A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

BONIFACE of Mentz.

BONIFACE was an English man by Nation, and was called properly Winfrid, or Win∣fred; he professed a Religious Life in England, and at the same time applied himself close to his Study, that he might make himself serviceable to the Church. With this intention he went out of England in the year 715, to preach the Gospel in Frisland, but the War forced him to return into England. Not long after he went to Rome, from whence he was sent by Gregory the Second to preach the Gospel in Germany, anno 719. He preached first in Turingia, and then in Hassia, East-Frisland, and Saxony. Having planted the Faith of Jesus Christ in these Provinces, and converted several thousand Souls, he made a second Journey to Rome, and was there consecrated Bishop in 723 by Gregory the Second, who sent him back again with In∣structions, and Letters of Recommendation. Being returned, he continued to preach the Gospel in Turingia, Hassia, and Bavaria. He received the Pall from Gregory the Third, with an allow∣ance to constitute Bishopricks in the Countries newly converted. The Respect which he had for the Holy See, made him undertake a third Voyage to Rome, but he stayed not long, but returned soon into Germany. It was then his main business to establish a firm Custom in the Churches which he had Planted, to reform Discipline and Manners, to abolish Superstitions, to erect Episco∣pal Sees where it was necessary, and to hold Councils, of which he summoned several in Germany and France. Hitherto Boniface had only the Quality and Dignity of a Bishop and Vicar of the Holy See, without any particular Title. Wherefore Pepin, and the great Lords of France, thought it convenient to give him one, designing to make him Bishop of Colen; but the See of Mentz becoming vacant by the Deposition of Gervoldus, Boniface was put into his Place, and that Church made a Metropolis, which was confirmed by Pope Zachary, who made five Bishops Sees subject to it, viz. Tongres, Cologne, Wormes, Spire, and Utrecht; and the Bishopricks newly erected, or those that depended upon Wormes, viz. Strasburg, Ausburg, Wirtemberg, Buraburg, Erford, Eichstat, Constance, and Coira. But he soon after laid down that Dignity upon the ac∣count of Lullus his Scholar, whom he put in his Place with the Consent of Pepin, the Bishops, Clergy, and Lords of the Province, having first obtained Leave of the Pope to do it. He went to Utrecht to preach the Gospel in Frisland, where he was barbarously murder'd by the Heathens, June 5. an. 754. in the place, whither he was come to confirm a great multitude of Persons newly baptized, and was buried in the Abby of Fulda. Serarius hath published a Collection of Boniface's Letters, together with Lullus's, Adulmus's, and several other of his Scholars, Friends, Princes, and Popes, that wrote to him. [At Mentz in 1605, Reprinted 1629.]

The first is to one of his Friends, called Nithardus; in it he takes the Name of Winfrid, which shews, that it was written when he was young. He exhorts this Friend to contemn Tem∣poral Things, and apply himself to the Study of Holy Scripture, that he may acquire (saith he) that Divine Wisdom, which is more glittering than Gold, finer than Silver, more sparkling than Diamonds, more rare than Precious Stones; and he adds, That there is nothing that he can search after in his Youth with greater Honour, or possess with greater Comfort and Pleasure in his Age, than the Knowledge of Holy Scripture.

The second is directed to an Abbess, to comfort her in her Afflictions.

The third is superscribed to the Bishop Daniel. In it he complains of the Behaviour of certain Clergy-men, who taught Errors, and permitted Persons guilty of Murder and Adultery to be admitted into the Priesthood. And that which troubled him most, was this; That he could not wholly separate from them, because they were in great Reputation in Pepin's Court, of whom

