eate you all of this for this is my bodie which shal be broken for many Likewise also hee tooke the cup after hee had supped the day before hee suffered looked to heauen to thee ô holy Father eternall God giuinge thankes blessed it gaue it to his Apostles and disciples sayinge take you and drinke you all of it for this is my blood Behold all those wordes are the Euangelists vntill those take and drinke either body or blood After they bee the words of Christ take drinke you all of it For this is my blood Consider euery thing who the day before saith hee that hee suffered hee tooke breade in his holy hands before it is consecrated it is breade but after the words of Christ come vnto it it is the bodie of Christ 11. The like hee hath in other places so haue other auncient and holy Fathers and so plainely that our protestants themselues doe freely graunt Foxe Tom 2. act and Monum in Queene Mary that it was so practised and deliuered by the Apostles themselues and that it was further the expresse commaundement of Christ to vse those or their equiualents words verba institutionis caenae râ—…citata omnino videntur Nam Paulus ea non frustra 1. Cor. 11. repetit quidem annexum mandatum hoc facite in mei commemorationem postulat vt historia illa de institutione passione Christi recolatur vt Paulus 1. Cor. 10. The words of the institution of the supper doubtles were recited in the Apostles time for Paul doth not in vaine repeate them in his first Epistle and eleuenth chapter to the Corinthiens and certes the commaundement of Christ do this in commemoration of mee doth require that the history of the institution and passion of Christ bee related as Paul witnesseth 1. Cor. 10. Magdeburgen centur 1. l. 2. cap. 6. col 500. c. Ritus circa caenam Domini Therefore by all consents this holy Pope exercisinge supreame spirituall iurisdiction in all places and beeinge so famous a massinge Pope and still retayninge the Masse of the Apostles and by some as before sendinge preists into this our Britanie neither these which he is supposed to haue sent hither or those others which stil after this suruiued of this natioÌ„ were or could bee any others then sacrificinge massinge preists neither our Christian Brittans at Rome so neare vnto him bee others then hearers or sayers of holie Masse 12. Successor to S. Alexander was S. Sixtus the first of that name who as these protestants tell vs was Pope ten yeares three moneths and 21. dayes succeedinge his blessed predecessor as well in this opinion and practise of sacrificinge preisthood and holy Masse as in the papall dignitie for as these men say Robert Barnes in vit Pontific Rom. in Sixton Io. Func l. 5. commentar in Sixto 1. an 121. sacra vasa ne quis praeter sacros ministros attingerent praecepit Quod corporale appellant ex lineo panno fieri iussit Missam non nisi in altari celebrandam esse constituit Hee commaunded that none but sacred ministers should handle the sacred vessels that which they call the corporall hee commaunded to be made of linnen cloath He ordeyned that Masse should not be celebrated but vpon an altare And so wee are assured by these enemies to holy Masse and sacrificinge preisthood that he in all places maintained both for hee was so absolute for the Popes supreamacy euen by these witnesses that hee gaue power to all ecclesiasticall ministers to appeale from their Bishop to the Pope of Rome Ab Episcopo ad Romanum Pontificem appellandi ius dedit ecclesiasticis ministris 13. Successor to S. Sixtus was Telesphorus both in dignitie and doctrine also by the warrant of these protestaÌ„ts for by them hee was so deuoted a defendor and teacher of sacrificinge preisthood and holy Masse that hee decreed euery preist should say three Masses vpon Christ-Masse day and an other dayes they shoulde not say Masse before the third hower of the day Hee commaunded that the songe of the Angels glory to God on high should bee sunge at Masse Yet say two Protestant Bishops and one theire primate there is nothing conteyned in gloria in excelsis but the same is taken out of the scriptures and to bee vsed of all true Christians Telesphorus who added it was a good Bishop a man notable for learninge and pietie eruditione ac pietate vir insigius and the church of Rome as yet pure in doctrine Rob. Barn supr in Telesphor Func l. 5. comment an 129. Stowe and Howes histor in Helius Adrian Cartwright adm Whitguift answ to admonit pag. 101. def pag. 602. Bal. l. 1. de act Pontif Rom. in Telesphor 14. S. Higinius succeedinge succeeded also by these protestants as well in exercising spirituall supreamacy ouer all Bishops decreeinge that no Metropolitane shoulde condemne any Bishop of his Prouince without the aduise of the other Bishops And for sacrificinge preisthood and Masse hee honored them so much that liuinge in the time of the Emperor Antonius Pius a fauourer of Christians he decreed that Christian churches should be dedicated with solemne rite of sacrifice of Masse Cum solemni ceremoniarum sacrificiorum ritu dedicanda esse Io. Funcc l. 5. commentar an 141. Rob. Barn in Higin supr and by an other protestant Templa dedicare cum solemni ceremonia sacrificio iussit In this Popes time as many of our protestant antiquaries with others from antiquities tell vs we had manie godlie Christian preachers and preists in Britanie which by so many testimonies before without any exception must needes be sacrificing massing preists and by many authorities conuerted many to that holy faith and sacrificinge massinge Religion of Christ in this kingdome Annal. Burton an 140. or 141. Harrison descript of Britanie Io. Caius l. 1. antiq Cantabrig Theater of great Britanie l. 6. Harris Theat Tom. 2. and no meruaile wheÌ„ so many Authors write that in one towne of Cambridge there were theÌ„ nyne such learned ChristiaÌ„s of that only place a schole of learninge at and diuers hundreds of yeares before that time as the antiquities and antiquaries of that vniuersitie informe vs. And no man can doubt of many such preists being here then if he duely consider the difficulties of a generall conuersion of so large and Idolatrous sauage nation as this at that time was and how all agree it was wholly conuerted long before the death of Kinge Lucius who by Matthew of Westminster commended by our protestants for an exact calculator of times and others beeinge borne in the 115. yeare of Christ was at the death of this Pope holdinge the papacie but 4. yeares 3. moneths and a very fewe dayes 35. yeares of age and had bene Kinge 25. yeares his Father Coillus dying when hee was but 10. yeares olde and yet by all antiquities in all his life euen before his owne conuersion a great frend and fauourer of Christians and this his kingedome
relate it in these his owne words Manuscript antiq Godwin Catal. of Bish. in Winch. pag. 207. This church as the same Author olde Manuscript saith was hallowed and dedicated vnto the honour of our Sauiour October 29.189 by Faganus Damianus Bishops about the space of 100. yeare the church of Christ had then peace in this land viz. vntill the reigne of Dioclesian who endeauouringe to roote out Christian Religion not onely killed the professors of the same but pulled downe all churches and Temples any where consecrated vnto the exercise thereof Amongest the rest this of Winchester at that time went to wracke the buildings thereof beeinge ruinated and made euen with the grounde and the Monkes and all the officers belonginge vnto it either slaine or enforced to flie for the present time and yet afterward to denie Christ This happened anno 289. not longe after the death of this cruell Tyrant to witt the yeare 309. The church aforesaid was againe reedified and that with such wonderful forwardnes and zeale as within one yeare and thirtie dayes both it and all the edifices belonginge vnto it as chambers and other buildings for the Monkes were quite finished in very seemely and conuenient maner The 15. day of Marche following it vvas againe hallovved and dedicated vnto the honor and memory of Amphibalus that had suffered death for Christ in the late persecution by Constance Bishop as my author saith of Winchester at the request of Deodatus Abbot of this nevv erected monastery The like or greater expedition was vsed in buildinge and dedicatinge a church to S. Alban of great coste sumptuousnes where hee suffered Martyrdome and yet as Matthew of Westminster writeth it was finished or builded within ten yeares of his death and martyrdome Fabricata decem scilicet annis post passionem eius elapsis S. Bede saith as soone as the persecution ceased a church of wonderfull worke was builded there vnto his honor Vbi postea redeuÌ„te temporum Christianorum serenitate Ecclesia est miri operis atque eius Martyrio condigna extructa So our histories testifie of S. Iulius and Aaron in particular Bed histor Eccl. l. 1. cap. 7. Matth. Westm. an gratiae 313. Io. Capgrau in S. Albano 6. And to make it manifest vnto vs that there were many Bishops left here after this persecution to consecrate and dedicate so many new builded founded and consecrated churches as were presently after the persecution ended erected in this kingedome and to execute other episcopall functions the best and moste auncient histories wee haue as S. Gildas S. Bede with others testifie that bilustro necdum ad integrum expleto before ten yeares of persecution were ended S. Gâ—…ldas words the ChristiaÌ„s eueryvvhere renevv their churches pulled dovvn to the ground found build finish churches of their holy Martyrs and celebrate their festiuities Bilustro supradicti turbinis necdum ad integrum expleto emercescentibusque nece suorum Authorum nefarijs decretis laetis luminibus omnes Christi Tyrones renouant Ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas basilicas Sanctorum Martyrum fundant construunt perficiunt ac velut victricia signa passim propalant dies festos celebrant And that wee may be assured that among these holy Christian exercises the holy sacrifice of Masse was offered by their sacrificinge and massinge preists it immediatly followeth in these renowned antiquities sacra mundo corde oreque confiâ—iunt They celebrate theire sacrifice with a pure hart and mouth And our antiquaries both Catholicks and Protestants assure vs there were altars for sacrifice in these churches S. Gildas calleth the altars altaria sacrosancta sacred altars whereon the heauenly sacrifice is offered and laied Sacrifieij caelestis sedem And that all the preistes of these Brittish churches were sacrificing or massing preistes at the altars Sacerdotes sacrificantes inter altaria stantes Gild. l. de excid Stovv histor in Constantine 2. Galf. Mon. histor Brit. l. 11. cap. 4. Matth. Westm an gratiae 543. 7. And if we wil appeale to other churches and iudges in this time whether to our Kinge and Emperor now a Christian or to the Popes of Rome yet Saints and holie men by the licence of our protestants or to generall councels the first being celebrated in this time or to the renowned Fathers that liued and wrote in this age wee shall finde these holy doctrines and exercises of the sacrifice of Masse sacrificinge massinge preists and preisthoâ—◠〈◊〉 haue beene in greatest honor as well in all other Christian nations as in this kingdome For CoÌ„stantine our Kinge Emperor and contryman we cannot better learne what minde and Religion hee was of in these matters then from S. Siluester then Pope and his Master and Father in Christian Religion who instructed him therein and from the first generall councell of Nice wherin and wherto hee was present and consented And to make all sure and walke with the passe of protestants in this trauaile wee are told by these men that this massinge Pope declared and decreed in what sacred attire both the preists which offered and the deacons which serued and ministred in the sacrifice of Masse should bee inuested Rob. Barnes l. de vit Pontif. Roman in Siluestro and to speake in a protestant Bishops wordes Huius Siluestri permulta feruntur instituta de chrismate consecrando pueris confirmandis temptis ornandis altaribus tegendis missatoribus constituendis vngendis vestiendis hostijs adorandis seruandis sacrificijs ceremonijs alijsque ritibus Very many institutions are ascribed to this Siluester of consecratinge chrisme confirminge children adorninge churches coueringe altars makinge massinge preists anointinge and vestinge them adoringe and reseruing the consecrated hostes of sacrifices ceremonies and other rites By which no man can doubt but S. Siluester was a massing preist and Pope this renowned Emperor conuerted by him a reuerencer of holy Masse and sacrificinge preisthood 8. which truth and doctrine for this age is more confirmed by the great generall councell of Nice where Constantine present assented and S. Siluester also present by his Legats Victor and Vincentius subscribinge approued in which it is plainely declared that none but consecrated massinge preists haue power to offer that holie sacrifice Concil Nicen. 1. can 14. per al. translat can 18. and to carry our protestants consents with vs herein the present protestant Archbishop of Canterbury director of Master Frauncis Mason together with this his directed secretary warrant vs herin sufficiently in these words The Nicen councell in that canon which Caluine and all other receaue saith plainely that the Lambe of God offered vnbloodily is laide vpon the holy table Fran. Mason in pref of his booke of consecrat pag. 243. therfore this holy councell being by all iudgements generall hauinge besides the consent of the Pope and Emperor the allowance and subscription of 318. Bishops and immediatly in those dayes as our protestants Theater of great Britanie l. 6. with others assure vs
and first massinge and sacrificinge preists and Bishops in this nation and shew plainly how wee had and euer continued an holy and hierarchicall succession of such sacred parsons from S. Peter that greatest Apostle of Christ in all ages offeringe the blessed bodie and blood of Christ in the sacrifice of Masse vnto these times So that it shall euidently appeare although this kingedome hath for situation beene called an other world yet it did neuer from the beginning of Christianitie here differ frō the known Catholick Christian world in these holy misteries vntill these times 4. For the truth and veritie of this first plantinge the sacrificinge Christian preisthood and sacrifice of Masse in this kingdome it is little or nothing materiall whether it was S. Peter S. Paul or S. Simon Zelotes or S. Ioseph of Aramathia or any others disciples to any of those or any others of the Apostles because as before is proued they all agreed in these holy thinges yet to know who was our first founder and Father in Christ to whome wee owe for that the greatest reuerence dutiful children should and ought to performe to deriue from him our happy Hierarchicall succession in holy things and to know the truth which some haue veiled and obscured to much it is a thing most worthy our knowledge and our shame if wee shoulde dwell in ignorance thereof Therefore to be breife because it is lately and largely proued that S. Peter was this our first parent in Christ by all testimonies for this place it will suffice to shew how the best learned English Protestant antiquaries most backward in this busines by certaine Maximes or vndoubted grounds in antiquitie doe consequently and by an euident necessitie binde themselues and al others to be of this opinion Stowe and Howes histor 5. First they say the twelue Apostles diuided the world amongst them to conuert it Secondly which followeth from the former that this kingdome fell in diuision to one of these Apostles· Thirdly that there is a silence in histories that any Apostle but S. Peter S. Paul this none of the twelue and S. Simon Zelotes were here Fourthly that this kingdome receaued the faith if not sooner in the beginninge of the Empire of Claudius Fiftly that in his time many Christians came hither from Rome and diuers here were in that time conuerted to the faith of Christ Sixtly that S. Paul came not to Rome nor any of these western parts while longe after the death of Claudius in the dayes of Nero as the scripture it selfe with all histories is witnesse therof Seuenthly none of them doth affirme that S. Simon Zelotes was here at all but if hee were here they incline to thinke hee came not hither vntill the cominge of S. Ioseph of Aramathia in the 63. yeare of Christ when in all opinions diuers of this kingedome were Christians allmost 20. yeares and some preists of this nation very longe before that time 6. From hence an halfe blind man must needs make this vndoubted and infallible conclusion that S. Peter was our first Apostle and Father in Christ These protestant antiquaries of Englād giue vs further warrant both from themselues and antiquitie that S. Peter did in euery Prouince appoint one Archbishop whom all other Bishops of the same Prouince should obey Peter preached in no place but hee there ordeyned Bishops and teachers and founded churches And that it is confirmed almost 800. yeares since by Simeon Metaphrastes a learned Saint of the Greeke church out of the Greeke Antiquities and diuers others that S. Peter preachinge the word of life in this Iland hee here founded churches and ordeyned preistes and deacons And except S. Peter himselfe S. Iohn S. Iames S. Marke and S. Timothie with whom they Paralel S. Aristobulus our first Archbishop were not Archbishops this great Saint was by theire allowance our Archbishop in Britanie and as before so constituted by S. Peter no other being then to ordeine him to that dignitie in this nation all which our protestants thus write with publick warrant and priuiledge Iohn Whitguift answere to the admonition pag. 65. sect 1. and def of the answ pag. 318. Clem. Rom. apud eund Polydor. Virg. l. 4. de inuent c. 12.13 Sutcliff Subuers pag. 3. Theater of great Britanie l. 6. cap. 9. Sim. Metaphrast die 29. Ian. Eisengren centen 1. Thom. Rogers in artic Relig. of Engl. articul 36. 7. Therefore except this great massing preist and Apostle S. Peter should bee of an other opinion and practise in these thinges in this our Britanie then hee and all the other Apostles had beene in all other times and places before which no Christian can once imagine he also consecrated massing and sacrificing preists and Bishops in and for this kingdome And although our losses of such sacred monuments haue beene great yet wee haue not altogether loste the memory of al their names one and the first which I finde in histories was S. Mansuetus natione Scotus borne in this kingdome of great Britanie and by the antiquities of the church of Toul in Lorraine claimed to bee the first Bishop of that citie so likewise of the church of Treuers except the identitie of the name deceaueth mee to be afterwarde liuinge very longe Archbishop there because hee made much stay or residence in those places yet both our learned contriman S. Marianus and Methodus nere the Apostles times affirme that hee as others which they there name S. Clement Felix Rusticus Moses Martinus c. preached both in propria prouincia exterius both in their owne and other nations Annal. Tollens Arnold Mirman in Theatr. conuers gent. Belliforest Cosmograph Petr. Merssaeus Catalog Archiep. Treuerens in S. Mansueto Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. col 254. Method apud eundem supr 8. This holy contriman of ours beeinge consecrated preist by S. Peter that greate massinge preist and Apostle must needes himselfe also by that if wee had no other argument bee a massinge preist But wee ar not so streightned of proofes in this matter for wee haue warrant by the French German histories that hee was one of the companions of S. Clement vncle to S. Clement the Pope that great massinge Archbishop of Metz sent thither as Arnoldus Mirmannius thinketh in the time of Caius Caligula so auncient a massinge preist he maketh this our glorious contrimā Arnold Mirm. supr Annal. Tullen Bellifor supr Gul. Eisengren centur 1. Petr. de natal l. 11. Demochar l. 2. de Miss contra Caluin Caio Caligula Imperante Tullenses habuere Apostolum suaeque in Christum fidei primum Antistitem S. Petri Apostoli discipulum S. Clementis Collegam origine Scotum The inhabitants of Toul had for their Apostle first Bishop of their faith in Christ S. Mansuetus disciple of S. Peter the Apostle companion of S. Clement hee beeinge a Scot by natiuitie Eisengrenius and the Authors hee followeth hath the same onely saying he was made Bishop of Toul Anno Christi 49. in
who wrote as they coÌ„monly teach when the Britans still held the Religion deliuered vnto them in the Apostles time without alteration doe testifie that the altars here from the beginning were sacra altaria Sacrosancta altaria sacrificij caelestis sedes holy altars sacred altars the seate of the celestiall sacrifice altars at which preists did sacrifice and say Masse Sacerdotes sacrificantes inter altaria stantes Altars sanctuaries and priuiledges refuge for such as fled vnto them testified by our protestants themselues Gildas epistol de excid conquest Britan. edit per protestant who further witnessing that the first general councell of Nice was receaued here in Britanie in the da iâ—… of Constantine and now by our protestant statute is of high authoritie and vndeniable in England witnesse also The Niâ—…en councell in that canon which Caluine and all other receaue saith plainely that the Lambe of God offered vnbloodely is layed vpon the holy table Stowe and howe 's histor an 542. theater of great Britanie l. 6. statut an 1. Eliz. Regin 1. Iacob Regis Fraunc Masâ—…n with direct of the protest Archb. Abbots booke of consecrat pag. 243. and the sacrifice of Christians beeing as is inuincibly proued the moste holy body and blood of Christ and the altar the place whereon it is offered by that connexion in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutuall correlatiues and inseparable nomine re it cannot possibly bee otherwise So that if any testimonie of heauen or earth men or Angels Catholicks or Protestants will satisfy in this matter it is manifestly conuinced that S. Peter preached and established a sacrificing preisthood and the doctrine and practise of holy Masse in this our nation 13. And yet if any man is desirous to heare S. Peter himselfe confirme that from heauen which hee so approued on earthe wee may add such his testimony also to the holy Angels before and bringe other Apostles from heauen also that were massinge preists when they liued here to iustifye the same in and to this kingedome Wee reade in the aunciently written life of S. Sampson Archbishop of yorke when our protestants say the Britans still kept their Apostolick first receaued Religion a man so holy and miraculous that S. Iltutus prophesied of him beeing but a boy of seuen yeares old that he should be a light to this nation the cheife of all and Archbishop very profitable to the church of God Cum septem esset annorum ad S. Iltutum Abbat em discendi gratia adducitur qui videns puerum osculatus est eum dicens gratias Deo agimus qui lumen hoc nobis indignae de gente nostra accendere dignatus est in terra En caput omnium nostrum en Pontifex summus multam Ecclesiae Dei profuturus Manuscript antiq Capgrau in Catalog in vita S. Sampsonis Ep. Confess he was made a deacon and after a massing preist by the great massing preist and Bishop S. Dubritius the Popes Legate consecrated by the massinge Bishop S. Germanus who was sent hither from S. and Pope Celestine to settle the church of Britanie both wheÌ„ he was made deacon and preist a doue descended vppon him and staied immouably vntill the office was ended Beeing made a preist hee was so glorious and renowned a massinge preist that alwaies in his life he had Angels assisting and ministring vnto him whensoeuer he said Masse Omni tempore vitae suae Angelos dum celebraret sibi assistere in sacrificio ministrare videre meruit Yet this man aboue all of this nation was in such fauour with God S. Peter S. Iames called the brother of our Lord S. Iohn the Euangelist and the court of heauen that these three great Apostles with a great company of celestiall citizens densissimis candidatorum turmis appeared vnto him and S. Peter told him that our Lord Iesus Christ had chosen him to bee a Bishop and soone after an Angell appeared to S. Dubritius and commaunded him to consecrate S. Sampson a Bishop in whose consecration they that were present did see a Doue sent from heauen to stand immouably vppon him Nec multo post Angelus Domini beato Dubritio apparens Sampsonem ordinari Episcopum praecepit in cuius consecratione qui aderant columbam caelitus emissam immobiliter super eum stare videbant 14. And in the time of S. Mansuetus the first Bishop of London in the Saxons time when S. Peter did miraculously appeare about the dedicatinge of the church of westminster as many both holy and auncient Catholicke writers and protestants antiquaries assure vs and the circumstances of the historie demonstrate it to bee true hee sent this charge and commaund to S. Mellitus Bishop of London who had determined to dedicate it the next day followinge I haue dedicated the church and by authoritie of my sanctification preuented the episcopall benediction Therefore tell the Bishop what thou hast heard and seene and the signes remayninge will iustifie thy wordes to bee true Therfore let him absteine from dedication and supply that which wanteth to offer there the holy sacrifice of our Lords body and blood Ego sum Petrus qui cum meis ciuibus constructam in meo nomine basilicam dedicaui episcopalemque benedictionem meae sanctificationis authoritate praeueni Dic ergo Pontifici quae vidisti audisti tuoque sermoni signa parietibus impressa testimonium perhibebunt Supersedeat igitur dedicatione suppleat quod omisimus Dominici corporis sanguinis Sacrosancta mysteria S. Alured Riuall M. S. in vita S. Eduardi Regis confess Iacob Gen. Episc in eius vit M. S. antiq Sur. in vit eius Capgrau in eius vit Franc. Mason l. of consecrat here wee see that S. Peter now in glory both allowed and commaunded the sacrifice of Masse which when hee liued and conuersed on earth hee had practised frequented and instituted with so great diligence and deuotion 15. So likewise when in the time of the Danish fury here hee appeared to comfort this afflicted contry where hee had preached and taught this holy doctrine hee did not chuse any man to reueale his glad tidings vnto and the deliuery of this kingdome but S. Brithwold that great and famous massinge preist and Bishop of Winchester or Wilton and in the most known massinge place of England the Abbey of Glastenbury and did fortell how S. Edward Kinge and confessor that most great reuerencer of holy Masse perhaps yet vnborne and borne in exile in Normandy should bee Kinge in England and deliuer it from those floods of miseries wherewith it was then surrounded and longe time had beene And to assure vs this was a true vision and prophesie of S. Peter and hee an approuer of all louers of holy Masse as God also is this hee addeth Erit cum dormieris cum patribus tuis visitabit Dominus populum suum faciet Dominus redemptionem plebis suae Eliget enim sibi virum secundum
Dei genitricis auxilio in necessitatibus suis refocillobantur The twelue holy men spoken of before S. Ioseph and his companions yeeldinge deuout seruices to God and the blessed Virgin attendinge to watchings fastings and prayers were in their necessities releiued by the helpe of the same Virgin Mother of God Antiquitat Glast apud Capgrau in Catalog in S. Ioseph ab Aramath S. Patricio antiq M. S. tabulis affixae in ead Eccles Glaston and others So that whomsoeuer S. Peter S. Paul S. Ioseph or any other man will truly and seriouslie allowe or in his owne singular conceipt or phantasie imagin to haue beene the first preacher teacher of the Christian faith and Religion in Britanie or what or whose order and forme of Masse and Liturgie they will say was then here vsed and practised they must needs by all authorities warranted iudgements acknowledge that the holy preists here in that time were sacrificinge massinge preists their externall Liturgie and sacrifice the sacrifice of Masse wherein Christs holy body and blood were consecrated and offered both for the liuinge and faithfull departed the Saints were remembred and prayed vnto and no materiall difference betweene that and the present Masse of either the Greeke or Latine church And so I end this first age and hundred yeares of Christ THE SECOND AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XV. CHAPTER Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other antiquaries that sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops and sacrifice of Masse continued and were honored in this kingdome of Britanie from the beginninge of this hundred yeares vntill Kinge Lucius time when it was wholly conuerted to that faith WE are now come to the beginninge of the second age or century of yeares of Christ when by all accompts in historie Kinge Coillus that was bred vp at Rome was Kinge in Britanie and S. Anacletus Pope of Rome When many of our before remembred massinge and sacrificinge Brittish preists as namely S. Mansuetus S. Beatus his holy companion before by some named Achates and S. Timotheus were liuinge And though I doe not find any particularly named whome S. Anacletus sent hither of the holy preistly massinge order yet to followe euen the opinion and direction of English Protestant antiquaries in this busines wee must needs graunt that hee had a care of this contry as wel as others in this kind for they testifie of this Pope Ab â—…pso Domino primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersumque Christiani nomine populum concessum esse asseruit Robert Barns l. de vit Pontific Roman in Anaclet Ormerod pict Pap. pag. 78. Pope Anacletus affirmed that supremacy was graunted from our Lord himselfe to the church of Rome ouer all churches and all Christian people Because saith hee Christ said to S. Peter who liued and died at Rome thou art Peter or a rocke and vppon this rocke I will builde my church Quia inquit Petro agenti morienti Romae dixit tu es Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam By which reason amonge others diuers other learned English Protestant writers with publicke priuilege and allowance doe proue vnto vs first confessinge with this holy Pope that Christ made S. Peter the supreame and cheife gouernour of his church secondly that this supreamacy was necessary and to continue foreuer in his church and thirdly because S. Peter dyinge Bishop of Rome and at Rome and there onely possibly to haue his laste and immediate successor and so constituted by himselfe as is euident in S. Clement before it euidently followeth by the reason of this holy Pope and protestants that euen by Christ himselfe this supreamacy ouer all churches and Christians was graunted to the church of Rome Whereuppon these protestants testifie in his life that hee ordeyned diuers lawes bindinge the whole church and still obserued Rob. Barnes in Anacleto 2. And if we may beleeue the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury and in the whole world also Matthew Parker hee telleth vs how in particular his iurisdiction extended into this kingdome of Britanie and that the diuision and constitution of Archbishops sees with vs was by Pope Anacletus his ordination Ex Anacle to huius insulae diuisionem Matth. Parker antiquitat Brit. pag 24. And that he was a sacrificinge massinge preist it must needs be graunted both by his owne and our protestant testimonies also of him for hee himselfe is witnesse that hee was made preist by the great sacrificinge and massinge Apostle S. Peter à Sancto Petro Apostolorum Principe presbyter ordinatus Anacletus epist 3. To. 1. concil and our protestants do plainely confesse of this holie Pope Sacerdotem sacrificaturum ministros vestibus sacris indutos seu testes custodes sibi adhibere ordinauit Episcopos vero plures ministros sibi in sacris faciendis adiungat quod Sacerdote maior ac dignior sit Robert Barnes l. de vit Pontif Roman in Anacleto Pope Anacletus ordeined that when a preist was to offer sacrifice hee should take vnto him as witnesses and keepers ministers in holy vestiments And that a Bishop should ioyne vnto him more ministers when he said Masse And that hee is greater and more worthie then a preist The authoritie from whence they cite this is much more plaine where the very order wee still vse in solemne Masses is expressed But the protestant words manifestly proue that the sacrifice of Masse and sacrificinge vestures were vsed froÌ„ the daies of the Apostles Therfore this holy Pope exercising supreamacy and enactinge lawes for the whole church in Britanie or wheresoeuer as these protestaÌ„ts there doe testifie it must needs bee confessed that the preists which in his time either for Britanie or any other nation were consecrated immediatlie by himselfe or mediatly by his authority were as himselfe was sacrificinge massinge preistes and the deacons also for which hee made decrees by the testimony of these men Robert Barnes Sup. in Anaclet Matth. Parker antiquitat Britan. pag. 24. were also as they teach such as serued at the altare and sacrifice of Masse as Master Foxe speakinge of the very deacons ordeined by Pope Anacletus proueth in these termes therefore serued the office of the deacons as wee reade to lay the offerings of the people vppon the altare to bee hallowed and when the misteries be consecrated to distribute the cupp of the sacred blood of the Lord to the faithfull people Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary Ambros l. de omnib diuin offic 3. And much part of the aboade and residency of this holy Pope as also of his predecessors and successors as appeareth before and will bee more manifest hereafter was in that knowne massinge and sacrificinge house of our noble contriwoman S. Claudia or her children And the order of Masse which hee vsed was the same which was practised by S. Peter the Apostle and by him deliuered to the church as these protestants haue before
vel comburi vel in sacrarium repositum seruari 19. Therefore this Pope beeinge in all mens iudgements Catholicks and Protestants Ioh. Bal. l. 1. act Pontif. Rom. in Pio 1. an holy Saint and martyr and to vse a Protestant Bishops words one that did many vvorks of true pietie in the field of the Christian church multa verae pietatis opera in agro Christianae Ecclesiae fecisse perhibetur was so wel acquainted with our Christian Britans and both claymed and exercised supreame spirituall iurisdiction ouer all places and parsons in matters of Religion by these protestants Robert Barnes in vit Pij 1. Quae ad Religionem spectant à suae dioceseos synodis audtenda esse statuit salua tamen Pontificia authoritate of all natious this our Britanie must needs then bee an honorer of sacrificinge preists and holy Masse in this time and euer after vnto the generall conuersion of it in the time of S. Eleutherius betweene whome and this Saint Pius there were but two Popes S. Anicetus and S. Sother both which were not Popes many yeares by these protestaÌ„ts not 18. yeares by any of their accompts Robert Barn in Pio 1. Anicet Sother Io. Balaeus in act Pontif in eisdem Edvv. Grimst in the same Popes Foxe Tom. 1. 20. And these Popes were so far from crossinge with this and others their predecessors in these points of supreamacy sacrificinge preists and sacrifice of Masse that by the confession of these protestants they made decrees which confirmed them all makinge lawes bindinge all Archbishops Primates and Metropolitans and shewing they were subiect to the Pope of Rome and prescribed rules for all preists sayinge Masse and shauing their crownes as they now vse in the Roman church at this day Archiepiscopum à suo Episcopo aut coram primate aut Romano Pontifice accusandum esse Archiepiscopos non Primates sed Metropolitanos appellandos esse dixit nisi ista praerogatiua à Romano Pontifice concederetur Capitis verticem spherulae instar radendum Sacerdotibus praecopit Ne Sacerdos celebraret nisi vt minimum duo adessent ordinauit ne Monacha pallam contrectaret neuè thus in aceram poneret statuit So wee are sure these two holy Popes Saints and Martyrs were also sacrificinge Popes and all preists at that time vnder them whether in Britanie or els where beeinge subiect and obedient vnto them were massinge preists And so wee are now come with a continuall deduction of these sacred doctrines and practises both in the church of this our Britanie and others vntill the time of Pope and Saint Eleutherius when and by whose happy meanes historians commonly tell vs this kingedome was generally conuerted to the faith of Christ THE XVI CHAPTER Wherin is proued by testimonies of protestants and others that this kingdome in the time of Kinge Lucius was conuerted by massing Preists and Bishops and the holy sacrifice of Masse and such massinge preists and Bishops continued here in honor all this age IN this happy generall conuersion of this kingdome no man of what Religion soeuer can without prophane and irreligious boldnes and impudentnes affirme in iudgement that so wise and vertuous a Kinge his Nobles so many learned Druides and others especially moued to Christian Religion by the paâ—…ence pietie and vertue of the glorious Martyrs and Saints of those dayes by all antiquities Masse sayinge or Masse hearinge Christians would write such suppliant letters and send Ambassadors so longe a iorney as from hence to Rome to bee conuerted to any other Religion of Christ but that sacrificinge and massinge profession by the miracles and sanctity of whose professors they were so moued and conuinced in iudgement it was the only truth Neither would or could Pope Eleutherius an holy learned Saint and successor onely to sacrificinge massing Popes and preists recommend vnto King Lucius and this kingdome any other then massinge preists and Religion or the learned messengers of Kinge Lucius as our protestants stile them Io. Bal. centur 1. de scriptor in Eluan Meduuin Math. Parker antiq Brit. Godwin Conuers of Britanie consent to any other or so many renowned both preists and Bishops as were still remayninge in or of this nation knowne massinge preists and bishops ioyne with the Legats of Pope Eleutherius in teaching and preachinge any other doctrine or Religion 2. Such were our renowned contrimen S. Mansuetus yet liuinge except the Annals of Treuers or the same name deceaue vs consecrated preist by S. Peter and now remoued from Toul to Treuers for the ecclesiasticall Annals of that archiepiscopall sea tell vs. Petr. Merssaeus Annal. Archiep. Treueren 7. that S. Mansuetus I reade of no other of that name but our holy coutryman in that time was Archbishop of Treuers in the yeare of Christ 160. Mansuetus qui huic nomini vocationi suae vita proba anno Domini 160. optimè respondit And S. Marcellus or Marcellinus our glorious contryman who before his departure out of Britanie had moued Kinge Lucius to the faith of Christ and after of the Tungers and Archbishop also of Treuers returninge hither with the Popes Legats was so renowned an instrument in the conuersion of this kingdome that the Annals of the place where hee was Archbishop say that by the preachinge of this Saint the third Bishop of Tungers Kinge Lucius was baptised Annal-Treuer in S. Marcello S. Marcellus alijs Marcellinus fuit Tungorum tertius Episcopus huius praedicatione Rex Angliae id est Lucius baptizatus est The catalogue of the Bishops of Tunger giueth him greater honor tellinge vs that by his preaching hee conuerted Lucius Prince of Britanie with the whole nation to the faith of Christ Lucium Britanniae Principem cum tota gente sua praedicatione ad Christum conuertit Catalog Episcop Tungrens in S. Marcello And yet I haue shewed before that these were massinge preists and Bishops as their predecessors in those places S Valerius Eucharius Maternus and others were 3. The same I say of S. Tymotheus our holy contryman by his Mother S. Claudia beeinge a knowne massinge preist and one of the owners of that his and his brother Nouatus and Sisters house in Rome so notoriously dedicated to bee the first publick massinge church there for this holy massinge preist came hither in this time and was so great a worker in the conuersion of this his contrie that the histories of Treuers themselues which giue such honor as before to their Archbishop S. Marcellus in this busines yet freely also acknowledge that Kinge Lucius was brought to the Religion of Christ by S. Timothie whome they call S. Paules disciple perhaps because S. Paul maketh so honorable a memory of his parents S. Pudens and Claudia 2. Timoth. 4. likely did baptize this S. Timothie and therby called his disciple though a very child when S· Paul was martyred Martyrolog Rom. die 20. Iunij Baron annot ib. Sur. Tom. 3. die 12. Iunij and the other S.
