The History of the Church of Great Britain, Century 5
CENT. V.
ABout the year 412 Pelagius (born in Britain) began to broach his Hereſies publickly. The ſame day whereon Pelagius was born in Britain St. Auguſtine was alſo born in Africk: divine providence ſo ordering it that the poiſon and the Antidote ſhould be Twins in a manner in reſpect of the ſame time as Dr. Fuller well obſerveth. In the year 446. the Pelagian Hereſie ſpread over Britain: and the Britiſh Churches being defiled thereby, King Vortigern for the maintaining the truth, ſent for German Biſhop of Auxerre, and Lupus Biſhop of Troys in Champagne out of France, men famous for their doctrine and counſel, who refuſing this Hereſie, gained unto themſelves a reverent eſteem among the Britains; but chiefly German, who in a Chappel neer unto St. Albans did openly out of the pulpit preach God's word ſincerely to the people. This conference was held at St. Albans, even where at this day a ſmall Chappel is extant to the honour of St. German.
Gemanus having baptized multitudes of Pagan converts in the river Alen, marched with an Army of them againſt the Pagans whom he found in the North-Eaſt of Wales. Uſſer de Erit. Eccleſ. primord. p. 333.Here he choſe an hollow dale ſurrounded with hills; near the Village, called at this day by the Engliſh, Mold by the Britiſh Guidcrue in Flintſhire, where the field at this day retains the name of Mees Garmon or German's field. Here Germanus placed his men in ambuſh, with inſtructions, that a Signal given, they ſhould all ſhout Hallelujah three times with their might; which all was done accordingly. Hereat the Pagans without ſtriking a ſtroak confuſedly ran away, and many were drowned for ſpeed in the river Alen. After this victory Germanus prepared for his return.
After Germanus and Lupus were returned home into their native countrey, Pelagianiſm began to ſprout again in Britain: and after three years Germanus came again with Severus into Britain, and the Pelagian Hereſie was again condemned in a ſecond Synod, having been before condemned in a Synod at London. Germanus having ſetled Baitain in good order, returned to his own countrey, where he preſently died after his return: and by God's bleſſing on his endeavours, that Hereſie was ſo cut down in Britain, that it never generally grew up again.
About the year 453. Hengiſt Captain of the Saxons, who came to help the Britans againſt the Scots and Picts, who having married his own daughter to Vortigern had murthered his ſovereign Lord Conſtans, and invaded his Crown being called in for his help, came with diverſe ſhips of ſtout Saxon Souldiers, who under pretence of protecting them from the Picts, intended to plant themſelves in the North part of Britain, which when the Britans ſaw, and fearing their own ruin, they deſired the King that he would drive them out of his Kingdome. The Nobles alſo of his Realm did inveigh much againſt the King's marriage with a Pagan Woman.
Whereupon Anno 454. they utterly deſerted King Vortigern, and unanimouſly choſe Vortimer, his ſon, to be their King, who, following their counſel, began to expell the Barbarians, and chaſing them as far as the Derwent, he ſlew many of them: Vortigern alſo fled with them. But in the year 460 Prince Vortimer died, being poiſoned by Rowen his Mother in law, with whom the hope of the Britains was extinguiſhed. Hereupon Hengiſt returning into Britain with new forces, treacherouſly ſlew moſt of the Britiſh Nobles at a pretended Treaty for peace between both Nations. And the Saxons being enemies to Chriſtian Religion, and bent upon the poſſeſſion of ſuch a fruitful Countrey, exerciſed great cruelty upon the Inhabitants, deſtroyed Churches and all Eccleſiaſtical things, burnt the holy Scriptures; ſlew the Miniſters in the Churches, endeavouring to ſupplant Chriſtian Religion.Henr. Huntingd…. Lib. 2. Vortigern had before cauſed Vodinus Arch-Biſhop of London to be put to death, becauſe he reproved him for calling in the Saxons, and marrying a Pagan Woman: and now Theanus Biſhop of London, G…lſr. monum. lib. 12.and Thaodiceus Biſhop of York with others were forced to fly into remote places for the preſervation of their lives.
Thus God ſent down his heavie judgements upon the Britains for their Sins, as Gildas writeth, Britones propter avaritiam & rapinam Principum, propter iniquitatem & injuſtitiam Judicum, propter deſidiam praedicationis Epiſcoporum, propter luxuriam & malos mores populi perdidiſſe patriam: that is, the Britans for the covetouſneſs and oppreſſion of the Princes, for the iniquity and injuſtice of the Judges, for the negligent preaching of the Biſhops, for the luxury and evil manners of the people, loſt their Countrey. After many battles with the Britains, the Pagans ſurpriſed a great part of this Iſland.
