The English historical library, or, A short view and character of most of the writers now extant, either in print or manuscript which may be serviceable to the undertakers of a general history of this kingdom / by William Nicholson ...

CHAP. I.

Of the Writers of the Affairs of the British Church.

IFa Gildas had cause to com∣plain, That in treating of the Civil History of Britain, he had no Assistance from any Monu∣ments or Records of his own Country, but was forced to seek his whole Infor∣mation from Forreigners; they that take upon them to write the Church-History of the first British Christians, will find themselves much more oblig'd to Strangers, and must look abroad for their Intelligence. 'Twas Happiness enough to enjoy the Gospel-Light, as long as the Heathen Romans were our Masters, without the rejoycing in it so openly as to have had our Publick No∣taries registring the Acts of our Coun∣cils, Convocations and Synods; even

amongst such of our Ancestors as had (at once) learn'd to write and to obey: And they that, either in the North or West, had shun'd the Roman Yoke, and enjoy'd their Liberty andb Tra∣ditional Christianity in the Woods and Mountains, are generally believed to have been so much unacquainted with Letters, as not to have been able to transmit their own Story to Posterity. Some Remains there are of those an∣cient Times, and the State of Christi∣anity in them; and our Church has not wanted Men of Learning and In∣dustry, who (even at this distance) have successfully imploy'd themselves in gathering up the scatter'd Frag∣ments, that no part of so valuable a Treasure might be lost.

Masterc Bale tells us there are some that, with a deal of probability on their side, have guess'd, That Jo∣seph of Arimathea wrote several Epistles to the Churches of Great Britain: And for the better strengthening of such a Conjecture, he assures us 'twas usual for the Primitive Fathers to send such

Letters to those Churches to which they were some way or other specially related. He might as well have told us of some Epistles sent hither by St. Peter or St. Paul; since 'tis likely that one (or both) of those Apostles were as instrumental in planting Chri∣stianity in this Island, as this Joseph himself; and we are also very sure, that they used to write such Epistles.

Our next Ecclesiastical Writer is said to bea King Lucius; who (about a hundred Years after Joseph's Death) wanted somebody, it seems, to in∣struct him in the First Rudiments of Christianity: And thereupon sent a Letter to Pope Eleutherius, desiring that some Persons in Holy Orders might be sent hither to Baptize Him and his People. There is not any Copy of this Epistle now extant; and yet I dare not say the Original is lost. Not to mention the Inconsistences that are among the several Authors, upon whose Credit this whole Story rests, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 observable that the pretended Epistle (in return) from Eleutherius, seems to intimate that Lucius's Request

was quite of another Nature; and that his Enquiry was after the Imperial (Civil) Law, and not after the Pre∣cepts of the Gospel: So that, I know not how we shall be sure of such a Royal Church Historian. But, in short, the Pope's Letter has so many undeniable Marks ofa Forgery up∣on it, that we cannot think it worth our while to be very inquisitive after the Kings; and tho' a genuine Piece of this kind were highly to be prized, we do not desire to build upon Shadow and Fable.

This Story of King Lucius has help'd us to a Couple more of Ecclestiastical Historians; Eluanus and Medvinus, who (forsooth) were first imploy'd in the foremention'd Embassy to Rome. After their Return, Eluanus was made AB. of London, and wrote ab Book, De Origine Ecclesiae Britanniae. Medvi∣nus had not the luck to mount equally in Preferment, with his Fellow-Am∣bassador; but he rival'd him in the pub∣lick Services of his Pen, having written Fugatii & Damiani gesta in Britannia. (These were Pope Eleutherius's Legates;

and are by others call'd Faganus and Derwianus.) The most probable part of this Account is, That this latter Book was found in the Rubbish at Glassen∣bury: 'Tis no matter whether at the repairing of that Monastery by St. Pa∣trick, or at some other time.

After these, we hear no more of the Writers of our British Church-History, before the coming in of (a more fa∣mous and true Legate) Augustine the Monk; who is believed to havea written something of the state of Chri∣stianity in these parts, even before his own Arrival. If we could be assured of this, we could not have a better Au∣thority in some of our Modern Di∣sputes with the Court of Rome: But 'tis more than probable that those Learned Men, that assert such a thing, mistook the meaning of William of Malmesbury; who seems to have been their Informer in that Matter. That Historian, speaking of something re∣lating to the first Foundation of the Monastery at Glassenbury which he had met with, Apud Sanctum Augustinum, Anglorum Apostolum, his unwary Rea∣ders

presently concluded that he quoted some latent MS. Work of that Monk: Whereas, in truth, he meant no more than that he had met with such an Ac∣count in the Library at St. Augustine's in Canterbury. The like Phrase is com∣mon with him; and, in the same Pa∣ragraph,a Apud Sanctum Edmundum, is to be English'd, in the Library at St. Edmundsbury.

