CHRISTIANITY IN ROMAN BRITAIN. 



99 



* The Britons, in parts inaccessible to the Eomans, Christ has 

 truly subdued.' We conjecture from the silence of ancient 

 writers that Christianity reached Britain by natural expansion, 

 ratlier than conscious missionary effort. We conjecture further 

 that this expansion was from the Eoman provinces of Gaul and 

 Germany. Communication between these places was easy and 

 frequent. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries the armies of Britain 

 and the Ehine exchanged recruits. In the 4th century, Ammianus 

 tells us British cornships were accustomed to sail up the Ehine. 

 How Christianity came to Gaul we do not know, perhaps from 

 the East to Marseilles. Arguibg from these premises we may 

 suppose that at any rate as early as the 3rd century individual 

 Christians on individual errands came from Gaul, Germany, and 

 perhaps from Eome, that gradually congregations were formed, 

 and, in time, even bishoprics established. 



" No less than six Apostles are supposed to have preached 

 in Britain. These are not the patriotic inventions of Englishmen, 

 but due largely to Continental writers of the 6th and four follow- 

 ing centuries. They are guesses, unsupported by any evidence. 

 In the 7th century a more astonishing story appears. Lucius, 

 King of Britain, sent to Pope Eleutherius, about a.d. 174-189, 

 and requested conversion. Whether the request was granted is 

 not stated. The story is certainly untrue. If is rejected by 

 historians of all creeds and schools. It appears first in the 

 biographical lives of Popes known as the * Liber Pontificalis, ' and 

 originated in Eome, and in such a w^ay that it was not inserted 

 before a.d. 700. From thence it was copied inaccurately into 

 the ' Historia Brittonum,' ascribed to Nennius, and more 

 accurately into Bede's Ecclesiastical History. Its origin is attri- 

 buted to the 7th century, when a violent controversy raged 

 between British and Eoman bishops, and historical arguments 

 were forged. " 



In the 4th century of our era we pass into the region of solid 

 facts, and are able to consider tangible evidence given to us by 

 the labours of the archaeological explorer. Before leaving behind 

 us the realm of pious fictions, however, we stay a moment to 

 mention one picturesque legend which has greatly struck the 

 fancy of men. I refer to the story of Helena. The author of the 

 story appears to have been Geoffrey of Monmouth, to whom I 

 have already referred. It is perpetuated in the arms of the 

 Borough of Colchester, which date back to the 12th century. 

 Geoffrey mentions no less than three Kings of the name of Cole, 

 the third of the name being King or Chieftain of Colchester, who 

 had killed a Eoman usurper that had succeeded Allectus. Hear- 

 ing of this, the Eoman power sent Constantius Chlorus to assume 

 the Government, with whom King Cole or Coel made peace. 

 On his death a few months after, Constantius was crowned, and 



