over-against Jerusalem to the East And St. Jerom testifies That the same footsteps of our Lord imprinted on the ground were shewn in his time so as though the Earth were continually taken away by the Devotion of Christians yet these Holy footsteps did receive and retain their former state Sulpitius Severus relates a strange story namely That the place where our Lords feet at his Ascention stood could not be continu'd to the rest of the Pavement about it for whensoever Marble was laid on it the Earth refus'd to receive it casting the Stones oft times upwards in the Faces of those which apply'd them and the footsteps of our Lord there seen are a lasting Monument that the Dust there had been trod on by our Saviour To this Beda adds That whereas the Temple built over this place consisted of three Stories the uppermost whereof were Vaulted with Arches that which was the lowest and most inward could by no Art or Labour be clos'd with a Vault The Holy Empress was now in earnest quest of the Holy Cross on which our Lord perfected the Redemption of Mankind by the Apparition of which her Son had been lately drawn to Faith and Baptism A Rumour there was that it was still extant and hid up in some of those Holy places but where to find it was the difficulty several places thereabout were dig'd but all in vain at last the Religious Lady was by a Coelestial Admonition inform'd where it lay Whereupon causing all the Rubbish to be remov'd she found under ground three Crosses in a confus'd order whereby her joy was diminish'd by the uncertainty which was the true one there was also found with them the Title which had been written by Pilate in Greek Latin and Hebrew Letters but being separated gave no token to discern which was our Lords Cross In this doubtfulness the only remedy was by Prayer to beg a Divine Testimony At the same time there was in the City a Woman of quality who lay Sick of a Grievous Disease ready to Expire Macarius Bishop of Jerusalem seeing the Empress so sollicitous to discover the true Cross commanded that all-three should be brought not doubting but that God would discover the true one and being enter'd with the Empress into the Sick Womans Chamber Pray'd That God would be pleas'd to shew unto them which of those three Crosses was imploy'd to glorisie our Lord and which for the punishments of the Malefactors and that this discovery might be made by the restoring of the Woman half dead upon the touches of the True Cross The first and second were apply'd without any avail or effect but as soon as the third was apply'd unto her she open'd her Eyes and rose up in perfect Health and went about her House with great alacrity Praising and Glorifying the Power of God. And thus was the Empress satisfy'd in her longing desire by the Attestation of many Ecclesiastical Writers so as in memory of this saving sign she Dedicated a peculiar Church and for the Cross it self thus found she sent part of it to the Emperour to be Honourably bestow'd in his Palace the remainder she enclos'd in a Box of Silver and gave it to the Bishop of Jerusalem to be reserv'd as a Monument of our Salvation and for many years after upon the day of our Lords Resurrection it was produc'd with Veneration by the Bishop and expos'd also to the People to be by them likewise Venerated That part which was sent to Constantine he enclos'd in a Statue of his own which was plac'd on a mighty Pillar of Porphyry in the Market-place of Constantinople and was by him esteem'd as a mighty Bulwark of his Empire The Nails which pierc'd our Saviours Sacred flesh were artificially enclos'd in the Emperour's Helmet as a Guard for his Head. One of them indeed in a great Tempest the Empress threw into the Adriatick Sea and by that means as is presum'd sav'd her self and Company from Shipwrack Our Helena being a British Princess drawing near the end of her Life increas'd in her Zeal and Piety her Humility and Devout respect to Holy Virgins Consecrated to the Service of God appear'd by this example That she invited some of them to Dinner and thought it not enough that her Maids should attend upon them but girding her self after the manner of a waiting Maid set Meat upon the Table gave them Drink and pour'd Water on their Hands Thus though an Empress she esteem'd her self no better than a a Servant and Handmaid of Christ and his Virgins In all her Progress through the Eastern Provinces she largely express'd her wonderful Munificence giving innumerable Gifts not only to particular Persons but to whole Cities she largely reliev'd the Poor such as were condemn'd to work in Mines or perpetual Imprisonment she set at liberty the Oppress'd she deliver'd from fraud and injury and the Banish'd she restor'd to their own Country In her return out of Palestine into Greece she pass'd by Drepanum in Bithynia where repos'd the Body of the Glorious Martyr Lucianus as soon as she saw his Relicks neglected without any mark of Honour or Reverence she caus'd a Sumptuous Church to be Built over them and enlarg'd the place into a City with Walls and Bulwarks call'd by her Son after her Name Helenopolis Moreover this Holy Empress in her Progress through the East having been inform'd where the Bodies of the three Wise men who came to Bethlehem to Adore our new-born Saviour repos'd brought them with her to her Son Constantine who Reverently laid them in the chief Church of his new City from whence they were translated to Milan and from thence to Colen where they now are Celebrated with great Veneration In such Pious Works did this Holy Empress conclude her Worldly Pilgrimage It is most probable she Deceas'd at Rome Aged above 80 years and was there Honourably Interr'd her occasion of returning thither was after the laudable custom of Christians in those days to visit the Sepulchres of the two chief Apostles She brought with her to Rome a part of the Holy Cross which with great Veneration she plac'd in a Church there Built at her Request by her Son call'd by the Title of the Holy Cross It is reported She spent her last days in great Devotion and approaching to her Death after her receiving the Sacraments of the Church she was comforted with a Vision of our Lord Jesus encompass'd with a multitude of Angels and holding his Cross shining with inexpressible Brightness Eusebius testisies That her Son Constantine with all humble respect attended her in her Sickness and was present at her Death having receiv'd many Devout Exhortations and the Benediction of a Parent from her Such was the Emperour's Piety and Respect to his Mother that she is said To have reign'd as Empress with him to be stil'd Augusta to be transfer'd into the Flavian Family so that many Golden Coins were made and stamp'd with her Image After her Death her
the weight and troubles of Government would have resign'd the Province to Carantac but he loving the Caelestial King more than an Earthly Kingdom fled away and having bought a Wallet and Staff of a poor man by Gods Conduct was brought to a Pleasant place where he reposing himself built an Oratory and spent his time in the Praises of God At last he pass'd over into Ireland invited by his Affection to St. Patrick when he came thither it was agreed between them that one of them should travel Preaching the Gospel toward the Right Hand and the other towards the Left In their company many Ecclesiastical persons attended them and they all agreed to meet once a year at an appointed place Where ever this Holy man Carantac went an Angel of our Lord in the likeness of a Dove accompanied him and chang'd his Name into Cernach being an Irish Appellation All along his Voyage he wrought great Miracles for the Confirmation of the Faith he Preach'd Healing many thousand of their Diseases The grace at first given to the Apostles is said to have been plentifully bestow'd on him He was counted an admirable Soldier and Champion of Christ a Spiritual and Devout Abbot refusing to Preach Saving Truth unto none He spent many years in that Island where he brought an incredible number to wash away their sins by Pennance by day and night offering innumerable Prayers to God and having Converted many People to our Lord who wrought many Miracles by him He at last return'd to his Native Country where he retir'd to his former Cave accompanied with many Disciples There having built a Church he determin'd to abide but not long after being admonish'd by a Voice from Heaven he return'd into Ireland where in a good Old Age and full of good Works he rested in Peace and was buried in his own City from him call'd Cherach I shall here add the Gests of another British Saint and Companion of St. Patrick into Ireland call'd Luman Son of Gollitus a Brittain and Nephew to St. Patrick by his Sister Tigridia He was the Founder of the Church of Trim in Ireland the occasion and manner whereof is thus related by Bishop Vsher St. Luman came to the Ford of Truim which runs before the Castle of Fiedilmed Son of Loiguor And early in the morning Froitchern Son of Fiedilmed found him Preaching the Gospel of Christ who wondering at the Doctrine taught by him presently believ'd and was Baptiz'd in Christ by Luman at a Fountain arising in the same place and stay'd with him until his Mother who sought after him came to the same place She was over-joy'd at the sight of the Holy man because she also came out of Britain and being instructed by him likewise believ'd and returning Home told her Husband what had hapned to her self and her Son Fiedelmed was much joy'd at the arrival of Luman because his Mother call'd Schotnoesa had been the Daughter of a British Prince Fiedilmed therefore went to him and Saluted him in the British Language questioning him in particular touching his Descent and Doctrine who answer'd That his Name was Luman a Brittain a Christian and Disciple of the Holy Bishop S. Patrick sent as he said by God to Convert the Inhabitants of that Country to the Faith of Christ and Baptize them Fiedilmed immediately believ'd with his whole Family and offer'd him and St. Patrick his whole Territory with his Son. Fiedilmed remov'd his Habitation beyond the River Boindeo but Luman with Froitchern stay'd at the Ford of Truim 'till St. Patrick came thither where they joyntly erected a Church about 12 years before the Church of Armagh Attimachae was founded the beginning of which Arch-Episcopal Church the Annals of Ulster ascribe to the year of Grace 444. We may now not unfitly treat of St. Benignus as his Story may be found in the Antiquities of Glastonbury The Venerable Bishop St. Patrick Preaching the Gospel through the Provinces of Ireland came to a plain call'd Brey or Breg very Spacious and Beautiful with which being delighted he determin'd there to Celebrate the Feast of Easter then at hand His first Acquaintance and Familiarity in that Province was with a man whom he had newly Converted to the Faith with him St. Patrick Lodg'd This man had a Young Child call'd Beonna who bore a tender Affection to the Saint he would often play with him and Kiss his Foot the Child would not sleep but when he lay with the Holy Bishop He therefore Prophetically perceiving the great Grace which the Divine Bounty would confer upon the Child vouchsafed to take him to his Bed and gave him the Name of Benignus When the Holy Bishop was ready to proceed in his Journey the Child with Pittiful cries beg'd to go along with him so as the Bishop was forc'd to receive him into his Waggon and Prophecy'd that he should be his Successor in the Bishoprick which accordingly came to pass This was the first Solemnity of Easter which the Holy Bishop Celebrated in Ireland and he did it by imitating the Son of God who at his last Supper with his Disciples Consecrated his Body and Blood for the Redemption of Mankind The day before this great Feast of our Lords Resurrection St. Patrick according to an Ecclesiastical Rite as Probus observes then in use Kindled the Holy fire the Flame whereof shone brightly about the place According to the custom of that Country it was it seems Vnlawful for any to Light a Fire before it was kindled in the Kings Palace The King whose Name was Logorius perceiving the brightness of the Flame in great indignation threatn'd Death to him who had infring'd that custom in his Kingdom His Magicians about him to incense him further told the King That the Fire which had so been kindled against Law unless presently extinguish'd would never cease to the Worlds end but obscure all the Fires which they kindled according to their custom and that the man who lighted it would be the destruction of his Kingdom While St. Patrick with great success thus labour'd in the Gospel Britain was Illustrated with the Memory of another great St. Winwaloc the Son of a Noble Person call'd Fracan Cousin-German of a British Prince Nam'd Coton This St. Winwaloc is said to have been from his Childhood inflam'd with an earnest desire of Heavenly things to despise Worldly Allurements and to live to God only wherefore he besought his Parents that he might be commended to the care of a certain Religious man to be by him imbew'd in the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and Documents of Piety his request being obtain'd he made wonderful progress in Virtue and Holiness under that Religious mans Discipline insomuch that when he was but seven years Old he became an example of all Piety and Goodness In process of time having undertaken a Monastical Profession Divine Graces shone more brightly in him so as he became withall enrich'd with the Gift of Prophecy Many Miracles God
the second Order receiv'd the right Order of Celebrating Mass out of Britain from Holy men there living as St. David St. Gildas and St. Doc Moreover St. David sent over some of his Disciples into Ireland who grew famous for their Learning and Sanctity of whom the most Illustrious was St. Aedan call'd by the Irish St. Madoc After he grew renown'd for his Piety and Miracles he built at length a Monastery near the City of Fernes where having collected a great number of Devout Brethren he Consecrated himself to the Service of God living according to the form and rule which he had receiv'd from his Pious Father St. David the same which was observ'd by the Monks in Aegypt This St. Aedan was afterwards Bishop of Fernes and Metropolitan of Leinster while St. David liv'd whom he us'd to consult in Affairs of difficulty After many years spent by the Holy Bishop David in the exercise of all Christian Virtues it pleas'd Almighty God in love to him and just anger to the Ungrateful Britains to translate this burning and shining Light from Earth to Heaven there to shine in Glory to all Eternity According to the best account He dy'd in the year of Grace 544. having liv'd 82 years though some writers affirm him to have liv'd much longer It is said That when the hour of his Dissolution approach'd the Angel of the Lord appear'd to him saying The day so much desir'd by thee is now at hand prepare thy self for on the Calends of March our Lord Jesus Christ attended with a multitude of Angels will come to meet thee Whereupon the Holy man of God said O Lord dismiss now thy Servant in Peace The Brethren who assisted him having heard the sound of these words but not well understanding the sense fell Prostrate to the ground in great fear Then the Holy Bishop cry'd with a loud voice Lord Jesus Christ receive my Spirit Vpon this the Brethren pour'd forth loud Complaints but he asswag'd their sorrow with mild and comfortable words exhorting them to be constant in their good profession and unanimously to bear to the end that yoak which they had undergone and to observe and fulfill whatever they had seen or heard from him and from that hour to the day of his death he remain'd in the Church exhorting and encouraging them But when the hour of his departure was come our Lord Jesus Christ vouchsafed his presence as he had promis'd by his Angel to the infinite Consolation of the Holy Father who at the Heavenly sight exalted in Spirit cry'd out O my Lord take me after thee With which words in our Lords company he gave up his Spirit to God upon the Calends fore-mention'd and being associated to a troop of Angels mounted up to Heaven with them The Death of this Holy Bishop is said to have been divulg'd by an Angel and in an Instant spread through all Britain and Ireland That this was so seems to be confirm'd by a passage in the Life of St. Kentigern of whom it is said That having one day continu'd his Prayers with more then ordinary Devotion his face seem'd as on fire the sight whereof fill'd the by-standers with great amazement when Prayers were ended the Saint began to lament bitterly and when his Disciples demanded a reason of his sorrow he sate a while silent and at last said My dear Children know for certain that the Holy Bishop David the Glory of Britain the Father of his Country is this day dead he has escap'd out of the Prison of his Body and is flown to Heaven Believe me I my self have seen a multitude of Angels conducting him into the Joy of our Lord and our Lord himself at the Entrance of Paradice hath Crown'd him with Glory and Honour Know also that Britain which is depriv'd of so great a Light will a long time mourn for the Absence of such a Patron who oppos'd himself to the Sword of our Lord when it was half drawn out for the destruction of that Nation in revenge of their Sins and Impenitence Now will God deliver up Britain to a strange Nation which know him not and Pagans shall enjoy the land of its Inhabitants Christian Religion shall be utterly dissipated in it 'till the time prefix'd by God be ended But after that it shall through the Mercies of our Lord be restor'd to its former state yea to a far better and more Happy St. David was Buried in his own Church of Menevia which he had lov'd above all Monasteries of his Diocess because St. Patrick who had Prophesied of his Nativity had been Founder of it And also indeed he was bury'd there by the command of Malgo King of the Venedatae But after 500 years he was Solemnly Canoniz'd by Pope Calixtus the second This Church at first was Dedicated to St. Andrew but after took St. David for its Patron and the whole Diocess was thence call'd St. David's The memory of his Sanctity was so precious that within a few years after his Death the visiting of his Church prov'd a great Devotion of those times St. Oudoceus Successor of St. Thelian in the Bishoprick of Landaff after a Pilgrimage to visit the Monuments of the Holy Apostles at Rome made another to this Church of St. David and after when any one had a desire to go in Devotion to Rome and was hindred by dangers or difficulties he might equal the merit of such a Pilgrimage by twice visiting this Church of St. David perhaps as a compensation allow'd by the Pope St. Kinoc or Cenac was St. David's Successor translated thither from the See of St. Patern of whom and other Successors in the See of St. David little is found To keep the story of this worthy Bishop entire some interruption may be observ'd to have been made in the order of Time. It is therefore requisite to return to its due course In the year of Grace 532. Otta King of Kent dy'd leaving his Son Irmeric Successor in his Kingdom who was Illustrious for nothing more than that he was the Father of Ethelbert the first Christian King among the Saxons Two years after dy'd also Cerdic King of the West-Saxons in the 16th year of his Reign to whom succeeded his Son Kenric in all his Dominions except the Isle of Wight which he left to his Sisters Son Whitgar whom he lov'd especially for his Military Skill The great Commotions in Britain and Cruelty of the Saxons compell'd many to seek the means of serving God abroad amongst whom was a Holy Priest call'd John who retir'd to Tours in France there to live in Prayers and Solitude but after his Death his Sanctity by the good pleasure of God was made known by a Miracle thus related by that famous Bishop St. Gregory of Tours Not far from the Church of Caion saith he rests the Body of a Priest Nam'd John by Nation a Britain who living here with great Devotion and Sanctity Our Lord was pleas'd by him Miraculously to
the Reign of the Emperour Titus After the Death of Nero Cruel to himself his own Mother the poor Christians and indeed to all Mankind and the barbarous extinguisher of those two most Glorious Lights then shining in the World St. Peter and St. Paul the Family of the Caesars failing four Emperours were set up and pulled down within the space of two years Vespasian only excepted who becoming Conquerour at last settled the Empire and restored Peace The Romans in Britain were unconcern'd in these Broils and were well affected to Vespasian who by his Deputy Frontinus placed a Legion in Caerleon St. Joseph after a Solitary Life led at Glastonbury where he seems to Institute a Monastical Profession with his said Companions and such other Holy Persons as his and their Labours had Converted to the Faith Died their about the said 82 year of our Lords Incarnation and was Buried at Glastonbury as his Companions also were in or near the Church Built by him where since innumerable Converts and Christians have been Interred It is thought the Body of this Renowned Saint was deposited in a Cave over which a Chappel was after Built to his Honour as this Epitaph there found imports Ad Britones veni post quam Christum Sepelivi Dorni requievi His Reliques not having been discover'd some Devout persons in the days of Edward the III. obtain'd leave to search for them The Patent for that purpose is yet extant to this effect That a supplication having been made by John Blome of London wherein he affirms that he had received a command from Heaven diligently to seek till he could find the Body of the Noble Councellor Joseph of Arimathaea which reposes in Christ within the limits of Glastonbury Monastery and which for the Saints Honour was to be discover'd in those times And for that it appear'd by Antient Records that his Body was there buried The said King if so desirous to bestow due Honours to the Monument and Venerable Reliques of him who exprest so great Piety and Charity to our dying Redeemer that he took his Body from the Cross and plac'd it ina New Monument which he had built for himself and hoping that by the revealing of his Holy Reliques greater Grace and Favour should be shew'd by God to him and his Kingdom did give and grant permission as much as in him lay to the said John Blome to dig where he should find it expedient within the precincts of the said Monastery in order to the searching out of the said precious Reliques according to the Injunction and Revelation made unto him provided he did it with the consent of the Abbot and without prejudice to the Monastery What was found upon this search doth not appear but the Piety and Devotion of the King may be easily collected The same Monuments which inform us of the Life Death and Burial of St. Joseph at Glastonbury as an unquestionable Tradition in all Ages agreed unto by Britains Saxons Danes and Normans do likewise testifie That he brought with him into Britain two Silver Vessels fill'd with the Blood of our Saviour Christ which were buried with him in his Tomb Several Proofs hereof were extant even to the days of Queen Elizabeth amongst others the Narration of William Good a Jesuit who was born in the Reign of Henry the 8th and bred up in his Childhood at Glastonbury and affirms That in his time certain Brass-plates were Engraven to perpetuate the memory of these things as also Chappels Grots Crosses Arms and the observation of the Festival of St. Joseph on the sixth of the Calends of August which remain'd as long as the Monks enjoy'd the Charters of their Munificent and Royal Benefactors but are now buried in the ruines of the place He confesseth never any Monk knew the certain place of this Saints Sepulcher The common report was it was extreamly deep under ground somewhere in or about Hambdenhill but when ever the Saints Body shall be found multitudes would resort to it invited with the great and innumerable Miracles which should be there wrought He remembers to have seen upon a Stone-Cross which was demolish'd in Queen Elizabeth's days a Plate of Brass on which was written That in the 30th year after the Passion of our Lord Joseph of Arimathaea with 11 or 12 Companions came into Britain and were permitted by King Arvitagus to abide at Glaston then called Avallonia like Solitary men and that he brought with him two small Silver Vessels of the Sacred Blood and Water which flow'd out of Christ's side after his death And that a Cross was there Erected many years before to shew the length of the Chappel which St. Joseph built of wailed Roddes of the most Holy Virgin on the out-side of the Wall of which Chappel were Engraven in Antient Characters JESUS MARIA There were then other Remarks and Footsteps of these Truths to be there found Now that St. Joseph and Nicodemus also with due veneration gather'd the Blood of our Lord which for many Ages was Piously Worshiped by Devout Christians both in the East and West is testified by divers Antient Histories and Martyrologies and to this purpose it is remarkable what Matthew Paris hath related in the year of our Lord God 1247. Namely That then the Master of the Temple and Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem sent a certain portion of the Blood of our Lord shed upon the Cross in a most Beautiful Christal Glass by a Brother of the Temple which Present was confirm'd by the then Patriarch of Jerusalem by Archbishops Bishops Abbots and other Prelates and Noblemen then dwelling in the Holy-Land The said Historian further declaring at large With what Honour and Reverence this Holy Treasure was entertain'd by King Henry the III. and his whole Clergy and Nobility And at the same time to give satisfaction to doubting Minds Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln the Glory of that Age for Piety and Learning affords us a large Narration of the Fact to the effect following That Joseph of Arimathaea a Noble Councellour and one of the Hearers of Jesus or his Disciple rather out of tender compassion was very sollicitous how his venerable Body might be preserv'd from the rage of the Jews Howbeit both He and Nicodemus and other rich men though most cordial Lovers of Jesus yet conceal'd their Affection for fear of their Estates Nevertheless when Jesus was Crucify'd Joseph went boldly to Pilate and beg'd the Body of Jesus and by Pilat 's permission notwithstanding the murmuring of the Jews with all due Honour and Reverence took down the most Holy Body from the Cross all mangled and bloody and with a fine Linnen-cloath Devoutly and carefully wip'd the Sacred Wounds as yet moist and distilling and having drawn the Nails out of the Wounds he wip'd and cleans'd them at the Cross and then carrying the Body from Golgotha he laid it in a new Tomb where never any body had been laid and which was decently cut out of
