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
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
all Christians should both haue power were bouÌ„d vnder daÌ„nation to take vpon them to minister in such things for the wordes doe this to whomsoeuer they were spoken conteyne an expresse commaundement to bee performed 5. And to make this matter more euident it is manifest by the protestant parlament statute of Kinge Edward the sixt Queene Elizabeth and King Iames. Statut 1. Edw. 6.1 Eliz. 1. Iacob supr That the Protestants of England neither doe nor by their Religion may make it a matter of commaundement and necessitie for lay parsons to communicate vnder both kindes but doe freely acknowledge that in the first fiue hundred yeares of Christ the Sacrament was ministred vnto and receaued of the laitie sometimes in one somtimes in both kindes and yet the practise of the church was holy in those dayes therfore there neuer was a generall commaundement to al Christians to receaue in both kindes yet S. Paul settinge downe Christs ordinance and institution of this holy sacrifice he said both concerninge his body and blood he gaue this expresse commaundement doe this in remembrance of mee 1. Corinth cap. 11. ver 24.25 And therefore Tatianus Alexandrinus disciple to S. Iustine the martyr in his harmony of the ghospels doth set downe those wordes of Christ to his Apostles Doe this in commemoration of me both after the deliuery of his body and blood vnto them Tatianus Alexand. Harmon Euang. cap. 155. Therfore all they being preists and onely present then must needs bee made preists and sacrificinge preists by those consecratory words of Christ then onely spoken vnto them 6. Which is made moste euident in the case of S. Thomas the Apostle who by opinions Catholicke and Protestant was a preist and as hereafter a sacrificinge massinge preist yet hee was not present when Christ said to the other Apostles in the 20. chapter of S. Iohns ghospell receue yee the holy Ghost whose soeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose soeuer sinnes yee retayne they are retayned And as protestants affirme made them preists and they themselues in their booke of pretended consecration only vse these in making ministers for the scripture saith plainly and immediatly in the next words But Thomas one of the twelue called Didimus was not with them when Iesus came ver 24. neither when hee said these words vnto them but when the rest of the Apostles told him they had seene Christ it followeth in the same place by English Protestants reading The other disciples therefore said vnto him wee haue seene the Lord. ver 25. But hee said vnto them except I shall see in his hands the print of the nailes and put my finger into the print of the nailes and thrust my hand into his side I will not beleeue v. 26. These be the very next words of the Euangelist vnto the former and then immediatly followeth how eight dayes after Christ appeared againe S. Thomas beeing present and cured his incredulitie 7. So that it is most plaine and euident that S. Thomas receaued the cheife preistlie power in the last supper of Christ and by those his powerfull wordes when hauing celebrated the high preistly function of sacrificinge after the order of Melchisedech in consecrating and offeringe for our sacrifice his most blessed body and blood vnder the formes of breade and wine and beeinge to leaue this preistly sacrificinge power in his church hee did first communicate and giue it to his Apostles sayinge vnto them as our protestants translate This doe in remembrance of mee Luc. cap. 22. ver 19.1 Cor. 11. ver 24.25 where wee may boldly reade sacrifice this in remembrance of me or in commemoration of me For so both the Hebrue and Greeke and Latine also wil giue allowance as I haue proued before Yet if wee should take them onely for the common action of doinge seâ—…ing in the very common sence of doing it conteyneth both a power commaundement to doe that which Christ there did which by all testimonies before and allowance of protestants themselues was his moste holy offeringe and sacrificinge his sacred body and for sinnes It must needes giue both power and precept to his Apostles to doe the same doe this or this doe otherwise neither the Apostles nor preists truely consecrated after them had done that which Christ did and which he gaue power and commaund vnto them to do but some other thing not commaunded and which they had no authoritie or warrant to doe which is the transgressing vncoÌ„maunded and vnwarranted lamentable condition of all those that deny this holy sacrifice and presume to practise any other thing in place thereof 8. Therefore seeinge no man doth or can pretend but there was onely one true consecrator time place maner and order of consecratinge both S. Thomas and the other Apostles for holy preists it euidentlie followeth they were all consecrated by Christ in the action time place and order as is before remembred and that they were so consecrated sacrificinge massinge preists Which our learned Protestants of England plainely teach vs to bee so The great Archbishop champion for the English Protestants when he so professed him selfe writing with their greatest applause and priuiledge speakinge of the time place and maner when where and how the Apostles were made preists and of theire two spirituall powers iurisdiction and order hee saith of this Marcus Ante. Reipub. Ecclesiast l. 2. cap. 1. num 3. Ordinis ego potestatem intelligo nunc ad conficiendam Eucharistiam sacrificij in cruce per Iesum Christum peracti memoriam celebrandam ad quod Sacerdotium quoddam est necessarium Ad hoc Sacerdotium promoti sunt Apostoli à Christo Domino in vltima caena quando eis dixit hoc facite in meam commemorationem Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. By power of order I now vnderstand power to consecrate the Eucharist and celebrate the memory of the sacrifice which Christ perfected vpon the Crosse to which a certaine preisthood is necessary to this preisthood the Apostles were promoted in the last supper wheÌ„ hee said vnto them do this in my commemoration 9. And againe Marcus Anto. supr l. 2. cap. 4. pag. 19. Quando Eucharistiae conficiendae ipsis dabat potestatem dixit eis hec facite in meam commemorationem nimirum id quod me videtis nunc facere vos facite hoc est sumite panem benedicite frangite porrigite similiter vinum Et conseqnenter Apostoli ex ipso facto Christi instructi certè diuina Christi institutione dabant Eucharistiam When Christ gaue vnto his Apostles power to consecrate the Eucharist he said vnto them doe this in my commemoration That is what you see mee now to do doe you the same that is take bread blesse it breake reach likewise also wine And consequently the Apostles armed by that fact of Christ certainely by the diuine institution of Christ did giue the Eucharist And in an other place Marc. Anton. l. 2. cap.
4. pag. 118. de Sacrosancta Eucharistia Ipsius necessitatem toties inculcauit nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberetis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis â—…anis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro mundi vita Ioh. 6. Luc. 22. postea in vltima caena accepto pane gratias egit fregit dedit eis dicens hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis datur hoc facite in meam commemorationem Panis consecrationem in corpus Christi vini in sanguinem ipse coram Apostolis fecit eandem ipsi quoque vt facerent frangerent darent expressè mandauit Concerninge the holy Eucharist Christ did very often inculcate the necessitie of it except you shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you The food which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world After in his laste supper when he had taken bread he gaue thankes brake and gaue to them saying this is my body which is giuen for you doe this in my commemoration Hee made the consecration of breade into the body of Christ of wine into his blood before the Apostles and expressely commaunded that they also should do the same consecration of bread wine into Christs body and blood 10. And in an other place he teacheth with S. Chrisostome whom he followeth therein and other holy auncient Fathers Marc. Anto. l. 1. cap. 1. pag. 9. Chrisostom hom 17. in epist ad Hebr. That the sacrifice which the Apostles were here commaunded to offer by Christs wordes doe this and which by that power they did offer and which all truely consecrated preists did after offer was the same body blood of Christ which hee himselfe offered the same and no other sacrifice Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Quid ergo nos ait Chrisostomus nonne per singulos dies offerrimus offerrimus quidem Et vna est hostia non multae Quomodo vna est non multae quia semel oblata est in Sancto Sanctorum hoc autem sacrificium exemplar est illius idipsum semper offerrimus Pontifex noster ille qui hostiam mundantem nos obtulit ipsam offerrimus nunc quae tunc oblata quidem consumi non potest And much more to as great effect or greater and yet at his pleasure hee doth maine and make lame the sentences of that holy Author And to auoide the friuolous cauill of some about the wordes in my remembrance or commemoration of mee whereby they would haue it gathered that this is onely a commemoratiue sacrifice or commemoration of that sacrifice this man with all other Protestants Marc. Ant. l. 1. cap. 12. pag· 146 147. Mumer 26.27 and the expresse scriptures are witnes that the preists and sacrifice of the lawe of nature and Moises of Adam Seth Enoch Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob and his twelue sonnes Iob Melchisedech Aaron and all in the lawe were true preists and sacrificers yet they were in all Christian learninge but figures of the truth in the time of the Messias 11. Therefore if this were onely a commemoration it should at leaste by as great reason and authoritie bee also a sacrifice and the parson that celebrateth it a sacrificinge preist both beeing farr more excellent then those preists and sacrifices And the words in remembrance or commemoration are so far from hindering the truth of these preists and sacrifice that they rather giue a second power vertue vnto them euen by these protestants themselues for they haue told vs before that by these wordes doe this Christ gaue power to consecrate the bread and wine into his body and blood and doe what hee did in that sacrifice then addinge after the wordes in remembrance or commemoration he gaue them a second power and commaundement different from the other yet both of them preistly and sacrificall otherwise Christ himselfe should bee said which cannot be that hee did consecrate and offer this remembrance of himselfe and his owne action Therefore the words must needs conteine a double virtuall power and commaund to the Apostles the one part and principall beeing to doe that Christ did expressed plainely in the powerfull wordes doe this the other in remembrance or commemoration conteyned in the same terms Which was by a then publick protestant preachinge minister both preached publickly and with publicke allowance after printed in this maner Edw. Maie serm of the communion of Saints printed by Iohn Dauson an 1621. pag. 6. 12. God hath giuen to preists a power ouer his owne naturall bodie which is himselfe for to them onely was it said doe this in remembrance of mee by which words they haue commission to dispose of that very body which was giuen for the life of the world and of that inualuable blood which was shed to redeeme sinfull soules for which cause the Bishops and presbyters haue as antiquitie can tell beene honored with an honor which no Kinge no Angel had euer giuen him They are the makers of Christs body they doe a worke which none but the holy Ghost besides them euer did And in the margine hee thus citeth Isodor Pelusota l. 2. epist 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a power the Kings of the earth haue not An other speakinge of the consecratory preistly power by those words of Christ spoken in his parson This is my body This is my blood concludeth Couel def of Hooker pag. 116.117.276 The omnipotency of God maketh it his body And of preists To these parsons God imparteth power ouer that naturall body which is himselfe a worke which antiquitie calleth the making of Christs body And of preistly power By blessing visible elements it maketh them inuisible grace it hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for the life of the world and that blood which was powred out to redeeme soules Others say The sacrifice of the altare and vnbloody sacrifice were vsed in the primatiue church The primatiue church did offer sacrifice at the altare for the deade sacrifice for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles and auncient Fathers Aerius was iustly condemned of heresie by the primatiue church for denying sacrifice for the dead Middlet Papistom pag. 51.91.113.49.137.139.47.48 Fâ—…ild l. 3. cap. 29. pag. 138. 13. And to put vs out of doubt that this is or should bee the common doctrine and Religion of all English Protestants their chosen champion with greatest allowance amonge them as hee affirmeth writeth plainely Haec est fides Regis haec est fides Ecclesiae Anglicanae this is the faith of the Kinge this is the faith of the church of England Io. Casaub resp ad Card. Peron pag. 51.52 And their publicke statute of al the Protestant Princes of England saith so and so decreeth to be obserued of all authentically prouinge in protestants Religion that this most holy sacrifice of the altar was instituted by Christ that it is
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
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