The Remonstrance of Dinoth, Ab∣bot of Bangor, against the Pretensions of this Legate Augustine, challenging a Supremacy for his Master in this Isle, is of some better Credit; since even b John Pits himself owns that he stoutly opposed such Encroachments, and that he has left to Posterity his Thoughts on that Subject: having written (among other Things) two Books, entitled, Defensorium Jurisdi∣ctionis sedis Menevensis, and De Conser∣vandis Britannorum Ritibus. Both these Treatises have certainly been fram'd out of that Answer of the Ab∣bots, which Sir H. Spelmanc has

given us in Welch, English and Latin: having found it in an old Transcript out of a more ancient Manuscript in the two former Languages; and add∣ing a Translation of his own, in the last. The Critique that our Learn'd Stillingfleet gives upon this Piece, and its Publisher, is what I dare not add to:a There is, he says, all the appear∣ance of Ingenuity and Faithfulness that can be expected; and he was a Person of too great Judgment and Sagacity to be easily imposed upon by a Modern Invention, or a new-found Schedule. I know some Romanists have endeavour'd to persuade the World, That this Monument bears no great Age, and was probably forg'd sinceb the Reformation: But since Venerable Bedec himself (who was as great a Favourer of Augustine, and as profess'd an Enemy to the an∣cient British Church, as they could wish) confirms the main of the Story, they will not easily persuade us that the whole is improbable.

I can hear of no more ancient Trea∣tises relating to the Ecclesiastical State of Old Britain, save only the Sanctum

Graal: Which, says trusty Iohna Pits, was written by an Anonymous Hermit about the Year 720. and gives an ample Account of the Miracles wrought by Joseph of Arimathea. In∣deed Vincentiusb of Beauvais men∣tions such a French Legend; which, as he observes, had the Name of Graal (or Gruel) because it likewise treated of a Dish of Meat, miraculously pre∣served since our Saviour's last Supper: But the Book (he confesses) was some∣what hard to be met with. In this Dish (which was to be seen among the sacred 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 at Glastonbury) they pre∣tended to have part of the true Blood of our Redeemer: But whether 'twas of that shed on the Cross, or of that which was at the said last Supper, after Consecration, thec Historian dares not be positive. However, from hence the same Person gives the Relick the Name of Sanegreal, i.e. Sanguis Realis: And from him 'tisd proba∣ble the following Writers, gave that Title to the Legend it self. The Learned Reader will pardon me if I

give him a further Account of this rare French MS. out of Monsieur Borel's a Glossary: Which (because the Book is not in many of our English Li∣braries) I shall do at large in his own Words. Il ya un Romant ancien, says he, intitule, La Conqueste du Sain∣greal, c. du S. Vaisseau ou estoit le Sang de Jesus-Christ, qu'il appelle aussi le Sang real, c. le Sang royal. Et ainsi ces deux choses sont confundues tellement, qu'on ne connoist qu'auec peine quand les anciens Romans qui en parlent fort souuent, en∣tendent le Vaisseau, ou le Sang. Perceual l'explique bien en ces mots:

Senefioit que li greaus, Qui tant est beaux & pre∣cieux, Que le S. Sang glorieux, Du Roy des Rois y fu re∣ceus. Et ailleurs: Un greal Trestout descou∣uert. Item, Et puis apporta un greaux Tout plein de pierres pre∣cieuses.

R. de Merlin MS. Ne oneques peus ne fust veu au siecle, ne du greal ne palle. Et apres il dit: Et cil Rois pecheors avoit le digne sang Jesus-Christ en guarde. D'ou il est manifeste que le R. de Sangreal, n'est que du Sang Royal de Jesus-Christ. Item, Pensa moult a la lance, & ou graal qu'il avoit veu porter. Ce texte monstre que c'estoit un vase. Mais en suite le mesinem Autheur parlant du Graal, l'appelle un Vaisseau; car il parle ainsi: Et quand le premier mes fust apportee, si issi le Graal fors d'une Chambre, & les dignes Reliques auenc; & si tot comme Perceualle vit qui moult en avoit grand desir de sca∣voir, si dit: Sire, je vos prie que vous me diez, que l'en sert de cest Vessel que cest vallet porte. Et encore il dit ailleurs: Et porce laupelon nos Graal qu'il agree as prodes homes. En cest Vessel gist le Sang de Jesus-Christ. En ce texte il donne une Etymologie diffe∣rente du Sang Royal, a scavoir le Sang agreable aux hommes, en ce qu' ils en la∣vent leurs pechez. Et derechef confirmant cela, il dit vers le commencement de son Livre. Et ils distrent, & porrons dire du Vesseil que nos veimes; & coman le clameron nos qui tant nos gree, cil qui