he gather'd into a Flock the remainder of those who had been Converted by St. Joseph of Arimathaea and his Companions consirming them in the same Faith. This St. Marcellus was afterwards ordain'd Bishop of Tongres and Triers these two Cities being govern'd at that time by one Bishop In the Annals of which Church we read That Lucius King of Britain was made a Christian and Baptiz'd by this Marcellus a Teacher of the Inhabitants of Triers Yet there are more Authentick Testimonies demonstrating That he was Baptiz'd by Fugatius and Damianus sent by Pope Eleutherius This Holy Bishop Marcellus was the first Britain who suffer'd Martyrdom out of this Island as St. Alban was the first who suffer'd within it his Sufferings were in a great Persecution rais'd by Marcus Aurelius the Successor of Antoninus Together with Marcellus there came from Rome another Illustrious Saint of Noble Birth and Plentiful Fortunes which yet he relinquish'd that with the more freedom he might Preach Christ Crucify'd This Timotheus was the Son of Pudens a Roman Senator and of his Wife suppos'd to be the famous Claudia the British Lady forespoken of He was also Brother of Novatus as also of S. Pudentiana and Praxedes whose memories are Anniversarily celebrated by the Catholick Church His coming hither is a considerable proof that his Mother was a Britain It may be collected out of the Ecclesiastical Offices that Pudentiana a Virgin with her Sister Praxedes the Daughters of Pudens practising the Duties of Christian Religion with admirable Piety Sold her Patrimony and distributed to the Poor the Money thence arising giving her self wholly to Fasting and Prayer by her Zeal and endeavours her whole Family consisting of 96. persons was Converted to the Faith and Baptiz'd by Pope Pius And the publick Sacrifices being forbidden by Antoninus the Holy Pope Celebrated the Divine Mysteries with other Christians in the House of Pudentiana who afforded those Holy Persons all necessary Sustenance and being thus imploy'd in such Offices of Piety she dy'd the 14th of the Calends of June in the year of our Lord 161. and was bury'd in the Coemetery of Priscilla in the Salarian way Her Brother Novatus dy'd the year following concerning whose Death there is a Letter yet extant from Pastor a Holy Priest from Rome to Timotheus then imploy'd in his Apostolick Office in Britain signifying unto him That the venerable Virgin Praxedes was in great affliction for the death of her Sister Pudentiana Pope Pius and many Honourable Christians came to comfort her and amongst the rest her Brother Novatus who about two months after he departed from his Sister Praxedes fell sick and was forthwith visited by the Holy Pope and Praxedes as also by other godly persons to his great Comfort That Novatus in the presence of those persons declar'd his Will and bequeath'd all his Estate to Timotheus and Praxedes and shortly after departed in the Lord. And by this Letter Pastor desir'd To know of Timotheus how he would have the Estate of his Brother Novatus dispos'd to the end that what the said Timotheus directed might be observ'd therein To which Letter Timotheus is said to give this Pious Answer Persum'd with Christian Charity wherein after a Salutation savouring of the Holy simplicity of that Age and desire to be recommended to the Memory and Intercession of the Holy Apostles the Prelate of the Apostolick See and all Saints he signifies his desire That what ever share was given to him by his Brother Novatus should be at the dispose of his Holy Sister Praxedes and the Holy Priest Pastor to whom he return'd his Answer Which was after shown to Pope Pius who gave thanks to the Father Almighty and after at the request of Praxedes Dedicated a Church in the Baths of Novatus at Rome in the Bricklayers-street where the Holy Pope also constituted a Roman Title and consecrated a Font for Baptism Those Titles were for the most part signify'd by Crosses and were first in the nature of particular Parishes by Pope Evaristus assign'd to the cure of particular Priests The Bathes which are here nam'd from Novatus have elsewere their denomination from Timotheus and were scituated upon the mountain called Viminal And in Truth the Christians privately resorted to this place for the celebration of their Divine Mysteries before any Church was Solemnly Consecrated there as may be found in the Acts of Justin the Philosopher who calls it the Timothean Bath The same year that Novatus dy'd the Emperour Antoninus ended his Life after him succeeded Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus joyntly governing the Empire with equal Authority In the second year of these Emperours dy'd the Holy Virgin Praxedes the particulars of whose death are recorded by Pastor in this manner Two years and 18 days after this Church was Dedicated there was a great Persecution rais'd against Christians to enforce them to Worship Idols and many were Crown'd with Martyrdom Now the Holy Virgin Praxedes fervent in the Holy Ghost secretly conceal'd many good Christians in the said Title or Church whose bodies she strengthen'd with Food and their minds with Exhortations proceeding from Gods spirit Insomuch as notice was given to Aurelius that Christian Assemblies were made in her House he then sent his Officers thither who laid hold on Symitrius a Priest and 22 persons more all which the Cruel Emperour commanded to be put to Death in the same Title without any Examination their Bodies Praxedes took by night and bury'd in the Coemetery of Priscilla but soon after afflicted for the suffering of the Saints with many Groans she Pray'd that she might pass out of this Life her Prayers found access unto our Lord Jesus for in the 44th day after the Martyrdom of the fore-mention'd Saints she went unto the Lord and Pastor the Priest bury'd her Body in her Fathers Coemetery of Priscilla upon the Salarian-way This Persecution was begun at the Instigation of Heathen Philosophers especially of the beastly Cynicks particularly of Crescence that infamous Wretch mention'd with indignation by Justin Martyr Thus much is deliver'd concerning the Holy Children of Pudens the Roman Senator in the Acts of whom our Nation had an Interest partly in regard their Mother was a British Lady and that Timotheus was their Brother who exercis'd his Apostolick Office in this Island and no doubt had a great influence in disposing the mind of King Lucius towards the Christian Faith of Timotheus little more is written saving that after the Death of his Sister Praxedes he return'd to Rome where he became a Prey to those Sensual Philosophers and ended his Life by Martyrdom with his worthy Companion Marcus as appears by an Epistle of Pope Pius wherein amongst other things he declares S. Timotheus and Marcus to have ended their Lives by a Happy Conflict And he concludes his Letter to the Bishop unto whom it was directed thus Take care dear Brother that thou follow these Saints in imitating their zeal and freeing thy self from the Chains
fury of a whole Legion of Devils envying their design for the Salvation of Souls is said to have assail'd them dangers appear on every side Storms are rais'd Darkness covers the Heavens and that Darkness becomes more terrible by the fearful swelling of the Sea and rage of the Air no longer are the Sails able to sustain the fury of the Winds nor the Boat able to resist the Mountains of Waters dashing against it so that the Ship was carried forward rather by their Prayers than the skill or force of the Mariners The prime Pilot St. Germanus was then securely compos'd in sleep and the Ship ready to sink so that St. Lupus and the Company were fain to awake the Old man who was only able to withstand the fury of the enrag'd Elements He not at all astonish'd at the danger Addresses his Prayers to our Lord and his Threats to the unruly Ocean To the raging storm he opposes the cause of Religion which invited them to that Voyage and presently with a little quantity of Oyl which he Blessed in the Name of the Holy Trinity and then sprinkled upon the Waves he overcame their fury His Collegue he admonish'd the rest he encourag'd so that with one breath and clamour Prayers were pour'd forth to our Lord and immediately the Divine Virtue shew'd it self present the Infernal Enemies were dissipated a calm tranquillity ensu'd the Windes and Waves became serviceable to the Voyage and all things concurr'd to their safe Arrival in a quiet and secure Haven Several examples of the like effects wrought by common Oyl Blessed in this manner may be found in several Authors These two Holy men being Landed great multitudes from several quarters met to receive them having as is said been inform'd of their coming by the Predictions of Wicked Spirits who were afrighted thereat and declar'd openly their tampering by Tempests and otherwise to hinder the Passage of these Holy Men and that by their Power and Sanctity they had at last been vanquish'd and disappointed These Venerable Bishops soon fill'd the whole Island with their Fame Preaching and Miracles they were so over-press'd with multitudes resorting to them that they Preach'd Gods Word not only in Churches but in Lanes and High-ways whereby Catholicks were confirm'd in the Faith and those who had been deprav'd reduc'd to the Church The Authority of their Holyness the Eminence of their Learning the wonder of their Miracles gave them the esteem and Honour of Apostles and reduc'd the whole Island to the acknowledgement of their Doctrine The promoters of the contrary perswasion crept into dark Holes vex'd as the wicked Spirits were to see the People freed from their Snares Yet at last after long study and meditation they presum'd to enter into a Dispute with these Apostolick men The Pelagians are said to come Pompously attended by their flattering Disciples and rather chose to run the hazard of a conflict than by their Silence confess they had an ill Cause Infinite numbers were assembled with their Wives and Children to hear this Dispute The Disputants stood on each side of much different condition on the one side was placed Divine Authority on the other Humane presumption here Orthodox Faith there Perfidious Errour here Christ was Author there Pelagius The Holy Bishops gave free scope of disputing to the Pelagians who vainly spent the time and tyr'd the Auditory with empty Verbal Discourses But after them the Venerable Bishops poured forth the torrent of their Eloquence accompanied with Evangelical thunder with their own Discourses Texts of Divine Scripture the word of God giving witness to their Assertions And thus vanity became convinc'd and Perfidiousness confuted so as the Hereticks by their inability to reply acknowledg'd their guilt and the People standing by as Judges could scarce contain their Hands from violence towards them and with Clamours resounded the Victory Immediately a Tribune of the Army with his Wife leading in their hands their young Daughter about ten years Old being Blind came into the midst of the Assembly and presented their blind Child to the Bishops desiring their help for her Cure They had formerly offer'd her in vain to the adverse Party who likewise stricken with a guilty Conscience joyn with the Parents in their entreaties to the Holy Prelates in behalf of the Child They perceiving the expectation of the People and the Conviction of their Adversaries address themselves to God by short Prayer Then St. Germanus full of the Holy Ghost invok'd the Blessed Trinity and taking from his Neck a little Box full of Holy Relicks in the sight of the whole Multitude he apply'd it to the Eyes of the young Maid which immediately loosing their former Darkness were fill'd with a new Light from Heaven At this so apparent Miracle the Parents rejoyce and the People tremble After this day all mens minds were so clearly purg'd from this impious Heresie that with thirsting desire they receiv'd the Doctrine of these Holy Bishops Perverse Heresie thus repell'd and the Authors of it confuted the Holy Bishops repair'd to the Sepulchre of St. Albanus intending to give Thanks to God by his intercession and having with them Relicks of all the Apostles and divers Martyrs after Prayer made commanded the Sepulchre to be open'd and there with great Reverence laid up those precious Gifts thinking it convenient that the same Repository should contain the Members of many Saints out of divers Regions whom Heaven had receiv'd and Crown'd for the equality of their Merits St. German then caus'd to be dig'd up from the place where the Blessed Martyr St. Alban had shed his Blood a Masse of dry'd Earth which he intended to take with him in which were then extant Marks of the Martyrs death and the Paleness of his Persecutors These things being thus perform'd an innumerable multitude is said to be that day Converted to our Lord The little Box of Sacred Relicks it is reported after St. Germans death came to the Hands of the Empress Galla Placidia as Heir only of his Benediction The malicious Enemy of mankind busie to entrap the Holy Bishop St. German in some mischief found out the means by a casual Fall to put his Foot out of Joynt Now while by reason of this Infirmity he was constrain'd to abide in a certain Lodging a Fire happen'd to break out in some Houses not far from it which being cover'd with Thatch were quickly devour'd and the Fire driven forward by Wind soon approach'd to his Lodging whereupon a great concourse of People came to the Venerable Bishop in a great fright intending to take him in their Arms and carry him out of danger but he reprehended them and refus'd to remove having a firm Faith that no evil should happen to him The multitude then despairing of his Safety endeavour to stop the Progress of the flames Howbeit Almighty God to exalt his own Power and his Servants Faith so order'd that whatever the People endeavour'd to preserve was consum'd only
the place where the sick Saint lay was preserv'd for the flames as if afraid to touch him flew quite over his lodging though on each side of it they rag'd with violence but left it untouch'd The multitude seeing this rejoyc'd and were well pleas'd that their Labours and Endeavours had been over-master'd by Divine Power Whilst this Holy man lay there he was watch'd and attended by a numberless multitude some seeking Health for their Souls some for there Bodies The wonderful Miracles which our Lord wrought by his Servant were so many they can scarce be re-counted he being infirm himself gave Health and Strength to others neither would he suffer any remedy to be apply'd to his Infirmity but on a certain night he saw a person standing before him in White Garments who stretching forth his Hand seem'd to raise him up from his Couch commanding him to stand firmly after which his pain pass'd away and his strength was so restor'd that the day following he confidently undertook to pursue his journey At this time the Picts and Saxons with joynt Forces made War upon the Britains who were therefore drawn together in a Body but being distrustful of their Ability to resist such Powerful Enemies they humbly implore the assistance of these Godly Bishops which they chearfully promis'd and hastening into the British Army so encreas'd the Courage and Resolution of the Britains as if a new Army had been joyn'd unto them so as our Lord himself by the Ministery of these his Captains seem'd to be General of the Army It was now the Holy time of Lent which the presence of these Holy Bishops caus'd to be observ'd with the greater Devotion and their daily Preaching invited many to partake of the Sacrament of Baptism A Church was thereupon prepar'd against the Solemnity of Easter and though the place was no other then open Fields yet it was ordered as if it had been in a City The Army went in Procession moisten'd with the waters of Baptism and being inslam'd with the fervour of Holy Faith they contemn'd the Guard of outward Weapons and expected a more sure Protection from Heaven This Posture of the British Army came to the Enemies knowledge who not doubting of Victory against Unarm'd People with great chearfulness hast'ned to set upon them The Britains had notice of their march and as soon as the Solemn Feast of our Lords Resurrection was past the greater part of the Army being newly Baptiz'd betook themselves to theirs Arms and prepar'd for Battle St. German being their General he made choice of a Band of Light Arm'd men and takes a view of the Country round about observing also a Valley compass'd with Mountains directly in the Enemies way he leads part of the Army into that Valley The fierce Enemies approaching and being discover'd by those who lay in Ambush St. German their Leader gave order to all his Soldiers That with loud clamour they should repeat the words by him pronounc'd And immediately while the Enemies thought to fall on presuming they had not been discover'd the Holy Bishop three times cry'd out aloud Allelujah whereupon the rest of the Army with one voice Thundred out likewise Allelujah the noise whereof was Terrible multiply'd and increas'd by the Eccho from the Mountains round about The sound alone of this Sacred Word suffic'd to terrify the Enemies Army which fell a trembling as if not the Rocks only but Heaven it self had fallen on their Heads insomuch as they all betook themselves to a general flight in all haste casting away their Weapons and glad to escape with their Naked Bodies Great numbers of them in their Head-long flight were swallow'd up by a River through which a little before they had march'd with confidence and leasure enough The main body of the British Army without striking one stroak was a chearful Spectator of the Vengeance of Almighty God to whom only they gave the Glory of the Victory The Holy Bishops indeed Triumph'd to see the Enemies defeated without Blood-shed they Triumph'd for a Victory obtain'd not by Arms but Faith only And having thus every way settled this Rich Island in Security both from the Pelagians and Saxons they prepar'd themselves for their return to the great Grief of the whole Nation The place of this unbloody Battle is said to be a Town call'd Mold in Flintshire where is a Field call'd from St. German in the British Tongue Maesgarmon there is also the little River Alen which runs hard by wherein probably the Picts and Saxons were drown'd besides the place being near the Sea it lay fit to set on board the Saxon Armies St. Gregory the great in expounding the words of Job makes mention of this Allelujah resounded thus by the Britains The Blessings conferr'd on this Island were in some degree recompens'd by their safe and prosperous return which they are said to have ascrib'd to the Intercession of our Tutelar Saint and Protomartyr Alban Their absence from home and residence here in Britain was little more than the space of a year in which time many wonderful things were wrought by them during the time that St. Germanus remain'd in Britain St. Patrick then 68 years of Age inseparably adher'd to him having learn'd from him many instructions in Christian Doctrine and Discipline and receiv'd many examples of Virtue and Piety for imitation By him likewise he was encourag'd to undertake the Conversion of the Irish Nation but with all admonish'd To expect a Commission from the See of Rome to execute that Apostolick Office. For which purpose he accompanied St. Germanus to Gaul from whence the next year he went to Rome being desirous to have his Journey into Ireland confirm'd by Authority from Pope Caelestinus St. Patrick took with him a Priest nam'd Sergetius a Devout Servant of our Lord as a Companion in his Travels when he came to Rome he committed himself to the Praebends of the Roman Church to be the more perfectly instructed in their Institutes He repair'd also to the Holy Pope Caelestinus and humbly casting himself at his feet besought him To employ his care for the Conversion of the Pagan Irish Nation The Petition was very acceptable to the Pope who chang'd this Holy mans Name from Magonius to Patricius as Prophecying That he should be the Father of many Souls His Name thus chang'd he was promoted to Episcopal Dignity and then directed to his Voyage into Ireland St. Patrick himself in one of his Epistles transcrib'd out of a Copy in the Abby of Glastonbury which Epistle is mention'd here before makes all this clear Together with the Episcopal degree the Pope bestow'd on St. Patrick 12 years Indulgence He was accompanied in his Legation with 20 Eminent Persons for his assistance one of which was Sergetius before mention'd He diverted in his return to his Instructor St. Germanus from whose Liberality he receiv'd Chalices Priestly Vestments and store of Books with many other things proper for his Ministery
wrought by him in performance whereof having a firm Faith he made use only of the Sign of the Cross and Oyl which had been Blessed Among which Miracles the most stupendious was His raising a Young man to Life At this time the Glory of the most Holy Prelate St. Patrick was famous in Gods Church who like a bright Star Illustrated all Ireland and the report of his admirable Virtues kindled in St. Winwaloc so great an affection towards him that he endeavour'd to pass over to him and be subject to his direction in Piety Behold while the Holy mans thoughts were busied about this design St. Patrick in a Vision presented himself to him with an Angelical Brightness and a Golden Diadem on his Head telling him He was the same Patrick whom he so earnestly desir'd to Visit But saith he to prevent a dangerous Journey by Sea and Land our Lord hath sent me to thee to fulfil thy desire so as thou mayst enjoy both my Sight and Conversation He further told St. Winwaloc That he should be a Guide and Director of many in Spiritual Warfare for which end he gave him many wholesome Instructions Exhorting him to desire from his Master some Companions and with them to remove to another place No sooner was this Vision vanish'd but St. Winwaloc went to the Cell wherein the Father of the Monastery was attending on Divine Meditation to whom St. Winwaloc declar'd the Vision whereupon the Father told him with a joyful Countenance That he had been Honour'd with a Divine Visitation and Revelation and forthwith he assign'd the Saint eleven Disciples such as were most fervent in Gods Service With these he pass'd over into a certain Island and for the space of three years there led an Hermetical Life but the place being expos'd to Violent Tempests and incommodious for its Barrenness St. Winwaloc Pray'd God to direct him to a more Convenient Habitation God heard his Prayers and shew'd him a place near the Sea but there being no Ship ready the Saint is said to have renew'd his Prayers which done He bad his Companions be Couragious and firm in Faith saying to them As you see me lead this Brother by the Hand so do every one of you take his next Fellows Hand and follow one another Then invoking the Name of our Lord with his Pastoral Staff he struck the Sea upon which it pleas'd God to repeat the Miracle of the Red-Sea For the Sea open'd a Passage for them so that taking one another by the Hand and himself marching in the Front they all walk'd securely over the dry Sands the Waters on both sides standing like Walls and as they pass'd thus they sang to our Lord a Hymn of Praise and Joyfulness It is said this Saint from the 20th year of his Age to his Death was never seen to sit in the Church never exceeded Moderation in any thing never was dejected with Sadness nor dissolv'd in Mirth never Angry or Turbulent but Kind and Affable to all He repeated the Psalms every day sometimes standing with his Arms stretch'd out in figure of a Cross and sometimes falling on his Knees From the time that he began to build his Habitation he never us'd any Woollen or Linnen Garment but what was made of Goat Skins only In his Bed he neither had Feathers or Cloaths instead of Feathers he strew'd under him Nut-shells and instead of Blankets he cover'd himself with Sand mingled with Pebbles two great Stones were his Pillows day and night he wore the same Garments Wheaten Bread he never Eat a small proportion of Barley Bread contented him wherewith was mingled an equal measure of Ashes He took his Refection once only in two sometimes in three days his other Diet was a mixture of Meal and Cabbage without any Fat upon Saturdays and Sundays he would add a little Cheese Sodd in water and at Easter a few small Fishes It was his usual custom dayly to visit a Church about a Mile distant from his Monasteries attended by a Deacon nam'd Egbin and there to offer Sacrifices to God for the Living and Dead Such was his diligence and Devotion at the Holy Altar that he is said to have there merited the reward of everlasting Happiness One day an Angel is said to have appear'd unto him saying Reverend Father the Heavenly Citizens desire thee for their Companion and soon shalt thou be deliver'd from thy painful Exercises After this he presently call'd his Brethren together and bad them prepare For saith he as soon as I have Sung Mass and Communicated the Body and Blood of our Lord at the sixth hour of the day our Lord will receive me out of this Mortal Body And so having Celebrated Mass as he stood at the Altar between two Monks which sustain'd him on each side and was Singing with his Brethren he render'd his Soul to God as untouch'd by Corporal Sickness as it was free from any Carnal stains Some say his Body was translated from his Monastery at Tauriacum and laid in the Blandin Monastery at Gaunt Others contend that his Sacred Relicks repose at Monstrueil where they likewise shew his Chasuble Alb and Stole and there is a Church Dedicated to his memory in French call'd St. Waley Now though St. Winwaloc died out of Britain yet there are not there wanting Monuments of his Memory and Sanctity a Town there is in Shropshire call'd after his Name Wenlock and so was nam'd in the Saxons time where the Holy Virgin Milburga founded a Monastery for Religious Virgins as may hereafter be declar'd The foremention'd Deacon Egbin or Ethbin is also renown'd for his Sanctity he over-liv'd his Master and went over into Ireland where in a Wood call'd Neeten he built a Monastery in which he liv'd and dy'd He was as is above-noted chosen by St. Winwalock to attend him daily to the little Church before-mention'd Going one day thither together one met them vail'd in the Figure of a miserable Leaper with a lamentable voice beging their assistance Ethbin with great Compassion and Charity Embrac'd and Kiss'd the Leaper the same also at his monition did St. Winwaloc Our Lord accepted their Office of Charity with great Kindness for he delights to be cherish'd in his poor Members therefore he was pleas'd to give each of them a present reward of their unfain'd Charity for flying from their Embraces our Lord immediately in a Cloud with great Glory and with Gracious words assur'd them that their Names were already written in the Book of Life and that with his Saints they should be partakers of his Kingdom This most Happy assurance Ethbin ascrib'd to the Merits of St. Winwaloc esteeming vilely of himself and on the other side St. Winwaloc mov'd with the same Humility and Charity cast the Merit on Ethbin This year 432. is remarkable for the Happy Death of St. Ninianus before-mention'd This Holy man wonderful for Miracles and Illustrious for many Virtues at last approach'd to the Happy day in
