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 S. Peter the cheife Apostle, and first founder of the church of Christ in this our kingedome, was a sacrificinge, massinge preist, deliuered a forme of Masse to the church, consecrated many massinge preists in this part of the world nere vnto vs, and some of this kingdome.

NOw lastely to come to S. Peter, the prime and cheife of the Apostles, hee could not bee at difference with the rest in this, but must needs bee a massinge preist as they were, and so for this purpose is it little, materiall whether this contry recea∣ued the faith from him, or any other of the Apostles. But because both Catholicks, and protestants agree. (Gul. Cambden in Britan. Theatr. of great Brit. l. 6. controuers. histor.

To. 1. in S. Petro.) that both Greeke and La∣tine antiquities giue that vnto him, as is lately proued at large, hee must also bee the first institutor of our ecclesiasticall Hierar∣chie, in consecratinge vnto vs, diuers holy Bishops, and preists, which that is deliue∣red already, proueth to haue beene massing Bishops, and preists, and by those sacrifi∣cinge Bishops, and his sacrificinge succes∣sors, our preists and Bishops were euer sa∣cred massinge Bishops, and preists vnto these daies, of innouation, as will manifest∣lie appeare in all ages, herafter by this trea∣tise. For, besides that, which is said before, how all the Apostles were massing and sa∣crificing preists, and all the other Apostles and Euangelists besides S. Peter, wee haue of him in particular, more and moste cre∣dible witnesses, then are needfull to be al∣leadged. S. Isidor saith. Ordo Missae vel ora∣tionum, quibus oblata Deo sacrificia consecran∣tur, primum à S. Petro est institutus, cuius celebrationem vno eodemque modo vniuersus peragit orbis. The order of Masse; or of the praiers by which the sacrifices offered vnto God are consecrated, was first instituted by S. Peter, whose celebration the whole world

obserueth in one, and the same maner. Iso∣dor. l. 1. de officijs cap. 15. de Missa & oratio∣nibus.

2. Our holy auncient learned contri∣man, S. Albinus, or Alcuinus by others, purposely entreatinge of this most blessed sacrifice, and the ceremonies thereof, thus writeth: Celebratio Missae in commemoratio∣nem Passionis Christi peragitur, sic enim ipse praecepit Apostolis, tradens eis corpus & san∣guinem suum, dicens hoc facite in meam com∣memorationem, hoc est in memorian Passiones mea. Tanquam diceret, quod pro vestro salute passus sum, ad memoriam reuocate. Hanc Pe∣trus Apostolus primus omnium Antiochiae di∣citur celebrasse. The celebration of Masse is done in commemoration of the Passion of Christ, for so hee gaue commaundement vnto his Apostles, when he deliuered vnto them his body and blood, saying doe this in commemoration, which is in memory of my passion: as though hee had said, recall vnto memory that I suffered for your salua∣tion. This Masse S. Peter the Apostle is said first to haue celebrated at Antioche. Albi∣nus alij Alcuinus l. diuin. offic. cap. de celebrat. Missae.

3. Egbertus writinge how the court of the Kinge, Regalis aula, at Antioch was in the time of S. Peters beeinge there made a Christian church, amonge other holy fun∣ctions S. Peter exercised in it, hee saith hee ordinarily said Masse, in qua communiter po∣pulum docuit, & Missas celebrauit. (Egbert. Abb. serm. de incremento & manifestat. Ca∣thol. fide.) And againe. (serm. 10.) Sacer∣dotalem ordinem nos accepimus à Romana Ec∣clesia, Romana autem Ecclesia, ab Apostolo Pe∣tro, Petrus à Christo, Christus à Deo Patre, qui vnxit eum oleo laetitiae, hoc est Spiritu San∣cto prae participibus suii, & iurauit dicens ad cum, tu es Sacerdos in aeternum, secundum or∣dinem Melchisedeih. Verus Sacerdos erat Do∣minus noster Iesus Christus. Ipse inuisibiliter dedit corpus & sanguinem suum, quando co∣ram discipulis panem & vinum in cana bene∣dixit benedictione calesti; & fecit sua admi∣rabili potestate vt sub specie eiusdem panis, & vini sumerent de manibus ipsius corpus & san∣guinem eius. Ipse quoque sicut pollicitus est, cum Ecclesia sua est, vsque ad consummatio∣nem saeculi, & quotidie inuisibiliter offers per manus Ecclesiae Deo Patri pro salute mundi, corpus & sanguinem suum sub specie panis &

