truth but in such sort did it as thereby he hath purchased vnto the same the Title of Primogenita Ecclesiae the most auncient and first begotten of all the Churches in the world for that as Sabellicus hath well noted allthough Christ was preached elswhere priuately Britaine the first Kingdome in the world which publikely and generally receaued the saith of Christ in many other Nations long before yet omnium Prouinciarum prima publicitus Christi nomen recepit Of all Nations it was the first that with publike approbation of Prince and State receaued the Profession of Christian Religion Thus farre he commendeth King Lucius for the carriadge of this busines afterward insinuating first to his Readers that there were Christian Preists and Preachers heare in Britaine when King Lucius sent to Pope Eleutherius about the generall Conuersion of this kingdome and to vse his words there is no doubt to be made that at their hāds if he were not he might haue bene baptised that were the Instrumēts of his Conuersion And then he immediately thus addeth to dishonour this Noble King for this his most honorable Ambassadge But what shall I say humanitūs aliquid passus est he thought happily it would be some litle glory vnto him and a countenance also to the action to fetch them that might seeme to be the Authours of this designe from Rome the Seate of the Empire the Mistresse of the world yea and also happily the vpholders of his Crowne and Authoritie regall Thus farre this Protestant Bishop and Antiquarie all which I haue answeared before and now breifely repeate if King Lucius was or might haue bene baptised by any heare all they as I haue proued before of S. Timothie Marcellus Mansuetus and others sent hither or conuerted being cōsecrated Preists or Bishops heare by Authoritie from the Apostolike Roman See he must needs also be baptised by power from thence if he had not sent this solemne Ambassadge thither So likewise if he stayed the returne of his Ambassadours Eluan and Medwin if the Pope had sent no others hither seeing by all Antiquities these were but Cathecumens and not baptised when they were sent to Rome but there perfectly instructed baptised and cōsecrated the one a Priest the other a Preist and Bishop if these or eyther of them baptised him and his people if they alone had bene able to performe so generall and greate a worke it had bene done by the power of the Pope of Rome who consecrated them and by Authoritie sent them hither to that end 6. So if King Lucius had appealed in this busines to the Bishops of France or any Country betweene Rome and vs and if they had harkened vnto him herein without consulting with the Pope of Rome yet all they being consecrated and directed thither by his Authoritie as we haue seene before King Lucius and his subiects resolued to be Christians must become such by the labour power and warrant of the Pope of Rome And by that which is saide before by the warrant of our Protestants of the both claymed and practised supreame spirituall power of all Popes from S. Peter to this time of S. Eleutherius and of him also it is euident that this kingdome nor any other could be in such solemne and publike manner conuerted and all Ecclesiasticall matters with change of Temporall lawes be established without the warrant and approbation of the Apostolike See of Rome and Church thereof in which respect and noe other Sabellicus and others which truely call this our Britaine the eldest daughter of the Church primogemita Ecclesiae so terme it in respect of the Church of Rome our holy Mother which brought forth this Country generally and publikly to Christ before any other in the world by sending holy Preachers and Apostolike men hither which so brought it to passe to the greate honour of this Nation Eleutherius Graecia oriundus sed Neapoli Anton. Sabellicus l. 5. Ennead 7 in Italia ortus successit Soteri Cum hoc nuper dignitatem adepto Lucius Britanniae Rex per litteras egit vt se suos vellet Christianorum numero addicere Missi sunt eo Fugatius Damianus viri pietate insigni hi Regem cum tota domo populoque vniuerso Baptismi Sacramento insignauerunt sublatoque malorum daemonum cultu vera in gente pietas constituta est Sic Britannia omnium Prouinciarum prima publicitus Christi nomen recepit Where it is euident that Sabellicus this Protestant Bishops Authour giueth this dignitie to Britaine to be the eldest and first borne daughter of the Church because the Roman Church first and before all other Nations did bringe it wholy forth to Christ wholy conuerting it in which sence the King of France accompteth and stileth himselfe primogenitus Annal. Galliae in Claudio Ecclesiae the first begotten child of the Church among Kings because Stephen a King in France rather a Duke was in their opinion in the time of Claudius the Emperour conuerted to the faith of Christ by Apostolike men sent from the See of Rome And our King Iames whome our Protestants would haue to be the fourth such supreame heade of their Church in England after King Henry the eight the yoūge child King Edward the sixt and Elizabeth a woman and Queene plainely and publikly in open parlament hath thus confessed I acknowledge the Roman Church to be our Mother Church Therefore except Mother and Daughter be not correlatiues and vnseperable Britaine King Iames speach in his 1. Parlament was the Daughter hauing no elder Sister Daughter of that Church was the first borne Daughter of the Church by this prerogatiue primogenita Ecclesiae 7. And the Arguments which this Protestant Bishop would haue to accuse or condemne King Lucius of vaine glory for sending to Rome to establish Godwin Conu of Brit. supr p. 35. the Conuersion of Britaine because Rome was then the Seate of the Empire Mistresse of the world and happily vpholder of his crowne and regall Authoritie doe aduance the honour of King Lucius his zeale in Religion and Dutie to the Roman Church For if the Conuersion of Britaine in so vinuersall established order could haue bene compassed without allowance of the Pope of Rome it had bene more secure for him to haue abstayned from that Ambassadge sent vnto the Pope liuing in state of Persecution for his Christian Religion and cheife office therein by the temporall and Imperiall Rome temporall Seate of persecuting Emperours their times of conniuency onely excepted temporall Mistresse of the world temporall Vpholder or friend to the Regall crowne of Britaine so farre as it did nothing which tasted of alienation from the Roman Pagan Imperours will and dignitie with which King Lucius his professing a Religion persecuted by them and suing for establishing and confirmation thereof by the Authoritie of the Pope of Rome which aboue all other things was most distastfull to the Roman Empire and had for
