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 THIRD AGE, OR HVN∣DRED 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 to∣tall 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 ther∣of 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, not∣withstandinge 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. Bri∣tan. Godwin. conuers. of Britanie. Stowe histor. in K. Lucius. Theater of great Brit. l. 6. Foxe Tom. 1. Holinsh. histor. of Engl. Galfr. Mo∣num. 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 conti∣nued in vse in the church without any chaunge, vnto the time of Pope and S. Ze∣pherine, 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 su∣preame spirituall power which hee vsed e∣uen in this, besides that which he both clai∣med and exercised in excommunicatinge the church of Asia for their not due obser∣uation of Easter, hee confirmed the order and institution of his predecessor S. Eleu∣therius, in subiectinge all the churches, and

Christians of that part of Britany now ter∣med Scotlād, to the Archbishop of Yorke, a massing preist & Prelate, as I haue shew∣ed before, these parts and countries then beeing temporally ruled by diuers tempo∣rall Kings, or Princes, and at difference or enmity at that time one with an other. And to make this Religiō 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, Sa∣cerdotibus praeceptoribus, quos Victor Pontifex Maximus, ad Christi dogma propalandum in extremam miserat Albionem. Which was in the yeare of Christ 203. Humanae salutis ter∣tius supra ducentessimum. And euer conti∣nued in the same as theire historians con∣tend, vnto these dayes of heresie, nostri qua fide & pietate instituti semel fuerunt hacte∣nus erroribus aspernatis, perseuerant. Which was written in the yeare of Christ 1526. Anno salutis Christianae sexto & vigesimo su∣pra, millesimum quingentesimum.

3. So longe and longer these massinge preists & sacrifice of Masse continued there with honor, by their writers, and our En∣glish Protestants affirme as much in these termes. (Edw. Grimston. in the est. of the K. of great Britanie pag. 20. cap. 17.) Scotland re∣ceaued the Christian faith in the time of Pope Victor the first, in the yeare 203. and idolatry did quite cease, vnder Kinge Craknite, who died in the yeare 313. Celestine the first sent Palladius thither to roote out the Pelagian he∣resie, which began to encrease there vnder Eugenius the seconde, who died in the yeare 460. since this time the realme continued longe in the profession of the Romish church, vntill these later dayes, the daies of Kinge Iames, our present soueraigne, as hee there expres∣seth. Therefore seeing the profession of the Romane church, which frō the beginning by these authorities, and testimonies, both Catholicke and Protestant euer continued there, was the profession of the sacrifice of Masse, and massinge preists, such was the profession euer vntill now in those parts. Againe this part of this Iland was subiec∣ted both by Pope Eleutherius, and Victor, to the Archbishop of Yorke a massing Pre∣late,

either S. Theodosius or S. Sampson, therefore the preistes subiect to that see, must needs bee massinge preists. (Harrison description of Britanie in K. Lucius. Godwin Catalog. in Yorke pag. 555. edit. an. 1515.) and both S. Gildas, S. Bede and all antiqui∣ties assure vs, that this Religion was preser∣ued in peace, and quiet here, vnto the per∣secution of Diocletian. Gild. l. de excid. Bri∣tan. cap. 7. Bed. histor. eccl. l. 1. cap. 4. antiq. Winton. apud Godw. Catal. in Winchester. 1.) and the Annals of Scotland tell vs expres∣selie, of the altars chalices, patens, and all vessels, instruments, and ornaments vsed in the holy sacrifice of Masse, to haue bene in honorable, and publicke vse in this time in that contry. (Hector Boeth. Scot. histor. l. 6. fol. 102.

4. And if we leaue Britanie and returne againe to Rome, and the Pope there, S. Ze∣pherine, these protestants assure vs, he was, rei diuinae magis quam humanae intētus, a man more giuen to diuine then humaine affaires, a Protestant Bishops words: and yet they ab∣solutly teache, hee claimed and exercised supreame spirituall iurisdiction, and made decrees, concerninge the holy sacrifice of

Masse, of what mater, the chalice and pa∣ten, in, and on which the body and blood of Christ should be consecrated, in that sa∣crifice, were to bee made, and how preists ought to bee present when the Bishop cele∣brated the sacrifice of Masse, cum Episcopus celebraret Missae sacra iussit omnes presbyteros adesse. (Bal. in act. Pontif. Rom. l. 1. in Ze∣pherino. Edw. Grimston pag. 436. in Zepherin. Rob. Barnes in vit. Pontif. Rom. in Zephe∣rin. alij. Sacer) and by the sentence of their first Protestant Archbishop, hee was so far from doing any dishonor to this holy sacri∣fice of Masse, that, ad pulchriorem materiam formamque mutare voluit. The chaunge hee made, was for the more honor therof. Math. Parker antiquitat. Britan. pag. 47. Magdeb. cent. 1. cap. 5 col. 146.) beeing nothing but that I cited before of causing the sacrificing instruments to be made of a better matter, making no other chaunge at al therin. And within few yeares after, the next Pope but one, Vrbanus the first, as these protestants assure vs made a lawe, that euē in the poo∣rer churches the sacrificinge vessels should either bee of gold, siluer, or tinne. Ne vasa sacra vitrea, sed aut aurea, aut argen•…•…ea,

