Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (4 of 8): The Fovrth Booke Of The Historie Of EnglandHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (4 of 8): The Fovrth Booke Of The Historie Of England
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Roman period, 55 B.C.-449 A.D.
Herevpon were sent from the said Eleutherius two godlie learned men,
the one named Fugatius, and the other Damianus, the which baptised the
king with all his familie and people, and therewith remoued the
[Sidenote: Britaine receiueth the faith.]
worshipping of idols and false gods, and taught the right meane and
waie how to worship the true and immortall God. There were in those
daies within the bounds of Britaine 28 Flamines, & thrée Archflamines,
which were as bishops and archbishops, or superintendents of the
pagan or heathen religion, in whose place (they being remoued) were
instituted 28 bishops & thrée archbishops of the christian religion.
One of the which archbishops held his sée at London, another at Yorke,
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
and the third at Caerleon Arwiske in Glamorganshire. Vnto the
archbishop of London was subiect Cornewall, and all the middle part of
England, euen vnto Humber. To the archbishop of Yorke all the north
parts of Britaine from the riuer of Humber vnto the furthest partes
of Scotland. And to the archbishop of Caerleon was subiect all Wales,
within which countrie as then were seuen bishops, where now there are
but foure. The riuer of Seuern in those daies diuided Wales (then
called Cambria) from the other parts of Britaine. Thus Britaine
[Sidenote: Iosephus of Arimathia.]
partlie by the meanes of Ioseph of Arimathia (of whome ye haue heard
before) & partlie by the wholesome instructions & doctrines of
Fugatius and Damianus, was the first of all other regions that openlie
receiued the gospell, and continued most stedfast in that profession,
till the cruell furie of Dioclesian persecuted the same, in such sort,
that as well in Britaine as in all other places of the world, the
christian religion was in manner extinguished, and vtterlie destroied.
[Sidenote: _Polydor_. Westminster Church built.]
There be that affirme, how this Lucius should build the church
of saint Peter at Westminster, though manie attribute that act vnto
Sibert king of the east Saxons, and write how the place was then
ouergrowne with thornes and bushes, and thereof tooke the name, and
was called Thorney. They ad moreouer that Thomas archbishop of London
preached, read, and ministred the sacraments there to such as made
resort vnto him. Howbeit by the tables hanging in the reuestrie of
saint Paules at London, and also a table sometime hanging in saint
Peters church in Cornehill, it should séeme that the said church of
saint Peter in Cornehill was the same that Lucius builded. But herein
(saith Harison _anno mundi_ 4174) dooth lie a scruple. Sure Cornell
might soone be mistaken for Thorney, speciallie in such old records,
as time, age, & euill handling haue oftentimes defaced.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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