Syriake text readeth in fractione Eucharistiae in breakinge the Eucharist And Iohn Caluine himselfe doth so plainely expounde the later place of the 20. chapter Actor cap. 2. v. 42. cap. 20. v. 7. Homil 17. operis imperfecti Beda ad cap. 20. act Ionas Aurelianen l. 3. de Imaginib text Syriac· Caluin in act 20. 6. And to make all sure the parlament statute of three Protestant Princes Kinge Edward 6. Queene Elizabeth and Kinge Iames. Statut. parlam· an 1. Edw. 6. an 1. Elizab and an 1. Iacobi Abridg. of stat titul seruice and Sacram. doth warrant vs that in the primatiue church communion was often vsed in one only kinde And the three first Euangelists S. Matthew Marke and Luke ar ample witnesses that the words of Christ drinke you all of this the ground of protestants in this contention were onely present with him and by him at that time made preists by all antiquities Matth. cap. 26. v. 20. Marc. cap. 14. ver 17.18 Luc. c. 22. v. 14. and so the words and commaundement could not possibly bee generall for that cause and if they had beene generall all the whole Christian worlde in all ages Catholicks from the beginninge and protestants since their new cominge had beene and ar guiltie of transgressinge that institution and commaundement Therfore seeing wee cannot finde any innouation in these misteries in this time let vs seeke out some more massing preists of this nation in this tempestuous season For such we finde particularly at Rome S. Mellanius as the Romane Martyrologe with others nameth him but by the auncient Manuscript history of his life and Capgraue S. Mellon He beeing a noble Britane and going hence to Rome to pay the tribute of his contry and serue the Emperor was conuerted to the faith of Christ by the massing Pope S. Stephen and by him takinge first all inferior orders was made a massinge preist Quem praefatus Papa sibi adhaerentem per omnes Ecclesiae gradus vsque ad Sacerdotium promouit Martyrolog Rom. die 22. Octob Baron ib. Vincent l. 11. c. 74. Petr. de natal l. 9. c. 93. Demochar contr Caluin M. S. antiq de vita S. Mellonis Ioh. Capgrau in catal in S. Mellone Episcopo and was so deuout a sayer of Masse that among other times as hee was sayinge Masse an Angell openly appeared both to the holy Pope and him at the right hand of the altare and Masse beeing ended designed him to goe to Rouen in Normandy where hee was the second Bishop next to S. Nicasius as the Annals of that church are witnesse and continued there a massinge preist and Bishop sent from that massinge Pope vntill about the yeare of Christ 280. which being before the beginninge of the persecution of Diocletian wee had then here in Britanie great numbers of massinge preists and Bishops as I haue proued before by our best antiquities 7. And though for that time wee are in a great defect and want of monuments yet wee haue warrant enough that both in and after that persecution wee had both massinge preists and Bishops to continue our hierarchicall succession for the present time of the persecution in this part of Britanie where the Romans ruled the persecution by that oportunitie and power raged wee must not looke into our churches and altars destroyed for publick vse of these holy points of Religion for as our best and moste auncient author S. Gildas writeth the Christians that remained did hide themselues in woods and deserts and hidden caues Qui superfuerant siluis ac desertis abditisque speluncis se occultauere Gildas l. de excid conq Biitan cap 8. S. Bede and others after both Catholicks and protestants haue the like Bed histor Eccl. Angl. l. 1. cap. 8. Matth. Westm. in Dioclet Theater of Brit. 16. Stowe Holinsh. histor of Eng. but if wee goe into the Northern parts beyond the Romans walland bounds where the Christian Britans and Scots vnder King Crathlint that renowned glory of that nation then reigned we shal finde both Masse and massinge preists of this our part of Britanie flying thither in honor and offeringe publicklie the moste holy sacrifice of Masse with great reuerence and solemnitie such were the holy massinge preist and Bishop S. Amphibalus Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus and very many others alijque permulti preachinge the doctrine of Christ in all the Scottish contries Christi seruatoris doctrinam omnes per Scotorum regiones concionando multis pijsque sudoribus seminantes Hector Boeth Scot. histor l. 6. fol. 102. Veremund apud eund ib. Holinsh. histor of Scotland in K. Crathlint 8. And among these holy doctrines that of holy Masse sacrificing preists preisthood were so honorable and renowned that this religious Kinge Crathlint did build a cathedrall church for that our persecuted massinge Bishop and preists endowinge it with great guifts and al things necessary for the honorable and reuerent sayinge of Masse as chalices patens Candlesticks and other such thinges requisite for the vse of sacrifice made of siluer and gold and an altare inclosed with copper and brasse Sed Crathlintus Rex sacra Antistitis aedem muneribus ornauit amplissimis calicibus patenis candelabris alijsque similibus ad sacrorum vsum commodis ex argento auroque fabrefactis altarique cupro aere clauso And that these and many others flyinge thither in this time were of this part of Britanie where the English inhabite it is plaine by these histories so that it is moste manifest that all this third age or hundred yeeres of Christ the holy sacrifice of Masse massing preists preisthood stil cōtinued in al this kingdome of great Britanie although not in such splendor and glory by reason of the great afflictions and miseries of those dayes as in better times I will make mention of diuers our massinge preists and Bishops that escaped death and suruiued after this persecution in the next age and so end with this THE FOVRTH AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XVIII CHAPTER How the holy sacrifice of Masse sacrificing and massinge preisthood preists and Bishops continued in this kingdome of great Britanie in al this age without any interruption or discontinuance IN the beginninge of this age and fourth hundred yeare the state of the church of Christ was little different either in Britanie or any other nation from that wherin it was in the later end of the former for as our histories tell vs the persecution begun by Diocletian did not cease although not in such extremitie of rigour vntill Cōstantine the great our contriman had bene Emperor some yeares in the seuenth yeare of his Empire by Matthew of Westminster Florentius Wigorniensis and others caepta semel persecutio vsque ad septimū annum Constantini feruere non cessauit Matth. Westm an gratiae 304. Florent Wigorn. an 299. al. 321. neither doe our Scottish writers Veremundus Hector Boethius and others differ herein for they are witnesses that manie holy Christians of
eod S. Asaph in vita S. Kentegern Capg in eod Io. Bal. centur 1. de script Brit. in Kentegern Elgnen Godwin Catalog in S. Asaph and Probus the auncient writer of S. Patricks life dedicateth it to Paulinus about that time S. Paulinus was Archbishop here which argueth that Paulinus had some acquaintance with or reference to S. Patricke otherwise an Irish Author would not haue dedicated his worke to one in England Those scholes were here of high authority approued both by the Popes Kings of Britanie as Cambridg teacheth Prebus in vita S. Patricij inter opera S. Bedae Io. Caius l. antiquitat Camtab pag. 147.148 10. Now let vs come to S. Patricke who although he was cheifly sent by S. Celestine to the inhabitants of Ireland and Scotland yet hee was a Britane borne and by many antiquities preached much and by some many yeares together before his death liuinge in this nation died here Therefore wee may boldly apply him as a Master and witnes in this busines This man being sent by the massinge Pope S. Celestine was so farr also a massinge preist and Bishop that as the auncient writer of his life not S. Bede but Probus an Irish man more aunciēt then S. Bedes time witnesseth l. 2. de vita S. Patricij in fine the inchaunters and magiciens of that contry especially three which he called Locri Egled and Mel did tell to the Kinge and nobles of that contry beinge idolaters diuers yeares before the cominge of S. Patricke thither that a certaine Prophet should come thither with a new Religion that though it was hard and austere yet it should quite destroy theire auncient worship and there continue for euer And to speake in this auncient Authors wordes of S. Patricks sayinge Masse in particular praecinebant quasi in modum cantici lirico modo compositi ante aduentum Sancti viri duobus aut tribus annis decantantes de eo Haec sunt autem verba cantici secundum linguae illius Idioma in latinum conuersa non tamen manifesta Adueniet artis caput cum suo ligno praecuruo capite ex eo omnis domus erit capite perforata incantabit nephas ex sua mensa ex anteriore parte domus suae respondebit ei sua familia tota fiat fiat Quod nostris verbis potest manifestius exprimi Adueniet totius artis Magister cum signo crucis quod omne cor hominum compungitur de altari Sacramentorum conuertet animas ad Christum omnis populus Christianorum respōdebit Amen Quādo erunt haec omnia regnum nostrum gentile non stabit Quod sic totum completum est They did singe before the cominge of the holy man S. Patricke a songe made lyrickwise of him two or three yeares And these are the words of the song according to that language turned into latine but not manifest The head of art will come with his staffe with a crooked head with that al the house shall bee bored in the heade he shall singe wickednes from his table from the former part of his house all his householde shall answere so bee it so bee it Which in our words may be more manifestly expressed The Master of all art shall come with the signe of the crosse and all the harts of men shall haue compunction and from the altare of Sacraments hee shall conuert soules to Christ and all Christian people shall answere Amen When all these things shall bee then our heathen kingedome shall not stand All which was so fulfilled Io. Capgrau in Catalog in S. Patricio 11. Iohn Capgraue and others in S. Patricks life thus set downe this prediction of S. Patricke adueniet homo cum suo ligno cuius mensa erit in oriente domus suae populus eius retrorsum ex sua mensa cantabit familia respondebit ei Amen Hic cum aduenerit Deos nostros destruet templa subuertet doctrina eius regnabit in seculū seculi A man shall come with his staffe whose table shall be in the east part of his house and the people behinde him and hee shall singe from his table and the companie shall answere vnto him Amen He when he cometh shall destroy our Gods ouerthrowe our temples his doctrine shall reigne for euer Where wee see an euident prediction and foretelling how this great Apostle should be a sacrificinge massinge preist his altar should bee in the east part of the church as altars vsually are and the people should answere Amen How deuout a sacrificinge massinge man hee was the historie of his life is witnes and of many miracles to proue the sanctitie and holines both of that sacrifice and the sacrificer Amonge which a sorcerer ouerthrowinge his chalice when hee said masse the earth opened and swallowed him vp Factum est alto die cum Patricius Missam celebraret quidam magus effudit calicem suam statim terra aperiēs os suum deuorauit eum M. S. antiq in vit S. Patric Capgrau in eod and the altare on which hee vsuallie said Masse healed diseases and wrought other miracles And this moste holy Saint by all testimonies both of Catholicks and Protestants Bal. l. de scriptor Britan. in Patric Prob. in vita eius Capgrau al in eod was so great a promoter of the blessed sacrifice of Masse and sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops that for the honor and propagation of them to insist in the words of Nennius Nenmus M. S. hist in S. Patricie hee founded 345. churches to that vse Hee consecrated so many or more Bishops endued with the spirit of God and ordered 3000. massinge preists Ecclesias numero fundauit 345. ordinauit Episcopos trecentos quadraginta quinque aut amplius in quibus spiritus Domini crat Presbyteros autem vsque ad tria millia ordinauit 12. Therefore this massing Archbishop liuinge and rulinge in Ireland and Britanie vntill the yeare of Christ 491. by a Protestant Bishop makinge his age 122. yeares and longer by Capgraue others saying hee was annis centum triginta an hundred and thirty yeares old by Probus an hundred thirtie two and more when hee died Bal centur 1. de scriptor Britan. in Patricio Capgrau Catal. in eod M. S. in vita S. Patric Prebus in vit eiusd this kingdome of Britanie could not bee without Masse and many massinge preists and Bishops in this age And as the great recited number of massinge preists and Bishops especially Bishops aboue 340. could not bee wholly employed in these kingdomes which neuer had so many in so short a time we may be bold to extend his mission of such massinge men to a larger circuite and say hee sent diuers of these his massinge disciples euen into Armerica it selfe for wee finde in the aunciently written life of S. Brendan 1100. yeares since M. S. antiq Io. Capgrau in vit S. Brendani of whom one of the Ilands of America still beareth name that in his
prescribe what hymnes prefaces graduals and collects or prayers were to bee vsed it is euident these were before and he being Pope and cheife prescribed the order how they should bee vsed which proueth he rather tooke some away then added any for amonge them were before praescripsit he prescribed which and no others should bee vsed And wheras there is a controuersie by some whether this prescription and orderinge these things was by Pope Gelasius or one called Scholasticus Master Foxe the Protestant historian decideth this question Io. Foxe in Q. Mary pag. 1403. teaching out of vetusto quodam libro de officio Missa an old booke of the office of Masse that these were both one and Gelasius beinge Scholasticus before was made Pope Gelasius Papa ex Scholastico effectus in ordine 48 And thus much of Gelasius 8. After whome for an intermedler in these affaires our protestants propose Pope Symmachus Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho Bal. l. 2. in eod who commaunded gloria in excelsis Deo to bee sunge vppon sondayes and feasts of Saints In Dominico die Sanctorum natalitijs gloria in excelsis canendum esse dixit or by an other praecepit But if they meane the first part of this holy hymne it was the songe of the Angels at the birthe of Christ and recommended vnto vs in scripture and by one of these protestants vsed at Masse by the commaundement of Saint and Pope Telesphorus who liued in the Apostles time gloria in excelsis Deo c. in Missa canendum praecepit Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Telesphoro S. Petro and if they meane the whole canticle as it is now vsed their brother Iohn Foxe with others thus testifieth Iohn Foxe supr in Q. Mary The hymne gloria in excelsis which was sunge of the Angels at the birth of our Sauiour was augmented by Hilarius Pictauiensis with those words that follow singing it first in his owne church which was an 340. afterward brought into other churches by Pope Symmachus And our histories testifie it was vsed here in Britanie by S. German in his time And our English Protestants vse it in their publicke church seruice at this day by publicke authoritie Engl. Protestant communion booke morninge prayer 9. That which a Protestant Bishop writeth of this Pope that he reduced the Masse to forme Missam in formam redegit Bal. l. 2. Act. Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho is his formall forgery or foolery confounded by many vndeniable instances graunted by protestants before as the forme of Masse of S. Peter S Iames S. Matthew S Marke S. Clement S. Basile S. Chrisostome and Popes of Rome longe before this time as amonge other witnesses this Protestant Bishop himselfe testifieth of S. Innocentius Syricius S. Celestine S. Leo and Gelasius Bal. in Act. Pontif. Rom. in Innocent Syric Calestino Leon. Gelas therefore without euident contradiction and wilfull errour he cannot intend or affirme that Pope Symmachus did first bringe the Masse into order Therefore of necessitie to keepe himselfe from these absurdities he must vnderstand that Pope Symmachus confirmed or allowed of the forme of Masse formerlie vsed in the church which all Popes good Christians euer did and ought to doe 10. And here endeth the fift hundred yeare at which time and longe after as with others our protestants assure vs that S. Dubritius that great massinge Prelate and Archbishop primate here the Popes Legate and great Master of diuinitie together with S. Iltutus priuiledged in the same facultie by papall authoritie and S. Gildas by whome all Britanie and other contries receaued instruction were liuinge and consequently agreeing in all thinges with the church of Rome Bal. cent 1. in Dubritie Iltuto Gylda Albanio Godwin Catal. in S. Dauids Capgrau Catal. in Dubrit Iltut Gild. About which time also amonge diuers others those three great lights of our Brittish church knowne massinge preists and Bishops S. Dauid that succeeded S. Dubritius in his archiepiscopall dignitie S. Thelians and S. Patern began to florish and went that great Pilgrimage to Hierusalem M. S. antiq Capgrau Catal. in S. Dauid S. Thelian S. Paterno alij M. S. S. Theliai apud Godwin Catal. in Landaff 2. and both in going and returninge through Italy and those places and ordinarily sayinge Masse must needs vse that order and forme therof they found to bee vsed at Rome and all places receauinge direction from thence in such affaires and so here I end this age and centenary of yeares THE SIXTH AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XXI CHAPTER Wherein being confessed by our protestant writers that all the Popes of Rome vnto S. Gregory were massinge preists and Popes yet not any one of thē by these protestāts cōfession made any the least materiall chaunge or alteration in these misteries NOw wee are come to the sixt age or hundred of yeares of Christ wherin liued S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome that sent S. Augustine and diuers other holie cleargie men hither which conuerted a greater part of this nation and kingdome called England Wherefore seeing by confession of our best learned protestants the Christian Britans of this Iland had from their first conuersion vnto Christ and did at the coming of S. Augustine from Rome continue in the same holy faith and Religion which they had learned and receued in the Apostles time and hitherto we haue not found any materiall difference in any age between them the church of Rome in these cheif questions I haue in hand now to make euidēt demonstration by these aduersaries to the holy Romane Religion that this church neuer altered any substantiall matter by their owne iudgement at before or after the cominge of S. Augustine hither I will first set downe all the pretended chaunges additiōs or alteratiōs which these protestants charge that holy church withall in these affaires prouinge them to bee of no moment or essentiall And after shew how the Christian Britans in this age also as in all the former still agreed in these questions with the church of Rome And wheras there was then some difference betweene the disciples of S. Gregorie and the Britās here about the obseruation of Easter and some other questions rather ceremoniall then substantiall in Religion that the church euen by the testimonie of our protestants did hold the truth in these matters and such Britans and Scots as held the contrary were in confessed and vnexcusable error 2. The first alleaged chaunger or additioner of any thinge in the holy sacrifice of Masse which our protestants obiect among the Popes of Rome in this age is Horsmida who as these men write commaunded that altars should not be erected without the assent of the Bishop Ne altaria sine Episcopi assensu erigerentur iussit Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Horsmida Bal. in Act. Pont. in eod but this was according to holy scriptures to haue Superiors and commaunders to bee obeyed remember them
said nation of the said Angles much more vvorthie preachers by vvhome they might be brought to the faith And then immediatly they set downe S. Augustine Mellitus Iustus and Iohn with others sent hither by S. Gregory to bee these much more vvorthie preachers by vvhom this nation was brought to the faith And this might suffice in this matter but for the ful clearing of al doubts I will further fully proue how al preists and Bishops in Britanie in this age were sacrificing massing preists and the best learned and most holy amonge them did in all things ioyne with the Popes and church of Rome and they which opposed moste against S. Augustine and his associates sent from thence in some ceremoniall customes did in these points all others which protestants most dislike in Catholick Romane Religion vtterly disagree from these protestants and hold the same doctrine practise generally as S. Augustine did and the members of the present Romane Apostolick church doe at this day THE XXIII CHAPTER Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other testimonies that during all this age and hundred of yeares vntill and after the coming of S. Augustine this kingdome had many holy massinge preists and Bishops agreeinge in these and all other articles of Religiō with the church of Rome IN the later end of the fift hundred of yeares of Christ I made relation how amonge many others those two renowned massinge preists S. Dubritius the great Archbishop of Caerlegion and the Popes Legate made Bishop by the massing Bishop and Legate of the see Apostolicke and S. Iltutus disciple of the same massing Bishop and Legate S. Germanus were Tutors and Masters in Religion and diuinitie not only to the cleargie of this Iland but many others and neither did nor could teach them any other doctrine in these points then they had receued from others and practised by themselues about holy preisthood and sacrifice of Masse And as both protestants other antiquaries tell vs both these liued 20. yeares at the leaste in the beginninge of this sixt age S. Iltutus beeing aliue and florishinge in the yeare 520. claruit anno à Christi natiuitate 520. and S. Dubritius liuinge two yeares after obijt anno gratiae 522. Bal. l. de scriptor Britan. cent 1. in Ilchtuto in Dubritio Godw. Catal. in S. Dauids in Dubritius therefore wee may boldly say that among so great numbers of their massing schollers many of them liued a great part if not all this age The auncient Manuscript of the Saints of Wales the Apologist of the antiquitie of Cambridge and others thus testifie of S. Dubritius M. S. antiq de vit Sanctorum Wall in S. Dubritio Io. Caius l. 1. de antiquit Cantabr Academ pag. 145.146 Creuit illius fama cum vtriusque legis nouae veteris peritia per totā Britanniam ita quod ex omni parte totius Britanniae scholares veniebant non tantum rudes sed etiam viri sapientes Doctores ad eum studendi causa confluebant Imprimis Sanctus Helianus Sampson discipulus suus Vbelnius Merchiguinus Elguoredus Gunuinus Longual Artbodu Longur Arguistil Iunabin Conbram Goruan Guernabin Iouan Elheharn Iudnon Curdocui Aidan Cinuarch cum his mille clericos per septem annos continuo in podo seu pago Hentlan super ripam Guy in studio literarum diuinae sapientiae humanae retinuit Where we see he had a thousand schollers at one time and place seuen yeares together that were clergy men students in diuinitie and in an other place called in the Brittish languadge Mocros miraculously assigned vnto him hee had as these antiquities say innumerable schollers many yeares together cum suis innumerabilibus discipulis mansit per plures annos regendo studium l. de vit Sanct. Wall Caius sup pag. 147.148 M. S. antiq Capgrau in S. Iltuto Tatheo 2. The like they write of the scholes of S. Iltutus and S. Tatheus or as some call him Thatheus The antiquaries of Cambridge alleage for the immunities and priuiledges of their vniuersitie the auncient Charter dated at London in the yeare of Christ 531 of Kinge Arthur that knowne reuerencer of sacrificing preists and Masse Charta priuileg Arthuri an 531. apud Caium antiq Cantabrig l. 1. and both Catholicks and protestants testifie that the auncient vniuersitie of Standford continued in this time and vntill S. Gregory interdicted it for heresies that fell amonge the Saxons and Britans together mixt Harding histor in King Ethelbert Stowe and Howes historie in Bladud therefore wee may assure our selues that notwithstandinge so many troubles alterations as chaunced here in those daies they continued the holy doctrine and custome of Masse and sacrificinge preists For S. Gregory so knowne and confessed a Patron and practiser of these thinges neither would nor could haue interdicted that vniuersitie for any thinge which hee himselfe so embraced and honored So that it is euident that the whole kingdome of Britanie in this time followinge the doctrine which their scholes and vniuersities taught them must needs then allowe these holy misteries of which I write The same is euident both by the Kings which then reigned here as also by the Archbishops who ruled in Religious affaires The Kings in the beginning of this age were Vther pendragon who died about the yeare of Christ 515. beeinge for Religion of the same with the massinge Archbishops S. Dubritius and S. Sampson with the sacrificinge Bishops and preists by whose generall consent he was crowned Kinge Vther conuocato regni clero caepit diadema Insula annuētibusque cunctis sublimatus est in Regem Galfr. Mon. l. 8. cap. 17. Math. Westm. ad an 498 and when his death was knowne they as solemly assembled to giue him Princely Christian buriall Cum obitus Regis diuulgatus fuisset aduenerunt Pontifices cum clero regni tuleruntque corpus eius ad caenobium Ambrij iuxta Aurelium Ambrosium more regio humauerunt 2. Next was Kinge Arthur how he was engaged in this holy doctrines it is sufficiēt Argument that being but 15. yeares of age and his birth by many not without exception hee was with the generall applause both of the sacrificinge cleargie and their ghostly children crowned Kinge by S. Dubritius the Popes Legate and renowned massinge Archbishop and primate of Britanie with the other massing Bishops therof Defuncto Vtherpendragon conuenerunt ex diuersis Prouincijs proceres Britonum Dubritio Vrbis Legionum suggerentes vt Arthurum filium Regis in Regem consecraret Dubritius associatis sibi Episcopis Arthurum regni diademate insignuit Galfrid Mon l. 9. cap. 1. Matth. Westm. ad an gratiae 516. Stowe histor Britans and Saxons in Arthur Io. Bal. l. de script Brit. cent 1. in Dubritio Godwin Catalog in S. Dauids to this his whole life in fighting against the enemies of that holy Religion the sacred churches and altars which he reedified for that heauenly sacrifice and charters of
