eate you all of this for this is my bodie which shal be broken for many Likewise also hee tooke the cup after hee had supped the day before hee suffered looked to heauen to thee ô holy Father eternall God giuinge thankes blessed it gaue it to his Apostles and disciples sayinge take you and drinke you all of it for this is my blood Behold all those wordes are the Euangelists vntill those take and drinke either body or blood After they bee the words of Christ take drinke you all of it For this is my blood Consider euery thing who the day before saith hee that hee suffered hee tooke breade in his holy hands before it is consecrated it is breade but after the words of Christ come vnto it it is the bodie of Christ 11. The like hee hath in other places so haue other auncient and holy Fathers and so plainely that our protestants themselues doe freely graunt Foxe Tom 2. act and Monum in Queene Mary that it was so practised and deliuered by the Apostles themselues and that it was further the expresse commaundement of Christ to vse those or their equiualents words verba institutionis caenae râ—…citata omnino videntur Nam Paulus ea non frustra 1. Cor. 11. repetit quidem annexum mandatum hoc facite in mei commemorationem postulat vt historia illa de institutione passione Christi recolatur vt Paulus 1. Cor. 10. The words of the institution of the supper doubtles were recited in the Apostles time for Paul doth not in vaine repeate them in his first Epistle and eleuenth chapter to the Corinthiens and certes the commaundement of Christ do this in commemoration of mee doth require that the history of the institution and passion of Christ bee related as Paul witnesseth 1. Cor. 10. Magdeburgen centur 1. l. 2. cap. 6. col 500. c. Ritus circa caenam Domini Therefore by all consents this holy Pope exercisinge supreame spirituall iurisdiction in all places and beeinge so famous a massinge Pope and still retayninge the Masse of the Apostles and by some as before sendinge preists into this our Britanie neither these which he is supposed to haue sent hither or those others which stil after this suruiued of this natioÌ„ were or could bee any others then sacrificinge massinge preists neither our Christian Brittans at Rome so neare vnto him bee others then hearers or sayers of holie Masse 12. Successor to S. Alexander was S. Sixtus the first of that name who as these protestants tell vs was Pope ten yeares three moneths and 21. dayes succeedinge his blessed predecessor as well in this opinion and practise of sacrificinge preisthood and holy Masse as in the papall dignitie for as these men say Robert Barnes in vit Pontific Rom. in Sixton Io. Func l. 5. commentar in Sixto 1. an 121. sacra vasa ne quis praeter sacros ministros attingerent praecepit Quod corporale appellant ex lineo panno fieri iussit Missam non nisi in altari celebrandam esse constituit Hee commaunded that none but sacred ministers should handle the sacred vessels that which they call the corporall hee commaunded to be made of linnen cloath He ordeyned that Masse should not be celebrated but vpon an altare And so wee are assured by these enemies to holy Masse and sacrificinge preisthood that he in all places maintained both for hee was so absolute for the Popes supreamacy euen by these witnesses that hee gaue power to all ecclesiasticall ministers to appeale from their Bishop to the Pope of Rome Ab Episcopo ad Romanum Pontificem appellandi ius dedit ecclesiasticis ministris 13. Successor to S. Sixtus was Telesphorus both in dignitie and doctrine also by the warrant of these protestaÌ„ts for by them hee was so deuoted a defendor and teacher of sacrificinge preisthood and holy Masse that hee decreed euery preist should say three Masses vpon Christ-Masse day and an other dayes they shoulde not say Masse before the third hower of the day Hee commaunded that the songe of the Angels glory to God on high should bee sunge at Masse Yet say two Protestant Bishops and one theire primate there is nothing conteyned in gloria in excelsis but the same is taken out of the scriptures and to bee vsed of all true Christians Telesphorus who added it was a good Bishop a man notable for learninge and pietie eruditione ac pietate vir insigius and the church of Rome as yet pure in doctrine Rob. Barn supr in Telesphor Func l. 5. comment an 129. Stowe and Howes histor in Helius Adrian Cartwright adm Whitguift answ to admonit pag. 101. def pag. 602. Bal. l. 1. de act Pontif Rom. in Telesphor 14. S. Higinius succeedinge succeeded also by these protestants as well in exercising spirituall supreamacy ouer all Bishops decreeinge that no Metropolitane shoulde condemne any Bishop of his Prouince without the aduise of the other Bishops And for sacrificinge preisthood and Masse hee honored them so much that liuinge in the time of the Emperor Antonius Pius a fauourer of Christians he decreed that Christian churches should be dedicated with solemne rite of sacrifice of Masse Cum solemni ceremoniarum sacrificiorum ritu dedicanda esse Io. Funcc l. 5. commentar an 141. Rob. Barn in Higin supr and by an other protestant Templa dedicare cum solemni ceremonia sacrificio iussit In this Popes time as many of our protestant antiquaries with others from antiquities tell vs we had manie godlie Christian preachers and preists in Britanie which by so many testimonies before without any exception must needes be sacrificing massing preists and by many authorities conuerted many to that holy faith and sacrificinge massinge Religion of Christ in this kingdome Annal. Burton an 140. or 141. Harrison descript of Britanie Io. Caius l. 1. antiq Cantabrig Theater of great Britanie l. 6. Harris Theat Tom. 2. and no meruaile wheÌ„ so many Authors write that in one towne of Cambridge there were theÌ„ nyne such learned ChristiaÌ„s of that only place a schole of learninge at and diuers hundreds of yeares before that time as the antiquities and antiquaries of that vniuersitie informe vs. And no man can doubt of many such preists being here then if he duely consider the difficulties of a generall conuersion of so large and Idolatrous sauage nation as this at that time was and how all agree it was wholly conuerted long before the death of Kinge Lucius who by Matthew of Westminster commended by our protestants for an exact calculator of times and others beeinge borne in the 115. yeare of Christ was at the death of this Pope holdinge the papacie but 4. yeares 3. moneths and a very fewe dayes 35. yeares of age and had bene Kinge 25. yeares his Father Coillus dying when hee was but 10. yeares olde and yet by all antiquities in all his life euen before his owne conuersion a great frend and fauourer of Christians and this his kingedome
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
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
relate it in these his owne words Manuscript antiq Godwin Catal. of Bish. in Winch. pag. 207. This church as the same Author olde Manuscript saith was hallowed and dedicated vnto the honour of our Sauiour October 29.189 by Faganus Damianus Bishops about the space of 100. yeare the church of Christ had then peace in this land viz. vntill the reigne of Dioclesian who endeauouringe to roote out Christian Religion not onely killed the professors of the same but pulled downe all churches and Temples any where consecrated vnto the exercise thereof Amongest the rest this of Winchester at that time went to wracke the buildings thereof beeinge ruinated and made euen with the grounde and the Monkes and all the officers belonginge vnto it either slaine or enforced to flie for the present time and yet afterward to denie Christ This happened anno 289. not longe after the death of this cruell Tyrant to witt the yeare 309. The church aforesaid was againe reedified and that with such wonderful forwardnes and zeale as within one yeare and thirtie dayes both it and all the edifices belonginge vnto it as chambers and other buildings for the Monkes were quite finished in very seemely and conuenient maner The 15. day of Marche following it vvas againe hallovved and dedicated vnto the honor and memory of Amphibalus that had suffered death for Christ in the late persecution by Constance Bishop as my author saith of Winchester at the request of Deodatus Abbot of this nevv erected monastery The like or greater expedition was vsed in buildinge and dedicatinge a church to S. Alban of great coste sumptuousnes where hee suffered Martyrdome and yet as Matthew of Westminster writeth it was finished or builded within ten yeares of his death and martyrdome Fabricata decem scilicet annis post passionem eius elapsis S. Bede saith as soone as the persecution ceased a church of wonderfull worke was builded there vnto his honor Vbi postea redeuÌ„te temporum Christianorum serenitate Ecclesia est miri operis atque eius Martyrio condigna extructa So our histories testifie of S. Iulius and Aaron in particular Bed histor Eccl. l. 1. cap. 7. Matth. Westm. an gratiae 313. Io. Capgrau in S. Albano 6. And to make it manifest vnto vs that there were many Bishops left here after this persecution to consecrate and dedicate so many new builded founded and consecrated churches as were presently after the persecution ended erected in this kingedome and to execute other episcopall functions the best and moste auncient histories wee haue as S. Gildas S. Bede with others testifie that bilustro necdum ad integrum expleto before ten yeares of persecution were ended S. Gâ—…ldas words the ChristiaÌ„s eueryvvhere renevv their churches pulled dovvn to the ground found build finish churches of their holy Martyrs and celebrate their festiuities Bilustro supradicti turbinis necdum ad integrum expleto emercescentibusque nece suorum Authorum nefarijs decretis laetis luminibus omnes Christi Tyrones renouant Ecclesias ad solum vsque destructas basilicas Sanctorum Martyrum fundant construunt perficiunt ac velut victricia signa passim propalant dies festos celebrant And that wee may be assured that among these holy Christian exercises the holy sacrifice of Masse was offered by their sacrificinge and massinge preists it immediatly followeth in these renowned antiquities sacra mundo corde oreque confiâ—iunt They celebrate theire sacrifice with a pure hart and mouth And our antiquaries both Catholicks and Protestants assure vs there were altars for sacrifice in these churches S. Gildas calleth the altars altaria sacrosancta sacred altars whereon the heauenly sacrifice is offered and laied Sacrifieij caelestis sedem And that all the preistes of these Brittish churches were sacrificing or massing preistes at the altars Sacerdotes sacrificantes inter altaria stantes Gild. l. de excid Stovv histor in Constantine 2. Galf. Mon. histor Brit. l. 11. cap. 4. Matth. Westm an gratiae 543. 7. And if we wil appeale to other churches and iudges in this time whether to our Kinge and Emperor now a Christian or to the Popes of Rome yet Saints and holie men by the licence of our protestants or to generall councels the first being celebrated in this time or to the renowned Fathers that liued and wrote in this age wee shall finde these holy doctrines and exercises of the sacrifice of Masse sacrificinge massinge preists and preisthoâ—◠〈◊〉 haue beene in greatest honor as well in all other Christian nations as in this kingdome For CoÌ„stantine our Kinge Emperor and contryman we cannot better learne what minde and Religion hee was of in these matters then from S. Siluester then Pope and his Master and Father in Christian Religion who instructed him therein and from the first generall councell of Nice wherin and wherto hee was present and consented And to make all sure and walke with the passe of protestants in this trauaile wee are told by these men that this massinge Pope declared and decreed in what sacred attire both the preists which offered and the deacons which serued and ministred in the sacrifice of Masse should bee inuested Rob. Barnes l. de vit Pontif. Roman in Siluestro and to speake in a protestant Bishops wordes Huius Siluestri permulta feruntur instituta de chrismate consecrando pueris confirmandis temptis ornandis altaribus tegendis missatoribus constituendis vngendis vestiendis hostijs adorandis seruandis sacrificijs ceremonijs alijsque ritibus Very many institutions are ascribed to this Siluester of consecratinge chrisme confirminge children adorninge churches coueringe altars makinge massinge preists anointinge and vestinge them adoringe and reseruing the consecrated hostes of sacrifices ceremonies and other rites By which no man can doubt but S. Siluester was a massing preist and Pope this renowned Emperor conuerted by him a reuerencer of holy Masse and sacrificinge preisthood 8. which truth and doctrine for this age is more confirmed by the great generall councell of Nice where Constantine present assented and S. Siluester also present by his Legats Victor and Vincentius subscribinge approued in which it is plainely declared that none but consecrated massinge preists haue power to offer that holie sacrifice Concil Nicen. 1. can 14. per al. translat can 18. and to carry our protestants consents with vs herein the present protestant Archbishop of Canterbury director of Master Frauncis Mason together with this his directed secretary warrant vs herin sufficiently in these words The Nicen councell in that canon which Caluine and all other receaue saith plainely that the Lambe of God offered vnbloodily is laide vpon the holy table Fran. Mason in pref of his booke of consecrat pag. 243. therfore this holy councell being by all iudgements generall hauinge besides the consent of the Pope and Emperor the allowance and subscription of 318. Bishops and immediatly in those dayes as our protestants Theater of great Britanie l. 6. with others assure vs
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
many foundations to say Masse and pray for Christian soules and frends deceased as we find in the charter of Kinge Arthur before recited wherin among other motiues of that his confirmatorie priuiledge to the vniuersitie of Cambridge hee saith expressely that hee doth it with the consent of all his Bishops for the helpe of the soules of his antecessors Kings of Britanie Pro amore caelestis patriae remedioque animarum Antecessorum meorum BritaÌ„niae Regum Charta Regis Arthuri apud Caium supr antiq Cantabr l. 1. pag. 69. 5. After this Pope vntill they come to S. Gregory these protestants complaine of no additions but onely in Pope Pelagius the second which was the immediate predecessor to S. Gregory and sent him yet a priuate preist his legate to Constantinople of this Pope they write nouem praefationes ante canonem in Missa canendas de dit Hee gaue nyne prefaces to bee sunge before the canon in Masse Bal. in Pelag. 2. l. 2. in Act. Pontif. an other thus more particularly expresseth it Pelagtus nouem praefationes Ecclesiae de dit ante canonem in Missa canendas in Natali in Epiphania in Quadragesima de Cruce de Resurrectione de Ascensione in PeÌ„tecoste de Trinitate de Apostolis· Barnes in Pelag. 2. in vit Pont. Pelagius gaue nyne prefaces to the church to bee sunge before the canon in Masse one in the natiuitie of Christ an other in the Epiphanie in Lent of the Crosse of the Resurrection of the Ascension at Whitsontyde of the Trinitie of the Apostles I haue answered this before in Pope Gelasius to whome these protestants before contradictinge them selues ascribe the preface how vaine this quarrell is I haue there declared and onely add here from theire protestant like published Matthew of Westminster Anno gratiae 581. Papa Pelagius decreuit nouem praefationes taÌ„tum ad Missas debere cantari cassatis quotidianis quae dici solebant In the yeare of grace 581. Pope Pelagius decreed that only nine prefaces should bee sunge at Masse omittinge the daily prefaces which were wont to bee said Where wee see that this Pope did not add any thinge in this busines but rather deducted some prefaces though they had beene vsed to bee said before for so the words dici solebant manifestly proue as I wrote of Pope Vigilius before All which doe euidentlie testifie that the auncient receued custome of the church of Christ was longe before these dayes to vse these prefaces THE XXII CHAPTER Wherein euident demonstration is made euen by these protestants themselues that neither S. Gregory the great which sent S. Augustine with many other holy learned men into England did make any materiall addition or alteration in these misteries But the Religion which those his disciples preached here was in all points by all testimonies both of God and man Britans them selues and Saxons Catholicks and Protestants auncient and late writers the true Religion of Christ and in all things wherin they differed from the Britans more pure then that which they then professed NOw wee are come to the happy dayes of S. Gregory the great that sent so many holy men to preach Christian Religion to this English nation and so called our Apostle in which it will bee more manifest euen by these protestant accusers themselues that whatsoeuer differeÌ„ce there was betweene the holy disciples which he sent hither and some Britans the error in euery point was in those that opposed against the Roman mission And for S. Gregory himselfe one of the four holy Doctors of the church of Christ he was by all testimonies a great learned man holy Saint and so honored both in the Greeke and Latine church and the Masse hee vsed as our protestants haue told vs. Edw. Sands relation of Relig. supr both was and is receued and publickly vsed euen in the Greeke church beeing translated into Greeke hee is stiled by all writers protestants and Catholicks Gregory the great and commonlie named the Apostle of the English nation in all publicke protestant Kalenders placed amonge the holy Saints and by a Protestant Bishop his greatest accuser dignified with these honorable termes Bal. l. 2. de Act. Pontific Rom. in Gregorio Magno Gregorius Magnus omnium Pontificum seu vt dictum est Patriarcharum Romanorum doctrina vita praestantissimus inuitus ac demuâ—… coactus Pelagio praedicto successit vir doctus bonus Gregory the great the most excellent both for learninge and life of all the Romane Popes or Patriarkes did against his will and at laste therto compelled succeed Pelagius the second hee was a learned and good man Therefore it cannot bee either probable or possible that a man so learned vertuous and holy that hee is thus dignified by so great enemies both for learninge and pietie aboue all the Popes that euer were so learned knowne holy Saints and so vnwillinge to take that greatest honor and charge vpon him would or could contrary both to so great learning and pietie which could not consist with any the least error in Religion in essentiall things make any erroneous publick decree in such affaires For in so doinge hee should haue beene so farr from that eminent learninge and pietie and beinge a glorious Saint in heauen which both by protestants and Catholicks are generally held and written of him that quite contrary hee should haue beene an vnlearned wicked and damned man Which no tonge or mouth that hath learned to coÌ„fesse Christ dareth to affirme or vtter 2. But to giue all contentment I will examine all whatsoeuer in particular they say this so holy learned Pope added or altered in these misteries as they pretend This Protestant Bishop saith of him Bal. l. 2. supr in Gregor Mag. introitum in Missa ex aliquo psalmo cancre iussit Hee commaunded the introite in the Masse to bee sunge out of some psalme They haue told vs before of more auncient times wherein the introite was vsed before S. German Lupus Palladius Patricius were sent into these parts But if S. Gregory did any such thing seeing it was ex aliquo psalmo out of the holy scripture neither these men nor any which will not disallow of holy scripture may reprehend it And where this protestant accuser further saith Nonies in Missa Kyrie eleyson canere iussit S. Gregory commaunded that Lord haue mercy vpon vs should bee sunge 9. times in Masse Hee is deceued for that is songe but 6. times and Christ haue mercy vpon vs thrise And his frend Master Foxe Io. Foxe in Q. Mary pag. 1401. will tell him that this was the auncient custome of the Greeke church longe before froÌ„ which is was taken by S. Gregory only that S. Gregory added Christ haue mercy vpon vs. But howsoeuer is it not a moste holy and warranted custome so to pray our protestants theÌ„selues obserue it in their publick church seruice Com. booke tit Litan alibi and commonlie preferr them before
