his usual Office of Preaching to his new Converts Such was their rage that without distinction of Sex or Age they Mercilesly put all their Countrey-men to the Sword Neighbours murdering Neighbours Friends Friends and Kinsmen Kinsmen and all of them rushing with violence upon Amphibalus they check him With deceiving the People and teaching them to trample under-foot the Laws Imperial and contemn the Gods Of which Reproaches the Holy Man takes no notice but with joy recommends the Souls of his Murder'd Converts unto the living God. Where the place of this Slaughter was is uncertain some say amongst the Silures others say at Litchfield lying in the way from Verulam towards Wales where-ever it was St. Amphibalus was from thence driven on his bare feet with his Arms strait bound back again to Verulam by the way although thus Hamper'd he had yet the Power to loose a Sick person from the bands of his Infirmity Calling upon him for help and declaring that he firmly believ'd his Health should be restor'd unto him if Amphibalus the Servant of the most high God would vouchsafe to intercede for him in the Name of Christ Which he soon did and behold in the sight of them all the sick person immediately arose perfectly recover'd When the Holy man after his tedious and painful journey came to the Confines of Verulam his Cruel Persecutors strip'd him of his Garments and fastning a Stake in the ground they with a Sword rip'd up his Belly and tying the end of his Guts about the Stake with Cruel Whipping they forc'd the Holy Martyr to walk about it and so enwrap it with his Bowels and yet not content with this Cruelty they Inhumanely mangled the rest of his Body with Knives and Lances The man of God all this while stood with a chearful Countenance as if he had suffer'd nothing the more he was tortur'd the more constant he appear'd when the wonder was he should remain yet alive This constancy of his stir'd up many of the Spectators to renounce their Idols and submit to the Faith of Christ beseeching the Holy man to Pray to God for them that they might partake of Eternal Happiness for the obtaining whereof they were ready to lay down their lives The chief Magistrate perceiving this commands the Officers to put all these new Converts to Death which they soon perform'd to the number of about 1000. persons whose Souls the Blessed Martyr in the midst of his Tortures recommended to our Lord. One of the By-standers louder then the rest thus upbraided the man of God O pityless wretch said he why hast thou deceiv'd these simple People with thy fraudulent Specehes withdrawing them from the Worship of the Gods by thy perswasion we have lost our Friends and Parents Although thou hast above measure incens'd both Gods and Men yet now at last by thy Repentance thou may'st receive their Pardon and Favour Signifie thy repentance by renouncing that impious Sect which hitherto thou hast follow'd and yet adore the Omnipotent Gods which perhaps through Ignorance thou hast offended which if thou wilt do those all-powerful Deities will restore to Life those whom thou hast Murder'd To whom the Holy man of God thus Answer'd O Infidel whilst thou endeavour'st to extol thy Gods assure thy self thou offendest the True God for it is Jesus Christ my Lord who alone hath Power to raise and give Life to the Dead As for those whom ye Worship as Gods and think them Powerful in Heaven they now suffer horrible torments in Hell with Adulterers Vnjust persons Slanderers â—nd such as by their Reprobate actions here render'd themselves like to Divels And thou Pagan and all such as worship Idols except you renounce their Worship and Convert your selves to the Faith of Christ will incur the same Punishments in Hell But despair not of the Mercy of God break off your evil ways make haste to partake of the Grace of Baptism by which all sins are forgiven and Heaven is open'd unto men thereby becoming new Creatures divested of their former wicked dispositions For those who before Baptism by their sins were the Children of the Divel become afterwards the Sons of God. Run therefore to this Grace for refuge that you may escape everlasting Torments Upon these Speeches the Infidels were so enrag'd that they labour'd with all their force to dispatch the Holy Martyr with multitudes of Stones who still remain'd unmoveable in Prayer not stiring any way from the place where he stood But the hour approaching wherein he was to surrender his victorious Spirit unto God he lifted up his Eyes to Heaven and saw our Lord Jesus standing at the right Hand of his Father and also heard an Harmonious consort of Angels amongst whom he spy'd his Beloved Disciple St. Alban whose help and Prayer he invok'd that God might send his good Angel to meet and protect him from the accursed Fiend who would be too ready to hinder his passage to Immortality Forthwith two Angels appear'd gloriously shining with Coelestial Splendour and a voice was heard by all the Company uttering these words Verily I say unto thee thou shalt be in Paradise with thy Disciple The Pagans stood amaz'd at this wonderful voice And the Holy Angels took the Martyrs Soul shining with Brightness as white as Snow and with Hymns and Praises carry'd it into Heaven whilst in the mean time the more than Barbarous Infidels ceas'd not to overwhelm his Lifeless Body with Stones which afterwards a Devout Christian privily took away and carefully bury'd in Redbourn about three Miles from Verulam for as some Authors affirm There remain'd for a long time in that Village great Knives with which the Martyr was slain And in the way betwixt It and Verulam a Tree stood enclos'd within walls where it is thought the Post was fix'd to which the Holy Martyr was tyed and where his Bowels were torn out or rather where his Body was bury'd and that with such Secresie as until the year of Grace 1178. it could never be discover'd But in that year as Matthew of Westminster writes the Blessed Martyr St. Alban was seen visibly to go out of the Church to him Dedicated and came to an Inhabitant of St. Albans whom he desir'd to follow him The poor man seeing the brightness of the Martyr was sore afraid but yet follow'd him Northward the very high way shone with the brightness of his Conductor As they walk'd the poor man ask'd who he was and was Answered That he was St. Alban the first Martyr of Britain and that he was now leading him to the Sepulchre of St. Amphibalus by whose Preaching he was Converted to our Lord and so became a Martyr They thus talk'd like Friends together until St. Alban shew'd the man the place where Amphibalus was obscurely bury'd that his bones might be remov'd Reverently to a more Decent place The man took diligent notice of the place by setting Stones in such Order there that it might easily