aut stannea in inopioribus Ecclesijs essent, le∣gem tulit. (Rob. Barnes in Vrban. 1. Edw. Grimston. estate of the church of Rome in Vr∣ban. 1. pag. 436. Magdeb. cent. 1. cap. 6. col. 146.) and that Pope Fabian an holy Saint, and miraculously chosen to the papall dig∣nitie, made a decree about the sacrifice of Masse, what preists were to bee allowed to say Masse. And they put it out of all ques∣tion, that the most renowned other Fathers of this age, as Tertullian S. Ciprian, with others taught and maintained this doctrine of the sacrifice of Masse. Magdeburg. cent. 1. cap. 4. col. 83. titul. de Eucharist. & sacri∣ficio. so they write of Pope Stephen, Faelix & Sixtus in this age, whom they acknow∣ledge for holy Saints, and open maintay∣ners and practisers of this blessed sacrifice, shewinge how in their time, the whole ca∣non was secretly read, as is now obserued. Sixtus, dum Sacerdos canonem ante celebra∣tionem sub silentio legeret, vt in populo San∣ctus triplicatum caneretur, instituit. And nei∣ther bringe any Pope, or Father to the con∣trary, or any Pope altered any thinge in this holy sacrifice, which they doe or can dis∣like.

5. And concerning communion it selfe in one onely kinde, by the laitie, and such as saide not Masse, now vsed in the Latine church, with much dislike of many prote∣stants, these protestants themselues confes∣se vnto vs. (Magdeburgen· cent. 3. cap. 6. de ritib. circa caenam col. 149) that it was the custome of the church of Rome, of Italy, and with other Bishops for the communi∣cants, to receaue onely vnder the forme of bread. And some of our English Protestants as Master Parkins. (Parkinsus l. demonstr. problem. pag. 155.) giueth many instances and examples of such communicating. And amonge others bringeth S. Ciprian to bee a witnes hereof, writinge in this time, as also the Protestants of Germany doe, tea∣chinge this custome in those churches of Rome, Italy, and others to haue bene more auncient then this time: and moste certaine it is, that both S. Ciprian, and Tertullian before him, testifie it was also soe vsed in Afrike to communicate onely vnder the forme of blood. (Ciprian. l. de laps. & l. de spectacul. Tertullia. l. 2. ad Vxorem. cap. 5.) S. Irenaeus proueth the same of the age before; and both S. Chrisostome, or whosoeuer au∣thor

of the opus imperfectū super Matthaeum, S. Augustine, Isichius, S. Bede, Theophi∣lact, and others doe so expound, that act & example of Christ at Emaus, in S. Lukes Ghospell, after his resurrection, thus by our protestants translation: hee tooke bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gaue to them. (Ho∣mil. 16. operis imperfect. supr. Matth. August. consens. Euang. l. 3. c. 25. Isych. l. 2. in Le∣uit. c. 9. Bed. & Theop. in c. 24. Luc. cap. 24. v. 30.) the same exposition is made of brea∣kinge of breade, in the 2. and 20. chapter of the acts of the Apostles, by the auncient author, of that vnperfect worke, and our learned coutrimen, Ionas Aurelianensis, and S. Bede, and the Syriake text readeth, in fractione Eucharistiae, in breakinge the Eu∣charist. And Iohn Caluine himselfe doth so plainely expounde the later place of the 20. chapter. Actor. cap. 2. v. 42. cap. 20. v. 7. Ho∣mil. 17. operis imperfecti. Beda ad cap. 20. act. Ionas Aurelianen. l. 3. de Imaginib. text. Sy∣riac· Caluin. in act. 20.

6. And to make all sure, the parlament statute of three Protestant Princes, Kinge Edward 6. Queene Elizabeth, and Kinge Iames. (Statut. parlam· an. 1. Edw. 6. an. 1.

