The church-history of Brittany from the beginning of Christianity to the Norman conquest under Roman governours, Brittish kings, the English-Saxon heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) monarchy ... : from all which is evidently demonstrated that the present Roman Catholick religion hath from the beginning, without interruption or change been professed in this our island, &c. / by R.F., S. Cressy of the Holy Order of S. Benedict.

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Title
The church-history of Brittany from the beginning of Christianity to the Norman conquest under Roman governours, Brittish kings, the English-Saxon heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) monarchy ... : from all which is evidently demonstrated that the present Roman Catholick religion hath from the beginning, without interruption or change been professed in this our island, &c. / by R.F., S. Cressy of the Holy Order of S. Benedict.
Author
Cressy, Serenus, 1605-1674.
Publication
[Rouen :: For the author],
1668.
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Subject terms
Great Britain -- Church history -- 449-1066.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A34964.0001.001
Cite this Item
"The church-history of Brittany from the beginning of Christianity to the Norman conquest under Roman governours, Brittish kings, the English-Saxon heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) monarchy ... : from all which is evidently demonstrated that the present Roman Catholick religion hath from the beginning, without interruption or change been professed in this our island, &c. / by R.F., S. Cressy of the Holy Order of S. Benedict." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A34964.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 15, 2025.

Pages

* 1.1XVII. CHAP.

1.2. S. Fugatius and Damianus preach the the Gospell in Brittany.

3.4.5. They retire to Glastonbury: and rebuild it: establishing a succession of Monks. They find there the Holy Crosse, &c.

6. The place of their buriall, uncertain.

1. HAving thas largely set down the Gests of our Holy King Lucius, the first among all Christian Kings, we will adioyn hereto such particulars as our ancient Mo∣numents furnish us with all touching the two Holy Legats Fugatius (or Phaganus,) and Damianus (or Diruvianus) sent by the Vene∣rable Pope Eleutherius to baptise the sayd King, and to settle the affaires of the New Brittish Church.

* 1.22. Now concerning these two glorious Saints thus writes Malmsburiensis out of the Ancient Records of Glastonbury, Phaganus and Dervianus came into Brittany to preach the Gospell, who travell'd over the whole Island, tea∣ching and baptising the inhabitants.

3. Moreover in the same Records we find how these two Saints having been in∣form'd that about a hundred yeares before, S. Ioseph of Arimathea and eleaven of his companions had in some measure spread the seed of Christian Faith in Brittany, and at last retired themselves to Glastonbury, where they died: hereupon they visited that sacred place, call'd the Isle of Aval∣lonia, which, saith Cap-grave, was then become a covert for wild beasts,* 1.3 that formerly had been a habitation of Saints: till it pleas'd the Bles∣sed Virgin to reduce to the memory of Chri∣stians her Oratory erected there.

4. These two holy men therfore penetrating into this solitary Isle,* 1.4 as Moses the Lawgiver of the Iews did into the inmost parts of the de∣sart, by the divine conduct they found there an ancient Church built by the hands of the Disciples of our Lord, which the Supreme Crea∣tour of heaven declar'd by many Miraculo signs that himself had consecrated it to his own glory, and to the honour of his most Bles∣sed Mother. The foresaid holy men having found this Oratory, were fill'd with unspeakeable ioy: and there they continued the space of nine years, employing all that time in the praises of God. And searching diligently that sacred place, they found (the Holy Crosse) the fi∣gure of our Redemption, together with severall other signs declaring that that place had been formerly the habitation of Christians. After∣wards being admonished by a Divine Oracle, they considered that our Lord had made choice of that place above all others in Brittany, wherin the intercession of the most Blessed Vir∣gin should be implored in all necessities. A perfect relation of all which things they found in ancient Writings there: to wit, How when the Apostles were dispersed through the world, S. Philip with many Disciples came into France, and sent twelve of them to preach the Faith in Brittany: the which being admonish'd by a Revelation of an Angell, built the fore∣said Oratory, which afterward the Son of God dedicated to the honour of his Mother: And like∣wise how three Kings though Pagans, had given them twelve portions of land for their suste∣nance. Thus we read in the Antiquities of Glastonbury.

5. The same Records doe further testify, how these two Holy men added another Oratory built of stone,* 1.5 and dedicated to the honour of our Lord and his Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul: and on the top of the Mountain raised a Chapell to the ho∣nour of S. Michael the Archangell. Moreover to continue the service of God there which had been interrupted, they established a succession of twelve devout persons in memory of the first twelve com∣panions of S. Ioseph: Which number continued till the coming of S. Patrick, the Apostle of Ire∣land, into that place, &c.

6. Now whether these two Apostolicall men dyed at Glastonbury,* 1.6 or no, is not certain, saith the Authour of those Records: though that they

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continued there the space of nine years, is delivered by certain Tradition. Most proba∣ble it is that they dyed and were buried there, considering that the space of nine years contains almost the whole time of their abode in this Island: so that it seems to have been a place of retirement chosen by them from their first coming, to which they usually had recourse for a refreshment from their labours, and where by the exer∣cise of Prayer and Contemplation they ob∣tain'd a greater measure of the Divine Spirit to enable them more perfectly to discharge their Apostolicall Office.* 1.7 In due gratitude to whose Charity the Brittish Church hath made an anniversary commemoration of them on the twenty fourth of May: consigning their death to the year of our Lord one hundred ninety and one.

Notes

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