yeares spirituall matters were ordered here by authoritie and direction from the see of Rome and successors of S. Peter there In the second hundred of yeares is proued by the same protestant authors and their antiquities how from the beginninge of that age to the end thereof all spirituall things were likewise managed here by that see Apostolicke more or lesse as the times then permitted And in the generall conuersion of kinge Lucius and his kingdome all ecclesiasticall businesses were done and settled by iurisdiction of the popes of Rome and their legats directed hither by their authoritie exercising here as ample iurisdiction spirituall to the greate honor of this kingdome as any pope of Rome may clayme Such was the estate of spirituall power and proceedings here in the third fourth fift and sixte age or hundred of yeares also in the later end whereof S. Augustine was sent hither to conuert our auncestors the Saxons In all which ages and Centenaries of yeares both the Kings Archbishops Bishops and others both Rulers and Ruled in this kingdome gaue as much priuiledge and prerogatiue to the popes of Rome as Catholicks now may doe by their catholick Roman Religion In which tyme also amonge all those christians which then liued here those Bishops of Scotland and Walles who as our protestants tell vs and commend them for it did onely or most oppose against the pope his legates and authoritie here were those alsoe by the same protestants which did much more intermeddle in princes affaires then any popes their legats or such as were most obedient vnto or Ruled by them Which proceedings the Author doth in all places leaue to protestants relation and medleth not with them otherwise at all But soe much as with probabilitie in historie hee may mitigateth such matters as some protestants euen with publick allowance of the protestant state of EnglaÌ„d haue boldly published to the world in that kinde freely and before God protesting as hee neuer hitherto had any intermedlinge with the temporall affaires of Princes but euer to his vttermost did yeeld and render all dutie vnto them praying for the safety honor and preseruation of his Soueraigne and this kingdome soe hee will euer continue the same moste humble and dutifull affection Other particular Questions in Religion depend vppon this Because whosoeuer in anie Religion hath the cheife chardge and cure the particulars depend vpon his proceedings whether it bee Pope Prince Superintendents Presbyteries or whatsoeuer and soe beeing proued that from the beginninge of christianitie in this kingdome the Pope of Rome euer had cheife coÌ„maund direction in Religious things It must needs followe that which protestants name papistrie euer raigned here But I vnderstand there is a generall controuersiall historie to bee shortly published of all such things in particular from the first preaching of the Gospell in this kingdome which will giue full aâ—… ample satisfaction in all such Questions THE FIRST CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED OF YEARES THE I. CHAPTER Wherein is briefly made demonstration by the best learned protestant Antiquaries and others of England that Saint Peter the Apostle first preached the faith and founded the Church of Christ in this our Britanie TO bringe vs vnto a more certayne and vndoubted knowledge of the first preachers of christian Religion in this kingdome the best learned protestant Antiquaries wee haue prescribe certayne Rules and squares to bee directed by to come vnto them in their iudgment Matth. Parker antiq Britan. pag. 1. Godw. Conuers of Brit. Holinsh hist. of Engl. Mason l. 2· c. 2. pag. 51. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. cap. 9. first they affirme that the Britans receaued the faith soone after the Ascension of our blessed Sauiour in the time of Tiberius Caius Caligula or Claudius Emperor and they build this their assertion cheifely vppon the words of S. Gildas l. de Excid conq Britan. c· 5.6 Who speaking of things done here in Britanie either in the time of Caius or Claudius addeth Interea glaciali frigore rigent Insulae indulget sua praecepta Christus In the meane time while these things were doinge Christ doth afford his precepts to this frozen Iland In which place hee rather meaneth the time of Claudius then any other as may easely appeare to all iudiciall and equall readers of that auncient Author in the place alleadged needles to bee insisted vppon if wee will bee guided by our protestant directors because in their next Rules they shall make it euident It must needes in their opinion bee soe vnderstood For they deliuer for a second Maxime that this nation embraced and was taught the Religion of Christ by some one of the Apostles Soe say their Archbishop Parker in antiq Britan. Bal. in act Pontif. Rom. in Gregor 1. Cambd. in Brit. Fulke Answ. to a Romish cath pag. 40. Powel annot in l. 2. Giral Cambr. Itiner Cambr. c. 1. Holinsh. histor of Eng. c. 21. pag. 102. Stowe histor in Agricola Stow. supr Godwyn supr their Bishops Bale Godwyn their doctors and Antiquaries Cambden Fulke Powel Holinshed Stowe the Theater writers and others inclining to this opinion and some of them plainely teaching with diuers of the auntient fathers that the 12. Apostles deuided the world amongst them to preach the ghospell in assure vs that to speake in their wordes The holy Apostles beeing dispersed throughout the whole earth did diuide the prouinces amongst them to preach the ghospell in and it is deliuered plainely by sundry auntient writers that Britanie fell in diuision amongst the Apostles The third and laste generall Rule which these men assigne vnto vs is that mention is not made of any Apostle in any antiquitie to haue preached here but onely of S. Peter S. Paul and S. Symon Zelotes none of all these alleadged protestants or any other I reade doth speake of any other and amonge these one a protestant Bishop and Antiquarie writeth in these termes Godwyn Conuers of Britanie cap. 1. pag. 2. I finde mention of three onely of the Apostles to haue beene in our Britanie to wit Peter and Paul and Simon Chananaeus called also Zelotes For although some haue written that S. Iames preached in Ireland and S. Philip in this next adioyninge Gallia Fraunce which I haue at lardge refuted in other places yett noe one historian to my remembrance and reading doth teach that either of those twoe or any of the rest except those three before sett downe were at any time in this Iland These Rules of Protestants thus supposed and allowed it will with a small labour euidently appeare vnto vs by these men and all antiquities that the moste glorious Apostle Saint Peter was our first father and teacher in Christ For first concerning S. Paul hee himselfe and other scriptures and these protestants alsoe confesse hee was none of the 12. Apostles by whoÌ„ the world was soe diuided and though miraculously called by god before yett not properly an Apostle vntill in the 13. chapter of the Acts of
calleth this not his owne decree but the decree of S. Clement his predecessor and Saint Peter alsoe Anacl supr apud Mar. Scot. Flor. Wigorn. supr And setteth downe in a certayne Tome what cytes were to haue primates both accordinge to his owne S. Clements and the Apostles order And this decree of Sainct Anacletus in this highest question of Iurisdiction was soe vniuersall and generall in it selfe soe embraced of all and includinge that as not onely Giraldus Cambrensis and auncient authorities of this nation Lib. 2. de Iure Metropol eccles Meneuen ad Innocent 3. but the cheife Protestant Antiquaries themselues as Mathew Parker the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterburie Lib. antiquit Britannic pag. 24. and Syr Iohn Prise Io. Pris defens histor Britan. pag. 73. doe plainelie acknowledge that by that Tome of Saint Anacletus Pope it was conteyned and decreed how manie and which were the places throughout all this Iland euen as it conteyned England Scotland and Wales And thereupon this Protestant Archbishopp doth in expresse termes call the diuision of Britanie in that respect Ex Anacleto huius Insulae diuisionem The diuision of this Iland according to the decree of Pope Anacletus And though this diuision was not actually made at that time for setting Archbishops in those prouinces at that time but was deferred vntill in after when the faith was recreaued here in more publicke maner when persecution ceased or was mitigated yett by these authorities there is noe doubt but this holy Pope both claymed and exercised the same highest spirituall Iurisdiction as well in this as all other nations that decree beeing generall and without limitation for all nations as it is allowed by these Protestants and making all prouinces in the knowne world substitute and subordinate to the church of Rome in such affaires and none exempted And as this decree alone will witnes hee sent as opportunitie and the cause required Bishops and preists into other contries soe he did the like to this to encrease and continue that happy buildinge which his predecessors had founded here before Soe wee must say of his immediate Successor Saint Euaristus except wee will reiect the authoritie of one of our moste auntient and approued historians Nennius who in his manuscript auntient history written if wee may beleeue the Protestant Bishop Bale l. de scriptor cent 1. in Nennio A thowsand yeares since confidently affirmeth that Britannicus Rex A kinge of Britanie receaued an ambassadge from Euaristus Pope of Rome to receaue the faith of Christ missa legatione à Papae Romano Euaristo Mennius hist. M. S. who yett sayth with others that the generall cōuersion of this land was not vntill the yeare of Christ 167. others making it later This holy Pope began his papacie in the yeare 111. and liued therein vntil 120. before which time our kinge Coillus brought vp at Rome was soe well disposed to Christian Religion that as our Protestants and the antiquities of Glastenbury tell vs hee confirmed the twelue hides of land to the religious Eremitage of Glastenbury Antiquitat glast apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph and others And therefore cominge from Rome into Britanie to bee kinge his Father kinge Marius beeinge deade wee cannot thinke but as many of our contrimen his subiects then at Rome were Christians and in soe greate number that in one Brittish house there the house of S. Claudia our British Lady and children after her there were at or soone after this time in the time of Pope Pius the first 96. christians Act. 5 Pudentianae Breuiar Rom. in vit eius 19. Maij. So many of them and of other nations also and cleargie men were sent hither by the Pope of Rome at that time which many of our Protestant historians will confirme assuringe that both now and at all times vntill the conuersion of kinge Lucius there were many christians which came from Rome liuinge in this kingdome Godwyn Conuers of Britanie pag. Caius l. 1. antiq Cantabrig Will. Harrison descript of Brit. Holinsh hist of Engl. Soe doe diuers auntient antiquities of the Annals of Burton and others of forreine nations And touchinge the time of Pope Alexander the first next successor to S. Euaristus hee beinge made Pope in the yeare 120. and continuinge Bishop of Rome by common opinion 8. yeares and fiue moneths in the fourth yeare of the papacie of this blessed Saint as both Matthew of Westminster Annal. Burton an 141. Catal. Episcop Tungr and the autient Table hanging in the church of S. Peter in Cornehil in London then builded in the time of kinge Lucius wittnesse beeinge the 124. yeare of Christ The yeare of our Lord God 124. Lucius was crowned kinge soe the one the other saith anno gratiae 124. Coillo Britonum Rege defuncto Lucius filius eius regni diademate insignitus est In the yeare of grace 124. Coillus kinge of the Britans beeing deade Lucius his sonne was crowned king Math· Westin an 124. This kinge Lucius although neither hee nor the kingdome were yett soe generally conuerted yet well knowinge that many preachers had beene sent hither from Rome and diuers Brittans here were desirous to embrace the faith of Christ did not onely giue way vnto it in this beginning of his Reigne but except Albertus Krantzius a man well acquainted with our Brittish antiquities as a Protestant antiquary witnesseth doth deceaue vs. Io. Caius antiq Cantabrig l. 1. Albert. Krantzius Metropol l. 1. cap. 6. Did write vnto S. Alexander the first Pope of Rome to haue christian Religion preached in this kingedome Religionem Christi Lucius quondam Britanniae Rex ab Alexandro primo eius nominis summo pontifice impetrauit in Insula predicari Lucius Kinge of Britanie did obteyne of Pope Alexander the first to here Christian Religion preached in that Iland Which is confirmed by many Authorities prouening vnto vs that this Iland at and immediately after that time had diuers preachers of the faith of Christ and among them some Bishops besides those I named before to proue that wee had a continuall succession of holy Bishops from Rome as these alsoe were from our first christianity And that wee had many preachers and many by them conuerted may appeare by that is acknowledged before from these Protestants to which many of them add from antiquities that many Schollers Doctors of our Vniuersities then were conuerted in the yeare 141. nyne in one place of Cambridge In peruetustis Annalibus Burtonensibus sic lego Anno Domini 141. hic baptizati sunt nouem ex Doctoribus Scholaribus Cantabrigiae I doe reade sayth one in very old Annals of Burtō thus In the yeare of our Lord 141. here were baptized nyne of the Doctors Schollers of Cambridge Caius lib. 1. de antiq Cantab. pag. 95. Theater of greate Brit. lib. 6. Harris descript of Brit. Like to this haue many other Protestants who assure vs this succession could not come from S. Ioseph of Aramathia
