Sec. 71. Who is he among them that (earnestly wishing to die to this world,

and live to Christ) hath, as another Sampson, utterly cut off such

innumerable luxurious banqueters of the Gentile, while they praised

their gods, (by which is meant, while the senses of men extolled these

earthly riches, according to the apostle speaking thus: "And

covetousness, which is idolatry"), shaking with the power of both his

arms the two pillars (by which are to be understood the wicked pleasures

of the soul and body), by which the house of all worldly wickedness is

in a sort compacted and underpropped? Which of them, like Samuel, with

prayers and the burnt sacrifice of a sucking lamb, hath driven away the

fear of the Philistines, raised unexpected thunderclaps, and showering

clouds, established without flattery a king, deposed him when he

displeased God, and anointed another his better in his place and

kingdom; and when he shall give to the people his last farewell, shall

appear like Samuel in this sort, saying, "Behold, I am ready, speak ye

before our Lord and his anointed, whether I ever took away the ox or ass

of any man, if I have falsely accused any one, if I have oppressed

anybody, if I have received a bribe from the hands of any?" Unto whom it

was answered by the people, "Thou hast not wrongfully charged us, nor

oppressed us, nor taken anything from the hands of any." Which of them,

like the famous prophet Elias, who consumed with heavenly fire the

hundred proud men, and preserved the fifty that humbled themselves; and

afterwards denounced without flattery or dissimulation, the impending

death of the unjust king (that sought not the counsel of God by his

prophets, but of the idol Accaron), hath utterly overthrown all the

prophets of Baal (by which are meant the worldly senses ever bent, as we

have already said, to envy and avarice), with the lightning sword (which

is the word of God)? And as the same Elias, moved with the zeal of God,

after taking away the showers of rain from the land of the wicked, who

were now shut up with famine in a strong prison, as it were of penury,

for three years and six months, being himself ready to die for thirst in

the desert, hath, complaining, said, "They have murdered, O Lord, thy

prophets, and undermined thine altars, and I alone am left, and they

seek my life?"

Sec. 72. Which of them, like Elisha, hath punished his dearly beloved

disciple, if not with an everlasting leprosy, yet at least by abandoning

him, if burdened too much with the weight of worldly covetousness for

those very gifts which his master before (although very earnestly

entreated thereto) had despised to receive? And which of these among us

hath like him revealed unto his servant, (who despaired of life, and on

a sudden trembled at the warlike army of the enemies that besieged the

city wherein he was), through the fervency of his prayers poured out

unto God, those spiritual visions, so that he might behold a mountain

replenished with a heavenly assisting army, of warlike chariots and

horsemen, shining with fiery countenances, and that he might also

believe that he was stronger to save, than the foe to hurt? And which of

them, like the above-named Elisha, with the touch of his body, being

dead to the world, but living unto God, shall raise up another, whose

fate had been different from his, namely, death to God, but life to his

vices, so that instantly revived, he may yield humble thanks to Christ

for his unexpected recovery from the hellish torments of his mortal

crimes? Which of them hath his lips purified and made clean with the

fiery coals earned by the tongues of the cherubim, from off the altar,

(that his sins may be wiped away with the humility of confession), as it

is written of Esaias, by whose effectual prayers, together with the aid

of the godly king Ezechias, a hundred fourscore and five thousand of the

Assyrian army, through the stroke of one angel, without the least print

of any appearing wound, were overthrown and slain? Which of them, like

blessed Jeremiah, for accomplishing the commandments of God,--for

denouncing the threats thundered out from heaven, and for preaching the

truth even to such as would not hear the same, hath suffered loathsome

stinking prisons as momentary deaths? And to be brief, what one of them

(as the teacher of the Gentiles said) hath endured like the holy

prophets to wander in mountains, in dens, and caves of the earth, to be

stoned, to be sawn in sunder, and assailed with all kinds of death, for

the name of our Lord?

Sec. 73. But why do we dwell in examples of the Old Testament as if there

were none in the New? Let, therefore, those, who suppose they can,

without any labour at all, under the naked pretence of the name of

priesthood, enter this strait and narrow passage of Christian religion,

hearken unto me while I recite and gather into one a few of the chiefest

flowers out of the large and pleasant meadow of the saintly soldiers of

the New Testament. Which of you (who rather sleep than lawfully sit in

the chair of the priesthood), being cast out of the council of the

wicked, hath, after the stripes of sundry rods, like the holy apostles,

from the bottom of his heart, given thanks to the blessed Trinity that

he was found worthy to suffer disgrace for Christ's true deity? What

one, for the undoubted testimony of God, having his brains dashed out

with the fuller's club, hath, like James the first, a bishop of the New

Testament, suffered corporal death? Which of you, like James the brother

of John, has by the unjust prince been beheaded? Who, like the first

deacon and martyr of the gospel, (having but this only accusation, that

he saw God, whom the wicked could not behold), has by ungodly hands been

stoned to death? What one of you, like the worthy keeper of the keys of

the heavenly kingdom, has been nailed to the cross with his feet upward,

in reverence for Christ, whom, no less in his death than in his life, he

endeavoured to honour, and hath so breathed his last? Which of you, for

the confession of the true word of Christ, hath, like the vessel of

election, and chosen teacher of the Gentiles, after suffering

imprisonment and shipwreck, after the terrible scourges of whips, the

continual dangers of seas, of thieves, of Gentiles, of Jews, and of

false apostles, after the labours of famine, fasting, and watching,

after incessant care over all the churches, after his trouble for such

as scandalized, after his infirmity for the weak, after his wonderful

travels over almost the whole world in preaching the gospel of Christ,

lost his head at last by the stroke of the descending sword?

Sec. 74. Which of you, like the holy martyr Ignatius, bishop of the city of

Antioch, hath after his miraculous actions in Christ, for testimony of

him been torn by the jaws of lions, as he was once at Rome? whose words,

as he was led to his passion, when you shall hear (if ever your

countenances were overcome with blushing), you will not only, in

comparison of him, esteem yourselves no priests, but not so much even as

the meanest Christians; for in the epistle which he sent to the church

of Rome, he writeth thus: "From Syria even unto Rome, I fight with

beasts, by land and sea, being bound and chained unto ten leopards, I

mean the soldiers appointed for my custody, who for our benefit bestowed

upon them become more cruel; but I am the better instructed by their

wickedness, neither yet am I in this justified; oh! when shall those

beasts come the workers of my salvation, which are for me prepared? when

shall they be let loose at me? when shall it be lawful for my carcass to

enjoy them? whom I do most earnestly wish to be eagerly enraged against

me, and truly I will incite them to devour me; moreover, I will humbly

pray, lest perchance they should dread to touch my body (as in some

others they have before done), yea also, if they hesitate, I will offer

violence, I will force myself upon them. Pardon me, I beseech you, I

know what is commodious for me, even now I begin to be the disciple of

Christ; let all envy, whether of human affection or spiritual wickedness

cease, that I may endeavour to obtain Christ Jesus; let fires, let

crosses, let cruelty of beasts, let breaking of bones, and rending of

limbs, with all the pains of the whole body, and all the torments

devised by the art of the devil, be together poured out on me alone, so

that I may merit to attain unto Christ Jesus." Why do you behold these

things with the sleepy eyes of your souls? why do you hearken unto them

with the deaf ears of your senses? Shake off, I beseech you, the dark

and black mist of slothfulness from your hearts, that so you may see

the glorious light of truth and humility. A Christian, and he not mean,

but a perfect one, and a priest not base, but one of the highest, a

martyr of no ordinary sort, but one of the chiefest, saith: "Now I begin

to be the disciple of Christ." And you, like the same Lucifer, who was

thrown down out of heaven, are puffed up with words, and not with power,

and after a sort do chew under the tooth, and make pretence in your

actions, as the author of this your wickedness hath thus expressed: "I

will mount up into the heavens, and be like unto the Highest." And

again: "I have digged and drunk water, and dried up with the steps of my

feet all the rivers of the banks." You would more rightly have imitated

him and hearkened unto his words, who is without doubt the most true

example of all goodness and humility, saying by his prophet, "I am

verily a worm and not a man, the reproach of men, and the outcast of the

people." Oh unspeakable matter! that he called himself "the reproach of

men," when he washed away the reproaches of the whole world. And again

in the gospel; "I am not able to do any thing of myself," when at the

same time he was co-eternal with the Father, coequal with the Holy

Ghost, and consubstantial with both, and created, not by the help of

another, but by his own almighty power, the heaven and earth, with all

their inestimable ornaments; and ye nevertheless have arrogantly lifted

up your voices, notwithstanding the prophet saith, "Why do earth and

ashes swell with pride?"

Sec. 75. But let us return unto our subject. Which of you, I say, like

Polycarp, the famous bishop of the church of Smyrna, that witness of

Christ, hath courteously entertained as guests at his table, those who

violently drew him out to be burned? and when for the charity which he

did bear unto Christ, he was brought to the stake, said, "He who gave me

grace to endure the torment of the fire, will likewise grant me without

fastening of nails to bear the flames with patience." And now passing

over in this my discourse the mighty armies of saints, I will yet touch

on one only, for example's sake, Basil the bishop of Caesaria, who when

he was thus by the unrighteous prince threatened that, unless he would

on the next day be as the rest, defiled in the dirty dunghill of the

Arian heresy, he should be put to death, answered, as it is reported,

"I will be to-morrow the same as to-day, and for thee, I do not wish

thee to change thy determination." And again, "Would that I had some

worthy reward to bestow on him that would discharge Basil from the bands

of this breathing bellows." Which one of you doth endeavour to daunt the

menaces of tyrants, by inviolably keeping the rule of the apostolical

speech, which in all times and ages hath been observed by all holy

priests, to suppress the suggestion of men when they sought to draw them

into wickedness, saying in this manner; "It behoveth us to obey God

rather than men."

Sec. 76. Wherefore after our accustomed manner, taking refuge in the mercy

of our Lord, and in the sentences of his holy prophets, that they on our

behalf may now level the darts of their oracles at imperfect pastors (as

before at tyrants), so that thereby they may receive compunction and be

amended, let us see what manner of threats our Lord doth by his prophets

utter against slothful and dishonest priests, and such as do not, both

by examples and words, rightly instruct the people. For even Eli, the

priest in Shilo, because he did not severely proceed, with a zeal worthy

of God, in punishing his sons, when they contemned our Lord, but, as a

man overswayed with a fatherly affection, too mildly and remissly

admonished them, was sentenced with this judgment by the prophet

speaking unto him: "Thus saith our Lord; I have manifestly showed myself

unto the house of thy father, when they were the servants of Pharaoh in

Egypt, and have chosen the house of thy father out of all the tribes of

Israel, for a priesthood unto me." And a little after, "Why hast thou

looked upon mine incense, and upon my sacrifice, with a dishonest eye?

and hast honoured thy children more than me, that thou mightest bless

them from the beginning in all sacrifices in my presence? And now so

saith our Lord: Because whoever honoureth me I will honour him again;

and whoso maketh no account of me shall be brought to nothing. Behold

the days shall come, and I will destroy thy name, and the seed of thy

father's house. And let this be to thee the sign, which shall fall upon

thy two sons, Hophni and Phineas, in one day shall they both die by the

sword of men." If thus therefore they shall suffer, who correct them

that are under their charge, with words only and not with condign

punishment, what shall become of those who by offending exhort you, and

draw others unto wickedness?

Sec. 77. It is apparent also what befell unto the true prophet, who was sent

from Judah to prophesy in Bethel, and forbidden to taste any meat in

that place, after the sign which he foretold was fulfilled, and after he

had restored to the wicked king his withered hand again, being deceived

by another prophet, as he was termed, and so make to take but a little

bread and water, his host speaking in this sort unto him: "Thus saith

our Lord God: Because thou hast been disobedient to the mouth of our

Lord, and hast not observed the precept which the Lord thy God hath

commanded, and hast returned, and eaten bread, and drunk water in this

place, in which I have charged thee that thou shouldest neither eat

bread nor drink water, thy body shall not be buried in the sepulchre of

thy forefathers. And so (saith the scripture) it came to pass, that

after he had eaten bread and drunk water, he made ready his ass, and

departed, and a lion found him in the way and slew him."

Sec. 78. Hear ye also the holy prophet Isaias, how he speaketh of priests on

this wise. "Woe be to the ungodly, may evil befall him; for the reward

of his hands shall light upon him. Her own exactors have spoiled my

people, and women have borne sway over her. O my people, they who term

thee blessed, themselves deceive thee, and destroy the way of thy

footsteps. Our Lord standeth to judge, and standeth to judge the people.

Our Lord will come unto judgment with the elders of the people and her

princes. Ye have consumed my vine, the spoil of the poor is in your

house. Why do ye break in pieces my people, and grind the faces of the

poor? saith our Lord of hosts." And also; "Woe be unto them who compose

ungodly laws, and in their writing have written injustice, that they may

oppress the poor in judgment, and work violence to the cause of the

lowly of my people, that widows may be their prey, and they make spoil

of the orphans; what will ye do in the day of visitation and calamity

approaching from afar off?" And afterwards: "But these also in regard of

wine have been ignorant, and in respect of drunkenness have wandered

astray; the priests have not understood, because of drunkenness, and

have been swallowed up in wine, they have erred in drunkenness, they

have not known him who seeth, they have been ignorant of judgment. For

all tables are filled with the vomit of their uncleanness, in so much as

there is not any free place to be found."

Sec. 79. "Hear therefore the word of our Lord, O ye deceivers, who bear

authority over my people that is in Jerusalem. For ye have said, We have

entered into a truce with death, and with hell we have made a covenant.

The overflowing scourge when it shall pass forth shall not fall upon us,

because we have placed falsehood for our hope, and by lying we have been

defended." And somewhat after: "And hail shall overthrow the hope of

lying, together with the defence. Waters shall overflow, and your truce

with death shall be destroyed, and your covenant with hell shall not

continue, when the overflowing scourge shall pass forth; ye shall also

be trodden under foot, whensoever it shall pass along through you, it

shall sweep you away withal." And again: "And our Lord hath said:

Because this people approacheth with their mouth, and with their lips

glorify me, but their heart is far from me; behold, therefore, I will

cause this people to wonder by a great and stupendous miracle. For

wisdom shall decay and fall away from her wise men, and the

understanding of her sages shall be concealed. Woe be unto you that are

profound in heart, to conceal counsel from our Lord, whose works are in

darkness, and they say, who seeth us? And who hath known us? for this

thought of yours is perverse." And afterwards: "Thus saith our Lord,

Heaven is my seat, and the earth my footstool. What is this house that

ye will erect unto me, and what place shall be found for my

resting-place? all these things hath my hand made, and these universally

have been all created, saith our Lord. On whom truly shall I cast mine

eye, but on the humble poor man, and the contrite in spirit, and him

that dreadeth my speeches? he that sacrificeth an ox, is as he that

killeth a man; he that slaughtereth a beast for sacrifice, is like him

who beateth out the brains of a dog; he that offereth an oblation, is as

he that offereth the blood of a hog; he that is mindful of frankincense,

is as he that honoureth an idol: of all these things have they made

choice in their ways, and in their abominations hath their soul been

delighted."

Sec. 80. Hear also what Jeremy, that virgin prophet, speaketh unto the

unwise pastors in this sort: "Thus saith our Lord, What iniquity have

your fathers found in me, because they have removed themselves far off

from me, and walked after vanity, and are become vain?" And again: "And

entering in, ye have defiled my land, and made mine inheritance

abomination. The priests have not said, Where is our Lord? and the

rulers of the law have not known me, and the pastors have dealt

treacherously against me. Wherefore I will as yet contend in judgment

with you, saith our Lord, and debate the matter with your children." And

a little afterwards: "Astonishment and wonders have been wrought in the

land. Prophets did preach lying, and priests did applaud with their

hands, and my people have loved such matters. What therefore shall be

done in her last and final ends? To whom shall I speak and make

protestation that he may hear me? Behold their ears are uncircumcised,

and they cannot hear. Behold the word of our Lord is uttered unto them

for their reproach, and they receive it not: because I will stretch out

my hand upon the inhabitants of the earth, saith our Lord. For why, from

the lesser even unto the greater, all study avarice, and from the

prophet even unto the priest, all work deceit, and they cured the

contrition of the daughter of my people, with ignominy, saying, Peace,

peace, and peace there shall not be. Confounded they are, who have

wrought abomination: but they are not with confusion confounded, and

have not understood how to be ashamed. Wherefore they shall fall among

those who are falling, in the time of their visitation shall they rush

headlong down together, saith our Lord." And again: "All these princes

of the declining sort, walking fraudulently, being brass and iron, are

universally corrupted, the blowing bellows have failed in the fire, the

finer of metals in vain hath melted, their malicious acts are not

consumed, call them refuse and reprobate silver, because our Lord hath

thrown them away." And after a few words: "I am, I am, I have seen,

saith our Lord. Go your ways to my place in Shilo, where my name hath

inhabited from the beginning, and behold what I have done thereunto for

the malice of my people Israel. And now because ye have wrought all

these works, saith our Lord, and I have spoken unto you, arising in the

morning, and talking, and yet ye have not heard me, and I have called

you, and yet ye have not answered, I will so deal towards this house,

wherein my name is now called upon, and wherein ye have confidence, and

to this place which I have given unto you, and to your fathers, as I

have done to Shilo, and I will cast you away from my countenance."

