from those Libels were call'd Libellatici Lapsi and Apostates as they well deserv'd When afterwards St. Cornelius possess'd St. Peter's Chair the Novatian Heresie arose Novatus an African was the Author of it who coming to Rome link'd himself with Novatianus swelling with envy against the Election of St. Cornelius They excluded the Libellatici and other Criminals from all hope of Pardon though they submitted themselves to due Pennance Gildas calls this Novatus A black Swine who trod under-foot our Lords Pearl St. Augustine concerning the followers of Novatus bids us Beware of those who deny the Church of God Power to forgive all sins and will not understand how in St. Peter God hath establish'd a Rock and given the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to his Church These are they which boast themselves to be Cathari more pure than the Doctrine of Christ requires Decius being betray'd and slain was succeeded by Gallus and Volusianus and by their Cruelty St. Lucius who succeeded St. Cornelius in the Roman See was Crown'd with Martyrdom these Emperors were soon slain by their own Souldiers and were succeeded by Valerianus and his Son Gallienus In the beginning of whose reign Stephanus the Successor of St. Lucius in the Apostolick See instructed Baptiz'd and Ordain'd St. Mallo or Melanius a glorious Ornament of our British Nation He was sent out of Britain to Rome to pay the Emperour Tribute where hearing the Doctrine of the Holy Pope Stephen he renounc'd Paganism and became a Christian and after Bishop of Rouen in France With St. Mallo were Baptiz'd many others by this Pope After he had Catechiz'd them and appointed a Fast and examin'd their Faith It is observable by how Stupendious a Miracle St. Mallo came to be design'd Bishop of Rouen whilst on a certain day St. Stephen the Pope was celebrating Mass both He and St. Mallo saw an Angel standing at the right side of the Altar when Mass was finish'd the Angel having a Crosier or Pastoral Staff in his hands gave it to St. Mallo saying Receive this Staff with which thoushalt govern the Inhabitants of the City of Rouen and though the Labours of a course of life yet unexperienc'd by thee may prove burdensom fear not yet to undertake it for our Lord Jesus Christ will protect thee under the shadow of his wings St. Mallo in his journey towards Rouen at Auxerre in Gaul having in his hand the Staff given him by the Angel by his fervent Prayer restor'd to Health a man whose foot was cut in two pieces by an Axe No sooner was St. Mallo arriv'd at Rouen but he began to Preach the Name of Christ to the Inhabitants with such efficacy of Speech and Power of Miracles enforc'd by the Sanctity of his Life that in short time he brought the whole City to the obedience of Christ This great change is said to be wrought especially at a time when most of the People were Assembled to perform an abominable Sacrifice to one of their false Deities for St. Mallo coming amongst them enflam'd with a Heavenly Zeal reprov'd their Stupidity in Worshiping a Senseless Stock for a God He calls upon the Name of Christ makes the triumphant sign of the Cross immediately down tumbles the Idol in the sight of them all so that with the word of his mouth alone he broke it in pieces and by this means a great multitude thus astonish'd receiv'd his instruction embrac'd the Doctrine of Faith and were Purify'd by the Water of Baptism In the same place from whence this Saint thus expell'd the Divel he built a Church in Honour of the Holy Trinity where the People Assembled every Sunday and were instructed in the perfect Worship of God where the unbloody Sacrifice was offer'd and the means of attaining Salvation were Communicated He also built there other Churches for the like Holy purposes and having begotten many thousand Souls to Christ in the year of Grace 280. ended his Life and Labours and departed to his Eternal rest Valerian at first seeming to favour the Christians raiseth afterwards the 8th Persecution against them wherein the Holy Pope S. Stephen was Crown'd with Martyrdom him succeeded St. Sixtus the second of that Name who in the same year tasted of the same Cup and in Sixtus's place sate St. Dionysius Valerian soon after was taken Prisoner by Sapores King of Persia where he liv'd many years in Slavery and dy'd in great misery his Son Gallienus succeeding him in the Empire and yet never going about to redeem him perhaps he wanted Power for in his short reign no fewer than 30 Tyrants assum'd the Title of Emperour in several Provinces of the Roman World after he