the second Order receiv'd the right Order of Celebrating Mass out of Britain from Holy men there living as St. David St. Gildas and St. Doc Moreover St. David sent over some of his Disciples into Ireland who grew famous for their Learning and Sanctity of whom the most Illustrious was St. Aedan call'd by the Irish St. Madoc After he grew renown'd for his Piety and Miracles he built at length a Monastery near the City of Fernes where having collected a great number of Devout Brethren he Consecrated himself to the Service of God living according to the form and rule which he had receiv'd from his Pious Father St. David the same which was observ'd by the Monks in Aegypt This St. Aedan was afterwards Bishop of Fernes and Metropolitan of Leinster while St. David liv'd whom he us'd to consult in Affairs of difficulty After many years spent by the Holy Bishop David in the exercise of all Christian Virtues it pleas'd Almighty God in love to him and just anger to the Ungrateful Britains to translate this burning and shining Light from Earth to Heaven there to shine in Glory to all Eternity According to the best account He dy'd in the year of Grace 544. having liv'd 82 years though some writers affirm him to have liv'd much longer It is said That when the hour of his Dissolution approach'd the Angel of the Lord appear'd to him saying The day so much desir'd by thee is now at hand prepare thy self for on the Calends of March our Lord Jesus Christ attended with a multitude of Angels will come to meet thee Whereupon the Holy man of God said O Lord dismiss now thy Servant in Peace The Brethren who assisted him having heard the sound of these words but not well understanding the sense fell Prostrate to the ground in great fear Then the Holy Bishop cry'd with a loud voice Lord Jesus Christ receive my Spirit Vpon this the Brethren pour'd forth loud Complaints but he asswag'd their sorrow with mild and comfortable words exhorting them to be constant in their good profession and unanimously to bear to the end that yoak which they had undergone and to observe and fulfill whatever they had seen or heard from him and from that hour to the day of his death he remain'd in the Church exhorting and encouraging them But when the hour of his departure was come our Lord Jesus Christ vouchsafed his presence as he had promis'd by his Angel to the infinite Consolation of the Holy Father who at the Heavenly sight exalted in Spirit cry'd out O my Lord take me after thee With which words in our Lords company he gave up his Spirit to God upon the Calends fore-mention'd and being associated to a troop of Angels mounted up to Heaven with them The Death of this Holy Bishop is said to have been divulg'd by an Angel and in an Instant spread through all Britain and Ireland That this was so seems to be confirm'd by a passage in the Life of St. Kentigern of whom it is said That having one day continu'd his Prayers with more then ordinary Devotion his face seem'd as on fire the sight whereof fill'd the by-standers with great amazement when Prayers were ended the Saint began to lament bitterly and when his Disciples demanded a reason of his sorrow he sate a while silent and at last said My dear Children know for certain that the Holy Bishop David the Glory of Britain the Father of his Country is this day dead he has escap'd out of the Prison of his Body and is flown to Heaven Believe me I my self have seen a multitude of Angels conducting him into the Joy of our Lord and our Lord himself at the Entrance of Paradice hath Crown'd him with Glory and Honour Know also that Britain which is depriv'd of so great a Light will a long time mourn for the Absence of such a Patron who oppos'd himself to the Sword of our Lord when it was half drawn out for the destruction of that Nation in revenge of their Sins and Impenitence Now will God deliver up Britain to a strange Nation which know him not and Pagans shall enjoy the land of its Inhabitants Christian Religion shall be utterly dissipated in it 'till the time prefix'd by God be ended But after that it shall through the Mercies of our Lord be restor'd to its former state yea to a far better and more Happy St. David was Buried in his own Church of Menevia which he had lov'd above all Monasteries of his Diocess because St. Patrick who had Prophesied of his Nativity had been Founder of it And also indeed he was bury'd there by the command of Malgo King of the Venedatae But after 500 years he was Solemnly Canoniz'd by Pope Calixtus the second This Church at first was Dedicated to St. Andrew but after took St. David for its Patron and the whole Diocess was thence call'd St. David's The memory of his Sanctity was so precious that within a few years after his Death the visiting of his Church prov'd a great Devotion of those times St. Oudoceus Successor of St. Thelian in the Bishoprick of Landaff after a Pilgrimage to visit the Monuments of the Holy Apostles at Rome made another to this Church of St. David and after when any one had a desire to go in Devotion to Rome and was hindred by dangers or difficulties he might equal the merit of such a Pilgrimage by twice visiting this Church of St. David perhaps as a compensation allow'd by the Pope St. Kinoc or Cenac was St. David's Successor translated thither from the See of St. Patern of whom and other Successors in the See of St. David little is found To keep the story of this worthy Bishop entire some interruption may be observ'd to have been made in the order of Time. It is therefore requisite to return to its due course In the year of Grace 532. Otta King of Kent dy'd leaving his Son Irmeric Successor in his Kingdom who was Illustrious for nothing more than that he was the Father of Ethelbert the first Christian King among the Saxons Two years after dy'd also Cerdic King of the West-Saxons in the 16th year of his Reign to whom succeeded his Son Kenric in all his Dominions except the Isle of Wight which he left to his Sisters Son Whitgar whom he lov'd especially for his Military Skill The great Commotions in Britain and Cruelty of the Saxons compell'd many to seek the means of serving God abroad amongst whom was a Holy Priest call'd John who retir'd to Tours in France there to live in Prayers and Solitude but after his Death his Sanctity by the good pleasure of God was made known by a Miracle thus related by that famous Bishop St. Gregory of Tours Not far from the Church of Caion saith he rests the Body of a Priest Nam'd John by Nation a Britain who living here with great Devotion and Sanctity Our Lord was pleas'd by him Miraculously to
