The History of the Worthies of England, Part 1 · Chapter 3
CHAPTER III. Of the first Quaternion of Persons.
Viz.
1. Princes.
2. Saints.
3. Martyrs.
4. Confessours.
WE take the Word, as it is of the Common Gender, inclusive of both Sexes, and extend it onelyonly to Kings with their Wives and Children. Of the second sort we have but few, and those onelyonly from the time of King Edward the Fourth, who first married his Subject, or Native of his Dominions.
We confine our selves to such as were born since the Conquest, otherwise we should be swallowed up, should we Lanch out beyond that date into the Saxon Government, especially into the gulph of their Heptarchie, where a Prince could not be seen for Princes. But if a British, or Saxon-King comes under our Pen, we preferre to take Cognizance of him in some other notion, (as of Saint, Martyr, Souldier, &c.) so to preserve the Topick of Prince ship intire according to our design.
We have stinted our selves onelyonly to the legitimate issue of Kings. And after such who are properly Princes, we have (as Occasion is offered) inserted some who in courtesie, and equity may be so accepted as the Heires to the Crown, (in the Lancastrian difference) though not possessed thereof; or else so near a Kin thereunto, that much of History doth necessarily depend upon them.
We have observed these Nativities of Princes, because such signal persons, are not onelyonly Oakes amongst under-woods, but land-markes amongst Oakes, and they directorie for the methodical regulation of History. Besides, in themselves they are of special remarke, as more or less remote from the Crown; not onelyonly their own Honour, but the happiness of thousands being concerned in their extraction, and Divine Providence most visible in marshalling the order thereof. For although Nasci à Principibus fortuitum est, may pass for a true instance in Grammar, it is no right Rule in Divinity; which, though acknowledging *Job 34. 19.rich and poor the work of Gods hands, pronounceth Princes to be men *Psal. 80. 17.of his right hand, made strong for himself, that is, purposely advanced to imploy their own greatness to his glory.
Let none Object that the Wives of Kings need not to have been inserted, as Persons of no such consequence in Government; seeing it is the constant practice of the Spirit of God, after the mention of a new King in Judah, to record the name of his Mother, and her Parentage; *2 Cor. 13. 2.His Mothers name also was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah: *Chron. 22. 2.His mothers name was Althaliah the daughter of Omri *King. 28. 31.His mothers name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libuah. And Divines generally render this reason thereof, that if such Kings proved godly and gracious, then the memory of their mothers should receive just praise for their good Education; if otherwise that they might be blamed for no better principling them in their Infancy.
Saints.
This word accepts of several interpretations, or rather they are injuriously obtruded upon it.
1. Saints of Fiction, who never were in rerum natura, as St. Christopher &c.
2. Saints of Faction, wherewith our age doth fwarme, alledging two arguments for their Saintship. First, that they so call themselves; Sec…ndly, that those of their own party call them so. Neither of these belong to our cognizance.
3. Saints of Superstition, reputed so by the Court of Rome.
4. Saints indeed, parrallel to St. Pauls *1 Tim. 5. 3.Widows indeed, and both deserve to be honoured.
It is confessed, in this our Book we drive a great trade in the third Sort, and I cannot therefore but sadly bemoan that the Lives of these Saints are so darkned with popish Illustrations, and farced with Fauxeties to their Dishonour, and the Detriment of Church History. For as honest men, casually cast into the Company of Cozeners, are themselves suspected to be Cheats, by those who are Strangers unto them, So the very true Actions of these Saints found in mixture with so many Forgeries, have a suspicion of falshood cast upon them.
Inquiring into the causes of this grand abuse, I find them reducible to five heads.
1. First, Want of honest hearts, in the Biographists of these Saints, which betrayed their Pens to such abominable untruths.
2. Secondly, VVant of able heads, to distinguish Rumours from Reports, Reports from Records, not choosing but gathering, or rather not gathering, but scraping what could come to their hands.
3. Thirdly, Want of true matter, to furnish out those lives in any proportion. As Cooks are sometimes fain to lard lean meat, not for fashion but necessity, as which otherwise would hardly be eatable for the drynesse thereof; So these having little of these Saints more then their names, and dates of their Deaths (and though sometimes not certain) do plump up their emptinesse with such fictious additions.
4. Fourthly, hope of gain, so bringing in more Custome of Pilgrims to the shrines of their Saints.
5. Lastly, for the same reason for which Herod persecuted*Acts 12. 3. St. Peter, (for I count such Lyes a persecuting of the Saints memories) merely because they saw it pleased the people.