Christians Ista fiebant anno Christi 292. regnante in Britannia Constantio Chloro Sub cuius postea regimine cū Imperator esset a tanta clade ita immunes eius vrbes erant vt Asilum Christianis afflictis tutissimum foret illa ipsa Britannia And to proue he continued in this true Christian affection and faith euen to his death an other taking vpon him onely to be an Interpretor of old Authours thus relateth his last Actions whilst he lay on his death bedd hearing Hollinsh Hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 27. that his sonne Constantine was come and escaped from the Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian with whome he remayned as Pledge he receaued him with all Ioy and raysing himselfe vp in his bedd in presence of his other sonnes and Counsellors with a greate number of other people and strangers that were come to visit him he sett the Crowne vpon his sonnes head and adorned him with other Imperiall Robes Niceph. and garments executing as it were himselfe the office of an Herald and withall spake these words vnto his said sonne and to his Counsellors there about him Now is my Tripart Hist death to me more wellcome and my departure hence more pleasant I haue heare a lardge Epitaph and monument of buriall to witt myne owne sonne and one whome in earth I leaue to be Emperour in my place which by Gods good help shall wipe away the teares of the Christians and reuendge the crueltie exersed by Tyrants This I rekon to chance vnto me insteed of most felicitie And we finde how his body being found at Caernaruon likely Translated thither from Yorke where by common opinion he dyed in the time of King Edward the first was honorably Matth. Westm 1283. Thomas Walsingh Vpodig Neustriae an 1283. by his commandement buryed with other Christians in the Church Apud Caerneruon corpus Maximi Principis patris nobilis Imperatoris Constantini erat inuentum Rege Iubente in Ecclesia honorificè collocatum Which Christian dutie and obsequy would not haue bene performed vnto him especially so honorably and publikly in so Christian Catholike a time without either certaine knowledge or very probable opinion of his Christian Catholike Religion The Ceremonies solemnities and prayers vsed in such a case could not in conscience so be performed for a man dying in any other Profession The Harris Manuscr Hist l. 4 c. 2. Writers of this relatiō are of too greate Authoritie to be questioned And some Writers there be which hold his first buriall and funerall at Yorke was with Christian solemnities and obsequies such as could not be vsed but for a Christian And they produce Eusebius to testifie no lesse Who speaking of Constantius death and funerall saith that he being a most holy man was buryed Eusebius de Vita Constant lib. 1. c. 16. with greate pompe with Hymnes and prayses as a most blessed man Genitorem sanctissimum cum omni splendore maxima pompa extulit faustis acclama tionibus suaui hymnorum concentu omnes beatissimum illum celebrant And maketh his death as his life also so holy and Christian like that he saith God gau◠euident testimony thereof to all men then liuing Hunc morum vitaeque piè Religiosè ad virtutem institutae exitum esse in Imperatore Constantio vniuerso generi mortalium qui nostra memoria vixerunt Deus euidenter monstrauit THE XIV CHAPTER BY WHAT WICKED PLOTTS PRACTISES and deuises Dioclesian and Maximian began and prosecuted their wicked Persecution of Christians in Britaine and how Constantius was innocent and free therein 1. WHEN Dioclesian and Maximian the most infensiue Enemies of the faithfull Seruants Church of Christ intēded their mercylesse and matchlesse persecution against thē the easilyer to make it as vniuersall generall as it was bloodly Tyrannicall And perceauing that neither Nero nor any other their Predecessor in that prophane Impietie had or could before them trāsporte their rage in that kinde ouer our Ocean into this kingdome protected and Rampired both by cituation Sea Christiā Kings Rulers or fauourers of Christianitie and Immunities frō the Romā seuerities in such nature their study and practise was first to surprise ouerthrowe these firme Bullwarks Forts against them And therefore assuredly knowing that by the Regall clayme Title of Britaine Queene Helen was the lawfull and vndoubted Heire Owner thereof that she was a Christian discended of such parents absolute Queene of such a Country the rare vertues wisedome she was endued with her potency thereby with hir Victorious and triumphant husband Constantius that they had children to succeed them in the gouernment and kingdome of Britaine and such as by credible Antiquities before were Christians and thereby more likely to enlardge and dilate then restrayne or hinder the profession of Christianitie they knew these Impediments to their wiked designements must be taken away before they could take effect Wherevpon beginning with the cheifest and principall propugnacle the Title of Queene Helen her marriadge with Constantius and Loue betweene them they first assaulted this by pretended