these extreme difficulties and tormented with Wounds Diseases Thirst and the burning Heat of the Sun could neither Fight nor draw off from the place nor expect any remedy when behold on a suddain there was a gathering together of many Clouds from which descended great showers of Rain to the great comfort and Refreshment of the Romans who being thus encourag'd by an unexpected assistance from Heaven set upon their Enemies astonish'd at such a Miracle and forc'd them to flee and seeing many of them in their flight kill'd with Lightning and Thunder-bolts from Heaven so as it was notorious to all the World that this so great Deliverance and Victory was the work not of Men but God only Now though Dio was by clear conviction enforc'd to the Confession of Divine Goodness yet his malice and envy against the Christians provok'd him to attribute this clear Miracle to Magick or some false God rather than to the true God of Christians For he adds in the Conclusion of his Discourse That the report then was that a certain Egyptian Magician call'd Arnuphis then attending on the Emperour did by Magical Arts invoke Mercury especially that Deity who rules in the Air and other Daemons and by their assistance forcibly procur'd those showers But Xiphilin the Abridger of Dio's History evidently convinces this Imposture shewing first that this Emperour was never addicted to the delusions of Magick or affected to the Professors of such Arts and afterwards declaring the true circumstances of the matter to this effect Marcus saith he having in his Army one Legion consisting of Souldiers which came from Armenia and were all Worshipers of Christ the Prefect of the Pretorian Bands came to him when he was in great fear what would become of his Armies and at a loss what course to take and told him there was nothing so difficult but those who were call'd Christians could obtain from God of which Profession there was then in the Army one entire Legion Marcus thus inform'd desir'd the Christians to make Supplication to their God in behalf of the Army which as soon as they had done God immediately granted their Prayers and with the same Showres refresh'd the Romans and destroy'd their Enemies Marcus wonderfully astonish'd with these Events by a publick Edict honour'd the Christians and call'd that Legion the Thundering Legion as by an Epistle of that Emperour extant at this day may appear and by the Apologies also of Apollinaris St. Gregory Nissen and Tertullian c. is made also manifest The fore-mention'd Epistle follows in these words The Emperour Caesar Marcus Aurelius Augustus c. High Priest in the 28th year of our Tribunitial Power and our third Consulship Father of our Country Pro-Consul to the Senate and People of Rome sends Health I have given you Information touching the greatness of our present Design and Resolution and all the Occurences which successively happen'd to me in Germany both in our Combats and Sieges Truly when I was at Cornutum our Scouts inform'd us that there approach'd within the space of nine Miles no fewer then 74 Ensigns of our Enemies and the same thing did Pompeianus our General declare to us which our selves likewise saw Now having in our Army only four Legions the First the Tenth the Twin Legion and that of the Ferentarii and there being in our Enemies Camp no sewer then 977000. when I compar'd our small Forces with the vast multitudes of our Barbarous Foes I address'd my Prayers and Vows to our Roman Gods But when I saw that was neglected by them and that the Enemy began to over-charge us I sent to call the Christians which were not a few in our Army whom both by Prayers and Threats also I urg'd to assist us but Threats were neither needful nor indeed seemly as I perceiv'd afterwards when I found how Powerful they were For they undertaking our Defence did not take care to provide themselves Weapons or to make use of Arms or Trumpets for to put their trust in such things is not acceptable to that God whose Name Cause and Honour they alway carry in their Hearts Therefore it is just that we should acknowledge those to be safely protected by God whom formerly we esteem'd to be Impious and Enemies to him For having cast themselves Prostrate to the ground they offer'd their Prayers not only for Me but for the whole Army that some remedy might be sent us to asswage the Hunger and Thirst with which we were tormented For by the space of five days we had Drank no Water there being none left amongst us nor means to procure any we being clos'd round about with Mountains in the very heart of Germany Now as soon as these Christians had cast themselves on the ground and Address'd their Prayers to that God of whom I was ignorant immediately there fell from Heaven abundance of Rain which to us was Cool and Refreshing but to the Enemies was accompany'd with Hail in the likeness of Fire and with Thunder-bolts Thus that God who cannot be overcome or resisted was in a wonderful manner Propitious to their Prayers and Supplications For this reason let us freely permit such as these to be what they Profess Christians least we force them by their Prayers to obtain such Weapons against us from Heaven My Judgement and Sentence therefore is that none be question'd or call'd into Judgement upon the Charge that he is a Christian So that if any one be found to lay this as a Crime against any one that he is a Christian let it be made known to the person so accus'd that he is to be presently dismiss'd and acquitted in case no other Crime be objected against him and let Him who accus'd such Christian be Burnt Alive Whosoever therefore professes himself a Christian is hereby freed from any danger in that regard threatned against him Neither let the Magistrate who governs the Province endeavour to make him renounce his Profession or any ways abridge his Liberty And my Sentence moreover is That this Edict be further Establish'd by Decree of the Senate and publickly expos'd in the Common place of Trajan that any one may Read it let Vetrusius Pollio likewise Prefect of the City take order that this Constitution be sent into all Provinces neither let any one be prohibited to take a Copy or make use of it Farewel The Emperour not content with so much advange to Celebrate the wonderful Power and Goodness of the true God by Edicts and Writings publish'd to the whole World proceeded to a yet more Illustrious Expression of his gratitude And because Edicts were only in force for the present age He to Eternize the memory of so great a Deliverance rais'd up in a spacious place at Rome a vast Pillar on which was engrav'd the whole History to be read in all future times Certainly such a Confession of the Debility of the Roman Deities and the Omnipotence of the True God Worship'd only by the Christians made
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