vini. Propterea dictus est Sacerdos secundum ordinem Melchisedech, qui erat Rex Salem, & Sacerdos Dei summi, & oblationem fecit Deo ex pane & vino. Dominus Iesus Christus discipulos suos fecit veros Sacerdotes. Dedit eis potestatem conficiendi corpus & sanguinem suum sub specie panis & vini, quando dixit ad eos. (Luc. 22.) hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur; Hoc facite in meam commemo∣rationem. Omnem denique potestatem quae ad Sacerdotij officium, & ad episcopalem digni∣tatem spectat, ab illo acceperunt. Eandem au∣tem potestatem singuli successoribus relinque∣runt, in illis terris, & in illis Ecclesijs, quas eis Dominus conuertendas, & gubernandas delegauit. Et vt nunc de reliquis taceam, Bea∣tus Petrus princeps Apostolorum in Romana vrbe, presbyteros, & Episcopos ordinauit, & omnem potestatem quae ad officia eorum perti∣nebat, eis dedit, sicut ipse à Domino Iesu Chri∣sto acceperat.

4. We haue receued preistly order from the church of Rome, and the church of Rome receaued it from the Apostle Peter, Peter receaued it from Christ, Christ re∣ceaued it from God his Father, who anoin∣ted him with oyle of gladnes, that is with

the holy ghost aboue his partakers, and swore, saying vnto him. (psal. 10.) thou art a preist for euer, after the order of Melchi∣sedech. Our Lord Iesus Christ was a true preist. Hee did inuisibly giue his body and blood, when before his disciples at his sup∣per hee blessed breade and wine, and made by his admirable power that vnder the spe∣cies of the same bread & wine, they should receaue from his hands, his body and blood. Hee also, as hee hath promised, is with his church vnto the ende of the world, and doth daily inuisibly offer by the hands of the church, to Go•…•… •…•…he Father for the sal∣uation of the worlde, his body and blood vnder the forme of bread and wine. Ther∣fore hee is called a preist after the order of Melchisedech, who was Kinge of Salem, and preist of the high God, and made offe∣ringe vnto God of breade and wine. Our Lord Iesus Christ made his disciples prei∣stes. Hee gaue them power to make his bo∣die and blood vnder the forme of breade, and wine, when hee said vnto them. (Luc. 22.) this is my body, which shall bee giuen for you: doe this in my commemoration. Finally they receaued from him all power,

which belōgeth to the office of preisthood, and episcopall dignitie. And euery one of them, left the same power to their succes∣sors, in those contries, and in those chur∣ches, which our Lord commended to them to conuert and gouerne. And at this time to bee silent of the rest, S. Peter cheife of the Apostles in the city of Rome ordey∣ned preists, and deacons, and gaue them all power which apperteined to their offi∣ces, as hee himselfe had receaued from our Lord Iesus Christ.

5. And thus from S. Peter deduceth a continuall succession of sacrificinge mas∣singe preists, and Bishops in all this West part of the world; And amonge others tea∣cheth how particularly this our kingdome of England had our massinge preists, and Bishops by that deduction from S. Peter, and his successors in the Apostolicke see of Rome. Stephanus Eduerists. (l. de Sacra∣mento Altaris.) a learned Bishop many hun∣dred yeares since, saith: sicut Magister do∣cuerat, Apostoli se & alios communicando con∣secrationem corporis & sanguinis Domini fa∣cere caeperunt, & fieri per vniuersas Ecclesias praedicando instituerunt. As Christ theire

