Cambria triumphans, or, Brittain in its perfect lustre shevving the origen and antiquity of that illustrious nation, the succession of their kings and princes, from the first, to King Charles of happy memory, the description of the countrey, the history of the antient and moderne estate, the manner of the investure of the princes, with the coats of arms of the nobility / by Percie Enderbie, Gent.

Constantinus.

After the death of Constantine, the great Constantinus his eldest Son injoyed Brit∣tain as a portion of his Dominion, till making some attempts upon his brother Constans for the enlarging of it,* 1.1 he was by him slain. Then was the Empire divided between Constans and Constantius the two younger brethren; Constans seised upon the Provinces which Constantinus his brother had held, and made a voyage into Brittain, where Gratianus a Hungarian by birth had then charge of the Army; This Gratianus was surnamed Funarius, for that he being a young man was able (as it is written of him) to hold a Rope in his hand against the force of five Souldiers assaying to pull it from him, But Constans afterwards following ill counsel (the ready way to Princes ruines) and giving himself over to all kind of vice, was slain by Magnentius Taporus (the Son of a Brittain) who then invaded the Empire, usurping the Government of Gallià and Brittain till (after three years warr with Constantius the successor of Constans his brother) finding himselfe unable any longer to uphold his greatnesse,* 1.2 he murdered himself.

This Constantius in processe of time was infected with the Arian heresy, but neither so as to endanger Brittain, or any other Nation under his command: He consented to the recalling of St. Athanasius out of exile, and sometime to his continuing his digni∣ty at Alexandrea; And whether it was for the love of St. Athanasius, or fear of his bro∣ther Constans writing expresly unto him in favour of St. Athanasius, is uncertain; he also consented to the calling of the great general Councel of Sardyce 10 or 11 years after the death of his Father, as Socrates and Sozomen affirm, wherein St. Athanasius was proved innocent, and as he (then present with many others) proveth, the Nicon faith was confirmed and utterly forbidden to be questioned.

* 1.3And at the calling of this Councel, the same renowned Doctor called this said Con∣stantins, as also his brother, a known Cacholick Emperour, and a Religious Prince; and we are sure that at this time our Kingdome of Baittain detained the former glo∣rious estate, and glory of Religion it had before in the daies of Constantine, and was still free from Arianisme; For the same glorious Athanasius, present in that Councel, faith, that amongst more than 300 Bishops assembled there, which freed him, and pro∣fessed the Nicen faith, the Bishops from the Provinces of Baittain were there: And as the Roman writers testifie, there were from the division of the Empire by Constantine, and as many suppose, before, five provinces here in Brittain, Maxima Cæsariensis, Ʋalen∣tia, Baittannia prima, Brittania secunda, Flavia Cæsariensis. So that if we should allow but one Bishop out of every of those provinces to have been at the Sardyce Councel, and there to have subscribed for the rest of Brittain their Provinces or Dioceses, we must grant five Brittish Bishops to have been there, and supplyed this duty and Office for the rest of Brittain.

That this our Country of Brittain flourished after this with great numbers of worthy Bishops, no City then vacant here of such a Pastor and Rider, we may gather from di∣vers Antiquities,* 1.4 as from the Epistle of the great Councel of Ariminum in Italy, not long after this time, written to Constantius the Emperour, where our Bishops were present, testifying unto him, that they were assembled there forth of all Cities to∣wards the West, most properly and significantly to be applyed to this Kingdom, most West from thence, And the words, All Bishops out of the Western Cities, cannot carry a∣ny other true construction; but our Episcopal Cities in Baittain were then so furnished, and many or most of them present at that Councel. This is confirmed by the number of Western Bishops above 400, as Sozomen and others write, assembled at Ariminum, be∣sides 160 from the East at the same time, gathered together at Seleucia in Isauria, when it is manifest in the old Manuscript Catalogue of Bishops, that Brittain and all the Western Nations present in the Councel of Ariminum had not at that time many more than 400 Bishops. Therefore we must needs grant, that the Bishops of all Cities as well of Brittain as other Countries of the West, which had not excuseable lets and im∣pediments, were there present in such sence as the Epistle of that Councel is cited,

and Severus Sulpitius is sufficient witnesse, that this our Brittain in particular, that it had many Bishops there, for relating the number to have been above 400 out of the West: And the Emperour the better to incline them to the Arian heresie as it seemeth, commandeth that provision should be made for them at his cost; But the Bishops of France, Aquitaine and Brittain refused it, and rather made choice to live at their own charges than to be maintained by the Emperour; and this refusal was general to all the Bishops of Brittain, Aquitaine and France, except three only of Brittain, which re∣ceived allowance from the Emperour, and refused maintenance by the other Bishops, themselves being poor.

And the same Authors prove, that our Bishops were drawn or forced to come to that Councel by the Officers of Constantius, now after his brothers death, a professed friend to the Arian heresie; or rather a professed Arian then reigning in Brittain ma∣keth it evident, that our Brittish Bishops, which could not plead sufficient cause of ex∣cuse and absence, were generally present there. And it those few poor Bishops of Brittain, which were not able to bear their own charges, were drawn thither, to be maintained by the Emperour, how much rather must we judge the same of so many potent and rich in this Country, which could pretend no such excuse? So that we see no excuse, but infirmity either by age or sicknesse to have caused any Brittish Bishops absence thence. A late writer thinketh Iltutus then, as he conjectureth, Arch-Bishop of London, the Arch-Bishops of York and Gaerleon, the Bishops of Winchester,* 1.5 Chichester and Glocester with others were there. I see no particular warrant he bringeth more for those than any other, of so many Episcopal Brittish Cities of that time, which I have before remembred, all of them being in the same condition, for presence or absence, but where just excuses and lets were singular to any in particular above the rest: For good Authors have Testified that all in general were urged to be there, without any ex∣ception, or to be exempted: And almost all Bishops in the world were then caused to be either at Ariminum in Italy where those of the West were,* 1.6 or at Seleucia appoin∣ted for the Easterne Bishops; and the command was for all Bishops generally to be there; this was the Emperors command to the Presidents of the Provinces to compel all to be present. And the Councel of Ariminum, it self in the Epistle to Constantius the Arian Emperour, testifieth plainly, that all the Bishops of the West were there assembled. The far greater part of these were Catholick Bishops, and of the whole number about 400. There was not by Severus Sulpilius his relation above 80. Arians. St. Athana∣sius saith, there were 50 and more, and St. Ambrose witnesseth, that the greatest part of the Bishops there confirmed the faith of the Nicene Councel, and condemned the Ari∣an errors. This is testified by the same Councel in two several Epistles to the Emperor, that they neither could nor would swerve from the doctrine of the Nicene Coun∣cell.