Gentiles The question was pertinent and thus answer'd by Amphibalus Our Lord Jesus Christ Son of the living God saith he preserv'd me safe from all dangers and sent me into this Province for the Salvation of many that by Preaching his Faith I might prepare a People acceptable to him Who is this Son of God reply'd Albanus Can God be said to be born these are strange Speeches which I never heard of before I desire to know your Opinion of these matters The Holy man answer'd Our Faith teacheth us to acknowledge the Father to be God and the Son also to be God who in Infinite Mercy vouchsafed to take our slesh upon him for the Salvation of Mankind that he might redeem us by suffering Death And then discours'd at large of the Birth Passion Resurrection and Ascention of Christ Concluding If you O Albanus will believe these things to be true you will receive Power by calling on the Name of Christ to Cure any Infirm or Sick person And the Truth is I am come to this City on purpose to Preach to you the healthful Doctrine of our Lords Passion because our merciful God will reward your kind Offices of Humanity and Hospitality to which you frequently addict your self which is the inestimable recompense of Eternal Happiness Then Albanus ask'd him What Honour and Worship must I exhibit to Christ in case I embrace the Faith The other answer'd Believe this that our Lord Jesus together with the Father and the Holy Ghost is one God and thou wilt have perform'd a work of high esteem in his sight Then Albanus reply'd What is all this sure thou art mad thou know'st not what thou say'st no Humane understanding or Reason can apprehend these things But be sure of this that if the Inhabitants of this City come to know thou makâ—st such discourse of Christ without delay they will put thee to a cruel death For my own part I am very sollicitous on thy behalf for fear some mischief befall thee before thou departest from hence Having said this he went away much disturb'd As for St. Amphibalus he spent the night alone in watching and Prayer The same night a wonderful Vision from Heaven was presented to Albanus sleeping with which being awak'd he went to his Guest and said to him Friend if those things which thou told'st me lately concerning Christ be true I pray thee to tell me freely the meaning of my Dream Me thought I saw a certain man come down from Heaven and presently an innumerable multitude of men laid hold of him and tormented him all the ways they could devise they bound his Hands with Chains they tore his Flesh most grievously with Whips they hung him on a Tree stretching his Hands across he was quite naked not having Shooes on his Feet his Hands and Feet were fastned to the Wood with Nails his side was pierc'd through with a Spear and from his Wound as it seem'd to me there flow'd both Blood and Water in his right Hand they put a Reed and on his Head they put a Crown of Thorns And after this barbarous Cruelty they insult over him with despiteful Speeches saying to him Hail King of the Jews if thou art the Son of God come down from the Cross and we will believe in thee And although they continu'd a long while thus reviling him the young man answer'd never a word but at last cryed out with a loud voice and said Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit And so Expir'd His lifeless Body was afterwards taken down from the Cross the Blood issuing abundantly out of it They then laid him in a Sepulchre of stone sealing the Monument and setting Guards to watch it But then follow'd a wonderful thing for the Bloodless Carcass return'd to Life and re-suming former strength came out of the Sepulchre Seal'd as aforesaid I my self with my own Eyes saw him how he rose again Then came from Heaven certain men cloath'd with Vestments white as Snow and taking the Man with them return'd from whence they came attended by an infinite number of others in like Garments which all the way ceas'd not to sing Praises Blessing the Father I not knowing who he was with his Son saying Blessed be God the Father with his only begotten Son. They express'd such wonderful joy as nothing could be compar'd to it These things I saw with many others which I neither will or ought to declare I beseech thee tell me what is signify'd by these things thus represented to me fear not any danger to your self but speak freely The Holy man Amphibalus having heard this sensibly felt his Heart visited by our Lord with all joy and presently taking out a Crucifix which he had about him secretly said to Albanus Behold in this Figure and Image thou may'st manifestly perceive the meaning and importance of thy last nights Vision for the Man which came from Heaven is this Jesus my Lord who refus'd not to undergo the punishment of the Cross that by his Blood he might free us from the guilt which we had contracted by the Transgression of our first Father Adam Now these men which laid violent hands upon him and so afflicted him were his own People the Jews For though they had a promise from God that he would send unto them from Heaven his own Son yet when He whom they so much and so long expected was come they would not acknowledge him to be the Author of their Salvation but contradicted him in every thing return'd to him Evil for Good and Hatred for his Love. And at last stir'd up with extream envy and malice against him they broke out into such horrible Impiety that they laid hold on him Crucify'd and Murder'd him Thus it was that our Lord redeem'd us with the price of his own Blood Thus by Dying he became victorious over death For being rais'd upon the Cross he drew all to him for descending voluntarily to the enclosures of Hell he freed from captivity his own Servants detain'd there and binding the Divel in everlasting Chains he cast him into utter darkness Then Albanus fill'd with wonder broke out in these words All that thou hast said of Christ is most true for the last night I evidently perceiv'd and with mine own eyes saw how Christ overcame the Divel how he bound him and thrust him down into the bottom of Hell where the damnable wretch lyes fast bound with Chains So that knowing what hath been told by thee is true from this moment I profess I will be thy most obedient Disciple Tell me therefore for I know thou art Ignorant of nothing how I must behave my self to the Father and Holy Ghost now that I profess my self a servant of the Son Amphibalus at this question gave thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for that Albanus of himself had the knowledge to pronounce those three Adorable Names and bid him believe firmly and profess faithfully that those three persons so