and Councel addicted wholly to Carnal Pleasures the Slave of most Vices especially of Avarice Pride and Luxury He sollicited and with the hopes of making her a Queen Deflowr'd his own Daughter and of her got a Son who by Miracle notwithstanding his Incestuous Birth through Divine Grace became a Saint and was nam'd St. Sanctus The Wife of Vortigern was equal to him in Birth but unlike in Disposition by her he had three Sons Vortimer Catigern and Pascentius While she liv'd he govern'd with Moderation but after her Death he loos'd the Reins to all wickedness For which being reprov'd by St. German and in a Synod Excommunicated he Reveng'd himself by inflicting the fore-mention'd Injuries and Calumnies upon the Holy Bishop Before his Election to the Universal Government of Britain he was Prince of the Danmonii or as others write Consul of the Gevissei Inhabitants of the South-Western parts about Cornwall or South-Wales which Principality it seems he had govern'd well enough to be preferr'd before his fellow Princes Though indeed the men of that Age which Gildas terms Atramentum aetatis afforded so little choice that a Prince not Profligately Vicious might deserve some Reputation However this unworthy King is recorded a Restorer of the City of Oxford To leave him a while we may take notice that among the Benefactions confer'd by St. German on Britain the Election and Consecration of St. Dubritius to the Bishoprick of Landaff was not the least This Dubritius was by Nation a Britain born in the Province of the Dunetae or West-Wales He was Sir-nam'd Gainius from a River which runs by the place where he was born His Mothers Name was Evedila famous for her Virtues and being a Child had his mind imbew'd with good Literature so as in few years he made such proficiency in Learning that not the Ignorant only but such as had acquir'd a good degree in Knowledge repair'd to him to increase their Skill among whom were St. Theliaus St. Sampson and St. Aidanus In the Soyl of his Nativity near the River Vaga he chose a fit Seat for his own and his Disciples Studies and there he spent many years in the Charitable Communication of his Learning to others Afterwards having by the command of an Angel built a Church there he Preached and Taught the people wholesom Christian Doctrine and by imposing his Hands he often Cur'd many Infirmities and being thus qualified he was advanc'd by St. German to the degree of a Bishop He liv'd to a very Old Age for many years after this he was Translated by Aurelius Ambrosius to the Archbishoprick of Caerleon in the Province of Monmouth so as he will once more occur in our History in the mean time we must not omit to say something of another Disciple of St. German nam'd St. Briocus a Britain afterwards a Bishop in Armorica so famous that the See of his Bishoprick Suffragan to Tours is to this day from his Name called St. Brieu He was descended of a Noble Stock and brought by St. German out of Britain into Gaul and by him there instructed in the Discipline of Piety being enrich'd with such saving Doctrine he return'd into his own Country and there inform'd his Parents in the true Faith which he likewise Preach'd with great success in the Country about After desirous to employ our Lords Talents more Copiously he came over into Armorica where having shed the Beams of Evangelical Light into the mind of his Kinsman Cenanus Count of Triguier he afterwards cleans'd him in the Laver of Baptism then assembling several devout persons aspiring to the Perfection of a Religious Life he built a Monastery and there by the Liberality of the said Count he laid the Foundation of an Episcopal See And being Consecrated Bishop by the Arch-Bishop of Tours He with an admirable Splendour of Virtue and Piety govern'd the said Diocess the space of 30 years Not long after being in a Journey he breath'd forth his spotless Soul his Body was carried back to the Church which himself had built and there with great Honour Interr'd and frequent Miracles are said to be wrought at his Relicks Thus as he gave his Name to the Monastery Town and Mother-Church of that Diocess so he also afforded continual Protection to them In the year of Grace 439. St. Patrick had spent 8 years in Ireland and then return'd into Britain having fix'd his Episcopal Chair at Armagh after that he is said to repair to the Apostolick See to ratifie his Proceedings as he was advis'd by an Angel of our Lord After his return from thence he retir'd to the Monastery of Glastonbury and there ended his days as St. Fugatius and Damianus before him had done What were his special Exercises after such his Retirement is recorded in History viz. Attendance upon Prayer Fasting and Purity of Life instituting Rules for a Monastical Profession in Glastonbury amongst such Religious men as were there Successors of St. Joseph of Arimathaea These St. Patrick reduced from an Eremetical to a Caenobitical course of Life giving them Institutes which he had receiv'd from his Vncle St. Martin of Tours who long since had cloathed him with the Monastical Habit which was a White Cowle of the natural colour of the Wool over his other Garments by which Purity and Innocence were denoted This fashion was instituted by the British and Irish Monks before the coming of St. Augustine who to distinguish himself from them assum'd a Black Cowle so as his Successors were stil'd Black Monks In Glastonbury it was where St. Patrick wrote his Famous Chart before-mention'd wherein he particularly describes the Isle then call'd Ynswitrin where was an Antient Chappel Consecrated to the Honour of the most Blessed Virgin where he found 12 Hermits Successors of the Disciples of St. Phaganus and Diruvianus in which Chart was contain'd That they had receiv'd from Pope Eleutherius ten years Indulgence and that by a Revelation from our Lord they had built a Church to the Honour of St. Michael the Arch-Angel How likewise it was signified to St. Patrick by a Vision That he was to Honour the Blessed Arch-Angel in that place for the certainty of which Vision his Left-hand Wither'd and was not restor'd 'till he had acquainted his Brethren with what he had seen This Chart St. Patrick left with two Devout Irish Monks Arnulphus and Ogmar his Companions who resolv'd to attend on that Chappel The Holy Bishop further relates That he conferr'd an Indulgence of 100. days on those who by cutting down Wood clear'd a Passage for the Devout Visitants of the Chapel Consecrated by our Lord himself to the Honour of his most Blessed Mother At his return from Rome St. Patrick brought with him some Relicks of the Holy Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul and of St. Stephen the Blessed Deacon and Martyr with a Linnen-Cloath sprinkled with the Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ which Holy Relicks were reserv'd there behind the Altar of St. Patrick
restore many to Health The better to attend his Divine love he avoided the sight of men confining himself to a little Cell or Oratory over against the Church of Caion where in a little Orchard cultivated by himself he had planted a few Lawrel Trees which now are so increas'd that the Boughs of them being drawn together Arch-wise do afford a very pleasing shade under those Lawrels his custom was to sit Reading or Writing After his Death among the said Trees there was one which through Age was quite Wither'd He who had the care of these Trees digg'd up the root of the dry Tree and of the Body of it hew'd out a Bench upon which he us'd to sit After he had made such use of this seat above two years thought of remorse came into his Heart I believe saith the Holy Bishop by Divine Inspiration which forc'd the man to say Alas Sinner that I am why do I for my Convenience make use of a seat fram'd of the Tree which so Holy a Priest Planted with his own Hand Whereupon he presently digs a hole and puts the seat into it having cut off the Feet which supported it and then cover'd it with Earth The very next Spring this dry Bench sprouted forth into Green Branches and prosper'd so well that at this day there are proceeded from it several young Trees of great heighth and which every year by our Lords Blessing sprout forth more and more About this time dy'd St. Morchus or St. Mocchaeus a British Priest In the beginning of the Saxon Troubles he forsook his Country and pass'd over to Lugh or Louth in Ireland a pleasant place St. Patrick had formerly had a resolution to build a Church there but was commanded by an Angel to consign that place to this Morchus shortly to come thither and end his days there in great Sanctity as he did accordingly He was often times visited by St. Patrick whose Disciple he became and took the care of 12 Leapers recommended to him by St. Patrick He Prophesied of the Holy man Columba and was after Consecrated Bishop of Louth by St. Patrick As for the relation of his living 300 years as a punishment inflicted on him by St. Patrick it is justly rejected so also of his succeeding St. Patrick in the See of Armagh for good Records put it out of doubt that St. Benignus was by him design'd for that succession In the year 539. St. Kentigern being no more then 25 years of Age was Consecrated Bishop of Glascow As for his wonderful Birth it hath already been related and how his Mother was preserv'd by Servanus He so much prosited under the instruction of Servanus that he became his dearly beloved Disciple afterwards he went to Glasco where he liv'd alone in great Abstinence until the King and Clergy of the Region now call'd Gallway with other Christians there which were but few chose him for their Pastor and Bishop notwithstanding the utmost resistance he could make They sent for one single Bishop out of Ireland whom they caus'd to Consecrate St. Kentigern after the then usual custom among the Britains and Scots for at that time a practice had got footing to use no other Ceremony in the Consecration of a Bishop but only the infusion of Sacred Chrism on their Heads with Invocation of the Holy Spirit Benediction and Imposition of Hands For these Islanders remov'd as it were out of the World by the continual Invasion of Pagans were become ignorant in the Ecclesiastical Canons For which cause the Law of the Church condescended to them and admitted an excuse in this regard so as Ecclesiastical Censure did not touch them notwithstanding as is hereafter mention'd St. Kentigern made ample satisfaction for this defect His Diocess extended it self according to the limits of the Kingdom of Cumbria from the famous Wall formerly built to secure the Britains reaching from Sea to Sea as far as the River Ford or Scotish-Sea The defects in this Consecration were First His Age for at a Councel held then not long before a Decree was made That no Metropolitan should presume to Ordain any one Bishop before he arriv'd to 30 years the Age of a perfect man least he should through Youth incurr some Errour Secondly The first Nicene Councel order'd That if any one were made a Bishop without the Judgement and Consent of the Metropolitan he was forbidden to exercise his Episcopal Function And in this Ordination of St. Kentigern there was no consent of the Metropolitan nor so much as concurrence of any Neighbouring Bishop Thirdly The first Canon of the Apostles confirm'd by many Councels enjoyns That every Bishop should be Ordain'd by at least two or three Bishops Whereas St. Kentigern was Consecrated by one single Bishop who was a Stranger of a Forreign Nation Fourthly In the Consecration of Bishops the Antient Fathers for the Dignity of that Degree ordain'd many Rites to be observ'd beside such as belong to the Essence of that Sacrament As Anointing the Head with Chrism with Invocation of the Holy Spirit Signing the Person with the Sign of the Cross Impositionof Hands Together with several other Rites adjoyned for the Adorning the House of God the defect whereof did not vitiate the Sacrament but the Person only Now in all these Points some Defects there were in the Ordination of St. Kentigern which when he afterwards call'd to mind caus'd great unquietness and remorse in him a Custom introduc'd among Britains to ordain thus imperfectly crept in since the Disturbances made by the Saxons so as the Ecclesiastical Canons were either forgotten or render'd unpracticable for that there were no Metropolitans or at such distance that they could not be had most places wanting not only Bishops but Inhabitants and it is probable in the present case the very Chrisme was furnish'd out of Ireland It therefore is manifest that these Disorders were excuseable because unavoidable But in Peaceable times the practice was otherwise and the Canons were duly observ'd and the British Faith unblemish'd And by this we may see that the Britains in their Ordinations before St. Gregory's time conform'd themselves to the Roman Church and not to the Eastern as some would collect for in truth no Eastern Church can be found which neglected any of these Ceremonies However to be sure the Britains in their Discipline establish'd by Councels demanded a Confirmation from the See Apostolick And this appears by the Demeanor of St. Kentigern himself for being after afflicted in mind for those Defects in his Ordination he sought not Council from any Metropolitan but from the Supreme Bishop in Rome to whom the custody of Ecclesiastical Canons was committed and who had Authority to enjoyn the observation of them and punish and regulate the neglect Therefore St. Kentigern as we find recorded went several times to Rome where he candidly laid open his Life his Election Consecration and all the circumstances of it to St. Gregory the special Apostle of the
was next to St. David Now the Church of Menevia enjoying all the Priviledges of the Church of Caerleon must needs be Metropolitan and consequently the Archbishop thereof wore a Pall which he probably carried over with him to Dole in Little Britain in the year of Grace 566. when the whole Province of Menevia was almost depopulated by a raging Pestilential Disease to avoid which by the importunity of his Friends he undertook that Voyage Being arriv'd there he was admitted into great Favour by Childebert King of France and with his License and Contribution Founded a Monastery there where he led a Holy Life imploy'd in Divine Meditation and by his Pious Example and Admonitions directed many Disciples in the same way St. Sampson in this Voyage took with him a Companion of suitable Holiness call'd St. Conaid by the French vulgarly St. Mein said to be the Son of a Noble Britain living near Caer Guent and recommended to the care of St. Sampson One special Miracle is recorded to have been wrought by St. Mein viz. That by his Prayers a Fountain sprang forth in a dry Soyl very effectual for Curing several Diseases Especially the Scurvy there call'd the Disease of St. Mein After St. Sampson had spent some years in the Monastery of Dole the Bishop of that City dying he was Elected in his place and made use of his Pall there from whence his Successor in Dole assum'd the Honour of wearing a Pall and consequently challenging Arch-Episcopal Jurisdiction and an exemption from the Metropolitan of Tours This continu'd 'till the days of Innocent the III. and all that time the See of St. David's though own'd the Prime Church of Wales yet abstain'd from the Pall for which cause Eugenius the III. under King Henry the I. subjected it to the See of Canterbury in the year of our Lord 1148. 33 years St. Sampsom with admirable Sanctity administred that Bishoprick and in the year 599. receiv'd his Eternal Reward His Body by reason of the frequent Incursions of the Danes and Normans was remov'd from Dole to Orleans where it was receiv'd with such Reverence that a Church was built on purpose to keep it which to this day is Dedicated to his Honour although destitute of that Sacred Pledge which among many other Bodies of Saints was Impiously burn'd by those profess'd Enemies of Sacred things the Huguenots in the last Age who seiz'd on that City Some part of his Relicks was with great Veneration repos'd in the Abbey of Middleton in Dorsetshire which was built by King Ethelstan in expiation of being at least accessary to the Murder of his Brother Edwin in the year 934. His Successor in the See of Dole was his Kinsman and Companion in his Voyage St. Magbore another Kinsman of St. Sampson call'd St. Maclovius or St. Malo otherwise St. Mainutus was famous at that time He during the Tempest in Britain by the reason of Mordred pass'd likewise into Little Britain the common refuge of Devout men in those times He was born in Britain his Fathers Name was Went. His Mother was call'd Derwella or Darwalla being 60 years of Age when she was deliver'd of him in the Valley of Elan Carvan in Glamorganshire In the same place then liv'd a Holy man call'd St Brenden Abbot of the Monastery of Elan Carvan by whom this Infant thus wonderfully born was Baptiz'd and after Educated in all Virtue and Piety From his Childhood he is reported to have shin'd Gloriously by innumerable Miracles which accompanied him all his Life-time Our Learned Cambden affirms That the constant Tradition was that he was after made a Bishop of a City in the Province of the Iceni now Huntingdonshire call'd Durosipons after Gormoncester from Gormon or Guthrum the Dane to whom becoming a Christian King Alfred gave those Provinces St. Malo upon occasion of the troubles at that time went into Little Britain also where he liv'd in great Sanctity and contemning his own Glory retir'd privily into a Bodering Island where in his Eremetical manner of living he express'd an Angelical Purity But the brightness of the Divine Splendour discover'd this Light which endeavour'd to conceal it self For when the Inhabitants of the Island understood that a stranger excelling in the Gift of Preaching and Power of Divine Miracles hid himself there from the Conversation of men they in common Assembly came and drawing him by force out of his Solitude chose him for their Pastor and inviting the neighbouring Bishops placed him in the Pontifical Chair of Aleth and partly by entreaties and partly by force compell'd him to be their Bishop The Saint being thus exalted shed forth abundantly the Beams of that Divine Grace wherewith he was replenish'd illustrating mens Souls with the true knowledge of God inflaming them with his love and affording both Admonitions and Examples of all Virtues to which he added a great efficacy by wonderful Operations and Miracles Insomuch as since the Apostles times we read not of any one who wrought greater wonders than he For with his word he calm'd Tempests he restor'd three dead persons to Life to the Blind he gave Sight by the sprinkling of Holy Water he expell'd Devils and quench'd the Poison of Serpents Neither did he resemble those Princes of our Faith in working of Miracles only but in Patience also to the tryal whereof he was often put for he was Assaulted by certain Impious persons and suffer'd many Calamities for Religion and Justice so as at last he was violently thrust out of his Episcopal Throne and Diocess with seven other Devout persons his most especial Companions who imitated him in Purity of living Yet did he bear this heavy Cross after our Lord with a Courageous mind Attended with these Holy men St. Mahutus fled into Aquitain and in the City of Xaintes was most kindly entertain'd and Fatherly assisted by St. Leontius Archbishop of Bourdeaux and Metropolitan of Xaintes who there accomodated him with a convenient Habitation for serving God St. Leontius bare a tender affection to him Admiring and Reverencing the Divine Grace which he observ'd in him esteeming him as sent from Heaven to assist him in his Pastoral Charge for which reason in all his Visitations he took him for his Companion entreating his Councels and Prayers Howbeit the man of God though he were so despitefully and unjustly exil'd was not unmindful of his Flock but forgetting all Injuries daily invok'd our Lords Clemency for the Conversion of that stubborn People The Divine Majesty condescended to his Prayers and by an Angel did acquaint him That his Flock was Penitent and desir'd his return that he should repair to them and restore to Health that Region which was grievously afflicted with the Scourges of Divine Severity that he should restore plenty to the barren Earth bestow his Benediction on the Inhabitants And lastly Returning to Xaintes that there he should be divested of corruptible Flesh and his Soul ascend to Eternal Felicity As soon as he was come
and Tomb of Saints because it had been Built by the immediate Disciples of our Lord and to him Dedicated as Venerable Antiquity doth testifie All which consider'd to deny so great a Blessing confer'd on our Nation must savour of Passion and un-excusable Partiality The time and occasion of St. Joseph's Arrival here and the particular Acts of him and his Companions after so many years of change and alteration cannot befully accountable The time in all likelihood was when Suetonius Paulinus was Pretor here and when Policletus Favourite to Nero came hither with his Retinue the occasion of his coming is less certain Some write that St. Joseph was sent hither by St. Philip the Apostle or Evangelist grounding their opinion from Procalphius who speaks little to that purpose Tradition informs us that St. Joseph at his first coming Address'd himself to Arviragus then King of the Britains and said to be the Founder of the University of Oxford by the help of an Augur or Prophet named Olenus Calenus from whom it was first called Calena And although Arviragus did not submit to the Doctrine of St. Joseph yet he gave him leave to publish it in Peace so well was he prepar'd to the Entertainment of Divine Truth by humane Education Nay he was also pleas'd to afford Joseph and his Companions a place of Retreat not only commodious for their Devotions but sufficient for their Sustenance call'd by the Britains the Glassey-Island or Avallonia in which certain Lands were alloted both by Arviragus and his Son Marius containing about 12 Hydes for the Nourishment of those Godly persons being the first of ground in this Island Dedicated to the Service of God and after called Godney The first thing these new Inhabitants undertook was to build and Consecrate a Church for the Worship of God which they Dedicated to the Honour of the most Blessed Virgin Mary And as is affirm'd amongst other things relating to Glastonbury Monastery in an Epistle of St. Patrick who died there was Consecrated Miraculously by our Blessed Lord himself to the Honour of his Mother This wonderful Consecration is more fully declar'd by the Testimony of the Illustrious Bishop of St. David the Extirpator of Pelagianisme out of Britain as hath been Collected out of the Antiquities of Glastonbury by Willià m of Malmsbury to this effect following That St. David with other Bishops coming to Glastonbury invited by the Sanctity of the place resolv'd to Consecrate the Church there formerly erected to the Honour of the Mother of God and having provided all things necessary for that purpose the night before his intended Ceremony our Blessed Lord appear'd to St. David in his sleep and demanded the cause of his coming thither which St. David forthwith declar'd whereupon our Lord taking him by the Hand told him That he himself many years before had Dedicated the said Church to the Honour of his Mother and that That Holy Ceremony was not to be Profain'd by any mans repeating And having said this with his Finger pierc'd through the Bishops Hand telling him this should be a sign that what himself had formerly Anticipated ought not again to be Renew'd and withall promis'd him that when the said Bishop the next day at the Canon of the Mass should pronounce the words Per ipsum cum ipso in ipsoâ—â— His Hand should be restor'd sound to him The Bishop awaking found his Hand pierc'd and others saw and touch'd the Wound with great Admiration and the Preparation for the Consecration was laid aside and during the Celebration of Mass the Bishops Hand became Sound The sum of what hath hitherto been here related is repeated by St. Augustine the Convertor of our Nation in an Epistle of his to St. Gregory the Great and by Copgrave in the Life of St. Joseph and is further testify'd by an Antient Inscription cut in Brass fasten'd to a Pillar in the same Church declaring in effect what hath been said already This Inscription is recorded by Sir Henry Spelman in his Collection of Councels and yet by him pretended to be Fabulous First He doubts whether any Christian Churches were Erected so early Which doubt is certainly groundless unless he mean such Magnificent Structures as have been built since Christianity hath been publickly cherish'd and countenanc'd but that even under the Harrows of Persecution the Christians made shift to Erect or Assign places to meet in and perform the Rites and Duties of Religion is Attested by all Ecclesiastical Histories Secondly If Churches were Built yet they were not Encompass'd with ground for Burial before St. Cuthbert 's time Burial within Cities being forbidden by the Roman Laws Sure this is a false conceit for King Ethelbert and his Bishop St. Augustine before St. Cuthbert's days were Buried in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at Canterbury Constantine the first Christian Emperour was buried amongst the Relicks and Bones of the Apostles and Martyrs And as for the Roman Law forbidding Burials in Cities it was antiquated long before this however Glastonbury was no City scarce a Village rather a Desart far from Rome and under the Dominion of Brittish Princes well-wishers to Christianity and the simplicity thereof in those days Thirdly Dedication of Churches was not then in use Doubtless many Ceremonies and Solemnities have been added by the Church but as certainly the Houses or Places which the most Primitive Christians assigned for the Worship of God were by some Ceremonies Dedicated to that use as by erecting a Title fixing a Cross c. as the most antient Records testifie But lastly That which most displeases Sir Hen. is the Dedication of this Church to the Blessed Virgin for he thinks such a kind of Devotion was not thought of until many Ages after but then he must forget the Tradition of Spain attested in all their Liturgies and many of their Councils that from the first entrance of Christianity into that Kingdom several Churches have been erected to the Honour of that Blessed Virgin witness that most Famous Temple at Saragosa called Dell Pilar Celebrated above 1000 years since by St. Maximus Bishop of that City in several Hymns by him composed in Honour of that Venerable House called Angelical because the Pillar on which the Virgins Statue was fixed is thought to be brought thither by the Ministery of Angels After the Death of Arviragus Marius his Son succeeds him in the Brittish Throne resembling his Father as in Courage and other Prince-like Virtues so also in his kindness to these holy Strangers This Marius is reported to have had a great Victory over the Picts who were doubtlesly no other than the Northern Britains then unconquered and consequently unciviliz'd by the Romans but who remaining in their Barbarous custom of painting their Bodies got a new name of Picts After the Death of this Marius in the Reign of Coilus his Son our St. Joseph is said to end his Labours and Mortality in the 82 of our Lord and second year of