disabilitie in that Title Marriadge Her lawfull Title by Regall Lineall discent and Inheritance they frustrated in their Iudgment which then had no Iudge on earth by their pretended not to be examined Imperiall clayme and Preeminencie taking and reckoning for their owne whatsoeuer they could gett and keepe by force and sword And their more then Panegyricall Orator Mamertinus saith plainely in his Oration to Maximian the Emperour that the Britans were not onely subiect vnto him but that he landing in Britaine The Britans receued him with greate Triumphe offered themselues to his presence Mamertin orat Panegyric ad Maximian Imper with their wiues and children reuerencing not onely himselfe but euen the sailes and tacklings of that ship which had brought his diuine presence vnto their coasts and when he should sett foote on land they were ready to lye downe at his feete that he might as it were march ouer them so desirous they were of him That both the Britans and Nation adioyning to the boundes of that Isle were obedient to his commandements And giueth nothing to Constantius but as in the Right and Title of that Emperour 2. Like to this haue some others of the flattering Roman Writers by which we see they went about vtterly to disable Queene Helen to haue any S. Helenae compelled to departe from Constantius Title to this kingdome This they so vrged to Constantius and so disgraced his Marriadge with that renowned Lady that in the end they cōpelled him to putt her away and take Theodora the Pagan daughter of the persecuting S. Lucius and his Sister S. Emerita banished out of Britaine Emperour Maximian in her place Then they bannished S. Lucius and S. Emerita their holy children and after martyred them and to make all sure in their prodeedings detayned Constantine their other child
those which were in PrisoÌ„ or distressed anywise or oppressed by fraude or Iniury she deliuered those that were bannished she caused to be restored to their Countryes againe Wheresoeuer she came she adorned the Christian Churches with renowned Monuments and in all godly duties of life offered true worship vnto God 8. And concerning her finding out the holy Crosse Sepulchre and other sacred Monuments and Relicks of Christ her labours and paines were wonderfull and by diuers Authours Miraculously assisted by God so saith Sozomen monstratione Dei optimi Maximi God allmightie shewed her the place Sozom. Hist Eccl l. 2. c. 1. Ruffin Hist l. 1. c. 7. Niceph. Callist Eccl. Hist l. 8. c. 29. Sozom. Nicephor supr And Russinus locus sibi diuino indicio designatus And Nicephorus Deo signis quibusdam visionibus nocturnis ostendente Yet this nothing hindereth but she might also vse the humane helpe of an Hebrew dwelling in the Easte who by an old Writing was informed of the place and so informed Queene Helen thereof Indicio vti quidam memorant Hebraei cuiusdam versus Orientem habitantis qui auito quodam scripto admonitus locum commonstrauit Which opinion both Sozomen and Nâ—cephorus recite from others but deliuer for their owne sentence that is was by diuine Reuelation But neither of these hindâ—reth but rather assist and further one the other so well agreeing together The testimony of God giuing infallible veritie and truth to humane witnes in itselfe questionable and not knowne for certaine nor easely to be followed in a busines of so greate difficulte and consequence as this was For as Eusebius Euseb vit Const l. 3. c. 25. Ruffin Hist l. 1. cap. 7. Socrat. l. 2. c. 13. Sozom. l. 2. c. 1. Theod. l. 1. Hist cap. 18. Nicephor Callist l. 8. Hist cap. 29. Ruffinus Theodoret Sozomen Socrates and others are ample witnesses not onely wicked men but by their ayde all the damned deuils did labour with all deuices they could to hide and vtterly to blott out with obliuion that sacred Monument of Immortalitie Impious and wicked men did thinke to make the Sepulchre of our Sauiour to be forgotten and not to be remembred And in this manner they endeuoured to conceale the truth 9. They first begaÌ„ with great toyle troble to digge strange earth in other places and bring it thither to couer all the place Then they raised a greate heape of earth exceeding highe and paued it with stones couering our Lords Sepulchre with a greate Rampire after that nothing might be wanting to finish their intended wickednes vpon that huge heape of earth they made an horrible and execrable burying place for bodies of lewd people And erected a secret Temple to the deuill of wantoÌ„ Venus filling it with Idols Then they there offered detestable Sacrifices vpon their impure Altars polluted with all abomination For they thought they should not otherwise compasse their intention except by these horrible impieties they could vtterly suppresse that holy Sepulchre Olim viri impij imo vero istorum subsidio vniuersum daemonum genus omni studio incubuit vt illud diuinum immortalitatis monumentum tenebris obrueret obliuioneque penitus deleret Illud Seruatoris sepulchrum impij quidem scelerati homines ex hominum memoria delere cogitabant quae eorum insâ—itia fuit censebant veritatem ad hunc modum se posse occultare Itaque primum permultum capere laboris caeperunt in terra aliunde extrinsecus inueh enda qua locum vniuersum obducerent Deinde cum molem terrae in immensam altitudinem erexissent constrauissentque lapidibus diuinuÌ„ sepul chrum ingeÌ„te aggere supra iniecto obtegere post cum nihiliam illis ad opus explendum deesset super illum terrae cumulum nefandum reuera execrabile bustum animarum construere recessum lasciuae veneris daemoni vna aedificare simulachrisque mortuis complere Tum detestabiles ibi victimas super impuras aras omni nequiciae labe pollutas immolare Nam non aliter illud quod instituerant se putabant ad exitum posse perducere quam vt per ista nefaria scelera salutare illud sepulchrum penitus obruerent 10. And so farre they had preuailed by their most malitious prophaine