wee see by the testimony both of the Britans and protestants themselues that these were more zelously obserued of the Christian Britans at that time whose faith and Religion is so much commended by our protestant writers then they were by S. Gregory or S. Augustine then or be at this time by the present church of Rome and the members therof 11. Therfore it being the common and generally receued opinion both of our English Protestant Bishops as Parker Bale Godwin with others and their Doctors and antiquaries as Powel Foxe Fulke Middleton Gosceline Stowe Howes Holinshed and too many to be recited that at the cominge of S. Augustine hither the faith and Religion of the Christian Britans here was in all materiall points sounde and perfect and the same which they receued in the time of the Apostles much more and rather must they needes yeeld and allowe that honor to the Religion and doctrine of S. Augustine and the other disciples of S. Gregory which they preached and planted here being by so many and all humane testimonies before acknowledged in all matters controuersed betweene them to be the vndoubted true and perfect Religion of Christ Parker antiquit· Britan. pag. 6.45.46 Balaus l. 2. de Act. Pontific in Gregorio Magno l. de scriptor Brit. centur 1. in Augustin Dionotho Godvvin conuers of Brit. Povvell annotat in l. 2. Giraldi Cambr. de Itinerar Cambr. cap. 1. Foxe Act. and Mon. pag. 463. edit an 1576. Fulke ansvv to counterf Cathol pag. 40. Middlet Papistom pag 202. Io. Goscelin hist Eccl. de vit Arch. Cantuar. Stovve and Howe 's hist. in K. Ethelbert Holinsh histor of Engl. cap. 21. pag. 102. 12. And to make all sure and vnquestionable except with athests and infidels enemies to Christ himselfe wee haue both the present and propheticall witnesse of God himselfe that by no possibilitie can deceiue vn in this case and this confessed and receued euen by our protestant writers who first assure vs that in the controuersie betweene the Britans and S. Augustine God gaue so miraculous testimony for S. Augustine his Roman companions to teach the truth in all thinges controuersed then betweene them and the Britans that the Britans were therby so extraordinarily conuicted and confounded to speake in protestant wordes that they confessed in deede that to bee the true way of righteousnes which Augustine had preached and shewed them Stowe and Howes histor in K. Ethelbert and God could not possibly giue other testimony by these protestants and all learninge except hee would or could blasphemie to affirme contradict himselfe for by all professors of Christian Religion he had promised that Catholicke church vniuersall should neuer err and yet protestants with others thus confesse all other churches throughout the world agreed with Augustine in Christ Of Gods propheticall testimonie hereof wee haue many witnesses Catholicks and Protestants S. Asaph in the life of S. Kentegern many Manuscripts the Brittish history Matthew of Westminster with others for Catholicks and amonge protestants their first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury their protestant Bishop Bale with others S. Asaph in vit S. Kentegern M. S. antiq in eod Galfr. Monum l. 7. cap. 3. Matth. Westm an 465. Matth. Parker antiquit Britan. pag. 49. Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Kentegern this last speakinge of the Pagan Saxons inuadinge this kingdome and ouerthrowinge Christian Religion bringeth S. Kentegern thus to prophesie loÌ„ge before how S. Augustine and his associats should restore it againe not onely vnto the auncient state of Religion but a better then it enioyed in the time of the Britans Christianae legis Religio vsque ad praefinitum tempus dissipabitur Sed in pristinum statim immo meliorem miserante Deo in fine reparabitur 13. The auncient Manuscript history of S. Kentegerns life S. Asaph Capgraue and others say S. Kentegern prophesied this and publickly told it to his disciples at the time of the death of S. Dauid which as our protestants write was aboue 50. yeares before the cominge of S. Augustine hither M. S. antiq de vita S. Kentegerni Io. Copgrau in S. Kentegerno Episcopo Confessore who beeing at that time as often very earnest at his prayers and much lamentinge after being demauÌ„ded by his disciples the cause of his great sorrowe after a short silence thus answered Knovve you my dearest children that S. Dauid the ornament of Britanie Father of his contry is euen novv loosed from the prison of his flesh and gone to the heauenly kingdome Vnderstand you that Britanie depriued of so great a light shall lameÌ„t the absence of so great a patrone who opposed him selfe against the sword of God halfe drawne against it for the wickednes of the inhabitants thereof that it should not be fully drawne and bringe it to destruction Our Lord will giue Britanie ouer to forreine nations that know him not And the Isle shall bee emptied of the inhabitants by Pagans The Religion of the lawe of Christ shall bee destroyed vntill a certaine time in it But by the mercy of God it shall be againe repayred vnto the former and vnto a better state then it was before Seruo Dei quodam die prolixius orationi intento facies eius quasi ignea apparens stupore extasi circumstantes repleuit Intucbantur enim faciem eius tanquam vultum Angeli stantis inter illos Completa oratione grauissimis lamentis se dedit Et cum discipuli causam tristitiae humiliter ab eo peterent paulisper in silentio residens tandem ait Noueritis filij charissimi Sanctum Dauid decus Britanniae patrem patriae carnis carcerem modo egressum regna caelestia penetrasse Credite mihi quod non solum Angelorum multitudo in gaudium Domini sui illum introduxit sed Dominus noster Iesus Christus ei obuiam procedens ad portas paradisi gloria honore coronauit eum me vidente Scitote etiam quod Britannia tanto lumine orbata tanti patroni lugebit absentiam qui gladio Domini propter malitiam inhabitantium semi euaginato super illam ne penitus ad internitionem extractus percuteret semetipsun opponebat Tradens tradet Dominus Britanniam exteris nationibus Deum ignorantibus sed à Paganis ab indigenis euacuabitur insula Christianae legis Religio vsque ad praefinitum tempus dissipabitur in ea sed in pristinum statiâ—… immo meliorem miserante Deo iterum reparabitur 14. Our protestant historians doe likewise relate the actuall chaunge of Religion here then for the better and for better preachers in these wordes Edvv. Hovves and Stovve histor in K. Ethelbert Gild. l. de excid Amonge many the Britans doings which their ovvne historiographer Gildas doth lamentably sett forth in vvritinge hee saith of them thus that they neuer tooke care to preach the ghospell of Christ vnto the Angles and Saxons vvhich inhabited the land amonge them But yet the goodnes of God prouided for the
THE SECOND PART OF THE PROTESTANTS PLEA AND PETITION FOR PREISTS AND Papists Beeing an historie of the holy preisthood and sacrifice of the true Church of Christ Inuincibly prouing them to be the present sacrificing preisthood prouing also the sacrifice of the Masse vsed in the Catholike Roman church and that these were promised and foretold by the Prophets instituted by Christ and exercised by all his Apostles Moreouer that they haue euer from the first plantinge of Christianitie in this our Britanye in the dayes of the Apostles in euery age and hundred of yeares beene continued and preserued here All for the most part warranted by the writinges and testimonies of the best learned Protestant Doctors and antiquaries of England and others The preisthood beeing chaunged there is made of necessitie a chaunge also of the lawe Hebr. cap. 7. ver 12. WITH LICENCE Anno 1625. AN ADMONITION OF THE Author to all Readers of this his historie comprehending the Argument and contents thereof KNowinge well by longe and daiely purchased experience the great and greeuous persecutions which formerly haue beene raysed and persecuted in England against consecrated Preists of the Romane Church and professors of that Religion and for nothing more then holy priesthood and the sacred sunctions thereof And yet often hearinge all sorts of people euen persecutors themselues contestinge and cryinge out they would willingly stand to the Iudgement of and bee arbitrated by diuine Authoritie and reuerend antiquitie I an vnworthie member of that holy order a longe student in diuinitie to which these are either parts or haue a subordination for my discharge of dutie to God and his holy Church comfort and strengtheninge those that bee in truth and satisfying or confounding such as bee in error haue taken in hand to write a briefe history of this subiect beginning at the first originall of Christianitie especially in this Kingdome of great Britaine to which onely after my more generall Introduction and preface ended to preuent 〈…〉 both in writer and Readers I will confine my selfe And to winne the loue and likinge of all and auoide the dislike of any I meane to follow that most frendly and to all protestants fauourable maner and methode in writinge insinuated in the Title of this worke alwaies or moste commonly to carry with mee the allowance and warrant of the best learned Doctors and Antiquaries of their Religion And yet for Catholicks I trust none of them shall finde the least occasion of feare that though I shal walke vpon so vnlâ—…uell ground I will betray their moste iust and holy cause but rather adde a greater luster and splendor of glory then bringe any the least diminution of honor vnto it And make this matter so palpably manifest by all Authorities diuine and humane the scriptures both of the old and new testament and all kinde of expositors of them friends or ennemies that they which shall not acknowledge the vndoubted and onely truth of the doctrine of the holy Catholike Church in these misteries must needes bee said wilfully with malice to close their eyes against it And though the lawe of Moises wherein the Prophets liued and God spake by them was but a figure of thinges to come and gaue but a darke shadowe or glimeringe of the gratious brightnes and shininge which our blessed Sauiour the true light of the world reuealed vnto it in the lawe of the ghospell yet I shall in the very beginning as a preface to this holy historie so inuincibly proue by the scripture 〈◊〉 old testament by all original texts hebrue or greeke all Authors the Rabines before Christ the best learned Doctors of the primatiue Church of Christ and protestants themselues that the Messias promised and foretold by the Prophets was to ordeine a new sacrificing priesthood and that blessed sacrifice of his bodie and blood which wee coÌ„monly name the sacrifice of the Masse and this was one of the most apparant distinctiue signes to know him by so that whosoeuer denieth this consequently denieth Christ to bee the true Messias And the more plainely to demonstrate this when I come to the first plantinge of the faith of Christ in this kingdome in the Apostles time I will make manifest by all testimonies and antiquities that Christ our blessed Sauiour and Messias accordingly to the prophesies of him did institute this sacrificing priesthood and both celebrated and ordeined the sacrifice of Masse for his Church for euer That all his Apostles were sacrificing massing preists and offered that blessed sacrifice And that in this kingdome of Britanie in particular as in the whole Christian world besides in euery age and hundred of yeares from the first preachinge and receiuing of Christian Religion here in the Apostles time in the first second third fourthe fift and six hundred yeares of Christ and so longe as the best learned protestants affirme that holy primatiue Church remained vnspotted in the first receiued truthe and integritie thereof The same holy sacrificing priesthood a continual succession of sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops and sacrifice of Masse euer continued here in the same maner as they are now vsed and obserued in the present Romane Church without any the least essentiall change or difference By reason whereof many cheife Articles in Religion now questioned as the supernaturall change or transubstantiation of bread and wine into the blessed body and blood of Christ there offered a propitiatorie sacrifice for sinne prayer to the blessed Virgin S. Mary other Saints and Angels prayer for the faithfull departed merit of sacrifice and good workes with insufficiencie of sole faith and other principall things which protestants commonly disallow in Catholicke Religion will bee thus proued and deduced in euerie age in this our Britanie euen with the allowance of our best learned protestants and such antiquities as they approue and cannot disallow One most materiall point of the Popes power and spirituall prerogatiue in this nation from the first embracinge of Christian Religion in all ages which I promised in my first parte I vnderstand to bee effectually performed already Therefore I shall sparinglie make mention thereof in this history except in some things and places where it shall bee needfull for the more perfect handlinge of the present subiect of this worke And hereby it will sufficiently appeare vnto all protestants and persecutors of the holy Catholike Romane Church that seeing the controuersie is whether the Catholike or protestant church is the true church of Christ that by no possibilitie the protestant congregation can bee this true and holie church For by their owne Articles of their Religion to which all protestant Bishops and ministers haue sworne and subscribed Articl of Engl. protest Relig articul 19. The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in which the pure worde of God is preached and the Sacraments bee duly ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that are requisite to the same Which bee the
Timothie his scholler dead longe before S. Lucius Britanniae Rex S. Timothei Apostoli Pauli discipuli cruditione ad Religionem Christi inductus est Petr. Merssaeus Annal. Archiep. eccl Treuer in S. Marcello If wee reflect vppon the Saints that were sent cheife Legats hither from Rome S. Fugatius and Damianus the principall of them in all antiquities as wee must needs to giue them their due that bee chosen and selected mē they must needes be learned vertuous and of mature age and iudgment to be imploied in so weightie a busines and as all histories testifie they were and so must needes bee consecrated massinge preists beeing sacred by those remembred sacrificinge Popes which neither did nor could consecrate any other nor they bringe any other doctrine in this or any other points of Religion but what they had receaued from those holy Popes 4. And to this besides so many generall Arguments S. Gildas the moste auncient and renowned Brittish Author is a particular witnes if it could please our protestants to publish it to the worlde except that renowned Abbot Doctor Fecknham did abuse his auditory in the first parlament of Queene Elizabeth in his publicke oration which no indifferent man will thinke hee did or durst to doe for feare of open shame and confusion if hee should haue aduouched an vntruth in that assemblie And yet speaking principally of the sacrifice of Masse then to bee condemned by that parlament citeth Gildas in the proeme of his history testifyinge that the same Religion and church seruice the sacrifice of Masse which was then to bee abrogated was brought hither and settled here in the Latine tonge by the Legats of Pope Eleutherius Abbot Fecknham orat in parlam 2. of Queene Elizabeth and all our cheife protestant antiquaries and historians of England as their Bishops Parker Bale Godwine with others Gosteline Powell Foxe Fulke Middleton Stowe Holinshed others confidently affirming that the Christian Brittans neuer chaunged in any materiall thinge that holy Religion which they receaued in the time of the Apostles but constantly continued in the same vntill the cominge of S. Augustine hither from S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome and after Parker antiquitat Britan. pag. 6.45.46 Balaeus l. 2. de act Pontif. Rom. in Gregor 1. l. de scriptor cent 1. in August Dronotho Godwin conuers of Brit. Powel annot in l. 2. Giraldi Camb. de Itiner Cambr. cap. 1. Foxe act pag. 463. edit an 1576. Fulke answ to a count Cath. pag. 40. Middelt papistom pag. 202 Stow histor in S. Augustine and Kinge Ethelbert Holinsh. histor of Engl. cap. 21. pag. 102. 