latter end of Trajan's Reign some of the Britains attempted to shake off the Roman yoak but were neglected by the Emperour engag'd in other Affairs of more concern It is not certain which of the Britains made this attempt Coelus is then said to be King of the Britains not perhaps the sole King but most considerable for Power and Wealth to whom the rest yielded Honour and some kind of Subjection as some of the Brittish Princes in former Ages are said to have done to Cassibelan and as after in the time of the Heptarchy to him who was stil'd Rex Anglorum This King Coelus is describ'd in History to be a Prince of a Benign and Peaceable Nature and well affected to the Romans as having been train'd and brought up amongst them from his tender years and consequently not likely to joyn in any Rebellion against them Now though Trajan had not leasure to reduce these Tumultuous Britains yet his Successor Adrian neglected them not as may appear by several Coins where on are Imprinted the Brittish Army with three Roman Souldiers importing the three Legions in Britain viz. the second called Augusta the fourteenth called Victrix and the twentyth called Victrix Britanica And this it seems was done to admonish the Britains that this new Emperour was mindful of their Disorders which about three years after he came himself in person to chastise Julius Severus was now Pretor under Adrian but did little as to the suppressing the Tumults here especially in the Southern parts where Coelus was King. Howbeit Adrian in his third year began his Progress for the rectifying Disorders composing Seditions and restoring Discipline to his Armies every where He began with Germany from thence took a view of France and the following year pass'd over into Britain where his first Exploit was to separate such as Peaceably liv'd in subjection to the Roman Empire from such as refus'd to submit to its yoak Now whereas the Northern Britains since they were overthrown by Agricola had broken through the Fortifications he had made in the narrow Isthmus between the Friths of Edenborough and Dunbritton yet Adrian thought not fit to hazard his Army in repelling them within those former bounds but contented himself to raise a Wall or Rampire more Southerly which he continu'd the space of 80 Miles between Solway-Frith on the West and Tinmouth on the East side of the Isle it was made of Turf and strengthen'd with Timber and in after Ages was call'd The Picts Wall when that Northern Nation became to be term'd Picts as aforesaid The next year Adrian was call'd out of Britain to compose Sedition rais'd in Alexandria in Egypt When Adrian was near thereabouts the Jews and Gentiles were loud in their Complaints against the Christians in Palestine from whence that Holy Religion sprang the number of them was then great in that Country by reason of the continual resort of Believers to that Sacred place from every quarter of the World to celebrate the memory both of our Saviours Actions and Passions there Upon these Complaints he renews the Persecution began by his Predecessor and imagining that he could destroy Christian Religion by a Malicious Defacing the Place where it began he erected Idols of Devils in the most Sacred place of our Lords Passion Jupiter in Mount Calvary Venus where the Cross had been fix'd Adonis at Bethlehem conceiving the memory of the Christian Religion would be soon blotted out by the Worship of these Idols And indeed this Holy Place lay in this desolation until Helena the Mother of Constantine thought it worth her Pains to search out the Cross as is hereafter more fully related The Learning Patience and Constancy of the Christians through the intercession of Noble and Considerable Persons on their behalf caus'd Adrian at last to publish an Edict that none should be punish'd for their Belief if free from other Crimes About the beginning of this Emperour's Reign dy'd our King Coelus leaving for his Successor his Son Lucius a Child of Ten years old resembling his Father in Virtue and consequently belov'd of his Subjects his Fathers affection to the Romans procur'd him a Roman Name deriv'd from Light the Britains upon the same account call'd him Lever Maur or a great Brightness for the Joy he brought to the whole Kingdom especially to his Father being born to him in his Old Age and 37th year of his Reign perhaps this Name foreshew'd a greater Light of Divine Truth which in this Princes time and by his care and procurement was communicated to the whole Kingdom This Blessing arriv'd not all at once he did not presently quit the Superstition of his Fore fathers though he continu'd his Father's Kindness to the Christians his heart was to be prepar'd and cultivated by little and little for the Heavenly Seed by many Dispensations of Providence hereafter occurring Gildas and Nennius mention a Message sent to the Britains by Pope Evaristus in the latter end of Trajan's Reign exhorting them to the embracing of the Christian Faith the advantage or occasion of this Message might be from mitigating that persecution of the Christians therefore that Holy Bishop might lay hold of that opportunity to recommend a Religion the Innocency whereof was approv'd by its greatest Persecutors Nay a late German Author affirms that our King Lucius obtain'd from Pope Alexander the Successor of Evaristus that the Christian Faith should be Preach'd in this Isle which no doubt the Pope would easily grant as may appear by the coming of S. Timotheus and S. Marcellus with others into Britain about this time of whom more hereafter Moreover in the most Antient Monuments of Burton-Abbey we may find That in the year of our Lord 149. nine Doctors and Schollars were Baptiz'd at Granta or Cambridge and it is confidently affirm'd by Gildas That the Christian Faith did from the beginning entirely remain in Britain until Dioclesian 's time which was by him well observ'd least any should think the Religion brought in by the Apostles and their Disciples had been utterly extinguish'd To Adrian succeeded Antoninus Pius who sent Lollius Vrbicus to repel the Incroaching Britains who soon drove them back within their former bounds yet found work enough to compose the Differences and Dissentions which broke out afresh in the formerly subdu'd Provinces between the Brigantes and Ordovices these Tumults were of such danger and hazard that the happy quieting them gave the addition of Britanicus to Antoninus In the 19th year of this Emperour Pope Pius the first establish'd by Decree the observation of Easter or the Feast of our Lords Resurrection upon a Sunday in opposition to such Judaizing Christians who pretending a Tradition from St. John the Evangelist kept it precisely on the 14th day of the first Moon in March. Our Antient Ecclesiastical Monuments make mention about this time of one Marcellus a Britain born and a Zealous Preacher of the Faith in Britain of whom our English Martyrology testifies That
of this World Make hast to obtain with the Holy Apostles the everlasting Palm of Victory that Palm which St. Paul attain'd by a world of Sufferings and St. Peter also from whom the Cross it self could not take the love of Christ Soter and Eleutherius Salute thee Salute the Brethren who live with thee in our Lord Cerinthus Satans prime Minister seduces many from the Faith may the Grace of Christ dwell for ever in thy heart We may see by this Epistle the Solicitude and Care of this Holy Pope for the Salvation of Souls not in Rome only but elsewere as also in another Epistle of his to Justus wherein he recommends The Decent Interring of the Bodies of Martyrs and a due Veneration of their Reliques In the 18th year of Marcus Aurelius and L. Verus the Northern Province of the Ottadini about Berwick broke out into Rebellion for reducing of whom Calphurnius Agricola was sent into this Island upon whose approach the Rebels quickly submitted A little before this time Pius the first departed this Life about the year of our Lord 166. and was succeeded by St. Annicetus and him after 9 years succeeded St. Soter who having for the space of five years fill'd the Chair of St. Peter had for his Successor St. Eleutherius in the year of our Lord 180. In whose third year our King Lucius then an old man after he had reign'd 58 years by Gods Grace had his Youth renew'd as an Eagle and was born again by Baptism and made an Heir of an everlasting Kingdom It may seem strange perhaps he should hold out so long against the Power of Truth But if we consider the tenaciousness of Humane Nature to inveterate Customs so agreeable to Flesh and Blood and the horrible Scandals and Prejudices then cast upon Christian Religion it can appear no less then Miraculous that a great King in his old Age should have the courage to submit his Crown and Scepter to the Spiritual Scepter of Christ's Kingdom The Motives which might induce him hereunto besides his long experience of the Innocence Patience and Peaceable Dispositions of his Christian Subjects May be First The Powerful Preaching and Perswasion of many Apostolick Preachers such as were St. Aristobulus St. Marcellus St. Timotheus c. Secondly The Testimony of the Emperours themselves to the Christian Faith and the Professors of it though otherwise Enemies to it Thirdly The Testimony of God himself in his miraculous rescue of the then reigning Emperour from unavoidable Ruine by the Prayers of his Christian Souldiers As to the Testimony of the Emperours not such as Nero Vitellius and Domitian whose favour to Christians would have been disgraceful but of Princes Venerable in the World for Prudence and Courage yet zealous for their own Superstition such as Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius and what their Testimony of the Christians was may be collected out of the Edict of Antoninus as followeth The Emperour Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius Angustus highest Priest this 15th time possess'd of the Tribunitial Power and this third time Consul Father of his Country To the People of Asia Health I am assur'd that the Gods will not permit those men to lye hid in obscurity who refuse to pay due Honour and Worship to them for they themselves will far more severely punish such then you can And you do not consider that by Molesting and Tormenting those men whom you call Impious and charge as Enemies to the Gods you do thereby the more confirm and increase their Religion for to them it is a thing more desirable to be accus'd as Criminal to lay down their Lives for their God then to enjoy the present Life with worldly Contentment Hence it is that by exposing their Lives in this manner they obtain over you a more Glorious victory then if they should perform whatever you require Now as concerning the Earthquakes which both in late times and at this present also do happen I judge very reasonable to give you some Admonition Whensoever such Calamities befall you ye are presently disheartned and in despair you impute it straight to their Religion as if it alone were the cause of all misfortunes happening to you On the other side whensoever any such Accident befalls them they are thereby incited to a more constant and firm Trust in God Whereas all that while you either loose all knowledge of God and utterly despise all Sacred Duties not only refusing to pay the Worship and Service due to the Deity but grievously vexing and to death pursuing those who do observe and reverence him Now several Magistrates and Governours of our Provinces have heretofore written Letters to our most Holy and Deify'd Father Hadrian to whom his Answer and Rescript was That no further trouble should be given to those men except they should be otherwise guilty of any Crime or had a design prejudicial to the Roman Empire Many also have written to me in their favour to whom my Answer was That I assented to the Ordinance and Will of my late Father And my pleasure is that if any shall hereafter offer any Injury or Vexation to any Christian as a Christian the person so persecuted though found indeed to be a Christian shall be presently Acquitted and his Accuser undergo just and due punishment This Edict though directed particularly to Asia yet had influence over the whole Roman World and what could more advantageously recommend the Christian Religion than what this Heathen Emperour here publish'd of it and certainly the Testimony of such an Enemy who was of so great Authority could not but impress mightily upon the Hearts of moderate Heathens much more upon King Lucius who from his Parents inherited a Spirit of kindness and liberality towards the Christians But as for the Powerful Testimonies which Almighty God himself at this time signally gave to all Mankind by delivering not only the Roman Emperour but the Empire it self from inevitable Destruction by the Prayers of his Christian Servants Let Dio a Roman Historian living in those times and a bitter Enemy to the Christians proclaim in his own words The Emperour Marcus saith he after many Battles fought and dangers undergone in Germany in subduing the Marcomanni and Jaziges was enforc'd to a new and sharp War against the Quadi from which ensu'd a Victory happy to the Romans beyond their hope obtain'd indeed by the miraculous favour of God for the Romans in the midst of the Battle being brought in extream danger were sav'd after a wonderful manner and meerly a special Divine assistance They were narrowly inclos'd on all sides by the Quadi yet in places commodious fought valiantly but the barbarous enemy craftily forbore to come to a general Engagement hoping without that hazard to see the Romans destroy'd before their faces with extremity of Heat and Thirst whom by their Multitudes they had shut so in that they could come by no Water Now the Romans brought to
Westminster as followeth Your request to Us is that we would transmit to you a Copy of the Roman and Imperial Laws which it seems you desire to make use of in your Kingdom of Britain But you must be inform'd that the Roman Laws and such as are Enacted by the Emperour are not of such obligation but they may be at any time rejected which the Law of God in no Case must be Now by the Divine Mercy you have of late submitted your self in your Kingdom of Britain to the Law and Faith of Christ so that you have already with you both the Old and New Testament out of Them therefore by Gods Inspiration and with the common Councel of your Kingdom collect and frame a Law and by it through the Divine assistance govern your Kingdom of Britain You are Gods Deputy in your Kingdom according as the Kingly Prophet says The Earth is our Lords and the fulness of it the round World and all that dwell in it And again the same Kingly Prophet saith Thou hast lov'd Righteousness and hated Iniquity Therefore thy God hath Anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows And again Give thy Judgements to the King and thy Justice c. He saith thy Judgement not the Judgement and Justice of Caesar for the Christian Nations and People of your Kingdom who live under your peaceable Protection are the Children of God under his care who according to the Gospel Protect them as a Hen gathering her Chickens under her Wings c. The Nations therefore of your Kingdom are your People which being hitherto divided you ought to gather into one unanimous Congregation to the Obedience of the Faith and Law of Christ constituting of them one Church which you must Cherish Maintain Protect and Govern that so you may Reign with Christ for ever whose Deputy you are in the said Kingdom Some modern Writers add indeed some other passages incoherent and impertinent to it most likely to be Fictitious as perhaps the whole Epistle may be thought to be did not the credit of Matthew of Mestminster somewhat support it Be the Objections against it or the Additions to it what they will sure it is the Conversion of St. Lucius doth not much depend upon it Doubtless this or some such like Answer was brought back by Elvanus and Medwinus and with them came two other Holy men Commission'd by Eleutherius not only to Instruct and Baptize the King and those who by his imitation embrac'd the Christian Faith but to order and establish all Ecclesiastical Affairs in the Kingdom the Names of those two Commissioners were Fugatius and Damianus accounted well qualify'd for their Mission and of the degree of Bishops or Preiates that they might be able to Consecrate Churches Erect Bishopricks Dispense Orders and the like Concerning Elvanus and Medwinus good Authors write that the first was Consecrated Bishop at Rome and the other Preacher or Doctor of the Christian Faith Though there be others who upon little or no ground suppose them only Cathecumens when they went thither and consequently uncapable of such Preferment Whereas it is very probable that they were eminent Preachers of the Christian Faith to King Lucius and others and as appears by Antient Monuments they were Disciples of Joseph of Arimathaea bred up at Glastonbury full of Zeal to Gods Glory according to knowledge and accustom'd to a Contemplative Life in Prayer and Mortification Fugatius and Damianus admitted to the Presence of King Lucius and acquainting him from whom they were sent and upon what Errand forthwith the King and his whole Family with many others receiv'd Baptism according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Roman Church The name of the Queen to King Lucius is not recorded but his Sister Baptiz'd with him in Antient Records is Nam'd Emerita of whose Holiness and Constancy in Martyrdom more is to be said hereafter As for the particular form this King was Baptiz'd in it was certainly done according to the Roman Church conformable no doubt to the Ordinances of the Apostles as St. Justin Martyr Irenaeus and Tertullian living all in or about that Age do confidently Affirm Now though to the Essence of Baptism nothing is more requir'd than due matter which is Water a due form of Words and a right intention of him who confers it Yet even in these Primitive times other Sacred and Ceremonious Rites were subjoyn'd the more effectually to apply and imprint the force and virtue of that Sacrament in the minds of the Receivers as is most evident from Tradition and the Writings of those times and this by the prescription even of the Apostles themselves and their immediate Successors But if not so who can deny the Authority of the Church as to the creating such Ceremonies as may make the Celebration of the Holy Sacraments more Solemn and August especially considering what our Lord hath pronounc'd concerning his Church He that heareth or obeyeth you heareth me Of these Additional Rites the principal are these First The Arming the Baptiz'd person with the Sign of the Cross Secondly The Anointing his Head with Holy Oyl and Chrism Thirdly The Blessing of the Water design'd for Baptism Fourthly The using of Exorcisms and Holy Prayers to drive away the Enemy of Mankind All these Rites were practic'd in the Primitive times as may be prov'd by a cloud of Faithful Witnesses in several Ages by constant Tradition as St. Basil fully demonstrates After the administration of Baptism to the King those Holy men Fugatius and Damianus together with Elvanus and Medwinus wholly imploy'd themselves in Preaching the Gospel of Christ through all the Provinces of the Kingdom in disputing against the Superstition of the Druids and demonstrating the vanity of their Idols and the abominableness of their Horrible Sacrifices And being attended with the Kings Authority and Zeal they broke in pieces those Idols and easily perswaded the Britains to renounce their Antient Superstitions So that in a short space the Christian Faith and Worship of the only true God came generally to be had in Honour and Admiration Matthew of Westminster adds That these Blessed Teachers having in a great measure defac'd Idolatry through all Britain they Dedicated to the Honour of one God and his Saints those Temples which had been founded to the Worship of many false Gods filling them with Assemblies of Lawfull Pastors Saying further That in divers Cities of the Kingdom they constituted or at least design'd 28 Bishops subject to three Archbishops or Metropolitan Sees the prime whereof was London to which Cornwall and all the Provinces on the South of Severn and Wales were actually subjected or design'd so to be The Second was York to which was laid Deira and Albania divided from Loegria or the former part by the River Humber The third the City of Legions which had Dominion over Cambria or Wales sever'd from Loegria by the River Severn This City was call'd Caerleon and scituate upon the River Osca
Gentiles The question was pertinent and thus answer'd by Amphibalus Our Lord Jesus Christ Son of the living God saith he preserv'd me safe from all dangers and sent me into this Province for the Salvation of many that by Preaching his Faith I might prepare a People acceptable to him Who is this Son of God reply'd Albanus Can God be said to be born these are strange Speeches which I never heard of before I desire to know your Opinion of these matters The Holy man answer'd Our Faith teacheth us to acknowledge the Father to be God and the Son also to be God who in Infinite Mercy vouchsafed to take our slesh upon him for the Salvation of Mankind that he might redeem us by suffering Death And then discours'd at large of the Birth Passion Resurrection and Ascention of Christ Concluding If you O Albanus will believe these things to be true you will receive Power by calling on the Name of Christ to Cure any Infirm or Sick person And the Truth is I am come to this City on purpose to Preach to you the healthful Doctrine of our Lords Passion because our merciful God will reward your kind Offices of Humanity and Hospitality to which you frequently addict your self which is the inestimable recompense of Eternal Happiness Then Albanus ask'd him What Honour and Worship must I exhibit to Christ in case I embrace the Faith The other answer'd Believe this that our Lord Jesus together with the Father and the Holy Ghost is one God and thou wilt have perform'd a work of high esteem in his sight Then Albanus reply'd What is all this sure thou art mad thou know'st not what thou say'st no Humane understanding or Reason can apprehend these things But be sure of this that if the Inhabitants of this City come to know thou makâ—st such discourse of Christ without delay they will put thee to a cruel death For my own part I am very sollicitous on thy behalf for fear some mischief befall thee before thou departest from hence Having said this he went away much disturb'd As for St. Amphibalus he spent the night alone in watching and Prayer The same night a wonderful Vision from Heaven was presented to Albanus sleeping with which being awak'd he went to his Guest and said to him Friend if those things which thou told'st me lately concerning Christ be true I pray thee to tell me freely the meaning of my Dream Me thought I saw a certain man come down from Heaven and presently an innumerable multitude of men laid hold of him and tormented him all the ways they could devise they bound his Hands with Chains they tore his Flesh most grievously with Whips they hung him on a Tree stretching his Hands across he was quite naked not having Shooes on his Feet his Hands and Feet were fastned to the Wood with Nails his side was pierc'd through with a Spear and from his Wound as it seem'd to me there flow'd both Blood and Water in his right Hand they put a Reed and on his Head they put a Crown of Thorns And after this barbarous Cruelty they insult over him with despiteful Speeches saying to him Hail King of the Jews if thou art the Son of God come down from the Cross and we will believe in thee And although they continu'd a long while thus reviling him the young man answer'd never a word but at last cryed out with a loud voice and said Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit And so Expir'd His lifeless Body was afterwards taken down from the Cross the Blood issuing abundantly out of it They then laid him in a Sepulchre of stone sealing the Monument and setting Guards to watch it But then follow'd a wonderful thing for the Bloodless Carcass return'd to Life and re-suming former strength came out of the Sepulchre Seal'd as aforesaid I my self with my own Eyes saw him how he rose again Then came from Heaven certain men cloath'd with Vestments white as Snow and taking the Man with them return'd from whence they came attended by an infinite number of others in like Garments which all the way ceas'd not to sing Praises Blessing the Father I not knowing who he was with his Son saying Blessed be God the Father with his only begotten Son. They express'd such wonderful joy as nothing could be compar'd to it These things I saw with many others which I neither will or ought to declare I beseech thee tell me what is signify'd by these things thus represented to me fear not any danger to your self but speak freely The Holy man Amphibalus having heard this sensibly felt his Heart visited by our Lord with all joy and presently taking out a Crucifix which he had about him secretly said to Albanus Behold in this Figure and Image thou may'st manifestly perceive the meaning and importance of thy last nights Vision for the Man which came from Heaven is this Jesus my Lord who refus'd not to undergo the punishment of the Cross that by his Blood he might free us from the guilt which we had contracted by the Transgression of our first Father Adam Now these men which laid violent hands upon him and so afflicted him were his own People the Jews For though they had a promise from God that he would send unto them from Heaven his own Son yet when He whom they so much and so long expected was come they would not acknowledge him to be the Author of their Salvation but contradicted him in every thing return'd to him Evil for Good and Hatred for his Love. And at last stir'd up with extream envy and malice against him they broke out into such horrible Impiety that they laid hold on him Crucify'd and Murder'd him Thus it was that our Lord redeem'd us with the price of his own Blood Thus by Dying he became victorious over death For being rais'd upon the Cross he drew all to him for descending voluntarily to the enclosures of Hell he freed from captivity his own Servants detain'd there and binding the Divel in everlasting Chains he cast him into utter darkness Then Albanus fill'd with wonder broke out in these words All that thou hast said of Christ is most true for the last night I evidently perceiv'd and with mine own eyes saw how Christ overcame the Divel how he bound him and thrust him down into the bottom of Hell where the damnable wretch lyes fast bound with Chains So that knowing what hath been told by thee is true from this moment I profess I will be thy most obedient Disciple Tell me therefore for I know thou art Ignorant of nothing how I must behave my self to the Father and Holy Ghost now that I profess my self a servant of the Son Amphibalus at this question gave thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for that Albanus of himself had the knowledge to pronounce those three Adorable Names and bid him believe firmly and profess faithfully that those three persons so
exprest by him in their proper Names are one only God. I believe saith St. Albanus and my firm Faith is that there is no other God besides my Lord Jesus Christ who for the Salvation of Mankind took our Nature upon him and suffer'd death upon the Cross He together with the Father and the Holy Spirit is one only God and besides him there is no other And having said this he often cast himself Prostrate before the Crucifix as if he had seen our Lord Jesus himself hanging on the Cross carnestly begging Pardon for his sins He often affectionately kiss'd his Saviours feet and places of his Wounds as if he had seen him Crucify'd Tears with Blood flow'd abundantly from his Eyes upon the venerable Cross and these words from his mouth I renounce the Divel and detest all the Enemies of our Lord to whom I wholly resign myself Amphibalus then bad him be of good Courage saying Our Lord is with thee whose Grace will never be wanting to thee The saving Faith which others attain by the Ministry of men thou hast learn'd by the Revelation of Christ himself And therefore being assur'd of thy constancy my purpose is to leave thee and Travel further that I may shew the way of Truth to other Gentiles also But Albanus prevail'd with him to stay a week longer that he might be more perfectly instructed in the Faith by him This Narration of St. Alban's Conversion is attested by a very Antient and Credible Author We shall now proceed to the History of his glorious Martyrdom He having been thus Instructed Baptiz'd and Confirm'd in the Faith by Amphibalus was at last contented with his departure but exhorted him to take care of his safety and in order thereunto disguis'd him in his own Military Vestment woven with Gold that he might the more safely pass through the Soldiers Early in the morning Amphibalus takes his slight Northward conducted part of the way by Albanus at last they parted with Tears Amphibalus hastens into Wales Albanus returns into the City cloath'd with the Caracalla or long Ecclesiastical Robe of Amphibalus and now left alone made great hast in his journey to Immortality All the enticements of the World became odious to him he found no pleasure but in Prayers and Tears at the foot of our Lords Cross he burn'd with a desire to requite the Love of Christ by dying for him His Domesticks and Neighbours observing the wonderful change in his manner of Life began to suspect and quickly found out the true cause of it so that in a short time he is publickly known for a Deserter of Heathenish Superstition and therefore complain'd of unto and conven'd before the Roman Magistrate to whom a certain Gentile had discover'd what ever pass'd between St. Albanus and St. Amphibalus This Magistrate thus Incens'd commanded they should both be brought before him St. Amphibalus being departed the Soldiers found only St. Albanus in his strange Habit at his Prayers with naked feet before the Cross of our Lord and ask'd him where the Clark was whom he had entertain'd He answered That the Holy man was under the Protection of God and fear'd not the Threats of Men When they heard this they laid hands on him bound him with Chains and violently drew him away some pulling at his Garments some at his Hair He had still upon him the Vestment of his Master knowing the sight of it was enough to make him odious he carried also in his hand the Image of our Lord that he might only appear a Servant of the Cross Being come before the Judge he was examin'd in many particulars but all his Answer was That he was Albanus and a Christian which he profess'd with great liberty of Speech The Judge enquir'd of him What became of the Clark who was sent by one call'd Christ to delude and seduce the People of this City Had he not saith the Judge had a guilty Conscience and been distrustful of his own Cause this worthy Master of yours would have freely presented himself before us to defend both Himself and his Disciples But by his own Carriage he makes known the falseness and Fraudulence of his Doctrine since he deserts thee and is Cowardly run away from thee whom if his Cause had been good he ought to have justify'd though with hazard of his Life So as I suppose thou now perceiv'st how silly a Fellow he was who seduc'd thee into Errours and brought thee by his idle suggestions into such a Frenzy as not only to renounce all worldly Advantages but to contemn the immortal Gods the injury against whom since we ought not to leave unpunish'd my purpose was to have reveng'd it by the death of the prophane Delinquent But seeing humane frailty is such that there is none but are obnoxious to Errour thou mayest yet by Repentance escape the indignation of the Gods and make them propitious to thee if thou wilt now renounce this abominable Sect. Hereto Albanus Answer'd It were a very easie matter to declare how vain and impertinent this long discourse of yours is for if it had seem'd good or agreeable to either of us That Holy Clark would not have fail'd to have been here But I confess his stay here could not be pleasing to me who well know how prone to mischief this People hath ever been The Doctrine taught by that good man I have heartily embrac'd neither can I repent me of it for the Faith which I profess will be prov'd to be Holy and Divine by the Testimony of Sick and Infirm People who by virtue thereof shall receive Health I will no longer Sacrifice to your Gods nor fear your Threats or Torments being secure under the protection of my good Lord. This being said at the command of the Judge he was Cruelly Scourg'd by the Officers for refusing to Sacrifice during which Torment he lifted up his Eyes to our Lord and with a chearful countenance said O Lord Jesus Christ I beseech thee keep this mind and good resolution which thou hast given me firm and stable My desire is O my God to offer up my Soul a whole Burnt Sacrifice to thy Glory and with my Blood to Seal thy Truth But when the Officers were weary with tormenting him the Holy man was thrust into a deep Dungeon where he continu'd six Months All the Elements soon bare witness of the injury done unto him and from the time of his Apprehension to his Death neither Rain nor Dew refresh'd the Earth the Winds were whist and the Region thereabout parch'd with excessive Heat of the Sun even in the night-time the stifing heat was intollerable neither Fields nor Trees produced any Fruit so that the whole World fought in the quarrel of this just man against his Impious Enemies insomuch as this excessive Heat and Drought Heathens themselves took notice of though they apply'd it to other purposes The Infidel Judge expected that the Constancy of the Holy Martyr would have