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
Meneuiensi and by an other protestant which faith he sate longe to witte 65. yeares Godwin Catal. in S. Dauids 1. S. Dauid hee liued within 16. yeares or nearer to S. Augustins arriuall in this kingedome an 596. for as I proued before his predecessor S. Dubritius was Archbishop there in the yeare 516. and after and died not vntill the yeare 522. though in his old age he had a little before resigned his charge to S. Dauid Godwin sup in S. Dauids in S. Dubritius Bal. cent 1. in eod Galfr. Mon. l. 11. hist. Britan. cap. 3. there is some question in histories whether as Giraldus Cambronsis and some others say Cenauc was immediate successor to S. Dauid or S. Theliaus Telianus Eliud all one man by others Girald Cambr. Itiner Cambr. l. 2. c. 1. Godw. M. S. Dauids antiquitat Eccles S. Dauidis apud Godwin Catal. Epis pag· 506. in S. Dauids but for this matter it mattereth nothing for this Cenauc was scholler and successor to S. Patern that great knowne massinge preist and Prelate companion to S. Dauid in his holy pilgrimage And so could not differ from these holy Saints in so great questions in Religion And for the other S. Telian or Eliud there is no doubt for hee was scholler to the renowned massinge Prelate S. Dubritius and by him so throughly instructed in diuinity that being indued with the holy Ghost hee could perfectly expound all difficulties of holy scriptures A sancto Dubritio Episcopo in scripturis sanctis eruditus fuit donec explicaret M. S. de vita S. Theliai Capgr· Catalog in eod and was so vndiuided a companion of S. Dauid his predecessor not onely vnder their Master Paulinus not vnprobably hee that liued to bee Archbishop of Yorke that great massing Prelate in S. Augustines time but in his pilgrimage to Hierusalem and so by Rome from which hee could not differ in Religion and so intrely and nearely conioyned in Religion and affection that as wee reade in his life they were both of one minde perfectly in all things Sanctum Dauid perfectae hominem vitae sibi associauit quos tanta coniunxit dilectio sancti spiritus gratia quod idem velle nolle ambobus esset Therefore hee could not possibly nor the Bishops and preists vnder him differ from S. Dauid in so great matters but were wholly of the same mind and practise with him in those thinges And the church of Rome in all Catalogues receueth and acknowledgeth him for an holy Saint which it neuer did will or can doe to any an enemie and apposite vnto it in those misteries And this sacrificinge massinge Prelate probably was Archbishop of Caerlegion amonge the Britans at the cominge of S. Augustine hither liuinge longe after that time and as a late writer holdeth Engl. Martyrolog die 25. Nouembr vntill the yeare of Christ 626. liuinge before diuers yeares amonge the massing preists and Bishops of Fraunce and not vnprobably was there when S. Augustine first landed here and neither present at or consenting vnto that opposition to S. Augustine 7. And concerninge the two other Archiepiscopall sees London and Yorke although there is little memory left of Ecclesiasticall affaires in them beeing both with their whole diocesses in those times moste greeuously afflicted and almoste wholly eaten and deuoured vpp by the Pagan persecutors in Religious things yet for these doctrines wee haue in hand there is sufficient testimonie left in antiquities that so longe as the state of Christian Religion had publick and open profession there was also there the like publicke vse and exercise of these points of Catholicke Religion And after the external face of Christianitie was ouerthrowne yet at the leaste in many places of those Prouinces a priuate vse and exercise was still coÌ„tinued of these articles euen to the coming of S. Augustine and after vntill the general conuersion of the Saxons themselues And for Yorke wee haue the knowne massing Prelate Pyramus chapeline to Kinge Arthur that great Patron of sacrificinge preists holy Masse which as his place required was deputed to say Masse and ordinarily so did before that Religious Kinge Galfrid Monum l. 9. histor Reg. Briton cap. 8. Matth. Westm an gratiae 522. and as Thadiocus succeeded him in place and dignitie so likewise hee was his successor in opinion and practise in those questions as will euidently appeare if wee onely consider that they were both ordeyned by the authoritie Legantine power either of S. Dubritius or S. Dauid those famous massinge preists Prelats primats and Saints But wee haue the generall warrants of the renowned S Gyldas Badonicus which now liued and vntill within 16. veares of S. Augustins cominge hither florishinge in the yeare of Christ 580. as a protestant Bishop and antiquary with others writeth Bal. l. de scriptor Britan. cent 1. in Gilda Badonico proueth that in this time all the preists of Britanie were sacrificantes sacrificinge massinge preists inter altaria at the holy altars the seates of the celestiall sacrifice sedes caelestis sacrifiâ—…ij and Probus that wrote the life of S. Patricke in this age testifyinge as much Gildas l. de excid conquest Britan. Probus in vita S. Patricij inter opera S. Bedae 8 And if we turne our eyes to looke into the further and more northien parts of the diocesse of this Archiepiscopall see in Golloway and Albania wee shall finde many particular testimonies of this veritie There wee shall finde S. Kentegern that most miraculous holy Saint so far a massing preist and Prelate and after the Roman order that hee had in his schole or monastery vnder him in the north of Britany besides 600. that were not learned 260 learned diuines trayned vp to pâ—…eacâ—… and offer the holy sacrifice of Masse M. S antiq de vit S. Kentegerni Io Capgrau Catal. in eod Io. Bal. l. script Britan. cent 1â—… in Kentern Godwin Catal. in Asaph Hector Boâ—… Scotor histor l. 9. and he had an other as great a schoole and companâ—…e of massinge men in Britany which he left to S. Asaph and sent of these into all parts both of this our Britanie and into other nations as Norwey and Island beeing warranted in all these things by the Popes of Rome where hee was seuen times on pilgrimage Romam septies adijt and in all things conformed himselfe to that holy Apostolicke church and at his death gaue strict ommaund to all vnder his charge to be in all thinges obedient to the church of Rome de Sanctorum Patrum decretis sanctaeque Romanâ—… Ecclesiae institutis firmiter custodiendis fortia dedit ac dereliquit praecepta And that hee liued either after or vnto the cominge of S. Augustine I will demonstrate herafter 9. And to come to London diocesse now afflicted with Pagan persecutors yet wee find Theonus a massinge preist and Prelate familiarly acquainted with S. Dauid that massing Archbishop hauing beene Bishop of Glocester before to haue beene Archbishop
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
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
with them sett downe in the 6. article of their Religion confirmed by parlaments and subscribed and sworne vnto by all protestant Bishops and ministers of England The wordes of this their sworne and subscribed vnto Religion in this point are these Articles of Engl. protest Religion ratified by the parlaments and canons of Q. Eliz. and King Iames articul 6. 10. Holy scripture conteyneth all thinges necessary for saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therin nor may bee proued thereby is not to bee required of any mā that it should bee beleeued as an article of the faith Therfore things so reade in scripture and therby proued must needes bee articles of faith otherwise Religion should bee without articles of faith which is vnpossible for by this protestant Religion there is no other meanes to make or proue them such Being thus directed by these protestants and by their direction I make this Argument and proofe from scriptures as they translate thē Euery high preist is ordeined to offer sacrifice for sinnes Hebr. 5.1.8.3 But Melchisedech was an high preist Therefore ordeyned to offer sacrifice for sinnes The first or maior proposition is the very wordes of S. Paule as our protestants translate him The minor or second proposition is theire translation of the Prophet Moises Melchisedech was the preist of the most high God Gen. 14.18 Where hee is called the preist by excellency and blessing Abraham and called by S Paule better or greater then Abraham Hebr. 7.6.7.9 Who also was a great preist and patriarke and as a superiour receauing tithes of him and so eminent and cheife that the order of which hee was is not onely called the order of Melchisedech but Christ himselfe often termed high preist after the order of Melchisedech and as our protestants also translate after the similitude of Melchisedech as both the Greeke and Latine texts also are Therefore Melchisedech of necessitie was an high preist Therefore againe the conclusion which in a true Argument and Sillogisme as this is cannot bee denied that Melchisedech offered sacrifice beeing therto ordeyned is most certaine and an article of faith by these protestants Religion before 11. And because by the rule of their Religion wee may not seeke but in scripture to knowe what sacrifice it was which hee offered it must needes bee that sacrifice of bread and wine which the scripture Rabbins Fathers and forreine protestants haue told vs of before for wee do not find any other sacrifice or matter like a sacrifice in scripture attributed to Melchisedech If any man shall say that S. Paule speaking of all high preists offering sacrifice meaneth sacrifice vnproperly as prayers and such deuotions I answere this is not onely vnproperly but by true consequence blasphemously spoken vtterly denyinge that either the preists of the Lawe of Nature or Moises or Christ did offer any sacrifice and so no sacrifice for sinne beeinge offered by Christ mans redemption was not wrought by Christ but man is vnredeemed and Christ was not the Sauiour of the world for in that place as S. Paul speaketh of euery high preist and preistly orders he also speaketh of the externall sacrifices of of them in their order and time And so doth the protestant publicke glosse vppon those wordes of S. Paule Euery high preist is ordeyned to offer sacrifice expound them in these termes Hee bringeth a reason why it must needes bee that Christ should haue a body that hee might haue what to offer for otherwise hee could not bee an highe preist Protest Annotat. in cap. 8. Hebr. v. 3 Therfore by these protestants S. Paul speaketh of an externall and properly named sacrifice and that therefore Melchisedech as well as other high preists did offer an external sacrifice otherwise by their owne reason the same which S. Paul alleageth hee could not bee an high preist as the holy scripture proueth hee was not offering any externall sacrifice which both by S. Paule so many testimonies before and the publicke and authoritatiue exposition of English Protestants is essentially and vnseparably belonging to al true preists preisthood 12. The Protestant Bishop D. Morton Appeale l. 3. c. 13. pag. 394. plainely graunteth that Melchisedech offered an externall sacrifice wherein there was really bread and wine Hee further proueth from the Rabbins and Bibliander supr cent 1. That at the cominge of the Messias all legall sacrifices should ceise and a sacrifice in bread and wine should onely stil continue And constantly auoucheth for the common doctrine of English Protestants in these wordes The protestants acknowledge in the Eucharist a sacrifice Euc◅aristicall Mort. sup l. 3. c. 13 The present protestant Archbishop of Canterbury director of Master Mason and hee directed by him directly graunt that the words of Christ concerning his body and blood to bee giuen argue a sacrifice to God Franc. Mason lib. 5. pag. 233. And cite and graunt further in this maner pag. 243. Christ hauinge offered himselfe for a soueraigne sacrifice vnto his Father ordeyned that wee should offer a remembrance thereof vnto God instead of a sacrifice An other saith Middle papistom pag. 92.113 The sacrifice of the Altare and vnbloodye sacrifice were vsed in the primatiue church and the auncient Fathers called the sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ a sacrifice And againe pag. 49.137.138.47.45 The primatiue church did offer sacrifice at the Altar for the dead Sacrifice for the dead was a tradition of the Apostles and the auncient Fathers And Isaac Casaubon the knowne french stipendary champion for the Protestants of England writeth thus of our Kinge in this matter Respons ad Card. Peron pag. 51. The Kinge is neither ignorant of nor denieth that the Fathers of the primatiue church did acknowledge one sacrifice in Christian Religion that succeeded in place of all the sacrifices in the lawe of Moses And least any man should doubt what sacrifice hee ment by so speaking hee telleth vs it is The body of Christ in the Eucharist as Catholicks hold and addeth there Haec est fides Regis haec est fides Ecclesiae Anglicanae This is the faiih of the Kinge this is the faith of the English church And writeth to Cardinall Perron in these wordes The Kinge said in the hearing of manic and wished him so to signifie to Cardinal Perron that hee agreed with the Cardinal in his opiniō de duplici sacrificio expiationis nempe commemorationis siue Religionis Concerning two kinds of sacrifice the one of expiation for the world the other commemoratiue or of Religion Which last Cardinall Perron with all Catholicks take to bee the sacrifice of Masse Therefore if the English Protestant church and his maiestie agree so far with Catholicks the attonement wil sooner bee made in this matter 13. Neither did Casaubon here assume for his maiestie and English Protestants any new thinge but the same which they had professed and graunted in their most solemne and publicke decrees and proceedings from the first beginning of
sacrificium gentium sicut dicit per os Malachiae ô my Master I feare that God hath cast vs away froÌ„ him and our sacrifice also and hath accepted the sacrifice of the gentiles as hee speaketh by the mouth of Malachy And immediatlie citing the wordes of that Prophet as before concludeth thus for the sacrifice of Masse vsed by Christians sacrificium gentium est mundus quam sacrificium nostrum The sacrifice of the gentils so he called Christians conuerted of the gentiles is more pure then our sacrifice 9. Thus commonly also the holy Christian Fathers among whom S. Augustine citinge that prophesie of Malachie thus speaketh to the Iewes Augustin orat contra Iudaeos cap. 9. Quid ad haec respondetis aperite oculos tandem aliquando videte ab oriente sole vsque ad occidentem non in vno sicut vobis fuerat constitutum sed in omni loco sacrificium Christianorum offerri non cuilibet Deo sed ei qui ista praedixit Deo Israel What do you answere to these things open your eyes sometime at the laste and see that the sacrifice of Christians is offered from East to West not in one place as it was appointed vnto you but in euery place not to euery one that is called God but to him the God of Israel that foretold thâ—…se thinges Therefore seeing the word of God proposed by his holy Prophet cannot bee vntrue but must needs be verified in some sacrifice offered thus vnto him by some professors of Religion and all others besides Christians are thus clearely excluded and Christians haue only one externall sacrifice of the Masse conteining the oblation of Christs most blessed body blood the onely most pure sacrifice and acceptable vnto God and offered in euery place in the whole world it must needs bee this pure and generall sacrifice 10. To which our protestants themselues to make all sure do thus giue testimonie First his Maiestie as Casaubon hath published by warraÌ„t Casaub Resp ad Card. Per. pag. 51.52 neither is the Kinge Ignorant nor denieth that the Fathers of the primatiue church did acknowledge one sacrifice in Christian Religion that succeeded in the place of the sacrifice of Moises lawe And both from our Kinge and D. Andrewes the Protestant Bishop now of Winchester affirmeth of this sacrifice pag. 50.51 sup It is Christs body the same obiect and thinge which the Roman church beleeueth An other diuidinge Christians into the Latine and Greeke church as the common diuision is and telling vs as all acknowledge that in all contries of the Latine church remayning still in obedience to the see of Rome the sacrifice of the Masse is publickly in all places offered and in the contries that haue reuolted lately from it the same sacrifice is priuatly with many still celebrated thus hee writeth of the Greeke church Edwine Sands relation of Religion cap. 53. or 54. with Rome they concur in the opinion of transsubstantiation and generally in the seruice and whole body of the Masse in praying to Saints in auricular confession in offeringe of sacrifice and prayer for the dead They hold purgatory also and worshipping of pictures Their Liturgies bee the same that in the old time namlie S. Basils S. Chrisostoms and S. Gregories that which the Roman church now vseth translated without any bendinge them to that chaunge of language which theire tongue hath suffered 11. Chytraeus a German protestant writinge de statu Ecclesiae of the state of the church pag. 7.8.11.13.15.18.20.21 saith Among all the nations of Greece Asia Africa Ethiopia Armenia c. all places are full of Masses the sacrifice of the Masse is offered for the liuing and the dead The Georgians inhabiting old Iberia and Albania The Syrians name S. Basile author of their Masse The Armenians inhabitinge most large spaces of the earth from the bounds of Cappadocia and Cilicia vnto Iberta the Caspian sea Media and Assiria are moste like the papists in Religion and ceremonies in their Masse they remember inuocation and intercession of Saints offering vp of the Sacrament Also euery where in Persia and all the east the Christians doe the same The Maronites at mount Libanus are conformable to the Latine church in all thinges The Iacob is in Asia and Africke are more by much propagated and haue their Masses 12. Our English Protestant translator of the author of the booke of the estates Empires principalities of the world Edw. Grymston pref to the Reader although as he confesseth he altereth and addeth at his pleasure cannot finde out any one prouince or contry of note in al the whole world where hee dareth to affirme and can proue that this holy sacrifice of Masse is not there offered vnto God The same proueth pag. 102. to pag. 283. in the estate of the K. of Spaine that the Kinge Catholicke of Spaine by land and Sea in all parts of the worlde Europe Asia Africke and America is the greatest Emperour and Kinge that now presently is or euer heretofore hath beene in the world possessinge more territories and dominions then all Turkes Tartars Pagans and enemies of Christianitie that be and yet in all these dominions this most holy sacrifice of Masse is publickly offered and celebrated with great honor and glorie So that if it were receued no where els but in his territories the prophesy of Malachias is fulfilled in his dominions as well appeareth by this and all Cosmographers of these dayes that truely sett downe the estates of great Princes There is no maine part ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum from the risinge of the sunne vnto the setting thereof nor from the settinge to the rising againe but he hath some dominion there as a late verse is of the Enfante Mary of Spaine her Father and her brother is in the same condition Vnto her greatnes witnes giues the sunne tasked no houre to shine at any hand As he his course about the globe doth runne but on some part of her late Fathers land An homage which hee neuer did before to any Prince nor like to doe no more 13. And yet besides these so many and vaste countries our protestants haue told vs before that all the other three parts of the world Asia Africke and Europe are full of Masses and sacrificinge Christian preists Which this protestant also confirmeth Grymston supr in these kingdoms pag. 700. c. teaching that not only in the territories but in Tartaria China Iapan Peru Magor Calicut Narsing Persia all the Turks estates in Europe Africk and Asia Monomotapa Congo Moraco and from the rising to the setting of the sunne the prophesie of Malachie is iustified and performed for in all these places Mincha tehora thusia Cathara the pure sacrifice hee speaketh of the holy sacrifice of Masse is offered to the name of God and his name is great among the Gentiles 14. This is the state of thinges at this time Thus it was from the first planting of christianity in the whole