vita eius Capgrau in eodem Quem principalem Deum crediderunt praecipue Angli de quo originem duxerant cui quaâ—…tam feriam consecrauerant hominem fuisse mortalem asseruit Regem Saxonum a quo plures nationes genus duxerant huius inquit corpore in puluerem resoluto anima in inferno sepulta aeternum sustinet ignem And that this holy Bishop liued vnto this time of S. Gregory ioyned in Religion with him and by him was warranted to preach to the Saxons as to other nations we haue the greatest warrant wee can desire in such thinges both Catholicke and Protestant antiquaries ioyninge in this that hee was a Bishop 260. yeares M. S. antiq Capgrau supr Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Kenterno Godwin Catalog of Bishops in Asaph whereby it euidently followeth that beinge made Bishop after the beeing of S German and Lupus here as appeareth before he must needes bee liuinge at this time and it is particularly testified by the auncient writers of his life S Asaph his holy scholler and successor Iohn Capgraue and many auncient Manuscripts that hauinge beene seuen times at Rome hee was there in the time of S. Gregory who approuinge his sacred callinge sent him with his Apostolicke warrant into these parts Vir Deisepties Romam adiens Sancto Gregorio speciali Anglorum Apostolo totam vitam suam electionem consecrationem omnes casus qui et acciderunt seriatim enodauit Sanctus vero Papa illum virum Dei Spiritus Sancti gratia plenum intelligens in opus ministerij à Spiritu Sancto illi iniuncti destinauit 13. In the westerne parts wee had then besides the Bishops which opposed themselues to S. Augustine commonly recompted seuen in number yet agreeing with him in these misteries the renowned holy Bishop S. Asaph disciple and successor to S. Kentegern in that see when hee forsooke it This holy massinge Bishop ruler of the colledge of so many massinge preists as I haue before related did in all things ioyne himselfe with the disciples of S. Gregory the Pope in so much as a ProtestaÌ„t Bishop writeth of him A Gregorij Pontificis Romani discipulis Angliam aduentantibus authoritatem accepit Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Asapho he receued authority from the disciples of Gregorie Pope of Rome which came into England And this is hee who as the same ProtestaÌ„t Bishop writeth wrote the life of S. Kentegern his Master Therfore this holy Prelate must needs bee a massinge preist as all the other vnder him were at that time If we go further to other parts of this nation wee shall finde in the kingdome of the Mercians or by some the easte Angles the renowned miraculous Archbishop S. Iue a noble Persian by birth who beeing sent thither by the Pope of Rome S. Gregory or Pelagius the seconde his predecessor both massinge preists and Popes was also a massing preist and Prelate and dying at the towne now of his name called S. Iues in Hontington shire gaue that name vnto it Annal. Monaster Ramseiae M. S. antiq de vita S. Iuonis Io. Capgrau in Catalog in S. Iuone Episcop Florent Wigorn. in Chronic. ad an 600. And to testifie that hee exercised both his massing preistly and episcopall function there in preachinge to the Saxons his body was found buryed in episcopall manner sepulchro aperto Episcopum Pontificalibus indutum coÌ„spiciunt This Apostolicke doctor of this nation as Florentius Wigorniensis Capgraue and the old Manuscripts of his life â—…ll him Doctor Apostolicus vere caeli nuntius Ino dyed here as Wigorniensis writeth in the yeare 600. foure yeares after the cominge of S. Augustine hither and hither also came with him and preached here sent from Rome besides others not named S. Sithius and S. Inthius his associats massinge preists Qui cum Romam peruenisseÌ„t consilio Papae dispositione Dei Sanctus Iuo cum Sithio nepote Inthio cognato suo alijsque quibusdam in Britanniam intrauit And to shew that hee was a true Apostle of this nation sent by the see Apostolicke of Rome coming through Fraunce hither beeinge honorably entertayned by the Kinge and people of Fraunce to stay there would by no entreaty consent but came as hee was à Domino destinatus ordeyned for vs by God into England Cum Galliam cum suis intrasset à Rege populo honorificè susceptus nec vlla gratia terrena quamuis assiduis precibus rogatus ab ipsis retineri poterat sed Britanniam ingrediens 14. And to passe into the kingedome of Kent it selfe where S. Augustine landed settled himselfe his successors and see at Canterbury there we had at his cominge and twenty yeares before and before the time that Theonus Archbishop of London and Thadiocus Archbishop of Yorke with their massinge preists forsooke their sees in that kingedome and city itselfe of Canterburie a renowned massing Bishop S. Luithardus and his massing preists vsuallie sayinge Masse the Queene S. Bertha being present in their theÌ„ cathedral church dedicated to S. Martine as all antiquaries agree and as I finde in an old Manuscript history builded in the time of Kinge Lucius Bed hist. gent. Angl. l. 1. cap. 27. Io. Capgrau in Catalog in S. Lethardo Episcopo Confessore M. S. antiq in eod And by the persuasion of this holy massinge Bishop S. Luithard the Kinge and Saint afterward Ethelbert entertayned S. Augustine with all humanitie and was by him after actuallie conuerted to the faith of Christ in so much that this holy Bishop is called Ianitor venturi Augustini opener of the dore to S. Augustine Capgrau supr in S. Lethard Gulielm Malm. l. 1. de gest Reg. Anglorum And was before S. Augustines cominge when he still liued a Pagan fauourable and gentle vnto ChristiaÌ„s Benignus erga Christianos in natiua gentilitate fuit By occasion whereof his kingdome extending to Humber and his sister beeing marryed to Slede Kinge of the east Angles and her sonne Sebert or as Henry of Huntington calleth him Sibrictus or Siberctus beeing a Christian Kinge so great parts of this nation were free from persecution and some of the Saxons that were conuerted became massing preists longe before S. Augustine came hither Henric. Hunting histor l. 2. For such is numbred Godelbertus as a Protestant Bishop writeth ex quorundam coniecturis genere Anglosaxo aboue an huÌ„dred yeares before this time an 498. Pitseus historic Rel. Tom. 1. aetate 5. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Godelberto Presbytero And as SebastiaÌ„ Munster the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury witnes S. Offo an English Kings sonne in this our EnglaÌ„d went hence and preached in Germany in the yeare 601. Munster in Cosmograph in German Matth. Parker antiq Brit. pag. 8. not without other associats of this nation except we will make his case singular from all other Apostolick men conuerters of contries And except wee will make a very bold expositioÌ„
and vsually offered the sacrifice of Masse pag. 174. Chap 11. How S. Peter the cheife Apostle first founder of the church of Christ in this our kingedome was a sacrificinge massinge preist deliuered a forme of Masse to the church consecrated many massing preists in this part of the worlde nere vnto vs and some of this kingdome pag. 189. Chap. 12. Wherein is proued euen by protestants that whatsoeuer Apostle or other first preached Christ in Britanie brought sacrificinge preisthood hither and S. Peter first founded here our ecclesiastical Hierarchie of sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops pag. 219. Chap. 13. Wherin is proued how after the death of S· Peter in the time following commonly ascribed to S· Linus and Cletus in the see of Rome and to Marius Kinge in Britanie the Britans both at home and abroade vsed the sacrificing preisthood preistes and Masse pag. 242. Chap. 14. How duringe the time of S. Clement his papacy and all this first hundred yeares of Christ our Christian Britans together with all other continued these holy doctrines and offices of sacrificinge preisthood preists and the sacrifice of the blessed body and blood of Christ in Masse pag. 252. Chap. 15. Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other antiquaries that sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops and sacrifice of Masse continued and were honored in this kingdome of Britanie from the beginning of this hundred yeares vntill Kinge Lucius time when it was wholly coÌ„uerted to that faith pag. 278. Chap. 16. Wherin is proued by testimonies of protestants others that this kingdome in the time of Kinge Lucius was coÌ„uerted by massing Preists and Bishops and the holy sacrifice of Masse and such massinge preists and Bishops continued here in honor all this age pag. 310. Chap. 17. How notwithstandinge the manifold tumults and persecution of Christian Religion in this kingdome of Britanie in this third hundred yeares yet the holie sacrifice of Masse sacrificinge and massinge preists and Bishops still here continued without any totall discontinuance pag. 323. Chap. 18. How the holy sacrifice of Masse sacrificing and massing preisthood preists and Bishops continued in this kingdome of great Britanie in all this age without any interruption or discontinuance pag. 338. Chap. 19. Wherin is manifestly proued that all this fift age the sacrifice of Masse massinge preists and Bishops did continue in honor in this our Britanie pag. 366. Chap. 20. Wherein is proued by protestants and others that the church of Britanie Rome accorded in this age in these misteries and how all the Popes being massinge preists and Popes yet no one of them made any materiall alteration in this sacrifice pag. 388. Chap. 21. Wherein being confessed by our protestant writers that all the Popes of Rome vnto S. Gregory were massing preistes and Popes yet not any one of them by these protestants confession made any the least materiall chaunge or alteratioÌ„ in these misteries pag. 403. Chap. 22. Wherein euident demonstration is made euen by these protestaÌ„ts them selues that neither S. Gregory the great which sent S. Augustine with many other holy learned men into England did make any materiall addition or alteratioÌ„ in these misteries But the Religion which those his disciples preached here was in all points by all testimonies both of God and man Britans themselues and Saxons Catholicks and Protestants auncient and late writers the true Religion of Christ and in all thinges wherin they differed from the Britans more pure then that which they then professed pag. 414. Chap. 23. Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other testimonies that duringe all this age and hundred of yeares vntill and after the cominge of S. Augustine this kingdome had many holy massing preists and Bishops agreeing in these and all other articles of Religion with the church of Rome pag. 437. The Errata PAg. 38. line 1. members Numbers Pag. 197. line 23. Martianus Martinus There are two cyphers X. Pag. 130. 174. in the chapters in steed of X. and XI and so consequenter which should haue made the 23. chapters to haue bene 24. AN ECCLESIASTICAL PROTESTANT HISTORIE OF THE HIGH PASTORAL AND FATHERLY CHARGE and care of the Popes f Rome ouer the church of Britanie From the first plantinge of the Christian faith there by S. Peter the Apostle and his Disciples continued in euery age and hundred of yeares by holy Bishops and cleargie men sent hither and consecrated by them his Successors in the See Apostolicke Euidently deduced and proued by historicall narration from the published and priuiledged writings to appease all protestants of the most learned and allowed English protestant pretended Bishops Doctors Antiquaries and others of that Religion Mementote praepositorum vestrorum qui vobis locati sunt verbum Dei. Obedite praepositis vestris subiacâ—…te eis ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri Hebr. 13. With licence 16â—…5 THE GENERAL ARGVMENTS OF THE ENSVINGE HISTORIE SERVINGE ALSO FOR A PREFACE to the Reader to declare the scope of the Author and contents of the worke THE Catholick Author well acquainted with the proceedings of Protestants in these times and the controuersies of them to accept and allowe of nothing but what is liked and allowed by them selues and yet to make the world beleeue they are Reuerencers of antiquitie and would willingly embrace and followe that which was our first faith in any question deliuered by the Apostles thence continued from them the greatest of all beeing that who planted here first the holy faith and since had cheifest commanding power in such things Hee setteth historically downe from the best Antiquaries and learned protestant writers of this contry other antiquities approued by them the meanes and maner of our first conuersion vnto Christ and by what spirituall cheife ruling authority this nation hath euer beene gouerned in such thinges since then vntill the conuersions of the Saxons by S. Augustine and his associats sent hither by Saint and pope Gregory the first after which tyme now aboue 1000. yeares our protestants put it out of Question and agree that the power of the popes of Rome absolutely ruled here in such matters Therfore this historie of the first sixe hundred yeares is diuided into sixe Centuries or ages euery one conteyninge one hundred yeares In the first hee sheweth from those protestant Authors and Antiquaries how S. Peter that greate Apostle of Christ both immediately by himselfe and mediately by his holy disciples first preached here founded our church consecrated for vs Bishops preists and other cleargie men and ordeyned all thinges thereto belonging and how from this first institution by him we euer had a continued succession of such consecrated parsons vnto the more generall conuersion by pope Eleutherius in the daies of kinge Lucius after which time there can bee no question of such a succession of Bishops here And how after the death of S. Peter vnto the end of the first hundred
Vicar or Vicegerent in his kingdome to see iustice ministred the church of Christ to bee defended from wronge and the priuiledges thereof to bee kept inuiolable Which this holy king moste christianly performed for when all ecclesiasticall matters were settled here by the Popes authoritie and these Lawes here appointed for this kingedome first here coÌ„cluded and then with the rest confirmed by the Pope cuncta quae fecerant à Pontifice confirmari impetrauerunt Then this kinge accordinge to the direction and instructions of the holy Pope to speake in Protestants owne words endowed the churches of Britanie with liberties Lucius Rex ecclesias Britanniae libertatibus muniuit Which ar to many to bee related and ar sett downe in the Brittish historie Matthew of Westminster and others Pontic Virun lib. 4. in fine Galf. Mon. lib. 4. histor Reg. Britan. cap. 20. Matth. Westm an 186. Protest Annot. vppon Matth. West an 187. Galfrid Monum sup l. 4. Matth. West an 187. And in this sence our best Brittish and christian Saxon kings who were most obedient euer to the church of Rome were from that time and by vertue of that donation of Pope Eleutherius giuinge Lucius the Title of the vicar or vicegerent of God in his kingdome soe called and enioyed that Title as a Protestant Lawier and Antiquarie thus deduceth Selden Analect l. 1. pag 4â—… Ex quo non solum Britannorum sed etiam Anglorum subsequentes Reges hoc nomine vicarij Dei sunt potiti From which time or the graunt of Pope Eleutherius the kings that followed not onely of the Britans but English alsoe obteyned this name of the vicars of God and citeth the auntient Lawyer Henry Bracton for the same But wee neede not demurre vppon the authorities of priuate Lawyers or Antiquaries for this matter For wee haue Lawes themselues of good kinge Edward which William the Bastard afterward confirmed a Protestant Lawyers or rather the words of the Lawe to confirme warraÌ„t this Where the very words of the Lawe thus auntient and confirmed are these Leges S. Eduardi apud Gul. Lamb. fol. 126. pag. 2. leg 1. cap. 17. leg 77. Rex autem quia Vicarius summi Regis est ad hoc est constitutus vt regnum terrenum populum Domini super omnia sanctum veneretur Ecclesiam eius regat ab iniuriosis defendat maleficos ab ea euellat destruat penitus disperdat Quod nisi fecerit nec nomen Regis in eo constabit verum testante Papa Iohanne nomen Regis perdit The kinge because hee is the Vicar of the highest king is constituted for this to rule the terrene kingedome and people of God and aboue all things hee ought to reuerence his holy church and defend it from iniurious people and to pull from it and destroy and wholly ouerthrowe euill doers Which except hee performeth the name of a Kinge shall not bee appearinge in him but as Pope Iohn doth wittnes he loseth the name of a kinge or Ruler Where wee see by the publicke Lawes themselues that the Kinge is not called the Vicar or Vicegerent of God in respect of spirituall but temporall affaires to reuerence and defend it and suffer noe wronge to bee done vnto it or priuiledges taken from it which is more plainely expressed in the same Lawe in this maner leg S. Vsuardi supr Debet Sanctam EcclesiaÌ„ regni sui cum omni integritate libertate iuxta constitutiones patrum praedecessorem seruare fouere manutenere a kinge ought to keepe foster maintayne the holy church of his kingedome with all integritie and libertie accordinge to the constitutions of the Fathers and predecessors Which a kinge ought to sweare in proper parson vppon the ghospels and relicks of Saints before the laietie preists and clergie before hee is crowned by the Archbishops Bishops of the kingdom hither to this holy law of our auntieÌ„t kings I haue insisted vpon this Epistle of Pope Eleutherius the longer because with Protestants it is in soe high esteeme soe auntient and certaine that a Protestant Bishop writeth Wee haue seene the Bishop of Romes owne letter to kinge Lucius that is reputed to bee the first christian kinge of Britanie Iohn Bridges def of the gouernm in the church of Engl. l. 16. pag. 1355. The Theater writers say it is in the custody of Syr Robert Cotton Baronet of Conington in Huntington shire Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. c. 19. Others say it is likewise founde in the old historie called Brutus Caius antiquit Cantab. l. 1. Stowe writeth I finde the same entered in a booke intituled Constitutions pertayninge to the Guilde hall of London Stovve histor in Kinge Lucius And it is founde alsoe amonge the old Lawes of Saint Edward our kinge and others before him and placed receaued as a part of our Lawe both by our Saxon kinges and Norman alsoe as namely kinge William the first as the Protestant publisher of them himselfe a lawyer and antiquarie is witnesse vvith all moste all writers plaerique scriptores omnes as hee testifieth Williel Lambard lib. de Priscis Anglorum legib fol. 1. ante praef fol. 126.131 Therefore I may boldely terme Pope Eleutherius the first Christian Lawe maker and first director and confirmer of Lawes in this kingedome Which how it can stand to bee iustly done as all these our kinges their nobles clergies lawyers and these Protestants auouche without as greate a preeminent power as the Popes of these times doe clayme or commonly Catholicks ascribe vnto them I leaue to the quickest sighted Protestants to distinguish And yet this schole of Protestant antiquaries doe reade a lesson vnto vs to clymbe a stepp higher in such affayres For they assure from the same publick lawes of our auncient Saxon and other kinges and from the same Pope Eleutherius his owne donation that hee declared to be annexed to the crowne of this kingedome all the Ilands betweene vs and Norway and that our kings should haue care thereupon to enioye them The words of that auncient Lawe by Protestant publishing and allowance publick ar these Leges Edâ—…wardi Regis c. 17. apud Lumbard supr fol. 130 pag. 2. Debet de iure Rex omnes terras honores omnes dignitates iura libertates coronae regni huius in integrum cum omni integritate sine diminutione obseruare defendere dispersa dilapidata amissa regni iura in pristinum statum debitum viribus omnibus reuocare Vniuersa vero terra tota Insulae omnes vsque Norwegiam vsque Dariam pertinent ad coronam regni eius sunt de appendicijs dignitatibus Regis vna est Monarchia vnum est regnum vocabatur quondam Regnum Britanniae modo autem vocatur Regnum Anglorum tales enim metas fines praedictae sunt constituit imposuit coronae Regni Dominus Eleutherius Papa sententia sua qui primo
opinion is which is in libro S. Germani in the booke of S. German that hee with his wicked wyues or concubines was burned with fier miraculously from heauen An other opinion there is that hee wandered vpp and downe vagrantly and his hart burst in sonder The third that the earthe miraculously opened swallowed him vp aliue All agree that for betraying the country to the Infidels and his other moste horrible sinnes hee was iustly and greeuously punished by God and died miserably with eternall infamie and the others were renowned patrons and obedient children to the church of God which had aduaunced them to the regall dignitie Matth. Westm an 465.466.488.490.498 Nennius in M. S. histor in Guorthigurno And if wee will followe Nennius the best Author wee haue of these thinges S. German omitted noe meanes to procure kinge Vortigern to penance when nothinge would preuayle notwithstanding the most horrible sinne of him with his owne daughter hee baptized the sonne soe begotten naming him Faustus hee brought him vp and soe instructed him in pietie that hee was a glorious Saint Nennius supr Quartus filij Guorthigirni fuit Faustus qui illi de filia sua natus est quem Sanctus Germanus baptizauit enutriuit atque docuit vnam habuit filiam quae vt diximus mater fuit Sancti Fausti Next to these was kinge Arthur whoe allthough hee was by birth disabled as our Protestants say ex furtiue concubitu Vtheri Dulcissa Cornubiana natus Yett to speake in Protestants words Protest Index in Galfrid monum V. Arthurus Galfrid mon. histor Reg. Brit. l. 8. c. 19. Stowe histor in K. Arthur Arthur the sonne of Vther at the age of fifteene yeares was crowned kinge of Britanie by Dubritius Archbishop of Legions the Popes Legate as before And this was not the sole Act of that Saint but of all the Bishops and nobles of the kingedome Defuncto Rege conuenerunt Pontifices cum clero Regni populo ipsumque more regio humauerunt Quo facto Dubritius vrbis Legionum Archiepiscopus sociatis sibi Episcopis magnatibus Arthurum filium eius iunenem quindecim annorum in Regem magnificè exercuit Matth. Westm. an 516. Galfrid mon. lib. 9. cap. 1. Kinge Vther beeing deade the Bishops assemble together with the clergie and people of the kingedome and bury him in kingely maner Which beeinge ended Dubritius Archbishop of the citie of Legions the Bishops and Nobles beeing associate vnto him magnificently erect for king-Arthur his sonne a yonge man of fifteene yeares old And yett this worthie prince soe by byrth by himselfe disabled and for age vnfitt to manadge soe many and greate matters yett made kinge by the power I haue related before and followinge the direction of the Pope in matters requisite and his Legate and Bishops here became soe renowned glorious a kinge as all histories report This kinge besides the common benefites hee bestowed on the church of Christ in Britanie then allmoste desolate by the rage of the pagan Saxons hee did in particular to shew his gratefull and due dependance on the Popes of Rome With the consent and counsaile of all the Bishops and peeres of the kingedome and with licence of the See Apostolique graunt priuiledge to the schoole of Cambridge to bee exempt and free from publick vectigals and burthenous workes and this hee did for the loue of the heauenly kingedome and remedy of the soules of his Auncestors as the Protestants of Cambridge produce vnto vs out of his owne charter beginninge thus Charta Regis Arthuri de priuileg Cantabr apud Ioh. Caium lib. 1. de antiquit Cantabr pag. 68.69 Arthurus regali à Deo fultus dignitate omnibus suis salutem pro amore caelestis patriae remedioque animarum antecessorum meorum Britannia Regum pro augmentatione insuper Reipublicae Regni mei Britanniae ac profectu spirituali Scholarium in lege Domini iugiter Cantabrigiae studentium consilio assensu omnium singulorum Pontificium Principum huius Regni licentia sedis Apostolicae statue praesenti scripto firmiter decerno vt ciuitas Scholarium praedicta à publicis vectigalibus operibus onerosis absoluātur Where wee see the Popes licence requisite and first obteyned of this kinge euen from freeing that schole in tēporal respects This licence as it seemeth beeing obteyned from Pope Iohn the second for the Charter beareth date anno ab Incarnatione Domini 531.7 die Aprilis iu ciuitate Londoni the yeare of Christ 531. the seuenth day of Aprill in the citie of London at which time Iohn the seconde is cōmonly thought to haue beene Pope How many Popes confirmed that schole and exempted it from all other iurisdiction but the See Apostolick I haue written before and now add from Pope Sergius the first apud Caium lib. 1. de antiquit Cantabr accadem pag. 78.79.80 shewinge how his predecessors in the See Apostolick had done the same Sergius Episcopus seruns seruorum Dei praesentium authoritate decreuimus vt nulli Archiepiscope seu Episcopo alijue ecclesiasticae personae vel seculariliceat vniuersitatem vestram aut aliquem vestrum suspendere seu excommunicare vel quolibet sub interdicto ponere absque summi Pontificis assensu vel eius mandato speciali prohibemus insuper ne quis priuilegia à sede Apostolica gratiosè concessa vel indulta ausu temerario infringere seu restringere praesumat vel attemptet nulli igitur hominum omnino liceat hanc paginam nostrae concessionis exemptionis infringere vel ei quouismodo contraire Si quis autem hoc attentare praesumpserit indignationem omnipotentis Dei beatorum Apostolorum Petri Pauli se nouerit incursurum Sergius Pope seruant of the seruāts of God Wee haue decreed by the Authoritie of these presents that it shall bee lawfull for noe Archbishop Bishop or other parson spirituall or secular to suspend or excommunicate or any way to interdict your vniuersitie or any of you without the Popes assent or special commandement Wee further forbid that noe man by temerarious boldnes presume or attempt to infringe or restrict the priuiledges gratiously graunted giuen by the See Apostolick It shall bee lawfull for noe man at all to infringe or contradict the tenure of this our graunt and exemptiō if any man presume to attempt it lett him know that he shall incurr the indignation of almightie God and the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul Where wee see all parsons in Britanie then subiect and subordinate in spirituall iurisdiction to the Pope of Rome And this testified by our Protestants thēselues Wil. Lamb. in l. de leg Reg. in Legib Edward· fol. 126. Ingulph histor in fine Whoe goe furher in such things and assure vs from the common lawes themselues of our auncient kings S. Edward the confessor and others and confirmed by king William the first both as Ingulphus and out Protestant antiquaries acknowledge that this kingdome at that time and kings
therof did acknowledge as great power in the See of Rome in matters concerning this nation as any catholick now may yeeld vnto it for our auntient publick lawes warranted by our Protestants thus Instruct vs. Leges S. Eduardi titul de iure appendicijs coronae Regui Britanniae Guliel Lamb. sup p. 137.238 Hackluit booke of trauailes pag. 244. Impetrauit temporibus illis Arthurus Rex à Domino Papa á a Curia Romana quod confirmata sit Norweia in perpetuum coronae Britanniae in augmentum Regni huius vocauitque illam Arthurus Cameram Britanniae Hac vero de causa dicunt Norwegienses se debere in regno isto cohabitare dicunt se esse de corpore regni huius scilicet de corona Britanniae Thus in english by a Protestant minister kinge Arthur obteyned in those dayes of the Pope and Court of Rome that Norway should bee for euer annexed to the crowne of Britanie for the enlardgment of this kingdome and hee called it the chamber of Britanie For this cause the Norses say that they ought to dwell with vs in this kingedome to witt that they belonge to the crowne of Britanie And if wee would bee as little beholding to the See of Rome for confirming Norway to this kingedom as to Pope Eleutherius before to the Ilands and say kinge Arthur claymed Norway by a former Title as Dēmarke was before or Iurebelli as a conqueror and the Pope did nothinge but confirme these or one of these Titles it sufficeth to asscribe the iudgment of that question to the See Apostolicke This seemeth to mee to confesse and acknowlege greate and ample prerogatiue in the Pope of Rome in spirituall maters and directing also of temporal to a spiritual end as Catholicks now attribute vnto him or hee demaunde And yett wee are by these Protestans whoe freely acknowledge the Popes and church of Rome then to haue beene holy assured that the holy Pope and court of Rome soe practized it That our kinge Christianus optimus fuit kinge Arthur was an exceeding good christian who sought accepted it both he the Bishop cleargie and the whole kingedome soe approued thereof that it was by publick authoritie receaued for a lawe in this nation and ratified both by our Britās Saxons Normans after them For it is set downe in this lawe before that from that time the Norses or Norwegians claymed priuiledge to bee free here by those proceedings Which is more plainly expressed afterward in the same lawe in these words by Protestants translation The people of Norvvay may and ought from henceforth dvvel remaine in this kingdome vvith vs as our louinge and svvorne Brethren Qua de causa possint debent praedicti decaetero nobiscū cohabitare remanere in regno sicut coniurate fratres nostri Guliel Lamb. in leg Eduardi sup Richard Hackluyt p. 245. And the motiue whereupon the Pope then soe proceeded in annexing and confirminge the kingdome of Norway to the crowne of Britanie seemeth to bee the very same the spirituall good both of that contrie this kingedome alsoe and the church of God in ordine ad spiritualia Which the present Pope and Catholicque diuines alledge ordinarilie for priuiledges of the See Apostolicke in such causes the spirituall good and helpe of all or many and hurt of none at all For besides many histories of those times soe testifyinge and to bee passed ouer it is recorded in these verie lawes themselues soe warranted by Protestants and antiquities Leges S. Edwardi supr titul de Iure Appendicijs Fuerunt gentes ferae indomitae non habuerunt legem Dei nec proximi fuerunt autem ibi Christiani occultè Arthurus autem Christianus optimus fuit fecit eos baptizari vnum Deum per totam Norweiam venerari vnam fidem Christi semper inuiolatam custodire caperunt vniuersi proceres Norweia vxores suas de nobili gente Britonum tempore illo vnde Norwegienses dicunt se exijsse de gente sanguine regnihuius They were wilde and barbarous nations They had not the lawe of God nor neighbour but there were Christians there secretly But kinge Arthur was an exceeding good Christian and caused them to bee baptized and throughout all Norway to worship one God and to receaue and keepe the faith of Christ inuiolably all the noble men of Norway tooke wiues of the noble nation of the Britans Whereuppon the Norwegians say that they ar descended of the race and blood of this kingedome And then immediatly followeth that which is cited before The aforesaid kinge Arthur obteyned in those daies of the Pope and Court of Rome that Norway should bee for euer annexed to the crovvne of Britanie Whereby it seemeth by these Protestants the motiue of the Pope to ioyne Norway to the crowne of Britany was the spiritual good of both kingdomes and the church of God kinge Arthur soe worthie a christian hauing procured soe straunge and happy an alteration in the kingedome of Norway his victories there against the barbarous giuing free libertie and accesse to such christian preachers as by the Popes licence and allowance were directed thither For S. Kentegern made Bishop by S. Palladius the Popes Legate if wee may beleeue the puritan historian of Scotland vvent seuen times to Rome and the Pope sent him to performe the worke of the ministry enioyned him by the holy ghost Vir Dei septies Romam adiens sanctus Papa illum virum Dei Spiritus sancti gratia plenie intelligens in opus ministerij à Spiritu sancto illi iniuncti destinauit Georg. Buchan Rerum Scotic l. 5. Rege 42. pag. 146. Ioh. Capgr in Catal. in S. Kentegerno And as our Protestants with others testifie this Apostolick man thus warranted and priuiledged sent of his disciples some to the Orchades to Norway and Island that they might receaue the light of faith by their instructions For hee had in his colledge at Elguel in Walles three hundred sixtie and fiue learned men allwayes soe prepared to preach Bal. l. de Scriptor centur 1. in Kentegerno Elguensi Cap. supr eod Hector Boeth Scot. hist. l. 9. Ex discipulis suis quosdam ad Orchadas ad Norwegiam Islandiam misit vt eorum instructionibus fidei lumen reciperent nam in Elguensi collegio trecentos sexaginta quinque literatos viros ad id semper paratos hahebat And to add further to the honor of the See Apostolick of Rome by the example of this moste blessed man S. Kentegern hee neuer beeing but an ordinary Bishop somtimes in Walles sometimes in Scotland yett by the priuiledge hee had from the Popes of Rome in that kinde besides his labors here in Britanie Norway and the remembred other places to write in a Protestant Bishops words Ioh. Bal. centur 1. in Kentegerno in Elguen Formam primitiuae seruauit Ecclesiae Apostolico more pedes ad praedicandum porrexit plaerosque ad fidem