been broken and spent by a tedious and painful Imprisonment whereas on the contrary his solitude which gave him opportunity to unite himself to God by Prayer increas'd and strengthned his Courage The Author of his Life hath thus exemplify'd one of his Prayers O Lord Jesus Christ do not permit the Divels malice so much to prevail as by his cuning machinations and this Peoples relenting my suffering for thee may be hindred Not long after being come out of Prison to suffer and addressing his Speech to the unbelieving People who flock'd to see him he told them He was an irreconcilable Enemy of their False Gods the works of mens Hands unworthy of Honour as having no Divinity they themselves could not but observe that these their Idols neither See Hear nor Vnderstand any thing and that it could be no other then detestable vanity to expect Life from them which have no Life to pray to those who could not Hear to expect safety or Happiness from them which were not sensible of the least good to themselves He therefore protests that whoever Honours such dead Idols must renounce all reason for whom can be more desperately miscrable than he who suffers himself to be enslav'd to Puppets of his own fashioning Wo therefore to Idels but greater Wo to their Adorers From hence may easily be observ'd that this Holy Martyr who thus earnestly inveighs against Idolatry yet with great Devotion Venerates the Cross of our Lord so far is the respect and Honour given by the Catholick Church to Sacred things from any taint of Idolatry And Tertullian in his Apology for Christians testifies That although they Ador'd the Cross yet Idols and all their Ornaments were detested by them and abominable unto them When these invectives against Idols were utter'd by St. Alban Sentence of Death was pronounc'd against him and he was led to Execution to a place call'd Holmburst a Plain cloath'd with all sorts of Flowers a fit Theater for so Glorious a Martyr Albanus being thus led to his Death came to a River which with a swift Torrent ran between a Wall on the one side and a Sandy-shore on the other where the Holy Martyr was to be Beheaded there he saw great multitudes of all Conditions Ages and Sects which no doubt by Divine instinct were assembled to Honour his Death and they so choak'd the passage of the Bridge that before night they could not all have pass'd over As for the Judge he had no intention of any respect to the Martyr but stay'd behind in the City St. Albanus therefore enflam'd with a Devout desire of a speedy Martyrdom approach'd near the River and lifting up his Eyes with Prayer to God the River became presently dry so as the Water gave free way to the passengers by the Prayer of the Martyr to this effect O Lord Jesus Christ from whose most Holy side I my self in a Vision saw both Water and Blood to flow I beseach thee to cause these Waters to be diminish'd and the floud to return back that the People without prejudice or danger may be present at my Sufferings He had no sooner pray'd thus but the Channel was immediately dry his Tears left no other water in the River the Power of his Prayer emptied the Torrent and clear'd a safe passage for the People The Officer who conducted St. Alban to his Death by the merits of the Holy Martyr obtain'd Eternal Happiness for seeing the Miracles he threw away his Sword and casting himself at the Holy Martyr's feet beg'd his pardon which when the People saw they laid hold on the Man beat out his Teeth and in a manner broke all his Bones This Pagan Souldier thus of a Persecutor chang'd into a Lover of the true Faith and willing to die for and with St. Alban the other Officers were at a stand and knew not what to do It is further related That the Holy Martyr ascending the Hill the People at the top thereof were tormented with extremity of Thirst the Martyr kneeling down Pray'd to God The People might receive no harm by his occasion Upon which brake presently forth a Fountain at his Feet and with a rapid course flow'd down the Hill so that all the Peoples Thirst was satisfi'd In the mean time another Executioner was appointed who to his great Unhappiness discharg'd that Impious Office and with his Sword cut off the Holy Martyr's Head kneeling in Prayer to God and Kissing the Crucifix which he held in his Hand And immediately O wonderful Almighty God by the suddain loss of this Executioners Eyes testified the Holy Martyr's Innocence for together with the Martyr's Head those remorseless Eyes sell to the ground With St. Alban the poor Converted Souldier was also Beheaded who by Divine Instinct refus'd to put the Holy Confessor to Death and doubtless though this new Convert was not outwardly cleansed with the water of Baptism yet being wash'd in the Laver of his own Blood he became worthy to be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven His Name is said to be Heraclius of whom it is further reported That being left half dead by the Peoples Stroaks as aforesaid and creeping on his hands and feet toward the Crowd he was mock'd by one of the Judges And bid to address himself to his Patron Albanus then newly Executed and Pray him to restore Soundness to his bruis'd Limbs Run saith the Scoffing Judge make hast joyn thy Patrons Head to his Body no doubt thou wilt not fail of Health Bury the dead Carcass and thou may'st be sure whilst it is in thy Hands it will afford a Cure. The Souldier reply'd I do verily believe that this blessed Saint by his merits can restore unto me my perfect Health So that what you speak in Derision may in earnest be fulfill'd to me Having said this he imbrac'd the Martyr's Head and adjoyning it to the Body became immediately sound When the Infidels saw this they were fill'd with Envy and bound him with Chains tearing his Body with several sorts of Tortures and in the end cut off his Head. How acceptable to Almighty God these Martyrdoms were was presently declar'd from Heaven in a wonderful manner for behold the night following their Sufferings a Pillar of Light was seen to raise it self from the Grave of St. Alban up to Heaven by which Angels ascended and descended spending the whole night in Hymns and Praises to God repeating also these words The Illustrious Albanus is now a glorious Martyr of Christ As Venantius in his Poem for that purpose Elegantly sets forth Who this Author of St. Alban's Life was is unknown he was certainly of more Antiquity than St. Bede his Book was found in the Monastery of St. Alban and concerning the Persecution thus rais'd in Britain by Dioclesian gives us this Account That Almighty God who is willing all men should be sav'd to magnifie his Mercy to this our Country least it should be invellop'd in Darkness was pleas'd to Enlighten it with
the shining Lamps of his Holy Martyrs the places of whose Sufferings and the Sepulchres of whose Bodies might enflame us with Divine Love were not an access to those places deny'd us by our Barbarous Enemies the place I mean where repose the Bodies of St. Alban at Verulam St. Aaron and Julian at Caerleon and many others in several Quarters who have stood up Courageously in our Lords Army of which the first St. Alban after he had with much Charity entertain'd in his House and secur'd from danger the Holy Confessor St. Amphibalus offer'd himself to persecution with wonderful Miracles was in his Confession glorified by God walk'd with thousands after him dry-foot over the River while the waters stood as a Rock on both sides of them by which wonder his design'd Executioner from a Woolf became a Lamb and valiantly receiv'd the Triumphant Palm of Martyrdom It will not be amiss to shew here with what Piety and Reverence Christians in all Ages behav'd themselves to ward the Ashes and Sacred Reliques of our Holy Martyrs The Persecuting Infidels knowing this well us'd all manner of despight to these Holy Reliques endeavouring all they could to hide or consume them with Fire and cast the Ashes before the wind The Body of Sebastiane who suffer'd soon after St. Alban they cast into a common Sink least the Christians should make him their Martyr And again three years after the President threatn'd St. Tharacus That he would not dispatch him at once but would make an end of him by piece-meal and that the remainder of his Carcass should be devour'd by Beasts Tharacus bid him Do what he did quickly To whom the President reply'd Thou thinkest Villain that after thy death silly Women shall Embalm thy Body with Rich Vnguents and Spices but I will destroy thee and thy Relicks least foolish Women should Honour thee so And concerning the Martyr Andronicus that President who condemned him Decreed He should be consum'd to Ashes least some of his Consorts or foolish Women should gather up any of them and preserve them as if they were some precious or holy Thing Yet for all this when some Devout Christians endeavoured to find their Ashes by night mingled and confounded with other Malefactors three bright Torches like Stars appeared over their Bodies and conducted those Devout Christians to discover those Ashes and Reliques and decently to inter them This was the practice of Christians in those days but condemn'd by the Manicheans as Superstitious St. Augustine confutes their Errour by distinguishing the Veneration due to Saints which he calls Doulia from the supream Degree of Adoration due only to God which he terms Latria Our Gildas having thus related the Martyrdom of our Proto-Martyr St. Alban shews what a change happen'd in Britain nine years after when the fury of this Persecution ceas'd For then saith he all the devout Soldiers of Christ with joyful Eyes beheld and receiv'd the Calm and Lightsomness following so tedious a Winters-night Then they began to restore demolish'd Churches they new founded Sacred Temples Consecrated to the Honour of Holy Martyrs these they Adorn and in them Celebrate publick Festivities and Pure Sacrifices as manifest Trophies after their Victory This Happy change began soon after the Tyrants Carausius and Alectus were vanquish'd by Constantius who in the year of Grace 292. was Created Caesar and receiv'd the Government of Britain Gregory the Great was not then the first who brought into Britain the Custom of Dedicating Churches to the Honour of Martyrs for Germanus and Lupus before the Entrance of the Saxons came into this Island there to root out the Pelagian Heresy and found here Erected to the Honour of St. Alban in the place where by shedding his Blood he so Triumph'd a Famous Church which with great Devotion he Visited and there pay'd his Thanks to God for his Victory over the Pelagian Heresy He open'd the Holy Martyr's Sepulchre and as an Honour to him Repos'd in it several Reliques of Apostles and Martyrs which he brought over out of France with him and because he would not depart without the Holy Martyr's protection he took a lump of Earth from the place where the Martyr's Blood was shed and at his return into France carry'd it to his own See from whence the Veneration of St. Alban spread it self over all France and after into Germany also By a contest between the Monks of St. Alban and Ely in Edward the II's time it is put out of doubt that the Body of this Holy Martyr was Bury'd at St. Albans for the Monks of Ely contending before that King that the said Martyrs Body lay among them the King commanded his pretended Tomb there should be open'd which being done nothing was found in it but a course Hair-garment sprinkled with Blood in the upper part of it as fresh as if it had been lately shed which Garment questionless was the Caracalla before-mention'd It is no wonder this poor Garment should with Veneration be preserv'd by these Monks of Ely for God hath declar'd this to be acceptable to him by many Miracles witness St. Gregory Nazianzen who hath thus written That a little portion of Dust a particle of Bones a little Hair part of the Vestment the sprinkl'd marks of a Martyr's Blood ought to have as much Veneration as the whole Body He adds further That he had known where only the Name of a Martyr attributed to a place had produc'd the same Virtue that his whole Body would have done and then he cryes out O wonful the Memory alone of a Martyr is sufficient in my Opinion to confer Health The first that here follow'd St. Alban in his rough way of Martyrdom was St. Amphibalus who first shew'd him the way to Heaven The constancy of St. Alban the Miracles before and after his Death stir'd up divers of those who were Spectators of his Death or amaz'd with the wonders which accompany'd it to abandon their Idols and seek out St. Amphibalus that from his Lips the Doctriue of Christ might be instill'd into their Hearts To that purpose they undertook a journey into Wales where they found him Preaching the Word of Life to the people of that Region to him they presented the Cross which he had given to his Disciple St. Alban and which was sprinkled with his fresh Blood and so was a manifest token of his late Martyrdom and upon which St. Amphibalus after he had given Thanks to God made a Sermon of Christian Religion to his Auditors in number about 1000. who having heard the Sermon embrac'd his Doctrine and chearfully receiv'd from his Sacred Hands as a Seal of their Faith the Holy Baptism The departure of so great a Multitude from Verulam rais'd so great an Animosity against those Deserters of their Religion and City in the Hearts of the Infidels that they resolv'd to pursue them with Arm'd Forces hoping to find Amphibalus in their Company which they soon did and took him in
be found again soon after the Sacred Body was translated to the Church of St. Alban and many Miracles were there continually wrought through the intercession of the Blessed Amphibalus who suffer'd in the year of our Lord 287. Although the place of this Saints Burial was long obscur'd yet as appears by Gildas his memory was precious for within ten years after he suffer'd a Church was erected to his Honour and in the year of our Lord 309. another Church was Consecrated to this Saint at Winchester which being after Re-built by the Saxons was Dedicated to St. Peter When the Body of this Holy Man was discover'd other Bodies were found lying by it conjectur'd to be those who suffer'd with him Much about this time two famous Martyrs Julius and Aaron before-mention'd Citizens of Caerleon and Disciples of St. Amphibalus are recorded to have suffer'd for the Faith of Christ These two had a long time addicted themselves to the Holy Faith and were also diligent in the study of Arts and Humane Learning both at Rome and else-where They suffer'd saith St. Bede with many others of both Sexes intoller able Torture their Members being torn asunder with unheard of Cruelty at last consummating a Glorious Martyrdom their Souls were receiv'd into the joys of the Heavenly City Their Memories were preserv'd and Honour'd by Erecting Altars and Churches in their Names each of them had a famous Church Erected to their Honour in Caerleon for three Magnificent Churches are said to have been Built of Old time in that City one of the Martyrs St. Julius adorn'd with a Choir and Convent of Religious Virgins a second Dedicated to the Honour of his Companion St. Aaron and Graced with a Noble Choir of Canons the third was the Metropolitan Church of all Cambria and was after Translated by the Holy Bishop St. David with the concurrence of the Pope's Legate and all this long before the coming of the Saxons Besides these the memory is Celebrated of two Noble Britains Disciples of St. Amphibalus who suffer'd Martyrdom in the same Persecution of Dioclesian their Names were Stephanus and Socrates to whose Honour two Churches were built in the Province of the Silures To this time also is refer'd the Murdering of all the Monks in the Monastery of Winchester built by King Lucius During the rage of this Persecution in Britain many Christians withdrew themselves from the fury of it as Gildas reports which considering the frailty of Mankind was not imprudently done for it was thought fit that such as had not the courage to sustain the weight of Martyrdom might at least hold fast the Grace of Confession This flight of Christians in Britain gave occasion to the Persecutors to extend their rage upon Churches and Monasteries all which by such their rage were so utterly destroy'd that in this Island few marks remain'd of Christian Religion This Desolation continu'd untill the Happy return of Constantius by whose Clemency the Christian Faith and Worship flourish'd again in Britain sooner than in other places Which Mercy of God as Bede saith was the rather extended towards the Britains because they only preserv'd among them their Primitive Faith receiv'd in the days of King Lucius entire and inviolate untill the reign of Dioclesian The Tyranny of the Roman Empire against Christians God was pleas'd to revenge by permitting another Tyrant to rise against them in Britain namely Carausius a man Vigilant and Active both in Councel and Execution Imploy'd by the Emperour to scowre the Seas of Pyrats This Imployment Carausius made use of rather to Enrich himself than Benefit the Empire and thereby became so suspected that the Emperour Maximianus commanded him to be put to Death for the avoiding whereof he assum'd the Imperial Purple and possess'd himself of Britain Maximianus prepar'd to oppose him but his attempts proving vain he was forc'd to make a Peace with Carausius who after subdu'd the Caledonian Britains and rais'd a new Rampire to enclose them more Northward than any had been before with a Triumphal Arch in memory of his Victory He govern'd here quietly untill the year 293. when Constantius made his Expedition against him Now though in the time of Carausius Persecution against Christians abated yet by the Rapine of his Soldiers most of the Churches and Monasteries were destroy'd or Spoil'd among the rest those of Winchester and Westminster the latter Converted into a Temple of Apollo In those days the Roman Empire on all sides was greatly shaken both by open Invasions and Civil Dissentions to appease which two new Caesars were chosen Constantius by Maximianus and Galerius by Dioclesian in whom notwithstanding the Supreme Authority and Majesty of the Empire resided the better to strengthen this Association Dioclesian gave his Daughter Valeria to Galerius Maximianus his Daughter Theodora to Constantius who thereupon was compell'd to a Divorce from his former Wife Helena so as she was after esteem'd his Concubine or at least his Wife in the second or inferior place However this pretended Divorce did not it seems prejudice their Son Constantine who born before in Marriage enjoy'd his right of Primogeniture and succeeded his Father in the Empire although he had other Sons by Theodora How Helena was dispos'd of after this Divorce is controverted The best Opinion is that she was plac'd at Triers where Constantius built her a Magnificent Palace and where she was Honour'd with the Title of Augusta In the mean time her Son Constantine was receiv'd into the Family of Dioclesian and there remain'd Uninfected with the Vices of the Court in great Favour with Dioclesian highly Graced by him and acceptable to all that saw him for his Beauty Gracefullness and Modesty especially to the best sort of Men for his Virtue and Piety Constantius being Created Caesar made an Expedition into Gaul with intent to pass over into Britain against the Tyrant Carausius In Gaul he took the Sea-Town Gessoriacum or Buloign which the Tyrant had strongly Fortify'd In the mean time Carausius was Murder'd in Britain by a new Tyrant Alectus General of the Forces of Carausius Alectus to secure himself assum'd the Title of Emperour Against him Constantius the year following sail'd into Britain and landed without opposition though he was way-laid by a strong Fleet plac'd in the Isle of Wight by Alectus When he was landed he set his Ships on Fire and divided his Army one part he led himself the other he committed to the Conduct of Asclepiodorus Prefect of the Praetorian Band Alectus avoiding Constantius chose to try his Fortune with Asclepiodorus by whom he was easily defeated and slain Howbeit a great part of his Army consisting of Strangers Franks and Battavians seeing their Prince Dead fled towards London hoping to Enrich themselves by the Spoils of that City But Constantius coming on them unawares preserv'd the City and cut those Rovers in pieces if any escap'd they became Captive to the Londoners By this return of Constantius the poor
in that only true God which his Mother Helena Worship'd all her Life and his Father Constantius towards his end To that God he offer'd Zealous and Devout Prayers That he would discover to him who he was and how he would be Worship'd and would protect him in his present condition of danger His Devotion was not in vain for by a stupendious Miracle in the sight of the whole Army God declar'd his acceptance of his Supplicants Prayers for he saw over the Sun then begining to decline the Sign of the Cross in Heaven figur'd by a resplendent light together with these words inscrib'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this be Victorious Which Spectacle caus'd great admiration both to himself and his Army Artemius one of the Spectators afterwards relates this Miracle to Julian the Apostate and Vouches many of his then present Soldiers for Spectators and further Witnesses thereof some writers add That many Angels were seen with this Apparition who encourag'd constantine and promis'd him Victory by that Sign and that he himself saw an Arm'd Horseman who bore in his Hands the sign of the Cross as an Ensign The Christians in Constantine's Army were Encourag'd by this Coelestial Vision but the Pagans look'd upon it as a Fatal and Ominous Sign until the succeeding Victory prov'd it otherwise Nay at first the good Emperour himself was in great doubt what this strange Vision should Portend until at night our Lord appear'd to him in his Sleep bearing the same Sign with him and commanded Constantine To cause a Draught or Copy thereof to be fram'd and to be made use of by him as a Guard and Protection in all his Battels Accordingly Constantine instructed his most cunning Workmen to make a Banner in imitation thereof Adorn'd with Gold and Precious Stones which he perpetually had carry'd before him in his Army He caus'd likewise innumerable representations of the Cross to be fix'd in several publick and Private places especially in several parts of his own Palace where it was for the most part fram'd of Gold Jewels and Precious Stones No wonder then if the veneration of the Holy Cross every day more and more increas'd amongst Christians a practice us'd from the most Primitive times and now Authoriz'd by our Lord himself from Heaven as it hath been sure confirm'd by innumerable Miracles wrought in several Ages by it Constantine encourag'd by this Promise of Divine assistance and Arm'd with this Glorious Sign of the Cross makes towards Italy Conquers several Nations reduces several Cities and overcomes all Resistance and having clear'd all the Provinces behind him marches Couragiously to Rome it self where the Tyrant for more than six years had exercis'd all manner of Wickedness He had not Courage to Issue out of the City or oppose Constantine's Progress stupify'd with his Lusts and afrighted with Prodigies and the Divination of his South-sayers But when Constantine approach'd the City Maxentius was enforc'd to draw out his Army consisting of 17000 Foot and 1800. Horse these numerous Forces he rang'd beyond the Milvian Bridge so that they were shut out of the City by the River The Tyrant us'd this Stratagem also he caus'd the Bridge to be so fram'd that at his pleasure he might dissolve it Constantine having rang'd his Army on the other side himself with great Courage gave the on-set by which he immediately broke his Enemies Ranks so as little resistance was made except by the Praetorian Soldiers who having Created Maxentius Emperour expected no Pardon and cover'd the ground with the dead Bodies Those who endeavour'd flight found it unsuccessful being hindred by the straitness of the Bridge the slaughter was exceeding great there being no other way to avoid the Sword but plunging into the River wherein great multitudes were swallow'd The Tyrant himself casting off the marks of Authority adventur'd into Tyber and being hurry'd down the Stream was drown'd his Body being cast upon the shore the People found and cut off his Head which with great Joy and Triumph they carry'd up and down the City fastn'd to a Pole. It is affirm'd that since Rome was built never was a day Celebrated with greater or more universal Joy than the day whereon Constantine Triumph'd for this Victory His Triumphant Chariot was attended not with Conquer'd Princes or Generals but with the Nobility of Rome freed from Dungeons and Chains Rome did not indeed Inrich her self with Spoils of Enemies but ceas'd to be the Spoil of an Inhumane Tyrant However this Pious Emperour would have this common Joy and Applause ascrib'd not to himself but to God only by virtue of the Holy Cross to whom only he gave the Praise and Honour of this Victory At his Triumphal entrance into the City he caus'd the Cross to be carried before his Army that Rome might see by what Arms she had been freed from Slavery he also enjoyn'd the People and Senate to Prostrate themselves before that Triumphant Sign and to Adore the Name of Christ who had Enobl'd the same It is therefore a narrow conceit of some who will not acknowledge that the Cross was ever Honour'd or Venerated by this Emperour or his Command when it is most manifest by undenyable Testimony for it is well known that Constantine Dedicated a Church to the Honour of the Holy Cross This Honour of the Cross Prudentius thus sounds forth Vex illum Crucis summus Dominator Adorat And not only so but the said Emperour signifies his will that all the World should also do so This Prince also further to Honour this Sign of our Salvation causeth his Statue to be set up in Rome holding a Cross in the right Hand with this Inscription By this saving Sign the Emblem of Fortitude I deliver'd your City from the yoak of Tyranny and having given perfect Liberty to the Senate and People of Rome I restor'd them to their Antient Greatness and Splendour There was another Inscription Engraven in Stone by the Decree of the Senate of like purport with the former wherein the Victory is ascrib'd contrary to the Roman custom to one True God and not to the many Gods there Ador'd After this signal Victory Constantine sent for Licinius the Emperour to Millain and there gave him to Wife his Sister Constantia and procur'd an Edict from him for free Liberty to profess the Christian Religion what belong'd to Churches was restor'd unto them Both Constantine and Lacinius joyn in their request to Maximinus the Eastern Emperour to grant the like freedom within his Dominions to which request Maximinus with much unwillingness yielded Matthew of Westminster affirms That about this time Constantine chose into the Senate his three Vncles before-mention'd which might perhaps give occasion to Julian the Apostate afterwards to darken the memory of this Glorious Emperour as a perverter of the Antient Roman Laws in being the first who Adorn'd Barbarous Strangers with Consular Robes In the year of Grace 314. Silvester succeeded Melchiades in the Popedom It
