24 FOURTH PEEIOD. A. D. 590 TO 1049.
But the^e legends cannot be traced beyond the sixth century, and are therefore destitute of all historic value. A visit of St. Paul to Britain between A. D. 63 and 67 is indeed in itself not impossible (on the assumption of a second Roman captivity), and has been advocated even by such scholars as Ussher and Stillingfleet, but is intrinsically improbable, and destitute of all evidence.1
The conversion of King Lucius in the second century through correspondence with the Roman bishop Eleutherus (176 to 190), is related by Bede, in connection with several errors, and is a legend rather than an established fact.2 Irena3us of Lyons, who enumerates all the churches one by one, knows of none in Britain. Yet the connection of Britain with Eome and with Gaul must
ocean to the isles called British ;" but the passage is rhetorical and indefinite. In his Church History he omits Britain from the apostolic mission-field.
1 It is merely an inference from the well-known passage of Clement of Eome, Ep. ad Corinth, c. 5, that Paul carried the gospel "to the end of the West " (STTI TO T£p/j.a rrjg Svceus}. But this is far more naturally understood of a visit to Spain which Paul intended (Horn. xv. 28), and which seems confirmed by a passage in the Muratorian Fragment about 170 (" Profectionem Pauli ab urbe ad Spaniam proficiscentis") ; while there is no trace whatever of an intended or actual visit to Britain. Canon Bright calls this merely a "pious fancy" (p. 1), and Bishop Lightfoot remarks: "For the patriotic belief of some English writers, who have included Britain in the Apostle's travels, there is neither evidence nor probability " (St. Clement of Rome, p. 50). It is barely possible? however, that some Galatian converts of Paul, visiting the far West to barter the hair-cloths of their native land for the useful metal of Britain, may have first made known the gospel to the Britons in their kindred Keltic tongue. See Lightfoot, Com. on Gal., p. 246.
2 Book I., ch. 4 : " Lucius, king of the Britons, sent a letter to Eleutherus, entreating that by his command he might be made a Christian. «He soon ob tained his pious request, and the Britons preserved the faith, which they had received, uncorrupted and entire, in peace and tranquillity, until the time of the Emperor Diocletian." Comp. the foot-note of Giles in loc. Haddan says (I. 25) : "The story of Lucius rests solely upon the later form of the Catalogus Pontificum Romanorum which was written c. A. D. 530, and which adds to the Vita Eleutheri (A.D. 171-186) that 'Hie (Eleutherus} accepit epistolam a Lucio Britannice Rege, ut Christianus efficeretur par ejus mandatum.' But these words are not in the original Catalogus, written shortly after A. D. 353." Beda copies the Eoman account. Gildas knows nothing of Lucius. According to other accounts, Lu cius (Lever Maur, or the Great Light) sent Fagan and Dervan to Eome, who were ordained by Evaristus or Eleutherus, and on their return established the British church. See Lingard, History of England, I. 46.
§8. THE BRITONS. 25
have brought it early into contact with Christianity. About A. D. 208 Tertullian exultiugly declared "that places in Britain not yet visited by Romans were subject to Christ."1 St. Alban, probably a Roman soldier, died as the British proto-martyr in the Diocletian persecution (303), and - left the impress of his name on English history.2 Constantino, the first Christian em peror, was born in Britain, and his mother, St. Helena, was probably a native of the country. In the Council of Aries, A. D. 314, which condemned the Donatists, wre meet with three British bishops, Eborius of York (Eboracum), Restitutus of London (Londinum), and Adelfius of Lincoln (Colonia Londinensium), or Cserleon in Wales, besides a presbyter and deacon.3 In the Arian controversy the British churches sided with Athanasius and the Nicene Creed, though hesitating about the term honioousios.* A notorious heretic, Pelagius (Morgan), was from the same island ; his abler, though less influential associate, Celestius, was probably an Irishman ; but their doctrines were con demned (429), and the Catholic faith reestablished with the assistance of two Gallic bishops.5
Monumental remains of the British church during the Roman period are recorded or still exist at Canterbury (St. Martin's), CaBrleon, Bangor, Glastonbury, Dover, Richborough (Kent), Reculver, Lymiuge, Brixworth, and other places.6
The Roman dominion in Britain ceased about A. D. 410; the
1 Adv. Judccos 7: " Britanrwrum inaccessa Romanis loca, Christo vcro svbdita" Bishop Kaye ( Tertull., p. 94) understands this passage as referring to the far thest extremities of Britain. So Burton (II. 207): "Parts of the island which had not heen visited by the Romans." See Bright, p. 5.
8 Bede I. 7. The story of St. Alban is first narrated by Gildas in the sixth century. Milman and Bright (p. 6) admit his historic reality.
3 Wiltsch, Handbuch d<:r kirshl. Geogr. und Statist ik I. 42 and 238, Mansi, Cone. II. 467, Iladdan and Stubbs, I. c., 1. 7. Haddan identifies Colouia Loudineusiuni with Col. Legionensium, i. e. Ca>rleon-on-Usk.
4 See Haddan and Stubbs, I. 7-10.
6 Bede I. 21 ascribes the triumph of the Catholic faith over the Pelagian heresy to the miraculous healing of a lame youth by Germanus (St. Germain), Bishop of Auxerre. Comp. also Iladdan and Stubbs, I. 15-17.
6 See Haddan and Stubbs, I. 36-40.