By these and other causes it is come to pass, that the Observation of*De Trad. Discrip. l. 5. Vives is most true, Quae de Sanctis Scripta sunt, praeter pauca quaedam, multis foedata sunt Commentis, dum qui scribit affectui suo indulget: & non quae egit Divus, sed quae illum egisse vellet, exponit; What are written of the Saints, some few things excepted, are defiled with many fictions, whilst the Writer indulgeth his own affection, and declareth not what the Saint did do, but what he desired that he should have done. To this let me couple the just complaint of that honest Dominican Melchior *Lib. 11. c. 6.Canus. Dolenter hoc dico, multò severius a Laertio vitas Philosophorum scriptas, quam à Christianis vitas Sanctorum, longèque incorruptius & integrius Suetonium res Caesarum exposuisse, quam exposuerint Catholici, non res dico Imperatorum, sed Martyrum, Virginum & Confessorum; I speak it to my grief (saith he) that the Lives of the Philosophers are more gravely written by Laertius, than Saints are by Christians, and that Suetonius hath recorded the Actions of the Caesars with more Truth and Integrity, than Catholick… have the Lives, I say not of Princes, but even of Martyrs, Virgins, and Confessours.
To return to our English Saints. As our Catalogue beginneth with Alban, it endeth with Thomas Bishop of Hereford, who dyed Anno Domini 1282. the last Englishman canonized by the Pope. For, though Anselme was canonized after him (in the Reign of King Henry the Seventh) he was no English, but a Frenchman, who dyed more then an hundred years before him. Since which time, no English, and few Foreigners have attained that honour, which the Pope is very sparing to confer. First because sensible, that multitude of Saints abateth veneration. Secondly, the Kalender, is filled (not to say pestered) with them, justling one another for Room, many holding the same day in copartnership of Festivity. Thirdly, the charge of Canonization is great, few so charitable as to buy it, the Pope too covetous to give it to the memories of the deceased. Lastly, Protestants daily grow more prying into the Popes proceedings, and the [suspected] perfections of such persons, who are to be Sainted; which hath made his Holynesse the more cautious, to canonize none whilest their memories are on the Must, immediately after their Deaths, before the same is fined in the Cask, with some competent continuance of time, after their decease.
Noble Martyrs.
St. Ambrose in his Te Deum doth justifie the Epithet, and by Martyrs all know such only are imported, who have lost their lives for the Testimony of a fundamental Truth.
However we find the word by one of the purest Writers in the primitive times, attributed to such who were then alive.
Cyprianus Epist. 77. as marshalled by Pamelian.
Cyprianus Nemesiano Felici, Lucio, alteri Felici, Litteo, Coliano, Victori, Faderi, Dativo, Coepiscopis; item, compresbyteris & Diaconibus, & caeteris fratribus in metallo constitutis, martyribus Dei patris Omnipotentis & Jesu Christi Domini, & Dei conservatoris nostri, aeternam salutem.
See here how he bemartyreth such who as yet did survive, but in so servile a condition (condemned to the mines) that they were almost hopelesse, without miracle to be released. Yet dare we not presume on this precedent of St. Cyprian (children must not do what their Fathers may) to use the word so extensively, but by Martyrs understand persons (not in the deepest durance and distresse) but actually slain for the Testimony of Jesus Christ; which by an Ingenious pen is thus, not ill expressed.
What desperate Challenger is He?
Before he peris… in the flame,
What ere his pain or patience be,
Who dares assume a MARTYRS name?
For all the way he goes he's none till he be gone
It is not dying but 'tis Death,
Only gains a MARTYRS Wreath.
Now such Martyrs as our Land hath produced, are reducible to three different Ranks.
1. Britons, suffering under Dioclesian, the persecuting Roman Emperor, as Alban, Amphibalus, &c.
2. Saxons, massacred by the Pagan Danes, as King Edmund, Ebba, &c.
3. English, murdered by the cruelty of Papists, since the Year 1400. as William Sawtree, John Badby, &c.
In the two former of these we are prevented, and they anticipated from us, by the Popes canonizing them under the Title of Saints. The third and last only remain proper for our pen, martyred by the Romish Prelates for above an hundred and fifty years together.
I confess I have formerly met with some men, who would not allow them for Martyrs, who suffered in the Reign of Queen Mary, making them little better then Felons de se, wilfully drawing their blood on themselves. Most of these I hope are since convinc'd in their judgement, and have learn'd more charity in the School of affliction, who by their own Losses have learn'd better to value the Lives of others, and now will willingly allow Martyrship to those, from whom they wholy with-held, (or grudgingly gave) it before.