and his company for a Protestāt Bishop according to the truth of histories writeth Godwyn conuers of Brit. pag. 16. c. 3. It seemeth that Ioseph and his fellowes preuayled little by their preaching and therefore gaue themselues at last vnto a monasticall and solitary life in the Iland of Aualon And euen their memorie was soe much forgotten when kinge Lucius was conuerted that as our best antiquities wee haue of that matter tel vs those which S. Eleutherius sent from Rome found the best information of them at Rome their auncient howse or church was foe desolat that it was become Latibulū Ferarum a den for wyld beasts at their cominge hither Antiquit. Glaston apud Capgrau in S. Ioseph Aramath in S Patr. I finde in histories no others from whom wee haue the leaste probabilitie to clayme a continuaunce in Religion therefore it must needs bee from Rome from whence alsoe wee had amonge these holy men some Bishops to continue a succession from thence For although S. Beatus was but lately deade liuing vnto this yeare 110. it is not vnlikely but his companion was still liuinge and except there were twoe of that name and in those times and the same contrie which no history doth remember S. Mansuetus was yet a liue and longe after vntil wee had manie other Bishops sent from Rome or consecrated here by the Romane authoritie in the time of this Kinge Lucius For wee reade in the Annals and Catalogue of the Archbishops of Treuers neare vnto Tullum that in the yeare 160. S. Mansuetus was Bishop there Mansuetus qui huic nomini vocationi suae vita proba anno Domini 160. optime respondit The seuenth Archbishop of Treuers was Mansuetus whoe by his godly life did excellently answeare this his name to bee meeke and his vocation in the yeare of Christ 160. Annales Arch. Treuer Petrus Merssaeus Catal. Arch. Treuer Which by noe historye I can finde was or could bee any other but Saint Mansuetus our contryman spoken of before both the name time and place soe neare vnto Tullum where hee was first Bishopp alloweinge it and nothinge impugninge it And amonge those Bishops here in Britanie and of our owne nation I finde two named beinge both consecrated and sent hither by the Authoritie of the See of Rome one of them S. Tymotheus sonne to our holy contryman Saint Marcellus or by some Marcellinus a Britanne borne and a Bishop here and after Bishop of the Tungers and lastely Archbishop of Treuers both which preached here in the time of Kinge Lucius longe before his conuersion and at or before this time and were instruments of his happy conuersion actually and parsonallye concurringe therto by mission and Authoritie from the Popes of Rome of which I haue made more lardge and ample relation in other places for this purpose soe many Authors here cited will suffice both Catholicks and Protestants consentinge that S. Tymothie and S. Marcellus or Marcellinus preached here in the time of kinge Lucius and before his conuersion Petrus de Natalib lib. 1. cap. 24. Harris Tom. 2. Magdeb. centur 2. Annal. Eccles Cur. Io Stumph in Rhetia Petrus Merssaeus in catalog Archiep· Treuer in Archiep. 20. Anton. Democh. l. 2. de Miss cont Caluin Gulielus Eisengren centen 2. part 4. distinct 7. Petr. Merss in Archiep. Treuer And that this S. Tymothie could not bee Saint Tymothie Bishop of Ephesus S. Pauls Scholler to whome hee wrote the Epistles whoe was martyred many yeares before Kinge Lucius was borne and S. Onesimus was his Successor in S. Ignatius time as hee himselfe is witnesse Epist ad Ephes But onely S. Tymothie our blessed contryman by his mother S. Claudia Martyrol Rom. die 20. Iunij and a child baptized by the Apostles and thereupon called their disciple whoe was owner of the house in Rome where S. Peter by the Roman tradition first entertayned there and of S. Tymothie the Lord thereof in his time named Thermae Timothinae the Bathes of Tymotheus Act. 5. Iustini Philosoph Baron annot in 20. Iunij in S. Nouato which hee forsooke for the loue of God and this his nation soe soone that by Pope Pius the first martyred in the yeare 154. his said house was cōsecrated a church hee himselfe beeing then in all probabilitie preaching in this Iland as so many Authorities cited doe warrant The historie of S. Marcellus or Marcellinus both to haue beene a Britane a Bishop and to haue preached here longe before S. Linus was conuerted that hee persuaded him to bee a Christian and after went into Germany and returned from thence into Britanie againe sent with others from Pope Eleutherius to conuert kinge Lucius this kingdome as they did is an vndoubted veritie acknowledged by all that write of that matter And therefore our Protestāts of England freely graunt vs in these wordes Euen from the dayes of those godlie men whoe first taught the Britans the ghospell there remayned amonge the same Britans some Christians which ceased not to teach and preach the word of God most sincerely vnto them But yett noe kinge amongst thē openly professed that Religion till at length this Lucius perceauinge not onely some of the Roman Lieutenants in Britanie as Trebellius and Pertinax with others to haue submitted themselues to that profession but alsoe the Emperor himselfe to begin to bee fauorable to them that professed it And then hee setteth downe how kinge Lucius sent to Pope Eleutherius to bee instructed in and receaue the faith of Christ and in like maner is the Relatiō of other Protestāts Holinsh. histor of England lib. 4. cap. 19. Math. Park Antiquit Britan. pag. 4.5 Ioh. Goscelius in histor Manuscript Bal. l. 2. de actibus Pontif. in Gregor 1. l. de Scriptor cent 1. in August Dirnoth Godwyn Conuers Powel annot in l. 2. Girald Cambr. c. 1. Foxe to 2. Act. pag. 463. Fulke Ans to count Cath. pag. 40. Middlet papist am pag. 202. Stowe Holinsh. c. Then if by these men there stil continued a succession of true preachers in Britanie from the Apostles time Protestant Articl of Religion Bils Whitgift Barlow Bridges Downam Hookeer Couel others against puritans Which the puclick Protestant Religion denieth to bee without true Bishops to consecrate such preists and preachers and the Romane Luietenants themselues and christians and soe consequently as the greatnes of their state and necessitie of the church here required had Bishops and rather from Rome beeing themselues Romans And I haue exemplified in soe many Bishops consecrated and sent hither by S. Peter and his holy successors Popes of Rome and not any one Instance can bee giuen of any one Bishop or preist in all this time sent or consecrated by any others wee must needes leaue that prerogatiue to Rome and honor to Britanie to haue had the holy Bishops and pastors of this church from thence And that Apostolicke See to haue ruled here in spirituall things as these Protestants haue freely acknowledged
destinauit coronam benedictam Britanniae christianitatem Deo inspirante Lucio Regi Britonum The kinge of right ought with all integritie and without diminution obserue and defende all lands and honors all dignities and Rights and liberties of the crowne of this kingedome wholly and call backe againe al the Rights of the kingdome that bee dispersed dilapidated loste with all his power vnto their auncient and due state And the whole and all the Land and the Ilands euen to Norway and Denmarke doe belonge to the crowne of his kingdome and at of the Appendicies and dignities of the kinge and it is one monarchie and one kingedome and it was anciently called the kingedome of Britanie now is called the kingedome of the English men for our Lord the Pope Eleutherius did by his sentence cōstitute and appointe such limites and boundes to the crowne of the kingedome first sending by the inspiration of God a hallowed crowne and Christianitie to Britanie to Kinge Lucius Hitherto this soe auncient publicke authoritie and antiquitie now seeing all writers Catholicks and Protestāts agree that both S. Eleutherius which made this declaration and confirmation of soe manie Ilands and Rights and Kinge Lucius which accepted it was in the like degree and all our kings soe many hundred yeares after many of them holy Saints which by this declaration esteemed these territories to bee their owne to keepe them all or any of them declarer or receauers from horrible and damnable vsurpation as of necessitie by these Protestants wee must doe what way is there to end this difficultie except wee allowe of the Popes Authoritie in such a declaration But to yeeld a greater and more auncient honor and priuiledge to this kingedome and the kings thereof then many Protestants enemies to our Brittish Antiquities will allowe vnto it not onely to comprehend al these Northren Ilands vnto Norway vnder the name of Insulae Britannicae the Brittish or Britons Iland But that the kingedome of Denmarke was subiect and tributary to Britanie diuers hundreds of yeares before Christ and soe consequently the adiacent Ilands which by Ius gentium belonged to the Continent next adioyninge wee shall by this exempt this kingdome from receauing any thinge by a free donation from Pope Eleutherius in this kinde claiminge by this that hee only adiudged the old Right and Title of Britanie to bee true and lawfull in this case not giuing any new prerogatiue by that confirmation Yett this will not exempt either kinge Lucius from embracinge or Pope Eleutherius from assigning and confirminge that diuision and preferringe the Title of kinge Lucius before the Scots and others which by their histories had then enioyed longe time diuers of those Ilands and soe wee must still acknowledge that both Eleutherius the Pope and kinge Lucius then thought the decision of such things did in some respect in conscience belonge to that See Apostolick otherwise neither would the one haue made it or the other sought for or accepted it in that maner both of them beeing worthie and renowned Saints in the church of Christ M. S. pr. Regnum Britanniae in Gurguntio Ioh. Rom. apud Stowe in cod Stowe and Howes histor in Gurg an ante Christ 375. Ioh. Lydgate in Cantab. Ioh. Harding Chron. c. 34. fol. 29.30 Caius antiq Cantab l. 1. Matth. Westm. aetat 5. c. 5. Hect. Boeth hist. Scot. Giral Cāb ap Stow. supr And into the same laborinth we fal by these men denying power in the Pope of Rome to giue pardōs or Indulgences to mitigate or release the punishments of sinnes if wee should harken vnto them for they greately commend vnto vs the Epistle ascribed to S. Patrick the Irish Apostle in the antiquities of Gastenbury to bee of greate authoritie and yett in this wee reade Quod sanctus Phaganus Deruuianus ab Eleutherio Papa qui cos miserat decē annos Indulgentiae impetrarunt That S. Phaganus and Deruuianus obteyned of Pope Eleutherius that sent them ten yeares of Indulgence for the pilgryms visiting that holie place a greater power in the Pope then the other by these Protestants And thus much of this hundred yeares Theater of great Britanie lib. 6. Godwyn Conuers of Britanie cap. 2. pag. 10. Ioh. Leland in Assert Arthur Antiquitat Glaston in tabula lignea Capgrau in Catal. in S. Patricio M.S. Antiq. in eodem THE THIRD CENTVRIE OR HVNDRED YEARE THE VII CHAPTER How the Popes of Rome in this third Centurie or hundred of years alsoe by our Protestants and others ruled and gouerned here in Britante in spirituall things by their supreame power therein NOw hauing ended this second hundred yeare when there was soe generall an acceptance of this highest papall Authoritie in Britanie by the kinge his Nobles three Archbishops soe many other Bishops and the noble cleargie and others here wee may bee more breife in ages followinge for it is a common consent of the Protestant writers of England that the same faith and Religion in all materiall points such as this is continued firme and inuiolable here at the least vntill the cominge of S. Augustine hither in the later end of the sixt hundred yeare And it is a veritie granted by all followinge S. Bede susceptam fidem Britanni vsque in tempora Diocletiani Principis inuiolatum integrumque quieta in pace seruabant The Britans kept the faith which they receaued in the time of kinge Lucius inuiolable and whole in quiet peace vntill the times of Diocletian Bed hist eccles l. 1. c. 4. Whoe did not begin his Empire vntill the yeare 285. his persecution longe time after about the yeare 296. And no man can thinke but amōge soe many Archbishops Bishops and cleargie men which together with the whole christian Religion embraced the papall power liued and gouerned the church of Britanie here many yeares in this age in the same maner and order as it was commended vnto them by the Romane supreame spirituall Authoritie of S. Eleutherius and his Apostolicke Legates Therefore to bee breife the next Pope which was in the beginning of this hundred yeare Scotland as hereafter a greate portion of this Iland and then a distinct greate and inuincible kingedome vnto the most powerable Romane Emperors was conuerted to the faith of Christ The very name of this holy Pope and Martyr carieth spirituall supreamacy with it in all the Christian world Asia Africk and Europe by the mouthes and pennes of all Protestants and others A Protestant Bishop for all shall answere in these words Pope Victor excommunicated all churches both greeke and latine which differed from his church in the obseruation of Easter Morton appeale l. 1. cap. 9. Which noe man can question but it was the highest act to haue and exercise such power ouer all churches and yett moste iustly and lawfully and hee a blessed man which both a Protestant Archbishopp and his maiestie kinge Iames shal testifie for all The church of Rome was then
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
their parlamentary Religion in the time of Queene Elizabeth or sooner For wee are taught by these protestants that in the first parlamēt of that Queene when Catholick Religion was suppressed yet both shee her nobles new Bishops and the rest continued in this opinion that there was an externall sacrifice in the church and the Masse was this externall sacrifice for appointing a kinde of disputation in questions they most disliked in Catholike Religion or wherin they thought themselues to haue most aduantage they set downe but three conclusions The first of a straunge tongue in common prayer the second concerninge ceremonies And the third and laste is thus It cannot bee proued by the worde of God that there is in the Masse offered vp a sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead ◅h Stow and Howes histor an 1. Elizab. Theater of Brit. an 1. Eliz. Where they do not deny an externall sacrifice in the churche of Christ ◅hether that the Maste is this externall sacrifice but so farre agree with Catholicks but they only deny that by scripture which they onely vnderstand by the worde of God the sacrifice of Masse can bee proued a sacrifice propitiatory for the quick and dead Neuer denying it to bee a commemoratiue and Eucharistical sacrifice or of Religion as his maiesty before calleth it by the mouth of Casaubon Neither doe they absolutly deny it to bee a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and dead but that it cannot bee so proued by scripture neuer denying but by traditiō it may so bee proued as some protestants haue confessed before and shal manifestly be proued hereafter by all testimonies 14. And to make euident demonstration by these protestants of England that they all doe or should both allowe an external sacrifice and sacrificing preists and preisthood which they haue so longe and greeuously persecuted there was yet neuer any protestant Prince Kinge or Queene in England but by publick authoritie and lawe of Parlament allowed and receaued the holy sacrifice of Masse consequentlie sacrificinge and massinge preists and preisthood beeing as al learning teacheth indiuisible and vnseparable correlatiues maturally and mutually dependinge one of the other It is euident that Kinge Henry 8. Stat. Hen. 8. testament vlt. Both by Parlament and his laste wil allowed Masse both for the quick and dead King Edward the sixt Theat of great Brit. in Henr. 8. Statut. an 1. Edward 