he stood in need: But he says, That he did avoid all Communion with them in the Holy Mysteries. He observes, That the Opposition which he met with from Heathens and Infidels * 1.1 was the more tolerable, because it was without; but when a Priest, Deacon, or Clergy-man, departs from the Faith, this causes a Disorder in the inward parts of the Church. He asks Ad∣vice of this Bishop, how he should carry himself; he says, That on the one hand he is obliged to hold a fair Correspondence with the French King's Court, because he cannot, without his Autho∣rity and Command, defend the German Churches, and subdue the Idolatry of those Provinces. That going to desire Orders for that end, he cannot but communicate with those disorderly Clergy-men; yet he is afraid that he offends God by it, having promised by an Oath to Pope Gregory to avoid those Persons; but on the other side, he is afraid of bringing a greater Damage upon the Church, if he should forbear going to the French King's Court. He adds, That he seems to satisfie his Oath by separating from those irregular Clergy-men in their Ministry, and not agreeing with them in their Errors, or sinful Conversation. We have Daniel's Answer to this Letter, wherein he approves of Boniface's Carriage.

The fourth Letter was written by S. Boniface when he was but a Deacon. It was to desire Adelmus's Books of Alimus.

The fifth is a Letter written by two of S. Boniface's Scholars to an Abbess.

The sixth is a circular Letter of S. Boniface to all Christians, in which he exhorts them to pray to God for a Blessing upon his Travels for the Conversion of the Gentiles.

In the seventh, he desires an Abbess to help him by her Prayers.

In the eighth, he gives Egbert Bishop of York notice, that he hath sent a Writing to Ethelwald King of the Mercians against some Errors, and exhorts him to oppose them. He tells him, That he hath sent him some of S. Gregory's Letters, which he had taken out of the Library of the Church of Rome, and which he thought not common in England. He desires of him some of Bede's Works.

He requests the same thing in the following Letter of the Abbot Huctbert, and recommends himself to his Prayers.

In the 10th, he exhorts in his own Name, and in the Name of eight Bishops that were with him, the Priest Herefrede to shew the Memoir which they sent him to the King of the Mercians, and exhorts him to follow their Advice. 'Twas to hinder the Debaucheries and Disorders of his Kingdom.

In the 11th Letter, he consults the Bishop Pethelmus about the Customs of France and Italy, by which it was forbidden to marry her to whose Child he had been Godfather: Whereupon he says, That till then he thought there was no harm in it, having never found, that it was forbidden by the Canons or Decrees of the Holy Bishops. He desires him to let him know, whether he hath met with any thing about it in any Ecclesiastical Writings.

The 12th to King Ethelbald contains nothing remarkable.

The 13th, 14th, and 16th, are directed to the Abbess Eatburg; in them he recommends him∣self to her Prayers.

In the 15th, to Nothelmus Bishop of Canterbury; he prays him to hold the same Friendship and Correspondence with him, which he had with his Predecessor Berthwald. He earnestly requests him to send him a Copy of S. Austin's. Questions to S. Gregory, and this Pope's Answers, in which he allows Kindred in the third Degree to marry. He desires him to examine carefully, whether these Answers be S. Gregory's, because they are not in the Library of the Roman Church. He asks his Opinion about a Person who had married a Widow, to whose Daughter he had been Godfather, and prays him to tell him, if he had met with any Decree about it in the Canons; or Holy Fathers. Lastly, he desires him to tell him, in what Year of Jesus Christ the Persons, whom S. Gregory sent to preach the Gospel in England, arrived there.

The 17th is sent to certain Monks, who had lost their Abbot. In it he names another to them, and gives them several Directions about a Monastick Life. He also nominates a Priest, and a Deacon, who should have the Care of Divine Service, and preach the Word of God to the Brotherhood.

The 18th contains some special Tokens of Christian Friendship and Love to the Arch-deacon, to whom it is written.

The 19th is a Letter sent in the Name of Boniface, and five other Bishops, to Ethelbald, or Ethel∣wald, King of the Mercians. Having commended this Prince for his Virtues, particularly for his Liberality to the Poor, and his Justice; they tell him with a great deal of freedom, that they have heard, that he lives in Incontinence, and shew him the enormous Nature of that Crime. They reprove him also for depriving certain Monasteries of their Priviledges and Revenues, and account it worthy of the Name of the great Sin of Sacriledge. They complain also, that his Magistrates and Justices imposed Taxes upon the Monks and Clergy; they say, that the Churches of England had enjoyed their Priviledges from the coming of Austin, to the Reign of Chelred King of the Mercians, and Ofred King of * 1.2 the Bernicians; that these two Kings had committed very great Sins in abusing and wronging the Monks, and destroying their Monasteries, but had been punished for their Impiety, and died most miserably. They exhort him not to follow their Exam∣ple,

and in the conclusion, lay before his Eyes the shortness of this Life, and the torments which at∣tend Sinners in another.