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
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
natal l. 5. Antonin part 1. Volater l. 7. Guliel Eisengr cent 1. fol. 148. pag. 2. This for Aqueus where he was Bishop For S. Lazarus his beeing a massinge preist and his saying of Masse at Marssiles in Fraunce where hee was Bishop the holie vestiments in which hee said Masse beeing to this day preserued and to be seene in the cathedrall church there ar sufficient witnes In Cathedrali Ecclesia vestes in quibus Missam celebrabat adhuc hodie conscruantur monstrantur Demochar l. 2. contr Caluin c. 32. Petr. de natal l. 1. c. 72. Antonin part 1. tit 6. cap. 19. Guliel Eiseng centen 1. fol. 149. 16. How famous S. Martial disciple of S. Peter and sent into Fraunce by him was in many parts of that nation so wel known to our British Druides in those dayes it is not vnknowne to any antiquarie of these contries And as little ignorance can any man pretend that hee was a massinge sacrificinge preist for so renowned hee was for this that the infidels themselues then knew it amonge whome the cheife idolatrous preist or Druid of Limogen as the french Annales tel vs forsooke the towne by reason of an Hebrue called Martiall who being come into Gaule vseth not wine nor flesh but when he offereth sacrifice to God si non que au sacrifice de Dieu Who buildinge a chappel there celebrated Masse in it Celebré le Sainct sacrifice de la Messe S. Aurelian in vet S. Martialis Doctor Puel D. Tigeon Cl. March Ro. Seigneur de Faux Augenin histor Gallic in S. Martial Vincent in specul hist cap. 41. Io. Gualt Chronolog ecclesiasticopol an Do. 56. And in that citie still remayneth the holy altar on which hee vsed to say Masse whereof hee himselfe maketh mention in his epistle ad Burde galenses for that cause so honored that it is by publick edict of parlament examining and approuing the truth of that history from auncient time decreed that seuen candels should continually bee kept burninge before it the body of that their Apostle beeing buried neare vnto it Florimund Remund de Origen haeres l. 8. cap. 12. edict inter log parlam Galliae de hac re Annon videtis S. Martialem ad Burdegalenses nostros scripsisse se aram Deo Israelis martyri ipsius Stephano dedicasse ea ara in ciuitate Lemogicum vbi Apostolus ipse Aquitaniae quiescit conspicitur aedificata à Principe Stephano quem ad Christianismum ipse conuerteret ante eam noctes diesque ardent septem candelae iuxta antiquam istam fundationem in parlamento nostro disceptatam confirmatam 17. And this holy Saint and Apostle of Aquitaine himselfe teacheth what great honor and reuerence is due to Christian sacrificing preists and what an excellent sacrifice they offer of Christs sacred body blood in holy Masse thus he writeth to his late conuerted Christians S. Martial Episc ad Burdegales cap. 3. honorabatis Sacerdotes qui decipiebant vos sacrificijs suis qui mutis surdis statuis offerebant qui nec se nec vos iuuare poterant nunc autem multò magis Sacerdotes Die omnipotentis qui vitam vobis tribuunt in calice pane vino honorare debetis Before you were conuerted to Christ you did honour your preists which deceaued you with their sacrifices which did sacrifice to dumbe and deafe statues who could neither helpe themselues nor you But now much more you ought to honour the preists of God almighty which giue vnto you life in the chalice and liuelie breade And a little after speaking more plainely of this holy sacrifice offered vnto God vppon the altar hee saith Sacrificium Deo Creatori offertur in ara Christi corpus singuinem in vitam aeternam offerrimus Quod Iudaei per inuidiam immolauerunt putantes so nomen cius à terra abolere nos causa salutis nostrae in ara sanctificata proponimus scientes hoc solo remedio nobis vitam praestandam mortem effugandam hoc enim Dominus noster misit nos agere in sui commemorationem Sacrifice is offered to God our Creator vppon the altar We offer the body and blood of Christ for euerlasting life That which the Iewes did offer through enuy thinking to abolish his name from the earth wee offer this vppon an hallowed altare knowinge that by this onely remedy life is to be giuen vnto vs and death to bee auoided For this our Lord Iesus commaunded vs to doe in his commemoration 18. Thus this holy Saint that stilleth himselfe The Apostle of Iesus Christ who as hee saith was present with Christ in his life when hee was buried and see him after his resurrection Martial epist. ad Burdegal epestol ad Tholosanos was one of his 72. disciples was by speciall commaund of Christ vnto S. Peter whose disciple hee after was sent by him to bee the happy Apostle of that contrie And I haue rather amonge many others in the like condition cited this history of S. Martial because morally to speake the best learned Druids others of this our Britanie where the cheifest and commaunders in that sect remayned could not bee ignorant of these thinges for both S. Aurelianus successor immediate to S. Martial at Limogen and S. Martial also himselfe are most worthy witnesses that Sigebertus the summus Sacerdos high preist Arch-flamen and cheifest of the Druids sect in those partes was by S. Martial conuerted to this his holy sacrificinge and massing Christian Religion S. Aurelian in vit S. Martial Martial epistol ad Burdegal cap 3. And S. Aurelianus doth make this his holy conuersion so famous that it could not be concealed from the rulers of the Druids Religion in Britanie whom it so much concerned Aurelian supr annotat in S. Martial for presently after Benedicta wife of the Prince of that Prouince was conuerted by S. Martial this high preiste of the Druids Sigebert being also conuerted did breake in peeces all their Idols destroyed their Temples except the Temple dedicated to the vnknowne God and shiuered the altars of the diuils into dust Ipsemet Sigebertus Pontifex Idola omnia confregit minutim Templa euertit excepto Templo ignoti Dei altaria daemonum in puluerem Which S. Martial himselfe doth sufficiently insinuate when hee saith dum altaria daemonum in puluerem redigerentur aram ignoti Dei ad consecrationem reseruari iussimus Quia dedicata in nomine Dei Israel testis ipsius Stephani qui pro eo à Iudaeis passus est S. Martial sup cap. 3 when the altars of the deuils were beaten into dust wee commaunded the altare of the vnknowne God to bee reserued for consecration Which was dedicated in the name of the God of Israel and Martir Stephen who suffered for him by the Iewes 19. And if wee come to the nearer parts of Fraunce Paris Rouen Britany Normandy Picardy and all the sea coaste we shall euidently see that no other doctrine or
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
Ruffinus who as before was a patron and practiser of Masse and so teacheth it to haue beene the vniuersall doctrine and practise of the church of God witnesseth that whatsoeuer was corrupted in S. Clements works hee himselfe beeing Apostolicus vir immo pene Apostolus an Apostolick man and almost an Apostle Were such things as the ecclesiasticall rule doth not receaue quae ecclesiastica regula omnino non recipit Ruffin Apolog. supr therefore the holy sacrifice of Masse and massinge preisthood beeing so authentically allowed by the ecclesiastical rule both then before and after could be none of those things which were corrupted or inserted into S. Clements works 9. And to make this matter more sure wee haue many and renowned Authors of that and following times saying clearely that S. Clement did compose and publish to the world a forme of Masse which continued in succeedinge ages and such without any materiall chaunge or difference as the whole church of Christ now vseth Amonge these is S. Proclus Patriarch of Constantinople successor to S. Chrisostom that great massing prelate who in his book of the sacred Masse de traditione diuinae Liturgiae writeth in this maner Proclus Patriarch Constantinopol tract de traditione diuinae Liturgiae multi diuini Pastores qui Apostolis successerunt ac Ecclesiae Doctores sacrorum diuinae Liturgiae mysteriorum rationem explicantes scriptis mandatam Ecclesiae tradiderunt in quibus primi clarissimi sunt S. Clemens summi illius Apostolorum discipulus successor qui sacrosancta illa mysteria à Sanctis Apostolis sibi reuelata in lucem edidit Many diuine Pastors which succeeded the Apostles and Doctors of the church expoundinge the order of the holy misteries of the diuine Liturgie Masse committed it to writing and deliuered it to the church among whome the principall and most renowned were S. Clement the disciple and successor of that cheifest of the Apostles which did publish to light those holy misteries reuealed vnto him by the Apostles Where wee see that S. Clement did not onely write the order of Masse but is recompted in the first place as one of the cheifest that performed this holie worke 10. The others which he there nameth ar S. Iames the Apostle first Bishop of Hierusalem S. Basile the great and S. Iohn Chrisostome this mans spirituall Father Pater noster Ioannes cui aure a lingua cognomen dedit Who as hee saith did shorten the Apostles Masse takinge some things from it because for the length it did not so well please some men declined from that great zeale of the Apostles and their time for as he writeth in the same place the holy Apostles were exceedingly deuoted to this most holy sacrifice as a thinge most necessary and principall in their function postquam Seruator noster in caelum assumptus est Apostoli priusquam per omnem terram dispergerentur conspirantibus animis cum multam consolationem in mystico illo Dominici corporis sacrificio positam inuenissent fusissmè longa oratione Liturgiam decantabant Haec enim diuina sacra vna cum dicendi ratione coniuncta caeteris rebus anteponenda censebant atque maiori alacriori rerum diuinarum sacrificij sacrosancti studio desiderio flagrabant illud obnixe amplectebantur After our Sauiour was assumpted vnto heauen the Apostles before they were dispersed through all the earth assemblinge together with agreeinge mindes applied themselues to pray all the day and when they had found much consolation placed in that mysticall sacrifice of our Lords body they did singe Liturgie Masse most largely with longe prayer For they did thinke these diuine sacrifices ioyned with preachinge to bee preferred before all other thinges and were incensed with a greater and more chearfull affection and desire of diuine things and the holy sacrifice and did embrace it with all their power Hitherto this auncient Saint and Patriarch 11. Of Ruffinus I haue spoken before onely I add here that he beeing commonlie takē to be the interpreter of many these works of S. Clement where the holy sacrifice of Masse and massinge preisthood ar so euidently approued and acknowledging S. Clements works had bene in some things corrupted euer taketh these for the true writings and doctrine of S. Clement and far from being corruptions or insertions by others The holy learned and auncient Bishop Nicholaus Methonensis Episc l. de vero Christi corpore in Eucharistia hauinge shewed how S. Iames said Masse at Hierusalem S. Peter and S. Paule at Antioch S. Marke at Alexandria S. Iohn and S Andrew in Asia and Europe concludeth with an eminency for S. Clements Masse Omnesque vniuersae Ecclesiae vbicumque sint per eam quam Sanctus Clemens conscripsit Liturgiā tradiderunt And all the Bishops haue deliuered to the whole church whersoeuer dispersed the Liturgie or Masse accordinge to that order which S. Clement wrote And to put vs out of al doubt hee meaneth this of the holy sacrifice of Christs body and blood in the Masse that that his booke is instituted de vero Christi corpore in Eucharistia of the true body of Christ in the Eucharist Marcus Ephesius and Bessarion write the very same of S. Clements Masse citinge diuers testimonies from thence for the reall presence of Christ in that most holy sacrifice and diuers others deliuer the like Marcus Ephes l. de corpore sanguine Christi Bessarion l. de Sacramento Eucharist M. S. Gallic antiq pr. or que nous sommes an Dom. 81. in S. Clement 12. Whereby is euidently proued that S. Clement did not only write a forme of the Masse practise as a sacrificing preist that holy sacrifice but this was so renowned that it was published by the Bishops receaued in all churches And amonge these in this our Britanie except the Brittish ātiquities themselues written before the vnion of the Christian Britans with the disciples of S. Gregory and the conuerted Saxons in this contrie do deceaue vs which our English Protestāts generally extolling the credit of those monuments and the Christian Britans Religion may not affirme This antiquitie so auncient as I haue related and purposely entreatinge of the first order of saying Masse especially in Fraunce and this kingdome of Britanie comprehending England and Scotland is in that respect though with a later hand writinge thus intituled prima institutio varietas ecclesiastici seruity praecipue in Britannia Gallia The first institution and varietie of the ecclesiasticall seruice especially in Britanie Fraunce And it termeth it cursum the course or order of the publick Liturgie or Masse thereby expressed Bed in Martyrolog 4. cal Ianuar. Beatus Trophinus Episcopus Arelatensis Sanctus Phetinus Martyr Episcopus Lugdunensis discipulus Sancti Petri Apostoli cursum Romanum in Gallijs tradiderunt Inde postea relatione beati Photini Martyris cum quadraginta octo Martyribus retrusi in ergastalum ad beatum Clementem quartum loci successorem beati Petri
Dei genitricis auxilio in necessitatibus suis refocillobantur The twelue holy men spoken of before S. Ioseph and his companions yeeldinge deuout seruices to God and the blessed Virgin attendinge to watchings fastings and prayers were in their necessities releiued by the helpe of the same Virgin Mother of God Antiquitat Glast apud Capgrau in Catalog in S. Ioseph ab Aramath S. Patricio antiq M. S. tabulis affixae in ead Eccles Glaston and others So that whomsoeuer S. Peter S. Paul S. Ioseph or any other man will truly and seriouslie allowe or in his owne singular conceipt or phantasie imagin to haue beene the first preacher teacher of the Christian faith and Religion in Britanie or what or whose order and forme of Masse and Liturgie they will say was then here vsed and practised they must needs by all authorities warranted iudgements acknowledge that the holy preists here in that time were sacrificinge massinge preists their externall Liturgie and sacrifice the sacrifice of Masse wherein Christs holy body and blood were consecrated and offered both for the liuinge and faithfull departed the Saints were remembred and prayed vnto and no materiall difference betweene that and the present Masse of either the Greeke or Latine church And so I end this first age and hundred yeares of Christ THE SECOND AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XV. CHAPTER Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other antiquaries that sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops and sacrifice of Masse continued and were honored in this kingdome of Britanie from the beginninge of this hundred yeares vntill Kinge Lucius time when it was wholly conuerted to that faith WE are now come to the beginninge of the second age or century of yeares of Christ when by all accompts in historie Kinge Coillus that was bred vp at Rome was Kinge in Britanie and S. Anacletus Pope of Rome When many of our before remembred massinge and sacrificinge Brittish preists as namely S. Mansuetus S. Beatus his holy companion before by some named Achates and S. Timotheus were liuinge And though I doe not find any particularly named whome S. Anacletus sent hither of the holy preistly massinge order yet to followe euen the opinion and direction of English Protestant antiquaries in this busines wee must needs graunt that hee had a care of this contry as wel as others in this kind for they testifie of this Pope Ab â—…pso Domino primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersumque Christiani nomine populum concessum esse asseruit Robert Barns l. de vit Pontific Roman in Anaclet Ormerod pict Pap. pag. 78. Pope Anacletus affirmed that supremacy was graunted from our Lord himselfe to the church of Rome ouer all churches and all Christian people Because saith hee Christ said to S. Peter who liued and died at Rome thou art Peter or a rocke and vppon this rocke I will builde my church Quia inquit Petro agenti morienti Romae dixit tu es Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam By which reason amonge others diuers other learned English Protestant writers with publicke priuilege and allowance doe proue vnto vs first confessinge with this holy Pope that Christ made S. Peter the supreame and cheife gouernour of his church secondly that this supreamacy was necessary and to continue foreuer in his church and thirdly because S. Peter dyinge Bishop of Rome and at Rome and there onely possibly to haue his laste and immediate successor and so constituted by himselfe as is euident in S. Clement before it euidently followeth by the reason of this holy Pope and protestants that euen by Christ himselfe this supreamacy ouer all churches and Christians was graunted to the church of Rome Whereuppon these protestants testifie in his life that hee ordeyned diuers lawes bindinge the whole church and still obserued Rob. Barnes in Anacleto 2. And if we may beleeue the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury and in the whole world also Matthew Parker hee telleth vs how in particular his iurisdiction extended into this kingdome of Britanie and that the diuision and constitution of Archbishops sees with vs was by Pope Anacletus his ordination Ex Anacle to huius insulae diuisionem Matth. Parker antiquitat Brit. pag 24. And that he was a sacrificinge massinge preist it must needs be graunted both by his owne and our protestant testimonies also of him for hee himselfe is witnesse that hee was made preist by the great sacrificinge and massinge Apostle S. Peter à Sancto Petro Apostolorum Principe presbyter ordinatus Anacletus epist 3. To. 1. concil and our protestants do plainely confesse of this holie Pope Sacerdotem sacrificaturum ministros vestibus sacris indutos seu testes custodes sibi adhibere ordinauit Episcopos vero plures ministros sibi in sacris faciendis adiungat quod Sacerdote maior ac dignior sit Robert Barnes l. de vit Pontif Roman in Anacleto Pope Anacletus ordeined that when a preist was to offer sacrifice hee should take vnto him as witnesses and keepers ministers in holy vestiments And that a Bishop should ioyne vnto him more ministers when he said Masse And that hee is greater and more worthie then a preist The authoritie from whence they cite this is much more plaine where the very order wee still vse in solemne Masses is expressed But the protestant words manifestly proue that the sacrifice of Masse and sacrificinge vestures were vsed froÌ„ the daies of the Apostles Therfore this holy Pope exercising supreamacy and enactinge lawes for the whole church in Britanie or wheresoeuer as these protestaÌ„ts there doe testifie it must needs bee confessed that the preists which in his time either for Britanie or any other nation were consecrated immediatlie by himselfe or mediatly by his authority were as himselfe was sacrificinge massinge preistes and the deacons also for which hee made decrees by the testimony of these men Robert Barnes Sup. in Anaclet Matth. Parker antiquitat Britan. pag. 24. were also as they teach such as serued at the altare and sacrifice of Masse as Master Foxe speakinge of the very deacons ordeined by Pope Anacletus proueth in these termes therefore serued the office of the deacons as wee reade to lay the offerings of the people vppon the altare to bee hallowed and when the misteries be consecrated to distribute the cupp of the sacred blood of the Lord to the faithfull people Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary Ambros l. de omnib diuin offic 3. And much part of the aboade and residency of this holy Pope as also of his predecessors and successors as appeareth before and will bee more manifest hereafter was in that knowne massinge and sacrificinge house of our noble contriwoman S. Claudia or her children And the order of Masse which hee vsed was the same which was practised by S. Peter the Apostle and by him deliuered to the church as these protestants haue before
