by his Tutor Alcuinus or as others call him Albinus which is some proof his name was Gwinne i. e. White the Brittains about that time mixing with the English in their Monasterys Bede lib. 5. cap. ult In all his Å¿ Ubbo Emmius l. 4. p. 161. Magd. Cent 8. c. 2. private and publick Affairs both Ecclsiastical and Academical fetch'd from his Chair here at York where he taught with great Fame for that purpose to handle these stubborn and false-hearted people after a more mild and generous way to fix them in the Faith if possible To that end he erected and endowed ten †Munster l. 3. p. 737. great Bishopricks from one end of their Countrey to the other at Munster Osnabrough Halberstad Werden Hildesheim Padelborne Mynden Magdeburgh Hamburgh Bremen which I have set down the better to know their Homes and chief Cities in Charlemagne's time that is about 200 years after their Ancestors Invaded England And instead u Ubbo Emmius l. 4. p. 160. Munster l. 3. p. 749. of Temporal Dukes and Grandees to govern with the Sword he plac'd Bishops over them with great Possessions and Wealth to reduce them by Instruction and Hospitality on whom fear and terrour could so little prevail Which x Ubbo Emmius l. 4. p. 161. Bishops were all English or of the English-Brittish Institution at Vtrecht As our Willehad at y Ubbo Emmius p. 165 Bremen scarce Inferiour then to any Bishoprick in Germany for its large and ample Possessions and endowments And z Idem p. 161 167. Ludgerus of the same way by Alcuin's perswasion upon both Emperour and Bishop at Mimingrod or Munster Wiho and Suidbert at Osnabrug and Werden By Anscarius Willehad's Successor at Bremen and Hamborough united into one the Gospel made its first entrance a Idem p. 166. into Denmark and Sweden which with the Countrey of the Vandalls were added to his Diocess by the Emperor Ludovicus And by their means and their Successors Bishops and Charlemagne and his Successors Emperors joyntly assisting the Faith was planted amongst the rest of the b Munst l. 3. p. 742 818 Nations of Germany Northward and Eastward in Bohemia Brandeburgh Meckleburgh Prussia Pomerania and more and more in Denmark Sweden Polonia c Idem p. 754. Lituania d Idem l. 4. p. 83. Hungaria Sclavonia Transylvania c. till it overtook and reach'd the Apostolical Plantations of St. Paul in Greece from whence Russia had its Faith For it is manifest from History that to all these Territories the Gospel was immediatly conveighed from Germany and to Germany from Holland and Vtrecht And to Vtrecht from England and Ireland and to them all from Old Brittain the first spring through God's regard to Innocent bloud at Bangor Which account is allowed by Romish as well as Protestant Writers but with one exception or two against it which turnes all to the Advantage of the e Idem p. 902. f Idem p. 866. Madg. Cent. 8. c. 2. p. 1â— â—â— Roman Claim and Title That this German and Northern Plantation was all carried on by Authority and Substitution derived from Rome whence the English Doctors had their first Faith and Learning or at least their Mission and License for this work which is alike recorded with a remarke besides of the Pope's changing their names at their setting out Willibrord into Clement and Winefrid into Boniface in token of dependance which shall be examined to the bottom after we have finished the progress and merits of Brittain through the remaining Countryes of Europe especially the great and Ancient See of Rome which hath been so ambitiously intent upon a false and vain glorious derivation from St. Peter that they have well nigh forgot whence they had their first Christianity which ought therefore to be brought to their remembrance out of their own best Antiquities whereby it shall be further evinc'd that Brittain had not its first Faith from Rome but Rome rather from Brittain Which point will be fatally ruled and carried irrefragably against them if one passage be fully cleared Not whether St. Peter ever was at Rome which is maintain'd agaist them by Learned Protestants with great Probability but this whether he came thither the second year of Claudius or before the 12 or 13. of Nero wherein we can no where hardly be more amply satisfied than from Baronius or Spondanus who contracts his mind their accounts and defence thereof being the chiefest Advocats they have for it Whether it be considered what they have to offer 1. Touching the Cause and occasion of his first coming Or 2. the duration of his Residence and what his work and labour was in Preaching or Ruling or Judging of Controversies and Appeals during his continuance there Or 3. what was the first occasion of this Errour and Legend As to the first the cause of his m Spondanus Anno 44. n. 27. coming to Rome they assigne out of St. Hierome to be this to check Simon Magus who deluded the World with his Witchcraft who pretending by his Art to fly was brought down by St. Peter's Prayers that he broke his neck which happen'd this second year of Claudius