The 20th Letter is to an Abbess, who had laid down the Government of her Nunnery, that she might live a more peaceable and quiet Life. She had desired his advice, Whether she should undertake a Journey to Rome. He doth not disswade her from it, but advises her to stay, till the Disturbances in Italy were over.

In the 21st he writes to the Abbess Eatburg the Visions which a certain Person had seen, who thought, that his Soul was separated from his Body for a time. He imagined himself to be taken up into Heaven, and from thence to behold evidently all that pass'd in this World, and in the other; to hear the Angels and Devils disputing about the state of the Souls, which were come out of the World; that the Sins which they had committed, stood up to accuse them, but the few Virtues, which they had practised, appeared in their defence; that he had seen Pits of Fire, in the bottom of which were the Souls condemned to Eternal Flames, and at the Mouths were those, who should one day be delivered from their Punishments; that he had seen Paradise, and the way that the Souls of Just Men go thither, when they depart out of the World; that some fall into a River of Fire, as they pass, which throughly purges them, who have smaller Sins to expi∣ate: Lastly, that he saw the Storms which the Devils raised upon Earth, and the Sins into which they plunged Men.

The following Letters of Boniface are Letters of Compliment, Thanks, or private Matters.

The 32d is a Letter of Recommendation written by Charles Martel, [Controller of the Houshold to Chilperick King of France, and Father of Pepin the next King,] in favour of Boniface.

The next are several Letters written to Boniface, or Adelm.

The 44th is a Letter of Adelm to * 1.3 King Geruntius, against some particular Customs in Ireland, concering the Shaving of Clergy-Men, and the Celebration of Easter.

After this come several Letters written by Lullus, the Scholar of S. Boniface, who succeeded him, and by other English-Men.

In the 62d Lullus ordains a Week of Abstinence, and two Days of Fasting, to obtain fair Wea∣ther.

The 70th is a Letter of Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury, and his Synod, written to Lullus, and to the Christians of Germany, after the Death of Boniface. In it he shews the respect they had for the Memory of Boniface, and assures him, that they determine to celebrate his Festival, and take him for their Patron with S. Gregory and S▪ Austin, the Apostle of England. They exhort the Bishops of Germany to discharge their Ministry with Vigilance and Sanctity, and pray them to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for them promising to do the same on their part.

In the 87th, Magingok Bishop of Wirtemberg consults Lullus about the inseparable Conjunction made by Marriage, and observes the different Opinions of the Fathers about it.

The 91st is Boniface's and is directed to Pope Steven. He desires him to continue the same Friendship and Protection to him, which his Predecessors had granted him; he promises for his part to continue his Labors, and always bear the same respect for the Holy See. He submits to his Judgment and Correction all that he hath said or done; he excuses himself, that he had not writ∣ten to him so long, because he had been busie in repairing the Churches, which the barbarous People had pillaged and burnt.

The 92d is also Boniface's, it is directed to Fubredus, a Priest, to be presented to King Pepin, as a Petition from Boniface, that after his Death he would yield his Protection to his Scholars, and the Churches erected by him, and settle Lullus in his place to preach the Gospel to the Infi∣dels, and govern the Churches.

The three next are but short Notes written to Lullus.

The 96th is King Pepin's Letter to him, wherein he tells him, that every Bishop should often, and devoutly repeat the Litanies without Fasting, to give God thanks for the plenty he hath gi∣ven them.