with other Authors confessed Matth. Parker antiquitat Brit. pag. 47. cap. 17. and such was the condition of his next successor S. Euaristus vsing the same order of saying Masse with S. Peter and both claiminge and exercisinge supreamacie ouer all churches as these protestants assure vs. Parker supr Barn in vit Pontif. in Euaristo Io. Funoc commentar l. 5. an 105. Ed. Grimston and Nennius the auncient Brittish writer who as these protestants say wrote a thousand yeares since doth expressely affirme in his Manuscript history that hee delt with the Kinge himselfe of this our Britanie about the conuersion thereof probably before Kinge Lucius was borne Missa legatione à Papa Romano Euaristo And many were conuerted by this hâ—…s meanes booke of estates pag. 435. Bal. l. de scriptor cent 1. in Nennio Banchor Nennius histor M.S. therefore this Pope being knowne to bee a massinge Pope the preists which were by NeÌ„nius seÌ„t hither by him must needs bee massing preists as all others here at and before that mission were 4. Next is Pope Alexander a man by our protestants allowance studio euangelizandi miraculis celebris interfectus martyr obijt renowned for his zeale in preachinge the ghospell and miracle and dyinge a martyr Whitguist answ to the admonit pag. 97.98 Rob. Barnes l. de vit Pontific Rom. in Alexandro 1. Bal. act Rom. Pontific in eodem this Pope as Albertus Krantzius writeth sent preachers and preists into this our Britanie Albert. Krantz Metropol l. 1. cap. 6. therefore to know of our protestaÌ„ts whether they were massing preistes we must enquire and learne of them what he was in this respect that sent them because hee would not not could send others then hee himselfe was for such a busines That hee was a sacrificinge massinge preist and Pope these protestants thus assure vs by the lawes and decrees which as they thus testifie hee made and published for the church Robert Barn in vit Pont. in Aleaandro 1. Io. Funccius l. 5. commentar in Alexand. 1. an 111. In Eucharistiae sacrificio aquam vino admisceri voluit Ad Eucharistiae oblationem azimum panem non fermentatum sumendum esse praecepit Vno die vnam tantum Missam à singulis sacrificijs fieri debere decreto sanciuit Peccata sacrificio de Eucharistia loquens deleri ait Ideo passionem in Missa recitandam instituit Rationem effectus huius sacrificij hoc est quod peccata expiet adiecit dicens Quia corpore sanguine Christi in sacrificijs nihil maius est Hee tooke order that in the sacrifice of Eucharist water shoulde bee mingled with wine He commaunded that vnleuened and not leuened breade should bee vsed for the sacrifice of the Eucharist Hee made a decree that no sacrificing preist should say more then one Masse in one day Speakinge of the Eucharist he saith that sinnes ar blotted out with sacrifice therefore hee ordeyned that the passion should bee recited at Masse He added the reason of this effecte of this sacrifice to purge sinnes sayinge because in sacrifice nothinge is greater then the body and blood of Christ 5 These protestants add further of this massinge Pope in this busines Rob. Barns supr in Alex. 1. In Massa pridiè quam pateretur vsque ad haec verba Hoc est corpus meum addidit ad memoriam passionis Christi inâ—…ulâ—…andam He added in the Masse the day before hee suffered vnto these words this is my body to impresse in our memories the passion of Christ Where we see it euidently confessed by these protestants themselues that this primatiue holy Pope Alexander that liued to speake in a Protestant Archbishops words anno 111. in the yeare of Christ one hundred and eleuen and was a godly Bishop Ioh. Whitguift answ to the admonit sect 1.2 pag 97.98 and dif of the answ pag. 594. and by the German historian before sent preists into this kingdome was as farr engaged in the misteries of holie Masse as any Roman massinge preist is at this present acknowledging it to be the greatest of al sacrifices the body and blood of Christ a sacrifice expiatinge and propitiatory for sinnes And what matter was to bee vsed and consecrated and how preists were to behaue themselues in this most holie sacrifice And it appeareth euen by these mens testimonies that the preists of that time are so far from not sayinge Masse that they did not onely daily offer this most holie sacrifice of Christs body and blood for sinnes but they said Masse more often then once a day diuers Masses in one day vntill it was forbidden as before by this holy Pope That one preist should say but one Masse a day Vno die vnam tantam Missam à singulis sacrificijs fieri debere decreto sanciuit 6. This Pope was as all Christians then far from beinge a parlamentary protestant of England to punish sayinge or hearinge of Masse daily with a yearely penaltie of foure and twenty thousands three hundreds twenty pounds twenty markes an huÌ„dred markes for euery Masse or make holy sacrificing massinge preists to be traitors and their entertayners fellons when by these protestants Rob. Barnes sup in Alexandro 1. this holy Pope excommunicated those that resisted the Popes Legats and forbad preists and cleargie men to bee conuented before a lay tribunall Legatis Apostolicis obsistentes decreto excommunicauit Clericum ad plebeium tribunal pertrahâ—…re prohibuit And yet hee was so holy and renowned a man as besides that which protestaÌ„ts haue testified of him before an other writeth Edw. Grimston in the estate of the church of Rome pag. 435. in Alex. 1. Alexander a Roman a man of so holy a life as many Roman Senators receaued the Christian Religion by reason of his great pietie So wee may be assured that all ChristiaÌ„s theÌ„ were of his opinioÌ„ in these things as they before him were for none of these things which these protestaÌ„ts here say hee decreed were new or inuented or added by him but confirmed in their first institution and integritie as I haue proued from these protestants and others before that the mixture of water with wine was an apostolicall tradition Couel against Burg. pag. 122. which S. Alexander himselfe confirmeth when hee saith of it Cyprian epistol 63. Alexand. 1. epistol 1. a patribus accepimus ipsa ratio docet We haue so receaued it from our predecessors and reason it selfe so teacheth and therefore commaundeth vt pauis tantum vinum aqua permixtum in sacrificio offerantur that onely breade and wine mixed with water bee offered in the sacrifice and S. Cyprian plainely saith it was Dominica traditio a tradition of Christ himselfe by his owne order and example And hee with others so expoundeth Salomon in the Prouerbs to prophesie therof as I haue declared at large before Prouerb c. 9. Ciprian epist 63. ad Cecilium 7. The eminency of this sacrifice aboue all others how it conteyneth the body and blood of Christ and is
a refuge and receptacle of them that were in those times persecuted for Christian Religion Matthew of West Anno gratiae 115. Ioh. Bal. l. de script in Matth. Westm Rob. Bar. sup in Higinio Matth. Westm. an 150. Matth. Westm. an gratiae 124. 15. And to omit forreine examples beyonde number in this case when the Saxons of this nation were conuerted by the disciples of Gregory though S. Augustine was a very miraculous man and his companions many and holy learned men and industrious in that sacred worke found many worthie and renowned Bishops here with their cleargies that assisted them with al their power in the conuersion of this nation as those glorious Bishops S. Molocus that ioyned with S. Bonifacius sent from Italy with many good mē cum piorum caetu S. Iue S. Kentegern S. Asaph S. Lethardus stiled the precursor and vvay maker to S. Augustine praecursor ianitor venturi Augustini with others and had all the furtherance the holy Queene S. Bertha and her husband Kinge Ethelbert the most potent in this Iland reigninge from the vttermost coasts of kent vnto Humber and by the vertues of S. Bertha and S. Lethardus by many arguments a Christian in iudgement and affection before S. Augustines cominge hither Hect. Boeth hist l. 9. fol. 178. Holish hist of Engl. l. 5. c. 29. pag. 112. Capgrau in S. Iuone M. S. in vit eius in S. Asaph Kentegern Godvvin Catal. Bal. centur 1. de script Capgrau in S. Lethard Matth. Parker antiq in S. Augustin Stowe histor in Kinge Ethelb Holinsh. histor of Engl. Theater of great Brit. in K. Ethelbert Bed l. 1. histor l 2. 16. Yett S. Augustine and fine other Archbishops of Canterbury after him S. Laurence S. Mellitus S Iustus S. Honorius and S. Adeodatus were deade and aboue foure score yeares passed after the cominge of S. Augustine into England before this kingdome wholly submitted it self to the true discipline of holy church in the time and by the labours of that our moste learned Archbishop S. Theodor. Godvvin Catal. in Theodor. Matth. Parker in eodem Capgrau M. S. in vit S. Theodori Therfore seeing wee haue so ample warrant in antiquities as the olde chronicle of Landaffe ascribed to S. Telian S. Bede the old English Chronicle named Beatus Cocelin and others that the faith of Christ was preached in Britanie in the time of Kinge Lucius in the 156. yeare of Christ and very many conuerted by preists sent from the Pope of Rome which was not aboue three yeares after the death of this Pope S. Higinius in the papacy of Pope Pius the first we may not with iudgement thinke but these preists or diuers of them that had wonne so many to Christ in that time were sent in the dayes of this massing Pope S. Higinius and his sacrificinge predecessors which besides that is already said in this matter will more appeare in the next Pope S. Pius the first Chronicon Landaf apud Io. Caium l. 1. antiq Cantabrig pag. 107. Beda l. 1. histor cap. 4. Chronicle Brutus an 156. Gocelin in vita S. Augustini cap. 31. Stovve histor in Kinge Lucius Io. Caius supr 17. This holy Pope by all accompts gouerned the church of Christ at Rome whē by so many auncient authorities the preists sent from thence had so increased and propagated the Christian faith in this kingedome who the better to bee mindefull of this nation as his predecessors by that amonge other motiues were liued and conuersed moste and more then with any of any other contrie or nation with our Christian Britans that were then at Rome in so much that we haue allowance both from Catholicks Protestants that a great part of their cheife residency was in the house of S. Claudia our noble Christian contriwoman and with such freedome and libertie to commaund therein that diuers protestants besides all Catholicke antiquities assure vs this holy Pope by the graunt donation of her holy children did cōsecrate it for the first Christian church in Rome Robert Barnes in vita Pontif. Rom. in Pio 1. Thermas nonati templo dedicauit Pope Pius the first dedicated the house of Nouatus sonne of S. Claudia for a church An other thus writeth of him in this matter Hee consecrated the first temple of Rome vvhich vvas dedicated to 5. Pudentiana the Temples of Christians hauing bene in former times in hidden and obscure caues Edvv. Grimston booke of est in the church of Rome pag. 436. the Catholicke antiquities that testifie this are to many too be cited Act. vit S. Pudentianae Breu. Rom. die 19. Maij. Martyrol Rom. 19. Maij. Baron annot in eod Rom. Martyrol die 20. Iunij but they all agree that the Popes of Rome were ordinarily intertayned in this house of our Christian Britans and especiallie this holy Pope Pius said Masse there and vvas there releiued by S. Pudentiana daughter to our Brittish Ladie Claudia and the Christians came thither vsually to heare Masse vvhen Antoninus the Emperor had forbidden Christians to haue Masse publickly Quòd ab Antonino Imperatore sancitum erat ne Christiani publicè sacrificia facerent Pius Pontifex in adibus Pudentianae cum Christianis sacra celebrabat 18. And to manifest farther vnto vs what a massinge Pope this S. Pius was and how in all probable iudgement that holy doctrine amonge others was propagated here in Britanie these antiquities tell vs there was in that Brittish house ninty sixe Christian men nonagiata sex homines Christiani Pius Pap. 1. epist and the like hee writeth of the house of Euprepia where hee also liued and said Masse vbi nunc cum pauperibus commorantes Miss is agimus And hee was so zelous herein and to haue Masse said with all attention deuotion that he decreed as these protestants testifie to write in their owne words Sacerdotibus negligentius Missae sacra facientibus paenas statuit Robert Barnes in vit Pontific Rom. in Pio 1. Grimston in Pius 1. Io. Func commentar in Chronolog l. 5. in Pio 1. an 145. He ordeyned punishments for preists that said Masse negligently That if any by imprudency shoulde shedd any of the blood of Christ vppon the ground hee shoulde doe penance fourtie dayes If vppon the altare 3. dayes That if vpon the linen cloath vnder the chalice 4. dayes If vpon the other linen cloathe 9. dayes That hee should lick vp the blood of Christ that was shedd or if that could not be either pare it or washe it away and so pared or washed either to bee burnt or kept reserued in the sacrarie Vt si quis per imprudentiam de sanguine Christi effunderet in terram paenitentiam ageret dies 40. Si super altare dies 3. Si super linteum substratum calici 4. dies Si super aliud linteum dies 9. Sanguinem Christi effusum lambere vel si id fieri non possit aut radere aut eluere rasum aut lotum
vel comburi vel in sacrarium repositum seruari 19. Therefore this Pope beeinge in all mens iudgements Catholicks and Protestants Ioh. Bal. l. 1. act Pontif. Rom. in Pio 1. an holy Saint and martyr and to vse a Protestant Bishops words one that did many vvorks of true pietie in the field of the Christian church multa verae pietatis opera in agro Christianae Ecclesiae fecisse perhibetur was so wel acquainted with our Christian Britans and both claymed and exercised supreame spirituall iurisdiction ouer all places and parsons in matters of Religion by these protestants Robert Barnes in vit Pij 1. Quae ad Religionem spectant à suae dioceseos synodis audtenda esse statuit salua tamen Pontificia authoritate of all natious this our Britanie must needs then bee an honorer of sacrificinge preists and holy Masse in this time and euer after vnto the generall conuersion of it in the time of S. Eleutherius betweene whome and this Saint Pius there were but two Popes S. Anicetus and S. Sother both which were not Popes many yeares by these protestaÌ„ts not 18. yeares by any of their accompts Robert Barn in Pio 1. Anicet Sother Io. Balaeus in act Pontif in eisdem Edvv. Grimst in the same Popes Foxe Tom. 1. 20. And these Popes were so far from crossinge with this and others their predecessors in these points of supreamacy sacrificinge preists and sacrifice of Masse that by the confession of these protestants they made decrees which confirmed them all makinge lawes bindinge all Archbishops Primates and Metropolitans and shewing they were subiect to the Pope of Rome and prescribed rules for all preists sayinge Masse and shauing their crownes as they now vse in the Roman church at this day Archiepiscopum à suo Episcopo aut coram primate aut Romano Pontifice accusandum esse Archiepiscopos non Primates sed Metropolitanos appellandos esse dixit nisi ista praerogatiua à Romano Pontifice concederetur Capitis verticem spherulae instar radendum Sacerdotibus praecopit Ne Sacerdos celebraret nisi vt minimum duo adessent ordinauit ne Monacha pallam contrectaret neuè thus in aceram poneret statuit So wee are sure these two holy Popes Saints and Martyrs were also sacrificinge Popes and all preists at that time vnder them whether in Britanie or els where beeinge subiect and obedient vnto them were massinge preists And so wee are now come with a continuall deduction of these sacred doctrines and practises both in the church of this our Britanie and others vntill the time of Pope and Saint Eleutherius when and by whose happy meanes historians commonly tell vs this kingedome was generally conuerted to the faith of Christ THE XVI CHAPTER Wherin is proued by testimonies of protestants and others that this kingdome in the time of Kinge Lucius was conuerted by massing Preists and Bishops and the holy sacrifice of Masse and such massinge preists and Bishops continued here in honor all this age IN this happy generall conuersion of this kingdome no man of what Religion soeuer can without prophane and irreligious boldnes and impudentnes affirme in iudgement that so wise and vertuous a Kinge his Nobles so many learned Druides and others especially moued to Christian Religion by the paâ—…ence pietie and vertue of the glorious Martyrs and Saints of those dayes by all antiquities Masse sayinge or Masse hearinge Christians would write such suppliant letters and send Ambassadors so longe a iorney as from hence to Rome to bee conuerted to any other Religion of Christ but that sacrificinge and massinge profession by the miracles and sanctity of whose professors they were so moued and conuinced in iudgement it was the only truth Neither would or could Pope Eleutherius an holy learned Saint and successor onely to sacrificinge massing Popes and preists recommend vnto King Lucius and this kingdome any other then massinge preists and Religion or the learned messengers of Kinge Lucius as our protestants stile them Io. Bal. centur 1. de scriptor in Eluan Meduuin Math. Parker antiq Brit. Godwin Conuers of Britanie consent to any other or so many renowned both preists and Bishops as were still remayninge in or of this nation knowne massinge preists and bishops ioyne with the Legats of Pope Eleutherius in teaching and preachinge any other doctrine or Religion 2. Such were our renowned contrimen S. Mansuetus yet liuinge except the Annals of Treuers or the same name deceaue vs consecrated preist by S. Peter and now remoued from Toul to Treuers for the ecclesiasticall Annals of that archiepiscopall sea tell vs. Petr. Merssaeus Annal. Archiep. Treueren 7. that S. Mansuetus I reade of no other of that name but our holy coutryman in that time was Archbishop of Treuers in the yeare of Christ 160. Mansuetus qui huic nomini vocationi suae vita proba anno Domini 160. optimè respondit And S. Marcellus or Marcellinus our glorious contryman who before his departure out of Britanie had moued Kinge Lucius to the faith of Christ and after of the Tungers and Archbishop also of Treuers returninge hither with the Popes Legats was so renowned an instrument in the conuersion of this kingdome that the Annals of the place where hee was Archbishop say that by the preachinge of this Saint the third Bishop of Tungers Kinge Lucius was baptised Annal-Treuer in S. Marcello S. Marcellus alijs Marcellinus fuit Tungorum tertius Episcopus huius praedicatione Rex Angliae id est Lucius baptizatus est The catalogue of the Bishops of Tunger giueth him greater honor tellinge vs that by his preaching hee conuerted Lucius Prince of Britanie with the whole nation to the faith of Christ Lucium Britanniae Principem cum tota gente sua praedicatione ad Christum conuertit Catalog Episcop Tungrens in S. Marcello And yet I haue shewed before that these were massinge preists and Bishops as their predecessors in those places S Valerius Eucharius Maternus and others were 3. The same I say of S. Tymotheus our holy contryman by his Mother S. Claudia beeinge a knowne massinge preist and one of the owners of that his and his brother Nouatus and Sisters house in Rome so notoriously dedicated to bee the first publick massinge church there for this holy massinge preist came hither in this time and was so great a worker in the conuersion of this his contrie that the histories of Treuers themselues which giue such honor as before to their Archbishop S. Marcellus in this busines yet freely also acknowledge that Kinge Lucius was brought to the Religion of Christ by S. Timothie whome they call S. Paules disciple perhaps because S. Paul maketh so honorable a memory of his parents S. Pudens and Claudia 2. Timoth. 4. likely did baptize this S. Timothie and therby called his disciple though a very child when S· Paul was martyred Martyrolog Rom. die 20. Iunij Baron annot ib. Sur. Tom. 3. die 12. Iunij and the other S.
