference we must conceive that these two Cities were not very farre asunder and their Feilds or Territories close together so that an action done in one without great errour might be reported of the other St. MATHEVV in his holy Gospell tells us of a myracle done by our Saviour in the Country of the Gergezens whereas St. LVKE and MARKE affirme that it was the Country of the Gadarens Yet may it not be therefore thought that the Holy Spirit is at difference with it selfe God forbid nor that we should conceive the Gadarens and Gergezens to be the same which is not so But rather we must reconcile the places thus according to the truth of storie and the scituation of the Country that the two people mention'd in the Gospell were conterminous their Townes at no great distance and their fields bordering one upon another Therefore that miracle done in the fields betweene them both might without any wrong or errour bee made good of eyther 5 To make the reconciliation more exact and the case more parallell wee must also note that with the ancients there was nothing more unlawfull than to put any man to death within their Cities Thus in the state of Rome the Vestall Virgin having committed fornication was buried quicke within the Campus Sceleratus and other malefactors throwne headlong from the Tarpeian Rocke both situate without the Towne So also had the Thessalians a place of Execution from the praecipice of an Hill which they called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Corvi from whence arose the Proverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Away with him to the Gallowes Thus the Iewes also when they crucified our Saviour led him out of their Citie to Mount Calvarie and thus St. LVKE reports it in the Execution of St. STEPHEN that they cast him out of the Citie and stoned him A custome which continued long even till the times of Persecution were all past and of the which our publike Gallowes which we see every where without our Townes are some remainders Which being so no executioÌ„ in those times permitted in their Cities it must needs be that our St. GEORGE did suffer in the open fields Which granted it will then appeare that Malmesbury might not unjustly say of Rama or as he calls it Ramula that it was guilty of or rather had a hand in Saint Georges death though in the generall voyce of Writers it be affirm'd of Lydda because the fields were common or close adjoyning and the Townes but litle distant 6 These matters thus dispatch'd we now proceed to verifie the former Storie out of the words of such as have concurr'd with Metaphrastes in the maine and substance And first we will attempt to justifie the whole narration out of Eusebius whose countenance herein will I am sure be worth our seeking And I would gladly know what part or circumstance there is in all our History for the defence whereof we may not use his testimony Is it that any Cappadocian was adjudg'd to suffer for the Gospell He tells us there that one Seleucus Iulian and others of that Country receiv'd the Crowne of Martyrdome during the Persecution rais'd by Diocletian Or is it that the Persecution ever did extend to Palestine He hath a Chapter at the least of such as suffered in that Country It is not I am sure that any of the militarie men abandoned their advancements or yeilded up their lives to testifie how litle they esteem'd them in comparisen of CHRIST For this he hath expresly that many of them when the Persecution first began did willingly forsake their honourable Offices and some their lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor can it bee that that the Imperiall edict did not extend to such as were of his retinue and did belong immediately unto his person For in the same booke he mentions Dorotheus and Gorgonius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with many more of Caesars houshold Wee grant indeed that no such name as that of George occurres in all that Author but we affirme withall that he confesseth it an infinite and tedious businesse to recount the names of all that suffered or capitulate those severall torments they endur'd and therefore purposely omits them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as he there hath it So then Eusebius doth affirme that Cappadocia had its Martyrs that the Persecution raged in Palestine that it extended to the military men and to those also that attended in the Pallace and lastly that it is impossible to tell the names of all that suffered Put this together and it will amount to this that George one of those many Martyrs whom Eusebius could not name a Cappadocian by his Country a Soldier by profession and one that waited in the Court was put to death in Palestine by torments not to be express'd because he constantly continued in the Faith of CHRIST 7 In the next place we have the testimony of St. Ambrose if at the least the words be his a Reverend Father of the Church and a chiefe ornament thereof who dyed about the yeare 397. The words are these Georgius Christi miles fidelissimus dum Christianismi professio tegeretur solus inter Christicolas intrepidus Dei filium confessus est Cui tantam constantiam gratia divina concessit ut tyrannicae potestatis praecepta contemneret innumerabilium non formidaret tormenta poenarum Id est George the most faithfull Soldier of IESUS CHRIST when as Religion was else every