maister had taught, so the Apostles com∣municatinge themselues, and others, be∣gan to make the consecration of the body and blood of Christ, and by preachinge instituted it to bee done through all chur∣ches: and sheweth how the canon of the Masse was vsed by S. Peter, & the rest from the beginninge. Primo ficbat canonis myste∣rium. Before any thinge was added by the Popes of Rome. And Paschasius Rathertus plainely saith, it was the common opinion in his time, that S. Peter was the Author of the canon of Masse: respice in Sacramen∣torum celebratione, instituente beato Petro, vt credimus, quid orat Sacerdos in canone. And then hee addeth particularly, that by S. Peters institution, the preist praieth, v•…•… fiat corpus & sanguis dilectissimi filij tui Do∣mini nostri Iesu Christi: That it may bee made the body, and blood of thy moste be∣loued sonne, our Lord Iesus Christ. Pascha∣sius Ratbert. l. de corpore & sanguine Christi.

6. I reade in an auncient Anonymus Manuscript history of this kingdome. (M. S. hist. incipit in principio creauit Deus. cap no∣mina summorum Pontificum.) post Passionem Christi anno sequenti beatus Petrus Apostolus

tenuit cathedram sacerdotalem in partibus o∣rientis annis quatuor, vbi primam Missam ce∣lebrauit. Deinde venit Antiochiam, vbi ca∣thedram adeptus, sedit annis septem, inde ve∣nit Roneam. The next yeare after the Pas∣sion of Christ, S. Peter the Apostle held his preistly chaire in the parts of the east foure yeares, where hee first celebrated Masse. From thence hee came to Antioch, where obteyning the chaire, hee sat seuen yeares, from thence hee came to Rome. The aun∣cient English history, commonly called Caxtons history, because printed by him, thus testifieth: Peter the first Pope was ables∣sed man, and glorious Apostle of Christ, hee was head of the church (after S. Hierome) 37. yeares, and he held his Bishoprick in the easte fiue yeares, and hee said Masse. hee made our Lords body, then after hee came to Antioch. old English histor. published by Caxton. part. 4. an. D. 34.

7. Martianus Polonus hath the same words, with our Manuscript history before cited. Walfridus Strabo 800. yeares since writeth, how the Romans receaued the vse and obseruations of their Masse (common to the western world) from S. Peter the chei∣fest

of the Apostles. Martin. Polon. in suppu∣tat. tempor. col. 27. in S. Petro. Walafrid. Strab. l. de obseruat. cap. 22. The like hath S Clement scholler and successor to S. Pe∣ter, Comestor, Ioannes Belethus, Pope In∣nocentius the third, Polychronicon, Ioan∣nes Cantabrigiensis, Petrus de natalibus, Hesichius, Nicholaus Cabasilla, Germanus S. Beda, S. Hierome, Theonas, Cassianus. S. Anacletus, who was made preist by S. Peter, as hee himselfe witnesseth, S. Epi∣phanius, Ionas Aureliensis, our learned cō∣tryman, with diuers others, cited by Eisen∣grenius and others. And to take the war∣rant of Protestants with vs, for this veritie: first wee haue the testimony of the Magde∣burgians from Martinus Polonus, and o∣thers, in quibusdam chronicis vt Martini & aliorum, not onely that S. Peter said Masse, but in some sort the order thereof. Our first English Protestant Archbishop of Canter∣bury expressely acknowledgeth, that S. Pe∣ter said Masse both in the easte, Missam dictā à Petro in orientalibus regionibus, and after hee came into the west also, and that, illius traditio à Christi primo instituto ducentis am∣plius annis in prima Ecclesia durauit. The or∣der

of Masse which S. Peter vsed & taught, continued in the primatiue church aboue 200. yeares from the institution of Christ vntill the time of Pope Zepherine. Clem. Rom. l. 10. Recognit. histor. scholast. cap. 7. in act. Apostol. Io. Belethus l. de offic. diuin. cap. 124. Innocent. 3. Praefat. l. 1. Polychronic. l. 4. cap. 6. Ioannis Cantabrigien. in pupill. oculi. c. 8. Petrus de natalib. l. 4. cap. 108. He∣sichius Hierosol. in act. cap. 20. & cap. 23. Le∣uit. l. 6. Nichol. Cabass. c. 28. de Miss. Germ. Constantinp. in can. Miss. Anaclet. epist. 2. & al. apud Eisengren. centen. 1. fol. 116.117. Magdeburg. •…•…ent. 1. l. 2. cap. 6. col. 500. Math. Parker. antiquit. Britannie. pag. 47. cap. 17.