proceedings in obscuring those sacred and holy Relicks InstrumeÌ„ts of Christs Passion and Resurrection for mans RedeÌ„ption that allthough euer since then there had bene many Christians and a continuall Succession of Bishops there 26. in number from S. Iames to Macharius then Bishop by common computation this sacred Sepulchre wherein the blessed body of our Sauiour was buryed and other honorable Monuments of him were so secretly buryed and interred in the darke graue of obliuion that they were vtterly vnknowne as I haue remembred before vntill it pleased God so to honour this Nation of Britaine that he miraculously reuealed them to the holy Queene Empresse thereof S. Helen and by Eusebius and others also not improbably to Constantine that glorious Issue of this Kingdome For they say that he gaue order and commandement by diuine instinct and inspiration diuino afflatus spiritu Euseb l. 3. de vit Constant cap. 25. 26. diuini numinis instinctu impulsus to haue all those prophaine and heathnish vile Impurities by which their knowledge and honour were suppressed to be remoued and abandoned 11. In this sacred worke peculiarly and most gratiously by Gods diuine prouidence reserued for the perpetuall glory of our Britans the Emperour by his highest terreane Power needfull therein was cheife CoÌ„mander and his blessed Mother the principall happy effecting Commissioner and Instrument Filio suo Constantino ei Helenae opem per regiam suam potentiam Authoritatem Cap. 42. porrigente And no other Potentate or whatsoeuer mightie and powerable in the worlde as Eusebius well noteth thought worthie to perfect that holy dutie Nemo enim vel ex Praefectis vel ex Ducibus vel ex ipsis Imperatoribus Lib. 3. cap. â—5 supr ad eorum conatus euertendos satis idoneus repertus est praeter vuum solum qui quidem vtpote Deo omnium Guhernatori charus diuino eius afflatus spiritu locum omni impura materia obductum obliuione ignorationeque obrutum iri non est passus 12. So that as Britaine allthough placed in the end of the worlde and by some accompted an other worlde had aboue all Nations the honour to bury Sainct Ioseph of Aramathia heare who aboue all others had the honour to take downe from the holy Crosse the sacred body of our Sauiour embalme it shrowde and entombe it in his most holy Sepulchre So it wonne this honour from the whole world besides to giue life and being to that blessed Emperour and Empresse who tooke so longe and greate a Iorney and labour she in her old Age to propose and restore to due reuerence and honour the reuerend and sacred monument of the
Oecumenius in verba illa Dado operam c. 2. Petr. 1. v. 15. to remember this Nation not onely during his life but after when he should be in Heauen as I haue shewed by diuers examples from auncient and credible Authours before shall remember more hereafter And in the next verse he proueth that he principally heare remembred Britaine and those Nations to which he had parsonally preached for he saith We haue not followed 2. Petr. 1. v. 16. cunningly deuised fables when we made knowne vnto you the power and coming â—f our Lord Iesus Christ but were eye witnesses of his Maiestie Where he plaineâ—y speaketh of such people and Nations to whome he had made knowne the power of our Lord Iesus Christ by his preaching such as Britaine was 3. And when being to leaue this world and his cheif Pastorall chardge which might not die with him to his successor we must further acknowledge how mindefull he was of this kingdome with others in that designement whether he constituted S. Linus or S. Clement to be his next Successor for the first as I haue shewed before was familiarly knowne to our Christian Britans and lyued most with them in Rome and the other S. Clement was not onely in the same estate but was parsonally heare with S. Peter in this Nation Neyther were our Christian Britans then vnmindfull or vngratefull for so many fauours of S. Peter vnto this Country but euer continued most dutifull and faithfull vnto him without any discontinuance of those obsequies vnto him for as I haue probably shewed they were the first that entertayned him in Rome and after so I cannot without preiudice and iniury The greate honor loue of our first Christian Britans to S. Peter and how probably diuers of them honorably buried him vnto this kingdome thinke but they were cheifely Christian Britans that performed the last and funerall duties to that holy Apostle among whom likely was S. Marcellus Disciple of S. Peter by birth a noble Britan of whom I will speake more hereafter for we reade in many that one of S. Peters Disciples so named did honorably bury that glorious Apostle martyred by the cruell Tirant Nero. Marcellus quidam Discipulus S. Petri accepit Corpus Apostoli Bed Hom. de S. Petro Paulo Tom. 7. oper Guliel Eisengr centur 2. part 6. Dâ—st 1. S. Anton. Vinc. Petr. de Nat. apud Magdebur cent 1. l. 2. c. 12. 650. 2. Tim. 4. lauit illud tali vnguento quod nunquam posset putrescere postea misit illud in monumento Yet I finde that there was an other Marcellus in this time a Roman borne Marci vrbis Romae Praefecti filius that sometime followed Simon Magus and was conuerted to the faith of Christ by S. Peter and wrote among other works the Acts of S. Peter and S. Paul But this man being thought to be martyred by Nero cannot so well be adiudged to haue bene the buryer of S. Peter seeing S. Peters Martyrdome was one of Nero his last Actions And we may not doubt but our Britans that first receaued S. Peter in their house at Rome and were euer afterward most faithfull and true vnto him both at libertie and in prison as we are taught by their loue to S. Paul in like case testified by himselfe and brought vp their children in such sorte that among other Acts of Christian pietie we finde as in S. Praxedes that they Vita S. Praxed in Breuiar die 21. Col. Iulij buried the bodies of the holy martyrs Imperatore Christianos