Temple of Hierusalem Those of Samaria and some Schismatickes of Iewrie with them had built themselves a Temple on Mount Garizim which Temple they contended before Ptolomie Philometor King of Egypt to bee more ancient and more orthodoxe than that so celebrated by the Iewes A question hereupon arising ANDRONICVS a learned and religious Iew tooke on him the defence of the true Temple as Advocate for those of Iudah against Sabbaus and Theodosius Proctors for the Samaritanes The day of hearing come and Ptolomie in presence Andronicus had licence graunted by his Adversaries first to proceed unto his proofes themselves not yet resolved so it appear'd what might bee sayd in theyr owne quarrell Hee did so and hee prooved his cause by three sorts of Arguments first from the letter of the Law then from the constant and continuall succession of the high Priests and lastly That the Kings of Asia had vouchsafed to Honour it with many costly presents and rich offerings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So farre the Storie The application of it this Wee have already verified the Cause of our St. GEORGE although not from the letter of the Law it selfe yet from the practise of the Church which is the fairest Commentarie that was ever made upon that letter and wee have proved it from the succession of so many severall Authors most of them Priests and other publicke Monuments of antiquitie which since his time the severall ages of the Church successively have given us It now remayneth that wee make mention of those Honours which have beene done unto him by the Princes of the most parts of Christendome That so there may bee nothing wanting by which Saint George may bee restored unto his Honour and his Historie asserted The issue of the former businesse was this that those of Counsell for the Schismatickes and Samaritans had nothing to reply and so the sentence was pronounced in favour of the Iewes Our method is the same our evidence as faire our proofes as pregnant and therefore wee presume of equall favour in the judgement Namque aequum reor as Tullie hath it ut qui in eadem causa fuerunt in eadem etiam essent fortuna 3 And first not to say any thing of that which hath beene sayd already or shall be sayd hereafter touching those Churches which by severall Kings and Princes have beene erected to his Honour Wee will begin with those particulars of this last ranke of proofes which come most neare it and which reflect upon him onely as a Saint Of this kinde are those many Monasteries and Houses of religious persons which have beene founded partly to his Honour and dedicated by his Name The first of which that built by Hildericus King of Lorreine or Austrasia Anno 660. founded Ad deserta loca montis Vosagi the mountainous parts of the Province of Alsatia and dedicated to the blessed Virgin the two Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul and to Saint George Fundavit ibi sayth the learned and judicious Munster Hildericus Rex Austrasiae Anno 660. monasterium Abbatiam ordinis S. Benedicti in honorem gloriosa virginis Mariae Apostolorum Petri Pauli atque S. Georgij Yet notwithstanding that such and so many blessed spirits were joyned with him in the dedication it seemeth that the greatest honour of it was conferred upon St. GEORGE the whole adioyning Countrey being call'd St. George's valley Vnde et locus ille atque vallis vo catus est vallis S. Georgij as that Author hath it Wee reade also in the same Munster of two other Monasteries of that Order entituled by his name and both in Germanie but the time of the Foundation not specified one of them built by the Lord of Degernow the other by one WILLIAM the Abbat of some other Convent of the same Order The second Monasterie which wee meete with dedicated unto Saint GEORGE is that in Venice erected as HOSPINIAN tells us by TRIBUNUS MEVIUS once Duke of that State and Cittie Anno 975. In which HOSPINIAN also and the same Booke of his wee finde Saint GEORGE'S Abbey an house of Benedictine Monkes founded about the yeare 996. by the most excellent Princesse HEDINGE Duchesse of Bavaria Anno 1005 ab Henrico secundo Steinam translatum c. Which after in the yeare 1005. was by the Emperour Henry of that name the second translated from those unpeopled Mountaines where before it was and setled in Steinberg a Towne of Suevia Another of Saint George's Abbeyes we reade of also in the same Authour founded at Ausbourg a principall Cittie of those parts of Germanie by Walter Byshop of that City anno 1142. 