We have reckoned up these Martyrs according to the places of their Nativity, where we could find them, which is my first choice, in Conformity to the rest of this work. But in case this cannot be done my second choyce is, (for know Reader tis no refuge) to rank them according to the place of their death, which is their true birth-place in the Language of*Origen lib. 3. Commen… in Job Albinus …. de divin. Offic. cap. de Sexta Feria pag. 60. Antiquity. Hear how a right Antient Authour expresseth himself to this purpose,*Nichol. Papa in Epist. ad consulta Bulgarorum cap. 5. in fine. Apte consuetudinem tenet Ecclesia, ut solennes beatorum Martyrum vel Confessorum Christi Dies, quibus ex hoc mundo ad regionem migraverunt Vivorum, nuncupentur Natales, & eorum Solennia non funebria, tanquam morientium, sed, (utpote in vera vita nascentium) Natalitia vocitentur. Now if the day of their Death be justly entituled their Birth-day, the place of their Death may be called their Birth-place by the same Analogy of Reason and Language.
We have given in a List of Martyrs names in their respective Countyes, but not their Total Number, only in…isting on such who were most remarkable, remiting the Reader for the rest, to the voluminous pains of Mr. Fox, who hath written All, (and if malicious Papists be believed more then All) of this Subject.
Worthy Confessors.
All good Christians are concluded within the Compase of Confessors in the Large acception thereof.*Rom. 10. 10. With the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation: But here we restrain this Title to such, who have adventured fair and far for Martyrdome, and at last, not declined it by their own Cowardize, but escaped it by Divine Providence. Confessor is a Name none can wear whom it cost Nothing, It must be purchased for the Maintenance of the Faith, with the Losse of their Native Land, Liberty, Livelyhood, Limbs, any thing under Life it self.
Yet in this confined sense of Confessors, we may say with Leah, at the birth of *Gen. 30. 11.Gad behold a Troop cometh, Too many to be known, written, read, remembred, We are forced therefore to reconfine the Word to such, who were Candidates and Probationers, for Martyrdome in proxima potentia. There was not a stride, but, (to use Davids expression)*1 Sam. 20. 3. but a step betwixt them and Death, their Wedding Clothes were made (but not put on) for their marriage to the Fire. In a Word they were soft Waxe, ready chafed and prepared, but the Signature of a violent Death was not stamped upon them.
Manifold is the use of our observing these Confessors. First to show that God alone hath Parramount power of Life and Death. Preserving those who by men are*Psal. 79. 11. appointed to Dye. One whose Son lay very Sick, was told by the Physician, Your Son Sir, is a dead man, To whom the Father (not disheartned thereat) returned, I had rather a Physician should call him so an hundred times, than a Judge on the Bench, should do it once, whose Pronouncing him for a Dead man, makes him to be one. But though both a Physician in Nature, and a Judge in Law, give men for Gon, The one passing the Censure, the other Sentence of Death upon them, GOD, to whom belongeth the Issues from Death, may Preserve them long in the Land of the Living. Hereof these Confessors * Psal. 68. 20.are Eminent Instances, and may God therefore have the Glory of their so strange Deliverances.
Secondly it serveth to comfort Gods servants in their greatest distress. Let hand joyne in hand; let Tyrants piece the Lions cruelty with the Fox his craft; let them face their plots with power, and line then with policy all shall take no effect. Gods servants (if he seeth it for his glory and their good) shall either be mercifully preserved from, or mightily protected in dangers, whereof these Confessours are a Cloud of Witnesses.
We have an English Proverb, Threatned Folks live long, but let me add, I know a Threatned Man who did never dye at all, namely the Prophet Elijab, Threatned by cruel and crafty Iesabel, The *1 King. 19. 2.Gods do so to me and more also, if I make not thy Life like one of their Lives by to morrow at this time, Yet did he never tast of Mortallity, being conveyed by a fiery (hariot into Heaven. Now although our ensuing History presenteth not any miraculously preserved from Death, yet affordetb it Plenty of strange preservations of Persons to extream Old age, though they wear the Marks of many, and mighty mens Menacies, who plotted and practised their Destruction.
We have persued the same course in Confessors, which we embraced in Martyrs, viz. We have ranked them according to their Nativities, where we could certainly observe them, to make them herein Uniforme with the rest of our Book. But where this could not be attained, we have entred them in those Counties, where they had the longest or sharpest …. And this we humbly conceive proper enough, seeing their Confessor-ship in a strict sense did bare true date, from place of their greatest Persecution.