been broken and spent by a tedious and painful Imprisonment whereas on the contrary his solitude which gave him opportunity to unite himself to God by Prayer increas'd and strengthned his Courage The Author of his Life hath thus exemplify'd one of his Prayers O Lord Jesus Christ do not permit the Divels malice so much to prevail as by his cuning machinations and this Peoples relenting my suffering for thee may be hindred Not long after being come out of Prison to suffer and addressing his Speech to the unbelieving People who flock'd to see him he told them He was an irreconcilable Enemy of their False Gods the works of mens Hands unworthy of Honour as having no Divinity they themselves could not but observe that these their Idols neither See Hear nor Vnderstand any thing and that it could be no other then detestable vanity to expect Life from them which have no Life to pray to those who could not Hear to expect safety or Happiness from them which were not sensible of the least good to themselves He therefore protests that whoever Honours such dead Idols must renounce all reason for whom can be more desperately miscrable than he who suffers himself to be enslav'd to Puppets of his own fashioning Wo therefore to Idels but greater Wo to their Adorers From hence may easily be observ'd that this Holy Martyr who thus earnestly inveighs against Idolatry yet with great Devotion Venerates the Cross of our Lord so far is the respect and Honour given by the Catholick Church to Sacred things from any taint of Idolatry And Tertullian in his Apology for Christians testifies That although they Ador'd the Cross yet Idols and all their Ornaments were detested by them and abominable unto them When these invectives against Idols were utter'd by St. Alban Sentence of Death was pronounc'd against him and he was led to Execution to a place call'd Holmburst a Plain cloath'd with all sorts of Flowers a fit Theater for so Glorious a Martyr Albanus being thus led to his Death came to a River which with a swift Torrent ran between a Wall on the one side and a Sandy-shore on the other where the Holy Martyr was to be Beheaded there he saw great multitudes of all Conditions Ages and Sects which no doubt by Divine instinct were assembled to Honour his Death and they so choak'd the passage of the Bridge that before night they could not all have pass'd over As for the Judge he had no intention of any respect to the Martyr but stay'd behind in the City St. Albanus therefore enflam'd with a Devout desire of a speedy Martyrdom approach'd near the River and lifting up his Eyes with Prayer to God the River became presently dry so as the Water gave free way to the passengers by the Prayer of the Martyr to this effect O Lord Jesus Christ from whose most Holy side I my self in a Vision saw both Water and Blood to flow I beseach thee to cause these Waters to be diminish'd and the floud to return back that the People without prejudice or danger may be present at my Sufferings He had no sooner pray'd thus but the Channel was immediately dry his Tears left no other water in the River the Power of his Prayer emptied the Torrent and clear'd a safe passage for the People The Officer who conducted St. Alban to his Death by the merits of the Holy Martyr obtain'd Eternal Happiness for seeing the Miracles he threw away his Sword and casting himself at the Holy Martyr's feet beg'd his pardon which when the People saw they laid hold on the Man beat out his Teeth and in a manner broke all his Bones This Pagan Souldier thus of a Persecutor chang'd into a Lover of the true Faith and willing to die for and with St. Alban the other Officers were at a stand and knew not what to do It is further related That the Holy Martyr ascending the Hill the People at the top thereof were tormented with extremity of Thirst the Martyr kneeling down Pray'd to God The People might receive no harm by his occasion Upon which brake presently forth a Fountain at his Feet and with a rapid course flow'd down the Hill so that all the Peoples Thirst was satisfi'd In the mean time another Executioner was appointed who to his great Unhappiness discharg'd that Impious Office and with his Sword cut off the Holy Martyr's Head kneeling in Prayer to God and Kissing the Crucifix which he held in his Hand And immediately O wonderful Almighty God by the suddain loss of this Executioners Eyes testified the Holy Martyr's Innocence for together with the Martyr's Head those remorseless Eyes sell to the ground With St. Alban the poor Converted Souldier was also Beheaded who by Divine Instinct refus'd to put the Holy Confessor to Death and doubtless though this new Convert was not outwardly cleansed with the water of Baptism yet being wash'd in the Laver of his own Blood he became worthy to be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven His Name is said to be Heraclius of whom it is further reported That being left half dead by the Peoples Stroaks as aforesaid and creeping on his hands and feet toward the Crowd he was mock'd by one of the Judges And bid to address himself to his Patron Albanus then newly Executed and Pray him to restore Soundness to his bruis'd Limbs Run saith the Scoffing Judge make hast joyn thy Patrons Head to his Body no doubt thou wilt not fail of Health Bury the dead Carcass and thou may'st be sure whilst it is in thy Hands it will afford a Cure. The Souldier reply'd I do verily believe that this blessed Saint by his merits can restore unto me my perfect Health So that what you speak in Derision may in earnest be fulfill'd to me Having said this he imbrac'd the Martyr's Head and adjoyning it to the Body became immediately sound When the Infidels saw this they were fill'd with Envy and bound him with Chains tearing his Body with several sorts of Tortures and in the end cut off his Head. How acceptable to Almighty God these Martyrdoms were was presently declar'd from Heaven in a wonderful manner for behold the night following their Sufferings a Pillar of Light was seen to raise it self from the Grave of St. Alban up to Heaven by which Angels ascended and descended spending the whole night in Hymns and Praises to God repeating also these words The Illustrious Albanus is now a glorious Martyr of Christ As Venantius in his Poem for that purpose Elegantly sets forth Who this Author of St. Alban's Life was is unknown he was certainly of more Antiquity than St. Bede his Book was found in the Monastery of St. Alban and concerning the Persecution thus rais'd in Britain by Dioclesian gives us this Account That Almighty God who is willing all men should be sav'd to magnifie his Mercy to this our Country least it should be invellop'd in Darkness was pleas'd to Enlighten it with