Sec. 81. And again: "My children have departed from me, and have no

abiding, and there is none who any more pitcheth my tent, and advanceth

my pavilion: for the pastors have dealt fondly and not sought out our

Lord. Wherefore they have not understood, and their flock hath been

dispersed." And a little after: "What is the matter that my beloved hath

in my houses committed many offences? shall the holy flesh take away thy

maliciousness from thee, wherein thou hast glorified? our Lord shall

call thy name a plentiful, fair, fruitful, goodly olive; at the sound of

the speech a mighty fire hath been inflamed in her, and her orchards

have been quite consumed therewith." And again: "Come ye to me, and be

ye gathered together, all ye beasts of the earth, make haste to devour.

Many pastors have thrown down my vine, they have trampled my part under

foot, they have given over my portion which was well worthy to be

desired, into a desert of solitariness." And again he speaketh: "Thus

saith our Lord unto this people, which have loved to move their feet,

and not rested, nor yet pleased our Lord; now shall he remember their

iniquities and visit their offences. Prophets say unto them, Ye shall

not see the sword, and there shall be no famine among you, but our Lord

shall give true peace unto you in this place. And our Lord hath said

unto me, The prophets do falsely foretell in my name; I have not sent

them, nor laid my commandment on them; they prophesy unto you a lying

vision, and divination together with deceitfulness, and the seducement

of their own hearts. And therefore thus saith our Lord: In sword and

famine shall those prophets be consumed; and the people to whom they

have prophesied shall by means of the famine and sword be cast out into

the streets of Jerusalem, and there shall be none to bury them."

Sec. 82. And moreover: "Woe be to the pastors who destroy and rend in

pieces the flock of my pasture, saith our Lord. Thus, therefore, saith

our Lord God of Israel, unto the pastors who guide my people, Ye have

dispersed my flock, and cast them forth, and not visited them. Behold I

will visit upon you the malice of your endeavours, saith our Lord. For

the prophet and the priest are both defiled, and in my house have I

found their evil, saith our Lord, and therefore shall their way be as a

slippery place in the dark, for they shall be thrust forward, and fall

down together therein, for I will bring evils upon them, the year of

their visitation, saith our Lord. And in the prophets of Samaria I have

seen foolishness, and they did prophesy in Baal, and deceived my people

Israel, and in the prophets of Jerusalem, have I seen the like

resemblance, adultery, and the way of lying, and they have comforted the

hands of the vilest offenders, that every man may not be converted from

his malice: they have been all made to me as Sodom, and the inhabitants

thereof as those of Gomorrah. Thus, therefore, saith our Lord to the

prophets: Behold, I will give them wormwood for their food, and gall for

their drink. For there hath passed from the prophet of Jerusalem

pollution over the whole earth. Thus saith our Lord of hosts, Listen not

to the words of prophets, who prophesy unto you, and deceive you, for

they speak the vision of their own heart, and not from the mouth of our

Lord. For they say unto those who blaspheme me, Our Lord hath spoken,

peace shall be unto you; and to all that walk in the wickedness of their

own hearts, they have said, evil shall not fall upon them. For who was

present in the counsel of our Lord, and hath seen and heard his speech,

who hath considered of his word, and hearkened thereunto? Behold, the

whirlwind of the indignation of our Lord passeth out, and a tempest

breaking forth, shall fall upon the heads of the wicked; the fury of our

Lord shall not return, until the time that he worketh, and until he

fulfilleth the cogitation of his heart. In the last days of all shall ye

understand his counsel."

Sec. 83. And little also do ye conceive and put in execution that which the

holy prophet Joel hath likewise spoken in admonishment of slothful

priests, and lamentation of the people's suffering for their iniquities,

saying: "Awake, ye who are drunk, from your wine, and weep and bewail ye

all, who have drunk wine even to drunkenness, because joy and delight

are taken away from your mouths. Mourn, ye priests, who serve the

altar, because the fields have been made miserable. Let the earth mourn,

because corn hath become miserable, and wine been dried up, oil

diminished, and husbandmen withered away. Lament ye possessions, in

regard of wheat and barley, because the vintage hath perished out of the

field, the vine withered up, the figs diminished; the pomegranates, and

palm, and apple, and all trees of the field are withered away, in

respect that the children of men have confounded their joy." All which

things are spiritually to be understood by you, that your souls may not

wither away with so pestilent a famine, for want of the word of God. And

again, "Weep out ye priests, who serve our Lord, saying, Spare, O Lord,

thy people, and give not over thine inheritance unto reproach, and let

not nations hold dominion over them, that Gentiles may not say, Where is

their God?" And yet ye yield not your ears unto these sayings, but admit

of all matters by which the indignation of God's fury is more vehemently

inflamed.

Sec. 84. With diligence also attend ye what holy Hosea the prophet hath

spoken unto priests of your behaviour. "Hear these words, O ye priests,

and let the house of Israel, together with the king's house, mark them;

fasten ye them in your ears, for unto you pertaineth judgment, because

ye are made an entangling snare to the espying watch, and as a net

stretched over the toils which the followers of hunting have framed."

Sec. 85. To you also may this kind of alienation from our Lord be meant by

the prophet Amos, saying, "I have hated and rejected your festival days,

and I will not receive the savour in your solemn assemblies, because

albeit ye offer your burnt sacrifices and hosts, I will not accept them,

and I will not cast mine eye on the vows of your declaration. Take away

from me the sound of your songs, and the psalm of your organs I will not

hear." For the famine of the evangelical meat consuming, in your

abundance of victuals, the very bowels of your souls, rageth violently

within you, according as the aforesaid prophet hath foretold, saying,

"Behold, the days shall come, saith our Lord, and I will send out a

famine upon the earth; not the famine of bread, nor the thirst of water,

but a famine in hearing the word of God, and the waters shall be moved

from sea to sea, and they shall run over from the north even unto the

east, seeking the word of our Lord, and shall not find it."

Sec. 86. Let holy Micah also pierce your ears, who like a heavenly trumpet

soundeth loudly forth against the deceitful princes of the people,

saying, "Hearken now ye princes of the house of Jacob, Is it not for you

to know judgment, who hate goodness, and seek after mischief, who pluck

their skins from off men, and their flesh from their bones? Even as they

have eaten the flesh of my people, and flayed their skins from them,

broken their bones to pieces, and hewed them small as meat to the pot,

they shall cry to God, and he will not hear them, and in that season

turn his face away from them, even as they before have wickedly behaved

themselves in their inventions. Thus speaketh our Lord of the prophets

who seduce my people, who bite with their teeth, and preach against them

peace, and if a man giveth nothing to stop their mouths, they raise and

sanctify a war upon him. Night shall therefore be unto you in place of a

vision, and darkness unto you in lieu of divination, and the sun shall

set upon your prophets, and the day shall wax dark upon them, and seeing

dreams they shall be confounded, and the diviners shall be derided, and

they shall speak ill against all men, because there shall not be any one

that will hear them, but that I myself shall do mine uttermost and

strongest endeavour in the spirit of our Lord, in judgment and in power,

that I may declare unto the house of Jacob their impieties, and to

Israel their offences. Hearken, therefore, unto these words, ye captains

of the house of Jacob, and ye remnants of the house of Israel, who abhor

judgment, and overthrow all righteousness, who build up Sion in blood,

and Jerusalem in iniquities: her rulers did judge for rewards, and her

priests answered for hire, and her prophets did for money divine, and

rested on our Lord, saying, And is not the Lord among us? Evils shall

not fall upon us. For your cause, therefore, shall Sion be ploughed up

as a field, and Jerusalem as the watch-house of a garden, and the

mountain of the house as the place of a woody wilderness." And after

some words ensuing: "Woe is me for that I am become as he that gathereth

stubble in the harvest, and a cluster of grapes in the vintage, when the

principal branch is not left to be eaten. Woe is me that a soul hath

perished through earthly actions, the reverence of sinners ariseth even

with reverence from the earth, and he appeareth not that shall use

correction among men. All contend in judgment for blood, and every one

with tribulation afflicteth his neighbour, for mischief he prepareth his

hands."

Sec. 87. Listen ye likewise how the famous prophet Zephaniah debated also

in times past, concerning your revellers (for he spake of Jerusalem,

which is spiritually to be understood the church or the soul), saying,

"O the city that was beautiful and set at liberty, the confiding dove

hath not hearkened to the voice, nor yet entertained discipline, she

hath not trusted in our Lord, and to her God she hath not approached."

And he showeth the reason why, "Her princes have been like unto roaring

lions, her judges as wolves of Arabia did not leave towards the morning,

her prophets carrying the spirit of a contemptuous despising man; her

priests did profane what was holy, and dealt wickedly in the law, but

our Lord is upright in the midst of his people, and in the morning he

will not do injustice, in the morning will he give his judgment."

Sec. 88. But hear ye also blessed Zachariah the prophet, in the word of

God, admonishing you: "For thus saith our Almighty Lord, Judge ye

righteous judgment, and work ye every one towards his brother mercy and

pity, and hurt ye not through your power the widow, or orphan, or

stranger, or poor man, and let not any man remember in his heart the

malice of his brother; and they have been stubborn not to observe these,

and have yielded their backs to foolishness, and made heavy their ears

that they might not hearken, and framed their hearts not to be persuaded

that they might not listen to my law and words, which our Almighty Lord

hath sent in his Spirit, through the hands of his former prophets, and

mighty wrath hath been raised by our Almighty Lord." And again; "Because

they who have spoken, have spoken molestations, and diviners have

uttered false visions and deceitful dreams, and given vain consolations;

in respect hereof they are made as dry as sheep, and are afflicted

because no health was to be found; my wrath is heaped upon the

shepherds, and upon the lambs will I visit." And within a few words

after: "The voice of lamenting pastors, because their greatness is

become miserable. The voice of roaring lions, because the fall of Jordan

is become miserable: thus saith our Almighty Lord: They who possessed

have murdered, and yet hath it not repented them, and they who sold

them, have said, Our Lord is blessed and we have been enriched, and

their pastors have suffered nothing concerning them. For which I will

now bear no sparing hand over the inhabitants of the earth, saith our

Lord."

Sec. 89. Hear ye moreover what the holy prophet Malachi denounceth unto

you, saying: "Ye priests who despise my name, and have said: Wherein do

we despise thy name? in offering on mine altar polluted bread: and ye

have said, Wherein have we polluted it? In that ye have said: The table

of our Lord is as nothing, and have despised such things as have been

placed thereon; because if ye bring what is blind for an offering, is it

not evil? If ye set and apply what is lame or languishing, is it not

evil? Offer therefore the same unto thy governor, if he will receive it,

if he will accept of thy person, saith our Almighty Lord. And now do ye

humbly pray before the countenance of your God, and earnestly beseech

him (for in your hands have these things been committed) if happily he

will accept of your persons." And again: "And out of your ravenous theft

ye have brought in the lame and languishing, and brought it in as an

offering. Shall I receive the same at your hands, saith our Lord?

Accursed is the deceitful man who hath in his flock one of the male

kind, and yet making his vow offereth the feeble unto our Lord, because

I am a mighty king, saith our Lord of hosts, and my name is terrible

among the Gentiles. And now unto you appertaineth this commandment, O ye

priests, if ye will not hear, and resolve in your hearts to yield glory

unto my name, saith our Lord of hosts, I will send upon you poverty, and

accurse your blessings, because ye have not settled these things on your

hearts. Behold I will stretch out my arm over ye, and disperse upon your

countenances the dung of your solemnities." But that ye may in the

meantime, with more zeal prepare your organs and instruments of

mischief, to be converted into goodness, hearken ye (if there remain

ever so little disposition to listen in your hearts) what he speaketh of

a holy priest, saying "My covenant of life and peace was with him (for

historically he did speak of Levi and Moses): I gave fear unto him, and

he was timorous of me, he dreaded before the countenance of my name; the

law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips;

he walked with me in peace and equity, and turned many away from

unrighteousness. For the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and

from out of his mouth they shall require the law, because he is the

Angel of our Lord of hosts." And now again he changeth his style, and

ceaseth not to rebuke and reprove the unrighteous, saying: "Ye have

departed from the way, and scandalized many in the law, and made void my

covenant with Levi, saith our Lord of hosts. In regard whereof I have

also given you over as contemptible and abject among my people,

according as ye have not observed my ways, and accepted countenance of

men in the law. What, is there not one Father of us all? What, hath not

one God created us? Why therefore doth every one despise his brother?"

And again, "Behold our Lord of hosts will come, and who can conceive the

day of his coming, and who shall endure to stand to behold him? For he

shall pass forth as a burning fire, and as the fuller's herb, and shall

sit melting and trying silver, and ye shall purge the sons of Levi, and

cleanse them as gold and as silver." And somewhat afterwards: "Your

words have grown strong against me, saith our Lord, and ye have spoken

thus: He is vain who serveth God, and what profit because we have kept

his commandments, and walked sorrowfully before our Lord of hosts. We

shall therefore now call the arrogant blessed, for because they are

erected and builded up, while they work iniquity, they have tempted God,

and are made safe."

Sec. 90. But hear ye also what Ezechiel the prophet hath spoken, saying,

"Woe upon woe shall come, and messenger upon messenger shall be, and the

vision shall be sought for of the prophet, and the law shall perish from

the priests, and counsel from the elders." And again: "Thus saith our

Lord: In respect that your speeches are lying, and your divinations

vain. For this cause, behold, I will come unto you, saith our Lord; I

will stretch out my hand on your prophets, who see lies, and them who

speak vain things; in the discipline of my people they shall not be, and

in the Scripture of the house of Israel, they shall not be written, and

into the land of Israel they shall not enter, and ye shall know that I

am the Lord, because they have seduced my people, saying, The peace of

our Lord, and there is not the peace of our Lord. Here have they built

the wall; and they anointed it, and it shall fall." And within some

words afterwards: "Woe be unto these who fashion pillows, apt for every

elbow of the hand, and make veils upon every head of all ages to the

subversion of souls, and the souls of my people are subverted, and they

possess their souls, and contaminated me unto my people for a handful of

barley, and a piece of bread to the slaughter of the souls, whom it

behoved not to die, and to the delivery of the souls, that were not fit

to live, while ye talk unto my people that listeneth after vain

speeches." And afterwards: "Say, thou son of man, thou art earth which

is not watered with rain, neither yet hath rain fallen upon thee in the

day of wrath, in which thy princes were in the midst of thee as roaring

lions, ravening on their prey, devouring souls in their potent might,

and receiving rewards, and thy widows were multiplied in the midst of

thee, and her priests have despised my law, and defiled my holy things.

Between holy and polluted, they did not distinguish, and divided not

equally between the unclean and clean, and from my sabbaths they veiled

their eyes, and in the midst of them they defiled."

Sec. 91. And again: "And I sought among them a man of upright conversation,

and one who should altogether stand before my face, to prevent the times

that might fall upon the earth, that I should not in the end utterly

destroy it, and I found him not. And I poured out upon it, the whole

design of my mind, in the fire of my wrath for the consuming of them: I

repaid their ways on their heads, saith our Lord." And somewhat after:

"And the word of our Lord was spoken unto me, saying: O son of man,

speak to the children of my people, and they shalt say unto them: The

land whereupon I shall bring my sword, and the people of the land shall

take some one man among them, and ordain him to be a watchman over them,

and he shall espy the sword coming upon the land, and sound with his

trumpet, and signify unto the people, whoso truly shall then hear the

sound of the trumpet, and yet hearing shall not beware: and the sword

shall come and catch him, his blood shall light upon his own head,

because when he heard the sound of the trumpet, he was not watchful, his

blood shall be upon him, and this man, for that he hath preserved his

own soul, hath delivered himself. But the watchman if he shall see the

sword coming, and not give notice with his trumpet, and the people shall

not be aware, and the sword coming shall take away a soul from among

them, both the soul itself is caught a captive for her iniquities, and I

will also require her blood at the hand of the watchman. And thou, O son

of man, I have appointed thee a watchman over the house of Israel, and

if thou shalt hear the word from out of my mouth, when I shall say to a

sinner, Thou shalt die the death, and yet wilt not speak whereby the

wicked may return from his way: both the unjust himself shall die in his

iniquity, and truly I will require his blood also at thy hands. But if

thou shalt forewarn the wicked of his way, that he may avoid the same,

and he nevertheless will not withdraw himself from his course, this man

shall die in his impiety, and thou hast preserved thine own soul."