5. But as I haue proued before by these protestants and otherwise the Britans by that Apostolicke man receaued the doctrine profession and practise of sacrificinge preisthood preists and sacrifice of Masse and continued them vnto this time soe I will demonstrate by them and all antiquities hereafter in euery age that they kept and obserued the same inuiolablie to those dayes and after without interruption And yet this is but a needles probation for being so inuincibly proued before that they receaued these holy doctrines and professions from the Apostles and from them to these daies if they had departed from them now or after they should bee apparantly guiltie of error in departinge from those truthes which the Apostles and all from them to these dayes continued And if wee looke into the catalogues of holy writers in this time whose works bee preserued to posteritie wee shall see that the holy sacrifice of Masse and massinge preists were generally in al places in as great vse and honour as at this day The moste renowned writers of this time whose bookes bee extant now were S. Iustine S. Irenaeus and Tertullian all they doe plainelie testifie that the sacrifice of Masse offeringe vp the sacred body and blood of Christ was the generally vsed knowne sacrifice of the Christians in this time in omni loco in euerie place saith S. Iustine Iustin Dialog cum Tryhone Ecclesia in vniuerso mundo offert Deo The church doth offer it in all the world saith S. Irenaeus Irenaeus aduers Haeres lib. 4. cap. 32. therefore the church of Britanie must needs offer it and I haue proued by our Brittish antiquities before that Rome Fraunce and Britanie in these daies of Eleutherius and Irenaeus which went to Rome in the papacy of S. Eleutherius vsed one and the same order of Masse And Tertullian that notorious massing Author declaring how Christiā Religion was then dilated in the worlde and the sacrifice of Masse was the common sacrifice thereof expressely nameth this our Britanie to haue receaued the Christian faith and to agree with other Christian nations therin Tertullian de cultu Faeminar cap. 11. l. ad Scapul cap. 2. l. de orat cap 14. l. de vel Virg. cap. 9. l. contra Iudaeos S. Iohn Chrisostome speaking of this conuersion of our Britans witnesseth manifestly and our protestants acknowledge it for truth that the Brittish churches then founded which were many had altars for their preists erected in them Chrisostom serm· de Pentecost protest Theater of great Britanie l. 6. § 12. which as is confessed before by these protestants neither were nor could in Christian Religion bee ordeyned but for massinge preists and the sacrifice of Masse as wee finde in the moste auncient churches of this nation as S. Iosephs dedicated to our Lady at Glastēburie Antiquit Glaston Capgrau in S. Patricio M. S. antiq in Lucio S. Martins at Canterbury and the olde church at Winchester where as we read there were Christian altares so also that the sacrifice of Masse was from their first foundation offered on them Bed hist. l. 1. cap. 27. Galfr. Monum l. 11. histor cap. 4. Stowe histor in Constantine sonne of Cador. c. so of S. Peters church in Cornhill in London and others And S. Damianus and Phaganus the cheife Legats of S. Eleutherius bearing so great deuotion to the massing church builded by S. Ioseph at Glastenbury that they themselues continued and dwelled there some time and settled twelue of their company to continue there duringe their liues must needs bee massinge preists as all had here euer beene from the Apostles time in which faith and Religion this holy Pope as our protestants with al antiquities assure vs confirmed the kingdome of Britanie Eleutherius vt bonus paterfamilias effecit vt confirmatis consolidatis Britannis in suscepta prius ab Apostolis doctrina totum illud regnum in eius fidei verba iuraret Ioh. Bal. l. 1. de act Pontif. Rom. in Eleutherio 6. So that by this Protestant Bishop and his and other authorities those doctrines of sacrificinge preists and Masse which from the Apostles dayes as I haue aboundantly proued had without discontinuance euer continued here in diuers particular places and parsons were now generally by this holy Pope and his massinge Legats established and confirmed in this kingedome confirmatis
prescribe what hymnes prefaces graduals and collects or prayers were to bee vsed it is euident these were before and he being Pope and cheife prescribed the order how they should bee vsed which proueth he rather tooke some away then added any for amonge them were before praescripsit he prescribed which and no others should bee vsed And wheras there is a controuersie by some whether this prescription and orderinge these things was by Pope Gelasius or one called Scholasticus Master Foxe the Protestant historian decideth this question Io. Foxe in Q. Mary pag. 1403. teaching out of vetusto quodam libro de officio Missa an old booke of the office of Masse that these were both one and Gelasius beinge Scholasticus before was made Pope Gelasius Papa ex Scholastico effectus in ordine 48 And thus much of Gelasius 8. After whome for an intermedler in these affaires our protestants propose Pope Symmachus Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho Bal. l. 2. in eod who commaunded gloria in excelsis Deo to bee sunge vppon sondayes and feasts of Saints In Dominico die Sanctorum natalitijs gloria in excelsis canendum esse dixit or by an other praecepit But if they meane the first part of this holy hymne it was the songe of the Angels at the birthe of Christ and recommended vnto vs in scripture and by one of these protestants vsed at Masse by the commaundement of Saint and Pope Telesphorus who liued in the Apostles time gloria in excelsis Deo c. in Missa canendum praecepit Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Telesphoro S. Petro and if they meane the whole canticle as it is now vsed their brother Iohn Foxe with others thus testifieth Iohn Foxe supr in Q. Mary The hymne gloria in excelsis which was sunge of the Angels at the birth of our Sauiour was augmented by Hilarius Pictauiensis with those words that follow singing it first in his owne church which was an 340. afterward brought into other churches by Pope Symmachus And our histories testifie it was vsed here in Britanie by S. German in his time And our English Protestants vse it in their publicke church seruice at this day by publicke authoritie Engl. Protestant communion booke morninge prayer 9. That which a Protestant Bishop writeth of this Pope that he reduced the Masse to forme Missam in formam redegit Bal. l. 2. Act. Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho is his formall forgery or foolery confounded by many vndeniable instances graunted by protestants before as the forme of Masse of S. Peter S Iames S. Matthew S Marke S. Clement S. Basile S. Chrisostome and Popes of Rome longe before this time as amonge other witnesses this Protestant Bishop himselfe testifieth of S. Innocentius Syricius S. Celestine S. Leo and Gelasius Bal. in Act. Pontif. Rom. in Innocent Syric Calestino Leon. Gelas therefore without euident contradiction and wilfull errour he cannot intend or affirme that Pope Symmachus did first bringe the Masse into order Therefore of necessitie to keepe himselfe from these absurdities he must vnderstand that Pope Symmachus confirmed or allowed of the forme of Masse formerlie vsed in the church which all Popes good Christians euer did and ought to doe 10. And here endeth the fift hundred yeare at which time and longe after as with others our protestants assure vs that S. Dubritius that great massinge Prelate and Archbishop primate here the Popes Legate and great Master of diuinitie together with S. Iltutus priuiledged in the same facultie by papall authoritie and S. Gildas by whome all Britanie and other contries receaued instruction were liuinge and consequently agreeing in all thinges with the church of Rome Bal. cent 1. in Dubritie Iltuto Gylda Albanio Godwin Catal. in S. Dauids Capgrau Catal. in Dubrit Iltut Gild. About which time also amonge diuers others those three great lights of our Brittish church knowne massinge preists and Bishops S. Dauid that succeeded S. Dubritius in his archiepiscopall dignitie S. Thelians and S. Patern began to florish and went that great Pilgrimage to Hierusalem M. S. antiq Capgrau Catal. in S. Dauid S. Thelian S. Paterno alij M. S. S. Theliai apud Godwin Catal. in Landaff 2. and both in going and returninge through Italy and those places and ordinarily sayinge Masse must needs vse that order and forme therof they found to bee vsed at Rome and all places receauinge direction from thence in such affaires and so here I end this age and centenary of yeares THE SIXTH AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XXI CHAPTER Wherein being confessed by our protestant writers that all the Popes of Rome vnto S. Gregory were massinge preists and Popes yet not any one of thē by these protestāts cōfession made any the least materiall chaunge or alteration in these misteries NOw wee are come to the sixt age or hundred of yeares of Christ wherin liued S. Gregory the great Pope of Rome that sent S. Augustine and diuers other holie cleargie men hither which conuerted a greater part of this nation and kingdome called England Wherefore seeing by confession of our best learned protestants the Christian Britans of this Iland had from their first conuersion vnto Christ and did at the coming of S. Augustine from Rome continue in the same holy faith and Religion which they had learned and receued in the Apostles time and hitherto we haue not found any materiall difference in any age between them the church of Rome in these cheif questions I haue in hand now to make euidēt demonstration by these aduersaries to the holy Romane Religion that this church neuer altered any substantiall matter by their owne iudgement at before or after the cominge of S. Augustine hither I will first set downe all the pretended chaunges additiōs or alteratiōs which these protestants charge that holy church withall in these affaires prouinge them to bee of no moment or essentiall And after shew how the Christian Britans in this age also as in all the former still agreed in these questions with the church of Rome And wheras there was then some difference betweene the disciples of S. Gregorie and the Britās here about the obseruation of Easter and some other questions rather ceremoniall then substantiall in Religion that the church euen by the testimonie of our protestants did hold the truth in these matters and such Britans and Scots as held the contrary were in confessed and vnexcusable error 2. The first alleaged chaunger or additioner of any thinge in the holy sacrifice of Masse which our protestants obiect among the Popes of Rome in this age is Horsmida who as these men write commaunded that altars should not be erected without the assent of the Bishop Ne altaria sine Episcopi assensu erigerentur iussit Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in Horsmida Bal. in Act. Pont. in eod but this was according to holy scriptures to haue Superiors and commaunders to bee obeyed remember them
said nation of the said Angles much more vvorthie preachers by vvhome they might be brought to the faith And then immediatly they set downe S. Augustine Mellitus Iustus and Iohn with others sent hither by S. Gregory to bee these much more vvorthie preachers by vvhom this nation was brought to the faith And this might suffice in this matter but for the ful clearing of al doubts I will further fully proue how al preists and Bishops in Britanie in this age were sacrificing massing preists and the best learned and most holy amonge them did in all things ioyne with the Popes and church of Rome and they which opposed moste against S. Augustine and his associates sent from thence in some ceremoniall customes did in these points all others which protestants most dislike in Catholick Romane Religion vtterly disagree from these protestants and hold the same doctrine practise generally as S. Augustine did and the members of the present Romane Apostolick church doe at this day THE XXIII CHAPTER Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other testimonies that during all this age and hundred of yeares vntill and after the coming of S. Augustine this kingdome had many holy massinge preists and Bishops agreeinge in these and all other articles of Religiō with the church of Rome IN the later end of the fift hundred of yeares of Christ I made relation how amonge many others those two renowned massinge preists S. Dubritius the great Archbishop of Caerlegion and the Popes Legate made Bishop by the massing Bishop and Legate of the see Apostolicke and S. Iltutus disciple of the same massing Bishop and Legate S. Germanus were Tutors and Masters in Religion and diuinitie not only to the cleargie of this Iland but many others and neither did nor could teach them any other doctrine in these points then they had receued from others and practised by themselues about holy preisthood and sacrifice of Masse And as both protestants other antiquaries tell vs both these liued 20. yeares at the leaste in the beginninge of this sixt age S. Iltutus beeing aliue and florishinge in the yeare 520. claruit anno à Christi natiuitate 520. and S. Dubritius liuinge two yeares after obijt anno gratiae 522. Bal. l. de scriptor Britan. cent 1. in Ilchtuto in Dubritio Godw. Catal. in S. Dauids in Dubritius therefore wee may boldly say that among so great numbers of their massing schollers many of them liued a great part if not all this age The auncient Manuscript of the Saints of Wales the Apologist of the antiquitie of Cambridge and others thus testifie of S. Dubritius M. S. antiq de vit Sanctorum Wall in S. Dubritio Io. Caius l. 1. de antiquit Cantabr Academ pag. 145.146 Creuit illius fama cum vtriusque legis nouae veteris peritia per totā Britanniam ita quod ex omni parte totius Britanniae scholares veniebant non tantum rudes sed etiam viri sapientes Doctores ad eum studendi causa confluebant Imprimis Sanctus Helianus Sampson discipulus suus Vbelnius Merchiguinus Elguoredus Gunuinus Longual Artbodu Longur Arguistil Iunabin Conbram Goruan Guernabin Iouan Elheharn Iudnon Curdocui Aidan Cinuarch cum his mille clericos per septem annos continuo in podo seu pago Hentlan super ripam Guy in studio literarum diuinae sapientiae humanae retinuit Where we see he had a thousand schollers at one time and place seuen yeares together that were clergy men students in diuinitie and in an other place called in the Brittish languadge Mocros miraculously assigned vnto him hee had as these antiquities say innumerable schollers many yeares together cum suis innumerabilibus discipulis mansit per plures annos regendo studium l. de vit Sanct. Wall Caius sup pag. 147.148 M. S. antiq Capgrau in S. Iltuto Tatheo 2. The like they write of the scholes of S. Iltutus and S. Tatheus or as some call him Thatheus The antiquaries of Cambridge alleage for the immunities and priuiledges of their vniuersitie the auncient Charter dated at London in the yeare of Christ 531 of Kinge Arthur that knowne reuerencer of sacrificing preists and Masse Charta priuileg Arthuri an 531. apud Caium antiq Cantabrig l. 1. and both Catholicks and protestants testifie that the auncient vniuersitie of Standford continued in this time and vntill S. Gregory interdicted it for heresies that fell amonge the Saxons and Britans together mixt Harding histor in King Ethelbert Stowe and Howes historie in Bladud therefore wee may assure our selues that notwithstandinge so many troubles alterations as chaunced here in those daies they continued the holy doctrine and custome of Masse and sacrificinge preists For S. Gregory so knowne and confessed a Patron and practiser of these thinges neither would nor could haue interdicted that vniuersitie for any thinge which hee himselfe so embraced and honored So that it is euident that the whole kingdome of Britanie in this time followinge the doctrine which their scholes and vniuersities taught them must needs then allowe these holy misteries of which I write The same is euident both by the Kings which then reigned here as also by the Archbishops who ruled in Religious affaires The Kings in the beginning of this age were Vther pendragon who died about the yeare of Christ 515. beeinge for Religion of the same with the massinge Archbishops S. Dubritius and S. Sampson with the sacrificinge Bishops and preists by whose generall consent he was crowned Kinge Vther conuocato regni clero caepit diadema Insula annuētibusque cunctis sublimatus est in Regem Galfr. Mon. l. 8. cap. 17. Math. Westm. ad an 498 and when his death was knowne they as solemly assembled to giue him Princely Christian buriall Cum obitus Regis diuulgatus fuisset aduenerunt Pontifices cum clero regni tuleruntque corpus eius ad caenobium Ambrij iuxta Aurelium Ambrosium more regio humauerunt 2. Next was Kinge Arthur how he was engaged in this holy doctrines it is sufficiēt Argument that being but 15. yeares of age and his birth by many not without exception hee was with the generall applause both of the sacrificinge cleargie and their ghostly children crowned Kinge by S. Dubritius the Popes Legate and renowned massinge Archbishop and primate of Britanie with the other massing Bishops therof Defuncto Vtherpendragon conuenerunt ex diuersis Prouincijs proceres Britonum Dubritio Vrbis Legionum suggerentes vt Arthurum filium Regis in Regem consecraret Dubritius associatis sibi Episcopis Arthurum regni diademate insignuit Galfrid Mon l. 9. cap. 1. Matth. Westm. ad an gratiae 516. Stowe histor Britans and Saxons in Arthur Io. Bal. l. de script Brit. cent 1. in Dubritio Godwin Catalog in S. Dauids to this his whole life in fighting against the enemies of that holy Religion the sacred churches and altars which he reedified for that heauenly sacrifice and charters of