had reign'd about five years Luxuriously and Slothfully he was slain by the Treachery of Claudius his next Successor with his Brother and Children This Claudius was highly esteem'd of the Romans for his Courage Wisdom and moral Virtues yet was he a Persecutor of Christians After his death his Brother Quintillus for some few days made a bustle as Emperour but was soon slain by his Soldiers Howbeit this misfortune of that Flavian Family was in some sort recompens'd in that Crispus another Brother of Claudius had a Daughter call'd Claudia Mother to Constantius Chlorus who establish'd the Empire in his Family for many Generations Of all the late Usurpers of the Roman Empire there remain'd only two when Aurelianus came to be Emperour Zenobia in the East Queen of Palmyrene and Tetricus in the West Aurelianus began with Zenobia a Lady of Masculine Courage yet with much difficulty he subdu'd her and led her in Triumph to Rome where she and her Off-spring liv'd in a private but Splended Estate Then march'd the Emperour against Tetricus with whom also conspir'd the British Army yet he afterwards surrender'd himself to the Emperour and was not only permitted to live but intrusted with Government In this Expedition Aurelianus was accompany'd with Constantius Chlorus who here laid the foundation of bringing the Empire into his own Family for by his Courage and Conduct in relieving Ausburg and deseating the Germans who Besieg'd it he gain'd such favour from the Emperour that he was trusted with an Army into Britain then unquiet and dis-affected yet did Constantius so well prosper there that he Married the British Lady St. Helenae and laid the grounds of strange Revolutions not only in his own Family but in the Church of God For now it was that the Glorious Emperour Constantine the Great was born and Educated by his Holy Mother at least in the love of Christianity if not in the Profession of it so as in a few years the Catholick Church was by him not only freed from Persecution but made to triumph over Pagan Idolatry and the Kingdom of Hell. Paulus Samosatenus having broach'd a most execrable Heresie by which he deny'd the Divinity of the Son of God was in a Synod of Eastern Bishops reduc'd from his Error But upon his relapse was Excommunicated and
invented by Fausta maliciously because the young man would not yield to her Lust she was by Constantine's order stifled in a Hot Bath After which Crimes and Calamities as appears by the second General Councel of Nice Almighty God struck Constantine with a Leprosie anxious to find a remedy the Soothsayers told him The only way to be restor'd was by a Bath of Infants Blood This detestable Medicine being abhorr'd by Constantine God was pleas'd to instruct him by a Vision of St. Peter and St. Paul in his sleep That it would be a certain remedy for him to receive Baptism at the hands of the Pope Which he did accordingly with great Solemnity In the place where he was Baptiz'd he Erected a Magnificent Chappel wherein was a Font of Porphyrie cover'd with Silver and over it hung a Phiale of Pure Gold wherein yearly 200 l. of Balsom was Burn'd on the brink of the Font was plac'd a Lamb of pure Gold weighing 30 l. and pouring forth water into the Font At the right side of the Lamb stood the Statue of our Saviour all of pure Silver weighing 170 l. On the left side was plac'd St. John Baptist holding a Scroul whereon was written Behold the Lamb of God Behold him who takes away the sins of the World c. The Emperour according to the Churches custom being for seven days cloath'd in White Consecrated each of the said days with some Signal act of Piety On the first day he publish'd a Law That Christ is the true Lord who cleans'd him from his Leprosie and whom he commanded to be Ador'd through the whole Empire On the second day he Decreed Severe Punishments on those who by Word or Deed should Dishonour him On the third day he Decreed Like Penalties against those who should Persecute or Molest any Christians On the fourth day He confer'd on the Roman Churches Imperial Priviledges On the fifth day He granted Immunities to all other Churches On the sixth and seventh he added many other Gists to Ecclesiastical Persons And the day after he appear'd in publick perfectly cleans'd from his Sins and Leprosie and coming to the Confession of St. Peter He took his Diadem from his Head and putting off his Impertal Robes with a Spade open'd the Earth for a Foundation of a new Church and in Honour of the 12 Apostles carry'd on his Shoulders 12 Baskets of Earth and with great joy receiving