The history of the Church of Great Britain from the birth of Our Saviour, untill the year of Our Lord, 1667 : with an exact succession of the bishops, and the memorable acts of many of them : together with an addition of all the English cardinals, and the several orders of English monks, friars, and nuns, in former ages.

CENT. IV.

SO the Gospel flourished in this Land, and they that professed it escaped the Persecutions raised by the Heathen Emperours of Rome, all except the last; under Dioclesian, which extended to Britain; and St. Alban is noted to be the Proto-Martyr of Britain, who suffered death for Christ's sake with invincible Courage and Resolution, about the year of Christ 305. He was a wealthy Inhabitant of Verolamcester, and a Citizen of Rome, for so Alexander Neccham reports him.

Hic est Martyrii roseo decoratus honore Albanus, Cives, Inclyta Roma, tuus.

Here Alban, Rome, thy Citizen renown'd, With rosie grace of Martyrdom was crown'd.

Alban was a Britain by Parentage, a Roman by Priviledge; natural∣ly a Britain, naturalized a Roman. Immediately followed the Martyr∣dom of Amphibalus a Preacher of Caer-leon in Wales, who not long be∣fore was fain to fly from Persecution into the Eastern parts of this Island, and was entertained by Alban at his house in Verulam, who was instruct∣ed by Amphibalus in the Christian Faith: he was cruelly put to death by the Pagans in a Village called Redburn, three miles from Verulam. Besides Amphibalus, suffered Aaron and Julius, two substantial Citizens of Caer-leon, and then Socrates and Stephen, and Augulius Bishop of Lon∣don, then called Augusta, with multitudes both of Men and Women in sundry places (saith Beda) as shortly after no less than a thousand Saints suffered death at Litchfield, whereupon the place was called another Gol∣gotha, or field of blood: In memory whereof the City beareth for Armes to this day a field surcharged with dead bodies.

Afterwards it pleased God to put a period to his Servants sufferings, and to the rage of their Enemies; for when Dioclesian and Maximian had layed down the Ensignes of Command, Constantius Chlorus was chosen Emperour in these Western Provinces of France, Spain, and Britain, whose cariage towards Christians Eusebius thus describeth; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that he preserved such Religious people as were under his command without any hurt or harm: So that under him the Church in these parts had a breathing-time from Persecution. Constantius died, and was buried at York, who bequeathed the Empire

to Constantine his eldest Son by Hest••n his form•• Wife. That Constan∣tine was a Britain, is shewn by Eumenius Rhetor, who, in his Oration made to Constantine himself, makes therein an Apost••••phe to Br••••••in, O fortunata, & nunc omnibus beatior terris Britannia quae Constantinum Coesarem prima vidisti! O happy Britain, and blessed above all other Lands, which didst first behold Constantine Cesar. There is another Testi∣mony of His of like nature: Liberavit Pater Constantius Britannias ser∣vitute: Tu etiam Nobiles, illic oriendo, fecisti: Your Father Constantius did free the British Provinces from slavery, and you have Ennobled them by taking thence your original: It is said of him, that he was born, made King, and Emperor first in Britain.

Constantine being now peaceably setled in the Imperial Throne, there followed a sudden and great alteration in the World. Persecutors turn∣ing Patrons of Religion. The Gospel formerly a Forrester, now be∣came a Citizen; and leaving the Woods wherein it wandered; Hills and holes where it hid it self before, dwelt quietly in populous places. The stumps of ruined Churches lately destroyed by Dioclesian, grew up into beautiful buildings; Oratories were furnished with pious Ministers, and they provided of plentiful maintenance, through the liberality of Constantine.

The most avouchable evidence of Christianity flourishing in this Island in this Age, is produced from the Bishops representing Britain, in the Councils. 1. Of Arles in France, called to take cognizance of the cause of the Donatists, where appeared for the Britains, Eborius Bishop of York, Restitutus Bishop of London, Adelfius Bishop of the City called the Colony of London, which some count Colchester, and others Maldon in Essex, Sacerdos a Priest, both by his proper Name and Office, Ar∣minius, a Deacon, Anno. 313. In the Synod of Nice held in Bithy∣nia, Anno 325. British Bishops were present, being summoned to suppress Arianism, and to establish an uniformity of the observation of Easter, as Athanasius, and Hilary Bishop of Poictiers do testify. At the Council of Sardis in Thracia, called by Constantius and Constans, Sons to Constantine the Great, were present the Bishops of Britain, who con∣curred with the rest to condemn the Arrians, and acquit Athanasius. The British Bishops were also present at the Council of Ariminum assembled in Italy.

Theodoret tells us, that he wrote an Epistle to all Churches concerning the Council of Nice, wherein he saith, there were then many Churches in Britain, &c. About the year 360. Hilary Bishop of Poictiers, among diverse others dedicated his Book, De Synodis fidei Catholicae contra Aria∣nos, to the Bishops of the Provinces of Britain, during his exile for the Orthodox Faith, commending them for their constancy in the profession of that Faith. And by the testimony of Athanasius, it appeareth, that the Britains then had not onely Churches professing the Orthodox Faith,

but Bishops famous for their Piety and Learning, summoned to forreign Councils in remore parts for debating and deciding the highest Articles of the Christian Faith.

In the year 383. Maximus a Christian, and Orthodox Prince govern∣ed Britain: for then all that part of the Island which was subject to the Ro∣mans, was Christian. Not long after the Empire being fallen in the West, and torn by the Gothes, Francs, Vandals, and Burgundians, the Romans forsook the Isle of Britain, which moved the Natives to commit the Kingdome to one Constantine a Britain, as one descended from their Nation, and a Christian vertuous man.

About the year 400. Chrysostome gives this testimony concerning the Britains Embracing of the Gospel Nam et Britaniae, Insulae extra hoc mare fitae, et qua in ipso oceano sunt, vertutem verbi senserunt (sunt etiam illic fundatae Ecclesiae &c.) Illius inquam verbi, quod tunc dictum, quod et in omnium animabus, inque omnium labiis plantatum. Which he seconded in another Sermon of the Feast of Pentecost.

Notes

• Neccham, in his Poem on Verulam.
• Eumen. Rhe∣or. Panegyr. 9.
• Panegyr. 5.
• Theodoret Eccles. Hist. l. 1. c. 10.
• Socrat. Scho∣last. l. 2. c. 6. 7.
• Sozom. l. 3. c. 11. & 12.
• Du Moul. resp. ad Card-du Perron. lib. 7 ca. 5.
• Chrysost. oper tom 5.