Sec. 92. And so let these few among a multitude of prophetical testimonies

suffice, by which the pride or sloth of our stubborn priests may be

repelled, to the end they may not suppose that we act rather of our own

invention, but by the authority of the laws, and saints, denounce such

threats against them. And now let us also behold what the trumpet of the

gospel, sounding to the whole world, speaketh likewise to disordered

priests; for as we have often said, this our discourse tendeth not to

treat of them, who obtain lawfully the apostolical seat, and such as

rightly and skilfully understand how to dispose of their spiritual food

(in time convenient) unto their fellow servants, if yet at this time

there remain any great number of these in this our country; but we only

talk of ignorant and unexpert shepherds, who leave their flock, and feed

on vain matters, and have not the words of a learned pastor. And

therefore it is an evident token that he is not a lawful pastor, yea not

an ordinary Christian, who rejecteth and denieth these sayings, which

are not so much ours (who of ourselves are very little worth), as the

decrees of the Old and New Testament, even as one of ours right well

doth say, "We do exceedingly desire that the enemies of the church

should also, without any manner of truce be our adversaries: and that

the friends and defenders thereof should not only be accounted our

confederates, but also our fathers and governors." For let every one,

with true examination, call his own conscience unto account, and so

shall he easily find, whether according to true reason he possesseth his

priestly chair or no. Let us see, I say, what the Saviour and Creator of

the world hath spoken. "Ye are," saith he, "the salt of the earth; if

that the salt vanisheth away, wherein shall it be salted? it prevaileth

to no purpose any farther, but that it be cast out of doors, and

trampled under the feet of men."

Sec. 93. This only testimony might abundantly suffice to confute all such

as are impudent; but that it may be yet, by the words of Christ, more

evidently proved with what intolerable bonds of crimes these false

priests entangle and oppress themselves, some other sayings are also to

be adjoined; for it followeth: "Ye are the light of the world. A city

placed on a mountain cannot be hid: neither do they light a candle, and

put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine unto

all who are in the house." What priest therefore of this fashion and

time, who is so possessed with the blindness of ignorance, doth, as the

light of a most bright candle, shine with the lamp of learning and good

works, in any house, to all that sit in the darksome night? What one is

so accounted a safe public and conspicuous refuge, to all the children

universally of the church, that he may be to his countrymen a defensible

and strong city, situated on the top of a high mountain? Moreover, which

one of them can accomplish one day together, that which followeth: "Let

your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and

glorify your Father who is in heaven:" since rather a certain most

obscure cloud of theirs, and the black night of offences, hang over the

island, in such a manner, that they all turn almost away from the

righteous course, and make them to wander astray through unpassable and

cumbersome paths of wickedness, and so their heavenly Father is not only

by their works not magnified, but also by the same intolerably

blasphemed. These testimonies of holy scripture, which are either

already cited, or hereafter to be intermixed in this epistle, I would

gladly wish to interpret in some historical or moral sense, as far as

my meanness would allow.

Sec. 94. But for fear lest this our little work should be immeasurably

tedious unto those who despise, loathe, and disdain, not so much our

speeches as God's sayings, I have already alleged, and mean hereafter to

affirm these sentences plainly without any circumstance. And to proceed,

within a few words after: "For whoever shall break one of the least of

these commandments, and so instruct men, shall be called the least in

the kingdom of heaven." And again: "Judge ye not that ye may not be

judged; for in what judgment ye shall judge, ye shall be judged." And

which one, I pray you, of your company will regard this same that

followeth: "But why dost thou see," saith he, "the mote in thy brother's

eye, and considerest not the beam in thine own eye? or how dost thou say

to thy brother, suffer me to cast the mote out of thine eye, and behold

the beam remaineth still in thine own eye?" Or this which follows: "Do

not give what is holy to dogs, neither yet shall ye cast your pearls

before swine, lest perchance they tread them under their feet, and turn

again and rend you," which hath often befallen you. And, admonishing the

people, that they should not by deceitful doctors, such as ye, be

seduced, he saith: "Keep yourselves carefully from false prophets, who

come unto you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves: by

their fruit shall ye know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs

of thistles? So every good tree beareth good fruit, and the evil, evil

fruit." And somewhat afterward: "Not every one who saith unto me, Lord,

Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but whoso doeth the will

of my Father that is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of

heaven."

Sec. 95. And what shall then become of you, who, as the prophet hath said,

believe God only with your lips, and do not adhere to him with your

hearts? And how do ye fulfil that which followeth: "Behold I send you

forth as sheep in the midst of wolves?" Whereas you act quite

contrariwise, and proceed as wolves against a flock of sheep: or the

other following sentence: "Be ye wise as serpents and simple as doves?"

since ye are only wise to bite others with your deadly mouths, and not,

with the interposition of your whole body, to defend your head, which

is Christ, whom with all the endeavours of your evil actions you tread

under foot; neither yet have ye the simplicity of doves, but the

resemblance rather of the black crow, which taking her flight out of the

ark, that is, the church of God, and finding the carrion of earthly

pleasures, did never with a pure return back thither again. But let us

look on the rest. "Fear not," saith he, "them who kill the body, but are

not able to slay the soul; but fear him who can overthrow both soul and

body in hell." Revolve in your minds which of these ye have performed?

And what one of you is not wounded in the very secrets of his heart, by

this testimony following, which our Saviour uttereth unto his apostles,

of evil prelates, saying, "Do ye suffer them, the blind leaders of the

blind, but if the blind be a guide to the blind, both shall fall into

the ditch?" But the people doubtless whom ye have governed, or rather

beguiled, have just occasion to listen hereunto.

Sec. 96. Mark ye also the words of our Lord speaking unto his apostles, and

to the people, which words likewise (as I hear) ye yourselves are not

ashamed to pronounce often in public: "Upon the chair of Moses have the

scribes and pharisees sat, observe ye therefore and accomplish all that

they shall speak unto you, but do not according to their works. For they

only speak, but of themselves do nothing." It is truly to priests a

dangerous and superfluous doctrine, which is overclouded with sinful

actions. "Woe be unto you, hypocrites, who shut up the kingdom of heaven

before men, and neither yourselves enter in, nor yet suffer those that

would to enter in." For ye shall with horrible pains be tormented, not

only in respect of your great offences, which ye heap up for punishment

in the world to come, but also in regard of those who daily perish

through your bad example, whose blood in the day of judgment shall be

required at your hands.

Yield ye also diligent attention unto the misery, which the parable

setteth before your eyes, that is spoken of the servant, who saith in

his heart, "My Lord delayeth his coming," and upon this occasion,

perchance, "hath begun to strike his fellow servants, eating and

drinking with drunkards. The Lord of the same servant, therefore, saith

he, will come on a day when he doth not expect him, and in an hour

whereof he is ignorant, and will divide him, away from his holy priests,

and will place his portion with the hypocrites (that is, with them who

under the pretence of priesthood do conceal much iniquity), affirming

that there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth;" such as they have

not experienced in this present life, either for the daily ruin of the

children of our holy mother church, or for the desire of the kingdom of

heaven.

Sec. 97. But let us see what Paul, the true scholar of Christ, and master

of the Gentiles, who is a mirror of every ecclesiastical doctor, "Even

as I am the disciple of Christ," speaketh about a work of such

importance in his first epistle on this wise: "Because when they have

known God, they have not magnified him as God, or given thanks unto him;

but vanished in their own cogitations, and their foolish heart is

blinded; affirming themselves to be wise, they are made fools." Although

this seemeth to be spoken unto the Gentiles, look into it

notwithstanding, because it may conveniently be applied to the priests

and people of this age. And after a few words, "Who have changed," saith

he, "the truth of God into lying, and have reverenced and served the

creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever; therefore

hath God given them over unto passions of ignominy." And again, "And

even as they have not approved themselves to have God in their

knowledge, so God hath yielded them up to a reprobate sense, that they

may do such things as are not convenient, being replenished with all

iniquity, malice, uncleanness of life, fornication, covetousness,

naughtiness, full of envy, murder (i.e. of the souls of the people),

contention, deceit, wickedness, backbiters, detractors, hateful to God,

spiteful, proud, puffed up, devisers of mischief, disobedient to their

parents, senseless, disordered, without mercy, without affection, who,

when they had known the justice of God, understood not that they who

commit such things, are worthy of death."

Sec. 98. And now what one of the aforesaid sort hath indeed been void of

all these? And if he were, yet perhaps he may be caught in the sense of

the ensuing sentence, wherein he saith: "Not only those who do these

things, but those also who consent unto them," for none of them truly

are free from this wickedness. And afterwards, "But thou, according to

thy hardness and impenitent heart, dost lay up for thyself wrath,

against the day of wrath, and revelation of the just judgment of God,

who will yield unto every one according unto his works." And again, "For

there is no acceptation of persons with God. For whosoever have offended

without the law, shall also without the law perish; whosoever have

offended in the law, shall by the law be judged. For the hearers of the

law shall not with God be accounted just, but the doers of the law shall

be justified." How severe a sentence shall they therefore sustain, who

not only leave undone what they ought to accomplish, and forbear not

what they are forbidden, but also flee away from the very hearing of the

word of God, as from a serpent, though lightly sounding in their ears.

Sec. 99. But let us pass over to that which followeth to this effect: "What

shall we therefore say, shall we continue still in sin that grace may

abound? God forbid, for we who are dead to sin, how shall we again live

in the same?" And somewhat afterwards, "Who shall separate us," saith

he, "from the love of Christ, tribulation, or distress, or persecution,

or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword?" What one, I pray you,

of all you, shall with such an affection be possessed in the inward

secret of his heart, since ye do not only labour for achieving of piety,

but also endure many things for the working of impiety, and offending of

Christ? Or who hath respected this that followeth? "The night hath

passed, and the day approached. Let us therefore cast off the works of

darkness, and put on the armour of light, even as in the day: let us

honestly walk, not in banqueting, and drunkenness, not in couches, and

wantonness, not in contention, and emulation; but put ye on our Lord

Jesus Christ, and make no care to bestow your flesh in concupiscences."

Sec. 100. And again, in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, he saith: "As

a wise workmaster have I laid the foundation, another buildeth

thereupon, but let every man consider how he buildeth thereon. For no

other man can lay any other foundation besides that which is laid, even

Christ Jesus. But if any man buildeth upon this, gold, and silver,

precious stones, hay, wood, stubble, every one's work shall be

manifest; for the day of our Lord shall declare the same, because it

shall be revealed in fire, and the fire shall prove what every man's

work is. If any man's work shall remain, all by the fire shall be

adjudged. Whoso shall build thereupon, shall receive reward. If any

man's work shall burn, he shall suffer detriment. Know ye not that ye

are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? But

if any man violate the temple of God, God will destroy him." And again,

"If any man seemeth to be wise among you in this world, let him be made

a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is

foolishness with God." And within a few words afterwards, "Your glorying

is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven corrupteth the whole mass?

Purge ye, therefore, the old leaven that ye may be a new sprinkling."

How shall the old leaven, which is sin, be purged away, that from day to

day with your uttermost endeavours is increased? And yet again, "I have

written unto you in mine epistle, that ye be not intermingled with

fornicators, not truly the fornicators of this world, or the avaricious,

ravenous, or idolatrous, otherwise ye ought to depart out of this world.

But now have I written unto you, that ye be not intermingled, if any one

is named a brother, and be a fornicator, or avaricious, or an idolator,

or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or ravenous, with such an one ye should

not so much as eat." But a felon condemneth not his fellow thief for

stealing, or other open robbery, whom he rather liketh, defendeth, and

loveth, as a companion of his offence.

Sec. 101. Also in his second epistle unto the Corinthians; "Having

therefore," saith he, "this administration, according as we have

obtained mercy, let us not fail, but let us cast away the secrets of

shame, not walking in subtility, nor yet corrupting the word of God,"

(that is, by evil example and flattery.) And in that which followeth, he

thus discourseth of wicked teachers, saying: "For such false apostles

are deceitful workmen, transfiguring themselves into the apostles of

Christ. And no wonder: for Satan himself transfigureth himself into an

angel of light. It is not much therefore if his ministers are

transfigured as ministers of justice, whose end will be according unto

their works."

Sec. 102. Hear likewise what he speaketh unto the Ephesians; and consider

if ye find not your consciences attainted as culpable of this that

followeth? where he denounceth thus: "I say and testify this in our

Lord, that ye do not as now walk like the Gentiles in the vanity of

their own sense, having their understanding obscured with darkness,

alienated from the way of God, through ignorance, which remaineth in

them in regard of the blindness of their heart, who despairing, have

yielded themselves over to uncleanness of life, for the working of all

filthiness and avarice." And which of ye hath willingly fulfilled that

which next ensueth? "Therefore be ye not made unwise, but understanding

what is the will of God, and be ye not drunk with wine, wherein there is

riotousness, but be ye fulfilled with the Holy Ghost."

Sec. 103. Or that which he saith to the Thessalonians. "For neither have we

been with you at any time in the speech of flattery, as yourselves do

know; neither upon occasion of avarice, neither seeking to be glorified

by men, neither by you, nor any others, when we might be honoured, as

other apostles of Christ. But we have been made as little ones in the

midst of you; or even as the nurse cherisheth her small tender children,

so desiring you, we would very gladly deliver unto you, not only the

gospel, but also our very lives." If in all things ye retained this

affection of the apostle, then might ye be likewise assured, that ye

lawfully possessed his chair. Or how have ye observed this that

followeth? "Ye know," saith he, "what precepts I have delivered unto

you. This is the will of our Lord, your sanctification, that ye abstain

from fornication; and that every one of you know how to possess his own

vessel, in honour and sanctification, not in the passion of desire, like

the Gentiles who are ignorant of God; and that none of you do encroach

upon or circumvent his brother in his business, because our Lord is the

revenger of all these. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but

unto sanctification. Therefore whoso despiseth these, doth not despise

man, but God." What one also among you hath advisedly and warily kept

this that ensueth: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the

earth, fornication, uncleanness of life, lust, and evil concupiscence,

for which the wrath of God hath come upon the children of diffidence?"

Ye perceive therefore upon what offences the wrath of God doth chiefly

arise.

Sec. 104. In which respect hear likewise what the same holy apostle, with a

prophetical spirit, foretelleth of you, and such as yourselves, writing

plainly in this sort to Timothy: "For know you this, that in the last

days there shall be dangerous times at hand. For men shall be

self-lovers, covetous, puffed up, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to

their parents, ungrateful, wicked, without affection, incontinent,

unmeek, without benignity, betrayers, froward, lofty, rather lovers of

sensual pleasures, than of God, having a show of piety, but renouncing

the virtue thereof." Avoid thou these men, even as the prophet saith: "I

have hated the congregation of the malicious, and with the wicked I will

not sit." And a little after, he uttereth that (which in our age we

behold to increase), saying: "Ever learning, and never attaining unto

the knowledge of truth; for even as Jannes and Mambres resisted Moses,

so do these also withstand the truth: men corrupted in mind, reprobate

against faith, but they shall prosper no further; for their folly shall

be manifest unto all, as theirs likewise was."

Sec. 105. And evidently doth he also declare how priests in their office

ought to behave themselves, writing thus to Titus: "Show thyself an

example of good works, in learning, in integrity, in gravity, having thy

word sound without offence, that he who standeth on the adverse part may

be afraid, having no evil to speak of us." And moreover he saith unto

Timothy, "Labour thou as a good soldier of Christ Jesus; no man fighting

in God's quarrel entangleth himself in worldly business, that he may

please him unto whom he hath approved himself; for whoso striveth in the

lists for the mastery, receiveth not the crown, unless he hath lawfully

contended." This is his exhortation to the good. Other matter also which

the same epistles contain, is a threatening advertisement to the wicked

(such as yourselves, in the judgment of all understanding persons,

appear to be). "If any one," saith he, "teacheth otherwise, and doth not

peaceably assent to the sound sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that

doctrine which is according to piety, he is proud, having no knowledge,

but languishing about questions, and contentions of words, out of which

do spring envies, debates, blasphemies, evil suspicions, conflicts of

men corrupted in mind, who are deprived of truth, esteeming commodity to

be piety."