4 Nor did the fruitfull devotion of those times employ it selfe onely in consecrating houses of Religious persons by his name and to his memory but sometimes the Religious folke themselves were dedicated to his name and wore his livery Of this kind were St. GEORGE'S Canons an order of new Regulars founded at Venice called by the Cardinall in his Chronologie Ordo S. Georgij de Alga by Pol. Virgil Canonici D. Georgij in Alga The founder of them Laurentius Iustinianus a Venetian by birth and the first Patriarch of that City famous for long time doctrina sanctitate miraculis for learning sanctitie and miracles Borne in the yeare 1381. and at the first a Canon Regular as they use to call them in opposition to those Canons which had forgot their name and became Secular Anno 1426. made Byshop of Venice and after by Pope Nicholas the fifth created as before I said the first Patriarch of that Citie anno 1450. in which great dignity hee continued five yeares longer and than dyed By Bellarmine the institution of this order is referred ad annum 1410. when hee was yet a private man no lesse than sixteene yeares before his consecration Pol. Virgil acquaints us with the founder of these new Regulars in which the Cardinall is silent but tells us nothing of the time and addes withall that their habit is of blew or watchet Canonici D. Georgij in Alga saith he Venctijs à Laurentio Iustiniano instituti caeruleo utuntur habitu Hospinian mentioneth two latter broodes of the same name and order of which the one candidus planè est is distinguished by their white habit the other Extra monasterium atri coloris chlamydem assumit is apparelled all in blacke They are obliged to no profession Their Order I meane that founded by Iustinian was ratified by Iohn the 22 th or as Balaeus by Gregory the 12 th 5 In the next place we are to looke uppon the honours done unto our Martyr as superstitiously conceiv'd to be the Patron of the military men the fighting Saint as Mr. Purchas though little reverently calls him Reges enim in militari conflictu S. Georgium invocare solitos c. For that the greatest Princes used to call upon Saint GEORGE in
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
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
calce ardenti est aâ—â—stus fidiculisque rursum dâ—stractus mucronibus membratim disiectus plurimisque alijs poenarum maâ—hiâ—iâ— attritus generâ—sam animi constantiam firmumque mentis suae propositum satis declaravit Ad â—aec c. The rest that followes is of the Empresse Alexandra and of I know not what Glycerius and his Oxe Tandemque ut virum decet gladio percussus ex haâ— vita migravit About these times saith he the so much celebrated GEORGE chiefe of the Martyrs of that age receiv'd the recompense of all his sufferings for his Saviour Who being borne in Cappadoce for so I reade it as yet exceeding young of special beauty and his beard scarce budding did nobly undergoe the weight and paines of Martyrdome For being apprehended for inveighing against their Idols and scoffing at the irreligion of the Emperours he suffered such extremitie of tortures as was above the strength of nature to endure After a long imprisonment and his legs even cramp'd with irons he was first pierced and harrowed as it were with the sharpest nayles Afterwards being scorch'd with burning lime and put upon the racke and all his members severally hackt and hewne with swords he perfectly declared his noble constancy and invincible resolutions and at the last being beheaded hee departed out of this life into a better 11 But to returne unto the Latines in the next place we meet with Coccius Sabellicus Vir valde eruditus a learned man saith Bellarmine a man of great integrity saith Vives He lived about the shutting in of the 15. Centurie and gives this testimony of St. GEORGE that he was Martyr'd at Diospolis a City of the Persians during the Persecution rais'd by Diocletian Passus est eadem tempestate Georgius Martyr in Perside apud Diospolin In the same time and age flourish'd Hermannus Schedell Doctor of Physicke in the Vniversity of Padua the Author of the booke entituled Chronica Chronicorum printed at Norimberge anno 1493. His evidence is this Georgius Cappadocus Tribunus verus Christi miles hoc tempore Cum venisset de Cappadocia in Persiam civitatem Diospolin velut alter Curtius Romanus Codrus Rex Atheniensium pro patriae suae liberatione sese internecioni ad draconis occisionem martyrij tolerantiam dedit Quippe interfecto Dracone post eculei extensionem totiusque corporis lacerationem et viscerum effusionem nec non aliorum tormentorum perpessionem ad ultimum martyrium capitis abscissione complevit Cuius gesta c as before in Vsuardus St. George of Cappadocia a Tribune and a faithfull Soldier of IESVS CHRIST about this time suffered who comming out of Cappadocia into Diospolis a City of the Persians like Curtius in the state of Rome or Codrus King of Athens exposed himselfe to death in the destroying of the Dragon and his suffering of Martyrdome of this see somewhat Part. 1. Cap. 5. Sect. 4. For having kill'd the Dragon after he had beene put upon the racke his body torne in peeces and the effusion of his bowels with divers other miserable tortures at last hee finished his course by the loosing of his head Philippus Bergâ—mensis an Austin Fryer who lived about the sametime and made a supplement unto this Chronica of Schedels repeates the storie in the same words save that he addes et salis confricationem