Then the Britains ſent Ambaſsadors into the leſſer Britain to Aurelius Ambroſius, and Ʋter-Pendragon his brother, deſiring them to take the government of Britain upon them (of which they were right heires) and to expell the Saxons, and King Vortigern. Hereupon they came with many armed ſouldiers. Then the Britains ſet up Aurelius to be their King, who marched firſt againſt Vortigern to his Caſtle Genorium in Wales, where he had fortified and immured himſelf; but Aurelius burnt the caſtle, and King Vortigern in it. After this Aurelius fought many battles with the Saxons in the years 485. 487, 488. and at laſt overcame them. Aurelius was one compoſed of valour and Religion, wholly employing himſelf in time of peace, to raiſe new Churches, repair old, and endow both.Johan. Timnuthenſ. in ejus vita.
At this time there was an Academy of learned men under Dubritius neer the river Wye in Monmouth-ſhire. This Dubritius taught many ſcholars for ſeven years together in humane and divine learning; among whom the chiefeſt were Theliau, Sampſon, Vbelin, Merchiguin, Elquored, &c. at Dubritius removed to Werwick, a village two miles from Cardigan, and from thence to Moch-Rhos.
The Britains being involved in perpetual Warrs with the Scots, Picts, Normans, Saxons, the Chriſtian Britains were at laſt, by force and fraud, undermined, and driven out of their native ſoil into Britain in France, and into Wales and Cornwall: yet then was the Goſpel preſerved in thoſe corners, where the remainder of the Britains (thoſe antient Inhabitants of this land) remains unto this day. Paganiſm was again planted in this land, and an Heptarchy was eſtabliſhed, this land being divided into ſeven Kingdomes.
The firſt was the Kingdome of Kent, which began Anno 457. under King Hengiſt. The ſecond of the South-Saxons, compriſing Suſſex and Surrey. This Kingdome began under King Ella, Anno 491. and was the weakeſt of all the ſeven, affording few Kings, and fewer actions of moment. The third was of the Eaſt-Saxons, comprehending Eſſex, Middleſex, and part of Hartford-ſhire. This Kingdome began in Erchenwin about the year 527. The fourth of the Eaſt-Angles, containing Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridg-ſhire, with the Iſle of Ely, and part of Bedford-ſhire. It began Anno 575. under King Ʋlfa, and lay moſt expoſed to the cruelty of the Daniſh incurſions. The fifth of Mercia, ſo called, becauſe it lay in the midſt of the Iſland, being the merches or limits on which all the reſidue of the Kingdomes did bound and border. It began Anno 582 under King Cridda, and contained the Countries of Lincoln, North-hampton, Rutland, Huntingdon, Buckingham, Oxford, Worceſter, Warwick, Darby, Nottingham, Leiceſter, Stafford, and Cheſter: beſides part of Hereford and Salop (the remnant whereof was poſſeſſed by the Welch) Glouceſter, Bedford, and Lancaſter. The ſixt of Northumberland, whereunto belonged whatſoever lieth between Humber and Edenborough Frith. It was ſubdivided ſometimes into two Kingdomes, of Bernicia, and Deira. The latter conſiſted of the remainder of Lancaſhire, with the entire Counties of York, Durham, Weſtmerland, and Cumberland. Bernicia contained Northumberland with the South of Scotland to Edenborough: But it was not long before bo… were united under King Ida. The ſeventh of the Weſt Saxons, who poſſeſſed Ham-ſhire, Berk-ſhire, Wilt-ſhire, Somerſet, Dorſet and Devon-ſhire; part of Cornwall and Glouceſter-ſhire. This Kingdom began Anno 519. under Cerdicus: This Heptarchy was at laſt ſwallowed up in the Weſt Saxons Monarchy.
But to return to the Britiſh Church, and the year of our Lord 449. wherein the Iriſh St. Patrick is notoriouſly reported to have come to Glaſtonbury, where he lived 39 years as Abbot of that place. And ſo great was the credit of St. Patrick at Glaſtonbury, that after his death and burial there, that Church that formerly was dedicated to the Virgin Mary alone, was in after-ages joyntly conſecrated to her and St. Patrick.
About the year 495 Cerdicus (who was afterwards firſt King of the Weſt Saxons) having overcome the Britains at Wincheſter, killed all the Monks belonging to the Church of St. Amphibalus, and turned the ſame into a Temple of Idolatry. Aurelius Ambroſius was poiſoned in the year 498. and his Brother Ʋter-Pendragon took upon him the Government of this Realm.