Long before St. Patrick came into Ireland by the Magicians and Pagan Prophets there intimation was given of his coming their Prophcy was to this effect That a man would come thither with his Wood whose Table should be placed in the Eastern side of his House and some persons standing behind together with others from the Table will Sing and the Congregation will Answer them saying AMEN When this man comes he will destroy our Gods subvert our Temples destroy Princes which resist him and his Doctrine shall remain and prevail here for ever With such words these blind Prophets incens'd both the Prince and People against St. Patricius They compos'd a certain Rhyme importing That a Head of Art and Skill with his Crooked Staff would come from that hour every House shall be bor'd through the Top He will chant an abomination from his Table at the forepart of the House and his whole Family will answer So be it So be it The meaning of this dark Rhyme is That the Master of Wisdom would come with the Sign of the Cross by which the hearts of all men would feel Compunction and from the Altar of the Holy Mysteries he would Convert Souls unto Christ so as all Christian People should Answer Amen And then our Pagan Kingdom shall fall as in truth it afterwards did This piece of Wood is by most taken for the Cross others affirm it to signifie A certain wonderful Staff which St. Patrick before his Journey receiv'd from a Holy Hermit and was call'd the Staff of Jesus The Author of St. Patrick's Life relates the Story of the Staff to this effect That St. Patrick by Divine Revelation pass'd over to a certain Solitary Hermit living in an Island of the Tyrrhen Sea whose Name was Justus a man of a Holy Life and great Fame this man of God gave to St. Patrick the foremention'd Staff affirming seriously That he had receiv'd it immediately from the Hand of our Lord Jesus Christ who had appear'd to him There were other men in the same Island at some aistance who also led Solitary Lives Some of these St. Patrick observ'd to be very Fresh and Youthfull others very Decrepid and Old were the Children of them who appear'd so Youthful at which the Saint being astonish'd and enquiring the occasion of so great a Miracle was thus Answer'd We from our Childhood by Divine Grace have been much addicted to Works of Mercy our doors stood ever open to Travellers demanding Meat or Lodging On a certain night it happen'd that a Stranger with a Staff in his Hand was Entertain'd by us and us'd with all the Courtesie we could the morning he gave us his Benediction telling us he was Jesus Christ and saying to us You have oft hitherto ministred unto my Members and this night Entertain'd me in my own Person this said He gave the Staff in his Hand to a man of God our Father both Spiritually and Carnally commanding him to keep it Till in succeeding times a stranger Nam'd Patrick should come to visit him and then to give it to that Stranger and having said this he ascended up into Heaven From that day those Hermits told St. Patrick They had remain'd in the same state of Youthful Comliness and Vigour whereas their Children who were then little Infants were as he saw become decrepid Old men This Story of St. Patrick and his Staff is reported by Jocelinus Author of his Life Now what Credit soever this Story may find in the minds of the Readers certain it is that a Staff believ'd to have belong'd to St. Patrick and nam'd the Staff of Jesus was for many Ages in great Veneration among the Irish And St. Bernard in the Life of St. Malachias an Irish Bishop mentions and describes this Staff and the great esteem it had in that Nation and if we will believe Giraldus Cambrensis It was the Vulgar Opinion that with this Staff St. Patrick cast out of the Island all Venomous Beasts He seems to have enter'd into Ireland in the year 432. as Bishop Vsher computes The Inhabitants of the Country having advice of his Landing flock'd to him from all Parts especially the common People came joyfully to him as if he had been of their own Nation He had indeed many Qualities which invited their good Will towards him He was of a Comely Personage very Civil in Conversation and though extreamly Grave yet without Morosity Besides this he spoke Irish perfectly and from his Youth had inform'd himself of their Natural Dispositions so as he presently became one of them But God was the principal cause of conciliating their Affections to him and by his special Grace great multitudes in a short time yielded their Assent and Obedience to his Christian Doctrine For St. Patrick like a good Shepherd carefully watch'd over his new flock informing them daily in all Duties of Piety convincing the Pagans of their Errors and confounding the Magicians which oppos'd him The Conversion of one Irish-man is specially taken notice of whose Name was Dicon whom St. Patrick gain'd as he was passing through his Land to submit to the Doctrine of our Lord and of a Wolf in a wonderful manner chang'd him into a Lamb For Dicon coming suddainly with Weapons intended to have kill'd St. Patrick and his Companions but as soon as he saw his face he was prick'd in his Heart our Lord immediately turning his Thoughts so as he meekly led him to his House where the Holy Bishop resided sometime Preaching to him the Faith of Christ so effectually that he became the first of all the Island who believ'd with all his Family Nevertheless another Antient Author cited by Bishop Vsher mentions the Conversion of one Sinel as the first of all his words are St. Patrick sent by Pope Caelestinus landed at the mouth of the River Dee but an impious Count call'd Nathi who formerly had resisted St. Palladius contradicted St. Patrick and his Doctrine However Sinel the Son of Finchado by the Preaching of St. Patrick believ'd in Almighty God and was the first among the Irish Scots who was Baptiz'd by the Holy Bishop upon whom and his Seed St. Patrick bestow'd his Benediction By which it appears that St. Patrick first landed in the Province of Leinster and from thence went to Vlster where having Converted Dicon he obtain'd a Field call'd Sabbul two Miles distant from the City of Doun His particular Journeys Laborious Preaching Pious Actions and Admirable Miracles are Copiously related by the Ecclesiastical Writers of Ireland It is said that Carantacus or Cernac thirty years before the Birth of St. David began to Preach the Gospel in Ireland He was a Britain born Son of Keredec Prince of the Province of Cardigan Cereticae Regionis Amongst many other Children Keredic had this Carantac a Child of good Disposition beginning early to do those things which he thought pleasing to God. In those days the Scots grievously vex'd Britain so that his Father unable to sustain
