CHAPTER I. SKETCH OF THE HISTORY AND FOUNDATION OF THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH. THE introduction of Christianity into Britain, is placed by some writers at a very early period after the crucifixion of its author. A manuscript in the British Museum would seem to sanction the opinion, that it was introduced by Joseph of Arimathea.* Others, who have employed their talents in the investigation of a theory so important, confidently pronounce that it was planted in this island by St. Paul himself, under the auspices of the family of Caractacus. We cannot doubt but Christianity was known in Britain at this early period,§ for * "In the 31st year after the Crucifixion," says this document, "twelve disciples of St. Philip the Apostle, of whom Joseph of Arimathea was the head, came into this land, and preached the doctrines of Christianity to king Aviragus, who denied them. But they obtained from him this spot, (Glastonbury), with twelve hides of land, whereon they erected the first church in this kingdom."(Cott. MSS. Tit. A. v. fol. 1.) † Speed. Brit. p. 203. "It is a remarkable and interesting fact," says a distinguished prelate, "that the detention of the British hostages should have been coincident with St. Paul's residence there (at Rome) as a prisoner; and it was not a less favourable coincidence, that they should be released from confinement in the same year in which St. Paul was set at liberty, Nothing could be more convenient for St. Paul's mission to the Gentiles, than the opportunity which their return must have afforded him, of introducing the Gospel into Britain; and nothing more probable than that he should readily embrace such an opportunity,"-(Bp. Burgess, Serm. 1812.) § A writer in the Carnarvon Herald says, "there can be little B Claudia Rufina, who is mentioned by St. Paul to Timothy,* is said, on good authority, to have been a British lady. Gent, Speed,§ Camden,|| and others, assert that the Gospel was preached here by Joseph of Arimathea as above, in the time of Suetonius, and by Simon Zelotes in the time of Agricola; ¶ and several authors, in defence of the antiquity of the British church, have shown much ingenuity in their attempts to prove that it was established by the Apostles.** However this may be, it is quite certain that the progress of Christianity in Britain was inconsiderable for many years subsequently to the death of Paul; and idolatry was not finally extirpated for some centuries after the Christian era.†† doubt that Llanilid (between Llantrissent and Bridgend) is the oldest church in Great Britain. Ilid, a converted Jew, accompanied Bran, the father of Caractacus, from Rome. Caractacus is known to have lived at Dunraven-Bran is supposed to have resided at or near Llanilid; and a farm-house not far from the church, still called Trefran (Tre-Bran) " the abode of Bran," confirms the probability. The revels (Mapsent) of that parish are still called Gwyl Geri, from Ceri, the grandfather, or, as some say, the father, of Bran. Bran and Ilid (who must have been at Rome at the same time with St. Paul) converted the Britons to Christianity, and founded a church at Llanilid 500 years before Augustin had converted their Saxon neighbours." * 2 Tim. iv. 21. || Cur. Dis. vol. ii. pp. 161, 167. + Martial. 1. 4. ep. 13. ¶ Tertullen and Origen speak of the conversion of the Britons to Christianity in the infancy of the church, and that they were qualified before by their Druids for that purpose, who always taught them to believe that there was but one God. Gildas speaks of the introduction of Christianity into Britain in the earliest times, and Chrysostom and St. Jerome too."-(Camden. See also Bede, Eccl. Hist. 1. i. c. 30. Parker de Antiq. Eccl. Angl. Usher, Ant. Brit. c. iii. p. 20.) ** An old manuscript which Baronius saw in the Vatican Library, reports, that Lazarus, Mary Magdalene, and others being banished from Jerusalem, were exposed to the mercy of the winds and waves in a vessel without tackling, and being driven to Gaul, from thence passed over into Britain."-(Camden. See also Stilling. Orig. Brit. p. 37. Hakewill. Cur. Disc. vol. ii. p. 170. + See my Hist. Bev. p. 18. In the time of Augustine, who was deputed by Pope Gregory, A.D. 597, the conversion of Britain was permanently accomplished. By the assiduity of the Christian missionaries, the greater part of the island, in a few years, was converted to the profession of the Christian faith; thousands pressed for admission; and St. Chad, who first taught Christianity in Staffordshire, baptized multitudes in lakes and rivers. A regular and efficient hierarchy now became established; the country was parcelled out into large divisions, called Parochia; and Mercia was constituted a bishopric in the year 655, under Divina, who was appointed the first bishop, and he resided at Leicester, which was the chief city of the Mercian dominions. He held the see two years, and was succeeded by Cellach, who was bishop under Oswy, king of Northumbria; and he at that time presided over Mercia also; for this latter kingdom, including Staffordshire, was wrested from the Britons by Crida, the eleventh in descent from Odin or Woden, in the year of our Lord 584. His grandson Penda was slain in battle, A.D. 659, by Oswy, who seized his kingdom and divided it into two parts. He being a zealous Christian, at the instance of St. Chad,* commenced a cathedral church at Lichfield. Oswy * St. Chad was afterwards bishop of Lichfield, and he died in all the odour of sanctity. Bede has recorded that "joyful melody, as of persons sweetly singing, descended from heaven into his oratory for half an hour, and then returned to heaven," to presage his death. + It is probable, however, that this church was begun by his predecessor Jaruman. It must not be imagined that the churches built at this period were either magnificent or durable. Chad's Cathedral might be a small edifice constructed of stone; but the subsidiary churches assumed no higher character, generally, than timber and thatch, with lattice windows; and some of them were probably of still simpler materials. Sammes says of the church at Glastonbury; "the walls of the church, according to Malmsbury, were made of twigs, winded and twisted together, after the ancient custom that king's palaces were used to be built. So the king of Wales, by name Heolus Dha, being subsequently engaged in a war with the Picts, the Mercian nobility thought this a proper time to throw off the Northumbrian yoke; and setting Wulfere, the second son of Penda, on the throne, they succeeded in recovering the entire kingdom of Mercia.