The second part of the Protestants plea, and petition for preists and papists Being 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. Morouer 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 preferued 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 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. Gre∣gory, did truely and inuiolably keepe in all points that holy Religion which was plan∣ted here in the Apostles time, especially they which at the first opposed against the pro∣ceedings 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 practi∣zed here, but that which was deriued and approued from, and by the Apostolick Ro∣man 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 tem∣porall affaires, then the Popes of Rome, or any their Legats in this kingedome: our Pro∣testant 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 Frequa∣hard pag. 112.

Frequahard besides other his vvicked beha∣uiours, 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 refu∣singe to come, they assembled together, and be∣seiged him in a castle, vvherein hee had inclo∣sed 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. (Ho∣linsh. & 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 Ile 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 not consent to the deposition of kinge Fre∣quahard, to gaine a kingedome, when his Brother Domoald and all those Scots which by these Protestants then opposed against the Popes Authoritie, performed this with great Ioy and triumphe. Of kinge Frequahard the second they write in this order. (Holinsh. hi∣stor. of Scotl. pag. 114. Buchan. Rer. Scoticar. l. 5. Reg. 54.) Hee was couetous, wicked to∣wards God, a Tormentor of the iust and righ∣teous people, insatiable in all vnlawfull affections, such of the prelates, as hee vnderstood to bee wealthie, hee rested not till hee had picked one matter, or other vnto them, vvhereby they vvere suer to forfeite all their Treasure vnto his coffers. Buchanan addeth, which I am asha∣med to translate. (Buchan. supr.) Eandem in suos furorem vertit, Iugulata vxore, & stu∣pratis filiabus, ob haec scelera communione chri∣stianorū fuit exclusus. For these wicked offen∣ces hee was excluded from the communion of Christians. (Holinsh. supr.) The Bishops of the Realme, namely those tvvo reuerend Fa∣thers, Colman, & Finnan perceyuinge such wic∣kednes in the prince, blamed him sharply sondry

times for the same: and at length because they savv hee regarded not their admonishments, hee vvas by them excommunicated. Thus con∣tinuinge certaine yeares in his vvickednes, at length the nobles began to conspire against him, soe that they vvould haue deuised a meane hovv to haue ridd him out of the vvay, if Bi∣shop Colman, had not forbidd them that prac∣tise. Then followeth how beeing miserably punished for his sinnes, and beeinge at the last penitent, hee was absolued of his excom∣munication by the same Bishop Colman: whoe was that great opposer against the disciples of Saint Gregory, and Saint Augu∣stine, and disputant for the Scots against S. Wilfride.

And the Bishops of Walles which were in the same opposition to the disciples of S. Gre∣gory the Pope, were in the same case by these Protestants: One a Bishop and antiquary a∣monge them writeth, from the antient an∣tiquities of that nation. (Godvvin Catalog. in Landaff. Annal. eccles. Landaffen: in Oudo∣ceus. 3.)

Kinge Morcant hauinge killed one Frioc his Vncle, beeinge therefore excom∣municate by the Bishop, vppon his absolu∣tion, besides a graunt of diuers priuiledges

vnto the church of Landaff, gaue Cyncirill and certaine land called Cynfall, as alsoe the churches of Ythat-Haffern. (In Gur∣uan. 10.) Bishop Guruan excommunicated Tendur king of Brechinianc, for killing En∣gistill a kinge of that contry trecherously, & for absolutiō had from him the guift of Lan∣nihangel tref. ceriāc. Guoderec slew his owne Brother Merchion. (In Greciclus.) for which deed, hee was by Bishop Grecielus excōmu∣nicate, and enioyned by way of penance be∣fore hee might bee absolued, to spend a yeare in pilgrimadge to the church of Dola in lit∣tle Brittanie. Garcan the sonne of Guinā (In Berthygion 14.) kept his owne stepmother, and beeing excommunicate for that Incest, gaue to the Bishop Marchywis. (In Bish. Ce∣renhir 18.) Houel Kinge of Glewissig by per∣iury circūuented Gallū the sonne of Cidrich, for which hee was held vnder excommuni∣cation, by the space of a yeare, at the time of his absolution hee gaue Merthir-buceil, Mer∣thirminor, & Tircollan. Like was the case of Ili the sonne of Conblus whoe vpon the like occasion gaue Gulipe. Aquod sonne of Ioua falling out with the Bishop, draue him and his men into the church of Landaff, & threw

stones at them into the very church, for soe doinge hee was excommunicate, and to bee absolued, was glad to giue Pennoun, with the church of Lautilul, and certaine other Lands. (In Bish. Ioseph. 28.) Monric Kinge of Glamorgan beeinge excommuni∣cate for puttinge out the eyes of Ergum, the sonne of Guriat of Gueinscot in the time of a truce, to haue his absolution gaue Painiprisc.

Whoe desireth more of such proceedings by the Britans, soe recommended by Prote∣stants, may enquire thē in the auntient An∣nals of Landaffe, and this Protestant Bishop Francis Godwin, Protestant Bishop there, who in his treatise of that See, is very plentifull in such Examples. And this shall suffice for this short historie of the Popes preeminence and proceedings here, from the beginning of our first faith in Christ, by them and their hap∣pie instruments therein. By whome, & whose preeminence spirituall, this kingdome from that time, hath receaued many greate and irrecomprehensible graces and benefites, both spiritual & temporal, to bynde vs euer∣lastingly to honor and reuerence, with al du∣tie, that Apostolick See, and cheifest pastors

thereof, successors to our most glorious first Fathers and founders in the faith of Christ, and our cheife Sheephards on earth, except wee will desperately runne away and cast our selues out of the blessed flock and folde of the militant church of God, out of which there is noe saluation.