yeares spirituall matters were ordered here by authoritie and direction from the see of Rome and successors of S. Peter there In the second hundred of yeares is proued by the same protestant authors and their antiquities how from the beginninge of that age to the end thereof all spirituall things were likewise managed here by that see Apostolicke more or lesse as the times then permitted And in the generall conuersion of kinge Lucius and his kingdome all ecclesiasticall businesses were done and settled by iurisdiction of the popes of Rome and their legats directed hither by their authoritie exercising here as ample iurisdiction spirituall to the greate honor of this kingdome as any pope of Rome may clayme Such was the estate of spirituall power and proceedings here in the third fourth fift and sixte age or hundred of yeares also in the later end whereof S. Augustine was sent hither to conuert our auncestors the Saxons In all which ages and Centenaries of yeares both the Kings Archbishops Bishops and others both Rulers and Ruled in this kingdome gaue as much priuiledge and prerogatiue to the popes of Rome as Catholicks now may doe by their catholick Roman Religion In which tyme also amonge all those christians which then liued here those Bishops of Scotland and Walles who as our protestants tell vs and commend them for it did onely or most oppose against the pope his legates and authoritie here were those alsoe by the same protestants which did much more intermeddle in princes affaires then any popes their legats or such as were most obedient vnto or Ruled by them Which proceedings the Author doth in all places leaue to protestants relation and medleth not with them otherwise at all But soe much as with probabilitie in historie hee may mitigateth such matters as some protestants euen with publick allowance of the protestant state of EnglaÌ„d haue boldly published to the world in that kinde freely and before God protesting as hee neuer hitherto had any intermedlinge with the temporall affaires of Princes but euer to his vttermost did yeeld and render all dutie vnto them praying for the safety honor and preseruation of his Soueraigne and this kingdome soe hee will euer continue the same moste humble and dutifull affection Other particular Questions in Religion depend vppon this Because whosoeuer in anie Religion hath the cheife chardge and cure the particulars depend vpon his proceedings whether it bee Pope Prince Superintendents Presbyteries or whatsoeuer and soe beeing proued that from the beginninge of christianitie in this kingdome the Pope of Rome euer had cheife coÌ„maund direction in Religious things It must needs followe that which protestants name papistrie euer raigned here But I vnderstand there is a generall controuersiall historie to bee shortly published of all such things in particular from the first preaching of the Gospell in this kingdome which will giue full aâ—… ample satisfaction in all such Questions THE FIRST CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED OF YEARES THE I. CHAPTER Wherein is briefly made demonstration by the best learned protestant Antiquaries and others of England that Saint Peter the Apostle first preached the faith and founded the Church of Christ in this our Britanie TO bringe vs vnto a more certayne and vndoubted knowledge of the first preachers of christian Religion in this kingdome the best learned protestant Antiquaries wee haue prescribe certayne Rules and squares to bee directed by to come vnto them in their iudgment Matth. Parker antiq Britan. pag. 1. Godw. Conuers of Brit. Holinsh hist. of Engl. Mason l. 2· c. 2. pag. 51. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. cap. 9. first they affirme that the Britans receaued the faith soone after the Ascension of our blessed Sauiour in the time of Tiberius Caius Caligula or Claudius Emperor and they build this their assertion cheifely vppon the words of S. Gildas l. de Excid conq Britan. c· 5.6 Who speaking of things done here in Britanie either in the time of Caius or Claudius addeth Interea glaciali frigore rigent Insulae indulget sua praecepta Christus In the meane time while these things were doinge Christ doth afford his precepts to this frozen Iland In which place hee rather meaneth the time of Claudius then any other as may easely appeare to all iudiciall and equall readers of that auncient Author in the place alleadged needles to bee insisted vppon if wee will bee guided by our protestant directors because in their next Rules they shall make it euident It must needes in their opinion bee soe vnderstood For they deliuer for a second Maxime that this nation embraced and was taught the Religion of Christ by some one of the Apostles Soe say their Archbishop Parker in antiq Britan. Bal. in act Pontif. Rom. in Gregor 1. Cambd. in Brit. Fulke Answ. to a Romish cath pag. 40. Powel annot in l. 2. Giral Cambr. Itiner Cambr. c. 1. Holinsh. histor of Eng. c. 21. pag. 102. Stowe histor in Agricola Stow. supr Godwyn supr their Bishops Bale Godwyn their doctors and Antiquaries Cambden Fulke Powel Holinshed Stowe the Theater writers and others inclining to this opinion and some of them plainely teaching with diuers of the auntient fathers that the 12. Apostles deuided the world amongst them to preach the ghospell in assure vs that to speake in their wordes The holy Apostles beeing dispersed throughout the whole earth did diuide the prouinces amongst them to preach the ghospell in and it is deliuered plainely by sundry auntient writers that Britanie fell in diuision amongst the Apostles The third and laste generall Rule which these men assigne vnto vs is that mention is not made of any Apostle in any antiquitie to haue preached here but onely of S. Peter S. Paul and S. Symon Zelotes none of all these alleadged protestants or any other I reade doth speake of any other and amonge these one a protestant Bishop and Antiquarie writeth in these termes Godwyn Conuers of Britanie cap. 1. pag. 2. I finde mention of three onely of the Apostles to haue beene in our Britanie to wit Peter and Paul and Simon Chananaeus called also Zelotes For although some haue written that S. Iames preached in Ireland and S. Philip in this next adioyninge Gallia Fraunce which I haue at lardge refuted in other places yett noe one historian to my remembrance and reading doth teach that either of those twoe or any of the rest except those three before sett downe were at any time in this Iland These Rules of Protestants thus supposed and allowed it will with a small labour euidently appeare vnto vs by these men and all antiquities that the moste glorious Apostle Saint Peter was our first father and teacher in Christ For first concerning S. Paul hee himselfe and other scriptures and these protestants alsoe confesse hee was none of the 12. Apostles by whoÌ„ the world was soe diuided and though miraculously called by god before yett not properly an Apostle vntill in the 13. chapter of the Acts of
the Apostles v. 2. hee was soe ordeyned as our english protestants by their conference of the first chapter and verse of S. Paules Epistle to the Romans Rom. cap. 1. v. 1. are Interpretors hereof when the other Apostles had preached longe before and otherwise alsoe executed their Apostolicke function Secondly it is euident by the same holy scriptures Rom. 1. c. 1. act cap. 27.28 many Antiquities and these protestants themselues soe clearely cōfessinge Theater of great Brit. lib. 6. Godw. Conuers Parker antiq Britan. that S. Paul came not to Rome nor any part neare Britanie or these westerne nations vntill many yeares after S. Peter was both come to Rome and this kingdome of Britanie had receaued the faith of Christ at the latest in the time of Claudius according to these protestants by some Apostle as before the first coming of S. Paul to any of these westerne Regions beeing longe after in the time of Nero to whome hee appealed from the Iewes and Festus and soe was brought prisoner to Rome and soe continued two yeares not going from thence to any other place Actor c. 25. v. 10.11.12 cap. 27. 28. v. 30. That S. Symon Zelotes should bee the first Apostle that preached here or was here at all it is as vnprobable or rather vnpossible by these protestants for first diuers of them disable him euer to haue beene here Stowe and Howes histor in Agricola Holinsh. hist of Engl. l. 4. c. 5. rather thinkinge the place Britānia where some haue thought hee preached to bee mistaken and not to bee vnderstood of this nation or that Simon which is supposed to haue beene here was not S. Simō the Apostle but some other of that name as S. Simon Leprosus or Nathaniel also by some named Simon which preached in these westerne parts namely in Fraunce and not vnprobably here Secondly these protestants which would haue vs thinke S. Simon the Apostle preached here Menologie Graec. in Nathan Bar. in martyrol Rom. 28. octob Guliel Eisengr centurie· 1. alij refer his beeing here vntil the coming of S. Ioseph of Aramathia coniecturinge that hee came with him who came not hither vntil the yeare of Christ 63. when they graunt that Britanie had receaued the ghospell by an Apostle soe longe before as is alreadie declared from them Parker Antiquit. pag. 3. Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. 10. Thirdly to make all sure Such as haue taught that one S. Symon did preach in a place called Britannia Doroth. in Synops Maenolog Graec. 6. Id. Maij. doe alsoe affirme that the same S. Symon suffered martyrdome and was crucified in the same place and they keepe the feast of his martyrdome vpon the tenth day of May. When concerning S. Symon Zelōtes the Apostle not onely the whole latine church and all catholicks in the world but Protestants also both of England and all other nations in their most publicke seruice bookes and kalenders of their churches receaued and allowed by their parlaments and highest Rules in their Religion which all of them ar bownde to obey and followe doe celebrate the festiuitie of S. Symon Zelotes the Apostle vpon the 28. day of October aboue fiue moneths after and all iointly agree in the historie of his life and death teaching hee neuer preached in any part of Europe or neare our Britanye and was martyred in Persia diuers thousands of myles frō hence Martyrolog Rom. die 28. Octobr. Breuiar Miss Rom. eod die Bed in Martyr eod die Vsuard Ado eod die Protestant com Booke and all their kalenders with their Bibles 28. of Octob. Now there is noe other left to bee our first Apostle and Father in Christ but S. Peter except some ignorant or willfull man will alledge S. Ioseph of Aramathia who though hee was noe Apostle yett as some say hee was sent hither out of Fraunce by S. Philip one of the Apostles and soe mediately the same S. Philip. though neuer here in parson might bee our Apostle I answere as before that wee contend for the first Apostle that either immediately by himselfe or mediatly by his disciples preached here and founded our church and not to exclude all Apostles in after times from this kingdome for I wil at leaste probably shew that S. Paul was here a little before his death in an other place and there alsoe giue his due to S. Ioseph and his holy company in a far more honorable degree then any protestant or other one writer yet to my reading hath performed towards them But S. Ioseph from whomsoeuer hee was sent cominge hither but in the 63. of Christ almost twenty yeares as before after this kingdome had receaued the faith of Christ neyther S. Ioseph nor any of that holy fraternitie could bee the first preacher here And soe farr vnprobable or impossible it is that by the Iudgment of our English protestants or others S. Philip the Apostle should bee then in Fraunce to send S. Ioseph hither that hee was many yares before crucified soe dead by martyrdome in Phrygia at Hierapolis there in Asia as the common consent of antiquities the whole-whole-church of God and the protestants of England in the Rituall of their Religion generally vsed and allowed by them and all other protestants doe wittnesse and therfore keepe his festiuitie accordingly vppon the first day of May in or about the 54. or 55. yeare of Christ longe before S. Iosephs cominge into this part of the world Bre. Rom. 1. Maij. Martyrolog Rom. Bed Vsuara Ado 1. Maij. Chrysost hom de 12. Apost Abd. lib. 10. Metaphrastes 14. Nou. Euseb l. 4. c. 24. Niceph lib. 1. ca. 39. Pet. de Natal l. 4. c. 107. Antō part 1. tit 6. ca. 11. Eisengr contra 1. Prot. Com. Booke and kalend 1. Maij. Therfore of necessitie both Catholiks and protestants must needs acknowledge that S. Peter the most worthie and blessed Apostle was our first most happy father master in Christ which I haue made lardge demonstration of in other places and will for particulars bee more euident in the next chapter and this whole history an historicall truth soe testified by many authors that Syr William Cambden whome others therein followe the best antiquary of this nation writeth in many editions Quid ni crederemus why should wee not beleeue them Cambden in Britania in diuerse editionis Andree Chesnee l 3. hist d' Angleterre Budley pag. 171. Makinge S. Peters preachinge and foundinge the church of Christ here in Britanie a thinge soe certayne that hee meruayleth any man of Iudgment can make doubt thereof Therfore I may boldly vse these wordes and affirme them true of a protestant Bishop in the name of the rest Wee should accompt it a greate glory to deriue the pedigree of our spirituall linage from soe noble and excellent a father as Saint Peter Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. 6. THE II. CHAPTER Where both the former is more manifestly declared and in particular farther proued by these protestants antiquities
both by Catholicke and Protestant authoritie that both Christ our Sauiour instituted this holy sacrifice and sacrificinge preisthood and his Apostles receauinge them from him did all in generall both exercise and deliuer the same vnto the churches there can bee no Christian desirous to retaine that name that may oppose against the same yet for a further manifestation of these truthes vnto all that will not desperatly dwell in error I will now proue in particular how euery one of the Apostles and Euangelists both beleeued practised and taught these misteries And first to begin with the foure Euangelists and S. Paule who haue committed these Christian holy secrets to holie writinge I will shew how both in these their sacred scriptures they teach and allowe the sacrifice of Masse and a sacrificinge or massinge preisthood by order and sacred office to offer that sacrifice And to put vs out of all doubt or question that this is and was theire meaninge in those holy scriptures I will proue that euery one of them was a true massinge preist and actually did offer and celebrate the most honorable sacrifice of Masse in essential thinges as the holy Catholicke massing preists of the church of Rome now doe and haue euer most religiously done in all ages The same I will likewise proue of all the other Apostles in their order onely I will craue leaue of S. Peter the first and cheifest to remember him laste in this matter for as I haue proued at large in other places as amonge the Apostles hee was the first and allmoste onely Apostle which planted the faith of Christ in these parts of the world So wee in Britanie did first receaue from him our holy massinge and sacrificinge preists and preisthood neuer hitherto altogether discontinued or interrupted but by him and his successors in the Apostolicke sea of Rome first founded and euer after successiuely in all ages preserued in this kingdome as will appeare hereafter 2. Therefore to begin with the Euangelists and S. Paule which speake of these misteries in scripture S. Mathew the Apostle and first in order amonge the Euangelists writeth of Christs deliuery of this sacrifice in these wordes as our English Protestants by his maiesties priuiledge translate them Matth. cap. 26. v. 26.27.28 Iesus tooke breade and blessed it and brake it and gaue it to his disciples and said take eate this is my body And hee tooke the cup and gaue thankes and gaue it to them savinge drinke ye al of it for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes The Greeke text which these men say must bee here preferred is word by word as they translate speakinge of Christs body that it was at that present giuen there and his blood in the present tence shed for remission of sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore if Christs oblation and giuing his body and blood vppon the Crosse was a sacrifice as all agree seeing it was so in respect it was there giuen and offered for remission of sinnes here beeing the very same body and blood and giuen for remission of sinnes it must needes bee also a sacrifice and not onely eucharisticall or of thanks giuing but satisfactory for whatsoeuer talâ—…eth away sinnes by its owne vertue as the Euangelist here speaketh of this must needes be such and Christs body and blood beeing of infinite value in themselues and of their own nature can not but be satisfactorie for sinnes whensoeuer howsoeuer by whomsoeuer they are offered or giuen for remission of sinnes though the limited power of preists may bringe some limitation to their satisfaction the ordinance and institution of Christ so disposing in this sacrifice as it is now daily offered by consecrated preists as the common opinion is otherwise a thing of illimited worth should bee of like deseruinge and satisfaction 3. And this is so euident that not onely all learned Fathers and antiquitie do from hence teach that Christ in this place instituted the sacrifice of the new testament as I haue cited diuers before but our greatest enemies and persecutors as namly the present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury the director of Master Mason and hee also with others Mason praefat lib. 5. cap. 6. pag. 235. Abb. ibidem Magdeburgent in S. Iren. acknowledge particularly naminge S. Irenaeus S. Chrisostome and S. Gregorie from them concluding in these words That Christ did then teach the oblation of the new testament which the church throughout all the world doth when shee saith this is my body And they plainly say Mason and D. Georg. Abbots supr pag. 233. that these wordes of Christ recited before by S. Matthew this is my body which is giuen for you and this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for you doe argue a sacrifice to God And if this was not a sacrifice then by protestant Religion admittinge nothing but scriptures in matters of faith Christ Iesus was not the preist after the order of Melchisedech which was promised for exceptinge this the whole new testament is silent of any preistly act of that order which hee performed in all his life and so that being a distinctiue signe of the true Messias they would depriue all mankinde of Redemption and our moste blessed Sauiour of the title and honour of redeeminge vs. Therfore thus they graunt Abbots and Mason supr pag. 243. Christ hauing offered himself for a soueraigne sacrifice vnto his Father ordeyned that wee should offer a remembraunce thereof vnto God in steade of a sacrifice Which they must needes vnderstand of Christs oblation in this place before his passion for they make this before his commaundement and power giuen to his Apostles of celebrating this mistery by these words as these men translate Luc. cap. 22. ver 19. doe this in remembrance of mee So that Christ ordeyninge that we should do what hee did as the words bee manifest and Christ as they confesse there offered himselfe for a soueraigne sacrifice vnto his Father we must offer Christ in the same maner for a soueraigne sacrifice vnto God 4. And for a cleare demonstration that together with the coÌ„maundement a preistlie sacrificinge power was giuen by those wordes to his holy Apostles and they by them made massing and sacrificing preists to sacrifice as Christ by these protestants and the scripture before did at that time his blessed body and body it is not lawfull or validate in either Religion of Catholicks or Protestants for any Christian man or woman to intermeddle to offer or minister in these things whatsoeuer we shall name them or iudge them to bee but a Catholickly consecrated preist by the one or protestant minister by the other therfore those sacred words do this Matth. cap. 26. v. 20. Marc. cap. 14. v. 17. Luc. c. 22. v. 14. gaue preistly and sacrificing power to his Apostles only present by the Euangelists for if they had beene generally spoken vnto all Christians