not consent to the deposition of kinge Frequahard to gaine a kingedome when his Brother Domoald and all those Scots which by these Protestants then opposed against the Popes Authoritie performed this with great Ioy and triumphe Of kinge Frequahard the second they write in this order Holinsh. histor of Scotl. pag. 114. Buchan Rer. Scoticar l. 5. Reg. 54. Hee was couetous wicked towards God a Tormentor of the iust and righteous people insatiable in all vnlawfull affections such of the prelates as hee vnderstood to bee wealthie hee rested not till hee had picked one matter or other vnto them vvhereby they vvere suer to forfeite all their Treasure vnto his coffers Buchanan addeth which I am ashamed to translate Buchan supr Eandem in suos furorem vertit Iugulata vxore stupratis filiabus ob haec scelera communione christianoruÌ„ fuit exclusus For these wicked offences hee was excluded from the communion of Christians Holinsh. supr The Bishops of the Realme namely those tvvo reuerend Fathers Colman Finnan perceyuinge such wickednes in the prince blamed him sharply sondry times for the same and at length because they savv hee regarded not their admonishments hee vvas by them excommunicated Thus continuinge certaine yeares in his vvickednes at length the nobles began to conspire against him soe that they vvould haue deuised a meane hovv to haue ridd him out of the vvay if Bishop Colman had not forbidd them that practise Then followeth how beeing miserably punished for his sinnes and beeinge at the last penitent hee was absolued of his excommunication by the same Bishop Colman whoe was that great opposer against the disciples of Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine and disputant for the Scots against S. Wilfride And the Bishops of Walles which were in the same opposition to the disciples of S. Gregory the Pope were in the same case by these Protestants One a Bishop and antiquary amonge them writeth from the antient antiquities of that nation Godvvin Catalog in Landaff Annal. eccles Landaffen in Oudoceus 3. Kinge Morcant hauinge killed one Frioc his Vncle beeinge therefore excommunicate by the Bishop vppon his absolution besides a graunt of diuers priuiledges vnto the church of Landaff gaue Cyncirill and certaine land called Cynfall as alsoe the churches of Ythat-Haffern In Guruan 10. Bishop Guruan excommunicated Tendur king of Brechinianc for killing Engistill a kinge of that contry trecherously for absolutioÌ„ had from him the guift of Lannihangel tref ceriaÌ„c Guoderec slew his owne Brother Merchion In Greciclus for which deed hee was by Bishop Grecielus excoÌ„municate and enioyned by way of penance before hee might bee absolued to spend a yeare in pilgrimadge to the church of Dola in little Brittanie Garcan the sonne of GuinaÌ„ In Berthygion 14. kept his owne stepmother and beeing excommunicate for that Incest gaue to the Bishop Marchywis In Bish. Cerenhir 18. Houel Kinge of Glewissig by periury circuÌ„uented GalluÌ„ the sonne of Cidrich for which hee was held vnder excommunication by the space of a yeare at the time of his absolution hee gaue Merthir-buceil Merthirminor Tircollan Like was the case of Ili the sonne of Conblus whoe vpon the like occasion gaue Gulipe Aquod sonne of Ioua falling out with the Bishop draue him and his men into the church of Landaff threw stones at them into the very church for soe doinge hee was excommunicate and to bee absolued was glad to giue Pennoun with the church of Lautilul and certaine other Lands In Bish. Ioseph 28. Monric Kinge of Glamorgan beeinge excommunicate for puttinge out the eyes of Ergum the sonne of Guriat of Gueinscot in the time of a truce to haue his absolution gaue Painiprisc Whoe desireth more of such proceedings by the Britans soe recommended by Protestants may enquire theÌ„ in the auntient Annals of Landaffe and this Protestant Bishop Francis Godwin Protestant Bishop there who in his treatise of that See is very plentifull in such Examples And this shall suffice for this short historie of the Popes preeminence and proceedings here from the beginning of our first faith in Christ by them and their happie instruments therein By whome whose preeminence spirituall this kingdome from that time hath receaued many greate and irrecomprehensible graces and benefites both spiritual temporal to bynde vs euerlastingly to honor and reuerence with al dutie that Apostolick See and cheifest pastors thereof successors to our most glorious first Fathers and founders in the faith of Christ and our cheife Sheephards on earth except wee will desperately runne away and cast our selues out of the blessed flock and folde of the militant church of God out of which there is noe saluation FINIS Faults escaped Pag. 42. line 1. distributor reade distribution pag. 52. line 19. there nowned reade the renowned pag. 153. line 19. this reade these AN ADVETISEMENT Whereas in the first hundred yeare it is as suppose written in the story of S. Mansuetus that Ireland was neuer plainely called Scotia I wish it thus to bee qualified pag. 34. For if we graunt as some few write that Ireland hath beene called Scotia or Scotia Maior Scotland or the greater Scotland yett that is very seldome found in histories but it is commonly called in them auntient and late Hibernia Iuernia Inuernia and Ierne Iris and Ogigia little Brittanie and by the Irish themselues Erin when the part of great Britanie after the name of Albania ceased is commonly in all historians named Scotia Scotland Aristotil l. de mundo Pompon Mela l. 3. Solinus Poly. histor c. 25. Strab. l. 4. Iuuenal Satyr 2. Claudian l. 7. Stangh Hunfrid Lhuid Stow Holinshâ—â— hist. Hect. Boeth Buchan Capgr in Catalog â—… Gryimst in Ireland
lex aliud Sacerdotium ergo alia hostia aliud Templum The Prophet doth here clearely signifie as S. Cyrill hath noted that there should bee a translation or chaunge of the lawe and preisthood for pastors preists were not to be any more of the tribe of Leui But if there should bee an other lawe and preisthood therefore also an other sacrifice and Temple must needes bee So other holy and learned Fathers all of them vnitinge to euery true lawe Religion a sacrificinge preisthood and sacrifice amonge whome Theodoret vpon those words of S. Paul by protestants translation saith For the preisthood being changed there is made of necessitie a change also of the lawe lex coniuncta est Sacerdotio necesse est enim vt cessante Sacerdotio idipsum legi quoque accidat The lawe is ioyned to preisthood for of necessitie it is that the preisthood ceasing the same must also chaunce to the law Hebr. cap. 7. v. 12. Theodor in hunc locum This our protestants haue yeelded vnto before Therfore if now contrary to themselues so great reason and authoritie they would take a sacrificinge preisthood and sacrifice from the lawe of Christ they must also take away the lawe of Christ and Christ himselfe except they will leaue him without a lawe 3. Againe in his 66. and laste chapter the same Prophet speakinge of the gentiles to bee conuerted to Christ and his church of them as our protestants expound him by publicke warrant Protest title of the 66. chapter of Isay speaketh thus in the parson of God I will also take of them the gentiles for preists and for Leuites saith the Lord. The learned tongues Hebrue Greeke and Latine reade Lachonim eis Iiereis in Sacerdotes for preists sacrificing preists as they name the preistes of the lawe of Moyses Therefore except wee should deny which wee may not doe there was no sacrificing preisthood or sacrifice in that lawe wee must allow the like though in a more excellent maner to the lawe of Christ This may suffice for this holy Prophet 4. S. Augustine proueth the sacrificinge preisthood of Christians and theire most holy sacrifice out of the books of the Kings of reiecting the sonnes of Hely and the old preisthood and to institute the new Augustin l. 17. ciuitat cap. 5.1 Reg. 2. Quod addit manducare panem that which hee addeth to eate breade doth elegantly expresse that kinde of sacrifice of which our preist himselfe Christ saith Ioh. 6. the bread which I shal giue is my flesh for the life of the world that is the sacrifice not after the order of Aaron but after the order of Melchisedech Anastasius proueth the like out of Aggeus the Prophet of the externall glory of the churches of sacrificinge Christians there foretold Others proue the same from other places of the lawe and Prophets Anastas l. cont Iud. Agg. 2. S. Augustine expounding the 33. psalme and there speakinge much of the holy sacrifice which Christ instituted of his blessed body and blood vnder the formes of bread wine and Gods reiecting the sacrifices of the law of Moses writeth how this was figured by Kinge Dauid dissemblinge and concealing himselfe before Kinge Achis in the first booke of the Kinges cap. 21. a figure how Christ did shadow his diuinitie therby the better to alter and change the lawe preisthood and sacrifices of Moises and institute the new 5. This was there forewarned saith this holy Father especially by two thinges in that history First that the scripture saith of Kinge Dauid hee chaunged his countenance before them immutauit os suum coram eis S. Augustine readeth vultum suum The second is as S. Augustine readeth ferebatur manibus suis Hee was borne in his owne hands And so the Greek in al copies plainlie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 10. as in the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 9. Hee chaunged his face or parson Vppon the first hee saith Mutauit vultum suum quia erat ibi sacrificium secundum ordinem Aaron et postea ipse de corpore sanguine suo instituit sacrificium secundum ordinem Melchisedech Mutauit ergo vultum suum in Sacerdotio dimisit gentem Iudaeorum venit ad gentes Hee chaunged his countenance because there was sacrifice accordinge to the order of Aaron And after hee instituted a sacrifice of his body and blood after the order of Melchisedech Therfore he chaunged his countenance in the preisthood forsooke the people of the Iewes and came to the gentiles 6. And againe speakinge how the deniers of this holy sacrifice and Christs reall presēce there as he promised in the 6 chapter of S. Iohn were like to King Achis condemning this for folly in Christ as Achis censured Kinge Dauid for his gestures in concealinge himselfe He addeth conc 1. Erat in illis regnum ignorantiae quasi Rex Achis Id est regnum erroris eis dominabatur Ille autem dicebat nisi quis manducauerit carnem meam biberit sanguinem meum quia mutauerat vultum suum quasi furor iste insania videbatur dare carnem suam manducandam hominibus bibendum sanguinem Ideo quasi insanus putatus est Dauid quando dixit ipse Achis arreptitium hunc mihi adduxistis Nonne videtur insania manducate carnem meam bibite sanguinem meum quicunque non manducauerit carnem meam biberit sanguinem meum non habebit in se vitam quasi insanire videbatur sed Regi Achis insanire videbatur id est stultis ignorantibus There was in them the kingdom of ignorance as Kinge Achis that is the kingdome of error ruled in them For hee said except a man eate my flesh and drinke my blood because he had chaunged his countenance as fury and madnes it was thought to giue his flesh to bee eaten and his blood to bee drunken of men Therefore Dauid was reputed as a madd man when Achis himselfe did say you haue brought this madd man vnto me is it not thought madnes to say eate my flesh and drinke my blood and whosoeuer doth not eate my flesh and drinke my blood shall not haue life in him hee did seeme to bee as madd but hee did seeme to be madd to Kinge Achis that is to say vnto fooles and ignorant men 7. The second which this holy learned Father expoundeth to bee propheticall of this mistery in that place is that which I noted hee was borne in his owne handes of this saith S. Augustine ferebatur in manibus suis Hoc vero fratres quomodo posset fieri in homine quis intelligat Quis enim portatur in manibus suis in manibus aliorum potest portari quis manibus suis nemo portatur Quomodo intelligatur in Dauid secundum litteram non inuenimus in Christo autem inuenimus Ferebatur enim Christus in manibus suis quando commendans ipsum corpus suum ait Hoc est corpus meum
both by Catholicke and Protestant authoritie that both Christ our Sauiour instituted this holy sacrifice and sacrificinge preisthood and his Apostles receauinge them from him did all in generall both exercise and deliuer the same vnto the churches there can bee no Christian desirous to retaine that name that may oppose against the same yet for a further manifestation of these truthes vnto all that will not desperatly dwell in error I will now proue in particular how euery one of the Apostles and Euangelists both beleeued practised and taught these misteries And first to begin with the foure Euangelists and S. Paule who haue committed these Christian holy secrets to holie writinge I will shew how both in these their sacred scriptures they teach and allowe the sacrifice of Masse and a sacrificinge or massinge preisthood by order and sacred office to offer that sacrifice And to put vs out of all doubt or question that this is and was theire meaninge in those holy scriptures I will proue that euery one of them was a true massinge preist and actually did offer and celebrate the most honorable sacrifice of Masse in essential thinges as the holy Catholicke massing preists of the church of Rome now doe and haue euer most religiously done in all ages The same I will likewise proue of all the other Apostles in their order onely I will craue leaue of S. Peter the first and cheifest to remember him laste in this matter for as I haue proued at large in other places as amonge the Apostles hee was the first and allmoste onely Apostle which planted the faith of Christ in these parts of the world So wee in Britanie did first receaue from him our holy massinge and sacrificinge preists and preisthood neuer hitherto altogether discontinued or interrupted but by him and his successors in the Apostolicke sea of Rome first founded and euer after successiuely in all ages preserued in this kingdome as will appeare hereafter 2. Therefore to begin with the Euangelists and S. Paule which speake of these misteries in scripture S. Mathew the Apostle and first in order amonge the Euangelists writeth of Christs deliuery of this sacrifice in these wordes as our English Protestants by his maiesties priuiledge translate them Matth. cap. 26. v. 26.27.28 Iesus tooke breade and blessed it and brake it and gaue it to his disciples and said take eate this is my body And hee tooke the cup and gaue thankes and gaue it to them savinge drinke ye al of it for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes The Greeke text which these men say must bee here preferred is word by word as they translate speakinge of Christs body that it was at that present giuen there and his blood in the present tence shed for remission of sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore if Christs oblation and giuing his body and blood vppon the Crosse was a sacrifice as all agree seeing it was so in respect it was there giuen and offered for remission of sinnes here beeing the very same body and blood and giuen for remission of sinnes it must needes bee also a sacrifice and not onely eucharisticall or of thanks giuing but satisfactory for whatsoeuer talâ—…eth away sinnes by its owne vertue as the Euangelist here speaketh of this must needes be such and Christs body and blood beeing of infinite value in themselues and of their own nature can not but be satisfactorie for sinnes whensoeuer howsoeuer by whomsoeuer they are offered or giuen for remission of sinnes though the limited power of preists may bringe some limitation to their satisfaction the ordinance and institution of Christ so disposing in this sacrifice as it is now daily offered by consecrated preists as the common opinion is otherwise a thing of illimited worth should bee of like deseruinge and satisfaction 3. And this is so euident that not onely all learned Fathers and antiquitie do from hence teach that Christ in this place instituted the sacrifice of the new testament as I haue cited diuers before but our greatest enemies and persecutors as namly the present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury the director of Master Mason and hee also with others Mason praefat lib. 5. cap. 6. pag. 235. Abb. ibidem Magdeburgent in S. Iren. acknowledge particularly naminge S. Irenaeus S. Chrisostome and S. Gregorie from them concluding in these words That Christ did then teach the oblation of the new testament which the church throughout all the world doth when shee saith this is my body And they plainly say Mason and D. Georg. Abbots supr pag. 233. that these wordes of Christ recited before by S. Matthew this is my body which is giuen for you and this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for you doe argue a sacrifice to God And if this was not a sacrifice then by protestant Religion admittinge nothing but scriptures in matters of faith Christ Iesus was not the preist after the order of Melchisedech which was promised for exceptinge this the whole new testament is silent of any preistly act of that order which hee performed in all his life and so that being a distinctiue signe of the true Messias they would depriue all mankinde of Redemption and our moste blessed Sauiour of the title and honour of redeeminge vs. Therfore thus they graunt Abbots and Mason supr pag. 243. Christ hauing offered himself for a soueraigne sacrifice vnto his Father ordeyned that wee should offer a remembraunce thereof vnto God in steade of a sacrifice Which they must needes vnderstand of Christs oblation in this place before his passion for they make this before his commaundement and power giuen to his Apostles of celebrating this mistery by these words as these men translate Luc. cap. 22. ver 19. doe this in remembrance of mee So that Christ ordeyninge that we should do what hee did as the words bee manifest and Christ as they confesse there offered himselfe for a soueraigne sacrifice vnto his Father we must offer Christ in the same maner for a soueraigne sacrifice vnto God 4. And for a cleare demonstration that together with the coÌ„maundement a preistlie sacrificinge power was giuen by those wordes to his holy Apostles and they by them made massing and sacrificing preists to sacrifice as Christ by these protestants and the scripture before did at that time his blessed body and body it is not lawfull or validate in either Religion of Catholicks or Protestants for any Christian man or woman to intermeddle to offer or minister in these things whatsoeuer we shall name them or iudge them to bee but a Catholickly consecrated preist by the one or protestant minister by the other therfore those sacred words do this Matth. cap. 26. v. 20. Marc. cap. 14. v. 17. Luc. c. 22. v. 14. gaue preistly and sacrificing power to his Apostles only present by the Euangelists for if they had beene generally spoken vnto all Christians
so reuerent opinion of this most holy sacrifice that hee thought himselfe vnworthie to offer it and therfore as S. Hierome writeth cut off his Thombe but it was miraculously restored and hee vsually offered that holy sacrifice as wee haue testimonies euen of this our owne nation farr beyond exception to omit others S. Bede S. Marianus and Florentius Wigorniensis al which affirme in these same words Marcus discipulus interpres Apostoli Petri mittente Petro porrexit in Aegiptum primus Alexandriae Christum annuntians constituit Ecclesiam postquam constitutis confirmatis Ecclesijs per Lybiam Marmoricam Ammonicam Pentapolim Alexandriam atque Aegiptum vniuersam ad vltimum tentus est à Paganis qui remanserant Alexandriae qui videntes eum die sancto Paschae Missas facientem miserunt funem in collo eius Marke the disciple and Interpreter of Peter beeing sent by Peter went into Egipt and was the first that preached Christ at Alexandria and founded that church and after founding and confirming the churches through Lybia Marmorica Ammonica Pentapolis Alexandria and all Egipt at the last was apprehended by the Pagans which remayned at Alexandria who seeinge him saying Masse on the holy feast of Easter cast a rope about his necke and so put him to death Beda in Martyrolog 7. cal Maij. Marian. Scot. l. 2. aetat 6. pag. 233. in Nerone Florent Wigorn. 19. Thus these three auncient learned English writers with others And this forme of Masse which he vsed deliuered to these churches seemeth by Antonius Sabellicus to haue beene written by him at Aquileia in Italy whether he was first sent by S. Peter before hee went to Alexandria for hee tellinge with the common opinion how hee wrote his ghospell at Rome by the warrant and approbation of S. Peter and his coming to Aquileia saith he wrote there also somethinges hic quoque aliqua scripsisse creditur and most likely his Masse because wee finde no mention of any other his works but his ghospel writtē at Rome and that 20. And to make all sure by our English Protestant antiquaries and other writers who ascribe the greatest credit in these matters to the brittish Authors their Religion and practise before the vniting themselues with the successors of S. Augustine and the Romane church there is yet extant a very old manuscript written by a Brittish Christian before that vnion allmost a thousand yeares since which our protestants intitle prima institutio ecclesiastici seruitij the first institution of the ecclesiasticall seruice M. S. Britan. antiq pr. Stores in exordio prima institutio ecclesiastici seruitij in which manifestly mētion is made that S. Marke the Euangelist did write a forme therof and that very forme of Masse vsed and penned by S. Marke was practised here in Britanie when it was first conuerted in or nere the Apostles time of this I shall speake more at large when I come to S. Peter And this will suffice for S. Marke 21. S. Luke the next of this holy company is moste plaine of them all for holye sacrifice for first hee doth plainelie distinguish the consecrated cup from the other which he calleth by protestants translation the fruite of the vine Luc. cap. 22. ver 18. an exception with vnlearned protestants And then by their owne translation he thus writeth of Christs action herin ver 19. And hee tooke breade and gaue thankes and brake it and gaue vnto them saying this is my body which is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of mee ver 20. likevvise also the cup after supper saying this is the nevv testament in my blood vvhich is shed for you Where as I haue proued before both by protestants and all witnesses our holy sacrifice of Masse is plainely instituted which our protestants proue by one of the most auncient antiquities of our Christian Britans a sermon as Master Foxe saith Act. and monum pag. 1142. sermon translat by Aelfricus so auncient and of so great authoritie in this kingdome that it was vsually reade in the church here in the yeare of Christ 366. aboue two hundred yeares before S. Augustines cominge hither and translated into the Saxon language out of Latine by Kinge Aelfricus in the yeare 996. Which speaketh of Christ in these words Hee blessed breade before his suffering and diuided it to his disciples thus saying eate of this it is my body and doe this in my remembrance Also hee blessed wine in one cup and said drinke yee all of this this is my blood that is shed for manie in forgiuenes of sinnes The Apostles did as Christ commaunded that is they they blessed bread and wine to howsell againe afterward in his remembrance euen so also their successors and all preistes by Christs commaundement doe blesse bread and wine to howsell in his name with the Apostolicke blessinge 22. And againe In the old lawe faithfull men offered to God diuers sacrifices that had foresignification of Christs body which for our sinnes he himselfe to his heauenly Father hath since offered to sacrifice certainly this howsell which wee doe now hallow at Gods altar is a remembrance of Christs body which hee offered for vs and of his blood which hee shed for vs So hee himselfe commaunded doe this in my remembraunce And shewinge how Christ is wholly and truely present in euerie parcell of this blessed sacrifice of Masse it addeth That innocent Lambe which the old Israelites did then kill had signification after ghostlye vnderstandinge of Christs sufferinge who vnguiltie shed his holy blood for our redemption Herof singe Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speach Thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. 25. Where is plainely proued by these protestants antiquitie that Christ did in those wordes of S. Luke both institute the moste holy sacrifice of Masse for that Euangelist and all preists to offer and that the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world onely Christ Iesus is present there and was publickly prayed vnto as present in our first Britane primatiue church in this kingdome Therefore no Christiā of Britanie can make it a question but S. Luke an holy Euangelist did in this holy mistery as Christ had instituted by his owne ghospell and the other Euangelists and Apostles did preach and practise Which is farther confirmed out of the history of his life wherin we finde that hee erected altars and consecrated sacrificing and massing preists no others known to Christians in that time This will more appeare when I come to S. Paul whos 's both companion and scribe and secretary in some sort hee was and so could not bee of an other opinion or practise in this point then that great Apostle Metaphrast in vit S. Luc. Gul. Eisengren cent 1. part 5. dist 7. Hieron l. de vir illustris in S. Luca. 24. The holy Apostle and
consolidatis and this Pope highly commeÌ„ded for that his general confirmation vt bonus paterfamilias And by their first Archbishop with others before and as I haue proued by continuall deduction the order and forme of Masse which S. Peter deliuered to the church was still continued after this time without any materiall chaunge alteration addition or diminution Neither doth any Protestant Author challenge S. Eleutherius of any innouation in Religion but the contrary how hee condemned all innouators therein as Tatianus and the Seuerians makinge a decree against them and the knowne Religion of Christ his sacrificinge Religion as before is proued was much increased by him Sub hoc Pontifice caepit Ecclesia esse securior ob id Christianorum Religio plurimum aucta est And yet no chaunge at all therin Bal. Robert Barnes in vita Eleutherij Eleutherius epist decretal ad prouincias Gall. To. 1. conc Io. Bal. act Pont. Rom. l. 1. in Eleutherio Rob. Barn in vit Pontif. Rom. in eodem therefore all those Bishops preists which by all writers hee consecrated must needs bee massinge Bishops and preists as all those three Archbishops 28. Bishops which he consecrated or confirmed for this kingdome renowned in histories and all the preists of this our Britanie vnder them must needes bee massing Archbishops Bishops and preists Whose succession here continued vnto the conuersion of the Saxons and after by all histories and vntill both those peoples vnited themselues as well in this massinge and sacrificinge doctrine which both the Britans and Saxons had euer obserued from their first conuersions as in al other points of Christian Religion The names of many of them I haue remembred in other places 7. And concerninge the supreame spirituall power which this holy Pope both claimed and exercised both in this kingedome to settle these sacred points of Religion here and in other nations these protestants assure vs it was as great and ample as euer any his successors did or now doe challenge in such affaires These men tell vs. Rob· Barnes in vit Eleutherij protest annot Mag. in Matth. Westm an 188. hee condemned hereticks and made decrees against them he made lawes binding all cleargie men in the cases of Bishops reserued judgement to the see of Rome vt nihil nisi apud Pontificem definiretur In his epistle to Kinge Lucius so recommended by our protestants hee prescribeth what lawes hee was to vse Hee appointeth the limits and bounds of Britanie as these men witnes in the lawes of Kinge Edward tâ—e Confessor His Legats disposed of all spirituall things here in that time and he by his papal authoritie confirmed them And so they continued vntil heresie and infidelity in the Pagan Saxons time did ouerthrowe them as all histories and antiquities Brittish or Saxon Catholicks or protestants as their Bishops Parker Bale and Godwine with Cambden Powell Holinshed Stowe and others cited in other places are witnesses Therefore it will bee but a superogated worke to proceede further to followinge ages yet for a generall and compleate content to all I wil though with more breuitie speake also of them and here end this second age or hundred of yeares Pope Eleutherius dyinge in the later ende thereof and Kinge Lucius not longe after in the beginninge of the next age and Pope and S. Victor the immediate successor of S. Eleutherius both endinge this and giuing entrance to the next ensuinge age and centenary of the yeares of Christ by his papall regiment THE THIRD AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XVII CHAPTER How notwithstandinge the manifold tumults and persecution of Christian Religion in this kingdome of Britanie in this third hundred yeares yet the holy sacrifice of Masse sacrificinge and massinge preists and Bishops stil here continued without any totall discontinuance KInge Lucius dyinge as Matthew of Westminister with others writeth in the yeare of Christ 201. the first of this third hundred yeare without heire This our kingdome by that meanes in the beginning of this age was pitifully vexed with warrs and tumults towards the later end therof lamentably tormented and afflicted as the whole Christian worlde almoste then was with the moste cruell and barbarous persecution of Diocletian in which among other miseries all monuments of Christian Religion so neare as he could were ruined and destroyed whereby it came to passe that little memory of ecclesiasticall things then in this nation is left to posteritie yet sufficient is to be found that together with the Popes supreamacy in such affaires the holy sacrificinge preisthood the sacrifice of Masse and diuers renowned sacrificinge Bishops and preists here still continued without discontinuance in al this age notwithstandinge so huge an army of moste sauage and cruell enemies still fightinge against them Matth. Westm. an gratiae 201. Bed l. 1. histor c. 4.6 Parker antiquit Britan Godwin conuers of Britanie Stowe histor in K. Lucius Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Foxe Tom. 1. Holinsh. histor of Engl. Galfr. Monum hist. Britan. l. 5. cap. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7 Ponticus Viran Brit. histor l. 5. Gildas l. de excid conquest Britan. cap. 7.8 2. For First our cheife protestants haue told vs before that S. Peters Maste continued in vse in the church without any chaunge vnto the time of Pope and S. Zepherine which was next successor to S. Victor therefore by their allowance wee haue the sacrifice of Masse a massinge preisthood and preists to offer that holie sacrifice all his time Therefore when wee finde by many antiquities and historians aswell Catholicks as Protestants that hee sent many learned preists and preachers into this kingedome especially the more northren parts thereof which wee now cal Scotland wee must needes if wee had noe other argument conclude that they were sacrificinge and massinge preists because they receaued both their consecration and iurisdiction from soe knowne a massinge preist and Pope his authoritie Yet to make this matter more euident and shew the supreame spirituall power which hee vsed euen in this besides that which he both claimed and exercised in excommunicatinge the church of Asia for their not due obseruation of Easter hee confirmed the order and institution of his predecessor S. Eleutherius in subiectinge all the churches and Christians of that part of Britany now termed ScotlaÌ„d to the Archbishop of Yorke a massing preist Prelate as I haue shewed before these parts and countries then beeing temporally ruled by diuers temporall Kings or Princes and at difference or enmity at that time one with an other And to make this ReligioÌ„ more permanent with that rude nation the Scots themselues then began to study diuinitie Hector Boeth Scot. histor l. 6. fol. 89. pag. 2. beeing therin instructed by those preists which Pope Victor sent thither euen to the vttermost part therof to propagate Christian Religion Incepere nostri tum primum sacras colere literas Sacerdotibus praeceptoribus quos Victor Pontifex Maximus ad Christi dogma
