apostle, as Auentine inferreth, except he meane it of some other
Lucius, as of one whome he nameth Cyrinensis. But then will not the
historie agree with the conuersion of the Rhetians and Vindelicians,
whereof Schedelius and other doo make mention. But as each riuer the
farder it runneth from the head, the more it is increased by small
riuelets, and corrupted with filthie puddels, and stinking gutters,
[Sidenote: Heresie and monastical life brought into
Britaine at one time by _Pelagius_.]
that descend into the same: so the puritie of the gospell, preached
here in Britaine, in processe of time became first of all to be
corrupted with a new order of religion, and most execrable heresie,
both of them being brought in at once by Pelagius, of Wales, who
hauing trauelled through France, Italie, Aegypt, Syria, & the
easterlie regions of the world, was there at the last made an elder or
bishop, by some of the monkes, vnto whose profession he had not long
before wholie addicted himselfe. Finallie returning home againe with
an augmentation of fame and countenance of greater holinesse than he
bare out of the land with him, he did not onelie erect an house of his
[Sidenote: Bangor.]
owne order at Bangor in Wales, vpon the riuer Dee, but also sowed the
pestiferous séed of his hereticall prauities ouer all this Iland,
whereby he seduced great numbers of Britons, teaching them to preferre
their owne merits, before the free mercie of God, in Jesus Christ his
sonne. By this means therefore he brought assurance of saluation into
question, and taught all such as had a diligent respect vnto their
workes to be doubtfull of the same, whereas to such as regard this
latter, there can be no quietnesse of mind, but alwaies an vnstedfast
opinion of themselues, whereby they cannot discerne, neither by
prosperitie nor aduersitie of this life, whether they be worthie loue
or hatred. Neuertheles it behooueth the godlie to repose their hope in
that grace which is freelie granted through Jesu Christ, and to flee
vnto the mercies of God which are offered vnto vs in with and by his
son, to the end that we may at the last find the testimonie of his
spirit working with ours, that we are his chosen children, whereby
commeth peace of conscience to such as doo beléeue.
Thus we sée how new deuises or orders of religion and heresie came in
together. I could shew also what Comets, and strange signes appeared
in Britaine, much about the same time, the like of which with diuers
other haue beene perceiued also from time to time, sithence the death
of Pelagius, at the entrance of anie new kind of religion into this
Ile of Britaine. But I passe them ouer, onelie for that I would not
seeme in my tractation of antiquities, to trouble my reader with the
rehersall of anie new inconueniences.
[Sidenote: Anachorites. Heremites. Cyrillines. Benedictines.]
To procéed therefore with my purpose, after these, there followed in
like sort sundrie other kinds of monasticall life, as Anachorites,
Heremits, Cyrilline and Benedictine monkes, albeit that the
heremeticall profession was onelie allowed of in Britaine, vntill the
comming of Augustine the monke, who brought in the Benedictine sect,
framed after the order of the house which Benedict surnamed Nursinus
did first erect in Monte Cassino, about the 524. of Christ, & was
finallie so well liked of all men, that we had few or (as I suppose)
no blacke monkes in England that were not of his order. In processe of
time how Benedict Biscop also our countrieman restored the said
Benedictine profession greatlie decaied in England, our histories are
verie plentifull, which Biscop went off into Italie, and at one time
for a speciall confirmation of his two monasteries which he had
[Sidenote: Monkes and Heremites onelie allowed of in Britaine.]
builded at other mens costs vnto Paule and Peter vpon the bankes of
the Were, as Beda dooth remember. So fast also did these and other
like humane deuises prosper after his time, that at their suppression
in England and Wales onelie, there were found 440. religious houses at
the least, of which 373. might dispend 200. li. by the yéere at the
least, as appeareth by the record of their suppression, which also
noteth the totall summe of their reuenues to amount vnto 32000.
pounds, their moueables 100000. li. and the number of religious men
[Sidenote: The number of religious houses in England
at their dissolution.]
conteined in the same, to be 10000. which would make a pretie armie,
wherevnto if you adde those 45. of late standing in Scotland, you
shall soone see what numbers of these dens of spirituall robbers were
mainteined here in Britaine. What number of saincts also haue béene
hatched in them I could easilie remember, and beside those 160. which
Capgraue setteth downe, & other likewise remembred in the golden
Legend, and Legendarie of Excester, I might bring a rable out of
Scotland able to furnish vp a calendar, though the yere were twise as
long.