consolidatis and this Pope highly commeÌ„ded for that his general confirmation vt bonus paterfamilias And by their first Archbishop with others before and as I haue proued by continuall deduction the order and forme of Masse which S. Peter deliuered to the church was still continued after this time without any materiall chaunge alteration addition or diminution Neither doth any Protestant Author challenge S. Eleutherius of any innouation in Religion but the contrary how hee condemned all innouators therein as Tatianus and the Seuerians makinge a decree against them and the knowne Religion of Christ his sacrificinge Religion as before is proued was much increased by him Sub hoc Pontifice caepit Ecclesia esse securior ob id Christianorum Religio plurimum aucta est And yet no chaunge at all therin Bal. Robert Barnes in vita Eleutherij Eleutherius epist decretal ad prouincias Gall. To. 1. conc Io. Bal. act Pont. Rom. l. 1. in Eleutherio Rob. Barn in vit Pontif. Rom. in eodem therefore all those Bishops preists which by all writers hee consecrated must needs bee massinge Bishops and preists as all those three Archbishops 28. Bishops which he consecrated or confirmed for this kingdome renowned in histories and all the preists of this our Britanie vnder them must needes bee massing Archbishops Bishops and preists Whose succession here continued vnto the conuersion of the Saxons and after by all histories and vntill both those peoples vnited themselues as well in this massinge and sacrificinge doctrine which both the Britans and Saxons had euer obserued from their first conuersions as in al other points of Christian Religion The names of many of them I haue remembred in other places 7. And concerninge the supreame spirituall power which this holy Pope both claimed and exercised both in this kingedome to settle these sacred points of Religion here and in other nations these protestants assure vs it was as great and ample as euer any his successors did or now doe challenge in such affaires These men tell vs. Rob· Barnes in vit Eleutherij protest annot Mag. in Matth. Westm an 188. hee condemned hereticks and made decrees against them he made lawes binding all cleargie men in the cases of Bishops reserued judgement to the see of Rome vt nihil nisi apud Pontificem definiretur In his epistle to Kinge Lucius so recommended by our protestants hee prescribeth what lawes hee was to vse Hee appointeth the limits and bounds of Britanie as these men witnes in the lawes of Kinge Edward tâ—e Confessor His Legats disposed of all spirituall things here in that time and he by his papal authoritie confirmed them And so they continued vntil heresie and infidelity in the Pagan Saxons time did ouerthrowe them as all histories and antiquities Brittish or Saxon Catholicks or protestants as their Bishops Parker Bale and Godwine with Cambden Powell Holinshed Stowe and others cited in other places are witnesses Therefore it will bee but a superogated worke to proceede further to followinge ages yet for a generall and compleate content to all I wil though with more breuitie speake also of them and here end this second age or hundred of yeares Pope Eleutherius dyinge in the later ende thereof and Kinge Lucius not longe after in the beginninge of the next age and Pope and S. Victor the immediate successor of S. Eleutherius both endinge this and giuing entrance to the next ensuinge age and centenary of the yeares of Christ by his papall regiment THE THIRD AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XVII CHAPTER How notwithstandinge the manifold tumults and persecution of Christian Religion in this kingdome of Britanie in this third hundred yeares yet the holy sacrifice of Masse sacrificinge and massinge preists and Bishops stil here continued without any totall discontinuance KInge Lucius dyinge as Matthew of Westminister with others writeth in the yeare of Christ 201. the first of this third hundred yeare without heire This our kingdome by that meanes in the beginning of this age was pitifully vexed with warrs and tumults towards the later end therof lamentably tormented and afflicted as the whole Christian worlde almoste then was with the moste cruell and barbarous persecution of Diocletian in which among other miseries all monuments of Christian Religion so neare as he could were ruined and destroyed whereby it came to passe that little memory of ecclesiasticall things then in this nation is left to posteritie yet sufficient is to be found that together with the Popes supreamacy in such affaires the holy sacrificinge preisthood the sacrifice of Masse and diuers renowned sacrificinge Bishops and preists here still continued without discontinuance in al this age notwithstandinge so huge an army of moste sauage and cruell enemies still fightinge against them Matth. Westm. an gratiae 201. Bed l. 1. histor c. 4.6 Parker antiquit Britan Godwin conuers of Britanie Stowe histor in K. Lucius Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Foxe Tom. 1. Holinsh. histor of Engl. Galfr. Monum hist. Britan. l. 5. cap. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7 Ponticus Viran Brit. histor l. 5. Gildas l. de excid conquest Britan. cap. 7.8 2. For First our cheife protestants haue told vs before that S. Peters Maste continued in vse in the church without any chaunge vnto the time of Pope and S. Zepherine which was next successor to S. Victor therefore by their allowance wee haue the sacrifice of Masse a massinge preisthood and preists to offer that holie sacrifice all his time Therefore when wee finde by many antiquities and historians aswell Catholicks as Protestants that hee sent many learned preists and preachers into this kingedome especially the more northren parts thereof which wee now cal Scotland wee must needes if wee had noe other argument conclude that they were sacrificinge and massinge preists because they receaued both their consecration and iurisdiction from soe knowne a massinge preist and Pope his authoritie Yet to make this matter more euident and shew the supreame spirituall power which hee vsed euen in this besides that which he both claimed and exercised in excommunicatinge the church of Asia for their not due obseruation of Easter hee confirmed the order and institution of his predecessor S. Eleutherius in subiectinge all the churches and Christians of that part of Britany now termed ScotlaÌ„d to the Archbishop of Yorke a massing preist Prelate as I haue shewed before these parts and countries then beeing temporally ruled by diuers temporall Kings or Princes and at difference or enmity at that time one with an other And to make this ReligioÌ„ more permanent with that rude nation the Scots themselues then began to study diuinitie Hector Boeth Scot. histor l. 6. fol. 89. pag. 2. beeing therin instructed by those preists which Pope Victor sent thither euen to the vttermost part therof to propagate Christian Religion Incepere nostri tum primum sacras colere literas Sacerdotibus praeceptoribus quos Victor Pontifex Maximus ad Christi dogma
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
british Bishops besides with their preists and cleargie sent from hence for Armorica or little Britanie in Fraunce as the holy massinge Bishops and Martyrs sent and martyred with S. Vrsula and the other 11000. Virgins and Martyrs of Britanie S. Michael Iacobus Columbanus Iwanus Elutherius Lothorius and Mauritius Episcop Gen. in vit S. Vrsul Matth. Westm. an 391. Io. Capgrau Catal. in S. Vrsula M. S. antiq ibid. Harris in Theatr. To. 4. in S. Vrsula antiquitat Ecclesia Coloticen al. al which with all other Bishops and preists of this kingdome cōsented with the whole Christian world as is shewed before in the doctrine of holy Masse sacrificinge preists and preisthood which our protestants will more demonstrate vnto vs by the publicklie taught and receaued Religion of Britanie in this time for they produce vnto vs an old auncient sermon written in the latine tonge and translated into the saxon language by Aelfricus in the yeare 996. and to write in protestants words this sermon was vsuall to bee read in the church here in England in the yeare 366. Iohn Foxe Act· Monum pag. 1142. which must needs bee a moste excellent testimonie for this age time And yet amonge many other thinges tendinge to the same purpose thus we finde by our protestants translation therof In the olde lawe faithfull men offered to God diuers sacrifices that had fore signification of Christs body which for our sinnes hee himselfe to his heauenly Father hath since offered to sacrifice Certainely this housell which wee doe now halow at Gods altare is a remembrance of Christs body which he offered for vs and of his blood which hee shed for vs So hee himselfe commaunded doe this in my remembrance Once suffered Christ by himselfe but yet neuerthelesse his sufferinge is daily renevved at this supper through mistery of the holy housel And againe In that holy housel there is one thing in it seene and an other vnderstoode That vvhich is there seene hath bodily shape and that vvee doe there vnderstand hath ghostly might The housell is dealed into sondry parts chevved betvveene teeth and sent into the belly hovvbeit neuerthelesse after ghostlie might it is all in euery part Many receaue that holy body and yet notvvithstandinge it is so all in euery part after ghostly mistery 13. And shewing how the Paschal Lambe was a figure of this holy sacrifice of Christ the Lambe of Innocency and God which taketh away the sins of the worlde as in holy Masse wee so pray vnto Christ there present vnder that denomination they teach it was the vse and custome of our Christians in Britanie in that time to doe the same the very words of that olde brittish publicke homely by our protestants translation bee thus That innocent Lambe vvhich the olde Israelites did then kill had signification after ghostly vnderstandinge of Christs sufferinge vvho vnguiltie shedd his blood for our redemption Hereof singe Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speache Thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the worlde haue mercie vpon vs. Where wee see plainelie acknowledged by this so auncient antiquitie in this fourth hundred yeare and the protestants themselues so translatinge and proposinge it that generally in that time the holy sacrifice of Masse was offered by the Bishops and preists of Britanie in all places and all the seruants of God did then acknowledge professe that Christ the true Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world was therin offered and there present prayed vnto by all Gods seruants Which is as much as any massing preist Bishop or Pope holdeth teacheth or practiseth at this time concerning these things 14. And because in this age this our kingedome had by agreement both of auncient and late writers and by protestants themselues Bal. l. de scriptor in Palladio Niniano a greate dependance of Rome both in temporall and spiritual affaires and many of our cheifest cleargie men as S. Teruanus and S. Ninianus those two glorious Northrē Bishops had both their education instruction ordination and iurisdiction from thence as many others had at this time and the Bishops of Rome are so much charged by our protestant writers for adding vnto the holy sacrifice of Masse I will only vse these mens authority which say they will set downe what euerie Pope did add Quid alij Pontifices addiderint suo loco in Pontificijs actis dicetur And they are so farr from not performinge their promise in this that they rather relate more then lesse added by these holy Popes as will bee made euident by theire owne testimonies hereafter Yet for more ample satisfaction let vs followe them in this point Of S. Siluester I haue spokē before next to him succeeded S. Marke who as these men say was Pope in the time of Constantine the great Constantino Imperante in Pontificatu sedit which time was an holy time in Religion by our Kings iudgement and so this Pope not likely to make any publick lawe vnholie Therefore these protestants onely say of him that hee ordeyned the creede of the Nicen councell to bee said or sunge at Masse Rob. Barnes in act Pont. Rom. in Marc. 1. Io. Bal. in vit Pont. in eod Edw. Grimston in Marc. but this Nicen creed is holy in all iudgements and was receaued and vsed in Britanie here in that time as I haue proued it is receaued by the protestant parlament of England subscribed and sworne vnto by all the protestant Bishops and ministers of England allowed in the articles of their Religion and practised in theire churches Parlam an 1. Eliz. K. Iames can articles of Relig. articl Creed commun booke c. and therefore doth a protestant antiquarie iustly say of that holy creed time in the yeare of Christ 330. At this time the Nicen creed was commaunded to bee sunge or said in all Christian churches Stowe hist. Rom. ad an 330. therefore none but Arrian Hereticks euer did or will impugne it 15. The next Pope which these mē finde to haue added any thinge to this holy sacrifice was holy Damasus an acknowledged good Bishop and as they teache hee onely added the Confiteor Confession vsed in the beginninge of Masse in which there is nothinge which protestants disallowe but confession and prayer to Saints there remembred Io. Whitguift ansvv to the admonit pag. 78. and def of ansvv pag. 489. Bal. in vit in Damaso Barnes in eodem Grimston in Damasus which as I haue proued before was vsed in the church of God and in this Realme of Britanie in the Apostles dayes And to passe ouer so many examples and testimonies of other Christian people and places in the second age our Apostles S. Damianus and Fugatius praied to S. Michaell the Archangell and other Angels dedicated a church or chappell to them the ruines yet standinge neare Glastenburie antiquit Glaston M. S. Gapgrau in Catal
haereticis Britannos ad Catholicam fidem dirigat Hee consecrated many massinge preists and Bishops in this kingdome among whom the cheifest was that massing Saint Dubritius Archbishop the cheife Doctor Primate the Popes Legate Prosper in Chronic. An. D. 432. Io. Capgrau in S. Dubritio Matth. Westm. Galfrid Monument hist. Brit. l. 9. cap. 12. Rob. Caenal l. 2. M. S. Gallic antiq M. S. antiq Io. Capgrau in vita S. Dubritij Episcopos in pluribus locis Britanniae consecrarunt dextralis partis Britanniae beatum Dubritium summum Doctorem Archiepiscopum statuerunt a protestant Bishop writeth Dubritius was made Archbishop by Germanus and Lupus and they appointed his see to bee at Landaffe Godwin Catalog in S. Dauide this holy Archbishop by the heauenly direction did consecrate that notorious massinge preist S. Sampson Archbishop of Yorke in whose consecration a miraculous vision appeared to confirme his callinge and Religion and both S. Dubritius and others did see a piller of fier miraculously proceeding from his mouth as hee celebrated the holy Masse and hee himselfe all his life had Angels ministring vnto him in that blessed sacrifice Angelus Domini beato Dubritio apparens Sampsonem ordinari Episcopum praecepit In cuius consecratione qui aderant columbam celitus emissam immobiliter super eum stare videbant Eodem die Sampsone celebrante Dubritius cum Monachis duobus columnam ignis de ore eius procedentem rutilare perspexit Ille vero omni tempore vitae suae Angelos dum celebraret sibi assistere in sacrificio ministrare meruit M. S. antiquit Capgrau in S. Sampsone Episcopo what massinge preistes and Archbishops the immediate successors of these two renowned Archbishops were I shall lay downe herafter more at large 7. And such as these were such also was the Archbishop of London S. Vodinus and all Bishops and preists vnder him and so consequently in all Britanie at that time which aswel appeareth by their owne historian S. Gildas venerable S. Bede as also Matthew of Westminster with others who speaking of the miserable and generall persecutiō of the christian Britans in al places quasque Prouincias amonge other cruelties they tel vs these infidels martyred the Brittish preists as they were standing at the altars where they said Masse Sacerdotes iuxta altaria trucidabāt Gild. de excid conquest Brit. Matth. Westm. an gratiae 462. Bed l. 1. histor Eccles cap. 15. therefore the preistes generally then were altare sacrificinge and massinge preists otherwise they could not haue beene thus cruelly put to death at the altars and places of saying Masse in all all parts of this nation at that time Neither could there possibly at that time bee any other preists but massinge preists except they would turne hereticks which we doe not reade and leaue the doctrine and Religion of their both Archbishops Bishops and Masters in diuinitie which in this time were by all testimonie both of Catholicks and Protestants either the onely or principall S. Dubritius of whome I haue spoken before S. Iltutus and S. Gildas all moste holy and miraculous men and knowne massinge preists For concerninge S. Iltutus he was as a Protestant Bishop with Vicentius and Antoninus confesseth scholler to the renowned Popes Legate and massinge Bishop S. German spoken of before Io. Bal. l. de script Britan. cent 1. in Ilchtuto alias Iltuto And to proue him a massinge preist and all his schollers after him that were preists to haue bene massinge preists Nennius our moste auncient exceptinge Gildas writer which wee haue left testifieth in his Manuscript historie that there was in a church which this massinge Saint Iltutus builded a miraculous Altar susteyned only without any propp or foundation by the power of God altare quod nutu Dei fulcitur Nennius histor M. S. in fine post nomina ciuitatum Britanniae and this miraculous altar so inuisibly susteyned did remayne in Nennius time manet vsque in hodiernam diem altare potestate Dei fulcitum 8. To proue S. Gildas to haue beene of this opinion and practise his historie de excidio Britanniae often cited in this treatise is full of altars massinge and sacrificinge preists and maketh their irreuent sayinge of Masse and often neglect of celebrating that holy sacrifice to haue beene one of the cheife causes of Gods indignation against them and depriuinge them of this kingedome and giuinge it to the Saxons theire professed enemies And hee was one of the renowned schollers of his massing Master S. Iltutus as S. Sampson the great massing Archbishop of Yorke of whome I haue spoken before and S. Dauid that moste holy sacrificinge and miraculous Archbishop of Caerlegion of whome hereafter and S. Paulinus were as both Catholicks and Protestants are witnesses M. S. antiq de vit S. Iltuti Ioh. Capgrau in Iltuto Ioh. Bal. centur 1. de scriptor Brit. in eod what this Paulinus was and whether hee that was sent hither with S. Augustine I dare not affirme yet considering the longe time S. Iltutus liued as many then did and hee beeing liuinge as diuers write Bal. supr in the yeare of Christ 520. hee might haue in his olde age a scholler that might liue longer then S. Paulinus death that came with S. Augustine and was Archbishop of Yorke for many our holy Bishops as S. Kentegern and S. Dauid liued longer and we finde no other renowned Paulinus here in those times And Nennius who saith expressely that hee omitteth of purpose to speake of those that came with S. Augustine and were not of this nation yet maketh a most honorable memory of that Paulinus Archbishop of Yorke saying that hee baptized 12000. at one time and ceased not baptisinge fourtie dayes together Nennius in histor M. S. prope finem 9. So that it is not vnprobable but this holy man S. Paulinus was the scholer of S. Iltutus and leauinge his contry as manie did in that rage of the Saxons wēt to Rome and liued to come hither againe to accomplish so holy labours as hee did with those other massinge preistes sent hither at that time Which hee might well performe if wee allowe him to bee 20. yeares old at the death of his Master S. Iltutus as before in the yeare 520. and as an other Protestant Bishop writeth Godwin Catalog Yorke 1. pag. 558. to haue died in the yeare 644. which accompt maketh him but 124. yeares old two yeares yonger then his fellow scholler S. Dauid by all antiquities makinge him 146. yeares of age at his death Post 146. aetatis annum vt omnes eius fatentur historiae mortuus In the yeare of his age 147. anno aetatis suae centesimo quadragesimo septimo And twenty one yeares yonger then S. Kentegern by all histories dyinge when hee was one hundred eightie and fiue yeares old cum esset centum octaginta quinque annorum Ioh. Bal. centur 1. de scriptorib Britan in Dauid Menenien Ioh. Capgrau· Catal in S. Dauid M. S. antiq in