ly voudront clamer ne metre non a nos esciens, le clameront le greal qui tant agree: Et quant cil l'oyent, si dient, bien doit avoir non cist vesseaux graax. Et ainsi le nomment. Et enfin il dit: Ou li Vessel de graal seit. C'est le vase on Joseph (dit- il) recueillit le Sang qui sortit des playes de Jesus-Christ, lors qu'il lavoit son corps pour l'embaumer, a la maniere des Juifs.

The present Age, amongst her many Writers in all parts of Learning, has afforded us some that have thought it an Undertaking worth their Pains to search after the Remains of our first British Church; and the Discoveries they have made have met with very different Characters and Entertain∣ment, according as they have fall'n in∣to the Hands of proper or improper Judges. The first of these (I suppose) was R. Broughton, a Secular Priest; who was bred at Rheims, and sojourn'd sometimea in Oxford. In this latter Place he collected Materials for hisb Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain, from the Nativity of our Saviour unto the happy Conversion of the Saxons.

The Account that Mr. Wood gives of this Book, is this; Tho' 'tis a Rapsody, and a thing not well digested, yet there's a great deal of Reading shew'd in it. 'Tis said King James J. was overjoy'd to hear ofa Sir R. Cotton's Design of writing our Church-History, from the first planting of Christianity to the Reformation: And so far he carry'd on the Project, as to draw together no less thanb Eight large Volumes of Collections, which have long been (and still are) very serviceable to those that engage in those Studies.

The like Collections were made (about the same time) by AB. Vsher, the most Reverend and Learn'd Pri∣mate of Ireland, and soon after Com∣mendatory Bishop of Carlisle; of whomc one (that knew him well, and was as able as any Man to judge of him) gives this Character, Vir ob Eru∣ditionis immensitatem, morum{que} Sanctita∣tem toto Orbi Vener andissimus. His Book was first printed at Dublin, under the Title,d De P••imordiis, &c. and is

since publish'd by the Name ofa Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates. 'Twas begun by Command of King James I. who gave him Licence, un∣der the Great Seal of Ireland, to re∣tire from his Bishoprick of Meath to one of our English Universities, for the more effectual carrying on of so good a Work: And thisb Grant was had and enjoy'd above a dozen Years before the Book was first pub∣lished. He begins with a Collection of whatever Narratives and old Stories he could meet with about Simon Zelotes, Joseph of Arimathea, and others, first planting Christianity in this Island: From whence he proceeds to the Le∣gend of King Lucius, and the whole Succession of those Archbishops and Bishops descended from Jeoffrey of Monmouth's Flamines and Archi-Fla∣mines. After this, we have the Settle∣ment of three Metropolitical Thrones, at London, York and Caerlion; which are afterward removed to Canterbury, Dole (in Britany) and St. Davids. Then follows the generous Endowments of Glastonbury, and other places by Lucius

and Arthur: The Martyrdom of St. Alban and his Friend (or Cloak) Amphibalus, with many more of their Fellow-Saints: The famous Expedi∣tion of Vrsula; &c. Interwoven with these Reports, the Reader will find a deal of excellent Learning, and the clearing of many doubts in our Bri∣tish, Roman and Saxon Antiquities. He also gives a particular Account of the Original and Progress of the Pela∣gian and Semi-Pelagian Heresies; and concludes with the Remains St. Patrick, and the ancient Scottish (or Irish) Church. The Author himselfa mo∣destly calls the Work, Ex omni Scri∣ptorum genere promiscue congesta farrago. Which Sir Geo. Mackenzie has, a little bluntly, translated;b A confused Rabble, and a formless Lump of fabulous Nonsense. 'Tis a more just Account that another gives of this Treasure of our ancient Church-History, Thatc all that have written since, with any Suc∣cess, on this Subject, must own themselves beholding to him for his Elaborate Colle∣ctions. In the late Edition, the Refe∣rences which the Author makes to the

several parts of his Work, are very faulty: The Margin of the former Quarto Edition having not always been Corrected.