* Now this king, who in the early part of his life was so inveterate a pagan that he put his two youngest sons to death because he suspected that St. Chad in the year of our Lord, 940, built a house of white twigs, to retire into when he came a hunting into South Wales, therefore it was called Tyguyn, that is, The White House. For, to the end that it might be distinguished from vulgar buildings, he caused the twigs, according to his princely quality, to be barked. Nay, castles themselves in those days were formed of the same materials, and weaved together."-(Brit. p. 213.) 66 The battles by which these sudden revolutions were decided, were frequently very obstinate and bloody. Thus we learn from Dr. Plot, that a battle of this description was fought at Wednesfield, between Edward the Elder and the Danes, A.D. 910. "King Edward," says this author, with an army of West Saxons and Mercians, overtook the retreating Danes at the village of Wednesfield, and overthrew them in a bloody battle, wherein he killed Eowills and Halfden, two of their kings; and Ohtea and Scurfer, two of their earls; and nine other noblemen; of which great slaughter there are no remains but a low in a ground called South Low field, which once had a wiudmill set upon it; another field is called North Low field, doubtless from lows in it since removed; and such was likely Stowman's Hill, on the road between Wolverhampton and Walsall, half a mile S. W. of Nechells," The Danes were also overthrown in a field between Tettenhall and the Wergs, in a battle which was so very terrible, that it could not be fully described by the most exquisite pen." "He came first to †The legend of St. Chad is as follows. Lichfield as into a private place, where he lived some time on the milk of a doe, which being hunted by Wulfade, son of Wulfere, king of Mercia, brought him to the cell of St. Ceadda, who first converted him and then his brother Ruffin to the faith of Christ. But this place being too remote from Wulfercester, the seat of their father, they intreated the holy man to remove near them for their more convenient attendance on him to receive further instructions, and perform their devotions together with him; which St. Ceadda willingly consented to. The young princes having thus gotten their teacher near them, in a secret woody place, did often, under pretence of hunting and other field devotions, resort to him: but were very had induced them to embrace Christianity, resided at Darlaston * near Stone, and not only practised the superstitions of his own nation, but, the more effectually to oppose the progress of Christianity, encouraged or connived at every species of worship except the true one; and amongst the rest, the imposing ceremonies of Druidism, which had been practised by the natives in many parts of Staffordshire, and particularly on the hill of Hantune, where the church now stands, from time immemorial. It strikes me, therefore, as highly probable, that in the bitterness of his deadly animosity against the king of Northumberland, whom he dreaded and hated, and in ridicule of the holy fabrics which that monarch had erected in the neighbourhood, Wulfere would be incited to cautious in doing it, that their father, who was a zealous pagan, might not know it. This they continued some time, and by constantly going to him, became well-grounded Christians. But being at length discovered by one Werebod, an evil counsellor of their father, they were accused of Christianity to him, and ever after watched which way they bent their course. It was soon found out that they went to St. Ceadda's cell, which Wulfere their father being informed of, he went to it in person, and in his rage and fury slew them both while they were at their devotions, about the year 659. In this conjuncture St. Ceadda fled from the fury of this bloody-minded king, and returned to his former cell at Stone, near Lichfield." (Plot, p. 407.) * Erdeswick, speaking of Darlaston, says; on a goodly large steep hill be the ruins of a very large house, or rather, as may seem, of some small town. The reports of the country is, that this place was sometime the habitation of Wulferus, king of Mercia; and to confirm the same, I have seen an old deed, which intreateth of the foundation of the priory of Stone, and affirmeth as much, which is not unlike; for that Stone, where his son Wulfredus was martyred, is but a mile off."—(Harwood, Staff. Pref. xxix.) + I am inclined to think that in the time of Wulfere, the town of Hantune, now Wolverhampton, had attained to a good comparative population; which, from the building of the church, increased gradually to the Conquest; being improved by the weekly market held there, which was probably established before that period. But it does not appear to have been a town of general trade in those early times, for in the reign of Edw. III. the Nona Roll states that the town had no merchants. None of these churches now remain. They were either swept |