S. Leo Missae sacrificium approbanit Hee did approue the sacrifice of Masse therfore Masse was termed and knowne to be so accepted a sacrifice before his time and approbation For a thinge approued or to bee approued vnseparably carrieth with it a precedency to the approbation that which is not cannot possibly bee approued as a thinge past or present and euery such allowance or approbation necessarily supposeth the thinge to bee so allowed or approued And this will suffice for S. Leo. 4. After whome in this age the onely Pope which is produced by these men to haue added or altered in the Masse is Gelasius of this Pope a protestant thus writeth Robert Barnes in vit Pontif. in Gelasio praefationem Missae verè dignuÌ„ iustum est instituit But this is euidentlie vntrue as I haue proued before for S. Ciprian and before him Tertullian informe vs it was in vse in the church before their times and S. Ciprian alleadgeth it is an apostolicall common known custome of the church Ciprian l. de orat Dominic and Foxe the protestant proueth Io. Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary that this could not bee any inuention of Gelasius for that both the auncient Greeke church before that time and both S. Ciprian and S. Augustine so agree it was in vse before Ciprian sup Aug. de vera Religione cap. 3 therefore followeth therein the opinion of Thomas Waldensis that it could not bee the inuention of Pope Gelasius And Pope Vigilius which liued not longe after Gelasius who writinge to the Bishops of Germany and Fraunce desirous to know the order which the church of Rome obserued in the prefaces of Masse answereth in this maner Vigilius epistola ad Episcopos Germaniae Galliae Inuenimus has nouem praefationes in sacro catalogo tantumodo recipiendas quas long a retro veritas in Romana Ecclesia hactenus seruauit Wee finde that these 9. prefaces are to bee receued in the holy catalogue which truth hath longe time from former ages hitherto obserued in the Roman church And thus hee recoÌ„pteth them one of Easter another of the Ascension of our Lord the third of Pentecoste the fourth of the natiuitie of our Lord the fift of the apparition of our Lord the sixt of the Apostles the seuenth of the holy Trinitie the eight of the Crosse the ninth in Lent And thus concludeth has praefationes tenet custodit sancta Romana Ecclesia has tenendas vobis mandamus These prefaces the holy Roman church obserueth these wee commaund to bee kept by you And Houeden as our protestants haue published him reciteth all these out of the same authoritie to haue bene receued in England in a councel of our Bishops manie hundred yeares since setting downe the begininge of euery one of them and addeth the tenth of the blessed Virgin decimam de beata Virgine Roger. Houeden in annal part posterior in Henr. 2. 5. And our English Protestants themselues by their highest parlamentary authoritie in such things with them vse the same prefaces except that of the Apostles and blessed Virgine in their publick church seruice their communion booke Protest communion booke titul communion and yet in that of the blessed Virgine which seemeth to haue beene added after the dayes of Pope Vigilius there is no inuocation of her nor any matter now questioned by protestants found in it And concerninge that of the Apostles of matters questioned there is onely this clause or petition vnto God for preseruing his church vt gregem tuum Pastor aeterne non deseras sed per beatos Apostolos tuos continua protectione custodias vt ijsdem Rectortbus gubernetur quos operis tui Vicarios eidem contulisti praesse Pastores That God the eternall Pastor will not forsake his flocke but keepe by his blessed Apostles with continuall protection that it may bee gouerned by the same Rulers whome Vicars of his worke hee hath appointed Pastors to rule it Which is not a prayer immediatlie to the Apostles but to God for the protection of his Apostles and such as our protestants themselues in their publick seruice on S. Michael his day doe vse for the protection of Angels as is manifest in their collect or prayer of that feast being the old Catholick prayer word by word translated into English And yet if there were any immediate prayer vnto the Apostles or any other Saints or Angels in any oÌ„f these prefaces I haue proued before that it was the receaued doctrine of Christs church from the beginninge 6. And if wee should allow vnto protestants that Pope Gelasius did add in the prefaces all that clause verè dignum iustum est vnto per Christum Dominum nostrum What is there in it but holy and allowable and still practised by themselues in their church seruice This it is verè dignum iustum est aequum salutare nos tibi semper vbique gratias agere Domine sancte Pater omnipotens aterne Deus per Christum Dominum nostrum ô Lord holy Father omnipotent eternall God verely it is a thinge worthie and iust right and belonginge to saluation that wee alwayes and in all places giue thanks to thee by Christ our Lord. Are not all Christians in all iudgements bound to bee of this minde and this being a dutie so bindinge and belonginge vnto al that beleeue in Christ is it not the better the oftner and more publickly it be acknowledged oâ—… if it be good by protestants and in their publick practise how can it be ill in Catholicks or could bee so in Pope Gelasius And if hee had added Te igitur clementissime Pater per Iesum ChristuÌ„ filium tuum Dominum nostrum supplices rogamus ac petimus Therefore ô moste mercifull Father wee aske and beseeche thee by Iesus Christ thy sonne our Lord. It is the same reason as before this beinge a very Christian and holy prayer by Protestant Religion to aske all things of God in the name of Christ as hee himselfe said whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name that will I doe Io. c. 14. v. 13. and whatsoeuer yee shall aske of the Father in my name hee may giue it you Io. c. 15. v. 26. 7. Whereby these men may see that neither the primatiue church which vsed inuocation of Saints nor the present church of Rome insistinge therein did or doe diminish any honor or dutie to Christ by honoringe them which honor him and are honoured by him Yet S. Remigius witnesseth this prayer Te igitur clementissime Pater to haue beene vsed from the Apostles Remig. in epist. 1. ad Timoth. cap. 2. Wheras some protestants write of Pope Gelasius Balaeus l. 2. de actis Pontif. Rom. in Gelasio Gelasius hymnos prefationes gradualia collectas orationes praescripsit Pope Gelasius did prescribe hymnes prefaces graduals collects and prayers I haue proued by these protestants that all these were vsed in the church and laudably longe before and by the word praescripsit hee did
that which the Britans had before must needs be one and the same in all materiall and substantiall points Wherefore wee cannot excuse the Britans for refusing to ioyne with him in the conuersion of the Saxons The like haue Stowe Howes Hollinshed and other protestants Stowe and Howes histor in K. Ethelbert Holinsh. hist. of Engl. l. 5. cap. 15. pag. 96. pag. 97. an 581. shewinge directly that the Christian Britans at the coming of S. Augustine and his companions were farr inferiour vnto them both in holines of life and puritie of doctrine Which is testified with great lamētation by S. Gildas a Britane S. Bede writer of the brittish history Gildas l. de excid conquest Brit. Bed histor Eccl. l. 1. Galfrid Monument hist. Reg. Brit. l. 10. 11. 7. And if wee discend vnto the particular differences which then were betweene S. Augustine and the Britans there is not any one to bee found in any antiquitie that concerned the questions I haue in hand but in them there was an vniforme consent by all writers onely I finde that they differed in some ceremonies about the consecration of Bishops but in no materiall thinge S. Asaph in vit S. Kentegerni M. S. in vit eius Capgrau in Catal. in Kenteg and our protestants differ from them both therein For the Britans did then consecrate Bishops with anointing their heads with holy Chrisme Inuocation of the holy Ghost Benediction and Imposition of handes Mos in Britannia inoleuerat in consecratione Pontificum tantummodo capita eorum sacri Chrismatis infusione perungere cum inuocatione Sancti Spiritus Benedictione manus Impositione And the Romans besides these necessarie things in that consecration kept and obserued the decrees of the holy Canons in this busines Which the Britans did not omit for any dislike they had of those sacred ceremonies but by distance of place and infested with Pagans inuasions were ignorant of the canons as our Authors say Insulam enim quasi extra orbem positi emergentibus Paganorum infestationibus canonum erant ignari· M. S. de vita S. Kenteger· antiq Capgrau supr in eod and yet our protestants both knowinge the canonicall institutions and what both the Romans and Britans with all the Christian worlde at that time thought to bee essentiall and necessary in this holy Sacrament neither follow the one or other and so by al iudgement haue depriued them selues of lawfull and true Bishops and consequentlie of all true cleargie men which cannot be without true and lawful Bishops such as they want to consecrate them 8. The other differences betwene S. Augustine and the Britans may appeare out of the words of S. Augustine vnto them related by S. Bede and others and thus sett downe by our protestant historians Augustines oration breifly was thus Bed histor Eccles l. 2. cap. 2. Stowe and Howes histor in Kentish Saxons K. Ethelbert although deare bretheren in many other points yee doe contrary to our custome or rather contrary to the custome of the vniuersall church of Christ yet notwithstandinge if yee will in these three things consent vnto mee that is to celebrate the easter in due time to accomplish the ministerie of Baptisme accordinge to the Roman and Apostolick church and last of all to preach with vs to this English nation the vvord of our Lord all your other ceremonies rites and customes though they bee contrary to ours yet vvee vvill vvillinglie suffer and bee content to beare vvith them But they ansvvered they vvoulde doe none of these thinges requested Where wee see that S. Augustine and the Britans did differ principally in these three things and by our protestants themselues S. Augustine held the truth in them and the Britans were in error And so likewise in all other ceremonies rites and customes then cōtrouersed for S. Augustine iustifieth that the Britans in them all were contrary to the custome of the vniuersall church of Christ. In multis quidem nostrae consuetudini immo vniuersalis Ecclesiae contraria geritis And their learned contriman Gyraldus Cambrensis diuers hundreds of yeares since beeing as a protestant Bishop stileth him vetustae cognitionis verè helluo an vnsatiable seeker forth of antiquities with protestants allowance thus setteth downe the ceremonies of the Britans wherein they differed from all other churches in this order Bal. l. de scriptor Britan. in Gyrald Cambren cent 2. Gyrald Cambren descript Cambr. cap. 18. Dauid Powell ib. 9. De quolibet pane apposito primum fractionis angulum pauperibus donant Of euerie loafe of breade sett before them they giue the first corner they breake to the poore They sitt three and three together at dinner in memorie of the Trinitie They cast away theire armour and bare headed aske the benediction of euery Monke or preist or any wearinge the habit of Religion The people doth greatly and more then other nations desire confirmation by a Bishop and Inunction of Chrisme by which the grace of the holy Ghost is giuen They giue tythes of all things they possesse cattell sheepe sometimes whē either they marry wiues or go on pilgrimage or correct their life by the counsaile of the church Aboue all forreine labour moste willingly going on pilgrimage to Rome they more readily vvith deuout mindes adore the Tombes of the Apostles Wee see they yeeld deuout reuerence to churches and ecclesiastical men and relicks of Saints and portable bells vvouen books and the crosse giue farr more honor to all these then any other nation The immunities of theire churches farr exceedeth the Indulgence of the canons You shall not see any vvhere the Eremites and Anachorites of greater abstinence or more spirituall And speakinge of the Britans in the time of S. Germanus and Lupus when they were troubled with Pelagianisme and first irruptions of the Pagan Saxōs these Authors say These customes and ceremonies of the Britans continued from them to the time of Gyraldus Cambrensis that died in the yeare of Christ 1190. ab eorundem doctrina haec vt fertur vsqe in hodiernum documenta tenuerunt 10. Thus wee haue learned all the differences that were betweene S. Augustine and the Britans and finde that S. Augustine was the innocent partie in them all For amonge all these laste recited where any thinge is remembred as singular and differing from other churches it is the case of the Britans and the Romans agreed with the common and receued customes of the church of Christ And concerninge those doctrines and customes which our protestants doe moste dislike in S. Gregory and S. Augustine with his associates and the now present Roman church which are pilgrimages and especially to Rome with the honor of that holy Apostolicke see reuerence of holy relicks Indulgences honor to sacrificinge massinge preists and Religious men and more Sacraments then protestants admit as namely the Sacrament of confirmation giuinge of the grace of the holy Ghost by anointinge with sacred Chrisme reuerencing of the crosse and holie images
immunities which he graunted to the most knowne massing places of Britanie as Glastenbury and others and the great reuerence he vsed to all massinge preists and Prelates are sufficient testimony of this and to bee seene allmost in all histories Manuscripts and others of that time and hee liued vnto the yeare of Christ 542. Now if wee come to the Archbishops Bishops vnder them Matthew of Westminster and others tell vs that for Yorke that renowned massinge man S. Sampson was Archbishop there 7. yeares after the beginning of this age anno gratiae 507. Floruerunt in Britānia Sanctus Sampson Eboracensis Archiepiscopus S. Dubritius Vrbis Regionum Archiepiscopus Matth. Westm an 542. alij Matth. Westm an gratiae 507. what a miraculous massing preist and Prelate he was I haue spoken in the former age 3. That S. Dubritius ruled all in the Archiepiscopal see of Caerlegion where most both Bishops preists were in these daies at the least vntill the 16. yeare of this age I haue shewed before whē S. Dubritius with the rest of the Bishops of Britanie crowned King Arthur in that yeare Who was Archbishop of London at this time it is not so certainly remembred in particular But the Author of the Brittish history translated by Galfridus assureth vs that there was an Archbishop of London at this time that hee together with S. Dubritius Archbishop of Caerlegion the Archbishop of Yorke did crowne Kinge Arthur Trium Metropolitanarum sedium Archi Praesules Londoniensis videlicet Eboracensis nec non ex vrbe Legionum Dubritius hic Britanniae primas Apostolicae sedis Legatus Galfr. Mon. histor Reg. Brit. l. 9. cap. 12.13 and by the circumstances of the history these three Archbishops performed that great solemne coronation at the solēnitie of Masse at which both the Kinge these three Archbishops with the other Bishops of theire diuisions and the nobilitie of Britanie were present And this coronation is cheifely attributed to S. Dubritius because it was in his diocesse Dubritius quoniam in sua diocesi caria tenebatur paratus ad celebrandum obsequium huius rei curam suscepit and he was the Popes Legate And all histories agree that when the Bishops and cleargie either of London or Yorke diuision were persecuted by the Pagans they fledd for succour to the knowne massinge preistes and Prelates of Caerlegion diocesse communicatinge with them in Religion 4. S. Dubritius waxinge old and desirous to liue a solitary and contemplatiue life the holy Saint Dauid was miraculouslie chosen to succeed him Capgrau in S. Dauid Gyrald Cambr. Itiner Cambr. l. 2. cap. 1. Godwin in S. Dauids I haue shewed before that he was the scholler of the massing preist S. Iltutus scholler of the massinge Prelate Popes Legate S. Germanus This holy Archbishop was so renowned a massinge preist and Prelate that as wee reade both in auncient Manuscripts and other histories hee brought with from Hierusalem beeinge a pilgrime there an holy and miracalous Altar giuen him by the Patriake there on which he consecrated the body of our Lord. In quo Dominicum consecrabat corpus M. S. antiq de vit S. Dauidis Capgrau in Catalog in eod and to make euident vnto all that S. Dauid did say ordinarily Masse in Britanie aswell as at Hierusalem and likewise so did all the Bishops here of Britanie then and with great solemnitie to omitt many other memorable testimonies hereof we reade in the antiquities of Glastenbury Capgrauius and others a Protestant Bishop writeth that the history is still preserued engraued in Brasse at Wells in Sommersetshire though hee somewhat minceth it how S. Dauid and seuen other Bishops goinge to Glastenbury to dedicate the holy church there Christ appeared vnto him the night before the intended dedication and bid him absteine from dedicatinge it for it had beene dedicated before to the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother M. S. antiq Io. Capgrau Catalog in S. Patricio antiq Glaston Godwin conuers of Brit. pag. 11. and to testifie the truth of this vision testimony left a miraculous wound in the right hand of S. Dauid tellinge him how it should bee as miraculously healed as it was hurt in this maner crastina die cum Pontificalibus inductus cum per ipsum cum ipso in ipso in Missa pronuntias ipso qui tecum loquitur operante per ipsum quem sacro conficies ore vulnus quod nunc abhorres nusquam esse videbis Et cum sanctus iussa complesset sicut praedixit Dominus efficitur sanus To morrow when thou art adorned with thy pontificall vestiments and shalt pronounce in Masse the words by him with him and in him he that speaketh with thee workinge by him whome thou shalt make with thy sacred mouth thou shalt see noe where the wound which thou now abhorrest And when the Saint had done as hee was commaunded as our Lord foretold he was made found And it followeth in the same ātiquitie preserued in Brasse by Thomas Highes of Wells esquier as that protestant Bishop writeth heretofore fixed vppon a piller of S. Iosephs chappell which hee himselfe had read Godwin supr cap. 2. pag. 11. 