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.

X. CHAP.* 1.1

1.2. &c. The Letters of Pope Zachrias to S. Boniface: with severall Ordonnances.

1 IN the year of Grace sea••en hundred for∣ty one Pope Gregory third of that name dyed,* 1.2 to whom succeeded Pope Zachrias. Which being come to the knowl••dge of S. Bo∣niface in Germany,* 1.3 he presently wrote an Epi∣stle to him by one o•• his Preist•• called Dene∣chard, to testify his obedience, & give him an account of his proceed in S. Amōg which he inform'd him that he had newly erecte•• three Bishopricks in Germany:

The Episcopall Seat o••

one was a Town called Wirtzburg,* 1.4 of another Buriburg; and of the third Erfsfurt (or as some write, Eychstedt, so called from the abundance of Oakes growing near.) These Episcopall Sees he desires may be confirmed and established by the Pope. And severall other Points he added, in which he humbly desired the said Popes Order and resolution: As will ap∣pear by the Answer returned to him the following year.* 1.5

2. Another Letter likewise he sent by the same Preist to a certain Prefect whose Terri∣tory lay in his way to Rome, desiring him that he would grant the same security, and afford the same assistance to this his Messen∣ger, that he had formerly done to others. The said Prefects name is Regibert.

3. As touching the three Episcopall Sees by him newly erected, he does not name the Bishops ordaind in them. But by the Subscriptions to a Synod the next year wee may collect that they were those three Preists which in the year of our Lord seaven hun∣dred twenty five he had called to his assi¦stance out of Brittany: namely Burchard, Witta, and Willebald. Burchard was consecra∣ted by him Bishop of Wirtzburg (Herbipolis▪) Witta, who likewise from Whitenes (for so the German name signifies) is by some na∣med Albuinus, had his See at Buriburg, an an∣cient Town near Fritzlare or Paderborn: And Willebald, who came out of England, being the son of a Prince called Richard son to king Lothere, as some affirm, seems to have been placed in the third See▪ though commonly in Writers he be called Bishop of Eystad.

* 1.64. The year following Saint Boniface re∣ceived an Answer to his Letter from Pope Zacharias: wherein after expressing much ioy for the wonderfull successe of his prea∣ching he. 1. Confirms the three Bishopricks, newly erected by him in Germany: adding that he had sent to the three Bishops Epistles of Confirmation, which they were to receive from his hands. 2. Whereas Carloman Duke of the French had desired Saint Boni∣face to assemble a Synod in France and preside in it, to correct the infinite disorders of the Clergy hapning by reason they had no Archbishop, neither had any Synod been con∣voked there of fourscore years: S. Boniface answered the Duke, that F••ance not being within the district of his Iurisdiction, he had no authority without order from the Pope to call a Synod there: Hereupon Pope Zacha∣rias gives him authority to assemble a Synod, and in his name to preside there. 3. The speciall disorders which he would have rectified were to exclude from Preist-hood, or if they were already Bishops or Preists, to prohibi••e the exercises of their office to all such persons as were guilty of adultery, or had had many wives, or cohabited after they were Preists with the wives they for∣merly had, or had shed the blood of any, Christians or Pagans. 4. Whereas Saint Boniface had petitioned for leave to constitute one who might be his Successour in his Archie∣p••scopall authority, the Pope absolutely re∣fused him: as being contrary to Ecclesia∣sticall Canons: Yet he permitts him at the hower of his death to design a Successour, upon this condition notwithstanding, that such his Successour shall repair to Rome and receive Ordination there, and no where else. 5. Whereas a certain person of qua∣lity had maried his Vncles wife, who like∣wise formerly had been the wife of her cousen german, and in his life time was separated from him, and had received the Sacred Veyle of Religion, and the New hus∣band pretended, but falsely, that he had a dispensation for this Mariage from the the See Apostolick, Pope Zacharias com∣mands Saint Boniface that he should take order to dissolve so abominable a Matri∣mony, telling him withall that he had sent a Commonitory Breif, to the same purpose. 6. To a certain admonition which Saint Boniface had sent to the Pope, desiring him to prohibite certain Super∣stitions said to be practised at Rome near Saint Peters Church on New-years day, or the night before, at which time there were publickly in the streets dancing after a Pagan manner, with loud acclamations: neither would any one then out of a Hea∣thenish Superstition lend his neighbour any thing out of his house, not so much as fire: and more over women wore about their arms and leggs ligatures, phylacteries and superstitious knotts, which also they made to sell to others: that they observed auguries, incantations, &c. All which su∣perstitions caused great Scandall among the Germans, who thought every thing to be lawfull which they saw or heard to be pra∣ctised at Rome: Hereto the Pope answered that indeed such things had been some times done at Rome: but assoon as he was consecrated Pope, he utterly forbad them as most detestable and pernicious practises, commanding Saint Boniface to doe the like. 7. Whereas certain Bishops or Preists for∣merly guilty of adultery and fornication, pretended that they had a dispensation from the See Apostolick to exercise their charges notwithstanding, the Pope bids Saint Boni∣face by no means to beleive them, but to execute against them the rigour of the Ca∣nons. 8. To conclude, he tells him he had sent other Letters to Carloman desir••ng his assistance to him in the execution of these Ordonnances.

Notes

• * 1.1

  X. CHAP.
• * 1.2

  A. D. 741.
• * 1.3

  Bonif. Ep. 132.
• * 1.4

  A. D. 742.
• * 1.5

  Id. Ep. 39.
• * 1.6

  A. D. 742. Ap. Bonif. ••p. 142.