8. And this Pope by this great protes∣tants confession, was so far from chaun∣ginge any essentiall thinge therin, to make it worse, that to insist in his wordes: donec eam Zepherinus 16. Romanus Pontifex quo∣rundam suasionibus ad pulchriorem materiam formamque mutare voluit: vntill Zepherine the sixteenth Pope of Rome by the persua∣sions of some would chaunge that Masse to a more excellent matter and forme. And to put vs out of doubt that Pope and S. Ze∣pherine did make no chaunge or alteration

of this S. Peters Masse, now after two hun∣dred yeares, in protestants iudgement, but that which rather honored, then in any res∣pect disgraced this holy sacrifice, all the chaunge which this Protestant Archbi∣shop findeth made herin by this holy Pope, is this, by his owne testimony, that where before woddē challices were vsed in some places, in those times of persecution and necessitie, this Pope (to vse this protestants words the 16. Pope of Rome) constituted that Masses should bee celebrated with patens of glasse. Zepherinus 16. Romanus Episcopus, patents vitreis Missas celebrari constituit. (Matth. Parker supr. cap. 18. pag. 47.) Which an other English Protestant purposely en∣treating of such thinges, thus expresseth: sanguinis Christi consecrationem in vit•…•…eo ca∣lice, non ligneo, vt antea, fieri debere statuit. Pope Zepherine constituted, that the con∣secration of the blood of Christ should bee made in a chalice of glasse, & not of wood, as before was vsed. Robertus Barns in vita Pontific. Roman. in Seuer. alij Zepherin. And further: Cum Episcopus celebraret Missae sa∣cra, iussit omnes presbyteros adesse. Hee com∣maunded that all the preists should be pre∣sent,

when the Bishop celebrated the sacri∣fice of Masse.

9. This is all S. Zepherine altered in this Masse of S. Peter, by these protestants own graunt: Therefore it is sufficiently agreed vpon both by Catholicks and the best lear∣ned protestants, that according to the com∣mon opinion in that respect, S. Peter did not onely and vsually say Masse, beeinge a massing and sacrificing preist, by his preist∣lie consecration, but as the great Apostle of Christ composed an order, or forme of saying Masse, and deliuered it to the church to practise, and it was so accordingly recea∣ued, and practised with the best learned & most holy men, the glorious lights of Gods house, in that primatiue and freely confes∣sed vnspotted dayes of Christianitie. What this holy order was, and how it did not dif∣fer in any substantiall or essentiall matter from that Masse which the present Roman church now vseth, I shall sufficiently proue, with the good leaue, and likinge, both of Catholicke, & learned protestant authors, hereafter.

10. In the meane time, to make that which is already said vnquestionable, S.

Peter euer left in the renowned places where hee liued, this holy doctrine, and practise of saying Masse. And whether so∣euer he sent any Apostolick men to preach the ghospell, this was a principall charge, & power bequeathed vnto them. For Hie∣rusalem where S. Peter first preached I haue spoken sufficiently in S. Iames before, so for S. Marke at Alexandria, & the African parts. For Antioch also I haue written what might suffice, yet will I add somewhat of the glorious successor of S. Peter there, S. Ignatius, whome S. Chrisostome the great ornament of that very church S. Felix, and Theodoret doe allowe mee to call, the im∣mediate substitute or successor of S. Peter there, and that by S. Peter hee was consecra∣ted Bishop, dextera beati Petri fuisse ordina∣tum Episcopum Ecclesiae Antiochenae, and, per magni Petri dexteram Pontificatum suscepit. Though I doe not deny, but as S. Clement did to S. Linus, and Cletus at Rome, so S. Ignatius might and did giue place to Saint Euodius at Antioche. Whome great Au∣thors therefore name S. Peters first succes∣sor there. (S. Io. Chrisostom. orat. de trans∣lat. corp. S. Ignatij Antioch. Felix. Rom. Pont.

epist. ad Zenon. Imper. in S. Synod. Const. act. 1. Theodoret. dialog. 1. Immutab. Euseb. chr. & hist. l. 3. c. 16. Hieron. l. de scriptor. in Ig∣nat. Ignat. epist. ad Antioch.