saith Metaphrastes alone m Spondanus Anno 44. n. 27. and no Ancient Writer besides as they acknowledge who is an Author of no great credit with themselves So then he came to Rome the second year of Claudius to contend with Simon Magus the 13 year of Nero by whose encouragement to Magicians Simon came to Rome which is the time of this Contest m Spondanus Anno 44. n. 27. agreed upon by all whereby St. Peter by their account had 25 years space to make him ready for this Combat As to the second they have nothing to say but the bare naming the years in order of his supposed sitting there n Ibid. Anno 44. ad An. 68. Anno Petri Primo Secundo Tertio and so on to 25. filling those years with pompous Learned reading without mention of any Acts of St. Peter whereby it is clear from their own Confessions that if he came or continued for any time or number of years that he did nothing there but made a Sine-Cure of his Roman See For notwithstanding all their search and Learning and Manuscripts and Traditions they cannot produce one Sermon or Prayer or Miracle or Procession or Ordination or Constitution or Senence of his but only one or two conjectures the first dear bought that he writ from thence his second Epistle o Spondan Anno 45. n. 6. wherein Babylon is mention'd 2 Pet. 2.13 which though to their great danger from the Revelation yet to purchase so much evidence they allow to be Rome their City though not their Church say they 〈◊〉 which yet stands them in no stead for it proves not the particular time and and point in Question whether it bore date the second of Claudius or thereabout which is denyed in all
Regions are parted from neighbouring Kingdoms by impervious Mountains and wild and inhospitable deserts or whether it were that the Ink then in use was Bloud and their best evidences and Records flames and Martyrdom Nevertheless the acknowledged increase of Religion over all the Land in King Lucius his time will attest the zeal and fidelity of this Age to their Principles when it shall appear from the Epistle of Eleutherius that Christian Religion is pre-supposed therein to be settled in this Land before and the King pre-instructed in it And the c Usher p. 141. great Vsher Marshalls about 20 or 30 Authors both Foreign and Domestick to confute and stop the mouths of some ignorant suggestions as if Religion had fail'd or expir'd in this Land between the time of its first planting and Dioclesians persecution For the third Age Origen and Tertullian early Fathers mention Religion to flourish here the one writing about the year 201. Brittannorum in accessa Romanis loca Christo vero subdita That Christ was received as Lord here where the Romans had much ado to enter the other that they were united to Christ in Brittain though divided from the rest by situation And Dioclesians persecution in the beginning of the fourth Age about the Year 303. largely proves the existence of the Christian Faith in this Land which it so fiercely endeavour'd totally to suppress but to little effect Yea to the more corroborating of Christianity here by the exemplary constancy of Martyrs St. Alban and Amphibalus and Julius and Aaron c. establishing it the more by their sufferings and d Bed lib. c. 7. Converting their Executioners with their invincible meekness and patience And occasioning its larger extent and the full Conversion of the Scots dwelling then in the Northwest of Scotland beyond Dunbritton Frith by the Brittish Culdees e Buchanan Rerum Scoticarum Regit ◠p. 122. Spotswood Hist lib. 1. retiring to those parts as Archbishop Spotswood and Buchanan acknowledge the Providential benefit from whose Cells the Ancient Scots denominated their Churches Who in after Ages were extruded saith the same Author e Buchanan Rerum Scoticarum Regit ◠p. 122. Spotswood Hist lib. 1. by a new sort of Popish Monks Tanto Doctrinâ pictate illis inferiores so much coming short of the other for Learning and Piety as they exceeded them in Riches and Ceremonies wherewith they affect mens Senses and infatuate their minds In the Year 313. when peace was restor'd by Constantine they begin saith Gildas f Gildas Epist to Re-build their Churches demolished to the ground and her exil'd Children dissipated into Corners gather themselves together into the bosom of the Church to Celebrate their Festivals and Triumphs over their Enemies to give God the Glory and to attend his Sacraments with pure heart and mind In the following year the Church being in good order we find the three Archbishops of Brittain taking their places and subscribing in the great Councel of Arles in France Eborius Ivor Arch-Bishop of York Restitutus Edrud Archbishop of London and Adelfius Brawdol Archbishop of Caerleon upon Vsk a Roman Colony where a Legion in the Brittish Leon kept their Garrison corruptly set down in the Council with several other places h Concil Arelat Edit Reg Paris Civitate Colonia Londinensium where an uniform Celebration of Easter was agreed upon and thereupon