The same Year with AB. Vsher's Book, was publish'd Sir H. Spelman's first Tome of the Councils, Ecclesi∣astical Laws and Constitutions, &c. of this Kingdom, and its Dependencies: Whereof we are to give some farther Account anon. For the present, the Reader is only to be inform'd, That the excellent Publisher of those Colle∣ctions has prefix'd to them an Elaborate and Learn'd Discourse of his own; touching the first Preachers of the Go∣spel in this Country, our British Me∣tropolitans, and the State of the Churches under them.

The next that engaged in these dark Enquiries, was our Learn'd Dr. Wil∣liam Lloyd, (then Bishop of St. Asaph, now of Coventry and Lichfield) in his a Historical Account of Ancient Church-Government in Great Britain and Ireland. The Undertaking became a Bishop of our English Church; and the Performance answered the great

Opinion that Men of Learning have always had of this worthy Prelate. His Aim in it was the encountring an Objection against the Order of Episco∣pacy, from the Story of the Scotch Culdees: An Argument put into the Mouths of our Schismaticks by Blondel and Selden, out of the abundant Kind∣ness they had for our Establishment. In the answering of the several Cavils of these Learned Men, the Bishop thought himself obliged to give a short History of the first planting of the Scots in Great Britain; which thwarted the common Road of their Historians since the Days of Hector Boethius, and bereaf'd them of about Forty of their first Monarchs. This shortening of the Royal Line, His Majesty's Advocate of Scotland, the late Ingenious and Learn'd Sir Geo. Mackenzie, presently resented as an Affront little short of what the Lawyers of that Country call Lese-Majesty; and therefore publish'da a Defence of the Antiquity of the Royal Line of Scotland. In this Tract the zealous Author was so wholly on Fire, that 'twas not safe for the Bishop himself

to approach him: but his incompara∣ble Friend Dr. Stillingfleet took thea Pains to confirm, at large, the Bishops Positions, and to answer the most con∣siderable of Sir George's Objections. Soon after, the Advocate published a b Reply to his new Antagonist, un∣der the Title of The Antiquity of the Royal Line of Scotland, further clear'd, &c. I am not now concern'd to en∣quire whether these two great Oppo∣nents, or their no less ingenious An∣swerer, had the better in these Debates; tho' I may perhaps hereafter weigh some of the Arguments on both sides, if I live to publish my Notes on the Scotch and Irish Historians. For the present, I shall only observe that the Cause of our Church in this Contro∣versie, was thought long since to have been secur'd (in few words) by Sir John Marshamc. Columbanus (says he) postquam in Hybernia Armachanum Monasterium fecerat, Anno 565. Britan∣niam venit ad Pictos: Australes autem Pictos Nynias Brito ad Veritatem conver∣terat, Anno 412. & hii Insulam Episco∣patus

sedem fecerat. This last particu∣lar was more than needed; and is what he could not prove from (his avow'd Author) Venerablea Bede, who says no such thing. He never speaks of Nynias's being at Hy: but expresly tells us, that his Church was at Whit∣hern.

The latest of our British Church-Historians (and, who shall come after him?) is the renown'd Dr. Stillingfleet, not Bishop of Worcester; whoseb Origines Britannicae have perfected all the Collections of former Writers on that Subject. The Design of the Book is to vindicate the Liberties of the anci∣cient British Church, against the pre∣tended Jurisdiction of the Bishops of Rome: so that it reaches only, from the first appearance of the Christian Faith in this Island, to the Conversion of the Saxons. 'Tis penn'd with an Accu∣racy of Judgment and Purity of Style peculiar to its great Author; and clears many doubtful Passages that had escaped the diligence of the famous AB. of Armagh. He tells us (in the conclusion of his Preface) that it comes

forth as a Specimen of a greater Design; to clear the most important difficulties of Ecclesiastical History. He rejects, for very good Reasons, the Glastonbury-Legend of Ioseph of Arimathea; but confirms the Story of St. Paul's plant∣ing a Church in this our 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The History of King Lucius he endea∣vours to set free from the Monkish Fopperies and Contradictions that clog it in other Authors; explains the Sub∣scriptions of the British Bishops in the Council of Arles; shews the probabi∣lity of some of 'em being present in the Council of Nice; excellently illustrates the State of Arrianism and Pelagi∣anism, &c. The Picts he thinks (con∣trary to Camden's Opinion) to have been a People originally distinct from the ancient Britains; and agrees with Hector Boethius, for better Reasons than ever he knew, that they were some of the old Maritime Inhabitants of the Baltic Sea. He teaches his Reader how to judge of the Antiquities and Anti∣quaries of Scotland and Ireland; and concludes with a very particular and full Account of the great Revolution in this Island, upon the coming in of the Saxons. His Preface (as we have