11. This holy Saint and learned Father consecrated by S. Peter, was so farr a mas∣sing preist, and earnest practiser and patron of this holy sacrifice of Masse, wherein Christs sacred body and blood ar offered, that as not onely Theodoret and al Catho∣licks with him teach, but as the grand pro∣testants Beza, Peter Martyr, Scultetus, Whi∣taker, and others as enforced doe graunt, that S. Ignatius did condemne Simon and Menander for hereticks, because according to theire knowne heresie against Christs true humanitie, they did reiect the sacrifice of his body and blood in the sacrifice of Masse: (Theodoret. Dial. 3. Beza Dial. Cy∣clops. Peter Mart. loc. 12. Missae. Scutlet. part. 1. Medull. patr, l. 1. Whitaker contra Camp. & al.) They doe not receaue (saith S. Igna∣tius) Eucharist and sacrifice, because they doe not confesse the Eucharist to bee the body of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, which suffered for our sinnes, which his Father by his bountie raised againe. (apud Theoderet. supr.) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

12. The protestants of Magdeburg. (cent. 2. col. 113. cap. 6.) acknowledge (which no man can deny) in epistolis Ignatij vt hodie extant vtrimque legitur & sacrificium immo∣lare, & Missas facere. Wee reade both to of∣fer sacrifice, and say Masses in the epistles of Ignatius, as they are extant at this day. And our English Protestants confesse in these termes. (Sutclisse subu. pag. 32.) Wee reade in Ignatius this phrase, offerre, and, sa∣crificium 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to offer, and, immolate sa∣crifice. And not to insist vpon the words of S. Ignatius (Ignatius epistol. ad Smirnens.) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which the olde translation turneth, •…•…ssam facere, to say Masse, the other Greeke wordes of this holy Saint which the Magdeburgian protestants doe allowe for his (Magdeburg supr.) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 do in all lexicons and Greeke Authors, properly signifie sacrifi∣cinge, or offering sacrifice; and yet as that holy Father witnesseth, this was in his time the act and office of Christian preists. And

saith: this preisthood, is the toppe or cheife of all good things amonge men, and hee that ra∣geth against it, doth not reproach mā, but God and Christ his onely begotten Sonne, who by nature is the highest preist of God his Father, and hee teacheth how an externall sacrifi∣ce offered vppon an externall materiall al∣tar, is a proper act of this holy preisthood. (Ignat. epistol. ad Hieron. epistol. ad Ephes.) And that this sacrifice in particular is, a medicine of immortality, a preseruatiue against death, and procuringe life in God. The bread of God, heauenly food, which is the flesh of Christ, and blood of Christ. Ignat. epist. ad Trallian. ad Ephes. & ad Roman.

13. And if wee attend S. Peter in his iorney from the east to these western parts, as Rome, & from thence to this kingdome of Britanie, wee shall still finde antiquities, and monuments, though so many ar loste, that hee still continued his holy function in sayinge Masse, and neither there, nor here did or could consecrate any but sacri∣ficinge massinge preists. This holy Apo∣stle cominge in his iorney to Rome to Pisa a famous citie of Hetruria in Italy, vppon the Sea coaste, with his disciples, we finde

auncient euidence, that he there said Mas∣se, & in honor & memory of him a church was there builded, and after his death de∣dicated vnto him, yearely frequented with great resorte of pilgrims. (Martin. Peres l. de diuinis & Apost. traditionib. part. 3. fol. 70.) and part of the very altar whereon hee said Masse is there still kept in the sacrarie of that church, with an antiquitie in authenti∣call old characters, testifying the truth herof. Certa parte altaris vbi celebrauit in sacrario templi maioris venerabiliter recondita, vna cum testimonio literis valde authenticis & vetustis, hinc rei fidem minimè suspectam fa∣cientibus. Also there is at Naples, as both Catholicks and protestants witnes, an old church, where S. Peter said Masse, and the church thereuppon called: Ad diui Petri aram: At the altar of S. Peter. (Benedict. Fulco l. de locis antiq. Neopolitan. Lindan. Apolog. Iacob. Gualter. tabula chronographic. secult. 1. pag. 44.) at the entrance of the dore whereof, this inscription still remayneth to keepe it in remembrance.