Constantine i Constantini Epist apud Spelm. Conc. p. 4. with good reason assures all the Orthodox Bishops that were not present at the Council of Nice which was held eleven Years before that of Arles that the Church of Brittain with others did agree with the rest of the World in the Orthodox observation of Easter In 347. in a Councel of about 400 Western Bishops we find the Bishops of Brittain to joyn in the Condemnation of the Arrian Heresie and the clearing of k Apol. 2. Athanasius as himself doth testifie About the Year 390. l Usher 787 St. Chrysostom likewise magnifies the Divine power of Christ from the Holy Faith and Life the Churches and Altars in Brittain as it were in another World In the latter end of this Age m Gildas Epist Maximus in this Island making for the Roman Empire exhausted the Nation of all its Fighting men and Arms and Treasure wherewith he Coped with two Emperours Gratian and Valentinian driving the one out of Rome the other out of his Life and leaving the Nation weak and open to the Incursion of its Enemies round about but made far more weak by Gods desertion upon the follies and ill life of Vortigern inviting the Saxons into his pay against the Scots and Picts and prefering the Beauty of Hengist's Daughter before his Faith and Countrey and his Christian Subjects after his example inter-marrying with the Saxon Infidells which was one o Ubbo Emmius Rerum Frisic Hist lib. 3. of the reasons brought over St. German and Lupus to disswade them from such wickedness but all in vain till God gave them and their Countrey over to be barbarously and mercilessly destroyed by their perfidious mercenaries Confederating with their enemies against them who were before too strong for them in their weakness yet God in his mercy rais'd them pious and Couragious Princes Aurelius Ambrosius and Vter Pendragon and the Renowned Arthur who by the strength of a Christian p Ubbo Emmius Rerum Frisic Hist lib. 3. League enter'd into with Picts and Scots made great slaughter upon the Infidels and subdued and chas'd them out of the Land And what further proves not only the continuation but the true temper and life of the Christian Faith amongst them our Brittains were zealous and successful to preach and plant the Gospel amongst their Enemies and Invaders As the most Reverend and Holy Bishop Ninian as Beda stiles him lib. 3. c. 4. about the year 412. Converted by his Preaching the Southern Picts dwelling then between the Frith of Edenburgh and the Hills having his See amongst his own Countreymen at Whitern or Candida Casa translated afterwards to Glasgow that Territory r Usher p. 663. from Dunbritton Firth down to Cumberland remaining then in the possession of the Ancient Brittains and the names of Rivers and Towns and Mountains are as Brittish as in the heart of Wales In the Year 432. the great St. Patrick a Brittain born whether about St. Davids in ſ Humph. Lhuid Frag. Britt p. 63. Wales as some say or at Kirpatrick t Usher p. 819 near Dunbritton as others will have it it matters not much the people and Language in the one place and in the other being then of the same Brittains whence he was stollen with about an hundred more by Irish Pirates and sold for a Slave whereby he had time to learn their Language and was enabled by God to Captivate the whole Nation to Christ both Princes and people and the Isle of ſ Hist Ch. Scot. lib. 1. Spotswood ascribes the
the Lords-day least good-friday should thereby be observ'd of necessity before the 14th day against the Law of Moses but differ'd it to the following Sunday being the 22th but if the following Sunday was on the 16th day after the full Moon or 14th the former Inconvenience was prevented So the Latines before they were rectified from Alexandria observed their Easter on such Sundayes as fell out between the 16th and 22th never went so far as 23 nor began at 14 or 15. y Usher p. 321. Sulpitius Severus of France about the year 410 to amend the errour and overplus of about two dayes which he observ'd invents another new way of observing Easter between the 14 th and 20th which the Brittains are taxed in Bede for observing likewise whereby when Easter is kept the 14th the Evening of the 13th preceeding is taken into it against the limits of the Law which confines the beginning of the Passover ever to the Evening of the 14th and not before or latter So the Roman Church having for about 100 years laid aside her wonted Cycle and rule of 84 and from 16 to 22 to follow the exacter tables of Dionysius and the Church of Brittain for about the same space of time following the Gallican method of Sulpitius from 14 to 20 being more intent upon the sincerity of their duty than exactness in hours and scruples and seconds this gave occasion to Augustine the Monk and his followers to espy a mistake to raise a quarrel upon to disturb z Bed l. 2. c. 2. our Churches for they confidently affirm'd that their Alexandrine Calandar was a tradition deriv'd from St. Peter who kept