the Bishop into his Chariot he return'd to his Palace After all this he extended his Munificence to Gods Church all the Empire over and sent Letters to the Eastern Bishops encouraging them to Build Churches supplying them out of his publick Treasure which Churches he caus'd to be Consecrated to the Honour of the Apostles and Martyrs whose solemn Feasts he commanded to be observ'd even by the Pagans with Honour and Veneration And as for the Christians they repair'd thither with great Zeal and as Supplicants there demanded the intercession of those Martyrs a practice then us'd not only by the meaner sort but by persons of the highest rank also As St. Chrysostom witnesses He who wears the Imperial Robe saith he comes hither he embraces the Sepulchers of the Martyrs and laying aside all haughtiness and pride stands before them in the Posture of a Supplicant beseeching them to intercede on his behalf This so publick and zealous Profession of a new Religion render'd Constantine displeasing to some of the Senate who could not with Patience endure the decay of their Antient Superstition For this cause he grew weary of Rome and made a Progress into the Eastern Provinces where he establish'd a new seat of the Empire at Bizantium after from his Name call'd Constantinople and this he did the rather to compose the Tumults rais'd by the Blasphemous Heresie of Arius who deny'd the Divinity of the Son of God affirming That time was when he was not though he was first of all Creatures In which Heresie not a few Bishops joyn'd with him to the great disturbance and scandal of the Christian Church Alexander Bishop of Alexandria first admonish'd then Excommunicated Arius Constantine by Exhortations and Letters treated with both of them for the composing of their differences but finding no means available caus'd a Councel of the whole Church to be assembled at Nicaea in Bythinia consisting of 318 Bishops who desided the Controversy from Scripture and Tradition determining That the Son was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantial with the Father It is observable with what Meekness Charity and Respectfulness the Pious Emperour behav'd himself towards the Bishops how he refus'd to judge of their Recriminations how he fortify'd the Determinations of the Synod by his Authority commanding submission thereunto and how he banish'd the Arch-Heretick Arius In this Councel was further Order made For the universal Observation of Easter upon the first Sunday following the 14th day of the first Moon after the Vernal Equinox for the better finding out of which it was recommended to the care of the Patriarch of Alexandria every year to give notice to the Bishop of Rome upon what day Easter was to be observ'd and this was to be communicated unto all remoter Churches and during Mass on the Epiphany a Deacon with a loud voice declar'd the following Easter whereby Lent and all other moveable Feasts were regulated And accordingly the British Churches also were guided until recourse from Rome was interrupted by Domestick Broils and the invasion of the Saxons and when by such interruption the Britains varied from the Western Churches they kept not Easter as the quarto decimani precisely upon the 14th day of the Moon after the Jewish mode But if that 14th day hapen'd upon a Sunday they did not defer the Observation until the Sunday following as other Catholick Christian Churches us'd to do Soon after this Councel of Nice Helena the Mother of Constantine being near 80. years old had the Courage to undertake a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem to visit the Holy places sanctify'd by our Lords Actions and Sufferings and to Adore his Footsteps to which tedious Journey she is said to be incited by Divine Admonition The Sepulchre of our Lord she most ardently desir'd to see which the flagitious Impiety of the Pagans had endeavour'd to hide from the World so that it cost incredible Labour to remove that vast heap of Earth wherewith it had been cover'd on the top whereof a Temple to Venus was Erected But the place being cleans'd Constantine caus'd a most Magnificent Temple to be Erected upon it Besides which his Mother began the building of two other Sumptuous Churches one at Bethlehem where our Lord was born another on Mount Olivet where he ascended into Heaven both which after her Death were finish'd by her Son. In the Mount was yet extant the Impression of our Lords Feet which this Devout Empress Honour'd with due Veneration The Prophet Zacharias long before Prophesied saying And in that day his feet shall stand upon the Mount Olivet