Siste fidelis. Et priusquam templum ingrediaris, Petrum sacrificantem venerare,

O faithfull man stay, and before thou enter into the church, worship Peter sacrificinge.

14. For Rome wee haue still the porta∣ble and remoueable altare whereon S. Pe∣ter and many of his successors there in per∣secution said Masse. (Antiquitat. Eccl. La∣teran. Romae. Breuiar. Rom. die 9. Nouembr. in dedica. Basilic. Saluatoris.) wee haue all his successors holy Saints and Martyrs all∣most 300. yeares by protestants confession, all of them sacrificinge, and massing prei∣stes, as shall bee manifest in their times and places, and the foure first of them S. Linus Cletus, Clement, and Anacletus, conse∣crated and ordered massing and sacrificing preists, by their holy Master and predeces∣sor S. Peter himselfe, as both they themsel∣ues and other auncient authors testifie. We are warranted by our protestants with o∣thers before, that the forme and order of the sacrifice of Masse which S. Peter com∣posed, vsed, and deliuered to the church, was without any chaunge or alteration, continued in that church of Rome & these western nations aboue 200. yeares: from whence it appeareth consequently & plain∣lie by these protestante writers, that this

kingdome of Britanie receauing the faith from Rome in the Apostles times, and ge∣nerally in the times of Pope Eleuthenus & Victor, who both were before S. Zepherine, in whose dayes they suppose some addition to haue beene vsed in that Masse, inuinci∣bly prou•…•…th, that this kingdome with o∣thers did not onely admit Masse, and mas∣singe preists in the first conuersion thereof, but the very vnchaunged and vnaltered Masse of S. Peter himselfe. We haue the Ca∣talogues and histories of the successions of Bishops in all renowned churches in this part of the world, which receaued theire first Apostles and Bishops from S. Peter, that are preserued, testifyinge that these their first Apostles, Preists, and Bishops sent vnto them from S Peter, were mas∣singe and sacrificinge preists, and Bishops. If I could exemply but in halfe the number of them which were so ordered, and sent by S. Peter into Italy, Spaine, Germanie, and Fraunce, I should make to longe a di∣gression from the question of Britanie, which I cheifly handle, write a forreine historie, and entertaine my reader ouer much in such affaires: therefore I will only

insist in some few of the cheifest, those that came nearest vnto vs, and with whom our Britans in al probable iudgement had most intercourse, commerce, or acquaintance.

15. I begin with S. Maximinus, and S. Lazarus whom Christ raised to life, seeing to the first one of the 72. disciples of Christ S. Peter commended S. Mary Magdalen, because some protestants thinke S. Ioseph of Aramathia that buried Christ, and li∣ued, died, and was buried with vs in Brita∣nie, came into Fraunce with them. (Guliel. Eisengren. centenar. 1. part. 5. dist. 3. fol. 148. Theater. of great Britanie l. 6. That the first said Masse we are taught, because we read, that hee did minister the holy Eucharist, to S. Mary Magdalē after Masse was ended. Quod morienti S. Magdalenae post Missarum solem∣nia Sacrosanctam Eucharistiam administrasse legimus. Anton. Democh. l. 2. de Mass. contra Caluin. Petrus de natal. l. 5. Antonin. part. 1. Volater. l. 7. Guliel. Eisengr. cent. 1. fol. 148. pag. 2. This for Aqueus where he was Bi∣shop. For S. Lazarus his beeing a massinge preist, and his saying of Masse, at Marssiles in Fraunce, where hee was Bishop, the ho∣lie vestiments in which hee said Masse beeing

to this day preserued and to be seene in the ca∣thedrall church there, ar sufficient witnes. In Cathedrali Ecclesia, vestes in quibus Missam celebrabat, adhuc hodie conscruantur & mon∣strantur. Demochar. l. 2. contr. Caluin. c. 32. Petr. de natal. l. 1. c. 72. Antonin. part. 1. tit. 6. cap. 19. Guliel. Eiseng. centen. 1. fol. 149.