already hinted) was attaqu'd by Sir George Mackenzie; and the Book it self by Emanuel a Schelstrate (Keeper of the Vatican Library) in hisa Dissertation concerning Patriarchal and Metropolitical Authority. To the latter there needs no other Reply, than only to tell him; 1. The probable Arguments alledg'd for St. Paul's preaching Christianity in this Isle, are not to be overthrown by less probable ones on the behalf of St. Peter: Nor should the Man that admits King Lucius's and Pope Eleu∣therius's Epistles as genuine, reject the MS. account of Abbot Dinoth and his Monks. 2. Mr. Launoy and Dr. Be∣verege agree with Dr. Stillingfleet, in their Exposition of the sixth Canon of the Nicene Council, as well as the Ano∣nymous French Author of the Treatise De Disciplina Ecclesiae; who exactly jumps with our great Prelate in his Notion about the Suburbicarian Churches. Dr. Basire'sb four Posi∣tions, asserting the Legitimate Exem∣ption of the British Church from the Roman Patriarchate, contain only a

short Essay towards the proof of what we have more amply advanc'd, and more clearly demonstrated, in the Ori∣gines; not to mention that the greatest part of 'em are borrow'd from John Barnes'sa Catholico Romanus Pacificus.

The Lives of our British Saints must be read with the allowance that's usu∣ally given of those of our Neighbour∣ing Nations: and we are not under any great difficulties to learning what Opinion even the Romanists themselves have of the Writings of their Monks on these Subjects. Dolenter hoc dico (saysb Melchior Canus) multo severius a Laertio vitas Philosophorum scriptas, quam a Christianis vitas Sanctorum, lon∣ge{que} incorruptius & integrius Suetonium Res Caesarum exposuisse quam exposuerint Catholici, non res dico Imperatorum, sed Martyrum, Virginum & Confessorum. 'Tis the sense of the gravest and best Writers of that Church; and what will very well agree to those of the Times and Country we are now men∣tioning. There cannot be bolder, nor more inconsistent Miracles than those

we meet with in the Stories of St. Al∣ban and St. Patrick: And the whole Treasury of Legends seems to be out∣vy'd by the choice Adventures of St. Vr∣sula and her Train. To furnish the Reader with an exact List of all the ancient Saints of this Island, would be as edifying as to present him with a Catalogue of the Parishes of Wales; most of which bear the Inscription and Name of some one or other of Them. Besides the general Pains taken bya Surius and others in this Matter, there are some who have more particularly treated of our British Saints; and others that have apply'd themselves to the History of the Life, Actions and Sufferings, of some special Hero. John Pitsb tells us of Johannes Anglicus (who seems to have been a Welch Man, notwithstanding his Name) that wrote a Book De Vitis Sanctorum Wallensium: And we are also told (by ac Brother of his, of somewhat better Authority) that there is now in the Library of the English College at Rome, a Manuscript

Treatise (of the like import) by Wil∣liam Good, a Fugitive Papist under the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 'Tis like∣wise certain that: Ricemarchus (whether a Bishop of St. Davids himself, or only Son to Sulgenus Bishop of that Place, or both) wrote such a Martyro∣logy: tho' perhaps in the Manuscript Lives of the British Saints, which are now in theb Cottonian Library, the Life of St. David is only to be ascribed to that Author. In perusing those of the several other Writers, who have made it their Business to collect or in∣vent Matter for the magnifying of some single Martyr, the Reader will be cau∣tious in separating the Chaff and good Corn: And so, by distinguishing the Monk from the Historian, a good use may be made of these Romantick ones that follow.

St. Alban is our Proto-Martyr, and might therefore justly challenge the first place in our Catalogue, if the me∣thod of the Alphabet (which shall be our Guide) had not given it him. His Life has been the Subject of some learn'd

Pens; and of some that were other∣wise. The first that we hear of was aa Person of good Abilities, who wrote about the Year 590. but had the modesty to conceal his Name. This Work was translated into Latin by b Will. Albanensis (a Monk of St. Al∣bans) who afterwards prevail'd with his Brotherc Ralph de Dunstable, to turn it into Heroic Verse. Vnwon, an old Priest well skill'd in the ancient British Language, translated another such Volume (but of much greater Antiquity) at the Request of Abbot Aedmar about the Year 970. whereof we have an notable Account given byd Matt. Paris; who is alsoe re∣ported to have written two Books of the Martyrdom of St. Alban and St. Amphibalus. Dr. Wats could not meet with them; and indeed Pits is not very consistent in the Account he gives of them: For he elsewhere tells us, That a certain modest Gentleman

(who calls himselfa Miserorum Sim∣plicissimus) wrote these same Books, which were translated into French Verse by M. Paris; as they were after∣wards into English Meeter by John Lyd∣gate. The latest Writer of his Life is Stephen Gourmeline, ab Cornish Man; who is said to have published some∣thing of that kind about the Year, 1585.