the weight and troubles of Government would have resign'd the Province to Carantac but he loving the Caelestial King more than an Earthly Kingdom fled away and having bought a Wallet and Staff of a poor man by Gods Conduct was brought to a Pleasant place where he reposing himself built an Oratory and spent his time in the Praises of God At last he pass'd over into Ireland invited by his Affection to St. Patrick when he came thither it was agreed between them that one of them should travel Preaching the Gospel toward the Right Hand and the other towards the Left In their company many Ecclesiastical persons attended them and they all agreed to meet once a year at an appointed place Where ever this Holy man Carantac went an Angel of our Lord in the likeness of a Dove accompanied him and chang'd his Name into Cernach being an Irish Appellation All along his Voyage he wrought great Miracles for the Confirmation of the Faith he Preach'd Healing many thousand of their Diseases The grace at first given to the Apostles is said to have been plentifully bestow'd on him He was counted an admirable Soldier and Champion of Christ a Spiritual and Devout Abbot refusing to Preach Saving Truth unto none He spent many years in that Island where he brought an incredible number to wash away their sins by Pennance by day and night offering innumerable Prayers to God and having Converted many People to our Lord who wrought many Miracles by him He at last return'd to his Native Country where he retir'd to his former Cave accompanied with many Disciples There having built a Church he determin'd to abide but not long after being admonish'd by a Voice from Heaven he return'd into Ireland where in a good Old Age and full of good Works he rested in Peace and was buried in his own City from him call'd Cherach I shall here add the Gests of another British Saint and Companion of St. Patrick into Ireland call'd Luman Son of Gollitus a Brittain and Nephew to St. Patrick by his Sister Tigridia He was the Founder of the Church of Trim in Ireland the occasion and manner whereof is thus related by Bishop Vsher St. Luman came to the Ford of Truim which runs before the Castle of Fiedilmed Son of Loiguor And early in the morning Froitchern Son of Fiedilmed found him Preaching the Gospel of Christ who wondering at the Doctrine taught by him presently believ'd and was Baptiz'd in Christ by Luman at a Fountain arising in the same place and stay'd with him until his Mother who sought after him came to the same place She was over-joy'd at the sight of the Holy man because she also came out of Britain and being instructed by him likewise believ'd and returning Home told her Husband what had hapned to her self and her Son Fiedelmed was much joy'd at the arrival of Luman because his Mother call'd Schotnoesa had been the Daughter of a British Prince Fiedilmed therefore went to him and Saluted him in the British Language questioning him in particular touching his Descent and Doctrine who answer'd That his Name was Luman a Brittain a Christian and Disciple of the Holy Bishop S. Patrick sent as he said by God to Convert the Inhabitants of that Country to the Faith of Christ and Baptize them Fiedilmed immediately believ'd with his whole Family and offer'd him and St. Patrick his whole Territory with his Son. Fiedilmed remov'd his Habitation beyond the River Boindeo but Luman with Froitchern stay'd at the Ford of Truim 'till St. Patrick came thither where they joyntly erected a Church about 12 years before the Church of Armagh Attimachae was founded the beginning of which Arch-Episcopal Church the Annals of Ulster ascribe to the year of Grace 444. We may now not unfitly treat of St. Benignus as his Story may be found in the Antiquities of Glastonbury The Venerable Bishop St. Patrick Preaching the Gospel through the Provinces of Ireland came to a plain call'd Brey or Breg very Spacious and Beautiful with which being delighted he determin'd there to Celebrate the Feast of Easter then at hand His first Acquaintance and Familiarity in that Province was with a man whom he had newly Converted to the Faith with him St. Patrick Lodg'd This man had a Young Child call'd Beonna who bore a tender Affection to the Saint he would often play with him and Kiss his Foot the Child would not sleep but when he lay with the Holy Bishop He therefore Prophetically perceiving the great Grace which the Divine Bounty would confer upon the Child vouchsafed to take him to his Bed and gave him the Name of Benignus When the