16. How famous S. Martial disciple of S. Peter, and sent into Fraunce by him, was in many parts of that nation so wel known to our British Druides in those dayes, it is not vnknowne to any antiquarie of these contries: And as little ignorance can any man pretend, that hee was a massinge sa∣crificinge preist, for so renowned hee was for this, that the infidels themselues then knew it, amonge whome the cheife idola∣trous preist or Druid of Limogen, as the french Annales tel vs, forsooke the towne by reason of an Hebrue called Martiall, who being come into Gaule, vseth not wine, nor flesh, but when he offereth sacrifice to God: si non que au sacrifice de Dieu. Who buildinge a chappel there, celebrated Masse in it. Celebré le Sainct sacrifice de la Messe. S. Aurelian. in vet. S. Martialis. Doctor. Puel. D. Tigeon. Cl. March. Ro. Seigneur de Faux Augenin hi∣stor.

Gallic. in S. Martial. Vincent. in specul. hist. cap. 41. Io. Gualt. Chronolog. ecclesiasti∣copol. an. Do. 56. And in that citie still re∣mayneth the holy altar, on which hee vsed to say Masse whereof hee himselfe maketh mention in his epistle, ad Burde galenses, & for that cause so honored, that it is by pu∣blick edict of parlament examining and appro∣uing the truth of that history, from auncient time, decreed, that seuen candels should conti∣nually bee kept burninge before it, the body of that their Apostle beeing buried neare vnto it. Florimund. Remund. de Origen. haeres. l. 8. cap. 12. edict. inter log. parlam. Galliae de hac re. Annon videtis S. Martialem ad Burdega∣lenses nostros scripsisse, se aram Deo Israelis & martyri ipsius Stephano dedicasse? ea ara in ciuitate Lemogicum, vbi Apostolus ipse Aqui∣taniae quiescit, conspicitur, aedificata à Principe Stephano, quem ad Christianismum ipse con∣uerteret: ante eam noctes diesque ardent sep∣tem candelae, iuxta antiquam istam fundatio∣nem, in parlamento nostro, & disceptatam, & confirmatam.

17. And this holy Saint, and Apostle of Aquitaine, himselfe teacheth, what great honor and reuerence is due to Christian sa∣crificing

preists, and what an excellent sa∣crifice they offer of Christs sacred body & blood in holy Masse: thus he writeth to his late conuerted Christians. (S. Martial. E∣pisc. ad Burdegales. cap. 3.) honorabatis Sa∣cerdotes qui decipiebant vos sacrificijs suis, qui mutis & surdis statuis offerebant, qui nec se nec vos iuuare poterant: nunc autem multò ma∣gis Sacerdotes Die omnipotentis, qui vitam vobis tribuunt, in calice & pane vino, hono∣rare debetis. Before you were conuerted to Christ, you did honour your preists, which deceaued you with their sacrifices, which did sacrifice to dumbe and deafe statues, who could neither helpe themselues, nor you. But now much more you ought to honour the preists of God almighty, which giue vnto you life in the chalice, and liue∣lie breade. And a little after, speaking more plainely of this holy sacrifice, offered vnto God, vppon the altar, hee saith: Sacrificium Deo Creatori offertur, in ara Christi corpus & singuinem in vitam aeternam offerrimus. Quod Iudaei per inuidiam immolauerunt, putantes so nomen cius à terra abolere: nos causa salutis nostrae, in ara sanctificata proponimus, scientes hoc solo remedio nobis vitam praestandam, &

mortem effugandam: hoc enim Dominus noster misit nos agere in sui commemorationem. Sa∣crifice is offered to God, our Creator, vp∣pon the altar. We offer the body and blood of Christ for euerlasting life. That which the Iewes did offer through enuy, thinking to abolish his name from the earth; wee offer this vppon an hallowed altare, know∣inge that by this onely remedy, life is to be giuen vnto vs, and death to bee auoided. For this our Lord Iesus commaunded vs to doe in his commemoration.