his body and blood broken and shed for remission of sinnes by the omnipotent words of Christ This is my body this is my blood being of eternall infallible and vndoubted truth so consecrated by truely and duely ordeyned preists vnto the end of the worlde Therefore most euident it is by all kinde of Arguments and testimonies that the holy Apostle and Euangelist S. Matthew as the rest also did and of dutie was bound to offer the most holy sacrifice of Masse And that hee thus did as the rest of the Apostles also did it is manifest by diuers antiquities which wee haue of this holy Apostle 14. First it is commonly agreed vppon both by Catholicke and Protestant writers that hee preached and suffered Martyrdome in Ethiopia hauing first conuerted the Kinge and many others and that of all nations the Christians of Ethiopia were euer most deuout to the holy sacrifice of Masse the protestants themselues ar witnesses and as they haue had that holy sacrifice from their first receauinge the faith of Christ which in all things as transsubstantiation of bread and wine into the bodie and bloody of Christ according to the doctrine of S Matthew before and offeringe of the said blessed body and blood with inuocation of Saints and prayer for the deade so their tradition ascribeth it to S. Matthew the Apostle as ordinarily it is referred vnto him And not onely S. Abdias which liued in that time by his workes vsually receaued Iulius Africanus and others be witnesses that he said Masse and was martyred at the holy altare by Kinge Hirtacus but that vndoubted historie of his life and death which the vniuersall church of Christ followeth approueth and proposeth vnto vs so testifieth Origen in Genes Euseb histor lib. 3. cap. 1. Socrat. lib. 1. c. 15. Doroth. in Synops Magdeburg cent 1. l. 2. col 777.776 Edw. Grimston in Presbyter Iohn Pag. 1088.1089 Missa Aethiopum siue S. Matthaei Apostoli Biblioth SS Patr. Tom. 6. Iudoc Cocc Tom. 2. Sebastian Munster Cosmograph l. 6. cap 57. Abdias Iul Afr. c. l. de vita Apost in S. Math. Metaphrast in S. Matth. Anton. part 1. Petr. anot l. 8. cap. 100. 15. Rege mortuo Hirtacus eius successor Ephigeniam Regiam filiam vellet sibi dari in matrimonium Matthaeum cuius opera illa virginitatem Deo vouerat in Sancto proposito perseuerabat ad altare mysterium celebrantem iussit occidi vndecimo calendas Octobris Vita S. Matth. Apostoli in Breuiario die 21. Septembr Kinge Aeglippus whome S. Matthew had conuerted to the faith being deade Hirtacus his successor desiringe to Mary his daughter Ephigenia sheâ—… by the helpe of S. Matthew hauinge vowed virginitie to God and perseueringe in her holie purpose hee commaunded S. Matthew to bee killed as hee was celebrating Masse at the altare on the eleuenth of the calends of October Which history and relation must needs bee approued by the Protestant church of England keeping his festiuitie with the former histories the church of Rome the auncient Martyrolodges of Rome S. Bede Vsuardus and others vpon the same day Engl. Protest Comm Booke in fest S. Matth. Apostol calend 21. Septembr 11. cal Octobr. Martyr Rom. Bed Vsuard eod die Ado Treuer 16. To which the auncient Manuscript of an author Anonimus published in print all most an hundred yeares since by Fredericus Nausea Bishop of Vienna writtin as hee saith characteribus plusquam vetustis in exceedinge old characters in a most auncient library giueth this ample testimony hauinge before related the history of S. Matthewes preachinge there Cumque omnes respondissent Amen mysteria Domini celebrata fuissent Missam suscepisset omnis Ecclesia retinuit se Sanctus Matthaeus iuxta altare vbi corpus ab eo fuerat Christi confectum vt illic Martyrium expectauit nam expansis manibus orantem spiculator missus ab Hyrtaco à tergo puncti ictu feriens Apostolum Dei Christi Martyrem fecit And when all had answered Amen and the mysteries of our Lord were celebrated and all the Christian assembly had heard Masse S. Matthew kept himselfe still by the altare where the body of Christ was consecrated by him and expected Martyrdome For as hee was praying with his hands stretched forth the executioner beeing sent from Kinge Hyrtacus cominge behinde him thrust the Apostle of God throughe and made him a Martyr of Christ Anonymm antiq l. in vitas miracula passionis Apostolorum in pas S. Matth. Apost cap. 6. 16. And this may fully satisfie for S. Matthew the Apostle that he was a sacrificinge and massinge preist and did both say Masse and ordeyne other holy massing and sacrificinge preists and deliuered a forme of that holy sacrifice to the Christians of Ethiopia I haue bene more large in him because hee was the first amonge the Apostles which in his ghospell wrote of these sacred mysteries and beeinge an Apostle and confirmed in grace neither did nor could in this or any article of Christian Religion beleeue or practise otherwise then Christ commaunded and instituted and the rest of the Apostles and Euangelists did also beleeue teache and exercise as I haue taught in generall of them all Now in particular of euery of them with so much breuitie as I may the difficultie beeinge already cleared vntill I come to S. Peter in whom beeinge besides his primacy amonge the Apostles and in the whole church of Christ our protoparent Pastor and Father in Christ I must spend some longer time in that respect to deduce our holy sacrificinge and massing preisthood from him 17. The next of the Euangelistes and scripture writers which entreateth of this blessed mistery is S. Marke whose words in his ghospell as our protestants translate them concerninge Christs institution of this sacrifice are these Iesus tooke breade and blessed and brake it and gaue to them and said take eate This is my body and hee tooke the cup and when he had giuen thanks hee gaue it to them and they all dranke of it and hee said vnto them this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many Marc. cap. 14 ver 22.23 Where wee see as in S. Matthew before so heare S. Marke doth assure vs that the misteries there celebrated were Christs body and blood shedd for many and so accordinge to that which is already proued in this matter must needes bee an holy sacrifice in the iudgement of this Euangelist and that by his owne continual vse and practise of saying Masse and deliueringe a perfect forme and order thereof vnto the churches where hee preached and liued we haue many testimonies 18. First the very Masse it selfe which hee deliuered to the church of Alexandria and others which hee founded is yet vsed in those parts and knowne to all antiquaries Missa S. Marci seu Ecclesiae Alexandrinae in Biblioth patrum and it doth agree in all matters of substance with the Masse of the Latine church And he himselfe had
Euangelist S. Iohn bringeth Christ speakinge in these wordes as our protestants translate them Ioh. cap. 6 v. 51. I am the liuinge breade which came downe from heauen If any man eate of this breade hee shall liue for euer and the breade that I will giue is my flesh vvhich I vvill giue for the life of the vvorlde The Ievves therefore stroue amonge themselues saying hovv can this man giue vs his flesh to eate Then Iesus said vnto them verelye I say vnto you except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I vvill raise him vp at the last day For my flesh is meate in deede and my blood is drinke in deede Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dvvelleth in mee and I in him As the liuinge Father hath sent mee and I liue by the Father so hee that eateth me euen hee shall liue by mee This is the bread vvhich came dovvne from heauen not as your Fathers did eate Manna and are deade hee that eateth of this breade shall liue for euer 25. These words bee so euident for the reall presence of Christ in the sacrifice of Masse by all testimonies of antiquitie that as I haue shewed before none but incredulous people and like Kinge Achis will denie it And for Britanie the lately cited antiquitie that was publickly reade in our churches here so longe before S. Augustines cominge hither doth with the whole cōsent of our church in or before the yeare of Christ 366. so approue it citing all these words of S. Iohn which I haue related to that purpose the old Britt serm supr apud Foxe pag· 1142. alios and no man can better expound S. Iohn then S. Iohn himselfe who as wee are assured both by Catholicke and Protestant antiquaries and authorities did both say Masse and consecrated sacrificinge and massinge preists to doe the same So wee are taught by Eusebius Emissenus or Faustus Reginensis S. Bede Haymo the author of the scholasticall history Smaragdus Durantes Honorius Vincentius Nicolaus Methonensis and others Euseb Emis seu Faust Regin hom in fest S. Ioan. Bed homil in id dixit Iesus Petro sequere me Haymo Homil. 2. in festo S. Ioan Homil 1. histor scholastic cap. 106. Smarag Abb. in collect in Euangel in fest S. Ioan. Duran l. 7. c. 42. de diu offic Honor. serm in fest S. Ioan. Vincent l. 11. c. 44. Nichol. Methon l. de corp Christi And we haue both Catholick Protestant testimony for this of our own nation a preist of Eaton in his holy trauailes aboue 200. yeares since and a protestant minister thus approuinge and relatinge from them Ad occidentalem partem Ecclesiae quae est in monte Sion est lapis rubens prae altari qui quidem lapis portatus erat de monte Sinay per manus Angelorum ad preces S. Thomae reuertentis ab India super quem celebrabat sanctus Ioannes Euangelista coram beatissima virgine Maria Missam per multos annos post Ascensionem Domini At the West ende of the church which is in mount Sion there is a redd stone standing in steade of an altare the which stone was transported thither from the mount Sinay by the hands of Angels at the prayers of S. Thomas when he returned from India vpon this stone S. Iohn the Euangelist did celebrate and say Masse before the blessed virgin Mary many yeares after the Ascension of our Lord. Gulielm Way Etonensis presbyter l. Itinerar· cap. loca sancta montis Sinay an D. 1420. Hackluyts booke of trauailes in Gul. Way cap. mount Sinay And he was so daily deuoted to this holy sacrifice that as the auncient Anonymus writer of his and the other Apostles liues doth witnes hee celebrated it the very day he died and was buried by the altare Anonimus antiq in vit miracula pass Apostolorum in Ioanne cap. 10. 26. S. Paule the laste of our holy writers of these mysteries saith plainely by our protestants translation 1. Corinth cap. 11.23.24.25 I haue receaued of the Lord that which also I deliuered vnto you that the Lord Iesus the same night in which he was betraied tooke bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and said Take eate this is my body which is broken for you This doe in remembrance of mee and after the same maner also hee take the cup when he had supped sayinge This cup is the new testament in my blood this doe yee as often as yee drinke it in remembrance of mee Where wee see a double power commaundement also of Christ vnto his Apostles both to consecrate and cōmunicate both his body and blood And yet there is no commaundement in any Religion Catholick or Protestant for any but preists to doe all these thinges and to them onely when they offer the holy sacrifice of Christs body and blood in Masse for if at any other time in sicknes or otherwise they communicate they doe it only as other Catholick lay parsons doe And many cases there bee in the Religion of Protestants in which communicants are not bounde to receaue in both kinds and it is approued and enacted by the publicke statute of all our Protestant Princes that euer were in England Kinge Edward the sixt Queene Elisabeth and our present soueraigne King Iames that euen in the first primatiue and vnspotted times of Christianitie the Christians did very often communicate in one onely kinde Statut. parlament 1. an 1. Eduard 6.1 Elisabeth an 1. Iacob· which could not bee tolerable if the commaundement of Christ had beene generall vnto all to communicate in both as it was to his Apostles and all massinge or sacrificinge preists in them 27. And to make it most euident in all proceedings that the powers commaundements were communicated and giuen to preists onely no parsons whatsoeuer Kinge or Caesar but preists onely and with protestants their ministers which in their Religion cypher the places of preists doe or may intermeddle with any of those powers or commaunds of Christ doe this either in respect of his blessed body or blood or howsoeuer wee will terme those mysteries and yet to them to whome they were committed they are plaine commaundements imparatiue in all lāguages Greeke Latine English 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facite doe this in the imparatiue and commaundinge moode and maner of speach and so all men of whatsoeuer Religion doe vnderstand them and cannot possibly truely vse them in any other meaninge And after prouinge how the misteries there deliuered are the very body and blood of Christ 1. Corinth cap. 11. ver 27.28.29.30.31 although he had said before that hee had deliuered vnto them that which hee receaued of Christ and entreateth of the same diuers verses before and in 11. or 12. after euen to the end of that chapter yet not hauinge therein set downe the forme
it would be more then impietie to thinke hee either neglected the power or brake the commaundement of his Master whome he so much loued and loued him againe for so he should not haue beene so principall a frend and louer of Christ but his professed enemy in continually violatinge his lawe and commaundement And being both brother to S. Iohn and consecrated and ordeyned preist at the same time in the same maner and order as hee was how could S. Iohn be a massinge and sacrificinge preist so vndeniably as is proued of him except S. Iames were also in the same degree 4. Further it is proued that S. Iames liued sometime before his death was martired in Hierusalem where the publick sacrifice of the Christian church at that time was the holy Masse for as Hieremias Patriarke of Constantinople proueth against the Protestants in his censure and others The holy Masse is a sacrifice instituted of Christ. Hierem. in censura Concil 6. Constantinop in memory and commendation of all his mercy and humilitie sustained for our soules Saint Iames the Apostle called our Lords brother first reduced into order that liturgie and sacrifice beeinge so instructed of Christ to doe it in all parts of that holy sacrifice nothing els is handled but an vniuersall order of thinges which our Sauiour vndertooke for our redemption Then this S. Iames also a cheife Apostle of the same Christ consecrated with the same solemnitie the other was and liuinge and dyinge in the same place a great Saint and Martyr as the oother was could not possibly differ from him in this point nor from the rest of the Apostles all of them by all consent before agreeinge in these misteries And it is an historicall approued veritie by all antiquities that these few disciples which this S. Iames conuerted in Spaine and brought with him to Hierusalem were directed and sent thither againe by S. Peter the Apostle that great massinge preist as hereafter and they were such as he that sent them in that respect 5. S. Thomas followeth next in Apostolick order how hee was a sacrificinge and massinge preist I haue shewed before in S. Iohn And this holy Apostle preachinge in India altares and diuers other pregnant arguments of his saying Masse in those parts are found amonge them there Christiani qui Indias frequentarunt quas olim diui Thomae praedicatio peragrauit altaria Christiana cum reliquijs quibusdam Imaginis Virginis in speluncis inuenerunt Florimund Raem de origine Haer. l. 8. cap. 12. And Franciscus Aluares de reb Ind. that liued longe in those parts writeth that their Annals testifie they had a church built in their contry within ten yeares of Christs Ascension which church there still remayneth and beareth the name as euer it did the church of our Lady of Mount Sion and the reason why it is so called is because the stone where of the altar was builded was brought thither from Mount Sion The same is proued by others and protestants themselues further declaringe the maner of their saying Masse still continued with great reuerence and deuotion teachinge how they neuer say Masse without incense and three cleargie men a preist deacon and subdeacon and they deriue their Religion from S. Thomas the Apostle An other an English Protestant minister from experienced trauailers and antiquitie writeth est Capella Indorum there is a Chappell of these Indians conuerted by S. Thomas in Mount Caluary at Hierusalem where onely the pilgrims of India by theire preists singe Masse after their order consecrating and makinge conficientes the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ of bread and wine They behaue themselues with greatest attention reuerence humilitie and deuotion Therfore wee cannot doubt but S. Thomas taught and practised these misteries both there and wheresoeuer hee liued and preached Edw. Grim. booke of estates pag. 1088.1089.201.203 Sebast. Munster l. 6. cap. 57. vide multos apud Gul. Eisengr centen 1. fol. 168. Rich. Hackluits booke of trauailes in mount Sinay Sir Iohn Mandeuil pag. 36. cap. 14. 