the keyes of Heaven upon which a Bed l. 3. c. 25. Oswi King of Northumberland was deterr'd from his Brittish institution to follow the Roman Church for fear of being shut out Colman being discredited quitted his Bishoprick and went back into Seotland and the spotless Church of Brittain had a fowle imputation fastened upon it of being no less than Heretical for want of better skill or heed in Almanacks and Accounts and trusting too much her Neighbours of France to tell the Clock whilst she was busie With the like Ignorance though not with the same mischief and scandal a gifted Preacher preferring the Illumination of the spirit before all human learning whatsoever being ask'd by a grave Divine to expound the meaning of Arcturus Orion and the Pleiades Job 28.31 comparing them with Leviathan thereabouts that was as hard a word in his phancy answers presently they were Sea-Monsters and earnest he was the learned Minister should veyle and submit to his Ignorant inspirations Consent and Harmony among Churches were to be wish'd in every rite and truth however to be followed in points that are least considerable but of the two it is easy to believe God is better pleased with Sincerity than Punctillioes and that a clean heart stylo veteri is far more acceptable with its searcher than an old heart puffed with pride and malice stylo novo the Virgins saith St. Chrysostom were shut out for want of Oyle Math. 25.11 another for not having his wedding garment Math. 12.12 13. but we read of none that were arraign'd or punished for mistaking the Month of the Passover The Church of Rome therefore its Adversary largely proves our Brittish to be Orthodox in Doctrine in that she had no more but this Easter difference to lay to her charge or to justifie her self above her And as her Doctrine throughout was sound and Scriptural so was her Government Ancient and Primitive by Bishops who were chosen by their b Usher p. 81. Godw. Catalogue in Bernard St David Clergy and People as their Arch-Bishops c Convocato clero populo Pyramo Archiepiscopatûs Eborac sedem concessit M. Westm de Arthuro An. 522. Spelman Conc p. 60. Hist Brit. l. 8. c. 12. l. 9. c. 8. by their Kings and Synods and Parliaments to Rule at home and to appear a broad in General Councils Nice Sardyca Ariminum as there be Instances That there were here 28 Bishops and three Arch-Bishops erected over the rest by King Lucius and the d Usher p. 125. Revenues of the Druides tranferr'd from Idolatry to endow the Church and so kept still sacred fot the use of Religion in general as Geoffrey of Monmouth and e in Eleutherio Platina intimate and is prov'd as to London by the early Simony of Wini Bishop of Winchester buying the same of King Wolfer is not the less improbable because some learned men are offended with the newness of the word Arch-slamins us'd by the Interpreter who writ in an ignorant Monkish age when the thing meant thereby and that there was subordination and one set over the rest is expressly affirmed by Caesar in his Account of their Discipline and Order yet others are inclin'd with Baleus and and Powel and Sir H. Spelman to believe that the Church of Brittain took her pattern from the East and from Scripture rather than Idolatry in the founding of her Bishopricks And that f Usher p. 90 the 7 Bishops of Wales under the Arch-Bishop of St. David who are recorded to meet Monk Augustine were founded and erected after the g Idem p. 800. Spelm. Conc. p. 107. number and example of the 7 Churches of Asia and their Angels Revel capp 1.2 3. as those Churches likewise after the like remarkeable number in the Angelical Hirarchy Zach. 4.10 Rev. 1.4 5. which opinion Arch-Bishop Vsher recites without any censure or dislike Accordingly h Usher p. 73. we meet with 7 Bishops in the North under the Arch-Bishop of York in like manner And twice 7 under the Arch-Bishop of London being twice as large as the two other Provinces or 7 only perhaps but each of those of larger extent than now they are as was i Heylin help to History p. 115. Lincolne before Eli Peterburgh and Oxford were taken from it or Lichfeild Sidnacester Dorchester Legecester and Worcester when all made but k Monast Angl. part 1.137 Spel. Concil p. 27. one Bishoprick and whereas Rome had 10 suburbicarian Provinces under it l Praesat Monast Angl. Millain which was more Oriental in her Customs had but 7. But one discord note we may find in the Brittish Doctrine touching persons Ecclesiastical which yet well agrees with St. Paul disallowing any to be fit guides that did not follow his example in living as he followed Christ Phil. 3.17 though not so well with Roman practice or profession where Bishops may be holy maugre all their scandals and impieties and Infallible in their monstrous errours because they sit in the Chair of St. Peter whereas in the sence of m Epist Gildas and consequently of our Brittish Church all holy Ministers are the successors of Peter in his Chair and they that are otherwise are Judas his successors being not Ministers of Christ but of the Devil and their bellies who