And although the Emperour both by his Epistle to that Councel, and otherwise by fraud and terrours, endeavoured for to remove them from that holy minde, and communicate with the Arians, they plainly wrote answer again, constantly averring they would change nothing they had decreed, and gave their Legates charge to tell him as much in words: And to make it manifest, that although by many Writers di∣vers of the Bishops being convented and overcome, both with the deceit of the Arians, and persecution of the Emperour, did afterward subscribe to a material error, our Bi∣shops of Brittain were free, both from imputation and suspition thereof. Socrates, So∣zomen, Nicephorus and others prove that the Emperour neglecting to return answer to the second absolute resolution and Epistle, the Councel staying some time for answer, and having none, they all departed to their countries, and Sees,* 1.7 and wholely dissolved the Councel. St. Hillary saith plainly this Councel endeth Religiously by all: So our Bishops must remove from Ariminum, none being returned home, or so far from recall∣ing by any new edict or stratagen of the Emperour then of Constantinople very far from Ariminum, and further from our Bishops travel into Brittain, they could be none of that number which were circumvented or verified to subscribe to the wicked Emperour and his Arian favourites designes.

This persecution of Ʋrsatius by the command of Constantius the Emperour, stretch∣ed not so far as Brittain, his malice and indignation being against Liberius Pope of Rome, and the Bishops of Italy: And our Historians have made it doubtful, whether Constan∣tius had so much power in Brittain after this time to execute such cruelty.

This Constantius was at the time of his death by Sozomen about 45 years old, full 45, saith Socrates, besides the time he reigned with his Father; after his death,* 1.8 say Socrates, Sozomen and Nicephorus, he was Emperour 25 yeares; he died on the third day of the Nones of November by Nicephorus his account in the 367. year of Christ; some set down his death; somwhat sooner,* 1.9 as they have done his Fathers before above 25 yeares sooner than this account of Nicephorus of the year of Christ 367. for Constantius his death yet grant he was Emperour 25. years after his Father died.

About this time Martinus (an aged man) was made Deputy of Brittain, when

Paulus a Spaniard surnamed Catena (a name well sorting with his nature) was sent thi∣ther as a Commissioner to enquire of such as had conspired with Magnentius.* 1.10 But un∣der colour of his authority, he called in question such as were not faulty, either upon false information or private displeasure, and sometimes to make a gain of those that were accused, which course Martinus the Deputy mislikeing intreated him, that such as had been no actors in Rebellion, might be no partners in punshment with offen∣ders: Whereupon Paulus discharging the Deputy himself as a favourer of Traytors and privy to the conspiracy, did so far forth incense Martinus, that (being either im∣patient of reproaches, or perhaps not altogether guiltlesse) he struck at Paulus with his Sword, intending to have killed him, but failing in the execution, he presently thrust the Sword into his own body. Gratianus Funarius, though he were not specially bound by oath to the Emperor, as some others had been, yet for that he had received Magnentius into his house, was adjudged to forfeit all his goods, the rest of the accused persons being fettered and presented to the Emperor, he condemned some to death, and some to exile.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Brittish Hist. fol. 239.
• * 1.2

  Mr. Br. fol. 548. 1.
• * 1.3

  Mr. Bro. fol. 548. Socr. l. 2. c. 16. Soz. l. 3. c. 11, 12. Athan. Apol. 2 cont. Arianos. Divers Bish∣ops of Brit∣tain, 5 at the least present at the Coun∣cel of Sardyce Baro. & Spon. an. 347. Sex. Ruff. Brem. Rev. gest. po. Ro. ad Valent.
• * 1.4

  Epist. Concilii Arimini ad Const. apud Socr. l. 2. Hist. c. 29. Soz Hist. Eccl. l. 4. c. 16. Sever sulp. sacra Hist. l. 2. c. 21. Lib. Notitia Epis. orb. Chr. sive Cod. Pro∣vin. Rom.
• * 1.5

  Harris Eccles. Hist. Tom. 4. c. 24.
• * 1.6

  Sulpi. Sever. Sacr. histor. l. 2. Epist. Conc. Arim. ad Con. apud Theod. l. 2. Hist. c. 19. Mr. Bro. fol. 552. Epist. Arimin. Conc. ad Con∣stan: Imp. a∣pud Theod. l. 2. c. 20. & alios.
• * 1.7

  Hil. li. contra Arian. & Ar∣gent. Socrat. Hist. Ecoles. l. 2. c. 29, 41. So∣zom. Hist. l. 4. c. 18.
• * 1.8

  Sozom. Hist. Eccle. l. 5. c. 1. Socrat. l. 2. c. 37
• * 1.9

  Baron. & Spo. Annal. Tom. 4.
• * 1.10

  Brittish. Hist. l. 3. fol. 140.