Sec. 106. But why in using these testimonies, here and there dispersed, are

we any longer, as it were, tossed up and down in the silly boat of our

simple understanding, on the waves of sundry interpretations? We have

now therefore at length thought it necessary to have recourse to those

lessons,[247] which are gathered out of Holy Scriptures, to the end that

they should not only be rehearsed, but also be assenting and assisting

unto the benediction, wherewith the hands of priests, and others of

inferior sacred orders, are first consecrated, and that thereby they may

continually be warned never, by degenerating from their priestly

dignity, to digress from the commandments, which are faithfully

contained in the same; so as it may be plain and apparent unto all, that

everlasting torments are reserved for them, and that they are not

priests, or the servants of God, who do not with their utmost power

follow and fulfil the instructions and precepts. Wherefore let us hear

what the prince of the apostles, Saint Peter, hath signified about this

so weighty a matter, saying: "Blessed be God, and the Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ, who through his mercy hath regenerated us into the hope of

eternal life, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the

dead, into an inheritance which can never corrupt, never wither, neither

be defiled, preserved in heaven for you, who are kept in the virtue of

God;" why then do ye fondly violate such an inheritance, which is not as

an earthly one, transitory, but immortal and eternal? And somewhat

afterwards: "For which cause be ye girded in the loins of your mind,

sober, perfectly hoping in that grace which is offered to you in the

revelation of Jesus Christ:" examine ye now the depths of your hearts,

whether ye be sober and do perfectly preserve the grace of priesthood,

which shall be duly discussed and decided in the revelation of our Lord.

And again he saith: "As children of the benediction, not configuring

yourselves to those former desires of your ignorance; but according unto

him who hath called you holy, be ye also holy in all conversation. For

which cause it is written, Be ye holy, because I am holy." Which one of

you, I pray, hath with his whole mind so pursued sanctity, that he hath

earnestly hastened, as much as in him lay, to fulfil the same? But let

us behold what in the second lesson of the same apostle is contained:

"My dearest," saith he, "sanctify your souls for the obedience of faith,

through the Spirit, in charity, in brotherhood, loving one another out

of a true heart perpetually, as born again not of corruptible seed, but

of incorruptible, through the word of God, living and remaining for

ever."

Sec. 107. These are truly the commandments of the apostle; and read in the

day of your ordination, to the end ye should inviolably observe the

same, but they are not fulfilled by you in discretion and judgment, nay

not so much as duly considered or understood. And afterwards: "Laying

therefore aside all malice, and all deceits, and dissemblings, envy, and

detractions, as infants newly born, reasonable and without guile covet

ye milk, that ye may thereby grow to salvation, because our Lord is

sweet." Consider ye also in your minds, if these sayings which have

sounded in your deaf ears have not often likewise been trodden by you

under foot: and again: "Ye truly are the chosen lineage, the royal

priesthood, the holy nation, the people for adoption, that ye may

declare his virtues who hath called you out of darkness into his

marvellous light." But truly by you are not only the virtues of God not

declared and made more glorious, but also through your wicked examples

are they (by such as have not perfect belief) despised. Ye have

perchance at the same time likewise heard, what is read in the lesson of

the Acts, on this wise: "Peter arising in the midst of the disciples

said: Men and brethren, it is expedient that the Scripture be fulfilled,

which the Holy Ghost hath by the mouth of David foretold of Judas." And

a little after: "This man therefore purchased a field, of the reward of

iniquity." This have ye heard with a careless or rather blockish heart,

as though the reading thereof nothing at all appertained unto

yourselves. What one of you (I pray you) doth not seek the field of the

reward of iniquity? For Judas robbed and pillaged the purse, and ye

spoil and waste the sacred gifts and treasures of the church, together

with the souls of her children. He went to the Jews to make a market of

God, ye pass to the tyrants, and their father the devil, that ye may

despise Christ. _He_ set to sale the Saviour of the world for thirty

pence, and _you_ do so even for one poor halfpenny.

Sec. 108. What need many words? The example of Matthias is apparently laid

before you for your confusion, who was chosen into his place, not by his

own proper will, but by the election of the holy apostles, or rather the

judgment of Christ, whereat ye being blinded, do not perceive how far ye

run astray from his merits, while ye fall wilfully and headlong into the

manners and affection of Judas the traitor. It is therefore manifest

that he who wittingly from his heart termeth you priests, is not himself

a true and worthy Christian. And now I will assuredly speak what I

think: this reprehension might have been framed after a milder fashion,

but what availeth it to touch only with the hand, or dress with gentle

ointment, that wound which with imposthumation or stinking corruption is

now grown so horrible, that it requireth the searing iron, or the

ordinary help of the fire, if happily by any means it may be cured, the

diseased in the meanwhile not seeking a medicine, and the physician much

erring from a rightful remedy? O ye enemies of God, and not priests! O

ye traders of wickedness, and not bishops! O ye betrayers, and not

successors of the holy apostles! O ye adversaries, and not servants of

Christ! Ye have certainly heard at the least, the sound of the words,

which are in the second lesson taken out of the apostle Saint Paul,

although ye have no way observed the admonitions and virtue of them, but

even as statues (that neither see nor hear) stood that day at the altar,

while both then, and continually since he hath thundered in your ears,

saying: "Brethren, it is a faithful speech, and worthy of all

acceptance." He called it faithful and worthy, but ye have despised it

as unfaithful and unworthy. "If any man desireth a bishopric, he

desireth a good work." Ye do mightily covet a bishopric in respect of

avarice, but not for spiritual convenience and for the good work which

is suitable to the place, ye want it. "It behoveth therefore such a one

to be free from all cause of reprehension." At this saying we have more

need to shed tears than utter words; for it is as much as if the apostle

had said, he ought to be of all others most free from occasion of

rebuke. "The husband of one wife," which is likewise so condemned among

us, as if that word had never proceeded from him; "Sober, wise;" yea,

which of ye hath once desired to have these virtues engrafted in him,

"using hospitality." For this, if perchance it hath been found among

you, yet being nevertheless rather done to purchase the favour of the

people, than to accomplish the commandment, it is of no avail, our Lord

and Saviour saying thus: "Verily, I say unto you, they have received

their reward." Moreover, "A man adorned, not given to wine; no fighter,

but modest; not contentious, not covetous:" O lamentable change! O

horrible contempt of the heavenly commandments! And do ye not

continually use the force of your words and actions, for the

overthrowing or rather overwhelming of these, for whose defence and

confirmation, if need had required, ye ought to have suffered pains,

yea, and to have lost your very lives.

Sec. 109. But let us see what followeth: "Well governing," saith he, "his

house, having his children subjected with all chastity." Imperfect

therefore is the chastity of the parents, if the children be not also

endued with the same. But how shall it be, where neither the father, nor

the son, depraved by the example of his evil parent, is found to be

chaste? "But if any one knoweth not how to rule over his own house, how

shall he employ his care over the church of God?" These are the words,

that with apparent effects, should be made good and approved. "Deacons

in like manner, that they should be chaste, not doubled tongued, not

overgiven to much wine, not followers of filthy gain, having the mystery

of faith in a preconscience, and let these also be first approved, and

so let them administer, having no offence." And now trembling truly to

make any longer stay on these matters, I can for a conclusion affirm one

thing certainly, which is, that all these are changed into contrary

actions, in so much that clerks (which not without grief of heart, I

here confess,) are shameless and deceitful in their speeches, given to

drinking, covetous of filthy lucre, having faith (or to say more truly)

unfaithfulness in an impure conscience, ministering not upon probation

of their good works, but upon foreknowledge of their evil actions, and

being thus defiled with innumerable offences, they are notwithstanding

admitted unto the holy office; ye have likewise heard on the same day

(wherein ye should with far more right and reason have been drawn to

prison or punishment, than preferred unto priesthood) when our Lord

demanded whom his disciples supposed him to be, how Peter answered,

"Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God;" and our Lord in respect of

such his confession, said unto him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonas,

because flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father

who is in heaven." Peter therefore, instructed by God the Father, did

rightly confess Christ; but ye being taught by the devil your father,

do, with your lewd actions, wickedly deny our Saviour. It is said to the

true priest, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my

church:" but ye resembled "the foolish man, who hath builded his house

upon the sand." And verily it is to be noted, that God joineth not in

the workmanship with the unwise, when they build their house upon the

deceitful uncertainty of the sands, according unto that saying: "They

have made kings unto themselves, and not by me." Similarly that (which

followeth) soundeth in like sort, speaking thus: "And the gates of hell

(whereby infernal sins are to be understood) shall not prevail." But of

your frail and deadly frame, mark what is pronounced: "The floods came,

and the winds blew, and dashed upon that house and it fell, and great

was the ruin thereof." To Peter and his successors, our Lord doth say,

"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." But unto

you, "I know you not, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity," that

being separated with the goats of the left hand, ye may together with

them go into eternal fire. It is also promised unto every good priest,

"Whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, shall be likewise loosed in

heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, shall be in like sort

bound in heaven." But how shall ye loose any thing, that it may be

loosed also in heaven, since yourselves for your sins are severed from

heaven, and hampered in the bands of your own heinous offences, as

Solomon saith, "With the cords of his sins, every one is tied?" And with

what reason shall ye bind any thing on this earth, that above this world

may be likewise bound, unless it be your only selves, who, entangled in

your iniquities, are so detained on this earth, that ye cannot ascend

into heaven, but without your conversion unto our Lord in this life,

will fall down into the miserable prison of hell?

Sec. 110. Neither yet let any priest flatter himself upon the knowledge of

the particular cleanness of his own body, since their souls (over whom

he hath government) shall in the day of judgment be required at his

hands as the murderer of them, if any through his ignorance, sloth, or

fawning adulation, have perished, because the stroke of death is not

less terrible, that is given by a good man, than that which is inflicted

by an evil person; otherwise would the apostle never have said that

which he left unto his successors, as a fatherly legacy, "I am clear and

clean from the blood of all: for I have not forborne to declare unto you

all the counsel of God." Being therefore mightily drunken with the use

and custom of sins, and extremely overwhelmed with the waves (as it

were) of increasing offences, seek ye now forthwith the uttermost

endeavours of your minds (after this your shipwreck), that one plank of

repentance which is left, whereby ye may escape and swim to the land of

the living, that from you may be turned away the wrath of our Lord, who

saith, "I will not the death of a sinner: but that he may be converted

and live." And may the same Almighty God, of all consolation and mercy,

preserve his few good pastors from all evil, and (the common enemy being

overcome) make them free inhabitants of the heavenly city of Jerusalem,

which is the congregation of all saints; grant this, O Father, Son, and

Holy Ghost, to whom be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 240: Probably Cystennyn of the Bards. Constantine is a name

often occurring in the British royal families. The Constantine of Gildas

is supposed to have been king of Cornwall, who abdicated his throne, and

afterwards preached the gospel to the Picts and Scots. Some account of

him will be found in the Aberdeen Breviary, in the Acta Sanctorum,

March, vol. ii. p. 64, and in Whitaker's Cathedral of Cornwall, i. 325.]

[Footnote 241: The present counties of Devon and Cornwall.]

[Footnote 242: King of Powisland, which for some time formed a distinct

kingdom.]

[Footnote 243: Inhabitants of the counties of Cardigan, Pembroke, and

Carmarthen.]

[Footnote 244: His dominions were north of Cambria, between the Severn

and the Western Sea.]

[Footnote 245: Probably Maelgwn Gwynedd, king of North Wales.]

[Footnote 246: Vermilion, the English version, seems derived from

_vermes_, a worm.]

[Footnote 247: Gildas, in this and the following section, evidently

alludes to the Ordination Ritual of the Ancient British Church.]

NENNIUS'S

HISTORY OF THE BRITONS.

NENNIUS'S

HISTORY OF THE BRITONS.

I.--THE PROLOGUE.

Sec. 1. Nennius, the lowly minister and servant of the servants of God, by

the grace of God, disciple of St. Elbotus,[248] to all the followers of

truth sendeth health.

Be it known to your charity, that being dull in intellect and rude of

speech, I have presumed to deliver these things in the Latin tongue, not

trusting to my own learning, which is little or none at all, but partly

from traditions of our ancestors, partly from writings and monuments of

the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the

Romans, and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymus,

Prosper, Eusebius, and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons,

although our enemies, not following my own inclinations, but, to the

best of my ability, obeying the commands of my seniors; I have lispingly

put together this history from various sources, and have endeavoured,

from shame, to deliver down to posterity the few remaining ears of corn

about past transactions, that they might not be trodden under foot,

seeing that an ample crop has been snatched away already by the hostile

reapers of foreign nations. For many things have been in my way, and I,

to this day, have hardly been able to understand, even superficially, as

was necessary, the sayings of other men; much less was I able in my own

strength, but like a barbarian, have I murdered and defiled the language

of others. But I bore about with me an inward wound, and I was

indignant, that the name of my own people, formerly famous and

distinguished, should sink into oblivion, and like smoke be dissipated.

But since, however, I had rather myself be the historian of the Britons

than nobody, although so many are to be found who might much more

satisfactorily discharge the labour thus imposed on me; I humbly entreat

my readers, whose ears I may offend by the inelegance of my words, that

they will fulfil the wish of my seniors, and grant me the easy task of

listening with candour to my history. For zealous efforts very often

fail: but bold enthusiasm, were it in its power, would not suffer me to

fail. May, therefore, candour be shown where the inelegance of my words

is insufficient, and may the truth of this history, which my rustic

tongue has ventured, as a kind of plough, to trace out in furrows, lose

none of its influence from that cause, in the ears of my hearers. For it

is better to drink a wholesome draught of truth from a humble vessel,

than poison mixed with honey from a golden goblet.

Sec. 2. And do not be loath, diligent reader, to winnow my chaff, and lay

up the wheat in the storehouse of your memory: for truth regards not who

is the speaker, nor in what manner it is spoken, but that the thing be

true; and she does not despise the jewel which she has rescued from the

mud, but she adds it to her former treasures.

For I yield to those who are greater and more eloquent than myself, who,

kindled with generous ardour, have endeavoured by Roman eloquence to

smooth the jarring elements of their tongue, if they have left unshaken

any pillar of history which I wished to see remain. This history

therefore has been compiled from a wish to benefit my inferiors, not

from envy of those who are superior to me, in the 858th year of our

Lord's incarnation, and in the 24th year of Mervin, king of the Britons,

and I hope that the prayers of my betters will be offered up for me in

recompence of my labour. But this is sufficient by way of preface. I

shall obediently accomplish the rest to the utmost of my power.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 248: Or Elvod, bishop of Bangor, A.D. 755, who first adopted

in the Cambrian church the new cycle for regulating Easter.]

II.--THE APOLOGY OF NENNIUS.

Here begins the apology of Nennius, the historiographer of the Britons,

of the race of the Britons.

Sec. 3. I, Nennius, disciple of St. Elbotus, have endeavoured to write some

extracts which the dulness of the British nation had cast away, because

teachers had no knowledge, nor gave any information in their books about

this island of Britain. But I have got together all that I could find

as well from the annals of the Romans as from the chronicles of the

sacred fathers, Hieronymus, Eusebius, Isidorus, Prosper, and from the

annals of the Scots and Saxons, and from our ancient traditions. Many

teachers and scribes have attempted to write this, but somehow or other

have abandoned it from its difficulty, either on account of frequent

deaths, or the often recurring calamities of war. I pray that every

reader who shall read this book, may pardon me, for having attempted,

like a chattering jay, or like some weak witness, to write these things,

after they had failed. I yield to him who knows more of these things

than I do.

III.--THE HISTORY.

Sec. 4, 5. From Adam to the flood, are two thousand and forty-two years.

From the flood to Abraham, nine hundred and forty-two. From Abraham to

Moses, six hundred.[249] From Moses to Solomon, and the first building

of the temple, four hundred and forty-eight. From Solomon to the

rebuilding of the temple, which was under Darius, king of the Persians,

six hundred and twelve years are computed. From Darius to the ministry

of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the fifteenth year of the emperor

Tiberius, are five hundred and forty-eight years. So that from Adam to

the ministry of Christ and the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberius,

are five thousand two hundred and twenty-eight years. From the passion

of Christ are completed nine hundred and forty-six; from his

incarnation, nine hundred and seventy-six: being the fifth year of

Edmund, king of the Angles.

Sec. 6. The first age of the world is from Adam to Noah; the second from

Noah to Abraham; the third from Abraham to David; the fourth from David

to Daniel; the fifth to John the Baptist; the sixth from John to the

judgment, when our Lord Jesus Christ will come to judge the living and

the dead, and the world by fire.

The first Julius. The second Claudius. The third Severus. The fourth

Carinus. The fifth Constantius. The sixth Maximus. The seventh

Maximianus. The eighth another Severus AEquantius. The ninth

Constantius.[250]

Here beginneth the history of the Britons, edited by Mark the anchorite,

a holy bishop of that people.

Sec. 7. The island of Britain derives its name from Brutus, a Roman consul.

Taken from the south-west point it inclines a little towards the west,

and to its northern extremity measures eight hundred miles, and is in

breadth two hundred. It contains thirty-three cities,[251] viz.