5. Postea idem Episcopus Domino reuelante quendam cancellum in orientali parte haic Ecclesiae adiecit in honore beatae Virginis consecrauit cuius altare inestimabili sapphiro in perpetuam huius rei memoriam insigniuit Afterward the same Bishop S. Dauid by the reuelation of our Lord did add a certaine chauncell to this church in the east parte and consecrated it in the honor of the blessed Virgin whose Altar for perpetuall memory of this thinge hee did adorne with a sapphire of an inestimable price Where we euidently see the doctrine practise both of the Archbishop and Bishops of Britanie seuen of them beeing then present to goe on pilgrimage to holy places and relicks that they were sacrificing preists said Masse and with great reuerence and solemnitie and in that holy sacrifice consecrated by consecratinge wordes of their mouthes and offered the blessed body and blood of Christ vsed the same canon wee now doe as the wordes per ipsum cum ipso in ipso with the other circumstances tell vs and so honored the holy Altars whereon this heauēly sacrifice was offered that they there offered inestimable guifts and ornaments to honor them withall which is as much as any preist of the present Roman church teacheth or contēdeth at this time or Catholicke Religion alloweth them to doe 6. This renowned Archbishop so miraculous for his birth prophetically foretold his life and death and so holy and pleasing vnto God that as I haue shewed in him alreadie God spared to take vengeance on the sinnes of the Britans for his sake during his life died in the yeare of Christ 546. but 50. yeares before S. Augustines coming hither as our protestants themselues with others witnesse Bal. l. de scriptor Britan. cent 1. in Dauid
and vsually offered the sacrifice of Masse pag. 174. Chap 11. How S. Peter the cheife Apostle first founder of the church of Christ in this our kingedome was a sacrificinge massinge preist deliuered a forme of Masse to the church consecrated many massing preists in this part of the worlde nere vnto vs and some of this kingdome pag. 189. Chap. 12. Wherein is proued euen by protestants that whatsoeuer Apostle or other first preached Christ in Britanie brought sacrificinge preisthood hither and S. Peter first founded here our ecclesiastical Hierarchie of sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops pag. 219. Chap. 13. Wherin is proued how after the death of S· Peter in the time following commonly ascribed to S· Linus and Cletus in the see of Rome and to Marius Kinge in Britanie the Britans both at home and abroade vsed the sacrificing preisthood preistes and Masse pag. 242. Chap. 14. How duringe the time of S. Clement his papacy and all this first hundred yeares of Christ our Christian Britans together with all other continued these holy doctrines and offices of sacrificinge preisthood preists and the sacrifice of the blessed body and blood of Christ in Masse pag. 252. Chap. 15. Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other antiquaries that sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops and sacrifice of Masse continued and were honored in this kingdome of Britanie from the beginning of this hundred yeares vntill Kinge Lucius time when it was wholly coÌ„uerted to that faith pag. 278. Chap. 16. Wherin is proued by testimonies of protestants others that this kingdome in the time of Kinge Lucius was coÌ„uerted by massing Preists and Bishops and the holy sacrifice of Masse and such massinge preists and Bishops continued here in honor all this age pag. 310. Chap. 17. How notwithstandinge the manifold tumults and persecution of Christian Religion in this kingdome of Britanie in this third hundred yeares yet the holie sacrifice of Masse sacrificinge and massinge preists and Bishops still here continued without any totall discontinuance pag. 323. Chap. 18. How the holy sacrifice of Masse sacrificing and massing preisthood preists and Bishops continued in this kingdome of great Britanie in all this age without any interruption or discontinuance pag. 338. Chap. 19. Wherin is manifestly proued that all this fift age the sacrifice of Masse massinge preists and Bishops did continue in honor in this our Britanie pag. 366. Chap. 20. Wherein is proued by protestants and others that the church of Britanie Rome accorded in this age in these misteries and how all the Popes being massinge preists and Popes yet no one of them made any materiall alteration in this sacrifice pag. 388. Chap. 21. Wherein being confessed by our protestant writers that all the Popes of Rome vnto S. Gregory were massing preistes and Popes yet not any one of them by these protestants confession made any the least materiall chaunge or alteratioÌ„ in these misteries pag. 403. Chap. 22. Wherein euident demonstration is made euen by these protestaÌ„ts them selues that neither S. Gregory the great which sent S. Augustine with many other holy learned men into England did make any materiall addition or alteratioÌ„ in these misteries But the Religion which those his disciples preached here was in all points by all testimonies both of God and man Britans themselues and Saxons Catholicks and Protestants auncient and late writers the true Religion of Christ and in all thinges wherin they differed from the Britans more pure then that which they then professed pag. 414. Chap. 23. Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other testimonies that duringe all this age and hundred of yeares vntill and after the cominge of S. Augustine this kingdome had many holy massing preists and Bishops agreeing in these and all other articles of Religion with the church of Rome pag. 437. The Errata PAg. 38. line 1. members Numbers Pag. 197. line 23. Martianus Martinus There are two cyphers X. Pag. 130. 174. in the chapters in steed of X. and XI and so consequenter which should haue made the 23. chapters to haue bene 24. AN ECCLESIASTICAL PROTESTANT HISTORIE OF THE HIGH PASTORAL AND FATHERLY CHARGE and care of the Popes f Rome ouer the church of Britanie From the first plantinge of the Christian faith there by S. Peter the Apostle and his Disciples continued in euery age and hundred of yeares by holy Bishops and cleargie men sent hither and consecrated by them his Successors in the See Apostolicke Euidently deduced and proued by historicall narration from the published and priuiledged writings to appease all protestants of the most learned and allowed English protestant pretended Bishops Doctors Antiquaries and others of that Religion Mementote praepositorum vestrorum qui vobis locati sunt verbum Dei. Obedite praepositis vestris subiacâ—…te eis ipsi enim peruigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri Hebr. 13. With licence 16â—…5 THE GENERAL ARGVMENTS OF THE ENSVINGE HISTORIE SERVINGE ALSO FOR A PREFACE to the Reader to declare the scope of the Author and contents of the worke THE Catholick Author well acquainted with the proceedings of Protestants in these times and the controuersies of them to accept and allowe of nothing but what is liked and allowed by them selues and yet to make the world beleeue they are Reuerencers of antiquitie and would willingly embrace and followe that which was our first faith in any question deliuered by the Apostles thence continued from them the greatest of all beeing that who planted here first the holy faith and since had cheifest commanding power in such things Hee setteth historically downe from the best Antiquaries and learned protestant writers of this contry other antiquities approued by them the meanes and maner of our first conuersion vnto Christ and by what spirituall cheife ruling authority this nation hath euer beene gouerned in such thinges since then vntill the conuersions of the Saxons by S. Augustine and his associats sent hither by Saint and pope Gregory the first after which tyme now aboue 1000. yeares our protestants put it out of Question and agree that the power of the popes of Rome absolutely ruled here in such matters Therfore this historie of the first sixe hundred yeares is diuided into sixe Centuries or ages euery one conteyninge one hundred yeares In the first hee sheweth from those protestant Authors and Antiquaries how S. Peter that greate Apostle of Christ both immediately by himselfe and mediately by his holy disciples first preached here founded our church consecrated for vs Bishops preists and other cleargie men and ordeyned all thinges thereto belonging and how from this first institution by him we euer had a continued succession of such consecrated parsons vnto the more generall conuersion by pope Eleutherius in the daies of kinge Lucius after which time there can bee no question of such a succession of Bishops here And how after the death of S. Peter vnto the end of the first hundred
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-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
Quē cùm benedictione consecrassent ab eius oculis elapsisunt And yett neither S. Sampson nor any other tooke this for a reall consecration but onely figuratiue of that which was after to bee done by the holie externall rite of the church of Christ vntill as wee reade in the same history our holy Archbishop S. Dubricius vpon the apparition and message of an Angell did truely and really externally consecrate him a Bishop nec multo post Angelus Domini beato Dubricio apparens Sampsonem ordinari Episcopum praecepit Capgr supr Soe I might exemplifie in many such cases only propheticall and figuratiue what should afterward bee done and not what was then effected Therfore if S. Ioseph was a Bishop as that antiquitie persuadeth by that figuratiue vision not cōsecrated before hee came into Britanie as is shewed before wee reade of no other which at that time made consecrated Bishops but S Peter I may probably at the leaste affirme that S. Iosephe was one of them which S. Peter at his departure hēce S. Iosephe beeing certainely here at that time was consecrated Bishop by Saint Peter here in Britanie And when I finde both Catholicks and Protestants affirme Martyrol Angl. 7. die Februarij Drekin Almin an 1620. 7. Feb. with others that S. Angulus was our Bishop of London martyr and yet noe historiā Catholick or Protestāt putteth him in the nūber of them which were Bishops there after the time of K. Lucius but quite leaue him out of that catalogue as appeareth by our Protestants Harrison Godwyne Stowe others which with al diligēce they could haue collected the auncient Bishops of London I must needs drawe him to an higher time then that of kinge Lucius was before which noe consecration of Bishops in Britany was or is so memorable as this by S. Peter the Apostle Harris de script of Brit Godw. Catalog of Bishop in London 1. Stowe and Howe l. hist Lucius Iocelin of Furnes l. de Episc Brit. And to end here the Relation of S. Peters proceedings in Britanie wee haue clearly deduced with the allowance of our best English Protestant Antiquaries and other Authors by them approued That S. Peter Prince of the Apostles was our first Father in Christ and renowned Apostle both immediately by himselfe and his holy disciples That hee performed here all cheife and eminent pastorall duties and offices when our Emperors with our Lieutenants here as also all our Kings were pagan Infidels That hee ordeyned and consecrated for vs Bishops preists and other clergie men and founded churches to the honor Religion of Christ and the honor of his blessed Mother S. Mary the Virgin few other christian Saints then deceased as that of Glastenbury not soe dedicated without his approbation beeing cheife in such affaires Hee consecrated other Britans out of this nation exemptinge them from the pagan seruice of those such remembred princes hee sent them by authoritie to preach the ghospell in other contries hee or his disciples conuerted Pomponia Graecina the Lord Lieutenants wife of Britanie as these Protestants haue proued and many in the like case their husbands continuing in their infidelitie and contradiction and many husbands and children the wiues and parents not allowinge as seruants in respect of their Lords and masters and Subiects in regard of soueraignes I a Catholick Preist now demaund of the best learned Protestāts Bishops of England whether these proceedings and prerogatiues in that moste glorious Apostle and his worthie disciples our first Masters in Christ were not as greate and ample as the renowned Preists and Catholicks of this kingedome now attribute and giue to the Popes of Rome his Apostolicke Successors Wee whoe haue reade moste and suffered much for this cause cannot see the difference or finde instance of disparitie except in number of parsons lesse or greater quantities of groundes and some improportions in such thinges which make noe essentiall diuersitie for otherwise wee haue beene told by the best learned Protestants with others that S. Peter and his disciples did manifestlie and directly transfer and chaunge those parsons places and propertie of thinges of this our Britanie from a temporall to al spirituall vse from the commande except in temporall dutie of the present Emperors Lieutenants Kings and Soueraignes alienated from Christiā Religion to the cōmande of Christ his Religion our moste holy Apostle and his disciples by his authoritie soe directinge THE III. CHAPTER How in the rest of this first Hundred yeares of Christ after Saint Peter The Apostolicke See of Rome still continued and exercised this supreame spirituall power in Britanie IT is a question not onely amonge Catholicks but some Protestants also whether S. Linus Cletus were Popes after S. Peter or onely Suffragan Bishops as soe ordeyned by him at the first And Pope Leo the second an holy Saint with there nowned of our Historians to omitt others S. Marianus Florentius Wigorniensis say plainely Si Petrus Apostolorum princeps adiutoris sibi asciuit Linum Cletum non tamen pontificij potestatem cis tradidit sed Clementi successori suo If Peter Prince of the Apostles did take Linus and Cletus to bee his Adiutors yett hee gaue not them the Papall power but to Clement his successor And Linus and Cletus did nothinge by their owne Lawes and power as popes but only soe much as was commaunded them by S. Peter S. Leo 2. in epist. decretal Marian. Scot. lib. 2. aetat 6. Florent Wigor in Siluan Otho Consul Robert Barns in vit Port. Rom. in Linum Therfore to omitt doubtfull and vncertaine thinges and to come next to S. Clement whoe moste certainely by all Cathololicks and Protestants was Pope of Rome nominated by S. Peter though Baronius and others whom he alleageth are of opinion that S. Clement yeelded his right and did not exercise the office of supreame pastour til after Linus and Cletus yet who in S. Peters life him were his Coadiutors after his death his successors before S. Clemēt to 1. Annal. p. 742.743.744.745 before any other by this Pope Doctors were sent into the west as our Protestants tell vs Margin annot vppon Matth. Westin an 94. Matth. Westm supr in greate numbers as S. Denis Nicasius Taurinus Trophimus Paulus Narbonensis Saturninus Martialis Gratianus Iulianus Lucianus Firminus Photinus all Bishops they add S. Regulus Whome although they setle thē with their Bishopricks in Fraunce yett it proueth the power spirituall commaund of that holy pope to haue extended it selfe aswell to this kingdome one and the same reason beeing for and against them both But wee finde diuers Authorities both late and auncient to induce vs to consent that some of these named holy Bishops sent at this time by S. Clement were sent by him into this kingdome of Britanie namely S. Taurinus and S. Nicasius and that S. Taurinus was Archbishop or Bishop of yorke Amonge others William Harrison a Protestant historian In descript of Britanie