Elizab, and an. 1. Iacobi Abridg. of stat. titul. seruice and Sacram.) doth warrant vs, that in the primatiue church, communion was often vsed in one only kinde. And the three first Euangelists S. Matthew, Marke and Luke ar ample witnesses, that the words of Christ, drinke you all of this (the ground of protestants in this contention) were onely present with him, and by him at that time made preists by all antiquities. (Matth. cap. 26. v. 20. Marc. cap. 14. ver. 17.18. Luc. c. 22. v. 14.) and so the words and commaunde∣ment could not possibly bee generall, for that cause, and if they had beene gene∣rall, all the whole Christian worlde, in all ages Catholicks from the beginninge, and protestants since their new cominge, had beene, and ar guiltie of transgressinge that institution and commaundement. Ther∣fore seeing wee cannot finde any innoua∣tion in these misteries, in this time, let vs seeke out some more massing preists of this nation, in this tempestuous season. For such we finde particularly at Rome S. Mel∣lanius as the Romane Martyrologe with o∣thers nameth him, but by the auncient Ma∣nuscript history of his life and Capgraue,

S. Mellon. He beeing a noble Britane, and going hence to Rome to pay the tribute of his contry and serue the Emperor, was con∣uerted to the faith of Christ, by the massing Pope S. Stephen, and by him takinge first all inferior orders, was made a massinge preist. Quem praefatus Papa sibi adhaerentem per omnes Ecclesiae gradus vsque ad Sacerdo∣tium promouit. (Martyrolog. Rom. die 22. Oc∣tob. Baron. ib. Vincent. l. 11. c. 74. Petr. de natal. l. 9. c. 93. Demochar. contr. Caluin. M. S. antiq. de vita S. Mellonis. Ioh. Capgrau. in catal. in S. Mellone Episcopo.) and was so deuout a sayer of Masse, that among other times, as hee was sayinge Masse, an Angell openly appeared both to the holy Pope, and him, at the right hand of the altare, and Masse beeing ended designed him to goe to Rouen in Normandy, where hee was the second Bishop, next to S. Nicasius, as the Annals of that church are witnesse, and continued there a massinge preist, and Bi∣shop sent from that massinge Pope, vntill about the yeare of Christ 280. which being before the beginninge of the persecution of Diocletian, wee had then here in Britanie great numbers of massinge preists, and Bi∣shops,

as I haue proued before by our best antiquities.

7. And though for that time wee are in a great defect and want of monuments, yet wee haue warrant enough, that both in, and after that persecution, wee had both massinge preists and Bishops to continue our hierarchicall succession for the present time of the persecution in this part of Bri∣tanie, where the Romans ruled, & the per∣secution by that oportunitie and power ra∣ged, wee must not looke into our churches and altars destroyed for publick vse of these holy points of Religion; for as our best and moste auncient author, S. Gildas writeth, the Christians that remained, did hide them∣selues, in woods, and deserts and hidden caues. Qui superfuerant siluis ac desertis abditisque speluncis se occultauere. (Gildas l. de excid. & conq. Biitan. cap, 8.) S. Bede and others af∣ter both Catholicks and protestants haue the like. (Bed. histor. Eccl. Angl. l. 1. cap. 8. Matth. Westm. in Dioclet. Theater of Brit. 16. Stowe Holinsh. histor. of Eng.) but if wee goe into the Northern parts, beyond the Romans walland bounds, where the Chri∣stian Britans and Scots vnder King Crath∣lint

that renowned glory of that nation then reigned, we shal finde both Masse, and massinge preists of this our part of Britanie flying thither in honor, and offeringe pub∣licklie the moste holy sacrifice of Masse, with great reuerence and solemnitie: such were the holy massinge preist and Bishop S. Amphibalus, Modocus, Priscus, Calanus, Fer∣ranus, Ambianus, and very many others, a∣lijque permulti, preachinge the doctrine of Christ in all the Scottish contries, Christi seruatoris doctrinam omnes per Scotorum re∣giones concionando multis pijsque sudoribus se∣minantes. Hector. Boeth. Scot. histor. l. 6. fol. 102. Veremund. apud eund. ib. Holinsh. histor. of Scotland in K. Crathlint.

8. And among these holy doctrines, that of holy Masse, sacrificing preists, & preist∣hood were so honorable, and renowned, that this religious Kinge Crathlint did build a cathedrall church, for that our per∣secuted massinge Bishop, and preists, en∣dowinge it with great guifts, and al things necessary for the honorable and reuerent sayinge of Masse, as chalices, patens, Cand∣lesticks, and other such thinges, requisite for the vse of sacrifice, made of siluer and gold, and

an altare inclosed with copper and brasse. Sed & Crathlintus Rex, sacra Antistitis aedem muneribus ornauit amplissimis, calicibus, pa∣tenis, candelabris, alijsque similibus, ad sacro∣rum vsum commodis, ex argento auroque fa∣brefactis, altarique cupro, & aere clauso. And that these and many others flyinge thither, in this time were of this part of Britanie, where the English inhabite, it is plaine by these histories: so that it is moste manifest, that all this third age or hundred yeeres of Christ, the holy sacrifice of Masse, massing preists, & preisthood, stil cōtinued in al this kingdome of great Britanie, although not in such splendor, and glory, by reason of the great afflictions, and miseries of those dayes: as in better times, I will make men∣tion of diuers our massinge preists, and Bi∣shops, that escaped death, and suruiued af∣ter this persecution, in the next age, and so end with this.