6. cap. 1. Enacted a a particular statute thereof confirming the doctrine of reall presence and it was in force al his life was repealed by Queene Mary in respect it did allow to communicants to receaue in both kindes Stat. an 1. Mar. parlam 1. sess 2. cap. 2. Queene Elizabeth in her first parlament reuiued this statute againe and it continued in force all her life Parlam an 1. Elizab. And his maiestie that now is in his first parlament receaued and confirmed this very statute of the holy sacrifice of Masse the reall presence and is still in force neuer by him repealed Parlament an 1. Iacobi cap. 5. The statute it selfe is so cleare in this point as it cannot bee contradicted And besides this the iniunctions of Kinge Edward the sixt the best interpretors of his lawe doe so assure vs where in the 3.21.22 Iniunction of his time wee finde then by his Regall Authoritie Masse high Masse altare high altare lights vppon the altare before the Sacrament Christs reall presence therein and transubstantiation vsed commonly in England after this statute was enacted Iniunct of Kinge Edw. 6. iniunct 1.21.22 And both for the time of Queene Elizabeth as also his maiestie that now is receauinge that statute 15. The publicke collection of our statutes Collectiō of Engl statutes an D. 1611. Titul seruice and Sacraments cap. 1. Printed cum priuilegio by his maiesties allowance and commonly vsed by our protestant lawyers others hath this note and these words vppon this statute Anno 1. Eduardi sexti cap. 1. This act was repealed by 1. Mar. parl 1. sess 2. cap. 2. and is reuiued by 1. Iacobi cap. 25. But note the time of the first making of this statute which was before that the Masse was taken away when the opinion of the reall presence was not remoued from vs. Whereby it is manifest that both Queene Elizabeth and Kinge Iames reuiuing and giuing full life and validitie to this statute of the doctrine of Masse and reall presence must needes giue the same allowance to those holy doctrines confirmed by that statute and soe ought all English Protestants cōforming themselues in matters of Religion to the lawes and parlaments of Protestant Princes the cheifest rules and squares by them in such proceedings And so neither any Catholicke or Protestant of England except they will bee singular against the lawe of their owne Religion can or may take exception against that is said before or professe himself an aduersary or persecutor of holy consecrated sacrificinge Catholicke preists or sacrifice of holy Masse but rather reuerence embrace them And thus much from the booke of Genesis that the true Messias was to bee a sacrificinge preist according vnto the order of Melchisedech to institute a new sacrificinge preisthood and the externall holy sacrifice of Masse to bee cōtinued in his church for euer The same proued with like allowance and approbation of Protestants out of the booke of Exodus THE II. CHAPTER NOw let vs come to Exodus the next booke of Moyses Where the protestants shall informe vs that both the auncient Rabbines before Christ the Fathers of the primatiue church and the scripture it selfe expounded by the grounds of protestant Religion doe warrant vs not onely that there was an externall sacrifice to bee continued in the time and Religion of Christ but that this sacrifice in particular was the blessed body and blood of Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine as it is offered in the holy Masse by massinge and sacrificinge Catholicke preists wee are told assuredly not onely from Catholicks some of them liuing and writing before these controuersies began and which had beene eye witnesses of theire relation but from protestants also and those Sacramentary Caluinists the greatest enemies to the holy sacrifice of Masse and transsubstantiation that vppon these wordes of Exodus in the 25. chapter where the vulgare latine readeth Et pones super mensam panes propositionis in conspectu m◅o s◅mper and our English Protestants translate and thou shalt set vppon the table shew bread before mee alwaies Petr. Gallatin de Arcan Cathol veritat l. 10. cap. 6 Ioh. Vitus epist Wintonicus l. dure osiomart rion Franciscus Sta◅car in correct Petri Gallatini l. 10. c. 6. Praefat Protestant ad lectorem ante Petr. Gallatin edit Francofurti an 1612. 2. That the auncient Rabbines longe before Christ expounded this place of the holy sacrifice of Christians inferinge also from thence as the text will giue warrant vnto as I shall proue hereafter by protestant Religion that
this and to take which text we will as one wee must because thinges offered in sacrifices were receiued and thinges also in them receiued were before offered it is manifest by the Prophet that the holy consecrated challice was to bee offered and receiued in this sacrifice Thodah as it is with Catholicks at this time 6. And this was so knowne a veritie amonge the Iewes that as Hieronymus à sancta fide proueth against the Iewes l. 1. contr Iudaeos cap. 9. hee himselfe a Iew it is often reiterated in theire Thalmud it selfe est quaedam locutio saepe in Thalmud reiterata quae dicit sic in tempore futuro vniuersa sacrificia excepto sacrificio confessionis annihilata erunt And wee doe not finde in any Religion Christians or others any cup or chalice which truely or putatiuely is termed the cup or chalice of saluation but that which is consecrated and offered in holy Masse of which Christ said as our protestants translate it Luc. cap. 22. v. 20. 1. Corinth cap. 11. v. 24. This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you Marc. 14.24 This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes So that except wee will bee Antichristians and deny the truth of the words of Christ that which hee then gaue and offered and is lawfully consecrated preists doe stil offer in holy Masse was and is this cup or chalice of saluation fortold by the Prophet Dauid in this place 7. And howesoeuer wee will interpret this word Thoda with protestant Hebritians to signifie gloria gloriatio laus laudatio celebratio confessio glory glorification praise commendation celebration confession Froster in Lexic in v. Thoda pag. 355. it cannot possibly bee better expressed and verified in any thinge then the holy sacrifice of the blessed body blood of Christ which therfore the old canon of the Masse calleth sacrificium laudis sacrifice of praise For as S. Augustine saith l. 1. contr aduersar leg Prophetar cap. 18. Quid est sacratius laudis sacrificium quà m in actione gratiarum Et vnde maiores agendae sunt Deo gratiae quam pro ipsius gratia per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum quod totum fideles in Ecclesiae sacrificio sciunt cuius vmbrae fuerunt omnia priorum generum sacrificia What sacrifice of praise is more holy then in thanksgiuing and wherefore are more or greater thankes to bee giuen to God then for his grace by Iesus Christ our Lord All which the faithfull doe know in the sacrifice of the church of which all sacrifices of the former kindes were shadowes And our protestants of England haue graunted as much before acknowledginge the Eucharist to be a sacrifice of Religion a sacrifice of thanksgiuing a commemoratiue sacrifice and a remembrance and memoriall of Christ offered and sacrificed for the sinnes of the worlde and mans redemption which deserue and binde all Christians to giue the greatest glory praise commendation thankes and confession to God for so an inestimable grace and benefite they possibly are able 7. Therefore most truely and properly this holy sacrifice of Masse which Catholicks vse was by the holy Scriptures Rabines Fathers Catholicks and protestants before termed Thoda For besides all those Etimologies and significations thereof before alleaged from protestant Hebritiās they further add Ioh. Froster Lexic Hebraic in Thoda pag. 355. Vocat scriptura hoc nomine speciem sacrificij quo offerentes confitebantur accepisse se beneficium à Deo celebrantque praedicabant gloriam clementiae benignitatis de graeci transtulerunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificium laudis Germani Liboffer Leuit. cap 7. vers 11. Acconstabat vt eius descriptione Leuitici 7. habetur ex placenta Azimae offerebanturque ab illis qui cum à periculo aliquo liberati gratos se Deo declarare volebāt The scripture calleth by this name Thoda the kinde of sacrifice by which they that offered it did confesse that they had receiued benefits from God and they celebrated declared the glory of the mercy and bountifulnes of God the Greeks translated it sacrifice of praise the Germans Libopffer and it consisted as appeareth by the description of it in the 7. chapter of Leuiticus of an vnleuened Cake and it was offered of them that beeing deliuered from any daunger would shew themselues thankfull to God All which properties in a most excellent manner are found and proued to belonge to the holy sacrifice of Masse for more then any other rite or ceremonie vsed by any Christians THE IIII. CHAPTER Prouing the same by the same warrant from the Prophet Dauid NOw let vs come to the Prophet Dauid who in the 21.22 psalme by the Hebrues speaking of the conuersion of the gentiles and all nations to Christ and setting downe many particulars of his holy life and passion amonge the rest when by protestants translation hee had said all the ends of the world shall remember and turne to the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee For the kingdome is the Lords and hee is the gouernor among the natiōs which we see performed by Christ hee immediatlie addeth all they that bee fat vppon the earth the potent and mightie shall eate and worship The Hebrue which our protestants should follow there is Istachahu haue bowed downe themselues in worship So is the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the vulgare Latine manducauerunt adorauerunt so Sebastian Castalio the protestant comedent adorabunt so readeth S. Augustine Augustin in psal 21. Manducauerunt adorabunt omnes diuites terrae Euen all the rich vppon earth haue eaten and shall worship And examining what holy food this should bee which euen the ritchest and most potent should worship when they did eate it not findinge any other food worthie such worship hee concludeth manducauerunt corpus humilitatis Domini sui etiam diuites terrae Euen the ritch of the earth haue eaten the body of the humilitie of their Lord. Whereuppon a very learned writer linguist before these times of controuersies Iacob Perez de Valentia quaest 5. contra Iudaeos Writing against the Iewes saith although this Sacrament was figured by many signes and figures in the Lawe yet Dauid in manifest wordes hath expressed it in the 21. psalme And citing the wordes before alleaged thus hee writeth vbi manifestè ostenditur quòd fideles debebant māducare adorare Deum suum Where it is manifestly shewed that the faithful ought to eate and adore their God 2. And whereas the same holy Prophet in his 98. psalme saith adorate scabellum pedum eius quoniam sanctum est Adore the footestoole of his feete because it is holy The same S Augustine hauing related those wordes of God in the Prophet Isay as our protestants trāslate them Isay cap. 66. v. 1. The
immolabantur in vmbra futuri For that sacrifice saith hee hath succeeded all those sacrifices of the old testament which were offered in shadow of that was to come 2. And Rabbi Samuel in his booke of the cominge of the Messias which he sent to Rabbi Isaac Master of the Sinagogue writeth thus vppon that place and of this holy sacrifice Rabbi Samuel l. de aduentu Messiae cap. 20. hoc sacrificium pulcherrime apte describit Salomon Propheta Salomon the Prophet doth moste excellently and aptly describe this sacrifice of Christians in the 9. chapter of his booke of Prouerbs when hee saith most high wisedome hath communicated his sacrifice mingled his wine and prepared his table then hee sente his seruants sayinge who is a little one lett him come to me and the vnwise shall eate my bread and drinke my wine tempered with water ô my Master what is this prepared table of the most high wisedome but the altare ô my Master what is the breade wine mingled but the sacrifice of bread and wine and of water which is offered on the altare who are the vnwise called by the seruants of wisedome but the gentiles or nations which knew not God called by the Apostles and it is to be noted he saith his bread and his wine for by that hee doth insinuate that this sacrifice is acceptable to God and that to this banquet so high and so spirituall hee did not call our Fathers which were wise in the lawe who were occupied in the sacrifice of the lawe which carnall sacrifice hee hath not left vnto vs. Whereuppon it cometh that wee the Iewes detest in the gentiles the sacrifice of bread wine which God hath appointed and in no respect reiecteth as he doth reiect sacrifices of flesh 3. And Hieronymus à S. fide l. 1. contra Iudaeos cap. 1. by whose booke diuers thousandes of Iewes hee beeing also a Iewe were conuerted proueth against them that a principall reason why they did not receaue Christ was because he taught a new law preisthood and sacrifice which cannot consist together with the lawe preisthood and sacrifices of Moyses If we resort to the originall text of Hebrue as our protestants would seeme best to allowe wee haue a greater allowance there for these mysteries for wheras S. Cyprian with the vulgare latine readeth wisedome builded to herselfe an house sapientia aedificauit sibi domum the Hebrue is Banetha Beithah builded his house Christ the wisedome of his father builded his house his church as it is commonly expounded And where S. Cyprian readeth mactauit suas hostias killed his sacrifices in the plurall number as the latine vulgare immolauit victimas suas sacrificed his victims the Hebrue in the singular number to designe one singular sacrifice is Tabechah Tibchah offered vp his sacrifice and therefore our English Protestants in their late priuiledged translation readinge quite otherwise shee hath killed her beastes haue prophaned that holy text in this point soe the Hebrue readeth of Christ in this place his table his bread his wine which hee mingled And this is so euident and manifest that Sebastian Castalio the protestant linguist translated victimam suam immolauit vinum libauit hee offered his sacrifice hee sacrificed his wine Castal in hunc loc Prou. 9. So that the sacrifice here mentioned must needs be that which Christs eternal wisedome offered therfore the altar wheron it is offered is called his table when it is called bread or food or flesh the Hebrue