british Bishops besides with their preists and cleargie sent from hence for Armorica or little Britanie in Fraunce as the holy massinge Bishops and Martyrs sent and martyred with S. Vrsula and the other 11000. Virgins and Martyrs of Britanie S. Michael Iacobus Columbanus Iwanus Elutherius Lothorius and Mauritius Episcop Gen. in vit S. Vrsul Matth. Westm. an 391. Io. Capgrau Catal. in S. Vrsula M. S. antiq ibid. Harris in Theatr. To. 4. in S. Vrsula antiquitat Ecclesia Coloticen al. al which with all other Bishops and preists of this kingdome cōsented with the whole Christian world as is shewed before in the doctrine of holy Masse sacrificinge preists and preisthood which our protestants will more demonstrate vnto vs by the publicklie taught and receaued Religion of Britanie in this time for they produce vnto vs an old auncient sermon written in the latine tonge and translated into the saxon language by Aelfricus in the yeare 996. and to write in protestants words this sermon was vsuall to bee read in the church here in England in the yeare 366. Iohn Foxe Act· Monum pag. 1142. which must needs bee a moste excellent testimonie for this age time And yet amonge many other thinges tendinge to the same purpose thus we finde by our protestants translation therof In the olde lawe faithfull men offered to God diuers sacrifices that had fore signification of Christs body which for our sinnes hee himselfe to his heauenly Father hath since offered to sacrifice Certainely this housell which wee doe now halow at Gods altare is a remembrance of Christs body which he offered for vs and of his blood which hee shed for vs So hee himselfe commaunded doe this in my remembrance Once suffered Christ by himselfe but yet neuerthelesse his sufferinge is daily renevved at this supper through mistery of the holy housel And againe In that holy housel there is one thing in it seene and an other vnderstoode That vvhich is there seene hath bodily shape and that vvee doe there vnderstand hath ghostly might The housell is dealed into sondry parts chevved betvveene teeth and sent into the belly hovvbeit neuerthelesse after ghostlie might it is all in euery part Many receaue that holy body and yet notvvithstandinge it is so all in euery part after ghostly mistery 13. And shewing how the Paschal Lambe was a figure of this holy sacrifice of Christ the Lambe of Innocency and God which taketh away the sins of the worlde as in holy Masse wee so pray vnto Christ there present vnder that denomination they teach it was the vse and custome of our Christians in Britanie in that time to doe the same the very words of that olde brittish publicke homely by our protestants translation bee thus That innocent Lambe vvhich the olde Israelites did then kill had signification after ghostly vnderstandinge of Christs sufferinge vvho vnguiltie shedd his blood for our redemption Hereof singe Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speache Thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the worlde haue mercie vpon vs. Where wee see plainelie acknowledged by this so auncient antiquitie in this fourth hundred yeare and the protestants themselues so translatinge and proposinge it that generally in that time the holy sacrifice of Masse was offered by the Bishops and preists of Britanie in all places and all the seruants of God did then acknowledge professe that Christ the true Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world was therin offered and there present prayed vnto by all Gods seruants Which is as much as any massing preist Bishop or Pope holdeth teacheth or practiseth at this time concerning these things 14. And because in this age this our kingedome had by agreement both of auncient and late writers and by protestants themselues Bal. l. de scriptor in Palladio Niniano a greate dependance of Rome both in temporall and spiritual affaires and many of our cheifest cleargie men as S. Teruanus and S. Ninianus those two glorious Northrē Bishops had both their education instruction ordination and iurisdiction from thence as many others had at this time and the Bishops of Rome are so much charged by our protestant writers for adding vnto the holy sacrifice of Masse I will only vse these mens authority which say they will set downe what euerie Pope did add Quid alij Pontifices addiderint suo loco in Pontificijs actis dicetur And they are so farr from not performinge their promise in this that they rather relate more then lesse added by these holy Popes as will bee made euident by theire owne testimonies hereafter Yet for more ample satisfaction let vs followe them in this point Of S. Siluester I haue spokē before next to him succeeded S. Marke who as these men say was Pope in the time of Constantine the great Constantino Imperante in Pontificatu sedit which time was an holy time in Religion by our Kings iudgement and so this Pope not likely to make any publick lawe vnholie Therefore these protestants onely say of him that hee ordeyned the creede of the Nicen councell to bee said or sunge at Masse Rob. Barnes in act Pont. Rom. in Marc. 1. Io. Bal. in vit Pont. in eod Edw. Grimston in Marc. but this Nicen creed is holy in all iudgements and was receaued and vsed in Britanie here in that time as I haue proued it is receaued by the protestant parlament of England subscribed and sworne vnto by all the protestant Bishops and ministers of England allowed in the articles of their Religion and practised in theire churches Parlam an 1. Eliz. K. Iames can articles of Relig. articl Creed commun booke c. and therefore doth a protestant antiquarie iustly say of that holy creed time in the yeare of Christ 330. At this time the Nicen creed was commaunded to bee sunge or said in all Christian churches Stowe hist. Rom. ad an 330. therefore none but Arrian Hereticks euer did or will impugne it 15. The next Pope which these mē finde to haue added any thinge to this holy sacrifice was holy Damasus an acknowledged good Bishop and as they teache hee onely added the Confiteor Confession vsed in the beginninge of Masse in which there is nothinge which protestants disallowe but confession and prayer to Saints there remembred Io. Whitguift ansvv to the admonit pag. 78. and def of ansvv pag. 489. Bal. in vit in Damaso Barnes in eodem Grimston in Damasus which as I haue proued before was vsed in the church of God and in this Realme of Britanie in the Apostles dayes And to passe ouer so many examples and testimonies of other Christian people and places in the second age our Apostles S. Damianus and Fugatius praied to S. Michaell the Archangell and other Angels dedicated a church or chappell to them the ruines yet standinge neare Glastenburie antiquit Glaston M. S. Gapgrau in Catal
there in these times A Protestant Bishop writeth Theonus being first Bishop of Glocester forsooke it and tooke the charge of London vpon him the yeare 553. Godwin Catalog in London in Theonus but the Brittish historye proueth him to haue beene Archbishop of London before the death of S. Dauid Theonus Glouecestrensis Episcopus in Archiepiscopatum Londoniarum eligitur TuÌ„c obijt sanctissimus Vrbis Legionum Archiepiscopus Dauid in Mineuia ciuitate Galfrid Monum histor Reg. Brit. lib. 11. cap. 3. and so hee must needs hee ordeyned Archbishop by the consent and allowance of that massinge high Prelate S. Dauid And hee continued Archbishop there vntill the yeare of Christ 586 when together with Thadiocus Archbishop of Yorke and very many of their cleargy they fled into Walles and other places Matth. Westm. an 586. Stowe histor Galfrid Monum hist. l. 11. cap. 10. And to proue all then were sacrificinge massinge preists here S. Gildas then liuing at that time hath so before affirmed the sacrificinge massinge which protestants and others confesse to haue beene then in London and other places of that diocesse confirme it their flying for succour only to the places where Masse and massinge preistes continued as in Wales Cornewayle and little Britanie manifestly conuince it to be so Stowe histor in Constantine 2. Galfr. Monum l. 11. histor cap. 4. 10. This is proued by those holy churches and massinge altars which the Pagans did reserue and not destroye by conuerting to them to the Idolatrous worship and sacrifices of theire Pagan Gods Si qua Ecclesia illoesa seruabitur hec magis ad confusionem nominis Christiani quà m gloriam faciebant Nempe ex cis deorum suorum templa facientes prophanis suis sacrificijs sancta Dei altaria polluerunt Matth. Westm. ad an gratiae 58â—… And when aboue al other thinges questioned our protestants moste disallowe the reuerence of holy relicks and not contendinge that there was any Christian Religion in these Archbishops their cleargie but either the massinge Religion or their protestant profession doe plainely confesse that these were massinge preistes and not Protestant Ministers for they with other aÌ„tiquities acknowledg that the greatest care which these two Archbishops their Bishops and preists had in those tempestuous times was how to keepe with reuerence and from irreuerence the holy relicks of their Saints so notwithstanding so many daungers and difficulties carryed most of them vnto these places of their rest and refuge so farr off Walles Cornwaile and Britanie in Fraunce Holinsh. histor of Engl. Galfrid Monument histor Reg. Brittan l. 11. cap. 10. Matth. Westm an gratiae 586. Tunc Archipraesulis Theonus Londoniensis Thadiocus Eborascensis cum omnes Ecclesias sibi subditas solo tenus destructas vidissent cum pluribus ordinatis cum reliquijs Sanctorum in Cambriam diffugerunt timentes ne Barbarorum irruptione tot tantorum sacra ossa veterum à memorijs hominum delerentur si qua imminenti periculo minimè subtraxissent Plures etiam Armoricanam Britanniam petentes Therefore no protestant can will or by the grounds of their Religion may say that these were Protestants but vndoubtedly Catholicke Papists reuerencers of holy Masse relicks of Saints such doctrines as protestancy doth not allow thereuppon they plainely call them sacrificulos massinge preists H. Matius Germanorum lib. 5. pag. 39. 11. Neither did these doctrines and the profession of them cease here with vs betweene this publick desolation in the 586. of Christ and the yeare 596. when S. Augustine came hither euen in those parts which the Saxons posessed but there were diuers Bishops and sacrificinge massinge preists still continuinge in them and the holy sacrifice of Masse was still though not so generally and publickly as before continued also in this time and many of the Saxons themselues euen from the dayes of Kinge Arthur when many of them receaued the Christian faith still continued therein and this testified by protestant writers Holinshed histor of Engl. pag. 122.123 l. 5. teachinge how vppon a great victory of that renowned Kinge against them hee pardoned al that would and did receue the Christian faith which were many And Hardinge with others testifieth that Stanford at this time was a Christian vniuersitie though with some errors Harding histor and yet a great part of them must needs bee Saxons And in those very places themselues where the Pagan Saxons moste principally ruled and reigned the Christian massing sacrificing Religion was there permitted and tolerated euen by the Kings allowance as a protestant historian proueth in these words Holinsh. histor of Engl. l. 5. pag. 107. At the same time that Constantine the next Kinge to Arthur was driuen into Wales there reigned amonge the English men one Iourmericke the fifth as Bede saith from Hengist The same Iourmerick though hee were not christened himselfe yet hee permitted the Christian faith to bee preached amongst his people and concludinge a league with the Scottish men and Picts kept the same inuiolate duringe his life time So likewise it was in the kingdome of the Kentish Kings extendinge to Humber for Kinge Ethelbert had marryed a Christian gaue peace to Christians in his dominions as wee may also gather the like of the kingdome of the east Angles whose Kinge Scebert was a baptised Christian except a protestant historian is deceued in the yeare of Christ 569. or before then beginninge his Reigne and beeing christened in Fraunce in the Regiment of his Brother and predecessor Kinge Carpewalde Stowe histor in east Angles in K. Scebert anno 569. and in many other places of Loegria this EnglaÌ„d the like instances may be giuen for the enimitie between the Saxons and Britans was not principally for ReligioÌ„ but who should rule here and possesse this kingdome aspernebantur vt plurimum Saxones Britonum Sacerdotum tum Gualiam incoleÌ„tium doctrinam tametsi veram profiterentur inuisae gentis magis quam disciplinae de qua multa atque praeclara frequentius audiuerant odio permoti Hect. Boeth l. 9. Scot. histor fol. 177. and they had peaceable commerce amitie and correspondence with all other Christians round about them French Scots and Picts as is declared before 12. And to putt all out of doubt in this matter wee are taught by many credible and vncontroleable antiquities that euen at the coming of S. Augustine hither there were diuers renowned massing sacrificing Bishops here with their massinge preists that preached euen to the Saxons and conuerted many and that these holy Bishops and preists did in all things agree with the Apostolicke Romane church and receued mission power and iurisdiction from thence Amonge these was S. Kentegern for the Northren and other parts of this kingdome who preached to the Saxons proued their Pagan Gods namly woden whom principally they worshipped as cheife God to haue beene onely a man a Kinge amonge them and a damned creature S. Asaph in vita S. Kentegerni M. S. antiquit in
yeares spirituall matters were ordered here by authoritie and direction from the see of Rome and successors of S. Peter there In the second hundred of yeares is proued by the same protestant authors and their antiquities how from the beginninge of that age to the end thereof all spirituall things were likewise managed here by that see Apostolicke more or lesse as the times then permitted And in the generall conuersion of kinge Lucius and his kingdome all ecclesiasticall businesses were done and settled by iurisdiction of the popes of Rome and their legats directed hither by their authoritie exercising here as ample iurisdiction spirituall to the greate honor of this kingdome as any pope of Rome may clayme Such was the estate of spirituall power and proceedings here in the third fourth fift and sixte age or hundred of yeares also in the later end whereof S. Augustine was sent hither to conuert our auncestors the Saxons In all which ages and Centenaries of yeares both the Kings Archbishops Bishops and others both Rulers and Ruled in this kingdome gaue as much priuiledge and prerogatiue to the popes of Rome as Catholicks now may doe by their catholick Roman Religion In which tyme also amonge all those christians which then liued here those Bishops of Scotland and Walles who as our protestants tell vs and commend them for it did onely or most oppose against the pope his legates and authoritie here were those alsoe by the same protestants which did much more intermeddle in princes affaires then any popes their legats or such as were most obedient vnto or Ruled by them Which proceedings the Author doth in all places leaue to protestants relation and medleth not with them otherwise at all But soe much as with probabilitie in historie hee may mitigateth such matters as some protestants euen with publick allowance of the protestant state of EnglaÌ„d haue boldly published to the world in that kinde freely and before God protesting as hee neuer hitherto had any intermedlinge with the temporall affaires of Princes but euer to his vttermost did yeeld and render all dutie vnto them praying for the safety honor and preseruation of his Soueraigne and this kingdome soe hee will euer continue the same moste humble and dutifull affection Other particular Questions in Religion depend vppon this Because whosoeuer in anie Religion hath the cheife chardge and cure the particulars depend vpon his proceedings whether it bee Pope Prince Superintendents Presbyteries or whatsoeuer and soe beeing proued that from the beginninge of christianitie in this kingdome the Pope of Rome euer had cheife coÌ„maund direction in Religious things It must needs followe that which protestants name papistrie euer raigned here But I vnderstand there is a generall controuersiall historie to bee shortly published of all such things in particular from the first preaching of the Gospell in this kingdome which will giue full aâ—… ample satisfaction in all such Questions THE FIRST CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED OF YEARES THE I. CHAPTER Wherein is briefly made demonstration by the best learned protestant Antiquaries and others of England that Saint Peter the Apostle first preached the faith and founded the Church of Christ in this our Britanie TO bringe vs vnto a more certayne and vndoubted knowledge of the first preachers of christian Religion in this kingdome the best learned protestant Antiquaries wee haue prescribe certayne Rules and squares to bee directed by to come vnto them in their iudgment Matth. Parker antiq Britan. pag. 1. Godw. Conuers of Brit. Holinsh hist. of Engl. Mason l. 2· c. 2. pag. 51. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. cap. 9. first they affirme that the Britans receaued the faith soone after the Ascension of our blessed Sauiour in the time of Tiberius Caius Caligula or Claudius Emperor and they build this their assertion cheifely vppon the words of S. Gildas l. de Excid conq Britan. c· 5.6 Who speaking of things done here in Britanie either in the time of Caius or Claudius addeth Interea glaciali frigore rigent Insulae indulget sua praecepta Christus In the meane time while these things were doinge Christ doth afford his precepts to this frozen Iland In which place hee rather meaneth the time of Claudius then any other as may easely appeare to all iudiciall and equall readers of that auncient Author in the place alleadged needles to bee insisted vppon if wee will bee guided by our protestant directors because in their next Rules they shall make it euident It must needes in their opinion bee soe vnderstood For they deliuer for a second Maxime that this nation embraced and was taught the Religion of Christ by some one of the Apostles Soe say their Archbishop Parker in antiq Britan. Bal. in act Pontif. Rom. in Gregor 1. Cambd. in Brit. Fulke Answ. to a Romish cath pag. 40. Powel annot in l. 2. Giral Cambr. Itiner Cambr. c. 1. Holinsh. histor of Eng. c. 21. pag. 102. Stowe histor in Agricola Stow. supr Godwyn supr their Bishops Bale Godwyn their doctors and Antiquaries Cambden Fulke Powel Holinshed Stowe the Theater writers and others inclining to this opinion and some of them plainely teaching with diuers of the auntient fathers that the 12. Apostles deuided the world amongst them to preach the ghospell in assure vs that to speake in their wordes The holy Apostles beeing dispersed throughout the whole earth did diuide the prouinces amongst them to preach the ghospell in and it is deliuered plainely by sundry auntient writers that Britanie fell in diuision amongst the Apostles The third and laste generall Rule which these men assigne vnto vs is that mention is not made of any Apostle in any antiquitie to haue preached here but onely of S. Peter S. Paul and S. Symon Zelotes none of all these alleadged protestants or any other I reade doth speake of any other and amonge these one a protestant Bishop and Antiquarie writeth in these termes Godwyn Conuers of Britanie cap. 1. pag. 2. I finde mention of three onely of the Apostles to haue beene in our Britanie to wit Peter and Paul and Simon Chananaeus called also Zelotes For although some haue written that S. Iames preached in Ireland and S. Philip in this next adioyninge Gallia Fraunce which I haue at lardge refuted in other places yett noe one historian to my remembrance and reading doth teach that either of those twoe or any of the rest except those three before sett downe were at any time in this Iland These Rules of Protestants thus supposed and allowed it will with a small labour euidently appeare vnto vs by these men and all antiquities that the moste glorious Apostle Saint Peter was our first father and teacher in Christ For first concerning S. Paul hee himselfe and other scriptures and these protestants alsoe confesse hee was none of the 12. Apostles by whoÌ„ the world was soe diuided and though miraculously called by god before yett not properly an Apostle vntill in the 13. chapter of the Acts of
calleth this not his owne decree but the decree of S. Clement his predecessor and Saint Peter alsoe Anacl supr apud Mar. Scot. Flor. Wigorn. supr And setteth downe in a certayne Tome what cytes were to haue primates both accordinge to his owne S. Clements and the Apostles order And this decree of Sainct Anacletus in this highest question of Iurisdiction was soe vniuersall and generall in it selfe soe embraced of all and includinge that as not onely Giraldus Cambrensis and auncient authorities of this nation Lib. 2. de Iure Metropol eccles Meneuen ad Innocent 3. but the cheife Protestant Antiquaries themselues as Mathew Parker the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterburie Lib. antiquit Britannic pag. 24. and Syr Iohn Prise Io. Pris defens histor Britan. pag. 73. doe plainelie acknowledge that by that Tome of Saint Anacletus Pope it was conteyned and decreed how manie and which were the places throughout all this Iland euen as it conteyned England Scotland and Wales And thereupon this Protestant Archbishopp doth in expresse termes call the diuision of Britanie in that respect Ex Anacleto huius Insulae diuisionem The diuision of this Iland according to the decree of Pope Anacletus And though this diuision was not actually made at that time for setting Archbishops in those prouinces at that time but was deferred vntill in after when the faith was recreaued here in more publicke maner when persecution ceased or was mitigated yett by these authorities there is noe doubt but this holy Pope both claymed and exercised the same highest spirituall Iurisdiction as well in this as all other nations that decree beeing generall and without limitation for all nations as it is allowed by these Protestants and making all prouinces in the knowne world substitute and subordinate to the church of Rome in such affaires and none exempted And as this decree alone will witnes hee sent as opportunitie and the cause required Bishops and preists into other contries soe he did the like to this to encrease and continue that happy buildinge which his predecessors had founded here before Soe wee must say of his immediate Successor Saint Euaristus except wee will reiect the authoritie of one of our moste auntient and approued historians Nennius who in his manuscript auntient history written if wee may beleeue the Protestant Bishop Bale l. de scriptor cent 1. in Nennio A thowsand yeares since confidently affirmeth that Britannicus Rex A kinge of Britanie receaued an ambassadge from Euaristus Pope of Rome to receaue the faith of Christ missa legatione à Papae Romano Euaristo Mennius hist. M. S. who yett sayth with others that the generall cōuersion of this land was not vntill the yeare of Christ 167. others making it later This holy Pope began his papacie in the yeare 111. and liued therein vntil 120. before which time our kinge Coillus brought vp at Rome was soe well disposed to Christian Religion that as our Protestants and the antiquities of Glastenbury tell vs hee confirmed the twelue hides of land to the religious Eremitage of Glastenbury Antiquitat glast apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph and others And therefore cominge from Rome into Britanie to bee kinge his Father kinge Marius beeinge deade wee cannot thinke but as many of our contrimen his subiects then at Rome were Christians and in soe greate number that in one Brittish house there the house of S. Claudia our British Lady and children after her there were at or soone after this time in the time of Pope Pius the first 96. christians Act. 5 Pudentianae Breuiar Rom. in vit eius 19. Maij. So many of them and of other nations also and cleargie men were sent hither by the Pope of Rome at that time which many of our Protestant historians will confirme assuringe that both now and at all times vntill the conuersion of kinge Lucius there were many christians which came from Rome liuinge in this kingdome Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. Caius l. 1. antiq Cantabrig Will. Harrison descript of Brit. Holinsh hist of Engl. Soe doe diuers auntient antiquities of the Annals of Burton and others of forreine nations And touchinge the time of Pope Alexander the first next successor to S. Euaristus hee beinge made Pope in the yeare 120. and continuinge Bishop of Rome by common opinion 8. yeares and fiue moneths in the fourth yeare of the papacie of this blessed Saint as both Matthew of Westminster Annal. Burton an 141. Catal. Episcop Tungr and the autient Table hanging in the church of S. Peter in Cornehil in London then builded in the time of kinge Lucius wittnesse beeinge the 124. yeare of Christ The yeare of our Lord God 124. Lucius was crowned kinge soe the one the other saith anno gratiae 124. Coillo Britonum Rege defuncto Lucius filius eius regni diademate insignitus est In the yeare of grace 124. Coillus kinge of the Britans beeing deade Lucius his sonne was crowned king Math· Westin an 124. This kinge Lucius although neither hee nor the kingdome were yett soe generally conuerted yet well knowinge that many preachers had beene sent hither from Rome and diuers Brittans here were desirous to embrace the faith of Christ did not onely giue way vnto it in this beginning of his Reigne but except Albertus Krantzius a man well acquainted with our Brittish antiquities as a Protestant antiquary witnesseth doth deceaue vs. Io. Caius antiq Cantabrig l. 1. Albert. Krantzius Metropol l. 1. cap. 6. Did write vnto S. Alexander the first Pope of Rome to haue christian Religion preached in this kingedome Religionem Christi Lucius quondam Britanniae Rex ab Alexandro primo eius nominis summo pontifice impetrauit in Insula predicari Lucius Kinge of Britanie did obteyne of Pope Alexander the first to here Christian Religion preached in that Iland Which is confirmed by many Authorities prouening vnto vs that this Iland at and immediately after that time had diuers preachers of the faith of Christ and among them some Bishops besides those I named before to proue that wee had a continuall succession of holy Bishops from Rome as these alsoe were from our first christianity And that wee had many preachers and many by them conuerted may appeare by that is acknowledged before from these Protestants to which many of them add from antiquities that many Schollers Doctors of our Vniuersities then were conuerted in the yeare 141. nyne in one place of Cambridge In peruetustis Annalibus Burtonensibus sic lego Anno Domini 141. hic baptizati sunt nouem ex Doctoribus Scholaribus Cantabrigiae I doe reade sayth one in very old Annals of Burtō thus In the yeare of our Lord 141. here were baptized nyne of the Doctors Schollers of Cambridge Caius lib. 1. de antiq Cantab. pag. 95. Theater of greate Brit. lib. 6. Harris descript of Brit. Like to this haue many other Protestants who assure vs this succession could not come from S. Ioseph of Aramathia