6. Concerning S. Iames commonly called S. Iames the lesse and brother of our Lord whose place is ordinarily numbred next I haue spoken before how and by Christs appointment as the greeke writers say hee composed a forme of Masse and deliuered it to the churches where hee liued and so must needs bee a professor and practiser of that which he taught to others and consequently consecrated massing and sacrificinge preists to performe the same His Masse approued of in the sixt generall councell held at Constantinople as our protestants allow is stil extant and known to all learned men in all things of substance agreeing with the vsuall present missale of the Roman churche Censura Oriental Hieremias Patriarch Constantinapol ib. cap. 10. Proclus S. Nichol. Methon Bessarion apud Gul. Eisengr cent 1. fol. 186. Concil general 6. can 52. can Apost 3. Missa 5. Iacobi in Biblioth Patr. al. Morton apol part 2. pag. 8. 7. Now followeth S. Philip which followed the same opinion and practise of the holy sacrifice of Masse for wee doe not onlie often reade in generall that hee founded churches and consecrated Bishops preists deacons and other inferior cleargie men which none but they which hold a sacrificinge preisthood and sacrifice of Christs body and blood in holy Masse allowe But S. Simeon Metaphrastes liuinge where S. Philip preached with others testifieth in particular Sacerdotes altaria vbique in illis locis statuit construxit pro sacrificijs illis quae fiebant in daemonum altaribus sacrosancti fecit in eis peragi sacram misterij celebrationem Hee appointed preistes and builded altars euery where in those places and for those sacrifices which were vsed to bee offered vppon the altars of deuils hee caused the holy celebration of the sacred mistery to bee perfected Anonimus supr l. in Pass Apostol in S. Philippo Gul. Eisengr centur 1. fol. 157.158 alibi Simeon Metaph. in S. Philippo Apostolo Sur. die 1. Maij. And the protestant Sebastian Munster with others teacheth how the Abissines testifie from their Apostolick antiquities and constitutions of the Apostles themselues preserued by continuall tradition with them that amonge other misteries of Christian Religion deliuered by them this of the holy sacrifice of Masse and Christs sacred body and blood offered therin was one and that S. Philip the Apostle was principally theire Apostle and preached these things to them Asserunt imprimis Philippum Apostolum apud eos praedicasse Euangelium Sebastian Munst. Cosmograph l. 6. cap. 56. 8. Touchinge S. Bartholomew we read that hee preached in India where that knowne massinge Apostle taught and left that holy sacrifice so that two Apostles if they had not beene confirmed in grace free from error as all agree they were no Christian will thinke they could preache and practise contrary doctrines in so great misteries to and in one people place and time and wee further reade that S. Bartholomew
coÌ„secrated many preists which as before must needs be sacrificing massing preists And he made Kinge Polimius a massinge Bishop and maker of massinge preists continuinge so 20. yeares besides others Breuiar Rom. in fest S. Bartholom Abd. cert Apostol l. 8. Antonin part 1. titul 6. Petr. de natal l. 7. cap. 103. Martyrâ—log Rom. die 24. Aug. Dion Areopag l. mistic Theolog. Euseb l. 5. hist. c. 10. Origen in Gen. Hieron l. de script in pauten 9. S. Simon and Iude could not bee of any other profession opinion or practise in this point beeing both with the rest of the Apostles consecrated sacrificinge preists and S. Simon so zelous a louer of Christ as our protestants write that hee thereby was named Zelotes by a kinde of excellency and S Iude as he himselfe is witnes in his epistle was frater Iacobi brother to S. Iames that notorious massinge preist and Apostle as is before declared and S. Simon is generally taught to haue conuersed most in those contries where S. Marke that massinge Euangelist practised and plaÌ„ted that doctrine And S. Iude first preached in Iury diuers yeares where his massing Brother S. Iames was so renowned for writinge the forme of this holy sacrifice and both practising it himselfe and deliueringe it to others And they consecrated Abdias Bishop of Babilon who by his owne and all testimonies was a massinge and sacrificinge preist and Bishop who could make and consecrate no others but such as hee was and had authoritie to doe Socrat. l. 1. cap. 15. Niceph. hist. l. 4. c. 32. Fortunat. Godwin Conuers of Britanie Iud. Episc c. 1. v. 1. Martyrolog Rom. die 28. Octob Bed Vsuard ib. Stowe histor Godwin Conu of Brit. Nicephor l. 2. cap. 4. Ado Treuer Bed 5. cal Nouemb. Nicephor lib. 2. cap. 40. Guliel Eisengr centen 1. part 5. dist 7. fol. 168. Abd. certam Apost l. 4. Antonin part 1. Petr. de natal l. 9. cap. 115. Abdias l. de certam Apost l. 6. Iul. African praefat histor Apostol Anonym in S. Bartholom 10. S. Matthias beeing chosen into the place of Iudas the traitor by the other Apostles could bee of no other iudgement and Religion herein then they were And the places hee preached in giue testimony vnto this for whether wee will say with Sophronius Dorothus and Nicephorus that hee preached in Aethiopia wee haue heard that massinge Apostles and preists preached there or with our auncient Martyrologes that hee was martired in Iury S. Iames and the other Apostles before haue proued hee must needs hee a massinge and sacrificinge preist and execute that holy function liuing and dying there Sophron. apud Hier. l. de scrip Eccles Doroth. in Synops Nicephor l. 2. c. 40. Martyrolog Rom. 24. Febr. Bed Ado. Vsuard ib. Isidor l. de vit obit Sanct. cap. 81. 11. To conclude with S. Barnabas extraordinarily called to bee an Apostle as S. Paul hee is commonly taken to bee the first composer of the Masse of Milane in Italy named S. Ambrose his Masse in respect of certaine additions of his vnto it vsed with great priuiledge in that church to this day not differinge in any materiall point from the present order of saying Masse vsed in the rest of the Romane Latine or Greeke church at this time or whersoeuer Traditio Eccl. Mediolanen in Ital. Iodoc. Cocc l. 6. To. 2. articul 9. lib. 7. artic 5. And this Masse was as our protestants themselues acknowledge in such vse and credit in the Latine church that it was more vsuall then that called S. Gregories Masse vntill the time of Pope Adrian the first about the yeare of Christ 780. Their words bee these Io. Balaeus in act Roman Pont. lib. 3 in Hadrian 1. Missarum ritus à magno Gregorio editus occidentalibus Ecclesijs imperauit Pope Adrian commauÌ„ded the order of the Masse published by Gregory the greate to bee vsed of the west churches till which time S. Barnabas and S. Ambrose Masse still vsed at Millane were more vsuall as an other thus writeth Foxe Tom. 1. act and Monum pag. 130 Pope Adrian the first ratified and confirmed the order of Saint Gregories Masse aboue the order of S. Ambrose Masse for vnto this time which was about the yeare of our Lord 780. the Liturgie of S. Ambrose was more vsed in the Italian churches Therefore there is no difficultie but S. Barnabas as the rest of the Apostles was also a sacrificinge massinge preist THE XI CHAPTER How S. Peter the cheife Apostle and first founder of the church of Christ in this our kingedome was a sacrificinge massinge preist deliuered a forme of Masse to the church consecrated many massinge preists in this part of the world nere vnto vs and some of this kingdome NOw lastely to come to S. Peter the prime and cheife of the Apostles hee could not bee at difference with the rest in this but must needs bee a massinge preist as they were and so for this purpose is it little materiall whether this contry receaued the faith from him or any other of the Apostles But because both Catholicks and protestants agree Gul. Cambden in Britan. Theatr. of great Brit. l. 6. controuers histor To. 1. in S. Petro. that both Greeke and Latine antiquities giue that vnto him as is lately proued at large hee must also bee the first institutor of our ecclesiasticall Hierarchie in consecratinge vnto vs diuers holy Bishops and preists which that is deliuered already proueth to haue beene massing Bishops and preists and by those sacrificinge Bishops and his sacrificinge successors our preists and Bishops were euer sacred massinge Bishops and preists vnto these daies of innouation as will manifestlie appeare in all ages herafter by this treatise For besides that which is said before how all the Apostles were massing and sacrificing preists and all the other Apostles and Euangelists besides S. Peter wee haue of him in particular more and moste credible witnesses then are needfull to be alleadged S. Isidor saith Ordo Missae vel orationum quibus oblata Deo sacrificia consecrantur primum à S. Petro est institutus cuius celebrationem vno eodemque modo vniuersus peragit orbis The order of Masse or of the praiers by which the sacrifices offered vnto God are consecrated was first instituted by S. Peter whose celebration the whole world obserueth in one and the same maner Isodor l. 1. de officijs cap. 15. de Missa orationibus 2. Our holy auncient learned contriman S. Albinus or Alcuinus by others purposely entreatinge of this most blessed sacrifice and the ceremonies thereof thus writeth Celebratio Missae in commemorationem Passionis Christi peragitur sic enim ipse praecepit Apostolis tradens eis corpus sanguinem suum dicens hoc facite in meam commemorationem hoc est in memorian Passiones mea Tanquam diceret quod pro vestro salute passus sum ad memoriam reuocate Hanc Petrus Apostolus primus omnium Antiochiae dicitur celebrasse The
practise of this holy sacrifice of Masse could possibly haue entraÌ„ce into this kingdome for in those parts wee finde S. Denis the Areopagite that glorious massinge and Masse teachinge Father S. Pauls scholler sent thither by the massinge Pope S. Clement with his massinge companions S. Rusticus and Eleutherius and S. Nicasius sent a massinge preist and Bishop by the same massinge Pope Gregor Turonen l. 1. hist. Sur. in vit Genouefuae Metaphr 3. Octob Bed Vsuard 7. id Octob. Volater l. 15. Breu. Rom. in S. Dionis Arnold Merman l. Britones Normandos Rothomagenses Picardos omnemque maris Oceani tractum instruxit formauitque fide S. Nicasius à S. Clemente illue Apostolus delegatus imperante Nerone Conuers gent. tabul Eccles Rothomagen And some thinke he preached and practised this doctrine also in this our Britanie Harris Theatr. l. 1. 20. If we circuite further and come to Gallia Belgica Collen Mentz Treuers Lothoringia Alsasia Heluetia and those parts wee shall finde in these daies of the Apostles sent thither by S. Peter S. Clement vncle to S. Clement the Pope his glorious companions S. Mansuetus our contriman Celestius Felix and Patiens wee see sent thither also by the same Apostle his authoritie S. Maternus one of the 72. disciples of Christ with S. Eucharius Valerius our noble Britan S. Beatus and others Arnold Mohu supr Io. Scomer Gul. Eisengren cent 1. Antonin part 1. Petr. de natal l. 10. cap. 113. Ant. Democh. lib. 2. de Miss Sebast. Munster in Cosmograph Bed 18. cal Octobr. Wolfg. Bawr in vit praesul Memetocern Annal. Colonien Treueren And that these were massinge and sacrificinge preists wee haue many authorities onely I will exemplify in the two cheifest to which the others were subordinate in such affaires and taught and practised as those two their superiors S. Clement and S. Maternus did 21 Of these it is euident not onely because they were both consecrated preists and directed by that great massinge preist and Apostle S. Peter whose commaund order and their owne institution beeingâ—… holy Saints they neither did nor could violate but also that they vsually said Masse as first of S. Clement it is testified of his publicke and solemne sayinge of Masse Missarum solemnijs celebratis wherewith he armed himselfe before hee wrought that great miracle in destroyinge the horrible dragon which had killed at Metz so many men other creatures by which publick miraculous deede many were conuerted to the faith of Christ Antonin part 1. tit 6. cap. 26. Anton. Demochar l. 2. de Missa c. 42. Gulielm Eisengren centen 1. fol. 147. And to performe this holy solemnitie and sacrifice of Masse hee ordered cleargie men in diuers degrees and orders in diuersis gradibus which no Christians but such as allow the sacrifice of Masse admit and builded churches there Antonin supr Petr. de natal l. 10. c. 113. Vincent l. 9. cap. 42. S. Maternus also the disciple of the same massing Apostle S. Peter and sent into Germany by him who preached in many prouinces thereof buildinge diuers churches to holy Saints as S. Iohn Baptist his Master S. Peter and others was so renowned a massing preist that among other his wonderful miracles Petrus Merssaeus Cratepol Catalog de Archiepiscop Treuern it is commonly deliuered and written of him that he said three Masses in one day in far distant places Diuersis ac longe distantibus locis So renowned were these men for that most holy function and office so zelous and deuoute in the performance thereof and God so well pleased and serued in that so sacred an exercise that he did so miraculously concurre vnto it THE XII CHAPTER Wherein is proued euen by protestants that whatsoeuer Apostle or other first preached Christ in Britanie brought sacrificinge preisthood hither and S. Peter first founded here our ecclesiasticall Hierarchie of sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops NOw we may hope that no man being by name a Christian will bee so opposite an Antichristian to thinke that Christ which could not teache errors or contrary doctrines and deliuered but one and the same true and infallible Religion to the whole world for all places people and ages had one Religion for the rest of the world in Europe Asia and Africke all of them as before embracing in the Apostles time the holy sacrifice of Masse and sacrificinge preisthood and an other for Britanie quite different and neuer heard of in any antiquitie neuer practised in any other forme or order neuer registred in any monument And seeing all the Euangelists and Apostles of Christ together with their disciples were massinge and sacrificinge preists and there were no other to preach and propagate true Religion in this or any other nation vnder heauen but they how could any Caluinistical communion or other new deuise bee imagined to haue had beeinge here For whosoeuer it was which any protestant doth or will affirme to haue beene the first preacher of Christianitie in this kingdome S. Peter S. Paul or S. Simon Zelotes who onely among the Apostles are reported in histories to haue beene in this kingdome as our best learned protestant antiquaries with others truely acknowledge or S. Ioseph of Aramathia for which many contend or whosoeuer if they were preists as preists they must needes bee in all opinion Catholicke or Protestant that should found our church they must needes also be massing and sacrificing preists no other Christian preists beeinge in the whole worlde at that time as before is euident Theater of great Britanie lib. 6. Camb. in Britan. Godw. conuers of Brit. Stowe hist. Holinsh. hist of Engl. 2. And for those three Apostles I haue particularly proued in euery of them that they all as also all the rest of that holy order of the Apostles which diuided the world among them to conuert it to Christ were without any exception massing preistes And if any man will persist in S. Ioseph and his holy company seeing none of these were Apostles but directed by them as all other disciples either of the 72. or others were at those daies whosoeuer among them were preists must needs also be massing and sacrificing preists no others being either to consecrate or direct them in their holy labours but those which are manifestly proued such And seeing wee do not finde in any antiquary Catholicke or Protestant but S. Iosephs both conuersation and direction was either with or by S. Peter S. Iohn S. Iames or S. Philip Apostles all these beeing acknowledged to bee massinge preists whosoeuer in S. Iosephs company were consecrated or directed by any of them could not receaue any other consecration or direction 3. But to do some honor vnto this kingdome of great Britanie more expressely in this kind though the generally complained of and lamented amonge antiquaries losse of our auncient records and histories of these matters will forbid mee to write so fully as I could wishe of this subiect I will set downe some of the cheifest