persequente eos facultatibus opera consolatione omni charitatis officio prosequebatur Nam alios domi occultabat alios ad fidei constantiam hortabatur aliorum corpora sepeliebat ijs qui in carcere inclusi erant qui in ergastulis exercebantur nulla re deerat Therefore much more we may iudge that the holy parents their Christian Brittish family and friends who from the first coming of S. Peter to Rome had ministred in such duties vnto him were not wanting to performe this last and Antiquit. Glast Capgr Cat. in S. Ioseph Hard. in chron Stow hist Cornelius Tacit. in Vita Agricolae farewell obsequie to that greatest Apostle both in respect their greate loue and effection to S. Peter be sufficient Testimonialls thereof and aboue all others they might more freely performe it then many others For the Romans did not intermeddle then with the Britans in matters of Religion but left such affaires to their owne Gouernment and Brittish Gouernours as we see in their Kings then Aruiragus Marius Coillus and Lucius all friends and fauourers That neither S. PudeÌ„s S. Claudia any of their family or any Britan was then punishable by the Romans for Religion of Christians before Lucius was conuerted to the faith openly to professe it and none of them ioyned with the Pagan Romans in their Religion which we cannot affirme so freely of France where Claudius had forbidden the vse of their old Religion which in Britaine neyther he nor any other Emperour had done but the Christian Britans did both at home and els where vnder the Romans quietly enioy the free vse of the Religion of Christ vntill the Persecution of Dioclesian 4. If any man obiect that S. Pudens husband to S. Claudia was a Roman and so subiect to their Lawes in Religion I answeare first that it is euident before that the Father of S. Claudia a Christian and cheife commander in that family was yet lyuing and long time after Secondly I answeare that S. Pudens himselfe was but a Municeps and no Romane partaker thereby of the Roman priuiledges and immunities but not subiect to their penalties especially in things concerning Religion as is testified by Aulus Gellius and others their owne writers Municipes sunt ciues Romani ex municipijs suis suo Aul. Gellius Noct. attic l. 16. c. 13. Io. Selden Analect p. 39. Cicero l. 2. de legibus Iure legibus suis vtentes muneris tantum cum Populo Romano honorarij participes a quo munere capessendo appellati videntur nullis alijs necessitatibus neque vlla populi Romani lege astricti Marcus Tullius Cicero hath the like euen in matters of Religion and diuers others Therefore a Protestant Antiquarie boldly concludeth that by the Roman Lawes the Municipes such as S. Pudens was might be of what Religion they would without controlement Tanta municipiorum videtur fuisse libertas vt maiorum ac auitis sibique proprijs sacris vti minime prohiberentur Selden supr THE XXXIV CHAPTER ENTREATING OF THE TIME OF POPE Linus Vespasian Emperor and Marius King of Britaine and of our Christians in those dayes both at Rome in Britaine and other places 1. THE cheife Gouernour of the Church of Christ S. Peter hauing now happily by holy Martyrdome ended his labours in this world and obtained his Crowne and reward in heaueÌ„ as an other succeeded him in that
our generall Conuersion to be compassed at this time so many principall Agents therein violently putt to death and the Emperours without whose permission or conniuencie it could not probably be brought to passe so enraged and cruell against vs for such things Yet cannot this stay and adiourning of this greatest publike good of this Nation be imputed to pusillanimitie of minde or want of Heroicall Christian fortitude and magnanimitie in our Christian King and diuers of his people and Nobles among them who as before had receaued the Christian faith and priuately professed it but to the Iniquitie of the violent and ouerswaying times and Pagan Emperours with their Lieutenants Imperiales or Proimperatours Proconsuls Propretours hindering that holy worke For allthough the state of Britaine was not so seruile to the Romans as the condition of many kingdomes was but we euer had our owne Kings both by inheritance and discent of our former auncient Brittish regall Race and with the desired allowance and agreement of the Roman Emperours after the marriadge of King Aruiragus with Genuissa daughter of Claudius and the greatest dutie they could demande was their Tribute yet because in a publike and authoritatiue change of Religion in a whole kingdome there must also be a change of such lawes and customes as were contradicting and repugnant vnto the Religion to be receaued this could not be done in such persecuting dayes without greate ielousie in the Persecutours Emperours of an vtter reuolt from them in all respects And therefore our old Manuscripts both of Nennius and S. Gildas also as they are commonly reputed doe tell vs that when our generall and publike Conuersion was there was also an Imperiall allowance permission or tolleration for it from the Roman Emperours or their Lieutenants heare Missa Nennius in M. S. Hist Gildas in Hist M. S. in publica Biblioth Cantabr in Colleg. S. Benedicti legatio ne ab Imperatore Romanorum saith Nennius Missa legatione ab Imperatoribus Romanorum writeth Gildas in two Seuerall Manuscripts one in the publike Library of Cambridge the other in saint Benets Colledge there The reasons hereof I shall deliuer in due place hereafter 3. That which is wanting yet and to be added to the honour of our Apostle and Countryman saint Timothie is his glorious Martyrdome so honoured of saint Pius the Pope then and soone after also martyred that writing to the renowned Bishop of Vienna not long vnmartyred and exhorting him to constancy and perseuerance in afflictions and Persecution in Christ proposeth onely vnto him for the most worthie examples this saint Timothie and his holy companion at Martyrdome and