invented by Fausta maliciously because the young man would not yield to her Lust she was by Constantine's order stifled in a Hot Bath After which Crimes and Calamities as appears by the second General Councel of Nice Almighty God struck Constantine with a Leprosie anxious to find a remedy the Soothsayers told him The only way to be restor'd was by a Bath of Infants Blood This detestable Medicine being abhorr'd by Constantine God was pleas'd to instruct him by a Vision of St. Peter and St. Paul in his sleep That it would be a certain remedy for him to receive Baptism at the hands of the Pope Which he did accordingly with great Solemnity In the place where he was Baptiz'd he Erected a Magnificent Chappel wherein was a Font of Porphyrie cover'd with Silver and over it hung a Phiale of Pure Gold wherein yearly 200 l. of Balsom was Burn'd on the brink of the Font was plac'd a Lamb of pure Gold weighing 30 l. and pouring forth water into the Font At the right side of the Lamb stood the Statue of our Saviour all of pure Silver weighing 170 l. On the left side was plac'd St. John Baptist holding a Scroul whereon was written Behold the Lamb of God Behold him who takes away the sins of the World c. The Emperour according to the Churches custom being for seven days cloath'd in White Consecrated each of the said days with some Signal act of Piety On the first day he publish'd a Law That Christ is the true Lord who cleans'd him from his Leprosie and whom he commanded to be Ador'd through the whole Empire On the second day he Decreed Severe Punishments on those who by Word or Deed should Dishonour him On the third day he Decreed Like Penalties against those who should Persecute or Molest any Christians On the fourth day He confer'd on the Roman Churches Imperial Priviledges On the fifth day He granted Immunities to all other Churches On the sixth and seventh he added many other Gists to Ecclesiastical Persons And the day after he appear'd in publick perfectly cleans'd from his Sins and Leprosie and coming to the Confession of St. Peter He took his Diadem from his Head and putting off his Impertal Robes with a Spade open'd the Earth for a Foundation of a new Church and in Honour of the 12 Apostles carry'd on his Shoulders 12 Baskets of Earth and with great joy receiving the Bishop into his Chariot he return'd to his Palace After all this he extended his Munificence to Gods Church all the Empire over and sent Letters to the Eastern Bishops encouraging them to Build Churches supplying them out of his publick Treasure which Churches he caus'd to be Consecrated to the Honour of the Apostles and Martyrs whose solemn Feasts he commanded to be observ'd even by the Pagans with Honour and Veneration And as for the Christians they repair'd thither with great Zeal and as Supplicants there demanded the intercession of those Martyrs a practice then us'd not only by the meaner sort but by persons of the highest rank also As St. Chrysostom witnesses He who wears the Imperial Robe saith he comes hither he embraces the Sepulchers of the Martyrs and laying aside all haughtiness and pride stands before them in the Posture of a Supplicant beseeching them to intercede on his behalf This so publick and zealous Profession of a new Religion render'd Constantine displeasing to some of the Senate who could not with Patience endure the decay of their Antient Superstition For this cause he grew weary of Rome and made a Progress into the Eastern Provinces where he establish'd a new seat of the Empire at Bizantium after from his Name call'd Constantinople and this he did the rather to compose the Tumults rais'd by the Blasphemous Heresie of Arius who deny'd the Divinity of the Son of God affirming That time was when he was not though he was first of all Creatures In which Heresie not a few Bishops joyn'd with him to the great disturbance and scandal of the Christian Church Alexander Bishop of Alexandria first admonish'd then Excommunicated Arius Constantine by Exhortations and Letters treated with both of them for the composing of their differences but finding no means available caus'd a Councel of the whole Church to be assembled at Nicaea in Bythinia consisting of 318 Bishops who desided the Controversy from Scripture and Tradition determining That the Son was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantial with the Father It is observable with what Meekness Charity and Respectfulness the Pious Emperour behav'd himself towards the Bishops how he refus'd to judge of their Recriminations how he fortify'd the Determinations of the Synod by his Authority commanding submission thereunto and how he banish'd the Arch-Heretick Arius In this Councel was further Order made For the universal Observation of Easter upon the first Sunday following the 14th day of the first Moon after the Vernal Equinox for the better finding out of which it was recommended to the care of the Patriarch of Alexandria every year to give notice to the Bishop of Rome upon what day Easter was to be observ'd and this was to be communicated unto all remoter Churches and during Mass on the Epiphany a Deacon with a loud voice declar'd the following Easter whereby Lent and all other moveable Feasts were regulated And accordingly the British Churches also were guided until recourse from Rome was interrupted by Domestick Broils and the invasion of the Saxons and when by such interruption the Britains varied from the Western Churches they kept not Easter as the quarto decimani precisely upon the 14th day of the Moon after the Jewish mode But if that 14th day hapen'd upon a Sunday they did not defer the Observation until the Sunday following as other Catholick Christian Churches us'd to do Soon after this Councel of Nice Helena the Mother of Constantine being near 80. years old had the Courage to undertake a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem to visit the Holy places sanctify'd by our Lords Actions and Sufferings and to Adore his Footsteps to which tedious Journey she is said to be incited by Divine Admonition The Sepulchre of our Lord she most ardently desir'd to see which the flagitious Impiety of the Pagans had endeavour'd to hide from the World so that it cost incredible Labour to remove that vast heap of Earth wherewith it had been cover'd on the top whereof a Temple to Venus was Erected But the place being cleans'd Constantine caus'd a most Magnificent Temple to be Erected upon it Besides which his Mother began the building of two other Sumptuous Churches one at Bethlehem where our Lord was born another on Mount Olivet where he ascended into Heaven both which after her Death were finish'd by her Son. In the Mount was yet extant the Impression of our Lords Feet which this Devout Empress Honour'd with due Veneration The Prophet Zacharias long before Prophesied saying And in that day his feet shall stand upon the Mount Olivet
Son Constantine built unto her Honour a Magnificent Sepulchre or Mausoleum where in a Tomb of Porphyry he laid her Blessed Body scituate in the High-way call'd Lavicana between two Lawrel-Trees her Body afterwards if we will believe the Gallican Martyrology was remov'd into a Monastery in France and there continu'd Illustrious by many Miracles In the Church of the Holy Cross at Rome Antiently call'd The Church of St. Helena an Illustrious Monument was Erected in memory of her and the like is to be seen in Naples This Island wherein this Noble Empress was born hath not been ungrateful to her Memory The Monuments of her and all others rais'd by the Britains have been consum'd by Age but even the Saxons when once Converted to Christianity left many Monuments and Expresses of their Devout respect to this British Lady by Consecrating Churches in memory of her witness Hellenstone in Barkshire and several Churches Dedicated in this Saints Name in London and many other places Constantine continues his Zeal against Pagan Idolatry and made severe Laws against Heathenish Sacrifices overthrowing the most Celebrated of the Idol-Temples neither was he wanting to establish the Churches Peace by publishing severe Edicts against all sorts of Hereticks and their Assemblies mingled with such perswasive Exhortations that many of them acknowledging their Errours return'd to the Communion of the Catholick Church Yet this Holy Emperour being seduc'd by the Craft of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia the Pillar of the Arrian Faction he began to be displeas'd with St. Athanasius then Bishop of Alexandria His Sister Constantia check'd him at her Death with his Severity to the Arrians whom she accounted Innocent persons upon this the Emperour wrote a threatning Letter to Athanasius enjoyning him to receive Arrius but being after inform'd that this Arrius still persisted in his Heresie and without any Repentance oppos'd the Councel of Nice the good Emperour no longer insisted upon his Reception and not only stuck to Athanasius against the Miletians but turn'd his Anger against the said Eusebius his chiefest Enemy whom he banish'd with other Confederate Bishops from their Sees though soon after upon the Inauguration of his new City Constantinople as objects of his Clemency he thought fit to restore them This City is said to be Consecrated to our Lord and his Immaculate Mother with the offering of the unbloody Sacrifice and Prayers and then a Statue was erected for Constantine in a publick place upon a Pillar of Porphyry holding in his right Hand a Golden Apple on which was placed the Holy Cross with this Inscription To thee O Christ our Lord I commend this City Eusebius writes That Constantine adorn'd his new City especially with Magnisicent Churches Consecrated to Holy Martyrs the chief whereof were St. Moscus St. Agathonicus St. Mennas and St. Acatius One Church he built in a place there formerly Dedicated to Vesta and call'd it St. Michael from an Apparition of that Holy Arch-Angel In which by virtue of the Holy Cross there erected many Miracles are said to have been wrought one of which I cannot omit viz. That a Soldier of the Emperour's Guards Probianus by Name afflicted with grievous Torments in his feet not only receiv'd ease in that place but was also honour'd with a wonderful and Divine Vision He was converted to Christianity and thoroughly satisfied with all points of that Religion yet he could never be perswaded that the Holy Cross could be any wise instrumental to the Salvation of mankind Being thus perswaded the Image of the Cross was presented to him in a Vision as it was usually set on the Altar of that Church and in the same Vision it was declar'd to him manifestly that what thing soever had been perform'd either by Angels or Holy men for the publick or private profit of men since Christ was Crucified were not rightly perform'd but by Virtue of the Saving Cross Constantine was not wanting richly to Endow the Churches he had built he caus'd Copies of the Holy Scriptures to be Curiously writ in Parchments richly adorn'd which he dispers'd and plac'd in his said Churches he encourages the Professors of all Arts and Sciences so as Learning flourish'd in his City he endeavour'd to make it equal with old Rome by placing Senators there with the same Honour and Authority and many of them Professors of Christianity In the midst of this Serene Calm a sharp storm sell upon the good Athanasius principal Defender of the Nicene Faith for the restless malice of the Arrians prick'd them on to accuse him falsly Of breaking a Chalice of Murder of Enchantments with his dead Hand of Adultery by Violence c. His Cause was examin'd in a Synod of Bishops assembled at Tyre by whom to the great astonishment of Conslantine the good Athanasius though in all particulars his Innocency was evidently declar'd was yet unjustly condemned and by the importunity of Constantius the Emperour's Son infected with that Poisonous Arrian Heresie banish'd into the West or rather advisd to withdraw himself to avoid the impetuous clamour of the Arrians against him For he retir'd to Triers in France where by the Emperour's order he wanted nothing Now that this was not consented unto by Constantine as in any wise wavering in the Faith may appear by this following Relation Constantine desiring to be satisfi'd what the Opinion of Arrius truly was ask'd him whether he did approve the Decrees of the Nicene Councel He presently with a chearful countenance answered That he approv'd them The Emperour not satisfied with this Affirmation urg'd him to confirm it by an Oath to which likewise he comply'd But all this was impious Craft and subtilty for whilst he made this Profession and Oath he had in his bosom a Paper containing his Heresie and swore from his Heart he believ'd what he had written reserring still to that Paper Constantine never the less warn'd him that if his Faith were true and Orthodox he had sworn well but if otherwise God said he may condemn thee for thy Perjury However Constantine being deluded with this Equivocation sent to the Pishop of Alexandria to receive the Hypocrite into Communion But we shall presently see how God discover'd miraculously the Impiousness of Arrius and true Faith of Constantine For Alexander Bishop of Constantinople not willing to admit the Arch-Heretick but sollicitous for the True Faith more than for his Bishoprick which some threat ned to deprive him of lay prostrate several days and nights before his Altar and pray'd to God that if the Opinion of Arrius were true he might die before the day of Disputation came But in case the Faith which he profess'd were true then that Arrius the Author of all those Calamities might suffer just punishment for his Impiety Which Prayer it seems was soon heard for Arrius in his way to the Church using many vain and boasting Bablings was on a suddain sorc'd to retire to a common Privy to ease himself where as is written of Judas
insomuch as that Constantius advis'd with many Eastern Bishops about it Who resolv'd him It was better to allow of Athanasius then hazard a Civil War. The year following Athanasius return'd into the East and was at first receiv'd by Constantius with some Kindness and permitted to return to his See at Alexandria But the year following the Arrian Bishops becoming boundless in their Power and Malice by the death of the Orthodox Emperour Constans who by the Conspiracy of Magnentius Chrestius and Marcellinus was Traytorously slain at Helena a Town in France It is said he had a Prediction That he should die in his Grand-Mothers Lap. His death was greatly bewail'd by St. Athanasius who foresaw the danger was like to ensue unto the Catholick Faith by the loss of Constans and the evil of the sole remaining Emperour who was yet at present very much incumber'd by two Tyrants the one was Vetranio who had once govern'd in Britain and was after Proclaim'd Emperour in Illyricum but was soon depos'd by Constantius who yet not only spar'd his Life but suffer'd him to spend the remainder of his Life in Retirement full of Pleasure and Abundance The other Tyrant was Magnentius who took the Title of Emperour at Augustodunum in France and held it three years and then after the loss of a Battel was forc'd to kill himself After this Victory Constantius would be call'd the Emperour of the whole World and assum'd the Impious Title of his Eternity and then extended all his Pride and Power to oppress the Catholick Faith and establish the Arrian Heresie even in the Western Churches also commanding a Councel to be Assembled at Arles in France where he extorted the Suffrages of the Bishops in favour of his Heresie and condemnation of St. Athanasius drawing in the Legate of Pope Liberius who had newly succeeded Julius Howbeit Liberius more than once sollicited the Emperour by Legates and Epistles on the behalf of St. Athanasius complaining That the Suffrages of Bishops were mercenarily sold according to the Princes inclination Whereupon Constantius perceiving the endeavours of Liberius render'd the Sentences of his pack'd Synods invalid sought to win him by Promises and Favours to his Party that proving ineffectual he sent for him when Liberius was come to him he stoutly protested He would suffer any thing rather than being a Christian to become an Arrian At which the Emperour being offended sent him into Banishment to Beraea a City of Thrace whereto he chearfully submitted rejecting 500 Crowns which the Emperour sent for his Maintenance In his place was substituted a certain Roman Priest call'd Felix one who though in judgement a Catholick yet comply'd with the Arrians Liberius wanting constancy and weary of his Banishment after two years return'd from it with as much Infamy as he had submitted to it with glory yielding at last to the condemnation of St. Athanasius and subscribing to a Confession of Faith fram'd in a Synod at Sirmium wherein though there was nothing Haeretical yet the word Consubstantiality being left out his subscription to it was scandalous and argu'd an unlawful complyance with the Arrians After all this returning again to Rome he breaks off all Communion with the Arrians and joyns himself in Communion with Athanasius to whom he thus writes Our Confession belov'd Athanasius is that the Word is the Son of God being according to his Nature begotten of God his Father not created he is God his Fathers Colleague in his Empire and obtains an endless Kingdom for infinite Ages Amen Whilst Constantius in the West thus afflicted the Catholick Church and Faith Gratian Father of Valentinian afterwards Emperour was Pro-Praetor of Britain He was rais'd from a vile Original to this high degree for his Courage and Virtue in his younger Age he is said to have been a Seller of Ropes such was his strength that five Soldiers were not able to wrest a Rope out of his Hands for his favouring Magnentius he was depriv'd both of Office and Estate Martinus succeeded him in his Pro-Praetorship of Britain who govern'd this Island with great Justice and Kindness to the Britains his Government was shortned upon this unhappy occasion Constantius being a Prince very Suspitious imploy'd Officers to search out such as were practising against him One Paul a Notary was very much esteem'd of him for his Malicious Sagacity in such matters and therefore sent by him into Britain to bring over in Chains such Soldiers as had intermedled in the Conspiracy of Magnentius Paul executed this Authority with such Cruelty and Injustice that the Pro-Praetor to prevent the Miseries of so many Innocents first intercedes by way of Intreaty and being therein unsuccessful protested he would leave the Province rather than behold such Oppression This Paul for his Subtilty call'd Catena being thus thwarted in his Cruelty Craftily involves the Pro-praetor himself in a Suspition of the same Guilt and Treason so as he presumes to seize upon him and put him in Fetters with the rest Martinus betakes himself to his Sword in defence of himself and therewith wounds Paul but not Mortally and thereupon turns his Sword upon his own Breast and so dy'd lamented of all men In the year of our Lord 359. the Church of God was expos'd to great danger and infamy by the Councel of Ariminum then Assembled by the Authority of the Arrian Emperour Constantius with design to abolish the Faith of the Consubstantiality of the Son of God. He commanded his Praefect Taurus That when the Bishops were met together he should not permit them to depart till they had all consented in one Faith It is said that out of Illyricum Italy Africk Spain and Gaul and out of Britain also under the notion of Gaul he gather'd together more than 400 Bishops The Emperour commanded allowance of Necessaries to these Bishops but those of Gaul and Britain refus'd it as an unseemly thing and chose rather at their own Costs to maintain themselves Three only out of Britain excepted who being destitute of Subsistence out of their own Sees made some use of the Emperour's Liberality and perhaps were not to be disprais'd for it These Bishops being assembled were prescrib'd what they should do by the Emperours Letters and severely enjoyn'd to determine nothing which might touch the Eastern Bishops and when they had finish'd their Decrees they were to send them to Court by two Bishops In these Letters it is observ'd that he Subscribes himself Constantine not Constantius Notwithstanding all which the Holy Bishops Couragiously perform'd their Duties for they confirm'd the Nicene Creed sorbidding any addition or diminution thereof and protesting They would never depart from the Faith which they had receiv'd from God the Father by the Prophets and our Lord Jesus Christ which the Holy Spirit taught in the Gospels according as was deliver'd by Tradition of the Fathers succeeding the Apostles to the times when this Controversie was debated at Nicaea against an Heresie which then arose All
Long before St. Patrick came into Ireland by the Magicians and Pagan Prophets there intimation was given of his coming their Prophcy was to this effect That a man would come thither with his Wood whose Table should be placed in the Eastern side of his House and some persons standing behind together with others from the Table will Sing and the Congregation will Answer them saying AMEN When this man comes he will destroy our Gods subvert our Temples destroy Princes which resist him and his Doctrine shall remain and prevail here for ever With such words these blind Prophets incens'd both the Prince and People against St. Patricius They compos'd a certain Rhyme importing That a Head of Art and Skill with his Crooked Staff would come from that hour every House shall be bor'd through the Top He will chant an abomination from his Table at the forepart of the House and his whole Family will answer So be it So be it The meaning of this dark Rhyme is That the Master of Wisdom would come with the Sign of the Cross by which the hearts of all men would feel Compunction and from the Altar of the Holy Mysteries he would Convert Souls unto Christ so as all Christian People should Answer Amen And then our Pagan Kingdom shall fall as in truth it afterwards did This piece of Wood is by most taken for the Cross others affirm it to signifie A certain wonderful Staff which St. Patrick before his Journey receiv'd from a Holy Hermit and was call'd the Staff of Jesus The Author of St. Patrick's Life relates the Story of the Staff to this effect That St. Patrick by Divine Revelation pass'd over to a certain Solitary Hermit living in an Island of the Tyrrhen Sea whose Name was Justus a man of a Holy Life and great Fame this man of God gave to St. Patrick the foremention'd Staff affirming seriously That he had receiv'd it immediately from the Hand of our Lord Jesus Christ who had appear'd to him There were other men in the same Island at some aistance who also led Solitary Lives Some of these St. Patrick observ'd to be very Fresh and Youthfull others very Decrepid and Old were the Children of them who appear'd so Youthful at which the Saint being astonish'd and enquiring the occasion of so great a Miracle was thus Answer'd We from our Childhood by Divine Grace have been much addicted to Works of Mercy our doors stood ever open to Travellers demanding Meat or Lodging On a certain night it happen'd that a Stranger with a Staff in his Hand was Entertain'd by us and us'd with all the Courtesie we could the morning he gave us his Benediction telling us he was Jesus Christ and saying to us You have oft hitherto ministred unto my Members and this night Entertain'd me in my own Person this said He gave the Staff in his Hand to a man of God our Father both Spiritually and Carnally commanding him to keep it Till in succeeding times a stranger Nam'd Patrick should come to visit him and then to give it to that Stranger and having said this he ascended up into Heaven From that day those Hermits told St. Patrick They had remain'd in the same state of Youthful Comliness and Vigour whereas their Children who were then little Infants were as he saw become decrepid Old men This Story of St. Patrick and his Staff is reported by Jocelinus Author of his Life Now what Credit soever this Story may find in the minds of the Readers certain it is that a Staff believ'd to have belong'd to St. Patrick and nam'd the Staff of Jesus was for many Ages in great Veneration among the Irish And St. Bernard in the Life of St. Malachias an Irish Bishop mentions and describes this Staff and the great esteem it had in that Nation and if we will believe Giraldus Cambrensis It was the Vulgar Opinion that with this Staff St. Patrick cast out of the Island all Venomous Beasts He seems to have enter'd into Ireland in the year 432. as Bishop Vsher computes The Inhabitants of the Country having advice of his Landing flock'd to him from all Parts especially the common People came joyfully to him as if he had been of their own Nation He had indeed many Qualities which invited their good Will towards him He was of a Comely Personage very Civil in Conversation and though extreamly Grave yet without Morosity Besides this he spoke Irish perfectly and from his Youth had inform'd himself of their Natural Dispositions so as he presently became one of them But God was the principal cause of conciliating their Affections to him and by his special Grace great multitudes in a short time yielded their Assent and Obedience to his Christian Doctrine For St. Patrick like a good Shepherd carefully watch'd over his new flock informing them daily in all Duties of Piety convincing the Pagans of their Errors and confounding the Magicians which oppos'd him The Conversion of one Irish-man is specially taken notice of whose Name was Dicon whom St. Patrick gain'd as he was passing through his Land to submit to the Doctrine of our Lord and of a Wolf in a wonderful manner chang'd him into a Lamb For Dicon coming suddainly with Weapons intended to have kill'd St. Patrick and his Companions but as soon as he saw his face he was prick'd in his Heart our Lord immediately turning his Thoughts so as he meekly led him to his House where the Holy Bishop resided sometime Preaching to him the Faith of Christ so effectually that he became the first of all the Island who believ'd with all his Family Nevertheless another Antient Author cited by Bishop Vsher mentions the Conversion of one Sinel as the first of all his words are St. Patrick sent by Pope Caelestinus landed at the mouth of the River Dee but an impious Count call'd Nathi who formerly had resisted St. Palladius contradicted St. Patrick and his Doctrine However Sinel the Son of Finchado by the Preaching of St. Patrick believ'd in Almighty God and was the first among the Irish Scots who was Baptiz'd by the Holy Bishop upon whom and his Seed St. Patrick bestow'd his Benediction By which it appears that St. Patrick first landed in the Province of Leinster and from thence went to Vlster where having Converted Dicon he obtain'd a Field call'd Sabbul two Miles distant from the City of Doun His particular Journeys Laborious Preaching Pious Actions and Admirable Miracles are Copiously related by the Ecclesiastical Writers of Ireland It is said that Carantacus or Cernac thirty years before the Birth of St. David began to Preach the Gospel in Ireland He was a Britain born Son of Keredec Prince of the Province of Cardigan Cereticae Regionis Amongst many other Children Keredic had this Carantac a Child of good Disposition beginning early to do those things which he thought pleasing to God. In those days the Scots grievously vex'd Britain so that his Father unable to sustain