1. Cair ebrauc (_York_).

2. Cair ceint (_Canterbury_).

3. Cair gurcoc (_Anglesey?_)

4. Cair guorthegern.[252]

5. Cair custeint (_Carnarvon_).

6. Cair guoranegon (_Worcester_).

7. Cair segeint (_Silchester_).

8. Cair guin truis (_Norwich_, or _Winwick_).

9. Cair merdin (_Caermarthen_).

10. Cair peris (_Porchester_).

11. Cair lion (_Caerleon-upon-Usk_).

12. Cair mencipit (_Verulam_).

13. Cair caratauc (_Catterick_).

14. Cair ceri (_Cirencester_).

15. Cair gloui (_Gloucester_).

18. Cair luilid (_Carlisle_).

17. Cair grant (_Grantchester_, now _Cambridge_).

18. Cair daun (_Doncaster_), or Cair dauri (_Dorchester_).

19. Cair britoc (_Bristol_).

20. Cair meguaid (_Meivod_).

21. Cair mauiguid (_Manchester_).

22. Cair ligion (_Chester_).

23. Cair guent (_Winchester_, or _Caerwent_, in _Monmouthshire_).

24. Cair collon (_Colchester_, or _St. Colon, Cornwall_).

25. Cair londein (_London_).

26. Cair guorcon (_Worren_, or _Woran_, in _Pembrokeshire_).

27. Cair lerion (_Leicester_).

28. Cair draithou (_Drayton_).

29. Cair pensavelcoit (_Pevensey_, in _Sussex_).

30. Cair teim (_Teyn-Grace_, in _Devonshire_).

31. Cair Urnahc (_Wroxeter_, in _Shropshire_).

32. Cair colemion (_Oarnalet_, in _Somersetshire_).

33. Cair loit coit (_Lincoln_).

These are the names of the ancient cities of the island of Britain. It

has also a vast many promontories, and castles innumerable, built of

brick and stone. Its inhabitants consist of four different people; the

Scots, the Picts, the Saxons, and the ancient Britons.

Sec. 8. Three considerable islands belong to it; one, on the south,

opposite the Armorican shore, called Wight;[253] another between Ireland

and Britain, called Eubonia or Man; and another directly north, beyond

the Picts, named Orkney; and hence it was anciently a proverbial

expression, in reference to its kings and rulers, "He reigned over

Britain and its three islands."

Sec. 9. It is fertilized by several rivers, which traverse it in all

directions, to the east and west, to the south and north; but there are

two pre-eminently distinguished among the rest, the Thames and the

Severn, which formerly, like the two arms of Britain, bore the ships

employed in the conveyance of the riches acquired by commerce. The

Britons were once very populous, and exercised extensive dominion from

sea to sea.

Sec. 10.[254] Respecting the period when this island became inhabited

subsequently to the flood, I have seen two distinct relations. According

to the annals of the Roman history, the Britons deduce their origin both

from the Greeks and Romans. On the side of the mother, from Lavinia, the

daughter of Latinus, king of Italy, and of the race of Silvanus, the son

of Inachus, the son of Dardanus; who was the son of Saturn, king of the

Greeks, and who, having possessed himself of a part of Asia, built the

city of Troy. Dardanus was the father of Troius, who was the father of

Priam and Anchises; Anchises was the father of AEneas, who was the father

of Ascanius and Silvius; and this Silvius was the son of AEneas and

Lavinia, the daughter of the king of Italy. From the sons of AEneas and

Lavinia descended Romulus and Remus, who were the sons of the holy queen

Rhea, and the founders of Rome. Brutus was consul when he conquered

Spain, and reduced that country to a Roman province. He afterwards

subdued the island of Britain, whose inhabitants were the descendants of

the Romans, from Silvius Posthumus. He was called _Posthumus_ because he

was born after the death of AEneas his father; and his mother Lavinia

concealed herself during her pregnancy; he was called _Silvius_, because

he was born in a wood. Hence the Roman kings were called Silvan, and the

Britons who sprang from him; but they were called Britons from Brutus,

and rose from the family of Brutus.

AEneas, after the Trojan war, arrived with his son in Italy; and having

vanquished Turnus, married Lavinia, the daughter of king Latinus, who

was the son of Faunas, the son of Picus, the son of Saturn. After the

death of Latinus, AEneas obtained the kingdom of the Romans, and Lavinia

brought forth a son, who was named Silvius. Ascanius founded Alba, and

afterwards married. And Lavinia bore to AEneas a son, named Silvius; but

Ascanius[255] married a wife, who conceived and became pregnant. And

AEneas, having been informed that his daughter-in-law was pregnant,

ordered his son to send his magician to examine his wife, whether the

child conceived were male or female. The magician came and examined the

wife and pronounced it to be a son, who should become the most valiant

among the Italians, and the most beloved of all men.[256] In consequence

of this prediction, the magician was put to death by Ascanius; but it

happened that the mother of the child dying at its birth, he was named

Brutus; and after a certain interval, agreeably to what the magician had

foretold, whilst he was playing with some others he shot his father with

an arrow, not intentionally but by accident.[257] He was, for this

cause, expelled from Italy, and came to the islands of the Tyrrhene sea,

when he was exiled on account of the death of Turnus, slain by AEneas. He

then went among the Gauls, and built the city of the Turones, called

Turnis.[258] At length he came to this island, named from him Britannia,

dwelt there, and filled it with his own descendants, and it has been

inhabited from that time to the present period.

Sec. 11. AEneas reigned over the Latins three years; Ascanius thirty-three

years; after whom Silvius reigned twelve years, and Posthumus

thirty-nine[259] years: the latter, from whom the kings of Alba are

called Silvan, was brother to Brutus, who governed Britain at the time

Eli the high-priest judged Israel, and when the ark of the covenant was

taken by a foreign people. But Posthumus his brother reigned among the

Latins.

Sec. 12. After an interval of not less than eight hundred years, came the

Picts, and occupied the Orkney Islands: whence they laid waste many

regions, and seized those on the left hand side of Britain, where they

still remain, keeping possession of a third part of Britain to this

day.[260]

Sec. 13. Long after this, the Scots arrived in Ireland from Spain. The

first that came was Partholomus,[261] with a thousand men and women;

these increased to four thousand; but a mortality coming suddenly upon

them, they all perished in one week. The second was Nimech, the son of

...,[262] who, according to report, after having been at sea a year and

a half, and having his ships shattered, arrived at a port in Ireland,

and continuing there several years, returned at length with his

followers to Spain. After these came three sons of a Spanish soldier

with thirty ships, each of which contained thirty wives; and having

remained there during the space of a year, there appeared to them, in

the middle of the sea, a tower of glass, the summit of which seemed

covered with men, to whom they often spoke, but received no answer. At

length they determined to besiege the tower; and after a year's

preparation, advanced towards it, with the whole number of their ships,

and all the women, one ship only excepted, which had been wrecked, and

in which were thirty men, and as many women; but when all had

disembarked on the shore which surrounded the tower, the sea opened and

swallowed them up. Ireland, however, was peopled, to the present period,

from the family remaining in the vessel which was wrecked. Afterwards,

others came from Spain, and possessed themselves of various parts of

Britain.

Sec. 14. Last of all came one Hoctor,[263] who continued there, and whose

descendants remain there to this day. Istoreth, the son of Istorinus,

with his followers, held Dalrieta; Buile had the island Eubonia, and

other adjacent places. The sons of Liethali[264] obtained the country of

the Dimetae, where is a city called Menavia,[265] and the province Guiher

and Cetgueli,[266] which they held till they were expelled from every

part of Britain, by Cunedda and his sons.

Sec. 15. According to the most learned among the Scots, if any one desires

to learn what I am now going to state, Ireland was a desert, and

uninhabited, when the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, in which,

as we read in the Book of the Law, the Egyptians who followed them were

drowned. At that period, there lived among this people, with a numerous

family, a Scythian of noble birth, who had been banished from his

country, and did not go to pursue the people of God. The Egyptians who

were left, seeing the destruction of the great men of their nation, and

fearing lest he should possess himself of their territory, took counsel

together, and expelled him. Thus reduced, he wandered forty-two years in

Africa, and arrived, with his family, at the altars of the Philistines,

by the Lake of Osiers. Then passing between Rusicada and the hilly

country of Syria, they travelled by the river Malva through Mauritania

as far as the Pillars of Hercules; and crossing the Tyrrhene Sea, landed

in Spain, where they continued many years, having greatly increased and

multiplied. Thence, a thousand and two years after the Egyptians were

lost in the Red Sea, they passed into Ireland, and the district of

Dalrieta.[267] At that period, Brutus, who first exercised the consular

office, reigned over the Romans; and the state, which before was

governed by regal power, was afterwards ruled, during four hundred and

forty-seven years, by consuls, tribunes of the people, and dictators.

The Britons came to Britain in the third age of the world; and in the

fourth, the Scots took possession of Ireland.

The Britons who, suspecting no hostilities, were unprovided with the

means of defence, were unanimously and incessantly attacked, both by the

Scots from the west, and by the Picts from the north. A long interval

after this, the Romans obtained the empire of the world.

Sec. 16. From the first arrival of the Saxons into Britain, to the fourth

year of king Mermenus are computed four hundred and twenty-eight years;

from the nativity of our Lord to the coming of St. Patrick among the

Scots, four hundred and five years; from the death of St. Patrick to

that of St. Bridget, forty years; and from the birth of Columcille[268]

to the death of St. Bridget four years.[269]

Sec. 17. I have learned another account of this Brutus from the ancient

books of our ancestors.[270] After the deluge, the three sons of Noah

severally occupied three different parts of the earth: Shem extended his

borders into Asia, Ham into Africa, and Japheth into Europe.

The first man that dwelt in Europe was Alanus, with his three sons,

Hisicion, Armenon, and Neugio. Hisicion had four sons, Francus, Romanus,

Alamanus, and Brutus. Armenon had five sons, Gothus, Valagothus,

Cibidus, Burgundus, and Longobardus. Neugio had three sons, Vandalus,

Saxo, and Boganus. From Hisicion arose four nations--the Franks, the

Latins, the Germans, and Britons: from Armenon, the Gothi, Valagothi,

Cibidi, Burgundi, and Longobardi: from Neugio, the Bogari, Vandali,

Saxones, and Tarinegi. The whole of Europe was subdivided into these

tribes.

Alanus is said to have been the son of Fethuir;[271] Fethuir the son of

Ogomuin, who was the son of Thoi; Thoi was the son of Boibus, Boibus of

Semion, Semion of Mair, Mair of Ecthactus, Ecthactus of Aurthack,

Aurthack of Ethec, Ethec of Ooth, Ooth of Aber, Aber of Ra, Ra of Esraa,

Esraa of Hisrau, Hisrau of Bath, Bath of Jobath, Jobath of Joham, Joham

of Japheth, Japheth of Noah, Noah of Lamech, Lamech of Mathusalem,

Mathusalem of Enoch, Enoch of Jared, Jared of Malalehel, Malalehel of

Cainan, Cainan of Enos, Enos of Seth, Seth of Adam, and Adam was formed

by the living God. We have obtained this information respecting the

original inhabitants of Britain from ancient tradition.

Sec. 18. The Britons were thus called from Brutus: Brutus was the son of

Hisicion, Hisicion was the son of Alanus, Alanus was the son of Rhea

Silvia, Rhea Silvia was the daughter of Numa Pompilius, Numa was the son

of Ascanius, Ascanius of Eneas, Eneas of Anchises, Anchises of Troius,

Troius of Dardanus, Dardanus of Flisa, Flisa of Juuin, Juuin of

Japheth; but Japheth had seven sons; from the first, named Gomer,

descended the Galli; from the second, Magog, the Scythi and Gothi; from

the third, Madian, the Medi; from the fourth, Juuan, the Greeks; from

the fifth, Tubal, arose the Hebrei, Hispani, and Itali; from the sixth,

Mosoch, sprung the Cappadoces; and from the seventh, named Tiras,

descended the Thraces: these are the sons of Japheth, the son of Noah,

the son of Lamech.

Sec. 19.[272] The Romans having obtained the dominion of the world, sent

legates or deputies to the Britons to demand of them hostages and

tribute, which they received from all other countries and islands; but

they, fierce, disdainful, and haughty, treated the legation with

contempt.

Then Julius Caesar, the first who had acquired absolute power at Rome,

highly incensed against the Britons, sailed with sixty vessels to the

mouth of the Thames, where they suffered shipwreck whilst he fought

against Dolobellus,[273] (the proconsul of the British king, who was

called Belinus,[274] and who was the son of Minocannus who governed all

the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea), and thus Julius Caesar returned home

without victory, having had his soldiers slain, and his ships shattered.

Sec. 20. But after three years he again appeared with a large army, and

three hundred ships, at the mouth of the Thames, where he renewed

hostilities. In this attempt many of his soldiers and horses were

killed; for the same consul had placed iron pikes in the shallow part of

the river, and this having been effected with so much skill and secrecy

as to escape the notice of the Roman soldiers, did them considerable

injury; thus Caesar was once more compelled to return without peace or

victory. The Romans were, therefore, a third time sent against the

Britons; and under the command of Julius, defeated them near a place

called Trinovantum [London], forty-seven years before the birth of

Christ, and five thousand two hundred and twelve years from the

creation.

Julius was the first exercising supreme power over the Romans who

invaded Britain: in honour of him the Romans decreed the fifth month to

be called after his name. He was assassinated in the Curia, in the ides

of March, and Octavius Augustus succeeded to the empire of the world. He

was the only emperor who received tribute from the Britons, according to

the following verse of Virgil:

"Purpurea intexti tollunt aulaea Britanni."

Sec. 21. The second after him, who came into Britain, was the emperor

Claudius, who reigned forty-seven years after the birth of Christ. He

carried with him war and devastation; and, though not without loss of

men, he at length conquered Britain. He next sailed to the Orkneys,

which he likewise conquered, and afterwards rendered tributary. No

tribute was in his time received from the Britons; but it was paid to

British emperors. He reigned thirteen years and eight months. His

monument is to be seen at Moguntia (among the Lombards), where he died

in his way to Rome.

Sec. 22. After the birth of Christ, one hundred and sixty-seven years, king

Lucius, with all the chiefs of the British people, received baptism, in

consequence of a legation sent by the Roman emperors and pope

Evaristus.[275]

Sec. 23. Severus was the third emperor who passed the sea to Britain,

where, to protect the provinces recovered from barbaric incursions, he

ordered a wall and a rampart to be made between the Britons, the Scots,

and the Picts, extending across the island from sea to sea, in length

one hundred and thirty-three[276] miles: and it is called in the British

language, Gwal.[277] Moreover, he ordered it to be made between the

Britons, and the Picts and Scots; for the Scots from the west, and the

Picts from the north, unanimously made war against the Britons; but were

at peace among themselves. Not long after Severus dies in Britain.

Sec. 24. The fourth was the emperor and tyrant, Carausius, who, incensed at

the murder of Severus, passed into Britain, and attended by the leaders

of the Roman people, severely avenged upon the chiefs and rulers of the

Britons, the cause of Severus.[278]

Sec. 25. The fifth was Constantius the father of Constantine the Great. He

died in Britain; his sepulchre, as it appears by the inscription on his

tomb, is still seen near the city named Cair segont (near Carnarvon).

Upon the pavement of the above-mentioned city he sowed three seeds of

gold, silver, and brass, that no poor person might ever be found in it.

It is also called Minmanton.[279]

Sec. 26. Maximianus[280] was the sixth emperor that ruled in Britain. It

was in his time that consuls[281] began, and that the appellation of

Caesar was discontinued: at this period also, St. Martin became

celebrated for his virtues and miracles, and held a conversation with

him.

Sec. 27. The seventh emperor was Maximus. He withdrew from Britain with all

his military force, slew Gratian, the king of the Romans, and obtained

the sovereignty of all Europe. Unwilling to send back his warlike

companions to their wives, children, and possessions in Britain, he

conferred upon them numerous districts from the lake on the summit of

Mons Jovis, to the city called Cant Guic, and to the western Tumulus,

that is, to Cruc Occident.[282] These are the Armoric Britons, and they

remain there to the present day. In consequence of their absence,

Britain being overcome by foreign nations, the lawful heirs were cast

out, till God interposed with his assistance. We are informed by the

tradition of our ancestors that _seven_ emperors went into Britain,

though the Romans affirm there were _nine_.

The eighth was another Severus, who lived occasionally in Britain, and

sometimes at Rome, where he died.

The ninth was Constantius who reigned sixteen years in Britain, and,

according to report, was treacherously murdered in the seventeenth year

of his reign.

Sec. 28. Thus, agreeably to the account given by the Britons, the Romans

governed them four hundred and nine years.

After this, the Britons despised the authority of the Romans, equally

refusing to pay them tribute, or to receive their kings; nor durst the

Romans any longer attempt the government of a country, the natives of

which massacred their deputies.

Sec. 29. We must now return to the tyrant Maximus. Gratian, with his

brother Valentinian, reigned seven years. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, was

then eminent for his skill in the dogmata of the Catholics.