probably of his labours in Britaine saint Marke saying they were Preists brought vp by the Apostles continuing vntill this time with whome he had imparted the word of faith men called of God and now liuing in euerlasting Ioyes in heauen S. Timothie and Marke haue ended their course by a good Combatt O Brother remember thow imitatest them S. Pius Epist ad Iustum Vienn Episcop Tom. 1. Biblioth Sanct. apud Baron Tom. 2. Annal. an 166. in following them and be not bound with the bands of the world presbyteri illi qui ab Apostolis educati vsque ad nos peruenerunt cum quibus simul verbum fidei partiti sumus à Domino vocati in cubilibus aeternis clausi tenentur Sanctus Timotheus Marcus per bonum certamen transierunt Vide frater vt illos imiteris sequendo ne vinculis mundi illigeris This is that greate honour of Britaine and Gods Church whome saint Dionisius the Areopagite that wonderfull Diuine and His honor with S. Denis the Areopagite glory of saint Paules Schollers honored so much as euery Reader may see in his diuine Bookes de diuinis nominibus Ecclesiastica Hierarchia of diuine names the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie calling him most holy sanctissime and the like and dedicated them to him as the auncient Title Compresbytero Timotheo Dionisius Presbyter Denys Preist to his fellow Preist Timothie and in his Baron Tom. 2. Annal. an 109. booke de diuinis nominibus citiâ—g an Epistle of saint Ignatius written after the other saint Timothie Bishop of Ephesus his death doe witnes Baronius and others so acknowledging How before his death he disposed his wordly Pius Pap. Epist ad S. Iust tom 1. Bibliot Sanct. Baron an 166. wealth to the glory of Gods Church and recommended the care of his Country Britaine to the most glorious lights then of Christs Church saint Pius Pope and his worthie friends and familiars saint Soter and saint Eleutherus or Eleutherius after Popes we may gather by his former loue and labours for this Nation The Martyrdome of S. Timothy and S. Pius Pope And so after so many yeares of most holy life trauailes for the Church of Christ after his releeuing and maintenance of so many Saints lodged Manuâ—cr Antiq. in Monast S. Cirian Martyrol Rom. die 24. Martij Tabul Ant. apud Baron Tom. 2. ann 162. Pius Pap. 1. Epist ad S. Iustum supr 1. Epist 2. ad eund fedd clothed and fostered both with temporall and spirituall sustenance his chardges and prouision in his holy house many of them also martyred there he was also martyred with his worthie Associate and fellow Preist saint Marke at Rome the 24. day of March an 165. And saint Pius the Pope of Rome was martyred also soone after vnder the same persecuting Emperours his death at hand being reuealed vnto him as he writeth in an other Epistle to saint Iustus of Vienna in France and Bishop there Reuelatum mihi esse scias collega beatissime citius me finem huius vitae esse facturum THE XI CHAPTER OF THE HOLY POPES NEXT SVCCEEDING S. Pius and their Religion The fauorable Edict of Marcus Aurelius Emperour for defence and protection of Christians and the Christian Lieutenants Trebellius and Pertinax with the forbidding the Druids Religion occasions of the publike receauing and profession of Christianitie in Britayne by King Lucius and his subiects 1. S Pius hauing thus gloriously ended his holy life and Papacie saint Anicetus by the more common opinion after many Auncients Iraeneus Tertullian Hegesippus Eusebius Epiphanius with others teacheth that saint Anicetus succeeded him in this hihest chardge Yet there be very auncient Hieron l. de Scr. in Hegesippo Optat. Mileu l. contra Parmen August Epist 161. Rober Barnes l. de Vit. Pontif. Ro. in Aniceto and worthie Authours as saint Hierome Optatus saint Augustine with others which hold that saint Anicetus was Pope betweene saint Higinius and saint Pius And an English Protestant writer though he followeth the first and more common opinion for the Order of his Succession next after saint Pius yet saying of him that he was Pope in Antoninus Pius his Empire sub Antonino Pio vixit he must fall to the second opinion by that I haue spoken before of the time of Antoninus
Constantino parebat in summa laetitia vitam egerunt And were not onely quiet vnder him but thus liued in greate Ioy and did encrease being honored and rewarded by him creueruntque in dies magis magisque tam beneuoli tamque pacis concordiae studiosi beneficijs ornatae 6. And relating his experiment to proue constant Christians before remēbred and how he admitted such for his nearest friends and Counsailers in amicorum atque adeo Consiliariorum numero habere decreuit He gathereth from hence that the Gaules Britans and others vnder him were by him exempted from the penall Lawes of the persecutors he taking them away and making them frustrate in his Dominions Hinc capere coniecturam licet neque Gallis neque Britannis neque alijs qui circiter montes Pyrenaeos ad Oceanum Occidentalem vsque incolunt contra leges visum esse Christianam Religionem dum adhuc vita suppeditabat Constantio profiteri And the obiections which Baronius maketh doe rather proue then improue the quietnes of Christians in this Nation when Constantius was heare For first the vnquietnes of Italy rather helped then hindered our peace our Persecution proceeding from thence now not able to persecute vs nor take reuendge of Constantius for protecting vs. And his being in Britaine he being so friendly allwayes to Christians as Baronius often confesseth must much more procure ease and freedome to our Christians where there was noe man of power to contradict or resist it Constantius being both King and Emperor heare and the kingdome of Britaine a Christian kingdome Therefore howsoeuer his reasons make doubt of some other places whose state and condition was not like vnto ours of Britaine Bed l. 1. Hist c. 8. Galf. Mon. Hist Reg. Brit. l. 5. c. 5. 6. Manusc Galli antiq c. 28. 