calleth this not his owne decree but the decree of S. Clement his predecessor and Saint Peter alsoe Anacl supr apud Mar. Scot. Flor. Wigorn. supr And setteth downe in a certayne Tome what cytes were to haue primates both accordinge to his owne S. Clements and the Apostles order And this decree of Sainct Anacletus in this highest question of Iurisdiction was soe vniuersall and generall in it selfe soe embraced of all and includinge that as not onely Giraldus Cambrensis and auncient authorities of this nation Lib. 2. de Iure Metropol eccles Meneuen ad Innocent 3. but the cheife Protestant Antiquaries themselues as Mathew Parker the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterburie Lib. antiquit Britannic pag. 24. and Syr Iohn Prise Io. Pris defens histor Britan. pag. 73. doe plainelie acknowledge that by that Tome of Saint Anacletus Pope it was conteyned and decreed how manie and which were the places throughout all this Iland euen as it conteyned England Scotland and Wales And thereupon this Protestant Archbishopp doth in expresse termes call the diuision of Britanie in that respect Ex Anacleto huius Insulae diuisionem The diuision of this Iland according to the decree of Pope Anacletus And though this diuision was not actually made at that time for setting Archbishops in those prouinces at that time but was deferred vntill in after when the faith was recreaued here in more publicke maner when persecution ceased or was mitigated yett by these authorities there is noe doubt but this holy Pope both claymed and exercised the same highest spirituall Iurisdiction as well in this as all other nations that decree beeing generall and without limitation for all nations as it is allowed by these Protestants and making all prouinces in the knowne world substitute and subordinate to the church of Rome in such affaires and none exempted And as this decree alone will witnes hee sent as opportunitie and the cause required Bishops and preists into other contries soe he did the like to this to encrease and continue that happy buildinge which his predecessors had founded here before Soe wee must say of his immediate Successor Saint Euaristus except wee will reiect the authoritie of one of our moste auntient and approued historians Nennius who in his manuscript auntient history written if wee may beleeue the Protestant Bishop Bale l. de scriptor cent 1. in Nennio A thowsand yeares since confidently affirmeth that Britannicus Rex A kinge of Britanie receaued an ambassadge from Euaristus Pope of Rome to receaue the faith of Christ missa legatione à Papae Romano Euaristo Mennius hist. M. S. who yett sayth with others that the generall cōuersion of this land was not vntill the yeare of Christ 167. others making it later This holy Pope began his papacie in the yeare 111. and liued therein vntil 120. before which time our kinge Coillus brought vp at Rome was soe well disposed to Christian Religion that as our Protestants and the antiquities of Glastenbury tell vs hee confirmed the twelue hides of land to the religious Eremitage of Glastenbury Antiquitat glast apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph and others And therefore cominge from Rome into Britanie to bee kinge his Father kinge Marius beeinge deade wee cannot thinke but as many of our contrimen his subiects then at Rome were Christians and in soe greate number that in one Brittish house there the house of S. Claudia our British Lady and children after her there were at or soone after this time in the time of Pope Pius the first 96. christians Act. 5 Pudentianae Breuiar Rom. in vit eius 19. Maij. So many of them and of other nations also and cleargie men were sent hither by the Pope of Rome at that time which many of our Protestant historians will confirme assuringe that both now and at all times vntill the conuersion of kinge Lucius there were many christians which came from Rome liuinge in this kingdome Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. Caius l. 1. antiq Cantabrig Will. Harrison descript of Brit. Holinsh hist of Engl. Soe doe diuers auntient antiquities of the Annals of Burton and others of forreine nations And touchinge the time of Pope Alexander the first next successor to S. Euaristus hee beinge made Pope in the yeare 120. and continuinge Bishop of Rome by common opinion 8. yeares and fiue moneths in the fourth yeare of the papacie of this blessed Saint as both Matthew of Westminster Annal. Burton an 141. Catal. Episcop Tungr and the autient Table hanging in the church of S. Peter in Cornehil in London then builded in the time of kinge Lucius wittnesse beeinge the 124. yeare of Christ The yeare of our Lord God 124. Lucius was crowned kinge soe the one the other saith anno gratiae 124. Coillo Britonum Rege defuncto Lucius filius eius regni diademate insignitus est In the yeare of grace 124. Coillus kinge of the Britans beeing deade Lucius his sonne was crowned king Math· Westin an 124. This kinge Lucius although neither hee nor the kingdome were yett soe generally conuerted yet well knowinge that many preachers had beene sent hither from Rome and diuers Brittans here were desirous to embrace the faith of Christ did not onely giue way vnto it in this beginning of his Reigne but except Albertus Krantzius a man well acquainted with our Brittish antiquities as a Protestant antiquary witnesseth doth deceaue vs. Io. Caius antiq Cantabrig l. 1. Albert. Krantzius Metropol l. 1. cap. 6. Did write vnto S. Alexander the first Pope of Rome to haue christian Religion preached in this kingedome Religionem Christi Lucius quondam Britanniae Rex ab Alexandro primo eius nominis summo pontifice impetrauit in Insula predicari Lucius Kinge of Britanie did obteyne of Pope Alexander the first to here Christian Religion preached in that Iland Which is confirmed by many Authorities prouening vnto vs that this Iland at and immediately after that time had diuers preachers of the faith of Christ and among them some Bishops besides those I named before to proue that wee had a continuall succession of holy Bishops from Rome as these alsoe were from our first christianity And that wee had many preachers and many by them conuerted may appeare by that is acknowledged before from these Protestants to which many of them add from antiquities that many Schollers Doctors of our Vniuersities then were conuerted in the yeare 141. nyne in one place of Cambridge In peruetustis Annalibus Burtonensibus sic lego Anno Domini 141. hic baptizati sunt nouem ex Doctoribus Scholaribus Cantabrigiae I doe reade sayth one in very old Annals of Burtō thus In the yeare of our Lord 141. here were baptized nyne of the Doctors Schollers of Cambridge Caius lib. 1. de antiq Cantab. pag. 95. Theater of greate Brit. lib. 6. Harris descript of Brit. Like to this haue many other Protestants who assure vs this succession could not come from S. Ioseph of Aramathia
hee directed his epistles to Pope Eleutherius diuers Epistles and consequently diuers Ambassadges soe reade the old Brittish historie Ponticus Virunnius Matthew Westminster as they ar published and allowed by our Protestants and others And these soe diuers epistles were onely to become a Christian to haue his kingdome instructed in the faith of Christ and all things thereto belonginge ordered by his highest papall authoritie petens ab eo vt christianus efficeretur And none of these epistles was that which our Protestants tell vs hee wrote vnto that holy Pope for lawes to gouerne his kingdome by which were distinct from this of which I shall speake hereafter Wherby it is euident that this blessed kinge his wisest councell at that time by soe often writinge both to this holy Pope Eleutherius and some others of his predecessors before as appeareth by that I haue written alreadie did fully and constantly informe themselues that the highest directing power in things religious was onely residing in the Popes of Rome otherwise they were all straungers vnto him far distant and aboue all Bishops of the world more persecuted all of them before this time and longe after sufferinge cruell deathes and Martyrdome for Christ Therefore it was for the due honor and right belonginge to that holie See and not temporall glory or countenance as a Protestant Bishop would glosse the matter Godwyn Conuers of Britanie c. 3. pag. 36. but the supreamacy of the Roman Bishops which these Protestants haue giuen to all the Popes before And because to speake in the words of the first Protestant Archbishop in England The renowne of the popes of Rome at that time was most famous in all the world for their often martyrdome and constancy sincere discipline of faith quorum tunc fama crebro martyrio constantia ac sincera fidei disciplina per totum Christianum orbem celeberrima fuit Matth. Parker antiquit Brit. pag 5. This was that which moued kinge Lucius to giue this due honor to the See of Rome and appeale vnto it for instruction for he saw that by that holy See the faith of Christ was dilated into all these nations as the recited Protestant Archbishop thus witnesseth Parker supr pag. 4. Cognouit complures nobiles Romanos candem fidem à pontifice Romano accepisse eorumque exemplo Christianum nomen in singulas prouincias sparsum disseminatum fuisse statuit in eadem fide sub Eleutherio tunc Romano pontifice inaugurari When Kinge Lucius knew that very many noble Romans had receaued the faith of Christ from the Pope of Rome and by their example the Christian name was dispersed and sowen abrode into all prouinces hee did resolue to receaue the same faith from Eleutherius the Pope of Rome Where it is euidently confessed that if kinge Lucius had not acknowledged this highest spirituall dignitie in the See of Rome and haue sued to haue the Christian Religion settled here by that authoritie hee should haue beene singular in that kinde as our Protestants now are all other prouinces giuing then that honor to Rome and hauinge their faith in Christ established from thence And this is euidētly declared by the maner of the sending writting of this kinge to that Pope S. Eleutherius S. Bede saith hist eccl l. 1. c. 4. that K. Lucius did humbly beseech Pope Eleutherius by his letters that by his cōmaundement hee might bee made a Christian. Obsecrans vt per eius mandatum Christianus efficeretur The Roman Tradition saith In the beginninge of the papacy of Eleutherius there came humble letters vnto him frō Lucius Kinge of the Britans to receaue him and his subiects into the number of Christians Huic initio pontificatus supplices literae venerunt à Lucio Britannorum Rege vt se ac suos in Christianorum numerum reciperet Breu. Rom. in S. Eleuther 26. Maij. Baron hist. Eccl. tom 2. A Protestant Bishop readeth praying that by his direction and appointment hee might bee made a Christian Godwyn conuers p. 20. An other Protestant antiquary saith Desiring Eleutherius Bishop of Rome to send some deuout and learned men by whose instruction hee and his people might bee taught the faith and Religion of Christ. The old chronicle of Lādaffe is implorans vt iuxta eius ammonitionem christianus fiat Humbly entreatinge that by his appointment hee might bee made a christian Annal. Landaf apud com antiq Cantab l. 1. pag. 98. thus our Protestants alleadge that Antiquitie Others of them say Lucius sent an Ambassadge to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome by Eluanus and Meduinus Britans intreating Eleutherius by them that hee would open a passadge by himselfe and his ministers for the fosteringe and cherishinge of christian Religion in Britanie Frauncis Mason l. 2. p. 52. ca. 3. Like is the testimony of other historians both Catholicks and Protestants that kinge Lucius proceeded in this humble and submissiue maner in his writings and Ambassadges to the Pope of Rome at that time in these affayres The which highest authoritie spirituall in the Pope of Rome these our Protestants further confirme in that they teach generally that these two Ambassadors of Kinge Lucius Eluanus and Meduinus receaued all the authoritie they had to preach here in Britanie from Pope Eleutherius whoe consecrated the one Eluanus a Bishop and made the other a Doctor to preach the ghospell Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Stow. hist. in Lucius Godwyn conuers of Brit. Mason l. 2. c. 3. Bal. cent 1. in Eluan And the present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury Doctor George Abbot director of Master Mason as hee protesteth and his directed Scribe ar of this opinion that all the Bishops of Britanie after this deriued consecration and succession episcopal from this one onelie Bishop Eluanus consecrated and authorized by Pope Eleutherius Frauncis Mason consecrat of Bish l. 2. c. 3. p. 55.56 Which and more is approued by an other a Protestant Bishop by whome Pope Eleutherius euen in this great busines is termed Paterfamilias the Master of this spirituall howse and familie of Britanie Bal. l. de Act. Pont. Rom. l. 1. in Eleuther and this kingedome was consequently of his family and vnder his rule and commaund and thereupon as a good Master and Gouernour of this familie did confirme and solidate the Brittans and the whole kingedome in the faith receaued by the Apostles Eleutherius vt bonus paterfamilias de thesauro suo noua cum veteribus proferens effecit vt confirmatis consolidatis Britannis in suscepta prius ab Apostolis doctrina totum illud regnum in eius fidei verba iuraret And to make moste euident demonstration further euen by these Protestants aswel as by al other Antiquities that the supreame power spirituall in all proceedinges in this kingedome at that time was wholly and vndeniably in Pope Eleutherius and those his twoe Legats which hee sent hither Damianus and Fugatianus as they are commonly called The
Walles sufficient is said allready And yet these were onely the cheife holy and learned Bishops here in that time not anie one comparable to the meanest of these mentioned in any writer I can finde to haue resisted either the Popes ordinance or his Legats authoritie And to satisfie a vaine obiection of some Protestant writers That S. Columbanus the holy Irish or Scottish Abbot whose authoritie some Britans in the tyme of S. Augustine pretended for defence of their error in obseruing the feast of Easter not presently submitting theÌ„selues to the coÌ„maund of the church of Rome it is euident by auntieÌ„t histories that both this S. Columban and the cheifest of them submitted theÌ„selues wholly vnto it receaued both instruction and iurisdictioÌ„ froÌ„ thence For it is testified in a very old Manuscript cited by Surius that both S. Kelian which was the most renowned of them and that S Columbanus and S. Gallus submitted themselues with their associats to the Pope of Rome in all thinges at that time Thus it testifieth of S. KeliaÌ„ made Bishop of Herbypolis Wirtzburg in Franconia by the Pope Sur. in vit S. Kel M. S. peruetust apud eund supr Praedicationi abstinuit donec Romano se Pontifici praesentaret quatenus apud RomanaÌ„ sedem integruÌ„ christianae Religionis dogma licentiaÌ„ praedicaÌ„di acciperet Hibernia siquidem olim Pelagiana faedata fuerat haeresi Apostolicaque censura damnata Hee abstayned from preaching vntil hee presented himselfe vnto the Pope of Rome that hee might receaue froÌ„ the See of Rome both the sownd doctrine of Christian Religion and licence to preach For Irland his contry was auntiently defiled with the pelagian heresie and condemned by apostolick censure and there sheweth how hee had companions both of his iorney and submission amonge others Saint Columbanus and S. Gallus leauing the first in Italy and the other in Almayne The like hath Iohn Capgraue and a verie old manuscript which hee followeth if not the same with that of Surius Ioh. Capgrau in S. Kilian M. S. antiq pr. gloriosissimus Rex Eduardus in S. Kiliano In oppido orientalis Fraunciae quod Wirttzburch eorum lingua dicitur cum aliquo tempore sub silentio stetisset Romam profectus est officio praedicandi à Papa recepto Episcopus ordinatus socijs eius Columbano scilicet in Italia Gallo in Almania remanentibus Saint Kilian stayed in a Towne of east France called in their languadge Wirtzburch and when hee had beene there some time in silence hee went to Rome and receauing from the Pope power to preach and beeing ordeyned a Bishop returned leauing his Companions Columbanus in Italy and Gallus in Almayne Where it is euident not onely these Scottish Saints did not onely submitt themselues to the Pope in all matters both of doctrine and iurisdiction but the Pope at that time extended and exercised that his supreame spirituall power both in Italie Fraunce Almayne Britaine and Ireland both to censure a whole nation and to disable any to preach or exercise spirituall function without his licence And although the kings of Britanie after Kinge Arthur euen to the desolation of the Britans were by all histories euen of their owne as Gildas Nennius the Brittish historie and others moste wicked men and such that by all testimonie of Protestants and others their kingedome was ouerthrowne by God for the sinnes of them and their people yett not anie one of them by any historie did denie this power of the See Apostolick but euen their last kinge Cadwalladar as their owne historian writteth Gildas de excid Britan. Galfrid mon. l. 11. histor cap. 3.4.5.6.7.8 monum histor beeing admonished from heauen Nolebat Deus Britones in Insula Britanniae diutius regnare that God would not haue the Britans reigne any any longer in the Iland of Britanie went as hee was admonished on pilgrimage to Rome submitted himselfe to Pope Sergius and died an holy Saint in soe much that our Protestants thus note of him Galfrid mon. l. 12. cap. 17.18 Bed l. 4. histor in Epitom an 688. Matth. Westm. an 688.689 Protest annot in Matth. Westm an 688. Regnum relinquens propter Deum Romam venit leauinge his kingdome for gods sake hee went to Rome An other saith Stowe histor in Cadwallader Cadwallader forsakinge his kingely authoritie went to Rome whoe after became a monke and was buried in S. Peters church at Rome hee was the laste kinge of Britanie saith Geffrey Galfrid Mon. l. 11. cap. 12. And for the Archbishop of Walles to whome some British Bishops in the time of S. Augustine said they ought obedience cum suum Archipraesulem haberent there is not the least colour or pretence of any title by these Protestants themselues how hee or his See could bee exempted from the Popes Authoritie for as these men haue told vs before it was first instituted by Pope Eleutherius in the time of kinge Lucius and by the succeedinge Popes and their Legats here as is before declared confirmed and ratified they receaued their Palle the signe of an Archbishop from Rome and after their vnion with the Saxons and disciples of Pope Gregory in the time of S. Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury vsed it and Archiepiscopall Authoritie in all degrees and by the Popes permission and allowance fiue and twentie Archbishops successiuely from S. Dauid to Archbishop Sampson and had seuen Bishops subiect vnto them vntill this Sampson flyinge the contry in a time of sicknes carried away the Pall into little Britanie Amonge manie others a Protestant Bishop thus relateth this matter Girald Cambren in Itinerar Cambr. Antiquit. eccl S. Dauid apud Godwin S. Dauid Matth. Park antiquit Brit. Rog. Houeden Godwin Catalog in S. Dauids in Sampsone In the time of Sampson the See of S. Dauid had seuen Bishops Suffragans subiect vnto it as the Antiquitie of the church of S. Dauid declareth to witt Exeter Bathe Hereford Landaff Bangor S. Assaph Furnes in Ireland Roger Houeden vvhich I accompt more likely reckoneth these Landaffe Lanpatern in Cardigan shire Bangor Saint Assaph Chichester Hereford and Worcester While hee was Bishop it hapned the people of all that contry were wonderfully vexed with Ianudise soe as great numbers of them died daily of that disease By the importunitie of his clergie and disciples hee was induced to flie the contry and sailed into Britanie where the Bishoprick of Dola beeing voide hee was straight way elected vnto the same Hee had brought thither with him the Archiepiscopall Pall of S. Dauid and vsed it duringe his life as did alsoe his successors there for many yeares vntill they were compelled by the Pope at the suite of the Archbishop of Turon to leaue it and make profession of obedience vnto him as in former times By this occaâ—…on it fell out that the Successors of Sampson in Saint Dauids what for want of their Pall or for pouertie or negligence or some other occasion loste their Title of bishop and to