Lehem signifying them all or wine it is not absolutely so called but his bread or his food or his flesh and his wine which hee mingled or sacrificed as this protestant before hath taught vs. Therefore we must needes conclude from hence that the preisthood of Christians is a true sacrificinge preisthood and neither protestant or other finding other sacrifice then holy Masse it must needes bee this Wherin the same mysteries are proued by the same maner out of the Prophet Esay and others THE VI. CHAPTER OVr Protestants of England in the Titles of the 56.60 and 61. chapters of Esay the Prophet interpret them of Christ and his holy Religion so doe many scriptures all readers may see cited and alleaged in the Margins there by them and yet in these places the holy Prophet doth testify that there shall bee a sacrificing preisthood an externall sacrifice and altar whereupon it shal bee offered in this lawe of Christ In the first place which Christ him selfe expoundeth of himselfe and his law the Prophet speaking of the conuersion of the gentiles to Christ writeth thus by protestants translation Euen them will I bringe to my holy mountaine his church and make them ioyfull in my house of prayer their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall bee acceptable vppon my altar for my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people The Hebrue Greeke and Latine readings doe all manifestly expresse sacrifice and altar whereon it was to bee offered and that sacrifice to bee acceptable to God therefore seeing an altar wheron sacrifice is offered a sacrifice theron offered and a preist sacrificinge or offeringe such sacrifice are in all learninge mutuall correllatiues and cannot possibly bee separated these must needes bee found among Christians by this place of the Prophet 2. And in the 60. chapter v. 7. speaking also of the conuersion of the Gentiles there foretelleth howe the preistes which hee should choose in them whome hee vnderstandeth by the Rammes of the flock these beeing cheife of naturall sheepe as preists be in the spiritual fold and sheep of Christ shall offer acceptable sacrifice vpon the altar of God in the church of the Gentiles conuerted The Hebrue Greeke and Latine texts all agree proposing vnto vs a sacrifice offered on the altare in the lawe of the Messias and can haue no other construction except we will returne to Iudaisme for as a learned Father proueth Anastasius Abb. l. contra Iudaeos significat gentes sacrificaturos esse Deo sacrificijs acceptis quare non de sacrificijs legis intelligi potest neque de altari tâ—…rrestris Hierusalem ergo spiritualis The Prophet signifieth that the Gentiles shall sacrifice to God with acceptable sacrifices wherefore hee cannot bee vnderstood of the sacrifices of the lawe nor of the altar of the material Hierusalem being euacuated Is c. 61. v. 5 therfor of the sacrifice altar of the spiritual HierusaleÌ„ the church of Christ as the whole chap. sheweth of the glory of the house of God among the gentâ—…es wanting among protestants And in the next chapter where our protestantes reade straungers shall stand and feede your flocks and the sonnes of the Aliens shall bee your plow-men and your vine dressers The same Father together with S. Cyrill glosseth clarè hic vt annotauit Cyrillus significat futuram esse translationem legis Sacerdotij non enim amplius ex tribu Leui erant futuri Pastores Sacerdotes Quod si alia erit
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
the 49. yeare of Christ in the Empire of Claudius Guliel Eisengr centur 1. fol. 56. cit Petr. de natal l. 11. Demochar l. 2. so that if this Britanie had a massinge preist made by S. Peter whose disciple he was in the 40. yeare of Christ and the same a massinge Bishop within 9. yeares after the sacrifice of Masse beeing of continuance here aboue 1580 yeares it maketh a sufficient time of prescription to claime title of continuance And hee was one of the oldest massing preists and Bishops that I finde of this nation onely S. Kentigern equall perhaps vnto him therin for the annals of Treuers say that this S. Mansuetus I finde no other in that time was successor to the greate massinge Archbishop of that city S. Maternus of whome I haue spoken before Anno Domini 160. in the 160. yeare of Christ at which time by many authors Kinge Lucius and this kingdome was conuerted and besides many such preists had 28. massing Bishops as I shall demonstrate in the next age Petrus Mersseus Catalog Archiep. Treuer an 160. 9. And very probable it is euen by our English Protestants The Protestant Theater of great Britanie l. 6. teaching that about this time betweene the 40. and 50. yeare of Christ many in Britany became Christiās as namely Pomponia Graecina the wife of the Romans Lieutenant Aulus Plautius and about the same time S. Beatus and his holie companion Anonymus but that a German writer calleth him Achates made massing preists by S. Peter directed by him this holy massinge preist S. Mansuetus had some cooperatiō in that happy busines And that these our two renowned contrimen S. Beatus and his companion were sacrificing massing preists it is euident first because they were here first instructed in the faith of Christ by thē which of necessitie no others being here or els where at that time were massinge preists secondly because as these protestāts both Germā English tell vs they were further instructed directed by S. Peter a massing preist and Apostle if perhaps which these men doe not insinuate S. Peter was martired before they were consecrated preists yet beeing consecrated at Rome without all question where none but massinge Bishops and consecrators were S. Linus Cletus or Clemens they must needs bee consecrated massinge preists which is further proued by the places of their moste aboade after S. Beatus liuinge in and beeinge the Apostle of Heluetia where abouts many massinge preists before remembred consecrated by S. Peter as S. Eucharius Valerius Clemens Mansuetus his contryman with others were The other came into his owne contry of Britanie here where as before as he could finde none but massinge preists so hee left behinde him no others as I shall proue herafter 10. And manifest it is that our Christian Britans which were conuersinge at Rome when and where they were consecrated and with whome they also at their beeing there conuersed were for their qualities sayers or hearers of Masse Which is clearely proued by the Christian family of our noble contriwoman Claudia or Sabinella wife to Aulus Pudēs whose house by the Romane antiquities as it was the first lodginge of S. Peter the Apostle that great massinge preist so it was their cheifest place of saying and hearinge Masse Maiorum traditione praescriptum est domum Pudentis Romae fuisse primum hospitium Sancti Petri illicque primum Christianos conuenisse ad Synaxim coactam Ecclesiam Martyrolog Rom. in S. Pudente Praxede Pudentiana Donato Timotheo Baron ib. annotat die 19. Maij. Where wee see it the first and principall massinge church in Rome both for the Britans Romans also that were Christians and the best residency S. Peter or his successors which were the consecrators of preists there had at that time And hee had such care of this house and family that not onlie the parents Pudens and Claudia but all their children S. Nouatus S. Timotheus Pudentiana and Praxedes were by him instructed in the faith and S. Timothie was made massinge preist as the auncient Roman Martyrologe and others witnes Romae depositio S. Nouati filij beati Pudentis Senatoris fratris S. Timothei presbyteri sanctarum Christi virginum Pudentianae Praxedis qui ab Apostolis eruditi sunt in fide Martyrolog Rom. die 20. Iunij Vsuard eod die Baron annotat in 20. diem Iun. act S. Nouati S. Iustine Therefore this S. Timotheus our holy cōtriman by his blessed Mother S. Claudia beeinge instructed by S. Peter a massinge preist and consecrated by a massinge preist and Pope and resigninge his house to be a massinge church as will euidentlye appeare in the beginninge of the next age when I come to that notorious massinge preist and Pope S. Pius by our protestants confessions who dedicated that house for a massing church must himselfe also by these protestants bee a massing preist and his holy parents brother and and sisters sacred Virgins with the rest of our Christian contrimen there bee reuerencers and frequenters of holy Masse 11. The like I might without reprofe write of others whose names I haue els where remēbred that probably they preached in Britanie in this age and out of question were massinge preists but hauing so many certaine and euident examples without exception I neede not the assistance of probabilities onely because wee are assured by great English Protestants Bishops and others that as the truth is there is a mutuall relation and dependance betweene an altare and sacrifice and that an altar doth as naturally and as necessarily infer a sacrifice as a shrine doth a Saint a Father a sonne Morton Apolog. part 2. pag. 82. Morton appeale l. 2. sect 1. pag. 162. these protestants confesse vnto vs againe which they cannot deny that longe before they imagine any alteration of Religion in the church of Rome this kingdome had Christian altars Theater of great Britanie l. 6. Gildas l. de excid and amonge others they iustifie vnto vs the antiquities of Glastenbury which assure vs there was an altare in the olde church there builded by S. Ioseph of Aramathia and his holy company and this altar and holy place was of such reuerence that the holy Saint Patrick with others desired to bee buried by that holy altar and an Angel from heauen did assigne him that place of buriall Sepulturam Angelo monstrante flamamque ingente de eodem loco cunctis videntibus erumpente in vetusta Ecclesia in dextera parte altaris promeruit Where we see an Angel from heauen and with a great signe and miracle openly before all people present cunctis vidētibus to giue testimony to the worthines of the holy altar place in respect therof Io. Leland in assert Arthur Math. Park antiquit Britan. Stow hist Godw. conuers of Brit. antiquit Glastō apud Capgrau in S. Patric Gul. Malm. l. antiq caenob Glast 12. And not without iust cause deseruing by these our protestāts who in Gildas as they allowe him
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
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
consolidatis and this Pope highly commeÌ„ded for that his general confirmation vt bonus paterfamilias And by their first Archbishop with others before and as I haue proued by continuall deduction the order and forme of Masse which S. Peter deliuered to the church was still continued after this time without any materiall chaunge alteration addition or diminution Neither doth any Protestant Author challenge S. Eleutherius of any innouation in Religion but the contrary how hee condemned all innouators therein as Tatianus and the Seuerians makinge a decree against them and the knowne Religion of Christ his sacrificinge Religion as before is proued was much increased by him Sub hoc Pontifice caepit Ecclesia esse securior ob id Christianorum Religio plurimum aucta est And yet no chaunge at all therin Bal. Robert Barnes in vita Eleutherij Eleutherius epist decretal ad prouincias Gall. To. 1. conc Io. Bal. act Pont. Rom. l. 1. in Eleutherio Rob. Barn in vit Pontif. Rom. in eodem therefore all those Bishops preists which by all writers hee consecrated must needs bee massinge Bishops and preists as all those three Archbishops 28. Bishops which he consecrated or confirmed for this kingdome renowned in histories and all the preists of this our Britanie vnder them must needes bee massing Archbishops Bishops and preists Whose succession here continued vnto the conuersion of the Saxons and after by all histories and vntill both those peoples vnited themselues as well in this massinge and sacrificinge doctrine which both the Britans and Saxons had euer obserued from their first conuersions as in al other points of Christian Religion The names of many of them I haue remembred in other places 7. And concerninge the supreame spirituall power which this holy Pope both claimed and exercised both in this kingedome to settle these sacred points of Religion here and in other nations these protestants assure vs it was as great and ample as euer any his successors did or now doe challenge in such affaires These men tell vs. Rob· Barnes in vit Eleutherij protest annot Mag. in Matth. Westm an 188. hee condemned hereticks and made decrees against them he made lawes binding all cleargie men in the cases of Bishops reserued judgement to the see of Rome vt nihil nisi apud Pontificem definiretur In his epistle to Kinge Lucius so recommended by our protestants hee prescribeth what lawes hee was to vse Hee appointeth the limits and bounds of Britanie as these men witnes in the lawes of Kinge Edward tâ—e Confessor His Legats disposed of all spirituall things here in that time and he by his papal authoritie confirmed them And so they continued vntil heresie and infidelity in the Pagan Saxons time did ouerthrowe them as all histories and antiquities Brittish or Saxon Catholicks or protestants as their Bishops Parker Bale and Godwine with Cambden Powell Holinshed Stowe and others cited in other places are witnesses Therefore it will bee but a superogated worke to proceede further to followinge ages yet for a generall and compleate content to all I wil though with more breuitie speake also of them and here end this second age or hundred of yeares Pope Eleutherius dyinge in the later ende thereof and Kinge Lucius not longe after in the beginninge of the next age and Pope and S. Victor the immediate successor of S. Eleutherius both endinge this and giuing entrance to the next ensuinge age and centenary of the yeares of Christ by his papall regiment THE THIRD AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XVII CHAPTER How notwithstandinge the manifold tumults and persecution of Christian Religion in this kingdome of Britanie in this third hundred yeares yet the holy sacrifice of Masse sacrificinge and massinge preists and Bishops stil here continued without any totall discontinuance KInge Lucius dyinge as Matthew of Westminister with others writeth in the yeare of Christ 201. the first of this third hundred yeare without heire This our kingdome by that meanes in the beginning of this age was pitifully vexed with warrs and tumults towards the later end therof lamentably tormented and afflicted as the whole Christian worlde almoste then was with the moste cruell and barbarous persecution of Diocletian in which among other miseries all monuments of Christian Religion so neare as he could were ruined and destroyed whereby it came to passe that little memory of ecclesiasticall things then in this nation is left to posteritie yet sufficient is to be found that together with the Popes supreamacy in such affaires the holy sacrificinge preisthood the sacrifice of Masse and diuers renowned sacrificinge Bishops and preists here still continued without discontinuance in al this age notwithstandinge so huge an army of moste sauage and cruell enemies still fightinge against them Matth. Westm. an gratiae 201. Bed l. 1. histor c. 4.6 Parker antiquit Britan Godwin conuers of Britanie Stowe histor in K. Lucius Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Foxe Tom. 1. Holinsh. histor of Engl. Galfr. Monum hist. Britan. l. 5. cap. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7 Ponticus Viran Brit. histor l. 5. Gildas l. de excid conquest Britan. cap. 7.8 2. For First our cheife protestants haue told vs before that S. Peters Maste continued in vse in the church without any chaunge vnto the time of Pope and S. Zepherine which was next successor to S. Victor therefore by their allowance wee haue the sacrifice of Masse a massinge preisthood and preists to offer that holie sacrifice all his time Therefore when wee finde by many antiquities and historians aswell Catholicks as Protestants that hee sent many learned preists and preachers into this kingedome especially the more northren parts thereof which wee now cal Scotland wee must needes if wee had noe other argument conclude that they were sacrificinge and massinge preists because they receaued both their consecration and iurisdiction from soe knowne a massinge preist and Pope his authoritie Yet to make this matter more euident and shew the supreame spirituall power which hee vsed euen in this besides that which he both claimed and exercised in excommunicatinge the church of Asia for their not due obseruation of Easter hee confirmed the order and institution of his predecessor S. Eleutherius in subiectinge all the churches and Christians of that part of Britany now termed ScotlaÌ„d to the Archbishop of Yorke a massing preist Prelate as I haue shewed before these parts and countries then beeing temporally ruled by diuers temporall Kings or Princes and at difference or enmity at that time one with an other And to make this ReligioÌ„ more permanent with that rude nation the Scots themselues then began to study diuinitie Hector Boeth Scot. histor l. 6. fol. 89. pag. 2. beeing therin instructed by those preists which Pope Victor sent thither euen to the vttermost part therof to propagate Christian Religion Incepere nostri tum primum sacras colere literas Sacerdotibus praeceptoribus quos Victor Pontifex Maximus ad Christi dogma
british Bishops besides with their preists and cleargie sent from hence for Armorica or little Britanie in Fraunce as the holy massinge Bishops and Martyrs sent and martyred with S. Vrsula and the other 11000. Virgins and Martyrs of Britanie S. Michael Iacobus Columbanus Iwanus Elutherius Lothorius and Mauritius Episcop Gen. in vit S. Vrsul Matth. Westm. an 391. Io. Capgrau Catal. in S. Vrsula M. S. antiq ibid. Harris in Theatr. To. 4. in S. Vrsula antiquitat Ecclesia Coloticen al. al which with all other Bishops and preists of this kingdome cōsented with the whole Christian world as is shewed before in the doctrine of holy Masse sacrificinge preists and preisthood which our protestants will more demonstrate vnto vs by the publicklie taught and receaued Religion of Britanie in this time for they produce vnto vs an old auncient sermon written in the latine tonge and translated into the saxon language by Aelfricus in the yeare 996. and to write in protestants words this sermon was vsuall to bee read in the church here in England in the yeare 366. Iohn Foxe Act· Monum pag. 1142. which must needs bee a moste excellent testimonie for this age time And yet amonge many other thinges tendinge to the same purpose thus we finde by our protestants translation therof In the olde lawe faithfull men offered to God diuers sacrifices that had fore signification of Christs body which for our sinnes hee himselfe to his heauenly Father hath since offered to sacrifice Certainely this housell which wee doe now halow at Gods altare is a remembrance of Christs body which he offered for vs and of his blood which hee shed for vs So hee himselfe commaunded doe this in my remembrance Once suffered Christ by himselfe but yet neuerthelesse his sufferinge is daily renevved at this supper through mistery of the holy housel And againe In that holy housel there is one thing in it seene and an other vnderstoode That vvhich is there seene hath bodily shape and that vvee doe there vnderstand hath ghostly might The housell is dealed into sondry parts chevved betvveene teeth and sent into the belly hovvbeit neuerthelesse after ghostlie might it is all in euery part Many receaue that holy body and yet notvvithstandinge it is so all in euery part after ghostly mistery 13. And shewing how the Paschal Lambe was a figure of this holy sacrifice of Christ the Lambe of Innocency and God which taketh away the sins of the worlde as in holy Masse wee so pray vnto Christ there present vnder that denomination they teach it was the vse and custome of our Christians in Britanie in that time to doe the same the very words of that olde brittish publicke homely by our protestants translation bee thus That innocent Lambe vvhich the olde Israelites did then kill had signification after ghostly vnderstandinge of Christs sufferinge vvho vnguiltie shedd his blood for our redemption Hereof singe Gods seruants at euery Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speache Thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the worlde haue mercie vpon vs. Where wee see plainelie acknowledged by this so auncient antiquitie in this fourth hundred yeare and the protestants themselues so translatinge and proposinge it that generally in that time the holy sacrifice of Masse was offered by the Bishops and preists of Britanie in all places and all the seruants of God did then acknowledge professe that Christ the true Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world was therin offered and there present prayed vnto by all Gods seruants Which is as much as any massing preist Bishop or Pope holdeth teacheth or practiseth at this time concerning these things 14. And because in this age this our kingedome had by agreement both of auncient and late writers and by protestants themselues Bal. l. de scriptor in Palladio Niniano a greate dependance of Rome both in temporall and spiritual affaires and many of our cheifest cleargie men as S. Teruanus and S. Ninianus those two glorious Northrē Bishops had both their education instruction ordination and iurisdiction from thence as many others had at this time and the Bishops of Rome are so much charged by our protestant writers for adding vnto the holy sacrifice of Masse I will only vse these mens authority which say they will set downe what euerie Pope did add Quid alij Pontifices addiderint suo loco in Pontificijs actis dicetur And they are so farr from not performinge their promise in this that they rather relate more then lesse added by these holy Popes as will bee made euident by theire owne testimonies hereafter Yet for more ample satisfaction let vs followe them in this point Of S. Siluester I haue spokē before next to him succeeded S. Marke who as these men say was Pope in the time of Constantine the great Constantino Imperante in Pontificatu sedit which time was an holy time in Religion by our Kings iudgement and so this Pope not likely to make any publick lawe vnholie Therefore these protestants onely say of him that hee ordeyned the creede of the Nicen councell to bee said or sunge at Masse Rob. Barnes in act Pont. Rom. in Marc. 1. Io. Bal. in vit Pont. in eod Edw. Grimston in Marc. but this Nicen creed is holy in all iudgements and was receaued and vsed in Britanie here in that time as I haue proued it is receaued by the protestant parlament of England subscribed and sworne vnto by all the protestant Bishops and ministers of England allowed in the articles of their Religion and practised in theire churches Parlam an 1. Eliz. K. Iames can articles of Relig. articl Creed commun booke c. and therefore doth a protestant antiquarie iustly say of that holy creed time in the yeare of Christ 330. At this time the Nicen creed was commaunded to bee sunge or said in all Christian churches Stowe hist. Rom. ad an 330. therefore none but Arrian Hereticks euer did or will impugne it 15. The next Pope which these mē finde to haue added any thinge to this holy sacrifice was holy Damasus an acknowledged good Bishop and as they teache hee onely added the Confiteor Confession vsed in the beginninge of Masse in which there is nothinge which protestants disallowe but confession and prayer to Saints there remembred Io. Whitguift ansvv to the admonit pag. 78. and def of ansvv pag. 489. Bal. in vit in Damaso Barnes in eodem Grimston in Damasus which as I haue proued before was vsed in the church of God and in this Realme of Britanie in the Apostles dayes And to passe ouer so many examples and testimonies of other Christian people and places in the second age our Apostles S. Damianus and Fugatius praied to S. Michaell the Archangell and other Angels dedicated a church or chappell to them the ruines yet standinge neare Glastenburie antiquit Glaston M. S. Gapgrau in Catal
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
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
by them allowed what highest spirituall offices the same glorious Apostle and his disciples performed here TO proue more amply what hath beene said of S. Peters beeing and preachinge here and to shewe what hee did for the first foundinge of our church A protestant Archbishop from diuers authorities writeth Whit gifts Answ. to the Admonition pag. 65. sect 1. and def of the Answ. pag. 318. The Apostle Peter did in euery prouince appoint one Archbishop whom all other Bishops of the same prouince should obey An other with great priuiledge saith Sutcliffe Subuers pag. 3. Peter preached in â—…e place but hee there ordeyned Bishops and teachers and founded churches And to shew that all these and such benefits came to vs first from S. Peter and his holy see of Rome among other Marcus Antonius de Dominis now by the greate mercy of God a penitent in the catholicke church when hee was in profession a protestant in England Marcus Anton de Domin de Repub christian l. 4. cap. 10. with publick priuiledg in England and a chosen champion for that Religion against the Pope by cheifest protestant authoritie in England then testifieth Est caput Roma quatenus ab ea diffusum est euangelium in reliquas totius occidentis ecclesias in multas orientis atque in barbaras etiam extra Romanum Imperium nationes Rome is the head of the church in so much as from it the ghospell was diffused into the other churches of all the West and into many of the East and into barbarous nations also without the Romane Empire And our Soueraigne kings speach in parlam 1. publickly protested of this church of Rome It is our mother church and consequently that it first brought vs forthe in spirituall christian birth as mothers doe their natural children to the world and that wee except wee will turne bastardly vnnaturall and disobedient children doe owe and must performe all dutie and obedience vnto it our most holy mother in Christ And to further this our bounden dutie the protestants of England in their Theater of the Emp. of greate Britante pag. 203 l. 6. c. 9. num 5. will helpe vs foreward whoe write in this maner That S. Peter the Apostle preached the word of life in this Iland as to other gentiles hee did for whome God had chosen him that from his mouth they might heare the ghospell as himselfe alleadgeth and that hee here founded churches and ordeined preists and deacons which is reported by Simon Metaphrastes out of the greek Antiquities and Gulielmus Eisingrenius in the first of his Centuries Therfore this beeing written by soe learned and holy a man as S. Simon Metaphrastes was and soe auntient aboue 700. yeares since and out of such monuments and Authorities of the Gretians as in his time were honored with the Title of Antiquities this alone might content vs in this matter as it hath already the best learned protestant Antiquaries of this nation But because allowance is giuen to the authoritie which cannot be denyed because it is the maner of Protestants to mynce authorities I will cite that holy auntient Father and Saint S. Sim. Metaphr 29. die Iunij in his owne wordes which bee these RomaÌ„ redijt ex qua venit Mediolanum Photicen quae sunt ciuitates in Continente In quibus cum constituisset Episcopos Presbyteros venit in Britanniam Quo in loco cum longo tempore fuisset moratus multas gentes non nominatas attraxisset ad fidem Christi angelicam aspexit visionem quae dicebat Petre instat tempus tua resolutionts oportet te ire Romam in qua cum mortem per crucem sustinueris recipies mercedem Iustitiae Cum ergo propterea Deum glorificasset egisset gratias apud Britannos mansisset dies aliquot verbo gratiae multos illuminasset ecclesias constituisset episcoposque presbyteros diaconos ordinasset duodecimo anno Caesaris Neronis rursus Romam reuertitur S. Peter by reuelation came to Hierusalem at the death of the mother of God then returning into Egipt by Africk came againe to Rome From whence hee came to Milane and Photice which bee cities in the contineÌ„t in which when hee had constituted Bishops and preists hee came into Britanie where when hee had stayed a longe time and drawne many nations not named to the faith of Christ hee had an Angelicall vision which saide ô Peter the time of thy Resolution is at hande and thou must goe to Rome in which when thou hast suffered death by the crosse thou shalt receaue the reward of lustice Therfore when hee had glorified God and giuen thankes for it and remayned some dayes with the Britans and illuminated manie with the word of grace and founded churches ordeyned both Bishops priests and deacons hee returned againe to Rome in the twelueth years of the Emperor Nero. Hitherto the very words of this learned Saint soe precisely and particularly describeing the tyme and comming of that glorious Apostle into this Iland staying here with his returne to Rome againe that as noe man except an infidell will or can deny it no Author of antiquitie or credit auouching halfe so much for either S Paul or any other Apostle to haue beene here at all soe except wee of EnglaÌ„d wil shew our selues the most vngratefull disobedient to that our first and most glorious Pastor and parent of all nations in the world except HierusaleÌ„ Antioch and Rome wee ar most engaged to honor and reuerence this most glorious Apostle his Successors in his holy Sec for neither Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia or Bythinia which hee himselfe particularly remembreth 1. Pet. 1. v. 1. nor any other kingdome or nation mentioned in any Author of credit and Antiquitie and to bee paralelled with him whom I haue cited approued euen in this point with all Catholicks and the moste iudicious indifferently mynded and best learned protestants can constantly affirme and proue that they had receaued such benefites and blessings from S. Peter as this our Britanie which to visitt hee went soe farr stayed therein soe longe and enritched as with soe many and vnansweareable graces and fauors continuinge them soe longe vntill he was admonished from heaueÌ„ to returne from hence to Rome as before his cominge thither hee also was as Metaphrastes die 29. Iunij S. Leo serm de Apostol with others write directed to come helpe vs in the west And if wee will follow the Roman tradition Baron annotat in 9. Maij in Pudente that Domus Pudentis erat primum hospitium S. Petri Romae the house of Pudens was the first lodging of S. Peter of Rome wee are more strictly bound to Rome and Rome to vs that beeinge the house of our renowned christian contrywoman Lady Claudia as our protestant writers tell vs. Matth. Parker antiq Britan. pag. 2.3 Godwyn Conuers of Britanie Cambd. in Britan. Theater of Brit. l. 6. Now lett vs enquire and sett downe