The 97th is a Letter written by Boniface to Pope Steven, in which he consults him about the Contest between the Bishop of Utrecht and the Bishop of Cologne. S. * 1.4 Wilbrod was Ordained Bi∣shop by Pope Sergius, and appointed to preach the Gospel in Frisia, where having converted ma∣ny, he erected his See at Utrecht by the Order of Carloman; but the Bishop of Cologne contended, that that City belonged to his Bishoprick, because from the time of Dagobert, that Castle had been annexed to the Bishoprick of Cologne, upon the account of preaching the Gospel to the Fris•…•…ns. He adds, that this Bishop having not performed the Condition, he had forfeited his Right, and that this City ought to be a Bishop's Seat dependant upon the Holy See. He prays him to tell him what he ought to do, and send him a Copy of Sergius's Letter, that he might convince the Bishop of Cologne.

The 100th Letter is Lullus's, who wrote to the Pope against the Priest En••edus, who would not be subject to his Jurisdiction.

The 105th is Boniface's, wherein he imparts to Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury the Canons made in his Synod. He tells him, That they made a Confession of the Faith of the Church, own∣ed an Union, and Subjection to the Roman-Church, would yield Obedience to S. Peter and his Vicar, and that they have Ordained, that Synods should be called every Year; that they should require the Palls for Metropolitans of the Holy See; that they would follow the Commands of

S. Peter; ••••••t 〈…〉〈…〉 who have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Pall, should▪ observe the behaviour of the Bishops; that Bishops should neither keep 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dogs, nor Ha•…•…; that the Priests should v•…•…t 〈…〉〈…〉 the 〈…〉〈…〉 account of their Conversation; that Bishops should visit their Di•…•… Year; that Clergy-Men should not wear Lay-Mens Habit, nor bear Arms; that 〈…〉〈…〉 in their Synod; and the Bishops shall bring to this Synod all P•…•… which they cannot reform, who shall be subject to their Metro∣politans, and they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Bishop of Rome. The remaining part of it is an Exhortation to Metro∣politans to discharge the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of their Ministry with Vigilance, and die rather than do any thing contrary to the Sacred Laws of the Church, About the end ••e tells C•…•… that it were conv•…•… to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from going in such Numbers to Rome, because the greatest part of •…•…, and 〈…〉〈…〉 scandal in the whole Church, for there is 〈…〉〈…〉 where there are not some English Wo∣men of a wicked Life.

The 10••th Le•…•… is a Copy of those Letters, which a Bishop used to send to the Religious Persons of his Dio•…•… to recommend the Dead to their Prayers.

The 10••th, 1••5th, and 1••7th Letters are Petitions to the Empero•…•… to oppose Swearing, and to desire some Favour.

The last is in the Name of the Church of Mentz, which desired her Bishop.

The following Letters 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 part of this Collection, being Letters of the Popes to Boniface, and the Acts of •…•…, held under Pope Zachary, of which we shall speak in another pl•…•….

The Style of Boniface's Letters is 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and barbarous, but they are good sense. He was very well 〈…〉〈…〉 of Church-Discipline, he was wholly devoted to the Holy See, he had much Sincerity, and 〈…〉〈…〉 for the Reformation of Manners, especially of the Cler∣gy, and for the 〈…〉〈…〉 Some attribute to him the Life of S. Livinus, whom F. Mabillon thinks to 〈…〉〈…〉 Author. His Treatise of the Unity of the Faith is not come to us. F. 〈…〉〈…〉 in the Tenth Volume of his Specilegium, a Piece, en∣tituled, The St•…•… •…•…, which contains several Rules for managing the Functi∣ons and Life of 〈…〉〈…〉 a Catalogue of the Festivals; but this Book cannot be the Treatise of the Unity of Faith, as some •…•…: And there is some Grounds to doubt whether it really belongs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Boniface of M•…•…; and so much the more, because he there addresseth himself to the Emperor, whereas in Boniface's time there was no Emperor in Germany,

Notes

• * 1.1

  Boniface of Mentz.
• * 1.2

  Of Nor∣thum∣berland rath••r, for Brnicia and Deria, which had been two Kingdoms, were united by Oswy, and so made the Kingdom of Northumberland a little before Osred Reigned.
• * 1.3

  Britan∣norum Cornubi∣ensium Rex, Uss.
• * 1.4

  Or Wil∣brord.