who wrote as they coÌ„monly teach when the Britans still held the Religion deliuered vnto them in the Apostles time without alteration doe testifie that the altars here from the beginning were sacra altaria Sacrosancta altaria sacrificij caelestis sedes holy altars sacred altars the seate of the celestiall sacrifice altars at which preists did sacrifice and say Masse Sacerdotes sacrificantes inter altaria stantes Altars sanctuaries and priuiledges refuge for such as fled vnto them testified by our protestants themselues Gildas epistol de excid conquest Britan. edit per protestant who further witnessing that the first general councell of Nice was receaued here in Britanie in the da iâ—… of Constantine and now by our protestant statute is of high authoritie and vndeniable in England witnesse also The Niâ—…en councell in that canon which Caluine and all other receaue saith plainely that the Lambe of God offered vnbloodely is layed vpon the holy table Stowe and howe 's histor an 542. theater of great Britanie l. 6. statut an 1. Eliz. Regin 1. Iacob Regis Fraunc Masâ—…n with direct of the protest Archb. Abbots booke of consecrat pag. 243. and the sacrifice of Christians beeing as is inuincibly proued the moste holy body and blood of Christ and the altar the place whereon it is offered by that connexion in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutuall correlatiues and inseparable nomine re it cannot possibly bee otherwise So that if any testimonie of heauen or earth men or Angels Catholicks or Protestants will satisfy in this matter it is manifestly conuinced that S. Peter preached and established a sacrificing preisthood and the doctrine and practise of holy Masse in this our nation 13. And yet if any man is desirous to heare S. Peter himselfe confirme that from heauen which hee so approued on earthe wee may add such his testimony also to the holy Angels before and bringe other Apostles from heauen also that were massinge preists when they liued here to iustifye the same in and to this kingedome Wee reade in the aunciently written life of S. Sampson Archbishop of yorke when our protestants say the Britans still kept their Apostolick first receaued Religion a man so holy and miraculous that S. Iltutus prophesied of him beeing but a boy of seuen yeares old that he should be a light to this nation the cheife of all and Archbishop very profitable to the church of God Cum septem esset annorum ad S. Iltutum Abbat em discendi gratia adducitur qui videns puerum osculatus est eum dicens gratias Deo agimus qui lumen hoc nobis indignae de gente nostra accendere dignatus est in terra En caput omnium nostrum en Pontifex summus multam Ecclesiae Dei profuturus Manuscript antiq Capgrau in Catalog in vita S. Sampsonis Ep. Confess he was made a deacon and after a massing preist by the great massing preist and Bishop S. Dubritius the Popes Legate consecrated by the massinge Bishop S. Germanus who was sent hither from S. and Pope Celestine to settle the church of Britanie both wheÌ„ he was made deacon and preist a doue descended vppon him and staied immouably vntill the office was ended Beeing made a preist hee was so glorious and renowned a massinge preist that alwaies in his life he had Angels assisting and ministring vnto him whensoeuer he said Masse Omni tempore vitae suae Angelos dum celebraret sibi assistere in sacrificio ministrare videre meruit Yet this man aboue all of this nation was in such fauour with God S. Peter S. Iames called the brother of our Lord S. Iohn the Euangelist and the court of heauen that these three great Apostles with a great company of celestiall citizens densissimis candidatorum turmis appeared vnto him and S. Peter told him that our Lord Iesus Christ had chosen him to bee a Bishop and soone after an Angell appeared to S. Dubritius and commaunded him to consecrate S. Sampson a Bishop in whose consecration they that were present did see a Doue sent from heauen to stand immouably vppon him Nec multo post Angelus Domini beato Dubritio apparens Sampsonem ordinari Episcopum praecepit in cuius consecratione qui aderant columbam caelitus emissam immobiliter super eum stare videbant 14. And in the time of S. Mansuetus the first Bishop of London in the Saxons time when S. Peter did miraculously appeare about the dedicatinge of the church of westminster as many both holy and auncient Catholicke writers and protestants antiquaries assure vs and the circumstances of the historie demonstrate it to bee true hee sent this charge and commaund to S. Mellitus Bishop of London who had determined to dedicate it the next day followinge I haue dedicated the church and by authoritie of my sanctification preuented the episcopall benediction Therefore tell the Bishop what thou hast heard and seene and the signes remayninge will iustifie thy wordes to bee true Therfore let him absteine from dedication and supply that which wanteth to offer there the holy sacrifice of our Lords body and blood Ego sum Petrus qui cum meis ciuibus constructam in meo nomine basilicam dedicaui episcopalemque benedictionem meae sanctificationis authoritate praeueni Dic ergo Pontifici quae vidisti audisti tuoque sermoni signa parietibus impressa testimonium perhibebunt Supersedeat igitur dedicatione suppleat quod omisimus Dominici corporis sanguinis Sacrosancta mysteria S. Alured Riuall M. S. in vita S. Eduardi Regis confess Iacob Gen. Episc in eius vit M. S. antiq Sur. in vit eius Capgrau in eius vit Franc. Mason l. of consecrat here wee see that S. Peter now in glory both allowed and commaunded the sacrifice of Masse which when hee liued and conuersed on earth hee had practised frequented and instituted with so great diligence and deuotion 15. So likewise when in the time of the Danish fury here hee appeared to comfort this afflicted contry where hee had preached and taught this holy doctrine hee did not chuse any man to reueale his glad tidings vnto and the deliuery of this kingdome but S. Brithwold that great and famous massinge preist and Bishop of Winchester or Wilton and in the most known massinge place of England the Abbey of Glastenbury and did fortell how S. Edward Kinge and confessor that most great reuerencer of holy Masse perhaps yet vnborne and borne in exile in Normandy should bee Kinge in England and deliuer it from those floods of miseries wherewith it was then surrounded and longe time had beene And to assure vs this was a true vision and prophesie of S. Peter and hee an approuer of all louers of holy Masse as God also is this hee addeth Erit cum dormieris cum patribus tuis visitabit Dominus populum suum faciet Dominus redemptionem plebis suae Eliget enim sibi virum secundum
it to this nation as hee had care and charge of the whole church committed vnto him nor in particular because hee had residence and much continuance with our Christian Britans at Rome as S. Cletus Linus and Peter before had but because in all probable iudgement hee was longe time here in Britanie with S. Peter and after by the same greate Apostle charged in one of his laste admonitions vnto him to haue an especial care of this kingdome of Britanie in particular both which are easely proued by the words of S. Peter vnto S. Clement as hee himselfe thus relateth them and produceth them as one amonge other reasons why aboue all others so manie worthie men hee made choise of S. Clement to bee his successor Clemens Rom. epistol 1. ex verb. S. Petri mihi ab initio vsque ad finem comes itineris actuum fueris quaeque per singulas ciuitates me disputante solicitus Auditor exceperis Thou hast beene a companion of my trauailes and deedes from the beginninge vnto the end Thou as a carefull Auditor hast obserued what I haue preached in euerie citie 2. And to him againe If I had any other better then thou or any had beene so diligent helper of mee or any had so fully receaued my doctrine and learned my ecclesiasticall dispositions if I had any such other I woulde not compell the vnwillinge to vndertake this good vvorke Si esset alius melior si quis mihi alius adiutor tam sedulus adstitisset si quis tam plenè doctrinae meae rationem caepisset sed ecclesiasticas dispositiones à me tam plenè didicisset habens alium talem non te cogerem opus bonum suscipere nolentem And to the Christians at Rome in this maner When hee was to die Audite me fratres conserui mei quoniam vt edoctus sum ab eo qui me misit Domino Magistro meo Iesu Christo dies mortis meae instat Clementem hunc Episcopum vobis ordino cui soli meae praedicationis doctrinae cathedram trado Qui mihi ab initio vsque in finem comes in omnibus fuit per hoc veritatem totius meae praedicationis agnouit Qui in omnibus tentationibus meis socius extitit fideliter perseuerans Heare mee ô my brethren and fellow seruants because as I am taught by him that sent mee my Lord and Master Iesus Christ the day of my death is at hand I ordeine this Clement to bee your Bishop to whome alone I commit the chaire of my preachinge and doctrine who hath beene a companion vnto mee in all thinges or places from the begining to the end and thereby knoweth the truth of all my preachinge Who hath beene my fellow in al my tentations faithfully perseueringe Clem. supr epist 1. Marian Scot. in S. Petro. Flor. Wigorn. in chron in S. Petro. Leo Pap. 2. epistol decretal Alexander 1. epist 1. ad omnes orthodox To. 1. Concil 3. Therefore seing S. Peter was in Britanie as I haue shewed before and our protestant antiquaries allowe of those auncient recordes which almost 800. yeares since were alleaged for reuerende antiquities and say that S. Peter stayed longe time in this our Britanie conuerted many founded churches and ordeyned Bishops preists and deacons quo in loco cum longo tempore fuisset moratus verbo gratiae multos illuminasset Ecclesias constituisset Episcoposque presbyteros diaconos ordinasset Protestant Theater of great Brit. lib. 6. cap. 9 antiquitat graec apud Sim. Metaphrasten die 29. Iunij Laurent Sur. 29. Iunij and was such a massinge preist and Apostle as I haue shewed before S. Clement this his vnseparable companion in all times and places from the beginning to the end and the best learner follower and obseruer of his doctrine and practise in holy Religion must needs bee here in Britanie with him staying here longe time longo tempore and bee as his Master S. Peter was a massing preist And S. Peter hauinge consecrated for the Romans two Bishops S. Linus and Cletus before S. Clement could not bee onely for that place And the commissionall wordes of S. Peter to S. Clement are generall for all Christians without limitation of place or parsons to supply the place and parson of S. Peter who was cheife of all So this must needs include our Britans beinge so many of them then Christians at Rome and his bretheren and fellowe seruants in Christ as the wordes bee equally as the Romans or any others were and our noble contriwoman S. Claudia her house hauinge many more Christians in it then any other in Rome and the principall place of S. Peters residence when hee conuersed there it cannot seeme vnprobable that this great charge was committed to S. Clemēt by S. Peter in that house where the ordinarie assemblies of Christians were kept And so of all nations this our Britanie could not bee left out in that charge and commission which S. Clement himselfe doth sufficiētly proue in that epistle wherwith others thus hee writeth of S. Peters charge vnto him S. Clem. Rom. epist 1. Leo 2. epistol decretal Marian. Scot. in S. Clemente Florent Wigorn. in eod 4. Episcopos per singulas ciuitates quibus ille non miserat perdoctos prudentes sicut serpentes simplicesque sicut columbas iuxta Domini praeceptionem nobis mittere praecepit Quod etiam facere inchoauimus Domino opem ferente facturi sumus vos autem per vestras dioceses Episcopos sacrate mittite quia nos ad altas partes quod idem iusset agere curabimus Aliquos vero ad Gallias Hispaniasque mittemus quosdam ad Germaniam Italiam atque ad reliquas gentes dirigere cupimus Vbi autem ferociores rebelliores gentes esse cognouerimus illic dirigere sapientiores austeriores necesse habemus S. Peter commaunded vs to send Bishops very learned and wise as serpents and simple as doues according vnto the commaūdement of our Lord to all cities to which hee had not sent Which wee haue begun to doe and by the helpe of our Lord will doe hereafter and consecrate you writinge to the Bishop of Hierusalem and send Bishops throughout your diocesses because wee will haue care to doe it to other parts as hee commaunded Wee will send some to Fraunce and Spaine and some to Germany and Italy as wee desire to the other nations and where the people ar more feirce and rebellious thither we haue need to send more wise and austere men 5. Where wee euidently see by S. Clements owne testimonie consent of manie auncient learned men embracinge it that he was charged by S. Peter to send Bishops not onely into Italy Spaine Fraunce and Germany but into all these other nations atque ad reliquas gentes in which Britanie must needs bee comprehended consideringe in what state of barbarousnes this kingdome was in respect of Italy Spaine Fraunce and Germany also before
it became more ciuill by the Romans rulinge and abidinge here and receauing the faith of Christ there was no nation in this part of the world knowne then to the Romans that might bee so truely termed ferociores rebelliores gentes more feirce and rebellious nations then these of Britanie as not onely the Roman historians of those times but S. Gildas himselfe a Britan moste lamentably bewaylinge it their owne Brittish history and others ar sufficient witnesses Iul. Caesar l. de bell Gallic Cornel. Tacit. Sueton. Diod. Sicul. Gild. l. de excid conquest Britan. Galfrid Monum l. 3.4 and yet S. Clement plainely saith that hee then already had or would by the grace of God send Bishops into al those contries and that it was S. Peters commaunde vnto him to send to all cities where hee himselfe had not ordeyned Bishops Therefore wee cannot doubt but S. Clement did performe this commaundement of S. Peter and his owne promise in sending some learned Bishops and preists into this kingdome S. Antoninus Philippus Bergomensis diuers in the opinion of Harrison a protestant and Master Harris a late Catholicke writer thinke hee sent S. Taurinus hither S. Antomn Florent Archiep. histor part 1. Philipp Bergom histor in S. Taurino Will. Harrison descrip of Britanie Harris theatr l. 1. and this laste affirmeth the same of S. Nicasius citing also Arnoldus Mirmannius who plainely saith that amonge other people S. Nicasius instructed the Britans in the faith beeinge sent thither Apostle by S. Clement Britones formauit fide S. Nicasius à S. Clemente illuc Apostolus delegauit Arnold Mirmann theatr conuers gent. at which time there were no Britans but of this Britanie 6. The same I may and not vnprobably say of S. Martine to whome a church was dedicated at Canterbury in the time of Kinge Lucius and S. Marcellus or by some Marcellinus a Brittish Bishop of this Land or the nere ensuinge time And if any man obiecteth three of these S. Taurinus Nicasius and Martine by diuers writers preached in Fraunce this hindereth nothinge but rather proueth seeing others affirme it that they preached here also S. Marcellus or Marcellinus which was certainly a Britan both preached and was Bishop in a forreine contry so was S. Mansuetus and S. Beatus in the same case before and it is euident by Methodius and Marianus already cited that this was vsuall in those daies for the same men to preach not onely in their owne but forreine and straunge contries And our English Protestant publishers of Matthew of Westminster incline to thinke so of diuers sent into Fraunce by S. Clement Matth. Westm an 94. amonge whome there are numbred S. Nicasius and Taurinus for where the Monke of Westminster saith they were sent by S. Clement ad locandum in Gallijs nouae fidei fundamentum to place the foundation of the faith in Gallia these protestants giue a larger circuite and say plainely doctores mittuntur versus occidentem that S. Clement sent those doctors S. Denis Nicasius Taurinus Trophinus Paulus Saturninus Astremonius Martialis Gratianus Iulianus Lucianus Firminus Photinus into the West where Britanie is Protestant Marg. annotat in Matth. Westm supr an 94. and very straung it should be if S. Clement as before hauing so great charge giuen vnto him by S. Peter as well of Britanie as Gallia and by his owne words and promise was to send Bishops into this our Britanie should bee so mindfull of Fraunce so nere vnto vs to send so many as we see thither and forget S. Peter himselfe and Britanie so much as to send none vnto it at all 7. That S. Clement and consequently those holy preists and Bishops which were consecrated and sent by him into these parts were sacrificinge and massinge preistes is manifest before his owne works ar so euident in this behalfe that if S. Clement was not a massing preist and Bishop and consecrated such there neither is or euer was any massinge preist in the world For hee setteth downe at large the whole order of that holy sacrifice as it is now offered and celebrated by Roman Catholicks prouinge that vnbloody sacrifice to bee the moste holie bodie and blood of Christ so naming it as also holy Oblation Masse and other such titles as the present Roman church doth Clem. l. 6. constitut cap. 23. l. 2. cap. 6.20 epistol 2. l. 7. constitut Apostol cap. 43. l. 8. cap. 35. l. 10. Recognit epist 2. can Apost 3.4.5.72 hee remembreth also the consecrated Altars whereon it was offered altare cloathes and veales for the altare lights thereuppon church vessels of gold and siluer chalices cruets pales incensinge holy vestures by the Bishops and preists at that time the signinge with the Crosse naminge of holy martyrs and their memories the preface to the Masse and canon thereof wherein was offered the same sacrifice Christ himselfe instituted Prayers and sacrifice for the deade the ghospell and epistle reade at Masse the pax or holy salutation and with other ceremonies the preists benediction at the ende of the holy sacrifice how the Catechâ—…ens not baptised were not permitted to be present at the sacrifice but dismissed before and in no materiall thinge differeth from the present missale vsed in the church of Rome epist 2. l. 8. constit cap. 16.17 l. 2. constit cap. 23.61.63 l. 8. cap. 17. l. 6. cap. 30. l. 8. cap. 18.47.48 l. 2. cap. 63. l. 8. cap. 15. l. 2. cap. 61.62 8. And it would bee a very vnlearned obiection in this case for any man to say that S. Clements workes haue beene corrupted for euident it is before that all his predecessors in the see of Rome all the Apostles Euangelists and their disciples in all places taught and practised this holy doctrine and sacrifice of Masse so that except S. Clement should be singular against them all in this point which is manifestlie vntrue before his bookes could not bee corrupted or corrected in this respect and if they had beene altered therin they had beene corrected to the common receaued truth and not corrupted with errors Secondly no man that saith S. Clements workes to haue beene corrupted as Ruffinus and others doe say they were corrupted in any such matter but by the Eunomian hereticks thrustinge in some things sauouringe of their heresie into his books Ruffin Apolog. pro Origene and Ruffinus and all those men were teachers practisers and defenders of holy Masse Ruffin histor eccl l. 1. cap. 22. Thirdly our protestants which graunt the church to haue beene free from error longe after the first 400. yeares of Christ before which Ruffinus liued and these bookes were corrupted as hee with others testifieth may not bee allowed by their owne Religion to say these sacrificinge and massinge doctrines were errors but truthes of those vnspotted times And so it is not possible that exceptinge some thinge tendings to the Eunomians heresie foisted into his works by them any thinge els about these matters should be thrust in for
