Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of BritaineHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of Britaine
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
I find in the Chronicles of Burton (vnder the yeare of Grace 141. and
time of Hadrian the emperour) that nine scholers or clerkes of Grantha
or Granta (now Cambridge) were baptised in Britaine, and became
preachers of the gospell there, but whether Taurinus bishop or elder
ouer the congregation at Yorke (who as Vincentius saith, was executed
[Sidenote: _Lib. 10. cap. 17._]
[Sidenote: Taurinus.]
about this time for his faith) were one of them or not, as yet I do
not certeinlie find; but rather the contrarie, which is that he was no
Britaine at all, but Episcopus Ebroicensis, for which such as perceiue
not the easie corruption of the word, may soone write Eboracensis as
certeinlie mine author out of whom I alledge this authoritie hath done
before me. For Vincentius saith flat otherwise, and therefore the
Chronologie if it speake of anie Taurinus bishop of Yorke is to be
reformed in that behalfe. Diuers other also imbraced the religion of
Christ verie zealouslie before these men. Howbeit, all this
notwithstanding, the glad tidings of the gospell had neuer free and
open passage here, vntill the time of Lucius, in which the verie
enimies of the word became the apparent meanes (contrarie to their
owne minds) to haue it set foorth amongst vs. For when Antoninus the
emperour had giuen out a decrée, that the Druiysh religion should
euerie where be abolished, Lucius the king (whose surname is now
perished) tooke aduise of his councell what was best to be doone, &
wrote in this behalfe. And this did Lucius, bicause he knew it
[*]impossible for man to liue long without any religion at all:
[Sidenote: * This is contrarie to the common talke of our
Atheists who say, Let vs liue here in wealth, credit and
authoritie vpon earth, and let God take heauen and his
religion to himselfe to doo withall what he listeth.]
finallie finding his Nobilitie & subiects vtter enemies to the Romane
deuoti[=o] (for that they made so many gods as they listed, & some to
haue the regiment euen of their dirt & dung) and thervnto being
pricked forwards by such christians as were conuersant about him, to
choose the seruice of the true God that liueth for euer, rather than
the slauish seruitude of any pagan idoll: he fullie resolued with
himselfe in the end, to receiue and imbrace the gospell of Christ.
[Sidenote: Lucius openeth his ears to good counsell,
as one desirous to serue God & not prefer the world.]
He sent also two of his best learned and greatest philosophers to
Rome, vnto Eleutherus then bishop there in the 177. of Christ, not to
promise any subiection to his sea, which then was not required, but to
say with such as were pricked in mind, Acts. 2. verse. 37. "Quid
faciemus viri fratres?" I meane that they were sent to be perfectlie
instructed, and with farther commission, to make earnest request vnto
him and the congregation there, that a competent number of preachers
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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