in the holy Popes S. Anacletus Euaristus and S. Alexander allready Rob. Barns in vit Pontific in nominibus citat Downam lib. 1. of Antichrist cap. 3. pag. 35. And soe they teach that al the following Popes vnto S. Eleutherius to witt S. Sixtus the first Telesphorus Higinius Pius and Anicetus the immediate predecessor to Eleutherius tooke vppon them generally the supreamacy and highest commanding power in all spirituall things and all places without exception or limitation S. Sixtus gaue authoritie to appeale to the Popes of Rome from all Bishops Ab Episcopo ad Romanum Pontificem appellandi Ius dedit ecclesiasticis ministris Barnes supra in Sixto Saint Telesphorus prescribed generally the fast of Lent in Telesphoro Published the maner or order of Masse and made a decree as supreame Iudge howe all suites and controuersies should be tryed and decided Saint Higinius made a lawe byndinge all Bishops Metrapolitans and the whole cleargie in Higinio S. Pius dedicated the howle of our renowned contry womaÌ„ S. Pudentiana in Rome to bee a church in Pio made general decrees for the holy sacrifice of the Masse binding all Priests Bishops Declared it to bee sacriledge in all people whomsoeuer which coÌ„uerted laÌ„ds or goods dedicated to Religion to prophane vses Appointed the age of virgins to bee consecrated Hee decreed that matters apperteyning to Religion should bee heard in prouinciall councells of Bishops reseruinge the authoritie of the Pope of Rome and appeales to him Quae ad Religionem spectant à suae Synodis audienda esse statuit salua tamen pontificiae authoritate Idem in vit Pont. in Aniceto S. Anicetus the next before S. Eleutherius made or renewed the decree how both Bishops and Metropolitans were to bee ordeyned That an Archbishop was to bee accused before the Pope of Rome That noe Archbishops should bee called primates except that prerogatiue of name were graunted him from the Pope of Rome Archiepiscopos non primates appellandos nisi ista praerogatiua nomenclaturae ei à Roâ—…ano Pontifice coâ—…e deretur Wherfore these Popes beeing by all Protestants holy Saints and Martyrs and the church of Rome then by his maiestie and al other learned men of the Protestant profession our mother church the true churche commandinge church most high Apostolicque church and these their decrees vniuersal and generall comprehending all and excluding none either in Britanie or any other nation except wee will bee willfully headstronge in disobedience wee must needs acknowledge that this kingdome from S. Peters first preachinge here vnto the generall conuersion thereof in the time of Pope Eleutherius of which sufficiently in the next chapter euer was and did acknowledge it selfe subiect in spirituall thinges to the holy Apostolicke See of Rome And this in particular alsoe proued by soe many auncient and approued Authors historians and others that entreate of this subiect shewinge how often the Popes of Rome in these remembred dayes sent preachers hither and the Britans likewise acknowledginge euer that See for the cheifest and supreame sent thither though soe far distant hence to haue preachers and Instructors to bee sent hither by the highest papall power there I will insist in Protestants relation for this busines They tell vs that S. Bede the old chronicle of LaÌ„daffe Goceline in the life of S. Augustine cap. 31. historiae maioris the old chronicle called Brutus Ioannes Nauclerus an old manuscript history which the ProtestaÌ„t Bishop Godwyn saith hee had in latine say that many preachers were sent hither froÌ„ the Pope of Rome in the yeare of Christ 156. when S. Pius was Pope and I haue read a very old manuscript testifyinge that king Lucius did in that yeare send legats to the Pope of Rome to that purpose An epistle written from the Pope of Rome to the kinge of Britanie dated in the yeare 159. found amonge the old constitutions of this lande and in the old chronicle called Brutus which the Protestant Bishop Bridges saith hee had seene saith there was the like sendinge in or about that time Mennius as these men tell vs affirmeth as much of the yeare 164. soe doth an other auncient chronicle which Godwin citeth William of Malmesbury hath the same of the next yeare 165. S. Edwards lawes say soe of the yeare 167. Henry of Hardford hath the life of the yeare 169. Marianus Scotus published by our ProtestaÌ„ts so writeth of the yeare 177. The Protestant Bishopp Bale hath so of the yeare 179. Polydor Vergil the history of Rochester Matthew of Westminster and Martinus Polonus by ProtestaÌ„ts soe say of the yeare 188. Therefore to saue the creditt of these and many others soe auncient and allowed by Protestants wee must needes by their leaue and allowance say alsoe that this our kingedome in those daies depended vppon the See of Rome in Religious affaires And thus much of this matter before our generall conuersion in the time of Kinge Lucius Io. Caius antiq Cantabrig lib. 1. pag. 109.110.111 Godwin conuers of Britannie p. 21.22 Holinsh. hist of King Lucius Theater of Brit. lib. 6. M. S. pr. gloriosi ac Deo dilecti in S. Dubritio Matth. Westm. an 154. Godwyn Conuers pa. 29.30 Stow hist in Lucius Caius supr pag. 100. Godw. Conuers pag. 29.20.22 Mason booke of consecrat in Lucius Will. Lambard lib. de leg Reg. fol. 130. pag. 2. Godwyn Conuers pag. 22. THE V. CHAPTER How in the generall Conuersion of this kingedome in the time of Kinge Lucius all spirituall thinges were ordered settled and confirmed here by the Popes Authoritie AT the time when our Kinge Lucius this kingedome was generally conuerted there were as these Protestants haue proued or graunted before diuers Bishops and Preists in England wee had many vniuersities as Cambrige Stamford Greekelade Bellisium Oxford and others as our Protestants contend and diuers learned men in them our next and neighbouringe contries Fraunce the hither parts of Germany Lorraine Heluetia and all Italie euen vnto Rome it selfe scituated in the further part thereof were full of Bishops preists and learned cleargie Ioh. Lidgate in Cant. Caius antiq cont Brian Twin antiquit Oxon. Harrison descript of Brit. Cambd. in Britan Harding histor l. 1. c. 15. Ioh. Bal. in praefat ad l. de scriptor c. And yett Kinge Lucius and his nobles now resolued to receaue the faith of Christ could finde noe center to rest their holy desires of soe happy a chaunge vntill they arriued at the Apostolicke See from whence this nation from the first originall of christianitie here euer receaued instructors and instruction And to obteyne this his soe heauenly purpose this Renowned kinge with applause of his nobilitie did not send one onely Messadge Ambassadge or epistle and at one time to that end but as our best antiquities say Epistolas suas Eleutherio Papae direxit Epist Eleuther ad Luc. leg S. Eduardi apud Lumb Calfrid Monum l. 5. cap. 19. Pont. Virun l. 4. Matth. Westm an 185.186
hee directed his epistles to Pope Eleutherius diuers Epistles and consequently diuers Ambassadges soe reade the old Brittish historie Ponticus Virunnius Matthew Westminster as they ar published and allowed by our Protestants and others And these soe diuers epistles were onely to become a Christian to haue his kingdome instructed in the faith of Christ and all things thereto belonginge ordered by his highest papall authoritie petens ab eo vt christianus efficeretur And none of these epistles was that which our Protestants tell vs hee wrote vnto that holy Pope for lawes to gouerne his kingdome by which were distinct from this of which I shall speake hereafter Wherby it is euident that this blessed kinge his wisest councell at that time by soe often writinge both to this holy Pope Eleutherius and some others of his predecessors before as appeareth by that I haue written alreadie did fully and constantly informe themselues that the highest directing power in things religious was onely residing in the Popes of Rome otherwise they were all straungers vnto him far distant and aboue all Bishops of the world more persecuted all of them before this time and longe after sufferinge cruell deathes and Martyrdome for Christ Therefore it was for the due honor and right belonginge to that holie See and not temporall glory or countenance as a Protestant Bishop would glosse the matter Godwyn Conuers of Britanie c. 3. pag. 36. but the supreamacy of the Roman Bishops which these Protestants haue giuen to all the Popes before And because to speake in the words of the first Protestant Archbishop in England The renowne of the popes of Rome at that time was most famous in all the world for their often martyrdome and constancy sincere discipline of faith quorum tunc fama crebro martyrio constantia ac sincera fidei disciplina per totum Christianum orbem celeberrima fuit Matth. Parker antiquit Brit. pag 5. This was that which moued kinge Lucius to giue this due honor to the See of Rome and appeale vnto it for instruction for he saw that by that holy See the faith of Christ was dilated into all these nations as the recited Protestant Archbishop thus witnesseth Parker supr pag. 4. Cognouit complures nobiles Romanos candem fidem à pontifice Romano accepisse eorumque exemplo Christianum nomen in singulas prouincias sparsum disseminatum fuisse statuit in eadem fide sub Eleutherio tunc Romano pontifice inaugurari When Kinge Lucius knew that very many noble Romans had receaued the faith of Christ from the Pope of Rome and by their example the Christian name was dispersed and sowen abrode into all prouinces hee did resolue to receaue the same faith from Eleutherius the Pope of Rome Where it is euidently confessed that if kinge Lucius had not acknowledged this highest spirituall dignitie in the See of Rome and haue sued to haue the Christian Religion settled here by that authoritie hee should haue beene singular in that kinde as our Protestants now are all other prouinces giuing then that honor to Rome and hauinge their faith in Christ established from thence And this is euidētly declared by the maner of the sending writting of this kinge to that Pope S. Eleutherius S. Bede saith hist eccl l. 1. c. 4. that K. Lucius did humbly beseech Pope Eleutherius by his letters that by his cōmaundement hee might bee made a Christian. Obsecrans vt per eius mandatum Christianus efficeretur The Roman Tradition saith In the beginninge of the papacy of Eleutherius there came humble letters vnto him frō Lucius Kinge of the Britans to receaue him and his subiects into the number of Christians Huic initio pontificatus supplices literae venerunt à Lucio Britannorum Rege vt se ac suos in Christianorum numerum reciperet Breu. Rom. in S. Eleuther 26. Maij. Baron hist. Eccl. tom 2. A Protestant Bishop readeth praying that by his direction and appointment hee might bee made a Christian Godwyn conuers p. 20. An other Protestant antiquary saith Desiring Eleutherius Bishop of Rome to send some deuout and learned men by whose instruction hee and his people might bee taught the faith and Religion of Christ. The old chronicle of Lādaffe is implorans vt iuxta eius ammonitionem christianus fiat Humbly entreatinge that by his appointment hee might bee made a christian Annal. Landaf apud com antiq Cantab l. 1. pag. 98. thus our Protestants alleadge that Antiquitie Others of them say Lucius sent an Ambassadge to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome by Eluanus and Meduinus Britans intreating Eleutherius by them that hee would open a passadge by himselfe and his ministers for the fosteringe and cherishinge of christian Religion in Britanie Frauncis Mason l. 2. p. 52. ca. 3. Like is the testimony of other historians both Catholicks and Protestants that kinge Lucius proceeded in this humble and submissiue maner in his writings and Ambassadges to the Pope of Rome at that time in these affayres The which highest authoritie spirituall in the Pope of Rome these our Protestants further confirme in that they teach generally that these two Ambassadors of Kinge Lucius Eluanus and Meduinus receaued all the authoritie they had to preach here in Britanie from Pope Eleutherius whoe consecrated the one Eluanus a Bishop and made the other a Doctor to preach the ghospell Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Stow. hist. in Lucius Godwyn conuers of Brit. Mason l. 2. c. 3. Bal. cent 1. in Eluan And the present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury Doctor George Abbot director of Master Mason as hee protesteth and his directed Scribe ar of this opinion that all the Bishops of Britanie after this deriued consecration and succession episcopal from this one onelie Bishop Eluanus consecrated and authorized by Pope Eleutherius Frauncis Mason consecrat of Bish l. 2. c. 3. p. 55.56 Which and more is approued by an other a Protestant Bishop by whome Pope Eleutherius euen in this great busines is termed Paterfamilias the Master of this spirituall howse and familie of Britanie Bal. l. de Act. Pont. Rom. l. 1. in Eleuther and this kingedome was consequently of his family and vnder his rule and commaund and thereupon as a good Master and Gouernour of this familie did confirme and solidate the Brittans and the whole kingedome in the faith receaued by the Apostles Eleutherius vt bonus paterfamilias de thesauro suo noua cum veteribus proferens effecit vt confirmatis consolidatis Britannis in suscepta prius ab Apostolis doctrina totum illud regnum in eius fidei verba iuraret And to make moste euident demonstration further euen by these Protestants aswel as by al other Antiquities that the supreame power spirituall in all proceedinges in this kingedome at that time was wholly and vndeniably in Pope Eleutherius and those his twoe Legats which hee sent hither Damianus and Fugatianus as they are commonly called The
by this holy Pope was not confined in and with his proceedinges with this kingedome soe happily conuerted to the faith by him but to shew himselfe by these Protestants as his his holy predecessors before haue beene proued by the same allowance to bee the supreame and highest commaunder and gouernor of the church of Christ in all places on earthe hee generally proceeded accordingly makinge and ordeyninge decrees for all parsons and places and times as these Protestants thus assure vs. Robert Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Eleutherio Hoc tempore Lucius Britanniae Rex Christiano caetui cum suis subditis adiungi à Poâ—…fice petijt per literas In this time of Pope Eleutherius Lucius Kinge of Britanie desired of the Pope by his letters that hee and his subiects might bee ioyned to the Christian companie as though S. Eleutherius then Pope by power of that nam place had such power ouer the whole company of Christians that none that is a kinge or greate prince on whose publick conuersion together with his people so manie matters requiring the consent and confirmation of the highest Pastor supreame Iurisdiction depended might bee admitted to bee a Christian without the Popes Approbation And to confirme this highest power spirituall in him as in his predecessors before they further tell vs. Rob. Barns supr That generally in the cases of Bishops which is the greatest hee decreed that nothing should bee defined in their cases but by the Pope himselfe Accusationem contra Episcopos intentatam Episcopos audire permisit sed vt nihil nisi apud Pontificem definiretur cauet And againe that any preist might appeale from his Bishop to the Pope of Rome if the sinceritie of the other iudge his Bishops was suspected Vt nemo Clericum accusatores pertraheret ad alterius dioecesis Episcopum sed accusaret euÌ„ apud suum Episcopum Sivero Iudex Glerico suspectus esset appellandi facultatem dedit Reo Where hee euidently by these Protestants maketh himselfe his Successors in the See Apostolick of Rome supreame Iudge in spiritual thinges and reserueth appeales to them in such affaires from all other Iudges THE VI. CHAPTER How this moste renowned Pope Eleutherius did by these Protestants and antiquities allovved by them clayme exercise and settle here for him and his Successors as ample prerogatiue and Iurisdiction as Catholicke Scholes doe and Catholicques may giue to Popes ANd because there is greate difference betweene Catholicks and Protestants concerninge some priuiledges which the former commonly yeeld and the second as vsually in England denye vnto him and eyther of them would bee thought to reuerence and embrace the opinion and practise of that blessed Pope Eleutherius and those vnspotted times especially as they are interpreted by themselues lett vs now take counsaile and aduise of these ProtestaÌ„ts their persecutors in this kinde whether this moste blessed Pope Eleutherius whoe soe conuerted this nation and was soe blessed and worthie a Saint with these men was not by their Iudgements and testimonies as far ingaged in this matter as Pope Gregorie the fifteenth of that name now is or Kinge Lucius that holy kinge and Saint the holy Bishops and cleargie and all the Christians of this land at that tyme did not giue to the Popes of Rome then as much in this kinde as anie English preist or Catholicke now doth and by the present Roman Religion may giue and allowe to this present Pope or any other This is euidently proued and inuincibly made manifest vnto vs before not onely by soe many our best Antiquities but generallie by the best learned English Protestant historians iointly and with an vniforme consent agreeing in this that at the settlinge of manie Archbishops and Bishops in this Iland by the highest Papall power of Saint Eleutherius by the same alsoe the whole kingedome of Scotland with the Northern Ilands were made subiect to the Archbishopp of Yorke in spirituall thinges as I haue proued before by the best historians Catholicks Protestants which haue written of this matter Which alsoe agree that these kingedomes were at that time longe before and vntill the vnion of them by our present Soueraigne kinge Iames not onely distinct and diuers kingedomes vnder diuers kinges lawes and gouernments but ordinarily as then they were at open warres and hostilitie in ciuill and temporall respects Therfore it was neyther Kinge Lucius whoe to vse the words of Hector Boethius Scator histor l. 5 fol. 83. Godwyn conuers of Britanie pag. 22.23 aggreing with our English Protestants and others in this was but a kinge by curtesie of the Romane Emperors and their Authoritie Lucius Britonibus Caesaris beneuolentia authoritate imperitabat Therefore hee neyther had nor possibly could haue his power and principalitie extended further then that of the Romans was which went noe further then the wall of Adrian which diuided the kingedomes makinge Scotland a distinct kingedome and neuer subiect to the Roman Emperors Which could not allowe to kinge Lucius more then they were Lords and Masters of themselues for accordinge to that lawe maxime vsed by manie Protestants and a grownde in the lawe and light of nature it selfe Nemo potest plus Iuris in alium transferre quà m ipse habet Noe man can giue more power to another then hee himselfe hath For soe hee should giue that which hee hath noe right or power to giue beeinge a thinge vnpossible Therefore kinge Lucius nor the Roman Emperors hauinge any power or right at all spirituall or temporall ouer the Scots or Britans or any people then dwellinge beyond that Wall in the kingedome now called Scotland they could not by any possibilitie giue such spirituall power to the Archbishop of Yorke to commaund in that contrie nor commaund the inhabitants of Scotland in noe respect subiect vnto them to bee subiect to the Bishop of Yorke their subiect in temporall respects Neither did would or could the kings of Scotland then pagans subiect and submitt their people and contry to the Archbishop of yorke of an other kingdome now enemy to them both in spirituall and temporall respects And it is directly against all Protestants professions confessions or churches that any Protestant Prince or other whosoeuer clayminge or pretending supreame spirituall Iurisdiction among them should challendge or presume to extend it further then their temporall ditions and Gouernments as is euident in all places where the new Religion is admitted as England the Lowe contries the cantons of Switserland and the rest where the spirituall Iurisdiction which they claime is limited and confined within the circuites of their temporall Dominions without any further progresse Parlam 1. Elizab. 1. Iacob Scotic Confessiones Heluet. Gallic Saxonia Belgic Therefore this highest supreame directing spirituall power which established at that time and longe after the subordination and subiection of Scotland and the Ilands to the Archbishop of Yorke must needs by these Protestants and all Antiquities bee onely peculiar to the Pope
that the church of Scotland shall bee immediatly subiect to the See Apostolicke Soe that it is most euident by all testimonies that this kingedome of Britanie was from the first conuersion thereof to Christ euer subiect to the See of Rome in spirituall things as farr as the Pope of Rome now requireth or Catholicks attribute vnto him Which these our Protestants of England and from Authenticall Antiquities as they say will more Amply proue vnto vs and in the highest degree of papall priuiledges For they tell vs that kinge Lucius did not onely receaue the Christian faith Iuridicall direction and settling of all spirituall and meerlie Religious affaires by the authoritie of the Pope of Rome but the same holy Pope not onely with the good likinge and consent of Kinge Lucius but by his suite and petition interposed himselfe in the ordeyninge alteringe or correctinge and settlinge the very temporal lawes theÌ„selues in this kingedome to gouerne Rule and direct it euen in ciuill and meerely humane thinges as is manifest in a certaine Epistle which these Protestants with generall consent asscribe to S. Eleutherius himselfe written to kinge Lucius as responsory and satisfactory to some letters which this kinge had written vnto him to such purpose to haue temporall lawes from him to gouerne this kingdome by Petistis à nobis leges Romanos Caesaris vobis transmitti You require of vs writeth this holy Pope to king Lucius the Romane Lawes and the Emperors to bee sent ouer vnto you vvhich you vvould practise and put in vre vvithin your Realme the Romane Lawes and the Emperors vvee may euer reproue but the Lawe of God vvee may not you haue receaued of late through gods mercy in the kingedome of Britanie the Lawe and faith of Christ. You haue vvith you vvithin the Realme both parts of the scriptures out of them by gods grace vvith the councell of your Realme take you a Lawe and by that Lavve by gods sufferance rule your kingedome of Britanie for you bee gods vicar in your kingedome Epist. Eleutherij Papae ad Lucium Reg. Britan. apud Foxe to 1. Iuel contra Hard. Franc. Mason l. 2. Godwyn Conuers of Brit. pag. 38. Lambert in leg S. Vsuardi Stow in Lucio Thus these Protestants translate that part of that Popes Epistle Whereby first it is manifest That Kinge Lucius now a Christian did not and in conscience coulde not write for or absolutely desire the Imperiall Lawes the Emperors then beeing pagans and their Lawes accordingely mayntaining the Idolatries of the gentiles but as they should bee moderated and corrected by the Lawes of Christ which noe man could with more authoritie and better performe then the holy Pope hauing then the supreame place in the church of God For otherwise he should haue beene an enemy to Christ his lawe which hee now professed and beeing in soe high grace and fauour with the Emperor and Roman Senate as these Protestants and other antiquities tell vs hee might should with farr more honor loue and likeinge haue receaued these Lawes from the Emperor himselfe the Senate of Rome or manie Romans here in Britanie whoe then liued accordinge to those Roman and Imperiall Lawes then from Pope Eleutherius whoe liued not as those Lawes commaunded but soe farr otherwise that hee and all the Popes of Rome before and many after him were both persecuted and putt to death for christian Religion by those lawes Therefore kinge Lucius requestinge such Lawes from Pope Eleutherius must needs hereby acknowledge that as by sendinge soe farr vnto him to be instructed in the faâ—…th of Christ and all such matters spirituall to bee settled and ordered here by his highest power soe in his temporall proceedings which to bee iust holy must needs haue a subordination vnto spirituall and the iudgement ouer Lawes Whether they ar holy iust and such as Christians in conscience and Religion ought to vse and bee directed by is to bee made by them cheifly whoe haue the greatest knowledged and commaunde in such cases and iudgements which bee the gouernors and Bishops of the church of God hee thought noe Lawes to bee vncontrolably warrantable but such as the cheife pastor of the church of Christ the Pope of Rome should giue validitie vnto by his confirmation and allowance For amonge soe many Lawes as soe ample and greate a kingedome was to bee ruled and gouerned by there must needs bee many which of necessitie were thus to bee examined by the Lawe of God and cheifest interpreters thereof Which Saint Eleutherius warned Kinge Lucius of when hee prescribed vnto him to haue his Lawes warranted by the scriptures and taken forth of them by the councell of the Realme and by that Lawe to Rule the kingedome where it is euident that hee appointeth the Lawe of Britanie to be conformable to the Lawe of God and to bee secure it should bee such it to bee enacted and concluded by the best councell of his Realme in such things which were the Bishops cleargie and learned diuines cheifely which S. Eleutherius had settled here for they were the onely or principall Interpreters of holy scriptures here at that time and others in a maner concerninge such things Catechumenes to bee instructed themselues and not to drawe Lawes out of scriptures to instruct and direct others And so a Protestant Bishop with such publick warrant expoundeth it in these wordes By the aduise of the cleargie of their dominion Bridges def l. 16. pag. 1355. And S. Eleutherius takinge vppon himselfe as Pope of Rome the supreamacy ouer the whole church as these Protestants haue told vs cannot by any but carelesse or ignoraÌ„t of truth bee interpreted to giue any such preeminence to a newly become Christian temporal prince but calleth him onely the Vicar or Vicegerent of God as all princes Christians and others ar or should bee to see iustice performed to all within their dominions which is sufficiently expressed in this very epistle it selfe where that holy Pope telleth Kinge Lucius what is the dutie and office of a king the wordes by Protestant traÌ„slation ar The people and nations of the kingedome of Britanie is yours such as ar diuided you should gather them together to the Lavve of Christ his holy church to peace and concord cherish maintayne protect gouerne and defend them from the iniurious malicious and their enemies A kinge hath his name of gouerninge and not of his kingedome soe longe you shall bee a kinge as you rule well otherwise you shall not bee soe named and loose that name vvhich God forbid God graunt that you may soe rule your Realme of Britanie that you may Reigne vvith him euerlastingely whose Vicar you ar in the said kingedome Epistol Eleuther apud Godwyn Conuers pag. 23. Foxe tom 1. Stowe and Hovves histor in Lucius Bridg. def p. 1355. Ieuel ag Hard. Lambard de legib Theater of Brit. and others Where wee see in what sence this holie Pope called Kinge Lucius the