St. Columba's Life translated out of Cornish, was in the Hands of Mr. Ros∣carrock, who communicated it toc Mr. Camden; and thereby convinced him of an Error (which he had ad∣vanced in some of the first Editions of his Britannia) that St. Columb's, a Market-Town in Cornwal, had its Name from Columbanus, the famous Scotch Apostle.

St. David's had almost as many Pen∣men as St. Albans. The oldest (says d Bollandus) is the Vtrecht-Manu∣script, which he publishes, The next

to this he thinks that in Colganus; which he believes to be that which was writ∣ten by Ricemarchus, and is now pub∣lish'd bya Mr. Wharton. This in∣dustrious Person observes that, out of this, all the latter Writers of his Life have transcribed their Treatises: par∣ticularly Giraldusb Cambrensis; who omits some Miracles, but gives new ones in lieu of them, and is (with the like freedom) epitomized by John of Tinmouth and Capgrave. For this Rea∣son he has thought it sufficient to give us Giraldus entire; adding only what he was pleased to omit in that ofc Ricemarchus.

St. Dubricius (Arch-Bishop of Caer∣leon) is beholden to one Benedict, Monk of Glocester; who is supposed to have written his Life about the middle of the Twelfth Century. This is also publish'd by the same Learned Person; whod acknowledges he pass'd over some fulsome Miracles, and guesses that its Author borrowed his best Materials from Geoffrey of Landaff, whose Ma∣nuscript-History

of this Saint was in the same Volume out of which this is given us.

St. Germanus's Embassies (under Pope Celestine) have been treated on at large by some Forreigners, and others of our own Nation: of whose Per∣formances the inquisitive Reader will have a better Account from our great a AB. Vsher, than I can pretend to give him.

St. Kentigern (better known to our Northern Borderers by the Name of St. Mungo) had his Life largely written by Josceline, a Monk of Fournes in Lancashire, whose Book is now in Sir John Cotton's Library: But whether that which was written by his Scho∣lar b St. Asaph be any where extant, I dare not take upon me to determine.

S. Lupus was Germanus's Collegue in the notable Undertaking for confound∣ing of the Palagian Heresy, and re∣establishment of Catholicism in this Island; and has been particularly obli∣ged by anc anonymous Writer of his Life.

St. Ninian (who by our Neigh∣bours on the Borders of Scotland is cor∣ruptly call'd Ringen, and is remem∣bred in our Nine Churches in Cumber∣land) isa reported to have had his Wonders recorded by Ealred Abbot of Rievaulx: which is not so certain, as that his Life was some timeb extant and pretty common in Ireland.

St. Patrick, the greatc Apostle of Ireland, is challenged by the Monks of Glassenbury; and therefore may be reckon'd indifferently either a British or Irish Saint. Under the former De∣nomination we must believe that his History was written byd Gyraldus Cambrensis; and under the latter by Joceline ande Rich. Stanyhurst.

St. Teliau (or Eliud, St. David's Suc∣cessor in his Arch-bishoprick) had his Life penn'd by Geoffrey off Landaff, Brother to Vrbane Bishop of that See, about the beginning of the Twelfth Century; whose Treatise is still to be

had at large in ana old Register-book of that Church.

St. Vrsula, and her Eleven thousand Companions, had reason to expect to have their Story handed down to Po∣sterity in a Method peculiar to them∣selves; and therefore (about Thirteen Ages after their Martyrdom) they de∣puted one Verena to bring hither a true Relation of their Sufferings. This she punctually revealed to one Elizabeth a Nun of Schaffhausen: who publish'd (with the great Applause of the Monks of Cologn, who set her on Work) her b Visions on this Occasion.