As touching Pelagius the first heretike that euer was bred in this
realme (notablie knowne) and parent of Monachisme, it is certeine,
that before his corruption and fall, he was taken for a man of
singular learning, deepe iudgement, and such a one, as vpon whome for
his great gifts in teaching and strictnesse of life, no small péece of
the hope and expectation of the people did depend. But what is
wisedome of the flesh, without the feare and true knowledge of God?
and what is learning except it be handmaid to veritie and sound
iudgement? Wherefore euen of this man, we may see it verified, that
[Sidenote: Roger Bakon his saieng of the preachers of his
time who were the best lawyers and the worst Diuines.]
one Roger Bakon pronounced long after of the corruption of his time,
when all things were measured by wit and worldlie policie, rather than
by the scriptures or guidance of the spirit; Better it is saith he, to
heare a rude and simple idiot preach the truth, without apparance of
skill and learned eloquence, than a profound clearke to set foorth
error, with great shew of learning, and boast of filed vtterance.
Gerson in like sort hath said fullie asmuch. These follies of Pelagius
were blased abroad about the 400. of Christ, and from thencefoorth how
his number of monkes increased on the one side, and his doctrine on
the other, there is almost no reader that is vnskilfull and ignorant.
This also is certeine, that within the space of 200. yeares and odde,
[Sidenote: More than 2100 monkes in the College or Abbaie of
Bangor in whose territories the parish of Ouerton standeth.]
there were manie more than 2100. monkes gathered togither in his
house, whose trades notwithstanding the errors or their founder, (who
taught such an estimation of merits and bodilie exercise (as Paule
calleth it) that therby he sought not onlie to impugne, but also
preuent grace, which was in deed the originall occasion of the
erection of his house) were yet farre better and more godlie than all
those religious orders, that were inuented of later time, wherein the
professours liued to themselues, their wombs and the licentious
fruition of those parts, that are beneath the bellie. For these
[Sidenote: _Niceph. lib. II. cap. 34._]
laboured continuallie for their owne liuings, at vacant times from
praier (as did Serapions monkes, which were 10000. ouer whome he
himselfe was Abbat) and likewise for the better maintenance of such
learned men as were their appointed preachers. Their liues also were
correspondent to their doctrine, so that herein onelie they seemed
intollerable, in that they had confidence in their déeds, and no
warrant out of the word for their succor & defense, but were such a
plant as the heauenlie father had not planted, and therefore no
maruell, though afterward they were raised by the roots.
But as Pelagius and his adherents had a time to infect the church of
Christ in Britaine, so the liuing God hath had a season also to purge
and cleanse the same, though not by a full reformation of doctrine,
[Sidenote: Germanus, Lupus, Palladius, Patricius.]
