PELAGIUS, a native of Great Britain; but whether of England, Scotland, or Wales, is as uncertain as it is immaterial (A). He was born towards the close of the fourth century, and educated in the monastery of
(A) Dr Henry thinks he was born in North Wales; that his real name was Morgan, of which Pelagius is a translation; and that he was born on the 13th of November A.D. 354, the same day with his great antagonist St. Augustine. The same learned historian gives us the following account of Pelagius and his great coadjutor Celestius. "He received a learned education in his own country, most probably in the great monastery of Banchor near Chester, to the government of which he was advanced A.D. 404. He was long esteemed and loved by St. Jerome and St. Augustine, who kept up a friendly correspondence with him by letters before
Pelagius, of Banchor, in Wales, of which he became a monk, and afterwards abbot. In the early part of his life he went over to France, and thence to Rome, where he had the insolence to promulgate certain opinions somewhat different from those of the infallible church. His morals being irreproachable, he gained many disciples; and the dreadful heresy made so rapid a progress, that, for the salvation of souls, it became necessary for the pope to exert his power. Pelagius, to avoid the danger, in the year 409 passed over to Sicily, attended by his friend and pupil Celestius. In 411 they landed in Africa, continued some time at Hippo, and were present at the famous conference between the Catholics and Donatists which was held at Carthage in 412. From thence they travelled to Egypt; and from Egypt, in 415, to Palestine, where they were graciously received by John bishop of Jerusalem. In the same year Pelagius was cited to appear before a council of seventeen bishops, held at Diospolis. They were satisfied with his creed, and absolved him of heresy. The African bishops, however, being displeased with their proceedings, appealed to the Roman pontiff: he first approved, and afterwards condemned, the opinions of Pelagius, who, with his pupil Celestius, was publicly excommunicated; and all the bishops who refused to subscribe the condemnation of the Pelagian heresy were immediately deprived. What became of him after this period is entirely unknown; but it seems very probable that he retired to Banchor, and died abbot of that monastery. He wrote, 1. Expositionum in epist. Paulinar., lib. xiv. 2. Epistola ad Demetriadem de virginitate.
3. Explanationis symboli ad Damasum. 4. Epistola ad Pelagium viduam duce. 5. De libero arbitrio. These and many other fragments are scattered among the works of St Jerome. They are also collected by Garnerius, and published in Append. op. Mercatoris, p. 373. Gen.