Valentinianus and Theodosius reigned eight years. At that time a synod

was held at Constantinople, attended by three hundred and fifty of the

fathers, and in which all heresies were condemned. Jerome, the presbyter

of Bethlehem, was then universally celebrated. Whilst Gratian exercised

supreme dominion over the world, Maximus, in a sedition of the soldiers,

was saluted emperor in Britain, and soon after crossed the sea to Gaul.

At Paris, by the treachery of Mellobaudes, his master of the horse,

Gratian was defeated, and fleeing to Lyons, was taken and put to death;

Maximus afterwards associated his son Victor in the government.

Martin, distinguished for his great virtues, was at this period bishop

of Tours. After a considerable space of time, Maximus was divested of

royal power by the consuls Valentinianus and Theodosius, and sentenced

to be beheaded at the third milestone from Aquileia: in the same year

also his son Victor was killed in Gaul by Arbogastes, five thousand six

hundred and ninety years from the creation of the world.

Sec. 30. Thrice were the Roman deputies put to death by the Britons, and

yet these, when harassed by the incursions of the barbarous nations,

viz. of the Scots and Picts, earnestly solicited the aid of the Romans.

To give effect to their entreaties, ambassadors were sent, who made

their entrance with impressions of deep sorrow, having their heads

covered with dust, and carrying rich presents to expiate the murder of

the deputies. They were favourably received by the consuls, and swore

submission to the Roman yoke, with whatever severity it might be

imposed.

The Romans, therefore, came with a powerful army to the assistance of

the Britons; and having appointed over them a ruler, and settled the

government, returned to Rome: and this took place alternately during the

space of three hundred and forty-eight years. The Britons, however, from

the oppression of the empire, again massacred the Roman deputies, and

again petitioned for succour. Once more the Romans undertook the

government of the Britons, and assisted them in repelling their

neighbours; and, after having exhausted the country of its gold, silver,

brass, honey, and costly vestments, and having besides received rich

gifts, they returned in great triumph to Rome.

Sec. 31. After the above-said war between the Britons and Romans, the

assassination of their rulers, and the victory of Maximus, who slew

Gratian, and the termination of the Roman power in Britain, they were in

alarm forty years.

Vortigern then reigned in Britain. In his time, the natives had cause of

dread, not only from the inroads of the Scots and Picts, but also from

the Romans, and their apprehensions of Ambrosius.[283]

In the meantime, three vessels, exiled from Germany, arrived in Britain.

They were commanded by Horsa and Hengist, brothers, and sons of

Wihtgils. Wihtgils was the son of Witta; Witta of Wecta; Wecta of Woden;

Woden of Frithowald; Frithowald of Frithuwulf; Frithuwulf of Finn; Finn

of Godwulf; Godwulf of Geat, who, as they say, was the son of a god,

not[284] of the omnipotent God and our Lord Jesus Christ (who before

the beginning of the world, was with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

co-eternal and of the same substance, and who, in compassion to human

nature, disdained not to assume the form of a servant), but the

offspring of one of their idols, and whom, blinded by some demon, they

worshipped according to the custom of the heathen. Vortigern received

them as friends, and delivered up to them the island which is in their

language called Thanet, and, by the Britons, Ruym.[285] Gratianus

AEquantius at that time reigned in Rome. The Saxons were received by

Vortigern, four hundred and forty-seven years after the passion of

Christ, and,[286] according to the tradition of our ancestors, from the

period of their first arrival in Britain, to the first year of the reign

of king Edmund, five hundred and forty-two years; and to that in which

we now write, which is the fifth of his reign, five hundred and

forty-seven years.

Sec. 32. At that time St. Germanus, distinguished for his numerous virtues,

came to preach in Britain: by his ministry many were saved; but many

likewise died unconverted. Of the various miracles which God enabled him

to perform, I shall here mention only a few: I shall first advert to

that concerning an iniquitous and tyrannical king, named Benlli.[287]

The holy man, informed of his wicked conduct, hastened to visit him, for

the purpose of remonstrating with him. When the man of God, with his

attendants, arrived at the gate of the city, they were respectfully

received by the keeper of it, who came out and saluted them. Him they

commissioned to communicate their intention to the king, who returned a

harsh answer, declaring, with an oath, that although they remained there

a year, they should not enter the city. While waiting for an answer, the

evening came on, and they knew not where to go. At length, came one of

the king's servants, who bowing himself before the man of God, announced

the words of the tyrant, inviting them, at the same time, to his own

house, to which they went, and were kindly received. It happened,

however, that he had no cattle, except one cow and a calf, the latter of

which, urged by generous hospitality to his guests, he killed, dressed,

and set before them. But holy St. Germanus ordered his companions not to

break a bone of the calf; and, the next morning, it was found alive

uninjured, and standing by its mother.

Sec. 33. Early the same day, they again went to the gate of the city, to

solicit audience of the wicked king; and, whilst engaged in fervent

prayer they were waiting for admission, a man, covered with sweat, came

out, and prostrated himself before them. Then St. Germanus, addressing

him, said, "Dost thou believe in the Holy Trinity?" To which the man

having replied, "I do believe," he baptized, and kissed him, saying, "Go

in peace; within this hour thou shalt die: the angels of God are waiting

for thee in the air; with them thou shalt ascend to that God in whom

thou hast believed." He, overjoyed, entered the city, and being met by

the prefect, was seized, bound, and conducted before the tyrant, who

having passed sentence upon him, he was immediately put to death; for it

was a law of this wicked king, that whoever was not at his labour before

sun-rising should be beheaded in the citadel. In the meantime, St.

Germanus, with his attendants, waited the whole day before the gate,

without obtaining admission to the tyrant.

Sec. 34. The man above-mentioned, however, remained with them. "Take care,"

said St. Germanus to him, "that none of your friends remain this night

within these walls." Upon this he hastily entered the city, brought out

his nine sons, and with them retired to the house where he had exercised

such generous hospitality. Here St. Germanus ordered them to continue,

fasting; and when the gates were shut, "Watch," said he, "and whatever

shall happen in the citadel, turn not thither your eyes; but pray

without ceasing, and invoke the protection of the true God." And,

behold, early in the night, fire fell from heaven, and burned the city,

together with all those who were with the tyrant, so that not one

escaped; and that citadel has never been rebuilt even to this day.

Sec. 35. The following day, the hospitable man who had been converted by

the preaching of St. Germanus, was baptized, with his sons, and all the

inhabitants of that part of the country; and St. Germanus blessed him,

saying, "a king shall not be wanting of thy seed for ever." The name of

this person is Catel Drunluc:[288] "from henceforward thou shalt be a

king all the days of thy life." Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of the

Psalmist: "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the

needy out of the dunghill." And agreeably to the prediction of St.

Germanus, from a servant he became a king: all his sons were kings, and

from their offspring the whole country of Powys has been governed to

this day.

Sec. 36. After the Saxons had continued some time in the island of Thanet,

Vortigern promised to supply them with clothing and provision, on

condition they would engage to fight against the enemies of his country.

But the barbarians having greatly increased in number, the Britons

became incapable of fulfilling their engagement; and when the Saxons,

according to the promise they had received, claimed a supply of

provisions and clothing, the Britons replied, "Your number is increased;

your assistance is now unnecessary; you may, therefore, return home, for

we can no longer support you;" and hereupon they began to devise means

of breaking the peace between them.

Sec. 37. But Hengist, in whom united craft and penetration, perceiving he

had to act with an ignorant king, and a fluctuating people, incapable of

opposing much resistance, replied to Vortigern, "We are, indeed, few in

number; but, if you will give us leave, we will send to our country for

an additional number of forces, with whom we will fight for you and your

subjects." Vortigern assenting to this proposal, messengers were

despatched to Scythia, where selecting a number of warlike troops, they

returned with sixteen vessels, bringing with them the beautiful daughter

of Hengist. And now the Saxon chief prepared an entertainment, to which

he invited the king, his officers, and Ceretic, his interpreter, having

previously enjoined his daughter to serve them so profusely with wine

and ale, that they might soon become intoxicated. This plan succeeded;

and Vortigern, at the instigation of the devil, and enamoured with the

beauty of the damsel, demanded her, through the medium of his

interpreter, of the father, promising to give for her whatever he should

ask. Then Hengist, who had already consulted with the elders who

attended him of the Oghgul[289] race, demanded for his daughter the

province, called in English, Centland, in British, Ceint, (Kent.) This

cession was made without the knowledge of the king, Guoyrancgonus,[290]

who then reigned in Kent, and who experienced no inconsiderable share of

grief, from seeing his kingdom thus clandestinely, fraudulently, and

imprudently resigned to foreigners. Thus the maid was delivered up to

the king, who slept with her, and loved her exceedingly.

Sec. 38. Hengist, after this, said to Vortigern, "I will be to you both a

father and an adviser; despise not my counsels, and you shall have no

reason to fear being conquered by any man or any nation whatever; for

the people of my country are strong, warlike, and robust: if you

approve, I will send for my son and his brother, both valiant men, who

at my invitation will fight against the Scots, and you can give them the

countries in the north, near the wall called _Gual_."[291] The

incautious sovereign having assented to this, Octa and Ebusa arrived

with forty ships. In these they sailed round the country of the Picts,

laid waste the Orkneys, and took possession of many regions, even to the

Pictish confines.[292]

But Hengist continued, by degrees, sending for ships from his own

country, so that some islands whence they came were left without

inhabitants; and whilst his people were increasing in power and number,

they came to the above-named province of Kent.

Sec. 39. In the meantime, Vortigern, as if desirous of adding to the evils

he had already occasioned, married his own daughter, by whom he had a

son. When this was made known to St. Germanus, he came, with all the

British clergy, to reprove him: and whilst a numerous assembly of the

ecclesiastics and laity were in consultation, the weak king ordered his

daughter to appear before them, and in the presence of all to present

her son to St. Germanus, and declare that he was the father of the

child. The immodest[293] woman obeyed; and St. Germanus, taking the

child, said, "I will be a father to you, my son; nor will I dismiss you

till a razor, scissors, and comb, are given to me, and it is allowed you

to give them to your carnal father." The child obeyed St. Germanus, and,

going to his father Vortigern, said to him, "Thou art my father; shave

and cut the hair of my head." The king blushed, and was silent; and,

without replying to the child, arose in great anger, and fled from the

presence of St. Germanus, execrated and condemned by the whole synod.

Sec. 40. But soon after, calling together his twelve wise men, to consult

what was to be done, they said to him, "Retire to the remote boundaries

of your kingdom; there build and fortify a city[294] to defend yourself,

for the people you have received are treacherous; they are seeking to

subdue you by stratagem, and, even during your life, to seize upon all

the countries subject to your power, how much more will they attempt,

after your death!" The king, pleased with this advice, departed with his

wise men, and travelled through many parts of his territories, in search

of a place convenient for the purpose of building a citadel. Having, to

no purpose, travelled far and wide, they came at length to a province

called Guenet;[295] and having surveyed the mountains of Heremus,[296]

they discovered, on the summit of one of them, a situation, adapted to

the construction of a citadel. Upon this, the wise men said to the king,

"Build here a city; for, in this place, it will ever be secure against

the barbarians." Then the king sent for artificers, carpenters,

stone-masons, and collected all the materials requisite to building; but

the whole of these disappeared in one night, so that nothing remained

of what had been provided for the constructing of the citadel. Materials

were, therefore, from all parts, procured a second and third time, and

again vanished as before, leaving and rendering every effort

ineffectual. Vortigern inquired of his wise men the cause of this

opposition to his undertaking, and of so much useless expense of labour?

They replied, "You must find a child born without a father, put him to

death, and sprinkle with his blood the ground on which the citadel is to

be built, or you will never accomplish your purpose."

Sec. 41. In consequence of this reply, the king sent messengers throughout

Britain, in search of a child born without a father. After having

inquired in all the provinces, they came to the field of AElecti,[297] in

the district of Glevesing,[298] where a party of boys were playing at

ball. And two of them quarrelling, one said to the other, "O boy without

a father, no good will ever happen to you." Upon this, the messengers

diligently inquired of the mother and the other boys, whether he had had

a father? Which his mother denied, saying, "In what manner he was

conceived I know not, for I have never had intercourse with any man;"

and then she solemnly affirmed that he had no mortal father. The boy

was, therefore, led away, and conducted before Vortigern the king.

Sec. 42. A meeting took place the next day for the purpose of putting him

to death. Then the boy said to the king, "Why have your servants brought

me hither?" "That you may be put to death," replied the king, "and that

the ground on which my citadel is to stand, may be sprinkled with your

blood, without which I shall be unable to build it." "Who," said the

boy, "instructed you to do this?" "My wise men," answered the king.

"Order them hither," returned the boy; this being complied with, he thus

questioned them: "By what means was it revealed to you that this citadel

could not be built, unless the spot were previously sprinkled with my

blood? Speak without disguise, and declare who discovered me to you;"

then turning to the king, "I will soon," said he, "unfold to you every

thing; but I desire to question your wise men, and wish them to disclose

to you what is hidden under this pavement:" they acknowledging their

ignorance, "there is," said he, "a pool; come and dig:" they did so, and

found the pool. "Now," continued he, "tell me what is in it;" but they

were ashamed, and made no reply. "I," said the boy, "can discover it to

you: there are two vases in the pool;" they examined, and found it so:

continuing his questions, "What is in the vases?" they were silent:

"there is a tent in them," said the boy; "separate them, and you shall

find it so;" this being done by the king's command, there was found in

them a folded tent. The boy, going on with his questions, asked the wise

men what was in it? But they not knowing what to reply, "There are,"

said he, "two serpents, one white and the other red; unfold the tent;"

they obeyed, and two sleeping serpents were discovered; "consider

attentively," said the boy, "what they are doing." The serpents began to

struggle with each other; and the white one, raising himself up, threw

down the other into the middle of the tent, and sometimes drove him to

the edge of it; and this was repeated thrice. At length the red one,

apparently the weaker of the two, recovering his strength, expelled the

white one from the tent; and the latter being pursued through the pool

by the red one, disappeared. Then the boy, asking the wise men what was

signified by this wonderful omen, and they expressing their ignorance,

he said to the king, "I will now unfold to you the meaning of this

mystery. The pool is the emblem of this world, and the tent that of your

kingdom: the two serpents are two dragons; the red serpent is your

dragon, but the white serpent is the dragon of the people who occupy

several provinces and districts of Britain, even almost from sea to sea:

at length, however, our people shall rise and drive away the Saxon race

from beyond the sea, whence they originally came; but do you depart from

this place, where you are not permitted to erect a citadel; I, to whom

fate has allotted this mansion, shall remain here; whilst to you it is

incumbent to seek other provinces, where you may build a fortress."

"What is your name?" asked the king; "I am called Ambrose (in British

Embresguletic)," returned the boy; and in answer to the king's question,

"What is your origin?" he replied, "A Roman consul was my father."

Then the king assigned him that city, with all the western provinces of

Britain; and departing with his wise men to the sinistral district, he

arrived in the region named Gueneri, where he built a city which,

according to his name, was called Cair Guorthegirn.[299]

Sec. 43. At length Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, valiantly fought against

Hengist, Horsa, and his people; drove them to the isle of Thanet, and

thrice enclosed them within it, and beset them on the western side.

The Saxons now despatched deputies to Germany to solicit large

reinforcements, and an additional number of ships: having obtained

these, they fought against the kings and princes of Britain, and

sometimes extended their boundaries by victory, and sometimes were

conquered and driven back.

Sec. 44. Four times did Vortimer valorously encounter the enemy;[300] the

first has been mentioned, the second was upon the river Darent, the

third at the Ford, in their language called Epsford, though in ours Set

thirgabail,[301] there Horsa fell, and Catigern, the son of Vortigern;

the fourth battle he fought, was near the stone[302] on the shore of the

Gallic sea, where the Saxons being defeated, fled to their ships.

After a short interval Vortimer died; before his decease, anxious for

the future prosperity of his country, he charged his friends to inter

his body at the entrance of the Saxon port, viz. upon the rock where the

Saxons first landed; "for though," said he, "they may inhabit other

parts of Britain, yet if you follow my commands, they will never remain

in this island." They imprudently disobeyed this last injunction, and

neglected to bury him where he had appointed.[303]

Sec. 45. After this the barbarians became firmly incorporated, and were

assisted by foreign pagans; for Vortigern was their friend, on account

of the daughter[304] of Hengist, whom he so much loved, that no one

durst fight against him--in the meantime they soothed the imprudent

king, and whilst practising every appearance of fondness, were plotting

with his enemies. And let him that reads understand, that the Saxons

were victorious, and ruled Britain, not from their superior prowess, but

on account of the great sins of the Britons: God so permitting it.

For what wise man will resist the wholesome counsel of God? The Almighty

is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, ruling and judging every

one, according to his own pleasure.