force yet Theonus in that case could but resign his Term but not the rights of his Church forever and Augustine became thereby but a more lawful Brittish Bishop of an Intruding Roman Monk For such a settlement by the Principles of the Church of Rome and all common sence did not change the See to be Roman but constitute Augustine and his successors to be rather Brittish Bishops It 's a whole Kingdom that naturalizes one Forreigner and not one Forreigner a whole Kingdom for so at Rome let him that is Elected to that Chair be French or German or Greek or Barbarian or which were enough to stupifie and unsanctifie any head of a Church let him be a Witch or a Sodomite or an Atheist the vertue of the Roman Chair nevertheless shall naturalize and Purifie and Petrifie this strange man into a right Roman-Catholick Pope and successor of St. Peter Holy and Infallible notwithstanding those forreign disabilities Therefore by their own rule Augustine and his successors were frail Brittish Bishops at best and and hell'd all their Priviledges and Precedencies in that See in the right of their Brittish Chair and not their Roman Mission And what attempts soever they made de facto to erect and prefer that See in Roman Right before all the Ancient and standing See's of Brittain they were all Null and Void and of such Schismatical Malignity and impossibility as were the like Act of any French or Spanish Pope that should go about to raise the Chair of Paris or Toledo from whence he came above the See of Rome and Order appeals from this to those than which in their Principles nothing could be more Heretical and sinful saving perhaps the sin against the Holy Ghost If it be offer'd that the Superiority here acquir'd by Augustine was acquir'd for Rome from whence he came by the same reason the Supremacy at Rome was acquir'd for Jerusalem from whence St. Peter came and that Church to be reviv'd and Rome and all other Churches alike descending to be made subject to it and by consequence to be a Sister not a Mother to our Brittain and a younger Sister too under their common Mother of Sion But this point hath been solemnly determined by Popes themselves in the Controversy between Dole and Tours Which last from the beginning was the acknowledged Metropolis of Little-Brittain till Sampson Archbishop of York or St. David a Itinerar Cambr l. 2. c. 1. saith Cambrensis was driven thither for his refuge by the Saxons about the b Mat. Westminster 561. year 561. who being chosen Bishop of Dole rais'd that See not only to be an Archbishoprick but Superiour likewise to Tours the Original Primate whether by the Priviledge of the Ancient and Imperial See from whence he came and of the Pall he thence brought with him or as Pope Innocent judge afterwards in the Case suggests which makes this President more to fit because the Brittains having about that time erected a new King to themselves against France they took the occasion of Sampson's arrival to erect a new Archbishoprick likewise But this Vetustissima Controversia as d Hoveden Hist part 2. p. 453. Hoveden stiles it came at last to be decided before Pope Innocent the third who out his moderation first propos'd an expedient wherein we may be sure Rome was to be no looser That Dole should continue an Archbishoprick with two suffragans only and receive a Pall from Rome by the hands of Tours whose right it was to be Primate but the Dolensians refusing this offer the Pope in the second year of his Papacy Anno 1199. determin'd for the Ancient Right of the Native against 600 years prescription and above back'd with Princely Authority for the Forreigner So that if our Holy Bishops of Rome would suffer themselves to be guided either by that Golden Rule of doing as they would be done by whereby all reasonable and good men are governed or stand to their own Principles and Decisions whereby the worst and most unreasonable are concluded they would no longer own this so weak and infirm pretence for Supremacy over our Brittish Churches but suffer the Consciences of their obedient Catholicks to be undeluded from this Imposture forever But they ought to be told that the Church of Brittain hath propagated the Faith over more Kingdoms and States of Europe by her own or by Disciples of her own School and Institution than c Usher p. 530. ever Rome did yet never pretended as before was Intimated to any claim of Ecclesiastical Supremacy over other Churches much less Temporal over any Crowns in order to the other upon that account but only maintained her own Soveraignty within her own Province under her own Rightful Governours for the peace and order of her own people that she is Mother Church to Scotland and Ireland is apparent and confessed and no less to England or to the English or Saxons prevailing in Lhoegr was sufficiently proved And it is as manifest she is Mother Church to Germany both High and Low and Grand-Mother to the Churches of its Propagation by consequence What Bede affirms of e Bede l. 3. c. 4. St. Egbert and St. Willibrord f Idem l. 5. c. 10 11 12. both from our Brittish g Usher p. 398. p. 730. Bede l. 5. c. 10 Irish Schools to have first planted the Gospel over Holland and Frizeland and Low Countries acknowledged by the Historians of those parts out of their own h Ubbo Emmius lib. 4. 