29. Virun l. 5. Hist Harding Chron. cap. 57. 58. 59. 60. Henricus Hunting Hist l. 1. Socrates Eccles Hist l. 1. c. 1. Eus l. 1. Vit. Cōstantini c. 9. Theodoret. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 24. they doe not moue any question of the quiet thereof in cause of Religion but establish and confirme it And therefore our owne best allowed and auntient Historians S. Bede Galfridus Henry of Huntington an old French Manuscript Virūnius Harding others setle Constantius heare in Britaine after all our Persecution ended nothing but all fauour to Chrstiās heare in his time and not onely a tolleration graunted but publicke profession of Christianitie generally allowed by Regall and Imperiall warrant of Constantius vsed exercised as shall immediatly more plainely appeare in the next Chapter 7. And if we had rather harken to forreine writers in or neare that time we haue sufficient warrant not onely that he recalled himself from the worship of the Pagan gods as diuers are witnesses Constantius se à Deorum Gentilium veneratione auocauerat But as Eusebius and others testifie of him he gaue free power and licence to all vnder him to exercise Christian Religion without any molestation illis qui ab ipso regebantur liberam verae in Deum religionis sine Constantine the greate first instructed in Christian Religion in Britaine molestia excolendae permisit potestatem And this as he writeth when the greatest Persecution was in other places And had care to instruct his sonne Constantine the Greate which he left his Heyre in the same faith as we may easely conclude from the words of Constantine himselfe registred by Theodoret huius Dei adiutus ope orsus ab vltimis Oceani finibus vniuersum orbem terrarum Sozom. Eccles Hist l. 1. c. 5. Chronicon Monast Abingdonien apud Nich. Harpesfeld Hist Eccl. 10. saecul p. 203. c. 9. firmae salutis spe erexi that euē from the ends of the Ocean meaning Britaine he was assisted by God And Sozomen saith it is euidently knowne vnto all men that greate Constantine was first instructed in the Christian faith amōg the Britans Apud Britannos liquidò constat inter omnes Constantinum primum religione Christiana imbutum And the Cronicle of Abington neare Oxford testifieth he was brought vp in that old Abbey which we must needs asscribe to his parents Constantius and Helena And we find not any other but Constantius except we will apply it to King Coel and then it was receaued and approued by him who heare in Britaine caused the persecutors to be putt to death and the Persecution therevppon ceased as S. Gildas writeth emarcescentibus Gild. l. de conq Brit. c. 8. nece suorum Authorum nefarijs Decretis For this must needs be applied to Persecutors in Britaine and not to the Tyrants Dioclesian and Maximinian the Persecution heare endeed longe before their death as is proued before and neither of them nor any other Emperor but Constantius hauing power or commaund heare at this time And herevpon our Protestant Historians themselues thus testify of him Constantius abolished the superstition of the Stowe Howes Hist tit Romās in Constantius Constantine Gentils in his Dominians So that afterward Britaine felt no persecutions Constantius renounced the Idolatrie of the Gentils THE II. CHAPTER OF THE FINDING THE HOLY CROSSE by S. Helen in Constantius his time His Christian life and death and crowning his sonne Constantine Emperour heare in Britaine 1. I Haue shewed before out of S. Gildas and others aswell that the Persecution called Dioclesians did not continue ten yeares in this kingdome in one place he termeth it Persecutionem Dioclesiani Tyranni nouennem the nine yeares Persecution of Dioclesian the Tyrant and in the next Chapter not wholly ten yeares longe bilustro turbinis necdum expleto As also that it wholly ended Gildas l. de excid cōquest Brit. c. 7. 8. in the time of King Coel those Persecutours then hauing no power or Authoritie heare and so together with their other ouerruling and commanding Decrees the bloody Edicts of persecuting Christians heare were vtterly extinct and made inualidate and as is euident before neuer being renewed but alltogether omitted by Constantius this greate friend of Christians such of this Nation were fully and vndoubtedly thereby restored to their auncient liberties Priuiledges and Immunities in matters of Religion if Constantius and Helen our Emperour and Empresse King and Queene had then giuen no further and expresse approbation vnto them Which we may not reasonably call into question when we remember their absolute and independing regall right and possession without contradiction they had in this kingdome the naturall loue and affection they bore vnto it and that to them with their Religious care and desire they had to defend and aduance Christian Religion euen in times and places when and where they were not so enabled nor drawne therto with so many and strong bands of dutie and affection We haue heard before that other Churches vnder his Empire were endowed by his benefits and munificence thereby they lyued in greate Ioy and encreased the choysest Christians were his dearest Friends and