After the death of Vortimer, Hengist being strengthened by new

accessions, collected his ships, and calling his leaders together,

consulted by what stratagem they might overcome Vortigern and his army;

with insidious intention they sent messengers to the king, with offers

of peace and perpetual friendship; unsuspicious of treachery, the

monarch, after advising with his elders, accepted the proposals.

Sec. 46. Hengist, under pretence of ratifying the treaty, prepared an

entertainment, to which he invited the king, the nobles, and military

officers, in number about three hundred; speciously concealing his

wicked intention, he ordered three hundred Saxons to conceal each a

knife under his feet, and to mix with the Britons; "and when," said he,

"they are sufficiently inebriated, &c. cry out, 'Nimed eure Saxes,' then

let each draw his knife, and kill his man; but spare the king, on

account of his marriage with my daughter, for it is better that he

should be ransomed than killed."[305]

The king with his company, appeared at the feast; and mixing with the

Saxons, who, whilst they spoke peace with their tongues, cherished

treachery in their hearts, each man was placed next his enemy.

After they had eaten and drunk, and were much intoxicated, Hengist

suddenly vociferated, "Nimed eure Saxes!" and instantly his adherents

drew their knives, and rushing upon the Britons, each slew him that sat

next to him, and there was slain three hundred of the nobles of

Vortigern. The king being a captive, purchased his redemption, by

delivering up the three provinces of East, South, and Middle Sex,

besides other districts at the option of his betrayers.

Sec. 47. St. Germanus admonished Vortigern to turn to the true God, and

abstain from all unlawful intercourse with his daughter; but the unhappy

wretch fled for refuge to the province Guorthegirnaim,[306] so called

from his own name, where he concealed himself with his wives: but St.

Germanus followed him with all the British clergy, and upon a rock

prayed for his sins during forty days and forty nights.

The blessed man was unanimously chosen commander against the Saxons. And

then, not by the clang of trumpets, but by praying, singing hallelujah,

and by the cries of the army to God, the enemies were routed, and driven

even to the sea.[307]

Again Vortigern ignominiously flew from St. Germanus to the kingdom of

the Dimetae, where, on the river Towy,[308] he built a castle, which he

named Cair Guorthergirn. The saint, as usual, followed him there, and

with his clergy fasted and prayed to the Lord three days, and as many

nights. On the third night, at the third hour, fire fell suddenly from

heaven, and totally burned the castle. Vortigern, the daughter of

Hengist, his other wives, and all the inhabitants, both men and women,

miserably perished: such was the end of this unhappy king, as we find

written in the life of St. Germanus.

Sec. 48. Others assure us, that being hated by all the people of Britain,

for having received the Saxons, and being publicly charged by St.

Germanus and the clergy in the sight of God, he betook himself to

flight; and, that deserted and a wanderer, he sought a place of refuge,

till broken hearted, he made an ignominious end.

Some accounts state, that the earth opened and swallowed him up, on the

night his castle was burned; as no remains were discovered the following

morning, either of him, or of those who were burned with him.

He had three sons: the eldest was Vortimer, who, as we have seen, fought

four times against the Saxons, and put them to flight; the second

Categirn, who was slain in the same battle with Horsa; the third was

Pascent, who reigned in the two provinces Builth and Guorthegirnaim,[309]

after the death of his father. These were granted him by Ambrosius, who

was the great king among the kings of Britain. The fourth was Faustus,

born of an incestuous marriage with his daughter, who was brought up and

educated by St. Germanus. He built a large monastery on the banks of the

river Renis, called after his name, and which remains to the present

period.[310]

Sec. 49. This is the genealogy of Vortigern, which goes back to

Fernvail,[311] who reigned in the kingdom of Guorthegirnaim,[312] and

was the son of Teudor; Teudor was the son of Pascent; Pascent of

Guoidcant; Guoidcant of Moriud; Moriud of Eltat; Eltat of Eldoc; Eldoc

of Paul; Paul of Meuprit; Meuprit of Braciat; Braciat of Pascent;

Pascent of Guorthegirn; Guorthegirn of Guortheneu; Guortheneu of

Guitaul; Guitaul of Guitolion; Guitolion of Gloui. Bonus, Paul, Mauron,

Guotelin, were four brothers, who built Gloiuda, a great city upon the

banks of the river Severn, and in British is called Cair Gloui, in

Saxon, Gloucester. Enough has been said of Vortigern.

Sec. 50. St. Germanus, after his death, returned into his own country.

[313] At that time, the Saxons greatly increased in Britain, both in

strength and numbers. And Octa, after the death of his father Hengist,

came from the sinistral part of the island to the kingdom of Kent, and

from him have proceeded all the kings of that province, to the present

period.

Then it was, that the magnanimous Arthur, with all the kings and

military force of Britain, fought against the Saxons. And though there

were many more noble than himself, yet he was twelve times chosen their

commander, and was as often conqueror. The first battle in which he was

engaged, was at the mouth of the river Gleni.[314] The second, third,

fourth, and fifth, were on another river, by the Britons called

Duglas,[315] in the region Linuis. The sixth, on the river Bassas.[316]

The seventh in the wood Celidon, which the Britons call Cat Coit

Celidon.[317] The eighth was near Gurnion castle,[318] where Arthur bore

the image of the Holy Virgin,[319] mother of God, upon his shoulders,

and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the holy Mary, put

the Saxons to flight, and pursued them the whole day with great

slaughter.[320] The ninth was at the City of Legion,[321] which is

called Cair Lion. The tenth was on the banks of the river Trat

Treuroit.[322] The eleventh was on the mountain Breguoin, which we call

Cat Bregion.[323] The twelfth was a most severe contest, when Arthur

penetrated to the hill of Badon.[324] In this engagement, nine hundred

and forty fell by his hand alone, no one but the Lord affording him

assistance. In all these engagements the Britons were successful. For no

strength can avail against the will of the Almighty.

The more the Saxons were vanquished, the more they sought for new

supplies of Saxons from Germany; so that kings, commanders, and military

bands were invited over from almost every province. And this practice

they continued till the reign of Ida, who was the son of Eoppa, he, of

the Saxon race, was the first king in Bernicia, and in Cair Ebrauc

(York).

When Gratian AEquantius was consul at Rome, because then the whole world

was governed by the Roman consuls, the Saxons were received by Vortigern

in the year of our Lord four hundred and forty-seven, and to the year in

which we now write, five hundred and forty-seven. And whosoever shall

read herein may receive instruction, the Lord Jesus Christ affording

assistance, who, co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Ghost, lives

and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

In those days Saint Patrick was a captive among the Scots. His master's

name was Milcho, to whom he was a swineherd for seven years. When he had

attained the age of seventeen he gave him his liberty. By the divine

impulse, he applied himself to reading of the Scriptures, and afterwards

went to Rome; where, replenished with the Holy Spirit, he continued a

great while, studying the sacred mysteries of those writings. During his

continuance there, Palladius, the first bishop, was sent by pope

Celestine to convert the Scots [the Irish]. But tempests and signs from

God prevented his landing, for no one can arrive in any country, except

it be allowed from above; altering therefore his course from Ireland, he

came to Britain and died in the land of the Picts.[325]

Sec. 51. The death of Palladius being known, the Roman patricians,

Theodosius and Valentinian, then reigning, pope Celestine sent Patrick

to convert the Scots to the faith of the Holy Trinity; Victor, the angel

of God, accompanying, admonishing, and assisting him, and also the

bishop Germanus.

Germanus then sent the ancient Segerus with him as a venerable and

praiseworthy bishop, to king Amatheus,[326] who lived near, and who had

prescience of what was to happen; he was consecrated bishop in the reign

of that king by the holy pontiff,[327] assuming the name of Patrick,

having hitherto been known by that of Maun; Auxilius, Isserninus, and

other brothers were ordained with him to inferior degrees.

Sec. 52. Having distributed benedictions, and perfected all in the name of

the Holy Trinity, he embarked on the sea which is between the Gauls and

the Britons; and after a quick passage arrived in Britain, where he

preached for some time. Every necessary preparation being made, and the

angel giving him warning, he came to the Irish Sea. And having filled

the ship with foreign gifts and spiritual treasures, by the permission

of God he arrived in Ireland, where he baptized and preached.

Sec. 53. From the beginning of the world, to the fifth year of king

Logiore, when the Irish were baptized, and faith in the unity of the

individual Trinity was published to them, are five thousand three

hundred and thirty years.

Sec. 54. Saint Patrick taught the gospel in foreign nations for the space

of forty years. Endued with apostolical powers, he gave sight to the

blind, cleansed the lepers, gave hearing to the deaf, cast out devils,

raised nine from the dead, redeemed many captives of both sexes at his

own charge, and set them free in the name of the Holy Trinity. He taught

the servants of God, and he wrote three hundred and sixty-five canonical

and other books relating to the catholic faith. He founded as many

churches, and consecrated the same number of bishops, strengthening

them with the Holy Ghost. He ordained three thousand presbyters; and

converted and baptized twelve thousand persons in the province of

Connaught. And, in one day baptized seven kings, who were the seven sons

of Amalgaid.[328] He continued fasting forty days and nights, on the

summit of the mountain Eli, that is Cruachan-Aichle;[329] and preferred

three petitions to God for the Irish, that had embraced the faith. The

Scots say, the first was, that he would receive every repenting sinner,

even at the latest extremity of life; the second, that they should never

be exterminated by barbarians; and the third, that as Ireland[330] will

be overflowed with water, seven years before the coming of our Lord to

judge the quick and the dead, the crimes of the people might be washed

away through his intercession, and their souls purified at the last day.

He gave the people his benediction from the upper part of the mountain,

and going up higher, that he might pray for them; and that if it pleased

God, he might see the effects of his labours, there appeared to him an

innumerable flock of birds of many colours, signifying the number of

holy persons of both sexes of the Irish nation, who should come to him

as their apostle at the day of judgment, to be presented before the

tribunal of Christ. After a life spent in the active exertion of good to

mankind, St. Patrick, in a healthy old age, passed from this world to

the Lord, and changing this life for a better, with the saints and elect

of God he rejoices for evermore.

Sec. 55. Saint Patrick resembled Moses in four particulars. The angel spoke

to him in the burning bush. He fasted forty days and forty nights upon

the mountain. He attained the period of one hundred and twenty years. No

one knows his sepulchre, nor where he was buried; sixteen[331] years he

was in captivity. In his twenty-fifth year, he was consecrated bishop by

Saint Matheus,[332] and he was eighty-five years the apostle of the

Irish. It might be profitable to treat more at large of the life of

this saint, but it is now time to conclude this epitome of his

labours.[333]

[Here endeth the life of the holy bishop, Saint Patrick.]

(_After this, the MSS. give us Sec. 56, the legend of king Arthur, which in

this edition occurs in Sec. 50._)

GENEALOGY OF THE KINGS OF BERNICIA[334]

Sec. 57. Woden begat Beldeg, who begat Beornec, who begat Gethbrond, who

begat Aluson, who begat Ingwi, who begat Edibrith, who begat Esa, who

begat Eoppa, who begat Ida. But Ida had twelve sons, Adda, Belric,

Theodric, Ethelric, Theodhere, Osmer, and one queen, Bearnoch, Ealric.

Ethelric begat Ethelfrid: the same is AEdlfred Flesaur. For he also had

seven sons, Eanfrid, Oswald, Oswin, Oswy, Oswudu, Oslac, Offa. Oswy

begat Alfrid, Elfwin, and Egfrid. Egfrid is he who made war against his

cousin Brudei, king of the Picts, and he fell therein with all the

strength of his army, and the Picts with their king gained the victory;

and the Saxons never again reduced the Picts so as to exact tribute from

them. Since the time of this war it is called Gueithlin Garan.

But Oswy had two wives, Riemmelth, the daughter of Royth, son of Rum;

and Eanfled, the daughter of Edwin, son of Alla.

THE GENEALOGY OF THE KINGS OF KENT.

Sec. 58. Hengist begat Octa, who begat Ossa, who begat Eormenric, who begat

Ethelbert, who begat Eadbald, who begat Ercombert, who begat Egbert.

THE ORIGIN OF THE KINGS OF EAST-ANGLIA.

Sec. 59. Woden begat Casser, who begat Titinon, who begat Trigil, who begat

Rodmunt, who begat Rippa, who begat Guillem Guercha,[335] who was the

first king of the East Angles. Guercha begat Uffa, who begat Tytillus,

who begat Eni, who begat Edric, who begat Aldwulf, who begat Elric.

THE GENEALOGY OF THE MERCIANS.

Sec. 60. Woden begat Guedolgeat, who begat Gueagon, who begat Guithleg, who

begat Guerdmund, who begat Ossa, who begat Ongen, who begat Eamer, who

begat Pubba.[336] This Pubba had twelve sons, of whom two are better

known to me than the others, that is Penda and Eawa. Eadlit is the son

of Pantha, Penda, son of Pubba, Ealbald, son of Alguing, son of Eawa,

son of Penda, son of Pubba. Egfert, son of Offa, son of Thingferth, son

of Enwulf, son of Ossulf, son of Eawa, son of Pubba.

THE KINGS OF THE DEIRI.

Sec. 61. Woden begat Beldeg, Brond begat Siggar, who begat Sibald, who

begat Zegulf, who begat Soemil, who first separated[337] Deur from

Berneich (_Deira from Bernicia_.) Soemil begat Sguerthing, who begat

Giulglis, who begat Ulfrea, who begat Iffi, who begat Ulli, Edwin,

Osfrid, and Eanfrid. There were two sons of Edwin, who fell with him in

battle at Meicen,[338] and the kingdom was never renewed in his family,

because not one of his race escaped from that war; but all were slain

with him by the army of Catguollaunus,[339] king of the Guenedota. Oswy

begat Egfrid, the same is Ailguin, who begat Oslach, who begat Alhun,

who begat Adlsing, who begat Echun, who begat Oslaph. Ida begat Eadric,

who begat Ecgulf, who begat Leodwald, who begat Eata, the same is

Glinmaur, who begat Eadbert and Egbert, who was the first bishop of

their nation.

Ida, the son of Eoppa, possessed countries on the left-hand side of

Britain, _i.e._ of the Humbrian sea, and reigned twelve years, and

united[340] Dynguayth Guarth-Berneich.

Sec. 62. Then Dutigirn at that time fought bravely against the nation of

the Angles. At that time, Talhaiarn Cataguen[341] was famed for poetry,

and Neirin, and Taliesin and Bluchbard, and Cian, who is called Guenith

Guaut, were all famous at the same time in British poetry.

The great king, Mailcun,[342] reigned among the Britons, _i.e._ in the

district of Guenedota, because his great-great-grandfather, Cunedda,

with his twelve sons, had come before from the left-hand part, _i.e._

from the country which is called Manau Gustodin, one hundred and

forty-six years before Mailcun reigned, and expelled the Scots with much

slaughter from those countries, and they never returned again to inhabit

them.

Sec. 63. Adda, son of Ida, reigned eight years; Ethelric, son of Adda,

reigned four years. Theodoric, son of Ida, reigned seven years.

Freothwulf reigned six years. In whose time the kingdom of Kent, by the

mission of Gregory, received baptism. Hussa reigned seven years. Against

him fought four kings, Urien, and Ryderthen, and Guallauc, and Morcant.

Theodoric fought bravely, together with his sons, against that Urien.

But at that time sometimes the enemy and sometimes our countrymen were

defeated, and he shut them up three days and three nights in the island

of Metcaut; and whilst he was on an expedition he was murdered, at the

instance of Morcant, out of envy, because he possessed so much

superiority over all the kings in military science. Eadfered Flesaurs

reigned twelve years in Bernicia, and twelve others in Deira, and gave

to his wife Bebba, the town of Dynguoaroy, which from her is called

Bebbanburgh.[343]

Edwin, son of Alla, reigned seventeen years, seized on Elmete, and

expelled Cerdic, its king. Eanfled, his daughter, received baptism, on

the twelfth day after Pentecost, with all her followers, both men and

women. The following Easter Edwin himself received baptism, and twelve

thousand of his subjects with him. If any one wishes to know who

baptized them, it was Rum Map Urbgen:[344] he was engaged forty days in

baptizing all classes of the Saxons, and by his preaching many believed

on Christ.

Sec. 64. Oswald son of Ethelfrid, reigned nine years; the same is Oswald

Llauiguin;[345] he slew Catgublaun (Cadwalla),[346] king of

Guenedot,[347] in the battle of Catscaul,[348] with much loss to his own

army. Oswy, son of Ethelfrid, reigned twenty-eight years and six months.

During his reign, there was a dreadful mortality among his subjects,

when Catgualart (Cadwallader) was king among the Britons, succeeding his

father, and he himself died amongst the rest.[349] He slew Penda in the

field of Gai, and now took place the slaughter of Gai Campi, and the

kings of the Britons, who went out with Penda on the expedition as far

as the city of Judeu, were slain.