124. l. 3. p. 99. Usher 398. Annalls and Records For England was the Academy and Nursery of the Gospel to Holland as Vtrecht afterwards by that means to the rest of Germany For hither at there need they sent for a supply of Teachers i Idem p. 127. Quae tum saith Vbbo Emmius of England propter excitata illic Literarum studia viris doctis abundabat ob nuper rcceptum Christi cultum ceu fieri solet caeteris ferè provinciis vicinis in Pietatis zelo erat ferventior quod plurimum hanc ad rem pertinebat eadem fere cum Frisiis adhuc linguâ utebatur Which then abounded with learned men because of the several Schools of Learning there set up and encouraged and were more zealous and Industrious in propagating Piety as is usual than the other neighbouring Provinces because they had then but newly received the Christian Faith themselves and which was very Material to help on their work spoke the same Language with the Frizelanders at that time which we observ'd before to be a great bar and exception throughout against the Legend of the Conversion of the English by Monk Augustine and his Italian followers And in another l Ubbo Emmius l. 3. c. 109. place Religio nova studium literarum c. The English people who before were Barbarous and skilful only in Armes when upon their embracing the Faith they addicted themselves to the study of Learning
his Native Countrey had stronger and more undoubted obligations upon him upon the like score having his birth and second birth and Conversion from the one and but the Instituted Ceremony if true and certain from the other so that upon the self same reason and merits of this pretended Charter that all other Churches were declared Subject to it it is to be believed in all justice and equity that Brittain was declared Exempt For if the Emperour Justinian was so kind and noble towards the place of his birth and Conquest in Dacia and Africa as by his imperial Prerogative to exalt them into absolute Primacyes freeing them from the obedience and subjection they formerly paid to other superiour Chairs how can it be imagined that the Generous Spirit of Constantine compounded of Roman and Brittish Honour should forget the place where he was Born and Re-born which all men remember to their last Gasp as Poets paint it both Human and Divine Nescio quâ natale solum dulcedine cunctos saith one Dulces moriens reminiscitur Argos r Virgil. saith another And the Prophet more Divinely If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee left my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy Psalms 137.6 7. For what is more remember'd and tender'd from first to last by all men and Christians than their Countrey the type of God whence they had their being or what is more every one 's Jerusalem on Earth than his Church the type of Christ where he had his better and Eternal being How unthankful therefore and perfidious to the honour of their Countrey and of their Prince the representative and type thereof must they needs appear that for any present Interest and private advantage or unaccountable Custom and Education shall go about to advise or perswade him to yield against Princely trust and honour and obligation of descent and birth this most Ancient free-born Church of Brittain to be a slave and Captive a fresh to Rome after her miraculous rescue and deliverance by the hands of Princes the heads of States-men the hearts of Divines the finger of God the Acclamations of all good men and at such a time the one being in its greatest Degeneracy with neither Truth nor Empire of its side to make it lovely or considerable as heretofore and the gall and soreness on the Neck of the other from its former yoak not yet fully healed nor forgot Neither are the pretences of London or ſ Lhûn Effigies Dain Diana Brittain Brit. Prydain Pryd forma vultus Diana was a great Goddess in Asia Act. 19. as also in Brittain agreeing with the East in Idolatry as afterward in Religion Lhundain in the Brittish .i. Diana's shrine Acts 19.24 to the Brittish Primacy Inferiour to those of York being for populousness and wealth and Situation the knowen Metropolis of this land all along from the Resurrection and before and by consequent presumption our Patriarchal See as our t Math Westm An. 601. 