the chasing of his wounded body with salt unto the residue of his torments And in the last place Volaterran of whom we have already spoken affirmes this for us Georgius Martyr genere Cappadox Tribunus militum sub Diocletiano merebat St. GEORGE the Martyr a Cappadocian by his Country serv'd as a Tribune of the Soldiers under the Emperour DIOCLETIAN 12 And now at last we come unto the Protestant Divines from whom we may expect small favour considering what leading men already have declared against us Yet is St. GEORGE so confident of the exceeding truth and justice of his cause that he despaires not to finde friends even amongst them And first Illyricus the founder of the stiffe or rigid Lutherans as they use to call them and a chiefe Author of that Ecclesiasticall Historie which we call the Centuries composed by him and other famous men of the Citie of Magdeburge in Saxonie is fully for us For in the 4. Centurie and 3. Chapter which is de Persocutione St. GEORGE is reckoned among other Martyrs of that time out of Fasciculus temporum and in the 12. Chapter of the same Century entituled de Martyribus more copiously thus Celebris inter Martyres eius temporis etiam Georgius fuit natione Cappadox adolescens in daemonas gentilium acriter invectus erat c. as it followeth in Nicephorus whose words and testimonie is there cyted A proofe as I conceive it not to be questioned considering what bitter enemies the Authors of this Historie doe alwayes shew themselves against the Superstitions of Rome how greedily they take occasion as much as possibly they can to advance their owne cause and cry downe the Papist What now if to the Father of the stiffe and peremptorie Lutherans I should here adde Melancthon the founder as they call him of the moderate or Lutherani molles Sure if I did I should not mis-report him eyther in his words or meaning For when he tells us in the place before examined that the Papists make St. Anne the Patronesse of Riches St. GEORGE the GOD of Soldiers and Sebastian a defence against the Plague Vt nempè Georgius tueatur equites Sebastianus pestem arceat c. hee doth without all controversie affirme St. GEORGE to bee a Saint no lesse than eyther St. Sebastian or St. Anne which neyther Calvin nor any one since him have ever question'd To draw unto an end take here the testimonie of Oraeus in his Nomenclator a Lutheran perhaps but sure I am no Papist who rightly hath distinguish'd those three Georges which the so famous Doctors Reynolds and Drusius have confounded We reade it thus Georgius Episcop Laodicenus Arianus secul 4. Georgius Alexandrin haeret Arian anno 356. and lastly Georgius Cappadox et Martyr 289. 13 To summe up all wee have here proofe sufficient that GEORGE the Martyr was by birth of Cappadocia the thing affirm'd to be so by Metaphrastes Vincentius de Voragine Antoninus Hermannus Schedell Bergomensis and Volatterran among the Latines and by Nicephorus of Greece and by the Magdeburgians and Oraeus among the Protestants More proofe of which there is to follow His suffering for the time of it generally is reported under Diocletian as the chiefe Persecutor in whose time he was made a Martyr in termes expresse by Metaphrastes de Voragine Volaterran and the Greeke Martyrologie as yet to come implicitely and in ordinary count of time by Nicephorus Callistus Fasciculus temporum Sabellicus Hermanus Schedell Bergomensis the Magdeburgians and Oraeus And under DACIANUS or GALERIUS rather as a chiefe instrument of DIOCLETIANS crueltie by Bede Rab. Maurus Notgerus Vincentius de
himselfe in his booke of Histories first published under the name of Christodulus As for the Church of Rome there is no question to bee made of her good affection Her Missals and her testimony of him in the Martyrologie expresly say it Nor need there any more be added unlesse perhaps it be worth noting that Vergerius Byshop of Iustinople in the Seigneurie of Venice was called in question for his life Eo quòd in Concilio Trident. Georgij Legendam sibi non per omnia probari ostenderet as Chemnitius hath it because he had declamed against some passages of the Storie of Saint GEORGE in the Trent Councell As for the Churches Protestant wee finde the Lutheran Doctors many of them very favourable and how wee stand affected to him here in England we shall see hereafter Which generall agreement of the whole Church and so many famous parts of it in the honour of our Martyr may well be used as a reply to Doctor Reynolds who makes this answere to the Cardinall that George indeed may be accounted famous in the Church and his memoriall celebrated but so as was the memory of Catiline ab hominibus audacissimis domesticisque hostâ—bus onely by Ruffians and by common enemies unto the State If Bellarmine meane otherwise in saying Georgij memoria semper fuit celeberrima hee tells him plainely that hee lyeth But I will not meddle with their quarrells 12 To goe a litle further yet it will bee found upon good search that not the Christians onely have had Saint George in speciall honour but that the rude and barbarous Turkes seeing it seemes how much hee was esteem'd by them