sith Germanus, Lupus, Palladius, Patricius, and such like leaning for
the most part vnto the monasticall trades, did not so much condemne
the generall errors of Pelagius one waie, as mainteine the same, or as
euill opinions another. For as Patricke séemed to like well of the
honoring of the dead, so Germanus being in Britaine repaired an old
[Sidenote: _Seuerus Sulpitius in vita Patricij._]
chapell to S. Albane, wherein Lupus also praied, as Palladius vpheld
the strictnesse of life, in monasticall profession to the vttermost of
his power. Wherefore God wrought this purgation of his house at the
first, rather by taking awaie the wicked and pompous schoolemaisters
of errour out of this life: hoping that by such meanes, his people
would haue giuen eare to the godlie that remained. But in processe of
time, when this his mercifull dealing was forgotten and our
countriemen returned to their former disorders, he brought in the
Saxons, who left no idoll vnhonored, no not their filthie Priapus,
vnto whom the women builded temples, and made a beastlie image (Cum
pene intenso, and as if he had beene circumcised) whome they called
Ithypallus, Verpus, and as Goropius Atvatic. pag. 26. addeth, Ters:
calling vpon him in maner at euerie word, yea at the verie fall of a
knife out of their hands, and not counted anie shame vnto the most
ancient and sober matrone of them all. Howbeit when this procéeding of
the Lord could also take no place, and the shéepe of his pasture would
receiue no wholesome fodder, it pleased his maiestie, to let them run
on headlong from one iniquitie to another, in somuch that after the
doctrine of Pelagius, it receiued that of Rome also, brought in by
[Sidenote: Augustine the monke.]
Augustine and his monkes, whereby it was to be seene, how they fell
from the truth into heresie, and from one heresie still into another,
till at the last they were drowned altogither in the pits of error
digged vp by Antichrist, wels in deed that hold no water, which
notwithstanding to their followers séemed to be most sound doctrine,
and cisterns of liuing water to such as imbraced the same.
[Sidenote: Augustine.]
This Augustine, after his arriuall, conuerted the Saxons in déed from
paganisme, but as the prouerbe saith, bringing them out of Gods
blessing into the warme sunne, he also imbued them with no lesse
hurtfull superstition, than they did know before: for beside the
onelie name of Christ, and externall contempt of their pristinate
idolatrie, he taught them nothing at all, but rather (I saie) made an
exchange from grosse to subtill treacherie, from open to secret
idolatrie, & from the name of pagans, to the bare title of christians,
thinking this sufficient for their soules health, and the stablishment
of his monachisme, of which kind of profession, the holie scriptures
of God can in no wise like or allow. But what cared he? sith he got
the great fish for which he did cast his hooke, and so great was the
fish that he caught in déed, that within the space of 1000. yeares,
and lesse, it deuoured the fourth part & more of the best soile of the
Iland, which was wholie bestowed vpon his monkes, & other religious
broodes that were hatched since his time, as may hereafter appéere in
the booke following, where I intreate of cities, townes, &c. In the
[Sidenote: Monks of Canturburie plagued.]
meane season what successe his monkes had at Canturburie, how oft they
were spoiled by enimies, their houses burned by casualtie, and
brethren consumed with pestilence, I refer me to Gotcellius, Houeden,
Geruase, and the rest of their owne historiographers. And so sore did
the pestilence rage among them in the time of Celnothus (in whose
daies the preests, clerks and monkes sang their seruice togither in
the quire, that (of I wote not how manie) there remained onelie fiue
aliue, which was a notable token of the furie and wrath of God
conceiued and executed against that malignant generation. It came also
to passe at the last that men vsed to praie for helpe at the said
Augustines tumbe (although afterward Thomas Becket a newer saint did
not a little deface his glorie) among which king Athelstane was one,
whome Elnothus the abbat staied so long in the place, when he came
thither to praie, that his soldiours waiting for his comming, and
supposing the monkes to haue murdered him, began to giue an assault
and set fire vpon the house.
[Sidenote: Meates. Pictes. Caledoniens.]
Whilest these things were thus in hand, in the south part of Albion,
the Meates, Picts, and Caledoniens, which lie beyond the Scotish sea,
receiued also the faith, by preaching of such christian elders as
aduentured thither dailie, who trauelled not without great successe
and increase of perfect godlines in that part of the Ile. Certes this
prosperous attempt passed all mens expectation, for that these nations
were in those daies reputed wild, sauage, and more vnfaithfull and
craftie than well-minded people (as the wild Irish are in my time) and
such were they (to saie the truth) in déed, as neither the sugred
courtesie, nor sharpe swords of the Romans could mollifie or restraine
from their naturall furie, or bring to anie good order. For this cause
also in the end, the Romane emperours did vtterlie cast them off as an
vnprofitable, brutish, & vntameable nation, and by an huge wall
herafter to be described, separated that rude companie from the more
mild and ciuill portion.