604. Usher 66.67 p. 127. Ancient Historians are generally of Opinion Founded by King Lucius at St. Peters Cornhill as most believe or St. Peters Thorney or Westminster according to D. Heylin's conjecture which likewise u Polyder Virgil lib 4. p. 71. had its first building from the same King who according to our Brittish Chronicles was Baptized x Idem p. 56. at Troynovant or London with all his Family where according to the Moelmutian Laws was the Imperial Crown of this Island kept and in all probability the Residence of King Lucius and the first Metropolitan y Usher 68.69 Chair by consequence long before the time of Constantine well nigh two hundred years and Pope Gregory sending his chief Pall for London proves as much by his following the track And accordingly we find Arch-Bishop Guitelin or Cyhelyn to Crown King Constantine and to have the charge z Histor Brittannic lib. 6. c. 4.5 of his children Aurelius Ambrosius and Vther Pendragon the priviledge of the chief Primate of England to this day And Fitz Stephen a Londoner will have Constantine the Great to be born at London and her Walls to be built by him at the request of a Usher p. 175. Helena And though he resided at York as other Emperours before him for greater watch and terrrour on the Frontiers of the Empire and was forward enough to honour and exalt the See of York into high dignity and Priviledge yet not to the wrong and prejudice of the Ancienter Arch-Bishoprick of London in the same Countrey and that his own and Eborius of York might take place of Restitutus of London in the Council of Arles by reason of his years as the Elder man and not by reason of his See And if the See of London was thus above the See of York which had as a fore such good right and merit to be above any other See in Christendom whether Constantinople or Rome it self how Ancient and Sacred must the Primacy of London then be And yet this See we find Rome to have used her greatest Power to suppress and keep under from first to last York continuing an Archbishoprick to this day But London the Original Primacy of Great Brittain swallowed up by the pride of Popish Canterbury for about a thousand years together And Caerleon upon Wysc now St. David had no less a right than the other two to chief Primacy here in Brittain by that dear title of Redemption as it were being the Royal seat of King Arthur who by his zeal and valour in the Cause of Christ and his Countrey was the Saviour of the Brittish Church and Monarchy in his time as such deliverers are term'd in Scripture Obadiah v. ult from the Pagan-Invasion of the Saxons rebuilding their Churches Monasteries Nunneries saith Geoffrey restoring their Clergy and Orders and setling Bishops and Pastors in their several Sees and charges as his Chaplain Pyramus made Archbishop of York by him a Histor Britt l. 9. c. 8.14 15. l. 11. c. 3. convocato clero populo in a full Parliament and Convocation held at York the Feast of Christmass As at his great and solemn Feast held in the time of Pentecost at Caerleon at the like assembly of the Clergy and Laity David a Histor Britt l. 9. c. 8.14 15. l. 11. c. 3. was made Archbishop of Caerleon Maugan of Silcester Dwywan of Winchester Eledanius of Alcluid or Dunbritton as we find Theon Bishop of Gloucester translated to the Archbishoprick of London shortly after his death In a word he either clear'd the land after several great Fights of all the enemies of his Countrey and Religion or gave them terms wresting the sword out of their hands and b Apud Usher 1129. Hist Britt l. 8. c. 8. Ubbo Emmius l. 3. p. 107. recommending the Catechism instead As did his Uncle b Apud
make no other account of the King of kings and of every thing that is called God who by their Principles and Practices shall be reduc'd to serve their private ends which are with them Superiour to them all The fate of the Church may be observ'd to follow that of the Crown and Empire it rose and fell of late years with the fall and Restoration of our last Kings we observed the like Sympathy in it towards the Brittish Crown heretofore Therefore all good Christians ought by their lives and Prayers to support our Brittish Monarchy that the Church and Religion may ever prosper in its safety 2 Tim. 2.12 The Civil Regality of our Kings cannot be destroyed but by a stronger Forreign Power or Domesticks broyls which God prevent And nothing ever hath and doth promote our divisions and rents and broyls more than the cherishing of Popery within our state which engenders Jealousies foments our Sects and sets on dissenters to affront and trouble our Church and Government and fits us for Invasion by division neither can their Ecclesiastical Regality be any way more Eclips'd or extinguished than by vitious scandalous living or Antichristian errours for how can he be a Head or Primate in Christ's Church who stands condemn'd and Excommunicate by its Laws from being a Member Truth and Holiness being as essentially requisite to the Church which is the ground and Pillar of truth 1 Tim. 3. and to every Member thereof as his being a Christian The neglect whereof destroyed our Brittish Church in Vortigern and its corrupt Princes heretofore as Subjection to the Pope depraved and enslaved the Conquering English and their Church all along Invasion and Captivity are best kept off by bolting out