Page:Elizabeth Elstob - An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory.djvu/41

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The PREFACE.
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from the time of Dubricius, the See was transfer'd first to Landaff, and then to St. Davids. But this latter Translation was not agreed unto, by all the British Bishops. And it appears, by the foregoing Discourfe, That the Bishops of Landaff did, at that time, when Oudoceus lived, challenge the Metrolitical Power of Caerleon to themselves, and therefore wou'd not be consecrated by the Bishop of St. Davids. If these British Bishops cou'd swagger thus at one of their own Patriarchs, or Metropolitans, St. Augustine had no reason to be much surprized, had he been acquainted with the British History, if he met with some of the same rough treatment from their Successors; himself being so great a Friend of their Enemies, the Saxons, and a Foreigner.

But to examine more particularly the Three Demands of St. Augustine. As to the First, The Controversy about Easter had, for a long time, kept a Division in the Eastern and Western Churches; it was but Prudence, and Charity in him, to endeavour to make up this Breach, by bringing them into a joint Communion, in the Places wherever he was like to be concern'd. Secondly, The Britains had been tinctured with the Pelagian Heresy, and might possibly have some unsound Notions about Baptism; and it was but reasonable that they should be well satisfyed with their Faith, in a Point so necessary and essential, whom they designed to receive into their Communion. So that if he desir'd a Conformity with the Church of Rome, in the Rite of Bap-