Sec. 65. Then Oswy restored all the wealth, which was with him in the city,

to Penda; who distributed it among the kings of the Britons, that is,

Atbert Judeu. But Catgabail alone, king of Guenedot, rising up in the

night, escaped, together with his army, wherefore he was called

Catgabail Catguommed. Egfrid, son of Oswy, reigned nine years. In his

time the holy bishop Cuthbert died in the island of Medcaut.[350] It was

he who made war against the Picts, and was by them slain.

Penda, son of Pybba, reigned ten years; he first separated the kingdom

of Mercia from that of the North-men, and slew by treachery Anna, king

of the East Anglians, and St. Oswald, king of the North-men. He fought

the battle of Cocboy,[351] in which fell Eawa, son of Pybba, his

brother, king of the Mercians, and Oswald, king of the North-men, and he

gained the victory by diabolical agency. He was not baptized, and never

believed in God.

Sec. 66. From the beginning of the world to Constantinus and Rufus, are

found to be five thousand six hundred and fifty-eight years.

Also from the two consuls, Rufus and Rubelius, to the consul Stilicho,

are three hundred and seventy-three years.

Also from Stilicho to Valentinian, son of Placida, and the reign of

Vortigern, are twenty-eight years.

And from the reign of Vortigern to the quarrel between Guitolinus and

Ambrosius, are twelve years, which is Guoloppum, that is

Catgwaloph.[352] Vortigern reigned in Britain when Theodosius and

Valentinian were consuls, and in the fourth year of his reign the Saxons

came to Britain, in the consulship of Felix and Taurus, in the four

hundredth year from the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

From the year in which the Saxons came into Britain, and were received

by Vortigern, to the time of Decius and Valerian, are sixty-nine years.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 249: And forty, according to Stevenson's new edition. The rest

of this chronology is much contracted in several of the manuscripts, and

hardly two of them contain it exactly the same.]

[Footnote 250: This list of the Roman emperors who visited Britain, is

omitted in many of the MSS.]

[Footnote 251: V.R. Twenty-eight, twenty-one.]

[Footnote 252: Site unknown. See note at sec. 42, p. 404.]

[Footnote 253: Inis-gueith, or Gueith.]

[Footnote 254: The whole of this, as far as the end of the paragraph, is

omitted in several MSS.]

[Footnote 255: Other MSS. Silvius.]

[Footnote 256: V.R. Who should slay his father and mother, and be hated

by all mankind.]

[Footnote 257: V.R. He displayed such superiority among his

play-fellows, that they seemed to consider him as their chief.]

[Footnote 258: Tours.]

[Footnote 259: V.R. Thirty-seven.]

[Footnote 260: See Bede's Eccles. Hist. pp. 5, 6, note.]

[Footnote 261: V.R. Partholomaeus, or Bartholomaeus.]

[Footnote 262: A blank is here in the MS. Agnomen is found in some of

the others.]

[Footnote 263: V.R. Damhoctor, Clamhoctor, and Elamhoctor.]

[Footnote 264: V.R. Liethan, Bethan, Vethan.]

[Footnote 265: St. David's.]

[Footnote 266: Guiher, probably the Welsh district Gower. Cetgueli is

Caer Kidwelly, in Carmarthenshire.]

[Footnote 267: North-western part of Antrim in Ulster.]

[Footnote 268: V.R. Columba.]

[Footnote 269: Some MSS. add, the beginning of the calculation is 23

cycles of 19 years from the incarnation of our Lord to the arrival of

St. Patrick in Ireland, and they make 438 years. And from the arrival of

St. Patrick to the cycle of 19 years in which we live are 22 cycles,

which make 421 years.]

[Footnote 270: This proves the tradition of Brutus to be older than

Geoffrey or Tyssilio, unless these notices of Brutus have been

interpolated in the original work of Nennius.]

[Footnote 271: This genealogy is different in almost all the MSS.]

[Footnote 272: Some MSS. add, I will now return to the point from which

I made this digression.]

[Footnote 273: There is here some corruption or defect in the original.

See Geoffrey of Monmouth, p. 139 of this volume.]

[Footnote 274: V.R. Cassibelanus.]

[Footnote 275: V.R. Eucharistus. A marginal note in the Arundel MS.

adds, "He is wrong, because the first year of Evaristus was A.D. 79,

whereas the first year of Eleutherius, whom he ought to have named, was

A.D. 161." Usher says, that in one MS. of Nennius he found the name of

Eleutherius. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 10.]

[Footnote 276: V.R. Thirty-two.]

[Footnote 277: Or, the Wall. One MS. here adds, "The above-mentioned

Severus constructed it of rude workmanship in length 132 miles; i.e.

from Penguaul, which village is called in Scottish Cenail, in English

Peneltun, to the mouth of the river Cluth and Cairpentaloch, where this

wall terminates; but it was of no avail. The emperor Carausius

afterwards rebuilt it, and fortified it with seven castles between the

two mouths: he built also a round house of polished stones on the banks

of the river Carun [Carron]: he likewise erected a triumphal arch, on

which he inscribed his own name in memory of his victory."]

[Footnote 278: This passage is corrupt, the meaning is briefly given in

the translation.]

[Footnote 279: V.R. Mirmantum, Mirmantun, Minmanton, Minimantone. The

_Segontium_ of Antoninus, situated on a small river named Seiont, near

Carnarvon.]

[Footnote 280: This is an inaccuracy of Nennius; Maximus and Maximianus

were one and the same person; or rather no such person as Maximianus

ever reigned in Britain.]

[Footnote 281: Geoffrey of Monmouth gives the title of consul to several

British generals who lived after this time. It is not unlikely that the

town, name, and dignity, still lingered in the province after the Romans

were gone, particularly as the cities of Britain maintained for a time a

species of independence.]

[Footnote 282: This district, in modern language, extended from the

great St. Bernard in Piedmont to Cantavic in Picardy, and from Picardy

to the western coast of France.]

[Footnote 283: These words relate evidently to some cause of dispute

between the Romans, Ambrosius, and Vortigern. Vortigern is said to have

been sovereign of the Dimetae, and Ambrosius son to the king of the

Dumnonii. The latter was half a Roman by descent, and naturally

supported the Roman interest: the former was entirely a Briton, and as

naturally seconded by the original Britons. See Whitaker's Manchester,

b. ii. c. 2.]

[Footnote 284: V.R. not the God of gods, the Amen, the Lord of Hosts,

but one of their idols which they worshipped.]

[Footnote 285: Sometimes called Ruoichin, Ruith-in, or "river island,"

separated from the rest of Kent and the mainland of Britain by the

estuary of the Wantsum, which, though now a small brook, was formerly

navigable for large vessels, and in Bede's time was three stadia broad,

and fordable only at two places. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 37,

_note_.]

[Footnote 286: The rest of this sentence is omitted in some of the MSS.]

[Footnote 287: King of Powys. V.R. Benli in the district of Ial (in

Derbyshire); in the district of Dalrieta; Belinus; Beluni; and Benty.]

[Footnote 288: Or Cadell Deyrnllug, prince of the Vale Royal and the

upper part of Powys.]

[Footnote 289: V.R. Who had come with him from the island of Oghgul,

Oehgul (or Tingle), Angul. According to Gunn, a small island in the

duchy of Sleswick in Denmark, now called _Angel_, of which Flensburg is

the metropolis. Hence the origin of the _Angles_.]

[Footnote 290: V.R. Gnoiram cono, Goiranegono, Guoiracgono. Malmesbury,

Gorongi; Camden, Guorong, supposed to mean governor, or viceroy.]

[Footnote 291: Antoninus's wall.]

[Footnote 292: Some MSS. add, "beyond the Frenesic, Fresicum (_or_

Fresic) sea," i.e. which is between us and the Scotch. The sea between

Scotland and Ireland. Camden translates it "beyond the Frith;" Langhorne

says, "Solway Frith."]

[Footnote 293: V.R. "Immodest" is omitted in some MSS.]

[Footnote 294: V.R. You shall find a fortified city in which you may

defend yourself.]

[Footnote 295: V.R. Guined, Guoienet, Guenez, North Wales.]

[Footnote 296: V.R. Heremi, Heriri, or Eryri, signifying eagle rocks,

the mountains of Snowdon, in Carnarvonshire. The spot alluded to is

supposed to be Dinas Emrys, or the fortress of Ambrosius.]

[Footnote 297: V.R. Elleti, Electi, Gleti. Supposed to be Bassalig in

Monmouthshire.]

[Footnote 298: The district between the Usk and Rumney, in

Monmouthshire.]

[Footnote 299: An ancient scholiast adds, "He then built Guasmoric, near

Lugubalia [Carlisle], a city which in English is called Palmecaster."

Some difference of opinion exists among antiquaries respecting the site

of Vortigern's castle or city. Usher places it at _Gwent_,

Monmouthshire, which name, he says, was taken from Caer-Went, near

Chepstow. This appears to agree with Geoffrey's account, in page 208 of

this volume. See Usher's Britan. Eccles. cap. v. p. 23. According to

others, supposed to be the city from the ruins of which arose the castle

of Gurthrenion, in Radnorshire, Camden's Britannia, p. 479. Whitaker,

however, says that Cair Guorthegirn was the Maridunum of the Romans, and

the present Caermarthen. (Hist. of Manchester, book ii. c. 1.) See also

Nennius, sec. 47.]

[Footnote 300: Some MSS. here add, "This Vortimer, the son of Vortigern,

in a synod held at Guartherniaun, after the wicked king, on account of

the incest committed with his daughter, fled from the face of Germanus

and the British clergy, would not consent to his father's wickedness;

but returning to St. Germanus, and falling down at his feet, he sued for

pardon; and in atonement for the calumny brought upon Germanus by his

father and sister, gave him the land, in which the forementioned bishop

had endured such abuse, to be his own for ever. Whence, in memory of St.

Germanus, it received the name of Guarenniaun (Guartherniaun,

Gurthrenion, Gwarth Ennian) which signifies, _a calumny justly

retorted_, since, when he thought to reproach the bishop, he covered

himself with reproach."]

[Footnote 301: According to Langhorne (p. 13), Epsford was afterwards

called, in the British tongue, _Saessenaeg habail_, or 'the slaughter of

the Saxons.' See also the note at page 188 of this volume.]

[Footnote 302: V.R. "The stone of Titulus," thought to be Stone in Kent,

or Larger-stone in Suffolk.]

[Footnote 303: Rapin says he was buried at Lincoln; Geoffrey, at London,

see p. 189.]

[Footnote 304: V.R. Of his wife, and no one was able manfully to drive

them off because they had occupied Britain not from their own valour,

but by God's permission.]

[Footnote 305: The VV. RR. of this section are too numerous to be

inserted.]

[Footnote 306: A district of Radnorshire, forming the present hundred of

Rhaindr.]

[Footnote 307: V.R. This paragraph is omitted in the MSS.]

[Footnote 308: The Tobias of Ptolemy.]

[Footnote 309: In the northern part of the present counties of Radnor

and Brecknock.]

[Footnote 310: V.R. The MSS. add, 'and he had one daughter, who was the

mother of St. Faustus.']

[Footnote 311: Fernvail, or Farinmail, appears to have been king of

Gwent or Monmouth.]

[Footnote 312: V.R. 'Two provinces, Builth and Guorthegirnaim.']

[Footnote 313: V.R. All this to the word 'Amen,' in other MSS. is placed

after the legend of St. Patrick.]

[Footnote 314: Supposed by some to be the Glem, in Lincolnshire; but

most probably the Glen, in the northern part of Northumberland.]

[Footnote 315: Or Dubglas. The little river Dunglas, which formed the

southern boundary of Lothian. Whitaker says, the river Duglas, in

Lancashire, near Wigan.]

[Footnote 316: Not a river, but an isolated rock in the Frith of Forth,

near the town of North Berwick, called "The Bass." Some think it is the

river Lusas, in Hampshire.]

[Footnote 317: The Caledonian forest; or the forest of Englewood,

extending from Penrith to Carlisle.]

[Footnote 318: Variously supposed to be in Cornwall, or Binchester in

Durham, but most probably the Roman station of Garionenum, near

Yarmouth, in Norfolk.]

[Footnote 319: V.R. The image of the cross of Christ, and of the

perpetual Virgin St. Mary.]

[Footnote 320: V.R. For Arthur proceeded to Jerusalem, and there made a

cross to the size of the Saviour's cross, and there it was consecrated,

and for three successive days he fasted, watched, and prayed, before the

Lord's cross, that the Lord would give him the victory, by this sign,

over the heathen; which also took place, and he took with him the image

of St. Mary, the fragments of which are still preserved in great

veneration at Wedale, in English Wodale, in Latin _Vallis-doloris_.

Wodale is a village in the province of Lodonesia, but now of the

jurisdiction of the bishop of St. Andrew's, of Scotland, six miles on

the west of that heretofore noble and eminent monastery of Meilros.]

[Footnote 321: Exeter.]

[Footnote 322: Or Ribroit, the Brue, in Somersetshire; or the Ribble, in

Lancashire.]

[Footnote 323: Or Agned Cathregonion, Cadbury, in Somersetshire; or

Edinburgh.]

[Footnote 324: Bath.]

[Footnote 325: At Fordun, in the district of Mearns, in

Scotland.--_Usher._]

[Footnote 326: V.R. Germanus "sent the elder Segerus with him to a

wonderful man, the holy bishop Amathearex." Another MS. "Sent the elder

Segerus, a bishop, with him to Amatheorex."]

[Footnote 327: V.R. "Received the episcopal degree from the holy bishop

Amatheorex." Another MS. "Received the episcopal degree from Matheorex

and the holy bishop."]

[Footnote 328: King of Connaught.]

[Footnote 329: A mountain in the west of Connaught, county of Mayo, now

called Croagh-Patrick.]

[Footnote 330: V.R. that no Irishman may be alive on the day of

judgment, because they will be destroyed seven years before in honour of

St. Patrick.]

[Footnote 331: V.R. Fifteen.]

[Footnote 332: V.R. By the holy bishop Amatheus.]

[Footnote 333: Here ends the Vatican MS. collated by Mr. Gunn.]

[Footnote 334: These titles are not part of the original work, but added

in the MSS. by a later hand.]

[Footnote 335: Guercha is a distortion of the name of Uffa or

Wuffa, arising in the first instance from the pronunciation of the

British writer; and, in the next place, from the error of the

transcriber.--_Palgrave._]

[Footnote 336: Or Wibba.]

[Footnote 337: V.R. Conquered.]

[Footnote 338: Hatfield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. See Bede's

Eccles. Hist. p. 106.]

[Footnote 339: Cadwalla, king of the Western Britons.]

[Footnote 340: V.R. United the castle, i.e. Dinguerin and Gurdbernech,

which two countries were in one country, i.e. Deurabernech; Anglice

Deira and Bernicia. Another MS. Built Dinguayth Guarth Berneich.]

[Footnote 341: Talhaiarn was a descendant of Coel Godebog, and chaplain

to Ambrosius.]

[Footnote 342: Better known as Maelgwn.]

[Footnote 343: Bambrough. See Bede, iii. 6, and Sax. Chron. A.D. 547.]

[Footnote 344: See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 96. From the share which

Paulinus had in the conversion of the Northumbrian king, it has been

inferred that he actually baptized him; but Nennius expressly states,

that the holy sacrament was administered by Rhun, the son of Urien. The

Welsh name of Paulinus is Pawl Hen, or Polin Esgob.]

[Footnote 345: Llauiguin, means the "fair," or the "bounteous hand."]

[Footnote 346: This name has been variously written; Bede spells it

_Caedualla_ (Cadwalla); Nennius, _Catgublaun_; the Saxon Chronicle,

_Ceadwalla_; and the Welsh writers, _Cadwallon_ and _Katwallawn_: and

though the identity of the person may be clearly proved, it is necessary

to observe these particulars to distinguish him from _Cadwaladr_, and

from another _Caedualla_ or _Caedwalla_, a king of the West Saxons; all

of whom, as they lived within a short time of each other, have been

frequently confounded together.--_Rees's Welsh Saints._]

[Footnote 347: Gwynedd, North Wales.]

[Footnote 348: Bede says at Denis's-brook. Eccles Hist. p. 109.]

[Footnote 349: The British chronicles assert that Cadwallader died at

Rome, whilst Nennius would lead us to conclude that he perished in the

pestilence at home. See Geoffrey, p. 288.]

[Footnote 350: The isle of Farne.]

[Footnote 351: Maserfield. See Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 123.]

[Footnote 352: In Carmarthenshire. Perhaps the town now called

Kidwelly.]

THE

SPURIOUS CHRONICLE

OF

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER.

[_An eighteenth century forgery._]

[_SPURIOUS._]

RICHARD OF CIRENCESTER