St. Winefride's Miracles (and the many glorious Cures done by her Well in Flint-shire) were Register'd byc Robert Prior of Shrewsbury; who (about the Year 1140.) translated her Relicks to his own Convent: so that 'tis just∣ly d wondered how Giraldus Cam∣brensis came to take no notice of this sacred Fountain in his Itinerary of Wales, which was penn'd many Years after. The Wonder will increase when we consider that, long before

the Prior's time, her Life was written bya Elerius a Monk of St. Asaph, who himself (about the middle of the Seventh Century) instructed her in the Monastick Rules; and had the comfort of seeing her so great a Proficient as first to turn Nun, afterwards to be∣come an Abbess, and (in the end) a Martyr, under the Tyranny of Caro∣docus.

Abstracts of these Lives (and many others which are either now lost, or, at least, have not come to my Know∣ledge) may be had in the voluminous Work of John of Tynmouth'sb San∣ctilogium Britanniae; which gives the best and largest Account, that is any where extant, of the Lives of our Bri∣tish, English, Scotch and Irish Saints. The whole is a Collection of such Pas∣sages as related to these Holy Persons, out of his Historia Aurea, mention'd in the first part of this Work: And this perhaps gave occasion to Mr. Pits to split the Sanctilogium into a Majus and Minus; and to provide a pair ofc Appendices Martyrologii to bind up with

these two Books. There's an ancient and fair Copy of it in thea Cotto∣nian Library; at the end whereof we have this Note: Hunc Librum dedit Dominus Thomas de la Marc, Abbas Mo∣nasterii St. Albani Anglorum Proto-Martyris, Deo & Ecclesiae B. Amphibali de Redburn; ut Fratres ibidem in cursu existentes per ejus Lecturam poterint coele∣stibus instrui, & per Sanctorum Exempla virtutibus insigniri.

John Capgrave, Provincial of the Augustine Friars, and Confessor to the famous Humphrey Duke of Glocester, epitomiz'd Tynmouth's Book; adding here and there several Fancies and In∣terpolations of his own, It was tran∣slated into English by Caxton, and first printed in the Year 1516. since which time it has been frequently reprinted, both here and beyond the Seas, and is common in the Families of our Gen∣tlemen of the Roman Communion. He's not quite so modest as his Principal John of Tynmouth; who sometimes (c)b prefaces a Miracle of a more than ordi∣nary size, with leaving his Reader to a

liberty of believing or disbelieving, as his own Reason shall guide him. But, so far is both Capgrave and his Transla∣tor from any thing of this bashful Temper, that they always load a Man's Faith with more than it well can carry. For Example; The Story of St. Vrsula and her Eleven thousand Virgins was thought (in former times) a sufficiently glorious Army of Mar∣tyrs: but Mr. Caxton assures us, there were also Fifteen thousand Men that suffer'd with them, and so the whole Company consisted of no less than 26000. This part of the History was vouch'd to him by the Men of Cologn; who seem to have had some farther Revelation since the Days of Tynmouth and Capgrave.

Notes

• a

  De Excid. Brit. cap. 2.
• b

  See the B. of S. Asaph's Pref. pag. 8. where he also quotes Irenaeus for his Opinion.
• c

  De Script. Brit. Edit. Wesal. fol. 14. a.
• Ioseph of Arima∣thea.
• a

  Vid. Nenii Hist. Brit. cap. 18. & Pont. Virum. Hist. Brit. l. 4. Bed. Hist. Eccles. lib. 1. cap. 4.
• K. Lucius
• a

  Vid. II. Spelm. Concil. Tom. 1. pag. 3••.
• Elvanus and Medvi∣nus.
• b

  Joh. Pits, p. 79.
• Augu∣stine.
• a

  Vid. Antiq. Brit. pag. 3. & Fr. Godwin de Convers. Brit. pag. 12.
• a

  Vid. Cl. Vsherii Antiq. Brit. Eccles. p. 56.
• Dinoth.
• b

  Pag. 104. Vide & Baleum, fol. m. 35.
• c

  Concil. Tom. 1. p. 108. Extat etiam Wallice in Bibl. Cott. Claudius, A. 8.
• a

  Orig. Brit. p. 360.
• b

  Eman Schelstraet, Dissert. pag. 103.
• c

  Eccles. Hist. l. cap.
• S. Graal.
• a

  Pag. 122.
• b

  Specul. Histor. lib. 23. c. 27.
• c

  Tho. Malorii Hist. Arthuri R.
• d

  Vid. Vsserii Brit. Eccles. Antiq. p. 9. & Orig. Brit. p. 13.
• a

  Tresor de Recherches & Antiquitez Gauloises & Francoises, 4to, Paris, 1655. in voce Graal.
• R. Brou∣ghton.
• a