Eastern Angli were Subjects to the King of Kent for those Provinces Hengist the first King of Kent obtain'd of Vortigern not by open War but Treachery And in truth those People before-mention'd did at last obtain for their Habitation five Counties Essex Sussex Surrey Norfolk and Suffolk the Inhabitants whereof in the Romans time were the Trinobantes Regni Ireni The same year wherein Britain became thus dismembred God recompensed that loss to the British Church by the Birth of St. David one of the greatest Lights that ever the Church enjoy'd as well for his Sanctity of Life as Vigour of Authority and Zeal in suppressing Heresie with the Exaltation of Ecclesiastical Discipline His Birth was attended with several Wonders denoting his Eminency For St. Patrick before his going into Ireland being in the Valley of Rosma in the Province of Dimetae Northwest-Wales meditating on his Mission into that Island had a Revelation by an Angel That after 30 years a Child should be born in that Province which should give a great Lustre to that Country To this Prophecy regard was had in this Collect repeated Anniversarily in the Antient Church of Sarum on St. David's Feast O God Who by an Angel didst foretell the Nativity of thy Blessed Confessor St. David 30 years before he was born Grant unto us we beseech thee that Celebrating his memory we may by his intercession attain to joyes everlasting Thirty years being finish'd after the said prediction the King of the Region call'd Ceretica travelling to Dunetia met by the way a Religious Virgin Nam'd Nonnita of great Beauty which he Lusting after by Violence Deflour'd she hereby Conceiv'd a Son but neither before nor after had ever knowledge of any man but persevering in Chastity both of Mind and Body and sustaining her self only with Bread and Water from the time of her Conception led a most Holy Life The King thus Father of St. David is call'd Xanthus and his Mother by some Nam'd Melaria The eminent Sanctity of this Child the Fruit of his Holy Mothers Fasting Chastity and Prayer was by another Divine Oracle fore-told a little before his Birth For when Gildas Albanius was from the Pulpit teaching a great Congregation on the suddain he became dumb and un-able to speak but afterwards broke forth into these words A Holy Woman call'd Nonnita now present in this Church is great with Child and shall shortly be brought to Bed of a Son full replenish'd with Grace It was in regard to him that I was hindred from speaking by a Divine Power restraining my Tongue This Child shall be of so Eminent Sanctity that none in these our parts are comparable to him I will surrender this Region to him who will from his Infancy by degrees increase in Grace and Sanctity An Angel Gods Messenger hath reveal'd this unto me This Holy Child not long after born was Baptiz'd by Albeus Bishop of Munster who at that time by Divine Providence arriv'd there at a place call'd Portcleu During his Childhood he was Educated at a place nam'd the Old Bush by the Cambrians Henmenen and by the Latines Menevia he grew every day replenish'd with Grace and being of a perspicacious wit proceeded in the Study of Learning far beyond all other Children of his Age This Child after became the first Bishop of Menevia to which place he translated the Bishoprick of caerleon and which from him was call'd St. Davids for his Learning Sanctity and Miracles worthily Celebrated by the British Church Whilst Vortigern lurk'd Ingloriously in the Mountains of Wales busie in building a Castle for his Security the middle Provinces of Britain lest un-guarded were expos'd to the fury of the Saxons This Castle had the Name of Genorium afterward of Caer Vortigern It is plac'd saith Cambden in a vast Solitude fearful for the Horrour of Mountains and narrow turnings of the passage to it To this place Vortigern the Plague of his Country withdrew himself to seek refuge for his own person and there spent his time in consulting South-sayers especially his Magician Merlin Hereupon the Britains thus deserted by their King were compell'd to seek one abroad and therefore send Messengers into the lesser Britain beyond Sea to Aurelius Ambrosius and his Brother Vterpendragon who for fear of Vortigern were retir'd thither Them they beseech to return into their own Country that having expell'd the Saxons and their hated King Vortigern they might receive the Crown of Britain These Brothers now of ripe Age prosecute their Journey accordingly attended with Ships and Arm'd Souldiers All Authors speak of Ambrosius as a Modest Prince who alone of the Roman race had remain'd alive after so great a Tempest of Wars and Changes in which his Parents who had worn the Royal Purple were slain It may be presum'd that he was the Son of Constantine who about 50 years before pretended to the Roman Empire and in that attempt was slain in Gaul for that Constantine had other Children besides Constans who is said to be his Eldest Son when Vortigern was chosen this Ambrosius was a Competitor with him for the Crown and failing therein was compell'd to quit his Right and Country and to retire himself into little Britain from whence notwithstanding in the Generous Vortimer's time he return'd and Fought for him Valiantly against the Saxons as is before-mention'd but after his Death it seems retir'd to his former refuge The return of these Princes wrought a greater dread in Vortigern then the Saxons I shall omit the Fable of the two Dragons coming out of the Lake and how the Red Dragon was destroy'd by the White and proceed to the Gests of our Aurelius quickly set upon by the Saxons after his Landing For King Hengist and his Son Esca in the 17th year after the first coming of the Saxons and in the year of Grace 465. gather'd an Invincible Army On the other side the Britains uniting all their Forces oppos'd them with an Army gallantly rang'd into twelve Bodies The Battle was fought near the famous Port of Rochborow the Fight continu'd long and with little advantage untill at last Hengist having slain the twelve Leaders forc'd the Britains to fly but himself lost great numbers of his Soldiers and Principal Officers amongst the rest a great Prince of his Nation call'd Whipped in memory of whom the place of the Battle took the Name of Whippedstede So that the Saxons themselves bewail'd this Victory neither did they after that time take the confidence to enter into the Britains Border nor the Britains to Invade Kent The year following produc'd no Wars from the Saxons so as Aurelius Ambrosius had leasure to convert his Arms against the Author of all those present miseries the unhappy King Vortigern He marches therefore to the Castle Genorium and Besieges it but found the King so strongly Fortified there that by no force or cunning he could expugn it At last by Fire whether coming from Heaven or cast in by Ambrosius is uncertain