[Sidenote: Scotland conuerted to the faith of Christ.]
This conuersion of the north parts fell out in the sixt yeare before
the warres that Seuerus had in those quarters, and 170. after the
death of our sauiour Jesus Christ. From thenceforth also the christian
religion continued still among them, by the diligent care of their
pastors and bishops (after the vse of the churches of the south part
of this Iland) till the Romane shéepheard sought them out, and found
the meanes to pull them vnto him in like sort with his long staffe as
he had done our countriemen, whereby in the end he abolished the rites
of the churches of Asia there also, as Augustine had done alreadie in
England: and in stéed of the same did furnish it vp with those of his
pontificall see, although there was great contention, and no lesse
bloodshed made amongst them, before it could be brought to passe, as
by the histories of both nations yet extant may be séene.
[Sidenote: Paladius.]
In the time of C[oe]lestine bishop of Rome, who sate in the 423. of
Christ, one Paladius a Grecian borne (to whome Cyrill wrote his dialog
De adoratione in spiritu) and sometime disciple to Iohn 24. bishop of
[Sidenote: The first attempt of the bishop of Rome
to bring Scotland vnder his obedience.]
Ierusalem, came ouer from Rome into Britaine, there to suppresse the
Pelagian heresie, which not a little molested the orthodoxes of that
Iland. And hauing doone much good in the extinguishing of the
aforesaid opinion there, he went at the last also into Scotland,
supposing no lesse, but after he had trauelled somwhat in confutation
of the Pelagians in those parts, he should easilie persuade that
crooked nation to admit and receiue the rites of the church of Rome,
as he would faine haue doone beforehand in the south. But as
[Sidenote: Fastidius bishop of London.]
Fastidius Priscus archbishop of London, and his Suffragans resisted
him here; so did the Scotish prelates withstand him there also in this
behalfe: howbeit, bicause of the authoritie of his commission,
grauitie of personage, and the great gift which he had in the veine of
pleasant persuasion (whereby he drew the people after him, as Orpheus
did the stones with his harpe, and Hercules such as heard him by his
toong) they had him not onelie then in great admiration, but their
successors also from time to time, and euen now are contented (and the
rather also for that he came from Rome) to take him for their chéefe
[Sidenote: Paladius accompted for the apostle of the Scots.]
apostle, reckoning from his comming as from the faith receiued, which
was in the 431. yeare of Christ, as the truth of their historie dooth
verie well confirme.
Thus we see what religion hath from time to time beene receiued in
this Iland, & how and when the faith of Christ came first into our
countrie. Howbeit as in processe of time it was ouershadowed, and
corrupted with the dreames and fantasticall imaginations of man, so it
dailie waxed woorse & woorse, till that it pleased God to restore the
preaching of his gospell in our daies, whereby the man of sinne is now
openlie reuealed, and the puritie of the word once againe brought to
light, to the finall ouerthrow of the Romish sathan, and his popish
adherents that honour him daie and night to the vttermost of their
power, yeelding vp their harts as temples for him to dwell in, which
rather ought to be the temples of God and habitations of the
Holy-ghost. But such is their peruerse ignorance (notwithstanding that
Paule hath giuen warning of him alreadie 2. Thes. 2. calling him (as I
said) the man of sinne, and saieng that he sitteth as God in the
temple of God, shewing himselfe in his chalenge of power, as if he
were God, vnder pretense of zeale vnto true religion) that they will
not giue eare vnto the truth, but rather shut their eares and their
eies from hearing and reading of the scriptures, bicause they will not
be drawne out of his snares and bondage.
OF THE MANIFOLD CONUERSIONS AND ALTERATIONS OF THE ESTATE OF THE
COMMON-WEALTH OF BRITAINE, SITHENS THE TIME OF SAMOTHES.