  Athen. Oxon. vol. 1. pag. 854.
• b

  Fol. Duaci, 1633.
• a

  D. Smith, de Vit. D. Rob. Cotton, pag. 24.
• b

  Bibl. Cott. Cleopatra, E. F.
• I. Vsher.
• c

  D. Joh. Marsham, in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ad Monast. Angl. Tom. 1.
• d

  4to. 1639.
• a

  Fol. Lond. 1687.
• b

  See his Life by Dr. Parr. p. 24, 45.
• a

  In Praefat. p. 2.
• b

  Def. of Royal Line, p. 11.
• c

  Dr. Parr, in vit. Authoris, p. 44.
• H. Spel∣man.
• W. Lloyd
• a

  8vo, Lond. 1684,
• a

  8to. Lond. 1685.
• a

  In praefat. ad Orig. Brit.
• b

  8vo. Lond. 1686.
• c

  In 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ad Monast. Angl.
• a

  Hist. Eccles. lib. 3. c. 4.
• E. Stil∣lingfleet.
• b

  Fol. Lond. 1685.
• a

  4to. Angl. Edit. Lond. 1688.
• b

  Ancient Liberty of the Britannick Church, 120. Lond. 1661.
• a

  8vo. Oxon. 1680.
• Saints.
• b

  Loc. Com. lib. 11. cap. 6.
• a

  De Sanctor. Hist. Tom. 7. Fol. Cologn. 1576. & Collect. Hist. Sanct. Edit. Lovan. 1485.
• b

  p. 868. Ubi & Liber MS. extare dicitur in Bibl. Gu. Copi.
• c

  Ath. Oxon. vol. 1. p. 182.
• a

  Vid. Vsserii Antiq. Brit. Eccles. pag. 3. & H. Wharton, praef. ad Angl. Sacr. vol. 2. pag. 25.
• b

  Vespasianus, A. 14.
• S. Alban.
• a

  Pits, p. 103. Vid. etiam Vsser. Antiq. p. 80.
• b

  Bibl. Cott. Faustina, B. 4.
• c

  Ibid. Claudius, E. 4.
• d

  In vit. Abhatum S. Albani Edit. Wats. p. 41.
• e

  Joh. Pits, p. 339, 887.
• a

  In the Conclusion of that translated by W. Alban▪ the Author calls himself Miser and peccator ultimus: and this is what M. Paris translated into French, Vsser. Antiq. p. 82. 83. Bibl. Cott. Otho, D. 8.
• b

  Pits, 784.
• S. Colum∣ba.
• c

  Vid. Camd. Epist. p. 91. & Britan. Edit. novis. pag. 10.
• S. David
• d

  Act. Sanctor. Martyr. lib. 1. §. 1. num. 5.
• a

  Angl. Sacr. vol. 2. p. 645.
• b

  Ibid. p. 628. Bibl. Cott. Vitellius, E. 7.
• c

  Bibl. Cott. Vespasianus, A. 14.
• S Dubri∣cius.
• d

  Vid. Praefat. ad vol. 2. Angl. Sacr. p. 26. & deinde p. 654, 655.
• S. Ger∣manus.
• a

  Antiq. Brit. Eccles. p. 175.
• S. Kenti∣gern.
• b

  Bale, Cent. 1. cap. m. 53. & Pits, p. 103.
• S. Lupus.
• c

  Antiq. Brit. Eccles. p. 176.
• S. Ni∣nian.
• a

  Vid. Pits, 229, 230.
• b

  Vsserii Antiq p. 347.
• S. Pa∣trick.
• c

  AB. Vsher mentions an old MS. Life of this Saint in the Library at Lovain; which quotes some Passages out of his own Writings. See his Letters, p. 1.
• d

  Pits, p. 279, 280. & Praef. ad Angl. Sacr. vol. 2. p. 23.
• e

  8vo. Antwerp, 1587.
• S. Teliau.
• f

  Bibl. Cott. Vespasianus, A. 14.
• a

  Vid. Vsserii Antiq. Brit. p. 44.
• S. Vrsula
• b

  8vo. Pa∣ris, 1513. & Colon. Agrip. 1628.
• S. Wine∣fride.
• c

  Bale, Cent. 2. cap. 76.
• d

  Ath. Oxon. vol. 1. p. 605.
• a

  Pits, p. 109.
• J. Tyn∣mouth.
• b

  MS. in Bibl. Cott. Tiberius, E. 1.
• c

  J. Pits, p. 500.
• a

  Tiberius, E. 1.
• J. Cap∣grave.
• b

  Vid. Cl. Vsserii Antiq. p. 10, 11. & 332.