destinauit coronam benedictam Britanniae christianitatem Deo inspirante Lucio Regi Britonum The kinge of right ought with all integritie and without diminution obserue and defende all lands and honors all dignities and Rights and liberties of the crowne of this kingedome wholly and call backe againe al the Rights of the kingdome that bee dispersed dilapidated loste with all his power vnto their auncient and due state And the whole and all the Land and the Ilands euen to Norway and Denmarke doe belonge to the crowne of his kingdome and at of the Appendicies and dignities of the kinge and it is one monarchie and one kingedome and it was anciently called the kingedome of Britanie now is called the kingedome of the English men for our Lord the Pope Eleutherius did by his sentence cōstitute and appointe such limites and boundes to the crowne of the kingedome first sending by the inspiration of God a hallowed crowne and Christianitie to Britanie to Kinge Lucius Hitherto this soe auncient publicke authoritie and antiquitie now seeing all writers Catholicks and Protestāts agree that both S. Eleutherius which made this declaration and confirmation of soe manie Ilands and Rights and Kinge Lucius which accepted it was in the like degree and all our kings soe many hundred yeares after many of them holy Saints which by this declaration esteemed these territories to bee their owne to keepe them all or any of them declarer or receauers from horrible and damnable vsurpation as of necessitie by these Protestants wee must doe what way is there to end this difficultie except wee allowe of the Popes Authoritie in such a declaration But to yeeld a greater and more auncient honor and priuiledge to this kingedome and the kings thereof then many Protestants enemies to our Brittish Antiquities will allowe vnto it not onely to comprehend al these Northren Ilands vnto Norway vnder the name of Insulae Britannicae the Brittish or Britons Iland But that the kingedome of Denmarke was subiect and tributary to Britanie diuers hundreds of yeares before Christ and soe consequently the adiacent Ilands which by Ius gentium belonged to the Continent next adioyninge wee shall by this exempt this kingdome from receauing any thinge by a free donation from Pope Eleutherius in this kinde claiminge by this that hee only adiudged the old Right and Title of Britanie to bee true and lawfull in this case not giuing any new prerogatiue by that confirmation Yett this will not exempt either kinge Lucius from embracinge or Pope Eleutherius from assigning and confirminge that diuision and preferringe the Title of kinge Lucius before the Scots and others which by their histories had then enioyed longe time diuers of those Ilands and soe wee must still acknowledge that both Eleutherius the Pope and kinge Lucius then thought the decision of such things did in some respect in conscience belonge to that See Apostolick otherwise neither would the one haue made it or the other sought for or accepted it in that maner both of them beeing worthie and renowned Saints in the church of Christ M. S. pr. Regnum Britanniae in Gurguntio Ioh. Rom. apud Stowe in cod Stowe and Howes histor in Gurg an ante Christ 375. Ioh. Lydgate in Cantab. Ioh. Harding Chron. c. 34. fol. 29.30 Caius antiq Cantab l. 1. Matth. Westm. aetat 5. c. 5. Hect. Boeth hist. Scot. Giral Cāb ap Stow. supr And into the same laborinth we fal by these men denying power in the Pope of Rome to giue pardōs or Indulgences to mitigate or release the punishments of sinnes if wee should harken vnto them for they greately commend vnto vs the Epistle ascribed to S. Patrick the Irish Apostle in the antiquities of Gastenbury to bee of greate authoritie and yett in this wee reade Quod sanctus Phaganus Deruuianus ab Eleutherio Papa qui cos miserat decē annos Indulgentiae impetrarunt That S. Phaganus and Deruuianus obteyned of Pope Eleutherius that sent them ten yeares of Indulgence for the pilgryms visiting that holie place a greater power in the Pope then the other by these Protestants And thus much of this hundred yeares Theater of great Britanie lib. 6. Godwyn Conuers of Britanie cap. 2. pag. 10. Ioh. Leland in Assert Arthur Antiquitat Glaston in tabula lignea Capgrau in Catal. in S. Patricio M.S. Antiq. in eodem THE THIRD CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED YEARE THE VII CHAPTER How the Popes of Rome in this third Centurie or hundred of years alsoe by our Protestants and others ruled and gouerned here in Britante in spirituall things by their supreame power therein NOw hauing ended this second hundred yeare when there was soe generall an acceptance of this highest papall Authoritie in Britanie by the kinge his Nobles three Archbishops soe many other Bishops and the noble cleargie and others here wee may bee more breife in ages followinge for it is a common consent of the Protestant writers of England that the same faith and Religion in all materiall points such as this is continued firme and inuiolable here at the least vntill the cominge of S. Augustine hither in the later end of the sixt hundred yeare And it is a veritie granted by all followinge S. Bede susceptam fidem Britanni vsque in tempora Diocletiani Principis inuiolatum integrumque quieta in pace seruabant The Britans kept the faith which they receaued in the time of kinge Lucius inuiolable and whole in quiet peace vntill the times of Diocletian Bed hist eccles l. 1. c. 4. Whoe did not begin his Empire vntill the yeare 285. his persecution longe time after about the yeare 296. And no man can thinke but amōge soe many Archbishops Bishops and cleargie men which together with the whole christian Religion embraced the papall power liued and gouerned the church of Britanie here many yeares in this age in the same maner and order as it was commended vnto them by the Romane supreame spirituall Authoritie of S. Eleutherius and his Apostolicke Legates Therefore to bee breife the next Pope which was in the beginning of this hundred yeare Scotland as hereafter a greate portion of this Iland and then a distinct greate and inuincible kingedome vnto the most powerable Romane Emperors was conuerted to the faith of Christ The very name of this holy Pope and Martyr carieth spirituall supreamacy with it in all the Christian world Asia Africk and Europe by the mouthes and pennes of all Protestants and others A Protestant Bishop for all shall answere in these words Pope Victor excommunicated all churches both greeke and latine which differed from his church in the obseruation of Easter Morton appeale l. 1. cap. 9. Which noe man can question but it was the highest act to haue and exercise such power ouer all churches and yett moste iustly and lawfully and hee a blessed man which both a Protestant Archbishopp and his maiestie kinge Iames shal testifie for all The church of Rome was then
points of doctrine amonge the assemblies of some generall councells as that of Sardis where appeales to the Pope were decreed and Nyce in the tyme of greate Constantine vvee had our Bishops present And all men of readinge are assured of this both Constantine the Emperor in his epistle to the churches and S. Athanasius in his Apologie write plainely that this our Britanie receaued the councell of Nice Epist Constāt apud Theodoret Athanas Apolog. Therefore it is a very idle and ignorant coniecture or rather malitious error of some Protestants to seeme to write as though Britany had receaued the faith frō some of the Asiatical churches because some of the later Scots and Britans die erre in that obseruation but this error of the Britans as diuers haue proued allready was quite differēt from that of some part of Asia greeke And the first gretian that came hither except some sent by Roman Authoritie that I finde was S. Regulus Albutus borne in Achaia whoe came into Scotland when Augustinus was kinge allmost two hundred yeares after this and longe after the controuersie of keepinge Easter was ended and brought thither holy relicks of S. Andrew the Apostle vvhoe coming into Pictland and the fame of this knowne very many came to reuerence the holy relicques of the Apostle and made offerings there and the kinge of the picts Hirgustus receaued by him with procession and lyinge vppon the grounde vvith much reuerence kissed the holy relicques and after masse ended hee bequeathed his palace to Saint Andrew and to Regulus and the Preists to serue God in Huius rei fama per Pictorum regiones delata permultorum animos ad visendas venerandasque sacras Apostoli reliquias attendit Confluxerunt ergo illuc vndique donaria Christi Apostolo pretiosa afferentes Affuit Heirgastus Rex eorum quae fama ad eum detulerat visendi cupidas Venientem ad se Regulus cum sociijs pio apparatu cum Sacerdotum ac Monachorum religiosa deductione in hymnis canticis excepit Rex humi procumbens sacras reliquias multa veneratione osculatus vbi sacra Christiano more cuius ipse Heirgustus erat obseruantissimus erant peracta regium palatium amplis structuris ornatum diuo Andreae Regulo ac Sacerdotibus ibidem deinceps Optimo Maximo Deo famulaturis liberè erogauit struxit haud procul à palatio sacram aedem diuo Apostolo dicatam and builded an other church not far from the palace dedicated to the holy Apostle And thus much of S. Victor Next to him succeeded Pope and S. Zepherinus whoe to proue hee still maintayned this Romane supreamacie as his predecessors before ouer all Bishopes Primates Patriarckes and whomsoeuer or wheresoeuer of the cleargie or others did generally decree as these Protestants tel vs. Rob. Barns in vit Pontif. Rom. in Zepherin hee calleth him Seuerus Sine Romani Pontificis authoritate accusatum Episcopum nec à Primate nec à Patriarcha nec à Metropolitano in Iudicio condemnandum esse That a Bishop accused should not bee condemned neyther by the Primate nor Patriarcke nor Metropolitane without the authoritie of the Pope of Rome By which is euident that euen the Archbishops themselues of Britanie to whome all others were subordinate in thinges spirituall were subiect to the Pope of Rome at this time Pope Calixtus succeeded next and to speake in a Protestant Doctors wordes Powel l. 1. of Antichrist pag. 130.131 Calixtus Pope defined that all Bishops though gathered in a generall councell shall fulfill the vvill of the church of Rome They which doe not this are pronounced to keepe a conciliable not a councell And to bee short in this matter the Protestants of England proue vnto vs that this busines of the spirituall power of that See ouer all other churches is the cheife scope of many of their Epistles decretall Rob. Barns in vit Vrbani Antheri Dovvnam lib. 1. Antichristi cap. 3. pag. 35. And to giue some particular instances hereof more in Britanie in this age wee finde in histories Matth. West an 257.258 that Pope Stephē about the yeare of Christ 257.258 or 259. When S. Mellon then noe Christian was sent from hence by publick authoritie to Rome about the temporall affaires of this kingedome conuerted him to the faith of Christ made him preist and soone after Bishop exempting him from his ciuill imployments of this his country and by his Apostolicke power sent him Archbishop to Rhoan in Normandie Petr. de Nat. de vit 51. Vincent in Specul l. 11. c. 74. Martyrol Rom. 22. Octob. Ioh. Capgr in 5. Mel. M. S. antiq in eod Catal. Episcop Rothmag Matt. West And amonge others our glorious men and martyrs here in this age it is the common opinion that S. Amphibalus whoe conuerted S. Alban Matth. Paris p. 178.179 Lidg. in vit cius Engl. Martyrol 25. Iun. both was a Britan borne and consecrated at Rome some say by Pope Saint Zepherinus what and how glorious his historie is for his preaching and martyrdome with vs all histories of that time are full and how renowned hee and others of his holy company sent by that Apostolicke See were at the same time in Scotland namely Modocus Priscus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus and Carnonus both Scottish and English histories wil witnesse Where S. Amphibalus was the first Bishop they had and in Mona the Iland Amphibalus Brito vir insigni pietate primus Antistes ibi creatus Hector Boethius Scotor histor lib. 6. fol. 102. Bal. centur 1. in Amphib Holinsh. hist. of Scotland in Chrakint Veremund apud Boeth supr And soe honored was he of that most worthie Kinge of Scotland Chrathlintus that to shew the honor hee yeelded to this holie Legate and his companions and somewhat to behold the Religiō of that time the Scottish historie thus speaketh vnto vs. Hector Boeth supr Holinsh. hist of Scotlād in Chrah Chrathlintus Rex sacram Antistitis aedem muneribus ornauit amplissimis calicihus patenis candelabris alijsque similibus ad sacrorum vsum commodis ex argento auroque fabrefactis altarique cupro are clauso prouentus ad ea ex agris in sacrae aedis vicini constituit Fuit id templum omnium primum Christiano ritu vbi Pontifex sacerque magistratus sedem haberet primariam inter Scotos cuius nostri meminere scriptores dedicatum Kinge Chrathlint did adorne the Holy Howse of the Bishop Amphibalus with most honorable guifts chalices patens candlesticks and others seruinge for the vse of Masse made of syluer and gold and an Altare inclosed with copper and brasse and appointed reuenewes for them out of the country adioyninge That was the first Christian church where a Bishop and holy magistrate had his cheife See amonge the Scots that is remembred by our writers Thus were the Bishops and preists consecrated at and sent from Rome honored in this nation at that time When wee reade further the See of Rome to haue beene
here in such high honor that the Brittish writer and witnesse of S. Albans life liuinge then writeth Compilator vitae S. Albani apud Capgrau M.S. antiq in vit eiusd Romam proficiscor vt illic veniam merear delictorum libellum quoque istum offeram Examini Romanorum vt si quid in eo secus quà m debuit fortè prolatum fuerit hoc per eos dignetur in melius commutare I goe to Rome that there I may deserue forgiuenes of my sinnes and I will offer this booke to the Examination of the Romans that if any thinge be vttered therein otherwise then it should it may bee amended And that all spirituall power and iurisdiction then in Britanie was subordinate vnto dependinge of the Popes of Rome in that time the Antiquities and Antiquaries Protestants and others both of Cambridge and other places doe plainely testifie whoe amonge other euidences for this matter produce vnto vs the auntient Bull of Pope Honorius dated at Rome the 20. day of Februarij in the yeare 624. Bulla Honorij 1. Papae an 624.20 Februar apud Caium l. 1. de antiquit Cantabrig Accad p. 75.76.77 Wherein hee affirmeth that hee followeth the example of Pope Eleutherius of whome I haue spoken before Pope Fabian who liued in this age and others who beeinge likewise holy Popes had done the like which hee did towardes the vniuersitie or schoole of Cambridge and concerninge his power spirituall ouer all parsons in this nation thus it is Honorius Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei dilectis filijs doctoribus scholaribus in vniuersitate Cantabrigiae studentibus Apostolicam benedictionem Dilectissimi in Christo filij noÌ„ absque labore plurima perturbatione didicimus quomodo nonnulli propriae salutis immemores luporum faucibus vulpina facie libertates priuilegia quae vobis praedecessoribus in eadem vniuersitate studentibus gratiosè indulsit sedes Apostolica moliuntur â—…neruare Ita quòd plures ecclesiarum praepositi absque rationis Iure minùs instè in vos iurisdictionem indebitam insolitam vsurpantes quamque non consueuerunt hactenus ad vntuersitatem vestram accedunt materiam perturbationis discordiae seminantes correctionis emendationis aut reformationis ibidem officia exercentes contra inhibitionem sedis Apostolicae Volentes igitur vt tenemur iustitia suadente paci tranquillitati vniuersitatis vestrae paterna sollicitudine salubriter prouidere Praedecessorum nostrorum Romanae Ecclesiae Pontificum Eleutherij Fabiani Leonis Simplicij Felicis Bonifacij vestigijs debitè inhaerentes authoritate omnipotentis Dei districtius inhibemus sub poena excommunicationis quam veniens in contrarium ipso facto incurrat ne quis Archiepiscopus aut eorum officiales seu visitatores generales aut speciales à Sede Apostolica deputati audent in aliquem vestrum suspensionis vel excommunicationis scu interdicti sententias inferre aut vos familiares vestros molestare praesumat Honorius Bishop seruant of the seruants of God to his beloued sonnes the doctors schollers of the vniuersitie of Cambridge sendeth Apostolicall benediction Wee haue learned not without labour and much sorrowe moste beloued sonnes in Christ how some vnmindfull of their owne saluation like greedy wolues and craftly foxes goe about to weaken or euacuate the liberties priuiledges which the See Apostolicke hath graunted graciously to you and your predecessors students in the same vniuersitie Soe that many Rulers of churches without right of reason vsurping vniustly ouer you vndue iurisdiction and vnaccustomed and which hitherto they haue not vsed come to your vniuersitie sowing matter of trouble and discord exercising there the offices of correction emendation or reformation against the inhibition of the See Apostolick Wee therfore willing as wee are bound by iustice persuadinge it with a fatherly care safely to prouide for the peace and quietnesse of your vniuersitie duely followinge the steps of our predecessors Popes of Rome Eleutherius Fabianus Leo Simplicius Felix and Bonifacius by the authoritie of almightie God doe strictlie forbid vnder payne of excommunicatioÌ„ ipso facto to bee incurred by the coÌ„trary doer that noe Archbishop or their Officials nor the visitors generall or speciall deputed from the See Apostolicke shall dare to inflict the sentences of suspension or excommunication or interdiction against any of you or presume to molest you or your seruants By which it is euident that in this age the Popes of Rome exercised the highest spiritual iurisdictioÌ„ in this kingdome limited as they thought good the power of Bishops and Archbishops subiecting them to their ceÌ„sures and made exemptions from them all others except the See of Rome it selfe had their visitors here to such purposes except these Protestants doe deceaue vs. Which further testifie that this Pope Fabian in that time miraculouslie chosen Pope and liuing dying an holy Saint made diuers decrees generally bindinge all Christians as That euery ChristiaÌ„ should coÌ„municate thrise a yeare that is to say at the feasts of Easter whitsonday and the birth of our Sauiour that preists should not bee punished in prophane courts And the like Ed. Grymston in Fabian Pope Rob. Barns l. de vit Pontif. Rom. in Fabiano THE FOVRTH CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED YEARE THE VIII CHAPTER Wherein is proued likewise by the Protestant diuines and Antiquaries of England that the Popes of Rome euer claymed and exercised this their highest power here in this Age. NOw wee are come to the fourth hundred yeare in the beginninge whereof Diocletian the persecutinge Emperor dyinge although hee had put euen in this Iland diuers thousands of ChristiaÌ„s to death and one thousand in one time and place Lichfeild Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. Stowe histor in the Rom. in Coill taking therevpon the name of a Feild of Blood yet hee was soe farr from extinguishinge the name of Christ that wee had a continuall succession at that very time of Bishops preists religious and other cleargie men without intermission deudced from this Roman institution in this kingedome And this testified by the best Antiquities wee haue S. Gildas S. Bede and allmoste all after them both Catholicks and Protestants Gildas l. de excid conquest Brit. cap. 8. The words of Saint Gildas ar these as Protestants publish him Bilustro supradicti turbinis necdum ad integrum expleto emercescentibusque nece suorum Authorum nefarijs decretis laetis luminibus omnes Christi Tyrones quasi post hyemalem ac prolixam noctem temperiem lucemque serenam aurae celestis excipiunt renouant ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas Basilicas Sanctorum Martyrum fundant construunt perficiunt ac velut victricia signa passim propalant dies festos celebrant sacra mundo corde oreque conficiunt omnes exultant filij gremio ac si matris ecclesiae confoti When ten yeares of the said persecution were not wholly expired and the wicked decrees were now voide by the death of their Authors al the souldiars of Christ with
and by the preachinge of these blessed men the Popes Legats the Religion of true faith was restored amonge them In tempore illo venit S. Germanus Antissiodorensis Episcopus Lupus Trecensis Episcopus vt verbum Dei Britonibus praedicarent corrupta namque fuerat christianitas eorum tum propter Paganos quos Rex in societatem corum posuerat tum propter Pelagianam haeresim Beatorum igitur virorum praedicatione restituta est inter eos verae fidei Religio And in particular besides the common Pelagian heresies against the necessitie of Baptisme and grace of Christ it seemeth the Pelagian preists and Bishops contrary to christian Religion in all churches had women whom they called their wiues for wee reade that Leporius Agricola the greate promoter of that heresie here was the sonne of Seuerianus a Pelagian Bishop saith one Protestant Stowe histor in Theodosius the yonger Seueri cuiusdam Pelagianorum Sacerdotis in Britannia filius the sonne of one Seuerus a Pelagian preist in Britanie saith an other Io Bal. centur 1. de Scriptor in Leporio Agric. And the kinge Vortiger soe countenanced the Pagan Saxons that wee heare that many christians intermarried with them as the kinge himselfe had done although hee had then aliue his christian wife by whome hee had three sonnes to wit Vortimer Catigern and Pascentius yett hee married the Pagan daughter of Hongistus the Pagan named Rowenna and soe aduanced the Infidels that the whole kingedome was endaungered and to aggrauate these sinnes this kinge kept in vvicked maner his owne daughter vvhich hee had by his Christian vvife and begott a child a daughter of her Mattheus Westminster anno 450. Generat etiam ex eadem coniuge filiam quam in societatem thori suscipiens filiam ex ea proceauit Whereupon to speake in Protestant wordes Stovve and Hovves histor in Vortigern Vodine Archbishopp of London a man of singular deuotion and good life by the aduise of Vortimer the kinges eldest sonne and next kinge went to Vortiger and said to him that hee had not done as a Christian prince in departinge from his lawfull wife and takinge an other woman whose father was an enemy to the Christian faith and alsoe went about to conquer the crowne of Britanie Hengist hearing Vortiger make lamentation forth with slew the good Archbishop Vodine and many other preists and Religious parsons all the churches in lent were polluted with blood the Nunnes with other religious parsons were by force putt from their howses and goods constreined to pollutiō of their bodies The Brittās consideringe the daily repaire of the Saxons into this Realme shewed to their kinge the Ieoperdie that might therof ensue and aduertised him of the daunger but all was in vaine for Vortiger by reasons of his wife bare such fauour to the Saxons that hee would in noe wise heare the counsaile of his subiects Thus farre these Protestants But Nennius in his manuscript history writing as a Protestāt Bishop saith Io Bal. centur 1. in Nennio Bamachorensi Nennius in M. S. histor in Guorthigirno Rege a thousand yeares since writeth plainely that amonge other wickednesses of this kinge hee tooke his owne daughter for his wife and had a daughter by her Which when it was proued to S. Germanus the Popes Legate hee came with all the cleargie of Britanie to correct the kinge And when a Synode of the cleargie and nobilitie was assembled The kinge arose and was very angry and sought to fly from the face of S. German and hee was accursed and condemned by blessed German and all the councell of the Britans Super haec omnia mala adijciens Guorthigirnus accepit filiam suam propriam in vxorem sibi quae poperit ei filiam Hoc autem cum compertum esset à Sancto Germano venit corripere Regem cum omni clero Britannum dum conuenta esset magna Synodus Clericorum in vno concilio ipse Rex surrexit iratusque est vehementer vt à facie Sancti Germani fugeret quaerebat maledictus est damnatus à beato Germano omni concilio Britannum Our english Protestants in their Matthew of Westminster as hee is published by them Matth. Westm an 450. Thus tell vs A S. Germano ab omni Episcoporum conuenta est excommunicatus Vortiger was excommunicated by S. German and the whole assembly of Bishops yet this notwithstandinge hee also went about to ouerthrow both christian Religion and the kingdome ioyninge with the Pagan Infidels and hauing three wiues of which one an Infidell enemy to the land the other his own daughter which such things noe christian could or would doe yet it doth not appeare by Nēnius Nennius supr That hee was deposed but straungly punished by God neither doth the Brittish history or Matthew of Westminster say hee was deposed but deseruerunt eum The Britans forsooke Vortigern ioyninge with their enemies the Saxōs Infidels wherby hee rather relinquished to bee their kinge then they deposed him although afterward they say Vortimerum filium eius in Regem erexerunt they made Vortimer his sonne kinge to defend the kingedome beeing driuen to those extremities Galfrid monum l. 6. c. 13. Matth. Westm But our English Protestants noe vnlearned schollers in deposing kings write confidently The Britās vvith one mind depriued him of his roiall dignity vvhē hee had reigned sixe yeares ordeined to bee their king Vortimer his eldest sonne Stow Hov hist. in Vort. Hol. hist of Eng. Matth. Park an t Brit. p. 78 prot ānot in Matth. Westm. in Mer. ā 454. And these men are soe far from findinge fault herein that generally they applaud and much commend the fact I will Instance onely in one their first Protestant Archbishop which relatinge the continuall preseruinge of true Religion inuiolate by the Britans doth exemplify in this as an heroicall Act in that kinde his words bee these Matth. Parker antiquit Britan. pag. 7.8 Magnum est Britannorum perfectae in Christum fidei argumentum illa expostulatio Querela qua in Vortigernum suum Regem vehementer egerunt quod Hengisti Infidelis filiam matrimonio sibi iunxisset Quare Incensi proceres Vortigerno regia potestate abdicato Vortimerum eius filium Regem creabant It is a great Argument of the perfect faith in Christ of the Britans that their expostulation and quarrell by which they delt vehemently against Vortigern their kinge because he had martyred the daughter of Hengist an infidell wherfore his noble men beeing offended depriue him of his kingly power makinge Vortimer his sonne their kinge This is our Protestants Relation and construction of this matter Whoe propose vnto vs an other like example of the same S. Germane in the case of Bulie kinge of Powsey in walles Holinsh. histor of Engl. l. 5. pag. 84. Whoe contemninge the preachinge of S. German was miraculously punished with death and a meane man a christian called Ketell by Nennius placed in that dignitie and they
cite Ranulphus Higeden whoe as they write citeth Gildas for the same history But NeÌ„nius hath it at lardg and saith of this Ketell soe erected Nennius M. S. in S. German Et omnes filij eius facti sunt Reges à semine eorum omnis Regio Prouisorum regitur vsque hodiernam diem And all his sonnes after him were kings and from their seede the whole Region of Pouis is ruled to this day From the time of S. German to the writinge of Nennius And it is euident by Nennius the Relator of this historie that S. German was not a deposer of this wicked kinge For first it is manifest by the history that hee was a pagan which was in noe wise subiect to Christian discipline or coercion secondly hee his kindred were miraculously destroyed and consumed by God and noe heyre left of that linadge to inherite Then if S. German with the consent of the nobles and people now destitute of a Ruler gaue way to the election of an other a worthie and holy man what wronge or iniurie in any opinion was here committed by him none at al but an action which all Religions doth allowe and commend vnto vs. But to leaue these things to Protestants as their propertie quarto modo in all places times when they haue preuailed and which I would not haue mentioned but beeinge thus called vppon by them wee are further taught by them that in this time our dependance here in Britanie was soe greate on the Popes of Rome that not soe much as as a publick schole was here kept without his allowance and the audience of other matters was referred to him These things appeare to bee soe in the case of the schole of Cambridge priuiledged by the holy Popes S. Leo and Simplicius in this age and S. Iltutus that renowned Master of many moste Learned Schollers Honor. Papa supr Caius Antiquitat Cantabrig l. 1. p. 147. lib. vit Sanctoaum Wall in Iltuto To vvhome magistralis cura concessa est à Pontifice The magistrall chardge was committed by the Pope How renowned this man was in this kinde as also S. Dubritius in the like case hauinge a thousand schollers as our Protestant testifie Caius supr p. 145.146 Bal. l. de script centur 1. in Dubrit Iltuto Godvvin Catalog S. Dauid 1. Bal. cent 1. in Macceo And Macceus a disciple of S. Patricke beeinge accused at Rome was constrayned to purge himselfe there edito libello Romanae vrbis pontifici satisfecit and satisfied the Pope of Rome in his booke published to that purpose Neither without great cause were these duties performed to the Pope from hence or hee did require them singularly of the Britans in this time for these our Protestants assure vs that the Pope in those daies claimed and exercised that their highest spirituall power ouer all churches and parsons how eminent soeuer temporall or spirituall For to insist in these mens very words Io Bal. l. 2. de Act. Rom. Pont. in Hilario Rob. Barns in vit Pontif. Rom. in Hilar. Hilarius decreta synodalia fecit per vniuersum mundum seruanda publicauit Pope Hilary about the yeare 142. did make synodall decrees and published them to bee kept throughout the whole world Faelix AchatiuÌ„ CoÌ„stantinopolitanum episcopum vna cum Petro Eutichiano excommunicat quod Eutichianum exilium propter baeresim puisum reuocauerat Pope Faelix the third did excommunicate Achatius patriarke of Constantinople with Peter an Eutichian heretick because he had recalled an Eutichian that for heresie was exiled Gelasius Anastasium Imperatorem à coetu Christianorum exclusit quòd Achatio alijs haereticis faueret Idem in Gelasio Gelasius the Pope did exclude Anastasius the Emperor from the companie of Christians because hee fauoured Achatius and other hereticks And they further tell vs Balaeus Barns in Anastasio 2. how Pope Anastasius the second did alsoe excommunicate the same Emperor for the like Soe it is euident by this our English Protestants that the Popes of Rome in al this age both claymed and exercised this their supreame spirituall power and commaunde in this kingedome of Britanie And because the kingedome of Ireland is now belonging to the crowne of greate Britanie and S. Patricke generally called the Apostle of that nation was borne in this our Britanie and sent to Ireland by the same Pope Celestine whoe sent S. Palladius Germanus and Lupus hither I must say some-what of him and his proceedings in this matter The very name of the Apostle of Ireland which is giuen vnto him in all Antiquities and that hee was thus sent from the Pope of Rome Saint Celestine with that highe spirituall power requisite in such a case of the conuersion of soe greate a contrye will sufficiently warrant the dependance of the same in spirituall things of the Apostolicke See of Rome For to speake nothinge of his miraculous powerable proceedings with greate opposites vnto him remembred by the writers of his life and others Nennius himselfe is thus farr a witnesse for this renowned Saint and Irish Apostle Nennius in manu-scripto codice antiq in Patricio Sanctus Patricius Euangelium Christi externis nationibus per annos 40. Praedicabat virtutes Apostolicos faciebat caecos illuminabat leprosos mundabat surdos audire faciebat daemones obsessis corporibus fugabat mortuos numero vsque nouem suscitauit captiuos multos vtriusque sexus proprijs donis redemit scripsit Abegetoria 300. sexaginta quinque aut amplius ecclesias quoque eodem numero fundauit trecentas sexaginta quinque ordinauit Episcâ—…pos 365. aut amplius in quibus spiritus Dei erat presbyteros autem vsque ad tria millia ordinauit duodecim milia hominum in vna Regione Conachta ad fidem Christi conuertit baptizauit quadraginta diebus totidemque noctiâ—…us in cacumine montis Eile ieiunauit S. Patrick did preache the ghospell of Christ 40. yeares to externe nations hee wrought Apostolicall miracles hee made the blinde to see cleansed lepers caused the deaffe to heare draue away deuills from possessed bodies hee raised to life nyne deade parsons hee redeemed many captiues of either sexe with his owne goods hee wrote Abegetories 365. or more hee founded churches in the same number three hundred sixtie fiue hee ordeyned three hundred three score fiue Bishops or more in whom there was the spirit of God hee ordeyned preists to the number of three thousande and hee conuerted to the faith of Christ and baptized twelue thousand men in one Region called Conacht hee fasted fourtie dayes soe many nights in the topp of the montaine Eile Thus this auntient Brittish Author comparing this holy Bishop S. Patrick to Moyses in fower thinges first for his speakinge with an Angell in rubo in a bushe secondlie for his fast of fourtie dayes and nights thirdlie for the yeares of his age 120. fourthlie for the place of his buriall vnknowne By which narration of Nennius soe auntient and