conceive a like opinion of him This Master Selden testifieth that the Mahometans doe honour him as we and that they call him Chederle which name saith hee one expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Margine points us unto Contacuzenus Apol. 3. Which I cannot meet with and therefore take it upon credit The rather because I finde in Master Sam. Purchas out of Busbequius that the Turkes affirme their Chederle to bee the same with St. GEORGE and that the Dervices which are a kinde of Turkish Monkes have a great Temple dedicated to his honour at Theke Thioy not farre from Amasia the chiefe Citie of Cappadocia And in the Turkish Historie wee reade that they have in Caire of Egypt a Temple dedicated to Saint Barbara and another to Saint George which amongst those nations are of great Fame So Knolles in the life of Selimus All I finde of him in the rest of Contacuzenus I meane his Historie is that at his request the Turkish Sultan did reedifie a ruinous Temple consecrated to St. George's memorie Post haec petivit legatus vester saith the Sultan in his Letter to that Greeke Emperour ut quoddam veteris templi ruinosum aedificium vicinum Romanis S. Georgij renovaretur id etiam fecimus So great and powerfull is the truth that it prevaileth even among Turkes and Infidels CHAP. V. 1 The honour done unto the Dead in the decent buriall of their bodies 2 The reliques of the Saints of what esteeme in the Church primitive 3 The care of Gregorie of Tours to preserve his writings and what hee testifieth of Saint George's reliques 4 What mention there is made of them in Aymonius and others 5 Churches distinguished anciently by the names of Saints and for what reason 6 St. George's Churches in Lydda and in Ramula made afterwards a Byshops See 7 St. George's Church built by Sidonius Archbyshop of Mentz 8 That mention'd in St. Gregories Epistles 9 St Georges Church in Rome the title of a Cardinall 10 Churches erected to St. George in Alexandria and elsewhere 11 Of Faustus Rhegiensis 12 And the Pseudo-Martyr in Sulpitius An application of the rule in Lerinensis unto the businesse now in hand 1 THis discourse of the bodies of the Dead leades me directly to the third of those three courses whereby the Church endeavoured to preserve alive the memory of the Saints and Martyrs collecting of their Reliques and laying them with all due honours in some place fit and worthy of them Which pietie of theirs extended at the first no further than to the pious and devout interrement of their bodies the tyranny of those which first made havocke of the Church extending in those times no further than to death So reade we of St. Stephen the Protomartyr of the Church that being stoned unto death certaine devout men carried him or his body rather which was his Relique all that was left of him to the buriall and made great lamentation But in succeeding times as the Persecutions grew more violent so also grew the Tyrants more unmercifull and barbarously cruell no longer now contented with the simple death of those that suffered but tearing of their limbs asunder and scattering abroad their bones and casting forth their ashes into the winde that so they might not have the honour of an honest buriall So witnesseth Lactantius of Diocletian under whom St. GEORGE was made a Martyr Et non tantùm artus hominum dissipat saith he sed ossa ipsa comminuit in cineres furit ne quis extet sepulturae locus A desperate and raging tyrant qui lucem vivis terram mortuis denegabat which neither would allow the benefit of life unto the living nor buriall to the dead In these and such like barbarous and cruell times it was the commendable custome of the Christians to recollect those bones which by the Tyrants had bin so scattered and to interre them with due honour that even the Bones also which were broken might reioyce that so those precious Reliques of their deere Brethren which were to meet together in a joyfull Resurrection might not lye scattered up and downe the fields a scorne and laughter to the Gentiles 2 At length according as the minds and thoughts of men were raised unto an high esteeme and admiration of the Martyrs so did they with a greater zeale frequent their shrines and set an higher price and estimate upon their Reliques Not carefull onely to afford them all due respects because of those many myracles which it pleased GOD to worke in and about those places where they were intombed but in short time ascribing some divine and secret vertue to them whereof Heaven knowes they were not guiltie It is recorded that the Turkes in the Sacke of Lyssa finding the tombe of Scanderbeg did violently breake it open and take thence his bones every one somewhat more or lesse as they could divide them vainely conceiting that they should never have the worse in any action as long as any Relique of that victorious Soldier was about them So also that opinion which the people of those devout and pious times had first upon good grounds conceiv'd of any of the Martyrs and that respect which worthily at first they bare unto their shrines and Reliques degenerated at the last so farre that they fell