Holy Bishop was ready to proceed in his Journey the Child with Pittiful cries beg'd to go along with him so as the Bishop was forc'd to receive him into his Waggon and Prophecy'd that he should be his Successor in the Bishoprick which accordingly came to pass This was the first Solemnity of Easter which the Holy Bishop Celebrated in Ireland and he did it by imitating the Son of God who at his last Supper with his Disciples Consecrated his Body and Blood for the Redemption of Mankind The day before this great Feast of our Lords Resurrection St. Patrick according to an Ecclesiastical Rite as Probus observes then in use Kindled the Holy fire the Flame whereof shone brightly about the place According to the custom of that Country it was it seems Vnlawful for any to Light a Fire before it was kindled in the Kings Palace The King whose Name was Logorius perceiving the brightness of the Flame in great indignation threatn'd Death to him who had infring'd that custom in his Kingdom His Magicians about him to incense him further told the King That the Fire which had so been kindled against Law unless presently extinguish'd would never cease to the Worlds end but obscure all the Fires which they kindled according to their custom and that the man who lighted it would be the destruction of his Kingdom While St. Patrick with great success thus labour'd in the Gospel Britain was Illustrated with the Memory of another great St. Winwaloc the Son of a Noble Person call'd Fracan Cousin-German of a British Prince Nam'd Coton This St. Winwaloc is said to have been from his Childhood inflam'd with an earnest desire of Heavenly things to despise Worldly Allurements and to live to God only wherefore he besought his Parents that he might be commended to the care of a certain Religious man to be by him imbew'd in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and Documents of Piety his request being obtain'd he made wonderful progress in Virtue and Holiness under that Religious mans Discipline insomuch that when he was but seven years Old he became an example of all Piety and Goodness In process of time having undertaken a Monastical Profession Divine Graces shone more brightly in him so as he became withall enrich'd with the Gift of Prophecy Many Miracles God
Authority Now the said Island is usually govern'd by an Abbot who is a Priest to whose Jurisdiction the whole Province and even Bishops themselves by a custom no where else practic'd ought to be subject according to the example of their first Teacher S Columba who was only a Priest and Monk and no Bishop Of whose Life and Sayings many strange things are extant compil'd by his Disciples but what manner of man soever he was sure we are he left Successors famous for their great Continency Divine Love and Regular Institution The Companions to St. Columba are said to be twelve who came with him into Albion eminently indu'd with the Doctrine of Christ and adorn'd with great Sanctity their Names were Bathemius and Cominus afterwards Superiours over Monasteries and no mean Ornaments of the Christian Church among the Scots Also Cibthacus and Ethernau Nephews to St. Columba and Priests Moreover Domitius Rutius and Fethuo men Illustrious for their Descent but more for their Piety Lastly Scandalaus Eglodeus Totaueus Moteser and Gallan These men after Travell'd through the Region of the Scots and Pict and by their labour in Teaching Disputing and Writing imbu'd both those Nations with virtuous Manners and true Religion The Scotish Writers add one Companion more to St. Columba namely St. Constantine formerly King of the Britains who repenting his Crimes sharply reprov'd by Gildas became a Monk and went with St. Columba into Scotland where he Preach'd the Faith to the Scots and Picts He built a Monastery in Govane near the River Cluid which he govern'd as Abbot He is said to have Converted to the Faith the whole Province of Kentire where he likewise dy'd a Martyr and was buried in his Monastery in Govan The King who bestow'd the Isle of Hy upon St. Columba and by the eminence of his Piety drew him thither is said to be St. Comgal or Conval King of Dalrieda At the same time not far from St. Columba liv'd St. Kentigern lately return'd to his Bishoprick of Glasco to whom no doubt St. Columba was an Officious assistant in his Apostolick Office. Of the Solemn meeting of these two Saints with their Disciples we have already spoken That there was a perfect agreement between these two Saints and their Disciples is no doubt and between them and St. Augustine also except