Iland now called S. Andrewes from that time of his holy Reliks taking that name of honor then a poore Village in Pictland now in the diuision of Scotland The fame hereof being spreed through the Country of the Picts very many resorted to visit and reuerence these holy Reliks from all places thereabouts brough gifts to offer to the holy Apostle ConfluxeruÌ„t illuc vndique donaria Christi Apostolo offerentes Among these was Heirgustus King of the Picts whom S. Regulus and his Religious company entertained with a ioyfull maner of Procession in Hymnes and Canticles The King Prostrating himselfe vpon the ground kissed the sacred Reliks with greate reuerence and after Masse whereof the King was most obseruant ended he gaue his owne Palace to S. Andrewe S. Regulus and the Preists to serue God Sacrifice of Masse with vestiments and ornaments beloÌ„ging to Preists at Masse there And he builded an other Church not farre off dedicated to S. Andrew the Apostle Which he did endowe with most ample gifts as Chalices Lauatories and other vessels of gold and syluer with very costely Preistly and Church Ornaments to continue for euer belonging to the holy Sacrifice ornauit id templum Donarijs amplissimis pateris cyphis calicibus peluibus laxacris ex argento auroque ac alia praetiosa supellectili in sacrorum vsum quaesita sacerdotibus ad diuina perpetuo exequenda ibidem costitutis This example of King Heirgustus was long time followed by the Kings of the Picts so long as they continued there and by the Kings of the Scots after possessing those parts honoring S. Andrew for the Patron of their Country Heirgusti exemplum longa Regum series primo Pictorum deinde Scotorum qui deletis Pictis ea loca tenuerunt religiose est insequuta Diuum Andream pro numine habentes tutelari Which the Protestant Historians themselues both Scots and others doe freely and plainly confesse as being a certaine and vndeniable true Historie agreeing both in Boeth l. 6. fol. 109. Hollinsh Hist of Scotl. supr the time place and other circumstances of the miraculous sending and transporting these holy Reliks into this kingdome in the place remembred from Patras in Achaia about the yeare of Christ 369. and the greate deuotion reuerence wherewith they were receaued and preserued heare 4. The first Religious men which were placed in this new Monastery with Culdeyes the old Monkes heare most holymen S. Regulus and his company were those which the Scots and Picts for their singular pietie and Religion honored with the Title Culdeis Sacerdotes Deicultores vulgo appellati Preists commonly called Worshippers of God these were first placed in it Fuere in eo à primaeâ—a eius conditione primum Sacerdotes Dei cultores vulgo appellati These Culdeis were Britans of those parts where the Romans ruled and the Persecution of Dioclesian extended it selfe and raged which fled to the Scots not so subiect to the Romans for succour in that raging time and many of them after the Persecution ended continued there still preaching vnto the Scots many of these conuerted ioyning with them in that holy Religious life and remayned there to many generations in greate honor and Sanctitie reuerenced both of Kings Subiects as all Antiquaries euen Protestants thus confesse in the Reigne of King Finchormach or Finchomarke a litle before this time and diuers hundreds of yeares after Scoti liberati Georg. Buchan Rer. Scoticar l. 4 in Reg. 35. Finchomarcho Holinsh Histor of Scotl. in Fincomarke curis externis nihil prius habuerunt quam vt religionem Christianam promouerent occasione illinc orta quòd multi ex Brittonibus Christianis saeuitiam Diocletiani timentes ad eos confugerant è quibus complures doctrina vitae integritate clari in Scotia substiterunt vitamque solitariam taÌ„ta sanctitatis opinione apud omnes vixerunt vt vita functorum cella in templa commutarentur ex eoque consuetudo mansit apud Posteros vt prisci Scoti templa cellas vocent Hoc genus Monachorum Culdeos appellabant Mansitque nomen institutum donec Monachorum genus recentius eos expulit By which testimonie of Antiquaries euen Protestants it is both proued that our auncient learned and Religious Britans as S. Ninian and his Associates and our Brittish holy Preists and Culdies were principall instruments in conuerting as well the Scottish as Pictish Nations to the faith of Christ and that the Pope of Rome which directed S. Ninian Religion then heare the same with that of the present Roman Church hither he and the Picts whom he conuerted our British Preists and Culdeis and the Scots receauing instruction in Religion from them and the Church of Greece with whose Monkes all these ioyned were Professors of one and the same Catholike faith in the Sacrifice of Masse and Ceremonials thereof prayer and inuocation to Saints in heauen their protection towards men on earth worshipping their Reliks Pilgrimages to holy Places Religious Monasticall life and such others before expressed by them From these Monkes and Culdeis the Bishops of those parts were chosen vntill Pope Celestine sent Boeth l. 7. f. 133. S. Palladius hither Antea ex Monachis Culdeis Pontifices assumerentur And they preached and taught the Lawe of Christ throughout all the l. 6. f. 102. Scots Countries Christi Seruatoris doctrinam per omnes Scotorâ—m Regiones concionando multis pijsque sudoribus seminantes 5. And although this History of S. Regulus in comming so longe a iorney with those sacred Reliks and the greate reuerence the Northren parts of this Kingdome then gaue vnto them may seeme strange to men not well affected to such holy duties and ignorant in the deuotion and Religion of these times yet they may learne this was not singular to the Gretians Picts and Scots but to all other Christan Nations especially the Britans not to seeke further then belongeth to their History For as S. Regulus brought those holy Reliks Pilgrimages to holy Reliks of Saints out of Greece so our Britans in these times went into Syria as farre as Antioch on Pilgrimage to S. Simeon Stellita to worship sacred things there tooke it for a greate happines blessing to bring froÌ„ thence any litle peece Nicen. Concil 2. Theod. Hist Sanctorum Patrum in S. Simeone Euagr Hist Eccl. l. 1 c. 13. of a Thong cutt from his leather Coate and in Rome itselfe they thought it to be a greate protection to haue but a litle Image of him to stand at the entries of their houses as both the second Nicen Councell and Theodoret are ample witnesses Non solum confluebant qui nostram habitant Regionem sed Ismaelitae Persae Armenij qui sunt eis subiecti Iberos Homeritae qui illis sunt interiores Venerunt autem multi quoque qui habitant extrema Occidentis Hispani inquam Britanni Galli qui quod est