which God Graciously call'd him out of this Mortal Life So as being perfect in Grace and Piety and mature in Age he Happily mounted to Heaven his Body was buried in the Church Dedicated to St. Martin built by himself from the Foundation The Centuriatours add this to his Story That he was a Venedocian Teacher of Christian Verities of a desert more than ordinary To his Old Age he largely communicated the Talent wherewith God had entrusted him among the Britains Scots and Southern Picts He was a man Assiduous in Reading the Holy Scripture Merciful to Orphans Widdows and the Poor Illustrious in Miracles and Sanctity By his Pious Industry the Nation of the Picts first of all relinquishing their Idolatry embrac'd the true Faith of Christ He was the first Bishop of Candida Casa and dy'd among the Picts in the Province of Galloway I may further observe that he was very Devout in giving Respect and Veneration to Gods Saints in whose Honour he built Churches and in particular to the Honour of S. Martin who dy'd about 30 years before him The example of St. Ninian was imitated by the British Church near the same Age for when St. Augustine the Monk came into Britain to Convert the Saxons He found saith St. Bede in the City of Canterbury a Church Dedicated to the Honour of St. Martin which had been built in the times of the Romans St. Ninian before he dy'd divided the Provinces of the Picts into Parishes he Ordain'd Priests there and Consecrated Bishops by the Authority of the Roman Bishop from whom he receiv'd his Mission He being famous for Miracles it may not be amiss to reckon up one In the Region of the Picts there was a Prince named Tudwal a man of a proud and high Spirit he contemning the Admonitions of this man of God and derogating from his Doctrine and Life resisted him openly Being one day more then ordinarily troublesome and rude God the supreme Judge would not any longer suffer the injuries offer'd to his Holy Servant to pass unreveng'd but struck this proud man with an intollerable pain in his Head by the violence whereof those lofty Eyes of his became utterly Blind so that he who had before impugn'd the Light of Divine Truth deservedly lost this Worlds Light. But upon better consideration he sent a Message to the Holy Bishop humbly beseeching him in imitation of our Lords Benignity to return to him good for evil and love for hatred The Venerable Bishop hereupon first sharply reprov'd the Prince and then touching him imprinted on his Eyes the Sign of the Cross when immediately his pains ceas'd and his Blindness was dissipated Afterwards this Prince highly Honour'd the Holy Bishop and readily granted whatsoever he ask'd of him Our Country-man Alcuinus in an Epistle not Printed but now extant in Bishop Vshers Antiquities Testifies the great Fame which this Holy Bishop had for Sanctity and Miracles This Epistle is directed to the Religious Priest then living at Candida Casa While Alcuinus liv'd this following Miracle happ'ned to a Devout Priest Celebrating Mass at this Saints Monument nam'd Plegils he frequently Solemniz'd Mass at the Body of St. Ninian and living a Holy and Virtuous Life began frequently to beseech our Lord That he would please to shew visibly to him the Nature and Verity of the Body and Blood of Christ in the most Blessed Sacrament This Prayer he made not for want of Faith in the Truth of the Mystery but out of an Affection of Devotion and Piety For the Author saith That to his great Consolation our Lord appear'd to him in the Sacrament in the form of a young Child Three years after the death of St. Ninianus St. Germanus was once more invited into Britain to perfect the good Work which he had formerly began in rooting out of the Pelagian Heresie there spreading it self again the Relation whereof we must borrow from the Learn'd Priest Constantius a Writer of those times and of most perfect Integrity and Sincerity By a Message from Britain address'd to St. German he was advertis'd that that Pestilent Heresie began to enlarge it self there and intreated him once more to come over and maintain the Cause of Divine Grace The Holy Bishop readily comply'd with this Petition being delighted to spend his strength in the Service of Christ There was joyn'd to him for his Companion Severus Bishop of Triers a person of Consummate Sanctity In the mean time three Infernal Spirits flying through the whole Island foretold the return of St. Germanus being forc'd so to do against their Will Insomuch as one Elaphius a Principal person of the Country without any other notice hast'ned to meet the Holy Bishops His Son went with him upon whom from the flower of his Youth a lamentable Infirmity had seiz'd for all his Members were wither'd and the Hamm of his Leg was so drawn together that by reason of the dryness of his Thigh he could not set his Foot upon the ground Elaphius was attended by almost the whole Province As soon as they were met together an Episcopal Benediction was conferr'd on the People and the Words of Truth Preach'd to them St. Germanus perceiv'd that the generality of the People persever'd constant in the Doctrine which he left among them and that the fault lay upon a few buisie persons who were presently condemn'd As for Elaphius he humbly kneeling kiss'd the Bishops Hands presenting to him his Lame Son so miserable a Spectacle that he mov'd compassion in all especially in the Holy Bishops mind St. German therefore presently commanded the young man to sit down then handled his contracted Ham and with his right Hand stroak'd all the infirm Members immediately perfect Health and Strength attended that wholesome Touch the wither'd Members recover'd their natural Moisture and his Sinews their Office and Agility Thus in the sight of all the young man was restor'd to his Father as if he had been new made the People are astonish'd at this Miracle and the Catholick Faith is perfectly confirm'd in their minds The Holy Bishop spent his time in Preaching up and down and the Hearers were every where Converted or Confirm'd So that by a Universal Consent the Authors of the Perverse Doctrine were brought before the Holy Bishops and then banish'd out of the Island and the Orthodox Faith remain'd uncorrupted and all things being thus well compos'd the Holy Bishops return'd with a Prosperous Voyage Howbeit during his stay here St. German is recorded to have call'd a Synod and taking notice that many Churches wanted Pastors by which means the People became wavering in their Faith by common advice he selected Learn'd and Pious men whom he ordain'd Bishops and placed in several Churches In particular over all the Britains toward the Southern parts he promoted the Blessed man Dubricius an Eminent Doctor to be Arch-bishop who was made choice of by King Mouricus and the whole Diocess They constituted his Arch-Episcopal See at Landaff with the
cut after the Roman manner or shall permit his Wife to go abroad Vnvail'd he should be separated from the Communion That a Monk and Consecrated Virgin shall not abide in the same Lodging nor Travel in the same Chariot That if a Monk shall neglect the Divine Office or wear long Hair he shall be Excommunicate That the Almes of Excommunicate Persons or Pagans shall not be receiv'd That if any Christian shall be guilty of Man-slaughter Fornication or consulting Southsayers he shall perform Pennance for each Crime the space of a year And he that is guilty of Stealing half a year of which 20 days he shall eat Bread only and be withall oblig'd to Restitution That if any Christian shall believe Spirits may be presented in a Glass he shall be Anathematiz'd c. That if any Consecrated Virginshall Marry she shall be Excommunicated 'till she be Converted and forsake her Adulteries which having done she is to perform due Pennance after which they are not to live in the same House or Town That if any Priest shall build a Church he must not offer Sacrifice in it before it be Consecrated by the Bishop That if a Clergy-man be Excommunicated he must say his Prayers alone and not in the same House with his Brethren neither must he presume to Offer or Consecrate 'till he be Absolv'd That a Bishop may not Ordain in another Bishops Diocess without his Consent only upon Sundays he may offer Sacrifice That a Clark coming from Britain into Ireland without a Testimonial be not suffer'd to Minister There is no mention made of this or any other Irish Synod in any Author except only the Authors of St. Patrick's Life where this general Passage may be found The most Holy Bishop St. Patrick together with three other Bishops and many Clarks came to a Fountain call'd Debach which flowes from the side of Crochon toward the East there to Celebrate a Synod touching Ecclesiastical Affairs and they sate near the Fountain when behold two Daughters of King Legaren came early in the morning to wash in the same Fountain as Women there usually did and there found the Holy Synod with St. Patrick near the Fountain The Inscription of this Synod runs thus Thanks be given to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Patricius Auxilius and Isserninus to the Priests Deacons and whole Clergy Health It is better we should premonish those who are negligent then blame things just for Solomon saith It isbetter to Reprove then to be Angry The Tenor of our Definition begins thus If any Captive c. Another Holy Bishop and Disciple of St. Patrick is once more to be Commemorated St. Albeus who when he heard that St. Patrick had Converted to our Lord Engus King of Munster Momonensium and was with him in the Royal City Cassel came to Salute them Now the King and St. Patrick joyfully receiv'd him And the Holy man Reverently Entertain'd his Master St. Patrick for he was very Humble After which this King Engus and St. Patrick ordain'd that the Arch-Episcopal See of all Munster should be for ever placed in the City and Chair of St. Albeus The Conversion of King Engus was after this manner When St. Patrick had Sown the Faith of Christ in Lemster he Prosecuted his way to the limits of Munster where the King with great Joy met him having an earnest desire to Believe and be Baptiz'd and with much Reverence conducted him to his Royal City Cassel and having been instructed Believ'd and receiv'd Baptism Three years after this St. Patrick Consecrated St. Benignus Arch-Bishop of Armagh and there quitting his Sollicitude for others return'd into Britain to his much desir'd Solitude of Glastonbury where he ended his days His Successor St. Benignus after seven years spent in Care of his Province Thirsting after Solitude and willing to see his Beloved Master and desirous also to receive from him a most perfect Rule of Monastical Discipline by the Admonition of an Angel came to Glastonbury and there demanded of St. Patrick What place he should make choice of to live in Vnion with God alone divided from Humane Society St. Patrick's answer was That he should pursue Happily his well begun purpose saying Go my beloved Brother and take only your Staff with you and when you shall be arriv'd at the place appointed by God for your Repose wheresoever it be having fix'd your Staff in the ground you shall see it slourish and grow Green there know you must make your abode Both of them being thus comforted with mutual Discourses St. Benignus accompanied only with a Youth named Pincius began his Journey through Woody and Moorish places but as soon as he was arriv'd at an Island where he saw a Solitary place and which he judg'd sit for his Habitation he presently fix'd his Staff in the ground which without delay wonderfully grew Green and brought forth Leaves There therefore St. Benignus resolv'd to abide until Death in the Service of God alone And for many years after the same Tree as a witness and sign of the Blessed man's Sanctity remain'd flourishing with Green Boughs over his Oratory Now though that Solitary place separated from Worldly Conversation was very proper for the attending God in Divine concerns yet one Incommodity it had that no Water was near so that young Pincius was compell'd every day to fetch Water almost three Miles off Whence it came to pass that partly through Weariness but principally through suggestions of wicked Spirits he grew dis-heartned which the Holy man perceiving oft-times endeavour'd to Comfort and Encourage him At last taking compassion of his Labours he Prostrating himself on the ground Humbly and Heartily besought our Lord to open for his Servant a Spring of Water which might sufficiently supply his Necessities After which admonish'd by an Angelick Vision he gave his Staff to young Pincius commanding him to go to a certain place full of Reeds and their striking the ground with his Staff he should without doubt find water so earnestly desir'd by them The Child obey'd went to the place and in the Name of the Blessed Trinity struck the ground three times making three Holes in it with the end of the Staff which he had no sooner done but immediately a Fountain gush'd forth from whence to this day a Brook and that no small one is supply'd being not only productive of Fish but Sanative also of many Infirmities This Island is said to have the Name of Ferramere Bishop Vsher seems to agree that this Holy Bishop four years before his Death came into Britain and relinquish'd his Arch Episcopal See for his retirement as aforesaid He is suppos'd to have ended his Life about the year of Christ 455. And 630 years after His Sacred Body was translated to Glastonbury by the direction and care of Thurston then Abbot The Example of St. Patrick and St. Benignus was imitated by many other Irish Saints who to enjoy perfect vacancy from Worldly Affairs retir'd
to the Walls they also return upon their backs By this means the Saxons were extreamly Harrass'd and great slaughters made of them till at last the Saxons were compell'd to divide their Army into two parts and to imploy one part in expugning the City while the other was in readiness to Fight with the Britains from without Then indeed the Besieged weak'ned with Famine could no longer resist the Saxons by whom they were all consum'd with the Sword moreover in revenge of the great losses sustain'd by the Saxons during this Siege they demolish'd the City so as it was never built again There only remains the mark of a place where once a Noble City had been seated We find mention made of a Provost of a Company of Soldiers under the Count of the Saxon-shore placed at Anderida as the Romans call'd it to defend the Coasts from Saxon Rovers There is left now no foot-steps of this great City only a great Forrest call'd by the Saxons Andraedwald and by the Britains Lord Andred which being Antently seated near where the said City of Anderida stood continues the name of it About this time Ambrosius is said to have come to the Mount of Ambri near Caer Carec now Salisbury where Hengist Treacherously slaughter'd so many Princes for whom he intended to raise a Famous Monument There also he is said to have constituted two Metropolitans St. Sampson at York and St. Dubritius at Caerleon The second year after the Erection of the Kingdom of South-Saxons was Illustrious for a great Victory obtain'd by the Britains against the Saxons at the Hill Badonicus as Bede writes The Britains conducted by their famous King Ambrosius took Courage and provoking the Victorious Saxons to Combat by the Divine Favour obtain'd a Victory over them after which sometimes the Britains sometimes the Saxons prevail'd until the Saxons were Besieged in the Mountain Badonicus and a great slaughter was made of them Polydore Virgil will have this mountain between Yorkshire and the Bishoprick of Durham but Cambden with greater probability makes the Territory of the Antient City of Bath the Scene of this Battle and Victory By the Britains it was call'd Caer Badon The City saith he was Besieged by the Saxons but by the coming of the War-like Prince Arthur they were forc'd to retire to the Mountain Badonicus where after a long and desperate Fight they were overcome and great numbers of them slain This Mountain seems to be that which is now call'd Bannesdown at the foot whereof is seated a little Village call'd Bathstone where to this day are seen Rampires and Trenches the marks of a Camp. This Victory is principally to be ascrib'd to Ambrosius under whom the said Arthur his Nephew Son to his Brother Vterpendragon was indeed a principal Officer and is said often to have repress'd the Haughty Saxons swelling with the Pride of their Conquests This is that Arthur of whom the Britains have wrote so many trissing Fables A Prince worthy to be magnified by the Truth of History and not to be made the subject of idle Dreams since by his own admirable Courage he sustain'd his declining Country and incited the Heartless Britains to reassume their Courage One thing is remarkable in this Prince that in the Siege of this Mountain Badonicus confiding in the Protection of our Blessed Lady whose Image he carried Sow'd to his Arms he put to flight and slew 900 Saxons His custom was to make use of these Spiritual Arms and as Huntingdon affirms In a Combat near the Castle of Guinton he carried the same Image on his Shoulders and by the power of our Lord Jesus and his Holy Mother Mary that whole day the Saxons fled before him Florilegus writes That Prince Arthur 's Shield on which the Image of our Lady was Painted was named Pridwen and that in a certain Battle he drawing ferth his Sword Caliburn invok'd the Name of the Blessed Virgin and with great Violence peircing into the midst of the Enemies at one Blow he slew whomsoever he touch'd with it nor gave he over till he had slain 840. of his Enemies with his Sword alone About this time there was a wonderful Apparition of the Glorious Arch-Angel St. Michael on the Mountain Garganus in Calabria the memory whereof is Celebrated Anniversarily by the Catholick Church on the 8th of May We here make mention of it because a Holy Bishop born in this Island of Saxon Parents St. Richard by Name was present at the Consecration of a Church built in memory of this Apparition This Bishop was the first of the Angli or Saxons recorded in Ecclesiastical Monuments to have been gain'd to Christ soon after their entrance into Britain and before any open Hostility broke forth between the Nations He was born of Illustrious Parents and in the year of Grace 455. his Innocence and Piety appear'd in his tender years and in that Age he was averse from Luxury and Wantonness diligent in reading the Scriptures conversing chiefly with men of Learning and Virtue by which he not only gain'd Love from his Parents but Veneration from his Companions and Strangers But because the following War and the Idolatrous Rites of his Country-men furious Enemies of that Religion to which our Lord had call'd him were a hindrance to his Progress in Piety While he was intent upon his Devotions the Glorious Apostle St Peter appear'd to him in his sleep commanding him in the Name of Almighty God To take a Journey into Apulia there to Preach the word of God to the Andrians and that he should not apprehend the length of the way or menaces of the Infidels because our Lord would be present to assist him St. Richard thus awak'd from sleep immediately rose and casting himself before a Crucifix gave humble thanks to God and St. Peter for this Visitation The day following he forsook his Brethren and taking his leave of his Dearest Friends notwithstanding their importunity to detain him began his Journey and being arriv'd at Rome he address'd himself to the Holy Pope Gelasius and declar'd what had been in his Vision impos'd upon him by the Holy Apostle begging his Permission and Blessing to go for Andria there to fulfil his Ministry Gelasius hearing this greatly rejoyc'd and observing the Venerable Aspect of St. Richard with his Gravity ordain'd him Bishop of Andria commanding him wheresoever he went to Preach the Gospel of Christ and and so Kissing him gave him his Benediction St. Richard accordingly throughout his Journey Preached the Word of God and by many Miracles and Cures of the Sick Converted many to the Faith and Worship of God. At length he arriv'd at Andria where before the Gate of the City he saw a Blind-man and a Woman Bowed and Contracted together both which beg'd an Alms of him He began to expound the Word of God to them and perceiving the Blind man Attentive to him he said If thou wilt believe in Jesus Christ and be Baptiz'd thou shalt receive thy
for the Benefit of others And to shew that he had not deserted his Religious Profession he built a Monastery in a Town toward the Severnshore in those days call'd Loderic and Laffenac afterwards from him Petrocstow now more contractedly Padstow At this time the Saxons under Cerdic had possess'd themselves of that Province and when the Saint with his Disciples had landed and left their Ship certain Reapers then at work spoke rudely and bitterly to them and among other taunting Speeches requir'd them That their Conductor St. Petroc should for the asswaging of their Thirst cause a Spring of fresh Water to issue out of a Rock there adjoyning This was said either in Derision of them being Strangers or for a Tryal whether their Sanctity was answerable to their Profession Hereupon St. Petroc who never refus'd what was in his Power address'd his Prayers to our Merciful Lord and with his Staff smiting the Rock immediatly there gush'd forth a Spring of clear sweet water which is said to flow there at this day The Barbarous Pagans utterly ignorant of Christian Religion were astonish'd at this Miracle And when the Holy Servant of God ask'd them Whether there were any in that Province who Profess'd the Christian Faith They directed him to a Holy man call'd Sampson Who they told him led a Solitary Life and exercis'd himself in Corporal Labours Fasting Watching and Prayers sustaining himself daily with a small Portion of Barly Bread This is that Samson who succeeded St. David in the See of Menevia and after was Bishop of Dole in lesser Britain of whom more hereafter After 30 years abode in this Solitude wherein he is said to have instructed Credan Medan and Dathan three of his Principal Disciples Illustrious for their Learning and Piety he left his Monastery of Loderic and undertook a Foraign Pilgrimage to Rome and so to Jerusalem from whence he is said to have proceeded as far as India and to have spent seven years in the exercises of a Contemplative Life in a certain unknown Island of the Eastern Ocean from which tedious Voyage he at last return'd home and with 12 Companions retir'd himself into a dry and barren Solitude His death in our Ecclesiastical Monuments is referr'd to the year of Grace 564. and he was bury'd at Padstow in which Town was Antiently placed an Episcopal See which was after translated to Bodmin in regard the Body of the Saint was at first meanly Bury'd at Padstow and afterward transferr'd and Honourably repos'd at Bodmin But his Relicks did not always rest at Bodmin for as Roger Hoveden saith Martin a Canon Regular of the Church of Bodmin by stealth took away the Body of St. Petroc and fled with it to the Abbey of St. Meven in Britain the less Which Theft being discover'd Roger Pryor of that Cathedral Church with the Antient Canons of the Chapter address'd themselves to King Henry the Father for his Son was then likewise King and from him they obtain'd a strict command to the Abbot and Convent of St. Meven without delay to restore St. Petroc 's Body to the Pryour of Bodmin which if they refus'd the King gave order to Roland of Dinant the Governour of little Britain to take away the Sacred Body by force As soon as the Abbot of Meven heard hereof he restor'd the Body entire Swearing withall upon the Holy Gospels and the Relicks of certain Saints that it was the very same Body unchang'd and unimpair'd The reason why the Covent of Meven were so desirous of the Relicks of St. Petroc was because St. Meven the Patron of that Monastery was born in Great Britain and as many other Saints did fled into the less Britain and with great Veneration was Honour'd in the Territory of St. Malo where Judicael a Prince of that less Britain descended from this of ours built the said Monastery All Authors agree that the year 508. was fatal to the Britains for the loss of a great Battle wherein either their Valiant King or General of his Army was slain The Name of the Party mention'd to be slain makes the confusion The Noble Historian Ethelward expresly affirms That Cerdic and his Son Cenric slew Natanleod King of the Britains Mat. Paris indeed affirms That Uther was then sick and Natanleod his General Bishop Usher may decide this Controversy who affirms That Uther in the British Language was call'd Natanleod but after for his Valiant Acts obtain'd the Sir-name of Uter which in British signifies Terrible or Admirable Therefore his Son and Successor Arthur was call'd Mab Uther which signifies the Son of a terrible Prince because from his Childhood he was Fierce and Cruel Arthur being out of the British Language interpreted a Terrible Bear or an Iron-wall which breaks the Lyons Jaws Henry of Huntingdon thus describes this Battle Nazaleod saith he so he calls Natanleod was a Prince of great Fame and withall of great Pride of whom the Province was call'd Nazaleoli which after had the Name of Certicks-ford He gather'd an Army out of all Britain and Certic with his Son to enable themselves to encounter him had in so great danger obtain'd Aid from Aesca King of Kent and Ella the Potent King of the South-Saxons as likewise from Port and his Son lately arriv'd which Forces were divided into two main Bodies one led by Certic the other by his Son Cenric When the Battle was joyn'd King Nazaleod perceiving the right Wing of the Enemies conducted by Certic was much stronger than the other he turn'd all his Forces against it willing to destroy that which was Strongest He set upon it therefore with such Violence that he brake quite through them threw down their Ensign forc'd Certic to fly and made a great Slaughter of his Army in a short time But Cenric who conducted the left Wing seeing his Fathers Army routed rush'd vehemently on the backs of the Britains whilst they pursu'd their Enemies flying by this means the Combat became furious insomuch as King Nazaleod was slain and the Britains forc'd to fly of whom there fell 5000. and the rest sav'd themselves by their swiftness Thus the Saxons obtain'd a great Victory so that for some years they were not disturb'd by the Britains and the rather for that great multitudes of Valiant Soldiers came out of Germany to joyn with them This famous Battle fought in Hampshire the Province of the Belgae between the entire Forces of all the Saxons and Britains as it were for the Mastery had utterly ruin'd the British State had Vter left behind him a Successor of a Courage less Heroical then his Son Arthur that renown'd Prince whose glorious Exploits are now to be related The Gests of this Son and Successor of Vter are clouded by such mists of Fables that the Truth of his Story can hardly be related not for want but the excess of matter recorded of him and that by Writers who out of a desire to magnifie his Fame by their impudent Lies have almost