in particular soe neare as such a desolation and losse of Antiquities as England hath often suffered will giue vs leaue of this Archbishop and Bishops in particular which S. Peter consecrated for vs to found and begin the first hierarchicall order and Succession in our primatiue church of Britanie Many Authors both auntient and later writers and of these late times both catholicks and protestants ar witnesses that S. Aristobulus one of the seauentie and two disciples of Christ our Lord was Bishop of this our kingdome of Britanie Dorothaeus Bishop of Tyrus Dorothaeus lib. de septuaginta duobus discipulis in Aristobulo And the Maenologe of the Greekes are plainely of this minde The first in his booke intituled de septuaginta duobus discipulis of the seauentie two disciples writeth Aristobulus ab Apostolo ad Romanos commemoratos Episcopus Britannia factus est Aristobulus one of the seauentie two disciples of whom S Paul speaketh in his epistle to the Romans was made Bishop of Britanie And to putt vs out of doubt that hee did not mistake naminge Britania for Bythinia as a protestant writer would seeme to expounde him when hee writeth Dorotheus saith Aristobulus whome the Apostle to the Romans remembreth was made Bishop in Britanie or Bithania Stowe histor titul the Romans in Agricola I thinke this man will hardly finde any Bythania in the world wee reade of Bethania often in the Gospels and S. Iohn saith cap. 11. v. 18. Bethany was nigh vnto Hierusalem about fifteene farlongs off as our protestants translate and their note there vpon is that is about towe miles protest annot marginal in c. 11.11 Io. v. 18. Which was too neare to Hierusalem to bee a Bishops see and the old prouinciall maketh mention of noe such And if by Bythania hee ment the country Bythinia the Region of lesser Asia against Thracia and next Troas which was also somtime called Bebrycia after Mygdonia and by S. Peter Bythinia in the Apostles time and after it is euident that Dorothaeus ment it not for in the next name which is S. Tyticus hee saith that hee was made Bishop of Chalcedonia of Bithâ—…nia Tyticus meminit huius Paulus primus Episcopus Chalcedoniae fuit quae in Bithynia est Doroth. supra in Tyticho Therefore of necessitie by this Author and the rest foe affirming it without doubt or any exception S. Aristobulus needs must bee Bishop of this our kingdome of Britanie noe other place then of that name fitt for a Bishop in the knowne world to apply it vnto And thus testifieth the auntient Maenologe of the greekes with others both catholicks and protestants of whome I haue here noted some Maenolog Graecor die 15. martij Baron annot in martyrol Rom. eod die Arnold Mirman in Theatr. Conuers gent. Auth. of the Exam. of the Calend. praefat and in the 3. Conuers Syr. Ed. Hoby counterf pag. 48. Thom. Rogers vpon the Articles of Relig. articul 36. pag. 197. Protest Theater of Brit. l. 6. Cambden Belg. That this holy Bishop was either consecrated here or sent hither by S. Peter wee may not question beeing soe generally confessed by protestants before that noe other Apostle did or then could performe that office And if the Identitie of the name deceaueth vs not this our holy Bishop or Archbishop was Father in lawe to S. Peter his wyues Father and Brother to S Barnabas the Apostle sent into these west parts by S. Peter for as Simon Metaphrastes writeth S. Simon Metaphr die 26. Iunij Accepit Petrus filiam Aristobuli fratris Barnabae Apostoli ex ea genuit filium vnum vnam filiam Peter maryed the daughter of Aristobulus Brother of Barnabas the Apostle and had by her one sonne and one daughter Martyrolog Rom. 15. Martij Godw. And beeing called in the Romane Martyrologe as a protestant Bishop truely telleth Apostolorum discipulus the disciple of the Apostles Conuers of Brit. It wholy disableth him from beeing disciple to S. Paul whoe alone of the Apostles besides S. Peter was in this kingdome for the scriptures themselues are wittnes Actor cap. 13. v. 2.3.4 that S. Paul was not an Apostle vntill in the 13. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles before which time by the protestants before Britanie had receaued the faith and probably S. Aristobulus was then a Bishop as many others of the 27. Disciples were And many ar called the disciples of the Apostles which were peculiarly the disciples of S. Peter the cheife Apostle as appeareth in diuers places of the same Authority S. Aristo Arch. of this our Britanie And that this holy disciple of S. Peter was not onely our Bishop but Archbishop alsoe in Britanie I haue warrant both of Catholicks and protestants to auouche it First if wee examine either by Dorotheus or any whomsoeuer writing of the resideÌ„cies of the 72. disciples of Christ wee shall hardly finde any amonge them which had not the dignity of that high callinge yea hee relateth S. Aristobulus as a cheife amongst theÌ„ then beeing sent to this kingdome of Britanie soe greate ample And where as in other such kingdomes our protestants before assure vs S. Peter ordeined an Archbishop wee caÌ„not doubt but in particular it was this his moste worthy disciple as also the disciple of Christ which first exercised by S. Peters assignement that Archie and cheife pontificall order in this Iland Secondly because wee reade it confideÌ„tly written and from more auncient authoritie that this holy disciple of S. Peter was not only our first Apostle but here began and first founded the hierarchical order of our Brittish church a thinge proper to that highest spiritual callinge Arnold mirac Theatro conuers gentium in Britan. Aristobulo BritaÌ„nia Straboni à Britone Rege nuncupata primum Aristobulum siue illuÌ„ cuius meminit S. Paulus quod Dorothaeo probatur siue aliuÌ„ vnuÌ„ certe ex 72. discipulorum classe ApostoluÌ„ est nata Deinde FugariuÌ„ DamianuÌ„ qui ordinem Hierarchicè Ecclesiae istic fundatae ab illo inchoatum constituerunt sanxeruntque more nimirum Apostolico Britania so named by Strabo of Kinge Brito or Brutus had for the first Apostle therof Aristobulus either him whome S. Paule remeÌ„breth which Dorotheus approueth or an other surely one of the order of the 72. disciples after that Fugarius Fugatius by others and Damianus whoe constituted confirmed by Apostolick maner the Hierarchical order begun by him of the church founded there Where wee see S. Aristobulus the first founder of the Hierarchicall order in this church of Britanie a thinge which as al protestaÌ„ts against the puritans maketh the peculiar office of an Archbish Whitgift answ to the admonit Bridges eccles gouern Bilson against the purit Couel Downam Barlowe c. Thirdly These protestants of England especially the vniuersitie of Cambridge by their chosen champion Mr. Thomas Rogers for defence of their Articles of Religion of Protestants writing to vse his wordes by the lawfull authoritie of the church of
a Rule to all saith our Kinge Kinge Iames in parlam The other saith Victor was a godly Bishop and a martyr and the church at that time was in greate puritie not beeinge longe after the Apostles times Whitgift Answ. to the admonition p. 80. sect 4. Wherfore Kinge Donalde of Scotland now moued by the example of Kinge Lucius his neighbouring Sociate in terrene principalitie and his whole kingedome and beeing assured by this supreame power spirituall exercised by S. Victor ouer all churches that it was his right and the surest waye in time of controuersies as that was in the obseruation of Easter to adhere vnto the cheife and commandinge church of Rome hee sent to this holy Pope to bee instructed in the faith of Christ a longe paineful troublesome iorney labour on both sides soe many Bishops now beeing in Britanie Fraunce and in all places betweene Scotland and Rome if kinges kingedomes could haue beene conuerted to the faith of Christ and matters of the church with them ordered without his direction or confirmation For as truely write the Scottish historians Pope Victor sent preists in extremam Albionem to the vttermoste part of Albion or the vttermoste Albion to preach the doctrine of Christ Hector Boeth l. 5. Scot. histor fol. 89. p. 2. Boeth supr p. 1. Buchan Rer. Scotic l. 4. Reg. 27. Holinsh. histor of Scotl. in Donald Ed. Grymst p. 20. in Scotl. § 17. the narration whereof is this Talem dederat Donaldo Regi animum pacis Princeps author Christus Dominus quod verae pietati aspernato malorum demonum cultu sese paulò ante addixerat Nam Seuero Imperante Romanis apud Victorem Pontificem maximum qui quintusdecimus post Petrum Ecclesiae praefuit per legatos obtinuit vt viri doctrina Religione insignes in Scotiam ab eo missi se cum liberis coniuge Christi nomen profitentes baptismate insignirent Regis exempla Scotica nobilitas sequuta auersata impietatem Christique Religionem complexa sacro fonte est abluta Fuit annus ille quo Scoti ad lumen verae pietatis Dei Optimi Maximi benignitate vocati sunt recepti ab eo qui primus fuit humanae salutis tertius supra ducēte simum à Scotorum Regni institutione quingentesimus tricesimus tertius Christ our Lord prince and Author of peace gaue such minde to kinge Donald that castinge aside the worship of wicked deuils hee had a litle before addicted himselfe to true pietie For when Seuerus was the Romane Emperor hee obteyned of Pope Victor the fifteenth after S. Peter that ruled the church that men renowned for learninge and Religion sent from him into Scotland might baptise him with his wife and children professinge Christ The Scottish nobilitie followeinge the example of the kinge forsakinge impiety and embracing the Religiō of Christ was baptized This was in the yeare of the Incarnation of Christ two hundred and three and from the beginninge of the kingdome of the Scots fiue hundred thirtie and three And a little after speakinge of the renowned leardned Christians of that time hee addeth Incipere nostri tum primum sacras colere literas Sacerdotibus praeceptoribus quos Victor Pontifex Maximus ad Christi dogma propalandum in extremam miserat Albionem At that time our Scottish men first began to study diuinitie hauinge for their Tutors those preists which Pope Victor sent to teach the Religion of Christ in Albion the vttermost country in this part of the world And againe nostri qua fide pietate instituti semel fuerunt hactenus erroribus aspernatis perseuerant Our contrimen of Scotlād perseuer at this day it was written in the yeare 1526. in the faith and pietie wherein they were then instructed Hector Boeth in fine praefat Bal. centur 5. in Hector Boeth And a Protestant of England in the yeare 1615. writteh Scotland receyued the faith in the time of Pope Victor the first in the yeare 203. Celestin the first sent Palladius thither to roote out the Pelagian heresie which began to increase there vnder Eugenius the second whoe died in the yeare 460. since this time the Realme continued longe in the profession of the Romish church vntill these later dayes Edward Grimston Booke of Estates pag. 20. cap. 17. Hee meaneth the dayes of this our Soueraigne kinge Iames the first of England and sixt of that kingedome Therfore it is a thinge without question that this holy Pope soe earnest for the spirituall supreamacie of his Apostolicke See settled it with other doctrines in this Iland where with the rest it still continued vntill these times as these Protestants haue declared Which is euident by all histories not any one affirminge but rather denyinge that hee altered anie thinge of that constitution of Pope Eleutherius submittinge the whole nation of Scotlande to the Archbishopp of Yorke in spirituall affaires And if kinge Donald and the nobilitie of Scotland then had not beene assured that this supreame spirituall power in disposinge and orderinge church matters in such cases had belonged onely to the Popes of Rome of all people and places in the world they would not haue appealed to Rome for those thinges at that time in the Empire of Seuerus when aboue all others there was the greatest enmytie and warrs betweene the Romans and Scots that euer were testified by all their histories Bed l. 1. histor c. 5. Hect. Boeth lib. 5. Scot. hist Bucan Rer. Scotic l 4. Holinsh. hist. of Scotl. in Seuerus In an other point alsoe wee are assured that S. Victor whoe had by his highest authoritie excōmunicated soe many churches both greeke and latine as these Protestants haue told vs before for their wronge keepinge of Easter settled the right obseruatiō thereof in Scotland at this time For to speake in Protestants wordes of this Pope Hee confirmed the ordinance of Pius touching the celebration of Easter vppon the Sonday Soe did Pope Eleutherius before him and soe consequently alsoe amonge other Christian doctrines by his legates taught and deliuered it here in Britanie And wee are taught by these learned Protestants that in the first generall councell of Nice De obseruatione Paschae antiquus canon sancitus est ne porro in hac re Ecclesiae variarent The old canon of the obseruation of Easter was decreed least the churches should afterward differ about it Ed. Grymstonp· 436. in Victor Rob. Barnes in vit Pont. Rom. in Victor Bal. lib. 1. de act prat in eod Magdeburg centur 3. in Eleuther Damas in Eleuther Barns iu Siluestro Magdeburg cent 4. And that wee had Brittish Bishops there which consented to this decree and receaued it for Britany they testifie in these termes Theater of greate Britanie l 6. cap. 9 pag. 206 n. 19. The Britannes continued constant in christianitie and the censures of their Bishops for the greate estimation of their constancie pietie and learninge were required and approued in greate