this southern part of Britanie in the time of Constantius fledd to the Picts and Scots for succour and were there religiously entertained by King Crathlint Veremund apud Hect. Boeth l. 6. Scotor histor fol. 102. pag. 1. Constantius Diocletiani more in Britannia Christianae Religioni fuerit insidiatus Vnde magnus piorum numerus persequeÌ„tium saeuitiam declinare cupiens ad Scotos Pictos coÌ„cessit Hos Crathlintos Rex ad se confugientes beneuolo affectu suscepit And the Romane histories agree with this teachinge that in the beginning of the Empire of Constantine vntill he had the vision of the Crosse and was admonished to seeke and send for S. Siluester then Pope to baptize him the persecution still continued and S. Siluester hid himself in the mountaine Soracte which an English Protestant Bishop with the Italian writers thus relateth Io. Bal. l. 1. de act Rom. Pont. in Siluestro At postquam soboles Helenae sanctissima Caesar Constantinus apud diuos hominesque fauorem nactus in excelso vidit crucis aere formam Tunc redijt tandem Romam Soracte relicto atque sub Augusto magnos sortitus honores 2. Yet notwithstanding this secret profession and practise of Christian Religion in this time wee haue certaine testimonies of the continuance of these holy doctrines of the sacrifice of Masse sacrificing preists and preisthood in this our Britanie in those dayes For our Scottish historians before alleaged giue euidence that those massinge preists which I haue named before did I liue a while after this time and that in the isle Mona there was a sacrificinge Bishop and preists that said Masse with such ritche ornaments and instruments for that time as I haue described and that this massinge Bishops name was Amphibalus Bishop of Soder beeing a Britane liued and died there an old man longe after the death of S. Amphibalus our martir Amphibalus Brito vir insigni pietate primus Antistes ibi creatus Christi dogma per Scotorum Pictorumque Regiones propalando multa contra Gentilium Religionem dicendo scribendoque gloriosum Christiano viro planè dignum multa senectute viuendo fessus faelicemque sortitus est finem Boeth Veremund sup l. 6. histor Scot. where besides the time not agreeing and the old age wherein this S. Amphibalus liued and died a glorious confessor but no Martyr the contry whence hee was a Britan Amphibalus Brito proue it was an other different Saint from the Martyr Amphibalus of whome we doe not reade that hee was a Bishop nor a Britan but coming hither from other places of persecution as the writers of his life are witnesses Vir quidam meritis doctrina clarus nomine Amphibalus transiens in Britanniam verolamina Domino ducente perueâ—…it M. S. antiq Author vitae S. Albani antiquus in vit S. Albani Ioh. Capgrauius alij in vit S. Albani which he also himselfe doth witnes in this words to S. Alban My Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of the liuinge God hath preserued mee from daungers and for the saluation of many sent mee into this nation Dominus meus Iesus Christus filius Dei viui securum inter discrimina me custodiuit pro multorum salute ad istam me misit prouinciam 3. And we had at this time here in Britanie liuinge after the persecution of Diocletian many others both Bishops and preists that exercised and offered the sacrifice of Masse amonge which S. Taurinus was Archbishop of Yorke exâ—… 〈◊〉 protestant antiquaries and others ar deceaued not that Taurinus which was in or before the dayes of Kinge Lucius but another more late and liuinge in this time placed Archbishop there in the time of Constantius Chlorus who came hither as Matthew of Westminster writeth in the yeare of Christ 302. Matth. Westm an gratiae 302. and by the consent of the same Constantius or more as a Protestant Bishop and antiquary from antiquities thus deliuereth Godwin Catal. of Bishops in Yorke 1. pag. 555. it is reported that Constantius Chlorus appointed Taurinus Bishop of Eureux to bee Archbishop there at Yorke Which is almoste or fully 200. yeares after the other Taurinus was sent into Fraunce by S. Clement both by Catholicks and Protestants And by all writers S. Restitutus was at this time or soone after Archbishop of London for in the yeare of Christ 326. hee was of such renowne and honor that he was chosen the onely Bishop of this Britanie to be present at the great councell of Bishops at Arles in Fraunce to which hee thus subscribed for this our Britanie Ex Prouincia Britanniae ciuitate Londinensi Restitus Episcopus Martyrol Rom. die 11. Augusti Vsuard eod die Vincent in spec l. 11. c. 78 79. Petr. in catal l. 4. cap. 50. Matth. Westm an 94. protest annot marg in eund Tom. 1. concil in Arelat conc Io. Bal. l. de scrip cent 1. in Restit Godwin Catal. in London in Restitutus Matth. Parker antiq Brit. 4. And a friuolous exception it is for Stowe with all others so to confesse and after to add Hee writeth not himselfe Archbishop and therefore maketh that matter of Archbishops doubtfull or rather ouerthroweth that opinion Stowe histor in Kinge Lucius For it is euident by the subscriptions of that councell that many of the greatest Archbishops in this part of the world were present and subscribed there yet not anie one of theÌ„ subscribed by the name of Archbishop so it was in other councels And as a Protestant Bishop and antiquary assureth vs in these words Godwin supr hee subscribed to the decrees of the same couÌ„cel which hee brought ouer with him In which it is decreed that none but sacrificinge consecrated preistes might offer the sacrifice of Masse Concil Arelat can 15. And among so many Bishops and preists as were present there Claudianus and Auitus the Legats of that renowned massinge preist and Pope S. Siluester by protestants confession were present and subscribed to this councell Therefore this our Archbishop then the primate of all Britanie must needs bee a massinge preist as also all preists and Bishops vnder him Of our third Archiepiscopall see at Caerlegion I doe not finde the name of any Archbishop before Tremounus vrbis legionum Archiepiscopus Archbishop there in the time of Aurelius Ambrosius Galfrid Monum histor l. 8. cap. 10. though wee know that many were there before this time And yet the memories of all our Bishops that escaped aliue from this persecution are not perished For besides those I haue recompted we are assured both by Catholicke and Protestant antiquaries that the Bishop of Winchester called Constance was now liuinge and dedicated there a church newly reedified to the honour of S. Amphibalus the Martyr in the yeare of Christ 310. within 21. yeares after it was destroyed in the persecution Because it is a memorable history and not onely warranted by an old Manuscript but published and approued by a new Protestant Bishop I will
alij diuers churches besides with their allowance were founded and dedicated to S. Peter S. Martin and other Saints In the third age S. Amphibalus at his Martirdome publickly prayed to S. Alban Martyred a little before so did other holy Brittish Christians to him and other Martyrs and Saints of Britanie at that time tabul M. S. in Eccles S. Petri in Cornhill Stowe histor in K. Lucius Caius antiq Cantabrig Harris l. 2. Holinsh. hist. of Engl. M. S. antiq in Lucio M. S. antiq in S. Amphibal Capgrau in eod S. Alban legend antiq alij in the beginninge of this fourth age I haue shewed before what generall buildinge and dedicatinge of churches there was to our Martyrs that had suffered a little before and solemnizinge their festiuities and consequently prayer and inuocation vnto them And all this longe before S. Damasus was Pope being scarcely borne at that time Therefore many our protestants of England confesse that prayer and inuocation of Saints and Angels was publicklie vsed in the primatiue church euen in the sacrifice of Masse And some of them make it an article of our creede for to speak in their wordes If wee deny it wee shall peraduenture depriue ourselues of a great part of their Angels ministery and dissolue that communion of Saints which vvee professe to beleeue as an article of Gods truthe Couel examin pag. 295.178 Parkins problem pag. 89.93 Ormerod Pict Pap. pag. 26.27 Middlet papistom pag. 129. Morton Apolog. part 1. pag. 227.228 Couel ag Burges pag. 89.90 16. Wherefore I may boldly conclude of this holy Pope in this matter in these words of a Protestant Archbishop Damasus vvas a good Bishop and therefore no good thinge by him appointed to bee disallovved Io. Whitg ansvv to the admonit pag. 78. sect 2.3 and def of ansvv pag. 489. of Pope Siricius they say hee commaunded that Masses should bee said in places consecrated by the Bishops Missas in loco ab Episcopo sacrato celebrandas esse Rob. Barnes l. de vit Pont. Rom. in Ciricio but this was onely a ceremoniall decree and to Gods more honor as I haue shewed in our old Britans by their dedication of churches and our protestants in England after their ceremonies obserue it to this day What a protestant Bishop meaneth when hee writeth of this Pope Missae memorias adiunxit Hee adioyned memories to the Masse Io. Bal. l. 1. de act Pontif. Rom. in Siricio I know not if hee meaneth memories of Saints to pray vnto them or memories of other faithfull departed to pray for them as one of them hee must needs vnderstand I haue proued before they were both vsed from the Apostles time and so cannot bee said to bee any additiō of Pope Siricius in this time These protestants do not mention any other Pope in this age to haue added or altered any thinge in this holy sacrifice Therefore by their good leaue I doe here end this fourth hundred of yeares THE FIFTHE AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XIX CHAPTER Wherein is manifestly proued that all this fift age the sacrifice of Masse massing preists and Bishops did continue in honor in this our Britanie THe first Pope which offereth himselfe in this next and fifth hundred of yeares to speake as a late protestant writer doth was Innocent of Albania or Scotland Edw. Grimst est of the church of Rome Pope 41. pag. 44. an D. 402. and commonly it is written of him both by protestants and others Rob. Barnes in vit Innocentij Io. Bal. in eodem that by contrie hee was Albanus or of Albania the old common and receaued knowne name of Scotland And if hee was of this our Albania it might be occasion that the Scots and Britans of this kingdome did more frequent Rome at this then other times But whether hee was of Northren Albania that is in the east or of Alba in Italy or whencesoeuer sure wee are that many of this nation which proued holy preists and Bishops also had their education and instruction in Religion at Rome in these dayes by the massing and sacrificinge preists and Popes in that place Such were S. Teruanus made Archbishop of the Picts by S. Paladius the Popes Legate in Scotland about the yeare of Christ 432. as our Scottish writers testifie And that he was instructed in the faith at Rome I gather from the same Authors affirming that S. Paladius baptized him beeing an Infant Teruanum Infantem lustrico lauerat fonte Paldius Hector Boeth l. 7. histor foli 133. Posseuin in appar To. 2. pag. 452. which must needs bee at Rome from whence S. Palladius was sent into this kingdome in or about the yeare of Christ 431. died soone after his cominge hither And so hauinge for his Master and Tutor in Religion that massinge preist and Bishop and the Pope also then being the like this man could not bee instructed there in any other Religion different from that And in the same age before this S. Ninian who was also brought vp and instructed by the massinge Popes and their disciples at Rome was sent from thence to teach the same and other holie doctrines of Christian faith to the same people and was theire Bishop as all antiquaries Catholicke and Protestant testifie Bed hist. Angl. l. 3. c. 4. Bal. l. de scriptor cent 1. in Ninian Capgrau in eod Theat of great Brit. l. 6. whose successor S. Teruanus was and about the same time as our Scottish and other histories tell vs S. Seruanus was made Bishop of the Orchades beinge instructed and consecrated by the massinge Bishop Paladius which that famous massinge Pope S. Celestine sent his Legate into this nation of whome herafter Hector Boeth Scotor histor l. 7. fol. 133. 2. Besides these extraordinary the ordinary Archbishops and Bishops with their whole cleargie perseuered in these holy doctrines none to contradict them herin but in other questions moued by Pelagian hereticks And that S. Innocentius the first Pope in this age vnder whome our remembred Bishops had theire education and instruction was a massinge Pope our protestants assure vs testifyinge that hee confirmed the ceremonie of giuinge the Pax in Masse Vt pax in Missa daretur ordinauit The like they testifie of Pope Sozimus and Bonifacius which were betweene S. Innocentius and S. Celestine that sent so many Bishops into this kingdome affirming how they both maintayned sacrificinge preisthood and holy Masse with the ceremonies thereof and the supreamacy of the see of Rome Io. Bal. l. 2. de act Pont. Rom. in Innocent in Sozimo Bonifacio Robert Barne in vit Pontif. in eisdem And for the sacrifice of Masse that it was Missa papistica the papisticall or papists Masse such as Catholicks of this time whome they call papists and their Masse preists and Religion papisticall doe vse Bal. supr lib. 2. in Caelestino before the dayes of Saint and Pope Celestine who as they say added some thinges to the papisticall Masse vsed before his papacie
there in these times A Protestant Bishop writeth Theonus being first Bishop of Glocester forsooke it and tooke the charge of London vpon him the yeare 553. Godwin Catalog in London in Theonus but the Brittish historye proueth him to haue beene Archbishop of London before the death of S. Dauid Theonus Glouecestrensis Episcopus in Archiepiscopatum Londoniarum eligitur TuÌ„c obijt sanctissimus Vrbis Legionum Archiepiscopus Dauid in Mineuia ciuitate Galfrid Monum histor Reg. Brit. lib. 11. cap. 3. and so hee must needs hee ordeyned Archbishop by the consent and allowance of that massinge high Prelate S. Dauid And hee continued Archbishop there vntill the yeare of Christ 586 when together with Thadiocus Archbishop of Yorke and very many of their cleargy they fled into Walles and other places Matth. Westm. an 586. Stowe histor Galfrid Monum hist. l. 11. cap. 10. And to proue all then were sacrificinge massinge preists here S. Gildas then liuing at that time hath so before affirmed the sacrificinge massinge which protestants and others confesse to haue beene then in London and other places of that diocesse confirme it their flying for succour only to the places where Masse and massinge preistes continued as in Wales Cornewayle and little Britanie manifestly conuince it to be so Stowe histor in Constantine 2. Galfr. Monum l. 11. histor cap. 4. 10. This is proued by those holy churches and massinge altars which the Pagans did reserue and not destroye by conuerting to them to the Idolatrous worship and sacrifices of theire Pagan Gods Si qua Ecclesia illoesa seruabitur hec magis ad confusionem nominis Christiani quà m gloriam faciebant Nempe ex cis deorum suorum templa facientes prophanis suis sacrificijs sancta Dei altaria polluerunt Matth. Westm. ad an gratiae 58â—… And when aboue al other thinges questioned our protestants moste disallowe the reuerence of holy relicks and not contendinge that there was any Christian Religion in these Archbishops their cleargie but either the massinge Religion or their protestant profession doe plainely confesse that these were massinge preistes and not Protestant Ministers for they with other aÌ„tiquities acknowledg that the greatest care which these two Archbishops their Bishops and preists had in those tempestuous times was how to keepe with reuerence and from irreuerence the holy relicks of their Saints so notwithstanding so many daungers and difficulties carryed most of them vnto these places of their rest and refuge so farr off Walles Cornwaile and Britanie in Fraunce Holinsh. histor of Engl. Galfrid Monument histor Reg. Brittan l. 11. cap. 10. Matth. Westm an gratiae 586. Tunc Archipraesulis Theonus Londoniensis Thadiocus Eborascensis cum omnes Ecclesias sibi subditas solo tenus destructas vidissent cum pluribus ordinatis cum reliquijs Sanctorum in Cambriam diffugerunt timentes ne Barbarorum irruptione tot tantorum sacra ossa veterum à memorijs hominum delerentur si qua imminenti periculo minimè subtraxissent Plures etiam Armoricanam Britanniam petentes Therefore no protestant can will or by the grounds of their Religion may say that these were Protestants but vndoubtedly Catholicke Papists reuerencers of holy Masse relicks of Saints such doctrines as protestancy doth not allow thereuppon they plainely call them sacrificulos massinge preists H. Matius Germanorum lib. 5. pag. 39. 