part of a mountain in that Country call'd Dunpelder from thence to be thrown down and torn in pieces She therefore with deep Sighs looking up to Heaven implor'd the Mercy and Help of her Redeemer with many Tears after this she was cast down but by the fall was neither bruis'd nor receiv'd the least harm but sliding down easily and slowly came safe to the bottom The Pagans there present ascrib'd this deliverance to the Magical Inchantments of the Christians and therefore with the Kings Consent they carried her several Miles into the Sea and there left her in a small Boat made of Leather without any Oares and destitute of all Humane help But it seems he who commands the Winds and the Seas was her Protector for by his Power the Boat was carried straight to a far distant Haven with greater swiftness then either Oares or Sails could have driven her Being there arriv'd the young Lady soon after at a place call'd Collenros was deliver'd without the assistance of a Midwife of a Son This Collenros probably is the same which St. Bede calls Coludi and Ptolomy Colania in the Province of Louden The next morning St. Servanus came to the place and seeing the desolate Mother with her Infant said My Beloved Child Blessed art thou who art come in the Name of the Lord He took them into his care nourish'd and Baptiz'd them calling the Mother Thanen and the Child Kentigern that is Cheif-Lord The Child being of a towardly Disposition profited much in Learning and Virtue and was Belov'd of St. Servanus beyond all his Companions and call'd Munhu as he is still nam'd among the Scots So as they who affirm his Birth to have been at St. Asaph in Flintshire are much mistaken which mistake perhaps ariseth from his being afterwards Bishop there However after 25 years we shall find him Consecrated Bishop of Glasco and then more is to be said of him The continual Troubles rais'd by the Saxons would not permit King Arthur to Solemnize his Coronation 'till eight years after his Fathers death But in the year of Grace 516. the Ceremony was Magnificently perform'd in a General Assembly of Bishops and Nobles at Caerleon St. Dubritius Bishop of that City setting the Crown on his Head. After which the Holy Bishop retir'd into a certain Island in Northwales call'd by the Britains Enhly and by the English Berdsey which Island saith Cambden Was inhabited by so many Saints that beside Dubritius and Merlin the Caledonian no fewer then 20000 Holy men were Buried there as Records inform us Concerning this Island saith Bishop Vsher It was call'd by the Britains The Rome of Britain for the distance of it the difficulty of Passage the Sanctity and Security of it since 20000 Saints are there Venerated as Martyrs and since it is on all sides encompass'd with the Sea. By which may be collected what esteem the Britains then had of Rome and what agreement in Religion there was between them At this time the Saxons invited more of their Country-men out of Germany And under the conduct of Colgrin they subdu'd all that part of Britain which lyes from Humber to the Sea of Cathanes whereof when King Arthur was inform'd he march'd with an Army towards York which was then held by the Saxons Colgrin met him with a great multitude near the River Duglas in Lancashire but coming to a Battle Colgrin was put to flight and pursu'd by King Arthur to York Baldulph the Brother of Colgrin at that time lay with some Forces toward the Sea expecting the coming of the Saxons He intended to make an Irruption by night into King Arthur's Army but the King being admonish'd thereof by Spies sent Cador Duke of Cornwall with 600 Horse and 3000 Foot to intercept the Saxons which Forces setting on the Saxons unexpectedly kill'd a great number of them and put the rest to flight King Arthur closely Besieg'd York during which Siege a famous German Captain call'd Cheldric arriv'd in Albania with 700 Boats. These great succours frighted the Britains from their Siege so as the King retir'd with his Army to London from whence he sent Messengers to his Nephew Hoel King of Little-Britain to inform him of the Calamity of this Island Hoel to succour his Uncle landed shortly after with 15000 men at the Haven of Hamon where he was with great Joy and Honour receiv'd by King Arthur Encourag'd with these new Forces he obtain'd the next year two famous Victories against the Saxons the former near the River Bassas the latter in the Wood Chelidon both in Lincolnshire near Lincoln the chief City No fewer then 6000 of the Saxons were slain the rest fled into the Wood or Forrest of Caledon and were pursu'd by King Arthur and there Immur'd by great Trees cut down and laid athwart so as they were thereby reduc'd to such extream Famine that they beg'd leave to depart the Realm leaving all their Spoils behind them By this Exploit the Saxons were driven out of the middle part of Britain Howbeit in the Western part they so prevail'd that Cerdicus there establish'd a Kingdom Another Victory this Heroick King is said to have obtain'd though the time be not mention'd against these Barbarous Enemies near the Castle call'd Guinnion In which Battle the King carried upon his Shoulders the Image of the Blessed Virgin-mother of God and all that day by the Virtue and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ and St. Mary his Mother compell'd the Saxons to fly after many had perish'd with a great slaughter the succeeding Exploits of this King follow after Whilst most of the Provinces of that part of Britain which is since call'd England were thus miserably disquieted the parts thereof since call'd Wales enjoy'd good repose and were made Illustrious by great numbers of Saints who flourish'd there as St. Dubritius St. Sampson St. David St. Thelian St. Kined St. Paternus St. Daniel St. Justinian and others some of these have been already mention'd and more of their Gests will follow As for St. Daniel he is reported by Bishop Vsher to have built a Colledge or Monastery of the Apostolick Order for the Sacred Exercises of Learned and Pious men in Arvonia the Country of the Venedati not far from the streight where men pass into the Isle of Anglesey out of Wales Which Colledge was by the Founder call'd the Port or Haven It was built in the year of our Lord 516. In the same place not long after Malgo Conan built a City which for the Beautiful Scituation of it he call'd Bancor or Bangor after it was the seat of a Bishop wherein this St. Daniel was the first who sate So that Bishop Goodwin is mistaken in affirming that no Bishop had been there before the Norman Conquest This City of Bangor was a place distinct from the famous Monastery of that Name There was indeed a Monastery in both places but this was seated in Arvonia now Caernarvan upon the River Menai dividing
his Eyes and say a Prayer or Benediction on them But receiving no benefit thereby David said to him Father command me not to look you in the face for ten years are past since I studied the Scriptures with you and in all that time I never had the boldness to look you in the face Paulens admiring his Humility said Since it is so it will suffice if by touching mine Eyes thou pronounce a Benediction on them Presently therefore as soon as he had touch'd them Sight was restor'd to them The same year wherein the Synod of Brevi was Celebrated Cerdic began the Kingdom of the West-Saxons That is saith Huntingdon in the seventy first year after the first coming of the Saxons in the reign of the Emperour Justin the Elder This Cerdic is said to be Crown'd with Pagan Ceremonies at Winchester in a place which once had been the Church of the true God but which these Barbarous Heathens had chang'd into a Temple of Dagon after they had slain all the Monks who serv'd God there The raising of this new Kingdom disproves the Fictions of Geffrey of Monmouth concerning the great and frequent Victories of King Arthur in these days It is likely to be more true which Huntingdon expresly declares namely That this year a terrible Battle was fought between Cerdic and the Britains and that on both sides the Captains Fought Magnanimously till Even but then the Saxons got the Victory which would have been more Bloody to the Britains had not the darkness hind'red the Pursuit After this the Fame of Cerdic and his Son Kenric was largely spread through the whole land and from that day began the Kingdom of the West-Saxons which having swallow'd all the other Principalities remains to our times Many Battles are said to have been Fought between King Arthur and this Cerdic wherein sometimes one sometimes the other had the better But at last King Arthur grew weary and contenting himself with an Oath of Fidelity from Cerdic gave him the Provinces of Hampshire and Somerset Some Authors affirm a League to have been made between them wherein a special Priviledge was provided for Cornwall to be permitted upon an Annual Tribute the free exercise of Christian Religion Which Indulgence seems to be prov'd by the great number of Saints which in those and the following times flourish'd in that Province whereas scarce any can be found in other parts of Britain subject to the Saxons And in truth it is very like that great multitudes of Britains flying from the fury of the Saxons betook themselves to Cornwal and Wales as places most distant and more defenceable and where they might expect better Conditions and more advantage of resisting their new Masters then in other parts for no doubt this Kingdom of the West-Saxons was made up of more Provinces than Hampshire or Somerset so that Cerdic had good footing in Devonshire Dorsetshire Barkshire and Wiltshire to which shortly after was added the Isle of Wight bestow'd by Cerdic on his late arriv'd Kinsmen Stuffa and Whitgar who destroy'd the British Inhabitants there at Whitgarburg so call'd from Whitgar but now contractedly Caresburg While Cerdic was busie in establishing his new Kingdom in the year 520. Colgrin Baldulf and Cheldric whom King Arthur had lately subdu'd at York and forc'd to abjure the land returning landed at Totness from whence passing through Cerdic's Dominions they came to the City of Bath and Besieg'd it King Arthur hearing thereof caus'd the Hostages which they had left to be Hang'd and gathering a mighty Army came to raise the Seige where the Armies being joyn'd he calling on the Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary whose Image he wore over his Armour slew great numbers of his Enemies and amongst the rest Colgrin and his Brother Baldulf which Cheldric perceiving fled and was pursu'd by Cador the Duke of Cornwall to the Isle of Thanet and there slain by him the rest being forc'd to yield King Arthur as may be remembred obtain'd a Battle before he was King near Bath at the Mountain Badonicus now this is likely to be another defeat given by King Arthur to the Saxons and the City of Bath being in the utmost extremity West-ward of Cerdic's Kingdom it might at this time have been in the possession of the Britains As for King Arthur's invoking the assistance of our Blessed Lady in the Fight it was a Devotion generally practic'd by the Church in this Age. For two years before there having been Assembled two Councels in the East one at Jerusalem and the other at Constantinople the Synod at Jerusalem wrote to the Bishops of the other Councel thus We beseech you most Holy Bishops to Pray with us to our Lord for these things for the Necessities of Gods Priests ought to be common make your Supplications likewise with us to the most Holy and Glorious Virgin Mary Mother of God that she would intercede for the Peace of the Catholick Church and for the Victory and long Life of our most Excellent and Pious Emperour The like practice we find else-where of which many Examples may be given The next year King Arthur was call'd into the Northern parts to assist Prince Howel who three years before was come out of Little Britain to his Aid and was now Besieg'd by the Picts and Scots in the City call'd Acluid wherein he lay Sick. Upon King Arthur's approach the Enemies retir'd to a place call'd Mureif whither he pursu'd them but they escaping by night fled to a Lake call'd Lumoney Whereupon King Arthur gathering many Ships together encompass'd the Island and in 15 days brought them to such extreme Famine that many thousands of them Perish'd In which utmost danger the Bishops of that Region came Barefoot to the King with Tears beseeching him To take pitty of that miserable People and to give them some small portion of that Country to inhabit under the yoak of perpetual Servitude The King thus mollify'd with the Tears of the Bishops pardon'd his Enemies and granted their request Hence it is that some Writers ground the subjection of Scotland to the Crown of Brittain and particularly Walsingham but certainly better grounds may be found of it than this Whereas it is said that certain Pictish and Scotish Bishops were Supplicants to this King for their Distress'd Countrymen it hath been already demonstrated that the Province of the Picts where the City of Acluid is seated had many years before receiv'd the Christian Faith by the Preaching of St. Ninianus but who were his Successors is hard to conjecture In the Annals of Ireland mention is made of a certain Bishop call'd Nennion who is said to have flourish'd in Britain about the year 520. and to have had his seat in a place call'd the great Monastery This man probably was the Successor of St. Ninianus and that great Monastery the same with Candida Casa where the Monument of that Apostolick Bishop was which by reason of frequent Miracles wrought there invited great
Writings of Theodoret against St. Cyril since St. Cyril himself and the Councel of Chalcedon had requir'd no other satisfaction from him but only to pronounce Anathema against Nestorius which he did And as for the Epistle of Ibas no discussion should be made of it after the Council of Chalcedon This Constitutum the Emperor contrary to his Promise reserv'd to himself but withall acquainted the Synod with Vigilius his mind concerning the Tria Capitula which he had often-times both by words and writing express'd the Synod proceeded to a condemnation of them complaining withal That the Pope would not afford his presence to them After this definition of the Bishops in the Council the Pope being in extream Anguish because he saw how the Western Bishops would be offended and that the Scandal would be the greater because the Emperor had not sent his Constitutum to the Council utterly refus'd his Consent or Approbation of their Definition for which refusal he was by the Emperour sent into Banishment with other Bishops His Banishment continu'd not long for six months after the Synods Definition Vigilius sent a Decretal Epistle to Entychius Successor to Menas in which he condemn'd the Tria Capitula and profess'd Communion with all those who embracing the four Councils of the Church had condemn'd the same meaning thereby the last Council which he would not Name This Decree of Vigilius was by the Graecians referr'd among the Acts of the Council by virtue whereof it became a Lawful Oecumenical Council This end being given to this unnecessary Controversy all the Western Churches excepting only the Bishops of Istria Venice and Liguria consented to it But these Churches being under the Dominion of the Longobardi broke into an open Schism which continu'd till the time of St. Gregory the Great Besides them we find no other Church unsatisfy'd except Ireland only To the Bishop whereof St. Gregory a year before St. Kentigern's Journey to Rome wrote an Epistle in Answer to one of theirs who had charg'd the Roman See with injuring the Councel of Chalcedon by condemning the Tria Capitula But St. Gregory inform'd them That this Controversy did not at all touch the Faith of the Church but the Persons only of two or three Bishops That the Authority of the Council of Chalcedon was entire both with those who oppugned and those who defended the Tria Capitula and therefore none could have just cause to make a rent in the Church upon so trifling a quarrel This answer of the Pope's seems to give satisfaction to the Irish for several Epistles afterwards past from him to them as unanimous Brethren instructing them touching the Rites in Baptism and whether it were to be administred to those who return'd from the Nestorian Heresie c. This Controversy was hotly agitated when St. Kentigern went to Rome and perhaps it might be a considerable motive of his Journey especially in regard an Irish Bishop call'd Albanus went thither at the same time And although the British Churches are no where taxed for partaking with those who were divided from the Roman See yet it might well become the Zeal of so Holy a Bishop as St. Kentigern to inform himself truly of the state of such a Controversy as hath been therefore the more at large set down The man of God St. Kentigern after his return from Rome being worn away with Age for he was 85 years old had his Nerves so dissolv'd that he was forc'd to sustain his Jaws by tying a linnen Ribbon about his Head which came under his Chin that with the less trouble he might pronounce his Words This dissolution of his Nerves was promis'd him a little before his Death to the end that since his whole Life had been a continual Martyrdom by the good pleasure of our Lord his Death might be milder and easier then that of other men ordinarily At length calling together his Disciples he earnestly exhorted them To continue their observance of the Duties of their Holy Religion their mutual Charity Peace Hospitality their diligence in Reading and Prayer He bequeath'd to them earnest and efficacious Precepts firmly to obey the Decrees of the Holy Fathers and constitutions of the Holy Roman Church After which exhortation he departed to our Lord. The Fame of his Sanctity soon after his Death was every where spread by a World of Miracles as many Authors relate Constantine before-mention'd being dead or remov'd Aurelius Conanus his Nephew a Young man of extraordinary worth and well deserving the Crown as some report succeeded him His only fault was that he was given to Civil Contentions He cast into Prison his Uncle to whom the Crown of Right belong'd and Murder'd two of his Sons who stood in his way to the Kingdom which Ambition and Cruelty perhaps occasion'd some of our Historians to charge him with the Murder of Constantine his Predecessor Gildas also accuses him of many horrid Crimes for which he denounces to him a short reign and endless miseries Matthew of Westminster allows him 30 years rule but true Chronology not above four in the third whereof while the British Provinces consum'd themselves in Civil Contentions a new and Powerful Kingdom of the Saxons was establish'd in the Northern parts call'd the Kingdom of Northumbers in this manner Hengist in the beginning of his reign in Kent sent his Brother Otha into those Northern parts with his Son Ebusa men of great Courage Experience and Nobility as deriving their Descent from Woden who had three Sons Weldege Withlege and Beldege from the Eldest descended the Kings of Kent from the Second the Kings of the Mercians and from the Third the Kings of the West-Saxons and Northumbers whose first King Ida reckon'd himself the Tenth from Woden Now Otha and Ebussa the first Saxons which brought an Army into those Northern parts fought many Battles with the Inhabitants and having Conquer'd those which resisted them took the rest into their Protection notwithstanding they and their Successors for many years contented themselves with the Titles of Governours or Dukes acknowledging a Submission unto and Dependance upon the Kings of Kent but in the 99th year after their first arrival they assum'd the Title and Dignity of Kings the first of which was call'd Ida others affirm that the Region of Northumbers was divided into two parts That which was more Northern extending it self from the Bay of Edinburgh to the Picts Wall inhabited by the Bernicians the other reaching from the Picts Wall to the River Humber was held by the Deiri so that the whole Kingdom of the Northumbers Antiently contain'd the Provinces of the Picts Laudon Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland Durham York and Lancaster This may appear by the Lives of several Saints said to have liv'd in the Kingdom of the Northumbrians This Division is said to have been made by Ida who leaving his Son to govern the Deiri fix'd his own habitation among the Bernicians Aurelius Conanus dying in the fourth year of his
Fought at the Mountain call'd Badonicus between the Britains and Saxons in the time of Aurelius Ambrosius to which Mountains the Saxons retiring were Besieged by the Britains and after in a Battle discomfited this happen'd in the year of Grace 493. forty years after the first entrance of the Saxons into Britain This Gildas is affirm'd by the Author of his Life To be the Disciple of Iltutus and leaving him to have gone into Ireland He remain'd four years under the Discipline and Instruction of St. Iltutus and having pass'd through the Schools of many Learned Teachers in Ireland and like a diligent Bee collected the Juice of divers Flowers he laid it up carefully in the Hive of our Mother the Church to the end he might in opportune season pour forth the Mellifluous Doctrine of the Gospel to his own Country-men and thereby draw them out of Misery to Eternal Joyes and like a good Servant restore unto his Lord the Talent entrusted with him In this Island saith Bishop Vsher there flourish'd in this Age the Schools of Armagh wherein the Elder Gildas presided when he Piously labour'd in Cultivating the minds of the Irish in which imployment probably this our Younger Gildas succeeded him and here not only collected sweet Juice but got a sharp sting also which he after darted forth against the Vices of his own Country However in Ireland he restor'd Discipline to the Ecclesiastical Order he gather'd many Congregations of Monks and mercifully deliver'd many Captives from the slavery of Pagans After his return into Britain it seems he found small comfort or encouragement to pour forth the Honey which he had gather'd in Ireland for he found in this Island such Calamities and Confusions their reigning such a Contention of wickedness and misery which should exceed the other that almost his whole imployment was to bewail the approaching destruction of his Country and by publishing the Crimes especially of the Rulers as well in Church as State to justifie the Severity of God being in truth beneath their demerits and provocations Howbeit he was by a double invitation from Ireland interrupted in his sad Thoughts and withdrawn from beholding such mournful Spectacles as every where in Britain offer'd themselves to his Eyes The first Message about the year of our Lord 562. came from persons of quality in Ireland who sent an Epistle to him at the same time he received an Epistle also from St. Columba whom he very much esteem'd for his Sanctity The second Message or invitation was directed to him from a King in Ireland named Ammeric who requested this our Gildas To come to him promising that if he would undertake the Journey and restore to good Order the Ecclesiasticks of his Kingdom wherein generally the Catholick Faith was decay'd both himself and his Subjects would in all things be Obedient to him St. Gildas hearing this like a Valiant Soldier throughly furnish'd with Caelestial Arms presently went into Ireland there to Preach the Gospel of Christ Being come thither he was presented to the King by some Noble persons who were acquainted with him The King gave him many gifts and intreated him to stay some time and restore Order to that Region because the Inhabitants had in a manner lost the Christian Faith St. Gildas as thereupon Travelling through all the Provinces of Ireland restor'd Churches instructed the Clergy in the true Faith and Worship of the Holy Trinity Cured those who had been Poison'd with Heresy and expell'd all Teachers of Errour So that by his zeal and diligence Truth became again to flourish in the Country After this the Holy man built many Monasteries in the Country and instructed the Children of the Nobility in Learning and Piety and to win the greater number to the service of God he himself became a Monk and brought to the same Profession very many as well of the Nobility as others and also he compassionately freed many poor Christians from the slavery of Infidels and so became a second Apostle to Ireland repairing the ruines of that Faith which St. Patrick first Preach'd amongst them Now whereas it is said that the first Epistle to St. Gildas was brought by Faithful men it is very probable that the Holy Abbot Komgall was one of those Faithful men How long St. Gildas abode in Ireland is uncertain but it is certain that the great work he there perform'd could not be compleated in a short time and yet that he return'd into Britain where he dy'd in a good Old Age in the Monastery of Banchor after he had liv'd ninety years What Bishop Vsher refers to the former St. Gildas may reasonably be apply'd to this latter namely that St. Brendan the Son of Finloga in the year of our Lord 562. came into Britain to visit the Holy old man Gildas famous for his Wisdom this our latter Gildas at that time being above 70. years old In the year of Grace 561. Irmeric King of Kent dy'd after he had raign'd 30. years leaving behind him a Son and Daughter his Son and Successors Name was Ethelbert his Daughters Ricula This is that famous Ethelbert who according to his Name was the Glory and Splendor of this Nation who had the first Prerogative among the Saxons of receiving and propagating the Christian Faith. Some disposition thereunto began it seems in his Fathers time who permitted at least a private exercise of Christian Religion Thirty years of Ethelbert's reign were never the less spent before it was openly profess'd during which time he was frequently exercis'd in War wherein at first he sustain'd great losses which after he repair'd by many Victories with which he much enlarg'd the limits of his Dominions In the third year of his reign St. Columba by occasion of Civil Wars was compell'd to quit Ireland and come into Britain as Adelmannus who wrote his Life relates in this manner Some time after the Civil War at Culedrebene when Dermitius Son of Kerbail was Monarch of Ireland and all business was determin'd before the Kings Tribunal it happen'd so that St. Columba was oblig'd to appear before him to challenge a certain Free-man who had been made Captive and when the Cause being pleaded before the King an unjust Sentence had been pronounc'd by him the man of God rose up with great indignation and before all there present told the unrighteous King That from that moment he should never see his face more 'till God the just judge shall have diminish'd his Kingdom for his Injustice for saith he as thou hast despis'd me here before thy Nobles by an unjust Judgment so shall the Eternal God despise thee before thine enemies in the day of War. And having said thus he presently took Horse smiting him with his Whip so as the Blood issu'd from him This being observ'd by the Kings Councellors present they wonder'd at it and humbly entreated the King to comply with the Holy mans request least God should dissipate his Kingdom according to the man of