18. Thus this holy Saint, that stilleth himselfe. The Apostle of Iesus Christ, who as hee saith was present with Christ in his life, when hee was buried, and see him af∣ter his resurrection. (Martial. epist. ad Bur∣degal. epestol. ad Tholosanos.) was one of his 72. disciples, & was by speciall commaund of Christ vnto S. Peter, whose disciple hee after was, sent by him to bee the happy A∣postle of that contrie. And I haue rather amonge many others in the like condition, cited this history of S. Martial, because mo∣rally to speake, the best learned Druids & others of this our Britanie, where the chei∣fest and commaunders in that sect remay∣ned,

could not bee ignorant of these thin∣ges; for both S. Aurelianus successor im∣mediate to S. Martial at Limogen, and S. Martial also himselfe are most worthy wit∣nesses, that Sigebertus the summus Sacerdos, high preist, Arch-flamen, and cheifest of the Druids sect, in those partes, was by S. Martial conuerted, to this his holy, sacrifi∣cinge and massing Christian Religion. (S. Aurelian. in vit. S. Martial. & Martial. epi∣stol. ad Burdegal. cap 3.) And S. Aurelianus doth make this his holy conuersion so fa∣mous, that it could not be concealed, from the rulers of the Druids Religion in Brita∣nie, whom it so much concerned. (Aure∣lian. supr. & annotat. in S. Martial.) for pre∣sently after, Benedicta, wife of the Prince of that Prouince, was conuerted by S. Martial, this high preiste of the Druids: Sigebert being also conuerted, did breake in peeces all their Idols, destroyed their Temples, except the Temple dedicated to the vnknowne God, and shiuered the altars of the diuils into dust. Ipsemet Sigebertus Pontifex Idola omnia con∣fregit minutim, & Templa euertit, excepto Templo ignoti Dei, & altaria daemonum in pul∣uerem. Which S. Martial himselfe doth suf∣ficiently

insinuate, when hee saith: dum al∣taria daemonum, in puluerem redigerentur, aram ignoti Dei ad consecrationem reseruari iussimus. Quia dedicata in nomine Dei Israel, & testis ipsius Stephani, qui pro eo à Iudaeis passus est. (S. Martial sup. cap. 3) when the altars of the deuils were beaten into dust, wee commaunded the altare of the vn∣knowne God to bee reserued for consecra∣tion. Which was dedicated in the name of the God of Israel, and Martir Stephen, who suffered for him by the Iewes.

19. And if wee come to the nearer parts of Fraunce, Paris, Rouen, Britany, Nor∣mandy, Picardy, and all the sea coaste, we shall euidently see, that no other doctrine or practise of this holy sacrifice of Masse, could possibly haue entrāce into this king∣dome: 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. Cle∣ment, 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. Oc∣tob.

Bed. & Vsuard. 7. id. Octob. Volater. l. 15. Breu. Rom. in S. Dionis. Arnold. Merman. l. Britones, Normandos, Rothomagenses, Picar∣dos, omnemque maris Oceani tractum instru∣xit, formauitque fide S. Nicasius à S. Clemen∣te 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. Cle∣ment vncle to S. Clement the Pope, his glo∣rious companions S. Mansuetus our contri∣man, 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, Va∣lerius, our noble Britan, S. Beatus, and o∣thers. 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 sacrifi∣cinge 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 be∣cause they were both consecrated preists, and directed by that great massinge preist, and Apostle S. Peter, whose commaund & order, and their owne institution beeing•…•… holy Saints they neither did nor could vio∣late, 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 sacri∣fice

of Masse, hee ordered cleargie men, in diuers degrees, and orders, in diuersis gradi∣bus, which no Christians but such as allow the sacrifice of Masse, admit, and builded churches there. (Antonin. supr. Petr. de na∣tal. l. 10. c. 113. Vincent. l. 9. cap. 42.) S. Ma∣ternus 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. Pe∣ter, and others, was so renowned a massing preist, that among other his wonderful mi∣racles. (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 renow∣ned were these men for that most holy fun∣ction, and office, so zelous and deuoute in the performance thereof, and God so well pleased, and serued in that so sacred an ex∣ercise, that he did so miraculously concurre vnto it.