THE PROPHECY OF GNATUS A BRITISH PROPHET: Introduced by a PREFACE OF ROBERT WARE, Esq; AND Set forth with a few NOTES By the INTRODUCTOR. DUBLIN, Printed by Joseph Ray at Colledge-Green, for Samuel Helsham Bookseller, at the Colledge-Arms in Castle-street, 1681. THE PREFACE. AS Almighty God hath dignified man with the similitude of his own Image, so hath he been pleased of special privilege to raise some of mankind by extraordinary elevation of spirit above the rest, not only in Natural and Artificial Endowments of Understanding and Perception, but also hath many times infused into them above the sagacity of ordinary gifts, a faculty of foreseeing and declaring unto others fatal events, unperceived by any but themselves, who have therefore been called Prophets; and such a one, Gnatus, the Author of this Prediction seems to have been: who being a Christian, cannot be presumed to have founded his Predictions in Drycraft Deopoā—¸craft/ or any other ealdre healsung/ or ancient Heathenish Rites or Ceremonies then used, nor with regard to Constellations, or Dominion of Planets, or Mid heofonlicum wondrum/ i. e. Prodigies of Heaven. But as Beda terms it, mid Godcunde/ or Godcundre onbry ardnysse/ that is to say, by Divine instinct. Nor did he by jergon/ or the juggling artifice of ambiguous expressions, cast a mist about his words, or inwrap them in darkness of sense; but in clear terms sets forth his meaning in the following Prophecy; which being of late casually found, and drawn out of the Archives of Sir James Ware's rich and careful preserved Antiquities, now breaks forth like a Star newly created in the Firmament of Heaven, which draws all the World to look upon it with admiration; and moreover, affords things new and old, that is to say, an Historical Instruction of what is past, as well as Predictions of very fatal events hereafter to be accomplished, depending on the behaviour of Nobles, and people practising and maintaining the true Religion against Idolatry, and subduing the lusts and appetites of the flesh. R. W. A British Prophecy in the Sixth Century after Christ: Taken out of an Old Register Book belonging to Rochester, and translated out of the Saxon Character into English, by John Gravener, some time Chaplain to the said Bishop; being named Edmond Gest, Anno 1564. IN the days of Ethelbert King of Kent, Augustin Chief Patron of Carlem, that Palace being bestowed on him by the King, he bearing his Banner in Procession at his first Entrance into this Isle of Britain, one Gnatus, the than British Prophet met him, to whom he thus spoke. You a The Prophet checketh Austin at his first entrance into Britain. nor your Master have not observed the Master's Precepts, which is this: Let him that is the meanest of you be as Master, and the Master as the meanest. Which Precept, had he that sent you but observed, he nor ye had not fallen. For Jerusalem hath fallen out with Antioch, and she with her. So likewise hath Constantinople with Rome, and she with her, from whence thou now comest. Where is then the Peace of Christ, with which thou must qualify the people of this Isle, seeing ye have rent your Saviour's seamless Garment? For the light hath shined with in this Isle for many days past; b He gives Rome a caution not to bring in Popish Ceremonies into the Liturgy. Be thou therefore cautious neither to add nor diminish what hath been already Planted by thy Predecessors within the same, lest you and yours become as odious as those that sent you; c He shows what hath brought in Antichrist. for Ambition, Pride, and Covetousness, hath already brought in Antichrist sprinkled amongst them, which as yet is insufficient. d Antichrist against Antichrist, is supposed the Mahometan Sect against the Roman Sect. For another Antichrist is arising to contend with Antichrist; who by little and little, and in space of days shall make them Vassals, and subject to their Power, and so inherit what they now possess. But if you and yours follow their Paths more than Christ's, you and your Successors shall be hated as they, by the people of this Isle: e King H. 8th. his dissolving of the Monasteries, Priories, Abbeys, etc. then in the height of yours, and their Pomp, through Vain Glory, Covetousness, and Idolatry; ye and they shall be mowed as the Grass, and wither within the same. f K. E. 6ths. Reformation. Then Britain shall bring forth a Babe, from whose lips shall flow sweetness: g Rome's tyranny during Qu. Mary's days. which Antichrist within this Isle shall for five days make it bitter, h Qu. Elizabeth. until a Judith shall rise and refresh their senses; who hath heard, and will not hear; seen, and will not see; who hath tasted, and yet doth not taste; who have smelled, and yet were not sensible of its fragrancy; who have held, and yet let it go. i A warning to the Protestant Church to keep Unity against Rome and her devices. Thus Truth being planted, and sprung up afresh; shall never wither within this Isle, unless her Nobles and her People wilfully follow strange Gods, through the lusts and appetites of the flesh; and then become the Children of Wrath. To prove that there was a Wise Man with whom the British Clergy Conversed; and is supposed to be the said Gnatus. 1. THat Ethelbert was Contemporary with Augustin, The Authors to prove that the Clergy in those days did not own Rome, nor her Tenants, viz. Beda, Stow, Baker, Fullar, and Lambard. appears by the Ecclesiastical History of Venerable Beda; and that he had communion in a Synod with Augustin in the time of Dynoth Abbot of Bangor: There also it appeareth what was done in this Synod. Beda Lib. 2. Cap. 2. 2. Carlem was at that time the chief City of Kent, and as the Author of the British History affirmeth, was Built by Rudhurdibras, or as some Copies have it, Lud Rudibras, almost nine hundred years before the Incarnation of Christ; For Carlem to be the King's chief Seat. See Lambard's Perambulation of Kent. and the same is called by Henry of Huntingdon, Cacr Kent, in his recital of ancient British Cities. 3. Banner, this Banner was the Cross and Image of Christ, which Beda calls, Lib. 1. Cap. 25. Cristes Gade Tacen silfrene/ and Cristes' mael mid him. 4. Gnatus, so far as the probability of conjecture may administer credit, this Gnatus was the holy and prudent Anchorite, with whom (as Beda in his Ecclesiastical History saith) seven Brittissh Bishops, and many most Learned men came to advise, when they were to consult with Augustin; For these are the words of Beda, that they came aerst to sumum Ancram se was mid him halig and wis/ i. e. they came to a certain Anchorite, whom they reputed holy and wise. Hence it may be observed, that the British Church was a well Constituted Church, at and before the time of Augustine's first coming; which could on the sudden, out of the Kingdom of Kent, assemble seven Bishops, and so many most Learned Men. FINIS.