in one Rite or Ceremony about the time of keeping Easter Upon which inconsiderable difference some would infer that the British Churches received their Faith from the Eastern Churches and not from Rome St. Columba having spent more then 30 years in this Place and Service he impatiently beg'd of God to end his Pilgrimage after his Prayer ended he saw in a Vision certain Angels approaching to him to conduct his Soul to Heaven which sight was so joyful to him that his Disciples took notice of it But this sight was soon turn'd into sorrow for the Angels told him That upon the Prayers of the Pictish Churches God had added four years more to his Life At last in the year of Grace 597. the same year St. Angustine came into Britain this Holy man dy'd and his Holy body was buried in the Monastery of Hy from whence it was after translated or a great part of it into Ireland and repos'd in the Church of Dun-Patrick by an Inscription on his Monument it is signified That in that one Tomb three Saints St. Patrick St. Bridget and St. Columba did repose Hitherto the Saxon Princes had imploy'd their Forces to the destruction of the Britains but now finding little resistance from them turn'd their Arms against one another For three years after the coming of St. Columba into Britain Ceaulin and Cutha mov'd a Civil war against Ethelbert which Ethelbert the rather enter'd into because the Power of Ceaulin so much increas'd that he took upon him the Title of Monarch Hereupon Ethelbert a Valiant Young Prince mindful of the Glory of his Ancestors who had always enjoy'd a Preheminence above other Princes resolv'd to keep it And raising an Army march'd with it into the Province of the Regni or Surry where passing unwarily over a little River call'd Wandalis he was rudely repuls'd by Ceaulin but endeavouring again to march forward the Armies met at a Village call'd Wibbandun now Wimbledon where he was with a great slaughter of his men compell'd to fly back into Kent having lost his two chief Captains Oslaf and Kneban Where this Battle was fought still remains as a Monument of it a Rampire rais'd in a round form as encompassing a Camp call'd Knebensbury Ethelbert after his loss sought to strengthen himself by a Friendship and Confederacy with the Neighbouring Powerful Kingdom of the Franks to make which Confederacy more lasting he desir'd to confirm it by Marriage which he effected This Kingdom heretofore was call'd Gaul but afterwards the Franks a German Nation under their King Pharamond invading it and possessing the greatest part of it chang'd the Name from Gaul to France The Successors of Pharamond for several Generations were Pagans till by St. Remigius Bishop of Rhemes in the year of Grace 499. King Clodoveus was Converted to the Christian Faith and with him the greatest part of his Kingdom which Faith ever after continu'd and encreas'd there This Kingdom of the Franks was at that time govern'd by four Kings Sons of Clotharius a Daughter of one of which Kings Elthelbert Married nam'd Berta Gregory calls her Aldiberga to whom he attributes the Conversion of the the Saxons Her Parents not without some difficulty deliver'd their Christian Daughter to the Bed of a Pagan but had an engagement from Ethelbert to allow Her and her Family an entire freedom in Religion and so the Marriage was concluded The Lady was accompanied into Britain by a Prudent and Devout Bishop call'd Lethardus who is Styl'd The Percursor to St. Augustine and one who open'd the door to Christianity here There were then in Doroberni or Canterbury several Churches which had been built by Christians many Ages before in the times of the Romans and were not utterly demolish'd by the Saxons amongst which the Queen made choice of that which had been Dedicated to the Honour of St. Martin and stood Eastward of the City The Author of Life of this Bishop Lethardus tells us what Devotions this Queen perform'd in this Church viz. That she and her Family frequented the Sacraments of Masses and Prayers in the Celebrating whereof the Blessed Bishop Lethardus was President or chief Priest The saying or singing of Masses were the Solemn Devotion of the Church in those times as appears by the Councels of Orleans and Tours Celebrated in these very times insomuch as St. Columba by Revelation knowing the death of St. Brendan in Ireland Celebrated a Solemn Mass for his Soul. In the year of Grace 571. Cuthulf the Brother of King Ceaulin fought with the Britains at Bedanford now Bedford and having obtain'd the Victory he took from them four Royal Cities Linganburgh a