both the King and his Castle were consum'd so as his Body was never after seen Vortigern thus remov'd the whole Power of the Kingdom was devolv'd upon Ambrosius by the Unanimous Consent of the whole Nation For which purpose saith Sir Henry Spelman a Council or Assembly was call'd about the Mountains of Erir in North-wales by which he was exalted to the Royal Dignity In the year 465 or in the year following How Happy this change was will appear by what follows for Ambrosius as soon as he was plac'd in the Throne imploy'd himself in repairing Churches which had been ruin'd He was indeed a Prince Magnificent in his Gifts Sedulous in the Worship of God averse from Flatteries a Valiant Soldier and very Skilful in Commanding an Army and for these Virtues was famous in far distant Regions and being so renown'd a Prince he may possibly be the same Ambrosius mention'd by Eugypius in the Life of St. Severine wherein he intimates That the Holy Bishop finding favour from Odoacer whose Reign in Italy he had fore-told requested the King to free a person call'd Ambrosius from Banishment And truly Baronius citing this passage is of the same opinion several years pass'd after Ambrosius attain'd the Throne either in Peace or without any considerable War between the Britains and Saxons During this calm St. Patrick who many years before return'd out of Ireland dy'd in his Solitary retreat at Glastonbury in the Antiquities whereof we may find That after the Death of Vortigern Aurelius Ambrosius raign'd and then it was that St. Patrick the Apostle of Ireland and first Abbot of Avallonia after he instructed his Brethren in Regular Discipline and competently enrich'd that Monastery with Possessions procur'd from Kings and Princes yielded to nature in the 39th year after his return to that Island and was buried in the Old Church on the Right-hand of the Altar by direction of an Angel a great flame in the sight of all breaking forth in the same place The Irish Writers will needs have it that St. Patrick's Body reposes in the Church of Down-Patrick in Ireland on whose side St. Bernard seems to be in his Life of St. Malachias where he intimates That St. Patrick 's Body rests in the See of Armagh accompanied with those of St. Columbanus and St. Bridget The difference may easily be decided for no doubt but some considerable Relicks of his Sacred Body at the request of the Irish have been deposited at Down aforesaid a world of Examples of the like Errour being extant in Ecclesiastical History The space of eight years being compleat after the Battle of Whippedsflet Hengist took up Arms against the Britains and once more discomfited them carrying away immense Spoils The Truth is in these days sometime the Britains and sometime their Enemies had the Victory so that Hengist perceiving that with those Forces which he had he could make little progress against so Valiant a Captain as Ambrosius nor hardly maintain the Provinces given to him by Vortigern sent for new and greater Supplies out of Germany whereupon a famous Saxon call'd Ella with his three Sons Cymen Pleting and Cissa and a numerous Army took Sea and by the direction of Hengist bent their course towards Sussex and landed at Cymen-Shore so call'd from Ella's Eldest Son. Now while the Saxons were landing the Britains rais'd a loud Cry at which a World of People repair'd to them from the places adjacent and straight a Combat began the Saxons men of great Stature and Courage receiv'd the Britains Politickly and they as Imprudently set upon their Enemies for coming in loose Companies one after another they were easily slain by the Saxons who kept themselves together in close Bodies So as the Britains who still came in to Aid their Country-men were suddainly discourag'd by the noise they heard of the formers Defeat They were all therefore put to flight as far as a Wood call'd Andredsleige so as the Saxons possess'd themselves of the Sea-coast of Sussex every day by little and little enlarging their limits until the ninth year after their coming In which ninth year whilst Ella and his company boldly enter'd further into the Country the Princes and Nobles of the Britains met in Arms at a place call'd Mercredeburn and Fought against the Saxons The Victory was doubtful for on both sides the Armies were much impair'd and broken So as each of them retir'd back to their own quarters Matthew of Westminster saith That Ella and his Sons were forc'd to forsake the Field and fearing his strength not enough to make good his present Conquests much less to enlarge them sent into Germany for new Supplies which being arriv'd he continu'd his Progress in gaining more Territories 'till he establish'd a new Kingdom of South-Saxons Now while Aurelius Ambrosius imploy'd his Forces in repressing those Southern-Saxons Hengist having left his Kingdom of Kent well guarded took a Journey into the Northern Provinces where joyning with the Picts and Scots he took many Cities and Towns before the Britains could oppose him and for Security of his Conquests he built many Castles and Strong-holds but demolish'd all Churches wheresoever he came King Ambrosius being inform'd hereof with great Courage as in Gods Cause march'd after him and beholding as he pass'd on his Journey the Towns laid waste and the lamentable ruines of the Churches with the Miseries of the poor People he could not as is said refrain from Weeping Whereupon by Vow He promis'd Almighty God that if he Would render him Victorious over the Saxons all the ruin'd Churches he would re-build and restore How this Pious Vow was approv'd by God let the success demonstrate Ambrosius now resolv'd to provoke the Saxons to a Combat found Hengist with his Forces beyond Humber who intended to set upon the Britains in a Field call'd Maisbely through which Ambrosius was to pass whom he hop'd to find unprovided But the British King had notice of this design and prevented it However the two Armies met in good order and a fierce Battle began between them much Blood was shed on both sides At last Hengist perceiving his Army to give ground and the Britains to prevail fled to a Town nam'd Cair-conan now Cuningsbury but considering the weakness of that Town he betook himself to the Swords and Spears of his Soldiers Ambrosius pursued him and by the way put all the Saxons he found to the Sword and having obtain'd a great Victory gave devout Praise and Glory to the God of Heaven Hengist indeed Fortified his Camp the best he could near the said Town but in a few days was forc'd to come to a Battle before his Camp which prov'd fatal to him and his for the greatest part of his Army was cut in pieces and himself taken Prisoner and Beheaded by the Brittains This Battle was Fought on the bank of the River Don. The manner how Hengist was taken is thus related The Valorous Duke or Consul of Glocester Eldoll was very desirous