11. Neither did these doctrines and the profession of them cease here with vs betweene this publick desolation in the 586. of Christ and the yeare 596. when S. Augustine came hither euen in those parts which the Saxons posessed but there were diuers Bishops and sacrificinge massinge preists still continuinge in them and the holy sacrifice of Masse was still though not so generally and publickly as before continued also in this time and many of the Saxons themselues euen from the dayes of Kinge Arthur when many of them receaued the Christian faith still continued therein and this testified by protestant writers Holinshed histor of Engl. pag. 122.123 l. 5. teachinge how vppon a great victory of that renowned Kinge against them hee pardoned al that would and did receue the Christian faith which were many And Hardinge with others testifieth that Stanford at this time was a Christian vniuersitie though with some errors Harding histor and yet a great part of them must needs bee Saxons And in those very places themselues where the Pagan Saxons moste principally ruled and reigned the Christian massing sacrificing Religion was there permitted and tolerated euen by the Kings allowance as a protestant historian proueth in these words Holinsh. histor of Engl. l. 5. pag. 107. At the same time that Constantine the next Kinge to Arthur was driuen into Wales there reigned amonge the English men one Iourmericke the fifth as Bede saith from Hengist The same Iourmerick though hee were not christened himselfe yet hee permitted the Christian faith to bee preached amongst his people and concludinge a league with the Scottish men and Picts kept the same inuiolate duringe his life time So likewise it was in the kingdome of the Kentish Kings extendinge to Humber for Kinge Ethelbert had marryed a Christian gaue peace to Christians in his dominions as wee may also gather the like of the kingdome of the east Angles whose Kinge Scebert was a baptised Christian except a protestant historian is deceued in the yeare of Christ 569. or before then beginninge his Reigne and beeing christened in Fraunce in the Regiment of his Brother and predecessor Kinge Carpewalde Stowe histor in east Angles in K. Scebert anno 569. and in many other places of Loegria this EnglaÌ„d the like instances may be giuen for the enimitie between the Saxons and Britans was not principally for ReligioÌ„ but who should rule here and possesse this kingdome aspernebantur vt plurimum Saxones Britonum Sacerdotum tum Gualiam incoleÌ„tium doctrinam tametsi veram profiterentur inuisae gentis magis quam disciplinae de qua multa atque praeclara frequentius audiuerant odio permoti Hect. Boeth l. 9. Scot. histor fol. 177. and they had peaceable commerce amitie and correspondence with all other Christians round about them French Scots and Picts as is declared before 12. And to putt all out of doubt in this matter wee are taught by many credible and vncontroleable antiquities that euen at the coming of S. Augustine hither there were diuers renowned massing sacrificing Bishops here with their massinge preists that preached euen to the Saxons and conuerted many and that these holy Bishops and preists did in all things agree with the Apostolicke Romane church and receued mission power and iurisdiction from thence Amonge these was S. Kentegern for the Northren and other parts of this kingdome who preached to the Saxons proued their Pagan Gods namly woden whom principally they worshipped as cheife God to haue beene onely a man a Kinge amonge them and a damned creature S. Asaph in vita S. Kentegerni M. S. antiquit in
at that time diuers Bishops in this contrie or fitt for that moste holy order otherwise hee would not haue sent S. Mansuetus of this contrie forth of Britanie to execute that high dignitie in a straunge nation such as Lorrayne where Tullum is then was and still is to this Iland And this I may more boldly write by a consequent and concluded leaue and warrant from our Protestant Bishops and other such Antiquaries whoe in their greate Theater of Britanie giue vs diuers graunts and Rules to leade vs both to soe tymely a beeing of Saint Peter in this kingedome his disciples preaching here both claiming exercising such powerable iurisdiction and authoritie here as I haue related from others First they write in these words Theater of greate Britanie lib. 6. cap. 9. § 5 If Peter were here at all which they graunted and is demonstrated by them before it was before euer he went to Rome and the ghospell was preached here before it was in Rome if Peter were the first as some hold that preached there both which may bee more probable Againe thus they write § 7. It hath passed with allowance amonge the learned Senate of our Antiquaries that when Claudius began to bannish and persecute the Christians in Rome which they think to bee before this time of S. Mansuetus beeing Bishop of Tullum many Romans and Britans beeing conuerted to the faith fled thence into these remote parts of the earth where they might did more freely enioy the libertie of their professions And from this Sanctuarie of saluation the sad lamenting Lady Pomponia Graecina the wife of Aulus Plantius the first Lord lieutenant of Britanie brought that Religion whereof she was accused and stood indited vppon life and deathe which was noe other then the Christian profession And to interpret themselues more clearlye where as they hould this greate Lady the Lord Lieutenants wife was conuerted thus they sett downe their marginall direction concerning this matter Aulus Plantius his wife became a christian in Britanie Now to assure vs how soone it was that S. Peter and his disciples had made soe happie an entrance and wrought soe glorious effects in this our kingdome these very Protestants tell vs. That Aulus Plantius was sent hither out of germany with an army the second yeare of Claudius which was as some Protestants write in the 44. yeare of Christ by others the 45. and stayed here but a short time returninge to Rome and triumphing there for his victories ouer the Britans in the yeare of Christ 49. and then in the yeare 50. Publius Ostorius Scapula was Propraetor here Theater supr lib. 6. c. 6. pag. 193. Protestants in Festis Regum an Dom. 44. Claudij 3. Stowe and Howes histor an D. 45 By which accompt of these Protestants themselues this lamentinge Lady Pomponia Graemia by them here conuerted to the faith of Christ and all her christian company as chaunceth in such cases at soe greate parsonadges conuersion and many other christians of the Britans which they say were then conuerted by those disciples of S. Peter or by himselfe noe others then beeing here must needes bee conuerted before or in the 49 yeare of the Incarnation of our Sauiour in which as I proued before our contryman S. Mansuetus was ordeyned Bishop of Tullum by S. Peter which was 14. yeares before the cominge of S Ioseph of Aramathia hither by all antiquities and diuers by the scriptures themselues before S. Paul came to Rome or any westerne nation And if wee may beleeue the Protestant writers of the Theater they make the coming of S. Paul to Rome longe after writing in these wordes Theater of greate Britanie supr l. 6. § 7. Paule came not to Rome till the tenth of Nero. When both by them and the scriptures hee was a prisoner two yeares and could not depart from Rome Which maketh these Protestants reckoning 16. or 17. yeares after the conuersion of soe many in Britanie and consecration of S. Mansuetus that holy Bishop by S. Peter And to proue further vnto vs not onely that these first christians of Britany were conuerted by S. Peter but that others of this our nation were euen at this time consecrated preists and Bishops alsoe by S. Peter these Protestant Bishops and others hauing immediatly spoken before of the conuersion of Lady Pomponia Graecina herein Britany in or before the 49. yeare of Christ they proceede in these wordes Theater of the Empire of great Britanie l. 6.8.9 B. Rhenan in history of Germany Pantaleon And much about these times as B. Rhenanus in his history of Germany Pantaleon and others doe reporte one Suetonius a noble mans sonne in Britanie conuerted to the faith by the first planters of the ghospell in this Iland and after his Baptisme called Beatus was sent by the bretheren from hence vnto Rome to bee better instructed and further directed by Saint Peter himselfe And returninge through Suitcerland found such willingnes and flockinge of the people to heare and receaue the doctrine of Christ that hee there stayed and built an oratory not far from the bake Thun neare the Towne called Vnderfewen where in preachinge and prayers hee employed his time to the day of his death which happened in the yeare of grace 110. Hitherto the words of our english Protestants of this glorious and renowned man far exceeding that which they giue him here for as their Author Henricus Pantaleon de viris Illustr Germaniae part 1 p. 114 a German Protestant writeth plainely of him that hee was the Apostle of Heluetians S. Beatus Heluetiorum Apostolus Which Title and name none but puritans of anie Religion will giue to any but Bishops and none but such which onely haue power to consecrate preists without which a true church cannot bee can either bee or truely called their Apostle And that this holy Bishop of Britanie though hee staied most in Heluetia yet that hee was principally sent to bee a Bishopp in Britanie by Saint Peter it is euident by these Protestants before testifyinge that hee was returning into Britanie and soe cheifely directed by Saint Peter Pantal. supra Stamph lib. 7. de Sanct. Which Pantaleon with Stamphius and others doe more plainely witnesse saying S. Beatus ille nobilibus parentibus natus ex Britannia in patriam rediens c. S. Beatus borne of noble parents in Britanie returninge into his contry and adding of him omnia bona pauperibus distribuit hee distributed all his goods to the pore must needes bee in Britanie where of these his goods he was to make distributor of them And these Germā historians tel vs that hee had an other companion sent and directed with him from Rome by S. Peter or his authoritie there and beeinge alsoe a Britaine returned hither beeing consecrated Preist or Bishop by the same authoritie and at the same time So that wee see by these Protestants themselues that soe longe as S. Peter liued the Bishops and Preists
and his company for a Protestāt Bishop according to the truth of histories writeth Godwyn conuers of Brit. pag. 16. c. 3. It seemeth that Ioseph and his fellowes preuayled little by their preaching and therefore gaue themselues at last vnto a monasticall and solitary life in the Iland of Aualon And euen their memorie was soe much forgotten when kinge Lucius was conuerted that as our best antiquities wee haue of that matter tel vs those which S. Eleutherius sent from Rome found the best information of them at Rome their auncient howse or church was foe desolat that it was become Latibulū Ferarum a den for wyld beasts at their cominge hither Antiquit. Glaston apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph Aramath in S Patr. I finde in histories no others from whom wee haue the leaste probabilitie to clayme a continuaunce in Religion therefore it must needs bee from Rome from whence alsoe wee had amonge these holy men some Bishops to continue a succession from thence For although S. Beatus was but lately deade liuing vnto this yeare 110. it is not vnlikely but his companion was still liuinge and except there were twoe of that name and in those times and the same contrie which no history doth remember S. Mansuetus was yet a liue and longe after vntil wee had manie other Bishops sent from Rome or consecrated here by the Romane authoritie in the time of this Kinge Lucius For wee reade in the Annals and Catalogue of the Archbishops of Treuers neare vnto Tullum that in the yeare 160. S. Mansuetus was Bishop there Mansuetus qui huic nomini vocationi suae vita proba anno Domini 160. optime respondit The seuenth Archbishop of Treuers was Mansuetus whoe by his godly life did excellently answeare this his name to bee meeke and his vocation in the yeare of Christ 160. Annales Arch. Treuer Petrus Merssaeus Catal. Arch. Treuer Which by noe historye I can finde was or could bee any other but Saint Mansuetus our contryman spoken of before both the name time and place soe neare vnto Tullum where hee was first Bishopp alloweinge it and nothinge impugninge it And amonge those Bishops here in Britanie and of our owne nation I finde two named beinge both consecrated and sent hither by the Authoritie of the See of Rome one of them S. Tymotheus sonne to our holy contryman Saint Marcellus or by some Marcellinus a Britanne borne and a Bishop here and after Bishop of the Tungers and lastely Archbishop of Treuers both which preached here in the time of Kinge Lucius longe before his conuersion and at or before this time and were instruments of his happy conuersion actually and parsonallye concurringe therto by mission and Authoritie from the Popes of Rome of which I haue made more lardge and ample relation in other places for this purpose soe many Authors here cited will suffice both Catholicks and Protestants consentinge that S. Tymothie and S. Marcellus or Marcellinus preached here in the time of kinge Lucius and before his conuersion Petrus de Natalib lib. 1. cap. 24. Harris Tom. 2. Magdeb. centur 2. Annal. Eccles Cur. Io Stumph in Rhetia Petrus Merssaeus in catalog Archiep· Treuer in Archiep. 20. Anton. Democh. l. 2. de Miss cont Caluin Gulielus Eisengren centen 2. part 4. distinct 7. Petr. Merss in Archiep. Treuer And that this S. Tymothie could not bee Saint Tymothie Bishop of Ephesus S. Pauls Scholler to whome hee wrote the Epistles whoe was martyred many yeares before Kinge Lucius was borne and S. Onesimus was his Successor in S. Ignatius time as hee himselfe is witnesse Epist ad Ephes But onely S. Tymothie our blessed contryman by his mother S. Claudia Martyrol Rom. die 20. Iunij and a child baptized by the Apostles and thereupon called their disciple whoe was owner of the house in Rome where S. Peter by the Roman tradition first entertayned there and of S. Tymothie the Lord thereof in his time named Thermae Timothinae the Bathes of Tymotheus Act. 5. Iustini Philosoph Baron annot in 20. Iunij in S. Nouato which hee forsooke for the loue of God and this his nation soe soone that by Pope Pius the first martyred in the yeare 154. his said house was cōsecrated a church hee himselfe beeing then in all probabilitie preaching in this Iland as so many Authorities cited doe warrant The historie of S. Marcellus or Marcellinus both to haue beene a Britane a Bishop and to haue preached here longe before S. Linus was conuerted that hee persuaded him to bee a Christian and after went into Germany and returned from thence into Britanie againe sent with others from Pope Eleutherius to conuert kinge Lucius this kingdome as they did is an vndoubted veritie acknowledged by all that write of that matter And therefore our Protestāts of England freely graunt vs in these wordes Euen from the dayes of those godlie men whoe first taught the Britans the ghospell there remayned amonge the same Britans some Christians which ceased not to teach and preach the word of God most sincerely vnto them But yett noe kinge amongst thē openly professed that Religion till at length this Lucius perceauinge not onely some of the Roman Lieutenants in Britanie as Trebellius and Pertinax with others to haue submitted themselues to that profession but alsoe the Emperor himselfe to begin to bee fauorable to them that professed it And then hee setteth downe how kinge Lucius sent to Pope Eleutherius to bee instructed in and receaue the faith of Christ and in like maner is the Relatiō of other Protestāts Holinsh. histor of England lib. 4. cap. 19. Math. Park Antiquit Britan. pag. 4.5 Ioh. Goscelius in histor Manuscript Bal. l. 2. de actibus Pontif. in Gregor 1. l. de Scriptor cent 1. in August Dirnoth Godwyn Conuers Powel annot in l. 2. Girald Cambr. c. 1. Foxe to 2. Act. pag. 463. Fulke Ans to count Cath. pag. 40. Middlet papist am pag. 202. Stowe Holinsh. c. Then if by these men there stil continued a succession of true preachers in Britanie from the Apostles time Protestant Articl of Religion Bils Whitgift Barlow Bridges Downam Hookeer Couel others against puritans Which the puclick Protestant Religion denieth to bee without true Bishops to consecrate such preists and preachers and the Romane Luietenants themselues and christians and soe consequently as the greatnes of their state and necessitie of the church here required had Bishops and rather from Rome beeing themselues Romans And I haue exemplified in soe many Bishops consecrated and sent hither by S. Peter and his holy successors Popes of Rome and not any one Instance can bee giuen of any one Bishop or preist in all this time sent or consecrated by any others wee must needes leaue that prerogatiue to Rome and honor to Britanie to haue had the holy Bishops and pastors of this church from thence And that Apostolicke See to haue ruled here in spirituall things as these Protestants haue freely acknowledged