Popery and Debauchery A Prince that is Orthodox and Vertuous and Vigilant and Valiant a Quod pulchrius manus Deorun quam castus Sanctus diis similimus Princeps Plin. Paneg. is the greatest pledge and sign from Heaven of good weather in Church as well as State in such a Reign which therefore ought to be as it is order'd by the Church the daily Prayers of all good Christians throughout their lives The second point is how these Primacies or any of them ceased and discontinued and how Canterbury came to be erected and confirm'd in stead And first of the Imperial Primacy of York The See of York is conceived to have continued from Faganus or Wogan f being used for v by the Brittains the first Archbishop thereof in the time of King Lucius about 160 after Christ to the departure of Sampson about the year 500. from the Saxon fury into Armorica or little Brittain b Usher p. 74. 75. with Six or Seven of his suffragan Bishops with him whom after Ages called there the Seven Saints of Brittain whereof Maclovius was one who gave name to c Usher 533. Sâ— Maloes who were there received and preferr'd and Sampson made Bishop of Dole and Primate of little Brittain and above Tours as before But the Imperial Pall in time came to be over-rul'd by the Papall King Arthur recovering that Territory shortly after from the Saxons settles Pyramus his Chaplain Archbishop there about 522. whose successors there continued till Thadioc the last Archbishop was driven into Wales together with Theonus the last Archbishop of London about the time or little before the Arrival of Augustine the Monk as before an Argument of Romish foul play About the year 601. Pope Gregory takes order with Augustine to make d Bede lib. 1. c. 29. lib 2. c. 4. York with London Archbishopricks a new with dependance upon Rome Ad Eboracum civitatem te volumus Episcopum Mittere c. We would have you send a Bishop for the City of York whom you shall think fit to ordain but with this proviso that if that City and its Neighbourhood shall receive the word of God He may ordain 12 Bishops under him and enjoy the honour of a Metropolitan for We intend if God lend life to send him a Pall likewise by the help of God Neither shall he be any way Subject to the jurisdiction of the See of London the Priority of the one to the other shall be according to the Seniority of their Consecration When Edwin King of Northumberland in the year 627 after the death of Gregory and Augustine made Paulinus who Converted and Baptized him Archbishop here he was Ordain'd by Justus Archbishop of Canterbury with this Memorandum e Antiquit Eccles p 14. as Canterbury is Subject to Rome whence it had its Faith so is York to be Subject to Canterbury which sent to it its Bishops and Teachers thus they agreed to divide the spoyls But Paulinus was soon routed out of all the North by Cadwalhan upon King Edwins overthrow in 633. And the See manag'd afterwards by Bishops of Brittish Ordination and Principles Aidan Finan c. for 30 years who were f Usher p. 78. ex Sâ—eephan qui Aeddâ— Bedae â—quali â—im Dunelmenf Metropolitan Bishops of York yet had no Pall and chose to reside at Lindisfarne And Ceadda who was rightly Consecrated Archbishop there by Brittish Ordination was insolently and illegally laid aside by Theodorus as before whereby that Church recovering its Pall in Egbert became Subject to the Roman and so continued untill the time of our Protestant Restoration Conquests and Invasions of Countreys being common and tolerable amongst the Captains of the World and especially Heathen But the subduing and stealing of one another's Churches and Diocesses by Christians and Catholicks not so in the Church of God London continued a Metropolitan Church for 400 years and above from the time of King Lucius g Usher p. 69. ex Simonis Baldoc Episcopi Londinensis Chronico tabula pensili Ecclesiae St. Petâ—i in Cornhill to the Arrival of Augustine who Translated that its dignity to Canterbury against Law reason and the Canons of the Church Thean or Theonâ—s being her first Archbishop who is said to have built the Church of St. Peters Cornhill g Usher p. 69. ex Simonis Baldoc Episcopi Londinensis Chronico tabula pensili Ecclesiae St. Petâ—i in Cornhill in the time of King Lucius by the help of Cyranus the Kings chief Butler and Elwan her second before Embassadour with Dwywan and Medwin from the King to Pope Eleutherius who built a Library adjoyning to the said Church which continued for many Ages to the time of Leland who saw it And her last Brittish Bishop being Theonus likewise who was driven with Thadioc into Wales by a New Roman-Heathenish Persecution as afore Pope Gregory h Bede lib. 1. c. 29. c. 33. Antiq. Eccles p. 34. intended to settle his Romish Primacy at London where the Brittish was before as appears from his own Epistles to Monk Augustine and Mathew Westminster and Malmesbury and Polydor Virgil. But what induc'd Augustine to Translate it to Canterbury against the first Orders of his Pope or what