recommended an Author that S. Patricke did consecrate soe manye preists and Bishops especiallie a-aboue three hundred and threescore holy Bishops when the fourth part of them could not bee employed for these Ilands of Britanie and Ireland it is an euident argument that his legatine power from the See Apostolick of Rome did not confine it selfe in these Ilands but extended it selfe to other parts farr off which wee now call America because neyther Fraunce nor any nation in the old continent was then subordinate to Britanie or Ireland to receaue Bishops and preachers from them And this Nennius seemeth to insinuate when hee sayth Saint Patricke preached the ghospell externis nationibus to externe and straunge nations the Popes power spiritual rechinge vnto all Regions this is coÌ„firmed by the writers of the life of S. Brendan whoe as both an old manuscript which I haue seene an old manuscript in the life of S. Brendan written diuers hundreds yeares since and Iohn Capgraue in Catal. in S. Brendan whoe wrote longe before and was published in print an 1516. the late discouerie of America are witnesses founde in diuers places manie dayes saylinge from Ireland in America and Ilands belonging vnto it diuers religious Christians that came thither in the time of S. Patricke and sent or brought thither by him And the Iland called still S. Brendan in those parts may seeme to haue taken and still to keepe the name from that holy Saint beeinge there in those his holie trauailes Insul Sancti Brendani in descript Amaric apud Abrah Ortel alios And yet to conclude the labours of Saint Patrick and his testifyinge the spirituall prerogatiue of the Roman See here in Britanie where hee was borne these Protestants haue before recommended his epistle vnto vs wherein hee declareth that as Saint Phaganus and Deruuianus Damianus by others obteyned ten yeares Indulgence of S. Eleutherius for the holy place of Glastenburie Antiquit. Glasten apud M. S. antiq Ioh. Capgrau al. in S. Patricio soe hee obteyned of S. Celestine Pope whoe sent him into these parts twelue yeares of IndulgeÌ„ce for the same place Et ego frater Patricius à piae memoriae Caelestino Papa duodecimo annos Indulgentiae acquisiui And to make all cleare that neither S. Palladius S. Germanus and Lupus or S. Patricius did any thinge in these parts nor any vnder them but by the Popes actuall or virtuall approbation or allowance thus it is testified by our Protestant historians in these words Raphael Holinsh. Iohn Hooker histor of Ireland pag 53. Palladius Landed in the North of Ireland whence hee escaped right hardly with his life into the Iles adioyninge where hee preached the ghospell and conuerted noe small number of Scots to the christian faith and purged that part which was christened from the infection of the Pelagians Hee was required by the Scots that inhabited here in Britanie to leaue the Iles and come ouer vnto them there to Instruct the people in the way of true saluation to the which with the Popes Licence hee seemed willinge enough and the Bishop of Rome the more redily condiscended thereunto for that in the instant time when Palladius was to depart and Patrick attended at Rome suinge for licence to bee sent into Ireland the Pope therefore graunted that Palladius might passe ouer to the Scots in Britanie and appointed Patricke to goe with authoritie from him into Ireland Thus wee see all ecclesiasticall things ordered and disposed here by the Popes authoritie in this age THE SIXTE CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED YEARE THE X. CHAPTER Wherein the same highest spirituall power of the Popes of Rome is still by these English Protestant Diuines and Antiquaries continued in this kingedome IT is euident by that which is entreated before that in the beginninge of this sixt hundred yeares and longe after the supreame papal power continued inuiolably in this kingedome for S. Dubritius the Popes Legate liued vntill the yeare 522. And many or moste of the renowned men in this age in Britanie were his Schollers taught and instructed by him thus the Antiquarie of Cambridge writeth Ioh. Caius antiquit· Cantabrig l. 1. pag. 148. Catal. Sanct. Wall in S. Dubrit In vetusto codice cui titulus est de vitis Sanctorum Wallensium in vita S. Dubritij ista lego creuit illius Dubritij fama cum vtriusque legis notae veteris peritia Pâ—…rtotam Britanniam ita quòd ex omni parte totius Britanniae Scholares veniâ—…bant non tantum rudes sed etiam viri sapientes doctores ad eum studendi gratia confluebant These I reade in an old booke intituled of the liues of the Saints of Walles in the life of Saint Dubritius The fame of him Dubritius with his knowledge both of the new and old lawe soe increased throughout all Britanie that out of euerie part of all Britanie schollers came vnto him not onely the ignorant but wise men and doctors flocked vnto him to study cheifely S. Helian Sampson his disciple Vbelinus Merchiguinus Elguoredus Guninus Longual Artbodu Longur Arguistus Iunabin Conbram Goruan Guernabin Iouan Elhebarn Iudnon Curdocui Aidan Cinnarh and with these he had a thousand clergie men seuen yeares together in the villadge Hentlan vppon the riuer fide of Guy in the studie of diuine and humane learninge giuinge them example in himselfe of a religious life and perfect charitie Therefore these soe manie renowned men out of all parts of Britanie and schollers to a Master the Popes Legate and primate of Britanie and many of them by the same authoritie after made Rulers in the church of Britanie and one of them S. Sampson Archbishop of Yorke they could not in any equall iudgement bee otherwise affected to the See of Rome then that their soe glorious and renowned Master and instructor was for otherwise they could not haue bee named his schollers and beeing soe many a thousand more in number it is not credible but all moste or many of them followed him in this as in other doctrines Like was the case of S. Iltutus of whome I haue breiflye spoken before hee alsoe liued longe after this time as a Protestant Bishop wittnesseth in the yeare of Christ 520. Bal. l. de Script centur 1. in Ilchat Morgan fol. 29. Egregius iste Britannorum Magister inquiunt Vincentius Antoninus ex discipulis erat diui Germani Qui omnium scripturarum veteris ac noui testamenti omnium artium philosophiae cunctorum suae gentis scientissimus futura Dei dono praenouit· In magno numero discipulos iste habuit tam Gallos quam BritaÌ„nos quorum fuere praecipui Sampson Paulinus Dauid Gildas Badonicus This excellent Master of the Britans say Vincentius and Antoninus was one of the disciples of S. German the Popes Legate whoe among all of his nation was the moste skilfull in all scriptures both of the old and new testament and in all arts of philosophie and by the guift of God knew things to
come This man had disciples in greate number aswell French men as Britās of the which the cheifest were Sampson Paulinus Dauid and Gyldas Badonicus The same is proued vnto vs by other Protestants Merchiannus Rex in Dipl apud Caium antiq Cantabr l. 1. pag. 147. Catalog Sanct. Wall in S. Iltuto And how the Pope graunted him this priuiledge of such publick teachinge Magistralis tibi cura à Pontifice concessa est as the kinge of those parts in his princely graunt with others witnesse Therefore if the greatest doctors and teachers of others in Britanie in these times were thus licenced by the Popes their Legates and schollers of their legats wee cannot question but such as the Masters such likewise the schollers and disciples were especially when wee find their cheifest Schollers S. Dauid S. Sampson made Archbishops by the Poopes Authoritie and this former primate of all Britanie by the Popes graunt as hereafter Matth. Westm. ad An. 727. And that the scholers of Britanie were not then allowed without the Popes priuiledge doth further appeare by our Protestants Hardinghe Lydgate and others Ioh. Hardinge apud Bal. in praefat ad l. de Script Stow histor Ioh. Caius l. 1. antiq Cantabrig Brian Twin apol Oxon. l. 1. testifying that in the tyme of S Gregorie the vniuersities or publick Scholes of Stamford Caerlegion and perhaps some others were interdicted by the Pope for some errors they held at this time The Antiquaries of Cambridge contend Caius sup l. 1. that their vniuersity was then Innocent and soe preserued and priuiledged Brian Twyn apol l. 2. pag. 143. They of Oxord seeme to graunt and glory in it that S. Germanus the Popes Legate did confirme the orders and constitutions of the vniuersitie of Oxford and alledge Asserius Meneuersis to that purpose Asser Meneu apud Brian Twyn supr Diuum Germanum Oxoniam aduenisse annique dimidium illic esse moratum qui ordines instituta illius loci mirum in modum comprobauit Saint German came to Oxford and stayed there halfe a yeare and greately approued the orders and institutions of that place And to proue that all the Christians of this Britany then in this age acknowledged this power of the Pope or Rome and their dependance of him in spirituall things the Archbishops See of London beeinge wasted and persecuted by the pagan Saxons moste swayinge in the prouinces subiect vnto it wee doe not reade of any Archbishop of London after the martyrdome of S. Vodinus vntill Theonus Bishop of Glocester tooke charge thereof in the yeare 553. as a Protestant Bishop writeth in this manner Godwyn Catalog of Bish in Lond. in Vodinus and Theonas Stow. histor in Lucius I finde onely one of them named viz. Theonus that beeing first Bishop of Glocester forsooke it and tooke the chardge of London vppon him in the yeare 553. soe write other Protestants Therefore wee must now seeke to the other two Archiepiscopall Sees Caerlegion and Yorke For S. Dubricius hee was both consecrated by the Popes Legate S. Germanus and hee himselfe alsoe both the Popes Legate and Primate of all Britanie Britanniae Primas Apostolicae sedis Legatus Galfrid Monum hist Reg. Brit. l. 9. cap. 12. Godwyn Catal. in S. Dauids 1. Landaff 1. Soe that there is noe question of him but hee acknowledged this highest spirituall power in the See of Rome whose Legate hee was then in this kingedome Neyther can there bee any doubt of the Archbishop of Yorke in this behalfe at this time for S. Sampson was then Archbishop there whoe as before was both scholler to S. Dubritius soe earnest a patrō of the Romane See and alsoe of S. Iltutus as before scholler to S. German the Popes Legate and warrāted to bee publick professor teacher here by the Popes allowāce to giue more certaynety herein this holy man S. Sāpson was miraculously chosen of God as Capgraue and others write to the Archiepiscopall See of Yorke Ioh. Capgrau in Sampsone and was consecrated by S. Dubritius the Popes Legate and primate of Britanie Therefore there cannot bee the least suspition but that both hee and the prouinces both of the North of England and Scotland alsoe then vnder his iurisdiction were of the same opinion in this matter And if the Metropolitan See of London a little before destroyed as our histories tell vs. Galfrid mon. histor Reg. Brit. l. 8. cap 9. by the pagan Saxons with other churches of that prouince had then any Archbishop whose name is not remembred noe man of indifferent iudgement will thinke that he differed in opinion in this matter from those glories of this kingedome and church thereof S. Dubritrius the Popes Legate and S. Sampson consecrated by him by whome alsoe whose authoritie from the See of Rome if London then had any Archbishop at this time hee was likewise consecrated noe others then beeing to intermedle in that busines And our kings of that time Vortimer Aurelius Ambrosius Vther Pendragon and Arthur crowned kings by these holy Archbishops Legats patrons and knowne mainteyners of the priuiledges of the Apostolicke See of Rome Kinge Vortimer belonged to the age before therefore I onely here say of him as I am directed by our Protestants in the Brittishe historie as they approue it Galfrid Monum l. 6. cap. 14. Matth. Westm. an 454. That after hee was chosen kinge and obteyned victorie of the pagans soe soone as it was in his power hee did all thinges especially apperteyning to Religion by the direction or rather commaund as the words be of S. Germanus the Popes Legate Victoria potitus Vortimerus caepit reddere possessiones ereptas ciuibus ipsosque diligere ac honorare Ecclesias iubente Sancto Germano renouare Vortimer hauing obteyned victorie began to restore the possessions that were taken from the citizens and to loue and honor them and by the commaundement of S. German to renewe the churches Neyther can wee make it a straūge thing if wee will follow soe manie Protestant guides to leade vs as before that kinge Vortimer followed the commaundement of Saint German the Popes Legate in such affaires when they haue assured vs that by his direction and order both his Father Vortigern kinge before him was deposed and this man by the same power and order was chosen and erected to bee kinge And the same is the condition and case of Aurelius Ambrosius by the same power and proceedings made kinge as these Protestants tell vs when Vortigern was deposed the second time Protest Catalog Regum Britan. Stowe histor in Vortiger Aurel. Ambros and Vterp Holinsh. in eisd Soe likewise of Vterpendragon his brother both of them made kings by cōmon consent of the cleargie nobles the line of Vortigern beeinge quite disinherited and hee himselfe to write in Protestāt words burnt in his castle in Wales by Aurelius Ambrosius his brother Vter Galfrid monum histor Reg. Brit. l. 8. cap. 2.17 But Nennius writeth that one
Walles sufficient is said allready And yet these were onely the cheife holy and learned Bishops here in that time not anie one comparable to the meanest of these mentioned in any writer I can finde to haue resisted either the Popes ordinance or his Legats authoritie And to satisfie a vaine obiection of some Protestant writers That S. Columbanus the holy Irish or Scottish Abbot whose authoritie some Britans in the tyme of S. Augustine pretended for defence of their error in obseruing the feast of Easter not presently submitting theÌ„selues to the coÌ„maund of the church of Rome it is euident by auntieÌ„t histories that both this S. Columban and the cheifest of them submitted theÌ„selues wholly vnto it receaued both instruction and iurisdictioÌ„ froÌ„ thence For it is testified in a very old Manuscript cited by Surius that both S. Kelian which was the most renowned of them and that S Columbanus and S. Gallus submitted themselues with their associats to the Pope of Rome in all thinges at that time Thus it testifieth of S. KeliaÌ„ made Bishop of Herbypolis Wirtzburg in Franconia by the Pope Sur. in vit S. Kel M. S. peruetust apud eund supr Praedicationi abstinuit donec Romano se Pontifici praesentaret quatenus apud RomanaÌ„ sedem integruÌ„ christianae Religionis dogma licentiaÌ„ praedicaÌ„di acciperet Hibernia siquidem olim Pelagiana faedata fuerat haeresi Apostolicaque censura damnata Hee abstayned from preaching vntil hee presented himselfe vnto the Pope of Rome that hee might receaue froÌ„ the See of Rome both the sownd doctrine of Christian Religion and licence to preach For Irland his contry was auntiently defiled with the pelagian heresie and condemned by apostolick censure and there sheweth how hee had companions both of his iorney and submission amonge others Saint Columbanus and S. Gallus leauing the first in Italy and the other in Almayne The like hath Iohn Capgraue and a verie old manuscript which hee followeth if not the same with that of Surius Ioh. Capgrau in S. Kilian M. S. antiq pr. gloriosissimus Rex Eduardus in S. Kiliano In oppido orientalis Fraunciae quod Wirttzburch eorum lingua dicitur cum aliquo tempore sub silentio stetisset Romam profectus est officio praedicandi à Papa recepto Episcopus ordinatus socijs eius Columbano scilicet in Italia Gallo in Almania remanentibus Saint Kilian stayed in a Towne of east France called in their languadge Wirtzburch and when hee had beene there some time in silence hee went to Rome and receauing from the Pope power to preach and beeing ordeyned a Bishop returned leauing his Companions Columbanus in Italy and Gallus in Almayne Where it is euident not onely these Scottish Saints did not onely submitt themselues to the Pope in all matters both of doctrine and iurisdiction but the Pope at that time extended and exercised that his supreame spirituall power both in Italie Fraunce Almayne Britaine and Ireland both to censure a whole nation and to disable any to preach or exercise spirituall function without his licence And although the kings of Britanie after Kinge Arthur euen to the desolation of the Britans were by all histories euen of their owne as Gildas Nennius the Brittish historie and others moste wicked men and such that by all testimonie of Protestants and others their kingedome was ouerthrowne by God for the sinnes of them and their people yett not anie one of them by any historie did denie this power of the See Apostolick but euen their last kinge Cadwalladar as their owne historian writteth Gildas de excid Britan. Galfrid mon. l. 11. histor cap. 3.4.5.6.7.8 monum histor beeing admonished from heauen Nolebat Deus Britones in Insula Britanniae diutius regnare that God would not haue the Britans reigne any any longer in the Iland of Britanie went as hee was admonished on pilgrimage to Rome submitted himselfe to Pope Sergius and died an holy Saint in soe much that our Protestants thus note of him Galfrid mon. l. 12. cap. 17.18 Bed l. 4. histor in Epitom an 688. Matth. Westm. an 688.689 Protest annot in Matth. Westm an 688. Regnum relinquens propter Deum Romam venit leauinge his kingdome for gods sake hee went to Rome An other saith Stowe histor in Cadwallader Cadwallader forsakinge his kingely authoritie went to Rome whoe after became a monke and was buried in S. Peters church at Rome hee was the laste kinge of Britanie saith Geffrey Galfrid Mon. l. 11. cap. 12. And for the Archbishop of Walles to whome some British Bishops in the time of S. Augustine said they ought obedience cum suum Archipraesulem haberent there is not the least colour or pretence of any title by these Protestants themselues how hee or his See could bee exempted from the Popes Authoritie for as these men haue told vs before it was first instituted by Pope Eleutherius in the time of kinge Lucius and by the succeedinge Popes and their Legats here as is before declared confirmed and ratified they receaued their Palle the signe of an Archbishop from Rome and after their vnion with the Saxons and disciples of Pope Gregory in the time of S. Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury vsed it and Archiepiscopall Authoritie in all degrees and by the Popes permission and allowance fiue and twentie Archbishops successiuely from S. Dauid to Archbishop Sampson and had seuen Bishops subiect vnto them vntill this Sampson flyinge the contry in a time of sicknes carried away the Pall into little Britanie Amonge manie others a Protestant Bishop thus relateth this matter Girald Cambren in Itinerar Cambr. Antiquit. eccl S. Dauid apud Godwin S. Dauid Matth. Park antiquit Brit. Rog. Houeden Godwin Catalog in S. Dauids in Sampsone In the time of Sampson the See of S. Dauid had seuen Bishops Suffragans subiect vnto it as the Antiquitie of the church of S. Dauid declareth to witt Exeter Bathe Hereford Landaff Bangor S. Assaph Furnes in Ireland Roger Houeden vvhich I accompt more likely reckoneth these Landaffe Lanpatern in Cardigan shire Bangor Saint Assaph Chichester Hereford and Worcester While hee was Bishop it hapned the people of all that contry were wonderfully vexed with Ianudise soe as great numbers of them died daily of that disease By the importunitie of his clergie and disciples hee was induced to flie the contry and sailed into Britanie where the Bishoprick of Dola beeing voide hee was straight way elected vnto the same Hee had brought thither with him the Archiepiscopall Pall of S. Dauid and vsed it duringe his life as did alsoe his successors there for many yeares vntill they were compelled by the Pope at the suite of the Archbishop of Turon to leaue it and make profession of obedience vnto him as in former times By this occaâ—…on it fell out that the Successors of Sampson in Saint Dauids what for want of their Pall or for pouertie or negligence or some other occasion loste their Title of bishop and to
this day neuer recouered the same Howbeit they vsed all authoritie belonginge to an Archbishop by consecratinge of other Bishops and neither did they euer make profession of subiection vnto Canterburie vntill the time of Henry 1. Kinge of England Godwin supr in Bernard 46. When Bernard Chaplaine vnto King Henry the first and chauncellour to his Queene was consecrate by the Archbishop of Canterbury Iulij 12. 1115. not chosen by the clergie of Walles as hitherto had beene accustomed but forced vpon them by the Kinge of England And there with others declareth how this Bernard tooke vppon him the title of Archbishop but Theobaldus Archbishop of Canterbury prouinge before the Pope in the councell of Rhemes by witnesses cum suam fidem obseruantiam cantuariensi astrinxisse that Bernard had promised obedience vnto the Archbishop of Canterbury the cause was by the Pope adiudged against Bernard and the See of S. Dauid Match West an 1115. Matth. Par. an 1115. Godwin supr Girald Lambr in Itiner Camb. Topogr Harps secul 12. cap. 46. Soe it is euident that from the beginning thereof to the endinge of the same the Archiepiscopall See of Walles depended of the Pope of Rome and it was not hee but the Acts of their owne Bishops which ouerthrew the dignitie priuiledges of it which the Popes had graunted and confirmed Of the Popes power here after the cominge of S. Augustine there is noe denial amonge Protestants all generally consentinge that from that time now aboue a thousand yeares the Popes supreamacy euer ruled here in spirituall thinges hee chaunged the Metropolitone See of London to Canterbury constituted that of Yorke interdicted our vniuersities constituted Bishops in places as seemed best to him Kinge Ethelbert chaunged his lawes and receaued the customes of the Romans cassatis paternis legibus nouas Sapientum consilio iuxta Romanorum consuetudines Anglorum sermone constituit Bal. centur 1. in Ethelberto The greate flaterer of King Henry the eight whoe first denied the Popes supreamacy and tooke it to himselfe Polidor Vergil speaketh of that parlament Polidor Verg. l. 27. pag. 689 Habetur concilium Londini in quo ecclesia Anglicana formam potestatis nallis ante temporibus visam induit Henricus enim Rex caput ipsius ecclesiae constituitur A parlament is held at London in which the church of England did put on a forme of power neuer seene in any time before for Kinge Henry was made head of the church The first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury speaking of the lawes of that parlament plainely confesseth Matth. Parker antiquit Britan. in Tho. Cramner pag. 329. His legibus potentia papalis quae nongentis amplius annis in Anglia durauit facile concidit By these lawes the power of the Pope which had continued here in England aboue neyne hundred yeares was easely ouerthrowne The present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury director to Francis Mason and hee with others in their booke of pretended consecration of Bishops speaking of the same Matthew Parker Fran Mason Booke of consecrat 3. cap. 4. pag. 131. vit Matth. Parkeri say Concerninge Archbishop Parker beeing the 70. Archbishop after Austin yett of all that number hee was the onely man and the first of all which receaued consecration without the Popes Bulls To this this man himself together with their Protestant Bishop Godwin Goceline and others in the liues of the Archbishops of England doe plainely testifie to this all antiquities and antiquaries agree none dissenteth Matth. Parker in antiq Britan. Godwin Catalog in Canterbury and Yorke Goceline in epist THE XI CHAPTER How by these Protestants the Britans and Scots which opposed against S. Gregories disciples did take vpon then greater or as ample power in Princes matters as euer the Popes of Rome or their Legates did in this kingedome BEcause our Protestant Antiquaries and writers of England doe with a common consent agree in this that the Britans at the coming of S. Augustine hither from S. Gregory did truely and inuiolably keepe in all points that holy Religion which was planted here in the Apostles time especially they which at the first opposed against the proceedings of that our holy Apostles Matth. Park antiq Britan. pag. 1. Godwin Conuers pag. 43.44 Bal. l. 2. de Act. Pont. Rom. in Gregor 1. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. cap. 9. Dauid Povvel in annot in l. 2. Girald Cambr. Itiner Cambr. c. 1. Holinsh. histor of Engl. cap. 21. pag. 102. Fulk Ansvv. to a count cath pag. 40. therefore to walke still by their directions lett vs now learne of them what was the opinion and practice of those Scots and Britrans in this question of Iurisdiction in spiritual Rulers claimed and deriued from whomesoeuer they will or any of them shall please though it is euidently proued in all ages before that neuer any such was practized here but that which was deriued and approued from and by the Apostolick Roman See And wee shall plainely see that these their soe much by them commended gayne-saiers to S Augustine and the Pope alsoe as many of these men contend did further intermeddle with Princes and temporall affaires then the Popes of Rome or any their Legats in this kingedome our Protestant Antiquaries with others write of Kinge Frequahard or Frechard the first of Scotland sonne to Eugenius in this maner Hect. Boeth lib 9. fol. 179. pag. 1. Georg. Buchan Rer. Scotic lib. 5. Reg. 52. pag. 160. Holinsh. histor of Scotand in Frequahard pag. 112. Frequahard besides other his vvicked behauiours vvas alsoe infected vvith the erroneous opinion of the Pelagian heresie Which suspition vvas the more increased for that hee vsed to haue sondry Brittish preists in his company the vvhich nation had beene euer noted vvith the spot of that damnable infection The nobilitie of the Realme moued herevvith sommoned him to come to a councell vvhich they had appointed to hold of all the states that they might there vnderstand if it vvere true or not vvhich vvas commonly reported of him But hee refusinge to come they assembled together and beseiged him in a castle vvherein hee had inclosed himselfe and vvinning the place got him into their hands and immediately thereuppon committed him to safe keepinge This done they consult together for the administration of the Realme vvhether they should quite depose Frequahard or restore him to his place Then it followerh how they deposed him and sent to S. Fiacre his Brother then an Eremite in Fraunce to gouerne the kingedome but hee refused it Then these Protestants add Holinsh Buch. supr Hect. Boeth supr The Lords of the land assembled themselues together in Argile about the choosinge of a nevv kinge vvhere by common consent Domoald the third sonne of Eugenius beeing called thither vvith Bishop Conan out of the I le of Man vvas inuested kinge vvith greate ioy and triumph Where wee see that S. Fiacre though next heire liuinge in Fraunce where the Popes Authoritie was generally embraced would