and by the preachinge of these blessed men the Popes Legats the Religion of true faith was restored amonge them In tempore illo venit S. Germanus Antissiodorensis Episcopus Lupus Trecensis Episcopus vt verbum Dei Britonibus praedicarent corrupta namque fuerat christianitas eorum tum propter Paganos quos Rex in societatem corum posuerat tum propter Pelagianam haeresim Beatorum igitur virorum praedicatione restituta est inter eos verae fidei Religio And in particular besides the common Pelagian heresies against the necessitie of Baptisme and grace of Christ it seemeth the Pelagian preists and Bishops contrary to christian Religion in all churches had women whom they called their wiues for wee reade that Leporius Agricola the greate promoter of that heresie here was the sonne of Seuerianus a Pelagian Bishop saith one Protestant Stowe histor in Theodosius the yonger Seueri cuiusdam Pelagianorum Sacerdotis in Britannia filius the sonne of one Seuerus a Pelagian preist in Britanie saith an other Io Bal. centur 1. de Scriptor in Leporio Agric. And the kinge Vortiger soe countenanced the Pagan Saxons that wee heare that many christians intermarried with them as the kinge himselfe had done although hee had then aliue his christian wife by whome hee had three sonnes to wit Vortimer Catigern and Pascentius yett hee married the Pagan daughter of Hongistus the Pagan named Rowenna and soe aduanced the Infidels that the whole kingedome was endaungered and to aggrauate these sinnes this kinge kept in vvicked maner his owne daughter vvhich hee had by his Christian vvife and begott a child a daughter of her Mattheus Westminster anno 450. Generat etiam ex eadem coniuge filiam quam in societatem thori suscipiens filiam ex ea proceauit Whereupon to speake in Protestant wordes Stovve and Hovves histor in Vortigern Vodine Archbishopp of London a man of singular deuotion and good life by the aduise of Vortimer the kinges eldest sonne and next kinge went to Vortiger and said to him that hee had not done as a Christian prince in departinge from his lawfull wife and takinge an other woman whose father was an enemy to the Christian faith and alsoe went about to conquer the crowne of Britanie Hengist hearing Vortiger make lamentation forth with slew the good Archbishop Vodine and many other preists and Religious parsons all the churches in lent were polluted with blood the Nunnes with other religious parsons were by force putt from their howses and goods constreined to pollutiō of their bodies The Brittās consideringe the daily repaire of the Saxons into this Realme shewed to their kinge the Ieoperdie that might therof ensue and aduertised him of the daunger but all was in vaine for Vortiger by reasons of his wife bare such fauour to the Saxons that hee would in noe wise heare the counsaile of his subiects Thus farre these Protestants But Nennius in his manuscript history writing as a Protestāt Bishop saith Io Bal. centur 1. in Nennio Bamachorensi Nennius in M. S. histor in Guorthigirno Rege a thousand yeares since writeth plainely that amonge other wickednesses of this kinge hee tooke his owne daughter for his wife and had a daughter by her Which when it was proued to S. Germanus the Popes Legate hee came with all the cleargie of Britanie to correct the kinge And when a Synode of the cleargie and nobilitie was assembled The kinge arose and was very angry and sought to fly from the face of S. German and hee was accursed and condemned by blessed German and all the councell of the Britans Super haec omnia mala adijciens Guorthigirnus accepit filiam suam propriam in vxorem sibi quae poperit ei filiam Hoc autem cum compertum esset à Sancto Germano venit corripere Regem cum omni clero Britannum dum conuenta esset magna Synodus Clericorum in vno concilio ipse Rex surrexit iratusque est vehementer vt à facie Sancti Germani fugeret quaerebat maledictus est damnatus à beato Germano omni concilio Britannum Our english Protestants in their Matthew of Westminster as hee is published by them Matth. Westm an 450. Thus tell vs A S. Germano ab omni Episcoporum conuenta est excommunicatus Vortiger was excommunicated by S. German and the whole assembly of Bishops yet this notwithstandinge hee also went about to ouerthrow both christian Religion and the kingdome ioyninge with the Pagan Infidels and hauing three wiues of which one an Infidell enemy to the land the other his own daughter which such things noe christian could or would doe yet it doth not appeare by Nēnius Nennius supr That hee was deposed but straungly punished by God neither doth the Brittish history or Matthew of Westminster say hee was deposed but deseruerunt eum The Britans forsooke Vortigern ioyninge with their enemies the Saxōs Infidels wherby hee rather relinquished to bee their kinge then they deposed him although afterward they say Vortimerum filium eius in Regem erexerunt they made Vortimer his sonne kinge to defend the kingedome beeing driuen to those extremities Galfrid monum l. 6. c. 13. Matth. Westm But our English Protestants noe vnlearned schollers in deposing kings write confidently The Britās vvith one mind depriued him of his roiall dignity vvhē hee had reigned sixe yeares ordeined to bee their king Vortimer his eldest sonne Stow Hov hist. in Vort. Hol. hist of Eng. Matth. Park an t Brit. p. 78 prot ānot in Matth. Westm. in Mer. ā 454. And these men are soe far from findinge fault herein that generally they applaud and much commend the fact I will Instance onely in one their first Protestant Archbishop which relatinge the continuall preseruinge of true Religion inuiolate by the Britans doth exemplify in this as an heroicall Act in that kinde his words bee these Matth. Parker antiquit Britan. pag. 7.8 Magnum est Britannorum perfectae in Christum fidei argumentum illa expostulatio Querela qua in Vortigernum suum Regem vehementer egerunt quod Hengisti Infidelis filiam matrimonio sibi iunxisset Quare Incensi proceres Vortigerno regia potestate abdicato Vortimerum eius filium Regem creabant It is a great Argument of the perfect faith in Christ of the Britans that their expostulation and quarrell by which they delt vehemently against Vortigern their kinge because he had martyred the daughter of Hengist an infidell wherfore his noble men beeing offended depriue him of his kingly power makinge Vortimer his sonne their kinge This is our Protestants Relation and construction of this matter Whoe propose vnto vs an other like example of the same S. Germane in the case of Bulie kinge of Powsey in walles Holinsh. histor of Engl. l. 5. pag. 84. Whoe contemninge the preachinge of S. German was miraculously punished with death and a meane man a christian called Ketell by Nennius placed in that dignitie and they
this day neuer recouered the same Howbeit they vsed all authoritie belonginge to an Archbishop by consecratinge of other Bishops and neither did they euer make profession of subiection vnto Canterburie vntill the time of Henry 1. Kinge of England Godwin supr in Bernard 46. When Bernard Chaplaine vnto King Henry the first and chauncellour to his Queene was consecrate by the Archbishop of Canterbury Iulij 12. 1115. not chosen by the clergie of Walles as hitherto had beene accustomed but forced vpon them by the Kinge of England And there with others declareth how this Bernard tooke vppon him the title of Archbishop but Theobaldus Archbishop of Canterbury prouinge before the Pope in the councell of Rhemes by witnesses cum suam fidem obseruantiam cantuariensi astrinxisse that Bernard had promised obedience vnto the Archbishop of Canterbury the cause was by the Pope adiudged against Bernard and the See of S. Dauid Match West an 1115. Matth. Par. an 1115. Godwin supr Girald Lambr in Itiner Camb. Topogr Harps secul 12. cap. 46. Soe it is euident that from the beginning thereof to the endinge of the same the Archiepiscopall See of Walles depended of the Pope of Rome and it was not hee but the Acts of their owne Bishops which ouerthrew the dignitie priuiledges of it which the Popes had graunted and confirmed Of the Popes power here after the cominge of S. Augustine there is noe denial amonge Protestants all generally consentinge that from that time now aboue a thousand yeares the Popes supreamacy euer ruled here in spirituall thinges hee chaunged the Metropolitone See of London to Canterbury constituted that of Yorke interdicted our vniuersities constituted Bishops in places as seemed best to him Kinge Ethelbert chaunged his lawes and receaued the customes of the Romans cassatis paternis legibus nouas Sapientum consilio iuxta Romanorum consuetudines Anglorum sermone constituit Bal. centur 1. in Ethelberto The greate flaterer of King Henry the eight whoe first denied the Popes supreamacy and tooke it to himselfe Polidor Vergil speaketh of that parlament Polidor Verg. l. 27. pag. 689 Habetur concilium Londini in quo ecclesia Anglicana formam potestatis nallis ante temporibus visam induit Henricus enim Rex caput ipsius ecclesiae constituitur A parlament is held at London in which the church of England did put on a forme of power neuer seene in any time before for Kinge Henry was made head of the church The first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury speaking of the lawes of that parlament plainely confesseth Matth. Parker antiquit Britan. in Tho. Cramner pag. 329. His legibus potentia papalis quae nongentis amplius annis in Anglia durauit facile concidit By these lawes the power of the Pope which had continued here in England aboue neyne hundred yeares was easely ouerthrowne The present Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury director to Francis Mason and hee with others in their booke of pretended consecration of Bishops speaking of the same Matthew Parker Fran Mason Booke of consecrat 3. cap. 4. pag. 131. vit Matth. Parkeri say Concerninge Archbishop Parker beeing the 70. Archbishop after Austin yett of all that number hee was the onely man and the first of all which receaued consecration without the Popes Bulls To this this man himself together with their Protestant Bishop Godwin Goceline and others in the liues of the Archbishops of England doe plainely testifie to this all antiquities and antiquaries agree none dissenteth Matth. Parker in antiq Britan. Godwin Catalog in Canterbury and Yorke Goceline in epist THE XI CHAPTER How by these Protestants the Britans and Scots which opposed against S. Gregories disciples did take vpon then greater or as ample power in Princes matters as euer the Popes of Rome or their Legates did in this kingedome BEcause our Protestant Antiquaries and writers of England doe with a common consent agree in this that the Britans at the coming of S. Augustine hither from S. Gregory did truely and inuiolably keepe in all points that holy Religion which was planted here in the Apostles time especially they which at the first opposed against the proceedings of that our holy Apostles Matth. Park antiq Britan. pag. 1. Godwin Conuers pag. 43.44 Bal. l. 2. de Act. Pont. Rom. in Gregor 1. Theater of greate Brit. l. 6. cap. 9. Dauid Povvel in annot in l. 2. Girald Cambr. Itiner Cambr. c. 1. Holinsh. histor of Engl. cap. 21. pag. 102. Fulk Ansvv. to a count cath pag. 40. therefore to walke still by their directions lett vs now learne of them what was the opinion and practice of those Scots and Britrans in this question of Iurisdiction in spiritual Rulers claimed and deriued from whomesoeuer they will or any of them shall please though it is euidently proued in all ages before that neuer any such was practized here but that which was deriued and approued from and by the Apostolick Roman See And wee shall plainely see that these their soe much by them commended gayne-saiers to S Augustine and the Pope alsoe as many of these men contend did further intermeddle with Princes and temporall affaires then the Popes of Rome or any their Legats in this kingedome our Protestant Antiquaries with others write of Kinge Frequahard or Frechard the first of Scotland sonne to Eugenius in this maner Hect. Boeth lib 9. fol. 179. pag. 1. Georg. Buchan Rer. Scotic lib. 5. Reg. 52. pag. 160. Holinsh. histor of Scotand in Frequahard pag. 112. Frequahard besides other his vvicked behauiours vvas alsoe infected vvith the erroneous opinion of the Pelagian heresie Which suspition vvas the more increased for that hee vsed to haue sondry Brittish preists in his company the vvhich nation had beene euer noted vvith the spot of that damnable infection The nobilitie of the Realme moued herevvith sommoned him to come to a councell vvhich they had appointed to hold of all the states that they might there vnderstand if it vvere true or not vvhich vvas commonly reported of him But hee refusinge to come they assembled together and beseiged him in a castle vvherein hee had inclosed himselfe and vvinning the place got him into their hands and immediately thereuppon committed him to safe keepinge This done they consult together for the administration of the Realme vvhether they should quite depose Frequahard or restore him to his place Then it followerh how they deposed him and sent to S. Fiacre his Brother then an Eremite in Fraunce to gouerne the kingedome but hee refused it Then these Protestants add Holinsh Buch. supr Hect. Boeth supr The Lords of the land assembled themselues together in Argile about the choosinge of a nevv kinge vvhere by common consent Domoald the third sonne of Eugenius beeing called thither vvith Bishop Conan out of the I le of Man vvas inuested kinge vvith greate ioy and triumph Where wee see that S. Fiacre though next heire liuinge in Fraunce where the Popes Authoritie was generally embraced would